Theme: None
Total words: 70
Total blocks: 27
Average Word length: 5.66 (Our normal Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday is often under 5.)
This puzzle is anchored by two 12s:
26A. Plotting problem, perhaps : WRITER'S BLOCK. Story plotting.
43A. Plan to minimize losses : EXIT STRATEGY. Could be the seed entry.
Barry also placed triple stacks of 8s in the NW & SE quadrants and triple columns of 9s in the NE and SW quadrants.
No scrabbly J/Q/Z, normally a Silk hallmark.
Across:
1. Voter reaction of sorts : BACKLASH. Had BA* immediately.
9. Come forward : STEP UP
15. Liqueur often used to flavor tiramisu : AMARETTO. Also WHISKEY (37. Jell-O shot ingredient).
16. Benedict XIII's family name : ORSINI. No idea. Wikipedia says the Orsini family has produced three popes.
17. Emeril might make one with provolone : TUNA MELT. Emeril is a fun guy.
18. Slangy "got that right!" : BETCHA. You betcha!
19. Certain Honshu native : OSAKAN
20. Followers: Suff. : ITES. Filled in ISTS first.
22. Auntie Em's st. : KAN. "The Wizard of Oz".
23. A transfer might entail one, briefly : RELO. Thought of plane/bus transfer. Not job transfer.
24. Gang follower? : STER. Gangster.
25. High guy : ALTO. Oh, high voice guy.
30. Office efficiency meas. : WPM (Words Per Minute)
33. Jungian archetype : ANIMA. Jung's inner self, as opposed to "persona".
34. Café drinker's request : LECHE. "Milk" in Spanish.
35. Big talk : ORATION
39. Simple organism : MONAD. New word to me. Single cell.
40. Milo, e.g. : GRAIN. I've never heard of milo, an early-growing, usually drought-resistant grain sorghum, resembling millet.
42. Tom Hayden's '60s org. : SDS (Students for a Democratic Society)
46. Luxor's river : NILE. Luxor is city in Central Egypt. On the Nile. I bet our Mr. Ed knows.
47. High in the French Alps? : HAUT. The feminine is Haute, as in Haute Couture/Cuisine.
48. Organization with many boomers : AARP
52. Wee : SMA. Small.
53. __ Mawr : BRYN
54. Google Earth, e.g. : MAPPER. Er word...
56. Apt to change : LABILE. Another new word.
58. Ojibwa speakers : CHIPPEWA. They are a big tribe here in MN.
60. Torino's home : ITALIA
61. Cramped : HAMPERED
62. Past : BEYOND
63. Waits for, at an intersection : YIELDS TO
Down:
1. Ulan __ : BATOR. Mongolia capital.
2. Tickle : AMUSE
3. Place for a low bridge : CANAL. Did not come to me readily.
4. Former capital on the Vistula River : KRAKOW. No idea. Capital of Poland (1038-1596).
5. 1964 British Open winner : LEMA. The Champagne Tony. It sure would not be British Open without wind, would it? Rory, Go!
6. Rate __: be perfect : A TEN
7. N.L. Central team : STL. St. Louis Cardinals.
8. Brisk seller : HOT ITEM
9. Gets serious : SOBERS
10. A third of nueve : TRES. Spanish for "three". Nueve is "nine".
11. Pawtucket hrs. : EST
12. Thieves' tools : PICKLOCKS
13. Like a dinosaur embryo : UNHATCHED. I don't get this clue. Know nothing about dinosaur.
14. They activate hammers : PIANO KEYS. Ear hammers? I was stumped.
21. Huge amount of power : TERAWATT. Equals to one trillion watts. Tera is a prefix for "one trillion". (Sorry for the "suffix" error earlier.)
24. 1963 Chevrolet debut : STINGRAY. Don't know the history.
25. They're often drawn : ALES
27. Speakeasy owners' concerns : RAIDS
28. Rescuer of Odysseus : INO. Pronounced like "I know", right? Sea goddess who rescued Odysseus from drowning by giving him a magic veil.
29. Rappers' accessories, in slang : BLING
30. Betty Friedan cause : WOMEN'S LIB. Have dimly heard of the name Betty Friedan.
31. Close : PROXIMATE. Awesome entry.
32. 1898 battle site : MANILA BAY. Spanish-American War battle site.
36. Where Gainsboroughs hang : TATE. Tate Galleries.
38. Step on it : HIE. Was thinking the clue is asking for the "it", you know, like PEDAL.
41. Like dirty jokes : RAUNCHY
44. Nut feature : THREAD. Again, I was picturing edible nuts. Not nuts/bolts/screws.
45. Went on and on : YAPPED. Man, John Daly just can't stop talking to the reporters.
49. Some parodists : APERS
50. Keep from drying out : REWET. I rewater, so I suppose it's OK to REWET.
51. Madrid must-see : PRADO
53. Russian pancake : BLIN
54. Some street art : MIME. Needed crossing help.
55. Kitchen item: Abbr. : APPL. OK, appliance.
57. 1969 Peace Prize-winning agcy. : ILO (International Labor Organization)
59. River through Beijing : HAI. Hai River. Hai is literally "sea" in Chinese. Love the new clue.
Answer grid.
Here is Part VII of Kazie's Oz series. The last ones of the Northern Territory, still in Kakadu.
C.C.
Total words: 70
Total blocks: 27
Average Word length: 5.66 (Our normal Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday is often under 5.)
This puzzle is anchored by two 12s:
26A. Plotting problem, perhaps : WRITER'S BLOCK. Story plotting.
43A. Plan to minimize losses : EXIT STRATEGY. Could be the seed entry.
Barry also placed triple stacks of 8s in the NW & SE quadrants and triple columns of 9s in the NE and SW quadrants.
No scrabbly J/Q/Z, normally a Silk hallmark.
Across:
1. Voter reaction of sorts : BACKLASH. Had BA* immediately.
9. Come forward : STEP UP
15. Liqueur often used to flavor tiramisu : AMARETTO. Also WHISKEY (37. Jell-O shot ingredient).
16. Benedict XIII's family name : ORSINI. No idea. Wikipedia says the Orsini family has produced three popes.
17. Emeril might make one with provolone : TUNA MELT. Emeril is a fun guy.
18. Slangy "got that right!" : BETCHA. You betcha!
19. Certain Honshu native : OSAKAN
20. Followers: Suff. : ITES. Filled in ISTS first.
22. Auntie Em's st. : KAN. "The Wizard of Oz".
23. A transfer might entail one, briefly : RELO. Thought of plane/bus transfer. Not job transfer.
24. Gang follower? : STER. Gangster.
25. High guy : ALTO. Oh, high voice guy.
30. Office efficiency meas. : WPM (Words Per Minute)
33. Jungian archetype : ANIMA. Jung's inner self, as opposed to "persona".
34. Café drinker's request : LECHE. "Milk" in Spanish.
35. Big talk : ORATION
39. Simple organism : MONAD. New word to me. Single cell.
40. Milo, e.g. : GRAIN. I've never heard of milo, an early-growing, usually drought-resistant grain sorghum, resembling millet.
42. Tom Hayden's '60s org. : SDS (Students for a Democratic Society)
46. Luxor's river : NILE. Luxor is city in Central Egypt. On the Nile. I bet our Mr. Ed knows.
47. High in the French Alps? : HAUT. The feminine is Haute, as in Haute Couture/Cuisine.
48. Organization with many boomers : AARP
52. Wee : SMA. Small.
53. __ Mawr : BRYN
54. Google Earth, e.g. : MAPPER. Er word...
56. Apt to change : LABILE. Another new word.
58. Ojibwa speakers : CHIPPEWA. They are a big tribe here in MN.
60. Torino's home : ITALIA
61. Cramped : HAMPERED
62. Past : BEYOND
63. Waits for, at an intersection : YIELDS TO
Down:
1. Ulan __ : BATOR. Mongolia capital.
2. Tickle : AMUSE
3. Place for a low bridge : CANAL. Did not come to me readily.
4. Former capital on the Vistula River : KRAKOW. No idea. Capital of Poland (1038-1596).
5. 1964 British Open winner : LEMA. The Champagne Tony. It sure would not be British Open without wind, would it? Rory, Go!
6. Rate __: be perfect : A TEN
7. N.L. Central team : STL. St. Louis Cardinals.
8. Brisk seller : HOT ITEM
9. Gets serious : SOBERS
10. A third of nueve : TRES. Spanish for "three". Nueve is "nine".
11. Pawtucket hrs. : EST
12. Thieves' tools : PICKLOCKS
13. Like a dinosaur embryo : UNHATCHED. I don't get this clue. Know nothing about dinosaur.
14. They activate hammers : PIANO KEYS. Ear hammers? I was stumped.
21. Huge amount of power : TERAWATT. Equals to one trillion watts. Tera is a prefix for "one trillion". (Sorry for the "suffix" error earlier.)
24. 1963 Chevrolet debut : STINGRAY. Don't know the history.
25. They're often drawn : ALES
27. Speakeasy owners' concerns : RAIDS
28. Rescuer of Odysseus : INO. Pronounced like "I know", right? Sea goddess who rescued Odysseus from drowning by giving him a magic veil.
29. Rappers' accessories, in slang : BLING
30. Betty Friedan cause : WOMEN'S LIB. Have dimly heard of the name Betty Friedan.
31. Close : PROXIMATE. Awesome entry.
32. 1898 battle site : MANILA BAY. Spanish-American War battle site.
36. Where Gainsboroughs hang : TATE. Tate Galleries.
38. Step on it : HIE. Was thinking the clue is asking for the "it", you know, like PEDAL.
41. Like dirty jokes : RAUNCHY
44. Nut feature : THREAD. Again, I was picturing edible nuts. Not nuts/bolts/screws.
45. Went on and on : YAPPED. Man, John Daly just can't stop talking to the reporters.
49. Some parodists : APERS
50. Keep from drying out : REWET. I rewater, so I suppose it's OK to REWET.
51. Madrid must-see : PRADO
53. Russian pancake : BLIN
54. Some street art : MIME. Needed crossing help.
55. Kitchen item: Abbr. : APPL. OK, appliance.
57. 1969 Peace Prize-winning agcy. : ILO (International Labor Organization)
59. River through Beijing : HAI. Hai River. Hai is literally "sea" in Chinese. Love the new clue.
Answer grid.
Here is Part VII of Kazie's Oz series. The last ones of the Northern Territory, still in Kakadu.
C.C.
