Theme: None
Total words: 68
Total blocks: 29
Average Word Length: 5.76
Amazing 20 multi-word entries in the grid, all solid. Several made their first time appearance in major newspaper puzzle. Gorgeous! I just mentioned to our blogging team a few days ago about how constructors pride themselves in debuting a new word/phrase.
I like the two Across 12s a lot. I suspect one of them is Nothnagal's seed entry. The two Down 10s and four 9s are all quite sparkling.
Scrabbly puzzle too. Two X, Y, Z, V each.
Across:
1. Clear skies : AZURES. I normally struggle with the first entry. Not today.
7. Adequately suited to : FINE FOR
14. Stop browsing : LOG OFF
15. Curling-up site : FIRESIDE. Cozy.
16. Shared with : TOLD TO. Sure was not thinking of a story.
17. Too much : IN EXCESS
18. Vision blurrers, at times : STYES
19. Nikon F, e.g., briefly : SLR
20. Death is part of it : TAROT. The fortunetelling deck. Got me.
21. Common California map word : SAN. Fresh clue.
22. Item for the Windsor knot-challenged? : BOLO. Maybe they simply love bolo ties.
23. Woods set : IRONS. Tiger Woods. Nailed it.
24. Monopoly phrase : JUST VISITING. Did you get this immediately?
27. Clinker in a Glas : EIS. German for "ice", which clinks in Glas (glass). Not sure even our German speaking Spitzboov and Kazie penned in the right answer on their first try. Way too tricky a clue.
28. Richard of "A Summer Place" : EGAN. Just watched "A Summer Place" this summer. Sweet movie. But I sure can't remember Egan's name. Handsome guy.
29. Winter vacation destination : SLOPES
33. Calmed : STILLED
35. Censor : EDIT OUT
36. Men-on-base gp.? : US NAVY. I don't get this clue. Why Navy? Shouldn't it apply to Army/Air force also? MLB too.
37. Cell projection insulated by a myelin sheath : AXON. The impulse carrier. The clue means nothing to me.
38. Nickname of 1950s Reds slugger Ted : KLU. Gimme for our Seen. He can tell you all about the Big Klu.
39. Watches : KEEPS AN EYE ON. Awsome!
42. Caucasus native : OSSET. New word to me.
45. Cruise itinerary listing : ISLE
46. Indoor rowing machine, briefly, in rowers' jargon : ERG. No idea. Short for ergometer. I was so amused yesterday when Jazzbumpa said an ERG is "roughly equivalent to one fly doing one push-up."
47. Take the cuffs off? : ALTER. Nice clue as well.
48. Boss's domain, perhaps : PIT. What boss? Gambling?
49. Enchanting, but not in a big way? : ELFIN. Because elves are small I suppose.
51. Fragrant Cloud and Crimson Glory : TEA ROSES. Tough clue.
53. Roaring : ABLAZE. How can fire roar?
54. Place to see a pilot light? : HELIPORT. Well, I have no doubt our pilot Dudley saw it. I saw kitchen.
55. Disarming events? : TRUCES. Don't feel the question mark is needed.
56. Blood reservoirs : SPLEENS. Man, I didn't know this trivia.
57. Island vacation rentals : MOPEDS
Down:
1. In-flight announcement nos. : ALTS (Altitudes).
2. Flashy 1940s outfits : ZOOT SUITS. Got it rather quickly.
3. Not easy on the eyes : UGLY AS SIN. Eye duplication with 39A. Not good.
4. Capybara or cavy : RODENT. Unfamiliar with either of the two referenced in the clue.
5. Some former tadpoles : EFTS. Young newts.
6. UAL western hub : SFO
7. Fish malady : FIN ROT. Mystery to me. The malady rot the fish's fin? We also have BIG EYE (22. Nocturnal fish). Nice clecho (clue echo) of fish.
8. Cause of a duel, maybe : IRE
9. On deck : NEXT IN LINE. Another great fill.
10. Food eaten with tongs and a fork : ESCARGOT. Have any of you eaten escargot?
11. Sporty '80s Pontiac : FIERO. Literally "proud" in Italian.
12. Can't stop eating : OD'S ON
13. Notes aren't written during them : RESTS. Musical notes I suppose.
15. Temp : FILL-IN. Timely fill for our Husker Gary.
19. "I feel for you" : SO SAD
24. "Pie __": Mass motet : JESU. No idea. Literally "Jesus".
25. Line outside a nightclub : VELVET ROPE. Such a refreshing answer. Repeat of line with the answer in 9D though.
26. Day follower, in "Taps" : IS DONE. I peeked at the answer sheet.
30. Feature of some bluffs : POKER FACE. Nice one also.
31. Praised : EULOGIZED
32. Take by surprise : STUN
34. One end of Ontario's Welland Canal : LAKE ERIE. Much better than ERIE alone.
35. Praise : EXALT
37. Rink statistic : ASSIST. Hockey.
40. Military band members : PIPERS
41. Call to the attic : YELL UP. Alas, no old baseball cards in our attic.
42. Swear words : OATHS
43. A buzzer may end it : SLEEP
44. Flea market booth : STALL. Not much luck in flea market this year. No good finds.
49. River past Logroño : EBRO. Was ignorant of the Spanish city Logroño. Obviously it's on the Ebro River.
50. Notable Volstead Act enforcer : NESS (Eliot). I forgot what Volstead Act is about.
52. Will party : SON. Party to a person's last will.
53. Source of emergency funds : ATM. It has become a common word that no "briefly" or "for short" is needed in the clue.
Answer grid.
Please visit Urban Dictionary and vote for clecho (clue echo). Thanks.
C.C.
Total words: 68
Total blocks: 29
Average Word Length: 5.76
Amazing 20 multi-word entries in the grid, all solid. Several made their first time appearance in major newspaper puzzle. Gorgeous! I just mentioned to our blogging team a few days ago about how constructors pride themselves in debuting a new word/phrase.
I like the two Across 12s a lot. I suspect one of them is Nothnagal's seed entry. The two Down 10s and four 9s are all quite sparkling.
Scrabbly puzzle too. Two X, Y, Z, V each.
Across:
1. Clear skies : AZURES. I normally struggle with the first entry. Not today.
7. Adequately suited to : FINE FOR
14. Stop browsing : LOG OFF
15. Curling-up site : FIRESIDE. Cozy.
16. Shared with : TOLD TO. Sure was not thinking of a story.
17. Too much : IN EXCESS
18. Vision blurrers, at times : STYES
19. Nikon F, e.g., briefly : SLR
20. Death is part of it : TAROT. The fortunetelling deck. Got me.
21. Common California map word : SAN. Fresh clue.
22. Item for the Windsor knot-challenged? : BOLO. Maybe they simply love bolo ties.
23. Woods set : IRONS. Tiger Woods. Nailed it.
24. Monopoly phrase : JUST VISITING. Did you get this immediately?
27. Clinker in a Glas : EIS. German for "ice", which clinks in Glas (glass). Not sure even our German speaking Spitzboov and Kazie penned in the right answer on their first try. Way too tricky a clue.
28. Richard of "A Summer Place" : EGAN. Just watched "A Summer Place" this summer. Sweet movie. But I sure can't remember Egan's name. Handsome guy.
29. Winter vacation destination : SLOPES
33. Calmed : STILLED
35. Censor : EDIT OUT
36. Men-on-base gp.? : US NAVY. I don't get this clue. Why Navy? Shouldn't it apply to Army/Air force also? MLB too.
37. Cell projection insulated by a myelin sheath : AXON. The impulse carrier. The clue means nothing to me.
38. Nickname of 1950s Reds slugger Ted : KLU. Gimme for our Seen. He can tell you all about the Big Klu.
39. Watches : KEEPS AN EYE ON. Awsome!
42. Caucasus native : OSSET. New word to me.
45. Cruise itinerary listing : ISLE
46. Indoor rowing machine, briefly, in rowers' jargon : ERG. No idea. Short for ergometer. I was so amused yesterday when Jazzbumpa said an ERG is "roughly equivalent to one fly doing one push-up."
47. Take the cuffs off? : ALTER. Nice clue as well.
48. Boss's domain, perhaps : PIT. What boss? Gambling?
49. Enchanting, but not in a big way? : ELFIN. Because elves are small I suppose.
51. Fragrant Cloud and Crimson Glory : TEA ROSES. Tough clue.
53. Roaring : ABLAZE. How can fire roar?
54. Place to see a pilot light? : HELIPORT. Well, I have no doubt our pilot Dudley saw it. I saw kitchen.
55. Disarming events? : TRUCES. Don't feel the question mark is needed.
56. Blood reservoirs : SPLEENS. Man, I didn't know this trivia.
57. Island vacation rentals : MOPEDS
Down:
1. In-flight announcement nos. : ALTS (Altitudes).
2. Flashy 1940s outfits : ZOOT SUITS. Got it rather quickly.
3. Not easy on the eyes : UGLY AS SIN. Eye duplication with 39A. Not good.
4. Capybara or cavy : RODENT. Unfamiliar with either of the two referenced in the clue.
5. Some former tadpoles : EFTS. Young newts.
6. UAL western hub : SFO
7. Fish malady : FIN ROT. Mystery to me. The malady rot the fish's fin? We also have BIG EYE (22. Nocturnal fish). Nice clecho (clue echo) of fish.
8. Cause of a duel, maybe : IRE
9. On deck : NEXT IN LINE. Another great fill.
10. Food eaten with tongs and a fork : ESCARGOT. Have any of you eaten escargot?
11. Sporty '80s Pontiac : FIERO. Literally "proud" in Italian.
12. Can't stop eating : OD'S ON
13. Notes aren't written during them : RESTS. Musical notes I suppose.
15. Temp : FILL-IN. Timely fill for our Husker Gary.
19. "I feel for you" : SO SAD
24. "Pie __": Mass motet : JESU. No idea. Literally "Jesus".
25. Line outside a nightclub : VELVET ROPE. Such a refreshing answer. Repeat of line with the answer in 9D though.
26. Day follower, in "Taps" : IS DONE. I peeked at the answer sheet.
30. Feature of some bluffs : POKER FACE. Nice one also.
31. Praised : EULOGIZED
32. Take by surprise : STUN
34. One end of Ontario's Welland Canal : LAKE ERIE. Much better than ERIE alone.
35. Praise : EXALT
37. Rink statistic : ASSIST. Hockey.
40. Military band members : PIPERS
41. Call to the attic : YELL UP. Alas, no old baseball cards in our attic.
42. Swear words : OATHS
43. A buzzer may end it : SLEEP
44. Flea market booth : STALL. Not much luck in flea market this year. No good finds.
49. River past Logroño : EBRO. Was ignorant of the Spanish city Logroño. Obviously it's on the Ebro River.
50. Notable Volstead Act enforcer : NESS (Eliot). I forgot what Volstead Act is about.
52. Will party : SON. Party to a person's last will.
53. Source of emergency funds : ATM. It has become a common word that no "briefly" or "for short" is needed in the clue.
Answer grid.
Please visit Urban Dictionary and vote for clecho (clue echo). Thanks.
C.C.
