Theme: None
Total words: 72
Total blocks: 34
Barry anchors his puzzle with a grid spanner flanked by two 11s:
23A. Recipient of a record 16 acting Oscar nominations : MERYL STREEP. So talented.
39A. Playing surface with 24 points : BACKGAMMON BOARD. Could be Barry's seed entry.
47A. It's given for a second : SILVER MEDAL. Great clue/answer.
Triple stacks of 9s in the upper left/lower right & two pairs of paralleled Down 9s complete the grid skeleton.
A formidable challenge to me. Had problems everywhere I went.
Across:
1. "Finding a pencil," to Broadway's Charlie Brown : HAPPINES. Happiness is finding a pencil.
10. Proper : LEGIT
15. Like climbing the walls? : IDIOMATIC. Tricky clue.
16. Common compound : OXIDE. Like rust.
17. Scoundrel : REPROBATE. We normally get RAKE or ROUE as an answer.
18. Noble gas : XENON
19. Fashion model Wek : ALEK. Model from Sudan. Very pretty.
20. What 'n' may mean : AND
22. "Parker Spitzer" airer : CNN. Hosted by Kathleen Parker & Eliot Spitzer. Au courant clue. Good one.
28. Roy Orbison's "__ Over" : IT'S
30. Robert who played Sam Fujiyama on "Quincy, M.E." : ITO. Not familiar with this actor. Is he related to Judge Ito?
31. Pindus Mountains site : GREECE. And two cross-referenced answers: 7D. Letter from 31-Across : ETA & 25D. Meeting place in 31-Across : STOA
33. Koala bear, e.g. : MISNOMER. Not really bear. Hope Kazie nailed the answer.
38. Big name in financial advice : ORMAN (Suze)
41. Flower also called a marguerite : OXEYE. The "also called" part is unknown to me. Lovely daisy.
42. Warning words : YOU'LL SEE. Didn't come to me quickly.
43. Domain : SPHERE
45. "How about that!" : GEE
46. Gp. with the 1979 top-10 album "Discovery" : ELO. So many ways to clue ELO.
54. Carrier units, briefly : ACs. Sure was not thinking of the Carrier Air Conditioners.
56. Formerly : NEE
57. She played Linda in "Arthur" : LIZA (Minnelli). Stumped me.
58. It's a joint : ANKLE. Devious clue.
60. Peru was its leading exporter in 2009 : ASPARAGUS. Who knows?
64. __ the hole : ACE IN
65. Donut, possibly : SPARE TIRE. Funny clue.
66. British satellite entertainment option : SKY TV. No idea.
67. Fare computer : TAXI METER. Oh, taxi fare.
Down:
1. Whiskey's Walker : HIRAM. Learning moment. Hiram Walker.
2. Predecessor of Ginger : ADELE. Adele Astaire? I don't get this clue.
3. Proverbial payee : PIPER. Pay the piper.
4. Daffy contemporary : PORKY. Looney Tunes.
5. E-mail qualifier : IMO
6. Pick up : NAB. Definitely not in the "Pick up" = "Arrest" direction.
8. Lute cousin : SITAR
9. Vista : SCENE
10. Deli delicacy : LOX. Delicious!
11. Suit : EXEC. "Suit" here is slang for "business executive". The clue needs an abbreviation hint.
12. HUD corp. since 1968 : GINNIE MAE. Younger than Fannie Mae.
13. "Whatever" : I DON'T CARE. Great answer.
14. Number of hydrogen atoms in butane : TEN. Well, Al/Jazzbumpa/Husker Gary/Bob might know.
21. What a tiny circle may signify: Abbr. : DEG. Like the tiny circle in 37°.
24. Hangs around : LINGERS
26. 1969 rock opera : TOMMY. Not in my knowledge zone.
27. Snag : PROBLEM
29. Texter's command : SEND
32. Desire personified : EROS. We also have 61. Goddess of peace : PAX.
33. Quantum theory pioneer : MAX PLANCK. Drew a blank also. Nobel prize 1918. German.
34. Early rules for it were developed at McGill University in the 1870s : ICE HOCKEY. New trivia to me.
35. Island near Eigg : SKYE. See this map. Largest of the Inner Hebrides.
36. Rock genre : EMO. Offshoot of Punk Rock.
37. Makeup option : ROUGE
39. Big name in audio : BOSE. Expensive stuff.
40. Phil, say : NLER. National Leaguer. Did you think of Phillies when reading the clue "Phil"? I sure did not.
44. A, overseas : EIN
48. In any case, with "at" : LEAST
49. Piaggio transportation line : VESPA. The scooter maker.
50. Delight : ELATE
51. One, for one : DIGIT. One is a digit. "for one" = "for example".
52. Color similar to Brandeis blue : AZURE. Guessed.
53. Surgery tool : LASER
55. Cut : SLIT
58. Digital camera inserts : AAs
59. Letter carrier: Abbr. : ENV. Not postman.
62. Hebrew name meaning "lion" : ARI. Good to know.
63. Stage occurring several times a night, briefly : REM (Rapid Eye Movement)
Answer grid.
C.C.
Total words: 72
Total blocks: 34
Barry anchors his puzzle with a grid spanner flanked by two 11s:
23A. Recipient of a record 16 acting Oscar nominations : MERYL STREEP. So talented.
39A. Playing surface with 24 points : BACKGAMMON BOARD. Could be Barry's seed entry.
47A. It's given for a second : SILVER MEDAL. Great clue/answer.
Triple stacks of 9s in the upper left/lower right & two pairs of paralleled Down 9s complete the grid skeleton.
A formidable challenge to me. Had problems everywhere I went.
Across:
1. "Finding a pencil," to Broadway's Charlie Brown : HAPPINES. Happiness is finding a pencil.
10. Proper : LEGIT
15. Like climbing the walls? : IDIOMATIC. Tricky clue.
16. Common compound : OXIDE. Like rust.
17. Scoundrel : REPROBATE. We normally get RAKE or ROUE as an answer.
18. Noble gas : XENON
19. Fashion model Wek : ALEK. Model from Sudan. Very pretty.
20. What 'n' may mean : AND
22. "Parker Spitzer" airer : CNN. Hosted by Kathleen Parker & Eliot Spitzer. Au courant clue. Good one.
28. Roy Orbison's "__ Over" : IT'S
30. Robert who played Sam Fujiyama on "Quincy, M.E." : ITO. Not familiar with this actor. Is he related to Judge Ito?
31. Pindus Mountains site : GREECE. And two cross-referenced answers: 7D. Letter from 31-Across : ETA & 25D. Meeting place in 31-Across : STOA
33. Koala bear, e.g. : MISNOMER. Not really bear. Hope Kazie nailed the answer.
38. Big name in financial advice : ORMAN (Suze)
41. Flower also called a marguerite : OXEYE. The "also called" part is unknown to me. Lovely daisy.
42. Warning words : YOU'LL SEE. Didn't come to me quickly.
43. Domain : SPHERE
45. "How about that!" : GEE
46. Gp. with the 1979 top-10 album "Discovery" : ELO. So many ways to clue ELO.
54. Carrier units, briefly : ACs. Sure was not thinking of the Carrier Air Conditioners.
56. Formerly : NEE
57. She played Linda in "Arthur" : LIZA (Minnelli). Stumped me.
58. It's a joint : ANKLE. Devious clue.
60. Peru was its leading exporter in 2009 : ASPARAGUS. Who knows?
64. __ the hole : ACE IN
65. Donut, possibly : SPARE TIRE. Funny clue.
66. British satellite entertainment option : SKY TV. No idea.
67. Fare computer : TAXI METER. Oh, taxi fare.
Down:
1. Whiskey's Walker : HIRAM. Learning moment. Hiram Walker.
2. Predecessor of Ginger : ADELE. Adele Astaire? I don't get this clue.
3. Proverbial payee : PIPER. Pay the piper.
4. Daffy contemporary : PORKY. Looney Tunes.
5. E-mail qualifier : IMO
6. Pick up : NAB. Definitely not in the "Pick up" = "Arrest" direction.
8. Lute cousin : SITAR
9. Vista : SCENE
10. Deli delicacy : LOX. Delicious!
11. Suit : EXEC. "Suit" here is slang for "business executive". The clue needs an abbreviation hint.
12. HUD corp. since 1968 : GINNIE MAE. Younger than Fannie Mae.
13. "Whatever" : I DON'T CARE. Great answer.
14. Number of hydrogen atoms in butane : TEN. Well, Al/Jazzbumpa/Husker Gary/Bob might know.
21. What a tiny circle may signify: Abbr. : DEG. Like the tiny circle in 37°.
24. Hangs around : LINGERS
26. 1969 rock opera : TOMMY. Not in my knowledge zone.
27. Snag : PROBLEM
29. Texter's command : SEND
32. Desire personified : EROS. We also have 61. Goddess of peace : PAX.
33. Quantum theory pioneer : MAX PLANCK. Drew a blank also. Nobel prize 1918. German.
34. Early rules for it were developed at McGill University in the 1870s : ICE HOCKEY. New trivia to me.
35. Island near Eigg : SKYE. See this map. Largest of the Inner Hebrides.
36. Rock genre : EMO. Offshoot of Punk Rock.
37. Makeup option : ROUGE
39. Big name in audio : BOSE. Expensive stuff.
40. Phil, say : NLER. National Leaguer. Did you think of Phillies when reading the clue "Phil"? I sure did not.
44. A, overseas : EIN
48. In any case, with "at" : LEAST
49. Piaggio transportation line : VESPA. The scooter maker.
50. Delight : ELATE
51. One, for one : DIGIT. One is a digit. "for one" = "for example".
52. Color similar to Brandeis blue : AZURE. Guessed.
53. Surgery tool : LASER
55. Cut : SLIT
58. Digital camera inserts : AAs
59. Letter carrier: Abbr. : ENV. Not postman.
62. Hebrew name meaning "lion" : ARI. Good to know.
63. Stage occurring several times a night, briefly : REM (Rapid Eye Movement)
Answer grid.
C.C.
