((Note to late visitors: Due to computer error, we lost both the write-up and comments. This version is a recovered one. )
Theme: None
Total words: 68
Total blocks: 33
Only four 3-letter answers in this grid: ERR/PEP/TSE/UTE. Amazing.
Harvey placed triple stacks of 10s in each quadrant of the grid, the layout is quite similar to his last Saturday. Notice his answer for 17A? Ha ha, RADIAL TIRE!
Here are the 10s:
14A. Motel convenience : ICE MACHINE
17A. Quicker picker-uppers? : STIMULANTS
19A. Pigeon : EASY TARGET. So is EASY MARK.
48A. Mixed condiment : GARLIC SALT. Mostly salt.
55A. Cause of senselessness : ANESTHESIA
57A. "Don't waste your time" : IT'S USELESS
10D. Churches with carillons don't need one : BELL RINGER. Wow, really? How do they ring the bells then?
11D. Being supportive : AT YOUR SIDE. Oh, being supportive of me.
12D. Opalescent gems : MOONSTONES
24D. Extreme : INORDINATE
25D. Automotive innovation that improved fuel economy : RADIAL TIRE. We also have 36A. It purrs when it's cared for : ENGINE. And 60A. Trip interruptions : FLATS. Flat tires. Needed Dennis' help.
26D. Front borders : ENEMY LINES. Nailed it.
I had an easier time. The lack of obscure names certainly helped.
Across:
1. Worker with many keys : VALET. Was picturing a hotel maid.
6. Fleece : CLIP. Didn't know clip can mean "swindle".
10. Nick Saban's team, familiarly : 'BAMA. Nick Saban & Bear Bryant are all I know about the Crimson Tide.
16. Thames landmark : ETON
18. City on the Rhône : LYON
20. Actress Anderson : LONI. The "WKRP in Cincinnati" girl.
21. Guilty and more : PLEAS
22. Dodge : RUSE
23. Juice carriers : WIRES. Current "juice". I wanted FRUIT.
28. Go astray : ERR
29. Fountain contemporary : HIRT (Al). Pete Fountain.
30. Foolishness : INANITY
32. Spot remover, at times : SPONSOR. Does "spot" here refer to ads? I don't get the clue.
35. Surfing equipment : MODEMS. Internet surfing.
37. Got ready for a big date : PRIMPED
39. Stepped on it, with "up" : SPEEDED. Spell check wants SPED.
40. Boxes of calendars? : DAYS. Clever clue.
41. Mountain West Conference athlete : UTE
43. Code subject : DRESS. Dress code.
44. Builder's truckload : FILL. Or all the non-theme answers in any crossword.
45. High school math calculations : AREAS
47. One fighting something : ANTI
54. Early exile : CAIN. Into the land of Nod.
56. French 101 verb : ETRE. "To be".
58. Driving aids : TEES. Golf.
59. Biweekly tide : NEAP
Down:
1. Workbench item : VISE
2. Court records : ACTA. Learned from doing Xword.
3. Floral gifts : LEIS
4. Peabody relative : EMMY. Peabody Award.
5. Having no play : TAUT. Is "play" the same as "slack"?
6. Pride of country music : CHARLEY. What's his most famous song?
7. Extend one's stay : LINGER
8. Visibly moved : IN TEARS
9. Raid targets : PESTS
13. Warbucks's charge : ANNIE. Daddy Warbucks.
15. What fans do : CLAP
23. Unlikely hero : WIMP
27. Ninnies : SIMPS
29. Perfected : HONED
31. Japanese financial market inits. : TSE (Tokyo Stock Exchange). Had to post-google.
33. Dash : PEP
34. Film for which Warren Beatty won a Best Director Oscar : REDS
38. Mrs. Calabash's creator : DURANTE (Jimmy). Mrs. Calabash is his wife.
39. Shrink-wraps, e.g. : SEALS UP
42. Mother in Calcutta : TERESA. Mother Teresa.
44. Aspect : FACET
45. Over : AGAIN
46. Is in session : SITS. Congress session?
49. Frequent taster : CHEF. So is COOK.
50. Push, in a way : SELL
51. Cruising : ASEA
52. Where guests may be ticked off? : LIST. Nice clue.
53. Sputnik coverer : TASS. Media cover. I wanted CCCP, which covers Sputnik too.
Answer grid.
Today we celebrate the birthday of JimmyB (most right), a very passionate LA Times crossword solver who has been keeping track of the exact time each puzzle takes him to complete since our switch in 2009. Sheng Ri Kuai Le, Jim!
C.C.
Theme: None
Total words: 68
Total blocks: 33
Only four 3-letter answers in this grid: ERR/PEP/TSE/UTE. Amazing.
Harvey placed triple stacks of 10s in each quadrant of the grid, the layout is quite similar to his last Saturday. Notice his answer for 17A? Ha ha, RADIAL TIRE!
Here are the 10s:
14A. Motel convenience : ICE MACHINE
17A. Quicker picker-uppers? : STIMULANTS
19A. Pigeon : EASY TARGET. So is EASY MARK.
48A. Mixed condiment : GARLIC SALT. Mostly salt.
55A. Cause of senselessness : ANESTHESIA
57A. "Don't waste your time" : IT'S USELESS
10D. Churches with carillons don't need one : BELL RINGER. Wow, really? How do they ring the bells then?
11D. Being supportive : AT YOUR SIDE. Oh, being supportive of me.
12D. Opalescent gems : MOONSTONES
24D. Extreme : INORDINATE
25D. Automotive innovation that improved fuel economy : RADIAL TIRE. We also have 36A. It purrs when it's cared for : ENGINE. And 60A. Trip interruptions : FLATS. Flat tires. Needed Dennis' help.
26D. Front borders : ENEMY LINES. Nailed it.
I had an easier time. The lack of obscure names certainly helped.
Across:
1. Worker with many keys : VALET. Was picturing a hotel maid.
6. Fleece : CLIP. Didn't know clip can mean "swindle".
10. Nick Saban's team, familiarly : 'BAMA. Nick Saban & Bear Bryant are all I know about the Crimson Tide.
16. Thames landmark : ETON
18. City on the Rhône : LYON
20. Actress Anderson : LONI. The "WKRP in Cincinnati" girl.
21. Guilty and more : PLEAS
22. Dodge : RUSE
23. Juice carriers : WIRES. Current "juice". I wanted FRUIT.
28. Go astray : ERR
29. Fountain contemporary : HIRT (Al). Pete Fountain.
30. Foolishness : INANITY
32. Spot remover, at times : SPONSOR. Does "spot" here refer to ads? I don't get the clue.
35. Surfing equipment : MODEMS. Internet surfing.
37. Got ready for a big date : PRIMPED
39. Stepped on it, with "up" : SPEEDED. Spell check wants SPED.
40. Boxes of calendars? : DAYS. Clever clue.
41. Mountain West Conference athlete : UTE
43. Code subject : DRESS. Dress code.
44. Builder's truckload : FILL. Or all the non-theme answers in any crossword.
45. High school math calculations : AREAS
47. One fighting something : ANTI
54. Early exile : CAIN. Into the land of Nod.
56. French 101 verb : ETRE. "To be".
58. Driving aids : TEES. Golf.
59. Biweekly tide : NEAP
Down:
1. Workbench item : VISE
2. Court records : ACTA. Learned from doing Xword.
3. Floral gifts : LEIS
4. Peabody relative : EMMY. Peabody Award.
5. Having no play : TAUT. Is "play" the same as "slack"?
6. Pride of country music : CHARLEY. What's his most famous song?
7. Extend one's stay : LINGER
8. Visibly moved : IN TEARS
9. Raid targets : PESTS
13. Warbucks's charge : ANNIE. Daddy Warbucks.
15. What fans do : CLAP
23. Unlikely hero : WIMP
27. Ninnies : SIMPS
29. Perfected : HONED
31. Japanese financial market inits. : TSE (Tokyo Stock Exchange). Had to post-google.
33. Dash : PEP
34. Film for which Warren Beatty won a Best Director Oscar : REDS
38. Mrs. Calabash's creator : DURANTE (Jimmy). Mrs. Calabash is his wife.
39. Shrink-wraps, e.g. : SEALS UP
42. Mother in Calcutta : TERESA. Mother Teresa.
44. Aspect : FACET
45. Over : AGAIN
46. Is in session : SITS. Congress session?
49. Frequent taster : CHEF. So is COOK.
50. Push, in a way : SELL
51. Cruising : ASEA
52. Where guests may be ticked off? : LIST. Nice clue.
53. Sputnik coverer : TASS. Media cover. I wanted CCCP, which covers Sputnik too.
Answer grid.
Today we celebrate the birthday of JimmyB (most right), a very passionate LA Times crossword solver who has been keeping track of the exact time each puzzle takes him to complete since our switch in 2009. Sheng Ri Kuai Le, Jim!
C.C.
