Theme: None
Total words: 70
Total blocks: 29
Looks like Brad planned the grid with triple stacks of 10s in the upper left and lower right, then added two black squares in the corner to get the smoothest fill. Here are the resulting four 10s:
14A. Manhattan clam chowder feature : TOMATO BASE. New England clam chowder is milk-based.
16A. Nanny's challenge : HOLY TERROR. Fun to say.
55A. Dramatic atmosphere source : FOG MACHINE. Needed crossing help.
58A. Some tree sculptures : TOTEM POLES. Nice full name.
Difficult solving for me. Brad Wilber has strong backgrounds in literature, art & theater, and his grids naturally reflect his interests. Stuff like DANILO (41D. "The Merry Widow" hero) is just out of my wheelhouse.
On the other hand, I was so happy to see THOME (14D. Jim with 589 lifetime homers). Such a classy guy. Twins just signed a one-year contract with him on Friday. He's going to reach 600 homers this coming season. The new Target Field certainly fits his eyes.
Across:
1. Its leaves are used as a heart stimulant : DIGITALIS. Foxgloves. Don't think they grow in Minnesota.
10. More than comfortable? : RICH
15. "The Aviator" actor : ALDA (Alan). Four letter? I could only picture CATE Blanchett & her amazing portrayal of Katharine Hepburn.
17. Disco family name : GIBB. Andy Gibb or any of the Bee Gees?
18. Like the Ford logo : OVAL
19. 2/9/2010 victory parade honoree : SAINT. The Superbowl winner New Orleans Saints.
20. Lemming predator : SKUA. Had no idea skuas prey on lemmings. Both live in the Arctic region.
21. 59-Across element : METER. 59. Frost lines? : POEM. Robert Frost.
23. The Lean One, in "Peer Gynt" : SATAN. Unknown to me. I've never read "Peer Gynt".
25. Directional suffix : ERN. As in western.
26. "... __ we extinguish sight and speech": Browning : ERE
27. Kennedy associate : ALITO (Samuel). Anthony Kennedy. Supreme Court.
29. Nitrogen compound : AMINE
31. Lupe's "Later!" : ADIOS. Is Lupe a typical Spanish name?
32. Van Helsing's creator : STOKER (Bram). Only know he wrote "Dracula".
33. Serving : PORTION
36. Imaginary monster : CHIMERA. Fire-breathing monster: with a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail.
37. Certain Honshu resident : OSAKAN. I confused it with Okinawa, the Blue Zone prefecture, where people live a long long life.
38. Exotic smoothie ingredient : GUAVA. Love tropical fruit. Not guava though.
39. Lennon love song : WOMAN. Ode to Yoko Ono.
40. Arens of Israel : MOSHE. Stumper. Only know MOSHE Dayan. His face does look familiar though. Must have seen his interview somewhere.
41. Part of HUD: Abbr. : DEV. HUD: Department of Housing and Urban Development,
44. Logical tips? : ELS. Letter L starts and ends the word "logical".
45. Mom's dinnertime plea : TRY IT
47. Pundit : SWAMI
49. Handbook list, briefly : REGS
51. Otherwise : IF NOT. Give OR ELSE a rest.
53. Spanish cordial : ANIS. How does it taste like, Santa?
54. Latin I word : AMAT. Amo (I love), amas (You love), amat (He loves).
57. Somewhat, with "a" : MITE
60. Inventory site : STOREROOM
Down:
1. Mulligan, e.g. : DO-OVER. Golf. Some men are so vain, often take several mulligans per round.
2. White Rabbit's cry : I'M LATE
3. Rabbitt's "You and I" duet partner : GAYLE (Crystal). Eddy Rabbitt. Here is the clip. I like the consecutive "Rabbit" and "Rabbitt" clues.
4. Derby-wearing Addams : ITT. Cousin ITT. The Addams Family".
5. Water testers : TOES
6. Neosporin target : ABRASION
7. Rodeo twirlers : LARIAT. Spanish for "La Reata".
8. Sees through : IS ONTO
9. Sealy competitor : SERTA
10. Cleaning aids : RAGS
11. 1950s Irving Berlin campaign song : "I LIKE IKE". Know the slogan, not the Berlin reference.
12. Modern storage aid : CD BURNER. Thanks to Al, now I've got FLASH DRIVE.
13. Sultry Cuban dance : HABANERA. Does this look sultry to you?
22. Luminous : RADIANT
24. Locals : NATIVES
28. Savanna stalker : LION
30. NYC home of Dali's "The Persistence of Memory" : MoMA
31. Alaskan island : ATKA
32. Bygone Persian title : SHAH
33. PA system essential : POWER AMP. Our PA often blasted a song for Chairman Mao every morning when I woke up.
34. The Tony Martin hit "There's No Tomorrow" is based on its melody : 'O SOLE MIO. Not familiar with the Tony Martin reference. Elvis's "It's Now or Never", yes.
35. English Channel resort : RAMSGATE. Was ignorant of this resort. Must have lots of rams there.
36. Pitch target? : CUSTOMER. Sales pitch.
38. Attending : GOING TO
40. "Oh, ri-i-i-i-ght!" : "MY FOOT!"
42. "8 Mile" rapper : EMINEM
43. Workbench gadgets : VISES
46. Schisms : RIFTS
48. Exultant yell : "WAHOO". I've yet to cry out a "Wahoo!" on a Brad Wilber puzzle.
50. Goblet feature : STEM
52. Not very edgy : TAME
56. Lifeguard's skill, for short : CPR
Total words: 70
Total blocks: 29
Looks like Brad planned the grid with triple stacks of 10s in the upper left and lower right, then added two black squares in the corner to get the smoothest fill. Here are the resulting four 10s:
14A. Manhattan clam chowder feature : TOMATO BASE. New England clam chowder is milk-based.
16A. Nanny's challenge : HOLY TERROR. Fun to say.
55A. Dramatic atmosphere source : FOG MACHINE. Needed crossing help.
58A. Some tree sculptures : TOTEM POLES. Nice full name.
Difficult solving for me. Brad Wilber has strong backgrounds in literature, art & theater, and his grids naturally reflect his interests. Stuff like DANILO (41D. "The Merry Widow" hero) is just out of my wheelhouse.
On the other hand, I was so happy to see THOME (14D. Jim with 589 lifetime homers). Such a classy guy. Twins just signed a one-year contract with him on Friday. He's going to reach 600 homers this coming season. The new Target Field certainly fits his eyes.
Across:
1. Its leaves are used as a heart stimulant : DIGITALIS. Foxgloves. Don't think they grow in Minnesota.
10. More than comfortable? : RICH
15. "The Aviator" actor : ALDA (Alan). Four letter? I could only picture CATE Blanchett & her amazing portrayal of Katharine Hepburn.
17. Disco family name : GIBB. Andy Gibb or any of the Bee Gees?
18. Like the Ford logo : OVAL
19. 2/9/2010 victory parade honoree : SAINT. The Superbowl winner New Orleans Saints.
20. Lemming predator : SKUA. Had no idea skuas prey on lemmings. Both live in the Arctic region.
21. 59-Across element : METER. 59. Frost lines? : POEM. Robert Frost.
23. The Lean One, in "Peer Gynt" : SATAN. Unknown to me. I've never read "Peer Gynt".
25. Directional suffix : ERN. As in western.
26. "... __ we extinguish sight and speech": Browning : ERE
27. Kennedy associate : ALITO (Samuel). Anthony Kennedy. Supreme Court.
29. Nitrogen compound : AMINE
31. Lupe's "Later!" : ADIOS. Is Lupe a typical Spanish name?
32. Van Helsing's creator : STOKER (Bram). Only know he wrote "Dracula".
33. Serving : PORTION
36. Imaginary monster : CHIMERA. Fire-breathing monster: with a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail.
37. Certain Honshu resident : OSAKAN. I confused it with Okinawa, the Blue Zone prefecture, where people live a long long life.
38. Exotic smoothie ingredient : GUAVA. Love tropical fruit. Not guava though.
39. Lennon love song : WOMAN. Ode to Yoko Ono.
40. Arens of Israel : MOSHE. Stumper. Only know MOSHE Dayan. His face does look familiar though. Must have seen his interview somewhere.
41. Part of HUD: Abbr. : DEV. HUD: Department of Housing and Urban Development,
44. Logical tips? : ELS. Letter L starts and ends the word "logical".
45. Mom's dinnertime plea : TRY IT
47. Pundit : SWAMI
49. Handbook list, briefly : REGS
51. Otherwise : IF NOT. Give OR ELSE a rest.
53. Spanish cordial : ANIS. How does it taste like, Santa?
54. Latin I word : AMAT. Amo (I love), amas (You love), amat (He loves).
57. Somewhat, with "a" : MITE
60. Inventory site : STOREROOM
Down:
1. Mulligan, e.g. : DO-OVER. Golf. Some men are so vain, often take several mulligans per round.
2. White Rabbit's cry : I'M LATE
3. Rabbitt's "You and I" duet partner : GAYLE (Crystal). Eddy Rabbitt. Here is the clip. I like the consecutive "Rabbit" and "Rabbitt" clues.
4. Derby-wearing Addams : ITT. Cousin ITT. The Addams Family".
5. Water testers : TOES
6. Neosporin target : ABRASION
7. Rodeo twirlers : LARIAT. Spanish for "La Reata".
8. Sees through : IS ONTO
9. Sealy competitor : SERTA
10. Cleaning aids : RAGS
11. 1950s Irving Berlin campaign song : "I LIKE IKE". Know the slogan, not the Berlin reference.
12. Modern storage aid : CD BURNER. Thanks to Al, now I've got FLASH DRIVE.
13. Sultry Cuban dance : HABANERA. Does this look sultry to you?
22. Luminous : RADIANT
24. Locals : NATIVES
28. Savanna stalker : LION
30. NYC home of Dali's "The Persistence of Memory" : MoMA
31. Alaskan island : ATKA
32. Bygone Persian title : SHAH
33. PA system essential : POWER AMP. Our PA often blasted a song for Chairman Mao every morning when I woke up.
34. The Tony Martin hit "There's No Tomorrow" is based on its melody : 'O SOLE MIO. Not familiar with the Tony Martin reference. Elvis's "It's Now or Never", yes.
35. English Channel resort : RAMSGATE. Was ignorant of this resort. Must have lots of rams there.
36. Pitch target? : CUSTOMER. Sales pitch.
38. Attending : GOING TO
40. "Oh, ri-i-i-i-ght!" : "MY FOOT!"
42. "8 Mile" rapper : EMINEM
43. Workbench gadgets : VISES
46. Schisms : RIFTS
48. Exultant yell : "WAHOO". I've yet to cry out a "Wahoo!" on a Brad Wilber puzzle.
50. Goblet feature : STEM
52. Not very edgy : TAME
56. Lifeguard's skill, for short : CPR
