Theme: None
Total words: 72
Total blocks: 31
Hi There ~! A Saturday Silk, and one with a "standard" looking grid, with three entries across the top, which might have been misleading.... put me in a good mood to start, despite the series of blanks I had to begin with, and even when I hit -
4D. It's radioactive : UNSTABLE ISOTOPE
and
10D. "Seriously" : NO KIDDING AROUND
the two 15-letter grid climbers ( they don't quite "span" the grid ).
I was able to finish this one, compared to last Saturday's brutal offering.
It is an honor for me to appear as a guest blogger today, so I hope you enjoy ~!
Thanks to C.C., who may have been a little concerned I was not able to access the puzzle -
"It's all good"
Splynter
And away we GO ~!
ACROSS:
1. Org. distributing a "Close Guantánamo" handbook : ACLU - Not that I got this to start, but a four-letter opening made me feel confident. American Civil Liberties Union - crossword friendly.
5. Cloud : BEFOG - the verb, not Stratus, etc.
10. Stupefied : NUMB - My first music link, I am sure you know this one; I do it for karaoke all the time.
14. Geographical border : COUNTY LINE
16. Native Nebraskan : OTOE - also crossword friendly.
17. Five-time All-Star second baseman : CHASE UTLEY - With Phillies. Barry Silk is an avid Phillies fan. Was feeling very sure this was Ozzie Smith, since it fit, and the "Zs" seemed Saturday-like - I am sure C.C. knew I was wrong....
18. Item used in Wright Brothers experiments : KITE
19. Advertises : TOUTS
20. Salt : OLD SAILOR
22. How writers often work : ALONE
24. Honeysuckle shrubs : ELDERS - "And you father smells of....Elderberrys ~!"
25. Algerian quarter : CASBAH - Some one else can link The Clash....
28. Dragging : TIRED - As in "man, I'm tired"
30. Historical Russian region : URAL
31. 1987 Costner role : NESS - From "The Untouchable". Had Robin HOOD first.
33. Climber's observation : VISTA - I had SCENE to start.
37. Classic diner feature : JUKEBOX - Nailed it, with a "J" and "X", figured we were on our way to a pangram - but my Ozzie was wrong...
39. "Private Benjamin" Oscar nominee Eileen : BRENNAN - Had to wait for perps to remember her last name.
41. First African-American major-league coach Buck : O'NEIL. With the Cubs in 1962. Long time Negro League player/manager. Died of very old age. 94.
42. Clinton Transportation secretary : PENA (Federico)
44. Encircle : GIRD
45. Suppressed : SAT ON
47. Way to make it? : SNAPPY - Make it snappy. Made me think of this "TOUTING"
49. In : AT HOME
52. Rhino relative : TAPIR
54. Very much : QUITE A LOT - Here's the "Q"; oh yeah, now we got it....
56. Land rover : NOMAD
60. Sphere lead-in : ATMO - WAG-ed HEMI to start.
61. Gibberish : MUMBO JUMBO - Nailed it.
63. Toon modeled after Clara Bow : BOOP - Betty Boop? Really?
64. One-sided : UNBALANCED - Makes me think of microphones.
65. Nice weapon : ARME - Nice the City in France. Only "foreign" word today, I think.
66. Edit menu command : PASTE - I cheated, and pulled the menu down to look...
67. Prank : DIDO - Had to use Dictionary to find this, otherwise, you get her ; I know her voice from "Here With Me", with Thievery Corporation
DOWN:
1. Credit Union holding: Abbr. : ACCT - Would you get this with Credit abbr as Cr.?
2. Fish also called a blue jack : COHO - Salmon
3. Tiki torch setting : LUAU
5. Sch. associated with the LDS Business College : BYU - Brigham Young University, a half WAG that I surmised from Latter-Day Saints. This puzzle only has two 3-letter answers.
6. John of England : ELTON. Elton John. Not toilet.
7. Some bass pieces : FILLETS
8. Linear, for short : ONE-D (One-Dimensional). Got me at first, and I am a CAD drafter; must be too early....
9. Jet creator : GEYSER - oh, a generic "jet", not the guy who came up with the engine....
11. Functional : UTILE
12. Drive : MOTOR - As in taking the car for a spin.
13. Cold drafts : BEERS - Not for six years; we have some friends here that will toast with a few beers and such....
15. Magnetic induction unit : TESLA - Science lesson, seen before.
21. Pain relief brand : ALEVE - Had ADVIL to start; is this a drug company thing, matching letters and alliteration?
23. "This can't be!" : OH NO ~!
25. Rabid dog of Castle Rock : CUJO - of Stephen King's novel of the same name; Maine is a very horrible place when you get to know Steve...
26. Make __ for it : A RUN
27. Interest : SAKE - For the "sake" of....
29. Amazon.com ID : ISBN - Book IDs, I think
32. Fair : EXPO - Loved the Home Depot Expo, their high-end stuff, before they closed their doors.
34. Prune : SNIP
35. You might see one on a woodpile : TARP - Also diamonds in baseball.
36. Singer Williams : ANDY
38. Rap : BLAME - "I ain't gonna take the..."
40. Abrasive sound : RASP
43. Lays away : ENTOMBS - Nice clue; very "visual" - awesome album cover
46. Ally : TEAM UP - The verb, not the noun.
48. Common video game fighter : NINJA
49. Jordan's only port : AQABA - Geography rocks; top right of the map
50. Personally train : TUTOR
51. Bleachers sign : HI MOM ~! - My mom broke her ankle Thursday. She's OK, considering.
53. Up : AT BAT - Another baseball answer, and a clecho to 58. Not up : ABED
55. Moon goddess : LUNA - And a Harry Potter character I like; she sees dead horses, too....
57. XC years from now : MMCI. 90 + 2011 = 2101. I had MMMI to start, a little too far ahead
59. Extinct pigeon relative : DODO
62. "__ Buttermilk Sky": 1946 song : OLE - uh, a little before my time; some one may want link this one, too.
Thanks for letting me share your Saturday ~!
Splynter
Note from C.C.:
I'm very pleased to announce that Splynter (Richie) has accepted my invitation to become a member of our blogging team. He'll cover 1-2 puzzles per month.
