Theme: None
Words: 70
Blocks: 28
Wow~! - Considering the fine and challenging offers from our "Corner Constructors" of the last two days, I smoked this puzzle, without a single hesitation, and only one quick review to find my one-letter goof. We have seen Doug before on Saturday, his last being the duo with Barry Silk.
A nearly a 'pinwheel' symmetrical puzzle, with triple stacks of 10 in each "arm" - just a black square off in the NE and SW.
Onward~!
Splynter
ACROSS:
1. It may be picked : BASS GUITAR - I actually switched to the DOWNS first, but once I had _SS G_, I pretty much got it - I play, but use a pick more often then the finger or slap technique
11. Revival figs. : EMTs - nice misdirection, human revivers, Emergency Medical Technicians
15. Sly role, as a rule : ACTION HERO - Sylvester "Sly" Stallone, in movies such as Rambo, Cliffhanger, etc. - I still want to see "The Expendables" with "ALL" the action heroes.
16. Fly on the river, perhaps : LURE
17. One who might steal kisses : CHOCOHOLIC - those little Hershey kisses here
18. Protected from buffeting : ALEE - Saturday level cluing for this word
19. Shorten, in a way : HEW
20. Smoking choice : PIPE
21. Big name in test preparation : KAPLAN - Here
23. Certain surfer's power source : KITE - I would rather sail my Hobie Cat than do this
24. Stands in a field? : COPSES
25. Choice cut : T-BONE
28. Dealt with loose ends : MOPPED UP
30. Shadow removers : RAZOR BLADES - "5 o'clock shadow" for the hirsute man
33. Treasure State motto word : ORO
34. Intaglio stone : ONYX - Here
35. Not as refined : RUDER - I had rawer to start
36. Times to get ready : EVES
37. "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." producer : MGM - a WAG with the -G- there
38. Sinuous storytellers : HULA DANCERS - show me your links ~!
40. One of the noble metals : PLATINUM - nailed it; also Gold et. al.
42. Champion, for one : HORSE - I got it, but didn't know who Champion was....
43. Absinthe flavorings : ANISES
44. Chicago's __ House : HULL - Here's the story
46. Out there to the max : ODDEST
47. Tightly : FAST - meh, not sure about this
48. NASCAR no. : RPM
51. Doce halved : SEIS
52. "You Should Be Dancing" group : THE BEE GEES
55. Pre-bar letters : LSAT
56. Trying to get close to : ESTIMATING
57. Extremely : OHSO
58. Cops often take them at crime scenes : STATEMENTS - Huge Law & Order fan, usually this segment comes right after the first commercial break
DOWN:
1. "Little Organ Book" composer : BACH - Four-letter organ composer?
2. Not quite smart? : ACHE - Loved this, reminds me of this
3. Put away : STOW
4. Disclaimer in a quote : SIC - most often brakceted [sic] like this....
5. More likely to ooze : GOOPIER
6. Like a pitch that's taken, ironically : UNHIT
7. "My wish is ..." : I HOPE
8. Tubby leader? : TELE - Tele-tubbies, those pastel colored things
9. 1968 newlywed, familiarly : ARI - I had LIZ at first, a WAG at Elizabeth Taylor
10. Pink Floyd's "The Wall," e.g. : ROCK OPERA
11. Slip by : ELAPSE
12. Chewed on : MULLED OVER
13. Balancing pros : TREASURERS - well-clued
14. Caught, in a way : SEEN
22. Useful downloads : APPS
23. First U.S. secretary of war (for whom a fort was named) : KNOX
24. Put into bars, say : CODED
25. Defeat badly : TROMP
26. East Pakistan, today : BANGLADESH
27. Sonnet likely inspired by Ramses the Great : OZYMANDIAS - One and the same
28. Chair's title, at times : MADAM
29. Sheriff's outfit : POSSE
31. Gentlemen's second choices? : BRUNETTES - Well, now, they happen to be this gentleman's FIRST choice
32. Corkers : LULUs
36. Sierra Club subj. : ECOL. - Ecology, hear here ~!
38. Sign of an escape? : HISS - as air from a punctured tire
39. Devils, e.g. : NHL TEAM - New Jersey - I will root for them if the NY Rangers aren't on
41. Words with organized crime : TIES TO - Another L&O reference, as in "Biegel has ties to the Masucci family..." ( I had tieD to, my only boo-boo )
44. Order clothes : HABIT - I had ROBES to start here
45. "I'm yours to command" : USE ME - I think of the lyrics here at 0:58
46. Vigeland Sculpture Park city : OSLO - Images
47. Crumbly topping : FETA - cheese, on salads, etc
48. Arabian checker : REIN - Arabian, the horse, but not Champion
49. Shut (up) : PENT
50. In-box queue: Abbr. : MSGS
53. Fair Deal initials : HST - Harry S. Truman
54. Former comm. giant : GTE - I remember these guys
See ya next time ~!
Splynter
