google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner

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Mar 3, 2012

Saturday, March 3rd, 2012, Gail Grabowski

Theme: None

Words: 72

Blocks: 30

Well, this is my first chance to blog a Gail Grabowski grid, and I was challenged, but not frustrated today. I checked, and Ms. G's last LAT Saturday was way back on 8-8-09.
One spanner, possibly the seed entry;

36A. One who makes you sweat : PERSONAL TRAINER - go on, get DF ~!

with a very symmetrical arrangement of unique crossword answers surrounding it;

30A. Sources of legumes? : PEASHOOTERS

39A. Gotten out of control : GONE HAYWIRE

6D. Designation on a driver's license, perhaps : ORGAN DONOR - not me

29D. Some messengers : ERRAND BOYS

- and my personal favorite clue/answer for the day -

20. Stock holder : CATTLE CAR - so misled by the idea of an investor - Image #1, #2,#3

And so, ONward ~!!

ACROSS:

1. Gift giver's request, perhaps : PUT IT ON

8. Pop choices : RC COLAS - Formerly NEHI - I did not know this, it's in the opening sequence

15. Hematite or limonite : IRON ORE

16. Roadside come-on : EAT HERE - Billboard did not fit

17. Italian town where Napoleon defeated the Austrians : MARENGO - map; there seems to be a bigger story regarding his horse

18. Rubber of myth : ALADDIN - I had ALI BABA - didn't he "rub" a magic lamp, too~!?

19. Loss of the ability to read : ALEXIA - pretty name for a girl, no ~!?

20. Mil. rank : CPL - corporal

21. Puckered, say : AGED - meh, just OK with this clue/ans

22. Party lines? : CONGAS - a dance in a line, so I am not sure the "?" is needed, for a Saturday

24. Code subject : DRESS - Dress Code

25. Fit : ABLE

28. 2000 Gere title role : Dr. T - never heard of it; this movie; sounds like a total "chick flick"

29. It's quite a stretch : EON - Fresh for our CW staple

33. Where a mask may be worn : SPA - thought I was clever with "BED"

38. Reg. : STandarD

40. Couples can break it : PAR - Fred Couples, golfer

41. Preserve, in a way : CAN - not ICE; sorry, Tin, that's foul play

42. Work : OPUS

43. Menu fowl : CAPON - Yikes ~!! I did not know THIS

46. Martin who won an Oscar for his 1994 Lugosi portrayal : LANDAU

48. They never get off the ground : EMUs - another fresh clue for a CW staple

49. Show : AIR

50. Like some cat collars : BELLED - can be hysterical; just go to YouTube; also considered to be an Aesop fable

54. "You're better off not knowing" : DON'T ASK

56. Sites of some clashes : BORDERS - Wars would have been better in the clue

57. Performer : ARTISTE

58. Tricking, in a way : LYING TO

59. Uses as a basis : RESTS ON

60. Dangerous fliers : TSE-TSEs

DOWN:

1. Bedsheet material : PIMA - Had Silk, thought it might be a subtle shout-out to our usual Saturday guy, Barry C. said guess

2. Magnitogorsk's river : URAL - Sounds Russian? River? Four letters?

3. Flew : TORE

4. More than, with "of" : IN EXCESS - not this INXS

5. "Pagliacci" clown : TONIO - I like this story

7. Start of colonialism? : NEO - Neo-colonialism. Not sure about this; I had "CEE", the letter 'c' at the front, which requires the "?"; otherwise, I don't see the point of "?"

8. Gets from the field : REAPS

9. One may be close : CALL

10. Letters in the Loop : CTA - Chicago Transit Authority, the "Loop" being the EL-evated train there

11. "Shoot!" : OH DARN

12. Shelf : LEDGE

13. One of the fire signs : ARIES



14. Ships : SENDS - You Pea ESS = UPS~!!!

23. [I've heard that one too often] : GROAN - Punny

24. "If I __ so myself ..." : DO SAY

25. BlackBerry buys : APPs

26. It might be pickled : BEET

27. Pig product : LARD

31. Two-time Masters champ : HOGAN - another golf reference, Ben Hogan

32. Peck of TV's "10 Things I Hate About You" : ETHAN

33. Small cut : SNIP

34. Arequipa's land : PERU

35. Combative deity : ARES - Aries and Ares

37. "Might want to rethink that" : I WOULDN'T

40. It's usually a little sticky : POST-IT - those little yellow squares on the fridge

43. Shingle material : CEDAR - siding and roofing

44. Strong emozione : AMORE - that's Italian for emotion, right?

45. Equivocates : PUNTS - huh? [ah - from Dictionary.com; "if they ask for sales figures, you'll have to punt" - I guess....]

46. Compare : LIKEN

47. High home : AERIE - Aries, Ares, and Aeries

49. In the matter of : AS TO

51. Staying power : LEGS - now, you know me, I prefer these legs

52. "Symphony in Black" artist : ERTE

53. Brit. decorations : DSOs - Distinguished Service "Ordres" - more HERE

55. Long-eared critter : ASS

56. Deli order : B.L.T. - Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato

Answer grid.


Splynter