Theme: None
Words: 71
Blocks: 32
WOW~!!!
And again, WOW....
I did not look at the grid, I just started with 1-across; it was when I got to 30-across that I realized this puzzle has SIX spanners, four-stacked in the middle AND
two more grid-spanning climbers to boot. A special 16*15 grid (16 rows). I was able to finish this bear, but
way over my allotted time, and I do have to admit, I switched to
red-letter to figure out where I went wrong. I had "EGG" for "WAG", and
FITTENDS for FITMENTS (a drawback to filling in, and then not going
back and looking at what's wrong). Truly drained my brain, but most
satisfying. A look at our author's construction, who is new to our corner;
17A. Words of relief : "AM I GLAD TO SEE YOU"~!
30A. Food stamps, e.g. : STATE ASSISTANCE - I was on state assistance while I lived in the sober house for 13 months; rent was $444/mo.
39A. Contributing factor in ozone depletion : COSMIC RADIATION - I had TEST IRRADIATION to start; not a half bad guess, considering my thoughts were on A- and H-bomb (and N-) type tests
40A. Without nostalgia : UNSENTIMENTALLY
41A. Chumley's title friend in a '60s cartoon series : TENNESSEE TUXEDO - never heard of either of them; I was born in 1971
39A. Contributing factor in ozone depletion : COSMIC RADIATION - I had TEST IRRADIATION to start; not a half bad guess, considering my thoughts were on A- and H-bomb (and N-) type tests
40A. Without nostalgia : UNSENTIMENTALLY
41A. Chumley's title friend in a '60s cartoon series : TENNESSEE TUXEDO - never heard of either of them; I was born in 1971
59A. Leader elected in 2005 : POPE BENEDICT XVI - I was shocked to hear we have had fifteen Popes named Benedict; here's a full list; some didn't last a full year
8D. Daydreams : CASTLES IN THE AIR - nailed it - I love Castles, and I love this song
15D. Solution for lens transparency problems : CATARACT SURGERY
And just some brilliant cluing....
onward -
ACROSS:
1. "My Dinner With Andre" co-star Wallace __ : SHAWN - total unknown; more here
6. Offensively blunt : TACTLESS
14. Early Web browser : MOSAIC
16. Cadillac Ranch site : AMARILLO - well, I was pretty sure it was in Texas
19. Sanguine : RED
20. Royal Scots for more than three centuries : STUARTS - 1371-1714; more here
21. Salon job : SET - not DYE
22. Not kosher : TREF - learned from crosswords
24. First name in photography : ANSEL Adams, B&W beauty
25. Fit solidly : MESH
26. Mt. Carmel setting : ISRael
28. Needle point?: Abbr. : ESE - Great way to overcome the "Rome to Troy direction" cluing; Rome to Troy New York, that is - map
1. "My Dinner With Andre" co-star Wallace __ : SHAWN - total unknown; more here
6. Offensively blunt : TACTLESS
14. Early Web browser : MOSAIC
16. Cadillac Ranch site : AMARILLO - well, I was pretty sure it was in Texas
19. Sanguine : RED
20. Royal Scots for more than three centuries : STUARTS - 1371-1714; more here
21. Salon job : SET - not DYE
22. Not kosher : TREF - learned from crosswords
24. First name in photography : ANSEL Adams, B&W beauty
25. Fit solidly : MESH
26. Mt. Carmel setting : ISRael
28. Needle point?: Abbr. : ESE - Great way to overcome the "Rome to Troy direction" cluing; Rome to Troy New York, that is - map
42. 1989 Jay Presson Allen monodrama : TRU
43. Bit of a laugh : HEE - had TEE, was close enough
44. Half of a downpour? : CATS - 50/50, and I guessed right. Who had DOGS~?
47. "Peg Woffington" author : READE
51. Way up : STEP - not HIGH
55. Hop-__-thumb : O' MY - The WIki on this story
56. Ulterior motives : AGENDAS
58. Galley propeller : OAR
62. Catholic recitation : AVE MARIA - I'm not Catholic; had to wait for perps
63. Target of a Pasteur/Roux vaccine harvested from rabbits : RABIES
64. Sycophant : YEA SAYER
65. Stripes : BANDS
DOWN:
1. Sharp : SMART
2. Big hit : HOMER - Ah, still get some baseball in for C.C. - I was on a "movie" wavelength
3. It's not for everyone : ASIDE
4. Comedian : WAG - now that's not what it means, at least not here....
5. Rock's Lofgren : NILS - Nailed it
6. Exit lines : TA-TAs - as in "I'm leaving, see-ya"
7. "L'elisir d'__": Donizetti opera : AMORE - well, I had A-O-E, so....and it gave me 16 and 20 across
9. Nevado __ Cruces: Andes section : TRES - map
10. Pack item? : LIE - what a pack of lies~!
11. Steven's wife on "Family Ties" : ELYSE
12. Tart fruit : SLOES
13. Gray area? : SOUTH - I thought it was BRAIN, then SKULL, then YOUTH - we're talking about the Civil War south
18. Grayish brown : DUN
23. Furnishings : FITMENTS
25. Cleavers : MEAT AXES
27. Commercial fishing boat : SEINER
29. Body of art? : STATUE
30. Deer tail : SCUT - the online Merriam-Webster dictionary lists it as a "short erect tail (as of a hare)"
31. Writing style : TONE
32. Professional gp. : ASSN - association
33. Indian titles : SRIs
34. Corresponding : SAME
35. French noodle product? : IDEE - French for IDEA, a thought from your brain noodle
36. Historic Egyptian lifeline : NILE
37. How vichyssoise is usually served : COLD - I knew this
38. Greek war goddess : ENYO - never heard of her
44. Patient responsibility : CO-PAY
45. "Don't make __!" : A MOVE
46. Not at all laid-back : TYPE-A
48. Selection word : EENIE - eeny meeny miny moe - various spellings
49. "Now seems it far, and now __": Scott : ANEAR - ah well, an "A" word
50. CD letters : DDD - the way the recording is, well, recorded; I just learned something new; it's referred to as the SPARS code
52. Deadly agent : TOXIN
53. Hung over? : EAVED - har-har, house eaves are "hung" over the walls
54. Schoolmarmish type : PRISS
56. Quatrain rhyme scheme : A B A A
57. Labor pain? : SCAB - I'm in a union, so I knew this one
60. Common pair? : EMs - coMMon, the two "M"s in the middle
61. "We'll let you know" letters : TBA - To Be Announced
Splynter
