Words: 70 (missing F,J,X)
Blocks: 29
Yep, I felt we were getting a Silkie today~! I liked this one - just
enough of a challenge without being jammed up with a lot of proper names and vague references. Triple 7's in the Downs, triple 11's in the
Across - missed the date ( 7-11 ) by one
day....Two other long fills on the inside as well, and a stair pattern
at the center, plus a low block clount. Some of the longer fill:
Onward....
ACROSS:
1. Strategy rarely involving a power hitter : SQUEEZE PLAY - Some baseball for C.C., right off the bat - pun intended
12. Class fig. : GPA - Not EST. - my graduating class was 791 students
16. Art of MGM? : ARS - Ars Gratia Artis - seems WAY too easy, especially for Mr. Silk
17. Oil field workers : ROUSTABOUTS - according to the dictionary, it's an Americanism, and isn't limited to oil fields - any unskilled laborer
18. 1909 ballet "__ Sylphides" : LES - sensible WAG, but I waited on perps
19. Portuguese is its official lang. : ANG - ANGOLA, Africa
20. Scotland's __ Awe : LOCH - DAH~! I had PESTERS in at 8d., so I did not see this at first
21. Static, e.g. : NOISE - my first thought, and I hesitated
23. Not surprising : USUAL - my first thought, and I hesitated again
26. Personal question? : WHO
27. Gulf sight : OILER - Seen in Edmonton, too
28. '60s Navy project : SEALAB - there were three; more from Wiki
30. Sharp turn : ELL - Dah~! I tried ZIG
32. Riga native : LETT - Got it, but spelled it LATT first
33. Touch screen accessory : STYLUS
34. Liability-limiting order : STOP-LOSS - investment market security measure - sounds like I know something, but I just looked it up
36. Cheater's tool : CRIB - Cliff's Notes didn't fit
38. "J'accuse" writer : ZOLA - Perps and WAGs
39. Ios and Naxos are in them : CYCLADES - I have heard of this place, but I was thinking along the lines of asteroids in the belt - it's all Greek to me....
43. Fast ballroom dances : MAMBOS - I have this Perry Como song in my MP3 player - from "Ocean's Eleven" - but we would change the lyrics to "Pablo Loves Mangos"
47. Second : AIDE
48. American __ : ELM - OK, who else went with "PIE"~!?
49. Home of the 3M Company : ST. PAUL - More for our Minnesotan (doesn't sound right)
50. "SportsCenter" brief : RECAP
52. USSR successor : CIS - Commonwealth of Independent States - perps
54. Extend an invitation for : ASK TO
55. Santa __ : CLARA - first thought, but I waited, again...tsk-tsk
56. 7, for N : AT. No. - Atomic Number - nailed it
58. Latin is often heard in it : LAW
59. Pitches : ADS
60. Vision : MENTAL IMAGE
64. Holy mlle. : STE
66. Desperate letters : S.O.S.
67. "It's about time they all left!" : "ALONE AT LAST~!"
DOWN:
1. "Salome" composer : STRAUSS
2. __ hut : QUONSET - It's great to get the 11-letter fill at 1a. - makes all the downs that much easier~!
3. First FIFA World Cup winner : URUGUAY - sure, when you have the U-----Y in place
4. Inning trio? : ENs - iNNiNgs
5. CPR provider : EMT
6. Fire : ZEAL - again, with the "Z" there....
7. Pasta shape : ELBOW
8. Hounds : POOCHES - PESTERS was a good fit, too
9. Longtime college football coach who is now an ESPN analyst : LOU HOLTZ - Last to fill, and a WAG
10. Bermuda hrs. : AST - Atlantic Standard Time
11. Offering only two choices : YES/NO
12. First spacecraft to orbit Jupiter : GALILEO - VOYAGER fit, but that just flew past
14. Claims : ASSERTS
22. Light sources : OIL LAMPS
24. Safety announcement : ALL CLEAR
25. Preminger noir classic : LAURA
29. Surprise hit, maybe : B-SIDE
31. They have shuttles and treadles : LOOMS
35. Montana motto word : PLATA - Oro Y Plata - Gold & Silver
37. Singing style in Rossini operas : BEL CANTO - Beautiful Singing in Italian
39. Lifeless form : CARCASS - Nice way to define this
40. Accept : YIELD TO
41. Jewel boxes : CD CASES
42. In love : SMITTEN - Like this....I found this funny, too
46. Last to finish : SLOWEST - makes sense when it's filled in....
51. Argentine grassland : PAMPA
53. Bag : SNARE
57. First name in Russian gymnastics : OLGA
61. Sushi choice : EEL - DAH~! not AHI
62. Lexington Ave. line : IRT -
63. Practice leader? : MAL - Malpractice
Splynter
Note from C.C.:
Happy 84th Birthday to dear Sallie! Are your sons visiting you for the special occasion, Sallie? Hope all is well with you.
