Words: 70 (missing J,Q,X,Z)
Blocks: 29
The
last time we saw a Saturday from Tom Heilman was back in July 2013, and
we ended up in an extended discussion on the difference between hay and
straw....today's puzzle did look intimidating, but once again a series
of WAGs got me enough of a toehold to make the necessary adjustments and
finish the grid within my personal time limit. I will admit to a
keyboard run to get my "ta-DA~!" at 42a - proper noun crossing
an abbreviation. Triple nine corners, a pair of stacked tens and two 12-letter climbers;
6d. "Sit" : TAKE A LOAD OFF
21d. Person with a warped mind, in slang : ONE SICK PUPPY
Drawno conclusions....
ACROSS:
1. Most unwavering : STRICTEST
10. "Forget about it!" : "NO HOW~!" - Started with "NO WAY"
15. Canine issue : TOOTH ACHE - CAVITIES was too short
16. Previously in print? : ABOVE - took a minute to "get" this; e.g. "see above"
17. Standing guard : ON LOOKOUT
18. Pronged : TINED - educated WAG
19. __ roast : WEENIE - meh
20. Grandstand group : ROOTERS
22. Celebrated : RANG IN - I had a great time when I "RANG IN" the New Year for 2014; I am hoping it leads to something special, still
25. "Danny and the Dinosaur" author Hoff : SYD
10. "Forget about it!" : "NO HOW~!" - Started with "NO WAY"
15. Canine issue : TOOTH ACHE - CAVITIES was too short
16. Previously in print? : ABOVE - took a minute to "get" this; e.g. "see above"
17. Standing guard : ON LOOKOUT
18. Pronged : TINED - educated WAG
19. __ roast : WEENIE - meh
20. Grandstand group : ROOTERS
22. Celebrated : RANG IN - I had a great time when I "RANG IN" the New Year for 2014; I am hoping it leads to something special, still
25. "Danny and the Dinosaur" author Hoff : SYD
26. Marathon rtes., perhaps : AVEs
30. Botched (up) : LOUSED
32. Christmas catalog item : TOY - I loved the Sears catalog this time of year - I'd sit down and make my "list" complete with page numbers for Santa - do you still have my old lists, Argyle~?
34. Restaurant convenience : MEN'S ROOM - whereas a LADIES ROOM is a necessity....
36. Evening affair : SOIREE
38. Readily assuming different forms : PROTEAN - straight up definition; Dictionary says it's from the Greek sea god Proteus, who could change form
39. Like original Matchbox cars : DIE-CAST - I still have a case full of Hot Wheels; my original Matchbox cars are long gone
30. Botched (up) : LOUSED
32. Christmas catalog item : TOY - I loved the Sears catalog this time of year - I'd sit down and make my "list" complete with page numbers for Santa - do you still have my old lists, Argyle~?
34. Restaurant convenience : MEN'S ROOM - whereas a LADIES ROOM is a necessity....
36. Evening affair : SOIREE
38. Readily assuming different forms : PROTEAN - straight up definition; Dictionary says it's from the Greek sea god Proteus, who could change form
39. Like original Matchbox cars : DIE-CAST - I still have a case full of Hot Wheels; my original Matchbox cars are long gone
40. Got a chuckle out of : AMUSED
41. Rickety : DECREPIT
42. Ruman of "Stalag 17" : SIG - Yeah, the "S" was a letter run
43. Krona : öre :: ruble : __ : KOPECK - 1/100th of a "dollar" equivalent; Swedish & Russian currency
45. __ perpetua: Idaho's motto : ESTO
46. 2008 Soderbergh biopic : CHE - I tried "ALI" first - bzzzt
48. Shooting ratios : F-STOPS - Camera settings, that kind of shooting
50. Immobilize, as with fear : PETRIFY - My sponsor's suggestion back in July petrified me; found out this Tuesday that he did NOT have all the facts, because he wasn't paying attention, so I fired him - first time in almost 9 years I had to do this; I am extremely happy I went with my gut instinct and did not follow through on the suggestion, but the issue is still unresolved. Now I need a new sponsor to help me try again
52. First NFL Man of the Year Award recipient (1970) : UNITAS - Here's Johnny~!
57. Savannah sighting : ELAND - Total WAG, and it stayed
58. Chukka boot feature : CREPE SOLE - Learning moment for me - the Wiki
61. Actress Kemper of "The Office" : ELLIE - Did not watch much of the show; this girl
48. Shooting ratios : F-STOPS - Camera settings, that kind of shooting
50. Immobilize, as with fear : PETRIFY - My sponsor's suggestion back in July petrified me; found out this Tuesday that he did NOT have all the facts, because he wasn't paying attention, so I fired him - first time in almost 9 years I had to do this; I am extremely happy I went with my gut instinct and did not follow through on the suggestion, but the issue is still unresolved. Now I need a new sponsor to help me try again
52. First NFL Man of the Year Award recipient (1970) : UNITAS - Here's Johnny~!
57. Savannah sighting : ELAND - Total WAG, and it stayed
58. Chukka boot feature : CREPE SOLE - Learning moment for me - the Wiki
61. Actress Kemper of "The Office" : ELLIE - Did not watch much of the show; this girl
62. Small cookers : HOT PLATES
63. Enjoyed : LIKED
64. Stretch, say : STAY LOOSE
DOWN:
1. Pack : STOW
2. Mood indicator : TONE - Pondered "RING" at first
63. Enjoyed : LIKED
64. Stretch, say : STAY LOOSE
DOWN:
1. Pack : STOW
2. Mood indicator : TONE - Pondered "RING" at first
3. Something to fill : ROLE - HOLE and HOLD were not good enough
4. "Put __ my tab" : IT ON
5. Loft user : CHOIR - I had the "H" and the "R", and this was the only word that worked
7. Car starter? : ECO - eco-car
8. Moo __ pork : SHU
9. Game for shapeshifters? : TETRIS - Har-Har~! You have to 'shift' the shapes in order to perpetuate the game - I play 3-D Tetris at UPS every morning, shifting 250+ parcels to fit in a van that only holds 200....
10. Defense gp. : NATO
11. Passing thoughts? : OBITs - This type of clue is filling in immediately for me now
12. Espionage strategies involving seduction : HONEY TRAPS
13. Goes too far : OVER DOES IT
14. Forms a union : WEDS
4. "Put __ my tab" : IT ON
5. Loft user : CHOIR - I had the "H" and the "R", and this was the only word that worked
7. Car starter? : ECO - eco-car
8. Moo __ pork : SHU
9. Game for shapeshifters? : TETRIS - Har-Har~! You have to 'shift' the shapes in order to perpetuate the game - I play 3-D Tetris at UPS every morning, shifting 250+ parcels to fit in a van that only holds 200....
10. Defense gp. : NATO
11. Passing thoughts? : OBITs - This type of clue is filling in immediately for me now
12. Espionage strategies involving seduction : HONEY TRAPS
13. Goes too far : OVER DOES IT
14. Forms a union : WEDS
23. Morning's end : NOON
24. Orbit, for one : GUM - you lint licker~!
26. Oscars org. : AMPAS - New one
to me; I thought "ASCAP", but that's music...then AFTRA, then the perps
left me with AM-A-; I got the "P", but.... the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
27. Food that's Italian for "little worms" : VERMICELLI - ewww~!
28. "Time to do something about this" : "ENOUGH TALK"
29. Former fliers : SSTs
31. One who acts : DOer
33. "... __ come" : YET TO
35. Really smell : REEK - There was a band that used to play the nightclub I worked at and they went by the name "REEKING HAVOC" - yes, they got it wrong, but it seemed to fit all the same....
37. Frozen treat : ICEE
39. Like New York's Chrysler Building : DECO
41. Case worker: Abbr. : DETective - that kind of case
44. Inspires, with "up" : PSYCHS
47. Orange Muppet : ERNIE - My brother is going as Ernie for one Halloween party, and then Barney Rubble for another - guess what I am going to wear....now all I need is a place to go - oh, if only someone would join me.... ;7(
49. Matt who scored the Jets only touchdown in Super Bowl III : SNELL - The Wiki
50. Spa option : PEEL - Tried PEDI first
51. Named : IDed
53. World Golf Hall of Famer Aoki : ISAO - The crossword friendly golfer
54. Movie pooch : TOTO - dah~! Not ASTA
55. Draft choices : ALES - ugh, I thought we were talking military here, and went "A ONE"
56. Zaire's Mobutu __ Seko : SESE - We have "se-seen" this before on Saturday
59. Break down : ROT
60. Flight stat : ETA
27. Food that's Italian for "little worms" : VERMICELLI - ewww~!
28. "Time to do something about this" : "ENOUGH TALK"
29. Former fliers : SSTs
31. One who acts : DOer
33. "... __ come" : YET TO
35. Really smell : REEK - There was a band that used to play the nightclub I worked at and they went by the name "REEKING HAVOC" - yes, they got it wrong, but it seemed to fit all the same....
37. Frozen treat : ICEE
39. Like New York's Chrysler Building : DECO
41. Case worker: Abbr. : DETective - that kind of case
44. Inspires, with "up" : PSYCHS
47. Orange Muppet : ERNIE - My brother is going as Ernie for one Halloween party, and then Barney Rubble for another - guess what I am going to wear....now all I need is a place to go - oh, if only someone would join me.... ;7(
49. Matt who scored the Jets only touchdown in Super Bowl III : SNELL - The Wiki
50. Spa option : PEEL - Tried PEDI first
51. Named : IDed
53. World Golf Hall of Famer Aoki : ISAO - The crossword friendly golfer
54. Movie pooch : TOTO - dah~! Not ASTA
55. Draft choices : ALES - ugh, I thought we were talking military here, and went "A ONE"
56. Zaire's Mobutu __ Seko : SESE - We have "se-seen" this before on Saturday
59. Break down : ROT
60. Flight stat : ETA
Splynter
Notes from C.C.:
Mark
the CHE site. Next time you see my name (probably early next year),
I'll be accompanying a blog regular, D-Otto (Tom), who's super efficient and fun to work with.
Notes from C.C.:
I'd like to share with you the "Border States" puzzle I made for the Chronicle of Higher Education. You can click here (the first one) for the puz file, or here to print out a PDF file. To solve on line, click here .
I'm eager to see what area gives you the trouble and when you grok the theme.
Spoiler alert: once you're done, you can go to Amy Reynaldo's blog for the write-up.
Those nice clues Pannonica mentioned are all the brainwork of editor
Brad Wilber, our regular LAT Saturday constructor. When I first proposed
the idea to Brad, the theme is quite thin. Brad helped me muscle up the core concept and build a grid I'm quite proud of.
