Words: 72 (missing Q,X)
Blocks: 28
I did today's puzzle in two stages; I had to stop about 80% of the way
through, but that was OK, because I was drawing a blank in the NW and SW
corners. Upon returning to the game, I noticed the WAGs I was
reluctant to try were actually the correct answers - go figure. Oh, and
an alphabet-run technical DNF, which bummed me out(*).
Bruce last appeared on a Saturday, Dec 7th, in 2013, and Victor's last
Saturday was back on July 7th, 2012 (LAT) - two Victors in a row~! Triple 10-letter pinwheel
design with a pair of 7- and 8-letter fills as well;
17a. Group with many hits : COSA NOSTRA - Learning moment; I did not realize this was another name for the Sicilian Mafia - hence, the "hits" - more like whacks
12d. Get romantic : BILL AND COO - I have heard of the "COOing" part, but the "BILL"~? I looked it up; it's a bird reference - now I get it
63a. They go down to the wire : CLOSE GAMES - I tried HORSE RACES
28. Some astronauts : SPACEWOMEN - Dah~! My first thought, and yet it seemed too simple - here's a list
ACROSS:
1. Staff leaders : MAJORDOMOs - no clue to start, then I got as far as MAJOR----
11. Common rhyme scheme : ABAB - Good guess to start
15. In top form : AT ONE'S BEST
16. Wheels : RIDE - I am hoping to buy a new ride this weekend - a 2002 Ford Escape
18. Menlo Park middle name : ALVA - Thomas Edison
19. Fuse, as ore : SMELT
20. Comic strip about a high schooler : ZITS - I like it
22. She plays Watson in "Elementary" : LIU - Lucy
23. Fourth most populous U.S. island : OAHU - I threw in GUAM; BZZZT~! 50% correct in all the wrong places
26. Reach : CONTACT - as on one's phone
28. Surveillance aid : SPYGLASS - I'd like to live on Spyglass Lane - there's one in my neighborhood
32. Steelers ownership family name : ROONEY
33. Nanki-__ : POO - I have heard this, but I went and looked it up afterwards - oh right - the Mikado
34. Prowler : SNOOP
36. Landlord's assets: Abbr. : BLDGs
37. "... men in __" : A TUB
39. Locks that are picked : AFROs
41. Victoria's Secret spec : D CUP - HA~! I threw this in, and upon doing the write-up realized I was right - I'm sure Dennis nailed it
42.* Longtime name in baseball broadcasting : CARAY - the "Y" was my downfall, in 43d., too
44. Inset site : ATLAS
46. Valuable elemento : ORO - goldo, in Spanisho
47. "And wilt thou pledge me this for time __?": Aeschylus : ETERNE - mostly perps
49. Takes a powder : SKIPS OUT - 'round here, SKIPS OUT means someone ran off in the night without paying the rent
51. Goes south : WORSENS
53. Rested from flight : ALIT
54. "He's mine, __ am his": "Coriolanus" : OR I - two quote partials doesn't sit well with me
55. Lases or tases : ZAPS
57. Verdi aria : ERI TU
61. Star followers : MAGI - 'Tis the season once again
66. Repeat : ECHO - 'Tis the season once again
- is there an echo in here~!?
67. Revealing : TATTLE-TALE - like a sign
68. Table tennis club's supply : NETS - um, I guess they would
69. Plots : STORY LINES - ah, that kind of plot
DOWN:
1. Apple array : MACS
2. It may be ionized : ATOM - see "onward"
3. Muralist Orozco : JOSÉ
11. Common rhyme scheme : ABAB - Good guess to start
15. In top form : AT ONE'S BEST
16. Wheels : RIDE - I am hoping to buy a new ride this weekend - a 2002 Ford Escape
18. Menlo Park middle name : ALVA - Thomas Edison
19. Fuse, as ore : SMELT
20. Comic strip about a high schooler : ZITS - I like it
22. She plays Watson in "Elementary" : LIU - Lucy
23. Fourth most populous U.S. island : OAHU - I threw in GUAM; BZZZT~! 50% correct in all the wrong places
26. Reach : CONTACT - as on one's phone
28. Surveillance aid : SPYGLASS - I'd like to live on Spyglass Lane - there's one in my neighborhood
32. Steelers ownership family name : ROONEY
33. Nanki-__ : POO - I have heard this, but I went and looked it up afterwards - oh right - the Mikado
34. Prowler : SNOOP
36. Landlord's assets: Abbr. : BLDGs
37. "... men in __" : A TUB
39. Locks that are picked : AFROs
41. Victoria's Secret spec : D CUP - HA~! I threw this in, and upon doing the write-up realized I was right - I'm sure Dennis nailed it
Hello, blue-eyes - I bet you didn't even notice they were blue (her eyes)
44. Inset site : ATLAS
46. Valuable elemento : ORO - goldo, in Spanisho
47. "And wilt thou pledge me this for time __?": Aeschylus : ETERNE - mostly perps
49. Takes a powder : SKIPS OUT - 'round here, SKIPS OUT means someone ran off in the night without paying the rent
51. Goes south : WORSENS
53. Rested from flight : ALIT
54. "He's mine, __ am his": "Coriolanus" : OR I - two quote partials doesn't sit well with me
55. Lases or tases : ZAPS
57. Verdi aria : ERI TU
61. Star followers : MAGI - 'Tis the season once again
66. Repeat : ECHO - 'Tis the season once again
- is there an echo in here~!?
67. Revealing : TATTLE-TALE - like a sign
68. Table tennis club's supply : NETS - um, I guess they would
69. Plots : STORY LINES - ah, that kind of plot
DOWN:
1. Apple array : MACS
2. It may be ionized : ATOM - see "onward"
3. Muralist Orozco : JOSÉ
4. Where a turtle might be seen : ON A LOG - sure, why not; the last one I saw was trying to cross Rt 25, which is a 50mph road - I believe he made it
5. Some prom night wear : RENTALS - oh, the tux....never mind....
6. Brit. military award : DSO Distiguished Service Order
7. Delivery pros : OBStetrician - from the Latin "to stand by"; the medical specialist that deals with pregnancy and childbirth
8. City on the Moselle : METZ
9. "Hamlet" courtier : OSRIC
10. Electric generator component : STATOR
11. Celestial altar : ARA
13. Amy Dickinson, e.g. : ADVICE GURU
14. Mole, maybe : BEAUTY SPOT - I do not think of them as beauty; just spots
21. Stereotypical status seeker : SNOB
24. Rival of Martina and Chris : HANA - Mandlíková, Czech tennis star
25. Patriotic nickname : U.S. of A.
27. Spoiled the surprise : TOLD
29. Kid's birthday party contest : POTATO RACE - never had one
30. "No argument" : YOU'RE RIGHT - upon returning to the grid, I was able to get past "YOU", which was all I had filled, and started thinking "YOU'RE" - Duck~!
31. Prepares for filing : SORTS
35. Grammy category eliminated in 2009 : POLKA - I did not know this
38. Illegalizes : BARS - I had BANS, and that threw me
40. Zip (through) : SAIL
43*. Santa __ Valley: California wine region : YNEZ - ugh - really~? Oh well - I'm sure our California contingency got it no problem
48. Adopts : ENACTS
50. Low clouds : STRATI
52. Paint-spill sound : SPLAT - uhhh, whooo(ups)~?
56. __ speak : SO TO - ugh - all perps
58. "Project Runway Canada" host : IMAN
59. Commuting leader? : TELE - telecommuting
60. Doesn't let sit : USES
62. Cyclades island : IOS
64. Harp, e.g.: Abbr. : STRing instrument
65. Bridge expert Culbertson : ELY