Words: 72 (missing K,Q,W,Y,Z)
Blocks: 27
Ah, a Silkie, and since I unofficially call his puzzles a "theme",
that's two in a row for me~! Pretty blank on the first pass, with
triple 11-letter stacks in the Across, and then triple 8's in the Down
corners to work with. Slowed down by the proper names again, but I seem
to be getting more open-minded about how I go about the solve (*);
guess I've done my share of Saturday crosswords, and a good number of
Mr. Silk's at that....all in all, a fairly fun solve. Some of the
longer fill;
15a. Reversible chemical process : ION EXCHANGE - I had the "X" from 5d., and not that I've heard of this process, but it sounded pretty good; think water softeners
14d. Followers : APOSTLES - pondered BOOSTERS ( had the --OST--S), then GNOSTICS; I got there eventually
67a. Bank counter convenience : DEPOSIT SLIP - becoming obsolete
in my world; I can now run my checks thru the ATM ( in a stack of up to
30, not that I would ever have that many ) and get a print-out of the
check on my receipt - no deposit slip required
37. Loiters : HANGS OUT
ONvacationWARD~!
ACROSS:
1. Three-volume biography of Winston Churchill : THE LAST LION - no clue to start, but that rarely fazes me anymore
12*. Summer, at times : CPA - open-minded; a "sum-mer", like my friend Ed, who does my taxes
16. Material flaw : RIP - I went with "RUN", but you know where my mind usually is....
12*. Summer, at times : CPA - open-minded; a "sum-mer", like my friend Ed, who does my taxes
16. Material flaw : RIP - I went with "RUN", but you know where my mind usually is....
17. Collectible late-'50s auto : EDSEL RANGER - I took time to read over some of the reasons for this epic failure, and found some of it quite fascinating
18. Mattel game since 1992 : UNO - I am working on a board/card game of my own right now, with the hope of selling it through my buddy Mike's company, Kid Agains - he's really taking off with the brand; in fact, he's in China now working out the details of the next 3 games they're producing for him this year. I have a lot of work to do at the restaurant, and with the threat of more snow, I decided to take a week of vacation from UPS. Any free time next week will be spent working on the game.
19. Inventing initials : TAE - Thomas Alva Edison
20. Almost null? : EINS - cute. Zero and one in German
21. Dodges : EVADES - I went with AVOIDS; that's 67% technically, but the key was having the "V" in the right place
23. Four-time All-Star Oriole outfielder Jones : ADAM - C.C. would know more
25*. Former prime minister who grew up in Milwaukee : MEIR - WAG
27. Raise : ERECT
28*. Certain red giant : C STAR - here's what I mean; in past puzzles, we've seen "-"STAR, so I filled that part in, and WAGed a "G" to start
30. One often looking down : SNOB
32. File, for one : TOOL - Tried MENU. Was 100%. Wrong.
33. 54-Across holder : TUB - ah, didn't get enough circumreferential yesterday~?
35. Lucrative venture : GOLD MINE
37. They don't sound as welcoming as they are : HOSTELS - One would hope the environment is not "Hostile"
41. Bolivian president Evo : MORALES - mostly perps
42. Net : AFTER TAX
44*. Blues musician Mahal : TAJ - sensible WAG, but then I wondered if it might be "Raj", or something like that
45. NASCAR Hall of Fame locale: Abbr. : N. CARolina
46. Go (through) : SIFT - I tried PASS
48. Goes for : COSTS - picking up my new phone tomorrow. There was nothing wrong with my old one, but I am really excited to start using the new Ryobi Phone Works tools - I have the scope, the moisture meter, and will probably buy the stud finder ( yes, it might just be a metal detector, HeartRx~! ) as well. My new plan COSTS more than the last one because I added a 'hot-spot' device so I can print Home Inspection reports in the field - that is, from the trunk of my car.
52. Capturer's triumphant words : GOT 'EM
54. 33-Across filler : LARD - uh, see 33a?
56. Cheer : ROOT - not RAVE, not RANT
57. Tannery output : SUEDES
59. Smoke, perhaps : CURE - ah, like meat; think Beef Jerky
61. Fr. title : MME
62. "... and the __ below / As hush as death": "Hamlet" : ORB
63. Asset disposal option : AUCTION SALE
66. Original "Burn Notice" airer : USA - I tried the show; I liked it, but couldn't stay with it. I am happy to see "Sirens" is back - more Denis Leary
68. Rx notation : TER - Dah. Went with TID
69. Runoff facilitators : STORM DRAINS - went with GRATES to start
DOWN:
1. Haberdashery item : TIE-TAC
2. Beginners with boards : HO-DADS - Dictionary.com calls this person a "non-surfer who spends time at the beach masquerading as a surfer"
3. Put on a throne : ENSEAT
4. Author Harper : LEE
5*. Wheelbarrow feature : AXLE - did my share of assembling these last summer ( not sum-mer ); how many 4-letter parts does one of these have, anyway~?
18. Mattel game since 1992 : UNO - I am working on a board/card game of my own right now, with the hope of selling it through my buddy Mike's company, Kid Agains - he's really taking off with the brand; in fact, he's in China now working out the details of the next 3 games they're producing for him this year. I have a lot of work to do at the restaurant, and with the threat of more snow, I decided to take a week of vacation from UPS. Any free time next week will be spent working on the game.
19. Inventing initials : TAE - Thomas Alva Edison
20. Almost null? : EINS - cute. Zero and one in German
21. Dodges : EVADES - I went with AVOIDS; that's 67% technically, but the key was having the "V" in the right place
23. Four-time All-Star Oriole outfielder Jones : ADAM - C.C. would know more
25*. Former prime minister who grew up in Milwaukee : MEIR - WAG
27. Raise : ERECT
28*. Certain red giant : C STAR - here's what I mean; in past puzzles, we've seen "-"STAR, so I filled that part in, and WAGed a "G" to start
30. One often looking down : SNOB
32. File, for one : TOOL - Tried MENU. Was 100%. Wrong.
33. 54-Across holder : TUB - ah, didn't get enough circumreferential yesterday~?
35. Lucrative venture : GOLD MINE
37. They don't sound as welcoming as they are : HOSTELS - One would hope the environment is not "Hostile"
41. Bolivian president Evo : MORALES - mostly perps
42. Net : AFTER TAX
44*. Blues musician Mahal : TAJ - sensible WAG, but then I wondered if it might be "Raj", or something like that
45. NASCAR Hall of Fame locale: Abbr. : N. CARolina
46. Go (through) : SIFT - I tried PASS
48. Goes for : COSTS - picking up my new phone tomorrow. There was nothing wrong with my old one, but I am really excited to start using the new Ryobi Phone Works tools - I have the scope, the moisture meter, and will probably buy the stud finder ( yes, it might just be a metal detector, HeartRx~! ) as well. My new plan COSTS more than the last one because I added a 'hot-spot' device so I can print Home Inspection reports in the field - that is, from the trunk of my car.
52. Capturer's triumphant words : GOT 'EM
54. 33-Across filler : LARD - uh, see 33a?
56. Cheer : ROOT - not RAVE, not RANT
57. Tannery output : SUEDES
59. Smoke, perhaps : CURE - ah, like meat; think Beef Jerky
61. Fr. title : MME
62. "... and the __ below / As hush as death": "Hamlet" : ORB
63. Asset disposal option : AUCTION SALE
66. Original "Burn Notice" airer : USA - I tried the show; I liked it, but couldn't stay with it. I am happy to see "Sirens" is back - more Denis Leary
68. Rx notation : TER - Dah. Went with TID
69. Runoff facilitators : STORM DRAINS - went with GRATES to start
DOWN:
1. Haberdashery item : TIE-TAC
2. Beginners with boards : HO-DADS - Dictionary.com calls this person a "non-surfer who spends time at the beach masquerading as a surfer"
3. Put on a throne : ENSEAT
4. Author Harper : LEE
5*. Wheelbarrow feature : AXLE - did my share of assembling these last summer ( not sum-mer ); how many 4-letter parts does one of these have, anyway~?
6. Open-weave fabric : SCRIM - new word for me; frequently used as a lighting filter and stage backdrop
7. Old Scottish officials : THANES - half perps, half WAG
8. Capital on the Grand River : LANSING - JazzB nailed it, right?
7. Old Scottish officials : THANES - half perps, half WAG
8. Capital on the Grand River : LANSING - JazzB nailed it, right?
9*. Like Dvorák's Symphony No. 8 : IN G - more of that crossword intuition; it's going to be "IN" A,B,C,D,E,F, or G....
10. Fancy molding : OGEE - messed up my AVOIDS, but I am working on a new project at the restaurant - they're looking for some "wow" when they re-open for Valentine's Day, so the owner opted for a true 'fish house' look; chalkboards and subway tile - I like the contrast, and I love doing the work - the split between the two is the height of the chairs. Hence, I am installing chair rail. When I primed the wall, you could really see the dings from the backs of the seats
11. Audacity : NERVE
12. Well target : CRUDE OIL
13. Organ with scales : PINE CONE - well, uh, that's one way to describe it
22. Would-be designer, perhaps : ART MAJOR - the "J" from 44a. helped immensely
24. Had an impact : MATTERED
26. Basic rental : ROOM - Ah. Not AUTO
29. Who's sorry now : RUER
31. Smudge : BLOT - not SPOT, so I took it all out - but was half right in the first place
34. Alphabetical orders? : BLTs - Odd, but I went with RSVP
36. Literary count, familiarly : DRAC - or VLAD~? All I had was the "A"
38. "For certain" : "OF COURSE~!"
39. Regulatory legal association : STATE BAR
40. Breeze (through) : SAIL
43. Hard-to-define influence : X FACTOR
47. Platitude : TRUISM
49. Shilling spender : SOMALI
50. 2003 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor recipient : TOMLIN
51. Marinates : STEEPS
53. Honey beverages : MEADS
55. Sci-fi figure : DROID - my "GRATES" led me to try ZERO G - hey, that's sort of a "figure"
58. Haggis ingredient : SUET
60*. Start of an intermission? : ENT'R - ACTE; seen this in enough crosswords, so I was not fooled
64. USCG rank : CPO
65. Federal benefits org. : SSA
10. Fancy molding : OGEE - messed up my AVOIDS, but I am working on a new project at the restaurant - they're looking for some "wow" when they re-open for Valentine's Day, so the owner opted for a true 'fish house' look; chalkboards and subway tile - I like the contrast, and I love doing the work - the split between the two is the height of the chairs. Hence, I am installing chair rail. When I primed the wall, you could really see the dings from the backs of the seats
12. Well target : CRUDE OIL
13. Organ with scales : PINE CONE - well, uh, that's one way to describe it
22. Would-be designer, perhaps : ART MAJOR - the "J" from 44a. helped immensely
24. Had an impact : MATTERED
26. Basic rental : ROOM - Ah. Not AUTO
29. Who's sorry now : RUER
31. Smudge : BLOT - not SPOT, so I took it all out - but was half right in the first place
34. Alphabetical orders? : BLTs - Odd, but I went with RSVP
36. Literary count, familiarly : DRAC - or VLAD~? All I had was the "A"
38. "For certain" : "OF COURSE~!"
39. Regulatory legal association : STATE BAR
40. Breeze (through) : SAIL
43. Hard-to-define influence : X FACTOR
47. Platitude : TRUISM
49. Shilling spender : SOMALI
50. 2003 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor recipient : TOMLIN
51. Marinates : STEEPS
53. Honey beverages : MEADS
55. Sci-fi figure : DROID - my "GRATES" led me to try ZERO G - hey, that's sort of a "figure"
58. Haggis ingredient : SUET
60*. Start of an intermission? : ENT'R - ACTE; seen this in enough crosswords, so I was not fooled
64. USCG rank : CPO
65. Federal benefits org. : SSA
Splynter
