Saturday, Aug 22nd, 2015, Barry C. Silk

Theme: Saturday Silkie~!

Words: 70 (missing F,J,Q)

Blocks: 30

  A pleasant challenge from Mr. Silk this week - in fact, I was not expecting a Silkie, but there it was~!  A smooth blend of phrases, common and not so common, with a smattering of proper names and a touch of the obscure to make it just a little tougher than last week's puzzle - speaking of "Z"s, we have 7 in today's grid, and three "X"s, as well.  Triple 9- and 10-letter corners, with a pair of nine's in the middle;

20a. Positive : ABOVE ZERO - ah, like temperatures, not emotions

51a. Mythological boundary : RIVER STYX

 Wiki Mythology

ACROSS:

1. "60 Minutes" symbol : STOPWATCH - well, I knew it was a something "watch", but I thought it was more of a pocket one than this type; can you tell I don't 'watch' the show~?

10. "Private Practice" star Kate : WALSH - I recognize her from a Law & Order episode, but that's all

15. "Whatever!" : "LIKE I CARE"

16. Its southeasternmost county is Bear Lake : IDAHO - tried MAINE first

Idaho Counties

17. For the time being : AD INTERIM - Literal Latin "in the time between"

18. Centrifuge component : ROTOR

19. Effectiveness : TEETH - mostly perps, but a clever clue/ answer

22. Purpose : AIM

24. Castle and others : IRENEs - tried DRAMAS, because I like the show "Castle"

25. "Live Well" retail chain : GNC - General Nutrition Centers

28. Steering system parts : TIE RODS - I have been through several tie rods during the 273,500 miles of driving my Dodge Stratus; in fact, the front wheel came off two Sundays ago; had my friend Ed help me put it back on.  Sheared the lug bolts. 

32. Special treatment : TLC - I try to give my car all the Tender Loving Care I can; has to last me about 4 more months

33. Parent : REAR - the verb.  Lost my dad two years ago, BarryG.  My condolences.  Today is one year since the passing of a waitress who worked at A Lure; she was 20.  Must be tough on her parents; her younger sister works at aMano. 

35. Smooth coat : GLAZE

36. Current: Pref. : RHEO - as in Rheostat - literally, a device for setting the flow of current - e.g. the volume knob on a stereo or guitar - the Wiki

37. When Tony sings "Maria" : ACT I

38. Muppet rat named for a movie character : RIZZO - dah~!  I put in RATzo, which can't be right with "RAT" in the clue; oh well.

39. With 2-Down, twice-monthly phenomenon : NEAP and 2d. See 39-Across : TIDE- nailed it, even getting the words in the right positions

40. It investigates RR accidents : NTSB - National Transportation Safety Board

41. __ Era: old name for Earth's pre-life period : AZOIC - well, I had the --OIC part, but crossing ELIZA, I pretty much had to WAG

42. Goalie's goal : SAVE - how true this is~!  I played a stellar game for 52mins last week, only to have my defense flag in the heat and humidity, and we ended up losing.  I love making the "glove save"

43. Who __ Nation: New Orleans Saints fans : DAT

44. Eye : STARE AT

46. French possessive : TES - aww, Frawnche

47. It became the TV Guide Channel in 1999 : PREVUE

49. Big mouth : MAW

55. Like some French vowels : NASAL - aww, more Frawnche

59. Sluggish : INERT - eh.  At least you're moving when you're sluggish.  Inert to me means hungover & bedridden

60. Underlying layers : SUBSTRATA

62. Where Rudolf of Ruritania was imprisoned : ZENDA - perps & WAG; more here

63. Get around bigtime : GLOBETROT - I would like to do this

64. Lake Placid's county : ESSEX

65. Large, to some Southwesterners : TEXAS SIZE

DOWN:

1. Blind piece : SLAT - as in Venetian blinds

3. Dust Bowl victim : OKIE

4. Gram lead-in : PENTA - pentagram; these guys worked the "Satanic" heavy metal image

5. Hip : WITH IT - or is it "WIT HIT"~?

6. Whiz : ACE

7. Johnny's partner in the 2014 Olympic figure skating telecasts : TARA - WAG; Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski - hello, Legs~

8. Nursery item : CRIB - oops, went with the other kind of nursery, and tried TREE

9. Circulation prefix : HEMO - blood circulation; semi-clecho with;

10. Circuit creators : WIRERS - those who wire

11. Napping : ADOZE - a 'meh' "A" word

12. Thermodynamics topic : LATENT HEAT

13. Liberty : SHORE LEAVE

14. Charts featuring houses : HOROSCOPES - I had a feeling HOME SCAPES was not right

21. Picture taker : VIDEOCAM - moving pictures, that is

23. Moves periodically : MIGRATES

25. Winner's reward : GRAND PRIZE

26. Peach mutations : NECTARINES

27. "Moonshadow" singer : CAT STEVENS

29. Broadway role for Julie : ELIZA - ah. Julie Andrews as Eliza Doolittle

30. Cutting device : RAZOR

31. Former White Sox manager Guillén : OZZIE - Baseball for C.C.

34. Needle : RIB

36. ER workers : RNs

44. Unpopular Vietnam War-financing vehicle : SURTAX - is any tax popular~?

45. Nice relatives : TANTES - aww, more more Frawnche - sounds close to its English translation of aunts

48. Mesa __ National Park : VERDE

50. Partner of all? : WARTS - I pondered "end all, be all" and "Once and for All" - ah - the phrase "I'll take it as is, warts and all"

52. USAF E-6 : T-SGT - A wordless clue/answer.  I just found out that the hostess I talked about last year is ROTC, and will graduate with the rank of second lieutenant - she's got er, um, three years to go....

53. Festive time : YULE

54. Wii alternative : XBOX - home video game computers

56. Indian wrap : SARI

57. All-inclusive : A TO Z - popular lately

58. Behind : LATE

61. Entrepreneur-aiding org. : SBA - Small Business Administration

Splynter