Words: 70 (missing J,Q,Z)
Blocks: 30
I
figured it was Silkie time, and there you have it~! This one started
off well, went blank, then with just the minimum of crossings (perps) it
filled in nicely, and well inside my personal time allotment. No
fun-sponge proper names, vague references or any other clues that would
normally force me into cheating, red-letters and Google. Makes for a
pleasant start to the weekend~! Triple 10-letter corners across, and
almost triple 9's in the down, with one spanner;
35. With "The," Massachusetts license plate slogan :
SPIRIT OF AMERICA - I can think of a couple of blog members who knew this one outright; I had no clue
SPIRIT OF AMERICA - I can think of a couple of blog members who knew this one outright; I had no clue
ACROSS:
1. Game with a Bad Piggies spin-off : ANGRY BIRDS - can you believe I have never played this~?
11. Pi preceder? : OCTO - octopi, more than one octoPUS
15. Modem interface : SERIAL PORT
16. Fizzle : FLOP
17. Westminster attraction : CLOCK TOWER - "Save the clock tower~!"
18. 17-Across display : TIME
19. Plant with tubular flowers : ALOE - always looking for a fresh way to clue this age-old crossword answer
20. Inside job : DECOR
22. "Willy and the Poor Boys" band, familiarly : CCR - Creedence Clearwater Revival
23. Poe title stowaway : PYM
24. Grain beard : AWN - could not remember this; the "W" was my second-to-last fill
26. Type of sandwich? : KNUCKLE
28. 2009 Emmy co-winner for Outstanding Talk Show Host : BEHAR - not ELLEN or OPRAH
30. Try to get : GRAB AT
31. Gateway Arch architect : SAARINEN - had it, spelled it correctly, took it out; I should trust my architectural instincts
34. Puff : PANT
38. Neophyte : TYRO
39. Calm : SERENITY - my mantra -
40. Key of Grieg's Piano Concerto : A MINOR - as always, start with - M - - OR, and go from there
43. Sturdy carts : DRAYS
44. Cork's province : MUNSTER - mostly perps, and the "U" was a WAG
46. Menu term : A LA
47. Consumer protection org. : BBB - Better Business Bureau
50. Calif. setting : PST
51. Described in letters : SPELT - Massachusetts; how do you spell it~? " I - T "
53. Wells creation : ELOI - H.G., the author, and one the Time Machine races
54. Play group : TEAM - oh, OK. I was thinking "play" as in actors on stage; ergo, troupe was not going to work
56. Cell warning : EMAIL ALERT - was not sure on the first pass if this was "cellular" or cell like those found in prison
59. Arctic fliers : AUKS - huh, I filled this in and forgot about it
60. Like some protests : NON-VIOLENT - I could have sworn we just had this clue/answer
61. Marvel Comics superheroes : X-MEN
62. "Through the Looking-Glass" brother : TWEEDLE DEE - I'm sure you're familiar with his twin, Tweedledum
DOWN:
1. Recording acronym : ASCAP
2. "M.O." rapper : NELLY - a WAG off the "N"
3. Stable employee : GROOM - women would like their GROOM to be STABLE, I would think
4. 2003 College World Series winner : RICE - all perps
5. Jaw : YAK
6. Short order? : BLT - Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato sa'mich order
7. Apple products : iPOD NANOS - did you hear that Apple is now coming out with sound-proof drywall panels~? It's called "iRock"
8. 1930s-'40s pitcher "Schoolboy" __ : ROWE - again, all perps
9. Worthless trash : DRECK
10. Solid : STRONG - I pondered STURDY, but that appears at 43a.
11. "... the apparel __ proclaims the man": "Hamlet" : OFT
12. Provocative and frequently misleading link : CLICKBAIT - we had this last month (36-Across)
13. "The Sum of All Fears" author : TOM CLANCY - I knew this one, so it made me change my " - - - STATE" pre-answer for 35a.
14. Victor Herbert work : OPERETTA - if Mr. Silk says so. Again, mostly perps
21. Influential sci-fi drama : R.U.R.- which added "robot" to the English language
24. Atmosphere: Pref. : AERI
25. Scintilla : WHIT - not IOTA
27. Warm-weather pants : CAPRIs
28. Industrial bigwigs : BARONS
29. Put another quarter in, as a parking meter : RE-FED
31. "Trust No One" Washington attraction : SPY MUSEUM - The X-Files; I own the DVD set
32. Internal combustion engine system : AIR INTAKE - I have to remove the air intake plenum on my Dodge Stratus in order to change out three of my six spark plugs. I had a frozen brake caliper, and this week I finally wore off the pad and got down to raw metal, so I changed it today, along with the pads and rotor. I figure I better do the other side before I grind those pads down to raw steel, too
33. Tale : NARRATIVE
35. 1765 levy repealed in 1766 : STAMP TAX
36. Board part : MEAL - as in Room & Board
37. New Age superstar : ENYA - new age~? Four letters~? = ENYA
41. Causes of "60 Minutes" delays, briefly : OTs - my mother hates it when Sunday football throws the TV sked off
42. Feel sorry for : REPENT
45. Do more lawn work : REMOW
47. Run : BLEED - ah, that "RUN". My dictionary has 15 (subdivided) definitions of the verb run, 15 for the verb transitive, and 12 for the noun; 11a is this kind;
11. Pi preceder? : OCTO - octopi, more than one octoPUS
15. Modem interface : SERIAL PORT
16. Fizzle : FLOP
17. Westminster attraction : CLOCK TOWER - "Save the clock tower~!"
19. Plant with tubular flowers : ALOE - always looking for a fresh way to clue this age-old crossword answer
20. Inside job : DECOR
22. "Willy and the Poor Boys" band, familiarly : CCR - Creedence Clearwater Revival
Down On The Corner
23. Poe title stowaway : PYM
24. Grain beard : AWN - could not remember this; the "W" was my second-to-last fill
26. Type of sandwich? : KNUCKLE
28. 2009 Emmy co-winner for Outstanding Talk Show Host : BEHAR - not ELLEN or OPRAH
30. Try to get : GRAB AT
31. Gateway Arch architect : SAARINEN - had it, spelled it correctly, took it out; I should trust my architectural instincts
34. Puff : PANT
38. Neophyte : TYRO
39. Calm : SERENITY - my mantra -
43. Sturdy carts : DRAYS
44. Cork's province : MUNSTER - mostly perps, and the "U" was a WAG
46. Menu term : A LA
47. Consumer protection org. : BBB - Better Business Bureau
50. Calif. setting : PST
51. Described in letters : SPELT - Massachusetts; how do you spell it~? " I - T "
53. Wells creation : ELOI - H.G., the author, and one the Time Machine races
54. Play group : TEAM - oh, OK. I was thinking "play" as in actors on stage; ergo, troupe was not going to work
56. Cell warning : EMAIL ALERT - was not sure on the first pass if this was "cellular" or cell like those found in prison
59. Arctic fliers : AUKS - huh, I filled this in and forgot about it
60. Like some protests : NON-VIOLENT - I could have sworn we just had this clue/answer
61. Marvel Comics superheroes : X-MEN
62. "Through the Looking-Glass" brother : TWEEDLE DEE - I'm sure you're familiar with his twin, Tweedledum
DOWN:
1. Recording acronym : ASCAP
2. "M.O." rapper : NELLY - a WAG off the "N"
3. Stable employee : GROOM - women would like their GROOM to be STABLE, I would think
4. 2003 College World Series winner : RICE - all perps
5. Jaw : YAK
6. Short order? : BLT - Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato sa'mich order
7. Apple products : iPOD NANOS - did you hear that Apple is now coming out with sound-proof drywall panels~? It's called "iRock"
8. 1930s-'40s pitcher "Schoolboy" __ : ROWE - again, all perps
9. Worthless trash : DRECK
10. Solid : STRONG - I pondered STURDY, but that appears at 43a.
11. "... the apparel __ proclaims the man": "Hamlet" : OFT
12. Provocative and frequently misleading link : CLICKBAIT - we had this last month (36-Across)
13. "The Sum of All Fears" author : TOM CLANCY - I knew this one, so it made me change my " - - - STATE" pre-answer for 35a.
14. Victor Herbert work : OPERETTA - if Mr. Silk says so. Again, mostly perps
21. Influential sci-fi drama : R.U.R.- which added "robot" to the English language
24. Atmosphere: Pref. : AERI
25. Scintilla : WHIT - not IOTA
27. Warm-weather pants : CAPRIs
28. Industrial bigwigs : BARONS
29. Put another quarter in, as a parking meter : RE-FED
31. "Trust No One" Washington attraction : SPY MUSEUM - The X-Files; I own the DVD set
32. Internal combustion engine system : AIR INTAKE - I have to remove the air intake plenum on my Dodge Stratus in order to change out three of my six spark plugs. I had a frozen brake caliper, and this week I finally wore off the pad and got down to raw metal, so I changed it today, along with the pads and rotor. I figure I better do the other side before I grind those pads down to raw steel, too
33. Tale : NARRATIVE
35. 1765 levy repealed in 1766 : STAMP TAX
36. Board part : MEAL - as in Room & Board
37. New Age superstar : ENYA - new age~? Four letters~? = ENYA
41. Causes of "60 Minutes" delays, briefly : OTs - my mother hates it when Sunday football throws the TV sked off
42. Feel sorry for : REPENT
45. Do more lawn work : REMOW
47. Run : BLEED - ah, that "RUN". My dictionary has 15 (subdivided) definitions of the verb run, 15 for the verb transitive, and 12 for the noun; 11a is this kind;
48. Supported : BORNE
49. Polite word, in Potsdam : BITTE - "Thanks", if I'm not mistaken
52. Pool division : LANE
53. Women's issue : ELLE - magazine issue
55. ISP choice : MSN - and a genuine clecho; 58. ISP choice : AOL
57. Top : LID - CAP~? HAT~? decisions, decisions....
49. Polite word, in Potsdam : BITTE - "Thanks", if I'm not mistaken
52. Pool division : LANE
53. Women's issue : ELLE - magazine issue
55. ISP choice : MSN - and a genuine clecho; 58. ISP choice : AOL
57. Top : LID - CAP~? HAT~? decisions, decisions....
Splynter
Note from C.C.:
Today we celebrate the birthday of
our quick-witted friend & foodie Steve, who has traveled around the
word to taste every global cuisine. How many people on our blog knows
Shamoji? Amazing. Steve hikes to the Hollywood sign regularly and he's
an avid runner as well.
