google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner

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Dec 5, 2015

Saturday, Dec 5th, 2015, Barry C. Silk

Theme: Saturday Silkie~!

Words: 70 (missing G,Q,Z)

Blocks: 31

  I fi-ured we'd be -etting a Silkie, and happy to see that I was correct.  However, I seem to have -otten into a 'comfort zone' with Mr. Silk, expectin- to sail throu-h without a lot of trouble.  Today's puzzle was just enou-h of a challen-e, leavin- me with mere seconds of my personal allotted time left.  Some proper names slowed me down, and one or two bad -uesses; I did actually have a couple of -uesses that were astoundin-ly correct - but I hesitated to fill them in.  Triple 10-letter corners, and a two pairs of inner climbers, 10- and 11-letters;

6. Demon : EVIL SPIRIT

12. "The American Crisis" author : THOMAS PAINE

24. Blather : IDLE CHATTER

31. Oregon Treaty president : JAMES K. POLK

[ is there a mini-theme here~!  ;7)  ]

OgNgWgAgRgD~!

ACROSS:

1. Fulfilled : CARRIED OUT - I tried 'SATISFIED', but it didn't satisfy the number of letters required

11. Powerful engine : V-TEN - like the one found in this car

Even looks like a snake

15. Prior name of Burkina Faso : UPPER VOLTA - I was thinking we were looking for a someONE, not a somePLACE....


16. Understanding words : "AH SO"

17. Raises may be tied to one : PRICE INDEX - here I thought we needed something like 'work review'.  I get reviewed at UPS, but it does not affect my yearly raise.  I was going to link a definition for price index, but despite being a relatively simple concept, it just seemed too complicated, even for me

18. Opinion piece : POST - as found here daily

19. First name in 1950s politics : ADLAI - one of those clues where I was going to throw this right in, then thought "eh, maybe we're getting misdirected here...."

20. Chemical relative : ISOMER - seen this in crosswords, so I did fill it in

22. Key with one flat: Abbr. : Dmin - slightly more complicated than just putting in "-M--OR" for any other "key of ---" clue; this one relates to the circle of keys, and I can never remember them - so I went with Fmin, and look how close I was


25. Slumgullion, for one : STEW

27. Remove : ERASE - second time in as many Silkie puzzles with a 'meh' clue for ERASE

28. Washington's forte? : RED TAPE

30. "I Love Music" group, with "The" : O'JAYS - got my apostrophes in their proper places this week....

32. Grandpa Munster portrayer : AL LEWIS - he drove the coffin car, which reminds me of this song

33. Big ape : OAF

34. Ltr. extender : P.P.S.

37. Birdwatcher's lure : FEEDER

38. Point in the wrong direction : MISAIM

40. Sam Spade, e.g. : TEC - deTECtive

41. Wrong : SIN

43. Fawning : SERVILE

44. Night calls : HOOTS - put it in, took it out, put it back in

46. Understanding words : I SEE NOW - which screwed up my "I SEE" at 16a.

47. Gushing flattery : SMARM - ah, not CHarm - but that's all of 60% correct

49. 1994 Polka Music Hall of Fame inductee : WELK

51. Eastern holidays : TETS

52. Feels sorry for : PITIES

54. Landlocked Asian country : NEPAL - or TIBET~?

56. Arbitrary stake : ANTE

57. Pine Tree State college town : ORONO, MAINE - one of those that I knew, but hesitated to fill in - and I knew it fit, as well

62. One still maturing : TEEN

63. Most common dolphin : BOTTLENOSE

64. Clarify, with "out" : SORT

65. A.1., for one : STEAK SAUCE

DOWN:

1. Sports prize : CUP - personally, the ONLY one worth fighting for~!!!


2. Patriots' Day mo. : APR - oops, not PATRIOT day

3. Home of the NCAA Engineers : RPI - been there....

4. Took back : RECANTED

5. Hot : IRED

7. Gives : DONATES

8. Number from the past : OLDIE

9. Off-road traveler, for short : UTE - dah~!  Not ATV

10. Sitcom set in a garage : TAXI

11. Misty : VAPORY

13. Assistance trio? : ESSES - aSSiStance

14. Hugo title word : NOTRE - as in The Hunchback of....

21. Marine bioluminescence : SEA FIRE - you get all sorts of fighter planes, boat extinguishers and restaurants if you do a search

22. First try : DRAFT

23. Free-for-all : MELEE

26. Romance : WOO

29. Way more than cool : AWESOME - I have to redeem myself for last week with a tasteful image


35. Experimental : PILOT - always makes me think of the opening scenes from Pulp Fiction; "she starred in one of the ones that became nothin'"

36. Diving ducks : SMEWS

39. Ballerina Zakharova : SVETLANA

42. Sydney's state: Abbr. : NSW - New South Wales


43. Team characteristic? : SILENT A - and still no "I", either

45. Familiarize : ORIENT

47. Fancy footwear : SPATS - I did not know this was a shortening of spatterdashes

48. "Exodus" actor : MINEO

50. Online reminder : eNOTE

53. Bad news reactions : SOBS

55. Skunk River city : AMES

58. Spoil : ROT

59. Obligatory letters : I.O.U.

60. White House advisory gp. : NSC - the National Security Council

61. Wide size : EEE

No Gs~?

Splynter