Words: 71 (missing J,Q,X,Z)
Blocks: 32
Well, our Mr. Friday puzzle-constructor makes a rare appearance on
Saturday, and carries on with a theme, too~! A left-right symmetrical
grid, with triple 7-letter corners and two "spanners" of 9-letters that
are part of the theme. I wonder if Jeffrey originally tried to work
"blue eyes" into the lower left corner at 64a....A few proper names
slowed me down, and some misdirection had me off to a slow start, but I
did get the "ta-DA~!" - only after I went back and corrected one bad
cell. So, the theme answers;
Frankie calls the shots
8. Group formed in the '50s : RAT PACK
26. 1-Across hit : THAT'S LIFE
52. 1-Across hit : HIGH HOPES
Carry - on - ward ~!
ACROSS:
15. Threatening : OMINOUS
16. Friendly : AMIABLE
17. Super Bowl XXXIII team : FALCONS - I can never remember, and the Roman numerals don't help; waited on perps - I can hardly remember who played in last year's Stanley Cup, once the Rangers were eliminated....
18. New Amsterdam landowner : PATROON - ah, like those who once owned a part of upstate NY that Spitz and I know well....
19. 1958 Pulitzer-winning author : AGEE
20. Moves slowly : SEEPS - or OOZES~? Had to wait, but the last "S" went in
22. Youngest of the musical Gibb brothers : ANDY - WAG; the others are Barry, Robin and Maurice - these three known together as the "Bee Gees" - the Wiki
23. Antarctica's __ Sea : ROSS - I knew this, but it took R--S for it to come to me
24. Popular side : FRIES - ah, side dish, got it
25. Road Runner cartoon background element : MESA
29. Keep down : OPPRESS - dah~! Not SUpress or REpress
32. Show of condescension : SNICKER
36. Longtime CBS journalist Charles : KURALT - my one bad cell; don't know how I thought OCAY was OKAY
37. Lament : GRIEVE
38. Part of the Maldives : ATOLL - um, yeah, part....
32. Show of condescension : SNICKER
36. Longtime CBS journalist Charles : KURALT - my one bad cell; don't know how I thought OCAY was OKAY
37. Lament : GRIEVE
38. Part of the Maldives : ATOLL - um, yeah, part....
39. AAA TripTik alternative : GPS - I don't care which one you use, just try not to be "lost" in front of me when driving....
42. Ameliorates : EASES
43. Diner's exclamation : YUM - had no clue at first; then I tried M M M - that's a mere 33%
44. Quick drink : SHOOTER - she didn't bartend where I used to drink....
42. Ameliorates : EASES
43. Diner's exclamation : YUM - had no clue at first; then I tried M M M - that's a mere 33%
44. Quick drink : SHOOTER - she didn't bartend where I used to drink....
47. "I feel thee __ I see thy face": Keats : ERE
48. Notice : SPOT
50. Vent emanations : ODORS - not GASES
51. Game in which the player is called the Stranger : MYST - I made it through some of the first game, but it takes a lot of mental concentration to figure it out - there's also a sequel, Riven
48. Notice : SPOT
50. Vent emanations : ODORS - not GASES
51. Game in which the player is called the Stranger : MYST - I made it through some of the first game, but it takes a lot of mental concentration to figure it out - there's also a sequel, Riven
55. Woman's name meaning "heavenly" : CELESTE - pretty; I have three names I'd like to give my girls - if I ever have kids....
58. "Garbage in, garbage out" subject : BAD DATA
62. Rainy U.S. capital : OLYMPIA - Washington state - and a place I'd like to live, because it rains a lot
63. Equipped : ENDOWED
64. Innocent-looking : DOE-EYED
65. Dusk : DAY'S END - not EVENING....and not DAY SEND, as I first read it
DOWN:
1. Until now : SO FAR - argh~! Not AS YET
2. Insect stage : IMAGO - DaH~! Not LARVA
3. Longtime radio/TV announcer Wendell __ : NILES - perps and WAG
4. Inherited, perhaps : ANCESTRAL
5. Overly : TOO
6. Malfunctions, as a watch : RUNS FAST - I had GOES FAST, but I was fairly certain the theme was SINATRA
7. Makes a case for : ASSERTS
8. Alpine rescue maneuvers : RAPPELS
9. Getting together : AMASSING
10. Small songbird : TIT
11. Slide subjects : PARAMECIA
58. "Garbage in, garbage out" subject : BAD DATA
62. Rainy U.S. capital : OLYMPIA - Washington state - and a place I'd like to live, because it rains a lot
63. Equipped : ENDOWED
64. Innocent-looking : DOE-EYED
65. Dusk : DAY'S END - not EVENING....and not DAY SEND, as I first read it
DOWN:
1. Until now : SO FAR - argh~! Not AS YET
2. Insect stage : IMAGO - DaH~! Not LARVA
3. Longtime radio/TV announcer Wendell __ : NILES - perps and WAG
4. Inherited, perhaps : ANCESTRAL
5. Overly : TOO
6. Malfunctions, as a watch : RUNS FAST - I had GOES FAST, but I was fairly certain the theme was SINATRA
7. Makes a case for : ASSERTS
8. Alpine rescue maneuvers : RAPPELS
9. Getting together : AMASSING
10. Small songbird : TIT
11. Slide subjects : PARAMECIA
12. Have __ to pick : A BONE
13. Oafs : CLODS
14. One of its official languages is Swahili : KENYA
21. Bordeaux : glace :: Berlin : __ : EIS :: London : ice (look away Tin~!)
27. "__ Kitchen": Gordon Ramsay show : HELL'S - I did watch it for the first season or two
28. Personnel manager, at times : FIRER
29. Approves of : OKAYS
30. Something to do with dukes? : PUT UP - "put up yer dukes~!"
31. PSA, say : PROMO
33. Nurse Ratched creator : KESEY - One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest - which swept the "big five" Oscars - there were only two other movies to do so, and I was shocked to find out about the 1991 winner
34. Activist Medgar : EVERS - perps and WAG
35. Go back to zero : RESET
39. Divinity : GODHEAD
40. "Oh, bother" speaker : POOH
13. Oafs : CLODS
14. One of its official languages is Swahili : KENYA
21. Bordeaux : glace :: Berlin : __ : EIS :: London : ice (look away Tin~!)
27. "__ Kitchen": Gordon Ramsay show : HELL'S - I did watch it for the first season or two
28. Personnel manager, at times : FIRER
29. Approves of : OKAYS
30. Something to do with dukes? : PUT UP - "put up yer dukes~!"
31. PSA, say : PROMO
33. Nurse Ratched creator : KESEY - One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest - which swept the "big five" Oscars - there were only two other movies to do so, and I was shocked to find out about the 1991 winner
34. Activist Medgar : EVERS - perps and WAG
35. Go back to zero : RESET
39. Divinity : GODHEAD
40. "Oh, bother" speaker : POOH
41. Pulsed, as light show effects : STROBED
45. Restrict : HOGTIE
46. Miró's birthplace, to Miró : ESPAÑA - Spain, to us locals....is it me, or has the Frawnche dropped off~?
49. Motif : THEME - rarely found in a Saturday puzzle
51. Early PC system : MS-DOS
53. Traveling game : I SPY
54. Rapids feature : EDDY
55. Marine oil source : COD
56. Symphonic rock gp. : ELO
57. Pipe cleaner : LYE
59. Knock the socks off : AWE - this style knocks MY socks off
60. X, sometimes : TEN
61. Say further : ADD
45. Restrict : HOGTIE
46. Miró's birthplace, to Miró : ESPAÑA - Spain, to us locals....is it me, or has the Frawnche dropped off~?
49. Motif : THEME - rarely found in a Saturday puzzle
51. Early PC system : MS-DOS
53. Traveling game : I SPY
54. Rapids feature : EDDY
55. Marine oil source : COD
56. Symphonic rock gp. : ELO
57. Pipe cleaner : LYE
59. Knock the socks off : AWE - this style knocks MY socks off
61. Say further : ADD
Spot on yesterday, Lemonade - my condolences to you as well
Splynter
