Words: 70 (missing J)
Blocks: 27
A tragic start to the New Year, in terms of crossword solving for this blogger. Too many proper names turned this into a fun sponge for me (*,
I count 16). I skipped
red-letters and went straight to Google for one-off answers in an effort
to solve the NE and SW corners, but even then I struggled up top. I
blame brain-lock, and doing the puzzle much too late to stay open-
minded. Can't even blame UPS - that's all over now, and I'm on a 3-day
weekend....Triple 9-letter corners in the 'recto', triple 7's in the
down on the 'verso' (trying to use what I have learned doing crosswords,
uh, sort of), and two 10-letter spanners;
23. eBay feature : UPPER CASE B - and I got this one, but it was in a corner I solved
46. Silk Road component : KHYBER PASS - did not know the exact spelling
ACROSS:
1. Diamond surprise : UPSET - yeah, and just about any sport, really
6. Change keys often? : ISLAND-HOP - I was just plain stuck in a musical frame of mind - USE A CAPO was clever, but too short. Florida Keys never crossed my mind
15.* "You've got me on my knees" woman in a 1971 hit : LAYLA - I 51-acrossed this one; I happen to prefer the acoustic version to the original
16. Competition covering many miles : SPACE RACE - again, stuck in a sporting frame of mind, so TRIATHLON, IDITAROD (too short), etc.
17. Wing : ANNEX
18. Unix guru, e.g. : POWER USER - I just don't get this; are we talking "power" user as in a computer maven, sort of like wearing a "power" tie to the big business meeting~?
19. Biblical miracle component : LOAVES - the other part being fishes, specifically 5 barley loaves and two "small" fish - the Wiki
21.* ''Wedding Bell Blues'' songwriter : NYRO - no clue
22. Last Hebrew letter : TAV - no clue
25.* Designer Ricci : NINA - no clue
26. D.C. United's org. : MLS - I did know this was soccer
27. King ratsnake's defense : ODOR - I tried FANG to start - that's 0.0% any way you slice it
28. Arctic : GELID - and strangely, I 51-acrossed this one
29. Pencil contents, perhaps : EYELINER
6. Change keys often? : ISLAND-HOP - I was just plain stuck in a musical frame of mind - USE A CAPO was clever, but too short. Florida Keys never crossed my mind
15.* "You've got me on my knees" woman in a 1971 hit : LAYLA - I 51-acrossed this one; I happen to prefer the acoustic version to the original
16. Competition covering many miles : SPACE RACE - again, stuck in a sporting frame of mind, so TRIATHLON, IDITAROD (too short), etc.
17. Wing : ANNEX
18. Unix guru, e.g. : POWER USER - I just don't get this; are we talking "power" user as in a computer maven, sort of like wearing a "power" tie to the big business meeting~?
19. Biblical miracle component : LOAVES - the other part being fishes, specifically 5 barley loaves and two "small" fish - the Wiki
21.* ''Wedding Bell Blues'' songwriter : NYRO - no clue
22. Last Hebrew letter : TAV - no clue
25.* Designer Ricci : NINA - no clue
26. D.C. United's org. : MLS - I did know this was soccer
27. King ratsnake's defense : ODOR - I tried FANG to start - that's 0.0% any way you slice it
28. Arctic : GELID - and strangely, I 51-acrossed this one
29. Pencil contents, perhaps : EYELINER
32.* "Particularly small and particularly wicked-looking" villain : Mr. HYDE - I had MRH---, which led me to parse it as "Mr.----", and that helped. Reminds me of a song I just downloaded;
Men At Work
33. Fateful day : IDES
34. Pick up : HEAR
35. Neighbors of Frauen : FEMMES - German & Frawnche women
38.* "The Roosevelts" documentarian : KEN BURNS - total perp and WAG
42.* Jordan's only port : AQABA - Google #1 - the "Q" was not happening
43. Benefit from work : PERK
44. Classified initials : EOE
45.* Tamblyn of "West Side Story" : RUSS - not AMBER, seen here in House, M.D.
I liked the way her character dressed....
49. Down : EAT - dah~! Not SAD
50. Bug : FLAW
51. Ace the test : NAIL IT
52. Dogfish Head sellers : ALE HOUSES
55.* Mobutu's land : ZAIRE
56. Most unforgiving : STRICTEST
57. Inception : ONSET
58. Slinky spots : TOY CHESTS - I figured this was the toy, and not the gentleman's club
59. Learning methods : ROTES
DOWN:
1.* Poe title answer to " ... 'What is written ... / On the door of this legended tomb?'" : ULALUME - got it via perps, but had to look this up to see if it was one word/name, so here's the Wiki
2. Impressive array : PANOPLY - again, I 51-acrossed it
3. Neural junction : SYNAPSE
4. Professeur's charge : ELEVE
5. Government, often : TAXER
6.* Juno, e.g.: Abbr. : ISP - Internet Service Provider; I was stuck on Roman God/2007 movie
7. Back : SPONSOR - ugh, my sponsor will never forgive me for missing this one
8. Many a president : LAWYER
9. Having a bite : ACERB
10.* 50s-60s emperor : NERO - ugh - literally, from the years 54 - 68
11.* R&B group __ Hill : DRU - no clue
12. With urgency : HASTILY
13. Mythological sea nymph : OCEANID - all I knew was that it most likely ended with "-ID"
14. Fill : PERVADE - such as conversation in crowded restaurant
20. Tea cart items : SCONES
24. Vitamin C sources : ADES - oh, I didn't know you were a source of vitamin C, LemonADE....
25.* Prime minister sworn in by Mountbatten : NEHRU
28. Land __ : GRAB - I'd heard the term, but wanted to read more
30. An arm and a leg : LIMBS - har-har
31. Bean product? : IDEA
32.* "The Little Mermaid" composer Alan : MENKEN - more no clue
34. Wormwood, e.g. : HERB
35. China setting : FAR EAST
36. On a par with : EQUAL TO
37. Domination : MASTERY
38. Site of Truman's winter White House : KEY WEST - semi-clecho~???
39. Dreamer's opposite : REALIST - if I said this is my girlfriend - am I a dreamer or realist~?
Yep, her name is Gabriella, er, I mean Cora
40. "Ain't happening!" : "NO SIREE~!" - right, the clue just after my posted pic
41. Sonnet parts : SESTETS - I had SEPTETS, and 46a. ending in "-SP" seemed unlikely
43. Stages : PHASES
46.* 1971 title detective : KLUTE - heard of it, but never saw it
47. Carry-on no-no : RAZOR
48. Schroeder's love : PIANO - no clue - not a "Peanuts" fan at all
50.* WWI French marshal : FOCH - les Frawnche
53. It's heard at 52-Across : [hic]
54. D and C, in D.C. : STs
53. It's heard at 52-Across : [hic]
54. D and C, in D.C. : STs
Splynter
