Theme: None
Words: 70 (missing J,Q,W,X,Z)
Blocks: 28
Our last Saturday puzzle from Mr. Fludzinski was over a year ago,
though he did drop in with a couple of Wednesday grids for the
LA Times in between. I filled in 1-across straight away ( wrongly, I
might add ), and thought we might do alright today - especially when
some of the longer fill went right in. Sort of a strange solving style
for me today; I seemed to switch back and forth between across and down;
one letter giving me enough to work with 'orthogonally'. This one moved along at a brisk pace, so when I got stumped in the NW, I didn't hesitate and
just cheated - ah, Wisconsin. 10-letter fill all over the
place;
33a. 1996 Richard Gere thriller : PRIMAL FEAR - I managed to see the last 5mins of the movie, so I pretty much failed my own 19across....
38a. Premium Scotch choice : SINGLE MALT
6d. Percussion staples : SNARE DRUMS - I have one, it's steel, and I'd like a wood one
29d. Detect vulnerability : SMELL BLOOD
ON
NW
WA
AR
RD
D~!
ACROSS:
1. Splitting target : ATOM - Well, OK then, it's not "HAIR"; semi-clecho with 14a.
5. Taqueria adjective : ASADA
10. Heavy wind? : TUBA - I sensed the misdirection, but "BASSOON" was all I could think of; also semi-clecho with; 49d. High wind? : OBOE
14. Splitting : BREAKING UP
16. Author Blyton : ENID - I knew this proper name
17. Degree seekers : CANDIDATES
18. Hendrix hairdo : AFRO - I'm a lefty guitar player - four of mine are still upside down righties
5. Taqueria adjective : ASADA
10. Heavy wind? : TUBA - I sensed the misdirection, but "BASSOON" was all I could think of; also semi-clecho with; 49d. High wind? : OBOE
14. Splitting : BREAKING UP
16. Author Blyton : ENID - I knew this proper name
17. Degree seekers : CANDIDATES
18. Hendrix hairdo : AFRO - I'm a lefty guitar player - four of mine are still upside down righties
19. Alert follower, perhaps : SPOILER
20. They may be spilled : SECRETS - BEANS and GUTS weren't long enough
22. Reason for many a school absence : STREP
24. "In __, I know not why I am so sad": "The Merchant of Venice" : SOOTH
25. '90s Philippine president Fidel : RAMOS - WAGed the vowels
28. JAMA subscribers : DRs
30. It merged with SAG in 2012 : AFTRA - I knew this one, too
32. Cal's "East of Eden" brother : ARON
35. Nigerian native : IBO - the Wiki
36. Some vents : LOUVERS
37. GPS suggestion : RTE
40. Enthusiastic : KEEN - ah, not AVID - but I am keen on this
20. They may be spilled : SECRETS - BEANS and GUTS weren't long enough
22. Reason for many a school absence : STREP
24. "In __, I know not why I am so sad": "The Merchant of Venice" : SOOTH
25. '90s Philippine president Fidel : RAMOS - WAGed the vowels
28. JAMA subscribers : DRs
30. It merged with SAG in 2012 : AFTRA - I knew this one, too
32. Cal's "East of Eden" brother : ARON
35. Nigerian native : IBO - the Wiki
36. Some vents : LOUVERS
37. GPS suggestion : RTE
40. Enthusiastic : KEEN - ah, not AVID - but I am keen on this
I'm an "avid" reader, too~!
41. Flummoxed : AT SEA
42. Blues with sticks: Abbr. : STL - hockey reference; the St. Louis Blues
43. Performed, in Shakespeare : DIDST
44. __ scheme : RHYME - dah~! Not PONZI
46. "The Other Side of Oz" autobiographer : EBSEN
48. Buddy : PAISANO
50. Sticks around : LINGERS - not REMAINS
54. Eclectic magazine : UTNE
55. Hardly a light six-pack? : ABS OF STEEL
57. Staple in 48-Down : BEER - circumreferential to; 48d. 57-Across sellers : PUBS
58. NYC saloon featured in a 2000 film : COYOTE UGLY
59. The Stans were among them: Abbr. : SSRs
60. Ministers : TENDS
61. Chinese menu possessive : TSO'S
DOWN:
1. Essentials : ABCs
2. Corner : TRAP
3. Santa Ynez Valley prefix : OENO - "wine"; we have a burgeoning wine country on the North Fork of LI, too
4. Badger State city : MADISON - here's why the state got the nickname
5. Help, in Le Havre : AIDER - Frawnche
7. G-man : AGT - dah~! Not FED
8. Union requirement : DUES - I know this firsthand
9. Church areas : APSES
10. Detach, in a way : TEAR OFF
11. Free : UNFETTERED - nailed it
12. Demographers' concerns : BIRTH RATES
13. Flaps : ADOS
15. Highland attire : KILTS
There can be only one
21. Barbecue supply : COALS - dah~! Not SAUCE, MEATS, or CLAMS
23. Like much property : PRIVATE
25. Mrs. Gorbachev : RAISA
26. Resolves, as a contract dispute : ARBITRATES
27. Still runner : MOONSHINER
31. Isn't for you? : AREN'T
33. Baltimore bard : POE
34. Wall adornment : ART - I have this print - I think it's awesome
Gargoyles - Michael Parkes
36. Beast of burden : LLAMA
39. Springs with steam : GEYSERS
40. 18th-dynasty Egyptian pharaoh : KING TUT
43. Crowded : DENSE
45. Make official : ENACT
47. Goes through carefully : SIFTS
51. Lines of thought? : EEGs - har-har
52. Pull up stakes, informally : RELOcate
53. Stone and others : SLYs
56. Preserves, for keeps: Abbr. : SYNonym
Splynter
Note from C.C.:
Happy Birthday to dear Tony (Anon-T), our always caring & attentive friend. Is your mother-in-law visiting today, Tony?
Happy Birthday to dear Tony (Anon-T), our always caring & attentive friend. Is your mother-in-law visiting today, Tony?
