Theme: None
Words: 70 (missing J,V,X,Z)
Blocks: 26
Second time this duo has connected on a Saturday (1/9/16), and reviewing the last puzzle, I had my doubts on
today's success. Yet once again there were just enough "I got it"
answers to allow me to finish, in good time, and a "ta-DA~!" that came
without searching for any bad cells. Triple 11's in the Across and triple
10's in the Down and a classic pinwheel design with some other chunky
fill;
15. "Tristes apprets" from "Castor et Pollux," e.g. : SOPRANO ARIA - I sensed it was going to be "OPERA---" or "---VOCAL" but let it "go to the Downs" before trying something; see the crossing 6d.
15. "Tristes apprets" from "Castor et Pollux," e.g. : SOPRANO ARIA - I sensed it was going to be "OPERA---" or "---VOCAL" but let it "go to the Downs" before trying something; see the crossing 6d.
13. It has its kinks : GARDEN HOSE - Oh, I so wanted PANTYHOSE to make the puzzle; Lemonade has been spot-on two weeks running now
55. Al Jazeera and Yomiuri Shimbun : NEWS OUTLETS - I know the name Al Jazeera, so I threw in "NEWS---" and waited
25. Betty Crocker brand of instant mashed : POTATO BUDS
HAWKWARD~?
ACROSS:
1. Subject of the 1998 Supreme Court case New Jersey v. New York : ELLIS ISLAND
12. Information __ : AGE
16. Billy's reply? : MAA - dah~! Sheep go BAA, goats go "MAA"~? - tho we could be talking about a human kid named Billy
17. Group sharing a name with a cranberry cocktail : PINK MARTINI - never heard of the group or the drink
18. Docs' work areas : ERS - "to "E" or not to "E"; that is the question; I went with "O"RS
19. Slip or clip follower : ONS - nice misdirection; needing the plural for a singular clue - slip-ons, clip-ons
20. Rich rocks : ORES - Diamond didn't fit
21. Hot : TRENDY - unsure if this was the "IRATE" or "HIP" definition
23. Satyr's kin : FAUN - one of those "I got it" clues
24. Rear : KEISTER - spelled it wrong; I before E, right~? wEird....
25. Obvious : PATENT
28. Holiday decor item : PINE CONE - check this out
29. Final announcements : OBITS - eh, could have used an abbr here
30. Comes across : FINDS - dah~! Not MEETS
31. "__ Crossroads": Bone Thugs-n-Harmony song : THA - shoulda known it was not "AT A"
32. Hue : TONE
33. Game with a varying number of cards : BINGO - ah, those cards
34. Like many horses : SHOD
35. __ Nova : ARS - the Wiki
36. Turkestan tents : YURTS - another "I got it"
37. Full moon, e.g. : PHASE - there was a solar eclipse on Thursday, but couldn't see it from my house; the lunar semi-eclipse in two weeks can't be seen from here, either
38. Sports nail-biters : TIE GAMES - OVERTIMES didn't fit
40. Felix __, CIA friend of Bond : LEITER - "I got it" clue - if you get the chance, try this book, a history of the making of the Bond films - great read
12. Information __ : AGE
16. Billy's reply? : MAA - dah~! Sheep go BAA, goats go "MAA"~? - tho we could be talking about a human kid named Billy
17. Group sharing a name with a cranberry cocktail : PINK MARTINI - never heard of the group or the drink
18. Docs' work areas : ERS - "to "E" or not to "E"; that is the question; I went with "O"RS
19. Slip or clip follower : ONS - nice misdirection; needing the plural for a singular clue - slip-ons, clip-ons
20. Rich rocks : ORES - Diamond didn't fit
21. Hot : TRENDY - unsure if this was the "IRATE" or "HIP" definition
23. Satyr's kin : FAUN - one of those "I got it" clues
24. Rear : KEISTER - spelled it wrong; I before E, right~? wEird....
25. Obvious : PATENT
28. Holiday decor item : PINE CONE - check this out
About $1mil - the site
30. Comes across : FINDS - dah~! Not MEETS
31. "__ Crossroads": Bone Thugs-n-Harmony song : THA - shoulda known it was not "AT A"
32. Hue : TONE
33. Game with a varying number of cards : BINGO - ah, those cards
34. Like many horses : SHOD
35. __ Nova : ARS - the Wiki
36. Turkestan tents : YURTS - another "I got it"
37. Full moon, e.g. : PHASE - there was a solar eclipse on Thursday, but couldn't see it from my house; the lunar semi-eclipse in two weeks can't be seen from here, either
38. Sports nail-biters : TIE GAMES - OVERTIMES didn't fit
40. Felix __, CIA friend of Bond : LEITER - "I got it" clue - if you get the chance, try this book, a history of the making of the Bond films - great read
41. Siouan tribe : OGLALAS - mostly perps
42. Portrayer of Buddy's father in "Elf" : CAAN - I just can't sit through this seasonal movie; I'm more of "A Christmas Story" buff
43. Acrimonious : BITTER - My high school Latin teacher had this T-shirt;
42. Portrayer of Buddy's father in "Elf" : CAAN - I just can't sit through this seasonal movie; I'm more of "A Christmas Story" buff
43. Acrimonious : BITTER - My high school Latin teacher had this T-shirt;
MELIOR
NON
ACRIOR
44. Prince in "Frozen" : HANS - just saw it on TV; I find most of the CGI animation movies do an excellent job of re-telling classic stories; I'm tired of the endless "superhero" films that have been popular over the last decade
45. Wise chip flavor : BBQ
48. Low número : UNO
49. Actress in "Spy" (2015) : MIRANDA HART - perps and a WAG
52. Wet blanket : DEW - ah. Not the metaphoric "DUD"
53. "Grown Ups" star : ADAM SANDLER
54. Loan application fig. : SSN
DOWN:
1. 1960s-'70s Orr teammate, to fans : ESPO - Phil Esposito; hockey players on the Boston Bruins - we are almost to the new season~!
2. Prime cut : LOIN
3. OR teammates : LPNs
4. Needle : IRK - Dah~! Not RIB
5. Apia natives : SAMOANS
Stuck In A Rut
8. Muscles strengthened by muscle-ups : LATS - better fit than PECS, which was my other WAG for this clue
9. Shipping nickname : ARI
10. Longtime Seattle Mariners' majority owner : NINTENDO - I did not know this
11. Jersey homes : DAIRIES - clever; cows - not dose guys across the bridge (see 1a.)
Local (NY) humor
14. Basic kids' book : EASY READER
22. Key to backing up? : ESCape - that kind of 'key'
23. Regale : FÊTE
24. Some royals : KINGS
26. Indigenous Tasmanians : ABORIGINES
27. Show biz nickname : TINSELTOWN - ah. A general name; thought it was going to be a proper name
28. Gelato units : PINTS
30. Kindles : FIRES - TABLETS didn't fit
33. Hitchhike : BUM A RIDE - I know two guys who bummed a ride from the Vogons
Arthur and Ford from HHGG
36. Every Skull and Bones member, until 1991 : YALE MAN
37. Serf : PEASANT
39. Hood's weapon : GAT - I had the "T", so I knew it was that hood, not Robin Hood, and "BOW"
40. Convertible carriage : LANDAU
44. Acting coach's banes : HAMS
45. Bundle in a field : BALE
46. Maverick on TV : BRET - another "I knew it"
47. Game divs. : QTRs
50. Unembellished : RAW
51. Med. number that's better when it's higher : HDL
Splynter
