Theme: None
Words: 72 (V,W,Z)
Blocks: 28
The
last time we saw a Saturday puzzle from Alan was January of last year -
I believe that I have cringed every time I've seen his name as the
constructor, and today was no different. However, I did manage to get
through most of the puzzle pretty smoothly - a few answers in my
wheelhouse got me some traction, and it was only in the NW corner that I
got stumped. Triple 10x6 corners one way, triple 8's the other, and
one spanner;
36. 1924 novel set during the British Raj : A PASSAGE TO INDIA - and a movie in 1984
15. Controlled : RODE HERD ON - I
did not get my "ta-DA~!" because I had rode HARD on - which made sense;
I have never heard the HERD version - but that's the straight up definition
13. Jonquil and daffodil : NARCISSI - learning moment; the Wiki
65. It may be spontaneous : COMBUSTION
38. Brazen : ARROGANT
"May the Fourth be with you" is followed
by the less-popular "May the Sith"
ACROSS:
1. Without delay : THIS SECOND
11. Eleanor Roosevelt's real first name : ANNA
17. Uncomplicated : ELEMENTARY
- I just finished building a countertop which I made using 5/4 stock
and my new biscuit joiner - now I feel like tackling something a little
more complicated, like a chess set ( which I'd need a lathe for ) and
something cool, like this;
18. Abruzzi town in a Longfellow poem : ATRI - dah~! Not ASTI
19. British prime minister during two millennia : BLAIR - my 1d. made me change this
20. Hot skillet sound : SSSsss
21. Suits : EXECS
22. Leaves alone : LETS BE
24. Somme time : ÉTÉ - Frawnche - been a while
26. Somme co. : CIE - and thus, more Frawnche
27. What may be seen before long : ERE
28. It, in Italy : ESSA
31. Supper, say : REPAST
33. "Way to go!" : "ATTA BOY~!"
35. Language that gave us "galore" : ERSE
legs galore
40. Bit of mischief : LARK
41. Perfectly : TO A TURN
42. Attack from above : STRAFE
44. Con __: briskly, on scores : MOTO
45. Diner owner __ Lee on "2 Broke Girls" : HAN - a different "Han"
48. Metal precioso : ORO
49. Surfing need, briefly : ISP - web surfing, with an Internet Service Provider
51. Even : SQUARE
53. Proper : RIGHT
55. Chocolate __ : LAB - Dah~! Not BAR
58. Commercial word after "open," perhaps : UNTIL
59. Beneficial berry : ACAI
60. Occurred : CAME TO PASS
62. Cloud __ : NINE - I was curious about the origin
63. Beneath : INFERIOR TO
64. Challenge for srs. : SATs
DOWN:
1. Amp setting : TREBLE - ah, not ELEVEN
2. Call out : HOLLER
3. Imagine : IDEATE
4. Big Macks : SEMIs
5. Palate cleansers : SHERBETS
6. Yeats' yet : E'EN - poetic 'even'
7. Flat-screen predecessors : CRTs - went with LCDs, but was not convinced
8. Harem rooms : ODAs - been a long time since I've seen this in a crossword
9. Ancient mariners : NORSE
10. Letters after Sen. Schumer's name : D, NY - democrat for New York
11. Bon Ami competitor : AJAX
12. Greeting carrier : NOTE CARD
14. Licorice-flavored brew : ANISE TEA - got it from doing crosswords
21. Extra-wide spec : EEE
23. Willing subjects? : ESTATES - wasn't fooled, but my first thought, OFFSPRING, didn't fit
25. Team builders : TRYOUTS - good clue
29. Pudding starch : SAGO - tried TARO, and that's 100% 50% correct
30. Crossing the keel : ABEAM
32. One of the Ivies : PENN -oops, not YALE
33. Silly question starter? : ASK A....
34. Anne Frank's father : OTTO - shout-out~!
36. They were in it but didn't win it : ALSO RANS
37. Crime author Cornwell : PATRICIA - filled via perps
39. Mohawk's confederacy : IROQUOIS - spelled it wrong; in the DOWN, it was hard to see
43. One may be thrown in anger : FIT
45. 1962 John Wayne film set in Africa : HATARI - yeah, not "sAfARI" - never seen a John Wayne movie - before my time
46. Blueblood, informally : ARISTOcrat
47. Wrestling hold : NELSON
50. Pizza Hut's Texas headquarters : PLANO
52. Prepare for a transplant : UNPOT - we had REpot last week
54. Gets moving : HIES
56. Band letters : AM/FM
57. "Peaky Blinders" network, with "the" : BEEB - The BBC
60. Mil. VIP : CIC - we have a new Commander In Chief
61. It replaced "Court" in a TV channel name : TRU
Splynter
