Theme: Dessert Mix - can't explain it better than the reveal:
59A. Ice cream features found, in a way, in this puzzle's circles: CHOCOLATE SWIRLS
Scrambled "CHOCOLATE" highlighted by the circles in the theme entries:
16A. Natural analog of sonar: BAT ECHOLOCATION. That's why they can flit around in bat caves and not smack into the walls in the dark. Truly, Nature is a wonderful thing. I walk into walls in hotels in the middle of the night going to the bathroom. I need a bat assistant.
32A. Ones who have class?: SCHOOL TEACHERS. The unsung heroes of our world. Let's have a "Buy Our Teachers Chocolate Swirl Day". BOTCWD. Aghh, need a better acronym!
36A. Old General Motors model: CHEVROLET COACH. From 1931 - I felt bad when I didn't know this, but thank you crosses! A quite lovely automobile. It looks a lot like a 30's Rolls-Royce.
This was a puzzle masterclass - thank you, Jeffrey. Wonderful theme, grid-spanners, 14's, and look at those blocks of 3x7's in the NE and SW. Awesome.
Across:
1. Liberty __: BELL. Shoddy merchandise. Cracked on delivery. I'd have sent it back, free returns with Amazon Prime. When you order a Liberty Bell, you expect the best.
5. Troublesome types: IMPS
9. Cleaning tool: SWAB. Surgery tool too. Count 'em in, count 'em out!
13. Any number: ONE OR MORE. Is zero a number? If so, if not .... clue accuracy. Your essays are due next Thursday.
15. River through Florence: ARNO
18. Toyota RAV4, e.g.: UTE. Shorthand for "Sports Utility Vehicle".
19. The best policy, so it's said: HONESTY. Good advice.
35. Developing, biologically: IN UTERO. I had IN VITRO first. Then thought about that.
43. Literary award with a spaceship logo: HUGO. I *think* I knew this. Look up Hugo Gernsback on Wikipedia.
44. Head for the hills: RUN
45. Nothing new: OLD HAT
47. Billiards concern: ANGLE
49. Phantasy Star game maker: SEGA. I didn't know this, but SEGA seemed a good stab with the "S" in place
50. Big name in ATMs: NCR. I tried IBM first, because I had "EDAMAME" confidently in place at 38D. I love great construction and cluing when I get sent up a blind alley. This was a classic case. It was only when nothing would work around that section that I had to rethink everything in the area.
51. Egret habitats: MARSHES
58. Braggart's abundance: EGO.
62. Hard to control: EELY.Slipperly too.
63. Harley-Davidson Museum city: MILWAUKEE. Home of the knucklehead, the flathead and all other great innovations.
64. Cholesterol nos.: LDLS. I think my levels are OK. LDL is the "bad" cholesterol level. Pay attention.
65. Presently: ANON. This is one of those words I love, and I'm determined to keep "in the language". I have people who I work with, or I have worked with, who enjoy using it, just for the curiously factor.
66. Scrip items: MEDS. Where are you, HeartRX?
Down:
1. Hats like Maurice Chevalier's: BOATERS. I tried to find a musical link worthy of the blog, but failed. Here's the signature hat though:
2. Intestinal: ENTERIC.Crosses all the way. I will learn this.
3. Director with three Oscars: LEE. Ang Lee. Amazing talent. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Brokeback Mountain and The Life of Pi.
4. Welsh : llyn :: Scots : __: LOCH. I'm not sure I knew this. It made sense when I filled it in though.
5. "__ your side": I'M ON
6. "The Wind in the Willows" figure: MOLE. I loved this book as a small child. I remember falling in love with the illustrations of E.H. Shepard. Then came Winnie the Pooh. What a wonderful man.
7. They know the ropes: PROS
8. Schism group: SECT
9. Wasn't used: SAT, Sat down, rode the pine. watched from the bench. Tough.
10. Squirm: WRIGGLE
11. "And __ thing ... ": ANOTHER
12. Fish that sound good in Spanish: BONITOS? Not sure about the plural here. Fish singular - Fish plural.
14. Density symbol, in physics: RHO. Tough stuff.
16. Like bodybuilders: BUFF
17. Right at sea?: AYE! Right? Aye, sir to starboard! Yes, maybe, but right? Not sure.
22. Book before Esth.: NEH. The Old Testament. Learn your three-letter abbreviations of the Bible books if you want to solve crosswords.
24. Hessian pronoun: ICH. This was nice. Hermann Hesse, German novelist. "Ich" = "I".
26. Crime movie genre: NOIR. Watch LA Confidential for a great example.
27. Name on a museum wall: DONOR
28. When some news shows begin: AT TEN
29. Sugar source: BEET
30. Half of a call-and-response game: MARCO. Polo. One of the most annoying games in the annals of child-watching. Enough said.
33. Whopper: LULU. A BIIGGGG one!
34. "Very nice!": COOL
36. Area around the altar: CHANCEL. This took me way to long. The SW corner was tough for me.
37. Bent (over): HUNCHED
38. Asian appetizer: EGG ROLL. Yeah, I see your EGG ROLL and raise you EDAMAME - and then I lose.
39. Remote control abbr.: VOL. I just looked at mine. Indeed, it has VOL right there.
40. Cause of a paper weight increase: ADS. Think your Sunday print edition of your local newspaper. If mine delivered just the sports section, the literary review and the crossword, I'd save the trees, the delivery guys and my recycle
41. Brightened: CHEERED
42. Tries for a better price: HAGGLES
46. New Mexico county bordering Colorado: TAOS
48. Punk rock subgenre: EMO. Always. Three-letter rock genre - fill it in and move on
52. Diva Gluck: ALMA. Thank you crosses, Jeffrey is always fair.
53. Dust Bowl deficiency: RAIN
54. WWII invasion city: ST LÔ. If you have a chance to read any of the various narratives about this city in 1944, I'd encourage you to do so.
55. Cut: HEWN
56. Spanish "that": ESA
57. Like many laps: SWUM. I'd love to count my lifetime laps in the pool. It's been a lot. I love the "zen" times when you can only hear the water while you pull through each lap.
60. Pitcher Young and painter Twombly: CYS
61. Presidential nickname: IKE. I had the "E". Went went with "ABE", was wrong.
Like all of us, I am very sad about Argyle's decision to shuffle off the mortal coil. He was a wonderful man and gave great pleasure to many, many people. I would like us all to look in his mirror and feel that when our time comes we can hope everyone says that about all of us. The world would be a very better place.
And ... the grid!
Steve
2) Please click here to view Santa's obituary. Thanks for the information, Spitzboov!
59A. Ice cream features found, in a way, in this puzzle's circles: CHOCOLATE SWIRLS
Scrambled "CHOCOLATE" highlighted by the circles in the theme entries:
16A. Natural analog of sonar: BAT ECHOLOCATION. That's why they can flit around in bat caves and not smack into the walls in the dark. Truly, Nature is a wonderful thing. I walk into walls in hotels in the middle of the night going to the bathroom. I need a bat assistant.
32A. Ones who have class?: SCHOOL TEACHERS. The unsung heroes of our world. Let's have a "Buy Our Teachers Chocolate Swirl Day". BOTCWD. Aghh, need a better acronym!
36A. Old General Motors model: CHEVROLET COACH. From 1931 - I felt bad when I didn't know this, but thank you crosses! A quite lovely automobile. It looks a lot like a 30's Rolls-Royce.
This was a puzzle masterclass - thank you, Jeffrey. Wonderful theme, grid-spanners, 14's, and look at those blocks of 3x7's in the NE and SW. Awesome.
Across:
1. Liberty __: BELL. Shoddy merchandise. Cracked on delivery. I'd have sent it back, free returns with Amazon Prime. When you order a Liberty Bell, you expect the best.
5. Troublesome types: IMPS
9. Cleaning tool: SWAB. Surgery tool too. Count 'em in, count 'em out!
13. Any number: ONE OR MORE. Is zero a number? If so, if not .... clue accuracy. Your essays are due next Thursday.
15. River through Florence: ARNO
18. Toyota RAV4, e.g.: UTE. Shorthand for "Sports Utility Vehicle".
19. The best policy, so it's said: HONESTY. Good advice.
35. Developing, biologically: IN UTERO. I had IN VITRO first. Then thought about that.
43. Literary award with a spaceship logo: HUGO. I *think* I knew this. Look up Hugo Gernsback on Wikipedia.
44. Head for the hills: RUN
45. Nothing new: OLD HAT
47. Billiards concern: ANGLE
49. Phantasy Star game maker: SEGA. I didn't know this, but SEGA seemed a good stab with the "S" in place
50. Big name in ATMs: NCR. I tried IBM first, because I had "EDAMAME" confidently in place at 38D. I love great construction and cluing when I get sent up a blind alley. This was a classic case. It was only when nothing would work around that section that I had to rethink everything in the area.
51. Egret habitats: MARSHES
58. Braggart's abundance: EGO.
62. Hard to control: EELY.Slipperly too.
63. Harley-Davidson Museum city: MILWAUKEE. Home of the knucklehead, the flathead and all other great innovations.
64. Cholesterol nos.: LDLS. I think my levels are OK. LDL is the "bad" cholesterol level. Pay attention.
65. Presently: ANON. This is one of those words I love, and I'm determined to keep "in the language". I have people who I work with, or I have worked with, who enjoy using it, just for the curiously factor.
66. Scrip items: MEDS. Where are you, HeartRX?
Down:
1. Hats like Maurice Chevalier's: BOATERS. I tried to find a musical link worthy of the blog, but failed. Here's the signature hat though:
2. Intestinal: ENTERIC.Crosses all the way. I will learn this.
3. Director with three Oscars: LEE. Ang Lee. Amazing talent. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Brokeback Mountain and The Life of Pi.
4. Welsh : llyn :: Scots : __: LOCH. I'm not sure I knew this. It made sense when I filled it in though.
5. "__ your side": I'M ON
6. "The Wind in the Willows" figure: MOLE. I loved this book as a small child. I remember falling in love with the illustrations of E.H. Shepard. Then came Winnie the Pooh. What a wonderful man.
7. They know the ropes: PROS
8. Schism group: SECT
9. Wasn't used: SAT, Sat down, rode the pine. watched from the bench. Tough.
10. Squirm: WRIGGLE
11. "And __ thing ... ": ANOTHER
12. Fish that sound good in Spanish: BONITOS? Not sure about the plural here. Fish singular - Fish plural.
14. Density symbol, in physics: RHO. Tough stuff.
16. Like bodybuilders: BUFF
17. Right at sea?: AYE! Right? Aye, sir to starboard! Yes, maybe, but right? Not sure.
22. Book before Esth.: NEH. The Old Testament. Learn your three-letter abbreviations of the Bible books if you want to solve crosswords.
24. Hessian pronoun: ICH. This was nice. Hermann Hesse, German novelist. "Ich" = "I".
26. Crime movie genre: NOIR. Watch LA Confidential for a great example.
27. Name on a museum wall: DONOR
28. When some news shows begin: AT TEN
29. Sugar source: BEET
30. Half of a call-and-response game: MARCO. Polo. One of the most annoying games in the annals of child-watching. Enough said.
33. Whopper: LULU. A BIIGGGG one!
34. "Very nice!": COOL
36. Area around the altar: CHANCEL. This took me way to long. The SW corner was tough for me.
37. Bent (over): HUNCHED
38. Asian appetizer: EGG ROLL. Yeah, I see your EGG ROLL and raise you EDAMAME - and then I lose.
39. Remote control abbr.: VOL. I just looked at mine. Indeed, it has VOL right there.
40. Cause of a paper weight increase: ADS. Think your Sunday print edition of your local newspaper. If mine delivered just the sports section, the literary review and the crossword, I'd save the trees, the delivery guys and my recycle
41. Brightened: CHEERED
42. Tries for a better price: HAGGLES
46. New Mexico county bordering Colorado: TAOS
48. Punk rock subgenre: EMO. Always. Three-letter rock genre - fill it in and move on
52. Diva Gluck: ALMA. Thank you crosses, Jeffrey is always fair.
53. Dust Bowl deficiency: RAIN
54. WWII invasion city: ST LÔ. If you have a chance to read any of the various narratives about this city in 1944, I'd encourage you to do so.
55. Cut: HEWN
56. Spanish "that": ESA
57. Like many laps: SWUM. I'd love to count my lifetime laps in the pool. It's been a lot. I love the "zen" times when you can only hear the water while you pull through each lap.
60. Pitcher Young and painter Twombly: CYS
61. Presidential nickname: IKE. I had the "E". Went went with "ABE", was wrong.
Like all of us, I am very sad about Argyle's decision to shuffle off the mortal coil. He was a wonderful man and gave great pleasure to many, many people. I would like us all to look in his mirror and feel that when our time comes we can hope everyone says that about all of us. The world would be a very better place.
And ... the grid!
Steve
Notes from C.C.:
1) OK, a real time "Happy Birthday" to Dave (D4E4H),
who turned 74 today. I misunderstood an email he forwarded to me last Sunday. Hope you get in time the birthday gifts you boldly asked from my siblings.
Here is a clearer picture of Dave and Mr. Romeo. He said "I am helping him with his social
media "Muzzle book" because he is all paws. He has 4,000 "licks.""
 |
| Dave (D4E4H) |
