Theme: Squeaky Clean - who's washing your dishes?
17A. Tall display of dishwashing liquid?: IVORY TOWER.
27A. Global donation of dishwashing liquid?: JOY TO THE WORLD.
42A. Rock band's preferred dishwashing liquid?: DAWN OF THE DEAD. The Grateful Dead.
57A. Using dishwashing liquid in the shower?: SUN-BATHING.
A quiet sashay down Aisle 11 in the grocery store and dish washing options galore. I use Palmolive, so I was not represented here. Simple enough theme, but nicely done. As always, Jeffrey pays attention to the fill and makes sure there's nothing clunky to make you wince. Some nice longer downs as always - Jeffrey and C.C seem to be masters at that aspect of construction.
Across:
1. Barista's concoction: BLEND. I started on the wrong foot here with LATTE, and I still think it's a more appropriate answer to the clue. Baristas don't blend the coffee, they brew whatever beans are blended for them.
6. Domino dots: PIPS.
10. Rotating rod: SPIT. Barbecue! Food!
14. Construction rod: REBAR.
15. Square __: ROOT.
16. Skirt with a flounce: TUTU.
19. MiG developer: USSR. In an oddly non-Soviet personal recognition move, in 1939 the USSR named the MiG fighter airplane for its developers - Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich.
20. Wee: TINY.
21. Soy sauce taste: UMAMI. The fifth "taste" - salt, sweet, sour, bitter and umami - savory or meaty. When I need an umami "bomb" to season a casserole, for example, I go with a mixture of soy sauce, anchovy paste and Marmite.
22. Sleuth of radio, movies and TV: CHAN. Jackie.
23. Sitcom star from Melmac: ALF. Crosses all the way, this series passed me by.
25. Sticker: DECAL.
32. Set in a golf bag: IRONS. Arnold Palmer was once asked what he did if he was caught in a lightning storm when he was out on the golf course. He responded "I walk down the fairway and hold a one-iron high in the air". When asked if that was wise, he told the interviewer "Yes, even God can't hit a one-iron".
34. TV exec Arledge: ROONE. Head of ABC Sports and later ABC News.
35. Barcelona bear: OSO.
36. Short dog, for short: PEKE.
37. Or so: ABOUT.
38. 1956 crisis site: SUEZ. A kerfuffle over a canal.
39. Chest-beating beast: APE.
40. Darts: FLITS.
41. Slow, to Ravel: LENTE. Here's a great excuse to revisit one of the great performances in Ice Dance from 1984 - Jayne Torville and Christopher Dean interpret Ravel's Bolero. The dance won them the Gold medal at both the 1984 Olympic Games and the World Championships.
45. "Supergirl" actor Jon: CRYER. He's most famous, I think, for his role in "Two and a Half Men".
46. It can be thin but not fat: AIR.
47. Glance through: SKIM.
48. Goaded, with "on": EGGED.
52. Seed used in smoothies: CHIA. Do the pets get smoothied too?
56. "O brawling love! O loving __!": Romeo: HATE. A tad conflicted, was our boy Romeo:
59. "__ that a lot": I GET.
60. One likely to snap: CRAB. I've just finished the latest season of "Deadliest Catch". Those king crab are snappy little buggers, steer well clear.
61. Spree: BINGE.
62. Like everything in a she shed: HERS. Is a "she shed" really a thing? I've only encountered the expression on a rather lame insurance company commercial.
63. Ballpark figure: OUTS.
64. Aconcagua's range: ANDES. 22,841 feet and the highest mountain outside Asia.
Down:
1. Pram pusher: BRIT. A baby carriage, more formally a "perambulator".
2. Son of Leah: LEVI.
3. Black, to a bard: EBON.
4. Zero, quaintly: NARY A ONE.
5. Martini specification: DRY. The only way, in my book. Ice, gin (NOT vodka!). Shaken. Glass. Twist. Drink.
6. Dance with a queen: PROM. Nice clue, it took a while for me to see this.
7. Captain Kirk's home state: IOWA. We learn something every day.
8. Common greeting card content: POEM.
9. Far from soothing: STRIDENT.
10. Masonry finish: STUCCO.
11. Bully: PUSH AROUND.
12. "Everything's ready to go!": IT'S ALL SET!
13. Chance at the spinner: TURN. Wheel of Fortune? There are some grand "Wheel" bloopers, some of which are not fit for a family publication. I'll leave it at that.
18. Clump of dune grass: TUFT.
24. Fleur-de-__: LYS. Finally - I got my LIS/LYS mojo. Nailed it!
26. Baa ma: EWE.
27. One whose work is laughable: JOKE WRITER.
28. Heavenly path: ORBIT.
29. Gear bit: TOOTH.
30. Word with hot or dog: HOUSE.
31. Zonk out: DOZE.
32. Tablet with Air, Pro and Mini models: IPAD.
33. Update the look of, as a product: REPACKAGE.
37. Like some bistros: AL FRESCO.
38. 1957 Coasters chart-topper with the refrain "Gonna find her": SEARCHIN'. Crosses, but solid. No real problem.
40. Opponent: FOE.
41. Fragrant chain: LEI.
43. MLB team with Mr. and Mrs. mascots: N.Y. METS. Crosses, but solid. I think this might be the refrain of the day for me.
44. Duchamp genre: DADA. Marcel Duchamp and Salvador Dalí play chess:
47. __ Tzu: SHIH.
49. Trusted advisor: GURU.
50. Pesky bug: GNAT.
51. Goes back: EBBS.
53. Rear: HIND.
54. "Picnic" playwright: INGE. Crosses, but solid, here we go again. A 1953 play by William Inge which, I suspect, would be long forgotten except it was the Broadway debut for Paul Newman.
55. Forever: AGES.
58. Placeholder abbr.: T.B.A. To Be Advised.
I'm going to give the rest of this blog over to the cryptic puzzle which appeared in the UK's Guardian broadsheet last Thursday while I was in the UK - the top and bottom rows spell out a quite forthright political opinion. I encourage you to read the resulting article and click the interview with the constructor, who is also a heart surgeon. (Puzzles in the Guardian and Telegraph are published under a pseudonym, the Times puzzles are published anonymously).
And now here's the grid in all its glory:
Steve
17A. Tall display of dishwashing liquid?: IVORY TOWER.
27A. Global donation of dishwashing liquid?: JOY TO THE WORLD.
42A. Rock band's preferred dishwashing liquid?: DAWN OF THE DEAD. The Grateful Dead.
57A. Using dishwashing liquid in the shower?: SUN-BATHING.
A quiet sashay down Aisle 11 in the grocery store and dish washing options galore. I use Palmolive, so I was not represented here. Simple enough theme, but nicely done. As always, Jeffrey pays attention to the fill and makes sure there's nothing clunky to make you wince. Some nice longer downs as always - Jeffrey and C.C seem to be masters at that aspect of construction.
Across:
1. Barista's concoction: BLEND. I started on the wrong foot here with LATTE, and I still think it's a more appropriate answer to the clue. Baristas don't blend the coffee, they brew whatever beans are blended for them.
6. Domino dots: PIPS.
10. Rotating rod: SPIT. Barbecue! Food!
14. Construction rod: REBAR.
15. Square __: ROOT.
16. Skirt with a flounce: TUTU.
19. MiG developer: USSR. In an oddly non-Soviet personal recognition move, in 1939 the USSR named the MiG fighter airplane for its developers - Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich.
20. Wee: TINY.
21. Soy sauce taste: UMAMI. The fifth "taste" - salt, sweet, sour, bitter and umami - savory or meaty. When I need an umami "bomb" to season a casserole, for example, I go with a mixture of soy sauce, anchovy paste and Marmite.
22. Sleuth of radio, movies and TV: CHAN. Jackie.
23. Sitcom star from Melmac: ALF. Crosses all the way, this series passed me by.
25. Sticker: DECAL.
32. Set in a golf bag: IRONS. Arnold Palmer was once asked what he did if he was caught in a lightning storm when he was out on the golf course. He responded "I walk down the fairway and hold a one-iron high in the air". When asked if that was wise, he told the interviewer "Yes, even God can't hit a one-iron".
34. TV exec Arledge: ROONE. Head of ABC Sports and later ABC News.
35. Barcelona bear: OSO.
36. Short dog, for short: PEKE.
37. Or so: ABOUT.
38. 1956 crisis site: SUEZ. A kerfuffle over a canal.
39. Chest-beating beast: APE.
40. Darts: FLITS.
41. Slow, to Ravel: LENTE. Here's a great excuse to revisit one of the great performances in Ice Dance from 1984 - Jayne Torville and Christopher Dean interpret Ravel's Bolero. The dance won them the Gold medal at both the 1984 Olympic Games and the World Championships.
45. "Supergirl" actor Jon: CRYER. He's most famous, I think, for his role in "Two and a Half Men".
46. It can be thin but not fat: AIR.
47. Glance through: SKIM.
48. Goaded, with "on": EGGED.
52. Seed used in smoothies: CHIA. Do the pets get smoothied too?
56. "O brawling love! O loving __!": Romeo: HATE. A tad conflicted, was our boy Romeo:
“Why then, O brawling love! O loving hate!
O any thing, of nothing first create!
O heavy lightness, serious vanity,
Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms,
Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health,
Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is!
This love feel I, that feel no love in this.”
59. "__ that a lot": I GET.
60. One likely to snap: CRAB. I've just finished the latest season of "Deadliest Catch". Those king crab are snappy little buggers, steer well clear.
61. Spree: BINGE.
62. Like everything in a she shed: HERS. Is a "she shed" really a thing? I've only encountered the expression on a rather lame insurance company commercial.
63. Ballpark figure: OUTS.
64. Aconcagua's range: ANDES. 22,841 feet and the highest mountain outside Asia.
Down:
1. Pram pusher: BRIT. A baby carriage, more formally a "perambulator".
2. Son of Leah: LEVI.
3. Black, to a bard: EBON.
4. Zero, quaintly: NARY A ONE.
5. Martini specification: DRY. The only way, in my book. Ice, gin (NOT vodka!). Shaken. Glass. Twist. Drink.
6. Dance with a queen: PROM. Nice clue, it took a while for me to see this.
7. Captain Kirk's home state: IOWA. We learn something every day.
8. Common greeting card content: POEM.
9. Far from soothing: STRIDENT.
10. Masonry finish: STUCCO.
11. Bully: PUSH AROUND.
12. "Everything's ready to go!": IT'S ALL SET!
13. Chance at the spinner: TURN. Wheel of Fortune? There are some grand "Wheel" bloopers, some of which are not fit for a family publication. I'll leave it at that.
18. Clump of dune grass: TUFT.
24. Fleur-de-__: LYS. Finally - I got my LIS/LYS mojo. Nailed it!
26. Baa ma: EWE.
27. One whose work is laughable: JOKE WRITER.
28. Heavenly path: ORBIT.
29. Gear bit: TOOTH.
30. Word with hot or dog: HOUSE.
31. Zonk out: DOZE.
32. Tablet with Air, Pro and Mini models: IPAD.
33. Update the look of, as a product: REPACKAGE.
37. Like some bistros: AL FRESCO.
38. 1957 Coasters chart-topper with the refrain "Gonna find her": SEARCHIN'. Crosses, but solid. No real problem.
40. Opponent: FOE.
41. Fragrant chain: LEI.
43. MLB team with Mr. and Mrs. mascots: N.Y. METS. Crosses, but solid. I think this might be the refrain of the day for me.
44. Duchamp genre: DADA. Marcel Duchamp and Salvador Dalí play chess:
47. __ Tzu: SHIH.
49. Trusted advisor: GURU.
50. Pesky bug: GNAT.
51. Goes back: EBBS.
53. Rear: HIND.
54. "Picnic" playwright: INGE. Crosses, but solid, here we go again. A 1953 play by William Inge which, I suspect, would be long forgotten except it was the Broadway debut for Paul Newman.
55. Forever: AGES.
58. Placeholder abbr.: T.B.A. To Be Advised.
I'm going to give the rest of this blog over to the cryptic puzzle which appeared in the UK's Guardian broadsheet last Thursday while I was in the UK - the top and bottom rows spell out a quite forthright political opinion. I encourage you to read the resulting article and click the interview with the constructor, who is also a heart surgeon. (Puzzles in the Guardian and Telegraph are published under a pseudonym, the Times puzzles are published anonymously).
And now here's the grid in all its glory:
Steve
