Saturday Themeless by Julian Lim
My last themeless Saturday Julian Lim puzzle was one day short of two years ago - July 4, 2020. Dr. Lim got his B.S. in Psychology from Duke and a PhD from The University of Pennsylvania in the same discipline. Today Julian presents a beautiful grid that sent me in search of footholds - CHUNK OF CHANGE provided just that!
From Julian: Glad you enjoyed it :) I made this one when I was tinkering around with grid art: I liked how the pattern was visually striking but that the grid still offered a lot of flexibility because of the way it segments. Hope the puzzle doesn't stump too many people, I know that there's quite a bit of dread on this blog when my name shows up later in the week!
I am teaching and doing research in the National University of Singapore -- I've been back here since 2010.
No dread from me - HG.
Across:
1. Decompression chambers?: SPAS.
5. Image problem, for short: BAD PR
10. New Balance competitor: PUMA - Running shoes
14. "__ Terrace at Night": van Gogh work: CAFE - In oil and in actuality
14. "__ Terrace at Night": van Gogh work: CAFE - In oil and in actuality
15. Honda line: ACURA.
16. Like some unresolved NBA games: IN OT - The NBA's highest scoring game took three OverTimes
17. Yamuna River city: AGRA - A very famous building on the Yamuna River in AGRA, India
18. Duran Duran lead singer Simon: LE BON - Picture of and an interview with Simon
19. Chunk: GLOB.
20. Foment: ROIL.
21. Plain, in Spain: LLANO - A treeless plain in America as well
22. Actress Condor of "To All the Boys" films: LANA
23. Outbreak of spots?: AD CAMPAIGN - TV ADS (spots) during a campaign get tiresome
25. New user's need: Abbr.: ACCT - Then you have to generate yet another password.
26. Kids' rhyme starter: BAA BAA.
27. Argentinian aunts: TIAS - Mi TÍA Norma me puso el nombre de Gary. (Pretty easy to translate!)
28. Decision-making conformity: GROUP THINK.
34. Tidy sum: CHUNK OF CHANGE - My pivotal breakthrough fill
37. Is in contention for: HAS A SHOT AT - During spring training, everyone HAS A SHOT AT winning the World Series
38. "Rock and Roll All __": Kiss hit: NITE - Here ya go
39. Again and again?: THRICE
44. Linear: ONE-D - This math peep put FLAT first as in a linear equation
45. "Last Night of the World" musical: MISS SAIGON - I'd like to hear that
49. Dessert request always filled: TART
51. Madeira cousin: PORT - If you're an oenophile you'll know which is which - Answer
52. 2004 World Golf Hall of Fame inductee Aoki: ISAO - ISAO plays our Crossword Course quite often and below we see him chipping from the 53. Difficult: ROUGH.
54. Foment, with "up": STIR
55. Start to cure?: PEDI - When I walked in for my first PEDICURE, there were 23 women in the salon and I was the only man in sight.
56. Asian country that's the seventh-largest in the world: INDIA.
57. Magazine founder Eric: UTNE - Eric UTNE and his "far out" life
58. Note in a proof: STET - An editor will put in a STET if he decides to keep the original text. All right, leave in "Four score and seven" and take out "Eighty seven"
59. Circus prop: STILT - They are also used in less glamorous jobs
57. Magazine founder Eric: UTNE - Eric UTNE and his "far out" life
58. Note in a proof: STET - An editor will put in a STET if he decides to keep the original text. All right, leave in "Four score and seven" and take out "Eighty seven"
59. Circus prop: STILT - They are also used in less glamorous jobs
60. Turned item: PAGE.
Down:
1. Ancient Egyptian amulet: SCARAB - Search for"Scarab Attack" from The Mummy on YouTube at your own peril
2. Storied Asian structure: PAGODA.
3. Guinea's home: AFRICA.
4. Research site for deep thinking?: SEA LAB.
5. Places with bases: BALLPARKS.
6. Fast Amtrak option: ACELA.
6. Fast Amtrak option: ACELA.
7. UAE's most populous city: DUBAI - A night in the iconic Burj Al Arab Hotel in DUBAI will run you anywhere from $600 to $24,000/night8. Point of eating?: PRONG - or tine
9. Wouldn't shut up: RAN ON - "I asked what time it was and he told me how a clock works"
10. Language in which most words rhyme: PIG LATIN - It'syay ayay eatgray ayday orfay olgfay. (Another easy, albeit silly, translation)
11. Loosening, in a way: UNLACING
12. Round bakery snack: MOONCAKE - A MOONCAKE is a Chinese bakery product traditionally eaten during the Mid- Autumn Festival (中秋節). The festival is about lunar appreciation and Moon watching. C.C., have you ever had one?
13. Times up: AT BATS - Baseball players often call them AB's.
13. Times up: AT BATS - Baseball players often call them AB's.
24. __ cum laude: MAGNA - Not Summa
29. "Holy cow!": OOH - Harry Carry's famous catch phrase
29. "Holy cow!": OOH - Harry Carry's famous catch phrase
30. Radar anomaly: UFO - A fascinating scene built around this. Nobody wants to report having seen a UFO.
31. Poll fig.: PCT.
32. "We're done here": THAT'S THAT.
33. Yoga type: HATHA.
34. Spode offering: CHINA SET - Spode is an English brand of pottery that finally came to my mind
36. Not surprised: USED TO IT.
38. Restaurant policy, at times: NO TIPS - Discouraging tipping is common in Japan as their wait staff is paid a good wage.
40. Shreds: RIPS UP.
41. "Ain't no choice for me": I GOTTA.
42. Prepping for pie, as apples: CORING.
43. Heart of a meal: ENTREE.
45. He blasted 61 in '61: MARIS - The M & M Boys of 1961. Roger Maris hit 61 HR's and Mickey Mantle hit 54.
45. He blasted 61 in '61: MARIS - The M & M Boys of 1961. Roger Maris hit 61 HR's and Mickey Mantle hit 54.
46. Flat refusal: I WON'T.
47. Jeddah native: SAUDI - Now if you want to drive to Dubai from Jeddah to stay in the Burj Al Arab...
48. Magic symbol from the Latin for "seal": SIGIL - Sigillum is Latin for "seal"
