Saturday Themeless by C.C. Burnikel
I suspect I should not have any favorite constructers but this week's puzzle is by C.C. who is my favorite and also my friend. In this picture she is with me when I made her the newest Cornhusker fan a few years ago. She is a sweet and brilliant person who has been a wonderful presence in my life and I'll bet in yours as well. Her thoughts on this puzzle:
"I've done a few 68-word grids in the past, but my favorites are 70 or 72 words with triple stacks of 10 or 11's. I hope you enjoy this puzzle."
The blizzard of open squares was very striking in her pinwheel design and her clever cluing is always a treat. I had a small boo boo at STATED instead of SLATED, blithely ignoring ELTA for ELLA. Sigh...
1. Stamford-based humanitarian relief group: AMERICARES.
11. Model's makeup, maybe: CLAY - Walter Williams submitted his 8mm CLAYmation film to SNL of Mr. Bill and it became a hit.
15. Spot for a wistful stroll: MEMORY LANE.
16. Green target: HOLE This one did not 61. __ out: hit the edge of the hole without going in, in golf: LIP.
17. Brilliance: PROMINENCE.
18. Tunnel diggers: ANTS.
19. Collect dust: SIT.
20. Tamboura kin: SITAR.
18. Tunnel diggers: ANTS.
19. Collect dust: SIT.
20. Tamboura kin: SITAR.
21. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" spin-off: ANGEL.
22. Team apparel, informally: UNIS - Some of the UNIS (uniforms) worn by Husker FB players over the years
24. Covert ops outfit: CAMOuflage
25. One may be blank: STARE - or this...
26. Mixes together: POOLS.
28. Not take well?: POACH - People who POACH endangered animals are beyond contempt
30. Understand: GET.
31. Quick cuts: SNIPS.
33. Single-serving coffee units: K-CUP PODS.
35. Curtains: DOOM.
37. Next in line: HEIR.
38. Decisive defeat: WATERLOO - Also a silly 1959 hit
 |
| A reenactment in front of The Lion's Mound that was built after the battle as a memorial |
42. Condescend: STOOP.
45. Cooking student of Martha: INA
 |
| INA Garten Martha Stewart |
46. Preserves, as beef: CORNS - A St. Pat's favorite
48. 1966 Literature Nobelist Nelly: SACHS - Born in Germany and fled to Sweden in 1940
50. Tenzing-Hillary Airport site: NEPAL - Also called Lukla Airport. From there it is a 10-day trek from this most dangerous airport in the world to the Mount Everest Base Camp.
50. Tenzing-Hillary Airport site: NEPAL - Also called Lukla Airport. From there it is a 10-day trek from this most dangerous airport in the world to the Mount Everest Base Camp.
52. Singer Lorde's given name: ELLA - Her IMDB
54. Rooney __, co-star of the 2015 film "Carol": MARA - 94% on Rotten Tomatoes
55. Welcoming expression: SMILE.
56. Needle: TEASE - If it's unwelcome and persistent, it passes into bullying
58. Tandyr __: Central Asian flatbread: NAN - Russian: лепёшка, "flatbread"
 |
| Made in Kurgyzstan |
60. "It was fun!": WHAT A BLAST.
62. Subject of Huáscar: INCA.
63. Be totally stumped: HAVE NO IDEA - For me, see Huáscar above
64. Part with teeth: GEAR.
64. Part with teeth: GEAR.
65. Short-term bus purchase: ONE DAY PASS
Down:
1. Energizes: AMPS UP.
2. Sheep originating in Spain: MERINOS.
3. Joy, for one: EMOTION.
4. __-com: ROM - Doris Day did ROMantic COMedies as well as anyone
5. Ring around a pupil: IRIS
4. __-com: ROM - Doris Day did ROMantic COMedies as well as anyone
5. Ring around a pupil: IRIS
 |
| Not always the same color |
6. One "whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be": Bierce: CYNIC.
7. Pub device: ALE TAP.
8. Went wild: RAN AMOK.
9. Cross a line one shouldn't cross: ENCROACH - This is ENCROACHMENT and not offsides because the ball hadn't been snapped yet and there was contact. Gotta love the center's (#56) pointing.
7. Pub device: ALE TAP.
8. Went wild: RAN AMOK.
9. Cross a line one shouldn't cross: ENCROACH - This is ENCROACHMENT and not offsides because the ball hadn't been snapped yet and there was contact. Gotta love the center's (#56) pointing.
11. Lamasery music: CHANT - noun, La·ma·ser·y - a monastery of lamas.
12. Way back: LONG AGO.
13. Took in, say: ALTERED.
14. "Sure, why not?": YES LET'S.
21. Barbecue receptacles: ASH PITS.
23. What a coach's hands-down gesture may mean: SLIDE. 29. Signals: CUES.
21. Barbecue receptacles: ASH PITS.
23. What a coach's hands-down gesture may mean: SLIDE. 29. Signals: CUES.
27. Trivia quiz site: SPORCLE - Go to this site and enter a category in the search window
32. Flight school hurdle: SOLO.
34. Many a charity tournament: PRO AM - D.J. Points (PRO) and Bill Murray (AM) won this event at Pebble Beach.
32. Flight school hurdle: SOLO.
34. Many a charity tournament: PRO AM - D.J. Points (PRO) and Bill Murray (AM) won this event at Pebble Beach.
36. Over: MORE THAN.
38. Hits the jackpot: WINS BIG - Good luck. You'll need it.
39. Buttercup cousin: ANEMONE.
40. Bubble tea ingredient: TAPIOCA.
41. Legally off base: ON LEAVE - Not AWOL
43. It precedes some puck drops: O CANADA - One of the most lovely anthems in the world. Celine sings it before a puck drop.
43. It precedes some puck drops: O CANADA - One of the most lovely anthems in the world. Celine sings it before a puck drop.
44. Expresses appropriately: PHRASES.
47. Designated: SLATED - The Huskers were SLATED to play Illinois in Dublin, Ireland this fall, but Covid concerns have moved it to Champaign, IL.
49. Some mall hirees: SANTAS.
51. Site for a rite: ALTAR.
53. Corpse Pose, e.g.: ASANA - Sava means corpse and ASANA means pose
53. Corpse Pose, e.g.: ASANA - Sava means corpse and ASANA means pose
57. Many a TikTok teen: EBOY - So, you really want to know...
60. Warm-hearted Seuss character: WHO - Horton heard 'em
