Saturday Themeless by Jamey Smith
Jamey is our Longhorn constructor who worked at the University of Texas for 25 years as a
writer/editor in the university’s development communications office. As always he gives us a very nice challenge today.
Thanks for checking in, Gary, and a big hello to Saturday solvers far and wide.
This puzzle was something of a departure for me in that I began with no particular seed entries in mind. Instead I set myself the challenge of designing an interesting-looking grid and then seeing where it might take me fill-wise. This resulted in, well, a little something for everyone — at least that’s my hope. My favorite juxtaposition is the pair of eight-letter entries in the NE corner. The lower one pretty much sums up my reaction to the “conquest” above!
Warm wishes,
Jamey
1. Be temporarily: ACT AS.
6. Pulitzer-winning journalist for her Clinton-Lewinsky columns: DOWD - The ten columns she wrote
10. Part of an ear: COB.
13. Heckle: TAUNT - Tit for tat
13. Heckle: TAUNT - Tit for tat
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| Works both ways |
14. 2018 documentary about Alex Honnold's conquest of El Capitan: FREE SOLO. 17. "Are you serious!?": WAIT! WHAT? - "You want me to climb El Capitan with no equipment?"
16. Like a classic Reuben: ON RYE.
18. Key of Chopin's Ballade No. 1: G MINOR - Oh...
20. Minute quality: TININESS - Yeah, I suppose that would be the noun from the adjective tiny
23. Pastoral sounds: BAAS - Jamey included sheepishly.
24. Return address for guilty sorts?: SCENE OF THE CRIME - Fun clue!
28. Written in the stars: MEANT TO BE - In a recent q/a with Neil de Grasse Tyson, I heard him say that karma and such. is just a bunch of bunk.
29. 6-Down info: ETAS - That is sometimes a moot point
33. "My Fair Lady" composer: LOEWE
34. Law school newbie: ONE-L
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| This great movie's main characters |
35. Postgame celebrations: FIST PUMPS - Matt Stafford didn't get many during his dismal years with the Detroit Lions. After being traded to the LA Rams, his 37. Elusive result: FAIRY TALE ENDING is being a Super Bowl Champion.
44. Enervate: TIRE - A word I use about as often as last Sunday's ROISTERED
45. Well-thought-of: ESTEEMED.
46. John of Scotch fame: DEWAR - This 32-year-old version will run you about $150 56. Mellow, in some cases: AGE - Can be an expensive process
45. Well-thought-of: ESTEEMED.
46. John of Scotch fame: DEWAR - This 32-year-old version will run you about $150 56. Mellow, in some cases: AGE - Can be an expensive process
48. Showrunner Shonda: RHIMES.
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| Three of Shonda's Shows |
49. Colorful quartz variety: AMETHYST.
53. Victim of Hermes: ARGUS - If you're interested
54. Trepidatious query starter: DARE I ASK.
55. [Shrug]: DUNNO
57. What one often wears out?: COAT - I've been wearing this one for 22 years old and it's still going strong!
Down:
1. __ Fireball: hot candy: ATOMIC
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2. Boxer, for instance: CANINE - Woof!
3. Call it a night: TURN IN - If it's bed time, Joann has our kitty staring at her.
4. Fishing line?: ANYONE - Fun clue! Of course you thought of this scene:
3. Call it a night: TURN IN - If it's bed time, Joann has our kitty staring at her.
4. Fishing line?: ANYONE - Fun clue! Of course you thought of this scene:
5. Sound choice: STEREO.
6. Tex. airport that's bigger than Manhattan: DFW.
7. 1/24 of un giorno: ORA - 24 means hours, giorno means Italian and 1/24 means one ORA (hour)
8. One of China's Northern Dynasties: WEI.
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| 386 A.D to 535 A.D. |
9. Take away: DETRACT.
10. Unity: COHESION - In the zero-g of the ISS, water's cohesion pulls itself into a sphere
11. "Frozen" snowman who sings "In Summer": OLAF.
12. Some spammers: BOTS - There's this Nigerian Prince...
15. Certify: SWEAR TO.
18. Sporty rides: GT'S - Gran Turismo - Italian for Grand Touring
21. Calif. home of works by Matisse and Warhol: S.F. MOMA - The San Francisco Museum Of Modern Art
22. Skyline feature: STEEPLE - The soaring STEEPLES of Cologne were used as landmarks on WWII bombing runs and were left untouched while the rest of the city was leveled
25. Mooring cable openings: HAWSES.
26. U.K. honor: MBE - These lads are Members Order Of The British Empire
29. False start?: EFF - False
30. __ Maria: TIA - Aunt Maria
31. So to speak: AS IT WERE - Hall of fame QB Dan Marino is also famous, AS IT WERE, for never having won a Super Bowl.
32. Mark with bands: STRIATE.
33. Ukulele forebear: LUTE - What is a LUTE?
36. Like a costly victory: PYRRHIC - The Confederate victory at Chancellorsville was PYRRHIC because Lee's "right arm" Stonewall Jackson was killed by friendly fire
36. Like a costly victory: PYRRHIC - The Confederate victory at Chancellorsville was PYRRHIC because Lee's "right arm" Stonewall Jackson was killed by friendly fire
38. Schwab rival: E-TRADE
39. '60s-chic jackets: NEHRUS - Yeah, I had a green one
40. Stoops: DEIGNS - Many thought she was so snobbish she would not DEIGN to even acknowledge others
41. Protected, in a way: IMMUNE - I've had three Covid shots, a flu shot and a shingles shot this past year
42. "Taken" trilogy surname: NEESON - Rotten Tomatoes critics gave it a 59%.
43. Dept. store stock: GDS - GooDS or MERCHandise
46. Post-WWI art movement: DADA - Dada was an art movement formed during the First World War in Zurich in negative reaction to the horrors and folly of the war.
47. Kindle read: E-MAG.
50. Former hoopster __ Ming: YAO.
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| 7'6" Yao and his 6'3" wife Ye Li |
51. Org. funded by FICA: SSA - Social Security Administration helps fund me!
52. Box office buy: Abbr.: TKT.
52. Box office buy: Abbr.: TKT.
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| On Broadway |
