Themeless Saturday by John Guzzetta
John is a minister currently living in the Tampa, Florida area and wrote this about his construction:
Happy to have my first themeless Saturday puzzle in the LA Times. I hope solvers enjoy it! The seed entry was 10-Down. The clues are definitely harder than my original submission--I especially like what the editors came up with for 14 across!
Across:
1. Chunk: GOB.
4. Arizona city within the Coconino National Forest: SEDONA - In north central Arizona
1. Chunk: GOB.
4. Arizona city within the Coconino National Forest: SEDONA - In north central Arizona
10. Medical capacity measure: BEDS.
14. It includes the study of roots: ARITHMETIC - Botany? No. Word derivation? No. Math? Yes! Square roots, cube roots, etc. that today kids do with calculators.
16. Go: EXIT.
17. Profile: SILHOUETTE.
18. Saharan republic: CHAD - Okay, what number is it? (*answer at bottom write-up)
19. Fireplace accessory: POKER.
20. Get out of the cooler, with "for": POST BAIL - The sponsor for the The Bad News Bears
22. Cautions: ALERTS.
24. "For sure!": YOU BET.
26. Save, in a way: REDEEM.
27. Walking area in a Depression Era novel: WILD SIDE.
29. Pressed: IRONED.
31. "Tundra" series coolers, e.g.: YETIS.
31. "Tundra" series coolers, e.g.: YETIS.
32. Some four-legged toys, informally: POMS - Just when I thought I would never be fooled by "toy dogs" like POMeranians, this turned out to be my last fill.
35. Ancient Greek physician: GALEN - Here ya go
37. Philippic: RANT.
35. Ancient Greek physician: GALEN - Here ya go
37. Philippic: RANT.
38. __ horizon: astrophysics boundary: EVENT - Here ya go
40. Patsy: STOOGE - Lee Harvey Oswald went to his grave claiming he was one
42. Fortresses: REDOUBTS
40. Patsy: STOOGE - Lee Harvey Oswald went to his grave claiming he was one
42. Fortresses: REDOUBTS
44. Binging: ON A JAG.
48. One of Willie Mays' MLB career 140: TRIPLE.
48. One of Willie Mays' MLB career 140: TRIPLE.
49. It separated from Serbia in 2008: KOSOVO.
50. Something to check before picking up: CALLER ID
54. Relocation figure: MOVER.
55. Cuba libre mixer: COLA.
54. Relocation figure: MOVER.
55. Cuba libre mixer: COLA.
56. It features exquisite settings: FINE DINING - Lady Mary and the Dowager Countess survey such a setting at Downton Abbey
59. Buttering-up: EGO MASSAGE.
60. 2012 U.S. Open champ Simpson: WEBB - The scoreboard here shows WEBB in third place at +1 but the others faltered and he won at that score
Down:
1. Crèche figure: GASPAR - One of the Three Wisemen in this crèche
6. __ dive: DEEP - A thorough investigation
7. "The Simpsons" bus driver: OTTO - His route comes by here frequently
8. Quibbles: NITS.
9. Radical in vinegar: ACETYL - If you must
10. Nonspecific and terse response to "Why?": BECAUSE REASONS - John's seed entry. It made me think of all the reasons I heard the day the kids twelve-week projects were due.
11. It might be the murder weapon: EXHIBIT A - These may not have been labeled EXHIBIT A but they are among the most famous EXHIBITS ever
13. Normal: Abbr.: STD.
15. Bad news about options: THERE IS NO PLAN B
21. Shampoo ad buzzword: BODY.
23. Pollution portmanteau: SMOG.
25. Check: TEST.
27. Paintball mementos: WELTS - Here are some
28. Prefix with gram or graph: IDEO.
25. Check: TEST.
27. Paintball mementos: WELTS - Here are some
28. Prefix with gram or graph: IDEO.
30. Tweed's caricaturist: NAST.
32. Fresh: PERT.
33. Verklempt: OVERCOME.
33. Verklempt: OVERCOME.
34. On-campus area for communications majors: MEDIA LAB.
36. Common library area: NOOK.
39. Rock's Jethro __: TULL.
36. Common library area: NOOK.
39. Rock's Jethro __: TULL.
41. Like some garden figures: GNOMISH - Okay
43. Bellyached: BEEFED.
45. Festive: JOVIAL.
46. Retaliate for: AVENGE -
47. Consumed in large amounts: GORGED - Joey Chestnut's record is 71 Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs eaten in 10 minutes.
43. Bellyached: BEEFED.
45. Festive: JOVIAL.
46. Retaliate for: AVENGE -
47. Consumed in large amounts: GORGED - Joey Chestnut's record is 71 Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs eaten in 10 minutes.
52. Privy to: IN ON.
53. "Give Your Heart a Break" singer Lovato: DEMI - If you'd like
55. Strong-arm: COW - Herding dogs can really COW, uh, cows
53. "Give Your Heart a Break" singer Lovato: DEMI - If you'd like
55. Strong-arm: COW - Herding dogs can really COW, uh, cows
*Chad is country #10
**Oman is country #12