Theme: NO
My worst Saturday ever! Thorns everywhere.
If not for good old BOB DOLE (54A, One Soldier's Story author), I would've been struck out in every corner. So many unknown names, places and new words.
I surrendered very quickly, after 20 minutes of muddling around. Then I tired out Mr. Google.
Across entries:
1A: Exploitation: OVERUSE
8A: School filmstrip grp.: AVS (Application Visualization System). Unknown to me.
11A: Quartermaster: RSO (Regimental Signals Officer). Another stranger.
14A: Inventors' exclusive rights: PATENTS
15A: At the ready: SET
16A: UFO pilots: ETS
17A: Temporary expedient: STOPGAP
18A: Play about Capote: TRU. Brought a Tony for Robert Morse in 1990.
19A: Demure, in London: MIM. Dictionary says it's a British dialect, the origin could be a mixture of "mum" or "prim".
20A: Actor Alejandro: REY. I forgot his name.
21A: John Wayne movie: THE ALAMO. Never saw it. It's the first movie "Duke" ever directed.
23A: Tearjerkers, of a sort: ONIONS
26A: Retirement title: EMERITUS
27A: Jai alai ball: PELOTA. No idea. But I am happy to learn this new word. Kind of tired of Jai _ clue.
28A: Chanted hymn: CANTICLE
29A: Before takeoff: PREFLIGHT
31A: Howdy-does: HIS
32A: Gypsum crystals: SELENITES. Unknown to me. They are often transparent and colorless. Here is more information: "Selenite, satin spar, desert rose, and gypsum flower are the four crystalline varieties of gypsum."
36A: Actress Arthur: BEA
39A: Historic Site in Kansas: NICODEMUS. Never heard of this place. It's "the only remaining western community established by African Americans after the civil war."
43A: Widely prevalent: EPIDEMIC
47A: Desert blooms: YUCCAS
48A: Circus Hall of Fame location: SARASOTA. Never knew that there's even a circus Hall of Fame in existence. OK, more information for you, the International Circus Hall of Fame in based in Peru, Indiana.
49A Ranges: SCOPES. I put Stoves first.
50A: Run away: TURN TAIL. Never heard of this expression.
51A: Khaki shade: TAN
52A: Can or cup ending?: OLA (Canola and Cupola). I got this one.
53A: Ltr. holder: ENV (Envelope)
54A: "One Soldier's Story" author: BOB DOLE
58A: Chinese Dynasty: WEI. "Any of several imperial dynasties of China ruling from 220 to 265 and from 386 to 556." OK, I found more information for you. If the clue is 3-letter Chinese Dynasty, it's either Han or Wei. If it's 4-letter Chinese dynasty, then the answers are Ming, Tang, Chin, Tsin or Sung.
60A: Dahl and Francis: ARLENES. Unknown to me. If it's clued as Senator Spector, I would have nailed it. (Update: I was wrong about Senator Spector's given name. It's ARLEN, not ARLENE, sorry Senator.)
61A: Universal meas.: STD (Standard)
62A: Some ER staffers: MDS. Is it an abbreviation of medical doctor or doctor of medicine?
63A: Prescient woman: SEERESS. Easily got this one.
Down entries:
1D: Wife of Saturn: OPS (Greek equivalent is Rhea). She is also the mother of Jupiter. Man, I had no idea that Saturn even had a wife. I've got to find a way to remember the names of those Roman/Greek Gods/Goddesses. They are killing me very time they appear.
2D: Industrial container: VAT
3D: Ike's command: ETO (European Theater of Operations). Got this one.
4D: Admonitions: REPROOFS. I put Reproves first, and it fit perfectly, too bad it's a verb.
5D: Rough and rude: UNGENTLE. I tried to put Ungainly, which did not really match the clue, but I've never heard anyone use the word "ungentle".
6D: Triangular wind-catcher: STAYSAIL. Never heard of it. Sailing terms tend to trip me all the time.
7D: Mind reading: ESP
8D: Of a respiratory disease: ASTHMATIC
9D: Dancer Ben: VEREEN. Never heard of him. He is the Godfather of R&B Singer Usher. Interesting, he also starred in the Broadway Musical Wicked as the Wizard.
10D: Dollar bill artist: STUART (Woods). My ignorance knows no limit.
11D: Chance to get even: REMATCH. "Revenge" came to my mind immediately.
12D: Incentives: STIMULI. One of the first words I filled in.
13D: Diffusions: OSMOSES. One of the last words I filled in.
21D: Specialized: TECHNICAL. I was thinking of a verb ended with a past tense. I like the clue though.
22D: IV x XIII: LII (4 x13 = 52)
23D: Antithesis: abbr.: OPP (opposite)
24D: Saul's uncle: NER. Did not know this one.
25D: __ du Diable: ILE. Devil's Island.
30D: Some prepositional phrases: GENITIVES. Is this a gimme for you?
33D: F.A. O. Schwartz, e.g.: TOY STORE. A rare gimme for me today.
34D: Capable of being taught: EDUCABLE. A tiny bit of Bushism: "Rarely is the question asked, is our children learning?"
35D: Motion supporter: SECONDER. OK, I second your motion, does that make me a seconder?
36D: Confers: BESTOWS
37D: Shoulder decoration: EPAULET. Unknown to me.
38D: Bombardment: AIR RAID
40D: Women's Lib opponent, for short: MCP (Male Chauvinist Pig). I was pissed off beyond comfort at this point of my solving.
41D: Abu Dhabi loc.: UAE. Another rare gimme for me.
42D: Draft letters: SSS (Selective Service System)
44D: Quayle or Marino: DAN. I wonder how much NutriSystem paid Dan Marino and Don Shula to pitch for their diet.
45D: High regard: ESTEEM
46D: Lamented loudly: MOANED
54D: __ - relief: BAS. Low relief. See this picture. Here is an image of high relief (Alto-relievo).
55D: Single unit: ONE
56D: Paul of guitars: LES. Learned his name from doing crossword.
57D: Snaky letter: ESS. Repeat offender.
Have a good weekend.
C. C.
My worst Saturday ever! Thorns everywhere.
If not for good old BOB DOLE (54A, One Soldier's Story author), I would've been struck out in every corner. So many unknown names, places and new words.
I surrendered very quickly, after 20 minutes of muddling around. Then I tired out Mr. Google.
Across entries:
1A: Exploitation: OVERUSE
8A: School filmstrip grp.: AVS (Application Visualization System). Unknown to me.
11A: Quartermaster: RSO (Regimental Signals Officer). Another stranger.
14A: Inventors' exclusive rights: PATENTS
15A: At the ready: SET
16A: UFO pilots: ETS
17A: Temporary expedient: STOPGAP
18A: Play about Capote: TRU. Brought a Tony for Robert Morse in 1990.
19A: Demure, in London: MIM. Dictionary says it's a British dialect, the origin could be a mixture of "mum" or "prim".
20A: Actor Alejandro: REY. I forgot his name.
21A: John Wayne movie: THE ALAMO. Never saw it. It's the first movie "Duke" ever directed.
23A: Tearjerkers, of a sort: ONIONS
26A: Retirement title: EMERITUS
27A: Jai alai ball: PELOTA. No idea. But I am happy to learn this new word. Kind of tired of Jai _ clue.
28A: Chanted hymn: CANTICLE
29A: Before takeoff: PREFLIGHT
31A: Howdy-does: HIS
32A: Gypsum crystals: SELENITES. Unknown to me. They are often transparent and colorless. Here is more information: "Selenite, satin spar, desert rose, and gypsum flower are the four crystalline varieties of gypsum."
36A: Actress Arthur: BEA
39A: Historic Site in Kansas: NICODEMUS. Never heard of this place. It's "the only remaining western community established by African Americans after the civil war."
43A: Widely prevalent: EPIDEMIC
47A: Desert blooms: YUCCAS
48A: Circus Hall of Fame location: SARASOTA. Never knew that there's even a circus Hall of Fame in existence. OK, more information for you, the International Circus Hall of Fame in based in Peru, Indiana.
49A Ranges: SCOPES. I put Stoves first.
50A: Run away: TURN TAIL. Never heard of this expression.
51A: Khaki shade: TAN
52A: Can or cup ending?: OLA (Canola and Cupola). I got this one.
53A: Ltr. holder: ENV (Envelope)
54A: "One Soldier's Story" author: BOB DOLE
58A: Chinese Dynasty: WEI. "Any of several imperial dynasties of China ruling from 220 to 265 and from 386 to 556." OK, I found more information for you. If the clue is 3-letter Chinese Dynasty, it's either Han or Wei. If it's 4-letter Chinese dynasty, then the answers are Ming, Tang, Chin, Tsin or Sung.
60A: Dahl and Francis: ARLENES. Unknown to me. If it's clued as Senator Spector, I would have nailed it. (Update: I was wrong about Senator Spector's given name. It's ARLEN, not ARLENE, sorry Senator.)
61A: Universal meas.: STD (Standard)
62A: Some ER staffers: MDS. Is it an abbreviation of medical doctor or doctor of medicine?
63A: Prescient woman: SEERESS. Easily got this one.
Down entries:
1D: Wife of Saturn: OPS (Greek equivalent is Rhea). She is also the mother of Jupiter. Man, I had no idea that Saturn even had a wife. I've got to find a way to remember the names of those Roman/Greek Gods/Goddesses. They are killing me very time they appear.
2D: Industrial container: VAT
3D: Ike's command: ETO (European Theater of Operations). Got this one.
4D: Admonitions: REPROOFS. I put Reproves first, and it fit perfectly, too bad it's a verb.
5D: Rough and rude: UNGENTLE. I tried to put Ungainly, which did not really match the clue, but I've never heard anyone use the word "ungentle".
6D: Triangular wind-catcher: STAYSAIL. Never heard of it. Sailing terms tend to trip me all the time.
7D: Mind reading: ESP
8D: Of a respiratory disease: ASTHMATIC
9D: Dancer Ben: VEREEN. Never heard of him. He is the Godfather of R&B Singer Usher. Interesting, he also starred in the Broadway Musical Wicked as the Wizard.
10D: Dollar bill artist: STUART (Woods). My ignorance knows no limit.
11D: Chance to get even: REMATCH. "Revenge" came to my mind immediately.
12D: Incentives: STIMULI. One of the first words I filled in.
13D: Diffusions: OSMOSES. One of the last words I filled in.
21D: Specialized: TECHNICAL. I was thinking of a verb ended with a past tense. I like the clue though.
22D: IV x XIII: LII (4 x13 = 52)
23D: Antithesis: abbr.: OPP (opposite)
24D: Saul's uncle: NER. Did not know this one.
25D: __ du Diable: ILE. Devil's Island.
30D: Some prepositional phrases: GENITIVES. Is this a gimme for you?
33D: F.A. O. Schwartz, e.g.: TOY STORE. A rare gimme for me today.
34D: Capable of being taught: EDUCABLE. A tiny bit of Bushism: "Rarely is the question asked, is our children learning?"
35D: Motion supporter: SECONDER. OK, I second your motion, does that make me a seconder?
36D: Confers: BESTOWS
37D: Shoulder decoration: EPAULET. Unknown to me.
38D: Bombardment: AIR RAID
40D: Women's Lib opponent, for short: MCP (Male Chauvinist Pig). I was pissed off beyond comfort at this point of my solving.
41D: Abu Dhabi loc.: UAE. Another rare gimme for me.
42D: Draft letters: SSS (Selective Service System)
44D: Quayle or Marino: DAN. I wonder how much NutriSystem paid Dan Marino and Don Shula to pitch for their diet.
45D: High regard: ESTEEM
46D: Lamented loudly: MOANED
54D: __ - relief: BAS. Low relief. See this picture. Here is an image of high relief (Alto-relievo).
55D: Single unit: ONE
56D: Paul of guitars: LES. Learned his name from doing crossword.
57D: Snaky letter: ESS. Repeat offender.
Have a good weekend.
C. C.
