Theme: Choice Words
20A: Poker player's alternative: GET IN OR GET OUT
39A: Negotiator's option: TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT
53A: A call for action: FISH OR CUT BAIT
This constructor seems to favor three theme answers, with the middle one running through the grid.
Lots of vowels in this puzzle. And quite a few 5-letter words with 3 vowels alone. Felt like I just had a few OREO cookies for breakfast. I think I need more than that to sustain me through the morning.
The clue for ODDS (54D: Track stats) needs to be changed into "Track figures", as "stats" suggests an abbreviation. I would prefer a "Track fence" clue for RAIL (55D: Balustrade), since ODDS parallels RAIL in the grid.
Across:
1A: Plunk down: PLOP. I dislike the letter duplications. "Set down heavily" is fine. Or simply clue PLOP as a noun, like "Stone dropping into water sound", or something like that.
9A: Power for Fulton: STEAM
14A: Tibetan monk: LAMA. Literally "superior one" in Tibetan language. Wikipedia has a different definition, claiming it's similar to Sankrit "Guru", meaning "teacher".
19A: Bow lubricant: ROSIN. Baseball pitchers also use ROSIN for better grip, when their hands are wet or cold.
30A: Removal from office: OUSTING. I did not expect an *ING ending noun.
35A: Render harmless: UNARM. Same clue applies to DISARM I suppose.
38A: Debate side: ANTI. And ANTE (8D: Feed the kitty). They are of different root, so it's acceptable to place the two words in one grid.
44A: Captain Nemo's creator: VERNE (Jules). "Father of Science Fiction". Interesting, Wikipedia says Verne is "the second most translated author of all time, only behind Agatha Christie". I wonder where Shakepeare is placed.
46A: Snappy comeback: RIPOSTE. It's the same as repartee, isn't it?
49A: Yule quaff: EGGNOG. Very seasonable answer. Seasoned too of course, with nutmeg.
67A: Abrasive cloth: EMERY. This lower left corner is very boring, with NICER crossing RARER.
69A: Wild plum: SLOE. "Wild plum"? New to me. I thought SLOE only looks like a plum. I am more used to the "Blackthorn" clue.
69A: Big jerk: YANK. "Big jerk"? Is this about Yankees' Steinbrenner?
Down:
4D: Place for a barbecue: PATIO. Another 3-vowel word.
5D: Number puzzle: SUDOKU. Numbers give me headache.
7D: Percussion instrument: GONG. I wonder if our editor is aware of GONG Li, who has been the most influential Chinese actress in the past two decades.
10D: Rainbow in the water: TROUT
11D: New Yorkers, for instance: EASTERNERS
12D: Rope-a-dope poet: ALI. I was not aware of the origin.
21D: Model Campbell: NAOMI. Hebrew for “pleasant”, not a word to describe NAOMI Campbell though. NAOMI Watts, yes.
25D: Eyeball membrane: RETINA
26D: Treated with malice: SPITED
28D: Digital alternative: ANALOG
29D: Machine gun assault, perhaps: RAKING FIRE. The answer revealed itself after I filled in the across fills. Have never heard of this term before.
36D: Gen. Powell's status: RET. I wonder if Gen. Powell knows that RET is "Soak flax" in our Xword world. His wife is an avid crossword solver.
38D: Hail to Caesar: AVE. Probably not many St. for Caesar to cross during his life time.
40D: Dark meat serving: THIGH. Can you imagine what Dennis would say if the clue were "Breast alternative"?
52D: Dark, heavy wood: EBONY. I just saw "The Piano" last night. Are black piano keys still made of EBONY?
60D: Bard's before: ERE
C.C.
20A: Poker player's alternative: GET IN OR GET OUT
39A: Negotiator's option: TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT
53A: A call for action: FISH OR CUT BAIT
This constructor seems to favor three theme answers, with the middle one running through the grid.
Lots of vowels in this puzzle. And quite a few 5-letter words with 3 vowels alone. Felt like I just had a few OREO cookies for breakfast. I think I need more than that to sustain me through the morning.
The clue for ODDS (54D: Track stats) needs to be changed into "Track figures", as "stats" suggests an abbreviation. I would prefer a "Track fence" clue for RAIL (55D: Balustrade), since ODDS parallels RAIL in the grid.
Across:
1A: Plunk down: PLOP. I dislike the letter duplications. "Set down heavily" is fine. Or simply clue PLOP as a noun, like "Stone dropping into water sound", or something like that.
9A: Power for Fulton: STEAM
14A: Tibetan monk: LAMA. Literally "superior one" in Tibetan language. Wikipedia has a different definition, claiming it's similar to Sankrit "Guru", meaning "teacher".
19A: Bow lubricant: ROSIN. Baseball pitchers also use ROSIN for better grip, when their hands are wet or cold.
30A: Removal from office: OUSTING. I did not expect an *ING ending noun.
35A: Render harmless: UNARM. Same clue applies to DISARM I suppose.
38A: Debate side: ANTI. And ANTE (8D: Feed the kitty). They are of different root, so it's acceptable to place the two words in one grid.
44A: Captain Nemo's creator: VERNE (Jules). "Father of Science Fiction". Interesting, Wikipedia says Verne is "the second most translated author of all time, only behind Agatha Christie". I wonder where Shakepeare is placed.
46A: Snappy comeback: RIPOSTE. It's the same as repartee, isn't it?
49A: Yule quaff: EGGNOG. Very seasonable answer. Seasoned too of course, with nutmeg.
67A: Abrasive cloth: EMERY. This lower left corner is very boring, with NICER crossing RARER.
69A: Wild plum: SLOE. "Wild plum"? New to me. I thought SLOE only looks like a plum. I am more used to the "Blackthorn" clue.
69A: Big jerk: YANK. "Big jerk"? Is this about Yankees' Steinbrenner?
Down:
4D: Place for a barbecue: PATIO. Another 3-vowel word.
5D: Number puzzle: SUDOKU. Numbers give me headache.
7D: Percussion instrument: GONG. I wonder if our editor is aware of GONG Li, who has been the most influential Chinese actress in the past two decades.
10D: Rainbow in the water: TROUT
11D: New Yorkers, for instance: EASTERNERS
12D: Rope-a-dope poet: ALI. I was not aware of the origin.
21D: Model Campbell: NAOMI. Hebrew for “pleasant”, not a word to describe NAOMI Campbell though. NAOMI Watts, yes.
25D: Eyeball membrane: RETINA
26D: Treated with malice: SPITED
28D: Digital alternative: ANALOG
29D: Machine gun assault, perhaps: RAKING FIRE. The answer revealed itself after I filled in the across fills. Have never heard of this term before.
36D: Gen. Powell's status: RET. I wonder if Gen. Powell knows that RET is "Soak flax" in our Xword world. His wife is an avid crossword solver.
38D: Hail to Caesar: AVE. Probably not many St. for Caesar to cross during his life time.
40D: Dark meat serving: THIGH. Can you imagine what Dennis would say if the clue were "Breast alternative"?
52D: Dark, heavy wood: EBONY. I just saw "The Piano" last night. Are black piano keys still made of EBONY?
60D: Bard's before: ERE
C.C.
