Theme: None
Total blocks: 36
Total words: 72
Of all the 24 Robert H. Wolfe puzzles I've blogged, most are late-week puzzles, several are Sundays. Interesting background, veterinarian.
I liked the three grid-spinning Across fills:
17A: "Maybe I can help?": WHAT'S THE PROBLEM
37A: "Now we're getting somewhere": THAT'S MORE LIKE IT
56A: Statement of intolerance: I WON'T STAND FOR IT
I also liked the sequential clue order of F-STOP (23D: Photo setting) and OPS (24D: Photo finishes?). My favorite clue today is DEM (13D: Party people: Abbr.). Brought to mind the infamous Harold Ford for Senator attack ad. "I met Harold at a Playboy party... Harold, call me!". Ford is a DEM.
I don't get SEE FIT (60A: Decide is best) though. Can you explain to me the clue? The grammar confuses me.
Across:
1A: Begins energetically: WADES IN
8A: Went up: SCALED. Why? I've only heard of "scale down". Thought of SPIKED.
16A: Boom: THRIVE
19A: Philippine bread: PESO. Had no idea that PESO is a currency in the Philippines. Wanted NAAN, thinking maybe the Indian bread is enjoyed there too.
20A: Common opening: DEAR SIRS
21A: French possessive: SES. His/her/its.
22A: Add more brown to, say: REDYE
23A: Cat's pajamas?: FUR. Cute.
24A: Where the 'eart is?: 'OME. Home is where the heart is. letter H is dropped in Cockney accent.
26A: Reckon, rurally: S'POSE. Big stumper.
31A: Removed, in a way: SCRAPED OFF
36A: Jobs for underwriters, briefly: IPOS. And ARBS ( 10D: Wall St. hedgers).
39A: Farm drier: OAST. I thought OAST is used for brewery only.
40A: Soft drink order: EXTRA LARGE. Had trouble obtaining this answer. Might have gotten it if it were clued as egg-related.
41A: "Bah!": PSHAW. I always say "Shoot".
43A: Caesar's tax form?: MXL. 1040. Great clue.
45A: Levi's "Christ Stopped at __": EBOLI. See the book cover. So close to E COLI.
49A: Suffix with amyl: ASE. I am used to "Enzyme ending" clue. Amylase is a kind of enzymes too, says the dictionary. Hopefully I will remember it next time.
50A: Try to get in the running: NOMINATE
54A: "Thanks, __": "Are you hungry?" response: I ATE
61A: Commonly receding boundary: HAIRLINE
63A: Words from one closing a door, perhaps: TOO LATE
Down:
2D: "That's the spot": AAH. Ah, massage.
3D: More frequent changes reduce its likelihood: DIAPER RASH. Have never changed a diaper in my life.
4D: Major followers? ETTES. Majorettes.
6D: Comparison words: IS TO
7D: Book before Esth.: NEH. After Ezra.
8D: Prospective adoptee: STRAY
9D: Tasks: CHORES
11D: 1953 Caron film: LILI. "1958 Caron film" would be GIGI.
18D: Walker, briefly: PED (Pedestrian)
21D: For example: SUCH AS
22D: Electron transfer process, often: REDOX. RED(duction) + OX(idation). Unknown to me. I actually misread the clue as "Electric transfer process".
25D: Kid's enthusiastic "I do!": ME, ME
27D: Burrowing rabbitlike mammal: PIKA. Not familiar with this rabbit at all.
28D: Style of Mozart's "Idomeneo": OPERA SERIA. No idea. It's Italian for serious drama. Opposite "opera buffa", the comic drama.
29D: Elegantly done: SOIGNE. Cary Grant had the SOIGNE charm.
30D: Colorado's __ Park: ESTES. Not named after Senator Kevauver, often clued as "Adlai's running mate".
32D: Kofi __ Annan: ATTA. No idea. It means "Twin" in his native language. Annan has a twin brother. They share the middle name.
33D: Boxer's scrap: ORT
34D: Atom-splitting Novelist: FERMI (Enrico). I forgot his name again. He won Nobel Physics in 1938.
38D: Bugged?: ILL. D'oh, I was picturing wiretapping.
42D: Entered: WENT IN. Wanted CAME IN.
47D: Six-time N.L. home run champ: OTT. I like clues with trivia. Mel OTT had a total 511 home runs.
48D: Wife of Jacob: LEAH. Rachel is his other wife.
49D: Lagoon border: ATOLL. Bikini ATOLL is probably the most famous one.
50D: Not final, in law: NISI. Decree NISI. I forgot again.
51D: "Closer" Oscar nominee Clive __: OWEN. "Closer" is one of my favorite movies. Love should not be that complicated though.
52D: Bubbly brand: MOET. The champagne: Moët et Chandon.
53D: Dope: INFO. I was in drug direction.
54D: Personal: Pref: IDIO. Thought it's a "peculiar" prefix, as in idiosyncrasy.
55D: Do to pick: AFRO. I understand hairdo, why "to pick"?
57D: Washington MLBer: NAT. Nationals. The former Expos. They moved in Washington in 2005. Twins used to be based in Washington (Senators).
58D: Money pd. for use of money: INT
59D: Athletic supporter?: TEE. I suppose it could be for football and golf. Tricky clue.
Answer grid.
C.C.
Total blocks: 36
Total words: 72
Of all the 24 Robert H. Wolfe puzzles I've blogged, most are late-week puzzles, several are Sundays. Interesting background, veterinarian.
I liked the three grid-spinning Across fills:
17A: "Maybe I can help?": WHAT'S THE PROBLEM
37A: "Now we're getting somewhere": THAT'S MORE LIKE IT
56A: Statement of intolerance: I WON'T STAND FOR IT
I also liked the sequential clue order of F-STOP (23D: Photo setting) and OPS (24D: Photo finishes?). My favorite clue today is DEM (13D: Party people: Abbr.). Brought to mind the infamous Harold Ford for Senator attack ad. "I met Harold at a Playboy party... Harold, call me!". Ford is a DEM.
I don't get SEE FIT (60A: Decide is best) though. Can you explain to me the clue? The grammar confuses me.
Across:
1A: Begins energetically: WADES IN
8A: Went up: SCALED. Why? I've only heard of "scale down". Thought of SPIKED.
16A: Boom: THRIVE
19A: Philippine bread: PESO. Had no idea that PESO is a currency in the Philippines. Wanted NAAN, thinking maybe the Indian bread is enjoyed there too.
20A: Common opening: DEAR SIRS
21A: French possessive: SES. His/her/its.
22A: Add more brown to, say: REDYE
23A: Cat's pajamas?: FUR. Cute.
24A: Where the 'eart is?: 'OME. Home is where the heart is. letter H is dropped in Cockney accent.
26A: Reckon, rurally: S'POSE. Big stumper.
31A: Removed, in a way: SCRAPED OFF
36A: Jobs for underwriters, briefly: IPOS. And ARBS ( 10D: Wall St. hedgers).
39A: Farm drier: OAST. I thought OAST is used for brewery only.
40A: Soft drink order: EXTRA LARGE. Had trouble obtaining this answer. Might have gotten it if it were clued as egg-related.
41A: "Bah!": PSHAW. I always say "Shoot".
43A: Caesar's tax form?: MXL. 1040. Great clue.
45A: Levi's "Christ Stopped at __": EBOLI. See the book cover. So close to E COLI.
49A: Suffix with amyl: ASE. I am used to "Enzyme ending" clue. Amylase is a kind of enzymes too, says the dictionary. Hopefully I will remember it next time.
50A: Try to get in the running: NOMINATE
54A: "Thanks, __": "Are you hungry?" response: I ATE
61A: Commonly receding boundary: HAIRLINE
63A: Words from one closing a door, perhaps: TOO LATE
Down:
2D: "That's the spot": AAH. Ah, massage.
3D: More frequent changes reduce its likelihood: DIAPER RASH. Have never changed a diaper in my life.
4D: Major followers? ETTES. Majorettes.
6D: Comparison words: IS TO
7D: Book before Esth.: NEH. After Ezra.
8D: Prospective adoptee: STRAY
9D: Tasks: CHORES
11D: 1953 Caron film: LILI. "1958 Caron film" would be GIGI.
18D: Walker, briefly: PED (Pedestrian)
21D: For example: SUCH AS
22D: Electron transfer process, often: REDOX. RED(duction) + OX(idation). Unknown to me. I actually misread the clue as "Electric transfer process".
25D: Kid's enthusiastic "I do!": ME, ME
27D: Burrowing rabbitlike mammal: PIKA. Not familiar with this rabbit at all.
28D: Style of Mozart's "Idomeneo": OPERA SERIA. No idea. It's Italian for serious drama. Opposite "opera buffa", the comic drama.
29D: Elegantly done: SOIGNE. Cary Grant had the SOIGNE charm.
30D: Colorado's __ Park: ESTES. Not named after Senator Kevauver, often clued as "Adlai's running mate".
32D: Kofi __ Annan: ATTA. No idea. It means "Twin" in his native language. Annan has a twin brother. They share the middle name.
33D: Boxer's scrap: ORT
34D: Atom-splitting Novelist: FERMI (Enrico). I forgot his name again. He won Nobel Physics in 1938.
38D: Bugged?: ILL. D'oh, I was picturing wiretapping.
42D: Entered: WENT IN. Wanted CAME IN.
47D: Six-time N.L. home run champ: OTT. I like clues with trivia. Mel OTT had a total 511 home runs.
48D: Wife of Jacob: LEAH. Rachel is his other wife.
49D: Lagoon border: ATOLL. Bikini ATOLL is probably the most famous one.
50D: Not final, in law: NISI. Decree NISI. I forgot again.
51D: "Closer" Oscar nominee Clive __: OWEN. "Closer" is one of my favorite movies. Love should not be that complicated though.
52D: Bubbly brand: MOET. The champagne: Moët et Chandon.
53D: Dope: INFO. I was in drug direction.
54D: Personal: Pref: IDIO. Thought it's a "peculiar" prefix, as in idiosyncrasy.
55D: Do to pick: AFRO. I understand hairdo, why "to pick"?
57D: Washington MLBer: NAT. Nationals. The former Expos. They moved in Washington in 2005. Twins used to be based in Washington (Senators).
58D: Money pd. for use of money: INT
59D: Athletic supporter?: TEE. I suppose it could be for football and golf. Tricky clue.
Answer grid.
C.C.
