Theme: Hockey Penalties - the starting word of each theme answer is a type of hockey penalty.
17A. Electrical worker's action: TRIPPING A SWITCH. A tripping penalty is called when a player trips an opposing player with his stick/his body.
24A. Discount retailer's action: SLASHING A PRICE. A slashing penalty occurs when a player slashes/swings at his opponent with his stick.
41A. Feuder's action: HOLDING A GRUDGE. A holding penalty is caused when a player grabs/holds his opponent from moving with his body/stick.
54A. Accused speeder's action: FIGHTING A TICKET. A fighting penalty happens when a player engages in a physical fight with his opponent.
47D. Place where the starts of this puzzle's four longest answers result in a penalty: RINK
Without RINK the unifying answer, I'd never had figured out the theme. Not a hockey fan, not wild about our Minnesota Wild at all.
Hope my understanding of above terms is correct. Those penalties all result in a 2-minute stay in the penalty box, correct, Dennis?
Definitely a tougher puzzle than last Wednesday's. I was stalled several times.
Across:
5. Benchwarmer: SCRUB. Second-stringer.
14. Spiritual guide: GURU. Sanskrit for "teacher".
15. Pageant trophy: TIARA. Always associate trophy with cup.
20. Stuff to capacity: SATIATE. Surfeit is 7-letter too.
21. Like the healthiest corned beef: LEANEST. Oh, speaking of food, I did not have a cold or flu. Just ate something I should not have touched.
22. White House advisory gp.: NSC (National Security Council)
23. "Don't tase me, __!": BRO. Uttered by a University of Florida student during a John Kerry appearance.
35. Exaggerated publicity: HYPE. And RAN IN (39A. Arrested). Man, the balloon boy hoax. The family sure got the fame they craved.
40. Parson's home: MANSE
46. Traffic jam causes: CRASHES
50. Toronto skyline landmark: CN TOWER. Now Dubai Tower is the tallest, with 160 floors.
57. Two-time U.S. Open winner Fraser: NEALE. I drew a blank. An Aussi. I thought Slazenger is only a golf ball brand.
58. Opposite of aweather: ALEE. Aweather is in the direction of the wind.
60. Freezing cold: GELID. Was stumped last time when Allan E. Parrish clued it as "Quite cold".
Down:
1. Bilko and York: Abbr.: SGTS. Anent abbr, wish we had NHL today.
2. Subtle emanation: AURA. Funny how I've never got tired of AURA as a crosswordese.
3. "True __": John Wayne film: GRIT. What's your favorite John Wayne movie?
4. Rotate face-up, as one's palm: SUPINATE (SOO-puh-neyt). New verb to me. I only know the adjective supine (lying on the back). Prone is lying on your face.
5. Pain in the side: STITCH. Oh, I've never heard of the term side stitch, though I've experienced such pain after reading the explanation. I was picturing pain au chocolat. Pain is French for bread.
6. Movie: CINE. I fell into the FILM trap.
7. Tabloid: RAG
8. Russia's __ Mountains: URAL. The Europe/Asia border mountain.
9. America's pastime: BASEBALL. Cole Hamels is going to pitch for the Phillies tonight. Hope he won't disappoint Barry Silk and all your Phillies fans.
10. Key of Beethoven's Ninth: D MINOR. The answer emerged itself.
12. Gremlin and Pacer: AMCS
13. Capital of Thailand?: BAHT (baht). Capital here refers to currency. See these images. Bangkok is so far away now.
18. Out of fashion: PASSE
19. Time irregularities, in sci-fi: WARPS
24. Prefix with foam: STYRO. Styrofoam.
25. Boutonniere site: LAPEL. Just learned that Boutonniere old French for "buttonhole".
27. Spanish sweetheart: NOVIA. Or fiancée/bride. Feminine. Novio is masculine sweetheart or fiancé/groom. Both new to me.
29. "Of Thee __": I SING
30. Thicket: COPSE. Same pronunciation with cops. I used to confuse it with corpse.
31. Olympics sword: EPEE
32. Peacock Throne occupant: SHAH. The name comes from the shape of a throne, having the figures of two peacocks standing behind it.
36. Challenging the rapids, maybe: CANOEING. Several non-theme ING-ending words in this puzzle.
37. Police cruiser: RADIO CAR
40. Poly- equivalent: MULTI. Both mean "many".
42. Sprints: DASHES
46. Corp. money bigwigs: CFOS. Andrew Fastow (ex-Enron CFO) will be out in 2 years.
49. Dagger of yore: SNEE. Scottish dagger. Learned from doing Xword.
50. Colombian cartel city: CALI. Gimme, right? I've mentioned the drug connection a few times. Loved the C C C alliteration.
51. How many employees are pd.: WKLY
55. Word before Friday or pal: GAL. Thought it's Girl Friday.
Answer grid.
C.C.
17A. Electrical worker's action: TRIPPING A SWITCH. A tripping penalty is called when a player trips an opposing player with his stick/his body.
24A. Discount retailer's action: SLASHING A PRICE. A slashing penalty occurs when a player slashes/swings at his opponent with his stick.
41A. Feuder's action: HOLDING A GRUDGE. A holding penalty is caused when a player grabs/holds his opponent from moving with his body/stick.
54A. Accused speeder's action: FIGHTING A TICKET. A fighting penalty happens when a player engages in a physical fight with his opponent.
47D. Place where the starts of this puzzle's four longest answers result in a penalty: RINK
Without RINK the unifying answer, I'd never had figured out the theme. Not a hockey fan, not wild about our Minnesota Wild at all.
Hope my understanding of above terms is correct. Those penalties all result in a 2-minute stay in the penalty box, correct, Dennis?
Definitely a tougher puzzle than last Wednesday's. I was stalled several times.
Across:
5. Benchwarmer: SCRUB. Second-stringer.
14. Spiritual guide: GURU. Sanskrit for "teacher".
15. Pageant trophy: TIARA. Always associate trophy with cup.
20. Stuff to capacity: SATIATE. Surfeit is 7-letter too.
21. Like the healthiest corned beef: LEANEST. Oh, speaking of food, I did not have a cold or flu. Just ate something I should not have touched.
22. White House advisory gp.: NSC (National Security Council)
23. "Don't tase me, __!": BRO. Uttered by a University of Florida student during a John Kerry appearance.
35. Exaggerated publicity: HYPE. And RAN IN (39A. Arrested). Man, the balloon boy hoax. The family sure got the fame they craved.
40. Parson's home: MANSE
46. Traffic jam causes: CRASHES
50. Toronto skyline landmark: CN TOWER. Now Dubai Tower is the tallest, with 160 floors.
57. Two-time U.S. Open winner Fraser: NEALE. I drew a blank. An Aussi. I thought Slazenger is only a golf ball brand.
58. Opposite of aweather: ALEE. Aweather is in the direction of the wind.
60. Freezing cold: GELID. Was stumped last time when Allan E. Parrish clued it as "Quite cold".
Down:
1. Bilko and York: Abbr.: SGTS. Anent abbr, wish we had NHL today.
2. Subtle emanation: AURA. Funny how I've never got tired of AURA as a crosswordese.
3. "True __": John Wayne film: GRIT. What's your favorite John Wayne movie?
4. Rotate face-up, as one's palm: SUPINATE (SOO-puh-neyt). New verb to me. I only know the adjective supine (lying on the back). Prone is lying on your face.
5. Pain in the side: STITCH. Oh, I've never heard of the term side stitch, though I've experienced such pain after reading the explanation. I was picturing pain au chocolat. Pain is French for bread.
6. Movie: CINE. I fell into the FILM trap.
7. Tabloid: RAG
8. Russia's __ Mountains: URAL. The Europe/Asia border mountain.
9. America's pastime: BASEBALL. Cole Hamels is going to pitch for the Phillies tonight. Hope he won't disappoint Barry Silk and all your Phillies fans.
10. Key of Beethoven's Ninth: D MINOR. The answer emerged itself.
12. Gremlin and Pacer: AMCS
13. Capital of Thailand?: BAHT (baht). Capital here refers to currency. See these images. Bangkok is so far away now.
18. Out of fashion: PASSE
19. Time irregularities, in sci-fi: WARPS
24. Prefix with foam: STYRO. Styrofoam.
25. Boutonniere site: LAPEL. Just learned that Boutonniere old French for "buttonhole".
27. Spanish sweetheart: NOVIA. Or fiancée/bride. Feminine. Novio is masculine sweetheart or fiancé/groom. Both new to me.
29. "Of Thee __": I SING
30. Thicket: COPSE. Same pronunciation with cops. I used to confuse it with corpse.
31. Olympics sword: EPEE
32. Peacock Throne occupant: SHAH. The name comes from the shape of a throne, having the figures of two peacocks standing behind it.
36. Challenging the rapids, maybe: CANOEING. Several non-theme ING-ending words in this puzzle.
37. Police cruiser: RADIO CAR
40. Poly- equivalent: MULTI. Both mean "many".
42. Sprints: DASHES
46. Corp. money bigwigs: CFOS. Andrew Fastow (ex-Enron CFO) will be out in 2 years.
49. Dagger of yore: SNEE. Scottish dagger. Learned from doing Xword.
50. Colombian cartel city: CALI. Gimme, right? I've mentioned the drug connection a few times. Loved the C C C alliteration.
51. How many employees are pd.: WKLY
55. Word before Friday or pal: GAL. Thought it's Girl Friday.
Answer grid.
C.C.
