Words: 70 (missing F,J,Q,X)
Blocks: 27
I have to say, I was much in the mood for a Silkie today, having been
roughed up over the past few weeks. Really looking forward to
finishing without a cheat, but alas, it was not to be - again. Had just
one, a proper name, but it cleared up the otherwise locked-up,
poorly WAGed NW corner. There's always next Saturday....Bit of a change
in our usual grid, having triple 7-letter stacks in the down to start,
and the longer, triple 9-letter acrosses over to the right. Always
seems "easier" when the first clue is not a huge span of white. Some
8-letter circumferential fills in the center, too;
29a. Citizens Bank Park team : PHILLIES
- I had the --LIES, and that was enough, considering I am not a big
baseball fan. I was over my buddy Mike's house last night, and he tuned
into the Yankee game; sorry, C.C., it just doesn't hold my
attention.... :7( The NY Rangers of hockey are up 1-0 in their series against
another Pennsylvania team, the hated Penguins; the Islanders are tied
1-1 with the Washington Capitals. I plan to play hockey this coming week; the head feels better
37a. Youthful nickname for the 1950 29-Across : WHIZ KIDS - before my time
ACROSS:
1. Chaps : LADS - I sensed this was a 'male buddy' clue, not the leather pants type; went with GUYS, as I was trying some GUN fills for 1d.
5. Measure up : PASS MUSTER
15. "My Country" author : EBAN - dah~! dah~!! DAH~!!! Had to look this up; should have rung a bell, it's been a standard crossword clue for some time
16. Busy, in a way : ON THE PHONE - but you don't get a "busy" signal much these days
17. Stellar phenomenon : NOVA
18. Wheel of Fortune and others : TAROT CARDS - I was going to put this in, and thought, no, it's a TV game show thing. Dang~! I own a deck of tarot cards; keep them wrapped in silk ( hi, there, constructor~! ) per the book I bought on how to maintain and read the cards
5. Measure up : PASS MUSTER
15. "My Country" author : EBAN - dah~! dah~!! DAH~!!! Had to look this up; should have rung a bell, it's been a standard crossword clue for some time
16. Busy, in a way : ON THE PHONE - but you don't get a "busy" signal much these days
17. Stellar phenomenon : NOVA
18. Wheel of Fortune and others : TAROT CARDS - I was going to put this in, and thought, no, it's a TV game show thing. Dang~! I own a deck of tarot cards; keep them wrapped in silk ( hi, there, constructor~! ) per the book I bought on how to maintain and read the cards
19. Error : SLIP - had FLUB. That's an error.
20. Oil sources : OLIVES - had O----ES, so it was not "SHALES"
21. Airport NW of PIT : CLEveland
22. 1975-'76 World Series champs, on scoreboards : CINcinnati; I lived there from '97 to 2000; worked on my first movie set there - as for the baseball team, I recall the Big Red Machine, and I went and looked for my old baseball sticker album - I hope I can redeem myself, C.C.
20. Oil sources : OLIVES - had O----ES, so it was not "SHALES"
21. Airport NW of PIT : CLEveland
22. 1975-'76 World Series champs, on scoreboards : CINcinnati; I lived there from '97 to 2000; worked on my first movie set there - as for the baseball team, I recall the Big Red Machine, and I went and looked for my old baseball sticker album - I hope I can redeem myself, C.C.
23. Called, nowadays : SKYPED
- my other buddy Mike regularly Skypes with China as he continues to do
well with his game company; I present my game to him tonight when we get together for a long overdue bonfire
24. Not abundant : THIN - (sigh) like my hair
25. Recording acronym : ASCAP
27. Piece of Plymouth pizza? : ZED - P-I-Zed-Zed-A
28. Former National Security Advisor Scowcroft : BRENT - I WAGed tRENT
31. Picks up : RAISES
32. Alley group : PINS - Bowling
24. Not abundant : THIN - (sigh) like my hair
25. Recording acronym : ASCAP
27. Piece of Plymouth pizza? : ZED - P-I-Zed-Zed-A
28. Former National Security Advisor Scowcroft : BRENT - I WAGed tRENT
31. Picks up : RAISES
32. Alley group : PINS - Bowling
33. Barber's supply : TALC - Nailed it, but that's not saying much
34. Emotional : MOVING
41. Opposite of après : AVANT - Frawnche after and before
42. Monopoly item : DIE - not HAT; I always played the wheelbarrow, so I had something to carry my "cash" around
34. Emotional : MOVING
41. Opposite of après : AVANT - Frawnche after and before
42. Monopoly item : DIE - not HAT; I always played the wheelbarrow, so I had something to carry my "cash" around
43. '30s-'40s Kildare portrayer : AYRES
44. Canada goose relative : NENE
44. Canada goose relative : NENE
45. Kind of acid in red wine : TANNIC - Ha~! I knew this one
47. Canadian sign letters : KPH - Kilometres/hour
48. Indian address : SRI
49. Cleaned up : DUSTED
50. Symbolic dance : HULA - or HORA~? I guessed wrong
51. Jackson 5 song covered by Mariah Carey : "I'LL BE THERE"
53. Sch. whose mascot is Paydirt Pete : UTEP - got this one, too - I can remember some past clues
54. Canadian asset : OIL RESERVE
55. Town near Padua : ESTE
56. Some lucky breaks : NEAR MISSES
57. Slate, briefly : SKED - quick way to schedule
DOWN:
1. Shooter's protection : LENS CAP - got me; not thinking photography
2. Wipe out : ABOLISH
3. Fictional code name : Da VINCI - I liked the book and the movie
4. Piece of cake : SNAP - Dah~! SLAB worked with my FLUB
5. "The Chosen" author : POTOK - I knew this one, too, because my friend Ibby gave me the book
6. Breaks down : ANALYZES
7. Road markings : STRIPES - I noticed yesterday that one of the local roads had fresh stripes painted - you'd think the potholes would have been the priority....
8. Left, with "off" : SHOVED
9. Doled (out) : METED
10. Bar IDs : UPCs
11. Oldies syllable : SHA
12. Flashlights, across the pond : TORCHES - parents are English, knew this
13. Court boundary : END LINE
14. Is in high dudgeon : RESENTS - this is the "#1 killer" of AA members; I harbor some resentments, still, even after a decade
23. Support piece : SPLINT - almost a gratuitous self shout-out
24. Requiring delicate handling : TRICKY
26. Skiing category : ALPINE
28. "The Human Comedy" author : BALZAC - the Wiki
30. Big initials in banking : ING - my IRA started out in ING; it's now Capital One 360
31. Italian counterpart of the BBC : RAI
33. Offended outburst : "THE NERVE~!"
34. Kennedy Compound component : MANSION
35. Blanket : OVERLIE
36. Plain-__ : VANILLA
37. Mearth portrayer in "Mork & Mindy" : WINTERS
47. Canadian sign letters : KPH - Kilometres/hour
48. Indian address : SRI
49. Cleaned up : DUSTED
50. Symbolic dance : HULA - or HORA~? I guessed wrong
51. Jackson 5 song covered by Mariah Carey : "I'LL BE THERE"
53. Sch. whose mascot is Paydirt Pete : UTEP - got this one, too - I can remember some past clues
54. Canadian asset : OIL RESERVE
55. Town near Padua : ESTE
56. Some lucky breaks : NEAR MISSES
57. Slate, briefly : SKED - quick way to schedule
DOWN:
1. Shooter's protection : LENS CAP - got me; not thinking photography
2. Wipe out : ABOLISH
3. Fictional code name : Da VINCI - I liked the book and the movie
4. Piece of cake : SNAP - Dah~! SLAB worked with my FLUB
5. "The Chosen" author : POTOK - I knew this one, too, because my friend Ibby gave me the book
6. Breaks down : ANALYZES
7. Road markings : STRIPES - I noticed yesterday that one of the local roads had fresh stripes painted - you'd think the potholes would have been the priority....
8. Left, with "off" : SHOVED
9. Doled (out) : METED
10. Bar IDs : UPCs
11. Oldies syllable : SHA
12. Flashlights, across the pond : TORCHES - parents are English, knew this
13. Court boundary : END LINE
14. Is in high dudgeon : RESENTS - this is the "#1 killer" of AA members; I harbor some resentments, still, even after a decade
23. Support piece : SPLINT - almost a gratuitous self shout-out
24. Requiring delicate handling : TRICKY
26. Skiing category : ALPINE
28. "The Human Comedy" author : BALZAC - the Wiki
30. Big initials in banking : ING - my IRA started out in ING; it's now Capital One 360
31. Italian counterpart of the BBC : RAI
33. Offended outburst : "THE NERVE~!"
34. Kennedy Compound component : MANSION
35. Blanket : OVERLIE
36. Plain-__ : VANILLA
37. Mearth portrayer in "Mork & Mindy" : WINTERS
38. Siberian metropolis : IRKUTSK - got it because I played a lot of RISK when I was a kid
39. Exhaust : DEPLETE
40. Like some curves : S-SHAPED - nice fill
40. Like some curves : S-SHAPED - nice fill
42. Causes for pauses : DASHES
45. Rwandan ethnic group : TUTSI - all perps
46. Inventeur's notes : IDEES - more Frawnche; ideas
49. Judge : DEEM
50. Shades : HUES - I read your warning, Argyle, but couldn't resist; thankfully, HEartRx did not actually post a "hosiery" pic; I was going to go with a hunky guy for the ladies this week, but I have to make up for Thursday's 'tragedy'
52. Hardly a warm reaction : Brr - I officially put my gloves, car window scraper and winter coats away for the season
Splynter
