Words: 68 (missing F,J,V,W,X)
Blocks: 32
Can
I just say that it didn't matter how difficult this puzzle was going to
be, I was just happy to see "Silk" at the top, next to the author's
name~? Not a walk in the park, mind you - some clever fill and
clues, but somewhat dulled by a few "meh" ones. The thing about Mr. Silk's
puzzles is that if I just "sit" with a clue, eventually an idea will "40D." and give me a fighting chance. The last corner to fall for me was
the NE, after I changed one four-letter entry. Pretty standard grid,
with triple 10-letter corners connected to a fourth 10-letter spanner,
offset, and the one nine-letter central clue;
33. Old, fading ad on a building : GHOST SIGN
5. Potential diamond winner : GO-AHEAD RUN - not sure which
diamond it might be; we were talking at UPS about skiing this week, and
there are 'diamonds' in that pastime, too
58. Newark neighbor : EAST ORANGE - New Jersey - my birth state
Furniture AND Undertaking~? I wonder what they kind they make....
58. Newark neighbor : EAST ORANGE - New Jersey - my birth state
PatersoNJward~!
ACROSS:
1. R&B Foods brand since 2014 : RAGU - Once I got the "U", I went with a WAG
15. Old Testament book : AMOS - oops, I put in ENos - but I had the "OS" part already, so I'll call that 0-for-2
16. Far from perfect : ERROR PRONE - like, say, my first pass on a Saturday solve
17. Prepare for a meal : MAKE - I get it, but....meh
18. Bakery aisle offerings : ONION ROLLS
19. Burpee product : PLANT SEEDS - a bit redundant to me, but I see boxes from the company at UPS all the time, so I knew what to look for
21. Place to build : PLOT - dah~! Not SITE, my four-letter mistake - 25% correct, 100% wrong
22. Get together : AGREE - I tried UNITE first
23. D-Day transport : LST - been a while since this has appeared in a Sat puzzle
24. Indicator of stress: Abbr. : ITALics
25. 1997 Hawke/Thurman sci-fi film : GATTACA - didn't see it; - IMDb page. I just watched "Bridge of Spies" - very good movie, but a bit drawn out
28. Cell terminal : ANODE - battery cell; I did ponder TOWER or PHONE at first
29. Hummingbird's pair? : EMs
30. Guzzle : CHUG
32. Kudos : PROPS - praise synonyms
35. Jazz dance : STOMP
37. "Aaugh!" : "OH NO~!"
38. Avoid, as an issue : BEG - around these parts it's more like "beg off"
41. Crystal of country : GAYLE - one of my first fills
42. Poisonous plant in the nightshade family : HENBANE - the Wiki
44. How some data is backed up : ON CD
45. Low-fat meat source : EMU - one of those Saturday learning moments
48. Busters : NARCS
49. Psalm words : O GOD
50. Plan Z? : LAST RESORT - clever
53. Most elementary level : GROUND ZERO - this was exactly what I was talking about at 1A. last week~!
55. Cyan relative : AQUA
56. Putty base : LINSEED OIL - ah. I am familiar with putty, but never checked the ingredients
57. Crave, with "for" : LUST - not PINE; see 32D.
15. Old Testament book : AMOS - oops, I put in ENos - but I had the "OS" part already, so I'll call that 0-for-2
16. Far from perfect : ERROR PRONE - like, say, my first pass on a Saturday solve
17. Prepare for a meal : MAKE - I get it, but....meh
18. Bakery aisle offerings : ONION ROLLS
19. Burpee product : PLANT SEEDS - a bit redundant to me, but I see boxes from the company at UPS all the time, so I knew what to look for
21. Place to build : PLOT - dah~! Not SITE, my four-letter mistake - 25% correct, 100% wrong
22. Get together : AGREE - I tried UNITE first
23. D-Day transport : LST - been a while since this has appeared in a Sat puzzle
24. Indicator of stress: Abbr. : ITALics
25. 1997 Hawke/Thurman sci-fi film : GATTACA - didn't see it; - IMDb page. I just watched "Bridge of Spies" - very good movie, but a bit drawn out
28. Cell terminal : ANODE - battery cell; I did ponder TOWER or PHONE at first
29. Hummingbird's pair? : EMs
30. Guzzle : CHUG
32. Kudos : PROPS - praise synonyms
35. Jazz dance : STOMP
37. "Aaugh!" : "OH NO~!"
38. Avoid, as an issue : BEG - around these parts it's more like "beg off"
41. Crystal of country : GAYLE - one of my first fills
42. Poisonous plant in the nightshade family : HENBANE - the Wiki
44. How some data is backed up : ON CD
45. Low-fat meat source : EMU - one of those Saturday learning moments
48. Busters : NARCS
49. Psalm words : O GOD
50. Plan Z? : LAST RESORT - clever
53. Most elementary level : GROUND ZERO - this was exactly what I was talking about at 1A. last week~!
55. Cyan relative : AQUA
57. Crave, with "for" : LUST - not PINE; see 32D.
59. Nantes noodle? : TÊTE - Frawnche - and for those who are offended - see here @ 40A.
DOWN:
1. Agitated state : RAMPAGE - also a pretty cool arcade video game; you start out as a city-bashing creature, but if you take enough damage, you revert to your human self
2. Mixture : AMALGAM
3. Mario game racers : GO-KARTS - this is one video game I never got into
4. Online discussion venue : USENET - been popular on Saturday lately
5. Storms of the '90s : GEOs - GM Chevrolet sub-brand; they made the Metro, which had a 3-cylinder engine - the Wiki
6. Alençon's department : ORNE - more Frawnche - I did not realize their "counties" are called departments
7. Fourth-largest moon of Uranus : ARIEL
8. Range protectors : HOODS - ah. I was thinking of some "park ranger", but we're talking this kind of range
9. Physicist Mach : ERNST - oddly, my first two 'confident' fills were proper names; just goes to show, you either know it, or your don't
10. Diamond birthstone mo. : APRil - my birthstone is Amethyst - the chart
11. Surprise with a visit : DROP IN ON
12. Antique shop furniture item : ROLL-TOP - desk, very elaborate construction-wise and still stylish today
13. Vents : UNLOADS
14. Get cozy : NESTLE - OK, I was asked to show some scantily-clad men, so....let's get zesty
20. "I want to learn" : "TEACH ME"
26. Ocean turbulence : CHOP
27. It borders It. : AUS - not many choices, really, so I went with SWI - then SUI, then SUS, and then oh, right, AUS
28. French battle site in WWI : ARGONNE
31. "Little modified Pon-Pon" in a 1964 hit : GTO - pretty good WAG on my part; then again, weren't half the songs in the 60's about your girl and/or your car~?
32. Needle source : PINE - ah, here's where PINE goes
33. Valuable particles : GOLD DUST
34. Proctor's warning : SHH~!!!
35. Wine-and-fruit beverage : SANGRIA
36. Barons : TYCOONS
38. Bernini's genre : BAROQUE
39. Coat, in a way : ENCRUST
40. Develop over time, as an idea : GESTATE
41. Android developer : GOOGLE
43. Volcanic rock : BASALT
45. Superior : ELDER
46. Tribute maker : MAZDA - more cars; same thing as a Ford Escape
47. Apply to : USE ON
51. Course with many angles, briefly : TRIG - ah, not GEOMetry
52. Something to fill : ROLE
54. Hero in a virtual reality film trilogy : NEO - "The Matrix"
DOWN:
1. Agitated state : RAMPAGE - also a pretty cool arcade video game; you start out as a city-bashing creature, but if you take enough damage, you revert to your human self
3. Mario game racers : GO-KARTS - this is one video game I never got into
4. Online discussion venue : USENET - been popular on Saturday lately
5. Storms of the '90s : GEOs - GM Chevrolet sub-brand; they made the Metro, which had a 3-cylinder engine - the Wiki
6. Alençon's department : ORNE - more Frawnche - I did not realize their "counties" are called departments
7. Fourth-largest moon of Uranus : ARIEL
Odd place for a "Midsummer Night's Dream"
8. Range protectors : HOODS - ah. I was thinking of some "park ranger", but we're talking this kind of range
9. Physicist Mach : ERNST - oddly, my first two 'confident' fills were proper names; just goes to show, you either know it, or your don't
10. Diamond birthstone mo. : APRil - my birthstone is Amethyst - the chart
12. Antique shop furniture item : ROLL-TOP - desk, very elaborate construction-wise and still stylish today
14. Get cozy : NESTLE - OK, I was asked to show some scantily-clad men, so....let's get zesty
20. "I want to learn" : "TEACH ME"
26. Ocean turbulence : CHOP
27. It borders It. : AUS - not many choices, really, so I went with SWI - then SUI, then SUS, and then oh, right, AUS
31. "Little modified Pon-Pon" in a 1964 hit : GTO - pretty good WAG on my part; then again, weren't half the songs in the 60's about your girl and/or your car~?
32. Needle source : PINE - ah, here's where PINE goes
33. Valuable particles : GOLD DUST
34. Proctor's warning : SHH~!!!
35. Wine-and-fruit beverage : SANGRIA
36. Barons : TYCOONS
38. Bernini's genre : BAROQUE
39. Coat, in a way : ENCRUST
40. Develop over time, as an idea : GESTATE
41. Android developer : GOOGLE
43. Volcanic rock : BASALT
45. Superior : ELDER
46. Tribute maker : MAZDA - more cars; same thing as a Ford Escape
51. Course with many angles, briefly : TRIG - ah, not GEOMetry
52. Something to fill : ROLE
54. Hero in a virtual reality film trilogy : NEO - "The Matrix"
Splynter
