google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner

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Aug 26, 2017

Saturday, Aug26th, 2017, Mike Buckley

Theme: "Crossword and see me sometime"

Words: 72 (missing J,Q,X,Z)

Blocks: 30

Mike Buckley's last Saturday puzzle was back in April, with his clever spiral galaxy theme and grid design.  Today it's a quotation/speaker theme, and I blew right through this one, in record time.  Did not look promising with a lot of blanks on the first pass, and when I saw the circumreferential clues, thought we were in for a long one.  But then the Down clues were practically gimmes, and that gave me so many perpendiculars that I had no trouble on the second Across pass.  Just to be clear, I know the 'theme' title is a play on a famous quote, which is famously misquoted; see here.  The irony of a sex symbol crossword this week, following some of the comments last week is not lost on me, either. The theme fills;

19. See 38-Across : LOOKED OVER

38. She said, "It's better to be 19-Across than 55-Across" : MAE WEST

I like this one, as well

55. See 38-Across : OVERLOOKED

12.9 billion miles ONWARD~!
(see 22a.)

ACROSS:

1. One who's often over a barrel? : COOPER - the technical term for one who makes barrels

7. Band member with a vihuela : MARIACHI - I have never heard of a vihuela, so I went to Wiki for more.  Mariachi can be found on the golden record of Voyager - see below

15. Use a combine : THRESH

16. Tiny orbiter : ELECTRON

17. Not shrink from : RISE TO

18. Maintain control : RIDE HERD - since we had this in a Saturday puzzle this year, it has become crosswordese for me

21. "The Owl and the Pussycat" poet : LEAR

22. Watched : SEEN  - I watched a show on the Voyager spacecraft Thursday night - fascinating stuff.  Some facts: both missions were launched 40yrs ago; as of Aug 2012, the Voyager I officially left our solar system and became the first man-made object to reach interstellar space; it is traveling at 38,000mph; more here

23. Chocolate-flavored spread : NUTELLA - hey, I knew this one~!


25. Gets misty : STEAMS UP - ah, reminds me of a line from a Tom Jones remake;

@ 0:48

29. Welcome item? : MAT

30. Online shopping offer : CHAT - yeah it pops up, I knock it down, but the little button lingers there on the side....annoying

31. Testimony opener : I SAW

33. Glitterati member : CELEB

37. IV sites : ORs

40. Bedazzlement : AWE

41. Rwandan ethnic group : TUTSI - had to 'guess' just the "S"

43. One of Pop's partners : SNAP - Snap, Crackle & Pop, Rice Krispies

44. "Roast beast"-eating people : WHOS - of Whoville

45. Adobe file format : PDF

47. Shelley dedicated an ode to one of them : SKYLARKS - what, to a Buick~?

49. Musical star who received a 1949 Honorary Award Oscar : ASTAIRE

53. Big heads? : EGOS

54. Split hairs? : PART - I used to part my hair; now I go for the Giorgio Tsoukalos look


60. Blathered : PRATTLED

62. Current quantity : AMPERE

63. Antlion relative : LACEWING - didn't know what an antlion was, but once the answer filled, I sensed it was some sort of dragonfly-type insect; the antlion larva is vicious - a video here

64. Squanders, perhaps : SPENDS

65. Dramatic break : ENT'R ACTE

66. American of Japanese descent : SANSEI - I had NISsei, which is 100% 50% correct

DOWN:

1. PC key : CTRL

2. Its state quarter displays the Wright Flyer : OHIO

3. "... __ it seems" : OR SO

4. Gives a sidelong glance : PEEKS AT - OGLES did not work, but the ----S AT part I left

5. Respect : ESTEEM

6. Onetime Botswana neighbor : RHODESIA - now Zimbabwe

7. "Jeopardy!" first name : MERV - dah~! NOT Alex, not Jack; Merv Griffin, the creator.  I'd like to see a real version of the original concept - that is, one word answers in a category, and you have to come up with the question.  e.g.; Category US state capitals: answer; $200 Oklahoma City - - - - $1000 Albany

8. Sci-fi staple : ALIEN

9. Shining example of mirror-writing? : REDRUM - ah, the Shining - Stephen King's novel, Jack Nicholson's "Here's Johnny", and the word 'murder' written on a door


10. Curling surface : ICE - curling has been popular on Saturday lately

11. Shoe endorser : ATHLETE

12. Angler's wicker basket : CREEL

13. Every 60 minutes : HORAL

14. Hindu weather deity : INDRA

20. Responsibilities : ONUSES

24. Diplomatic asset : TACT

25. Kilt wearer : SCOT - it was brought to my attention that I have neglected my women commenters, so I will post a picture of a man in a skirt this week


26. No __ traffic : THRU

27. Right in the atlas? : EAST - we had "point in the right direction?" two weeks ago

28. Potential queens : PAWNS - ah.  I forgot about this chess rule, known as promotion - a pawn that reaches the eighth rank ( the far end of the board ) can be 'promoted' to one of the more powerful pieces.  I do not have an equivalent rule in my game, and thus I will have to consider adding it in.  I am on vacation this week, and it is one of my goals to have the board game completely ready for play by four people by Labor Day weekend

32. Not so potent : WEAKER

34. Memorable big cat portrayer : LAHR - the cowardly (ant)lion~?!?

35. Furry Endor native : EWOK - such a gimme for a Star Wars nerd like me

36. Catfish Row heroine of opera : BESS - only had to guess the last "S"

38. Modest skirt : MIDI - and now for the woman in skirt


39. Pirate's viewing aid : SPYGLASS - such a cool word, and the name of a street in my old neighborhood - Spyglass Lane

42. "CSI" evidence : SPATTER - well, not so much evidence as a place to collect it, so to speak

44. Showed willingness to listen (to) : WAS OPEN

46. Cavort : FROLIC

48. Oompa-__: Wonka worker : LOOMPA - not much leeway in cluing for a word like this

49. Big __ : APPLE - I left it blank - and yet probably should have been my first answer, being that I live in New York

50. Leftovers cover : SARAN

51. Political essay : TRACT

52. Ceremony, e.g. : EVENT

56. Border : EDGE

57. Guy dolls : KENS - been keeping in shape~!

and TWO hunks this week~!

58. Mahler's earth : ERDE - I had no idea, so I went and looked it up after it filled via perps - the Wiki

59. '50s sitcom name : DESI

61. Longtime Howard Hughes asset : TWA - I didn't know; so again, the Wiki

Splynter

Notes from C.C.


1) Happy Birthday to dear Montana, an extraordinary courageous mom and grandma. Hope your eyes are getting better. We think of you often.

 Montana and her 5 children celebrated her birthday in 2014, Vail, CO2)
2) Anon T (Tony) sent me this "Huge" image.  He said below. He lives in Houston. Stay safe and update us when you can, Tony, Peg, TX Ms & D-Otto!


"I've never seen a storm like this outside of Jupiter's "spot." (I'm exaggerating; a bit)

What's somewhat disconcerting is the projection (zoom in and look for the 'line') that this goes back to sea and strengthen before making a bee-line to HOU."