Theme: None
Words 72 (missing J,Q,W,Z)
Blocks: 33
A
friendly looking grid today from Ms Ellerin, which was how I described
her last Saturday offering as well. Lots of my first Across guesses
were so wrong they worked out just right for the Down crossings,
strangely, and the rest of my answers turned out to be spot-on correct.
Alas, I did not get my "ta-DA~!" because I guessed at the end of the
second longest Across fill, and "BAILed" to correct it - and so I had a
sloppy Down answer with an 'I don't know for sure' Across
perpendicular. Oh well. Red-letters it is. Two 8's, two 10's, and two
12-letter spanners;
22. Rotten Tomatoes caution : SPOILER ALERT
Or this one~?
9. Stud venue : CARD ROOM - because of the horse race clue, I was thinking about that kind of stud. Our weekly card game is held in a friend's dining room - I need to bring some felt to cover the table top tonight
27. Oktoberfest setting : BEER GARDEN - aw, I waited, since I got "BIER" wrong last week
45. 2008 financial crisis mantra : TOO BIG TO FAIL - even UPS tried to get in on the "free" money
36. Problem addressed by counters : INSOMNIA - ah, the sheep count-ers. Here's Megadeth's take on the disorder
3. One who shuns shaking : GERMOPHOBE - I still did not get this until I was writing the blog - HAND shaking, oh....
ACROSS:
1. Some conversion targets : PAGANS - my first read was conversATion, so I waited
7. Time to "Run for the Roses" : RACE DAY - we're at the start of the Triple Crown season
14. Blissful : EDENIC - ah, not ELATED
15. Bar talk? : LEGALESE - Nailed it
16. Shout from Speedy : ARRIBA - not ÁNDALE
17. Devils' playgrounds? : ICE RINKS - Well, I was in the NHL New Jersey Devils frame of mind, but this did not jump out at me
18. "Losing My Religion" group : REM
19. "Kiss of the Spider Woman" star Sonia : BRAGA
21. ... : DOTS - I thought maybe we had some sort of theme going on today, but this just turned out to be exactly what you see....dots
25. Teen introduction? : PRE - ugh. I tried SIX
26. Canonized pope who persuaded Attila not to attack Rome : St. LEO
27. Accessory for Miss Piggy : BOA
30. Half a luau serving? : MAHI - the other half tastes better
32. Usher's creator : POE - filled via perps
33. Revolted : ROSE UP - the revolution type of revolt, not the "I'm offended" one
35. Thatcher or Blair, e.g. : OXONIAN - tried ETonian. This is one from Oxford, or relating to
37. Smirks : SIMPERS - I thought this meant to weep, not smile
38. Capital since 1797 : ALBANY - bam, nailed it - but maybe it doesn't count because I lived there, so it might have been a subconscious remnant of those days
39. Expected : DUE
40. Ballpark phrase : OR SO - ah, the ballpark estimate, not the baseball park
41. Provider of a small raise : TEE - clever
42. "It Don't Come Easy" singer : STARR - Ringo, in his solo career
44. "Star Trek" record : LOG - totally missed this one, so when I had L-G, it took the V-8 can to get it. I've been keeping a journal of my daily events for the last 12 years, and that includes my punch times for UPS; when I went in to dispute my hours this week, my boss to a dig at me and told me to "check my diary".
7. Time to "Run for the Roses" : RACE DAY - we're at the start of the Triple Crown season
14. Blissful : EDENIC - ah, not ELATED
15. Bar talk? : LEGALESE - Nailed it
16. Shout from Speedy : ARRIBA - not ÁNDALE
17. Devils' playgrounds? : ICE RINKS - Well, I was in the NHL New Jersey Devils frame of mind, but this did not jump out at me
18. "Losing My Religion" group : REM
19. "Kiss of the Spider Woman" star Sonia : BRAGA
21. ... : DOTS - I thought maybe we had some sort of theme going on today, but this just turned out to be exactly what you see....dots
25. Teen introduction? : PRE - ugh. I tried SIX
26. Canonized pope who persuaded Attila not to attack Rome : St. LEO
27. Accessory for Miss Piggy : BOA
30. Half a luau serving? : MAHI - the other half tastes better
32. Usher's creator : POE - filled via perps
33. Revolted : ROSE UP - the revolution type of revolt, not the "I'm offended" one
35. Thatcher or Blair, e.g. : OXONIAN - tried ETonian. This is one from Oxford, or relating to
37. Smirks : SIMPERS - I thought this meant to weep, not smile
38. Capital since 1797 : ALBANY - bam, nailed it - but maybe it doesn't count because I lived there, so it might have been a subconscious remnant of those days
39. Expected : DUE
40. Ballpark phrase : OR SO - ah, the ballpark estimate, not the baseball park
41. Provider of a small raise : TEE - clever
42. "It Don't Come Easy" singer : STARR - Ringo, in his solo career
44. "Star Trek" record : LOG - totally missed this one, so when I had L-G, it took the V-8 can to get it. I've been keeping a journal of my daily events for the last 12 years, and that includes my punch times for UPS; when I went in to dispute my hours this week, my boss to a dig at me and told me to "check my diary".
"It's a log, dude."
49. Dixie elision : MA'AM - dah~! I went with Y'ALL, and I am sure so did everyone else
51. Plain to see : OVERT
52. Cellular messenger : RNA - ah, the genetic, not phone-callian type of cellular
53. Soaking solution : MARINADE - got stuck on "DYE", so it took a while for this to appear
55. Feuding (with) : AT ODDS
57. Fashion item used for protection in ancient Egypt : EYELINER - learning moment; CODPIECE fit, but I was sure the garment was not called that. In fact, the 'kilt' is called a shendyt, but the long belt I was thinking about is just called a belt. More here; there's a mention of eyeliner under cosmetics
49. Dixie elision : MA'AM - dah~! I went with Y'ALL, and I am sure so did everyone else
51. Plain to see : OVERT
52. Cellular messenger : RNA - ah, the genetic, not phone-callian type of cellular
53. Soaking solution : MARINADE - got stuck on "DYE", so it took a while for this to appear
55. Feuding (with) : AT ODDS
57. Fashion item used for protection in ancient Egypt : EYELINER - learning moment; CODPIECE fit, but I was sure the garment was not called that. In fact, the 'kilt' is called a shendyt, but the long belt I was thinking about is just called a belt. More here; there's a mention of eyeliner under cosmetics
58. "I'm a fan" : LOVE IT
59. Leafs, e.g. : NISSANS - again, I was in hockey mode, so I was thinking of the Toronto Maple LEAFs, or some sort of Canadian reference
60. Yoga class regimen : ASANAS
DOWN:
1. Still-life subjects : PEARS - which worked with my first two Across fills, but when the rest didn't, out it came
59. Leafs, e.g. : NISSANS - again, I was in hockey mode, so I was thinking of the Toronto Maple LEAFs, or some sort of Canadian reference
60. Yoga class regimen : ASANAS
DOWN:
1. Still-life subjects : PEARS - which worked with my first two Across fills, but when the rest didn't, out it came
Nice pear....
2. "Mad Men" extra : AD REP
4. "The Phantom Menace" boy : ANI - short for Anakin, the Skywalker who gave us Luke and Leia
5. Angler's hope : NIBBLE
6. Close one : SCARE
7. Automaker's bane : RECALL
8. Preceder of beauty? : AGE - AGE before Beauty
10. Prufrock's creator : ELIOT - filled via perps
11. Bump souvenir : DENT - I figured this was one on the head, so I went with WELT - that's 50% correct - and 100% at that, right D-O~?
12. Requires : ASKS
13. "Roundabout" rock group : YES - I was never able to appreciate their progressive rock style, but half the original members formed ASIA, and their debut album is still one of my favorites of all time - more on ASIA here
4. "The Phantom Menace" boy : ANI - short for Anakin, the Skywalker who gave us Luke and Leia
5. Angler's hope : NIBBLE
6. Close one : SCARE
7. Automaker's bane : RECALL
8. Preceder of beauty? : AGE - AGE before Beauty
10. Prufrock's creator : ELIOT - filled via perps
11. Bump souvenir : DENT - I figured this was one on the head, so I went with WELT - that's 50% correct - and 100% at that, right D-O~?
12. Requires : ASKS
13. "Roundabout" rock group : YES - I was never able to appreciate their progressive rock style, but half the original members formed ASIA, and their debut album is still one of my favorites of all time - more on ASIA here
15. Tie up in surgery : LIGATE
20. Bad lighting? : ARSON - took half a beat for me to remember this clever cluing for that kind of lighting
23. Youngest of Chekhov's "Three Sisters" : IRINA - filled via perps
24. Like many 32-Across works : EERIE - not PROSE, not VERSE - which was 100% 60% correct~!
28. Shared between us : OURS - the literal definition
29. Lhasa __ : APSO
30. Safety feature for zoo visitors : MOAT - there's a moat around my dream home
31. Drive shaft component : AXLE
32. Check phrase : PAY TO
34. Make fun of : SPOOF - my crossings gave me SMOOB, so I was going to check and see if maybe it was a word....it is; check the 'Urban' Dictionary
37. Power concern : SURGE - I had -U--E, which led me to ponder JUICE
39. Club at a club : DRIVER - more golfing
43. They may be humble : ABODES - I prefer to refer to my humble abode as the awesome man-cave - my whole studio apartment, not just the entertainment room
44. Powerball and others : LOTTOS
45. Word in pregame instructions : TAILS - or you could choose HEADS
46. Refrain part : TRA-LA
47. Setting for "Slumdog Millionaire" : INDIA - filled via perps; did not see the movie
48. Has legs, so to speak : LASTS - yes - and she has legs, too
20. Bad lighting? : ARSON - took half a beat for me to remember this clever cluing for that kind of lighting
23. Youngest of Chekhov's "Three Sisters" : IRINA - filled via perps
24. Like many 32-Across works : EERIE - not PROSE, not VERSE - which was 100% 60% correct~!
28. Shared between us : OURS - the literal definition
29. Lhasa __ : APSO
30. Safety feature for zoo visitors : MOAT - there's a moat around my dream home
31. Drive shaft component : AXLE
32. Check phrase : PAY TO
34. Make fun of : SPOOF - my crossings gave me SMOOB, so I was going to check and see if maybe it was a word....it is; check the 'Urban' Dictionary
37. Power concern : SURGE - I had -U--E, which led me to ponder JUICE
39. Club at a club : DRIVER - more golfing
43. They may be humble : ABODES - I prefer to refer to my humble abode as the awesome man-cave - my whole studio apartment, not just the entertainment room
44. Powerball and others : LOTTOS
45. Word in pregame instructions : TAILS - or you could choose HEADS
46. Refrain part : TRA-LA
47. Setting for "Slumdog Millionaire" : INDIA - filled via perps; did not see the movie
48. Has legs, so to speak : LASTS - yes - and she has legs, too
49. "Allow me" : "MAY I~?"
50. Father of Phobos and Deimos : ARES
53. Valets, e.g. : MEN - meh
54. Rockport's cape : ANN - not sure where Rockport is, so take your three-letter pick; COD, MAY, or ANN - two of them in Massachusetts
50. Father of Phobos and Deimos : ARES
53. Valets, e.g. : MEN - meh
54. Rockport's cape : ANN - not sure where Rockport is, so take your three-letter pick; COD, MAY, or ANN - two of them in Massachusetts
56. Eggs : OVA
Splynter
