Words: 68 (missing J,Q,W,X)
Blocks: 38
This is a new constructor for me, but Norm's last LAT was this year in
May. As for the puzzle, lots of white on the first Across pass, but
then some solid perp(endicular)s on the Down run filled in enough to go
back and take some W.A.G.s. Triple 9's in two corners and then a nifty
little 4-way spiral of 9-letter words in the center, plus two 11-letter
spanners intersecting two 11-letter climbers;
20A. Questionable strategy for a runner? : SMEAR TACTIC - Political office runners, that is
45A. Golf tournament display : LEADER BOARD - Lee Westwood is sponsored by UPS
11D. Bring up something sensitive : TOUCH A NERVE
- Didn't quite "Nail It", more like I "pre-drilled" the hole for it - I
pre-filled in "-N-E-S-S" for 29A, since a clue using "quality" usually
implies this attribute
22D. Bodybuilding goal : SCULPTED ABS - I knew where this was going, but I started with SIX PACK, which was
too short, then ROCK HARD, and that wasn't working. So, for the ladies -
(dreaming) ONWARD~!
ACROSS:
1. Long-odds track bets : PERFECTAS - I never understood horse racing bets - here's a link for anyone else who feels the same
10. Early launch rocket : ATLAS - some history
15. Marketing resource : EMAIL LIST - ends up in my SPAM folder
16. Gear part : TOOTH
17. Small-time : PENNY ANTE
18. All, in Assisi : TUTTO - like this?
19. Piece of work : ERG - Ah - not "ART"
22. Tastes : SIPS - had it in, took it out, put it back in
23. Kept from spreading : IN CHECK
24. Media __ : CIRCUS
27. Kind of colorful shirt : ALOHA - I wanted Hawaiian, but it didn't fit - never heard it called an aloha shirt before today
28. Bad blood : ODIUM
29. Stale quality : TRITENESS
33. Fire : ZEAL - Early on, I cannot tell if it's the "AXE" kind of fire, or this, the enthusiasm kind
34. A cup may be one : PRIZE - So where was my mind? I had --IZE, and thought B-SIZE cup, C-SIZE cup, D-SIZE....oh, a trophy, like in hockey....
35. Computer menu option : EDIT - gee, FILE, SAVE, UNDO, VIEW, COPY....
36. Polite assent : YES, PLEASE
38. Scrubber's target : GRIME
39. Comedian Fields : TOTIE - quick bio
40. Capitulate : CAVE IN - DAH~! I had giVE IN, which messed me up
41. Soil test measure : PH LEVEL
44. Reduce : PARE - my first thought, and yet one of my last fills
47. Cristal maker : BIC - Totally baffled me - Cristal is Champagne, the 'good stuff'; here the reference is to the pen from the company of disposable products
50. "__ Smith and Jones": '70s TV Western : ALIAS - IMDb
51. Available to order : ON THE MENU
53. "__ honest ..." : I'LL BE
54. Like a tense person's teeth? : SET ON EDGE
55. One who's doomed : TOAST - see 52D
56. Read impatiently : SKIP AHEAD - Like this scene ( @ 0:46 )?
DOWN:
1. Latino Muppet prawn : PEPE - Never heard of him, but I do recognize him
2. It calls for immediate attn. : EMERgency
3. Buzzed : RANG
4. "Jaws" omen : FIN - Na-num.
5. Mythological paradise : ELYSIUM - because Utopeea is not how you spell it
6. Woodworking devices : CLAMPS - ah, not LATHES
Na-num
7. They have points : TINES - they ARE points
8. Dog star : ASTA
9. Make safe for use, in a way : STERILIZE
Na-num Na-num
10. Diplomacy figure : ATTACHÉ - I went with LIAISON - BZZZT~!!!
12. Singer Lenya : LOTTE - recognize her in "From Russia With Love"
13. Where to see some old clothes : ATTIC
14. Culture __ : SHOCK
Na-num Na-num Na-num Na-num
21. Fed. security : T-NOTE
24. Conspiratorial : COZY - I went with CAGY - seemed more appropriate
25. French bean product? : IDEE - Frawnch for 'idea'
26. River inlets : RIAs
Na-Na Na-Na Na-Na Na-Na Na-Na Na-Na Na-Na Na-Na~!
27. Come about : ARISE - like him?
29. Head out West? : TRAIL BOSS
30. Emmy winner Falco : EDIE
31. __ Valley : SIMI
32. Uzi predecessor : STEN
34. Actor Gallagher : PETER
37. Tennis shutout : LOVE SET
38. Floral-sounding Los Angeles suburb : GARDENA - down in the grey area on this map - never been to L.A.
40. Sonic server : CAR-HOP
41. Braid : PLAIT
42. First response to a call : HELLO
43. Former boxer Ali : LAILA - Daughter of Muhammad
44. Page of music : PATTI
46. Short run, for short : ONE K
47. Eliot title character : BEDE - Adam Bede - a WAG, since I was not sure of BIC
48. "Listen to Your Heart" singer in the musical "Young Frankenstein" : INGA - could have been IGOR for all I know - loved the movie, didn't know there was a musical
49. Prompted : CUED
52. "Big deal" : MEH - and a crossword solver's response to an answer that seems a bit of a stretch for the clue
Splynter
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