The 15-letter entries crossing the grid were some of the best I've seen:
35A: "The Da Vinci Code" sequence (Fibonacci Series). I read the book so long ago that I couldn't remember it...had to rely on the downs. It even has its own website, so you can read all about it.
8D: Derogatory term popularized by George H.W. Bush (voodoo economics). You can read more about supply-side economics (its real name) here.
There were several things I absolutely did not know in this puzzle. Yeah, I had to Google a few things to get through the roadblocks.
17A: County whose seat is Redwood City (San Mateo). I knew it would be in California, but that was the extent of my guess.
23A: Beaucoup de Louises (Rois). I don't understand the clue or the answer.
2D: Stuff in a bomb (amatol). Gee, I haven't made one in so long...
26D: France's first minister of culture, 1959-69 (Malraux). I love those French names that end in X.
44A: __ Bay (South China Sea inlet) (Subic). Makes me want to say, "Ya got me!" (18A: I dunno).
There were several words that I just plain enjoyed seeing in the grid:
1A: Celebratory cry (Mazeltov). I don't recall ever having seen it in a puzzle before this one.
33A: Handicap, say (equalize). A word that has a Q and a Z in it! Downright Scrabbly! And I just noticed that this puzzle is a pangram..a text that contains all 26 letters of the alphabet. This site tells you more about pangrams and gives you an example of an isogrammatic pangram. Very cool.
39A: Sly slur (innuendo). That's a pet peeve of mind. If you want to say something, just say it. But it's a good word nonetheless.
53A: Undercover wear? (jammies). I hesitated before entering that...I was sure it couldn't be right. It's too hot right now to wear jammies under covers, so that means skipping one or the other.
58A: Horror cry (it's alive). Don't ask me why, but we recently watched Attack of the Killer Tomatoes...the closest I get to a horror movie. Every time I see a tomato on the counter now, I have an uncontrollable urge to roll it toward Don...it's alive!
6D: "Soap" family (Tates). Good thing that was the answer, because I can't remember the other family's name. When we were first dating, Don and I watched it without fail. Occasionally we recite lines from it. ("Toledo...a hobo" in response to amnesiac Chester's question, "Where am I? Who am I?")
27A: Three Stooges' actions (slaps) ties in nicely with 50D: "__ have no..." (yes, we). Yes, we have no bananas. Other nice tie-ins:
42A: Temp takers (RNs) and 52A: Place for 42-Across (ICU)
26A: "Well, I declare (my, my) and 46D: "How dare you!" (I never!). Both sound like something from Gone With the Wind.
I didn't know that zinnia (3D) was named for a German botanist, Johann Gottfried Zinn.
I also didn't know that Billy Graham wrote "Peace With God" (60A) but it seemed like a really good guess.
Best clue in the puzzle goes to 37D: Note offering good advice for life? (B natural).
And the best intersection in the grid is 49A: Out there (kooky) and 49D: Belief in Hinduism (karma).
Here's the Friday grid...
...and I'll see you tomorrow.
Linda G
6 comments:
23A: Beaucoup de Louises
(or, many Louises--French king [roi])
Roi is French for king, and there were many French kings named Louis.
When all else fails, I go to your and Rex's columns. Well, all else failed. I got so frustrated that I gave up and went to the answers and commentary from you guys.
JD
Thanks, anonymice. I took French, not Spanish...but I'll try to remember this one ; )
JD, I still have those days. Now that I post the grid, I have to show all of the answers...but on occasion they might have to come from elsewhere. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it, but rest assured that I'll fess up when it does. And remember...every time you get answers and commentary elsewhere, it's a learning experience. The more you do this, the less often they'll trip you up.
just thanks man.....
The one and only thing to which I take exception with today's puzzle is 19A: Union in D.C. The answer, stn, is a poor and uncommon abbreviation for station, much more commonly seen as sta. Otherwise, a great puzzle.
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