Friday, February 1, 2013

Saturday, Feb 2nd, 2013, Barry C.Silk

Theme: Saturday Silkie

Words: 70

Blocks: 26

  Perseverance paid off on this Saturday strangler from SLY Mr. Silk (42D.).  I can't recall a grid with this much white in all my blogging.  The word that broke it open for me was RIVERBOAT, and I did fill in the whole puzzle, but did not get a *Ta-Da~!* because of two letters in crossing names....what can you do; and Oh, the deceptiveness~!!!

One full climber:

8. Key visibility aid? : DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT - Francis Scott KEY, that is, and his anthem written from a boat in Baltimore harbor, during the attack on Ft. McHenry in the War of 1812; "O, Say Can You See/By The ...."

And some other fill of note:

17. London landmark : CLOCK TOWER - ran down the list of attractions along the Thames; Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, etc....ARGH~! just the plain ol' description of Elizabeth Tower, as it is now called, with the bell inside named "Ben".

32. "Surfin' U.S.A." locale : WAIMEA BAY - with it's letter that got me,  and a musical link for all to enjoy - the location mentioned at 1:36, and spelled wrong

61. Lying often involves them : MATTRESSES - HAR-HAR~!!!  Very cute; do I want to link this one, this one, or this one?

ONWARD~!

ACROSS:

1. Insufficient funds notification : POSTAGE DUE - such complication to start

11. Small step : A TO B

15. Deal with, in a way, as trash : INCINERATE

16. Appropriate : TAKE

18. VIII squared : LXIV - Roman numerals;  8² = 64

19. London's __ Gardens : KEW - oh,  OK,  forgot this one

20. Gps. with similar goals : ASSNs

21. "Liberty Tree" writer : PAINE

22. Like a fantasy land? : LA-LA - land

24. Wanna-__ : BEs

25. Nextel Cup org. : NASCAR

26. How some estates are divided : EVENLY

28. Chemical compound : -ENOL

30. Hole maker : AWL

31. Grassy plant : SEDGE

34. Spot for a casino : RIVERBOAT - with only half the fill from perps, this came to me; maybe because we have something similar here on Long Island - there's a gambling boat that sails out 12miles from Freeport.

36. Elite military group : NAVY SEALS

39. Springs : LEAPS

43. Vehicle used by srs. : IRA - Financial vehicle, that is;  GOLF CART didn't fit

44. Hard to watch : UGLY

45. Weather Channel storm reporter Mike : SEIDEL - the "other" letter that got me

46. Iberian title : SENORA

48. Victor at Chancellorsville : LEE - a WAG

50. Thatcher, notably : TORY -  more London, so to speak, England's P.M. Margaret and her political party

51. Brown : SAUTE - not this Brown

52. Swipe : FILCH - not STEAL

54. "Delta of Venus" author : NIN

55. One of an educational trio : AMAT - More Roman,  uh,  Latin - Amo, Amas, Amat

56. Era that spawned the information superhighway : DIGITAL AGE - because INTERNET didn't fit

58. "Six Feet Under" brother : NATE - all perps, don't watch the show

59. Basis for some social networks : SCHOOL TIES - I don't do Facebook

60. Boot accessory : SPUR

DOWN:

1. Jams : PICKLES - Ugh - I had BACKS UP, which worked with "KEW", then it was BACK UPS, and then I had to let it go

2. Not working : ON LEAVE

3. Showed displeasure : SCOWLED

4. Poker table tell, maybe : TIC

5. Singer with the album "Classic Songs, My Way" : ANKA

6. Manages : GETS BY

7. Like some shorelines : EROSE

9. Chief Ouray's tribesmen : UTES

10. Market closing? : EER - MartketEER

11. Road __ : ATLAS - and,  37D. 11-Down feature : AREA MAP

12. Hotel waiter : TAXICAB - More deception; you will usually see one waitING at the hotel

13. Site of WWII's last major battle : OKINAWA

14. Massachusetts city for which a California one is named : BEVERLY

21. Draft choice : PALE ALE - PILSNER fit, too

23. Ticked : ANGRY

25. Only Japanese MLB player to pitch a no-hitter (he had two) : NOMO - C.C. got this one,  I am sure;  I had "K", then "L"

27. Retiree's goal, often : LEISURE - this true, Dennis~?

29. Writing points : NIBS

32. Good fortune : WEAL - new word for me

33. Took the loss : ATE IT

35. Chevy named for a star : VEGA

36. Quests, e.g. : NISSANS - ARGH~! The minivan called the Quest




38. 2004 "Survivor" island : VANUATU - I knew my "U" in SPUR was valid, so when I saw this clue, I felt better about it being at the end of the word

40. Shelley's elegy to Keats : ADONAIS - the Wiki, for those interested

41. Orbital extreme : PERIGEE - it's the extreme of being as close as possible



42. Artful quality : SLYNESS - me thinks of the "Artful Dodger" of Oliver Twist

45. Pie chart division : SECTOR - eh, I wanted WEDGES, tho it doesn't agree with the clue's singularity

47. Web-footed swimmer : OTTER

49. "Ash Wednesday" poet : ELIOT

52. PR tax with a Medicare component : FICA - the Pay Roll deduction of the Federal Insurance Contributions Act - more WIki

53. Sound : HALE

56. Mil. award : DSM - from doing crosswords, I can remember the MBE, but not the Distinguished Service Medal

57. OCS grads, usually : LTs - all perps; Officer Candidate School, and the rank of Lieutenant(s)


Personally, I don't mind if Phil ( and I don't mean Mickelson ) sees his shadow; I prefer the winter~!!!

Splynter

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