Theme: DCDD
Words: 72 (pangram~!)
Blocks: 29
This is number four for DCDD - and I didn't even look at the constructor's name at first; when I did I remembered that three of those Saturday puzzles have been pangrams, so I expected the same today - and that helped tremendously in the NW, because I was blank up there to start. Today we had one of those grids where one word could keep you from getting into the individual corners without something to work with - and I got slowed down by SMOTHERS and SPHERES, which was why my NW was empty - until I figured the "Q" had to be in there somewhere. Ah, logic. Caved into red-letters early - hey, I'm on vacation; I'm not working on the puzzle, either....Anyway, chunky 8x7 and 6x7 corners made up the long answers;
1. Most massive of all known elementary particles : TOP QUARK - I'd really like to learn more about elementary particles and quantum theory; a quark is a sub-particle that makes up hadrons, which then make up protons and neutrons. A top quark is as massive as an atom of tungsten; how then can it be in the nucleus~? The more I delve into the subject, the more my brain hurts
14. Unsteady : REELING - reminds me of Steely Dan's song
39. Fidget __ : SPINNER - they're everywhere now; the Wiki
14. Unsteady : REELING - reminds me of Steely Dan's song
Reelin' in the Years - check out who the show host is~!
59. Oscillating curve : SINE WAVE
Sign Wave - get it~?
PuNWARD~!
ACROSS:
9. Storage spot : CELLAR
15. Place frequented by John Jasper in Dickens' "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" : OPIUM DEN
16. Bird of baseball : ORIOLE - not a player's name, but a team's
17. Aptly named heavy-footed bird : MEGAPODE - the Wiki
18. Wow : DAZZLE
19. High school gp. : JRs - ah, not PTA
20. Areas of interest : SPHERES - the three consonants S,P,H slowed me down
22. Night sch. staple : ESL
23. Twelve __: neighbor of Tara : OAKS - I knew what Tara was, but did not know the Wilkes lived next door at this plantation in Gone with the Wind
25. Pre-fax communication : TELEX
26. One who isn't a pro : ANTI
27. Repeated phrase in Ecclesiastes : A TIME - ah; did not know this was a Biblical reference - I know it from Turn Turn Turn, the 60's song from Tthe Byrds
29. Nile reptile : ASP - rhymes
30. Body part : ORGAN
31. Stood for : DENOTED
33. 2000s "SNL" alum : SAM BERG - no clue, all perps
35. Eastern way : TAO
36. Game console with a Mini version : Wii
37. Where many have gone on vacation : FISHING - I put in NO WHERE, since I am on vacation and this time I am not going down to see Mike in Delaware
41. __ zoo : PETTING
45. Get going : IMPEL
46. Pickup hr. : ETA - had me baffled for a long time - good way to clue this answer on a Saturday
48. Mexican title : SEÑOR
49. Animal house : LAIR
50. Polynesian people : MAORI
52. Value : RATE
53. Take responsibility for : OWN - clecho with; 6d. Take responsibility for : ADOPT
54. California city mentioned after Kingman in the song "Route 66" : BARSTOW
56. "Yo!" : "HEY~!"
57. Aficionados' creations that may infringe on copyrights, for short : FANFIC - I had everything but the second "F", and I knew it had to be "F" by the crossing, but this answer just made me cringe
61. Cactus spine source : AREOLE - our classic image is no longer available, so here's the scientific version of the cactus variety
63. Persian king : XERXES
64. Hiker's shelter : PACK TENT - seems a bit over-described
DOWN:
1. Steinbeck protagonist : TOM JOAD - could not recall this name from The Grapes of Wrath
2. Run : OPERATE - my PTA kept this from appearing
3. Game item made of cow leather, actually : PIGSKIN - funny
4. In the capacity of : QUA - I know this from the Latin "sine qua non", but did not realize it was an English word, straight up
5. Ballpark figures : UMPS - dah~! Not ESTS., which I know would have been clued "figs."
7. Lucille Ball, e.g. : REDHEAD
8. Gets down, in a way : KNEELS
9. Scrolls successor : CODEX - Wiki learning moment for me
10. Prominent periods : ERAS
11. Tina's "30 Rock" role : LIZ - never watched it
12. Cough syrup alternative : LOZENGE
13. Home Run Derby competitor : ALL*STAR
21. Counts while working out : REPS
24. Overwhelm : SMOTHER
26. Decision maker : ARBITER
28. Online biz : eTAIL
30. Skips : OMITS
32. Extended period : EON
34. Amaze : AWE
37. U.K.-based personal organizer brand : FILOFAX - no hyphens as I had thought there might be
38. "That comes as no surprise" : "I'M AWARE" - I'm aware that the puzzle beat me up this week
40. First or second, say : GEAR - I prefer Top Gear
41. Bach work : PARTITA
42. Confused : IN A HAZE
43. "Nice try!" :"NOT EVEN~!" - think sarcastic
44. Most dreary, in Dublin : GREYEST
47. Anybody's guess : TOSS UP
50. Medieval clubs : MACES
51. Like the Jefferson Memorial's columns : IONIC - good way to clue this answer for a Saturday
54. Nastiness : BILE
55. Old TV host with an accordion : WELK
58. Kit maker : FOX - the word for fox young is "kit"; I thought it was the group name, but that turns out to be skulk, leash or earth - huh.
60. Quick thinking : WIT - I can think, but not quick enough to be "witty"
15. Place frequented by John Jasper in Dickens' "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" : OPIUM DEN
16. Bird of baseball : ORIOLE - not a player's name, but a team's
17. Aptly named heavy-footed bird : MEGAPODE - the Wiki
18. Wow : DAZZLE
19. High school gp. : JRs - ah, not PTA
20. Areas of interest : SPHERES - the three consonants S,P,H slowed me down
22. Night sch. staple : ESL
23. Twelve __: neighbor of Tara : OAKS - I knew what Tara was, but did not know the Wilkes lived next door at this plantation in Gone with the Wind
25. Pre-fax communication : TELEX
26. One who isn't a pro : ANTI
27. Repeated phrase in Ecclesiastes : A TIME - ah; did not know this was a Biblical reference - I know it from Turn Turn Turn, the 60's song from Tthe Byrds
29. Nile reptile : ASP - rhymes
30. Body part : ORGAN
31. Stood for : DENOTED
33. 2000s "SNL" alum : SAM BERG - no clue, all perps
35. Eastern way : TAO
36. Game console with a Mini version : Wii
37. Where many have gone on vacation : FISHING - I put in NO WHERE, since I am on vacation and this time I am not going down to see Mike in Delaware
41. __ zoo : PETTING
45. Get going : IMPEL
46. Pickup hr. : ETA - had me baffled for a long time - good way to clue this answer on a Saturday
48. Mexican title : SEÑOR
49. Animal house : LAIR
50. Polynesian people : MAORI
52. Value : RATE
53. Take responsibility for : OWN - clecho with; 6d. Take responsibility for : ADOPT
54. California city mentioned after Kingman in the song "Route 66" : BARSTOW
56. "Yo!" : "HEY~!"
57. Aficionados' creations that may infringe on copyrights, for short : FANFIC - I had everything but the second "F", and I knew it had to be "F" by the crossing, but this answer just made me cringe
61. Cactus spine source : AREOLE - our classic image is no longer available, so here's the scientific version of the cactus variety
I did, however, find this; all I can say is "OUCH~!"
62. Takes advantage of : UTILIZES63. Persian king : XERXES
64. Hiker's shelter : PACK TENT - seems a bit over-described
DOWN:
1. Steinbeck protagonist : TOM JOAD - could not recall this name from The Grapes of Wrath
2. Run : OPERATE - my PTA kept this from appearing
3. Game item made of cow leather, actually : PIGSKIN - funny
4. In the capacity of : QUA - I know this from the Latin "sine qua non", but did not realize it was an English word, straight up
5. Ballpark figures : UMPS - dah~! Not ESTS., which I know would have been clued "figs."
7. Lucille Ball, e.g. : REDHEAD
8. Gets down, in a way : KNEELS
10. Prominent periods : ERAS
11. Tina's "30 Rock" role : LIZ - never watched it
12. Cough syrup alternative : LOZENGE
13. Home Run Derby competitor : ALL*STAR
21. Counts while working out : REPS
24. Overwhelm : SMOTHER
26. Decision maker : ARBITER
28. Online biz : eTAIL
30. Skips : OMITS
32. Extended period : EON
34. Amaze : AWE
37. U.K.-based personal organizer brand : FILOFAX - no hyphens as I had thought there might be
40. First or second, say : GEAR - I prefer Top Gear
41. Bach work : PARTITA
J. S. Bach: Partita in d minor, 4. (Itzhak Perlman)
43. "Nice try!" :"NOT EVEN~!" - think sarcastic
44. Most dreary, in Dublin : GREYEST
47. Anybody's guess : TOSS UP
50. Medieval clubs : MACES
51. Like the Jefferson Memorial's columns : IONIC - good way to clue this answer for a Saturday
54. Nastiness : BILE
55. Old TV host with an accordion : WELK
58. Kit maker : FOX - the word for fox young is "kit"; I thought it was the group name, but that turns out to be skulk, leash or earth - huh.
60. Quick thinking : WIT - I can think, but not quick enough to be "witty"
Splynter
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