A Clever Collection of Capitals
....of
the world - quaintly contained in the continental United States; care
to carry on~? I
know of at least two others - Berlin, CT, which we drive through on our
way south via I-91, and Rome, New York - my buddy Matt D. from high
school got his
first 'gig' as a TV weatherman in that city - he is now the 'main man'
in
Richmond, VA....Anyway, this may be Catherine's debut, at least for the
LA Times, and a fairly smooth solve for yours truly, with a
bit of a slow-down around say, Oregon. Two Across theme answers, and two
Down theme answers - messed up my 'solve the downs first' method. I
also count five proper names in the grid, and a mini-theme of automotive
references, too....
17. Capital of the Midwest?: ATHENS, OHIO
17. Capital of the Midwest?: ATHENS, OHIO
55. Capital of the South?: PARIS, TEXAS
10. Capital of the Northeast?: LISBON, MAINE
24. Capital of the Northwest?: MOSCOW, IDAHO
I also found this
And on tour we go~!
ACROSS:
1. Roulette wheel action: SPIN
5. "Brokeback Mountain" actor Ledger: HEATH - Name #1, but I got it
10. Edelstein of "The Kominsky Method": LISA - Name #2, but I knew her from "House, M.D."
14. Gimlet flavor: LIME
15. Sister company of Enterprise: ALAMO - auto theme #1; also -
26D. Sister company of Budget: AVIS - auto theme #2
16. As above, in a footnote: IDEM - Latin, 'the same'
16. As above, in a footnote: IDEM - Latin, 'the same'
19. "__ help you are!": SOME
20. "Eternally nameless" concept: TAO - not that I have heard of this, but a three letter "existential" clue~?
21. Hieroglyphic snakes: ASPS - my guest blogging is rare, but it's the second time I have had this
Very Dangerous
22. Employee-owned supermarket chain based in Florida: PUBLIX - nailed it; I once lived in Jacksonville, FL, and worked at the competition, Winn-Dixie
24. Marathon unit: MILE
25. Bone, in Italian: OSSO
26. Niche: ALCOVE
29. Power: POTENCY - see 56D.
32. Quran chapter part: VERSE
33. Steady look: GAZE
34. Not worth discussing: MOOT
36. Apple choice: iMAC - the computer, and - 47D. Apple choice: GALA - the fruit
37. More ironic: WRYER
38. German automaker: AUDI - auto theme #3
39. Padres slugger Juan: SOTO - Name #3
40. Düsseldorf dwelling: HAUS - I have never been to Düsseldorf, but see who I know lives there....
It's a Russian dating site, actually
41. Completely drained: WIPED
42. Smartphone source of daily headlines: NEWS APP - meh
44. In need of companionship: LONELY - uhh, not if I can get to Düsseldorf....
45. Antilles landmass: ISLE - and
42. Smartphone source of daily headlines: NEWS APP - meh
44. In need of companionship: LONELY - uhh, not if I can get to Düsseldorf....
45. Antilles landmass: ISLE - and
44D. __ Antilles: Caribbean cluster: LESSER
46. Richard of "Chicago": GERE - Name #4
47. Actress Hawn: GOLDIE - Name #5
50. Kiss: BUSS
51. Cy Young stat: ERA - E - R - A, the most common crossword fill, ever, I believe
54. Locale: AREA
58. Mascara recipient: LASH
59. Zinc __: sunblock ingredient: OXIDE
46. Richard of "Chicago": GERE - Name #4
47. Actress Hawn: GOLDIE - Name #5
50. Kiss: BUSS
51. Cy Young stat: ERA - E - R - A, the most common crossword fill, ever, I believe
54. Locale: AREA
58. Mascara recipient: LASH
59. Zinc __: sunblock ingredient: OXIDE
He's got it covered....
60. Eight, on a sundial: VIII
Check this out, too
61. Middle harmony chorus part: ALTO
62. Discourage: DETER
63. Largest active volcano in Italy: ETNA
DOWN:
1. Picket fence piece: SLAT - Uh, isn't it called, ay, um, picket~?
2. Baba ghanouj bread: PITA
3. Texter's "I'm no expert, but ... ": IMHO - In My Humble Opinion....
4. Formerly named: NÉE
5. Big headache: HASSLE
6. Have no reception?: ELOPE - har-har
7. Satisfied sighs: AAHs - the dreaded two "A"s or two "H"s conundrum
8. "OMG, stop sharing!": TMI - Too Much Information
9. Cager: HOOPSTER - B-Baller was too short; it's all basketball slang
11. One inundated with fan mail: IDOL
12. Partly: SEMI
13. Green card co.: AMEX - oh, THAT green card....
Mr. Frost needs to cancel this card ASAP
18. None too worldly: NAÏVE - umlaut~!
23. Adopt: USE
25. Seeps: OOZES
27. Subpar car: LEMON - auto theme #4
28. Subpar car: CRATE - auto theme #5
29. "Fork it over!": PAY UP~! - see 51D.
30. Two-door vehicle: COUPE - auto theme #6
31. Alpine song: YODEL
33. Flavor of much children's medicine: GRAPE
35. Spruce (up): TIDY
37. Group of orcas, e.g.: WHALE POD
41. Superlatively bad: WORST
43. Means-tested govt. assistance program: SSI - this stumped me; never heard of this; Supplemental Security Income
46. Museum employee: GUIDE
48. Interview-style exam: ORAL
49. "__ we forget": LEST
50. One who may keep a spare tyre in a boot: BRIT - both my parents were born and raised in England
and auto theme #7
51. Parking garage sign: EXIT - we worked on a pipe organ at the Riverside Church in NYC last week; here's a pic I took of the scale model in the elevator lobby, and one of the ornate bench carvings; our hotel was in Times Square, and we parked in a garage there, too - $73 overnight
51. Parking garage sign: EXIT - we worked on a pipe organ at the Riverside Church in NYC last week; here's a pic I took of the scale model in the elevator lobby, and one of the ornate bench carvings; our hotel was in Times Square, and we parked in a garage there, too - $73 overnight
52. Golf date ruiner: RAIN - it's not the rain, it's the lightning....
53. Bhutan's continent: ASIA
56. Splitting tool: AXE - I now own the 29A version....
53. Bhutan's continent: ASIA
56. Splitting tool: AXE - I now own the 29A version....
Splynter