Theme: Initial Reactions
20A: F. __: SCOTT FITZGERALD
35A: E.G. ___: MARSHALL
40A: D. H. __: LAWRENCE
53A: T. __: JEFFERSON PARKER
I've never heard of E. G. MARSHALL or T. JEFFERSON PARKER before. I found 35A to be an odd choice since all the other 3 theme entries are all authors.
I thought of T. S. Eliot, A. A. Milne, e. e, cummings, J. D. Salinger, J. R. R. Tolkien & J.K. Rowling earlier, all famous literary names. Of course, we also have O. J. Simpson, J. Edgar Hoover & the crossword stalwart L. Ron Hubbard as non-writer names with intriguing initials. What other interesting names can you think of?
Anyway, I like this puzzle. I like most of the puzzles with 15-letter run-through theme answers. I am very easy to please.
I did not know the meanings of HIC (24A: __ jacet ) and RIGOR (3D: __ mortis). After consulting the dictionary, I don't think I like how these two were clued. Too dark and harsh for my morning. I would prefer a drunk bar-sound choice for HIC and a boot camp experience for RIGOR.
Quite a few obscure words to me today. I took several wild guesses.
Across:
5A: The great unwashed: PLEBS. "The great unwashed" is a new phrase to me. I had no idea that "unwashed" also means the "common folk". I suppose ancient Greeks call ancient Roman PLEBS as "Hoi polloi"?
15A: Isuzu model: RODEO. Not familiar with this model. A risky guess, cowboy style.
17A: Herb of wisdom?: SAGE. "Are you going to Scarborough Fair? Parsley, SAGE, rosemary and thyme. Remember me to one who lives there, she was once a true love of mine...". Do you know why they chose those 4 herbs instead of chives/basil?
18A: Circular gasket: O-RING
26A: French stewlike dish: POT-AU-FEU. Hmm, I am not going to link a POT-AU-FEU picture. Dennis hates it. He hates ASPIC too.
39A: Chills and fever: AGUE. This is Paul's Word of the Day today. He selected it because "Mosquito transmission of malaria discoverned on this day in 1897."
43A: Pleasantly diverted: AMUSED. Are you OK with "diverted"?
46A: Of a benefactor PATRONAL. New adjective to me.
63A: Anklebone: TALUS. The plural is TALI.
Down:
1D: Chase group: POSSE. Why? Does the "Chase" here refer to Chevy Chase?
2D: Bananalike plant: ABACA. No idea. This is a ABACA plant. It does not look like a banana to me.
5D: Benefits: PROFITS
6D: Roman body armor: LORICA. Absolutely no idea. See this LORICA.
8D: Automobile pioneer: BENZ. OLDS did not fit.
9D: Wetter and mushier: SOGGIER. I recklessly sank into MUGGIER.
10D: Dweeb: TWIRP. New word to me.
27D: Brown pigment: UMBER. I only knew AMBER. Dictionary says it's called raw UMBER when used in its natural state, and burnt UMBER when used after heating.
30D: Pivot: SLUE. "Who else would the ultimate cowboy fall in love with than the ultimate cowgirl? That's SLUE-foot Sue all right...". I've never heard of that folklore, have you?
42D: Tell the tale: NARRATE
43D: Metrical foot: ANAPEST. Foreign to me also. I might have seen someone mentioned this term in a comment somewhere before, but I could not recall clearly. Can you give me an ANAPEST example?
44D: Supernatural force: MANA. No idea. A variation of MANNA?
47D: Comes clean: OWNS UP
50D: Cut corners: SKIMP
51D: Gilpin and others: PERIS. Gilpin Again? Too lazy to do more research for a different clue? PERI is also "one of a large group of beautiful, fairylike beings of Persian mythology, represented as descended from fallen angels and excluded from paradise until their penance is accomplished."
53D: Protrudes: JUTS
57D: Like a dipstick: OILY. I kind of like this clue. Very slick!
58D: Perlman of "Cheers": RHEA. I really like her earrings.
C.C.
20A: F. __: SCOTT FITZGERALD
35A: E.G. ___: MARSHALL
40A: D. H. __: LAWRENCE
53A: T. __: JEFFERSON PARKER
I've never heard of E. G. MARSHALL or T. JEFFERSON PARKER before. I found 35A to be an odd choice since all the other 3 theme entries are all authors.
I thought of T. S. Eliot, A. A. Milne, e. e, cummings, J. D. Salinger, J. R. R. Tolkien & J.K. Rowling earlier, all famous literary names. Of course, we also have O. J. Simpson, J. Edgar Hoover & the crossword stalwart L. Ron Hubbard as non-writer names with intriguing initials. What other interesting names can you think of?
Anyway, I like this puzzle. I like most of the puzzles with 15-letter run-through theme answers. I am very easy to please.
I did not know the meanings of HIC (24A: __ jacet ) and RIGOR (3D: __ mortis). After consulting the dictionary, I don't think I like how these two were clued. Too dark and harsh for my morning. I would prefer a drunk bar-sound choice for HIC and a boot camp experience for RIGOR.
Quite a few obscure words to me today. I took several wild guesses.
Across:
5A: The great unwashed: PLEBS. "The great unwashed" is a new phrase to me. I had no idea that "unwashed" also means the "common folk". I suppose ancient Greeks call ancient Roman PLEBS as "Hoi polloi"?
15A: Isuzu model: RODEO. Not familiar with this model. A risky guess, cowboy style.
17A: Herb of wisdom?: SAGE. "Are you going to Scarborough Fair? Parsley, SAGE, rosemary and thyme. Remember me to one who lives there, she was once a true love of mine...". Do you know why they chose those 4 herbs instead of chives/basil?
18A: Circular gasket: O-RING
26A: French stewlike dish: POT-AU-FEU. Hmm, I am not going to link a POT-AU-FEU picture. Dennis hates it. He hates ASPIC too.
39A: Chills and fever: AGUE. This is Paul's Word of the Day today. He selected it because "Mosquito transmission of malaria discoverned on this day in 1897."
43A: Pleasantly diverted: AMUSED. Are you OK with "diverted"?
46A: Of a benefactor PATRONAL. New adjective to me.
63A: Anklebone: TALUS. The plural is TALI.
Down:
1D: Chase group: POSSE. Why? Does the "Chase" here refer to Chevy Chase?
2D: Bananalike plant: ABACA. No idea. This is a ABACA plant. It does not look like a banana to me.
5D: Benefits: PROFITS
6D: Roman body armor: LORICA. Absolutely no idea. See this LORICA.
8D: Automobile pioneer: BENZ. OLDS did not fit.
9D: Wetter and mushier: SOGGIER. I recklessly sank into MUGGIER.
10D: Dweeb: TWIRP. New word to me.
27D: Brown pigment: UMBER. I only knew AMBER. Dictionary says it's called raw UMBER when used in its natural state, and burnt UMBER when used after heating.
30D: Pivot: SLUE. "Who else would the ultimate cowboy fall in love with than the ultimate cowgirl? That's SLUE-foot Sue all right...". I've never heard of that folklore, have you?
42D: Tell the tale: NARRATE
43D: Metrical foot: ANAPEST. Foreign to me also. I might have seen someone mentioned this term in a comment somewhere before, but I could not recall clearly. Can you give me an ANAPEST example?
44D: Supernatural force: MANA. No idea. A variation of MANNA?
47D: Comes clean: OWNS UP
50D: Cut corners: SKIMP
51D: Gilpin and others: PERIS. Gilpin Again? Too lazy to do more research for a different clue? PERI is also "one of a large group of beautiful, fairylike beings of Persian mythology, represented as descended from fallen angels and excluded from paradise until their penance is accomplished."
53D: Protrudes: JUTS
57D: Like a dipstick: OILY. I kind of like this clue. Very slick!
58D: Perlman of "Cheers": RHEA. I really like her earrings.
C.C.
