S A T U R D A Y October 2, 2010 Harvey Estes

Theme: None — Description


I slept in this morning (oh man did that feel good!) so I'm posting a little later than usual which means I'm not going to ramble on and on the way I sometimes do. I'll just say that the triple stacks of 10s in each corner are awesome and I really enjoyed this challenge today!

Bullets:

• 1A: Parts counterparts (LABOR COSTS). When LABOR (by itself) didn't fit I thought I was looking for a different phrase. I'm not crazy about this entry because I don't think it's particularly in-the-language, BUT … looking at the other 10s in that corner and seeing that they're all car-related makes me like it anyway.
• 16A: Actor who turned down the role of Dr. Shepherd on "Grey's Anatomy" (LOWE). I have to admit I've never watched "Grey's," but I believe it's quite popular (!) so I've gotta think this was a bad career move on Rob LOWE's part.
• 29A: Neil Young song about Kent State (OHIO).



• 45A: Common chuckwalla habitat (DESERT). How is it possible that I've never heard of a chuckwalla? I guess at my age I should consider the possibility that I have, in fact, heard of it but have forgotten it somewhere along the way. (It's a big lizard.)
• 53A: Quarter of a yard (SPAN). I don't really understand this.

• 63A: Poky activity happens at it (SNAIL'S PACE). Had No Idea what the clue was getting at until the answer became clear through crosses.
• 1D: Lie low (LURK). Tried HIDE first.
• 6D: Comics character who said "Some days even my lucky rocketship underpants don't help" (CALVIN). Love him.
• 7D: "Entertaining Mr. Sloane" dramatist (ORTON). Never heard of (or perhaps forgot about?) this guy either.
• 11D: Send (ELATE). Whenever this clue/answer combo comes up there seem to be a lot of questions about it. By way of explanation:



• 26D: Challenging area at Augusta National, as it's facetiously called (AMEN CORNER). Total gimme! PuzzleHusband's golf obsession to the rescue once again! (See also 33D: Links numbers (PARS).)
• 38D: Tchr.'s notation (ABS.). This is quite the clunker of an abbreviation. I think I would have clued this in relation to the muscles instead.
• 47D: Lets off steam (VENTS). I thought this was going to be either RANTS or RAVES, so I lightly penciled in the R, which caused me some problems in this corner.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 49A: Bald eagle cousin (ERNE).
• 57A: Quotation abbr. (ANON.).
• 4D: Comic strip dog (ODIE).
• 5D: 1986 GE takeover (RCA).
• 52D: Hollywood canine (ASTA).
• 55D: Novelist Waugh (ALEC).

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Everything Else — 11A: Vital team members (EMT'S); 15A: Lemon source (USED CAR LOT); 17A: One lacking bias (RADIAL TIRE); 18A: Spotlit opera event (ARIA); 19A: Joint with a cap (KNEE); 20A: Stumper's concern (VOTER); 21A: Summer goals for some (TANS); 22A: Old El Dorado feature (FIN); 23A: Unspoken part of the Godfather's "offers"? (OR ELSE); 25A: "One sec ..." ("HANG ON …"); 31A: Mister (SIR); 32A: Le Pew's pursuit (AMOUR); 33A: High fashion label (PRADA); 34A: Super vision? (ESP); 35A: Endows, as with power (VESTS); 36A: Kleptomaniac film monkey (ABU); 37A: 14th-century Florentine exile (DANTE); 39A: Hydrocarbon ending (-ENE); 40A: Fourth in a series (APRIL); 42A: "Hedda Gabler" playwright (IBSEN); 43A: Undertaking (ACT); 44A: Closing (LAST); 46A: They may be shod (HOOVES); 48A: The boss usually doesn't want to hear them (NOS); 50A: Curly hair, say (TRAIT); 57A: Quotation abbr. (ANON.); 58A: Holiday bloom (EASTER LILY); 60A: Kick back (REST); 61A: Minor considerations? (LITTLE ONES); 62A: Extremely, in Amiens (TRÉS); 2D: Simile center (AS AN); 3D: Only native Englishman ever named Doctor of the Church by a pope (BEDE); 8D: Fine cut (SLIT); 9D: Zipped (TORE); 10D: Olympics no-no (STEROID); 12D: Conscience (MORAL SENSE); 13D: Ann Landers or Abigail Van Buren (TWIN SISTER); 14D: Legendary swimmer (SEA SERPENT); 22D: On the block (FOR SALE); 24D: Rock crew (ROADIES); 25D: Show compassion (HAVE A HEART); 27D: In direct confrontation (NOSE TO NOSE); 28D: __ feeling (GUT); 29D: Shuttle path (ORBIT); 30D: Arrest, with "in" (HAUL); 41D: Some Cassatt works (PASTELS); 45D: "No kidding!" ("DO TELL!"); 48D: Capone associate (NITTI); 51D: Shower (RAIN); 53D: Pen repast (SLOP); 54D: Cóctel fruit (PIÑA); 55D: Novelist Waugh (ALEC); 56D: Place to find IBM (NYSE); 59D: Scale tones (RES).