The middle and south east were a WIZ, but the north west was a NOWIN for me. I've never heard of a FARPOST, so I put in bARPOST thinking that's maybe what they call the top back part of the goal, but as soon as I saw bASCIAS, I realized it was supposed to be FASCIAS. Derp. That was my only FWOE, but it wasn't my only problem. My knowledge of last century baseball trivia is a little thin. Oh yes, it turns out I'm weak on my Amazon rodents and Spanish muralists as well. I had lEtPASs instead of SEEPAST at 14D for a long time - my apologies to Jose Maria. I also had a tough time coming to grips with SAUCERS for Cup holders at 23A. Maybe I had too much TAPIOCA (Thickening agent in cookery) for breakfast this morning.
On the upside (?), I was able to drop PRIE in at 37A (____-dieu) like a champ. :) And, thanks to my dear sister-in-law, the second answer I was sure of was ARECIBO.
My favorite clue/answer in this puzzle might be SASS for Unwelcome comeback at 7D. It's funny because it's true. I liked SCAREUP for Gather with difficulty at 3D. I also liked AIRHORN (6D), which is much nicer in a puzzle than in real life. A couple of other cute ones: Not wasted for SOBER at 24D, Saucy name? ALFREDO at 47A, and who doesn't like a WEENIE roast (42D)?
 |
| From Wikipedia: Petula Clark holding Belafonte's arm, the first scene of physical contact between a black man and a white woman to appear on US television, April 1968. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petula_Clark) |
~Frannie
14:54 (FWOE) - which was a typo - I typed in UNALEfT.
ReplyDeleteTough grid type, with four wide open minipuzzles, barely any help from the middle section. The NE was simple as all get out when PIRATES and ARACHNE went in. But the other three each required more logic than crosswording. E.g., guessing ____WAY and _____UP in the NW. BIZET and PRIE were other gimmes for me. I liked the clue for BADDEBT.
20:40
ReplyDeleteI plunked down "shiplap" at 1A, thinking, perhaps, of "board and batten," but neither was particularly helpful. And although I should have been able to come up with PIRATES ("We are Family"), I couldn't quickly, so my first useful entrée was at NOWIN. Then BIZ and BEZEL gave BIZET and SOBER, and from there, I worked outward. Mmmm.... TAPIOCA. My favorite pudding.
UNALERT is really unfortunate, but its crosses almost justify its existence. Maybe they do, even. And really, there weren't so, so many OSOS moments. :)
19:25
ReplyDeleteSomehow I caught lightning in a bottle and blazed through most of this one (except the SW corner).
I discovered at the crossword tournament today that apparently I'm the only person who is not at all familiar with ARECIBO. Sometimes hanging in the wrong crowd can be a humbling experience.
15:34
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you, Frannie, about AREAWAY and UNALERT. Indeed, an audible "what's that" would have been heard when I filled in the former and, if memory serves, "Yuck" for the latter. IDEATE is not great, but at least I've heard it before.
I can't believe how long it took for me to remember the "We Are Family" PIRATES. I didn't linger there, thinking it would eventually come, but it was certainly distracting as I was doing the rest of the puzzle.
29:52
ReplyDeleteTypical Saturday difficulty. BIZET, WIZ, BIZ and BEZEL are all great there in the middle. ARECIBO went right in, as did TAPIOCA with one cross. I've visited the Florida ARCADIA many times, but that didn't help with the puzzle in the NW. I often say "LATERON" when asked when I'll get to something. What, Belafonte is black?