Saturday, February 22, 2020

Today’s Saturday Stumper

I had considerable difficulty getting started with today’s Newsday Saturday Stumper — a word here, a word there. But Matthew Sewell wasn’t crewell after all. The pieces of this puzzle ended up falling into place fairly easily, even with a clue I still don’t understand: 18-A, three letters, “#2s.”

Lots of long, lively answers in today’s puzzle. For instance:

1-A, ten letters, “Little Havana dance style.” Partly a giveaway.

17-A, eleven letters, “Turn biomass to fuel, e.g.” Huh?

31-D, nine letters, “Uneasy feeling.” I like the colloquiality of the answer. Yes, colloquiality is a word, and not at all colloquial.

32-D, nine letters, “Certain sausage purveyor.” I had never heard of the answer.

33-A, eleven letters, “Wicca category.” I can’t imagine that the answer has a long crossword history.

39-A, eleven letters, “Corkscrew-shaped Aquarius formation.” See 17-A. (I.e., Huh?)

56-A, eleven letters, “Parting phrase.” I thought of my sardine spammer.

My favorite clue in today’s puzzle: 25-D, six letters, “Boast after a casting session.” A neat bit of misdirection.

No spoilers: I direct you to the comments for the answers.

comments: 5

Michael Leddy said...

LTS. (Can anyone help?)

MIAMISALSA. DEOXYGENATE. THECREEPS. SALUMERIA. NEOPAGANISM. HELIXNEBULA. ADIOSAMIGOS. IVOTED.

For IVOTED I first had IGOTIT — what someone who won a part as an actor might say. But the clue is about another kind of casting. I’m not sure that saying IVOTED is boasting, but the little stickers available to those who vote in American elections do suggest at least slight bragging rights. Look at me, IVOTED.

joecab said...

Lieutenants

Michael Leddy said...

Thank you! I know LOOIE and will add this new one to my toolkit.

joecab said...

It's the only time I remember it being clued in this manner, so I hope it pops up again to not waste precious toolkit space. :)

Michael Leddy said...

I’ve never seen it either. If it doesn’t catch on, I’ll toss it on the pile of discarded tools.