A Rose By Another Name. Well, it might not smell so sweet, so let me be a bit more
diplomatic.
16-Across. * Shabby and dated: RETRO CHIC.
Would you rather be told you look Shabby and Dated, or Retro Chic?
23-Across. * Tunes for fogies: CLASSIC ROCK.
Would you rather be told you are an old fogy because of the music you
listen to, or be told you are into Classic Rock?
56-Across. * Blubber: LOVE HANDLES. Would you rather
be told you have a lot of Blubber, or that you have adorable Love Handles?
64-Across. * Hopelessly out of touch: OLD SCHOOL.
Would you rather be told you are Hopelessly Out of Touch, or that you
are Old School?
And the unifier:
37-Across. Make sweeter, in the way the theme answers do to their starred
clues?: SUGAR COAT.
What else do we have that is sweet this week?
Across:
1. Antlered deer: STAG.
5. Take in the sights: TOUR. I will be doing some touring
over the next month.
9. Transfer to a new city, informally: RELO.
13. Run out of steam: TIRE.
14. "__ Wolf and Cub": manga series: LONE. I am not
familiar with this series.
15. Wi-Fi device: MODEM.
18. Winery process that takes years: AGING. Aren't we all?
19. French farewell: ADIEU. Obviously, this is today's
French lesson.
20. Matching cups, saucers, etc.: TEA SETS.
22. The Big Apple, for short: NYC. Why New York City is called The Big Apple.
30. Issa of "Insecure": RAE. Issa Rae (née Jo-Issa Rae
Diop;b. Jan. 12, 1985) has become a frequent guest in our puzzles.
31. Genesis garden: EDEN.
33. Word between surnames: NÉE. More of today's French
lesson. Née is the female past participle of the French
word naître, which means "to be born."
35. Rough-sounding: RASPY.
41. Wristwatch part: STRAP.
44. Actor Lowe: ROB. In the 1980s, Rob Lowe (né Robert
Helper Lowe; b. Mar. 17, 1964) was a member of the Brat Pack. He has
also appeared in a number of television shows, including West Wing, which is now almost 20 years in the past.
45. MLB team in the ESPN documentary "Once Upon a Time in
Queens": METS.
49. Bowl over: AWE.
50. Opposite of NNW: SSE.
53. Note from one who's shy?: IOU. Cute clue and answer.
55. Museum collection: ART. I will be visiting
this art collection in just a few weeks.
59. Sturgeon product: ROE. Yummers!
60. Hot, dust-laden Saharan wind: SIROCCO. Everything you
wanted to know about Sirocco, but didn't know to ask.
61. Island south of Sicily: MALTA.
63. Want very much: COVET. The Wicked Bible of 1631 seemingly permitted such activities.
67. Apple desktops: iMACS. We have a Mac Mini.
68. Honest-to-goodness: REAL.
69. Border on: ABUT.
70. Gael, for one: CELT.
71. Whirlpool: EDDY.
72. "This Is Us" role for Susan Kelechi Watson: BETH. This Is Us was a television drama that just ended its run. I never watched
the show, but it got rave reviews. Apparently Susan Kelechi Watson (b.
Nov. 11, 1981) was one of the main characters.
Down:
1. Odd: STRANGE.
2. Like many hand-colored T-shirts: TIE-DYED.
3. Magazine story: ARTICLE.
4. "Sommersby" actor Richard: GERE.
Sommersby was a 1993 film that starred Richard Gere and
Jody Foster.
Richard Tiffany Gere (b. Aug. 31, 1949)
5. Pampering, for short: TLC. As in Tender Loving Care.
6. "Look, fireworks!": OOH!
7. Condo divisions: UNITS.
8. Classroom break: RECESS.
9. Tennis great Federer: ROGER. Roger Federer (b. Aug. 8,
1981) was ranked Number 1 by the Association of Tennis Professionals for 310
weeks.
10. Cosmopolitan group?: EDITORS.
11. Camera accessory: LENS CAP.
12. Short "Good grief!": OMG.
15. Eyelash application: MASCARA.
17. "That hurts!": OUCH.
21. "Bel-__": 2022 drama series based on a 1990s sitcom: AIR.
24. "Auld __ Syne": LANG.
25. Sailing: ASEA. A crossword staple.
26. Lock opener: KEY.
32. Govt. intel group: NSA. As in the National Security Agency. I can neither confirm nor deny that I work for this agency.
34. Play a proper noun in Scrabble, say: ERR.
36. Drive-thru device: ATM. As in an Automatic Teller Machine.
38. Ultimate results: UP-SHOTS.
39. Spiral: COIL.
40. Clarinet kin: OBOE.
41. 1950s actor Mineo or 1950s pitcher Maglie: SAL.
Sal Mineo (né Salvatore Mineo, Jr.; Jan. 10, 1939 ~ Feb. 12, 1976)
Sal Maglie (né Salvatore Anthony Maglie; Apr. 26, 1917 ~ Dec. 28,
1992)
42. Pair: TWOSOME.
43. Second or third staging on Broadway, say: REVIVAL.
46. Oft-pierced body part: EAR LOBE.
47. Present proudly: TROT OUT.
48. Furtiveness: STEALTH.
51. Cul-de-__: SAC. More of today's French lesson.
It literally means "bottom of a sack."
52. Concertgoer's "More!": ENCORE.
54. "Semper Fi" military org.: USMC. As in the United States Marine Corps. Several of our regulars are were in the Marines.
57. Raise: ERECT.
58. Meted (out): DOLED.
62. "Moby-Dick" captain: AHAB.
63. POTUS, militarily speaking: CIC. As in the Commander-In-Chief.
65. Pop: DAD.
66. Underhanded: SLY.
Here's the Grid:
חתולה
I won't Sugar Coat this. This will be my last commentary for a
while. Hubby and I are taking a month-long trip to Europe. I
know you will be in good hands while I am gone.
Notes from C.C.:
1) Have a wonderful trip, Hahtoolah, we look forward to your return!
2) Our Thursday sherpas MM & Bill have agreed to cover for Hahtoolah in June. Thank you so much, guys!
Theme: TREEHUGGERS (55. Nature lovers, and what the answers to the starred clues literally are)
20. *Mahalia Jackson's genre: GOSPEL MUSIC.
29. *Colorful top with a tropical design: ALOHA SHIRT.
45. *Trial figure who can give a firsthand account: EYE WITNESS.
Boomer here.
Happy
and safe Memorial Day to one and all! I noticed that there are tree
tree-letter basic trees hidden in this puzzle. Sometimes it is
difficult to type an H when you can only use one hand.
Across:
1. Dart around like a hummingbird: FLIT. I have seen them, but I never heard them hum.
5. Like 9-Across that has lost its fizz: FLAT. No problem. Have iced tea or coffee.
9. Dark drink with fizz: COLA. Diet Pepsi is my favorite. Or coffee. However medical orders before surgery is NO caffeine!
13. Easier to write neatly on, probably: LINED. Or run to bases or make a first down.
15. Like tinned sardines: OILY. No thanks.
16. Las Vegas WNBA team: ACES.
17. "Drive Happy" car rental company: ALAMO. Hi up Santa Anna, we're killing your soldiers below. So the rest of Texas will know... and remember the Alamo.
18. Harvest: REAP. C.C. planted some green beans in the garden. I will let you know how they taste. Maybe in August.
19. School gps.: PTAS. Parents Tell Teachers About Something.
23. Poem of praise: ODE.
24. "Passing" actress Thompson: TESSA.
25. "Friendly" cartoon ghost: CASPER. Named after a city in Wyoming.
27. Abbr. between names: AKA. Also Known As Boomer
32. Contributor with deep pockets: FAT CAT.
35. Esteem: VALUE.
36. Layers on tall wedding cakes: TIERS. It may take a while to cut pieces.
37. Orchestra __: PIT.
38. Greek storyteller who coined "sour grapes": AESOP. Sounds like a fable to me.
42. German steel city: ESSEN. I was in Hardheim. Not close to Essen.
44. Current influence on the weather?: EL NINO.
49. "__ Is a Woman": Ariana Grande song: GOD.
50. Hair gel alternative: MOUSSE. I just use a can of spray, when I have hair.
51. Joyous song: PAEAN.
54. Wrinkly pup: PUG.
60. Actor Guinness: ALEC. Obi-Wan Kenobi!
62. Cathedral section: NAVE. I've been going to church for years and I never heard the center called a NAVE!
63. Passion: ARDOR.
64. Fork prong: TINE. Use all four to eat.
65. Mouse mover: USER.
66. Rational believer: DEIST.
67. Stiletto, for one: HEEL. Walk carefully. Do not fall!
68. "A __ formality": MERE. So small.
69. One-named singer from County Donegal: ENYA.
Down:
1. Mark as important: FLAG. Oh say can you see?
2. "__ & Stitch": LILO.
3. Too worked up to relax: IN A STATE. I am in Minnesota. I'm sure most of you are in a state too.
4. City between Phoenix and Mesa: TEMPE. Arizona gets almost as much snow as Minnesota. But only in high elevation.
5. Like most proms: FORMAL. I never had to rent a tux. I just wore my white glee club outfit. I'm on the most right.
6. In __ of: LIEU.
7. Word of sorrow: ALAS. A LAS Vegas word of sorrow.
8. "You're so predictable": TYPICAL. You knew I might write my #7 comment.
9. Mushroom top: CAP. Mine has a TC logo.
Boomer & Hall-of-Famer Tony Oliva, 11/21/2011
10. Sea creatures with eight arms: OCTOPI.
11. Front-runner: LEADER. That's when I fell for ... The LEADER of the pack. Shangra-Las
12. Stand up for (oneself): ASSERT.
14. Female deer: DOES. Re, a drop of golden sun.
21. Aspiring atty.'s exam: LSAT. Never took that one, whew.
22. Unlike most proms: CASUAL. Okay for sock hops. Are they still called that, or am I showing old age?
26. High shine: SHEEN. A bishop with a TV show years ago.
27. To the rear, at sea: AFT.
28. "Cobra __": Netflix series based on "The Karate Kid": KAI.
30. Just like ewe: OVINE. Baa, Baa.
31. Beret, e.g.: HAT. In the Army it was always required to have something besides hair on you head.
33. Rowing teams: CREWS. I used to row a fishing boat all by myself.
34. Pass that leads to a successful basket: ASSIST. I am not much of an NBA fan
37. Signing-ceremony memento: PEN. I collect Twins player autographs, but I never collected the pen. See morehere.