Anagram Mountains...
19 Across. "Well, not quite ... ": THAT'S A STRETCH (an anagram of Shasta)
Mount Shasta.
28 Across. "The gall!": WHAT NERVE! (An anagram of Etna)
Mount Etna.
43 Across. Move to the country?: LINE DANCE. (Anagram of Denali)
Mount Denali.
This clue/answer is very clever, but may cause a double controversy. It seems this mountain keeps changing its name between Mt. Denali and Mt McKinley. Line dancing is associated with country and western culture, but it is not strictly country. I am sure Yellowrocks could enlighten us to the difference between square dancing and this recent upstart...And our Theme Reveal:
52 Across. Go to great lengths, or what this puzzle's circled letters do?: MOVE MOUNTAINS. Mountain names can be found in the circles, "if you move the letters around..."
Onward:
1. "A Christmas Carol" scoff: BAH.
4. Insta posts: PICS.
8. Discomfit: ABASH. I got discombobulated by these words... I am familiar with discomfort: The absence of ease or the presence of mild physical or mental uneasiness. However, Discomfit is a verb that means to make someone feel confused, embarrassed, or uneasy. It can also mean to thwart or frustrate someone's plans. (Like my solving of this puzzle...) And Abash is a verb that means to cause someone to feel embarrassed, ashamed, or self-conscious. It typically involves breaking someone's poise or self-confidence, often as a result of an unexpected comment, mistake, or realization of inadequacy.
13. County seat of Hawaii County: HILO.
14. Home of the Mighty Five national parks: UTAH. Everything you ever wanted to know about a 465 mile scenic loop, that will take 7 to 10 days to complete...
15. Bundled software collection: SUITE. A highfalutin word (yes, highfalutin is a word...) for a bunch of old junk software that nobody wants, tied up with a ribbon, in the hopes they can still make money...
16. Disapproving sounds: TSKS. (Sound I make when I see someone trying to sell me the above...)
17. Plumbing part: PIPE. (Oy, so many parts to choose from...)
18. Play a banjo: STRUM. Hmm, maybe a guitar, but...
Banjos require pickin' and a grinnin'...
19. [Theme]
22. Well-mannered: POLITE.
23. IRS form expert: CPA. Certified Public Accountant.
24. Catchy part of a song: HOOK. I asked my Daughters, and Google, to identify an Earworm I could insert here, and they all referenced songs I never heard before... so, if you can name your own personal earworm, mention it in the comments...
27. Book part: SPINE.
28. [Theme]
30. Persona non __: GRATA. "Persona non grata" is a Latin phrase that translates to "an unwelcome person".
32. Worked for: EARNED.
33. Compass rose dir.: SSW.
36. Portuguese greeting: OLA.
Ola (Spanish & Hawaiian Words)
37. Sch. in the smallest U.S. state: URI. University of Rhode Island. Interesting that the clue uses Sch.=School. Which may make this clue/answer somewhat contentious, because according to Google A.I. The Block island School, located on Block Island in New Shoreham, Rhode Island, is the only K-12 public school serving the state's smallest municipality. It educates roughly 125 to 160 students, making it one of the smallest unified public schools in the state. So, could this answer have two valid answers if you include B.I.S?
- Spanish: Ola means a wave in the sea or ocean. It is pronounced just like "Hola" (hello), but the "h" is silent and the meaning is completely different.
- Hawaiian: Ola means life, health, to live, or to thrive.
37. Sch. in the smallest U.S. state: URI. University of Rhode Island. Interesting that the clue uses Sch.=School. Which may make this clue/answer somewhat contentious, because according to Google A.I. The Block island School, located on Block Island in New Shoreham, Rhode Island, is the only K-12 public school serving the state's smallest municipality. It educates roughly 125 to 160 students, making it one of the smallest unified public schools in the state. So, could this answer have two valid answers if you include B.I.S?
38. Some SAT takers: SRS. Seniors. And according to Google AI, In U.S. college admissions, SAT is a standardized test created by the College Board. While it originally stood for Scholastic Aptitude Test and later Scholastic Assessment Test, the College Board officially states that the letters no longer stand for anything.
39. Excuses: ALIBIS.
41. Fashion: STYLE.
43. [Theme]
45. Scope: AMBIT. An ambit is the scope, boundary, or extent of something. It most commonly refers to a sphere of influence, action, or authority.
49. Small whirlpool: EDDY.
50. Murmur: COO.
51. Smooth and suave: URBANE.
52. [Theme Reveal]
55. Share one's thoughts: OPINE.
57. Financing figs.: APRS. Annual Percentage Rates.
58. Skirt feature: SLIT.
59. Sweet, in Italian: DOLCE.
60. "Bro!": DUDE.
61. Goes out with: SEES. (Dates wouldn't fit...)
62. Stella who founded an acting school in New York City: ADLER. Name #1
63. Short railroad branch: SPUR.
64. Fabric store meas.: YDS.
Down:
1. Diagonal mover in chess: BISHOP.
2. High-pH substance: ALKALI.
3. In charge of Thanksgiving dinner, say: HOSTING.
4. Butterflies-to-be: PUPAE.
5. "Yep": IT IS.
6. Bot blocker: CAPTCHA.
7. Tibetan people: SHERPA.
8. Exec's helper: ASST. Assistant.
9. Mispronounce horrendously, as a name: BUTCHER.
10. Shock jock's sound effects: AIR HORNS. Technically Air Horn is two words, but is fast becoming simply "Airhorn" in the vernacular...
11. "The Simpsons" disco guy: STU. Fictional Name #2
12. Tailored edge: HEM.
13. Part of an encrypted URL: HTTPS. HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure.
20. Anti-inflammatory choice: STEROID.
21. Restaurant: EATERY.
25. Finito: OVER.
26. "Comfortable. Confident." shoe brand: KEDS.
28. Elena Rybakina's org.: WTA. World Tennis Association. Name #3 - either you know it or you don't...
29. Finger painting?: NAIL ART.
31. Cultural territory in France's Grand Est region: ALSACE. Looks like a nice place to visit...
33. Realtor's success: SALE.
34. Made it home quickly?: SLID. (Baseball reference)
35. Image on Dutch Bros coffee cups: WINDMILL.
37. Sporty truck, briefly: UTE. Short for utility vehicle.
40. "Cowboy Carter" icon: BEYONCE. All you need to know:
41. Grab before anyone else can: SCOOP UP.
42. Diplomatic mission: EMBASSY.
44. Migratory people: NOMADS.
46. Helped (out): BAILED.
47. Concave belly buttons: INNIES.
48. Tries, as patience: TESTS.
51. Auto racing family name: UNSER. Name #4
53. Swerve: VEER.
54. Rawalpindi language: URDU. Rawalpindi is a city in Pakistan, where the national language is Urdu.
55. "Ghost" psychic __ Mae Brown: ODA.
Whoopi Goldberg portraying fictional name #5
The Grid
Emily is on the left.
Well, did you have to move mountains to finish this puzzle? Or did you just ski around the moguls...
Let us know in the comments how your solving experience went.
CE:D out
₍^. .^₎⟆
