Theme: Words of Support.
17 Across. Words of support from an abacus?: YOU CAN COUNT ON ME.
29 Across. Words of support from a rideshare driver?: I'M HERE FOR YOU.
45 Across. Words of support from a crossbody bag?: I'M ON YOUR SIDE.
No!
Yes!
57 Across. Words of support from a broken elevator?: I WON'T LET YOU DOWN.
How the elevator got broken...
CE:D here, filling in. I don't know why all my cartoons seem so down in this fun, uplifting puzzle. Maybe because it's Monday... Hurry back NaomiZ! We need you to cheer us up!
Onward!
1. Game, __, match: SET.
4. Piece of cake: CINCH. Or, easy as pie! Use Granny Smiths!
9. Granny Smith, for one: APPLE.
14. The "A" of ETA: Abbr.: ARR. (Estimated Time of Arrival.)
15. Spanish form of Paul: PABLO.
16. "Get out of town!": NO WAY.
17. [Theme.]
20. Brainstorming outputs: IDEAS.
21. Epitome of slowness: SNAIL. Not Sloth?
22. Six years for a U.S. Senator, e.g.: TERM.
23. __ Arabia: SAUDI.
25. Pre-K basics: ABCS.
29. [Theme.]
32. Santa __, California: ANA.
35. Used a pair of sculls, say: OARED. More info here...
36. Chutzpah: NERVE.
37. Out that gets a runner home, for short: SAC FLY. Sacrifice Fly Ball.
39. Like some evening gowns: BEADED.
$991.00???
40. Invoice amount: TOTAL. (See above...)41. Rebuff: SPURN.
44. Sault __ Marie: STE. Oldest city in Michigan. Home of the Soo locks. More info here.
45. [Theme.]
48. Orange skin: RIND. (I wanted peel...)
49. Madrid museum: PRADO.
50. Quick inhalation: GASP.
54. Not united: APART.
56. Prefix with -lithic: PALEO.
57. [Theme.]
62. Around, in dates: CIRCA.
63. Phone notification: ALERT.
64. Tasseled hat that shares a name with a Moroccan city: FEZ.
Quite honestly, as a style choice, I just don't think it looks good on anybody.
(Unless your a Stoat.)
65. Leg joints: KNEES.66. Smallest possible: LEAST.
67. Swim-bike-run race, informally: TRI. As such a long grueling race, why such a short name?
Down:
1. "Tell me already!": SAY IT.
2. Slowly wear away: ERODE.
3. More accurate: TRUER.
4. Pros who are busy in Apr.: CPAS. Certified Public Accountants.
5. Actor McKellen: IAN.
The one and only...
6. "SNL" TV network: NBC. Saturday Night Live/National Broadcasting Company.
Would you believe? A young Gandalf?
7. Sense of finality that may be needed after a breakup: CLOSURE. Hmm, after every breakup, I needed stitches...
8. Pursued doggedly: HOUNDED.
Musical interlude...
Would you believe, after all these years, the paper today said Frank Sinatra was disgusted by Elvis' dance moves... Jeez man, let it go...
9. Against: ANTI.10. Location that may have "No running" and "No diving" signs: POOL AREA. Hmm, Monday clueing. I guess Wednesday would be no glass bottle area, and Friday would be "place to get a cue..."
11. Dominate, in gaming slang: PWN. (Pawn.) very grey area, could go on and on, (don't ask about teabagging...)
12. Go on the __: get out of town: LAM.
13. Organ with a retina: EYE.
18. Top that's useful in layering, for short: CAMI.
This is what happens when you spend too many hours doing crossword reviews...
19. Innocent one: NAIF. (Nope, I'm guilty..)
23. Mitchell of "Pretty Little Liars": SHAY.
24. __ Lingus: Irish carrier: AER.
26. "Turn! Turn! Turn!" band, with "The": BYRDS.
27. Desire: COVET.
28. Fuzzy fabric: SUEDE. When Michael Caine became famous, he was approached by John Wayne with some advice, I'll let Michael explain it...
When you're a star, don't wear suede shoes!
30. "Pretty in Pink" star Ringwald: MOLLY.
31. Sticking straight up, as hair: ON END.
32. Up and about: ASTIR. An A word! Tell me, when did you last use this word!
33. Two-time Australian Open winner Osaka: NAOMI.
34. Follow, as a hunch: ACT ON.
38. Burlesque performance: FAN DANCE.
Due to complaints about pics degrading Women,
We are forced to downgrade the fan dance video...
39. Spirit: BRIO. It helps to know Italian...
41. Inexplicably weird: SURREAL.
42. Natter (on): PRATTLE.
43. Amer. capital: USD. U.S. Dollar.
46. Iridescent gem: OPAL.
47. "Good lord!": EGAD.
51. In midair: ALOFT.
52. Underground waste line: SEWER.
53. __ scheme: PONZI.
55. School support orgs.: PTAS. (If I need to explain PTA's, you need to go back to school...)
56. Golf stroke near the hole: PUTT.
57. "How nasty": ICK.
58. Take first prize: WIN.
59. Mine lode: ORE.
60. Pro vote: YEA.
61. Surgery ctrs.: ORS. Operating Rooms.
The Grid.
*Just an Easter Egg for The Big Bang theory fans. Note: that when Leonard runs out with the smoking rocket fuel, Sheldon takes time to turn the refrigerator magnet upside down. It is explained in an earlier episode that Sheldon is obsessed with Flags. So much so that he created a Flag for the Apartment. A yellow lion on a field of blue. He turns the flag upside down as a sign that the apartment is in distress...Oh! I almost forgot!
How the show ended 8 years later....
26d birds b/4 byrds, can't remember if it was a fat fingered typo, or a brain fart...
32d up and about, awake before astir. Yes it was a rude awakening for a Monday...
44a soo b/4 ste, not quite awake yet, and old crosswords were seeping into my memory...
48a peel b/4 rind, reminds me why I gave up oranges for breakfast before having coffee...
60d pro vote, yes b/4 yea (it was my 66a least of my problems...)
And finally, since The Devil Wears Prada 2 recently came out, I put an A at the crossing of Prado and Brio... (there are more Naticks in Europe than in Connecticut...)
Anywho, please leave some uplifting words in the comments. We all need them on a Monday...
CE:D out...
₍^ >⩊< ^₎Ⳋ
It felt like a typical
ReplyDeleteMonday-easy puzzle to me. So I don’t have much to say about it, except
FIR, so I’m happy.
FIR, but pool deck->POOL AREA.
ReplyDeleteOARED will forever seem awkward to me.
Because my RV is in a forested area I can't get DirecTV's signal. And my over-the-air antenna on top of the RV is on the fritz. I bought an indoor antenna that isn't good enough to get the local NBC affiliate, but it pulls in CBS just fine. Because of that I was unable to watch the historic comeback by the American golf team as they defeated the rest of the world (except Britian) in the President's Cup. But I was able to watch as my Cowboys bungled their way to a last-second loss to the Ravens in Rio de Janeiro. Phooey.
Thanks to Vu for the fun, easy Monday exercise. And thanks to CED for ably filling in.
Good morning!
ReplyDeleteI'm with Jinx when it comes to OARED. Naomi missed her own SO today. I'd forgotten that the BYRDS spelled it with a Y. I wonder if that was the inspiration for Lynyrd Skynyrd. Simple them, easy puzzle, but hey, it's Monday. Thanx, VU. Great subbing job, CE:D. (Methinks people say ASTIR much more often than they say COVET -- except maybe Texas school kids who have to see it every day on the classroom wall.)
Hello Desper-otto / I didn't understand what you meant about the Texas school kids - could you please explain?
DeleteThank you
LACW Addict, the great state of Texas, in its infinite wisdom, has legislated that all public schools must prominently display the ten commandments in all classrooms.
DeleteJinx in Norfolk, If you have cell service with the hot spot feature and a smart TV, you can stream the game.
ReplyDeleteMonday manageable for the puzzle; Saturday super for the review. Loved the Michael Caine and BBT videos, cartoons, et al. Thx CE:D.
ReplyDeleteTook 3:46 today to befriend this one.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know the Actress of the Shay, and I found the gaming slang (pwn) to be "ick".
FIR. I really disliked pwn at 11D. I've never heard of the phrase, or whatever it is, and I believe many would agree.
ReplyDeleteBut beyond that this was an easy Monday presentation. Everything was pretty straightforward.
I liked the theme and thought it somewhat appropriate for a Monday.
Overall an enjoyable puzzle.
Good Morning:
ReplyDeleteI liked the theme very much and thought it was well-executed. I thought some of the cluing and fill was above Monday level but perps were generous, so no problems. It was a pleasant start to the week.
Thanks, HKV, and thanks, CED, for a great review and commentary. The Elvis clip, the Michael Caine interview, and TBBT highlights were all enjoyable. Your comics brought some smiles, too, especially the Fez kitty! Nicely done, Dave, Naomi would be proud!
Have a great day.
In spite of not knowing SACFLY, SHAY, and PWN, this CW was a CINCH. I also enjoyed the theme, so an uplifting Monday morning.
ReplyDeleteAlthough we miss Naomi, you’re doing great CED. I enjoyed your cartoons and The Big Bang Theory videos. I miss those characters.
Yea, I was debating whether to delve into PWN, it's not for the crossword crowd. It's really something gamers do. Short for "pawn", it is to own another player...
ReplyDeleteThat's why I made the "teabagging" comment.
it's not something you really want to learn about...
Reminds me of years ago, I posted something that said "dont click on it," as a joke, and this one lady did, she she came on the Blog and yelled at me. Terribly upset she vowed never to return... so whatever you do, don't be tempted to look up "teabagging..."