Thursday, September 1st, 2016 Al Hollmer & C.C. Burnikel

Theme: Clecho Collection - the theme entries all have the same clue.

18A. Strike site : FRONT LINE. A military place you don't want to be when the artillery strikes come in. My Dad was a gunner in the Royal Artillery until he discovered he could earn an extra sixpence a week if he transferred to the Medical Corps. I don't think he factored in the reality that he'd be a lot closer to the other lot, and duly spent quite some time in North Africa and Burma dodging bullets (successfully, thank you, otherwise it'd be someone else writing this blog today).

27A. Strike site : BASEBALL PARK. Some more than others, depending on the pitcher. My local team of the moment, the Colorado Rockies, play at a mile high, so the pitch comes at you pretty fast, but there's not a lot of movement on the ball. If you connect, it's gone.

Yeah, that's gonna land somewhere in Broomfield!

47A. Strike site : BOWLING ALLEY. Not if it's me that's bowling. Suffice to say it's not my signature sport. Boomer's a lot more likely to be bowling strikes.

60A. Strike site : UNION SHOP. I wanted PICKET LINE until I ran out of squares.

Greetings (from Denver) today. Al is Spitzboov, one of the regular commenters on the blog if you missed his debut back in October. I'm not sure who this C.C. Burnikel character is though.

Neat theme, some Thursday-level cluing (wait for it .... SETS or ACTS? THIRD or TENTH?). Plenty of baseball and some long stacked downs to sense a C.C. presence too. Good job, people.

And ... let's see what else.

Across:

1. Stage segments : ACTS

5. Apiece : EACH

9. Fur fighters, initially : P.E.T.A. Let's have a little music courtesy of the closely-related Foo Fighters.

13. Revealed : BARED

15. Slushy treat : ICEE

16. Lumberjack : AXER. I think this is one of my least favorite crossword words. I've just never heard it or read it anywhere else. Maybe I just don't read "Logging Monthly" often enough.

17. "Lone Survivor" actor Hirsch : EMILE

20. LBJ, for one : DEM. Like the liberal Irishman, Dem O'Crat

21. Champs-Élysées sights : CAFÉS. It really is one of the great pleasures in life to sit out on the sidewalk in Paris with a coffee or an Ricard 75, or a beer, or all three, and people-watch. It's also fun to pretend to the waiter than you don't speak any French and watch his Parisian blood start to boil.

23. Shady garden denizen : HOSTA. They don't like a suntan.

24. Go through again : RE-LIVE

26. Counter alternatives : BOOTHS. Ah - at the diner! This was slow to come to me.

30. Signature scent since 1968 : ESTÉE

31. Place for an anvil : EAR. Because BLACKSMITH'S SHOP doesn't fit.

32. Works at Museo del Prado : ARTE

36. Sailor's pronoun : SHE. Thar she blows!

37. Company with a crocodile logo : LACOSTE. My friends and I often used to vacation in Turkey when I was in my twenties, and always bought knock-off polo shirts to bring home. We called them Low-Cost Lacoste.

41. Pitching stat : E.R.A.

42. Banks on some magazine covers : TYRA. Elle, Cosmopolitan, Vogue and I'm sure a bunch of others.

44. Golfer Woosnam : IAN. He's getting a little long in the tooth now, and is surely approaching the time when he'll politely decline the "previous winner" invitation from Augusta National for the Masters.

45. Spikes : LACES. Wha'? Oh - Mickey Finn. You don't want one of those in your drinks.

51. Insect that may live for 17 years : CICADA

54. Live-in helper : AU PAIR. I dated a Danish au pair in London in the late seventies. She was petite, blonde and pretty. She also drank pints of Tubörg and smoked a Meerschaum pipe with a lid. That caught some stares in the pubs of the time.

55. Psychologist May : ROLLO

56. Date bk. listings : APPTS

58. Peeples of "Walker, Texas Ranger" : NIA. Thank you, crosses.

62. Unspoiled spots : EDENS

64. Vikings' home: Abbr. : MINN. C.C.'s football team?

65. Opinion : TAKE. "My take on that is ..... [insert opinionated statement here]"

66. Mournful music : DIRGE

67. Get too much sun : BAKE. Had BURN, was wrong.

68. Hand-me-down : USED

69. It's often spoken with one hand at the edge of one's mouth : PSST!

Down:

1. Retired : A-BED. Here's one famous usage:

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

Henry V, Act IV Scene III, William Shakespeare

2. Resisting being taken? : CAMERA SHY. Squirrelly clue.

3. Academic term : TRIMESTER. One-third, basically.

4. Poivre's tablemate : SEL. I wonder if a French sailor is called a "Vieux sel"? Old salts should tell us.

5. Statue of Liberty architect : EIFFEL. The amazing Gustav. This is the statue being fabricated in a Paris suburb. I love this picture.

6. One of 640 in a square mile : ACRE

7. Top suits : CEO'S

8. Tom's mate : HEN. Now we're talking turkey, forget the cheap polo shirts from Turkey.

9. Lummox : PALOOKA

10. Live and breathe : EXIST

11. Mahler's last symphony : TENTH

12. Fields : AREAS

14. Loudness measure : DECIBEL

19. God with a hammer : THOR. Not sure what the dB rating of the hammering was, but I'm sure it had the neighbors yelling "Do you know what time it is?".

22. Co-star of Burt in "The Killers" : AVA

25. Author Harper : LEE

26. D.C. : Metro :: S.F. : __ : B.A.R.T. Bay Area Rapid Transport acronym. METRO is an acronym for .... hmmm, what? The idea nonpareil (see what I did there?) from the Corner wins the Internet.

27. Nonpareil : BEST

28. Téa of "Madam Secretary" : LEONI

29. Strasbourg step : PAS. E.g. pas de deux, two step.

33. They're often found in dens : RECLINERS. My last fill; a couple of tricky crosses left some vital squares blank. Very nice.

34. Forest age indicators : TREE RINGS

35. "Duck soup!" : EASY

38. Electronics brand relaunched in 2015 : AIWA

39. 19-time All-Star Ripken : CAL

40. Went by : ELAPSED

43. Rock-clinging mollusk : ABALONE

46. __ carte : A LA

48. Have too much, briefly : O.D. ON

49. Took a snooze : NAPPED. I know this is a word, but it looks so odd when it is spelled/spelt out.

50. Inner, as a feeling : GUT

51. Bit of Hansel's trail : CRUMB

52. Land of ancient Asia Minor : IONIA. More Turkey! A very hidden theme is emerging!

53. Toast-making sound : CLINK. Not the sound of the toaster popping up your bread. We need a sniglet for that, because it's such a happy thing. Cheers, Tinbeni!

56. Cries of discovery : AHAS

57. Elbow : POKE

59. "I'd hate to break up __" : A SET. Really? Then why don't you just go away and find someone else to annoy?

61. Good name for a cook? : STU

63. Guacamole, e.g. : DIP

That's probably enough from me today. 'Til we meet again - heeeere's the grid.

Steve

Anon T to Jerome:

Wednesday, October 28, 2015 Al Hollmer and C. C. Burnikel

Theme: ON THE BEACH.  The first word of common two-word phrases is, as we shall see, also the name of a specific U. S. BEACH.

Today's Theme Song

17 A. Dodge Chargers, e.g. : MUSCLE CARS.  These are American made high-powered two door vehicles that not only look the part, but perform it as well. 

Quickest and fastest

MUSCLE BEACH, located at the south side of Santa Monica Pier, is known for its gymnastics and physical fitness activities.

Get fit or go home

25 A. Hyundai's home : SOUTH KOREA.  The country of origin for this vehicle.  At this point you might think we had an auto-related theme, but it was not to be.  

Yes, I like red cars

SOUTH BEACH is a major entertainment destination, high rent district and jet set playground on Florida's Atlantic coast near Miami.

Top tourist attraction

35 A. Warm underwear : LONG JOHNS.  Full body underclothing.

Some features are optional

LONG BEACH Is a city in Los Angeles County, CA.  Can anyone figure out why it is so named?

Maybe Short Beach was already taken

49 A. Easter season feast : PALM SUNDAY.   This is a moveable feast falling the Sunday before Easter and marking the beginning of Holy Week.  It celebrates the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem on a donkey, symbolizing peace.

Pietro Lorenzetti (1320)

PALM BEACH is the easternmost town in FLA, located on a 16 mile long barrier island.  

Yes, there is sand

And the unifier -- 60 A. Shindig by the shore, and a hint to the starts of 17-, 25-, 35- and 49-Across : BEACH PARTY.

Frankie and Annette

Hi gang, Jazzbumpa here, playing life guard today.  Happy to have the unifier, since I was asea without it.  Interesting entry by our fearless leader, along with long-time Corner regular and nautical expert, Al, aka Spitzboov.  Congrats on your first puzzle, Al!  Now, let's all have a stroll along the BEACH, get some sand between our toes, and see if we can avoid getting it in other places.

Across

1. Political statistician Silver : NATE.  He almost always gets it right.

5. Sell for : COST.  What does it COST to buy?

9. Learn : HEAR.  I've HEARD of this.

13. Lacking company : ALONE.  All by myself.

15. "__ way!" : ATTA.  Usually boy or girl.  Here, it's gender neutral.

16. Indian mausoleum city : AGRA.  Home of the structure that I thought was called the Tajma Hall when I was a kid.

Marble mausoleum for a favorite wife

19. Doesn't keep : ROTS.  Decays due to the action of bacteria and fungi.

20. Rescue squad pro : EMT.  Emergency Medical Technician.

21. Gerald of Tara : O'HARA.  Lord of the manor, and father of Scarlett and her sisters.

22. Vision-related : OPTIC.  I see.

23. Take __ the waist : IN AT.  Alter an article of apparel for a better fit.  Sadly, I'd be giving the opposite instruction.

27. House of Henry VIII : TUDOR.  British royalty.

29. Camera named for a Greek goddess : EOS.  Cannon product, and the Goddess of dawn.

30. One of the Canaries: Abbr. : ISLand.

31. Cyber Monday events : SALES. But at what COST?

33. Previously : AGO. Once upon a time

34. Backs (out) : OPTS.  Makes a choice from a range of possibilities.

38. Edges : RIMS.  Of craters or drinking vessels.

41. Notre Dame's Parseghian : ARA.  Under his guidance, they won national football championships in 1966 and 1973.

42. Had a bug : AILED.  

45. Dashboard Confessional rock genre : EMO.   As in EMOtional.

46. Painter's deg. : MFA.  Master of Fine Arts.

47. Root beer brand : HIRES.  Once a triumph of marketing, it is now unavailable in Canada and has limited availability in the U. S., since its current owner, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, also owns A&W.

54. 1492 caravel : NINA.   One of Christopher Columbus's ships.

55. "Peace out, Pablo!" : ADIOS.  B-Bye, guy.

56. Like ham in some omelets : DICED.  Cut into little cubes.

58. Little one : TOT.   Small child.

59. Future flower : SEED.   If plants had TOTs  .  .  .

62. Run out of steam : TIRE.   Get worn out.

63. Smallest of the litter : RUNT.  

64. Derisive look : SNEER.

Grey character

65. Rose support : STEM.  Thorny appendage.

66. Rich rocks : ORES.

67. Root beer brand : DAD'S.   Not to be confused with this:

Popular brew, but I'm not a fan

Down

1. "Whatever you want" : NAME IT.    We aim to please

2. Fund-raising target : ALUMNUS.   One who graduated from a school.

3. Food truck order : TOSTADA.  Food item based on a fried or toasted flat or bowl shaped tortilla.

4. Wedding RSVP card, e.g. : ENClosure.

5. Chocoholic's favorite tree? : CACAO.   Source of cocoa beans.

6. Hokkaido seaport : OTARU.  On the west coast of Japan's northernmost island.

7. Battlefield board game : STRATEGO.

The object of the game is to win

8. Prof's aides : TAS.  Teaching Assistants

9. Marx playing with strings : HARPO.   You weren't think of Karl, were you?

Not put off by the SNEER

10. Narcissistic indulgence : EGO TRIP.   I like me.  Who do you like?

11. Most pretentious : ARTIEST.   Not necessarily the craftiest.

12. Imps : RASCALS.  Trouble makers.

14. Gp. with the album "Secret Messages" : ELO.  Electric Light Orchestra.

18. Uncertain responses : EHS.  Hmmmm  .  .  .

22. Signs off on : OKS.  

24. Trucker's expense : TOLLS.   The PA Turnpike is very expensive.

26. To-do : HOOHA.  This word has other meanings.

28. Stutz contemporary : REO.   Harry C. Stutz and Ransom E. Olds, makers of classic cars.

32. Huge mess : SNAFU.  Situation Normal - All Fouled Up.

33. 1977 Steely Dan album : AJA.  Pronounced Ayzha.  I hadn't thought about this album in years, and it shows up 2 days in a row.  Odd.   [8 min. title track vid]

34. Country singer K.T. : OSLIN.   No idea.

36. Awesome quality, as of mountains : GRANDEUR.   Purple mountains majesty.

37. Bethesda-based medical research org. : NIH.   National Institutes of Health.

38. Lunches and brunches : REPASTS.  Meals.  This is a word with Latin roots whose use has been in decline for 200 years.

39. Cry of success : I MADE IT.

40. "Tartuffe" playwright : MOLIERE.  I know him from The Bourgeois Gentleman.

43. Horn of Africa nation : ERITREA.   The horn is a projection along the east coast.  ERITREA is on the northern edge, between Sudan and Ethiopia.

44. Signified : DENOTED.

46. Submissions to eds. : MSS.  Manuscripts.

48. Nymph chasers : SATYRS.

Caught

50. Data transmitter : MODEM.   Modulator-demodulator.

51. "Cheers" waitress : DIANE.

Played by the cute but rather annoying Shelly Long

52. Savings and checking: Abbr. : ACCTS.  Accounts.

53. Slangy affirmative : YEH.   Yep, Uh-huh.

57. Around-the-horn MLB plays : DPS.  Double Plays.  Baseball, of course.  The World Series is now under way.  This is the first time that neither qualifying team was in existence in 1903, the year of the first World Series.

60. Good bud : BRO.

61. "Wait, there's more" : AND.  But, there isn't any more.  We've run out of beach.

OK, kids - time to shake the sand out of our shoes and call it a day. Hope nothing here was out of your depth.  I'm a little disappointed we didn't have jellyfish nor sharks, but I won't carp about it. And with that, I'll wave good-bye.

Cool regards!
JzB

Notes from C.C.:

As Jazzbumpa mentioned earlier, this is Spitzboov's debut. So pleased to have RASCALS in the grid, since Spitzboov = Rascal. Al is a fast learner, super efficient and fun to work with.

Rich revised our grid a bit. We had DEPARTS in 36D. Rich changed it to REPASTS, as DEPARTS shares a root with PARTY. Thanks for catching it (and my other various errors), Rich!

Spitzboov & his lovely wife Betty, US Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT,
August 2012