Saturday, December 8, 2018, C.C. Burnikel

Themeless Saturday Puzzle by C.C. Burnikel

December 8 is Be A Time Traveler Day. Most would first think of Back To The Future for a reference but for me, I think of a little movie called Peggy Sue Got Married. 

While Marty was delivered to his parents' high school days by Doc Brown's Delorean he was forbidden to do anything that might effect the "time-space continuum". However, Peggy Sue passed out at a class reunion and traveled back to her adolescence and wound up as an actual participant in her own high school days. 

That is the one time of my life I would like to have a "do over". Peggy Sue knew how the blowhards, science geeks, et al turned out and she got to interact with them with an adult perspective. Wouldn't you like another shot?

I could also have picked to be at Ford's Theater the night of April 14, 1865... 

Our blog mistress and puzzle master has provided us with a lovely weekend diversion. Her triple stacks of 11's in the NE and SW corner and layers of triple 8's in the NW and SE were wonderful.  She never fails to amaze but NE corner took me quite a lot of time.

Here she is at the Treasure Island Casino and Bowling Lanes where Boomer was in a tournament. I'm sure she was there to support Boomer's competitive bowling  just as she is now supporting him with his health issues.

Those flowers make me long for spring which is still quite a ways away. Sigh...

Now lets see what our maven from Minneapolis has for us today.

Across:

1. Top that turns: SCREW CAP - An eponymous John Mason Jar who pioneered the SCREW CAP jar in the 1850's

9. Fictional brother with a green hat: LUIGI - Mario's sibling. How does a girl from China know this stuff?

14. Like some snowsuits: ONE PIECE.

15. Lacks the wherewithal to: CAN NOT 

16. Vacant, as positions: UNFILLED - When substitute teaching jobs go UNFILLED, the staff has to take those classes during the times they are not scheduled with kids. 

17. Sets free: LOOSES - "He has LOOSED the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword"

18. General who's the subject of the 2012 biography "All In": PETRAEUS - An affair with his co-biographer Paula Broadwell led to a series of events that forced him to resign as the head of the CIA. Did he 24. State (verb) secrets: BLAB to her?

20. Org. whose employees may have to lift 70-lb. bags: TSA - Handling heavy baggage and surly customers all day is not my idea of a ideal job.

21. Country star at age 13: RIMES - LeAnn was the little girl with the big voice

25. "Va-va-__!": VOOM - A catchphrase for Ed Norton on The Honeymooners

26. "You got that right!": AMEN.

27. Puck, say: DISC  - How 'bout shooting that DISC for big money

46. 1983 Mr. T comedy: D.C. CAB - Is that Mr. T wearing the hockey jersey above with his name on the back? 

28. Bouquet __: GARNI - Literally garnished bouquet - "A bunch of herbs typically encased in a cheesecloth bag, used for flavoring a stew or soup"

29. Resting place: BED - Our Lily's perch, scratch pad, bird lookout and sometimes BED

30. Raymond James Stadium pro: BUC - Tampa Bay BUCaneers of the NFL

31. Some stingers: HORNETS - Their sting might necessitate using an 4. Camp nurse's item: EPIPEN (EPI nehprin PEN)

33. Took off, slangily: BAILED - BAILED out of a perfectly good airplane

35. Nice, for one: RESORT - I assume all 25 of these things are, uh, nice

36. Holy smoke: INCENSE - Fun clue! This smell seems acrid to me

38. Lines of thought?: Abbr.: EEG.

39. Long on-screen: NIA - Perhaps best known as Will's girlfriend in Fresh Prince

40. Feature: TRAIT - My kids hate it when they detect a TRAIT of my wife or me in their behavior

41. Hits hard: RAMS.

43. Bad thing to catch: FLAK - "Oh, getting too close to the truth!"

44. Mirror image: SELF.

45. Have trouble with chess?: LISP - We Big Bang fans immediately think of Kripke 

46. "There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact" author: DOYLE - Prepare for a 3 minute blizzard of deductive reasoning by DOYLE's Sherlock Holmes

47. Gain competitor: FAB - Laundry detergents

48. Frequent Robert De Niro co-star: JOE PESCI - Google the pen scene from Casino if you don't mind graphic violence

50. Bar supply: OLIVES.

52. Portrayer of Nero in "Star Trek" (2009): ERIC BANA - If you're interested

56. Skateboard moves: OLLIES  - No skateboard? No problem. Ollie on your friend  

57. Bright lipstick color: CORAL RED.

58. President who had 15 children: TYLER - Tyler men had children late in life. President Tyler fathered Lyon when he was 63 and Lyon had Lyon Jr. when he was 71 and Harrison when he was 75. As of 2017, both Lyon Jr. and Harrison survived over 200 years after  their grandfather President John was born.

59. Subarus named for a NYC area: TRIBECAS - TRIangle BElow CAnal St. in NYC and yet another look-alike car of today


Down:

1. Measly amount: SOU - French coins of little value when minted

2. Jake Tapper's channel: CNN.

3. Court official: REF - This show-boating REF is emphatically calling blocking  

5. Cunning: WILES - 28. Maddux in Cooperstown: GREG was a Hall Of Fame pitcher who survived on his WILES, not his fastball that was 10 mph slower than the one that most have today.

6. Gael or Breton: CELT.

7. Tart: ACERBIC

8. Piano trio: PEDALS - What the PEDALS do

9. The elephant is its national animal: LAOS - Seems right

10. Game with a colorful deck: UNO.

11. Marketing limitation: IN-STORE ONLY  - One way to get 'em off the computer and into your brick and mortar facility 

12. Faces a jury: GOES ON TRIAL 

13. Alleged perp's denial: IT'S A MISTAKE - The San Quentin Theme Song

15. Driver, e.g.: CLUB - Even in this 100-yr-old hickory set, the driver is the biggest CLUB

19. Pricing word: EACH - "Oh my word! I thought that was per dozen!"

21. Furry talisman: RABBIT'S FOOT.

22. "Seriously?!": I MEAN REALLY, did you think I'd fall for that?

23. Insurance may cover one: MEDICAL BILL - BC/BS Medicare has me covered!

25. Handymen's transports: VANS  - Ya gotta love this one!

27. Lemons: DUDS.

30. Like paper clips: BENT.

32. Valuable rocks: ORES and 37. Lake in four states and Canada: ERIE - Two cwd stalwarts

34. First name in early exploring: LEIF - Christopher who?

38. Chinese ruler until 1912: EMPEROR - China's last EMPEROR was Pyui who was overthrown and Sun Yet-sen was installed as the provisional president of the new Republic Of China 

42. Facet: ASPECT.

43. Minor flaw: FOIBLE - All mine seem to be fairly major

45. Perfect season spoiler: LOSS - The New England Patriots went 18 - 1 in the 2007 season and their only loss was in the Super Bowl by this highly improbable finish!

48. Raspberry: JEER.

49. Multilingual assistant: SIRI - She demands precise language

51. Compete: VIE.

53. Parabolic path: ARC - The ARC of a home run Mickey Mantle hit in 1960 over the right field roof in Detroit. The landing spot was found and measured to be 643' and is listed by Guinness as the longest homer in MLB regular season history.

54. "Read Across America" org.: NEA - I see the next day for this National Education Association event  is Saturday, March 2, 2019 and I will mention that on my blog that day (If C.C. let's me keep blogging!)

55. Showstoppers?: ADS - For $9/month I get an incredible selection of options and no TV ADS with Netflix!

Now let's look to the future, not the past and carry on a conversation about C.C.'s offering today:

Note from C.C.:

Happy birthday to dear Jazzbumpa (Ron), our cool Wednesday guide. Ron never fails to entertain us with his humor and wits. He and I worked a few puzzles in the past, and I know how much time and attention he gave to each clue, always trying to amuse and tickle.

Tuesday, December 4, 2018 Agnes Davidson & C.C. Burnikel

Humerus Homophones

16. Hesitation from Sylvester?: CAT'S PAUSE. Sylvester the cat.  "Sufferin' succotash!"  Cats Paws.

20. Accomplishment by Porky?: PIG'S FEAT. Porky Pig.  Pigs Feet.

37. Affirmative from Tony?: TIGER'S AYE.  Tony the Tiger. “They're grrrrrreat!”   Tiger's Eye.

59. Story from Remy?: RAT'S TALE.  Remy the rat.  Rats Tail.   Remy was the star of the Disney Pixar animated film Ratatouille.

63. Water source for Simba?: LION'S MAIN. Simba the lion.  Lion's Mane.


    If my count is correct, this is the  18th  LA Times crossword puzzle by this duo !     “They're grrrrrreat!”



Across:

1. Fights (for): VIES.

5. "Whip It" rock band: DEVO.  "When a problem comes along, you must whip it."

9. __-slapper: funny joke: KNEE.    A guy saves a frog from a forest fire. The frog turns out to be a magical frog, and is very grateful to the man for having saved its life. So the frog offers to grant him three wishes. The man says, “Great. So I want: 1. Lifelong access to any cinema, 2. I want to be 10 years younger and 3. I want a highway that goes straight from here to Hawaii. “I’m happy to help you but the third wish is really difficult. You'll have to wish for something else instead of that third wish,” says the frog. “OK,” agrees the man reluctantly, “in that case I’d like to finally understand women.” - The frog looks at him for a while: “And should the highway be a three-lane or a four-lane one?”!

13. On the road: AWAY.

14. Biblical paradise: EDEN.

15. Dr. Hahn on "Grey's Anatomy": ERICA. Dr. Erica Hahn at FANDOM

18. Center of activity: LOCUS.
   Merriam-Webster Definition # 1
       a : the place where something is situated or occurs
       b : a center of activity, attention, or concentration

19. Fireplace receptacle: ASH CAN.

22. Former Fox TV series set in Newport Beach: THE O.C.    Originally aired 2003-2006.    "A slick hit about a troubled L.A. teen taken in by an idealistic lawyer and his family in affluent Orange County. The series filled the youth-soap hole left by the departed '90210,' but quickly proved itself far more gritty---and witty. In addition, early plots set up an appealing balance between the kids and grown-ups, who were portrayed as real people with real problems, instead of sounding boards for the unblemished Romeos and Juliets." - Rotten Tomatoes. 

23. Curly cabbage: KALE.

24. Minor flap: TO DO.   I started w/ Tiff

25. Ringing organ, at times: EAR.  Tinnitus - Understanding the Facts

26. Detergent brand: ERA. 

28. '60s hallucinogen: LSD.

 16 Interesting Facts About LSD

30. Pierre's negative: NON.

31. Near-failing mark: DEE.

33. Reach its destination, as a trip: END.

35. Slim candle: TAPER.

40. Royal crown: TIARA.

42. Slim fish: EEL.

43. Tech sch. near Albany, N.Y.: RPI.  Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.   The first civil engineering degrees in the United States were granted by the school in 1835.  CSO to Spitzboov and Irish Miss !

46. Win, place or show: BET.

47. Seasonal shelf sitter: ELF.   The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition

49. __ moment's notice: AT A.

51. Curved shape: ARC.

53. "Frozen" sister: ELSA.  And 68A. "Frozen" reindeer: SVEN.

55. Charged particles: IONS.

57. One of Crayola's hundreds: COLOR.  120 current colors.  50 have been retired through the years.

61. Greek goddess of wisdom: ATHENA. "She's just a girl, she's a bomb"



62. "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" musical: EVITA.

65. Fainthearted: TIMID.

66. Fairy tale heavy: OGRE.

67. Out of the wind: ALEE.

69. "That was close!": WHEW.

70. Scottish monster's loch: NESS.

Down:

1. Obey an eviction notice: VACATE.

2. "He scammed me!": I WAS HAD.

3. Neon diner sign: EAT HERE.  OK, this is a billboard rather than a neon sign...

Buc-ee's Advertising

4. Food service giant: SYSCO.  Headquartered in Houston, Sysco is the global leader in distributing food products to restaurants, healthcare, and educational, and hospitality locations.

5. College faculty head: DEAN.

6. End of a professor's URL: EDU.

7. Italian scooter: VESPA.  Mike Wolfe of American Pickers tends to go gaga and to extremes when he finds one.


8. Playwright Eugene: O'NEILL.

9. Emmy winner Steve of "60 Minutes": KROFT.
      9-time Emmy Award winner including a Lifetime Achievement Emmy in 2003
      3-time Peabody Award winner

10. "Good shot!": NICE ONE.

11. Quito's country: ECUADOR.  Quick !  What's their currency ?

12. Crayola Factory's Pennsylvania home: EASTON.  Now known as The Crayola Experience

Crayola.com

15. Trains over the street: ELS.   NYC's EL lines are alphabet coded.  Chicago's EL lines are color coded, and reflecting the difference, you might hear Chicago commuters riders singing NO L in December.

17. Running rate: PACE.

21. Unified whole, in psychology: GESTALT.  "...the whole of anything is greater than its parts."

23. Film title "Citizen": KANE.

27. Trappings of royalty: REGALIA.

29. One of a calendar septet: DAY.

32. Incoming flight info: ETA.

34. "The Chronic" rapper, familiarly: DRE.   Dr. Dre, formally.  DRE is short for Digital Rectal Examination.

36. Each: PER.

38. Rage: IRE.

39. Red and Yellow: SEAS.

40. Israeli port on the Mediterranean: TEL AVIV.

lonely planet - Tel Aviv

41. "The hour has arrived": IT'S TIME.

44. Brewpub draft: PALE ALE.

45. Unexpected turns of events: IRONIES.

46. Special Forces headgear: BERETS.

48. Abide by: FOLLOW.

50. Plays a part: ACTS.

52. Construction site sights: CRANES.


54. "The Lord of the Rings" actor Sean: ASTIN.

56. Horse's mouthful?: NEIGH.

58. "Not again!": OH MAN.

60. Smidgen: TAD.

61. From the top: ANEW.

64. Portland's st.: ORE.

Thursday November 29th 2018 C.C. Burnikel

Theme: Codology - I go to my Irish roots with the informal word for "an act of bluffing or deception." Here C.C. gives us six genuine "-ologies" each with an alternate definition. How many of those six did you know the genuine one? I scored three for sure, and one roughly-maybe.

16A. Study of a portentous woodchuck?: PHILOLOGY. Study of languages in oral and written historical context. Phil as in Punxsutawney Phil and his Groundhog Day winter prediction. I didn't know that a woodchuck was a groundhog, or vice-versa. Now I'll never forget.

23A. Study of tears?: CRYOLOGY. The study of snow and ice, or refrigeration. And bawling, like I do every time I watch "Ghost".

51A. Study of common articles?: THEOLOGY. Nature of God and religious belief. Or The Study of "the", per C.C.

62A. Study of hiking choices?: PATHOLOGY. The cause and effect of diseases.

9D. Study of literary tools?: PENOLOGY. I thought this one might be a bit of the old codology - but, it's the study of punishment of crime and prison management.

38D. Study of lids and caps?: TOPOLOGY. The study of a particular place. It has a special meaning in mathematics, the definition of which I understand about as well as I understand Tibetan:

"... a branch of mathematics concerned with those properties of geometric configurations (such as point sets) which are unaltered by elastic deformations (such as a stretching or a twisting) that are homeomorphisms ..."

Thanks to C.C. for this puzzle, and for bailing me out last week with the blog, I completely forgot that it was Thursday, hence the need for a last-minute pinch-hit. It's amazing what she does to keep us all on track.

Back on the subject of Irish codology, you might like to spend a few minutes enjoying Flann O'Brien's physics lesson.

Across:

1. Goat quote: MAA. Tried BAA. Failed.

4. Monorail users: TRAMS

9. Driving range instructors: PROS. Golf ones. Mine was an LPGA tour pro and she could hit the ball a country mile. I couldn't.

13. Central cooling systs.: A/CS

14. Kick: OOMPH

15. She converted to Judaism after marrying her comedy partner: MEARA. Anne Meara and Jerry Stiller.

18. Opposition group: ANTIS

19. Submits returns online: E-FILES

20. Prevents legally: ENJOINS

22. Hoppy brew, for short: IPA. India Pale Ale, as we should all know by now.

24. Humanities maj.: SOC. Sociology. Didn't make the grade as one of C.C.'s themers, so abbreviated and relegated to the fill.

26. Dash gauge: TACH. Tachometer. Rev counter to me.

29. Slovenia neighbor, to the IOC: CRO. Croatia, as abbrevated by the International Olympic Committee.

30. Player of The Bride in "Kill Bill" films, familiarly: UMA. Ms. Thurman, less familiarly. Here she is about to have her breastplate pierced by a hypodermic administered with "a stabbing motion" by John Travolta in Pulp Fiction:

31. Made a blunder: ERRED

33. Take suddenly: GRAB

37. Small store: MART

39. Fuzzy fruit: KIWIS

41. Exercise in a studio: YOGA

42. Android operating system named for a cookie: OREO

43. Trusty mount: STEED

45. Shaving cream type: GEL

46. "American Experience" network: PBS

49. Bart's bus driver: OTTO

50. Draw upon: USE

55. That woman: SHE

57. Echo Dot-waking words: HI ALEXA! Siri on my phone never seems to understand me. I wonder if Alexa would do a better job.

58. Cornell's home: ITHACA

61. Others, in Cuba: OTROS

65. Tells all: SINGS

66. "At the Movies" co-host: EBERT. In 1975, he became the first film critic to win the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.

67. Shepherd's pie piece: PEA. Mmmm, Food! When I cook lamb shanks, I add an extra one to the pot especially for turning into shepherd's pie. If someone serves you a "shepherd's pie" made with ground beef, you can look disdainfully at the plate and point out that it's a cottage pie.

68. Craftsy website: ETSY

69. Brother in Roman lore: REMUS. He and Romulus had a rocky relationship. Or maybe that should be a hilly relationship.

70. Give a darn: SEW. Nice!

Down:

1. It may have an "X": MAP. I wondered why a BAP would have an X? I went on a wild ride of imagination, as a bap in parts of the UK is a colloquial name for a type of bread roll. Then the BAA/MAA penny dropped. What do you do with a bap? Make a "chip butty" of course:

2. Physical discomfort: ACHE

3. "Whatever!": AS IF I CARE! These entries can be the devil to parse, this one no exception.

4. "Missed your chance!": TOO LATE!

5. Romeo or Juliet: ROLE

6. "A Sorta Fairytale" singer Tori: AMOS. I was going to link the video on YouTube but it's a little weird.

7. New car stat: MPG

8. More timid: SHYER

10. 7:11, e.g.: RATIO. Because "Convenience Store" doesn't fit.

11. Circular gasket: O-RING

12. Impertinent: SASSY

15. The Masters, e.g.: MAJOR. By tradition, professional golf's first major of the year. It's the only major which is an invitational tournament, and is always played over the same course - Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. The course was laid in the 1930's on an old flower nursery. The scenery is stunning.

17. Carmex target: LIP. I use this magic stuff I get OTC in England called Zovirax, I think it's only available on Rx here.

21. MoMA location: NYC. The Museum of Modern Art in New York. There's a fabulous restaurant in the atrium.

23. Puppy plaything: CHEW TOY

24. Heavyweight fight?: SUMO

25. "Rubáiyát" poet: OMAR

27. First rescue boat: ARK. Nice!

28. Football Hall of Famer Carter: CRIS. Respected TV pundit now. One of the players to make a successful transition to broadcast.

32. Count calories: DIET

34. Officers who follow their own code: ROGUE COPS. One of my favorite entries today.

35. Many months: AGES

36. Christian of "The Big Short": BALE

40. Matching group: SET

44. Throw back some Absolut, say: DO SHOTS. DO A SHOT didn't work. More tricky parsing.

47. Sanctify: BLESS

48. Chi __: SOX. It's a C.C. puzzle, so there's baseball in here somewhere. Presenting to you the Chicago White Sox.

51. "All __ in favor ... ": THOSE

52. Bandleader's cue: HIT IT!

53. Works for: EARNS

54. Rubbernecker: GAPER

56. Evil film computer: HAL. I think I mentioned before that if you go one letter up in the alphabet from HAL you get IBM.

58. Thing: ITEM

59. Dead-end sign word: THRU. No Thru Road.

60. Screenwriter James: AGEE

63. Wartime prez: ABE. That's a long war ago. Abe Lincoln.

64. Veer off course: YAW

And with that, the grid:

Steve

Wednesday, November 21, 2018 C.C. Burnikel

Theme: A CAPITAL IDEA, i.e. a sterling concept, taking advantage of the word CAPITAL having two distinctly different meanings, as we shall soon see; one relating to finance and the other to being something central and important.

18. Church official: PARISH CLERK.  A church official charged with carrying out specific duties.  This term was in much more common use in the 19th century.

24. Vermont senator since 2007: BERNIE SANDERS. From 1990 to 2006 he represented Vermont in the House of Representatives.  He also served as mayor of Burlington from 1980 to 1999. If you ever think your vote doesn't matter, remember he won his first election by 10 votes. Deeper than that into politics we shall not venture.

48. "Thus with a kiss I die" speaker: ROMEO MONTAGUE.  Tragic young hero and one of the eponyms of a Shakespearian tragedy.  The musical followed a few centuries later.

58. Baked pasta dish: RIGATONI PIE.  You be the judge.

And then the centrally located two-part unifier.  37. With 39-Across, seed money ... or what 18-, 24-, 48- and 58-Across each has: STARTUP.

39. See 37-Across: CAPITAL.  Together, they indicate the initial investment needed to get a business going; and also, via word play, the CAPITAL city of a European country at the START of each theme entry.

The cities are --
PARIS, France;
BERN. Switzerland;
ROME, Italy; and
RIGA, Latvia.

Hi gang, JazzBumpa here as your tour guide on a journey provided by our most gracious host. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

Across:

1. Plane engine housing: POD.  For wing mounted engines.

4. Hindu philosophy: TANTRA.  Adherence to the doctrines or principles of the tantras, involving mantras, meditation, yoga, and ritual.

10. "Don't leave": STAY.  Dog command?

14. Previously: AGO. Once upon a time

15. Signals for firefighters: ALARMS.

16. Only state with a non-rectangular flag: OHIO.   I knew this, since I am from there. Also - what's round at both ends and hi in the middle?  Now - on to stuff I did not know.

Ohio's state flag was adopted in 1902. The Ohio burgee, as the swallowtail design is properly called, was designed by John Eisemann. The large blue triangle represents Ohio's hills and valleys, and the stripes represent roads and waterways. The 13 stars grouped about the circle represent the original states of the union; the 4 stars added to the peak of the triangle symbolize that Ohio was the 17th state admitted to the union. The white circle with its red center not only represents the "O" in Ohio, but also suggests Ohio's famous nickname, "The Buckeye State."

Buckeye, peeps! Only $24.95

 
17. Big beverage server: URN.  Generally with a tap, and usually used for coffee, tea or hot water.

20. "I'm game!": LET'S.  And away we go!

22. Business abbr.: INCorporated.

23. Singer Mann: AIMEE.  New one for me.

28. Gambling city on the Truckee: RENO. Nevada.  The Truckee is the only outlet from Lake Tahoe, and it empties into Pyramid Lake in the great basin.

29. Golden Delicious, e.g.: APPLE.  My absolute least favorite variety.

30. Hosp. recovery area: POST-OP.  After surgery location.

32. Prepared: SET.  Ready to go.

33. Add to the staff: HIRE.  Bring on a new employee.

41. Jedi master with pointy ears: YODA.

42. Twaddle: ROT. Nonsense.

44. Business losses, figuratively: RED INK.  Debits are noted in red, so, if they exceed credits, the red dominates.

45. Biting desert lizards: GILAS.  Large, slow moving, venomous lizards, native to the North American southwest

47. Buddhist temple bell: GONG.

53. Amazon Echo's voice assistant: ALEXA.  We have a granddaughter with that name. Here we are a few years ago.  She's in college now.

Note the family hair

54. Youthful fellow: LAD.

55. Difficult journey: TREK.

62. "__ you alone?": ARE.  Can I come over?

63. Flood-anticipation precaution, briefly: EVACuation.  Also for wild fires.

64. Was nearly empty: RAN LOW.  In short supply.

65. Fabric flaw: RIP. Tear.

66. Dollars for quarters: RENT.  Living quarters.  Clever!

67. Word from a poser: CHEESE.  Induces a quasi-smile in a photographic subject.

68. Thus far: YET.  Up to now.

Down:

1. Folklore lumberjack Bunyan: PAUL.  Companion of Babe the Blue Ox.

2. Fantasy meanie: OGRE.

Is he really that mean?

3. "Chin up!": DON'T BE SAD.  Things could be worse.

4. Touch lightly: TAP.  Or PAT.  Needed perp help.

5. Harlem Renaissance writer Locke: ALAIN.   Alain Leroy Locke [1885-1954] was an American writer, philosopher, educator, and patron of the arts. Distinguished as the first African-American Rhodes Scholar in 1907.

6. C.S. Lewis' fantasy world: NARNIA.  Setting for a series of novels.

7. Bench press beneficiary: TRICEPS.  Muscles in the backs of the upper ams.

8. White House's 132: Abbr.: RMS.  Rooms.

9. Firepit detritus: ASH.  Burnt wood residue.

10. Three-dimensional: SOLID.  Having length, width and height.

11. __ park: THEME.  An amusement park designed around a central or unifying concept - Disney World, for example.

12. Broadcaster: AIRER.  Presenter of radio or TV programming.

13. Oxen connectors: YOKES. A YOKE is a crosspiece connecting the necks or shoulders of animals, so they can pull a load together.

19. Stick for a walk: CANE.

21. Nissan sedan: SENTRA.

25. Ginger or ginseng: ROOT.

26. Builder's guideline, briefly: SPEC.  Specification - detailed instruction for the project.

27. Ring exchange place: ALTAR.  Wedding rings.

28. __-Rooter: ROTO.  Drain pipe and sewer cleaning device, and service company of the same name.

30. "Gangnam Style" musician: PSY.  Erm.  Here, if you're interested.

31. Festival in the month of Adar: PURIM.  A Spring festival held on the 14th or 15th of the month to  commemorate the defeat of Haman's plot to massacre the Jews as recorded in the book of Esther.  Deeper than that into religion we shall not venture.

33. Holed up: HID OUT.  Typically, as a way of avoiding law enforcement.

34. Travel plan: ITINERARY.  A planned route, including stops, if any.

35. Hit the bell: RANG.  Bonged the GONG

36. Caribou cousin: ELK. Cervus canadensis, one of the largest members of the deer family; but not as large as the moose.  To muddy the waters, in British English, the moose is called the ELK.  Go figure.

38. Sport for equestrians: POLO.  A game similar to field hockey, played on horse back, using long-handled mallets.

40. Simon who co-wrote and co-starred in "Shaun of the Dead": PEGG. [b 1970] British actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer.  Would he confuse ELK with moose?

43. Sun worshiper's mark: TAN LINE.

I pale in comparison

45. Nanny __: GOAT.  A female of this animal variety.  The male is called Billy.  I don't know why.

46. Bread or butter: STAPLE.  An important item in something, such as a diet.  When the sword swallower lost his job with the circus, he fell on hard times and couldn't even provide STAPLES for his family.

48. Not so well-done: RARER.  Meat cooking terms.

RARER preparations are on the left

49. Salade niçoise morsel: OLIVE.  From the city of Nice, in France, this salad also contains a variety of other ingredients, including tomatoes, hard boiled eggs and anchovies in an olive oil dressing.

50. Fox of "Transformers": MEGAN.

51. Precise: EXACT.  On the mark.

52. "Until next time": ADIOS.  Buh-bye.

56. Cleveland's lake: ERIE.  Where I come from, it's Toledo's Lake!

57. Held on to: KEPT. As, frex, the faith.

59. Tolkien monster: ORC.  Evil cave dwelling creature that cannot abide the sun.

Actor Jeff Brophy as Snaga

60. "Don't think so": NAH.  Nope.

61. Little lamb's mom: EWE.  A sheep in sheep's clothing.

And with that wool blanket we'll wrap up our tour.  Hope you enjoyed the ride.

Cool regards!
JzB