Monday January 6, 2020 Craig Stowe

Theme:  LEADING LADY (58. Female box office star, and what the starts of the answers to starred clues can have) - The first word of each theme entry can follow "Lady".

17. *American independence symbol with a storied crack: LIBERTY BELL. Lady Liberty.

25. *1990 Gibson/Hawn film: BIRD ON A WIRE. Lady Bird.

35. *Pure chance, in poker and lotteries: LUCK OF THE DRAW. Lady Luck.

50. *Group of narrow bodies of water in upstate New York: FINGER LAKES. Ladyfinger..

Boomer here. 

I once visited the Lady Luck casino in Las Vegas and saw a wonderful magic show performed by (I believe her name was Belinda) a long time ago. Since back in those days my gambling was conservative nickel slot machines so I did not lose too much but Lady Luck was not near me.

Lady Luck was with P.J. Fleck and the "Row the Boat" Gophers on New Year's Day. I watched the game from my recliner chair for 3-1/2 hours and I was exhausted just watching P.J. run up and down the sidelines.  The Vikings did not "Row the Boat." They hooked up a 25 hp Evinrude to water ski past the Saints in the Big Easy. Both of our Minnesota teams were cast as severe underdogs but they proved the predictors wrong.  49ers here we come. 

Across:

1. Hired help: STAFF.  Wilson Staff is a sporting goods brand but normally takes a back seat to the specialized equipment makers.

6. Swiss currency: FRANC.  Very competitive to our $$$.  One Franc will cost you $1.03.

11. Show with a Miami spin-off: CSI.

14. With 31-Across, Spanish artist with a Blue Period: PABLO.  31. See 14-Across: PICASSO.

15. "Chicago" showgirl: ROXIE.  I believe there is a theater in San Francisco named ROXIE. I have two sisters that live out there.  C.C. and I were out there once but we did not see the theater.

16. "2001" computer: HAL.  Hal 9000 first appeared in a movie in 1968 back before anyone ever had seen a computer.

19. Civil War prez: ABE.  Until the golden dollars were minted, there were only a few presidents who had their likeness on money.  Abe made the penny and five dollar bill.  He deserves the recognition.

20. Fencing sword: EPEE.

21. "__ Haw": HEE.  I watch the reruns now and then.  Buck Owens and Roy Clark are talented but not my style. The jokes are CORNY.

22. About, on a memo: IN RE.

24. Some MIT grads: EES.  Electrical Engineers but I have never heard them acronymized.

29. Xterra automaker: NISSAN.  Seems to be a Japanese third to Toyota and Honda. I do like the looks of a Rogue but would not buy one.

32. Type: ILK.  The type M ILK comes from cows.

33. Four qts.: GAL.  The bells are ringing for me and my GAL.

34. Guy: MAN.  I am not old enough to remember MAN O'War but I know he passed up a ride in the Kentucky Derby because his owner thought the length was more that he could handle.

40. Gym exercise unit: REP.  Our Minnesota Rep is Dean Phillips, Dear Abby's grandson.  I like him but he sort of stays out of the limelight.   He is the first DFL Rep in our District in Minnesota since about 1961.

41. Peace symbol: VEE.  CNN showed "back to the 60s: films over the new year".  Lots of hippies with their VEE signals.  Timothy Leary tuned out in 1996.

42. Sticky stuff: GOO.

43. One kicked out: EVICTEE.

46. Maker of candy "Pieces": REESE'S.  And peanut butter cups.

53. European mount: ALP.  I wonder if they are sliding down one of these they holler "HALP"!

54. Waggable dog part: TAIL.

55. Deux halved: UNE.  In school I took four years of Latin and two quarters of French.  I don't know why unless it is required learning for "Jeopardy" and crosswords.

56. Shpeak thish way: SLUR.  I never was a drinker that got to slurring. but now I am on the wagon forever.  Doc says my pills and alcohol don't get along.

57. Cookie container: JAR.  If you drink moonshine out of a JAR, you may start to SLUR.

62. All-hrs. cash source: ATM.  Most only give twenties, but Las Vegas gives Benjamins.

63. Break up with a partner: END IT.  Sometimes three strikes will end it.  Baseball or bowling.

64. Mountain song: YODEL. Lady Hoo

65. "I'll do it!": YES.  There's a young lady bowler named Shannon Pluhowsky that hollers "YES" after every strike she rolls.

66. Plant anchors: ROOTS.  Alex Haley's Saga was one of the best TV dramas of all time.

67. Like Oscar Madison's room: MESSY.  And the "Odd Couple" wasn't too bad for comedy.

Down:

1. Organ near the stomach: SPLEEN.

2. Taiwan's capital: TAIPEI.  Taiwan is known as the "Republic of China". The "People's Republic of China" is the mainland.

3. Monastic sister's superior: ABBESS.  This is almost as confusing as what to call China.

4. Run away from: FLEE.

5. Jump-joy link: FOR.

6. Line cook's cooker: FRYER.  I have seen this produce great chicken under pressure in about 8 minutes.  I suppose KFC uses them non-stop.

7. Dressed like a boxer entering the ring: ROBED.

8. Firefighter's tool: AXE.  Normally they would use a hose ?

9. Nothing: NIL.  1956 Game Five of the World Series.  Yankees 2 Brooklyn Dodgers - NIL.  Don Larsen pitched for the Yankees that day and allowed NIL hits.  The toughest part was he had to catch Yogi jumping on him as the game ended.  Don passed away last week.  RIP.

10. Pertaining to the abdominal cavity: CELIAC.

11. Compelling charm: CHARISMA.  You don't see this much anymore.  I know I don't have it.

12. Handheld reciprocating cutting tool: SABER SAW.  I think I sold mine.You need to handle with care.

13. Land in la mer: ILE.

18. Consider: THINK OVER.  I have thought this over, and I think if you consider something, you think IT over.

23. "Straight Outta Compton" rappers: NWA.  See more here. Used to be an acronym for Northwest Airlines until Delta bought it.

25. Pitcher's wrong move: BALK.

26. Colorful fish: OPAH.  OOPS.  I better think this over.  At first I thought Ms. Winfrey was being called a colorful fish.

27. Color named for an African river: NILE GREEN.  Is this in a Crayola box??

28. Ages and ages: EON.  Like a PGA tournament ??

30. [Not my mistake]: SIC.

33. Onetime telecom giant: GTE.  Used to be a huge telephone company.  Now it just stands for a credit union that stole the acronym.

35. Rise in the air, as in a magic act: LEVITATE.  Belinda did not levitate anything, but part of her act was a motorcycle driver who did loops on the stage.

36. Indignant: UP IN ARMS.  Please do not get "Up In Arms" but this answer reminded me of "Babes in Arms" - a musical that my High School Drama club performed.

37. Have a hunch: FEEL.  How do you FEEL so far ??

38. Bucks' mates: DOES.  "Doe, a deer, a female deer, Re, a drop of golden sun."  The hills are alive, with the Sound of Music.

39. Canapé topper: ROE.  "Row the Boat, Gophers"

40. Football official: REF.  It seems that they are ALL called "REF" even though some are line judges and back judges.

44. Cinematic FX: CGI.

45. Bank employee: TELLER.  I spent awhile at the bank on Saturday. Either they did not have enough tellers or some of the customers took a long time with their business.

47. Beet and bean: SALADS.  I had a big salad for dinner on Saturday.  The kind Elaine likes on "Seinfeld".

48. Manages to evade: ELUDES.  It's amazing how sometimes a ten pin can elude me without even moving.  I picked all the buggers up on Thursday on the way to a 576.  I am getting better.

49. In an acrobatic fashion: SPRYLY.  No, I was not bowling SPRYLY.

51. Accountant's investigation: AUDIT. April 15 always comes too early.

52. Furrows, as one's brows: KNITS.

56. Gin flavoring: SLOE.  SLOE is some kind of a British fruit.  Leave it to some wise chap to figure out how to make liquor out of a prune.

57. Leno on TV: JAY.  I always liked him on the Tonight show.  I don't care much for his garage.  My garage is full of baseball cards.

59. Rock producer Brian: ENO.

60. Excitement: ADO.  "Adieu, Adieu, my friends adieu, yes adieu.  I can no longer stay with you."

61. Workout facility: GYM.

Boomer

Notes from C.C.:

Here is the hummus recipe from our foodie Steve.

He said "This sounds like a lot of work, but it really isn't. The blender does all the work, and all you're really doing is peeling an onion, separating a bub of garlic into individual cloves and boiling some water."

Monday October 28, 2019 Craig Stowe

Theme:  MIDDLE GROUND.(52. Compromising standpoint ... and what the answers to starred clues contain?) - LAND is in the middle of each theme entry.

20. *Do business shrewdly: WHEEL AND DEAL.

28. *Murmur lovingly: BILL AND COO.

34. *Basic experimentation method: TRIAL AND ERROR.

41. *Like a typical walking stride: HEEL AND TOE.

Boomer here.

Land Ho!!  Enjoy the Monday puzzle!  First of all, I wish to thank C.C. and all of you faithful Crossword Corner member bloggers for all of the fine birthday wishes I received yesterday.  Also, I have been enjoying the World Series without favoring one team or the other. But I do find it incredible that the visiting team has won every game so far.  I do not remember that ever being the case in a World Series, but sometimes, at my age, I have trouble remembering what I had for breakfast. I have not heard if the Astros asked to stay in Washington for game 6, but I think they are watching the "Wizard of Oz" and trying on the ruby slippers and clicking the heals and repeat, "There's no place like home, There's no place like home." 

Across:

1. Gives in to gravity: SAGS. Old folks like me fight this gravity problem constantly. Some of us are losing the fight.

5. Annoying little kids: IMPS.

9. Hunter's plastic duck, e.g.: DECOY.  I am not a hunter. I have seen these but I don't think they work.  You cannot fool a duck.

14. Clear off the road, as snow: PLOW.  This season is coming to our home in Minnesota soon.  part of the reason why our taxes are on the high side.  It's expensive to keep the roads clean.

15. Actress Gilbert of "The Conners": SARA.

16. Make amends: ATONE.

17. What "Ten-hut!" is short for: ATTENTION.  I thought it was a row of Quonset huts on a Marine base.

19. Income __: TAXES.  The season is coming next April.  About time the flu season subsides. 

22. Tidy up: NEATEN.

23. "__ you kidding?": ARE.  No I am not.  I wish there was a tax shot to buy.

24. Off-the-wall: ODD.  Add an "S" and my mind wanders to the craps table.  I know the odds for every number.  I learned them the hard way.  You can make a 4, 6, 8,or 10 the hard way.  You may get 30 to one, but correct odds are 35 to one.

27. Walmart warehouse club: SAM'S.  We have one of these west of our home, but it does not seem much different than Walmart, except I think you have to purchase a membership. Like Costco

32. Muslim mystic: SUFI.

33. Lake near Carson City: TAHOE.  This is a beautiful lake in the higher elevation of Nevada.  I never went to Carson City, but we visited Harrah's club in Tahoe after bowling in Reno.

39. Sea item sold by 39-Down, in a tongue-twister: SHELL. 39. See 39-Across: SHE.  She sells sea shells by the seashore.  Say that real fast three times.

40. Say no to: DENY.

44. Bygone Japanese audio brand: AIWA.  I don't remember them.  I think Sony acquired them.

48. Conclusion: END.  It's not the end.  We still have the "down" clues.

49. Boardroom VIP: CEO.  Interesting - in the 19th century, native Americans had a chief, and the military had officers.  Not sure where the executives came from.

50. The Lone __: RANGER.  At a bowling center I used to patronize, there was an autographed photo of Clayton Moore.  "Who was that masked man? I don't know, I wanted to thank him."

55. Deck alternative: PATIO.  Our home does not have a patio.  We have a raised deck that serves us well.  Except I don't know how the squirrels get up on it.

58. Belittle: DENIGRATE.

59. 17-syllable Japanese poem: HAIKU.

60. Suffix with major: ETTE.  "Halftime brings on pretty girls, with little short skirts and long blonde curls. - But who's got time for majorettes, when NBC has got the Jets and I just can't afford two sets."

61. Auth. unknown: ANON.

62. Desert retreats: OASES.  Singular OASIS was a brand of cigarettes,  I don't see them anymore.

63. Monica's brother on "Friends": ROSS.  "Also the surname of George's fiance on Seinfeld."  I don't watch "Friends".  I've had enough.

64. German thinker Immanuel: KANT.

Down:

1. Reproduces like salmon: SPAWNS.  If salmon reproduces so much, how come it's so expensive ?

2. __ Gibson, first African-American to win a Grand Slam tennis title: ALTHEA.  Virgil Tibbs wife on "In the Heat of the Night".

3. Pep rally cheer: GO TEAM.  "Go Wild, and take the Timberwolves with you!"

4. Candy and such: SWEETS. Then there was Wilson Sweet, also on "In the Heat of the Night."

5. Turkey's largest city: ISTANBUL.  I thought it was Constantinople. I am old.

6. Principal: MAIN.  I will bet this is the most common name for a street.

7. Spur to action: PROD.

8. Beach footwear: SANDAL.

9. Job of typing in facts and figures: DATA ENTRY.

10. List-shortening abbr.: ET AL.  What's the difference between ET AL and ETC.? One letter of course.

11. Courtney who played Monica on "Friends": COX.  I do not watch "Friends".  I remember a timid comedian named Wally, and also Courtney had a bit role on a Seinfeld episode, before she got famous and rich.

12. Single: ONE.  Gotta pick up those single pins.

13. "By all means!": YES.

18. Phillies' div.: NLE.  It seems there is a team called NATS in that division doing quite well,

21. Significant stretch of time: ERA.  Mainly because their pitchers have low ERAs.

24. Twice cuatro: OCHO.  If this were German I would say Gesundheit.

25. Way in: DOOR.  Add an "S" "Light my Fire"

26. Forest female: DOE.  A deer, a female deer - The hills are alive, with the "Sound of Music".

29. "__ tree falls in the forest ... ": IF A.  With no one around, does it still make a sound??

30. High-end chocolatier: LINDT.

31. __ es Salaam: DAR.

32. Lustful: SALACIOUS.

34. At that time: THEN.

35. Oboe or clarinet: REED.  I remember Donna Reed.  This was back in the day when some of the sitcom was named after the leading actor or actress.  Isn't that right, LUCY?

36. Not feeling well: ILL.  The Great State of TTP,  Notice in campaign season, All states are great.

37. __ volente: God willing: DEO.

38. Vigorous qualities to put into one's work: ENERGIES.  Our power supplier is XCEL Energy.  They serve us very well.

42. Nancy Drew's beau: NED.

43. Walk feebly: DODDER.  That's how I walk, especially upstairs. I just didn't know what it was called.

44. Arctic jacket: ANORAK.

45. Exotic lizard kept as a pet: IGUANA.

46. Was happening: WENT ON.  Fires in California wine country seem to go on and on.  Hope folks up there are safe.

47. Passionate: ARDENT.

51. Buenos Aires' country: Abbr.: ARG.  With all the problems in the middle east we don't hear about unrest in South America. Except recently there was hubbub in Santiago, Chile - A spinoff of a subway fare increase.  Reminds me of Poor Old Charlie on the MTA.  "Did he ever return?"

52. Karaoke prop that often ends in "c" nowadays: MIKE.  "Mike, Mike, Mike what day is it??  Hump day".  Don't get me wrong, I am still no fan of car insurance commercials.

53. Jared of "Dallas Buyers Club": LETO.

54. Tolkien creatures: ENTS.

55. Vietnamese soup: PHO.

56. Small battery: AAA.  These are not that small.  I have things in my possession that take those little round batteries that have a four digit number for their name.

57. "__ the season ... ": 'TIS.  To be Jolly, Fa la la la la la la la la.

Boomer

Wednesday October 9, 2019 Craig Stowe

The Gimme Game by Craig Stowe, play-by-play by desper-otto.

You'll see lots of "LHF" (I counted 32) as you scroll through the writeup. No, it doesn't stand for Left-Handed Fingering, CED, nor Latent Heat Flux, Jayce. If you haven't already sussed it, y'all'll find out later.

Across:

1. Washington's Sea-__ Airport: TAC. Seattle-Tacoma. Could also be half a candy or a third of a game. LHF 1

4. Bubble bath spot: TUB. In the winter I like a good long soak in a hot tub, reading my latest Kindle novel. LHF 2

7. Model S and Model X electric cars: TESLAS. "Electric" is the operative word.

13. "Snowy" bird: OWL. Egret was too long. LHF 3

14. "Movin' __": "The Jeffersons" theme: ON UP. Musical Interlude #1

16. World Cup chant: OLE OLE. Tried USA USA first.

17. Chinese chairman: MAO. The Chairman LHF 4

The Chairman

18. Henry VIII's sixth wife Catherine: PARR. Portrait of Catherine Parr.

Portrait of Catherine Parr

19. Like an ideal situation: WIN WIN. OLE OLE over WIN WIN makes a nice sandwich.

20. How some get across town: BY CAB. Also what a Bostonian takes for an upset tummy.

22. "I'm __ a robot": phrase with captcha tests: NOT. If you've gone blue, you can ignore the Recaptcha for your comments. LHF 5

24. Percussion pair: HIHAT. One of these thingies

25. Sack opening?: KNAP. I had one with the Boy Scout logo on it. Wow, was that special!

27. Leg bone: FIBULA.

29. Holly's "Raising Arizona" role: EDWINA. Holly Hunter.

Holly Hunter

31. Summer in Quebec: ÉTÉ. Also in Paris, France, but not in Paris, Texas. LHF 6

32. "Orinoco Flow" singer: ENYA. Musical Interlude #2

35. Good scents: AROMAS. Are they always good? In my ute, driving down the section roads where the fields were freshly manured and the ditches were over-flowing with whey, we'd comment on the aroma of the "good ole country air."

36. "The Giving Tree" author Silverstein: SHEL. Multi-talented guy. He wrote poems, songs, cartoons and children's books. I first ran into him in the pages of Playboy, which I read solely for the articles.

38. __ pal: GAL. Tried PEN first. CSO to Tinbeni.

39. Fire truck wail: SIREN. I read "wail" as "wall" and drew a blank. LHF 7

40. Toronto-to-D.C. dir.: SSE.

41. Handy: UTILE. I'm not sure "useful" and "handy" mean the same thing.

43. Lodge member: ELK. LHF 8

44. Guthrie at Woodstock: ARLO. Woody's boy. I think he's singing about the keys to the city, don't you?

46. Walk-in health facility: CLINIC. LHF 9

47. City on the Rhône: LYON. No "S"

49. Word with drum or trumpet: EAR. One of these days I may have to look into an ear trumpet, but that's probably the wrong way to use it.

50. Distorts, as data: FUDGES. Was thinking SKEWS. My high school math teacher used to say, "Figures don't lie, but liars do figure."

51. Do over: REVAMP.

53. Royal Norwegian name: OLAF. Will it be F or V? Wait on the perps.

54. Let up: ABATE. LHF 10

56. __-mo replay: SLO. LHF 11

58. "The Jetsons" son: . ELROY

61. Chanted phrase: MANTRA.

63. Word on U.S. coins: UNUM. E Pluribus Unum

 -- out of many, one.

65. Luau instrument: UKE. LHF 12

66. Consume: INGEST. That's what they say about poison.

67. Personnel note: MEMO. LHF 13

68. "Roth" savings plan: IRA. I've got both types. You? I recently dipped into my Roth to buy a new car. The withdrawal doesn't count as income. LHF 14

69. Political pundit Myers: DEEDEE. She spent a couple of years as press secretary in the early years of the Clinton presidency.

70. __ Antonio: SAN. The River Walk LHF 15

The River Walk

71. Street covering: TAR. Our little town is in the process of repaving our streets. I don't know when our street was last paved, but it was more than 20 years ago. The patches have been patched, and some of the potholes are epic. The recent heavy truck traffic has made matters worse. I'll be happy when the paving is complete and the heavy trucks leave. I'm getting sick of the smell of asphalt in the morning. LHF 16

Down:

1. Grant's __: NYC landmark: TOMB. Eighteenth prez U.S. and his wife are buried together there.

3. 1971 Kubrick film, with "A": CLOCKWORK ORANGE. Stanley Kubrick didn't have a specific genre, but he sure made a lot of classic movies.

4. Big cheese: TOP BANANA

5. Article in El País: UNA. The "El" gives it away.

6. "Sick insult, dude!": BURN. I've never heard that. You?

7. With 2-Down, type of zone in which parking is restricted: TOW AWAY. LHF 17 Usually pricey to get your car back.

8. Nobelist Root: ELIHU Root. Former Secretary of State and Secretary of War back in the early 1900s. He showed me that USA USA was wrong as that futbal cheer.

9. Declining in old age: SENILE. Gettin' there.

10. Easy pickings, and a hint to the four other longest Down answers: LOW HANGING FRUIT. In addition to the four theme answers, Craig gave us lots of other LHF in this puzzle.

11. Et __: and others: ALIA. LHF 18

12. Dispatched: SENT. LHF 19

15. Clue character with a bow tie: PROFESSOR PLUM.

21. "Yu-Gi-Oh!" genre: ANIMÉ. Five perps, and I had it, as Abejo would say.

23. 10% donation: TITHE. LHF 20

26. Faux __: PAS. I've mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. There was major tongue-biting when my former boss came in one morning extolling the beauty of the faux pas wall finishes he'd seen in a house he'd visited. To correct him, or not to correct him? What a stupid question. LHF 21

28. Four-winged flier: BEE. Learning moment courtesy of Reference.com: "All castes and species of bee have four wings. The pair of wings that is closer to the head is always larger and folds over the rear pair when the bee is at rest. The rear pair is shorter and hooks into the forward pair when unfolded for flight." I'll bet John Lampkin knew that; I didn't.

29. Artistic stand: EASEL. LHF 22

30. Deadpan: DRILY.

33. New Haven student: YALIE. or ELI. LHF 23

34. Smart fellows?: ALECS. LHF 24

37. Yoga-inspired athletic brand: LULULEMON. Never heard of it. "It's all about the intangibles"

40. Closes forcibly: SLAMS. LHF 25

42. __ pool: TIDAL. GENE was too short. STENO didn't work.

45. Irish actor Stephen: REA. He's been in lots of movies, but is probably best known for The Crying Game. LHF 26

46. Fiscal VIP: CFO. Chief Financial Officer.

48. Brought home: NETTED.

52. Song section: VERSE.

54. In the thick of: AMID. LHF 27

55. Downfall: BANE.

57. Small bills: ONES. LHF 28

59. Gumbo ingredient: OKRA. It's slippery-slimy and some (most?) folks don't like it, but it thickens the gumbo. LHF 29

60. Junior or senior: YEAR. LHF 30

62. Had a burger, say: ATE. LHF 31
 

64. Actress Thurman: UMA. Uma Thurman LHF 32

Wednesday, August 14, 2019, Craig Stowe

Theme:  One Day at a Time. This could have been another circle puzzle, but instead the theme answers were marked with stars, with the word DAILY scrambled, and hidden in each.

18. *1930 Faulkner novel: AS I LAY DYING.

24. *1986 Chris de Burgh hit, with "The": LADY IN RED.

36. *Wits, when scared out of you: DAYLIGHTS.

52. *Hit below the belt: PLAY DIRTY.

58. Popular newspaper puzzle, and a hint to what's hidden in the answers to starred clues: DAILY JUMBLE.

Melissa here. The downs seemed a notch tougher than the acrosses.

Across:

1. Break down noisily: SOB. Ohhh, I was thinking of a car ...

4. Living things: BEINGS.

10. Mug: FACE. Sneaky.

14. Lab eggs: OVA. Plural of ovum.

15. "Bewitched" witch: ENDORA. Here she is in 1973 appearing on the TV game show, What's My Line? The final episode of Bewitched aired in March of 1972.

16. Vigorous spirit: ELAN.

17. 2018 giant shark film, with "The": MEG. I guess I'm living under a rock, because I've never heard of this movie.

20. Enlightened Buddhist: ARHAT. In Theravada Buddhism, an Arhat (Sanskrit: अर्हत् arhat; Pali: arahant; "one who is worthy") is a "perfected person" who has attained nirvana. In other Buddhist traditions the term has also been used for people far advanced along the path of Enlightenment, but who may not have reached full Buddhahood. The understanding of the concept has changed over the centuries, and varies between different schools of buddhism and different regions. Practicing Vipassana (a form of meditation) on the Theravada arhat path, increases one's capacity for compassion.

22. "... __ many ways": IN SO.

23. Letter between zeta and theta: ETA.

27. Patio furniture maker: CANER. Fooled me into thinking of a brand.

29. Defiant comeback: I CAN TOO.

30. Thrown out of the game: EJECTED.

32. Time zone word: Abbr.: STD. Standard, as opposed to Daylight Savings Time. Time Zone Abbreviations – Worldwide List.

33. Money left on a diner table: TIP.

35. Score often requiring overtime: ONE ONE.

39. Feral: SAVAGE.

42. Unfavorable review: PAN. I wonder why that term is used for a bad review.

43. __-Cat: winter vehicle: SNO.

46. Group of nine until 2006: PLANETS. In August 2006 the International Astronomical Union (IAU) downgraded the status of Pluto to that of "dwarf planet." Controversy.

48. Grated together, as teeth: GNASHED.

51. DeGeneres who voices Dory: ELLEN.

54. Bird in 2019 Liberty Mutual commercials: EMU.

55. Apple discard: CORE.

57. Small amounts: DRIBS.

62. Cal. pages: MOS.

63. Humerus neighbor: ULNA. Bones of the arm.

64. Eye-related: OCULAR.

65. "Tamerlane" poet: POE.

66. Cribbage pieces: PEGS.

67. Hospital fluids: SERUMS.

68. Shade of blue: SKY.

Down:

1. Mogadishu natives: SOMALIS.

2. Emote: OVERACT.

3. Capital on the Tigris: BAGHDAD.

4. "Scram!": BEAT IT.

5. Middle of dinner?: ENS. Two Ns.

6. Ugandan dictator Amin: IDI.

7. "Honest!": NO LIE.

8. "Thank U, Next" singer Ariana: GRANDE.

9. Puts into words: SAYS.

10. 2010 Mark Twain Prize winner Tina: FEY.

11. Incompatible with: ALIEN TO. That was tough.

12. Hiker's flask: CANTEEN.

13. Fighting words?: ENGARDE. Nice clue.

19. Museum tour guide: DOCENT.

21. "Atlas Shrugged" writer Rand: AYN.

25. "Just a bit longer": NOT YET.

26. Agitate: ROIL.

28. Highly paid pitchers, typically: ACES.

31. Host between Jack and Jay: JOHNNY. The Tonight Show hosts. Johnny Carson was the best, imo.

34. Domino dot: PIP. Why are the dots on dominoes called pips?

36. Swede's neighbor: DANE.

37. Means: AGENCY.

38. Crazy (over): GAGA.

39. Step on the gas: SPEED UP.

40. Like many barbershop quartets: ALL MALE.

41. Appraising: VALUING.

43. Goes for crustaceans: SHRIMPS.

44. Small laptop: NETBOOK. According to How Stuff Works: "In general, netbook computers are smaller and lighter than notebook computers, which in turn are smaller and lighter than laptops. But there are no specific size or weight classes for computers."

45. Wandering journey: ODYSSEY.

47. Christmas tree choice: SPRUCE.

49. Puff __: venomous African snakes: ADDERS.

50. Elton John's title: SIR.

53. Madagascar primate: LEMUR.

56. Spanish eyes: OJOS.

59. Vegas opening: LAS.

60. __-ray Disc: BLU.

61. Fugitive's flight: LAM.

Notes from C.C.:

1) Glad you're back online, Owen! Hope you're home soon.

2) Dear Irish Miss (Agnes) fell backwards on the concrete floor on Sunday night. X-rays/CT scan showed that she had a sprained shoulder. Right now she has Oxycodone to control the pain, but her stomach is like mine, very averse to those pain pills. Terrible nausea. She'll need to follow up with her own doctor and an orthopedic doctor once the pain and nausea subsidize. She has family in the area, but she lives alone. Simple everyday things can be challenging for her. 

Let's send her get-well cards and cheer her up. Her contact details are here.