Ellen and Mary Lou have generated a lovely Wednesday puzzle in which they have selected ten compound words or phrases wherein both words can be "CAPPED" (preceded) by the word WHITE to produce two more compound words or phrases. The effect is further enhanced by having all the theme entries appear vertically and thus the word CAP becomes even more apropos as you can see in the grid below! Wonderful!
Theme Reveal:
40. Bit of ocean chop ... or, literally, what each part of 3-, 8-, 10-, 34- and 38-Down can have : WHITECAP - Here is Tom Hanks fighting through WHITECAPS to try to get to his VB friend Wilson
Theme answers: (Yes, I know there is more than one possible answer for some entries)
3. Privy : OUTHOUSE - Rural restrooms and
WHITE OUT - Where football could still be played
8. Home builder's purchase : WALLBOARD - Wall covering or
WHITEWALL - Remember when they were stylish tires and cost more than blackwalls?
WHITEBOARD - A work space for Sheldon and Leonard
10. Equine-like fish : SEAHORSE - Marine creature where the father gives birth or
WHITE SEA - A Russian Sea unbeknownst to me near Archangel'sk
WHITE HORSE - Prince Charming's ride
34. Award for excellence in the field : GOLD GLOVE - Given to MLB player who is the best fielder at his position or
WHITE GOLD - Gold alloyed with silver or other white metals
WHITE GLOVE - Attire for Liz which I'm sure she uses to check her dusting! :-)
38. Fritos snack : CORN CHIP - Longtime nosh in a bag or
WHITE CORN - A sweet corn option
WHITE CHIP - Usually lowest value poker chip
Across
1. Physics building block : ATOM
5. Barbecue side : SLAW
9. Run-of-the-mill : USUAL
14. Track tipster : TOUT - My favorite is Nicely-Nicley Johnson (Stubby Kaye) in Guys And Dolls
15. "How's it goin'?" : HI YA
16. Grammar topic : TENSE - Piece 'o cake, right?
17. Folk story : MYTH
18. Autobahn auto : OPEL
19. British peers : EARLS - As in the EARL of Grantham
20. It may be coiled in the grass : HOSE
22. Frozen drinks : SLUSHIES - A minor side effect
24. Brownstone entrances : STOOPS - We call 'em porches here
26. Hebrew : Ben :: Arabic : __ : IBN
27. "... that golden key / That __ the palace of eternity": Milton : OPES - Liza Doolittle OPES her key OPES her door
28. "For real?" : YOU DO
29. Alias in a landmark case : ROE - v. Wade
30. Auctioned wheels : REPO
31. Unlikely replies from sycophants : NOS
32. Get dolled (up) : TOG - Merriaman-Webster: To dress especially in fine clothing —usually used with up or out
35. Atlantic and Pacific, in Monopoly: Abbr. : AVES
37. Prefix with magnetic : ELECTRO - A modern source of ELECTROMAGNETIC radiation
39. Subscriber's order : RENEWAL
43. Like some coffee tables : OVAL
44. Biological building block : DNA
45. "Veep" network : HBO - The first place I heard the "F-word" from a TV.
46. Henry VIII's sixth wife Catherine : PARR - Mnemonic:
Divorced, beheaded, died
Divorced, beheaded, survived
49. Public health org. : CDC
51. Sends : MAILS
53. Chef's chamber : OVEN
54. NYC airport : LGA
55. Brahms' Opus 18, for one : SEXTET - 2 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos
56. Messenger bags : SATCHELS
58. Bend at a barre : PLIE - A PLIE complemented by dumbbell arm raises for your delts!
59. Nobelist Root : ELIHU
60. Kentucky border river : OHIO
62. Publisher Adolph : OCHS
65. Samurai without a master : RONIN - In modern Japan it means "between employers" or a grad student not yet admitted to a university
66. Nix : VETO
67. Wailuku's island : MAUI
68. Speaks harshly : SNAPS
69. Endor villager : EWOK
70. Design detail, for short : SPEC
Down
1. All-hrs. cash source : ATM
2. Fisher-Price product : TOY
4. Ore. skiing destination : MT HOOD - Wonder Carpet has replaced rope tow on MT HOOD's bunny slope there
5. Crocs, e.g. : SHOES - They're ugly or cool depending on your perspective
6. Guff : LIP
7. "Yes, cap'n!" : AYE SIR
9. Salt Lake City team : UTES - Not the JAZZ
11. Not ready for harvesting : UNRIPE
12. Catching some z's : ASLEEP - Kitty is fighting it!
13. To a smaller degree : LESS SO
21. Commercials on the tube, in adspeak : SPOT TV
23. In need of leveling : UNEVEN
24. Holiday song ender : SYNE
25. Level, e.g. : TOOL - I'm never without one!
33. Ancient source of prophecy : ORACLE
36. Nail polish : ENAMEL - We used Windex to get it out of our carpet successfully
41. Up to it : ABLE
42. Too far off the trail : LOST
46. Tough questions : POSERS
47. Land of Arthurian legend : AVALON
48. Eye part with rods and cones : RETINA - Ah, it's the teacher in me!
50. Kidney-shaped nut : CASHEW
52. Geometry rules : AXIOMS - Transitive AXIOM - I have two legs. George Clooney has two legs. Ergo, I am George Clooney!
55. Hobgoblin : SPOOK
57. Followers of Attila : HUNS
61. Skater Midori : ITO
63. Palette shade : HUE
64. Incite to go after, with "on" : SIC
Ah yes, at one time our state's low taxes make it this. Oh well, lets move on to comments:
