Monday, April 12, 2021 Fred Piscop

Theme: ON THE RISE (65. Increasing, and a hint to 17- and 40-Across and 11- and 27-Down)- The last words are all synonyms for "pile".

17A. Place for junk: SCRAP HEAP.

40A. U.S. Congress, informally: THE HILL.

11D. Small order of pancakes: SHORT STACK.

27D. Nuclear reactor: ATOMIC PILE.

Boomer here. 

Good Monday all!  Looks like our buddy Fred decided to describe my collection of baseball cards in our home.  I have quite a few complete sets, but along with them comes HEAPS and STACKS and PILES of cards in the garage and basement. Sadly there is no 1952 Mickey Mantle. 

Boomer, 8/10/2019

I took a week off from bowling last week and got in 27 holes of that other sport called cow pasture pool.  A 9 hole par 28 on Monday went pretty well, but an 18 hole par 72 on Tuesday could have been better.  I am back on the lanes again today.

Across: 

1. Soothing ointment: BALM.  Last Monday was a BALMY 80 degrees in the land of lakes.

5. Criticize harshly: BASH.  When I BASH a Titleist it only flies about 125 yards.

9. Deep-voiced singer: BASSO.  In the High School Glee Club, 1st Bass was a Baritone, second Bass was just a bass.

14. Great Lake that stretches from New York to Michigan: ERIE.  I remain overwhelmed by the enormity of all five of these connected bodies of fresh water.

15. Every 12 mos.: YRLY.

16. Significant __: partner: OTHER.  I am saving the Titleists and switching to my OTHER Callaways on advice from my golf instructor, TTP.

19. Genetic twin: CLONE.

20. "Honey, I'm Home" singer Twain: SHANIA.

21. Wagons at midday socials: TEA CARTS.  Okay but do not serve people lined up to vote in Georgia.

23. B and B's, e.g.: INNS.

25. Home of twigs: NEST.

26. Did a marathon, say: RAN.  "If I ran the Zoo said young Gerald McGrew, I'd make a few changes and here's what I'd do".  Dr. Seuss.

28. Relaxation of govt. rules: DEREG.  They are really not talking about this on the news channels often.  Too much coverage of the trial in Minneapolis.  I've already decided on the result.

31. Skip, with "out": SIT.  I wish our Twins would SIT out Miguel Sano.

34. Turn loose: LET GO.  Or maybe just let him go.

36. Annoys: VEXES.

38. Oft-stubbed digit: TOE.

39. In time gone by: AGO.  "A long, long time AGO, I can still remember when the music used to make me smile".  American Pie, Don McLean.

42. Enjoyed a meal: ATE.  Last Friday was Minnesota Walleye. We forgot Lent was over.

43. Web or nanny follower: CAM.

44. Reef makeup: CORAL.

45. Some youth ctrs.: YMCAS.  By the Village People, and make the letters with your arms!

47. Cotton gin inventor Whitney: ELI.  I'll bet the Cotton Gin Martinis tasted terrible.

48. Defy authority: REBEL.  Johnny Yuma was one. Johnny Cash.

50. Approves: OKS.

51. Dimpled facial feature, perhaps: CHIN.  My sister thinks this is C.C.s first name.

54. Game room missile: DART.  Popular in bowling center bars.

56. From Tokyo, say: JAPANESE.

60. Overly large: TOO BIG.  My baseball card collection.

64. Still in the game: ALIVE.

67. Distance runner: MILER.

68. Prescription amount: DOSE.  My DOSE of Xtandi is pretty huge daily.

69. "Enchanted" movie girl played by Anne Hathaway: ELLA.  ELLA was my Grandmother's first name.

70. Arterial implant: STENT.

71. Seeks answers: ASKS.

72. Doe or stag: DEER.  "Doe, a DEER, a female DEER." The Sound of Music.

Down:

1. "Porgy and __": BESS.

2. Half a McDonald's logo: ARCH.  45 cents for a three course meal a long time ago.

3. Old Italian money: LIRA.  Now it's the Euro worth about $1.20 US Dollar.

4. Definition: MEANING.

5. Manually: BY HAND.  How I bowl.

6. "__ you comfy?": ARE.

7. Venetian blind piece: SLAT.  We have some of these blinds on some windows.

8. Promote big-time: HYPE.  Most Major League teams are done HYPing opening days.

9. Italian lawn bowling: BOCCE.  My Uncle Gus taught me this game 40 years ago.  There is no ten pin to pick up in bocce ball bowling.

10. Book of maps: ATLAS.

12. FedExed, say: SENT.  I heard they are making a fortune while this Covid continues.

13. Unrefined minerals: ORES.

18. ATM code: PIN.  I think if you knock over 10 of them on the first ball, you get a strike.

22. __-hair pasta: ANGEL.  Delicious.

24. Extremely harsh: SEVERE.  Winter is over here but some of our Spring days are pretty harsh.

26. Fit for a monarch: REGAL.

29. Get-well program, briefly: REHAB.  I'm waiting for my bowling to REHAB.

30. Banished from one's country: EXILED.

32. Greek i's: IOTAS.

33. Golfer's pegs: TEES.  I went through a few of these last week.

34. Doily trim: LACE.

35. Needing no Rx: OTC.  I have a couple of Over the Counter meds next to my prescriptions.

37. Like a fox, it's said: SLY.  I think he was leader of the "Family Stone".

41. Lena who sang "Stormy Weather": HORNE.

46. Took a drive: MOTORED.  I put a few miles on the Santa Fe this past week.  I think I am over 1500 now.  Our Governor has opened a few things, but we still have not visited a restaurant or casino.

49. Wood-shaping machines: LATHES.

52. Place of refuge: HAVEN.

53. Chemically nonreactive: INERT.

55. Fish eggs: ROE. "Fish Eggs v. Wade"?

56. Traffic tie-ups: JAMS.  Strawberry is my favorite.

57. Touched down: ALIT.

58. Ginger ale or root beer: SODA.  Sugar Free Ginger Ale, YES, Root Beer NO.

59. "The Catch" actress Mireille __: ENOS.  ENOS "Country" Slaughter  mostly with the Cardinals and played Right Field.  Back when I was two.

61. Liver secretion: BILE.

62. Shipwreck site: ISLE.  Before Covid locked us down, C.C. and I used to go for a walk around beautiful Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis.  If you have not seen or heard about Lake of the Isles, then you never watched the opening song and view of the "Mary Tyler Moore Show".

63. Stick shift choice: GEAR.  I remember stick shift cars back in the sixties,  I learned to drive on one.  But I think they may be obsolete now.

66. "Shame on you!": TSK.

Opening day in St. Louis. Did you see the Graybar sign in front of the Clydesdale's?

Boomer

 

Monday February 22, 2021 Fred Piscop

Theme: "Really!"

17A. "Really!": SURE ENOUGH.

60A. "Really!": FOR CERTAIN.

11D. "Really!": I KID YOU NOT.

28D. "Really!": BY ALL MEANS.

Boomer here.  

These answers kind of remind me of the host of  "America Says" John Michael Higgins. "I'm not kidding!"  Any one of the teams has a chance to win fifteen thousand dollars!  "By all Means !" "Really!"

 

Across:

1. Hand-dyeing method: BATIK.

6. Alaskan malamute team's burden: SLED.  That would be a huge sled.  We kids had sleds our size and rode down a hill in Minnesota.  Not sure if they have sleds in Texas but the could have probably used them last week.

10. __ Field: Mets' home: CITI.   I believe Citi Field replaced Shea Stadium in Flushing Meadows in 2008.  Both ballparks could seat over 55,000 patrons.

14. Lose strength: ABATE.  My bowling strength ABATED last week.

15. Attire for Caesar: TOGA.  A party for "Animal House"

16. Closely related: AKIN.  Shea is AKIN to Citi Field.

19. Pinball flub: TILT.  In the old days, my friends and I would play Pinball after bowling.  I was gentle and never tilted the game.  I had good money in the machine, three games for a quarter, and I wanted my money's worth.

20. Metal-shaping tool: STAMPER.  Sounds like the name of a rabbit in "Bambi"

21. Defame verbally: SLANDER.  With old age and health issues, I am too slender to SLANDER.

23. Fifth Avenue retailer: SAKS.  Minneapolis has three SAKS stores that I know about.  None are on Fifth Avenue.

25. Final word: SAY SO.

26. Even though: ALBEIT.

30. Low-cost and inferior: CHEAPO.  We have a CHEAPO record store in Minneapolis.  They buy and sell those vinyl things with a hole in the middle.

33. Early synthetic fiber: RAYON. Most of my stuff is real cloth.  RAYON is too thin for wear in the cold northland.

34. Pinch, as piecrust: CRIMP.

35. D.C.'s nation: USA. Today - Another paper that sometimes features a crossword from C.C.  Fred Piscop used to be the editor.

38. Kilt-wearing family: CLAN.  I don't remember the Beverly Hillbillies wearing kilts.

39. Hotel visitor: GUEST. We have not visited a hotel for over a year.  Cannot trust that crummy virus that's going around.

40. Soon, to a bard: ANON.

41. Rogue computer in "2001": HAL.

42. Uses a fireplace tool: POKES.  We have a fireplace in our basement.  I have not used it for many years.  Nasty to clean up the ashes.  I suppose the southern states homeowners wish they had one last week.  

43. Sci-fi robot: DROID.

44. Really rich: LOADED.  The San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis will be loaded since he signed a 14- year contract for 340 million $$$.  I thought baseball teams were hurting for cash since a short season with no tickets sold last year.

46. With dexterity: DEFTLY.

47. Davis Jr. of the Rat Pack: SAMMY.  Performed at the Sands Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip.  It's gone now.  I think it was in the area of the now popular Fashion Show Mall.  I visited the Sands Hotel a long time ago, however I never saw the show. 

49. Pig's meal: SLOP.  Sometimes it's Boomer's meal.

51. Source of maple syrup: TREE SAP.  Argyle used to send us maple syrup.

54. One of 12 at the Last Supper: APOSTLE.  The season is upon us.  The last supper occurs on the Thursday before Easter.

59. Straight from the mouth: ORAL.  I was not able to deliver my humor to my retired Graybar friends this year at the Orleans in Las Vegas.  Wait 'til next year, I'll be back!

62. Subside: WANE.

63. Cleveland's lake: ERIE.  Trivia - Cleveland is one of the three largest cities in Ohio that start's with a "C".  Can you name the other two?

64. Carried in a bag: TOTED.

65. The "S" in CBS: Abbr.: SYST.

66. Gets hitched: WEDS.

67. Reaches across: SPANS.  We have a favorite dam that spans the Mississippi up here.  We have walked across it many times. The Mississippi width is a relatively short distance north of Minneapolis.

Boomer, 8/11/2020

Down:

1. Deep choir voice: BASS.  That was me in the Benilde High School Glee Club.

2. Share a boundary with: ABUT.

3. "Gone With the Wind" estate: TARA.

4. Checklist detail: ITEM.  I bring a list to the grocery store but sometimes they are out or don't stock what I want.

5. Represses, as emotions: KEEPS IN.

6. Storied baby-bringing bird: STORK.

7. Gehrig in Cooperstown: LOU.  Gehrig played in 2130 consecutive games for the Yankees.  The record seemed unbreakable until Cal Ripken came along and went for 2632.

8. Dairy case dozen: EGGS. 45. Brunch fare made with 8-Down: OMELET.  Three eggs with a little milk whipped in.  Load with ham and cheese and fry it slowly.  Yum!

9. Roald who created Willy Wonka: DAHL.

10. Bit of shuteye: CATNAP.  This happens to me sometimes as I am watching one of the stupid game shows on TV.

12. Scrabble pieces: TILES.  What four letter word yields the highest point score ?

13. Emcee's lead-in: INTRO.

18. In apple-pie order: NEAT.

22. "Hurry!" on a memo: ASAP.  I am not known to hurry any more.

24. Windbags' speeches: SCREEDS.

26. One of two in McDonald's "M": ARCH.  C.C. and I once drove through Des Plaines, Ill. and stopped by the original Ray Kroc McDonald's there.  It's a showplace of the original McDonald's golden arches that were famous in the 1950s.  If your hungry you can get a three course meal at a brick McDonald's down the street from the original.  I think it may cost more than 45 cents though.

27. In __ land: spaced-out: LA LA.  The Original McDonald's is part of a museum in San Bernardino. just east of La La Land.  

29. A billion years, in geology: EON.

31. Tire leak sound: HISS.  Usually the tire does not leak.  It's the stubborn valve stem.

32. 911 responder: Abbr.: EMT.  Having worked for Graybar Electric for more than a few years, I sold thousands of feet of EMT.  Electrical Metallic Tubing, aka EMT pipe.

34. Pickled veggie: CUKE.  We keep trying to grow these in our small garden.  No luck ... Maybe this spring.

36. Gardener's bagful: SOIL.  Useful for growing cukes.

37. Warhol of pop art: ANDY.

39. Thor or Zeus: GOD.

40. Comics bark: ARF.  I prefer RUFF - Dennis the Menace.

42. Forks over: PAYS.

43. Kicks out of the country: DEPORTS.

46. Dimwit: DOPE.

47. Stashes in a hold: STOWS.

48. Assortment: ARRAY.

50. Shoe strings: LACES.  Got them on my bowling and golf shoes.  Tennis shoes use Velcro.

52. Not very many: A FEW.

53. Skin opening: PORE.  Sure, and if you hold your breath your PORES will close and bees cannot sting you.

55. Word on an octagonal sign: STOP.  Trivia - They used to be yellow.  Now they are all red.  In Minnesota, sometimes they get covered with snow but you must still stop for an octagon.

56. Brit's goodbye: TA TA.  I guess Harry and Meghan mumbled this a few years ago.

57. Legal claim on property: LIEN.

58. Comes to a halt: ENDS.  Just while I was finishing up here, I received one of those fake calls from someone stating that we ordered some huge $$$$ from Amazon.  That's what I wish would end. 

61. Get __ of: dump: RID.  We pay to get rid of garbage every week. Recycle every other week.

Boomer

Sunday January 10, 2021 Fred Piscop

Theme: "Gimme a Hand!"* - The first word in each theme is a poker phrase.

22A. *Smell awful: DRAW FLIES.

24A. *Do a garage job: CHECK THE OIL.

103A. *Walk off the job: CALL A STRIKE.

105A. *Cause a disturbance: RAISE CAIN.

31D. *Speculate, in a way: DEAL IN FUTURES.
 
33D. *Have what it takes: CUT THE MUSTARD.

37D. *Do a washday chore: FOLD LAUNDRY.

42D. *Try to deceive one of the base runners: BLUFF A THROW.

We seldom see asterisks in LAT puzzle titles. Often puzzles with asterisks in the theme entries have a reveal in the grid. 

Fred put four theme entries Across and four in Down. Rich probably was worried the theme entries were not prominent for some solvers as we do have a few long 8s in the mix. Hence the asterisk.

This is a typical Fred Piscop construction. You won't see obscure names or weird abbrs in his grids. Only 14 three-letter entries. Plenty of common four - and five-entries.

Here's a picture of Fred with David Kahn & Liz Gorski, ACPT, 2011.

Across:

1. Fighting, after "at": ODDS.

5. Fabled loser: HARE.

9. Battle of heavyweights: SUMO. Adult sumo wrestlers can eat up to 10,000 calories a day.

13. Nail alternative: SCREW.

18. Turkish currency: LIRA.

19. Not quite round: OVAL.

20. Luxury sheet material: SATIN. Is it comfy though?

21. Slopping the hogs, e.g.: CHORE.

26. Shove off: SET SAIL.

27. Like loud crowds: AROAR.

29. Applied fragrant hair dressing to: POMADED. When I lived in Guangzhou in the late 1990s, lots of guys had this hairstyle in Guangzhou & Hong Kong area. Might be mousse. This is Andy Lau, by the way.

30. Tire pattern: TREAD.

32. Golden: AURIC.

34. Hanoi holiday: TET.

35. Social function: AFFAIR.

38. "Cast of thousands" member: EXTRA.

40. Davis Cup org.: USTA. United States Tennis Association. The women's equivalent of the Davis Cup is Billie Jean King Cup.

42. Many Eng. degrees: BAs.

45. Othello and kin: MOORS.

46. Titled women: DAMES. Helen Mirren is one.

47. Last checkbox, often: OTHER.

48. Set aflame: LIT.

49. Misfortunes: ILLS.

50. Tom and buck: MALES.

51. SAT prep teacher, often: TUTOR. Hi, Bill G!

Barbara & Bill

52. Firecracker part: FUSE.

53. "Toy Story" bully: SID. Google says he's the "evil neighbor kid of Andy".

54. Evaded the bouncer, maybe: GOT IN.

55. Bat-maker's tool: LATHE.

56. Go through quickly: RIFLE.

57. Reserve, as a date: HOLD OPEN.

59. Home with smoke flaps: TEPEE. Learning moment for me.

 

60. Dancing pro: HOOFER.

61. Suffix suggesting wealth: AIRE. Like "millionaire".

62. Ulna locale: FOREARM.

64. Chaplin of "Game of Thrones": OONA.

65. Drew out: EDUCED.

67. Many airport rides: UBERS.

68. E is the only vowel that doesn't begin any of their names: US STATES. Great clue angle.

72. Napkin material: LINEN.

73. Unemotional: STONY.

74. Destiny and source of the phoenix: ASHES.

75. Managed care gp.: HMO.

76. Some eligible receivers: ENDS.

77. Informed, with "in": CLUED.

78. Communion site: ALTAR.

79. Frigate front: PROW. Not STEM.
 
80. Tourist's rental: CAR. Now I realized that the Santa Fe we rented from Budget in Las Vegas must be their top-of-the-line car. Rental companies probably don't buy the most basic versions.

81. Nitpickers split them: HAIRS.

82. Of great scope: BROAD.

83. Composed tweets, say: WROTE. And 59. Gain popularity on Twitter: TREND.

84. Give it a whirl: TRY.

85. Cost to play: ANTE.

86. Brut, compared to sec: DRIER.

87. Ate, with "down": CHOWED. A few more food references: 88. Words with stew or pickle: IN A. 13D. Cream cheese serving: SCHMEAR. 56D. Turnips and parsnips: ROOTS. 58D. Prepares ham for an omelet, say: DICES.

89. Tender spots: SORES.

91. Took a chance: DARED.

93. Adorn with sequins: SPANGLE.

97. Toyed with, cat-style: PAWED.

99. Coming and going: GERUNDS. Chinese is much simpler, we just add "zheng zai" in front of all verbs.  Wo zheng zai type (I'm typing). Wo zheng zai eat. (I'm eating).

107. Photoshop, e.g.: ALTER.

108. Printer powder: TONER.

109. "Winning __ everything": ISN'T. It's the only thing in sports.

110. Austen classic: EMMA.

111. Stains on reputations: BLOTS.

112. Knocks out, in a way: AWES.

113. Flat-nosed dogs: PUGS.

114. Like some pockets: DEEP. When we go out, Boomer only wears his sweatpants with zipper pockets on. We also had a few scares with his wallet, Gary!

Down:

1. Auto pioneer: OLDS.

2. Potentially ruinous: DIRE.

3. "Doggone it!": DRAT.

4. Reacted to a punch: SAW STARS.

5. More saintly: HOLIER.

6. St. Teresa's home: AVILA.

7. "Norma __": RAE.

8. Designer Schiaparelli: ELSA.  We've been in "Frozen" land for a long while.

9. Roughly one-third of Africa: SAHARA.

10. Where embryos develop: UTERI.

11. Emcee's lapel attachment: MIC.

12. Like GIs in the kitchen: ON KP. Meal for a Chinese soldier. Those red berries in the soup are goji berries, nutrient-dense.

14. Play badly?: CHEAT.

15. Cross above an altar: ROOD.

16. Vowel-rich lake: ERIE.

17. Join with a blowtorch: WELD.

20. Rubs clean: SCOURS.

23. Anna of "The Emoji Movie": FARIS. She was married to Chris Pratt, who's now married to Katherine Schwarzenegger.

25. Wobble: TOTTER.

28. Hotels.com quotes: RATES.

35. Horse-and-buggy group: AMISH. There's sweet Amish family in our local Annadale flea market. They sell all kinds of jams.

36. Four-page sheet: FOLIO.

39. Magneto's enemies: X MEN. Ian McKellen played Magneto in "X-Men" movies.

 

41. Slipper, for one: SHOE.

43. Big-box store division: AISLE.

44. Rodeo bovine: STEER.

46. Take out: DATE.

47. __ Banks: OUTER. Never been there. We did drive to Myrtle Beach for a golf vacation ages ago.

50. Minibike relative: MOPED.

51. Cantina appetizers: TAPAS.

52. Shrek's love: FIONA.

54. "The Elements of Bridge" author Charles: GOREN.

55. Having one's doubts: LEERY.

60. Car washer, at times: HOSER.

63. Bassoon cousins: OBOES.

65. Send to the Hill: ELECT.

66. Currency of Jordan: DINAR.

69. Migratory herring: SHAD. Do you like pickled herrings? Most grocery stores have them on sale during the new year period. Probably a Minnesota thing.

70. Portray fury or fear: EMOTE.

71. Spread, as seed: SOWED.

73. X-Acto knife cut: SLIT.

74. Skin cream additive: ALOE.

77. Venice features: CANALS.

78. Respond to reveille: ARISE.

79. Manufactured: PRODUCED.

81. Homes for gliders: HANGARS. Star Tribune had an article saying that the flight schools here are much busier than before the pandemic. 

82. Suds maker: BREWER.

83. Placement word: WHERE.

86. Ducklings' dads: DRAKES.

87. Reaches a peak: CRESTS.

88. Chesapeake Bay, e.g.: INLET.

90. Offer a view: OPINE.

92. Winery process: AGING.

93. Worker during a walkout: SCAB.

94. Dark cloud: PALL.

95. Choral part: ALTO.

96. Kett of old comics: ETTA. Not many ways to clue this entry.

98. Faucet annoyance: DRIP.

100. Point a finger at: NAME. Name names.

101. Coin depicting a torch: DIME.

102. Totally lose it: SNAP.

104. Obey the coxswain: ROW.

106. Pac-12 sch.: ASU.

Happy birthday to dear JD, who has generously shared with us many of her grandkids' pictures over the years. This one was taken on at Cameron’s 4th birthday in 2014.

C.C.

Monday December 21, 2020 Fred Piscop

Theme: Say It Again - The first parts of the theme entries are homophones.

6A. In general: BY AND LARGE.

61A. Bring on difficulty: BUY TROUBLE.

15D. Fluent in two tongues: BILINGUAL.

28D. "See you later": BYE FOR NOW.

Boomer here.  

Hello Fred!  Great to see a puzzle BY you again.  Naturally we all miss working on your puzzles for the USA Today.  

The great Paul Bunyan is residing in Brainerd, Minnesota wondering where his Axe is.  Well the Big Ten worried about it and decided to reinstate the Gopher/Badger game last Saturday,  It had been cancelled earlier due to COVID-19.  What can I say?  The Badgers won in overtime 20-17 so the trophy AXE will remain in Madison.  

Across:

1. Leave unmentioned: OMIT.  I hope Pfizer did not OMIT any state in the distribution of vaccine. 

5. Source of French fries, informally: TATER.  I'm a baseball nut, and sometimes a home run is called a TATER, but I don't know why.  It sounds like something Yogi might have started.

10. In good physical shape: FIT.  I've dropped a few pounds, but my clothes still FIT.  I've maintained my bowling and golf muscles but I still go between XL and XXL

13. Glowing review: RAVE.

14. Mirror reflection: IMAGE.  Really??  I thought it was I.

15. Army installation: BASE.  There are three on a baseball diamond.

18. Aches and pains: ILLS.  Not enough room to share my personal items on this blog.

19. Beachgoer's footwear: SANDALS.  You may need these if you book a day or two at the Island Resorts of the Florida coast.  You may need a high limit on your credit card also.

20. Cast-iron pan, often: SKILLET.  My Mom had one of these.  Weighed about 20 pounds.

22. Hardy's Miss Durbeyfield: TESS.

24. A bit teary-eyed: MISTY. The Crossword Corner Misty.

May 7, 2010

25. Air Force B-52, e.g.: BOMBER.  I've been called this, but I prefer Boomer.

29. Worker with bricks: MASON.  Lawyer named Perry.  I guess I am old.

32. Does as told: OBEYS.  Yes Sir! 

33. Pre-Easter period: LENT.  The church has relaxed the rules a bit on those forty days.  Catholics were losing too much weight.

34. What you wear: GARB.

38. Post-it jotting: NOTE.

39. Loaded with beef, say: MEATY.  We have received three boxes of four from Omaha Steaks. Thank you, Irish Miss.

40. App-based car service: UBER.  Credit card only.  You need to be at least 18 years of age to ride.

41. Unable to hear: DEAF.

42. Cruel creature of fable: OGRE.

43. Michael of "Alfie" (1966): CAINE.  Drop the E and you have Abel's bro.

44. Beyond heavy: OBESE.

46. Like many margarita glasses: SALTED.  I never drank a margarita, but I like peanuts and cashews.

47. Keystroke-saving shortcut: MACRO.

50. The "first" in "first and ten": DOWN.  My oncologist's name is Dr. DOWNS.  Not sure if he's a football fan.  He's waiting for a vaccine at the VA, just like me. I guess the front line health care workers in the COVID-19 section of the hospital receive it first.  I and Dr. DOWNS are a bit further DOWN the list. 

52. Like the taste of much breakfast juice: ORANGEY.  ORANGE juice is a little tart.  C.C. buys these small Mandarin oranges that are a bit sweeter.  That's the ORANGES!  No one is sweeter than C.C.

55. Downloadable talk show: PODCAST.

60. Nevada casino city: RENO.  Great City!  They built a huge bowling center there in the mid nineties so, of course, I visited there for a couple of ABC/USBC tournaments.  Bowling shot was a bit difficult but the souvenirs were great. 

Boomer is second from left.

Boomer's Souvenir Coins

63. From the beginning: ANEW.  Not now, we are almost halfway there.

64. Need a Band-Aid, say: BLEED.  I have not worn a golf glove on my left hand since October.  Sometimes the hand would BLEED when I took it off.  The glove, not my hand.

65. Dog-biting pest: FLEA.  C.C. and I spent many weekend mornings at FLEA markets in the past.  I mostly sold baseball cards and hand-crafted zipper pulls.

66. Young fellow: LAD.  "When I was but a LAD of ten, my father said to me.  Come here and take a lesson from the lovely lemon tree.  Late 50s song.  NOT performed by the Beatles.

67. Mails: SENDS.  Post office says they are getting overwhelmed with Christmas cards and packages.

68. Govt. agents: FEDS.

Down:

1. Spheres, to poets: ORBS.

2. Yucatán native: MAYA.

3. "Terrible" czar: IVAN.  This is why no one names their kids IVAN any more.

4. Work behind, as the bar: TEND.  Difficult job that I never had.  Our governor closed the bars for a month again around Thanksgiving but he is contemplating an extension since our COVID cases are still bouncing off the ceiling.

5. Boat's steering device: TILLER.  Hmmmm.  Years ago, my boat had a steering wheel.

6. Store up: AMASS.  I have not been since the archbishop told me not to go last March.  Sometimes they email me a video, but now the associate pastor has COVID.  He is quarantined but doing okay.

7. Waterproofing gunk: TAR.  Our driveway could use a replacement.

8. Omelet staples: EGGS.  I can make the BEST - but it's too much trouble so I just have a bowl of cereal.

9. Stink to high heaven: REEK.

10. Niagara __: FALLS.  Minneapolis has Minnehaha Falls.  It's a bit of a trickle in the winter however.

11. Speck in the ocean: ISLET.

12. In a crabby mood: TESTY.

17. Goes out with: DATES.  A great fruit to put on top of a cookie.  Careful of the seed.

21. Texter's "I think": IMO.  "IN MY OPINION" I am not sure.

23. Applied sloppily, as lipstick: SMEARED.

25. "__, James __": BOND.  I saw all of the Sean Connery movies but then I couldn't keep up.

26. Double-reed woodwind: OBOE.

27. Self-referential, in modern lingo: META.

30. Start the poker pot: ANTE.  Great memories of nickel ANTE poker, when waiting in the caddy shack for a job.

31. Pig's home: STY.

33. Some chicken servings: LEGS.  I'm pretty sure they are called drumsticks.

35. Slightly: A BIT.  Some times we would win A BIT or lose A BIT.  But some guys would come off the course with their daily earnings and blow it all in the poker game.

36. Russo of "Thor" movies: RENE.

37. Raised, as cattle: BRED.  My great uncle Bill had no cattle.  I guess you could say he BRED hens.

39. The bossy Stooge: MOE.

43. Like a positive attitude: CAN DO.

45. Where cranberries grow: BOG. Oh I thought they grew in cans.

46. Dueling weapons: SWORDS.  I really liked the dueling banjos in "Deliverance"

47. Lesson from Aesop: MORAL.

48. Place for a concert: ARENA.  The Twins have Target Field and the Timberwolves have Target ARENA downtown right next store.

49. Repaired with wicker: CANED.

51. __ out: declined: OPTED.  I OPTED out of my bowling leagues so far this year.  Our governor has closed the bowling centers about a month ago, so four weeks have been delayed or cancelled. 

53. Flows back: EBBS.

54. Christmas season: YULE.  "Deck the Halls" -- 'Tis the season. 

56. Shirt sleeve's end: CUFF.  The most difficult button to fasten on a shirt.

57. Having the skill: ABLE.

58. Vehicle pulled by huskies: SLED.  In some places, but in Minnesota we kids ride them down hill with no help from doggies.

59. They accompany crumpets: TEAS.  C.C. is the expert.  I usually pour mine over ice.

62. Japanese coins: YEN.

Boomer

Sunday April 12, 2020 Fred Piscop

Theme: "UR Out!" - UR is deleted from each familiar phrase.
 
23. Where a displaced ex-hubby may sleep?: DIVORCE COT. Divorce court.

25. Determination as to which twin is born first?: NATAL ORDER. Natural order.

44. Poem about the letter nu?: ODE ON A GRECIAN N. Ode on a Grecian Urn.

63. Progressive Insurance icon's layoff?: SACK OF FLO. Sack of flour.

69. Dried, pulverized onions?: CRY POWDER. Curry power.

89. Three movies about skeletons?: THE BONE TRILOGY. The Bourne Trilogy.

111. Extension of an embargo?: BAN RENEWAL. Urban renewal.

114. Della's notable facial feature?: STREET CHIN. Street urchin.

Notice there are no straying UR combo in the grid at all?

Fred Piscop is a master of course. He's never one to chase after a pangram or low-word account. Smooth and clean fill is always his priority. I was very lucky to work with Fred when he was the editor for the USA Today.

Across:

1. Identifies in a Facebook photo: TAGS.

5. __ basin: TIDAL.

10. Chitchats: GABS. WeChat with my friend Carmen every day. She said most of the businesses in Guangzhou have reopened. She's still too nervous to visit the hair salon. This is a very good article about situations in China.

14. Prep for surgery: SCRUB.

19. Mil or mile: UNIT.

20. Kipling's "Lone Wolf": AKELA.

21. Release, as an odor: EMIT.

22. Reason to march: CAUSE.

27. Brunch dish: OMELET.

28. 2000 NBA MVP: O'NEAL. 100. 28-Across, for eight seasons: LAKER. The glorious days.

30. Clay-pigeon launcher: TRAP.

31. Guinness Book suffix: EST.

32. Back-to-zero button: RESET.

33. Delightful places: EDENS.

34. Closed (in): ZEROED.

36. Concerning: IN RE.

38. North Pole explorer: PEARY. Not SCOTT. Wiki says Robert Peary was buried Arlington Cemetery

40. Restaurant with skating carhops: SONIC.

50. Myriad: MANY.

51. Violinist's effect: VIBRATO. Here is Fred Piscop at the keyboard.

52. "Didn't mean it": SORRY.

53. Confession hearers: PRIESTS.

56. Lendl of tennis: IVAN.

57. Alloy containing carbon: STEEL.

58. "Any day now": SOON.

59. Body __: ART.

60. Elsinore natives: DANES.

62. Ex-White House Press Secretary Spicer: SEAN. Seems like ages ago.

66. Warning to a sinner: REPENT.

68. "__ Madness": old anti-drug movie: REEFER. Unfamiliar to me.

72. "The Swedish Nightingale" Jenny: LIND.

73. Littlest littermates: RUNTS.

77. Greek X: CHI.

78. Primatologists' subjects: APES.

79. Commonly abbreviated bit of Latin: ID EST.

81. Part of a hat trick: GOAL.

82. Hard bargain driver: HAGGLER. And 110. Flea market deal: RESALE. Guess our local flea market won't be open this year.

84. "CSI" part: SCENE.

85. African grassland: SAVANNA.

88. "Uh-huh": I SEE.

91. Clobbers with snowballs: PELTS.

93. Silents vamp Bara: THEDA.

94. Hammerhead cousin: MAKO.

95. Got ready to stop: SLOWED.

97. Needing a rinse: SOAPY. How I miss the days when Target had so many Method hand washes for me to choose.

105. "That's unfortunate": TSK.

108. Rebus animals: EWES.

109. Game akin to bingo: BEANO.

116. Poke around: SNOOP.

117. Artist who helped Hitchcock design a dream sequence for "Spellbound": DALI. Interesting trivia.

118. Colorful upholstery fabric: TOILE.

119. Gobs: A LOT.

120. Trivial: PETTY.

121. Manicure sound: SNIP.

122. Escargot: SNAIL.

123. Kitchen supplies: POTS.

Down:

1. House of Henry VIII: TUDOR.

2. "Speed Racer" genre: ANIME.

3. Helps the cause: GIVES.

4. Made off with: STOLE.

5. Negotiating asset: TACT.

6. Clanton gang leader: IKE. Ike Clanton.  O.K. Corral.

7. __ ring: encryption toy: DECODER.

8. One way to work: ALONE.

9. Grow dark: LATEN.

10. USAF VIP: GENL.

11. Org. with an oft-quoted journal: AMA.

12. Marsh bird: BITTERN.

13. Bright at night: STARRY.

14. Sharpshooters' aids: SCOPES.

15. Sleeping __: CAR. Very effective fill-in-the-blank clue, since there are a few three-letter candidates.

16. Far from polite: RUDE.

17. Doesn't waste: USES.

18. Muppet with a unibrow: BERT.

24. Eye part: RETINA.

26. Vientiane native: LAO. Their food is very similar to Thai food. Both love long-grained sticky rice. Short-grained sticky rice is more popular in China and Japan.

29. Set a high goal: ASPIRE.

33. Logician's word: ERGO.

34. Buffoon: ZANY.

35. Fuller's geodesic creation: DOME.

37. MLB Expo, since 2005: NAT. Who are you top three Montreal Expo players?

39. Counts' equals: EARLS.

41. __ spray: NASAL.

42. Toastmaster's opening: INTRO.

43. Dermatologist's concern: CYST.

44. "Amores" poet: OVID.

45. Operatic icon: DIVA.

46. Abba of Israel: EBAN.

47. Difficult: ORNERY. Great word.

48. Ritzy spread: ESTATE.

49. Either "Fargo" director: COEN. Pride of Minnesota.

53. Elbowed: POKED.

54. Urban sunbather's spot: ROOF.

55. Derive: INFER.

57. Orders to go: SENDS.

58. Potpourri quality: SCENT.

61. Bud protector: SEPAL. Saw buds in our neighborhood hedge yesterday.

62. Home of the Ninja Turtles: SEWER. No idea.

64. No longer in bed: ARISEN.

65. Thrifty: FRUGAL.

67. St. Peter's Square figure: POPE.

69. Climactic film scene: CHASE.

70. Bright Orion star: RIGEL.

71. Pressed through a sieve: RICED.

72. Celeb with a TV "Garage": LENO.

74. Pitcher's gem, in baseball lingo: NO NO. No hitters.

75. Brand associated with NASA missions: TANG. Also a big & prosperous Chinese dynasty.

76. Crack up: SLAY.

77. Casino disk: CHIP.

80. Lower in status: DEBASE.

83. Catches on to: GETS.

84. Slough off: SHED.

85. Stick around: STAY.

86. Torah holder: ARK.

87. Roy G. Biv hue: VIOLET.

89. Saint-Saëns work with a memorable cello solo: THE SWAN. Also unknown to me.

90. Big-box stores, e.g.: EMPORIA. Plural of "emporium".

92. Yawning, say: SLEEPY.

93. Coarse woolens: TWEEDS.

96. Part of BYOB: OWN.

98. Brewers' ovens: OASTS.

99. Playwright Chekhov: ANTON. "Three Sisters".

101. Tunesmiths' org.: ASCAP.

102. Hayek's "Frida" role: KAHLO. She nailed the role.

103. "Silas Marner" author: ELIOT.

104. Monopoly fees: RENTS.

105. 1/2 fl. oz.: TBSP.

106. Level-headed: SANE.

107. Half hitch, e.g.: KNOT.

109. Dot on a radar screen: BLIP.

110. "Riverdance" dance: REEL.

112. Hogwash: ROT.

113. Dethroner of Foreman: ALI.

115. Lilly of pharmaceuticals: ELI.

Last week I linked one of the YouTube videos by constructor Todd Gross. You can watch all of his work here. 

This 21*21  is particularly interesting. I can't imagine the amount of work that went into that grid. 

C.C.