Happy Monday, everyone! sumdaze here.
Theme:
Mine find, Pay dirt, Catan resource, Bank deposit, Vein contents,
You can dig it, Underground riches, Extracted resource, etc.
(These are all clues for a common crossword fill, ORE.)
Today's trio of debut constructors have supplied us with four fun themers:
17 Across. Defiant retort to a vague threat: OR ELSE WHAT?. 
23 Across. Compilations of acting clips: DEMO REELS. A DEMO REEL is a 1-2 minute series of clips that showcase one's acting ability. It gives a casting director a sense of whether someone might be right or wrong for a part.
49 Across. "Out of the office" email message, often: AUTO REPLY. 
59 Across. Quality-over-quantity axiom: LESS IS MORE. German-American architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886-1969) is credited with first using this quote. Another quote attributed to him is, "God is in the details." He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963.
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| Mies van der Rohe designed the Barcelona Chair in 1929. |
The reveal spans the equator:
37 Across. Experimental music genre, and what can be found in this puzzle's circled letters?: PROGRESSIVE ROCK. Guess who's favorite band fits this genre? Yep, here is a Rush fix for -T with Tom Sawyer (1981).
ORE is a type of ROCK that contains minerals. Our constructors have skillfully arranged their themed answers so that the letters O-R-E are PROGRESSIng across the grid from the top-left to the bottom-right. The circles help to emphasize this pattern. Notice how they match their symmetrical partners. Well done!
Across:
1. U.K. TV network: BBC. "United Kingdom" is abbreviated, so is "British Broadcasting Corporation", sometimes called "The Beeb" or "Auntie".
4. More than capable: ADEPT.
9. Leave damaged: SCAR.
13. Hard to find: RARE.
15. Old-school, but cool: RETRO. This RETRO outfit is a salute to 36-Across. more RETRO fashion
16. Like takeout meals: TO GO. I do more take-a-way than eat-in because I can add extra veggies at home and stretch it into two meals.
19. Regrets: RUES.
20. Peak performance on the field: A-GAME.
21. Superficially attractive thing: EYE CANDY. EYE CANDY was on my short list for my recent Dance Moves puzzle, but I could not fit it in. 
26. That fella's: HIS.
27. Costco rival, familiarly: SAM'S. Here is a price comparison article from August 2024.
28. Many a business on a Napa Valley tour: WINERY.
31. Female pig: SOW.
34. Pro's opposite: CON.
36. Pilot Earhart: AMELIA. Amelia Mary Earhart was born on July 24, 1897 in Atchison, KS. She set many early aviation records, including first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She disappeared over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 while attempting to become the first female pilot to circumnavigate the globe. (Geraldine "Jerrie" Mock later accomplished this feat in 1964.)
41. Country singer Underwood: CARRIE. Carrie Marie Underwood was born on March 10, 1983 in Muskogee, OK. She is a singer/songwriter and winner of the fourth season of American Idol (2005).
42. 16th pres.: ABE.
43. Hi-__ monitor: RES.
44. Nondairy milk source: ALMOND. This is my recipe: Soak 1 cup almonds overnight then drain. Use a high-powered blender to blend 4 cups water, the soaked almonds, and 1 tsp. pure maple syrup. Some people run it through cheesecloth but I do not bother.
45. Coup d'__: ÉTAT. and 57 Across. Chaotic struggle: MELEE.
27. Costco rival, familiarly: SAM'S. Here is a price comparison article from August 2024.
28. Many a business on a Napa Valley tour: WINERY.
34. Pro's opposite: CON.
36. Pilot Earhart: AMELIA. Amelia Mary Earhart was born on July 24, 1897 in Atchison, KS. She set many early aviation records, including first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She disappeared over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 while attempting to become the first female pilot to circumnavigate the globe. (Geraldine "Jerrie" Mock later accomplished this feat in 1964.)
41. Country singer Underwood: CARRIE. Carrie Marie Underwood was born on March 10, 1983 in Muskogee, OK. She is a singer/songwriter and winner of the fourth season of American Idol (2005).
42. 16th pres.: ABE.
43. Hi-__ monitor: RES.
44. Nondairy milk source: ALMOND. This is my recipe: Soak 1 cup almonds overnight then drain. Use a high-powered blender to blend 4 cups water, the soaked almonds, and 1 tsp. pure maple syrup. Some people run it through cheesecloth but I do not bother.
45. Coup d'__: ÉTAT. and 57 Across. Chaotic struggle: MELEE.
That reminds me, don't forget to vote tomorrow.
48. Possessed: HAD. Mary HAD a little lamb....
54. Attention-grabbing advertisement: NEON SIGN. This picture is from the 1960s. Vegas Vic was the largest, mechanical (His arm moved.), NEON SIGN in the world.
58. New Haven Ivy: YALE. The capital "I" is a hint. YALE is an Ivy League school located in New Haven, Connecticut. There are eight Ivy League schools.
62. Billie Eilish's "Happier Than __": EVER. This one had a little too much profanity to pass the 'breakfast test' but I can tell you that Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell was born December 18, 2001 in Los Angeles. She is the youngest person to have won two Oscars. Both were for Best Original Song.
63. Weak-__: cowardly: KNEED.
64. Mark on a dalmatian's coat: SPOT. Here's a nail-biter from One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961).
54. Attention-grabbing advertisement: NEON SIGN. This picture is from the 1960s. Vegas Vic was the largest, mechanical (His arm moved.), NEON SIGN in the world.
62. Billie Eilish's "Happier Than __": EVER. This one had a little too much profanity to pass the 'breakfast test' but I can tell you that Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell was born December 18, 2001 in Los Angeles. She is the youngest person to have won two Oscars. Both were for Best Original Song.
63. Weak-__: cowardly: KNEED.
64. Mark on a dalmatian's coat: SPOT. Here's a nail-biter from One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961).
65. Detective Monaghan in Laura Lippman novels: TESS. There are 12 books in the Tess Monaghan series plus two others. The first, Baltimore Blues, was published in 1997.
66. T-bone, for one: STEAK.
67. Pt. of GPS: SYS. SYStem is part of Global Positioning System.
Down:
66. T-bone, for one: STEAK.
67. Pt. of GPS: SYS. SYStem is part of Global Positioning System.
Down:
1. Covering a wide scope: BROAD.
2. Canal vessel: BARGE. A BARGE is a roomy, usually flat-bottomed boat used chiefly for the transport of goods on inland waterways (often canals) and is usually propelled by towing.
3. Alfredo sauce ingredient: CREAM.
5. Dawn droplets: DEW.
6. Neighbor of Lucy and Ricky: ETHEL. Vivian Vance (1909 - 1979) from Cherryvale, KS played Ethel Mertz on I Love Lucy. This is the famous Chocolate Factory sketch from 1952. (3:07 min.)
7. Performs salah, e.g.: PRAYS. How-to Guide
8. Canvas bag: TOTE.
9. Kitchen colander: STRAINER. I have a weakness for buying these. Is thirteen too many???
10. Summer camp staffer: COUNSELOR.
11. __ like milk: looked bad in hindsight: AGED. I cannot recall hearing this expression before today. It means something AGED badly. Cheese lovers might raise an objection.
12. Flushed: ROSY.
Chamber Music ~ Paolo Nutini ~ 2009
a simple ditty that earns its name at 1:10
14. "__ World": "Sesame Street" segment: ELMO'S. 
18. Repeated word in a Doris Day hit: SERA. Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)
18. Repeated word in a Doris Day hit: SERA. Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)
Doris Day sang this song for Alfred Hitchcock's 1956 movie,
The Man Who Knew Too Much.
It won an Oscar for Best Original Song.
22. Doorbell sound: CHIME. 
24. Roasted, hosted, or toasted: EMCEED. Great clue!
25. Spanish "those": ESOS. Use this demonstrative adjective for things that are plural, masculine, and not close by.
28. Greet from afar: WAVE TO.
29. __ and beans: RICE. Why You Should Eat More RICE and Beans
30. Chatters on and on: YAKS.
31. "Adopt, don't shop" org.: SPCA.
32. Like some thermometers: ORAL.
33. Hypothetical space-time shortcuts: WORMHOLES. From nasa.gov :
24. Roasted, hosted, or toasted: EMCEED. Great clue!
25. Spanish "those": ESOS. Use this demonstrative adjective for things that are plural, masculine, and not close by.
28. Greet from afar: WAVE TO.
29. __ and beans: RICE. Why You Should Eat More RICE and Beans
30. Chatters on and on: YAKS.
31. "Adopt, don't shop" org.: SPCA.
 |
| The slogan encourages people to consider a shelter before going to a breeder. |
33. Hypothetical space-time shortcuts: WORMHOLES. From nasa.gov :
 |
| (Click to enlarge.) |
35. Org. that oversees a cryptologic museum: NSA. National Security Agency
about the museum
38. Dad jokes, often: GROANERS. Such a great fill word! Here are three dad jokes for November:
38. Dad jokes, often: GROANERS. Such a great fill word! Here are three dad jokes for November:
What is the most negative month of the year? NO-vember
Why did the pilgrim's pants keep falling down? Because his buckle was on his hat.
When does December come before November? In the dictionary.
Ba-dum-tss
39. Melon discards: RINDS.
40. Skeptical scoff: I BET. I like the alliteration in this clue.
39. Melon discards: RINDS.
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| worms enjoying watermelon RINDS in my compost pile |
40. Skeptical scoff: I BET. I like the alliteration in this clue.
Here is Taylor Swift's I Bet You Think About Me (2021). It is speculated she wrote it for actor Jake Gyllenhaal. I BET there are a lot of people who identify with sending this message to an ex.
46. Upper limbs: ARMS.
47. Is rife (with): TEEMS. Just FYI, an obsolete definition of TEEM is "to become pregnant; conceive."
49. Professional dealmaker: AGENT. An AGENT is a representative who advises clients in a certain area of expertise. Agents represent athletes, writers, models, actors, producers, performers, and other celebrities. Jerry Maguire is a movie about a sports AGENT (1996).
47. Is rife (with): TEEMS. Just FYI, an obsolete definition of TEEM is "to become pregnant; conceive."
49. Professional dealmaker: AGENT. An AGENT is a representative who advises clients in a certain area of expertise. Agents represent athletes, writers, models, actors, producers, performers, and other celebrities. Jerry Maguire is a movie about a sports AGENT (1996).
50. "Ugh, I'll never be able to __ that!": UNSEE.
51. Sits (down): PLOPS.
52. "Sleigh Ride" composer Anderson: LEROY. Fast-forward to December...
53. Throws away, slangily: YEETS. I still have yet to encounter YEET 'in the wild'. Did we learn this word from Marie Kondo? I have to admit, I now smile when I see it in a puzzle.
54. Russian refusal: NYET. Some solvers say, "NYET" to "YEETS".
55. Roof overhang: EAVE.
56. Varieties: ILKS. Def. (noun) sorts, kinds.
60. Poseidon's realm: SEA.
61. "No clue," for short: IDK. I Don't Know ... but I have a WAG!
That wraps things up for today. Don't be sore. It's not forever. We'll talk more next time!
