20. Loser's hoped-for path : COMEBACK TRAIL. I wonder if Rory will find his path soon?
28. Significant dry spell? : SPEAKEASY ERA. (Apologies to Tinbeni.)
45. Disruptive occupation : SIT-IN PROTEST. Anyone run into the "Occupy" tents yet? They seem to disappear in the winter here up north...
55. Telecommuter, perhaps : STAY-AT-HOME DAD. I think of STAY-AT-HOME DADs as non-working. But telecommuting works, too, I guess!
38. A good one follows the starts of the four longest puzzle answers : DOG. But a smart one can do all these things, too. (Thanks for the fun video from Tuesday, Argyle - it was just too good not to use on this puzzle!)
Pretty straightforward for a Thursday, don't you think? The clues seemed so as well. But I'll do my best to shed light on anything that might have tripped you up.
Across:
1. Quiets : CALMS. -
6. Fund-raising target : GOAL. -
10. Combat group : UNIT. -
14. Muslim deity : ALLAH. -
15. Tom Joad, e.g. : OKIE. -
16. Gp. for leather loathers : PETA. -
17. Quench : SLAKE. -
18. Moderate, with "down" : TONE. -
19. Piece of land : PLOT. -
23. __ standstill : AT A. -
24. __Kosh B'Gosh : OSH. -
25. Comical routine : SHTICK. - (Love that word!)
31. Drift, as on the breeze : WAFT. -
34. Himalayan legend : YETI. -
35. Take a turn in the box : BAT. -Ah! Here's one that might have made you scratch your head. All I could think of was my cats. But not just domestic cats. As it turns out, ALL cats just love a box! 2:47
36. Where surfers shop : E-MALL. Ack.
39. "Affliction" actor : NOLTE. Nick. 1997 film set in NH. Anyone see it?
41. Ex-Saudi ruler __ Saud : IBN. King Abdulaziz, first monarch of Saudi Arabia 1932-1953.
42. Such-is link : AS IT. - "Such as it is."
44. Pro votes : AYES.
50. Poem part : STANZA.
51. "Rumble in the Jungle" winner : ALI.
52. Botanist Gray : ASA.
59. "Lovely" girl of song : RITA. The Beatles' meter maid. 2:42
61. "Am __ late?" : I TOO.
62. Numbered hymn : PSALM.
63. Actor Estrada : ERIK. My only hesitation was having to remember if it was spelled with a "c" or a "K."
64. Zero : NONE.
65. Cocoon dweller : LARVA.
66. Watch part : FACE.
67. Tour stops : GIGS.
68. Whitehorse's territory : YUKON. Map.
Down:
1. Brutus co-conspirator : CASCA.
2. Deal out : ALLOT.
3. South American carrier : LLAMA. Anyone else looking for an airline?
4. Rake in : MAKE.
5. Cyndi Lauper hit : SHEBOP. I already used my music link.
6. "Check" : GOTCHA.
7. "All right already" : OK OK. I said, "GOTCHA!!"
8. English class no-no : AIN'T.
9. Eyes rudely : LEERS AT.
10. Snobbish : UPPITY.
11. "Ten Days in a Mad-House" journalist, 1887 : NELLIE BLY. Pen name of Elizabeth Jane Cochrane. She faked insanity in order to report on mad-house conditions from within.
12. Judge in 1995 news : ITO. Lance ITO of the O.J. Simpson trial fame.
13. Art in a parlor : TAT.
21. Enzyme ending : ASE.
22. Twain/Harte play : AH SIN. "Ah Sin" is the name of the Chinese character in the play. No complete manuscript of this play survived. Its content can be derived from reviews of the time. The play ultimately failed, and the enmity between Harte and Twain began. (From C.C.: "Ah" is very common in Cantonese nicknames. It's often put in front the given name of a family member or close friend. For example, we can call Marti "Ah Marti". You can't use it for a stranger or your boss though. See here. Remember, Chinese put surnames first, hence his Ah-po nickname.)
26. Slatted box : CRATE.
27. Middleton and Spade : KATES.
28. Arch home: Abbr. : ST. L.ouis
29. Japan's second-oldest university : KYOTO.
30. Diagnostic test for epilepsy, for short : EEG. Electroencephalogram.
31. Houdini's family name : WEISS.
32. Boundary : AMBIT.
33. Extraordinary : FANTASTIC.
37. Tenor who portrayed Caruso : LANZA. Mario is worthy of a second music link. 3:02
38. Ang Lee, e.g.: Abbr. : DIR.ector and Academy Award winner for "Brokeback Mountain" and "Life of Pi."
40. Healthy grain : OAT.
43. Fixing, in a way : SPAYING. (Shhh! Don't mention this one to the 38-Across!)
46. __ manifold: engine part : INTAKE.
47. Chevy SUVs : TAHOES.
48. "Strange Magic" gp. : ELO. Electric Light Orchestra.
49. Without complication : SIMPLY.
52. "... __ and stormy ..." : A DARK.
53. Series of shots : SALVO.
54. Marketing pro : AD MAN.
56. Yours, to Yvette : A TOI.
57. Half a bar tool : TONG. Ack!
58. Genesis brother : ESAU.
59. Flag thrower : REF.
60. Portfolio element : IRA. Individual Retirement Account. Nary a hint of abbr., so have IRAs become one of those acronyms that are now accepted as words in and of themselves?
So, how did you do?
Marti
Note from C.C.:
Misty commented yesterday: " Las Vegas "snow-covered"? Really? Not when I've been there."
JD emailed me with a few photos. She said "here is LV covered in snow (09) with the "asses". Click here for 2 more pictures.