Theme: Schoolwork.
Constructor Joe Marangell teaches us to read five familiar phrases as if they pertained to schoolwork. The theme answers are placed symmetrically in Across rows, with one spanning the grid. Very clever! Give this man an A! The theme clues and answers are:
17-Across. Biology course content?: LIFE LESSON. A life lesson is a piece of wisdom gained through experience -- or in this case, a course of study in biology, which is the scientific study of life and living organisms.
26-Across. Aviation course content?: PILOT STUDY. A pilot study is a small-scale, preliminary research project conducted to assess the feasibility of a larger study or project -- or in this case, study materials for someone learning to pilot an aircraft.
38-Across. Basic training course content?: PRIVATE PRACTICE. A private practice is a professional business (such as that of a lawyer or doctor) that is not controlled by the government or a larger company -- or in this case, the training course for an army recruit of the lowest rank.
46-Across. Government course content?: POWER DRILL. A power drill is a handheld tool that uses an electric motor to rotate a drill bit or screwdriver tip -- or in this case, a training session in the use of authority, influence, or control.
57-Across. Sports management course content?: COACH CLASS. Coach class is economy seating on an aircraft or train -- or in this case, a curriculum for persons responsible for the direction, instruction, and training of a sports team or athlete.
Across:
1. Tiffs: SPATS.
6. Gym sets: REPS. Repetitions of an exercise, usually called "reps" in a gymnasium.
10. "Pygmalion" playwright: SHAW. Pygmalion is a 1913 stage play by George Bernard Shaw. It is named for the Greek mythological figure Pygmalion, who fell in love with one of his sculptures, which then came to life. You may be more familiar with the 1964 American musical comedy film My Fair Lady which is based on Shaw's play.
 |
| Pygmalion and Galatea by Elisabeth Caren |
14. "Is it really?": NO LIE. A conversational response that I have never heard used.
15. Waikiki home: OAHU. The island of Oahu is home to the neighborhood of Waikiki within the city of Honolulu.
16. Slim margin of victory: HAIR. "Win by a hair" is an idiom meaning to win by a very small margin.
17. [Theme clue]
19. Slick: OILY.
20. Strength: ASSET. One definition of asset is a useful or valuable thing, person, or quality, which could also be considered a strength.
21. Nerdy 1990s sitcom character: URKEL. Steve Urkel was a fictional character on the ABC/CBS sitcom Family Matters, portrayed by Jaleel White. Originally slated for a single appearance, he became the show's most popular character and its protagonist.
 |
| Jaleel White as Steve Urkel |
22. Engineered crops, for short: GMOs. Genetically Modified Organisms are plants, animals, or microorganisms whose DNA has been altered, often by introducing genes from another organism or by altering existing genes, to express desired traits.
26. [Theme clue]
28. Arrive onshore, as clouds: ROLL IN.
 |
| Time to head home, kids! |
30. "Affirmative": YES.
31. Actor Quinn: AIDAN. Aidan Quinn is an Irish-American actor. He has starred in over 80 feature films as well as in several television series.
 |
| Aidan Quinn |
32. Candy Land surface: BOARD.
35. Go on the __: LAM. Escape or run away, especially from the police. The English pickpockets who created the expression did not leave notes about its etymology.
38. [Theme clue]
41. "__ Haw": HEE. Hee Haw was a TV variety show featuring country music and humor, which aired on CBS from 1969 to 1993. "Hee haw" can be the sound a donkey makes, or a loud laugh. Given the capitalization in the clue, the TV show is probably meant here.
42. Arial, Times New Roman, etc.: FONTS.
43. Sailing: AT SEA.
44. Best New Artist Grammy winner Lipa: DUA. A frequent crossword vocalist.
45. Josh of the "Dune" films: BROLIN. Josh Brolin is an actor, and son of actor James Brolin. Josh had early success with his role in The Goonies (1985), and then saw his career decline until he starred in the film No Country for Old Men (2007). Since then, he's enjoyed a stellar career.
 |
| Josh Brolin |
46. [Theme clue]
52. Furry companions: PETS.
53. "Success is counted sweetest" poet Dickinson: EMILY. "Success is counted sweetest" is a poem by Emily Dickinson, written in 1859 and published in 1864. The poem uses images of a victorious army and one dying warrior to suggest that only one who has suffered defeat can understand success.
Success is counted sweetest,
By those who ne’er succeed.
To comprehend a nectar
Requires sorest need.
Not one of all the purple Host
Who took the Flag today
Can tell the definition
So clear of Victory
As he defeated – dying –
On whose forbidden ear
The distant strains of triumph
Burst agonized and clear!
54. Great Plains people: OTOES. A Native American tribe that lived in the Central Plains region, specifically along the Missouri River in parts of what are now Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, and Missouri.
56. Toddler's pop: DADA. Babies often say "dada" or "mama" as part of their early babbling, typically between 6 and 12 months of age. The sound "dada" usually precedes "mama," which seems like a great survival mechanism for a mewling infant.
57. [Theme clue]
62. Nautical greeting: AHOY.
63. Puerto Rico, e.g.: ISLA. The Spanish word for "island," pronounced EES-la.
64. Ed of "Lou Grant": ASNER. Ed Asner (1929-2021) was an American actor, most noted for portraying Lou Grant on the sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970–1977) and on the drama Lou Grant (1977–1982). He is the most honored male performer in the history of the Primetime Emmy Awards, having won seven.
 |
| Ed Asner |
65. Statutes: LAWS.
66. Texter's "Bye for now": TTYL. Talk To You Later.
67. __-frutti: TUTTI. Tutti frutti (Italian for 'all fruits') is a mixture of candied fruits, often used to flavor ice cream. The mixture may include cherries, watermelon, raisins, and pineapple. That doesn't sound so great, but you know what does? Little Richard's song "Tutti Frutti" (1957).
Down:
1. Chloe Fineman's show, familiarly: SNL. Chloe Fineman is an American actress and comedian. She became a featured player on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live in 2019, and was promoted to repertory status in 2021.
 |
| Chloe Fineman |
2. Luau dish: POI. Poi is a staple food in the Polynesian diet, made from the root vegetable taro. It shows up frequently at Hawaiian luaus.
 |
| Mashing taro to make poi. |
3. Fuzzy 1980s sitcom character: ALF. ALF is the title character of the American television series ALF, and its animated spin-offs. ALF is short for Alien Life Form. Paul Fusco created and played ALF, and provided the voice for the character. Here's another cultural touchstone that I've missed.
 |
| ALF |
4. Twist __: TIE. The bit of wire in a paper or plastic wrapper that you use to close a plastic bag.
5. Actress Ward: SELA. Sela Ward is an American actress known for her work in TV series including the Fox medical drama House, and the CBS police procedurals CSI: NY and FBI. She has also played supporting roles in a number of films.
 |
| Sela Ward |
6. Martini partner: ROSSI. Chill gin in the freezer, pour into a cold glass, add a few drops of this extra dry vermouth, and call it a martini. Add a twist of lime or a few olives if you like.
7. Canvas stand: EASEL.
8. Pic: PHOTO.
9. Phoenix pro: SUN. The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They compete in the NBA as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference.
10. Warm-weather wear: SHORTS.
11. Japanese poem: HAIKU. A haiku is a form of Japanese poetry characterized by its three-line structure and specific syllable count: 5-7-5.
Words weave secret paths,
Meaning cloaked in clever clues—
The grid slowly speaks.
12. Felt unwell: AILED. What some of us did after last weekend's wedding in the woods. My brother in law apparently brought the gift of COVID from Florida.
13. With irony: WRYLY.
18. "Baseball Tonight" airer: ESPN.
21. Kelley Blue Book listing: USED CAR. Kelley Blue Book Co., Inc. (www.kbb.com) is an American vehicle valuation and automotive research company. Great site to check if you are buying or selling a used car.
22. Sales meeting visual aid: GRAPH.
23. Wavy pattern: MOIRÉ. In mathematics, physics, and art, moiré patterns are interference patterns produced when a partially opaque ruled pattern with transparent gaps is overlaid on a similar pattern. For the moiré interference pattern to appear, the two patterns must not be completely identical, but rather displaced, rotated, or with slightly different pitch. I know the word from the silk fabric with a rippled appearance. Moiré, or "watered textile," is made by pressing two layers of the textile when wet. The similar but imperfect spacing of the threads creates a wavy pattern which remains after the fabric dries.
 |
| Moiré interference pattern |
 |
| Moiré fabric |
24. Many a karaoke favorite: OLDIE.
25. Croat or Serb: SLAV.
27. Supermodel Banks: TYRA. Tyra Banks is an American model, television personality, producer, writer, and actress. She began her career as a model at the age of 15 and was the first Black American woman to be featured on the covers of GQ and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, on which she appeared three times. By the early 2000s, Banks was one of the world's top-earning models, and she continues to act on television and in films.
 |
| Tyra Banks -- not in a moiré pattern, but equally eye catching! |
29. Enraged: IN A FURY.
32. London's Big __: BEN. Big Ben is a nickname for the clock and tower which stand at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London, England. It was completed in 1859.
 |
| Big Ben |
33. Choose: OPT.
34. Talk Like a Pirate Day sounds: ARS. International Talk Like a Pirate Day is a parodic holiday created in 1995 by John Baur and Mark Summers of Albany, Oregon, who proclaimed September 19 each year as the day when everyone in the world should talk like a pirate (that is, in English with a stereotypical West Country accent). Here's a little vocabulary for you:
- Ahoy! Hello, a greeting.
- Avast! – "stop" or "pay attention."
- Aye! – "yes."
- Aye aye! – Often acknowledging an order.
- Arrr! – A versatile expression for excitement, anger, or agreement.
- Matey – A friend.
- Walk the plank – Who ate me last pickled egg?! Walk the plank!
- Me hearties – Refers to sailors or pirates as "my crew."
- Scallywag – A playful term for a rogue.
- Landlubber – A term for someone not skilled at sea; a non-sailor.
- Buccaneer – Another word for pirate, especially in the Caribbean.
- Plunder – To steal goods, often by force, in piracy.
- Swashbuckler – A daring, adventurous pirate or sailor.
- Davy Jones' locker – The bottom of the sea! (a euphemism for death at sea.)
- Bilge rat – An insult for someone seen as despicable.
- Booty – Treasure taken by pirates.
- Shiver me timbers! – An exclamation of surprise.
- Dead men tell no tales – A warning against betrayal.
- Parley – A request to negotiate, used in conflicts.
- Scurvy dog – An insult for someone seen as contemptible.
35. Cotton thread:
LISLE. Lisle is a lightweight, tightly twisted thread, typically made from long-staple cotton.
36. Earn a perfect exam grade:
ACE IT.
37. Statistical averages:
MEANS.
39. Pond hopper:
TOAD.
40. Roof option for a classic Corvette:
T-TOP.
 |
| Corvette T-Tops were produced 1968-1982. |
44. Airport snags: DELAYS.
45. "Gross!": BLEH.
46. Piano part: PEDAL.
47. Nebraska city with four Fortune 500 companies: OMAHA. To wit, ConAgra Foods, Union Pacific Railroad, Mutual of Omaha, and Kiewit Corporation. Easy for me, as I can't think of any other cities in Nebraska.
48. "Black __": Marvel film directed by Cate Shortland: WIDOW. Black Widow is a 2021 film based on Marvel Comics featuring the character of the same name. The title character is played by Scarlett Johansson.
49. Bird's perch: ROOST.
50. Sophia Loren's birthplace: ITALY.
51. Nearby: LOCAL.
55. "Shoo!": SCAT.
57. Op. __: footnote abbr.: CIT. Op. cit. is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase opus citatum or opere citato, meaning "the work cited." It refers to a work previously cited.
58. Baton Rouge sch.:
LSU.
Louisiana
State
University, known to me because of LSU's rivalty with DH's Tennessee Volunteers.
59. Colony insect:
ANT.
60. Complete collection:
SET.
61. __ Lanka:
SRI.
Here's the grid:
AHOY there, me hearties!
Did you attack this puzzle and ACE IT?
Or did it leave you IN A FURY?
Let us know in the comments. TTYL!
-- NaomiZ
Joe Marangell is the social studies instructional leader for East Haven Public Schools in East Haven, Connecticut, where he has worked since 2001 focused on inquiry-based learning, literacy, and student engagement. He has an EdD in Curriculum and Instruction and is a Crossword puzzle constructor!
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