Monday December 13, 2021 John Harrington

Theme: OUT OF ORDER (62. Like a nonfunctioning vending machine, or what the circled letters are, in two ways) - The circled letters are anagrams of ORDER.

17. TV Mister with a "neighborhood": FRED ROGERS.

23. Regular cybersecurity measure: PASSWORD RESET.

40. Agatha Christie play set in Egypt: MURDER ON THE NILE.

51. Self-inflicted tennis mistake: UNFORCED ERROR.

Boomer here. Congrats to John on his crossword debut!

Last week Minnesota celebrated the election of Tony Oliva and Jim Kaat to the major league baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.  I think I may have mentioned that Jim Kaat used to ORDER pizza from a pizza restaurant where I worked at the time (mid 1960s).  Later in the 1980s I used to run a fund raising baseball card show for a scholarship foundation in memory of my daughter.  Debbie passed away too early at the age of ten.  Mr. Kaat came to the show and signed autographs to those who requested.  Also the organist for the Twins, Ronnie Neuman came that day and pounded out a few great songs on an organ I used to own and had hauled it up to the school on  my pickup truck.  

What a great memory I have of that day.  I believe my foundation raised $2200.00 that year!   

Kaat and Oliva

 

Across:

1. To __ her own: EACH.

5. Work on, as a bone: GNAW.  I bought some boneless steaks, but I still had to GNAW.

9. Swedish pop group: ABBA.  The members of the group are still alive - ages 71 - 76.

13. Pond plant with floating "pads": LILY.  Remember MS. Tomlin on "Laugh In."

14. "West Side Story" heroine: MARIA.  "Say it loud and there's music playing, say it soft and it's almost like praying." 

16. Golf scorecard numbers: PARS.  Sorry, you won't see too many of those numbers on my scorecard.  I remember C.C. carded 19 birdies in one year.  Back in healthier days for both of us.

19. MADD ads, e.g.: PSAS.  Last reading, my PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) was a bit high.

20. Achy from exercise: SORE.  I have no problem getting SORE without exercise.

21. Italian half-dozen: SEI.

22. The "L" in "SNL": LIVE.  "LIVE, from New York, It's Saturday Night !!"

27. Thurman on screen: UMA.

29. Crumpets drink: TEA.  For Two

30. Enjoy a meal: EAT.  Sometimes EAT and Enjoy do not go together.

31. Fulfill fully: SATE.

33. Things best not all put in one basket?: EGGS.  Scramble a few.

36. Ocean levels: TIDES.  In and out daily.  I guess the moon causes them.

43. Identify as yours, as baggage: CLAIM.

44. College sports org.: NCAA.  The big Basketball Tournament is coming.  Place your bets.

45. Man or Wight: ISLE.

46. Spanish aunt: TIA.

48. First-aid set: KIT.  Mr. Carson of the old west.

50. Cell pic taker: CAM.  I am no good at this,  I have a forty year old camera. 

57. Get close to: NEAR.

58. Charlemagne's domain, for short: HRE. Holy Roman Empire.

59. Disney exec Robert: IGER.  I have been to both Disneyland, and Disney World.  Fascinating places a long way from Minnesota.  We just sold a couple of key chains from each park on eBay.

61. Painter of limp watches: DALI.

66. Memorable lioness: ELSA.

67. Performance sometimes seen through glasses: OPERA.  I have never been to one.

68. German article: EINE.  When I was in Hardheim Germany, "Eine Bier" was a common order from the bar.

69. Rod partner: REEL.  Well known in the "Land of 10,000 Lakes"

70. "Jurassic Park" menace, briefly: T-REX. Tyrannosaurus rex.

71. "Halt!": STOP.  These Octagon signs were all yellow when I was young. 

Down:

1. Santa helper: ELF.  I'll bet they are busy at the North Pole this time of year.

2. Broadcasts: AIRS.

3. Antony's last spouse: CLEOPATRA.  "When I think of Elizabeth Taylor...."

4. Monster slain by Hercules: HYDRA.

5. Modern food concern, briefly: GMO.  Genetically Modified Organism.

6. Old horse: NAG.  Mr. Ed was NOT a NAG !!

7. "Am not!" reply: ARE SO.

8. Electrical job: WIRER.  The Job is a job.  The guy who does it is an Electrician.

9. Drink replacing "mar" with an apt fruit: APPLETINI.

10. Foundation: BASIS.

11. Courageous: BRAVE.  "Land of the free and home of the BRAVE."

12. Balance sheet item: ASSET.  Bowling balls and golf clubs are NOT ASSETS.

15. "Step __!": "Outta my way!": ASIDE.  "A SIDE" order of fries.

18. Take a break: REST.  Not yet, I am almost done.

24. Prophet: SEER.

25. Old West vehicle: WAGON.  I noticed that they are running "WAGON TRAIN" reruns now on one of my cable channels.

26. Per-hour amount: RATE.  It's been a long time ago since I worked "Per Hour".

27. "Semper Fi" org.: USMC.  Thank you for your service.

28. Hammering tool: MAUL.

32. Opinion piece: EDITORIAL.  I kind of skim by these pages.  I am not interested in others opinion.  Just the facts!

34. Health supplements co.: GNC.  General Nutrition Center.

35. Vampire's undoing: STAKE.

37. Cast doubt on: DISCREDIT.

38. Scat legend Fitzgerald: ELLA. "The First Lady of SONG"

39. Apparently are: SEEM.

41. Mideast ruler: EMIR.

42. Win by a __: barely beat: HAIR.  "Gimme a head with HAIR, Long beautiful HAIR.  Shinin' Gleamin' Streamin' Flaxen Waxin"

47. Sneezing sound: ACHOO.  KAZOO Height.

49. Emerson, Lake & Palmer, e.g.: TRIO.  Chad Mitchell plus two. Became the Mitchell TRIO when Chad left and was replaced by John Denver.

51. Beneath: UNDER.

52. Author Zora __ Hurston: NEALE.

53. True-__ test: FALSE.  Pretty easy.  If you do not know the answer, you have a 50-50 chance.

54. Explode in rage: ERUPT.  Billy Martin and an Umpire !!

55. Try to stop: DETER.

56. Shrek and family: OGRES.

60. City sometimes mistaken for the capital of Nevada: RENO.  Been there quite a bit for the Bowling Center.  It is HUGE.  Not so much anymore.

63. Mined resource: ORE.  Never been to Oregon.

64. Obsolescent document transmitter: FAX.

65. One ab crunch, say: REP.  I never did these either.

Boomer

Notes from C.C.:

I'm so sorry to let you know that dear Spitzboov (Al) passed away last night. I'm just so devastated. He's such a generous, kind soul. He gave me so much advice over the years. He gifted me this flag when I became a US citizen. 

I'm so lucky to have known you and collaborated with you on a few puzzles, Al, I'll always remember you! I also want to thank Al's son Peter for keeping me updated on his situation. 

Please accept our deepest sympathies on your loss, Betty, Anita (Al's sister), Peter, Chris and Mark (Al's sons)!

Spitzboov and Betty at the US Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT.  2012.