Baby Animals.
18-Across. Animated Disney film set in an arcade: WRECK IT RALPH. A KIT is the term used for a baby Fox. Babies of rabbits, raccoons, minks and groundhogs are also referred to as KITs.
25-Across. Hole in an argument: LOGICAL FALLACY. Baby animals that can be called a CALF include cattle, elephants, giraffes, whales, bison, moose, and hippopotamuses.
40-Across. Rock group with flashy outfits: GLAM BAND. A LAMB refers to baby sheep.
53-Across. "Consider this ... ": NOW LET'S SUPPOSE. An OWLET refers to a baby owl.
And the unifier:
64-Across. Feeling like age is just a number, and an apt description of 18-, 25-, 40-, and 53-Across: YOUNG AT HEART. The circles spell out the names of a baby animal which is in the "heart" of the answer.
Across:
1. Asian country that dominates badminton in the Olympics: CHINA.
6. Expert who works with both feet and meters?: POET. Everything you ever wanted to know about poetic feet and meters.
10. Cape __, Massachusetts: COD. Cape Cod is a hook-shaped peninsula in Massachusetts formed by the Laurentide Ice Sheet during the last ice age. Extending 65 miles into the Atlantic Ocean, the Cape's geography includes diverse features like salt marshes, freshwater ponds, sand dunes, and beaches, all subject to constant change from ocean currents and storms. The Cape has a very interesting cultural history.
13. Clumsy: OAFISH.
15. Sandwich cookies: OREOS. A crossword staple. We learned last Wednesday that the Oreo was preserved in a vault as part of a 2020 publicity stunt.
17. São Paulo salutation: OLÁ. São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil. The city was founded in 1554 by Jesuit priests. It is the largest Portuguese-speaking city in the world.
20. Brief "I don't need the details!": TMI. Textspeak for Too Much Information.
21. "Peter Pan" pirate: SMEE. This pirate makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles.
22. In really good condition: FIT.
23. Turkey-roasting aid: BASTER.
29. __ fide: BONA. Today's Latin lesson. The term means In Good Faith and is used to describe something as real, sincere and real.
30. Replacement car: LOANER.
31. In really good condition: LIKE NEW.
34. Letter between zeta and theta: ETA. It's Greek to me.
35. Pass over: SKIP.
39. Notable time: ERA.
43. Boise's st.: IDA. Boise is the capital of Idaho.
44. Ice cream brand: EDY'S. This ice cream brand along with the OREO are frequently the desserts of choice in the puzzles.
46. Night before: EVE.
47. Knocked to the ground: LAID LOW.
49. Rise: ASCENT.
52. Boring: DULL.
58. Pencil end: ERASER.
59. "Oh wow!": GEE.
60. "__ bien!": TRÉS. Very Good! This is today's French Lesson.
63. With 31-Down, "Life of Pi" director: ANG. // 31-Down: See 63-Across: LEE. Lee Ann (b. Oct. 23, 1954) is a Taiwanese filmmaker and he will celebrate his 71st birthday on Thursday.
68. Rob __ cocktail: ROY. A Rob Roy is a classic cocktail made with Scotch whisky, sweet vermouth, and Angostura bitters, garnished with a maraschino cherry or lemon peel.
69. Writer Proulx: ANNIE. Annie Proulx (née Edna Ann Proulx; b. Aug. 22, 1935) is an American novelist and journalist. She has written many books, but the only one I have ever read is The Shipping News, which takes place in Newfoundland, Canada.
70. Belgrade's country: SERBIA. The Danube River runs through Belgrade.
71. Early Beatle Sutcliffe: STU. Stu Sutcliffe (né Stuart Fergusson Victor Sutcliffe; June 23, 1940 ~ Apr. 10, 1962) was the original bass guitarist with the Beatles. In addition to playing guitar, he was a painter, which was one reason he left the band. He began studying art in West Germany. Sadly, he died at age 21 of a brain hemorrhage.
72. Auction cry: SOLD.
73. County of southeast England: ESSEX.
Down:
1. Ranch ruminants: COWS. The baby is a CALF.
2. "No __, no foul": HARM.
3. "Doing all right": I FEEL OKAY. I feel better than just Okay.
4. "Good job!": NICE ONE!
5. Request: ASK.
6. Door: PORTAL.
7. Pop singer Rita: ORA. Rita Ora (née Rita Sahatçiu; b. Nov. 26, 1990 ) makes frequent guest appearances in the puzzles. She was born in Kosovo.
8. Snakelike fish: EEL.
9. Big enchilada: TOP BANANA.
10. Terra-__ tiles: COTTA. Today's Italian lesson. Terra-Cotta is an Italian phrase that means Baked Earth.
 |
| Terra-cotta warriors in Xi'an. |
11. Native of Veracruz: OLMEC. Technically the OLMEC were an ancient civilization in Mesoamerica, flourishing from approximately 1500 to 300 BCE along the Gulf Coast of Mexico.
12. No-no for a vegan: DAIRY.
14. Classic LP player: HI-FI. Short for High Fidelity sound on a record player.
16. Sedimentary rock: SHALE.
19. __-tac-toe: TIC.
24. Some camera shop buys, for short: SLRs. As in Single Lens Reflex camera.
26. Crew: GANG.
27. "Stay" singer Lisa: LOEB. Lisa Anne Loeb (b. Mar. 11, 1968) first made the music scene with her hit Stay.
28. Like some programming errors: FATAL.
29. Feathered friend: BIRD.
32. Subatomic particles with a negative charge: ELECTRONS.
33. "... amber __ of grain": WAVES. America the Beautiful
36. Core muscles to die for: KILLER ABS.
37. Venerated object: IDOL.
38. Furry foot: PAW.
41. Department store section: MEN'S.
42. First queen of Carthage: DIDO.
45. "Do the Right Thing" pizza place: SAL'S. Do the Right Thing was a 1989 Spike Lee film that addressed racism in Brooklyn. Sal Fragione was the Italian owner of a pizzeria in Brooklyn. Non-Italinan neighbors became upset when they saw that the pizzeria's Wall of Fame exhibits only Italian actors.
48. Fluffy cleaners: DUSTERS.
51. Yanked: TUGGED.
53. Approaches: NEARS.
54. "... up to you, though": OR NOT.
55. Japanese cattle breed: WAGYU. Their babies are referred to as 子牛 or Koushi.
56. Word after "chick" or before "hen": PEA. A Chickpea is a legume, also known as a garbanzo bean. A Peahen usually refers to a female peacock.
57. Feathered or furry friends: PETS.
61. Cleveland's lake: ERIE. Whenever I see Erie in the puzzle, I think of our friend Abejo.
62. Lay's chips in a tube: STAX.
65. __, due, tre: UNO. Today's Spanish math.
66. Soccer zero: NIL.
67. Tee-__: HEE.
50-Down. "Toodles!": SEE YA. I will be out next week, but I am confident that you will have a fantastic substitute.
חתולה
