Monday November 29, 2021 Kurt Krauss

Theme: Start to Finish

17. How books are usually read: FRONT TO BACK.

30. How chapters in books are read: FIRST TO LAST.

46. How pages in chapters in books are read: TOP TO BOTTOM.

61. How words on pages in chapters in books are usually read: LEFT TO RIGHT.

Boomer here again. 

My Monday bowling team has gone from FIRST to LAST in a short time, Also TOP to BOTTOM in the standings.  Too much LEFT to RIGHT on those darn ten pins.

Across:

1. Wagner's "The Flying Dutchman," e.g.: OPERA.  I never sang OPERA.  Not a fan either.

6. Bumbling: INEPT.  Did I mention those darn ten pins ?

11. Frisk, as a suspect, with "down": PAT.  Kansas City Quarterback PATrick Mahomes also does commercials for State Farm in his spare time. Aaron Rodgers also.

14. Sharpen the image in the viewfinder: FOCUS.

15. Give a recap: SUM UP.

16. Grow older: AGE.  It happens to all of us.

19. Tide competitor: ERA.  I think TIDE wins.

20. Gaming novice, in slang: NOOB. Newbie.

21. Snuggles: NESTLES. N_E_S_T_L_E_S, Nestles makes the very best ... Chocolate.

23. Quite: VERY.

26. Female rodent, to Fernando: RATA. Spanish for "rat".  RATA TAT TAT

28. Out of the wind: ALEE.

29. Fútbol cheer: OLE.  Also a butt of many Minnesota Jokes with his buddy SVEN.

33. Frisbee company: WHAMO.  I owned one of these once but never got very good at it.

35. New Hampshire college town that sounds peachy: KEENE.

36. Akin: SIMILAR.

39. Sign-lettering aid: STENCIL.  It won't be long before campaign signs start appearing on lawns.  Our townhome association does not permit them.  Yay!

43. __ Says: imitation game: SIMON.  Art's buddy Paul.

45. Arcade pioneer: ATARI.  I had one for my old Compaq.  Played it too much I admit.

51. Western omelet meat: HAM.  Of course we had Turkey for dinner last Thursday, and Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  I think we'll go for HAM for Christmas.

Boomer's Turkey

52. Mayberry boy: OPIE.  Ronny Howard went on to a pretty great career.

53. "__ she blows!": THAR.

54. The "A" in A.D.: ANNO.   Year of our Lord. 

55. Numbs: DEADENS.

58. Old fast fliers: Abbr.: SSTS.  Super Sonic Transports.  I never rode in one.

60. __ Arbor, Michigan: ANN.  Home of Big Ten powerhouse University of Michigan. Took care of Ohio State on Saturday. Then our Gophers upset the Wisconsin Badgers! 

66. Uruguay uncle: TIO.

67. Actress Demi: MOORE.

68. "Farewell, mon ami": ADIEU.  ADIEU, my friend Adieu.  I'll hang my heart on the weeping willow tree, and may the world go well with thee! 

69. UFO pilots: ETS.

70. No right __: road sign: ON RED.  We have a few in Minnesota.

71. Intended: MEANT.

Down: 

1. "We're __ to See the Wizard": OFF.  That great movie was on again last week on TBS.  Hats off to Judy Garland from Grand Rapids MINNESOTA ! (not Michigan).

2. Iberian land: Abbr.: POR. Portugal.

3. Environmentalist's prefix: ECO.

4. Like undercooked eggs: RUNNY.  If served at Easter are they RUNNY Bunnies??

5. Regarding: AS TO.

6. Weather map line: ISOBAR.

7. Worn-down pencil: NUB.  I never wore one down that far.  Pencils are cheap.

8. Comes out of, as a scent from blossoms: EMANATES.  Sun in the morning.

9. Brownish purple: PUCE.  I could talk about a Purple Jersey football team but I'll leave it alone.   Last week our pastor said he was a Green Bay Packer owner.  They issue shares of stock.  However, after last Sunday when the Vikings squeaked one out, this Sunday the pastor told us he was wearing purple vestments because it was Advent and not because of football.

10. Toll rds. often named for states: TPKS.  Got me.  We have no Toll Roads in Minnesota.  But our state charges a lot for license plates.

11. Spanish rice dish: PAELLA.  Add a "T" and you have a kneecap.

12. Goes along (with): AGREES.

13. Service with cups and saucers: TEA SET.  All my sisters had one of these in days gone by.

18. Pop singer Amos: TORI.  Torii Hunter, who played for the Twins, has an extra I.

22. "America's Got __": TALENT.  I think it's fixed.  They never asked me to go on.

23. Swears: VOWS.  I guess I've made a few VOWS on the Golf Course.

24. K-12, for short: EL HI.

25. Paper purchase: REAM.  500 sheets.

27. "Naughty, naughty!": TSK.

30. Manuscript sheet: FOLIO.

31. Vietnamese New Year: TET.  A Nasty attack from the North Vietnam on the South, back around 1968.  

32. Wee hour: ONE AM.

34. Lightly sprayed: MISTED.

37. Embassy rep.: AMB. Ambassador.

38. Cheers on: ROOTS FOR.  Of course I tirelessly ROOT FOR the Vikings and Gophers every week.  I gave up on the Twins last summer.

40. "Let It Snow" lyricist: CAHN. Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne.

41. Tehran's land: IRAN.

42. "Stretch" vehicle: LIMO.  Never rode in one.  My Santa Fe is just fine, thank you.

44. Extreme degree: NTH.

46. Until now: TO DATE.

47. Gift giver's cry: OPEN IT.  This will be coming next month with cards and presents.

48. Steinways, e.g.: PIANOS.

49. Sampled, as food: TASTED.

50. Approximately: OR SO.

54. "All kidding __ ... ": ASIDE.  Sorry, I never put it aside.

56. Red Muppet: ELMO.  Tickle Me.

57. Brightly colored: NEON.  We visited the Mall of America last week.  Indoor stores with many NEON signs.  Then the local news showed MSP Airport on TV.  Looked like Mall of America without the stores.

59. Ore carrier: TRAM.

62. Luigi's three: TRE.

63. Supermodel Carangi: GIA.  Sorry, I have never heard of her.

64. Barnyard layer: HEN.  But I have heard of her.

65. Boy king: TUT.

Boomer

Wednesday, November 10, 2021, Kurt Krauss

Theme: Vowel Movement

17. Was armed, in old-fashioned slang: PACKED HEAT.

24. Making slow but steady progress: PECKING AWAY.

35. Eat every bit of meat from, as a bone: PICK CLEAN.

51. Small change: POCKET MONEY.

61. Prepared to be bussed: PUCKERED UP.

Simple vowel progression theme here: A, E, I, O, U. Nice tight theme with two-word phrases all beginning with P-words. 

Across:

1. Italian province or its capital: PARMA.

6. Make an impression: ETCH. "To cut, bite, or corrode with an acid or the like." Bite?

10. Big mouths: MAWS. The mouth or gullet of a greedy person.

14. Acid used in soap: OLEIC. Good crossword word - 5 letters with 3 vowels. An omega-9 fatty acid. It can be made by the body. It is also found in foods. Highest levels are found in olive oil and other edible oils. Oleic acid is most commonly used for preventing heart disease and reducing cholesterol.

15. Terrible time?: TWOS. Haha. But it's also a very sweet time - I still miss it. Grandkids help ;).

16. Like neatniks: ANAL.

19. __-bitty: ITTY.

20. "Peter Pan" pirate: SMEE.

21. Scuttlebutt: DIRT. Slang for rumor or gossip. Deriving from the nautical term for the cask used to serve water (or, later, a water fountain).

22. Bickering: AT IT. Remember The Bickersons?

23. The fox in Disney's "The Fox and the Hound": TOD.

27. "Skyfall" singer: ADELE.

29. Italian cheese: ASIAGO.

30. Overhaul the lawn, maybe: RESOD.

31. Cake with a dish: SOAP.

34. Stimpy's sidekick: REN.

39. Pet rocks, once: FAD.

42. Evil alter ego of fiction: HYDE. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a novella by Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson, published in 1886. The names of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the two alter egos of the main character, have become shorthand for the exhibition of wildly contradictory behavior, especially between private and public selves.

43. Jumps (out): BAILS.

47. Black Sea port: ODESSA.

50. Under attack: BESET.

56. Absorbed, as a cost: ATE.

57. __ fixe: PRIX. A a meal consisting of several courses served at a total fixed price.

58. Med school subj.: ANAT. Anatomy. Massage school subject, too.

59. Lo-cal: LITE.

60. Arouse: STIR.

63. Pedal pushers: FEET. Great clue.

64. Wait at a light, say: IDLE.

65. Oklahoma Air Force base: VANCE.

66. What gamblers weigh: ODDS.

67. Financial aid criterion: NEED.

68. Smith, at times: SHOER. Ohh, blacksmith. Blacksmiths who specialize in forging shoes for horses are also known as farriers.

Down:

1. Mozart, in his day, e.g.: POP STAR.

2. Apple pie order: ALA MODE. How pie became à la mode.

3. Ebbs: RECEDES.

4. Stage prop with a different spelling nowadays: MIKE. I've only seen the spelling mic, short for microphone.

5. Big club: ACE.

6. Moral principle: ETHIC.

7. Shake it on the dance floor: TWERK.

8. Raccoon kin: COATI.

9. 18-Down predecessor: HST. Harry S. Truman.

10. Drink with an umbrella: MAI TAI.

11. Like doves: ANTIWAR.

12. Lightbulb measure: WATTAGE.

13. Canny: SLY. So is uncanny unsly?

18. Two-time ETO commander: DDE. Dwight D. Eisenhower.

22. Govt. prosecutors: AGS. Attorney Generals. More properly, Attorneys General.

24. Feet treat: PEDI. Pedicure.

25. Scruff: NAPE.

26. "__ light is not daylight": Juliet: YON. From Romeo and Juliet. 

28. Cut (off): LOP.

31. It's up to you: SKY. Sneaky clue.

32. Neatnik's possible condition, briefly: OCD. ANAL and OCD in the same puzzle.

33. Brewpub order: ALE.

36. Talk in a virtual room: CHAT.

37. "Dear" adviser: ABBY. One set of Time Magazine's Top 10 Famous Twins: Ann Landers and Dear Abby.

38. Dundee denial: NAE. Woman embraces the way Australians say no.

39. Metrosexual: FOP. The difference between Fop and Metrosexual When used as nouns, fop means a vain man, whereas metrosexual means a man concerned with personal appearance, such as personal grooming, fashion, and aesthetics in general. (usually urban, heterosexual, often affluent).

40. Put into effect, as a resolution: ADOPTED.

41. Strongly disapproved of: DECRIED.

44. "To repeat ... forget it!": I SAID NO. Three words!

45. Part of a BLT: LETTUCE. Bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich.

46. Harder to climb: STEEPER.

48. Gets around: SKIRTS.

49. Census datum: SEX.

52. "All in the Family" spinoff: MAUDE.

53. Le frère d'un père: ONCLE. French: A father's brother = uncle.

54. Like undisguised truth: NAKED.

55. High season on the Riviera: ETE. French word for summer.

59. Jacob's first wife: LEAH.

60. Airport near OAK: SFO. Bay area airports.

61. Brooch holder: PIN.

62. Campers, briefly: RVS. Recreational vehicles.

 

Melissa

Notes from C.C.:

Happy 75th birthday to Husker Gary's amazing wife Joann (right with a vest) and her twin sister Joyce.  Here they're with their mom Martha.

Wednesday October 20, 2021 Kurt Krauss

Theme: Leave nothing to the imagination.  You might wonder what that means, but all will be revealed.  Meanwhile, here is today's theme song.

 

17 A. *Well-worn, as carpets: THREAD BARE.  Having the nap worn off, so that the thread shows; thus, worn out and shabby.  Does the second word, now taken as a verb, indicate becoming naked, or early nude like Mother EVE?

25 A. *Lawn mower's spot: GARDEN SHED.  An out building used to store garden and yard maintenance tools and accessories.  The second word, as a verb, means to rid oneself of, slough off or lose something.

38 A. *Give the go-ahead from the control tower: CLEAR FOR TAKE OFF.  Assure that a plane may now go airborne with no danger of collision with other departing or approaching aircraft.  But the last two words, taken as a verb form, indicate the removal of something - such as free: clothing.  [I'm detecting a pattern here.]

61 A. *Slapstick slipper?: BANANA PEEL.  Slapstick is a form of low comedy based around pratfalls and mild comic violence.  The second word, as a verb, indicates the removal of an outer layer, as from a fruit or burlesque actor. 

50 A. *"Dilbert," e.g.: COMIC STRIP.   A sequence of drawings, often cartoon, arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative.  The second word, again as a verb, means to remove the coverings from something, or - more specifically - an act of undressing, especially before an audience. Hence, today's alternate theme song.

 

And the unifier -- 69 A. Remove, as clothing ... and a hint to the ends of the answers to starred clues: DOFF.  Well, if you were wondering what this is about, this should remove all doubt.  Anybody up for naked puzzle solving?  Or maybe it's bath time.

Hi gang - it's JazzBumpa, and under my cloths, I'm naked.  Now you know.  Gratuitous verberization - the reckless transformation of innocent helpless nouns into verbs sets my teeth on edge.  The classic example is "parent."  Ugh!  But in this puzzle, we have none of that.  The key words in their fill phrases are other parts of speech; but in a different context are perfectly legitimate verbs.  With that mini-rant out of the way, let's go boldly forth and see what else we can uncover.

 Across:

1. Triangular sails: JIBS.   A jib is a triangular sail that sets ahead of the foremast of a sailing vessel. Its tack is fixed to the bowsprit, to the bows, or to the deck between the bowsprit and the foremost mast. 

5. Giant among speakers: BOSE.  Brand name.

9. Belfry hangers: BATS.  And you know what is on the belfry floor - crazy stuff.

13. Online money: E-CASH.  

15. Scoville __: chili pepper heat measurement: UNIT - of measurement; a subjective estimate of the heat sensation of the pepper due to its concentration of capsaicinoids.

16. Overly fussy, say: ANAL.  This is a non-technical use of the term which more specifically [since we're revealing all here] is relating to or denoting a stage of infantile psychosexual development supposedly preoccupied with the anus and defecation.

19. Tiny: ITSY.  Minuscule.

20. Bro or sis: SIB.  People who share parents.

21. Desert partly in northern China: GOBI.  And partly in Mongolia.  The GOBI is a rain shadow desert, formed by the Tibetan Plateau blocking precipitation from the Indian Ocean reaching the Gobi territory. It is the sixth largest desert in the world and the second largest in Asia after the Arabian Desert.

22. Put a thin cut in: SLIT.  As with a sharp knife.

23. Greek Mars: ARES.  Gods of war.

29. Internet connection: MODEM.  A combined device for modulation and demodulation, for example, between the digital data of a computer and the analog signal of a phone line.

31. "Friendly Skies" co.: UAL.  United Airlines Holding Company.

32. URL ending of a 37-Across: EDU. As in EDUcation.

33. Least distant: NEAREST.  Where you should keep your enemies.

37. Campus VIP: PROF.  A Professor.

42. To the __: maximally: HILT.  Completely, to the maximum degree, as in The house was mortgaged up to the hilt. This idiom alludes to the handle (hilt) of a sword, the only portion that remains out when the weapon is plunged all the way in. 

43. Oven pan: ROASTER.  A pan for roasting meat.

44. Cooling rocks: ICE.  Slangily.

45. Diddley and Peep: BOS.  Plural of a proper name

46. Core concepts: GISTS. The substance or essence of speeches or texts.

55. Metz milk: LAIT.  Metz is a city in north-east France.

56. Russo of "Tin Cup": RENE.  Rene Marie Russo [b.1954] is an American actress and model.  She has appeared in many comedy, thriller and action-adventure films

57. Loads from lodes: ORES.  Mineral deposits from which metals may be refined, and a nice word play.

59. To and __: FRO.  Back and forth.

60. Marine steering mechanisms: FINS.  Frequently found on fish.

64. Entr'__: ACTE.  Entr'acte means "between the acts". It can mean a pause between two parts of a stage production, synonymous to an intermission, but it more often indicates a piece of music performed between acts of a theatrical production.

65. Writer Harte: BRET. Bret Harte [1836 - 1902] was an American short story writer and poet, best remembered for short fiction featuring miners, gamblers, and other romantic figures of the California Gold Rush. In a career spanning more than four decades,

66. Swiss Miss product: COCOA.  A chocolate powder made from roasted and ground cacao seeds

67. Common awards word: BEST. As in : "Movie," or "In Show."

68. Barrie's nonconformist pirate: SMEE.  Hook's side kick, but I do not understand the clue.

Down:

1. Stuff thrown overboard: JETSAM.   Unwanted material or goods that have been thrown overboard from a ship and washed ashore, especially material that has been discarded to lighten the vessel.

2. 10-time MLB All-Star: ICHIRO.  Suzuki [b 1973] is a Japanese former professional baseball outfielder who played 28 seasons combined in top-level professional leagues. He spent the bulk of his career with two teams: nine seasons with the Orix BlueWave of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in Japan, where he began his career, and 14 with the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States. There's a lot more to his illustrious career, and you can read about it here.

3. Like fishhooks, usually: BARBED.    Having a sharp point that sticks out and backward from a larger point 

4. Atlanta-to-Miami dir.: SSE.  

5. Forrest's shrimp-loving friend: BUBBA.   Michael T. "Mykelti" Williamson (b. 1957) is an American actor best known for his roles in the films Forrest Gump, Con Air and Ali, and the television shows Boomtown, 24, and Justified. 

6. Broadcasting: ON AIR.  

7. __ Elton John: SIR.  On Feb. 24 in 1998, Elton John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight) became Sir Elton John, knighted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. He was awarded the title of Knight Bachelor for "services to music and charitable services." 

8. Mont Blanc summer: ETE.  French.

9. Uses a bucket in a boat: BAILS.  Scooping out water.

10. Film noir protagonist: ANTI-HERO.  A central character in a story, movie, or drama who lacks conventional heroic attributes.

11. Suggested, flavorwise: TASTED OF.  

12. Cunning: SLY.  Having or showing a cunning and deceitful nature.

14. "Macbeth" role: HAG.  The Three Witches, also known as the Weird Sisters or Wayward Sisters, are characters in William Shakespeare's play Macbeth 

Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire burn and caldron bubble.

18. Follow closely: DOG.   Follow (someone or their movements) closely and persistently.

22. Kenan Thompson is its longest-tenured cast member, briefly: SNL. Saturday Night Live, broadcast since 1975.

24. Loi maker: SENAT.  The French SENAT makes laws.

26. Uses Pledge, say: DUSTS.    Multi Surface Furniture Polish Spray that works On Wood Granite And Leather. 

27. Patronize, as a restaurant: EAT AT.

28. Behind: DUFF.  The human posterior.  DUFFS may be observed when togs are DOFFED.

30. French sea: MER.  Equally wet in any language.

34. "Hair" styles: AFROS.  Prominent in the musical "HAIR."

35. Fowl pole: ROOST.  Where a bird sits - and a nice word play.

36. Big time: ERA.  

37. Danger: PERIL.

38. In vogue: CHIC.

39. Chewy candy: LICORICE.  A confection usually flavoured and coloured black with the extract of the roots of the liquorice plant Glycyrrhiza glabra.

40. Periodic table items: ELEMENTS.  Each of more than one hundred substances that cannot be chemically interconverted or broken down into simpler substances and are primary constituents of matter. Each element is distinguished by its atomic number, i.e. the number of protons in the nuclei of its atoms.

41. Tap site: KEG.  Container for ale or beer.

45. Dating letters: BCE.  Before the Common Era

47. Mariners' park, familiarly and formerly: SAFECO. Now known as T-Mobile Park.

48. Lose interest in: TIRE OF. 

49. Minn. college: ST OLAF.  St. Olaf College is a private liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota. The school was founded in 1874 on the land of the Wahpekute Band of the Dakota Nation by a group of Norwegian-American settler colonial pastors and farmers, led by Pastor Bernt Julius Muus.

51. Atlas box: INSET.   An inset map is a smaller map inset within a larger map. Inset maps can show the location of the main map in the context of a larger area or show more detail of a portion of the main map. 

52. Actress Blakley: RONEE.  Ronee Sue Blakley (b. 1945) is an American actress, singer-songwriter, composer, producer and director, perhaps best known for her work as an actress.

53. Steamed: IRATE.  Angry

54. Ballpoint, e.g.: PEN.   Writing implement.

58. Bunt on a scorecard: SAC.  SACrifice.  Deliberately batting the ball a short distance with the expectation of making an out at first base while advancing a runner already on base.

60. Groovy: FAB.  Cool, man.

61. Air rifle ammo: BBS.  Small metal spheres used as projectiles.

62. Chair part: ARM. They also have legs, a seat, and a back.  Hmm - they're almost human.

63. i follower: POD.  An i-Pod is an electronic device for storing and playing back music.

That's it for today.  If you DOFF your apparel and go outside naked, remember your sunscreen, and that you'll need it everywhere, especially on your DUFF, and other places where the sun don't usually shine.

Cool regards!

JzB

Tuesday Aug 31, 2021 Kurt Krauss

Theme: WATERFRONT (62. Like oceanside resort property ... and what the starts to the answers to starred clues can have?)

17A. *It often runs through the center of town: MAINSTREET. Water main.

39A. *Sleeveless shirt: TANK TOP. Water tank.

11D. *Monopoly property three squares before Go: PARK PLACE. Water park.

 

35D. *Bit of wishful thinking: PIPE DREAM. Water pipe.

Boomer here again. Hahtoolah will be back on the blog soon. Please accept C.C. and my deepest sympathy regarding the loss of you father.

This puzzle's water theme came right on time.  Last week Minnesota received a ridiculous amount of rain including thunder and lightning.  It gave C.C. and I pause to visit the Mississippi River Dam a few miles from our home.  The water gushes through the dam and supplies electricity to many of suburban residents on the North side of Minneapolis.  While we visited however, we did notice a huge expanded shoreline on each side of the river.

Boomer 8/25/2021

Across:

1. Country singer McCann: LILA.

5. Chose: OPTED.  We OPTED to walk down a half mile of shoreline rather than hike along the dam. 

10. Imitates: APES.  Harry was a hairy one.

14. Poet's "in a trice": ANON.

15. Legendary crooner Mel: TORME.  Known as the "Velvet Fog" I remember an episode on "Seinfeld" in a goofy act with Kramer.

16. Red inside: RARE.  After a big league ball game the home plate umpire may go to a restaurant and Raise his right arm in the air order loudly "STEAK RARE"

19. H.S. math class: TRIG.  Roy Rogers pet name for his horse.

20. Year at the Sorbonne: ANNEE.

21. Spare in a boot: TYRE.  This must be for someone with a flat foot.

22. DIY furniture giant: IKEA.  A favorite word in crosswords.  This outfit sells bare furniture.

23. Took five: RESTED.  Don't tell - sometimes I take more than five.

25. Clutch: GRASP.  I had to remember how to grasp the bowling ball yesterday.  It's a little heavier than a golf club. 

27. Stereo knob: TREBLE.

30. Corporate department: SALES.  Years ago I had a SALES job with Graybar.  But I ended up as a coordinator supporting the entire sales department.  They liked me because I increased profits which increase everyone's salary.

33. Apartment overseer, informally: SUPE.  We have a townhome paid up with an Association SUPE.  It's about the same except I pay dues but no rent.

36. "Homeland" org.: CIA.

37. Fruit in a split: BANANA.  Yes, we have some BANANAS !!

38. Japanese sash: OBI.  Star Wars' Wan Kenobi's first name.

41. NYSE listings: COS.

42. Undo legislatively: REPEAL.  So much on the news these days.  REPEALING some past mistakes and mask mandates.  We are still wearing our masks indoors.

44. Place for a ring: EAR.  I have always kept my EARS Naked

45. "Winter Song" musician John: TESH.

46. Nottingham's river: TRENT.  Not Familiar with it.  I favor our Mississippi.

47. Goofs: ERRORS.  I usually get to watch TWINS ERRORS nearly every day. Sad.

49. Stuff, as a turkey: DRESS.  Around Thanksgiving I will usually stuff the turkey, but I put it in the oven Naked.

51. Zero chance: NO HOPE.  My Mom's name was HOPE and I had aunts named Faith and Charity.  My Grandmother was very religious.

55. Root for a luau: TARO.   What position does he play ??

57. Supply-and-demand sci.: ECON.

60. Turkish coins: LIRAS.

61. Cheese couleur: BLEU.  Looks like they spelled it wrong.

64. Football's QB rating, for one: STAT.  Our Vikings QB Cousins stat is NO Vaccine yet.

65. Modeling adhesive: EPOXY.

66. Arrogance, in slang: TUDE. Attitude.

67. Fleshy fruit: POME.  Never tried one.  Bananas and Pineapple for me. 

68. Tivoli's Villa __: DESTE.

69. Headliner: STAR.  No STARS on the Twins roster.  They traded two away.

Down:

1. Rapper Kendrick: LAMAR.

2. Mindless: INANE.

3. Meat cuts: LOINS.  SirLOIN, Tender LOIN, and Hamburger LOIN.

4. "Being Julia" co-star Bening: ANNETTE.

5. Old-time baseball slugger called "Master Melvin": OTT.  Of course I only know of him.  He played for the New York Giants long ago.  That's right, the team that moved to the west coast years ago.  Mel hit 511 major league home runs.  He was joined in the 500 club last week by Miggy Cabrera who now has 501.

6. Dessert wine: PORT.

7. It beats a deuce: TREY.  Funny, when I play golf and beat a deuce I write down three. 

8. Come forth: EMERGE.  The bowling centers are beckoning to "Come Forth" and I am emerging.

9. Put a damper on: DETER.  Reminds me of a shortstop for the Yankees.

10. Craftsperson: ARTISAN.

12. Toledo's lake: ERIE.  Is this the smallest of the five?

13. Big name in computer games: SEGA.

18. Fortuneteller: SEER.  I am sure they charge a fortune to tell you yours.

24. Image-transfer item: DECAL.

26. "Now!": ASAP.  I think this means "As soon as possible" so Later will be okay.

28. Coal holder: BIN.  Osama's middle name.

29. Staples Center player: LAKER.  Of course they got the name LAKERS when they played in the land of 10,000 LAKEs.  Devean George played with them for awhile.  He graduated from Benilde St. Margaret's where I now help coaching bowling. And speaking of bowling, I play in the same league as Devean's father, Eddie George.

31. Slaughter on the diamond: ENOS.  Another great Cardinal.

32. Pageant body band: SASH.  I wear something like a SASH for back support.  It's a "Copperfit."

33. Database command: SORT.  A tireless activity if you own baseball cards.

34. Above, in Berlin: UBER.  Sounds like a Taxi.  I was in Hardheim, never got to Berlin.

37. B in chem class: BORON.

39. London art gallery: TATE.

40. Old salt: TAR.  We got new TAR paving a road near our home.  I take it as a route to TARGET. 

43. On the way: EN ROUTE.  "Get it ???"

45. Vacation souvenirs: T SHIRTS.  I used to get mine at a Kids for Kids garage sale for 50 cents.  They have not had one for a year or two.  Nasty Covid.

47. Break out: ESCAPE.  C.C. and I continue to try to ESCAPE the Delta Version.

48. Massage therapeutically: ROLF.

50. Put in stitches: SEWED.

52. "Are you in __?": OR OUT.  Yup, I am OUT in seven more clues.  Have a good week.

53. Bamboo muncher: PANDA.  I once visited the San Diego Zoo.  I think they had a couple of them.

54. Aromatic compound: ESTER.

55. 1/2 fl. oz.: TBSP.

56. Choir part: ALTO.  Still higher than me.  I was also a Bass.  Not to be confused with BASE, I played centerfield.

58. Platte River people: OTOS.

59. Preceded in line by only one person: NEXT.

63. Bar staple: RYE.  Dark brown bread.  

Boomer

Monday, August 16, 2021 Kurt Krauss

Theme: PLAYMATES (66A. Sandbox sharers ... and a hint to the starts of the answers to starred clues) - The first part of each theme entry can follow "Play".

17. *Vacation condo, perhaps: TIME SHARE. Play time.

21. *Foldable whittling tools: PEN KNIVES.  Play pen.

33. *Nickname for Batman's Robin: BOY WONDER. Playboy.

46. *News article starters: DATELINES. Play date.

59. *Roadside ad medium: BILLBOARD.  Playbill. My favorite was the Burma Shave sequence.  "Rip a fender off your car, mail it in for a half pound jar. Burma Shave"

Boomer here.

Is this Heaven ?  No it's  Crossword Corner.  PLAY Ball!

 

Across:

1. Delhi dress: SARI.  Sorry. It's SARI.

5. Wants to know: ASKS.  Yeah, I have tried this, but never seem to get a helpful response.

9. Morocco's capital: RABAT.

14. Like much brandy: AGED.  Also like a Crossword Corner blogger from Minnesota.

15. Feed, as hogs: SLOP.  I suppose, if that's all you have.  I don't know why they eat it.

16. Primer mes del calendario: ENERO.

19. French states: ETATS.  Yes it's French for STATE.  They just spelled it wrong.

20. Crème de la crème: A LIST.  Santa makes one and checks it twice.

23. Took home after taxes: NETTED.  We used to pull a Northern Pike into the boat up On North Star Lake.

25. Going __: bickering: AT IT.

26. Prefix with natal or liberal: NEO.  It's NEW to me.

28. Get a hint of: DETECT.

39. Concrete support rod: REBAR.

40. Poet Khayyám: OMAR.  Mindful of Ilhan OMAR, a representative from Minnesota.  She has not received the negative press she got in previous years.

41. Leaf under a petal: SEPAL.

43. Double Dutch need: ROPE.  For a Liberty Mutual Commercial.

44. Scrabble pieces: TILES.  Usual trivia question.  Which is higher value - a J or X.  If you have a Q, Z, and K in your rack, how many points?

48. Artery inserts: STENTS.

50. Caribbean or Aegean: SEA.

51. Guthrie of folk: ARLO.  "You can get any thing you want, at Alice's Restaurant."

54. Not family-friendly, moviewise: R RATED.  "Field of Dreams" movie was rated PG.  Last Thursday's broadcast on Fox was the most watched baseball game (maybe of all time).  I do not know how they decide this stuff.  No one called me to ask what I was watching.

64. Accused's "I was somewhere else" story: ALIBI.  Yup, I was on the golf course.

65. Onetime default Word typeface: ARIAL.

68. Starbucks choice: LATTE.  I have heard that the price of coffee is going up.  I may have to borrow money from C.C.  I never go to the rip off places like Starbucks or Caribou.  I brew my own on coffee grounds from Aldi.

69. New Rochelle campus: IONA.

70. Artist Chagall: MARC.

71. Leg joints: KNEES.

72. Break loudly, as a twig: SNAP.  Add Crackle and Pop, and coffee and you have breakfast.

73. Not fooled by: ON TO.  Football Season.  Quarterback (On Two) Hut, Hut.

Down:

1. Prince of Darkness: SATAN.  I know a long story about Tony Bennet visiting (SATAN) Sam Fink.  St. Peter gave him a Harp and he went to visit Sam Fink who actually owned a Disco in hell.  When he got back to the pearly gates, St. Peter asked if he forgot something. Bennet said "Oh my gosh, I left my harp in Sam Fink's Disco."

2. Nimble: AGILE.

3. Send payment: REMIT.  Not too often nowadays.  ACH is great!

4. Latin "that is": ID EST.  I took four years of Latin in High school and this is about all I remember.

5. Baseball bat wood: ASH.  I wonder if the major leagues will ever adopt aluminum.  They would have to move back the corn.

6. Waves-against-dock sound: SLAP.  Also ASH against leather baseball sound.

7. Divided land: KOREA.

8. Disbursed: SPENT.  $12.50 on 9 holes of par 28 on a cart.  I found out last Friday that bowling will be starting before Labor Day.

9. Confirm, as a password: RE-ENTER. I hate when the computer asks me to do this.

10. Against: ANTI.

11. Wally's little bro, in old TV: BEAV.  Jerry Mathers was a great kid actor.  He never made the height of Ronnie Howard, though.

12. Prado display: ARTE.

13. Mix, as salad: TOSS.  Or a bowling ball.  A little tougher, and it doesn't taste as good.

18. Court figure, briefly: STENO.

22. Josh: KID.  A favorite word of John Michael Higgins, of America Says.  "I'm not Kidding !" 

24. Homes for bears: DENS.  Or Cub Scouts.

27. Had too much, briefly: OD'ED.

29. Garr of "Tootsie": TERI.

30. Poetic black: EBON.  I suppose EBONY was too many letters.

31. Cod or Hatteras: CAPE.  "You're sure to fall in love with old Cape Cod".  Patti Page.

32. Half of seis (6): TRES.

33. Sources of much spam: BOTS.

34. Leave out: OMIT.

35. Harvard rival: YALE.  Yale has beaten Harvard over the season series.  Next game is around Thanksgiving.

36. Small songbird: WREN.

37. Govt. antipollution org.: EPA.  Environmental Protection.  We needed that here in Minnesota a few weeks ago when Canada was burning.  I hope everyone is safe because the news is not so good with forest fires everywhere. 

38. "Darn it all!": RATS.  I call the squirrels in our yard "RATS".  They don't listen.

42. Lascivious look: LEER.

45. Horses' houses: STABLES.

47. West Coast NFLer: LA RAM.  I am sure that those guys will be starting up soon.

49. Sign of a sellout: SRO.  I really have not seen a sellout (except maybe for the Iowa game.)  Out field seats are still available for most games after the Covid sanctions were lifted.

52. __ lazuli: blue gem: LAPIS.

53. Crease-resistant fabric: ORLON.

55. Rent-a-car biggie: ALAMO.  High up Santa Anna, We're killing you soldiers below, so the rest of Texas will know.. And remember the ALAMO. Johnny Cash.

56. Industry bigwig: TITAN.

57. Movie critic Roger: EBERT.

58. '70s music genre: DISCO.  I was around in the 70's but DISCO never caught me.

59. Pitcher's false move when on the rubber, e.g.: BALK.

60. Persia, now: IRAN.

61. Beer for dieters: LITE.  Diet PEPSI for me.

62. After the deadline: LATE.

63. Comedian Carvey: DANA.  I used to love his skit as the Church Lady.

67. Talk and talk: YAP.  I could go through Harold Hill's "You can talk, you can bicker" but I am too tired. 

Notes from C.C.:

Happy birthday to dear 6-Across! So lucky to have you on our little corner.

Wednesday, July 7, 2021 Kurt Krauss

Theme: AND WHAT TO MY WONDERING EYES SHOULD APREAR?  Theme answers are all on or two-word phrases that are [more or less] synonyms for AMAZED.

17 A. Amazed: TAKEN ABACK.  Surprised or shocked.

39 A. Amazed: STUNNED So shocked that one is temporarily unable to react;

62 A. Amazed: GOBSMACKED. Utterly astonished.

11 D. Amazed: BOWLED OVER.  Amaze, astonish, astound, 

29 D. Amazed: DUMBSTRUCK. So shocked or surprised as to be unable to speak.

Hi Gang, the Amazing JAzzBumps here to shock and astound you. Or maybe not.  Anyway, I'll lead you through today's AMAZNG puzzle.  One might choose to quibble with these equivalences, but I'm just going to let them be.  Let's see what surprises are in store.

Across:

1. Tomato used for paste: ROMA.  Oval shaped, meaty variety with less liquid content than most.

5. Comic strip frame: PANEL.

10. Cookbook abbr.: TBSP.  Tablespoon 

14. Issue with a URL: E-MAG.  Electronic Magazine

15. Colleague of Amy and Sonia: ELENA.  Justice Kagan.

16. Roast, on le menu: ROTI.    Is this French?

19. Wilson of "Zoolander": OWEN. [b 1968]. One of this actors that I find to be rather annoying.

20. Boring lecture feature: DRONE. A low continuous humming sound, or a semi-articulate speaker with little change in pitch or inflection.

21. Agatha contemporary: ERLE.  Mystery writers Christie and Stanley Gardner, respectively. 

22. Blue Bonnet, e.g.: OLEO.  Can't believe it's not butter.

23. Small change: DIMES.  

25. Swear off sinning: REPENT.   Feel or express sincere regret or remorse about one's wrongdoing or sin. Does this mean I'll never do it again?  Only maybe.

27. Shout from Speedy Gonzales: ANDALE.  In context, a rather non-specific expression of enthusiasm.

30. Set, as a price: ASKED.  To which a prospective buyer might counter with a bid.

31. Herr's home: HAUS.  House auf Deutsch.

32. A or Ray, say: ALER.  Baseball player in the American League.  Inferior fill, IMHO.

35. Chip away at: ERODE.  OK. Now I am going to quibble. "Chip away" implies some sort of percussive action removing discrete chunks, while "ERODE" means a gradual wearing away at a micro level.  Not equivalent.

38. Branch: ARM. as of, for example, a body of water.

41. "101 Dalmatians" villain Cruella de __: VIL.

 

 42. __ Ludington, 1777 militia-alerting rider: SYBIL.   Sybil Ludington[April 5, 1761 – February 26, 1839,] was a heroine of the American Revolutionary War. On April 26, 1777, at age 16, she made an all-night horseback ride to alert militia forces in the towns of Putnam County, New York, and Danbury, Connecticut, of the approach of British forces.    I did not know that.

44. "Well done!": GOOD.  

45. Widen, as a hole opening: REAM.   to enlarge, shape, or smooth out (a hole) with a rotating finishing tool.  

46. Attempts: STABS.  Tries [which also fits, I discovered.] 

48. Very: EVER SO.

50. __ music: orchestrates: SETS TO.  Actually, this cold mean simply sitting a melody for a set of words.  Orchestration wold be considerably more elaborate.  Another iffy equivalence.

52. Ate: DINED.

54. End for soft or silver: -WARE.  Sadly, I need perps.

55. GPS options: RTES.  Routes to get you were you are going.

57. Bob Marley, e.g.: RASTA. Short fo  Rastafari, also known as the Rastafari movement or Rastafarianism, is a religion that developed in Jamaica during the 1930s. It is classified as both a new religious movement and a social movement by scholars of religion.

61. Lago contents: AGUA.  Spanish lake water

64. Foul weather gear for Brits: MACS. Short for Macintosh - a full length waterproof coat.

65. Permeate: IMBUE.  Fill with [something.]

66. A fisherman may spin one: TALE.  About the one that got away.

67. Jet black: INKY.  Ebon also fits.

68. Until now: AS YET.  Will it continue?

69. British submachine gun: STEN. A family of British submachine guns chambered in 9×19mm which were used extensively by British and Commonwealth forces throughout World War II and the Korean War.  

Down:

1. Collecting Soc. Sec., maybe: RET'D.  No longer working, like, frex, me.

2. Sharif of "Che!": OMAR.

3. Great white shark relative: MAKO.  A fast and dangerous predator.

4. Ulterior motives, perhaps: AGENDAS.  Sometimes considered hidden.

5. Patch veggie: PEA. The small spherical seed or the seed-pod of the pod fruit Pisum sativum. Each pod contains several peas, which can be green or yellow. Botanically, pea pods are fruit,[2] since they contain seeds and develop from the ovary of a (pea) flower.  

6. "Three Tall Women" Pulitzer playwright: ALBEE.   Tis play by Edward Albee [1928-1916] won the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1994.

7. Approaches: NEARS.

8. Something in addition to the letter: Abbr.: ENCL. An ENCLOSURE.

9. Celtic rivals: LAKERS.  U.S. Professional basketball teams,

10. State cop: TROOPER.

12. Dutch painter Jan: STEEN.  [1626 - 1679] From the Dutch golden age, he was one of the leading genre painters of the 17th century. His works are known for their psychological insight, sense of humor and abundance of color.  

13. Burgundy grape: PINOT.  Fro wine-making

18. Astronaut Armstrong: NEIL. [1930-2012] He was the first person to walk on the moon.

24. Protein provider: MEAT.  Nutrition.

26. Barely managed, with "out": EKED.   

27. Cries of discovery: AHAS. Eurekas doesn't fit.

28. __ a one: NARY. Totally absent.

30. River near Arezzo: ARNO. In the Tuscany region of Italy

33. Carries with effort: LUGS.  Schlepps

34. "Another Green World" musician: ENO.  Brian [b 1948] was a pioneer in ambient music.  This was his 3rd studio album, released in 1975.

36. "Buenos __": DIAS.  A good gad in Spain.  

37. Red Muppet: ELMO.  

39. Bed board: SLAT.  It supports the box springs.

40. Biblical plot: EDEN.  The early garden.

43. "Piece of cake": IT'S EASY. 

45. Censors for security reasons: REDACTS.  Conceals portions of a text.

47. Noble Italian house that produced two popes: BORGIA.A Spanish-Aragonese family that rose to prominence during the Italian renaissance. The Borgias became prominent in ecclesiastical and political affairs in the 15th and 16th centuries, producing two popes: Alfons de Borja, who ruled as Pope Callixtus III during 1455–1458, and Rodrigo Lanzol Borgia, as Pope Alexander VI, during 1492–1503.

Especially during the reign of Alexander VI, they were suspected of many crimes, including adultery, incest, simony, theft, bribery, and murder (especially murder by arsenic poisoning).  

49. Aloe __: VERA.  An evergreen perennial cultivated for commercial products, mainly as a topical skin treatment.

50. Hindu ascetic: SWAMI.  Read about it here.

51. Eddie __, Olympic gold-medalist in boxing and bobsledding: EAGAN. He [1897 - 1967]  is notable as being the only person to win a gold medal at both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games in different disciplines.  

52. Disney Channel star __ Ryan: DEBBY. She [b 1993] started acting in professional theatres at the age of seven, and has since starred in several Disney productions.

53. It's debatable: ISSUE. An important topic or problem for debate or discussion.  

56. Whiskered males: TOMS.  Cats, I suppose.  But most males can be whiskered, and so are female cats.  So - ???

58. 32-card game: SKAT. A three-handed trick-taking card game with bidding, played with 32 cards. It is the official game of Germany.

59. Marketing leader?: TELE-.  Cutesey affix clue.

60. Yemeni port: ADEN. Its natural harbor lies in the crater of a dormant volcano, which now forms a peninsula joined to the mainland by a low isthmus.    

63. Bumped into: MET.  With a little luck, nobody was harmed.

That wraps up another Wednesday.  I had my nits, but over-all not too bad.

Cool regards!

JzB

 

 

Saturday, June 12, 2021, Kurt Krauss

 Saturday Themeless by Kurt Krauss

A nice note from Kurt about himself and this puzzle: I am a retired business executive. I had a very successful career as a management consultant - first as a partner at Booz, Allen & Hamilton and then as the founder and Managing Partner of my own firm, The Mead Point Group, where I served a number of large, national and multinational corporations. I ended my professional career as the Chief Financial Officer of Burson-Marsteller, the then largest public relations and marketing communications firm in the world. I retired at fifty (it's better to be lucky than good) and have spent the past twenty years serving on company boards of directors, writing, constructing crossword puzzles and enjoying life. My first puzzle was published in the New York Times in 2010. Since then, I have had forty-nine puzzles published in the NYT, LAT & WSJ. This will be #50!

This is my first themeless puzzle. They are tough to construct. Rich Norris gave me some help and coaching and I was able to get one over the finish line. Finally!

Kurt's cluing and word selection made for a fun puzzle for me but, as you can see below, I had two vowel coin flips and I missed one where I puta a "Y" instead of the correct "I". On the other one I put in a correct "E". Sigh... 

 

Across:

1. Made a seat-of-the-pants mistake?: BUTT DIALED - I did this to my sister-in-law yesterday and we had a great half-hour conversation

11. Spunkmeyer of cookie fame: OTIS - OTIS bakes here often

15. As it happens: IN REAL TIME 

16. "Hmm ... don't think so": UH NO.

17. It's undeliverable: DEAD LETTER.

18. Tibiae supporters: TALI - The talus (pl. TALI) is shown here below the tibia (pl. tibiae)

19. "Done!": TADA.

20. Symbol on a Heineken label: RED STAR.

22. Request sweetener: PLEASE.

25. Word of agreement: LIKEWISE.

26. Palmer of "The Boys From Brazil": LILLI - As mentioned above, the I or Y coin flip came up wrong for me

COUPLED WITH

5. Monetary unit of The Gambia: DALASI - You could get in your 2¢ worth with a DALASI because that is what it is worth in US money. The bill below would pay for a McDonalds combo meal in Banjul, Gambia and you'd get 60 GMD in change

27. Electric __: EEL - Yikes!

28. Refuse: WASTE  - Lines 10 and 11 in  Emma Lazarus' The New Colussus,   "Give me your tired , your poor, your huddles masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched REFUSE of your teeming shore."

29. Crazily: AMOK.

30. Filling material: AMALGAM - Some countries have banned this substance because it contains some mercury. The ADA has not banned it in America.

32. Appetite: YEN.

33. Keyboard in a Bach title: CLAVIER - CLAVIER (kluh VEER) is French for keyboard. Bach's original title was Das Wohltemperierte Klavier

34. Besides: TOO - If someone gets TOO tired to continue compressions in 54. Hosp. areas: ERS., he might ask someone to 37. Spell: RELIEVE him as he 45. Breaks: RESTS.

38. Soul singer Franklin: ERMA - ERMA and Carolyn provide backup as their sister Aretha sings Respect 

ERMA, Carolyn and Aretha Franklin

39. Hog's little cousin: MOPED - I'm not sure if a MOPED rider would get the motorcycle "wave" from a rider on a Harley (called a Hog).

42. More than a stretch: LIE - When you've  stretched the truth too far

43. Depressing: BLEAK.

44. Showing ingenuity in: CLEVER AT - I could list all our wonderful constructors 

46. Queen of fiction: ELLERY - ELLERY Queen is the main fictional character created in 1929 by Manfred Lee and his cousin Frederic Dannay. Queen helps his police inspector father solve baffling murders. 

47. The Acropolis, in its time: CITADEL - A CITADEL is the core, fortified part of a city. While many Greek cities had one, the most famous CITADEL is here on the Acropolis (high point) at Athens. The Parthenon is one of the surviving structures on it.

48. California city name meaning "tar": BREA - The smell of the Tar Pits when we got of the car was overwhelming. 

49. Female gamete: OVUM.

50. Tentacled marine creature: SEA ANEMONE - Most stay attached catching passing food in their tentacles but some can move to escape danger.

55. TripAdvisor rival: YELP - A YELP review of our fav small town steakhouse

56. Industry-specific publication: TRADE PAPER - Also called TRADE Journals

57. Span. titles: SRAS.

58. Responds to anxiety, in a way: STRESS EATS - Did you put on the COVID 15?

Down:

1. Nod, maybe: BID - 15 auction bidding tips

2. Nice article: UNE - Un chapeau (a hat) is correct because un is used before masculine nouns in French. UNE chapeau would not be right because UNE is used for feminine nouns. You have to memorize the differences.

3. Song syllable: TRA.

4. Address limited to 18 minutes: TED TALK - Choose one from this list

6. __-France: Paris region: ILE DE - Literally Island Of France but no one knows exactly why. It is  the most populous of the 18 regions of France.

7. Encouraging start?: ATTA - "ATTA Boys/Girls" are nice but they don't buy any groceries 

8. Started burning: LIT.

9. Old cooking show that often had a Creole theme: EMERIL LIVE - EMERIL and his famous catchphrase

10. Literature Nobelist Walcott: DEREK -  Here ya go. Is NY Yankee DEREK Jeter too easy for Saturday?

11. Lapped, perhaps: OUT SWAM - Getting lapped means that not only is a swimmer ahead of you but that they have caught and passed you

12. In other words: THAT IS.

13. Having the worst record: IN LAST - Sorry Boomer!

14. Evening do: SOIREE - Here is a place you could celebrate a SOIREE in Paris

21. Big name in Scotch: DEWAR.

22. Latitude: PLAY - Politicians try to leave some PLAY in their positions so as to not get pinned down to specifics

23. Key __: LIME - A pound of conventional LIMES compared to a pound of Key LIMES. Key LIMES take their name from being grown in the Florida Keys but since hurricane wiped them out, Key LIMES are now mostly grown in Mexico.

24. Tar Heel State university: ELON - Last month, ELON University grad Joe West broke the record for most MLB games umpired at 5,376.

25. "Don't bother": LEAVE IT - Not Rover!

27. What an online beep may signify: EMAIL ALERT

30. Bar none: ALL.

31. "Fancy that!": GEE.

33. Relinquished: CEDED 

34. Ring bearer: TREE - Fun clue! This tree lived from 550 A.D. to 1891 A.D. when it was cut down

35. "The Wire" antihero __ Little: OMAR - Here ya go.

36. Oenophile's adjective: OAKY - Wine aged in OAK barrels take some characteristics from the OAK

37. Modifies: REVAMPS.

38. Author/activist Johnson who attended President Obama's inauguration at age 105: ELLA MAE.

39. Real things?: MCCOYS  1957 TV

40. "Food, Glorious Food" musical: OLIVER.

41. "Downtown" singer Clark: PETULA - Love it!

43. They may replace oaths: BLEEPS - Hilarious BLEEPS!

46. White-tailed seabirds: ERNES - Birds of a feather that flock together in crosswords

48. Ordered: BADE - I BADE my children to line up for recess

51. Berne's river: AAR.

52. Günter's gramps: OPA - Günter's Opa liebt seinen neuen BMW (Günter's grandpa loves his new BMW)

53. Celtic foe: NET - The NETS eliminated the Celtics this year