Honors Courses
Today's constructors, Lance Enfinger and Jeff Chen, bring us a letter addition puzzle, with 4 themers (2 across, 2 down)
that work with or without the addition. Each themer fits the pattern
"Honors course for an aspiring ___?" and the fill is a career
description prefixed with AP, short for Advanced Placement. Note also that all the theme fills actually begin with APP, which is short for AP Program.
18A Honors course for an aspiring aircraft marshaller?: AP POINTING, as in telling the pilot where to go. Aircraft marshalling is a real gig. Complete this course and your career will really take off!
 |
| Aircraft Marshaller |
62A. Honors course for an aspiring pastor?: AP PRAISING. A pastor is the leader of a Christian congregation, who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Catholic congregations where there may be multiple priests, it is the pastor's job to administer the parish and supervise the younger priests. Pastors don't really PRAISE God any more than the priests. Their honors courses are more likely to be in planning, budgeting, building maintenance, and even in learning new languages. Last year our pastor spent a month in Guatemala in a Spanish immersion course to enable him to support our church's growing number of Hispanic parishioners.
3D. Honors course for an aspiring lawyer?: AP PROVING. PROVING is presenting evidence used to either support or ascertain that something happened or that a person’s statement is true. Whether it really is or not is something decided by the JURY.
36D. Honors course for an aspiring bell ringer?: AP PEALING. In England bell ringing is a very competitive field ...
Here's the grid ...
Here's the rest ...
Across:
1. Cracked: AJAR. "When is a door ...?". Oh. You've already heard it.
5. Actor Omar: EPPS. Omar Hashim EPPS (born July 20, 1973) is an American actor, rapper, and producer. He has been awarded nine NAACP Image Awards, two Teen Choice Awards, one MTV Movie Award, one Black Reel Award, and one Screen Actors Guild Award.
 |
| Omar Epps |
14. Easy going?: LOPE.
15. Pharmacist's container: VIAL. Last Thursday a distraught ROMEO, thinking that JULIET was dead, swallowed a VIAL of a VILE substance to poison himself, leaving "no friendly drop" for her.
16. Ancient region of modern Turkey: IONIA. IONIA was an ancient region on the western coast of Anatolia, to the south of present-day Izmir.
 |
| IONIA |
17. Range for Zermatt and the Matter Valley: ALPS. The Matterhorn is one of the best-known mountains (14,692 feet [4,478 metres]) in the ALPS, straddling the frontier between Switzerland and Italy, 6 miles (10 km) southwest of the village of Zermatt, Switzerland.
 |
| Matter Valley |
20. Get down to basics: STRIP. Or to paraphrase my old math teacher, "to get down far enough for all practical purposes."
22. Consumes: EATS.
23. Red carpet stance: POSE.
24. Irish actor Chris of TV's "Get Shorty": O DOWD. Christopher O'Dowd (born 9 October 1979) is played Miles Daly in this film. As someone who is only 5'6" tall, it is only natural that I would dislike this movie (which I have not seen), but not as much as I dislike this song by Randy Newman (lyrics) ...
And don't get me started on his song about Baltimore. It's not like I take it personal or anything, but it's not easy being short. For example reaching the books on the top shelves. 😉
26. Shenanigans: HI JINKS. A CSO to our man in Norfolk.
28. Dust jacket design: COVER ART. Here's Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Album Covers. And here's No. 32 (you knew I had to get an OPERA in here somewhere) ...
Overture
Pinball Wizard
31. Bowling pin count: TEN. A CSO to our dearly departed Boomer.
32. Bird mascot for the Miami Hurricanes: IBIS.
33. New Zealand parrots: KEAS.
35. Ray's relative: SKATE. Stingrays and SKATES are often mistaken for one another. Both can be found in Baltimore's National Aquarium:
Also a CSO to Ray - O, whose relatives do a lot of SKATING up in the frozen Northeast I'm sure.
39. Tanqueray liquor: GIN. As long as it's shaken, not stirred.
40. Georgia fruit: PEACHES.
42. Hoppin' John morsel: PEA. A Black-eyed PEA that is, known in some parts as the COW PEA. One of my favorite legumes: easy to grow, disease resistant, prolific, easy to shell, and easy to dry for storage. Here's a recipe for this Southern favorite.
43. George of "The Goldbergs": SEGAL. George Segal Jr.
(February 13, 1934 – March 23, 2021) was an American actor. He became
popular in the 1960s and 1970s for playing both dramatic and comedic
roles. He played Albert "Pops" Solomon on The Goldbergs (2013–2021).
45. Word with ring or music: MOOD. Like most MOODS, these rings don't last forever. I'm not a big fan of MOOD music as it generally lacks passion, but I do like these guys ...
46. Relaxation stations: SPAS.
47. Claire of "The Crown": FOY. Claire Elizabeth Foy (born 16 April 1984) won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of the young Queen Elizabeth II in the first two seasons of the Netflix series The Crown (2016–2017). Here she confronts Edward the VIII, who abdicated his throne in 1936 for "the woman he loved", Baltimorean socialite Wallis Simpson ...
She stole our hearts in the 2008 BBC mini-series Little Dorrit based on the novel by Charles Dickens ...
49. Fleetest of foot: SWIFTEST. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica that would be Jamaican Usain Bolt ...
51. Brandy glass: SNIFTER. Here are a pair of SNIFTERS I made for the oncologist who cured my prostate cancer to drink the single-malt scotch I gave him after 10 years in remission.
55. Penta- minus one: TETRA. Today's math lesson, in Greek no less.
56. Goddess who is the mother of Apollo and Artemis: LETO. More Greek. Apollo was the god of music and Artemis was the goddess of the hunt. LETO was the daughter of the Titans Coeus and Phoebe, and the sister of Asteria.
57. Protein option for pho: TOFU.
59. Olympic volleyball great Kerri __ Jennings: WALSH. Kerri Lee Walsh Jennings (born August 15, 1978) is an American professional beach volleyball player, three-time Olympic gold medalist, and a one-time Olympic bronze medalist. She is the beach volleyball leader in career victories as of 2016 having won 135 international and domestic tournaments. Her nickname is "Six Feet of Sunshine"!
[Theme fill]
65. Totenberg of NPR: NINA. NINA Totenberg (born January 14, 1944) is an American legal affairs correspondent for National Public Radio (NPR) focusing primarily on the activities and politics of the Supreme Court of the United States.
.... also a CSO to our inane hiker!
66. Barbecue sites: YARDS.
67. Creative flash: IDEA.
68. Tiny annoyance: GNAT.
69. Splash through puddles: SLOSH.
70. Prying: NOSY.
71. Meringue need: EGGS. You provide the shell and the filling and this simple recipe will provide the Meringue.
Down:
1. Quaint plaint: ALAS.
2. Shock: JOLT.
3. [Theme clue]
4. Lives: RESIDES.
5. Perón of Argentina: EVA. Here's Madonna singing Don't Cry for Me Argentina for Lloyd Weber's Evita ...
6. Out-of-reach goal: PIPE DREAM.
7. __ Smurf: PAPA.
8. Arboreal slowpoke: SLOTH. If you stop by the National Aquarium to see the RAYS and the SKATES (see 35A) be sure to pop-up to the Tropical Rainforest and see the SLOTHS.
9. Metal in pewter: TIN. Pewter is a malleable metal alloy consisting of TIN (85–99%), antimony (approximately 5–10%), copper (2%), bismuth, and sometimes silver.
10. Bright lipstick shade: HOT PINK. A CSO to Lucina! 😀
11. Gabrielle of "L.A.'s Finest": UNION. L.A.'s Finest is an American action comedy crime television series created by Brandon Margolis and Brandon Sonnier; and produced by Sony Pictures Television. It is a spinoff of the Bad Boys franchise created by George Gallo. Gabrielle plays Special Agent/Detective Lieutenant Sydney "Syd" Burnett.
12. Capital of Belarus: MINSK. Thumper.
13. Audiobook's lack: PAGES.
19. "You think so?": IS IT.
21. __ ejemplo: POR. Today's Spanish lesson, e.g. CSO número dos POR Lucina.
25. Waves from a boat: WAKE. Also a celebration of a life held at the passing of someone. One of the most famous of these events is the subject of James Joyce's Finnegans WAKE (a book which I have not read). A CSO to our Misty, a Professor Emerita of English and an authority on Joyce's works. Here's hoping she stops by and shares a few bon mots about the book.
27. Milo's "Gilmore Girls" role: JESS. Gilmore Girls is a mother-daughter comedy-drama television series (2000 - 2006) starring Lauren Graham (Lorelai Gilmore) and Alexis Bledel (Rory Gilmore). Milo Anthony Ventimiglia played Jess Mariano, one of Rory's heartthrobs:
28. Slangy smokes: CIGS.
29. Big Apple stage award: OBIE.
30. Tuesday fare: TACOS.
34. Many entries in the Great American Songbook: SHOW TUNES. The Great American Songbook is the loosely defined canon of significant early-20th-century American jazz standards, popular songs, and show tunes. It's not just a list of tunes and lyrics, but also an eponymous organization founded by Michael Feinstein, who is still on the road promoting these songs. Selecting a single song representative of this music is really impossible. This one by Henry Mancini is from the soundtrack to Breakfast at Tiffany's, and one of the first that I fell in love with ...
32. Bird mascot for the Miami Hurricanes: IBIS.
33. New Zealand parrots: KEAS.
35. Ray's relative: SKATE. Stingrays and SKATES are often mistaken for one another. Both can be found in Baltimore's National Aquarium:
39. Tanqueray liquor: GIN. As long as it's shaken, not stirred.
40. Georgia fruit: PEACHES.
42. Hoppin' John morsel: PEA. A Black-eyed PEA that is, known in some parts as the COW PEA. One of my favorite legumes: easy to grow, disease resistant, prolific, easy to shell, and easy to dry for storage. Here's a recipe for this Southern favorite.
 |
| Hoppin' John |
 |
| George Segal 1965 |
46. Relaxation stations: SPAS.
47. Claire of "The Crown": FOY. Claire Elizabeth Foy (born 16 April 1984) won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of the young Queen Elizabeth II in the first two seasons of the Netflix series The Crown (2016–2017). Here she confronts Edward the VIII, who abdicated his throne in 1936 for "the woman he loved", Baltimorean socialite Wallis Simpson ...
She stole our hearts in the 2008 BBC mini-series Little Dorrit based on the novel by Charles Dickens ...
 |
| Usain Bolt |
 |
| SNIFTERS |
56. Goddess who is the mother of Apollo and Artemis: LETO. More Greek. Apollo was the god of music and Artemis was the goddess of the hunt. LETO was the daughter of the Titans Coeus and Phoebe, and the sister of Asteria.
 |
| Leto with infants Apollo and Artemis |
59. Olympic volleyball great Kerri __ Jennings: WALSH. Kerri Lee Walsh Jennings (born August 15, 1978) is an American professional beach volleyball player, three-time Olympic gold medalist, and a one-time Olympic bronze medalist. She is the beach volleyball leader in career victories as of 2016 having won 135 international and domestic tournaments. Her nickname is "Six Feet of Sunshine"!
 |
| Kerri Walsh Jennings |
65. Totenberg of NPR: NINA. NINA Totenberg (born January 14, 1944) is an American legal affairs correspondent for National Public Radio (NPR) focusing primarily on the activities and politics of the Supreme Court of the United States.
 |
| Nina Totenberg |
66. Barbecue sites: YARDS.
67. Creative flash: IDEA.
68. Tiny annoyance: GNAT.
69. Splash through puddles: SLOSH.
70. Prying: NOSY.
71. Meringue need: EGGS. You provide the shell and the filling and this simple recipe will provide the Meringue.
1. Quaint plaint: ALAS.
2. Shock: JOLT.
3. [Theme clue]
4. Lives: RESIDES.
5. Perón of Argentina: EVA. Here's Madonna singing Don't Cry for Me Argentina for Lloyd Weber's Evita ...
6. Out-of-reach goal: PIPE DREAM.
8. Arboreal slowpoke: SLOTH. If you stop by the National Aquarium to see the RAYS and the SKATES (see 35A) be sure to pop-up to the Tropical Rainforest and see the SLOTHS.
 |
| Linne's Two-Toed Sloth |
 |
| Pewter Cream Pitcher c. 1780 |
10. Bright lipstick shade: HOT PINK. A CSO to Lucina! 😀
11. Gabrielle of "L.A.'s Finest": UNION. L.A.'s Finest is an American action comedy crime television series created by Brandon Margolis and Brandon Sonnier; and produced by Sony Pictures Television. It is a spinoff of the Bad Boys franchise created by George Gallo. Gabrielle plays Special Agent/Detective Lieutenant Sydney "Syd" Burnett.
 |
| Gabrielle Union |
13. Audiobook's lack: PAGES.
19. "You think so?": IS IT.
21. __ ejemplo: POR. Today's Spanish lesson, e.g. CSO número dos POR Lucina.
25. Waves from a boat: WAKE. Also a celebration of a life held at the passing of someone. One of the most famous of these events is the subject of James Joyce's Finnegans WAKE (a book which I have not read). A CSO to our Misty, a Professor Emerita of English and an authority on Joyce's works. Here's hoping she stops by and shares a few bon mots about the book.
27. Milo's "Gilmore Girls" role: JESS. Gilmore Girls is a mother-daughter comedy-drama television series (2000 - 2006) starring Lauren Graham (Lorelai Gilmore) and Alexis Bledel (Rory Gilmore). Milo Anthony Ventimiglia played Jess Mariano, one of Rory's heartthrobs:
 |
| Milo Ventimiglia (2019) (he was 24 when he played Jess) |
29. Big Apple stage award: OBIE.
30. Tuesday fare: TACOS.
34. Many entries in the Great American Songbook: SHOW TUNES. The Great American Songbook is the loosely defined canon of significant early-20th-century American jazz standards, popular songs, and show tunes. It's not just a list of tunes and lyrics, but also an eponymous organization founded by Michael Feinstein, who is still on the road promoting these songs. Selecting a single song representative of this music is really impossible. This one by Henry Mancini is from the soundtrack to Breakfast at Tiffany's, and one of the first that I fell in love with ...
Audrey Hepburn
36. [Theme clue].
37. Dim sum brews: TEAS. Legend has it that Dim sum originated in TEA houses in the 10th Century (Sung Dynasty), and is a communal dining and social experience that can span hours. It is customary for large groups to enjoy dishes together. A CSO to our fearless leader!
38. All-Star side: EAST.
40. Storyline: PLOT.
41. Falco of "Nurse Jackie": EDIE.
44. Provides, as an opportunity: AFFORDS.
46. Idiosyncratic: STRANGE. IMHO, all of REALITY.
48. Creature in Tibetan myth: YETI. aka the Abominable snowman ...
50. "Woo-hoo!," in textspeak: FTW. For The Win, a gamer expression anticipating victory, with "Woo-hoo!" being an expression of enthusiasm. It's opposite is FTL, "For The Loss". We Cornerites solve puzzles FTW, or as we would put it to FIR. Here's wishing you got a "Woo-hoo" for this puzzle!
51. Leaves rolling in the aisles: SLAYS. Another CSO to Ray - O.
52. Place to spot a 48-Down, maybe: NEPAL. As YETIS don't recognize international boundaries, they occasionally stray into neighboring countries ...
53. Staffer who's good at networking, for short: IT PRO. A CSO to -T, Jinx, et MOI (a long time ago).
54. Pitcher's gripping aid: ROSIN. ROSIN, also called colophony or Greek pitch (Latin: pix graeca), is a solid form of resin obtained from pines and some other plants, mostly conifers, produced by heating fresh liquid resin to vaporize the volatile components. In addition to its use by pitchers, it's also used as a flux in soldering, and by violinists on their bows to get a better grip on the strings. This country boy always kept his bows rosined ...
This song is played at Orioles games during the 7th inning stretch.
58. Everymutt: FIDO. Garfield's favorite FIDO ...
60. Obstacle: SNAG.
61. Bowlers, e.g.: HATS. another CSO to our BOWLER in Heaven.
63. Fire pit residue: ASH.
64. Carefree: GAY. Or a synonym for HAPPY. A refreshingly retro clue.
Cheers,
Bill
As always, thanks to Teri for proof reading, for her constructive criticism.
waseeley
37. Dim sum brews: TEAS. Legend has it that Dim sum originated in TEA houses in the 10th Century (Sung Dynasty), and is a communal dining and social experience that can span hours. It is customary for large groups to enjoy dishes together. A CSO to our fearless leader!
 |
| Dim sum array |
40. Storyline: PLOT.
41. Falco of "Nurse Jackie": EDIE.
44. Provides, as an opportunity: AFFORDS.
46. Idiosyncratic: STRANGE. IMHO, all of REALITY.
48. Creature in Tibetan myth: YETI. aka the Abominable snowman ...
50. "Woo-hoo!," in textspeak: FTW. For The Win, a gamer expression anticipating victory, with "Woo-hoo!" being an expression of enthusiasm. It's opposite is FTL, "For The Loss". We Cornerites solve puzzles FTW, or as we would put it to FIR. Here's wishing you got a "Woo-hoo" for this puzzle!
51. Leaves rolling in the aisles: SLAYS. Another CSO to Ray - O.
52. Place to spot a 48-Down, maybe: NEPAL. As YETIS don't recognize international boundaries, they occasionally stray into neighboring countries ...
54. Pitcher's gripping aid: ROSIN. ROSIN, also called colophony or Greek pitch (Latin: pix graeca), is a solid form of resin obtained from pines and some other plants, mostly conifers, produced by heating fresh liquid resin to vaporize the volatile components. In addition to its use by pitchers, it's also used as a flux in soldering, and by violinists on their bows to get a better grip on the strings. This country boy always kept his bows rosined ...
This song is played at Orioles games during the 7th inning stretch.
58. Everymutt: FIDO. Garfield's favorite FIDO ...
 |
| Odie |
61. Bowlers, e.g.: HATS. another CSO to our BOWLER in Heaven.
63. Fire pit residue: ASH.
64. Carefree: GAY. Or a synonym for HAPPY. A refreshingly retro clue.
Cheers,
Bill
As always, thanks to Teri for proof reading, for her constructive criticism.
waseeley
