Monday December 7, 2020 Matt McKinley

Theme: WOODY ALLEN FILMS. (37. What the answers to starred clues are (their creator turned 85 this month):

17. *The City, to New Yorkers (1979): MANHATTAN.

21. *Surprise hit (1973): SLEEPER.

50. *Cream pie fruit (1971): BANANAS.

58. *Concerns of some decorators (1978): INTERIORS.

Boomer here.

I only know of one other whose name is Woody.  His last name is Woodpecker. I proposed similar themes to C.C. before, she rejected them as "too listy".

Across: 

1. __-ran: loser: ALSO.

5. Hop-jump connection: SKIP. Minnesota's favorite son SKIP Humphrey was a son of Hubert and Muriel and served as Minnesota's Attorney General years ago. 

9. Crossing the keel: ABEAM.

14. Casual greetings: HEYS.  Never liked it, sounds like Hay.

15. Give the job to: HIRE.  It seems the Detroit Lions will be looking to HIRE a coach.

16. Full of sediment: SILTY.

19. Unisex designer fragrance: CK ONE.  Calvin Klein stuff - too expensive for me.

20. Fugitive: ESCAPEE.  "The Fugitive" a great movie - made Harrison Ford a few dollars.

23. On __ way: sent: ITS.      

24. 52-Acrosses, often: INSETS.  I used to put my baseball cards IN SETS.

25. "Help me out, buddy": BE A PAL.  We got a thing from Pay PAL today offering some kind of credit card.  That's one of the last things I need.

29. Like paper clips: BENT.

31. Wedding site: ALTAR.

32. Roof edge: EAVE.  Holding on to the gutters.

33. Bridal party's platform: DAIS.  Been a long time for me.  Do they still play "Here comes the Bride"?

40. Gloss targets: LIPS.

41. Los Angeles NFLers: RAMS.  8 wins so far - Pretty good!

42. Knight's "shining" protection: ARMOR.

43. Depend (on): RELY.  RELY on - I think it's a Credit Union in Texas.

44. T-bones, e.g.: STEAKS.  I've been eating turkey for a week.  Looks like a ham for Christmas.

45. Mental sharpness: ACUMEN.

49. Speedometer abbr.: MPH.  This new Santa Fe we bought has a big round instrument in the dashboard panel.  Besides a traditional speedometer needle though, It just pops my speed up in big numbers.

52. Local traveler's aid: AREA MAP.  I am not sure if they are still around.  I think folks just use their phones.

57. Come up: ARISE.  "All RISE" Aaron Judge is coming to bat.  Back in the day, Harmon Killebrew's nick name was the Killer.  I think All Rise is one of the best nicknames in baseball.

60. One of two in "George": SOFT G.  One of three of Seinfeld's friends.

61. Costa __: RICA.

62. Spreadsheet contents: DATA.

63. "Family Ties" mother: ELYSE. Keaton - No relation to Buster.

64. How many TV shows air: IN HD.  I can never tell the difference.  Maybe my set is too old, like me.

65. Editor's "Leave it in": STET.

Down:

1. Sighed words: AH ME.  Win a door prize at a bowling banquet and it's AAHHH ME!!

2. Pastures: LEAS.

3. Match, as sound and video: SYNC.  A place to wash dishes. I never was too good at spelling.

4. Workplace standards org.: OSHA. "Occupational Safety and Health Act".  Made a big difference in Graybar warehouses nationwide.

5. "Fiddler on the Roof" village: SHTETL.

6. Windy day toys: KITES.  Yep, I had one or two every Spring.  We went up to the baseball field, away from KITE eating trees.  We never saw Charlie Brown there.

7. Nest egg letters: IRA.  Still waiting for it to hatch.

8. Ink holders: PENS.  Also pig holders

9. Journey up the mountain: ASCENT.  Elevator -"Going Up ?"

10. Workout equipment with pedals: BIKES.

11. Wed in Vegas, perhaps: ELOPE.  Never had time. Too busy at craps.  C.C. would not like a crappy wedding anyway.

12. Where many tennis winners are hit: AT NET.  I thought they had to go OVER the net.

13. Austin Powers portrayer Mike: MYERS.

18. Collection of beehives: APIARY.  Becoming scarce in Minnesota.  Bees do not like our weather.

22. Tablecloth material: LINEN.

25. Chastise, with "out": BAWL.  Change the A to an O and go out. 

26. "The Time Machine" post-humans: ELOI.

27. Perched on: ATOP.

28. Knee protectors: PADS.  I have a Copper Fit to wear when I bowl or play golf.  Not really a pad, more like a stiff brace. 

Boomer with his Copper Fit

29. Mild, as weather: BALMY.  I would not call it BALMY, but Minnesotans have been lucky this year. Most days are still above freezing.

30. Days before holidays: EVES.  Christmas and New Year's.  I did not hear of Veterans or Thanksgiving Eve.

32. Airline with an all-kosher menu: EL AL.

33. Desperate: DIRE.

34. __ mater: ALMA.

35. Assurance from one who's not hurt: I'M OK.  I'M OK to golf and bowl.  Doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt though.

36. Old pol. divisions: SSRS.  Super Seniors - That's me.

38. Big sports venue: ARENA.  We have a "Target Center" for the Wolves, and "Target Field" for the Twins.  I wonder how much Target paid to have their name there. Target is a spin off from retail Dayton's owned by the family of former Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton.  Dayton's was acquired by Macy's so now it's too expensive for us.  We still go to Target.

39. Sire: FATHER.

43. Go back (on): RENEGE.

44. Butter or jam: SPREAD.  Or Peanut Butter on Ritz crackers.

45. Put down nastily: ABASE. Or slid into nastily by Jackie Robinson and others.

46. Song sung house-to-house: CAROL.  "It came upon a midnight clear, that glorious song of old."

47. Bring together: UNIFY.  Those old time Christmas Carols bring many families together. 

48. Crow's nest holders: MASTS.

49. Fire starter: MATCH.

51. Rival of Alexa?: SIRI.  Hey SIRI - Where can I get a vaccine?

53. Lends a hand: AIDS.

54. Castle trench: MOAT.

55. Works in un museo: ARTE.  Mr. Johnson on Laugh-in. Loved Goldie Hawn.

56. 10th-grader's exam, for short: PSAT.

59. Diarist Anaïs: NIN.

Boomer

Notes from C.C.:

Chairman Moe (Chris) and I made today's WSJ puzzle. You can click here to solve. Congrats on your WSJ debut, Chris!

Monday July 27, 2020 Matt McKinley

Theme: Even Numerical Order

17. Chicago-based improv group, with "The": SECOND CITY.

23. Imagined barrier between actor and audience: FOURTH WALL.

34. Beethoven's "Pastoral" or Tchaikovsky's "Pathétique": SIXTH SYMPHONY.

45. Musical symbol also called a quaver: EIGHTH NOTE.

56. When Buster Douglas knocked out Mike Tyson, in a classic 1990 bout: TENTH ROUND.

Boomer here.  

TWO, FOUR, SIX, EIGHT,  Who do we appreciate?  Monday puzzles are GREAT.  I checked with Tony the Tiger while he was eating a bowl of Frosted Flakes.

Across:

1. Really easy task: CINCH.  Will the Twins win the AL Central ?

6. Serious cut: GASH.  Remember the old golf balls?  you could GASH them with a 9 iron and peel the cover and unwind the rubber band.  Not anymore. 

10. Sect. on a concert ticket: ORCH. Orchestra.

14. In flames: AFIRE.

15. Brink: EDGE.  Reminds me of EDGErton Minnesota.  A very small town where the High School basketball team won the state championship about 40 years ago.

16. Dodgers or Cubs: TEAM.  Twins or White Sox?

19. Semester: TERM.

20. Bit of memorabilia: KEEPSAKE.  Last Friday was opening day for the Twins and many other major league teams. On a shopping trip to Target, I wore my Justin Morneau T-shirt and my Twins baseball cap which I have adorned with many KEEPSAKE stadium giveaway pins and buttons.  I probably have $150.00 worth of collectors items on the hat and it's fairly heavy to wear, but "BATTER UP"!

21. Bee secretion: WAX.  The Hollywood WAX museum has many notables, including: Robin Williams, Johnny Cash, Elvis (Who needs no surname), Frank Sinatra, and James Dean.

22. Camera type, for short: SLR.

28. Old fast fliers: SSTS.  Super Sonic Transports.  Sometimes when they flew overhead we could hear a loud BOOM.  I suppose you could call them a loud Boomer, which others have sometimes called me.

30. Dallas region inset on a Texas atlas page, e.g.: AREA MAP.  An unfortunate area now dealing with many coronavirus cases.

31. Really tiny: WEE.  Michelle Wie is not so tiny.  Now a Mom named Michelle Wie West.

32. Photographed: SHOT.

33. Fingers in a lineup: IDS.  The IDS Center is a 57 story tower and a landmark of Minneapolis.  I remember when it was built around 1970.  Now other skyscrapers are not allowed to go higher than the IDS.

38. Philip of "Kung Fu": AHN.

39. Regrets: RUES.

40. Barely make, with "out": EKE.  I know many of you solvers barely EKE out crosswords, but usually not on Monday.

41. Pool stick protector: CUE CASE.  A lot of pro pool cues are two pieces screwed together, and need to be separated to fit in the case.

43. Lat. and Ukr., formerly: SSRS.  Maybe so, but I see Super Seniors which is my level in bowling tournaments.  I am still waiting for a vaccine before rolling the ball again.

47. Hoopla: ADO.  Much ADO about nothing.

50. Fairway position: LIE.  Also what some of my golf friends do about their score.

51. Mattress you can "float" on: WATERBED.  Never had one of these. Since our bedroom is in an upper floor, I would be afraid the weight would crash through the floor and we would be sleeping in the garage.

54. Fellow, to a Brit: CHAP.  Sometimes my lips in the winter in Minnesota.

58. Fastening device: HASP.

59. "Not a __": "No idea": CLUE.  I think it was done by Miss Scarlet with the rope in the kitchen.

60. Pasta sauce herb: BASIL.

61. Online craft shop: ETSY.  Never used it.  I get my Boondoggle from Kwik Crafts.

62. Conks on the head: BOPS.

63. Outlaw, to a sheriff: ENEMY.

Down:

1. Oak containers: CASKS.  Minnesota passed a mandatory mask law last week.  "Mask it or Casket"

2. "It's my opinion ... ": I FEEL.  "I feel Pretty and Witty and Wise"  Julie Andrews

3. More kind: NICER. A Zamboni is a NICER ICER.

4. Farm yield: CROP.  We had a late Spring but I think the farmers are doing fine now.  Your farm girl C.C. has tomatoes and cucumbers growing high as an elephant's eye.

5. Farm cluckers: HENS.  I know I mentioned this before, but my uncle in Siren, Wisconsin had dozens of noisy HENS.

6. Lizards like the Geico mascot: GECKOS.  "Just kick it back to over 75 years of sales and service"

7. French farewell: ADIEU. I will hang my heart on the weeping willow tree, and may the world go well with thee..

8. Cpl.'s superior: SGT.  We're SGT Pepper's lonely hearts club band, We hope you will enjoy the show! The Beatles, of course.

9. "Psst!": HEY.  Hey, Hey Paula!

10. Canada's capital: OTTAWA.  AKA OTTAWA EH.  USA Covid outbreak scared off the MLB.  The Blue Jays are playing in upstate New York.

11. Check out again, as a patient: RE-EXAMINE.  I used to be examined every three months.  Now, due to Covid, my doctor just examines my blood draw.

12. Train unit: CAR.

13. "I'm thinking": HMM.

18. Bonkers: DAFT.

21. If: WHETHER.

24. Obama chief of staff Emanuel: RAHM.  After a big win at Memorial ten days ago, I did not see Jon RAHM at our 3M Open this past week.  His tax bracket must have gone up.

25. Stadium in St. Pete, with "The": TROP.  Tropicana Field, home of the RAYS.

26. Gaga or Godiva: LADY. "Seventeen, a beauty queen, she made a ride that caused a scene in the town."  Peter and Gordon.

27. Record albums, briefly: LPS.  Wow, I only have about 8.  They are collector's items.  I have nothing to play them on.

28. Census datum: SEX.

29. Unvarying fee: SET RATE.  A lot of investment firms no longer charge for trades.

31. Cabernet holder: WINEGLASS.

32. NES part: Abbr.: SYS.

34. Feng __: SHUI.  Not my language.

35. "Quiet!": HUSH.  "Hush, Hush sweet Charlotte." Patti Page.

36. Observed: SEEN.

37. Approves: OKS.

38. Royal flush card: ACE. I have only hit one royal flush on a casino poker machine.  It was at Treasure Island in Southern Minnesota. Playing five nickels and won $200.00.

42. Marked by contentiousness, as a game: CHIPPY.  Also a bit of a short shot near the greenie.

43. Idaho and Iowa: STATES. I think we forgot INDIANA and ILLINOIS.

44. Actor Rogen: SETH.

46. Admit (to): OWN UP.  I admit it.  While you are doing this puzzle, I am playing golf.

47. Seriously overdo, as a privilege: ABUSE.

48. Dungarees fabric: DENIM.  I used to call them blue jeans. I did not wear them - never comfortable.

49. "Strange to say ... ": ODDLY.

52. Kathryn of "Law & Order: C.I.": ERBE.  ODDLY, I do not watch Criminal Intent.  I only like the original Law & Order.

53. Equine hue: ROAN.  Maybe we will see one in the Kentucky Derby in September ?

54. Michael of "SNL": CHE.

55. Stetson __: HAT.  Named after John B. Stetson and only seen on "In the Heat of the Night".

56. Getting the job done, initially: TCB.  "Takin' Care of Business".  Bachman, Turner, Overdrive.

57. "Xanadu" rock gp.: ELO.

Boomer

Note from C.C.:
 
In case you were not here the past two days, Husker Gary has updated our Crossword Corner map. Please email Gary (gschlapfer@gmail.com) if you want your name to be added or removed from the map.

Thanks for your hard work, Gary! You're just incredible!

Monday May 18, 2020 Matt McKinley

Theme: What THE Road

20. Discards as useless or obsolete: KICKS TO THE CURB.

35. What people are saying: WORD ON THE STREET.

49. Through many experiences: AROUND THE BLOCK.

Boomer here. 

A long, long time ago, I can still remember ... a visit to Great America Amusement Park near Lake Michigan and a few miles north of Chicago. I used to play Pacman (mostly in bowling centers) and Great America had a machine in the open air of the park.  I popped in a quarter and ran up a score of 208,000.  When I finally lost, there were about a dozen people behind me watching me run up that score. No applause.  The reason I bring this up, and since most of us are safely in our homes for more hours than we would care to admit, I found a Pacman game on the internet.  Just Google Pacman on Google and it will appear.  It's not the same as the original screen, and of course there is no joystick.  You need to move Pacmann with the directional arrows on the keyboard.  My high score is 54,710 and you're not allowed to use any of those nasty four letter words when a ghost gobbles your Pacman.  C.C. rules, not mine.  Enjoy!

Speaking of home confinement, I had a nasty fall a week ago which created an injured left leg.  C.C. was a very great help in getting me through this and I can walk now without a limp, and playing golf today. I had to skip last Monday. 

Across:

1. Parson's home: MANSE.  Parsons is a very famous national electrical contractor based in Minnesota.  I have a great hoodie they gave me at their Christmas banquet.

6. Wall St. hedgers: ARBS. Arbitragers. I heard that there was a U.S. Senator or four that fooled around on Wall Street sometime in February.

10. Seize with a quick motion: GRAB. I guess they were GRABBING a profit or avoiding a loss.

14. Carne __: burrito filling: ASADA.

15. Anklebones: TALI.  "The shin bone's connected to the anklebone."

16. Piece that starts next to a knight: ROOK.  Bishop didn't fit. The ROOK is supposed to look like a castle (for the King and Queen.)

17. Set of blank pages for notes and doodles: SCRATCHPAD. A little different than a SCOTCHPAD, which can sooth what itches you.

19. Rowboat pair: OARS.  "Gently down the stream".  My dad purchased a boat for our lake cabin and it was "Oar powered".  (Guess who got to pull.)

22. Bro's sibling: SIS.  I have three, but no BROS.

23. Ones elected to office: INS.

24. Make illegal: BAN.  I wish we could BAN Covid-19.

25. It comes before the ques. on "Jeopardy!": ANS. Answers. I wonder if Alex is doing okay.  There is nothing but reruns on recently - maybe due to the fact they cannot have a studio audience.

26. Unfilled calendar slot: OPEN DATE.  Lots of OPEN DATES for professional sports these days.

31. Desire: WANT.  "If you want it here it is, come and get it, but you better hurry 'cause it's going fast.  (Badfinger).

33. Going __: fighting: AT IT.  I believe I'll skip this one.

34. Mangy mutts: CURS.

38. Deuce topper: TREY.  Deuces and Treys are worthless.  I believe we remove them from the deck for a game of 500.

39. Riles up: IRES.

40. Snakelike fish: EELS.  I really would not call an EEL a fish.

41. Diminutive two-seater: SMART CAR.  We own a dumb van.

43. Morning moisture: DEW.

44. Furniture wood: OAK.  I believe that most of our furniture is particle board.

45. Come out on top: WIN.  "Root, root, root for the home team, If they don't win it's a shame.  Because they are all going to play in Arizona and Texas.

46. Musical gp. that performs summer programs at Tanglewood: BSO. Boston Symphony Orchestra.

54. Persia, now: IRAN.

55. Car showroom site: AUTO DEALER. Not sure if they are open around here. They are all advertising free delivery.  Are they selling cars or pizzas??

56. Route-finding app: WAZE.

57. Baseball Hall of Famer Willie: MAYS.  Willie played for about a month for our minor league Minneapolis Millers, farm club of the Giants. I was very young, but the Giants returned to Minneapolis to play the Millers around 1957 for an exhibition and I saw Willie hit one about 500 feet.

58. Appliance brand: AMANA.  Based in a city of  the same name in Iowa. 

59. Do as ordered: OBEY.

60. Fashion monthly: ELLE.

61. Battery components, to a doctor: TESTS.

Down:

1. Surgeons' protection: MASKS.  We were able to find some for our use when we go to a grocery or Target. I am still seeing a few people without. I have a VA appointment coming up in a couple of weeks and I am curious to see how strongly they have adapted the medical center.  They cancelled two of my blood draws in April and May but June is a bit more important.  Last time we were there, the blood draw area was a zoo. 

2. Computer data acronym: ASCII. American Standard Code for Information Interchange.

3. Feds busting dealers: NARCS.  I think our governor closed down our drug dealers with a stay-home order.  He hasn't opened them up again.  Sorry, I should not create sarcasm about these worst of times.  I apologize.

4. State known for 60-ft.-high presidents' faces: S DAK.  I was on my way one day, but it was really foggy.  So I turned around.  I've been to Deadwood, but I regret never having been to Mt. Rushmore.

5. Erodes, as profits: EATS INTO.  I cannot imagine what has happened here in the U.S. Airlines traveling at 10% capacity, Restaurants, bars, and bowling centers shuttered.  And Las Vegas must be going crazy!!

6. Musketeer pal of Aramis: ATHOS.

7. Engrossed: RAPT.

8. Uninteresting: BLAH.  A woman from the supermarket ran to call a cop. "He must be high on something someone said."  Though it never made the New York Times, in the Daily News the caption read - and Blah Blah Blah.

9. Auxiliary wagers: SIDE BETS.

10. Airplane maintenance group: GROUND CREW.  They are not too busy these days.

11. Lion's warning: ROAR.  In the old days it was the ROAR of the crowd when the LIONS came to U.S. Bank Stadium to play the Vikings.

12. Choice of two: A OR B.  I'll take "B".

13. Novels and such: Abbr.: BKS.

18. Amazon delivery boxes: Abbr.: CTNS. We get a few of them on our doorstep since all of the local stores are closed.  Except grocery, drug, Target, Costco and Walmart.

21. Recycled container: CAN.

25. Longtime "60 Minutes" closer: ANDY ROONEY.  I write a column on mnbowling.com.  I used a pen name "Randy Ooney" out of respect for this grumpy old man.

26. Significant __: OTHER.  The most important person in my life, C.C.  I hope all of you and your "significant others" are safe and healthy.

27. Crusted desserts: PIES.  My favorite is still pumpkin.

28. "The Clan of the Cave Bear" author Jean: AUEL.

29. "__ chic!": TRES.

30. N.J. winter hours: EST.  Eastern standard time, an hour ahead of Minnesota.  I remember when the East Coast had Daylight time and we did not.  Then the TV shows were all out of whack.

31. Wriggling bait: WORM.  Sometimes C.C. and I would dig a dozen or two from our garden.  Sometimes we would buy them at a bait store.  Probably the best fish bait you can find.

32. General vicinity: AREA.

33. Gillette razor: ATRA.  I like the BIC product better.  5 blades!!

35. Lb. and kg.: WTS.

36. "Stevie" for Stevie Nicks, e.g.: NICKNAME.  Why not just call him NICK ??

37. Former magazine aimed at adolescents: TEEN BEAT.

42. Greek cross: TAU.

43. Conked out: DIED.

45. Start of a question of possession: WHOSE.

46. Gauchos' weapons: BOLAS.

47. Bloodhound's pickup: SCENT.  There was a report that men are trying to train dogs to see if they might be able to sniff out Corona virus.  I can see them now standing next to the TSA agents at the airport.

48. Gumbo vegetables: OKRAS.  Gumbo is a strange name for soup.

49. Speedy steed: ARAB.

50. Level, as an abandoned building: RAZE.  It's amazing to watch a skyscraper come down.

51. For two countries, as citizenship: DUAL.

52. "Chat soon," in texts: TTYL.

53. Unconvincing, excuse-wise: LAME.  There does not seem to be any excuse for the virus.

54. __ Jima: IWO.

Boomer

Monday February 24, 2020 Matt McKinley

Theme: SKIP INTRO (65. Command to bypass a recap of prior episodes ... and what the puzzle circles do) - Each theme entry contains a split- up INTRO.

17. Keyboard chamber work: PIANO TRIO.

24. Shih Tzu or Chihuahua: MINIATURE DOG.

40. Authorize someone to represent you at the shareholder meeting: DESIGNATE A PROXY.

52. Personal unrest: INNER TURMOIL.

Boomer here.  

Here's my intro - My bowling started last Monday with a 254 game. After that?  The same old, same old.  I was watching the PGA Mexico tournament and I have come to realize that I am not far off from the pros.  They hit their drives around 320 yards, my drives travel about 320 feet.  NBC - do you really have to show 6 commercials every 2 minutes ??

Across:

1. On a peg, as a golf ball: TEED.  Yup. FORE!! 320 feet.

5. Panda Express kitchen items: WOKS. We do not have a traditional WOK at home.  C.C. does just fine with a frying pan.

9. Aerospace giant __ & Whitney: PRATT.

14. Pre-deal payment: ANTE.  Craps does not require an ANTE.  Just put some $$ on the pass line and see what happens.

15. Rapper/actor with a cool name?: ICET.  Law & Order SVU guy with a funny name.

16. Talk show host in the National Women's Hall of Fame: OPRAH.  On her way up, she used to show up on the Johnny Carson show now and then.

19. Pending state: LIMBO.  In the late 50s and early 60s, this was a funny dance walking backwards under a stick.

20. Go off-script: AD LIB.  This would be more accepted if it was liberation from ads.

21. Indian royal: RAJA.

23. Very long time: EON.  The time it takes me to work a crossword can be measured in EONS.

28. Wet just a bit: MOISTEN.  No longer necessary on postage stamps.

31. Airer of old films: TCM.  Turner Classic Movies.  I wonder if the Braves have them on in their clubhouse.

32. Kindle download: APP.

33. Norse royal name: OLAV.  Sometimes known as Olaf.

36. Was shown on TV: AIRED.  When winter is over, we may open a window or two for some fresh air.

44. Tea biscuit: SCONE.  Does Baskin -Robbins sell S CONES?

45. Sank, with "down": WENT. "Down down in the sea, far from the lights of town."

46. Fellows: MEN.

47. Pontiac muscle car: GTO. "Three deuces and a four speed, and a 289"  (Beach Boys)

49. Financed like many fleet cars: ON LEASE.  I do not like car leases.  When the term is up, you have to return it to the dealer, then how are you going to get home.  Plus you have no equity to trade.

57. __ Paulo: SAO.

58. Bruins star Phil, to fans: ESPO.  I don't watch much Hockey but I heard that Alex Ovechkin Knocked number 700 in the nets this weekend.  Phil had 717 goals in his career.

59. Eye surgery acronym: LASIK.

63. Singer Ronstadt: LINDA.

68. Make sure not to see: AVOID.  I try to AVOID leaving ten pins.

69. "Electric" fish: EELS.  Drop one "E" and you have an electric golfer.

70. Product preview: DEMO.

71. Like a bad breakup: MESSY.  Like my spare shooting some nights.

72. Deuce topper: TREY.  I thought it was called a three.

73. Smoochy love letter letters: SWAK.  "I'll send you all my love ... every day in a letter, Sealed with a Kiss."  (Bryan Hyland - 1962)

Down:

1. Cantina snack: TAPA.  They may have been in the concession stands at the Mexican Golf Tournament last weekend.

2. Oklahoma city: ENID.  The ninth largest city in Oklahoma which makes it smaller than Brooklyn Park, MN.

3. And others: Abbr.: ET AL.  High School Latin, it means whatever I left out.

4. Jeans: DENIMS.  I have not worn Jeans for 50 years.  If it were up to me, Levi's would be out of business.

5. Quipster: WIT.

6. Text digitization meth.: OCR.  What I had in my baseball card store.  An Old Cash Register.

7. Knightley of "Love, Actually": KEIRA.

8. Brown ermine: STOAT.

9. Frigid zone ice formation: POLAR CAP.  This is what I call our driveway in February.

10. N.Y. tech school: RPI.  Apologies to you grads.  I thought this stands for Runs Per Inning.  Spring training has begun.

11. Carrying a weapon: ARMED.  I have two golf weapons, attached to my shoulders.

12. It's forbidden: TABOO.  I have to be careful with some of my bowling and golf words.

13. Skimpy swimsuit: THONG.

18. Column that aptly includes the letters BIO: OBIT.

22. Stick (out): JUT.

25. Sign gas: NEON.  No doubt we viewed lots of NEON in Las Vegas.

26. Relative via marriage: IN-LAW.  Certainly is.  But how come criminals are called Outlaws.

27. Mideast bigwig: EMIR.

28. Magazines with Alfred E. Neuman: MADS.  I'll bet I bought 50 or 60 editions back in the 50s and 60s.  Not anymore, are they still Around?  I still remember an edition in the early 60s featuring Richard Nixon and sung to the tune of "Tit Willow".  "In a house by the ocean Dick Nixon sang out, singing TV, damn TV, damn TV.  And I said to him Dickie boy why do you shout, singing TV, Damn TV, Damn TV.  Is it westerns you hate so immensely I cried?  Do those private eye shows hurt you deep down inside? None of those its those lousy debates he replied,  Damn TV, Damn TV, Damn TV.

 

29. Intl. oil group: OPEC.

30. __ facto: IPSO.

34. Had lunch: ATE.  Two and two are four, Four and four are ??

35. Snake's poison: VENOM.

37. Capital of Italia: ROMA.  My sister visits Rome frequently. We still call it Italy and Rome.  I wonder what Italians call Minneapolis ??

38. They aren't together anymore: EXES.  Between Ws and Ys.

39. Unit of force: DYNE.

41. "Picnic" dramatist: INGE. William.

42. Prepare (for): GET READY.  Get set, GO.

43. __ extra cost: AT NO.  We already charge too much so you can have this at NO EXTRA COST !!

48. Tense NBA periods: OTS.  We had this last week, Timberwolves are still 30 points behind at the buzzer.

50. Taylor of "Mystic Pizza": LILI.

51. Largest living antelopes: ELANDS.

52. Muslim religion: ISLAM.

53. Hardly worldly: NAIVE. My sister always called me this. Then one day I looked it up in the dictionary and hit here.

54. They're forbidden: NO NOS.  After that, calling me NAIVE was a NONO.

55. Unexpected win: UPSET. See Timberwolves (above).  They made a few trades and now they win once or twice a month.

56. "Today" weather anchor: ROKER.  Remember him on the subway in Seinfeld ??

60. Crock-Pot dinner: STEW.  Yup, we have a Crock-Pot, and I make beef stew.  C.C. does not like beef, but now and then she will try a carrot.

61. Hogwarts librarian __ Pince: IRMA.

62. Screwball: KOOK.  KOOKIE, KOOKIE, lend me your comb.

64. Prefix with card or count: DIS.  or ney World.

66. Land in l'eau: ILE.

67. Future therapist's maj.: PSY.

Boomer

Monday January 13, 2019 Matt McKinley

Theme: Californian Hoopers

 18. Manicurist's tool: NAIL CLIPPER.

28. Eponymous '60s-'80s "Airways" entrepreneur: FREDDIE LAKER.

47. Attacker or defender of online information systems: CYBER WARRIOR.

62. "It" novelist: STEPHEN KING.

Reveal:

65. Org. for the ends of 18-, 28-, 47- and 62-Across): NBA

 

68. Home state for the ends of 18-, 28-, 47- and 62-Acr.: CAL.

 

Boomer here.  

Well, football season has ended here in Minnesota.  Good luck to the NFL teams that remain.  Although the NBA theme of this puzzle is a different sport and that season ended in Minnesota AROUND 1959.  Luckily, bowling season is still with us so here we go.

Across:

1. Hanks who plays Mr. Rogers: TOM.  I like him in "A League of Their Own".

4. Spanish houses: CASAS.

9. Watched secretly: SPIED.

14. Dr.'s group: AMA.  Stands for "I AM A Doctor"

15. Scarlett of fiction: O'HARA.  Shocking line in "Gone with the Wind".  "Frankly my dear. I don't give a d..."  Shocking four letter word in a 1939 movie.

16. African river: CONGO.  In the middle of Africa.  Flows into the Atlantic.

17. Server of shots: BAR. "Bar tender" is the actual server.

20. Word with sprawl or renewal: URBAN.  Also the name of Popes in the third and eleventh centuries

22. Norse trickster: LOKI.

23. Walrus feature: TUSK.  "I am the egg man, they are the egg men, I am the walrus" (The Beatles)

24. Made stuff up: LIED.

26. Like Mattel's Cathy doll: CHATTY.  My sister had one of these.  You had to pull a plastic ring on a string to get her to chat.

33. Like desperate straits: DIRE.

34. Send with a stamp: MAIL.  The first class stamp is now $.55.  Besides me, who remembers when it was .03 cents?

35. Old Detroit brewer: STROH.

39. Like frozen roads: ICY.  It's really bad here.  I hate to complain because Minnesota is my home.  But we had snow two weeks ago, then it melted a bit, then it got cold again and guess what happened.

40. Resolves out of court: SETTLES.  I would prefer ___ like dust, on the shoulders of the old friends.  (Simon and Garfunkel).

42. Paris summer: ETE.

43. Spot for a friendly kiss: CHEEK.

45. Bit of cat talk: MEOW.

46. Mennen lotion: AFTA.  I don't use it.  Got some "Old Spice" for Christmas.

50. Water heater: BOILER.

53. Nuremberg no: NEIN.  I learned a few words when I was in Deutschland.  This was ein of them.

54. German auto: AUDI.  A German vehicle.  If offered to me, I am afraid I would say nein danka.

55. Movie lab assistant: IGOR.  He did the monster MASH.

59. President #2: ADAMS.  John.

66. Remove the chalk: ERASE.  A "Stay after school" punishment.

67. Muslim holy city: MECCA.

69. Monica of tennis: SELES.

70. Beautify: ADORN.  "Major League II"  ADORN bought the Cleveland Indians from the lady.

71. Suffix with Japan or Milan: ESE.

Down:

1. "Forbidden" fragrance: TABU.

2. Actor Epps: OMAR.  Rep. Ilhan of Minnesota makes the news too frequently with negative opinions.

3. Bakery item Jerry stole from an old woman in a classic "Seinfeld" episode: MARBLE RYE.  It was the last one the bakery had.

4. Fooled in a swindle: CONNED.

5. "Figured it out!": AHA.

6. Windsurfing need: SAIL."We sail the ocean blue, in our saucy ships of beauty"  Gilbert & Sullivan.

7. Guthrie of folk: ARLO.  "You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant."

8. Quarterback-tackling stat: SACK.  Saw a few of these on Saturday.

9. Biol. or ecol.: SCI.

10. Toaster snack: POP TART.

11. Data to enter: INPUT.

12. Spew out: EGEST.

13. Not at all cool: DORKY.

19. Kiss from a pooch: LICK.  I HATE that Allstate commercial.  Where do they come up with tripe like that.

21. Teacher's helper: AIDE.

25. Ten-cent piece: DIME.  U.S. keeps messing with quarters and dollar coins, but the good old FDR ten center remains the same.

27. Gas brand with toy trucks: HESS.  A collectable toy tow truck.

28. Bank acct.-protecting org.: FDIC.

29. Wealthy: RICH.  "Happy Days RICHie Cunningham:.  Not OPIE

30. Cake directive Alice obeyed: EAT ME.  First she drank the "Drink Me" potion and became too small.  So than she tried some "Eat me" cake and blew up like a balloon. A little more potion and she was Just Right. 

31. Soda bottle buy: LITER.  Mostly in Europe. Also a white wine buy.  I think Canadian gasoline is sold by the Liter.  It sounds cheaper that way.

32. Permit: ALLOW.  First you get a driver's permit. Then soon you need to spend your allowance on a car.

36. Arrange new terms for, as a loan: REFINANCE.  Banks and loan companies always make this sound like a good deal.  I feel sorry for people that have to refinance due to cash flow issues. 

37. Bart's bus driver: OTTO.

38. Perceive aurally: HEAR.  What??

40. Terrier type: SKYE.  In an Island off Scotland.

41. McGregor of "Doctor Sleep": EWAN.

44. "Total" 2017 event visible in a coast-to-coast path from Oregon to South Carolina: ECLIPSE.

46. Very dry: ARID.

48. Soft French cheese: BRIE.

49. President #40: REAGAN.  One of two Presidents whose history included a divorce.

50. Diamond quartet: BASES.  The Twins used to have an announcer named John Gordon who would shout "Touch 'em all" whenever a Twin hit a home run --BORING

51. Off-the-wall: OUTRE.

52. Perfect: IDEAL.  It's a wonderful toy --- "It's Ideal" (Commercial.)

56. Govt.-owned home financing gp.: GNMA.  Sometimes called Ginnie Mae.  They might do a refinance.

57. Gave the nod to: OK'ED.

58. Wealthy, to Juan: RICO.  You would think the Hurricane was bad enough.  Now they are living in the results of an earthquake.

60. Corp. execs' degrees: MBAS.

61. January "white" event: SALE.  Pitcher Chris who the Red Sox got from the White Sox.

63. "For __ a jolly ... ": HE'S. --- Good Fellow.

64. ATM giant: NCR.  Remember when you could request $25.00 or $50.00?? Those were pretty stingy machines.

Boomer

Notes from C.C.:

Here are three fantastic pictures from Spitzboov. Cute and handsome.

 I’m 17 mos, old.  Before we moved upstate to the farm

I’m being hoisted into the helicopter from the ship’s fantail for transfer to the carrier Randolph in the right center background.

I’m in my full-dress whites - on occasion of ship’s change of command ceremony.  Sporting Lt.jg shoulder boards.