I
had a feeling this was not a "normal" 3- or 4-word 'theme with reveal'
when I scanned the grid before starting and saw two stacks of 8-letter
ACROSS fills ( and after-the-fact, I see Monday's puzzle had double Down 9-lettter fills ), but nothing close to grid spanning; I did not see the
13-letter-long DOWN fill at first. This took me longer than my typical
Wednesday solve time, due to the crummy crossing of a proper name and a
vague abbreviation. SIGH; the struggle continues. I did a search of
the blog, and found a puzzle of Michèle's from Nov 7
last year; thanks to her for today's clever construction. As the clue
for 14A states, the perimeter of the puzzle, in both the across and
down, are words ( highlighted ) that describe sounds - and the "reveal";
14. Audiophile's setup, and an apt description of the perimeter of this puzzle: SURROUND SOUND
YES~!
And Away We Go~!
ACROSS:
1. Half a sit-up: CRUNCH- I just thought this was a "harder" sit-up; here's a quick reference to what is different
7. Commercial tune: JINGLE- what's your most earworm-worthy ad~?
13. "A Wrinkle in Time" novelist Madeleine: LENGLE - proper name fill #1, and I had no clue; the "G" got me
14. Timekeepers that don't work on a rainy day: SUNDIALS
I think the time is "beer-thirty"
16. How baked potatoes may be cooked: IN FOIL - meh, but it is certainly a way to cook a spud
17. Remove, as a seatbelt: UNFASTEN
18. Gina Boswell of Bath & Body Works, e.g.: Abbr.: CEO - I do the DOWNS first, just needed the "O"
19. Sequel to Puzo's "The Last Don": OMERTA
21. "Mean Girls" writer Fey: TINA - this proper name I did know
22. Underwater plant with gas-filled bladders: KELP
24. Wayward: ERRANT
26. Time out?: NAP
27. Playground retort: DID TOO - not the usual ARE too
29. Quirky habit: TIC
31. Cliche: TRITE
33. French noble: DUC - I haven't had Frawnche in a long time
35. Comprehend: GRASP
39. Eurythmics lead singer Lennox: ANNIE - one of my favoritest songs
Here Comes the Rain Again
40. Go from 4x6 to 8x10, say: Abbr.: ENLarge
41. Totaled: RAN TO
42. Busy restaurant's notification device: PAGER
43. JFK predecessor: DDE - Dwight David Eisenhower - IKE - two days in a row; I would have
liked to have lived during his presidency, even with the threat of the
"reds" and nuclear war. I have "Ike", his biography,
and I do like to read about his role in WWII - and he was the man who
enacted the Interstate System; for an interesting take on the pros and
cons of that massive national project, I would suggest reading "Divided
Highways"
44. Like some purchases: IN APP - and - 62A. Are cast members of: APPEAR IN - sort of palindromic
45. "The __ is calm tonight": "Dover Beach" opening: SEA - with a blank grid, I pondered "AIR", but in retrospect, "Beach" might have been a give-away....
47. Mouths off to: SASSES
49. Amtrak stop: Abbr.: STAtion
52. Silky: SMOOTH
54. Guidelines: Abbr.: STandarDs
57. Ultimate: LAST
59. Creative works: OPUSES
61. Goal: AIM
64. Yukon neighbor: ALASKA - "UCONN" is my neighbor, too~!
Ba - Dum - Tss
66. Prop for a rock singer: MIC STAND - drummers who sing
67. Watering hole in TV's "M*A*S*H": ROSIE'S - ah, yes, now I remember....
68. Unnerve: RATTLE
69. 1984 mermaid movie: SPLASH- Tom Hanks, WAY back in his career
DOWN:
1. Hit it off: CLICK
2. Zellweger of "Judy": RENEE - name #5, but I'm not counting....
3. Developing: UNFOLDING - great clue/answer/fill
4. CARE, e.g.: NGO - I had to look this up after I solved the crossword; DAH~! I tried "NPO", for a Non-Profit Organization; nope - it's a Non-GovernmentalOrganization;
not only that, but I was confusing it with GMO - genetically modified
organism, too - hey, it was early in the morning when I did this....
5. Sister of Erato: CLIO - I can never remember my muses....
6. Knight cap: HELMET - punny; that would be an accurate description of such head wear
7. Ruling faction after a coup: JUNTA - I could only think of CADRE or CABAL
8. Baby: INFANT
9. Contract that may prevent bad PR: NDA - Non Disclosure Agreement
10. Crux: GIST
11. Ancestor of the romance languages: LATIN- four years for me in high school, but it does help solving crosswords~!😜
12. Justice Kagan: ELENA
15. Button alternative: SNAP
20. Ate away: ERODED
23. Feels sorry for: PITIES
25. Fertile Crescent river: TIGRIS
28. Some combines: DEERES - John Deere. I want a tractor like this; I have 1-1/2 acres in CT to mow, the snow, a creek, and a LOT of big rocks
NOT a combine, NOT a John Deere
30. Origami birds: CRANES - SWANS was too short
31. Stout spout: TAP
32. Messenger molecule: RNA
34. Soccer equipment: CLEATS - SHIN PADS didn't fit
36. Youngest daughter of Nicholas II: ANASTASIA - mostly perps
37. Valvoline rival: STP
38. Dad: POP - we're missing "CRACKLE" for a Rice Crispies trifecta
46. Unscrupulous: AMORAL
48. Woolgathers?: SHEARS - the "?" suggested "DREAMS" was not the answer, but 50% correct
49. Poetry event: SLAM
50. Piglike rhino kin: TAPIR
51. Pet re-homing org.: ASPCA
53. Provide a view: OPINE - ah - that kind of view
55. Sea walls: DIKES
56. Huge success: SMASH
58. Assessment that may end with "Pencils down": TEST - dah~! Not EXAM
60. Unappealing food: SLOP
63. NFL passing stat: ATTempts
65. Communication syst. with hand motions: ASL - American Sign Language
Do Not Pass Go, and Do Not Collect $200. Oh, wait! Today we can pass Go and we can collect our
$200. Each theme answer is a different concept for something that one
can pass.
19-Across. One known for clutch performances?: RACE CAR DRIVER.
31-Across. One who is sometimes a dummy?: BRIDGE PLAYER.
39-Across. One who is not on a roll?: D PLUS STUDENT. As I
was completing today's puzzle, I had DPL, and thought one of my perps must
be wrong. What kind of word begins with DPL. I stuck with my
perps, to give me the poor student who is barely earning a passing grade.
With grade inflation, this student is probably really totally failing
the course.
And the unifier:
53-Across. "No, thank you," or something 19-, 31-, and 39-Across might
say?: I THINK I'LL PASS.
Across:
1. Casual hellos: HIs.
4. Let in: ADMIT.
9. Ocular bump: STYE. Eye problem.
13. Thin-strapped top: CAMI. Short for Camisole.
14. "Psycho" star Janet: LEIGH. Janet Leigh (née Jeanette
Helen Morrison; July 6, 1927 ~ Oct. 3, 2004) was the mother of actress Jamie
Lee Curtis (Nov. 22, 1958). [Name # 1.]
15. Celebrity rodent of Punxsutawney: PHIL. Everything you
wanted to know about Punxsutawney Phil but didn't know to ask. [Name # 2.]
16. River through Kazakhstan: URAL. Everything you wanted
to know about the URAL River but didn't know to ask. The river is in both Europe and
Asia. At 1,509 miles long, the Ural River is the 3rd longest in
Europe, followed by the Volga (2,194 miles) and Danube (1,777 miles).
It's the 18th longest river in Asia.
17. Italian salami city: GENOA. Everything you wanted to
know about Genoa Salami but didn't know to ask.
18. Tie: LINK.
22. Third-place medal: BRONZE.
23. Forward, as mail: SEND ON.
26. Nasal membranes: SEPTA.
27. Quick punch: JAB.
30. "Rolling in the Deep" singer: ADELE. I love this Adele
(née Adele Laurie Blue Adkins; b. May 5, 1988) song, but then I love all of
her songs. [Name # 3.]
38. That, in Spanish: ESO. Today's Spanish lesson.
44. Venmo transfer, e.g.: E-CASH. I didn't realize the company had been around for so long.
45. Curvy shape: ESS.
46. Wear down: ERODE.
50. Certain Polynesian: SAMOAN. Polynesia is made up a
several islands including Samoa.
52. Hurt: PAINED.
57. Carson's successor: LENO. Both Johnny Carson (né John
William Carson; Oct. 23, 1925 ~ Jan. 23, 2005) and Jay Leno (né James
Douglas Muir Leno; b. Apr. 28, 1950) hosted the Tonight Show. Carson
was the host for nearly 30 years. [Names # 4 and 5.]
59. Sales rep's target: QUOTA.
60. NYC drama award: OBIE. The Obie, or Off-Broadway
Theater Awards are presented annual for outstanding achievement in plays
performed off-Broadway.
61. "__, Brute?": ET TU.
62. Poet Ginsberg: ALLEN. Allen Ginsberg (né Irwin Allen
Ginsberg; June 3, 1926 ~ Apr. 4, 1997) was known as a Beat Poet and, along
with William Burroughs (Feb. 5, 1914 ~ Aug. 2, 1997) and Jack Kerouac (Mar.
12, 1922 ~ Oct. 21, 1969), were at the heart of the Beat Generation.
[Name # 6.]
Allen Ginsberg
63. Lenovo competitor: DELL. Both companies make
personal computers. Levono is a Chinese company and the name is a portmanteau of Le
(for legend) and novo (Latin for new). Dell is
an American company, founded in 1984 by Michael Dell (né Michael Saul Dell;
b. Feb. 23, 1965). [Name adjacent.]
64. Fragrance: ODOR. I think of a fragrance as being a
pleasant smell, while an odor is more stinky.
65. Hold responsible: BLAME.
66. "The Simpsons" disco guy: STU. Diehard Simpsons fans
known that his full name is Stuart Discothèque. [Name # 7, fictional.]
Down:
1. Zimbabwe's capital: HARARE. Hand up if you knew the
name of this capital city without help from the perps.
2. Joe Friday's declaration in the classic "Dragnet" intro: I'M A COP. Jack Webb (né John Randolph Webb; Apr. 2, 1920 ~ Dec. 23, 1982.
) was the actor who portrayed Joe Friday on classic cop
show, Dragnet. [Name # 8, fictional.]
3. Subtle characteristic?: SILENT B. Not really keen on
this type of clue and answer.
4. Aquarium problem: ALGAE.
5. Forest animal with antlers: DEER. // And 12-Down.
Large 5-Down: ELK. All Elk are Deer, but not all Deer are Elk.
6. Pay attention to: MIND.
7. "Young Frankenstein" assistant with a shifting hump: IGOR.
[Name # 9, fictional.]
8. Bangkok natives: THAIs. Hi, Lemonade and Oo!
9. Sweetener brand with sucralose: SPLENDA. It's the
sweetener in the yellow packaging.
Chemical compound of Sucralose,
10. Mystical source of perception beyond ordinary sight: THIRD EYE.
21. Osso buco meat: VEAL. Osso buco is an Italian speciality. The name literally means bone with a hole, which refers to the bone marrow. It's supposed to be good, but I
have never tried it.
24. Cheers for a flamenco dancer: OLÉs. More of today's
Spanish lesson.
25. Rex Stout sleuth Wolfe: NERO. Rex Stout (né Rex
Todhunter Stout; Dec. 1, 1886 ~ Oct. 27, 1975) was American writer best
known for his detective novels, which featured Nero Wolfe. The Nero
Wolfe series has been adapted for film, radio and television. In 1981,
a television show began based on Stout's characters in his Nero Wolfe
series. Nero Wolfe was portrayed by William Conrad (né John William
Cann, Jr.; Sept. 27, 1920 ~ Feb. 11, 1994). There was a second
adaptation of Nero Wolfe in the early 2000s, which starred Maury Chaykin
(July 27, 1949 ~ July 27, 2010) as Nero Wolfe. You can still listen to
the radio adaptations. [Names # 10 and 11, one real, one fictional.]
27. Matchmaking app for Jewish singles: JDATE.
28. __ Dei: lamb of God: AGNUS. Hi, Irish Miss!
29. Abacus units: BEADS.
32. Plural French pronoun: ILS. Today's French lesson.
It means They, and can be a group of males, or a mix of male and
females, but not a group of females. That would be Elles.
33. Pastry with a crust: PIE. Yummers! It's almost
time for pumpkin and pecan pies.
34. Fruity summer drinks: ADES. Hi, Lemonade. Come
visit us again!
35. Pet adoption org.: SPCA. As in the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
36. Hit with force: SLAM INTO.
40. Traveling show that entertains the troops: USO TOUR.
41. Former Iranian ruler: SHAH.
42. "Arrow" and "Legends of Tomorrow" actor McDonough: NEAL.
[Name # 12.]
43. Camera stands: TRIPODS.
47. How some risks are taken: ON A BET.
48. Arnaz and Ball's production company: DESILU. A
portmanteau of the first names of Desi Arnaz (Mar. 2, 1917 ~ Dec. 2, 1986)
and Lucile Ball (Aug. 6, 1911 ~ Apr. 26, 1989). [Names # 13 and 14.]
49. Short-lived Ford model: EDSEL. It does rather look
like it is sucking on a lemon. Why the car may have failed. [Name adjacent.]
51. Muslim face covering: NIQAB.
52. Place for cinematic snakes: PLANE. I never saw the
movie Snakes on a Plane.
54. __ and void: NULL.
55. Soft drink nut: KOLA. Everything you wanted to know
about the Kola Nut but didn't know to ask. Not to be confused with the Koala Bear.
56. Article: ITEM.
57. Many an August baby, astrologically: LEO. Hi Leo III.
Do come back!
58. Info posted in an airport lounge: ETD. As in Estimated Time of Departure.