Monday October 7, 2019 Jeff Stillman

Theme: Letter Openers - The first word in each person is also a letter spelled out.

20. Diane Keaton's role in "The Godfather" films: KAY CORLEONE.

33. "Maude" star: BEA ARTHUR.

39. Fitzgerald's "Great" title character: JAY GATSBY.

50. "Maleficent" actress: ELLE FANNING.

Boomer here.  OH GEE, I hope YOU ARE able to figure it out and have a cup of TEA. 

Up here in the Northland, we continue to set records for annual rainfall.  Sooo you know where it goes.. to a bunch of Minnesota streams and tributary rivers to the Mississippi. So If you are near Davenport Iowa or St. Louis Missouri and points further south.  Get ready, high water may be coming your way.  Worse than 1993.

Across:

1. Only president who was also chief justice: TAFT.  He was also the largest president, tipping the scales at over 330 lbs.

5. Storage structure for 30-Across: SHED. 30. Lawn cutters: MOWERS.  My family had no money for a shed.  We kept the mower in our garage.  Now our homeowners association hires a lawn service to cut the grass.  I am sure this year they are tired of the deluge of rain we have had all summer.  As for me, I can hardly get a dry day to play golf.  P.S. My golf clubs are in the garage.  We don't have a shed.

9. Hindu social division: CASTE.

14. Go back, on a PC: UNDO.  This must be a trick.  I don't see an UNDO key on our PC.

15. Arizona tribe: HOPI.

16. A, in Greece: ALPHA.

17. Match audio and video: SYNC.  If you do this in your bathroom, is it a bathroom sync?

18. Frat Pack actor Wilson: OWEN.

19. Fish stories: TALES.  Fish have tails.

23. Embitterment: IRE.

24. Raid targets: ANTS. Ants are interesting. I have never seen them in our home, but it is unbelievable how they can work right through our asphalt driveway and make a hill.

25. Gave speeches: ORATED.  We'll be hearing a lot of this up until November 2020.

27. Desert plant: CACTUS.

32. Southwestern crocks: OLLAS.

36. Boston Celtics' org.: NBA.  Notice the clue does not say "Timberwolves' org."  We have a lowly bunch of underperformers here in the Midwest.

37. Harness racing vehicle: SULKY.  We do have harness racing here after the regular season closes.  I never have been to one however.

38. Nest egg letters: IRA.  Yeah, I have an Individual Retirement Account.  But I never called it a nest egg.

 

42. Until now: SO FAR.

44. Jai alai ball: PELOTA.  It's a bit of a funny name, but I cannot talk.  Seems that bowling balls have funny names also.  I have a Virtual Gravity, an Asylum, a Combat Zone, A Lucid, and a Daredevil Trick.

45. Soft-hearted: GENTLE.  "Gentle On My Mind" (Glen Campbell)

46. Japanese religion: SHINTO.

48. Sheltered, at sea: ALEE.

49. Halloween headgear: WIG.  Speaking of odd names, I also have socks called WIGWAM.

56. On __: going wild: A TEAR.

58. Miniature image to click on: ICON.

59. Symphonic wind: OBOE.  "Oh Boy, Igor Stravinski, Oh Boy Bo Belinsky".  Allan Sherman.

60. Bond portrayer Roger: MOORE.  I liked Sean Connery.  The original is always the best.

61. Fitted with footwear: SHOD.  If you happen to be a horse. I don't think Thom McAn calls it that.

62. Final or midterm: TEST.

63. Private, as thoughts: INNER.

64. Stew cookers: POTS.  I don't use a pot.  I use one of those slow cookers. Works great.

65. Former spouses: EXES.  I suppose that this could be part of the theme, although it is plural.

Down:

1. Elephant tooth: TUSK.  Not sure if this is a tooth.  I thought that these were those things that protrude from the elephant's face and they are made of ivory.  It is illegal to harvest them.  They have to make piano keys out of plastic now. 

2. Author Seton: ANYA.

3. Gp. responding to Big Apple blazes: FDNY.  Many victims from 9/11.

4. Bach's "__ and Fugue in D Minor": TOCCATA.

5. 15-minute films, say: SHORTS.  What I wear to play golf.  Maybe not tomorrow though, forecast is pleasant, but a little chilly.  I am amazed that PGA players are NEVER allowed to wear shorts in tournaments.

6. Coyote cries: HOWLS.  I expect there might be some HOWLS at Target Field tonight.

7. Blunt sword: EPEE.

8. "The Flintstones" pet: DINO.  "Yabba Dabba Dooo".

9. Wedding hire: CATERER.

10. Pie-mode link: ALA.  Also sometimes it is in the path of a hurricane; or maybe not.

11. Workday with a longer-than-typical break: SPLIT SHIFT.

12. Over yonder: THERE.  Over there, Over there, Send the Word to Target Field Over there. That the Yanks are coming, The Yanks are coming !

13. Let up: EASED. " You fill my heart with gladness, take away all my sadness, EASE my troubles That's what you do."(Rod Stewart)

21. Heavy burden: ONUS.

22. "You gotta be kidding!": NO WAY.

26. Humanities major: ART.  Mr. Garfunkel

27. "Nor" or "or," in a dict.: CONJ. Conjunction.

28. "Sin City" actress Jessica: ALBA.

29. Trapshooter's target: CLAY PIGEON.  Interesting, these are round and I guess some are clay, but they look nothing like a pigeon.

30. Word before toast or after peach: MELBA.  I have heard of melba toast but never Peach Melba. Should I know her? Is she a folk singer?

31. Like wines aged in certain barrels: OAKY. From Muskogee.

33. Head-and-shoulders sculpture: BUST.  22 at the black jack table.

34. Eurasian border river: URAL.

35. Red in the middle, as steak: RARE.  21 at the black jack table.

37. Seat at the bar: STOOL.  I like these at bowling centers.  The last one I visited was a "Bowlero", the seating was about 18 inches from the floor.  Tough on an old guy but the kids didn't seem to mind.

40. Pentagon VIP: GEN.

41. Editor or tailor, e.g.: ALTERER.  I get it but I think it's a "Made up" word.

42. Perceived: SEEN.

43. Lacking variety, musically: ONE NOTE. "SKOL, SKOL".

45. Pituitary and thyroid: GLANDS.

46. Hindu guru: SWAMI.  This guy makes the Liberty Mutual commercial a candidate for worst ad of the decade.

47. Discover, as a solution: HIT ON.  Romeo to a pretty girl in a bar.

48. In progress, as Sherlock's "game": AFOOT.  12 inches.

51. Speech problem: LISP.

52. Repeat: ECHO.  A bit of a flop for Toyota, I don't think they have made them for 10 or more years.

53. Curly-horned goat: IBEX.

54. Sniffer: NOSE.  Your NOSE Knows.

55. Acquires: GETS.

57. "How __ you doing?": ARE.

Boomer

Note from C.C.:

Boomer finally got his Twins Homer Hanky yesterday. He said "No Hanky Panky here. Twins need to sweep the Hanky Yankees."

Monday September 30, 2019 Roland Huget

Theme: WHITE MATTER (60. Certain brain tissue, or what each half of the answers to the starred clues can be) -

17. *Realtor's client: HOUSE-HUNTER. White House. White hunter.

26. *Surface for slicing rye, say: BREADBOARD. White bread. Whiteboard.

36. *Vehicle's rear warning lamp: TAILLIGHT.  Whitetail. White light.

50. *Feline metaphor for an empty threat: PAPER TIGER. White paper. White tiger.

Boomer here. First and foremost, I am pleased to convey a Happy New Year,  Rosh Hashanah to members of Jewish faith that participate on the Crossword Corner.

At home, the "Magic Number" finally hit zero, and it looks like our Twins are headed to New York to play the Yankee Doodle Dandies.  Too early to JUDGE who might win.

Across:

1. Gull relatives: TERNS. I wonder if, when the birds get together for Thanksgiving, do they sit on the left or right?

6. Spots to fast-forward through: TV ADS.  I am not able to fast forward, I watch TV in real time.  I hate most of the ads, especially car insurance and "Ask you doctor".

11. Cleopatra's killer: ASP.  "Would you take that lousy life if it was offered to you?  You can bet Cleopatra's ASP you would."  (Chad Mitchell Trio on Liz Taylor.)

14. Sharply inclined: STEEP.

15. Trip odometer function: RESET.  I do not have a Trip Odometer.  I am sure it was an option that I chose not to waste money on.

16. Chinese steamed bun: BAO.

19. Category: ILK.

20. Rural stopover: INN.  My favorite - C'Mon INN in Billings Montana.  I think it's about 800 miles from my home, but I am not sure.  I don't have a trip odometer.

21. __ d'Alene, Idaho: COEUR.

22. "Well, gosh!": OH GEE.  Together worth three points in Scrabble.

24. Social reformer Jacob: RIIS.

28. Body ink: TATTOO.  De plane, De Plane!

30. Eye part that may become detached: RETINA.

31. Golf's Slammin' Sammy: SNEAD.  It's amazing what this guy could do with woods made of real wood and a golf ball that is not Super Soft or a Pro V1.

32. Karma: FATE.

35. Vegas' "one-armed bandit": SLOT. Yeah you should expect to donate to the casino.  I like the draw poker machines. They make you think a little bit and not wait for three 7s to show up on the pay line.

39. Head or tooth pain: ACHE.  Or the New York Yankees whose pain is a bit lower and on the back side.

42. Pick out with care: CULL.

43. Aficionados: BUFFS.

47. "Ye Olde" retailer: SHOPPE.  You know, I see this in crosswords frequently, but I have never seen or been to a Shoppe.

49. Lose its fizz, as soda: GO FLAT.  I had a nail in a tire a few months ago but amazingly it was found and repaired by the tire store before it went FLAT.

54. Pâté de __ gras: FOIE.

55. Goodnight woman of song: IRENE.  I'll see her in my dreams.

56. "The __ Wears Prada": 2006 film: DEVIL.

58. "__ you awake?": ARE.  Of course.  You think I could do this if I was asleep??

59. Vied for office: RAN.  Only about 13 months away.

63. Pre-marital (just barely) promise: I DO.

64. Parisian love: AMOUR.

65. Reagan attorney general Ed: MEESE.

66. After taxes: NET.  After taxes, a NET is about the only thing I can afford.

67. Easy victories: ROMPS.  The Gophers took care of Purdue Saturday although it should not be called a ROMP. I was impressed by the folks in West Lafayette.  A college town of about 30,000 people.  I think most of them were at the game.

68. Medicare Rx section: PART D.  I really don't think Part D covers much. I am very thankful to have VA prescription service.  Co-pays are pretty reasonable.

Down:

1. Tops with slogans: T-SHIRTS.  I have many.

2. Ian Fleming or George Orwell, schoolwise: ETONIAN.

3. Get the old gang together: REUNITE.  Graybar has one of these for retired old coots in Las Vegas.  Usually in February, but I have not heard yet this year.

4. Old Nintendo game console: Abbr.: NES. This looks like half a name to me. Right Irish Miss?

5. Job detail, briefly: SPEC.

6. More accurate: TRUER.  Words were never spoken.

7. Change of __: trial request: VENUE.

8. Stars, in Latin: ASTRA.

9. Lousy grade: DEE.  Sandra of old time flicks.

10. Flasher at a disco: STROBE.  These things drive me nuts, almost as bad as the whoopers at ball games,

11. 1797-1801 first lady Adams: ABIGAIL.  I remember "Dear Abby" - Abigail Van Buren.

12. City near Naples: SALERNO.  South of Rome near Naples.

13. Prodded: POKED AT.

18. Stereotypical boxcar hopper: HOBO.  Red Skelton.

23. 1979 Donna Summer hit: HOT STUFF.

25. Local govt. prison: STATE PEN.  Or Jesse Ventura's retirement benefit.

27. Bit of wine sediment: DREG.

29. "Ghost" psychic __ Mae Brown: ODA.

32. Winter malady: FLU.  Do the shots really work?  Every pharmacy even the small ones in grocery stores beg me to get a flu shot every year.  I pass, and have never gotten the flu.  Too bad they don't sell cancer shots.

33. "__ My Children": ALL.

34. Shop __ you drop: TIL.

37. Rapper/actor whose name sounds like a summer drink: ICE T.  I DO NOT care for Rap, but I did like ICE T in "Law and Order SVU."  Did you know Mariska Hargitay is Jayne Mansfield's daughter?

38. "Westworld" network: HBO.  I pay enough for Direct TV.  I don't need to pay extra for whatever.

39. Pill for pain: ASPIRIN. Boy, that's old school. Now it is Ibuprofen, Aleve, Afrin, Oxycodin, Tylenol, etc.

40. Pantomimed act in a parlor game: CHARADE.

41. "Sure wish that doesn't happen": HOPE NOT.  My Mom's name was HOPE.  Earlier during doctor questions I was asked if I had "hopeless feelings".  I answered that my mother had passed away. Then explained her name was HOPE.  I am sure the nurse thought I was a smartass, which I am.

44. Pool noodle, e.g.: FLOATER.

45. "... who is the __ one of all?": Evil Queen: FAIREST.  Mirror Mirror on the wall ?

46. Manned the helm: STEERED.

48. Like the Great Depression, timewise: PRE-WAR.  We have had way too many PRE-WAR periods in the 20th Century.

49. Like the Reaper: GRIM.  Speaking of the 20th Century, Bob Grim was a pitcher for the Yankees, Kansas City A's, and others in the late 50s and early 60s.

51. Figure of speech: IDIOM.

52. Hop out of bed: GET UP.  "Get up Jimmie Newman, the morning has come." (Tom Paxton).

53. Activist Medgar: EVERS.  This clue should be "Tinker to ______ to Chance."

57. Tanning device: LAMP.  SUN did not fit in the grid.

61. Medical ins. plan: HMO.

62. Scone go-with: TEA.  Tea for two and two for me

Boomer

Notes from C.C.:

Happy Birthday to our dog lover Pat and her husband, who were born in the same day and same year. Pat was a few hours older than her husband. Hope today is extra special, Pat!

Monday September 23, 2019 Seth Bisen-Hersh

Theme: IT'S A DATE (54. "I'm there!" ... and hint to the first part of the answers to starred clues) - The first word can precede "date".

20. *Zero degrees, on a compass: DUE NORTH. Due date.

23. *Fiduciary entity whose holdings are unknown to its beneficiaries: BLIND TRUST. Blind date.

 

39. *Life insurance clause specifying twice the payment for certain situations: DOUBLE INDEMNITY. Double date.

 

47. *Wet wooded region: RAINFOREST. Rain date.

Boomer here. C.C. said this is another L. A. Times debut. Congrats, Seth!

Bowling is now in full swing.  The lanes will see me twice a week until April.  Golf season is running short in Minnesota. Courses close around November 1.  Crossword season is in play 12 months a year.

Across:

1. Bowler's challenge: SPLIT.  Happened to me six time last Thursday

6. River in western Belgium: YSER.  "YSER that's my babe, No Sir, I don't mean maybe."

10. "Quite contrary" gardener: MARY.  Silver Bells and Cockle shells.

14. Dog guide: LEASH.  I think most states require a leash now.

15. Paris currency: EURO.  I remember when EURO first hit the market I think I bought 25 coins in a set for about $20.00.  Later I sold them on eBay for about $10.00.  Story of my life.

16. Singer Adams: EDIE.  Mr. Grant's (of WJM TV) wife.

17. Bert's Muppet roommate: ERNIE.

18. Tiny bit of a min.: NSEC. Nanosecond.

19. "Bob's Burgers" daughter: TINA.  Or Tina Louise on Gilligan's Island.

22. Looks for: SEEKS. and you shall FIND.

26. Deli hanger: SALAMI.  Salami, Salami, Baloney.

31. Rivière contents: EAU.  I know this is French, but every time I see it in a puzzle, I think of our Wisconsin neighbor to the east, Eau Claire, Wisconsin.  Speaking of the big W, I watched the Badgers kick Michigan around today.  Too bad they had two players kicked out of the game for head butting.

32. Sun-dried brick: ADOBE.

33. Campus housing: DORM.  Never stayed in a dorm.  I carpooled to the U of M and parked in a lot in the Mississippi River flats. 15 cents per day.

35. Ceremonial shoulder-to-hip band: SASH.

42. "¿Cómo __ usted?": ESTA.

43. Pre-holiday nights: EVES.  I like Christmas Eve but I suppose New Year's eve is most rowdy.

44. Helped: AIDED.

45. Exist: ARE.

46. Opulent home: ESTATE.  Okay, we only have a town home on a small lot.  I imagine most of our Minnesota Twins might live on an estate.  That's okay though since they have to live in a hotel 81 days a year.

53. Early stage: ONSET.

60. Lab vessel: VIAL.

61. Therefore: ERGO.

63. Radamès in 36-Down, e.g.: TENOR. 36. Verdi opera: AIDA.

64. And others, in Lat.: ET AL.  Short for Et Cetera.

65. Author Roald: DAHL.

66. Wild West film: OATER.  Throw back to the early sixties with Oaters like Gunsmoke, Maverick,     Cheyenne, et al.

67. Provocative: RACY.

68. French "head": TETE.

69. Newspapers, collectively: PRESS.  I like MEDIA better.

Down:

1. Snow glider: SLED.  We all had one when we were kids. A nice friendly hill near my home helped too.

2. Lima is its capital: PERU.

3. Fictional reporter Lois: LANE.  Superman never got hit by a plane but Clark got hit on by a Lane.

4. "The doctor __": IS IN.  I have seen and heard this many times, but I never saw a sign like this at any doctor or dentist's office.

5. "God" prefix: THEO.  What follows THE N

6. Film in which Streisand plays a yeshiva boy: YENTL.

7. Japanese rolls: SUSHI.

8. Before, in verse: ERE.  I heard him exclaim ere he rode out of sight.

9. Mythical big bird: ROC.  Roc of ages, cleft for me.  Let me hide under a tree.

10. Usage measurer: METER.  "Lovely Rita, METER maid". The Beatles.

11. French farewell: ADIEU. Adieu, Adieu, my friends adieu. I can no longer stay with you.  I'll hang my harp in the weeping willow tree.  And may the world go well with thee.

12. Ice show venues: RINKS.  Yeah but also hockey games eh ?

13. Baker's dough raiser: YEAST. When I worked pizza, we always put in yeast when making the dough.  But then when making the pizza, we flattened the heck out of it.

21. Sac fly stat: RBI.  I think the major leagues are setting records for total RBIs among all the team.  they really tightened the strings on those baseballs this year.

22. "The Simpsons" disco guy: STU.

24. Geeky-sounding candy: NERDS. Candy??  I thought those were the guys that lived in Animal House.

25. Knight's lady: DAME.  There is nothing like one.  Nothing in the world !

26. "Smooth Operator" singer: SADE.

27. Kerfuffles: ADOS.

28. Lummox: LOUT.

29. __ The Museum: Stockholm exhibit honoring a pop group: ABBA.

30. Singer Tormé: MEL.  He was in a Seinfeld episode and I think Kramer fell on him.

33. Sunken ship explorer: DIVER.

34. __ of a kind: ONE.  It takes ONE to know ONE.

35. Peevish state: SNIT. Tobacco can spelled backwards.

37. Editor's "never mind that change": STET.

38. Jekyll's alter ego: HYDE.  Forget London, There is a Hyde Park in Chicago's South side near that big lake named after Michigan.

40. Gateway Arch designer Saarinen: EERO.

41. More, for Miguel: MAS.

45. Rearward at sea: AFT.  Also a period of time after MORN

46. Many "Star Trek" extras: ETS.

47. Mars explorer: ROVER.  "Red ROVER, Red ROVER send C.C. right over."

48. Friend of Maria in "West Side Story": ANITA.  "Tonight, Tonight, won't be just any night.  Tonight there will be no morning star."

49. Author Asimov: ISAAC.

50. Singer Furtado: NELLY.  "Hang on the bell Nelly, Hang on the bell.  You're poor daddy's locked in a cold prison cell."  (Chad Mitchell Trio.)

51. Octet count: EIGHT.  Crazy number

52. Swiped: STOLE.

55. Resting upon: ATOP.  Of Old Smokey

56. Honey alternative: DEAR.  Dear ABBY's Grandson (Dean Phillips) is our 3rd District Congressman from Minnesota.  (C.C. and I live in the 3rd district.)

57. Pot starter: ANTE.  Pretty much the same as a red chip on the Pass Line.  I don't play poker.  I'll let you guess the game I like.

58. Ballerinas dance on them: TOES.  Rings on her fingers, and bells on her toes.  Hey has anybody seen my sweet Gypsy Rose?

59. Makes a mistake: ERRS.  Can't blame those on the tight baseballs, or can they?

61. NYC summer hrs.: EDT.

62. Actress Charlotte: RAE.

Boomer

Monday September 16, 2019 Paul Coulter

Theme: START OF PLAY (63. Opening kickoff, say, and what both parts of 17-, 30- and 47-Across can be) - Both words in each theme entry can precede PLAY.

17. Football non-passing offense: RUNNING GAME. Running play. Game play.

30. Get one more card for twice the bet, in blackjack: DOUBLE DOWN. Double play. Downplay.

47. Car engine measure: HORSE POWER. Horse play. Power play.

Boomer here.  Hello from the Land of 10,000 lakes. We had a deluge of rain last week but the good news is a return to summer today and all week. I will be hitting the golf links tomorrow but I am pretty busy bowling which ignores the weather. 170-191-214-575 last Thursday.  Maybe it's coming back.

Across:

1. Really big hit: SMASH.  "The game of life is hard to play".  It'S M*A*S*H

6. Numero uno, with "the": BEST. We have a "Best Buy" near our home. Not sure if it is a really Best Buy.  C.C. and I stopped in last week. I saw refrigerators priced at over $3500.00!

10. One always ready with quick comebacks: WIT.  So's your old man !

13. W.C. Fields persona: SOUSE. Sorry, I've heard of W.C. But I am not old enough to remember his antics.

14. Strand during a sleet storm, say: ICE IN.  Sleet is a bit of a mixture of rain and snow.  We don't see that much in MN.  We get only lots of snow.

16. Green prefix: ECO.

19. Fish eggs: ROE.  Does not appeal to me. I have heard that you can turn some of it into caviar with a little curing and salt. You can have it.  Earlier some kids in Edina MN pulled a 70 year old sturgeon (and about 7 feet long) out of a creek that was about 3 feet deep.  Not sure if it had ROE.

20. __ the table: arrange silverware and such: SET.  6 wins in a tennis match.

21. MBA or MFA: Abbr.: DEG.

22. Behind, or hit from behind: REAR END. My Van got whacked two years ago in St. Paul.  Amazing Abra found a perfect rear bumper assembly on their network and had it fixed in one day.

24. Farm song refrain: EIEIO.  "Old McDonald had a farm"  "And on this farm he had a hamburger, French fries, and a chocolate shake."

26. Hasenpfeffer, e.g.: STEW.

27. Open-and-__ case: SHUT.

34. 36-Across skunk Pepé: LE PEW.  Mel Blanc took leave of Bugs Bunny to be Pepé's voice.

36. Warner Bros. creation: TOON. Yes he is in Warner Brothers CARTOONS. Th Th That's All Folks!

37. Author Tolstoy: LEO.  Astrological sign. We left behind on August 23 I think.

38. European peak: ALP.  It's a big mountain but also an Electric Utility in Alexandria MN.

39. "Gosh, look at the time": IT'S LATE. "You better get on home"  (Ricky Nelson)

42. Sundial seven: VII.  How do they tell time with these things above the Arctic Circle??

43. You, to Goethe: SIE.

44. "Peter Pan" dog: NANA.

45. Sediment: DREGS.

51. Arthur of tennis: ASHE.  I was never much of a tennis fan, but this man was the Tiger Woods of tennis.  The first and only African-American to win a bunch of titles and awards in his chosen sport.  Sadly passed away at age 49,  RIP Mr. Ashe.

52. "Unforgettable" singer: COLE.  His real name was Nat Adams Coles.  But to me he was a King!

53. Peter, Paul or Mary: SAINT.  I get it but I do like their music.  Especially "Right Field".

55. Philosophy school with no classes?: MARXISM.

58. Biol. or geol.: SCI.

59. "Bingo!": AHA.

62. Australian bird: EMU.  Electrical and Mechanics Union.

66. Sailor's "Help!": SOS. Dot Dot Dot  Dash Dash Dash Dot Dot Dot.  Thank you Mr. Morse.

67. Woodsy path: TRAIL.  "Happy Trails to You."  Roy Rogers.

68. Deed: TITLE.  I remember that "Title Deed" was printed on all of the Monopoly property cards.  Thank you Parker Brothers.

69. Gallery hangings: ART.  Paul's pal, Mr. Garfunkel.

70. Bldg. with a pool: YMCA.

71. "I Am of Ireland" poet: YEATS.

Down:

1. Lat. and Est., once: SSRS.  Super Seniors.  You have to be over 70 to bowl in the "Super Senior classification" in the Midwest Senior Classic tournaments. Now that I made the age, my bowling went over the hill. 

2. Grimace: MOUE.

3. Em, to Dorothy: AUNT.  "We're off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz".

4. Nine-digit ID: SSN.  I have had the same number for 60 years. Plus I think my card is 40 years old.

5. Alpine heroine: HEIDI.

6. Astros Hall of Famer Craig __: BIGGIO.  Played 19 years for the Astros. Inducted into Cooperstown in 2015.

7. Cardio readout: ECG.  I am going to assume that my heart is okay.  They check my BP and pulse when I go in but I don't remember getting a stethoscope treatment at all.

8. Blacken: SEAR. Add an "S" and a Roebuck and you have a failed retailer.

9. Schedule opening: TIME SLOT.

10. Human/canine shape-shifters: WEREWOLVES.  Minnesota Basketball team We are.

11. Screen symbol to click on: ICON.

12. Open-__ shoes: TOED.  I have a pair of Under Armors but I rarely wear them.  What if I dropped a bowling ball on my foot??

15. Tidied, as a room: NEATENED.

18. Require: NEED. "Do you NEED anybody"? (Beatles Sgt. Pepper's) They got by with a little help from their friends.

23. Cabernet color: RED.  Cincinnati baseball player.

24. Summer in Lyon: ETE.

25. Western bad guys: OUTLAWS. I kind of miss the old Spaghetti Westerns.

27. Cut drastically, as prices: SLASH.  "Black Friday" is less than two months away, BUT the best deals usually come around December 23.

28. Prefix for "sun": HELIO.

29. Elite group: UPPER CRUST.  My favorite is "No Upper Crust"  Pumpkin Pie.  On the day before Black Friday.

31. Fancy neckwear: BOA.  A big snake.

32. Mull over: WEIGH.  Oh, that's the first think the clinic does before the BP and pulse.  I am at 184 but my old 38" waist pants are too big, but I have trouble fitting into 36.  Why don't the pants guys make a 37" waist.  Or is that just in the upscale Men's wear that charges $5.00 per inch??

33. Bam, bang or boom: NOISE.

35. Sommelier's menu: WINE LIST.

40. Complex woven textile: TAPESTRY.  "Season's change with the scenery, weaving time in a TAPESTRY, won't you stop and remember me?"  (Simon and Garfunkel)

41. __-Caps: candy: SNO.  Last week it was mountains.

46. Backstabber: RAT.

48. Fenway team, familiarly: SOX. Also a team at Guaranteed Rate Field. South side of the Windy City.

49. SoCal Latinx neighborhood: EAST LA.

50. Puerto __: RICO. I'm sure we all are relieved that Dorian missed that poor island.

54. Really cool: NIFTY.

55. Big butte: MESA.  Butte is a city in Montana.  Mesa is in Arizona.

56. Love, in Lima: AMOR.

57. Hat-tipper's word of address: MAAM.

59. Opposite of baja: ALTA.

60. "Stop right there!": HALT.  Gimme your Dough.

61. Shipboard yeses: AYES.  I still maintain these are "AYE AYES".

64. Rocker Ocasek: RIC.

65. Dessert pastry: PIE. I used to work at a restaurant named after Matt Perkins.  They served decent food and excellent desserts.  Many of them are closing around here. Do you have one where you live?  They still advertise on TV.

Boomer

Monday September 9, 2019 Freddie Cheng

Theme: DRESSING DOWNS (14. Severe reprimands, and a hint to the starts of the answers to starred clues) - Four different salad dressings are placed in Down slots.

3. *Deadly "game" in "The Deer Hunter": RUSSIAN ROULETTE.

9. *Stallone nickname, with "the": ITALIAN STALLION.

5. *Ones helping with the horses: RANCH HANDS.

31. *Trio after turtle doves: FRENCH HENS.

Boomer here. 

Hello Everyone.  Happy Bowling season!! I had my three month review and a couple of treatments at the VA oncology department. I was told that everything looks fine. The doctor leaked that things were not so fine a year ago but my response to treatments has been really good! Bowling is only average though.  Three game set of 531 last week. 

Boomer, Friday 9/6/2019, VA

 

Across:

1. More certain: SURER.  Add an "IN" in front of that and watch your mailbox for ads.

6. Gp. with moms, dads and educators: PTA.  "The day my Mother socked it to, the Harper Valley PTA".  (Jeanie C. Riley, Dolly Parton, and others)

9. "Thereabouts" suffix: ISH.

12. "Men" or "teeth," grammatically: PLURAL.

14. One of Ringo's set: DRUM.  The choir has a set of bongos in my church.

15. __ kwon do: TAE.

16. Absurd, as a scheme: INSANE.

17. Autodialed annoyance, often at dinnertime: ROBOCALL.  I have heard that Attorneys General from all 50 states are moving to control or eliminate these nasty interruptions.

19. Prof's aides: TAS.  Teaching Assistants - TA DA !!

20. System of rules: CODE.  Winter's coming and if you catch one of these, you may need to get to the drug store and pick up some DayQuil, or NyQuil.

22. Protection for political refugees: ASYLUM.

23. German I: ICH.  "Ich bin ein Berliner"  (JFK - back when I was a kid)

25. Philosophies: Suff.: ISMS.

27. Picky details: NITS.

28. Computer event with a "blue screen of death": CRASH.  Kevin Costner as Crash Davis in "Bull Durham."  It got a couple of screenplay awards but no Oscars.  That's why I never watch the Oscars anymore.

30. Penultimate Greek letter: PSI.  Not the same as PSA. Mine was 0.22 last week.

31. Big Pharma watchdog: Abbr.: FDA. They are not watching too closely.  Drug prices are through the roof.

32. Suggest: HINT AT.

34. Encroach (on): INFRINGE.  I remember one of my sisters used to call her bangs "Fringe".

38. Musical knack: EAR.  You use your EARS to hEAR and get up EARly.

39. Naughty: NOT NICE.

41. Black or Red waters: SEA.  Is the Red Sea really red?

42. Downpour concern: FLOODING. Sad that Dorian devastated the Bahamas and also created havoc on our USA east coast. 

44. Bills with Franklin on them: C NOTES.

46. Good times: UPS.  I thought they delivered packages.

47. Japanese vegetable: UDO.  "No I don't - Yes U DO."

Japanese Udo

49. Infatuated with, with "about": CRAZY.  Patsy Cline always appears in those "Back in the day" CD ads.

50. "__ Land": 2016 Best Picture? Not!: LA LA.  This puzzle was in the LA LA Land Times.

52. Elite English boarding school: ETON.

53. Deadly "2001" computer: HAL.

54. "Brideshead Revisited" novelist Waugh: EVELYN.

56. Laundry: WASH.  Twins will host the Nationals this week.

58. Wall St. takeover: LBO.

61. Exacts revenge: GETS EVEN.  Why folks stay at the craps table too long.

63. Punctuation that Brits call a full stop: PERIOD.

65. Guggenheim display: ART.  Mr. Garfunkel in the "Sounds of Silence".

66. Johns, to Brits: LOOS.

67. "__ can play!": "It's easy!": ANYONE.  I think I have seen this in Casino Ads.

68. Caustic chemical: LYE.

69. Bowler's target: PIN.  Most of the time the target is PINS.  Sometimes we shoot at a single PIN spare though.

70. Emails: SENDS.

Down:

1. Barbecue rod: SPIT. Always thought this was a weird name. How would you like a chicken on your SPIT?

2. Arm bone: ULNA.  "The ulna's connected to the - wrist bones."

4. Big Band __: ERA.  Pitchers with a low one could win a Cy Young award.

6. Expert: PRO.

7. Low-pitched brass instruments: TUBAS.

8. Cookiedom's Famous __: AMOS.  Not as good as Mom's chocolate chip.

10. Henri's "Hi": SALUT.

11. Pilothouse wheels: HELMS.  Famous Senator Jesse from North Carolina.  A little more famous that our Jesse "Ventura" who went from pro wrestling to the Governor's office in Minnesota.

13. Lion constellation: LEO.  We said good by to LEO last month.  Now we are in VIRGO. 

18. Singer Lauper: CYNDI.  "Girls just want to have fun".

21. Slight market slide: DIP.

24. St. Louis hrs.: CST.  Same as Minnesota.

26. Short skirt: MINI.

28. Kitchen master: CHEF.  The guy in charge is the Chief Chef.

29. Iranian currency: RIAL.

33. Paris pronoun: TOI.

35. TV watchdog: FCC.  I wonder what they are supposed to watch.  I see a lot of questionable ads on TV.  Especially Car Insurance.  My question is, "How can EVERY Company save you 15 %?

36. "Wow!": GEEZ.  Gee whiz!

37. "No sweat": EASY.

40. Letter-shaped fastener: T NUT.  C.C. is a bit of a TEA nut.

43. October gemstones: OPALS.  My B-Day is in October.  I have no idea what the other 11 gemstones are.

45. Italian hour: ORA.

48. "We're __ schedule here!": ON A. On a Train, on a plane, on a bus, on a subway ?  Chad Mitchell Trio " The Hip Song"'

50. Permitted by law: LEGAL.

51. Bugs Bunny animator Tex: AVERY.

52. Ballade's last stanza: ENVOI.

55. Website with business reviews: YELP.  Or, when you step on a dog's foot.

57. Rejuvenation site: SPA.

59. "__, James __": BOND.  Goldfinger

60. Poems of praise: ODES.

62. Many millennia: EON.

64. Deli bread: RYE.  I like the dark pumpernickel. Sounds like "Dump Burnikel"  which is why I never ran for any office.

Boomer

Monday September 2, 2019 Matt McKinley

Theme: LABOR DAY (64. September 2, 2019 ... and what the first words of the answers to starred clues commemorate) - The first word can follow LABOR.

17A. *New Year's Eve headwear: PARTY HAT. Labor Party,

 

40A. *Billiards stick: POOL CUE. Labor pool.

11A. *Ground out on which the fielder needn't tag the runner: FORCE PLAY. Labor force.

35A. *Great Britain's flag: UNION JACK. Labor union.

Boomer here.  

Greetings all.  Wishing you a restful holiday.  Why do the call it Labor Day and then give 3/4 of the country the day off work?  But most of all, I am sure most of you will join me in wishing safety and free of damage to Lemonade and all who may be in the path of Dorian along the Southeastern shoreline of our country. 

Across:

1. Grazing area: LEA.  In Southern Minnesota we have a small city named Albert Lea, named after a famous soldier and surveyor in the 19th century.

4. Islamic mystic: SUFI.

8. Would rather have: PREFER.  I would PREFER an easier clue.

14. Rock concert gear: AMP.  Okay, I know what turns up the volume, but to me an AMP will always be a measure of electricity.

15. Mellowed in a cask: AGED.  Or me in a townhouse.

16. Novelist __ de Balzac: HONORE.

19. Offshore driller: OIL RIG.  Maybe Desper-otto can tell us if they are still doing this.  I remember BP having a problem in the Gulf of Mexico.

20. Loses speed: SLOWS.

21. Absorbed: RAPT.

23. Treats with a cold pack: ICES.  I have been treating aches and pains with a heating pad.  I am ready to try ice.

24. Weather-affecting current: EL NINO.  I think I still have that Storm bowling ball.

26. Vinyl record feature: GROOVE. " Lookin' for fun and feeling Groovy "  Paul and Art.

28. Building sites: LOTS.  We have lots of building sites here in Brooklyn Park.  Many town homes and condos are reaching for the sky.  We may get two Reps after the 2020 census.

30. Comprehensive: IN DEPTH.

33. France, under Caesar: GAUL.  GAUL is a bit of a questionable name for a country.  Sounds like Gall and in Gallbladder.

36. "And __ what happened?": THEN.

38. Relative via marriage: IN-LAW.

39. Sprint: RUN.  Many are preparing to run in 2020.

42. "SNL" alum Poehler: AMY.  Don't know her, but we have Ms. Klobuchar in the running, plus I have a younger sister named Amy also.

Amy Poehler

43. City near Syracuse: UTICA.

45. "Trees," for one: POEM.  "I wish that I could only see a poem as lovely as a tree."  It would not look like the tired old ash tree in our yard.

46. Parting words: BYES.

47. Compound cry of dissatisfaction: BOO HISS.  Not hearing this too much at Target Field this year.  We will see how our Vikings do soon.

49. Agile: SPRY.

51. Common workday starting hr.: NINE AM.

53. OSHA's "S": SAFETY.  Occupational Health.

57. Indian royal: RAJA.

59. Powerful engine: V TEN.  Have not seen one of them ever.  I think a Rolls Royce or a Packard may have had one back in the thirties.  I think BMW may have tried it in the past also.

61. Patty Hearst's SLA alias: TANIA.

62. Florida fruit: ORANGE.  Speaking of which, I hope Dorian does not ruin the crop.

66. "Hannibal" villain: LECTER. 44. Italian wine favored by 66-Across: CHIANTI.

67. Jacob's twin: ESAU.  I am not a big bible toter, but this story is really strange.  Jacob killed his twin Esau apparently to fool his blind father and gain a birthright.

68. Outfielder's asset: ARM.  A high batting average would be helpful also.

69. Muslim ascetics: FAKIRS.

70. Sunrise direction: EAST.  If you travel west 12,000 miles you get to the far East.

71. ___ Bo: fitness system: TAE. 

Down:

1. Moment of forgetfulness: LAPSE.  I notice that since I got older I have had many forgetful moments.  Now I know what they are called.  I hope I don't forget it.

2. Online shopping mecca: E-MALL. C.C. does a bit of online shopping. Saves on gasoline.

3. Cook's protection: APRON.  We have one at the end of our driveway.

4. Refuses: SAYS NO.  "You say YES, I say NO, you say WHY, and I say I don't know.  Hello, Goodbye.

5. "That stinks!": UGH.  This could be an acronym for an Under Ground Home.  Might be useful this week in Florida.

6. Fright: FEAR.

7. Suitcase tie-on: ID TAG.  And yet Airlines still lose them.

8. Kind of "Star Trek" torpedo: PHOTON.

9. King, in France: ROI.

10. Give some pep to: ENLIVEN.  Remember a breakfast cereal called "Pep"?  Then you are old enough to eat Grape Nuts.

12. Canal across New York: ERIE.  There's that Great Lake again.  Must be superior to the others.

13. Rules, briefly: REGS.

18. Woven fabric: TWILL. Wow! I have not seen TWILL fabric since Pep was a cereal.

22. Harry and William of England: PRINCES.  Without the "S" - this Purple Rain guy is a Minnesota icon.  There is a museum in a Southwest suburb of Minneapolis.  Even the Twins had a Prince night where they gave away purple stuff.

25. Enzo's eight: OTTO.  I have heard of OTTO Von Bismarck.  Not sure if the capital city of North Dakota was named after him.

27. Slobbery comics pooch: ODIE.  Jim Davis created Garfield and this dog.  The reason I remember this is that we had a Lithonia lighting rep Named Jim Davis that called on Graybar, and we used to call him ODIE.

29. Frequents, as a store: SHOPS AT.

31. Get under control: TAME.

32. Interstate rds.: HWYS.  I think the Interstate highway system that was initially created by Dwight Eisenhower was a great idea.  We have an I-35W in Minnesota that could have been planned better though.   A few years ago a bridge (and a bunch of cars) fell into the Mississippi River, They rebuilt the bridge, and now they have a big mess downtown while they add a few lanes. 

33. Vittles on the trail: GRUB.  J.K Simmons, (The State Farm ad guy) used to call lunch "GRUB" when he was Emil Skoda on "Law and Order".

34. Prefix with correct: AUTO.   It does it by itself.

37. Symphonic rock gp.: ELO.

40. Ache: PAIN.  You name it, I got it.

41. Infield quartet: UMPS.  In the majors only.  Lower divisions get by with one or two.

46. Substantially: BY FAR.

48. Cuts off, as diplomatic ties: SEVERS.

50. Inform on: RAT OUT.

52. Big fight: MELEE.  NHL season is right around the corner.

54. Continue until: END AT.

55. Jewel-studded topper: TIARA.

56. "I did good!": YAY ME.

57. Massage deeply: ROLF.  A treatment.  I am surprised that there is no commercial on TV -- "Ask your doctor if ROLFING is right for you."  Or why doesn't Joe Namath let you know that Medicare does not cover Rolfing.

58. Rectangle measure: AREA.  Lengths times Width

60. Mission Control org.: NASA.

63. Olympic country code alphabetically just before GHA: GER.

65. Music majors' degs.: BAS.

Last Word. I woke up Saturday morning to learn that Valerie Harper passed away.  Of course I always liked the Mary Tyler Moore show because they pretended it was in Minneapolis even though the only Minneapolis scenes were Mary walking along Lake of the Isles, and tossing her hat on Hennepin Avenue.  Valerie played Rhoda Morgenstern well, and earned a few Emmy awards.  But my newspaper informed me that Valerie was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2013 and given about three months to live.  Six years later it caught up with her.  Thank you for setting an example for me, Rhoda.  Now rest in peace. 

Boomer