Theme: PEDALS (65A. Parts of 17-, 26-, 43- and 56-Across) - Pedals are used in each theme answers.
17A. Fitness center array: STATIONARY BIKES. Ours is collecting dust in the basement.
26A. Instruments that often have chord buttons: ELECTRIC ORGANS. Ditto above comment, only in the dining room.
43A. Seamstresses' aids: SEWING MACHINES. I like how it crosses THIMBLE (42D. Monopoly token). Sewing aid also.
56A. Birdlike crafts for lake rides: SWAN PADDLE BOATS. I've never taken one. Shaped like a swan.
All of the theme answers are in plural form. I liked the consistency. Liked the unifier entry too.
Also a bit of computer/internet thread:
32A. 30-day trial versions, e.g.: DEMOS
10D. E-tailer's creation: WEB PAGE
11D. Collaborative Internet project: WIKI. Hawaiian for "fast". Wikipedia is one of the Wikis.
29D. Software installation source, perhaps: CD-ROM
Most of the non-theme entries are rather short. Forty 4-letter answers in the grid. I am eager to see how Jerome & Jazzbumpa amuse us with their anagram and symmetry observations.
Across:
1. Entertainer in a kimono: GEISHA. "Memoirs of a Geisha" is a great read.
7. Chew like a chipmunk: GNAW
11. Triumphed: WON
14. Netanyahu's nation: ISRAEL. Netanyahu is the current Prime Minister of Israel. He graduated from MIT (40. Charles River sch.), whose clue stumped me.
15. Seat of Georgia's Floyd County: ROME. Wikipedia says the city was built on seven hills with a river running between them, same as Rome Italy then.
16. Words before testimony: I DO
20. Spray-on salon treatment: TAN
21. Fed. investigators: G-MEN. I tried FBIS first.
22. Speaker's asset: POISE
23. Former 3-Down leader: SHAH. And IRAN (3D. OPEC founding member).
24. Medieval invader's obstacle: MOAT
33. Mete (out): DOLE
34. Hankering: YEN
36. Admit openly: AVOW. Always hesitate between AVOW and AVER.
37. Smoothie fruit: BERRY
39. Muse of history: CLIO. We see her sister Erato more often.
41. ___ boots: '60s fashion: GO-GO
42. Head-turning swimwear: THONG. Not a swimwear, but head-turning nevertheless.
47. Numbers in photo album captions: AGES
48. Genesis forecast: RAIN. 40 days & 40 nights.
49. Hyundai sedan: AZERA. What does Azera mean?
52. Soccer star Mia: HAMM
53. "___ Misérables": LES. The MOREL guy's favorite musical.
60. According to: PER
61. Shorten, perhaps: EDIT
62. "Tracey Takes On..." comedian: ULLMAN (Tracey). Her name escaped me. We had this clue before.
63. Wrong: SIN
64. Anna of "Fringe": TORV. Nope. Not in my radar. An Aussi.
Down:
1. Basic idea: GIST
2. Esteban's "this": ESTA
4. Didn't play: SAT
5. Hilltop: HEIGHTS. The clue for MOOR (24D. "Wuthering Heights" setting) should be redone to avoid heights duplication.
6. Baseball family name: ALOMAR. Sandy/Roberto. Nice to see a change from ALOU.
7. __ Torino: 1970s Ford: GRAN. I had never seen any movie concerning the Hmong gang until "Gran Torino", Bill G.
8. "__ gloom of night ...": NOR. "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night ...". Postal Service creed.
9. "Rehab" singer Winehouse: AMY. Train wreck.
12. Sapphic verses: ODES. Sappho was a Greek poet, born in Lesbos, from which the word lesbian is derived. Sappho is a lesbian.
13. Clown costume piece: NOSE
18. Classic fruit soda: NEHI. The drink for Radar (M*A*S*H").
19. Tiny amount: IOTA
23. Garbage transport: SCOW. Boat.
25. Air France destination: ORLY. Air France's hub is Charles de Gaulle Airport. Orly is close by.
26. Red-coated wheel: EDAM. The Dutch cheese.
27. Jeans giant: LEVI'S
28. Push the envelope, theatrically: EMOTE
30. Tent material: NYLON
31. View from the Louvre: SEINE
35. Nutmeg-flavored drinks: NOGS. I always call it eggnog.
37. Dog biscuit shape: BONE
38. Caviar, basically: EGGS
39. It may be stroked in thought: CHIN. Why "in thought"?
41. Compu Kitty or Digital Doggie: GIGA PET. Not familiar with this virtual pet.
44. Shout "Fore!" to: WARN
45. Asian sea: ARAL. Shrinking.
46. Arose: CAME UP
49. Nile dangers: ASPS
50. German couple?: ZWEI. German for "two".
51. Collect from work: EARN
52. Home theater component, briefly: HDTV
53. Dalai __ : LAMA
54. Class action lawsuit abbr. : ET AL.
55. Work IDs: SSNS
57. Commotion: ADO
58. Dept. head: DIR (Director)
59. Told too often: OLD
Answer grid.
C.C.
17A. Fitness center array: STATIONARY BIKES. Ours is collecting dust in the basement.
26A. Instruments that often have chord buttons: ELECTRIC ORGANS. Ditto above comment, only in the dining room.
43A. Seamstresses' aids: SEWING MACHINES. I like how it crosses THIMBLE (42D. Monopoly token). Sewing aid also.
56A. Birdlike crafts for lake rides: SWAN PADDLE BOATS. I've never taken one. Shaped like a swan.
All of the theme answers are in plural form. I liked the consistency. Liked the unifier entry too.
Also a bit of computer/internet thread:
32A. 30-day trial versions, e.g.: DEMOS
10D. E-tailer's creation: WEB PAGE
11D. Collaborative Internet project: WIKI. Hawaiian for "fast". Wikipedia is one of the Wikis.
29D. Software installation source, perhaps: CD-ROM
Most of the non-theme entries are rather short. Forty 4-letter answers in the grid. I am eager to see how Jerome & Jazzbumpa amuse us with their anagram and symmetry observations.
Across:
1. Entertainer in a kimono: GEISHA. "Memoirs of a Geisha" is a great read.
7. Chew like a chipmunk: GNAW
11. Triumphed: WON
14. Netanyahu's nation: ISRAEL. Netanyahu is the current Prime Minister of Israel. He graduated from MIT (40. Charles River sch.), whose clue stumped me.
15. Seat of Georgia's Floyd County: ROME. Wikipedia says the city was built on seven hills with a river running between them, same as Rome Italy then.
16. Words before testimony: I DO
20. Spray-on salon treatment: TAN
21. Fed. investigators: G-MEN. I tried FBIS first.
22. Speaker's asset: POISE
23. Former 3-Down leader: SHAH. And IRAN (3D. OPEC founding member).
24. Medieval invader's obstacle: MOAT
33. Mete (out): DOLE
34. Hankering: YEN
36. Admit openly: AVOW. Always hesitate between AVOW and AVER.
37. Smoothie fruit: BERRY
39. Muse of history: CLIO. We see her sister Erato more often.
41. ___ boots: '60s fashion: GO-GO
42. Head-turning swimwear: THONG. Not a swimwear, but head-turning nevertheless.
47. Numbers in photo album captions: AGES
48. Genesis forecast: RAIN. 40 days & 40 nights.
49. Hyundai sedan: AZERA. What does Azera mean?
52. Soccer star Mia: HAMM
53. "___ Misérables": LES. The MOREL guy's favorite musical.
60. According to: PER
61. Shorten, perhaps: EDIT
62. "Tracey Takes On..." comedian: ULLMAN (Tracey). Her name escaped me. We had this clue before.
63. Wrong: SIN
64. Anna of "Fringe": TORV. Nope. Not in my radar. An Aussi.
Down:
1. Basic idea: GIST
2. Esteban's "this": ESTA
4. Didn't play: SAT
5. Hilltop: HEIGHTS. The clue for MOOR (24D. "Wuthering Heights" setting) should be redone to avoid heights duplication.
6. Baseball family name: ALOMAR. Sandy/Roberto. Nice to see a change from ALOU.
7. __ Torino: 1970s Ford: GRAN. I had never seen any movie concerning the Hmong gang until "Gran Torino", Bill G.
8. "__ gloom of night ...": NOR. "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night ...". Postal Service creed.
9. "Rehab" singer Winehouse: AMY. Train wreck.
12. Sapphic verses: ODES. Sappho was a Greek poet, born in Lesbos, from which the word lesbian is derived. Sappho is a lesbian.
13. Clown costume piece: NOSE
18. Classic fruit soda: NEHI. The drink for Radar (M*A*S*H").
19. Tiny amount: IOTA
23. Garbage transport: SCOW. Boat.
25. Air France destination: ORLY. Air France's hub is Charles de Gaulle Airport. Orly is close by.
26. Red-coated wheel: EDAM. The Dutch cheese.
27. Jeans giant: LEVI'S
28. Push the envelope, theatrically: EMOTE
30. Tent material: NYLON
31. View from the Louvre: SEINE
35. Nutmeg-flavored drinks: NOGS. I always call it eggnog.
37. Dog biscuit shape: BONE
38. Caviar, basically: EGGS
39. It may be stroked in thought: CHIN. Why "in thought"?
41. Compu Kitty or Digital Doggie: GIGA PET. Not familiar with this virtual pet.
44. Shout "Fore!" to: WARN
45. Asian sea: ARAL. Shrinking.
46. Arose: CAME UP
49. Nile dangers: ASPS
50. German couple?: ZWEI. German for "two".
51. Collect from work: EARN
52. Home theater component, briefly: HDTV
53. Dalai __ : LAMA
54. Class action lawsuit abbr. : ET AL.
55. Work IDs: SSNS
57. Commotion: ADO
58. Dept. head: DIR (Director)
59. Told too often: OLD
Answer grid.
C.C.