Tuesday, October 1, 2019 C.C. Burnikel

Mom and Pop Stores:  Each answer "KEEPS" the word "SHOP" hidden within the two-word spans.

16-Across. Golf tournament won by Shane Lowry in 2019: BRITISH OPEN.  Shane Lowry (b. Apr. 2, 1987) is an Irish professional golfer.

19-Across. "Easy Rider" actor: DENNIS HOPPER.

Dennis Lee Hopper (May 17, 1936 ~ May 29, 2010)

51-Across. Baltimore-based medical school: JOHNS HOPKINS. Johns Hopkins (May 19, 1795 ~ Dec. 24, 1873) was an American entrepreneur, abolitionist and philanthropist.  He amassed a large forture, which was bequeathed to a number of institutions, the most memorable is the still existing Johns Hopkins University.  His first name is actually Johns, which was his mother's maiden name.

57. "Fingers crossed!": HERE'S HOPING.

And the unifier:

34-Across. Stocking experts, and what 16-, 19-, 51- and 57-Across literally are: SHOPKEEPERS.  Shopkeepers are the individuals who own and operate an independent shop.  A lot of the little Mom and Pop stores in my city are disappearing and are being replaced by the big stores.

All the tripe you want from the Shopkeeper of this little shop we found in Naples.

Across:

1. Fisherman's __: waterfront district in San Francisco: WHARF.

6. Police HQ alerts: APBs.  As in All Points Bulletins.

10. Sushi bar sauce: SOY.

13. Swiss mathematician: EULER.  Leonhard Euler (Apr. 15, 1707 ~ Sept. 18, 1783) was influential in many areas of mathematics, including topology and analytical number theory.  It's all over my head, but ...

14. Soft palate dangler: UVULA.

15. "t," in "btw": THE.  Textspeak for By The Way.

18. Cavity-fighting org.: ADA.  As in the American Dental Association.

21. eharmony profile part: BIO.  As in a Biography.

24. Entry point: DOOR.

25. With 31-Across, "The Aviator" Oscar nominee: ALAN.  //  And 31. See 25-Across: ALDA.  This gives us Alan Alda (né Alphonso Joseph D'Abrusso; b. Jan. 28, 1936).

26. Maxim: OLD SAW.

28. Pequod crew: WHALERS.  A reference to Moby Dick, the novel by Herman Melville (Aug. 1, 1819 ~ Sept. 28, 1891).  The book is on my TBR list, but way, way down on that list!

32. Tidy (up): SPRUCE.

38. Give as a task: ASSIGN.

39. Office notice: MEMO.

42. Govt. drug bust, perhaps: FBI RAID.

45. Post-workout refresher: SHOWER.  Most of the showers in our hotels were very, very tiny.

47. __ mater: ALMA.

48. TriBeCa neighbor: SOHO.  TriBeCa is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City that is the Triangle Below Canal Street.  It is near the area that is South of Houston Street.

50. "__ Blinded Me With Science": 1983 hit: SHE.

56. "Sands of __ Jima": 1949 film: IWO.  This was a John Wayne movie.

61. Country star McGraw: TIM.  Tim McGraw (né Samuel Timothy McGraw; b. May 1, 1967) was born in Delhi, Louisiana.

62. Gas brand BP relaunched in 2017: AMOCO.

63. Less prevalent: RARER.

64. Had chips, say: ATE.

65. Fail to notice: MISS.  What happened to the Swiss Miss logo on the chocolate?  Do you Miss her?

66. Washington, e.g.: STATE.  Washington was admitted into the Union on November 11, 1889.  The State is named for George Washington.  Its capital is Olympia and its largest city is Seattle.

Down:

1. Spider's creation: WEB.

2. "Ben-__": HUR.  Before it was an epic 1959 movie, starring Charlton Heston in the title role, it was a novel entitled, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, by General Lew Wallace (Apr. 10, 1827 ~ Feb. 15, 1905).  Wallace was a Union General in the American Civil War.  He presided over the trial of Henry Wirz (Nov. 25, 1823 ~ Nov. 10, 1865), who was the Confederate Commander over the prisoner-of-war camp near Andersonville, Georgia.  Wirz was found guilty of cruelty and endangering the lives of the prisoners and was executed.  Wirz was only 1 of 2 individuals executed for war crimes during the American Civil War.

3. Baba in a cave: ALI.  The story of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves is just one of the Arabian Tales in the collection One Thousand and One Nights.  Ali discovered that the phrase "Open Sesame" would open the thieves' den, and hence, its treasures.

4. No longer working: Abbr.: RET'D.  As in Retired, like many of us here on the blog.

5. Curly-haired "Peanuts" character: FRIEDA.  I don't remember this character.

6. To have, in Paris: AVOIR.  Today's French grammar lesson.

7. Baby seals: PUPS.

 

8. "Yuck!": BLEH!

9. Twins infielder Miguel: SANO.  Miguel Sano (né Miguel Ángel Jean Sanó; b. May 11, 1993) is a 3rd baseman for the Minnesota Twins.

10. Rice, in Chinese cuisine: STAPLE.

11. "My goodness!": OH, DEAR!

12. Hankers (for): YEARNS.

14. "Hmm ... not likely": UH, NO.

17. Winter flakes: SNOW.

20. Capital of Sicily: PALERMO.  I was in Palermo a few weeks ago.

 Here I am waving from the balcony of our hotel.

 Our hotel was a few feet from the Quattro Canti, the intersection of the city's two main thoroughfares.

The Cappella Palatina, within the Norman Palace, is covered in beautiful mosaics.

21. Fluffy wrap: BOA.

22. "__ be darned!": I'LL.

23. Vegas calculation: ODDS.

27. Like most of northern Africa: SAHARAN.

28. Little songbird: WREN.

29. Drillmaster's syllable: HUP.

30. Opening day pitcher, typically: ACE.  The pitcher should be an Ace, but those selected to throw out the first ball aren't.

 

32. Icy road worry: SKID.

 

33. Cribbage piece: PEG.  My grandfather taught me to play cribbage.  Playing cribbage with my mother was one of the last things we did together.

35. Mama bear, in Seville: OSA.  Today's Spanish lesson.

36. Omega preceder: PSI.  It's Greek to me.

37. Puts a Singer to work: SEWS.  My grandmother had a Singer like the one below.

40. "Not really a fan": MEH!

41. Mined metal: ORE.

42. Sizzling Tex-Mex fare: FAJITA.  Yummers!

43. Fail epically: BLOW IT.

44. Shout from the foyer: I'M HOME!

45. __ Tzu: toy dog: SHIH.

46. Advanced student's course: HONORS.

48. Contractor's parameters: SPECS.

49. "Yeah, and ... ?": OK, SO.

52. Fancy pillowcase: SHAM.

53. Prefix with sphere: HEMI-.

54. Gold medals, to Spaniards: OROs.  More of today's Spanish lesson.

55. Quarrel: SPAT.

58. Nest egg acronym: IRA.  As in the Individual Retirement Account.

59. "Nothing but __": "Swish!": NET.

60. College sr.'s test: GRE.  As in the Graduate Record Examinations.

Here's the Grid:

A BIG "Thank You" to Boomer for filling in for me over the last several weeks while I was away.  Doing double duty two days in a row is a lot.  I really appreciate his fine and humorous commentaries.

Finally, here is your QOD:  My doctor gave me six months to live, but when I couldn't pay the bill, he gave me six months more.  ~  Walter Matthau (né Walter John Matthow; Oct. 1, 1920 ~ July 1, 2000)

Tuesday September 24, 2019 Robert Fisher

Theme: SOLD (62. Auctioneer's cry after the starts of 20-, 36- and 49-Across)

 

20. Seeking an Olympic victory: GOING FOR THE GOLD.

36. Hardly ever: ONCE IN A BLUE MOON.

49. Zwieback, e.g.: TWICE-BAKED BREAD.

Boomer here again.

Just watching the magic number go down.  Sunday was excruciating 4 and a half hours with too many walks.  Vikings did well though. Fun to be a sports fan in Minnesota this year.  I have little interest in NBA or NHL.

Across:

1. Octopus octet: ARMS.  Also many MLB bullpens octets this time of year.

5. Read electronically: SCAN.

9. Stand in for: ACT AS.  Unless you are a pitcher or a quarterback.

14. Painful joint inflammation: GOUT.

15. "What'll ya __?": HAVE. Pabst Blue Ribbon.

16. Legendary crooner Mel: TORME.  I think we just saw this. Reminded me of the Seinfeld when Kramer made a fool of himself with Mel.

17. Prefix meaning "all": OMNI.  Speaking of basketball and hockey, I am reminded of the OMNI Arena in Atlanta.

18. From the start: ANEW.  If your golf driver fails you, get A NEW one!

19. Utter nonsense: TRIPE.  This is disgusting innards from animals.  Yuk!

23. Beach toy for a windy day: KITE.  Go fly one.  Keep away from trees and especially power lines.

24. Information technology giant: UNISYS.  My golf buddy Jorge retired from them years ago.

25. "Norwegian Dances" composer: GRIEG. Edvard.

28. Road curves: BENDS.  I suppose the ones at Daytona don't count.

30. More than a few: MANY.  Many's the times I've been mistaken, and many times confused.  (American Tune - Paul Simon)  It's all right, all right, I'm just weary to my bones.

31. Come into view: EMERGE.

33. Hosp. diagnostic procedure: MRI.  This is exactly the treatment that convinced the professionals that I had Cancer and not an arthritis problem.  The MRI got me back on the right track.

39. Jamaican music: SKA.

40. "Big Little Lies" actress Meryl: STREEP.

41. Frenzied way to run: AMOK.  I guess it was somewhat organized and God bless the kids who were protesting the lack of attention to climate change, which seems to be running AMOK.

42. Smelting waste: DROSS.

43. Like good pie crusts: FLAKY.  Actually, I prefer the graham cracker kind of crust.

44. Field & __ Magazine: STREAM.  My dad was an outdoorsman and we had a subscription coming to our home when I was a kid.

47. Beach toy: PAIL.  Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch one full of water.

55. Celebrate boisterously: REVEL.

56. Urge on: GOAD.  Sixty thousand purple clad fans packed U.S, Bank Stadium to GOAD on the Vikings last Sunday.

57. 220-by-198-foot plot of land, e.g.: ACRE.  Some may call it a bad tooth.

58. Farsi speaker: IRANI.

59. To be, in Tours: ETRE.

60. Not that: THIS.

61. Animal skins: PELTS.  Sorry but I think the collection of these is disgusting.

63. Enjoy some tub time: SOAK.  I take showers. No time to soak, I have to go bowling.

Down:

1. Visibly awed: AGOG.

2. CBS Sports NFL analyst Tony: ROMO.  Former Cowboy quarterback is now trying out the PGA golf venue.

3. Tax-free govt. bond: MUNI.  Put your money in a MUNI.

4. Disapproving look: STINK EYE.

5. Elevator passage: SHAFT.  Years ago when I started at Graybar, our warehouse was four stories with a rail access on the lower level.  I do not have room on this blog to tell you the horror stories created by this elevator.

6. Kayak-like boat: CANOE.  Also a men's cologne.

7. State unequivocally: AVER.

8. Former House leader Gingrich: NEWT.  Strange name for a strange looking guy.  But I would never pick on a House of Representatives Speaker.  I believe they have a tough job.

9. Conference-goer: ATTENDEE.

10. Welsh herding dogs: CORGIS.

11. Small music ensembles: TRIOS.  Kingston and Chad Mitchell are my favorites, but I suppose you already know that.

12. In a plentiful way: AMPLY.

13. Plants-to-be: SEEDS.  May have to try something different next year.  Our garden was the Detroit Tigers of gardens this year.

21. Booking on a band's tour: GIG.

22. Stuck (on): HUNG UP.  Also the way I keep my phone in the basement.

25. Scientifically engineered crops, e.g., briefly: GMOS.  Maybe I could get some of these for our garden.

26. __ and file: RANK.  I made it to Specialist E-5.

27. Ancient Cuzco dweller: INCA.

28. Spanish newborns: BEBES.

29. Author __ Stanley Gardner: ERLE.  He spelled his first name funny, however Perry Mason was one of my favorite TV characters.  I even read a couple of Erle's books years ago.

31. Bury: ENTOMB.

32. "Veronica __": teen drama starring Kristen Bell: MARS.  Snickers and Milky Way!  No more for me. Not a good snack for diabetics. I don't think the U.S will ever get a space probe to MARS either.  At least not in my lifetime.

33. NYC cultural center: MOMA.

34. Chess piece involved in castling: ROOK.  I used to play a little chess.  I used to laugh at people who called the piece a castle.

35. Like many a stained shirt pocket: INKY.  Was this not a Pac-Man character?  I once drew a crowd playing Pac-Man at Six Flags Great America Amusement Park in Gurnee, Illinois.

37. Tel Aviv residents: ISRAELIS.

38. Ones habitually hanging out in retail complexes: MALL RATS.  There are no rats at our Mall of America in Minnesota, but not as much fun as the aforementioned Great America Park.

42. A step above "meh": DECENT.

43. White lie: FIB.

44. Remove paint from: STRIP.

45. Shakespearean contraction: 'TWERE.  "'Twere the nights before Christmas" sounds stupid.

46. Primary competitor: RIVAL.  Graybar used to sell RIVAL housewares to Target but then they went direct.

47. Oyster gem: PEARL.  PEARL Bailey was a legend.

48. Tacked on: ADDED.

50. Brings to maturity: AGES.  Some things get better with age.  Not my bowling or golf scores though.

51. Zither-like Japanese instrument: KOTO.

52. Canyon feedback: ECHO.  Toyota used to make a small car called an ECHO. I think they stopped around 2005 because nobody wants a small car anymore.

53. Opera song for one: ARIA.

54. Newsroom station: DESK.

Boomer

Tuesday September 17, 2019 Evan Mahnken

Theme: EASY ON THE EYES. (33. Pleasing to look at ... or a phonetic hint to a two-letter sequence in 16-, 20-, 51- and 56-Across ) - Each theme entry contains EZ. (Edited later: Each Z is on top of letter I. Thanks, Anon and Mark S.)

16. Amazon founder: JEFF BEZOS.

20. Very focused, as an athlete: IN THE ZONE.

26. Voices one's view: OPINES.  We got a lot of OPINES from the last debate in Houston.

51. Expatriate American poet arrested for treason in 1945: EZRA POUND.

 

55. Had a smoke: LIT UP.  Not me for the last 18 years.  What does everyone think about these relatively new flavored Vapers?  We have had one death in Minnesota.

56. Aztec emperor: MONTEZUMA.

62. Dog food brand: IAMS.

Boomer here again. Tough last Sunday in the Minnesota world of sports.  After the Twins took two from Cleveland on Saturday they looked like the bad news bears on Sunday.  The Vikings looked careless and stupid at Lambeau Field on Sunday also. They were certainly not IN THE ZONE.

Across:

1. Activist Parks: ROSA.  Very famous lady.  I would not call her an activist though.  She was just sitting in the seat that she to which was entitled.

5. First bird to attack in "The Birds": GULL.  Seagulls are beautiful birds with white feathers and gray trim.  I seem to remember the Hitchcock birds were black like crows.

9. "¿Qué __?": PASA. What??

13. Overly neat, say: ANAL.  I decided not to touch this answer. And no photo. 

14. Irish New Ager: ENYA.

15. Deep sleep: SOPOR.

18. 2001 bankruptcy headliner: ENRON. I still have some Pinnacle golf balls with Enron logos.  I know I have mentioned it before. But the same answers keep coming up in these puzzles.

19. Corn serving: EAR.  I hear with my ear but get my corn out of a can.

22. "Of course!": AHA.

24. Some dadaist art: ARPS. Jean Arp or Hans Arp.

27. Scolds: BERATES.

29. Clear dirty dishes from: BUS. "Just hop on the bus, Gus, Make a new plan Stan.  There must be fifty ways to leave your lover."  (Paul Simon) 

30. HS promgoers: SRS.  Yup, I remember a senior being someone who is 17 or 18 years old.  Now I think you need to be over 62,

31. Tops of waves: CRESTS.  I have never tried surfing but I am amazed by those that can.

32. Small batteries: AAS.  We have been searching for 9 volts for our smoke detectors.  Not in stock or very expensive.  Next stop Target.

39. Bash into: RAM.  This is an LA Times Crossword.  Shouldn't the clue be "Player at the LA Memorial Coliseum on Sundays?"

40. Rapscallions: KNAVES.

42. Soak (up), as gravy: SOP.  Standard Operating Procedure.

45. Halves of qts.: PTS.  A field goal will get you three.

46. Look over again: RE-CHECK. I would usually double-check.

47. Like Goldilocks' first bowl of porridge: TOO HOT.  Yeah, I remember the story, but I am pretty sure that bears do not eat porridge.

49. Send to the canvas: KAYO.  Famous for Ali opponents.

50. Code-breaking org.: NSA.

53. Tiresome grind: RUT.  Named after an ugly road.

60. One-eyed "Futurama" character: LEELA.

61. Earnest request: PLEA.

63. LAX landing list: ARRS.  Arrivals.

64. Some 35mm cameras: SLRS.

65. Open-handed hit: SLAP.  Also a wild hockey shot.

Down:

1. Koothrappali on "The Big Bang Theory": RAJ.

2. Common bill: ONE.  George Washington got that one because he was President number one.

3. Low-crime part of town: SAFE AREA.

4. __ Romeo: sports car: ALFA.  You better have 40 to 80 grand lying around if you want to own one.

5. "Gosh!": GEE. Whiz!

6. Opens, as a parka: UNZIPS.

7. Rhone cathedral city: LYONS.  Sue Lyon was "Lolita" but I really enjoyed her with George C. Scott in "The Flim Flam Man".

8. At the back of the pack: LAST.

9. Swindler with a scheme named for him: PONZI. There were a lot of these going around in the eighties.  I think folks have wised up a bit now.  I was approached but I am not quite that stupid.

10. Cooks' wear: APRONS.  Yes but there is also one at the end of my driveway.

11. Earlier: SOONER. "Oh Oh Oh klahoma where the wind comes sweeping down the plain."

12. "Gunsmoke" actor James: ARNESS.  Marshal Dillon was born in Minneapolis in 1923.

15. Leaks slowly: SEEPS.

17. Like an overtired child, perhaps: BRATTY.

21. One may be hidden under a welcome mat: HOUSE KEY.  I cannot believe that people do this.

22. "Grey's Anatomy" network: ABC.  I am old enough to remember when our choices were NBC and CBS.  ABC came along a bit later.

23. "__ goes nothing!": HERE.

25. Fall back on: RESORT TO.

28. Beast of burden: ASS.  I will also leave that answer alone.  Sorry.

29. Scroogean scoff: BAH. Humbug!!

32. 20s dispenser: ATM.  I have said this before.  In Las Vegas the ATMs dispense Benjamins.  Then you go back to the tables and turn them into 20s.

34. "Old Town Road" rapper Lil __ X: NAS.

35. Cry after a stunning performance: ENCORE.  When I performed solo in the Benilde H.S. Glee Club, no one ever "ENCORED" me.  But I did once bring the house town when I rode on the MTA at a parish in Crystal.  "Poor Old Charlie"

36. Slangy assent: YAH.  "She loves you Yah Yah Yah."  Beatles on Ed Sullivan's Show, circa 1963.

37. Happening later: EVENTUAL.

38. Moments, briefly: SECS.  60 of them equals a MIN.

41. Caribbean music: SKA.

42. __ Artois: Belgian beer: STELLA.  I have never liked beer. Lucky me. However my short hitch in Germany rated German beer as the worst.

43. More slimy: OOZIER.

44. Stout relative: PORTER.

45. Dad: POPPA.  This seems old.  I never heard anyone call their dad Poppa.

46. Original "SNL" cast member Gilda: RADNER.

48. Lugs: HAULS. I have three bowling balls and two pairs of shoes I lug into the bowling centers.

49. Small hill: KNOLL.

52. Baseball's "men in blue": UMPS. I am not able to understand why Joe West and Laz Dias are still holding this job,

54. Guns from Israel: UZIS. I know nothing about guns - Nor do I want to know.  Thank you.

57. Univ. aides: TAS.

58. UFC fighting style: MMA.

59. Egyptian snake: ASP.  She gets what she wants irregardless of price, Yeah did you see her ring that was some hunk of ice!  She has 30 minks that she's never worn twice, What kind of life is that?  Would you take that kind of life it it was offered to you?  You can bet Cleopatra's ASP you would.  (Chad Mitchell Trio).

Boomer