Tuesday, August 25, 2026, Victor Fleming

Veteran constructor Victor Fleming takes us on an enlightening voyage of discovery today, with four theme entries each containing the word AHA. The apt reveal describes the breakthrough that a solver must make to see the theme.

 17A. *Broad-brimmed topper made of straw: PANAMA HAT. These traditional brimmed straw hats actually originated in Ecuador. They have become popular tropical and seaside accessories due to their breathability and ease of wear.  

Looking cool while staying cool!

24A. *Dry-cured meats from Smithfield: VIRGINIA HAMS. The Commonwealth of Virginia requires that "genuine Smithfield hams" must be salted, processed, smoked, cured, and aged for a minimum of six months, all within the corporate limits of the town of Smithfield, Virginia. 

39A. *Seattle NFL player: SEAHAWK. The Seattle Seahawks are the reigning Super Bowl Champions. Seahawk fans are known to be rambunctious, dedicated, and LOUD.

50A. *Joe Biden's vice president: KAMALA HARRIS. Before being tapped by Joe Biden as his running mate in the 2020 presidential election, Kamala Harris served as California's Attorney General and as a United States Senator. She made history as the first woman to be elected as the U.S. vice president. 

61A. Puzzle solver's breakthrough, or what the answers to the starred clues have in common: AHA MOMENT. The reveal! An "aha moment" is when the solution to a problem becomes clear. This expression is familiar in a wide range of contexts - including crossword puzzles.

 On to the the rest of the entries!

Across:
1. Cherry centers: PITS. Cherries are an early summer delight!

5. Eco-friendly commuting option: BIKE. In the Danish capital of Copenhagen, 62% of all inhabitants commute to work, school, or university by bicycle. This will not come as a surprise to anyone who has had the pleasure of visiting Copenhagen. In additional to being eco-friendly, cycling is generally perceived to be a healthier, cheaper, and often quicker alternative to driving. 

Rush hour in Copenhagen.

 

9. Big blowout: BLAST. Both words can be used to describe a gala event.

14. 2026's "The Odyssey," for one: EPIC. An epic is a long narrative poem recounting the deeds of a legendary or historic hero - or any work of art that resembles one. Attributed to the Greek poet Homer, The Odyssey is one of the oldest surviving works of literature. While there is no consensus among scholars on dating the composition, the 8th century BC is a common estimate. The 2026 film version has performed strongly at the box office, with both film critics and audiences giving overwhelmingly positive reviews. But I doubt that anyone will still watch it 28 centuries hence. 

15. Workplace inspection org.: OSHA. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is a part of the U.S. Department of Labor.

16. Pry bar, e.g.: LEVER. A pry bar is a flatter and thinner version of a crowbar. Both are examples of levers used to pry things apart. Levers are a common topic of discussion in high school physics classes.

17. [Theme entry]

19. New Zealand native: MAORI. The Maori are indigenous people of mainland New Zealand, descended from East Polynesian settlers who arrived in several waves of canoe voyages during the mid 1300s. 

20. Olympic swimmer Torres: DARA. Dara Torres is the first swimmer to represent the United States in five different Olympic games (1984, 1988, 1992, 2000, 2008). She won total of 12 medals, including at least one in all five of the Olympics in which she competed. She is currently the Head Swimming and Diving Coach at Boston College.

Still hanging out at the pool!

 

21. Mauna __: Hawaiian volcano slightly taller than Mauna Loa: KEA. An easy Tuesday-level clue for a familiar crossword entry.

23. Soapy tub gunk: SCUM. "Gunk" is a fun word! 

24. [Theme entry]

28. Bartending tool: OPENER. A bottle opener is another type of LEVER. 

30. Chatted privately online, for short: DMED. Abbreviation for direct-messaged. 

31. Greek god of war: ARES. Son of Zeus and Hera, brother of Athena. 

32. Owlet's home: NEST. Owls do not build their own nests. Rather, they rely on natural tree hollows, abandoned nests of other large birds, or human-made structures. Burrowing owls re-purpose tunnels evacuated by other species such as ground squirrels or prairie dogs. They sometimes bring coyote dung to their holes to attract dung beetles (which they eat) and to scare off the previous residents. I used to observe this dynamic firsthand during early-morning runs past a prairie dog town.  

Plotting to evict the home builder.

 

35. Smells: ODORS. While "odor" can refer to any smell, it is most often used for those that are unpleasant. "Aroma" has a much more positive connotation. 

38. Steeped beverage: TEA. In December of 1773, colonists dressed as native Americans dumped a cargo of tea into Boston harbor in protest of British taxation policies. The so-called Boston Tea Party escalated tensions between Great Britain and her American colonies. Less than two years later, the first battles of the American Revolution were held in the Boston suburbs of Lexington and Concord. 

39. [Theme entry]

41. French "yes": OUI. Pronounced "we."

42. Coffeehouse flavor: MOCHA. Caffe mocha combines the flavors of coffee and chocolate in a beverage whose aroma is nearly irresistible. The name derives from the Yemeni city of Mokha, an early center of the coffee trade.

44. Use a keyboard: TYPE. Most modern keyboards use the so-called QWERTY layout, named for the order of letters on the upper left-hand corner, as a de facto standard. This layout was first devised and created by Christopher Latham Sholes in the early 1870s. 

45. Torso bones: RIBS. Twelve pairs of ribs make up the rib cage, which protects the vital organs in the chest, such as the heart and lungs. 

46. Will beneficiary: HEIR. One who is legally entitled to receive a deceased person's money, property, or title. 

48. Art studio stands: EASELS. Used to create and display paintings and drawings.

The beret is not optional.

 

50. [Theme entry]

54. Grew older: AGED. We've all done it!

55. Grumpy pal: DOC. A Snow White reference. 

Grumpy                     Doc

56. Respiratory organ: LUNG. The primary organ in the respiratory system, which extracts oxygen from the atmosphere, transfers it to the bloodstream, and releases carbon dioxide from the bloodstream to the atmosphere.

59. Lost color: PALED. Pallor can signal temporary emotional distress, shock, vitamin deficiencies, frostbite, low blood sugar, or a drop in blood pressure. 

61. [Theme entry]

65. Maker of soccer and rugby gear: UMBRO. I don't play or follow these sports, so I was unfamiliar with the brand. The company was founded in 1924, and is based in Manchester, England. The UMBRO jerseys worn by the Democratic Republic of Congo during the 2026 World Cup were celebrated by soccer jersey aficionados for their stylish representation of Congolese heritage. 

Playing in style.

 

66. Part in a film: ROLE. The goal of many an aspiring actor.

67. Big birds of Australia: EMUS. The emu appears with the kangaroo on the Australian coat of arms. 

Not a strong contender in the species beauty contest.

 

68. Fluff, as hair: TEASE. In the 1980s, so-called "hair bands" sported extensively teased coifs. Note the resemblance to the plumage of the emu above. This look has not aged well.

The 1980s are calling.

 

69. Raggedy Ann, e.g.: DOLL. This doll was introduced to the public as a character in the children's book Raggedy Ann Stories (1918), written by American author Johnny Gruelle (1880 - 1938). The doll was marketed with the book, and both were highly successful. 

70. Nothing to write home about: SO-SO. Meh. 

Down:

1. __ talk: motivational chat: PEP. A short speech intended to encourage people to work harder or try to win a competition. 

2. Apple tablet since 2010: IPAD. Apple shipped an estimated 60.2 million iPads globally in 2025.

3. Writer/actress Fey: TINA. Tina Fey is known for her sketch comedy, and for numerous television and film roles. She was a member of the Saturday Night Live cast from 1997 - 2006, also serving as the program's head writer during this time. 

4. Woolen wraps: SCARVES. A scarf can provide warmth in winter, and add a dash of style to any look. 

 

5. Feathery wrap: BOA. Boas are all about style - not warmth.

 6. Sorta: ISH. A suffix that has become a standalone word.

7. Tan kin: KHAKI. Khaki is a common color for military uniforms, particularly those intended for use in desert or arid regions. 

8. Gobbled up: EATEN. Consumed by eating.

9. Racial justice movement letters: BLM. Short for Black Lives Matter, a movement that was founded in 2013.

10. Like a dog who's ready for a walk: LEASHED. Many dogs erupt in spasms of joy when their people pick up the leash - it's time for a walk!

Lets go!

11. Healthy fat with a high smoke point: AVOCADO OIL. Avocado oil is high in monounsaturated fats and vitamin E. 12. Skin care product: SERUM. Some skin care serum is made with avocado oil. 

 13. Cuts back a bit: TRIMS. Can refer to budgets, meals, hair, etc. 

18. Major water pipe: MAIN. Years ago, a fire department pressure check on a hydrant in my neighborhood ruptured the water mains at several houses, including mine. A neighbor who was home at the time reported a loud bang followed by little geysers erupting in the nearest yards. The city covered repair and replacement costs for the damaged pipes. 

22. Provide support: AID. Donating or distributing food to those facing hunger is just one of many wonderful and fulfilling opportunities to support people in need. 

Setting up for a food bank distribution in Illinois.

25. Russo of "Major League": RENE. Rene Russo began her career as a fashion model in the 1970s, gracing the covers of Vogue and Cosmopolitan. Her acting debut was a supporting role in the popular 1989 comedy Major League. She has since starred in numerous thrillers and action movies. 

Rene Russo rocking the red rug.

 26. "Awesome!": GREAT. "Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great." - Mark Twain

 27. Totally wild: AMOK. Originally adapted to English as a noun meaning "murderous frenzy." Amok derived from the Malay-language name of a psychiatric disorder in which the afflicted person (usually a man) attacked and killed bystanders until he collapsed or was himself killed. The violent nature of the term has gradually been mitigated in the adverb form of the word used by English speakers today, who typically describe actions that are unruly but not murderous.   
 
28. Creme-filled sandwich: OREO. Straightforward hint for a familiar entry that has recently been generating ever-more elaborate clueing. 

29. French dessert with fruit and ice cream: PEACH MELBA. A dessert of peaches and raspberry sauce with vanilla ice cream. Peach Melba was originally created in 1892 by the French chef Auguste Escoffier to honor the Australian soprano Nellie Melba.

What is not to love about this magnificent creation?

31. Drive-thru device: ATM. Automated Teller Machine. 

33. Timid: SHY. While sloths are often portrayed as lazy creatures, they are actually just shy and prefer to hide away from prying eyes in the dense canopy of trees. They maintain a low profile and preserve energy whenever possible. 

Move on, folks. Nothing to see here. 

34. Slender candle: TAPER. Commonly used for formal dinners, and for enhancing a room's decor.

36. Massages: RUBS. Massage refers to the rubbing or kneading of the body's soft tissues, for relief from body stress and/or pain. 

37. Bro kin: SIS. Short for "brother" and "sister."

39. Catamaran feature: SAIL. A catamaran is a sailing craft with two parallel hulls, whose separation imparts stability through resistance to rolling and overturning. Catamarans were invented by the Austronesian peoples, enabling their expansion to the islands of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Now this looks like fun!

40. __ and tear: WEAR. The phrase "wear and tear" refers to damage that naturally and inevitably occurs as a result of prolonged use and aging.

43. Web page banners: HEADERS. Another type of header occurs on the soccer pitch.

45. Job applicants' submissions: RESUMES. Many resumes today are written with the assistance of an AI, and are pre-screened using another AI. This dehumanization can cause great stress for applicants looking for an opportunity to shine. 

47. "Awesome!": RAD. 1980's surfer/skater slang, short for "radical." 

49. Rural storage tower: SILO. The word "silo" comes from an ancient Greek term meaning "pit for holding grain." My husband was raised in the rural Midwest, where the landscape is dotted with silos.

 

50. Broken beyond repair: KAPUT. I love the sound of this fun word! Adapted from a term used by French card players to describe big winners and big losers. 

51. Athlete's best effort: A GAME. During his/her PEP talk, the coach may tell you to "bring your A game."

52. Accumulate excessively: HOARD. ARRRGH - do you remember the hoarding-induced toilet paper shortage that occurred during the first year of COVID-19?

53. "Bless you" preceder: ACHOO. The sound of allergy season.

57. Reef-dwelling Pixar character: NEMO. The 2003 animated film Finding Nemo features a clownfish named Marlin searching for his lost son Nemo. The movie received widespread critical acclaim, and was a smash hit at the box office. 

58. African antelopes: GNUS. Frequently encountered in homonym-based puns. 

Have I got gnus for you!

60. Female deer: DOE. Does often have strong bonds with their fawns, who typically stay with their mothers for about a year. Female fawns may remain with their mothers even longer. 

62. __-purpose flour: ALL. All-purpose flour has a medium protein content, which strikes a balance between strength and tenderness making it a versatile choice for a wide variety of recipes.

63. Blanc who voiced Bugs: MEL. The talented Mr. Blanc voiced both Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. An excerpt below from the timeless classic What's Opera, Doc?

 

64. Chinese menu general: TSO. The dish was named in honor of Zuo Zongtang (1812 - 1885), a Chinese statesman and army officer sometimes referred to as General Tso.

Here's a picture of the full grid, with the "AHAs" highlighted:

 

  

For me, this puzzle has all of the elements that can make Tuesday outings such fun: an accessible theme, high-quality fill with a few unusual (but fair) entries, and clueing that is straightforward but never dull. I am also impressed by the low number of proper names, which helps to ensure a smooth solve for puzzlers of all generations. 

Your thoughts? 

Kat 

 

Friday, December 28, 2018, Tracy Bennett and Victor Fleming

Title: Themeless Friday with a Mini-Theme

I have been doing puzzle blogging here for close to nine years, Friday for 7 years, I think. I have never been faced with a themeless puzzle, so I have spent a very long time looking for a theme in this cooperative effort from Tracy Bennett and Victor Fleming. We had our debut for TRACY on a Wednesday blogged by Steve. He commented she was getting into themeless puzzles. She had one here on a Saturday with Erik Agard recently. In a comment on xwordinfo, she mentioned that Victor Fleming was her "mentor." I really do not know how to write-up a themeless. There are lots of long, sparkly fill FINITUDE,  IT CAN'T BE, NOT A HOPE, TRAWL NET,  PULLAPART, SATIN DOLL, BULL MARKET FAIR ENOUGH and the mini-theme ALMOST HEAVEN /WEST VIRGINIA. Splynter, where are you when I need you? Here he is suggesting that concept in a C.C. SATURDAY.  So here I go...

5. Like 22-Down, according to a song by John Denver (born 12/31/1943): ALMOST HEAVEN. 22D. See 5-Down: WEST VIRGINIA.

Across:

1. Caesar's fault: CULPA. In the incomparable luck of the puzzle, hopefully you all saw IM's mea culpa in yesterdays comments.

6. Big box office success, slangily: BOFF. I do not like this fill, as I always thought it was BOFFO, but dictionary.com says "Theater. a box-office hit.; a joke or humorous line producing hearty laughter. a loud hearty laugh; belly laugh."

10. PC scroll key: PGUP. Page up.

14. Rental brand with a hyphen: U-HAUL. Rental was so unhelpful.

15. Like the 1998 Pikachu Illustrator card: RARE. There’s an old saying, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” and this card sold at auction in 2016 for more than FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.

16. Source of fizz: SODA. That is backasswards to me.

17. Stock up time?: BULL MARKET. When stocks are going up it is considered a bull marker; when down a bear market.

19. Does sum work: ADDS. A tiny pun.

20. Hebrew wishing well?: SHALOM. שלום is such an important word in Hebrew, and the pun here is wonderful, worth the 25 cents you need to throw in.

21. Shrimper's catcher: TRAWL NET.

23. More than dream: ASPIRE. To direct one's hopes or ambitions toward achieving something

25. Atlanta campus: EMORY. The University.

26. Dreamt, perchance: SLEPT. Shakespeare.

29. Monument Valley features: MESAS. A natural wonder in Utah.  and the clecho 53A. Hilly terrain features: RIDGES.

31. Zero chance: NOT A HOPE.

33. Starfleet Acad. grad at the helm: LT. SULU. Our friend...

38. Woman in the picture: ACTRESS. A tricky generic clue.

39. Old duple-time dances: PAVANES. Duple meter (or duple metre, also known as duple-time) is a musical metre characterized by a primary division of 2 beats to the bar.

40. Some religious sculptures: PIETAS.

41. Limited state: FINITUDE. A finite state or quality. For example, one quickly senses the finitude of his patience.

42. Event with a horse: VAULT. Actually, this is no longer true, as it has been replaced with the vault TABLE.

44. "How Do I Live" singer: RIMES. LeAnn

45. Binary pronoun: HESHE. Is this now an accepted unique pronoun?

49. Quit: RESIGN.

51. "Unbelievable!": IT CAN'T BE. It reminds me of a commercial but I can't remember the product.

57. Retreat: LAIR.

58. Negotiation-ending words: FAIR ENOUGH. This is ridiculously hard, as I have never seen a negotiation end this way.

60. __ hack: LIFE.

61. Hathaway of "Rachel Getting Married": ANNE. Very popular actress, not so much the MOVIE.

62. Willing offer: I'LL GO. Also not easy. But with 64A...

63. Not likely: SLIM. And none.

64. Big name in little bricks: LEGO. We see GO often in this puzzle;  55D. "Too good not to share" breakfast brand: EGGO.

65. Permit: ALLOW.


Down:

1. Chicago's "North Siders": CUBS. Baseball- CUBS to the North, WHITE SOX to the South.

2. "Don't think so": UH UH.

3. __ land: LA LA. A CSO to our friend Linda who I hope is doing well now.

4. Separate: PULL APART.


6. Cold reaction: BRR.

7. Symbol of might: OAK TREE. There have been many POEMS extolling the Oak.

8. Famille members: FRERES. Brother, in French families.

9. Cheese served with kalamata olives: FETA. Made from sheep and goat milk. READ.

10. One of a Biblical 150: PSALM. These are poems of praise originated in Hebrew literature and revered also by Christians.

11. "What terrible news!": GOD NO. Oddly placed.-

12. Whence milk: UDDER. A very literal answer.

13. Irish pub pie: PASTY. A pie or turnover, especially one with a savory filling including seasoned meat, fish, or vegetables. These are popular in more places than Irish pubs.

18. Energize: AMP. If you think of being "amped" this makes sense.

24. Provocative little ones: IMPS. Next to amp, this is a cute use of a common fill.

26. __ bean: SNAP.

27. Math points: LOCI.

28. Marion's conclusion: ETTE.

30. Actor Thicke on Canada's Walk of Fame: ALAN. Alan Thicke was born on March 1, 1947, in Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada as Alan Willis Jeffrey. He died in 2016.

32. Mountain near Pelion: OSSA.  Tough unless you are up on your Greek geography or mythology. Pelion a wooded mountain in Greece, near the coast of SE Thessaly, which in Greek mythology was held to be the home of the centaurs, and the giants were said to have piled Mounts Olympus and Ossa on its summit in their attempt to reach heaven and destroy the gods. This story has given rise to the phrase pile Pelion on Ossa, meaning to add an extra difficulty or task to something which is already difficult or onerous.

34. Ellington classic: SATIN DOLL.

35. Coined word?: UNUM. E Pluribus...cute clue.

36. News article intro: LEDE. Often mistaken for "lead"

37. Avails oneself of: USES.

39. Drupe remains: PITS. A drupe is any fruit, such as a peach, cherry, plum, etc., consisting of an outer skin, a usually pulpy and succulent middle layer, and a hard and woody inner shell usually enclosing a single seed, or pit.

41. Hardly turning oneself in: FLEEING. The fleeing felon.

43. Polished: URBANE. Thin David Niven.

45. Roman septet: HILLS. Septet = 7. Seven Hills of Rome, the group of hills on or about which the ancient city of Rome was built. The original city of Romulus was built upon Palatine Hill (Latin: Mons Palatinus). The other hills are the Capitoline, Quirinal, Viminal, Esquiline, Caelian, and Aventine (known respectively in Latin as the Mons Capitolinus, Mons Quirinalis, Mons Viminalis, Mons Esquilinus, Mons Caelius, and Mons Aventinus).

46. Much cashless commerce: E-TAIL.

47. Ursula K. Le Guin's genre: SCI-FI. This acclaimed AUTHOR died in 2018.

48. Polyamorous anime subgenre: HAREM. I understand the words but knew nothing about this graphic genre of anime where there is a possibility of a polygamous romantic relationship. It is a reverse harem when it is more than one boy involved. You can look it up yourselves.

50. Wrath: IRE. Maybe the most common fill in crosswords.

52. Pan name: T-FAL. Also very common fill. Lots of hyphens today.

54. Seaside soarer: GULL.

56. Take third: SHOW. WIN/PLACE/SHOW. Easy if you bet on horses.

59. __ Speedwagon: REO. I will leave you with some music and a sincere thanks to Tracy and Victor providing my first themeless review, C.C. and the rest of our bloggers for help and reassurance in my efforts and to all of you I wish healthy, happy, successful 2019.

Saturday, Nov 8th, 2014, Bruce Venzke & Victor Fleming

Theme: None

Words: 72 (missing Q,X)

Blocks: 28

   I did today's puzzle in two stages; I had to stop about 80% of the way through, but that was OK, because I was drawing a blank in the NW and SW corners.  Upon returning to the game, I noticed the WAGs I was reluctant to try were actually the correct answers - go figure.  Oh, and an alphabet-run technical DNF, which bummed me out(*). Bruce last appeared on a Saturday, Dec 7th, in 2013, and Victor's last Saturday was back on July 7th, 2012 (LAT) - two Victors in a row~!  Triple 10-letter pinwheel design with a pair of 7- and 8-letter fills as well;

17a. Group with many hits : COSA NOSTRA - Learning moment; I did not realize this was another name for the Sicilian Mafia - hence, the "hits" - more like whacks

12d. Get romantic : BILL AND COO - I have heard of the "COOing" part, but the "BILL"~?  I looked it up; it's a bird reference - now I get it

63a. They go down to the wire : CLOSE GAMES - I tried HORSE RACES

28. Some astronauts : SPACEWOMEN - Dah~! My first thought, and yet it seemed too simple - here's a list

O N W Ra Ds~!

ACROSS:

 1. Staff leaders : MAJORDOMOs - no clue to start, then I got as far as MAJOR----

11. Common rhyme scheme : ABAB - Good guess to start

15. In top form : AT ONE'S BEST

16. Wheels : RIDE - I am hoping to buy a new ride this weekend - a 2002 Ford Escape

18. Menlo Park middle name : ALVA - Thomas Edison

19. Fuse, as ore : SMELT

20. Comic strip about a high schooler : ZITS - I like it

22. She plays Watson in "Elementary" : LIU - Lucy

23. Fourth most populous U.S. island : OAHU - I threw in GUAM;  BZZZT~!  50% correct in all the wrong places

26. Reach : CONTACT - as on one's phone

28. Surveillance aid : SPYGLASS - I'd like to live on Spyglass Lane - there's one in my neighborhood

32. Steelers ownership family name : ROONEY

33. Nanki-__ : POO - I have heard this, but I went and looked it up afterwards - oh right - the Mikado

34. Prowler : SNOOP

36. Landlord's assets: Abbr. : BLDGs

37. "... men in __" : A TUB

39. Locks that are picked : AFROs

41. Victoria's Secret spec : D CUP - HA~! I threw this in, and upon doing the write-up realized I was right - I'm sure Dennis nailed it

Hello, blue-eyes - I bet you didn't even notice they were blue (her eyes)

42.* Longtime name in baseball broadcasting : CARAY - the "Y" was my downfall, in 43d., too

44. Inset site : ATLAS

46. Valuable elemento : ORO - goldo, in Spanisho

47. "And wilt thou pledge me this for time __?": Aeschylus : ETERNE - mostly perps

49. Takes a powder : SKIPS OUT - 'round here, SKIPS OUT means someone ran off in the night without paying the rent

51. Goes south : WORSENS

53. Rested from flight : ALIT

54. "He's mine, __ am his": "Coriolanus" : OR I - two quote partials doesn't sit well with me

55. Lases or tases : ZAPS

57. Verdi aria : ERI TU

61. Star followers : MAGI - 'Tis the season once again

66. Repeat : ECHO - 'Tis the season once again
- is there an echo in here~!?

67. Revealing : TATTLE-TALE - like a sign

68. Table tennis club's supply : NETS - um, I guess they would

69. Plots : STORY LINES - ah, that kind of plot

DOWN:

1. Apple array : MACS

2. It may be ionized : ATOM - see "onward"

3. Muralist Orozco : JOSÉ

Jose Orozco's Prometheus

4. Where a turtle might be seen : ON A LOG - sure, why not; the last one I saw was trying to cross Rt 25, which is a 50mph road - I believe he made it

5. Some prom night wear : RENTALS - oh, the tux....never mind....

6. Brit. military award : DSO Distiguished Service Order

7. Delivery pros : OBStetrician - from the Latin "to stand by"; the medical specialist that deals with pregnancy and childbirth

8. City on the Moselle : METZ

9. "Hamlet" courtier : OSRIC

10. Electric generator component : STATOR

11. Celestial altar : ARA

13. Amy Dickinson, e.g. : ADVICE GURU

14. Mole, maybe : BEAUTY SPOT - I do not think of them as beauty; just spots

21. Stereotypical status seeker : SNOB

24. Rival of Martina and Chris : HANA - Mandlíková, Czech tennis star

25. Patriotic nickname : U.S. of A.

27. Spoiled the surprise : TOLD

29. Kid's birthday party contest : POTATO RACE - never had one

30. "No argument" : YOU'RE RIGHT - upon returning to the grid, I was able to get past "YOU", which was all I had filled, and started thinking "YOU'RE" - Duck~!

31. Prepares for filing : SORTS

35. Grammy category eliminated in 2009 : POLKA - I did not know this

38. Illegalizes : BARS - I had BANS, and that threw me

40. Zip (through) : SAIL

43*. Santa __ Valley: California wine region : YNEZ - ugh - really~? Oh well - I'm sure our California contingency got it no problem

45. Catalog giant : SPIEGEL

48. Adopts : ENACTS

50. Low clouds : STRATI

52. Paint-spill sound : SPLAT - uhhh, whooo(ups)~?

56. __ speak : SO TO - ugh - all perps

58. "Project Runway Canada" host : IMAN

59. Commuting leader? : TELE - telecommuting

60. Doesn't let sit : USES

62. Cyclades island : IOS

64. Harp, e.g.: Abbr. : STRing instrument

65. Bridge expert Culbertson : ELY

Splynter

Saturday, Jul 7th, 2012, Victor Fleming

Theme: None

Words: 70

Blocks: 32

Lots of proper names*, and only six 3-letter words today, but enough clues where I found a foothold, and then gradually worked the puzzle from there. Very little in the way of vagueness, and just a couple of write-overs, for me, as well.

One 15-letter grid spanner;

36A. "Got it?" : DO YOU UNDERSTAND? - I had an inkling about where this was going; just had to wait on a few perps - forced me to change my shirt from a POLO to a "KNIT" (see 34D.)

and one 15-letter climber;

8D. Frustrated cry from an experienced pro : I'M TOO OLD FOR THIS - a five-word answer, (well, 6 technically), and like our Thursday "C", "E" and "T" puzzle, we had a run of 3 "O"s. Like Indiana Jones said in Raiders of the Lost Ark - "It's not the years, it's the mileage".

On w-a-r-d-s ~!!!

ACROSS:

1. Military motto, familiarly : SEMPER FIdelis, the US Marines

9. '90s-'00s Lifetime sitcom in which viewers chose the name of the title character : OH BABY - never heard of it, but easy enough to get; not a "Lifetime" person, you could say

15. Site of noisy games, perhaps : PLAYROOM

16. Country estates : VILLAS - Not MANORS

17. Making with difficulty : EKING OUT - I tried winging this by filling in ------ING, but I was wrong

18. Slip away : ELAPSE

19. Chat up : COME ONTO - How come no women ever try to chat me up? - oh, that's right, I don't go to bars anymore....

20. Breakfast serving : RASHER - new word for me; had to look it up - both my parents are born and raised in England, but we always had BACON, never "rashers" - bangers and mash, that's different

21. That, to Teresa : ESO - Spanish

22. Many a S.A. miss : SRTA - and again - or is this Portuguese?

23. Adjective often used with skepticism : LIKELY - Tried RARELY first; turned out it was not LIKELY the answer

28. Do as expected : OBEY

30. 38-Down, e.g. : SCHool

33. Its production ended in 2004 with a Final 500 Edition : ALERO - Oldsmobile's last car

34.* "Around the Fish" artist : KLEE - Paul, with a little about the painting here


35. Time spent : STAY

39. Dismayed utterances : YOWs - not really a "dismayed" sound for me; more of a startled response

40. Baking instruction : SIFT

41. Mum : MATER - I am guessing that this is "Brit-speak" for mom - "mum" I get, but I had to look up Mater. If you ask me, Mater is this guy

42. Winter track maker : SKI

43. Pi opening? : OCTO - Ugh ( that's dismayed ) OCTOPI - more than one octopus. The "?" needed....

44. Oscar night sight : TUXEDO - not TROPHY

45. Staples array : TAPE - Strange - I tried PENS again, two weeks in a row. I was in Office Max a month ago - they DO have an array of pens to choose from, I must say

47. Brief way? : RTE

49. Opt for home cooking : DINE IN

51. Sin : TRESPASS - Growing up, I knew that I was not allowed to "trespass" on Selden campus property, but I never quite understood why GOD was unhappy about this....

57. Swatch Group products : OMEGAs - Watches - found here

58. Vote : HAVE A SAY

59. Undisturbed : IN SITU

60. What you might get from a jerk : ICE CREAM - Tried BACK ACHE, but we are looking for a soda jerk, a malted, and so on....

61. Flings : TOSSES

62. Reel from a shot : SEE STARS

DOWN:

1. What some build on : SPEC - this discussion came up earlier in the week

2. "The Heart of Northeast Nevada" : ELKO - More here

3. Do mayhem to : MAIM - meh on this

4.* In-your-face '50s-'60s talk show host Joe : PYNE

5. Hence : ERGO

6.* Longtime "60 Minutes" regular : ROONEY

7.* Hall of Fame Chargers quarterback Dan : FOUTS

9. Superintendent : OVERSEER - this week I have been the "overseer" of nine (9~!) cats, and they have spent most of the time hiding in the closet - I slept on the couch tonight, and caught them all coming down to eat late - Jack, Jill, Patch, Luna, Superstar, Ben, Mr. T, Tommy-boy and Tres~!

10.* Swank of Hollywood : HILARY

11. Siren sound : BLAST

12. Meditation goal : ALPHA STATE - I have a meditation group Wednesdays at 11am

13. General headquarters? : BASE - not sure about the "?"

14. Belgian river : YSER - four letters....

23. __ man : LADY'S

24. "__ to You": Whitney Houston's last album : I LOOK

25. Case maker : KEY WITNESS - I was looking for someone who "makes" cases; not this legal version of the person who takes the stand in court

26. Bow wielder of myth : EROS

27.* Journalist Dobbs : LOU

29. Root vegetable : BEET - huh - I WAGed this, and never looked back

31. Like rattan chairs : CANED

32. Plane opening? : HYDRO - Hydroplane, doesn't need the "?", I think

34. Golf shirt, e.g. : KNIT - not POLO

35. Pringles-like Lay's product : STAX


37. Decennial govt. activity : U.S. CENSUS - I knew this, but the "U.S." part messed me up

38. Home of the NCAA's Mustangs : SMU - Southern Methodist University team

43. Relaxant : OPIATE

44. Rabbit ears sporter, once : TEE-VEE - the long abbreviation for Television

46. Zeus' shield : AEGIS

48. Slight sign : TRACE

49. "Now!" : DO IT~!- Makes me think of AHHHnold in Predator

50. "__ expert, but ..." : "I'M NO..." - two answers with "I'm" in them

52. "Just a coupla __" : SECS

53. Split : PART - Irony is that today marks what would have been my 5-year wedding anniversary - but we did 53D three years ago....

54. Like Columbus, much of the time : ASEA

55. Moselle tributary : SAAR - those four-letter Euro rivers; map

56. R. Schumann wrote four : SYMS - as in Symphony? eh, OK - I checked to be sure here

Answer grid.

Splynter