15. Part of a biological hierarchy:
TAXONOMIC GROUP.
24. Influential soul label based in Memphis:
STAX RECORDS.
41. Waved
for transportation:
HAILED A TAXI.
53. Rate-rising-with-amount levy that makes its way through four long answers starting at 15-Across: PROGRESSIVE TAX.
The letters TAX are placed progressively (from beginning to end) within each of the four phrases.
Melissa here. This one was full of fun mis-direction, and stumped me in a few
spots. Anyone else?
Across:
1. Cartographer's output: MAP.
4. Monica who won three straight '90s French Opens: SELES.
9. HVAC letters: BTU. HVAC = Heating, ventilation, and air
conditioning. BTU = British Thermal Unit, which is a form of measurement that
measures energy. Some prisons offer HVAC vocational training - although there
has been no programming of any kind (nor visiting) in institutions since
Spring.
12. News agcy.: UPI. United Press International.
13. Soft palate part: UVULA. I did not know that uvula-piercing was a
thing. Don't google. Trust me on this one.
14. Campus housing: DORM.
18. Window over a door:
TRANSOM. Well, sort of. Transom Window, to be precise.
They can be so pretty.
19. Zen garden tools: RAKES.
20. Joshua __ National Park: TREE.
21. Wound: OFFEND. Tricky.
28. Muslim sect:
SHIISM.
31. "Much __ About Nothing": ADO.
32. Big Ben trio: III.
33. Give a fine edge to: HONE.
34. Regarding: AS TO.
36. Like the president's office: OVAL.
37. "Happy Days" diner: ALS. Well, sort of. Interesting trivia - the
name was actually Arnold's. The diner was originally owned by Arnold (Pat
Morita). After Arnold got married and moved to Japan in the last episode of
season three, Arnold Gets Married, the diner was sold to Al Delvecchio
('Big Al,' played by
Al Molinaro), who remained until the series' end. Al only retained the moniker because
he never bothered to change the sign from the previous owner.
38. Sanjay Gupta's network: CNN.
39. Feel contrition: REPENT. I guess I'm feeling a little nit-picky
today. I was always taught that repent means to turn away. I suppose
that is only a biblical interpretation - learning moment - dictionary says
"feel or express sincere regret or remorse about one's wrongdoing or sin."
44. How much to take: DOSAGE.
45. Jesters: WAGS. Another learning moment. WAG is another name for
clown.
48. Tuscan home of St. Catherine: SIENA.
50. Perfect example: EPITOME.
56. Debtor's informal notes: IOUS.
57. Brownish gray: TAUPE.
58. Co. concerned with net neutrality: ISP. Internet Service
Provider.
59. AC/DC hit with the lyric "Watch me explode!": TNT.
60. Makes do: COPES.
61. Howe'er: THO.
Down:
1. Mixed-breed dog: MUTT.
2. Here and there?: APART. Nice one.
3. "Coco" studio: PIXAR.
4. Images in a beach vacation album: SUNSETS.
5. Salad dressing initialism, to Rachael Ray: EVOO. Extra Virgin Olive
Oil. Yum-o. Love her rustic and open kitchen.
6. Oaf: LUMMOX. "Clumsy, stupid person."
7. Director Roth: ELI. Horror films.
8. Cul-de-__: SAC.
Everything you ever wanted to know about the word cul-de-sac.
9. Request to turn up the volume?: BOOK DRIVE. That's very sneaky.
Volume as in publishing or amount, not as in sound.
10. "T" on a test: TRUE.
11. Foul callers: UMPS.
14. Liquid-Plumr rival: DRANO.
16. Layette buy: ONESIE. Baby's first wardrobe.
17. __-Roman wrestling: GRECO.
22. Off-campus housing: FRAT.
23. Bogart's "Casablanca" hat: FEDORA. Classy.
25. "Brockmire" actress Peet: AMANDA.
26. Primatologist Fossey: DIAN.
27. Riverbed sediment: SILT.
28. Ruler deposed in 1979: SHAH.
In Pictures: Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution.
29. Spanish greeting: HOLA.
30. Like a hastily donned T-shirt, perhaps: INSIDE OUT.
35. Little problem: SNAG. Woops.
36. Drug derived from poppies: OPIATE.
38. Composer Franck: CESAR. New to me.
Wikipedia. So beautiful.
40. Some alimony recipients: EX WIVES.
42. Hungers: LONGS.
43. Starts a hole: TEES UP.
46. "Capisce?": GOT IT.
From the Italian capisci, meaning, do you understand?
47. Big shot on the tennis court: SMASH. Ohhhh - as in a type of stroke
with the racquet.
Ranking the Bad Boys of Tennis.
48. Narrow bit of land at a lagoon entrance, say: SPIT. More
misdirection. In geographical terms, "a narrow point of land projecting into the sea."
49. Par-3 club, usually: IRON.
51. Prop for Frosty: PIPE. Timely clue.
52. Trade show: EXPO.
54. And so forth: Abbr.: ETC.
55. Brazil map word: SAO. Portuguese, masculine noun = Saint.
Note from C.C.:
