Theme: TRAIL MIX (61. Backpacker's snack, and a hint to the circled letters) - Anagrammed letters of TRAIL span across each theme entry.
17. Astral-shaped wildflower of the American West: STAR LILY.
30. Business sector involving merchandise: RETAIL TRADE.
44. Lionel products: MODEL TRAINS.
Boomer here. Heading down the TRAIL of a Monday crossword.
We had a little Minnesota problem last week. Eight inches of wet snow clogged our satellite dish, but shoveling used up some of TV time anyway. Weather person reported that our average temperature this time of year is 56 degrees. My golf clubs are safe and dry in the garage.
Across:
1. June honorees: PAS. Some are grand!
4. Hissed "Hey!": PSST.
8. Tool for curved cutting: JIGSAW. These puzzles are better than crosswords. I have put together dozens.
14. Devoured, say: ATE. How many eggs did you have for breakfast, Brute ?? I ATE eight.
15. State bordering Lake Erie: OHIO. It's a big lake. I think Michigan and New York are in the mix, but too many letters.
16. Dress like a justice: ENROBE. "All Rise".
19. Whatsit: DOODAD. I have thousands of boondoggle and baseball cards. Will those count?
20. Really impressive, in slang: SICK.
21. Asking for a saucer of milk, maybe: MEOWING.
23. Soft fly ball: BLOOP. It doesn't get any higher.
25. Utmost degree: NTH. It doesn't get any higher than that either.
26. Helpful hint: TIP. Or a few dollars to our newspaper
delivery guy. The news was on our front step around 5:00 AM. Lot of
snow on the ground and driveway at that time. Plus there is not a lot
of traffic on our street. Low priority for the plows.
29. Veer off course: YAW.
35. Performing in person: LIVE. Live from New York, It's Saturday Night!
36. Walking on water, as Jesus did: MIRACLE. Also a WHIP salad dressing.
37. Take for granted: ASSUME. Makes an ASS out of U and ME.
40. Speak under one's breath: MUTTER.
46. Koothrappali on "The Big Bang Theory": RAJ.
49. "Undoubtedly": YES. "You say YES, I say NO, you say why, and I say I don't know" Magical Mystery Tour - The Beatles again.
50. Key next to the space bar: ALT.
51. New Zealand native: MAORI.
53. Cite for speeding: WRITE UP. I got a couple of these when I was young and stupid. Now I am old and slow, but still stupid.
57. Advise of danger: WARN.
58. "Love" concoction: POTION. I took my troubles down to Madame
Rue. You know that Gypsy with the Gold capped tooth. She sold Love
POTION number nine. The Searchers.
63. First in a playoff series: OPENER. World Series Tampa Bay Rays cannot sell beer at the ballpark because they lost the OPENER.
64. Biology lab gel: AGAR.
65. Genesis fruit eater: EVE. The devil made her do it.
66. House speaker Nancy: PELOSI. Two of my sisters live in her district in SF.
67. Ritual flammable pile: PYRE.
68. Checkers color: RED. Not enough spaces for BLACK.
Down:
1. Elapse, as time: PASS BY.
2. Number one Hun: ATTILA. I don't know much about him but I don't want to either.
3. Underwater herbivore: SEA COW. I have seen the SEA and I have seen a COW.
4. D.C. insider: POL. Many many scramblers this week to keep their jobs.
5. Wedge-shaped leveling piece: SHIM.
6. End of Jane or June?: SILENT E. Letter E in Jane or June.
7. RAV4 automaker: TOYOTA. Sorry, we went with a Santa Fe.
8. "Star Wars" warrior: JEDI. I think my son, Bret, had the first three movies memorized.
9. A party to: IN ON. "How do I know, I read it in the Daily News." Tom Paxton. And you thought I only liked the Chad Mitchell Trio.
10. Pirate's rum drink: GROG. "Away, away with rum by gum, the song of the temperance union." Chad Mitchell Trio.
11. Nursery buy: SOD.
12. Lawyer's org.: ABA. I will say nothing about this. I don't want to get sued.
13. Exchange marriage vows: WED. Middle of the week day.
18. Old MGM rival: RKO. We had an RKO Orpheum movie theater in downtown Minneapolis years ago.
22. Sudden fancy: WHIM.
24. Kind of scream: PRIMAL.
26. Diplomacy: TACT.
27. Not scheduled to play, as a pro team: IDLE. When the Santa Fe IDLES, it seems like the engine dies.
28. Look intently (at): PEER. I have no PEERS, they are all better than I.
31. Three-time Wimbledon winner Chris: EVERT. Tennis is kind of a back and forth. Not my favorite.
32. Spanish citrus fruit: LIMON. I think this is a lemon spelled wrong.
33. Obvious observation: TRUISM.
34. Stinkers: RATS. "Good Grief Charlie Brown!"
35. Garage job: LUBE.
37. Football rival of Navy: ARMY. I thought this used to be a Thanksgiving game. It has been moved to December 12, 2020.
38. A tree helps it keep its shape: SHOE. As long as it's not high heeled.
39. Soap bubbles: SUDS. When you say Budweiser...
42. Obnoxious tyke: BRAT. Sounds like a sausage to me.
43. Arrangement of church services: LITURGY. My church still does not want old people with health conditions. Something about Covid-19.
45. Brewpub fixture: ALE TAP. I still drink the Canada Dry Ginger type. It's not on tap. It comes in cans.
46. Aimless sort: ROAMER.
47. Hit the big time: ARRIVE. Last Sunday a famous sportswriter
for the Minneapolis Star Tribune Sid Hartman (Age 100) passed away and
hit the big time. The Monday paper had about 12 pages of tribute
obituary. The Sports section also had a three page obit on the Vikings.
48. Brought bad luck to: JINXED.
52. Hole-making tool: AWL.
53. Skid row denizen: WINO. Not me. When I was allowed to
consume, it was a VO Manhattan on the rocks with cherry juice. After
two of them I quit because I could not say that anymore.
54. Some reddish deer: ROES.
55. Crucifix letters: INRI.
56. Jack who preceded Carson on late-night TV: PAAR. Yes I am old enough to remember Jack.
58. Burst: POP. Diet Pepsi please.
59. Reveal, in verse: OPE.
60. Business card abbr.: TEL.
62. Embitterment: IRE.
Boomer
