18-Across. "Take your time" : NICE AND EASY. I immediately thought of this.
24-Across. 1993 film loosely based on the Jamaican bobsled team : COOL RUNNINGS. I never saw the film, but who doesn't know the team?!?
46-Across. NCAA regional semifinals, familiarly : SWEET SIXTEEN. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Basketball.
55-Across. Green-skinned movie villain : WICKED WITCH. From "The Wizard of Oz."
In this puzzle, the reveal is placed smack in the middle of the grid:
37-Across. Beginning auspiciously ... like 18-, 24-, 46- and 55-Across? : OFF TO A GOOD START. The theme refers to synonyms, or slang terms, for "GOOD." NICE is easily substituted for GOOD. COOL and SWEET are relatively modern slang terms. But I was surprised to find out that WICKED as a synonym for "good" is regional to Boston! (OK, I confess - I have used the term.)
Across
1. Scavenging seabird : ERN.
4. "You gotta be kidding me!" : AW, MAN!
9. "Cast Away" star : HANKS. Other than "Wilson," his
14. With 12-Down, Rodin sculpture : THE. and 12-Down. See 14-Across : KISS.
"The Kiss"
15. "__ the big deal?" : WHAT'S.
16. Bustling : ABOIL.
17. Sound that may be averted by holding one's breath : HIC. Or not drinking the whole bottle...
20. Machu Picchu dweller : INCA.
22. Mashed taro, mostly : POI. The only other ingredient is water!
23. Promising words : OATHS.
27. Cry : WEEP.
28. Graphic beginning? : GEO.graphic.
29. Sass : LIP.
32. Watch carefully : GUARD.
34. Equipped : ABLE.
36. __ wave : SINE.
40. Works on, as homework : DOES.
41. Vocalist Vannelli : GINO. Never heard of him.
42. Heavy reading? : TOMES. Literally!
43. Ukr., once : SSR. Soviet Socialist Republic. Ukraine ceased to be one with the dissolution in 1991.
44. Disney World visitor's airport, on bag tags : ORL.ando.
45. Bluish hue : CYAN. RGB = 0, 255, 255.
51. Acadia National Park locale : MAINE. Gimme!
53. Word with game or room : WAR.
54. Like lingerie models : SEXY. I would have added the word "most" before "lingerie models."
58. __City: computer game : SIM.
59. Bull on a glue container : ELMER. Borden's originally made ELMER's glue. Elmer was so named because he was supposedly the mate of "Elsie" the cow, another Borden's logo.
60. Beaufort __ : SCALE. Measurement of wind force.
61. World Cup cheer : OLÉ.
62. Anoint : BLESS.
63. Celebrated 2014 sports retiree : JETER. Derek is playing his 20th (and final) season with the New York Yankees, winning many awards during his stint.
64. Site site : NET.
Down
1. Moral code : ETHIC.
2. Safari sight : RHINO.
3. Colorful candy since 1847 : NECCO WAFER. NECCO = New England Confectionary Company. Their plant in Revere, MA is unmistakeable.
4. Grass bristle : AWN.
5. Throw together : WHIP UP. I like to WHIP UP a frittata every so often, throwing together whatever I have in the 'fridg.
6. Georgia's __-Bibb County : MACON. Bibb county just merged with MACON this year, after the referendum was approved in 2012.
7. Enjoyed some home cooking : ATE IN.
8. Codebreaker's org. : NSA. National Security Agency.
9. Tried one's hand : HAD A GO.
10. Provides inside information for, say : ABETS.
11. 2014 Russell Crowe title role : NOAH. Have not seen this latest epic from director Aronofsky.
13. Foxy : SLY.
19. "You don't have to" : NO NEED.
21. They may be red : ALERTS.
25. More than modify : REDO. Would that be a "mulligan," Husker G.?
26. Dome-shaped abode : IGLOO.
29. "Love Actually" co-star : LIAM NEESON. It's all about love...actually.
30. Memo words : IN RE.
31. Chinchillas, at times : PETS.
32. "American __": Neil Gaiman novel : GODS. Hugo and Nebula award-winning fantasy novel. Anyone read it?
33. Sci-fi staples : UFOS.
34. Like acrobats : AGILE. I would have added the word "most" before "acrobats."
35. "__ appétit!" : BON.
36. Weasel kin : STOATS.
38. "It's a deal!" : AGREED.
39. Charon's river : STYX.
44. Title holders : OWNERS.
45. Group with a common bond : CIRCLE.
46. "Oliver Twist" bad guy : SIKES. Despicable "friend" of Fagan's, who beat his dog until the dog needed stitches. He got his just desserts in the end, though.
47. Double : TWICE.
48. Grabbed a stool next to : SAT AT.
49. Banishment : EXILE.
50. Queens athlete, for short : NY MET.
51. Flour producer : MILL.
52. Peak : ACME. It's always an apex/ACME dilemma for me.
55. Site site : WEB.
56. Paper with NYSE news : WSJ. New York Stock Exchange news is covered in the Wall Street Journal.
57. Part of HRH : HER. Royal Highness.
That's all for now!
Marti
Happy Birthday to Marti's husband Allen! Hope you can take a day off working on the next door house and enjoy this special day.
Allen (Ole Miss alum) mentioned he yelled this when he was 8 years old:
Hotty Toddy
Are you ready?
Hell yea!
Damn right!
Hotty Toddy, gosh almighty,
Who the hell are we?
HEY!
Flim Flam, Bim Bam, OLE MISS GOD DAMN!
