THEME: Oh Gee, no G.
Each of the four theme answers modifies an existing phrase by removing "G" from the first word of the phrase, and then using a sound alike for the remaining letters. A slight variation on last week's punny theme with each of the four changed words losing the beginning G. We have two 10 letter and two grid spanning fill, all of which present nice visual pun humor. The constructor appears new, and other than it perhaps being a man from Orono, Maine (self shout out?) who wants Dunkin Donuts to stop using styrofoam cups, I know nothing about him. Some nice long non-theme fill like PATROLMAN, ARMSTRONG, ARMOR PLATE, etc., I will let you all discuss the rest. So let's see what this Black Bear has left in our woods,
21A. British bathroom plant? : (G) LOO (GLUE) FACTORY.(10). Does everyone call factories "plants?". Some alliteration to start our theme day.
34A. Review July 4th festivities? : (G) RATE (GREAT) BALLS OF FIRE.(15). The rock and roll CLASSIC (1:48) by Jerry Lee Lewis, the only surviving member of the Million Dollar Quartet. He came and played at the Music Hall in Gainesville back in the 70s, A real thrill to watch him play and to meet him
41A. Headline about rudeness in the House of Lords? : (G)EARL (GIRL) INTERRUPTED. (15). Perhaps it was the Earl of Grantham with his maid Jane. I am only two episodes behind now. I did enjoy this MOVIE.(2:50), but the scenes are very disturbing.
54A. Academy for special operatives? : (G) RAID (GRADE) SCHOOL. I would have clued it as Academy for Exterminators.
And the unifier,
70A. Weightless state, and a hint to 21-, 34-, 41- and 54-Across : ZERO Gravity. Actually there are a number of non-theme "G"s in the grid. Is that GGGGGrrrreat? We do not have J,K,Q,V,W,or X.
Across:
1. F. Scott's spouse : ZELDA. I really enjoyed this MOVIE.(2:04)
6. Major NCAA 8-Down : ACC. Atlantic Coast Conference, the home of Duke, North Carolina and North Carolina State as well as Florida State and Miami. 8D. Sports div. : CONFerence.
9. Buff : TONED. ladies?
14. Homer work : ILIAD. Not Simpson's job at the nuclear plant, but the 9th Century BCE author of this tome and the Odyssey. The books chronicle the tales of Achilles, the Trojan War etc. Among the earliest extant epic poems.
15. 2014 World Cup final site : RIO. The official SITE. The prelims will be played all over Brazil.
16. Home of the NCAA's Black Bears : ORONO. The state university of Maine, and a shout out to our own Mainiac and Hahtoolah.
17. One keeping a beat? : PATROLMAN. Wicked clever clue, can't beat it, you should drum it into your head..
19. Portsmouth pop : PATER. The Latin for father. Mater, pater, very snobby.
20. Narrow strip : SLAT.
23. Center of attention : STAR. Our sun is a star. The clecho, 38A. Center of attention : IDOL.
25. At that point : THEN.
26. Medical office responses : AHS. Open your mouth and say....Less invasive than "Cough." Just worry when he has hands on both shoulders.
29. Bass player's tool : AMPlifier. Only if he plays the electric bass.
30. "Wheel of Fortune" buy : AN E.
31. Wriggly swimmer : EEL.
39. Man on a mission : AGT. Agent like 007.
40. Disney duck princess : OONA. Not Mrs. Chaplin but a cave woman Duck introduced into the Donald Duck saga. Remind anyone of a famous caveman in comics?
46. Mucky place : STY. Is mucky really a word? Yucky too.
47. Actress West : MAE. She was an original who wrote many of her own lines. CLIP.(1:52)
48. Tool for some summer Olympians : OAR. I bet they are used by the ones who row.
49. Barnyard beast : ASS. It is a real burden to not say something nasty.
50. Home in the woods : LAIR. Do all world animals live in the woods?
52. Summer sunset hour : NINE. It is interesting how that varies from time zones and proximity to the equator.
58. Kuala Lumpur locale : ASIA. So easy, but it took a bit.
62. Long bones : ULNAS. So many choices, even fingers are long bones; they are longer than they are wide.
63. Musician for whom New Orleans's airport is named : ARMSTRONG. Symbol is still MSY. The great LOUIS.
65. Attack from all sides : SIEGE. Hmm, attack?
66. Big name in casual wear : LEE. Just ask Bret Favre.
67. Thomas associate : ALITO. Two of the nine current US Supreme Court Justices.
68. Gave quite a shock? : TASED. This too was from GAINESVILLE.(2:24).
69. In support of : FOR.
Down:
1. Closes, in a way : ZIPS. Especially if you use Ziploc products.
2. Mideast carrier : EL AL. The Israeli airline used to a very common fill.
3. Rocker Ford : LITA. She has done some powerful SONGS (4:39) after starting out along with Joan Jett and others in a made to fit band, the Runaways when she was a teenager.
4. The maximum score with three of them is 180 : DARTS. The center bull's eye is only 50 points, so it from the the triple 20, that you can achieve the highest score. Now explain why 3 darts and we know all.
5. Fuss : ADO. But do not make a big deal about it.
6. Bank truck protector : ARMOR PLATE. Nice 10 letter fill.
7. "Bye!" : CIAO. Chow chow? Those Italians do like to eat.
9. Show with a "Just Desserts" spin-off : TOP CHEF. My dessert would be chocolate covered....
10. Grandstand, say : ORATE. Ehh; to me as a stand alone, the word means either to show off, or a place people sit to watch a game.
11. Absolutely none : NOT ONE IOTA. Another long fill.
12. Steven Chu's Cabinet dept. : ENERgy. As far as I know, he is the only cabinet member to ever have won a Nobel Prize.
13. Small craft : DORY. A handsome craft, it is hunky-dory.
18. Andean creature : LLAMA.
The Lama
22. "...___ additional cost!" : AT NO. Yes, clues revealed and free poetry.
The Lama
The one-l lama,
He's a priest.
The two-l llama,
He's a beast.
And I will bet
A silk pajama
There isn't any
Three-l lllama.*- Ogden Nash
Of course in Boston, a big fire can e a three alllamah.
22. "...___ additional cost!" : AT NO. Yes, clues revealed and free poetry.
24. Looseleaf divider feature : TAB.
26. Pisces follower : ARIES.
27. Went after : HAD AT.
28. They may have twists : STORY LINES. A nice clue for a simple answer.
32. Maritime birds : ERNES.
33. Has followers : LEADS.
35. 90-degree turn : ELL.
36. Clothing catalog choice: Abbr. : LGE.
42. "My aim was off" : I MISSED.
43. Buster : NARC. Never in a million years without the perps, even though the clue/fill are straightforward with one who busts (buster) being a narc.
44. Roller coaster guides : RAILS.
45. Spigoted vessel : URN. The coffee ones, not the Grecian or the one with Aunt Agatha's ashes.
51. Bit of wisdom : ADAGE.
53. Baseball Hall of Famer Combs : EARLE. Probably the least known of the Yankees dynasty in the 20's but he was a great BALLPLAYER. Not related to Robert Crawley.
54. Deteriorate, in a way : RUST.
55. Et ___ : ALIA.
56. Word seen twice on some dairy cartons : HALF. Do you us Half and Half or powdered stuff?
57. Dipped cookie : OREO. Got milk? I am lactose intolerant. These two are the dairy section of the puzzle.
59. Évian evening : SOIR. The place in France where night is SOIR with rhymes with NOIR, black
60. Excited by : INTO. I am into words.
61. Dumbfounded : AGOG. They often leave me dumbfounded?
64. Toon devil : TAZ. Tasmanian devils are assimilating.
Well we are off on a new month (January is gone!) today is the anniversary of both my parents and grand parents; time to get ready for Phil. Lemonade out.
Well we are off on a new month (January is gone!) today is the anniversary of both my parents and grand parents; time to get ready for Phil. Lemonade out.
