Theme: OLA mi amigos y amigas:
A Friday offering from one of our favorite puzzle makers. I can hear the joy in Hahtoolah's voice already. Each of the theme answers has OLA added to create a new and whimsical phrase. A very tight puzzle with low word and block count, and some excellent long fill such as CATHODE, CHARITY, ROSIEST, STAYS AT, FUNNY LADY, SEMICOLON. The theme are two across and two down, with the reveal dead center, creating another visually pleasing grid. Not too much deception, just solid fill and cluing.
20A. Catch that's burnt sienna and cerulean? : CRAYOLA FISH. CRAYFISH (or crawfish, or crawdads) are lobster like creatures and burnt sienna and cerulean are colors in the really big box of crayola crayons.
53A. Result of Pepsi shortages? : COLA RATIONS. C Rations are now passe, replaced with MREs, but the prospect of having to ration Pepsi probably would upset some. Like mb's TENG, you have to see how to parse the answer or it becomes very hard.
11D. Bootblack's buffer : SHINOLA PAD. I do not know if this brand of shoe polish is till sold, but then again, I don't know S*** from Shinola, though I would wear a shin pad if I played soccer.
29D. Spec on an architect's blueprint? : CUPOLA SIZE. The funny little things on top of houses, churches etc. Dennis will deliver his scintillating lecture later on CUP SIZE and sensitivity.
37A. Paid endorsement, in slang, and an apt title for this puzzle : PLUGOLA. I am much more familiar with the term PAYOLA, for what DJ's were paid to play certain records, but this is the unifier.
Across:
1. AOL and NetZero : ISPS. Internet Service Providers.
5. Alley biters : CURS. The wild dogs which haunt and hunt in alleys.
9. Like some questions : YES/NO. TRUE/FALSE, most cross-examination is intended to be yes no.
14. Medieval defense : MOAT. Kinda out of style with flying ships and artillery.
15. Slim woodwind : OBOE.
16. Having a designated assignment : AD HOC. LINK.
17. Intangible quality : AURA. The tree huggers are forever seeing people's aurae.
18. Rise dramatically : LOOM. This was tricky, even though accurate, as in the specter of doom loomed over Gotham City.
19. Capital name derived from an Arabic term for "the conqueror" : CAIRO. A learning moment for me.
24. Peevish mood : SNIT. I always picture marti in a snit when she finds a nit.
25. Battery terminal : CATHODE. You need to know ions and positive and negative charges, I will let one of our resident experts expatiate.
27. Not just search for : LOCATE.
30. Adenoid, e.g. : TONSIL. When I was young it was quite common to have all of your adenoids and tonsils removed, these tissue caused problems. I still have all of mine.
31. Reclassification of 2006 : PLUTO. It lost its status as a planet, which so far has not been accepted by astrologers.
33. One of the Smurfs : PAPA. How blue are you?
36. The world total was approx. $70 trillion in 2011 : GDP. Gross Domestic Product.
40. Say nothing good about : PAN. Made famous by critics. This usage may come from the term panning for gold, from which also get, it did not pan out.
41. Dating from : AS OF.
43. "___ uncertain world..." : IN AN. The book, the movie?
44. Hit on the head : BRAIN. Pretty logical.
46. Napery : LINENS. Same root as Napkin.
48. Charley, in Steinbeck's "Travels With Charley" : POODLE. A standard, not a toy.
49. Tax-exempt entity, usually : CHARITY. There are so many tax exempts.
51. Ergo : THUS. How simple and perfect.
52. "___ So Fine": Chiffons hit : HE'S. A Classic TUNE.(1:51)
58. Roll out of bed : ARISE.
60. Dollar alternative : AVIS. Another deception, as who thinks rental cars first.
61. Airline with blue-striped jets : EL AL. The colors of Israel.
62. Slips through the cracks : OOZES. Fun clue.
63. They may be loaded : DICE. Tinman and his friends just would not fit.
64. Rest area rester : SEMI. Truck stop would have been too easy.
65. Dog in a horned helmet : SNERT. Hagar the Horrible's dog, or Snot Nosed Egotistical Rude Teen-ager.
66. Chatty bovines? : YAKS. Nice play on the meanings of YAK.
67. Nailed obliquely : TOED. Splynter can give you all the expert info.
Down:
1. Eye-catching Apple : IMAC. Is this and I to eye pun?
2. Grow displeased : SOUR. We are barely on the downs, so hang in there.
3. Normal beginning? : PARAnormal. A movie as well.
4. Patronizes, in a way : STAYS AT. The best way to patronize an inn or hotel.
5. Herding dog : COLLIE. Lassie, where are you?
6. Member of the Kaiser's fleet : U-BOAT.
7. Heliport site : ROOF. The need to land high to avoid power lines.
8. Wink without batting an eye? : SEMICOLON. ;) LOL. (From C.C.: My mistake earlier. Lemonade had the correct sign earlier.)
9. Marina Del Rey craft : YACHTS.
10. Author LeShan : EDA. Sorry, H. but “When we cannot bear to be alone, it means we do not properly value the only companion we will have from birth to death - ourselves.” ― Eda LeShan
12. "Wargames" org. : NORAD. North American Aerospace Defense Command is not a true Acronym, even though there is an R in there somewhere.
13. Carol start : O COME. all ye faithful.
21. Victorious : ON TOP. But not always necessary.
22. Common '80's-'90s failure : S AND L. Savings and Loan. Such complicated times.
26. Cool : HIP.
27. Stacy Lewis's org. : LPGA. Ladies Professional Golf Association, Stacy overcame scoliosis to make it to the top of the sport, though 15 year old Lydia Ko from NZ seems ready to brush all aside.
28. Auto pioneer : OLDS. This famous RANSOM.
30. Senate wear : TOGAS. Romans, not ours.
32. 1975 film sequel : FUNNY LADY. Sequel to Funny Girl, both Barbra Streisand vehicles based on the life of Fanny Brice.
34. Water holder : PAIL. On my bucket list.
38. Deceive : LIE TO.
39. Near : ABOUT. Why do I hear this word in my head said by a Canadian, Eh?
42. Cone home : FIR. Cone home, E.T.
45. Least pessimistic : ROSIEST. Ah, we fall into a good mood whether we want one or not.
45. Least pessimistic : ROSIEST. Ah, we fall into a good mood whether we want one or not.
47. Superlatively sweet : NICEST. marti's picture is next to this word in the dictionary.
48. Stages : PHASES. n excuse for bad behavior.
49. Opposite of order : CHAOS. I love Jeff Goldblum as the Chaos theoretician in Jurassic Park.
50. Shoebill's cousin : HERON. You can see how birds came from dinosaurs.
51. Ruse : TRICK. Or treat!
54. New Balance rival : AVIA. Are they hanging in with the inroads from Nike and Sketchers?
55. Dairy bar : OLEO. Misleading but already in by perps.
56. Identify : NAME. I loved the Lloyd Thaxton show where you had to identify songs, like Name That Tune for Rock and Roll.
57. Decreases : SLID. Well my energy is sliding into oblivion.
59. Msg. from the Bible : SERmon.
Well I guess my preaching for the day is done, so go and enjoy your day and the holiday if you celebrate the Presidents. I want to welcome all the newbies again. It is fun to watch the Corner evolve and survive.
Lemonade
Note from C.C.:
Happy Birthday to our Hondo Hurricane, an avid San Francisco Giants fan since 1948, rookie season of Clinton Hartung whose nickname is "The Hondo Hurricane". Hondo also deals with vintage baseball cards. I bet he has touched or even sold a Topps '52 Mantle. The closest I've ever been to that card is seeing it under a glass case at a card show. $1600 price tag. I can't remember its exact grading.
Well I guess my preaching for the day is done, so go and enjoy your day and the holiday if you celebrate the Presidents. I want to welcome all the newbies again. It is fun to watch the Corner evolve and survive.
Lemonade
Note from C.C.:
Happy Birthday to our Hondo Hurricane, an avid San Francisco Giants fan since 1948, rookie season of Clinton Hartung whose nickname is "The Hondo Hurricane". Hondo also deals with vintage baseball cards. I bet he has touched or even sold a Topps '52 Mantle. The closest I've ever been to that card is seeing it under a glass case at a card show. $1600 price tag. I can't remember its exact grading.
