google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner

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Apr 2, 2018

Monday April 2, 2018 Brock Wilson

Theme: LEADING QUESTION (62A. It's designed to elicit a certain answer ... or where the end of 17-, 25- and 47-Across may be found) -The end of each theme entry can precede "Question".

17A. Made it possible (for) : LEFT THE DOOR OPEN. Open question.
 
25A. Reason for "Fahrenheit 451" fires : BOOK BURNING. Burning question.

47A. Achieved desired results : DID THE TRICK. Trick question.

Boomer here.  Pleasant thoughts for Argyle and best wishes to all for a pleasant Easter season.  Here in nasty old Minneapolis, we had about three inches of the white stuff on Saturday with a harsh cold wind.  Still waiting for Spring.

Across:
        
1. Smallest chess piece : PAWN - I have to admit that I have watched "Pawn Stars" on the history channel a few times.  Chumlee is pretty disgusting as well as the old man.  I drove by the place a few years ago when in Las Vegas, and there was a line to get in.  Curiosity seekers I suppose.  Back to chess - if you can get that pawn to the other side of the board, it becomes a queen !  A much biffer piece.

5. Intl. alliance with a phonetic alphabet : NATO - A treaty formed by 29 nations.  I think Russia is ticked off because they won't let them in.

9. Test for fit : TRY ON

14. Where to find Columbus : OHIO -  I am not so smart so I googled this and found that there are nine states in the US with a city named after Christopher.  One is in Minnesota!  Don't ask me where, I was surprised to learn this.

15. Surrounded by : AMID

16. Like a wolfman : HAIRY - Not Wolfman Jack of American Graffiti fame, and definitely not Harry Truman.
 
20. Bit of campaign ugliness : SMEAR - It was pretty ugly in 2016, could get worse in the future.

21. In a jittery way : NERVOUSLY

22. Food storage cover : LID - I use mine to cover my eyes at night.

24. Big pic from a small neg. : ENL - sigh, abbreviations

31. Yr.'s dozen : MOS - This is also an acronym for your job in the military service.  Stand for Military Occupation Specialty, I think

34. Smoothie berry : ACAI

35. Pet store cry : MEOW - There is a pet store in a mall near our home, but all I ever see in there is dogs.  Maybe the cats are in a cradle ??

36. Resell exorbitantly, as tickets : SCALP - I guess this is now legal and can be done on line.  For the recent Super Bowl in Minnesota, I think some tickets were going for over $3000.

38. Iowa crop : CORN - Since Iowa is just South of me, I have been there many times.  The corn fields stretch for miles.

39. Extreme fear : PANIC

41. First website page : HOME

42. Last Greek letter : OMEGA - There is that word again.  The acronym for older, more energetic Graybar Associates.  (Gathers every year around February at the Orleans in Las Vegas.)

44. Lucy's sitcom partner : DESI - It's interesting how sitcoms of yesteryear differ from today.  I think Archie Bunker changed things.

45. Neighborhood : AREA

46. Stark in "Game of Thrones" : NED

50. Math basics: Abbr. : NOS -- Another Abbreviation !

51. Tweeter's titter : LOL - I think "Laughing out loud" preceded twitter by 15 years or more.

52. White ursine critter : POLAR BEAR - You crossword experts must have known what Ursine is.  I thought it was something you asked a prospective date regarding the month that they were born.

58. Hand prettifiers : MANIS - Another strange animal not found in Minnesota.

64. Dickens' Drood : EDWIN

65. Garage goop : GUNK

66. Opponent : ANTI

67. Hit __: ran into trouble : A SNAG - I thought this was something that occurred in nylon stockings.  Do women wear them anymore ??

68. Wise, as advice : SAGE - I call this a spice that I load up into turkey stuffing.


69. Twice-monthly 7-Down : NEAP - It's amazing how the moon affects the ocean.  What's even more amazing is how they came up with a word like neap to describe it.

Down:

1. Seasoned senators, say : POLS

2. "If I may say something ... " : AHEM

3. Edith, to Archie : WIFE - Boy the way Glen Miller played, Songs that made the hit parade, guys like us we had it made, Those were the days.

4. Teacher's "Shh!" : NO TALKING - In high school when the room got a little noisy, I had a teacher that would say, (" I don't think I said talk, I might have, I'm not sure.")

5. "Uh-uh" : NAH

6. Confirmation from the congregation : AMEN

7. Ocean phenomenon : TIDE - Named for the Tide brothers, Spring and Neap.

8. Reason for a diaper change : ODOR - A second baseman for the Texas Rangers.  If you think that surname stinks, his given name is Rougned. 


9. Big crowds : THRONGS

10. Phantom's rival, in "The Phantom of the Opera" : RAOUL

11. Pet store cries : YIPS - I knew they had puppies in those places.

12. Baseball's Hershiser : OREL - Probably more amazing than even Sandy Koufax.  I still remember 1988 when Hershiser went 59 INNINGS without allowing a run !  He passed former Dodger Don Drysdale who had 58 2/3.  Orel went to the playoffs that year and threw 8 more zero innings but they are not a part of the official record.  There was a debate about whether the streak could be extended into 1989, but Hershiser ended the issue when he gave up a run in the first inning of 1989.

13. Big Apple address letters : NY NY.  Start spreading the news.

18. Chicago paper, for short : TRIB

19. Toaster __ : OVEN

23. Dilapidated joint : DUMP - I thought the clue was about my knees.  I have never heard a dump called a joint.  (Although there are several beer joints which could be called dumps).

25. Breakfast partner of 55-Down : BACON. 55. See 25-Down : EGGS - Forgot the hash browns and pancakes.

 26. "__, all ye faithful ... " : O COME - More of a Christmas clue than an Easter Monday clue.

27. Rowed : OARED - I am sorry but I never heard anyone say they oared a boat.  P.J. Fleck, new football coach of the Minnesota Gophers is using "Row the boat" as a team spirit slogan.  I'm sure if decided on "Oar the boat" he would be looking for a job.

28. Verify, as totals : RE-ADD - In restaurants, to verify the bill.  Many people do it on their phone.  I remember when phones had dials and were used to talk to others, from your home or office.  NOT WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING YOUR CAR !!!!

29. Octet plus one : NONET

30. "If only" : I WISH - When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are... Jiminy Cricket.

31. New Zealand native : MAORI

32. Early Mesoamerican : OLMEC

33. "Bark, Bowser!" : SPEAK - Jon Bauman is a baby boomer, only six weeks older than I.  You may know him as "Bowser" the lead singer of the group Sha Na Na.

37. Phony : CHARLATAN

40. Sky over Paris : CIEL

43. Loving and devoted, as fans : ADORING

48. Library vol. ID : ISBN - an acronym for book identification that is news to me.

49. Gobbling guys? : TOMS - Wasn't Turkey Lurkey a pal of Henny Penny ?

50. Gymnast Comaneci : NADIA - Everyone remembers Nadia.  I am surprised we don't see Olga in puzzles much.

52. Ardent request : PLEA

53. Voluminous syn. and etym. sources : OEDS. Oxford English Dictionary.

54. Mowed expanse : LAWN - Golf course has too many letters.  I would not call my lawn an expanse.

56. Water color : AQUA

57. Ladder step : RUNG - May you build a ladder to the stars and climb on every rung, and may you stay... forever young.  (Minnesota's own Robert Zimmerman.  You may know him better as Bob Dylan)

59. 29-Down count : NINE

60. Kappa preceder : IOTA - Finally, a four letter word with three vowels

61. Barbershop sound : SNIP

63. Barely make, with "out" : EKE

Boomer