Theme: BE ON THE BALL (38A. Demonstrate effectiveness, and a literal hint to the puzzle theme found in the answers to starred clues) - The embedded word BE in each theme answer is placed directly above/on the embedded BALL in the grid. See the circled illustration.
14A. *First family member: ABEL. The middle son of Adam and Eve. Biblical "First family".
17A. *Old street corner singer: BALLADEER
21A. *Arthur in a dress: BEA. I know Bea Arthur. But why "in a dress"?
25A. *Receptacle for choice slips: BALLBALLOT BOX
47A. *Brit. award: OBE (Order of the British Empire)
55A. *Danseur noble's partner: BALLERINA. Danseur noble is male ballet dancer.
62A. *Ball honorees: BELLES. Ball should not be in the clue as it's part of the theme answers.
65A. *Southwestern horseman: CABALLERO. New word to me. Hey, Chuck of the West!
A solid CEE, Gary! It would be utterly cool if all the embedded BEs in the grid followed the same pattern. The "starred clues" in the unifying theme answer did not prevent me from noticing the BEs in OBESE (70. Extra large?) or BENT (25. Inclination). They went rogue.
I'll still shout an OLE (6D. 65-Across's "Bravo!") for the creative theme concept and for including our unofficial blog mushroom MOREL (8D. Provençal cuisine delicacies) in the grid. Don't know why they are "Provençal cuisine delicacies". Morel are prized every where, with the delicate flavor and high prices. Maybe because the French put morels in coq au vin?
You might have noticed that not all the theme answers are symmetrical, unlike the Will Nediger "Watch the Birdie" puzzle we had last June. Birdie is ONE UNDER PAR in golf. And Will put ONE under PAR in 10 different places, all symmetrically. Just perfect. Like today's explanatory answer BE ON THE BALL, Will's ONE UNDER PAR is also positioned in the very heart of the grid.
An easier Friday for me. Thee/four letter fill aplenty. My favorite clue today is PICABO ( 11D. Street going downhill?). Picabo Street was a skier. Her name is pronounced like "Peekaboo".
Across:
1. __ St Ives: Cornwall museum: TATE. I only knew the two Tate galleries in London (Tate Britain and Tate Modern). Wikipedia says the Tate also has a museum in Liverpool.
5. Drift: ROAM
9. Caught on video: TAPED. Poor John Edwards.
15. Muppet who testified before Congress: ELMO. In 2002. For increased funding in music education. Nice to learn this trivia.
16. Spry: AGILE
19. Director De Mille: CECIL. His last film is "The Ten Commandments".
20. Keys: ISLETS
23. Orkan sign-off word: NANU. Mork always signs off with "Nanu-nanu" ("goodbye"). From "Mink & Mindy". Learned from doing crossword.
27. Publisher often seen in PJs: HEF. Hugh Hefner. Publisher of the "Playboy".
28. Park, in NYC: AVE. Park Ave.
30. Cpl.'s superior: SGT
31. Valuable rock: ORE. Wrote down GEM first.
32. Mine entrance: ADIT. Like this.
34. Cover letter letters: ENC (Enclosed/Enclosure)
36. Diamond stat: ERA
42. Farm dweller: ANT. Ant Farm. Got the intersecting A from TEA (33. Drink from a bag) quickly, so I did not think of EWE or anybody else.
43. Musical ability: EAR
44. D.C. fundraisers: PACS (Political Action Committees)
52. Eastern principle: TAO. Literally "way" in Cantonese. Mandarin Chinese is DAO. Japanese is do, as in Judo ("gentle way").
54. "Murder, __ Wrote": SHE
58. Eucharist plate: PATEN. To put bread on. I simply forgot.
60. Culinary author Rombauer: IRMA. Author of the "Joy of Cooking". I tend to mix her up with Erma Bombeck the humorist.
61. 63-Across hdg.: ENE. And STORM (63A. Besiege)
67. Musher's wear: PARKA
68. Abbr. that shortens text: ET AL
69. Gossip columnist Cassini: IGOR. Brother of OLEG, the only Cassini I know of.
71. Con: SHAM. So is SCAM first.
72. Three-part nos.: SSNS. Social Security Numbers.
Down:
14A. *First family member: ABEL. The middle son of Adam and Eve. Biblical "First family".
17A. *Old street corner singer: BALLADEER
21A. *Arthur in a dress: BEA. I know Bea Arthur. But why "in a dress"?
25A. *Receptacle for choice slips: BALLBALLOT BOX
47A. *Brit. award: OBE (Order of the British Empire)
55A. *Danseur noble's partner: BALLERINA. Danseur noble is male ballet dancer.
62A. *Ball honorees: BELLES. Ball should not be in the clue as it's part of the theme answers.
65A. *Southwestern horseman: CABALLERO. New word to me. Hey, Chuck of the West!
A solid CEE, Gary! It would be utterly cool if all the embedded BEs in the grid followed the same pattern. The "starred clues" in the unifying theme answer did not prevent me from noticing the BEs in OBESE (70. Extra large?) or BENT (25. Inclination). They went rogue.
I'll still shout an OLE (6D. 65-Across's "Bravo!") for the creative theme concept and for including our unofficial blog mushroom MOREL (8D. Provençal cuisine delicacies) in the grid. Don't know why they are "Provençal cuisine delicacies". Morel are prized every where, with the delicate flavor and high prices. Maybe because the French put morels in coq au vin?
You might have noticed that not all the theme answers are symmetrical, unlike the Will Nediger "Watch the Birdie" puzzle we had last June. Birdie is ONE UNDER PAR in golf. And Will put ONE under PAR in 10 different places, all symmetrically. Just perfect. Like today's explanatory answer BE ON THE BALL, Will's ONE UNDER PAR is also positioned in the very heart of the grid.
An easier Friday for me. Thee/four letter fill aplenty. My favorite clue today is PICABO ( 11D. Street going downhill?). Picabo Street was a skier. Her name is pronounced like "Peekaboo".
Across:
1. __ St Ives: Cornwall museum: TATE. I only knew the two Tate galleries in London (Tate Britain and Tate Modern). Wikipedia says the Tate also has a museum in Liverpool.
5. Drift: ROAM
9. Caught on video: TAPED. Poor John Edwards.
15. Muppet who testified before Congress: ELMO. In 2002. For increased funding in music education. Nice to learn this trivia.
16. Spry: AGILE
19. Director De Mille: CECIL. His last film is "The Ten Commandments".
20. Keys: ISLETS
23. Orkan sign-off word: NANU. Mork always signs off with "Nanu-nanu" ("goodbye"). From "Mink & Mindy". Learned from doing crossword.
27. Publisher often seen in PJs: HEF. Hugh Hefner. Publisher of the "Playboy".
28. Park, in NYC: AVE. Park Ave.
30. Cpl.'s superior: SGT
31. Valuable rock: ORE. Wrote down GEM first.
32. Mine entrance: ADIT. Like this.
34. Cover letter letters: ENC (Enclosed/Enclosure)
36. Diamond stat: ERA
42. Farm dweller: ANT. Ant Farm. Got the intersecting A from TEA (33. Drink from a bag) quickly, so I did not think of EWE or anybody else.
43. Musical ability: EAR
44. D.C. fundraisers: PACS (Political Action Committees)
52. Eastern principle: TAO. Literally "way" in Cantonese. Mandarin Chinese is DAO. Japanese is do, as in Judo ("gentle way").
54. "Murder, __ Wrote": SHE
58. Eucharist plate: PATEN. To put bread on. I simply forgot.
60. Culinary author Rombauer: IRMA. Author of the "Joy of Cooking". I tend to mix her up with Erma Bombeck the humorist.
61. 63-Across hdg.: ENE. And STORM (63A. Besiege)
67. Musher's wear: PARKA
68. Abbr. that shortens text: ET AL
69. Gossip columnist Cassini: IGOR. Brother of OLEG, the only Cassini I know of.
71. Con: SHAM. So is SCAM first.
72. Three-part nos.: SSNS. Social Security Numbers.
Down:
1. "Bewitched" role: TABITHA. No idea. I've only heard of ENDORA.
2. Hangdog: ABASHED. See unabashed more often.
3. Lie: TELL A FIB.
4. Actress Barkin: ELLEN. Somehow I don't think she is Dennis's type.
5. Ruby and others: REDS. My first reaction was DEES.
7. Microscopic organism: AMEBA
9. Middle x: TAC. "Middle x" in the game of Tic- Tac-toe. And ALGEBRA (22D. Course with x's). Nice x echo.
10. One taking a little off the top?: AGENT. Delicious clue!
12. Emma's "Sense and Sensibility" role: ELINOR. Played by Emma Thompson.
13. Ritzy: DELUXE
18. Aleutian island: ATKA. Or ATTU.
26. Other, in Spain: OTRA. Sometimes it's OTRO.
29. Risky undertaking: VENTURE
2. Hangdog: ABASHED. See unabashed more often.
3. Lie: TELL A FIB.
4. Actress Barkin: ELLEN. Somehow I don't think she is Dennis's type.
5. Ruby and others: REDS. My first reaction was DEES.
7. Microscopic organism: AMEBA
9. Middle x: TAC. "Middle x" in the game of Tic- Tac-toe. And ALGEBRA (22D. Course with x's). Nice x echo.
10. One taking a little off the top?: AGENT. Delicious clue!
12. Emma's "Sense and Sensibility" role: ELINOR. Played by Emma Thompson.
13. Ritzy: DELUXE
18. Aleutian island: ATKA. Or ATTU.
26. Other, in Spain: OTRA. Sometimes it's OTRO.
29. Risky undertaking: VENTURE
35. Fidel's friend: CHE (Guevara). Fidel Castro. Not dog.
37. Finsteraarhorn, e.g.: ALP. Finsteraarhorn unknown to me. The highest peak of the Bernese Alps. Located in S central Switzerland.
39. Start of many a story: ONCE. Once upon a time.
40. "Do I dare to __ peach?": Eliot: EAT A. I know what's going on in your mind, Argyle!
41. Near-exhaustion metaphor: LAST LEGS. Idiom: on one's last legs.
45. Root for: CHEER ON
46. Radar guns, e.g.: SENSORS
47. San Luis __, California: OBISPO. Literally "bishop" in Spanish.
48. Bill for shots: BAR TAB. Drink "shots".
49. Author Leonard: ELMORE. He once said "Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip."
51. Chops finely: MINCES
53. European auto: OPEL. Still belonged to GM, after the turmoil.
56. Carefree diversions: LARKS
57. Bard's "below": 'NEATH
59. "__ forgiven": ALL IS
64. West who said "To err is human, but it feels divine": MAE. Lois is the Mae West of our blog.
66. Repeated nursery rhyme opener: BAA. "Baa, Baa, black sheep...". No nursery rhyme in my childhood. Brought up by my grandma who was completely illiterate.
Thank you for the nice comments on my husband's blogging yesterday. He had fun reading them last night.
And to those who still google the old "Star Tribune Crossword Corner" blog title or the current "LA Times Crossword Corner" to find us every day, why not come to the Comments section and let your voice be heard? Here is detailed instruction on how to get your profile and turn blue. Come join us for the fun!
Answer grid.
C.C.
37. Finsteraarhorn, e.g.: ALP. Finsteraarhorn unknown to me. The highest peak of the Bernese Alps. Located in S central Switzerland.
39. Start of many a story: ONCE. Once upon a time.
40. "Do I dare to __ peach?": Eliot: EAT A. I know what's going on in your mind, Argyle!
41. Near-exhaustion metaphor: LAST LEGS. Idiom: on one's last legs.
45. Root for: CHEER ON
46. Radar guns, e.g.: SENSORS
47. San Luis __, California: OBISPO. Literally "bishop" in Spanish.
48. Bill for shots: BAR TAB. Drink "shots".
49. Author Leonard: ELMORE. He once said "Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip."
51. Chops finely: MINCES
53. European auto: OPEL. Still belonged to GM, after the turmoil.
56. Carefree diversions: LARKS
57. Bard's "below": 'NEATH
59. "__ forgiven": ALL IS
64. West who said "To err is human, but it feels divine": MAE. Lois is the Mae West of our blog.
66. Repeated nursery rhyme opener: BAA. "Baa, Baa, black sheep...". No nursery rhyme in my childhood. Brought up by my grandma who was completely illiterate.
Thank you for the nice comments on my husband's blogging yesterday. He had fun reading them last night.
And to those who still google the old "Star Tribune Crossword Corner" blog title or the current "LA Times Crossword Corner" to find us every day, why not come to the Comments section and let your voice be heard? Here is detailed instruction on how to get your profile and turn blue. Come join us for the fun!
Answer grid.
C.C.
