theme: city of angels
17A. Recent history : MODERN (LA) TIMES. modern times is also a 1936 silent comedy film staring charlie chaplin as his little tramp character. and i think anyone doing this puzzle knows what the la times is … nice shout out by jeff.
23A. Custom-based rule : UNWRITTEN (LA) LAW. la law was a popular legal drama tv series on nbc that ran from 1986 - 1994.
48A. Ones who refuse to serve, pejoratively : DRAFT (LA) DODGERS. around these parts (sf bay area), dodgers is a pejorative term also. any dodgers fans here?
58A. It's lowered for a touchdown : LANDING (LA) GEAR. LA gear is a shoe company based in los angeles.
37A. Randy Newman song about SoCal, and a hint to the ends of 17-, 23-, 48- and 58-Across : I LOVE LA
los ángeles is spanish for the angels, and nicknamed the city of angels. city of angels is also a 1998 movie starring nicholas cage and meg ryan. it was loosely based on one of my favorite films, wim wenders' 1987 german film wings of desire, about angels that roam the city of berlin. french architect jean nouvel designed a building in prague (47a) that has the image of one of the angels in the german film etched into the glass on the facade. see it?
also, alanis morissette has a track on her havoc and bright lights cd called guardian, that was inspired by wenders' film.
across:
1. Peter Pan rival : SKIPPY. peanut butter.
7. Childish comeback : AM SO. are not.
11. Not-so-big shot? : BB'S. bee bees.
14. Cold War statesman Gromyko : ANDREI. had no idea.
15. Kilauea output : LAVA. one of the most active volcanoes on the planet, on the island of kauai, hawaii.
16. Inning ender : OUT. baseball.
19. Legendary NHL defenseman : ORR. bobby.
20. Irish humanitarian who co-founded U2 : BONO
21. Biblical middle child : ABEL. cain, abel, seth.
22. "Don't look __ like that!" : AT ME
26. Senior moment, e.g. : LAPSE. has anyone else wondered out loud where your cell phone is, to the person you're talking to on your cell phone? me neither.
28. Some Deco prints : ERTES
29. Change for a 50 : TENS
30. Sideways look : LEER
34. Could possibly : MIGHT
36. Balaam's mount : ASS
39. Long-jawed fish : GAR
40. Online buddies, e.g. : USERS
42. Nautilus captain : NEMO
43. Impose, as a tax : LEVY
44. "Maria __": Jimmy Dorsey hit : ELENA. great cover by ry cooder.
46. Alley pickup : SPARE. bowling alley.
52. Cincinnati nine : REDS
53. Wild time : RIOT
54. Seniors' advocacy org. : AARP. american association of retired persons.
57. Actress Gardner : AVA
61. Kipling classic : KIM. novel by rudyard kipling.
62. "Let __!": "Enough!" : IT GO. or not.
63. Find on the dial : TUNE TO
64. Ernie of the PGA : ELS
65. Many August births : LEOS. so timely. btw, thank you for all the sweet birthday wishes on friday.
66. Knitted, as bones : HEALED
down:
1. Tycoon Walton with a club : SAM. sam's club.
2. Drawer pull : KNOB
3. "... and __ it again!" : I'D DO
4. Asset-protection agreements : PRE-NUPS. pre-nuptial.
5. Onetime Argentine power couple : PERONS. juan and eva.
6. Feminine side : YIN.
7. Perp's excuse : ALIBI
8. "Glengarry Glen Ross" playwright : MAMET. david.
9. Lithe : SVELTE
10. Allied gp. since 1948 : OAS. organization of american states.
11. Bathtub gin distiller : BOOTLEGGER
12. Old maker of sequential highway signs : BURMA SHAVE. speaking of angels ...
13. Disperse : STREW
18. La Brea goop : TAR. la brea tar pits, in los angeles.
22. One voting no : ANTI
24. Hardly rare, in restaurants : WELL. well done.
25. First name in household humor : ERMA. bombeck.
26. Selection made with a frown : LESSER EVIL. unless you're mae west.
27. Sierra Nevada photographer : ANSEL ADAMS
29. Crosslike letter : TAU. 19th letter of the greek alphabet.
31. Many ages : EON
32. Genesis outcast : EVE
33. "Shiny Happy People" band : REM
35. Attempt : TRY
37. Common contraction : ISN'T
38. Earn some lovely parting gifts : LOSE. snort.
41. Whistle blowers : REFS. referees.
43. Garfield's favorite food : LASAGNA
45. Commercial charge : AD RATE
47. Place to meet a Czech mate : PRAGUE
48. Male mallard : DRAKE
49. Rock's __ Boingo : OINGO
50. Utter fools : DODOS. but not our dodo.
51. Popular VW model : GTI
55. Fishing partner of 60-Down : REEL
56. Soiree spread : PATE
58. Dogpatch adjective : LIL. abner.
59. Imprecise ordinal : NTH
60. See 55-Down : ROD
Answer grid.
melissa
Answer grid.
melissa
