Saturday Themeless by Jamey Smith
This is my eighth Saturday Themeless Puzzle of Jamey's I have blogged. He is a former Texas University employe and always supplies a puzzle full of charm and learning. I fished around for a while for a start and then the gimme long fills in the SE corner sent me firmly on my way to the finish. My only bad cell was at TOMAT_LLOS/CI_. I had no idea about that CIA school and my spin of the vowel roulette wheel failed me.Across:
1. Mark for good: ETCH.
5. Toon canary's foe: PUDDY TAT - SYLVESTER had one two many letters for Tweety's nemesis
13. NYC nabe: SOHO - An area south of Houston (HOW stun) St. in Manhattan
14. Grand Canal conveyance: VAPORETTO - We rode on a gondola and VAPORETTO (background) in Venice but had no idea of the name of the latter.
15. Fill: LOAD - Here are some railroad cars getting LOADED with coal that may wind up in my town to keep my a/c going. 🔌
16. Crime fiction by Jo Nesbo, e.g.: NORDIC NOIR - Little by little this unknown made sense to me. Spelling his name Nesbø might have helped. The title of this book translates to Cockroaches in Norwegian.
17. Sushi order with avocado "scales": DRAGON ROLL.
19. Bankable vacation hrs.: PTO - Paid Time Off. Since we're not likely to see farm equipment here, I thought I'd offer a different PTO.
20. Book with "Solitude" and "The Pond in Winter" chapters: WALDEN - This classic Thoreau book struck me when I carefully reread the chapter names. Pond - duh!
21. Happy cry: YAY.
23. Wipe: ERASE - I love this drawing I found while subbing last year!
23. Wipe: ERASE - I love this drawing I found while subbing last year!
24. Pipe choice, initially: PVC - Poly Vinyl Chloride. Quite a difference.
31. QB mishap: INT - One measure of good QB's is their Touchdown/Interception ratio. Here are the leaders through this past year
32. First name in the Basketball Hall of Fame: KAREEM - In high school, college and his first years as a pro Kareem Abdul Jabbar went by the name of Lew Alcindor.
35. River in a Best Picture title: KWAI - The Colonel Bogey March from Bridge On The River KWAI is one of the best movie themes ever and can be a genuine ear worm.
36. After-dinner talk?: WHAT'S FOR DESSERT 😀
39. Time pieces: EONS.
40. Convincing: COGENT.
42. Fighting words?: IT'S ON.
44. Govt. agent: FED.
45. Change one's pants?: ALTER 😀
47. G, in the key of C: SOL 😀
44. Govt. agent: FED.
45. Change one's pants?: ALTER 😀
47. G, in the key of C: SOL 😀
50. Sound of reproof: TSK.
53. Salsa verde base: TOMATILLOS - Despite the name (tomatillo means “little tomato” in Spanish), tomatillos are not tomatoes but a separate species
57. Bird that appears on the Australian $20 banknote: KOOKABURRA - No emus or ostriches here
59. Ceremonial promises: I DO'S
61. "Gorgeous!": OOH PRETTY.
62. Mar liquid: AGUA - Spanish for seawater is AGUA de mar
63. Skittish sorts on TV?: SNL HOSTS 😀 Some are definitely not ready for prime time but are simply the celebrity de jour.
64. Catches: NETS.
61. "Gorgeous!": OOH PRETTY.
62. Mar liquid: AGUA - Spanish for seawater is AGUA de mar
63. Skittish sorts on TV?: SNL HOSTS 😀 Some are definitely not ready for prime time but are simply the celebrity de jour.
64. Catches: NETS.
Down:
1. Common adult ed offering: ESL.
2. Cole Porter song whose lyrics mention the Kinsey Report: TOO DARN HOT.
According to the Kinsey Report, ev'ry average man you knowMuch prefers his lovey-dovey to courtWhen the temperature is lowBut when the thermometer goes 'way upAnd the weather is sizzling hotMister, pants for romance is not
3. Mountebanks: CHARLATANS - late 16th century: from Italian montambanco, from the imperative phrase monta in banco! ‘climb on the bench!’ (with allusion to the raised platform used to attract an audience). You're welcome. 
4. San Diego burger chain whose name comes from surfing slang: HODADS - Name for ones who don't surf but hang out on the beach pretending to be surfers.
5. Vikander's "Firebrand" role: PARR - Alicia Vikander plays Catherine PARR, the sixth wife of Henry VIII the only one who outlived him. Two weeks ago Catherine PARR was referenced here as one of the characters in the stage play Six.
7. Lacy mat: DOILY.
8. Inspector Gadget's nemesis: DR. CLAW - I had no idea but it slowly worked itself out.
9. Craving: YEN.
10. Muscle car feature: T-TOP - I had TACH for a long time.
11. Quarreling: AT IT.
12. Fatty cut at a sushi bar: TORO - Toro in Japanese literally means the bluefin tuna's fatty, expensive belly region
14. Word in some German names: VON.
16. Partisan leader?: NON - Is there a NONPARTISAN leader around?
18. "Freaks and __": short-lived sitcom with a cult following: GEEKS.
20. Multimedia artist and activist Ai: WEI WEI - In front of his work entitled Forever Bicycles.
22. Himalayan herd: YAKS.
24. Pulitzer- and Tony-winning play about a mathematical genius: PROOF - Synopsis
25. Periphery: VERGE.
28. Structure for some Indigenous spiritual ceremonies: SWEAT LODGE - Here's a local one
29. Allocates: PARCELS OUT.
30. Raga instruments: SITARS - From July 4 puzzle: 58. Indian lute: SITAR. Ravi Shankar (April 7, 1920 ~ Dec. 11, 2012) is probably the most well-known sitar player to many Westerners.
33. Titans' gp.: AFC - When we were in Memphis, the Cumberland River had flooded the American Football Conference Tennessee Titans' stadium.
34. Dudes: MEN.
37. Takeout menu possessive: TSO'S.
38. TV journalist Lesley: STAHL.
43. "One Mississippi" creator/star Tig: NOTARO.
46. "The Cat Who ... " series writer's first name: LILIAN - Here's a few
48. Spots for studs: LOBES - A spot for earrings not walls or horse stables
49. Sch. based in Hyde Park, N.Y.: CIA - A group of their chefs lined up outside the Culinary Institute of America. Who knew?
50. MMA calls: TKOS - Mixed Martial Arts is very brutal sport. It is one where you are allowed to continue to hit an opponent who has been knocked to the mat.
51. "Too __?": SOON.
52. Eyeliner option: KOHL - No idea.
55. The "A" of STEAM: ARTS.
58. Metric speed meas.: KPH - This is in British Columbia and converts to 75mph
60. Carrier to Oslo: SAS - I could handle their business class accommodations to Oslo!
