Theme: Hit List - The first word of each # 1 hit song title is a synonym of "permanent".
20A. 2002 #1 hit for rapper Ja Rule: ALWAYS ON TIME. I've never heard of the the song or the rapper. Ja Rule's real name is Jeffrey Atkins.
36A. 1989 #1 hit for Paula Abdul: FOREVER YOUR GIRL. Know Paula Abdul from her previous gig with "American Idol". The song faintly rings a bell.
56A. 1989 #1 hit for the Bangles: ETERNAL FLAME. Someone just linked the Bangles on the blog the other day. The song is a total unknown to me.
Were all the above hits familiar to you?
This theme reminds me of David W. Cromer's "Always Faithful" puzzle, but with a tighter structure. Only three 12-letter theme answers, which allow for plenty of sparkling long entries (I counted 22 non-theme fill with 6 letters or more). And only 32 blocks. We often see 38 on weekdays.
Great to see Allan E. Parrish's byline again. Like Barry Silk, he likes to use scrabbly letters, though not much in this puzzle.
Across:
1. Taylor of "The Nanny": RENEE. She played Fran Fine's mother.
10. Patsies: SAPS
14. Are: EXIST. ARE is often clued as "Exist".
15. ''Star Wars'' royalty: LEIA. Princess Leia, played by Carrie Fisher. I am surprised that her mother, Debbie Reynolds, is still alive. Tough luck in men.
17. Senate minority leader McConnell: MITCH. From Kentucky. His wife is Bush 43's Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao. Contemporary political names are normally my gimmes.
18. Enchilada wraps: TORTILLAS. And REESE'S (51D. Popular candy pieces). Hmm, food is always welcome in our blog. By the way, care to share with Jeannie and all of us your thanksgiving stuffing recipe? A bit of Minnesota wild rice can flavor up the taste immensely.
22. Lake Wobegon creator: KEILLOR (Garrison). Ah, Minnesota reference. Welcome to Lake Wobegon, where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average...
23. Without any help: UNAIDED
27. "¿Cómo ____ usted?": ESTA
28. "__Cop": 1987 film: ROBO. Always wanted "Mall Cop".
30. Sugar coating: GLAZE
31. Thrice, in Rx's: TER. Again, no TID (ter in die), Latin for "three times a day".
33. Bone: Pref.: OSTE. As in osteoarthritis.
35. Rural area: LEA
41. Milne marsupial: ROO. Kanga's kid in "Winnie-the-Pooh".
42. Airline to Ben-Gurion: EL AL. Ben Gurion International is EL AL's home base. Named after Israel's first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion.
43. 1950s-'60s "Man on the Street" comic Louis: NYE. Learned his name from doing Xword.
44. Radio station alert sign: ON AIR
46. Academia VIP: DEAN. The clue seems to be asking for an abbreviated answer, doesn't it, Jerome?
48. Apt. balcony: TERR (Terrace). I am inured to the "territory" clue.
52. He shared a Nobel Peace Prize with de Klerk: MANDELA. In 1993. For their work in ending the apartheid in South Africa.
54. Will beneficiary: LEGATEE. With TEE in place, I mindlessly wrote down TRUSTEE.
58. Ploy: STRATAGEM. Awesome entry.
61. Country singer McCann and others: LILAS. No idea. Here is her "I Wanna Fall in Love". Do you like her bangs?
62. Mil. no-show: AWOL
63. Heavyweight bout?: SUMO. Heavyweight indeed.
64. Blazing: AFIRE
66. Grandson of Eve: ENOS. Son of Seth.
67. Hardwood trees: TEAKS. The wood is used in shipbuilding.
Down:
20A. 2002 #1 hit for rapper Ja Rule: ALWAYS ON TIME. I've never heard of the the song or the rapper. Ja Rule's real name is Jeffrey Atkins.
36A. 1989 #1 hit for Paula Abdul: FOREVER YOUR GIRL. Know Paula Abdul from her previous gig with "American Idol". The song faintly rings a bell.
56A. 1989 #1 hit for the Bangles: ETERNAL FLAME. Someone just linked the Bangles on the blog the other day. The song is a total unknown to me.
Were all the above hits familiar to you?
This theme reminds me of David W. Cromer's "Always Faithful" puzzle, but with a tighter structure. Only three 12-letter theme answers, which allow for plenty of sparkling long entries (I counted 22 non-theme fill with 6 letters or more). And only 32 blocks. We often see 38 on weekdays.
Great to see Allan E. Parrish's byline again. Like Barry Silk, he likes to use scrabbly letters, though not much in this puzzle.
Across:
1. Taylor of "The Nanny": RENEE. She played Fran Fine's mother.
10. Patsies: SAPS
14. Are: EXIST. ARE is often clued as "Exist".
15. ''Star Wars'' royalty: LEIA. Princess Leia, played by Carrie Fisher. I am surprised that her mother, Debbie Reynolds, is still alive. Tough luck in men.
17. Senate minority leader McConnell: MITCH. From Kentucky. His wife is Bush 43's Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao. Contemporary political names are normally my gimmes.
18. Enchilada wraps: TORTILLAS. And REESE'S (51D. Popular candy pieces). Hmm, food is always welcome in our blog. By the way, care to share with Jeannie and all of us your thanksgiving stuffing recipe? A bit of Minnesota wild rice can flavor up the taste immensely.
22. Lake Wobegon creator: KEILLOR (Garrison). Ah, Minnesota reference. Welcome to Lake Wobegon, where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average...
23. Without any help: UNAIDED
27. "¿Cómo ____ usted?": ESTA
28. "__Cop": 1987 film: ROBO. Always wanted "Mall Cop".
30. Sugar coating: GLAZE
31. Thrice, in Rx's: TER. Again, no TID (ter in die), Latin for "three times a day".
33. Bone: Pref.: OSTE. As in osteoarthritis.
35. Rural area: LEA
41. Milne marsupial: ROO. Kanga's kid in "Winnie-the-Pooh".
42. Airline to Ben-Gurion: EL AL. Ben Gurion International is EL AL's home base. Named after Israel's first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion.
43. 1950s-'60s "Man on the Street" comic Louis: NYE. Learned his name from doing Xword.
44. Radio station alert sign: ON AIR
46. Academia VIP: DEAN. The clue seems to be asking for an abbreviated answer, doesn't it, Jerome?
48. Apt. balcony: TERR (Terrace). I am inured to the "territory" clue.
52. He shared a Nobel Peace Prize with de Klerk: MANDELA. In 1993. For their work in ending the apartheid in South Africa.
54. Will beneficiary: LEGATEE. With TEE in place, I mindlessly wrote down TRUSTEE.
58. Ploy: STRATAGEM. Awesome entry.
61. Country singer McCann and others: LILAS. No idea. Here is her "I Wanna Fall in Love". Do you like her bangs?
62. Mil. no-show: AWOL
63. Heavyweight bout?: SUMO. Heavyweight indeed.
64. Blazing: AFIRE
66. Grandson of Eve: ENOS. Son of Seth.
67. Hardwood trees: TEAKS. The wood is used in shipbuilding.
Down:
2. Forces out of the country: EXILES. Stupid Saddam should have accepted exile offer. War would have been avoided.
3. Jerk: NITWIT
4. Intensify: ESCALATE. Another great entry.
5. __ alcohol: ETHYL
6. Corrida charger: EL TORO. Spanish for "the bull".
7. Quite a long time: AEON
8. Master performer: VIRTUOSO. Italian for "skilled".
10. Cirque du __: SOLEIL. Literally "sun" in French. Has anyone seen a Cirque du Soleil show in person?
13. '60s activist gp.: SDS (Students for a Democratic Society)
19. Mental pictures: IMAGERY
21. Chestnut horse: SORREL. And ROAN (38D. Colorful horse).
24. Mustachioed Spanish surrealist: DALI. Most famous for his melting clock ("The Persistence of Memory")
25. Former Israeli president Weizman: EZER. Wanted EBAN. Confused him with Abba Eban.
29. Peter of "Everybody Loves Raymond": BOYLE
32. City NNE of Seattle: EVERETT. Obtained the answer from crosses. What's Everett famous for?
34. Prison escape route, perhaps: TUNNEL. Love "The Shawshank Redemption".
36. Gift tag word: FROM. Christmas is coming.
37. Chaplin's last wife: OONA. The "Alley Oop" character OOOLA.
39. Speed trap device: RADAR GUN
40. "Mind your own business!": GET A LIFE. Oh, I had the wrong understanding that "Get a life" means "Don't be so obsessed with something".
45. Role models, say: IDEALS
47. Los __: Manhattan Project site: ALAMOS. In New Mexico.
49. And others: Latin: ET ALIA. Neutral plural of et al; et alii is masculine plural, et aliae is feminine plural.
50. Comment: REMARK. Here is a detailed explanation on this "How to Post a Comment" on our blog. Come and join us for the daily crossword (or non-crossword topics as the day goes on) discussion.
53. Purchase alternative: LEASE
55. F-sharp equivalent: G-FLAT
57. Verne captain: NEMO. Literally "no one" in Latin. From Verne's "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea".
59. Pan Am rival: TWA. Once owned by Howard Hughes.
Answer grid.
Happy Veterans Day, Dennis, Argyle and all those who have served in the military.
C.C.
34. Prison escape route, perhaps: TUNNEL. Love "The Shawshank Redemption".
36. Gift tag word: FROM. Christmas is coming.
37. Chaplin's last wife: OONA. The "Alley Oop" character OOOLA.
39. Speed trap device: RADAR GUN
40. "Mind your own business!": GET A LIFE. Oh, I had the wrong understanding that "Get a life" means "Don't be so obsessed with something".
45. Role models, say: IDEALS
47. Los __: Manhattan Project site: ALAMOS. In New Mexico.
49. And others: Latin: ET ALIA. Neutral plural of et al; et alii is masculine plural, et aliae is feminine plural.
50. Comment: REMARK. Here is a detailed explanation on this "How to Post a Comment" on our blog. Come and join us for the daily crossword (or non-crossword topics as the day goes on) discussion.
53. Purchase alternative: LEASE
55. F-sharp equivalent: G-FLAT
57. Verne captain: NEMO. Literally "no one" in Latin. From Verne's "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea".
59. Pan Am rival: TWA. Once owned by Howard Hughes.
Answer grid.
Happy Veterans Day, Dennis, Argyle and all those who have served in the military.
C.C.
