Theme: Zany Zealots - Two-word common phrases ending with a synonym of "enthusiast" are humorously reinterpreted and clued as "Devotee of ...".
17A: Devotee of a Sistine Chapel feature?: CEILING FAN
24A: Devotee of green ice cream?: PISTACHIO NUT
44A: Devotee of thunderstorms?: LIGHTNING BUG
54A: Devotee of a classical language?: LATIN LOVER
This puzzle is very similar in concept to Robert Harris' "Imaginary Places", in which familiar phrases ending with "locations" are reinterpreted in correspondence with the "Where ..." clues.
Argyle here.
What is there to say? I've never seen a puzzle less in need of explanations. Take 42A: Capital where "Aida" premiered: CAIRO., for example. Even if you didn't know the story behind the opera "Aida" and why it premiered in Cairo, when the perps revealed the answer, it was like, "OK", not "D'oh". (If you want the story, you can go to Wikipedia.)
I post all the answers and C.C. edits out the ones she feels are unnecessary; I hope there are some left. LOL
Across:
1A: Have status: RATE.
5A: Less adorned, as walls: BARER.
10A: Wordless singing style: SCAT. 50A: In the style of: A LA. Ella Fitzgerald.
14A: Land parcel unit: ACRE.
15A: Big gig venue: ARENA.
16A: Heading for a chore list: TO DO.
19A: Charles Lamb's nom de plume: ELIA.
20A: Sixth sense, briefly: ESP.
21A: Carnival city: RIO. (Rio de Janeiro ("River of January"))
22A: Portage vessels: CANOES. Portage - The carrying of boats and supplies overland between two waterways or around an obstacle to navigation.
27A: Final furniture coat: FINISH.
30A: Round at the tavern: BEERS.
31A: Pennsylvania Dutch group: AMISH.
32A: Buddy of Tom and Dick?: HARRY. The phrase "Tom, Dick and Harry" is used to indicate everyone.
36A: Pop choice: COLA.
37A: Numbers after the decimal point: CENTS.
38A: Top of the glass: BRIM.
39A: __ out: barely make: EKE.
40A: Tadpoles' milieus: PONDS.
41A: Like fresh celery: CRISP.
43A: Trained animal's repertoire: TRICKS.
48A: Idolizes: ADORES.
53A: Hand, in Juárez: MANO.
58A: "Beg pardon": "AHEM".
59A: Express a view: OPINE.
60A: Uncooperative contraction: WON'T.
61A: Annoyed: SORE.
63A: Stopping points: ENDS.
Down:
1D: Meet event: RACE.
2D: Suit toppers: ACES.
3D: Vacation option: TRIP.
4D: Sushi choice: EEL.
5D: Send into exile: BANISH.
6D: Special lingo: ARGOT.
7D: Arbiter with a whistle: REF.
8D: "Bambi" doe: ENA.
9D: Oater landowners: RANCHERS. Oater - Western movie
10D: Workers with pads: STENOS.
11D: Punctuation in play dialogue: COLON.
12D: French farewell: ADIEU.
13D: Best man's offer: TOAST.
18D: Joyce's countrymen: IRISH. James Joyce.
23D: Like a screened porch: AIRY.
24D: Tower city: PISA.
25D: Leave high and dry: ABANDON.
26D: "Two mints in one" sloganeer: CERTS. "A candy mint AND a breath mint."
27D: Confront: FACE.
28D: "No harm done": "I'M OK".
29D: River where baby Moses was found: NILE.
32D: Artist Matisse: HENRI.
35D: Metal band's equipment: AMPS.
37D: Vending machine feature: COIN SLOT.
38D: Place to hold mutineers: BRIG. (On ship)
40D: Cracker spread: PATE.
41D: Inhumane: CRUEL.
42D: Auto trim: CHROME.
43D: Rare orders, perhaps: T-BONES.
44D: Eastern priests: LAMAS.
45D: Potato source: IDAHO.
46D: Casualty: GONER.
47D: Nine-to-five routine, to many: GRIND.
50D: Ringer of many bells: AVON. Ringer of doorbells. Probably the cleverest clue.
52D: Creative fields: ARTS.
55D: Class clown, often: APE. Harsh!
56D: Anchovy holder: TIN.
57D: Be in the hole for: OWE.
Answer grid.
Argyle
17A: Devotee of a Sistine Chapel feature?: CEILING FAN
24A: Devotee of green ice cream?: PISTACHIO NUT
44A: Devotee of thunderstorms?: LIGHTNING BUG
54A: Devotee of a classical language?: LATIN LOVER
This puzzle is very similar in concept to Robert Harris' "Imaginary Places", in which familiar phrases ending with "locations" are reinterpreted in correspondence with the "Where ..." clues.
Argyle here.
What is there to say? I've never seen a puzzle less in need of explanations. Take 42A: Capital where "Aida" premiered: CAIRO., for example. Even if you didn't know the story behind the opera "Aida" and why it premiered in Cairo, when the perps revealed the answer, it was like, "OK", not "D'oh". (If you want the story, you can go to Wikipedia.)
I post all the answers and C.C. edits out the ones she feels are unnecessary; I hope there are some left. LOL
Across:
1A: Have status: RATE.
5A: Less adorned, as walls: BARER.
10A: Wordless singing style: SCAT. 50A: In the style of: A LA. Ella Fitzgerald.
14A: Land parcel unit: ACRE.
15A: Big gig venue: ARENA.
16A: Heading for a chore list: TO DO.
19A: Charles Lamb's nom de plume: ELIA.
20A: Sixth sense, briefly: ESP.
21A: Carnival city: RIO. (Rio de Janeiro ("River of January"))
22A: Portage vessels: CANOES. Portage - The carrying of boats and supplies overland between two waterways or around an obstacle to navigation.
27A: Final furniture coat: FINISH.
30A: Round at the tavern: BEERS.
31A: Pennsylvania Dutch group: AMISH.
32A: Buddy of Tom and Dick?: HARRY. The phrase "Tom, Dick and Harry" is used to indicate everyone.
36A: Pop choice: COLA.
37A: Numbers after the decimal point: CENTS.
38A: Top of the glass: BRIM.
39A: __ out: barely make: EKE.
40A: Tadpoles' milieus: PONDS.
41A: Like fresh celery: CRISP.
43A: Trained animal's repertoire: TRICKS.
48A: Idolizes: ADORES.
53A: Hand, in Juárez: MANO.
58A: "Beg pardon": "AHEM".
59A: Express a view: OPINE.
60A: Uncooperative contraction: WON'T.
61A: Annoyed: SORE.
63A: Stopping points: ENDS.
Down:
1D: Meet event: RACE.
2D: Suit toppers: ACES.
3D: Vacation option: TRIP.
4D: Sushi choice: EEL.
5D: Send into exile: BANISH.
6D: Special lingo: ARGOT.
7D: Arbiter with a whistle: REF.
8D: "Bambi" doe: ENA.
9D: Oater landowners: RANCHERS. Oater - Western movie
10D: Workers with pads: STENOS.
11D: Punctuation in play dialogue: COLON.
12D: French farewell: ADIEU.
13D: Best man's offer: TOAST.
18D: Joyce's countrymen: IRISH. James Joyce.
23D: Like a screened porch: AIRY.
24D: Tower city: PISA.
25D: Leave high and dry: ABANDON.
26D: "Two mints in one" sloganeer: CERTS. "A candy mint AND a breath mint."
27D: Confront: FACE.
28D: "No harm done": "I'M OK".
29D: River where baby Moses was found: NILE.
32D: Artist Matisse: HENRI.
35D: Metal band's equipment: AMPS.
37D: Vending machine feature: COIN SLOT.
38D: Place to hold mutineers: BRIG. (On ship)
40D: Cracker spread: PATE.
41D: Inhumane: CRUEL.
42D: Auto trim: CHROME.
43D: Rare orders, perhaps: T-BONES.
44D: Eastern priests: LAMAS.
45D: Potato source: IDAHO.
46D: Casualty: GONER.
47D: Nine-to-five routine, to many: GRIND.
50D: Ringer of many bells: AVON. Ringer of doorbells. Probably the cleverest clue.
52D: Creative fields: ARTS.
55D: Class clown, often: APE. Harsh!
56D: Anchovy holder: TIN.
57D: Be in the hole for: OWE.
Answer grid.
Argyle
