Theme: Losing (bat)TLE - TLE in a *TTLE ending common phrases are dropped.
17. Princeton jazzman?: JERSEY CAT(TLE). Jersey Cattle. Princeton = Jersey. Jazzman = Cat.
21. "Egg-laying for Dummies," etc.? : CHICKEN LIT(TLE). Chicken Little.
27. What a New York baseball owner would do to ensure player fitness?: TEST ONE'S MET(TLE). Test One's Mettle. Owner for the NY Mets.
42. Sign outside a boarded-up JFK?: AIRPORT SHUT(TLE). Dan also gave us ARR (37A. LAX datum) and TSA (31D. Airport safety gp.). TSA = Transportation Security Administration. Established after 9/11.
50. Little Londoner?: PEANUT BRIT(TLE). Peanut Brittle.
56. Carpet-cleaning android?: VACUUM BOT(TLE). Vacuum Bottle. Android = Bot. Short for Robot.
Besides battle, I could also think of mottle, scuttle, whittle. What else?
Today's Dan Naddor Index (non-theme entries with 6 or more letters) is 20. Pretty high, esp considering the 60 theme squares. And a themeless like 72 words.
Across:
1. Fire starter?: MIS. Start of the word Misfire. Awesome clue. We also have 5D. Fired (up): PSYCHED. Fire echos.
4. Squabble: SPAT. And 41D. Quarrels: DUST-UPS
8. Exorbitant: STEEP
13. Mo. in 1781 in which Cornwallis surrendered: OCT. Cornwallis was the British general who surrendered to George Washington on October 19, 1781. Unknown to me.
14. "__ Really Going Out With Him?": Joe Jackson hit: IS SHE. Easy guess.
16. Volcanic flowers?: LAVAS. Flow-ers = Things that flow. I can hear Lois utter "Holy hotwick!".
19. Retirement legislation acronym: ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act).
20. One way to run: AMOK. Run amok.
23. Disappear: VANISH
25. Par __: AVION
26. Subj. including grammar: ENG. Instinctively filled in ESL.
32. It's hard to cut through: RED TAPE. Thought of DIAMOND.
33. Company with toy trucks: HESS. Some old beat-up toys are worth quite some money.
34. Young hooter: OWLET
38. Its youngest British member, Elise Tan Roberts, was admitted at age 2: MENSA. This girl is smart indeed. I drew a blank.
39. Pres. Jefferson: THOS. Was unaware that it's short for Thomas.
40. Like Wiener schnitzel: BREADED. Have never had schnitzel.
44. Joker: WAG
47. Figure of speech: TROPE
48. Hard to endure: SEVERE
54. Rte. through Houston: I-TEN
55. Litmus reddeners: ACIDS
58. Indian royal: RANEE. So is RAJAH. Also 5 letters. (Update: Sorry for the error earlier.)
59. Parts of some support systems?: D-CUPS. Bras. We also have AREOLA (45D. Colored circle around the pupil). Are(a) + ola. So, A or B Cup?
60. 100%: ALL
61. Imitators: APERS
62. Latin infinitive: ESSE. To be.
63. Hope unit: RAY. Ray of hope.
Down:
1. Desert known for Joshua trees: MOJAVE. I forgot again.
2. Nickname for a player who performs under pressure: ICEMAN. Not familiar with this slang. Thought of CLUTCH player.
3. Like espresso: STRONG
4. Bonn pronoun: SIE. German "you".
6. Author Sholem: ASCH. Author of "The Nazarene". Pronounced like ASH, right?
7. Pad __: Asian noodle dish: THAI. Rice noodle.
8. Record holder: SLEEVE
9. Sullied: TARNISHED
10. Not a good sign: EVIL OMEN
11. Facility: EASINESS
12. Jr.'s exam: PSAT
15. Abbr. often following a comma: ETC.
18. Brew follower?: SKI. Brewski.
22. Classic Welles role: KANE. "Citizen Kaze". Rosebud.
24. "Let it stand": STET. For editors.
28. Genesis: START
29. Shipping container weights: TARES. The old shipping allowance is TRET.
30. Day star?: OPRAH. Daytime talk show star. Meh!
32. Squad car cop, often: RESPONDER
34. Taxonomic suffix: OTA. A plural suffix occurring in taxonomic name. The singular is OTE, according to the dictionary.
35. Choppy seas feature: WHITECAP
36. Nancy's region: LORRAINE. Here is a good map.
38. Dole: METE
40. Author Harte: BRET
43. Works: OPUSES. Plural can be opera too.
44. Bachelor pad amenity: WET BAR
46. One way to break the news: GENTLY. Nice clue.
49. Get-up-and-go: VIM
50. Legal hire: PARA. Need "for short".
51. Underwear initials: BVD. What's your brand? I like Etam's thongs.
52. Sprint: RACE
53. "ER" areas: ICUS
57. "What's the __?": USE
Answer grid.
Happy 82rd Birthday, Dot!
C.C.
17. Princeton jazzman?: JERSEY CAT(TLE). Jersey Cattle. Princeton = Jersey. Jazzman = Cat.
21. "Egg-laying for Dummies," etc.? : CHICKEN LIT(TLE). Chicken Little.
27. What a New York baseball owner would do to ensure player fitness?: TEST ONE'S MET(TLE). Test One's Mettle. Owner for the NY Mets.
42. Sign outside a boarded-up JFK?: AIRPORT SHUT(TLE). Dan also gave us ARR (37A. LAX datum) and TSA (31D. Airport safety gp.). TSA = Transportation Security Administration. Established after 9/11.
50. Little Londoner?: PEANUT BRIT(TLE). Peanut Brittle.
56. Carpet-cleaning android?: VACUUM BOT(TLE). Vacuum Bottle. Android = Bot. Short for Robot.
Besides battle, I could also think of mottle, scuttle, whittle. What else?
Today's Dan Naddor Index (non-theme entries with 6 or more letters) is 20. Pretty high, esp considering the 60 theme squares. And a themeless like 72 words.
Across:
1. Fire starter?: MIS. Start of the word Misfire. Awesome clue. We also have 5D. Fired (up): PSYCHED. Fire echos.
4. Squabble: SPAT. And 41D. Quarrels: DUST-UPS
8. Exorbitant: STEEP
13. Mo. in 1781 in which Cornwallis surrendered: OCT. Cornwallis was the British general who surrendered to George Washington on October 19, 1781. Unknown to me.
14. "__ Really Going Out With Him?": Joe Jackson hit: IS SHE. Easy guess.
16. Volcanic flowers?: LAVAS. Flow-ers = Things that flow. I can hear Lois utter "Holy hotwick!".
19. Retirement legislation acronym: ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act).
20. One way to run: AMOK. Run amok.
23. Disappear: VANISH
25. Par __: AVION
26. Subj. including grammar: ENG. Instinctively filled in ESL.
32. It's hard to cut through: RED TAPE. Thought of DIAMOND.
33. Company with toy trucks: HESS. Some old beat-up toys are worth quite some money.
34. Young hooter: OWLET
38. Its youngest British member, Elise Tan Roberts, was admitted at age 2: MENSA. This girl is smart indeed. I drew a blank.
39. Pres. Jefferson: THOS. Was unaware that it's short for Thomas.
40. Like Wiener schnitzel: BREADED. Have never had schnitzel.
44. Joker: WAG
47. Figure of speech: TROPE
48. Hard to endure: SEVERE
54. Rte. through Houston: I-TEN
55. Litmus reddeners: ACIDS
58. Indian royal: RANEE. So is RAJAH. Also 5 letters. (Update: Sorry for the error earlier.)
59. Parts of some support systems?: D-CUPS. Bras. We also have AREOLA (45D. Colored circle around the pupil). Are(a) + ola. So, A or B Cup?
60. 100%: ALL
61. Imitators: APERS
62. Latin infinitive: ESSE. To be.
63. Hope unit: RAY. Ray of hope.
Down:
1. Desert known for Joshua trees: MOJAVE. I forgot again.
2. Nickname for a player who performs under pressure: ICEMAN. Not familiar with this slang. Thought of CLUTCH player.
3. Like espresso: STRONG
4. Bonn pronoun: SIE. German "you".
6. Author Sholem: ASCH. Author of "The Nazarene". Pronounced like ASH, right?
7. Pad __: Asian noodle dish: THAI. Rice noodle.
8. Record holder: SLEEVE
9. Sullied: TARNISHED
10. Not a good sign: EVIL OMEN
11. Facility: EASINESS
12. Jr.'s exam: PSAT
15. Abbr. often following a comma: ETC.
18. Brew follower?: SKI. Brewski.
22. Classic Welles role: KANE. "Citizen Kaze". Rosebud.
24. "Let it stand": STET. For editors.
28. Genesis: START
29. Shipping container weights: TARES. The old shipping allowance is TRET.
30. Day star?: OPRAH. Daytime talk show star. Meh!
32. Squad car cop, often: RESPONDER
34. Taxonomic suffix: OTA. A plural suffix occurring in taxonomic name. The singular is OTE, according to the dictionary.
35. Choppy seas feature: WHITECAP
36. Nancy's region: LORRAINE. Here is a good map.
38. Dole: METE
40. Author Harte: BRET
43. Works: OPUSES. Plural can be opera too.
44. Bachelor pad amenity: WET BAR
46. One way to break the news: GENTLY. Nice clue.
49. Get-up-and-go: VIM
50. Legal hire: PARA. Need "for short".
51. Underwear initials: BVD. What's your brand? I like Etam's thongs.
52. Sprint: RACE
53. "ER" areas: ICUS
57. "What's the __?": USE
Answer grid.
Happy 82rd Birthday, Dot!
C.C.
