Theme: Love Ole Lampkin - Four phrases based on what is probably the first internet shorthand we learned, boxing the unifier in the middle.
20A. Comfortable situation to live in, with "the": LAP OF LUXURY
41A. Cyberchuckle, and a hint to this puzzle's four longest answers: LOL
56A. Low-paying but rewarding project: LABOR OF LOVE
11D. Minnesota-based dairy cooperative: LAND O'LAKES
29D. "Like that's going to work!": "LOTS OF LUCK!"
Argyle here. Laugh Out Loud, if you like but I want a show of hands for people who first thought LOL stood for Lots Of Love. I'll start by raising my hand.
Across:
1. Where many knots are tied : ALTAR. [insert smart remark here]
6. Tabula __: blank slate : RASA. Comes from the Roman tabula or wax tablet, used for notes, which was blanked by heating the wax and then smoothing it to give a tabula rasa. Rasa meant scraped, leading to erase.
10. Elmer's product : GLUE. This Elmer and not this Elmer.
14. Ballerina's rail : BARRE. Image.
15. In __: stuck : A JAM
16. Bear with too-hot porridge : PAPA
17. Twisty-horned antelope : ELAND
18. Powerful wind : GALE. The National Weather Service defines a gale as 34–47 knots (63–87 km/h, or 39–54 miles/hour) of sustained surface winds.
19. Tiny army marchers : ANTS
23. Anonymous Jane : DOE
24. Research facility : LAB
25. Songwriter Neil : DIAMOND. And singer. Cracklin' Rosie(3:01). The story behind the song, per Wikipedia, is worth a quick read.
27. A deuce used as an ace, say : WILD CARD
32. Store, as a hose : COIL
33. "Much __ About Nothing" : ADO. Shakespearean comedy.
34. Beethoven's Third : EROICA. A symphony completed in August 1804, and first performed April 7, 1805.
36. Li'l Abner's creator Al : CAPP
39. Went to the polls : VOTED
42. Cake maker : BAKER
43. "Born Free" lioness : ELSA. She was an orphaned lion cub raised to adulthood, and released into the wilds of Kenya. Subject of book, movie, and song.
44. "Romeo and Juliet" city : VERONA. And now this Italian town is a tourist mecca for romantics.
46. Before, to Shakespeare : ERE. Our third Shakespeare reference.
47. "Free Willy" critter : ORCA. Misnamed the killer whale, it belongs to the oceanic dolphin family.
49. Turns on, as an engine : STARTS UP
51. What mirrors do : REFLECT
54. Golfer's support : TEE
55. Dot-com's address : URL
62. Very dry, as Champagne : BRUT
64. Musical quality : TONE
65. __ but wiser : OLDER
66. Nuts : LOCO. And 70A. Nut, e.g. : SEED
67. Ending for exist : ENCE
68. Leaves out : OMITS
69. Actress Sommer : ELKE
71. Past or present : TENSE
Down:
1. Adam's second son : ABEL
2. Refrain syllables : LA LA. Reminds me of this Jan and Dean song(2:35).
3. Mouse catcher : TRAP
4. Golfer Palmer : ARNOLD
5. Showing shame : RED-FACED
6. Brand over spaghetti : RAGU
7. Brand under the sink : AJAX. That clue just sorta lays there.
8. Spanish toast : "¡SALUD!"
9. Part of USA : AMERICA
10. 4.0, for one: Abbr. : GPA. Grade Point Average.
12. Pulitzer author Sinclair : UPTON
13. Relaxed : EASED
21. Angle iron : L-BAR. Add a letter, L-BEAM. Add another letter, L-BRACE.
22. NBA's __ Ming : YAO. Basketball Player Yao Ming, 7' 6"
26. Glittery mineral : MICA. Remember the isinglass discussion?
27. Breaker at the shore : WAVE
28. People magazine focus : IDOL
30. Romeo or Juliet, e.g. : ROLE. Shakespeare even down here.
31. Christian's dresses? : DIORS. Christian Dior launched his haute couture empire in 1946.
35. Coagulate, as blood : CLOT
37. Lima's country : PERU
38. Get ready, briefly : PREP
40. British peer : EARL
42. Like a stroller at the shore, shoewise : BAREFOOT. Or in the park.
44. Moves out : VACATES
45. Peacekeeping gp. since 1949 : NATO. North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
48. Animation collectible : CEL. From before they became digital cartoons.
50. "Out with it!" : "TELL ME!"
51. Moscow money : RUBLE
52. Filmdom's Flynn : ERROL
53. Steakhouse steak : T-BONE
57. Grimm beginning : ONCE. upon a time.
58. Oboe or bassoon : REED
59. Chief Norse god : ODIN
60. Docs for doggies and dogies : VETS
61. Gaelic language : ERSE
63. Stubbed digit : TOE
Answer grid.
Argyle
Note from C.C.:
A belated "Happy Birthday" to our talented constructor John Lampkin, who turned 65 on January 22 Saturday.
20A. Comfortable situation to live in, with "the": LAP OF LUXURY
41A. Cyberchuckle, and a hint to this puzzle's four longest answers: LOL
56A. Low-paying but rewarding project: LABOR OF LOVE
11D. Minnesota-based dairy cooperative: LAND O'LAKES
29D. "Like that's going to work!": "LOTS OF LUCK!"
Argyle here. Laugh Out Loud, if you like but I want a show of hands for people who first thought LOL stood for Lots Of Love. I'll start by raising my hand.
Across:
1. Where many knots are tied : ALTAR. [insert smart remark here]
6. Tabula __: blank slate : RASA. Comes from the Roman tabula or wax tablet, used for notes, which was blanked by heating the wax and then smoothing it to give a tabula rasa. Rasa meant scraped, leading to erase.
10. Elmer's product : GLUE. This Elmer and not this Elmer.
14. Ballerina's rail : BARRE. Image.
15. In __: stuck : A JAM
16. Bear with too-hot porridge : PAPA
17. Twisty-horned antelope : ELAND
18. Powerful wind : GALE. The National Weather Service defines a gale as 34–47 knots (63–87 km/h, or 39–54 miles/hour) of sustained surface winds.
19. Tiny army marchers : ANTS
23. Anonymous Jane : DOE
24. Research facility : LAB
25. Songwriter Neil : DIAMOND. And singer. Cracklin' Rosie(3:01). The story behind the song, per Wikipedia, is worth a quick read.
27. A deuce used as an ace, say : WILD CARD
32. Store, as a hose : COIL
33. "Much __ About Nothing" : ADO. Shakespearean comedy.
34. Beethoven's Third : EROICA. A symphony completed in August 1804, and first performed April 7, 1805.
36. Li'l Abner's creator Al : CAPP
39. Went to the polls : VOTED
42. Cake maker : BAKER
43. "Born Free" lioness : ELSA. She was an orphaned lion cub raised to adulthood, and released into the wilds of Kenya. Subject of book, movie, and song.
44. "Romeo and Juliet" city : VERONA. And now this Italian town is a tourist mecca for romantics.
46. Before, to Shakespeare : ERE. Our third Shakespeare reference.
47. "Free Willy" critter : ORCA. Misnamed the killer whale, it belongs to the oceanic dolphin family.
49. Turns on, as an engine : STARTS UP
51. What mirrors do : REFLECT
54. Golfer's support : TEE
55. Dot-com's address : URL
62. Very dry, as Champagne : BRUT
64. Musical quality : TONE
65. __ but wiser : OLDER
66. Nuts : LOCO. And 70A. Nut, e.g. : SEED
67. Ending for exist : ENCE
68. Leaves out : OMITS
69. Actress Sommer : ELKE
71. Past or present : TENSE
Down:
1. Adam's second son : ABEL
2. Refrain syllables : LA LA. Reminds me of this Jan and Dean song(2:35).
3. Mouse catcher : TRAP
4. Golfer Palmer : ARNOLD
5. Showing shame : RED-FACED
6. Brand over spaghetti : RAGU
7. Brand under the sink : AJAX. That clue just sorta lays there.
8. Spanish toast : "¡SALUD!"
9. Part of USA : AMERICA
10. 4.0, for one: Abbr. : GPA. Grade Point Average.
12. Pulitzer author Sinclair : UPTON
13. Relaxed : EASED
21. Angle iron : L-BAR. Add a letter, L-BEAM. Add another letter, L-BRACE.
22. NBA's __ Ming : YAO. Basketball Player Yao Ming, 7' 6"
26. Glittery mineral : MICA. Remember the isinglass discussion?
27. Breaker at the shore : WAVE
28. People magazine focus : IDOL
30. Romeo or Juliet, e.g. : ROLE. Shakespeare even down here.
31. Christian's dresses? : DIORS. Christian Dior launched his haute couture empire in 1946.
35. Coagulate, as blood : CLOT
37. Lima's country : PERU
38. Get ready, briefly : PREP
40. British peer : EARL
42. Like a stroller at the shore, shoewise : BAREFOOT. Or in the park.
44. Moves out : VACATES
45. Peacekeeping gp. since 1949 : NATO. North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
48. Animation collectible : CEL. From before they became digital cartoons.
50. "Out with it!" : "TELL ME!"
51. Moscow money : RUBLE
52. Filmdom's Flynn : ERROL
53. Steakhouse steak : T-BONE
57. Grimm beginning : ONCE. upon a time.
58. Oboe or bassoon : REED
59. Chief Norse god : ODIN
60. Docs for doggies and dogies : VETS
61. Gaelic language : ERSE
63. Stubbed digit : TOE
Answer grid.
Argyle
Note from C.C.:
A belated "Happy Birthday" to our talented constructor John Lampkin, who turned 65 on January 22 Saturday.
