Theme: LADYLIKE - the first three theme answers begin with a word that, when preceded with the word lady, forms a common phrase. the fourth theme answer is the unifier.
17a. Gourmet treat sold in gold boxes : GODIVA CHOCOLATE. lady godiva. gimme. i pictured the box immediately. wikipedia: "according to legend, lady godiva rode naked through the streets of coventry, in england, in order to gain a remission of the oppressive taxation imposed by her husband on his tenants." it would be more entertaining if the tea partiers took this approach. she has inspired at least two movies, a painting, and a statue.
25a. Backdrop for tangerine trees, in a Beatles classic : MARMALADE SKIES. lady marmalade. another gimme. lyrics from lucy in the sky with diamonds. interesting information about the lyrics. the song lady marmalade was originally made famous by patti labelle, and more recently by christina aguilera, lil' kim, mya, and pink in the soundtrack to the movie moulin rouge.
41a. Enduring fortune, ethnically speaking : LUCK OF THE IRISH. lady luck. needed a few perps to get this one.
54a. 1978 #1 hit for the Commodores (and this puzzle's title) : THREE TIMES A LADY.
i thought of BIRDS OF A FEATHER (ladybird). ladyfinger and ladybug also come to mind. can you think of a 14- or 15- letter phrase beginning with finger, or bug?
easy solve with very few unknowns. grokked the theme early. felt a little more like a tuesday level.
across
1. Crime writer Paretsky : SARA. didn't know her.
5. Name on an NYU arts building : TISCH. another unknown. ny school of the arts was renamed the tisch school of the arts after a donation in 1982 from laurence a. and preston robert tisch.
10. Goes (for) : OPTS. hello again.
14. Declare openly : AVER. hello again.
15. Toaster, at times : EMCEE. hello again.
16. Bucket of bolts : HEAP. slang for a clunker of a car.
20. USN rank : ENS. stands for ensign, a junior officer.
21. Bow-wielding god : EROS and 50d. 21-Across, in Rome : AMOR
22. Edd's "77 Sunset Strip" role : KOOKIE. before my time.
23. Approximation phrase : OR SO.
24. Brand served on the floor : ALPO. dog food.
31. Thief : BANDIT
32. Cabbage roll? : WAD. slang, wad of cash.
33. L.A.-to-Bakersfield heading : NNW
34. Follow, as a tip : ACT ON
35. Bit of a pickle : JAM. like this clue.
36. Yes-man's phrase : SO DO I. reminds me of larry tate from bewitched.
38. Hawaiian tuna : AHI. mmm.
39. Ballot markings : X'ES. or kisses.
40. Take off : DEDUCT
45. "Law & Order" figures: Abbr. : ADAS. assistant district attorneys.
46. Swedish explorer Hedin : SVEN. not familiar to me. he made many discoveries during four expeditions to central china. died in 1952.
47. Former "Today" co-anchor : COURIC. katie. recently left cbs evening news.
50. D-delta connection : AS IN. d as in delta.
51. Fashion bottom line? : HEM. clever.
57. Gentle slope : RISE
58. Maine campus town : ORONO
59. Godmother, often : AUNT
60. Good earth : LOAM. liked this.
61. Harder to find : RARER
62. Ho-hum : BLAH
Down
1. Guru : SAGE
2. Royal Shakespeare Theatre river : AVON
3. Primary colors : REDS
4. Ex-press secretary Fleischer : ARI
5. Excitedly removes, as wrapping : TEARS AT. sounds so uncivilized.
6. "Works for me" : I'M COOL
7. UCLA and USC : SCHS. i guess this is just abbreviation for schools. looks funny.
8. Boardroom VIP : CEO. chief executive officer.
9. Harassed from the peanut gallery : HECKLED.
10. "You have to see this!" : OH LOOK. with all the recent teacher discussion, you have to see this. (language warning)
11. Heyday : PEAK
12. Jacques of "Mon Oncle" : TATI. french filmmaker. another unknown.
13. WWI admiral Maximilian von ___ : SPEE. perps to the rescue.
18. Rats and such : VERMIN
19. Cry over spilled milk? : OOPS
23. Great Seal word : ORDO. lifted from c.c.'s blog of the 11/26/10: See here. "Novus ordo seclorum" = "New order of the ages". Novus = New. Ordo = Order. Seclorum = Age.
24. Sandler of "Spanglish" : ADAM. liked the movie.
25. Peru's __ Picchu : MACHU
26. Playful prank : ANTIC
27. Up to one's neck (in) : AWASH
28. Pakistani river : INDUS
29. Tennyson's "__ Arden" : ENOCH. poem published in 1864. calling clear ayes.
30. She played Houlihan on "M*A*S*H" : SWIT. loretta. great tv show, great character.
31. False god : BAAL
35. Airbus products : JETS
36. Williams of tennis : SERENA
37. Viking war god : ODIN
39. Hard-to-define element : X-FACTOR
40. b, in a ÷ b : DIVISOR
42. Laker teammate of Magic : KAREEM. abdul-jabbar.
43. "Garfield" drooler : ODIE. big-tongued dog.
44. Reputed Dead Sea Scrolls writer : ESSENE. jewish sect. story of the discovery of the dead sea scrolls is fascinating.
47. Laptop key : CTRL
48. Taft's birth state : OHIO
49. Minor start? : URSA. ursa minor, meaning "smaller bear." constellation.
51. Do a trucker's job : HAUL
52. Novelist Ferber : EDNA. hello again.
53. Urban legend, e.g. : MYTH
55. Rollover subj. : IRA
56. Scientist's milieu : LAB
melissa
Note from C.C.:
This is a fun picture from Kazie, who visited Miller Park for the first time on August 15, 2011. She said: "Here is a picture of (L to R) me with husband Barry and son David at the Brewers Game Monday night taken with the "racing sausages".
It really was the first time I've ever gone to a real ball game of any sort, other than school events I had to attend. So quite an experience for me at age 65!"
Note from C.C.:
This is a fun picture from Kazie, who visited Miller Park for the first time on August 15, 2011. She said: "Here is a picture of (L to R) me with husband Barry and son David at the Brewers Game Monday night taken with the "racing sausages".
It really was the first time I've ever gone to a real ball game of any sort, other than school events I had to attend. So quite an experience for me at age 65!"
