63A. Variety, and what's literally hidden within 17-, 23-, 32-, 42- and 50-Across : MIXED BAG. Anagrams of “BAG” are found in the middle of the theme entries. Nicely done, with each “mixed” bag in a different combination: GBA, ABG, AGB, BGA and GAB. This theme could be dedicated to our own Jerome, who is a master of anagrams!
17A. Cher title words before "my baby shot me down": BANG BANG Do you remember Nancy Sinatra’s version, the same year?
23A. Lawn invader: CRABGRASS. DH fights this invader all the time.
32A. Olympics opening ceremony VIP: FLAG BEARER. Clara Hughes was the flag bearer for Canada at the 2010 Olympics.
42A. Place to keep thyme: HERB GARDEN. I have been harvesting the last of my thyme, rosemary, oregano, chives, mint and tarragon this week. The kitchen smells wonderful, with all the herb bunches tied and hanging from the windows!
50A. Evoke something from the past: RING A BELL. Does this?
Marti here, so it must be Thursday! This is my favorite day of the week for puzzles. They are just difficult enough to be a challenge, but not as hard as Friday (bless you , Lemonade!) or Saturday (you too, Splynter!).
Across:
1. Punch with a point : AWL
4. Handle trouble : COPE
8. Shake : JOGGLE. Did Santa “joggle” like a bowl full of jelly?
14. Article sometimes dropped : THE. Can you think of phrases where “the” is left out?
15. Cracked just a bit : AJAR
16. Pallor cause : ANEMIA
19. A cupcake's may be creamy : CENTER
20. "The Bourne Identity" malady : AMNESIA
21. Bar closing? : CODE. "closing" is a hint that this refers to a word that can follow "bar". In this case, the UPC bar CODE on all grocery items. You can generate your own at this site. And a clecho (clue echo) with 68A. Bar measure: SHOT. (Bang bang!)
Across:
1. Punch with a point : AWL
4. Handle trouble : COPE
8. Shake : JOGGLE. Did Santa “joggle” like a bowl full of jelly?
14. Article sometimes dropped : THE. Can you think of phrases where “the” is left out?
15. Cracked just a bit : AJAR
16. Pallor cause : ANEMIA
19. A cupcake's may be creamy : CENTER
20. "The Bourne Identity" malady : AMNESIA
21. Bar closing? : CODE. "closing" is a hint that this refers to a word that can follow "bar". In this case, the UPC bar CODE on all grocery items. You can generate your own at this site. And a clecho (clue echo) with 68A. Bar measure: SHOT. (Bang bang!)
22. Wrist exercise provider : YOYO
28. Revolt : RISE UP
31. We're on it : EARTH
36. Future school? : ROE. Fun clue, for a “school” of fish.
37. Fresh : RECENT
38. Have ambitions : ASPIRE
41. "__-hoo!" : YOO
46. Become a member : ENROL. I always have a problem between “enroll” and “enrol” . BTW, spell-checker doesn’t like “enrol”, either!
49. Rubeola spot : MEASLE. Some people complain about too many “plurals” in puzzles. But for the life of me, I have never heard of a single MEASLE.
52. Low-growing greenery : MOSS
56. Yarn source? : LIAR. Great clue!
57. Respectfully give the final word : DEFER TO
60. Ripping results : SHREDS
64. Spring sign : TAURUS. Taurus in the astrological sign for anyone born between April 21 and May 20. So definitely "spring" sign.
65. Ancient Egyptian agents of capital punishment : ASPS. Used for "elite" criminals.
66. Word with white or shell : EGG
67. Former CIA agent counterpart : KGB SPY
69. "L.A. Law" actress : DEY. This actress, also known for her role on “The Partridge Family”
And now, Let Me Take You Down...
1. Held in check : AT BAY
2. Frisbee maker : WHAMO
3. Bruce in a 1974 film : LENNY. This movie.
4. Semi sections : CABS. Tractor trailers.
5. Ventura County resort city : OJAI. Oh, hi!
6. Quack's wonder drug : PANACEA
7. Physics class unit : ERG
8. Biblical twin : JACOB. You all know Esau, his brother?
9. Strung out : ON EDGE
10. Biological family subdivisions : GENERA
11. Clock std. : GMT. Greenwich Mean Time, the “0” hour that the rest of the world relates to.
12. Links concern : LIE. Every golfer tries not to LIE about their score…Oh wait, this clue refers to the situation of the golf ball as it sits on the fairway (or, in a divot).
13. Stirrup site : EAR. It is in the middle ear, here.
18. Dennis the Menace's neighbor Wilson : GEORGE. Dennis's cranky, cantankerous middle aged next-door neighbor; a retired postal carrier and (at least as far as Dennis is concerned) his best human friend.
21. Flowing garment : CAPE
24. Robot play : R.U.R. In the Czech language, by Karel Čapek.
25. Toiletry product whose slogan once began "Don't be half-safe" : ARRID. Deodorant brand.
26. Put away : STORE
27. Radiance : SHEEN
29. Arabic "son of" : IBN. Arabs often use bin, which is a form of ibn, in their full names.
30. Green who played a werewolf in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" : SETH. I like his hair!
32. Young chicken : FRYER. Sounds like these young chickens are doomed...
33. "The Family Man" co-star Téa : LEONI. This lady.
34. Squash variety named for its shape : ACORN
35. Syncopated pieces : RAGS
39. Erie Canal mule : SAL. Made famous by this song.
40. Specialized undergrad track : PRE-MED. I took pre-med as an undergrad.
43. Part of FEMA: Abbr. : EMER...gency.
44. Fam. tree entry : REL...ative
45. Somewhat spotty on top? : BALDISH. (frown)
47. Lascivious lookers : OGLERS
48. Sidelined : LAID UP
51. Very low : BASSY. (frown)
53. Globular : ORBED
54. Developmental period : STAGE
55. Soaked : SOGGY
58. National, before moving : EXPO. No idea. Must be baseball related! (Or, maybe soccer??) Any help here would be appreciated... (From C.C.: Montreal Expos became Washington Nationals in 2004.)
59. Gab attachment : FEST. My gal pals and I always have a gab fest whenever we get together for book club.
60. Trader's buy: Abbr. : STK. "Stock" (frown)
61. Cauldron tender : HAG. (smile) “Double, double toil and trouble: Fire burn and cauldren bubble…”, from Macbeth. And another Shakespearean tribute at:
62. Obstacle, to Hamlet : RUB. “To sleep, perchance to dream: ah, there’s the rub…” 63. Some parents : MAs. OK, some parents might have a “Master of Arts” degree, but is that a prerequisite? (...Postscript: I guess the last clue refers to "MAs", as partners of PAs)
28. Revolt : RISE UP
31. We're on it : EARTH
36. Future school? : ROE. Fun clue, for a “school” of fish.
37. Fresh : RECENT
38. Have ambitions : ASPIRE
41. "__-hoo!" : YOO
46. Become a member : ENROL. I always have a problem between “enroll” and “enrol” . BTW, spell-checker doesn’t like “enrol”, either!
49. Rubeola spot : MEASLE. Some people complain about too many “plurals” in puzzles. But for the life of me, I have never heard of a single MEASLE.
52. Low-growing greenery : MOSS
56. Yarn source? : LIAR. Great clue!
57. Respectfully give the final word : DEFER TO
60. Ripping results : SHREDS
64. Spring sign : TAURUS. Taurus in the astrological sign for anyone born between April 21 and May 20. So definitely "spring" sign.
65. Ancient Egyptian agents of capital punishment : ASPS. Used for "elite" criminals.
66. Word with white or shell : EGG
67. Former CIA agent counterpart : KGB SPY
69. "L.A. Law" actress : DEY. This actress, also known for her role on “The Partridge Family”
And now, Let Me Take You Down...
1. Held in check : AT BAY
2. Frisbee maker : WHAMO
3. Bruce in a 1974 film : LENNY. This movie.
4. Semi sections : CABS. Tractor trailers.
5. Ventura County resort city : OJAI. Oh, hi!
6. Quack's wonder drug : PANACEA
7. Physics class unit : ERG
8. Biblical twin : JACOB. You all know Esau, his brother?
9. Strung out : ON EDGE
10. Biological family subdivisions : GENERA
11. Clock std. : GMT. Greenwich Mean Time, the “0” hour that the rest of the world relates to.
12. Links concern : LIE. Every golfer tries not to LIE about their score…Oh wait, this clue refers to the situation of the golf ball as it sits on the fairway (or, in a divot).
13. Stirrup site : EAR. It is in the middle ear, here.
18. Dennis the Menace's neighbor Wilson : GEORGE. Dennis's cranky, cantankerous middle aged next-door neighbor; a retired postal carrier and (at least as far as Dennis is concerned) his best human friend.
21. Flowing garment : CAPE
24. Robot play : R.U.R. In the Czech language, by Karel Čapek.
25. Toiletry product whose slogan once began "Don't be half-safe" : ARRID. Deodorant brand.
26. Put away : STORE
27. Radiance : SHEEN
29. Arabic "son of" : IBN. Arabs often use bin, which is a form of ibn, in their full names.
30. Green who played a werewolf in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" : SETH. I like his hair!
32. Young chicken : FRYER. Sounds like these young chickens are doomed...
33. "The Family Man" co-star Téa : LEONI. This lady.
34. Squash variety named for its shape : ACORN
35. Syncopated pieces : RAGS
39. Erie Canal mule : SAL. Made famous by this song.
40. Specialized undergrad track : PRE-MED. I took pre-med as an undergrad.
43. Part of FEMA: Abbr. : EMER...gency.
44. Fam. tree entry : REL...ative
45. Somewhat spotty on top? : BALDISH. (frown)
47. Lascivious lookers : OGLERS
48. Sidelined : LAID UP
51. Very low : BASSY. (frown)
53. Globular : ORBED
54. Developmental period : STAGE
55. Soaked : SOGGY
58. National, before moving : EXPO. No idea. Must be baseball related! (Or, maybe soccer??) Any help here would be appreciated... (From C.C.: Montreal Expos became Washington Nationals in 2004.)
59. Gab attachment : FEST. My gal pals and I always have a gab fest whenever we get together for book club.
60. Trader's buy: Abbr. : STK. "Stock" (frown)
61. Cauldron tender : HAG. (smile) “Double, double toil and trouble: Fire burn and cauldren bubble…”, from Macbeth. And another Shakespearean tribute at:
62. Obstacle, to Hamlet : RUB. “To sleep, perchance to dream: ah, there’s the rub…” 63. Some parents : MAs. OK, some parents might have a “Master of Arts” degree, but is that a prerequisite? (...Postscript: I guess the last clue refers to "MAs", as partners of PAs)
Answer grid.
Hugs to everyone on this fine Thursday!
Marti
Note from C.C.:
Sorry for the font mix-up earlier. Blogger did some maintenance last night and we had trouble fixing a few glitches.
Marti
Note from C.C.:
Sorry for the font mix-up earlier. Blogger did some maintenance last night and we had trouble fixing a few glitches.
