theme: death and TAXES - TAXES is spelled out by the starting letters of all the theme answers.
benjamin franklin: "in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." very timely. hopefully most of us are done with this annual nightma-- ... er, chore, for another year.
18A. Porterhouse relatives : T-BONE STEAKS. ribeye for me, please.
24A. Hannibal Smith underling : A-TEAM MEMBER. george peppard portrayed this character in the tv series.
36A. Any of five Wolverine films : X-MEN MOVIE. based on marvel comic's fictional character. had to look it up, i've never seen any of them.
54A. Some online shoppers : E-BAY BIDDERS. anyone here not an e-bayer?
59A. Pot holder, perhaps : S-SHAPED HOOK. like this.
32A. Org. concerned with the word spelled by the starts of 18-, 24-, 36-, 54- and 59-Across : IRS. internal revenue service.
melissa here. since april 15th falls on a sunday this year, we have some extra time to file. if you haven't filed yet, you really shouldn't be here. go do your taxes. we'll wait.
Across:
1. Great, in slang : BAD. she's built, she's stacked.
4. Take as one's own : ADOPT
9. Scenic view : VISTA
14. Fifth in NYC, e.g. : AVE. major thoroughfare in midtown manhattan, "most expensive street in the world."
15. Indian prince : RAJAH
16. Indian, e.g. : OCEAN. world's third largest ocean.
17. [Quoted verbatim] : SIC. notation that indicates words are transcribed exactly as spelled from the original source, complete with any mistakes.
20. Trading center : MART
Across:
1. Great, in slang : BAD. she's built, she's stacked.
4. Take as one's own : ADOPT
9. Scenic view : VISTA
14. Fifth in NYC, e.g. : AVE. major thoroughfare in midtown manhattan, "most expensive street in the world."
15. Indian prince : RAJAH
16. Indian, e.g. : OCEAN. world's third largest ocean.
17. [Quoted verbatim] : SIC. notation that indicates words are transcribed exactly as spelled from the original source, complete with any mistakes.
20. Trading center : MART
22. Without __: pro bono : A FEE. "professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment or at a reduced fee as a public service." then there's these pro bonos.
23. Chop : HEW. to cut, as with an axe.
28. Dined : ATE. a belated easter funny ...
29. Polish place : TOENAIL
30. MetLife, for one : INSURER
33. Muslim leader : IMAM
35. Popular dolls : KENS. how you doin'?
40. Jeer : GIBE
43. Geraint's lady : ENID. here is the wikipedia page.
44. Cookbook abbr. : TSP. teaspoon.
47. Elite athlete : ALL-STAR
51. Urban skyline standout : EDIFICE. a building of imposing appearance or size.
53. Actress Peeples : NIA
56. Receive : GET
57. Talker on a perch : MYNA. talking myna bird.
58. Aid companion : ABET
64. Reason for gaping : AWE
65. Immunity agent : T-CELL. lymphocytes.
66. Porter's "__ the Top" : YOU'RE. cole porter tune from the 1934 musical 'anything goes.'
67. Dastard : CUR. new to me, but both are synonyms for coward.
68. Halos : AURAE
69. Board game with an exclamation point in its name : SORRY! and 55d. Internet giant with an exclamation point in its name : YAHOO!
70. Mil. spud duties : KP'S. kitchen patrols.
down:
1. Long-grained Asian rice : BASMATI
2. One skilled in plane talk : AVIATOR
3. Fiats : DECREES
4. Legal hangings? : ART. haha.
6. Pancho's peeper : OJO. spanish for eye.
7. Jet age 2011-'12 TV drama : PAN AM. abc series.
8. Hoover led it for 37 yrs. : THE FBI
9. Political pollsters' targets : VOTERS
10. Winter glaze : ICE
11. Mollusk named for its pair of long earlike appendages : SEA HARE. pretty.
12. Rest : TAKE TEN. also, paul desmond's sequel to his monster hit 'take five,' that he wrote for the dave brubeck quartet.
13. Responds : ANSWERS
19. Espied : SEEN
21. Catch some rays : TAN. soon!
25. Injure severely : MAIM. ow.
26. Marceau, notably : MIME. marcel marceau.
27. Verve : ELAN
31. Don Ho's instrument : UKE. ukulele.
34. Sra.'s French counterpart : MME. madam.
36. Crosses (out) : X'ES
37. A student's GPA blemish : ONE B. alright.
38. Caesar's "I saw" : VIDI. latin.
39. "__ it my way" : I DID. frank sinatra's signature song.
40. Kind of rap : GANGSTA. from wikipedia: "a subgenre of hip hop music that evolved from hardcore hip hop and purports to reflect urban crime and the violent lifestyles of inner-city youths."
41. Former Romanian president : ILIESCU. President of Romania from 1990 until 1996, and from 2000 until 2004. a bit obscure.
42. Utter nonsense : BLATHER
44. Secure behind one's head, as long hair : TIE BACK
45. Make a mess of : SCREW UP
46. Really bugs : PESTERS
48. Synagogue : TEMPLE
49. "Rock-__ Baby" : A-BYE
50. Actor Quaid and pitcher Johnson : RANDYS
52. Pharm. watchdog : FDA. food and drug administration. also known as the f-duh.
60. According to : A LA. or, 'in the manner of.'
61. "__ Song": #1 country hit for Taylor Swift : OUR
62. Hockey great : ORR. bobby.
63. Opener on a ring : KEY
Answer grid.
melissa
