Theme: "Before and After". No, not those weight-reducing ads...
17A. *Place for after-dinner courses : NIGHT SCHOOL. Night cap. I need one right now...I'll never make it to trade school at this rate!
25A. *Repress : BOTTLE UP. Bottle cap...yes, pop one open for me, please! On second thought, I want to trade up to something like Remy Martin!
51A. *Skating exhibitions : ICE SHOWS. Ice cap. No thanks, Tinbeni would be horrified if I added ice!! Anyway, I can't drink while I am doing trade shows...
64A. *Delta's aptly named monthly : SKY MAGAZINE. Sky cap. Uh, I think he needs one. Maybe he should read about proper behavior for coaches in a trade magazine?
And the unifiers:
40A. See 33-Down, and word that can precede the end of the answers to starred clues : TRADE
33D. With "and" and 40-Across, emissions-reducing method whose first word (this answer) can follow the start of the answers to the starred clues : CAP. "Cap and Trade" is an environmental policy tool for delivering positive results with a mandatory cap on emissions...you have heard of your "carbon footprint", right?
Whew! This was a really convoluted theme reveal for the simple word "cap", that can follow the first words of the theme entries, and "trade", that can precede the second word. I hope the colors that I used will help you to "see" this theme. It certainly took me a few minutes before I realized the elegance of it! I blogged the last Bill Thompson LAT offering, and there was plenty of good stuff there, as well!!
Marti here, to explore the other beauties in this one.
Across:
1. Loathe : ABHOR
6. Poke into : PROBE
11. "Blue Hawaii" prop : UKE. OK, so we go back in time a bit for this one.
14. Rear : RAISE
15. Houston hockey team : AEROS
16. Frat letters : NUs. and 71A. Sorority letters : ZETAS
19. Banned pesticide : DDT
20. Magic show reaction : OOH
21. Lots : OCEANS. Tons, oodles, a whole bunch...
22. "Omertà " author : PUZO. Mario Puzo. Have you read it, Mari or Irish Miss?
23. Mystery writer John Dickson ___ : CARR.
27. Double-___: puzzle type : CROSTIC
30. German pronoun : SIE. Formal "you". Informal you is "du". But, be very careful that you never use the informal (familiar) form, until you are invited to do so!
31. When many Lyon Lions are born : AOUT. In August, in French.
32. Brownish purple : PUCE. Eeeww...that just conjures up bad images.
35. Certain commuter's aid : STRAP. On the bus. I've spent many hours hanging onto them!
39. Utter : PURE. Sheer, pure terror (like when facing an audience for the first time?)
42. Grinder : HERO. Sub, Po' Boy, Hoagie, Zep, Muffalata, Panini...What's yours?
17A. *Place for after-dinner courses : NIGHT SCHOOL. Night cap. I need one right now...I'll never make it to trade school at this rate!
25A. *Repress : BOTTLE UP. Bottle cap...yes, pop one open for me, please! On second thought, I want to trade up to something like Remy Martin!
51A. *Skating exhibitions : ICE SHOWS. Ice cap. No thanks, Tinbeni would be horrified if I added ice!! Anyway, I can't drink while I am doing trade shows...
64A. *Delta's aptly named monthly : SKY MAGAZINE. Sky cap. Uh, I think he needs one. Maybe he should read about proper behavior for coaches in a trade magazine?
And the unifiers:
40A. See 33-Down, and word that can precede the end of the answers to starred clues : TRADE
33D. With "and" and 40-Across, emissions-reducing method whose first word (this answer) can follow the start of the answers to the starred clues : CAP. "Cap and Trade" is an environmental policy tool for delivering positive results with a mandatory cap on emissions...you have heard of your "carbon footprint", right?
Whew! This was a really convoluted theme reveal for the simple word "cap", that can follow the first words of the theme entries, and "trade", that can precede the second word. I hope the colors that I used will help you to "see" this theme. It certainly took me a few minutes before I realized the elegance of it! I blogged the last Bill Thompson LAT offering, and there was plenty of good stuff there, as well!!
Marti here, to explore the other beauties in this one.
Across:
1. Loathe : ABHOR
6. Poke into : PROBE
11. "Blue Hawaii" prop : UKE. OK, so we go back in time a bit for this one.
14. Rear : RAISE
15. Houston hockey team : AEROS
16. Frat letters : NUs. and 71A. Sorority letters : ZETAS
19. Banned pesticide : DDT
20. Magic show reaction : OOH
21. Lots : OCEANS. Tons, oodles, a whole bunch...
22. "Omertà " author : PUZO. Mario Puzo. Have you read it, Mari or Irish Miss?
23. Mystery writer John Dickson ___ : CARR.
27. Double-___: puzzle type : CROSTIC
30. German pronoun : SIE. Formal "you". Informal you is "du". But, be very careful that you never use the informal (familiar) form, until you are invited to do so!
31. When many Lyon Lions are born : AOUT. In August, in French.
32. Brownish purple : PUCE. Eeeww...that just conjures up bad images.
35. Certain commuter's aid : STRAP. On the bus. I've spent many hours hanging onto them!
39. Utter : PURE. Sheer, pure terror (like when facing an audience for the first time?)
42. Grinder : HERO. Sub, Po' Boy, Hoagie, Zep, Muffalata, Panini...What's yours?
43. Uncredited actor : EXTRA
45. Yani Tseng's org. : LPGA. Currently ranked # 1 in women's golf.
46. Home of Miami University : OHIO. Ha! Didn't fool me at all.
47. Neighbor of Leb. : ISR.ael
49. Neverending : ETERNAL
56. Fertile crescent land : IRAQ
57. Musty : DANK
58. Butter sources : CHURNS. Not nowadays, though.
60. American rival: Abbr. : UAL. United Air Lines.
63. "___ Fine Day": 1963 hit : ONE. The Chiffons, 1963. Oldie but goodie. (Ugh, I hate those YouTube ads!!)
66. Fly the coop : LAM. Usually, we hear "on the lam", but the actual meaning of "lam" is to break away, or escape.
67. Stud : HE-MAN. Like yesterday's "Ken" doll?
68. Assays : TESTS
69. Like some looks : SLY
70. Put up : ERECT. OK, I will leave this one alone...
Down:
1. River of Tuscany : ARNO. Obligatory geography lesson for the day. (Just above Florence.)
2. "Joanie Loves Chachi" co-star : BAIO. Scott. This "kid". My guess, is that Joanie is the one on the left?
3. Hearer of final appeals : HIGH COURT. Lemon and Hahtoolah can expand...
4. ___ Kosh B'Gosh : OSH. I never liked this clue/ans. "Kosh" and "Gosh" contain the entire thing, don't they??
5. Comeback : RETORT
6. Go to and fro : PACE
7. Post-op program : REHAB
8. Maine campus town : ORONO. Mainiac, where've you been?
9. Promotes : BOOSTS
10. Immigrant's subj. : ESL. English as a Second Language.
11. Excessive : UNDUE
12. Invasive Japanese vine : KUDZU
13. Prevent legally : ESTOP. (See comment on 3D)
18. What ad libbers ignore : SCRIPT. Great clue! And best show with ad libbers I have ever seen.
22. Overabundance : PLETHORA
24. Star : ASTERISK. *******
26. "My country, ___ ..." : TIS of thee...
27. Horn, for one : CAPE. Another geography lesson...
28. Gravy thickener : ROUX
29. Ringlet : CURL
34. Sidle : EDGE. Edge through the crowd, to the front of the line?
36. Burger follower : REHNQUIST. William, 16th Chief Justice of the US.
37. "Nessun dorma", e.g. : ARIA. Oh boy, I get to link an aria from Puccini's Turandot!! The aria is Italian for "None shall sleep". It's a long story, but basically the cold-blooded princess has to guess, before dawn, the name of the one who has won her hand (by correctly answering three riddles). She is repulsed at the thought of marrying him, and demands that no one shall sleep that night until his name is figured out. If the name is revealed, she is freed from the marriage demand. Kind of Rumpelstiltskin-esque, don't you think?
38. Combine, as assets : POOL
41. Using (up) : EATING
44. Fireplace powder : ASH
48. Chair on a porch : ROCKER. Cracker Barrel, anyone?
50. Fake : ERSATZ. Love that word!
51. Fan club focuses : IDOLS
52. Towpath locale : CANAL. They used to be used by donkeys towing barges through the canals. Now, it's mostly Sunday joggers.
53. She's not for you : ENEMY. Why "she"?
54. "What did I do to deserve this?" : WHY ME. ...why me?
55. "Poison" plant : SUMAC. Poison oak is much more allergenic.
59. Harangue : RANT.
61. Architectural pier : ANTA. Post or pillar on the sides of Greek temple entrances.
62. More, to a minimalist : LESS. "Less is more..."
64. Elle, across the Atlantic : SHE. HaHa, a reversal of the usual clue we see.
65. Bit of a snore? : ZEE. So now I have gone full circle from 71A ZETAS to ZEE tonight, so I'll say "Zo long".
Answer grid.
Hugs,
Marti
From C.C.:
Last Sunday Wisconsin State Journal published a thought-provoking letter Kazie wrote regarding student and teacher evaluation here in the US.
Below is the letter. (Thanks for the alert, Marge!)
"Having taught high school more than three decades, in four countries on three continents, I feel uniquely qualified to comment on education here. In Australia, I grew up and taught in a system where most student assessment relied on massive three-hour tests twice yearly--not the best way to foretell future success. However, I am also appalled that here, most testing consists of multiple-choice, fill-in-the-bubble guesses, very quickly gradable by computer, as opposed to subjective tests demanding active recall. The main concern at the end of the year, if teachers need more than 24 hours to get tests graded and results out, is how to entertain students after exams are done.
In contrast, French and German schools encourage daily, graded, student discussions of material they’ve studied, as well as long essay assignments throughout the year. Students can’t hide behind objective test guessing. Teachers there don’t just “lecture” in class, as is common here. Students participate actively in all their classes, resulting in more thorough comprehension and commitment to learning. The fault here is with the system itself. Changing student expectations, not just evaluation of teachers, will result in improved student performance, and that is the ultimate goal."
