google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner

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Aug 16, 2012

Thursday, August 16, 2012 Gareth Bain

Theme: "Sometimes you feel like a nut..."

16. *Bedroom fixture : CHEST OF DRAWERS. And old CHESTNUT is a tired joke or trick. Also, they are good for roasting on an open fire...

21. *Tuxedo shirt feature : WING COLLAR. A WINGNUT could be a piece of hardware, or someone with extreme political views. This is the only inedible entry.

34. *Fog metaphor : PEA SOUP. PEANUTs are an American baseball game staple...

49. *Fashion icon with her own perfume : COCO CHANEL. Did you know that the word "COCONUT" is from the Portugese word for "grinning face", because of the three depressions on its surface?

And the unifier:
54. Screwball, and what each starred answer's beginning is : SOME KIND OF A NUT. I loved this theme, and certainly could relate to all the "nuts"!

Marti here, to go through the rest of the fill with you.

Across:

1. Wynonna's mom : NAOMI. At first, I thought of Winona Ryder. But of course, it was "Wynonna", and her mom Naomi Judd! "Mama, He's Crazy" by the duo. 3:07

6. Five-star general Bradley : OMAR

10. Break a law, in a way : SIN. One of the laws of the commandments, that is.

13. Industry magnate : BARON

14. Beurre ___: hazelnut butter : NOISETTE. I think this is probably more common in Gareth's home country than it is in the US. But I have seen it many times in European cafes.

18. Lover of an Irish Rose : ABIE. "Abie's Irish Rose", and old CHESTNUT, and a lovely movie. Catch it on TMC if you can...

19. Best of the best : ELITE

27. Predatory look : LEER

28. Many a pet : ADOPTEE. Both my cats are adoptees!

29. Period of fasting ended by Eid al-Fitr : RAMADAN. I thought that was some kind of noodle??

31. Activist Parks : ROSA. I'm not so sure she was an activist. She just was tired after a hard day of work...But what a movement she started!!(Update 8:25. She actually was very involved in civil rights.. Read more here. Thanks, Nance!)

32. Composer of a popular graduation march : ELGAR. Edward Elgar, that is. Of course, you are all familiar with this march? 2:05

33. Tissue box word : PLY. Two-ply, three-ply?

37. Wkly. research journal publisher : AMA. American Medical Association. And of course, their publication is the Journal Of the American Medical Association, or "JAMA". (This week's issue, for those who are interested.)

40. Northern European people : LAPPS

41. A-Rod's "A" : ALEX...Rodriguez, of the New York Yankees MLB.

42. Two-piece suits : BIKINIS. HaHa, I had a different suit in mind...(OK, OK, I'll link for you guys later...)

45. Reason to get dolled up : HOT DATE. See, I told you I'd link for the guys!

48. North Carolina university : ELON

51. Sinclair Lewis's "___ Gantry" : ELMER. Loved Burt Lancaster in the movie!

53. Uffizi display : ARTE. My favorite was "The Birth of Venus" by Botticelli.

61. Capital of South Australia : ADELAIDE

62. Clutch neighbor : BRAKE. Ha! I was thinking of a chicken coop, but all along, it was referring to those pedals on my 1959 Volvo PV 544. Haven't needed a "clutch" since then! (BTW, the 1959 Volvo was 10 years old when I bought it...)

63. Old-style over there : YON

64. Hermanos de su madre : TIOS. OK, I'm totally guessing here, but I guess this means "brothers of your mother"? (LUCINA!! I need you!!) Anyway, "TIOS" means uncles, in Spanish...(I hope!!)

65. Force : IMPEL. I am impelled to go...

Down:

1. "Seinfeld" network : NBC

2. Sigh during pampering : AAH

3. Underground treasure : ORE

4. Wks. and wks. : MOS. Weeks and weeks add up to months,...and months and months add up to years,...and years and years add up to ... (SOMEONE STOP ME, NOW!! PLEASE!!!)

5. Unharmed : INTACT

6. Recorded for posterity : ON FILE

7. "Project Runway" figure : MODEL. I bet C.C. watches this show!

8. Tune : AIR

9. Soweto's nation: Abbr. : RSA. Republic of South Africa. And a cool shoutout to the home state of Gareth Bain!

10. Outstanding : STELLAR...performance by Gareth!

11. Sigh after losing : I TRIED...to match his wit, but failed miserably!

12. Tetley rival : NESTEA

15. Ma with a baa : EWE

17. It's blown in the winds : OBOE. Wind section of the orchestra, that is.

20. Directional suffix : ERN. East-ern, North-ern, West-ern, South-ern...(you get the idea-ern??)

21. Distort : WARP.

22. Matinée heartthrob : IDOL

23. In the wrong business? : NOSY. In other words, in someone else's business but your own!

24. Transcript fig. : GPA. Grade Point Average.

25. First name in folk : ARLO. Guthrie, of folk music.

26. Italian for "meat-based sauce" : RAGU. So, that's where the brand name came from! ("It's in there!")

30. Place for a legend : MAP

32. Hook shape : ESS

34. One on the range : PAN. Oh, man! Do you know how much agita this one gave me until I figured out they were talking about a "stove" type range???

35. Grand-scale tale : EPIC

36. Lhasa-___ : APSO. awww, how cute!

37. Economist Greenspan : ALAN

38. Administer, with "out" : METE

39. Winter Olympics leap : AXEL

40. Ends and centers : LINEMEN. Football.

41. Programming pioneer Lovelace : ADA. Fascinating bio...

42. Quilter's session : BEE

43. "Amen to that!" : I'LL SAY

44. ___ dragon : KOMODO. Godzilla, is that you??


45. Crowds : HORDES

46. Two-thirds of dodeca- : OCTO. "Dodeca" is twelve, so 2/3 x 12 = OCTO!!

47. Org. led by Robert Mueller : THE FBI. He assumed the office in 2001.

50. "Got your back" : CAN DO.

52. Th.D.'s field : REL. Theology Doctor. Religion.

55. "Krazy" comics feline : KAT

56. Golf's Davis Love ___ : III. Captain of the USA team for the Ryder Cup in September.

57. Slot lever : ARM. That thing on the right with a red ball on top...



















58. Go out in the afternoon? : NAP. HaHa, loved this clue/ans!!

59. Hula strings : UKE

60. Business card abbr. : TEL.ephone. (e-mail me, instead!)

Answer grid.

Hugs, until next week.
Marti