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!
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