Theme: Couch Potato. The circles within the theme entries spell out various cable TV options. So get your bowls of popcorn ready, but don't fight over the remote!
17A. "All Summer Long" singers : BEACH BOYS. I was a real fan in my early teens. Here is their version. 2:07 In the circles, we find HBO, or Home Box Office, which is owned by Time-Warner.
22A. Ibsen classic : A DOLL'S HOUSE. I just recently re-read this play. SHOwtime is owned by CBS. My favorite SHO would be "Weeds."
38A. Early Shakespearean tragedy : TITUS ANDRONICUS. For some reason, I always want to spell this one as "Titus Andromeda." USA is owned by NBC. Favorites here inclue "Monk."
48A. New England order : CLAM CHOWDER. Something you can never get in Manhattan is a good chowdah! AMC Networks was formerly known as "American Movie Classics," but they are moving away from that image, and are introducing new programming.
And the unifier:
61A. Wire fasteners, and a hint to this puzzle's circled letters : CABLE TIES. Also known as "zip ties", they are handy when you need to tie a bunch of electronic cords and cables together under your home entertainment system!
Marti here, for your Thursday entertainment. I can't compete with HBO, SHO, USA or AMC, but I'll give it my best shot!
Across:
1. That-funny link : WASN'T. I'm a glass half full kind of person, so I initially wanted "WAS SO."
6. Assistance : AID.
9. Tread heavily : TROMP. "Tramp" would work, too, no?
14. Name in cosmetics : ESTEE. Lauder. Nailed it!
15. Droid, e.g. : PDA. Personal Digital Assistant. We just got our new iPhone 5s today, and they come with "Siri." She brings PDA to a whole new level, but she kind of creeps me out...
16. Sine or secant : RATIO. David Poole is a mathematician, so this was a no-brainer for him. Me? Not so much...
19. Name of two presidents : ADAMS. John Adams was the second president, and his son John Quincy Adams was the sixth president.
20. Foot the bill for : BANKROLL.
21. Egyptian underworld boss? : OSIRIS. "Lord of the Dead"
24. Steep-sided valley : RAVINE.
28. Available without an Rx : OTC. Over The Counter. Or, "Heart"? (Sorry...insider joke)
29. Electron home : ATOM. A Neutron walks into a bar...
30. Paraphernalia : GEAR.
33. Tough watchdog : AKITA. Yeah, right...my cats would have him for lunch!
41. Process start : STEP A.
42. Not e'en once : NE'ER. Poetic "even" and "never"
43. "Sure!" : LET'S. Have you ever regretted saying that? I'd like to hear the story...
44. Wire service abbr. : UPI. United Press International. Once a giant in the newswires, photo and film industry. Now, not so much.
46. Fairlady automaker : DATSUN. I never knew about this brand.
54. Imposed : LEVIED.
55. Bothersome type : HEADACHE.
60. Visibly stunned : AGASP. (David used an "A" word, David used an "A" word...)
62. Indian yogurt dip : RAITA. David is a gourmet cook, so I bet he has made this condiment. I love the cucumber-mint variety.
63. Rhyming boxer : ALI. "It will be a killer, and a chiller, and a thriller, when I get the gorilla in Manila..."
64. Tag line? : NOTIT. Hand-in-hand with 25-Down. Working away : ATIT. Fire away, all ye DF bloggers!
65. ___ & Bacon: textbook publisher : ALLYN. I wonder if they were the company that published David's math text?
66. Favorite : PET.
67. "Fun, Fun, Fun" ride for the 17-Across : T-BIRD. Another blast from the past with my fav teenage group.
Down:
1. Friday on the air : WEBB. Sergeant Joe, that is, from the old "Dragnet" TV show.
2. On a steamer, say : ASEA. (David used an "A" word, David used an "A" word...)
3. Getz of jazz : STAN. With John Coltrane: priceless! 9:00 (And worth every second!)
4. Get romantic, in a way : NECK.
5. Imam Khomeini International Airport locale : TEHRAN.
6. Speed skater ___ Anton Ohno : APOLO. I keep wanting to spell his name "Apollo"
7. Pastoral poem : IDYLL.
8. Marx's "___ Kapital" : DAS.
9. Oscar's place : TRASH CAN. I wanted something to do with "The Academy," but it wouldn't fit. D'oh~! Oscar the Grouch on Sesame Street!
10. Fireside chat medium : RADIO. FDR's radio broadcasts to the US from 1933-1944, leading up to and then in the midst of the troubles in Europe.
11. Hokkaido seaport : OTARU. Map. On Japan's second-largest island.
12. Actress Rogers et al. : MIMIS. I did not recognize her. Anyone know who she played in film that I might know?
13. Western party : POSSE. Cute clue!
18. Barrio food store : BODEGA. Could also be a wine store...but, come to think of it, that would be one of the major FOOD groups, right?
21. München-to-Wien heading : OST. Munich - to - Vienna direction is OST in German, or "east" in English. Travelled that road many times!
23. "The Maltese Falcon" actor : LORRE. Peter, with Humphrey Bogart in one of my favorite roles!
24. Stinkers : RATS.
26. Swing ___ : VOTE. Yours might just be the one, coming up on Tuesday. So get out and vote!
27. "Hand me a bat!" : I'M UP.
31. Film composer Morricone : ENNIO. You might recognize this one...2:59
32. Country Time suffix : ADE. Make summer last all year with Country Time LemonADE ! (And one of our favorite bloggers on Friday...)
34. Tartan wraparound : KILT. What do they wear underneath those?
35. Works on a cake : ICES. Is the "writer of creamy messages," in other words.
36. "Fantasia" hippo's wear : TUTU. Adorable.
37. Professional org. : ASSN. Association.
39. Kitchen utensil : SAUCE PAN. Hands up for "sauce pot"? I put saucep--, and then skidded to a halt while I waited for perps.
40. Tough row to hoe : ORDEAL.
45. High deg. : PHD. Abbreviation of the Latin "Philosophiæ Doctor" or, "Doctor of Philosophy"
47. Hot-blooded : ARDENT.
48. One of California's Santas : CLARA. Not Claus or Argyle...
49. Sanctioned : LEGAL. I tried "legit" at first.
50. Prove useful : AVAIL. "When a scholar meets a soldier, he may have reason on his side, but to no avail." (Unknown author)
51. Teary-eyed : MISTY.
52. Pequod sinker : WHALE. Yes, indeed, the great white whale did "do in" the Pequod. 2:45
53. Payment option : DEBIT...or credit? And 57-Down. Credit card name with a red arc over it : CITI.
56. Short range : ATOB. What's a tob, you ask? Point A - to - B.
58. One who gets what's coming : HEIR. A clue that made me laugh out loud when I finally "got" it.
59. Business sign abbr. : ESTD. "Established."
61. Uniform item, perhaps : CAP. Wanted "hat", but had to wait for perps.
That's it for this week. See you same time, same place, next Thursday!
Hugs,
Marti
1) Part VII of JD's Italy trip: Rome
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| Ruins of the ancient city of Ostia, which was the gateway and port city to Rome. Yes, those were toilets. |
Click here for more pictures. I intended to put picture #2 here, but had trouble getting it here.
2) Happy Birthday to Carol! I like this picture a lot.
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| JD, Dick & Carol Seated in front of lily pond at Sunset Botanical Gardens |
