Theme: "Snug as a Bug in a Rug"
17-Across. *Design pattern on some Irish crosses : CELTIC KNOT. Beautifully intricate design. This is the only non-phrase theme entry.
23-Across. *Not surprising : TO BE EXPECTED.
53-Across. *Ready to come clean : TIRED OF LYING.
61-Across. *Got some gumption : GREW A SPINE.
3-Down. *Intend when speaking : MEAN TO SAY.
34-Down. Correcting, in a way...or what would need to be done to remove the things hidden in the answers to the starred clues? : DEBUGGING. Debugging computer programs is a tedious process, and sometimes is not complete, even after the software is released.
Cute theme with all the hidden "bugs." I loved how each of the hidden insects spanned at least two different words. WASP spans three. I got a hint to the theme early on when I had CELTICK*** filled in. "TICK" just popped out at me, so I started looking for other bugs in the theme entries. Jennifer Nutt usually offers us Monday-Tuesday puzzles. This one seemed to have really easy fill, with some tricky Thursday clues.
Marti here, to try to explain those things that may have been bugging you!
Across:
1. Jon of "Mad Men" : HAMM. He won a Golden Globe for playing Don Draper.
5. Site of the volcano Olympus Mons : MARS. It kind of resembles something out of Greek myth, don't you think?
9. Mosque official : IMAM. Then we have 33-Across. Church leader : ELDER.
13. Double Stuf treat : OREO.
14. Downwind : ALEE.
15. Hells Canyon is on its western border : IDAHO. Beautiful area!
16. Switch from a bottle to a cup, say : WEAN.
19. "Migrant Mother" photographer Dorothea : LANGE. More about this poignant photograph here.
21. Q7 automaker : AUDI.
22. Mop & ___ : GLO.
27. Carpenter's accessory : TOOLBOX. Shout-out to Splynter!
29. Event in many 30-Across : SALE.
and...
30. Newspaper inserts : ADS. I took advantage of 70-80% off sales last weekend on my annual clothing spree...some of my bargains were from 42-Across. Retailer Strauss : LEVI. I bought a couple pair of LEVIs with sequins on the back pockets - "If ya can't hide it, decorate it!"
31. Tizzy : SNIT.
37. Stray : ROAM.
39. Monetary interest : STAKE. Probably from the practice of miners marking the borders of their claims with stakes.
43. Use a lever on, as a floorboard : PRY UP.
45. Org. with bowls : NCAA. National Collegiate Athletic Association.
47. Chem cousin : BIO.logy and chemistry.
48. Rainbow goddess : IRIS. Shout-out to Blue Iris!
51. Battery partner : ASSAULT.
56. Place for a ring : EAR.
57. Have on : WEAR.
58. Vague : FOGGY.
65. Bog down : MIRE.
66. Voice of the difficult homeowner in "Up" : ASNER. Ed. Cute animated film.
67. Chief Justice Warren : EARL. The 14th Chief Justice, he died in 1974. Most noted for ending segregation in schools.
68. Told about, as a secret : IN ON.
69. Try to lose : DIET. Are your New Year's resolutions still on track?
70. Apothecary's measure : DRAM. Equal to 1/8 oz. Also, a wee bit of whiskey.
71. Soufflé essentials : EGGS.
Down:
1. Bay in the woods : HOWL. Unnerving sound, if you are camping in those woods.
2. Zone : AREA.
4. Genghis Khan, notably : MONGOL.
5. Jobs creation : MAC. Steve Jobs, founder of Apple.
6. Sierra Nevada, e.g. : ALE. This one really had me going, since I don't drink beer. The brewer is located in Chico, CA.
7. "Calm down" : RELAX.
8. Frame jobs : SET UPS.
9. Textspeak disclaimer : IDK. I don't know what this means...do you?
10. Itchy canine ailment : MANGE. Along with the TICKs in the theme entry?
11. "Get ___ of yourself!" : A HOLD.
12. Fictional detective skilled in judo : MOTO. Mr. Moto, to you! I did not know that this character was originally created by Marquand for the Saturday Evening Post, because they were looking for an Asian hero to replace Charlie Chan after the death of his creator Earl Der Biggers.
15. Wintry spike : ICICLE. We have plenty of those hanging around here in the northeast.
18. It might just come to you : IDEA.
20. Subsides : EBBS.
24. Geologic times : EONS.
25. Way out : EXIT.
26. Spill the beans : TELL.
27. Protective cover : TARP.
28. Bouquet : ODOR.
32. Salon acquisition : TAN. I just saw a news clip the other night about a HS basketball player with a rare disease called Mucha-Habermann, who must use a tanning bed every day to fight the painful rash.
35. Like some fictional twins : EVIL. The antagonist in the plot, who tries to undo the good deeds of the protagonist.
36. Serious uprising : RIOT.
38. Naturalist John : MUIR. Founder of the Sierra Club, and activist in preserving forests and wilderness areas.
40. Heat energy meas. : KCAL. Defined as the energy needed to raise the temp of 1 Kg. of water by 1 Kelvin.
41. "No problem" : EASY.
44. Like 1930s prices : PRE-WAR.
46. "Yeah, right!" : AS IF.
49. Middle of March : IDES.
50. Lathered (up) : SOAPED.
52. Breakdown of social norms : ANOMIE. From the greek word anomia, meaning "lawlessness."
53. Ankle bones : TARSI.
54. Damaging 2011 East Coast hurricane : IRENE. Some areas are still feeling the effects.
55. Tuck's title : FRIAR.
56. "Zounds!" : EGAD.
59. Pirate's brew : GROG. Do they measure it in DRAMs?
60. Longings : YENS.
62. In the water : WET.
63. Second Amendment backer: Abbr. : NRA. National Rifle Association, and the right to bear arms.
64. Slippery ___ : ELM. Hands up for "eel" before ELM?
Until next week!
Marti
