Mini-theme: Crossword turns 100-year-old today, hence our 3rd crossword tribute puzzle.
39A. The first one appeared on this date in 1913 : CROSSWORD PUZZLE
7D. Finish a 39-Across without a single mistake, e.g. : BE LETTER PERFECT
C.C.
here. Poor Splynter is sick. I'm so used to getting a write-up in the
Draft folder every Saturday when I wake up. This is the first time the
Stud missed a blog since May 21, 2011. He's that dedicated and
disciplined.
Mini-theme often consists of 2 entries, they're either
intersected in the very middle like Marti's today or placed in the first
Across & last Across or any opposite symmetrical spots.
Across:
1. Raises one's spirits? : TOASTS. Great clue.
7. Reasons for seeing double? : BIFOCALS. By the way, Jayce, you're confusing Katharina Böhm with Katharina Boehm, who's an accomplished golfer.
15. Rapt : INTO IT. Totally.
16. Easter activities : EGG ROLLS. Oh, non-food reference, Steve!
17. Whistler, at times : KETTLE
18. Paintball kin : LASER TAG
19. __ du Diable : ILE. Devil's Island.
20. Loser's word : LITE. Weight loser.
22. Surgical tube : STENT
23. Point of Grant Wood's "American Gothic"? : TINE
25. Hulu offering : NET TV. Do you call yours NET TV, Bill G?
28. Mythical archer : EROS
29. Ahead : ON TOP
31. Headache cause : STRESS
33. Marie Antoinette and Louise de Lorraine : REINES. Queens in French.
35. "It is the __, and Juliet is the sun" : EAST
36. Org. that employed Julia Child during WWII : OSS (Office of Strategic Services)
42. QVC rival : HSN (Home Shopping Network)
43. Nitpick : CARP
44. Deprive fraudulently, in slang : ACE OUT
45. Figure-hugging : FITTED. For River Doc. Loved your post last night.
47. Milne mom : KANGA
48. "Just the __, ..." : SAME
51. Host : HORDE
53. Sailor's port : LEFT
54. West Indian sorcery : OBEAH. Similar to Voodoo?
56. Didn't recover from a trip? : FELL. I was thinking of traveling of course.
58. Bit of a chuckle : HEE
59. Bunk : NONSENSE
62. Buck's Fizz cousin : MIMOSA. Never had Buck's Fizz: two parts orange juice to one part champagne. Maybe Misty serves it in her annual Christmas party.
64. "Hold your horses!" : JUST A SEC. You started with "Wait a sec" as well?
65. Silvery food fish : SMELTS. So why is this fish plurable? English irregularities regarding plurals drive me crazy.
66. Pitched : AT A SLANT
67. "A Writer's Life" author : TALESE (Gay). Also wrote "Honor Thy Father".
Down:
1. Backyard party decoration : TIKI TORCH
2. Routine fare? : ONE LINERS. Love this clue also.
3. Care : ATTENTION. D-Otto always welcomes newbies to our blog. Thanks for the care, Tom!
4. Tosspot : SOT
5. Cultivate : TILL. So sweet of your farmer to send you roses, PK.
6. "A rose is a rose is a rose is a rose" author : STEIN (Gertrude). Loved "Charmed Circle".
8. Market chain based in Chicago : IGA (Independent Grocers Alliance)
9. OT enders, often : FGS (Field Goals)
10. Crops of the pick? : ORES. I don't get this clue. Why "pick"?
11. 1519 Yucatán arrival : CORTES (Hernán). Learning moment to me. He overthrew the Aztec Empire. I see lip liner.
12. Doctor : ALTER. Verb "Doctor".
13. The plain in Spain : LLANO. Rhyming clue.
14. Certain NCOs : SSGTs (Staff sergeant)
21. French possessive : TES. Your. So are MES & SES.
24. Ages : EONS
26. Like much folk mus. : TRAD (Traditional)
27. "Roman Holiday" vehicle : VESPA
30. "Home Alone" actor : PESCI (Joe)
32. Unable to go further : STUCK
34. What a scythe may cut : SWATH
36. Montreal Protocol concern : OZONE HOLE. Not familiar with Montreal Protocol, signed in Sept 1987, the exact month I had my first kiss. Where were you in 1987?
37. Games with many runs : SLUGFESTS
38. Calm : SET AT EASE
40. "For here __ go?" : OR TO
41. Fervor : ZEAL
45. Big spreads : FEASTS
46. 34th POTUS : DDE. Easy. As I remember JFK is the 35th.
48. First name in skating : SONJA (Henie). Clear Ayes' favorite.
49. In the neighborhood of : ABOUT
50. Epitome of brightness : MENSA
52. Title loc. in five '80s films : ELM ST
55. Cure : HEAL
57. Bean named for a capital : LIMA. I grew a few rows of lima bean a couple of years ago.
60. DOD arm : NSA
61. Tester or Boxer: Abbr. : SEN. Jon Tester (Montana). Barbara Boxer.
63. Tillis of country : MEL
Marti also has a puzzle at George Barany's site. Click here to solve.
I
don't know the exact date, but somewhere this year Rich Norris edited
his 5000th puzzle for the LA Times. Congratulations, Rich!
C.C.
