45-D. Summer camp sight, and a hint to what each contiguous pair of answers to starred clues graphically represents : BUNK BED. Pairs of types of bed are stacked on each other like bunk beds.
My cats would love this one!
1-A. *Place to cuddle : SOFA. I think a SOFA bed is punishment for being a mother-in-law.
13-A. *Minnesota player : TWIN. Of course, a reference to C.C.'s team!
21-A. *__ stop : TRUCK. A TRUCK bed is the business end of a pickup.
26-A. *Tend to the garden : WATER. WATER BEDs were big in the '70s.
54-A. *Actor Phoenix : RIVER. You can see a lot of dry RIVER beds in CA.
59-A. *Consolation for one who doesn't strike : SPARE. A SPARE bed is sometimes only a shade more comfortable than a SOFA bed.
69-A. *London rental : FLAT. FLAT bed trucks are designed to hold wrecked cars.
72-A. *Lawn party rental : TENT. I never heard of a TENT bed, but apparently they are appealing to children.
Our Dynamic Duo is back again with another visually interesting theme. Five of the stacked entries reference types of literal beds, two reference trucks and one a geologic phenomenon. Quite a mix! But no flowers or oysters? Let's see what else is on our plates today.
Across:
5. Gush : SPEW.
9. As well : ALSO.
14. Dominoes unit : TILE.
15. False god : BAAL. The term most often refers to a local spirit deity in the Hebrew Bible, which would be viewed as a false god.
16. Occult symbols : PENTAGRAMS. A wiccan pentacle contains a PENTAGRAM:
18. Like some audiobooks : ON CD.
19. Porter's "__ Girls" : LES. 1957 film with Gene Kelly and Mitzi Gaynor.
20. Scooby-Doo, e.g. : TOON.
23. Reunion attendee : ALUM. Why do we never see this word clued as "Styptic pencil ingredient"??
25. "Memoirs of a Geisha" sash : OBI.
27. Versatile blood donor : TYPE O. O neg is the "Universal Donor."
29. Impede legally : ESTOP…immediately followed by 31-A. Area with briefs and cases : LAW.
33. __ Arbor : ANN.
35. One may be rolled up : TARP. I love the new Fruit of the Loom commercial!
36. Tuber cultivated in the Andes : OCA.
37. Memorized, perhaps : DOWN PAT.
41. Police record : BLOTTER.
43. Egg: Pref. : OVI.
44. Simple step : A TO B.
46. Word on a deodorant label : DRI. It also might contain ALUM.
47. Surprised cry : EEK. A bat!!
48. Accommodate : PUT UP. On the sofa bed?
50. Contract details : TERMS.
56. Gist : NUB.
58. Philosophical : DEEP.
60. Barnacle site, perhaps : KEEL.
62. "Arabian Nights" name : ALI.
63. Just slightly : A TAD.
64. Full of nonsense talk : BABBLING ON.
67. Undertake : WAGE.
68. German wheels : OPEL. I had Audi at first.
70. Rubberneck : EYER. Noun form. "After the accident in the south-bound lane, traffic was tied up on the other side by RUBBERNECKs."
71. "Anger, fear, aggression; the dark side of the Force are they" speaker : YODA.
Down:
1. Like a cold stare : STEELY. Do these stares look Steely, Dan?
2. Comes clean : OWNS UP.
3. Clothier's concern : FIT.
4. Med sch. class : ANAT.omy.
5. Disco device : STROBE. Because "ball" was too short.
6. Benched player? : PIANIST. Cute clue!
7. Suburban tree : ELM.
8. 1973 thriller featuring Yul Brynner as an android gunman : WESTWORLD. Theme park gone bad movie.
9. Roughly : ABOUT.
10. Knight of note : LANCELOT.
11. Picnic competition : SACK RACE. Nailed it.
12. Tiresome : OLD.
16. Land map : PLAT. A plat is a plan of a plot.
17. Gunk : GOO.
22. Sympathetic connection : RAPPORT.
24. Malicious : MEAN. Like some of our least favorite anons.
28. Theoretically : ON PAPER…it always looks good.
30. Picked-up item : TAB.
32. Mars' realm : WAR.
34. Title wanderer in a 1948 Nat King Cole hit : NATURE BOY.
37. Bunny's mom : DOE.
38. Abuse, as one's welcome : OVERSTAY. On the SOFA bed?
39. User-edited reference entry : WIKI PAGE.
40. Tyke : TOT.
42. Leaderless? : TIED.
49. Mexican state or its capital : PUEBLA. Map.
51. "Man is not free unless government is limited" speaker : REAGAN. No politics on this blog, President Reagan!
52. First National Leaguer to hit 500 homers : MEL OTT. More baseball. I know him from crosswords.
53. Game show turn : SPIN.
55. "Star Wars" villain : VADER. Darth, to friends.
57. __-esprit: wit : BEL. English borrowed word from French.
61. Stop, as an embargo : LIFT.
63. Bedazzle : AWE.
65. Mil. address : APO.
66. Phillies' div. : NLE. National League East, Philadelphia. They are playing the last of a three-game series against the San Diego Padres this afternoon in Philly.
'Til next week!
Marti
Notes from C.C.:
1) This is my 50th
LA Times puzzle with Don G. As I dabbled into collaborating with a few blog friends who are new to crossword construction, I found out that it's not an easy job to explain why a theme would not work, why some certain entries had to be discarded and why some clues had to be changed. Now I'm fully aware of the tremendous amount of time and efforts Don put on me. Thank you so much, Don!
 |
| Don & his wife Barbie, Summer 2009 |
2) Don and I also made a puzzle for the the third Minnesota Crossword Tournament which will be held on June 22, 2014 at The Landmark Center in Saint Paul. Please click here
for more information.
