17-Across. Film with the song "Maniac" : FLASH DANCE. Memorable song and video. 4:00
24-Across. Film in which Garbo said, "I want to be alone" : GRAND HOTEL. Classic line. 0:10
54-Across. "Unsafe at Any Speed" author : RALPH NADER. Not just about the Corvair. But Holy Cow! The paperback sells on Amazon for $150?
63-Across. "That's news to me!" : I HAD NO IDEA. Really? $150?!?!
The reveal is situated smack dab in the middle of the grid:
38-Across. Private club ritual, and a hint to this puzzle's circles : SECRET HANDSHAKE. The SHAKE indicates that HAND will be mixed up in the other theme entries. Very clever! There was lots to like in this puzzle, so let's get started.
Across
1. Plenty : LOADS. I almost wanted "a ton," but it was too short.
6. Cologne scent : MUSK. I don't really like musky colognes. Or colognes, period.
10. "Now it makes sense!" : I SEE.
14. 2011 Cricket World Cup winner : INDIA. They beat out Sri Lanka by 6 wickets. (Sure, I knew that...)
15. Actress Gray of "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" : ERIN. TV series 1979 - 81. Never saw it. And 37-Across. Buck Rogers portrayer __ Gerard : GIL.
16. Stores in rows : MALL. I was thinking of the racks of storage bins in our garage.
19. Formally proper : PRIM.
20. Philippine tongue : TAGALOG. Never trust Google translator. Especially with languages like TAGALOG!
21. Gillette Mach3 predecessor : ATRA.
23. Uintah and Ouray Reservation residents : UTES.
29. Annoyances : PESTS.
31. Spanish demonstrative : ESO.
32. __ Coast : IVORY.
33. Golfer nicknamed "The Big Easy" : ELS. Gimme.
35. Winter coat : HOAR.
43. Lines of praise : ODE.
44. One on a penny : UNUM. "E Pluribus UNUM." Weird: when I type E Pluribus Unum into Google translate, it gives me the English translation: "Grape." Huh?? More reliable sources assure me that it means "Out of many, one."
45. Scarfed down : ATE.
46. Like a new candle : UNLIT.
48. Showed the way : LED.
50. Treats, as an icy road : SALTS.
57. Real card : RIOT.
58. Desert formation : MESA.
59. Like monastic life : AUSTERE.
61. Non-PC purchase : iMAC.
66. Actress Tushingham : RITA. Should I know her?
67. Slimming option, for short : LIPO.suction.
68. __ position : FETAL.
69. Biz bigwig : EXEC.
70. Twirled : SPUN.
71. Easy paces : TROTS.
Down
1. Elate : LIFT UP.
2. Airing in the wee hours : ON LATE.
3. Words of wisdom : ADAGES.
4. Earthquake, perhaps : DISASTER.
5. Satirist Mort : SAHL.
6. Thin, on the Thames : MEAGRE. My least fav entry.
7. Coffee holder : URN.
8. [that's what it said] : SIC.
9. Massage : KNEAD.
10. "Whose Line Is It Anyway" technique : IMPROV. Drew Carey was the original host in the US. Now it's Aisha Tyler. The cast is more or less the same. Very funny!
11. 1777 battle site : SARATOGA. Gimme. I bet Argyle, Irish Miss and Spitzboov got this one right away.
12. Yalie : ELI.
13. Street of nightmares : ELM.
18. Husky, for one : DOG. Because "size" didn't fit.
22. Yearns : THIRSTS.
25. Embarrassed : ASHAMED.
26. It may follow eleven : NOON. Doesn't it always follow eleven?
27. Actor Estrada : ERIK.
28. Lovett of country : LYLE.
30. Spade and Hammer : SLEUTHS.
34. Subway map dot: Abbr. : STN.
36. Cavity filler's org. : ADA. American Dental Association.
38. Fermented, as milk : SOUR. So, how can you tell when sour cream has gone bad?
39. Novelist Ferber : EDNA.
40. Pen pal? : CELL MATE. Cute clue.
41. Island dance : HULA.
42. More nourishing : HEARTIER. CSO to me?
47. Medicinal syrup : IPECAC.
49. Precise : DEAD ON.
51. Didn't come clean with : LIED TO.
52. Clawed : TORE AT.
53. Advances a base, in a way : STEALS. Rickey Henderson was labeled "The Man of the Steal." (Sure, I knew that...)
55. Gets precisely : NAILS. Did you NAIL this one?
56. Appear in print : RUN.
60. Piano on a piano? : SOFT. My favorite clue.
61. Sore feeling : IRE.
62. Socialize : MIX.
64. With it : HIP.
65. "The Simpsons" shopkeeper : APU. Did everyone memorize my link to the Simpson's characters last week? I told you there would be a quiz!
I'm off to learn a cool SECRET HANDSHAKE. 0:46
Marti
Note from C.C.:
I mentioned yesterday that Bill's wife Barbara is an avid quilter. Bills sent me a few pictures. You can see more here. Love this bag. Very Vera Bradley.
