Frank is back to Friday in 2015, and his first since his coincidental LEM ON ADE puzzle two days after my birthday. This is a sound rather than a visual challenge, with the last word in a common phrase altered by adding an ELL sound to create a new last word. The difficulty in constructing was enhanced by the themers all being grid spanners. Some nice 6 letter fill like DC AREA, GETS UP, I DO I DO, LYRICS and SITS ON as well as some sparkly longer ones: SHINERS, UPLIFTS, EINSTEIN, HIDEAWAY, DIET PEPSI, TRIES HARD. As with all punny themes, you need to find humor, and I did. Let's take a look.
17A. "Pardon my sword fight"? : DON'T MIND IF I DUEL (15). 'Don't mind if I do' is the phrase that transforms. I sussed the theme here, always good on a Friday to get the theme early.
26A. "The good news: mostly A-OK. The bad news: __"? : TEN PERCENT AWFUL (15). 'Ten percent off...'
47A. Tool for putting a Ping-Pong ball in orbit? : LAUNCHING PADDLE (15). 'Launching pad.' My favorite of the theme, as the image in my brain is cool.
62A. Big affair for E.T.? : ALIEN LIFE FORMAL (15). 'Alien life form.' Another fun visual, and my way of always remembering the spelling of Allen's name.
Across:
1. Like some restrictive dinners : STAG. Men only, dearie. Very un-pc.
5. Andrew of "Melrose Place" : SHUE. He played Billy Campbell I am told by wiki, but I knew he has a famous older sister.
14. Strives : TRIES HARD. Also an un-pc term when parents use this phrase to describe their disappointing child.
16. Brewery prefix : MICRO. Not to be confused with CRAFT brewery. Who would ever guess I would end up knowing about beer?
19. Refuses to release : SITS ON. I assume this clue is in the context of information, though this pic came to mind.
21. Eau Claire-to-Green Bay direction : EAST. They will all be going in that direction for the big game against Dallas, Sunday at 1:05PM, EST. The Dallas/Green Bay match-ups of the 60's were awesome. Back at the 'frozen tundra of Lambeau Field.'
22. All-purpose rides : UTES. I have never heard a person in real life use this term.
24. Ocean predator : ORCA.
33. Singer Carly __ Jepsen : RAE. She has apparently supplanted Norma and Charlotte in puzzledom. I was introduced to this Canadian by Gareth in 2013.
34. Start of some Texas city names : SAN. And some California cities as well.
35. Mrs. Robinson's daughter : ELAINE. A Friday clue for this name, though the actress should be remembered, quite the face. Coo coo ca choo.
36. Milo of "The Verdict" : O' SHEA. He died this past year.
39. Play about Capote : TRU.
41. With an __: mindful of : EYE TO
42. Words : LYRICS. Nice new fill.
44. Okla. campus with a Prayer Tower : ORU. For newer solvers, the fact that OKLA. is an abbreviation is a clue that the answer is also an abbreviation. Oral Roberts University.
46. Author Yutang : LIN. A very interesting MAN; I wonder what he was thought of in the China of C.C.'s childhood? A Friday name. (From C.C.: Probably because Lin spent most of his time in the US, his essays were not featured in our school books then. Actually most people with relatives in the US suffered during Cultural Revolution.)
51. Boer village : STAD. From their Dutch German heritage. I am sure Gareth Bain could give a more complete perspective on these people.
52. Monthly pmt. : ELECtricity.
53. Boom holder : MAST. Not a microphone.
56. Court : WOO. Not where judges hang out.
58. "Magic Hour" author Susan : ISAACS. I did not know that book, but I love the book and movie Compromising Positions. LINK. Susan Sarandon and Raul Julia were great.
65. McGwire broke his record : MARIS. Roger whose 61 home run record went the way of Mark McGuire's bat during the dawning of the steroid age. Roger ended as a beer distributor living in Gainesville.
66. "Love every sip" sloganeer : DIET PEPSI.
67. Concert venue : ARENA.
68. Poems of praise : ODES.
69. Memo demand : ASAP. As Soon As Possible.
Down:
1. Stylebook entries: Abbr. : STDS. Standards. Like this GUIDE.
2. Picard's counselor : TROI. She's back.
3. "__ No Sunshine": Bill Withers hit : AIN'T.
4. Averts a knockout : GETS UP. Such a simple answer. Paired with 5D. Fight souvenirs : SHINERS. Not what you buy at the concession stand.
6. Solo in space : HAN. Episode VII is on its way.
7. Source of khaki? : URDU. The word, not the cloth.
8. New Jersey township with the motto "Let There Be Light" : EDISON. Thomas Alva will live on always, especially in puzzles.
9. "Moi?" : AM I? Which is often the clue in French.
10. Retreat : HIDEAWAY. My recollection was THIS. My parents loved Broadway musicals which helped with 48D. "My Cup Runneth Over" musical : I DO, I DO. Mary Martin and Robert Preston, 1967.(6:53).
11. S.A. country at 0 degrees latitude : ECUAdor. Odd, once again. Last time we learned that the name came because it is at the Equator.
12. Father of Phobos : ARES. The Greek who who gave us our word PHOBIA.
13. Fool : DOLT.
15. Whacked, biblically : SMOTE.
18. Strong suit : FORTE. Fort or fortay?
23. "Beat it!" : SCAT. For all the non-lovers of cats.
25. NASCAR's Yarborough : CALE.
26. Chat room persona non grata : TROLL. Don't feed the trolls.
27. GPA booster : EASY A.
28. Big name in Indian politics : NEHRU. And jackets.
29. With 30-Down, a former name of Minute Maid Park : ENRON. We just had this referenced last week.
30. See 29-Down : FIELD.
31. No later than : UNTIL.
32. Freetown currency : LEONE. Freetown, the capital is used to clue the Leone, the capital of Sierra Leone.
37. Matthau's "I.Q." role : EINSTEIN. This odd movie with Meg Ryan.
38. Passbook abbr. : ACCT.
40. Drive : URGE.
43. Loosely worn garment : SHAWL. My youngest son's girlfriend knitted one for Oo for the holidays.
45. Buoys : UPLIFTS. Girls ? Up____?
49. "The Fox and the Grapes" writer : AESOP. Fabulous fox fable.
50. Beltway environs : DC AREA.
53. Household nickname : MAMA. No Papa today.
54. Apple application no longer in use : ALAR.
55. Filly's father : SIRE. DAM this was easy.
57. "The Wizard __" : OF ID. The same number of letters as OZ. Coincidence? I think not. LINK.
59. Cranks (up) : AMPS. From amplifier, or the original ampere?
60. Julio's home : CASA. Some Spanish for Lucina et al.
61. Faux pas : SLIP. And of course, French for Splynter.
63. Org. whose seal includes an eagle perched on a key : NSA. So much controversy in 2014.
Frank V. thanks for the ride. Enjoy all. Lemonade out.
Notes from C.C.:
1) Let's meet the real Big Easy, whose witty and funny comments often make me smile. Big Easy is a volunteer at a New Orleans PGA event and he gets to meet Ernie Els every year. He's one of the lucky few to have the locker room access. Now we know his beautiful wife Diane "can't eat any beans or black-eyed peas without rice."
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| Big Easy and his wife Diane |
2) Marti sent me this incredible picture. She said:
"I
made a Raw Veggie Christmas Tree for my party last week (left side of my
sideboard). The styrofoam
"tree" was covered with kale, and then the veggies were anchored with
toothpicks. It really was cute, but I had bought way too much kale from the
local farm stand that is famous for it.
I have only had kale in salads or as a garnish, but the owner told me
that you can cook it, just like any other "green." I know you like veggies, so thought you might
like the recipe I found from Bobby Flay. It was absolutely delicious, and I am
going to insist on kale instead of spinach as my "go-to" side dish
from now on!! (See recipe here)
