36-Across. Home theater feature, and a hint to this puzzle's 10 border answers : SURROUND SOUND. The reveal says it all. Words that can follow SOUND march around the perimeter of the puzzle.
So, here they are, as they appear (clockwise) in the grid:
1-Across. Group working together : CREW. Sound crew. This could include a "python wrangler." Can you guess what position that might be, without looking it up? (If you give up, you can go here for the answer.)
5-Across. Evaluation : TEST. Sound test. To see if your speakers are working.
9-Across. Surf : WAVES. Sound waves.
13-Down. Vegas strategy : SYSTEM. Sound system. All the speakers, mics, wires and amps needed to get the music heard in the last row.
53-Down. Performance place : STAGE. Sound stage. Usually a SOUND-proof building on a studio lot, used for movie productions.
66-Across. Small meal : BITE. Sound bite. "Mr. Gorbachev, tear...down...this...wall!"
65-Across. Aperture : HOLE. I was wondering what a SOUND HOLE was, and then remembered
this from my misspent youth.
64-Across. Album segment : TRACK. Sound track. How about this one from the "SOUND of Music"?
42-Down. Outcome : EFFECT. Sound effect. Like this, at Halloween.
1-Down. Verify : CHECK. Sound check. "Check...1...2...3..." To check the microphone's level. So, I guess I have your attention now? Let's proceed with the rest!
Across
14. Actress Lamarr : HEDY. Not just a pretty face, she invented groundbreaking technology to get around Germans jamming the SOUND WAVEs. The principles of her technology are the basis of WiFi and Bluetooth communication.
15. Sharp product : HDTV. These are often hooked up to SURROUND SOUND.
16. Opera's birthplace : ITALY. Now often performed on a SOUND STAGE for TV production.
17. Christian denom. : EPIS.copal. Could involve a SOUND CHECK to make sure the sermon is heard in the back row.
18. EKTORP sofa seller : IKEA. EKTORP is a line of sofas and chairs. They also sell cabinets for your SOUND SYSTEM.
19. Ninnies : DOLTS. Umm, SOUNDS like "colts"??
20. Simply marvelous, with "the" : CATS MEOW. In the alley, at midnight, they create a cacophonous SOUND.
22. Besides : TO BOOT. OK, "Uncle." I can't think of any way to relate this to SOUND...
23. Kipling title orphan : KIM.
24. Pro Bowl team, briefly : AFC. American Football Conference.
25. General-turned-author Wallace : LEW. He wrote "Ben-Hur:A Tale of the Christ."
26. Cult following? : -URE. Culture. It was my first thought. I think I have been doing waaaaay too many crossword puzzles!
27. Soft drink that sounds like a bit of footwear : NEHI. Haha. "Knee-high," get it?
29. Get wind of : HEAR.
31. Sent by : FROM.
32. Some bolt holders : T NUTS.
34. "The Fisher King" Oscar winner Mercedes : RUEHL. I remember her face from "Frasier." She played the station manager in some episodes. Darned if I could remember her name though: all perps.
40. Shades of blue : TEALS. Here are some TEALS from Benjamin Moore.
42. Pair of giraffes? : EFFS. Again, my first thought.
45. Actress Hudson : KATE. She is Goldie Hawn's daughter.
47. Seas, to Sartre : MERS. French.
48. Common reason for absence : FLU.
49. Card game cry : GIN!
50. Never, in Nuremberg : NIE. German.
52. No. after a period : CTS. Cents.
54. Discovered by accident : FELL ON.
56. Is humbled : EATS DIRT.
58. Formerly employed by The Company : EX-CIA.
59. Charity : ALMS.
60. Nepal locale : ASIA.
61. Preserves, in a way : CORNS. Learning moment for me. CORN originally meant any grain. You use "grains" of salt to make CORNed beef.
62. Skelton's Kadiddlehopper : CLEM.
63. It operates under the Dept. of Homeland Security : USCG. I put in US** and waited for perps.
Down
2. Changes the color of, maybe : REPAINTS. Hoo-boy, I've been doing a lot of that lately.
3. Where to find paste? : EDIT MENU. Because "Mrs. Roberts' first grade classroom" wouldn't fit.
4. "The Swiss Family Robinson" author : WYSS. First published in 1812, and made into a hit 1960 Disney movie. Unfortunately, the screenwriters junked about 90% of the book's content, and made up their own adventures for the family.
5. Pickup artist? : THIEF. Fun clue!
6. Three-term New York City mayor : ED KOCH.
7. Pot-au-feu, e.g. : STEW.
8. New Deal dam org. : TVA. Tennessee Valley Authority.
9. Black or golf follower : WIDOW.
10. Small step : A TO B.
11. Bravery, in the RAF : VALOUR. British spelling.
12. Banderillero's target : EL TORO. I went to a bullfight in Mexico once. Never again.
21. French teacher : MAÎTRE. More French
22. Mother __ : TERESA.
25. Sing the praises of : LAUD.
28. Wounds : HURTS.
30. Dadaist Max : ERNST. Our German friend returns.
31. Magical item in a 1791 opera : FLUTE. Die Zauberflöte by Mozart.
33. Permeate : SOAK IN.
35. Elementary fellow? : HOLMES. Sherlock, I presume?
37. __ Bator : ULAN.
38. Jonquils and daffodils : NARCISSI.
39. D.C. part : DISTRICT. of Columbia.
43. Bending muscle : FLEXOR.
44. Pivot points : FULCRA.
46. Nail covering : ENAMEL. I was on the galvanized variety of nail at first.
49. "Find out" : GO ASK. In our house, those words were always followed by "...your father."
51. Reply from outside a door : IT'S ME.
55. Friend of Pete and Julie on "The Mod Squad" : LINC.
56. Cockney greeting : 'ELLO.
57. Smear : DAUB.
59. Berlin beef? : ACH.
My only beef? All my fun is over!
Marti
