Theme: Pull up a chair and sit a spell at my table.
We are back to having a Friday JW challenge and this one is a visual that really demands having the circles. The reveal; 61A. Item graphically depicted by this puzzle's circles : TABLE, advises that you are looking for a representation of a table. The letters in the circles describe a type of table. You must do this on paper or a site with circles. The six tables, running in three sets of pairs West to East are: BACCARAT-DRESSING, PARLOR-DINNER, DRAFTING-BILLIARD. The top two pair of tables and bottom two are 4 across with three down legs, while the middle are four by two. We have triple seven stacks in every corner and have a total of 19! seven letter fill. PC CARDS, DRONE ON, SPOILER, PER DIEM, TARTARE, HESSIAN, ABETTOR, ORIENTS, PACKS ON, HE'S A MAN, CODEINE, POOL BOY, LOFTING, LOAF TIN, GILLIAN, CARTING, UNITARD, OLD GAGS and. REBINDS. No fill is more than seven letters. JW still likes multi-word fill, so let's see what he did to fool you today.
Across:
1. Notebook memory devices : PC CARDS. We start with a tricky phrase. A PC Card (previously known as a PCMCIA card) is a credit card-size memory or I/O device that fits into a personal computer, usually a notebook or laptop computer. Probably the most common use of a PC Card is the telecommunications modem for notebook computers. Per whatis.techtarget.com.
8. "The butler did it," maybe : SPOILER. Alert, poor Carson.
15. Tuna preparation : TARTARE. The latest RECIPE.
16. Revolutionary War mercenary : HESSIAN. The German mercenaries hired by the British.
17. Getaway driver, e.g. : ABETTOR.
18. Sets right : ORIENTS. This was hard, though accurate when you think align or position (something) relative to the points of a compass or other specified positions.
19. Suitor : SWAIN. An old timey word, which in keeping with Jerome's comments derives from Old Norse sveinn ‘lad.’
20. Sediment : DREGS.
21. War on Poverty org. : OEO. Office of Economic Opportunity, part of LBJ's Great Society.
23. __ Chess: video game : WII. Their promotion, ""Wii sounds like 'we,' which emphasizes this console is for everyone. Wii can easily be remembered by people around the world, no matter what language they speak. No confusion. No need to abbreviate. Just Wii."
24. Gains quickly, as weight : PACKS ON.
34. Book after Micah : NAHUM. The prophets. LINK.
36. Simba's mate : NALA. Lion King.
37. Fruit cocktail ingredients : PEARS. I like the cherries, but there were never enough.
39. Little troublemaker : IMP. He's coming back soon. LINK.
40. __ child : INNER. Bradshaw was a smash for a while.
42. Children's author Asquith : ROS. ASQUITH is an important name in British political history but Ros does CARTOONS and kiddie books.
43. Raison __ : D'ETRE. Similar to one's mission in life, literally French for "reason to be."
44. Attack : ASSAIL.
46. Aids to sure footing : CLEATS. Important for football, both kinds.
47. Employee with a skimmer : POOL BOY. Apparently a number of movies have been about this profession. This ONE is supposed to be fun starring Hercules.
51. Sputnik reporter : TASS.
55. Target of blue sky laws : FRAUD. Securities laws which require many layers of disclosures for both registered and unregistered shares. They are enacted by the states.
56. Egg holders : SACS.
60. __ chamber : ECHO.
62. Tennis legend : ASHE. Arthur.
63. Bakeware item : LOAF TIN. I use them more for meat loaf than bread.
65. David's "X-Files" co-star : GILLIAN. Duchovny and Anderson.
68. Gym suit : UNITARD.Oh, we did make fun of them, but had to wear them to wrestle. Ours were not so creative.
70. Strengthens the spine of : REBINDS.
Down:
1. Educational gp. : PTA. Parent Teachers Association.
2. Fleet on the street : CABS. Nice imagery.
3. J. follower : CREW. This retailer started as a catalog store.
4. "__ girl!" : ATTA.
5. Pi and others : RATIOS. Nice clue.
6. Lecture boringly : DRONE ON.
7. Sun. delivery : SERmon.
8. "Nurse Jackie" network, in TV listings : SHOwtime. Edie Falco again this week.
9. Fixed expense : PER DIEM. Fixed in the sense of being for a day. Latin.
10. Underworld deity : OSIRIS. Know your Egyptian gods.
11. "Of course" : I SEE.
12. Duck tail? : LING. Cute and better than half a Panda.
13. Greasy spoon sign word : EATS.
14. OR personnel : RNS. Registered Nurses.
22. Studio caution : ON AIR. Twice this week.
23. Gives a Dixie lickin' : WHUPS.
24. __ al pomodoro: Tuscan soup : PAPPA. I like soups. RECIPE 2.
25. Regions : AREAS.
26. Blood groups? : CLANS. Tricky.
27. Former country on its own peninsula : KOREA. The two countries were created by the post-WWII power brokering of the US and the Soviets when they stripped the country from Japan.
29. Year abroad : ANNEE. More French.
30. Wide swimmer : MANTA. I have a video of me petting them last summer.
32. Rhinoplasty concerns : NARES. Just the Latin plural of Naris, the nostril.
35. Aetna offering : HMO.
38. Omission, say : SLIP.
40. How casual thoughts are offered : IDLY.
45. Hitting up : LOFTING. The best golf shot of my life was a 60 degree over a tree landing on the green at La Costa. After watching me play mediocre golf all day, my caddy was amazed.
48. Sumatran swingers : ORANGS.
49. Curie workplace : LAB. Madame.This Polish born chemist/physicist was a trly amazing person.
50. Durum wheat cereal : BULGUR. I think these are two different kinds of wheat, but then I never ate my Wheaties.
51. A T & T e.g. : TELCO.
52. "His nose ... is like __ of fire": "Henry V" : A COAL. JW gets his Shakespeare.
53. Broken piece : SHARD. 58D. White option, briefly : CHARDonnay. I prefer the beet clue.
54. Generous feature? : SOFT G. A simple but effective deception.
56. 1972 missile pact : SALT I. From memory, Strategic Arms Limitation Talks.
57. Like India and Pakistan : ASIAN. The 26th annual Asian Festival at Fruit and Spice Park in Homestead this past week end was great. This GROUP with a full complement of 18 drummers wowed us and the rest of the crowd there.
59. FedExes : SENDS.
64. __ Maria : TIA.
66. Bldg. where much research is done : LIBrary.
Welcome back to Friday JW and thank you for another creative work. Don't forget to turn your clocks ahead everyone and we will see you next week. Lemonade out.
