Theme: Three-Ring Themer: Circus-related entries for the three long acrosses ..
20A. Circus barker turned hurler known for brushbacks? : INSIDE PITCHMAN. The inside pitch in baseball is to encourage the batter to stop encroaching on the strike zone. Also known as "buzzing the lighthouse" when the ball comes close to the batter's head.
40A. Circus emcee turned fry cook? : ONION RING MASTER. I've never cooked onion rings. I've got a feeling that I never will.
55A. Circus performer turned gardener? : DANDELION TAMER. The only "added" word that isn't a word in and of itself. We loved dandelions as kids, but drove our Dad mad when we blew the seeds all over the lawn.
Hi all! This is going to be a little brief today - I'm running up against the deadline to get this published so I'll stick to the salient points. In the wonderful words of Douglas Adams: "I like deadlines, I love the sound of them rushing by". I'm in Jacksonville, just missed the hurricane rushing by too. Phew.
Three weighty theme entries in this one from Doug and Patti. Add to the start of a circus-related person and you get a whole new profession.
Really clean fill in the rest of the puzzle, not much to even think about wincing at. Great stuff.
Have at it if you see anything you want to link!
Across:
1. "__ Secretary": CBS drama : MADAM. Never saw it, but didn't hesitate with this one.
6. Tense period? : PAST. Past tense. Very nice.
10. Studio payment : RENT. Residual didn't fit
14. Anaheim's Honda Center, e.g. : ARENA
15. West Coast sch. : UCLA. Down the street from me in Westwood. Nice campus.
16. Harbinger : OMEN
17. Woody Woodpecker's creator : LANTZ. Crosses, thanks.
18. Commuter option : RAIL
19. Skip over : OMIT
23. Auditorium : HALL
24. Sound sometimes choked back : SOB
25. Harvest-ready : RIPE
28. Wooded valley : DELL
31. Olympics volleyball great Kerri __ Jennings : WALSH Beach volleyball great with Misty May-Trainor. She was still competing in this year's Summer Games in Rio after goodness knows how long in the sport.
35. Like fans after a tough win, probably : HOARSE
37. Pro words : YEAS
39. 29-Down's rock gp. : E.L.O. Jeff Lynne makes an appearance in the downs. Nice.
43. Reason to wear earplugs : DIN. Not E.L.O.
44. A, in many orgs. : ASSN.
45. Saws : ADAGES
46. Emmy contender : ACTOR
48. French cathedral city : METZ. The "TZ" might make you think German or Belgian. Close to the Germany border, but solidly French.
50. "Not gonna happen" : NOPE
51. With 27-Down, sign on a damp bench : WET. Cue groans from the cross-referential clue haters.
53. Party leader : HOST
62. Disturbs : JARS
63. Button on some remotes : MENU. I tried MUTE briefly, but I think they all have those
64. Family name in a 1936 classic : O'HARA
65. Dramatic accusation : ET TU
66. Send a quick message to : PING
67. Contribute, as to a kitty : PAY IN
68. Stinging insect : WASP. I got one of these little buggers inside my shirt once and got about 20 stings before I could get my shirt off.
69. Merit badge holder : SASH
70. Baton, say : STICK
Down:
1. West African country : MALI
2. Ireland's __ Islands : ARAN. Not to be confused with Scotland's Arran Island.
3. Lairs : DENS
4. Film noir protagonist : ANTI HERO
5. Miata maker : MAZDA
6. Prince's "__ Rain" : PURPLE. Live performance from 2007
7. Berry at health food stores : ACAI
8. Narrow cut : SLIT
9. Soft minerals : TALCS
10. Disc-shaped robotic vacuum : ROOMBA. Don't read the articles about what happens if your pet leaves a "present" when you're out and Roomba is around.
11. Austen classic : EMMA
12. Nuremberg no : NEIN
13. Blasted stuff : TNT
21. Respected tribe members : ELDERS
22. Tearful words : HOW SAD
25. Sitcom with a 1974 wedding episode : RHODA. Guessed. Guessed right!
26. Greek column style : IONIC
27. See 51-Across : PAINT
29. Jeff of 39-Across : LYNNE
30. Chair part : LEG
32. Release : LET GO
33. "To __: perchance to dream": Hamlet : SLEEP
34. Epsom Downs racer : HORSE
36. Caught : SNARED
38. __ Prime : AMAZON. Great deal if you're a regular Amazon shopper. Prime membership costs around $80/year and gets you free two-day delivery on many items.
41. Ideology : ISM
42. Red-and-white topper : SANTA HAT
47. Admits (to) : OWNS UP
49. Yet : THOUGH
52. Estimates on weather maps : TEMPS
54. Dots on a subway map : STOPS
55. Excel input : DATA. I've been doing a lot of that over the last couple of weeks, hence the late deadline.
56. Graphic __ : ARTS
57. General Organa in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" : LEIA
58. Days and Holiday : INNS
59. Permission-seeking phrase : MAY I
60. "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" writer Carle : ERIC. A wonderful book that I remember reading to my young daughter.
61. Military status : RANK
62. Hanukkah celebrator : JEW
And here's the grid!
Apologies again for the brevity this week!
Steve
20A. Circus barker turned hurler known for brushbacks? : INSIDE PITCHMAN. The inside pitch in baseball is to encourage the batter to stop encroaching on the strike zone. Also known as "buzzing the lighthouse" when the ball comes close to the batter's head.
40A. Circus emcee turned fry cook? : ONION RING MASTER. I've never cooked onion rings. I've got a feeling that I never will.
55A. Circus performer turned gardener? : DANDELION TAMER. The only "added" word that isn't a word in and of itself. We loved dandelions as kids, but drove our Dad mad when we blew the seeds all over the lawn.
Hi all! This is going to be a little brief today - I'm running up against the deadline to get this published so I'll stick to the salient points. In the wonderful words of Douglas Adams: "I like deadlines, I love the sound of them rushing by". I'm in Jacksonville, just missed the hurricane rushing by too. Phew.
Three weighty theme entries in this one from Doug and Patti. Add to the start of a circus-related person and you get a whole new profession.
Really clean fill in the rest of the puzzle, not much to even think about wincing at. Great stuff.
Have at it if you see anything you want to link!
Across:
1. "__ Secretary": CBS drama : MADAM. Never saw it, but didn't hesitate with this one.
6. Tense period? : PAST. Past tense. Very nice.
10. Studio payment : RENT. Residual didn't fit
14. Anaheim's Honda Center, e.g. : ARENA
15. West Coast sch. : UCLA. Down the street from me in Westwood. Nice campus.
16. Harbinger : OMEN
17. Woody Woodpecker's creator : LANTZ. Crosses, thanks.
18. Commuter option : RAIL
19. Skip over : OMIT
23. Auditorium : HALL
24. Sound sometimes choked back : SOB
25. Harvest-ready : RIPE
28. Wooded valley : DELL
31. Olympics volleyball great Kerri __ Jennings : WALSH Beach volleyball great with Misty May-Trainor. She was still competing in this year's Summer Games in Rio after goodness knows how long in the sport.
35. Like fans after a tough win, probably : HOARSE
37. Pro words : YEAS
39. 29-Down's rock gp. : E.L.O. Jeff Lynne makes an appearance in the downs. Nice.
43. Reason to wear earplugs : DIN. Not E.L.O.
44. A, in many orgs. : ASSN.
45. Saws : ADAGES
46. Emmy contender : ACTOR
48. French cathedral city : METZ. The "TZ" might make you think German or Belgian. Close to the Germany border, but solidly French.
50. "Not gonna happen" : NOPE
51. With 27-Down, sign on a damp bench : WET. Cue groans from the cross-referential clue haters.
53. Party leader : HOST
62. Disturbs : JARS
63. Button on some remotes : MENU. I tried MUTE briefly, but I think they all have those
64. Family name in a 1936 classic : O'HARA
65. Dramatic accusation : ET TU
66. Send a quick message to : PING
67. Contribute, as to a kitty : PAY IN
68. Stinging insect : WASP. I got one of these little buggers inside my shirt once and got about 20 stings before I could get my shirt off.
69. Merit badge holder : SASH
70. Baton, say : STICK
Down:
1. West African country : MALI
2. Ireland's __ Islands : ARAN. Not to be confused with Scotland's Arran Island.
3. Lairs : DENS
4. Film noir protagonist : ANTI HERO
5. Miata maker : MAZDA
6. Prince's "__ Rain" : PURPLE. Live performance from 2007
7. Berry at health food stores : ACAI
8. Narrow cut : SLIT
9. Soft minerals : TALCS
10. Disc-shaped robotic vacuum : ROOMBA. Don't read the articles about what happens if your pet leaves a "present" when you're out and Roomba is around.
11. Austen classic : EMMA
12. Nuremberg no : NEIN
13. Blasted stuff : TNT
21. Respected tribe members : ELDERS
22. Tearful words : HOW SAD
25. Sitcom with a 1974 wedding episode : RHODA. Guessed. Guessed right!
26. Greek column style : IONIC
27. See 51-Across : PAINT
29. Jeff of 39-Across : LYNNE
30. Chair part : LEG
32. Release : LET GO
33. "To __: perchance to dream": Hamlet : SLEEP
34. Epsom Downs racer : HORSE
36. Caught : SNARED
38. __ Prime : AMAZON. Great deal if you're a regular Amazon shopper. Prime membership costs around $80/year and gets you free two-day delivery on many items.
41. Ideology : ISM
42. Red-and-white topper : SANTA HAT
47. Admits (to) : OWNS UP
49. Yet : THOUGH
52. Estimates on weather maps : TEMPS
54. Dots on a subway map : STOPS
55. Excel input : DATA. I've been doing a lot of that over the last couple of weeks, hence the late deadline.
56. Graphic __ : ARTS
57. General Organa in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" : LEIA
58. Days and Holiday : INNS
59. Permission-seeking phrase : MAY I
60. "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" writer Carle : ERIC. A wonderful book that I remember reading to my young daughter.
61. Military status : RANK
62. Hanukkah celebrator : JEW
And here's the grid!
Apologies again for the brevity this week!
Steve
