Theme: Whatever moves you. The second word of each 2 or 3 word theme entry indicates a descriptor for being highly motivated. I wouldn't say they are quite synonyms, by they do have a common feel. These are the characteristics of ambition and, with along with some luck, skill, and tenacity, success - in business, sports, music or any meaningful endeavor.
17 A. Solar power, e.g. : RENEWABLE ENERGY. Five types are recognized: solar, wind, biomass, geothermal and hydroelectric. Personally, ENERGY is what gets you out of bed to face the challenges of the day.
26 A. Soul mate : KINDRED SPIRIT. Those with similar interests and attitudes are KINDRED SPIRITS. Soul mates are bound together more tightly than that, IMHO. Many years ago, I wrote a sonnet about them [see below]. Personally, SPIRIT is the enthusiasm that keeps you going.
THE SUBSTITUTE
There are those whose lives are meant to be entwined,
Lovers thrust together by the force of destiny,
When choice and fate converge, that they may be
Connected at the soul, the heart, the mind.
Within their closed circumference one can find
Two curves in perfect fit -- his yang, her yin,
That in each cycle once again begin
To cluster into love's sweet spiral bind.
But consider -- if in the vast span of infinity
One of them becomes displaced in small degree;
Is born a decade late, perhaps is sent
To the farthest corner of the continent --
The distant echo of an unfelt touch, an unseen face.
Who will be the one who comes to take his place?
1. Dull : HO-HUM. What - bored already? C'mon, let's keep it moving - at least as far as 20A.
17 A. Solar power, e.g. : RENEWABLE ENERGY. Five types are recognized: solar, wind, biomass, geothermal and hydroelectric. Personally, ENERGY is what gets you out of bed to face the challenges of the day.
26 A. Soul mate : KINDRED SPIRIT. Those with similar interests and attitudes are KINDRED SPIRITS. Soul mates are bound together more tightly than that, IMHO. Many years ago, I wrote a sonnet about them [see below]. Personally, SPIRIT is the enthusiasm that keeps you going.
THE SUBSTITUTE
There are those whose lives are meant to be entwined,
Lovers thrust together by the force of destiny,
When choice and fate converge, that they may be
Connected at the soul, the heart, the mind.
Within their closed circumference one can find
Two curves in perfect fit -- his yang, her yin,
That in each cycle once again begin
To cluster into love's sweet spiral bind.
But consider -- if in the vast span of infinity
One of them becomes displaced in small degree;
Is born a decade late, perhaps is sent
To the farthest corner of the continent --
The distant echo of an unfelt touch, an unseen face.
Who will be the one who comes to take his place?
48 A. Heavy military barrage : ARTILLERY FIRE. An assault using cannons, mortars, and other weaponry with greater range fire power than rifles and hand guns. Personally, FIRE [as, in the belly] is powerful ambition and determination.
63 A. Common transmission feature : FRONT WHEEL DRIVE. Unsurprisingly, this is a tranny system that provides power to the front wheels of a vehicle. Personally, DRIVE is the urge, sometimes innate, to achieve a goal or satisfy a need.
This theme is at once simple, but also possibly a bit elusive. And there's plenty of it, with 2 grid-spanning entries and 2 more at 13 letters each. The trade-off is more words of shorter length than is typical for a Wednesday. The lack of a unifier mid-week is also a little strange.
Hi, gang, JazzBumpa here, somehow feeling motivated. How about you? Lets FIRE it up, get the SPIRIT moving, and use that ENERGY to DRIVE through today's puzzle.
Across
Hi, gang, JazzBumpa here, somehow feeling motivated. How about you? Lets FIRE it up, get the SPIRIT moving, and use that ENERGY to DRIVE through today's puzzle.
Across
6. "Stronger than dirt" cleanser : AJAX. This is how I remember it. [Yes, I am THAT old!]
10. PCs' "brains" : CPUS. Central Processing Units.
14. Backspace over : ERASE. On a computer, not a typewriter.
15. Try to throw, at a rodeo : BUCK. The highly motivated action of an unwillingly mounted animal.
16. Tall concert instrument : HARP. One harp player I've worked with transports hers in a repurposed hearse.
20. Animal that sounds dull : BOAR. Male hog. Here's an insect that sounds even duller.
21. Those opposed : NAYS. Used in voice votes.
22. Simplifies : EASES.
23. Charged particle : ION. Formed by the transfer of an electron from one atom or molecule to another.
25. Gender problem : GAP. The discrepancy between men and women in opportunities, status, attitudes, etc.
33. Humiliate : ABASE. Disrespect.
34. Grand-scale poetry : EPOS. EPIC also fits, and giving it up gave me fits.
35. It's right on the map : EAST. Clever clue. I like it.
38. Slo-mo reviewer : REF. Baseball, football and hockey all have slo-motion replay reviews for close calls.
43. Any of three 10th-century Holy Roman Emperors : OTTO. The HRE started with Charlemagne in 800 A. D. and ended with Francis II in 1806. For several decades it was run on Otto-pilot.
Otto I [The Great] 962-973
Otto II 973-983
Otto III 996-1002
Otto I [The Great] 962-973
Otto II 973-983
Otto III 996-1002
45. Jazzman Jackson : MILT. Vibraphonist Milton "Bags" Jackson [1923-1999] was a founder of the Modern Jazz Quartet. Here is a slightly different line up.
46. Caravan stops : OASES. Fertile desert spots, with water.
51. Exact revenge on : GET. As in GET even.
52. Big lug : OAF. Lout, churl.
53. Letters after thetas : IOTAS. Not fond of this at all. The Greek alphabet is a unique thing, as are each of the letters in it. Sure, some word could have multiple IOTAS in it, but that is not the sense of this clue.
56. Until next time, in texts : TTYL. Talk To You Later.
59. Slanted page? : OP-ED. Located Opposite to the Editorial Page. Viewpoints are only slanted if you disagree.
66. Sportswear brand : IZOD. Ordinary clothing adorned with an expensive alligator.
67. Lawman played by Russell and Costner : EARP. Wyatt, of OK Corral fame.
68. Ill-fated Ford : EDSEL. Manufactured from 1958-60. Now a collectors item.
69. Lady Gaga's "Cheek to Cheek" duettist Bennett : TONY. These kids are having way too much fun.
70. Helpful hints : TIPS. Pro-tip: see if you can land a gig with Lady Gaga.
71. Virtual transaction : E-SALE. On-line commerce.
Down
1. Chef's flavoring : HERB. Tasty and/or aromatic plant leaves.
2. Double Delight cookie : OREO.
4. Password partners : USER IDS. Protection for your on-line activities.
5. Litter cry : MEW. It's the cat's meow.
6. "SOS" band : ABBA.
7. Month with fireworks : JULY. This is what makes the 4th of July my least favorite holiday.
8. Blackjack components : ACES. Along with face cards or 10s. Blackjack is the name of the game, but also a 2-card holding consisting of an ace, counting 11 points, along with one of the other mentioned cards, counting 10. Other spot cards have the count of their pips. Winner is the player who comes closest to 21 without going over, regardless of the number of cards held.
10. Inexpensive brand : CHEAPIE. Probably won't last.
11. Golf targets : PARS. In the abstract. PINS, the physical targets, also fits.
12. Try to convince : URGE. In another sense, could have echoed the theme.
13. 1974 Gould/Sutherland CIA spoof : SPYS.
18. "Worst Cooks in America" judge Burrell : ANNE. This is a thing?!?
19. Within walking distance : NEAR. Close
24. Mine extractions : ORES. Pay dirt.
25. Main idea : GIST. The heart of the matter.
26. Syrup brand since 1902 : KARO. Corn syrup. Not the same as high fructose corn syrup, which is highly processed.
27. Skeptical words : I BET.
28. Tripartite commerce pact : NAFTA. North American Free Trade Agreement.
29. Underworld boss? : DEVIL. No typical crime syndicate don, instead the master of Hades.
30. Be in a bee : SPELL. Participate in a spelling contest. I would lose.
31. Florence's __ Vecchio : PONTE. A closed bridge over the Arno, dating to some uncertain time before the 1400's.
32. Foot bones : TARSI. A cluster of 7 articulating bones at the back of the foot. Five of them connect to the metatarsals - the long bones of the foot.
36. Lifeline reader : SEER. Fortune teller, mystic.
37. Overpower with a shock : TASE. Use a Taser, an elecroshock gun, on someone.
40. Give off : EMIT. As light, heat, or an odor.
41. Boxer Oscar De La __ : HOYA. [b 1973] He holds dual American and Mexican citizenship. Representing the U. S., he won an olympic gold medal in 1992.
44. Fine cotton fabric : ORGANDY. A translucent fabric that is usually stiffened and used in women's clothing.
47. Provides with, as an opportunity : AFFORDS. From an Old English root meaning "go forth."
49. Trial : TEST.
50. Hot streak : ROLL. Experience a prolonged spell of success or good luck.
53. "__ ain't broke ... " : IF IT. Don't fix it.
54. Minestrone pasta : ORZO. Noodles the approximate size and shape of rice grains.
55. Snagglepuss, e.g. : TOON. Created in 1959, he was featured in a series of shorts, then became a semi-regular on the Yogi Bear Show, and also appeared in other Hanna-Barbera series.
56. Bangkok native : THAI. From the Kingdom of Thailand. The country has always been called Mueang Thai by its citizens. Until 1949 it was called Siam by outsiders.
57. Maryland athlete, for short : TERP. Terrapin, for long.
58. Slangy affirmatives : YEPS.
60. Tuscan tower site : PISA. Home of the leaning tower, in Italy.
61. First name in stunts : EVEL. Mr. Knievel [b 1938, d 2007.] Contrary to rumor, he never jumped the Grand Canyon. His Snake River Canyon jump was a bust, both as a stunt and financially.
62. Proofreader's "drop this" : DELE. Delete.
64. Just out of the pool : WET. Untoweled
65. Dead end? : DEE. Spelt out terminal letter. Rather a sad way to end a puzzle.
That wraps up another Wednesday. With only a couple of nits, my enthusiasm remains undampened. Don't lose that passion, peeps!
Cool regards!
JzB
That wraps up another Wednesday. With only a couple of nits, my enthusiasm remains undampened. Don't lose that passion, peeps!
Cool regards!
JzB
1) Happy Birthday to Kazie (Kay), who has been with our blog since the summer of 2008. Kay used to frequent our blog and was our authority on any French and German matter. Last time when she emailed me, she was readying for a German trip to visit her old son and family. She was also very happy that her young son was engaged.
2) Women of Letters puzzle packet is ready! All the 18 puzzles were constructed and edit by women. The
constructors include: Tracy Bennett, Laura
Braunstein, C.C. Burnikel, Amanda Chung, Debbie Ellerin, Gail
Grabowski (today's co-constructor) Tracy Gray, Mary Lou Guizzo, Angela Olson Halsted
(PuzzleGirl), Pam Amick
Klawitter, Sarah Keller, Lynn Lempel, Donna S. Levin, Ruth Bloomfield
Margolin, Andrea Carla Michaels, Robin Stears, and Robyn Weintraub. The
editors are our own Patti Varol and Amy Reyhaldo. Deb Amlen of Wordplay
initiated this project in early 2017.
To get the puzzles, please donate $10 or more to any of the charities listed in the website. Then send a copy of your receipt as proof of donation to WomenofLettersCrosswords@gmail.com. You'll get a beautifully designed puzzle pack with all the great puzzles, answer grids and all the constructor bios.
