Monday August 6, 2018 Craig Stowe

Theme: LIFE PARTNER (57. Significant other, often, and a hint to the ends of the answers to starred clues) - Life can precede the last word of each theme answer.

 

17A. *Program for an idle monitor: SCREEN SAVER. Life saver.

22A. *Rustic: COUNTRY STYLE. Life style.

37A. *Distinctive Jay Leno facial feature: JAW LINE. Lifeline.

47A. *Squeaky-clean: SPICK AND SPAN. Life span.

Boomer here.

C.C. and I arrived early at the 3M Championship Golf Tournament. We received our bag of goodies compliments of the 3M Company. Not quite as loaded as previous years but it is very commendable that 3M gives free products to nearly everyone in attendance. In addition, on Saturday they assemble a dozen "Greats of Golf" including Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Gary Player, Annika Sorenstam, Nancy Lopez and more, who play a scramble round following the regular entrants.

Congratulations to Kenny Perry, who joined Hale Irwin as the only two three time winners of the 3M Championship. But who has time for golf??  The PWBA (Women's Professional Bowling Assn.) is making a tour stop this week in Eagan, Minnesota (A southern suburb of Minneapolis) and I will be there for the Pro-Am.  (I am still an AM).

Boomer, Arnie's Army Entrance, 2018

Across:

1. Awesome, in show biz: BOFFO.  Sounds like an enforcer for the mob.

6. Dorian Gray creator Oscar: WILDE.

11. Splash gently, as waves: LAP.  Something your Mom had that you sat on.

14. Toothbrush brand: ORAL-B. I have heard of this, but I am a Fixodent man.

15. Upscale Honda: ACURA.

16. "__ been thinking": I'VE.  Reuben Reuben would have no problem with this clue.

19. Unfavorable critique: PAN.

20. Chad neighbor: CAMEROON.  Africa has sooo many countries, I can't keep track.

21. Clarifying words: AS IN.

26. Female foxes: VIXENS.

29. Like wine casks: OAKEN. Or an old bucket

30. Rowing needs: OARS.  I pulled many of these as a young kid.  We could not afford an outboard motor.

31. Buffalo NHLer: SABRE.  Buffalo also has an NFL team.  Nothing for major league baseball or hoops that I know.

33. Michael of "SNL": CHE. Co-host of "Weekend Update". 

Colin Jost ad Micha Che

36. Supermarket initials: IGA. A huge grocery store conglomerate, but nothing here in Minnesota.

39. "2001" computer: HAL. Fictional

40. Playpen item: TOY.

41. Olympian Bolt: USAIN.  I remember Usain Bolt, both for his interesting first name, and his speedy record under 10 seconds in the 100 meter dash.

42. Quarters for lions: DENS. Don't forget where the Cub Scouts meet.

43. Large, at Starbucks: VENTI. I am constantly amazed at the lineup of cars at the Starbucks drive thru window.  I have never tried their coffee. I am afraid I would like it and I don't want to spend four bucks a day on morning Java.

45. Tiny bit: SMIDGE.

51. In addition: ALSO.

52. Act out, as a Civil War battle: RECREATE.

56. Mai __: TAI.  You can make these at home, or drop into a bar in Hawaii if you don't have the ingredients.

60. Game with Skip cards: UNO.  I am sure everyone had the UNO game as a kid.  But it was not too challenging and ended up on the shelf next to Old Maid. 

61. Eisenhower opponent Stevenson: ADLAI. Adlai was in the first presidential election that I remember. What I did not understand was after he lost in 1952, why was he nominated again in 1956?  

62. Playful swimming mammal: OTTER.  I think he was in "Animal House". 

63. Bic, for one: PEN. Attica for another.

64. Mild Dutch cheese: GOUDA.  I have never tried it. The name does not sound tasty. 

65. Gardener's concerns: WEEDS.  We have a large crop in our garden this year.  Not sure why.

Down:

1. Pear from France: BOSC.

2. Killer whale: ORCA.

3. Word before hand or land: FARM.  I can assure that it is also a word after "state". 

4. Pulls a scam on: FLEECES.  White as snow, ask Mary.

5. "A Midsummer Night's Dream" king: OBERON. Shakespeare is almost as well known as LeBron.

6. Aired, as a TV program: WAS ON. The 3M Championship WAS ON the Golf Channel Saturday.  They showed Kenny Perry bringing the TPC Blaine to its knees, but mostly just showed the Legends.

7. "__ help it": I CAN'T.

8. Candy heart verb: LUV.  Could be a "Luxury Utility Vehicle"?

9. Dr. of rap: DRE.

10. Has an __ to the ground: EAR.

11. Mouthed the words: LIP-SYNCHED.  Interesting - I think this used to occur frequently on variety shows, however now it's mostly police officers putting on a fundraiser and having fun doing it.

12. Benefit: AVAIL.

13. Pasta in vodka sauce: PENNE.  I have heard of penne pasta, and I have heard of vodka.  I did not know they go together.

18. Entre __: between us: NOUS.  Looks like French, but it could be Latin.  I don't nous.

21. Snacked: ATE.

23. Bird associated with spring: ROBIN.  Mr. Williams was one of my Favorites.  Nanoo Nanoo.

24. Knitter's ball: YARN.  Or a place where knitters go to dance.

25. __-Ball: arcade game: SKEE. One of my favorite arcade games. Used to be nine balls for a dime.  Now it's a lot more, but the prizes are not so good.  Targets used to be 10 - 50. Now some go up to 5000!

26. Sports ball brand: VOIT.

27. "Othello" villain: IAGO. Shakespeare again?

28. Superman super power: X-RAY VISION. Not sure if you need X-Ray vision to change in a phone booth.  (Years from now, young people won't even know who Superman was, OR what was a phone booth.)

31. Suitor: SWAIN.

32. __ Baba: ALI.  Sort of makes me think of the NFL. 40 players getting paid millions of dollars to play a game, and I watch every Sunday and have to listen to all those ads.

34. Dangle: HANG.  Dang me, Dang me.....

35. "Anything __?": "Is there more?": ELSE. Yes, there are 16 more clues.

37. Trash: JUNK.  A button for a lot of emails in my mail box.

38. "The Thin Man" dog: ASTA. I am not old enough for William Powell and Myrna Loy, but I seem to remember a TV series with Peter Lawford and the stupid annoying dog "ASTA".

42. Breakfast nook, e.g.: DINETTE.

44. Prefix with friendly: ECO.

45. Humane org.: SPCA.

46. Bone tissue: MARROW. Not to be confused with newsman Edward R. Murrow.

47. Suddenly took notice: SAT UP.

48. Vehicle that taxis: PLANE.

49. Not look forward to at all: DREAD.

50. Photo finish: SEPIA. When I see photo finish I think of a horse race. Since there are no horses named Sepia, I think of a color.  However I am sure that some of you have a sepia colored photo of your great great grandfather. 

53. Pay to play: ANTE.  Jacks or better, trips to win.

54. Miffed, with "off": TEED.  No, I am a golfer and get teed off eighteen times a game. If I am "Miffed" I get ticked off.

55. Drops the ball: ERRS.  I say errors

57. Fall behind: LAG.

58. Wedding vow words: I DO.  I wonder if anyone ever said "I Don't"

59. Illness with its own season: FLU.

Boomer