My engagement in this sport stems from my family's participation starting with my dad's bowling upstairs in alleys that still had pin boys to mom and dad bowling in a mixed league with Joann and me. Our girls played a lot of Pacman, etc. while we carved out very mediocre scores on the lanes. Unfortunately this was during the time smoking was still allowed and clothes had to be hung outside to get rid of the odor.
Today's constructor is Samuel A. Donaldson, a lawyer in Atlanta GA. Here is Samuel in a 2009 interview with C.C.
1. Lower one's credit rating?: LOSE FACE - I struggled with this a bit and finally surmised this is the credit at issue.
9. Complain. All. The. Time.: YAMMER - Loud and sustained repetitive noise that can people to 14. Feel offended by: RESENTment
15. Accessory seen in a loge: OPERA HAT - I know the one on the left is correct but doncha just love the one on the right made from paper plates?
16. Scour, say: ABRADE - Has made some recent visits here
17. Soft drinks with lime juice: VIRGIN DAIQUIRIS - A lovely looking refreshment sans rum (correction)
19. Cash bar?: INGOT - Here we see some in Fort Knox
20. Investment option: PUT - This is all you're getting from me 22. "Likewise no": NEITHER DO I - My answer if you say , "I don't understand puts and calls"
21. Short way?: RTE.
26. "The Da Vinci Code" priory: SION - A secret society formed in 1099 whose members included Da Vinci, Victor Hugo, Botticelli and Newton
27. Miracle-__: GRO - The "secret sauce" for my master gardener wife's lovely yard and garden
28. Feel pity: BLEED - I would change pity to allegiance for this billboard in Lincoln
29. Water conduit: SPOUT and 30. Water holders: PAILS - All right, who filled my PAIL with water from the SPOUT?
31. Great guy?: SCOTT.
32. "I'll have the last laugh!": JUST YOU WAIT - Liza sings of her impending revenge on Professor 'enry 'iggins
34. Prairie home: TEPEE.
35. Internet annoyance: TROLL in a medium full of 2. Contributor of two cents: OPINERS, there are going to be some online just YAMMERING about one thing or another
36. Just passed: GOT A D
37. Longest river in France: LOIRE - From the French Alps to the Bay of Biscay (Atlantic Ocean)
38. What's worn when you're out?: PJ'S - Optional
41. One often thrown from a horse: ROPE - Seems cruel to me. BTW, I'm probably the only one who put DUDE first.
42. Exorcist's concern: POSSESSION - You can google the bedroom scene from The Exorcist is you like. Yikes!
44. "WWE Raw" airer: USA - I am not a fan of these quasi athletic soap operas on steroids but am fine with people who are
45. __ Four: FAB - Yes,when I was 18, I was one of the millions who tuned into The Ed Sullivan Show on this February, 1964 night to watch them. The sight and sound of the boys AND the audience are incredible.
46. Solemn song: DIRGE
47. Many UFO videos: DOCTORED FOOTAGE - This CGI generated fakery from Mexico is called Objeto Volador No Identificado
52. Small racer: GO KART.
53. What "instant" may mean: ADD WATER
54. Happens next: ENSUES - Lucy and Ethel get a job and hilarity ENSUES in this famous scene
55. Cocky walks, maybe: SAUNTERS - Mick Jagger
Down:
1. Member of TLC: LOVING - My first instinct was TENDER or LOVING but thought that was too easy for Saturday and so I tried to recall the names of the female singing group and all I could think of was "Left-Eye"
3. Artist Aragonés of Mad: SERGIO - Famous for his wordless cartoons, he has been in over 450 Mad Magazine editions
4. Grain bane: ERGOT - esoteric agricultural term
5. Like some private school curricula: FAITH-BASED - My youngest daughter is employed in just such an institution
6. Philip __, first Asian-American film actor with a Hollywood Walk of Fame star: AHN - An American-born actor of Korean parents, he has a very long list of roles including Mr. Kim the tailor in M*A*S*H
7. Two-timer: CAD.
8. American posting, for short: ETA - American Airlines Estimated Time of Arrival
9. Arizona people: YAQUI - Unknown to me
10. Touch: ABUT - An unfortunate juxtaposition of words today?
11. ER test: MRI - Upside? Accurate diagnoses. Downside? Big time claustrophobia.
12. Omni alternative: MARRIOTT.
13. Bleep: EDIT OUT - Encourages lip reading when someone 31. Cursed: SWORE on TV
18. Player for a 39-Down: IPOD worn by a 39. One on the run: JOGGER.
23. Type type: ELITE - Pica and ELITE were our only two choices in my ute
24. Fall back (on): RELY.
25. FireDome and Fireflite: DESOTOS - My small hometown was 98% Ford or GM cars with the occasional Plymouth. Nary a DESOTO
26. Give away, in a way: SPOIL - What, Bob Newhart wakes up back in Chicago and the New Hampshire Inn was just a dream? Way to SPOIL it!
29. Pares proportionately: SCALES DOWN - If 10% of the workers go, so does 10% of management. Right?
30. Cocoon occupants: PUPAE.
32. Astronaut transports: JETPACKS - Bruce McCandless becomes the first NASA astronaut to fly untethered from his space craft in 1983 (1:08)
33. Leon on many spines: URIS - One of our fav authors with lovely letters
34. "Am I early?": TOO SOON.
36. Unhealthy thing to hold: GRUDGE.
37. Stud site: LOBE - Ear
38. PNC Park player: PIRATE.
40. Scornful looks: SNEERS.
42. Dealer's supply: PARTS - My _ A R _ S dealer had CARDS at first
43. Occupy, as a bar: SIT AT - A posture my dad perfected
45. "Look out!": FORE - Tiger may not have yelled FORE on this errant shot which hit this man two weeks ago but the guy did get an autographed glove (:14)
48. Fraternity character: TAU.
49. Courtroom VIPs: DA'S - Your fav?
50. OTC drug overseer: FDA.
51. Norfolk sch.: ODU - In Virginia
Hopefully your experience on today's puzzle was a nice as this shot on National Bowling Day
DA GRID:
