Tuesday, November 27, 2018 Jeff Stillman

"HANDS DOWN"


3. *Educational outing: FIELD TRIP. Field hand

10. *Social elite: UPPER CRUST. Upper hand

21. *Gambler's stoic expression: POKER FACE. Poker hand

28. *Quick-cook side dish: MINUTE RICE. Minute hand

36. Without a doubt ... or what the starts of the answers to starred clues are?: HANDS DOWN. Different types of hands are in the down answers.

Across:

1. Transvaal treks: SAFARIS.

Kruger National Park - South African Safari 

8. Quarters: FOURTHS.

15. Big building: EDIFICE. 

16. Political power structure: APPARAT. -"The administrative system of a communist party, typically in a communist country."    New to me # 1.

17. Asian setting of a 2017 PBS documentary by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick: VIETNAM.

18. Not belowdecks: TOPSIDE.

19. Snakelike fish: EEL.

20. Golf club part: GRIP.

22. Mend one's sinful ways: REPENT.

23. Paul of "Ant-Man": RUDD.

25. GI entertainers: USO.   United Services Organization.

"Just prior to the onset of America’s involvement in World War II in 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt sought to unite several service associations into one organization to lift the morale of our military and nourish support on the home front.  Those entities – the Salvation Army, Young Men’s Christian Association, Young Women’s Christian Association, National Catholic Community Services, National Travelers Aid Association and the National Jewish Welfare Board - became the United Service Organizations or, the USO." - USO.ORG

26. Many soap opera meetings: TRYSTS.

27. Scottish caps: TAMS.

29. Ray of fast food: KROC.

31. Nuclear pioneer Enrico: FERMI.  Fermilab is west of here in Batavia, Illinois.  Scientists there smash subatomic particles to solve the mysteries of matter, energy, space and time for the benefit of all.

33. Kickoff aid: TEE.

34. Physical therapy, briefly: REHAB.

39. French __ soup: ONION.

40. Appt. book blocks: HRS.

41. Mountains between Europe and Asia: URALS.

By convention, the line of demarcation between Western Asia and the European part of the 'supercontinent' of Eurasia, is along the Ural Mountain range, the Ural River, the northern slopes of the Caucasus Mountains, and the Turkish Straits.

The Ural Mountain range, the natural boundary between Europe and Asia, extends about 2,100 km (1,300 mi) south from the Arctic Ocean to the northern border of Kazakhstan.


Text and image from the Nations Online Project.



42. Channel for school sports: ESPNU.

43. Frequently, in verse: OFT.

44. December temp: SANTA.  Temporary, not temperature.

45. Skater Lipinski: TARA.  "In the long program At the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Lipinski performed seven triples, including a historic triple loop/triple loop combination and, at the end, a triple toe/half loop/triple Salchow sequence, to overtake Michele Kwan for the gold medal.

She became the youngest ladies' Olympic figure skating champion and the youngest individual gold medalist, a record that had stood since Norwegian Sonia Henie won the same event at the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, also at age 15."  - Wikipedia


47. Combat vet's affliction, briefly: PTSD.  Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that's triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.

48. Bombard with noise: DEAFEN.

52. Tax whiz: CPA.   Among other potential services

54. Spanish "this": ESTO.

57. Nonresident hospital employee: EXTERN.  New to me # 2.

       1.  a person working in but not living in an institution, such as a nonresident doctor or other worker in a hospital.
        a student participating in a temporary training program in a workplace.
        "the opportunity to shadow alumni mentors as externs provides students with experience impossible to gain in the classroom"

        2. (in a strictly enclosed order of nuns) a sister who does not live exclusively within the enclosure and goes on outside errands.

 58. Gutter locale: EAVE.

60. Party bowlful: DIP.

61. Brutish: BESTIAL.

63. Dilapidated digs: RATHOLE.

65. Contrived sentimentality: TREACLE.  New to me # 3.

1. 
   

   British term for molasses.
2.      cloying sentimentality or flattery.
   

   
   

   "enough of this treacle—let's get back to business"

 66. Funded: ENDOWED.

67. Like the oldest bread: STALEST.

68. Emails anew: RESENDS.

Down:

1. Break, as ties: SEVER.

2. French parting: ADIEU.

4. Toward the stern: AFT.

5. Mark on a table from a wet glass: RING.

 How to Remove Water Stains from Wood: 6 Tricks to Try

6. Wax-winged flier of myth: ICARUS.

7. Their winners go to the finals: SEMIS.

8. The 1% in 1% milk: FAT.

9. Portuguese wine city: OPORTO.  Portuguese: Porto.  English: Oporto.   Previously explained here at crossword corner dot blogspot dot com.

11. Sounding like Popeye: RASPY.

12. Tastes: TRIES.

13. "Wish I __ said that": HADN'T.

14. Decides to leave in the manuscript: STETS.

24. Bourne portrayer: DAMON.  Jason / Matt

30. Enjoy a recliner: REST.

31. Enemy: FOE.

32. Nav. rank: ENS. Naval / Ensign

33. Norse god with a hammer: THOR.

35. Dry-__ board: ERASE.

37. PC key near Ctrl: ALT.

38. Org. with merit badges: BSA.

46. Chronological records: ANNALS.

47. Stately 16th-century dance: PAVANE.  New to me # 4.

1. a stately dance in slow duple time, popular in the 16th and 17th centuries and performed in elaborate clothing.

   • a piece of music for the pavane.

48. Financial obligations: DEBTS.

49. Wield, as influence: EXERT.

50. Perplexed: AT SEA.

51. __ monitor: OB/GYN device: FETAL.

53. Peeling device: PARER.

55. Like many shower stalls: TILED.

56. Opinion columns: OP EDS.

59. JFK postings: ETDS.

62. Tennis do-over: LET.

64. Furrow maker: HOE.