Theme: Corner Crossing Crowd - the first and last name theme entries connect with each other in one corner:
1A. Popular peck picker: PETER
1D. ---: PIPER. This one's a bit of an outlier as the other theme entries emerge - a character from a rhyme, rather than from a cartoon or a movie.
6A. Sinister "Smallville" supervillain: LEX.
6D. ---: LUTHOR. Superman's nemesis.
9A. Ghastly gargantuan gorilla: KING.
9D. ---: KONG.
31A. Conniving carrot cruncher: BUGS.
31D. ---: BUNNY.
35A. Fantastic Four foe: DOCTOR.
35D. ---: DOOM. This was all crosses for me, but not too much of a struggle.
50A. Tall toon toothpick: OLIVE.
50D. ---: OYL. The focus of Popeye's affections.
54A. Flirty Fleischer flapper: BETTY.
54D. ---: BOOP. Oddly, these cartoons were played on British TV in the children's programming. In retrospect, a strange place in the schedule considering the subject matter.
60A. Dedicated DC damsel: LOIS.
60D. ---: LANE. Another from the Superman comics.
Impressive alliterative theme today. I wonder if Bruce played with PETER PARKER rather than PIPER as he would have been more of a fit with the rest of the theme entries, but that would mean stacking 6's in those corners, not always easy.
Let's see what else we've got:
Across:
13. Peaceful: IRENIC. A new word for me today. Derived from the greek word for "peace".
15. Wire service initials: UPI. United Press International. The HQ is in Florida.
16. Music halls of old: ODEA. Odeon in the singular.
17. Black-and-white bears: PANDAS.
18. Like the most rarefied air: THINNEST.
20. DFW postings: ETDS. You need help to decide between ETA, ETD and ARR.
21. Queens tennis stadium: ASHE. The legendary Arthur Ashe. The arena is home to the US Open.
23. Small type size: AGATE. 5.5 typographical points.
24. Seafood delicacy: ROE.
25. "I'm Free" musical: TOMMY. The composer, Pete Townsend, would object to the term "musical". He composed it as the first "rock opera". Here's Elton John as the Pinball Wizard.
27. White House foreign policy gp.: NSC. National Security Council.
30. __ school: PREP. Prep schools in the US prepare the students for college. In the UK, they prepare them for a school (which are private). Go figure.
38. Self-disqualification: RECUSAL.
40. Camden Yards team: ORIOLES. Baltimore ball club.
42. Fret (over): AGONIZE.
43. Like a short report: ONE PAGE.
44. Acted badly: SINNED.
45. Sticky situation: MESS.
46. "You said it": AMEN.
49. NFC East team, on crawl lines: NYG. New York Giants.
51. Big Pharma watchdog: Abbr.: FDA. Food and Drug Administration.
58. "Me? Never!": NOT I!
61. Scenic viewpoint: OVERLOOK.
63. Certifying exams: BOARDS.
65. Wine opener?: OENO-
66. It may be brown or golden: ALE.
67. Ball State University city: MUNCIE. Something else I didn't know today. The crosses were solid.
68. Soft call: PSST!
69. "Criminal Minds" agent: FED. I've never seen the series, which currently runs to 309 episodes. I don't think I have time to catch up on all those.
70. Chilly temps: TEENS.
Down:
2. Millay's muse: ERATO. The muse of love poetry. Edna Millay was a poet and Pulitzer Prize-winning author.
3. Leanings: TENDENCIES.
4. Objectives: ENDS.
5. Narrow inlet: RIA.
7. Transitory things: EPHEMERA. Lovely word.
8. Number between I and XI?: XII. Tricky one, this. The number 12 sits between 11 and 1 on a clock face. Inverting the two clue numbers makes it even more obscure.
10. Creative spark: IDEA.
11. Fit together, as matryoshka dolls: NEST. Russian dolls, more informally.
12. Portal: GATE.
14. One side in "Gone With the Wind": Abbr.: CSA. Confederate States of America.
19. Word of dissent: NAY.
22. Indy brand: STP. Octane-boosting additive. I'm sure there are others, but STP seems to have the monopoly on race car sponsorship.
26. Digital video files: MPEGS. For the Moving Pictures Expert Group, a standards organization for audio and video compression.
28. Dots on a transit map: STOPS.
29. Pop genre?: COLA.
32. What may be resorted to when words fail: USING FORCE.
33. Long look: GAZE.
34. Downhill racer: SLED.
36. Writer Sarah __ Jewett: ORNE. An writer new to me.
37. Majestic: REGAL.
39. Element of change?: COIN. Fun clue/answer combination.
41. Florida State athlete: SEMINOLE.
47. Called forth: EVOKED.
48. Safety device: NET.
52. Brought to ruin: DID IN.
53. Horse relatives: ASSES.
55. Pre-revelry nights: EVES. There's a couple of them at this time of year!
56. Teller's stack: TENS.
57. Leisurely pace: TROT.
59. "Let's put smart to work" company: IBM. Pure guesswork, but I got this first time.
62. Buffoon: OAF.
64. Last word of "Casey at the Bat": OUT.
Happy 59th Birthday to our adventurous pilot Dudley, who started "Rabbit, Rabbit" tradition on our blog. This picture was taken during Montana's visit to Northeast in September, 2013.
1A. Popular peck picker: PETER
1D. ---: PIPER. This one's a bit of an outlier as the other theme entries emerge - a character from a rhyme, rather than from a cartoon or a movie.
6A. Sinister "Smallville" supervillain: LEX.
6D. ---: LUTHOR. Superman's nemesis.
9A. Ghastly gargantuan gorilla: KING.
9D. ---: KONG.
31A. Conniving carrot cruncher: BUGS.
31D. ---: BUNNY.
35A. Fantastic Four foe: DOCTOR.
35D. ---: DOOM. This was all crosses for me, but not too much of a struggle.
50A. Tall toon toothpick: OLIVE.
50D. ---: OYL. The focus of Popeye's affections.
54A. Flirty Fleischer flapper: BETTY.
54D. ---: BOOP. Oddly, these cartoons were played on British TV in the children's programming. In retrospect, a strange place in the schedule considering the subject matter.
60A. Dedicated DC damsel: LOIS.
60D. ---: LANE. Another from the Superman comics.
Impressive alliterative theme today. I wonder if Bruce played with PETER PARKER rather than PIPER as he would have been more of a fit with the rest of the theme entries, but that would mean stacking 6's in those corners, not always easy.
Let's see what else we've got:
Across:
13. Peaceful: IRENIC. A new word for me today. Derived from the greek word for "peace".
15. Wire service initials: UPI. United Press International. The HQ is in Florida.
16. Music halls of old: ODEA. Odeon in the singular.
17. Black-and-white bears: PANDAS.
18. Like the most rarefied air: THINNEST.
20. DFW postings: ETDS. You need help to decide between ETA, ETD and ARR.
21. Queens tennis stadium: ASHE. The legendary Arthur Ashe. The arena is home to the US Open.
23. Small type size: AGATE. 5.5 typographical points.
24. Seafood delicacy: ROE.
25. "I'm Free" musical: TOMMY. The composer, Pete Townsend, would object to the term "musical". He composed it as the first "rock opera". Here's Elton John as the Pinball Wizard.
27. White House foreign policy gp.: NSC. National Security Council.
30. __ school: PREP. Prep schools in the US prepare the students for college. In the UK, they prepare them for a school (which are private). Go figure.
38. Self-disqualification: RECUSAL.
40. Camden Yards team: ORIOLES. Baltimore ball club.
42. Fret (over): AGONIZE.
43. Like a short report: ONE PAGE.
44. Acted badly: SINNED.
45. Sticky situation: MESS.
46. "You said it": AMEN.
49. NFC East team, on crawl lines: NYG. New York Giants.
51. Big Pharma watchdog: Abbr.: FDA. Food and Drug Administration.
58. "Me? Never!": NOT I!
61. Scenic viewpoint: OVERLOOK.
63. Certifying exams: BOARDS.
65. Wine opener?: OENO-
66. It may be brown or golden: ALE.
67. Ball State University city: MUNCIE. Something else I didn't know today. The crosses were solid.
68. Soft call: PSST!
69. "Criminal Minds" agent: FED. I've never seen the series, which currently runs to 309 episodes. I don't think I have time to catch up on all those.
70. Chilly temps: TEENS.
Down:
2. Millay's muse: ERATO. The muse of love poetry. Edna Millay was a poet and Pulitzer Prize-winning author.
"What lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why,
I have forgotten, and what arms have lain
Under my head till morning; but the rain
Is full of ghosts tonight, that tap and sigh
Upon the glass and listen for reply,
And in my heart there stirs a quiet pain
For unremembered lads that not again
Will turn to me at midnight with a cry."
3. Leanings: TENDENCIES.
4. Objectives: ENDS.
5. Narrow inlet: RIA.
7. Transitory things: EPHEMERA. Lovely word.
8. Number between I and XI?: XII. Tricky one, this. The number 12 sits between 11 and 1 on a clock face. Inverting the two clue numbers makes it even more obscure.
10. Creative spark: IDEA.
11. Fit together, as matryoshka dolls: NEST. Russian dolls, more informally.
12. Portal: GATE.
14. One side in "Gone With the Wind": Abbr.: CSA. Confederate States of America.
19. Word of dissent: NAY.
22. Indy brand: STP. Octane-boosting additive. I'm sure there are others, but STP seems to have the monopoly on race car sponsorship.
26. Digital video files: MPEGS. For the Moving Pictures Expert Group, a standards organization for audio and video compression.
28. Dots on a transit map: STOPS.
29. Pop genre?: COLA.
32. What may be resorted to when words fail: USING FORCE.
33. Long look: GAZE.
34. Downhill racer: SLED.
36. Writer Sarah __ Jewett: ORNE. An writer new to me.
37. Majestic: REGAL.
39. Element of change?: COIN. Fun clue/answer combination.
41. Florida State athlete: SEMINOLE.
47. Called forth: EVOKED.
48. Safety device: NET.
52. Brought to ruin: DID IN.
53. Horse relatives: ASSES.
55. Pre-revelry nights: EVES. There's a couple of them at this time of year!
56. Teller's stack: TENS.
57. Leisurely pace: TROT.
59. "Let's put smart to work" company: IBM. Pure guesswork, but I got this first time.
62. Buffoon: OAF.
64. Last word of "Casey at the Bat": OUT.
"But there is no joy in Mudville - mighty Casey has struck out."
And I think that's the cue for my last out of the day. I'll be back on the west side of the Atlantic by next week. Here's the grid!
Steve
Steve
Notes from C.C.:
Happy 59th Birthday to our adventurous pilot Dudley, who started "Rabbit, Rabbit" tradition on our blog. This picture was taken during Montana's visit to Northeast in September, 2013.
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| Left to right: Marti, Dudley, Hondo & Montana |
