Monday January 14th, 2019 C.C. Burnikel

Theme: ISH (62. "Give or take" suffix ... that can be added to the end of 18-, 23-, 51- and 60-Across to form a sort of set) - ISH can be added to the last word in each theme entry to form a language.

 

18. Recall ability: MEMORY SPAN. Spanish.

23. Well-groomed guy: DAPPER DAN. Danish.

51. One making a living in government, briefly: CAREER POL. Polish.

60. Knockout drink, in old gangster movies: MICKEY FINN. Finnish.

Boomer here. Makes me think of Denard Span and Dan Gladden of the Twins. And Mickey Mantle had a great Career.

Good morning everyone and I hope you enjoyed the nitty-gritty of football winding down soon to the Superb Owl.  Bowling is getting better. This weeks scores for the three game sets were Monday - 585 and Thursday - 583.  (note to TTP) I only missed one ten pin in the 6 games. I left at least a dozen.

Across:

1. Parks who wouldn't give up her bus seat: ROSA. I wish I could have met her. She had spunk!

5. Jewel box item: CD ROM. Compact Disc and a Real Old Man. 

10. Colored eye part: IRIS.

14. Cartel acronym: OPEC. Organization of Petroleum Exporters. Iraq, Iran and others. I bet they are flush with cash to pay their help.

15. Prizefight venue: ARENA. Prize fights don't seem to have the attraction that they once had.  (When Ali was "The Greatest").  It seems that the arenas are now filled with All Star Wrestling.

16. Brit's "Later!": TA TA.

17. Version to debug: BETA.  I just remember when beta competed with VHS.  Not me.  Anyone want to buy my VHS tapes ?

20. Blew like Etna: ERUPTED.  Sorta like the KC Chiefs erupted over the Colts at Arrowhead.

22. Black as night, e.g.: SIMILE.

26. __ XING: crosswalk sign: PED.  Short for pedestrian.

27. Noteworthy period: ERA.  Earned Run Average.  Pitchers with low ones are getting huge raises for 2019.  Take me out to the ballgame.

28. Removes, as a cork: POPS.  Did anyone ever call their Dad Pops ?

30. Nowhere close: FAR. "She wore it for her soldier who was far, far away." Marching tune.

33. Places to swim: POOLS.  If your SLOOP turns over, you may be in a pool.

36. Geek's cousin: NERD.  These guys got revenge on "Animal House".

37. Fodder storage site: SILO.  There's one of these on every barn.  I am not sure if they are used much anymore.  South Minneapolis has miles of grain elevators.

38. Hauls with effort: SCHLEPS.

40. Japanese warrior: SAMURAI.

42. "Right back __!": "Me, too!": AT YA. George Bush was a student AT Yale.

43. Flashy promotion: HYPE.

45. Turn topsy-turvy: UPEND.  Maybe FLIP,  His son is now coaching the Timberwolves.

46. Water-testing digit: TOE.

47. "__ With the Wind": GONE.  Pee Wee Reese describing a Mickey Mantle fly ball.

48. Map app path: Abbr.: RTE. "Get your kicks on RTE 66"

49. Cantina condiment: SAL.

56. Small piano: SPINET.  What Pat Sajak tells contestants to do to the Wheel of Fortune. 

59. Motivate: INSPIRE.  INSPIRE could inspire you to clean energy.  (Wind Power)

63. Puma rival: AVIA.  These tennis shoes cost more than $4.95. 

64. Australian gem: OPAL. October Birthstone.

65. So last year: PASSE.

66. Cafeteria staffer: COOK.  Chef fits too.  I think it was Nixon who said "I am not a cook".

67. Heredity carrier: GENE.  I think of Gene Rayburn on "The Match Game".  He thinks he's funny but he's not. 

68. "Some __ time": "Not now": OTHER.

69. RR stops: Abbr.: STNS.  Take a ride.  If you pass GO, collect $200.

Down:

1. Dressed like a judge: ROBED.

2. Mozart work: OPERA.  Not to be confused with "You get a car" Oprah.

3. Arrange in advance: SET UP.  Paul Newman and Robert Redford did this in 1973.  They called it a Sting.

4. Like singing sans instruments: A CAPPELLA. I will be singing "Lucy Baines" at the retirees reunion soon.

5. GoPro product: CAMERA.  "Old Friends"  I have a photograph.  Preserve your memories, they're all that's left you.  - Simon and Garfunkel

6. "Judge __": Stallone film: DREDD.

7. Sleep acronym: REM.  Rapid Eye Movement.  But it was also the name of a rock band years ago.

8. Lennon's love: ONO. Oh no, not another Yoko Clue

9. Red planet: MARS.  At night sometimes, you can see Mars in the sky, but it is not red, it looks yellow/orange.

10. "Who's there?" reply: IT'S ME.

11. In quick succession: RAPID FIRE.  Like the questions on "Jeopardy".

12. Emphatic type: Abbr.: ITAL.

13. Fit to be tried: SANE.  Fit to be Tied would probably be INSANE.

19. Puppy's barks: YIPS.

21. Succinct: TERSE.

24. Orangutan, e.g.: APE.  I'll bet his name is Hairy.

25. Swedes' neighbors: NORSE. Ya Shure, I have Scandinavian heritage Don'tcha know.

29. Kissing at the mall, for short: PDA.

31. Actor Cumming: ALAN.

32. __ rage: bodybuilder's concern: ROID.  They have a preparation for that.

33. H.S. junior's exam: PSAT.  I'd like to meet the genius that writes these questions.  I would ask him a few bowling questions, or what is a Square D Wiggy.

34. Numerical prefix with -pus: OCTO. The month of my birthday.

35. Self-affirming retort: OH YES I CAN.

36. "Bye Bye Bye" band: NSYNC.  Very tough to pronounce.

37. Large political spending gps.: SUPER PACS. Our new congressman Dean Phillips would not take their money.  I wonder how long that will last.

39. Rice noodle soup: PHO. Vietnamese noodle soup.

41. Trumpet mufflers: MUTES.

44. Veggie in a pod: PEA. Split it and it could go in soup.

47. Sheer joy: GLEE. Indeed, in high school I was in the Glee Club.  I think they call it choir now.

48. Jeremy of "The Avengers": RENNER.

50. Often-twisted joint: ANKLE.

52. Washer cycle: RINSE.  Wash, Wash, Wash the Blue Cheer way, Rinse, Rinse, Rinse the dirt away.

53. Whirl on one foot: PIVOT.

54. Hunter constellation: ORION.  Constellation are so interesting.  We looked forever into the night sky.  The only one that made sense was the Big Dipper.  Then I found out it was actually supposed to be a Bear.  Ursa Major - I told you I had four years of Latin.

55. Plumbers' problems: LEAKS. We finally got our bathroom fixed. No more leaks into the garage!!!

56. Air quality concern: SMOG.

57. Frosty's corncob accessory: PIPE.  And a button nose, and eyes made out of coal.

8. Autocorrect target: TYPO.

61. Budgetary excess: FAT. I am sure those poor federal workers do not have this problem this month.

Boomer

Note from C.C.:

Happy Birthday to dear JD, who joined our blog not long after I started it. It always brings me joy to see the pictures of her grandkids.

JD & Bob