Monday April 15, 2019 Paul Coulter

Theme: INNER PEACE (60. Meditation goal hinted at by this puzzle's circles) - Three peace words span across each theme entry.

 17. Ancient mariner's fear: SEA SERPENT.

 25. Chain reaction requirement: CRITICAL MASS.

 46. Nation that promotes its people's economic and social prosperity: WELFARE STATE.

Boomer here.

Tough to be calm here in Minnesota where we were blessed with about 10 inches of snow last week.  It is melting and does not affect the bowling season however golf is on hold for two or three weeks.  The Twins cleared Target Field and after one postponement they played in 40 degree weather.


Across:

1. Cuts off: LOPS.

5. Member of a strict Jewish sect: HASID.

10. Artistic Chinese dynasty: MING.  The Chinese are very good at that game - Ming Pong.

14. Ohio's Great Lake: ERIE.  Of the five great lakes, (Not counting Utah Salt) This one appears in crosswords more than any other.

15. Justice Kagan: ELENA.  Appears more often than other justices. Three vowels.

16. Egg-shaped: OVAL.

19. Flexible mineral sheet: MICA.

20. Persuade with flattery: SOFT SOAP.

21. Fossil resins: AMBERS.

23. "Beowulf," poem-wise: EPIC.

24. Rubs the wrong way?: ABRADES.  There once was a girl whose mom tied her braids so tight that when she cried, the tears ran down her back.  Her name was Bacteria.

29. Stagecoach puller: HORSE.  A horse is a horse, of course, of course, and no one can talk to a horse of course, unless of course the name of the horse is the famous Mr. Ed.

30. Allied gp. since 1948: OAS. Organization of American States.

31. Dangerous snakes: ASPS. So for all of her glamour and her whoop-tee-doo
And her house in the best neighborhood
Would you take that lousy life if it was offered to you
You can bet Cleopatra's asp, you would! (What kind of life is that - Chad Mitchell Trio)

35. Antipollution org.: EPA.

36. Hit, as a fly: SWATTED.  There were a few flies swatted at Target Field this past weekend.

40. Alphabetically first of two Hawaiian maunas: KEA. The other is LOA. Reminds me of a Korean SUV  Kia Sorento.

41. Like some coll. courses: REQ'D

43. Gp. getting many returns in April: IRS.  Supposed to be postmarked by midnight tonight, however some nice post offices will backdate it for you on Tuesday.

44. Regular's bar order, with "the": USUAL.  Mine used to be a VO Manhattan with cherry juice.  Now it is diet Pepsi.  Don't get me wrong, I was never a heavy drinker, but now the doctors told me no more alcohol with the pills I am taking.  So I donated two full bottles of gin and vodka from my booze closet to my Monday bowling banquet for door prizes, and was rewarded with a door prize of two rounds of golf on a cart at a local course, which of course I will share with my teammate and league secretary.

50. Malicious rumors: CANARDS.

53. "Do __ others ... ": UNTO. "As you would have others do unto you."

54. Judge, e.g.: HEARER. What ??

55. Like faces at a fireworks display: UPTURNED.  I never liked fireworks too much.  I was always afraid something would go wrong and I would get burned.  I am sure C.C. has stories. Although cities and groups spend a lot of money to the Chinese economy with the purchase of fireworks, many accidents happen in the factories that create them.

59. "Dream on!": AS IF.  AS IF you thought Tiger would win the Masters.  Yup, Surprised me too !

62. Wander: ROVE.  Mr. Karl Rove worked in the Whitehouse on George W 's staff.

63. Close-knit group: CADRE. This is what they called the G.I.'s who had permanent training positions at Fort Campbell. KY.

64. Fairway club: IRON.  I guess so.  I will normally take a five wood to hit a shot from 150 to 170 yards.  I notice the pros use a 7 Iron from 190.  All these years I have been using the wrong club!!

65. Didn't dillydally: SPED.

66. Act with excessive passion: EMOTE.

67. The Big Apple, in addresses: NY NY.  I usually spell it New York, NY.  It looks better.

Down:

1. Make-do amount?: LESS.  WKRP -- More music and Less Nessman

2. Two-tone cookie: OREO.  Congratulations to Nabisco!  This is the 12,365th time the cookie has appeared in a crossword.  A new world record!! ( It passed lake ERIE).

3. Chanteuse Edith: PIAF.

4. Six-line stanzas: SESTETS.

5. Brave: HEROIC.

6. Llama relative: ALPACA.  I wonder if they use these photos when they join eharmony.

7. Ooze: SEEP.

8. Quaint stopover: INN.  Just say Bodda Book, Bodda Boom!  ( I cannot stand that commercial).

9. Sortable information source: DATABASE. I wonder where people kept their notes before computers.

10. Kenya's major port: MOMBASA.

11. Like Wrigley Field's walls: IVIED.  Yup, I have been there.  Saw the Cubs take the Dodgers.  It was before the lights, about 28 years ago.  I remember there was "already been chewed" wads of Wrigley's gum stuck under my seat.  I paid a local $10.00 to park on his lawn.  I wonder what they get now.  Maybe TTP knows.  

12. Mother-of-pearl: NACRE.

13. Water or wine vessel: GLASS.  It can also hold a VO Manhattan on the rocks with cherry juice.

18. Catches sight of: ESPIES.

22. Dash in a spice rack?: MRS.  A name brand seasoning.  Maybe they should change the name to Heinz now.  There must be about 57 different kinds.

24. Amo, amas, __: AMAT.  I love, You love, she loves this clue.

25. "Moonstruck" star: CHER.  "I got you babe"

26. Weapon in Clue: ROPE.  I think it was done by Professor Plum in the Ballroom.

27. Baghdad's land: IRAQ.

28. Gobs of: LOTSA.  There's an expensive frozen pizza called Lotzza Mozza.  I save by buying Jack's and adding more mozzarella before I slide it in the oven.

32. Arctic seabird: SKUA.

33. __ moss: PEAT.  Randy had too many letters

34. Markdown event: SALE.  Pitcher Chris of the Red Sox.

37. Whole-grain food: WILD RICE.  This is a notable Minnesota crop, mostly harvested by Native Americans.  (Where did you think they got the money to build those casinos ?) It generally takes an hour or more to prepare it, but it is delicious with walleye!

38. Pound sounds: ARFS.

39. Quarrel: DUST UP.

42. Towered over: DWARFED.

45. Preserve using barrels, as wine: STORE IN.

47. Bard's "before": ERE.  "And I heard him exclaim ere he rode out of sight, 'Next year wash your socks before you hang them up !'" 

48. Buffy the Vampire Slayer's "Watcher" __ Giles: RUPERT.  Notable Quotable.

49. Main course: ENTREE. That would be the walleye.

50. Burns a bit: CHARS.

51. Legendary fabulist: AESOP.  I have never met anyone named Aesop.  I think most people think his last name was Fables.

52. Easily deceived: NAIVE.

55. "Go back" PC command: UNDO.  I checked the entire keyboard and I do not have an "undo" or a "go back" key.  (I do have a funny looking left arrow on F2).

56. __ a one: none: NARY.  Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

57. Supply-and-demand subj.: ECON.

58. Reject as false: DENY.

61. "The Deer Hunter" war zone, for short: NAM.

No more Monday bowling until September.  Several more weeks on Thursday - Then defend my title in the 700 club tournament in May.  Yeah, I was healthier a year ago but you never know.  I am in the Geezer division.  (Over 70).

Boomer