Saturday, May 11, 2019, Matthew Sewell

Themeless Puzzle by Matthew Sewell


Spring Astronomy Day is observed on the Saturday nearest the 1st quarter moon between Mid April and Mid May. This year that falls on May 11 and I wish I could get to the Northern Virginia Astronomy Club event near Manassas where they have all the wonderful opportunities you see listed on this poster.

Today's constructor is Matthew Sewell, PhD who teaches literature and film at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and has had puzzles published in the The Chronicle of Higher Education, Newsday, The Orange County Register and the Wall Street Journals. Some of Dr. Sewell's classes at UMM

Having these two entries in the NW corner was a real stumbling block for this solver:

17. Modern gamer's headset, briefly: VR GOGGLES - (Virtual Reality GOGGLES) and 1. Nordic cured salmon appetizer: GRAVLAX - (A new word for you too?)

Let's now peer into the wide sky of the crossword universe to see what else Dr. Sewell has for us today.

Across:

1. Annual gown renters: GRADS.

6. Dwelled (on): BROODED.

13. Theatrical potpourri: REVUE - My barber bought this shop 30 years ago but has no idea why the word REVUE is in the business title

14. Got some air, say: TOOK FIVE - Dave Brubeck's famous TAKE FIVE was #5 on Billboard's Hot 100 for three weeks

15. Lit: AFIRE.

16. Multicolored solidarity emblem: PRIDE FLAG - References the rainbow flag of the LGBTQ community

19. Org. concerned with gaps, at times: ADA - David Letterman eschewed their services for his tooth gap

20. Cavalry member: LANCEMAN - The LANCE/Saber equipped calvary members of The Charge of the Light Brigade in 1854. My original HORSEMAN was wrong

21. "Between the World and Me" author Ta-Nehisi __: COATES - More info

24. Latin primer word: AMO 

25. Singer who made Georgia famous: RAY CHARLES - Five of the best minutes you'll spend today

27. TV warrior princess: XENA - Lucy Lawless then and now

29. Classic paper name: HERALD - My puzzles appear on the last page of the sports section of The Omaha World HERALD

30. Restored: MADE WHOLE.

34. San Joaquin Valley wine region: MADERA - There it is just south of Sacramento. _ _ _ _ _ A was not Sonoma

35. Anguished protest: YOWL.

39. Fast-paced highlight video: SIZZLE REEL - A new phrase for me but here are Six examples you can play (I loved the Cracker Jack one)

43. Adjective for Scotty on "Star Trek": WEE - Aye, tis likely for a Scotsman

44. Baker, for one: STREET - A museum is adjacent to the famous 221B Baker STREET address

45. Most delicate: FRAILEST.

47. Cy Young Award stat: ERA - How to calculate an Earned Run Average

48. Two-piece ensembles: PANT SUITS.

49. Sports show hosts, often: RECAPPERS - This guy is also called a RECAPPER

53. Hitchcock antagonist: BATES - Psycho killer Norman BATES shows his "mommy" issues in this very famous scene

54. Had no doubt: FELT SURE.

55. Bizarre: OUTRE - These useful letters are seen here often  pronunciation 

56. Go caving: SPELUNK - Other pictures I found made me claustrophobic just looking at them. These people are 9. Not right: OFF 

57. Perfectly harmonious: AS ONE.


Down:

2. Provide another context for: REFRAME - Tom 11. Gets by: EVADES work by REFRAMING what he is doing (1:30)

3. French city on the Rhone: AVIGNON - The seat of the Papacy from 1309 - 1377

4. Hardy red hog: DUROC - A Nebraska State Fair champion

5. Honoree of Springsteen's 2006 "We Shall Overcome" album: SEEGER.

6. __ de Boulogne: Paris park: BOIS - pronunciation. Woods of Boulogne, a seven minute Uber ride from the Eiffel Tower

7. "Submitted for your approval ... " first name: ROD.

8. Fine, in old slang: OKE - [ohk] - An Americanism dating back to 1920's, apparently the shortening of okay

10. Widened: DILATED - Haven't we all worn anti-DILATION sunglasses after leaving the optometrist? BTW, this word only has three syllables 

12. "Place de la Concorde" artist: DEGAS.

14. Fighting involving excavated shelters: TRENCH WARFARE - Miserable living amidst horrible WWI warfare

16. Word with safe or out: PLAY - If kids PLAY SAFE it will probably PLAY OUT fine. Making a SAFE PLAY often allows you to OUTPLAY your opponent 

18. 1975 ABC debut, initially: GMA - I am not a morning TV watcher 

21. Dear, to Donizetti: CARO - Caro elisir! Sei mio! (Dear elixir! You are mine) from Donizetti's Elixir of Love

22. Dictated: ORAL - 50's TV featured Susie taking dictation from Mr. Sands

23. Urban shortcut: ALLEY 28. Bowl over: AMAZE - Boomer has AMAZED a lot of pins in ALLEYS

26. Devious laugh: HEH.

31. Trimming tool: ADZE - Familiar tool to crossworders

32. Lat neighbor: DELT - Here ya go (first syllables only)

33. "And fly, __ evil intercept thy flight": Milton: ERE - "Get going while the gettin's good" is how I read it

34. Wonder: MIRACLE.

36. Credit as an inspiration: OWE IT TO - Crosswords and this blog have filled a large part of my retirement. I OWE IT all TO C.C. and youse guys!

37. Best __: WESTERN 

38. Chin stroker's words: LET'S SEE - Ahhh, I'll have a Snickers

39. "The Post" co-star: STREEP - She plays Katherine Graham

40. Taloned predators: ERNS - ERNS and EMUS are chief residents in our cwd avaiary 

41. Take off the table?: EAT - Fun!

42. Portugal's capital, locally: LISBOA - You say LISBOA, I say LISBON, Let's call the whole thing off 😉

44. Lowly laborers: SERFS 

46. Hawaiian parties: LUAUS.

48. Exec's private jet, say: PERK - My classmate Glen (Nick Saban on the right) pilots the Bama private recruiting executive jet.

50. Delta hub code: ATL 

51. Sch. with a Schuylkill campus: PSU.

52. Many a Ben & Jerry's flavor: PUN - Is Cherry Garcia their most famous flavor pun?

Please take an opportunity tonight to be amazed by the spring evening sky - especially Leo (backwards question mark for the head)!

Southern Spring Sky From North Of The Equator