Theme: COLD FRONT (56A. Harbinger of lower temperatures, and a hint to the answers to starred clues)
16A. *Metaphorical tablet for the overly nervous: CHILL PILL.
37A. *Flattering deception: SNOW JOB.
10D. *2005 Disney figure-skating film: ICE PRINCESS.
24D. *Stop-action effect: FREEZE FRAME.
Boomer here.
Yes
indeed a chilly theme. Reminds me of about 4 months of Minnesota
weather. We have two seasons in Minnesota - bowling season and golf
season. Sometimes they overlap. However I want to send sympathy and good
wishes to those in the gulf coast states who once again are ravaged by
hurricanes and tropical storms. We may freeze here in the north, and
have occasional tornadoes, but we are never ravaged by hurricanes or
earthquakes. Wishing the best to those down south.
Across:
1. Chums: PALS. We have a baseball card shop in Andover MN named Pals.
5. Lacks the ability to: CAN'T. No spot for apostrophe in a crossword grid.
9. Not spicy, as wings: MILD. The weather we are having up north right now.
13. On the Pacific: ASEA.
14. China's continent: ASIA.
15. Potato-prep kitchen tool: RICER.
18. Ancient Greek theater: ODEON.
19. Sailors' yeses: AYES. I think you need two of these for one yes.
20. Trinidadian music genre: CALYPSO.
22. Batman's butler: ALFRED. Played by Michael Gough. His surname in the Batman shows was Pennyworth.
25. Buyer's opposite: SELLER.
We hear these two terms about now in the Major League baseball season
as the trade deadline approaches. Teams at the top become "Buyers" from
lower teams with star players who want to "Sell".
26. Fishing boat: DORY.
27. Actress Pinkett Smith: JADA. I have enjoyed Will Smith movies. I hope they are doing well.
28. Troubles: AILS. Buy a boat and SAIL away what AILS you.
31. Trouble: WOE.
32. Sacred: HOLY.
"And the three Men I admire the most, the Father, Son, and HOLY Ghost, -
They caught the last train for the coast, the day - the music … died.
(Don McClean, Miss American Pie.)
34. C.S. Lewis' fantasy world: NARNIA. - The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, Oh my!
36. Mimic: APE.
39. Disney collectible: CEL. Okay but if it is a phone, don't use it while driving.
40. Do a city planner's job: RE-ZONE.
42. Farm cluckers: HENS.
Reminds me of my great uncle Bill's farm in Siren, Wisconsin. He had
crops but also had a building of hens. Each one would lay about 20 eggs
per month.
43. "Bambi" doe: ENA. Doe, a deer, a female deer. (Sound of Music)
44. Biblical garden site: EDEN.
The bible says it was a great place to live, except for that darn apple
tree. Many cities have adopted the name. We have an Eden Prairie in
Minnesota. A nice place to visit, but we can't afford to live there.
45. Riyadh resident: ARAB.
47. Played for a sap: USED. Interesting lot at most car dealers.
48. Influential moneybags: FAT CAT. Most of these rich "Cats" are not really fat.
50. Tousles, as hair: MUSSES.
52. Old-fashioned, close-fitting undergarments: CORSETS. When my back was under repair, I had to wear a hard plastic one. Very uncomfortable.
54. Diamond Head's island: OAHU. Gesundheit! Hawaiian God bless you.
55. Let up: ABATE.
61. Nero or Claudius: ROMAN. First date rebuke. No ROMAN hands or Russian fingers.
62. Running shoe brand: AVIA.
63. __ Lackawanna Railway: ERIE. Silly me. I thought it was a Great Lake.
64. Look intently (at): PEER. I always thought Peer Gynt was a third base coach for the Boston Red Sox. Turns out it was a play.
65. Come dramatically into view: LOOM. Summer activities. We would string loops onto a LOOM and make a potholder for Mom.
66. __ between the lines: READ.
Down:
1. Lobbying gp.: PAC.
2. Tapped-off cigarette part: ASH.
Believe it or not, there was a tobacco store in a mall called "Ashes".
The fellow who owned it was George Ash who also happened to be a little
league umpire.
3. Luau garland: LEI.
4. Weekly pay, say: SALARY. Of course if you're hungry, you may use your SALARY to buy CELERY.
5. Dressed like many a superhero: CAPED. We heard about the butler, now we see the CAPED Crusader. Keep your eye open for the Bat phone or that fancy car.
6. Without warranty: AS IS. See the USED car lot mentioned above.
7. No goals, in soccer: NIL.
8. Sprinkled with baby powder: TALCED.
9. Halfway-through-the-term exam: MIDYEAR. Maybe in high school. In college we had mid terms about every 4-5 weeks. Maybe that's why I only lasted a year.
11. Some July babies: LEOS.
Interesting sign of the Zodiac, but also the name of a Lion - (Not Burt
Lahr). Could be a man's name. In fact I bowled with a great bowler
named Leo Mann. So that would make it a Mann's name also.
12. Bond villain who attended med school: DR NO. It sounds like you show up for a scheduled surgery and the doctor talks you out of it.
15. Sushi __: ROLL.
17. Corrosive chemical: LYE.
21. Support group for families of drinkers: AL-ANON.
I used to enjoy a cocktail now and then but it never hooked me. I feel
sorry for those fighting this disease. I was told "NO BOOZE" because
it does not agree with the cancer meds. I donated the full bottles as
door prizes to my bowling league and gave the open bottles to friends.
22. Pop-up-producing program: ADWARE. This pops up everywhere all the time. Welcome to the 21st century.
23. Like a lasso's business end: LOOPED.
25. "Come again?": SAY WHAT. I don't know who started this response but I wanted to tar and feather him.
27. Former "Idol" judge, familiarly: J-LO. The big stars all have abbreviated handles. If you don't believe me, you can ask Tony O about Puck, and Killer.
29. One with a collateral loan: LIENEE.
30. Caesar and Cobb: SALADS. Julius and Ty.
32. TV shopper's channel: HSN. Why watch this if you have Amazon.com??
33. Type of short play: ONE-ACT.
35. Tummy muscles: ABS. We all have them. Short for abdominal.
38. Ex-Florida governor Bush: JEB. I heard his Dad and brother did pretty well
41. Astronomical way to wish: ON A STAR. When you wish on one, it makes no difference who you are. - Jiminy Cricket.
46. Imp: RASCAL. Spanky, Alfalfa, Darla, etc. Also known as Our Gang.
47. Loan shark: USURER. I have lost count of the number of emails I get with an offer to lend money.
49. High-schooler, typically: TEEN. She was just seventeen, You know what I mean - (I saw her standing there.)
50. Palindromic title: MADAM. "She took me in a washed away my childhood" - Statler Brothers.
51. Old TV dial letters: UHF.
52. Kvetch like a fish?: CARP.
I guess it means complaining, But we have many Carp in our 10,000
lakes, and if you catch one you are not allowed to throw it back.
53. Bassoon kin: OBOE.
54. Varied mixture: OLIO. Food sharing, however people in Wisconsin's dairyland will not share their OLEO
57. Ab __: from the beginning: OVO.
58. Salem is its cap.: ORE.
I have never been to Oregon. Seems like a nice place to visit. I am
sure they have bowling centers and golf courses. Rumor has it that it
may have D.B. Cooper's body also.
59. Actress Long: NIA.
60. Texas senator Cruz: TED. A narrow victory over Beto in 2018.
Boomer
