Tuesday July 23, 2019 Bruce Haight

 Theme: MADE R E PAIRS (61A. Fixed things ... or, in four parts, what you've done when filling in 18-, 26-, 37- and 52-Across?) - Each theme entry is in the pattern of R* E*.

18. Realm first led by Augustus: ROMAN EMPIRE.

26. Result named for expanding circles from a rock tossed into a pond: RIPPLE EFFECT.

37. Did something a bit shocking: RAISED EYEBROWS. This is a 16*15 grid.

52. Hobnobbed (with): RUBBED ELBOWS.

Boomer here, filling in for Hahtoolah, who's traveling.

If you find you are having trouble with this puzzle just RE do it. Great to be back again. Church is having a garage sale and I was happy to donate some stuff.  Now I can park in my garage without having to worry about whether I can get the van doors open.

Across:

1. Losing streaks: SLUMPS.  Twins have a guy named Sano who is a slump engineer.

7. Payroll dept. IDs: SSNS. I would not give this to anyone.  Last 4 is okay, but now the VA asks once in awhile for the whole thing.  I don't refuse because I need whatever I went there for.  But don't give it to Equifax.

11. "Jay Leno's Garage" airer: CNBC.  I used to like Leno on the Tonight show, but this effort is so so.

15. "Rock the __": hit song for The Clash: CASBAH.

16. "All right, sure": OH OK.

17. Like some company softball teams: CO-ED.

20. Fibber: LIAR.  Pants on fire

21. "How sweet __!": IT IS.  Jackie Gleason made it famous.  He was a terrible bowler though.

22. Carry with effort: HAUL.  Or if you have to do it yourself, rent a U-HAUL. 

23. Take forcibly (from): WREST.  You may end up wrestling.

25. ISP that includes Bing: MSN.  We have MSN but I never saw Mr. Crosby.

29. Litter box visitors: PET CATS.  We have no pets, but judging by TV and Internet ads, selling pet food must be a billion dollar industry.

31. Biblical boat: ARK.  I once played Noah in a play at an all girls school, Regina H.S. in Minneapolis.  There were only two guys in the play. God was from De La Salle.  The play was Noye's Fludde by Benjamin Britten.  Guess he never took spelling.

32. Head across the Atlantic?: LOO.  Skip to my ____.

33. "I wonder ... ": HMM. "And I can't help but wonder where I'm bound, where I'm bound..."  Here is my rendition.

34. Mos. and mos.: YRS.

36. Carton sealer: TAPE. A famous product from 3M in my home state.

42. Price to pay: COST.

43. Put to good __: USE.  Lately, due to lack of strikes, I need to put my plastic spare ball to good USE.

44. Tractor-trailer: RIG.  Careful where you park it in Florida.  Alligators may get you.

45. "Eww!": UGH.

46. Nourished: FED.  Sure is a lot of three letter answers.

48. "Can't argue with that!": NO DOUBT.

56. St. Patrick's Day mo.: MAR.  March 17 to be exact.  Many Irish in St. Paul hit the famous Irish pubs and lift a glass to good old St. Pat.  I was in Chicago once on March 17 and the festivities seemed to equal that of Minnesota.

57. "My Fair Lady" lady: ELIZA. Ms. Doolittle.

58. God with a bow: EROS.  I don't think he was from De La Salle.

59. Nimble: SPRY.

60. "Check it out!": LOOK. Also a famous magazine.  I have not seen one for awhile.

64. Youngest Brontë sibling: ANNE.  Charlotte was the oldest and lived the longest.  Anne died at age 29.

65. Rim: EDGE.  Ford's smaller SUV.  I once had an Explorer, but now it seems that model is trying to compete with a Navigator.  I have been searching the web, but all I get now is a ton of car dealer ads while I play Solitaire.

66. Rue: REGRET.  For a few days we regretted having CenturyLink as our ISP provider.  Things are okay for now.  We are just wondering if we might get a credit on our bill.  Or at least a "WE'RE SORRY"!

67. Garden planting areas: BEDS.  Ours are doing fine in the summer heat.  But the weeds seem to be doing as well as the flowers.

68. Watermelon bit: SEED.  We get seedless from Aldi.  But they do have little tiny seeds that tend to get caught in my dentures.  (Dentures is a new name for false teeth, for those of you who remember years gone by.)

69. Goes over the posted limit: SPEEDS.  Not me!!  It will raise hell with your insurance rates.

Down:

1. Keep to a tight budget: SCRIMP.  Always.  I never pay over $35.00 for a round of golf.

2. Taoism founder: LAO TSE.

3. Govt. moneymaker: US MINT.  I used to love the statehood quarters but now they seem to overwhelm the market with clever coins. I have a few Westward Journey nickels, and some Sacagawea golden dollars.  I also collected silver proof sets from 1999-2008 (Statehood Quarters) but I don't chase coins anymore.  Too Many.   

4. CFOs' degrees: MBAS.  Twins have Max Kepler - Master Batting Average Slugger.

5. Sautéing vessel: PAN.  Also, Peter's last name.

6. Complaint to Mom after a sister's slap: SHE HIT ME.  Then Hit her back !!

7. Absorb: SOP UP.

8. Swindle decoy: SHILL.  Minnesota State Fair Midway is coming soon.  Maybe they are not all shills, but there are some questionable games.

9. Neighbor of Den.: NOR. I have no Danish ancestors, but a few Norwegian, Yah sure.

10. Barbecue rod: SKEWER.

11. Staff symbol in viola music: C CLEF.

12. Ordinance that sets quiet hours: NOISE LAW. We REALLY need this on the 4th of July.  Some people are still setting off noisy stuff.  (I'd like to use a different word, but C.C. won't let me.)

13. Police who may enforce a 12-Down: BEAT COPS.  Interesting.  We live in a suburb of around 80,000 people, but I have not seen a beat cop. They prowl in squad cars.

14. USN officer: CDR.  That's big time I believe, just under Admiral.

19. Travel aids: MAPS.  I used to have a drawer full but now just use Google. 

24. Nats' former stadium, briefly: RFK.  I was serving in Fort Campbell when we heard that Robert Kennedy was shot.  1968 was a terrible year to remember.  First MLK and then RFK.  Recently we celebrated events in July of 1969.  I was in Germany then.  Better times.  Jackie Gleason's wish come true.

26. He sheep: RAMS.  Los Angeles had a great NFL team last season. We have the Vikings. You never know.

27. Make simpler: EASE.

28. Tip of a wing tip: TOE.  A popular dress shoe, years ago.  Have not seen any lately, but I don't look down often.

30. Gambler's IOU: CHIT.  A form of CHAT.

34. "Definitely!": YES.

35. Deli bread: RYE.  Generally have corned beef and sauerkraut on rye around March 17.

36. Deli order: TO GO.  Definitely Pizza.

37. 2016 "Star Wars" prequel: ROGUE ONE.  Enough Star Wars.  Nissan has a small SUV called a ROGUE.

38. Light hair color: ASH BLOND.

39. "My man!": DUDE.  Big Lebowski.  A real DUDE but a lousy bowler. 

40. Web access programs: BROWSERS.  If you wear ugly pants, you may have a browser on your trousers.

41. Frees (of): RIDS.

42. Tough mutt: CUR.

46. Tasseled hat: FEZ.  Zuhrah in Minneapolis.  Shriners do many good things for the community.

47. Mingo portrayer on "Daniel Boone": ED AMES.

48. American-born Jordanian queen: NOOR.

49. Tennis official: UMPIRE. They have a lot hanging around the court.  The one in the chair is the umpire.

50. Like jail cells: BARRED.

51. Steamy get-togethers: TRYSTS.

53. Triathlon rides: BIKES.  Swim about 2 miles, then ride a BIKE 25 miles, then get off and run ten miles.  Big deal - I play 18 holes of golf on a cart.

54. Flowerpot spot: LEDGE.  Our home has no LEDGES large enough to hold a flowerpot.

55. Kennel club classification: BREED.

59. Fragrant herb: SAGE.  Thanksgiving is coming. Load up on SAGE for the stuffing.

60. Science class: LAB.

62. Beverage suffix: ADE.  Lemonade in the Shade, served by an Old Maid.

63. __ Boys: auto parts chain: PEP.  Kellogg's used to sell a PEP cereal, but I have not seen it for a long time.  I get my PEP from Grape-Nuts.

Boomer