What's Your Super Power? The word Power can be placed before the each word in each starred theme clue to give a very special type of Power.
17-Across. * Cafeteria queue: LUNCH LINE. Power Lunch (a working lunch where important discussions take place) and Power Line.
17-Across. * Cafeteria queue: LUNCH LINE. Power Lunch (a working lunch where important discussions take place) and Power Line.
39-Across. * Non-glitzy local tavern: DIVE BAR. Power Dive and Power Bar. I was unfamiliar with the term Power Dive. According to the dictionary, it is a "steep dive of an airplane with the engines providing the thrust". It also the title of a 1941 movie.
11-Down. * Corporate retreat with team-building activities: COMPANY TRIP. Power Company and Power Trip.
25-Down. * Basil sitting on a sill, e.g.: WINDOW PLANT. Power Window and Power Plant.
Anatomy of a car Power Window.
And the Unifier:
64-Across. Takeover endeavor ... and a hint to what can precede each word in the answers to starred clues: POWER PLAY.
1. Not fatty: LEAN.
5. Polynesian carving: TIKI.
9. Ebenezer's partner Marley: JACOB. A reference to A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Jacob Marley is the deceased business partner of Ebenezer Scrooge who makes a ghostly appearance to Scrooge on Christmas Eve. He tells Scrooge that he will be visited by three ghosts before morning.
14. Luxury hotel name: OMNI.
The Omni Hotel in Houston
15. Word before rock or rain: ACID. As in Acid Rock or Acid Rain.
16. Run off to wed: ELOPE. A crossword staple.
19. Chickens (out): WIMPS.
20. Dr. Mark Sloan portrayer in "Grey's Anatomy": ERIC DANE. I never watched Grey's Anatomy, so am not familiar with either Dr. Mark Sloan or ERIC DANE (b. Nov. 9, 1972).
22. Flower holder: POT.
23. Harsh treatment: RAW DEAL.
26. Rio Grande city: EL PASO. The Texas city that has been in the news recently.
28. Buckeye State: OHIO. It's the State that's Round on the End and High in the Middle: O-HI-O.
29. Vane heading: EAST.
32. From scratch: ANEW.
33. Drums held between the knees: BONGOS.
36. How wet hair hangs: LIMPLY.
38. Australian hub, in itineraries: SYD. As in Sydney, home of the iconic Sydney Opera House.
41. Quattro meno uno: TRE. Foreign math. 4 - 1 = 3.
44. Part of a mug shot profile: ONE EAR.
John Dillinger, Public Enemy #1
46. "I'll handle it": NO PROB.
48. Like early-morning golf greens: DEWY.
(I know, different spelling.)
50. Self-important type: SNOB.
He's probably on a Power Trip.
52. "Lovely" musical meter maid: RITA.
53. Maven: EXPERT.
55. Unwrap with gusto: RIP OPEN.
58. Rank above maj.: COL. A Colonel is a rank above a Major.
59. Device used to record aerie hatchlings: EAGLE CAM.
62. "Better late than never," e.g.: ADAGE. (Maxim also fits, here, but that was yesterday's word.)
68. Desert drifts: DUNES.
The name of the first book in the Sci-Fi series by Frank Herbert.
69. Taiwanese PC giant: ACER. I learned of this company from working the crosswords.
70. Word game piece: TILE.
Also known as a manual from IKEA.
72. Lays down a lawn: SODS.
73. Worry obsessively: STEW.
Down:
1. Bit of cybermirth: LOL. Textspeak for Laughing Out Loud.
2. Earthbound bird: EMU. A male EMU can grow to a height of over 6 feet. It is the largest bird native to Australia. It can't fly, but can run at a rate of 30 MPH if being hunted. If cornered, its sharp toe claws can eviscerate its hunter, so be warned.
3. Gothic novelist Radcliffe: ANN. Ann Radcliffe (né Ann Ward; July 9, 1764 ~ Feb. 7, 1823) was a pioneer in writing Gothic fiction. She was also one of the most popular writers of her time. Her appeal is probably lost to time.
4. Words to pacify a pooch: NICE DOG!
5. Shire of "Rocky": TALIA. Talia Shire (née Talia Rose Coppola; b. Apr. 23, 1946) is the sister of Francis Ford Coppola. Other than the Rocky and The Godfather films, I can't name another movie she was in.
6. Christmas eave decoration: ICICLE. Cute clue.
7. Bighearted: KIND.
8. Think tank nugget: IDEA.
9. Tiara sparkler: JEWEL.
10. "Aladdin" prince: ALI.
12. Try to block: OPPOSE.
13. Give: BESTOW. Fun word.
18. Charlemagne's realm: Abbr.: HRE. As in the Holy Roman Empire.
21. Doubles partner who's not serving: NETMAN. A tennis reference.
23. Steals from: ROBS.
24. Crow's-nest call: AHOY!
27. Sidekick: PAL.
30. Final Olds made: ALERO. This model ceased production in 2004.
31. Bro or sis: SIB. As in a Sibling.
34. Laudatory lines: ODE.
35. Sonora snooze: SIESTA.
37. Supporting: PRO.
40. Delivery vehicle: VAN.
42. Memorization method: ROTE.
43. Israeli diplomat Abba: EBAN. Abba Eban (né Aubrey Solomon Meir Eban; Feb. 2, 1915 ~ Nov. 17, 2002) made a guest appearance recently.
45. Emmy-winning scientist Bill: NYE. As in William Sanford Nye (b. Nov. 27, 1955). He bills himself as Bill Nye, the Science Guy.
47. Gives a cue: PROMPTS.
48. Ten-year period: DECADE.
49. Book after Genesis: EXODUS. A Biblical reference
51. Prepared, as coffee: BREWED.
54. Maker of tasty "pieces": REESE.
56. Cupcake finishers: ICERS.
57. Achievement for a duffer: PAR. A golfing reference.
60. Transcript nos.: GPAs. As in Grade Point Averages.
61. Bonkers: LOCO.
63. "That's surprising": GEE!
65. Beyond tipsy: LIT.
66. Many a microbrew: ALE.
67. Archery wood: YEW.
Here's the Grid:
I'll leave you with a QOD: Just because your ad looks good is no insurance that it will get looked at. How many people do you know who are impeccably groomed … but dull? ~ William Bernbach (Aug. 13, 1911 ~ Oct. 2, 1982), American advertising executive
Note from C.C.:
Happy Birthday to Betty, loving wife of dear Spitzboov. I think they have the longest marriage on our blog.
Left to Right: Chickie, JD, Garlic Gal and Lucina.
June 3, 2015
