Tuesday November 19, 2019 Susan Smolinsky & C.C. Burnikel

Theme: A TO Z (56D. All-inclusive, and a hint to 20-, 28-, 49- and 56-Across) - Each theme entry starts with A and ends with Z.

20. #1 in Major League Baseball career earnings: ALEX RODRIGUEZ.

28. 1970s joint U.S.-Soviet space flight: APOLLO SOYUZ.

 

49. Math class surprise: ALGEBRA QUIZ.

56. Musical genre of Tito Puente and Dizzy Gillespie: AFRO-CUBAN JAZZ.

Boomer here. Here I am on Tuesday, blogging on a puzzle by Hahtoolah and C.C.. This is their second collaboration.

Hahtoolah (Susan)

Across:

1. Longstocking of kiddie lit: PIPPI.

6. "Jason Bourne" star Damon: MATT.  I prefer MATT Dillon played by fellow Minnesotan, James Arness.

10. Shell rowers: CREW.  Speaking of the frozen tundra, CREW neck sweatshirts are appropriate attire this time of year.

14. Biting, as criticism: ACERB.

15. Sound reduced by carpeting: ECHO.  ECHO was a vehicle from Toyota.  I believe it failed.  It was the size of a roller skate.

16. Hill worker: AIDE.

17. Earl Grey relative: PEKOE.  C.C. loves tea.  I used to like an occasional orange PEKOE.

18. Old Roman fiddler: NERO.  I thought he was an Emperor.  Didn't know he fiddled around.

19. Buttonlike earring: STUD.  I used to see these sometimes on guys. Not me, I already have enough holes in my head.

23. Puppy's cry: YIP.  Give it a bottle, shut it up.

24. Chaney of "The Phantom of the Opera" (1925): LON.  Made a living being a spooky, scary guy.

25. Acidity nos.: PHS.  Not for me. I get a PSA blood test every month.

35. Function: ROLE.  I was in a high school production once. My ROLE was Noah.  I think P.J. Fleck wanted me to "Row the boat."

37. Actors' union, briefly: SAG.  Of course if your body start's to SAG, they'll retire you.

38. Remove from office: DEPOSE. Many government officials are being deposed with questions from Congress. But they are not being removed from office.

39. Fortified city of Castile and León: AVILA.

41. Diamond stat: RBI.  Anything over 100 is great in my humble opinion.

43. "MASH" corporal: RADAR.  Gary Burghoff played a great role.  Remember his first name on M.A.S.H. ??  Walter.

44. "Cape Fear" star: DE NIRO.  My all time favorite De Niro Movie was "Casino".  Hated Joe Pesci. glad he got whacked at the end.

46. Spinning toy: TOP.  "STOP HEY What's that sound, Everybody look what's going down."  (Buffalo Springfield).

48. Building bricks brand: LEGO.  LEGO my Eggo!

52. Arles article: LES.

53. Salad dressing ingredient: OIL.  That reminds me.  My van is due for a change.

54. Sis or bro: SIB.

63. "See ya!": TA TA.  "Well GO baby GO.  And I leaned back, and I closed my eyes ... and she left.  "The Hip Song" - Chad Mitchell Trio.

65. Acting independently: LONE.  Clayton Moore was the LONE Ranger.  I wanted to thank him.

66. "For real!": NO LIE.

67. "Um, that's fine": OH OK.

68. Villainous: EVIL.

69. Par-three clubs, often: IRONS.  Most par threes are over 100 yards.  I normally use a 7 or 9 wood which I carry.  What can I say??  I am old and the irons just don't hit the Titleist too far anymore.

70. Route-finding app: WAZE.  I usually just use Google.

71. Risqué message: SEXT.  Not me.  I don't text and I don't tweet.  I am too old to learn.

72. Common teen phase: ANGST.

Down:

1. Hemingway moniker: PAPA.

2. Eur. island country: ICEL.  Minnesota climate is pretty close this year.

3. Chow kin, briefly: PEKE.

4. Voting substitute: PROXY.  I always show up at the polls in November.  I did have to Proxy a vote for Hubert Humphrey in 1968 from Fort Campbell.

5. Spanish airline: IBERIA.

6. Darn: MEND.  Those Darn Hawkeyes spoiled the Gophers perfect record

7. Asian PC brand: ACER.  I did not know it was Asian.  I am looking at one right now.

8. Really excite: THRILL.  THRILL of victory, the agony of defeat.

9. "I can't top that": TOO GOOD. To be true. My High School Junior Varsity bowling team that I coach finished second in the conference final last Friday.  We had the lead with one game to go, and the other team shot a 187 to our 150.  Too bad there is no defense in bowling.

10. Job for a judge: CASE.

11. Upscale hotel: RITZ.  I bring these crackers to bowling on Mondays. My buddy brings the peanut butter and we snack between frames.

12. LSU URL letters: EDU.

13. Elope, say: WED.  This is between Tues and Thur.  You should probably wait for the weekend to elope.

21. They sometimes attract: Abbr.: OPPS.  I did not know opposites have nicknames.

22. Racing giant Bobby: UNSER.  Like father, like son.

25. Italian fashion house: PRADA.  The devil wears this.

26. Crude abode: HOVEL.  Add an "S" in front and you have a crude snow removal tool.

27. David's weapon: SLING.  All you need to go Goliath hunting.

29. 10-Across tool: OAR.  P.J. Flecks need these to "Row the Boat".

30. Rainbow flag letters: LGBTQ.

31. National gemstone of Australia: OPAL.  I think this is my October birthstone.

32. Alpine melody: YODEL.  LADY WHOO

33. Customary practice: USAGE.  Thanksgiving is coming USAGE in the stuffing.

34. Binary system digits: ZEROS.  There is only one in the Beetle Bailey strip.

36. Peace Nobelist Wiesel: ELIE.

40. Ann __, Michigan: ARBOR.  Wolverines took care of the Spartans there Saturday

42. Debtor's promise: IOU.  Ever wonder why this acronym is not IOY ??

45. Team nicknamed the Birds: ORIOLES.  Legendary Brooks Robinson and Cal Ripken Jr.  cannot help them anymore.

47. Italian tower town: PISA.

50. Niche: ALCOVE.

51. Alphabetically last flower on a list of familiar ones: ZINNIA.  Nice flowers.  We might try them next spring.

55. Tennis great Borg: BJORN.

57. The Piltdown Man, notably: FAKE.

58. Operating system since the '60s: UNIX.

59. Orion's __: BELT.  Pabst Blue Ribbon??

60. Sleep like __: A LOG.  Sometimes yes - Sometimes not so much.

61. Cab alternatives: ZINS.

62. Lemon peel: ZEST.  I used to use this soap in the shower.  I did not know it was a lemon peel.

63. AAA service: TOW.

64. "Eureka!": AHA.

Boomer