Theme: Black Thursday - discounts come early this year to the crossword:
20A. 2015 Marvel feature, after budget cuts: FANTASTIC THREE. I'm sure STAN Lee would have fought to preserve the four, in spite of the cuts.
29A. 1995 romantic comedy, after budget cuts: EIGHT MONTHS
39A. 2018 heist thriller, after budget cuts: OCEAN'S SEVEN. I think I'd have looked for an alternative to this theme entry, if possible. There are already four "genuine" numbered titles in the "Ocean's" film series (in release order, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen and Eight) so that this one doesn't seem at all incongruous or unlikely.
50A. 1957 courtroom drama, after budget cuts: ELEVEN ANGRY MEN
Well, hot on the heels of Joseph's debut that had a lot of us scratching our heads a couple of weeks ago, here's a second Thursday offering. This one was a nice Thanksgiving-morning solve, nothing too challenging and giving us all plenty of time to pay attention to the turkey in the oven!
On to the fill:
Across:
1. Headache feature: THROB
6. Report of a blowup?: BANG
10. More, in Madrid: MAS
13. Peter of Herman's Hermits: NOONE. Unlike the head-throb at 1A, Mr. Noone was something of a heart-throb. He could also clap like a champ.
14. Winds in a pit: OBOES
16. In the past: AGO
17. Away from the coast: TO SEA
18. "Counting Sheep" company: SERTA
19. Celestial sphere: ORB
23. Wee bits: IOTAS
24. Less stuffy: AIRIER
25. Historical capital of Bohemia: PRAGUE. Not Praha?
28. Federal IDs: S.S.N.'S
32. "The Shawshank Redemption" actor Robbins: TIM
35. Coagulate: CLOT
36. Arthur with Emmys: BEA
37. The Velvet Underground singer: NICO. A big grumble here, Nico was not a member of the band; she sang vocals on three tracks (at the behest of producer Andy Warhol) on the album named, tellingly, "The Velvet Underground and Nico". Lou Reed was the Velvet Underground's vocalist and 'twill ever be so.
38. Beer barrel: KEG
43. Rap fan: B-BOY. A breakdancer, or a "break boy". Apparently b-boys didn't like to be called breakdancers.
44. On the job: AT WORK
45. Lucille Ball's son: DESI JR. I'm not sure I knew there was a Desi Jr. but it didn't take long to figure out.
48. Beverage aisle array: SODAS. Not in my beverage aisle, unless you're talking about soda water or tonic.
54. Went for the worm: BIT
55. Avocado or plum: COLOR. 1970's bathroom fixtures. It was quite a selling point to be able to list a house with an "avocado suite" in the bathroom.
56. Bit of climbing gear: PITON
58. Submachine gun in action films: UZI
59. Léopard relative: TIGRÉ
60. Radii neighbors: ULNAE
61. Shade at the beach: TAN
62. They're worked with pull-ups and pull-downs: LATS
63. Lynx and Mercury: TEAMS. Minnesota and Phoenix, respectively, of the Women's NBA.
Down:
1. Wile E. Coyote supply: TNT.
2. Reindeer foot: HOOF
3. Parks of Alabama: ROSA
4. __ only: special performance alert: ONE NIGHT. Today's theme would have this as "No nights only".
5. Triumph over: BEAT OUT
6. __ nova: BOSSA. Tempted by SUPER, waited.
7. Helps in a heist: ABETS
8. Sushi seaweed: NORI. I'm eating some right now, great to snack on, you don't need to wrap anything in it, although my Auntie Miho's Spam Musubi rocks. I'll be eating some at Christmas.
9. Use an ATM: GET CASH. When I first went to Hong Kong, I stopped off to get cash at the HKSB ATM near my hotel in Kowloon and topped short - the keypad is upside down. It never really crossed my mind that I remembered my PIN from the pattern on the keys, not the numbers. I had to turn my head 180 degrees to get it right. You don't want to get your ATM card swallowed by a machine at midnight, wherever you are.
10. One of New Zealand's official languages: MAORI
11. Match: AGREE
12. Not lit: SOBER
15. Lustrous fabrics: SATINS
21. "Up and __!": AT 'EM. Not AWAY then! I got that wrong at first.
22. Appt. book blocks: HRS.
25. Two dry gallons: PECK. Ask Peter Piper. That's a lot of peppers to pick.
26. Irk: RILE
27. All aflutter: AGOG
28. Spider-Man co-creator Lee: STAN. With Artist-Writer Steve Ditko. Stan passed just a year ago, he had a remarkable career and legacy in the comic book world. If you come across the original comic book in great condition, you're looking at around $18,000.
30. Follow: OBEY
31. Cultural funding org.: N.E.A.
32. Pioneering DVR: TIVO
33. Pastry bag user: ICER. No, sorry. Why should a member of the Institute of Clinical and Economic Review need a pastry bag? Time to retire this fill.
34. Coltrane collaborator: MONK. John's jazz pianist chum Thelonious.
37. Phrase in cosmetic dentistry marketing: NEW SMILE
39. Take exception: OBJECT
40. Mazola product: CORN OIL
41. __ City: Baghdad suburb: SADR
42. Remain in place: STAY PUT
43. End of the rainbow mnemonic: BIV. Another fill for the dustbin. Really? Take three random letters and call them a word. Terrible. Take any three of ROYGBIV to suit your needs and off you go.
45. Run for the first time: DEBUT
46. Dushku of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer": ELIZA. Thank you, crosses. Fortunately I didn't need to even look at this one, it was already filled in for me.
47. Take hold gradually: SET IN
48. Inelegant laugh: SNORT
49. Shrek and Fiona: OGRES
51. Fish tank growth: ALGA
52. One of Italy's trio of active volcanoes: ETNA
53. Linguist Chomsky: NOAM
57. Mario Bros. console: N.E.S. All Together Now "Nintendo Entertainment System".
Well, swiftly to the conclusion and a Happy Thanksgiving to all. Here's the grid, and I'll see you at the leftovers.
Steve
20A. 2015 Marvel feature, after budget cuts: FANTASTIC THREE. I'm sure STAN Lee would have fought to preserve the four, in spite of the cuts.
29A. 1995 romantic comedy, after budget cuts: EIGHT MONTHS
39A. 2018 heist thriller, after budget cuts: OCEAN'S SEVEN. I think I'd have looked for an alternative to this theme entry, if possible. There are already four "genuine" numbered titles in the "Ocean's" film series (in release order, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen and Eight) so that this one doesn't seem at all incongruous or unlikely.
50A. 1957 courtroom drama, after budget cuts: ELEVEN ANGRY MEN
Well, hot on the heels of Joseph's debut that had a lot of us scratching our heads a couple of weeks ago, here's a second Thursday offering. This one was a nice Thanksgiving-morning solve, nothing too challenging and giving us all plenty of time to pay attention to the turkey in the oven!
On to the fill:
Across:
1. Headache feature: THROB
6. Report of a blowup?: BANG
10. More, in Madrid: MAS
13. Peter of Herman's Hermits: NOONE. Unlike the head-throb at 1A, Mr. Noone was something of a heart-throb. He could also clap like a champ.
14. Winds in a pit: OBOES
16. In the past: AGO
17. Away from the coast: TO SEA
18. "Counting Sheep" company: SERTA
19. Celestial sphere: ORB
23. Wee bits: IOTAS
24. Less stuffy: AIRIER
25. Historical capital of Bohemia: PRAGUE. Not Praha?
28. Federal IDs: S.S.N.'S
32. "The Shawshank Redemption" actor Robbins: TIM
35. Coagulate: CLOT
36. Arthur with Emmys: BEA
37. The Velvet Underground singer: NICO. A big grumble here, Nico was not a member of the band; she sang vocals on three tracks (at the behest of producer Andy Warhol) on the album named, tellingly, "The Velvet Underground and Nico". Lou Reed was the Velvet Underground's vocalist and 'twill ever be so.
38. Beer barrel: KEG
43. Rap fan: B-BOY. A breakdancer, or a "break boy". Apparently b-boys didn't like to be called breakdancers.
44. On the job: AT WORK
45. Lucille Ball's son: DESI JR. I'm not sure I knew there was a Desi Jr. but it didn't take long to figure out.
48. Beverage aisle array: SODAS. Not in my beverage aisle, unless you're talking about soda water or tonic.
54. Went for the worm: BIT
55. Avocado or plum: COLOR. 1970's bathroom fixtures. It was quite a selling point to be able to list a house with an "avocado suite" in the bathroom.
56. Bit of climbing gear: PITON
58. Submachine gun in action films: UZI
59. Léopard relative: TIGRÉ
60. Radii neighbors: ULNAE
61. Shade at the beach: TAN
62. They're worked with pull-ups and pull-downs: LATS
63. Lynx and Mercury: TEAMS. Minnesota and Phoenix, respectively, of the Women's NBA.
Down:
1. Wile E. Coyote supply: TNT.
2. Reindeer foot: HOOF
3. Parks of Alabama: ROSA
4. __ only: special performance alert: ONE NIGHT. Today's theme would have this as "No nights only".
5. Triumph over: BEAT OUT
6. __ nova: BOSSA. Tempted by SUPER, waited.
7. Helps in a heist: ABETS
8. Sushi seaweed: NORI. I'm eating some right now, great to snack on, you don't need to wrap anything in it, although my Auntie Miho's Spam Musubi rocks. I'll be eating some at Christmas.
9. Use an ATM: GET CASH. When I first went to Hong Kong, I stopped off to get cash at the HKSB ATM near my hotel in Kowloon and topped short - the keypad is upside down. It never really crossed my mind that I remembered my PIN from the pattern on the keys, not the numbers. I had to turn my head 180 degrees to get it right. You don't want to get your ATM card swallowed by a machine at midnight, wherever you are.
10. One of New Zealand's official languages: MAORI
11. Match: AGREE
12. Not lit: SOBER
15. Lustrous fabrics: SATINS
21. "Up and __!": AT 'EM. Not AWAY then! I got that wrong at first.
22. Appt. book blocks: HRS.
25. Two dry gallons: PECK. Ask Peter Piper. That's a lot of peppers to pick.
26. Irk: RILE
27. All aflutter: AGOG
28. Spider-Man co-creator Lee: STAN. With Artist-Writer Steve Ditko. Stan passed just a year ago, he had a remarkable career and legacy in the comic book world. If you come across the original comic book in great condition, you're looking at around $18,000.
30. Follow: OBEY
31. Cultural funding org.: N.E.A.
32. Pioneering DVR: TIVO
33. Pastry bag user: ICER. No, sorry. Why should a member of the Institute of Clinical and Economic Review need a pastry bag? Time to retire this fill.
34. Coltrane collaborator: MONK. John's jazz pianist chum Thelonious.
37. Phrase in cosmetic dentistry marketing: NEW SMILE
39. Take exception: OBJECT
40. Mazola product: CORN OIL
41. __ City: Baghdad suburb: SADR
42. Remain in place: STAY PUT
43. End of the rainbow mnemonic: BIV. Another fill for the dustbin. Really? Take three random letters and call them a word. Terrible. Take any three of ROYGBIV to suit your needs and off you go.
45. Run for the first time: DEBUT
46. Dushku of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer": ELIZA. Thank you, crosses. Fortunately I didn't need to even look at this one, it was already filled in for me.
47. Take hold gradually: SET IN
48. Inelegant laugh: SNORT
49. Shrek and Fiona: OGRES
51. Fish tank growth: ALGA
52. One of Italy's trio of active volcanoes: ETNA
53. Linguist Chomsky: NOAM
57. Mario Bros. console: N.E.S. All Together Now "Nintendo Entertainment System".
Well, swiftly to the conclusion and a Happy Thanksgiving to all. Here's the grid, and I'll see you at the leftovers.
Steve
