Monday December 9, 2019 Kurt Mengel & Jan-Michele Gianette

Theme: MEAT OF THE MATTER (60. Issue's most important element ... and a hint to 17-, 30-, 36- and 47-Across) - The start of each theme entry is a type of meat.

 

17. Career-boosting political spending on local projects: PORK BARREL BILLS.

30. Amateur radio hobbyist: HAM OPERATOR.

36. Zeros: GOOSE EGGS.

47. Paltry sum: CHICKEN FEED.

Boomer here.

Greetings all and happy Monday. This puzzle is not a TURKEY but instead a nice piece of FILET MIGNON, medium rare. I had my quarterly visit with my oncologist Friday and had pretty good news. My blood numbers deserved an "attaboy" and he discontinued the Zometa chemo.  He said I have had enough, and I agreed with him, (and did not throw up yesterday,)  He also cut my steroid dose in half to help control my blood sugar.

And by the way, confidential to TTP and other bowlers, last Monday was 184-215-223 - 622.  My first 600 series since before my diagnosis.  As you read this, I am trying for another one this morning.  

Across:

1. "Georgia on My Mind" singer Charles: RAY.  Willie Nelson sings this too.  A little scratchier than Ray.

4. Party music mix, briefly: DJ SET.  DJ used to stand foe Disc Jockey back when disks were 45 RPM records.  I suppose CDs count too.

9. Keep from having kittens, say: SPAY.  I guess they don't have birth control pills for cats.

13. "Big Band" and "Jazz" periods: ERAS.  A low one could earn a pitcher a Cy Young award. I could probably hang a baseball remark on half of the answers,  but C.C. won't let me.

15. Easily fooled: NAIVE.

16. __-in-one: golfer's ace: HOLE.  I have come close a couple of times, but never knocked one in.

20. Speaker sound: AUDIO.

21. Smitten: IN LOVE.  I have a sister who really liked the song "Once in love with Amy".

22. Dancer Duncan: ISADORA.  Wow, there's a name out of the past.  Born in San Francisco and died at age 50 a couple of years before our stock market crashed.  

25. Thurman who played The Bride in "Kill Bill" films: UMA.  I have a bowling buddy, William Whitenour, who hates those films.

26. Chill in the air: NIP.  Looks like PIN spelled backwards.  You really have to hit them hard to get them in the air.

29. Pos. opposite: NEG.

33. "Cats" poet's monogram: TSE.

34. Chief Norse god: ODIN.

35. "Great" dog: DANE.

40. Polite address to a woman: MA'AM.  I think MISS is more polite.  MA'AM is a contraction for MADAM, and we all know what they do for a living.

43. Creme-filled cookie: OREO.  "The Wizard of OZ" is making the rounds on the cable channels.  I think the soldiers that are guiding the Wizard's castle chant OREO.

44. Rx: MED.  5mg LESS of daily Prednisone for me.

51. Madison in NYC, e.g.: AVE.  Named after U.S. 4th President.

52. Polite way to address a man: SIR.  In the Army, this is what we called officers. Everyone else was "Hey You".  Once in a while at the VA Medical Center, someone might call me SIR.  I tell them I was an enlisted man so they don't need to call me sir.

53. Positive vote: AYE.

54. Aspen getaway: SKI TRIP.  "Well they called him Super Skier, as he lined up on the sundeck.  He thought that he would never take a spill.  When they finally brought him down they had to use three toboggans to carry all the pieces of the hill".  (Chad Mitchell Trio)

56. To a greater extent: MORE SO.

59. "There you have it!": VOILA.  I have to reverse two letters to bring up Frank Viola of the 1987 Twins.  Winning pitcher of two games in the World Series vs. the Cardinals.

64. Leave out: OMIT.  I think a catcher for the Baltimore Orioles wears one of these.

65. Prefix with sonic: ULTRA. There is a cosmetics store near our home called ULTA. They charge ULTRA prices.

66. Sunrise direction: EAST.  Here in Minnesota, we have to stare EAST for a long time this time of year.  However the sun never fails to rise, it just sleeps late.

67. Sport played on horseback: POLO.  Makes me think of Marco in the GEICO commercial.

68. Africa's Sierra __: LEONE.

69. Sgts.' superiors: LTS.  Yup, you gotta call them SIR.

Down:

1. Change the wall color: REPAINT.  Buy really good paint and you won't have to do it so often.

2. Excites: AROUSES.

3. Football play measure: YARDAGE. Gophers are waiting for a bowl invitation. Probably just as well.  I think Ohio State would have pulverized them.

4. Forensic evidence: DNA. DNA is an acronym for some kind of acid that I cannot spell or pronounce.  But I noticed that you can buy DNA testing kits for outrageous prices.

5. Glass container: JAR. When is a door not a door?  When it's ajar.

6. iPhone assistant: SIRI.  I don't think SIRI knows anything about bowling.

7. Tie, as a score: EVEN UP.  Put an "S" in front of this and have something to drink.

8. "I have to know!": TELL ME.  Follow the yellow brick road,

9. Prison knife: SHIV.

10. Cornmeal dish: POLENTA.

11. "__ the President's Men": ALL.  Great movie about "Deep Throat" and Watergate.  Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman were terrific.

12. "I agree": YES.  Maybe the Wizard can give me a brain and a heart. I already have a lot of nerve.

14. Slide on the road: SKID.  Gotta be careful on Minnesota winter's roads.

18. Word of mock sadness: BOO HOO.  I guess I'll never get back to Kansas.

19. Wild hog: BOAR.

23. Swiss watch brand: RADO.  Never heard of this brand.  My wristwatch runs on a battery and I have to pay someone to replace it about every 20 months.  Whatever happened to "It takes a licking and keeps on ticking."

24. Friends in Lyon: AMIS.  This doesn't look like a word.  I think I'll just call them Munchkins.

27. + or - particle: ION.

28. Opposite of post-: PRE.

31. __ a kind: ONE OF.  Three of a kind may win the poker hand.

32. Commercials: ADS. The Medicare Open Enrollment ended Saturday.  PLEASE tell me the ads have ended also.

36. Yukon automaker: GMC.  I find the Model names of cars and SUVs are fascinating.  Who thinks of these?  Yukon, Equinox, Santa Fe, Tuscon, RAV4, Explorer, Bronco, Durango ??? 

37. "__ to you, matey!": ERES.  And "ERES to you, Mrs Robinson, Heaven holds a place for those who pray, Hey, Hey, Hey.  (Simon & Garfunkel)

38. Many a techie: GEEK.  Best Buy has a whole Squad of them.

39. Bare-naked Lady: GODIVA.  "Seventeen, a beauty queen, she made a ride, that caused a scene in the town."  (Peter and Gordon).

40. Variety show hosts, briefly: MCS.  I know that there are still Masters of Ceremonies, but are there still Variety shows??

41. Sushi tuna: AHI.  Not me- I may eat StarKist, but not too often.

42. Postal service: AIRMAIL.

44. Word before vows or status: MARITAL.

45. Most wicked: EVILEST.  I think the Snake River Canyon was the Evilest.

46. Leaves: DEPARTS.

48. Syrup brand since 1902: KARO.  Wow, we always had a bottle of this in the house when I was young.  I have not seen it for years.

49. Impressive sight: EYEFUL.

50. Quik maker: NESTLE. N-E-S-T-L-E-S  Nestle's makes the very best -- Chocolate.  I guess I watched too much TV when I was a kid.

55. Convenient bag: TOTE.  Dorothy had to TOTE TOTO on her way to OZ.

57. Director Preminger: OTTO.  Dorothy's little dog's anagram.

58. "__ be in England ... ": Browning: OH TO.

60. Floor cleaner: MOP.

61. Broody music genre: EMO.

62. Geographical direction suffix: ERN.  Search me.  I thought it was Ernie Banks' nickname.

63. Daisy __: Li'l Abner's wife: MAE.  I loved all of the antics in Dogpatch.  RIP Al Capp.

Note from C.C.:

Happy Birthday to dear Hahtoolah (Susan), who has been with our blog for over 11 years and faithfully guided us on Tuesdays for the past year.

Susan  (Hahtoolah)