(Note from C.C.: D-Otto write today's post.)
Theme: Crazy, mixed-up Santa
Theme: Crazy, mixed-up Santa
The Barnacle
had the circles, so I managed to suss the theme. It would've been a lot
harder without 'em. The reveal would also be of help, for those of you
who read the entire reveal clue.
17a. Line on an application: LAST NAME.
23a. Masters home: AUGUSTA NATIONAL. LIU and guess what? It's not in Maine. (STANA Katic played Kate Beckett on Castle).
38a. Southern nickname involving a brown bird: THE PELICAN STATE. I'll bet B-E, Hahtoolah, Swampcat and Boo LuQuette got this one immediately.
38a. Southern nickname involving a brown bird: THE PELICAN STATE. I'll bet B-E, Hahtoolah, Swampcat and Boo LuQuette got this one immediately.
"A wonderful bird is the pelican.
His bill can hold more than his belican.
He can take in his beak.
Food enough for a week.
But I'm damned if I see how the helican."
Dixon Lanier Merritt
54a. "Double Indemnity" (1944) Oscar nominee: BARBARA STANWYCK. This was my kryptonite. I spelled it WICK -- DNF.
And the reveal...
64a. 2003 Billy Bob Thornton title role ... and a hint to each set of puzzle circles: BAD SANTA.
Across:
1. Transcript figs.: GPAS. Grade point averages. Mine ranged from C to shining C.
5. Letters for the princess?: HRH. Her Royal Highness
8. Frozen, maybe: AFRAID.
14. Alternatively: ELSE.
15. Perrier, par exemple: EAU. French water.
5. Letters for the princess?: HRH. Her Royal Highness
8. Frozen, maybe: AFRAID.
14. Alternatively: ELSE.
15. Perrier, par exemple: EAU. French water.
16. Financially responsible: LIABLE. Libel makes you liable.
19. Telescope parts: LENSES.
20. "Star Wars" SFX: CGI. Computer-generated imagery.
21. Dada co-founder: ARP.
22. Firewood measure: CORD. 128 cubic feet.
29. Cooped (up): PENT.
30. Lay an egg: FLOP. The egg is laid in the coop.
31. Soup with tofu and seaweed: MISO. Sounds delicious. Not.
32. Vancouver-to-Calgary dir.: ENE.
34. Walked (on): TROD.
37. 51-Down's state: Abbr.: NSW. New South Wales, Australia.
43. Big to-do: ROW. Similar to a major honey-do?
44. "Then again," on Twitter: OTOH. On the other hand.
45. Country N. of Kenya: ETH. Ethiopia.
46. Creative spark: IDEA.
48. New Age musician John: TESH. He's been a co-host on Entertainment Tonight, a TV sportscaster, even a Klingon on Startrek: TNG.
50. Tag sale caveat: AS IS. Caveat emptor.
58. Mani-pedi spots: SPAS. Not feet.
59. Game with 108 cards: UNO.
60. "Gloria in Excelsis __": DEO. Christmas music. If I linked it, it would break the "no politics, no religion" rule. So I'll link this instead:
61. Brusque: ABRUPT. TERSE was too abrupt.
66. NutraSweet developer: SEARLE. It's now marketed by the NutraSweet Company. NutraSweet used to be Aspartame (200 times sweeter than sugar) until they discovered Neotame (7000-13000 times sweeter than sugar) -- the Carolina Reaper of sweeteners.
67. Modern art?: ARE. How great thy art art.
68. Cocktail garnish: PEEL. Really? Just the peel?
69. Bank, often: LENDER.
70. Since Jan. 1: YTD. Year-to-date.
71. Shaggy Scandinavian rugs: RYAS.
Down:
1. Easy-to-swallow dosage: GELCAP. Have you found them easier to swallow? I take my pills five at a time in one swell foop.
2. One of 10 in Exodus: PLAGUE. How many can you name? Answer far below.
3. Give, as homework: ASSIGN. Teenagers bane, after acne.
4. Background in theater?: SET.
5. Sincere: HEARTFELT.
6. Flutist Jean-Pierre: RAMPAL. He has been personally "credited with returning the flute to popularity as a solo classical instrument it had not held since the 18th century." (WIKI) Do you say "flutist" or "flautist" or maybe "tootler" (from last Saturday)?
7. Paint choice: HUE. Not OIL.
8. Apportion: ALLOT.
9. "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" host: FIERI. Host of various Food Network shows. He was born Guy Ferry, but apparently took umbrage at his last name.
2. One of 10 in Exodus: PLAGUE. How many can you name? Answer far below.
3. Give, as homework: ASSIGN. Teenagers bane, after acne.
4. Background in theater?: SET.
5. Sincere: HEARTFELT.
6. Flutist Jean-Pierre: RAMPAL. He has been personally "credited with returning the flute to popularity as a solo classical instrument it had not held since the 18th century." (WIKI) Do you say "flutist" or "flautist" or maybe "tootler" (from last Saturday)?
7. Paint choice: HUE. Not OIL.
8. Apportion: ALLOT.
9. "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" host: FIERI. Host of various Food Network shows. He was born Guy Ferry, but apparently took umbrage at his last name.
10. Like dice rolls: RANDOM. At least you hope so.
11. Bodybuilder's pride: ABS. I've got 12-pack abs.
12. Paris' __ de la Cité: ILE. It's a natural island in the Seine. Notre Dame Cathedral (or what's left of it) is located there.
 |
| (Courtesy The New York Times) |
13. __ Plaines: DES. Chicago suburb just north of O'Hare airport. I lived nearby at one time.
18. "One Mic" rapper: NAS. The only NAS I'm familiar with is Network Attached Storage, like my music server.
22. "Meet John Doe" director: CAPRA. Frank Capra. Also Pocketfull of Miracles and It's A Wonderful life.
24. U.S. sch. near the Mexico border: UTEP. University of Texas El Paso.
25. Tally symbols: NOTCHES. "...he secretly carved one more notch on the butt of his gold-handled cane..." at the 3:15 point.
26. Ricci of fashion: NINA. I thought her name was Christina.
27. CEO aide: ASST.
28. Actor Rob: LOWE. He's been in lotsa stuff, but I remember him best as Sam Seaborn in The West Wing. I binge-streamed the whole series not long ago.
33. Opposite of paleo-: NEO. Played opposite Morpheus in The Matrix.
35. Like a diving catch in baseball: ONE HANDED.
36. Summer hrs.: DST. Some love it. Some hate it. Some are ambidexterous.
38. Windy City daily, familiarly: TRIB. Chicago Tribune.
39. "Today" co-anchor Kotb: HODA. She just got engaged at 55.
40. Pitcher sans arms: EWER. That clue reminds me of this movie scene.
41. Specks: IOTAS. Could'a been MOTES.
42. Winter warm spell: THAW.
47. Inane: ABSURD. Not STUPID.
49. Comic-book store owner on "The Big Bang Theory": STUART.
51. 2000 Olympics city: SYDNEY. (Guess who spelled it with an I?)
52. Drink served with mint: ICE TEA. Let the arguments begin...
53. Danish toasts: SKOALS. Not to be confused with the smokeless tobacco.
55. Fuji, for one: APPLE. Because MOUNTAIN and VOLCANO were too long.
56. Yelp contributor: RATER. Does anybody here trust/use Yelp?
57. Negatives: NOS.
61. Silent speech syst.: ASL. American Sign Language. In case you'd like to learn...
62. Quilting party: BEE. Are there other "bees" besides quilting and spelling? Discuss.
63. Legged it: RAN.
64. Reddish-brown horse: BAY. News to me. I always assumed it was gray, like San Francisco Bay.
65. Busy mo. for a CPA: APR. I've completed my IRS certification to be a Tax-Aide volunteer again next year. This may be my last year. Between the IRS and AARP, they've thrown up so many roadblocks that the compensation is becoming inadequate to the exertion.
That brings us to the deep end of the Poole. It's been fun subbing. Desper-otto out.
The Grid:
Here's that list of the ten plagues. I managed to remember four of 'em. I'll bet you did better.
Blood
Frogs
Lice or gnats
Flies
Livestock (??? How can this be a plague? Raining cats and dogs?)
Boils
Hail
Locust
Darkness
Death of firstborn
