Theme: Whistle-blowers.
17A. Whistle-blower in the street: TRAFFIC COP.
53A. Whistle-blower on the court: NBA REFEREE.
11D. Whistle-blower during phys ed: GYM TEACHER.
28D. Whistle-blower at obedience school: DOG TRAINER.
Boomer here.
Hello
everyone. I am looking forward to the big game tonight in the NFL.
Packers vs. Vikings - SKOL. Back in the 1960s, (Yes I am that old) the
Packers came to town and stayed at a hotel in Hopkins, MN. As it
happens, I am from Hopkins and I delivered pizzas for a restaurant
there. The Packers would order 2 or 3 large pizzas delivered to the
party room where about 30 Packers were having a good time. Paul Hornung, who turns 84 today, always paid and a $10.00 tip was not out of the question - probably the
largest tip I received in my four year career. I never witnessed Bart
Starr or Vince Lombardi however, I guess they preferred to stay sober
for tomorrow.s game. Later in life, as part of my district
responsibility, I visited the Graybar branch in Green Bay. The bay is an
extension of Lake Michigan and guess what ?? It is NOT green. Go
Vikings!
 |
| Happy Birthday, Paul Hornung! |
Across:
1. Burning: AFIRE.
6. Do some angling: FISH.
A favorite pastime in Minnesota. C.C. and I used to try our luck at a
nice lake in Annandale, MN. Not so much anymore. C.C. is too busy and I
hate cleaning the catch.
10. __ Benedict: brunch choice: EGGS.
14. Like some clock numerals: ROMAN. Clue number XIV across.
15. Dealer's request to a poker player: ANTE. You cannot win if you don't get in.
16. Harp constellation: LYRA.
19. In the thick of: AMID.
20. Rainbow site: SKY.
I will be looking for a sleigh with 8 tiny reindeer, and a little old
driver so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
21. Indian or Arctic: OCEAN.
22. Blackjack player's request to a dealer: HIT ME. In Las Vegas, you just brush your cards on the table or maybe signal by bouncing your finger off the felt.
23. The "P" in POTUS: Abbr.: PRES.
24. "8 Mile" rapper: EMINEM. Makes up a name that sounds like candy. Boo hiss.
26. Kidnap: ABDUCT.
29. Beltway region, briefly: DC AREA. Okay but there are many, many cities that have a "beltway".
30. Hooch: BOOZE. I gave all of mine away last year. It does not go well with my pills. But go ahead and make your Christmas merry!
31. Frontier explorer Daniel: BOONE. My sister and I used to like Pat Boone back in the late fifties. Now he sells walk-in bathtubs on TV.
32. Network with an eye logo: CBS.
I have a bone to pick with CBS. Last Sunday they showed hours of
commercials, and once in a while they would interrupt the commercials
for a few minutes of a Viking's football game.
35. Therefore: ERGO.
36. Singer Simon once married to James Taylor: CARLY.
37. Visit the mall, say: SHOP.
The season is almost over. C.C. and I could not believe the skill
needed to find a parking spot, and the long, long lines at the checkout
registers.
38. Vietnam holiday: TET. Not my favorite. Once upon a time in 1968 the Government called me in January to neutralize TET.
39. Three-dimensional: SOLID.
40. Good, in Guadalajara: BUENO.
41. Fights off: REPELS.
43. Boo from the stands: JEER AT. You won't hear that at U.S. Bank Stadium tonight, but you might hear "SKOL".
44. Rio Grande city: LAREDO. I am terrible at U.S. Geography. Maybe Desper-Otto can help with this.
45. Dryer fuzz: LINT. This really builds up in the screen that every dryer has. We used to play with it like a blanket only smaller.
46. Strange: WEIRD. Al Yankovic. Not sure why he chose that adjective.
47. Treasure stash: TROVE.
49. Mischief-maker: IMP. IMPossible
52. Sicilian volcano: ETNA.
My sister has been to Italy, not me. But I have heard that ETNA is a
volcano that erupts frequently. Don't build a house by it.
55. "Yes!" in church: AMEN. In my church I believe AMEN means "So be it". I think it is Latin.
56. RC Cola alternative: COKE. I drink Diet Pepsi but in my younger days sometimes we would drink Coke. Never Never Royal Crown.
57. "Not possible": I CAN'T.
58. Social oddball: NERD. Learned about them in "Animal House" Movie.
59. Plow-pulling team: OXEN. OXEN is one of the few plural words that do not end in "S".
60. Chef's hat: TOQUE.
Down:
1. Martial __: ARTS. Linkletter and Garfunkel.
2. Tined utensil: FORK. Favorite for eating peas. They just won't stay on a knife.
3. "Possibly": I MAY. "Captain MAY I? Yes you may"
4. Brit. pilots' squad: RAF. Royal Air Force.
5. Make sure people obey, as laws: ENFORCE.
6. Turns toward: FACES.
7. Ancient Peruvian: INCA. "Inca Dinca Do". Jimmy Durante.
8. Totally, as sober: STONE-COLD. Steve Austin of the WWE
9. Cool, like a cat: HEP. "For a long time now I've been aware, that I'm so Hep the rest of the world is square," (Chad Mitchell and friends.)
10. Julia's "Seinfeld" role: ELAINE. I watch the Seinfeld reruns frequently. I like Elaine, but I cannot stand George or Kramer.
12. Fairy tale brother: GRIMM.
13. Marquis de __: SADE.
18. "Law & Order: SVU" actor: ICE T. Don't forget Mariska Hargitay. She is Jayne Mansfield's daughter, but I suppose you knew that.
22. Add to the staff: HIRE.
23. "The Godfather" novelist Mario: PUZO.
25. Multitudes of: MANY.
"How MANY roads must a man walk down, before you call him a man."
Minnesota's own Robert Zimmerman, You may know him better as Bob Dylan.
26. Help in a heist: ABET. Something you place at the Kentucky Derby.
27. Yawn inducer: BORE. Sorry if you nodded off. I am doing the best I can.
29. Actress Day: DORIS. Born Doris Kappelhoff. No wonder she changed it to DAY.
31. Polling place receptacle: BALLOT BOX.
We are sneaking up on 2020. Funny I never see a ballot box any more.
We make our selections on a huge sheet of paper, then one of the
volunteer judges slides it into a big computer and the vote is counted.
(I hope).
33. __ fide: BONA.
34. Dalmatian mark: SPOT. There were 101 dalmatians in a movie I once saw and none of them were named "SPOT"
36. Like dorms for men and women: COED. Years ago, my High School was all males. Now it is COED.
37. Sheep fat: SUET. Remember we used to hang it on Christmas tree branches to give the tree shape.
39. Zoomed: SPED.
40. Be of help to: BENEFIT.
SO many commercials this time of year asking for money. I'll support
the Salvation Army bell ringers, but I wonder how much of a potential
donation from some of these non profits go for advertising and
administration. I have heard that DAV wounded warriors is suspect.
42. Quick trip to the market, say: ERRAND. We have gas stations with convenience stores attached called "Kwik Trip". I guess fourth grade spelling was a problem.
43. Nonsense: JIVE.
44. "I'll do it": LET ME. "Open the door and LET ME in. Not by the hair of my Chinny chin chin".
45. Actress Sophia: LOREN. Alive and well and living in Italy. She was 13 years old when I was born. That makes her a senior senior citizen.
46. Gradually withdraw: WEAN.
48. Garden tool: RAKE. I think there might be some leaves left on our yard, but we do not rake snow.
49. Baghdad's country: IRAQ.
50. Diner handout: MENU.
Some of the Diners in St, Paul are adding about 3% to the menu price
for employee health insurance. They are in trouble now. I think it
would be easier just to raise the prices 3% .
51. Basketball Hall of Famer "Pistol __" Maravich: PETE. A shooting guard with a clever nickname. Sadly left us at age 40 of congestive heart failure.
53. Sgt., e.g.: NCO. Do NOT call him "Sir", he works for a living.
54. Green prefix: ECO.
Enjoy the hectic today and tomorrow and have a happy and solemn Christmas. "All is calm, All is Bright.
Boomer
Note from C.C.:
Happy
75th birthday to dear Misty, who's always so caring and kind towards all regulars. Here is a picture of Misty and her
husband Rowland celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary in 2009.
