Theme: RNS (69. Hosp. staffers, or an initial feature of the answers to starred clues) - Each theme entry is in the pattern of R* N*:
16. *Glowing circular phenomenon in the constellation Lyra: RING NEBULA.
19. *Harlequin publication, e.g.: ROMANCE NOVEL.
35. *Sound of tires on a highway, say: ROAD NOISE.55. *Budget college meal: RAMEN NOODLES.
60. *Letter stereotypically created from cut-and-paste newsprint: RANSOM NOTE.
Boomer here.
In
these days of Covid-19, my heart goes out to the thousands of RNs in
our country who are working overtime to help bring health back to the
millions of victims.
Across:
1. Hit the slopes: SKI. It's a bit early, but Minnesota has many ski slopes for enthusiasts. All they need is that white stuff, and I am sure it will be here soon.
4. Divide according to delivery area, as mail: SORT. In the past I used to SORT thousands of Topps baseball cards into complete sets of 792 different players.
8. Pleasant vocal cadence: LILT.
12. Charged particle: ION. I watch "Law and Order" on ION television. "Positively Entertaining".
13. Nairobi resident: KENYAN.
15. Sheltered from the wind: ALEE.
18. Cranberry sites: BOGS. Add a "G" and you have Wade BOGGS of the Boston Red Sox. His 1983 rookie card is worth quite a bit. I am sold out, sigh.
24. Big sports venue: ARENA. These are mostly basketball ARENAS. A bigger sports venue might be a football stadium.
25. Dollar bill: ONE. Bill Bradley of the NBA's New York Knicks was also known as "Dollar Bill". I am not sure why, I am sure he made more than that.
26. Strong old-time cleanser: LYE SOAP. Never used it. I like Irish Spring.
30. TSA agents' requests: IDS. The Minneapolis' IDS Center is a 57 story building towering over downtown Minneapolis. I've been to the top lookout area. Just to look, not to jump. Interesting that the IDS was built in 1970 and people joked about the Minneapolis skyline. Now about a dozen tall buildings have been built, but tradition is that no building can be higher than the IDS.
31. Toothpaste holder: TUBE. Not needed but my Fixodent comes in a TUBE.
33. Entomologists' subjects: INSECTS. Our mosquito crop has been fairly limited this year. Thanks for small favors.
39. Manner of behavior: BEARING. I believe older cars had BEARINGS in the wheels. Just another thing to go wrong.
41. Tolkien brutes: ORCS.
45. Friend: PAL. All of you out there are my Crossword PALs.
46. Golden __: General Mills crackers: GRAHAMS. Delicious! I think we used to use GRAHAM crackers to make SMORES, If you had one, you always wanted SMORE.
50. It can be bruised: EGO.
51. "Laughing" critter: HYENA.
53. Find suitable: DEEM FIT. I have not yet found a suitable golf course. They are all too hard.
59. Greek god of war: ARES.
64. Mailed: SENT. We have had our cluster mailbox removed last week. We still do not have all of our mail. However, I watch the news and it seems the Post Office is going through some unwanted changes.
65. Harmonize: ATTUNE. "Oh how we could harmonize" (Heart of my heart).
66. Feel crummy: AIL.
67. Consumes: EATS. Hershey chocolate, marshmallow, and graham crackers. Do you want S'MORE ??
68. Jumps on one leg: HOPS. Gather a few and brew some Pabst Blue Ribbon.
Down:
1. Knighted one: SIR. Or in Uncle Sam's Army, a Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Colonel, and or General.
2. Zen garden fish: KOI.
3. The Boar's Head in "Henry IV," e.g.: INN. I've mentioned it a few times. The C'Mon INN in Billings, Montana. One of my favorite stops. The last time I was there however was the National Bowling tournament in 2002.
4. Fitting: SEEMLY.
5. Hoping to score a run: ON BASE. My Twins are having trouble getting there.
6. Olympic miler Jim: RYUN. From Kansas, he won a silver medal in the 1500 meter run at the 1968 Olympics.
8. Hard work: LABOR. And a Happy LABOR Day to all of you. Why do they call it "LABOR DAY" and then millions of people take the day off work.
9. "Couldn't be happier!": I LOVE IT. Bowling, Golf, and food.
10. Arthurian tales: LEGENDS.
11. Some electric cars: TESLAS. I hardly ever see an electric car. I know TESLA stock is doing well, but I have my doubts.
13. Small hill: KNOLL.
14. Scottish denial: NAE.
17. College sr.'s test: GRE.
20. Parts of necks: NAPES.
21. Sizzling: HOT. "When you're hot, you're not you're not." Jerry Reed.
22. Wildebeest: GNU.
23. Spider's creation: WEB. I was wondering which insect created this world wide WEB.
27. Three-time PGA leading money winner Vijay __: SINGH. He won over 50 PGA events, but now, at age 57, I think he has moved over to the Champions Tour.
28. Tokyo's Yoko: ONO. Very news worthy when she became the wife of John Lennon.
29. "__ see it ... ": AS I.
32. Disco or jazz: ERA. Also a pitching stat.
34. Title for Amazon's Jeff Bezos: CEO. All that money and he can't even afford hair. He is incredible. Started by selling books and CDs out of his garage. Now he sells almost everything. And he sells it to almost everybody who might be afraid to leave their home due to Covid-19.
36. Wurlitzer product: ORGAN. Great for Church music.
37. Broadcast: AIR. We need it to blow up footballs and volleyballs and basketballs. Bill Cosby.
38. Target of a cheek swab: DNA.
39. San Francisco vicinity: BAY AREA. I have a couple of sisters out there. The fires are causing bad air. I guess you do not need to spend money on cigarettes. Just go outside and inhale.
40. H or O, in H2O: ELEMENT. Interesting how if you mix the two, you get water.
42. NFL official: REF. Sometimes they are called Zebras.
43. Technique used for many film explosions: Abbr.: CGI.
44. Boozer: SOT. Years ago, I would stop after work at the Stardust for one quick one. But I was never a SOT. I had to drive home 15 miles and did not take chances.
45. Sentence segment: PHRASE.
47. Makes sense: ADDS UP.
48. Cantaloupes and honeydews: MELONS. Our favorite are watermelons. They are pretty heavy but they taste sooooo gooood,
49. Terse summons about an exam grade: SEE ME. I never got a SEE ME. I think I was teacher's pet.
52. They're built in birdhouses: NESTS.
54. AOL rival: MSN. I use MSN. Not sure what it stands for.
56. New Deal prog.: NRA.
57. Sworn promise: OATH. You are not allowed to LIE under OATH. Also I've heard that your nose will grow.
58. Leery of: ONTO.
61. Rowboat mover: OAR. I used two of them many times at North Star Lake, North of Grand Rapids MN. Then my Dad bought a five horse motor.
62. Metal in bronze: TIN. Speaking of Grand Rapids, MN the original home of Judy Garland. NOT. Michigan. TIN reminds me of Jack Haley, the Tin Man who needed some oil to get moving on the way to OZ to ask the Wizard for a heart.
29. "__ see it ... ": AS I.
32. Disco or jazz: ERA. Also a pitching stat.
34. Title for Amazon's Jeff Bezos: CEO. All that money and he can't even afford hair. He is incredible. Started by selling books and CDs out of his garage. Now he sells almost everything. And he sells it to almost everybody who might be afraid to leave their home due to Covid-19.
36. Wurlitzer product: ORGAN. Great for Church music.
37. Broadcast: AIR. We need it to blow up footballs and volleyballs and basketballs. Bill Cosby.
38. Target of a cheek swab: DNA.
39. San Francisco vicinity: BAY AREA. I have a couple of sisters out there. The fires are causing bad air. I guess you do not need to spend money on cigarettes. Just go outside and inhale.
40. H or O, in H2O: ELEMENT. Interesting how if you mix the two, you get water.
42. NFL official: REF. Sometimes they are called Zebras.
43. Technique used for many film explosions: Abbr.: CGI.
44. Boozer: SOT. Years ago, I would stop after work at the Stardust for one quick one. But I was never a SOT. I had to drive home 15 miles and did not take chances.
45. Sentence segment: PHRASE.
47. Makes sense: ADDS UP.
48. Cantaloupes and honeydews: MELONS. Our favorite are watermelons. They are pretty heavy but they taste sooooo gooood,
49. Terse summons about an exam grade: SEE ME. I never got a SEE ME. I think I was teacher's pet.
52. They're built in birdhouses: NESTS.
54. AOL rival: MSN. I use MSN. Not sure what it stands for.
56. New Deal prog.: NRA.
57. Sworn promise: OATH. You are not allowed to LIE under OATH. Also I've heard that your nose will grow.
58. Leery of: ONTO.
61. Rowboat mover: OAR. I used two of them many times at North Star Lake, North of Grand Rapids MN. Then my Dad bought a five horse motor.
62. Metal in bronze: TIN. Speaking of Grand Rapids, MN the original home of Judy Garland. NOT. Michigan. TIN reminds me of Jack Haley, the Tin Man who needed some oil to get moving on the way to OZ to ask the Wizard for a heart.
63. Raised urban trains: ELS. Golfer ERNIE.
Boomer
