Theme: Bidding you adieu [or, actually, several.] As we shall see, the theme entries are all spelt differently, but still rhyme. Isn't English phun?
17 A. Later than late: LONG OVERDUE. Said of something that should have happened a long time ago.
27 A. Gleeful Bedrock shout: YABBA DABBA DOO
44 A. Busywork: SOMETHING TO DO. A task with little intrinsic value.
60 A. Moonshine: MOUNTAIN DEW. Slang terms for high-proof distilled spirits that were and continue to be produced illicitly, without government authorization. MOUNTAIN DEW is also the name of a carbonated, caffeinated citrus flavored soft drink marketed by the Pepsi-Cola Co.
Hi gang, Jazzbumpa here, hoping this isn't to, too, two much for a Wednesday. Ready to go? Let's DUE, DOO, DO, DEW it!
1. Make fun of: MIMIC. Disrespectful Apery.
6. Consecrate: BLESS. To consecrate is to formally dedicate something to a religious purpose. To Bless is to confer or invoke divine favor upon. These are not equivalent terms.
11. Like sashimi: RAW. Uncooked victuals
14. Kind of acid in proteins: AMINO. A molecule having both acid an amine functionality. It is able to combine with itself, or other amino acids, to produce large complex molecules.
15. Paddled transport: CANOE. When you are up a creek in one, it's good to have a paddle.
16. Investment acronym: IRA. Individual Retirement Account.
19. Formal apparel: TUX. I have one from my years of orchestra playing.
20. Ultimate goal: END-ALL. The final outcome.
21. Welcome word in real estate: SOLD. The house across the street from mine sold in less than two days. They had over a dozen bids.
22. Prez on a fiver: ABE. Mr. Lincoln.
23. Word with sky or spy: CAM. Types of cameras.
25. "Gypsy" star, 1959: MERMAN. Ethyl [1908 - 1984] was an American actress, artist, and singer. Known primarily for her distinctive, powerful voice and leading roles in musical theatre, she has been called "the undisputed First Lady of the musical comedy stage".
33. Happening, to Holmes: AFOOT. Something is going on, and we need to get moving. The first use of 'the game is afoot' is found in Shakespeare's King Henry IV Part I, 1597: "Before the game is afoot, thou still let'st slip.'
35. "Main" road: DRAG. The biggest or most important thoroughfare of a town or city. “Drag” came from a term for a wagon or carriage that a horse would pull or drag. By extension the road on which the vehicle was dragged became a slang word for “street”—think of drag racing.
38. Discontinued iPods: NANOS. It was produced from 2005 to 2017.
39. [There's another doc]: ENC. A written abbreviation for enclosed or enclosure: used in a business letter to say that one or more documents are included with a letter.
40. Tearful: WEEPY. [Sob]
41. Food on the trail: GRUB. Sounds appetizing.
42. Ailing: SICK.
43. __ strength: INNER. Stable traits, an enduring source of well-being, wise and effective action, and contributions to others.
47. Caterpillar casing: COCOON. A silky case spun by the larvae of many insects for protection in the pupal stage.
49. Bug: NAG. Annoy or irritate (a person) with persistent fault-finding or continuous urging.
50. Word of good cheer?: RAH. Hooray!
51. Layered mineral: MICA. A shiny silicate mineral with a layered structure, found as minute scales in granite and other rocks, or as crystals. It is used as a thermal or electrical insulator.
54. Flannel patterns: PLAIDS. Checkered or tartan twilled cloth, typically made of wool.
59. Salem-to-Boise dir.: ESE. East-south-east.
62. [Not my mistake]: SIC. It is used in brackets after a copied or quoted word that appears odd or erroneous to show that the word is quoted exactly as it stands in the original,
62. [Not my mistake]: SIC. It is used in brackets after a copied or quoted word that appears odd or erroneous to show that the word is quoted exactly as it stands in the original,
63. Adler of Sherlock Holmes fame: IRENE. Irene Norton, née Adler, is a fictional character in the Sherlock Holmes stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. She was featured in the short story "A Scandal in Bohemia", published in July 1891. She is one of the most notable female characters in the Sherlock Holmes series, despite appearing in only one story.
64. Stealthy warrior: NINJA. In historical Japan, a person trained in ancient Japanese martial arts and employed especially for espionage and assassinations. More recently, certain teenaged superhero anthropomorphic mutant turtles.
65. Sound of disapproval: TSK. Tongue clucking
66. County bordering London: ESSEX. To the north.
67. Toot one's own horn: GLOAT. Dwell on one's own success or another's misfortune with smugness or malignant pleasure.
Down:
1. Like blokes: MALE. Just us guys
2. "My turn to sing!": I'M ON. Or lip synch.
3. Be concerned with: MIND. Care about.
4. "Young Frankenstein" role: INGA.
The lovely Teri Garr
5. Hipsters: COOL CATS.
6. Pre-A.D.: BCE. Before the Common Era.
6. Pre-A.D.: BCE. Before the Common Era.
7. Metallica drummer Ulrich: LARS. [b 1963] A Danish musician, songwriter, and record producer. He gained worldwide fame as the drummer and co-founder of American heavy metal band Metallica.
8. Root canal procedure, briefly: ENDO. Short for endodontic treatment.
9. Classic 1967 Sam & Dave hit: SOULMAN.
10. Like some rye: SEEDED. Don't get carawayed away.
11. EGOT-winning actress from "West Side Story": RITA MORENO. Rita Moreno (born Rosa Dolores Alverío Marcano; December 11, 1931) is a Puerto Rican actress, dancer, and singer. Her career has spanned over 70 years; her notable acting work includes supporting roles in the musical films Singin' in the Rain (1952), The King and I (1956) and West Side Story (1961),
11. EGOT-winning actress from "West Side Story": RITA MORENO. Rita Moreno (born Rosa Dolores Alverío Marcano; December 11, 1931) is a Puerto Rican actress, dancer, and singer. Her career has spanned over 70 years; her notable acting work includes supporting roles in the musical films Singin' in the Rain (1952), The King and I (1956) and West Side Story (1961),
12. Curaçao neighbor: ARUBA. Islands off the coast of Venezuela, both controlled by the Netherlands.
13. Like candles: WAXEN.
18. Prince who inspired Dracula: VLAD. [ca 1430-1477] Read about him here.
24. Finally got there: MADE IT.
26. Rat or squirrel: RODENT. Mammals of the order Rodentia, which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws.
27. Yin's partner: YANG. In Ancient Chinese philosophy, yin and yang; Chinese: 陰陽 yīnyáng, lit. "dark-bright", "negative-positive") is a concept of dualism, describing how seemingly opposite or contrary forces may actually be complementary, interconnected, and interdependent in the natural world, and how they may give rise to each other as they interrelate to one another.
28. In the distance: AFAR.
29. Employee's end-of-year reward: BONUS CHECK. Extra money.
30. Owie: BOO-BOO. A child's minor minor injuury
31. Park seat: BENCH.
29. Employee's end-of-year reward: BONUS CHECK. Extra money.
30. Owie: BOO-BOO. A child's minor minor injuury
31. Park seat: BENCH.
Who's old enough to get the reference?
32. Start to park, perhaps: BACK IN. The first maneuver in parallel parking.
36. Acted like: APED. Mimicked. [1. A echo]
37. Greek food truck offering: GYRO. A lamb-based meatloaf sandwich on flatbread.
40. Moving, as one's toes: WIGGLING.
42. Many prom attendees: SENIORS. High school seniors, not old men like me.
45. Christina Crawford's "__ Dearest": MOMMIE. A memoir and exposé written by Christina Crawford, the adopted daughter of actress Joan Crawford. Published in 1978, it described the author's upbringing by an unbalanced alcoholic mother, whom she judged unfit to raise children. The book attracted much controversy regarding child abuse and child trafficking, with many family friends denouncing it as fiction. It was turned into a 1981 film of the same name starring Faye Dunaway.
46. Big wine valley: NAPA. In California.
47. Pepsodent rival: CREST. Tooth pastes.
48. Welcome desert sight: OASIS. A fertile spot in a desert, where water is found.
52. Pool equipment: CUES. Referring to the sticks used in games played on a billiard table, not a place for swimming.
53. Hathaway married to Shakespeare: ANNE. Read about her here.
55. Actor Kapoor of "Slumdog Millionaire": ANIL. [b1956] He is an Indian actor and producer who has appeared in over a hundred Hindi-language films, as well as international films and television series. His career has spanned 40 years as an actor, and as a producer since 2005.
56. Online sign-in fig.: I.D. NO. Personal Identification Number.
57. __ vu: DEJA. The feeling that one has lived through the present situation before. This is a French phrase that translates literally as "already seen."
58. Law enforcement acronym: SWAT. Special Weapons And Tactics - the militarization of police units.
61. Ranch nickname: TEX. Presumably referring to somebody from Texas.
OK, Gang, now all our doing here is done. Enjoy your Wednesday.
Cool regards!
JzB
