Theme: I've pondered this but cannot come up with something clever, so here is the unifier --
65. Marine Corps motto, briefly, and a hint to the answers to starred clues: SEMPER FI. This is short for SEMPER FIDELIS, meaning 'always faithful" in Latin. In our puzzle, the theme fill are two words, both beginning with the letter combination "FI." So - always FI.
20 A. *Matches with known outcomes: FIXED FIGHTS. Boxing matches in which one competitor loses on purpose, dishonestly, for reasons related to betting.
56 A. *Music group's lead violinist, casually: FIRST FIDDLE. I've heard of playing 2nd fiddle, meaning to always play a supporting or inferior role. By extension, FIRST FIDDLE means to play a commanding role. I wish it had been clued this way, since it's not really a musical term in common use.
3 D. *Fast-food alternatives to burgers: FISH FILETS. Popular on Friday's, especially in Lent.
30 D. *Like half a chance: FIFTY FIFTY. An even bet. Not sure what half a chance means.
Hi gang, JazzBumpa here, faithful, as always. Let's charge into this puzzle and see what we can find.
Across:
1. Concerning: AS FOR. With regard to . . .6. Letters replacing a list: ETC. And so on, and so forth.
9. Afternoon snooze: NAP. Zzzzzz . . .
12. Nighttime party: SOIREE. From the French soir, meaning evening.
14. Soccer tiebreaker, perhaps: SHOOT OUT. Selected players from both teams take turns attempting to score on the other side's goal keeper. Same in hockey. Since nobody can win the regular game, they decide to have a one on one skills contest. Meh!
17. County on the English Channel: SUSSEX. South Saxony located on the island's southern coast. The battle of Hastings was fought near its modern eastern border.
18. Canyon namesake of dry California winds: SANTA ANA. They sweep westward from the mountains to the coast.
19. Tree with elastic wood: ASH. Hence its popularity as baseball bats.
22. Hi-__ TV: DEF. High definition - a high degree of clarity and detail in the images.
23. What "X" may mean: TEN. Roman numeral.
24. Music center?: ESS. The middle letter of the word. Lame clue, lame fill.
25. Dennis the Menace, for one: IMP. A mischievous child.
28. Beloved: DEAR. Held in affection
30. Monk's title: FRA. Derived from frater, the Latin word for brother.
33. Cultural setting: MILIEU. Environment or setting, from the French, meaning "middle place."
36. Black and blue?: BERRIES. Also straw and rasp.
39. H or O, in H2O: ELEMENT. Hydrogen and oxygen, each a fundamental substance consisting of only one kind of atom. They combine to form water.
41. Contrasting ornaments: SET-OFFS. Items with differing appearances to achieve a visual effect.
42. Roald Dahl title heroine: MATILDA. A precocious 5 1/2 year old IMP.
12. Nighttime party: SOIREE. From the French soir, meaning evening.
14. Soccer tiebreaker, perhaps: SHOOT OUT. Selected players from both teams take turns attempting to score on the other side's goal keeper. Same in hockey. Since nobody can win the regular game, they decide to have a one on one skills contest. Meh!
17. County on the English Channel: SUSSEX. South Saxony located on the island's southern coast. The battle of Hastings was fought near its modern eastern border.
18. Canyon namesake of dry California winds: SANTA ANA. They sweep westward from the mountains to the coast.
19. Tree with elastic wood: ASH. Hence its popularity as baseball bats.
22. Hi-__ TV: DEF. High definition - a high degree of clarity and detail in the images.
23. What "X" may mean: TEN. Roman numeral.
24. Music center?: ESS. The middle letter of the word. Lame clue, lame fill.
25. Dennis the Menace, for one: IMP. A mischievous child.
28. Beloved: DEAR. Held in affection
30. Monk's title: FRA. Derived from frater, the Latin word for brother.
33. Cultural setting: MILIEU. Environment or setting, from the French, meaning "middle place."
36. Black and blue?: BERRIES. Also straw and rasp.
39. H or O, in H2O: ELEMENT. Hydrogen and oxygen, each a fundamental substance consisting of only one kind of atom. They combine to form water.
41. Contrasting ornaments: SET-OFFS. Items with differing appearances to achieve a visual effect.
42. Roald Dahl title heroine: MATILDA. A precocious 5 1/2 year old IMP.
43. Submitted, as a manuscript: SENT IN. By post, or possibly electronically.
44. Kvetching sounds: OYS. Exclamations of anger or dismay.
45. Weakens: EBBS. By reference to a receding tide.
48. Give voice to: SAY.
49. __ Lingus: AER. Airline of Ireland.
51. Partner in a 2020 peace agreement with Isr.: United Arab Emerates, located at the eastern end of the Arabian peninsula, and home to almost 10 million people.
53. Quite a ways away: FAR.
61. Anger: IRE.
62. Imagining: IDEATING.
63. Photo taken backwards?: SELFIE. With a phone camera pointed at the user.
66. Thrills: ELATES. To thrill is to give a sudden feeling of excitement or pleasure. To elate is to make someone very happy. Equivalent? You decide.
67. General on a menu: TSO. A Chinese chicken dish.
68. Fair-hiring letters: EOE. Equal Opportunity Employer.
69. Flair: STYLE. Elan.
Down:
1. Syrian leader: ASSAD. Bashar Hafez al-Assad [b 1965] is a Syrian politician who has been the 19th president of Syria since 17 July 2000.
2. W.C. Fields persona: SOUSE. A habitually excessive drinker, from the verb "souse," meaning to drench with liquid.
4. RN workplaces: ORS. Registered Nurses in Operating Rooms.
5. Sailing danger: REEF. A ridge of jagged rock, coral or sand near the surface of the sea.
6. Ancient mystic: ESSENE. Members of a Jewish sect, ca 200 BCE to 200 CE who lived in community practicing voluntary poverty and asceticism.
7. Jazz trumpeter Jones: THAD. Thaddeus Joseph Jones [ 1923 - 1986] was also a composer, arranger, and one of my jazz heroes. He was born into a musical family, in near-by Pontiac, MI.
4. RN workplaces: ORS. Registered Nurses in Operating Rooms.
5. Sailing danger: REEF. A ridge of jagged rock, coral or sand near the surface of the sea.
6. Ancient mystic: ESSENE. Members of a Jewish sect, ca 200 BCE to 200 CE who lived in community practicing voluntary poverty and asceticism.
7. Jazz trumpeter Jones: THAD. Thaddeus Joseph Jones [ 1923 - 1986] was also a composer, arranger, and one of my jazz heroes. He was born into a musical family, in near-by Pontiac, MI.
8. Meeting group: CONFEREES.
9. Biblical boater: NOAH. Hosted a variety of animals during a flood.
10. Bee, to Opie: AUNT. From the Andy Griffith Show.
11. School orgs.: PTAS. Parent- Teacher-Organizations.
9. Biblical boater: NOAH. Hosted a variety of animals during a flood.
10. Bee, to Opie: AUNT. From the Andy Griffith Show.
11. School orgs.: PTAS. Parent- Teacher-Organizations.
13. Leave: EXIT. Depart
15. Name seen on one's way to the penthouse?: OTIS. Brand name for elevators.
16. License plates: TAGS. So your car can be on the road legally.
21. Marked on a ballot: X-ED. We get bubbles to fill in.
26. "La BohËme" role: MIMI. In my mind, she was FIFI. That disappointed me.
27. Banana covering: PEEL. Technically, a banana is a berry. Blackberries and raspberries are not
29. Hunk's pride: ABS. Hard, flat abdominal muscles on a well toned fellow.
31. APR-reducing loan: REFI. Refinancing a loan to get a better interest rate.
32. Pt. of AAA: ASSN. American Automobile Association.
33. Office notice: MEMO. A written message, usually in a business context.
34. "Now __ me down to sleep ... ": I LAY. Beginning of a night time prayer.
35. Being severely criticized: UNDER FIRE. The subject of an attack.
37. Numbered rds.: RTES. Routes.
38. Novelist Jaffe: RONA. [1931-2005] She also wrote for Cosmopolitan in the '60's.
40. Diner check: TAB. Record of accumulated charges.
46. Aussie parrot, briefly: BUDGIE. Read all about them.
47. Mournful: SAD. Feeling sadness, regret or grief.
49. 33-Down demand, perhaps: ASAP. As Soon As Possible.
50. Luncheon end?: ETTE. Suffix denoting small size.
52. "... or __!": ELSE. Overt threat.
54. Cartoon mermaid: ARIEL.
55. Actress Witherspoon: REESE. Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon (b.1976) is an American actress, producer, and entrepreneur. She has won an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award.
57. March time: IDES. (In the ancient Roman calendar) a day falling roughly in the middle of each month (the 15th day of March, May, July, and October, and the 13th of other months) from which other dates were calculated.
58. San __: Italian resort: REMO. A city in extreme western Italy on the
Mediterranean coat.
59. Recon target: INFO. Reconnaissance to gather information.
60. Sniggler's catch: EELS.
64. Map line: Abbr.: LATitude. Position on a line north of south of and parallel to the equator.
OK, gang we are FInally FInished for this Wednesday. Hope you enjoyed it.
Cool regards!
JzB
