Theme: HAT TRICKS (62. Three-goals-in-one-game hockey scoring
feats ... or what the ends of 17-, 28- and 46-Across are when they're
rearranged?) - The last word of each answer is an anagram of a hat.
17A. Auto on-off baking gadget: OVEN TIMER. Miter.
28A. Artisan who makes delicate items: GLASS BLOWER. Bowler.
46A. Exact repetition of what was said: DIRECT QUOTE. Toque.
Boomer here. Pretty fancy hat for an Archbishop. Of course I am a bowler, but I never wore a hat like that. In fact, most bowlers do not wear bowlers but a few wear baseball caps. Finally the chef wearing a Toque. I never knew it was called that. We learn something new every day, no matter how old we get.
Across:
5. Spontaneous notion: WHIM.
9. Leveled, as a building: RAZED. Seems as though Mother Nature or some atmospheric development did a number on the tall highrise in Florida. Hard to believe.
14. Tahoe or Titicaca: LAKE. On one of my bowling trips to Reno,
I took a ride by Lake Tahoe to visit a casino in Tahoe. We have 10,000
lakes here at home but very few are a beautiful as Tahoe.
15. Role model: HERO.
16. Bakery emanation: AROMA. When it smells as good as a bakery you have to use the word AROMA.
19. Like a legally binding contract: VALID.
20. Volkswagen sedan: PASSAT.
21. Bring to life, as cartoons: ANIMATE. When I was young, it was Mickey Mouse, Bugs bunny, and Porky Pig. Later in life it became Fred "Yabba Dabba Do" Flintstone.
23. Opposite of WSW: ENE. Black sidewall tires did not fit.
24. Golfer Aoki: ISAO. We do not see him much on the PGA. He is Japanese so we could see him in Tokyo in a few weeks.
25. Tongue twister seashell seller: SHE. SHE sells seashells on the seashore. -- say it four times real fast.
34. Locate precisely: PINPOINT.
36. "You win": I LOSE. One of my phrases in golf and bowling (since I got old).
37. Fascinated by: INTO.
38. Prefix with centric: ETHNO.
41. Deco artist Romain de Tirtoff's pseudonym: ERTE. His initials.
42. Plant swelling: EDEMA. I don't know about plants but this is dangerous swelling usually in the legs or feet. You don't want to mess with this.
44. Tutored: MENTORED. Hoping to return to mentor the Benilde St.
Margaret's High School Bowling team again this fall. We missed all of
last year. You know why.
49. "You bet!": YES.
50. Sorority T's: TAUS. A Greek letter. My knowledge ends with Delta.
51. Shoo-__: easy winners: INS.
53. Indonesia's capital: JAKARTA.
57. Idaho product: POTATO. My uncle left with his family to grow
POTATOES in Twin Falls, Idaho years ago. I still trade occasional news
with my cousin. He plays golf and does not play potatoes.
61. Banish: EXILE.
65. Perry of fashion: ELLIS. Interesting that ELLIS happened to be my Idaho aunt Gerry's maiden name.
66. Buckeye State: OHIO. They have Two MLB Teams, Minnesota is scratching to call the only team we have as Major League.
67. Latticework piece: LATH.
68. Hits with snowballs: PELTS. In my youth I was guilty of this in the winter.
69. Checkers or chess: GAME. Bowling or Golf.
70. Crossword-solving Simpson: LISA. This is the episode featuring Will Shortz and Merl Reagle.
Down:
2. Volcano flow: LAVA. "Only one way to get those hands clean mister."
3. __ out a living: barely manages: EKES. I am sure this stupid Covid has caused some EKEing.
4. Thick, as fog: DENSE.
5. "Little" fib: WHITE LIE. I am not sure why LIES have colors.
6. Skirt's edge: HEM.
7. Wrath: IRE.
8. Boggy tract: MORASS.
9. Stuffed pasta pockets: RAVIOLI. I've never tried this. I use curly pasta and make Goulash.
10. Composer Khachaturian: ARAM. A Los Angeles Football player.
11. "Nana" novelist Émile: ZOLA.
12. Give off: EMIT.
13. Florida's Miami-__ County: DADE. I guess I mentioned this tragedy earlier.
18. Dance that "takes two": TANGO.
22. Capture: NAB.
24. __ of Panama: narrow landform: ISTHMUS. THIS MUST be an interesting word.
25. Went undercover: SPIED.
26. Language of India: HINDI.
27. Key in: ENTER.
29. Colony crawler: ANT. Have not seen many this year. We used to have ANT hills in our driveway. Never sure how they got through the black tar.
30. Butter substitute: OLEO. We call it Margarine now. I
remember when OLEO was not for sale in Wisconsin. Then later it could
not be yellow. Wisconsin's cows needed the work.
31. Fret: WORRY.
32. Makeup mogul Lauder: ESTEE.
33. Clarinets and oboes: REEDS. Also actress Donna in the Donna Reed Show. Yes I am that old.
35. Apple or pear: POME. Do not MOPE waiting for them to get ripe.
39. Prefix with natal or -phyte: NEO.
40. How ballerinas often dance: ON TIPTOE. "Through the Tulips. Tiny Tim.
43. Monroe or Taylor: ACTRESS. Or Donna Reed..
45. Pavarotti, vocally: TENOR. I was a Bass (not a fish) in the high school glee club.
47. Pic on a pec, say: TAT.
48. Clam used in chowder: QUAHOG. This one got me.
52. "In the __ of the Night": doo-wop classic: STILL. Written by Cole Porter and sung by many.
53. Cherokee automaker: JEEP. Pretty tough looking but we are enjoying our Santa Fe.
54. Wheel shaft: AXLE.
55. While away, as time: KILL. I've heard that many people KILL time by solving a crossword puzzle.
56. Landed: ALIT.
58. Antioxidant-rich berry: ACAI.
59. Sign on a B'way booth: TKTS. I've never been to THE B'way.
We have a Broadway Avenue close to our home. Is there any city of over
10,000 people that does not have a Broadway ??
60. Fed. workplace monitor: OSHA.
63. "Bingo!": AHA.
64. Apple CEO Cook: TIM.
Boomer