Monday, August 23, 2021 Fred Piscop

 

Theme: DOWN IN FRONT (59A. Cry to one blocking your view at a concert ... and a hint to the answers to starred clues) - The first words are all synonyms of "sad".

17A. *Hitchhiked: BUMMED A RIDE.

11D. *Something kept to avoid attention: LOW PROFILE.

29D. *Dressing with Buffalo wings: BLUE CHEESE.

Boomer here.  

 

Good morning, Fred. Nice to see your name on a puzzle once more. I was not bummed or blue last week. I returned to my high school alma mater for the 55th reunion.  Actually it's been 56 years but last year was postponed since something of a virus was going around. The president (Principal) of the school was there and I made everyone jealous, because he did not know anyone there except the current assistant bowling coach. 

 

Across:

1. Periods of history: ERAS.  Twins pitchers ERAs are higher than a kite.

5. __ Pujols, fourth MLBer to reach 6,000 total bases: ALBERT.  Future Hall of Famer, we have sold a few of his cards on eBay.

11. Area for experiments: LAB.  A black dog.

14. __ Raton, Fla.: BOCA. Seems as though every city in FLA is running rampant with Covid.  SAD!.

15. Ballerina, at times: LEAPER.  Quite a few were running hurdles in Tokyo.

16. Bullfight "Bravo!": OLE.

19. Take the gold: WIN.  And a few took the Gold.

20. Took the wheel: STEERED.  My first couple of cars did not have power steering.  I don't know how I managed to drive!

21. Drained of energy: SAPPED.  I do feel this way sometimes after my Monday Golf game.  Not sure what it might be next week when bowling starts.

23. Firebug's crime: ARSON.  Fires are burning everywhere.  Dry weather is the firebug.

26. Changes direction: TURNS.  Yup, that's when I wished I had power steering.

27. Create a raised logo on, say: EMBOSS.

31. "My pleasure": LOVE TO.  Bowl and Golf.

33. Señor's squiggle: TILDE.

34. Said further: ADDED.

35. Put money in, as a parking meter: FED.  I visited St. Paul's downtown area a couple of years ago and I had to feed the parking meter with a credit card!

38. Board game with nine rooms: CLUE.  I think it was done by Professor Plum, with a Knife, in the Kitchen.

39. Picture within a picture: INSET.

40. Heap, as of wood: PILE.  Not Gomer's last name.  For that you need a "Y".

41. Weeding tool: HOE.

42. Judicial orders: WRITS.  "Order in the court, Here comes the Judge." Number 99 Aaron of the Yankees.  

43. Zesty dip for tortilla chips: SALSA.

44. Line in pressed pants: CREASE.  I don't have any pants like that anymore.  Funny how some things just fade away. 

46. Movie theater feature: SCREEN.

47. Throbbed: ACHED.  I have had one of these in my back recently.  Can I still BOWL ??

49. CNN journalist Hill: ERICA.

51. Doctoral candidate's project: THESIS.  Interesting, I have a bowling buddy Named Don Theis,  We call him DOC because he was a gas passer at the UofM Hospital.

53. Beers served with lime: CORONAS.

58. Tell a tall tale: LIE.  I never said that.  I only tell short tales.

62. Classifieds, e.g.: ADS.  We just don't see a lot of classified ADS in our paper anymore.  Most people are using the internet to buy, sell, or trade. 

63. Apple device featuring Siri: IPHONE.  Hey Siri!

64. Italian wine region: ASTI.

65. Go out with: SEE.

66. Skimpy swimsuits: THONGS.

67. Wanton look: LEER.

Down:

1. Recedes, like the tide: EBBS.

2. Sports blowout: ROUT.  Happened to the Vikings a week ago.  They should have asked Siri how to get to the end zone.

3. Wile E. Coyote's supplier: ACME.  Beep Beep, and fast bird or Plymouth.

4. "The __": "What she's having": SAME.  Not me.  C.C. and I seldom have the same food.  That's why we go to buffets.

5. Trees with catkins: ALDERS.

6. Takes charge: LEADS.

7. Granola __: BAR.  Do they serve beer there?

8. Prefix with dermis: EPI.

9. Wine list heading: REDS.  Cincinnati baseball team, formerly known as Redlegs.  They should have worn long pants at the beach.

10. Picked up the check: TREATED.  I'll get it, you leave the tip.

12. Sci-fi visitor: ALIEN.

13. Gives a little: BENDS.  What my Putts usually do.  I wish the greens were level.

18. Clear of data, e.g.: ERASE.  Maybe I should just ERASE my scorecard.

22. Erect, with "up": PUT.  Add a "T".  Do not count more than two on any hole.

24. Golden-ager: OLDSTER.  Never been called that, I'll settle for Senior Citizen.

25. Network junctions: NODES.

27. Mark with acid: ETCH.  Remember the ETCH - A - Sketch ??  You only need to turn it over and shake it to erase,

28. Venus de __: MILO.

30. Tribute in verse: ODE.  I remember the one to Billy Joe. On the 3rd of June.

32. Dog doc: VET.

34. Biscotti flavoring: ANISE.  Tastes like licorice to me.

36. "If all __ fails ... ": ELSE.  If all ELSE fails, kick your ball out of the rough with your foot.

37. Faculty head: DEAN.  Our District Congressman from Minnesota, DEAN Phillips. Made his money selling Vodka.  Dear Abby's Grandson.

 

39. Nest egg acronym: IRA.  Everyone my age should have one.

40. Four, for most golf holes: PAR. SIX! My score on most golf holes.

42. "Way to go, team!": WE DID IT.  Twins did not care much for Yankee Stadium last weekend.

43. Winter neck warmer: SCARF.

45. Hi-__ audio: RES.  What??  I cannot hear you over the noise.

46. Biscuits at teas: SCONES.  I've had ice cream cones.  Never had an S CONE.

47. Book with maps: ATLAS.  No one needs these any longer. Just a cellphone.

48. Reprimand: CHIDE.

50. Cake topping: ICING.  Now that you have completed Fred's puzzle, this blog is for ICING on the cake.

52. Many a jayvee player: SOPH.

54. Taken by mouth: ORAL.  My breakfast, lunch and dinner are all ORAL.

55. Carrot, on a snowman: NOSE.  Sometimes the winning margin in the Kentucky Derby.

56. Start the kitty: ANTE.  It was always a nickel when I played.

57. Mix, as a liquid: STIR.

60. Abbott and Costello's first baseman: WHO.  What ?? Where??  I don't know who the shortstop was.

61. Oui's opposite: NON.

Boomer

Notes from C.C.:

Happy birthday to Tinbeni, who's been with this blog for about 12 years. Cheers, Tin!