Theme: Plant Kernels. Things you can plant to get a new plant.
17. *Devoted ESPN viewer: SPORTS NUT. ESPN is a TV network devoted to various athletic events. A NUT is a perhaps overly-avid fan. A NUT is also a dried fruit or SEED having a hard shell.
23. *Spec for sandpaper or salt: COARSE GRAIN. This refers to particle size, which you can read about here and here. A GRAIN is also the SEED of a plant that is harvested for human of animal food.
36. *Quarry that supplies aggregate: GRAVEL PIT. This is an an open-pit mine for the extraction of loose rock fragments. A PIT is also the single shell of hardened endocarp with a SEED inside, found in drupaceous fruits, such as the cherry, peach or olive.
54. *Garden walkway component: PAVING STONE. A flat stone or brick used to make a hard surface to walk on outdoors. A Stone is another name for the hard central portion of a drupaceous fruit, as above.
62. Last player selected for a Wimbledon ranking ... or part of each answer to a starred clue: FINAL SEED. This would be the statistically weakest player in the competition. Read about it HERE.
In each of the theme entries, a SEED is identified that can be planted to bring forth the next generation of plant. It is the last word of the entry, hence final.
Hi Gang. JazzBumpa here. I've proven myself to be not much of a gardener, so let's just move right along.
Across:
1. Chess result: DRAW. The technical difference between a DRAW and a stalemate is that in a DRAW, both players agree that further play would not result in a victory for either player, while a stale mate is a situation where one side's king is not captured, but has no legal move.
5. "NASCAR on NBC" analyst Earnhardt Jr.: DALE.
9. Metalworker: SMITH.
14. Cancun coin: PESO.
15. A party to: IN ON. Knows about.
16. Island near Maui: LANAI. Hawaiian Islands
19. Uneasy feeling: ANGST. An unfocussed feeling of dread or anxiety, typically about external conditions.
20. Word after box or law: OFFICE.
21. Bullish sound?: SNORT.
22. Wail: CRY.
27. Coll. near the Rio Grande: UTEP. University of Texas at El Paso.
29. Hard rain: SLEET. Precipitation falling in hard particles - almost like SEEDS.
30. Dance class topic: STEP.
31. First name in skin care: ESTEE. Lauder, née Josephine Esther Mentzer [1906 – 2004] was an American businesswoman. She co-founded her eponymous cosmetics company with her husband, Joseph Lauter (later Lauder). [Wikipedia]
33. Caddie's offering: CLUB. An iron or wood.
35. Make a wrong turn, say: ERR. Go off course
40. Guys: HES. Does anyone encounter this plural form outside of a crossword puzzle?
43. Jai __: ALAI. A sport involving bouncing a ball off a walled space by accelerating it to high speeds with a hand-held wicker cesta.
44. Quebec's __ Peninsula: GASPE. The Gaspé Peninsula, also known as Gaspesia is a peninsula along the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River to the east of the Matapedia Valley in Quebec, Canada, that extends into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.
5. "NASCAR on NBC" analyst Earnhardt Jr.: DALE.
9. Metalworker: SMITH.
14. Cancun coin: PESO.
15. A party to: IN ON. Knows about.
16. Island near Maui: LANAI. Hawaiian Islands
19. Uneasy feeling: ANGST. An unfocussed feeling of dread or anxiety, typically about external conditions.
20. Word after box or law: OFFICE.
21. Bullish sound?: SNORT.
22. Wail: CRY.
27. Coll. near the Rio Grande: UTEP. University of Texas at El Paso.
29. Hard rain: SLEET. Precipitation falling in hard particles - almost like SEEDS.
30. Dance class topic: STEP.
31. First name in skin care: ESTEE. Lauder, née Josephine Esther Mentzer [1906 – 2004] was an American businesswoman. She co-founded her eponymous cosmetics company with her husband, Joseph Lauter (later Lauder). [Wikipedia]
33. Caddie's offering: CLUB. An iron or wood.
35. Make a wrong turn, say: ERR. Go off course
40. Guys: HES. Does anyone encounter this plural form outside of a crossword puzzle?
43. Jai __: ALAI. A sport involving bouncing a ball off a walled space by accelerating it to high speeds with a hand-held wicker cesta.
44. Quebec's __ Peninsula: GASPE. The Gaspé Peninsula, also known as Gaspesia is a peninsula along the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River to the east of the Matapedia Valley in Quebec, Canada, that extends into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.
48. Racecourse shape: OVAL.
50. Ready for bed, briefly: IN PJS. Wearing pajamas.
53. Long-running CBS series: NCIS. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
57. Malarkey: ROT. Nonsense.
58. Pachelbel work: CANON.
50. Ready for bed, briefly: IN PJS. Wearing pajamas.
53. Long-running CBS series: NCIS. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
57. Malarkey: ROT. Nonsense.
58. Pachelbel work: CANON.
59. Treasury secretary Janet: YELLEN. Janet Louise Yellen (b. 1946) is an American economist, public servant, and educator who has served as the 78th United States secretary of the treasury since January 26, 2021. She previously served as the 15th chair of the Federal Reserve from 2014 to 2018. She is the first woman to hold either role.
61. Sahara features: DUNES. Big piles of sand, with random GRAIN size, I suppose.
65. Locale: VENUE. The place where something happens, especially an organized event such as a concert, conference, or sports event.
66. Heck of a hike: TREK. A long arduous journey, especially one made on foot.
67. Dell rival: ACER. ACER Inc. is a Taiwanese multinational hardware and electronics corporation specializing in advanced electronics technology.
68. Brings in: REAPS.
69. Actor Grant: CARY. (b. Archibald Alec Leach [1904 – 1986] was an English-American actor. Known for his transatlantic accent, debonair demeanor, light-hearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing, he was one of classic Hollywood's definitive leading men during the 1940s and 1950s. He was well trained.
61. Sahara features: DUNES. Big piles of sand, with random GRAIN size, I suppose.
65. Locale: VENUE. The place where something happens, especially an organized event such as a concert, conference, or sports event.
66. Heck of a hike: TREK. A long arduous journey, especially one made on foot.
67. Dell rival: ACER. ACER Inc. is a Taiwanese multinational hardware and electronics corporation specializing in advanced electronics technology.
68. Brings in: REAPS.
69. Actor Grant: CARY. (b. Archibald Alec Leach [1904 – 1986] was an English-American actor. Known for his transatlantic accent, debonair demeanor, light-hearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing, he was one of classic Hollywood's definitive leading men during the 1940s and 1950s. He was well trained.
70. Drive-__: THRU. As, frex, fast food restaurants.
Down:
Down:
1. MLB rally killers: DPS. Double Plays.
2. Researchers' publications: REPORTS.
3. To date: AS OF YET. Up until now.
4. Klingon officer in the "Star Trek" franchise: WORF.
5. '70s hot spots: DISCOS.
6. Strengthen, as glass: ANNEAL. Controlled cooling to prevent residual localized stresses. Not so much strengthening as preventing weaknesses.
7. Seuss' Cindy __ Who: LOU. Who was no more than two.
8. Suffix with exist: -ENT. Having reality.
9. Language student's challenge: SLANG. A type of language that consists of words and phrases that are regarded as very informal, and are more common in speech than writing. All rules are off.
10. Medieval estates: MANORS. A large country house with lands; the principal house of a landed estate.
11. Thankless sort: INGRATE.
12. Preferable, gastronomically: TASTIER. Yum!
13. Major success: HIT. As a movie, stage play or popular song.
18. Half a mint?: TIC. The front half of a Tic-tac. It is far past time to banish "Half a-" clues for the next half a eternity.
21. Contrived plot: SET UP. Otherwise known as foreshadowing?
22. Alert for an actor: CUE. A thing said or done that serves as a signal to an actor or other performer to enter or to begin their speech or performance.
24. Checkout printout: RECEIPT. Paper strip with items, prices and the total.
25. Unload, say: SELL.
26. "Morning Edition" airer: NPR. National Public Radio.
28. Alternative to Margie: PEG. Nicknames for Margaret.
32. Noted period: ERA. As, frex. Jazz.
34. Important: BIG. As a business deal or sports event.
37. Square up: ALIGN.
38. Hotel shuttles: VANS.
39. Light earth tone: TAN. Ocher doesn't fit.
40. Short flight: HOP. Skips and jumps not included.
41. Hurricane mandate responder: EVACUEE. Of whom there are now many.
42. Tropical grassland: SAVANNA. A mixed woodland-grassland ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of grasses. {Wikipedia]
45. Sudden stop sound: SCREECH. As of a vehicles brakes.
46. Trailblazer: PIONEER. A person who is among the first to explore or settle a new country or area of knowledge.
47. "C'__ la vie!": EST. In French, c'est la vie means "that's life," borrowed into English as idiom to express acceptance or resignation, much like "Oh well."
49. Umpire's pregame request: LINE UP. List of starting players.
51. Olympic star Jackie __-Kersee: JOYNER. [b 1963] She won three gold, one silver, and two bronze Olympic medals in heptathlon and long jump at four different Olympic Games from 1984 to 1996. She now is an active philanthropist in children's education, racial equality and women's rights
52. Deceptive: SNEAKY.
55. Wine qualities: NOSES. A wine tasting term used to describe how wine smells in the glass. Different wine varietals produce different aromas. The nose is also affected by how the wine is made and stored.
56. Building wing: ELL. An extension at right angles to the length of a building
60. Challenge for an atty. wannabe: LSAT. Law School Admission Test. It is presumed to test the skills necessary for success in the first year of law school.
9. Language student's challenge: SLANG. A type of language that consists of words and phrases that are regarded as very informal, and are more common in speech than writing. All rules are off.
10. Medieval estates: MANORS. A large country house with lands; the principal house of a landed estate.
11. Thankless sort: INGRATE.
12. Preferable, gastronomically: TASTIER. Yum!
13. Major success: HIT. As a movie, stage play or popular song.
18. Half a mint?: TIC. The front half of a Tic-tac. It is far past time to banish "Half a-" clues for the next half a eternity.
21. Contrived plot: SET UP. Otherwise known as foreshadowing?
22. Alert for an actor: CUE. A thing said or done that serves as a signal to an actor or other performer to enter or to begin their speech or performance.
24. Checkout printout: RECEIPT. Paper strip with items, prices and the total.
25. Unload, say: SELL.
26. "Morning Edition" airer: NPR. National Public Radio.
28. Alternative to Margie: PEG. Nicknames for Margaret.
32. Noted period: ERA. As, frex. Jazz.
34. Important: BIG. As a business deal or sports event.
37. Square up: ALIGN.
38. Hotel shuttles: VANS.
39. Light earth tone: TAN. Ocher doesn't fit.
40. Short flight: HOP. Skips and jumps not included.
41. Hurricane mandate responder: EVACUEE. Of whom there are now many.
42. Tropical grassland: SAVANNA. A mixed woodland-grassland ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of grasses. {Wikipedia]
45. Sudden stop sound: SCREECH. As of a vehicles brakes.
46. Trailblazer: PIONEER. A person who is among the first to explore or settle a new country or area of knowledge.
47. "C'__ la vie!": EST. In French, c'est la vie means "that's life," borrowed into English as idiom to express acceptance or resignation, much like "Oh well."
49. Umpire's pregame request: LINE UP. List of starting players.
51. Olympic star Jackie __-Kersee: JOYNER. [b 1963] She won three gold, one silver, and two bronze Olympic medals in heptathlon and long jump at four different Olympic Games from 1984 to 1996. She now is an active philanthropist in children's education, racial equality and women's rights
52. Deceptive: SNEAKY.
55. Wine qualities: NOSES. A wine tasting term used to describe how wine smells in the glass. Different wine varietals produce different aromas. The nose is also affected by how the wine is made and stored.
56. Building wing: ELL. An extension at right angles to the length of a building
60. Challenge for an atty. wannabe: LSAT. Law School Admission Test. It is presumed to test the skills necessary for success in the first year of law school.
61. TiVo, for one: DVR. Digital Video Recorder.
62. Agcy. concerned with fraud: FTC. The Federal Trade Commission.
63. Gershwin brother: IRA. The Lyricist for brother George's compositions. After working with other partners, they wrote almost exclusively with each other from 1924 until George's death in 1937, composing over two dozen scores for Broadway and Hollywood.
64. R&B's __ Hill: DRU. Not a person, rather an American R&B group mostly popular during the 1990s, whose repertoire included soul, hip hop soul and gospel music. The group was founded in Baltimore in 1992 and is still active.
And so we end on a note of high musical drama. Hope you enjoyed the tour.
Cool regards!
JzB
