Theme: CHANCE ENCOUNTER
(60. Bumping into someone, say ... and what the end of each answer to a
starred clue can have?) - The last word can precede "chance".
17. *Swing from the get-go: COME OUT FIGHTING. Fighting chance.
23. *Well-made: BUILT TO LAST. Last chance.
30. *Early pudginess usually lost by one's teens: BABY FAT. Fat chance.
43. *Continue to avoid, as alcohol: STAY OFF. Off chance (Thanks, Tony Express). Never had much of a
desire for the stuff. The doctor did not hurt my feelings when he told
me to STAY OFF because it does not agree with my meds.
47. *"Don't go yet": WAIT A SECOND. Second chance.
Boomer here.
Yep, a fighting chance describes me trying to pick up a ten pin. There is never a second chance in the same frame. The opponents generally think "fat chance" that I will make it. It's their "last chance" before they shut up. I hope everyone remembered to turn their clocks back an hour yesterday to get some extra sleep.
Across:
7. URL letters after two slashes: WWW. I know it's the World
Wide Web but I also think it has something to do with pro wrestling.
Speaking of which, did you know that when I moved to Brooklyn Park,
Minnesota, the mayor was Jesse (the body) Ventura. A few years later he
became governor of the whole state of Minnesota.
10. Prefix meaning "huge": MEGA. Very large
14. Single-celled creature: AMOEBA. Very Small
15. "So I was right all along": AHA. "I learned that our
government must be strong, It's always right and never wrong. Our
leaders are the finest men and so we elect them again and again" (Tom
Paxton)
16. Pizza cooker: OVEN. I was once a pizza BAKER and the oven was 500 degrees.
20. Bonuses for the waitstaff: TIPS. Also advice at the racetrack.
21. Whitewater ride: RAFT.
22. Mookie of the Dodgers: BETTS. Maybe he goes to casinos ??
25. Make amends: ATONE.
29. Wallach or Whitney: ELI.
33. Go out, as the tide: EBB. Happens every day when the moon comes up.
35. Econ. yardstick: GDP. Gross Domestic Product.
38. Timeworn phrase: BROMIDE. Read more here.
39. In the same family: RELATED.
41. Dined: ATE. Notice that ATE and EAT have the same letters.
42. Can metal: TIN.
44. Pigs out (on), briefly: OD'S.
46. Bird homes: NESTS. I usually cheat when the golf ball lies in what looks like a bird NEST.
54. Lou Grant portrayer Ed: ASNER. Everyone remembers Lou Grant, however Mr. Asner also was the captain of the slave ship in "Roots"
55. __-Rooter: ROTO. We bought a new toilet from them and they did a very poor job installing it.
56. Worker protection org.: OSHA. Their rules and regulations seemed to be a pain to establish but I guess it was for the better.
63. Clark at the Daily Planet: KENT. I wonder what brand of cigarettes he smoked.
64. NW corner key: ESC. We have one but I have never heard it called that.
65. __ versus nurture: NATURE.
66. Valuable rocks: ORES. I think they come from Oregon.
67. 5G __: mobile standard: LTE.
68. Eats into: ERODES. I guess I ERODE a bowl of cereal every morning.
Down:
2. Mine, in Metz: A MOI.
3. Blowout victory: ROMP. The Braves took home that trophy with the flags in a circle. Congratulations!
4. Pizzazz quartet: ZEES. Some kind of Pizza that I never made.
5. Blood-typing letters: ABO. I am O Neg and the VA sneaked some
out of my inside elbow last Friday. Of course I asked the lady to use
the same hole as previous.
6. Tiny Pacific republic near the equator: NAURU.
7. Pancake cousin: WAFFLE. We have a great WAFFLE baker. I make them instead of pancakes all the time. No syrup though - only fake sugar.
8. Wood shavers: WHITTLERS. I have never done this. I guess I am not old enough.
9. What happy tails do: WAG.
10. Roadside overnight stop: MOTEL. We do not use these much
anymore. I think the last time is when C.C. and I took a golf trip
years ago and drove to Myrtle Beach.
11. Broadway role played by Madonna in film: EVITA.
12. Restroom label: GENTS. Must be upscale. All I ever see is "MEN".
13. Common teen phase: ANGST.
18. Mai __: TAI.
19. "His Dark Materials" channel: HBO. I think I have this channel but I don't remember ever watching it.
23. Are suited for: BEFIT.
24. Dalai Lama's land: TIBET. A region in East Asia occupied by holy monks.
25. Palindromic "SOS" pop group: ABBA.
26. Sharp-tasting: TART.
27. Bassoon relative: OBOE.
28. "Miracle" NL team of 1969, on scoreboards: NYM. The "Miracle Mets" managed by Gil Hodges beat the heavily favored Orioles 4 games to 1.
31. Farewell to Felipe: ADIOS.
32. Most easily chewed, as meat: TENDEREST. Tenderloins are pretty expensive.
34. Not at all spicy: BLAND.
35. Sporty Pontiacs: GTOS. Sometimes called a GOAT. Greatest Of All Time?
36. Nimble-fingered: DEFT.
37. Some emailed files: PDFS.
40. Sailor's yes: AYE.
45. Wall-mounted light: SCONCE.
47. Amusingly eccentric: WACKO. Okay, who is attacking my blog entry.
48. Son of Jacob: ASHER.
49. Silly: INANE.
50. Campers' shelters: TENTS. Years ago I had occasions to sleep in a sleeping bag in a tent. No more thank you.
51. Joan of __: ARC.
52. Not Rx: OTC. Over the Counter. I buy aspirin and vitamins. The VA sends me the expensive stuff.
53. "... said __ ever": NO ONE.
56. Aware of, as a plot: ONTO.
57. Kind of poker: STUD. Normally five cards and you do not get a draw.
58. "__ we go again!": HERE. THERE did not fit.
59. Greek war god: ARES.
61. Electric fish: EEL. I don't think these are fish.
62. Former Egypt-Syria confed.: UAR. United Arab Republic.
Boomer
