Theme: This puzzle is for the birds! You'll soon see why.
17 A. 1994 Best New Artist Grammy winner's winged pet?: SHERYL'S CROW. Sheryl Suzanne Crow [b. 1962] is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actress. Her music incorporates elements of pop, rock, country, jazz and blues. She has released ten studio albums, four compilations and two live albums, as well as contributed to several film soundtracks. She took home not just the GRAMMY Award for Best New Artist, but also Record Of The Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for “All I Wanna Do.”
A crow is a bird of the genus Corvus, a widely distributed genus of medium-sized to large birds in the family Corvidae. The genus includes species commonly known as crows, ravens and rooks.
28 A. "La La Land" actor's winged pet?: RYAN'S GOSLING. Ryan Thomas Gosling is a Canadian actor. He began his career as a child star on the Disney Channel's The Mickey Mouse Club, and went on to appear in other family entertainment programs, including Are You Afraid of the Dark? and Goosebumps. I'm not an expert in such things, but I think he is generally considered to be a hunk.
A GOSLING is a young goose that has not yet developed flight feathers. Don't we all start out that way?
44. "Shake It Off" singer's winged pet?: TAYLOR'S SWIFT. Taylor Alison Swift [b 1989] is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her narrative songwriting, which is often inspired by her personal life, has received widespread media coverage and critical praise.\
The swifts are a family, Apodidae, of highly aerial birds. They are superficially similar to swallows, but are not closely related to any passerine species. Swifts are placed in the order Apodiformes with hummingbirds.
58 A. "Network" Oscar winner's winged pet?: PETER'S FINCH. Frederick George Peter Ingle Finch [1916 – 1977] was an English-born Australian actor. He is best remembered for his role as crazed television anchorman Howard Beale in the 1976 film Network, which earned him a posthumous Academy Award for Best Actor, his fifth Best Actor award from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, and a Best Actor award from the Golden Globes.
The true finches are small to medium-sized passerine birds in the family Fringillidae. Finches have stout conical bills adapted for eating seeds and nuts and often have colourful plumage. They occupy a great range of habitats where they are usually resident and do not migrate.
Hi Gang, JazzBumpa here to guide this bird watching excursion. I hope it's not more than we can swallow. So stay eagle-eyed.
Across:
1. Gauchos' gear: BOLAS. A bolas is a type of throwing weapon made of weights on the ends of interconnected cords, used to capture animals by entangling their legs.6. Postpone: DEFER. delay for an unspecified time.
11. Shakespearean possessive: THY. If yours is thine, then what is mine?
14. Pass a test with flying colors: ACE IT. I have my first stress test early next month. How should I study for it?
15. __ Lodge: ECONO. A cheap [supposedly] motel.
16. Tint: HUE. Color
19. Noteworthy time: ERA. As, free. jazz, Elizabethan.
20. Drives up the wall: IRKS. Angers, annoys.
21. Word with filter or field: OIL. The original fossil fuel.
22. Google __: EARTH. A mapping app.
24. Retirement fund: NEST EGG. What you have saved for later.
26. Causing the heebie-jeebies: EERIE. Strange or frightening.
32. "1984" antagonist: O'BRIEN. An agent of the thought police who tricks the protagonist, Winston Smith, into believing that he opposes the totalitarian state. It does not end well.
35. Got the pot: WON. In some game or gambling event.
36. Also: TOO. In addition.
37. Backing-up warnings: BEEPS. Required of large vehicles as a safety measure.
38. Auntie, to mom: SIS. Family ties.
39. Sheepish?: OVINE. Literal.
41. "__ say!": I'LL. Indication of strong agreement.
42. Quagmire: BOG. Marsh, fen, swamp.
43. Sees, and then some: RAISES. Increases the bet in a poler hand.
48. Arctic abode: IGLOO. A type of shelter built of snow. They were traditionally used only by the people of Canada's Central Arctic and Greenland's Thule area.
49. Biblical shout of praise: HOSANNA. Evidently derived from an Aramaic root meaning save, rescue or savior, possibly indicating a special kind of respect.
56. Defensive ditch: MOAT. A deep, wide ditch surrounding a castle, fort, or town, typically filled with water and intended as a defense against attack.
57. "I need a __": HUG. Comfort and warmth
62. Kerfuffle: ADO. A state of agitation or fuss, especially about something unimportant.
63. "Superman" actor: REEVE. Christopher D'Olier Reeve [1952 - 2004] was an American actor, director, and activist, best known for playing the titular main character in the film Superman and its three sequels.
65. Bronze component: TIN. Mostly copper, with about 12% tin.
66. Gives the green light: OKAYS. Allows to proceed.
67. Sees: DATES. Goes out with.
Down:
1. Tidal low area: BASIN. An area that is only navigable at high seas.
2. Yellowish shade: OCHRE. A light brownish yellow produced by clay containing ferric oxide and sand.
3. Onion relatives: LEEKS. Hardy biennial plants of the amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae), grown as vegetables. The plant is related to the onion and has a mild, sweet, onionlike flavour.
4. Landing site: AIRSTRIP. An airport runway.
5. Farm structure: STY. Home for pigs.
6. Pattern: DESIGN. A regular repeating form.
7. Bk. after Proverbs: ECCL. Ecclesiastes written c. 450–200 BCE, is one of the Ketuvim of the Hebrew Bible and one of the "Wisdom" books of the Christian Old Testament.
8. In favor of: FOR. I had "pro." Oh, well.
9. Music producer Brian: ENO. Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno RDI [Royal Designer for Industry] is a British musician, composer, record producer and visual artist best known for his pioneering work in ambient music and contributions to rock, pop and electronica.
10. Coxswain's charges: ROWERS. In a race setting, the coxswain is tasked with motivating the crew as well as steering as straight a course as possible to minimize the distance to the finish line.
11. Pointer's proclamation: THERE IT IS.
12. Damage: HURT.
13. "Uh-huh": YEAH.
18. Easternmost major U.S. airport: LOGAN. In Boston.
23. Plague: AIL.
25. Seers?: EYES.
26. Big heads?: EGOS.
27. Dog's age, so to speak: EON. I am not familiar with this usage.
29. Gulps: SWIGS. Drinking increments.
30. Squat: NONE. Zip, nada
31. Leaves: GOES. Exits.
32. Last bio: OBIT. A notice of a death, especially in a newspaper, typically including a brief biography of the deceased person.
33. Horror film first name: BELA. Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó [1882 - 1956] known professionally as Bela Lugosi, was a Hungarian-American actor best remembered for portraying Count Dracula in the 1931 film, Ygor in Son of Frankenstein and his roles in many other horror films from 1931 through 1956.
34. Putting one's faith in: RELYING ON.
38. Middling: SOSO. Not so hot
39. Big galoots: OAFS. A stupid, uncultured, or clumsy person.
40. Nutrient abundant in liver: VITAMIN A.
42. Dude: BRO. Homie.
43. Rolling-in-the-aisles causes: RIOTS. A laugh riot, not a violent disturbance of the peace by a crowd.
45. Tee size: Abbr.: LGE. Large.
46. Seasoned expert: OLD PRO.
47. Waldo forerunner?: WHERE'S. The word placed in front of Waldo's name in children's picture books. This is a strained use of the word "forerunner."
50. Large chamber ensemble: NONET. Nine musicians
51. Mother-of-pearl: NACRE. An organic–inorganic composite material produced by some molluscs as an inner shell layer; it is also the material of which pearls are composed. It is strong, resilient, and iridescent.
52. Oldest Musketeer: ATHOS. I did not know this.
53. "__ now?": WHAT. Inquiry into ensuing events.
54. Volkswagen subsidiary: AUDI. A German automotive manufacturer of luxury vehicles headquartered in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Germany. As a subsidiary of its parent company, the Volkswagen Group, Audi produces vehicles in nine production facilities worldwide.
55. Bunch of beauties: BEVY. A large group of people or things of a particular kind.
59. Comics shriek: EEK. As, free., on the occasion of a rodent sighting.
60. Green or black beverage: TEA.
61. Sustained: FED. Supplied nourishment for.
