Theme: LINCOLN CENTER (58. Home of the Metropolitan Opera ...
and a hint to the "honest" guy hiding in 20-, 32- and 45-Across) - ABE
is in the very center of each theme entry.
20. Gets trounced: TAKES A BEATING.
32. Cubs' caretakers: MAMA BEARS.
45. Veggies from Peru: LIMA BEANS.
Boomer here.
Happy Birthday, ABE! (February 12). When I think of Lincoln Center, of course I think of a five dollar bill. Usually I complain about Minnesota winter weather, but this week I send sympathy out to any of our blog members who live in the 24 state area stretching from Texas to Maine.
I cannot imagine travel on highways that are strewn with cars in ditches and semi trucks jackknifed backing traffic for hours. And don't take a plane. About 3000 flights were canceled. Minnesota managed to escape the snow, but International Falls on the Canadian border woke up to 42 degrees Below zero last Thursday. Brrr.
Across:
1. Has a balance due: OWES. I OWE, I OWE, so off to work I go.
5. Fish with valuable roe: SHAD. These are edible, but nothing beats Minnesota walleye.
9. Jeweler's weight unit: CARAT. Not a California rat.
14. Extra-long dress: MAXI.
15. ''Those __ the days!'': WERE. My friend, we thought they'd never end, We'd sing and dance, forever and a day.
16. Sister company of Enterprise Rent-A-Car: ALAMO. Car rentals are very spendy in Las Vegas. Our reunion was cancelled this year.
17. Wide smile: GRIN. And bare it.
18. Arab League dignitary: EMIR.
19. "The Thinker" sculptor: RODIN.
23. Crime scene clue exposed by dusting: PRINT. Wear gloves.
24. Candied veggie: YAM. Sweet potato.
25. Apple operating system: IOS.
26. "I get it now!": AHA
27. Palindromic man's name: OTTO. Otto Graham was a quarterback for the Cleveland Browns many years ago.
30. Royal flush card: TEN. Goes well with a Jack, Queen. King. and Ace.
35. Foamy hot drink: LATTE. Is this any good?? Or is it just a fancy word for coffee so Starbucks can charge more ?
39. "College GameDay" channel: ESPN. Lots of sports.
40. Vinyl collectible: ALBUM. I use these for my best baseball cards.
42. Pork or beef: MEAT. Crash Davis called Tim Robbins MEAT in "Field of Dreams".
43. Tree houses: NESTS. Okay, but we would build real tree houses when I was a kid.
47. Approx. landing hr.: ETA. Airlines across the country needed an approx. taking off hour.
49. Ripped apart: TORE.
50. Cloud's place: SKY.
51. Govt. Rx watchdog: FDA. The Feds have an administration for nearly everything.
54. Fútbol cheer: OLE. Sven's buddy.
56. Caribbean cruise stops: ISLES.
62. Like much beer at a bar: ON TAP. "I say first, medicinal wine from a teaspoon, then beer from a bottle" Trouble in River City - the Music Man.
63. "Et voilà!": TA DA.
64. Slack-jawed look: GAPE.
67. Salary increase: RAISE. Social Security isn't really salary, but we all got a RAISE this year.
68. Managed, with "out": EKED. And we all EKE out with the SS check.
69. Brainstorm: IDEA.
70. Like a javelin's path: ARCED.
71. Russo of "Tin Cup": RENE. "Gimme another ball" Costner.
72. Russian autocrat: TSAR.
Down:
2. Card-vs.-card game: WAR. We played a lot when we were kids.
3. Highway turnoffs: EXIT RAMPS. Many were blocked last week.
4. Red Sea peninsula: SINAI.
5. Sugary Southern beverage: SWEET TEA. I prefer coffee.
6. Blouse edges: HEMS.
7. Operatic solo: ARIA. Did this in NOYE's FLUDDE.
8. Churchill Downs race: DERBY. Coming in May. I have never gone to one in person.
9. Milky Way ingredient: CARAMEL. And lots of sugar.
10. Tons: A LOT. Number of fans at the Super Bowl
11. Diameter halves: RADII.
12. Essential acid, familiarly: AMINO. A source of protein
13. Salad bar pair: TONGS.
21. Etch A Sketch control: KNOB. I had an Etch -A-Sketch many years ago. Too hard to make it work.
22. Have a bite: EAT.
23. Temporary stage: PHASE.
26. "I feel the same way!": AMEN. Church on the weekends.
28. Starbucks size after Short: TALL. But is it any better than what we brew at home??
29. Planet's path: ORBIT. I don't think Pluto is a planet any more. but I don't think it completed one orbit since I was born.
31. Birth certificate entry: NAME. I do not know where mine is.
33. Initial poker stake: ANTE.
34. Osaka wrestler: SUMO.
36. Promos to pique interest: TEASER ADS. These are all over cable TV. I really hate Liberty Mutual and Medicare ads.
37. Homes for pet fish: TANKS. My car's home for gas.
38. Site with homemade gifts: ETSY. Never been there or used it.
41. Pre-grilling sauce: MARINADE.
44. Bent down: STOOPED. I used to be able to do this 20 years ago.
46. Second to none: BEST. We spend a few bucks at BEST Buy each year.
48. Every one: ALL.
51. Plant life: FLORA. Nothing around our home this time of year.
52. Bahrain currency: DINAR.
53. Playful prank: ANTIC.
55. Large keyboard key: ENTER. Not as big as the space bar though.
57. On the level: LEGIT. Really!!
59. Social worker's assignment: CASE. You should put the CASE files in a a CASE just in CASE.
60. Birthday candle holder: CAKE. Happy Birthday President Lincoln !
61. Genesis garden: EDEN.
65. Split __ soup: PEA.
66. Organ with a canal: EAR. What ??
Boomer
