Monday May 30, 2022 Catherine Cetta

Theme: TREEHUGGERS (55. Nature lovers, and what the answers to the starred clues literally are)

20. *Mahalia Jackson's genre: GOSPEL MUSIC.

29. *Colorful top with a tropical design: ALOHA SHIRT.

45. *Trial figure who can give a firsthand account: EYE WITNESS.

Boomer here.  

Happy and safe Memorial Day to one and all!  I noticed that there are tree tree-letter basic trees hidden in this puzzle.  Sometimes it is difficult to type an H when you can only use one hand.

Across:

1. Dart around like a hummingbird: FLIT.  I have seen them, but I never heard them hum.

 

 

5. Like 9-Across that has lost its fizz: FLAT.  No problem. Have iced tea or coffee.

9. Dark drink with fizz: COLA.  Diet Pepsi is my favorite. Or coffee.  However medical orders before surgery is NO caffeine!

13. Easier to write neatly on, probably: LINED.  Or run to bases or make a first down.

15. Like tinned sardines: OILY.  No thanks.

16. Las Vegas WNBA team: ACES.

17. "Drive Happy" car rental company: ALAMO.  Hi up Santa Anna, we're killing your soldiers below.  So the rest of Texas will know...  and remember the Alamo. 

18. Harvest: REAP.  C.C. planted some green beans in the garden.  I will let you know how they taste.  Maybe in August.

19. School gps.: PTAS. Parents Tell Teachers About Something.

23. Poem of praise: ODE.

24. "Passing" actress Thompson: TESSA.

25. "Friendly" cartoon ghost: CASPER.  Named after a city in Wyoming.

27. Abbr. between names: AKA.  Also Known As Boomer

32. Contributor with deep pockets: FAT CAT.

35. Esteem: VALUE.

36. Layers on tall wedding cakes: TIERS.  It may take a while to cut pieces.

37. Orchestra __: PIT.

38. Greek storyteller who coined "sour grapes": AESOP.  Sounds like a fable to me.

42. German steel city: ESSEN.  I was in Hardheim.  Not close to Essen.

 

 

44. Current influence on the weather?: EL NINO.

49. "__ Is a Woman": Ariana Grande song: GOD.

50. Hair gel alternative: MOUSSE.  I just use a can of spray, when I have hair. 

51. Joyous song: PAEAN.

54. Wrinkly pup: PUG.

60. Actor Guinness: ALEC.  Obi-Wan Kenobi!

62. Cathedral section: NAVE.  I've been going to church for years and I never heard the center called a NAVE!

63. Passion: ARDOR.

64. Fork prong: TINE.  Use all four to eat.

65. Mouse mover: USER.

66. Rational believer: DEIST.

67. Stiletto, for one: HEEL.  Walk carefully.  Do not fall!

68. "A __ formality": MERE.  So small.

69. One-named singer from County Donegal: ENYA.

Down:

1. Mark as important: FLAG.  Oh say can you see?

2. "__ & Stitch": LILO.

3. Too worked up to relax: IN A STATE.  I am in Minnesota.  I'm sure most of you are in a state too.

4. City between Phoenix and Mesa: TEMPE.  Arizona gets almost as much snow as Minnesota.  But only in high elevation.

5. Like most proms: FORMAL.  I never had to rent a tux.  I just wore my white glee club outfit. I'm on the most right.

 

 6. In __ of: LIEU.

7. Word of sorrow: ALAS. A LAS Vegas word of sorrow.

8. "You're so predictable": TYPICAL.  You knew I might write my #7 comment.

9. Mushroom top: CAP.  Mine has a TC logo.

Boomer & Hall-of-Famer Tony Oliva, 11/21/2011

10. Sea creatures with eight arms: OCTOPI.

11. Front-runner: LEADER.  That's when I fell for ... The LEADER of the pack. Shangra-Las

12. Stand up for (oneself): ASSERT.

14. Female deer: DOES.  Re, a drop of golden sun.

21. Aspiring atty.'s exam: LSAT.  Never took that one, whew.

22. Unlike most proms: CASUAL.  Okay for sock hops.  Are they still called that, or am I showing old age?

26. High shine: SHEEN.  A bishop with a TV show years ago.

27. To the rear, at sea: AFT.

28. "Cobra __": Netflix series based on "The Karate Kid": KAI.

30. Just like ewe: OVINE.  Baa, Baa.

31. Beret, e.g.: HAT.  In the Army it was always required to have something besides hair on you head.

33. Rowing teams: CREWS.  I used to row a fishing boat all by myself.

34. Pass that leads to a successful basket: ASSIST. I am not much of an NBA fan

37. Signing-ceremony memento: PEN.  I collect Twins player autographs, but I never collected the pen. See more here.

39. Entered a username, say: SIGNED IN. 

40. Singer Yoko: ONO.  OH NO, it's ONO

41. Okra unit: POD.  Two peas in it.

43. Breastbone: STERNUM.

44. Biblical twin: ESAU.  Isaac's kid.  Jacob's brother.

45. One who feels another's pain: EMPATH.  My EMPATHY goes out to those families who lost children in Uvalde, Texas.

46. "That's not true!": YOU LIE.  Your nose will grow.

47. Oregon city on the Willamette: EUGENE.  My uncle Gus' first name.

48. Orb: SPHERE.

52. "My stars!": EGAD.

53. Match, as subjects and verbs: AGREE. 

56. Alleviate: EASE.

57. "Don't you __ stop!?": EVER.  NOPE

58. Pinkish: ROSY.  Like Ms. O'Donnell.

59. Spanish miss: Abbr.: SRTA.

61. Cartoon frame: CEL. Almost a phone.

Boomer