Monday August 15, 2022 Carly Schuna

Theme: "Awesome!" - First word in each theme entry is a slang for "awesome".

20. Awesome event in military history?: BOSS BATTLE.

33. Awesome side at a barbecue?: SWEET CORN.

41. Awesome double Dutch accessory?: TIGHTROPE.

52. Awesome tennis racket?: FLYSWATTER. Read here.

Boomer here. 

Good Morning all. I completed my visit with oncology doctor a week ago and my blood draw work was good except the PSA. We'll wait for two more months to see if the new chemo is working on my cancer cells. Thanks to all for your good wishes and care regarding my PSA. The oncologist told us he has seen some as high as 10,000.

Across: 

1. __ the fat: CHEW. That's what we do on this website.

5. Fill, as a teddy bear: STUFF.  Or "fill, like my stomach."

10. Bonneville Salt Flats state: UTAH.  A Four Corners state.

14. Toy block brand with Creator 3-in-1 sets: LEGO. Happy Birthday to these great toy blocks,  just turned 90 years old. Very popular at Mall of America. 

15. Pitch-fixing pro: TUNER.

16. Indian flatbread: ROTI.

17. Hankering: URGE.  Generally I have an URGE for breakfast before checking this site.

18. Submit taxes online: E FILE.  We do this with Turbotax.

19. Severely overcook: BURN.  The first four letters of my last name.

22. Desertlike: ARID.  We have had a pretty HOT summer in this land of 10,000 lakes this year.

23. Signs off on: OKS.  Not yet - OKAY ?

24. Tree in a tray: BONSAI.

26. Penne and pappardelle: PASTAS.  I just like really thin spaghetti.

30. Minor mistake: SLIP. We all make a few while solving.

32. Scrub energetically: SCOUR.

38. Comic __: casual typeface: SANS. 

39. Warty jumpers: TOADS.  We used to catch them when we were kids.

40. "That is a fact": TRUE.  TRUE or FALSE test ?

43. Judy Blume's "Tales of a Fourth __ Nothing": GRADE.  Easy high GRADE

44. Softball scores: RUNS.  I was the slow pitch pitcher on the Graybar team.

45. Telephoned: CALLED.

46. Hypothetical scenario: WHAT IF.

50. Hotmail alternative: AOL.  America On Line.

51. A pop: EACH. A bottle of Pepsi did not fit.

59. Digging: INTO.

60. Spaghetti Western director Sergio: LEONE.  Yeah, but why is it called "spaghetti"?

61. Roof overhang: EAVE.  Keeps rain from dripping.

62. Splits: GOES. "A nasty bowling leave" had too many letters.

63. Superexcited: EAGER.  I am EAGER to see Orthopedics at the end of this month to see if I get my left arm back.

64. Marvel Comics mutants: X MEN.

65. __-and-seek: HIDE.  Great game for kids!

66. Trades blows: SPARS.

67. Structure with stakes: TENT.  I spent quite a few nights in one.

Down:

1. Sandwich type: CLUB.  Thirteen cards within a deck.

2. Sandwich type: HERO.  We also have a plumber in Minnesota that uses that name.

3. Spaghetti carbonara ingredients: EGGS.  I like scrambled.

4. Misfortunes: WOES.

5. Swordfish servings: STEAKS. I prefer tenderloins.

6. Clumps of fur: TUFTS.

7. Scoville __: chili pepper heat measurement: UNIT.

8. Succumbed to gravity: FELL.  That's why I am now waiting for my shoulder to heal.

9. Giveaways for sampling, e.g.: FREEBIES.  When the senior PGA played the 3M tourney in Minn. We received many free 3M products, just for showing up.

10. "Blue Ain't Your Color" country singer Keith: URBAN.

11. Travels with the band: TOURS.  Our favorite was a tour of Myrtle Beach.

12. Open courtyards: ATRIA.

13. Asian language related to Urdu: HINDI.

21. Wild pig: BOAR.  I'll bet those pork chops are tougher.

25. Choose (to): OPT.

26. Hissed "Hey!": PSST.  Do you want to know a secret?

27. Smoothie bowl berry: ACAI.

28. Spotify selection: SONG.  I can do Simon and Garfunkel.

29. Booty: TUSH.  Sit in it!

30. Scoreless Scrabble turns: SWAPS.  I SWAPPED many baseball cards in my lifetime.

31. News story opening, in journalism jargon: LEDE.

33. Shortly: SOON.  Almost done.

34. __-Alt-Del: CTRL.  It takes long fingers to hit this.

35. Spoken, not written: ORAL.

36. Disrespectful: RUDE.  Not me - Not nice.

37. "__ a lift?": NEED.

39. Artisan chocolate treats: TRUFFLES.  Delicious.

42. Uni- + bi-: TRI.

43. Huge bash: GALA.  Our Minnesota State Fair is a huge bash.  I cannot make it this year.

45. Quakes in fear: COWERS.

46. Put on a scale: WEIGH.  My weight is down about thirty lbs.  Unbelievable!

47. Vietnam's capital: HANOI.

48. Played a role: ACTED.  I played Noah (spelled Noye ?)

49. "The ones I'm pointing at": THOSE.

50. Ed of "Up": ASNER.  Liked him in the Mary Tyler Moore show.

53. Jeté, e.g.: LEAP.

54. Lotus pose discipline: YOGA.  Not Mr. Berra.

55. Smartphone message: TEXT.  I have never done this.  I guess I am not a smart person.

56. Subdue, as wild hair: TAME.

57. Neck and neck: EVEN.  "And down the stretch they come "

58. Tenant's monthly payment: RENT.  We own but have a questionable neighbor who RENTS.

Boomer