Theme:
Happy Monday, everyone! sumdaze here. Grab your rod and reel. Ace constructor Doug Peterson hid five fish in today's grid. Let's see what we can catch.
16 Across. *Glide around a rink: ICE SKATE.
24 Across. *Angel who's a three-time AL MVP: MIKE TROUT. 
30 Across. *Toll road: TURNPIKE.
44 Across. *Radioactive decay emission: GAMMA RAY.
50 Across. *Ace at a poker table: CARD SHARK.
There was some discussion on this one last month. "Cardsharp" refers to someone who cheats at cards and can also be skilled. It is spelled as one word. On the other hand, a CARD SHARK is someone who is skilled at cards (an ace, perhaps) but not a cheater. It is spelled as two words. Some people think that CARD SHARK is an eggcorn but the two terms have different etymologies.
And the unifier:
63. Swerve back and forth, as a car's rear end, or a feature of the answer to each starred clue: FISHTAIL. 
SKATE, TROUT, PIKE, RAY and SHARK are all FISH that appear at the TAIL end of the starred clues.
SKATE, TROUT, PIKE, RAY and SHARK are all FISH that appear at the TAIL end of the starred clues.
It is impressive to see five themers plus a reveal in a grid that still has room for the pairs of 7- and 9-word fills in the NE and SW corners. Well done, Doug! So fin-tastic!
Let's admire Doug's grid:
4. Quite often: A LOT. A LOT of people spell this as one word. I wonder if one day in the future "alot" will be the correct spelling. #LanguageEvolves
8. Regimen for injured athletes: REHAB. a program for rehabilitating after an injury
13. Infield bounce: HOP.
14. Burn slightly: SEAR. Does anyone else like to SEAR their ravioli?
15. Walked proudly: STRODE.
18. "If nothing changes ... ": AS IT IS. with the situation that exists now
19. Manicurist's application: POLISH.
20. Delivery vehicle: VAN.
22. Eucalyptus, for one: TREE. We have several eucalyptus TREES in the area. They smell amazing when it rains.
23. Fries topping: SALT.
26. "Now You See Me" actress Fisher: ISLA.
29. Set of beliefs: CREED.
34. Filled with cargo: LADED.
37. Boxer Muhammad: ALI.
38. Part of a place setting: UTENSIL.
41. Blunder: ERR.
42. Threatening forecast: STORM.
46. Honking flock: GEESE.
49. December number: NOEL. Good one! A NOEL (like all songs) is a musical number.
53. Idris of "The Suicide Squad": ELBA. I heard him tell an interviewer that he was the DJ for Prince Harry & Meghan's wedding. Apparently his uncle was a DJ so teenager Idris spent a lot of time helping him. Eventually he became quite good. Here's a pic for Lucina.
57. Thermometer type: ORAL. If the following line amuses you, you might want to read Erma Bombeck's full essay here.
58. Feel regret: RUE.
59. Not moving: AT REST.
61. "The World Is Not Enough" actress Richards: DENISE. her IMDb page
65. "Coming up next ... ": AND NOW.
66. Pennsylvania's Gem City: ERIE. Another one of ERIE's nicknames is the Flagship City.
67. Pharmaceutical watchdog gp.: FDA. Food and Drug Administration
68. Metal for construction beams: STEEL. Speaking of Pennsylvania city nicknames, Pittsburg is the Steel City.
69. Copier paper pack: REAM. There are 500 sheets of copy paper in a REAM. If you do not believe me, you can count them.
70. "Of course!": YES.
Down:
1. Chocolate morsels: CHIPS. pairs nicely with 2 Down. Chocolate drink: COCOA.
3. Bit of witchcraft: SPELL.
4. Poses questions: ASKS.
5. "Nancy Drew" actress Lewis: LEAH. LEAH was born December 9, 1996 in Shanghai, China. When she was eight months old a family in Florida adopted her. She played Nancy's friend George Fayne on Nancy Drew (2019-2023).
6. Cheerios grain: OAT.
7. Rome's __ Fountain: TREVI.
8. ACLU concerns: RTS. TBH, I'm still not comfortable with this abbreviation for RighTS.
9. Country north of Ethiopia: ERITREA.
10. One with a souped-up ride: HOT RODDER. Def.: a person who drives a motor vehicle that has been specially modified to give it extra power or speed.
11. French farewell: ADIEU.
12. Under siege: BESET. Def.: to surround or hem in.
33. Shakespeare's lang.: ENG.
 |
| Answer: more clues! Let's keep going. |
Across:
1. Includes on an email: CCs. Hi C.C.!
4. Quite often: A LOT. A LOT of people spell this as one word. I wonder if one day in the future "alot" will be the correct spelling. #LanguageEvolves
8. Regimen for injured athletes: REHAB. a program for rehabilitating after an injury
13. Infield bounce: HOP.
 |
| Just kidding! |
A short infield HOP is a ball that bounces in front of the fielder, making it tricky for the defensive player to field accurately and quickly.
15. Walked proudly: STRODE.
18. "If nothing changes ... ": AS IT IS. with the situation that exists now
19. Manicurist's application: POLISH.
 |
| A race for a cure for nail psoriasis??? |
20. Delivery vehicle: VAN.
Toy Story. Buzz & Woody sneak into a different delivery vehicle. (1:35 min.) YO!
22. Eucalyptus, for one: TREE. We have several eucalyptus TREES in the area. They smell amazing when it rains.
23. Fries topping: SALT.
26. "Now You See Me" actress Fisher: ISLA.
 |
| You might know Isla from the movie Wedding Crashers (2005) or the TV show Wolf Like Me (2022-present). She celebrates her 48th birthday this coming Saturday. Happy Birthday, Isla! |
29. Set of beliefs: CREED.
 |
| Do you remember this CREED? |
34. Filled with cargo: LADED.
37. Boxer Muhammad: ALI.
Flashback to the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
Can you watch this without choking up? I cannot.
38. Part of a place setting: UTENSIL.
41. Blunder: ERR.
42. Threatening forecast: STORM.
46. Honking flock: GEESE.
2:24 min. of GOOSE cuteness
49. December number: NOEL. Good one! A NOEL (like all songs) is a musical number.
53. Idris of "The Suicide Squad": ELBA. I heard him tell an interviewer that he was the DJ for Prince Harry & Meghan's wedding. Apparently his uncle was a DJ so teenager Idris spent a lot of time helping him. Eventually he became quite good. Here's a pic for Lucina.
57. Thermometer type: ORAL. If the following line amuses you, you might want to read Erma Bombeck's full essay here.
I remember the first time I gave my mother a pair of earrings wrapped in a rectal thermometer box.
58. Feel regret: RUE.
59. Not moving: AT REST.
61. "The World Is Not Enough" actress Richards: DENISE. her IMDb page
65. "Coming up next ... ": AND NOW.
66. Pennsylvania's Gem City: ERIE. Another one of ERIE's nicknames is the Flagship City.
67. Pharmaceutical watchdog gp.: FDA. Food and Drug Administration
68. Metal for construction beams: STEEL. Speaking of Pennsylvania city nicknames, Pittsburg is the Steel City.
69. Copier paper pack: REAM. There are 500 sheets of copy paper in a REAM. If you do not believe me, you can count them.
70. "Of course!": YES.
Down:
1. Chocolate morsels: CHIPS. pairs nicely with 2 Down. Chocolate drink: COCOA.
3. Bit of witchcraft: SPELL.
4. Poses questions: ASKS.
5. "Nancy Drew" actress Lewis: LEAH. LEAH was born December 9, 1996 in Shanghai, China. When she was eight months old a family in Florida adopted her. She played Nancy's friend George Fayne on Nancy Drew (2019-2023).
6. Cheerios grain: OAT.
7. Rome's __ Fountain: TREVI.
 |
| Nicola Salvi designed this masterpiece. |
8. ACLU concerns: RTS. TBH, I'm still not comfortable with this abbreviation for RighTS.
9. Country north of Ethiopia: ERITREA.
 |
| Biniam Girmay, an up and coming cyclist, was born in Asmara, ERITREA. |
10. One with a souped-up ride: HOT RODDER. Def.: a person who drives a motor vehicle that has been specially modified to give it extra power or speed.
11. French farewell: ADIEU.
12. Under siege: BESET. Def.: to surround or hem in.
This works if we use the passive voice. Merriam-Webster gives the example sentence, "He's been BESET by a lack of confidence."
15. More reasonable: SANER.
17. Protest without marchers: SIT-IN.
21. Dog breeders' org.: AKC. American Kennel Club
24. "Let's __ a Deal": MAKE.
25. "I'm all ears!": TELL ME.
27. Froths: SPUMES.
28. Held a match to: LIT.
30. Univ. aides: TAs.
31. Last: Abbr.: ULT. ULTimate???
32. Waterway that translates to "big river": RIO GRANDE.
15. More reasonable: SANER.
17. Protest without marchers: SIT-IN.
21. Dog breeders' org.: AKC. American Kennel Club
 |
| Comet, a Shih Tzu, won the AKC National Championship Best in Show award in 2023. |
24. "Let's __ a Deal": MAKE.
25. "I'm all ears!": TELL ME.
27. Froths: SPUMES.
28. Held a match to: LIT.
30. Univ. aides: TAs.
31. Last: Abbr.: ULT. ULTimate???
32. Waterway that translates to "big river": RIO GRANDE.
Cole Porter (1891-1964) wrote I'm an Old Cowhand (From the Rio Grande).
This is Asleep at the Wheel's cover (2006).
33. Shakespeare's lang.: ENG.
The language in which Shakespeare wrote is referred to as Early Modern English, a linguistic period that lasted from approximately 1500 to 1750. The language spoken during this period is often referred to as Elizabethan English or Shakespearian English. source
35. Notable time period: ERA.
36. Towel off: DRY.
39. Pocketed, as a billiard ball: SANK. You would think people would avoid using the word SANK when referring to (a) pool.
40. Brief "As I see it": IMO. In My Opinion
43. Tachometer marking: RED LINE.
45. On the ball: ALERT.
47. Molelike mammal: SHREW.
48. __ de cologne: EAU.
50. Musical conclusions: CODAS.
51. "There __ enough hours in the day!": AREN'T.
52. Send for a second opinion: REFER. like a medical opinion
54. Like kale: LEAFY.
55. Back of a 45: B-SIDE. The 7-inch 45 RPM record was introduced by RCA Victor in 1949.
35. Notable time period: ERA.
36. Towel off: DRY.
39. Pocketed, as a billiard ball: SANK. You would think people would avoid using the word SANK when referring to (a) pool.
40. Brief "As I see it": IMO. In My Opinion
43. Tachometer marking: RED LINE.
45. On the ball: ALERT.
47. Molelike mammal: SHREW.
 |
| short-eared elephant SHREW |
48. __ de cologne: EAU.
50. Musical conclusions: CODAS.
51. "There __ enough hours in the day!": AREN'T.
52. Send for a second opinion: REFER. like a medical opinion
54. Like kale: LEAFY.
55. Back of a 45: B-SIDE. The 7-inch 45 RPM record was introduced by RCA Victor in 1949.
Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers was the B-SIDE to Hung On You (1965).
56. Volume of maps: ATLAS.
59. Home to seven countries whose names end in "-stan": ASIA. The suffix -stan is Persian and Urdu for place of or where one stands.
60. Not us: THEM. so divisive
62. Fa follower: SOL.
64. Hot reaction: IRE. anger.
56. Volume of maps: ATLAS.
59. Home to seven countries whose names end in "-stan": ASIA. The suffix -stan is Persian and Urdu for place of or where one stands.
60. Not us: THEM. so divisive
62. Fa follower: SOL.
It's oh-fish-ial, that's all for today. Let minnow what you thought of today's puzzle in the Comments section. Sea you later!
