Polar Bear Club
Today we get another "downs theme." [See: last Monday]. This one from Amie Walker who, IIRC, we last saw set a puzzle for Star Wars Day (May the 4th). Today she lures us to the Polar Bear Plunge by calling it "therapy."Let's see what I mean:
1. Temporary housing-cost regulation: RENT FREEZE.
4. "What's with the dad jokes all of a sudden?": YOU USED TO BE COOL. I've got Dad Jokes, but I'm still cool, right?
7. Streamlined date?: NETFLIX AND CHILL. Snuggle up and watch a movie at home. Streamlined is a twist on streaming over the internet a program / film.
28. Post-workout water therapy option, or a description of the ends of 1-, 4-, and 7-Down: COLD PLUNGE. And there we have it... All the themers go down and end with a synonym for cold.
Across:
1. Not family-friendly, maybe: RACY. I was going with UN-PC first, but that depends on the family ;-)
5. Kylo of "Star Wars": REN.
8. __ pit: slam dancing spot: MOSH. The area in front of the stage where concert goers dance energetically and somewhat violently. You can also body-surf the crowd. Here's folks at a Nirvana concert running on stage and diving off into the audience.
Floyd The Barber (live)
12. Musical pace: TEMPO.
13. Gift at "no gifts" events: PRESENCE. "Just showing up is your gift to me." -Pop on Father's Day (we did get him a $$ grill too).
They agreed "No gifts"
[WKRP @6:55 (I've been binging it (again) while DW's in Japan)]
15. Alaska's capital: JUNEAU.
16. Group that might divide and conquer?: MATH TEAM. I went to state twice (in IL & LA) with the Math Team. #Nerd!
17. Tunneling insects: ANTS.
18. __ and downs: UPS.
20. Indulgent meal: FEAST.
21. Pt. of HDTV: DEF. Hi DEFinition Television.
22. Tire inflation abbr.: PSI. Pounds / Square Inch.
23. Balkan native: SLAV.
24. __ on the side of caution: ERR.
25. Martial arts teacher: SENSEI.
27. MBA course: ECON. ECONomics is part of a Masters of Business Administration degree.
31. "My word!": EGAD.
33. Wicked spell: HEX.
34. Caramel-filled candy: ROLO.
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| Originally made by Mackintosh's in the UK in 1937. Now produced by Nestle globally and Hershey's in the US. |
35. Cookie with a Space Dunk variety: OREO. A new clue for an old x-word friend.
37. Princess Tiana costume topper: TIARA.
39. Whole bunch: SLEW.
40. Greek liqueur: OUZO. The Greek version of Sambuca. Both are anise [read: licorice] flavored booze. Goes great in evening coffee.
41. Not new: OLD.
42. Requirement: NEED.
44. Chicken __: trifling amount: FEED. Gramps had this tiny wooden box he made with "Three Piece Chicken Dinner" printed on the top. You open it and there are three kernels of corn inside! #GrampsJoke
45. Mixes thoroughly: BLENDS.
47. Kiss in a crowded room, for short: PDA. Public Display of Affection. eg me smooching DW full-on at a restaurant.
50. Totally wows: AWES.
52. Pretend: ACT.
53. "haha": LOL.
54. No-frills: BASIC.
56. "Ew, whyyy": UGH.
57. Taurus symbol: BULL.
58. Works too hard too fast, maybe: BURNS OUT. I attended a talk at a Cybersecurity conference on Burnout. The guy was the Musical Director for Hamilton. He'd suffered a heart attack and came up w/ a triangle of work/life balance-y stuff. No mention of "Have a beer. It'll all be just fine." :-)
60. "I wish!": IF ONLY.
62. Reason to branch out during yoga class?: TREE POSE. An Ektorp (X-word slang coin'd by Emma Oxford for "a clue whose answer you can get from context without actually knowing it." Splynter proved the rule by entering IKEA at the clue: "Maker of EKTORP sofas").
63. Pines (for): LONGS. Yearns was too long. Cue Python.
Pining for the Fjords [@1:38 of The Dead Parrot Sketch]
64. Crunchy picnic dish: SLAW.
65. Birth announcement abbr.: LBS. How many Pounds the baby weighed. I have no idea why this is important -- perhaps to spot the next heavy-weight champ?
66. Vein rich with ore deposits: LODE.
Down:
1. [See: theme]
2. Iowa college town: AMES.
3. Tax prep pro: CPA. Certified Public Accountant.
4. [See: theme]
5. Record speeds, for short: RPMS. Rotations Per Minute (per is used here in the abbr. but not in PSI... wonder why).
6. Stretch of history: ERA.
7. [See: theme]
8. Set of interactive virtual spaces: METAVERSE. Oy! Don't get me started.
9. Small bills: ONES.
10. "Shoo!": SCAT.
11. Dress edge: HEM.
12. Old TV knob: TUNER.
14. __ butter: skin care ingredient: SHEA.
15. Green gem: JADE.
19. Brooch: PIN.
22. Ad with an educational message: PSA. Public Service Announcement.
23. Clairvoyant: SEER.
26. Concealer specification: SHADE. A makeup c/a.
28. [See: theme]
29. Fotbol cheer: OLE.
30. This second: NOW.
32. "All better!": GOOD AS NEW.
35. "Yikes": OOF.
36. Be sorry about: RUE.
38. Hardships: ILLS.
43. Approximate fig.: EST. ESTimate.
46. Bother relentlessly: NAG.
48. Tea party attendees, often: DOLLS. Not Daddy?!?... the number of times I sat in that tiny chair wearing a TIARA wishing there was beer in my cup...
49. Friend: ALLY.
51. Trace of smoke: WISP.
54. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" singer Ives: BURL. I oft hum this song throughout the year - much to the chagrin of my family.
55. Field of study: AREA.
56. Great Basin people: UTES. Cue Vinny.
My Cousin Vinny clip
57. Open up to, with "with": BOND.
58. "Dynamite" K-pop group: BTS. BTS is an abbreviation for K- (Korean) Bangtan Sonyeondan which translates to Bulletproof Boy Scouts [WikiP]. DW has really gotten into K-Dramas; it's mostly light-fluff.
59. PC port letters: USB. Universal Serial Bus.
61. __ Fighters: "Learn to Fly" rock band: FOO. The front-man for Foo Fighters, known as the nicest guy in Rock & Roll -- Dave Grohl, was the drummer for Nirvana [see: 8d].
There are 3 songs that I know of titled Learning to Fly: Pink Floyd's ('87), Tom Petty's ('91), and the Foo Fighters' ('99). Google says Sheppard ('21) and Christina Aguilera ('23) also have a song titled Learning to Fly. Since the clue is about Foo Fighters (and the Video is funny (Jack Black ++the band members play the main roles)), I'll leave you with 'em b/f the grid.
And the Grid:
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| Da' Grid |
WOs: REy -> REN, Serb -> SLAV
ESPs: N/A - Clean (of obscure names) Grid.
Fav: I'll go w/ MATH TEAM //yeah, I'm a #Geek.
Cheers!
-T
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| Dave Grohl's bar bill - 'cuz he just had to. |
