Wednesday, Dec 18th, 2024 ~ Daniel Hrynick

 SKYFALL

I prefer THIS opening & theme song, however, but

a gratuitous Daniel Craig for C.C.

A clever puzzle from a constructor I've had the pleasure to blog before, Juneteenth this year.  The same "word" moving - that is, falling - through the grid, yet always in the same position relative to the edge of the puzzle.  Not an easy task to accomplish without using the "word" as itself and stay within the vernacular, too.  The grid has mirror symmetry, four unique fills (*) a handful of names ( but ones we see constantly in crosswords ) the same # of TLW & 4LWs (22), and a Moe ( per Splynter ) rating of 4 out of 5⭐.   The theme fill falls thusly;

20. "Take time to consider ... ": *                                                                                ASK YOURSELF

 

40. 1983 Tom Cruise teen comedy: *                                                                        RISKY BUSINESS

47. Hangout for a long-distance couple: *                                                                SKYPE DATE

60. Chicken Little's warning, and an apt title for this puzzle?:                           THE SKY IS FALLING

And Away We Go~!

ACROSS:

1. Lawyer Goodman in the "Breaking Bad" franchise: SAUL - With the spin-off series "Better Call Saul" - I have watched neither series, and reduced my TV bill from $105/mo. to $20/mo. by "dropping" Disney and ESPN - I just don't watch much TV

5. Brazen: BRASH - a bit 'meh' with both words starting with 'B-R-A-'

10. Deliberate loss: DIVE - TANK did not fit with my DOWNS

14. Workforce addition: HIRE - usually with "new"

15. New __, India: DELHI

16. Gulf States title: EMIR

17. Actor Idris: ELBA - name #1, but we see it all the time

18. City in Provence: ARLES

Bottom left on the map

19. Energizer options: AAAs - I just got a 12-pack from Amazon

23. "Tiny Bubbles" singer: DON HO - we had this recently; name #2

25. Scepter companion: ORB - The Crown Jewels of the UK - more here

"I am your king"/"well I didn't vote for you."

26. Under-the-sink piece: P-TRAP

29. "Looking for" shorthand: ISO - In Search Of . . . . also a TV series hosted by Leonard Nimoy and "Skinner" from the X-files, with its own spin-off  (if you will ) called "Ancient Aliens"

30. Bandleader of the Electric Mayhem on "The Muppet Show": DR. TEETH - name #3

"Animal" on the drums

33. Fitting: APT

34. Sunday __: dread of returning to work on Monday: SCARIES - I had the Sunday Scaries for school when I was a youngster - hearing the theme of the PBS show "All Creatures Great & Small" starting up for the closing credits meant bedtime, and I knew I hadn't done my book report . . . .

The theme song

36. Fossil-preserving spots: TAR PITS

38. Fast-__ restaurant: CASUAL - never heard of this; filled via perps

39. Shaped: MOLDED - I had FORMED first

44. NNW opposite: SSE

45. Tempe sch.: ASU - Arizona State University

46. Automated spammer: 'BOT

52. "Pokémon" protagonist Ketchum: ASH - no clue; the "S" was my last fill; name #4

55. "Mangia!": "EAT~!"

56. Newcastle Brown __: ALE

57. Shearing day sound: BAA

64. Code with dits and dahs: MORSE

65. "The Batman" actress Kravitz: ZOE - Daughter of Lenny Kravitz & Lisa Bonet; name #5

66. Barista canvas: LATTE - canvas as in the "art" in the cream/froth atop an espresso

67. Imminently: SOON

68. Stop: END

69. Pollinators that can see in the ultraviolet spectrum: BEES


DOWN:

1. Feminine pronoun: SHE -or "HER"~?  I do the DOWNS first, but I WAGed correctly

SHE's got legs

2. Feel rotten: AIL

3. Green spot in a concrete jungle: URBAN OASIS * - I see this is an HGTV show, too

4. Obedience school item: LEASH - I'm going to need me some dog food & supplies soon

5. Dec. 25, for Justin Trudeau: BDAY - Dah~!  I was going to fill in "B-DAY", but I thought I was the only one who abbreviated it this way....

6. Digs into new digs, say: REROOTS - not MOVES IN

7. Magnetic power: ALLURE - my buddy Adam owns a restaurant of this name, sorta

A Lure, Southold, NY - the "SKY" is very blue

8. Frozen dessert: SHERBET - I read this as DESERT, and TUNDRA did not fit . . . .

9. Radiator sound: HISS - my house has baseboards, but they still "radiate" - much preferred over the forced-air system in my parents house

10. Gave a hand: DEALT - not AIDED  -- a "hand" as in a poker game.  Very clever

11. "Sorry, but it's true": "I'M AFRAID SO." - two of the last three clues fooled me~?  I'm afraid so. . . .

12. Passing through: VIA

13. Hosp. triage units: ERs

21. Alaskan bear: KODIAK

22. Filmmaker Nora: EPHRON - I am sure you've seen at least ONE of her movies - her IMDb; name #6

23. __ jockey: DISC

24. Academy honors: OSCARS - I had the wrong academy in mind - see below, 37D.

27. Subj.-specific exam for the college-bound: AP TEST - Advanced Placement - I took the classes, but only one of the tests

28. Condition that may be treated with exposure therapy, for short: PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - George Carlin's take on the "words" - ** WARNING** may be considered "political" 

31. Count (on): RELY

32. Roman of "The Ms. Pat Show": TAMI - no idea; filled via perps; her IMDb; name #7

35. Sly tactics: RUSES

37. Academy cadet: PLEBE

41. Christen: BAPTIZE

42. Play for a pawn: USE

43. Decongestant brand: SUDAFED

48. Palmer of "Nope": KEKE - also no clue, her Wiki; name #8

49. "Woo-hoo!": "YAY~!"

50. __ mode: À LA

51. Bluffer's giveaway: TELL - more poker

52. Cash dispensers: ATMs

53. Wave away: "SHOO~!"

54. Foot-long sandwich: HERO - I just had one for the first time in a looong time for lunch Friday

57. Orthodontist's instruction: BITE - yeah. but meh.

58. Poker game starter: ANTE - and yet more poker

59. Range listed on board games: AGES - ah; did not make sense until it filled in 

Parker Brothers RISK is appropriate for AGES 10 to Adult

61. Tax form ID: SSN - Social Security Number

62. Daughter's brother: SON - did you have to "think" about this~?  I did - too funny.  How about this~?  My aunt married the brother of her mother's second husband - try and figure that one out . . . .

63. Bunsen burner setting: LAB - ah. Not "LOW"

Splynter

One Week 'til Christmas~!