Creature Comforts
Hi All!Our normal relief pitcher, RustyBrain, is getting some well earned R&R so I'm stepping in [read: you're stuck with me] for Hahtoolah today.
Today's gimmick: Phrases that critters may call housing.
17. Fraternal organization venue: ELKS LODGE.
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| The Possum LODGE |
24. Desk accessory that might coordinate with a wrist rest: MOUSE PAD.
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| Jerry Mouse's Pad |
34. Place to adopt a new pet, or what is found in 17-, 24-, 49-, and 59-Across?: ANIMAL SHELTER.
49. Emphasizes passionately: RAMS HOME.
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| Ramming it Home? |
59. "Land ho!" caller's spot: CROWS NEST.
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| Keepin' the crows out of the Crow's Nest (so there's not a murder up there). |
Across:
1. ABC show for early risers, briefly: GMA. American Broadcasting Company airs Good Morning America at 7am.
4. Cut, as logs: SAWED. Cut is past-tense here.
9. Button on a job listing website: APPLY. Oy! These are the bane of hirning managers (that actually read all submitted resumes) 'cuz folks / bots submit resumes w/o even reading the requirements.
14. Grammy winners __ Tigres del Norte: LOS. No clue. Their WikiP. I would link a video but I don't know enough Spanish to figure out if #Politics.
15. Muscat resident: OMANI.
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16. Celtic priest of old: DRUID.
Stonehenge had Druids
[Spinal Tap (ft. Sir Elton) -- The End Continues]
17. [See: Theme]
19. Musical instrument similar to the xylophone, familiarly: VIBES. I'm assuming vibraphone.
20. On the line: AT STAKE.
21. Gloomy: GRIM.
23. Device at a parking spot: METER.
Sir Paul going on about Lovely Rita
24. [See: Theme]
28. Oscar hopeful: NOMINEE.
31. Turn into: BECOME.
32. Functions: USES.
33. Knowledgeable about: UP ON.
34. [See: Theme]
40. Latch (onto): GLOM.
41. Mystical glow: AURA.
42. Kenya's continent: AFRICA.
Toto's Africa
45. Knotty: GNARLED. I love this word - it's onomatopoetically visual.
49. [See: Theme]
51. Salami choice: GENOA. A very yummy Italian salami.
53. Shoe bottom: SOLE.
54. Ugly garment at many a holiday party: SWEATER. There's a whole store dedicated to this.
56. Pinkberry dessert, familiarly: FRO-YO.
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| [site cite] |
59. [See: Theme]
61. Starts of some renovation projects, informally: DEMOS. Demolition: out w/ the old. Renovation: in w/ the new.
62. __ Major: constellation with Sirius, the Dog Star: CANIS.
63. Many ICU pros: RNS. Intensive Care Units are staffed by Registered Nurses.
64. Rascal: ROGUE.
65. Actress Harmon: ANGIE.
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| Angie's WikiP |
66. Pigpen: STY. Not Charlie Brown's friend.
Down:
1. Twinkle: GLEAM. Think eyes.
2. Liquefied by heat, as lava or metal: MOLTEN.
3. Invites out for: ASKS TO.
4. Room with a lot of natural light: SOLARIUM. I kept trying to stretch out atRIUM.
5. Frenzied: AMOK.
6. Get ready to start fly-fishing, say: WADE.
7. U.K. part: ENG.
8. Soccer great Maradona: DIEGO. I didn't know of Maradona until last week when I heard The Engineer [25m] on This American Life.
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| WikiP |
9. Counsel: ADVISE.
10. Quality piece of meat: PRIME CUT. I had PRIME rib.
11. Irish tavern: PUB.
12. Falsehood: LIE.
13. NFL gains: YDS. Yards gained in football.
18. Originate (from): STEM.
22. Create friction: RUB.
24. Email, e.g.: MESSAGE.
25. Title for Robert Prevost since May 8, 2025: POPE. Leo is Frank's successor.
26. Common topic for a bachata crooner: AMOR. Bachata is music from the Dominican Republic. I sussed AMOR from "crooner" :-)
27. Lair: DEN.
29. Govt. intel org.: NSA. National Security Agency - "The only part of government that actually listens." :-)
30. Skinny swimmer: EEL.
34. Automaker __ Romeo: ALFA.
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| My '86 Spider Veloce |
35. Par for the course: NORM.
36. Words of longing: I MISS YOU.
37. Roman Empire raider: HUN.
38. Stretch of history: ERA.
39. Philanthropist's quality: LARGESSE.
40. Skinny swimmer: GAR. Another 3-letter thin aquatic animal.
43. Cast a ballot, say: CHOOSE.
44. Pioneering ISP: AOL. America On Line was an early Internet Service Provider.
46. Like a small, efficient team: LEAN.
John Candy in Stripes
47. Goes through an open door: ENTERS.
48. "That __ seem right": DOESN'T.
50. Site where the Quran was first revealed to Muhammad: MECCA.
52. Overly intellectual, maybe: ARTSY.
54. Spotify selection: SONG.
55. 1940s conflict, for short: WWII. World War II
56. U.S. pres. for most of 55-Down: FDR. Franklin Delano Roosevelt
57. __ Speedwagon: REO. The band [Keep on Rollin'] named themselves after the car that Neal Doughty (keyboardist) saw written on the blackboard in his History of Transportation class at U of IL.
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| A soup'd up REO Speed Wagon |
58. Texter's "No way!": OMG. Oh, My Gracious!
60. Published: RAN. The reporter RAN with the story: "The senator, while insisting he was not intoxicated, could not explain his nudity." [WKRP Intro @0:24]
The Grid:
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| The Grid |
WOs: heWED -> SAWED, PRIME rib => inON => UP ON, GNARLEy [sic]
ESPs: LOS (as clued), DIEGO, ANGIE
Fav: GNARLED is just too fun to ignore.
Cheers, -T
