google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner

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Jun 17, 2024

Monday, June 17, 2024 ~ Renee Thomason and Zhouqin Burnikel

Day-O!


The Banana Boat Song

A downs theme grid. C.C. taught me about the pinwheel grid and gridded a down theme for me (I'm not sure it was published).
She's the best.

I wondered why I was pushed to Monday for this grid and, upon reading the byline,.. Sumdaze does it again!

We'll start with the unifier:
37. Head honcho, and a hint to the first word of 3-, 8-, 21-, or 24-Down: TOP BANANA.

The TOP word of each themer starts a BANANA phrase.

3. Features of dress slacks: BELT LOOPS. Banana BELT. Temperate swaths on the planet.

8. Disney pair who live in a big oak tree: CHIP AND DALE. Not the strip joint but wholesome cartoon characters. Banana CHIPs are delicious, sweet, potassium.

21. Fight to the finish: SLUG IT OUT. Banana SLUG - mascot of UC Santa Cruz.

24. Blink of an eye: SPLIT SECOND. Banana SPLIT. An over the top dessert to share w/ your honeybunch.
 

Across:
1. Credit's opposite: DEBIT.  Always use credit; debit cards have little protection against fraud. #PSA

6. Like many an irate text: IN CAPS.

12. Marjoram kin: OREGANO.  You'll notice when it's missing in a sauce.

15. Bright flowers native to Mexico: DAHLIAS.
(Army) Bro has these in his yard

17. Came from behind: RALLIED.

18. Do some video game design, say: ANIMATE.

19. On the topic of: AS TO.

20. Quick meeting?: SESH. Session. Kids these days.

22. Freak out: PANIC.

23. In need of a map: LOST.

25. "Copacabana" showgirl: LOLA.

Barry Manilow

27. Southernmost Canadian prov.: ONT. YYZ (Toronto, ONT) is home of RUSH.

28. Couple: DUO.

30. Lima's country: PERU.

32. Geico's business: Abbr.: INS.

34. Gp. that boosts military morale: USO. Paternal Gramps met Grams at a USO dance. She was 6'1" and he was 5'6". They'd giggle telling the story about where his head was when they danced.

35. "Auld __ Syne": LANG.

36. Newspaper bigwig: EDITOR.

40. Coca-Cola alternative: PEPSI.

42. Act immorally: SIN.

44. Aircraft banned in Washington, D.C.: DRONE. Good thing I live in TX. I got my FAA drone license earlier this year. And then, on my first test flight, crashed the damn thing into the side of the garage :-).

45. Like a knockoff purse: ERSATZ. Fun word I learnt at The Corner.

47. "Bye-bye!": TATA.

49. Gp. that boosts school morale: PTA.

50. Agcy. that X-rays bags: TSA.

51. October birthstone: OPAL.

52. Jazz genre: BOP.

53. Detectives like Veronica Mars, for short: PIS. Private Investigators.

56. Light brown shade: ECRU.

58. Land formation on "The Road Runner Show": MESA.

60. Bit of monkey business: ANTIC.

62. "__ girl!": ATTA.

64. Column to the left of a decimal point: ONES.

67. Outerwear that may have anchors on its buttons: PEACOAT.

69. Country band named for its home state: ALABAMA.

71. Group artistically, as flowers: ARRANGE.

72. Backs off: RELENTS.

73. Took care of: TENDED.

74. Rubbish: TRASH.

Down:

1. Bilingual cartoon explorer: DORA.

2. Chapters of history: ERAS.

3. [See: theme]

4. Yeti alternative in the cooler aisle: IGLOO.

5. Mai __: rum drink: TAI.

6. Western state with a panhandle: IDAHO.

7. Grandma, to some: NAN.

8. [See: theme]

9. __ mater: ALMA.

10. Chopin's instrument: PIANO.

11. Glossy fabric: SATIN.

13. AriZona rival: NESTEA.

14. Respectful poem: ODE.

16. Religious splinter group: SECT.

21. [See: theme]

24. [See: theme]

26. Falsehood: LIE.

28. Hoodwink: DUPE.

29. App downloader: USER.

31. Hosp. caretakers: RNS.

33. Knight's title: SIR.

37. [See: Theme]

38. "I'm __ your tricks!": ON TO.

39. Harvest: REAP.

41. Took a chair: SAT.

43. Short sleep: NAP.

46. Efron of "The Greatest Showman": ZAC.

48. Husk-steamed Mexican dish: TAMALE.

53. Bear with a too-big chair: PAPA.

54. Not active: INERT.

55. Look steadily (at): STARE.

57. Gave stars to, say: RATED.

59. Quite serious: SOBER.

61. Volunteer's words: I CAN.

63. Driveway goo: TAR.

65. Life-saving pros: EMTS.

66. Merit badge holder: SASH.

68. Grow older: AGE.

70. PC space bar neighbor: ALT.

The Grid:
The Grid

WOs:  N/A
ESP: DAHLIAS
Fav:LOLA alternative...

The Kinks

That's it from me in IL.
Cheers, -T