18A. Double : CARBON COPY. Remember the mimeograph machines in grade school?
21A. Double : IDENTICAL TWIN. Remember the twins from this gum commercial? (C'mon, you can sing it aloud!)
40A. Double : DOPPELGANGER. Who's the guy on the left??
62A. Double : SPITTING IMAGE. This is an excellent explanation of the origin of the phrase, with a bonus mention of the next one:
67A. Double : DEAD RINGER. If you clicked on "dead ringer" in the previous link, you will know why I am posting this picture:
You "got" the theme, right? So, we have a 16 x 15 grid today, but I bet few of you even noticed that. The reason is the even-numbered central entry DOPPELGANGER. It's always odd-numbered at a 15*15. The stacked theme entries at 18-21 Across and 62-67 Across is quite impressive, I might add!! Plus some nifty phrases on the downs, just to keep it interesting: SLOW LEARNER, I DIDN'T FIT IN.
Marti here, to have fun with the rest...
Across:
1. Uncivilized : SAVAGE. Ah, but try music! "Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast..."
7. Short "and so on" : ETC. etcetera, etcetera! 2:54 (Translation, please?!?)
10. Marine layer phenomena, at times : MISTS.
15. King Arthur's resting place : AVALON.
16. Itinerary word : VIA. I often travel to Vienna VIA Zurich. On Lufthansa/Austrian Airlines. Best service in the business!
17. Give out : ALLOT.
20. Hotelier Helmsley : LEONA.
23. "Rights of Man" author : PAINE.
26. Tijuana tots : NENES.
27. Played the first card : LED.
28. What putting one's pen down in Final Jeopardy! usually means : I'M DONE. I bet Rich watches "Jeopardy!" every night...
30. White-collar worker? : PRIEST. Really fun clue!
33. Key econ. indicator : CPI. I wanted GDP, then checked perps. Nope...must be Consumer Price Index. This site will explain everything for you.
34. Worked undercover : SPIED.
39. Sister of Calliope : ERATO.
44. Jams : BINDS. (Because "Smuckers products" wouldn't fit...)
46. Planet earth : GLOBE.
47. Rest of the afternoon : NAP. Fun clue!
50. Promoting a new album, possibly : ON TOUR.
52. Former Sandanista leader : ORTEGA.
55. One lacking grace : OAF.
56. Food writer James : BEARD. Nailed it.
61. Bobbled grounder, e.g. : ERROR. Bobbled it.
66. Pledge from the faithful : TITHE.
71. ___ Sports Bureau, baseball's official statistician : ELIAS. No clue - n-e-e-d-e-d...e-v-e-r-y...p-e-r-p!!
72. Like mil. volunteers : ENL.isted.
73. Suffer : ENDURE.
74. Manhattan has many high ones : RENTS. Head scratching clue - how do "skyscrapers" fit into five letters???
75. Toper's trouble : DTS. A "toper" is a lush/sot/drunkard, etc. Delirium tremens. (Latin for "shaking frenzy.") If you go to the Huyghe Brewery in Belgium, you can have one of their signature "Delirium Tremens" beers.
76. Assent : SAY YES. "...to the dress!" (Inside joke.)
Down:
1. Animal pouch : SAC.
2. Charlton's "Earthquake" co-star : AVA. I went to the set at Universal Studios, and was one of the audience who was selected to appear in the escalator scene. They had a "green screen" behind us, so we couldn't see what was happening. But the audience was watching the actual dubbed version. With fake foam "rocks" raining down on me, I had to pretend that I was terrified as the building collapsed around me.
3. Alt. spelling : VAR.iation.
4. Sans melanin : ALBINO.
5. Mets pitcher who was 1984 N.L. Rookie of the Year : GOODEN. T-o-o-k...e-v-e-r-y...s-i-n-g-l-e...p-e-r-p!!
6. -ess kin : ENNE. As in adultrESS and comediENNE, signifying female roles. Not PC any more.
7. Electronic ballot : E-VOTE. I thought I had heard all the E-words!
8. Short basket : TIP IN. Not a big fan of basketball since Larry Bird retired.
9. Psychic Edgar : CAYCE. Nailed it. I actually have read "The Sleeping Prophet."
10. Retail haven : MALL.
11. "Would ___ you down?" : I LET.
12. One in need of a tutor : SLOW LEARNER. Like me, when it comes to baseball!
13. Most stylish : TONIEST.
14. Get ready, in military lingo : STAND TO. I wanted "stand by," but that would be TV lingo, right?
19. "AC360ยบ" channel : CNN. WAG.
22. Indiana Jones terrorizer : ASP. He hates snakes! 1:22
23. Flick : PIC.
24. Band aid? : AMP. Fun clue. Rock band.
25. "That wasn't the group for me" : I DIDN'T FIT IN. Hard to suss.
29. Forward-looking claim : ESP. Extra Sensory Perception.
31. Fill-up choice: Abbr. : REG.ular.
32. Anger : IRE.
35. "___ o' My Heart": 1913 song : PEG. So many versions to choose from...2:21
36. Bugged by a bug : ILL.
37. Mediator's challenge : EGO.
38. Delicately apply : DAB.
41. "Star Trek: DSN" changeling : ODO. Bullying scene...1:38
42. Sch. in Oregon's most populous city : PSU. Portland State University. Not to be confused with Pennsylvania State University, which seems to have gone out of favor as a clue since the scandal. Or, the lesser known Plymouth State University in Massachusetts.
43. Prefix with natal : NEO.
44. Rah-rah fan : BOOSTER.
45. Like dirty laundry : IN A PILE. Yes, I have A PILE of it downstairs!
48. Previously : AGO.
49. 3, 4 or 5, usually : PAR. Rich is an avid golfer. Husker G., you in?
51. Box score stat : RBI. Runs Batted In. Does Hank Aaron still hold the record?
53. Saskatchewan's capital : REGINA.
54. Now : TRENDY. Took a while to get past "at once."
57. Drew to a close : ENDED.
58. Go-between : AGENT. His challenge might be an EGO.
59. Tehran bread : RIALS. Remember two weeks ago? Orani, Irani and Yemenis?
60. Driller's letters : DMD. Doctor of Dental Medicine. So why is is not DDM?
63. Yonder item : THAT. I paused for a while, thinking I should enter "THAr."
64. Hardy lass : TESS. "Tess of the D'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented" is the complete title.
65. Mars, to Greeks : ARES. Greek and Roman gods of war. Mars is the son of Zeus and Hera.
68. Dude : GUY.
69. Before, before : ERE.
70. Second notes : REs. Do, re mi fa sol la ti do! 5:33
And with that note, I shall leave you until next time!
Hugs,
Marti
