Tuesday, March 31, 2020 Kevin Christian and Bruce Haight

What are Little Girls Made of?   Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice.

16-Across. Sweetened, as something harsh to hear: SUGAR-COATED.

24-Across. Variety, idiomatically, with "the": SPICE OF LIFE.

38-Across. Loaded bakery item: EVERYTHING BAGEL.  Yummers!  My favorite kind of Bagel; especially good with cream cheese and lox.

47-Across. "Don't make any sudden moves": NICE AND EASY.

And the Unifier:

59-Across. What the starts of 16-, 24-, 38- and 47-Across make?: LITTLE GIRLS.

And, just so the boys don't feel left out:

Across:

1. Fords and Chevys: AUTOS.  Because Cars was too short.

6. Trick: FOOL.

10. Electric guitarist's need: AMP.  A crossword staple.

13. "When __ we three meet again": "Macbeth" opening line: SHALL.

14. Baseball card transaction: TRADE.

15. "You think I did it?!": MOI?  Here's workout video to do at home, since we can't go to the gym.  My trainer prepared several nice videos for me to do at home until the fitness center opens again.  Her video is a bit more strenous than Miss Piggy's.

18. Had a bite: ATE.

19. Culturally pretentious: ARTY.

20. Coffee container: URN.  John Keats wrote an Ode on a Grecian one.

21. __ nerve: OPTIC.

23. Daisy __: Li'l Abner's wife: MAE.

27. Amazes: AWES.

29. "A," in pilot shorthand: ALFA.

30. Bulova competitor: TIMEX.  Both are watches.  I think of Bulova is being a bit more upscale than the Timex watch, however ...

32. Give a hoot: CARE.

34. Credit in a footnote: CITE.

41. Surrender, as land: CEDE.

42. "Star __: The Rise of Skywalker": WARS.  I stopped watching the Star Wars films decades ago.

43. Molecule parts: ATOMS.  Chemistry 101.

44. Recipe instruction: STIR.

46. Aid in crime: ABET.  A crossword staple.

52. "No more sharing," briefly: TMI.  Textspeak for Too Much Information.

55. Island in "Jaws": AMITY.

56. Bethesda research org.: NIH.  As in the National Institutes of Health, where you can get the latest information on Covid-19.

57. Mythical man-goat: FAUN.  Roman mythology.  A Satyr is it's Greek counterpart.

58. Cacophony: DIN.

63. Ltd., across the pond: INC.  Clever!  Going East to West, instead of the usual West to East across the pond.

64. Sooner State natives: OKIES.  An Okie is a resident of Oklahoma, but is also a somewhat derogatory term used to describe migrant workers during the Great Depression during the 1930s.  Here's the reason why Oklahoma is nicknamed the Sooner State.

65. Jump for joy: EXULT.

66. In the past: AGO.

67. Rump: REAR.

68. Brainy bunch: MENSA.

Down:

1. Black tea from India: ASSAM.  Assam is a state in northeastern India and is known for its tea plantations.

2. "Star Trek" lieutenant: UHURA.

3. Worked closely with a partner on a task: TAG TEAMED.

4. Skin care brand: OLAY.  A crossword staple.

5. Camera initials: SLR.  As in Single Lens Reflex camera.  We see this a lot in the puzzles, but what does it really mean?  I'll let the the Britannica explain.

6. Old Paris coin: FRANC.  I lived in France before the Euro.  We went to Switzerland and had to exchange our French Francs for Swiss Francs.  Before returning to France, we went into a Swiss chocolate shop and plopped the remainder of our Swiss Francs on the counter and asked to purchase as much chocolate as our money could buy.

7. Horse morsel: OAT.

8. Shelley's "__ to the West Wind": ODE.

9. Batted first: LED OFF.

10. Stradivari's tutor: AMATI.  Antonio Stradivari (1644 ~ Dec. 18, 1737) was an Italian stringed instrument maker.  He is best known for his violins.  He is believed to have crafted over 950 violins, of which approximately half that number are known to have survived through the centuries.  Nicolò Amati (Dec. 3, 1596 ~ Apr. 12, 1684) came from a family of violin makers.  He is known for adopting the form of the violin to give it a greater power of tone.  He is said to have taught Stradivari, however, this may or may not have been correct.  Stradivari is said to have begun an appreticeship at age 12 under the guidance of the aged Amati.  A Brief History of Amati and Stradivari.

11. Central idea: MOTIF.  I was so sure that Theme was the correct answer.

12. Cake serving: PIECE.  I wanted a Slice of cake.

14. Singer Amos: TORI.  Tori Amos (née Myra Ellen Amos; b. Aug. 22, 1963) won a full scholarship to the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University at age 5.  She was expelled 6 years later, at age 11, for musical insubordination.

17. Pair in a pint: CUPS.

22. Appease: PLACATE.

24. Hot: SEXY.

25. Makes on the job: EARNS.

26. Cassini of fashion: OLEG.  Oleg Cassini (né Oleg Aleksandrovich Cassini Loiewski; Apr. 11, 1913 ~ Mar. 17, 2006) was an American fashion designer with an interesting ancestry.  He was born in Paris, France to an Italian Countess and a Russian diplomat.  He ultimately made his way to the United States and became a naturalized citizen.  He designed costumes for Hollywood, but is probably best known for his White House connection.  In 1961, he became Jackie Kennedy's exclusive couturier.

28. "No more for us": WE'RE SET.

30. Noir sleuth: TEC.

31. "__ been wrong before": I'VE.

32. Zin cousin: CHARD.  Think of the Red and White wines of Zinfandel and Chardonnay.

33. Broadcast: AIR.

35. "Time for me to split": I GOTTA RUN.

36. President pro __: TEM.  Pro tem. is short for Pro Tempore.  Article One, Section Three, Paragraph 5 of the United States Consitution reads:  "The Senate shall chuse (sic) their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the Absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the Office of President of the United States."  The President pro tempore is the second highest ranking officer in the Senate.  The current President pro tem is Senator Chuck Grassley from Iowa.  End of civic lesson.

37. Hallelujah trio?: ELs.  As in the letter "L".  I wasn't fooled by this clue.

39. Bed size: TWIN.

40. Life-changing household arrival: BABY.

45. Pop star Swift: TAYLOR.  Taylor Allison Swift (b. Dec. 13, 1989) is only 30 years old, but she seems to have been around forever.

46. Tennis great Arthur: ASHE.  Our good friend Arthur Robert Ashe (July 10, 1943 ~ Feb. 6, 1993) makes another guest appearance in the crossword puzzle.

47. First name in 1970s gymnastics: NADIA.  As in Nadia Comăneci (b. Nov. 12, 1961).  In 1976, at just the age of 14, she was the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect 10 at Olympic Games.

48. Cyberchatting: IMING.  As in Instant Messaging.

49. __ de Mayo: CINCO.  A brief history of Cinco de Mayo.

50. Oversized keyboard key: ENTER.

51. Feels poorly: AILS.

53. Thinks (over): MULLS.

54. Photo-sharing website, familiarly: INSTA.

57. Prix __ menu: FIXE.  Today's French lesson.  The phrase means Fixed Price.

60. '50s presidential nickname: IKE.

61. Aunt in Acapulco: TIA.  Today's Spanish lesson.

62. Great fielding play, say: GEM.

Here's the Grid:

QOD:  It’s not enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well.  ~  René Descartes (Mar. 31, 1596 ~ Feb. 11, 1650), French philosopher

Stay safe everyone and please mind the stay-at-home orders.  This is serious, folks. My sister is a nurse in a hot-spot area.  She said she has never been more scared in all her 30 + years of nursing.  She is tapped to work on the frontline.  After working all day, she has to go home and make masks for her staff!  She said that the hospital is having to use trucks to haul out the bodies.  Please mind the orders and stay the requisite distance from others.  We need you all to come back to continue this crossword community.  Maria from The Sound of Music reminds us to Stay at Home.

Monday March 30, 2020 Annemarie Brethauer

Theme: HOME STRETCH (59. Last leg of a race ... or a hint to the circled letters) - H, O, M, E are stretched out in each theme answer.

 

17. Studio feature that produces reverb: ECHO CHAMBER.

25. Very popular movie star, e.g.: HOT NUMBER.

37. 2017 Day-Lewis film with multiple Oscar nominations: PHANTOM THREAD.

50. Talk Like a Pirate Day greeting: AHOY, MATEY.

Boomer here.  

We are still dealing with the Covid-19 and our Governor has ordered us to stay HOME.  I expect the same advice or command for most of you also. Also the Major Leagues have been delayed unfortunately so we will not hear Joe Nuxhall "Rounding third and heading for HOME."  I do not have a Gene Autry CD or tape singing "HOME, HOME on the Range"  So all I can do is hope that you are all Safe at Home.  It's a baseball thing.

Across:

1. Run __ of the law: get in trouble: AFOUL.  Return to home plate after hitting A FOUL.

6. Seized SUV, say: REPO.  Hopefully the stimulus will help folks pay their bills so they do not suffer a REPO.

10. Pumpkin dessert: PIE.  Thanksgiving.  Don't forget a little Cool Whip on top.

13. Style: MANNER.  Mind your MANNERs while eating that pie.

15. Wind instrument in Donovan's "Jennifer Juniper": OBOE.  Donovan was a bit of a weird duck, but I liked some of his songs.

16. "__ ideas?": ANY.  to deal with coronavirus ?  Stay HOME.

19. GPS choice: RTE.  Get your kicks, on RTE66.

20. AFL partner: CIO.

21. Pool-filling aid: HOSE.  Remember when Kevin Costner grabbed a HOSE and created a rainout in  "Bull Durham".  They did not have coronavirus to cancel their game.

22. Spa sigh: AAH.

23. Fifty percent: HALF.

30. Advanced in age: ELDERLY.  They say they are most vulnerable to the virus.

33. Museum of Natural __: HISTORY.  "Jeopardy" has HISTORY categories frequently.  Who was the first U.S. President to give the State of the Union address on Television ?

34. Goat's cry: MAA.  I thought it was BAA, but I never owned a goat.

35. Pasta sauce brand: RAGU.  Lots of this in our fridge and cupboard.

36. Poe's "Annabel __": LEE.  Who remembers Pinky LEE ?

41. True master: PRO. I am also missing the PGA on TV.  They show reruns, but it's just not the same.

42. Days, to Diego: DIAS.

43. Famous Downing Street address: TEN.  If your not yet sick of me mentioning the virus, Boris Johnson, PM of the UK at 10 Downing Street got a positive shortly after Prince Charles received the same.

44. Bone-muscle connectors: TENDONS.

46. Like moody Romantic heroes, as first described in the works of a British lord: BYRONIC. Lord Byron.

52. Centers of activity: LOCI.  Keep six feet apart and no more than 10.

53. Before, to poets: ERE. "And I heard him exclaim ERE he rode out of site"

54. Untidy condition: MESS.  Clean it up!!

57. __ Van Winkle: RIP.  Sew it up!!

58. Sassy West: MAE.

63. SUV's "U," briefly: UTE.

64. "Easy to Be Hard" musical: HAIR.  "I'm HAIRY noon and nighty Night Night, HAIR is a fright".  The Cowsills.

65. Way out of jail: PAROLE.  Or just draw a "get out of jail free" in Monopoly.

66. Ed.'s backlog: MSS.

67. "Don't move, Rover!": STAY.  Do people still name their dogs "Rover"?

68. More sensible: SANER.

Down:

1. "Cocoon" co-star Don: AMECHE.

2. Spa skin-care treatment: FACIAL.  Need not go to a SPA.  Just watch TV commercials.

3. Waiting for a phone rep, maybe: ON HOLD.  Our stimulus payments are ON HOLD for about three weeks I am told.

4. Tres menos dos: UNO. Three minus two.

5. Solidarity's Walesa: LECH.  Created a "Solidarity" movement in Poland, now he is removed from politics - retired in Poland, age 76.

6. Juliet's love: ROMEO.  "Romeo, Romeo wherefore art thou ROMEO"

7. Tidal reflux: EBB.  Caused by the moon.

8. "Nevermore" poet: POE.  "Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,"  (That's all I remember).  Freshman English was hard.

9. Poet's contraction: O'ER. "O'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave."

10. Geometry curve: PARABOLA.  Freshman Geometry was just as hard.

11. Losing money, colorfully: IN THE RED.  Many portfolios IN THE RED right now, but they are coming back.  Don't listen to me, I am not a financial advisor but I do watch CNBC. 

12. Organ with a pupil: EYE.

14. Letter after pi: RHO.  That's Greek to me.

18. Pallid: ASHY.  I quit smoking many years ago, so my home and car are not ASHY.

22. Check no.: AMT.

24. National Preparedness Month org.: FEMA.  Counting on them for help.

26. "Is __ legal?": THAT.

27. First of two nearly identical words to a tucked-in tot: NIGHTY.  See 64A,  I'm Hairy noon and NIGHTY night, night.

28. Loan shark: USURER.

29. Whiskey grain: RYE.  No Whiskey left hear, but I do have part of a Rye loaf.  Left over after Reuben sandwich season.

31. Hit-or-miss: RANDOM.

32. Rita Moreno, e.g.: LATINA.

35. Apt. ad count: RMS.  Must be tough on people living in apartments.

37. Warms in advance: PRE-HEATS.  We got a new stove, and the view shows the oven temp while it is warming up.  When it gets to the requested temp, it beeps like crazy - about 6 times.

38. Award recipients: HONOREES.

39. Hops kiln: OAST.

40. Organic compound: ENOL.

41. School support org.: PTA.  Jeannie C. Riley - "The day my mama socked it to the Harper Valley PTA"

45. Color, as hair: DYE.

46. Tournament passes: BYES.  The entire Major League Baseball is getting a BYE right now.

47. McAfee rival: NORTON.  Ralph Kramden's buddy who worked in the sewer.

48. Frozen spike: ICICLE.  We get many off our gutters over the winter.  They are all gone now.

49. Coded writing: CIPHER.

51. Nail-filing board: EMERY.  Never used one.  I have clippers.

55. Car care brand: STP.  Saint Paul.

56. Mex. ladies: SRAS.

58. "The word" in silence: MUM.  The GEICO's Gecko has a MUM who makes small biscuits.  It's a secret recipe.

59. FDA overseer: HHS.  Or the High School of every city that starts with "H".

60. Breakfast grain: OAT.  General Mills Cheerios are very tasty.  I'm stuck on Wheat Chex for now.  Hy Vee had a big sale.

61. Hamm of soccer: MIA.

62. Important period: ERA.  Important Stat for a pitcher if they ever get going.

Boomer

Sunday March 29, 2020 Gary Larson

Theme: "Inner Cities" - Seven capital cities are hidden in the theme entries.
 
22A. *Alternative to a pizza oven: BAKING STONE. Jamaica.

38A. *Office group leader: TEAM MANAGER. Jordan.

60A. *Online gaming attraction: VIDEO SLOTS. Norway.

77A. *Mathematical abstraction with evenly spaced integers: NUMBER LINE. Germany.

100A. *Only occupant of Vostok I: YURI GAGARIN. Latvia.

15D. *Lead singer of a group whose first two Top 40 hits reached #1: FRANKIE VALLI. Ukraine And 89. 15-Down singing style: FALSETTO.

62D. *Breakfast order usually made with ham, onion and green pepper: DENVER OMELET. Italy.

118. Startup funds ... and a hint to what's hidden in the answers to the starred clues: SEED CAPITAL.

What a great title and reveal entry. Solid rationale for a hidden theme gimmick.

The clue and answer reminds me of my START UP CAPITAL for the LAT two years ago.

Across:

1. Plot again: RE-MAP.

6. Brand created by a periodontist in the 1950s: ORAL B. Love their tongue brush.

11. Zap: TASE.

15. Kite user's verb: FLY.

18. Yawning: AGAPE.

19. Iris aperture: PUPIL.

20. Being broadcast: ON TV.

21. Toledo's lake: ERIE.

24. Word derived from the underworld god Orcus: OGRE. I only know Hades. This Orcus guy has a big mouth.

25. Quarterback's option: PASS.

26. "Romanian Rhapsodies" composer: ENESCO (Georges)

27. Birds that tell time?: CUCKOOS. Nice clue.

29. Tolkien race: ENTS.

30. What Brits cross to get here: THE POND. Best wishes for Jill, Steve!

34. Forsaken: LORN.

35. Orange __: PEKOE.

36. Like some airports: Abbr.: INTL.

42. Those with clout: INS.

43. Reef dweller: POLYP.

45. Line of clothing: INSEAM.

46. Harsh: SEVERE.

48. Blow away: AWE.

49. Latin being: ESSE.

51. Part of a court game name: ALAI. Jai alai.

53. Elimination: REMOVAL.

56. General on a menu: TSO. General Tso's chicken.

57. Rat: SNITCH.

59. Antique shop transaction: RESALE.

65. Designer Cassini: OLEG.

67. Street in Mason's office: DELLA.

68. Sews up: ICES.

69. Dynamic start?: AERO. Aerodynamic.

70. Norse patron: OLAV.

72. Encouraging words: OLES.

73. Rotund man in a bright suit: SANTA. Sure miss our Santa.

 

75. Metalworking union: WELD.

79. Farriers' tools: ANVILS.

81. Like some mistakes: STUPID.

83. Ode title starter: TO A.

84. Shooting marble: STEELIE.

86. Passion: ZEAL.

87. Daring exploit: GEST.

89. Luthor, to Superman: FOE.

92. Not for kids: R-RATED. Restricted.

94. Sign up: ENLIST.

96. Wrangles: SPARS.

98. Former General Motors division: GEO.

102. Varieties: ILKS.

103. Teaspoon equivalents, roughly: LUMPS.

105. Goddess with cow's horns: ISIS.

106. Track wagers: EXACTAS.

109. Conception: IDEA.

110. Not full: UNSATED.

113. Judging groups: PANELS.

116. Ring at the chapel: TOLL.

117. YA fiction reader: TEEN. YA= Young Adult.

122. Manitoba tribe: CREE.

123. Fails to be: ISN'T.

124. Beach, in Baja: PLAYA.

125. Futuristic toon dog: ASTRO. "The Jetsons" dog.

126. Monopoly token: HAT.

127. D-Day craft: LSTS.

128. Gunpowder ingredient: NITER.

129. Feed, as a fire: STOKE.


Down:

1. "Streamers" playwright: RABE (David). Unknown to me.

2. Pulitzer-winning novelist Jennifer: EGAN.

3. "The Egg and I" woman: MA KETTLE. Read more here.

4. In an imitative way: APISHLY.

5. Parts of a pound: PENCE.

6. Special __: OPS.

7. Same old same old: RUT.

8. GI's address: APO. VA hospital here in Minnesota is so overwhelmed with the coronavirus that they canceled Boomer's blood tests for the next two months. They're just going to send him oral chemo pills without seeing the blood work.

9. "The Mod Squad" role: LINC.

10. __ cheese: BLEU.

11. Began to deal with: TOOK ON.

12. Fluffy felines: ANGORAS.

13. Like gales vis-à-vis breezes: STRONGER.

14. Gift-wrapping times, perhaps: EVES.

16. Champ dethroned by Clay in 1964: LISTON (Sonny)

17. Approvals: YESSES.

21. Duel tool: EPEE.

23. Political initials since 1884: GOP.

28. V8 relative: CLAMATO.

31. Elevator name: OTIS.

32. Hawaiian goose: NENE.

33. Court figs.: DAs

35. Program for future docs: PRE-MED.

36. Draft pick: IPA.

37. When repeated, a cautioning word: NOW. Now, now.

39. Wherewithal: MEANS.

40. Timbuktu's land: MALI.

41. Incessantly: EVER.

44. Cancún cash: PESO.

47. Reddish rash: ROSEOLA.

50. McGwire rival: SOSA. Boomer once pulled an autographed of Sosa from an Upper Deck set. Luckily he sold on eBay before Sosa's stock crashed.

52. Apple storage place: ICLOUD.

54. __ wrench: ALLEN.

55. Limited-term usage contract: LEASE.

56. More irritable: TESTIER.

57. Eric of "Pulp Fiction": STOLTZ. I watched the movie ages ago. Never understood it.

58. Position of control: HELM.

60. Travel docs: VISAS.

61. Defeatist's words: I CAN'T.

63. "Ben-Hur" author Wallace: LEW.

64. Valuable rocks: ORES.

66. Idle talk: GAB.

71. "Cone of shame" docs: VETS. Here's why it's called "Cone of shame".

74. Quiets: ALLAYS.

76. 90 degrees: DUE EAST.

77. Wafer brand: NILLA.

78. Goes bad: ROTS.

80. In __: as found: SITU.

82. Twinge: PANG.

85. Strange quality: EERINESS.

87. Unofficial EU leaders group: G SIX.

88. Peak seen from Messina: ETNA.

90. TV planet: ORK.

91. Start to save?: ESS. Just the starting letter.

93. Political opposition: DISSENT.

95. Cause of yelling, often: IRE.

97. One working on a bench?: PIANIST. Nice clue also.

98. Snag: GLITCH.

99. Writer Welty: EUDORA.

101. 2014 World Series champs: GIANTS.

104. __ ale: PALE.

107. Tax pro: CPA.

108. Calamares or caracoles: TAPAS.

110. Elec., e.g.: UTIL.

111. Locker room shower, at times?: ESPN.

112. Where to find a hero: DELI.

114. Bit of mischief: LARK.

115. Wild plum: SLOE.

119. Wolf down: EAT.

120. Salon coloring: DYE.

121. Saturn or Mercury: CAR.

Stay safe, everyone! Back in late January and February, I mentioned how the streets were all deserted in Xi'an/Guangzhou. The daily numbers were scary. But now even the night street food market is Xi'an is open.

We'll overcome this.

C.C.

Saturday, March 28, 2020, Doug Peterson and Brad Wilber

Themeless Saturday by Doug Peterson and Brad Wilber

Today we have a tag team offering from Doug Peterson and Brad Wilber. This picture is from the NYT puzzle site about another of their collaborations.

The gentlemen left several very "gettable" Easter eggs around the grid which greatly facilitated solving and I managed to get through quite nicely. The NW and SE corners were full before I knew it. O HOLY NIGHT was a freebie but was counterbalanced by my complete ignorance of its neighbors of LANA DELREY and SLADE. Constructors giveth and constructors taketh away.

Off we go:

Across:

1. "Play it cool": ACT NATURAL - Ringo gets a chance on this cover of the Buck Owens ear worm

11. A cup's 48: Abbr.: TSPS.

15. One of a set of faddish toys that at its peak made up 10% of all eBay sales: BEANIE BABY 

16. D-Day code name: UTAH - My bride's Uncle landed at UTAH Beach on D-Day+2

17. Staple of many Oktoberfest costumes: LEDERHOSEN - What my cousin in Eastern Switzerland had this to say about this apparel (his English is way better than my Deutsch): Lederhosen are not traditionally worn, LEDERHOSEN belong to the Bavarian costume. From time to time she sees with us at local Oktoberfests, which were looked at and copied by businessmen from the Bavarians. I have no Lederhosen. These are very expensive and cost about 400 to 500 $. My son Fabian owns one, because he goes to such festivals. I am not a fan of drinking a lot of beer and the music played there.
18. Casual gait: LOPE.

19. Superhero uniform symbol: ESS - I literally wore mine until it fell apart! Sometime I will tell you the story about wearing it while I was up on a roof...

20. Pipe section: TRAP.

21. Investigations with strange features: X-FILES - Mulder and Scully

23. Ferrari's former parent: FIAT - Both are now looking into making ventilators for Italy

24. Tuna __: Betty Crocker brand: HELPER.

25. Portico support: COLUMN - Here we are in front of COLUMNS that are part of a famous North Portico 

28. "Prince of Motown": GAYE - Four minutes of social comment and "that voice"

29. Subj. of some 2015 WikiLeaks content: NSA - Here 'ya go

31. United hub: O'HARE - United Airlines hubs

32. Honeycomb holder: CEREAL BOX - Cute!

34. One-track: MONO - Even in MONO, the Everly Brothers sounded great 

35. Declined: WANED.

36. Drip site: EAVE.

37. Fearmongers: ALARMISTS 

39. Swiss city with suburbs in Germany and France: BASEL - BASEL sprawls out across both sides of the Rhine from Schwiez into Deutschland and Frankreich 

40. Qantas baggage tag abbr.: SYD.

41. Greek war god: ARES.

42. Repair request recipients: SUPERS - Do you remember the name of this TV SUPERintendent?

43. Like many stored measuring cups: NESTED.

45. Dispatched: SENT.


46. Military lodging: BILLET - It used to not be optional

47. Breathing space?: LUNG - A real area of concern with COVID-19 

48. Degree for a CFO: MBA.

51. Tourist mecca with a mausoleum: AGRA - Eight secrets of the Taj Mahal

52. Napoleon is a dictator in it: ANIMAL FARM - ...all are equal except some are more equal than others

55. Rid oneself of: SHED.

56. Main menace: PIRATE SHIP 

57. Ocular inflammation: STYE.

58. Aids in coping with pressure?: SPACE SUITS - SPACE SUITS dealt with the LACK of pressure in the vacuum on the Moon (YES! WE WENT TO THE MOON!)

Down:

1. Proficient: ABLE.

2. The limits of chic?: CEES - ChiC

3. Wee ones: TADS.

4. Peoria-to-Green Bay dir.: NNE 

5. Exposure, to a deejay: AIR TIME - Paul Simon gives credit to a Florida DJ for giving Sound Of Silence a lot of AIR TIME after many requests from kids and giving him and Art Garfunkel a big boost

6. World capital in 1979-'80 headlines: TEHRAN - The 52 hostages held in TEHRAN for 444 days were one factor that cost Jimmy Carter a second term

7. Lusitania sinker: U-BOAT - A fascinating, detailed story of America's delayed reaction 

8. Gravelly utterance: RASP - RASPY-voiced Joe Cocker TV theme song

9. Japanese host of the 2019 G20 summit: ABE - Shinzo ABE will not host the Olympics for at least a year. The G20? Don't know.

10. Sharp-sighted: LYNX-EYED - They were forced into the open, easy prey for the first LYNX-EYED Mercutian. "Slaves of Mercury" by Nat Schachner. A variation of eagle-eyed that is new to me

11. Lily family flower: TULIP.

12. Theft not involving money or merchandise: STOLEN BASE - This baseball fan took too long to get this one

13. Explains too glibly: PAPERS OVER - A favorite of mine!

14. "__ Like the Wind": "Dirty Dancing" tune: SHE'S - Patrick Swayze sings the song and, uh, engages in Dirty Dancing

22. Circus hopper: FLEA - You really want to see one?

23. Public outcry: FUROR.

24. Leveret raisers: HARES - Leveret and mom HARE

25. Deep sleeps: COMAS.

26. Christmas song containing "a thrill of hope": O HOLY NIGHT 

27. "Summertime Sadness" hitmaker: LANA DELREY - Here 'ya go!

28. Restroom label: GENTS - or...

30. Rink acrobatics: AXELS - A triple AXEL in a roller rink and 33. Did 30-Down: LEAPT.

32. Studied for a job?: CASED - Prepped for a bank job (robbery)

35. Bugs: WIRETAPS 

38. Second sock: MATE.

39. Butchers: BUNGLES 

42. 100-member group: SENATE - Rather than a 100-member group it can often be a 53/47 unit

44. Glam rock band: SLADE - Their top ten hits. Uh, I didn't know many (any)

45. Rash cause, maybe: SUMAC.

46. Sarastro in "The Magic Flute," e.g.: BASS - Franz Xavier Gerl sang this BASS role at the September 20, 1791 Vienna premiere under the direction of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

47. Italian bread that's no longer tender: LIRA - Italian LIRA ceased to be legal tender in Italy as of February, 28, 2002

48. Half a seafood dinner?: MAHI.

49. Liverpudlian, e.g.: BRIT - This house at 251 Menlove Ave. in Liverpool, England was where BRIT John Lennon was raised by his Aunt Mimi and her husband George Smith. His three band mates were also Liverpudlians

50. Bandstand boosters: AMPS.

53. Obedience school no-no: NIP - No, Fido, no!

54. Sch. with five Orange Bowl victories: FSU - When Husker Byron Bennett missed this FG in the 1994 Orange Bowl, FSU won 18 - 16 and the Husker lost a National Championship, sigh...

Comments for Doug and Brad?

Friday, March 27, 2020 Brian Herrick

"Wind Engineering"   "Blowin' In The Wind"    "Wind Shear"

I couldn't pick a title.  Should have stuck with "Windfall"

To get the answers to 1, 5, 36, and 51 across,  you need part of the down answer.  To get the theme, you need part of that same down answer.

1. June event that highlighted Zion in 2019: NBAD. 
4. (down) It's on tap: DRAFT BEER.

NBA DRAFT  - The consensus # 1 pick in the June 2019 NBA Draft was Zion Williamson.  He was selected by the New Orleans Pelicans.

5. Revolt: DISG.
8. (down) "The Planets" composer Holst: GUSTAV. -  Gustav Holst

DISGUST

36. Result of a lost feed: DEAD A.
38. (down) Shoe brand first made for an NBA star: AIR JORDAN.  - NBA star Michael Jordan.

DEAD AIR

51. Deep-fried seafood appetizer: CRAB P.
53. (down) Northern seabird: PUFFIN.

CRAB PUFF  -   Martha Stewart's recipe for 2 dozen.  Any readers have their own recipes ?
 

The reveal:  24. Jackpot, e.g., and a hint to completing four puzzle answers: WINDFALL.

My immediate reaction to the reveal was "What ?"   Windfall means unexpected good fortune.  I got how the down answers fall.  But what about the wind part ?   Then the V8 can that was absent last Friday showed up.  Each of the highlighted answers in red (above) or in yellow (below)... and they all fall.   All winds, of a sort.  Air seems to be the outlier.



Across:

9. Questlove's do: FRO.  If you watch The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, then you would probably know of the musician that leads the house band.

12. "__ is human ... ": TO ERR. 

but to really mess things up you need a computer.  Did I link that .gif  before ?  

14. Asian gambling mecca: MACAU.   We also see it spelled as Macao. 

15. Pasture: LEA.

16. Greek goddesses of the seasons: HORAE.   It's all ? to me.  What is that word I'm missing ?

17. Anglicized name for Australia's Uluru: AYERS ROCK.   Uluru is new to me, but the perps were very generous.    Uluru is the traditional Aboriginal name.   The local Anangu, the Pitjantjatjara people, call the landmark Uluṟu (Pitjantjatjara [ʊlʊɻʊ]).     - Wikipedia

19. Game response that means no: GO FISH.   The card game for children aged 4 to 10.

21. Like mockumentaries: SATIRIC.   The Beatles 1964 feature film debut, A Hard Day's Night, was filmed in mockumentary style: it ostensibly documents a few typical (and highly fictionalized) days in the life of the band as they travel from Liverpool to London for a television appearance.

In television, popular examples in the US include sitcoms Trailer Park Boys and its films (1998–present), Parks and Recreation (2009–2015), The Office (2005-2013), and Modern Family (2009–present); the American improv comedy Reno 911! (2003–2009)   - Wikipedia

22. Sailboat staff: MAST.

23. Sell: HAWK.

25. Disquiet: AGITA.  I would normally first think of agita as indigestion, but it also means anxiety, apprehension, worry, nervousness, etc.  So it can be both a physical and emotional condition.  Disquiet is a synonym.

26. Messy roommate: SLOB.   Oscar Madison ?

27. Oscar winner Kazan: ELIA.

28. Valentine's Day buys: VASES.

29. Parts: ROLES.    For thespians (Hi, OMK !), the character(s) they play.   In business, slang for areas of responsibility (i.e. the different hats one wears).   In reality, no one has more roles to play than women. 

31. Seeing right through: ON TO.

33. "Shame!": TSK.

34. Wannabe: POSEUR.

39. Free from: RID OF.

41. Get ready to play: SUIT UP.   Typically as a sports metaphor. 

45. Tests graded on a scale of 1 to 5: Abbr.: APs. 

48. "Oh __!": insult reaction: SNAP.   Not in my vernacular. 

50. Maine college town: ORONO.   I believe that Hahtoolah mentioned that she went to the University of Maine in Orono.   She graces this blog every Tuesday.

54. Thin opening: SLOT.  I tried slit. 

56. Winnipeg NHLers: JETs.  The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg.  They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division of the Western Conference

57. End of a toast: TO YOU.

58. This is one: CLUE.   Self referential.  Should have been easy for regular solvers. 

59. Texter's "But ... ": OTOH.    Randy Travis was awarded the 1986 Country Music Song of the Year for this song.    Ah, play that steel guitar...


60. To such an extent (as): IN SO FAR. 

62. Thin: NARROW.

64. Connecticut college town: FAIRFIELD.   Fairfield College.  New to me. 

66. "My name is ... " site: ID TAG.   Earl was too short.  Then saw site.  In the sitcom, Earl was always trying to atone for his behavior in years past.  

68. LAX abbr.: ETD. Estimated Time of Delay.  

69. Brainstorms: IDEAs.

70. Disney's "Moana" was translated into it: MAORI.   The language of the indigenous people of New Zealand. 

71. __ gratias: DEO.   Thanks be to God.

72. Second opening?: NANO. 

73. Flanders et al.: NEDs.   "Hi-Diddily-Ho neighborino! What can I ding-dong-diddily-do for you?" 

Down:

1. Utmost degree: NTH.

2. "Electric __": 1984 dance-pop song: BOOGALOO.   Did not know.  But learned that the Boogaloo was a street dance that originated in Oakland, CA in the 1960s.  Then in the late '70s, a dance team developed the "Electric Boogaloo" dance style and called themselves by the same name.   Then in 1984, the music duo of Ollie and Jerry released the song.  Here's a 1980 clip from Soul Train showing the dance team doing Electric Boogaloo style of dancing.   I could not find a video that featured them dancing to the 1984 song. 


3. Sprays from cans: AEROSOLS.

5. __ trip: DAY.

6. Salchow support: ICE SKATE.

7. "Waitress" composer Bareilles: SARA.   I may not understand the clues, but the perps and logic usually work out these answers.

9. User of 28-Across: FLORIST.

10. Speaks from memory: RECITEs. 

11. Winery fixture: OAK CASK.

13. Outdoorsy retailer: REI.   Recreational Equipment, Inc.

14. Island thanks: MAHALO.   "Mahalo for your patience and aloha as we harness our resilience to get through this health crisis together."   In this context, aloha means greetings, rather than the typical hello or goodbye.

18. Baltic capital: RIGA.   A crossword regular.

20. "__ Walks in Beauty": Byron poem: SHE.   Didn't know of the poem.  Knew that Lord Byron was Ada Lovelace's father. 

22. Car ad fig.: MSRP.   The list price.

30. __ generis: SUI.   Along the lines of unique.   In a class by itself.

32. Western treaty gp.: OAS.   Organization of American States.    And a CSO to our regular reader who has been experimenting in the kitchen.

35. Hwys.: RDs.

37. Daft Punk, for one: DUO.    Didn't know, but vaguely recalled a pop or a rap group.  They were French electronic synthopop musicians in the 1990s.   

40. Happening in film: ONSCREEN.

42. In close combat: TOE TO TOE.

43. Hard to work with: UNTOWARD.  Some are advances.

44. Sumptuous: POSH.  One Spice is Posh,  AKA, Victoria Beckham. 

45. Allergy medicine discontinued in the U.S.: ACTIFED.    The druggies were making something out of it to get high. 

46. Rotate inward while walking, as one's foot: PRONATE.   Contrast with supinate.

47. Gets married: SAYS I DO.  Too many blanks for weds.

49. Money symbolized by a stylized L: POUNDS.    £

52. Crude dude: BOOR.   First thought was a roughneck.   An oilfield worker.

55. Afternoon __: TEA.

61. John/Rice musical: AIDA.   Crosswords taught me that Aida usually has a Verdi clue.  But in this case, it's Elton John and Tim Rice.  Who knew ?

63. Edge: RIM.   I use Edge shaving cream.  The rim of the can often starts to rust before the cream is all gone.  Maybe I should go back to that "no-eczema" brand that Joe Namath used to tout. 

65. Southeast Asian language: LAO. 

67. PFCs, e.g.: GIs.