Thursday, December 16, 2021, Chris Sablich

 

Good morning, cruciverbalists.  This marine mammal is still up in the mountains so today's recap will, again, be a bit on the brief side.  A fortnight ago the recap was almost exclusively verbiage. This time, however, we'll lean more heavily on the adage that "a single picture is worth a thousand words." 

Today's puzzle setter is Chris Sablich (who previously had puzzles recapped by yours truly on 09 September and 26 August of this year).  This morning he and Daffy are not leaving much to our imagination.  Let's start with the reveal:

62 Across: 1996 Demi Moore film ... and a hint to how four puzzle answers were created: STRIPTEASE.

At four places within the grid Chris has dropped the letter T from a two-word expression and thereby morphed it into a different two-word expression with a different meaning.  Strip Tees.

17 Across:  Polished orator?: ABLE TALKER.  Formerly, Table Talker.  Table talk is defined as casual conversation around, you guessed it, a table.

22 Across:  Indication that the coffee is ready?: URN SIGNAL.  Formerly, Turn Signal

38 Across:  Regret the choice of wall paint color?: RUE BLUE.  Formerly, True Blue

50 Across: Carol Burnett, at the end of an episode?: EAR JERKER.  Formerly, Tear Jerker.  Carol Burnett tugged her ear at the end of each show as a message to her grandmother that Carol was doing well and that she loved her grandmother.

. . . and now for the rest of the story . . .

Across:

1. First name in old horror films: BELA.

5. They're earned at U's: DEGS.  DEGreeS.  When the topic was raised last time about constructors taking the first three letters of any word to use for an answer it was not meant to be a road map.

9. Serious wound: GASH.  Let's skip this graphic.

13. Suit, so to speak: EXEC.  A Suit, in this case is a slang, and somewhat derogatory, term for a business EXECutive.

14. Artist Matisse: HENRI.

15. Start to freeze?: ANTI.

16. __ fail: EPIC.  A modern bit of slang.

19. Like C's, in some cases: SO SO.  Are we grading on the curve?

20. One way to go to a party: STAG.

The Dave Clark Five - 1965 - Over and Over

21. Steak __: DIANE  A preparation usually involving Cognac and mushrooms.

25.  One in a large octet.  PLANET  Formerly a large nonet.

28. Southernmost of the Southeast's Sea Islands: AMELIA.

32. Main line: AORTA.

33. Palindromic title: MA'AM.

36. Skiff movers: OARS.  A skiff is a small, usually flat-bottomed, rowboat.

37. Corp. money manager: CFO.  Chief Financial Officer

41. Is, once: WAS.  The past tense of is is was.

42. "__ Shanter": Burns poem: TAM O.

44. Dance movement: STEP.

45. Bridge along the Arno: PONTE.  Italian for bridge.

47. Golf lesson topic: STANCE.

49. Becomes aware of: SENSES.

54. Like some online purchases: IN APP.

57. Small case: ETUI.  Crosswordese,

58. Field unit: ACRE.

64. Post: MAIL.  As in The Box Tops' "My baby posted me a letter."

65. Cry of success: I WIN.

66. Sign of early spring: ARIES.  Zodiac.

67. Senior __: PROM.  Moment would not fit.

68. Errors, say: STAT.  A baseball reference.  Short for Statistic.  R  H  E  Runs, Hits, Errors

69. PC connections: DSLS.  Digital Subscriber LineS.  

70. Gels: SETS.

Down:

1. Half a sex-ed metaphor, with "the": BEES.

2. Trade show: EXPO.

3. Floral necklaces: LEIS.

4. Explanation: ACCOUNT.

5. Financial statement items: DEBTS.  Usually, Assets and Liabilities of which Debts is a subset.

6. China's Zhou __: ENLAI.

7. System of shorthand: GREGG.

8. Warm the bench: SIT.  A sports reference.  Not in the game.

9. Probe that visited Jupiter: GALILEO.  Named for a famous Pisan (but not Fibonacci).

10. "She's a Lady" songwriter: ANKA.

11. British WWII gun: STEN.

12. Put on: HIRE.  You're putting me on, right?

14. "Who __?!": "Join the club!": HASN'T.

18. NBA commissioner Silver: ADAM.

23. Bring up: REAR.  Not "bring up the rear".

24. First killer whale to perform with a human: NAMU.

25. Accords: PACTS.

26. For dieters, in ads: LO FAT.  Ad-speak for Low Fat.

27. Coffee asset: AROMA.

29. They may be manicured: LAWNS.

30. Steaming: IRATE.

31. Beasts of burden: ASSES.

33. Ran into: MET.

34. Half a sawbuck: ABE.  A sawbuck is a ten-dollar bill.

35. Zugspitze, e.g.: ALP.  Germany's highest point.

39. Manipulative sort: USER.

40. Olympics fencing event: EPEE.

43. Ice cream purchase: ONE PINT.

46. Parts of cloverleafs: ON RAMPS.

48. Yokum cartoonist: CAPP.

49. Irving Berlin's "Blue __": SKIES.

51. Signs of crowd displeasure: JEERS.

52. Online biz: ETAIL.  An E word, again.

53. Deceptions: RUSES.

54. Goddess usually depicted holding an ankh: ISIS.

55. Food package amt.: NT WT.  NeT WeighT

56. Bizet's "Habanera," e.g.: ARIA.

The Royal Opera

59. Diligence: CARE.

60. Comedy club hit: RIOT.

61. Stately trees: ELMS.

63. Bit: TAD.

And now, with a special "Thank you" to Shaun The Sheep for his appearances today . . . .

__________________________________________________

________________________________________________

Wednesday, December 15 Matt Skoczen

Theme: Mountain Range.  Each theme entry contains the name of a mountain range, and in each case it begins and ends with the first and last letters that name - hence the use of "range" in the unifier clue.  Let's start there.

37 A. What each set of circled letters spells ... and depicts: MOUNTAIN RANGE.  Self explanatory.  But could be baffling if you didn't get the circles.

17A . Enforcement arm of the fed. courts: U.S. MARSHALS.  It is a bureau within the U.S. Department of Justice, operating under the direction of the Attorney General, but serves as the enforcement arm of the United States federal courts to ensure the effective operation of the judiciary and integrity of the Constitution.

The URALS are a mountain range that runs approximately from north to south through western Russia, from the coast of the Arctic Ocean to the river Ural and northwestern Kazakhstan. The mountain range forms part of the conventional boundary between the regions of Europe and Asia.

24 A. Streaming service whose logo ends with a math symbol: APPLE TV PLUS.  A streaming device for Apple devices, smart TVs and more.  It features new, original programming every month.

The ALPS are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately 1,200 km across eight Alpine countries: France, Switzerland, Monaco, Italy, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, and Slovenia.

48 A. "What I Like About You" co-star: AMANDA BYNES. [b. 1986]   is an American actress. She is best known for her work in television and film throughout the 1990s and 2000s. 

The ANDES, running along South America's western side, is among the world's longest mountain ranges. Its varied terrain encompasses glaciers, volcanoes, grassland, desert, lakes and forest. The mountains shelter pre-Columbian archaeological sites and wildlife including chinchillas and condors. From Venezuela in the north, the range passes through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile.

58 A. Family CBS series set on a self-named mountain: THE WALTONS. The life of a Depression-era family in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains is the subject of this wholesome series. The show is seen from the point of view of eldest son John Boy, who eventually goes to college, serves in World War II and becomes a novelist.

The TETONS are located in Wyoming, and are a sub-range of the Rockies.  I once read a quip that only a French man would look at these peaks and be reminded of his mistress's bosom.

Hi, Gang - JazzBumpa here to lead this expedition.  No Himalayas, so we won't need a Sherpa guide.  Let's get our climbing boots on a start the ascent.

Across:

1. "Sleepy Hollow" actress Christina: RICCI. [b 1980] is an American actress. She is known for playing unconventional characters with a dark edge.

6. Scenic overlook offering: VIEW.  As of, free, those grand Tetons.

10. Tools with teeth: SAWS.  Pliers have jaws.

14. Broadcast warning sign: ON AIR. Admonition to avoid making vagrant sounds.

15. Included in the email loop, briefly: CCED.  indicating those who are also sent a copy.

16. See 19-Across: CLEF.  I've been playing since 1960, and still want to spell this word with 2 f's.

19. With 16-Across, staff symbol for viola music: ALTO.  Presumably, this abomination exists to avoid the use of ledger lines.  In reality, there is no rational excuse for it. /rant

20. Oopsy on the keys: TYPO.  I love the German word for this: Fingerfehler.

21. Feel out of sorts: AIL. 

22. Somali-born supermodel: IMAN.  Iman Abdulmajid [b 1955] is a Somali-American fashion model, actress and entrepreneur. A muse of the designers Gianni Versace, Thierry Mugler, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan and Yves Saint Laurent, she is also noted for her philanthropic work. She is the widow of English rock musician David Bowie, whom she married in 1992.

23. 67.5 deg.: ENE.  The direction East-northeast.

28. Curtain material: SCRIM.  A woven material, either finely woven lightweight fabric widely used in theatre, or a heavy, coarse woven material used for reinforcement in both building and canvasmaking.

30. Vegas opening?: VEE.  A spelt-out letter.  Meh!

31. "How We Do (Party)" singer Rita: ORA. [b 1990] About whom I know nothing.

 

 32. German suffix with Konzert: MEISTER.  Auf Englisch, the concertmaster is the leader of the first violin section in an orchestra and the instrument-playing leader of the orchestra. After the conductor, the concertmaster is the second-most significant leader in an orchestra, symphonic band or other musical ensemble. 

36. Technical sch.: INSTitute.

40. Works with hide: TANS.

41. "This tastes awful!": I HATE IT.

42. CPR provider: EMT. Emergency Medical Technician.

43. Darth, as a youth: ANI.  Anakin Skywalker.

44. Green stuff: DOUGH.  Money

53. In favor of: PRO.  As opposed to Anti

54. Sciences partner: ARTS.

55. "I do not see why I should __ turn back": Frost: E'ER.  Ever, metrically force-fit.

“I do not see why I should e’er turn back, 

Or those should not set forth upon my track 

To overtake me, who should miss me here 

And long to know if still I held them dear. 

They would not find me changed from him they knew — Only more sure of all I thought was true.”

56. Where many a stuck thing sticks: CRAW. To be so offensive or disagreeable that one cannot swallow it. This expression is the modern version of stick in one's gizzard, gullet, or crop, all referring to portions of an animal's digestive system.

57. Paris gal pal: AMIE. 

61. Prejudice: BIAS.  pre-existimng attitude pro or anti some person or thing.

62. Pole at sea: MAST.  Support for the ship's riggings.

63. Undercut: ERODE.  A gradual wearing away, as by wind or water.  Undercut does not strike me as a good fit.

64. Is too busy, say: CANT.  Is unable or unwilling.

65. Texter's disclaimer, briefly: IMHO.  In My Humble Opinion.

66. Change: ALTER. Typically in a small but significant way.

Down:

1. Google Maps offerings: ROUTES.  To get you from point A to point B

2. On the same page: IN SYNC.  Synchronized.

3. RV park vehicle: CAMPER.  A large motor vehicle with facilities for sleeping and cooking while camping.

4. Vatican farewell: CIAO.  Hello or good bye in Italian.

5. Like some bargain bin mdse.: IRR.  Irregular - having some small flaw.

6. Blocker in a TV: V-CHIP.  A computer chip installed in a television receiver that can be programmed by the user to block or scramble material containing a special code in its signal indicating that it is deemed violent or sexually explicit.

7. "Show your cards": I CALL.   To call is to match a bet or match a raise. A betting round ends when all active players have bet an equal amount or everyone folds to a player's bet or raise. If no opponents call a player's bet or raise, the player wins the pot.

8. Sushi bar fare: EEL.  

9. Part of wpm: Abbr.: WDS.  Words per minute.

10. Rogue: SCAMP.   Someone mischievous in an amusing way.  Equivalent?  I have my doubts.

11. The whole time: ALL ALONG.  

12. Professional who breast-feeds another's child: WET NURSE.

13. NorCal airport: SFO.  The call letters for San Francisco International Airport.

18. Syrup source: SAP.  From maple trees.

22. "__ got it!": IVE.  Do you have it?

24. "You said it!": AMEN.  Statement of affirmation.

25. The Oscars, say: EVENT. A planned public or social occasion.

26. __ Haute: TERRE.  A city in and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, only 5 miles east of the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943.

27. Grabbed a chair: SAT.

29. Don of talk radio: IMUS.  John Donald Imus Jr., [b 1940] also known simply as Imus, was an American radio personality, television show host, recording artist, and author. His radio show Imus in the Morning was aired on various stations and digital platforms nationwide until 2018.

33. Singer Turner's memoir: I TINA.  Written in 1986

34. Indian "master": SAHIB. A polite title or form of address for a man.

35. Barcelona aunt: TIA.  Spanish

36. Really enjoying: INTO.  

37. ABBA musical: MAMMA MIA. A story built around a collection of their songs.

 

 38. Quebecer's neighbor: ONTARIAN. All Canadians, eh.

39. Helps: AIDS.  Assists

40. __ cozy: TEA.  A thick or padded cover placed over a teapot to keep the tea hot.

43. Common online interruptions: ADS.  Short for annoyances.

45. Yank from the soil: UPROOT.  Violent

46. "Thank U, Next" singer Ariana: GRANDE.  Ariana Grande-Butera [b 1993] is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Her music, much of which is based on personal experiences, has been the subject of widespread media attention, while her four-octave vocal range has received critical acclaim.

 

 47. Doctor Doogie: HOWSER.    An American medical drama that ran for four seasons on ABC from September 19, 1989, to March 24, 1993, totaling 97 episodes. The show stars Neil Patrick Harris in the title role as a teenage physician who balances the challenge of practicing medicine with the everyday problems of teenage life.

49. Desert trial: N-TEST.  Nuclear bomb explosion carried out in a remote location.

50. "Oy!": YEESH. A non-word, and poor fill.

51. Not familiar with: NEW TO.

52. Big Band __: ERA.  A period spanning roughly the mid 3930's to mid 40's, when poplar music was dominated by the big bands of the day.

 

 56. Lower left PC key: CTRL.   A modifier key which, when pressed in conjunction with another key, performs a special operation 

57. It can replace "pie" in an idiom: ABC.  It's just that easy.

58. "Enough!" in texts: TMI.  Too Much Information.

59. Bad actor: HAM.  One who over emotes.

60. Grassy expanse: LEA.  

We have reached the apex - if not necessarily the day - then, at least this puzzle.  As in any good MOUNTAIN RANGE, there were high points and low points. Hope you found the climb exhilarating.

Cool regards!

JzB

Tuesday December 14, 2021 Kurt Krauss

You can say that again!

17-Across. Tray with egg rolls, fried wontons, etc.: PU PU PLATTER.  Everything you wanted to know about the Pu Pu Platter, but didn't know to ask.  Apparently, the term comes from the Hawaiian word: pū-pū, which means a small bite.

23-Across. Amorous looks: GOO GOO EYES.

33-Across. Yoga-inspired athletic brand: LULULEMON.  A store that sells expensive yoga clothes.  There is a Lululemon store near me, but I get my yoga clothes elsewhere.

48-Across. Yogi's cartoon buddy: BOO-BOO BEAR.  Cute that Yogi follows Yoga.  Boo-Boo Bear is Yogi Bear's friend who tries to keep Yogi out of trouble.

53-Across. Colorful Hawaiian garment: MUUMUU DRESS.

 

Any other double-speak in today's puzzle?  Nothing dystopian in today's puzzle.

Across:

1. Fruity drink suffix: -ADE.  Hi, Lemonade!

4. Hwy. with tolls: TPKE.  As in Turnpike.  I took the Massachusetts Turnpike on my drive back from New Hampshire to Louisiana this past September.

8. Starring roles: LEADS.

13. One in a pod: PEA.

14. Hip bones: ILIA.  Plural of Ilium.

15. Traditional Easter wear: BONNET.  //  And 43-Down. Easter time: Abbr.: SPR.  Easter falls in the Spring.

16. Series-ending letters: ETC.

19. Butler at Tara: RHETT.

21. Bygone Ford: LTD.  The Ford LTD was manufactured from 1965 to 1986.  //  And 23-Down. Classic sports cars: GTs.  The meaning of GT designation.

1971 model

22. "... thus wide I'll __ my arms": "Hamlet": OPE.  Hamlet, Act 4, Scene 5.

26. Bygone blade: SNEE.  This has become a crossword staple.

27. Slight bit, as of color: TINGE.

28. Cloak-and-dagger org.: CIA.  As in the Central Intelligence Agency.  Ever wonder where the term Cloak-and-Dagger originated?

29. Tour of duty: STINT.

30. Big first for a baby: STEP.

31. "__ we having fun yet?": ARE.  I am.  I hope you are having fun, too.

32. Concert pianos: GRANDs.  The pandemic prevented Michael Gurt from traveling, so he gave solo performances on his Grand Piano from his home.

36. Order to relax: AT EASE.

39. Two-outs-in-a-single-AB stats: DPs.  As in a Double Play in baseball.

40. Mil. awards: DSCS.  As in the Distinguished Service Cross.

44. Ending with wind or air meaning "transmitted by": BORNE.

45. Early Beatle Sutcliffe: STU.  Stu Sutcliffe (né Stuart Fergusson Victor Sutcliffe; June 23, 1940 ~ Apr. 10, 1962) was the original bass guitarist for the nascent Beatles.  He is sometimes referred to as the Fifth Beatle, because the group initially was a 5-member band.  He left the band to pursue a career in painting.  Sadly, he died at age 21 of a brain hemorrhage.

46. Camera setting: F-STOP.  Everything you wanted to know about the F-Stop, but didn't know to ask.

47. "Phooey!": DRAT.

50. NBA tiebreakers: OTS.  As in OverTimes.

51. Muppet chimp __ Minella: SAL.  His name is a word play on the word Salmonella, which is a bacterium that can cause gastrointestinal discomfort.

52. To this point: AS YET.

57. "__ Abner": L'IL.  Famous enough to earn a postage stamp, back when stamps were affordable.

59. Gofer's job: ERRAND.

60. Drooling comics canine: ODIE.  Garfield's side-kick.

61. Having four sharps: IN E.  As in the Key of E in music compositions.

62. They're not options: NEEDS.

63. Like retailers during holiday season: BUSY.

64. Self-esteem: EGO.

Down:

1. Tarzan raiser: APE.

2. Home of Lions and Tigers, but not Bears: DETROIT.  Oh, My!

3. Every last person: EACH ONE.

4. Move sneakily: TIP-TOE.

5. Verb meaning "demote" coined in 2006: PLUTO.  I was so sad to learn that Pluto had been demoted.  I remember as a grade school student reading The Search for Planet X, by Tony Simon.  The book really made an impression on me.  I really liked learning about Pluto and Clyde Tombaugh (Feb. 4, 1906 ~ Jan. 17, 1997), its discoverer.

6. Nap, to a Brit: KIP.  Here are 10 words that are used in England that are head-scratchers here.

7. Water in la mer: EAU.  Today's French lesson.

8. Truckful: LOAD.

9. Rhinitis-treating MD: ENT.  As in an Ears, Nose and Throat doctor.

10. Former justice Scalia: ANTONIN.  Antonin Gregory Scalia (Mar. 11, 1936 ~ Feb. 13, 2016) served as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court from September 1986 until his death nearly 30 years later.  He died in his sleep while on a quail hunting trip in Texas.

11. Diving board site: DEEP END.

12. City map lines: STREETS.  

A Judgmental Map of Houston

15. Initial diner orders?: BLTs.  As in a Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato sandwich.  I had a Salmon-Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato sandwich at Legal Seafood in Boston this past weekend.  The Salmon-bacon wasn't actually bacon, but instead was a wonderful smoked salmon filet.  It was delicious.

18. Response to a judge: PLEA.

20. Parmigiana choice: EGGPLANT.  Yummers.  This is a favorite dish of mine.

24. Beige hue: ECRU.

Pantone's designation: Ecru is the 3rd color down.

25. Not argue with: YIELD TO.

26. Waits for further instructions: STANDS BY.

29. "No seats" sign: SRO.  As in Standing Room Only.

31. Pint at a bar: ALE.

32. Baseball VIPs: GMs.  As in General Managers.

34. "__ as directed": USE.

35. File format for digital books: E-PUB.  As in Electronic Publishing.

36. Stomach: ABDOMEN.

37. Long wait, to some: TORTURE.

38. Solver's smudge: ERASURE.

41. Metal marble: STEELIE.

42. Just enough snow to cover the ground: COATING.  As I write this, it's 19F outside and there was a light dusting of snow on the ground.  Not enough to be considered a coating of snow, however.

45. Auction cry: SOLD.

46. "Gorillas in the Mist" author Dian: FOSSEY.  Diann Fossey (Jan.  16, 1932 ~ Dec. 26, 1985) studied  mountain primates in Rwanda.  Sadly, she was murdered in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda when she was only 53.

48. Data transfer unit: BAUD.  Webster's defines Baud as: a variable unit of data transmission speed (such as one bit per second).

49. Desert refuge: OASIS.

51. Catches some rays: SUNS.

54. "Spy vs. Spy" magazine: MAD.

55. Filmmaker Reiner: ROB.  Rob Reiner (né Robert Norman Reiner; b. Mar. 6, 1947) is probably best known for his role as Mike Stivic on All in the Family.  He is the son of actor and comedian Carl Reiner (1922 ~ 2020).

56. UCLA URL ending: EDU.

58. Sign before Virgo: LEO.  Hi, Leo III!

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

Monday December 13, 2021 John Harrington

Theme: OUT OF ORDER (62. Like a nonfunctioning vending machine, or what the circled letters are, in two ways) - The circled letters are anagrams of ORDER.

17. TV Mister with a "neighborhood": FRED ROGERS.

23. Regular cybersecurity measure: PASSWORD RESET.

40. Agatha Christie play set in Egypt: MURDER ON THE NILE.

51. Self-inflicted tennis mistake: UNFORCED ERROR.

Boomer here. Congrats to John on his crossword debut!

Last week Minnesota celebrated the election of Tony Oliva and Jim Kaat to the major league baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.  I think I may have mentioned that Jim Kaat used to ORDER pizza from a pizza restaurant where I worked at the time (mid 1960s).  Later in the 1980s I used to run a fund raising baseball card show for a scholarship foundation in memory of my daughter.  Debbie passed away too early at the age of ten.  Mr. Kaat came to the show and signed autographs to those who requested.  Also the organist for the Twins, Ronnie Neuman came that day and pounded out a few great songs on an organ I used to own and had hauled it up to the school on  my pickup truck.  

What a great memory I have of that day.  I believe my foundation raised $2200.00 that year!   

Kaat and Oliva

 

Across:

1. To __ her own: EACH.

5. Work on, as a bone: GNAW.  I bought some boneless steaks, but I still had to GNAW.

9. Swedish pop group: ABBA.  The members of the group are still alive - ages 71 - 76.

13. Pond plant with floating "pads": LILY.  Remember MS. Tomlin on "Laugh In."

14. "West Side Story" heroine: MARIA.  "Say it loud and there's music playing, say it soft and it's almost like praying." 

16. Golf scorecard numbers: PARS.  Sorry, you won't see too many of those numbers on my scorecard.  I remember C.C. carded 19 birdies in one year.  Back in healthier days for both of us.

19. MADD ads, e.g.: PSAS.  Last reading, my PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) was a bit high.

20. Achy from exercise: SORE.  I have no problem getting SORE without exercise.

21. Italian half-dozen: SEI.

22. The "L" in "SNL": LIVE.  "LIVE, from New York, It's Saturday Night !!"

27. Thurman on screen: UMA.

29. Crumpets drink: TEA.  For Two

30. Enjoy a meal: EAT.  Sometimes EAT and Enjoy do not go together.

31. Fulfill fully: SATE.

33. Things best not all put in one basket?: EGGS.  Scramble a few.

36. Ocean levels: TIDES.  In and out daily.  I guess the moon causes them.

43. Identify as yours, as baggage: CLAIM.

44. College sports org.: NCAA.  The big Basketball Tournament is coming.  Place your bets.

45. Man or Wight: ISLE.

46. Spanish aunt: TIA.

48. First-aid set: KIT.  Mr. Carson of the old west.

50. Cell pic taker: CAM.  I am no good at this,  I have a forty year old camera. 

57. Get close to: NEAR.

58. Charlemagne's domain, for short: HRE. Holy Roman Empire.

59. Disney exec Robert: IGER.  I have been to both Disneyland, and Disney World.  Fascinating places a long way from Minnesota.  We just sold a couple of key chains from each park on eBay.

61. Painter of limp watches: DALI.

66. Memorable lioness: ELSA.

67. Performance sometimes seen through glasses: OPERA.  I have never been to one.

68. German article: EINE.  When I was in Hardheim Germany, "Eine Bier" was a common order from the bar.

69. Rod partner: REEL.  Well known in the "Land of 10,000 Lakes"

70. "Jurassic Park" menace, briefly: T-REX. Tyrannosaurus rex.

71. "Halt!": STOP.  These Octagon signs were all yellow when I was young. 

Down:

1. Santa helper: ELF.  I'll bet they are busy at the North Pole this time of year.

2. Broadcasts: AIRS.

3. Antony's last spouse: CLEOPATRA.  "When I think of Elizabeth Taylor...."

4. Monster slain by Hercules: HYDRA.

5. Modern food concern, briefly: GMO.  Genetically Modified Organism.

6. Old horse: NAG.  Mr. Ed was NOT a NAG !!

7. "Am not!" reply: ARE SO.

8. Electrical job: WIRER.  The Job is a job.  The guy who does it is an Electrician.

9. Drink replacing "mar" with an apt fruit: APPLETINI.

10. Foundation: BASIS.

11. Courageous: BRAVE.  "Land of the free and home of the BRAVE."

12. Balance sheet item: ASSET.  Bowling balls and golf clubs are NOT ASSETS.

15. "Step __!": "Outta my way!": ASIDE.  "A SIDE" order of fries.

18. Take a break: REST.  Not yet, I am almost done.

24. Prophet: SEER.

25. Old West vehicle: WAGON.  I noticed that they are running "WAGON TRAIN" reruns now on one of my cable channels.

26. Per-hour amount: RATE.  It's been a long time ago since I worked "Per Hour".

27. "Semper Fi" org.: USMC.  Thank you for your service.

28. Hammering tool: MAUL.

32. Opinion piece: EDITORIAL.  I kind of skim by these pages.  I am not interested in others opinion.  Just the facts!

34. Health supplements co.: GNC.  General Nutrition Center.

35. Vampire's undoing: STAKE.

37. Cast doubt on: DISCREDIT.

38. Scat legend Fitzgerald: ELLA. "The First Lady of SONG"

39. Apparently are: SEEM.

41. Mideast ruler: EMIR.

42. Win by a __: barely beat: HAIR.  "Gimme a head with HAIR, Long beautiful HAIR.  Shinin' Gleamin' Streamin' Flaxen Waxin"

47. Sneezing sound: ACHOO.  KAZOO Height.

49. Emerson, Lake & Palmer, e.g.: TRIO.  Chad Mitchell plus two. Became the Mitchell TRIO when Chad left and was replaced by John Denver.

51. Beneath: UNDER.

52. Author Zora __ Hurston: NEALE.

53. True-__ test: FALSE.  Pretty easy.  If you do not know the answer, you have a 50-50 chance.

54. Explode in rage: ERUPT.  Billy Martin and an Umpire !!

55. Try to stop: DETER.

56. Shrek and family: OGRES.

60. City sometimes mistaken for the capital of Nevada: RENO.  Been there quite a bit for the Bowling Center.  It is HUGE.  Not so much anymore.

63. Mined resource: ORE.  Never been to Oregon.

64. Obsolescent document transmitter: FAX.

65. One ab crunch, say: REP.  I never did these either.

Boomer

Notes from C.C.:

I'm so sorry to let you know that dear Spitzboov (Al) passed away last night. I'm just so devastated. He's such a generous, kind soul. He gave me so much advice over the years. He gifted me this flag when I became a US citizen. 

I'm so lucky to have known you and collaborated with you on a few puzzles, Al, I'll always remember you! I also want to thank Al's son Peter for keeping me updated on his situation. 

Please accept our deepest sympathies on your loss, Betty, Anita (Al's sister), Peter, Chris and Mark (Al's sons)!

Spitzboov and Betty at the US Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT.  2012.