Sunday November 18, 2018 C.C. Burnikel

Theme: "Bro Hug" - Nine synonyms of "bro" bookend each theme entry.

23A. Corporate criminal's undoing: PAPER TRAIL. Pal.

25A. Orbit, e.g.: CHEWING GUM. Chum.

39A. Sparty's school: MICHIGAN STATE. Mate.

68A. Football helmet part: CHINSTRAP. Chap.

 

97A. 1898 battle site: GUANTANAMO BAY. Guy,

116A. "Miracle on Ice" setting: LAKE PLACID. Lad.

118A. Bit of thrill-seeking equipment: BUNGEE CORD. Bud.

38D. "10" co-star: DUDLEY MOORE. Dude.

43D. Puff, e.g.: MAGIC DRAGON. Man.

This is a simple theme with a simple design. Most of my themes and grids are very simple.

Rich allows theme queries for Sunday puzzles. When I first sent out mine, I included two entries with MATE hugging. Thankfully he noticed my goof immediately.

Across:

1. Stack in a cabinet: LIDS. And 93D. Stack in a till: ONES.

5. "What a surprise to run into you!": OH HI.

9. Fraternity letter: KAPPA.

14. Out of juice: DEAD. Our car battery was dead at the flea market once.

18. "It's my turn!": I'M UP.

19. Quick looks: PEEKS.

21. Used at the table: ATE ON. And 28. Sign at a takeout window: ORDER HERE.

22. Actress Swenson: INGA.

27. Public row: SCENE.

30. Ethereal glows: AURAS.

31. "Basket of Bread" painter: DALI. Homemade, Gary!

33. Finish off: DO IN.

34. Decline the invite, perhaps: RSVP.

36. Benchmark: Abbr.: STD.

43. Game show hosts: MCS.

46. Most faithful: TRUEST.

48. Glass work: OPERA.

49. Old cereal box no.: RDA. Replaced by DRI (Dietary Reference Intake).

50. Traditional Indian wedding garment: SARI. Very pretty.

51. Support person: AIDE.

52. Cantina hors d'oeuvres: TAPAS.

54. Elle Girl rival: TEEN VOGUE. No more print editions. Online only.

56. Scandalous biographies: TELL-ALLS. And 72. Personal account: MEMOIR.

58. "Dude, you with me?": C'MON.

60. Cease: DESIST.

61. K.C. to New Orleans dir.: SSE.

62. "Get my point?": SEE.

63. Corporate deal: BUYOUT. And 91. Corp. bigwig: CEO. Rich greatly improved my fill in the middle. 

65. Facial hair, for short: STACHE.

66. RB's gains: YDS.

71. Strange: ODD.

75. 82-Across' powerful patients: AKITAS. 82. 75-Across' docs: VETS.

76. Glorifying tribute: ODE.

78. Bit of sunshine: RAY.

81. Plaza Hotel girl: ELOISE.

83. Place for slanted columns: OP-ED PAGE.

85. Gets rid of: ABOLISHES.

87. Big name in winter boots: SOREL. Quite pricey.

89. Double-curved arch: OGEE. Super gluey.

90. Fish voiced by Ellen DeGeneres: DORY.

92. Tamiflu producer: ROCHE. I still have not got my flu shot.

94. Rockies range: TETONS.

96. Barnyard mom: EWE.

100. High degree: NTH.

101. Tune for two: DUET.

102. One writing birthday wishes, at times: ICER.

103. Food-inspection org.: USDA.

105. Thrash: FLAIL.

108. Is pure perfection, scorewise: RATES A TEN. Then we have 124. Brutal reviews: PANS.

112. Sundance flick: INDIE.

120. Fail to include: OMIT.

121. Tavern sign abbr.: ESTAB.

122. Didn't take well?: STOLE. Rich's clue.

123. Sweet place?: HOME. Our sweet little home is the only place I've lived in the US.

125. Straight from the mint: SHINY.

126. Manipulative type: USER.

127. Mideast sultanate: OMAN.

Down:

1. Carmex targets: LIPS. Nivea is my favorite.

2. Apple variety: IMAC.

3. Deceive: DUPE.

4. Lay out: SPEND.

5. Make a call: OPT.

6. Like a super saver?: HEROIC. And 74. Get out of a jam: RESCUE. God knows how many times D-Otto got me out of a jam. 

7. Get the news: HEAR.

8. "Just joshing": I KID.

9. Pueblo spirit being: KACHINA. Never know if these are antique or remake.

10. Rival of Sparta: ATHENS.

11. Equal: PEER.

12. Sports drink brand: POWERADE.

13. Darth's childhood nickname: ANI.

14. Bring to light: DIG UP.

15. Many an MIT alum: ENGR.

16. Isla surrounder: AGUA.

17. They may make lakes: DAMS. Rich's clue also.

20. Heavy hammers: SLEDGES.

24. OfficeMax purchase quantities: REAMS. Someone should fix the paper cut problem.

26. Basilica section: NAVE.

29. Sound from a happy crowd: ROAR. And 35. Place to see fans: STANDS.

32. Pint-size: LITTLE.

36. Color commentator's data: STATS.

37. Puts to the test, as patience: TRIES.

40. See 41-Down: HOPS. 41. Beverage made with 40-Down: IPA.

42. Starbucks size after Venti: TRENTA.

44. Trounce: CRUSH.

45. Lucky roll in el casino: SIETE.

47. Sargasso Sea spawner: EEL.

50. "What a shame": SO SAD.

53. Guinness of "Doctor Zhivago": ALEC. I love "Doctor Zhivago".

54. City on the Loire: TOURS.

55. Nixed: VETOED.

57. Birthplace of St. Francis: ASSISI.

58. Minor surgery targets: CYSTS.

59. Longest-serving Dodger coach Manny: MOTA. From 1980 to 2013.

63. They may be stationary: BIKES.

64. Body of soldiers: UNIT.

67. Lacy place mat: DOILY.

69. Wear: HAVE ON.

70. Issuer of bulls: POPE. Papal bull.

72. Victor at Gettysburg: MEADE.

73. Jostling joint: ELBOW.

77. Mouth features: DELTAS. River mouth.

79. Hollywood role: AGENT.

80. "Aw, man!": YEESH.

83. Apt name for a tuxedo cat: OREO.

84. Flower holder: POT.

86. Hot weather woe: HEAT RASH. I spent this past summer rash-free.

87. Insects in hieroglyphic: SCARABS.

88. Omega, in physics: OHM.

92. Zoomed past: RACED BY.

95. Steve's singing partner: EYDIE.

97. [This is gonna be bad]: GULP.

98. Venetian old master: TITIAN.

99. Mess up: BUNGLE.

101. Plans often ignored around holidays: DIETS. What are you having on Thanksgiving? We just bought a turkey. Last year we had ham.

104. Dried poblano chili: ANCHO.

105. Playwright's worst nightmare: FLOP.

106. Priest of the East: LAMA.

107. Similar: AKIN.

109. Follower of a rising curtain: ACT I.

110. Ballerina attire: TUTU.

111. Nephew of Abel: ENOS.

113. Destine for failure: DOOM.

114. Hogwarts librarian __ Pince: IRMA. Learning moment for me.

115. Early sinning site: EDEN.

117. Brown of jazz: LES.

119. Eternally, in poetry: EER.

Boomer updates:

Boomer's PSA is down to 11.25 last Wednesday, thanks to the hormone shot. They're going to put Boomer on Abiraterone (tablet), a drug for metastatic prostate cancer. The nurse practitioner talked to us over 20 minutes about this drug. Very toxic. They'll check on Boomer's liver and white blood cell on a monthly basis. We were quite scared of the side effects, but felt better after reading Nina's email asking us not to worry too much. She said doctors are very careful in how they handle chemo drugs.

Here is Boomer having his Zoledronic acid infusion last week, with the stiff back brace under his shirt. He brings his smile and humor wherever he goes. He did have awful chills and lost his motor skills on Thursday night, but he got better on Friday morning and we went to VA for his third radiation. The daily radiation continues next week, but we get Thursday off.

Saturday, November 17, 2018, Derek Bowman

Themeless Saturday By Derek Bowman

Can't you just smell what day it is?  It Homemade Bread Day! The wonderful smell of homemade bread is one the wonders of the world. The assortment you see at the right is  lovely and the various seeds added to some of them sweeten the experience for me even if they wind up stuck in my teeth.

This holiday reminds me of a bakery called Bäckerei Tichelkamp we visited in Oberammergau, Germany. The visit was a delight for all the senses but the olfactory glands definitely got a workout. Since their famous Passion Play is only put on every 10 years, this is the memory I will always have of this quaint village unless I can get back there in 2020 to see their famous event.

We see breads in this venue quite often. This 8/28/18 puzzle by Mike Torch even had a punny bread theme.

Today's puzzle is by Derek Bowman who lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba. This article about him in the Winnipeg Free Press is a wonderful and witty look into Derek's methods that he has employed to be published around the world.

One nugget from the article relates that Derek loves the word OBAMA which has nothing to do with the former president's politics. It is because it has a vowel, consonant, vowel, consonant, vowel progression that is easier to fit into puzzles than many other names. 

That is the reason he has become a fan of highly ranked tennis player Elina Svitolina because if she becomes very popular, her first name will fit the same progression! 

Now let's venture on to see what else our Canadian friend has for us today in his pangrammatic puzzle that features a stacked set of three horizontal grid spanners and two symmetric vertical grid spanners. 32. "Geez Louise": ME OH MY!


Across:

1. Divided equally: IN HALF - Solomon's proposed, grotesque solution leapt to my mind

7. They're inseparable, briefly: BFFS - Do you have any H.S. Best Friends Forever that you still see?

11. Test subjects: IQ'S - When tests are discussed, the subject of IQ tests will certainly arise. Subjects who take said tests will obtain their IQ score. Any guesses on this IQ test question?  These used to drive me crazy. *Answer is at the bottom of this page.

14. Head scratcher?: NOOGIE - NOOGIES are not 24. Needles: TAUNTS, they're abuse, pure and simple

15. One may be on the house: LIEN - Sometimes filing one of these is the only way a contractor can get his money from the homeowner

16. McDonald's supply item: BUN - Two all beef patties............on a Sesame Seed BUN. Apropos today on bread day

17. Main floor, often: GROUND LEVEL  - In Europe we found elevators where GROUND LEVEL was *G and the first (1) floor was the first floor above the GROUND

19. One-named "Chandelier" singer: SIA - Okay

20. John/Rice musical: AIDA - A fascinating two minute preview of this wonderful play by Elton John and Tim Rice

21. Support for PBS' "The Joy of Painting"?: EASEL - Bob Ross in front of that "support". What a soothing voice he had!

22. Cherokee, for one: JEEP - This 1959 Chevrolet Apache can be yours for $39,000.

23. Hosp. staffers: RNS 

26. Frog foot feature: PAD - A nuptial pad (also known as thumb pad, or nuptial excrescence) is a secondary sex characteristic present on some mature male frogs and salamanders. You're welcome.

29. Disreputable sort: CAD - Some CADS of the 50's also had PADS 

30. Head lines?: EEGS - Electro EncephaloGrams 

31. Sex appeal: ANIMAL MAGNETISM

37. A lot: SOMETHING FIERCE - I need to [insert phrase] SOMETHING FIERCE

38. Therapy appointment, say: ONE-ON-ONE SESSION.

39. Sound: HALE - and hearty

40. Border: HEM - HEMline as a stock market indicator

41. Early Beatle Sutcliffe: STU - The original bassist left the group to pursue his painting career. STU ART?

42. Garlicky dish: SCAMPI 

45. Convened: MET - The first U.S. Congress MET in Federal Hall in NYC on March 4, 1789

46. Like candles: WAXY - How my wife describes Twizzlers

47. Handed out: DEALT - But you can't play cards you are DEALT very well if you have a 49. Gambler's giveaway: TELL.

53. MSNBC host Melber: ARI - Okay

54. Sylvia Plath title woman: LADY LAZARUS - A poem inspired by her accidental and intentional brushes with death

56. Low: MOO - Song of the season lyric, "The cattle are LOWING, the poor baby wakes"

57. What glasses are often for: EYES 

58. Dolores Haze, to Humbert: LOLITA - Yeah, what could possibly go wrong with Humbert's and Dolores' (who he nicknamed LOLITA) relationship?

59. PC pioneer: IBM.

60. Ain't better?: ISNT- Yes, ISN'T ISN'T a better word than ain't?

61. Gift that's heartfelt and often heart-shaped: LOCKET.


Down:

1. "Young Frankenstein" lab assistant: INGA - One of the best lines from Young Frankenstein is addressed to INGA (not IGOR)

2. "Me neither": NOR I.

3. Sweatshirt feature, perhaps: HOOD.

4. Taqueria drink: AGUA  En la taqueria, me gusta beber agua (At the taco restaurant, I like to drink water)

5. Vietnam Veterans Memorial designer: LIN -Maya LIN and her winning design which seems so small in this model 

6. America has ten of them: FEDERAL HOLIDAYS

7. Approve: BLESS.

8. Fin: FIVE - A $5 bill from "finf," Yiddish for "five"

9. Walk on air: FEEL TEN FEET TALL - How I feel when C.C.'s and my puzzles get published 

10. Show with Kate McKinnon, to fans: SNL - A funny bit from this year's Mother's Day Saturday Night Live show

11. Gabler's creator: IBSEN - Hedda Gabler is an IBSEN play I have never heard of

12. Relaxed: QUIET 

13. Ginger treats: SNAPS.

18. Explosive situation, metaphorically: LAND MINE - Avoid these at Thanksgiving!

22. Mots __: perfect words: JUSTES - French for words (MOTS) and right (JUSTES) 

25. Concern in hiring practices: AGEISM.

26. Old El __: Tex-Mex brand: PASO.

27. Right away, in verse: ANON - Juliet: " I come, ANON.—But if thou mean’st not well, I do beseech thee—"

28. Small change: DIME - Ah, vestiges of my yute!

29. Snooze: CATNAP - Now that's a serious CATNAP. Not even Mr. Bunny can disrupt it.

30. Off-white: EGG SHELL 

33. Chemical suffix: ANE - Flammable MethANE leaps to my mind

34. Flower from the Greek for "rainbow": IRIS - Ἶρις (Iota, rho, iota, sigma) - Goddess of the rainbow

35. Annie Lennox, by birth: SCOT - A bonny lass from Aberdeen who is the lead singer for the Eurhythmics 

36. List with starters: MENU - Found as appetizers in a restaurant and as icons on a computer 

42. Pundit: SWAMI.

43. Chocolate substitute: CAROB - CAROB on the left is caffeine free

44. Truism: AXIOM.

45. "That time of year thou __ in me behold": Shak.: MAYST - The title of Shakespeare's Sonnet 73 that speaks of entering old age 

48. Blissful land: EDEN - Richard II said of England - "This other EDEN, demi-paradise..." The third reference to The Bard Of Avon today

49. After-shower application: TALC.

50. Two-time NHL Norris Trophy winner Karlsson: ERIK - A San Jose Shark hockey player from Landsbro, Sweden

51. Minstrel's strings: LUTE.

52. Hurdle for aspiring attys.: LSAT - Sample questions from the Law School Aptitude Test

54. Festive party accessory: LEI - In Crossword Land you frequently have to choose between an obi, a boa or a LEI

55. Wild place: ZOO.

I hope you think the puzzle and the write-up were worth the dough and not too crusty. Comment at will:

I told you it was a pangram!

*The correct answer in the IQ problem is #5

Friday, November 16, 2018 James Sajdak

Title: Let’s get down with UP!

James is  back for his second Friday this year. He was more prolific back in 2011 when C.C. INTERVIEWED him . His roots are Wisconsin based but his presentation is eclectic with only a mini-theme of Oscar winning directors. The theme today should jump out to almost all, with the sweet reveal telling you UP is put at the end of the 4 themers. Swaddling, Said I do and Sheepskin are all nice long fill and words like Panacea and Veldt are cool. From there it is a fun, fairly easy Friday frolic. Lots of stuff from so many fields. Enjoy.

17A. Novice hiker's predicament?: TRAIL MIXUP (10). I am sure he had some gorp in his backpack.

23A. Relief pitcher?: DIAMOND BACKUP (13). This is a play on the name of the Arizona team - the Diamondbacks. 

38A. Flipped ... and what four puzzle answers are?: UPENDED (7).

50A. Showoff with gags?: HOTDOG STANDUP (13). My favorite, combining comedians with showing off.

62A. Tenement for one on the lam?: PERP WALKUP  (10). If you do know the term WALK UP Apartment, this could be tough.

Across:

1. "__ simple, duh!": IT'S SO. Well that is a challenge to start us off.

6. Gobi container: ASIA. Cute clue, as the Gobi is in fact in Asia (as am I).

10. Pollutants targeted in Great Lakes cleanups: PCBS. Why were they BANNED?

14. "Sorry, bro": NO WAY. José.

15. Brits' foul-weather gear: MACS. The Mackintosh or raincoat is a form of waterproof raincoat, first sold in 1824, made out of rubberised (notice the spelling) fabric. The Mackintosh is named after its Scottish inventor Charles Macintosh, although many writers added a letter k. The variant spelling of "Mackintosh" is now standard.

16. Devastated sea: ARAL. We have had this so often with illustrations, I feel like I have been there.

19. Taboo: NO NO. Nanette?

20. DUI fighting org.:  SADD. Students Against Destructive 
Decisions has become about much more than drunk driving. LINK.

21. Card game shout: UNO. I learned this game and Skip-Bo from my grandmother who always traveled with various decks of cards. She also loved cribbage.

22. Dairy prefix: LACTO. This clue has milked dry.

27. Spot for a springbok: VELDT. This is the open country, bearing grass, bushes, or shrubs, or thinly forested, characteristic of parts of southern Africa, home to these small antelopes.

29. Allay: EASE.

30. "Cats" source: ELIOT. T.S.


31. Stopped working: DIED. My 5 year old iPhone 5 just up and died causing me to upgrade to a phone I need to learn how to use.

33. Snarky retort: AS IF.

37. Cheshire can: TIN. A dual purpose CSO to Steve, Nice Cuppa etc., as well as our toastmaster.

41. Where Charlemagne reigned: Abbr.: HRE. Holy Roman Empire.

42. Extended account: SAGA.

44. Sources of some barrels: OAKS.They are the preferred wood source for aging whiskey. Today's LESSON.

45. Salty expanse: OCEAN.

47. Boone, to his buds: DAN'L. What you need to KNOW.

49. Put oil and vinegar on, say: DRESS. A salad; you would want it nekkid in public would ya?

56. Swashbuckling Flynn: ERROL. A tribute.

57. Employ: USE.

58. "¿Cómo __?": ESTA. Usted.

61. Digitize, in a way: SCAN.

65. Director Gus Van __: SANT. I hear much about this MAN but only know one movie.

66. Barb: GIBE.

67. "A Fish Called Wanda" Oscar winner: KLINE. When Jamie Lee was young and hot.

68. 3-Canada competitor: ESSO. James worked in Canada.

69. Erelong: ANON. One of my favorite words from Shakespeare. not our trolls. Though I do agree, not all anons are bad, though some should be...

70. Worked with osier: CANED.

Down:

1. Cornerback's coups, briefly: INTS. Interceptions in American football.

2. One-third of a WWII film: TORA. This is a movie which shall live in infamy.

3. Wrapping tightly: SWADDLING.

4. Got married: SAID I DO. And I am glad I did.

5. Olive __: OYL. As a small child I was overcome with the irony of Popeye and Bluto fighting for her affections, but like Shallow Hal, I am not into big feet.

6. Acid type: AMINO. The building blocks of life and the key to your health. RESEARCH.

7. Ivanhoe, e.g.: SAXON. I read this over the summer in high school.

8. Post-OR stop: ICU. First to recovery, then only if necessary to the Intensive Care Unit.

9. Nile biter: ASP. I think this is a nail biter pun.

10. Cure-all: PANACEA. Such a cool word.

11. Bunch of baloney: CROCK. Of...

12. Linguistic group that includes Zulu: BANTU. I love seeing this with 24D. Western tip of Alaska: ATTU.

13. Single-master: SLOOP.

18. Silent: MUM.

22. __ Palmas: Canary Islands city: LAS. Las Palmas is a capital of Gran Canaria, one of Spain's Canary Islands off northwestern Africa. A major cruise-ship port, the city is known for duty-free shopping and for its sandy beaches,

25. Closing documents: DEEDS. A repeat from Saturday and CSO to my work which these days is primarily real estate closings, drafting and reviewing deeds and title.

26. Expressed, as farewell: BADE. Fondly, I hope.

27. Checks out: VETS.

28. Oscar-winning director Kazan: ELIA. Two Oscar winning directors in one puzzle?

31. Gives a hand: DEALS. Not helping or clapping.

32. Press: INK.

34. Grad's award: SHEEPSKIN. Such nice letters in  9 letter fill.

35. Nest egg choices: IRAS. Individual Retirement Accounts.

36. Bogs: FENS.

39. Early Atari offering: PONG.

40. __-Frank: 2010 financial reform bill: DODD. This BILL also is a form of CSO as I was also doing loan closings in the 2000s and saw the absurdity of lending practices which were based solely on making money for lenders and mortgage brokers with values inflated by the need to keep selling. While I was growing up, CHRIS DODD's father, Tom, was one of the senators from Connecticut.

43. Enlarge, as a house: ADD ON TO. My father built an addition to our house in 1959 to expand the kitchen and buy a pool table. Good choice.

46. First name in Disney villains: CRUELLA.

48. Verizon subsidiary: AOL.

50. "Siddhartha" author: HESSE.

51. Black-and-white cetaceans: ORCAS.

52. Mission opening?: TRANS. Transmission next to...

53. Supercharger: TURBO.

54. Steamboat Springs alternative: ASPEN. More likely Keystone, or Winter Park.

55. Fresh: NEW.

59. Piece of music: TUNE.

60. Impersonated: APED.

62. Woods gp.: PGA. Tiger, who is half-Thai.

63. Strauss' "__ Heldenleben": EIN.

64. Pedigree-tracking org.: AKC. American Kennel Club.

Some pics from Thailand:
Oo's son- before

After
Another puzzle in the record books and my sweet Oo had another birthday in Thailan. I hope you enjoyed sharing today's do venture with me. Thank you James and all who responded these words. Lemonade out.

Thursday, November 15th 2018 C.C. Burnikel

Theme: Tyro Torrent - all the theme entries are novices in various guises:

28A. *Fresh face in a newsroom: CUB REPORTER. The opposite is "a grizzled newspaperman". Now there's a phrase. It was used to describe Chicago Herald-Examiner reporter Ben Hecht among others: "... he had already developed the crusty style of a grizzled newspaperman ..." A mark of respect.

58A. *Fresh face at online gaming: NOOB. Via "Newbie" and "Newcomer" we get to NOOB. Language evolution, folks, I love it. If you are an expert, you used to be "L33T", as in "elite", but I'm sure that has gone the way of the dodo now.

59A. *With 60-Across, fresh face at a dojo: WHITE paired with ...

60A. *See 59-Across: BELT

3D. *Fresh face at boot camp: RAW RECRUIT. Don't mess with your Drill Sergeant.

11D. *Fresh face in the Boy Scouts: TENDERFOOT

51A. Error the answers to starred clues might make: ROOKIE MISTAKE

One thing to note right off the bat is that the symmetry of this puzzle is not "normal", meaning left-right and top-bottom, it is "mirror" symmetry, in this case left-right. This is often done to accommodate an attractive theme that can't be placed in a normal grid, I'm guessing this is the case with this one from C.C. (I could go ask her, but I'm taking a wild stab in the dark).

Another example of when you might see this variation is when there is a pattern or picture depicted in the white/black squares, but unless we've got a four-legged Space Invader/Pokémon hybrid I don't think that's the case here!

Let's see what else jumps out:

Across:

1. Passé saver of fave programs: VCR

4. Energized: AMPED UP

11. Sales add-on: TAX

14. Parseghian of Notre Dame: ARA. "The era of Ara" - Notre Dame football from 1964 to 1974, rescuing the program from mediocrity and winning national championships in 1966 and 1973. You wouldn't want to get this look from him:

15. "Alas, it's true": I FEAR SO. I had a few goes at this one, ended up correctly, eventually.

16. Juan Perón's wife: EVA. Don't Cry for Me, Argentina.

17. Level the playing field?: MOW. When I went to watch Chelsea FC play in London in the 80's, the appearance of the ride-on mower pre-game to give the pitch a final trim would be accompanied by this ditty, sung from the terrraces, as he drove, Zamboni-like, up and down the pitch:

"One man went to mow, went to mow a meadow.
One man and his dog (Spot), went to mow a meadow.

Two men went to mow, went to mow a meadow
Two men, one man and his dog (Spot), went to mow a meadow.

Three men went to mow, went to mow a meadow
Three men, two men, one man and his dog (Spot) went to mow a meadow.

Four men went to mow ...."

You get the idea. Amused us greatly at the time. I think the slowest mowing was something like "86 men went to mow ....."

And an excuse for a shameless Chelsea fan link!

18. Was felt very strongly: RAN DEEP

19. Say no to: NIX

20. Medicare section: PART B

22. Big name in shoe stores: DSW. Confession - I was Natick'ed again, two weeks in a row, with this one. The "W" got me.

23. "Same here": AS DO I. ME TOO didn't work. SO DO I didn't work. Eventually got the right letter combo.

25. Camper's heater: STERNO

27. Links targets: GREENS

32. ORD airport postings: ARRS. Arrivals at Orchard Field, now better known as Chicago O'Hare. One of my favorite airports for a layover, it's just a really nice space.

34. Get hitched on the run: ELOPE

35. Giant in nonstick sauté pans: T-FAL. My non-stick skillet is cast iron. Works a treat, but it gives the biceps a workout.

38. Big oafs: LOUTS

40. Saw: MET

41. Galaxy, e.g.: PHONE. Very nice, took me a while to see this one.

42. Practice frugality: SKIMP

43. Tense NFL periods: O.T.'S

44. "Bleeding Love" singer Lewis: LEONA. Thank you, crosses. Close to another Natick here. See 41D

45. Beat in a pie contest, say: OUT-EAT. Don't go up against Joey Chestnut. It's not just Nathan's hot dogs that he likes.

47. Booted out: OUSTED

48. Turncoat: RAT

50. Cable network since 1972: HBO. I tried HSN. Was wrong.

62. "Try again": NOPE

63. Zeus' shield: AEGIS. I knew it! Woo Hoo crosswords!

64. Bike signal: BELL

65. Website for handmade jewelry: ETSY

66. Egg holders: NESTS

67. "Match Game" host Baldwin: ALEC

Down:

1. Improvises, in jazz: VAMPS

2. Dubrovnik resident: CROAT

4. Site with many home pages?: AIRBNB. Lovely clue. I started using AirBnB this past year for weekend trips. No complaints at all, some lovely accommodations

5. CalArts degree: M.F.A.

6. Await a decision: PEND

7. George of "MacGyver": EADS

8. Picked from the deck: DREW

9. Find a place for: USE

10. Keith Haring genre: POP ART. We had Op-Art last week. What's next week - Impressionism? I'm taking bets.

12. French postcard word: AVION. "Par Avion" - or Air Mail.

13. Graph line: X-AXIS

21. "I wouldn't lie": TRUST ME

24. Is really boiling: SEETHES

26. Mining find: ORE

27. Hurdle for a future Ph.D.: G.R.E. Or the Graduate Record Examinations test to give it a long name.

29. Red Muppet: ELMO. Ticklish chap.

30. Frost, e.g.: POET

31. Goes (for): OPTS

32. Too: ALSO

33. Amazon Fire TV Stick alternative: ROKU

36. Hathaway of "Ocean's 8": ANNE

37. Take charge of: LEAD

39. __ plug: SPARK

41. Plum-apricot hybrid: PLUOT. I'm sure it's a thing, I've just never seen one, nor, to my knowledge eaten one, cooked with one or written one down.

46. Where bubble tea originated: TAIWAN. AKA boba tea. The upcoming ban on plastic straws here in California is causing some consternation. Now what?

47. Persistently haunt: OBSESS

49. Little laugh: TEHEE. Not sure how to punctuate this. I guess I'll leave it alone.

50. "Start the music!": HIT IT!

51. Carrot or turnip: ROOT. I cooked roasted parsnips on Sunday with a roast chicken. Kind of a carrot-turnip hybrid root. I love the caramelized sugars when you roast root vegetables.

52. "My bad": OOPS

53. Follow orders: OBEY

54. "Top Gun" enemy planes: MIGS

55. "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again" group: ABBA. Late in the day, but here's a music link. ABBA were great listening to when I was a teen. Perfect pop music. Of course, we were all too cool for school to admit it.

56. Ship's backbone: KEEL

57. Glamour rival: ELLE

58. Mobile-to-Knoxville dir.: N.N.E.

61. Dr. Mom's skill: T.L.C.

A couple of abbreviations to wrap things up, and with a background of ABBA - Mama Mia! Here's the grid:

Steve