Theme: LATIN Trio (31A: Classic language, and with 61-Across, hint to the puzzle theme found at the starts of 20-, 37- and 57-Across) - theme answers start with the first conjugation of Latin verb LOVE (61A: Cherish), in orderly fashion.
20A. 2005 Margaret Peterson Haddix children's thriller: AMONG THE ENEMY. Amo, I love. The book is about a time in which drastic measures have been taken to quell overpopulation.
37A. Accumulate wealth: AMASS A FORTUNE. Amas, You love.
57A. Non-remunerative athletics: AMATEUR SPORTS. Amat, He loves.
20A. 2005 Margaret Peterson Haddix children's thriller: AMONG THE ENEMY. Amo, I love. The book is about a time in which drastic measures have been taken to quell overpopulation.
37A. Accumulate wealth: AMASS A FORTUNE. Amas, You love.
57A. Non-remunerative athletics: AMATEUR SPORTS. Amat, He loves.
Plus,
Amamus: We love.
Amatis: You (plural) love.
Amant: They love.
This is Al, guest-blogging today.
For a TUE (64D: Election Day: Abbr.), this was a pretty good puzzle. It didn't give me a lot of GRIEF (9D: Reaction to personal loss).
I think I may have overdone it with the links.
Across:
1. Washing machine sequence: CYCLE. Here is a laundry CYCLE.
6. Pirate's booty: SWAG. Slang for loot. A treasure chest.
10. Twilight time: DUSK
14. Start of an old Army slogan: BE ALL. Be All You Can Be.
15. Rock group's trip: TOUR. Here is a magical tour.
16. In the past: ONCE. Anyone put ERST here first?
17. Jack of rhyme: SPRAT. He could eat no fat. Lolcat.
19. Persia, now: IRAN. We just had FARSI yesterday.
23. 1958 #1 hit sung in Italian: VOLARE. Italian for "to fly". Also called "Nel blu dipinto di blu" ("In the Blue Painted Blue"). This is the song I remember.
25. In error: OFF. The clue was kind of close to the answer ERRATA (50D: List of mistakes).
27A: Lyricist Gershwin: IRA. Also a Roth account.
33. Property measure: ACRE. One furlong (660 feet) by one chain (66 feet), 43,560 square feet, possibly the approximate amount of land one ox could plow in one day.
35. Moray, e.g.: EEL. To fit in with today's theme, that's amore.
44: Schoolbook: TEXT. Another theme video.
46. "Beak" for "nose," e.g.: SLANG
49. 100 bucks: C-NOTE. C for century. If I had 50 female pigs and 50 male deer, would I have a hundred sows and bucks?
51. "__ the ramparts"...": O'ER. The melody of our National Anthem was "borrowed from an old English drink song..."
51. "__ the ramparts"...": O'ER. The melody of our National Anthem was "borrowed from an old English drink song..."
52: Trip segment: LEG. I would definitely be tripped by these. Actually that photo is of a group called Bond, a quartet of classically trained musicians. Nice "trip" clue echo with TOUR earlier.
53. Thurman of "Kill Bill": UMA. Played Beatrix opposite David Carradine.
62. Aussie greeting: G'DAY. G'Day mate.
66. Till bills: ONES. A "Michigan bankroll".
67. Fish organ: GILL. Singer Vince too. Baseball great Hodges is GIL.
68. Prepare to advance after a fly ball: TAG UP.
69. Computer adventure game: MYST. Released in 1993.
Down:
2. Slangy assent: YEP. Yup, too.
3. Parking lot siren: CAR ALARM. Quite annoying...
4: Andean beast: LLAMA. The one-l lama, He's a priest. /The two-l llama, He's a beast. /And I will bet A silk pajama /There isn't any Three-l lllama.- Ogden Nash.
5. Matador's foe: EL TORO. "The bull" in Spanish.
6. Men-only party: STAG
7. Refuses to: WON'T
8: Write: AUTHOR. LEMONY (47D: Tart, as a citrus drink) Snicket, author of "A Series of Unfortunate Events".
10. "__ What Comes Natur'lly": DOIN'. Can they actually print this clue in a family publication?
11. Pre-riot state: UNREST. It's people like you what cause unrest.
12. Garlicky shrimp dish: SCAMPI
13. Nairobi native: KENYAN. So many marathon winners.
22. Key above D: E-FLAT. D-Sharp as well, but that won't fit.
24. SeaWorld attraction: ORCA. The sign said Free Willy, but it still cost $7 to get in...
29. Teachers' org.: NEA. National Education Association.
30. Fairylike: ELFIN. ELFIN.
32. Lie alongside: ABUT
36. Capri's Blue __: GROTTO. Rooted in Italian word grotta. Too many to pick from.
38. Transition to the next subject: SEGUE
39. Ear: Prefix: OTO. Could have been worse, they might have wanted us to spell otolaryngology. AURI is "Ear: Prefix" too.
40. Las Vegas Strip feature: NEON SIGN
41. Marked, as a ballot: EXED. Or XED.
46. Sinuous ski race: SLALOM. Rooted in Norwegian slalåm. slad, sloping + låm, path.
48. Mescal sources: AGAVES
49. Aerobic exercise, in gym-speak: CARDIO. Cardiovascular.
54. Seriously humid: MUGGY
56. Old lab burners: ETNAS. Named for the volcano ETNA, Greek for "I burn".
58. Final grade factor: TEST
59. Polio vaccine developer: SALK. Also Sabin, who developed the oral vaccine. People vaccinated with injected Salk vaccine could still pass on the disease.
60. War journalist Ernie: PYLE. Pulitzer winner (1944). Killed in the war in 1945. He was awarded a Purple Heart. Very few civilians got Purple Heart.
65. Mo for fools: APR. Also National Humor Month.
Answer grid.
Al
38. Transition to the next subject: SEGUE
39. Ear: Prefix: OTO. Could have been worse, they might have wanted us to spell otolaryngology. AURI is "Ear: Prefix" too.
40. Las Vegas Strip feature: NEON SIGN
41. Marked, as a ballot: EXED. Or XED.
46. Sinuous ski race: SLALOM. Rooted in Norwegian slalåm. slad, sloping + låm, path.
48. Mescal sources: AGAVES
49. Aerobic exercise, in gym-speak: CARDIO. Cardiovascular.
54. Seriously humid: MUGGY
56. Old lab burners: ETNAS. Named for the volcano ETNA, Greek for "I burn".
58. Final grade factor: TEST
59. Polio vaccine developer: SALK. Also Sabin, who developed the oral vaccine. People vaccinated with injected Salk vaccine could still pass on the disease.
60. War journalist Ernie: PYLE. Pulitzer winner (1944). Killed in the war in 1945. He was awarded a Purple Heart. Very few civilians got Purple Heart.
65. Mo for fools: APR. Also National Humor Month.
Answer grid.
Al
