Theme: Double Features - Each theme answer contains two movie names, the "short" & circled one is a single word and placed orderly from left to right (the first and last one are actually in perfect symmetry).
17A. Alan Alda feature with a Will Smith short: CALIFORNIA SUITE. The circled (green color) movie title in the answer is ALI (Muhammad, the boxer). Interesting to see 54D. Branch of Islam: SHIA in the grid, which means "followers of Ali", and is based on the teaching of Muhammad and his successor (cousin) Ali. Coincidence?
27A. William Hurt feature with a Warren Beatty short: ALTERED STATES. Circled movie: REDS.
47A. Barbara Stanwyck feature with a Dustin Hoffman short: NO MAN OF HER OWN. Circled movie: HERO.
62A. Michael Redgrave feature with a Helen Gahagan short: THE LADY VANISHES. Circled short movie name: SHE.
I found this a little tough for a Thursday, especially getting started in the southwest corner. Maybe because I was a bit anxious at starting to be a regular once per week.
Al here, hope you all had a good time with this one, I know I liked the challenge. So, let's get started.
Across:
1. Tired: LIMP. Wow, a DF answer right off the bat...
5. Hall & Oates hit "__ Smile": SARA.
9. Beast of burden: LLAMA. An "orgle" is the mating sound of a llama or alpaca, made by the male. The sound is reminiscent of gargling, but with a more forceful, buzzing edge. Males begin the sound when they become ready to mate and continue throughout the act—from 15 minutes to more than an hour. That must be as annoying as a vuvuzela...
14. Higher than: OVER.
15. GM subsidiary since 1929: OPEL. Wir Leben Autos (we love cars)
16. Lady who reportedly exchanged barbs with Churchill: ASTOR. Nancy Witcher. A Viscountess, the first woman to sit as a Member of Parliament.
20. Like some condors: ANDEAN.
21. Net worth factor: DEBT. Yes, your only worth in the US is to go into debt, to keep the economy going. I know I've done my share of patriotic duty...
22. __ leaf: TEA.
23. Part of a process: STEP.
25. They take vows: NUNS. From the WTF department: "Nunnery" is slang for a brothel??
32. Prefix with sac: OVI. Usually a deposit of insect or arachnid eggs.
33. Familiar saying: SAW. Old English "sagu" (proverb), also Old Norse "saga", which is from an Old English root "secgan" (say), also related: sage.
34. Fuses, as ore: SMELTS. From German schmeltzan, which contains the word melt.
36. Prepare to fire on: AIM AT.
39. Terhune collie: LAD. Albert Payson Terhune is the author of "Lad: a Dog".
41. Hot fragment: EMBER.
42. Sets aside for later consideration: TABLES. In parliamentary sense, originally "to lay on the (speaker's) table for discussion", but it has come to mean to postpone indefinitely.
44. "Excellent!": RAD. Slang shortening of the word "radical".
46. Montana motto word: ORO. "Oro y Plata" (Spanish: Gold and Silver)
51. Frantically: AMOK. To run amok first recorded 1670s, from Malay amuk "attacking furiously." Earlier the word was used as a noun or adj. meaning "a frenzied Malay," originally in the Portuguese form amouco or amuco.
52. Management ally of a sort: SCAB. Meaning of "strikebreaker" first recorded 1806, from earlier sense of "person who refuses to join a trade union" (1777), probably from the meaning "despicable person"
53. Former flier: SST. The Concorde's last flight was on November 26, 2003.
56. Dick of adventure fiction: MOBY. I was trying to come up with a detective name, like MOTO or CHAN.
58. WWII encryption machine: ENIGMA.
65. Ipse __: DIXIT. A Latin phrase meaning he himself said it. The term labels a statement asserted but not proved, to be accepted on faith. Usually from a person of standing, such as Aristotle.
66. Grand Marquis, briefly: MERC. A Mercury full-size car, equivalent to a Ford Crown Victoria. I think I heard a rumor that Ford will shut down the Mercury line soon.
67. Depressing situation, with "the": PITS. Said to be a shortened form of armpits. Could be worse...
68. "Gymnopédies" composer: SATIE. Eric, a frequent crossword clue.
69. Spot: ESPY. Old French: espier, to spy.
70. Kiln for drying hops: OAST. Frequent crossword fill.
Down:
1. Crazy, in a Ricky Martin song: LOCA. Living la vida loca (the crazy life) Hot stuff!
2. Russian John: IVAN.
3. Blend: MELD. One for Argyle and Tinbini: The original reference is to whiskey-making.
4. Christian guide: PRIEST. Greek Presbyteros, to Latin prester, to Old English preost.
5. Norman athletes: SOONERS. Norman, Oklahoma, Oklahoma University.
6. Boston Marathon mo.: APR. Abbreviated clue (month) = abbreviated answer
7. Split apart: REND. Also rive and rent, all related.
8. Klingons, e.g.: ALIENS. Latin alienus, belonging to another, variant of Latin alius (other), related: alias.
9. Job application line: LAST NAME.
10. Fightin' Tigers' sch.: LSU. Lousiana State University.
11. Working: AT IT. OK, right, "working"...
12. Small particle: MOTE.
13. Region: AREA.
18. Inevitable outcome: FATE.
19. Borders: ABUTS.
24. Big ring: PEAL. From a bell. Clever clue, I was thinking bathtub and wondering: There's a name for that?
26D. 31-Down opposite: STEM. and 31D. 26-Down opposite: STERN.
27. Bird-related: AVIAN. Latin avis. (Rara Avis = rare bird, a pecular person)
28. Dance at a bar: LIMBO. The bar you bend under, not the one where you get bent out of shape.
29. Doc, for one: DWARF. Happy, Dopey, Sneezy, Grumpy, Bashful, Sleepy, and a list of about 50 unused names.
30. Attention-getting joint: ELBOW. Especially a poke in the gut.
32. Cereal grass: OAT.
35. Sign at a popular musical: SRO. You have to want to see a show pretty badly to pay and have to stand up all the way through it...
37. __ mater: ALMA. Bountiful mother.
38. Rice, to Montana: TEAMMATE. Tight End and Receiver both were the right length, too.
40. Some code signals: DAHS. And DITS. Morse code pulses.
43. Hair net: SNOOD.
45. Propriety: DECENCY. Appropriateness.
48. "I find that acceptable": OK BY ME.
49. Indian royal: RANI. For Queen, or the alternate spelling of RAJA for king.
50. San Luis __: OBISPO. Saint Louis, the Bishop. Halfway between San Fran and L.A.
53. Agreed-on guidelines: Abbr.: STDS. Standards. We have a saying at work, "The nice thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from". Unofficial, of course...
55. Message often sent using thumbs: TEXT. I'm not one for doing phone text myself; I prefer the feel of a real tactile interface.
57. First name in fashion: YVES. Saint Laurent.
59. Karmann __: sports car: GHIA. Multiple car name clues today. This one's a VW.
60. 1986 World Series champs: METS. Game 6 is another coincidental movie theme tie in for this puzzle.
61. Helper: Abbr.: ASST.
63. First-century date: LII. 52. Wasn't thrilled with the clue for this. Could have been clued Caesar's deck, or something else helpful, instead of random unguessable Roman letters.
64. Dada daddy?: ARP. Jean, but also went by Hans. The other founders of the Dada movement were Max Ernst and Alfred Emanuel Ferdinand Grünwald.
LA Times website has no circles since its software does not support circled squares. You can see our Answer Grid to identify where circled letters are.
Al
Note from C.C.:
I am very pleased to announce that Al will blog Thursday puzzles from now on. Al has been a quiet hero, always there when I have a computer or crossword related question. Welcome on board, Al.
17A. Alan Alda feature with a Will Smith short: CALIFORNIA SUITE. The circled (green color) movie title in the answer is ALI (Muhammad, the boxer). Interesting to see 54D. Branch of Islam: SHIA in the grid, which means "followers of Ali", and is based on the teaching of Muhammad and his successor (cousin) Ali. Coincidence?
27A. William Hurt feature with a Warren Beatty short: ALTERED STATES. Circled movie: REDS.
47A. Barbara Stanwyck feature with a Dustin Hoffman short: NO MAN OF HER OWN. Circled movie: HERO.
62A. Michael Redgrave feature with a Helen Gahagan short: THE LADY VANISHES. Circled short movie name: SHE.
I found this a little tough for a Thursday, especially getting started in the southwest corner. Maybe because I was a bit anxious at starting to be a regular once per week.
Al here, hope you all had a good time with this one, I know I liked the challenge. So, let's get started.
Across:
1. Tired: LIMP. Wow, a DF answer right off the bat...
5. Hall & Oates hit "__ Smile": SARA.
9. Beast of burden: LLAMA. An "orgle" is the mating sound of a llama or alpaca, made by the male. The sound is reminiscent of gargling, but with a more forceful, buzzing edge. Males begin the sound when they become ready to mate and continue throughout the act—from 15 minutes to more than an hour. That must be as annoying as a vuvuzela...
14. Higher than: OVER.
15. GM subsidiary since 1929: OPEL. Wir Leben Autos (we love cars)
16. Lady who reportedly exchanged barbs with Churchill: ASTOR. Nancy Witcher. A Viscountess, the first woman to sit as a Member of Parliament.
20. Like some condors: ANDEAN.
21. Net worth factor: DEBT. Yes, your only worth in the US is to go into debt, to keep the economy going. I know I've done my share of patriotic duty...
22. __ leaf: TEA.
23. Part of a process: STEP.
25. They take vows: NUNS. From the WTF department: "Nunnery" is slang for a brothel??
32. Prefix with sac: OVI. Usually a deposit of insect or arachnid eggs.
33. Familiar saying: SAW. Old English "sagu" (proverb), also Old Norse "saga", which is from an Old English root "secgan" (say), also related: sage.
34. Fuses, as ore: SMELTS. From German schmeltzan, which contains the word melt.
36. Prepare to fire on: AIM AT.
39. Terhune collie: LAD. Albert Payson Terhune is the author of "Lad: a Dog".
41. Hot fragment: EMBER.
42. Sets aside for later consideration: TABLES. In parliamentary sense, originally "to lay on the (speaker's) table for discussion", but it has come to mean to postpone indefinitely.
44. "Excellent!": RAD. Slang shortening of the word "radical".
46. Montana motto word: ORO. "Oro y Plata" (Spanish: Gold and Silver)
51. Frantically: AMOK. To run amok first recorded 1670s, from Malay amuk "attacking furiously." Earlier the word was used as a noun or adj. meaning "a frenzied Malay," originally in the Portuguese form amouco or amuco.
52. Management ally of a sort: SCAB. Meaning of "strikebreaker" first recorded 1806, from earlier sense of "person who refuses to join a trade union" (1777), probably from the meaning "despicable person"
53. Former flier: SST. The Concorde's last flight was on November 26, 2003.
56. Dick of adventure fiction: MOBY. I was trying to come up with a detective name, like MOTO or CHAN.
58. WWII encryption machine: ENIGMA.
65. Ipse __: DIXIT. A Latin phrase meaning he himself said it. The term labels a statement asserted but not proved, to be accepted on faith. Usually from a person of standing, such as Aristotle.
66. Grand Marquis, briefly: MERC. A Mercury full-size car, equivalent to a Ford Crown Victoria. I think I heard a rumor that Ford will shut down the Mercury line soon.
67. Depressing situation, with "the": PITS. Said to be a shortened form of armpits. Could be worse...
68. "Gymnopédies" composer: SATIE. Eric, a frequent crossword clue.
69. Spot: ESPY. Old French: espier, to spy.
70. Kiln for drying hops: OAST. Frequent crossword fill.
Down:
1. Crazy, in a Ricky Martin song: LOCA. Living la vida loca (the crazy life) Hot stuff!
2. Russian John: IVAN.
3. Blend: MELD. One for Argyle and Tinbini: The original reference is to whiskey-making.
4. Christian guide: PRIEST. Greek Presbyteros, to Latin prester, to Old English preost.
5. Norman athletes: SOONERS. Norman, Oklahoma, Oklahoma University.
6. Boston Marathon mo.: APR. Abbreviated clue (month) = abbreviated answer
7. Split apart: REND. Also rive and rent, all related.
8. Klingons, e.g.: ALIENS. Latin alienus, belonging to another, variant of Latin alius (other), related: alias.
9. Job application line: LAST NAME.
10. Fightin' Tigers' sch.: LSU. Lousiana State University.
11. Working: AT IT. OK, right, "working"...
12. Small particle: MOTE.
13. Region: AREA.
18. Inevitable outcome: FATE.
19. Borders: ABUTS.
24. Big ring: PEAL. From a bell. Clever clue, I was thinking bathtub and wondering: There's a name for that?
26D. 31-Down opposite: STEM. and 31D. 26-Down opposite: STERN.
27. Bird-related: AVIAN. Latin avis. (Rara Avis = rare bird, a pecular person)
28. Dance at a bar: LIMBO. The bar you bend under, not the one where you get bent out of shape.
29. Doc, for one: DWARF. Happy, Dopey, Sneezy, Grumpy, Bashful, Sleepy, and a list of about 50 unused names.
30. Attention-getting joint: ELBOW. Especially a poke in the gut.
32. Cereal grass: OAT.
35. Sign at a popular musical: SRO. You have to want to see a show pretty badly to pay and have to stand up all the way through it...
37. __ mater: ALMA. Bountiful mother.
38. Rice, to Montana: TEAMMATE. Tight End and Receiver both were the right length, too.
40. Some code signals: DAHS. And DITS. Morse code pulses.
43. Hair net: SNOOD.
45. Propriety: DECENCY. Appropriateness.
48. "I find that acceptable": OK BY ME.
49. Indian royal: RANI. For Queen, or the alternate spelling of RAJA for king.
50. San Luis __: OBISPO. Saint Louis, the Bishop. Halfway between San Fran and L.A.
53. Agreed-on guidelines: Abbr.: STDS. Standards. We have a saying at work, "The nice thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from". Unofficial, of course...
55. Message often sent using thumbs: TEXT. I'm not one for doing phone text myself; I prefer the feel of a real tactile interface.
57. First name in fashion: YVES. Saint Laurent.
59. Karmann __: sports car: GHIA. Multiple car name clues today. This one's a VW.
60. 1986 World Series champs: METS. Game 6 is another coincidental movie theme tie in for this puzzle.
61. Helper: Abbr.: ASST.
63. First-century date: LII. 52. Wasn't thrilled with the clue for this. Could have been clued Caesar's deck, or something else helpful, instead of random unguessable Roman letters.
64. Dada daddy?: ARP. Jean, but also went by Hans. The other founders of the Dada movement were Max Ernst and Alfred Emanuel Ferdinand Grünwald.
LA Times website has no circles since its software does not support circled squares. You can see our Answer Grid to identify where circled letters are.
Al
Note from C.C.:
I am very pleased to announce that Al will blog Thursday puzzles from now on. Al has been a quiet hero, always there when I have a computer or crossword related question. Welcome on board, Al.