Theme: KING ME (71A. Board game demand, and hint to this puzzle's theme) - KING is added to the end of three-letter word of a common phrase.
18A. Temporary teacher's lot? : SUB PARKING. Subpar. The only theme entry where the base phrase is one word. Temporary teacher = Sub.
23A. What it would have been if 10-Down went down? : ORIGINAL SINKING. And ARK (10. Ararat arrival). Noah's Ark landed in Mt. Ararat. What exactly is the "Original Sin"? Eve & Adam ate the forbidden fruit and then made love?
52A. Brusque words about strong coffee? : ESPRESSO BARKING. Espresso Bar. Quite an evocative clue. Brusque order from a customer.
61A. Actress Brenneman losing on purpose? : AMY TANKING. Amy Tan, author of "The Joy Luck Club", very real portrait of Chinese American mindset. I liked Amy Brenneman's role in "NYPD Blue".
Interesting that every one of Jack's recent puzzles has a unifier entry. "King Me" came to my radar only because Lois had lots of DF fun with the term some time ago on the blog. I've never played Checkers.
As you all know, I am quite fond of clue echos and cross-references, but I truly dislike those ones that give absolutely nothing for me to decipher. In today's case:
6D. 13-Down relative : EDU
13D. 6-Down relative : ORG
They are relatives because both are common internet address endings?
Across:
1. Rhine tributary : RUHR. In Essen.
5. Word spoken while pointing, perhaps : HER. New clue.
8. Slow tempo : ADAGIO
14. Sitcom redhead : OPIE. Ron Howard in "The Andy Griffith Show". I thought of LUCY Ball.
15. Stock ending? : ADE. Ending to the word Stockade.
16. Sole sauce : TARTAR
17. Hosp. workers : LPNS (Licensed Practical Nurses). New abbr. to me. Maybe it's gimme for August & Crazy Horse.
20. Escorted : LED IN
22. Where to kiss the Blarney Stone : EIRE
30. Nat or Red : NLER. National Leaguer. Washington Nationals/Cincinnati Reds.
31. "The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom" author : ORMAN (Suze)
32. '60s activist gp. : SDS (Students for a Democratic Society)
35. Former sergeant, perhaps : EX-COP. Needed crossing help.
38. Classic Callas role : TOSCA. No idea. All I know about Maria Callas is her affair with Ari Onassis.
39. "Very funny" : HA HA
41. Greenish blues : TEALS
43. Links sight : CART. Golf.
44. Memorable mission : ALAMO
46. Pond papa : DRAKE. Alliteration.
48. __ Arc, Arkansas : DES. Not familiar with this city. We also have ARCED (25D. Bowed). Minor duplication.
49. Former name of the Mariinsky Ballet : KIROV. Previously Kirov Ballet.
50. Fanatics : NUTS
59. Like an undeliverable pkg. : RETD. Returned I suppose.
60. Where to get down : EIDER. Duck down.
67. Normal opening? : PARA. Opening to the word Paranormal.
68. Hunts diligently : SCOURS
69. Date : SEE
70. It acquired Applebee's in 2007 : IHOP. Unaware of this fact.
72. Little shaver : TOT. Shaver = Small kid.
73. Peter of reggae : TOSH. Gimme. The Wailers. With Bob Marley.
Down:
1. Rich kid in "Nancy" comics : ROLLO. Stumper. I don't read comic strips.
2. Berth place : UPPER
3. Language that gives us "cheetah" and "chutney" : HINDI. Any good recipe for mango chutney?
4. Quit : RESIGN
5. Holds : HAS
7. Rise up : REBEL
8. Pong creator : ATARI
9. Are more than reluctant to : DARE NOT. I say this a lot.
11. VW hatchback : GTI. GTI = Grand Tourer--Injected. Who knows? Volkswagen is the largest foreign car maker in China.
12. Creator of Q and M : IAN (Fleming). Q & M are Bond characters.
19. Circle constants : PIS
21. __ green : NILE
24. "What happened __?" : NEXT
26. McDonald's founder : KROC (Ray)
27. "When __ she comes to me with a thousand smiles": "Little Wing" lyric : I'M SAD. Stymied. Jimi Hendrix song. Any The Corrs fans there?
28. Shell layer : NACRE. Mother-of-pearl. Mollusk shell.
29. Punkies : GNATS. Punkie is a new word to me.
32. Wooden shingle : SHAKE. Was ignorant of this carpentry term.
33. "The Sacrament of the Last Supper" and others : DALIS. Here is the painting.
34. Off-key, in a way : SHARP. Need Jazzbumpa's explanation.
36. Watercraft control : OAR
37. Alternate strategy : PLAN B
40. Cupid : AMOR
42. Arctic predator : SKUA. Hi there!
45. Like many a baseball pitch : OVERARM. Overarm pitch.
47. French 101 verb : ETRE. "To be".
51. "Never mind" : SKIP IT
53. Common quality? : SENSE. Common sense.
54. NYSE buy : STK (Stock)
55. Lyrical poet : ODIST
56. Only state that borders six states and Canada : IDAHO. Wow, it's true.
57. __ Circus, where St. Peter was crucified : NERO'S. Learning moment for me. Jack likes to put a few Biblical references in his puzzle.
58. Plotting device : GRAPH
61. Quiz : ASK
62. Verizon subsidiary : MCI
63. That, old-style : YON
64. Harbor vessel : TUG. Quite a few 3-letter word entries in the grid. Total 21.
65. Revival prefix : NEO. Neoclassic, e.g.
66. Fetch : GET
Answer grid.
C.C.
18A. Temporary teacher's lot? : SUB PARKING. Subpar. The only theme entry where the base phrase is one word. Temporary teacher = Sub.
23A. What it would have been if 10-Down went down? : ORIGINAL SINKING. And ARK (10. Ararat arrival). Noah's Ark landed in Mt. Ararat. What exactly is the "Original Sin"? Eve & Adam ate the forbidden fruit and then made love?
52A. Brusque words about strong coffee? : ESPRESSO BARKING. Espresso Bar. Quite an evocative clue. Brusque order from a customer.
61A. Actress Brenneman losing on purpose? : AMY TANKING. Amy Tan, author of "The Joy Luck Club", very real portrait of Chinese American mindset. I liked Amy Brenneman's role in "NYPD Blue".
Interesting that every one of Jack's recent puzzles has a unifier entry. "King Me" came to my radar only because Lois had lots of DF fun with the term some time ago on the blog. I've never played Checkers.
As you all know, I am quite fond of clue echos and cross-references, but I truly dislike those ones that give absolutely nothing for me to decipher. In today's case:
6D. 13-Down relative : EDU
13D. 6-Down relative : ORG
They are relatives because both are common internet address endings?
Across:
1. Rhine tributary : RUHR. In Essen.
5. Word spoken while pointing, perhaps : HER. New clue.
8. Slow tempo : ADAGIO
14. Sitcom redhead : OPIE. Ron Howard in "The Andy Griffith Show". I thought of LUCY Ball.
15. Stock ending? : ADE. Ending to the word Stockade.
16. Sole sauce : TARTAR
17. Hosp. workers : LPNS (Licensed Practical Nurses). New abbr. to me. Maybe it's gimme for August & Crazy Horse.
20. Escorted : LED IN
22. Where to kiss the Blarney Stone : EIRE
30. Nat or Red : NLER. National Leaguer. Washington Nationals/Cincinnati Reds.
31. "The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom" author : ORMAN (Suze)
32. '60s activist gp. : SDS (Students for a Democratic Society)
35. Former sergeant, perhaps : EX-COP. Needed crossing help.
38. Classic Callas role : TOSCA. No idea. All I know about Maria Callas is her affair with Ari Onassis.
39. "Very funny" : HA HA
41. Greenish blues : TEALS
43. Links sight : CART. Golf.
44. Memorable mission : ALAMO
46. Pond papa : DRAKE. Alliteration.
48. __ Arc, Arkansas : DES. Not familiar with this city. We also have ARCED (25D. Bowed). Minor duplication.
49. Former name of the Mariinsky Ballet : KIROV. Previously Kirov Ballet.
50. Fanatics : NUTS
59. Like an undeliverable pkg. : RETD. Returned I suppose.
60. Where to get down : EIDER. Duck down.
67. Normal opening? : PARA. Opening to the word Paranormal.
68. Hunts diligently : SCOURS
69. Date : SEE
70. It acquired Applebee's in 2007 : IHOP. Unaware of this fact.
72. Little shaver : TOT. Shaver = Small kid.
73. Peter of reggae : TOSH. Gimme. The Wailers. With Bob Marley.
Down:
1. Rich kid in "Nancy" comics : ROLLO. Stumper. I don't read comic strips.
2. Berth place : UPPER
3. Language that gives us "cheetah" and "chutney" : HINDI. Any good recipe for mango chutney?
4. Quit : RESIGN
5. Holds : HAS
7. Rise up : REBEL
8. Pong creator : ATARI
9. Are more than reluctant to : DARE NOT. I say this a lot.
11. VW hatchback : GTI. GTI = Grand Tourer--Injected. Who knows? Volkswagen is the largest foreign car maker in China.
12. Creator of Q and M : IAN (Fleming). Q & M are Bond characters.
19. Circle constants : PIS
21. __ green : NILE
24. "What happened __?" : NEXT
26. McDonald's founder : KROC (Ray)
27. "When __ she comes to me with a thousand smiles": "Little Wing" lyric : I'M SAD. Stymied. Jimi Hendrix song. Any The Corrs fans there?
28. Shell layer : NACRE. Mother-of-pearl. Mollusk shell.
29. Punkies : GNATS. Punkie is a new word to me.
32. Wooden shingle : SHAKE. Was ignorant of this carpentry term.
33. "The Sacrament of the Last Supper" and others : DALIS. Here is the painting.
34. Off-key, in a way : SHARP. Need Jazzbumpa's explanation.
36. Watercraft control : OAR
37. Alternate strategy : PLAN B
40. Cupid : AMOR
42. Arctic predator : SKUA. Hi there!
45. Like many a baseball pitch : OVERARM. Overarm pitch.
47. French 101 verb : ETRE. "To be".
51. "Never mind" : SKIP IT
53. Common quality? : SENSE. Common sense.
54. NYSE buy : STK (Stock)
55. Lyrical poet : ODIST
56. Only state that borders six states and Canada : IDAHO. Wow, it's true.
57. __ Circus, where St. Peter was crucified : NERO'S. Learning moment for me. Jack likes to put a few Biblical references in his puzzle.
58. Plotting device : GRAPH
61. Quiz : ASK
62. Verizon subsidiary : MCI
63. That, old-style : YON
64. Harbor vessel : TUG. Quite a few 3-letter word entries in the grid. Total 21.
65. Revival prefix : NEO. Neoclassic, e.g.
66. Fetch : GET
Answer grid.
C.C.
