17A. Geometry subject : PLANE FIGURE. I'm on one. An Airbus A320, according to "the safety card in the seatback pocket in front of me".
28A. Vertical window dressings : PANEL CURTAINS. I'm not an interior designer, so a new phrase for me. What other kinds of curtains are there?
47A. Carrier based in Kathmandu : NEPAL AIRLINES. Small letter-counting hesitation between LINES and WAYS and then no problem. I'd love to be on an NAL plane to Kathmandu right now, but UAL back to LAX for me.
61A. Place for some exiled prisoners : PENAL COLONY.
Hi all - Steve here, en route home from a visit to Mexico. I still don't understand why there isn't an internet cable trailing out of the back of the airplane and I can still do this! Thoroughly enjoyable puzzle from Gail and Bruce, and I was able to make a fifth anagram from the letters - "Alpen" is a muesli from the UK, so a perfect "mixture" theme title (for me, anyway!).
No "reveal" entry either leaving us to figure it out for ourselves - I didn't see the theme until I was finished, so it was a nice "aha" when I looked for it. Word of the day for me was QUIRKINESS - it was my final fill and all the nicer for trying to puzzle out an odd letter combination.
Across:
1. Quizmaster's request : ANSWER. Seems a little curt for a "request".
7. Enjoy the sun : BASK. I have to confess I've been doing a bit of this over the last few days.
11. Four times a day, in an Rx : QID. OK, if you say so. No clue.
14. Whodunit plot element : MOTIVE. Professor Plum in the library with the lead pipe. Is there a motive in "Clue"? It's so long since I've played the game. It's called "Cluedo" in England, by the way.
15. Aunt Bee's grandnephew : OPIE
16. Verse starter? : UNI. Universe.
19. Portfolio holding, briefly : IRA
20. Upset : SORE
21. Cards with pics : ID'S
22. Cuban bandleader __ Prado, "King of the Mambo" : PEREZ. Here's a quick taste of "Mambo No. 5" in "True Stereo". I think the vocal track needs a little work though.
24. Western tie : BOLO
26. Haughty look : SMIRK
32. LPGA garment : SKORT, Great clue for an odd wardrobe item
34. "Do it, __ will!" : OR I
35. Lose one's cool : SNAP
36. Bud : PAL
37. Where many pioneers headed : OUT WEST
41. U.K. record label : EMI. "Electric and Music Industries Ltd." founded in 1931. (Yes, I had to look that up).
42. More than enough : A LOT
44. Scoreboard letters : RHE. I'm slowly learning. Runs, Hits, Errors. Baseball! Here's the scoreboard from my hometown Dodger Stadium:
45. Initial stage : ONSET
51. Autumn stones : OPALS
52. "What __?" : OF IT
53. "Never needs sharpening" brand : GINSU
55. Certain Ivy Leaguer : ELI
56. Senator Cochran of Mississippi : THAD. Nice to meet you Mr. Thad Cochran.
60. Special forces weapon : UZI
65. Sneaker part : TOE
66. Work on film : EDIT
67. Carol opening : ADESTE. I read today that there's actually a statute dating from 1938 in New York (usually ignored) that you can't sell Christmas trees until December 1st. I'd like to see a statute that you can't play Christmas carols on any public PA until December 24th, and you must stop on December 26th. Bah humbug!
68. '60s antiwar org. : S.D.S.
69. Knocks : RAPS
70. Stacked like Tupperware : NESTED. Not mine, however hard I try. Jumbled in the cupboard with mismatched lids. How does that happen?
Down:
1. Music boosters : AMPS
2. Brief legal plea : NOLO. I think it's short for "Nolo Contendere" but I'm not going to commit to that until I consult with my attorney. I know my rights.
3. Rating symbol : STAR
4. Place offering two-ounce servings : WINE BAR. 2 ozs? That's not even a taste!
5. December 24, e.g. : EVE. Today you can play Adeste Fideles in public, according to Steve's Law.
6. Send an amended 1040, say : RE-FILE
7. Swampy spots : BOGS
8. Calcutta Tech grad on "The Simpsons" : APU
9. Respectful title : SIR
10. "That's yours now" : KEEP IT
11. Eccentricity : QUIRKINESS
12. Memo leadoff : INRE. I'd really like to use this intro, but somehow it doesn't seem appropriate in an email. If we ever went back to typewriters and inter-office memoranda I'd jump at the chance.
13. Cameron of "Bad Teacher" : DIAZ
18. Much-admired one : IDOL
23. Significant stretches : ERAS
25. Not fooled by : ON TO
26. "Fine by me" : SURE
27. Hosp. diagnostics : M.R.I.S
28. Rides during chukkers : POLO PONIES.
29. Cringe : COWER
30. Parents' selection : NAME
31. Polish partner : SPIT
32. Wing measurement : SPAN. They're measured by the bucket in Buffalo, I hear.
33. Farmers' market veggie : KALE
38. River to the Caspian : URAL
39. What we have here : THIS. Cue "Cool Hand Luke" clip.
40. Singer Braxton : TONI
43. Pub hardware : TAPS
46. Plants with stinging hairs : NETTLES. A summertime hazard all over England when I was growing up. You can make nettle soup, but it never tasted of much.
48. "Time After Time" singer : LAUPER. She has a great voice. I'd link the YouTube video but it comes up with a really annoying kids' video game ad first, so I'll spare you that.
49. Take it easy : LOLL
50. Promiser's caveat : IF I CAN. Seems a little squirrelly to add a caveat to a promise.
53. Inner workings : GUTS
54. Tommy Hilfiger rival : IZOD
55. Works on a sub : EATS
57. Quizmaster, e.g. : HOST. Two quizmasters today.
58. Get in on the deal : ANTE
59. Like purple hair : DYED
62. Child expert LeShan : EDA
63. Something in the air, perhaps : NIP
64. Laudatory work : ODE
That's it from me today. California's getting some welcome rain, let's see how many mudslides are triggered - hopefully nothing serious.
Steve
