Theme: Yadda Yadda Yadda. You add a "YA" to a name or a phrase. Hilarity ensues.
17A. Headline during an African wildfire season? : KENYA BURNS. Ken Burns. Documentary film maker.
61A. Collector of some Spanish art? : GOYA GETTER. Go-getter. To the delight of teenage boys in art class everywhere, Goya painted two versions of his Maja. One clothed, the other markedly less so. Here's one version:
10D. Artist Jasper during his tropical period? : PAPAYA JOHNS. Papa John's. Pizza purveyor. The artist Jasper Johns is fond of this somewhat gloomy pose:
25D. Farmer's possible reply to "What beans are you planting this year?"? : I RECKON SOYA. I reckon so. Food! I'm very partial to steamed edamame, sprinkled with sea salt.
The reveal across the middle of the puzzle tells us:
39A. Casual parting ... and a hint to this puzzle's four longest answers : SEE YA
Straightforward enough theme. You always know the kind of thing you're looking for when you see clues in the interrogative. Two 10-letter themers across, two 11-letter downs and one reveal across the middle. There's some nice longer fill too, let's see what we've got.
Across:
1. Brewski : SUDS. Cheers!
5. Scrubland succulent : AGAVE. Tequila!
10. Skate park protection : PADS
14. "__ something I said?" : IS IT
15. Bounded : LOPED
16. Settled on the tarmac : ALIT
19. "¿Qué __?" : PASA
20. Peach or orange : HUE
21. Snitch : RAT
22. Rental duration : TENANCY. This was a poser before the crosses helped out. I was thinking rental cars, not apartments. Two Days? Maybe. Fortunately I wasn't convinced.
24. Former NASCAR Cup sponsor : SPRINT
26. Pass along : RELAY
27. Go over again : RE-READ
29. Kind of key : MAJOR. As opposed to minor.
33. Bro : MATE. Hmmm. Transatlantic synonymia. I think I just invented a great new word.
36. Tolkien villain : ORC. Generic one of about three trillion, if the computer graphics were to be believed. There were two in the book who actually had names, but I think they were cut from the movie script.
37. "This feels familiar" feeling : DEJA VU. Very apt - today is Groundhog Day. That was a fun movie, starring Bill Murray and Andi McDowell.
38. Corner office fig. : EXEC. utive. I had a corner office on the Warner Bros. lot overlooking the Western backlot which did not befit my station. I kept very quiet about that mistake by corporate real estate.
41. Had too much : OD'ED. This is on my personal "banned" list.
42. Satisfies, as thirst : SLAKES. You can also match-make calcium oxide and water to produce calcium hydroxide with judicious use of this verb.
44. Reduction : CUT
45. Attending : HERE. Little odd. "I'm here" and "I'm attending". One is not quite like the other.
46. Fable teller : AESOP
47. "Challenge accepted!" : GAME ON!
49. West Coast pro : NINER. Ah, the might Santa Clara 49ers. Funny how they didn't change their name when they moved.
51. Possible reason for an empty seat : NO-SHOW
55. Picture of health? : CAT SCAN
58. Profession, casually : BIZ
59. Hosp. area : I.C.U.
60. __ clarinet : ALTO
64. Tactic : PLOY
65. Barn-raising sect : AMISH
66. Latin I word : AMAS. What? Latin "CI" word I could understand. Latin "I" possessive is wrong, so that can't be it. Amo, amas, amat - I love, you love, he/she/it loves, Help me out here. Typo?
67. County bordering Sonoma : NAPA. A favorite destination. I tasted a fabulous gin which was distilled in Napa the other day. I didn't know there are a few distilleries in the region.
68. Core belief : TENET
69. Out of shape : BENT. Like me, about "OD'ED"
Down
1. Punjabi monotheists : SIKHS
2. Burn through : USE UP
3. Eatery often named for its owner : DINER. We've got Mel's and Paty's in my neighborhood. Here's Paty's - get the corned beef hash and fresh orange juice. Oh, and a pint of coffee.
4. Foul spot : STY
5. Seemingly eternal burden : ALBATROSS. From "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner":
6. Joint ailment : GOUT
7. Abbr. in car ads : A.P.R. Usually more than you expected.
8. Unloaded a burden : VENTED
9. Old lemon : EDSEL
11. Cumming of "The Good Wife" : ALAN. Thanks, crosses. This chap, born in Scotland:
12. CD part : DISC. Not deposit.
13. Sit tight : STAY. In 1977 I was living in a one room rental (called a bed-sit) in London. In winter, I heated the room by turning on the oven and leaving the oven door open. I had a record player and this classic from "Running on Empty" by Jackson Browne.
18. "Rule, Britannia" composer : ARNE. Thomas. I've used up my music link quota. Google "Last Night of the Proms Rule Britannia 2009" if you want to see some seriously-British flag-waving.
23. License info : NAME
26. Pit visitor : RACE CAR
28. Before, poetically : ERE
30. Green gem : JADE
31. Wrapped up : OVER. It's over.
32. Deserving a slap, maybe : RUDE
33. Badlands landform : MESA
34. Shaft with bushings : AXLE. Thought "American Spelling", went with AXEL. Obviously wrong. Fixed it.
37. Couple's break from the kids : DATE NIGHT
40. "Delish!" : YUM
43. Amazing, in dudespeak : EPIC
47. Biological map subject : GENOME
48. Slime : OOZE
50. Pester : NAG AT
52. Card table request : HIT ME
53. Where some large schools may be found : OCEAN
54. Rathskeller fare : WURST. A bar in the basement of a German city hall (Rathaus). We Americans added the "h" so as not to deter the diners or drinkers.
55. Aye-catcher? : CAP'N. Best clue of the day. Very nice.
56. Trattoria's "in the style of" : ALLA. More Food! What better excuse than to link to the quite splendid Lego animation of Eddie Izzard and the "Death Star Canteen". (R18 for language, REveryone for humor).
57. Firebird roof option : T-TOP. Subtle, understated vehicle from Pontiac.
58. Military center : BASE
62. Half a cosmic whole : YIN. Meet Yang.
63. Check : TAB. That's my cue - Check Please!
Aaaaaaand - the grid.
Steve
17A. Headline during an African wildfire season? : KENYA BURNS. Ken Burns. Documentary film maker.
61A. Collector of some Spanish art? : GOYA GETTER. Go-getter. To the delight of teenage boys in art class everywhere, Goya painted two versions of his Maja. One clothed, the other markedly less so. Here's one version:
10D. Artist Jasper during his tropical period? : PAPAYA JOHNS. Papa John's. Pizza purveyor. The artist Jasper Johns is fond of this somewhat gloomy pose:
25D. Farmer's possible reply to "What beans are you planting this year?"? : I RECKON SOYA. I reckon so. Food! I'm very partial to steamed edamame, sprinkled with sea salt.
The reveal across the middle of the puzzle tells us:
39A. Casual parting ... and a hint to this puzzle's four longest answers : SEE YA
Straightforward enough theme. You always know the kind of thing you're looking for when you see clues in the interrogative. Two 10-letter themers across, two 11-letter downs and one reveal across the middle. There's some nice longer fill too, let's see what we've got.
Across:
1. Brewski : SUDS. Cheers!
5. Scrubland succulent : AGAVE. Tequila!
10. Skate park protection : PADS
14. "__ something I said?" : IS IT
15. Bounded : LOPED
16. Settled on the tarmac : ALIT
19. "¿Qué __?" : PASA
20. Peach or orange : HUE
21. Snitch : RAT
22. Rental duration : TENANCY. This was a poser before the crosses helped out. I was thinking rental cars, not apartments. Two Days? Maybe. Fortunately I wasn't convinced.
24. Former NASCAR Cup sponsor : SPRINT
26. Pass along : RELAY
27. Go over again : RE-READ
29. Kind of key : MAJOR. As opposed to minor.
33. Bro : MATE. Hmmm. Transatlantic synonymia. I think I just invented a great new word.
36. Tolkien villain : ORC. Generic one of about three trillion, if the computer graphics were to be believed. There were two in the book who actually had names, but I think they were cut from the movie script.
37. "This feels familiar" feeling : DEJA VU. Very apt - today is Groundhog Day. That was a fun movie, starring Bill Murray and Andi McDowell.
38. Corner office fig. : EXEC. utive. I had a corner office on the Warner Bros. lot overlooking the Western backlot which did not befit my station. I kept very quiet about that mistake by corporate real estate.
41. Had too much : OD'ED. This is on my personal "banned" list.
42. Satisfies, as thirst : SLAKES. You can also match-make calcium oxide and water to produce calcium hydroxide with judicious use of this verb.
44. Reduction : CUT
45. Attending : HERE. Little odd. "I'm here" and "I'm attending". One is not quite like the other.
46. Fable teller : AESOP
47. "Challenge accepted!" : GAME ON!
49. West Coast pro : NINER. Ah, the might Santa Clara 49ers. Funny how they didn't change their name when they moved.
51. Possible reason for an empty seat : NO-SHOW
55. Picture of health? : CAT SCAN
58. Profession, casually : BIZ
59. Hosp. area : I.C.U.
60. __ clarinet : ALTO
64. Tactic : PLOY
65. Barn-raising sect : AMISH
66. Latin I word : AMAS. What? Latin "CI" word I could understand. Latin "I" possessive is wrong, so that can't be it. Amo, amas, amat - I love, you love, he/she/it loves, Help me out here. Typo?
67. County bordering Sonoma : NAPA. A favorite destination. I tasted a fabulous gin which was distilled in Napa the other day. I didn't know there are a few distilleries in the region.
68. Core belief : TENET
69. Out of shape : BENT. Like me, about "OD'ED"
Down
1. Punjabi monotheists : SIKHS
2. Burn through : USE UP
3. Eatery often named for its owner : DINER. We've got Mel's and Paty's in my neighborhood. Here's Paty's - get the corned beef hash and fresh orange juice. Oh, and a pint of coffee.
4. Foul spot : STY
5. Seemingly eternal burden : ALBATROSS. From "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner":
Ah! well a-day! what evil looks
Had I from old and young!
Instead of the cross, the Albatross
About my neck was hung.
6. Joint ailment : GOUT
7. Abbr. in car ads : A.P.R. Usually more than you expected.
8. Unloaded a burden : VENTED
9. Old lemon : EDSEL
11. Cumming of "The Good Wife" : ALAN. Thanks, crosses. This chap, born in Scotland:
12. CD part : DISC. Not deposit.
13. Sit tight : STAY. In 1977 I was living in a one room rental (called a bed-sit) in London. In winter, I heated the room by turning on the oven and leaving the oven door open. I had a record player and this classic from "Running on Empty" by Jackson Browne.
18. "Rule, Britannia" composer : ARNE. Thomas. I've used up my music link quota. Google "Last Night of the Proms Rule Britannia 2009" if you want to see some seriously-British flag-waving.
23. License info : NAME
26. Pit visitor : RACE CAR
28. Before, poetically : ERE
30. Green gem : JADE
31. Wrapped up : OVER. It's over.
32. Deserving a slap, maybe : RUDE
33. Badlands landform : MESA
34. Shaft with bushings : AXLE. Thought "American Spelling", went with AXEL. Obviously wrong. Fixed it.
37. Couple's break from the kids : DATE NIGHT
40. "Delish!" : YUM
43. Amazing, in dudespeak : EPIC
47. Biological map subject : GENOME
48. Slime : OOZE
50. Pester : NAG AT
52. Card table request : HIT ME
53. Where some large schools may be found : OCEAN
54. Rathskeller fare : WURST. A bar in the basement of a German city hall (Rathaus). We Americans added the "h" so as not to deter the diners or drinkers.
55. Aye-catcher? : CAP'N. Best clue of the day. Very nice.
56. Trattoria's "in the style of" : ALLA. More Food! What better excuse than to link to the quite splendid Lego animation of Eddie Izzard and the "Death Star Canteen". (R18 for language, REveryone for humor).
57. Firebird roof option : T-TOP. Subtle, understated vehicle from Pontiac.
58. Military center : BASE
62. Half a cosmic whole : YIN. Meet Yang.
63. Check : TAB. That's my cue - Check Please!
Aaaaaaand - the grid.
Steve
