Theme:
16A. *Tony Hawk legwear : SKATE PANTS. They look like a pair of jeans to me.
36A. *Stick in the snow : SKI POLE. When we used to ski the Courcheval couloirs in the Alps, a fall near the top meant a long, long slide before there was any chance of getting back on your feet. By that time, you had usually strewn both skis, both poles, your sunglasses and your beanie down hundreds of meters of steep slope. We called it "having a yard sale".
56A. *Drawing needs : SKETCH PADS
10D. *Medicated dermal strip : SKIN PATCH. Here's one with some mighty claims:
31D. *Military chaplains : SKY PILOTS. Fun expression.
and the reveal:
41d. Search dogs' target ... and a phonetic hint to the answers to starred clues : ESCAPEE - Ess-Kay-Pee
Third Thursday in a row for C.C. and a nice theme again. I like the across-and-down theme style, with the reveal coming in well towards the end. Solid theme answers too, so a lot to like. Let's see what else jumps out:
Across:
1. Apple Store display : MACS
5. Centipede developer : ATARI. Classic arcade game of the 80's. If you want a walk down memory lane, here's an official Atari Centipede emulator.
10. Farm digs : STY
13. Tennis legend for whom a "Courage Award" is named : ASHE
14. French upper house : SÉNAT. It even has its own logo:
15. Hershey bar : SKOR. Hershey's has the recipe on their website. You can substitute the Hershey's chocolate chips with something that tastes more like real chocolate.
18. Helps out : AIDS
19. Unpretentious : HUMBLE
20. Turned it down : SAID NO
22. Nadal's birthplace : SPAIN. Rafa, the tennis idol.
23. Snatch, as a toy? : DOGNAP. I'd never heard of this term to pinch someone's toy, so I Googled it to get the skinny, and all I could come up with was that genuine dog-theft crime, which leads me to believe the "toy" in the clue must refer to real dogs in the "toy" breeds group. Nicely obscure, if I'm reading this correctly.
24. Composer Franck : CESAR. After a rocky start to his musical career, he became a respected professor at the Paris Conservatoire.
26. Luggage attachments : ID TAGS
29. Soak up the sun : BASK
32. Blue Grotto resort : CAPRI. You can bask on Capri.
34. Boy king : TUT
35. "That's gross!" : ICK!
38. Premier __: wine designation : CRU. For Bordeaux red wines, there are only five wines classified as Premier Crus: Château Lafite, Château Latour, Château Margaux, Château Haut-Brion and Château Mouton Rothschild
39. Word before watch or window : BAY
40. Signs away : CEDES
41. Israeli politician Barak : EHUD. Thank you, crosses.
42. Nurses, as a drink : SIPS ON. Not something I tend to make a habit of. Maybe if it's a Premier Cru Bordeaux.
44. Chills out : RESTS
47. "No harm done" : I'M OKAY
49. Waited nervously, perhaps : PACED
52. Wheat protein : GLUTEN
53. Tree with durable wood : ACACIA
55. Fellas : BROS
59. Inauguration words : OATH
60. Dairy mascot : ELSIE
61. Canal completed in 1825 : ERIE
62. Belly dance muscles : ABS
63. Kennel cries : YELPS
64. "Hairspray" mom : EDNA. I took my daughter to a live performance of Hairspray at the Hollywood Bowl a few years ago. At the intermission she informed me that I was apparently the only heterosexual man in the entire audience. I think she was right.
Down:
1. British side : MASH. Food! This is the traditional dish of pie, mash and liquor - eel pie, mashed potatoes and parsley sauce. Blue-collar chow from east and south-east London.
2. Words on a help desk sign : ASK US
3. Ring leader? : CHAMP
4. Reversal of fortune : SETBACK
5. Trees of the species Populus tremula : ASPENS
6. "Eat Drink Man Woman" drink : TEA. Ang Lee's first critical and box office success released in 1994.
7. Former Texas governor Richards : ANN
8. "Midnight Cowboy" con man : RATSO. I always want "RIZZO" first, then talk myself down.
9. Delivery room cry : IT'S A GIRL!
11. Fuss : TO DO
12. Cen. components : YRS. 100 years in a century.
15. 1978 Peace co-Nobelist : SADAT. Anwar Sadat of Egypt and Israel's Menachim Begin.
17. Tahari of fashion : ELIE
21. Many a low-budget flick : INDIE
23. Decorator's choice : DRAPERY
25. Corrosive liquid : ACID. I think alkalis too?
27. Expert : GURU
28. Drywall support : STUD
29. Spill catchers : BIBS
30. Smoothie berry : ACAI
33. Sit for a snap : POSE
36. Hurry along : SCOOT
37. Creator of Randle McMurphy and Chief Bromden : KEN KESEY. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest".
43. Flatten : SMUSH
45. Garage units : SPACES
46. Dash dial : TACH
48. A high-top hides it : ANKLE
50. Hallmark.com choice : E-CARD
51. Bumped off : DID IN
52. Snatch : GRAB
54. On the Pacific : ASEA
55. Showgirl's accessory : BOA
57. Course for intl. students : E.S.L.
58. Lead : TIP
That about wraps things up from me. Here's the grid:
Steve
16A. *Tony Hawk legwear : SKATE PANTS. They look like a pair of jeans to me.
36A. *Stick in the snow : SKI POLE. When we used to ski the Courcheval couloirs in the Alps, a fall near the top meant a long, long slide before there was any chance of getting back on your feet. By that time, you had usually strewn both skis, both poles, your sunglasses and your beanie down hundreds of meters of steep slope. We called it "having a yard sale".
56A. *Drawing needs : SKETCH PADS
10D. *Medicated dermal strip : SKIN PATCH. Here's one with some mighty claims:
31D. *Military chaplains : SKY PILOTS. Fun expression.
and the reveal:
41d. Search dogs' target ... and a phonetic hint to the answers to starred clues : ESCAPEE - Ess-Kay-Pee
Third Thursday in a row for C.C. and a nice theme again. I like the across-and-down theme style, with the reveal coming in well towards the end. Solid theme answers too, so a lot to like. Let's see what else jumps out:
Across:
1. Apple Store display : MACS
5. Centipede developer : ATARI. Classic arcade game of the 80's. If you want a walk down memory lane, here's an official Atari Centipede emulator.
10. Farm digs : STY
13. Tennis legend for whom a "Courage Award" is named : ASHE
14. French upper house : SÉNAT. It even has its own logo:
15. Hershey bar : SKOR. Hershey's has the recipe on their website. You can substitute the Hershey's chocolate chips with something that tastes more like real chocolate.
18. Helps out : AIDS
19. Unpretentious : HUMBLE
20. Turned it down : SAID NO
22. Nadal's birthplace : SPAIN. Rafa, the tennis idol.
23. Snatch, as a toy? : DOGNAP. I'd never heard of this term to pinch someone's toy, so I Googled it to get the skinny, and all I could come up with was that genuine dog-theft crime, which leads me to believe the "toy" in the clue must refer to real dogs in the "toy" breeds group. Nicely obscure, if I'm reading this correctly.
24. Composer Franck : CESAR. After a rocky start to his musical career, he became a respected professor at the Paris Conservatoire.
26. Luggage attachments : ID TAGS
29. Soak up the sun : BASK
32. Blue Grotto resort : CAPRI. You can bask on Capri.
34. Boy king : TUT
35. "That's gross!" : ICK!
38. Premier __: wine designation : CRU. For Bordeaux red wines, there are only five wines classified as Premier Crus: Château Lafite, Château Latour, Château Margaux, Château Haut-Brion and Château Mouton Rothschild
39. Word before watch or window : BAY
40. Signs away : CEDES
41. Israeli politician Barak : EHUD. Thank you, crosses.
42. Nurses, as a drink : SIPS ON. Not something I tend to make a habit of. Maybe if it's a Premier Cru Bordeaux.
44. Chills out : RESTS
47. "No harm done" : I'M OKAY
49. Waited nervously, perhaps : PACED
52. Wheat protein : GLUTEN
53. Tree with durable wood : ACACIA
55. Fellas : BROS
59. Inauguration words : OATH
60. Dairy mascot : ELSIE
61. Canal completed in 1825 : ERIE
62. Belly dance muscles : ABS
63. Kennel cries : YELPS
64. "Hairspray" mom : EDNA. I took my daughter to a live performance of Hairspray at the Hollywood Bowl a few years ago. At the intermission she informed me that I was apparently the only heterosexual man in the entire audience. I think she was right.
Down:
1. British side : MASH. Food! This is the traditional dish of pie, mash and liquor - eel pie, mashed potatoes and parsley sauce. Blue-collar chow from east and south-east London.
2. Words on a help desk sign : ASK US
3. Ring leader? : CHAMP
4. Reversal of fortune : SETBACK
5. Trees of the species Populus tremula : ASPENS
6. "Eat Drink Man Woman" drink : TEA. Ang Lee's first critical and box office success released in 1994.
7. Former Texas governor Richards : ANN
8. "Midnight Cowboy" con man : RATSO. I always want "RIZZO" first, then talk myself down.
9. Delivery room cry : IT'S A GIRL!
11. Fuss : TO DO
12. Cen. components : YRS. 100 years in a century.
15. 1978 Peace co-Nobelist : SADAT. Anwar Sadat of Egypt and Israel's Menachim Begin.
17. Tahari of fashion : ELIE
21. Many a low-budget flick : INDIE
23. Decorator's choice : DRAPERY
25. Corrosive liquid : ACID. I think alkalis too?
27. Expert : GURU
28. Drywall support : STUD
29. Spill catchers : BIBS
30. Smoothie berry : ACAI
33. Sit for a snap : POSE
36. Hurry along : SCOOT
37. Creator of Randle McMurphy and Chief Bromden : KEN KESEY. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest".
43. Flatten : SMUSH
45. Garage units : SPACES
46. Dash dial : TACH
48. A high-top hides it : ANKLE
50. Hallmark.com choice : E-CARD
51. Bumped off : DID IN
52. Snatch : GRAB
54. On the Pacific : ASEA
55. Showgirl's accessory : BOA
57. Course for intl. students : E.S.L.
58. Lead : TIP
That about wraps things up from me. Here's the grid:
Steve
