Theme: Over and Over Again
I’ve been called up from the minors
to pinch-hit for TTP who’s been standing in for Argyle (How ya doin’,
Marine?). Bruce gave us a nice early-week challenge with “over” split
within the theme answers – twice as O-VER and twice as OVE-R:
consistent.
17. Video game preview: DEMO VERSION. No “beta” this morning.
23. Exemplary: ABOVE REPROACH.
38. Romantic jewelry item: LOVE RING. Is this really a thing?
48. Latin phrase about certain effects of alcohol: IN VINO VERITAS. (Words that Tin lives by.)
And the reveal…
59. Social sin ... and what 17-, 23-, 38- and 48-Across are guilty of?: OVER SHARING.
17. Video game preview: DEMO VERSION. No “beta” this morning.
23. Exemplary: ABOVE REPROACH.
38. Romantic jewelry item: LOVE RING. Is this really a thing?
48. Latin phrase about certain effects of alcohol: IN VINO VERITAS. (Words that Tin lives by.)
And the reveal…
59. Social sin ... and what 17-, 23-, 38- and 48-Across are guilty of?: OVER SHARING.
Let’s see what else Bruce has hidden in the grid for our amusement.
Across:
1. __ jacket: soldier's protection: FLAK.
Across:
1. __ jacket: soldier's protection: FLAK.
5. Reeded woodwinds: OBOES. Hello again, old friend.
10. Like some humor: WRY. Could’a been DRY – I waited for the perps to decide.
13. NASA prefix: AERO.
14. Grow fond of: WARM TO.
16. Elisabeth who played Finlay on "CSI": SHUE. She was good in the role. You may remember her as Jennifer from Back To The Future II and III. She was a little younger then, but so were we.
10. Like some humor: WRY. Could’a been DRY – I waited for the perps to decide.
13. NASA prefix: AERO.
14. Grow fond of: WARM TO.
16. Elisabeth who played Finlay on "CSI": SHUE. She was good in the role. You may remember her as Jennifer from Back To The Future II and III. She was a little younger then, but so were we.
19. Window section: PANE.
20. Naturally bright: SKYLIT. My thoughts were in the intelligence vein.
21. College sr.'s test: GRE. Anyone else misread the clue and ink in SAT?
22. Elevator name: OTIS. He had his ups and downs.
27. Commercial cow: ELSIE. She’s buried in New Jersey.
30. Before, in verse: ERE.
31. Many Louvre paintings: OILS. Perhaps the most famous is the Mona Lisa. She’s hung in the Louvre for more than 200 years.
31. Many Louvre paintings: OILS. Perhaps the most famous is the Mona Lisa. She’s hung in the Louvre for more than 200 years.
32. Columnist Maureen: DOWD. NYT readers know her well.
33. End of most work wks.: FRI. Unless you’re a homemaker...
34. Arresting image?: MUGSHOT. Tried GUMSHOE first. Don’t ask why.
37. Boxing legend: ALI.
40. "A Wrinkle in Time" director DuVernay: AVA. She was the first black woman to direct an Oscar nominated film. Here’s a short two-minute film about that.
41. Sewer entrance: MANHOLE.
43. Past its prime: OLD. CSO to moi, among others who hang out here.
44. "My turn!": I’M UP.
45. Soccer score: GOAL.
46. Mineo of film: SAL. Best known for his role in Rebel Without A Clue with James Dean.
47. Muse of memory: MNEME.
52. Johns, to Elton: LOOS. Similar to “John of London” – Elton.
53. Finish in front: WIN. I was looking for a prefix which meant “finish.” D’oh!
54. Long look: EYEFUL.
58.
Riga resident: LETT. Riga is the capital of Latvia, one of the Baltic
states. Latvians are called LETTs, and a third of ‘em live in Riga. I
always get those three small countries mixed up: Latvia, Lithuania and
Estonia.
62. Significant others, in modern slang: BAES. Was sure this had to be wrong. Nope. Urban Dictionary says it’s a dialectical pronunciation of “Babe.” Others claim it’s an acronym for Best At Everything. I don’t plan to use it anytime soon.
63. __ Creed: NICENE. The Apostle’s Creed is a watered down version.
64. Windy City daily, familiarly: TRIB. The famed Tribune Tower had been home to the newspaper since 1925. The Gothic spires at the top look like they belong on a cathedral. At street level the facade is decorated with 149 stones from around the world – places like the Taj Mahal, the Hagia Sofia, the Parthenon, the Great Pyramid and the Alamo. If there’s a “the” in the place name, there’s probably a stone from it in the tower. The building was recently sold. It’s to be turned into condo units.
65. Take a wrong turn, say: ERR.
66. "Spider-Man" actor Willem: DAFOE. He’s originally from Appleton, not far from where I grew up.
67. Racy Snapchat message: SEXT.
Down:
1. Passing fancies: FADS.
2. Oniony soup ingredient: LEEK. It’s an onion relative. They’re both alliums; garlic is too.
3. Military force: ARMY.
4. Powdered drink mix brand: KOOL-AID. 6. Place for mixed drinks: BAR.
5. Be a debtor of: OWE TO.
7. Surgery ctrs.: ORS.
8. Political refugee: EMIGRE. Our shores are not as welcoming as they once were.
9. Shop: STORE.
10. "Such sad news!": WHAT A SHAME! Bummer was too long.
11. Written in mystical, ancient letters: RUNIC.
62. Significant others, in modern slang: BAES. Was sure this had to be wrong. Nope. Urban Dictionary says it’s a dialectical pronunciation of “Babe.” Others claim it’s an acronym for Best At Everything. I don’t plan to use it anytime soon.
63. __ Creed: NICENE. The Apostle’s Creed is a watered down version.
64. Windy City daily, familiarly: TRIB. The famed Tribune Tower had been home to the newspaper since 1925. The Gothic spires at the top look like they belong on a cathedral. At street level the facade is decorated with 149 stones from around the world – places like the Taj Mahal, the Hagia Sofia, the Parthenon, the Great Pyramid and the Alamo. If there’s a “the” in the place name, there’s probably a stone from it in the tower. The building was recently sold. It’s to be turned into condo units.
65. Take a wrong turn, say: ERR.
66. "Spider-Man" actor Willem: DAFOE. He’s originally from Appleton, not far from where I grew up.
67. Racy Snapchat message: SEXT.
Down:
1. Passing fancies: FADS.
2. Oniony soup ingredient: LEEK. It’s an onion relative. They’re both alliums; garlic is too.
3. Military force: ARMY.
4. Powdered drink mix brand: KOOL-AID. 6. Place for mixed drinks: BAR.
5. Be a debtor of: OWE TO.
7. Surgery ctrs.: ORS.
8. Political refugee: EMIGRE. Our shores are not as welcoming as they once were.
9. Shop: STORE.
10. "Such sad news!": WHAT A SHAME! Bummer was too long.
11. Written in mystical, ancient letters: RUNIC.
12. "Holy moly!": YEESH. I’ve heard sheesh (hiya, Jayce), but I don’t recognize yeesh.
15. Candy box size: ONE POUND.
16. Thread holders: SPOOLS.
18. Vague sense: VIBE.
24. Liveliness: VERVE. Verve records has the worlds largest jazz catalogue including the likes of Stan Getz, Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald.
25. Of the Great Lakes, only Ontario is smaller than it: ERIE. And it’s back again!
26. Diana of "Game of Thrones": RIGG. I remember her best as the alluring Emma Peel in the ‘60s TV series The Avengers with Patrick Macnee.
27. Mild cheese: EDAM.
15. Candy box size: ONE POUND.
16. Thread holders: SPOOLS.
18. Vague sense: VIBE.
24. Liveliness: VERVE. Verve records has the worlds largest jazz catalogue including the likes of Stan Getz, Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald.
25. Of the Great Lakes, only Ontario is smaller than it: ERIE. And it’s back again!
26. Diana of "Game of Thrones": RIGG. I remember her best as the alluring Emma Peel in the ‘60s TV series The Avengers with Patrick Macnee.
27. Mild cheese: EDAM.
28.
Kinks title woman with "a dark brown voice": LOLA. In one episode
Patrick plays Basil and Diana plays Lola, “a slutty, gum-smacking,
ale-swilling tart.” Those Brits have a way with the language.
29. Campaign ad target: SWING VOTER.
33. Naturally evolving: FOLLOW ON. Awkward.
34. Pop's __ Vanilli: MILLI.
35. Fertility clinic egg: OVUM.
36. Sticky strip: TAPE. So easy. Why couldn’t I think of it?
38. Interlibrary __: LOAN. There must be a better way to clue this.
39. Strong sound from the savanna: ROAR.
42. Raises, as a sail: HOISTS. That word always makes me think of “Hoist by one’s own petard.” After reading the explanation, I still don’t know what it means.
44. Newspaper extras: INSERTS.
46. New York lake named for a Five Nations tribe: SENECA. One of the “Finger Lakes” (Hi, Spitz and I.M.)
47. Yucatán native: MAYA. One of five major Mexican civilizations. How many of the others can you name? (Answers below)
48. "Gee!": I'LL BE.
49. Musical shortcoming: NO EAR. I have a good ear, but I can’t carry a tune. I used to play a mean phonograph, though.
50. Brightly colored: VIVID. NEON was too short.
51. Snicker: TEHEE.
55. Send packing: FIRE.
56. Computer operating system: UNIX. Created in the ‘70s by AT&T’s Bell Labs. It’s still around with several spin-off descendants.
57. Pride Month letters: LGBT. Lesbian, Gay, Bi- and Trans.
60. NBA official: REF.
61. __ Balls: Hostess treats: SNO.
The other four civilizations are Olmec, Teotihuacan, Toltec and Aztec.
With C.C.’s help, the grid will now magically appear below. Desper-otto OVER and out.
34. Pop's __ Vanilli: MILLI.
35. Fertility clinic egg: OVUM.
36. Sticky strip: TAPE. So easy. Why couldn’t I think of it?
38. Interlibrary __: LOAN. There must be a better way to clue this.
39. Strong sound from the savanna: ROAR.
42. Raises, as a sail: HOISTS. That word always makes me think of “Hoist by one’s own petard.” After reading the explanation, I still don’t know what it means.
44. Newspaper extras: INSERTS.
46. New York lake named for a Five Nations tribe: SENECA. One of the “Finger Lakes” (Hi, Spitz and I.M.)
47. Yucatán native: MAYA. One of five major Mexican civilizations. How many of the others can you name? (Answers below)
48. "Gee!": I'LL BE.
49. Musical shortcoming: NO EAR. I have a good ear, but I can’t carry a tune. I used to play a mean phonograph, though.
50. Brightly colored: VIVID. NEON was too short.
51. Snicker: TEHEE.
55. Send packing: FIRE.
56. Computer operating system: UNIX. Created in the ‘70s by AT&T’s Bell Labs. It’s still around with several spin-off descendants.
57. Pride Month letters: LGBT. Lesbian, Gay, Bi- and Trans.
60. NBA official: REF.
61. __ Balls: Hostess treats: SNO.
The other four civilizations are Olmec, Teotihuacan, Toltec and Aztec.
With C.C.’s help, the grid will now magically appear below. Desper-otto OVER and out.
