Theme: Fight On! Up! No USC cheers here.
4D. Cobalt in the human body, e.g.: TRACE ELEMENT. Mêlée
Here's a cobalt atom - plenty of protons, neutrons and electrons to cause quite a mêlée!
8D. Promotion criteria: MERIT SYSTEMS. Stir. You can stir up some discontent if you don't fairly apply the criteria.
21D. Certain 19th-century history specialist: CIVIL WAR BUFF. Brawl. I guess the Civil War might be described a big brawl?
25D. Smallish, as an apartment: TWO-ROOM. Row. Do small apartments cause rows? Might have something to do with it.
23D. Cause commotion ... or what the circled letters do?: RAISE A RUCKUS
The theme entries run north-south today, as the reveal requires that the "ruckuses" are found running upwards. This puzzle is a really nice construction - there are four long non-theme entries in the downs, and some entertaining 7's in the crosses. This isn't easy to pull off, so kudos to Joe. The rest of the fill is non too shabby either. Let's see what jumps out:
Across:
1. Common borrowing result: DEBT. Common? Isn't it always the result?
5. Add one's two cents, with "in": CHIME
10. "So that's what that means!": A-HA! Good excuse for some 80's pop. If you're familiar with the song, you might like the awesome Literal Video version.
13. Novelist John le ___: CARRÉ. And the third diacritical mark of the blog so far. There quite a few today.
15. Resort near Vail: ASPEN
16. "Hansel and Gretel" figure: HAG
17. Pigmented eye parts: UVEAS
18. Devour, with "down": SNARF. I knew "scarf" from the "Peanuts" strip. Snarf is new to me - maybe?
19. Outback bird: EMU
20. Longtime network symbol: PEACOCK. NBC, now part of Comcast NBCUniversal. The name gets longer with each acquisition.
22. Historical display: DIORAMA
24. Lucy's co-star: DESI
25. Sandal features: T-STRAPS. I used to wear these as a kid. I never liked them, too uncool for school. Here's me rocking a pair with my big brother.
26. Hardly helpless: ABLE
28. Solemn oath: VOW
30. Subj. that may include a lab: SCIence
31. Potting need: SOIL
32. Skater who lit the Olympic cauldron in Nagano: ITO. Midori Ito. She was the first female figure skater to land a triple axel in competition.
33. Responses from a sycophant: YESES
36. Refine: HONE
37. House of __: LORDS. I had "CARDS" first. Was wrong. Fixed it.
39. Student stressor: EXAM
41. Cut even shorter, as a green: RE-MOW
43. Loophole: OUT
44. Times in classifieds: AFTS. Afternoons.
45. "Bambi" doe: ENA
46. A: ONE
47. Small deer: ROES. By the Steve Law of Things, you can have deers/roes or deer/roe, but not both. In the same fashion, you can be an actor named Seen Bean, or Sean Borne, but you can't have both.
48. Not a good fit: TANTRUM
51. Heavy hammer: MAUL
53. They're run in taverns: BAR TABS. I picked up one last night. Someone had dropped it.
54. Standoffish: ASOCIAL
57. Cracker lacking pop: DUD
58. Producer Scott with Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony wins: RUDIN Grammy for "No Country for Old Men", ditto Oscar, Emmy for "He makes me feel like dancin" and six Tony awards.
60. Tsar's decree: UKASE. I don't think I knew this. Thank you, crosses.
61. Mimic: APE
62. Poker declaration: I FOLD
63. Private student: TUTEE. Private teacher = tutor, hence tutee.
64. Strong desire: YEN
65. Spot __: OF TEA? Nice Cuppa knows the answer to this one.
66. Scorch: SEAR
Down:
1. Bra spec: D CUP. What do you call a "breaking news" item about an adult movie actress? A Stormy in a D-cup.
2. Holiday lights may be under one: EAVE
3. Depression Era sight: BREAD LINE
5. Wine container: CASK
6. TV buying channel: HSN Home Shopping Network.
7. Apple Store buys: IPADS
9. Carry out, as laws: ENFORCE
10. Lots: A HEAP
11. Actor Jon and others: HAMMS. Mia Hamm, the soccer play, I know. Jon Hamm, not so much. Thank you crosses. Now all together - the World Cup starts today - "Goooooooooooooooooooaaal"!
12. Rio contents: AGUA. "The water in the river flows down and down, down and down, down and down". Earworm alert!
14. Those, in Tijuana: ESOS. Spanish lesson #2.
26. Tapped-off remnant: ASH. As in tapping a cigarette to remove the ash. I find it hard to believe that I did this thousands of times before I quit.
27. Uncouth sort: BOOR
29. Oklahoma people: OTO
"
34. Use a microdermabrasion agent, say: EXFOLIATE. Great word, especially next to a long themer. c.f. 3D also.
35. Make fully content: SATE
38. Hound for payment: DUN
40. Submissions to eds.: MS'S. Manuscripts.
42. Quebec neighbor: ONTARIO. O Canada. Eh.
48. Brownish gray: TAUPE
49. Elizabeth of beauty products: ARDEN
50. FAA overseer: US DOT I didn't know that the Department of Transport oversees the Federal Aviation Authority, I thought they were two separate departments.
52. Été month: AÔUT. Here we go with the French lesson (and the diacritical marks!). August, in summer.
53. Gift-giving occasion, for short: B-DAY
54. Shave-haircut link: AND A
55. No longer in port: ASEA
56. Not a good look: LEER. But on one hand, you are having a good look, just not in a "good look" kind of way.
59. Land in la mer: ÎLE. And the last circumflex of the day. Island, in the sea.
On a totally unrelated note, I want to take Line 6 northbound when I leave the office and change to the E Train at 51st and Lexington just so I can say I've done a "Manhattan Transfer".
I'm easily amused.
That's a wrap!
Steve
4D. Cobalt in the human body, e.g.: TRACE ELEMENT. Mêlée
Here's a cobalt atom - plenty of protons, neutrons and electrons to cause quite a mêlée!
8D. Promotion criteria: MERIT SYSTEMS. Stir. You can stir up some discontent if you don't fairly apply the criteria.
21D. Certain 19th-century history specialist: CIVIL WAR BUFF. Brawl. I guess the Civil War might be described a big brawl?
25D. Smallish, as an apartment: TWO-ROOM. Row. Do small apartments cause rows? Might have something to do with it.
23D. Cause commotion ... or what the circled letters do?: RAISE A RUCKUS
The theme entries run north-south today, as the reveal requires that the "ruckuses" are found running upwards. This puzzle is a really nice construction - there are four long non-theme entries in the downs, and some entertaining 7's in the crosses. This isn't easy to pull off, so kudos to Joe. The rest of the fill is non too shabby either. Let's see what jumps out:
Across:
1. Common borrowing result: DEBT. Common? Isn't it always the result?
5. Add one's two cents, with "in": CHIME
10. "So that's what that means!": A-HA! Good excuse for some 80's pop. If you're familiar with the song, you might like the awesome Literal Video version.
13. Novelist John le ___: CARRÉ. And the third diacritical mark of the blog so far. There quite a few today.
15. Resort near Vail: ASPEN
16. "Hansel and Gretel" figure: HAG
17. Pigmented eye parts: UVEAS
18. Devour, with "down": SNARF. I knew "scarf" from the "Peanuts" strip. Snarf is new to me - maybe?
19. Outback bird: EMU
20. Longtime network symbol: PEACOCK. NBC, now part of Comcast NBCUniversal. The name gets longer with each acquisition.
22. Historical display: DIORAMA
24. Lucy's co-star: DESI
25. Sandal features: T-STRAPS. I used to wear these as a kid. I never liked them, too uncool for school. Here's me rocking a pair with my big brother.
26. Hardly helpless: ABLE
28. Solemn oath: VOW
30. Subj. that may include a lab: SCIence
31. Potting need: SOIL
32. Skater who lit the Olympic cauldron in Nagano: ITO. Midori Ito. She was the first female figure skater to land a triple axel in competition.
33. Responses from a sycophant: YESES
36. Refine: HONE
37. House of __: LORDS. I had "CARDS" first. Was wrong. Fixed it.
39. Student stressor: EXAM
41. Cut even shorter, as a green: RE-MOW
43. Loophole: OUT
44. Times in classifieds: AFTS. Afternoons.
45. "Bambi" doe: ENA
46. A: ONE
47. Small deer: ROES. By the Steve Law of Things, you can have deers/roes or deer/roe, but not both. In the same fashion, you can be an actor named Seen Bean, or Sean Borne, but you can't have both.
48. Not a good fit: TANTRUM
51. Heavy hammer: MAUL
53. They're run in taverns: BAR TABS. I picked up one last night. Someone had dropped it.
54. Standoffish: ASOCIAL
57. Cracker lacking pop: DUD
58. Producer Scott with Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony wins: RUDIN Grammy for "No Country for Old Men", ditto Oscar, Emmy for "He makes me feel like dancin" and six Tony awards.
60. Tsar's decree: UKASE. I don't think I knew this. Thank you, crosses.
61. Mimic: APE
62. Poker declaration: I FOLD
63. Private student: TUTEE. Private teacher = tutor, hence tutee.
64. Strong desire: YEN
65. Spot __: OF TEA? Nice Cuppa knows the answer to this one.
66. Scorch: SEAR
Down:
1. Bra spec: D CUP. What do you call a "breaking news" item about an adult movie actress? A Stormy in a D-cup.
2. Holiday lights may be under one: EAVE
3. Depression Era sight: BREAD LINE
5. Wine container: CASK
6. TV buying channel: HSN Home Shopping Network.
7. Apple Store buys: IPADS
9. Carry out, as laws: ENFORCE
10. Lots: A HEAP
11. Actor Jon and others: HAMMS. Mia Hamm, the soccer play, I know. Jon Hamm, not so much. Thank you crosses. Now all together - the World Cup starts today - "Goooooooooooooooooooaaal"!
12. Rio contents: AGUA. "The water in the river flows down and down, down and down, down and down". Earworm alert!
14. Those, in Tijuana: ESOS. Spanish lesson #2.
26. Tapped-off remnant: ASH. As in tapping a cigarette to remove the ash. I find it hard to believe that I did this thousands of times before I quit.
27. Uncouth sort: BOOR
29. Oklahoma people: OTO
"
34. Use a microdermabrasion agent, say: EXFOLIATE. Great word, especially next to a long themer. c.f. 3D also.
35. Make fully content: SATE
38. Hound for payment: DUN
40. Submissions to eds.: MS'S. Manuscripts.
42. Quebec neighbor: ONTARIO. O Canada. Eh.
48. Brownish gray: TAUPE
49. Elizabeth of beauty products: ARDEN
50. FAA overseer: US DOT I didn't know that the Department of Transport oversees the Federal Aviation Authority, I thought they were two separate departments.
52. Été month: AÔUT. Here we go with the French lesson (and the diacritical marks!). August, in summer.
53. Gift-giving occasion, for short: B-DAY
54. Shave-haircut link: AND A
55. No longer in port: ASEA
56. Not a good look: LEER. But on one hand, you are having a good look, just not in a "good look" kind of way.
59. Land in la mer: ÎLE. And the last circumflex of the day. Island, in the sea.
On a totally unrelated note, I want to take Line 6 northbound when I leave the office and change to the E Train at 51st and Lexington just so I can say I've done a "Manhattan Transfer".
I'm easily amused.
That's a wrap!
Steve
