Tuesday, February 12, 2019 Roland Huget

Standard Operating Procedures 

20. 100-mile-an-hour fastball, often: STRIKE OUT PITCH.

25. Classy neckwear: STRING OF PEARLS.

42. Bike storage bags, e.g.: STRAP ON POUCHES.

47. What a plus sign indicates on a golf match scoreboard: STROKES OVER PAR.

 A reveal hidden in plain sight.  See the answer to 1 Down.   Clever.

I first noticed the STR starts to the answers.  Then saw the O P and thought STROP ? As in a sharpening strop ?   Bzzt. 

Across:

1. Enjoys Breckenridge, say: SKIS.  Breckenridge, Colorado in the Rocky Mountains.  Never been there, but I have skied at Seven Springs in the Laurel Highlands of the Allegheny Mountains.  

5. Cries out loud: SOBS.

9. "If I Had a Hammer" singer Lopez: TRINI.  This Pete Seeger song and covers of it by Peter Paul and Mary, Trini Lopez and others got old after the 3 gazillionth play on the radio.  It was inescapable. "Why didn't he just go to the hardware store and buy a hammer ?"

14. In the past: ONCE.

15. Geometry calculation: AREA.   A surveyor needs to understand geometry.   Calculating Surface Areas Of Irregular Shaped Fields

16. Pay by mail: REMIT.   We probably average a roll a year now, and most of those are at Christmas.

17. Metered work, usually: POEM.

18. Duck that lends its name to a color: TEAL.

19. Word from the wise: ADAGE.   'If you can't take it, don't dish it out."   "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."   OKAY, OKAY, alright already.  I take it back.  If I Had a Hammer is a fine song.

23. Vent opening?: PRE.

24. Stein filler: ALE.

33. Total confusion: CHAOS. 

34. Made public: AIRED.

35. Summer Games org.: IOC.  International Olympic Committee

36. Admission of fault: OOPS.   Mea culpa. 

37. Less clumsy: ABLER.

38. Back up a step, as in an app: UNDO. 

39. "__ is me!": WOE.

40. For all to hear: ALOUD.  

41. Good feature: ASSET.

45. Partner of to: FRO.

46. 22.5 deg.: NNE.

55. Pick up gradually: GLEAN.   Over time I gleaned that arguing with a woman is like reading a software license agreement.   In the end you just click "I Agree"

56. Crafted, as a tale: WOVE.

57. Keep for later: SAVE. 

58. Wonderland cake message: EAT ME.  Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

59. Morales of "NYPD Blue": ESAI.

60. Express line unit: ITEM.   Grammarians note when the sign reads, "10 items or less"  but it doesn't peeve me.    A full shopping cart in that line might.  

61. Jacket material: TWEED.

62. Bakery product: ROLL.

63. Fiddling emperor: NERO.   An awful man on all accounts.    As despicable as he was, he couldn't have played a fiddle because it wasn't invented yet.  Perhaps a lute ?

Down:

1. Soaks (up): SOPS.    

Chicken Paprikash

2. Wood imperfection: KNOT.

3. Cake finisher: ICER. 

4. Part-time players: SEMIPROS.

5. Glossy fabric: SATEEN.

6. Layered Nabisco treat: OREO.

7. Belle's counterpart: BEAU. 

8. Basic food preservative: SALT.

9. Was behind in the match: TRAILED.  Golf, tennis, chess

10. Herbal brew: RED TEA.

11. Apple since 1998: IMAC.   IMAC is also an IT term for Installs, Moves, Adds and Changes.

12. Soon to happen: NIGH.   As quaint as anon. 

13. Suffix with urban: ITE.

21. Songwriter Kristofferson: KRIS.   He's in the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of fame.     The opening lyrics from one of his most famous songs:

Busted flat in Baton Rouge, waiting for a train
When I was feeling nearly faded as my jeans
Bobby thumbed a diesel down, just before it rained
And rode us all the way to New Orleans

22. School research assignment: PAPER.

25. Slap the puck toward the goal: SHOOT.    Patrick Sharp demonstrates.

26. Get to the point?: TAPER.

27. Cameroon neighbor: GABON.  Two of the thirty-seven errors I made on Husker Gary's countries of Africa geography quiz last week. 

28. Prepare for a bodybuilding competition: OIL UP.

29. Middle Corleone brother: FREDO.   Fredo is the younger brother of Sonny, and the older brother of Michael in Mario Puzo's The Godfather, portrayed by John Cazale in the movie.

30. Salon procedure: RINSE.

31. Rich ore deposits: LODES.

32. Many a clan member: SCOT.

33. Farm moms: COWS.  They are heifers until they become moms.

37. "Take __ at this!": A LOOK.  Take a look at this school mural.  That's a real fire extinguisher.

38. Signals the arrival of, as a new era: USHERS IN.

40. Dressed like a chef: APRONED.

41. Embarrassing spots: ACNE.

43. Typical chalet: A-FRAME.

44. Launch, as a new product: UNVEIL.

47. Side with a sandwich: SLAW.

48. Head of Haiti: TETE.    Président Jovenel Moïse since the Nov 2016 elections.    Protestors stoned his house and called for his resignation Saturday.  

49. Vessel with a spout: EWER.

50. Ho-hum: SO SO.

51. Avocado shape: OVAL. 

52. Canapé spread: PATE.

53. Say with certainty: AVER.

54. San __, Italy: REMO. Zoom in, Zoom out


55. "__ it?": "Comprende?": GET.

Note from C.C.:

Happy Birthday to our sweet LaLaLinda. Linda does not post these days, but she still reads our posts and comments every day.   We miss your presence, Linda!

Monday February 11, 2019 Joe Deeney

Theme: DOWN PAYMENT (25D. Typical mortgage requirement, and what ends each answer to a starred clue)

3D. *Grade-boosting option: EXTRA CREDIT.

8D. *Singer's spouse who co-wrote "Ring of Fire": JUNE CARTER CASH.

14D. *Chess situation that forces a draw: PERPETUAL CHECK.

Boomer here.  

Good morning or afternoon as the case may be. Last week was fairly uneventful.  Lots and lots of snow.  I had a VA appointment last Wednesday. Only took about 25 minutes for the trip West at 7:30 AM, but leave the clinic and head back toward Minneapolis while many were on their way to work, was a solid hour.  Free snow for everyone! Just bring an ice chest or a trailer and a shovel and take as much as you want off my yard!

Across:

1. Org. whose product is measured in barrels: OPEC.  Gas prices are still affordable here, about $2.00 per gallon of 87 regular.  I have heard the federal government is considering a small gas tax to fix roads and bridges. 

5. Pillar of Islam involving travel: HAJJ.

9. School near Windsor Castle: ETON.

13. Hugs-and-kisses symbols: XO XO.  My sister signs cards this way sometimes.

14. Pacific island host of two "Survivor" seasons: PALAU.

15. Medical image: X-RAY.  This must then be a kiss by the sun.

16. Analogy words: IS TO.  IS NOT!

17. Modern John Hancock: E SIGNATURE. Mr. Hancock is very famous for signing the Declaration of Independence so that King George can read it without his spectacles.

19. Epithet never actually used by Jimmy Cagney: DIRTY RAT.  Rumor has it that he said "You Dirty Mouse."

21. Angsty music genre: EMO.

22. LAX posting: ETA. MSP posting is indeed "estimated" depending on when they get the snow cleared from the landing runway.

23. Elect (to): OPT.

24. Dressed down: SCOLDED.

28. Songwriter Porter: COLE. Yes, but my favorite Cole is Mr. Nat King.

30. Frightening: FEARSOME.  This could be the "Fearsome Foursome" defensive linemen of the Minnesota Vikings in the 1970s.  Honored on the "Ring of Honor" at U.S. Bank Stadium.  Includes Notre Dame Grad Alan Page who went on to become a judge.  What is interesting, Alan was born in 1945 in Canton, Ohio.  His Hall of Fame honor will be there forever.

31. Red wine choice: MERLOT.

33. Fairy tale baddie: OGRE.  My fairy tales only had Big Bad Wolves.

34. Be victorious: WIN.

35. Was in debt to: OWED. "I owe, I owe, so off to work I go."

36. WWII naval threat: U-BOAT.  This was a Nazi submarine.  Abbreviation "Underwater boat."

38. Picnic invaders: ANTS.  Also pants invaders.

39. Grass roll: SOD. These things are heavy and hard to work with. Seed takes longer but it is light and easy to apply.

40. Shopping complex: MALL.  Of course, on the old site of Metropolitan Stadium, 60s and 70s home of the Vikings and Twins, now stands the Mall of America.  It's huge with many stores but it's a bit of a tourist trap.  C.C. and I have been there a number of times. It's a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to spend there.

41. Go by, as time: ELAPSE.

43. They're planted in snow while skiing: SKI POLES.  Oh, I thought they were people from Poland who like to ski.

45. Civil rights icon Parks: ROSA.  Highly respected!

46. Largest living bird: OSTRICH.  True, and also lays the largest eggs.

47. Emails a dupe to: CCS.  Not to be confused with C.C.'S

48. Couture initials: YSL.

51. Tapped-off cigar remnant: ASH.  I mentioned my friend George Ash last week.

52. Hours for cuppas: TEA TIMES.  I am a golfer.  I suppose the leaders get the later ones?  Just kidding.

54. Cord cutters' reception aids: TV ANTENNAS.  I think you need to be my age to remember these.  We have a dish on our roof right now,  Many people have their shows delivered by cable. 

58. Air filter acronym: HEPA. High Efficiency Particulate Air.

59. __ hop: gym dance: SOCK.  We had Sock hops in High School.  The idea was to take off your shoes so you would not scar the gym floor. (Most left their shoes on however.)

60. Infatuation: CRUSH.  Orange soda, yum.

61. "I'll take care of that": ON IT.

62. Log splitters: AXES.  Paul Bunyan was not an Axe.  But I have heard that he split a few logs in his day.

63. Spade of handbags: KATE.  I am not a handbag expert, but I have heard Kate Smith sing the National Anthem once or twice.

64. Education support gps.: PTAS.  Let me tell you of the story of a Harper Valley's widowed wife.

Down:

1. Nitrous __: OXIDE.  Sounds like the name of a laundry detergent.

2. Theorize: POSIT.  I remember a German toast "Prosit" I think.

4. Crotchety oldster: COOT.  That's me!!!

5. Attacks: HAS AT.

6. Got off a horse: ALIT.

7. XKE, for short: JAG.  "I was cruisin' in my sting ray late one night, when an XKE pulled up on the right.  Won't come back from Dead Man's Curve."  Jan and Dean.

9. Raves about: EXTOLS. Many EXTOL their work on crosswords!

10. Play about Capote: TRU.  Stock ticker symbol for TransUnion.

11. Rowing tool: OAR.  "Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Life is but a dream."

12. TV scientist whose show has won 19 Emmys: NYE. Bill.

18. Love, to Luigi: AMORE. "When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie" Deano

20. "Carpe diem" initials: YOLO. You Only Live Once.

24. Game Gear creator: SEGA.  I never got past Nintendo.

26. Gives off: EMITS.

27. Closely packed: DENSE.

29. Out-of-date: OLD.  Here I am again!!

30. Deceives: FOOLS.  If you bluff in a poker game and get called, the fool could be you.

31. Meno __: not as fast, in music: MOSSO.

32. Furry C-3PO worshipers: EWOKS.  I never was one of those Star Wars fanatics.

37. "Eww!": BLEH.

38. Small batteries: AAS.  AAAs are smaller. An Ass is much larger.

40. Somewhat wet: MOIST.  Yup, we have moist snow on the ground.

42. Nowhere to be found: LOST.

44. Practical jokes: PRANKS.  April 1st is sooner than you think.

47. __ and desist: CEASE.

49. Vintage photo tone: SEPIA.

50. Exams for aspiring judges, briefly: LSATS.  I took an SAT test in High school.  I think it is an acronym for Standard Aptitude Test, but we did not have to stand when we took it.

52. Item listed above "u-bolt" in a hardware glossary?: T NUT.  Sometimes called a TEE NUT.  That's what I am, waiting for the snow to melt -- "FORE".

53. Blue-roofed eatery: IHOP.  International House of Pancakes.  Delicious, but they sell flavored pancakes for about a buck apiece, and a 25 cent cup of coffee for about $2.00.  Maybe the owner will be running for president soon.

54. Airport safety org.: TSA.  I am very happy that they are back to work and getting paid.

55. __ populi: popular opinion: VOX.

56. Blackjack half: ACE.  Ace is the place with the helpful hardware man.

57. Gun lobby org.: NRA.

Boomer

Sunday February 10, 2019 David Poole

Theme: "Not Again"- RE is removed from each theme entry.

23A. Chef's directives involving sieves?: STRAINING ORDERS. Restraining orders.

34A. One splitting firewood?: CORD BREAKER. Record breaker.

43A. Chance for Obi-Wan to play?: TURN OF THE JEDI. Return of the Jedi.

69A. Therapist's technique using poetry?: VERSE PSYCHOLOGY. Reverse psychology.

101A. Social event for British tavern keepers?: PUBLICAN PARTY. Republican party.

111A. Dusting goal?: MOTE CONTROL. Remote control.

125A. License to search for the Holy Grail?: QUEST PERMISSION. Request permission.

Such an apt title from David. It summarizes up the gimmick nicely and does not give away the theme.

Very consistent approach too. Super tight entries.

Across:

1. Pen pals?: CONS. Fun clue.

5. Complexion enhancement: ROUGE. I just call it BLUSH.

10. Email subject abbr.: FWD.

13. Get to smile: AMUSE.

18. From square one: ANEW.

19. Steam up: ENRAGE.

21. John, to Paul, George and Ringo: LOO. And 22. John, Paul, George and Ringo: NAMES. Fantastic clues.

26. Travis of country: TRITT.

27. Tennis' Goolagong: EVONNE.

28. Kia HQ city: SEOUL. But HQ is asking for an abbreviated answer.

29. Widen: DILATE.

30. Old pool people: STENOS.

36. Violin stroke: UP BOW.

39. Big chamber group: OCTET.

41. Candidate's aim: SEAT. Our senator Amy Klobuchar is running.

42. Yearbook sect.: SRS.

47. Quaint oath: EGAD.

49. Bar quaff, briefly: IPA.

50. YOLO, in ancient Rome: CARPE DIEM. YOLO = You Only Living Once. This clue made me smile.

52. Actress Staunton of Harry Potter movies: IMELDA. Learning moment for me.

56. Lemony, say: CITRIC. Charlotte disagrees.

59. PC bailout key: ESC.

60. 113-Down's last words: A DAMN. And 113. "I never give anything without expecting something in return" speaker: RHETT.

62. Placed: LAID.

63. Take in or let out: ALTER.

64. Broadway's Hagen: UTA.

66. Hirsute Himalayan humanoid of myth: YETI. Triple alliteration. Agnes' forte.

68. Crossed (out): XED.

76. Compress, as a file: ZIP.

79. Resist: DEFY.

80. Pop duo __ & Him: SHE. Wiki says the duo consisting of Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward.

81. Signs of shock: GASPS.

85. Currier's partner: IVES.

87. Andrea __: ill-fated ship: DORIA.

90. City, informally: URB.

92. Magoo's malady: MYOPIA.

93. Cooperstown charter member: TY COBB. And Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson.

95. Abash: EMBARRASS.

98. Prov. at one end of the Ambassador Bridge: ONT. Here is the bridge. Our constructor is a Canadian.

99. Dental image: X RAY.

104. Latin art: ARS.

107. Triangle product: AREA.

109. Tot's rebuttal: IS NOT.

110. Role for Liam: OSKAR. Oskar Schindler. He's in trouble.

115. Banded metamorphic rock: GNEISS.

117. Big Sur institute: ESALEN. Read here for details. I learned it from doing crosswords.

118. Cambodians' neighbors: THAIS. Oo!

120. Film frames: STILLS.

124. Knighted British actor Hawthorne: NIGEL. Learning moment as well.

129. "The Canterbury Tales" pilgrim: REEVE.

130. Blast cause: TNT.

131. Washington city: YAKIMA. Not TACOMA.

132. Enterprise counselor: TROI.

133. Portfolio part: ASSET.

134. Collecting Soc. Sec.: RET.

135. Enlighten: TEACH. I just send opaque things to Roman Forest. They often come back clear.

136. Virgo/Libra mo.: SEPT.

Down:

1. Project for Poirot: CASE.

2. Airing: ON TV.

3. Student of Seneca: NERO.

4. TV dinner brand: SWANSON.

5. "Xena" actress O'Connor: RENEE. Also new to me.

6. Hush-hush maritime org.: ONI. Office of Naval Intelligence.

7. Java holder: URN.

8. Witty bit: GAG.

9. Sensitive issues for directors: EGOS.

10. __-de-lis: FLEUR.

11. Wells title foes: WORLDS.  "The War of the Worlds". H. G. Wells.

12. Bobs and buns: DOS.

13. Bloody Civil War battle site: ANTIETAM. Wiki says "it was the bloodiest day in United States history, with a combined tally of 22,717 dead, wounded, or missing."

14. Actress Maples: MARLA.

15. Inuit boats: UMIAKS. This looks cold.

16. Volleyball position: SETTER.

17. Fragrant compounds: ESTERS.

20. Put up: ERECTED.

24. Bisected: IN TWO.

25. Rooster's last word?: DOO. Oh, cock-a-doodle-doo.

29. Involve with reluctantly, as a tough situation: DRAG INTO.

31. __ bene: NOTA.

32. Yellowish tone: OCHRE.

33. Answers the call: STEPS UP.

35. Pollen carrier: BEE.

36. Erie Canal city: UTICA.

37. One who has class?: PUPIL. And 112. Parisian 37-Down: ELEVE.

38. Benjamin of "Law & Order": BRATT. Here with Lannie!

40. Kicks out: EJECTS.

44. Govt. org. with a Media Bureau: FCC.

45. Calendario square: DIA.

46. Mil. roadside danger: IED.

48. 2017 Best Director Oscar winner Guillermo __ Toro: DEL. "The Shape of Water".

51. It may be held in a deli: MAYO.

53. Southern Calif. airport: LAX.  And 71. Northern Calif. airport: SFO.

54. Roller in Vegas: DIE.

55. Put in: ADD.

57. MLK's title: REV.

58. Miffed: IRED. Spell check does not like this form.

61. Voice artist Blanc: MEL.

65. Shakespearean cries: AYS.

67. Pop of punk: IGGY.

70. Snoopy's nemesis: RED BARON. Great fill.

72. Jane Rochester, née __: EYRE.

73. Uncouth types: CHURLS.

74. It's misleading when it's red: HERRING.

75. Ming most look up to: YAO. Very tall. He now owns Shanghai Sharks.

76. Spot at the prom?: ZIT. Bad pot.

77. Climbing greenery: IVY.

78. Iron pumper's pride: PEC.

82. Versatile utensil: SPORK.

83. Historic nautical trio member: PINTA.

84. Dionysus devotee: SATYR.

86. Red or White: SOX.

88. Little trickster: IMP. That's our Spitzboov!

89. "Aladdin" monkey: ABU.

91. Club component: BACON. Sandwich.

92. AOL alternative: MSN.

94. Patient's ID: BRACELET.

96. Knack: ABILITY.

97. Fill to the max: SATE.

100. Nikkei index currency: YEN.

102. Blog updates: POSTS. From our blogging team.

103. Gretzky's NHL record 1,963: ASSISTS.

104. Supreme Egyptian deity: AMEN RA.

105. Bar in TV's "M*A*S*H": ROSIE'S. Unknown to me. Never watched "M*A*S*H".

106. Play grounds?: STAGES. Nice clue.

108. Bring into harmony: ATTUNE.

114. Western treaty gp.: OAS. Organization of American States. And a blog regular.

116. NBA legend Thomas: ISIAH.

119. Little fight: SPAT.

121. Euro forerunners: LIRE.

122. Programmer's "endless" problem: LOOP.

123. Peevish state: SNIT.

125. Game div.: QTR.

126. Barely make, with "out": EKE.

127. Fjord kin: RIA.

128. CXL x XV: MMC. I dread this kind of clue.

I spoke with Dave 2 last Monday. He coughed constantly. Both he and his roommate had flu. They could not leave their room for fear that they might spread the flu to to other patients in the rehab place. He felt quite isolated.

C.C.

Saturday, February 9, 2019, Greg Johnson

Saturday Themeless by Greg Johnson


Here we are five days prior to Valentine's Day and we celebrate my wife's favorite food group - Chocolate. Therefore I got a jump on St. Valentine and combined my lovely wife's favorite confection with a sentiment I have maintained through 52 years of marriage.

Our constructor, Greg Johnson may have had some premonition about this as he had this clue today:

9. Flavor that pairs well with chocolate: MINT - I remember when these wonderful treats were 2 cents at the pay station in a restaurant or were free in an upscale eatery. 

Greg Johnson

44. Unchallenging: EASY - While not real EASY, today's puzzle, gave up the ghost faster than most Saturdays for me. Now let's see what else Greg, with his [insert adjective] expression, has for us today:


Across:

1. In honor of: AFTER - The VFW in my hometown is now named AFTER my friend who died in Vietnam and not the heroic WWI man who no one could remember

6. Site with a Pill Identification Tool: WEB MD - I wonder what this thing is...

11. Tried hard: STROVE.

12. More substantial: MEATIER.

14. Sea of Azov peninsula: CRIMEA - A war described as "notoriously incompetent international butchery"

15. When many photos are taken: AT SUNSET 

17. Some therapeutic applications: OILS - A graphic Web Md warning 

18. Didn't get in the way of: LET BE 

20. Brand with an orange-and-yellow bull's-eye trademark: TIDE and 35. Fan: ROOTER - This fan must have felt horrible when the TIDE (Baman) got routed in the National Championship Game this year

21. Conversation on the go: WALK AND TALK - One of many TV and movie 51. Metaphors, e.g.: TROPES - commonly used TV/movie devices

24. X or Z preceder: GEN.

25. Stella Artois product: LAGER - Their Super Bowl ad got good reviews. Sara Jessica Parker pronounced it "Stella Artwah" and Jeff Bridges said "Stella Artoes" 

26. Waiters stand in them: LINES - We waited in line for Ubers not taxis

28. Product of sugar and heat: CARAMEL - People sometimes disregard the middle A like the middle T in dentist

31. Real go-getter: DYNAMO - The motor below is really a electricity generating DYNAMO and could keep my laptop 36. Energized: AMPED up in a storm

32. Retrieved at an airport carousel: CLAIMED - I put a big pink strap around my black bag

33. Pet holdable in one hand: HAMSTER.

34. Critical sounds: HISSES - Appropriate melodrama response when villain appears

35. Took turns: ROTATED - Super Bowl sites are rotated among NFL cities. Next: Miami, Tampa Bay, Los Angeles

37. Cleanser compound: BORAX - Here's a pre-presidential pitchman

38. Saint, in Brazil: SAO.

39. What you'd better have if you miss work: A GOOD EXCUSE 

45. Highest Italian peak south of the Alps: ETNA - This map shows it as a lone white dot on the East end of Sicily 

47. Like yummy desserts, sooner or later: EATEN.

48. Fit to serve: ONE-A - I don't know if the Babe was ever ONE-A but he did register in 1917

49. Separate: DISCRETE = Brown and White rice are DISCRETE varieties 

53. Homicide official: CORONER - 85-yr-old David McCallum still plays the CORONER on NCIS 

54. Event associated with a blue moon: RARITY.

55. Concrete-reinforcing rod: REBAR - REROD works too

56. Kind of question: YES/NO - Yeah, I sent one as a 13-yr-old. She marked Yes!!

Down:

1. Heart chambers: ATRIA - The educated peeps here can find them below

2. Nonessential decoration: FRILL - Lipstick on a pig?

3. Siberian industrial center: TOMSK.

4. Big event lead-in: EVE

5. What John Wayne and Cary Grant weren't: REAL NAMES - Birthplace of Marion Morrison in Winterset, Iowa

6. Dinner party amenity: WET BAR - I'd prefer a taco BAR

7. Painter's aid: EASEL.

8. A/C letters: BTU - Our old HVAC cwd friend

10. Appoint: DESIGNATE 

11. Harbor hauler: SCOW - A garbage SCOW in NYC Harbor

12. Brand on Barbie boxes: MATTEL.

13. Cashed in: REDEEMED - Like Green Stamps

16. Stretching muscle: TENSOR - The TENSOR of the fascia lata in red

19. Trimmed, in a way: EDGED.

22. Bay Area city: ALAMEDA - The San Francisco Warriors play in the Oracle or Oakland/ALAMEDA Arena which is the oldest NBA venue.

23. Female R&B group with the '80s hit "I Miss You": KLYMAXX - A lovely song

27. MIT part: Abbr.: INST- Hmmm... MASS or INST or TECH

28. Of concern to the Weather Channel: CLIMATIC - Our recent departure from CLIMATIC norms has been dramatic 

29. Twelve-step helper: AA SPONSOR.

30. Start the day: RISE.

31. Requirement for statistical analysis: DATA ENTRY - Not my dream job

32. Tried to catch: CHASED - She was CHASED but remained chaste

33. Massive group: HORDE.

37. Flat-topped straw hat: BOATER - Nobody wore one better than this guy

40. Davis with a recurring role on "Grey's Anatomy": GEENA - She was really hard-nosed in Grey's Anatomy but GEENA and baseball, gotta love it!

41. Denver's __ Field: COORS - Playing at an elevation of 5,280 ft. can have its issues

42. Remove from the bulletin board: UNPIN

43. Take care of: SEE TO 

46. A football field is about 32% larger than one: ACRE.

50. Not take well: ROB - An oft-seen fun fill for larceny 

52. Female name that's a body part backwards: RAE - Here's both in this picture 

Now put down that Snickers and comment away:

Note from C.C.:

Happy 48th  birthday to dear Splynter (Richard), our faithful Saturday Sherpa for a long time. Life has not been easy for Splynter the past year, but he's a tough guy. Hope you got that job you wanted, Splynter!