google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner

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Dec 30, 2019

Monday Decemer 30, 2019 Matthew Stock

Theme: HANG IN THERE (62. "Don't give up yet!" ... or a hint to the answers to starred clues) - HANG is hidden in each theme entry.

17. *Baseball batting statistic measured in degrees: LAUNCH ANGLE.

28. *Common food thickening agent: XANTHAN GUM.

50. *High-ranking heavenly beings: ARCHANGELS.

Boomer here. C.C. said this might be another puzzle debut. Congrats, Matthew!

Greetings everyone. I am HANGing in there. We had a great Christmas. We celebrated with my son and his wife. I prepared a a ham which might have been too large. Now I am having ham for lunch probably into 2020 and beyond.

Keeping an eye out for the Gophers in a January 1 bowl for the first time since I started shaving, and also watching the Gopher basketball team that plays in a stadium that was opened in 1928.  Happy New Year and Happy new decade to all!!

Across:

1. Beloved British princess: DIANA.  I still remember the day of the shocking tragedy.

6. Clothing designer Perry: ELLIS.  Coincidence - ELLIS is my aunt Gerry's maiden name.

11. Lakers rivals, on NBA scoreboards: LAC.  Los Angeles Clippers. I am old enough to remember George Mikan and the Minneapolis Lakers.


14. Improvise: AD LIB.  Yeah, I know I do a lot of this on the blog.  C.C. lets me.

15. Coolness under pressure: POISE.

16. Every bit (of): ALL.  Ultra free clear liquid soap.  9.99 per gallon at Target.

19. In addition: TOO.

20. Arizona city or landform: MESA.  We had a bit of rain, sleet, and snow over the weekend.  I wonder how things were in MESA.

21. Cucumbers used as pickles: GHERKINS.  I think someone made this word up because they couldn't spell or say cucumber.

23. Peyton's quarterback brother: ELI.  Word is that Eli may retire after this season.  I wonder what insurance company he will be touting next year.

25. Cooking need: HEAT.  Miami's NBA team.  I guess Florida does not get Minnesota weather either.

27. 10-Down may have a sixth one: SENSE. 10. See 27-Across: SEERS.

32. Beet or ginger: ROOT.  "Root, Root, Root for the home team, if they don't win it's a shame".

33. Accustom (to), as hardship: INURE.

34. Best songs countdown list: TOP TEN.  I think the Gophers Rowed the boat into the Top Ten for a week or two this season before running into Wisconsin.

36. Soy sauce often gluten-free: TAMARI. Left one.


38. Actress __ Brie of "Mad Men": ALISON.  Sneak one more "L" into name and it reminds me of Minnesota Twin great Bob Allison.

42. Inlaid artwork: MOSAIC.

46. Emcee's opening: INTRO.

47. Crescent point: CUSP.

52. Dad's brother: UNCLE.  "I ain't down"  HOLLER UNCLE !  "I ain't down.

54. Appear to be: SEEM.  "SEEMS like old times ''...

55. Corned beef on __: RYE.  Add some Swiss cheese and sauerkraut. Reuben. 


56. Fragrant climbing plant: SWEET PEA.  Popeye's young friend.

58. Make, as money: EARN.

61. Altoids container: TIN.  German Shepherd RIN TIN 's surname.

66. Number of U.S. states with three-word capitals: ONE.  I'm going with Salt Lake City.

67. Fibber's admission: I LIED.

68. Fable writer: AESOP.  Odd name.  I know of no one named AESOP.

69. Rx writers: MDS.

70. In the ballpark: CLOSE.

71. Calendar entries: DATES.  Teens go out on them, older folks have them for dessert.

Down:

1. Indian lentil dish: DAL.



2. Boise's st.: IDA.  "Sweet as apple Ciida"

3. Foil metal: ALUMINUM.  I use it all the time.  It's incredible how they can make a metal into a sheet for baking.

4. Yellow-striped pool ball: NINE.  I remember when they used to refer to a baseball team as NINE.  Now it only works in the National League.

5. Basics: ABCS.

6. MPG-testing org.: EPA.

7. In olden times: LONG AGO.  "A long, long time ago, I can still remember how the music used to make me smile".  (Don McLean - American Pie - RIP Buddy Holly)

8. Start to shine: LIGHT UP.  "You Light up my Life".  Debby Boone

9. Capri or Wight: ISLE.

11. Guy watching Telemundo, probably: LATINO.

12. Pete of the N.Y. Mets who broke Aaron Judge's rookie record for home runs in 2019: ALONSO.  Polar Bear #20.

13. Room for a broom: CLOSET.  We have three closets in our home. We keep the brooms in the garage.

18. "Verrrry funny": HA HA.  Very Funny Name.  Ha Ha Clinton Dix started with the Green Bay Packers in the NFL.  I think he is with Chicago now.


22. Letterspacing technique, in typography: KERNING.


23. Highway off-ramp: EXIT.  Bad accident in Texas fog Saturday.  A semi truck was forced to exit to the right shoulder and rolled his trailer onto a pick up truck.  What could he do?... Another driver changed lanes right in front of the semi and forced him off the road.   

24. Singer Del Rey: LANA.

26. Tolkien creature: ENT.

29. Stomp all over: TRAMPLE.  "We've trampled the woods in the forest, and raided the pirates at sea.  We have no indenture, we're out for adventure as anyone plainly can see...(One of my high school solos in the Glee Club.)

30. Protagonist: HERO.  A big sandwich.

31. L.A. commuter org.: MTA.  "Well let me tell you the story of a man named Charlie on a tragic and fateful day.  He put ten cents in his pocket, kissed his wife and family, went to ride on the MTA".  (The Kingston Trio and another one of my High school Glee Club solos.)

35. Tiger's ex-wife: ELIN. I heard that Tiger's ex-girlfriend, Lindsey Vonn, from Minnesota, is engaged - not to Tiger.

37. "Love __ Battlefield": Pat Benatar hit: IS A.

39. Most harsh: STERNEST.  I though it was the farthest seat on the back of the boat.

40. Paris airport: ORLY.

41. Smell detector: NOSE.  This would be a seat farthest in front of the boat.

43. Hall of talk TV: ARSENIO.

44. Frozen periods: ICE AGES.  From October to April in Minnesota.

45. Guerrilla Guevara: CHE.

47. Made-to-order: CUSTOM.  I have my bowling balls drilled to order, but my golf clubs are "off the rack".

48. Chillax: UNWIND.  If you UNWIND a Yo Yo it won't work.

49. Movie takes: SCENES.  "Well a Scene! I want to make a scene!" (Chad Mitchell Trio - The Hip Song).

51. Congregation response: AMEN.  So Be It.

53. Moral standard: ETHIC.

57. Gloomy aura: PALL.

59. Somewhat: A TAD.

60. Flightless South American bird: RHEA.  Rhea Perlman was CARLA, a bar waitress at "Cheers" for about ten years. 

63. Suffix with fluor-: IDE.

64. __ v. Wade: ROE.  Amazing how some Supreme Court decisions last forever, but most of them we seldom even hear about.

65. Short albums, for short: EPS.  I remember albums were about 14 inches in diameter and we played them on a 33 1/2 RPM turntable.

Boomer