Wednesday, March 25, 2020 Patti Varol

Theme: March Person

17. March commander: DRILL INSTRUCTOR. Base training.

41. March composer: JOHN PHILIP SOUSA. "The March King".

64. March creator: LOUISA MAY ALCOTT. The March family,

Boomer here again. I hope you are not sick of me, and especially I hope you are not sick!!  Bowling centers and my church are still closed. C.C. and I are pretty much situated at the home front.  Maybe if the weather warms up a bit here, we might take a chance at a walk in the park, but we will stay away from any other humans.  Enjoy the puzzle, we're here for you!

Forward March, Hup, Two, Three, Four, - You had a good home when you left, You're right, Your girlfriend was home when you left, You're Right! Am I right or wrong ? You're right ! Are we weak or strong ?  We're Strong ! Sound off, one, two, Sound off, three four. Sound off - one, two, three, four, one two, THREE, FOUR !! 

Across:

1. Furniture chain that also sells lingonberry jam: IKEA.  Been there once.  Their furniture seems half-finished and I only like strawberry jam.

5. Highlander: GAEL.

9. Irritable: CROSS.  A symbol for Good Friday or go from one side of the street to the other.

14. December temp: MALL SANTA. A frequent visitor to our Northtown Mall.

16. Overseas coppers: PENCE.  Or a vice president.

19. Count who has a cameo in "Blazing Saddles": BASIE.  I don't remember him, but I really liked Mel Brooks' Movie.

20. Thus far: YET.

21. Airport with many connecting flights: HUB.  Our MSP is a Delta hub.  They are really struggling in these critical times.

22. Rathskeller rejection: NEIN.  While I was in Germany, this was one of the words we all knew.

25. Tenants: RENTERS.

28. SFO overseer: FAA. I think this Airport is in even worse shape than ours. Not sure if international flights are even allowed.

31. Not just assume: KNOW.

33. Merit badge spot: SASH.  I made it through Cub Scouts.  Did not get any higher.

34. Gaga over: INTO.

36. Shellfish serving: CLAW.  Does not sound too appetizing to me.

38. Smug look: GLOAT. Nothing to GLOAT about for awhile.  Bowling centers are closed.  I am wondering if the golf courses will be open. I never buy food there. I bring a couple of sandwiches and some Diet Pepsi and load it on the cart.

44. Fritters away time: IDLES.  A decent way to warm up your car up here in the North.

45. French 101 verb: ETRE.

46. Old Russian ruler: TSAR.  Look at it - it spells RATS.

47. Not demanding: EASY.  A BIG one could be New Orleans or Ernie Els who is on the Champions tour now.

49. Citrus peel: ZEST. Or a bar of soap.

51. Greener Living org.: EPA.

52. English blue cheese: STILTON.

55. Whiskey cocktail: SOUR.

57. Form 1099 org.: IRS.  We already filed, but I hear you have until July now this year.

58. "Wonder Woman" actress Gadot: GAL.

60. Run out: LAPSE.  So many health care agencies have RUN OUT of masks and safety equipment.

69. Hides in the shadows: LURKS.

70. "Shape of You" Grammy winner: ED SHEERAN.

71. Direct: STEER.  A big Cow with horns.

72. "Gone Girl" actress Ward: SELA.

73. "Queen of Country," familiarly: REBA. 

Down:

1. Website for looking up "that actor on that show": IMDB. 

2. __ Zor-El: Supergirl's name on Krypton: KARA.

3. Yale students: ELIS.  Poor little lambs.

4. Totally wiped: ALL IN.  Or when you bet your entire roll as a final bet in poker.

5. Moo goo __ pan: GAI.

6. "Commonwealth" novelist Patchett: ANN.

7. "Unique everything" online shop: ETSY.  I have never been there.

8. "Gotta run!": LATER.  "See you LATER Alligator!"

9. PC core: CPU.

10. Copying button: REC.

11. Music to a bar customer's ears: ON THE HOUSE.  At Christmas, listen for reindeer.

12. Really clean: SCOUR.  You'll need an SOS or Brillo pad.

13. Some Slavs: SERBS.

15. Stylishly smooth: SLEEK.  I believe I have seen that word on a Corvette ad.

18. GPS displays: RTES.  I don't have GPS, but I usually do not get too lost.  Although people have told me I don't have a clue to where I'm going.

23. Go very slowly: INCH.  "A pinch to grow an INCH and a smile to go a mile".

24. "I'm not kidding!": NO LIE.

26. Torments with reminders: NAGS. Someone in our house tells me to take a pill or eat more veggies.

27. Letter-shaped opening: T SLOT.

28. "Natural artesian water" brand: FIJI.

29. Give __ to: okay: A NOD.  "And giving A NOD up the chimney he rose."  A little out of season, sorry.

30. Fashionable sportswear portmanteau: ATHLEISURE. This sounds like the overpriced clothing I see on the rack at the PGA Superstore.

32. Ballroom dance: WALTZ.  Our MN Governor is Tim Walz, and he's been dancing around the coronavirus for a month.

35. Tatum who plays Amanda in "The Bad News Bears": ONEAL.  Ryan O'Neal's daughter, she was also a hit in Paper Moon.

37. Tangle around a surge protector: WIRES.

39. Pronto: ASAP.

40. "Teen Titans" and "Teen Titans Go!" voice actress Strong: TARA.

42. Hissed summons: PSST.

43. 100 centavos: PESO.

48. Tranquil discipline: YOGA.  Reminds me of the great Yankee catcher, #8

50. Veil material: TULLE.

52. Opera great Beverly: SILLS.

53. Brook fish: TROUT.  Not too many in Minnesota lakes.  You need to try a river.

54. Identifies: NAMES.

56. Regatta entrant: RACER.  I don't know if the Kentucky Derby is a Regatta, but I've heard it has been moved to September.  Don't worry, all the horses will be three year olds.  Their birthdays are all January 1.

59. Put on cargo: LADE.

61. Peruse, with "over": PORE.

62. Wild guess: STAB.  "BATS" spelled backwards.  We won't be seeing any soon.

63. Italian peak: ETNA.

65. '50s prez: IKE.  Mentioned him previously.  Great General, decent President.

66. Pre-1991 atlas initials: SSR.

67. Couture monogram: YSL.

68. "I've got it!": AHA. And A HA HA HA to you, we are done.

Boomer