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

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Sep 18, 2014

Thursday, September 18, 2014 Julian Lim

Theme:


18-Across. "Take your time" : NICE AND EASY. I immediately thought of this.

24-Across. 1993 film loosely based on the Jamaican bobsled team : COOL RUNNINGS. I never saw the film, but who doesn't know the team?!?

46-Across. NCAA regional semifinals, familiarly : SWEET SIXTEEN. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Basketball.

55-Across. Green-skinned movie villain : WICKED WITCH. From "The Wizard of Oz."

In this puzzle, the reveal is placed smack in the middle of the grid:
37-Across. Beginning auspiciously ... like 18-, 24-, 46- and 55-Across? : OFF TO A GOOD START. The theme refers to synonyms, or slang terms, for "GOOD."  NICE is easily substituted for GOOD. COOL and SWEET are relatively modern slang terms.  But I was surprised to find out that WICKED as a synonym for "good" is regional to Boston! (OK, I confess - I have used the term.)


Across

1. Scavenging seabird : ERN.

4. "You gotta be kidding me!" : AW, MAN!

9. "Cast Away" star : HANKS. Other than "Wilson," his basketball volleyball sidekick, Tom HANKS was basically a one-man show in that movie. [Correction - thanks to Anon. @ 11:24]

14. With 12-Down, Rodin sculpture : THE. and 12-Down. See 14-Across : KISS.

15. "__ the big deal?" : WHAT'S.

16. Bustling : ABOIL.

17. Sound that may be averted by holding one's breath : HIC. Or not drinking the whole bottle...

20. Machu Picchu dweller : INCA.

22. Mashed taro, mostly : POI. The only other ingredient is water!

23. Promising words : OATHS.

27. Cry : WEEP.

28. Graphic beginning? : GEO.graphic.

29. Sass : LIP.

32. Watch carefully : GUARD.

34. Equipped : ABLE.

36. __ wave : SINE.

40. Works on, as homework : DOES.

41. Vocalist Vannelli : GINO. Never heard of him.

42. Heavy reading? : TOMES. Literally!

43. Ukr., once : SSRSoviet Socialist Republic. Ukraine ceased to be one with the dissolution in 1991.

44. Disney World visitor's airport, on bag tags : ORL.ando.

45. Bluish hue : CYAN. RGB = 0, 255, 255.

51. Acadia National Park locale : MAINE. Gimme!

53. Word with game or room : WAR.

54. Like lingerie models : SEXY. I would have added the word "most" before "lingerie models."

58. __City: computer game : SIM.

59. Bull on a glue container : ELMER. Borden's originally made ELMER's glue. Elmer was so named because he was supposedly the mate of "Elsie" the cow, another Borden's logo.

60. Beaufort __ : SCALE. Measurement of wind force.

61. World Cup cheer : OLÉ.

62. Anoint : BLESS.

63. Celebrated 2014 sports retiree : JETER. Derek is playing his 20th (and final) season with the New York Yankees, winning many awards during his stint.

64. Site site : NET.


Down

1. Moral code : ETHIC.

2. Safari sight : RHINO.

3. Colorful candy since 1847 : NECCO WAFER. NECCO = New England Confectionary Company. Their plant in Revere, MA is unmistakeable.

4. Grass bristle : AWN.

5. Throw together : WHIP UP. I like to WHIP UP a frittata every so often, throwing together whatever I have in the 'fridg.

6. Georgia's __-Bibb County : MACON. Bibb county just merged with MACON this year, after the referendum was approved in 2012.

7. Enjoyed some home cooking : ATE IN.

8. Codebreaker's org. : NSANational Security Agency.

9. Tried one's hand : HAD A GO.

10. Provides inside information for, say : ABETS.

11. 2014 Russell Crowe title role : NOAH. Have not seen this latest epic from director Aronofsky.

13. Foxy : SLY.

19. "You don't have to" : NO NEED.

21. They may be red : ALERTS.

25. More than modify : REDO. Would that be a "mulligan," Husker G.?

26. Dome-shaped abode : IGLOO.

29. "Love Actually" co-star : LIAM NEESON. It's all about love...actually.

30. Memo words : IN RE.

31. Chinchillas, at times : PETS.

32. "American __": Neil Gaiman novel : GODS. Hugo and Nebula award-winning fantasy novel. Anyone read it?

33. Sci-fi staples : UFOS.

34. Like acrobats : AGILE. I would have added the word "most" before "acrobats."

35. "__ appétit!" : BON.

36. Weasel kin : STOATS.

38. "It's a deal!" : AGREED.

39. Charon's river : STYX.

44. Title holders : OWNERS.

45. Group with a common bond : CIRCLE.

46. "Oliver Twist" bad guy : SIKES. Despicable "friend" of Fagan's, who beat his dog until the dog needed stitches. He got his just desserts in the end, though.

47. Double : TWICE.

48. Grabbed a stool next to : SAT AT.

49. Banishment : EXILE.

50. Queens athlete, for short : NY MET.

51. Flour producer : MILL.

52. Peak : ACME. It's always an apex/ACME dilemma for me.

55. Site site : WEB.

56. Paper with NYSE news : WSJ. New York Stock Exchange news is covered in the Wall Street Journal.

57. Part of HRH : HER. Royal Highness.

That's all for now!
Marti


Note from C.C.:

Happy Birthday to Marti's husband Allen! Hope you can take a day off working on the next door house and enjoy this special day.




Allen (Ole Miss alum) mentioned he yelled this when he was 8 years old:

Hotty Toddy
Are you ready?
Hell yea!
Damn right!
Hotty Toddy, gosh almighty,
Who the hell are we?
HEY!
Flim Flam, Bim Bam, OLE MISS GOD DAMN!