Thursday, January 27, 2011

QOD: Diplomacy is the art of saying "nice doggie" until you can find a rock. ~ Will Rogers (né William Penn Adair Rogers; Nov. 4, 1879 ~ Aug. 15, 1935), American humorist

Today's Theme: Don't Talk to Me. Me Mad! The last word of each of the starred theme clues may be associated with a feeling of resentment when used in conjunction with the word GRUDGE (45-Down).

45-D. Feeling of Resentment Associated with the Last Words of the Starred Answers = GRUDGE.

17. * Yellowstone Park Beast = GRIZZLY BEAR. One may BEAR a GRUDGE.

28. * Fr. McHenry Defended it in 1814 = BALTIMORE HARBOR. One may HARBOR a GRUDGE.

43. * Medical Professional = REGISTERED NURSE. One may NURSE a GRUDGE.

55. * Feature of Many Customer Service Calls = MUSIC ON HOLD. One may HOLD a GRUDGE.

Across:

1. Checkbook No. = ACCT. Short for Account Number. So the bank will know how to credit all your enormous deposits.

5. Mason of “The Goodbye Girl” = MARSHA. Marsha Mason was married to Neil Simon.

11. Cinephile’s Cable Channel = AMC. Stands for American Movie Classics.

14. Par = NORM.

15. Delta Competitor = UNITED. Both are airlines.

16. “Turn on the Heat!” = BRR. People in the snow belt are certainly turning on the heat this winter.

19. The Mustangs of the NCAA’s Conference USA = SMU. Stands for Southern Methodist University. The school is located in Dallas, Texas.

20. Work Like a Dog = MOIL. A new word for me today.

21. Flooring Material = PLYWOOD.

23. The Grammys, e.g. = EVENT. I was thinking along the lines of an award. Event is good.

25. Egyptian Christian = COPT.

27. Prado Hangings = ARTE. The Prado is an art museum in Spain.

31. Norwegian Noble Name = OLAV.

32. “___ Yankee Doodle …” = I’M A. George M. Cohan wrote the song, I’m A Yankee Doodle Dandy.

33. Swelter = FRY.

34. 50-Across St. = NEB. Short for Nebraska. // And 50-Across: Home of Creighton University = OMAHA. I knew about Creighton because a good friend of mine went to law school there.

35. A Director May Ask for More of It = EMOTION.

37. Justice Dept. Agency = FBI. The Federal Bureau of Investigation falls under the purview of the Department of Justice.

40. Curly Smacker = MOE. A reference to the Three Stooges.ork. Samuel Coleridge wrote a poem entitled “Kubla Khan.”

41. Lacto-___ Vegetarian = OVO. One who is a Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian will eat only dairy and eggs, but not meat or fish.

42. Provoke = GOAD.

48. Puts on the Tube = AIRS. Tube being a reference to the television.

49. Tampa Bay Squad = RAYS. Reference to a sports team.

51. Seasonal Pharmacy Offering = FLU SHOT. I get a flu shot each year from my place of work.

53. Red Ink = LOSS. I initially wrote in DEBT.

54. Served Dinner = FED. // And 46-Down: Dirties the Dishes = EATS IN.

60. Race Segment = LEG.

61. Spoke Out = OPINED.

62. Fit to Be Drafted = ONE-A.

63. GPS Heading = ENE. Short for East-North-East, as in a directional heading.

64. Martial Arts Instructor = SENSEI. I got this one solely through the perps.

65. “My Word!” = EGAD!

Down:

1. “Hulk” Director Lee = ANG. Ang Lee has directed numerous movies.

2. ___ Anglais: English Horn = COR.

3. Forensic Test Site = CRIME LAB. Made me think of the CSI TV shows.

4. Celebrity Gossip Show = TMZ ON TV. No idea. This and MOIL, which crossed, were my last fills in this puzzle.

5. Ponder = MULL.

6. Unspecified Amount = ANY.

7. Messy Barbecue Morsel = RIB.

8. Grassy Plain = STEPPE.

9. Nutritionist’s Recommendation = HEALTH FOOD. Probably a nutritionist would more likely recommend healthy food rather than health food.

10. Hit ____ Spell = A DRY.

11. Engross = ABSORB. I initially tried Enrapt.

12. Sleuth Played by Peter Lorre = MR. MOTO.

13. Less Refined = CRUDER.

18. Pasta Often Baked = ZITI.

22. On One’s Guard = WARY.

23. Black in Stanzas = EBON.

24. Low Area = VALE.

25. “We Get Letters” ‘50s-‘60s TV Singer/Host = COMO. Perry Como. Not familiar with We Get Letters.

26. Rhetorical Skill = ORATORY.

29. Group that Goes Through the Motions? = MIME TROUPE. Cute clue!

30. “Prince Valiant” Character = ARN. I let the perps fill this one in.

35. Dawn Goddess = EOS.

36. Currier’s Colleague = IVES. My grandmother had some Currier and Ives lithographs.

37. Inexpensively = FOR A SONG.

38. Spirited Party = BASH.

39. “What’s the Big ____?” = IDEA.

40. Pageant Title = MISS.

42. Sam Spade, e.g., Slangily = GUMSHOE.

43. School Fund-Raiser = RAFFLE. I had filled in this response even before I read the clue.

44. Astronaut Collins = EILEEN. My first thought was Michael Collins, but his first name was too long. Eileen Collins was the first woman to command the space shuttle.

47 Cinematic Showdown Hour = NOON. As in High Noon, I suppose.

52. Wellness Gps. = HMOs. Stands for Health Maintenance Organizations.

53. City Near Sacramento = LODI. Whatever …

56. Aetna’s Bus. = INS. Aetna is a Insurance company.

57. So-So Grade = CEE.

58. Rural Expanse = LEA.

59. Pops = DAD.