QOD: The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself. ~ Anna Quindlen (née Anna Marie Quindlen; b. July 8, 1952)
Today's Theme: Very Punny, Mr. President! Each of the theme answers is a pun on a common phrase by replacing a President's name with one of the words.
18. Presidential putdown? = GRANT SLAM. The common phrase is Grand Slam. Ulysses S. Grant is the substitute President.
23. Presidential advisers? = MADISON CABINET. The common phrase is Medicine Cabinet. James Madison is the substitute President.
32. Presidential ATM sign? = FORD DEPOSIT ONLY. The common phrase is For Deposit Only. Gerald Ford is the Substitute President, literally, since he was the only president who was never elected for either the Office of President or Vice-President.
48. Presidential university? = COOLIDGE CAMPUS. The common phrase is College Campus. Calvin Coolidge is the substitute President.
53. Presidential belt-tightening? = NIXON CUTS. The common phrase is Nicks and Cuts. Richard Nixon is the Substitute President, who left office in disgrace and was followed by Gerald Ford.
Across:
1. Timeworn Observation = ADAGE.
6. “Pronto!” = ASAP. Stands for: As Soon As Possible.
10. Party Person = HOST. Meh
14. Paganini’s Birthplace = GENOA.
15. One of an Historic Seagoing Trio = NIÑA. Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue along with his fleet of three ships ~ The Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria.
16. Not Deceived By = ON TO.
17. Los _____: City near San Jose = ALTOS. I had to wait for the perps to give me most of the letters in this response.
20. 1926 Channel Swimmer = EDERLE. Gertrude Ederle was the first woman to swim the English Channel.
22. Bernardo’s Girl in “West Side Story” = ANITA. Maria also fit into the space provided.
26. Trademark Cousins = PATENTS.
27. Trains on Supports = ELS.
28. “Discreet Music” Composer = ENO. Brian Eno.
29. Movie Beekeeper = ULEE.
30. People Person? = CELEB. Reference, I suppose to People magazine.
39. “Contact” Author = SAGAN. As in Carl Sagan. Contact was made into a movie starring Jody Foster.
40. “uh-uh” = NOPE.
41. Ex-Saudi Ruler ___ Saud = IBN. The word literally means “son of.”
44. Managed = RAN.
45. Onetime California Gubernatorial Candidate Huffington = ARIANNA. She also has a blog called the Huffington Report, which she just sold to AOL for an enormous sum of money.
51. Biblical Words Before and After “For” = EYE. As in the phrase: An Eye for an Eye.
52. Title Subject of a G.B. Shaw Play = St. Joan. George Bernard Shaw wrote a play about Joan of Arc.
56. Blitz Attachment = KRIEG. As in a Blitzkrieg.
59. Prefix with “Language” in a 1993 Comedy Best-Seller = SEIN. Jerry Seinfeld’s book. Len Lesser, the actor who portrayed Jerry’s Uncle Leo, died yesterday. He was 88 years old.
60. Gaston’s god = DIEU. French lesson for the day.
61. Perform Penance = ATONE.
62. Scraps = ORTS.
63. U. of Maryland Athlete = TERP. Short for Terrapin, which is some sort of reptile. This has appeared in crosswords past.
64. Streisand Title Role = YENTL.
Down:
1. Turkish Honorific = AGA.
2. Wilmington’s St. = DEL. Wilmington is in Delaware.
3. Lover of Armies? = ANTEATERS. I liked this clue!
4. Acts of Kindness = GOOD DEEDS.
5. Enter Cautiously = EASE IN.
6. Americans in Paris, e.g. = ANGLOS. Not the first thing that came to my mind.
7. Femme Fatale = SIREN.
8. Book Collector’s Suffix = ANA. Not quite sure what this one means.
9. Put Down In Writing? = PAN. Great clue! I initially thought of PEN, but Pan means to put down, to criticize.
10. Mubarak of Egypt = HOSNI. This is a timely clue/answer considering the turmoil in the Middle East and the fact that Mubarak stepped down as President of Egypt last week.
11. Surfing Without a Board, Maybe = ON LINE. As in surfing the ‘net.
12. New York’s ______ Island = STATEN. I first thought of Coney Island and Long Island, before Staten occurred to me.
13. T in a Sandwich = TOMATO. As in a BLT.
19. Typewriter Feature = TAB SET.
21. Queue After Q = RST. As in the alphabetical sequence
23. Opposite of Bueno = MALA. Good versus Bad.
24. Psychic Couple = CEES. Not keen on this type of clue. The word “Psychic” has two letter “Cs.”
25. “That’s ____ Ask” = ALL. As in the phrase: That’s All I Ask…
26. Sta-___: Fabric Softener = PUF. Sta-Puf is not a product I am familiar with.
30. Hoodwink = CON.
31. Ruling Family Name in 19th-Century Europe = BONAPART.
33. Connecticut Coastal Town Near Stamford = DARIEN. I lived near there when I lived in New Haven.
34. “Yikes!” = EGAD!
35. Qualm = PANG.
36. Like Some Workers in an Open Shop = NON-UNION.
37. HNO Employees = LPNS. Stands for Licensed Practical Nurses.
38. Thumbs-Up Vote = YEA.
41. Response to a Doubting Thomas = I CAN SO!
42. More Scrawny = BONIER.
43. Prohibitive Door Sign = NO EXIT. It would also be prohibitive to open the emergency door on an airplane while in flight.
45. Misbehaves = ACTS UP.
46. British Rule in India = RAJ.
47. Post-Fall Reassurances = I’M OKAY.
49. Interpol Headquarters = LYONS. A learning moment for me. I was not aware that this is where Interpol was located.
50. Glyceride, e.g. = ESTER.
54. Setting on the Mississippi: Abbr. = CDT. Stands for Central Daylight Time.
55. A Lost Driver May Hang One, Briefly = UIE. A U-Turn, I suppose.
57. M.D.’s Specialty = ENT. Stands for Ear, Nose and Throat specialist.
58. Styling Stuff = GEL.
