Tuesday, October 13, 2020

QOD:  In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man.  If you want something done, as a woman.  ~  Margaret Thatcher (née Margaret Hilde Roberts; Oct. 13, 1925 ~ Apr. 8, 2013), Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

 Day is Dying in the West:  The circles spell the word "Sun", which is in the Down position in today's puzzle.

7-Down. Still hasn't lost: REMAINS UNBEATEN.

10-Down. Throws in the towel: SAYS UNCLE.

11-Down. Titanic, e.g.: SUNKEN SHIP.  This is the odd man out because the word SUN does not cross two words.

34-Down. Fails, as a business: GOES UNDER.

And the Unifier:

30-Down. Daily phenomenon ... and a hint to the puzzle circles: SETTING SUN.

We'll start with the Grid today so you can see the Setting Sun.  

Across:

1. Floats on the wind: WAFTS.

6. Campus houses: FRATS.

11. "¿Qué pasa?": SUP.

14. Assign, as time for a job: ALLOT.

15. Columbus' birth city: GENOA.  Christopher Columbus (1451 ~ May 20, 1506) was Italian, but sailed for Spain.

16. Spanish "a": UNA.  Today's Spanish lesson.

17. Tend, as a fire: STOKE.

18. Great __ Mountains: SMOKY.  The Great Smoky Mountains are a range of mountains running along the Tennessee-North Carolina border.

19. "Fresh Air" airer: NPR.  As in National Public Radio.

20. The quaking aspen is one: POPLAR.

22. Yucat·n years: AÑOS.  More of today's Spanish lesson.

23. First-aid organizer: KIT.  For some reason, I was stuck on EMT.

24. Vintage violin: AMATI.

26. Bad way to act: RUDELY.

28. Cartwright son, in a TV Western: HOSS.  Eric "Hoss" Cartwright was portrayed by Dan Blocker (Dec. 10, 1928 ~ May 13, 1972) on the television show Bonanza.

31. Coffee server: URN.

32. Words after hole or all: IN ONE.  As in a Hole-in-One, or All-in-One.

33. "__ Maria": AVE.  Ave Maria is a piece of religious music composed by Franz Schubert (Jan. 31, 1797 ~ Nov. 19, 1828) in 1825.

34. Restrictive type of ceiling: GLASS.  Sadly, many of us have felt the impact of the Glass Ceiling.

36. Music holders, briefly: CDs.  As in Compact Discs.

37. Unleavened bread: MATZO.  Matzo is a transliteration from the Hebrew (מַצָּה), so you sometimes see it as spelled Matzah.  The word is pronounced to rhyme with Lotsa.  Matzo is eaten during Passover when no bread, yeast or leavened products are eaten.  It is not exclusive to Passover, however.  We often have matzo throughout the year.

39. Hockey's Stanley __: CUP.  Tampa Bay (Hi, Tin!) were the champions of the Stanley Cup this year.  Tradition states that the winning team drink champagne from the Cup.  I wonder if this tradition was kept this year.  Additionally, the champions keep the Cup only as long as they are the champs when it is passed on to a new champion.

40. Lindsay of "Mean Girls": LOHAN.  Lindsey Dee Lohan (b. July 2, 1986) is a very troubled actress, but talented actress.  She got her acting start at age 10 in a soap opera.

43. No-winner result: TIE.

44. Bowie's weapon: KNIFE.  A History of the Bowie Knife.

46. Put on __: postpone: ICE.  Sorry, Tin!

47. Washer cycle: RINSE.

49. Sis may have one: BRO.

50. Gush: SPEW.

51. Commercial ambassador: CONSUL.

52. Like a feeling of déjà vu: EERIE.

54. Witch: HAG.

55. Auto parts giant: NAPA.

57. Ditch: TRENCH.

61. Picks out of a lineup: IDs.  As in Identifying one out of a police lineup.

62. Tries to lose, in a way: DIETS.  Cute clue.

64. "__ Mio": O SOLE.

65. Brookville, N.Y., campus: LIU.  Look It Up!

66. Stopped playing: ENDED.

67. First "perfect 10" Olympic gymnast Comaneci: NADIA.  In 1976, Nadia Comăneci (b. Nov. 12, 1961) was the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect 10.  She was only 14 years old at the time.

68. Cubs' home: DEN.

69. They hold your horses: REINS.

70. Cleaned the floor: SWEPT.

Down:
1. Nasty stinger: WASP.

2. Sax type: ALTO.  The Saxaphone is a relatively new musical instrument.  It was created by Adolphe Sax (Nov. 6, 1814 ~ Feb. 7, 1894) in the 1840s.

3. Failed venture: FLOP.

4. Stein partner Alice B. __: TOKLAS.  Alice Babette Toklas (Apr. 30, 1877 ~ Mar. 7, 1967) was an American author and partner of writer Gertrude Stein (Feb. 3, 1874 ~ July 27, 1946).

Gertrude Stein (left) and Alice B. Toklas

5. What's picked up when you accelerate: STEAM.

6. NFL threes: FGs.  As in three points for a Field Goal.

8. Shortly, quaintly: ANON.

9. Michener's "The Bridges at __": TOKO RI.  This novel by James Michener (Feb. 3, 1907 ~ Oct. 16, 1997) is about United States Navy Pilots in the Korean War.  It was also made into a 1954 movie, which starred William Holden and Grace Kelly.

12. Disentangle after a tackle: UNPILE.

13. Political faction: PARTY.

21. Castro of Cuba: RAUL.  Raúl Modesto Castro Ruz (b. June 3, 1931) is the brother of the late Fidel Castro (Aug. 13, 1926 ~ Nov. 25, 2016).

25. Follow the footprints of: TRACK.

27. Extinct flightless bird: DODO.  Also the name of one of our early crossword pals.

Left to right: Chickie, Lucina, Garlic Gal, JD, and Dodo, June 4, 2014

28. Bad actor: HAM.

29. Egg cells: OVA.

35. Steeple topper: SPIRE.

38. Some reds, briefly: ZINs.  As in Zinfandel wines.  This has become a crossword staple.

41. Opening day pitcher: ACE.

42. Improved companion?: NEW.  New and Improved!

45. Sumter or McHenry: FORT.  Fort Sumter and Fort McHenry.  The former is known for its role in the American Civil War.  The latter is known for its role in the War of 1812.

47. Band van traveler: ROADIE.

48. Friend of Jerry and George: ELAINE.  A reference to Seinfeld.

50. Up-and-down ride: SEESAW.

51. 50-Down rider, often: CHILD.  Or a fish.

53. Wrinkle removers: IRONS.

56. Mani mate: PEDI -.  As in a Manicure and a Pedicure.  I haven't gotten a pedicure since this whole pandemic shut down occurred.  We stay close to home and rarely venture out.

58. Connecting point: NODE.

59. Film excerpt: CLIP.

60. Warm up, as food: HEAT.

63. Militant '60s campus org.: SDS.  As in Students for a Democratic Society.  It was an organization founded by, among others, Tom Hayden (Dec. 11, 1939 ~ Oct. 23, 2016) in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

I hope the SUN is shining on you as go about your day.