Tuesday, December 29, 2020

QOD:  The problem with cats is that they get the exact same look on their face whether they see a moth or an axe-murderer.  ~  Paula Poundstone (b. Dec. 29, 1959), American comedian

Double Your Fun!  The word Double can be placed before each word in the theme answer to give a new concept.

20-Across. City street spot you usually have to back into: PARKING SPACE.  Double Park and Double Space.  Double Space in typing means that there is a full space, the equivalent to the full height of a line of the text, between rows of words in a document.  Most computer texting programs default to single spacing.

This is just wrong!

33-Across. Unfavorable impression: NEGATIVE TAKE.  Double Negative and Double Take.

Double Take

42-Across. Winter clock setting: STANDARD TIME.  Double Standard and Double Time.

Double Standard.

And the unifier:

56-Across. In 2020's MLB season, each game of one was seven innings ... and what each word of three long answers can have: DOUBLE HEADER.  The Covid-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on Major League Baseball this year.

Across:

1. Like new dollar bills: CRISP.  //  And 19-Across. Singles: ONES.

6. Instruction unit: STEP.

10. Last year's frosh: SOPH.  Last year's Freshman is this year's Sophomore.  According to Webster's, the word Frosh for a first year student may derive from the German word for Frog, which is what a student is called before entering the university.

14. Mediterranean mayonnaise: AIOLI.  This is becoming a crossword staple.

15. Place for pews: NAVE.  There has been much discussion on the church nave recently.

16. Crosby, Stills & Nash, e.g.: TRIO.  Crosby, Stills & Nash were a folk rock group formed in 1968.  A year later, Neil Young joined the group and the band became known as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. 

17. Raced toward: RAN AT.

18. One cutting staff: AXER.  Axer isn't in the Scrabble dictionary, but if it was, it would be worth 11 points.

23. TSA __Check: PRE.  Getting the Pre-Check on my airline ticket always makes me smile.

26. "Annabel Lee" poet: POE.  Edgar Allen Poe (Jan. 19, 1809 ~ Oct. 7, 1849) is known for his tales of mystery and poetry.  I don't think I had ever read Annabel Lee before.

27. Result of a coup, perhaps: OUSTER.

28. Sea surrounding Santorini: AEGEAN.  Santorini seems to be on the outer edge of the Aegean Sea,

30. Relate, as a story: TELL.  William Tell had a Tale to Tell.

32. Silly starter?: ESS.  Silly Goose!  It's the letter S.

36. HEATH Bar competitor: SKOR.

37. "Bel Canto" author Patchett: ANN.   Ann Patchett (b. Dec. 2, 1963) has written several novels.  Bel Canto is loosely based on the Japanese embassy hostage crisis of 1996-1997, which occurred in Lima, Peru.  By coincidence, I took this book along with me to read while I was traveling in Peru about 10 years ago.  I highly recommend this book.

38. Many an Omani: ARAB.

47. UFO operators: ETs.  As in ExtraTerresterials.

50. Iowa college town: AMES.  Iowa State University is located in Ames, Iowa.

51. Egg-coloring holiday: EASTER.  Tsars Alexander II and Nicholas II had Fabergé jeweled eggs made for their wives as Easter gifts.

52. Useless: NO HELP.

54. Coll. entrance exam: SAT.  The SAT exams were formerly known as the Scholastic Aptitude Test.

55. Business card abbr.: EXT.  Think of the telephone extension number.

60. James of jazz: ETTA.  Etta James (née Jamesetta Hawkins; Jan. 25, 1938 ~ Jan. 20, 2012) makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles.

61. See-the-sights travel option: RAIL.  //  And 1. See-the-sights travel option: CAR.

62. Banana cluster: BUNCH.

66. Came down: ALIT.

67. Poet Pound: EZRA.  Ezra Pound (né Ezra Weston Loomis Pound; Oct. 30, 1885 ~ Nov. 1, 1972) was not without a lot of controversy.

68. Vowel-rich farewell: ADIEU.  Today's French lesson.

69. Surrealist Magritte: RENÉ.  René Magritte (Nov. 21, 1898 ~ Aug. 15, 1967) was a Belgium artist who is known for creating amusing images.

70. Burpee purchase: SEED.  The Burpee Seed company was founded by Washington Atlee Burpee (Apr. 5, 1858 ~ Nov. 26, 1915) in the 1870s.  The company is still going strong today.

71. Transplant to a new container: REPOT.

Down:

2. River inlet: RIA.

3. Na+ or Cl-: ION.  Together, these ions form table salt.

4. Word with happy or dash: SLAP.  As in Slap Happy or Slap Dash.

5. Rain-on-the-roof sound: PIT-A-PAT.

6. Asp or adder: SNAKE.

7. Cab: TAXI.

8. Like every other integer: EVEN.  2, 4, 6, 8, ...

9. Vine-covered walkway: PERGOLA.  A pergola can also be a covered sitting area.  We build a pergola in our back yard a couple of years ago and I spent many hours there during this pandemic season.  The word Pergola comes from the Latin, meaning projected eave.

10. Dots on a transit map: STOPS.

11. Highly decorative: ORNATE.  The mosaics at the Alhambra Palace are very ornate.

12. Concert choices: PIECES.

13. Uncouth types, in Canadian slang: HOSERS.  Hi, CanadianEh!

21. Rice-A-__: RONI.  It's the San Francisco treat and it comes in many flavors.

22. Pout: SULK.

23. Thumbs-down reviews: PANS.

24. Really smell: REEK.

25. Thick & Fluffy waffle brand: EGGO.  L'Eggo my Eggo!  They, too, come in several flavors.

29. All __: listening: EARS.

30. Takes care of: TENDS.

31. Sicilian smoker: ETNA.  Since 2013, this volcano has been periodically been showing some eruptive action.

34. Wind indicator: VANE.  The word Vane comes from an old English word, Fane, which means Flag.

35. Grub: EATS.

39. Baptism, for one: RITE.

40. Plastic choice, briefly: AMEX.  Nice misdirection:  American Express.

41. Ernie's Muppet pal: BERT.

43. Like unlikely tales: TALL.

44. Current units: AMPERES.  The Ampere is named after André-Marie Ampère (Jan. 20, 1775 ~ June 10, 1836), French mathematician and physicist, considered the father of electromagnetism.

45. Enjoy a novel: READ.  I have read just under 50 books this year, most of which were novels.

46. Baked treat that sounds like a place to meet: DATE BAR.

47. Make precious: ENDEAR.

48. Play the flute: TOOTLE.  Flute playing in the year 2020.

49. Locked up: SHUT IN.

53. Online money-back offer: E-BATE.

54. Dinner course: SALAD.  In Israel, Salads are a common breakfast food.

57. Thin fog: HAZE.

58. The Emerald Isle: EIRE.

59. Impolite: RUDE.

63. Puppy's bite: NIP.

64. Head of the corp.: CEO.  As in the Chief Executive Officer.

65. Shack: HUT.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

No matter what or how you celebrate the holidays, please respect everyone.  We are all fragile and we need to look out for the health and welfare of all.  Please wear your mask and social distance.  We want to be able to hug next holiday season.  

May 2021 bring Health and Happiness!