Friday, May 22, 2020

QOD:  You can be dead right ~ and dead.  ~  T. Boone Pickens (né Thomas Boone Pickens, Jr.; May 22, 1928 ~ Sept. 11, 2019), American business magnate and oil tycoon

Thursday, May 21, 2020

QOD:  There is always sleaze in the news.  The news is always a combination of things that are interesting and things that are important.  ~  Jeffrey Toobin (né Jeffrey Ross Toobin; b. May 21, 1960), American lawyer and author

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

QOD:  Bureaucracy is a giant mechanism operated by pygmies.  ~  Honore de Balzac (May 20, 1799 ~ Aug. 18, 1850), French novelist

Tuesday May 19, 2020

QOD:  The main dangers in this life are the people who want to change everything ~ or nothing.  ~  Nancy Astor, Viscountess Astor (née Nancy Witcher Langhorne; May 19, 1879 ~ May 2, 1964)

Computer Keys.  The last word of each theme answer is a key found on a PC Keyboard.  Placement on your keyboard may vary.

17-Across. It may provide arch support: SHOE INSERT.

22-Across. First house: STARTER HOME.  See above.

45-Across. Skill of elite WNBA players: BALL CONTROL.  Abbreviated as CTRL.

59-Across. Emergency exit with a ladder: FIRE ESCAPE.  Abbreviated as ESC.

And the Unifier:

37-Across. Internet troll, slangily ... and a hint to the ends of 17-, 22-, 45- and 59-Across: KEYBOARD WARRIOR.  I am not familiar with this term for internet trolls.

And a couple of bonus computer references:

47-Down. Enter one's credentials: LOG ON.

54-Down. Screen image: ICON.

Across:

1. "__ my best": I DID.  I did my best to make the commentary amusing.

5. Like many action film stunts: RISKY.

10. SpongeBob SquarePants' boss, e.g.: CRAB.  A reference to a television cartoon.

14. Noblewoman: LADY.

15. Remove, as a knot: UNTIE.

16. Cut with a beam: LASE.

19. Leave out: OMIT.

20. "Good Hands" company: ALLSTATE.  //  And 58-Across: 20-Across' hands symbol, e.g.: LOGO.

21. Ready to swing: AT BAT.  Think baseball.  //  And 45-Down: Pitching miscues: BALKS.  Another baseball reference.

25. Big name in electric cars: TESLA.

29. Corp. bases: HQs.  As in HeadQuarters.

30. Badges worn by conference attendees: ID TAGS.

32. Letter after sigma: TAU.  It's Greek to me.

33. Grammy winner Erykah: BADU.

40. "Need You Tonight" band: INXS.

41. __ Angeles: LOS.

42. Give false hope to: LEAD ON.

43. Fertilization targets: OVA.  Plural of Ovum.

44. Petri dish gels: AGARS.

52. Stay away from: AVOID.

53. Reclusive: HERMITIC.

61. Tae __ do: KWON.

62. Personal belief system: CREDO.

63. Lustrous gem: OPAL.

64. IDs on 1040s: SSNs.  As in Social Security Numbers.

65. Salad green: CRESS.

66. Hatchling's refuge: NEST.

Down:

1. Rick's love in "Casablanca": ILSA.

2. "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" author Roald: DAHL.

3. Winner of a TV talent show: IDOL.  A reference to American Idol.

4. Tints: DYES.

5. Attack on foot: RUN AT.

6. Photo-sharing app, briefly: INSTA.

7. Take the wheel: STEER.

8. White wine apéritif: KIR.

9. At this time: YET.

10. Dishrag, e.g.: CLOTH.

11. Stallone's one-man army: RAMBO.

12. 2007 Alicia Keys album that won three Grammys: AS I AM.

13. Actress Midler: BETTE.

18. "We're on!": IT'S A GO.

21. Horror trio?: ARs.  As in the letter "R".

23. Remove from the deep freeze: THAW.

24. Fifty-fifty: EQUAL.

25. __ torch: party light: TIKI.

26. Biblical paradise: EDEN.

27. Underworld river: STYX.

28. Yellow or chocolate dogs: LABS.  As in Labrador dogs.

31. Cannon barrage: SALVO.

32. Many "NFL Live" highlights: TDs.  As in Touch Downs. 

33. Speak highly of oneself: BRAG.

34. Verdi opera set in Egypt: AIDA.

35. Opportunity metaphor: DOOR.  When one door closes, another door opens.

36. Coffee vessels: URNS.

38. Dappled horse: ROAN.

39. Emperors' domains: REALMS.

43. Neatnik's possible condition, briefly: OCD.  As in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

46. Promises with gusto: AVOWS.

48. Pride members: LIONS.

49. Midafternoon hour: THREE.  As in 3 o'clock.

50. Marsh grasses: REEDS.

51. Sandwich cookies: OREOS.

55. UPS Store supply: TAPE.

56. Bitter craft beers, briefly: IPAs.  As in India Pale Ales.

57. Irish person, e.g.: CELT.

59. TV monitor: FCC.  As in the Federal Communications Commission.

60. Like some vbs.: IRR.  As in Irregular.

Here's the Grid:

Monday, May 18, 2020

QOD:  Even when all the experts agree, they may well be mistaken.  ~  Bertrand Russell, 3rd Earl Russell (né Bertrand Arthur William Russell; May 18, 1872 ~ Feb. 2, 1970), British philosopher and mathematician and recipient of the 1950 Nobel Prize in Literature

Sunday, May 17, 2020

QOD:  Through the centuries, men of law have been persistently concerned with the resolution of disputes in ways that enable society to achieve its goals with a minimum of force and a maximum or reason.  ~  Archibald Cox, Jr. (May 17, 1912 ~ May 29, 2004), American attorney and Solicitor General of the United States