Friday, June 19, 2020

QOD:  Our lives teach us who we are.  ~  Sir Salman Rushdie (né Ahmed Salman Rushdie; b. June 19, 1947), Novelist

Thursday, June 18, 2020

QOD:  One of the many imprisonments possible in our world, one of the worst must be inarticulate ~ to be unable to tell another person what you really feel.  ~  Roger Ebert (né Roger Joseph Ebert; June 18, 1942 ~ Apr. 4, 2013)

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

QOD:  We light upon one evil and hit it with all the might of our civilization, but only succeed in scattering it into a dozen of other forms.  ~  James Weldon Johnson (June 17, 1871 ~ June 26, 1938), African-American civil rights activist and author

Tuesday, June 16, 2020

QOD:  The greatest value of a picture is when it forces us to notice what we never expected to see.  ~  John Tukey (né John Wilder Tukey; June 16, 1915 ~ July 26, 2000), American mathematician

My House is Your House (If you can find it).  A type of an abode can be found "divided" in the circles of each theme answer.

20-Across. Tenderloin often served with Béarnaise sauce: CHATEAUBRIAND.  CABIN.

A Chateaubriand is a very expensive filet mignon.  It was named after a French aristocrat and writer named François-René de Chateaubriand (1768 ~ 1848).

33-Across. Rockies resort town: VAIL, COLORADO.  VILLA.

41-Across. Sub on a plate: HERO SANDWICH.  RANCH.

There are many variations on a RANCH style house.

And the Unifier:

56-Across. Biblical phrase in Lincoln's historic 6/16/1858 speech, and what each set of circled letters contains: A HOUSE DIVIDED.  This bibilcal reference appears in the Gospel of Mark (3:25) where Jesus said, "If a House be Divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand." (Revised Standard Version).  I am familiar with Lincoln's speech.   I did not know, however, that it was a Biblical reference.

Across:

1. Single-celled creature: AMEBA.

6. Cab alternative: UBER.  Oh, literally a cab.  I was thinking of our usual misdirection of a Cabernet wine.

10. Partner of aid: ABET.  Partners in crime: Aid and Abet.

14. Disinterested: BORED.

15. Georgetown athlete: HOYA.  Did you know that a Hoya is a genus of tropical plants?  That is not, however, the origin of the Georgetown Hoya, which apparently derived from Greek and Latin words.  The Georgetown mascot is Jack, the Bulldog.  Anyway, that's their story, and they're sticking to it.  I rather like the flower, though.

16. Hot under the collar: SORE.

17. Pricey violin, for short: STRAD.  A violin Stradivarius violin was created from the shop of Antonio Stradivari (1644 ~ Dec. 18, 1737).

18. Did some weeding: HOED.  This answer appeared in yesterday's puzzle and was clued as "worked the soil".

19. Start of a spell: ABRA.

23. Prince Valiant's boy: ARN.  He appears with some frequency in the puzzles, but I can never remember his name.

24. Highest degree: NTH.  You known the answer has to be either Nth or Ph.D.

25. Kindergarten art item: CRAYON.

28. Squeaked by: MADE DO.

30. Smeltery refuse: SLAG.

32. Inc. kin: LLC.  As in a Limited Liability Company.

36. Rifle range supply: AMMO.

39. Federation in OPEC: UAE.  The United Arab Emirate is a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Company.

40. Les __ les autres: one another: UNES.  Today's French lesson.

46. Court players' gp.: ATP.  As in the Association of Tennis Professionals.

47. Disapproving sounds: TSKs!

48. Like a one-lane bridge: NARROW.  I wanted a Covered Bridge, but that was too many letters.

52. Topiary tool: SHEARS.

54. "http" often begins one: URL.

55. Lemon finish?: ADE.  Hi, Lemonade!

60. River seen from the Leaning Tower: ARNO.

62. Old bread problem: MOLD. 

63. Breezing through: ACING.

64. Rain cats and dogs: POUR.

65. "Do it, or __!": ELSE.

66. Eco-friendly word: REUSE.  We saw this word last Friday.

67. Falafel holder: PITA.  Yummers!  Street food in Jerusalem.

68. Letter opener: DEAR.  Fun clue.

69. Those in favor: YESES.

Down:

1. '70s-'80s scandal that inspired "American Hustle": ABSCAM.  Abscam was an FBI sting.

2. Lepidopteran foe of Godzilla: MOTHRA.  This creature has appeared in the puzzles before.

3. Quick post office run, say: ERRAND.

4. Outplay: BEAT.

5. Back-of-the-book supplements: ADDENDA.

6. "You betcha!": UH, HUH!

7. Blockhead: BOOB.  Hmm ...  //  Not to be confused with 34-Down. Blockhead: LUNK.

8. Watcher: EYER.

9. Politically extreme: RADICAL.  In chemistry, a radical is an atom, molecule or ion that has an unpaired valence electron.

10. Yoga posture: ASANA.

11. "Blowin' in the Wind" singer/songwriter: BOB DYLAN.  The answer my friend ...

12. Make a mistake: ERR.

13. Sri Lanka export: TEA.

21. Yours, to Yves: À TOI.  More of today's French lesson.

22. Legendary Greek ship: ARGO.

26. Ye __ Shoppe: OLDE.

27. Some mil. drillers: NCOs.  As in Non-Commissioned Officers.

29. Cruet filler, to Rachael Ray: EVOO.  Extra Virgin Olive Oil also appeared in last Friday's puzzle.

30. Tons: SCADS.

31. MGM co-founder Marcus: LOEW.

Marcus Lowe (May 7, 1870 ~ Sept. 5, 1927)

35. German industrial region: RUHR.

36. Cries of insight: AHAs!

37. Protestant denom.: METH.  As in Methodist.

38. Monocled food mascot: MR. PEANUT.  Mr. Peanut has undergone many changes in his 100 + year existence.

42. Houston MLBer: 'STRO.  As in the Houston Astros.

43. Took as a given: ASSUMED.

44. 45-Down inscription: INRI.  //  And  45-Down. Site of the Crucifixion: CALVARY.

49. The "r" in pi-r-squared: RADIUS.  Pi-r-squared?  Pi r not squared, pi r round!

50. Danish seaport: ODENSE.

51. Wood-splitting tools: WEDGES.

53. Now, in Nogales: AHORA.  Today's Spanish lesson.

54. Cow's milk source: UDDER.

57. Only: SOLE.

58. Film lioness: ELSA.

Elsa with Joy Adamson

59. Slushy drink brand: ICEE.

60. iPhone purchase: APP.

61. French king: ROI.  Our final French lesson for the day.

Here's the Grid:

Monday, June 15, 2020

QOD:  I enjoy walking my dog and completing crossword puzzles.  ~  Brian Jacques (né James Brian Jacques; June 15, 1939 ~ d. Feb. 5, 2011), British writer and milkman

Sunday, June 14, 2020 / Flag Day

QOD:  A burning purpose attracts others who are drawn along with it and help fulfill it.  ~  Margaret Bourke-White (June 14, 1904 ~ Aug. 27, 1971), American photojournalist