Friday, October 23, 2020

QOD:  In other centuries, human beings wanted to be saved, or improved, or freed, or educated.  But in our century, they want to be entertained.  ~  Michael Crichton (né John Michael Crichton; Oct. 23, 1942 ~ Nov. 4, 2008), American author

Thursday, October 22, 2020

QOD:  I’ve left specific instructions that I do not want to be brought back during a Republican administration.  ~  Timothy Leary (Oct. 22, 1920 ~ May 31, 1996), American psychologist

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

QOD:  Nobody who says, “I told you so” has ever been, or ever will be, a hero.  ~  Ursula K. LeGuin (née Ursula Kroeber; Oct. 21, 1929 ~ Jan. 22, 2018), American science fiction author

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

QOD:  Trust your hunches.  They’re usually based on facts filed away just below the conscious level.  ~  Dr. Joyce Brothers (née Joyce Diane Bauer; Oct. 29, 1927 ~ May 13, 2013), American psychologist and television personality.

Hello, Goodbye.  The last few letters of each theme answer is another word one might use when departing.

20-Across. Bach mini comic opera about a beverage addiction: COFFEE CANTATA.  October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.

25-Across. Modern car receivers: SATELLITE RADIOS.  Today's Spanish Lesson.

47-Across. He played the interviewer in "Interview With the Vampire": CHRISTIAN SLATER.

And the unifier:

53-Across. Last parting, or what can literally be found in 20-, 25- and 47-Across: FINAL FAREWELL.  The last 4 or 5 letters of each theme answer is another word for saying "Good-bye".

Across:
1. Play divisions: ACTS.

5. Citrus coolers: ADES.  Hi, Lemonade!

9. Caroline, to Bobby Kennedy: NIECE.

14. Site of many a college party: FRAT.

15. Vatican leader: POPE.

The New Pope, played by John Malovich.

16. Garden trimming gadget: EDGER.

17. Singer __ Amos: TORI.  Tori Amos (née Myra Ellen Amos; b. Aug. 22, 1963) is a classically trained musician.

18. Stuffed shirt: PRIG.

19. Pastry with tea: SCONE.

23. Pillow filler: FOAM.  My pillows are stuffed with feathers.

24. Anthem contraction: O'ER.

33. Letter-shaped plumbing trap: U-BEND.

34. Shade tree: ELM.  I hear people have Nightmares on Elm Street.

35. Layer on a stagnant pond: SCUM.

36. Opp. of 56-Down: MAN.  //  And 56-Down. Works-by-itself setting: AUTO.  Think of Manual transmission and Automatic cars.

37. Secretly: SUB ROSA.  Sub rosa is a Litin phrase that means "under the rose".  In ancient times, the rose was a symbol for secrecy.

41. Denver-to-Chicago dir.: ENE.  One must go East-NorthEast to get from Denver to Chicago.

42. Beginning on: AS OF.

44. Hide-hair connector: NOR.  The phrase, "neither hide nor hair" dates back to the time of Chaucer.  It alludes to the fact that the outside of an animal is made up of hide and hair, which therefore constitute its entirety. The negative version, nearly always meaning that something or someone cannot be seen or found, became common in the mid-nineteenth century.

45. German camera: LEICA.  The Leica Camera company has been around since 1869.  It was founded by Ernst Leitz (Apr. 26, 1843 ~ Sept. 12, 1920).  The word Leica is derived from the first three letters of the founder's surname, Leitz, and the first two letters of the word Camera.

Ernst Leitz

51. Yellowfin tuna: AHI.

52. Very often: ALOT.

59. Liberty Bell flaw: CRACK.  The Liberty Bell traveled across the country in 1917.  I have never actually seen the Liberty Bell.  I have a friend in Philadelphia.  Maybe when it is save to travel again, I can go visit her and the Bell.

60. Artificial bait: LURE.  They come in all shapes and sized depending upon what you are fishing for.

61. "The First __": holiday song: NOËL.  This word is derived from the Latin verb Nasci, which means, to be born.

63. "Voices Carry" co-songwriter Mann: AIMEE.  Below is Aimee Mann's solo version, not the one made famous by 'Til Tuesday.

64. Perched on: ATOP.  Not going to have my picnic lunch perched upon a construction beam.

65. Impulse: URGE.

66. Models strike them: POSES.

67. Acknowledges applause: BOWS.

68. Mexican bread?: PESO.  More of today's Spanish lesson.  1 Peso equals 0.047 US Dollars.

Down:
1. Back on board: AFT.  Hi, Spitzboov!

2. Gator's cousin: CROC.

3. Poi source: TARO.

4. React to an insult, maybe: STIFFEN.

5. Legal challenge: APPEAL.  The United States Supreme Court has the final word on appeals.

6. Scale starters: DO RE MI.

7. Grand-scale production: EPIC.

8. Genesis creator: SEGA.  Maker of video games.

9. Snapple rival: NESTEA.

10. They're often swiped at work: ID CARDS.

11. Entertainment awards acronym: EGOT.  This acronym has been making quite a few appearances in the crossword puzzles recently:  Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony.  To date, there have been 16 EGOT winners.

12. Wrestler John: CENA.  John Felix Anthony Cena, Jr. (b. Apr. 23, 1977) got married just last week to his 2nd wife, Shay Shariatzadeh.

13. Prior to, in poems: ERE.

21. Tosses in one's cards: FOLDS.

22. Expected outcomes: NORMS.

25. The "poison" type contains the skin irritant urushiol: SUMAC.

26. Disconcert: ABASH.

27. Pavarotti, for one: TENOR.  As was recently noted, the anniversary of Luciano Pavarotti's 85th birth (Oct. 12, 1935 ~ Sept. 7, 2007) would have celebrated last week.  I saw him perform many years ago in Boston.

28. Earth, to Cato: TERRA.  Today's Italian lesson.

29. "Xanadu" rock gp.: ELO.  As in the Electric Light Orchestra.

30. Seal the deal: ICE IT.  Sorry, Tin!

31. Prevention measure?: OUNCE.  A reference to the adage, An Ounce of Prevention is worth a Pound of Cure.

32. Makeup streak: SMEAR.

38. "Open __ 9 p.m.": store sign: UNTIL.

39. Avril Lavigne's "Sk8er __": BOI.

40. Give permission: ALLOW.

43. Bride-to-be: FIANCÉE.

46. Wiped out by excess costs, as profits: EATEN UP.

48. Burger joint drinks: SHAKES.

49. Limited in scope: NARROW.

50. Grabs some shuteye: SLEEPS.

53. Cold, in Cádiz: FRIO.  More of today's Spanish lesson.

54. Brand with a paw print in its logo: IAMS.

55. Love handles, so to speak: FLAB.

57. Old stories: LORE.

58. Relay race segments: LEGS.

59. Spending limit: CAP.

62. Sign of summer: LEO.

Here's the Grid:

Monday, October 19, 2020

QOD:  International cooperation is vital to keeping out globe safe, commerce flowing, and our planet habitable.  ~  Sir Angus Deaton (né Angus Stewart Deaton; b. Oct. 19, 1945), Scottish economist and recipient of the 2015 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics 

Sunday, October 18, 2020

QOD:  Labels are for filing.  Labels are for clothing.  Labels are not for people.  ~  Martina Navratilova (née Martina Šubertová; b. Oct. 18, 1956), Czech-born tennis player