Tuesday, April 12, 2022

QOD:  It’s better to be a has-been than a never-was.  ~  Tiny Tim (né Herbert Buckingham Khaury; Apr. 12, 1932 ~ Nov. 30, 1996), American singer

Piano Lessons:  One of the first music lessons teaches the note of the scale.  How to remember the note?  Do today's puzzle!

17-Across. *   __ day: on alternating days: EVERY OTHER.

25-Across. *  Aussie's "Well done!": GOOD ON YOU.

31-Across. *  One with the motto "Be Prepared": BOY SCOUT.

42-Across. *  Serves a prison sentence: DOES TIME.

47-Across. *  Part of the contract where gotchas might be found: FINE PRINT.

59-Across. The first words of the answers to starred clues are a mnemonic for this musical symbol's staff lines: TREBLE CLEF.  The mnemonic for the open spaces is FACE.

Back when I was taking piano lessons, the phrase was Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge.  I guess the diet police have determined that eating too much fudge is not good.  I thought of our resident musician when I caught the theme to today's puzzle.  Hi, JazzB!

There is a lot of opportunity for some music today, which is appropriate for today's theme.

Across:
1. Chesapeake shellfish: CRAB.

5. Swings at a fly: SWATS.

10. Perfect tennis serves: ACES.

14. Can't stand: HATE.

15. Band whose debut album "Dreamboat Annie" was released in the U.S. on Valentine's Day in 1976: HEART.

16. Reclined: LAIN.

19. Thought: IDEA.

20. Raised, as kids: REARED.

21. What a vocalist may drop for emphasis: MIC.  Not Cool.

23. "What's the __?": "So what?": DIF.  Meh!

24. Pallid: WAN.

28. Historic period: ERA.

30. Deluge: TORRENT.

34. Trait carriers: GENES.  Everything you wanted to know about gene traits from the National Human Genome Research Institute.

38. Brazenly obvious: BLATANT.

39. Morton condiment: SEA SALT.  Although this article isn't about the Morton salt company, it does involve a salt company, a salt dome, an oil company.

41. Determined to have: SET ON.  I've got my heart Set On a new sofa.

43. Daily record, as on a ship: LOG BOOK.

46. Almost on "E": LOW.  Think of the dashboard on your car showing that you need more gas.

50. Mantra syllables: OMs.

52. United: ONE.

53. Talk incessantly: YAK.

54. "You're the One That I Want" musical: GREASE.

57. Bloody, as steak: RARE.

62. Back up, on a PC: UN DO.  Not back up as in store, but back up as in OOPS!

63. Philadelphia NFLer: EAGLE.

64. Winter wear: COAT.

65. Extreme disorder: MESS.

66. Struck down, biblically: SMOTE.

67. Pantry pests: ANTS.

Down:
1. "Believe" singer: CHER.

2. "Must-see" review: RAVE.

3. Eroded: ATE AWAY AT.

4. Quotable Yogi: BERRA.  How Yogi Berra (né Lawrence Peter Berra; May 12, 1925 ~ Sept. 22, 2015) got his nickname.

5. Not barefoot: SHOD.

6. Drenched, e.g.: WET.

7. "That feels good": AAH!

8. Seismic event: TREMOR.

9. Long step: STRIDE.

10. Comedian Wong: ALI.  The comedy routines of Ali Wong (née Alexandra Dawn Wong; b. Apr. 19, 1982) are probably classified as for adults only. 

11. Escalade, casually: CADDY.  The Escalade is made by Cadillac.

12. Kids' song refrain: E-I-E-I-O.

13. Big blunder: SNAFU.

18. Hankering: YEN.  Also the name of Japanese currency.

22. Barrel-shaped drums: CONGAs.

25. Joint ailment: GOUT.

26. Uneaten morsel: ORT.  This used to be a crossword staple.

27. A-bomb tryout: N-TEST.

28. Recedes to the sea: EBBS.

29. Part in a play: ROLE.

30. "An ounce of action is worth a __ of theory": Emerson (probably): TON.

32. Pilfered: STOLE.

33. Suspended cover above a bed: CANOPY.

35. Place for a manicure: NAIL SALON.  Hi, Lucina!

36. "Tickle Me" Muppet: ELMO.

37. Hearty entrée: STEW.

39. Chimney sweep's target: SOOT.

40. "A mouse!": EEK.

42. Cheadle who was Basher in "Ocean's" films: DON.  Don Cheadle (né Donald Frank Cheadle, Jr.; b. Nov. 29, 1964), also portrayed the hotel manager in Hotel Rwanda.

44. Fireplace inserts: GRATES.

45. Yoga-as-exercise namesake: BIKRAM.  Also known as Hot Yoga.

47. Roman place of assembly: FORUM.

48. Foolish: INANE.

49. Brainiacs, maybe: NERDS.  Where did this word come from?

50. Valuable deposit: ORE.

51. Muslim holy city: MECCA.

54. Joy: GLEE.

55. Usher's offering: SEAT.

56. Young newts: EFTS.  They are cute little critters.

58. Dawn goddess: EOS.

60. Alter __: EGO.

61. Three-letter sandwich: BLT.  As in a Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato sandwich.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה