QOD: Enjoy the journey and try to get better every day. And don’t lose the passion and the love for what you do. ~ Nadia Comӑneci (née Nadia Elena Comӑneci; Nov. 12, 1961), Romanian gymnast and 5-time Olympic gold medalist
Anatomy of a Big Cat. The first and last letters of each theme answer spell out a characteristic of a Lion.
17-Across. Embarrass one's friends in public, say: MAKE A SCENE. Mane.
26-Across. Resort to desperate measures: CLUTCH AT STRAWS. Claws.
42-Across. Cartoon character often depicted as a spinning tornado: TASMANIAN DEVIL. Tail.
And the Unifier:
56-Across. Answer to the joke "What is the lazy pride member known for?," and an apt title for this puzzle?: LION AROUND.
Across:
1. Misbehave in class, say: ACT UP.
6. Little dickens: IMP.
9. Loops in on the sly: BCCs. As in Blind Carbon Copies. The "carbon copy" is a relic from the olden days when everything was actually typewritten on a typewriter.
13. Trusty: LOYAL.
14. Christmas song: NOEL.
16. Burn soother: ALOE.
19. Vocal quality: TONE.
20. Had a snack: ATE.
21. Tax pros: CPAs. As in Certified Public Accountants.
22. "What's __ into you?": GOTTEN.
24. Sweeties: BAES. The term "bae" is a slang term of endearment that is a shortened version of the words "baby" or "babe".
25. Nope __: facetious term for a snake: ROPE. I have never referred to a snake as a Nope Rope.
32. Idaho's capital: BOISE. The name of Boise, Idaho comes from the French word boisée, which means "wooded". The name originated in the early 19th century when French-Canadian fur trappers explored the region. The trappers to a river and were amazed by the cottonwood trees lining the riverbanks. They called the river "boisé" and the area "la rivière boisée", which means "the wooded river".
33. Some jeans: LEEs. We had both Lees and Levi's last week.
34. "Love __ neighbor": THY.
35. The "E" of an EGOT: EMMY. The acronym stands for: Emmy Grammy, Oscar and Tony. All are entertainment awards. For a list of EGOT recipients, check out this site.
36. Inn patron: GUEST. Hotel guests do not always get what they want.
38. Many a child in Dickens: WAIF. Think of Oliver Twist.
39. Punk subgenre: EMO. A crossword staple.
40. Tailless cat: MANX.
41. "The Natural" director Levinson: BARRY. Barry Levinson (né Barry Lee Levinson; b. Apr. 6, 1942) won an Oscar for the 1988 film, Rain Man, but he isn't an EGOT.
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| Levinson and Redford. |
46. Odds and __: ENDS.
47. New Haven school: YALE.
48. "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" singer Twain: SHANIA. Shania Twain (née Eilleen Regina "Shania" Twain; b. Aug. 28, 1965) is a Canadian country music singer-songwriter.
51. __ bene: NOTA. Today's Latin lesson. The term means note well, observe carefully, take notice. It is used in manuscripts to alert the reader to pay attention to what follows.
52. Govt. intel org.: NSA. As in National Security Agency.
55. Call alternative: TEXT.
59. The "dirt" in a pudding-based dessert: OREO.
60. Lily pad squatter: FROG.
61. Loosened, as shoelaces: UNDID.
62. Pea holders: PODS.
63. "It's __-win situation": A NO.
64. Oozes: SEEPS.
Down:
1. __ mater: ALMA. More of today's Latin lesson. The term literally means Nourishing Mother. The term is used to refer to one's college.
2. Paint layer: COAT.
3. Likely "Bluey" and "Blue's Clues" watcher: TYKE.
4. Abu Dhabi's fed.: UAE. As in the United Arab Emirates. The UAE was formed in 1971 and is comprised of 7 Emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah.
5. Appease: PLACATE.
6. How some tips are paid: IN CASH.
7. "The Simpsons" watering hole: MOE'S.
8. Writing tool: PEN.
9. Baker's mixture: BATTER.
10. Thicken, as cream: CLOT. Although it sounds rather icky to American ears, in England, clotted simply describes the look of the cream as it clings together. It goes will with scones and tea.
11. Ice cream holder: CONE.
12. "As __ on TV": SEEN.
15. Blocked content?: LEGO SET. My first Lego Set was similar to the one shown below.
18. Detail, briefly: SPEC.
23. Chooses: OPTS.
24. Overly adorned: BUSY.
25. Some GPS suggestions: RTES. As in Routes.
26. Punctuation in many lists: COMMA. The Oxford comma is the comma that comes before “and” in a series of three or more items. In the case of O'Connor v. Oakhurst Dairy, a missing Oxford comma cost a Maine dairy company $5M.
27. Prom rides: LIMOS.
28. "__, tell me a joke": request made in a smart home, perhaps: ALEXA. Alexa listens to everything you say!
29. Nintendo rival: ATARI.
30. Spin fast: WHIRL.
31. "Resident Alien" network: SYFY. Formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel.
32. Red root vegetable: BEET.
36. "The Lord of the Rings" wizard: GANDALF. Gandalf was portrayed in the movies by Sir Ian McKellen (b. May 25, 1939).
37. Colleges, to a Brit: UNIS. As in Universities.
38. Swell for a surfer: WAVE.
40. __-pedi: MANI.
41. Birthplace of Olympic gymnast Olga Korbut: BELARUS. Olga Valentinovna Korbut (b. May 16, 1955) was known as the Sparrow from Minsk. She competed for the Soviet Union in the 1972 and 1976 Olympics. She emigrated to the United States in 1991 and became a naturalized American citizen in 2000.
43. Candy that can create a soda geyser: MENTOS. I have never tried this trick. There is a scientific reason for this chemical reaction.
44. "Us" star Lupita: NYONG'O. Lupita Amondi Nyong'o (b. Mar. 1, 1983) is another naturalized American citizenship. She is also Mexican by birth and Kenyan through her parents. She has an Oscar for her role in 12 Years a Slave and an Emmy. She is half-way to the EGOT.
45. Spreadsheet input: DATA.
48. "Halt!": STOP.
49. Caped crusader: HERO.
50. Used a hatchet on: AXED.
51. Midday: NOON.
52. Bare: NUDE.
53. Scissors sound: SNIP.
54. Puts in: ADDS.
57. Savings plan letters: IRA. As in Individual Retirement Account.
58. United: ONE.
Here's the Grid:
חתולה
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| Nailed it! |
