QOD: Failure is not the opposite of success; it’s part of the success. ~ Arianna Huffington (née Ariadnē-Anna Stasinopoúlo; b. July 15, 1950), Greek-born author and syndicated columnist
The Teddy Bear's Picnic. Today's puzzle provides lots of elements needed for a successful summertime picnic.
17-Across. Vague catchall expression: BLANKET TERM.
27-Across. Folks who hopefully prevail in a tense situation: COOLER HEADS.
47. Outfield grab perfected by Willie Mays: BASKET CATCH.
And the unifier:
61-Across. Outside eating spots, and where to find the starts of 17-, 27-, and 47-Across: PICNIC AREAS.
Across:
1. Network with pledge drives: PBS. As in the Public Broadcasting Service. The logo is a silhouetted human face that is supposed to represent "everyone".
4. __ insult to injury: ADD.
7. Fragrance: AROMA.
12. Perky agent in Progressive ads: FLO.
13. Skylit courtyards: ATRIA.
15. Defame in print: LIBEL.
16. At a distance: FAR.
19. Angle symbol in geometry: THETA. It's Greek to me.
21. Cross a welcome mat: GO IN.
22. Organs shielded by goggles: EYES.
23. Seated yoga pose: LOTUS.
25. Spanish aunts: TIAs. Today's Spanish lesson.
30. Keeps in the email loop: CCs. A shout out to our Blog Mistress.
33. Deceptive ploy: RUSE.
34. Arcing toss: LOB.
35. Yawn-inducing: HO HUM.
37. Like fine wine: AGED.
38. Dive like an eagle: SWOOP.
41. Singer McEntire: REBA. Reba Nell McEntier (b. Mar. 28, 1955) is sometimes referred to as the Queen of Country Music.
42. Pulsate: THROB.
44. Egg cells: OVA.
45. Stand for a speaker: DAIS.
46. UFO navigators: ETs. As in ExtraTerrestrials.
51. Rights advocacy org.: ACLU. As in the American Civil Liberties Union. The organization was founded over 100 years ago ~ on January 19, 1920.
52. Artifact: RELIC.
53. Move like a dreidel: SPIN.
56. Obstacles to teamwork: EGOS.
58. Battery terminal: ANODE.
64. Apply gently: DAB.
65. For all to hear: ALOUD.
66. Some Instagram videos: REELS.
67. Timeline division: ERA.
68. The Wizard of __ Park: Edison nickname: MENLO. Thomas Alva Edison (b. Feb. 11, 1847 ~ October. 18, 1931) established a laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey.
69. Unicorn's horn count: ONE.
70. Pen for pigs: STY.
Down:
1. Sound of a fizzling firecracker: PFFT.
2. Far from thrilling: BLAH.
3. People who can't handle defeat: SORE LOSERS.
4. Delta HQ: ATL. Delta Airlines Headquarters is in Atlanta, Georgia.
5. Event with diva impersonators: DRAG SHOW.
6. Flintstone pet: DINO.
7. Ctrl-__-Del: ALT.
8. Rituals such as wudu and baptism: RITES. Wudu is an Islamic ritual purification practice involving the washing of specific body parts before prayer and other acts of worship.
9. Do as one is told: OBEY.
10. No more than: MERE.
11. Charitable relief: ALMS.
13. Taper off: ABATE.
14. Muscular Japanese dog: AKITA.
18. City west of Tulsa: ENID. Enid is a crossword staple. The name of the town might have been inspired by Alfred Tennyson's Idles of the King.
20. Lake Erie port: TOLEDO. Hi, JazzBumpa! Is there a relationship between the town in Ohio and the one in Spain? You decide.
24. Bookmarked links: URLs. As in the Uniform Resource Locator.
26. Fireplace residue: ASH.
27. Shipping container: CRATE.
28. "You __ to know better": OUGHT.
29. Kindle purchase: E-BOOK.
30. Hacks that help video gamers win: CHEAT CODES.
31. Three-dimensional: CUBIC.
32. Break to pieces: SMASH.
36. Invest with priestly authority: ORDAIN.
39. Supervised: OVERSEEN.
40. Hors d'oeuvres spread: PÂTÉ. Yummers!
43. U.K. TV network: BBC. As in the British Broadcasting Corporation.
48. Actor Guinness: ALEC. For a certain generation, Sir Alex Guinness (né Alec Guinness de Cuffe; Apr. 2, 1914 ~ Aug. 5, 2000) is best known for his portrayal of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Yesterday we learned that in 1952, he won an Oscar for his portrayal of Colonel Nicholson in The Bridge on the River Kwai. I am not quite of that generation to have remembered that.
49. Sweetie: SUGAR.
50. Group of students: CLASS.
51. Declare invalid: ANNUL.
53. Email incessantly: SPAM. We had the canned meat yesterday.
54. Heap on laundry day: PILE.
55. Clickable picture: ICON.
57. Cookie that created the Dunk Club: OREO. A crossword staple.
59. Pub projectile: DART.
60. Online auction giant: EBAY.
62. Vow renewal vow: I DO.
63. Foamy drink in a stein: ALE.
Here's the Grid: