QOD: You’re only young once, but you can be immature forever. ~ Ogden Nash (né Frederic Ogden Nash; Aug. 19, 1902 ~ May 19, 1971), American poet and humorist
The Energizer Bunny. The first word of each theme answer is another word for energy.
3-Down. Potential basketball assist that hits the floor: BOUNCE PASS.
7-Down. Fast-food pickup location: DRIVE THRU WINDOW.
9-Down. "Quiet!": ZIP YOUR LIP.
28-Down. Kitchen gadget often used on oranges: JUICE PRESS.
Here's the unifier:
31-Down. Like some protein-rich snacks, or what can be found in 3-, 7-, 9-, and 28-Down?: HIGH ENERGY. Note that each theme answer is in the down position. This gives each synonym of ENERGY to be in the HIGH position.
Across:
1. Dining room fixture: TABLE.
6. QB's successes: TDs. We have a mini Football Theme. QuarterBack's successes are Touch Downs. // 15-Across. Cards, on scoreboards: ARI. The ARIzona CARDinals are a professional football team. // 52-Across. QB's errors: INTS. As in INTerceptions.
9. Sassy letter-shaped gesture: Z-SNAP.
14. Scrub hard, as a pot: SCOUR.
16. "Leave it to me": I WILL.
17. Connected to an outlet: PLUGGED IN.
19. Spotted bean or horse: PINTO.
20. Gas in bright signs: NEON.
21. "Nice work!": VERY GOOD.
23. Kindergarten recitation: ABCs.
25. Bygone automaker from South Korea: DAEWOO.
27. Loaf with seeds: RYE.
28. Leave at the altar: JILT.
29. The "L" of MLK: LUTHER.
34. Swiss peak: ALP.
35. Great Salt Lake state: UTAH.
36. Beethoven's Third: EROICA. Eroica is Italian for Heroic.
37. South Beach neighbor: MIAMI.
39. Sign at a packed B'way theater: SRO. As in Standing Room Only.
41. McDonald's arches et al.: LOGOs.
42. Fly or flea: INSECT.
44. Citrus with an unappealing name: UGLI. The Ugli fruit is a natural hybrid of grapefruit, orange, and tangerine. It tastes better than it looks.
46. Birthday party topper: HAT.
47. End section of an Italian sonnet, e.g.: SESTET.
48. Burrito kin: WRAP.
49. Historical period: ERA.
50. Pocketful in a nursery rhyme: POSIES. Ring Around the Rosie .... Is this rhyme really about the Black Plague?
53. Neverland boy who befriends the Darling children: PETER PAN.
57. Hue: TONE.
59. Ooze, as charm: EXUDE.
60. "We're not on the same page": I DISAGREE.
64. Buffalo __: WINGS. What's the real origin of Buffalo Wings?
65. __ de plume: NOM. Today's French lesson. Translated to mean a pen name.
66. "Copy that": ROGER.
67. Doesn't leave: STAYS.
68. Early afternoon: TWO.
69. Tim Gunn's area of expertise: STYLE. Timothy MacKenzie Gunn (b. July 29, 1953) was the chief creative director at Kate Spade, Co. He was also on Project Runway.
Down:
1. Kitchen qty.: TSP. As in Teaspoon.
2. Knee surgery target, for short: ACL. As in an Anterior Cruciate Ligament. This is becoming a crossword staple.
4. Some Winter Olympics sleds: LUGES.
5. Cogito, __ sum: ERGO. Today's Latin lesson. I think, therefore I am.
6. Smidge: TAD.
8. Muscle fiber: SINEW.
10. Big gulp: SWIG.
11. El __: climate pattern: NIÑO. El Niño is a climate pattern characterized by warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. Its cooler counterpart is La Niña. During El Niño years, there tends to be less hurricane activity in the Atlantic Ocean. La Niña years, on the other hand, favor more intense hurricanes in the Atlantic.
12. Voice below soprano: ALTO.
13. Trudge: PLOD.
18. Break up: END IT.
22. Auditioner's goal: ROLE.
23. One of the Three Musketeers: ARAMIS. Also the name of a men's cologne.
24. Author credit: BYLINE.
26. Word of woe: ALAS.
30. As well: TOO.
32. Nature photography, perhaps: ECO-ART.
33. Jah worshippers: RASTAS. Everything you ever wanted to know about Rastafari, but didn't know you needed to know.
38. Ran into: MET.
40. Fairy tale baddie: OGRE.
43. Camaro roof option: T-TOP. Another crossword staple.
45. Endures: LASTS.
51. Miracle worker, perhaps: SAINT.
52. Gold bar: INGOT.
53. Congregants' benches: PEWS.
54. Red sign above a door: EXIT.
55. Sushi fish: TUNA. // And 62-Down. Sushi fish: EEL.
56. Provocative: EDGY.
58. Boathouse collection: OARS.
61. "Seems to me," online: IMO. Textspeak for In My Opinion.
63. Poetic "before": ERE.
Here's the Grid:
חתולה
