QOD: The noblest art is that of making others happy. ~ P.T. Barnum (né Phineas Taylor Barnum; July 5, 1810 ~ Apr. 7, 1891), American showman
It's Yours for the Taking: Go for it. The word GET can be found after the word IT in each of the theme clues.
20-Across. * Financial plan followed by a mayor: CITY BUD GET.
28-Across. * Nests, as a set of measuring cups: FITS TOGETHER.
44-Across. * Achieve one's specific goal: HIT THE TARGET.
And the unifier:
55-Across. "Seize the day!," and what the answers to the starred clues literally have: GET AFTER IT.
Across:
1. Seat that may swallow the remote control: SOFA.
5. U.K. soccer teams: FCs. I think this stands for Football Clubs. I wasn't in the UK on this past trip, so can't confirm.
8. Tappable symbols: ICONS.
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13. Happy kitty sound: PURR.
14. Washer capacity: LOAD. My washing machine got a real workout this past weekend.
16. Krispy Kreme buy: DONUT. Yummers!
17. Thing: ITEM.
18. "Pitch Perfect" actress Kendrick: ANNA. Some of the scenes in Pitch Perfect 2, which also starred Anna Kendrick (née Anna Cooke Kendrick; b. Aug. 9, 1985), were filmed at the Louisiana State University.
19. Residence: ABODE.
23. From square one: ANEW.
24. "Totally!": YES.
25. "It's __-win situation": A NO.
26. Breakfast syrup choice: MAPLE.
32. Olympian's goal: MEDAL. What are the medals really made of?
35. Technical sch.: INST. As in an Institution.
36. Big primate: APE.
37. Words that clarify spelling: AS IN. "A" as in Apple.
38. Some postgrad degs.: MAs. As in a Master of Arts degree.
39. Bermuda shorts endpoint: KNEE.
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| Um... NO! |
40. Automobile: CAR.
41. Way out there: AFAR.
43. No longer vivid: FADED.
48. Repeated slogan: CHANT.
49. Frying liquid: OIL. What is the best cooking oil for frying?
50. Some laptops: PCs. I use a Mac.
53. Fish often grilled, on menus: MAHI. Yummers!
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| Mahi Mahi |
58. Odds partner: EVENS. Because Odds and ENDS wouldn't fit.
60. Take five: REST. Take Five was a favorite of my Dad's. We played it at his funeral.
61. Score in a tennis shutout: LOVE. Why Love in Tennis?
62. Royal domain: REALM.
63. Fill until full: SATE.
64. Scissors sound: SNIP.
65. Annual cable sports awards: ESPYS.
66. Drug used in microdosing therapies, for short: LSD. It's formal name is Lysergic acid diethylamide.
67. Snakelike swimmers: EELS. We had some of the most amazing smoked eel at the Volendammer Vishandel fish shop in Amsterdam.
Down:
1. Like hot wings: SPICY.
2. Belly button type: OUTIE.
3. Guitar neck features: FRETS.
4. West Point team: ARMY.
5. Show off shamelessly: FLAUNT. If you've got it ...
6. Time-share units: CONDOS.
7. Participated on karaoke night: SANG.
8. Mont. neighbor: IDA.
9. Bright blue pigment: COBALT. Everything you wanted to know about Cobalt, but didn't know to ask.
10. How some tots count to five: ON ONE HAND.
11. Ready for skinny-dipping: NUDE.
12. Instant Pot dish: STEW.
15. Mailer-__: programs that send automated messages: DAEMONS.
21. Skip out (on): BAIL.
22. License plates: TAGS. Here are some examples of Louisiana license plates.
27. Vet's patient: PET.
28. Autograph seeker: FAN.
29. Wonder Woman's headpiece: TIARA. Well, sort of. I think of a tiara as being bejeweled.
30. Fencing blade: ÉPÉE. A crossword staple.
31. Woodwind insert: REED.
32. Name associated with supersonic speed: MACH. Named after Ernst Walfried Josef Wenzel Mach (Feb. 18, 1838 ~ Feb. 19, 1916).
33. Actor Morales: ESAI. Esai Morales (né Esai Manuel Morales Jr.; b. Oct. 1, 1962) makes frequent guest appearances in the puzzles, but I can never remember how to spell his name.
34. Really inexpensive: DIRT CHEAP.
38. Holds weight: MATTERS.
39. Kit __ Klub: "Cabaret" setting: KAT.
41. "I see now!": AHA!
42. __ shui: FENG.
43. Perceived: FELT.
45. How prosciutto is sliced: THINLY. Prosciutto is uncooked, unsmoked dry-cured ham.
46. Cooks in an oven: ROASTS.
47. Talented: GIFTED.
50. Naturally inclined (to): PRONE.
51. Courteous: CIVIL.
52. Pedometer units: STEPS.
53. For a __ pittance: MERE.
54. St. crossers: AVES. Streets and Avenues.
56. Color named for a duck: TEAL.
57. Besides: ELSE.
59. Texting format, briefly: SMS. As in Short Messing Service.
Here's the Grid:
חתולה
Many thanks to Malodorous Manatee and Waseeley for holding down the fort on Tuesdays while I was away. We traveled from Budapest, Hungary to Amsterdam, Netherlands.
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| Budapest |
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| Mespelbrunn Castle |
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| The Netherlands |
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| Flower market in Amsterdam |
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| Mespelbrunn Castle |
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| Amsterdam |
