QOD: There’s room in the world for beauty to be diverse. ~ Lupita Nyong’o (né Lupita Amondi Nyong’o; b. Mar. 1, 1983), Mexican-Kenyan actress
Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader?
18-Across. Sequence of missed calls: PHONE TAG. Smart Phone.
21-Across. Place for Oreos: COOKIE JAR. Smart Cookie. A Smart Cookie is a clever person with good ideas.
38-Across. Let it slide: LOOK THE OTHER WAY. Smart Look.
52-Across. Wallet or purse alternative: MONEY BELT. Smart Money.
And the unifier:
58-Across. Fashionable group ... and what the starts of 18-, 21-, 38- and 52-Across form: SMART SET. The word Smart can precede the first word of each theme answer to give us a new concept.
Today is not only Mardi Gras, but it's a White Rabbit Day. Happy first of March and Mardi Gras!
Across:
1. Gaming site whose machines originally took pennies: ARCADE. That's why they were called Penny Arcades.
7. Invite (to): ASK.
10. Serve, as coffee: POUR.
14. Jumped: LEAPED.
15. Wide-angle view: PANORAMA. Guess the panoramic city below.
17. Mom or dad: PARENT.
19. Pitcher's control, say: ASSET.
20. Wood-splitting tool: AXE.
25. Extra: SPARE.
30. New England cape: ANN. Cape Ann is north of Boston.
31. Fountain offerings: SODAS.
33. When tied NFL games may be decided: IN OT. As in in Over Time.
34. Spanish folk hero: EL CID. We've seen El Cid before.
36. Does some self-grooming, as a bird: PREENS.
42. Counsel: ADVISE.
43. Things one can't do without: NEEDS.
44. Bearing: MIEN.
45. Salt or fresh follower: WATER. Ever wonder about the differences between Fresh and Salt Water?
47. Mayo, por ejemplo: MES. Today's Spanish Lesson. May is a Month. Hi, Lucina!
50. North Atlantic hazards: BERGS.
55. "What was __ do?": I TO.
57. Lord's home: MANOR.
63. Barely manage, with "by": SCRAPE. // And 34-Down. Barely managing, with "by": EKING.
64. Lone Ranger, to Tonto: KEMO SABE. The complicated origin of the term Kemo Sabe.
65. Kitchen appliances: RANGES.
66. Inside scoop: INFO.
67. Force (through), as legislation: RAM.
68. Evaluate: ASSESS.
Down:
1. Andes grazer: ALPACA.
2. Motive: REASON.
3. Novelist McCullers: CARSON. Carson McCullers (née Lula Carson Smith; Feb. 19, 1917 ~ Sept. 29, 1967) was an American author whose writings generally take place in the deep South. She is probably best known for her 1940 novel The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, which was also made into a film. It was also made into a 1968 film, starring Alan Arkin.
4. Sneak __: look secretly: A PEEK.
5. Teeth: Pref.: DENTI-.
6. Georgia summer hrs.: EDT. As in Eastern Daylight Time. Much of the country goes into Daylight Time in 13 days.
7. Uber or Lyft: APP.
8. African desert: SAHARA.
9. Kentucky fort: KNOX. Not to be confused with the Fort Knox in Maine.
10. Eminent leader?: PRE-. As in Preeminent. In a snooty publication, the word might be spelled as Preëminent.
11. Cereal grain: OAT.
12. Thurman of "Pulp Fiction": UMA.
13. Torn old shirt, perhaps: RAG.
16. Small bills: ONEs.
22. Avoid: ESCHEW.
23. __ de vivre: JOIE. Today's French lesson. The phrase Joie de Vivre, roughly translates into English as Enjoyment of Life
24. Expand, as a house: ADD ONTO.
26. Places to fish from: PIERS.
27. From the beginning: ANEW.
28. Gossip columnist Barrett: RONA.
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| Rona Barrett (née Rona Burstein; b. Oct. 8, 1936) |
29. Website featuring crafts: ETSY.
32. Ball shape: SPHERE.
35. Sgt.'s superiors: LTS. Lieutenants are Sergeant's superiors.
37. Color suggesting anger: RED.
38. Mary's was little: LAMB.
39. Drooling comics dog: ODIE. Garfield's pal.
40. Done: OVER.
41. High schooler, usually: TEEN.
46. Microscopic organism: AMOEBA.
47. Household, from the French: MÉNAGE. More of today's French lesson.
48. Marries in secret: ELOPES. A crossword staple.
49. Emphasize: STRESS.
51. Remains on the shelf: SITS.
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| The Elf on the Shelf |
53. Some youth ctrs.: YMCAs.
54. Structures raised by Amish: BARNS.
56. Peter the Great, e.g.: TSAR. Tsar or Czar?
58. Enjoy Aspen: SKI.
59. Chess pieces: MEN.
60. Big initials in bowling: AMF. Hi, Boomer!
61. Friend of Pooh: ROO.
62. President pro __: TEM.
63. Mexican Mrs.: SRA. More of today's Spanish lesson.
Here's the Grid:
