Smile and Say Cheese!
17-Across. * Belt taken with lime and salt: TEQUILA SHOT.
24-Across. * Challenge for an antsy toddler: SITTING STILL.
39-Across. * Problematic backward pass in football: BAD SNAP.
51-Across. * Spotted pattern on faux fur, say: LEOPARD PRINT.
And the unifier:
62-Across. Close call in a race, or what the answer to each starred clue has: PHOTO FINISH. The word that "Finishes" the two-word phrase in each of the theme answers is related to a photograph.
Across:
1. Blue Ribbon lager: PABST.
6. Source of some memes: IMGUR. No a clue! Apparently, Imgur is an online image-hosting and sharing community founded by Alan Schaaf (b. Oct. 21, 1987) in 2009. It allows users to upload and share photos, GIFs, and images.
11. Sandwich known by its initials: BLT.
14. Shady picnic spot: ARBOR.
15. Stop: CEASE.
16. Use oars: ROW.
19. Here, en français: ICI. Today's French lesson.
20. Slotted fastener: HASP.
21. Useful connections: INs.
22. To be, en español: ESTAR. Today's Spanish lesson. I believe there are two forms of the verb "to be" in Spanish ~ Ser and Estar. The former describes formal characteristics and the latter is used for temporary conditions and emotions. I'll let Lucina expound on these subtleties of these two verbs.
28. Mapped biological sequence: GENOME. A Genome is the complete set of genetic material in an organism.
31. Specks: IOTAS.
32. Revise, as text: AMEND.
33. Numerous: MANY.
35. Poet's "by way of": THRO.
38. Jaguar competitor: BMW. // And 67-Across. Jaguar competitor: LEXUS.
42. As __ usual: PER.
43. Simple: EASY.
45. Fix, at the vet: SPAY.
46. Piano exercise: ÉTUDE. More of today's French lesson.
48. One measurement of a rectangle: WIDTH. // And 2. Length x 48-Across, for a rectangle: AREA.
50. Owie: BOO-BOO.
55. Marketing dept. employee: AD REP.
56. [facepalm]: OOF!
57. Beers like Smooth Hoperator, briefly: IPAs. A brief history of India Pale Ale.
61. Satirist's gift: WIT.
66. Unspecified degree: NTH.
68. Inspirational word or phrase: MOTTO.
69. Reluctant to socialize: SHY.
70. Simply be: EXIST.
71. Actor/activist Davis: OSSIE. Ossie Davis (né Raiford Chatman Davis, b. Dec. 18, 1917 ~ Feb. 4, 2005) was an American actor, director, writer, and activist. In 1948, he married fellow actress Ruby Dee (née Ruby Ann Wallace, Oct. 27, 1922 ~ June 11, 2014).
Down:
1. Off the beaten __: PATH.
3. Patio cookouts, casually: BBQs.
4. "Grub's up!": SOUPS ON!
5. Prefix with -athlon: TRI-.
6. Terse turndown: I CAN'T.
7. Soccer star Lionel: MESSI.
8. "Oh, come on!": GAH!
10. Give an exam again: RE-TEST.
11. Spot to order bangers and mash: BRITISH PUB. You can bet a pint of 57-Across to go with your bangers and mash.
12. Train that makes lots of stops: LOCAL.
13. Spin, as a baton: TWIRL.
18. With fewer calories, on a label: LITE.
23. "Pronto!": STAT.
25. Film buff's online resource: IMDB. As in the Internet Movie DataBase.
26. Doofus: NINNY.
27. Spanish painter Francisco: GOYA. This artist usually goes by just Goya, although is full name is Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (Mar. 30, 1746 ~ April. 16, 1828).
28. "Welcome Back, Kotter" actor Kaplan: GABE.
29. Stone of "Poor Things": EMMA.
30. Interesting enough for the front page, say: NEWSWORTHY.
33. Hybrid grad program for physician-scientists: MD-PhD. As in a Medical Doctor and a Doctor of Philosophy.
34. Loose __ goose: AS A.
36. Start over: REDO.
37. Dunk Club cookie: OREO.
40. Subj. for Neil deGrasse Tyson: ASTR.
41. Low-level worker: PEON.
44. "Eek!": YIPE.
47. Big name in pizza snacks: TOTINOS.
49. Make a pattern using light and shade: DAPPLE.
 |
| A Dapple Dog. |
50. Punch, slangily: BIFF.
51. Mower targets: LAWNS.
52. "The Buccaneers" writer Wharton: EDITH.
53. Exec. branch head: POTUS. As in the President of the United States.
54. Hen's perch: ROOST.
58. Cherry centers: PITS.
59. Sparkling Italian wine: ASTI.
60. Croc, e.g.: SHOE.
63. Malicious spell: HEX.
64. __Clean: stain remover: OXI.
65. Texter's "I'd say": IMO. Textspeak for In My Opinion.
Here's the Grid:
חתולה
