QOD: Success doesn't happen in a vacuum. You're only as good as the people you work with and the people you work for. ~ Casey Kasem (né Kemal Amin Kasem; Apr. 27, 1932 ~ June 15, 2014), American radio personality
Poker Face and Aces Up.
6-Down. Doctors rarely make them these days: HOUSE CALLS. Our family pediatrician made house calls when we were little. Once, my sister was sick, too sick to make the trip to the doctor's so my mom asked the doctor to make a house call. When the doctor arrived, my sister was hiding under the bed and wouldn't come out. Mom was not amused.
11-Down. Artillery metaphor for a volatile sort: LOOSE CANNON.
25-Down. First major leaguer to hit 40 homers and steal 40 bases in a season: JOSE CANSECO. In 1988, Jose Canseco (né José Canseco Capas, Jr.; b. July 2, 1964) became the first member in the 40-40 club.
30-Down. Asian feline breed: SIAMESE CAT.
And the Unifier:
63-Across. Hickok's last hand, it's said ... and what's literally found in four Down puzzle answers: ACES UP. In each of the 4 theme answers, the work "Aces" is spelled "up". Legend has it that Wild Bill Hickok (né James Butler Hickok; May 27, 1837 ~ Aug. 2, 1876) was holding a poker hand consisting of the Ace of Spades, the Ace of Clubs, the Eight of Spades and the Eight of Clubs when he was shot and killed. The term "Aces Up" apparently refers to having 2 pair, with Aces being the higher pair, hence the reason that Aces is spelled "up" in today's puzzle. [Thanks, Joseph! I could have figured out today's theme without you.
You would have thought he would have combed his hair before getting his picture taken.
I am placing the grid here today so you can see the Aces.
Note the symmetry in the theme answers. The word "Aces" is evenly divided as SE and CA in each of the theme phrases.
Across:
1. Disappear: PERISH.
7. Pop star Lady __: GAGA. Lady Gaga (née Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta; b. Mar. 28, 1986) may have gotten her stage name from the Queen song, Radio Ga Ga.
11. "__ Miz": LES. Les Miz is the musical version of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel Les Misérables. I read the book years ago (in an English translation). It is a fabulous story.
14. Not against hearing, as a suggestion: OPEN TO. I am open to an alternative theory on today's theme.
15. Amo, __, amat ...: AMAS. Today's Latin lesson.
16. Mork's home planet: ORK. I never undestood the attraction of Mork and Mindy. It was to crazy for me. The show ran from the Fall of 1978 through May 1982.
17. Martin of "Mission: Impossible": LANDAU. Although Martin James Landau (June 20, 1928 ~ July 15, 2017) appeared in numerous movies and television shows, he is probably best known for his role as Rollin Hand, the "Man of a Million Faces" in Mission: Impossible.
18. Excuse designed to elicit sniffles: SOB STORY.
20. Happening soon: IN STORE.
22. PDQ: ASAP. Pretty Darn Quick and As Soon As Possible. Not to be confused with PDQ Bach, the infamous 21st child of Johann Sebastian Bach.
23. Mexicali's peninsula: BAJA. Also known as Baja California.
The entire peninsula.
Portion of the peninsula showing Mexicali.
26. Roof overhang: EAVE. Soffits are under the Eaves.
31. The "A" in USNA: Abbr.: ACAD. As in the United States Naval Academy.
32. USO show audience: GIs. Did you know that the term GI might have originally stood for Galvanized Iron, which was the material used to make military buckets? By World War I, the term was expanded to include all things army related, and later became used to describe soldiers.
33. Ball game delayer: RAIN.
34. Mallorca, por ejemplo: ISLA. Today's Spanish lesson.
36. Make potable, as seawater: DESALT.
38. Not yet visible, as a fingerprint: LATENT.
40. Con's place of confinement: CELL.
41. Robin Cook medical thriller: COMA. This novel was first published in 1977. I read it when I was in high school. Robin Cook (né Robert Brian Cook; b. May 4, 1940) is a physician and many of his books focus on medical issues. Coma explores the black market of organ donation.
42. Currently: NOW.
44. Compact Chevy SUV: TRAX.
46. Elon Musk company concerned with travel to Mars: SPACEX.
48. Italian hour: ORA. Today's Italian lesson.
49. Payment in Monopoly: RENT.
50. LAX landing hrs.: ETAs. Estimated Time of Arrival has become a crossword staple. Where did the X come from?
51. Fort full of gold: KNOX. Fort Knox is Maine's largest historic fort. This was one of the last places I went with my mother before she died. The gold is not stored at this fort, however. You have to go to Kentucky for that fort.
52. "In that case ... ": IF SO.
53. Grime-fighting P&G mascot with folded arms: MR. CLEAN.
55. Evil: FIENDISH.
57. Lowlife, slangily: CREEP-O.
61. Inc. relative: LLC. As in a Limited Liability Company.
62. Melville novel: OMOO. Omoo is the sequel to Typee. Both books make occasional appearances in the crossword puzzles. Herman Melville (Aug. 1, 1819 ~ Sept. 28, 1891) spent much of his early years as a sailor on merchant ships. Both Typee and Omoo are based on Melville's experiences in the South Pacific. Of course, Melville is best known for Moby Dick. I wonder if anyone other than scholars ever reads these books.
64. "Evil Woman" rock gp.: ELO.
65. Nashville's st.: TENN.
66. Until now: TO DATE.
Down:
1. D.C. pro: POL.
2. Govt. pollution watchdog: EPA. As in the Environmental Protection Agency.
3. Stimpy's sidekick: REN. Ren is the sociopathic Chihuahua and Stimpy is the dim-witted Manx cat.
4. Nepal neighbor: INDIA.
5. Comics icon Lee: STAN. Stan Lee (né Stanley Martin Lieber; Dec. 28, 1922 ~ Nov. 12, 2018) was the primary creative leader of Marvel Comics. He makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles.
8. Loves, in Spain: AMORES. More of today's Spanish lesson.
9. Comedian Kaplan: GABE. Gabe Kaplan (né Gabriel Weston Kaplan; b. Mar. 31, 1945) is best known for his role as the teacher on the 1970 sit-com Welcome Back, Kotter. I never watched this show.
10. Donkey: ASS.
12. List of mistakes: ERRATA. More of today's Latin lesson.
13. Chatted via webcam: SKYPED. Do people still use Skype? We use either Zoom or FaceTime.
19. Steamed cantina food: TAMALE. Hi, Lucina!
21. Implied: TACIT.
23. Plead with: BEG.
24. Surrounded by: AMID.
29. Disappearing Asian sea: ARAL. Another crossword staple.
35. Lay's chips-in-a-can brand: STAX.
37. Church caretaker: SEXTON. The Sexton also served as the gravedigger in days of old.
38. Express opposite, trainwise: LOCAL.
39. Bull in a corrida: TORO. Still more of today's Spanish lesson.
41. Get the hang of it: CATCH ON.
43. Candle material: WAX.
44. Insignificant thing: TRIFLE.
45. Pharmacy follow-up order: REFILL.
47. Individual: PERSON.
51. Weak-__: wimpy: KNEED.
53. Actor with no lines: MIME.
54. West Coast gas brand: ARCO.
56. "i" topper: DOT. That little dot is formally called a Tittle.
58. That, to Pedro: ESA. Still more of today's Spanish lesson.
59. Delay, with "off": PUT.
60. Reveal, to a poet: OPE.
That's all folks!
חתולה
Today is my Dad's 91st birthday. He would appreciate the image below.
QOD: See it all. See it fairly. Be truthful, be sensible and be careful with language. When nothing depends upon man, everything depends on him. ~ Henry A. Grunwald (né Heinz Anatole Grünwald; Dec. 3, 1922 ~ Feb. 26, 2005); Austrian-born American journalist and editor
Mensa Genius. The first word of each theme answer can describe a high IQ.
17-Across. Optimistic viewpoint to "look on": BRIGHT SIDE.
58-Across. Samsung product: SMART PHONE.
11-Down. Hothead's trait: QUICK TEMPER.
24-Down. Wicked wit: SHARP TONGUE.
Across:
1. Desert Storm missile: SCUD. During Desert Storm, journalist Arthur Kent (b. Dec. 27, 1953), gained fame for reporting on the war and was dubbed The Scud Stud.
5. Jed Clampett portrayer Buddy: EBSEN. Before becoming Jed Clampett, Buddy Ebsen (né Christian Ludolf Ebsen, Jr.; Apr. 2, 1908 ~ July 6, 2003), had been cast in the role as the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz. He had to be replaced after he became ill due to a reaction to the aluminum dust that was an integral part of the costume.
10. Newspaper ad meas.: SQ. IN. As in Square Inches.
14. Greek liqueur: OUZO. An anise-flavored aperitif. It's a clear liquid that turns cloudy when ice is added.
15. Like much snack food: SALTY.
16. German wheels: AUDI.
19. "The Way You Love Me" singer Faith: HILL. Faith Hill (née Audrey Faith Perry; b. Sept. 21, 1967) is married to fellow musician, Tim McGraw (né Samuel Timothy McGraw; b. May 1, 1967).
20. Comfort: EASE.
21. Medieval clubs: MACES. Bludgeoning weapons.
22. Vampire played by Cruise: LESTAT. Tom Cruise (né Thomas Cruise Mapother, IV; b. July 3, 1962) played the Vampire LESTAT de Lioncourt in the 1994 movie Interview with the Vampire, which was based on the novel of the same name by New Orleanian, Anne Rice.
26. Offhand comment: REMARK.
29. Breathed out: EXHALED.
31. Connects (to): RELATES.
34. Eastern neighbor of Tenn.: N. CAR. North Carolina is Tennessee's eastern neighbor.
35. "FBI" actress De La Garza: ALANA. Alana De la Garza (b. June 18, 1974) recently joined the cast of the FBI. She previously was in the cast of several of the Law & Order shows.
37. "Strange Magic" rock band: ELO. The Electric Light Orchestra was a band that originally formed in 1970!
38. California's Big __: SUR.
39. Know-it-all: WISE GUY.
41. UFC sport: MMA. As in Mixed Martial Arts. I let the perps fill in this answer.
42. Psychic's "gift": ESP. As in ExtraSensory Perception.
43. "Gesundheit!" evoker: ACHOO.
44. For each unit: A POP.
45. Emancipate: SET FREE.
47. Middle of __: remote area: NO WHERE.
50. Restaurant chef's workload: ORDERS.
52. Came close to: NEARED.
53. Singer Joplin: JANIS. Janis Joplin (née Janis Lyn Joplin; b. Jan. 19, 1943 ~ Oct. 4, 1970) was born in Port Arthur, Texas. Tragically, she died of a heroin overdose at age 27.
55. Taste defeat: LOSE.
57. Strong desire: URGE.
64. Any thing, say: NOUN. Not keen on this type of cluing.
65. Bamboo muncher: PANDA. China owns and leases all the Giant Pandas. Bei Bei, the Panda that was at the National Zoo, was sent back to China last month. They are such cute little critters.
66. Black stone: ONYX.
67. Pigged out (on), briefly: OD-ED. As in Over-Dosed.
68. Fur tycoon: ASTOR. John Jacob Astor (né Johann Jakob Astor; July 17, 1763 ~ Mar. 29, 1848) was born in Germany, but immigrated to the United States shortly after the American Revolution He was an astute businessman and quickly entered into the fur trade. He became the first multi-millionaire in the United States.
69. Designer Chanel: COCO. Coco Chanel (née Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel; Aug. 19, 1883 ~ Jan. 10, 1971), led an interesting life.
2. Many a stray 4-Down: CUR. // And 4-Down: Hound: DOG.
3. Special forces weapon: UZI. The Uzi was designed by Uziel Gal (né Gotthard Glas; Dec. 15, 1923 ~ Sept. 7, 2002), a German-born Israeli gun developer. He was horrified that this weapon was name after him.
5. Sprawling property: ESTATE.
6. Barbershop quartet member: BASS.
7. More underhanded: SLIER.
8. Flight board abbr.: ETD. As in Estimated Time of Departure.
9. "Bill __ Saves the World": science talk show: NYE. As in William Sanford Nye (b. Nov. 27, 1955). Is he a Scientist or a Comedian?
10. Arid African expanse: SAHARA.
12. Wait in traffic: IDLE.
13. Rock's Lofgren: NILS. Nils Hilmer Lofgren (b. June 21, 1951) is a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.
18. Get better: HEAL.
21. Southeast Asia's __ Peninsula: MALAY.
22. Camera attachments: LENSES. This one is just a bit too large for the average tourist.
23. Reason for absence: EXCUSE.
25. Driveway surface: TAR.
27. Jeremy Irons film based on a Christopher Paolini fantasy novel: ERAGON. Eragon was apparently a fantasy-action film. Rotten Tomatoes listed it as the 10th worst film of 2006.
28. Bill of fare: MENU.
30. One of Santa's reindeer: DASHER. Can you spot Dasher?
32. "Get Shorty" novelist __ Leonard: ELMORE. Elmore John Leonard, Jr. (Oct. 11, 1925 ~ Aug. 20, 2013) was born in New Orleans. He wrote many novels that were adapted into movies. Get Shorty was a very funny movie, but I had trouble with the book.
33. Lathered (up): SOAPED.
Not a happy camper
36. Late July zodiac sign: LEO. Leo is the Zodiac sign from July 23 to August 22.
39. City districts: WARDS. There are 17 wards in New Orleans.
40. Slushy treat: ICEE. The Polar bear is its logo.
44. "I understand now!": AHA!
46. Ally: FRIEND.
48. GM security system: ON-STAR.
51. Point of view: SLANT.
53. Roman queen of the gods: JUNO. Juno was the chief goddess and was the female counterpart to Jupiter.
54. Retired MLB slugger: A-ROD. As in Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez (b. July 27, 1975). He had a long career in professional baseball. He played 7 seasons with the Seattle Mariners, three with the Texas Rangers and 12 with the New York Yankees.
56. Word on a dollar: ORDO. The Latin phrase Novus Ordo Seclorum is found under the pyramid on the One Dollar bill. It means A New Order of the Ages.
58. Place for TLC: SPA.
59. Humanities degs.: MAs. As in Masters of Arts.
60. Ad __ committee: HOC.
61. Lennon's love: ONO. Yoko Ono (b. Feb. 18, 1933) makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles.
62. Grand Central Sta. site: NYC.
63. Skeleton prefix: EXO-. Critters with Exoskeletons:
