Monday, August 23, 2021 Fred Piscop

by admin August 23, 2021

Theme: DOWN IN FRONT (59A. Cry to one blocking your view at a concert ... and a hint to the answers to starred clues) - The first words are all synonyms of "sad".

17A. *Hitchhiked: BUMMED A RIDE.

11D. *Something kept to avoid attention: LOW PROFILE.

29D. *Dressing with Buffalo wings: BLUE CHEESE.

Boomer here.

Good morning, Fred. Nice to see your name on a puzzle once more. I was not bummed or blue last week. I returned to my high school alma mater for the 55th reunion. Actually it's been 56 years but last year was postponed since something of a virus was going around. The president (Principal) of the school was there and I made everyone jealous, because he did not know anyone there except the current assistant bowling coach.

Across:

1. Periods of history: ERAS. Twins pitchers ERAs are higher than a kite.

5. __ Pujols, fourth MLBer to reach 6,000 total bases: ALBERT. Future Hall of Famer, we have sold a few of his cards on eBay.

11. Area for experiments: LAB. A black dog.

14. __ Raton, Fla.: BOCA. Seems as though every city in FLA is running rampant with Covid. SAD!.

15. Ballerina, at times: LEAPER. Quite a few were running hurdles in Tokyo.

16. Bullfight "Bravo!": OLE.

19. Take the gold: WIN. And a few took the Gold.

20. Took the wheel: STEERED. My first couple of cars did not have power steering. I don't know how I managed to drive!

21. Drained of energy: SAPPED. I do feel this way sometimes after my Monday Golf game. Not sure what it might be next week when bowling starts.

23. Firebug's crime: ARSON. Fires are burning everywhere. Dry weather is the firebug.

26. Changes direction: TURNS. Yup, that's when I wished I had power steering.

27. Create a raised logo on, say: EMBOSS.

31. "My pleasure": LOVE TO. Bowl and Golf.

33. Señor's squiggle: TILDE.

34. Said further: ADDED.

35. Put money in, as a parking meter: FED. I visited St. Paul's downtown area a couple of years ago and I had to feed the parking meter with a credit card!

38. Board game with nine rooms: CLUE. I think it was done by Professor Plum, with a Knife, in the Kitchen.

39. Picture within a picture: INSET.

40. Heap, as of wood: PILE. Not Gomer's last name. For that you need a "Y".

41. Weeding tool: HOE.

42. Judicial orders: WRITS. "Order in the court, Here comes the Judge." Number 99 Aaron of the Yankees.

43. Zesty dip for tortilla chips: SALSA.

44. Line in pressed pants: CREASE. I don't have any pants like that anymore. Funny how some things just fade away.

46. Movie theater feature: SCREEN.

47. Throbbed: ACHED. I have had one of these in my back recently. Can I still BOWL ??

49. CNN journalist Hill: ERICA.

51. Doctoral candidate's project: THESIS. Interesting, I have a bowling buddy Named Don Theis, We call him DOC because he was a gas passer at the UofM Hospital.

53. Beers served with lime: CORONAS.

58. Tell a tall tale: LIE. I never said that. I only tell short tales.

62. Classifieds, e.g.: ADS. We just don't see a lot of classified ADS in our paper anymore. Most people are using the internet to buy, sell, or trade.

63. Apple device featuring Siri: IPHONE. Hey Siri!

64. Italian wine region: ASTI.

65. Go out with: SEE.

66. Skimpy swimsuits: THONGS.

67. Wanton look: LEER.

Down:

1. Recedes, like the tide: EBBS.

2. Sports blowout: ROUT. Happened to the Vikings a week ago. They should have asked Siri how to get to the end zone.

3. Wile E. Coyote's supplier: ACME. Beep Beep, and fast bird or Plymouth.

4. "The __": "What she's having": SAME. Not me. C.C. and I seldom have the same food. That's why we go to buffets.

5. Trees with catkins: ALDERS.

6. Takes charge: LEADS.

7. Granola __: BAR. Do they serve beer there?

8. Prefix with dermis: EPI.

9. Wine list heading: REDS. Cincinnati baseball team, formerly known as Redlegs. They should have worn long pants at the beach.

10. Picked up the check: TREATED. I'll get it, you leave the tip.

12. Sci-fi visitor: ALIEN.

13. Gives a little: BENDS. What my Putts usually do. I wish the greens were level.

18. Clear of data, e.g.: ERASE. Maybe I should just ERASE my scorecard.

22. Erect, with "up": PUT. Add a "T". Do not count more than two on any hole.

24. Golden-ager: OLDSTER. Never been called that, I'll settle for Senior Citizen.

25. Network junctions: NODES.

27. Mark with acid: ETCH. Remember the ETCH - A - Sketch ?? You only need to turn it over and shake it to erase,

28. Venus de __: MILO.

30. Tribute in verse: ODE. I remember the one to Billy Joe. On the 3rd of June.

32. Dog doc: VET.

34. Biscotti flavoring: ANISE. Tastes like licorice to me.

36. "If all __ fails ... ": ELSE. If all ELSE fails, kick your ball out of the rough with your foot.

37. Faculty head: DEAN. Our District Congressman from Minnesota, DEAN Phillips. Made his money selling Vodka. Dear Abby's Grandson.

39. Nest egg acronym: IRA. Everyone my age should have one.

40. Four, for most golf holes: PAR. SIX! My score on most golf holes.

42. "Way to go, team!": WE DID IT. Twins did not care much for Yankee Stadium last weekend.

43. Winter neck warmer: SCARF.

45. Hi-__ audio: RES. What?? I cannot hear you over the noise.

46. Biscuits at teas: SCONES. I've had ice cream cones. Never had an S CONE.

47. Book with maps: ATLAS. No one needs these any longer. Just a cellphone.

48. Reprimand: CHIDE.

50. Cake topping: ICING. Now that you have completed Fred's puzzle, this blog is for ICING on the cake.

52. Many a jayvee player: SOPH.

54. Taken by mouth: ORAL. My breakfast, lunch and dinner are all ORAL.

55. Carrot, on a snowman: NOSE. Sometimes the winning margin in the Kentucky Derby.

56. Start the kitty: ANTE. It was always a nickel when I played.

57. Mix, as a liquid: STIR.

60. Abbott and Costello's first baseman: WHO. What ?? Where?? I don't know who the shortstop was.

61. Oui's opposite: NON.

Boomer

Notes from C.C.:

Happy birthday to Tinbeni, who's been with this blog for about 12 years. Cheers, Tin!