Theme: EYE OPENER (62. Shock to the system, and what the start of each answer to a starred clue can be) - The first word can precede "Eye".
17. *Revolving tray: LAZY SUSAN. Lazy eye.
25. *1991 cult film based on a William S. Burroughs novel: NAKED LUNCH. Naked eye.
38. *1974 Harry Chapin hit that mentions Little Boy Blue: CAT'S IN THE CRADLE. Cat's eye.
49. *Rich exec's transport: PRIVATE JET. Private eye.
Boomer here.
"The Cat's in the Cradle and the Silver spoon, Little Boy Blue and the Man in the Moon." Hello everyone. C.C. and I seem to be safely dealing with "Stay at Home" and I hope all of you are also safe. We are a little bit confused that the number of cases keep increasing. Not sure if it is caused by expanded testing. I have seen news clips of people crowding each other on beaches and public parks. I guess they have not heard of social distancing.
Across:
1. Cream and ice cream: SODAS. Delicious!
6. Toronto Argos' org.: CFL. Football eh
9. Pay to look the other way: BRIBE.
14. Pleasing smell: AROMA. I have lost my sense of smell. I heard that it was a symptom but I could not smell long before anyone ever heard of Covid-19.
15. Comedian Wong: ALI. Cassius Clay
16. Bat mitzvahs, e.g.: RITES. Our Archbishop performs RITES. He shut down all of our Catholic churches in Minneapolis. Sounds RITE to me.
19. Apple app mostly replaced by Messages: ICHAT. Many employees are using video conferencing from home. I'm retired, I do not need to chat.
20. Summer on the French Riviera: ETE.
21. __ hash: served in a diner: SLUNG.
22. Maui memento: LEI. Hawaii is so far away.
23. Tableland: MESA. Big city East of Phoenix.
29. Iranian money: RIAL. I am happy to not have ever owned any. I have heard that it takes less RIAL to buy a barrel of oil these days.
31. Brazilian hot spot: RIO. Former Olympic City. The virus has arrived there with over 6000 deaths. I am pretty sure it hit there after the U.S. was invaded.
32. Mauna __: Hawaii's highest peak: KEA.
33. "Peer Gynt" playwright: IBSEN. I was thinking of the guy who could not play the Tinman because his body did not like aluminum. But his name was EBSEN.
36. "__ the season ... ": TIS. To be jolly, Fa,la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la.
37. Easter flower: LILY. We got four inches of snow this Easter. It did not match the flower except at least it was white.
42. River of Spain: EBRO.
43. "__-hoo!": YOO. I may have tried BOO.
44. Kindle download: EBOOK. Those things put computers for rent in local libraries.
45. Abu Dhabi's fed.: UAE. United Arab Emirates.
46. Dudes: MEN.
47. "__ other time": SOME. No Thanks!
52. Hard times: LOWS. I think the Dow Averages have hit them but are starting to recover. Forget last Friday.
56. Ready-go link: SET.
57. Pub game: DARTS. I don't play, but these are huge fun in most of the bowling centers I used to patronize.
59. "__ cares!": WHO. I care! All the bowling centers are closed here.
60. Separated: APART. Make sure it's at least SIX FEET and maybe wear a face covering.
64. Like pea-soup fog: DENSE.
65. __ Arbor: ANN. They have virus problems like everyone else, but I do not understand the protest demonstrations in Lansing.
66. Chris of women's tennis: EVERT.
67. Tell the waitperson what you want: ORDER. I don't think you can tell them anymore. You need to call it in and either pick it up at the drive thru window or have it delivered.
68. Entry charge: FEE. I used to have to pay a FEE for a stock market trade, but most online brokerages have cut them out. Ain't competition great!!
69. Peddler's assortment: WARES.
Down:
1. Witch trial town: SALEM. I used to smoke them once and awhile if I couldn't find Marlboro Menthol. No more, I got unhooked 18 years ago.
2. Give a speech: ORATE. I get a few minutes at the Graybar reunion in February. Many of the big shots ORATE. I come on last and tell jokes.
3. Nods off: DOZES. First name BULL ??
4. Minnesota senator Klobuchar: AMY. We are waiting to see if Joe Biden selects her as VP candidate.
5. Get smart with: SASS. I've done that
6. Like some Friday work attire: CASUAL. Graybar started CASUAL on Fridays in my last few years. I just dressed without a tie. Some guys showed up pretty sloppy looking.
7. Butcher's cut: FLANK. We have had virus trouble in our meat processing plants in Minnesota, Iowa. and South Dakota. They are starting to reopen but I am not sure they are safe.
8. Boudoir apparel: LINGERIE.
9. Scouring pad brand: BRILLO. We use SOS. Sorry Brillo.
10. Houston sch.: RICE U.
11. Tentatively positive response: I THINK I DO. Remember the little engine that could? "I think I can, I think I can."
12. Arthur of "The Golden Girls": BEA. Most of the "Golden Girls" are gone. Only Betty White is still with us.
13. Repair approx.: EST. I am getting really tired of "Car Shield" ads telling me it won't cost much.
18. Bone parallel to the radius: ULNA.
24. "You __ lucky!": ARE SO. I guess so. I cannot bowl, but luckily I got to play 18 holes last week. One person per cart and keep six feet away from others.
26. Part of DVD: DISC.
27. String quartet strings: CELLO. HEE HAW !!
28. "Frida" star Salma: HAYEK.
30. Pasta suffix: INI. ???
33. Frost over: ICE UP. Can't remember if I mentioned - The Monday after Easter I did not notice that our driveway ICED UP. I went to take our garbage can to the curb and down I went. When C.C. saw me lying on the driveway, she came racing out and down she went. We got up and are a bit smarter now.
34. Elephant of children's lit: BABAR.
35. Barbra of "Yentl": STREISAND. My sister spells it BARBARA.
36. However, briefly: THO. THO neither lady spells it BABAR.
37. Designer __: LABEL.
39. Belarus denial: NYET.
40. Lacking a musical ear: TONE DEAF. WHAT? I an nose deaf but I can hear you now!
41. Sleep acronym: REM.
46. Make a difference: MATTER. "It really doesn't MATTER if I'm wrong I'm Right" Beatles.
47. Peaceful: SERENE.
48. Bart's bus driver: OTTO. Maybe I OTTO have watched "The Simpsons".
50. Poet's forte: VERSE.
51. Old-time actress Mansfield or Meadows: JAYNE. Jayne Meadows was married to Steve Allen. Jayne Mansfield died in a tragic car crash many years ago. She is the mother of Mariska Hargitay who is Lt. Benson on Law and Order SVU.
53. Deed holder: OWNER. I own several bowling balls and a set of golf clubs, but I do not have a deed for them. I perform DEEDS with them.
54. In what place: WHERE. At a bowling center or a golf course.
55. Alphabetizes, say: SORTS. I've spent HOURS sorting baseball cards, but never alphabetically. They have numbers on the back and most of mine are in numerical order.
58. Eject, as lava: SPEW. Remember Mount St. Helens ? I do
60. Fuss: ADO. Not ADO, I said I DO.
61. As __: according to: PER.
63. Longoria of "Overboard" (2018): EVA.
Boomer
