Theme: SAY UNCLE (57A. Give up, or what you might do before the starts of the answers to starred clues)
20A. *Founding Father who inherited a malthouse: SAM ADAMS. Uncle Sam.
25A. *"War and Peace" author: LEO TOLSTOY. Uncle Leo from "Seinfeld".
37A. *"Hee Haw" cohost: BUCK OWENS. Uncle Buck.
51A. *Outlaw associate of Cole Younger: JESSE JAMES. Uncle Jesse from "Full House".
Boomer here again, filling in another blog slot. A big shot for a blog slot!
Sam Adams is a brand of beer sold in over 50 places in Minneapolis. Not to me though. I liked Uncle Leo in Seinfeld. Uncle Buck was John Candy and he now appears in costume on Discover ads. Jesse James robbed a bank in Northfield Minnesota. There is now a bowling center in Northfield called Jesse James Lanes. I finished second in a senior tournament there a few years ago. Also as a Graybar sales rep, I called on Carlton and St. Olaf Colleges. Both very upscale institutions of learning. Have you ever heard of "Malt O'Meal?" Yup, factory is in Northfield.
Across:
1. Contentious marketing clash: AD WAR. As we near the election there are always plenty of AD WARS on TV.
6. Firmly fixed: FAST. Stop eating between meals during Lent.
10. "Capisce?" response: I SEE.
14. Hang loosely: DRAPE. We use the plastic shades about 8 inches wide. I had to fight with several stores before someone would sell them to me. They have been fine for 23 years.
15. Lunch box treat: OREO. This sounds like one of those black and white cookies that people with diabetes (me) need to stay away from.
16. Work at a keyboard: TYPE. My blood is O neg. I am a universal donor.
17. Cliff dwelling: AERIE.
18. Caboose: REAR. It always looks like a little house on wheels. Do train employees really ride in it. So do they play poker or something to keep them busy??
19. Kuwaiti ruler: EMIR.
22. Packs down: TAMPS.
24. Many corp. logos: TMS. Trademarks. Or Some kind of magnetic stimulation performed at the Mayo Clinic. I have been by there in Rochester, MN but I never had the pleasure of being a guest. I suppose that's a good thing because they treat nasty diseases.
28. Student's second try: RETEST. We never got that option, just an "F".
31. Went undercover: HID.
32. Poem of homage: ODE. "It was the 3rd of June another sleepy, dusty, Delta Day". ODE to Billie Joe (Bobbie Gentry).
33. Kitchen enticement: AROMA. A nicer word than smell.
34. Demean: ABASE.
36. Litter sound: MEW. "And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon, Little Boy Blue in the man in the moon." Harry Chapin.
40. Backboard attachment: RIM. That's the thing that most of my shots bounced off from.
43. Snaky formations: COILS. Lots and lots of wire.
44. Type of pool or wave: TIDAL. California could probably use one of these to put out the fires. The marijuana plants are burning!
48. Make a move: ACT.
49. QB's miss, maybe: INT. Don't mention football in Viking's territory.
50. Former Spanish currency: PESETA.
55. Wondering word: WHY. "WHY are there so many songs about rainbows, and what's on the other side?" Kermit.
56. Extremely small: MICRO. I grew up 65 years ago without a MICROwave. So I go without one now.
60. Class of merchandise: LINE. Also the thing on the end of a fishing rod.
61. Day for Caesar to beware: IDES. Around the middle of March - "How many eggs did you have for breakfast Caesar ? Et tu Brute."
63. Track specialist: MILER. After Jim Ryun in 1968, I sort of lost track of track.
64. Mathematician Turing: ALAN.
65. "Great shot!": NICE. I think shots are good. Putts are nice.
66. Serving holder: PLATE.
67. "SNL" segment: SKIT.
68. Fresh talk: SASS. Who me?? Never.
69. Embroidered, say: SEWED.
Down:
1. To the stars, in mottos: AD ASTRA. Everyone likes Brad Pitt.
2. One with aspirations: DREAMER. I think you need to be young to have aspirations.
3. Becomes fond of: WARMS TO.
4. Capital of Samoa: APIA.
5. Wetland plant: REED. I think I saw all 275 episodes of the Donna Reed Show. After all -- Shelley Fabares?
6. Gift recipient's surprised query: FOR ME.
7. Playground comeback: ARE SO. ARE NOT !!!
8. __ of Tranquility: lunar plain: SEA. Many people do not know this, but 45 years ago, Alan Shepard hit a golf ball on the moon. It landed in the Sea of Tranquility and he took a two stroke penalty.
9. Fabled slowpoke: TORTOISE. I thought he won the race because the hare goofed off.
10. Tabloid twosomes: ITEMS. Well we have twosomes in golf now and then but avoid the tabloids.
11. Chills or fever: SYMPTOM.
12. Single show: EPISODE.
13. Poetic contraction: EER.
21. Pilot's datum: Abbr.: ALT.
23. Pasta preference: AL DENTE.
26. Warming periods: THAWS. I usually let it thaw and cook it before it gets warm.
27. Source of pliable wood: YEW. Yew betcha !!
29. Diplomatic HQ: EMB. I don't think we have an embassy in Minnesota. Ve Yust let Da Svedes and Norvegians take their place in the land of 10,000 Lakes. Ya Sure Dont'cha know.
30. Relatively risqué: SAUCIER.
34. Muscular Japanese dog: AKITA.
35. Big tin exporter of S.A.: BOL. Bolivia.
38. Brings together: CONJOINS. "I now pronounce you Husband and Wife."
39. Female in the fam: SIS. I had three but no bros.
40. Indian friend of Sheldon and Leonard: RAJ.
41. Low-fat frozen dessert: ICE MILK. I think you can get a great taste at Dairy Queen.
42. Pentateuch peak: Abbr.: MT SINAI.
45. Mammal's digit that doesn't touch the ground: DEWCLAW.
46. Wheaties box adorner: ATHLETE. General Mills is the home of the "Breakfast of Champions" Wheaties. The headquarters is about 10 miles from our home. I eat Wheat Chex which is also a General Mills product, since they purchased Ralston Purina.
47. Like lasagna, say: LAYERED.
50. "Gangnam Style" performer: PSY.
52. Manhunt pickup: SCENT.
53. There are 60,000 of them in a min.: MSECS. Milliseconds.
54. Simplifies: EASES.
58. Rules on plays: UMPS. Also known as REFs in Football.
59. Cairo's river: NILE.
60. Vegas opener: LAS. We are skipping Las Vegas next year. The virus looks threatening out there.
62. Lunes or martes: DIA. Composed of Home, first, second and third Base
Boomer
Notes from C.C.:
Happy Birthday to Pat and her husband, who were born in the same day and same year. Pat is a few hours older than her husband.
Java Mama (left) and Pat at the shelter where they volunteer.
#Wednesday #JeffStillman
