Blah, Blah, Blah...
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| Alex Explains |
Reveal: 67. "I lost interest" acronym spelled out by the starts of four answers in this puzzle: TL;DR. TOO LONG; DIDN'T READ. //Monday was a spoiler :-(
When writing a long memo, just start off with The TL;DR (Executive Summary) and give 'em the skinny.
The Themers today builds the acronym's meaning (and Monday's 5d):
17. Like an amazing and fortuitous circumstance that can't possibly exist, despite an initial promising appearance [67-Across: Suspiciously awesome]: TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.
26. Metaphor for the legal system that implies a criminal cannot hide or escape from that system's vast resources and unparalleled authority [67-Across: Police jurisdiction]: LONG ARM OF THE LAW.
(Do I link Kenny Rogers or Styx's Renegade?)
I went with Kenny - I love the Judge's sentence for Billy
42. Was as successful and enjoyable as early conjecture and predictions suggested it would be [67-Across: Met expectations]: DIDN'T DISAPPOINT.
51. Declaration from a person playing poker in a situation where the opponents think they have it in the bag [67-Across: "I win!"]: READ 'EM AND WEEP.
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| Wait, what? Five Aces? Eat Lead. |
Cute build to the theme for a breezy Wednesday outing. Also note, each Theme fill and [bracketed hint - nice touch] is the TL;DR for the very wordy clues. Thanks Chase, Jeff, & Patti.
Across:
1. Wet dirt: MUD. Clear as my theme explanation, right? :-)4. Biblical saying: PROVERB.
11. Fave pal: BFF. Best Friend Forever.
14. Sushi-grade tuna: AHI.
15. Pen with bright ink: HI-LITER.
16. Hoppy brew: ALE.
17. [see: Theme].
20. Pulsate: THROB.
21. Junior: SON.
Son, I said son.
22. Gave a leg up to: AIDED.
23. Actress Vardalos: NIA. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (even though she's Canadian) actress who came up through Second City (Chicago). Her WikiP.
25. 24/7 cash source: ATM. Automatic Teller Machine machine //from the Redundancy Department of Redundancy.
26. [see: Theme]
35. Unlock, poetically: OPE'.
36. Director Kubrick: STANLEY. [WikiP] Nothing but classic movies under his belt. For my money, I'll see Dr. Strangelove, 2001 - A Space Odyssey, or A Clockwork Orange again.
37. Wall St. debut: IPO. Initial Public Offering.
38. Plot portion: ACRE.
40. Feel bad about: RUE.
41. Successor: HEIR.
42. [see: Theme]
47. Mogul: TYCOON.
48. South Seas wrap: SARONG.
49. WC: LAV. Water Closet - LAVatory.
50. "i" topper: DOT. Dot your i's and cross your t's & zeds.
51.[see: Theme]
58. Game show creator Griffin: MERV. Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune are still on the air.
59. Pesto herb: BASIL. There is nothing better than basil pesto with angel-hair pasta.
Jamie Oliver is too afraid of garlic.
60. Broad valley: DALE. Hi Lucina!
62. Brink: EDGE.
63. Joint above a foot: ANKLE. Most of our joints are - pick one. //Not to be confused with a 13" Cheech MARIN [29d] doobie.
64. Bailiwick: AREA. Wheelhouse.
65. WCs: LOOS. I always love a good callback [see: 49a]. //Bob Newhart's was the best!
66. Stands: RISES.
67. [see: Theme]
Down:
1. Actor Damon: MATT.
2. "Yikes!": UH OH. Pop says UH OH was the first phrase I uttered every time he screwed up. Apparently, I was a little-rat.
3. Designer Christian: DIOR.
4. Fears: PHOBIAS.
5. Kia sedan: RIO.
6. Cutlass sedan, e.g.: OLDS. Nice callback.
7. Corleone patriarch: VITO. Hey! We no discuss business this early.
8. Henry VI's school: ETON.
9. Hoops stat: REB. Rebounds.
10. Whispery in tone: BREATHY. Why don't you go up and see her sometime?
11. Poet: BARD. There was once one upon Avon.
12. Fireplace shaft: FLUE.
13. Farm store bagful: FEED.
18. Large flat bell: GONG. Lynne Griffin (no relation to Merv (that I can find)) co-designed the set for the GONG Show.
19. Proctor's shout: TIME.
Student comes in late to the lecture hall for his final. He picks up a blue-book from the professor's desk and gets to writing his exam. The prof. calls TIME but the tardy student just keeps furiously writing.
I said, "TIME!"
As the prof begins to pack up all the blue-books, the student comes forward with his hastily written essay.
"Sorry, SON [see: 21a]. I called TIME 10 minutes ago and I won't accept your exam."
"Do you know who I am? Or who my father is?," the student asks with airs.
Not to be belittled, the professor responds, "No I don't. And frankly I don't give a damn."
"Good!," exclaims the student as he places his essay in the middle of the pile.
24. Graffiti, e.g.: ART. It's in the eye of the beholder.
25. Dined: ATE.
26. Laundry batch: LOAD.
27. Footnote kin of ibid.: OPCIT. Cit'd earlier.
28. Geeky: NERDY.
29. Cheech of Cheech & Chong: MARIN. "It's me, Dave, man. Open up."
Tommy Chong Explains
30. Obligation: ONUS. I was obliged to link the above video.
31. Canine pests: FLEAS.
32. Occupy, as a bed: LIE IN.
33. Copying: APING.
34. Saint-John's-__: herbal remedy: WORT.
39. Closed-off districts: ENCLAVES.
41. Derided from the stands: HOOTED AT. A step above a Bronx Cheer.
43. Pond critter: TOAD.
44. Option for soap or ice cream: DOVE BAR.
45. Ping-Pong and canoeing needs: PADDLES.
46. Boat's front: PROW.
51. Ctrl+Y action: REDO. For Mac users, it's Command-Shift-Z (which makes sense 'cuz CMD-z == undo)
52. "By that logic ... ": ERGO. Ergo, the professor didn't know who's exam it was.
"Sorry, SON [see: 21a]. I called TIME 10 minutes ago and I won't accept your exam."
"Do you know who I am? Or who my father is?," the student asks with airs.
Not to be belittled, the professor responds, "No I don't. And frankly I don't give a damn."
"Good!," exclaims the student as he places his essay in the middle of the pile.
24. Graffiti, e.g.: ART. It's in the eye of the beholder.
25. Dined: ATE.
26. Laundry batch: LOAD.
27. Footnote kin of ibid.: OPCIT. Cit'd earlier.
28. Geeky: NERDY.
29. Cheech of Cheech & Chong: MARIN. "It's me, Dave, man. Open up."
Tommy Chong Explains
30. Obligation: ONUS. I was obliged to link the above video.
31. Canine pests: FLEAS.
32. Occupy, as a bed: LIE IN.
33. Copying: APING.
34. Saint-John's-__: herbal remedy: WORT.
39. Closed-off districts: ENCLAVES.
41. Derided from the stands: HOOTED AT. A step above a Bronx Cheer.
43. Pond critter: TOAD.
44. Option for soap or ice cream: DOVE BAR.
45. Ping-Pong and canoeing needs: PADDLES.
46. Boat's front: PROW.
51. Ctrl+Y action: REDO. For Mac users, it's Command-Shift-Z (which makes sense 'cuz CMD-z == undo)
52. "By that logic ... ": ERGO. Ergo, the professor didn't know who's exam it was.
//That was the crux of the joke above. Took Pop a second to get it. :-)
53. __-pedi: MANI. Lucina can fill you in.
54. Requests: ASKS.
55. Giza's river: NILE.
56. __ Grey tea: EARL. R.I.P. Abejo.
57. Implored: PLED.
58. Country singer Tillis: MEL.
61. Musician's gift: EAR.
There you have it folks. Here's the TL;DR:
WOs: N/A
ESP: OPE'
Fav: Cheech MARIN. Up in Smoke was one of the first R-Rated films I ever saw (I was 9yrs?) -- I laughed my butt off even though I probably didn't get half the jokes.
A while back, I used TL;DR in this blog's comment section and, IIRC, TTP hadn't seen it before. So, thanks C.C. for picking me to expo this aptly themed grid.
Now, it's up to y'all to comment and don't be TOO LONG that we DON'T READ :-)
Cheers, -T
53. __-pedi: MANI. Lucina can fill you in.
54. Requests: ASKS.
55. Giza's river: NILE.
56. __ Grey tea: EARL. R.I.P. Abejo.
57. Implored: PLED.
58. Country singer Tillis: MEL.
61. Musician's gift: EAR.
There you have it folks. Here's the TL;DR:
WOs: N/A
ESP: OPE'
Fav: Cheech MARIN. Up in Smoke was one of the first R-Rated films I ever saw (I was 9yrs?) -- I laughed my butt off even though I probably didn't get half the jokes.
A while back, I used TL;DR in this blog's comment section and, IIRC, TTP hadn't seen it before. So, thanks C.C. for picking me to expo this aptly themed grid.
Now, it's up to y'all to comment and don't be TOO LONG that we DON'T READ :-)
Cheers, -T