Today we get a fun themeless puzzle from our resident den mother and ringmaster, C.C. When I took that left turn in Des Moines a few years ago to go north to Minneapolis, I was carrying precious cargo for her and here you see her wearing it. This shirt makes her a proud, if temporary, Cornhusker. I know it can be dangerous wearing it in Golden Gopher country or in this cold weather but nobody wears it better.
I made it through her puzzle today in decent time and, as always, I had fun. For her to know so much about our language after arriving here from Guangzhou, China in 2001 is one thing but to know it at such an incredible level that she can make up fiendish clues blows my mind
Now let's see some of the gems she has for us today.
Across:
1. Green side: SALAD - I had to abandon my golf green idea for the adjunct to a meal
6. Fruit named for a horticulturist: BOSC - All I can find is that an M. BOSC was the director of the Paris Arboretum when this fruit was developed
10. Target Field athlete: TWIN - Jeffrey Wechsler had "6 Down Target field" recently and the fill was RETAIL
14. Smart timepiece: APPLE WATCH - Mine reminds me of an old Newspaper comic I used to read that some of you are probably too young to recognize
16. "That can't be good": OH NO - The Cigarette Stamp Ring above had better be wary
17. Reason for a case: LEGAL ISSUE - A Florida man got a Quarter Pounder with cheese but didn't want the cheese. So instead of saying, "Quarter Pounder with no cheese" he sued McDonalds for $5M for adding extras he and others shouldn't have to pay for.
18. Neck and neck: TIED - Usually a photo finish
20. Chicken __: fast food nuggets: MCBITES.
22. Special nights: EVES - How many people did you have over last night for your Groundhog's Day EVE party? Me too.
24. Hot spot: HADES - One of many euphemisms for H, E, double hockey sticks
26. Ski carriers: GONDOLAS - Fancier than t-bars
29. Jordanian dough: DINAR - The cost of a Big Mac combo meal in Aman, Jordan is DINAR 4.894
30. Disney dog: LADY - C'mon, you thought of the spaghetti kiss with Tramp didn't you?
31. Unpaid assistant in many offices: SIRI - SIRI got me to C.C.'s house for free
32. Weather-sensitive stat, often: ETD - This SWA flight's Estimated Time of Departure should have been delayed because of the icy weather in Omaha two weeks ago that made the plane go off the runway
33. Get ugly with: SNIPE AT - Ain't our government leaders swell?
36. Da Vinci's "The Last Supper," for one: OIL - Leonardo painted the masterpiece on the wall of the refectory in Milan with perspective so it appears to be an extension of the room
37. Policy affecting returns: AS IS.
39. Scrapes (out): EKES - We EKED out a living on $112/wk when I started teaching
40. Beethoven's "Rage Over a Lost Penny," e.g.: RONDO - This RONDO keeps bringing back a theme
42. Tears: RAMPAGES - Upset Saints fans wanted to go on a tear/RAMPAGE two weeks ago
44. Light wash: RINSE.
45. Han River city: SEOUL - The km. markers along and across the HAN River for a half marathon
46. Bits of thread: LINT - Cleaning our dryer's LINT filter is necessary now because laundry can not be 53. Left out to dry: HUNG in our development
47. Resonated, in a way: CLANGED - This field goal kicker CLANGED this kick off an upright
49. Place to find the Silk Road: ASIA MAP - The end of the SILK Road on this map is in Chang'an, China which is now Xi'an, China where C.C. grew up
54. Film with dangerous jobs: CRIME DRAMA - Law And Order did this well on TV
56. Gallic gal pal: AMIE - Your French female friend
57. Game whose heroine was played by Angelina Jolie in a 2001 film: TOMB RAIDER - This must be what a TOMB RAIDER 58. Goes (for): OPTS to wear to work
59. Beachgoers' specs: SPFS.
60. Biblical verb: DOEST - Psalm 86 - For thou art great, and DOEST wondrous things
Down:
1. Spring __: SALE - Nah, I've got all the springs I need
2. Pinnacle: APEX - Who will reach the APEX of pro football tomorrow?
3. Org. for women drivers: LPGA - Ladies Professional Golf Association
4. County where the Golden State Warriors play home games: ALAMEDA - Next season the Warriors will move across the Bay to the Chase Center in San Francisco City/County
5. Drops off: DELIVERS - Does your neighborhood have "porch pirates"?
6. Diamond foursome: BASES
7. Some games end in them, for short: OTS - Both NFL Conference championships were settled in OverTIme this year
8. Ugly film: SCUM.
9. Republic in southwestern Russia: CHECHNYA - It's a red 48. Slight amount: DROP in the Russian bucket on this map
10. Pizza roll brand: TOTINOS
11. Cats with light blond coats: WHITE LIONS - It is said there are about 300 left in the wild
12. What an extended thumb might indicate: I NEED A RIDE - Film buffs know Claudette Colbert's raised skirt worked better than Clark Gable's thumb
13. Silent signals: NODS - Be careful at auctions
15. Results of some press releases?: WINES - Famous wine pressing
21. Compact figure?: BOD - I wish my BOD were more compact
24. Makes out too much, say: HITS A SLUMP - A suggestive clue, C.C.
25. Words of reinforcement: AND I MEAN IT - Part of the parental lexicon
26. Looks amazed: GAPES - OMG, he made that field goal!
27. Laudatory lines: ODES.
28. Farm structure: SILO.
29. Prized: DEAR.
30. What an extended thumb might indicate: LIKE 👍
34. Slights: NEGLECTS
35. Half a two-island country: TRINIDAD - Their football association emblem has an outline of their divided island as well
41. London locale: ONTARIO - A 2-hr drive from Detroit, Michigan
43. Mo. named for an emperor: AUG - Caesar AUGustus in 8 B.C.
44. Choir elevator: RISER - Did you have to stand on them to sing in your ute?
46. Gentle sorts: LAMBS.
47. First female Asian-American Cabinet member: CHAO - Here is Elaine CHAO, Secretary of Transportation with her husband you probably recognize
50. Crafted: MADE.
51. Home of the Iowa State Daily: AMES - They reported on a riot on the Iowa State University campus during the annual spring VEISHA celebration
52. Split up: PART.
55. Global financial org.: IMF - International Monetary Fund
Okay, we'll throw a bone to Punxsutawney, Phil too!
