Game Night. The END word of each theme answer is a board GAME.
16-Across. * "Now you see what I deal with every day": WELCOME TO MY LIFE.
26-Across. * "Our goose is cooked": WE'RE IN TROUBLE.
40-Across. * Tools that may make one say, "Damn you, autocorrect!": SPELL CHECKERS.
54-Across. * "No idea": I HAVEN'T GOT A CLUE.
And the unifier:
62-Across. Last stage of a chess match, and what each answer to a starred clue literally has: ENDGAME. Everything you wanted to know about the Endgame, but didn't know to ask.
Across:
1. Rental for some exercise classes: YOGA MAT. Yuck! Sorry, but I would never rent a Yoga Mat.
8. Vice President Harris: KAMALA.
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| Kamala Devi Harris (b. Oct. 20, 1964) |
14. Make move, as a cartoon: ANIMATE.
15. Grapefruit kin: POMELOS. The Pomelo is native to Southeast Asia.
18. Clandestine org.: NSA. As in the National Security Agency.
19. Shortfin shark: MAKO.
20. Facts and figures: DATA. Hi, Picard!
21. EMT's skill: CPR. The Emergency Medical Technician better know how to perform CardioPulmonary Resuscitation.
24. More than fix up: REDO.
32. Color selection tools: PALETTES. One of Van Gogh's palettes as seen in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.
33. Defeat badly: TROMP.
35. Extended a performance, in a way: ENCORED.
36. "The Good Doctor" actress Thomas: ANTONIA. I have never seen The Good Doctor, so was not familiar with Antonia Thomas (née Antonia Laura Thomas; b. Nov. 3, 1986).
38. "Their Eyes Were Watching God" novelist Zora __ Hurston: NEALE. Zora Neale Hurston (Jan. 7, 1891 ~ Jan. 28, 1960) makes frequent guest appearances in the puzzles.
39. Stereo components: SPEAKERS.
43. Fly high: SOAR.
44. "Jeopardy!" co-host Jennings: KEN. Ken Jennings (né Kenneth Wayne Jennings, III; b. May 23, 1974) has made a pretty good living with his trivia knowledge. Not only was Jeopardy! good to him, both as a contestant and a host, but he has appeared on other trivia game shows, such as Masterminds and The Chase.
45. Regarding: AS TO.
49. Heavy burden: ONUS.
51. Cake mix need: EGG.
59. Desert illusions: MIRAGES.
60. Source of pint-sized beverages?: MINI-BAR.
61. Use: EMPLOY.
Down:
1. Show sleepiness: YAWN.
2. Tip jar bills: ONES.
3. __ monster: lizard: GILA. // And 8-Diwn. __ dragon: lizard: KOMODO. What is the difference between a Gila Monster and a Komodo Dragon?
4. Theater chain initials: AMC. As in American Multi-Cinema.
5. Chairman who led China's Cultural Revolution: MAO.
6. Bank drive-thru device: ATM. The Automated Teller Machine is a crossword staple.
7. Swarm (with): TEEM.
9. "Vice" Oscar nominee Adams: AMY. Amy Lou Adams (b. Aug. 20, 1974) portrayed Lynne Chaney in the movie Vice.
10. Blend: MELD.
11. "Search Party" actress Shawkat: ALIA. Alia Martine Shawkat (b. Apr. 18, 1989) also portrayed Maeby Fünke on Arrested Development.
12. Hay storage area: LOFT.
13. Drifting aimlessly: ASEA.
15. "__ Face": Lady Gaga hit: POKER.
17. Small fruit pastries: TARTS.
21. New Orleans cuisine: CREOLE. Creole versus Cajun cuisine.
22. Seabirds that often follow ships: PETRELS. Everything you wanted to know about Petrels, but didn't know to ask.
23. Solemn ceremony: RITE.
25. Scene not meant to be seen: OUTTAKE.
26. Decreases in strength: WANES.
27. Yosemite peak, familiarly: EL CAP. El Capitan, affectionally known as El Cap, is more than just a big rock.
28. "The Simpsons" neighbor Flanders: NED.
29. Kaput: BROKEN.
30. Solitary sort: LONER.
31. Kuwaiti rulers: EMIRS.
32. Ballpoint, e.g.: PEN. A brief history of the Ballpoint Pen.
34. Faux __: PAS. Today's French lesson.
36. Tailless primate: APE.
37. Bottle part: NECK.
39. "So what" shoulder gesture: SHRUG.
41. __ Tunes: LOONEY.
42. Leans to one side: CANTS. Probably the most famous CANTer in the world ...
45. Je t'__: French "I love you": AIME. More of today's French lesson.
46. Leveling device: SHIM.
47. Canvas cover: TARP.
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| Blue tarps after a hurricane |
48. Avocado shape: OVAL.
50. A few: SOME.
51. Idris of "Luther": ELBA. Idris Elba (né Idrissa Akuna Elba;b. Sept. 6, 1972) also played Stringer Bell on The Wire.
52. "Where America's Day Begins": GUAM. According to this article, Guam is not technically where America's Day Begins.
53. "Chicago" star Richard: GERE. Richard Tiffany Gere (b. Aug. 31, 1949) starred in many, many movies.
55. Sense of self: EGO.
56. Metal container: TIN.
57. Plus: AND.
58. Smoke, briefly: CIG.
Here's the Grid:
חתולה
Today would have been my mother's 92nd birthday. Sadly, it is also the day that I lost my grandmother, who died 20 years ago today, just 1 week shy of her 96th birthday.
