Learning moments: Cotton Mather and his father Increase Mather, and then reading various articles about the film Imitation of Life.
Across:
1. Sticking point?: CRAW.
5. Mixed __: MEDIA. " The term “mixed media art” is a broad definition that covers many arts and crafts, including collage, assemblage (both 2D and 3D), altered objects, including books and boxes, handmade greeting cards, artist trading cards (ATCs) and tags, art journalling and book making.
The “mixed media” used includes paints, papers and board of all descriptions, glues, buttons, fabrics, found objects, photos, metal bits, fibres, things from nature, inks, pencils, crayons, markers, pastels and polymer clays, to name a few." - Mixed Media Art . Net
10. Surveillance network, briefly: CCTV. Closed Circuit TV
14. Adonis: HUNK.
15. Finals, e.g.: EXAMs.
16. Vibe: AURA.
20. Plunging neckline type: DEEP V.
21. Island chain: LEI.
22. Annoying: PESKY.
23. Not an exact fig.: EST.
25. __ King Cole: NAT.
36. Panache: ELAN.
37. Número after cero: UNO. Numbers zero and one, in Spanish.
38. "Gypsy" (2008) Tony winner: LUPONE. At the point in time, I was missing the last two vowels, so I and O went in. Fortunately worked out Lupone instead of Lupino.
39. Airs: SONGs. Back in the early days of my solving experiences, we had a clue Troubador' s offering and the answer was AIRS. Here are the responses in the blog comments that day.
44. Code prohibiting singing?: OMERTA. The Mafia code of silence, to anyone outside of the organization, but especially to authorities.
46. Trashy newspaper: RAG.
48. Hard to find: RARE.
52. Old records: LPs.
53. Bobs and weaves: DOs. Female hairstyles. Butches and flattops for males.
54. Eye color: HAZEL.
58. "Barry" channel: HBO. No idea, but the O was in place, so it was probable that it would be SHO or HBO.
"Barry follows Barry Berkman, a former Marine from Ohio who works as a hitman. Lonely and dissatisfied with life, he travels to Los Angeles to kill a target and ends up "finding an accepting community in a group of eager hopefuls within the L.A. theater scene"
60. Major religion of Indonesia: ISLAM.
68. Rackets: DINs. My father nicknamed my niece Rachael "Racket" when she was about two.
When Madame Defarge referred to her granddaughter as "The Blonde Tornado" back in 2016, I immediately understood.
69. Yankee Candle emanation: AROMA.
70. Retailer with a meatball recipe to make at "höme": IKEA.
OK, then let us translate from Finnish as well:
The Swedish version sounds more appealing.
71. Nervous: EDGY.
72. Frisky swimmer: OTTER.
73. Whimper: MEWL.
Down:
1. Libya neighbor: CHAD. Testing your geography knowledge, as well as country names.
2. Deceptive ploy: RUSE.
3. Poker entry fee: ANTE. "Feed the kitty" followed by "Pot's right. Deal."
4. Sitcom radio station: WKRP. The show was inspired by a Harry Chapin song.
34. __ nous: ENTRE. Listen, do you want to know a secret ? Do you promise not to tell ?
35. Discourage: DETER.
40. Designer McCartney: STELLA. Daughter of Paul and Linda McCartney. She was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2013 for services to fashion.
51. "That'll be the day!": AS IF. "You have to be kidding me !"
54. Conceal: HIDE.
55. Surrounded by: AMID.
56. "Oh snap!": ZING.
57. Handmade goods website: ETSY.
59. Abrupt dismissal: BOOT.
61. __ to none: bad odds: SLIM. Muhammad Ali famously quipped about Joe Frazier's chances, "Frazier's got two chances. Slim, and none. And Slim just left town."
62. Go for: LIKE.
63. Several: A FEW.
64. Event with courses: MEAL. No-brainer, but my mind strayed to golf. Specifically, The Pebble Beach Pro-Am, played on three different courses: Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill Golf Course, and Monterey Peninsula Country Club.