Friday, March 27, 2020 Brian Herrick

"Wind Engineering"   "Blowin' In The Wind"    "Wind Shear"

I couldn't pick a title.  Should have stuck with "Windfall"

To get the 1, 5, 36, and 51 across answers,  you need part of the down answer.  To get the theme, you need part of that same down answer.

1. June event that highlighted Zion in 2019: NBAD. 
4. (down) It's on tap: DRAFT BEER.

NBA DRAFT  - The consensus # 1 pick in the June 2019 NBA Draft was Zion Williamson.  He was selected by the New Orleans Pelicans.

5. Revolt: DISG.
8. (down) "The Planets" composer Holst: GUSTAV. -  Gustav Holst

DISGUST

36. Result of a lost feed: DEAD A.
38. (down) Shoe brand first made for an NBA star: AIR JORDAN.  - NBA star Michael Jordan.

DEAD AIR

51. Deep-fried seafood appetizer: CRAB P.
53. (down) Northern seabird: PUFFIN.

CRAB PUFF  -   Martha Stewart's recipe for 2 dozen.  Any readers have their own recipes ?
 

The reveal:  24. Jackpot, e.g., and a hint to completing four puzzle answers: WINDFALL.

My immediate reaction to the reveal was "What ?"   Windfall means unexpected good fortune.  I got how the down answers fall.  But what about the wind part ?   Then the V8 can that was absent last Friday showed up.  Each of the highlighted answers in red (above) or in yellow (below)... and they all fall.   All winds, of a sort.  Air seems to be the outlier.



Across:

9. Questlove's do: FRO.  If you watch The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, then you would probably know of the musician that leads the house band.

12. "__ is human ... ": TO ERR. 

but to really mess things up you need a computer.  Did I link that .gif  before ?  

14. Asian gambling mecca: MACAU.   We also see it spelled as Macao. 

15. Pasture: LEA.

16. Greek goddesses of the seasons: HORAE.   It's all ? to me.  What is that word I'm missing ?

17. Anglicized name for Australia's Uluru: AYERS ROCK.   Uluru is new to me, but the perps were very generous.    Uluru is the traditional Aboriginal name.   The local Anangu, the Pitjantjatjara people, call the landmark Uluṟu (Pitjantjatjara [ʊlʊɻʊ]).     - Wikipedia

19. Game response that means no: GO FISH.   The card game for children aged 4 to 10.

21. Like mockumentaries: SATIRIC.   The Beatles 1964 feature film debut, A Hard Day's Night, was filmed in mockumentary style: it ostensibly documents a few typical (and highly fictionalized) days in the life of the band as they travel from Liverpool to London for a television appearance.

In television, popular examples in the US include sitcoms Trailer Park Boys and its films (1998–present), Parks and Recreation (2009–2015), The Office (2005-2013), and Modern Family (2009–present); the American improv comedy Reno 911! (2003–2009)   - Wikipedia

22. Sailboat staff: MAST.

23. Sell: HAWK.

25. Disquiet: AGITA.  I would normally first think of agita as indigestion, but it also means anxiety, apprehension, worry, nervousness, etc.  So it can be both a physical and emotional condition.  Disquiet is a synonym.

26. Messy roommate: SLOB.   Oscar Madison ?

27. Oscar winner Kazan: ELIA.

28. Valentine's Day buys: VASES.

29. Parts: ROLES.    For thespians (Hi, OMK !), the character(s) they play.   In business, slang for areas of responsibility (i.e. the different hats one wears).   In reality, no one has more roles to play than women. 

31. Seeing right through: ON TO.

33. "Shame!": TSK.

34. Wannabe: POSEUR.

39. Free from: RID OF.

41. Get ready to play: SUIT UP.   Typically as a sports metaphor. 

45. Tests graded on a scale of 1 to 5: Abbr.: APs. 

48. "Oh __!": insult reaction: SNAP.   Not in my vernacular. 

50. Maine college town: ORONO.   I believe that Hahtoolah mentioned that she went to the University of Maine in Orono.   She graces this blog every Tuesday.

54. Thin opening: SLOT.  I tried slit. 

56. Winnipeg NHLers: JETs.  The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg.  They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division of the Western Conference

57. End of a toast: TO YOU.

58. This is one: CLUE.   Self referential.  Should have been easy for regular solvers. 

59. Texter's "But ... ": OTOH.    Randy Travis was awarded the 1986 Country Music Song of the Year for this song.    Ah, play that steel guitar...


60. To such an extent (as): IN SO FAR. 

62. Thin: NARROW.

64. Connecticut college town: FAIRFIELD.   Fairfield College.  New to me. 

66. "My name is ... " site: ID TAG.   Earl was too short.  Then saw site.  In the sitcom, Earl was always trying to atone for his behavior in years past.  

68. LAX abbr.: ETD. Estimated Time of Delay.  

69. Brainstorms: IDEAs.

70. Disney's "Moana" was translated into it: MAORI.   The language of the indigenous people of New Zealand. 

71. __ gratias: DEO.   Thanks be to God.

72. Second opening?: NANO. 

73. Flanders et al.: NEDs.   "Hi-Diddily-Ho neighborino! What can I ding-dong-diddily-do for you?" 

Down:

1. Utmost degree: NTH.

2. "Electric __": 1984 dance-pop song: BOOGALOO.   Did not know.  But learned that the Boogaloo was a street dance that originated in Oakland, CA in the 1960s.  Then in the late '70s, a dance team developed the "Electric Boogaloo" dance style and called themselves by the same name.   Then in 1984, the music duo of Ollie and Jerry released the song.  Here's a 1980 clip from Soul Train showing the dance team doing Electric Boogaloo style of dancing.   I could not find a video that featured them dancing to the 1984 song. 


3. Sprays from cans: AEROSOLS.

5. __ trip: DAY.

6. Salchow support: ICE SKATE.

7. "Waitress" composer Bareilles: SARA.   I may not understand the clues, but the perps and logic usually work out these answers.

9. User of 28-Across: FLORIST.

10. Speaks from memory: RECITEs. 

11. Winery fixture: OAK CASK.

13. Outdoorsy retailer: REI.   Recreational Equipment, Inc.

14. Island thanks: MAHALO.   "Mahalo for your patience and aloha as we harness our resilience to get through this health crisis together."   In this context, aloha means greetings, rather than the typical hello or goodbye.

18. Baltic capital: RIGA.   A crossword regular.

20. "__ Walks in Beauty": Byron poem: SHE.   Didn't know of the poem.  Knew that Lord Byron was Ada Lovelace's father. 

22. Car ad fig.: MSRP.   The list price.

30. __ generis: SUI.   Along the lines of unique.   In a class by itself.

32. Western treaty gp.: OAS.   Organization of American States.    And a CSO to our regular reader who has been experimenting in the kitchen.

35. Hwys.: RDs.

37. Daft Punk, for one: DUO.    Didn't know, but vaguely recalled a pop or a rap group.  They were French electronic synthopop musicians in the 1990s.   

40. Happening in film: ONSCREEN.

42. In close combat: TOE TO TOE.

43. Hard to work with: UNTOWARD.  Some are advances.

44. Sumptuous: POSH.  One Spice is Posh,  AKA, Victoria Beckham. 

45. Allergy medicine discontinued in the U.S.: ACTIFED.    The druggies were making something out of it to get high. 

46. Rotate inward while walking, as one's foot: PRONATE.   Contrast with supinate.

47. Gets married: SAYS I DO.  Too many blanks for weds.

49. Money symbolized by a stylized L: POUNDS.    £

52. Crude dude: BOOR.   First thought was a roughneck.   An oilfield worker.        

55. Afternoon __: TEA.

61. John/Rice musical: AIDA.   Crosswords taught me that Aida usually has a Verdi clue.  But in this case, it's Elton John and Tim Rice.  Who knew ?

63. Edge: RIM.   I use Edge shaving cream.  The rim of the can often starts to rust before the cream is all gone.  Maybe I should go back to that "no-eczema" brand that Joe Namath used to tout. 

65. Southeast Asian language: LAO. 

67. PFCs, e.g.: GIs.

Sunday, May 12, 2024 Dennis Nullet

"To the Contrary"

 
24. Zombie armada?: UNDEAD IN THE WATER.

31. Bad press?: UNCOMPLIMENTARY COPY.
 

49. Scary place?: UNNERVE CENTER.

69. Square dance halls?: UNHIP JOINTS.




88. Faulty method?: UNSOUND SYSTEM.

102. Instruction for putting away fishing tackle?: UNHOOK LINE AND SINKER.

113. Wash gardening clothes?: UNDO THE DIRTY WORK.

The prefix UN is added to the first word of each of the common phrases.  Generally,  un means not.  The clues are written to define the new phrases.

Yet another debut at the LA Times.  Congratulations, Dennis!

Across:

1. Letters and such: MAIL.

5. S. Korean gaming spot: PC ROOM.   New to me.   PC Room and PC Bang are South Korean terms for an internet cafe that is used for gaming.   

11. Boxing __: RING.

15. Manager: BOSS.

19. Patron saint of sailors: ELMO.

20. Responsible (for): LIABLE.

21. Pay (up): ANTE.  Pay to play.

22. Doozy: LULU.  A poser, perhaps.

23. Toys that may improve dexterity: TOPS. 

27. Make grooves in: STRIATE.

29. Baby's noise: COO.

30. Winged figure in Christian art: ANGEL.

38. Marsh plant: SEDGE.

40. Salivation stimuli: AROMAS.

41. Book after Joel: AMOS.

42. Rhubarb dessert: PIE.

43. Object of veneration: IDOL.    Object of respect.

44. New York Dolls genre: GLAM.   Other Glam rockers included Alice Cooper,  KISS,  Queen, T-Rex,  Gary Glitter,  along with Elton John and David Bowie (at times). 

45. Dog's bane: FLEA.  Yes, fleas can torment a dog.   Dogbane (one word) is a weed that looks very much like milkweed.  It is highly toxic to animals and was once used to poison dogs.

55. Ultra-devoted fans: ZEALOTS.   Made me think of Swifties.  -  "Swifties are the fandom of the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Regarded by journalists as one of the largest, most devoted and influential fan bases, Swifties are known for their high levels of participation, creativity, community and fanaticism." - Wikipedia.

57. Fetch: RETRIEVE.

58. Like a fashionable arrival: LATE.

60. Shred: RIP UP.   That's a standard def for shred.   Another standard def would be a very small amount.   The slang meaning for shred is to ski, skateboard, surf or bike in a highly skilled or showy manner.

61. Grandmother, affectionately: NANA.

62. Elk: WAPITI.

65. Get in the way of: IMPEDE.

66. Mandible: JAW.

72. Lounging spot: DEN.

73. Good for growing: ARABLE.

76. Elite groups: A-LISTS.

77. Disney queen whose powers are similar to Jack Frost's: ELSA.  Never saw the movie, but the answer can easily be inferred from the clue.

80. Traveler's annoyance: DELAY.

81. Actress Jessica: ALBA.

82. Stay active: KEEP BUSY.

86. Implore: ENTREAT.  Beg, if the answer is only 3 spaces

92. Discombobulate: DAZE.

93. Bryn __: first U.S. college to offer graduate degrees to women: MAWR.   A learning moment. 

95. Lhasa __: APSO.

96. Many a noir hero: TEC.   Sam Spade?  Phillip Marlowe?  Mike Hammer?

97. Top spot in Formula One: POLE.   Belgian Max Verstappen has dominated FI racing for the last three years.  He's not always had the fasted cars, but he's often the fastest driver, leading to securing the  pole position in many Grand Prix races.  
Incredibly,  he won nine Grand Prix in row before having to quit the Australian race in March when his brakes caught on fire.  He took pole for the race in Miami last weekend, but finished second.  The next race will be televised early morning on Sunday, May 19th.  It is the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix from Imola, Italy on the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari racetrack.  

98. Says "hi" to: GREETS.

100. Word with rock or space: OPERA. 

108. Tres plus cuatro: SIETE.   Three + four: Seven

109. Irish actor Stephen: REA.   A fine actor whose last name works well in crosswords.  We get his last name often in conjunction with "The Crying Game."  

Every once in a while we get a clue for the singer/songwriter Chris Rea.   He penned this touching Top 40 song in 1978 for his young teenage sister after she was devastated by being dumped by her boyfriend.
 

110. Color of corroded iron: RUST RED.

120. Capital of Fiji: SUVA.   Thank you, perps.

Zoom in or out, or show satellite imagery (lower left).


121. "Bridgerton" actor __-Jean Page: REGE.   Ditto.

122. Like a class presentation: ORAL.

123. Evening affair: SOIREE. 

124. Place to tie up: PIER.

125. C in C: PRES ident.   Commander in Chief

126. Yard border, perhaps: WALL.

127. Hit on the green: PUTTED.

128. Sister of King Charles III: ANNE.
 

Down:

1. Squad whose colors match the New York City flag: METS.   The Mets are a Major League Baseball team.

"The Mets' colors are Dodger blue and Giant orange, symbolic of the return of National League baseball to New York after the Dodgers and Giants moved to California." - MLB.com

2. Scads: A LOT.   We get REA scads A LOT.

3. Like jumping without looking: IMPRUDENT.  

4. On the wrong end of the score: LOSING.

5. Subject of a 2006 demotion: PLUTO.  
 

6. Movie theater: CINEMA.

7. "Totally gnarly!": RAD.   "Dude was shredding!"

8. Honor for David and Victoria Beckham: Abbr.: OBE.   The famous footballer, and the one-time Spice Girl known as "Posh Spice."

9. Iberian "Hello": OLA.

10. Rx order: MED. 

11. Monopolized a conversation: RAN ON.

12. With everything counted: IN TOTAL.   All in all.

13. Higher power?: NTH.

14. "Golly!": GEE.

15. Mel who voiced Bugs Bunny: BLANC.   Was he the best, or what?

16. Intake opposite: OUTGO.

17. Idle computer state: SLEEP. 

18. Belligerent: SURLY.

25. Finishes with buttercream, perhaps: ICEs.  An activity usually done by an ICER, according to crossword clue  writers.  

26. __ and means: WAYS.   Methods and resources. 

28. Hotshot: ACE.  Pittsburgh Pirate Paul Skenes made his MLB debut against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday after being promoted from Triple A Indianapolis. 

32. Exchange value: PRICE.

33. Miner's dream: LODE.

34. "Break a leg!" preceder: I'M ON.

35. Milk sweetener: MALT.

36. Elicit an "OMG!": AMAZE.

37. "Gladiator" setting: ROME.  Gladiator - in quotation marks - would refer to the movie. 

38. Prod: SPUR.   Urge.

39. German "a": EINE.  German one: EINS

44. Free: GRATIS.   On the house.  Complimentary.

45. Resell quickly: FLIP.

46. Ran with ease: LOPED.

47. Many a musical composition by Czerny: ETUDE.

48. Colorado town near Snowmass: ASPEN.  Where down-hillers shred.

50. Bald eagle, e.g.: ERN. 

51. Coastal inlet: RIA.

52. Happening place?: VENUE.

53. Actor Peters of the "X-Men" franchise: EVAN.   Thank you, perps.

54. "Silas Marner" author: ELIOT,  T.S.

56. Humerus locale: ARM.   The singular bone from your shoulder to your elbow.  Descending from there, the next two are the radius and the ulna - from the elbow to the wrist.  The "funny bone" is not a bone at all.  It is the ulnar nerve.  If you hit it just so, there is nothing humorous about it.  Been there, done that.

59. Malleable metal: TIN.

62. Wright brother: WILBUR.   Wright brother: Orville

63. Like many drones: APIAN.  Bees.  A drone bee has no stinger and does not gather nectar.   It is not a worker bee, although it does have one job.

64. Sleepover duds, for short: PJs.   Comfy clothes. 

65. British __: ISLES.  Some 6000+ islands around Great Britain and Ireland. 

66. Sour from experience: JADED.

67. Big 52-Down: ARENA.

68. Strauss piece: WALTZ.

70. Actor Holbrook: HAL.

71. Got ready to drive: TEED.
 

74. Minimal: BARE.  Bare in the sense of mere, and nothing else.   The room I rented in a rundown hotel not far from Piccadilly Circus had the bare necessities - a bed, a night stand with a lamp, and a small dresser.  The bathroom was at the far end of the hallway.  It was the best I could do at the time.

75. Strong alkaline solution: LYE.

78. Job for many an action hero: SPY.

79. Sit-up muscles: ABS.

81. In the least: AT ALL.  I didn't care at all about the sparsely furnished room.  I was there to see the Abbey, the bridge, No 10, and as many of the rest of the sights I could manage to see during my short stay.   Now I regret that I didn't go to Kew Gardens.

82. Elements in live edge wood slabs: KNOTS.

83. Complete devastation: UTTER RUIN.

84. Soothsayer: SEER.

85. Village People song covered by the Minions: YMCA.
 

87. Wild and crazy: AMOK.

89. First name in the freezer aisle: SARA.  Last name in the freezer aisle: Lee.

90. Perform first: OPEN. 

91. Not new: USED.

94. "Straight Outta Lynwood" singer: WEIRD AL.  "Weird Al" Yankovic's parody album that was inspired by N.W.A.'s "Straight Outta Compton" album.    N.W.A. founding member Easy-E was part of a theme answer in the Friday, May 8 puzzle that Chairman Moe reviewed.

97. Ballad penner: POET.

98. Gym closet contents: GEAR.

99. "Yes __!": SIRREE.

100. Gives the go-ahead: OKs.

101. Poodle pampering place: PET SPA.

102. Grab power: USURP.

103. NFLer supported by Sourdough Sam: NINER.    Sourdough Sam is the mascot of the San Francisco 49ers. 

104. Yard border, perhaps: HEDGE.

105. Natives of the Central Plains: OTOES.

106. Sam of "Jurassic Park": NEILL.  Watched about 5 minutes of it, then changed the channel.   Again, thank you perps.

107. Microwaved: NUKED. 

111. "I can't __": EVEN.

112. Show gumption: DARE.

114. "Please explain": HOW.

115. Time often named for a leader: ERA.

116. Baking soda amt.: TSP.

117. "__ do __": YOU.    Be yourself.

118. Bon mot deliverer: WIT.

119. Morsel: ORT.

Thursday, April 25, 2024 Sarah Sinclair & Kelsey Dixon

 GRWM

20. "Just decide!": MAKE UP YOUR MIND. 

30. Remedy known as "having a counter-beer" in German: HAIR OF THE DOG.

41. In great shape: FIT AS A FIDDLE.

55. Friend's invitation before a party, or a TikTok genre that shows off the starts of 20-, 30-, and 41-Across: GET READY WITH ME.  

So makeup, hair and fit.  Does fit mean outfit?

"GRWM is a slang term and acronym for Get Ready With Me that refers to a genre of vlog-style videos in which users show themselves doing their hair and makeup or dressing in an outfit, sometimes while talking with their viewers.   GRWM videos first became popularized on YouTube in 2011, becoming increasingly prevalent throughout the 2010s and 2020s on video-sharing sites like TikTok."

Who knew? 

Sarah and Kelsey did!    Congratulations to both of you on your LA Times debuts!

Across:

1. The hundred target, in Pilates: ABS.  Apparently there is also something called the 100 ABS challenge.  Who knew?

4. Wander (about): GAD. 

7. Bloke: LAD.  I think I may have learned these words reading Andy Capp.

10. "The Search for General __": food documentary: TSO.   I liked the General Tso cartoon that sumdaze posted on Monday, but FWIW, here's the trailer for the documentary:
 

13. Goal material: NET.

14. Pose: ASK.

15. Tussle over a 58-Down entry: EDIT WAR.  - The next time you pull up a Wikipedia article on a controversial issue,  explore the History and Talk tabs. 

17. Avenger in armor: IRON MAN.  A Marvel Comics character.  Iron Man is the superhero alter ego of the billionaire genius Tony Stark.

19. Foot fashion: TOE RING.   In many cultures of India, the groom puts a toe ring on the second toe  of  both feet of the bride.  An ancient tradition.   RiRi was seen sporting a toe ring with a large rock last May.

22. Stuck in one's craw: ATE AT.   Bugged.  Got on one's nerves. 

23. Sales channel: HSN.  Home Shopping Network.

24. Pokémon that evolves into Kadabra: ABRA.  No clue, but the perps were fair.  That's valid.

26. For fear that: LEST.

27. Rte. finder: GPS.

29. Around the clock worker?: GEAR.
 

35. Surfaces, e.g.: PCs.  Microsoft personal computers.

38. "So that's __?": A NO. 

39. Styled like: à la

40. Paramount+ partner, briefly: SHO time.

45. "That's valid": FAIR.

46. With 9-Down, traveling employee's allowance: PER.
       (9D) See 46-Across: DIEM. 
    - "Covered business expenses typically include accommodation, food, and incidental expenses such as fees and tips for services."

47. Body part with cinco dedos: MANO.

51. Cautionary __: TALE.    Aesop wrote many fables.  Some were cautionary tales.  

52. Landmark civil rights law acronym: ADA.  The Civil Rights Act was 1964.   The Americans with Disabilities Act was 1990. 

54. Try to buy from Ebay: BID ON.

59. Prep roses for "The Bachelor," say: DETHORN.

60. Spot far from the nosebleeds: VIP SEAT.

61. Tums, e.g.: ANTACID. 

62. Scrape (out): EKE.

63. Like much omakase: RAW.   Omakase - "the expression is used by patrons at sushi restaurants to leave the selection to the chef, as opposed to ordering à la carte."

64. Benefit that may be rolled over: Abbr.: PTO.  Paid time off, or personal time off.

65. Peele's partner: KEY.  Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key.  So many hilarious skits.

66. Sloth in "Ice Age": SID.  - Ice Age is a 2002 computer-animated movie.  Sid is a talkative and positive minded ground sloth who stands and walks like a human. 

67. Genre with intense lyrics: EMO.

Down:

1. Cracker shape: ANIMAL.    Muppet wild drummer: ANIMAL.    And then there's George "The Animal" Steele. 

2. Scold: BERATE.

3. Tends a fire: STOKES.   Not sure why I thought of this song:

4. Spectrum: GAMUT.

5. "Now!" letters: ASAP.

6. Be Delicious perfume co.: DKNY.  Donna Karan, New York.  "Top notes are Cucumber, Grapefruit and Magnolia; middle notes are Green Apple, Lily-of-the-Valley, Tuberose, Violet and Rose; base notes are Woodsy Notes, Sandalwood and Amber."

7. "We'll take it from here": LET US entertain you.  Actually, let the regular bloggers entertain you.  My blogs are lame.

8. Add sparkle, say: ADORN. 

10. Places to sleep tight?: TWIN BEDS.

11. "Killing Eve" star: SANDRA OH.   Perhaps better known from her Grey's Anatomy role as Dr. Cristina Yang.

12. Agcy.: ORG.

16. Priority system: TRIAGE.

18. Not o'er: 'NEATH.

21. Très: OH SO.  Meaning very. 

25. Best Picture winner set in Iran: ARGO.  Also, Jason's Ship.

27. Torres of "9-1-1: Lone Star": GINA.   Gina perped in for me.

28. TA overseer: PROF.  I recall one very earnest TA that seemed to have had a mastery of the subject matter.   I'm sure his delivery got better with time. 

31. Wall clock inserts: AAs. 

32. Taper: FADE.

33. "In short" initialism: TLDR.   Too Long Didn't Read.  A summary.  Usually a bullet list of key takeaways gleaned from the lengthy article that follows. 

34. "2001" supercomputer: HAL.   HAL9000 first achieved consciousness in 1991 at the HAL laboratories in Urbana, Illinois.  Hal malfunctioned and became paranoid in a deep space mission.   

35. "As if!": PFFT.    "Not a chance!"    Or, in another sense, "Pfft, and it was gone!"

36. Role in many a spy thriller: CIA AGENT.  

37. 120mm Louboutin feature: STILETTO.  TY perps.  I had no idea what a Louboutin was before solving this answer.   I'll guess that it is a brand name for a shoe.

42. "Queen of Soul" Franklin: ARETHA.  She deserves her props.   That's all she's askin' in return, honey. 

43. Tipping point on a counter?: IPAD.  I scanned an article the other day that suggested that tipping is out of control. 

44. Puts off: EMITS.  I was getting nowhere thinking of defers, delays, postpones ...

48. Hold fast (to): ADHERE.   In woodworking, a holdfast (one word) is a tool used to secure a work piece to the bench.   
 

49. "Nuh-uh!": NO MAAM. 

50. Punch recipe?: ONE TWO. 

52. Bird of prey's nest: AERIE.    An ever growing eagle aerie

53. Hunky-dory: DANDY. 

54. Ostrich or emu: BIPED.  The two largest living (non extinct) birds.  Neither can fly, but they both can run very fast.  An emu tops out at just over 30 MPH while an ostrich can reach speeds of 43 MPH. A Cassowary is also flightless, and slightly slower than an emu. 

56. Giant diamond: ROCK.  Slang.   So many slang meanings for rock.   BTW,  did you link to the URL above and see the size of the rock that was mounted to the toe ring that RiRi was wearing? 

57. First name in haute couture: YVES  Saint Laurent.

58. Collaborative site: WIKI.   This is not the abbreviation for Wikipedia.

59. "The Sacred Art of Giving __": Ta-Nehisi Coates essay about a friendly greeting: DAP.   - An essay from 2008 in which the author comments about the co-opting of giving dap.   He points out that although whites have adopted the dap, it's done primarily in sports related settings,  and that it doesn't carry the same weight of a much deeper meaning that it does among African Americans.    A much more recent article in Salon adds additional historical context and point of view.   Both were good reads for me.

That's all for today.

Here's the grid: