21. Patient care group : MEDICAL TEAM.
32. Political convention announcement : RUNNING MATE.
42. Casing filler : SAUSAGE MEAT.
55. Like much rock ... and like the last words of 21-, 32- and 42-Across? : "META"-MORPHIC.
Cute theme from Bruce and Gail today. We have the prefix "META," morphing into other words.
Here's my bonus theme entry: PUDDING TAME ("What's your name?" "Pudding Tame. Ask me again, and I'll tell you the same!")
Across
1. The Olympic Australis and others : OPALS. Gimme. I have used this clue in one of my own puzzles!
6. Sound detectors : EARS. Haha.
10. Move lightly : FLIT.
14. Full range : GAMUT.
15. Produce on a farm : GROW. Verb form. Anyone else toy with things like "corn" or "beet" or "bean"?
16. Biked it : RODE.
17. Video game brother : LUIGI. Fraternal twin of Mario.
18. Hold 'em fee : ANTE.
19. "That makes sense" : I SEE.
20. 2002 British Open champion : ELS. Ernie, aka "The Big Easy."
24. Pay : DISBURSE.
26. "Frasier" role : ROZ. Last week I had Niles Crane, this week it's Roz.
27. "Arabian Nights" name : ALI.
28. Duties : TARIFFS.
37. Novelist Tolstoy : LEO.
38. Rep on the street : CRED.
39. Place for a small pet : LAP.
40. Jag, e.g. : AUTO.
41. Had-at link : A GO.
46. Picking up, in a way : SENSING.
48. Quaint preposition : ERE. And a semi-clecho at 61-Across. Quaint "not" : NARY.
49. Dennings of "2 Broke Girls" : KAT. This lady.
50. The "it" in "I don't want to talk about it" : SORE SPOT.
59. Wild way to go : APE.
60. "Little Things Mean __": 1954 #1 hit : A LOT.
62. It's usually not more than a foot : TAP IN. I hope Gary is soon back at his favorite game.
64. Lead : CLUE. Did you have one?
65. Slush Puppie maker : ICEE.
66. Part of a meet : EVENT.
67. Enjoys a hero : EATS.
68. Agreeing words : AYES.
69. Takes chances : DARES.
Down
1. Looked like a wolf? : OGLED.
2. Eighth-century pope : PAUL I. May 29, 757 to June 28, 767.
3. Not quite right : AMISS.
4. Haul : LUG.
5. Reaction causes : STIMULI.
6. "Holy moly!" : EGADS.
7. Golf nickname : ARNIE. Palmer.
8. Coll. drilling group : ROTC. Reserve Officers' Training Corps.
9. Curse : SWEAR AT.
10. Aunt in "Nancy" : FRITZI. Full name: FRITZI Ritz.
11. Come in too late? : LOSE.
12. Start of a solution : IDEA.
13. Abound (with) : TEEM.
22. "Happy Days" actress Moran : ERIN.
23. It's retold often : LORE.
25. Ratt or Poison : BAND. Total WAG.
28. Taberna snack : TAPA.
29. Drawing passage : FLUE. And 31-Down. 29-Down buildup : SOOT.
30. Crumbly salad topper : FETA.
32. Some HDTVs : RCAs.
33. Push for : URGE.
34. Reason for glowing letters : NEON.
35. Water cooler sound : GLUG.
36. Humanities degs. : MAs. Master of Arts.
40. City north of Des Moines : AMES.
42. Rama VII's kingdom : SIAM.
43. "Mary Queen of Scots" biographer Fraser : ANTONIA. I haven't read that one.
44. One of the Spice Girls : GERI.
45. Built : ERECTED.
47. Winter Olympics equipment : SKATES.
50. Self-gratifying outing : SPREE...because "ego trip" didn't fit.
51. "But of course!" : OH YES!
52. Supermarket option : PAPER.
53. Speak one's mind : OPINE.
54. Staked shelters : TENTS.
55. Nutmeg spice : MACE.
56. Scat legend, familiarly : ELLA.
57. Talk up : TOUT.
58. Suggestive : RACY.
63. Co-star of Richard in "The Night of the Iguana" : AVA. Richard Burton and AVA Gardner. I love Allan [sic] Sherman's song about it (to the tune of "Streets of Laredo"):
"They were down there to film The Night of the Iguana
With a star-studded cast and a technical crew.
They did things at night midst the flora and fauna
That no self-respecting iguana would do."
Iguana go now...
Marti
