Theme: All in a year's work or As ye sow, so shall ye reap. Four common two-word phrases not specifically with agriculture in common usage, the first word of which is a verb in context, and figuratively an agricultural reference. In its literal sense, each of these agri-words can be used as either a noun or a verb. Collectively, they represent phases of the growing season, and a portion of a farmer's labor throughout the year.
17 A. Deal with, as a stack of dull paperwork : PLOW THROUGH Chug, plug and grind until the task is done. Then it's Miller time, I suppose. A plow is an implement for breaking up the soil in preparation for what follows. As a verb, to plow means to use a plow for its intended purpose.
24. Investor's initial support : SEED CAPITAL The initial funding used to get a new business going. A seed is a flowering plant's unit of reproduction, or, more formally, "a ripened plant ovule containing an embryo." As a verb, it means to sow the land by spreading seeds.
33. Create an incriminating trail : PLANT EVIDENCE Place [false?] evidence in a place where it is likely to be found. A plant, according to the Free Dictionary, is "Any of various photosynthetic, eukaryotic, multicellular organisms of the kingdom Plantae characteristically producing embryos, containing chloroplasts, having cellulose cell walls, and lacking the power of locomotion." Evidently, whoever wrote this definition knows nothing about Triffids. As a verb, "plant" means to stick on of these organisms in the ground in hopes that it will grow.
55. Autumn lunar phenomenon : HARVEST MOON. This is the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox. These nights it might have romantic implications, but in the not so distant past, farmers took advantage of this bright moon to work long hours bringing in their crops. The product of this labor is the HARVEST, and as a verb describes this action.
Hi gang, JazzBumpa driving the combine today. Let's see what Jean's fertile mind has sprouted for us today.
Across
1. "Now I understand" : GOT YA. Slang
6. Congressional proceedings airer : C-SPAN. I have have actaully watched this. Once or twice. For a few minutes.
11. Much-studied flavor enhancer : M S G MonoSodium Glutamate. Does not taste good by itself, but mixes well with many other flavors if used in small quantities.
14. Wilt : DROOP. Sag, slump.
15. Foodie's words for subtle flavoring : A HINT. A hint of MSG might be just about right.
16. Pint filler : ALE. Excellent idea.
19. Rocky prominence : TOR. Probably of Celtic origin.
20. One may be rolled up : SLEEVE. Preparatory to getting down to work. I always think of this guy.
21. Galsworthy's "The Forsyte __" : SAGA. A series of stories about a new money upper crust extended British family, written between 1906 and 1921.
22. One of a chair pair : ARM. But only if it's an armchair. The only other thing I can think of with four legs and two arms is a centaur. They are not compatible with chairs, but can be used for bare back riding.
28. Very disagreeable : BEASTLY. Brutish, brutal, nasty, unpleasant. Centaurs might qualify.
30. Singer Björk's birthplace : ICELAND. Here she is. I have no idea. Really. Can you HARVEST anything from this?
31. Cosby's "I Spy" co-star : CULP. In over 50 years of TV acting Robert Culp made hundreds of appearances in a variety of different programs.
32. Tour de France stage : ETAPE. Just plug in the French word for "stage." I think it means one day of the tour.
39. Bring up : RAISE. As in children, an issue for discussion or a point of order.
40. Simple beds : COTS.
42. Montana neighbor : ALBERTA. To the north, eh.
45. Defining quality : ESSENCE.
48. How long to shop, on a spree? : TILL YOU DROP. I've never understood recreational shopping.
50. AM frequency meas. : KHZ. KiloHertZ
51. Bidding site : E-BAY.
52. Screwball behavior : ANTICS. Here is a fine example.
54. Kitty's love in "Exodus" : ARI. Could he have been portrayed by Sal Mineo?
60. Checker on a board, say : MAN. Such sexism. Game board pieces are never female. In chess, even the queen is a man.
61. French clerics : ABBES. Not to be confused with 21 A nor 56 D.
62. Duck : ELUDE. Evade or avoid, not go under.
63. Tallahassee-to-Tampa dir. : SSE. South-southeast.
64. Bank job : HEIST. Actually, any robbery. When somebody asked Willy Sutton why he robbed banks, he replied, "Because that's where the money is." (1:28 at the clip)
65. Flighty : DITSY. Silly or foolish. But in tracking it down I learned that there is also a thing called a "ditsy print," evidently meaning small scale scattered multi-directional design motifs.
Down
1. National econ. yardstick : GDP Gross Domestic Product. The total value of goods produced and services provided in a country during one year.
2. Fla. NBA team : ORL. The Orlando Magic.
3. Like overly tight clothing : TOO SMALL But it's still a fashion statement.
4. Cry of pain : YOWL. I wanted OUCH
5. H.S. exam for college credit : A P TEST Advanced Placement
6. "Wayne's World" co-star : CARVEY. Dana.
7. Did a smith's work : SHOED a horse
8. More, musically : PIU. I see PIU mosso on music sometimes. I means "more movement" = quicker tempo.
9. Filmmaker Lee : ANG. Do The Right Thing
10. Math degree : NTH. Clever misdirection. The Nth degree is some unspecified higher power.
11. "Hakuna __": "The Lion King" song : MATATA. What, me worry?
12. Maxwell House's "Good to the last drop," e.g. : SLOGAN Classic commercial. No extra charge for gratuitous rudeness.
13. Spiro's successor : GERALD. Vice presidents Agnew and Ford.
18. Obedience school command : HEEL. Sit. Stay. Sic 'em.
21. "Shh!" : SILENCE. My dad used to say, "Keep it down to a dull roar."
22. Preschool song opener : A B C [etc] But it took Big Bird to teach us how to pronounce it.
23. Enlist again : RE-UP. Typically in the armed forces.
25. Bank lead-in : CITI. CITIbank is the commercial banking division of CITIgroup, the 3rd largest bank holding company in the U.S. Probably too big to fail.
26. Military sch. : ACAD. Academy. Note abrv in cl & ans.
27. Animated Le Pew : PEPE. The always amorous skunk.
29. In an economical manner : SPARELY. If by economical you mean cheap.
32. Celebration before the celebration? : EVE. Twas the night before . . .
34. Not (a one) : NARY. . . . a creature was stirring.
35. Jackson 5 brother : TITO. Along with Jackie, Jermain, Marlon, and that other one. What was his name?
36. Rebekah's eldest : ESAU. No, that ain't it. Who saw what ESAU saw?
37. Goes kaput : CONKS OUT. Stops working, as a machine.
38. Make an engraving : ETCH. Remember those Engrave-a-sketch toys?
41. "__ who?" : SEZ. More slang, SEZ I.
42. First-stringers : A TEAMS.
43. Some October babies : LIBRAS. The 7th sign of the Zodiac, between 180 and 207.25 degrees of celestial longitude, or Sept 23 to Oct 23 on the calendar.
44. He replaced Ken as Barbie's beau from 2004 to 2006 : BLAINE. But then Barbie and Ken got back together. And I missed it all.
45. Actor Borgnine : ERNEST. I remember him from 60's TV.
46. They're often stewed : SOTS. Drunkards. Prunes wouldn't fit
47. Was nasty to : SPITED. Was deliberately hurtful or offensive.
49. Barry and Brubeck : DAVES. Brubeck just died last month, one day short of 92. Here is one of his gentler songs.
53. Mid 10th-century year : CMLI. 951. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, Elfeah, Bishop of Winchester, died on St. Gregory's mass day.
55. "A likely story!" : HAH. Really, he did.
56. 16th prez : ABE. Honest!
57. Slugger's stat : RBI. Runs Batted In.
58. Gorges oneself (on) : O.D.S OverDoses. Borrowed from medial terminology
59. Napoleonic marshal : NEY. I can never remember this guys name.
Well, I'll call this a bountiful harvest, and now I'm gong to call it a night.
Cool Regards!
JzB
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This is a fun blog. Light-hearted banter is welcome. Snark is not. If you want to fight, find my other blog.
Play nice, and we'll all have fun.
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Cheers!
JzB