Theme: Conductor's Conduct or Overbearing at the Opera or Tyranny from the Pit. In-the-language phrases are repurposed as harsh instructions from the conductor to members of a musical ensemble.
20. "Second oboe, play the right notes this time!," e.g.: WIND DIRECTION. This normally refers to the compass point from which the wind originates, rather than where it is blowing towards. But here it is a rather rude instruction given to one of the wind instrument players. There are generally considered to be the woodwinds.
26. "Sing your solo correctly for once!," e.g.: VOICE COMMAND. This usually indicates a spoken word or phrase used to control devices, software, or applications, enabling hands-free operation via speech recognition technology. But here it is another rude correction of a poor singer, probably feeling a bit intimidated.
45. "Perform the music as written! No sharps or flats!," e.g.: NATURAL ORDER. This typically refers to the inherent, logical, or spontaneous arrangement of things in the universe, operating according to natural laws rather than human design - perhaps the music of the spheres. Or maybe not. This one is a bit of a stretch, but yes, one should play the notes on the page and not add in any vagrant accidentals [written sharps of flats that are foreign to the key signature.]
54. "You must!," or how a demanding conductor would interpret 20-, 26-, and 45-Across: IT'S IMPERATIVE. Disobedience is not an option, so get it right.
Hi, Gang, JazzBumpa here to conduct us on our way through this musical composition. I promise not to be over bearing.
Fortunately, I never had to deal with that kind of conductor - though there are many of them out there. Once, when I was playing in an amateur symphony orchestra, due to a copyists error - so, totally not my fault - I wound up playing a note that clashed with the music. IIRC, this was in Howard Hanson's 2nd Symphony - an absolutely gorgeous piece of music. The conductor looked a me and said, "Just play any note in the chord." I asked, "What is the chord?" "D Major," he replied. I was playing a G. Probably the worst possible note in that context.
1. "__ Secretary": Téa Leoni drama: MADAM. Madam Secretary explored Elizabeth McCord's life as the reluctant but determined United States Secretary of State. She drives international diplomacy, battles office politics, and circumvents protocol, if needed, as she navigates global conflicts. The show also focuses on McCord's personal life and family, and their relationship with her work; she is married and has three children. Elizabeth Téa Pantaleoni [b. 1966] known professionally as Téa Leoni, is an American actress and producer. Leoni also starred in the short-lived 1992 sitcom Flying Blind and The Naked Truth. She's been married to both Tim Daly and David Duchovny, with whom she has a child named West. Leoni is also a dedicated supporter of UNICEF, traveling to see their programs in action and serving on their National Board.
6. Sound effect made with coconut shells: CLOP.
14. Horace composition: EPODE. Horace's Epodes is a collection of 17 early Roman poems, published around 30-29 BCE, that imitate the iambic verse of the Greek poet Archilochus, featuring themes of love, nature, politics, and social commentary with a tone ranging from witty to vitriolic. The poems, written in a mix of meters, often use a longer first line followed by a shorter second line (the "epode"), and explore topics like loyalty to his patron Maecenas, the contrast between rural and urban life, and sharp invective against enemies, showcasing a more aggressive style than his later Odes.
15. "Houdini" singer Dua: LIPA. Dua Lipa [b. 1995] is an English singer, songwriter, and model known for her dance-infused pop anthems and husky vocals. Her music blends influences from pop, dance, and electronic genres, with retro-inspired disco and pop rhythms. Lipa has won seven Brit Awards and three Grammys. The name Dua was her grandmother's suggestion, and means "love" in Albanian.
16. 2017 Tony winner "Come From __": AWAY. Come From Away is a Tony Award-winning musical by Irene Sankoff and David Hein that tells the true story of the 7,000 airline passengers stranded in Gander, Newfoundland, after the 9/11 attacks, and the small town that welcomed them with open hearts and homes.
17. "... and anything else that might come up": OR WHATEVER.
19. Hon: BABE. Terms of endearment.
22. Sneaky: SLY. Having or showing a cunning and deceitful nature.
23. Blood: KIN. Those in a familial relationship.
24. Ashram figure: MONK. An Ashram is a hermitage, monastic community, or other place of religious retreat. A MONK isa member of a religious community of men typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
31. "Gnossiennes" composer: SATIE. Eric Alfred Leslie Satie (1866 – 1925), better known as Erik Satie, was a French composer and pianist. "Gnossienne," a word he invented, refers to a set of seven piano pieces composed by Erik Satie around 1890, characterized by a unique, unconventional style without traditional bar lines or structure. They are fabulously experimental pieces in which the form consists of haunting melodic fragments which circle around without any specific direction or goal. In their circularity and stasis they seem to lay down a challenge to German 19th century dominance: music does not have to be developmental; neither does it have to be goal-directed or hierarchical. It can simply float along and be an evocative mystery.
34. Take a chance: DARE.
35. Online marketing strategy, for short: SEO. Search Engine Optimization is the practice of improving a website to increase its visibility in organic (unpaid) search engine results. By optimizing content, technical structure, and authority, SEO helps search engines like Google understand and rank pages higher, driving more targeted traffic to a website.
36. Count in the cereal aisle: CHOCULA. A chocolate-flavored, marshmallow-filled breakfast cereal introduced by General Mills in March 1971, featuring a friendly vampire mascot. Primarily sold during the Halloween season, it is part of the "Monster Cereals" line alongside Franken Berry and Boo Berry.
39. "Girl With a Pearl Earring" painter: VERMEER. Johannes Vermeer (1632–1675) was a renowned Dutch Baroque painter specializing in intimate, meticulously detailed domestic interior scenes. He worked slowly, producing only about 35 known paintings, often using expensive pigments to masterfully depict light and calm, quiet atmospheres. Despite his talent, he was not wealthy and left his wife and many children in debt upon his sudden death, leading to centuries of obscurity before his rediscovery.
41. __ Lingus: AER. Aer Lingus, the flag carrier airline of the Republic of Ireland, was founded in 1936. Headquartered at Dublin Airport, it operates a hybrid business model providing both low-cost European and full-service transatlantic flights to over 100 destinations across Europe and North America.
42. Invalidate: VOID. To cancel, invalidate, or nullify something, such as a contract, check, or warranty, rendering it legally ineffective.
44. Like a dive bar: SEEDY. Said of a person, place, or thing that is disreputable, shabby, or in poor condition, often implying a sense of moral decay or dishonesty. It can also mean run-down or dirty.
49. Lavish love (on): DOTE. Be extremely and uncritically fond of.
50. Graphic opening?: GEO-. The prefix geo- means earth, ground, or land. It is used in English to form words relating to physical, geographical, or geological aspects of our planet. Some people think this kind of clue is clever. To me, it is self-referential and misleadingly annoying.
51. Check out: VET. To thoroughly investigate, examine, or check someone or something for accuracy, authenticity, or suitability. It is commonly used in professional contexts to screen candidates, check documents, or evaluate potential risks before approval. It is a 19th-century back-formation from the abbreviation of "veterinarian," originating in the 1890s. It initially meant to submit a horse to a physical examination by a vet before a race, and by the early 1900s, it broadened to mean examining anyone or anything for flaws.
59. Coil in a garden: HOSE. A coil is a length of something wound or arranged in a spiral or sequence of rings. This is a typical arrangement for a garden hose. Or, perhaps, a snake. Be careful.
61. Worker who tracks transactions: BOOKKEEPER. A person whose job is to keep records of the financial affairs of a business. I don't know of another English word with either a double K, or a sequence of three consecutive double letters.
62. The America's Cup, for one: EWER. The America's Cup is a sailing competition and the oldest international competition still operating in any sport. Or, as here, the relvant trophy. America's Cup match races are held between two sailing yachts: one from the yacht club that currently holds the trophy and the other from the yacht club that is challenging for the cup. A EWER is a large jug with a wide mouth.
42. Invalidate: VOID. To cancel, invalidate, or nullify something, such as a contract, check, or warranty, rendering it legally ineffective.
44. Like a dive bar: SEEDY. Said of a person, place, or thing that is disreputable, shabby, or in poor condition, often implying a sense of moral decay or dishonesty. It can also mean run-down or dirty.
49. Lavish love (on): DOTE. Be extremely and uncritically fond of.
50. Graphic opening?: GEO-. The prefix geo- means earth, ground, or land. It is used in English to form words relating to physical, geographical, or geological aspects of our planet. Some people think this kind of clue is clever. To me, it is self-referential and misleadingly annoying.
51. Check out: VET. To thoroughly investigate, examine, or check someone or something for accuracy, authenticity, or suitability. It is commonly used in professional contexts to screen candidates, check documents, or evaluate potential risks before approval. It is a 19th-century back-formation from the abbreviation of "veterinarian," originating in the 1890s. It initially meant to submit a horse to a physical examination by a vet before a race, and by the early 1900s, it broadened to mean examining anyone or anything for flaws.
59. Coil in a garden: HOSE. A coil is a length of something wound or arranged in a spiral or sequence of rings. This is a typical arrangement for a garden hose. Or, perhaps, a snake. Be careful.
61. Worker who tracks transactions: BOOKKEEPER. A person whose job is to keep records of the financial affairs of a business. I don't know of another English word with either a double K, or a sequence of three consecutive double letters.
62. The America's Cup, for one: EWER. The America's Cup is a sailing competition and the oldest international competition still operating in any sport. Or, as here, the relvant trophy. America's Cup match races are held between two sailing yachts: one from the yacht club that currently holds the trophy and the other from the yacht club that is challenging for the cup. A EWER is a large jug with a wide mouth.
63. Sea eagle: ERNE. An older, traditional name for a large sea eagle, specifically the White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), a massive bird of prey found across Eurasia, closely related to North America's Bald Eagle. This used to be a frequent flier in crosswords. Now it is a rare bit of nostalgia.
64. Signals from space, perhaps: OMENS. Omens are events regarded as portents of good or evil. I am not getting the connection to the clue.
65. Dumpster fire: MESS. A chaotic or disastrously mishandled situation. Mess hardly seems adequate.
66. Mary __ Lincoln: TODD. Mary Ann Todd Lincoln [1818 - 1882] was First Lady of the United States from 1861 until the assassination of her husband, President Abraham Lincoln, in 1865. Mary Todd was born into a large and wealthy slave-owning family in Kentucky, although Mary never owned slaves and in her adulthood came to oppose slavery.
67. Hospital employee: NURSE. Registered nurses (RNs) provide direct patient care, acting as health educators and advocates in hospitals, clinics, and homes.
Down:
1. Feline chorus: MEOWS. Stylized cat sounds.
2. National Scrabble Day month: APRIL. National Scrabble Day is celebrated annually on April 13th to honor the birth of the game's inventor, Alfred Mosher Butts, born on this day in 1899. The day promotes playing the iconic word game, which was originally developed during the Great Depression and is now enjoyed globally in over 120 countries.
3. Soft and fluffy: DOWNY. Covered [or filled] with fine soft hair or feathers. By extension, anything with a similar feeling.
4. Med. condition treated with Ritalin: ADHD. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and/or impulsivity that interfere with daily functioning. It typically starts in childhood and can continue into adulthood, affecting how the brain manages focus, organization, and behavioral control.
5. Medieval fair quaff: MEAD. Mead, or honey wine, is an ancient alcoholic beverage created by fermenting honey with water, often with fruits, spices, or hops. It ranges from dry to sweet and 3.5% to >20% ABV. Best served chilled (white wine temp) or slightly warmer for spiced versions, it offers a versatile flavor profile reflecting the honey source, ranging from floral to fruity or spicy.
6. Healing character class in D&D: CLERIC. Dungeons and Dragons features 13 core character classes. Each has a different set of strengths and weaknesses. Clerics have a special relationship with a specific god and can function as versatile divine spellcasters and armored front-line support, serving as armored healers, protectors, and undead hunters who draw power from a deity or divine domain.
7. Pepped (up): LIVENED. Made something more lively, exciting, energetic or intereresting.
8. Gp. founded in Baghdad: OPEC. Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.
9. Hair line?: PART. The line on the scalp where hair is divided and brushed in different directions, often dictated by natural growth patterns, cowlicks, or styling preferences. The other hair line is the edge or border where hair growth begins on the human head, particularly along the forehead. In recent years I have experienced significant forehead growth.
10. Explosive sound: KABOOM. Used to represent the sound of a loud explosion.
11. "Lemme look!": I WANNA SEE. A couple of colloquial contractions expressing a desire to observe something.
12. Open page on a web browser: TAB. A user interface element located at the top of the window that allows you to open and switch between multiple websites within a single browser window. At the moment, I have 13 open in Chrome.
13. Cornea locale: EYE. The cornea is the transparent, dome-shaped outermost layer at the front of the eye, covering the iris and pupil.
18. Polynesian carving: TIKI. A carved human-like figure representing Polynesian deities or the first man in Māori mythology, embodying a deep spiritual connection to nature.
21. Plunge into liquid: IMMERSE. Dip or submerge in a liquid.
25. Gave a leg up to?: KNEED. Hit someone with the knee.
26. The Old __: London venue: VIC. A historic, independent theatre in Lambeth, South London, founded in 1818 and famously nicknamed for its 1833 renaming to the Royal Victoria Theatre. Renowned for Shakespearean productions, it served as the original home of the National Theatre from 1963 to 1976 and is a major cultural landmark.
27. Bodies of work: OEUVRES. The works of a painter, composer, or author regarded collectively.
28. CLE player: CAV. The Cleveland Cavaliers, often referred to as the Cavs, are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. They are currently in 4th place.
29. Mine deposit: ORE. A naturally occurring solid material from which a metal or valuable mineral can be profitably extracted.
30. Flat-bottomed fishing boat: DORY. A small flat-bottomed rowboat with a high bow and stern, of a kind originally used for fishing in New England.
31. Airport security check: SCAN. A safety screening process using technology like millimeter-wave imaging or X-ray systems to detect metallic and non-metallic, prohibited items (weapons, explosives) on passengers or in luggage.
32. Up, in a way: AHEAD. A team or individual that is leading - or ahead- of their opponent is said to be "up" on them.
33. Giant Galapagos natives: TORTOISES. The Galápagos tortoise (Chelonoidis niger), also called the Galápagos giant tortoise, is a very large species of tortoise in the genus Chelonoidis (which also contains three smaller species from mainland South America). The species comprises 15 subspecies (12 extant and 3 extinct). It is the largest living species of tortoise, and can weigh up to 417 kg (919 lb). They are also the largest extant terrestrial cold-blooded animals (ectotherms).
37. Hawaiian for "long": LOA. Distant, long, tall, far or permanent.
38. Feel bad: AIL. Troubled or afflicted in mind or body.
40. Large body of eau: MER. French for water and sea.
43. Backyard feature for a water-loving pup: DOG POND. A specific body of water, a designated area within a park, or a business dedicated to dogs swimming, playing, or training. I suppose there could be one in a backyard somewhere.
46. Says out loud: UTTERS. Makes a sound with one's voice.
47. Stunk: REEKED. Emitted a strong and unpleasant odor.
48. "How To __ Your Diary": interactive edition in a YA series: DORK. An interactive, DIY companion book to Rachel Renée Russell's popular Dork Diaries series, offering tips, prompts, and space for readers to create their own secret journals, inspired by Nikki Maxwell's experiences with diary-keeping, code words, and the importance of privacy.
51. Bygone Dodge two-seater: VIPER. A sports car manufactured for most years between 1992 and 2017.
52. Levels: EVENS. Gives something a flat and even surface.
53. Hardly rambling: TERSE. Sparing in the use of words; abrupt.
55. Skeptical scoff: I BET. A phrase used sarcastically to mean the opposite of it's literal meaning, hence indicating severe doubt or disbelief.
56. __ reflex: infant's instinctive protective response: MORO. An involuntary, protective, two-phase reaction in newborns triggered by a sensation of falling, sudden movement, or loud noise. When startled, a baby throws back their head, extends arms and legs, cries, and then pulls limbs back inward. It typically appears at birth and disappears by 5–6 months.
57. Millennia upon millennia: AEON. A very long indefinite time period.
58. Online discount marketplace: TEMU. Temu is an online marketplace operated by e-commerce company PDD Holdings, which is owned by Colin Huang. It offers heavily discounted consumer goods, mostly shipped to consumers directly from China.
59. Haw counterpart: HEM. To hem and haw is to be uncertain and take a long time deciding something. The phrase originated in the 16th and 17th centuries as an imitative phrase for hesitant, indecisive, or evasive speech.
60. Be outstanding: OWE. Any unpaid debt is said to be outstanding.
So ends our more or less musical excursion. Hope it hit the right notes for you.
Cool regards!
Ron
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