0917-19 NY Times Crossword 17 Sep 19, Tuesday

Constructed by: Paul Coulter
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Theme (according to Bill): Like a Happy …

Themed answers are common phrases reinterpreted with reference to “happy” individuals with certain occupations:

  • 17A Like a happy astronaut? : OVER THE MOON
  • 24A Like a happy portrait model? : SITTING PRETTY
  • 38A Like a happy mountaineer? : ON TOP OF THE WORLD
  • 49A Like a happy medium? : IN GOOD SPIRITS
  • 59A Like a happy meteorologist? : ON CLOUD NINE

Read on, or jump to …
… a complete list of answers

Bill’s time: 6m 00s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

My road trip in Southern California/Nevada continues with my brother from Ireland. As such, I only had time to solve this evening, and write up this abbreviated post. I will get to the full post just as soon as I can.

Apologies for the inconvenience, and thanks for your understanding.

Bill

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Pettable purrer : LAP CAT
7 2012 film about the so-called “Canadian Caper” : ARGO
11 Sights in sports bars : TVS
14 Where Odysseus is king, in the “Odyssey” : ITHACA
15 “That was a close one!” : WHEW!
16 Carnival city, informally : RIO
17 Like a happy astronaut? : OVER THE MOON
19 Raggedy redhead : ANN
20 C.I.A. sister service : NSA
21 State that’s only 45 miles wide at the top: Abbr. : IDA
22 Complete, as a PDF contract : E-SIGN
24 Like a happy portrait model? : SITTING PRETTY
29 Cry of triumph after arriving : I MADE IT!
31 Boot from office : OUST
32 Jeans material : DENIM
33 PC bailout key : ESC
34 Bear with a bed that was too hard : PAPA
38 Like a happy mountaineer? : ON TOP OF THE WORLD
42 Bringing up the rear : LAST
43 Pride for a gym rat : PEC
44 Overcaffeinated : WIRED
45 Quick farewells : BYES
47 Old British coins worth 21 shillings : GUINEAS
49 Like a happy medium? : IN GOOD SPIRITS
53 Prefix with ribonucleic : DEOXY-
54 Connections : INS
55 Rug rat : TOT
58 Something that may be chocolate-coated? : LAB
59 Like a happy meteorologist? : ON CLOUD NINE
64 H : ETA
65 Pouty face : MOUE
66 Convenience from an auto garage : LOANER
67 Nursery supply usually sold in rolls : SOD
68 Knocks the socks off : AWES
69 Space in a relationship : AGE GAP

Down

1 One of two statues outside the New York Public Library : LION
2 Off-road rides, for short : ATVS
3 They’re game : PHEASANTS
4 You drive it on a parkway and park it in a driveway : CAR
5 Make a scene? : ACT
6 The H.M.S. Bounty stopped here in 1788 : TAHITI
7 “You’re killing me, bro!” : AW, MAN!
8 P : RHO
9 Prefix with cache : GEO-
10 Titleholders : OWNERS
11 Blue eyes or hairy legs, e.g. : TRAIT
12 French 20 : VINGT
13 Eldest Corleone brother : SONNY
18 Change … one hopes for the better : EDIT
23 Score of 5-4, 40-15, say : SET POINT
25 Boob tube : IDIOT BOX
26 Fill-in : TEMP
27 “Holy cow!” : GOSH!
28 Color akin to eggplant : PUCE
29 Fan favorite : IDOL
30 Actress Suvari : MENA
33 Inclusive abbr. : ETC
35 Very noticeable : ARRESTING
36 “Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope,” e.g. : PLEA
37 Annexes : ADDS
39 Kind of column : OP-ED
40 Admit, with “up” : FESS
41 It had theaters in Europe and the Pacific, for short : WWII
46 Virtuoso taking a bow before a performance? : YO-YO MA
47 Vocalist Vannelli : GINO
48 Villainess in “The Little Mermaid” : URSULA
49 Doesn’t go anywhere : IDLES
50 “Cool beans!” : NEATO!
51 Rot : GO BAD
52 Heaps : PILES
56 Apartment number for many a building superintendent : ONE-A
57 Maryland collegian, informally : TERP
60 “This instant!” : NOW!
61 Signal : CUE
62 Follow relentlessly : DOG
63 Scottish denial : NAE