Alex is back with a visual rebus puzzle, like the old Concentration game. The number 8 can be presented in a few ways, with the most common being similar to a sideways infinity symbol. However, one can place a "o" on top another "o," and also create an eight. This puzzle has six down fill, including the reveal, where the word 'eight' is replaced with the visual. Since most puzzles have at least some across fill in the theme, it took a while to see the direction Alex had taken. Knowing my audience I expect a mixed bag of reviews, but I liked it when the light bulb came on. Like most visual puzzles, if you understand what is going on, the rest is easy. For me, seeing so many OO words made the theme and solve possible to suss. There are some uncommon fill, UP SOLD, CLOSEUP, SHUTOUT, AS I SEE IT, OVERRODE, RETROFIT and SAO PAULO. So many almost religious fill....On with the show:
3D. '70s-'80s show about a big family : OO IS ENOUGH (10). Eight is Enough overcame the death of the actress playing the mother (John Travolta's girlfriend) Diana Hyland in the first season.
7D. Obsolete audio technology : OO TRACK (7). The eight track player did not last long. HISTORY.
9D. Federal housing assistance program : SECTION OO (9). Section 8 was part of the Housing Act of 1937.
30D. Treasure chest coins represented graphically by two consecutive letters in six puzzle answers (including this one) : PIECES OF OO (10). Pieces of eight explained in the introductory link.
32A. 1875 Alcott novel : OO COUSINS (9). Never read it.
40D. Budget motel chain : SUPER OO (7). We have one NEARBY. But I like this ONE better.
Across:
1. Short pants? : TROUsers. The only time I have ever seen or heard the abbreviation was in the phrase, "Drop trou."
5. "Gloria in Excelsis __" : DEO.
8. Where JFK, Nixon and Carter served : US NAVY. This was harder than it needed to be because 'where' obscured the answer/
14. Brazil's largest city : SAO PAULO. Sao is the Portuguese version of San in Spanish.
16. Military builder : SEABEE. More Navy as the nickname is a heterograph of the first initials "C.B." from the words Construction Battalion.
17. "In my opinion ... " : AS I SEE IT.
18. MLB single-season recordholder for most hits : ICHIRO. The ageless Japanese star is still playing, now for the Marlins.
19. Skier's destination : RESORT.
20. Musical set in Manhattan's East Village : RENT.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLjFGwivFtU
22. Shooting marble : TAW. Like Tiddlywinks and the Monopoly iron, unknown to the youth.
23. "Xanadu" gp. : ELO. Electric Light Orchestra. THE SEVENTIES.
24. Youngest Simpson : MAGGIE.
26. O'er there : YOND(er?)- and now a word from our sponsors: "adverb & adjective archaic
yonder.
28. Somewhat, to Saint-Saëns : POCO. I am confused as S-S was a French composer and musician. 11D. Somewhat : A BIT.
29. Against: Abbr. : OPPosed.
31. Spanish pronoun : ESO.
32. Pen pal's greeting? : OINK. 555!
33. Removes, as a temporary hem : UNPINS.
36. No-hitter, usually : SHUTOUT. But not always.
38. Shot with more detail : CLOSEUP.
39. Hogwarts subjects : MAGICS. Time for Potter break?
40. Ford maverick? : SOLO. Han Solo - the lack of capital "M" made this easy.
41. Windy City transit initials : CTA. Chicago Transit Authority.
42. Blue Shield offering : HMO.
43. Energy field : AURA.
44. Hardy title teenager : TESS. Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented.
45. Carpathian Mountains locale : EUROPE. The Carpathian Mountains form a 1,500km-long range in Central and Eastern Europe. They stretch west to east in an arc from the Czech Republic to Romania. Wiki.
47. Do diner work : BUS. All restaurants with servers.
48. Roadie's box : AMP.
51. Product made from fermented rice : SAKE.
52. Game typically with 81 squares : SUDOKU. A favorite of many solvers.
55. "Scram!" : BEAT IT. Who can resist this LINK. MORE.
57. Make less vulnerable to earthquakes, say : RETROFIT. Or what Rich does to the puzzles he receives.
59. Straying : ERRANT.
60. Countermanded : OVERRODE.
61. Wee : TEENSY.
62. Muesli bit : OAT.
63. Repairs with turf : SODS.
Down:
1. Russia had one in the 20th century : TSAR. One and only one: Nicholas II.
2. Level, in London : RASE.
4. Induced the purchase of add-ons, say : UPSOLD.
5. "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love," e.g. : DUET. Loved Roberta FLACK.
6. Brother of Peyton : ELI. More Mannings on the way?
8. Employing : USING. Many employees would applaud this honesty.
10. "No thanks" : NAH.
12. Aloe __ : VERA.
13. "That smarts!" : YEOW.
15. Flight-related prefix : AERO.
21. I problem? : EGO.
24. Pyrénées peak : MONT.
25. Mike of "Next Friday" : EPPS.
26. Rural agreement : YES'M.
27. Org. that inspects workplaces : OSHA.
28. Any of 12 popes : PIUS.
33. Uma's role in "The Producers" : ULLA.
34. Squirrel's hoard : NUTS.
35. Escape destinations : SPAS.
37. Fourth dimension : TIME.
38. Essence : CORE.
43. Hunky-dory : A-OK. I believe this was coined by the astronauts.
44. Elizabeth I's line : TUDORS.
46. Shabby : RATTY.
47. "Hamilton" role : BURR. Two weeks in a row.
48. Help with a job? : ABET. Oh, that kind of job!
49. "A __ formality" : MERE. Sounds conflicted.
50. Shave : PARE.
52. Editor's mark : STET.
53. Captain hanged for piracy : KIDD.
54. Pac-12 team : UTES.
56. Salon offering : TAN.
58. Spacewalk initials : EVA. Extra-vehicular activity.
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