What an inauguration this morning. I’m feeling hopeful. I expect good things from this administration. Things are looking less divisive.
I pulled out 65A Isle of ___ : SKYE because it reminds me of when I went to Islay. I enjoyed going to the Laphroiag distillery back in 2019. They were really nice there, and I am looking forward to going back. When I was sitting at the bar at the distillery, some dude said that he was going to other places in Scotland, including the Isle of Skye. I said, “Oh! Are you going to go to Talisker?” When he asked me if he should, I recommended he talk to the people who work at Laphroaig. So the guy told a bartender that he was going to Skye. The reply: “Oh! Are you going to Talisker?”
The theme of this puzzle was our country being together.
15A Sharing thoughts like a Vulcan [Detroit, Fargo]: MINDMELDING. There’s been too much of that. Let’s get back to honest debate.
22A Classic of daytime TV first aired in 1962 [Atlanta, Bangor]: MATCHGAME. Betty White was on Match Game for years. She’s now in her 100th year. How cool is that?
45A Arthritis symptom [Altoona, South Bend]: JOINTPAIN.
57A Sommelier’s suggestion [Oshkosh, Omaha]: WINEPAIRING. How else would we know not to have white wine with steak?
36A Red, white and blue land … or what 15-, 22-, 45- and 57-Across feature?: THEUNITEDSTATES. United.
15A Detroit, MI; Fargo, ND. MIND.
22A Atlanta, GA; Bangor, ME. GAME.
45A Altoona, PA; South Bend, IN. PAIN.
57A Oshkosh, WI; Omaha, NE. WINE.
And in what was a clear shoutout to Bernie Sanders…
62A Kind of milk: ONEPERCENT.
Finished this one in 25:44.