Ryan and Brian do Crosswords

The follow-up to yesterday’s brain crushing puzzle (The Great Howard Barkin, Knower of All Things admitted even he needed google.  Heavens!) is obviously much easier.  Yet, still, I don’t have Paula Gamache’s grid completely filled in and, quite frankly, I’m not too confident that’ll happen without outside help.

I have a about 2/3 of the puzzle done with numerous trouble spots:

1A. 18th century Venetian fresco painter (_IEPOLO).  I couldn’t pick out an 18th century Venetian fresco if you spread it on toast and served it to me with an assortment of my favorite beverages.

1D. Fancy shooting marbles (_AWS).  I owned marbles as a kid but I don’t think I ever played marbles.  I pretty much just carried them around in a bag and used them to finagle my way out of various tight situations.  I certainly didn’t have different names for them.

21A. Sight of two ecumenical councils (NI_AEA).  Here’s something I realized.  I have no idea what the word ecumenical means.

The theme is fun.  SOUNDS LIKE IT’S COLD IN HERE.  A BR sound is added to in-the-language phrases that already have a B sound.

23A. Question to a paralegal? (WHERES THE BRIEF).

45A. Warning sign outside of Br’er Rabbit’s home? (BRIER BEWARE).

63A. Usefull advice for a ring referee? (KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE BRAWL).

Those are the only theme answers I’ve figure out so far although I do know that 87A. Silicone implant companies begins with BREAST.

A couple things I know because of Shakespeare:

35A. Ancient name for Great Britain (ALBION).  I just played the Fool in a reading of King Lear and had this line:

When Priests are more in word, then matter;

When Brewers marre their Malt with water;

When Nobles are their Taylors Tutors,

No Heretiques burn’d, but wenches Sutors;

When euery Case in Law, is right;

No Squire in debt, nor no poore Knight;

When Slanders do not liue in Tongues;

Nor Cut-purses come not to throngs;

When Vsurers tell their Gold i’th’ Field,

And Baudes, and whores, do Churches build,

Then shal the Realme of Albion, come to great confusion:

Then comes the time, who liues to see’t,

That going shalbe vs’d with feet.

106A. Beloved of Pyramus (THISBE).  I played Francis Flute the Bellows-Mender in Midsummer a few years ago and had this exchange:

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