MEOW #171 - March Air

[Bird Lives]

The cat is out of the bag and awaiting confirmation

either way, I nominate 38D as Clue of the Year - ROTFL

Thanks. I'm glad at least one person got it.

[whimsy]

Ran into this crowd at the pub the other night --- quite a line for the bathroom --

'Peers of the Realm'

[Bird Lives]

On Day One, thirty-eight cats left their respective bags. Those reporting the escapes were:
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Surely others will join the parade in the coming days.

[benchen71]

Speaking for a friend, of course, but some of us are in need of nudges.

[Bird Lives]

Speaking for a friend, of course, but some of us are in need of nudges.

I find it hard to think of anything subtle.

When in doubt, Google . . . all together.

[Berto]

Speaking for a friend, of course, but some of us are in need of nudges.

Same.
The only thing I have in common with this man is that I starting out playing the violin!
But as a Brit, I did enjoy the 38d clue…
…and being married to a Michigander - as I say to my boys, “when you go into the loo you’re American, when you come out of the loo you’re American, but while you’re in there… European.”

Oh - and big thank you to Claudia / @whimsy for said nudge!

[ajk]

I find it hard to think of anything subtle.
When in doubt, Google . . . all together.

Aha! Needed that nudge, but all is clear now. I should have followed my instincts more. I can see how @benchen71 's friend might have a bit of a tougher time.

Fun stuff, thanks.

[benchen71]

Speaking for a friend, of course, but some of us are in need of nudges.

I find it hard to think of anything subtle.

When in doubt, Google . . . all together.

Oh, my friend thinks the cat is debagged! Thanks, Bird Lives.

[woozy]

Yeah, this subject seems to have come up a bit in trivia quizzes lately in last year (completely coincidental) or so I recognized it pretty readily but not immediate. It's hard to say if I would have a few years ago

[Bird Lives]

This was one for the band nerds.
The answer was John Philip Sousa.

We didn’t have 76 trombones, but we did wind up with 49 solvers.

39. Alex Sisti
40. Mwoychick
41. Dow Jones
42. Berto
43. Gutman
44. ajk
45. benchen71
46. markhr
47. SJMcK
48. LB800
49. Danny K Bernstein

The five themers were all Sousa marches.
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Four out of the five are among the best known, the ones you might have played if you were in the school band.. Of course Sousa’s most famous is “The Stars and Stripes Forever” — too long for this grid. But running a close second is “The Liberty Bell.” If the title doesn’s sound familiar, the music will (the first two strains) if you’ve watched Monty Python’s Flying Circus.