Happy Monday, everyone! Today's puzzle comes to us from the marvelous mind of Amanda Cook. You may recall that Amanda constructed the EXCHANGE puzzle published the Sunday before yesterday. Today marks her 16th LAT publication. Sweet!
Theme: 
We'll start with the four themers:
17 Across. Avant-garde: CUTTING EDGE.
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| CUTTING BOARD |
23 Across. Assets and liabilities statement: BALANCE SHEET.
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| A BALANCE BOARD is a piece of fitness equipment. How to Select the Best BALANCE BOARD for You |
39 Across. Stylistic faux pas that puts an editor between a rock and a black sheep?: MIXING METAPHORS. This clue provides an example of what MIXING METAPHORS is. It takes two metaphors, "between a rock and a hard place" and "black sheep" and combines them in a way that does not really fit.
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| A MIXING BOARD combines audio recordings. Perhaps you have seen one in a movie scene set in a recording studio. |
51 Across. Illumination that sets a tone: MOOD LIGHTING.
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| A MOOD BOARD is a collage of colors, fabric swatches, shapes, etc. They can be helpful when organizing ideas for a decorating project. |
63 Across. List of top-scoring players, and what the start of 17-, 23-, 39-, or 51-Across could be called?: LEADER BOARD.
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| This is a LEADER BOARD from a golf tournament. |
All four of the themed answers are two-word phrases. The first word can be put in front of (i.e., LEAD) the word BOARD to create something new. Not being familiar with a couple of the answers did not impede my solve. MIXING METAPHORS gets full points for not only working with the theme and spanning the grid, but it is also a fun answer for us word lovers.
Now let's close this door and start a new chapter:
Across:
1. Like some histories: ORAL.
5. Scents such as freshly baked bread and clean laundry: AROMAS. Both are appealing smells.
11. Cave mammal: BAT. This was my favorite clue today! At first I was trying to think of big, furry, hibernating mammals.
14. Zilch: NONE.
15. __ Creed: Mass recitation: NICENE. It is recited as part of the Catholic Mass. You can read it here.
16. Flamenco cry: OLÉ.
5. Scents such as freshly baked bread and clean laundry: AROMAS. Both are appealing smells.
11. Cave mammal: BAT. This was my favorite clue today! At first I was trying to think of big, furry, hibernating mammals.
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| a BAT in a cave |
15. __ Creed: Mass recitation: NICENE. It is recited as part of the Catholic Mass. You can read it here.
16. Flamenco cry: OLÉ.
19. Was victorious: WON.
20. Live and breathe: EXIST. This was a fun use of a known expression!
22. Cabin timber: PINE.
27. King Arthur's realm: CAMELOT.
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| 1470 reproduction of Évrard d'Espinques's illumination of the Prose Lancelot, showing King Arthur presiding at the Round Table with his knights, |
30. Compete in a slalom: SKI.
31. Alias letters: AKA. Also Known As
32. Dozes (off): NODS. Off inside the parenthesis means that it is combined with the answer to match dozes. In other words, the clue-writing convention is telling us that dozes means NODS off.
35. Archipelago unit: ISLET.
43. Take potshots (at): SNIPE.
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| I find it difficult to believe this beautiful SNIPE would take potshots at anyone. |
44. Repeated word in a Doris Day classic: SERA. I have previously linked the Doris Day song a few times. Today I am presenting something different. In this song, the artist uses a MIXING BOARD to sample Doris Day. (Sample means to use a piece of a pre-existing work in a new piece.) It might not be your cup of tea but perhaps you will find it interesting.
46. Archer's asset: AIM.
48. Positives: UPSIDES.
56. Storylines: ARCS. Babylon 5 (1994) is usually credited as the first U.S. television series with a 5-year story ARC conceptualized prior to filming. I describe it as "United Nations in space".
Wax Tailor ~ Que Sera ~ 2020
45. Tear (apart): RIP.46. Archer's asset: AIM.
48. Positives: UPSIDES.
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| Bruce Boxleitner is front and center. |
57. Salty expanse: SEA. and 7-Down. Atlantic, for one: OCEAN.
58. Pirouetting, say: ON TOE. Think "ballet".
62. Tabby: CAT.
66. Feasted on: ATE.
67. Achieve fame: ARRIVE.
68. Arancini ingredient: RICE. These are new to me. They are Italian RICE balls.
69. Sopping: WET.
70. Organized workflow: SYSTEM.
71. Flair: ELAN.
Down:
58. Pirouetting, say: ON TOE. Think "ballet".
62. Tabby: CAT.
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| This is Coco, my SIL's new tabby CAT. |
67. Achieve fame: ARRIVE.
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| recipe |
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| "WET dog" smell is up there with those in 5-Across. |
70. Organized workflow: SYSTEM.
71. Flair: ELAN.
Down:
1. __ upon a time: ONCE.
2. Gumbo thickener: ROUX. Def.: (noun) a cooked mixture of flour and fat used as a thickening agent in a soup or a sauce.
2. Gumbo thickener: ROUX. Def.: (noun) a cooked mixture of flour and fat used as a thickening agent in a soup or a sauce.
BTW, the plural form is also ROUX.
3. Against: ANTI.
4. Doesn't disturb: LETS BE.
3. Against: ANTI.
4. Doesn't disturb: LETS BE.
This is a scene from one of my favorite movies, Yesterday (2019). The premise is that a struggling musician wakes up to an alternate reality where he is the only one on Earth who knows who the Beatles are or any of their songs. In this scene, he tries to play Let It Be for his parents. They are completely unaware of how amazing the song was in the previous reality. (3:29 min.) 5. Rashida's "Parks and Recreation" role: ANN.
6. Fix, as a fight: RIG.
8. Soldier trained in first aid: MEDIC.
9. "I teach geometry, so I know all the __": math professor's quip: ANGLES. Groan!
10. Observe: SEE.
11. "Starman" singer David: BOWIE. Me: This clue is too hard because the only Starman song I know is by David Bowie...oh, wait...that fits. Never mind.
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| Rashida Jones as the very likable ANN Perkins |
8. Soldier trained in first aid: MEDIC.
9. "I teach geometry, so I know all the __": math professor's quip: ANGLES. Groan!
10. Observe: SEE.
11. "Starman" singer David: BOWIE. Me: This clue is too hard because the only Starman song I know is by David Bowie...oh, wait...that fits. Never mind.
Here is the 1972 song:
12. Unaccompanied: ALONE.
13. Core belief: TENET.
18. Lang. of Rome: ITAL. language and Italian
22. Run an email scam: PHISH. This term comes from the idea of fishing. Just as a fisherman dangles bait on a hook, internet scammers send out bait to computer users.
12. Unaccompanied: ALONE.
13. Core belief: TENET.
18. Lang. of Rome: ITAL. language and Italian
22. Run an email scam: PHISH. This term comes from the idea of fishing. Just as a fisherman dangles bait on a hook, internet scammers send out bait to computer users.
This is an early scene (not a spoiler) in the movie The Beekeeper (2024). Unfortunately it contains a lot of F-bombs but I encourage you to watch it because it portrays how bad people scam money from good people via the internet. This 4:28 min. scene might help you prevent your life savings from being stolen by nefarious hackers. If you are ever in doubt, call your bank. Do not use the number 'conveniently' provided by the scammer. Do not click on their links!!!
24. __ division: LONG. Yay, it's an excuse for me to insert another Old 97's song! This is Singular Girl from 1999.
25. Molecule makeup: ATOMS.
26. Pass over: SKIP.
27. Zoom devices, familiarly: CAMS. cameras
28. Related (to): AKIN.
29. Ankle-length skirt: MAXI.
33. Hollywood ending?: DEE. This is one of those meta clues. The last letter in Hollywood is the letter D.
34. Confident stride: STRUT.
36. "Bridgerton" title: LORD. Bridgerton is a Netflix drama based on novels by Julia Quinn. It is set in the 19th century and follows eight siblings seeking relationships. It has been compared to a cross between Jane Austen and Scandal. LORD Anthony Bridgerton is one of the characters.
37. Cleveland's lake: ERIE.
38. Baking amts.: TSPS. amounts and teaspoons
40. Apple tablets: IPADS.
41. Singer Diamond: NEIL. (b. Jan. 24, 1941). I'm a fan!
Talking to you girl is like LONG division, yeah 🎵
25. Molecule makeup: ATOMS.
26. Pass over: SKIP.
27. Zoom devices, familiarly: CAMS. cameras
28. Related (to): AKIN.
29. Ankle-length skirt: MAXI.
33. Hollywood ending?: DEE. This is one of those meta clues. The last letter in Hollywood is the letter D.
34. Confident stride: STRUT.
36. "Bridgerton" title: LORD. Bridgerton is a Netflix drama based on novels by Julia Quinn. It is set in the 19th century and follows eight siblings seeking relationships. It has been compared to a cross between Jane Austen and Scandal. LORD Anthony Bridgerton is one of the characters.
37. Cleveland's lake: ERIE.
38. Baking amts.: TSPS. amounts and teaspoons
40. Apple tablets: IPADS.
41. Singer Diamond: NEIL. (b. Jan. 24, 1941). I'm a fan!
Neil Diamond ~ You Don't Bring Me Flowers ~ 1977
written by Neil Diamon with Alan and Marilyn Bergman
42. Heritage celebrated in May, for short: AAPI. Asian American and Pacific Islander
I see that this answer appeared a year ago in a Universal crossword puzzle. It was also used twice in 2023 in USA Today puzzles.
47. Great suffering: MISERY. This is THAT scene from the movie Misery (1990), based on Stephen King's psychological horror novel. WARNING: Do not watch this video if you have not already seen the movie!! It is absolute MISERY and it will haunt you.
47. Great suffering: MISERY. This is THAT scene from the movie Misery (1990), based on Stephen King's psychological horror novel. WARNING: Do not watch this video if you have not already seen the movie!! It is absolute MISERY and it will haunt you.
49. Hoity-toity type: SNOB.
50. Send to voicemail, perhaps: IGNORE. I'm happy to be guilty of this. I try to be present in whatever I'm doing. That means I do not let my phone interrupt me just because it dings or rings. The great thing about a cell phone is that it can accept messages which I can view later.
51. Colorful parrot: MACAW.
52. Deliver a speech: ORATE.
53. Chamber music configuration: OCTET.
54. Bike parts: GEARS.
55. "You've never __ so good": HAD IT.
59. Follow covertly: TAIL. This is a 2:08 min. scene from The French Connection (1971). Gene Hackman is trying to TAIL Fernando Rey:
60. Marine apex predator: ORCA.
61. Idyllic place: EDEN. 
63. __ Vegas Aces: LAS. This is a WNBA team.
64. Night before: EVE. I wonder what EVE did the night before she was cast out of the Garden of EDEN.
65. "Shiny Happy People" band: REM. Here is that 1991 song:
50. Send to voicemail, perhaps: IGNORE. I'm happy to be guilty of this. I try to be present in whatever I'm doing. That means I do not let my phone interrupt me just because it dings or rings. The great thing about a cell phone is that it can accept messages which I can view later.
51. Colorful parrot: MACAW.
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| Both males and females share this brilliant coloration. |
52. Deliver a speech: ORATE.
53. Chamber music configuration: OCTET.
54. Bike parts: GEARS.
55. "You've never __ so good": HAD IT.
59. Follow covertly: TAIL. This is a 2:08 min. scene from The French Connection (1971). Gene Hackman is trying to TAIL Fernando Rey:
60. Marine apex predator: ORCA.
64. Night before: EVE. I wonder what EVE did the night before she was cast out of the Garden of EDEN.
65. "Shiny Happy People" band: REM. Here is that 1991 song:
The grid: 
See you later, crocodile!
(I wrote that before doing yesterday's puzzle.)
2 comments:
Except for “AAPI” I would
say this was a pretty typical Monday walk in the park, wouldn’t you? Anyway, FIR, so I’m happy.
Good morning!
Wite-Out corrected my NADA to NONE -- my only misstep. Never noticed the reveal. Ergo, never noticed the theme. D'oh. Finished quickly, though. Thanx, Amanda and sumdaze.
IGNORE: My phone usually sits on my desk, even when I'm elsewhere. I try to remember to take in on my M-o-W routes, in case I need to contact a client who doesn't answer the door. I've noticed my phone often "dings" with no accompanying notification or text message. Anybody know why it would do that?
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