Thursday, November 9, 2023, Alexander Liebeskind

 

 

 An Eerie Theme

Today's constructor is Alexander Liebeskind, who is making his 6th appearance on the Corner.   His theme today is a demonstration of the vagaries of English vowel sounds.  And quite coincidentally he has cleverly concealed the answer to his theme reveal somewhere in the lyrics to the  Marine Corp Hymn*.  Here are the themers ...

17A. "Almost done!": BE READY IN A JIFFY.  If you're in a hurry to get an oil change for your car you can just take it to JIFFY Lube,  who specialize in oil changes.  They are a subsidiary of Shell Oil and are headquartered in Houston, Texas.  A CSO to -T.

23A. Command attributed to Captain Kirk: BEAM ME UP SCOTTY.  The watchword here is "attributed", because it turns out that Captain Kirk never uttered that exact phrase.  "Close enough" I can hear you saying, but this is crosswords not horseshoes.🙄  Here's Scotty, played by James Doohan. He's still waiting ...

Scotty
Enterprise Engineer
a CSO to Picard

51A. Cat call?: HERE KITTY KITTY.  Before Dame Kiri Te Kanawa got her gig playing Nelly Melba in Downton Abbey she made her living singing Cat Duets.  A CSO to D-O (maybe you're right about opera 😀)

59A. 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, and so on: FIBONACCI SERIES.  In mathematics, the Fibonacci series is an integer sequence in which each number is the sum of the two preceding ones. Numbers that are part of the Fibonacci sequence are known as Fibonacci numbers, commonly denoted Fn . The sequence commonly starts from 0 and 1, although some authors start the sequence from 1 and 1 or sometimes (as did Fibonacci) from 1 and 2. Starting from 0 and 1, the first few values in the sequence are:

    0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144. 

The surprising thing is that this sequence is found in geometric patterns in nature, e.g. in plants, shellfish, and even ocean waves. Here are some phenomena exhibiting it ...

In our recent visit to the National Gallery of Art we saw this Nautilus shell whose curve follows the Fibonacci sequence ...

Nautilus Shell
carved cameo relief in a silver mounting

.. and this is another CSO to -T who IIRC once developed a computer program to compute the Fibonacci sequence to an arbitrary length.

And here's the reveal ...

37. Capital of Libya, and a phonetic hint to a feature of this puzzle's four longest answers: TRIPOLI. If you place your cursor just to the right of the final letter "i" in the IPA translation of TRIPOLI (/ˈtrɪpəli/) you should see this mouse tip popup --  /i/: 'y' in 'happy'.  You can also do this interactively with this IPA reader utility.  In each long answer in the grid you'll see a TRIPLET of letters spread across the fill that also sound like the 'Y' in happy, the other two being E and I ...
 

TRIPOLI (/ˈtrɪpəli/) is the capital of and largest city in Libya, with a population of about 3.56 million people in 2023. It is located in the northwest of Libya on the edge of the desert, on a point of rocky land projecting into the Mediterranean Sea and forming a bay.  Founded in the 7th century BC it has many interesting archaeological sites, including this one ...

Marcus Aurelius Arch
built in 163 AD

Here are the rest of the clues ...

Across:

1. Less occupied: IDLER.

6. Taj Mahal builder __ Jahan: SHAH.  Mirza Shahab-ud-Din Baig Muhammad Khan Khurram (5 January 1592 – 22 January 1666), also known as SHAH Jahan I, was the fifth Mughal emperor, reigning from 1628 until 1658. Under his emperorship, the Mughals reached the peak of their architectural achievements and cultural glory.  He had this mausoleum built for his favorite wife Mumtaz Mahal who is entombed there ...

Taj Mahal

10. Balkan native: SERB.  The SERBS  are a South Slavic ethnic group native to Southeastern Europe who share a common Serbian ancestry, culture, history, and language. They primarily live in Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro as well as in North Macedonia, Slovenia, Germany and Austria. They also constitute a significant diaspora with several communities across Europe, the Americas and Oceania.

The Serbian Diaspora

I had a Serbian uncle named Eli, who married my Aunt Evelyn and worked in the steel mills of East Chicago.  He made his own wine and sauerkraut and he used to whittle whistles from green twigs and play little tunes with them.

14. Gave one's word: SWORE.

15. "Citizen __": KANE.  Citizen Kane is a 1941 American drama film directed by, produced by, and starring Orson Welles. Welles and Herman J. Mankiewicz wrote the screenplay. The picture was Welles' first feature film. Citizen Kane is frequently cited as the greatest film ever made.  For 50 consecutive years, it stood at number 1 in the British Film Institute's Sight & Sound decennial poll of critics, and it topped the American Film Institute's 100 Years ... 100 Movies list in 1998, as well as its 2007 update. The film was nominated for Academy Awards in nine categories and it won for Best Writing (Original Screenplay) ...

The film is loosely based on the life of publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst, who reportedly wanted to have the negative destroyed.  The backstory about his attempts to do so was loosely documented in The Battle Over Citizen Kane.  It was panned by the critics.

16. Urgent request: PLEA.

17. [Theme clue]

20. Homer's neighbor: NED. Nedward "Ned" Flanders Jr., commonly referred to by his surname, is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons, voiced by Harry Shearer and first appearing in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire." A scrupulous and devout Evangelical Christian, he is among the friendliest and most compassionate of Springfield's residents and is generally considered a pillar of the Springfield community. 

Ned Flanders

21. Good place to keep things on ice?: RINK.

22. Fetch player: DOG.

23. [Theme clue]

29. 3-Down, for one: POET.  See 3D.

30. Image on the Connecticut state quarter: OAK TREE.  I did not know this.  Now we both do.

25 Cents

31. Goes over one's head?: FLIPS.

34. New Haven collegian: ELI.

35. Enjoys hot tea, say: SIPS.

36. Bit of static buildup: ION.  Here's an explanation.  Here's an example ...

Static Electricity
The child's hair has lost some electrons due to
friction and has become positively charged.
.  The positive IONS are repelling one another

37. [Theme reveal]

41. Rare game show outcome: TIE.

42. In __ parentis: LOCO.  Today's Latin lesson: "In place of parents".  This policy was the cause a much protest among college students back in the 60's.  Also the surname of one of my grandchildren's cats, although I think he's more than a little LOCO.  I've never heard him sing.

Poco Loco

44. Megan Rapinoe's team: Abbr.: USA.  Megan Anna Rapinoe (born July 5, 1985) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a winger for OL Reign of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), as well as the United States national team. Winner of the Ballon d'Or Féminin and named The Best FIFA Women's Player in 2019, Rapinoe won gold with the national team at the 2012 London Summer Olympics, 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, and 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Megan Rapinoe

45. Doesn't just want: NEEDS.

47. Destructive wave: TSUNAMI.  On 11 March 2011, at 14:46 JST, a Mw 9.0–9.1 undersea megathrust earthquake occurred in the Pacific Ocean, 72 km (45 mi) east of the Oshika Peninsula of the Tōhoku region. It lasted approximately six minutes, causing a TSUNAMI. It is sometimes known in Japan as the "Great East Japan Earthquake" or simply "3.11".  Nearly 20,000 people were killed and 3 of Japan's nuclear reactors  at Fukushima experienced meltdowns, releasing radioactive water into the sea.

It was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Japan, and the fourth most powerful earthquake recorded in the world since modern seismography began in 1900. The earthquake triggered powerful tsunami waves that may have reached heights of up to 40.5 meters (133 ft) in Miyako in Tōhoku's Iwate Prefecture. Here is some National Geographic footage of this catastrophic event ...

49. "Ideas worth spreading" offshoot: TED X.  E.g., in the clip for 6D -- but I wouldn't spread this idea any further. 

51. [Theme clue]

55. Bronze element: TIN.

56. Mimic: APER.

57. Narrow inlet: RIA.

59A. [Theme clue]

64. Speak for oneself?: BRAG. 

65. Art hub in New Mexico: TAOS.  It started as The Taos art colony an art colony founded in TAOS, New Mexico, by artists attracted by the culture of the Taos Pueblo and northern New Mexico.  The 1898 visit by Bert Geer Phillips and Ernest L. Blumenschein to Taos was an early step in the creation of the Taos art colony and the Taos Society of Artists.  In the early-20th century, modern artists infused the area with a new artistic energy, followed in the 1950s by abstract artists. Today Taos supports more than 80 galleries and three museums. There are a number of organizations that support and promote the work of artists on the Taos Pueblo and in the Taos area.

66. Larger relatives of violas: CELLI. 

67. "Othello" plotter: IAGO.  Hand up if you can think of a more EVIL Shakespearean villain.

68. "While" prefix: ERST.

69. Swinton in many Wes Anderson films: TILDA.  Katherine Matilda Swinton (born 5 November 1960) is a British actress. Known for her roles in independent films and blockbusters, she has received various accolades, including an Academy Award and a British Academy Film Award, in addition to nominations for three Golden Globe Awards. In 2020, The New York Times ranked her as one of the greatest actors of the 21st century.  Swinton has been in 5 Wes Anderson films, including The Grand Budapest Hotel, one of my favorites.  Here Swinton on the film and on Anderson ...

Down:

1. Copyright page ID: ISBN.

2. Nerdy type: DWEEB.
 
3. "Sister Outsider" writer Audre: LORDE.   Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches is a collection of essential essays and speeches written by Audre Lorde, a writer who focuses on the particulars of her identity: Black woman, lesbian, poet, activist, cancer survivor, mother, and feminist.

4. Before, once: ERE.

5. Farthest back: REARMOST.  E.g. AFT on a boat, not where 9D is.

6. Rogue artificial intelligence system in "The Terminator": SKY NET.  I really didn't know much about the "Terminator Franchise" until it showed up in this puzzle.  Someone please tell me this is science fiction ...

7. 17-syllable work: HAIKU.  A CSO to MOE.

8. __ Arbor, Michigan: ANN.  Years back I used to subscribe to the Worm Runner's Digest, founded, edited, and published by a James V. McConnell, a psychologist at ANN Arbor -- a fascinating publication about research with planaria, a species of tiny flatworms, which can be taught to "run" mazes.  If you cut one in half the one without a head will grow a new one.  You can even get one to grow two heads! ...

Planarian

9. Attachment at the front of a sloop, e.g.: HEAD SAIL.  A CSO to Jinx.

10. Taps: SPIGOTS.

11. Mischief-maker: ELF.

12. Soccer official: REF. 

13. Receiving area: BAY.   A BAY is distribution facility where industrial goods are received at, or shipped from.  In more common parlance a BAY is any large body of water sheltered by land.  Both the former and latter types of BAYS have docks.  And in 1967 one of those docks inspired Otis Redding to write this song 😀 ...

18. Coin with a torch: DIME. That would be the Roosevelt DIME.

10 Cents

19. Athletic type: JOCK.

24. Program opened with a tap: APP.

25. Sport played on horseback: POLO.  JOUSTING, Maryland's state sport wouldn't fit, but POLO is popular here as well.

26. Overused: TRITE. In crossword puzzles we call it crosswordese.  I hope when you opened today's blog you didn't have to accept any cookies!

27. Lukewarm: TEPID.

28. Positive responses: YESES.

31. Grime: FILTH.

32. Rough, as a translation: LOOSE.

33. Bring on: INCUR.

34. Org. concerned with climate change: EPA.

38. Dwell (on): RUMINATE.  Just don't chew your cud twice.

39. "That so?": IS IT.

40. Roundabout: INDIRECT. 

43. "Almost done!": ONE TO GO.  Well THIRTEEN actually.

46. Office contact no.: EXT.

48. Comparable (to): AKIN.

49. Keyboard pro: TYPIST.  CODER was too short.  In my generation women were often discouraged from learning to TYPE, lest they be pigeon-holed into secretarial jobs.  In my case, "Personal use typing" was the only useful course I took in high school.

50. __ out a living: EKES.

52. Food truck fare: TACOS.

53. Sing like a bird: TRILL. Here is violinist Itzhak Perlman playing the 4th movement of Giuseppi Tartini's Violin Sonata in G minor, popularly known as The Devil's TRILL ...

54. Give: YIELD.

58. Home to more than half of the world's population: ASIA.  Also frequently living in crossword puzzles.  We never get clues for where the other half lives.

59. "Criminal Minds" org.: FBI.  Criminal Minds is an American police procedural crime drama television series created and produced by Jeff Davis. The series premiered on CBS on September 22, 2005, and originally concluded on February 19, 2020, but it was revived in 2022. It follows a group of criminal profilers who work for the FBI as members of its Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU), using behavioral analysis and profiling to investigate crimes and find the unsub (unknown subject), the team's term for perpetrators. The show tells the story of the team as they work various cases and tackle their personal struggles.

60. Nest egg letters: IRA.

61. Purse: BAG.  Just last week we started taking our own BAGS to buy groceries, as Baltimore County is now charging 5 cents a pop for every bag the grocer must supply.

62. Train unit: CAR.

63. Camping apparel retailer: REI.  Recreational Equipment, Inc., doing business as REI, is an American retail and outdoor recreation services corporation. It is organized as a consumers' co-operative. REI sells camping gear, hiking, climbing, cycling, water, running, fitness, snow, travel equipment, and men, women and kids clothing. It also offers services such as outdoor-oriented vacations and courses.

Cheers,
Bill

And as always, thanks to Teri for proof reading and for her constructive criticism.

waseeley

Postlude to last week -- Some of this was covered in a comment Nina (inanehiker) made last week, but as this had already been written by then, and it is tangentially related to today's theme 😀 ...

So what brought Nina to D.C. on October 26?  She didn't come specifically to see Teri and I, but rather to attend the *Marine Corps Marathon, which her husband and one of her sons were both running in on October 29.   Nina was flying out separately and arriving few days early so she reached out to us to see if we could meet.  Which we could, and so the three of us had a wonderful time visiting the National Gallery of Art and getting to know one another.  And the icing on the cake was that my son and his nephew also happened to be running in the Marine Corps Marathon!  And  all four finished!  Here's my son's medallion.  He said it was heavy ...

... but not as heavy as the 45 lbs. of firefighter gear that Andrew Altman Sr carried in memory of Rodney W. Pitts III and Dillon Rinaldo, two firefighters from Baltimore who died fighting a fire just 4 minutes from our home. Coincidentally, while the race was underway my son came up behind Andrew and recognizing his firefighter gear asked if he could take a picture ...

Andrew Altman Sr.
Marine Marathon 2023

Monday, Jul 31, 2023 Jolie L'Heureux & Alexander Liebeskind

 Theme: "IN THE BEGINNING...."

    So, I was born February, 1971....oh wait, that's a long story.  This is my first time blogging a "themed" puzzle for C.C. and the LA Times, as I was the regular Saturday themeless guy for about five years.  I still work the puzzles everyday, and I read the write-ups every day.  Since I last blogged, I changed my solving style and prefer to do all the DOWN clues first, then when I switch to ACROSS, most of the perps are in place, and the theme answers a little easier to solve. We had two nine- and two eight-letter words in the downs today, which is unusual for a Monday puzzle. C.C. had asked me to "guest" blog, and I had the opportunity last month, but was way out of practice, and thus had my own "EPIC FAIL".    But enough of my long story, here are the theme answers for today;

20. Bank customer, e.g.: ACCOUNT HOLDER

28. Colorful and fuzzy street art: YARN BOMB - Never heard this term before; here's an image

 

36. Innovative concept: NOVEL IDEA

49. Big-time letdown: EPIC FAIL

 57. "I'll tell you the rest another time," and what can be said about the starts of 20-, 28-, 36-, and 49-Across: IT'S A LONG STORY

And away we go~!

ACROSS:

1. Matriarch of the Three Bears: MAMA

5. Grocery shopper's aid: LIST - I have mine on my phone, listed by aisle, and my new favorite store since I moved to CT is "Big Y" because I can scan the barcodes with my phone camera, pay via credit card, and walk right out.

9. Private supply: CACHE

14. "Right away" letters: ASAP - As Soon As Possible

15. Mideast leader: EMIR

16. Catchall option on a survey: OTHER

17. At a __ for words: LOSS

18. Regarding: AS TO

19. With 4-Down, small dog from Tibet: LHASA and 4D. See 19-Across: APSO

23. 24 horas: DIA - Spanish

24. Disco __ of "The Simpsons": STU - Crossword regular now

25. Has lunch on a blanket, say: PICNICS

31. More expansive: VASTER - meh.

32. Southeast Asian language: LAO

33. Mani-__: spa treatments: PEDIs

35. "For sure": "YES"

40. Cat coat: FUR - clever clue

43. Calf-length skirts: MIDIs - I cannot resist....

44. Raspberry shade: RED

47. "The way things are ... ": AS IT IS

53. Shares a tweet on Instagram, say: REPOSTS - Spell-check doesn't like this

55. Pull the plug on: END - Sadly, I pulled the plug on my career as a Pipe Organ technician - at least for now.  I had tried to bargain for a pay increase, but the company could not come up to the offer I got from a local millwork company that needed a CAD drafter; so my three-week trip to Lynchburg VA in July was my "Swan Song"; here's me at the Washington National Cathedral; it was howling windy and raining as we unloaded.

56. Ode title words: TO A....

60. Vietnam's capital: HANOI.

62. Comfort: EASE.

63. Shape of many a car logo: OVAL - Ford, Subaru, Toyota and others

64. Houston MLB player: ASTRO - Spellcheck doesn't like this one, either

65. Squeezes (out): EKES - Crossword staple

66. How-to presentation: DEMO

67. Cereal eater's utensil: SPOON

68. Hissed "Hey!": "PSST~!"

69. Etch or sketch: DRAW

DOWN:

1. Affliction: MALADY

2. Preferring to be alone: ASOCIAL - My ex-wife is/was a counselor, and she 'diagnosed' me as being anti-social; I told her "good, that lets me off the hook" - not the answer she wanted to hear....

3. Cosmetic applied with a wand: MASCARA

5. Makeshift shelter: LEAN-TO.

6. "Haven't the foggiest": "I'M STUMPED"

7. Lightsaber wielders who are enemies of the Jedi: SITH

8. Scout unit selling cookies: TROOP

9. Unsolved crime: COLD CASE

10. Home of the Acropolis and the Parthenon: ATHENS - GREECE fit, too

11. Donation recipient: CHARITY - On my way back from Lynchburg, I saw billboards reading Mega Millions was up to $940mil - I would have to donate to more than one CHARITY if I walked away with that kind of money

 12. Father and son: HEs - Meh.  True, but I'm not a fan of this kind of answer

13. Time studied in history class: ERA

21. PC connection port: USB

22. Really steamed: LIVID - I had IRATE to start

26. Average grade: CEE

27. Graduating gp.: SRs - Abbreviated group, abbreviated SenioRs

29. Persona __ grata: NON - Latin

30. Represent inaccurately: BELIE

34. Hands out: DISPENSES - ATMs and vending machines "dispense", which I think is not quite the same as "hand out"

37. Something left out: OMISSION - $2 Monday 8-letter word

38. Photogenic expanse: VISTA

If you zoom in, this is Washington DC from the cathedral

39. "Woof!": "ARF~!" - Dogspeak

40. Few and __ between: FAR

41. Function: USE - as a designer, I am of the thought that FORM follows FUNCTION

42. Verbally attack: RIP INTO - We stayed at a popular, long-term hotel with in-room kitchens for the trip to VA - there were several issues in my room that never got resolved during my 19-day stay - so when they sent me a survey, I had to RIP INTO the chain's poor service.

45. Dine at a friend's: EAT OVER

46. Elementary school shoebox project: DIORAMA - I helped my buddy's seven-year-old son build a "Leprechaun trap" for a school project - quite enjoyable

48. "My Neighbor __": Studio Ghibli film: TOTORO - The Wiki; I've been solving the LA Times crossword daily for the past year, and I can tell that the new editor has changed the rules - I doubt this clue/answer would fly on a Monday in the past

50. Consume: INGEST

51. Insured investments: Abbr.: CDs - I have one through my Discover card, and a savings account now getting 4.30%

52. "Stay out of trouble": LAY LOW - I had BEHAVE

54. Dream state: SLEEP

58. Thousand __: Ventura County city: OAKS - filled via perps

59. Sondheim's "Sweeney __": TODD

60. Gives birth to: HAS.

61. Egyptian snake: ASP - My #1 movie of all-time, Raiders of the Lost Ark

 

Well, I'm back, 

da-na-na-na, na-na-na-na-na-na
Fix your bent antenna, tune it in, and then I'm gonna
Enter in and up under your skin like a....

Splynter

Notes from C.C.:

Welcome back, Splynter! We missed you.

Splynter will blog next Monday's puzzle also. Sumdaze will be back on August 14th.

Friday, May 19, 2023, Alexander Liebeskind

Theme: "Double Entendre"

Sub-theme: "Are you trying to be a "Y's" guy??!"

Puzzling thoughts:

I thought the name Alexander Liebeskind looked familiar. This same blogger wrote his recap on the LAT Crossword Corner on Friday, October 21, 2022, just 7 short months ago

"Y" did I get Mr. Liebeskind again, you ask? Coincidence? Perhaps to be a bit more jocular than I was on that blog? (I was in the throws of moving, if you recall) ... I actually like that I am getting another stab at young Alexander, so let's see what I can conjure up ...

17-across. Building a fire without any charcoal or lighter fluid?: STICK(Y) SITUATION. Right off the bat, Alexander knocks one out of the park, achieving his double entendre with both STICK/STICKY being the correct adjective for SITUATION. Think about it ... no charcoal or lighter fluid to use to build a fire? Rub two STICKS together. But regardless, it creates a STICKY SITUATION for sure

Speaking of a STICKY SITUATION:

23-across. Mountain of comfy shoes?: SLIPPER(Y) SLOPE. Another winner! While I can't imagine, nor picture a mountain of SLIPPERS, a SLOPE of SLIPPERS would be quite SLIPPERY. This could almost be a triple entendre!

37-across. Artichokes eaten first thing in the morning?: HEART(Y) BREAKFAST. Maybe a bit of a stretch here, but when you have 5 "themers" in a crossword puzzle, there needs to be one "outlier". I never think of an artichoke HEART being HEARTY; nor do I consider it a BREAKFAST food, but I can't think of another "HEART" that would fit

Maybe this needs a Moe-ku:

Teen sleuths Frank and Joe
Eat artichokes each morning.
(Their) "HEARTY" Boys BREAKFAST

[boo!]

48-across. "Should this potted plant go in the dining room window or the bedroom window?," e.g.: SILL(Y) QUESTION!

[I threw in the exclamation point for added effect]

Of course a potted plant would go in the dining room window! On the SILL, naturally. What a SILLY QUESTION!

And last, but not least, 58-across. Relinquishing one's noble title?: EARL(Y) RETIREMENT. Technically speaking, an EARL cannot RETIRE; but they can be removed. After opening the link, scroll down a paragraph or two for the explanation

Well done, Alexander! If I may be so bold, I will summarize today's theme with the following Moe-ku (which starts out as a Moe-CLUE):

Likelihood of an
Eel solving today's puzzle?
Just a SLIM(Y) CHANCE

The grid:

Across:
1. College-level HS English course: AP LIT. Confession: I was never into reading novels and the like; nor was I a particularly good HS English student

6. __ and drop: DRAG. Could it have been clued: Favorite MS Word editing feature for a transvestite?

10. Party loot: SWAG. Rhymes with DRAG

14. Place for a bench warmer?: SAUNA. I like this clue. Lots of benches in a SAUNA. See for yourself!

15. Bag: EARN. Does the Thesaurussaurus like this synonym?

16. Melodramatic sigh: AH, ME.

20. Brain wave readout, for short: EEG. [electoencephologram] "An EEG is a test that detects abnormalities in your brain waves, or in the electrical activity of your brain. During the procedure, electrodes consisting of small metal discs with thin wires are pasted onto your scalp. The electrodes detect tiny electrical charges that result from the activity of your brain cells" [Johns Hopkins website]

I am pretty sure, without taking one, that there are abnormalities in MY brain!! ;^)

21. Not bumpy: EVEN.

22. Hindu spiritual writing: SUTRA. Part of the KAMASUTRA. KAMA = kinky, weird, acrobatic sexual positions; SUTRA = weirdly wanting to write about them! ;^)

27. Only cardinal direction not in a state name: EAST. Of course, we have NORTH and SOUTH CAROLINA/DAKOTA and WEST VIRGINIA, but no EAST anything ... unless EAST JABIP counts!

Fun Fact: Oddly many college/university names DO contain this word; e.g, EAST CAROLINA, EAST TENNESSEE ST, EAST TEXAS ST; while others (IL, KY, MI, NM, OR, & WA) use the word "EASTERN"

28. Big lug: OAF.

29. Dirty word?: MUD. You knew this wasn't a cuss word, 'cause it didn't have 4-letters

32. Mesopotamian region where cuneiform was invented: SUMER. [Wikipedia] "Sumer is the earliest known civilization in the historical region of southern Mesopotamia, emerging during the Chalcolithic and early Bronze Ages between the sixth and fifth millennium BC"

Moe-ku #3:

The season, and where
Cuniform was invented?
"Summer, in SUMER"

35. Missay, say: ERR. No one ever says, "To missay is human ... "

36. Prefix with dynamic: AERO.

41. Potato spots: EYES.

42. Dawn goddess: EOS. Could've been clued with two other familiar objects; here are all three

43. Specks: IOTAS.

44. Gesture-based communication syst.: ASL.

45. Ancient: OLD.

46. Designer Gucci: ALDO. [wikipedia] "ALDO Gucci was an Italian personality and the chairman of Gucci from 1953 to 1986. He was the eldest son of Guccio Gucci, who founded the company bearing the family name in 1921"

54. Many, casually: LOTSA.

56. "High Drama" singer Lambert: ADAM. "High Drama" is the album name; here is a video from KCAL TV in LA

57. Premier __: French wine designation: CRU. CRU literally means "growth". Premier CRU = "first growth", and usually means that the specific wine comes from a superior part of the region. There is a "level above" Premier CRU called "Grand CRU". To be called a GRAND CRU, the grapes are typically grown in a specific vineyard in a specific village within a region. Examples of this are in Chablis. FYI, Chablis is NOT a grape varietal; it's a region. The primary grape grown in Chablis is Chardonnay. Here is a list of both Premier and Grand CRUS in Chablis

62. Oxford, but not Cambridge: SHOE. Nice clue misdirection

63. Quod __ demonstrandum: ERAT. Also seen abbreviated in crossword puzzles as "QED"; and while we are at it, here is (12-down. Omnia vincit __:) AMOR, but I can't recall this being abbreviated as "OVA". EGGSactly, Moe!

64. Hilarious: A RIOT. I hope a few of you think that the Chairman is A RIOT (sometimes!!)

65. Basic math homework: SUMS. Hmm. Not a clue I'd use for this but I guess it works. YMMV

66. Autos: CARS.

67. Full of fluff: LINTY. Moe-ku #4:

1930's dance
Popular in laundromats
Is "The LINTY Hop"

Down:
1. Pack animals: ASSES. This word, in both its singular and now plural form, has been showing up a lot, lately in LAT puzzles. Coincidence?

2. "Lion" Oscar nominee Dev: PATEL. He was featured in a recent crossword puzzle here that used a Picture in a Picture theme; "SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE" (with "LION" in circles), e.g.

3. "Super Mario" brother: LUIGI.

4. Fortune rival: INC. As in the magazine, "Fortune"

5. Share: TAKE PART.

6. Antarctica, for one: DESERT. Fun Fact: even though the word "DESERT" is thought of by this meaning: "a dry, barren area of land, especially one covered with sand, that is characteristically desolate, waterless, and without vegetation", the same definition applies to Antarctica (minus the sand)

7. Unlike a 6-Down: RAINY.

8. Quilting, e.g.: ART. Never thought of quilting as an ART, but why not?

9. Serengeti grazer: GNU. Moe-ku #5 (oldie, but a goodie):

Headline in the ORLANDO SENTINEL:

"Disney World built some
Imitation antelopes"
You think that's fake GNUs?

10. Broke out of a slump?: SAT UP. If this clue were a baseball reference, I am not sure that there are any five letter words/phrases that fit; cute clue

11. Poultry choice: WHITE MEAT. Not I; I am a thigh and leg man

13. Actress Rowlands: GENA. Actress Davis spells her's, GEENA

18. Part of YSL: YVES.

19. Starting on: AS OF. AS OF the first week of June, the Chairman will be on sabbatical

24. Equals: PEERS. As in the "EARL(s)" of the EARL(Y) RETIREMENT entry in today's puzzle

25. Like some subjects: SORE. Moe-ku #6 (double entendre):

British Count hurt leg
And can't kneel before the King;
Very SORE subject ...

26. "The Practice" actress __ Flynn Boyle: LARA. "The Practice" is an erstwhile TV Drama which aired on ABC. I never watched it. Here is Ms. Boyle (1997 pic):

30. __ Minor: URSA. Please bear with me; just a few more to parse for you ...

31. Colon units: DOTS. Neither RECTUM nor APPENDIX fit ... oh ... THIS colon ":"

32. __ butter: SHEA. The favorite spread of the NY Mets; formerly

33. One-eighties: UEYS. Is it UEYS or UIES? I've seen both ...

34. Violent vortex: MAELSTROM. Moe-ku #7:

"Black Friday" event
Caused turbulence. It was called:
"MAELSTROM at Nordstrom's"

35. Triage ctrs.: ERS.

36. In the offing: AFOOT. Why do podiatrist's and shoe salesmen make great detectives? They always know when something is AFOOT

38. Give a shout-out?: YELL. THOSE OF YOU WHO FOLLOW SOCIAL MEDIA KNOW THAT WHEN YOU USE ALL CAP'S IN A TEXT MESSAGE OR EMAIL, YOU'RE YELLing

39. Word with surf or shop: BODY. "Gin a BODY meets a BODY ... "

40. Restaurant offering that may have an age limit: KID'S MEAL. I think that the so-called "age limit" for these should be further defined to include those of us "septuagenarians and older" who can no longer eat such big portions ... the toy can be made optional ...

45. Skin care brand: OLAY.

46. Open-book exams?: AUDITS. Like this clue a lot

47. Prolific TV producer Norman: LEAR. [wikipedia] "Norman Milton LEAR is an American producer and screenwriter, who has produced, written, created, or developed over 100 shows. Lear is known for many popular 1970s sitcoms, including the multi-award winning All in the Family as well as Maude, Sanford and Son, One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, and Good Times." As of the date I wrote this blog, LEAR is alive and kicking at age 100

49. Caribbean spots: ISLES.

50. 2022 FIFA World Cup host: QATAR. Time Magazine article regarding QATAR/World Cup 2022

51. Strand during a ski trip, say: ICE IN. I guess if this happens, "apres ski" begins sooner? MalMan care to discuss?? (52-down. " ... never mind, then":) OR NOT?

53. Like brown butter: NUTTY. [according to Food Network dot com]: "Brown butter, also known as buerre noisette in French, is made by heating butter until the milk solids caramelize, imparting a golden color and toasted, NUTTY flavor. The French technique is an easy way to ramp up the flavor of regular butter without adding any extra ingredients"

54. Minus: LESS. I guess this clue is OK; more or less

55. Diamond Head locale: OAHU.

59. __ center: REC. Our local REC center is supported by Silver Sneakers - great place to work out

60. Stretch of history: ERA.

61. Sports doc's scan: MRI.

Please feel free to add your thoughts and comments below. Maybe the constructor will catch word of this blog and stop by to say "hello" ...

Wednesday March 22, 2023 Alexander Liebeskind

Theme:  I get a CHARGE from this puzzle.  How about you?

Each theme entry includes a CHARGER of a different sort.  Let's see how many we can find.

18 A. Animal that may be on the verge of an attack: RAGING BULL.  Boxing fans and movie mavens might be thinking about Jake La Motta.  But this is more literal - an infuriated bovine, intent on wreaking havoc.  Here, the CHARGE is physical action with intent to do bodily harm.

 24 A. Laptop accessory: POWER CORD.  This is an electrical cable that temporarily connects an appliance to the main electricity supply via a wall socket or extension cord.   It will keep your lap top operating, and provide a CHARGE to its internal battery.

52 A. Body that investigates potential criminal conduct: GRAND JURY.    A group that examines accusations against persons charged with crime and, if the evidence warrants, makes formal CHARGES on which the accused persons are later tried.  This type of CHARGE is a formal accusation that a crime has been committed.

59. Person who likely has a high credit card balance: BIG SPENDER.  This assumes s/he is not using cash, but rather using an account to pay later for a good or service provided today, thus CHARGING that item. 

And, at last, here is the unifier:   36. Los Angeles NFL team, and an apt name for 18-, 24-, 52-, and 59-Across, collectively?: THE CHARGERS.  They were 10-7 last season, finished in 2nd place in the AFC, behind the 14-3 Chiefs.   In the Wild Card round, despite amassing a 27–0 lead during the second quarter, the Chargers collapsed in the second-half of the game, losing to the Jacksonville Jaguars 30–31 on a last-second field goal. Sad.

This sense of CHARGER most closely matches that of the  RAGING BULL, but is a bit more abstract.  Usually I put the unifier first to clarify the concept, but that didn't seem necessary today.  Also, it's rare to have two [or more] word theme entries that use the whole phrase rather than a chosen word.  So this theme stands out in a couple ways.

Hi Gang, JazzBumpa here, all het up to lead the CHARGE through today's puzzle.  Let's get to it.

Across:

1. Wall Street inits.: NYSE.  New York Stock Exchange, one of the world’s largest marketplaces for securities and other exchange-traded investments. .

5. Spring time: MARCH.  A month that is a time in which Spring begins - this year it was on Monday, the 20th.

10. Nadal of tennis, familiarly: RAFA.  Rafael Nadal Parera [b. 1986] is a Spanish professional tennis player. He is currently ranked world No. 9 in singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals. He has been ranked world No. 1 for 209 weeks, and has finished as the year-end No. 1 five times.

14. Tries to win over: WOOS.  Seeks the favor, affection, or love of someone.

15. "Welcome to Maui!": ALOHA.   Hawaiian greeting.

16. Rapper born Tracy Marrow: ICE-T.   Tracy Lauren Marrow (b. 1958), better known by his stage name Ice-T, is an American rapper, songwriter, actor, and producer. He began his career as an underground rapper in the 1980s and was signed to Sire Records in 1987, when he released his debut album Rhyme Pays. The following year, he founded the record label Rhyme $yndicate Records (named after his collective of fellow hip-hop artists called the "Rhyme $yndicate") and released another album, Power, which would go platinum. He also released several other albums that went gold.

17. Rolaids rival: TUMS.  These medications, taken orally, are used to treat symptoms caused by too much stomach acid such as heartburn, upset stomach, or indigestion. They work by lowering the amount of acid in the stomach.

20. German camera brand: LEICA.  a German company that manufactures cameras, optical lenses, photographic lenses, binoculars, rifle scopes and microscopes. The company was founded by Ernst Leitz in 1869, in Wetzlar, Germany.  In 1986, the Leitz company changed its name to Leica, due to the fame of the Leica trade-name. The name Leica is derived from the first three letters of the founder's surname (Leitz) and the first two of the word camera

22. Disney princess voiced by Idina Menzel: ELSA.

She's actually the Queen

23. Coastal inlet: RIA.   A coastal inlet formed by the partial submergence of an unglaciated river valley. It is a drowned river valley that remains open to the sea.

26. Depends (on): LEANS.   Derive support from someone or something, either literally or figuratively.

28. Incinerator residue: ASH.   The powdery residue left after the burning of a substance.

29. Tuber in the Nigerian dish asaro: YAM.  The edible starchy tuber of a climbing plant that is widely grown in tropical and subtropical countries.

30. Complete collection, perhaps: BOX SET.   A set of related items, typically books or recordings, packaged together in a box and sold as a unit.

31. Spring: LEAP.   Move or jump suddenly or rapidly upward or forward.   Fortunately, the extra day in. leap year occurs before Spring, or it would be too confusing.

33. 2007 Nobel Peace Prize co-recipient: AL GORE.   Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (b.1948) is an American politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. Gore was the Democratic nominee for the 2000 presidential election, losing to George W. Bush in a very close race after a Florida recount.    His work in climate change activism earned him (jointly with the IPCC) the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. 

40. Like someone with a hit single?: ON BASE.  Nice misdirection.  Not a pop music reference, but a successful at bat in a baseball game.

41. StarKist product: TUNA.  

44. Angles: SLANTS.  Leans, in. a different sense of the word.

47. Luggage-screening gp.: TSA.   Transportation Security Administration

50. Ballerina's hairdo: BUN.  Buns are made to keep hair out of your face. In a performance, it would be distracting for an audience member to constantly see a dancer tossing hair out of their face. It's also a problem for the dancer.  

Learn how to do it.

51. National animal of Malaysia: TIGER.   A tiger from a specific population of the Panthera tigris tigris subspecies that is native to Peninsular Malaysia. This population inhabits the southern and central parts of the Malay Peninsula and has been classified as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2015. As of April 2014, the population was estimated at 80 to 120 mature individuals with a continuous declining trend.

55. Many a craft beer: ALE.    Fermented malt beverage, full-bodied and somewhat bitter, with strong flavor and aroma of hops. 

56. Region: AREA.  The extent of space or surface having some common definable characteristic and flexible boundaries.

58. Baking soda targets: ODORS.   Most unpleasant smells have an acidic nature.  Baking soda is basic, and will react with the odor causing molecules, thus neutralizing them.  Chemistry, peeps!

62. Long-billed wader: IBIS.    A group of long-legged wading birds in the family Threskiornithidae, that inhabit wetlands, forests and plains. "Ibis" derives from the Latin and Ancient Greek word for this group of birds. 

64. Roof problem: LEAK.  A hole or crack that allows unintended water to enter a structure.

65. Like a paddling surfer: PRONE.   A body position in which the person lies flat with the chest down and the back up.

66. Muse count: NINE.    In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts.   their functions are as follows: Calliope (epic poetry), Clio (history), Euterpe (flutes and music), Thalia (comedy and pastoral poetry), Melpomene (tragedy)

Terpsichore (dance), Erato (love poetry and lyric poetry), Polyhymnia (hymns and sacred poetry), Urania (astronomy)

67. Award for very good plays?: ESPY.   Another clever clue, relating not to theater productions, but to excellence in sporting contests.  The ESPY Awards, the Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly, is an event honoring the top athletes and sport performances of the year.

68. Transmits: SENDS.  Causes something to pass on from one place or person to another.

69. Epic story: SAGA.   A long story of heroic achievement, especially a medieval prose narrative in Old Norse or Old Icelandic.

Down:

1. Region above Sask.: NWT.   NorthWest Territory.   The Northwest Territories of Canada include the regions of Dehcho, North Slave, Sahtu, South Slave and Inuvik. Their remote landscape encompasses forest, mountains, Arctic tundra and islands in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. 

2. "Checkmate!": YOU LOSE.   A winning move in chess, and, by extension, any dramatic winning maneuver.

3. A bit: SOMEWHAT.  Diminishing modifier.

4. Nail polish brand: ESSIE.  They offer over 300 colors.

5. Shaken percussion item: MARACA.  

6. Chicken __ king: ALA.    A dish consisting of diced chicken in a cream sauce, often with sherry, mushrooms, and vegetables, generally served over rice, noodles, or bread. 

7. "Copy that": ROGER.   I Heard and Understood the Message.

8. "The French Chef" host Julia: CHILD.   Julia Carolyn Child (née McWilliams (1912 –  2004) was an American cooking teacher, author, and television personality. She is recognized for bringing French cuisine to the American public with her debut cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and her subsequent television programs, the most notable of which was The French Chef, which premiered in 1963.

9. Film score composer Zimmer with four Grammys: HANS.   Hans Florian Zimmer [b. 1957] is a German film score composer and music producer. He has won two Oscars and four Grammys, and has been nominated for two Emmys and a Tony. Zimmer was also named on the list of Top 100 Living Geniuses, published by The Daily Telegraph.

10. Part of a cage: RIB.   One of the series of curved bones of the chest of most vertebrates that are joined to the spinal column in pairs and help to support the body wall and protect the organs inside.  Sneaky clue.   BAR also fits.

11. High-end Hondas: ACURAS.   Acura  is the luxury and performance division of Japanese automaker Honda, based primarily in North America.  The brand was launched in the United States on March 27, 1986,

12. Catlike: FELINE.   Appearing or behaving like a cat:

13. Finally: AT LAST.   Said of something has happened after you have been hoping for it for a long time. 

19. In abundance: GALORE.  A veritable plethora.

21. Shout: CRY.  Shout or scream, typically to express fear, pain, or grief.

24. Bud: PAL.  A friend.

25. Home of Creighton University: OMAHA.  Omaha is a city in the U.S. state of Nebraska, on the Missouri River close to the Iowa border. A stop on the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, it's known for its pioneer history, museums and cultural centers. 

27. Wield, as influence: EXERT.   Apply or bring to bear a force, influence, or quality.

30. Marsh: BOG.  Wet muddy ground too soft to support a heavy body.

32. Conversation piece?: PHONE.  Another mis-directing clue.  A device used for conversation [or posting feline pics], not the expected object whose unusual quality makes it a topic of conversation.

34. Part of UNLV: LAS.  University of Nevada at LAS Vegas.

35. Environmental activist Thunberg: GRETA.   Greta Tintin Eleonora Ernman Thunberg FRSGS is a Swedish environmental activist who is known for challenging world leaders to take immediate action for climate change mitigation. Thunberg's activism began when she persuaded her parents to adopt lifestyle choices that reduced their own carbon footprint.    FRSGS indicates a Fellow of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society.

37. Snare: ENTRAP.   Catch (someone or something) in or as in a trap.

38. Network with an eye logo: CBS.   Columbia Broadcasting System

39. "WandaVision" backdrop: SUBURBIA.   an American television miniseries created by Jac Schaeffer for the streaming service Disney+, based on Marvel Comics featuring the characters Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch and Vision. It is the first television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) produced by Marvel Studios, sharing continuity with the films of the franchise, and is set after the events of the film Avengers: Endgame (2019). 

42. Healthcare major: NURSING.   A profession within the healthcare sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. 

43. "__ takers?": ANY.   Questing for someone who would accept or buy some object to condition.

44. Straw-strewn shelter: STABLE.   A building in which livestock, especially horses, are kept. It most commonly means a building that is divided into separate stalls for individual animals and livestock. 

45. Funnel-shaped flowers: LILIES.   A genus of herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs, all with large prominent flowers. Lilies are a group of flowering plants which are important in culture and literature in much of the world. Most species are native to the northern hemisphere and their range is temperate climates and extends into the subtropics.

46. One year, for Venus and Serena Williams: AGE GAP.   Th difference in ages between two people.  This term is not generally used pertaining to siblings.  More typically it refers to the age difference between romantic partners.

48. Naps noisily: SNORES.   Produces a hoarse or harsh sound from nose or mouth that occurs when breathing is partially obstructed while sleeping.

49. Solve KenKen, say: ADD.  Determine the total when two numbers are combined.  KenKen ia a trademarked name for a style of arithmetic and logic puzzle invented in 2004 by Japanese math teacher Tetsuya Miyamoto, who intended the puzzles to be an instruction-free method of training the brain. The name derives from the Japanese word for cleverness. 

52. Category: GENRE.  A category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter.

53. Home health hazard: RADON.   An odorless, invisible, radioactive gas naturally released from rocks, soil, and water. Radon can get into homes and buildings through small cracks or holes and build up in the air. Over time, breathing in high levels of radon can cause lung cancer.

54. Puts together: JOINS.  Combines.

57. Workout count: REPS.   Repetitions of a particular exercise or movement.

60. What's up?: SKY.  The phrase generally means, "what's happening?"  Here it is more literal, indicating the firmament.

61. Finale: END.   The last part of a piece of music, a performance, or a public event, especially when particularly dramatic or exciting.

63. Porthole view: SEA.  A ship's window looks out at the ocean.

That wraps up another Wednesday.  Hope you enjoyed it - as always, free of charge.

Cool regards!

JzB

Friday, October 21, 2022, Alexander Liebeskind

Theme: "Homophonic Daffynitions"

Puzzling thoughts:

So before I forget, might there be a couple more entries that somehow didn't make the cut? For example: Clue: "Legal recipient of an Irish estate?" LONDONDERRY HEIR. Or, Clue: "Legal wrong at a German bakery?" LINZER TORT

As the "theme" title suggests, today's puzzle uses a series of homophonic phrases as entries. What they all have in common - and what makes this puzzle unique - is that each of the phrases puns a legal term. Not as easy as you'd think ...

18-across. Legal entitlement to be invisible?: GHOST RIGHT. Plays off the word "ghostwrite"

24-across. Constitutional section on entering through the chimney?: SANTA CLAUSE. Who hasn't seen the Tim Allen movie, THE SANTA CLAUSE? Or its two sequeals? The original (1994) was cute; the other two, not so much. Well, it seems THE SANTA CLAUSES is due out this November, streaming on Disney+. I hope it lives up to its billing ... here is a trailer ...

38-across. Funds posted to free a rancher?: HAY BAIL. Hay bale. Cute

48-across. Legal advice from Yoda?: JEDI COUNSEL. The Jedi Council is a Star Wars reference. Click on the link for more info

59-across. Court statements from chess players?: CHECK PLEAS. Ha, Ha! Actually, this one works another way if the theme wasn't based on legal or court-related terms. How you ask? Well, how about this clue: "What restaurant diners never mean in Prague?" CZECH PLEASE

Alexander Liebeskind has two recent puzzles published at the New York Times, and now this one, his LA Times solo debut. For a "kid" from Brentwood, that must feel pretty cool! A Google Search reveals that he is a recent graduate of Columbia University

Here is the grid: You'll note a few words highlighted in red ... some interesting similarities ...

Across:
1. Branches: ARMS. LIMBS didn't fit

5. "Who wants my jellyfish? / I'm not sellyfish!" poet: NASH. Ogden NASH

9. Red wine on a white tablecloth, e.g.: STAIN. Use this to remove:

14. Water under the drawbridge: MOAT. Maybe the best clue of today's puzzle

15. Org. concerned with ergonomics: OSHA. Occupational Safety and Health Administration

16. City known for cheese: PARMA. It's in Italy. PARMAsan Cheese. Also known for its ham. And you thought ham and cheese was an American concoction?

17. Prod: POKE. Be careful; might find a pig in one

20. Sound investment?: STEREO. One commodity that continues to be on the top of the price list for consumer items. And is usually powered by (1-down. Rock blasters:) AMPS.

22. __ standstill: AT A.

23. Writer Anita: LOOS. Her

27. Traditional 30th anniversary symbol: PEARL. Fun Fact: [jewelrywise dot com] says, "Although Pearls are also said to represent tears, one tradition says wearing pearls on your wedding day will ensure your marriage is happy and you won't shed tears during it. In fact, many brides get their first cultured pearl necklace from their mothers or mothers-in-law — passing down a tradition"

28. Hidden agenda: ANGLE. As in, "What's your ANGLE?"

32. Avenger with a hammer: THOR.

34. Chow down: EAT.

36. Many streams: VIDEOS. It's my TV choice. I broke free from cable or satellite dish about 4 years ago

37. "Okay by moi": OUI. Frawnch

40. __ jar: TIP. Fun Fact: TIP is an acronym! "The custom originated in Europe, and while its history is not entirely clear, it is commonly traced back to 17th century England. The word "tip" is speculated to be an acronym for "To Insure Promptitude," which was printed on bowls in British coffeehouses" [businessinsider dot com]

41. Fiction and nonfiction: GENRES. We had the singular, GENRE, yesterday

43. Pro's camera: SLR.

44. Wee: ITSY. Even an ITSY bitsy spider can be scary

45. Daisylike flower: ASTER.

46. Hide away: STASH.

53. Vineyard measure: ACRE. In France they measure by a hectare; one hectare = 2.47 ACREs; and one letter different than ACHE

56. "Kinda": ISH. As in, "I'll arrive around 7-ISH

57. How some stupid things are done: ON A BET. Stupid? Only in a casino, when you really think you can beat the house

62. Bust a gut: ROAR. LAUGH didn't fit

63. Part of Hispaniola: HAITI. Shares an island with the Dominican Republic

64. Ponte Vecchio river: ARNO. River through Florence and Pisa in Tuscany, and one letter different than ARGO

65. First-class: A-ONE. Also a steak sauce brand, spelled "A-1"

66. Young partner: ERNST. "Ernst & Young, which operates under the trade name EY, is one of the biggest accounting firms in the U.S. It performs broader professional services for international companies. These services include auditing, assurance, consulting, tax, and investment banking" [theforage dot com]

67. N.L. East team: METS. One of my highlighted words that goes with (13-down. N.L. East team:) NATS. The METS made the playoffs this year but lost in the first round

68. Site for artisans: ETSY. Goes with ESPN and ESPY, IMO

Down:
2. Miniseries based on a Haley novel: ROOTS. ROOTS. "Based on Alex Haley's family history. Kunta Kinte is sold into the slave trade after being abducted from his African village, and is taken to the United States. Kinte and his family observe notable events in American history, such as the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, slave uprisings and emancipation" [imdb dot com]

3. Score when debating: MAKE A POINT. How do you make points in a debate?

How to Prepare For a Debate:

a) Be a Team: Work Together. Remember that you are on a team and that means you work together

b) Write Individual Speeches. Before you come together, break off individually and have each person brainstorm on their own

c) Analyze the Evidence,

d) Arguments for Both Sides

e) Prepare Your Speeches

f) Be Confident

4. Less forgiving: STERNER. I had a golf coach in HS whose last name was STERNER. His first name was "Mr."

5. Restricted zones: NO GO AREAS. "A "no-go area" or "no-go zone" is a neighborhood or other geographic area where some or all outsiders are either physically prevented from entering or can enter at risk" [wikipedia dot com]

6. Baseball bat wood: ASH. Maple and Bamboo are also used but didn't fit

7. Sandbar: SHOAL. I don't know why, but when I saw this I thought of: Muscle SHOALs, Alabama

8. "__ luego": HASTA. HASTA in English means "Until"

9. Time of yr. for new growth: SPR. Meh. Abbr for SPRing

10. Last bit: TAIL END.

11. Oscar-winning film about a fake film: ARGO.

12. Short "As I see it": IMHO. In My Humble Opinion

19. __ cross: TAU. "The Tau cross is representative of salvation and of life, due in part to its association with the sparing of believers in the Bible. As Tau is the last letter in the Hebrew alphabet, it symbolizes the revealed Word of God, its completion and perfection. It also can be said to symbolize the Last Day" [symbolsage dot com]

21. In-flight info, for short: ETA. When they expect you to get there

25. Paint-your-own-pottery supply: CLAY. For once they didn't use a proper name for this word; maybe Henry or Cassius was too easy?

26. Catamaran mover: SAIL.

29. Lose one's place: GET THE BOOT. As in being fired from work?

30. "The Giver" novelist Lowry: LOIS. Perps to the rescue

31. Arthur Ashe Courage Award, for one: ESPY. Another highlighted word in my solved grid; similar to 68-across

32. Senate wrap: TOGA. Could you imagine our US Senators wearing these?

33. Color wheel array: HUES. Here's one for wine:

35. "The Misery Index" network: TBS. Perps to the rescue

36. Expert musicians: VIRTUOSOS. A rarely used entry

38. Present: HERE. As well, an answer to a roll call

39. As well: ALSO. Oh, look! (see 38-down)

42. Turns down: REJECTS.

44. "The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl" star: ISSA RAE. This gal has become a crossword staple. Soon, she will be listed as "crosswordese"

47. __ Taylor Loft: ANN. They carry sizes that fit most average women

49. Tango move: DIP.

50. Major religion of Indonesia: ISLAM.

51. French term of endearment: CHERE. More Frawnch

52. Cants: LEANS. TILTS fit, too

53. Marathon aftermath: ACHE. I ran a half-marathon and afterwords had an AC

54. Go over well?: CHAR. Meh. As in, to CHAR a steak. That's when I would use A-1

55. Free __: REIN. What CC gives us bloggers when we recap a puzzle

58. Three-spot: TREY. This:

60. Baby skunk: KIT. This clue stinks!

61. Pantry pest: ANT.

Sorry there are no haikus/moe-kus; that didn't mean I disliked the puzzle, though. I liked it just fine. Margaret and I were in the process of a physical move to a new house when this assignment came to me, so I gave it a good shot, but an abridged version for sure. I'll try to be more creative next time ...