Thursday, October 6, 2022 - Catherine Cetta

If the shoe fits...

Happy Thursday! A certain aquatic mammal took off to Europe so y'all are stuck with me again.

Today we have a bit of a rebus. The words that fill the circles are only connected to the theme by the letters in the circles.
Let's just look at the theme-reveal and the grid and not clutter the LEDE with shoe-fitting fill.

63a. Stack at Famous Footwear, and a hint to the sets of circled letters: SHOEBOXES.

The Grid

If you didn't have the circles, finding the BOXES of SHOEs would be another puzzling challenge. Here they are, color-coded, for later discovery:

BOOT - Hopefully after today's Blog, C.C. won't give me one.
FLAT - An apartment in London
PUMP - Gets water out of the ground
MULE - Beast that comes with 40 acres
HEEL - C.C., if she gives me the BOOT ;-)

Ok, we all know that's not what Catherine was going for...
All the 'boxes' contain, read clockwise, types of shoes the Famous cobbler-shop offers.
Wait a minu... The store's not Famous; it's that it sells Famous-branded footwear, right?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Across:
1. Isabel Allende's "In the __ of Winter": MIDST. A 2017 novel about three people who find themselves together during a winter storm and tell of their tragic pasts.  That's all the internet would tell me in less than 10 minutes.

6. Albumen container: EGG. Albumen is the white of a egg. It contains Albumin.
Albumen is the white of an egg. It contains albumin proteins. It is the scientific name for the white of a cooked egg.   Albumin is a class of several hundred proteins. #Learning

9. Blades on a small 12-Down, for short: PROPS. PROPellerS. It took me a while to figure out what type of blades (grass?, rotors?, knives?) we were looking for.

14. Words said with a shrug: I'VE NO IDEA. I never do.

16. Biathlete's equipment: RIFLE. Ski then shoot. Rinse & repeat.

17. Tosses a monkey wrench into: SABOTAGES.

Foo Fighters - Monkey Wrench

18. Site for a rite: ALTAR. I like the clue's alliteration.

19. Catch or latch follower: ONTO. When I catch onto that she latched onto another fella...

20. R&B's Boyz II __: MEN. Clue/Answer says it all.

21. Like some auctions: SILENT. I won a baseball signed by Lance Berkman at a silent auction.
I got home, Googled, and found I paid >1.5x what it was worth. Oh well, it was for charity (and I have a cool ball).
 

Lance Berkman

22. Grandpa Walton, to Grandma Walton: ZEB. I inked Paw (? should be Pa, no?) first.  I don't remember watching The Waltons.  His name is Zebulon. #Learning

24. Tag sale reminder: AS IS. No refunds.

26. Teachers' org.: NEA. National Education Association.

27. Apprised (of): ABREAST. ONTO.

31. Accordion fold: PLEAT.

Weird Al

33. Like some chins: CLEFT.

For Irish Miss

34. Word with history or hygiene: ORAL.

36. Puerto __: RICO.
 

Let's not forget these US Citizens after Ian

39. Crass: RUDE. I thought "blue" at first.

40. San Antonio team: SPURS. Texas has 3 NBA (National Basketball Association) teams: [see: c/a], Dallas Mavericks, and, The Houston (my fair city) Rockets.

41. CGI birds in Liberty Mutual Insurance commercials: EMUS. Don't make me link one.

42. Important stretches: ERAS. What separates an ERA from an AGE? An ERA has an epoch (definative start date).

43. Tach stats: RPMS. A Tachometer measures RevolutionS Per Minute.

44. Puff up: SWELL.
 

Lois Lane mocks Kent for saying SWELL

45. Announce: STATE. I live in the "Announce" of Texas?

47. Argentine novelist Sabato: ERNESTO. Ernesto Sabato (June 24, 1911 – April 30, 2011) was an Argentine writer, painter and physicist. #Learning

49. Wanted poster letters: AKA. Also Known As. The Wanted's alias(es).

51. Fill with freight: LADE.

53. __ française: A LA. In the style of the French.

54. Luxury furs: SABLES.
 

Cute little Critter

56. "90 Day Fiancé" cable channel: TLC. The Learning Channel. I can't think of one lesson you can learn from that show.

58. News article intro: LEDE. Lois never buried hers.

62. Gather wool from: SHEAR. Not the SABLE!

63. [See: theme]

65. Put in office: ELECT.  Fingers crossed this still holds...

66. Topic of a note home, perhaps: TARDINESS.  Been there.  School wouldn't ALERT my parents until I was late 8 times.  But!, they only tallied per class.  Lots of library time...

67. Big name in rain gear: TOTES. Macintosh was too long.

68. Terminus: END.  End?  I'm not even getting started... ;-)

69. Reptile with sticky toe pads: GECKO. Another insurance mascot.

Down:
1. Soybean paste: MISO.

Yum! -- And it's easy!

2. Catcher Rodríguez inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017: IVAN.  AKA Pudge. He had a stint with the Houston Astros in 2009 but made his name with the (Dallas) Texas Rangers (1991-2001) and, IIRC, was part of the Florida Marlin's World Series winning team (2003).  //I had to lookup the year(s).

3. Credit report item: DEBT. Make sure you have some debt or FICO dings you.

4. Total yawner: SNOOZE-FEST. Ok, Ok, I'll move it along...

5. Little one: TOT.  Kid, child, snot-nosed brat.

6. Perimeter: EDGE. Also, with The, U2's guitarist.

7. __ Davis Institute on Gender in Media: GEENA.  Geena Davis (Jan 21, 1956 -) is an actor / producer who founded the institute at Mount Saint Mary's University in Los Angeles to research gender representation in media and advocate for equal representation.  #Learning.

8. Fuel for some grills: GAS.
 

Hank Hill's Goth Phase

9. Extol: PRAISE. Hallelujah!
 

Leonard Cohen

10. Tiny stream: RILL. Rill? I looked it up: "A small stream." Um, OK. #Learning

11. Frequently: OFTEN TIMES. Redundant? Doesn't 'often' imply time?

12. See 9-Across: PLANE.   PROPS to me for finally suss'n' the NE corner.

13. Mattress choice: SERTA. The brand with the out-of-work "Counting Sheep."
 

15. Sonnet line quintet: IAMBS. Poetry.  I'll let someone smarter address this 'cuz I never understood counting syl-LA-bles.

21. Opera virtuoso Beverly: SILLS.  Beverly Sills (May 25, 1929 - July 2, 2007) was a soprano.  [Read more]

23. Put away: EAT. Nom, Nom, Nom.

25. Few and far between: SPARSE.

27. 43,560 square feet: ACRE.  AveJoe surveyed a LOT of these.  //See what I did there?

28. Make fuzzy: BLUR.

29. Visibly embarrassed: RED AS A BEET.

30. Bested: TOPPED. Won.

32. Question for an astrobiologist: ARE WE ALONE? Also a question for a significant-other.

35. Ingredient in many tropical cocktails: RUM. If yes to the above, start with a Piña Colada(?)

37. __ classic: CULT.   What's your favorite?   A) UHF, B) The Kentucky Fried Movie, C) The Rocky Horror Picture Show, D) Other (please elaborate).

38. Norwegian home of the Fram Museum: OSLO. You had me at Norwegian...

40. Misses overseas: Abbr.: SRTAS. Spanish abbreviation and an 'E' short of a mattress maker.

44. NBC show that inspired "30 Rock," for short: SNL.  Saturday Night Live.  It's had it's ups and downs since '75... The new cast's premier (10/1) was pretty good. Let's see if it holds.
Yeah, I *totes heart* Tina Fey.

Tina Fey (head-writer SNL & 30 Rock) with some guy.

46. Warns: ALERTS.  I hope the above caption doesn't alert @jimmyfallon.

48. Sped: RACED.

49. Plus: ASSET.

50. "Four Inhabitants of Mexico" painter: KAHLO.

Frida Kahlo's Self Portrait with Grandparents, Parents & Me - Four Inhabitants of Mexico

52. Actor Hawke: ETHAN. I briefly met him one morning in New Orleans on the balcony next to ours. I had NO IDEA. He was just a dude cleaning up after a party / having his coffee.  Later I was clued in.

55. Valentine trim: LACE. *looks for links* Um, no. This isn't Splynter's expo :-)

57. "Downton Abbey" title: LORD. Extol, er, PRAISE the?

59. COO, e.g.: EXEC. Chief Operating Officer - a C-Suite suit.

60. Work place: DESK. The COO's DESK is BIG. Mine ain't.

61. Standard Oil brand: ESSO. Hey, Canadian, Eh!, eh?

63. Abbr. in some vineyard names: STE. Some French (wo)men name their vineyards after Saints. I guess(?) C.Moe?

64. Important: BIG. Really important: HUGE   [See: COO's DESK]

Well, that's it.  Here's the TL;DR:

Thanks Catherine for the fun puzzle.  Stop by The Corner; maybe give us some inside-baseball.
The theme helped me break the cross-reference in the NE corner... Gotta be FLATs(?)... Ah, yes, a Biathlon has guns!
WOs: Paw->ZEB, ATE->EAT
ESPs: ZEB, MIDST, RILL, GEENA, KAHLO | TOTES
Fav: SNOOZE-FEST. Something I hope today's expo wasn't.

//To be openly honest with y'all, I FIW.  I had KAHLa | TaTES when I put my pen down. 
Just 'cuz I get to expo (my honor, C.C.), doesn't mean I'm Mensa-smart.

Cheers, -T
Coda: I found some bonus SHOEBOXES in the reveal and surrounding fill: OXEN (why not?; there's MULEs), HORA (what you wear to a wedding dance?), and, um, SHAT...

Monday September 5, 2022 Catherine Cetta

 

Theme: SO AND SO (39. Name better left unsaid, or a description of the answers to the starred clues)

17. *Many an aria: SOPRANO SOLO.

24. *Not quite apologetic: SORTA SORRY.

48. *Persuaded with flattery: SOFT-SOAPED.

61. *In the near future: SOMEDAY SOON.

Boomer here.  

I was a baseball card dealer years  ago, and I recently heard the story that a 1952 #311 Mickey Mantle rookie card went for over 12 million dollars. I checked my Beckett price guide and it is currently listed for $80,000.00. That's a long way from 12 million so it seems like a SO SO story.

 

Across:

1. Private stash: CACHE.

6. Pizza serving: SLICE. I worked pizza and it is not a slice, it's a PIECE.

11. Dell products, for short: PCS.

14. Approximately: ABOUT.  Evander Holyfield beats Mike Tyson.

 

15. Weighed down: LADEN.

16. Flamenco cheer: OLE.  Mr. Svenson.

19. Tiny: WEE.  WEE, WEE. WEE. WEE. All the way home

20. "Will I __ learn?": EVER.  I do not expect to.

21. Dark cloud, maybe: OMEN. Guys from Oregon.

22. Noggin: HEAD.

23. 1950s sitcom name: DESI. Ricky Ricardo.

27. Historic Nevada city with a railway museum: ELY.  I have never been outside of Reno and Las Vegas.

29. __ suey: CHOP.

30. Salon offering: NEW DO.  I do not have enough hair for a salon visit.

33. Ore-Ida nuggets: TATER TOTS.  My favorite!

38. Here, in France: ICI.

41. Syrup source: SAP.  Mostly Maple.

42. Unlikely winners: LONG SHOTS.  Rich Strike at the Derby.

44. "Best before" kin: USE BY.

46. Tune for two: DUET.  The Carpenters were my favorite.

47. Campus URL ender: EDU.

53. Frosted, as a cupcake: ICED.  Or tea in the summer.

57. Periods of history: ERAS. 

58. Horse rider's strap: REIN.

59. "Big Night" actor Shalhoub: TONY.  Hall of Famer - Twins' Oliva

60. Buddy: PAL.

64. __-at-ease: ILL. Cubs and White Sox state.

65. Strainer: SIEVE.

66. Plentiful: AMPLE.

67. Stubborn beast: ASS. I believe the beast is a mule.  The ASS is behind it.

68. Great-grandparent, say: ELDER. I never met any of mine.

69. Big buttes: MESAS.

Down:

1. Scoped out with bad intentions: CASED.

2. "Heavens __!": ABOVE.  "We're on a street called Love"

3. Successfully handles a rough patch: COPES.  COPES are not always successful.

4. Rushed: HURRIED. Rushing backs will be on TV soon!

5. Greek letter between zeta and theta: ETA.

6. Sports replay type, briefly: SLO-MO.  Rushing backs will be here too.

7. Pointer or printer lead-in: LASER.  Don't look into this thing.

8. "__ have a clue": I DON'T.  Okay.

9. Cartoon frame: CEL.

10. Music producer Brian: ENO.

11. Confident stance: POWER POSE.  Quarterbacks will be there for sure.

12. Blue-skies forecast word: CLEAR.

13. Far from swanky: SEEDY.

18. Like a busybody: NOSY.  Don't ask.

22. YA novel by Carl Hiaasen about a threatened owl habitat: HOOT.  Temple Owls are playing Duke Saturday.

25. Unreturnable serves: ACES.  Also a good poker hand.  Especially four.

26. Hide from view: SHROUD.

28. Red-ink amounts: LOSSES.  Stock market was not friendly in August.

30. Zip: NIL.  NADA

31. __-friendly: ECO.

32. Unexpected moments of good fortune: WINDFALLS.  Visit a casino.

33. "__ Te Ching": philosophical text: TAO.

34. Unwelcome picnic guest: ANT.  They are amazing!

35. NFL six-pointers: TDS.  Plus 1 usually.  Season will start next Sunday.

36. Bar bill: TAB.  I do not go to bars anymore,  But when I did, it was pay one at a time.

37. James Bond, for one: SPY.

40. "__ Be in Love": Kate Bush song: OH TO.

43. "No __, no glory": GUTS.  If you got this far, you've earned glory.

45. "I'm good with it": SUITS ME.

47. Poet St. Vincent Millay: EDNA.  A township in North Dakota.

48. Old photo tone: SEPIA.

49. Face-to-face exams: ORALS.  Speak loudly and carry a small stick.

50. __ Forces Day: ARMED.  Veterans welcome.

51. "Pet" annoyance: PEEVE.

52. Pillow feathers: EIDER.

54. Henhouses: COOPS.  My Uncle Bill's farm produced many eggs.

55. "__ Holmes": Netflix film starring Millie Bobby Brown: ENOLA.

56. Units of force that make up newtons: DYNES.

61. NNW opposite: SSE.

62. Olive __: OIL.  Popeye spelled his girlfriend OYL.

63. Orange tuber: YAM.  Done?  Yes I YAM.

Boomer

 

Wednesday, August 10, 2022 Catherine Cetta

Theme: A puzzle for one seasoning.   As we shall see, this is a well-seasoned puzzle.  This will make more sense if we start with the unifier.

60 A. Quantity applied to dubious advice, and what's found in the answer to each starred clue: GRAIN OF SALT.   To take something with a "grain of salt" is an English language idiom that suggests to view something, specifically claims that may be misleading or unverified, with skepticism or to not interpret something literally.  However, the chemist in me [and yes I have BS and MS degrees in chemistry] recognizes that the symbol for a molecule of common table salt is NaCl.  Na is the symbol for sodium [natrium in the original Latin] and Cl is the symbol for chlorine.  The combination is called sodium chloride.

17. *When "you can see forever," per the classic song: ON A CLEAR DAY.

 

30. *Genetic lab project: DNA CLONING.  A set of experimental methods in molecular biology that are used to assemble recombinant DNA molecules and to direct their replication within host organisms.

35. *Almost got the gold: RAN A CLOSE SECOND.  If you run someone a close second, or run a close second, you almost beat them in a race or competition. So - probably took the silver.

If you take a granular look at each of these answers, you will find the it does indeed contain a modicum of salt

Hi, Gang -- JazzBumpa here to analyze todays experiment in criciverbalism.  Let's grab our lab coats and get going.

Across:

1. Starts a triathlon: SWIMS.  A triathlon is an endurance multisport race consisting of swimming, cycling, and running over various distances. 

6. Airplane assignments: SEATS.  Aisle, window or [ugh] center.

11. Short lines at the register?: UPC.   The Universal Product Code (UPC or UPC code) is a barcode symbology that is widely used worldwide for tracking trade items in stores.

14. Chocolate source: CACAO.   Theobroma cacao, also called the cacao tree and the cocoa tree, is a small evergreen tree in the family Malvaceae. Its seeds, cocoa beans, are used to make chocolate liquor, cocoa solids, cocoa butter and chocolate.

15. "I've __ up to here!": HAD IT.   Exclamation of impatience or incipient anger.

16. Swelter: FRY.  Experience an unpleasant level of heat.

19. Watch chain: FOB.  A chain attached to a watch for carrying in a waistcoat or waistband pocket.

20. Top __: TEN.  A type of most popular list.

21. Requests: ASKS.

22. DVR pioneer: TIVO.   TiVo is a digital video recorder developed and marketed by Xperi and introduced in 1999. 

23. Rich cake: TORTE.   a rich, usually multilayered, cake that is filled with whipped cream, buttercreams, mousses, jams, or fruit.  It is often glazed and garnished.

25. Air purifying gadget: IONIZER.   Devices that remove certain airborne particles using negative ions. The purpose of an air ionizer is to help air particles settle and collect out of the air.

28. Skateboarding star Tony: HAWK.  Anthony Frank Hawk (b. 1968), nicknamed Birdman, is an American professional skateboarder, entrepreneur, and the owner of the skateboard company Birdhouse

32. Qatari bigwigs: EMIRS.   A Muslim (usually Arab) military commander or local chief.

34. "__ I say more?": NEED.   Have you heard enough?

42. Word on Irish euros: EIRE.  Éire is Irish for "Ireland", the name of both an island in the North Atlantic and the sovereign state of Ireland which governs 84% of the island's landmass. 

43. Finnish hot spot: SAUNA.   A small room or building designed as a place to experience dry or wet heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these facilities. 

44. *Long, curved barrette: BANANA CLIP.   a clip that is slightly curved and used to hold a person's hair in place. 

50. Academic acronym: STEM.  STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math education. It is an interdisciplinary approach that helps students succeed in college and in their future careers. The focus of a STEM education is hands-on, problem-based learning.

51. Glasses for bookworms: READERS.  Eyeglasses used for reading or close work.  I have a special pair for reading music.  Otherwise I get trapped in bifocal hell.

52. Court attire: ROBES.   A robe is a loose gown worn by judges, barristers and officials in court.

54. Itch: URGE.  Yen, desire, craving, impulse, yearning . . .

55. Han who said, "It's not wise to upset a Wookiee": SOLO.  Portrayed by a former camera man.

Source

56. [shrug]: MEH.  We are not impressed.

59. __ sale: TAG.   A sale of used belongings where the price of the item is discounted and marked on a price tag.

64. Put away: ATE.   Probably with considerable enthusiasm.

65. Very serious: ACUTE.   Present or experienced to a severe or intense degree.

66. Leading: FIRST.  Outperforming the competition.

67. __ light bulb: LED.    Light Emitting Diode. LED lighting products produce light up to 90% more efficiently than incandescent light bulbs.

68. Cookie source: BAKER.  A person who makes bread and cakes - and, of course, cookies - especially as a trade.

69. Ready to flow: ON TAP.  All set to go.

Down:

1. Person in Paisley: SCOT.  A person from Scotland.  The town Paisley is an industrial centre, Renfrewshire council area and historic county, in west-central Scotland, 7 miles (11 km) west of Glasgow. It is situated on the River White Cart, a tributary of the River Clyde.

2. Diminish: WANE.   Ebb, decline, shrink, contract.

3. "Gosh, no one is happy with me!": I CAN'T WIN.  An expression of dismay.

4. PC alternative: MAC.  An Apple computer.

5. __ power: SOLAR.  The conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV), indirectly using concentrated solar power, or a combination. 

6. Like some martinis: SHAKEN.  As opposed to being stirred.  Mine are swirled.

7. AirPods holders: EARS.  Apple's entirely wireless earbuds. They were first released in 2016. AirPods are compatible with iPhones, iPads, iPods, Macbooks, and Apple TVs.  EARS are the organs of hearing and balance in humans and other vertebrates, especially the external part of this.

8. Total: ADD.  Sum it up.

9. Hermana de la madre: TIA.   Mom's sister is your aunt, not only in Spanish speaking regions.

10. Farm pen: STY.  Home for pigs.

11. Florence gallery with Botticelli's "Birth of Venus": UFFIZI.   A prominent art museum located adjacent to the Piazza della Signoria in the Historic Centre of Florence in the region of Tuscany, Italy. One of the most important Italian museums and the most visited, it is also one of the largest and best known in the world and holds a collection of priceless works, particularly from the period of the Italian Renaissance.

Venus emerged fully grown from the sea.

12. Tried and true: PROVEN.  We know it will work.  Or so we hope.

13. Seven of Nine of "Star Trek," for one: CYBORG.  A fictional or hypothetical person whose physical abilities are extended beyond normal human limitations by mechanical elements built into the body.  They appear as recurring antagonists in the Star Trek fictional universe.  Not sure what the 7 of 9 refers to.

18. Founded, for short: EST'D.  Established.

22. Pewter component: TIN.  Along with lead.

24. Gumbo vegetable: OKRA.    Abelmoschus esculentus, known in many English-speaking countries as ladies' fingers or ochro, is a flowering plant in the mallow family. It has edible green seed pods. 

25. Cold, slushy treat: ICEE.    A frozen carbonated beverage available in fruit and soda flavors. 

26. World Cup chants: OLÉS.  From Spanish-speaking countries -- an exclamation used to express approval, triumph, joy, etc.

27. Network connections: NODES.  In telecommunications networks, a node (Latin: nodus, ‘knot’) is either a redistribution point or a communication endpoint. The definition of a node depends on the network and protocol layer referred to. 

28. She/__ pronouns: HER.  Putting She/Her in a bio means that the individual is declaring their pronouns. Now people know that they should use She/Her when speaking about or to that person.

29. "No question is too personal" session, for short: AMA.  Ask Me Anything.  [I might even answer.]

31. "Yosemite Valley Winter" photographer Adams: ANSEL.   Ansel Easton Adams 1902 – 1984) was an American landscape photographer and environmentalist known for his black-and-white images of the American West. 

33. Part of an act: SCENE.   As in a stage play.

36. Storyteller: LIAR.  One prone to mendacity.

37. Tolkien creatures: ORCS.  Evil beings that cannot abide the light of day.

38. Wholesale quantity: CASE.  A case of some merchandise is a collection of items packaged together. A case is not a strict unit of measure.
 
39. Get the better of: OUT SMART.   Defeat or get the better of (someone) by being clever or cunning.

40. U-turn from SSW: NNE.  Opposite compass directions

41. Hydroelectric power source: DAM.  A barrier constructed to hold back water and raise its level, forming a reservoir used to generate electricity or as a water supply.

44. Merciless: BRUTAL.  Cruel and nasty

45. Gas up?: AERATE.  Introduce a gas into a liquid.

46. Hounded: NAGGED.   Persistently harassed someone to do something.

47. Stand buy: ADE.    I have no idea what this means.

48. Wrinkle remover: IRONER.  A person ironing clothing or other fabric items

49. Casual top: POLO.   An informal style of cotton shirt, with short sleeves, a collar, and some buttons at the neck 

53. Awesome, in showbiz: BOFFO.  High praise or great success.

55. Etsy, e.g.: SITE.   A set of related web pages located under a single domain name, typically produced by a single person or organization.

57. "Frozen" sister: ELSA.  Elsa and Anna are the royal sisters of Arendelle. 

58. Start of an address: HTTP.   For a web site.

60. Shoot the breeze: GAB.   Yack.

61. Color TV pioneer: RCA.

62. North Sea diving bird: AUK.  A bird of the family Alcidae in the order Charadriiformes. The alcid family includes the murres, guillemots, auklets, puffins, and murrelets.

63. Transgression: SIN.   In the original Greek writing of the New Testament, the most common word translated as “sin” or “sins” is “hamartia,” which means “literally missing of the mark.”  If I understand correctly, it is a term from archery. 

Well - that's not the most pleasant way to bring a puzzle to a close.  But it was a good experiment, and I think it hit the mark. I'll call it a success.

Cool regards!

JzB

P. S.  I have family coming in from out of town, so I probably won't be checking the blog.

 

Tuesday July 12, 2022 Catherine Cetta

Does this make me look fat?  Each theme answer contains a "cut" carbohydrate.  Cutting or limiting carbohydrates from one's diet may help with weight loss.

17-Across. *   Performer who may wear harem pants: BELLY DANCER.  BEER

25-Across. *   People in a love-hate relationship: FRENEMIES.  FRIES

36-Across. *   Body-lifting exercises: CHIN-UPS.  CHIPS

47-ACROSS. *   Veers from the straight and narrow: BREAKS BAD.  BREAD

And the unifier:

56-Across. Dieting advice, and what the answers to the starred clues literally do: CUT THE CARBS.

Across:
1. California wine region near Sonoma: NAPA.  How Napa Valley became known for its wines.

5. Not quite: ALMOST.

11. Zamboni surface: ICE.  The Zamboni is named after its inventor, Frank Zamboni (Jan. 16, 1901 ~ July 27, 1988).

14. Nowhere to be seen, for short: AWOL.  Absent Without Leave, or Absent Without Official Leave.

15. Simple shelter: LEAN TO.

16. Prom rental: TUX.

19. Lob's path: ARC.

20. "Star Wars" heroine: LEIA.  Leia was portrayed by Carrie Fisher (née Carrie Frances Fisher; Oct. 21, 1956 ~ Dec. 27, 2016).  Sadly, she died young.

21. Taylor Swift's "__ Song": OUR.  I'll spare your ears.

22. If not: ELSE.

23. Tree frog sound: CHIRP.

27. Transmission choice for driving uphill: LOW GEAR.

29. Stockpile: AMASS.

30. Chips __!: cookie brand: AHOY.  This made me think of our dear friend Spitzboov.

31. Creme Egg candymaker: CADBURY.  Everything about the Cadbury Creme Eggs, but didn't know to ask.

35. Hearty holiday drink: NOG.

37. Spigot: TAP.

40. Ambushed: WAYLAID.

41. Corn Belt tower: SILO.

42. Storybook brutes: OGRES.

45. Tracks down: LOCATES.

51. Pet rabbit's home: HUTCH.

52. Wallop: SOCK.

53. Feel crummy: AIL.

54. Carpenter's clamp: VISE.  Everything you wanted to know about Bench Vises, but didn't know to ask.

55. Source of milk for pecorino cheese: EWE.  Everything you wanted to know about Pecorino Cheeses, but didn't know to ask.

60. Time zone word: Abbr.: STD.  As in Central Standard Time.

61. Dined at a bistro, say: ATE OUT.

62. Nerd: GEEK.  Did you know that the word Geek originally referred to a carnival worker who would bite the heads off live animals? 

63. That lady: SHE.  It could have been Her, so I had to wait for the perps.

64. Tinkers (with): MESSES.

65. Avant-garde: EDGY.

An Avant-garde hairstyle

Down:

1. Capture: NAB.

2. Knock the socks off: AWE.

3. Tadpole: POLLIWOG.  Is there a difference between a polliwog and a tadpole?

4. Hay fever, e.g.: ALLERGY.

5. "Marriage Story" actor Alan: ALDA.  Alan Alda (né Alfonso Joseph D'Abruzzo; b. Jan. 28, 1936) is probably best known for his role as Hawkeye Pierce on M*A*S*H.  Marriage Story was a 2019 film.

6. Actress Thompson: LEA.  Lea Thompson (née Lea Katherine Thompson; b. May 31, 1961) is probably best known for her role as Lorraine Baines-McFly in the Back to the Future films.  In those films, she played the mother to Marty McFly, who was played by Michael A Fox (b. June 9, 1961).  In real life, she was only 10 days older than her "son".

7. Regal home: MANOR.

8. Promptly: ON CUE.

9. Rudder's locale: STERN.

10. Only Canadian MLB city: TOR.  The Toronto is the home to baseball's Blue Jays.  Hi, Canadian Eh!

11. Firenze locale: ITALIA.  Better known to English speakers as Florence, Italy.  Did you know that Florence Nightingale was born in Florence, Italy, hence her first name?

12. Swear words: CURSES.

13. More than necessary: EXCESS.

18. Cry of pain: YIPE.

22. Television award: EMMY.

23. Tartan-sharing kin: CLAN.

Men of different clans, as evidenced by the tartans.

24. Santa's jolly syllables: HO HO.

25. Physically delicate: FRAIL.

26. Disneyland hat pair: EARS.

28. Sore: ACHY.

32. Genetic material: DNA.

33. Construct: BUILD.

34. Bun, e.g.: UPDO.  Oh, a hairstyle, not an item of food.

36. Wine barrel: CASK.

37. Giggled self-consciously: TITTERED.

38. Smart __: know-it-all: ALEC.

39. Swanky: POSH.  One of Spice Girls was known as Posh.

40. Like disappointing coffee: WEAK.

41. McMuffin meat option: SAUSAGE.

42. Think too much (about): OBSESS.

43. Old-__ forest: GROWTH.  Did you know about the Old-Growth Forest Network?

44. Ebb: RECEDE.

46. Rather smart: CHIC.

48. Cook in some olive oil, say: SAUTÉ.

49. Tugs at a fishing line: BITES.

50. Choir section: ALTOS.

54. November honorees: VETS.  We have lots of Veterans on this blog.

56. Pic taker: CAM.  As in a Camera, also known as a smart phone.

57. Shade on a color wheel: HUE.

58. Plead: BEG.

59. Big __ Country: SKY.  Hi, Montana!

Here's the Grid:

חתולה