Happy Monday, everyone! My calendar shows holidays in the U.S. and in Canada. Cheers!
Theme: Viva Las Vegas!
Elvis Presley & Ann Margret ~ Viva Las Vegas ~ 1964
Today's puzzle comes to us from Ethan McNamara and David Karp. The convention is that the first name listed is the person who came up with the theme idea. We can congratulate Ethan both on his fun theme and on his LA Times debut! David has five previous LA Times puzzles to his credit, including three Saturday puzzles. (I am not surprised by that last part!)
Let's check in with today's themers:
16 Across. Legendary sword of King Arthur: EXCALIBUR.
If you like the TV show The Librarians (2014-2018), you will enjoy this clip of Noah Wyle and "Cal". (Season 1, Episode 1 ~ 1:23 min.)
22 Across. Stevenson novel with buccaneers and buried gold: TREASURE ISLAND.
This novel by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson ("RSL" to cruciverbalists) was published in 1883.
43 Across. The city so nice they named it twice: NEW YORK, NEW YORK.
This is obviously a reference to the city sharing its name with its State, but who said it first? I had to do deep research (I opened 10 tabs.😰) on this one. Ultimately, I am going with a Wiki quote: "The City So Nice They Named It Twice" is a reverence to "New York, New York" as both the city and state, spoken by Jon Hendricks in 1959 on a jazz cover of Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers' song Manhattan on George Russell's album New York, N.Y. and popularized by New York-based late night talk show host David Letterman.
I did find the lyrics to Manhattan and can confirm that this line is not in the song. It was an improvisation. I wonder, though, did Hendricks hear it from somewhere else?
I also found that Gerard Kenny had a similar lyric in his 1979 song New York, New York.
51 Across. U-shaped object pitched at a stake: HORSESHOE. 
Then the reveal:
33 Across. Second half of a famous tourism slogan, and what 16-, 22-, 43-, and 51-Across literally are: STAYS IN VEGAS.
The first half of the famous tourism slogan is "What happens in Vegas...." The word
STAYS is being reinterpreted as slang for "places to STAY". It comes form the phrase "hotel STAY".
EXCALIBUR (opened 1990), TREASURE ISLAND (opened 1993), NEW YORK-NEW YORK (opened 1997), and HORSESHOE Las Vegas (opened 1973 / rebranded in 2022 as a salute to an older Horseshoe) are all hotels on the Las Vegas Strip. I like it! Very clever!
One more note: Today's grid is a 14X15 so as to accommodate the two, 14-letter grid-spanners. Here is another 14X15 Monday puzzle from David Karp published this past February.
I bet we will find more interesting things in the remaining clues....
1. Hefeweizen, for one: ALE.
9. Chocolate morsel: CHIP. A personal hero to many cookie lovers, Ruth Wakefield invented the Toll House chocolate CHIP cookie over 90 years ago. history
13. Bubblicious product: GUM. Bubblicious was launched in 1977 in response to the success of Bubble Yum, the first soft bubble gum. (Bubble Yum was introduced by Life Savers in 1975.)
Trivia: In 2013 former New England Patriots 59-Across Aaron Hernandez was linked to a murder due to his purchase of Blue Cotton Candy Bubblicious.
15. Ump's place: HOME. HOME plate
18. The whole kit and caboodle: A TO Z. Caboodle is a noun that means "all the things in a group".
19. Nine, in Spanish: NUEVE.
20. Some fiddle songs: REELS. The "R" was my last box to fill.
1. Some airport helpers: AGENTS. Some airline employees working at the airport are called "ticketing AGENTS".
2. Sumptuous comfort: LUXURY. The Luxor is another casino hotel on the Vegas Strip.
3. Hosts an award show: EMCEES.
4. Areas between hills: VALES. I had dALES before VALES so I wondered, "What's the difference?" Turns out the answer is "not much".
5. D'backs, in box scores: ARI. "Diamondbacks" is shortened, so is "ARIzona".
6. Beirut's country: Abbr.: LEB. Beirut is the capital of Lebanon.
7. Accustomed (to): INURED. I am not accustomed to using this word. That and my poor spelling skills made the U in LUXURY a CHALLENGing crossing for me.
44. Physical therapy, informally: REHAB.
45. Small songbirds: WRENS. We have a mini avian theme with BIRD, ORIOLE, and WRENS.
46. Exclamation of success: YES.
49. Flow out, as the tide: EBB.
50. By way of, in itineraries: VIA.
52. Genetic messenger molecule: RNA. Last week the winners of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine were announced. It went to two scientists for discovering microRNA. Read more here.
53. Parked oneself: SAT.
14. Taylor Swift concert venue: ARENA. It's another connection to 59-Across!
15. Ump's place: HOME. HOME plate
18. The whole kit and caboodle: A TO Z. Caboodle is a noun that means "all the things in a group".
Example sentence from M-W dictionary: Most pension checks go out monthly. However, some plans let you receive the entire caboodle in a single lump for reinvestment elsewhere.
19. Nine, in Spanish: NUEVE.
20. Some fiddle songs: REELS. The "R" was my last box to fill.
A Virginia REEL is an American dance in which two lines of couples face each other and all couples in turn dance in a series of figures.
The notes on this video say, "The Virginia REEL was the most popular dance amongst the Mormon pioneers who came across the plains to Utah."
27. Method: Abbr.: SYS. SYStem
28. Up in arms: MAD.
29. AT&T, for one: TELCO. TELecommunications COmpany
30. Girder: BEAM.
32. Small, cutesily: EENSIE. Cutesily was added to the clue to account for the unconventional spelling of an informal word (eensy).
36. "9-1-1: Lone Star" actress Gina: TORRES. I know Gina from Firefly and Suits.
27. Method: Abbr.: SYS. SYStem
28. Up in arms: MAD.
29. AT&T, for one: TELCO. TELecommunications COmpany
30. Girder: BEAM.
32. Small, cutesily: EENSIE. Cutesily was added to the clue to account for the unconventional spelling of an informal word (eensy).
36. "9-1-1: Lone Star" actress Gina: TORRES. I know Gina from Firefly and Suits.
9-1-1: Lone Star with Rob Lowe is her current gig. Gina's IMDb page
37. Je t'__: French words of endearment: AIME.
38. African antelope: ELAND.
39. Steel-cut grain: OAT. 
40. Scouring pad brand: S.O.S.
47. Like some shoes: LACED. I liked how this answer was alongside 48-Across RETIE in the grid.
48. Adjust, as an apron: RETIE.
49. "Will they __ learn?": EVER.
54. Feathered friend: BIRD. BIRDS of a feather flock together.
55. Former U.N. head Kofi: ANNAN. Kofi Atta Annan (1938-2018) was a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the secretary-general of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006.
56. Key sometimes used with Ctrl: ALT.
57. Hunting/fishing retailer __ Pro Shops: BASS. Have you noticed that people whom you would not think of as anglers are wearing BASS Pro Shop Hats? This article lists six reason these hats are so very popular lately.
58. Triumphs over: BEATS.
59. The NFL's Travis Kelce and others, for short: TES. They are Tight Ends in the National Football League. BTW, in case you have been under a rock for the past year, Travis Kelce is dating the mega-star in 14-Across.
Down:
 |
| Sidenote: Barbicore is a fashion trend that embraces colors like hot pink. As you probably guessed, this followed the movie Barbie (2023). |
37. Je t'__: French words of endearment: AIME.
38. African antelope: ELAND.
 |
| Both males and females have twisted horns. |
40. Scouring pad brand: S.O.S.
 |
| How do I clean stubborn spots off floors? Certainly not in that outfit. |
47. Like some shoes: LACED. I liked how this answer was alongside 48-Across RETIE in the grid.
48. Adjust, as an apron: RETIE.
49. "Will they __ learn?": EVER.
 |
| It's that time of year! |
54. Feathered friend: BIRD. BIRDS of a feather flock together.
55. Former U.N. head Kofi: ANNAN. Kofi Atta Annan (1938-2018) was a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the secretary-general of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006.
56. Key sometimes used with Ctrl: ALT.
57. Hunting/fishing retailer __ Pro Shops: BASS. Have you noticed that people whom you would not think of as anglers are wearing BASS Pro Shop Hats? This article lists six reason these hats are so very popular lately.
58. Triumphs over: BEATS.
59. The NFL's Travis Kelce and others, for short: TES. They are Tight Ends in the National Football League. BTW, in case you have been under a rock for the past year, Travis Kelce is dating the mega-star in 14-Across.
Down:
1. Some airport helpers: AGENTS. Some airline employees working at the airport are called "ticketing AGENTS".
2. Sumptuous comfort: LUXURY. The Luxor is another casino hotel on the Vegas Strip.
4. Areas between hills: VALES. I had dALES before VALES so I wondered, "What's the difference?" Turns out the answer is "not much".
5. D'backs, in box scores: ARI. "Diamondbacks" is shortened, so is "ARIzona".
6. Beirut's country: Abbr.: LEB. Beirut is the capital of Lebanon.
7. Accustomed (to): INURED. I am not accustomed to using this word. That and my poor spelling skills made the U in LUXURY a CHALLENGing crossing for me.
Def: (verb) to accustom to accept something undesirable.
Example sentence from M-W dictionary: Does violence on television INURE children to violence in real life?
8. "Would this be too risky for me?": DARE I?.
9. Confront boldly: CHALLENGE.
10. Taco eater's topping choice: HOT SALSA. Perps pooh-poohed HOT SAuce.
11. "If u ask me ... ": IMO. The "u" in the clue lets us know this will be a texting abbreviation.
12. Brick-shaped candy in a dispenser: PEZ.
8. "Would this be too risky for me?": DARE I?.
9. Confront boldly: CHALLENGE.
10. Taco eater's topping choice: HOT SALSA. Perps pooh-poohed HOT SAuce.
11. "If u ask me ... ": IMO. The "u" in the clue lets us know this will be a texting abbreviation.
12. Brick-shaped candy in a dispenser: PEZ.
The History of PEZ (3 min.)
17. Director DuVernay: AVA. Ava's IMDb page
21. Idolize: ESTEEM.
23. New England sch.: UMASS.
24. Malek of "Bohemian Rhapsody": RAMI. Rami is becoming a crossword regular.
25. CBS franchise with the 2024 prequel series "Origins": NCIS. I have not seen either of those TV shows but NCIS is a good place to start when you see "CBS franchise".
26. Mama deer: DOE.
30. Livestock locales: BARNYARDS.
31. Ophthalmologist, casually: EYE DOC.
21. Idolize: ESTEEM.
23. New England sch.: UMASS.
24. Malek of "Bohemian Rhapsody": RAMI. Rami is becoming a crossword regular.
 |
| Rami played nuclear physicist David L. Hill in Oppenheimer (2023). |
25. CBS franchise with the 2024 prequel series "Origins": NCIS. I have not seen either of those TV shows but NCIS is a good place to start when you see "CBS franchise".
26. Mama deer: DOE.
30. Livestock locales: BARNYARDS.
31. Ophthalmologist, casually: EYE DOC.
Doctor My Eyes ~ Jackson Browne ~ 1972
32. Paperless party announcement: E-VITE.
33. Fish that may be served amandine: SOLE.
34. Fishing boats: TRAWLERS. We have a mini fish them with BASS, SOLE, and TRAWLERS.
35. Tandoori-baked flatbread: NAAN.
36. Sundial X: TEN. Roman numeral
39. "There, finished": OK, DONE.
40. "Yeah, since you brought it up ... ": SO THAT....
41. Baltimore ballplayer: ORIOLE.
42. Rockabilly legend McDonald: SKEETS. Enos William McDonald AKA Skeets was an American country and rockabilly musician popular during the 1950s and 1960s.
33. Fish that may be served amandine: SOLE.
34. Fishing boats: TRAWLERS. We have a mini fish them with BASS, SOLE, and TRAWLERS.
35. Tandoori-baked flatbread: NAAN.
36. Sundial X: TEN. Roman numeral
39. "There, finished": OK, DONE.
40. "Yeah, since you brought it up ... ": SO THAT....
42. Rockabilly legend McDonald: SKEETS. Enos William McDonald AKA Skeets was an American country and rockabilly musician popular during the 1950s and 1960s.
44. Physical therapy, informally: REHAB.
45. Small songbirds: WRENS. We have a mini avian theme with BIRD, ORIOLE, and WRENS.
46. Exclamation of success: YES.
49. Flow out, as the tide: EBB.
50. By way of, in itineraries: VIA.
52. Genetic messenger molecule: RNA. Last week the winners of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine were announced. It went to two scientists for discovering microRNA. Read more here.
53. Parked oneself: SAT.
 |
| This ... not that. |
The grid:
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| That's all from me. What did you think? |
