Friday, September 20, 2019, Kathy Wienberg and Lewis Rothlein

Title: Your serve, it is AD OUT.

A new pairing of constructors brings us a different variation on the remove letters theme. I wonder if Kathy and Lewis got together after a crossword tournament encounter? We have a take out two letter theme to allow for an amusing result, clued appropriately. I believe AD has been used before as the basic Bigram of constructors, but no example comes to mind. Of course, my mind has a mind of its own.

While this appears to be a first-time collaboration, it seems to be a seamless effort. Humor and variety. It has some sparkle with
AERIALS, AMASSED, ANNE RICE,  DEERSKIN, PINENUTS and, SOUL FOOD.

Time for the theme.

20A. What included a top hat, for Lincoln?: GETTYSBURG ADDRESS. (15). At 6' 4" tall, Abe made quite the impression at a time when people were shorter.

26A. Unvarnished inventions?: BARE NAKED LADIES (13). It is all lies, but you should get to know this entertaining Canadian group. LINK.



43. Citi Field catcalls?: FLUSHING MEADOWS (13). I love the kitty reference, and the Mets still haven't been the same since they moved into the new park.

53A. Joe-induced speaking clarity?: CAFFEINE ADDICTION.(15). Why is coffee called JOE?
The reveal:
47D. Ubiquitous YouTube button ... and a hint to four long Across answers: SKIP AD. Now it is time to skip to the puzzle.

Across:

1. "... harmony in the motion and magnitude of the __ ... ": Copernicus: ORBS. While Copernicus wrote extensively about orbs and the planets moving around the sun, I believe it was Kepler to whom the quote should be attributed.

5. Out, perhaps: A BED. He got home and he was out like a light.

9. Maintain: CLAIM. I maintain that I am unique in every way.

14. Stable newborn: FOAL. A baby horsie. Though they often aren't that stable in the stable. LINK.

15. Particle in a beam: MOTE. There is so much more to this than I knew - a game Destiny and reading from the Christian Bible as well as what I thought.

16. Lifetime parent: A AND E. One of the most confused and confusing networks. LINK.

17. Asian tourist city: AGRA. Home of the Taj Mahal.

18. Initial game payment: ANTE. Payment is a stretch but it is Friday.

19. Lengthy sentence: RUNON. I love RUNON sentences as has often been pointed out here at the blog both my detractors and my fans who are so kind.

23. Prohibition __: ERA.

24. Support gp. founded under FDR: USO. While the UNITED SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS primarily bring to mind Bob Hope, they are so much more.

25. Like Yosemite's El Capitan: SHEER.

31. P&L report column: YTD. Year To Date.

32. Symbol of ease: PIE.

33. Part of a baby's repertoire: COO. This verb is from 1660s, "to utter a low, plaintive, murmuring sound," echoic of doves. Compare, in the same sense, Danish kurre, German girren; also Hindi kuku "the cooing of a dove."

34. Stops lying?: RISES. Great misdirection.

37. One often stands alone in a split: PIN. A quick CSO to Boomer and TTP and a reminder of the unknown to me -PIN OAK.

38. Devote, as time: SPEND.

40. Gp. inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017: ELO.

41. They're often seen on trees: KIN. Hah hah - family trees, not Pin Oaks.

42. Disposed of: ATE.

48. "The Night They Invented Champagne" composer: LOEWE.
A classic movie and SONG.

49. Mentalist Geller: URI.

50. Sch. in Manhattan: KSU. Kansas State University is on the way to Denver.

57. Get around: AVOID.

58. Food stamp?: USDA.

59. 67, for Beethoven's Fifth: OPUS.

60. Invisible turnout?: NOONE.

61. Unlikely: TALL.

62. Olive Oyl's mother: NANA.

63. Wound up: ENDED.

64. Goes after: SUES. Meh.

65. Go around in circles?: EDDY. Whirlpool.


Down:

1. 18 or 21, typically: OF AGE.

2. Court rival of Rafael: ROGER. Nadal and Federer.

3. Bill for shots: BARTAB. Not inoculation.

4. Picket fence piece: SLAT.

5. Assembled: AMASSED.

6. Small chocolate-covered candy: BONBON.  This is what I see

7. Classic accusation: ET TU. Brute.

8. Moccasin leather: DEERSKIN.

9. Asked for ID: CARDED.

10. Victory wreath: LAUREL. I hope it is a Hardy one.

11. Lestat de Lioncourt creator: ANNE RICE. It started here...

12. Promises at the altar: I DOS.

13. YMCA part: MENS.

21. Mongolian tents: YURTS.

22. Butter used to deep-fry samosas:  GHEE. Ghee is a form of highly-clarified butter that is traditionally used in Asian cooking. Like butter, ghee is typically made from cow's milk.


27. Agreement word: AYE. We all missed yesterday's talk like a Pirate Day.

28. Mimicry: APING.

29. Geological time span: EON.

30. Scandinavian roofing material: SOD.

34. Whistle-blower: REF. Cute.

35. Down with the flu: ILL.

36. Deep South cuisine: SOUL FOOD.

37. Pesto ingredients: PINE NUTS. Today is the anniversary of my mother's birth so here is a story. When I bought first house in Gainesville, we had many pine trees and I had learned about the sweet nut inside the pinecones. My mother tasted some and had an immediate anaphylactic reaction. Sorry, Mother Dnaveear.

38. Poker-faced: STOIC.

39. Nave seat: PEW. You find them in the main part of the interior of a church.

41. New Zealand bird: KIWI.

42. Reception aids: AERIALS. I gave up cable and now use an HD antenna.

44. 1959 Fiestas hit: SO FINE. I hope you like it.

45. Followed: HEEDED.

46. Confused mess: MUDDLE. This is late Middle English (in the sense ‘wallow in mud’)

51. Squeak or creak: SOUND. Rhyme time.

52. Take back: UNSAY.

53. Prop for Chaplin: CANE.

54. The Bard's river: AVON. Finally, our Shakespeare!

55. Biblical hunter: ESAU. Jacob was a farmer, Esau a hunter.

56. Atmosphere: TONE.

I am worn out with all the music links I have followed. Hope you had a good time and welcome autumn. Also, I am dedicating this write up to my mother, may she rest in peace. Thank  you, Kathy and Lewis, see you again.

Friday, September 13, 2019 Steve Faiella

"Non-rhotic Dancing"

15. Time for an Oktoberfest tradition?: POLKA NIGHT.   Poker night.

23. Movie about a Jewish wedding staple?: HORA FILM.   Horror film.

33. Festive Brazilian gathering?: SAMBA OCCASION.   Somber occasion.

48. One in a line of frolicking sea creatures?: CONGA EEL.   Conger eel.

56. Wedding reception highlight ... and a feature of four puzzle answers: FIRST DANCE.

Common phrases change meanings to well known dances by replacing the "r" sound of the last syllable of the first word to a short "a" sound.   Reminds me of talking with some folks from New England.   I can hear Wilba dropping the R sounds as I read his words.


This is Steve's debut on the grand stage of the LA Times crossword.  Great job, Steve !

Across:

1. Pretend to be: ACT.  Or,  do something.  Don't just sit there.  Get moving.  It's good for your metabolism and general health.

4. Center: MIDST.

9. Foot, in zoology: PES.   Latin.

12. "Isn't __ Lovely": Stevie Wonder hit: SHE.  Great musician, songwriter and singer. 

13. Toyota until 2006: CELICA.  In 1979, Toyota introduced the Celica Supra.

Here's the 2020 Supra, minus the Celica:

14. Posted: SENT.

17. Erase: UNDO.   The electronic version, as compared to using that little piece of rubber on the top end of your #2 Ticonderoga.

18. Deplorable sort: LOUSE.  A parasitic insect too !

19. Where to find letters on tracks: MAIL CAR. 

21. Medical events in a 1977 Robin Cook thriller: COMAS.  "...Susan researches what happened to her date and discovers Boston Memorial’s dirty secret: their rates for patients lapsing into coma during surgery are above the norm."  Forgotten Bestsellers - Review at tor.com

24. Celebrity chef Garten: INA.  The self-taught chef of "The Barefoot Contessa" fame.

25. Set of values: ETHOS.  Beliefs.

28. Thinks intently (over): MULLS.  Ponders.

29. Impedes, with "up": GUMS.  Gear driven machinery needs oil and lubricants to run smoothly.  Dust, dirt and debris can turn the lubricant into a heavy viscous sludge that prevents smooth operation.  It was from the industrial age that we got the expression, "Gums up the works".

31. Paramedic letters: EMT. Emergency Medical Technician.    Lifesaver.

32. Old brew revived in the 2000s: PBR.   Pabst Blue Ribbon.   Husker Gary had "Pabst dispenser" on Saturday.

38. Rapper will.__: i am.  will.i.am is the singer / songwriter / frontman and more for the Hip Hop group Black Eyed Peas.   If you are not otherwise familiar with them,  you may have heard part of the lyrics from their song "Let's Get it Started" in the Walmart back to school commercials.

39. Stick in a lock: OAR.  Interestingly enough, the u or o shaped devices attached to the gunwales* of a rowing boat that secure the oars are called oarlocks.  Sometimes this language makes complete sense.

* sides, for you other landlubbers.

40. Jazz vocalist Laine: CLEO.  Didn't know, but perpable:


42. See 14-Down: ACIDS.

45. Charged: RAN AT.   Possibly ran up, if you charged too much on your credit card.

47. Reservoir creator: DAM.

50. Increases, with "up": RAMPS.  Drop the R and you get the same effect.

52. Creator of a sci-fi "Traveller": HG WELLS.  HG Wells is credited with creating the sci-fi concept of time travel.  The character in The Time Machine is known only as the Time Traveller.  He meets Eloi and Morlocks in the future.  

53. Schroeder's toy: PIANO.   Good grief !   A love triangle.   Lucy is in love with Schroeder, but the prodigy's true love is the classical compositions of Ludwig van Beethoven.  Name that toon.

55. Getting __ years: ON IN. 

60. Rolled __: OATS.

61. Conceptualize: IDEATE.  In a sense, incubate.

62. One may be bruised: EGO.   One may be interlocked: Lego.

63. MIT, for one: SCH.

64. "Cool!": NEATO.  Rad.  Phat.  Awesome.  More ?

65. Yang's opposite: YIN.

Down:

1. Nile danger: ASP.

2. John of "Star Trek" (2009): CHO.   Also of "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle" fame.


3. 1967 Etta James hit: TELL MAMA. I don't remember this song:


4. Target section: MENS.

5. Nastase on the court: ILIE.

6. Archaeological site: DIG.

7. Jerks: SCHMOS.

8. Member of Genghis Khan's horde: TATAR. 

9. Write (in) tentatively: PENCIL.  Perhaps with a #2 Ticonderoga. 

10. Ultimate objective: END-ALL.

11. Weather headliners: STORMS.   Dorian dominated the news for a couple of weeks.  Terrible tragedy in the Bahamas.

13. Reason: CAUSE. 

14. With 42-Across, corrosive substances: SULFURIC.

16. Camping letters: KOA.  The world's largest system of privately held campgrounds. New 2019 Campgrounds     Jinx can tell us more, perhaps about best and worst experiences.

20. Shakespeare's plays are full of them: IAMBS.

 Well la di da !

21. Slangy smoke: CIG.arette.

22. Heavy weight: ONUS.

23. Glowing barbecue bit: HOT COAL.  Do you start your grilling with Kingsford, Royal Oak or chunks of hardwoods, known as lump charcoal ?


26. Orioles, e.g.: TEAM.  MLB AL East cellar dwellers of late for this once perennial powerhouse.

27. Medical care gp.: HMO.

30. Bits: SMIDGENS.

32. Prefix with sail: PARA. 

34. __ metabolism: BASAL.  Just read base metabolism.  The minimum body processes needed to keep you alive without using artificial means. 

35. Recyclable item: CAN.

36. Source of status: OLD MONEY.  Old money as with the Vanderbilts.   As compared to new money like the Gates.

37. Tide table term: NEAP.   Spitzboov nailed this with the N.

41. Sounds heard at an ashram: OMs.  A monastery in Indian religions.

42. Blessing evokers: ACHOOs.  Bless you.

43. Colombard grapes product: COGNAC.  Had a cognac exactly once in my lifetime.  Not my cuppa, but it was at once the best and worst cognac I've ever had.

44. Part of, as a gang: IN WITH.   I'm in with the in crowd.   I go where the in crowd goes.

45. Live: RESIDE.  Got the answer quickly after changing the vowel in the clue from a long i to a short i.

46. Sports news: TRADE.

49. Like the Hollow Tree Factory bakers: ELFIN.  You can get Uncommonly Good cookies made by elves using magic ovens from the Hollow Tree Bakery.

51. Santa __: ANA.  He ordered the attack on the Alamo, and then later ceded Texas.  Wait, no, that was two n Anna. 

53. Exam for jrs.: PSAT.   Juniors / Preliminary SAT.   Rick Singer and Mark Riddell can get your scholastically challenged girls into USC with a high SAT or ACT score and an athletic scholarship to the water polo or crew teams.

54. "Leave __ me": IT TO.  I'm leaving it all up to you.  You decide what you're gonna do.  Or are we through ?

57. Stephen of "The Crying Game": REA.  He was nominated for an Academy Award in this movie. This three letter answer should be a gimme for any LA Times solver, as it seems to be Rich's go to clue for this answer.

58. Movie SFX: CGI.  Special effects / computer generated imagery

59. DMV wait time, seemingly: EON.   Hyperbole for the time spent at the Department of Motor Vehicles.   Illinois residents know that they will have to get a Real ID if they want to take a domestic flight or enter any federal facilities starting Oct 1, 2020.   The current drivers license does not meet federally mandated requirements.  I've read some of the stories and talked to some people who have waited for hours at the DMV only to be rejected because they didn't have the required documentation.  Here's a link to what is required:  Real ID Documentation Checklist

Check your answers here:

Friday, September 6, 2019, Bruce Haight

Title: Football season is here once again as is

One of my Friday regulars, Bruce Haight is back with his position paper on the NFL. All five of the themers are two-word phrases with the second word representing a football player's role. The clues all mention football players but the fill has an alternate meaning totally unrelated to the sport. It would have been super cool if he could have presented the offensive line in order, but hey I am feeling greedy. As always he fills in the blanks with some fun words and phrases like PANACHE, TAKEN TO, CLAM ROLL, FLIED OUT,  I AM TOAST, and ON COURSE. Well luckily DORIAN did not stay on course to destroy us, so let's solve a puzzle.

18A. Philanthropic football player?: GIVING BACK (10). I like the pseudo alliteration

24A. Football player who's PR-savvy?: MEDIA CENTER (11). Do people still have these central places for TV, music, DVDs, etc?

36A. Football player with a line?: FISHING TACKLE (13). Football players don't usually use a line, though form one.

50A. Football player with management skills?: BUSINESS END   (11). I associate that phrase with the barrel of a pistol.

57A. Football player at the beach?: COAST GUARD (10). I grew up near the Coast Guard Academy and was going to go there for college until they learned how blind I really was.

Across:

1. Source of seasonal color: LEAF. One of the things I miss about New England.

5. Like bubble baths: SUDSY. Silly.

10. Golfer at Royal Troon, often: SCOT. I want to go in the spring.

14. "I'm buying!": ON ME.

15. "America" soloist in "West Side Story": ANITA.

16. It parallels a radius: ULNA. He is trying hard to trick you, mathematics people.

17. Hot spot: OVEN. Not for a computer or a cellphone.

20. Varieties: KINDS.

22. "Diana" singer: ANKA.

23. Stooge Howard: MOE. We all miss Chairman Moe and his contributions.

27. Head for the hills: RUN.

28. Spots: ADS.

29. Groovy cousin: RAD. More like an evil nephew.

30. Usher: ESCORT.

32. No different from, with "the": SAME AS. Same old, same old.

35. "One more thing ... ": ALSO. Remind you this?

40. Work out ahead of time: PLAN. Oo is a planner, I am not.

41. Appropriate: SEEMLY.

42. Targets: AIMS AT.

45. Fjord kin: RIA. Water, water everywhere.

46. Book jacket info: BIOgraphy.

49. Goal feature: NET. Soccer (futbol) basketball and more.

54. Hubbub: ADO.

55. Fictional hunchbacked helper: IGOR. Eegor, or Eyegor?

56. Like many windows: PANED. Also many bad puns - pained ones.

61. It's abuzz with activity: HIVE. Who doesn't love bee humor?

62. Cover for an ear: HUSK. And corny humor!

63. Ending with poly-: ESTER. Want a cracker.

64. Chills: ICES.

65. "At Last" singer James: ETTA.

66. Monopoly stack: DEEDS.

67. Friend of Mary Poppins: BERT. Dick Van Dyke.

Down:

1. Start of a kid's show-offy cry: LOOK MA. Seen in many professional sporting events.

2. Painfully wished one had: ENVIED.

3. Changes, as a law: AMENDS.

4. Luxury handbag brand: FENDI. This BRAND.

5. Give somewhat: SAG.

6. Start to cycle?: UNI.

7. Backless sofa: DIVAN. This is a long low sofa without a back or arms, typically placed against a wall.

8. Period of work: STINT. Meh.

9. "Sandman" or "Joltin' Joe": YANKEE. CSO to Tinman.

10. Long sandwich: SUB. A mini-clecho with...

11. Seafood sandwich: CLAM ROLL.

12. Headed the right way: ON COURSE.

13. Fallen for: TAKEN TO.

19. Long-nosed fish: GARS.  Gar, any of seven species of large North American fishes of the genera Atractosteus and Lepisosteus, in the family Lepisosteidae. Gars, which are related to the bowfin in the infraclass Holostei, is confined chiefly to freshwater, though some of the species descend to brackish or even saltwater.

21. Joe's 2008 election counterpart: SARAH. I have almost forgotten her. Governor PALIN?

25. Lingerie item, briefly: CAMI. LINK.

26. Blissful settings: EDENS. Our garden is growing here.

31. Like dried mud: CAKY.

32. Govt. IDs: SSNS.

33. Time of one's life?: AGE.

34. Harsh: STERN. Howard?

36. Hit one that was caught on the warning track, say: FLIED OUT. Baseball for C.C.

37. Acknowledgment of being sunk?: I AM TOAST.  Slang meaning "a goner, person or thing already doomed or destroyed" is recorded by 1987, perhaps from the notion of computer circuits being "fried."

38. Parisian friend: AMIE. Just French.

39. Hold tight: CLASP.

40. Pizazz: PANACHE. What a fun word, meaning flamboyant confidence of style or manner.

43. Barely more than not at all: A BIT.

44. Pulled: TUGGED. Carol Burnett's ear?

46. "No fighting, now": BE NICE.

47. "The nerve!": I NEVER.

48. Weird to the max: ODDEST.

51. Drunkard: SOUSE.

52. Ticked off: IRATE.

53. Indian title of respect: SAHIB. This is a word of Arabic origin meaning "companion". As a loanword, it has passed into several languages, including Persian, Kurdish, Turkish,[1] Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi, Pashto, Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi, and Somali.

58. Reggae relative: SKA.

59. Wine choice: RED. White? Rosé?  Another Moe, CSO.

60. No and J: DRS. The Bond movie and the basketball player.

We are past our first hurricane scare in two years, and now the days are getting shorter but the puzzles are not. I really like the rotation of Friday constructors that Tom and I get to discuss. Now if we had a couple of female creators, it would be in balance. Be well all. Lemonade out.

Friday, August 30, 2019 Joe Deeney

BIRD IDIOMS


18. Fat flier?: ROUND ROBIN.

A round robin is a tournament format in which every player (or team) plays every other player (or team) in order.

26. Frozen flier?: COLD TURKEY.

Cold turkey has come to mean to suddenly stop doing something.  Often associated with quitting smoking. 

40. Feeble flier?: LAME DUCK.

Referring to an elected official who is nearly powerless because they are only holding the position  until the end of the current term.

53. Funny flier?: SILLY GOOSE.

I think the meaning of silly goose has to be taken in context.  It can be playful and it can be insulting.

64. Frugal flier?: BUDGET HAWK.

One who trains the focus of a keen eye and a sharp pencil on a spending plan, looking for opportunities to pare spending.



Each theme "flier" clue was described with an adjective that began with the letter F.   5 theme clues that used only 6 different words.  Pretty neat.   Definitely consistent.

I enjoyed solving this puzzle and spotting the birds hidden in the clues.  I had no idea where we were going until I got one.    I hope you did not find this puzzle "for the birds."  


Across:

1. Letters before QIA: LGBT.  LGBTQIAPK+ and What It Means

5. "Harrumph!": PSHAW.

10. Chance in a box: AT BAT.

15. "Small world": OH HI.

16. Make it right: ATONE.

17. First two-time Nobelist: CURIE.  Marie Skłodowska Curie

20. Cuts back: TRIMS.

21. Suffix with violin: IST.

22. For whom Wednesday is named: ODIN.

23. One of a famous 154: SONNET.  A Guide to the Sonnets of William Shakespeare

24. Ignite: START.

29. Unpleasant look: SNEER.

31. Dress down: BERATE.  Refund: Rebate.  Old car: Beater.  

32. Metaphorical Donne poem: THE FLEA.

34. Rand who created Howard Roark: AYN.  From the book, The Fountainhead.

35. Old phone part: DIAL.   I posted this before.  I love how the parents? encourage the boys to figure out how it works. 


39. Half a matching set: HIS.

43. __ wrongs ...: TWO.  don't make a right.

44. Bet first: OPEN.

46. Phil's twin on "Rugrats": LIL.  Phil and Lil DeVille.  No idea.

47. Eyes slyly: PEEPS AT.

49. Baffler: ENIGMA.

52. Jet: SPRAY.

57. "Creed" actress Thompson: TESSA.  Tessa Thompson   No idea.

59. Simultaneity: UNISON.  Ballet Mécanique

60. Rick's "kid": ILSA.   Casablanca

62. Comedy club reactions: HAs.  HA HA HA HA HA !

63. Colorful four-tone toy: SIMON.


67. Vintner's concern: AGING.  Oeno stuff.

68. Didn't dine out: ATE IN.

69. Latin 101 verb: AMAT.   He loves.

70. "That's incorrect": NOT SO.

71. "It __ happened yet": HASN'T.

72. "So Sick" singer: NE-YO.   Shaffer Chimere Smith   No idea.

Down:

1. Sri Lankan primate: LORIS.  So cute.  Don't rub their bellies.


2. The Flying Dutchman, for one: GHOST SHIP.  A Tale From Holland

3. Group with an extremely high population?: BHUTANESE.   The people of Bhutan.    The country's landscape ranges from lush subtropical plains in the south to the sub-alpine Himalayan mountains in the north, where there are peaks in excess of 7,000 metres (23,000 ft). - Wikipedia

4. Sn, on a table: TIN.   And  27. Pb, on a table: LEAD.     Elements in the Periodic Table, in Group 14 (the Carbon Group), Periods 5 and 6 respectively. 

5. Cowpoke's pal: PARD.

6. Not easily moved: STOIC.

7. Fraternize: HOBNOB.

8. Team's lack?: AN I.

9. Harmless cyst: WEN.

10. Carry on: ACT OUT.

11. Flush: TURN RED.

12. Precipice: BRINK.

13. "Mental Illness" Grammy winner Mann: AIMEE. 

14. Cross: TESTY.

19. "How about that": DO TELL.

23. Politician's positions: STANCES.

25. One sometimes accused of being blind: REF (eree).  

28. Stop producing opportunities, as a financial market: DRY UP.

30. Adjust, as wheels: REALIGN.

32. Brief while?: THO (ugh).   While I tend to agree that two wrongs don't make a right, sometimes tit for tat feels good.  Though I don't think it's always the best reaction. 

33. Pal of Picasso: AMIGO.

36. "So sad!": IT'S A SHAME.

37. Far off: AWAYS AWAY.

38. Land purchase: LOT.

41. Muppet who doesn't use the pronoun "I": ELMO.

42. Didn't give up on: KEPT AT.

45. __ Column: Trafalgar Square monument: NELSON'S.

Nelson's last and most famous battle was fought off the Spanish cape of Trafalgar, when he defeated Napoleon and the French and Spanish fleets. 

48. Mature leader?: PRE.

50. "12 Years a Slave" Oscar winner Lupita __: NYONG'O.  "12 Years a Slave is a 2013 biographical period drama film and an adaptation of the 1853 slave memoir Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup, a New York State-born free African-American man who was kidnapped in Washington, D.C. by two con men in 1841 and sold into slavery."

Nyong'o played the role of Patsey, a slave who works alongside Northup at a Louisiana cotton plantation.

51. Thought-revealing drama techniques: ASIDES.

53. Geena's "Thelma & Louise" co-star: SUSAN.   "It stars Geena Davis as Thelma and Susan Sarandon as Louise, two friends who embark on a road trip with unforeseen consequences."

54. Fictional fencer Montoya: INIGO.  Inigo Montoya is a fictional character in William Goldman's 1973 novel The Princess Bride.

55. Age __: LIMIT.

56. Onetime Rolex rival: ELGIN.   "Elgin was founded in 1864, right as the civil war was coming to an end. The first watch Elgin made, an 18 sized B W Raymond railroad grade watch, was finished in 1867 and over the next 100 years, they went on to produce about 60 million watches. Elgin produced their first wristwatch around 1910." -  The Elgin Watch Collectors Site

Fun Trivia ?  NBA HOF'er Elgin Baylor was named after his father's favorite watch: -  NBA.com - Legends Profile: Elgin Baylor

58. Invite as one's date for: ASK TO.

61. Email folder: SENT.

64. "Harrumph!": BAH.

65. Acting guru Hagen: UTA.

"Hagen was an influential acting teacher who taught, among others, Matthew Broderick, Christine Lahti, Amanda Peet, Jason Robards, Sigourney Weaver, Katie Finneran, Liza Minnelli, Whoopi Goldberg, Jack Lemmon, Charles Nelson Reilly, Manu Tupou, Debbie Allen, Herschel Savage, George Segal, Jon Stewart, and Al Pacino. She was a voice coach to Judy Garland" - Wikipedia

66. Role for Harrison: HAN.   Actor Harrison Ford played Han Solo.

Friday, August 23, 2019, Jeffrey Wechsler

Title: I must P!

Hi, Lemonade here back with my Friday foil, Jeffrey Wechsler. It was fun to read Tom's slant on JW's last two Fridays. It reminded me of when marti was reviewing Jeffrey's Thursdays when he first appeared here at the LAT. But now I am back on the clock with another over-sized offering that no doubt was the product of (my guess) the inspired 16 letter fill - PART APPRECIATION (16). With Jeffrey's background as a  curator, I am betting that was where this gem started. Of course, he had to then make the rest of the themers grid-spanners, the middle two at 15 spaces and the outside two 16 spaces. He also introduced some unused fill, one with one prior appearance in any mainstream puzzle (ICY HOT), and AHIAHI brand spanking new. We also get to reveal EXTERNS, HOE CAKE, NYMPHET,  TITULAR, HANDKNIT, and PURLOINS.  There are some very fun words there.

17A. Gratitude for a well-played role?: PART APPRECIATION (16). A literal but funny clue/fill.

27A. Crackin', peelin' and fadin'?: PAINT MISBEHAVIN' (15). By far my favorite, as I could hear the music in my head as this filled.

45A. Couples therapist?: PAIR CONDITIONER (15). How many have ever tried couples therapy?

55A. Extreme example of layering for cold weather?: PANTS IN ONE'S PANTS (16). This is absurd which is its charm, though the second P is distracting.

Time to solve...

Across:

1. Irrigation need: PIPE.

5. '90s trade pact: NAFTA. North American Free Trade Agreement.

10. "Go no further!": HALT. Reminds me of Sergeant Schultz from Hogan's Heroes.

14. Heart: CRUX. The heart of the matter. Hey marti, hope you are well.

15. "... __ player, / That struts and frets his hour upon the stage": Macbeth: A POOR. Jeffrey's Shakespeare quote.

16. Lake near Carson City: TAHOE. It may be the perfect place on Earth.

20. Papal messenger: LEGATE. Now it is an ecclesiastic delegated by the pope as his representative. Historically it was a provincial governor of senatorial rank appointed by the emperor in ancient Rome.

21. On the other side of: Abbr.: ACRoss.

22. Enzyme suffix: ASE.

23. Unscrupulous: AMORAL. As opposed to Anthony Gael Moral.

25. Youthful maiden of myth: NYMPHET. I think of Lolita and Nabokov's words, "Now I wish to introduce the following idea. Between the age limits of nine and fourteen there occur maidens who, to certain bewitched travelers, twice or many times older than they, reveal their true nature which is not human, but nymphic (that is, demoniac); and these chosen creatures I propose to designate as 'nymphets.' " - Part One, Chapter 5." Please no Jeffrey Epstein comments.

31. Clean, as greens: RINSE.

32. Newton honorific: SIR. Isaac.

33. LGBT History Mo.: OCTober.

34. '60s campus gp.: SDS. Students for a Democratic Society.

35. Start growing: SPROUT. Add an "S" and you have the newest grocery chain coming to my neighborhood, LINK.

37. Hem partner: HAW. Hee.

40. Asian language: LAO. Like THAI, just the beginning of the land.

42. Hammer site: EAR. The ear bones - the malleus, or hammer, the incus, or anvil, and the stapes, or stirrup.

43. Kofi Annan's birthplace: GHANA. His BIOGRAPHY.

49. Like Macbeth in "Macbeth": TITULAR. Like eponymous. A bonus Shakespeare reference.

50. Jumpy: ON EDGE.

51. Jeff Lynne rock gp.: ELO. Electric Light Orchestra

52. HP product: INK. Funny, not technology.

53. Hit: STRUCK. No violence, please.

60. Discrete things: ITEMS.

61. Poetry Muse: ERATO.

62. Fruit with fuzz: KIWI.

63. First name in Latin bands: DESI. Arnaz.

64. "Holy cow!": YIPES. Yipes?

65. Venerable college that owns a river island: ETON. Did you know? Queen's Eyot (pronounced 'eight') is an island on the River Thames close to Windsor. The island has been owned by Eton College since 1923 and has a beautiful clubhouse used for weddings etc.

Down:

1. Angel dust, briefly: PCP. Phencyclidine.

2. Investment option, briefly: IRA.

3. Misappropriates: PURLOINS. There was a famous letter.

4. Nonresident doctors: EXTERNS. Intern ≠ extern.

5. Controversial combat material: NAPALM. This is a highly flammable sticky jelly used in incendiary bombs and flamethrowers, consisting of gasoline thickened with special soaps.

6. Cal. entry: APPT. Calendar - appointment.

7. Golf alert: FORE. Mini-clecho.

8. Golf club part: TOE.

9. Understood by few: ARCANE. Jeffrey's middle name?

10. Seuss title top: HAT. Cat in the...

11. "Aloha __": Hawaiian "Good evening" that sounds like a repeated fish: AHIAHI. Not to be confused with AHI AHI. Timing so soon after the lovely Jimmy B. C.C. puzzle.

12. Ease: LOOSEN.

13. Principle: TENET.

16. Lighting area?: TARMAC. My guess is this refers to the runway lights at airports. Very Friday clue/fill.

18. Patterned mineral: AGATE. This one is for sale at $4,200.00

19. Lidocaine brand endorsed by Shaq: ICY HOT. The second appearance of this brand, It was introduced to the LAT and all major newspapers by one C.C. Burnikel July 25, 2017.

23. Car loan nos.: APRS. An annual percentage rate (APR) is the annual rate charged for borrowing.

24. Hotel employee: MAID.

26. Mil. rank: PVT.

28. Comcast, e.g.: Abbr.: ISP. Internet Service Provider.

29. Warning sound: SIREN.

30. Wide-ranging: BROAD.

35. "You're not the only one!": SO CAN I.

36. Ocean State sch.: URI. The University of Rhode Island.

37. Like some homemade sweaters: HAND KNIT. We have a friend who gives Oo something she knitted every time we see her. I am not sure she should have retired.

38. Rare blood type, briefly: A-NEG.

39. Word with hard or soft: WARE.

40. Lucy of "Elementary": LIU. Dr. Watson.

41. Bygone HBO series about a sports agent: ARLISS. You can now stream this series.

43. Generate: GIN UP. Not a phrase I know. The idiom gin something up means to increase something, to get something going, to stir something up, to agitate or perhaps make a little trouble, sometimes through less than honest means. grammarist.com

44. Southern cornmeal fare: HOECAKE. A hoecake is cornbread made minimalist—a thin, unleavened round made from the simplest batter (cornmeal, water, and salt).

45. "Ecce homo" speaker: PILATE. His Latin name was Marcus Pontius Pilatus. As a child, I heard him called Pontius Pilate (Pilot). It should have been said like the exercise.

46. Makes up (for): ATONES. A continguous clue with religious overtones.

47. Scottish archipelago: ORKNEY. You can READ ALL ABOUT. More arcane knowledge about Great Britain.

48. Ancient statuary fragments: TORSOS.

49. Unenthusiastic: TEPID.

53. Cinch: SNAP.

54. Parisian bean?: TETE. Bean as noggin or the like in French.

56. "That's quite enough": TMI. Too Much Information.

57. "Do it, __ will!": OR I. Sounds ominous.

58. What a V-sign probably means in a restaurant: TWO. I love this clue. Very visual.

59. Envy, say: SIN. One of seven supposedly deadly ones.

Where do all the Fridays go? Another gone, but not before some good old fashioned Jeffrey Wechsler challenge and humor. My two granddaughters are now going to school after a very fun summer. Labor Day approaches. Thank you, Jeffrey and all who read. Lemonade out.

Notes from C.C.:

Here are a few cute pictures of Lemonade's grandchildren Charlotte, Harper and Owen. You can see more pictures here. 

2) Happy birthday to the always cheerful and happy Tinbeni, who's been with our blog for a long long time. Hope it's a day full of adventure and fun, Tinbeni!

Friday, August 16, 2019 Bruce Haight

Workwear

17. Railway inspector's attire?: TRACK SHOES. 

22. Blackjack dealer's attire?: DECK PANTS.  

33. Corporate director's attire?: BOARD SHORTS.

49. Toothpaste maker's attire?: TUBE SOCKS.

57. Roadside mechanic's attire?: FLARE JEANS.

Bruce suggests seemingly appropriate pieces of attire for various occupations.   Funny.   I got them all easily enough, but I don't know what deck pants are, and never heard the term before.  Regardless, solving the puzzle was good Friday fun, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. 

Across:

1. Congress, with "the": HILL.  Because of Capitol Hill of course.   Like saying the Oval Office or the White House when figuratively referring to the executive office / presidency.

5. Bashes: GALAS.  The fun kind of bashes, rather than verbal or physical attacks.

10. Whistle blower: COP.  Not ref(eree).

13. Burden: ONUS.  

14. It often follows an overture: OPERA.   For example, the overture from the Barber of Seville.


15. "That's not good": OH NO.  If you concatenate those two little words you get OHNO,  the last name of Winter Olympics great Apolo.   He was good !

 Apolo Ohno Physics

16. Help during spelling: WAND.    Saurcerus.  Soarcirrus.  Sorersirus.   Sorceress.

19. 60 minuti: ORA.   Minuti definitely sounded Italian.   Rossini would have got that ORA quicker than I did.   Maybe not though, because he was too busy writing operas to do crossword puzzles.   I read he was prolific.

20. Oodles: A TON.

21. San Jose skaters: SHARKS.   My nephew is a huge fan.   Huge I tell you.   He gets season tickets and walks to the SAP Center for games.   He took us to a nearby restaurant that had great steaks and ribs.   For you locals, I think it was Henry's World Famous Hi-Life.

25. With 18-Down, '30s-'40s band leader: ARTIE, and 18. See 25-Across: SHAW.    ARTIE SHAW.

Leader of Bands

26. Israeli military hero: DAYAN.  Moshe.

27. Writer born Herbert George: HG WELLS.   Did not know his first and middle names, but had H-W--L- at the time, and the answer popped out.    HG is a seen here at the Crossword Corner as an abbreviation of Husker Gary, our Saturday sherpa.

29. Floor support?: YEA.

31. Leader who was painted by Warhol: MAO.

"In this example from his Mao series, Warhol melded his signature style with the scale of totalitarian propaganda to address the cult of personality surrounding the Chinese ruler Mao Zedong (1893–1976). Nearly fifteen feet tall, this towering work mimics the representations of the political figure that were ubiquitously displayed throughout China. Warhol’s looming portrait impresses us with the duality of its realistic qualities and its plastic artificiality."   Mao - The Art Institute of Chicago

32. Canon model: EOS.

You would probably have to be a serious shutterbug or a professional to shell out the dinero to purchase one of these jewels.  For instance, the EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR Camera (body only) would set you back ~ $2800.  Add a lens such as the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM for ~ $2100,  a memory card ~ $65, and a few other accessories, and you've spent some serious coin.   

37. Disneyland's Main Street, __: USA.  I've never been to Disneyland, but I've been to Disneyworld a couple of times.  Disneyworld also has a Main Street, USA.

39. Lead-in to X, Y or Z: GEN.  List Of Generations    Millenials seem to be the subject of so much flak.  It seems to me that members of every generation bash subsequent generations, as their generation was bashed by those prior.  "What's the matter with kids these days ?!?"    

40. West Bank gp.: PLO.

41. Word with jam or joint: SESSION.  Or when plural, with Jeff.

44. Wipe off: ERASE.

48. Equalizes: EVENS.

53. Crude, as humor: RIBALD.

55. Deduce, with "out": SUSS.   A skill used by solvers. 

56. Sea-__: TAC.   I believe that if Sea-Tac is hyphenated, it is a reference to the airport, which has been around since the 1940s.    If it is not hyphenated, it is a reference to the city, which has only been around since 1990. 

59. Don Corleone: VITO.

60. W competitor: ELLE.   Did not know of W magazine.

61. Gloss over: ELIDE.

1.  transitive verb
   If you elide something, especially a distinction, you leave it out or ignore it.
   [formal]
2.  transitive verb
   In linguistics, if you elide a word, you do not pronounce or write it fully.
   [technical]
   COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

62. Finished: OVER.

63. You might be shocked to meet one: EEL.   Never had eel.   C.C. taught me last Sunday that it must be cooked and never eaten raw as the blood is highly toxic.   I don't think I was the only one.  Hi Lucina !

64. Things to avoid: DON'TS.

65. __ Point: WEST.

Down:

1. "Strange ... ": HOW ODD.

2. Measured two-dimensionally: IN AREA.

3. Madness: LUNACY.

4. Trip provider: LSD. 

And there ain't no road just like it
Anywhere I found
Running south on Lake Shore Drive heading into town
Just slippin' on by on LSD, Friday night trouble bound

I know, but I like the song...

5. Must, informally: GOTTA.  On another day or in other parts of the country, hafta or havta. 

6. It has strings attached: APRON.

7. Relied (on) for support, to a Brit: LEANT.   Someone should create a puzzle with these American English and British English variants, a la "Relieved wheat ?" with Spelled Spelt as the answer.  Or not.

8. Basketball's three-point line, for one: ARC.

9. Nordstrom competitor: SAKS.    Had a card for shopping at Saks in the Galleria Houston.   Bought a few suits and ties there.  Have never been in a Nordstrom.

10. Laughs gleefully: CHORTLES.  A word that seems to be gaining in popularity.

11. About 2.2 lbs.: ONE KILO.

12. Do demons' work: POSSESS. 

15. Midwestern hub: O'HARE.   The primary hub for United Airlines, and the third largest hub for American Airlines. 

20. Sleep disorder: APNEA.

23. Floor: KAYO.  Knock Out to K.O. to kayo.  That's my guess.

24. Bygone Mideast sovereign: SHAH.

28. Sticky stuff: GOOP.

30. Ship that survived the Clashing Rocks: ARGO. From the 1963 Movie.  Hey !   There's Jason ! CSO !    And Triton to save the Argo.

According to someone named Datsmaharse who posted at Funtrivia.com:

The original Argonautica passage by Apollonius Rhodius:
"Then a vaulted billow rushed upon them, and the ship like
a cylinder ran on the furious wave plunging through the hollow sea. And the eddying current held her between the clashing rocks; and on each side they shook and thundered; and the ship's timbers were held fast.
Then Athena with her left hand thrust back one mighty rock and with her right pushed the ship through"

31. AOL rival: MSN.   Two of the web's oldest content providers with AOL in 1989 and MSN in 1995.  CompuServe and Prodigy were a couple of others.

33. Game involved in several Costner films: BASEBALL.   Field of Dreams, Bull Durham, For Love of the Game.

34. Bad impression: DENT.   Chicago Bear HOF'er Richard Dent made a great impression in that magical 1985 season and in Super Bowl XX.   Longtime Bears fan Madame Defarge had season tickets for years and years.  Through thick and thin.  No fair weather fan, she.


35. Like four midyear months: R LESS.   You are supposed to do something with oysters in these months.  Or maybe not do something.   Anyway, May, June, July and August.

36. Snapper rival: TORO.   Lawn products companies named after animals.   No thanks.  I'll stick to my Deere and Scag which were named after people.  OK,  people are animals too.  

37. Access charge: USER FEE. 

38. Figaro's hometown: SEVILLE.  Wow !   Small world.  We were just discussing Rossini's "Il barbiere di Siviglia"  above at Overture / Opera.

42. Capture: SNARE.

43. Man, for one: ISLE.

45. Like some volcanoes and military personnel: ACTIVE.

46. Hockey gear: SKATES.

47. Go along with: ESCORT.

50. Bolt with great speed: USAIN.  He's fast at ~ 28 mph.

51. __ cake: BUNDT.  DW used to make the best rum cakes. 

52. Word containing three of itself: ESSES. 

54. Worked a party, briefly: DJ'ed.   Disc Jockeyed.   Part of desper-otto's past.  At a radio station.  Maybe spun a platter at a party or two...  Who knows ?  Maybe he'll tell us. 

58. "Xanadu" rock gp.: ELO.   Electric Light Orchestra.   Here's a version of the song from the soundtrack of the movie:


I wonder if desper-otto ever DJ'ed any ELO...

59. Promise: VOW.

Friday, August 9, 2019, Alicia Bachman and Kurt Krauss

Title: Up the down staircase.

Hi, Lemonade here. This is my fifth exposition of a Kurt Krauss' puzzle and his 26th overall. It appears to be the debut for Alicia. I found this to be a very easy Friday, but perhaps because I saw the gimmick as soon as I had solved the first stack of six. I do have the advantage of looking for this type of theme after many years of blogging. I have done many puzzles which require reading words backward, in this case from the bottom to top. Kurt ties this all together by having the phrases each involve one of the suits in a deck of cards. This is revealed by 25A. Gets ready for the big game ... and a hint to four puzzle answers: SUITS UP (7).

Generally, I get the puzzle partially solved and see a theme. I then look for the sparkly fill, which in this case revealed ARRIBA, BOLERO, TRALEE, ISHMAEL,  RETWEET,  ROYAL WE, and  TRACTOR. Then all that is left is the write-up, so let's go.

5D. Preliminary drudgery: KROW EDAPS (9). SPADE WORK is defined as routine or difficult preparatory work.

10D. Layered lunch order: HCIWDNAS BULC (12). The CLUB SANDWICH was invented in 1894 at an exclusive gambling house in Saratoga Springs, New York, that was called the Saratoga Club House.

21D. Regal headpiece: ARAIT DNOMAID (12). A DIAMOND TIARA like Liz's 

37D. EKG reading: TAEB TRAEH (9).  The electrocardiogram is a test that measures the electrical activity of the HEARTBEAT.

Across:

1. i follower: POD. Since they market both an iPad and an iPod...

4. Cookout aid: SKEWER. We have our mini-theme of meat. Satay or shish kebab?

10. Butcher's assortment: HAMS. Also, bloggers.

14. Blond one in a bar: ALE. Why is there an "E" sometimes in that word? The ANSWER. Starbucks uses the term for its lightly roasted coffee.

15. Cry from a toon sombrero wearer: ARRIBA.

16. Scratcher: CLAW. The downside of kitty pets.

17. Dog star's first name?: RIN. TIN TIN.

18. Hang around: LOITER. This used to be a crime.

19. Hebrides isle: IONA. The Hebrides comprise a widespread and diverse archipelago off the west coast of mainland Scotland.

20. King's self-allusion: ROYAL WE. The origin of this pronoun has been traced variously to 1169, when the English king Henry II used it to mean “God and I,” and to King Richard I, whose use of the pronoun bolstered his claim to be acting in concert with the deity and to be the ruler by divine right. I love the use of "allusion."

22. Share with followers, in a way: RETWEET. Do the Royals ever retweet?

24. Westchester County city known for its Playland: RYE. Clearly an invitation for some WRY HUMOR.

25. Pricey strings: STRADivariuses.

26. Civil rights icon Parks: ROSA. Her Q Score has gone way up recently.

29. Roman god: DEUS. The Latin word.

31. Put (out): SNUFF. A troublesome word for me as it is associated with the films in my head.

35. Others, to Ovid: ALII. More Latin.

36. "Exodus" hero: ARI. The movie version was Paul Newman.

37. Ad to lure you in: TEASER.

38. Windshield option: TINT. You can only tint a small area of the windshield.

39. Two-time Wimbledon champ Kvitová: PETRA.  There is more to her STORY than tennis.

41. Ward of "Sisters": SELA.

42. Sidesteps: EVADES.

44. Formally seek justice: SUE. More likely to seek money.

45. Take off: BOLT. Usain?

46. November 1 honoree: SAINT. All Saints' Day to many.

47. 24-Across, briefly: BURB.

48. Señor's "some": UNAS. Hmm...algunos, algunas, algún, unos, unas, algo de all mean "some."

49. Leading: ONTOP.

51. __ Aviv: TEL.

53. Melville narrator: ISHMAEL. The opening line in MOBY DICK.

56. County fair sight: TRACTOR.

60. Classic role for Carrie: LEIA. The late Carrie Fisher in STAR WARS.

61. Antique photos: SEPIAS.

63. Supermarket chain: IGA. Independent Grocers Alliance. They operate franchises in 30 countries.

64. Four Tops frontman Stubbs: LEVI. A cornerstone of Motown and a rare baritone frontman.

65. Seat of County Kerry: TRALEE. This was not in my wheelhouse. As they say, it took 6 perps. Kerry's County town, Tralee is at the base of the majestic Dingle Peninsula in the southwest of Ireland.

66. Swelter: FRY. I did not see this for too long.

67. Didn't dillydally: SPED.

68. Vinny famously called them "utes" in a "My Cousin Vinny" courtroom scene: YOUTHS.

69. Amount to pay: FEE.

Down:

1. Henry VIII's last wife: PARR. She is back again.

2. Assortment: OLIO. A regular CSO for C.C.

3. Reject: DENY.

4. Magnetic Field?: SALLY. "You like me!" A Friday deception.

6. Ashtabula's lake: ERIE. The millionth use of this fill. Abejo is number 1.

7. Joker: WIT.

8. "Roger __ Book of Film": 1996 publication: EBERT'S.

9. Harder to find: RARER.

11. Cream additive: ALOE. Aloe is often in the creams but I use it in its purest form.

12. Locks in a barn: MANE. Cute horse pun.

13. Whack: SWAT.

23. Zap: TASE. I've done "Don't tase me bro" enough.

26. Utility company listing: RATES.

27. '60s-'70s Twins star Tony: OLIVA. A bonus for C.C. - baseball and Minnesota Twins great.

28. Scene of frequent Middle East unrest: SINAI.

30. Before, before: ERE. Very cute clue/fill.

32. Apply to: USE ON.

33. "The Most Happy __": 1956 musical: FELLA. I know the songs, but not the play.

34. Toga party places: FRATS. FRATernitieS.

40. Robot play: RUR.

43. Peak seen from Messina: ETNA.

47. Ravel work immortalized in "10": BOLERO.

50. Cantankerous: TESTY. Just relax. Let us provide a way that...

52. Facilitates: EASES.  Your...

53. Misfortunes: ILLS.

54. Flow slowly: SEEP.

55. Queen's home: HIVE. Bees, not royals.

56. Tower of Pisa feature: TILT. We just had the lean explained here, didn't we?

57. Bit of bickering: TIFF. Noun. 1727, "outburst of temper," later "petty quarrel" (1754), of uncertain origin; OED suggests imitative, "from the sound of a slight puff of air or gas."

58. Fairy tale baddie: OGRE.

59. Madcap Martha: RAYE. We share the same birthday though she had 32 years on me.

                                              LINK

62. Six-time NBA All-Star __ Gasol: PAU.

There you have it. A Friday Funday. For those of you who hate this type of puzzle, see you in two weeks. It stretches the mind to see things in new ways. Or not. Thank you, Alicia and Kurt. Lemonade out.