Friday, May 25, 2018, Winston Emmons

Title: Anagrams bug me!

So John Lampkin, my favorite entomologist, what do you think? Hope to see you soon. We have what I believe is the second LAT for Winston Emmons who debuted on Agnes' birthday last month. We have a very consistent insect anagram theme, with what was for me,  an unnecessary and weak reveal. This was an odd solve for me, as it is part of an ongoing déjà vu. I feel like I wrote this blog before. Oh well, as is the recent trend, a Friday without any long words other than the themers with SOMEDAY, TAVERNA, CONSISTS, and PACIFIER as the added features.  There is a lot of humor in the theme phrases and impressive skill in picking the ones that work that are both real anagrams and insects.
So here we go...

20A. Competition among insects?: GAME OF HORNETS (13). Game of THRONES.

29A. Rule by generations of insects?: GNAT DYNASTY (11). TANG Dynasty.

47A. Tiny but impressive insect?: HECK OF A MITE (11). Heck of a TIME.

57A. Deceptiveness of insects?: FLEAS PRETENSE (13). FALSE Pretense. 

And the little reveal, 

56D. Ones that have infested four puzzle answers: PESTS.

Across:

1. Actress Gilbert of "The Big Bang Theory": SARA. More famous from Roseanne, where she first worked with Johnny Galecki. They DATED?

5. "Lucky Jim" author: AMIS. The first novel of KINGSLEY.

9. "Be silent," in scores: TACET. Musical scores (as a direction) indicating that a voice or instrument is silent.

14. Stagecraft aid: PROP. Clecho- 65A. Stagecraft arrangements: SETS.

15. Email category: SENT.

16. House: ABODE.

17. App opener: ICON. Click on the icon.

18. Director Preminger: OTTO. This Austrian born DIRECTOR and actor was a major influence on Hollywood and film noir.  He was a big deal when I was young.

19. 66-Across, e.g.: VENUE.

23. 2000 NBA MVP: O'NEAL. If you did not know or have forgotten, look at the statistics for SHAQ in the 2000 playoffs. He is one of the GOAT in basketball. Kobe was averaging 15 points a game.

24. Part of ENT: EAR. Nose and Throat are the rest.

25. Cartesian conclusion: I AM. Cogito ergo sum. I think, therefore I am. This is Dualism, as explained by Rene Descartes.

28. Pit stuff: TAR. Brea.

34. City north of Memphis: CAIRO. Memphis, city, and capital of ancient Egypt and an important center during much of Egyptian history. Memphis is located south of the Nile River delta, on the west bank of the river, and about 15 miles (24 km) south of modern Cairo

35. "The Lord of the Rings" actor: ASTIN. Samwise Gamgee became a fan favorite as played by Astin.

36. Brand once pitched by Garfield, oddly: ALPO. It was for their CAT FOOD so it was not so odd.

39. Fabric-dyeing technique: BATIK. Batik is a "resist" process for making designs on fabric. The artist uses wax to prevent dye from penetrating the cloth, leaving "blank" areas in the dyed fabric. The process, wax resist then dye, can be repeated over and over to create complex multicolored designs. A complicated tie-dye. Various.

42. "¿Cómo __?": ESTA. Hi Lucy, hope you feel all better.

43. Macy's competitor: SEARS. Really?

45. Minneapolis suburb: EDINA. When I started reading this blog, this was common fill. In fact, it appears in a PUZZLE from just over 10 years ago. As you can see the comments and the cast have changed. I think it was how I learned C.C. lived in Minnesota.

50. One on first?: WHO. The complete routine.

53. "__ tu": Verdi aria: ERI. Sung by a 27-year-old. LINK.

54. Fairy queen of folklore: MAB. You may need to READ this article.

55. Bee-related: APIAN.

62. Gathered intelligence: SPIED.

64. Israeli carrier: EL AL.

66. Barclays Center, for one: ARENA.  Clecho 2- 67A. Barclays Center team: NETS.Basketball in Brooklyn.

68. Cherry or pear: TREE.

69. Inclined to ramble: WORDY. Oops, was this here to shut me up? Just don't...

70. Stun, in a way: TASE. me, bro!

71. In __: aligned: SYNC.


Down:

1. Peg in a cask: SPIGOT. My ex-wife hated her name being shortened to Peg.

2. One of two tarot card groups: ARCANA. I am not up on Tarot, having learned fortune telling from my French grandmother using a regular deck of cards.

3. Small-space renter: ROOMER. I was thinking of storage units.

4. Sleep disorder: APNEA.

5. Starting: AS OF. May 25, 2018.

6. "Breaking Bad" contraband: METH.

7. Enthusiastic about: IN TO.

8. Saved: STORED.

9. Greek restaurant: TAVERNA. Greek: ταβέρνα is a small Greek restaurant, similar to a tavern, that serves Greek cuisine. Who does not love tzatziki: yogurt with cucumber and garlic purée, used as a dip?

10. Help badly?: ABET. I think we have seen this before, but it is still cute misdirection.

11. Is made up: CONSISTS. Not fabricated, but fabricated.  Needed an"of."
1. to make by art or skill and labor; construct:
2. to make by assembling parts or sections.
3. to devise or invent (a legend, lie, etc.).
4. to fake; forge (a document, signature, etc.).

12. Vanderbilt domain: EDU. The domain for Vanderbilt University in Tennessee.

13. Where many a drive begins: TEE. Some golf for HG and others.

21. Memorable first name in Olympic gymnastics: OLGA. Ms. Korbut.

22. Vote against: NAY.

26. Arguing: AT IT.

27. Mimic on a perch: MYNA.

30. Pen part: NIB.

31. Coach Parseghian: ARA. He won NCAA football titles with Notre Dame; how long will puzzle solvers remember this man? Lou Holtz is already fading.

32. Tribal symbol: TOTEM.

33. Whaling, say: ASEA.

34. Ireland's largest county: CORK. Didn't we have this recently? See déjà vu.

36. Tennis legend: ASHE. Arthur appears often on Friday.

37. Lascivious look: LEER. In this modern environment, not a good idea.

38. Binky: PACIFIER. My youngest used to keep one in his mouth and one in each hand.

40. Uganda's Amin: IDI. The last King of Scotland is back.

41. Modeling enthusiast's purchase: KIT. A CSO to past participants?

44. Eventually: SOMEDAY.

46. Picked-up: NEAT.

48. Runway safety org.: FAA.  Federal Aviation Administration.

49. Away: ABSENT.

50. Vintage locale: WINERY. Cute clue, not an old location.

51. Hurry: HASTEN. Hasten Jason...

52. "Hold on": ONE SEC. This is one of those phrases which should be banned, it is never just one second.

58. Advance: LEND. Dad, can I get an advance on my allowance?

59. Court bargaining chip: PLEA. I guess the prosecutor uses the offer of a plea as a bargaining chip.

60. "Darn!": RATS.

61. Otherwise: ELSE.

62. Adage: SAW. Most often seen as "old saw."

63. Ace: PRO.

An interesting trek with lots of proper names and some intriguing Friday cluing. I think we will be seeing more of Winston who has been published in the CHE and WSJ. I also can "see'  comments from WE. Thank you, and thank all who read the Corner. Lemonade out.

Friday, May 18, 2018, David Alfred Bywaters

Title- D-lete! D-lightful.

D is for David Alfred Bywaters who removes himself from the theme answers by ejecting the letter "D" from a word in a common phrase. The symmetry with D at the end of three of the fill and at the beginning of the last two is great. The wit of the resulting phrases is also very pleasing. Parsing the D from dejection into d-ejection was also very impressive. Like most of the DAB Friday efforts, there are many short fill, especially here where he has six theme answers. He does offer OIL BASE,  PRESOAK,  SEE HERE  and TROTSKY as long fill. I seldom nitpick but I wish he had not used
ADD at 45 across. If we had AWL (leatherworking tool) crossed by WISC. (Minn. neighbor) and MOLE (Mexican sauce) the only D in the puzzle would have been DEJECTION/DIM. That would have been elegant. IMO.

16A. Shakespeare's riverside haunt?: BARD OF AVON(9). Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon District, in the county of Warwickshire, England, on the River Avon, 101 miles (163 km) north-west of London, 22 miles (35 km) south-east of Birmingham, and 8 miles (13 km) south west of Warwick. Wiki.

24A. Snow-day play?: SLUSH FUND (8). I know I never found slush enjoyable to play in.

35A. Essential pig?: KEY BOARD (7). Pig, hog, and boar essentially describe the same animal, but there are some distinctions. A boar is an uncastrated male domestic pig, but it also means a wild pig of any gender. A hog often means a domestic pig that weighs more than 120 lbs. (54 kilograms). Pigs are also called swine. Wiki

38A. Biblical voyage serving that probably upset some passengers?: DARK MEAT (7). Myoglobin is the hemoprotein (an oxygen-carrying protein) responsible for giving dark meat its reddish color. The more myoglobin, the darker the meat and the richer the nutrients. Myoglobin provides muscles with the oxygen they need during exercise or movement. Since chickens are flightless birds, they use their legs and thighs to get around, making them darker than the breast or wings. Various. 

47A. Poor wig maintenance?: DRUG ABUSE (8). The funniest of the theme fill, as the picture of someone abusing their toupee, is pretty rib-tickling.

And the reveal- 

59A. Sadness ... or, read another way, what five puzzle answers have in common: D-EJECTION.

Across:

1. IMDb listing: CAST. I like it when a puzzle begins with a hidden anagram.

5. Sylvester and others: CATS.

9. Biblical voyager: NOAH. Did you all like this version?
LINK.

13. Put out in the open: AVOW.

14. Predecessors of much email: Abbr.: LTRS.



15. Pasta tubes: PENNE. Penne is the plural form of the Italian penna, deriving from Latin penna (meaning "feather" or "quill"), and is a cognate of the English word pen. Wiki.

18. Spanish wine region: RIOJA. Our own Chairman Moe could explain it; all I have is this LINK.

19. On fire: LIT.

20. Irresistible desire: LUST.

21. Plead to be given: BEG FOR.

22. Overjoys: ELATES. A favorite word of C.C.

26. Need to return the favor to: OWE. To all of our teachers, I think the "to" in the clue is unnecessary.

27. Decks: KAYOS. K. O., informal - knock (someone) to the ground with a punch.

28. Fake: SHAM.

31. Ambitious sort: TYPE A. Type A personality behavior was first described as a potential risk factor for heart disease in the 1950s by cardiologists Meyer Friedman and Ray Rosenman. It is a personality type characterized by ambition, high energy, and competitiveness, and thought to be susceptible to stress and heart disease. Wiki.

32. H.S. course: SCI.

40. Cork's place: Abbr.: IRE. The largest county in Ireland  - LINK. The county is in dark green.

41. "There's no choice for me": I MUST.

43. Takes responsibility for: OWNS. To all of our teachers, I think the "for" in the clue is unnecessary.

44. Shut: CLOSE.

45. Tack on: ADD.

50. Nap: SIESTA.


54. Kind of family: ONE CAR. Oo and I have decided to listen to this ADVICE.

55. World's most cultivated avocado, named for its developer: HASS. The LINK.

57. Roleo surface: LOG. This is the rodeo inspired name for the SPORT of log-rolling.

58. Goes down: SINKS. In the early days of the blog, this would have generated many DF comments.

61. Steps over a fence: STILE. Definition: an arrangement of steps that allows people but not animals to climb over a fence or wall.

62. Line 32 items on 1040 forms: IRAS. A new clue for one of the most common crossword words. I do not have the FORM memorized.

63. Not working: IDLE.

64. "Ah, right": I SEE.

65. Cousteau's milieux: MERS. French for seas.



66. Not as much: LESS.


Down:

1. Internet provider: CABLE.

2. Help: AVAIL.

3. In a way, in a way: SORTA.

4. __-faced: TWO. Worse than a one car family.

5. Sentence component: CLAUSE.

6. Off-road rec equipment: ATVS.

7. Lenin frenemy: TROTSKY. Two weeks in a row - what are the odds?

8. Nine-digit ID: SSN.

9. Horseplay outbursts?: NEIGHS.

10. Switch words: ON/OFF.

11. Pear variety: ANJOU.

12. Basketball Hall of Fame announcer Chick: HEARN.

15. Treat before washing: PRESOAK.

17. Went really fast: FLEW.

21. Seller's need: BUYER. Such a simple concept.

23. Sepulcher: TOMB.

25. Wash against gently: LAP AT. The waves from the ocean here in Pompano Beach are usually quite gentle.

28. __ patrol: SKI.

29. QE2 designation: HER. Spitzboov will remind us why ships are shes.

30. Word of assent: AYE. Aye aye, good juxtaposition.

31. Bridge support: TRUSS. I had this fill less than a month ago on April 22, 2018.

32. Finalize, with "up": SEW.

33. Cylindrical container: CAN.

34. Word often improperly punctuated: ITS.

36. Kind of paint: OIL BASE.

37. Pepé Le Pew's pursuit: AMOUR. Un autre chat comme Sylvester.

39. Fashion: MODE.

42. "Wait a minute!": SEE HERE.

44. Barnyard sound: CACKLE.

45. Gauge: ASSESS.

46. Pancake, for one: DISC.

47. Martini partner: ROSSI. Not a nice Caprese salad, but the vermouth partner.

48. Apartments or condos: UNITS.

49. "Friend Like Me" singer in "Aladdin": GENIE. The late great Robin Williams.

51. Arrive at a base, maybe: SLIDE. A baseball reference for C.C.

52. Trade things: TOOLS.

53. Keats' "The Eve of St. __": AGNES. The first stanza of a long poem (the indents are the authors)
St. Agnes' Eve—Ah, bitter chill it was! 
       The owl, for all his feathers, was a-cold; 
       The hare limp'd trembling through the frozen grass, 
       And silent was the flock in woolly fold: 
       Numb were the Beadsman's fingers, while he told 
       His rosary, and while his frosted breath, 
       Like pious incense from a censer old, 
       Seem'd taking flight for heaven, without a death, 
Past the sweet Virgin's picture, while his prayer he saith.

56. Open slightly: AJAR.

59. Badly lit: DIM.

60. Shop __ you drop: TIL. Not anymore.


Another D-day here on Friday. My grandson is already 8 months old. It is raining, raining and raining and I am okay. Hope you enjoyed the puzzle, thank you David and all of you reading these words. Lemonade out.

Friday, May 11, 2018, C.C. Burnikel

Title: A tall order from C.C.

Not a tall, but A↠ TO↠ LL. Well, we continue adjusting, and I am comforted by the task of unraveling one of our dear leader's creations. I do not get to blog C.C. often, but this puzzle is a perfect example of why C.C. has become an Icon of modern crossword construction. While seeing the great reveal, ATOLL being reparsed as A TO LL was impressive; finding four meaningful phrases that would make sense when the ending "A" in the first word of the phrase was replaced with "LL" was awesome.  The rest of the fill was chock full of sparkle - ARSENAL EDAMAME,  SALT COD,  SPUMONI,  TROTSKY,  VERTIGO, DESOLATE,  GET ANTSY, IDRIS ELBA, and LET ME KNOW. And the cultural references for a non-US born person highlights how much C.C. has incorporated into her mental database. "Nuff said, enjoy.

18A. Spread served in concave pasta?: SHELL BUTTER (11). SHEA Butter has nothing to do with the Mets old ballpark.

32A. Laid-back cats and dogs?: CHILL PETS (9). CHIA pets are hanging in as an absurd gift.

44A. Revealing sweat remover at the poker table?: TELL TOWEL (9). TEA Towel may not be a phrase to which you are familiar; mine are all linen.

59A. What Royal Caribbean reps do?: SELL CRUISES (11). SEA cruises can be distinguished from river cruises.
And the reveal:

53D. Island ring ... or, in three parts, a hint to 18-, 32-, 44- and 59-Across: ATOLL.(5).

Across:

1. Cow, for one: SHE. The old simple misdirection. DUH!

4. Cancel, in a way: ABORT. The space race gave this old word new meaning.

9. Food fight noise: SPLAT.

14. "U R 2 funny!": LOL. Textspeak Laugh Out Loud (or Lagh ot lod?).

15. "On the Media" medium: RADIO. A podcast from our friends at NPR.

16. Michelangelo carved it from a single slab of marble: PIETA.  I did not know this fact. I am in...

17. Circus reaction: AWE.

20. Statuette site: NICHE.

22. Sushi bar appetizer: EDAMAME.

23. Start to pace, say: GET ANTSY. This word has followed me recently.

26. Stood: ROSE.

27. Polite address: MA'AM.

28. "We'll Meet Again" host Curry: ANN.

29. Documentarian Burns: KEN. A very prolific and important documentary filmmaker. His body of WORK.

36. Ancient Aegean region: IONIA. You should brush up on this HISTORY.

38. Teased: RODE.

39. Word of welcome: ALOHA. Where did all of our Hawaiian cornerites go?

41. 1993 Literature Nobelist Morrison: TONI.

42. Law school subject: TORTS. One of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe mysteries was solved when Wolfe asked a suspect who was talking about his experience in law school if he had learned drafting torts.

46. Sliding runner: SKI.

47. Sounds of contentment: AHS.

49. Name associated with the Gateway Arch: EERO.  We see this DESIGNER often thanks to the three vowels.

50. Only: SOLE. I think these two words may have a common bond.

52. Like ghost towns: DESOLATE.

56. Hitchcock classic set in San Francisco: VERTIGO. The inspiration for Mel Brooks' High Anxiety.

58. Colorful tank addition: TETRA. Sometimes called neon this is  a small tropical freshwater fish that is typically brightly colored. Native to Africa and America, many tetras are popular in aquariums.

62. Move on a lake: OAR. ?

63. Forbidden: TABOO.

64. For fun, with "on": A LARK. Or an old cigarette brand.

65. "Hamilton" creator __-Manuel Miranda: LIN. He is very busy these days.

66. Spiral-horned creature: ELAND.

67. Sinatra standard: MY WAY. This VERSION.

68. Sgt.'s superiors: LTS.

Down:

1. Urban Dictionary focus: SLANG.

2. Mandel of "Deal or No Deal": HOWIE. A bald germaphobe comedian who has made his mark in reality TV, with this show that once had princess to BE as a suitcase girl. (damn, i really need some new eyes!) 

3. Give a seat to: ELECT.

4. Premier League powerhouse: ARSENAL. the FOOTBALL CLUB.

5. "Humph!": BAH.

6. Celebratory work: ODE.

7. One with an easy life: RILEY. A memory from my early years, this SITCOM was Mr. Bendix' starring role.

8. Spilled the beans: TOLD.

9. Layered ice cream: SPUMONI.

10. Deli pockets: PITAS.

11. "I'll be waiting to hear from you": LET ME KNOW. LMK, a favorite phrase.

12. Suit to __: A TEE.

13. Street cover: TAR.

19. Raised building?: BARN. A New England TRADITION.

21. Play with a ghost: HAMLET. Ah, play WITH, not play with.

24. Taberna tidbit: TAPA. Simple Spanish.

25. Refines, as ore: SMELTS.

28. "Pieces of Me" singer Simpson: ASHLEE. Jessica's sister.

30. Bonn article: EINE.

31. Polish target: NAIL.

32. Older PC screens: CRTS. Cathode Ray Tubes.

33. Errant golf shot, usually: HOOK.

34. "Luther" star: IDRIS ELBA.  I know the actor, but not the SERIES.

35. Golf club part: TOE.

37. "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" (1969) star: O'TOOLE. Peter.

40. Taproom array: ALES.

43. Dried fish used in brandade: SALT COD. Not familiar with this DISH or Portuguese cooking in general.

45. October Revolution leader: TROTSKY. Do you know this HISTORY?

48. Next in line: HEIR.

51. Wrinkle-resistant fabric: ORLON.

52. Lacy table mat: DOILY. Hmm, a small ornamental mat made of lace or paper with a lace pattern, typically placed on a plate under a cake or other sweet foods.

54. Black hair, e.g.: TRAIT.

55. Deserves: EARNS.

56. Saltimbocca meat: VEAL. This is Italian for jumps in the mouth, and you can make it at HOME.



57. Largest of the Mariana Islands: GUAM.

59. Sault __ Marie: STE.

60. Tool with teeth: SAW.

61. Cy Young Award stat: ERA. The award for best major league pitcher.




Wow, that was fun. I am  bit worn out from all the links I followed, inspired by this puzzle. Thank you Zhouqin and all of you who read, write and make the Corner strong with words and love. Lemonade out.

Friday, May 4, 2018, David Alfred Bywaters

Title: F-f-f-f-friday!

A little déjà vu as David is back again with an add a letter puzzle. This variation has the letter "F" added to the first word in a two word in the language phrase. We have five themers plus a reveal using 62 squares. This placed many restrictions on the grid, and there was little room for long sparkly fill. But there was quite a bit of humor in theme fill and cluing.  FLAB COAT and FACTION FIGURE  both tickled my Fancy and I did not feel ANTZY, or is it ANTSY?

Not feeling all that sparkly myself as the reality of Scott's passing hangs heavy. But as melissa said, the show must go on.

17A. Origami academy?: FOLD SCHOOL (10). A bit of foreshadowing. The owl and the humor.

23A. Exhaust from the carnival food tent?: FAIR POLLUTION (13).
You can watch this VIDEO.

32A. Scary beach phenomenon?: FIN SIGHT (8).
You can watch this VIDEO.

41A. Garment tailored to flatter your waist?: FLAB COAT (8). Well, flatter is asking too much. VIDEO.

47A. Divisive politician?: FACTION FIGURE (13). No politics, no link.

59A. Boldness, and a hint to five long puzzle answers: EFFRONTERY (10). I like this reveal. with EFF (the word for the letter F) which is put on the front.

Okay, to work.

Across:

1. Like many superheroes: CAPED. And crusaders. I watched AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR last Friday. No spoilers but we enjoyed the 2 1/2 hours.

6. Paper items: NEWS. I struggled with this at first, trying to think of things made of paper especially after the Origami clue/fill.

10. Rock-blasting equipment: AMPS. I nailed this; all the years on the road paid off.

14. Kind of acid used in food flavoring: AMINO. You like reading, here is the LINK.

15. Dos x dos x dos: OCHO. Spanish multiplication.

16. Indian garb: SARI. This picture wraps up this garment.

19. Chimney liner: SOOT. How true, and deceptive.

20. Victorian, e.g.: ERA.

21. Erelong: SOON. Before long.

22. Physicist who left Italy in 1938 to protect his Jewish wife: FERMI. The "wife" was a remarkable woman in her own RIGHT.

27. Hand over: CEDE.

28. Small wake maker: OAR. Another simple, but cute clue/fill.

29. Cowboy, at times: ROPER. Mmm.

37. Pitcher with no arms: EWER. The old baseball misdirection. My grandmother had some Roseville.

38. Backbone: SPINE.

40. Forest grazers: DOES. A heteronym.

43. Growing things: FLORA.

44. Quotable boxer: ALI.

45. Story: TALE.


53. Filmmaker born Konigsberg: ALLEN. Better know as Woody. Based on the virulent hatred of this man, I am surprised he is still in puzzles.

54. Barbarian: OGRE.

55. Nickname derived from "Mortgage Association": MAE. FNMA. GNMA. SLMA. When my grandmother retired she had very little in savings and minimal Social Security. My father helped her put the money into GNMA stock which was paying 10% monthly dividend, it really helped her.

58. Glasses, in adspeak: SPEX. Not wrong, just meh.

62. Yonder thing: THAT.

63. Hawaiian island: MAUI.

64. She turned Odysseus' crew to swine: CIRCE. The inspiration for Game of Thrones?

65. Antoinette preposition: SANS. We had this "without" this week.

66. Highland hats: TAMS. This would fit in the hat puzzle.

67. Toys on strings: YOYOS. I go up and down on this toy.

Down:

1. Tea and cake purveyor: CAFE.

2. Deity with a bow: AMOR. The same number of letters as EROS.

3. Rice dish: PILAF. Stir in onion and cook until onion becomes translucent, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Mix in the rice and chicken broth. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, and the liquid has been absorbed - 20 to 25 minutes.

4. Finish: END.

5. Set of related documents: DOSSIER. This is late 19th century: from French, denoting a bundle of papers with a label on the back, from dos ‘back,’ based on Latin dorsum. Various.

6. Optimism opposite: NO HOPE.

7. Prefix suggesting affordability: ECONO.

8. Journalist's question: WHO.

9. Fa-la link: SOL.

10. Factory equipment, e.g.: ASSET.

11. "The Piano" extra: MAORI.

12. Publicity video: PROMO.

13. Peaceful protest: SIT IN. My brothers and I were in graduate school in Storrs for the EVENTS depicted here. But we never considered a 47D. Some protests: FASTS.

18. Electrical supply: CORD. Fun, as without the cord it will not get there.

22. Symbols of wealth: FURS.

24. Bitter: ACERB. I like acerbic better.

25. Meat cut: LOIN. Pork loin is a cut of meat from a pig, created from the tissue along the dorsal side of the rib cage. Various.

26. Exit __: LANE.

29. Penalty caller: REF.

30. Talkative "Winnie the Pooh" character: OWL. Like Rabbit, he was not a stuffed animal that was brought to life, just a character created by Milne. He has been voiced by Craig Ferguson (Winnie the Pooh); Hal Smith (The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh); Jack Warden (Alice in Wonderland) and Andre Stojka (The Tigger Movie). The shadow fell.

31. Edible sphere: PEA. A nice mental picture.

32. Able: FIT. I may not be fit, but I go to the gym three days a week now, I do not want to be an...

33. Lazybones: IDLER.

34. Unappealing viscous material: GOO.

35. The Beatles' "I Saw __ Standing There": HER.

36. Org. using wands: TSA. Transportation Security Administration. And, 60D. Airport org.: FAA. Federal Aviation Administration.

38. Aria, usually: SOLO.

39. Royal annoyance?: PAIN. Rhymes with...

42. Biblical brother: CAIN.

43. Orator's skill: FLUENCY.

45. Fertile Crescent waterway: TIGRIS. No love for the Euphrates?

46. Farming prefix: AGRO. Sounds like 56D. With the bow, on a score: ARCO. A musical score; usually used as a direction in music for players of stringed instruments. Various.

48. Top dog: ALPHA.

49. Unarmed, to a cop: CLEAN.

50. Modern messages: TEXTS.

51. End of a giant sequence: FO FUM. Fee fi

52. Nail-filing abrasive: EMERY. I am board with this clue/fill. It rubs me the wrong way.

57. Watchers: EYES.

59. Life-saving pro: EMT. Emergency Medical Technician.

61. Spanish uncle: TIO. My grandchildren have learned some Spanish, and call some of their uncles Tio.

I found this a fairly fast finish. I hope you enjoyed it and welcome to May. Still hard to focus on humor. Thanks, David. Lemonade out.

Friday, April 27, 2018, David Alfred Bywaters

Title: Pre-fab puzzle. Did you all grow up hearing about pre-fab houses? LINK.

DAB seems to have slid into JW's every other Friday place here at the Corner. He also uses add letter(s) with today being the 'PRE' trigram. None of the themers jump out (for me) but they are consistent and Friday hard. All of David's LAT publications are Fridays, and he obviously is on Rich's wavelength; how about you all? He has some nice sparkle with ALCOVES, ANIMATE, CLERICS, SAVANTS, DINETTES,  POINTS TO,  SPECTERS and TEN CENTS.

The theme -

17A. Bishop in bed?: SLEEPING PRELATE (15). Prelate which is defined as a bishop or other high ecclesiastical dignitary might be tricky for some.

24A. "I happen to have a deck of cards right here"?: POKER PREFACE (12). The poker is random, but the alliteration is fun.

40A. Fake lawyer?: BAR PRETENDER (12). A little technical, and a little different as it splits a single word apart.
And the reveal-
52A. Software service provided by hardware sellers ... and a hint to three long puzzle answers: PREINSTALLATION.

The rest-

Across:

1. Short shots?: PICS. A nice way to clue an abbreviation that has become a word.

5. Toque wearer: CHEF.

9. Tenth of a grand: C-SPOT. Grand is also represented by a G-Note. 1/10 of $1,000.00; I will not link G-spot pics.

14. "Quickly!": ASAP. These days said "A-sap."

15. Quasimodo's creator: HUGO. Victor to his friends.

16. Conifer with durable wood: LARCH. This is a coniferous tree with bunches of deciduous bright green needles, found in cool regions of the northern hemisphere. It is grown for its tough timber and its resin (which yields turpentine).

20. Mid-'70s cost to mail a typical letter: TEN CENTS. Very random, and I would have preferred something else. That is just my ten cents worth. (inflation!)

21. Wears down: ERODES.

22. Veracious: TRUE. Not Voracious. This one is a cousin of veracity.

23. Enliven: ANIMATE.  But never re-animate. How about GOT?

28. "__ Rose Has Its Thorn": Poison hit: EVERY. The STORY of this Glamrock hit.

29. Bashes: RAMS.

30. "So there!": HAH.

33. Focusing aid: LENS.

34. "Under the Redwoods" author: HARTE. Bret Harte died in 1902 but was quite well received. READ the book for free.

36. Valley: DALE.

37. "Good Behavior" broadcaster: TNT. This SERIES was a serious departure for Michelle Dockery. She was not a nice girl. I loved her in the Netflix series

38. High spot on a farm: SILO.

39. Radio station, e.g.: AIRER.

43. Nooks: ALCOVES.

46. Get behind, with "for": VOTE.

47. Immature insects: LARVAE. Shout out for John Lampkin.


48. Indicates: POINTS TO.

54. Lacks: HASN'T.

55. Bad thing to take in a ring: DIVE. Before ROCKY there was BATTLIN' JACK MURDOCH.

56. Rim: EDGE.

57. Beasts of burden: ASSES.

58. Gravity-propelled toy: SLED. More sledding this week, but maybe the snow is finally over.

59. Seven __: SEAS.
The "Seven Seas" (as in the idiom "sail the Seven Seas") is an ancient phrase for all of the world's oceans. Since the 19th century, the term has been taken to include seven oceanic bodies of water:
the Arctic Ocean
the North Atlantic Ocean
the South Atlantic Ocean
the Indian Ocean
the North Pacific Ocean
the South Pacific Ocean
the Southern (or Antarctic) Ocean

Down:

1. Historian's field: PAST.

2. Archipelago piece: ISLE. In case you did not know it is a sea or stretch of water containing many islands.

3. Normandy city: CAEN. Caen is known for its historical buildings built during the reign of William the Conqueror, who was buried there, and for the Battle for Caen—heavy fighting that took place in and around Caen during the Battle of Normandy in 1944, destroying much of the city. The city has now preserved the memory by erecting a memorial and a museum dedicated to peace, the Memorial de Caen. Wiki.

4. Ghosts: SPECTERS.

5. Calisthenic exercise: CHIN UP. Different from a PULLUP. Pull-ups, done with both hands in an overhand (or prone) grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, prove to be the most difficult of the pair. The wide grip isolates your lats, taking away much of the emphasis from the biceps. The underhand alternative—chinups—receives high praise as both a bicep- and back-builder.

6. Fox pursuer: HUNTER. This juxtaposition makes this next one harder.

7. What some poachers poach: EGGS. Tricky, not someone hunting or fishing where he is not permitted, just cooking.

8. Metrosexual: FOP. I guess as a fop is a man who is concerned with his clothes and appearance in an affected and excessive way; a dandy.

9. Priests, e.g.: CLERICS.

10. Biblical dancer: SALOME.

11. Milan-based fashion house: PRADA.

12. Work for a chamber group: OCTET.

13. What we have here: THESE.

18. Matthew who led a 19th-century expedition to Japan: PERRY. Matthew C. Perry, not to be confused with Matthew L. Perry, became quite famous in his own RIGHT. However,  look at some of his famous relatives, may compel to sign up for Ancestry.com. LINK.

19. Alter, in a way, as a file: RENAME. I do this everytime I download a scan.

23. "__ lot of good that'll do you": A FAT. I bet you want to know its ORIGIN.

24. Bombard: PELT.

25. Roasting site: OVEN.

26. Canterbury's county: KENT. Kent is a county in southeastern England. In the city of Canterbury, Canterbury Cathedral has a 1,400-year history and features a Romanesque crypt and medieval stained glass.

27. Mistake: ERROR.

30. Word with cash or candy: HARD. Hard money is very important in all real estate transactions.

31. Away from the wind: ALEE.

32. German title: HERR.

34. Staff expanders: HIREES.

35. Multinational range: ALPS.

36. Sets for some 43-Across: DINETTES.

38. Learned experts: SAVANTS.

39. Company name inspired by a volcano: AETNA.

40. Like oxen: BOVINE.

41. Gradually develop: EVOLVE.

42. Labored: TOILED.

43. Highest-ranking: ALPHA.

44. "__ Theme": "Doctor Zhivago" melody: LARAS. They were a beautiful couple.

45. Salad green: CRESS. Not watercress, but a plant of the cabbage family, typically having small white flowers and pungent leaves. Some kinds are edible and are eaten raw in a salad.  Garden cress is genetically related to watercress and mustard, sharing their peppery, tangy flavor and aroma.

48. Gardening aid: PAIL.

49. Aspect: SIDE.

50. Roman robe: TOGA.

51. Small tip components: ONES.

53. NFL stat: TDS.


We have rushed to the end of April, with spring apparently finally here. We will see what next week brings; thank you, David, and thank you loyal and entertaining readers, commenters and agent provocateurs. Lemonade out.

Notes from C.C.:

1) Lemonade's grandson Owen turns 7 months old. Here's a picture of Owen and his two beautiful sisters.

2) Here are three more pictures from Kazie's beautiful family:

 Kay's youngest son David and his fiancée Aimee

Kay's daughter-in-law's grandmother, Kay's husband Barry and Kay

Granddaughters, Mila (2) is standing and Lea (5) is sitting on the swing.

Friday, April 20, 2018, Mike McHugh

Title: Quick turn around!

Another 2018 debut puzzle, the first solo on a Friday this year, though Priscilla Clark did a collaboration here with Jeff Chen. We have had a spate of going in the wrong direction, and this time it was a simple turn the first word around, with a simple reveal if you needed it. For a newbie, the non-theme fill had some real sparkle. We are given ANEMONE, CAKE MIX, ISOTOPE, ITALIANO, OH DEAR ME, SLED RIDE and VINEYARD- fun!

17A. *Pay back: PRATTLE ON(9). PAY <----><----> <---->YAP. The clue backward is YAP, hence the fill. 

28A. *Step back: DOMESTIC ANIMALS (15). STEP  <----> <----> <---->PETS.

48A. *Snap back: GIVESABADREVIEW(15). SNAP <----><----> <---->PANS.
The reveal-
64A. One way to drive ... and what the last word of each starred clue really means: IN REVERSE (9).

Across:

1. Place for a guard: SHIN. I thought this was a clever way to begin.

5. American sports org.: USOC. United States Olympic Committee.

9. Walk or wind preceder: CROSS. Walk, wind and word!

14. Suffix for the wealthy: AIRE. As in Billion-

15. Actor who's played a doctor and senator on TV: ALDA. Alan- he played Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce in M*A*S*H and Senator Vinick in The West Wing. They were not similar characters. LINK.

16. What captions can capture: AUDIO. I love the alliteration, even though it is not accurate.

19. Pay homage, in a way: KNEEL. A very im[portant way.

20. Basil sauce: PESTO. Don't use Thai basil.
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed (can sub half the basil leaves with baby spinach)
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan-Reggiano cheese (about 2 ounces)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts (can sub chopped walnuts)
3 garlic cloves, minced (about 3 teaspoons)
1/4 teaspoon salt, more to taste
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste

21. Teed off: DROVE. Not angry, well-done misdirection.

23. __ Fridays: TGI.

24. Hideout: LAIR.

26. Like some sale quantities: LIMITED.

32. She played Mia in "Pulp Fiction": UMA.

33. "I did it!": TADA. A solvers' best friend.

34. Prefix with thermal: EXO.

35. "Puss in Boots" baddie: OGRE. Am not much of a fan of the story or the movie, but OGRE is always a good answer.

37. Brown in a Croce title: LEROY.
"And it's bad, bad Leroy Brown
The baddest man in the whole damned town
Badder than old King Kong
And meaner than a junkyard dog"

39. Houston suburb named for initials from the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad: KATY. We have a  CSO to D-O; I did not know the name was derived from the MKT Railroad Company and was commonly referred to as "the K-T," which was also its stock exchange symbol.

43. 2018 Super Bowl designation: LII.

45. Compared with: THAN.

47. Tilling tool: HOE.

53. Buttercup family member: ANEMONE.  Gardening TIPS.

54. Beat at the buzzer: EDGE.

55. Benching units: Abbr.: LBS. Bench pressing.

56. Big name in little trucks: TONKA.

58. Many a UAE resident: EXPAT. Is this true?

62. Chain with a dog-and-cat logo: PETCO.

66. Really dug: ATE UP.

67. Command to Rover: COME. Sit, Roll Over!

68. Mindless repetition: ROTE.

69. Gumbo server: LADLE.

70. Govt. branch: EXEC.

71. PR firm's forte: SPIN.


Down:

1. '90s-'00s NFL Pro Bowler Warren: SAPP. His STATS.

2. Take on: HIRE.

3. Accts. funded annually, perhaps: IRAS.

4. Prickly plant: NETTLE.

5. Chi.-based flier: UAL.

6. Downhill excursion: SLEDRIDE. It is one of the only things I ever missed from childhood.

7. Bleach feature: ODOR.

8. Rapeseed oil: CANOLA. Oh, that explains it all.

9. Baking convenience: CAKE MIX.

10. Winning streak: RUN.

11. 2003 self-titled folk album: ODETTA. The VOICE of the Civil Rights movement.

12. Superman co-creator Jerry: SIEGEL.

13. Cones and cubes: SOLIDS.

18. Doomed, slangily: TOAST.

22. Resort near Cape Cod, with "the": VINEYARD. Reason to visit New England include these ISLANDS.

25. Napoli native: ITALIANO.

27. "It's just a scratch": I'M OK.

28. Outkast, for one: DUO.

29. Texter's "Shocking!": OMG.

30. Damage: MAR.

31. Magna __: CARTA. Magna Carta Libertatum was so much more than most REMEMBER.

36. I, O or U: ELEM. Iodine (53) - Oxygen (8) - Uranium (92). Nice misdirection.

38. "My goodness!": OH DEAR ME.

40. Rarely served fish?: AHI.  Ahi tuna is usually served uncooked.

41. Low digit: TOE.

42. Archery wood: YEW.


44. Uranium-238, e.g.: ISOTOPE. Defined as each of two or more forms of the same element that contain equal numbers of protons but different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei, and hence differ in relative atomic mass but not in chemical properties; in particular, a radioactive form of an element.

46. Beersheba's locale: NEGEV. Beersheba, also spelled Beer-Sheva, is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel

48. Female bud: GALPAL.

49. Still being tested, as software: IN BETA. You can learn it all makes SENSE.

50. __ interest: VESTED.

51. "Mind your manners": BE NICE. Or you will end up as one of the ...

52. Irritations: VEXERS.

57. Polk's middle name: KNOX. James Knox Polk was an American politician who served as the 11th President of the United States. He previously was Speaker of the House of Representatives and Governor of Tennessee.

59. Support, with "up": PROP.

60. Product of white Muscat grapes: ASTI. Asti (also known as Asti Spumante) is a sparkling white Italian wine that is produced throughout southeastern Piedmont but is particularly focused in the towns of Asti and Alba. Made from the Moscato Bianco grape, it is sweet and low in alcohol and often served with dessert.

61. New driver, usually: TEEN.

63. __-de-sac: CUL.

65. Continental trade gp.: EEC. The European Economic Community was created in 1957 by the Treaty of Rome, which was signed by Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and West Germany.

Well, there is much to talk about; welcome Mt. McHugh. Please stop by and tell us your story and you will hear some of ours. Thank you Corner, and thank you for the incredibly beautiful spring. Lemonade out.

Friday, April 13, 2018, David Alfred Bywaters

Title: Better dead than red.

David returns for his third 2018 Friday. and his 5th overall. I still know very little about the man other than he loves obscure Victorian novels and creating crosswords, even though he has stopped by several times. His website DAVID ALFRED BYWATERS has new puzzle and new book every Saturday. Oh, and his great-grandmother loved puzzles and took a good picture. The idea is simple-  the three letter word RED is added to a two part phrase.  There is a sound change for each vowel preceding the RED, but thetheme clues, are  all fun mental pictures.   The reveal is a bit tricky as you have to see the RED infiltrating the words. Most of the fill was in my wheelhouse, but SAHM sounded like the number three in Thai. There really some fun ones, like YO HO HO, BASS CLEF, and IN A PIE. Anyway, on with the show.

24A. State of mind induced by monotonous music?: SONIC BOREDOM (12). SONIC BOOM gets repurposed.

32A. BBQ item with a char?: SEARED DOG (9). SEA DOG becomes burned hot dog.

43A. Object of trout-fishing veneration?: SACRED FLY (9). SAC FLY (the baseball abbreviation for sacrifice fly) gets reeled in as a fisherperson.

49A. Aversion to rodeo performers?: COWBOY HATRED (12). COWBOY HAT get chased away.

And the reveal-
63A. Post-WWII fear of infiltration apparently confirmed by four puzzle answers: RED SCARE (8).

Across:

1. Grooming tool: COMB. 

5. Put two and two together: ADD.

8. Attentive to the schedule: PROMPT.

14. Pentagon measure: AREA. Not the Pentagon, but a pentagon.

15. Basic substance: LYE.

16. Rum accompaniment?: YO HO HO If you have been to Disney World, this was a gimme.

We also have 34D. Three-note refrain: EI EI O. 

17. Staff symbol: BASS CLEF.

19. Handled vessel: TEAPOT.

20. Ease, as thirst: SLAKE. If you drink your tea, you often will say 21A. Cry of one whose thirst is eased: AAH. Contiguous clecho.

23. Artist Magritte: RENE. The Belgian surrealist.

28. Sphere: ORB.

31. Bring into harmony: ATTUNE. Simply AT + TUNE.

35. Left-hand page: VERSO.

40. Croatia neighbor: SERBIA.

41. Toe problem: BUNION. I will refrain from posting any pictures.

42. The Beatles' "All My Loving," e.g.: OLDIE.



46. Where some nursery rhyme baking occurs: IN A PIE.
Four and twenty blackbirds. Baked in a pie. When the pie was opened. The birds began to sing—. Wasn't that a dainty dish. To set before the king? The king was in the counting-house. Counting out his money,. The queen was in the parlor. Eating bread and honey,. The maid was in the garden. Hanging out the clothes.

48. Deceive: FOX. This took a while.

55. Multicolored gem: OPAL. Probabaly the gem that appears most often in CW puzzles, and  CSO to Kazie.

56. Kvbrick opvs?: MMI. If you studied Latin for 6or 7 years, this jumped out as the Roman "v" is our modern "U" making the clue 'Kubrick opus.' MMI = 2001 (a space odessey).

57. Takes a nap, say: RESTS. Some straight forward clue/fill. 68A. Was aware of: KNEW. 71A. Recognizes: SEES.

61. Make over: REVAMP.

66. Get all wet: DRENCH. 67A. Rower: OAR.And 64D. Listener: EAR all mislead with simplicity.

69. Big Apple Theater District restaurant: SARDIS. The food was never that good but the atmosphere was fun and it was always fun after the theater.

70. Cook, in a way: FRY. Can you think of a different three letter alternative?

Down:

1. Wine choices: CABS. Cabarnet.

2. Spoken: ORAL

3. Tableland: MESA. A CSO to Lucy and our other desert contributors.

4. Revels (in), as praise: BASKS in the glory.

5. The lot (of): ALL.

6. Henna, e.g.: DYE.

7. In actuality: DE FACTO. More Latin.

8. Big name in British comedy: PYTHON. Did you ever wonder WHY?

9. Beluga yield: ROE. Fish eggs.

10. United hub: O'HARE.

11. Island vacation ride: MOPED. Last time I drove one in the Bahamas I hit a wall; vision has been an issue for a while.

12. Amplifier switch: PHONO. Tape, CD.

13. Tribal symbol: TOTEM. An Eastern European Navajo, might be known as Totem Pole?

18. Board boss: CEO. Chief Executive Officer.

22. "Snug as __ ... ": A BUG in a rug.

25. Uno menos uno, to Unamuno: NADA. One minus one equal nothing in Spanish. The Friday element is the use of this educator, philosopher, and author, LINK, who I did not know.

26. "__ be a pleasure": IT'D

27. Variety show: REVUE

28. __ buco: OSSO. We recently had a reference to GIADA DE LAURENTIS.

29. Rod attachment: REEL. Sounds fishy to me.

30. Homer, e.g.: BARD. No Friday love for Will?

33. Batter's stat: RBI.  Runs Batted In.

36. Close: END

37. Jazz phrase: RIFF. I know it more from guitars but it is a short repeated phrase in popular music and jazz, typically used as an introduction or refrain in a song.

38. Concerto cadenza, e.g.: SOLO. A cadenza is a virtuoso solo passage inserted into a movement in a concerto or other work, typically near the end.

39D. Banded stone: ONYX

41. Uncle Remus title: BRER

43. Doug of the Sir Douglas Quintet with the hit "She's About a Mover": SAHM
I have never hear of the IMPORTANT singer musician.

44. Two: A PAIR OF.

45. Op. __: CIT. This is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase opere citato, meaning "in the work cited." It is used in an endnote or footnote to refer the reader to a previously cited work, standing in for repetition of the full title of the work

47. Mythological maidens: NYMPHS.

49. Electrical connections: CORDS.

50. Monteverdi work: OPERA. More music. You know HIM?

51. Go back and forth: WAVER.

52. Flavorless: BLAND.

53. Med. treatment areas: ERS. Emergency Rooms.

54. Card groups: DECKS.

58. Sound: SANE.

59. Shoe insert: TREE. Foot fits as well.

60. Follows a pattern, perhaps: SEWS. Another example of a simple but misleading clue.

62. 2006 Verizon acquisition: MCI. A nice fake out as this is not a Roman Numeral.

65. Arid: DRY.

This is a puzzle might have pleased JzB the most as it so full of music. It was fun for me, but I do not have any Monteverdi stories. I guess I cannot get all the way through a Friday the 13th without  any mention of that dubious day. In case anyone wondered, I do not own a hockey mask. Maybe David does. Lemonade out.

Friday, April 6, 2018, James Sajdak

Title: Let me have the exact change.

James is back on Friday for the first time in a couple of years. I first blogged him in 2011 the same day C.C. posted the INTERVIEW she did with him. This is his 30th LAT publication and he has no consistent style, either in themes or themeless. Like last week we are dealing with puns and humor. While this theme was not as much fun, the rest of the puzzle was wonderful. We have a few spectacular words, GIBRALTAR, SASQUATCH, AFICIONADO and TOM FOOLERY. We also have so much information and wit, I am going to move on the the write up.

20A. Salute in an old orbiter?: MIR FORMALITY (12). Mere formality.

35A. Stadium scene after a big win?: TIERS OF JOY (10). Tears of joy.

42A. Fishing parties?: PIER GROUPS (10). Peer group.

57A. Edward Scissorhands' syndrome?: SHEAR MADNESS (12). Sheer madness.

Across:

1. Disagreement: SPAT.

5. Her first speaking role was in MGM's "Anna Christie": GARBO. 88 years ago.

10. Unlikely: SLIM. My chances were slim and none.

14. Fashion designer Rabanne: PACO.  This is not his real NAME.

15. Cold shoulder or hot corner: IDIOM. This was fun misdirection, as both are idiomatic.

16. Elizabeth of "Jacob's Ladder": PENA.

17. Wee bit: ATOM.

18. It might be uncured: BACON. Not my area of expertise.

19. Plant with hips: ROSE. I used to drink the tea.

23. Arizona neighbor: SONORA.

24. Former SETI funder: NASA.

25. Pokémon Go finder: Abbr.: GPS. I have watched these crazies running around 'capturing' the various Pokémon. My boys were more Dragonball Z, but they did have some Pocket Monsters.

28. Spa supplies: OILS. Massage or painting?

30. African megalopolis: CAIRO.

32. Nonstick kitchen product: T-FAL. I have never owned any from this COMPANY.

39. Normandy river: ORNE. Not one of the 12 common crossword rivers but a big deal nonetheless. LINK.

40. Foil firm: ALCOA. Will always be tinfoil in my mind even though I know it is aluminum.

41. It borders both the Missouri and the Mississippi rivers: IOWA. More rivers.

44. Early Disney productions: CELS. Cartoons.

45. __ del Carmen, Mexico: PLAYA. Beach

46. Distant beginning?: EQUI.

48. Photog's choice: SLR.  Single-Lens Reflex camera.

49. Org. offering shelter for some homeless: SPCA.

53. It merged with Chevron in 2005: UNOCAL.

59. Chain part: ISLE.

62. 1975 Pulitzer winner for criticism: EBERT. 1975: Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times, "for his film criticism during 1974"

63. Old film dog: ASTA. Back again; do you remember the actor?

64. Catty reply: MEOW. and the clecho 67A. Cat catchers: PAWS.

65. __ attack: PANIC.

66. Flit: DART.

68. Seriously reduce: SLASH. Like prices, not to be confused with 43D. Wicked slice: GASH. Not Tiger's driving at the Masters but a long deep slash, cut, or wound.

69. Prizes in los Juegos Olímpicos: OROS. Gold medals.

Down:

1. Bombards with e-junk: SPAMS.

2. Deck alternative: PATIO.

3. Nut with a cap: ACORN.

4. Nonsense: TOMFOOLERY. Another great fill that has such a great LINK.

5. Iberian peninsula territory: GIBRALTAR. You could LEARN more.

6. Economist Smith: ADAM. The FATHER of economics.

7. Puerto __: RICAN.

8. Half an Ivy cheer: BOOLA. The Cheer from 1901.
Boola boola, boola boola
Boola boola, boola boola
When we rough house poor old hahvahd
They will holler, “Boola boo”
Oh Yale, Eli Yale!  Oh Yale, Eli Yale!
Oh Yale, Eli Yale!  Oh Yale, Eli Yale!

9. Dodges of old: OMNIS.

10. Agile: SPRY

11. Uncle on "Seinfeld": LEO

12. Advantages for job seekers: INS

13. Novelist Rita __ Brown: MAE. A writer for CED and our other cat lovers, her mysteries are solved by cats. But she is so much more, and a Florida Gator as well. WIKI.

21. "He's mine, __ am his":"Coriolanus": OR I. A Friday Shakespeare - Scene X, page 218.

22. Stand snack: TACO

25. Boy toy?: GI JOE.  A great fun clue.

26. Lurk: PROWL.

27. Milk sources: SOYAS. My bride like soymilk.

29. Prairie skyline feature: SILO.

31. Buff: AFICIONADO.  It was a mid 19th century (denoting a devotee of bullfighting): from Spanish, ‘amateur,’ past participle of aficioner ‘become fond of’ used as a noun, based on Latin affectio(n-) ‘(favorable) disposition toward’ (see affection).

32. Name on collectible cards: TOPPS. They made some headlines a few years ago. NASTY.

33. Bell or whistle?: FRILL. Something added on.

34. At hand, poetically: ANEAR. I wish this afar.

36. Old French coin: ECU. Not the sou.

37. It's often skipped: ROPE. really cute.

38. Cryptozoologist's quarry: SASQUATCH. And any other of the CRYPTIDS.

47. Conjunction in a German article: UND. An article in a newspaper article. Witty.

50. Buds, slangily: PEEPS. Almost timely. Try THESE.

51. Band of intrigants: CABAL. The intigrants (those who makes secret plans to do something illicit or detrimental to someone else) get together and form a cabal - a secret political clique or faction.

52. Concert setting: ARENA

54. Romero who played The Joker: CESAR. With Adam West. LINK.

55. Dog in Orbit City: ASTRO.

56. Exams for future attys.: LSATS. Actually, it is only a test for future law students.

57. Susie-shirts tongue-twister link: SEWS.  60D. Sells-shells tongue-twister link: SEA. Suzi sells seashells by the seashore. Maybe. LINK.

58. Hosp. tests: MRIS.

59. Little demon: IMP.

61. Bit of cowspeak: LOW. I am not familiar with the term, but I got the idea.

That was a loaded baked potato of a puzzle and I had so much trouble with getting it ready, so forgive me if I just say, thank you, James, all who come to the Corner and phew! Lemonade out.