Friday, May 10, 2019, Rich Proulx

Title: Do you see the pattern?

We have our second puzzle from Rich P., who had the misfortune of being published on the day Argyle became ill. He also had two NYT published in 2017 which should have prepared us for today. This was a very difficult puzzle. First, the theme was not a theme but a picture and while there are 21 "T"s in the puzzle, there is really only one theme clue. 58A. Classic car ... and a hint to the hidden image you can draw using 21 identical squares in this grid: T-BIRD. If you have been reading my Friday ramblings for a while you know I love visual aspects to themes. However, today's grid is a themeless puzzle with a picture. And my drawing skills are limited. So hopefully I will figure out a way to make his point in the grid. Because it is basically themeless, there are oodles of 7,8, and 9 letters fill all over the puzzle. I found BRA PADS, CULTIST, DEBONES, PRESTON, ALBACORE,  BAD DEBTS,  COMANECI,  COMIC-CON, FORETELL, IN TERROR.  TRIMOTOR, YELLOWED, DECORATOR, and DUBITABLE
                                                                           
Across:

1. Confidentially informs: BCCS. Blind copies.

5. Skewer: SPIT.

9. __ top: TUBE. Memories from my youth.






13. Solar panel site: ROOF.

14. Chili partner: CARNE. Meat.

15. Words that can precede and follow "what": IT IS. It is what it is.

16. BB, e.g.: AMMO. It is back this week to haunt us.

17. "Waiting for Lefty" playwright: ODETS. Clifford Odets was born in Philadelphia in 1906. Odets' fame as a playwright was made when he wrote and acted in Waiting for Lefty, produced by the Group Theatre in 1934. Its production in New York was simultaneous with the city's famous taxicab strike. It was his first play. Various.

18. Native of Riga: LETT. This term for the natives of LATVIA may be losing its place, but the place is interesting.

19. FCC chairman Ajit __: PAI. Ajit Varadaraj Pai is an American lawyer who serves as the Chairman of the United States Federal Communications Commission. He is the first Indian American to hold the office. I had no idea.

20. Bichon __: dogs with fluffy coats: FRISES.

21. Early smartphone: TREO. I had a friend who had one in the early 2000s, very impressive at the time. Not to be confused with 57A. Beethoven's Opus 11, e.g.: TRIO.

22. Mole sauce chili: ANCHO. A dried Poblano chile. The RECIPE.

24. Classic guitar, briefly: STRAT. The Fender  STRATOCASTER was part of the early rock and roll revolution.

26. One verifying safe arrivals?: UMP. Cute baseball reference. Along with 31A. Ball game official: SCORER and 32A. Like a rare baseball game: NO HIT.

27. New homeowner's hire: DECORATOR. Not in my lifetime.

29. Heads up: RISES. Nope, do not get it.

34. How some nursery-rhyme men traveled: IN A TUB. Rub-a-dub-dub.

36. Outspoken chef Gordon: RAMSAY. His RESTAURANTS.

39. Wyatt of "People of Earth": CENAC. Oh, oh. I am getting bogged down and no theme in sight to help. Wyatt Cenac is a writer and actor, known for The Daily Show (1996), People of Earth (2016) and aka Wyatt Cenac (2017), another complete unknown.

41. Cheeky?: JOWLED. I think Nixon's were famous.

43. Monopoly piece: HOTEL.

46. Open to question: DUBITABLE. As opposed to indubitable.  It just means doubtful.

49. Ursa Minor shape: LADLE. Ursa Minor is colloquially known in the US as the Little Dipper because its seven brightest stars seem to form the shape of a dipper (ladle or scoop). wiki.

51. Floss brand: ORAL-B.

52. "brb" or "ttyl": TEXT. Be right back; talk to you later.

54. Injure again, as one's ACL: RE-TEAR.

56. Bit of baby talk: COO.

59. Cut down: MOWN.

60. Mid-month day: IDES. Not very popular anymore, especially to Julius.

61. Identification assuming familiarity: IT'S ME.

62. Loose: FREE. Like the doggies in your backyard.

63. Whale groups: PODS.

64. Ferrara family name: ESTE. Hard fill. I did not know THIS history.

65. Cabs are among them: REDS. Cabernet wine.

Down:

1. Some cup liners: BRA PADS. So much I do not know.

2. First Olympic gymnast to receive a 10: COMANECI. Nadia will always be the first.

3. Where Vulcans congregate?: COMIC-CON.

4. BART stop: SFO. San Francisco airport.

5. Exemplar of cruelty: SADIST.

6. "The Good Wife" Emmy winner Carrie: PRESTON. She played the quirky powerhouse attorney Elsbeth Tascioni. Apparently, she is playing the part still in some spin-off.

7. Really scared: IN TERROR. This just does not seem right, but it was easy to fill.

8. Championship ice dancer __ Virtue: TESSA. She is a shining light for all of Canada and more than just a SKATER. CSO to our Canadian readers and dear departed ClearAyes.

9. Arcade goof: TILT.

10. Embryo's home: UTERUS. Literal.

11. Sassy retort: BITE ME.

12. Bars in court: ESTOPS. It is used more than just in court as you need to get estoppel letters.

14. __ anglais: English horn: COR. I had this WOODWIND before.

20. Augur: FORETELL. Latin that has become part of English.

23. Public school advocate Mann: HORACE. A very important PERSON in the history of public education in the US.

25. Three-engine plane: TRIMOTOR. Literal.

28. Gave __ for one's money: A RUN.

30. Fighting words: IT'S WAR.

33. Muslim pilgrim: HAJI. Also sometimes spelled Hadji, Alhaji, Al hage, Al hag or El-Hajj

35. They may be written off: BAD DEBTS. You can offset your business income with your uncollectable debts. I will let those who know tax stuff say more about this.

37. Much canned tuna: ALBACORE. The albacore, known also as the longfin tuna, is a species of tuna of the order Perciformes. It is what is labeled as white meat tuna and is so popular, the population is decreasing.

38. Like old manuscripts: YELLOWED. Paper is made from wood, which is made up mainly of white cellulose. Wood also has a lot of a dark substance in it called lignin, which ends up in the paper, too, along with the cellulose. The exposure of lignin to air and sunlight is what turns paper yellow.

40. Certain worshipper: CULTIST.

42. Fillets: DEBONES. Literal.

43. Polite greeting gesture: HAT TIP. Tip of the hat sounds better, but I guess it is the same thing.

44. Go too far: OVERDO.

45. Approached the gate: TAXIED.

47. "I'll take a brewski": BEER ME. This PHRASE has escaped me but with One billion hits I guess it is known.

50. Bandleader Shaw: ARTIE. He also was briefly married to both LANA TURNER and 48A. Actress Gardner: AVA.

53. Cornhole turn: TOSS. Yes, there are RULES and it must be underhand.

55. Lemon finish: ADE. I do not even know Rich but I get a nice ending CSO!

59. Plant owner: Abbr.: MFR. Manufacturer.

Well now to play with the grid on Paint and see if I can get somewhere. Hope you had fun. Welcome back, Rich. Happy Mother's Day to all of you mothers/Lemonade out.

You think it looks like this?

Friday, May 3, 2019, Jeffrey Wechsler

Title: AM I too early?

I am back and so is Jeffrey. Our other resident cruciverbalist, JW, joins PC this week in giving us another UP-DOWN  puzzle. This one is the reverse - the theme is an added AM (morning) to the beginning (the "top") of four phrases two of which are grid-spanners, as is the reveal TOP OF THE MORNING. Showing off his mad gridding skills, he wraps the theme in double stacks of 7 and triple stacks of six in the middle.  Despite 69 spaces of theme, he includes such sparkly fill as BARCODE. BLOOPER, CURATOR, DEAFENS, DO A DEAL, EDAMAME, EURASIA, PINENUT, STAMENS, and UNIFIER. Much to say, so away we go.

3D. Chronicles of Sodom and Gomorrah?: AMORAL HISTORIES (15). While the Torah is an early written history, it likely is based on Oral histories handed down.

4D. Group of stealthy attackers?: AMBUSH LEAGUE (12). This is fun; bush league comes from a baseball term.

7D. Act like a court jester?: AMUSE AS DIRECTED (15). My favorite repurposing.

23D. Flashy jewelry for a stroll in the park?: AMBLING BLING (12). A bit of a stretch but maybe I just do not like the term bling.
And the reveal:

11D. Supposedly Irish greeting ... or a hint to four long answers: TOP OF THE MORNING (15).

Probably top o' the mornin'.

Across:

1. Org. monitoring wetlands: EPA. Environmental Protection Agency. No politics.

4. Reachable: AT HAND. This was NEARBY until it wasn't.

10. Wall support: STUD. Stud is an ancient word related to similar words in Old English, Old Norse, Middle High German, and Old Teutonic generally meaning prop or support. In case you wondered.

14. Like the dawn's early light: DIM. No Star-spangled banner here.

15. "Old MacDonald" sound: MOO MOO. ... a moo moo there.

16. One might be commanding: TONE. Also not my first thought.

17. Year, in Seville: AÑO. Just straight Spanish, though the newspaper did not give you the hint.

18. Caviar fish: BELUGA. Beluga caviar is caviar consisting of the roe (or eggs) of the beluga sturgeon Huso huso. Not related to Beluga whales- they are being trained by the Russian  MILITARY.

19. Capital of Samoa: APIA. With all the nice vowels I am surprised we do not see this more.

20. Debussy's "La __": MER. The Sea in French.

21. Purposes: USES.

22. July 4th or December 25th, for many: DAY OFF. Some misdirection and holiday did not fit.

24. With 64-Across, "Henry and June" author: ANAIS. We get her full name in parts. 64A. See 24-Across: NIN.

26. Request at the bar, with "up": SET EM. A partial, I think.

28. Old-style "Tsk!": FIE. Fee fie fo fum?

29. Gardener's supply: MULCH. You really do not need mulch, but it is pretty and all.

30. Many a southwestern Asian: ARAB. Many forget that Arabs, Indians, and others are Asian. They all have booths at the annual Asian Festival in Fruit and Spice Park in Miami (the Redlands). You missed this year but there is still an Orchid Show and Fruit Festival coming up.

31. The "1" in 15, really: TEN. Base ten math.

32. Lucy's TV pal: ETHEL. Ethel Mertz is not related to yesterday's Zach Ertz.

33. Move using eBay: SELL.

34. Shop sign nos.: HRS.

35. Cause to boil: IRE. Not a favorite word, po'd appealed to me more.

36. '60s campus org.: SDS. My old friend is back to vote with your feet.

37. Chem. class suffix: IDE. This is a bit of classic fill.

39. Small shot: BBS. Almost funny. So big shot could be a cannonball? Damn, I just wasted a great new potential clue/fill. Or even a clecho - Big shots:CANNONBALLS the Not big shots: BBS.

41. When "Fair is foul, and foul is fair" is spoken in "Macbeth": ACT I. JW gets his obligatory Friday Will Shakespeare into this week early.

43. Identifies: NAMES. J'accuse!

46. PC key: ALT.

47. __ gum: thickening agent: GUAR. More than that it may be GOOD for you.

48. Tile space-filler: GROUT. Not to be confused with GROOT.

49. Friend of Tigger: ROO. The joey of Kanga.

50. More than asks: URGES.

52. "I didn't really say everything I said" speaker: BERRA. The amazing thing is how natural he was.

53. Pupil covering: CORNEA. I wonder if this is a tortured CSO to me since I have had so many Cornea operations? Nah.

55. "Sweet!": COOL.

57. "Platoon" setting, briefly: NAM. Viet-

58. Ronny Howard role: OPIE.

59. Teahouse mat: TATAMI. A tatami (畳) is a type of mat used as a flooring material in traditional Japanese-style rooms. Traditionally made using rice straw to form the core, the cores of contemporary tatami are sometimes composed of compressed wood chip boards or polystyrene foam. wiki

61. British suffix: ISE. Instead of IZE.

62. Divided trio?: DEES. There are three "D"s in that word.

63. Type of band: ONE MAN. Is this one word or two? What do you think?

65. Once, quaintly: ERST. Also, not related to Zach, at least not for a while.

66. Equestrian's forte: RIDING.

67. Empty talk: GAS. Stop gassing me was once popular.

Down:

1. Sushi bar side dish: EDAMAME. This is just a fancy name for boiled green soybeans.

2. Pesto morsel: PINE NUT. So much to know about this little GUY.

5. Ring holders: TOES. No, thank you.

6. Tiger's targets: HOLES. Woods, not cat variety.

8. Seasonal quaff: NOG.

9. Negotiate successfully: DO A DEAL. No politics.

10. Obedience school word: STAY.

12. One promoting togetherness: UNIFIER. Is that like a reveal?

13. Overwhelms with sound: DEAFENS.

25. Writer of sweet words?: ICER. Oooo, many hate the idea of calling one who decorates a cake an icer. Where is Tinbeni? Perhaps back on vacation at Hedonism, or off to Eastern Europe again now that it is warming up there.

27. Chic modifier: TRÈS. More accents.

36. Buck: STAG.

38. Take the risk: DARE.

39. Checkout facilitator: BARCODE.

40. Outtake, often: BLOOPER.  50 all-time FAVORITES.

42. Museum manager: CURATOR. Why since he doesn't cure anything? In Ancient Rome, curatores were senior civil servants in charge of various departments of public works, overseeing the Empire's aqueducts, bathhouses, and sewers. By the end of the 20th century, 'curator' came to describe a broad category of exhibition makers such as those who run museums.

44. It borders four oceans: EURASIA. This is the combined landmass of the continents of Europe and Asia - a portmanteau. It also is home to 71% of the world's population.

45. Pollen producers: STAMENS. Stamens are the units of androecium which are the male reproductive whorl of the flower.

51. "Ditto!": SO AM I.

54. Aerie, for one: NEST.

56. Arabian Sea nation: OMAN. One of the Oceans above.

60. Darth, when he was young: ANI. Anikan Skywalker sends off until next week.

What more fun can you ask on a Friday morning in spring? Well, ok a lot more but not in solving a very entertaining return from JW and his Boswell. Be well all. Lemonade out.

Note from C.C.:

Happy 75th birthday to Dave (D4E4H), who went through quite a few health issues last year, but he remained optimistic and cheerful through the whole deal. Did Lynn bake you another special cake pie, Dave?

Friday, April 26, 2019, Pam Amick Klawitter

Air Conditioned for summer.  The letters AC are incorporated into one word of a common phrase to give it a new twist.  Notice that the addition of AC is found at the end of a word on the first two answers and at the beginning of a word on the last two answers.

17-Across. What turtles use to keep up outward appearances?: TORTOISE SHELLAC.  The common phrase is Tortiose Shell.  Did you ever wonder what was inside a Tortoise Shell?

27-Across. Cashew family shrub's observation?: COGITO ERGO SUMAC.  The common phrase is Cogito Ergo Sum.  Cogito Ergo Sum is a Latin phrase for Je pense, donc je suis, credited to René Descartes (Mar. 31, 1596 ~ Feb. 11, 1650).  The English translation is: I think, therefore I am.

46-Across. Ad offer Wile E. Coyote really regrets accepting?: COME FLY WITH ACME.  The common phrase is Come Fly with Me.  Come Fly With Me, in addition to being a Frank Sinatra Song, was the theme song of Pan Am Airlines.

61-Across. Old MacDonald's bookkeepers?: ACCOUNTING SHEEP.  The common phrase is Counting Sheep.  Counting Sheep is supposed to help one go to sleep.

Across:

1. Dash meas.: MPH.  As in Miles Per Hour.  You can find your rate of speed by looking at the Dash board on your car.

4. "Unstoppable" cleaner: DRĀNO.

9. Dealer's abbreviation: MSRP.  As in the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price, also known as the List Price.

13. Brother of Athena: ARES.  Greek mythology.  Ancient Greece had two gods of war ~ Ares and Athena.  Both were powerful, but had different philosophies when it came to fighting in battle.  Ares was brutal and and cruel.  Athena, on the other hand, used strategy and was wise in battle.

15. What informants might wear: WIRES.  Did anyone watch the HBO series The Wire?

16.  First-rate: A-ONE.

20. __ demon: SPEED.

21. Persian Gulf resident: QATARI.  //  And 49-Down: Residents along the Persian Gulf:  IRANIS. Qatar is that tiny country, near the UAE, that sticks out in the Persian Gulf.

22. Tall trotter: EMU.  A male EMU can grow to a height of over 6 feet.  It is the largest bird native to Australia.  It can't fly, so had the ability to run at a rate of 30 MPH if being hunted.  If cornered, its sharp toe claws can eviscerate its hunter, so be warned.

24. "Grab __": "You're pinch-hitting": A BAT.  Baseball!

Rafael Devers AT BAT.

35. Ducks in Eugene: OREGON.  The Mascot of the University of Oregon, which is in Eugene, Oregon.  Why the Ducks you ask?  Back in the 1890s, the State of Oregon was known as the Webfoot State.  This name came from the early settlers of Oregon, many of whom were descendants of a group of Massachusetts fishermen who participated with George Washington in a surprise attack on a British stronghold during the American Revolutionary War.  These fisherman were known as the Webfoots.  The University of Oregon's original nickname was Webfoots, after their East Coast ancestors.  Not exactly a threatening name for a sports team.  In the 1940s, the team name was changed to the more fearful Ducks.  I'm scared.  (P.S., the University has a special license agreement with Disney, so it duck is a based on the Disney's Donald Duck.)

36. Blow it: ERR.

37. Gross __: TON.

38. Turner on a screen: LANA.

Lana Turner (née Julia Jean Turner; Feb. 8, 1921 ~ June 29, 1995)

39. Shakespeare's Athenian hermit: TIMON.  I was not familiar Shakespeare's play Timon of Athens.  Maybe our Shakespeare scholar can provide some insight into this play.

41. It's chilly in Chihuahua: FRIO.  Today's Spanish lesson.

42. Yamaguchi rival: ITO.  As in Midori ITO.  She makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles.  Both Kristi Yamaguchi and Midori ITO are skaters.

Kristi Yamaguchi (b. 1971) 

Midori ITO (b. 1969)

43. Tour opening?: ECO-.  Think of Ecotourism.

44. Title song words before "My love has come along": AT LAST.  As sung by Etta James (who makes frequent guest appearances in the crosswords.)

50. Bring up: REAR.

51. Stephen who played Inspector Bucket on "Dickensian": REA.  Dickensian is apparently a BBC drama that reimagines many of Charles Dickens' characters together in London.  Inspector Bucket was a character from Bleak House.  Stephen Rea (b. Oct. 31, 1946), who makes frequent guest appearances in the crosswords, plays the main character.

52. Mount Rainier gateway: TACOMA.

56. Twists: WARPS.  Let's do the Time Warp, Again.

65. It might pop up: MENU.

66. Giant Chicken on "Family Guy": ERNIE.  I have never seen this show.

I assume Ernie is on the left.

67. Spelling start?: ABRA.  My favorite clue of the puzzle.  The phrase Abra Cababra may come from an Aramaic phrase meaning: I will create as I speak.  It's used today by magicians when creating "magic."

68. Brigitte's bridge: PONT.  Today's French lesson.  Did any of you learn this song in French class?

69. Reason to raise goblets: TOAST.  It isn't always necessary to use a goblet.

70. Quick: APT.

Down:

1. Yoga accessories: MATS.  I go to yoga class at least twice a week.  I'm not as flexible as this woman.  Maybe I should go to yoga class more often.

2. Item on a set: PROP.

3. "__ lies ... ": HERE.

4. SADD focus: DWI.  As in a Driving While Intoxicated.

5. Off-color: RISQUE.  These bathing suits were once considered very Risque.

6. You might have to find it in geometry: AREA.

7. Egg holder: NEST.  Cute clue.

8. Fed. workplace watchdog: OSHA.  As in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

9. Surfrider Beach city: MALIBU.  My first car was a second-hand Chevy Malibu.

10. Juárez heater: SOL.  More of today's Spanish lesson.

11. Genetic letters: RNA.  The difference between RNA and DNA.

12. Bench press target: PEC.  Short for the Pectoral muscles.

14. Bus. card letters: STE.  As in Suite, I assume.

18. Poetic opening: ODE TO.

Ode to Billy Joe.

19. Historical times: ERAS.

23. Talk TV's Williams: MONTEL.  Montel Williams (né Montel Brian Anthony Williams; b. July 3, 1956), was the host of a long-running talk show, which ran from 1991 until 2008.

25. Land-and-sea military vehicle: AMTRAC.

Not to be confused with the train system, which is spelled with a "k".

26. Lao-tzu's philosophy: TAOISM.

27. Tummy trouble: COLIC.

28. JFK, notably: ORATOR.

29. Mapping subject: GENOME.

30. "Hometown Proud" market chain: IGA.  As in the Independent Grocers Alliance.  The Bet-R Store is an IGA store.  It was also used as a set for the 2011 movie Battle: Los Angeles.  The owner said, Never again would he allow a film production use his store.  It was very disruptive, especially to his customers.

31. Do more lawn work: RE-MOW.  I have to re-mow my lawn every week in the summer.  (Notice I said I mow the lawn.)

32. Miracle-__: GRO.

33. Richly decorated: ORNATE.  The mosaics at the Alhambra Palace in Spain are very ornate.

34. Benjamin's bill: C-NOTE.  What's in your wallet?

40. Hard to drive on: ICY.  I initially tried Ice.  (Sorry, Tinbini!)

41. Common destination for snowbirds: Abbr.: FLA.  As in Florida.  Snowbirds can travel to visit Lemonade and Tinbini.

45. Signs of spring: THAWS.

47. Patronize Pizza Hut, say: EAT OUT.

48. German title: FRAU.  Today's German lesson.

53. Tech tutorials site: CNET.

54. Spanish survey option: OTRO.  More of today's Spanish lesson

55. __ Harker, heroine in Stoker's "Dracula": MINA.

57. "The light dawns!": AHA!

58. "Fancy" singer, familiarly: REBA.  As in Reba McEntire (b. Mar. 28, 1955).

59. One who did it: PERP.  As in the Perpetrator, not the Perpendicular in the crossword puzzles.

60. Squabble: SPAT.

61. Roadie's armload: AMP.

62. Board leader: CEO.  As in the Chief Executive Officer.

63. Round-the-clock news pioneer: CNN.  As in the Cable News Network.

64. Catch, as a cold: GET.

Here's the Grid:

I'll leave you with a QOD:  If people did not sometimes do silly things, nothing intelligent would get done.  ~  Ludwig Wittgenstein (né Ludwig Joseph Johann Wittgenstein; Apr. 26, 1889 ~ Apr. 29, 1951), German philosopher

Friday, April 19, 2019, David Alfred Bywaters

Very Punny!  Today's puzzle uses puns, rhymes and homophones to twist common phrases.  In the first three theme answers, the rhyming word is found at the front of the phrase, and in the last two theme answers, the rhyming word is found at the end.

We also have a very special remembrance of our dear friend with 9-Down (ARGYLE) and 12-Down (SANTA).

17-Across. Flatfish family founders?: SOLE MATES.  The common phrase is Soul Mates.

25-Across. Barbershop levy?: POLE TAX.  The common phrase is Poll Tax.  A pole tax is essentially a tax placed on an adult without consideration of income or resources.  In the United States, the poll tax had been a pre-requisite for voting.  The 24th Amendment to the United States Constitution abolished poll taxes as a pre-requisite for voting in federal elections.  A few years later, the Supreme Court ruled that States could not use the poll tax as a prerequisite for voting in State elections.  (Never have an attorney explain a legal matter.  I'll just send you all a bill.)

Why is the Barber Pole Red, White and Blue?  It comes from the Middle Ages when men went to the barber not only for a hair cut and a shave, but also for medical treatment.  Bloodletting was a well known medical treatment for curing all sorts of illnesses.  The red represented the blood, and the white represented the bandages used to stop the bleeding.  The blue is said to be the color of the veins that were cut during this whole bloodletting process.

38-Across. Rabbit monopolizing the entrance to the warren?: HOLE HOG.  The common phrase is Whole Hog.  This clue threw me off because the clue contains one animal and the answer contains a different animal.

51-Across. Part in a Humpty Dumpty biopic?: EGG ROLE.  The common phrase is Egg Roll.

62-Across. Mutant tree trunk with extraordinary powers?: SUPER BOLE.  The common phrase is Super Bowl.  The answer made me laugh.

Across:

1. Bonkers: LOCO.  What a crazy way to begin this puzzle!

5. Raucous animal sound: BRAY.

9. Sambuca flavoring: ANISE.

14. Not up: ABED.

15. Ire: RAGE.

16. Trio in the logo of a national motorists' group: RED AS.  As in the three red A's of the American Automobile Association.  I found this to be a devious clue.

19. Acquires: GAINS.  The word "gets" is too short.

20. Shirt with a slogan: TEE.

21. "Metamorphoses" poet: OVID.  An ancient Roman poet.

22. Mindless way to learn: BY ROTE.

23. When doubled, a German spa town: BADEN.  Baden Baden is a spa town in Southwest Germany.

26. Broadway restaurant founder: SARDI.  Sardi's is a famous restaurant in Manhattan's Theater District.  It began as a modest little eatery, known as The Little Restaurant in 1921.  The founder was Melchiorre Pio Sardi and his wife Eugenia Pallera.  He was known in New York as Vincent Sardi (Dec. 23, 1885 ~ Nov. 19, 1969).  A few years later, the restaurant moved down the block and re-opened as Sardi's.  Because the restaurant is in the Theater District, Vincent Sardi hired a sketch artist to draw caricatures of actors and other celebrities, which adorn the walls of the restaurant.

28. Energizes: GOOSES.  To goose up: To cause something to become stronger or more intense.  For example:  Listen to him rev up his car.  It sounds like he really goosed up his engine.   Geese at the park can be energizing.

30. Upscale: CLASSY.

32. Go bad: ROT.

33. Pairs: TWOS.  In go the animals, two by two ...

37. NFL pass, complete or not: ATT.  As in an Attempt.

41. Fez or fedora: HAT.  Hi, Abejo!

42. Pedi concerns: TOES.

44. Day in Durango: DIA.  Today's Spanish lesson.

45. N, in a TV content warning: NUDITY.

47. Directions: TRENDS.

50. Laconic: TERSE.

54. Come to: TOTAL.  Think of the tab on your bar bill.  The total came to how much!!!

56. Turf grippers: CLEATS.  Crabby cleats.

57. Die, e.g.: CUBE.  The singular of Dice.

58. Pet's attention-getter, perhaps: PAW.

61. Great deal of, slangily: LOTTA.  Led Zeppelin and Whole Lotta Love

64. Concerning: ABOUT.

65. God with a quiver: EROS.  It's Greek to me.

66. Carrot (always) or stick (sometimes): ROOT.

67. On edge: TENSE.

Oops, different spelling!

68. Used to be: WERE.  The way we were.

69. Tavern array: ALES.

Down:

1. Final: LAST.

2. Vowel-rich woodwind: OBOE.

3. Have a party, say: CELEBRATE.

4. One was written on an urn: ODE.

5. Valorous: BRAVE.

6. Five stars, e.g.: RATING.

7. Like fine Scotch: AGED.

8. Fist-pumper's cry: YES.

9. Sock pattern: ARGYLE.  // And, just 3 clues over we have 12-Down. One-night-a-year flier: SANTA.  A double CSO to our beloved Santa.

10. Minimally distant: NEAREST.

11. Jerk: IDIOT.

13. County not far from London: ESSEX.

18. Fashionable: MODISH.  I initially tried Modern.  At least some of the letters were correct.  

22. With 52-Down, paper since 1872: BOSTON.  //  And 52-Down.  See 22-Down: GLOBE.  Together we get The Boston Globe.

I read the Globe when I lived in Boston, but that was years ago.  Recently I have been getting weekly emails from the Globe urging me to subscribe.

24. Sunday paper barrage: ADs.  Does anyone really ever look through all the ads in the Sunday paper?  I stopped getting my local newspaper when there were more ads than news/articles, and when the sports section was longer than the news sections.

25. Friend of Tigger: POOH.  Winnie the Pooh and his friends were the creations of A.A. Milne (ne Alan Alexander Milne; Jan. 18, 1882 ~ Jan. 31, 1956).  His son, Christopher Robin Milne (Aug. 21, 1920 ~ Apr. 20, 1996), was the basis of the character of the same name in the books.  Sadly, Christopher Robin became estranged from his parents, believing that his father had exploited his childhood in writing the books.  I have fond memories, however, of the these books from my childhood.

26. "Go away!": SCAT.

27. Choir voice: ALTO.

29. Mountain nymph: OREAD.  More Greek in today's puzzle.

31. Mountain melodies: YODELS.  You don't even have to go to the mountains to heard yodeling.  Just go to your local Walmart.

34. Draining effect: WHIRLPOOL.

35. Equine eats: OATS.  Mares eat oats and does eat oats and little lambs eat ivy ...

36. Eyelid problem: STYE.

39. Triangle side, say: LINE.

40. Site of unwanted suburban vegetation: GUTTER.

But that's my vegetable garden!

43. Low cloud: STRATUS.

46. Trafficking org.: DEA.  As in the Drug Enforcement Administration, which is tasked with preventing drug trafficking.

48. Go around: ROTATE.

49. Daze: STUPOR.

51. Dazzling effect: ÉCLAT.  The word comes from the French, which means "splinter", or "burst".  Also the name of an eau de toilette for men.

53. Mount: GET ON.

55. More than a little plump: OBESE.

57. Medical research objective: CURE.

59. Natural soother: ALOE.  We had this clue the last time I on a puzzle.

60. Dampens: WETS.

62. Put in stitches: SEW.

63. Product of Bali: BRA.  Not the island, you silly goose!  The lingerie company.

Here's the Grid:

Today is a special day in the religious communities.  Today is Good Friday.  It also marks the beginning of Passover, which begins as sunset today.  For those who observe the these events, I wish you a Happy Easter or a Happy Passover.