Friday, April 3, 2020, David Van Houten

Title: Let's go to the movies.

David is back for his second LAT publication. I blogged his debut in January. This time he adds to a one-word movie title and clues the new phrase with a reference to the movie chosen. A simple and tight theme. Just as with last week's puzzle which TTP blogged, this grid is more similar to an early week effort with no long fill outside the theme. The most striking thing is that the puzzle is just an "M" short of a pangram. So...

20A. Never heard of a 1996 Robin Williams movie?: DON'T KNOW JACK (12). This MOVIE is the first of two Diane Lane movies that David has chosen.

37A. "You grabbed the wrong Stephen King movie"?: THAT'S NOT IT (10). This MOVIE is not for you if you do not like horror.

43A. Essay about a 2015 Christina Applegate movie?: ON VACATION (10). This MOVIE is the second generation of Griswolds travels.

58A. Start a 2001 Keanu Reeves movie?: PLAY HARDBALL.(12). This MOVIE which was an early effort of Michael B. Jordan.

Across:

1. "Get outta here!": SCAT. Various theories of the ETYMOLOGY.

5. Snatch: GRAB. 28A. Have a sudden inspiration?: GASP.

9. Give up: QUIT.

13. Sweater outlet?: PORE. We have a friend who suffers from Hyperhidrosis. A classic use of the homonym misdirection.

14. Concerning kidneys: RENAL.

16. Annapolis sch.: USNA. United States Naval Academy

17. "Roots" author Haley: ALEX.

18. Actress Graff: ILENE. You may know her work but not her NAME. She has been a puzzle regular since 2003.

19. Ain't fixed?: ISN'T. Cute.

23. Wipes away: ERASES. My mind immediately went HERE.

24. Juegos Olímpicos prize: ORO. Spanish for Olympic Games and Gold.

25. Road crew's supply: TAR.

31. Sexually attractive: NUBILE. One of my favorite words when I started chasing women. Definition of nubile. 1: of marriageable condition or age nubile young women. 2: sexually attractive —used of a young woman a nubile starlet.

33. Magical phrase starter: ABRA. Cadabra.

39. The Parthenon, e.g.: RUINS.

41. Cry from a card holder: UNO.

42. Roof worker: TILER.

46. Fallon's predecessor: LENO. Do they really hate Jimmy Fallon?

47. __ symbol: STATUS.

48. Ancient queen, familiarly: CLEOpatra.

50. Immigrant's subj.: ESL. English as a Second Language. I am eternally grateful for this course.

51. Rap name contraction: LIL. 66A. "Rhyme Pays" rapper: ICE-T. 56D. Better, to a rapper: ILLER. Urban dictionary...iller
adj: more ill, better, sweeter, cooler.

53. Like some numerals: ARABIC.

61. Rattle: FAZE.

64. Flower girl, perhaps: NIECE.

65. Paella pot: OLLA.

67. Unsettled states: SNITS.

68. __ fee: USER.

69. Sainted historian: BEDE. An interesting HISTORY.

70. Backbone or spine: GRIT. Or 25D. Words on a spine: TITLE. Definition 2 for "spine": the part of a book's jacket or cover that encloses the inner edges of the pages, facing outward when the book is on a shelf and typically bearing the title and the author's name.

71. Weight allowance: TARE.

Down:

1. Garden tool: SPADE.

2. Rainbow flag component: COLOR. There are others.

3. Fan belt?: ARENA. Belt indeed.

4. Messages sent from cells: TEXTS.

5. Is amused by: GRINS AT.

6. Move, in Realtor-speak: RELOcates. Not an easy time for these sellers either.

7. From the top: ANEW.

8. Scruggs' strings: BANJO. A musical interlude.

9. Nestlé product suffix: QUIK. Suffix?

10. Initials before a state's name, sometimes: USS. Navy.

11. Imaret, say: INN. Miriam-Webster tells us that this is an inn or hospice in Turkey. I have some friends from Istanbul, but they have not taught me that word.

12. Bit of ink: TAT.

15. Profits (from): LEARNS.

21. Brew holder: KEG. A CSO to my beer brewing and selling family.

22. Matter: COUNT.

26. 1979 sci-fi classic with three sequels and two prequels:  ALIEN.

27. In style again: RETRO.

29. Close: SHUT.

30. Go to pieces: PANIC. My certain reaction if I spent much time with Sigourney Weaver.

32. Bubble, in a way: BOIL. To me-
Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and caldron bubble.

33. Emanated (from): AROSE.

34. Diamond strategies: BUNTS. No baseball yet.

35. Same-state opponent, often: RIVAL. Auburn/Alabama. Florida/Florida State/Miami.

36. Future doc's subj.: ANATomy.

38. Plane, e.g.: TOOL. Not up in the air, but...

40. Racing craft: SCULL.

44. Chinese and Indians: ASIANS. And so many more.

45. Most closely related: NEAREST.

49. Chicago airport code: ORD. O'Hare originally named Orchard Place Airport/Douglas Field opened in 1942. Midway (MDW) opened in 1926.

52. Not true: LYING.

54. Give or take: ABOUT. Circa.

55. Modeling wood: BALSA. This WOOD is a CSO to our Canadian friends.

57. Shannon's county: CLARE. Learn MORE.

58. Townshend of The Who: PETE. More music.

59. Son or daughter, often: HEIR. Rather macabre.

60. When Juliet says, "Go ask his name": ACT I. Our Friday Shakespeare reference.

61. Little lie: FIB. Such an absurd concept.

62. Frequent winner: ACE. This leads us to the end...

63. British jazz element?: ZED. The middle Zs.

There you have it, the first Friday of April and some fun stuff that shouldn't have over-worked your stressed brain. Be careful, be safe. Wash your hands, gargle with warm saltwater. Thank you for being a cyber family I can count upon. Lemonade out.

Friday, March 27, 2020 Brian Herrick

"Wind Engineering"   "Blowin' In The Wind"    "Wind Shear"

I couldn't pick a title.  Should have stuck with "Windfall"

To get the answers to 1, 5, 36, and 51 across,  you need part of the down answer.  To get the theme, you need part of that same down answer.

1. June event that highlighted Zion in 2019: NBAD. 
4. (down) It's on tap: DRAFT BEER.

NBA DRAFT  - The consensus # 1 pick in the June 2019 NBA Draft was Zion Williamson.  He was selected by the New Orleans Pelicans.

5. Revolt: DISG.
8. (down) "The Planets" composer Holst: GUSTAV. -  Gustav Holst

DISGUST

36. Result of a lost feed: DEAD A.
38. (down) Shoe brand first made for an NBA star: AIR JORDAN.  - NBA star Michael Jordan.

DEAD AIR

51. Deep-fried seafood appetizer: CRAB P.
53. (down) Northern seabird: PUFFIN.

CRAB PUFF  -   Martha Stewart's recipe for 2 dozen.  Any readers have their own recipes ?
 

The reveal:  24. Jackpot, e.g., and a hint to completing four puzzle answers: WINDFALL.

My immediate reaction to the reveal was "What ?"   Windfall means unexpected good fortune.  I got how the down answers fall.  But what about the wind part ?   Then the V8 can that was absent last Friday showed up.  Each of the highlighted answers in red (above) or in yellow (below)... and they all fall.   All winds, of a sort.  Air seems to be the outlier.



Across:

9. Questlove's do: FRO.  If you watch The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, then you would probably know of the musician that leads the house band.

12. "__ is human ... ": TO ERR. 

but to really mess things up you need a computer.  Did I link that .gif  before ?  

14. Asian gambling mecca: MACAU.   We also see it spelled as Macao. 

15. Pasture: LEA.

16. Greek goddesses of the seasons: HORAE.   It's all ? to me.  What is that word I'm missing ?

17. Anglicized name for Australia's Uluru: AYERS ROCK.   Uluru is new to me, but the perps were very generous.    Uluru is the traditional Aboriginal name.   The local Anangu, the Pitjantjatjara people, call the landmark Uluṟu (Pitjantjatjara [ʊlʊɻʊ]).     - Wikipedia

19. Game response that means no: GO FISH.   The card game for children aged 4 to 10.

21. Like mockumentaries: SATIRIC.   The Beatles 1964 feature film debut, A Hard Day's Night, was filmed in mockumentary style: it ostensibly documents a few typical (and highly fictionalized) days in the life of the band as they travel from Liverpool to London for a television appearance.

In television, popular examples in the US include sitcoms Trailer Park Boys and its films (1998–present), Parks and Recreation (2009–2015), The Office (2005-2013), and Modern Family (2009–present); the American improv comedy Reno 911! (2003–2009)   - Wikipedia

22. Sailboat staff: MAST.

23. Sell: HAWK.

25. Disquiet: AGITA.  I would normally first think of agita as indigestion, but it also means anxiety, apprehension, worry, nervousness, etc.  So it can be both a physical and emotional condition.  Disquiet is a synonym.

26. Messy roommate: SLOB.   Oscar Madison ?

27. Oscar winner Kazan: ELIA.

28. Valentine's Day buys: VASES.

29. Parts: ROLES.    For thespians (Hi, OMK !), the character(s) they play.   In business, slang for areas of responsibility (i.e. the different hats one wears).   In reality, no one has more roles to play than women. 

31. Seeing right through: ON TO.

33. "Shame!": TSK.

34. Wannabe: POSEUR.

39. Free from: RID OF.

41. Get ready to play: SUIT UP.   Typically as a sports metaphor. 

45. Tests graded on a scale of 1 to 5: Abbr.: APs. 

48. "Oh __!": insult reaction: SNAP.   Not in my vernacular. 

50. Maine college town: ORONO.   I believe that Hahtoolah mentioned that she went to the University of Maine in Orono.   She graces this blog every Tuesday.

54. Thin opening: SLOT.  I tried slit. 

56. Winnipeg NHLers: JETs.  The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg.  They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division of the Western Conference

57. End of a toast: TO YOU.

58. This is one: CLUE.   Self referential.  Should have been easy for regular solvers. 

59. Texter's "But ... ": OTOH.    Randy Travis was awarded the 1986 Country Music Song of the Year for this song.    Ah, play that steel guitar...


60. To such an extent (as): IN SO FAR. 

62. Thin: NARROW.

64. Connecticut college town: FAIRFIELD.   Fairfield College.  New to me. 

66. "My name is ... " site: ID TAG.   Earl was too short.  Then saw site.  In the sitcom, Earl was always trying to atone for his behavior in years past.  

68. LAX abbr.: ETD. Estimated Time of Delay.  

69. Brainstorms: IDEAs.

70. Disney's "Moana" was translated into it: MAORI.   The language of the indigenous people of New Zealand. 

71. __ gratias: DEO.   Thanks be to God.

72. Second opening?: NANO. 

73. Flanders et al.: NEDs.   "Hi-Diddily-Ho neighborino! What can I ding-dong-diddily-do for you?" 

Down:

1. Utmost degree: NTH.

2. "Electric __": 1984 dance-pop song: BOOGALOO.   Did not know.  But learned that the Boogaloo was a street dance that originated in Oakland, CA in the 1960s.  Then in the late '70s, a dance team developed the "Electric Boogaloo" dance style and called themselves by the same name.   Then in 1984, the music duo of Ollie and Jerry released the song.  Here's a 1980 clip from Soul Train showing the dance team doing Electric Boogaloo style of dancing.   I could not find a video that featured them dancing to the 1984 song. 


3. Sprays from cans: AEROSOLS.

5. __ trip: DAY.

6. Salchow support: ICE SKATE.

7. "Waitress" composer Bareilles: SARA.   I may not understand the clues, but the perps and logic usually work out these answers.

9. User of 28-Across: FLORIST.

10. Speaks from memory: RECITEs. 

11. Winery fixture: OAK CASK.

13. Outdoorsy retailer: REI.   Recreational Equipment, Inc.

14. Island thanks: MAHALO.   "Mahalo for your patience and aloha as we harness our resilience to get through this health crisis together."   In this context, aloha means greetings, rather than the typical hello or goodbye.

18. Baltic capital: RIGA.   A crossword regular.

20. "__ Walks in Beauty": Byron poem: SHE.   Didn't know of the poem.  Knew that Lord Byron was Ada Lovelace's father. 

22. Car ad fig.: MSRP.   The list price.

30. __ generis: SUI.   Along the lines of unique.   In a class by itself.

32. Western treaty gp.: OAS.   Organization of American States.    And a CSO to our regular reader who has been experimenting in the kitchen.

35. Hwys.: RDs.

37. Daft Punk, for one: DUO.    Didn't know, but vaguely recalled a pop or a rap group.  They were French electronic synthopop musicians in the 1990s.   

40. Happening in film: ONSCREEN.

42. In close combat: TOE TO TOE.

43. Hard to work with: UNTOWARD.  Some are advances.

44. Sumptuous: POSH.  One Spice is Posh,  AKA, Victoria Beckham. 

45. Allergy medicine discontinued in the U.S.: ACTIFED.    The druggies were making something out of it to get high. 

46. Rotate inward while walking, as one's foot: PRONATE.   Contrast with supinate.

47. Gets married: SAYS I DO.  Too many blanks for weds.

49. Money symbolized by a stylized L: POUNDS.    £

52. Crude dude: BOOR.   First thought was a roughneck.   An oilfield worker.

55. Afternoon __: TEA.

61. John/Rice musical: AIDA.   Crosswords taught me that Aida usually has a Verdi clue.  But in this case, it's Elton John and Tim Rice.  Who knew ?

63. Edge: RIM.   I use Edge shaving cream.  The rim of the can often starts to rust before the cream is all gone.  Maybe I should go back to that "no-eczema" brand that Joe Namath used to tout. 

65. Southeast Asian language: LAO. 

67. PFCs, e.g.: GIs.

Friday, March 20, 2020, Robin Stears

Title: Anagram that!

After writing up hundreds of Friday puzzles, it is unusual to fill in all the spaces and not know the theme. But that is exactly why I love crossword puzzles, and it took staring at the reveal and fill positioned in all the regular theme locations (e.g. 17A) to have the light bulb come on. A classic V-8 can in the forehead. I will bet that Steve and others who love the classic British puns and anagram puzzles featured in the London Times etc. will adore this theme. Once I saw the concept, it was so easy. Robin took four very different types of oils- ESSENTIAL, COD LIVER, VEGETABLE, and LAVENDER  and repurposed the letters into fanciful but legitimate alternate fill. This built on a 2018 PUZZLE that Steve stared at, just like I did today. Finding combinations that included all the letters of the oil was most impressive.

Robin has appeared in the LAT since 2009 but has ramped up her mainstream publications with this being her 5th of 2020. Here is a quick LOOK at her construction history. Today, she crammed the grid with 7 letter fill like ACADEMY. ATINGLE, CARTELS, EVASIVE, ICE FLOE, LA PLATA, MASONIC, ODDBALL, OVERRAN, PESETAS, RATRACE, REPTILE, SEASIDE, SO HAVE I, SOLACES , and SOVIETS.

17A. *Bargain on the last day of Oktoberfest?: STEIN SALE.
ESSENTIAL. What makes it essential? The ESSENCE.

26A. *Singer Damone, vis-à-vis actor Morrow?: OLDER VIC.
COD LIVER. Damone was only about 8 months older. Cod Liver Oil was a big threat to kids wanting to stay home from school when I was young.

38A. *Snoopy's specialist?: BEAGLE VET.
VEGETABLE. I was stumped on 36A trying to make it a variation of Olive Oil. Some OILS that didn't make the cut.

53A. *One who'll talk your ear off about osso buco and saltimbocca?: VEAL NERD.
LAVENDER. The silliest of the fill.
and, the reveal:
65A. Basic auto maintenance, and how each answer to a starred clue was created: OIL CHANGE. This is one time I may not have gotten the theme without the reveal.

Across:

1. Incite: PROD. Prodding sounds much meaner, but I grew up in cow country so my mental picture may be wrong.

5. Modern "methinks": IMHO. In My Humble Opinion. Language changes the words not the thoughts.

9. Pink flowers in a van Gogh still life: ROSES. He painted this while in the asylum at St.Remy. The color has faded.

14. Water-diverting feature: EAVE. The eaves are the edges of the roof which overhang the face of a wall and, normally, project beyond the side of a building. The eaves form an overhang to throw water clear of the walls. Wiki.

15. It's not optional: NEED. Nice clue.

16. Brigham Young University city: PROVO. Read its HISTORY.

19. Urdu for "palace": MAHAL. Urdu تاج محل‎ (tāj mahal, “crown of palaces.

20. Blunder: ERR.

21. Barbarian in Dante's Seventh Circle: ATTILA. In the river of boiling blood are the violent sinners, such as Alexander the Great and Attila the Hun, Ghibelline tyrants and 13th-century robber barons, "are paying for their heartless crimes" (XII.106). Michael Delahoyde.

23. Butterfield of "Ender's Game": ASA. Almost the theme from Tuesday's END GAME puzzle.

24. Cartomancy deck: TAROT. This is a stretch because cartomancy uses a common deck (or part of one) of cards. This is what my grandmother TAUGHT.

29. Starfleet school: ACADEMY. Star Trek.

32. Record holder: SLEEVE. I love this misdirection, especially now that they are producing albums again.

33. Ship: SEND.

34. Accessories for a Red Hat Society lunch: BOAS. This ORGANIZATION is appropriate for many Cornerites.

37. Bond and Bourne: SPIES.

41. Scratching post material: SISAL. Cats prefer woven sisal because their claws do not get caught in the sisal rope. It is a natural fiber derived from the 'agave sisalana' cactus plant and is not the same fiber as coir or jute.

44. Jai __: ALAI.

45. Its first version was egg-shaped: iMAC.

49. Spotted cat: OCELOT. For CED.

51. Argentina's "City of Diagonals": LA PLATA. A CSO to OMK and this CITY.

56. Norse group that fought the Vanir: AESIR. The Aesir (pronounced “ICE-ir”; Old Norse Æsir for multiple gods, Ásynjur for multiple goddesses, Áss for one god, and Ásynja for one goddess) were one of the two main tribes of deities venerated by the pre-Christian Norse.

57. Hypotheticals: IFS.

58. Part of AC/DC: DIRECT. Current.

61. Minn. neighbor: ONTario. We have many visitors from Ontario here in Pompano Beach.

62. A-listers: ELITE.

67. "Who's on First?" catcher: TODAY. You have to be a real fan to recall that position.

First base         Who
Second base What
Third base I Don't Know
Leftfield           Why
Centerfield Because
Pitcher             Tomorrow
Catcher            Today
Shortstop          I Don't Give a Darn! or I Don't Care!

68. Composer Sibelius: JEAN. Fifteen FACTS.

69. While away: KILL. Ah, while away not while away!

70. Note next to a red F, maybe: SEE ME. Since we have so many teachers who read this blog, this may be an ultimate gimme.

71. __-Navy game: ARMY.

72. Downfall of many kings?: ACES. Also a fun clue.

Down:

1. Old Iberian coins: PESETAS. Woth 100 centimos.

2. Grind: RAT RACE. I loved the Lucys.

3. Exceeded, as a budget: OVERRAN. I like "waves of barbarians overran the Roman Empire" and "he must not overrun his authority as governor" better.

4. Agnus __: DEI.

5. MIT center?: Abbr.: INSTitute.

6. Substantial content: MEAT. What a meaty tome.

7. Sun: Pref.: HELIO. We had this in January.

8. The "O" in football's OBJ: ODELL. Beckham Junior.
HIGHLIGHTS.

9. Tach readout: RPM. Revolutions Per Minute.

10. 60 minuti: ORA. Italian lesson.

11. "Me too": SO HAVE I.

12. Hard to follow: EVASIVE. I like this clue.

13. Says "There, there," say: SOLACES. Middle English: from Old French solas (noun), solacier (verb), based on Latin solari ‘to console’.

18. Silver of FiveThirtyEight: NATE. The POLLING PLACE.

22. Spots: ADS.

25. Eccentric: ODDBALL.

27. "What __ can I do?": ELSE.

28. Snake, for one: REPTILE.

30. MIT Sloan deg.: MBA. Master of Business Administration was created in the US.

31. Class with mats: YOGA.

35. Entirely: ALL.

36. Authenticating symbol: SEAL. Now we use stamps for seals on legal papers.

39. North Carolina university: ELON. This is where my friend the late Roger Staley studied as an undergraduate; it is a selective, average-sized private university eminent as a national model for connected and experiential learning.

40. Through: VIA.

41. Khrushchev and Gorbachev: SOVIETS.

42. Baffin Bay hazard: ICE FLOE. Baffin Bay is the body of water between Baffin Island in Canada's Nunavut and Greenland's southwestern coast. It lies north of the Arctic Circle, connecting the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, and is frozen for most of the year.

43. Coastal region: SEASIDE.

46. Like some lodges: MASONIC.

47. Goose-pimply: ATINGLE. An "A" word.

48. Price-fixing groups: CARTELS. In the United States, virtually all cartels, regardless of their line of business, are illegal by virtue of American antitrust laws. Cartels have a negative effect on consumers because their existence results in higher prices and restricted supply. In South Florida, they are WORSE.

50. "Chopped" host Allen: TED. I really did not know this MAN.

52. Way to go: PATH.

54. Spanish red wine: RIOJA. Rioja is a wine region in North Central Spain, 120 Miles south of Bilbao.

55. Less rainy, as a climate: DRIER.

59. Oater actor Jack: ELAM. What a face.

60. Harlem sch.: CCNY. City College of New York.

63. Bagpiper's hat: TAM. Oh the one from shanter!

64. London __: Ferris wheel: EYE.

66. Letters in an APB: AKA. I guess, but they are not mutually inclusive. An All Points Bulletin does not need an Also Know As.


Robin is fast becoming one of our regular setters, with this effort containing so many gems. Be safe everyone, we have canceled the condo Bingo night and our Starbucks no longer allows sitting or loitering. Lemonade out

Notes from C.C.:

1) Happy 82nd birthday to Commander Al (Spitzboov), who served in the Navy Reserve for over 20 years. Al is a very resourceful and creative person. He helped me solve many tricky problems. Here is Al with Argyle.

 

Argyle and Spitzboov

(August 23, 2014, Washington County Fair)

3) Happy 84th birthday to John28man! So glad to hear from you from time to time, John!

 

Friday, March 13, 2020 Winston Emmons

"PR Blitz"

Winston puts a PR spin on some common phrases in this fairly easy Friday solve.



17. "It's been a while since I shopped till I dropped"?: LONG TIME NO SPREE.   
LONG TIME NO SEE.

27. Pastoral exhortation to a graffiti artist?: SPRAY THE WORD.
SAY THE WORD.

48. Bargain hunter's forte?: PRICE FISHING.
ICE FISHING.

62. Trojan king struck dumb?: PRIAM SPEECHLESS.
I AM SPEECHLESS.

69. Ad guy responsible for four long puzzle answers?: PR MAN.


What's the difference between a rat and a squirrel ?

PR.

Despite being a fairly easy Friday solve,  miscues were made along the way.   Gotta get out of the habit of just throwing in the first crosswordese answer that pops into my head.
Sometimes it works:
- 4 letters to fill with a Norse clue would be either ODIN, Loki, or Thor.  ODIN popped in first.
And sometimes it doesn't:
- 5 letters to fill "Present to an audience" was not orate.  STAGE better fits the clue.

Fortunately, none of the initial errors created an insurmountable logjam.

Across:

1. 2019 Pan American Games city: LIMA.  "Best Pan American Games ever" and  A New World Record in Archery

5. Present to an audience: STAGE.   Orate flew off the fingertips.   After a few seconds, the backspace key erased the letters.

10. Nat's hat: CAP.   MLB's Washington Nationals / baseball cap.

13. Norse deity: ODIN.

14. Syndicated show, say: RERUN.  21 Interesting Facts About Television Syndication

15. Smooth-talking: OILY.  Threw in glib. 

20. Revise: ALTER.   Not amend today...

21. Bud: PAL. 

22. Annually: A YEAR.   Once a year is enough. 

23. __ Cruces: LAS.    Zoom in, zoom out.


25. Convent figure: ABBESS.

32. Belgian __: ALE.    Chimay Grande Reserve is worth every penny. 

33. Special ops acronym: SEAL.  SEa, Air, and Land. 

34. Some bank jobs: HEISTs.   I associate this word with the original "The Italian Job" starring Michael Caine.   Actually, both heist and caper.

38. Lack: WANT.   Here you go, Wilbur Charles !

For Want of a Nail

For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the message was lost.
For want of a message the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

40. Set down: PLACE.

42. Bender: TOOT.   Didn't know of toot as a synonym of bender (drinking spree), but know of a  bender as a tool.   Here's one for bending EMT thin wall.   The Building (electrical) Code requires metal conduit here in Cook and DuPage counties.

Double checked to make sure that second T was correct. 

43. Meddles: SNOOPs.

45. Pack (down): TAMP.

47. Mauna __: LOA.  Tried Kea.

51. Moby-Dick, e.g.: ALBINO.

53. Vote in favor: AYE.  Had the right letters in the wrong order with yea.

54. Many Oscar night attendees: STARs.

55. Sun, for one: ORB.

58. Social division: CASTE.

65. Sources of cones: FIRs.    Plants that bear cones are conifers.  Conifers doesn't fit.   Firs and yews fit.   Firs matched the crosses.

66. Dabbling ducks: TEALs.

67. Cable car: TRAM.

68. Fabled beast: ASS.

70. Roll call call: HERE.

Down:

1. Kinks title woman with "a dark brown voice": LOLA.   Jinx linked Lola just a few days ago, so here's another Kinks hit:


Dave Davies slit the amplifier speaker to produce the distinctive sound.

2. Word after fallen or false: IDOL.

3. Like new: MINT.  Often used in coin grading.

4. Actress Kinsey of "The Office": ANGELA.   She played Angela Martin.  Recognized  the character after looking up the actor's name for the review. 

5. Asian honorific: SRI.  Shri, Shree, Sri, or Sree, is an Indian word denoting wealth and prosperity, primarily used as a honorific.

6. Census worker, for one: TEMP. 

7. Location: AREA.  Not site.

8. Legislation that varies from state to state: GUN LAW.

9. Eclectic musician Brian: ENO.

10. Prepare for print: COPYEDIT.   "I say copyedit, you say copy edit"

11. Buenos __: AIRES.

12. Earnest requests: PLEAs.

16. "__ Blues": Beatles "White Album" song: YER.   My least favorite of the White Album tracks.

18. Cafeteria stack: TRAYs.

19. Buffalo skater: SABRE.   Canadian Eh should be happy with the British English spelling.

24. Intervenes: STEPS IN.

26. Prague's region: BOHEMIA.

27. Maxims: SAWs.

28. It often undergoes changes: PLAN.

29. First female attorney general: RENO.  Janet Reno at Biography.com

30. Burt's musical collaborator: HAL.   Bacharach and David.   You know their songs.   Here's someone's Top Ten Ranking.   As expected, Dionne Warwick figures prominently in the hit songs.

31. Send: ELATE.   Some readers may be old enough to remember this song:



35. Arias, usually: SOLI.

36. Animation product: TOON.

37. Unattached: STAG.   Not solo.

39. Joint Chiefs, for example: TOP BRASS.   Pentagon bigwigs.

41. Joltin' joe?: CAF.   I've never heard of just "caf", but have heard of half-caf.    Accepted it since it fit. Later googled.    Not sure that this is what the clue is referencing, but there's a veteran owned company named Black Rifle Coffee that has a brand name,  CAF,  that "...delivers twice the caffeine punch of an average coffee with a rich smoky flavor.   Made for the professional coffee drinker..."    Twice the caffeine ?   Yes, I'd say that's a cup of joltin' joe !  They're getting a little unanticipated PR here. 

Perhaps CAF is commonly used when ordering at Central Perk or Café Nervosa or Starbucks or Peet's ?   I know for sure that I've been in a coffee shop on two occasions, but there may have been a third time. 

44. Refracting polyhedron: PRISM. 

46. Intimidate mentally, with "out": PSYCH.

49. "The Last of the Mohicans" author: COOPER.    Cooper crafted a unique form of literature writing historical romances about frontier and Indian life.

50. Toast word: HEALTH.

51. Heart chambers: ATRIA.

52. Hideouts: LAIRs.

54. Banana Boat letters: SPF.   Sun Protection Factor.

56. Copy room unit: REAM.

57. One sometimes seen with Boris: BELA.   Karloff and Lugosi. 

59. Withered: SERE.

60. Romanov title: TSAR.  

61. Salinger character who says, "I prefer stories about squalor": ESME.

63. "The Racer's Edge": STP.   Scientifically Treated Petroleum.

64. Gp. that sometimes has an added "Y":  CSN.  Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN) are an occasional folk rock supergroup made up of American singer-songwriters David Crosby and Stephen Stills, and English singer-songwriter Graham Nash.   They are titled Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (CSNY) when joined by Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young as a fourth member.  

An example without:


An example with:





Check your grid here:

Friday, March 6, 2019, Ed Sessa

Title: It's all in where you cut it.

Dr. Ed returns to Friday for the first time since his mini-theme puzzle on November 1, 2019. One of many prolific constructors who publish often in the LAT; he started in 2007 with this PUZZLE in the NYT. He takes some in the language phrases and by adding an apostrophe, repurposes and redefines the clue. The concept is simple and it was easy for a Friday. Not any extra-interesting fill other than the themers.

17A. What Dr. Frankenstein kept at his bar?: MONSTER'S ALE. I do not recall Boris Karloff drinking ALE, but it does repurpose MONSTER SALE. P.S., I think Peter Boyle did.

24A. Sass from a therapist?: FREUDIAN'S LIP. Sigmund talking back to his old lady patients redoes FREUDIAN SLIP.

38A. Uncle Buck, perhaps?: DOE'S KIN. A central rework for DOE SKIN which is great for gloves. And not a great John Candy MOVIE.

52A. Dracula's haul in the poker game?: VAMPIRE'S TAKE. We get both Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi and the iconic VAMPIRE STAKE.

62A. Big cat's belly?: LEOPARD'S POT. I doubt there are many fat Leopards but they all have a LEOPARD SPOT.

On to the rest:

Across:

1. Mid-size Nissan: ALTIMA. They made the MAXIMA first, and I guess they liked the pseudo-Latin sound.

7. Ammo sold in rolls: CAPS. Almost tricky unless you played for hours every day with your cap gun when you were little.

11. By way of: VIA. Just a Latin word that was taken over by English.

14. Like many arcade games: COIN-OP.

15. Helter-skelter: AMOK.

16. Mantra syllables: OMS.

19. Fiddle player of rhyme: CAT.
Hey, diddle, diddle
The cat and the fiddle
The cow jumped over the moon
The little dog laughed to see such fun
And the dish ran away with the spoon.

20. North-of-the-border gas: ESSO. CSO to our Canadian Corner.

21. Zany trio member: MOE. Our Chairman Moe has moved to Arizona and seems to be living well.

22. "See if __": I CARE.

28. "SNL" castmate of Gilda and Jane: LARAINE. The SCREEN TEST for Ms. Newman.

31. It "hath charms to soothe a savage breast": MUSIC. The phrase sounds Shakespearian but in fact comes to us from The Mourning Bride, a poem by William Congreve, 1697. And yes, it is breast, not a savage beast.

32. Oak fruit: ACORN. Did you ever think of this as a fruit?

33. Marine mammal group: POD. We had the list published here recently.

34. Bed foundation?: SOIL. Garden bed.

42. Broadcasting pioneer: RCA. I went to grammar school with one of the descendants of the Sarnoff family.

43. Religious offshoot: SECT.

45. Meddle: PRY.

46. City near the Golden Spike: OGDEN. Where the transcontinental railroad met. More of the STORY.

48. Veronica of "Hill Street Blues": HAMEL. I wonder if she is related to last week's constructor Debra or Ray.

50. Spurred on: AROUSED. Well- gee. That is a titillating turn.

55. Orchestras tune to them: OBOES. I will let JzB explain again.

56. One of Venus de Milo's two that are conspicuous for their absence: ARM. She is back so soon.

57. Drink brand with a lizard logo: SOBE. SoBe is the abbreviation for South Beach, the southernmost part of the manmade island.
LINK.

61. Leave in ruins: GUT. In all of SoFla. we are always tearing down to build up. Did you see the story on the news of the 95-year-old home that was moved to keep it from demolition? LINK.

66. Take advantage of: USE.

67. Parrot: ECHO.

68. Tater Tots maker: ORE-IDA. Sadly this region has some virus issues.

69. Sniggler's quarry: EEL. They catch them by hand; 1645–55; snig eel (late Middle English snygge + le).

70. It may be cracked open: DOOR. My second place clue/fill favorite.

71. Sweat inducer: DURESS. Stress.

Down:

1. Highest point: ACME.

2. Restrooms for blokes: LOOS. British.

3. Metal containers: TINS. British.

4. To such an extent: INSOFAR.

5. Bon __: MOT. French

6. So-called missing links: APEMEN. My limited movie career. 48 or 49 seconds in. This was the Rathskeller at the U. of Florida.

7. Checked out before a heist: CASED.

8. GP's gp.: AMA.

9. D.C. figure: POLitician.

10. Knitter's supply: SKEINS. KNITTING 101.

11. They help one speak one's mind: VOCAL CORDS. My favorite clue/fill.

12. Japanese porcelain: IMARI.

13. __ in the right direction: A STEP.

18. Scoundrel: ROUÉ. The French word derives from the Latin rota (“wheel”), broken on the wheel.

23. Forensic TV episodes: CSIS. Meh. 37D. Specimen for 23-Down: DNA.

25. Melon feature: RIND.

26. Reassurance after a fall: I'M OK. Paint.

27. A4 automaker: AUDI.

28. Youths: LADS. Next to...

29. Teen malady: ACNE.

30. Black Flag product: ROACH MOTEL.

33. Humanities subj.: PSYchology. My undergraduate and graduate major.

35. Cold drink brand: ICEE.

36. Come down: LAND.

39. Letters near zero: OPERater. On your telephone.

40. Creator of Perry and Della: ERLE. Stanley Gardner.

41. Kindle rival: NOOK. I believe Hahtoolah uses one.

44. Scotch roll: TAPE. Maybe, MAYBE NOT.

47. Hangman player, e.g.: GUESSER. The Wheel of Fortune.

49. Took for a ride: MISLED.

50. First razor with a pivoting head: ATRA.

51. Force (through): RAMROD. verb (used with object), ram·rod·ded, ram·rod·ding. ... to accomplish or put into action by force, intimidation, etc.: to ramrod a bill through Congress

52. Popularity: VOGUE. This was difficult for me.

53. Treat badly: ABUSE.

54. Flavor: SAPOR. Sapor is what creates the flavor of something.
An example of sapor is chocolate ice cream tasting sweet.

58. Andy's catfishing partner: OPIE. Andy Griffith in Mayberry.

59. Beefcake features: BODS. You want a pic ladies?

60. Flight deck data, briefly: ETAS.

63. Prefix with conscious: ECO.

64. "I see it now!": OHO. AHA!

65. R and B group __ Hill: DRU. Not sure, but here is a LINK.

That went quickly; enjoy Tom F. next week. I will be back. Thanks, Dr. Ed and all of you who read whether you comment or not, though I learn something every time. Lemonade out.

Friday, February 28, 2020 Mark MacLachlan

"BR EXIT"


18. Power of a Hummer?: UTE FORCE.  Brute force

23. Enormous card revealed at end of magician's routine?: ACE FOR IMPACT.  Brace for impact

38. Tattoo depicting the last woolly mammoth?: INK OF EXTINCTION.  Brink of extinction

47. Avian mascot on a refueling vessel?: OILER CHICKEN.  Broiler chicken

57. Hotel employee who only works one day a month?: IDES MAID.  Brides maid


68. Subject of a 2016 U.K. referendum, and a hint to five puzzle answers: BREXIT.  Parse it as BR Exit.

I liked this puzzle.  Drop the Br from the commonly known phrases and redefine the remnants.

Initially couldn't figure out any of the theme answers due to good cluing and a few crossing unknowns.   Then got IDES MAID but didn't think too much about it.   A few moments later, got BREXIT and then knew the game.   Add Br back in and fill in the rest of the common phrase.   Nice !

This is Mark's fifth puzzle.  One each year starting in 2016.   I looked back at each.

"C Battery" Sunday March 26, 2016

"Three Little Letters" Wednesday April 5, 2017

"Iron In" Friday September 28, 2018

"Code Crackers" Sunday July 14, 2019


Mark is a chemistry professor at the University of British Columbia.    Using my code cracking skills (not very refined), I see a pattern: 

• Add C (the chemical element symbol for Carbon).    
• Add Fe (the chemical element symbol for Iron).    
• Drop Br (the chemical element symbol for Bromine).  

Every other one of his puzzles is going to have wordplay based on an element symbol !


I don't recall the Friday puzzle and had no comments that day, but of the other three it appears I only aced one.   It would have been one for four if not for perp saves on  SPIFF,  ON THE DL,  ETOILE and SEN-SEN. 

Hope you had fun solving it !


Across:

1. Big divides: CHASMs.    Ideological divides: Schisms.

7. Vat sediment: LEES.   Dregs.  Speaking of remnants...

11. Swindler: CON.

14. Aid, as a fallen teammate: HELP UP.    And, 23D: Give a hand: ASSIST.

15. Munch Museum city: OSLO.  Dedicated to the life and works of the Norwegian artist Edvard Munch.  The new museum opens in the fall of this year.

16. Crazy Eights relative: UNO.

17. Connected: ONLINE.

20. Greek group: FRAT.

22. Discreetly, in slang: ON THE DL.   Down Low.

27. Form fig.: SSN.

28. Fictional anchor Nessman: LES.

29. Goes apace: HIEs. 

33. "Your point being?": SOO.    An informal,  and perhaps confrontational or condescending  "What is your point ?"     Elongate so.    Why drag it out ?

34. __ 51: AREA.

36. The slightest bit: A TASTE.

41. Avoids: SKIRTs.   Sidesteps.

42. Muslim leader: IMAM.

43. Carol contraction: TIS.    No,  Tinbeni,  the lyrics to "Deck The Halls" do not have the verse,  "Tis the season to drink Stoli" but it does have a nice ring to it.

44. Immobilize with a charge: TASE.

45. "Moby-Dick" setting: SEA.   Hardly a favorite here.

46. Bullring bravo: OLE.

Ole wore both of his winter jackets when he painted his house last July.   The directions on the can said "put on two coats".

Sven says to Ole "I found dis pen, is it yours?"
Ole replies, "Don't know, give it here" 
He then tries it and says, "Yes it is"
Sven asks "How do you know?"
Ole replies, "Dat's my handwriting!"

53. Three on a match, they say: BAD OMEN.   Bad luck is what I knew.

56. Ikea purchase: SOFA.  Some of their brands include  Kivik, Ektorp, Klippan, Friheten and  Balkarp.  These are the kinds of words I would need if I were creating a crossword.   

59. Acted greenly?: REUSED.

63. It usually needs breaking: TIE.   Last year's Scripps National Spelling Bee ended in an 8-way tie.   The final eight went 20 straight rounds of spelling without any errors.  The Bee simply ran out of predetermined words to sufficiently challenge these children.   Each co-champion took home the $50K first place prize.  The Bee is taking steps to reduce the number of entrants to the final, and searching for new lists of words that are even harder to spell.

What word in the dictionary is always spelled incorrectly ?   

64. 1968 self-named folk album: ARLO.   Arlo Guthrie, known for singing songs of protest and about social injustice. - Wikipedia.

65. Stands in a studio: EASELs.   Bob Ross used them on his program... 

66. Wrap up: END.   "That's a cut !"

67. Changes to green, say: DYEs.   Sounds Eco.

Down:

1. Comic Margaret: CHO.    Not my cuppa.

2. Egg producer: HEN.

3. The lot: ALL.   Lock, stock and barrel.   Everything. 

4. Calvin's spaceman alter ego, in comics: SPIFF.   Spaceman Spiff  at Fandom.

5. Literature Nobelist Alice: MUNRO.   "Munro’s stories reveal her as a consummate artist who is without question among the most accomplished masters of the short story."  - Nobelprize.orjg

6. Weapon for Goliath: SPEAR.    Asparagus, broccoli or pickle ?

7. Teammate of Babe: LOU.    Ruth and Gehrig, respectively.  Numbers 3 and 4 on their jerseys and on your Yankees lineup card.

8. Legally prevents: ESTOPs.

9. Justice Kagan: ELENA.

10. Cymbal sound?: SOFT C.

11. "Friday I'm in Love" band, with "The": CURE.    A British band that scored a top 10 pop hit with that song.   No idea.  Perps.

12. Saved, in a way: ON CD.  

13. Holiday song: NOEL.

19. "Ah, I see what you meant": OH, THAT.

21. Household cleaning brand: TILEX.

24. Dolphins Hall of Famer Larry: CSONKA.   Talk about brute force.   The big bruising fullback was the featured running back in the ball-control ground-game offense of Don Shula's undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins.  Jim Kiick and fleet-footed Mercury Morris shared the halfback duties.

25. Japanese mushrooms: ENOKIs.

26. More substantial: MEATIER.

30. "Will this work for you?": IS IT OK ?

31. French star: ETOILE.   étoile definition is - a star or a pattern in the shape of a star. Merriam-Webster.

32. Longtime breath freshener: SEN-SEN.   Me too, Carrie, me too.

34. Back to a mate: AFT.   As in the stern (back) of a ship and a crewman (mate).

35. Dorm, briefly: RES.   Residential quarters.

36. Gasteyer of "SNL" (1996-2002): ANA.     What do Ana Gasteyer,  Jane Curtain,  Brad Hall,  Gary Kroeger,  Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Seth Meyers all have in common ?  They are all former members of SNL that attended Northwestern University.

37. Network for film buffs: TCM.  Turner Classic Movies.

39. Chocolatey Post cereal: OREOOS.

40. Apple models: IMACs.

45. Declining due to age: SENILE.

48. "Grr!": I'M MAD.

49. Comic Denis: LEARY.

50. Biblical mount: HOREB.

51. "The bad news is ... ": I FEAR.   Spellcheck can only do so much.  The user still needs to have a clue.   This one probably didn't make it out of the first round in the school's spelling bee.

52. It might have a champion: CAUSE.

53. Sound __: BITE.

54. Score after deuce: AD IN.

55. Monopoly card: DEED.

58. Mexican pair: DOS.  uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez.

60. __ roles: SEX.   Gender roles.

61. Inventor Whitney: ELI.    The History of Interchangeable Parts in the Industrial Revolution

62. Summer hrs.: DST.

Here's the grid:

Note from C.C.:

Just another reminder for the Cru Dinner again, which will be held on Friday, March 20, 2020 (6:00pm to 8:00pm) and officially kick off the 43rd ACPT. The space is limited, so please contact with Mike Alpern as soon as possible. Mike's email address is: alpernm@aol.com

Here is more detailed information.

Friday, February 21, 2020, Jeffrey Wechsler

Title: Another shellfish offering from JW.

This is the first 2020 LAT puzzle from our own hero Jeffrey. He had gone 23 months straight being published here. I spoke to him about the month off; he was a bit crabby and really clammed up like an oyster protecting a pearl when I tried to push him. An ex-roommate call them "shell food." She was cute. Anyway, I have no clue how to work lobster into my sentence so I will quit while I can. (BTW this is all a product of my imagination as we did not talk about the LAT absence and he has been expanding his sales venues. JW is very gracious).  I did learn the are three types of shellfish, Crustaceans, Mollusks (which I knew) and ECHINODERMS  which was an unknown term. This puzzle is also a learning experience because as you see, the theme begins in row 4; not the usual 3. C.C. has commented on the need for this when you have four long themers in a puzzle. Because this puzzle involves "sounds like" it is a special challenge for C.C. and other ESL people.

As with 99% of Jeffrey's creativity, much is based on humor. It also showcases his use of words with DRY NOSE,  NOT OPEN, ONE ACRE, SATCHEL, ETHERNET, POULTICE, EXCERPTING and WE HAVE MORE as bonus fill. The three in this COLOR are all introduced to the LAT here. There is an inordinate number of initialisms. How much fun you have will depend on your sense of humor. I had a fine time, so let us look at the theme.

20A. Offering in shellfish worship?: PRAWN SACRIFICE (14). A PAWN SACRIFICE is a common tactic in chess.

 29A. Shellfish massage?: MUSSEL RELAXER (13). MUSCLE RELAXER changes into an image of hundreds of tiny guys walking on your back.

38A. Good name for a budget shellfish dealer?: SHRIMP AND SAVE (13). SCRIMP AND SAVE is an expression that has been around for hundreds of years


52A. Like one who exchanges texts with a shellfish?: WHELK  CONNECTED (14). This was the hardest because even though WELL CONNECTED is a common phrase, WHELK is not well known. Similar to CONCH which we have in Florida which are warm water herbivores. Whelks are eaten in England, Italy, and Japan and are cold water carnivores.

Time to move on to the rest of the puzzle. We hope you enjoyed the marine lesson.






Across:

1. "... morning roses newly wash'd with __": Petruchio: DEW.
I really enjoy JW having Shakespeare in almost all of his puzzles.
"I’ll attend her here
And woo her with some spirit when she comes.
Say that she rail; why then I’ll tell her plain
165She sings as sweetly as a nightingale.
Say that she frown; I’ll say she looks as clear
As morning roses newly washed with dew.
Say she be mute and will not speak a word;
Then I’ll commend her volubility,
And say she uttereth piercing eloquence." Taming of the Shrew

4. Jacket stories: BIOS. Book jackets.

8. Caused trepidation: SCARED. From the Latin meaning trembling.

14. Phoenix-to-Albuquerque dir.: ENE.

15. O'Neill's daughter: OONA. She married Charlie Chaplin and has a granddaughter with the name.

16. "Happy Days" diner namesake: ARNOLD. Mr. Miyaki started out as an Arnold.



17. Networking technology: ETHERNET. This is a traditional technology for connecting wired local area networks (LANs), enabling devices to communicate with each other via a protocol -- a set of rules or common network language.

19. Jalopy sound: RATTLE. Hence- rattletrap.

22. Mississippi sight: LEVEE. "Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry. And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye Singin' this'll be the day that I die"

23. Storage furniture: CHESTS.

24. "__-haw!": YEE. A junction in Florida or a Mikasuki word for wolf. Recently almost entirely DESTROYED.

25. Expanse: AREA.

26. Word often preceded by a leader's name: ERA. Roosevelt Era. Reagen Era.

35. Perfect place: UTOPIA.

37. "Modern Family," e.g.: SITCOM. A classic PORTMANTEAU - situation comedy.

42. "Catch you later": BYE.

43. Traditional knowledge: LORE.

44. Rate for records, briefly: RPM. Revolutions per minute are the number of turns in one minute. It is a unit of rotational speed or the frequency of rotation around a fixed axis. 33, 45 and 78.

47. High spirits: GAIETY. Not so much anymore.

50. Hit the big time: GO PRO. See below.

55. One of an infant's pair: BOOTIE. If he has two mothers?

Oh, you mean







56. Sore application: POULTICE. Do any of you use these ancient APPLICATIONS?

57. City adjoining Champaign, Illinois: URBANA. Not part of Chicago. LINK.

58. Began, as a co.: ESTD.

59. Fourth bk. of the Jewish Torah: NUMbers. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.

60. U.S. IOUs: T-NOTES.

61. Relative of -ity: NESS.

62. Fast sports cars: GTS. Gran Turismos. The Maserati sound recorded on a GoPro camera.

Down:

1. With intensity: DEEPLY. I love my wife deeply.

2. Dinner menu item: ENTREE. A five-course meal can include a soup, an appetizer, a salad, an entree, and a dessert.

3. Merchant's assurance during a sale: WE HAVE MORE.

4. Carried: BORNE. Mostly like a burden.

5. They're charged: IONS. An old pun.

6. Land parcel size: ONE ACRE.

7. Bag with a strap: SATCHEL.

8. Bollywood costumery: SARIS.


9. Modeling, say: CRAFT. I am not crafty but my cousin Janine is great.

10. They're not with you: ANTIS. If you aren't with me, you are agin' me.

11. Uniform education org.?: ROTC. Very nice clue.

12. Bardot was on its cover at age 14: ELLE.

Can you guess which one is 14-year-old BB?



13. Golfing pres.: DDE. Dwight David Eisenhower loved golf and Arnold Palmer.

18. Lea grazer: EWE. But not me.

21. __ admiral: REAR.  HISTORY.

25. "Don't delay!" letters: ASAP. As Soon As Possible.

26. Taking parts of: EXCERPTING. Kind of like scrapbooking, but not.

27. Early initials in American cars: REO. Ransom E. Olds.

28. Certain limb: ARM.

30. News agcy. since 1958: UPI. United Press International.

31. __City: computer game: SIM. I had a lot of fun playing this game with my kids and their friends.

32. In __: actual: ESSE. A bit of Latin.

33. YouTube star __ Marie Johnson: LIA. This is an odd story.

34. Honda FourTrax, e.g.: Abbr.: ATV. All-Terrain Vehicle.

35. Very active port?: USB. Universal Serial Bus.

36. Genesis pronoun: THY.

39. Baldwin of "30 Rock": ALEC.

40. Closed: NOT OPEN.

41. Vet's concern, perhaps: DRY NOSE. The TRUTH.

45. Like many hobby shop mat boards: PRE-CUT.

46. Surfing equipment: MODEMS. Internet surfing.

47. Hint: GET AT.

48. Dior design: ALINE.

49. Some big box stores: IKEAS.

50. Neuters: GELDS. OUCH!

51. Canadian Thanksgiving mo.: OCTober. CSO to our Northern posters. It has a mixed PAST. The mention of the Mi’kmaq also hits home, as my 0.4 percent indigenous heritage is credited to that tribe.

52. Well-used: WORN.

53. Vagrant: HOBO. Now we just call them the homeless.

54. "Dang!": NUTS.

55. Objection: BUT.


Wow, what a week. I am beaten. Finishing with Jeffrey and his humor is wonderful transition to the weekend. Thank you all for reading and writing. Lemonade out.