I believe this is a debut puzzle for Mr. Crandall. If so, congratulations! It's a great feeling to see your first puzzle published in the LA Times, isn't it?
And here are the stars of the show:
17A. Pound : BEAT WITH A HAMMER
25A. Pound : STRAY DOG SHELTER
43A. Pound : MEASURE OF WEIGHT
58A. Pound : BRITISH CURRENCY
It's Thursday again, so I must be Marti. Four 15-letter themers. Pretty impressive, with totally different meanings in each entry. Pretty straightforward, so any questions?
Across:
1. Breakfast brand : TOTAL. I like Special K, myself.
6. Omega, to an electrician : OHM. Or a yoga chant, to Marti.
9. Stage : PHASE. I'm still trying to grow out of my "awkward" PHASE.
14. Hippodrome, e.g. : ARENA. So, is that what I now have to call those saddles below my waist?
15. Yellow ride : CAB. Not submarine? 2:26
16. Come again? : RECUR. I love to recur!
20. Ocean flatfish : SOLE. Oh, sole mio!
21. Half a dance : CAN.-can. Or, cha-cha?
22. Beginnings : ONSETS
23. Church title: Abbr. : REV.erend
24. Ship destroyer in Sinbad's fifth voyage : ROC. Yikes!
34. Dilemma for Jonah : WHALE. Yikes!
(I am going to have nightmares tonight, for sure!)
35. Eggs : OVA
36. Coastal raptor : ERNE
37. Astrological Ram : ARIES
38. Econ. yardstick : GNP. Gross National Product. Jazzbumpa?
39. ZZ Top and Cream : TRIOS
40. Campus military org. : ROTC. Reserve Officer's Training Corps.
41. Hat with a tassel : FEZ. I thought of Abejo!
42. ___ City, Oklahoma : PONCA. Map. Famous for? (Bullwinkle had relatives there!)
47. Homer's neighbor : NED. All I know about the Simpsons, I learned in crosswords!
48. Chaired, say : LED
49. Degenerate : EFFETE. Spoiled, burned out, corrupt, debased.
53. Rte. provider : AAA. American Automobile Association. "Triple 'A'"
54. Astrological edge : CUSP. I believe the Libra-Scorpio CUSP is coming up on 19-October. Any astrologers out there?
61. Capital on the Aar : BERNE. Another map.
62. Holiday ___ : INN
63. Church centerpiece : ALTAR
64. Place : STEAD
65. One may have a sitter : PET. Or, a sematary
66. Small world? : GLOBE. It's a small world, after all. (Caution: "ear worm") 6:04
Down:
1. Bar obligations : TABS
2. Longtime Hydrox competitor : OREO. Did you hear about their new candy corn cookie?
3. Freshwater duck : TEAL. Yumm!
4. Chip in a new pot : ANTE. Poker chip.
5. Principle : LAW
6. Common choir music book size : OCTAVO. About 6 x 9 inches.
7. Chemistry Nobelist Otto : HAHN. The "Father of Nuclear Chemistry".
8. CEO's degree : MBA. Masters of Business Administration. Chief Executive Officer.
9. Ride proudly : PRANCE
10. Haws' partner : HEMS. Not "gees?"...geez!! Oh, wait: here we have it at 38D. Opposite of hawed : GEED.
11. Top : ACME. Also, Road Runner's supplier. ("Meep, meep!!")
12. Cooking fat : SUET. Southern for "lard."
13. Overthrows, maybe : ERRS. This one gave me fits. I wanted "usurps," but it wouldn't fit. Of course, we are talking about a baseball error here, I think?
18. Coffee, tea or milk option : ICED. Yay!! Not "Ice" tea...
19. Fuss : HOOHA. Oh yeah! 0:05
23. Whiskey orders : RYES
24. Invitation initials : RSVP. Répondez s'il vous plaît, meaning "Please respond.”
25. Group in a hive : SWARM
26. Severe pang : THROE. I really, really, really wanted "Throb"...
27. Eastern yogurt condiment : RAITA. Learning moment. I'll have to try this recipe, made with cucumber, yogurt, coriander, cumin, mint and cayenne. Serve with Seekh kabab.
28. Smart guys? : ALECS. Baldwins, et al.?
29. "Great" Muppet daredevil : GONZO
30. "Vive ___!" : LE ROI. ("The King")
31. Camera-to-telescope adapter : T-RING. Another new one for me. Any amateur photographers out there who have one?
32. Methuselah's father : ENOCH
33. Posed again : RESAT. meh...
39. Adorned in a prankish way : TP'ED. Short for "Toilet Papered". It is getting to be that time of year when pranksters will adorn your trees.
41. Lets go : FREES. And a clecho:
44. Let go, as a prisoner : UNTIED
45. Show off : FLAUNT
46. Fray, e.g. : WEAR
49. Abates : EBBS
50. Worry : FRET
51. Camper's cooker : FIRE. Anyone for BBQ?
52. Europe's highest active volcane : ETNA.
53. Promgoer's concern : ACNE. Not to be confused with 11D.
54. Basic organic unit : CELL
55. Golden rule word : UNTO. "Do unto others..."
56. Healing sign : SCAB
57. Flammable pile : PYRE
59. Trendy : HIP
60. Joplin piece : RAG. And I leave you with this, until next week! 3:34
Hugs,
Marti
