This puzzle was right in my vein - literally; my Blood type is B+, er, B-plus, I mean, B "positive"~! Jeff Stillman is a regular contriButor for the L.A. Times - this is his second in January of 2026 already, and typically offers two or three puzzles a year - needs only a Saturday puBlication for a"week steak". A simple theme of adding the letter "B" to four in-language phrases to create a humorous change - and just three stray non-theme "B"s in the grid; pretty impressive. A smooth solve for me - Better than yesterday's. Single digits on the 3LWs ( nine~! ), no circles, a standard grid, But a few too many names again. The four themers, with no reveal;
20. Add to one's ear piercings?: HIT A NEW LOBE - Hit a new low - which was a clue we sorta saw yesterday; spelling change, same "oh" sound
I learned some new anatomy here
27. "There's nothing like the feeling of posting a vlog!"?: "I LOVE YouTube~!" I love you, too~!" - a different spelling change. Below is my first "official" post to YT, the raw, unedited - boring - clip of my first time doing epoxy on the table for my brother; not much to see, but you can hear my furnace, Santa go by in the background, and a quote from Ghostbusters.
46. Trio trying to sneak past the guard at a sauna?: THREE IN A ROBE - Three in a row - same spelling change as the first themer
Does this count as three men in a ROBE~?
55. "Get your own die, pal!"?: "THAT'S MY CUBE~!" - "That's my cue~!" - NO spelling change
"I've wandered, and can't find my cube~!"
BuBt WaBit TheBre's MoBre
ACROSS:
1. Word on some birth announcements: GIRL - gonna be multiple choice, soon
5. Bowlers, e.g.: HATS
Pierce Brosnan from The Thomas Crown Affair - loved the movie
9. Storage box: CHEST - I am thinking about building an LP record chest for my bother to match the table I gave him for Christmas
14. French friend: AMIE - Frawnche lesson #1
15. Bread maker: OVEN - I made my best chicken crust pizza this past weekend; oh so good~!
16. Video counterpart: AUDIO - the "A" in A/V Club
17. Uneven do: SHAG
18. Mallet game: POLO - Ah. I was stuck in croquet-mode
19. Rapinoe who won the Ballon d'Or Féminin in 2019: MEGAN - Frawnche lesson #2, "Women's Golden Ball" - the "N" was my last fill; this was more like a Saturday clue/answer, as I had no clue - or answer 😜 - name #1
23. Onetime owner of Virgin Records: EMI - Iron Maiden, one of my musical favorites, started out on EMI; their early management led them to fifty years of albums and touring. There's also a girl who works at my BJs club named Emi; I wondered if it was short for Emilia, or something. Name(ish)
24. Michael of Monty Python: PALIN - Glad I am a MP fan, otherwise, name #2
37. Body shop fig.: ESTimate - these days, the car is usually totaled
39. "The King and I" role: ANNA - name #3
40. Uses a Brillo pad on: SCOURS
43. Meditation spot: YOGA MAT
48. Location: SITE - think construction
49. Evasive maneuver: DODGE - I own a Dodge Grand Caravan; taking the ferry on Tuesday to Long Island to deliver and install a new trellis to replace the one that was run over at a friend's house last year - it was "totalled" 😝
52. Dejected: SAD - I am SAD; the Buffalo Bills are out again - as is their coach; I did call it on Jan 2nd
59. Words to live by: AXIOM - "The more things change, the more they stay the same."
61. Home overhaul, informally: RENO - renovation; I like HGTV's show "No Demo Reno"
My business name is "Re-Mölisher" - I try to reduce the demo/waste, too
62. Iranian money: RIAL - Learned by doing crosswords
63. Amazon assistant: ALEXA - I have Alexa, but I put her away to "renovate" my living room, and she's still in her box. I still love this always funny SNL skit - name #4
Amazon Alexa Silver - uh-huh
64. Small fastener: BRAD - at least it wasn't clued as a name . . .
65. Utah home of Sugarloaf Mountain: ALTA - Dah~! I knew ASTA was wrong, however long the name has appeared in crosswords; he's the classic movie dog; geo name #5
66. Back, as a racehorse: BET ON - I read this as 'back OF a racehorse'
Hey, croup fit . . . .
67. "Holy moly!": "YIPE~!"
68. Existed: BEEN - WERE did not gibe; I had - - EN, so I went with THEN; BEEN was slow to come to me, as its pronunciation is more 'bihn', than 'bean', as it looks
DOWN:
1. Nasty cut: GASH - I start with the Down clues, and was on a roll . . .
2. "Ya dig?" reply: "I'M HIP." - but I had "Uh-Huh" here . . .
3. Rodeo rope: RIATA - and LASSO, so the NW was a mess
4. Motivation for seeking counsel: LEGAL ISSUES - great fill, but waited on perps
5. "Heaven forbid!": "HOPE NOT~!" - waited on perps
6. Assert: AVOW - Filled in the A & V, waited on perps - could always be avER
7. Disclose: TELL
8. Comics canine: SNOOPY - name #6
9. Required remittance: CAME DUE - pondered "WAS OWED" - Twurd
10. Peach or plum: HUE - I was not fooled. Yes, they happen to be fruits as well . . .
Plus burgundy, coffee, ivory....
11. Border: EDGE - good WAG; could have been the verb ABUT
12. "The King and I" setting: SIAM - learned by doing crosswords
13. "Knives Out" actress Collette: TONI - name #7 - no clue, more here
21. The Aswan High Dam's river: NILE - geo name #8 - found this video with the unfinished obelisk featured as well
22. Snout-touching sound: BOOP - toyed with OINK
26. Seafood dish that turns from blue to orange during preparation: STEAMED CRAB
29. Gut course: EASY A - I am not aligned with "easy" meaning "gut" in this instance
30. Arm bone: ULNA
31. Out of shape: BENT - FAT was, ironically, not big enough . . .
32. Timeline stretch: ERA - Dah~! not EON
33. Sumptuous: RICH - POSH, LUSH~? - ah, my actual name - but did not need to be clued as such
34. Fragrance: ODOR - I associate "fragrance" as positive, say "aroma" - "odor" with "stink", funk", etc.
36. Winter hrs. in Halifax: AST - Atlantic Standard Time
Circled in green, bottom right
38. Craggy hill: TOR - Learned by doing crosswords
41. Surname of two directors in the "Ghostbusters" franchise: REITMAN - Ivan did the always quotable original, and the less entertaining "II"; his son Jason did "Afterlife", which I have, embarrassingly, never heard about . . . now I gotta see it - name #9
42. Enemy of the Jedi: SITH - from the ubiquitous Star Wars - name(ish)
44. Period of invincibility in video games: GOD MODE - I like playing Sim City, and I can literally play "God" by turning on - or off - the natural disasters.
45. "About __": Hugh Grant film based on a Nick Hornby novel: "A BOY" - the IMDb
47. Within earshot: NEARBY
50. Skillful deceit: GUILE - My one unspottable error; GUI S E was good enough, and crossing a name, AL(S)TA, I was not going to notice I was wrong 😜
51. Online cash-back offer: eBATE
52. Automaker that declared bankruptcy in 2011: SAAB - The Monday dupe - now on Wednesday~! I once owned a 1983 900 - buy now, SAAB later - name #10
53. Wagon part: AXLE
54. Lose on purpose?: DIET - the verb; I am back on track - down now at 207lbs, and still "losing"
56. Actress Hatcher: TERI - 'Bond girl' Paris Carver from Tommorow Never Dies, name #11
Pierce again - yet not my favorite Bond, by far
57. Pic: SNAP
58. Joie de vivre: ELAN - Frawnche #3, "Joy of Living"
60. Ergonomic brand: OXO - another Thursday dupe; 'kitchen gadgets', but that phrase was already in the crossword today as a clue, @ 35A.
Splynter
Grid Flow 29.8
Notes from C.C.:
Agnes sent me this precious photo she recently came across. She said "'It's about 30 years old and there are only 4 of us left out of the 9. Brings back many happy memories."
L to R, Seated: Joe, Agnes, Eileen, Anne
L to R, Standing: Bill, Peggy, Jack, Bud, Mary
I wouldn't be CrossEyedDave if I didn't offer you my interpretation of the theme:
Nah, just kidding...
This pleasant 15x15 by Veteran Constructor Jeff Stillman has film titles on the right side of the starred clues as follows:
17. Across *Part of the bus that makes the wheels go round and round, round and round: DRIVESHAFT
You have all seen this thingie under a truck.
But have you seen this film?
(The first of five...)
26. Across *Part of the Blessed Trinity: HOLY GHOST
Image subject to interpretation.
Film also subject to interpretation.
36. Across *Folded flyer: PAPER AIRPLANE.
I flew the above style for several miles by throwing off the Eiffel Tower.
(Hmm, i guess i have also littered in France...)
This film has enjoyably littered movie screens across the world...
49. Across *Command aboard the USS Enterprise: WARP SPEED.
Faster then light travel
Faster than a bomb travel...
And the Reveal:
59. Across, Permission to adapt a novel, say, or what the answers to the starred clues all have: FILM RIGHTS.
14 three letter words (4 of which were names...) I also counted 14 names, but there are more depending on your interpretation.
Across:
1. In the thick of: AMID.
Not A-mud...
5. School attendee: PUPIL. (Are they called this because you have to keep your eye on them?)
10. Muscles above abs: PECS. Pectoral muscles.
14. Junction point: NODE.
One interpretation.
15. Father of Kartikeya and Ganesha, in Hindu traditions: SHIVA.
16. Feedback for a prof: EVAL. Short for evaluation.
17. [theme]
19. Frost: RIME. AI Overview
Rime ice forms from freezing fog (liquid droplets freezing on contact), creating dense, feathery, wind-swept ice, while hoar frost forms on clear, calm nights from water vapor directly turning to ice crystals (sublimation), resulting in delicate, needle-like, easily dislodged formations. The key difference is the moisture source: liquid fog droplets for rime versus invisible water vapor for hoar frost, and wind conditions: rime needs wind/fog, hoar needs calm, clear air
20. "Groovy!": RAD.
adjective. very good. synonyms: bang-up, bully, corking, cracking, dandy, great, keen, neat, nifty, not bad, peachy, slap-up, smashing, swell. good. having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified.
21. Leave slack-jawed: STUN.
22. Extend beyond: OUTLIE. (Or possibly out of bounds in Golf...)
24. Mass-mailing tool: ELIST. I presume this to be one word, like Email.
26. [theme]
28. Barbecue wipe: WET-NAP. The official copyrighted name has a dash, so it is not one word. This clue gave me pause, because I would have clued it "Lobster wipe." But i am not opposed to surf and turf.
30. Punster: WAG.
31. One of the Three Stooges: MOE. (There is only one Chairman Moe...)
32. At the original rate, in sheet music: A TEMPO. I was surprised to discover that this is two words.
35. Canasta combination: MELD.
Sets of 3 or more cards of the same rank.
(Learning moment)
36. [theme]
40. Ordinances: LAWS. The law, in its majestic equality, forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal their bread," was said by French writer Anatole France (1844-1924) Also,
The sentiment that
"the more laws the more criminals" is commonly attributed to the ancient Chinese philosopher Laozi (Lao Tzu).
41. Kolkata resident: INDIAN. I would post a map, but India is a big place, and you would still get lost...
42. Simile center: AS A.
"Simile center" most often refers to
an educational activity or station for teaching similes(comparisons using "like" or "as") in literacy, but it can also be a crossword puzzle clue, where the answer is often ASA, meaning "as". In education, it's a classroom setup with tasks like matching similes to their meanings or writing original ones, while the crossword answer highlights the key word in the comparison, as noted by sources like WordTips and USA Today.
43. Long stretch: EON.
45. Lawn care task: EDGING. And seeding, and mowing, and thatching, and...
49. [theme]
53. Sing in a high range?: YODEL. (Very cute, I just groked this reading it now...)
54. Most peculiar: ODDEST. (Because i am the 53A comment)
55. Glorify: LAUD. (I am The Oddest!)
57. Farm-to-table program, briefly: CSA. (Community Supported Agriculture) is a farm-to-table model where consumers buy shares of a farm's harvest upfront, then receive weekly boxes of fresh, local produce throughout the season, directly supporting local farmers, reducing food miles, and getting peak-season food with fewer middlemen.
58. Golda of Israel: MEIR.
59. [Theme Reveal]
62. Novelist Tyler: ANNE.
63. Rubber-stamping: OKING. (Does it take a King to OK the dang thing?) Interesting that Google prefers Okaying, and thinks OKing is a popular South Korean YouTuber and Streamer...)
64. Gets even with: TIES. (Ya cant get even with em unless ya beat em!)
27. Euphemistic expression of affection: L WORD. I just assumed this had something to do with "Love." However Google is less than romantic, and shows it by saying this is a TV show...
29. Each: PER.
33. Quebec neighbor: MAINE. I could say volumes about this clue/answer, but in our current political climate, it would get too political...
34. Brooch: PIN.
35. National fruit of the Philippines: MANGO.
36. Caltech locale: PASADENA. You would known this if you watched The Big Bang Theory.
37. Handing an Emmy to, e.g.: AWARDING.
38. __ chart: PIE.
39. Royal bride of 1981: LADY DI.
40. Doors album whose last track is "Riders on the Storm": L.A. WOMAN.
43. Pothook shape: ESS.
44. Select: OPT FOR.
46. Pet-locating device: ID CHIP.
47. Mama bird, for one: NESTER.
48. Like some stares: GLASSY.
50. French fathers: PERES.
51. "Love Me Like You Do" singer Goulding: ELLIE.
52. Sends to eternal punishment: DAMNS.
56. Craving: URGE.
60. Actor Barinholtz: IKE.
61. Classic sports cars: GTS. I wanted MGs.
And here's the grid:
Jeff Stillman, name sounded familiar. So i Googled him and only found his NewYork Times puzzles, which led me to This Site which had an interesting compilation of his first time used words in NYT. Click on "Naples Florida" to see how easy you got off with this Wednesday puzzle. Scroll to the bottom for the matching Clue offered. Even more embarrassing than thinking this might be a LAT debut, was that not only was his LAT debut in 2014, I had actually used his LA Times puzzles from November to practice writing this Blog...
Hello Cruciverbalists! CrossEyedDave here to fill in for the irreplaceable Hahtoolah, who could not be here today. This is my first time trying this, (on an Ipad no less...) so bear with me. I hope I don't drive you further askew with my slant on things.
Ready to see if we can learn something new? Here we go!
First Themer:
20A. Output of the Republican and Democratic National Conventions: PARTY NOMINEES.
(Um, no politics... So I can't describe how i feel about the above are running.)
Second Themer:
29A. Hose that may have a seam up the back: NYLON STOCKINGS.
(Hmm, maybe Splynter should have Blogged this puzzle...)
Third Themer:
46A. Common conveyances between suburbs and cities: COMMUTER TRAINS.
(Now we are getting somewhere...)
And, The Reveal:
56A. "Three Blind Mice" line, or what can be said of 20-, 29-, and 46-Across: SEE HOW THEY RUN.
Across:
1. Sound from an angry cat: HISS. 5. Veil material: LACE. (What are you trying to hide?)
15. Division d'une nation: ETAT. French, it is in my "do not discuss file." Like Religion & Politics.
16. Simpson kid who plays the sax: LISA. My fav episode:
17. Small egg: OVULE. Hmm, seems to be getting bigger. Didn't it used to be Ova?
18. Claptrap: BOSH. One of the rarer synonyms, along with blather, blether, tripe, but its all hogwash to me...
19. Face-to-face exam: ORAL. Reminds me i have a dentist appt.
20. [Themer]
23. Punk musician Vicious: SID.
I'm only familiar with this Sid...
24. Pull from behind: TOW. Pull from behind means something completely different to me:
25. Soccer score: NIL.
26. Apple mobile platform: IOS. I'm working on one. It would be nice if they didn't change everything with every update...
29. [Themer]
33. Ramen mushroom: ENOKI. My Sushi place has them wrapped in bacon!
Yummers!
34. Sassy: SMART. (I am not... :(
35. Blast from the __: PAST.
38. Sounds of regret: SIGHS.
41. Baked desserts: PIES.
42. Group of ships: FLEET.
44. Instruction on a Wonderland cake: EATME.
Or an Animal House Parade Float
46. [Themer]
51. Twice tre: SEI. Now, here you guys are going to have to help "me" out... I thought it might be French, but Google is not helping. And why don't they have "twice" in its foreign language anyway? Sheesh, I have enough trouble with English...
52. Pt. of USNA: NAV. Not Uni, Stat, or Aca, but "navy." Although, while it's commonly United States Naval Academy, some definitions have this as United States National Army. (Just be glad its not in French.)
53. Prince, to a king: SON. (Or a smaller idol to Elvis?)
54. Flamenco shout: OLE.
56. [Theme Reveal]
60. Hardware store purchase: TOOL. (I wanted nail...)
62. World's largest furniture retailer: IKEA. Four letters, what else could it be...
63. Skittish: TIMID. Reminds me of this PSA 64. Radio switch letters: AMFM. Clock switch letters AMPM Did you change your clocks Sunday?
65. Cousin of a gull: TERN. (Why does this sound like an insult?)
66. Wiggle room: SPACE. (I need all i can get.)
67. Analogy part: IS TO. (Apropos of...)
68. Named, informally: IDED. Now, I am supposed to space out words when they are crammed together. Like IsTo above. But when i space this one, it comes out "Id Ed'?
69. Winter transport: SLED. (Perfect Segway to slide into the Downs...)
Down: 1. Some round earrings: HOOPS.
2. Fruitlessly: IN VAIN.
3. Built to last: STURDY.
4. Sidewalk ice melter: SALT. Magnesium chloride is considered the least toxic, but a Google search reveals vinegar will work! Or if you want to track it through the house, cat litter, coffee grounds, sand, and, wait? What's this? Beet Juice??? (Imagine tracking that thru the house...)
5. "Big" name in the Coen brothers' filmography: LEBOWSKI.
The Dude Abides
6. Small building block: ATOM. Aren't you glad they don't hurt when you step on them, like Legos...
7. House of cards?: CASINO. Now this was a clever clue
8. Sharing a common culture: ETHNIC.
9. Sheet of ice: FLOE. Kinda sounds like when you slip on it. Yes/no? 10. Cairo-based carrier from 1982 to 2021: AIR SINAI. I guess El Al wouldn't fit...
11. Govt. intel org.: NSA. (Shhhh...)
12. Actress Gadot: GAL. If you say so?
14. Reed who directed three "Ant-Man" films: PEYTON. (Also if you say so...)
21. Forbidden acts: NONOS. Not putting a spaces between words are No Nos on the Blog
22. Edmonton CFL team: ELKS. ( i really wanted Oilers, its the only Canadian team i know.)
27. Shrek, for one: OGRE. (With three, count em, three movies!)
28. Phased-out fast planes, for short: SSTS. (Because they weren't shhhh...)
30. Casual "They can do what they want": LETEM. Ok, now this one I'm not sure. Do I put in a space or what?
31. Princeton athlete: TIGER. I dunno, the way they change team names these days, tomorrow it might be something else.
32. Hong Kong's Bank of China Tower architect: I.M. PEI.
35. Sarge's charges: PFCS. Private First Class
36. Soothing additive in some cosmetics: ALOE. No. I am "NOT" posting "that" pic...
37. Like Muenster and Monterey Jack: SEMISOFT.
39. Spot for a bowler to hang: HAT STAND. Hmm, see "the dude abides" above...
40. Detroit beer baron Bernhard: STROH. New too me, I tried to research what their beer was called, but all i got was the trivia that they were known as The Lion Brewing Company from 1875 to 1885. After all that Googling, i could really use a brewsky...
P.S. auto correct changed brewsky to brew sky. I think the universe is telling me to cut out the space in the words jokes...
43. Prepare to play, as a piano: TUNE. This could have been a lot of things, but did you know that in order to tune a piano, you need a hammer? How to videos available upon request...
45. Some French Impressionist works: MANETS. (Not Monets.) and not what spellcheck wanted either. Monteys? Really?
47. Island in French Polynesia: TAHITI. Ahhh yes, perfectly cozy for a winter puzzler...
48. Conjured up: EVOKED. Tahiti evoked me in a hammock, sipping cocktails on the beach.
49. Unexceptional: NORMAL. What me? Never!
50. Artificial water channel: SLUICE. There are a lot of images to choose from, but this little one saves a lot of work when panning for gold
55. Shut down: ENDED. Nope, not yet...
57. Patron saint of sailors: ELMO. This was before the cuddly toy, see St.Elmos fire: 58. "Where __ we?": WERE.
59. Sounds in pounds: YIPS. (Not Arfs...)
60. __ chi: martial art: TAI.
61. Meditation sounds: OMS.
And here's the Grid:
Hope to see you in the comments section.
CE:D out...
Notes from C.C.:
1) Welcome aboard, dear Dave! Thank you for sticking with it and learning the ropes on the iPad. Your persistence really shows.
2) Inanehiker and her husband Mark visited me on Sunday. Such a joy to finally meet Nina in person and share stories beyond the blog. We were also joined by my crossword collaborator and friend Tom Pepper.
Good Morning, Cruciverbalists. Malodorous Manatee, here, with the recap of a Friday Puzzle by Jeff Stillman who has previously had puzzles published by the Los Angeles Times and the New York Times.
Today's theme is quite straightforward. At four places within the grid, Jeff has added the letter A to morph common expressions into witty answers to the out-of-necessity-somewhat-convoluted clues. In each case, the A follows an E and is the third letter of the "new" word and the first three letters form a word or acronym that could stand alone. Here are the places where this occurs:
20 Across: Say, "Everyone put your key in the ignition and turn," e.g.?: TEACH STARTUPS. From Tech Startups. (A cuppa, anyone?)
28 Across: Brief reminder before a Disney musical featuring Belle?: BEAST IN SHOW. From Best In Show. (Bureau of Economic Analysis)
Disney's Beauty and the Beast
44 Across: Sidewalk stand earnings arranged in tidy stacks of cash?: NEAT PROFITS. From Net Profits. (National Educational Association)
55 Across: One overseeing a reform program for kleptomaniacs?: DEAN OF THIEVES. From Den Of Thieves. (Drug Enforcement Agency)
This is how it all looks in the grid:
... and the rest of the story:
Across:
1. Big production: EPIC. The Waco Kid knows EPIC.
5. Half an island in French Polynesia: BORA.
9. Mediocre grade: C-PLUS. Actually, just a little bit better than average.
14. Fish tacos fish, on menus: MAHI.
15. Bus alternative: UBER. RAIL and LYFT would both fit but neither would work out.
16. Window treatment: DRAPE. I don't know if I can afford new DRAPEs for my windows. These are un-curtain times.
17. D.C. VIP: PRES. PRESident
18. Kunis of "Family Guy": MILA. She voices Meg.
With A Cameo
19. __ knife: BOWIE.
23. Ump's cry: YER OUT. If your grid requires YER this is the way to pull it off.
24. Early late-night host: PAAR. Jack PAAR followed Steve Allen and preceded Johnny Carson as host of The Tonight Show.
25. Rite Aid rival: CVS. A drug store reference.
31. Cut with a beam: LASE.
35. Bull's-__: EYE. Did anyone check with the cattle on this one?
37. Tablet option: IPAD PRO. Not a medicinal reference.
39. Bar sing-along: KARAOKE. This guy comes up to me at the karaoke bar and asks, "Are you the guy who spends all night singing Neil Diamond songs?" "I am", I said.
41. Actress Kemper: ELLIE. Best known for her role in The Office.
42. Elevator part: CAR. Ever pause to reflect on what is really going on when you are riding in an elevator CAR two hundred feet above the ground floor?
43. Bed support: SLAT.
48. Dejected: SAD.
49. VMI program: ROTC. Reserve Officer Training Corps
50. Opening word?: SESAME.
58. The least bit: AT ALL.
60. After-lunch sandwich: OREO. How do I clue thee . . . .
61. Some watch displays: LEDS.
62. Faithful: LOYAL. What is a 3 letter word for playful, LOYAL, and unconditional love? Dog.
63. Bound: LEAP. Where do most people dine out on LEAP day? IHOP
64. Empire State canal: ERIE.
65. "R u kidding me?": SRSLY. Seriously?
66. Seals' meals: EELS. How does it feel when they reel in the EEL with zeal?
67. Chips-in-a-can brand: STAX. I might have clued this differently.
Down:
1. Without value: EMPTY.
2. French city, in song: PAREE. Paris
3. "A little birdie tells me ... ": I HEAR.
4. Networking giant: CISCO. Cisco - Wiki Thirty years ago few people had ever heard of the company. Fortunately, I knew someone who had.
5. Lousy piece of advice: BUM STEER. It turns out that one need not bother checking with the cattle on this one. From Wikipedia: Its origin is possibly from 19th-century American maritime humor and the difficulty of trying to steer a vessel in reverse. A ship's stern is flat and lacks the pointed structure of a bow, and a ship is therefore difficult to maneuver in reverse when using the rudder, also found on the stern.
6. Account of life after death?: OBIT. OBITuary
7. Turn for the worse: RELAPSE. A bit odd in the cluing. One could get worse without having previously been in that condition.
8. Turkey's highest peak: ARARAT. Where many people believe Noah's ark landed.
9. Data recording device: CD BURNER. Hey, at the time, it was a significant step forward!
10. Play thing: PROP. Not a toy for a child to play with. An item used in a stage play.
11. "The Paper Chase" setting: LAW SCHOOL. A book and a movie.
12. Letters in the news: UPI. Long before social media.
13. "Get it?": SEE. Ya dig?
21. Busy airport: HUB. A general response. The answer could have been a specific airport but with only three letters the clue would require an abbreviation.
22. __ chi: TAI.
26. Salty dog option: VODKA.
FLATT would have fit.
27. Saccharine: SWEET. From whence the artificial SWEETener got its name.
29. "Big Mouth" writer/voice actress Edebiri: AYO. Unknown to this solver. She plays a chef on The Bear.
30. Luxury home features: SPAS. Novel cluing and almost on target.
31. Credit report entries: LIENS. A legal claim on an asset.
32. Cop __: bargain in court: A PLEA.
33. Times of youthful innocence: SALAD DAYS.
Where does the noun salad days come from?
Earliest known use
early 1600s
The earliest known use of the noun salad days is in the early 1600s.
OED's earliest evidence for salad days is from before 1616, in the writing of William Shakespeare, playwright and poet.
34. Perfect copy: EDIT. Not perfect as in without flaws. Perfect is used, here, as a verb as in "to make perfect" and copy is a body of writing.
38. Pregame event: PEP RALLY.
39. Ryssdal who hosts NPR's "Marketplace": KAI.
40. Places to pick up paint: ART SHOPS. Home Depot would not fit.
42. Like most aerosol cans, now: CFC FREE. Without chlorofluorocarbons.
45. Former Mets pitcher Darling: RON.
46. "Smallville" actress Annette: O'TOOLE. Not related to Peter.
47. Cinque e uno: SEI. 5 + 1 = 6 La lección de español y matemáticas de hoy.
51. Monica who won three consecutive French Opens: SELES. Five letters with two E's and two S's - a construtor's friend.
52. Head off: AVERT. A man was about to be hit by a Voyager minivan. Fortunately, the driver stopped in time. Chrysler AVERTed!
53. Radio and such: MEDIA.
54. County in the Greater Boston area: ESSEX. Unknown to this solver but, in our puzzles, county names are often ESSEX.
56. Airline to Israel: EL AL.
57. Blue-green: TEAL.
58. Weather anchor Roker and actor Pacino: ALS.
59. Only Canadian MLB city, for short: TOR. At one time there was also MON.
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