Friday, July 22, 2016, Jeffrey Wechsler

Title: Ah HA!

My Friday foil is back with an add a word edition that leaves us laughing. First, I had a blast working with Jeffrey in creating the Mel Brooks tribute puzzle. Mel certainly is one who can elicit much laugh-out-loud response. JW also has been concentrating on light-hearted themes, puns and and a good time had by all. I am getting very used to his style, his use of multiple word fill and his sense of humor. With 67 squares in the theme, and with three grid-spanners there are not many long sparkly fill, but he does squeeze in AVALANCHE,  WEB FOOTED,  THREE PUTT, and  BALD EAGLE.

17A. Convent seamstress' workshop items? : HABITS AND PIECES (15). I grew up near a convent and watched many nuns march on my street. They wore the full habit.

When my niece was three, and when she saw them walking, she asked who all the kings were.

24A. Enlightened kid? : BILLY BUDDHA (11). How cool is it that Monday's puzzle made this fill so much easier. This is my favorite theme fill--Billy Buddha...classic.

36A. Bichon Frise pack leaders? : THE FRENCH ALPHAS (15). A CSO to our now busy and hopefully rich marti who loves skiing the Alps.

48A. Sandwich in the desert? : SAHARAN WRAP (11). This seems the least inventive and most obvious pun, but perhaps the seed entry.
And the hint..(not a reveal)

57A. Request for relief, and a hint to the formation of this puzzle's four other longest answers :
I COULD USE A LAUGH (15). JW seems intent on making us laugh while we cry over some of the tougher clues.

Across:

1. It reportedly had an impact on beachgoers in 1975 : JAWS. But they forgot...

5. Pyle player : NABORS. The slackjaw picture link recently also made this easy. Raymond Burr's other half.

11. Seventh of 24 : ETA. I remembered that the greek alphabet had 24 letters.

14. Finished : OVER.

15. Got away from : EVADED.

16. Rented : LET. There were signs, room to let when I was child.

20. Viet Cong org. : NLF. National Liberation Front.


21. Zagros Mountains locale : ASIA. In Iran, a fact which I did not know, but the perps made it an easy guess.

22. Period in ads : NITE. A made-up word.

23. __ Paulo : SAO. Part of the 2016 Olympic controversy where Brazil will host 28 Olympic sports — including rugby sevens and golf, which were added by the International Olympic Committee in 2009. These sporting events will take place at 33 venues in the host city of Rio and at 5 venues in the cities of São Paulo (Brazil's largest city), Belo Horizonte, Salvador, Brasília (Brazil's capital), and Manaus. Wiki. Also, 60D. Braz. neighbor : URUguay. Uruguay is ranked first in Latin America in democracy, peace, lack of corruption, e-government,and is first in South America when it comes to press freedom, size of the middle class and prosperity. Wiki.

28. Rodeo loops, essentially : NOOSES. How macabre.

30. Cranial projections : EARS. So soon after C.C. and Tony's puzzle.

31. Deca- minus two : OCTA. This should be "minus duo."

32. Goya subject : MAJA. She is back with or without her clothes. And 26D. Gulf of California peninsula : BAJA.

33. Not yet on the sched. : TBA. To Be Announced.

41. Resting place : BED. This was so obvious that it was hard.

42. Laudatory lines : ODES.

43. 1968 self-titled folk album : ARLO. I get him often, and I never tire of complaining about his performance at Woodstock.

44. Hindu sovereign : RANI. And,  4D. Indian honorific : SRI. There was much I did not know about this WORD.

45. Called : PHONED. Home?

52. Thom McAn spec : EEE.

54. Obstruct : CLOG. Another shoe clue?

55. Suffix for those who are flush : AIRE. Flush with money, honey, Billion....

56. To the point : PAT. Another Friday I do not completely get; maybe from the definition like in a pat answer..." having been already prepared and therefore said without thinking much about the question."Dictionary.

62. Alley end? : OOP. Hyphenated in the dictionary and the mini-theme of my write up.

63. Spanning : ACROSS. Sneaky crossword clue/fill.

64. WWII Normandy battle site : ST. LO.

65. "Life Is Good" rapper : NAS. A crossword regular.

66. Weakens : BLUNTS. Definition: 2. To make less effective; weaken: blunting the criticism with a smile. v.intr.

67. Historical Cheyenne rivals : UTES. Native American Tribes.

Down:

1. St. __ University : JOHNS. I know them from Big East basketball.

2. Dramatic influx, as of fan mail : AVALANCHE. A very convoluted clue.

3. Ducky? : WEBFOOTED. A very literal clue.

5. Mysterious monster, familiarly : NESSIE.  Do you Loch these monsters?

6. Fulfills a need : AVAILS.

7. Everyday : BANAL. Followed by...

8. Not everyday : ODD.

9. Commission recipient, often : REPresentative. Generally a sales rep.

10. Deterrent announced in 1983: Abbr. : SDI. Strategic Defense Initiative.

11. Legendary Castilian hero : EL CID. I remembered the name from the Movie.

12. Effectiveness : TEETH. It is time they put some teeth into the helmet-to-helmet rule.

13. Bamboozled : AT SEA.

18. File extensions : TABS.

19. Loose __ : ENDS.

25. "Okey-doke" : YEAH.

27. River through Orsk : URAL. Twice this week.

29. Stumblebum : OAF.

31. Nev. option for pony players : OTB.  They shut down in New York, but are still out in the MECCA for gamblers.

32. Podium VIPs : MCS. Emcees, or Master of Ceremonies.

33. Green disappointment : THREE PUTT.  When Stenson three-putted the first green for bogey on Sunday, I thought that the pressure was going to get to him and Phil (who birdied) was going to get his second Claret Jug.

34. Image on cabbage? : BALD EAGLE. So many terms for MONEY.

35. Japan's largest active volcano : ASO. I really am not up on my knowledge of VOLCANOES.

37. Stormy ocean output : ROAR.

38. __ Valley: San Luis Obispo County wine region : EDNA. Nope, means nothing to me. CHAIRMAN?

39. Freudian denial : NEIN.

40. Legendary man-goat : PAN.

44. Old World Style sauce brand : RAGU. A cute old one.  LINK.

45. Vivaldi was ordained as one : PRIEST. Ordained kinda gives it away, but who knew? A puzzle with nuns and priests...How many of you recall that Vivaldi was known as "il Prete Rosso," or "the Red Priest?"  LINK.

46. Beset : HARASS.

47. Berliner's wheels, perhaps : OPEL. A German car.

48. Descendant : SCION. Also an automobile.

49. Heavy hitter in the light metals industry : ALCOA. Aluminum Company of America,

50. Court activity : HOOPS. Basketball...

51. Aired, as a sitcom : WAS ON. Endeavour which is set in the 60's, was on Sunday nights.

53. Value system : ETHOS.

58. Black __ : LAB. My son's dog is half black lab, half boxer. He is a big sweetie.

59. CXXX quintupled : DCL.

61. Sun Devils' sch. : ASU. Arizona State University,

I can't believe it is all over so soon. Welcome home Jeffrey after your foray into other days of the week. Also welcome to summer all; it is quite steamy here is So. Fla. Come visit. Lemonade out.

Thursday, July 7th 2016 Jeffrey Wechsler

Theme: Snarled up - as the downward-facing reveal explains:

38D. Needing to be bailed out ... or where 20-, 27-, 45- and 51-Across may be found : IN A JAM

The theme entries:

20A. Office supply : PRINTER PAPER. Paper jam. If this happens to my home printer I pretty much have to take the whole thing apart to fix it.

27A. Jaguar, for one : AUTOMOBILE. Traffic jam. A mostly permanent state of affairs for the 101 and 405 freeways in my bailiwick. I try to time my arrivals back at LAX to miss the worst of the parking lot effect.

45A. Malt option : STRAWBERRY. Fruit jam. Jan Hogrewe of Jan's Jam close by in Calabasas makes the best jams and preserves I've ever tasted.

51A. Certain trio member : JAZZ MUSICIAN. Jam session. And a great excuse to link the great Chet Atkins and "Jam Man", brought to a broader audience by a certain insurance company commercial.

Now then, not beating around the bush with this one - I thought the theme entries came across as very uneven. You have a paper in a paper jam, that's fair. but you don't have an automobile jam; you have a traffic jam, and the musical jam session is another step removed from the flow of the theme.

That said, still an entertaining puzzle. I circled right around before coming back to the north west corner to finish. Those three little downs at 1, 2 and 3 make for a tricky trifecta.

 Moving right along, unlike the 405 traffic:

Across:

1. Corner piece : ROOK. Chess. V8 moment after a looooong time. Here's a V8 checkmate:

1. f3 e5

2. g4?? Qh4#

3. Doh!

5. Singer James : ETTA

9. One of more than 21 million Indians : SIKH

13. British nobleman : EARL

14. Composer Janácek : LEOS. Thank you, crosses. Czech composer.

15. Perfect : IDEAL

17. Shot that can't be blocked : FREE THROW. I threw myself for a loop here by happily filling in FOUL THROW.

19. Complaint : PEEVE

22. Elbows, e.g. : PASTA. Food!  A study (of more than 26,000 Italians) widely reported over the last couple of days concluded that those who ate pasta as part of their diet had a lower body mass index. Be warned however - you don't find "unlimited pasta bowl and breadsticks" restaurants in Italy. I use Lidia Bastianich's recipe for marinara sauce. Simple and delicious. Try to get genuine San Marzano tomatoes - the difference in flavor is very apparent.

25. Cause to roll in the aisles : SLAY. Slayed 'em! Knocked 'em dead!

26. Electrolysis particle : ION

30. Queen who succeeded William III : ANNE. Early 1700's baroque architecture in the UK is known as the "Queen Anne style".

31. Ring result : TKO. A Technical Knock-Out in Boxing when the ref stops the fight.

32. Support for many a 29-Down : WIRE. Not an underwire?

33. More degrading : BASER

34. Gucci competitor : PRADA

36. Parade sight : FLOAT

38. "My thoughts are ... " : I'D SAY

40. Economist Smith : ADAM. Author of "The Wealth of Nations". I studied Economics at school and found the whole thing fascinating. You graduated with a BA in Economics, rather than a BSc which I found amusing. It's not an exact science - too many moving parts.

41. Special __ : OPS

44. "The Daily Show" host Trevor __ : NOAH. Thank you, crosses. I haven't watched the show since Jon Stewart left.

48. Queen's subject : ANT. Not Queen Anne.

49. "__ a man who wasn't there" : I MET

"Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn't there.
He wasn't there again today,
I wish, I wish he'd go away..."

From Antigonish by William Hughes Mearns

50. Pug or Peke : BREED

55. Really enjoyed : ATE UP. Food! I made a paella mixta last night which I "ate up". When I see good-looking mussels, shrimp and chicken thighs at my local market, it's time to bust out the rice and saffron and go for broke. It's a sobering thought that a good-looking mussel is a girl with a beard. I also need food photography lessons. Any offers? Food! for instruction.

56. Hard times : LEAN YEARS

60. Haggard of country : MERLE

61. Sets a price of : ASKS. I started pondering whether I'd say "sets the price of" or "sets a price for" before I realized life is too short to waste on such ponderings.

62. Not in the pink : SICK

63. R&B-influenced genre : SOUL

64. Editor's mark : STET.

65. Catering aid : TRAY. "Death Star Canteen", Eddie Izzard, Lego animation. YouTube. Rated R for language.

Down:

1. NBA employee : REF

2. Homonym of 3-Down : OAR

3. Homonym of 2-Down : ORE

4. Habitual booster? : KLEPTO. I guess it's not an abbreviation any more. More properly "kleptomaniac". Fun clue.

5. Pre-coll. : EL-HI

6. Gull relative : TERN

7. Film for which Jessica Lange won her first Oscar : TOOTSIE. Best Supporting Actress for this 1982 movie. Later Best Actress for Blue Sky in 1994.

8. Plus : AS WELL

9. __ cup : SIPPY

10. Inventor's need : IDEA

11. Stock : KEEP IN STORE

12. "Try this" : HAVE ONE

16. "My Fair Lady" lyricist : LERNER

18. People mover : TRAMWAY. There's one in Hartsfield International Airport that amuses me - see 52D below.

21. "Norma __" : RAE. Because "JEAN" doesn't fit.

22. Square on a muffin : PAT. What? Oh! Pat of butter. Or Oleo, if you must.,

23. Relative of a puffin : AUK

24. What many a countdown clock does : STOPS AT ZERO. Or at "007" in James Bond movies. I seem to remember continuity problems in "Goldfinger" when each time the camera cut to the nuclear bomb countdown timer it had moved much more slowly than the time elapsing around it. Probably some physics time-warp weirdness.

28. Suffix denoting resemblance : -OID. Ovoid, spheroid, avoid. No, wait, not that last one.

29. Support garb : BRA

30. Gp. for drivers : AAA

33. Military aircraft hold : BOMB BAY

35. Bit of a cheer : RAH!

36. Org. regulating vaccines : FDA Federal Drug Administration.

37. __ school : LAW

39. Supports a cause : DONATES

40. Most dilettantish : ARTIEST

42. Opposite of post- : PRE- This is one of those clues when you wonder why the grid didn't just come "pre-filled".

43. Qantas hub, in itineraries : SYD. Why no "U" in Qantas? Because it's an acronym of "Queensland And Northern Territories Aerial Services".

45. Site of the George W. Bush presidential library : SMU. Southern Methodist. I hesitate between this and TCU when this clue crops up.

46. Eco-friendly wheels : TESLAS. Not the best news week for Telsa and Elon Musk.

47. Antarctic explorer Shackleton : ERNEST. I just finished reading "Endurance" by Alfred Lansing which tells the amazing story of the Trans-Antarctic expedition which took place 100 years ago. Gripping stuff.

49. Force : IMPEL

52. Pilot's alphabet ender : ZULU. Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo .... At Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport, the concourses are named A thru F. When you're on the people-mover, the stops  are announced "A - Alpha", "B - Bravo", "C - Charlie" ... then "D - David" so as not to confuse the passengers flying on Delta Airlines, whose flights mostly depart from the A and B concourses.

53. Wedding tradition : CAKE

54. MIT center?: Abbr. : INST. Mass. Inst. Tech. as it is never known.

57. __ bubble : AIR

58. Record label for P!nk : RCA Note the stylized "!" in her name.

59. Something to look up to : SKY

And .. here's the grid. With that, my work here is done.


Steve

Tuesday, June 28, 2016 Jeffrey Wechsler and Jason M. Chapnick

Theme: Birthday Boy - Tribute to a one of a kind.

17A. *1977 Hitchcock parody : "HIGH ANXIETY"

60A. *1976 parody of pre-talkies : "SILENT MOVIE"

3D. *With "The," 1968 parody of dishonest Broadway financiers : "PRODUCERS"

23D. *With 25-Down, 1974 Western parody : "BLAZING" 25D. See 23-Down : "SADDLES"

35D. Born 6/28/1926, director of the answers to starred clues : MEL BROOKS. Director, Producer, Writer, Actor, Composer, Singer(?) and certified NUT.

Argyle here with a new diabolical duo. We can be sure to hear from at least one half of the constructors. An interesting pinwheel grid. This could be difficult for those who are not a fan of this movie genre.

Across:

1. Official on a baseline : UMP.

4. "Cheers" mixologist : WOODY. 13. "Cheers" location : BAR

9. Warehouse club with 652 locations : SAM'S. Sam's bar : "Cheers".

14. Place for a queen : THRONE. There is often a place for a queen in a Mel Brooks movie.

15. Request : PLEA

16. Alter __ : EGO

19. Turn in for cash : REDEEM

21. Smooth transitions : SEGUEs

22. Laptop port letters : USB. (Universal Serial Bus)

23. Air gun shot : BBs

26. "Wrong!" : "NOT SO!". Your classier play ground retort.

27. Muslim holy city : MECCA

29. Go for eagerly, as a chance : LEAP AT. Not JUMP AT.

31. "All bets __ off" : ARE

32. Tanzania neighbor : RWANDA

34. Self-satisfied : SMUG

38. Broadcast : AIR

39. As if in shock : DAZEDLY

41. Ambient music pioneer Brian : ENO

42. Suburb of Phoenix : MESA

44. Remington 700s, e.g. : RIFLES

45. British "Inc." : LTD.. Incorporated/Limited.

46. Journalist Chung : CONNIE

48. Boxcar stowaways : HOBOs

50. Amassed, as debts : RAN UP

53. Fast sports cars : GTs

54. Incoming flight info: Abbr. : ARRival

55. Hams it up : EMOTEs. Great clue for today.

57. Green Giant's "Little Green" buddy : SPROUT

64. Tip jar bill : ONE

65. Slanted type: Abbr. : ITALic

66. Insult : OFFEND

67. Kipling's young spy : KIM. It was first published as a serial.

68. The Big Apple, in addresses : NY, NY

69. Rides the breeze : WAFTS

70. Gas additive brand : STP

Down:

1. Transportation network app : UBER. Modern alternative clue.

2. Ancient sorcerer : MAGE

4. Caprice : WHIM

5. Email suffix : .ORG

6. "Awesome!" : "OOH!". Warming up for the Fourth.

7. Paternity suit evidence, briefly : DNA

8. Longings : YENS

9. Cask outlets : SPIGOTS

10. Alaskan native : ALEUT

11. Allots, with "out" : METES

12. Authority : SAY SO

14. Shakespearean nickname : THE BARD

18. TV princess played by Lucy Lawless : XENA

20. PC "oops" key : ESC

24. Dental coverage, e.g. : BENEFIT

27. Address to a lady : MA'AM

28. Buffalo's county and lake : ERIE

30. Washed-out : PALE

33. Alert : WARN

36. Golden rule word : UNTO

37. Saturn and Mars : GODS

40. Like a fork in the road : Y-SHAPED

43. With keen perception : ACUTELY

47. Welcoming store window sign : OPEN

49. Hockey great Bobby : ORR

50. Pine secretion : RESIN

51. Island in "Jaws" : AMITY

52. Strikeout king Ryan : NOLAN

56. Put in a hold : STOW

57. Transgressions : SINS

58. Mile or minute : UNIT

59. Weather Channel stat : TEMP. stat and TEMP are both shortened words.

61. Juilliard deg. : MFA. Master of Fine Arts

62. Inaccurate : OFF

63. Boxer fixer : VET. A boxer dog.

 Argyle

Note from C.C.:

This is the first collaboration between our own Lemonade and Jeffrey Wechsler. In fact, this is Jeffrey's very first collaboration. Congratulations, guys!

Lemonade and his lovely wife Oo, Dec 21, 2014

David Liben-Nowell, Cathy Long (David's friend), Tom Pepper, Jeffrey Wechsler, David Hanson & C.C. 
June 12, 2016

Sunday June 19th, 2016 Jeffrey Wechsler

Theme:  "I Ching" - CHING is added to each theme entry.

23A. Job for the philharmonic's publicist? : ORCHESTRA PITCHING. Orchestra pit.

41A. Sign over a woodcarver's shop? : NOTCHING FOR SALE. Not for Sale.

 

83A. Country club mentors? : TEACHING CADDIES. Tea caddies.

106A. Crowding on the barbecue grill? : HAMBURGER BUNCHING. Hamburger bun.

 

16D. Marriage of theater performers? : BROADWAY HITCHING. Broadway hit. Two pairs of Down entries intersect two Across entries. Nice!

36D. Late-shift laundry job? : EVENING STARCHING. Evening star.

This is the kind of the theme I'd not have dreamed of, adding a rare 5-letter string to each theme answer. Jeffrey is very creative when it comes to letter(s) addition/deletion/replacement gimmick.

Total 96 theme squares. Very manageable.  Jeffrey went low with 138 words. Our average is 144. Low word count often produces some snazzy entries like TRUE/FALSE (19. Type of question) and MT. SHASTA (77D. Highest peak in the Calif. Cascades). It also produces some wobbly long fill like REPACKER (78D. One changing hotels, perhaps) and abundant  3-letter words (total 42). Constructors are risking it when they go over 40 3-letter on a Sunday grid.

For those Sunday-only solvers, I met with the great Jeffrey last Sunday at the MN Crossword Tournament. He was busy with the event, but we managed to talk a bit about our blog & puzzle-making. He's passionate about crosswords and we're lucky to enjoy his talent & hard work on a regular basis.

 

Left to Right: David Liben-Nowell, Cathy Long (David's friend), Tom Pepper, Jeffrey Wechsler, David Hanson & C.C.

Across:

  

1. H.S. equivalency tests : GEDs

5. Hold on : WAIT

9. Mollusk named for its earlike extensions : SEA HARE. Helpful clue.

16. Tool used at home : BAT.  Home plate. Also 48A. Reliever Robb with 314 career saves : NEN. 79A. Target Field player : TWIN

21. One responsible to an officer : PAROLEE. Simple in retrospect.

22. Narrow inlet : RIA

25. Hockey legend : ORR

26. Rock bands : STRATA. Great clue.

27. Made tracks : RAN

28. Essen-to-Leipzig direction, locally : OST

29. Chief justice before Hughes : TAFT. Got via crosses, despite the CHIEF JUSTICE puzzle I made with George.

30. Sun. message : SER

31. Where narcs may be found : ON A BUST. Not a fan of this type of entry. Or IN A JAR/CAN. 

34. Headline makers : MEDIA

35. Weaving components : WEFTS

38. Kitchen appliance : JUICER. Mine is Jack Lalanne. 

39. Nielsen unit : VIEWER

40. Michelangelo masterpiece : DAVID. Did you try PIETA first?

44. Cell users' concerns : OVERAGES. Not a word I use.

46. Chaplin of "Game of Thrones" : OONA

47. QB's stats : YDs

49. Side-to-side movement : YAW

50. Devon demolition work : RASING. Crossing 50. Refresh one's knowledge of, to a Brit : RUB UP. The latter is new to me.

54. Med. research agency : NIH

56. Much Arctic Ocean coastline : ASIA Also 93. North Atlantic perils : BERGS

58. "Don't even try" : IT'S FUTILE. Reminds me of Jeffrey's I WAS MAD a while ago.

61. Modern storage unit : CD FILE. Also new to me. I don't use CDs any more.

64. Heartless role for Jack Haley? : TIN MAN. Nice clue/fill.

66. Union grievance figure : ARBITER

67. "We've Got Tonight" duettist with Rogers : EASTON (Sheena). Wiki says it was a hit in 1983. Was 1983 memorable to you? We were able to eat meat once a week then.

68. Marx collaborator : ENGELS. Heroes when I grew up.

69. Dodgeball taunt : YOU MISSED. Never played Dodgeball.

71. Twice tetra- : OCTA. 8.

72. Long-running NBC comedy : SNL

73. Self-described toon "dust magnet" : PIG PEN. "Peanuts".

74. Snitch : RAT

76. Engine room noise : HUM

77. "I pity the fool" speaker : MR. T

81. "A kind of library," to Borges : PARADISE. Unfamiliar with the saying. 

90. Symposium group : PANEL

91. Unexpected twist : SPRAIN. Not plot twist.

92. Raise : PARENT

94. Modern break-ins : HACKS

95. To whom Alice said, "Why, they're only a pack of cards" : HERSELF. Unexpected clue.

97. Stylish '60s Londoner : MOD

98. Liniment target : ACHE

99. Half a drum : TOM. This "Half a drum" solved a nagging problem for me yesterday. I just could not understand what the guy was talking on a YouTube clip, neither could Boomer. The "Half a drum"  came back to me in a few minutes.

100. Half of MXII : DVI. All crosses. I was not going to calculate.

101. Ring combo : ONE TWO

105. __ slope : SKI

111. High end of many a scale : TEN. On a scale of 1 to 10...

112. "The poetry of reality": Dawkins : SCIENCE. Jeffrey likes quote clues.

113. Initiates, as a conversation : STRIKES UP

114. Uru. neighbor : ARG

115. "Dylan & __": 1989 rock album collaboration : THE DEAD. Also unfamiliar to me. Bob Dylan. The Grateful Dead.

116. Song : TUNE

117. "Nice" Laurel and Hardy predicament : MESS. Got via crosses as well.

Down:

1. Car in a '60s hit : GTO

2. Goes astray : ERRS

3. Air line : DUCT. Loved the clue as well.

4. Very, in Mannheim : SEHR. A bit more challenging than TRES.

5. Doesn't use efficiently : WASTES

6. Vow site : ALTAR

7. Lod's land: Abbr. : ISR

8. Remove, as a coupon : TEAR OUT

9. Strength-building food of comics : SPINACH. Have any of you tried water spinach? So good.

10. Snack on : EAT. And 12. Snack cake brand : HO HOs

 11. Line on a globe : ARC

13. High-profile group : A-LIST

14. Flat charge : RENT. We've seen [Flat rate] clue before.

15. Med. recording : EEG

17. Control tower vista : AIRFIELD. There's one a few miles from our home. 

18. Raw beef dishes : TARTARES. This is plurable? Irish Miss likes steak tartare.

20. Dedication to a saint : FEAST DAY

24. Fast-spreading emotion : PANIC

29. Driving areas : TEES

32. "Cursed __ that did so!": "The Tempest" : BE I. Gluey entry. By the way, Bei means "North" in Chinese. Jing means "capital". So Beijing means "northern capital". 

33. Caterer's vessel : URN

34. Landmark case name : MIRANDA

35. Signals to try to score : WAVES IN

37. Christmas buy : FIR

38. __ A. Bank Clothiers : JOS. None in our neighborhood.

39. Beethoven opener? : VON. Ludwig van Beethoven.

40. Give : DONATE. Grateful for all constructors/volunteers who donated time and puzzles to the MN Crossword Tournament, esp Jeffrey.

41. Mature eft : NEWT

42. Ill-fated ones : GONERS

43. Golden Gate phenomenon : FOG

45. Investors' goals : GAINS

51. Grisham's "__ to Kill" : A TIME

52. Protest tactic : SIT IN

53. Martinique et Réunion : ILEs

55. "In that case ... " : IF SO

57. "I heartily agree" : AMEN

59. Adage : SAYING

60. Cleft-tongued critter : FROG. I never paid attention to frog's tongue.

61. Fragrant conifer : CEDAR

62. Chinese water garden staples : LOTUSES. Subjects of many Chinese poems. It stands for purity & tranquillity. Here are two plants Irish Miss sent to me back in March. The  frosty nights killed the third one. Do you know their names?

63. Paint choice : ENAMEL

65. What "can be yours ... if the price is right!" : ALL THIS. 7-letter partial.

70. Important times : ERAs

73. Etui item : PIN

75. Obsolescent music source : TAPE DECK

80. Take the gold : WIN

81. Guinea pig, for some : PET

82. Patriotic org. : DAR

84. Food to celebrate with : CAKE. Sorry for the Z crossing yesterday, Dave! Thanks to all who solved my puzzle and gave me valuable feedback. Yes, FermatPrime, I have two more in queue.

85. "Kiss of life," briefly : CPR

86. Small batteries : AAs

87. Saved from obscurity, with "up" : DREDGED

88. Probe : DELVE

89. Leading : IN FIRST

93. Sports journalist Bernstein : BONNIE

95. Pal : HOMIE

96. Nestle securely : EMBED

97. Express bereavement : MOURN

99. Measurer of rpm : TACH

102. Movie about giant ants : THEM. The poster looks too scary.

103. Impudent : WISE

104. Burden : ONUS

106. 33rd pres. : HST. Did you know the answer immediately? I know JFK was the 35th, then counted back.

107. A, in Arles : UNE

108. Red Seal label company : RCA. Wiki says RCA Red Seal is a classical music label. Jeffrey loves classical music.

109. Heating stat : BTU

110. New car feature, for short : GPS

C.C.

Wednesday, June 15, 2016 Jeffrey Wechsler

Theme:  Of COURSE I will treat you in a FAIR WAY, and never give you a ROUGH time. Did you suspect a TRAP? You must be GREEN as grass!  Today we have a hidden words theme, which is much easier to spot if you also had the circles.  The hidden words, in reverse chronological order will take us through one short par 4 hole on a golf course.  Each hidden word is the name of a golf shot, and spans two words of a multi-word phrase.   

17. "It's now or never!" : I CAN'T PUT THIS OFF.  This looks over-eager, but it pays to be patient when you are lining up your PUTT.  This is the shot where you roll your ball along the green and hope that it either goes into the hole or hits some solid object behind it.

27. Play the Lute or Grasp the Sparrow's Tail, in martial arts : TAI CHI POSITION.  The CHIP is a short approach shot to the green, generally highly arched.   I know nothing of TAI CHI, but here are some of the positions.

Either way, a sparrow is a bird

47. Folk ballad also known as "Cowboy Love Song" : RED RIVER VALLEY.   The DRIVE is typically the first shot on any par 4 or 5 hole.

59. "Whatchu talkin' 'bout, Willis?" sitcom ... or, literally, occupants of this puzzle's circles : DIFF'RENT STROKES.   Each swing of a golf club counts as one STROKE, and here we have three diff'rent ones.  Missing from this sequence is the fairway iron shot, but if you can get close to the green with your DRIVE, you won't need one.   When I played, it was more accurately descriptive to spell golf backwards.  I have since determined that my quality of life is in direct proportion to my distance from the game.   Maybe Husker Gary should have done this one.

The subject TV show ran from 1978 to 1986, starring Gary Coleman as Arnold and Todd Bridges as his brother Willis, two orphaned African-American boys taken in by a rich white widower for whom their late mother formerly worked.

Hi gang, JazzBumpa here to FLOG this one along.  Let's see if we can avoid hazards and reconnoiter on the 19th hole.

Down

1. Ritzy : POSH.  Ostentatious display of conspicuous consumption.

5. Cockroach, e.g. : PEST.  No need for a link.

9. Puccini classic : TOSCA.  I don't like opera, so no link here either.

14. Acreage : AREA.  As of a golf course or some other plot of land.

15. Comics pooch with a big red tongue : ODIE.

Pest?

16. Islamic analogue of kosher : HALAL.

20. Where to buy EBAY : NASDAQ.  Listing service for stocks not on the New York or American Stock Exchanges.

21. Was in charge of : RAN.

22. Org. for Serena Williams : Woman's Tennis Association.

23. Canine tooth : CUSPID.  A tooth with a single cusp or point.

26. School gps. : Parent Teacher AssocoationS.

32. Dating : WITH.  Sure, you can be WITH someone you're dating, but you can also be WITH your golf group or your dog.  Not fond of this clue.

33. Skin blemish : ZIT.  Acne, the adolescent's bane.

34. Addams family nickname : TISH.   Morticia.

35. Journalist Stewart or Joseph : ALSOP.   Brothers who cowrote the "Matter of Fact" column for the New York Herald Tribune from 1945 to 1958.   They were grand-nephews of Theodor Roosevelt.

37. Use, as resources : TAP.

39. Hardly economical : STEEP.   As in a high price.

42. Novelist Stoker : BRAM.  He gave us Dracula.

44. Logical beginning? : GEO-.  Prefix clue for the science of earth study. 

46. Galley implements : OARS.  Ancient warship propelled by both sails and rowers. 

50. Course elevators : TEES.  Not a teaser clue - little devices that elevate golf balls, and thus relate to the DRIVE portion of the theme.  

51. Scatter : DISPEL.  More commonly, get rid of.  Comes from the Latin, meaning to DRIVE away -  which, I suppose, could be in several directions, if you hook or slice.  

52. Lease alternative : OWN.  We OWN one vehicle and lease the other.

53. Sit in a cellar, say : AGE.  As wine or cheese.

54. Marriott rival : RAMADA.  Hotels

63. Curaçao neighbor : ARUBA.  Tropical islands

64. Something to file : NAIL.  On the finger or toe.  As opposed to paper work.

65. Dump at the altar : JILT.  Heart-breaking moment that probably works out for the best.

66. Jacket fabric : DENIM.  Also used for blue jeans,

How you wear it is up to you

67. First name in advice : ABBY.  Abigail Van Buren, pseudonym for Pauline Esther Phillips [1918-2013] who began her advice column in 1956.  Her twin sister also gave advice as Ann Landers.

68. Cognizant of : ON TO.   Aware of.

Down

1. What acupuncture relieves, for some : PAIN.  I read an article recently by an M.D. stating that all the controlled studies have determined no greater efficacy than a placebo effect.  My sister, who has had significant knee pain for years, got a great deal of relief from acupuncture, and her blood pressure dropped by about 20 points.  Go figure.

2. Killer whale : ORCA.   They are diverse eaters and apex predators - at the top of the food chain, nobody eats them. 

3. Bering and Ross : SEAS.   The Bering Sea is North of the Aleutian Islands between Alaska and Siberia. The Ross Sea is an arm of the Pacific Ocean extending into Antarctica South of New Zealand.

4. Word with deck or dock : HAND.  Either way, a hard working laborer.

5. Classroom surprise : POP QUIZ.  Surprise test - but why no love for mom?

6. Part of a collegiate address : EDU.  Slightly misleading clue, but we all know he means a web address.

7. Kennel command : SIT.

8. Game whose original packaging boasted "From Russia with Fun!" : TETRIS.  You can play it on line here.

9. Like Laurel, but not Hardy : THIN.

Ouch

10. Western treaty gp. : Organization of American States.

11. Frustratingly on the mend : SLOW TO HEAL.  Hand injuries can be that way.

12. Kind of robe : CAFTAN.   Varies in style, design and fabric, often worn as a house coat or overdress.

Varys, in style 

13. Italian racers, familiarly : ALFAS.

Alfa Romeo

18. Dash gauge : TACHometer.  Measures RPM's.

19. __ made: was set for life : HAD IT.   Received a large inheritance, struck oil, made a killing in the market, etc.  A then blew it all on an Alfa.

24. Rotisserie rod : SPIT.  Skewering device that rotates.

25. Thick soups : POTAGES.   From the French for "potted dish."  This type concoction, in which a variety of foodstuffs are boiled together until thick, dates back to medieval northern France.  

26. Oklahoma State mascot __ Pete : PISTOL.

The one and only

27. Former flier : Trans World Airlines - from 1925 to 2001, when it was acquired by AMR, Inc, the parent company of American Airlines. 

28. Feel bad : AIL.

29. "I had a blast!" : ITS BEEN FUN.

30. Basic guitar lesson : CHORDS.

31. Carol opener : 'TIS the season, etc.

36. Line on a scorecard : PAR.   More golf.  PAR is the theoretical number of strokes to be taken on each hole. You then compare your actual number and either laugh or cry.

38. Cop's catch : PERP.   Short for PERPETRATOR, one who has committed a crime, because the cops never, ever catch an innocent person.  In Corner parlance, a PERP is a word PERPendicular to a word you're trying to fill in, which gives you a letter you need to catch your target word.

40. Before, before : ERE.  A relic from Olde English, showing it germanic roots.

41. Future therapist's maj. : PSYchology.

43. Moose's girlfriend, in Archie comics : MIDGE.

Beautiful and deadly

45. In plain view : OVERTLY.  Via Old French from the Latin aperire, to open.

47. Upgrade electrically : REWIRE.  Provide new electrical wiring.

48. Capital on the Danube : VIENNA.  Austria.

49. Banned fruit spray : ALAR.   It was used to prevent premature fruit dropping and improve color, firmness and quality during storage.  It was banned in 1989 due to cancer-causing concerns.  It was most famously used on apples, but also on cherries, peaches, pears, tomatoes and peanuts.

50. Inscription on a June greeting card : TO DAD.   Father's day is coming up this weekend.  My son and fam are coming over, and he's going to grill.

53. Saroyan's "My Name Is __" : ARAM.   A book of short stories first published in 1940 concerning the eponymous boy of Armenian descent living in Fresno, CA.

55. Spell-casting art : MOJO.   Probably of African origin.

56. Similar : AKIN.

57. Bench press beneficiary : DELToid muscle.

So you can shoulder a load

Here's how you do it, ladies

58. Regarding : AS TO.  In re:.

60. "Criminal Minds" agcy. : Federal Bureau of Investigation, featured on yet another TV show I've never watched.

61. It's next to Q on most keyboards : TAB.  The indent key.

62. Unc, to Dad : SIB.  Uncle and Dad are siblings.  But not for my kids, I don't have a brother.

Well, that finishes another round.  Rather odd to see Jeffrey, who I think of as Mr. Friday, show up on a Wednesday, but life is full of surprises, and it's all good.  Hope you were up to par [but not too far over] on this one.

Cool Regards!
JzB

Friday, May 13, 2016, Jeffrey Wechsler

Title: Do you want to PAL around?

JW returns with 'add a word' (3 letters at that) to existing phrases to create a whimsical mental picture of something very different. Despite my seeing and discussing much of Jeffrey's work lately, the cluing is fresh and only PROEM was unknown to me. The longer fill, CLASS UP,  THE MAGI,  I'M A JERK,  IN EXILE, RAIN SHOWER and  MOTOR SPORT really show his preference for multi-word answers. The choice to have just three themers plus a reveal was governed by the grid-spanners  giving 58 theme spaces. Lots of music references and - well, let us go see.

17A. Financially distressed royal residence? : PALACE IN THE HOLE (15). The PAL is added to the beginning of "ace in the hole." Cute. I do not think the Queen is hurting financially.

34A. Pious antelope? : IMPALA BELIEVER (14). I was really amused by the picture of this cute African food source for lions, praying and singing....

40A. Clairvoyant magazine staff? : PALMISTS OF TIME (14). A common expression also has the PAL added to the beginning; I like the John Mayall version.

And the reveal:

61A. Carole King song title ... or a hint to 17-, 34- and 40-Across : YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND (15).

I wonder if this puzzle was inspired by the Broadway play about Ms. King. She has written so many wonderful songs.

Across:

1. Sprinkled stuff : TALC. So much CONTROVERSY now.

5. Ottoman honorific : AGHA.

9. Carried : TOTED. Reminds me of listening to this album as a child. He was a true...

14. Star often gazed at : IDOL.

15. Golf inconvenience : RAIN SHOWER. Ask, HG--this is a perfect clue, as a shower does not stop a serious golfer.

19. Things kept for oneself : STASH. Not to be confused with last week's 'STACHE.

20. Elite group : A TEAM. Generic, or the TV Show?

21. New Delhi-to-Mumbai dir. : SSW. Heading toward last week's newbie constructor.

22. "Downton Abbey" assent : YES SIR.

24. Wit : WAG. An old term for a jokester, mid 16th century (denoting a young man or mischievous boy, also used as a term of endearment to an infant): probably from obsolete waghalter ‘person likely to be hanged.’  Per dictionary.

26. "The Golden Arm" of the Baltimore Colts : UNITAS. High topped always,  Johnny U.

30. Reach uncertainly : GROPE. Not always, sadly.

37. Geisha circler : OBI. More sashes for me.

38. Sister of Melpomene : ERATO.

39. Ho's accompaniment : UKE.

45. Introduction : PROEM. A real word, but I certainly never heard of it. This was a struggle as the perps were not easy either.

46. Submitted : SENT IN.

47. Dance genre : TAP.

49. Annual delivery vehicle? : SLEIGH. Santa and the odd clecho 9D. Annually celebrated group : THE MAGI.

53. Setting in Eng. : GMT. Greenwich Mean Time.

56. First name in Western crime : JESSE. James

60. Like George H. W. Bush : EX-CIA. Conspiracy THEORY anyone?

64. Rallying, e.g. : MOTOR SPORT. I used to want to do THIS.

65. Singing daughter of Judy and Vincente : LIZA. Judy Garland and Vincente Minelli.

66. Bombed : STUNK.

67. Expression of appreciation : HAND. Let's give all our constructors a big hand for the entertainment.

68. "L'__, c'est moi": Louis XIV : ÉTAT. The State in French.

Down:

1. Lit : TIPSY.

2. "... __ which will live in infamy": FDR : A DATE.

3. Falana and Glaudini : LOLAS. Lola 1 one was a Sammy Davis protege with health issues; Lola 2 is a very busy TV actress. Feel free to IMDB.

4. Infuse with elegance : CLASS UP. My meh fill of the day.  Though 'class up the joint'  appears often,  the reference on its own just hangs there for me.

5. Exist : ARE.

6. Greek primordial deity : GAIA. Quite an incestuous and bloody STORY reminiscent of later Heinlein works.

7. Subtlety : HINT.

8. Startup money? : ANTE. To start the game.

10. "How wonderful!" : OOH. AHH.

11. Dancers, often : TWOS. It does take two to Tango.

12. Sushi kitchen supply : EELS.

13. Gained (from) : DREW. On my vast experience.

16. "I often quote myself. It adds spice to my conversation" speaker : SHAW. No Shakespeare but the eminently quotable George Bernard Shaw, LINK. I could not pick my favorite. No P Shaw  quotes.

18. Where gunpowder was invented : CHINA. Some HISTORY.

23. Irks : RILES.

25. Univ. student's ordeal : GRE. Graduate Record Examination

27. Wonderland trial evidence : TARTS. Carroll's not subtle indictment of our legal system.

28. Demean : ABASE.

29. __ Hall : SETON. A Catholic college in NJ named after the first American SAINT.

31. Cell with potential : OVUM. Eggsactly.

32. Chinese toy : PEKE. More China and no abbr.

33. Poet's "previously" : ERE.

34. Construction support : I BAR.

35. Close follower of Venus? : MILO. You all know the Venus de Milo and her lack of arms.

36. Some apartments : LOFTS.

37. On the facing pg. : OPPosite..

41. Citi Field player : MET.

42. "D'oh!" : I'M A JERK. I think of it more as "I am an idiot."

43. Interior construction specialist : TILER.

44. Napoleonic? : IN  EXILE. A Friday thought.

48. Cribbage pieces : PEGS. That is how you count points and it is where I learned to how add by watching my father play the game.

50. Clinch the game, in slang : ICE IT.

51. Japan's answer to Rodeo Drive : GINZA. Alex, we will stay with Asia for $800.00. LINK.

52. Attacked : HAD AT.

53. Places to see presses : GYMS. Bench presses, military presses...

54. Academic : MOOT.

55. "Fantasia" hippo's garb : TUTU.

57. Certain collegian : SOPHomore. And of course the freshmen who fail or sopholess;  derivation from Greek sophos "wise" + moros "foolish, dull"?

58. Athenian walkway : STOA. A covered walkway.

59. Get through work : EARN.

62. Otto __ Bismarck : VON. A very INFLUENTIAL  figure.

63. Mercury is on its co. logo : FTD. As a Virgo this is a perfect image for me to exit. JW returned, made us work, made us smile. I must say 'bye for now-see you next week. Hope you enjoyed the ride. Lemonade out on winged feet.