Thursday, May 16th 2019 Jeffrey Wechsler

Theme: The Modern Prometheus - all the theme entries refer to the alternative title of this novel:

17A. Classic 1818 novel: FRANKENSTEIN. Here's the cover of the first edition:

20A. Unnamed character in 17-Across: THE MONSTER. "It" is known by number of names in the novel, none of them particularly flattering, including "It".

35A. Author of 17-Across: MARY SHELLEY. She wrote the novel when she was 18, she was 20 when it was published. Her, her husband Percy and Lord Byron had a competition to see who could come up with the best horror story.

47A. 1974 portrayer of 17-Across: GENE WILDER. Here's the classic moment from the movie when Wilder meets Marty Feldman's Igor for the first time.

53A. 1931 portrayer of 20-Across: BORIS KARLOFF. A little before my time, but surely everyone has seen Karloff's performance in this classic movie.

So, a nice challenge from Jeffrey, I didn't really get a toe-hold until the SW corner, then it was a question of working across and back up. The Karloff theme entry was my first, then it was just a question of fitting the pieces of the puzzle into place.

There's a lot of fresh fill in the puzzle too. SEED HEADS in the center of the downs was impressive as it crosses all five theme entries. Let's check out the rest.

Across:

1. Expert in Islamic law: MUFTI. A learning moment. I knew the word as a military term for civilian clothes but not the Islamic connection.

6. Classroom tools: RULERS

12. Nation partly in the Arctic Circle: FINLAND. Brrr. Not a whole lot of daylight in winter, either.

14. Left: GONE OUT

15. "I didn't lie!": IT WAS SO!

16. Select, as a jury: EMPANEL. I'm not sure I knew this. Crosses filled in a lot of it for me.

19. Otoscope target: EAR. I learned "oto-" from this photograph of David Niven in his book "The Moon's A Balloon". The caption read "Cupid developed otosis as a result" which sent me scurrying for the dictionary.

24. In a calculating way: SLYLY. Just pipped by "rhythm" as one of the longest words with no vowels.

27. Antipoverty agcy.: O.E.O. The Office of Economic Opportunity. Established by Lyndon Johnson to manage his War on Poverty programs. It was abolished in 1981.

28. Actor Stephen: REA. I had him as RAE first which slowed things down a tad.

29. Prefix with plus: SUR. Surplus.

31. Reduce in status: DRAG DOWN

37. Slapstick reaction: SPIT TAKE. Never heard of this term before either. One of these:

39. Borrow, but not really: BUM. "Not really" because you'e not going to give it back, as in "bum a smoke".

40. "__ you serious?": ARE

41. Talk and talk: YAP

43. Namely: TO WIT

52. "__ scale of 1 to 10 ... ": ON A. Fill it in and move on.

56. King in 1 Kings: SOLOMON

59. Shoulder piece: EPAULET

60. Like some rural bridges: ONE LANE

61. July 4, 1776, notables: SIGNERS. I tried FATHERS first, knowing it was probably wrong. I proved myself right (wrong) eventually.

62. Green field?: BOTANY. Field of study.

63. Campus figures: DEANS

Down:

1. Kind of heart valve: MITRAL

2. Easily led astray: UNWARY

3. Rich dessert: FLAN

4. Something to do: TASK

5. Map box: INSET. Took me a while to figure this out, even though the clue is familiar enough.

6. "Did my heart love till now?" speaker: ROMEO. Yay! I actually knew this.

7. Detach, as a dress pattern: UNPIN. My mom used to make her own dresses, I witnessed lots of unpinning of patterns as a kid.

8. Isn't straight: LEANS

9. Big stretch: EON

10. Deeply regret: RUE

11. Mo. town: STL St. Louis.

12. High winds: FIFES. Nice clue. A fife is a high-pitched flute.

13. Honolulu-born singer: DON HO

14. Go back for a second helping: GET MORE

18. A dandelion's are called blowballs: SEED HEADS. We used to drive my dad nuts blowing the seed heads; as fast as he was trying to get the pissenlit out of the lawn we were just compounding the problem.

21. Fox NFL analyst Aikman: TROY. He's actually pretty good as an analyst; the Cowboys did something right, Tony Romo is a quite excellent announcer.

22. "Ick!": EEW!

23. Fled: RAN

25. Future JD's exam: LSAT

26. Mongolian tent: YURT. Now available as expensive "glamping" accomodations in Big Sur, among other places.

30. Shaggy rug from 12-Across: RYA. Remembered from crosswords past.

32. Kosovo neighbor: Abbr.: ALB. Albania, on the Balkan Peninsula.

33. Surfeit: GLUT

34. How-to presentation: DEMO. I've demoed a lot of software in my time. One of the more enjoyable parts of my work day.

35. Bearing: MIEN

36. Prominent New York City feature: SKYLINE. The most impressive skyline I've seen is Hong Kong island overlooking the harbor, especially at night when all the buildings are lit up in neon.

37. Give a little: SAG

38. Not post-: PRE-

42. Short dogs, for short: PEKES

44. Like some scarves: WOOLEN. This gave me pause for quite some time. I've always spelled it with two "L"s.

45. Works out: INFERS

46. Last family to keep a White House cow: TAFTS. Two cows actually, Wooly Mooly and Pauline Wayne. There's that single "L" again in "Wooly".

48. Dangerous virus: EBOLA

49. Lennon love song: WOMAN. Written for Yoko, as 57D cross-references.

50. Twist: IRONY

51. Fleet: RAPID

54. Heated state: RAGE

55. Large green moth: LUNA. Quite impressive-looking things. I don't think I've ever seen one.

56. One may be choked back: SOB

57. Dedicatee of 49-Down: ONO

58. __ alone: not to mention: LET

And with that, I'm on my way. Have a great day!

Steve

Friday, May 3, 2019, Jeffrey Wechsler

Title: AM I too early?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Probably top o' the mornin'.

Across:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

21. Purposes: USES.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

33. Move using eBay: SELL.

34. Shop sign nos.: HRS.

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

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

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

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

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

43. Identifies: NAMES. J'accuse!

46. PC key: ALT.

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

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

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

50. More than asks: URGES.

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

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

55. "Sweet!": COOL.

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

58. Ronny Howard role: OPIE.

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

61. British suffix: ISE. Instead of IZE.

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

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

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

66. Equestrian's forte: RIDING.

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

Down:

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

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

5. Ring holders: TOES. No, thank you.

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

8. Seasonal quaff: NOG.

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

10. Obedience school word: STAY.

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

13. Overwhelms with sound: DEAFENS.

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

27. Chic modifier: TRÈS. More accents.

36. Buck: STAG.

38. Take the risk: DARE.

39. Checkout facilitator: BARCODE.

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

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

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

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

51. "Ditto!": SO AM I.

54. Aerie, for one: NEST.

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

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

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

Note from C.C.:

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

Sunday April 28, 2019 Jeffrey Wechsler

Theme: "Ooh, I Get It!" - Long I sound is changed into long U sound, changing spellings as needed.

  

24A. Grinch victim in the Wasatch Range?: ROCKY MOUNTAIN WHO. Rocky Mountain High.

37A. Bilks corporate bigwigs?: TAKES IN THE SUITS. Takes in the sights.

45A. Puff's ailment?: DRAGON FLU. Dragonfly.

56A. Nickname for a seafaring Smurf?: CAPTAIN BLUE. Captain Bligh.

77A. Amphibian College curriculum?: NEWT COURSES. Night courses.

82A. Inspiration for "The Hulk"?: BRUTE IDEA. Bright idea.

93A. Exceptional wind?: FIRST CLASS FLUTE. First class flight.

111A. 18-Down?: FATHER OF THE BROOD. Father of the bride.

Jeffrey told me that the puzzle title is from Rich and Patti. His suggested "The Right Route". Sometimes it's tricky to find a perfect title that captures the sound changing gimmick.

Total 102 theme squares. Our average. The top and bottom edge design is not very Jeffrey, but the side edges is, with triple stacks of 7's and 6's. Those are hard to pull off cleanly, but Jeffrey is a pro. And he managed a 140 worder.

Across:

1. Some old Eur. republics: SSRS. Soviet Socialist Republics. Tiny "republics"/R dupe. Jeffrey mentioned that this is not his entry. He said "Rich didn’t like something in that section, but he did not request a revision, which I would have gladly worked on." He said SSRS is an entry he would do anything to remove, esp at 1-Across.

5. Brownstone-front hangout: STOOP.

10. Homer's "rosy-fingered" time: DAWN. Tiny dupe: 96. Dawn goddess: AURORA.

14. One looking badly?: OGLER.

19. Astute: KEEN.

20. Aquatic predators: ORCAS.

21. "Nasty" Nastase of tennis: ILIE. Honored on a stamp.

22. Good, to Giovanni: BUONO.

23. "__ la Douce": IRMA.

27. High point: PEAK.

28. College domain: EDU. Two more U's: 105. Charlottesville sch.: UVA.75. Columbus campus: Abbr.: OSU.

29. Large wardrobe: ARMOIRE. Not an armoire here. Just want to show you my friend Carmen's vases.

 

30. College dorm figs.: RAS.

31. Legal memo phrase: IN RE.

32. Pro Football Hall of Famer Merlin __: OLSEN.

35. Modigliani subject: NUDE. Andy Garcia played him in the 2004 movie.

36. Set (on): BENT.

41. Airhead: DUNCE.

42. Bit of trickery: GAG.

43. Chris of "American Pie" films: OWEN. Wiki says this: "In 2014, a New York Daily News article reported Owen was working as a waiter at a sushi restaurant in Santa Monica, California. In the article, Owen says that "life doesn’t always go the way you planned. I love acting and this job lets me stay in the fight." After that article was published, he appeared in two films in addition of a role on Criminal Minds".

44. Urn turner, perhaps: POTTER.

50. Real-estate holding account: ESCROW.

54. D.C. VIPs: REPS.

55. __-B: hygiene brand: ORAL.

61. __-Locka, Fla.: OPA.

62. Arena roarer: CROWD.

63. In cahoots: AS ONE.

64. Swahili honorific: BWANA. Literally "sir".

65. Meal with a crust: POTPIE.

67. "Ghosts" playwright: IBSEN.

69. Shoulders, e.g.: JOINTS. Nina kindly sent us an exercise routine to improve Boomer's body mass and balance. We just started the easiest ones. 

70. "God __ refuge and strength": Psalm 46: IS OUR.

71. Traded (in): DEALT.

73. Like honey: GOOEY.

76. 2000 Richard Gere title role: DR T. OK. I just read the plot for the first time. Surreal.

79. Way back when, once: ERST.

80. Alone, in Arles: SEUL.

81. Two-time Pulitzer Prize for Fiction awardee: UPDIKE.

84. Bering, e.g.: STRAIT.

88. Arp's art: DADA.

91. Whole effort: ALL.

92. Coat of arms element: CREST.

101. Dusters: RAGS.

102. Just: MERE.

103. Prepare for bodybuilding photos: OIL UP. Would you believe that they use PAM cooking spray?

104. Egyptian deity: ISIS.

106. Takes, as a bus: RIDES ON.

108. Friend of Eeyore: ROO.

110. Bygone depilatory brand: NEET.

115. Canadian gas: ESSO.

116. Belong: FIT IN.

117. Wishes one hadn't done: RUES.

118. Actress Delta: BURKE.

119. Ado: STIR.

120. Billiards slab: SLATE.

121. Gucci of fashion: ALDO. Also 10. Chanel competitor: DIOR

122. Motel 6 visits: STAYS.

123. Tokyo electronics giant: SONY.

Down:

1. "Let's not do that": SKIP IT.

2. Sister of Venus: SERENA. The Williams sisters.

3. Say casually: REMARK.

4. Whence some garters?: SNAKE EGGS.  Garter snakes. I did not know that snakes lay eggs. Google Images shows this corn snake laying an egg.

5. Hot under the collar: SORE.

6. Walked over: TROD ON.

7. Like Hogwarts lore: OCCULT.

8. Sturdy tree: OAK.

9. 101 class involving Freud: Abbr.: PSY. No more K-Pop rapper.

11. Many college donors: ALUMNI.

12. Succeed despite obstacles: WIN OUT.

13. Coll. students' access codes: NETIDS. Another learning moment for me.

14. Tony's cousin: OBIE. Or EMMY.

15. Staple __: GUN.

16. Inexpensive, as housing: LOW RENT.

17. Improve: ENHANCE.

18. Wake-up call provider: ROOSTER. The black character is how it's written in traditional Chinese.

25. Minister's house: MANSE.

26. "There you __!": ARE.

33. Uncertain query before a query: SHOULD I ASK. I normally send an email to D-Otto: "Does this feel solid to you?"

34. "Yuck!": EEW.

36. On the other hand: BUT.

38. __ Paulo: SAO.

39. Pass over: IGNORE.

40. Mild angst: UNEASE.

41. Warning about overexuberance: DOWN BOY. Great fill.

44. Pasty food: POI.

45. Surprise with a visit: DROP IN.

46. Rest: REPOSE.

47. "Trainwreck" director Judd: APATOW.

48. Back again: FRO.

49. Foundation of a civil society: LAW.

51. Stress-relief tool: SPONGE BALL. Never used these. I do have spike balls.

52. UPS unit: CTN.

53. Actress Issa: RAE.

56. Play lists: CASTS.

57. Airport near D.C.: BWI. Baltimore–Washington International. Also 72. NW Penn. airport: ERI.
Erie International Airport. Googled afterwards.

58. Alit: LANDED.

59. Like perjured testimony: UNTRUE.

60. Cal. locale of the Latino Walk of Fame: EAST LA. We had this clue before.

62. Basic electrical component: CIRCUIT.

66. Delay, with "off": PUT.

68. Runs in the wash: BLEEDS.

69. Beetle relatives: JETTAS.

71. It doesn't go off: DUD.

74. Hockey legend: ORR (Bobby). So grid-friendly. ORR and OTT.

78. Choose: OPT.

80. Endearing quality of puns: SILLINESS.

83. Often pointy-eared figure: ELF.

84. Kitten handles?: SCRUFFS. Nice clue/fill. Consonant-rich.

85. Hard work: TRAVAIL.

86. Sailing competition: REGATTA.

87. Braying beast: ASS.

89. Expiate, with "for": ATONE.

90. Rank of Brit. TV sleuth Morse: DCI. OK, Detective Chief Inspector. 

93. Indiana Jones' hat: FEDORA.

94. Filled with rage: IREFUL.

95. Ready to play again: RESTED.

97. Goosebump-inducing: SPOOKY.

98. Employs so that one may: USES TO.

99. Connects logically: TIES IN.

100. Editing app on Google Play: E STORY. Unfamiliar to me.

102. Orbiter for 15 years: MIR.

106. Philosopher Descartes: RENE.

107. Rather: OH SO.

109. Wordsworth works: ODES.

112. Musical success: HIT.

113. Small ammo: BBS.

114. Tedious situation: RUT.

C.C.

Sunday April 14, 2019 Jeffrey Wechsler

Theme: "I Candy"- A is replaced by AI in each theme entry, and short A sound becomes long A sound.

23A. Ryder Cup two-man team?: PAIR FOR THE COURSE. Par for the course.

34A. Locally organized event with rides and games?: FAIR FROM HOME. Far from home.

 

66A. Signpost signaling farmland?: PLAINS AHEAD. Plans ahead.

93A. Source of Capitol Hill water?: CONGRESS MAIN. Congressman.

112A. Overworked employee at a desert diner?: HOT RUNNING WAITER. Hot running water.

 

16D. Periodical for some Downton Abbey employees?: MAID MAGAZINE. Mad magazine.

59D. Only bucket you'll ever need?: LIFELONG PAIL. Lifelong pal.

D-Otto caught the extra short A to long A sound change. He said "Pair" sounds like "Payer". But to me and Agnes, "Pair" just sounds like "Pare".

The great Jeffrey confirmed D-Otto's observations. It is common practice for clues and titles of puzzles to be edited. Because Jeffrey thought the given title might not have touched on the full extent of his theme (suggesting only the addition of an "I"), he offered the comment placed at the end of the review.


Jeffrey is an expert in letter addition/removal/substitution themes. There's always something extra in his theme, extra layer. Or long strings of letter gimmick others would not even imagine.

The grid design is also very Jeffrey. Stacks of 8's and 7's on tops rather than our standard 4's and 5's.

Across:

1. Stationery item with printed margin lines: LEGAL PAD.

9. Arrive with a flourish: SWEEP IN.

16. Artistic dynasty: MING. Vases! Tang Dynasty is more artistic. Golden age in Chinese civilization. Greatest period of poetry, painting, woodblock printing, etc.  Its capital was in Xi'an.

20. Haydn's "The Creation," for one: ORATORIO.

21. Casual beer order: TALL ONE.

22. Suzette's gal pal: AMIE.

25. Othello deceiver: IAGO.

26. MLB info: STATS.

27. Virus' protein shell: CAPSID. Learning moment for me. Looks like teeth.

28. Moved with effort: TRUDGED.

30. Bunk array: COTS.

31. Cinque e uno: SEI.

33. Gooey treat: S'MORE.

41. Photogenic expanse: VISTA.

44. Copied, old-style: DITTOED.

45. Wilder's "__ Town": OUR.

46. Occultist symbol: PENTAGRAM. Five-pointed star.

50. Lazy ones: IDLERS. And 51. Little ones: TOTS.

52. Look too closely?: OGLE.

53. Rhyme scheme in Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening": AABA.

54. Boop frame: CEL.

55. Blunt, as reality: STARK. Not HARSH.

57. Zagreb native: CROAT.

58. Biblical mount: ZION.

59. Cad: LOUSE.

60. Pass: ENACT.

62. Don of talk radio: IMUS.

63. Choir group: ALTI.

70. Evening, in ads: NITE.

71. Kale unit: LEAF.

72. Memorial __ Kettering: NYC hospital: SLOAN.

73. Less than right?: ACUTE. Nailed it.

75. Unthreatening: TAME.

76. Sewing cases: ETUIS.

78. Brush brand: ORAL-B.

79. Rock bass supplier?: AMP.

82. "The __ that men do lives after them": Antony: EVIL.

83. Wang of fashion: VERA. Wang means "king" in Chinese. #1 surname in China. Simple to write. See?

84. Some beer orders, initially: PBRS.

86. Immature insects: LARVAE.

88. Moved: RELOCATED.

90. Okinawa okay: HAI. Same in Cantonese.

91. "Just watch me!": HERE I GO. Sparkly fill.

92. More clement: NICER.

95. Europe's longest river: VOLGA.

98. Vulcano of "Impractical Jokers": SAL. No idea. But I like the new clue angle.

100. Stare open-mouthed: GAWP.

101. Frozen treats: ICE POPS.

104. City near Mount Rainier: YAKIMA.

106. Exemplar of corporate malfeasance: ENRON.

111. Medical lab liquids: SERA.

116. Wells people: ELOI. "The Time Machine".

117. Words of desperation, perhaps: I NEED IT.

118. Metaphorical scrutiny, in modern lingo: DEEP DIVE. Thorough analysis.

119. Nursery staple: SOIL. Still lots of snow in our yard.

120. Charge for using: LEASE TO.

121. Took stock of: ASSESSED.

Down:

1. Cut: LOP.

2. Times to remember: ERAS.

3. Track pace: GAIT.

4. Big name in razors: ATRA.

5. Hit in the 7-Down: LOFT. 7. See 5-Down: AIR.

6. They know the ropes: PROS.

8. Many a late '90s startup: DOTCOM.

9. Leaves the office for a bit: STEPS OUT. VA Radiation Department has a "No Smoking in This Area" sign outside the entrance. Alas, you could still find someone smoking there before or after their session.

10. WWII females: WACS.

11. Plaza Hotel imp: ELOISE.

12. Get away from: ELUDE.

13. __ favor: POR.

14. Part of MIT: Abbr.: INST.

15. At no time, poetically: NEER.

17. Mature insect: IMAGO.

18. Neighbor of Chad: NIGER.

19. Crystal-bearing rock: GEODE.

24. One holding a derby?: HAT HOOK. Great clue/fill.

29. Open org.: USTA.

30. Fish-and-chips fish: COD. Boomer now eats fish every Friday and goes to church every Sunday. He's a good Catholic now, after lapsing for many many years.

32. "No need to shout": I'VE GOT EARS. Not a phrase I use. I'll answer this to Boomer next time.

34. Banking org. since 1933: FDIC.

35. One might run an errand: AIDE.

36. "__ take a while": IT'LL.

37. GPS datum: RTE.

38. "Too little payment __ great a debt": Shak.: FOR SO.

39. Relax between games: REST UP.

40. Union title?: MRS.

42. Visiting the Griffith Observatory, say: IN LA.

43. Editor's mark: STET.

46. Place for a rocker: PORCH.

47. Spider-Man films director: RAIMI (Sam). I thought he was married to Kate Winslet before. Nope. It's Sam Mendes, who directed the "Skyfall" and "Spectre".

48. In the area of: ABOUT.

49. Cleric's residence: MANSE.

51. They work on books: TREASURERS.

56. How to talk to the hand?: Abbr.: ASL.

57. "The Godfather" actor: CAAN (James). Hotheaded Sonny Corleone

60. Genesis grandson: ENOS.

61. Clandestine org.: NSA.

63. Transmogrify, e.g.: ALTER.

64. Get going: LEAVE.

65. Sri Lankan people: TAMIL.

67. Homeric epic: ILIAD.

68. 2010 health law: Abbr.: ACA.

69. Airport serving Washington: DULLES.

74. Ski resort helpers: T BARS.

76. Pre-hurricane emergency op: EVAC.

77. Footballer's tool, in France: TETE.

78. Literally, "folding paper": ORIGAMI.

79. Sports shoe brand: AVIA.

80. Star trek figures?: MAGI. Lovely clue.

81. Low-level laborer: PEON.

84. Saigon soup: PHO. They were inspired by Cantonese rice noodles. No basil latter though. We tend to sprinkle sliced green onion or cilantro on top of noodles.

Vietnamese Pho

Cantonese Beef Noodle

85. Ram: BANG INTO.

87. Sleep stage: REM.

89. "See you later!": CIAO.

91. Old-school "cool": HEP.

93. Artist Monet: CLAUDE.

94. Its capital is Kigali: RWANDA. Thankfully KIGALI is not the answer.

95. Carpentry shop gadgets: VISES.

96. Kitchen sponge brand: OCELO.

97. The king of France?: LE ROI.

99. Old-time actor Lew: AYRES.

102. February forecaster from Punxsutawney: PHIL.

103. Sound measure: SONE.

105. Make woolens, say: KNIT. And 106. They're woolly: EWES.

107. Travel pillow spot: NAPE.

108. Clears (of): RIDS.

109. Redding of blues: OTIS.

110. "Party of Five" actress Campbell: NEVE.

113. In-flight drink option: TEA.

114. Some appliances: GES.

115. Like most of Denmark's flag: RED.

C.C.

Note from Jeffrey:

"I’ve become particularly alert to this type of situation ever since Jeff Chen reviewed a NYT puzzle by me and thought the theme gimmick was rather weak. Upon learning that the theme was a bit more complex than he originally thought (it also involved the consistent pairing of one letter with another added letter), he edited his comments to be much more positive about the theme. My Sunday puzzle’s gimmick is comparable to that of the NYT puzzle, so it is susceptible to precisely the same partial interpretation. Of course, this may seem like (and probably is, to most people) a rather small matter. But we crossword constructors are an unusual bunch, and such niceties are part and parcel of our attempts at creativity" 

Jeffrey and Mike Alpern, ACPT, 3/23/2019

Thursday, January 15 2019 Jeffrey Wechsler

Theme: Axed - The five theme entries all relate to our tree-felling brethren:

17A. Lumberjack's favorite pirate phrase?: SHIVER ME TIMBERS. Walking the plank springs to mind here too.

22A. Lumberjack's main interest in naval records?: CAPTAIN'S LOG. Did you know that the Enterprise had two captains in the first season of Star Trek - Captain James T. Kirk and Captain Slog? He made the opening announcement in every episode "Captain Slog, Stardate 22117.1 ....."

36A. Lumberjack's way to punch an opponent?: RIGHT IN THE CHOPS.

45A. Lumberjack's preferred ABC News reporter?: DIANE SAWYER

55A. Lumberjack's reaction to an overly hard crossword?: I'M REALLY STUMPED. Happily, I didn't echo the lumberjack today.

Smooth theme today and with a lot of theme squares in the grid. Often that density can lead to a somewhat scrappy fill, but Jeffrey managed to stay away from the clunky stuff for the most part.

Let's take a mosey through the rest:

Across:

1. Fear of spiders, usually: PHOBIA. Arachno. Me. Those little buggers bother me.

7. Google Earth predecessors: ATLASES

14. Aesthetic feature?: SILENT A. This didn't really work for me, I sound the "A", more like "ace-thetic". I'm not sure if that's a British English thing or just me mispronouncing.

16. Hillary supporters: SHERPAS. Sir Edmund Hillary, who jointly made the first ascent to the summit of Everest back in 1953 with Sherpa Tenzing.

19. Theater award: TONY. The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre. Note the spelling of the last word! I go to the movie theater, but to the theatre to see a stage show.

20. Actor Holm: IAN. A good excuse to play the theme from "Chariots of Fire", Ian Holm took the role of athletics coach Sam Mussabini in the movie.

21. Slender Olive: OYL

27. Eero Saarinen's father: ELIEL. Crosses all the way! He was an architect too, I discover.

30. Many Sinatra recordings: LPS

31. Pipe shape: ELL

32. Quick cuts: TRIMS

33. Gig gear: AMPS

35. "__ pinch of ... ": recipe words: ADD A

39. Reverberate: ECHO

40. Baltic capital: RIGA

41. Store __: HOURS

42. Small matter: NIT. Very few in the crossword today.

43. Toon crime-fighter __ Possible: KIM. I didn't know this, but it was a fun guess that made me grin.

44. Check phrase: PAY TO

49. Civil War soldier: REB

50. __ of the woods: mushroom type: HEN. Such an odd name. Funniest-looking hen I've ever seen:

51. Athlete who wrote a history of African-American athletes: ASHE. Tennis legend Arthur.

60. Track foundation: ROAD BED. Usually ballast. They call it a track bed in the UK because, well, it's the bed for the track. Odd folk, those Brits.

61. French's product: MUSTARD. Where would we be without French's mustard on a hot dog? I do use Coleman's English Mustard for dipping asian foods like dim sum though - it's got a nice fiery quality to it.

62. Bottomless pits: ABYSSES

63. Ignore: PASS BY

Down:

1. Sideways whisper: PSST!

2. Crackers once sold in a red box: HI-HO. I tried HO-HO for absolutely no good reason and was happy until SOLENTA looked odd.

3. Actress Lena: OLIN. She crops up in the crosswords quite frequently. Swedish actress. She probably makes the "Shortz List" of a celebrity who appears more often in the crossword than in the regular paper. ERLE Stanley Gardner leads the list.

4. Quail group: BEVY

5. Having four sharps: IN E

6. Pertaining to a heart chamber: ATRIAL

7. PEI setting: AST. Prince Edward Island up there on Atlantic Standard Time.

8. Meteorologist's scale: Abbr.: THI. This one I had to look up once I'd solved the puzzle. Temperature-Humidity Index. Seems a tad obscure.

9. Veal piccata chef's needs: LEMONS. I wanted CAPERS so badly that it took me ages to see this one.

10. Contrary to popular belief, its name is not derived from its trademark sandwich: ARBY'S. The popular belief is that "RB's" is from "Roast Beef". It actually comes from Leroy and Forrest Raffel, the founders - the Raffel Brothers.

11. Described in detail: SPELLED OUT

12. "For all in vain comes counsel to his __": Shak.: EAR. The Duke of York, advising John of Gaunt to keep his breath for staying alive, rather than giving advice which will be dutifully ignored by Richard II,

13. Old draft org.: SSS. Selective Service System. The website is still up and running though, seems odd.

15. Jane Hamilton's "__ of the World": A MAP

18. Med. specialist: E.N.T.

22. "__ la vie!": C'EST

23. A, as in Athens: ALPHA

24. __ dixit: unproven claim: IPSE

25. One who knows the ropes: OLD PRO

26. Tumbler, e.g.: GLASS

27. 13th-century Norwegian king: ERIC II

28. Sensor that detects objects using closely spaced beams: LIGHT ARRAY. This was tough to parse - I had RAY in place and tried to find some kind of ray to fit.

29. Texter's modest intro: IMHO

32. How things are going: TREND

33. Jungian concept: ANIMA

34. Corp. get-together: MTG.

35. Mate's greeting: AHOY! Lots of nautical timber-shivering and hailing going on today.

37. Bearded flower: IRIS

38. Burn a bit: CHAR

43. Food on sticks: KEBABS. Food! Also kabobs, kebobs and any variation between. The Kebab Machine was a chain of fast-food places in London (a couple still exist) which were open late at night to catch the pub crowd turning out after 11PM closing. The doner kebab in a pita bread with shredded cabbage and hot sauce was a favorite. I woke up with one stuck to my face once, but that's a story for another day.

44. Repressed: PENT UP

46. Cries out for: NEEDS

47. "Please explain": WHY? Parental reply: "Because."

48. Cowpoke's polite assent: YES'M

51. Tsp. and oz.: AMTS

52. Places to unwind: SPAS

53. Cilantro, e.g.: HERB

54. Watery swirl: EDDY

55. Nest egg acronym: IRA. Three musicians in close proximity: Herb Alpert, Nelson Eddy and Ira Gershwin.

56. __ rule: MOB

57. Novelist Harper: LEE

58. Mormon initials: LDS. Latter Day Saints.

59. Mex. neighbor: U.S.A.

Picket line duty for me again this morning.

Here's the grid:

Steve

Friday, January 11, 2019, Jeffrey Wechsler

Title: Y?

Jeffrey gives us a substitution puzzle, where LE is replaced by Y. Which seems like a random concept, until you see the wit that inspired the choice. Each of the fill is a very funny play on words. Once again he uses the expedient of adding a column to create a 15 x 16 grid. The seed entry is likely one of the grid-spanning fill; my guess is  NEEDY IN A HAYSTACK, but that is just a guess. 66 theme squares are a challenge and limit some of the fill, but we still get  ASKED OF, THEATRE, AQUARIAN, COAT TREE, TICKETED and TRAINS IN.

18A. Indigent ones hiding among bales?: NEEDY IN A HAYSTACK (16). You are more likely to have an indigent person hide in your haystack than a needle anyway.

29A. Holders of poor-taste gifts?: TACKY BOXES (10). For all the fisher people a tackle box is needed. I think a bad gift can come in a nice box. 

35A. Result of smashing a piñata during a hurricane?: CANDY IN THE WIND (14). A very amusing image of candy flying everywhere with Elton JOHN in the background.

44A. Script for an absurdist play?: BATTY LINES (10). Battle lines are drawn but hopefully not quartered.

59A. Concept for creating difficult crossword puzzles?: TRICKY DOWN THEORY (16).  Trickle Down Theory of economics is a political hot topic. So no COMMENT.

Across:

1. Old gas station freebie: MAP. It has been a long time since free maps were given out. In fact, there are MANY things no longer at gas stations.

4. One holding all the cards?: WALLET. A wonderfully deceptive clue.

10. "__ run!": GOTTA.

15. Texter's cautioning letters: IMO. In My Opinion.

16. Take to the skies: AVIATE. We had this clued last August by Paul Coulter, as Do the Wright thing?

17. "The Phantom of the Opera" setting: PARIS. The Paris Opera (French: Opéra de Paris; French) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the Académie d'Opéra.

21. Like much ordinary history: UNTOLD. Who cares what people ate for lunch on October 10, 1975.

22. Japanese volcano: ASO. Nice to see a fill other than LOA or KEA. Aso volcano has produced more explosive eruptions than any other volcano in the world. Aso is a caldera about 12 miles (20 km) in diameter. The first documented eruption in Japan was at Naka-dake in 553.

23. Long walk: HIKE. To get to the top of the volcano, I guess. Ask JOE.

24. Author Jong: ERICA.

25. Ascended: GONE UP.

28. Stark in "Game of Thrones": NED. Birth name Eddard played brilliantly by Sean Bean, I liked him also in the Frankenstein Chronicles.



31. Must: HAS TO.

33. Presidential nickname: ABE.

34. Type of pitcher: RELIEF. Not to drink from but for baseball.

41. Food industry headgear: TOQUES. We have seen many clues for this chef's hat.

42. Barrel contents: OIL. Sometimes.

43. __ cuisine: HAUTE. From the French for high dinging. For years the French chefs (many of whom wore toques) were considered the world's best and their culinary schools as well. Not so much anymore.

51. PHL stat: ETA. Estimated Time of Arrival. Crossword glue.

52. Calls: PHONES. Verb, not noun.

54. Lavender asset: AROMA. Do you like the SMELL?

55. Gillette brand: ATRA.

57. Like Dorothy Parker's humor: WRY. The original use for the adjective wry was to describe something that was bent or twisted, so a sprained ankle could be described as "a wry ankle." Wry humor and wry wit both describe a sense of humor that is a little twisted from the norm. JW?

58. Pollen site: STAMEN.

63. Gaucho's tool: REATA.

64. Gift to an audience: ENCORE. An odd concept when the crowd is demanding it.

65. "Road to __": Hope/Crosby film: RIO.

66. Wee, jocularly: EENSY. The eensy weensy spider went up the water spout. Down came the rain and washed the spider out. Out came the sun and dried up all the rain. Then the eensy weensy spider went up the spout again.

67. Ancient eponymous advisor: NESTOR. Eponymous because the word has become, like kleenex a generic term for a wise man. He was a Greek leader who appeared in the Iliad, now noted for his wisdom and his talkativeness, both of which increased as he aged. These days, a nestor is not necessarily long-winded, but merely wise and generous with his advice.

68. Ernie with irons: ELS. Golf.

Down:

1. Stately dance: MINUET.

2. Ancient Egyptian deity: AMEN-RA. He was a god in whom Amen and Ra were combined: the god of the universe and the supreme Egyptian god during the period of Theban political supremacy.

3. How one might wax, but not wane: POETIC. 32D. 3-Down pugilist: ALI.
There live a great man named Joe
who was belittled by a loudmouth foe.
While his rival would taunt and tease
Joe silently bore the stings.
And then fought like gladiator in the ring.

4. Ambush: WAYLAY.

5. Passionate: AVID. Like Gary and his golf, or Picard his picture taking.

6. Architect Maya __: LIN. American architect and sculptor concerned with environmental themes who is best known for her design of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., designed when she was only 21 and at Yale. The daughter of intellectuals who had fled China in 1948,

7. 2002 W.S. champs, nowadays: LAA. Los Angeles Angels.

8. Hydrocarbon gas: ETHANE.

9. Kids: TEASES.

10. Traveler's aid, briefly: GPS. Global Positioning System.

11. Censor's target: OATH. Bad words, not hand on the bible. Swearing not swearing.

12. Prepares for, as a profession: TRAINS IN. I miss the old days with apprentices.

13. Cited on the road: TICKETED. Always a bad feeling getting stopped.

14. Required from: ASKED OF.

19. Harbor sight: DOCK.

20. The Gershwins' "Embraceable __": YOU. One of the most recorded songs of all time by so many different artists. I picked...

25. Arid Asian region: GOBI. In the desert,  you do not see many...

26. Pair in a field: OXEN. But you do hear ...

27. "Is it ever hot today!": PHEW.

30. Hudson and James: BAYS.

34. Count (on): RELY.

35. Foyer convenience: COAT TREE.

36. Winter birth, perhaps: AQUARIAN.

37. Commonly hexagonal hardware: NUT. A hexagonal nut is a type of metal fastener that has six sides. Most nuts are cut in a hexagonal shape since it seems to be the easiest shape to grasp.

38. Not superficial: DEEP.

39. Purse relative: TOTE.

40. Pop radio fodder: HITS.



41. London's Old Vic, for one: THEATRE. Established in 1818 as the Royal Coburg Theatre, and renamed in 1833 the Royal Victoria Theatre, in 1871 it was rebuilt and reopened as the Royal Victoria Palace. It was taken over by Emma Cons in 1880 and formally named the Royal Victoria Hall, although by that time it was already known as the "Old Vic". wiki.

44. Corporate source of the Elmer's Glue logo: BORDEN.  It has been 80 years since 1939 when Borden introduces the iconic bull, Elmer, as the husband of their spokes cow, Elsie. The pair spends their first few years of marriage appearing in print ads espousing the many virtues of Borden dairy products.

45. Random individual: ANYONE.

46. Agitation metaphor: LATHER. Working up a...

47. Wrath, in a hymn: IRAE. Dies Irae.

48. "When!": NO MORE. From the concept of, "say when" to stop.

49. "Bam!" chef: EMERIL. I do not see Mr. Lagasse much these days.

50. Some HDTVs: SANYOS. On December 21, 2009, Panasonic completed a 400 billion yen ($4.5 billion) acquisition of a 50.2% stake in Sanyo, making Sanyo a subsidiary of Panasonic. Then, in 2011, Sanyo became a wholly owned subsidiary of Panasonic.

53. 1-Acr. marking: HWY. On the free map, you no longer get.

56. Book after John: ACTS. I do not have the books of the New Testament memorized but the King James version lists these in ORDER.

58. Minute Maid Park player, to fans: STRO. A Houston Astro.

60. Jewelry giant: KAY. They are owned by the British Company Signet Jewelers Kay Jewelers, Jared The Galleria of Jewelry and Zales.

61. Lavs: WCS. Water Closets. The famous Jack Paar joke that caused him to walk off his show. The STORY.

62. "Just kidding!": NOT. I really loved when this was popular. Not!

It is time to say goodbye after another wonderful Wechsler window into the wild world of words. It was nice to have JW back on Friday. Look forward to all of your comments and coming back next week. Lemonade out.

Saturday, January 5, 2019, Jeffrey Wechsler

A Themeless Saturday Puzzle by Jeffrey Wechsler

Today marks a very tasty holiday - National Whipped Cream Day that honors the 1914 birthdate of the man who invented the process of putting whipped cream in a spray can - Aaron "Bunny" Lapin (Lapin is french for rabbit). He named his product Reddi-wip and became fabulously wealthy by selling it and the valves necessary to make it work.

The most famous record album cover featuring whipped cream is at the bottom of this blog *

Seeing Jeffrey Wechsler and Saturday in the same sentence can put a crimp in your colon! I fared very well on this one as AUTODIDACT was my only real unknown. Others were unknown because Jeffrey really put the clue wrench on a few common fills. C.C.'s interview with Jeffrey

Below, our C.C. is the rose amid all the thorns that include Jeffrey second from the left.

Well, let's see what Jeffery has, uh, whipped up for us today (Hey, you had to see that coming!)

Across:

1. "Everything is ruined!": WHAT A MESS - This 11-second video is a salute to today's celebration and this clue!

10. Felipe's assent: SI SI  and 48. Panamanian pronoun: ESO.- "¡SI, SI, ESO es una gran pista!" (Yes, yes that is a great clue!)

14. Teacher and student in one: AUTODIDACT - From Greek AUTOS (self) and DIDASKEIN (learning). Bill Gates is the self-taught AUTODIDACT that leapt to my mind

16. On __ streak: A HOT  "C'mon ג‬ (Gimel)!"

17. Gray day feature: CLOUD COVER - Horrible this time of year, wonderful in August

18. Buds: PALS.

19. Red-and-white hat wearer: SANTA

20. Units: ONES.

22. Weed-gathering org.: DEA -  Drug Enforcement Agency. Since weed (do I need to say marijuana?) is legal in Colorado but not in Nebraska, there have been issues on the border

23. "Put your wallets away": MY TREAT - We've all had friends who seem incapable of uttering these words.

26. Rich beverage: NOG - Egg NOG is a hate/love beverage for most

27. They need receivers: PASSERS - Unfortunately PASSER Ben Roethlisberger's receiver had a microphone 

30. A parade may require one: DETOUR - A PSA for those of you in Hesperia, CA

32. Well-judged: SANE.

33. Word before stand or hold: WITH.

35. Snow __: WHITE.

36. Mounted, in a way: HUNG - These falling fractal lamps must have been HUNG very well because they do not hit the floor

37. Word from the Arabic for "friend": SAHIB.

39. Unemployed: IDLE.

40. Homophone for a word of permission: ALOUD - Library policy - "Talking ALOUD is not ALLOWED!"

42. Deceive on the ice: DEKE - Now that's a DEKE (decoy/feint)!!!

43. "Being so great, I have no __ to beg": "King Richard II": NEED - If Muhammad Ali had lived in Stratford on Avon...

44. Cattle drive figures: RIDERS - Famous cattle drive RIDERS of song

46. Timon of "The Lion King," e.g.: MEERKAT Timor and the show's meme

49. Back: ENDORSE.

51. USN bigwig: ADM - Husband Kimmel was demoted from Full ADM to Rear ADM and relieved of his Pacific Fleet command after Pearl Harbor. 

52. Bad lot: DOOM - Some people feel DOOMED because that is just their lot in life

53. Unskilled workers: PEONS - I hired 100's of "PEON" corn detasselers for 23 summers 

58. Hippie era activity: BE IN - One attended by 20,000 people

60. Site for old wheels: USED CAR LOT - Or a club for retired CEO's

63. Strike zone, at times: LANE - I'm sure Boomer has seen 3. Very much: A TON of these

64. Where love doesn't conquer anything: TENNIS GAME - Love is tennis scoring for zero and might come from l'œuf which is french for "the egg" which resembles a zero

65. Remove an apostrophe from, say: EDIT - My oak tree loses it's leaves late. Hmmm...

66. It may be the best thing to do when you're stuck: START OVER.

Down:

1. Their 1943 manual said, "Be Ready To Take Over": WACS - and the Woman's Army Corp did where they could 

2. Entertainment with swaying: HULA.

4. Praise extravagantly: TOUT - Do you buy something because some celebrity du jour is TOUTING it?

5. Cartoonist with an Edgar Award: ADDAMS - Some of his cartoon characters were used in TV's The Addams Family

6. Podium fixture: MIC - Testing, 1, 2, 3 testing

7. Tokyo, long ago: EDO - How EDO became Tokyo

8. Drinks it all in: SAVORS THE MOMENT and 9. View: SCENE - You would certainly SAVOR THE MOMENT with this view of the Champs de Mar from the top of the Eiffel Tower

11. "You could've fooled me": I HAD NO IDEA, I was just a 10. Patsy: SAP.

12. Exclusive source: SOLE OUTLET.

13. Words of concord: IT'S AGREED.

15. Step: TREAD  - or under the TREAD

21. Hearty fare: STEW.

24. Ornamental shrubs: YEWS - They frame the front of our house 

25. Common chord: TRIAD - Here are three TRIAD chords

27. '60s music conspiracy theory: PAUL IS DEAD - Of course McCartney is dead. If you play the song Revolution backwards you hear "Turn Me On Dead Man"

28. Dating clarification: ANNO DOMINI - Gregorian calendar today is Jan. 5, 2019 A.D. while the Islamic calendar it is Rabiʻ II 22, 1440

29. Smooth shift: SEGUE 

31. IBM's __ exhibit: THINK - I don't, uh, THINK I can make it

32. Like some big entrées: SHAREABLE - You might want two straws for this 10 lb. Souvlaki 47. Meal: REPAST.!

34. Backpack carrier: HIKER

38. Drones, e.g.: BEES - Drone BEES are males that have no stinger, do no work and only job is to mate with an unfertilized queen. Yeah, I can see several cheap jokes in there!

41. 1856 Stowe novel: DRED - Harriet's follow up on Uncle Tom's Cabin

45. Muzzle: SNOUT - A substantial MUZZLE on a substantial dog's MUZZLE

50. Specifications on vials: DOSES.

54. Cartesian connection: ERGO - Here it makes two connections 

55. Name of five Norwegian monarchs: OLAV.

56. Northwestern U.S. city: NOME - The high in Nome today is forecast to be -7˚F with a low of -1˚F. You might want to bring a sweater.

57. Analog of -ist: STER - Can a MOBSTER also be called a MOBIST?

59. 64-Across need: NET - Sometimes it gets in the way

61. 23andMe test subject: DNA.

62. Frequently complex traffic pattern: Abbr.: CIR - Round and round she goes...

*Here's that famous Whipped Cream LP cover!