Friday, July 26, 2024, Katherine Baicker, Laura Dershewitz

Good morning, Cruciverbalists, Malodorous Manatee here with today's recap.  It is morning here but, fortunately, it's 5 o'clock somewhere because today's puzzle by Katherine Baicker and Laura Dershewitz requires a bit of experience with the language and customs of drinking whisky (or whiskey if you prefer potables other than Scotch).  It may have been appropriate to publish this puzzle tomorrow as July 27th is National Scotch Day!

Let's start with the reveal:

61 Across:  "Straight up, please," to match 17-, 25-, 37-, and 51-Across?:  MAKE IT NEAT.  In drinker's jargon, "NEAT" (or straight up) means with no ice.   At four places within the grid our co-constructors have removed the ICE in order to form creative and amusing answers to the clues.

Let's see how this "gimmick" is applied:

17 Across:  Orientation for new senators?: POL ACADEMY.  A learning place for politicians (POLs).  Before the removal:  POLICE ACADEMY

25 Across:  "Margaret won't be in the comedy showcase!"?: YOU HAVE NO CHO.  Comedienne Margaret Cho has scratched from the showcase.  Before the removal: YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

37 Across:  Exclamation when a product lives up to the hype?: THE PR IS RIGHT.  The public relations blitz was not just a lot of hot air.  Before the removal:  THE PRICE IS RIGHT

51 Across:  Tables and chairs that wobble?: OFF FURNITURE.  There is something wrong with the  furniture.  It's a bit OFF.  Before the removal: OFFICE  FURNITURE

Here is what the completed grid looks like:

Here are the rest of the clues/answers:

Across:

1. Light melody: LILT.

5. Singer Del Rey: LANA.  A frequent visitor these days and, yet, someone about whom this solver remain totally ignorant.  However, while walking around Venice,CA with Valerie I did see these posters:

9. Photographer Adams: ANSEL.  Nice shot.

14. Nice companion: AMIE.  Nice as in not mean?  No.  As in the French city.

15. Sister of Castor and Pollux: HELEN.

16. Raises or rises: REARS.  Here, Trigger REARS (rises).  I wonder if Trigger raised his children to do the same.

19. Possessed: OWNED.  Not a demonic reference.

20. "Way cool!": SO DOPE.  Slang.  Why does BITCHEN or GROOVY, or even PHAT, seem okay but not this?  Wait, don't answer that, please.    In an homage to the Seven Dwarfs, DOPEy is now followed by "What's Up, Doc".

21. "Wabbit" hunter: FUDD.  Elmer was too long.

22. AQI monitor: EPA.  Air Quality Index in the clue.

29. New England state: VERMONT.

31. Conclude: END.

32. __ Lingus: AER.  The Irish airline.

33. Theme park serviced by the Disney World monorail: EPCOT.  EPCOT opened on October 01, 1982.

34. Took to court: SUED.  I SUED the airlines for losing my luggage.  I lost my case.

36. IRS IDs: SSNS.  We are often asked to supply this even though we're told to never share it.

41. Pupil's place: IRIS.  Not a schoolhouse reference.  An eyeball reference.

43. Wee bit: IOTA.  A constructor's friend.

44. Needed a sick day: AILED.

47. Boxing Day mo.: DEC.

48. Part of a pod cast?: PEA.  Not a tech reference.  PEAs in a pod.

49. Q-Tip and Ice-T: RAPPERS.  Not the swab and the beverage.  Does Elmer listen to wappers?

55. Circular __: SAW.

56. Scull pair: OARS.  Before a surgery the anesthesiologist asked the patient if she'd like to be knocked out with gas or be hit over the head with a canoe paddle.  It was an ether/oar situation.

57. Reptiles in the logos of some dojos: COBRAS.

59. Muddle: MIXUP.

65. Shampoo brand since 1947: PRELL.

Pam Dawber - 1973

66. Correct spelling, say: EMEND.

67. Beltmaking tools: AWLS.  Not as in the old saying "ALLS well that ends well, I suppose."

68. Source of waste: HASTE.  As in the old saying "HASTE makes waste."

69. Movie night rooms: DENS.  Often clued with an ursine reference.

70. Nerd (out): GEEK.  Used as a verb in the clue although I am not sure why as the noun forms of each would have worked out the same.

Down:

1. Cozy cat seat: LAP.

LAPtop Cats

2. "Sez me": IMO.  In My Opinion

3. Smaller than sm.: LIL.  This one was a bit of a stretch.  Thanks, perps.

4. Bitter brews: TEAS.  Hand up for trying to make ALES work out. . . and it did at 63 Down.

5. Showed the door: LED  OUT.  Don't let it hit you.

6. First Hebrew letter: ALEPH.

7. Mythical lion's home: NEMEA.  The NEMEA lion was a legendary creature in Greek mythology that ravaged the area of Nemea. Its fur was impenetrable by the weapons of humans and hence, was unstoppable. It was considered to be the child of Typhon and Echidna, father and mother of all monsters.

8. "__ minute now ... ": ANY.

9. Word with poke or push: AROUND.

10. Fresh cut: NEW DO.  A hair style reference.

11. Beach homes?: SAND CASTLES.  With a tip of the hat to Jimi Hendrix.

12. Afore: ERE.

13. Acid initials: LSD.  Did you hear about the guy who got LSD and LDS mixed up?  Instead of going on a trip he went on a mission,.

15. Wore: HAD ON.  

18. University of South Dakota athlete: COYOTE.  Something of a universal mascot in SoCAl these days.

 

21. Italian luxury brand: FENDI.  PRADA and GUCCI would also have fit the allotted space.

22. Morn's opposite: EVE.  Morning / EVEning

23. Pizzazz: PEP.

24. Permafrost predators: ARCTIC FOXES.

26. Turn sharply: VEER.

27. __ of the woods mushroom: HEN.  Thanks, perps.

28. Alternatives: ORS.

30. Hardness scale name: MOHS.

34. Prepare for takeoff, maybe: SIT.  Huh?  Okay, no one stands for takeoff but this one is a huge stretch.

35. Katie Ledecky's team: Abbr.: USA.  An American Olympic swim team member.

36. Pickup alternative: SHIP.  A choice familiar to those who use, for example, Target or Walmart's websites.

38. Docking stations?: PIERS.  Not a tech reference.  A ship reference.  Nice placement.

39. Reddish horse: ROAN.

40. Watch in wonder: GAPE AT.

41. "Who wants cake?" response: I DO.  More often clued with a matrimonial reference.

42. Slo-mo reviewer: REF.  REFeree

45. Time worth studying: ERA.  What era is a musician in when she has not money.  The Baroque ERA.

46. Bargain footwear chain: DSW.

48. Red and blue: PURPLE.  Not the colors alone.  The colors together.

49. Flemish painter Peter Paul __: RUBENS.

50. Extra Extra Dry brand: ARRID.  A deodorant reference.

52. Server error?: FAULT.  A tennis reference.

53. Beginning of a famous boast: I CAME.  If Caesar spoke English.

54. Part of NFT: TOKEN.  Non Fungible TOKENs Explained

58. Unexpected hitch: SNAG.

59. Speed letters: MPH.  Miles Per Hour

60. Rollover subj.: IRA.  Individual Retirement Account

61. Larger than sm.: MED.  Small . MEDium / Large  The last of ten abbrevaitions (your criteria may vary) to be found in today's puzzle.

62. Fleece source: EWE.

63. Bitter brew: ALE.  The local bar ran out of ALE.  It was a bitter disappointment.

64. Judgy sound: TSK.  Often, we initially do not know if it'll be TSK or TUT.

Well, it's time now for yours truly to go grab a glass of ju and maybe eat a sl of cold pizza.  Have an n day, everyone.  Slainté !

_______________________________________________

Monday October 2, 2023 Katherine Baicker and Laura Dershewitz

  

Hello Cornerites!

Theme:            Fire Drill

sumdaze here. I cannot believe we are already in October! We are entering the time of year when a cozy chair, an afghan, a good book, a cup of hot cocoa, and a pumpkin-flavored biscotti are all we need for a satisfying afternoon. Did I forget anything? Oh, yes, you might want a warming fire. To do that, you will need three things:  oxygen, heat, and fuel.  

This is the "fire triangle". The fourth element is a chemical reaction.
If you take any of these four things away, you will not have a fire or the fire will be extinguished.

Katherine Baicker and Laura Dershewitz have built a snug puzzle for us based on this fire triangle. If these constructors' names sound familiar, that is probably because you remember their Herding Cats puzzle from Friday, September 22, 2023 -- which was expertly blogged by the charming Chairman Moe.

Let's look at the three themed clues, followed by the reveal:

20 Across. Talks things out to resolve tension: CLEARS THE AIR.  Oxygen

28 Across. Slumbers soundly: SLEEPS LIKE A LOG.  Fuel

47 Across. Applies more pressure: TURNS UP THE HEAT.  Heat

54. Jack London short story set in harsh winter conditions, and what the ends of 20-, 28-, and 47-Across can be used for: TO BUILD A FIRE.

I had to rework the South a couple of times while I was trying to recall the title. TO light A FIRE?  bzzt. TO start A FIRE?  bzzt. The third time was a charm.  

This short story was first published in Century Magazine in 1908.
Read the full PDF here.
Or read the Cliffs Notes version here.

Let's pause for a bit of silliness before we move on to the other 74 clues:  

Tompall Glaser sings Put Another Log on the Fire (1974)

Across:
1. Symbol on the Texas state flag: STAR.  Do we have any vexillologists on The Corner?

5. Central point: GIST.  My brain searched for a more precise, mathematical answer. Sometimes perfect is the enemy of good enough.  

9. Sailboat poles: MASTS.

14. Muted, as colors: PALE.

15. Cuatro y cuatro: OCHO.  4 and 4 = 8

Yesterday's clue for OCHO was much more difficult.

16. To no __: without success: AVAIL.  As a noun, AVAIL means "an advantage toward attainment of a goal or purpose".

17. North Carolina university: ELON.  ELON University is a private school. It was founded in 1889.

18. Clothing part that might split: SEAM.  That seems likely.

19. As of late: NEWLY.

23. Miss Piggy's favorite pronoun: MOI.  

24. Spice amt.: TSP.  "Amount" is abbreviated, so is "teaspoon".  "Five" would not fit.

The (5) Spice Girls performed at the 2012 London Olympics Closing Ceremony.

25. Post for an MBA, maybe: CFO.  Master of Business Administration and Chief Financial Officer

33. Ecol. or geol.: SCI.  Ecology, Geology, and SCIence

34. Catch a glimpse of: SEE.

35. Digital camera insert, briefly: SD CARD.  and  26 Down. Word processing menu heading: FORMAT.  and  54 Down. Cassette: TAPE.

We're going old school technology today!

These 50 old school tech products changed industries, improved lives, set trends, connected people, and eventually got passed over for newer products.

36. "Good Lord!": OH GOD.

39. Food drive donation: CAN.  

Also ... you can drive around CANada and eat these delicious foods.

41. Familiar "Who's there?" reply: IT'S ME. "Familiar" in the clue refers to a dictionary's explanatory notes. It indicates that the words are suitable for informal contexts but would not normally be used in formal writing or speaking. In this case, the formal reply would be, "It is I," or, preferably, "It is <name>."

42. Arrived by air: FLEW IN.  The past tense in the clue required an answer in the past tense.

Brown Pelicans might seem like awkward birds but they are adept flyers.

I never tire of watching them glide along the breakers. They FLY IN like a squadron of F-18s in a

V formation and know exactly how the air moves over the waves.

44. Push-up bra feature: PAD.  Were you hoping for a pic? Will this one do?  

46. __ Diego Padres: SAN.  As of this writing, they are standing 3rd in the NL West with 19.5 games back.  How They Came to be Called the Padres

51. Paramount channel: CBS.  and  52. Paramount channel: TMC.

ESP...TV channel clues are not my strong point.

53. Web pioneer: AOL.

60. Green energy category: SOLAR.  CSO to unclefred!  

63. Tend the soup: STIR.  This is me. I make big pots of soups, stews, and beans.

64. Big celebrity: IDOL.

65. Learn to fit in: ADAPT.  

66. "__, Brute?": ET TU.  

67. Sizable bodies of water: SEAS.  We often hear about the "Seven SEAS", but according to National Geographic, there are about 50 SEAS on Earth.

68. Formally hands over: CEDES.  Russia CEDEd Alaska to the U.S. on October 18, 1867. This ended Russia's presence in North America and gave the U.S. access to the Pacific northern rim.

69. Amy of "The Wire": RYAN.  I have not seen this show.

Amy as Beadie Russel (lt.) and as herself.

70. Rabbit kin: HARE.  

HAREs are distinguished from rabbits by their larger size, longer ears, and longer hind legs.
Both have cute whiskers.

Down:
1. On __: how much freelance work is done: SPEC.  "On SPEC" means "without having a definite buyer or customer but with the hope or expectation of finding one when work is completed". This describes crossword puzzle construction, no?

2. Like many supermodels: TALL.  I asked Splynter for his expertise with this one. He sent me three pics and one is from me. Can you guess which are his?

4 TALL models

3. Sunburn soother: ALOE.  I need to repot my ALOE plant. It has grown so big that it tips over its current pot.

4. Change the title of: RENAME.  

5. Deals in dirt: GOSSIPS.  "Dirt" is slang for GOSSIP -- usually of a scandalous nature.  

6. Rapper who plays Fin on "Law & Order: SVU": ICE-T.

7. Toppled Iranian leader: SHAH.

8. Black Lives Matter co-founder Ayo __: TOMETI.

9. Nail treatment at a salon, informally: MANI-PEDI.  I looked up the trendy colors for this Fall (so you don't have to). One expert recommended deep browns, regal blues, and rusty orange polishes. Another recommended earth tones and all shades of greens from bamboo to dark olive.

10. State definitively: AVER.

11. Toothed tool: SAW.

12. Up to, briefly: 'TIL.  unTIL

13. Underhanded: SLY.

21. Fish eggs: ROE.

22. Inquires: ASKS.

25. Top-grade: CLASS A.

27. "Happiness is having a scratch for every itch" poet Nash: OGDEN.  

Paul the Cow* gets his itches scratched (36 sec.)

*"Cow" is a female bovine who has had a calf, but I looked past this egregious error because the video is pretty cute.

You can see Paul's happiness at having his itches scratched.

28. Disheveled clod: SCHLUB.  Def.:  (slang) a stupid, worthless, or unattractive person. >>> Ouch!

29. Crossbred big cats: LIGERS.  and  58 Down. Stadium sound: ROAR.

For the most part, big cats (lions, tigers, leopards, and jaguars) can ROAR but they cannot purr. Cougars and smaller cats (bobcats, ocelots, lynxes, and house cats) can purr, but they cannot roar. I asked Google if LIGERS can roar. It said, "The faintly striped, shaggy-maned creatures are the offspring of male lions and female tigers, which gives them the ability to both roar like lions and chuff like tigers -- a supposedly affectionate sound that falls somewhere between a purr and a raspberry."  

LIGERs average 1,000 lbs. (463.6 kg.).

30. Brief time, briefly: SEC. kinda fun clue

31. Cleared a hurdle: LEAPT.  and  45 Down. All-out sprint: DEAD RUN.

In this video Sydney McLaughlin gets a world record and a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in the 400m. hurdles.  Wow!  (NBC will let me link the video but not embed it.)

32. Take steps: ACT.

33. Component of cider but not cola?: SOFT C.  Meta clue. "Cider" begins with an /s/ (SOFT C) and "cola" begins with a /k/ "hard C".

37. Hold the deed to: OWN.

38. Twists, as data: DISTORTS.  When looking at a graph, always look to see if it starts at zero.

At first look, it appears the percent of Democrats 'who agree with court' is three times that of the other two parties.
Look closer. This graph does not start at zero!
The difference is between 62% and 54%. Not quite so shocking now, is it?

40. "Nope": NAH.  Both are slang for "no".

43. Pink Floyd's "Comfortably __": NUMB.  Here's the song.  It was released in 1979 on their 11th studio album, The Wall. David Gilmour's guitar solo is legendary.

48. Many a laptop owner: PC USER.  Hand up for this one.

49. Condo management gp.: HOA.  "Group" is abbreviated, so is "Home Owners Association".

Each is different, but basically, HOAs maintain building exteriors, landscape common areas, establish rules, and provide amenities, e.g., a swimming pool. The average HOA fee in the U.S. in 2021 was $286 a month. Hawaii came in with the most expensive at $762 a month. West Virginia was the least expensive state at $37 per month.

50. Mischievous: ELFISH.  Def.:  relating to or characteristic of an elf or elves; lively and slightly mischievous; impish.  

Will Ferrell was hilarious in Elf (2003). One gets the feeling that James Caan was thinking this crazy movie was going to ruin his career -- but now it is one of the top 10 Christmas movies of all time.

55. Teeny: ITTY.

56. "Close My Eyes Forever" singer Ford: LITA.  IMDb page

57. Brain wave: IDEA.

59. "Who __ knows?": ELSE.  I am wondering the same thing.

60. Cul-de-__: SAC.

61. Rhyming tribute: ODE.

62. Young fellow: LAD.  

We're burning daylight. I better get on with it and post the grid.

Two things before I go:

1. Thanks to Splynter for collaborating with me on 2 Down!!
2. I blogged a Rebecca Goldstein puzzle on March 13, 2023 with this same reveal. It is impressive how different constructors see new ways to use solid themes.

Thursday, January 26, 2023, Katherine Baicker & Ross Trudeau

 

Katherine Baicker has had 3 LAT outings and Ross Trudeau has had 10, plus 54 with the NYT, including a collaboration with his Dad, whom you may recognize.  I think this is the first time Katherine and Ross have teamed together for the LAT and for today's theme they present us with 4 iconic mascots on a

FAST TRACK
TO THE TOP

But let's begin at the bottom:

58A. Marketing strategies, and what the mascots in this puzzle have all been given?: SALES PROMOTIONS.

17A. Mascot who pursued the Hamburglar: DETECTIVE BIG MAC.  He started out as a beat cop who  always got his HAM and was eventually promoted to the rank of

Detective Big Mac

23A. Mascot with a goatee and a string tie: GENERAL SANDERS.  This humble COLONEL leveraged his good looks and Southern charm to get promoted to the rank of

 

General Sanders

36A. Mascot "born in the Sea of Milk": ADMIRAL CRUNCH.  He started as CAPTAIN CRUNCH and his gimmick was a free whistle in every box.   He was quickly promoted to the rank of

Admiral Crunch

 ... because the box also included free, unlimited long distance phone calls!

50A. Mascot who says, "I want to eat your cereal!": MARQUIS CHOCULA.  He started out as a lowly COUNT but was promoted to royalty because he was willing to work night shifts and he really sank his teeth into his job:
 

Marquis Chocula

Here's the grid:

Here's the rest:

Across:

1. Intro courses?: APPS.  APPetizers?

5. Female turkeys: HENS. Their mates are called TOMS.

9. Features of some islands: SINKS.  These islands are not in el Océano (see 45A), but in the middle of your kitchen:

14. Attract: DRAW.

15. Lotion ingredient: ALOE.  SNORE.  Oops, next clue!

16. Sleeper's rumble: SNORE.  May be a sign of sleep APNEA.  A sleep study can confirm whether you have it, but in my experience they are elaborate affairs.  Basically they bundle you up in a cocoon of wires and sleep sensors and expect you to sleep comfortably while they monitor you overnight.  Somebody could make a bundle if they invented reusable, wireless sensors, e.g. bluetooth enabled.

[Theme clue]

20. Dutch cheese: EDAM.  Crosswordcheese.

21. Right at sea?: AYE.  Whatever you say Admiral!  See also 57A.

22. So last year: OUT. "Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months" - Oscar Wilde.

[Theme clue]

28. Flying fig.: ALT.  ALTitude.

29. Carve up a black diamond?: SKI.  A former haunt for Malodorous Manatee.  These days he likes to lounge in the lodge sipping hot toddies. 😁

30. Currier and __: IVES.  Currier and Ives was a New York City printmaking business that operated between 1835 and 1907. Founded by Nathaniel Currier, the company designed and sold inexpensive, hand painted lithographic works based on news events, views of popular culture and Americana.  The corporate name was changed in 1857 to "Currier and Ives" with the addition of James Merritt Ives.

A Brush for the Lead

31. Entreaty: PLEA.

33. Shade tree: ELM.

35. Service charge: FEE.

[Theme clue]

41. Choice indicators: ORS.  RNS and MDS are not options.

42. English pronoun: SHE.  See 24D.

43. Excursion: TRIP.

45. Océano contents: AGUA.  WATER.  Spanish lesson #1.

47. "Sorta": ISH.

49. Estadio cheer: OLE. 

[Theme clue]

55. Samantha Bee's former network: TBS.  Samantha Anne Bee (born in Toronto, Ontario on October 25, 1969) is a Canadian-American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actress, and television host. A CSO to CanadianEh!

Samantha Bee

56. Calgary summer hrs.: MDT.  Hi again CanadianEh!  The Mountain Time Zone of North America keeps time by subtracting seven hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) when standard time (UTC−07:00) is in effect, and by subtracting six hours during daylight saving time (UTC−06:00).  Calgary, Alberta is due South of Edmonton on this map:

Mountain Time Zone

57. Left at sea?: PORT.  See 21A.

[Theme reveal]

64. With 40-Down, legal scholar played by Kerry Washington in HBO's "Confirmation": ANITA.  and 40-Down HILL.  Confirmation is a 2016 American television political thriller film, directed by Rick Famuyiwa and written by Susannah Grant.  The YouTube trailers were way too political, so you'll have to settle for this:

  BUT IN THIS  CASE IT DIDN'T!

65. Past regulation, briefly: IN OT.  Over Time.

66. Smooch in a lift: SNOG.  LIFT is Brit for elevator.  As long as the two of you are alone it's not a PDA.

67. Cat collar dangler: ID TAG.   If you're really attached to your pet you can have them micro-chipped in case they get lost and lose their ID TAG.   We're next!

68. Affixes a patch, say: SEWS.

69. Hushed "Hey!": PSST.

Down:

1. Verb on a dipstick: ADD.   But not too much.  You might blow a gasket.

2. Paid intro?: PRE.

3. Protected, in a way: PATENTED.  Both PATENTS and TRADE MARKS are protected by the USPTO in Alexandria, VA, where I worked for a couple of years.  They are one of the few government agencies that pays for itself through the fees it collects for research and licensing.

4. Greta Thunberg, notably: SWEDE.  The day before this was written she was arrested for a protest at a German coal mine. 

Greta Thunberg

5. Ones who work with bowlers and boaters: HAT MAKERS.

Bowler               Boater

 
6. Yalie: ELI.  Nicknamed for this guy:

Elihu Yale

7. Super stars: NOVAS. A supernova is the biggest explosion that humans have ever seen. Each blast is the extremely bright, super-powerful explosion of a star.  During the lifetime of stars their primary constituent hydrogen is fused into heavier elements.  The debris from supernovae explosions are captured during planetary formation and many of these elements are the basis for the creation and maintenance of life.

Artist rendering of a Supernova
Image credit: NASA/CXC/M.Weiss

8. "Buh-bye!": SEE YA.

9. Govt. stipend: SSI.  Supplemental Security Income.  A tip 'o the hat to TTP for pointing out my confusion between SSI and Social Security benefits.  Here's the difference.  Both are administered at the SSA Headquarters in Woodlawn, MD, about 2 miles from our house ...

Social Security Headquarters

10. Dutch banking giant with an orange lion logo: ING.  The ING Group is a Dutch multinational banking and financial services corporation headquartered in Amsterdam. Its primary businesses are retail banking, direct banking, commercial banking, investment banking, wholesale banking, private banking, asset management, and insurance services. With total assets of US $1.1 trillion, it is one of the biggest banks in the world, and consistently ranks among the top 30 largest banks globally.  Here's their logo:

I was happy to find that ING is also a major charitable organization, a supporter of the arts, and they happen to be sponsors of the world renowned Royal Concertgebouw  Orchestra, which performed this brass chorale from Mahler's 2nd Symphony ("The Resurrection")

11. "I give!": NO MORE.
 
12. Alison in the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame: KRAUSS.  Alison Maria Krauss (born July 23, 1971) is an American bluegrass-country singer and musician. She entered the music industry at an early age, competing in local contests by the age of eight and recording for the first time at 14.  Here's her song Down To The River To Pray used in the soundtrack to the 2000 Joel and Ethan Coen film O Brother, Where Art Thou?

13. Chip off the old flock?: SECT.  Clever clue.

18. Sonata and Cadenza: CARS. This one really had me stumped for a while.  Sonatas are solo pieces, e.g. for piano or violin, whereas a cadenza is usually a virtuoso solo interlude within a larger orchestral work, such as a piano concerto.  But the second movement of Beethoven's Sonata 32 published in 1822 has an incredibly virtuosic passage that I think qualifies as a cadenza.  It was almost 70 years ahead of its time and is reminiscent of ragtime piano.   This 2 minute interlude is popularly known as the "boogie-woogie" variation.  Take it for a test drive and see if you don't agree:

19. "__-Hur": BEN.  Ben-Hur is a 1959 American religious epic film directed by William Wyler, produced by Sam Zimbalist, and starring Charlton Heston as the title character.  It was adapted from Lew Wallace's 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ.  It won 11 Academy awards and it even has an EPIC trailer ...

23. Missing segment: GAP.

24. Spanish pronoun: ELLA.  SHE.  Spanish lesson #2.  A bi-lingual dupe with 43A?

25. Singer/activist Downs: LILA.  Spanish lesson #3.  Ana Lila Downs Sánchez (born 9 September 1968) is a Mexican singer-songwriter/activist. She performs her own compositions and the works of others in multiple genres, as well as tapping into Mexican traditional and popular music.  Here's her Zapata Se Queda

26. French Lord: DIEU.  Not the aristocrat, the poor guy.  French lesson #1.

27. __ planner: EVENT.

32. Affaire de coeur: AMOUR.  LOVE. French lesson #2.

34. NYC FC's org.: MLS.  The New York City Football Club is an American professional soccer club based in New York City that competes in Major League Soccer (MLS), the highest level of American soccer, as a member of the league's Eastern Conference.

35. Just-brewed carafes of coffee, e.g.: FRESH POTS. 

37. Kirkuk's country: IRAQ.  Kirkuk (Arabic: كركوك, Kurdish: کەرکووک) is a city in Iraq, serving as the capital of the Kirkuk Governorate, located 238 kilometres (148 miles) north of Baghdad. The city is home to a diverse population of Turkmens, Arabs, Kurds, and Assyrians.

Iraq

38. Smart: CHIC.  See 22A.

39. Salad topping: CROUTONS.  CROÛTONS.  French lesson #3 (you get extra points for the ^)

40. See 64-Across: HILL.

44. Storied cause of royal insomnia: PEA.  In case you slept through it ...

45. Radio setting: AM BAND.  AM FM and ALARM were too short.

46. Like the streets in some period pieces: GAS LIT.

48. Nocturnal call: HOOT.  Another CSO to Ray - O.  This makes two weeks in a row.

51. Strike caller: UMP.

52. Elba of "The Suicide Squad": IDRIS.  Elba is definitely not risk aversive.  The Suicide Squad is a 2021 American superhero film based on the DC Comics team Suicide Squad.  Imagine that.

53. Curling target: STONE.  Also called "Chess on ice", curling is a sport in which players slide stones on a sheet of ice toward a target area which is segmented into four concentric circles.  Oh and BTW, according to this article, the Olympic rules actually call the target area a house.

US Olympic Curler Vicky Persinger

54. Brittle: CRISP.

55. Taiwan's first female president: TSAI.  Tsai Ing-wen grew up in Taipei and studied law and international trade.  She later studied law at the London School of Economics and Political Science, with her thesis titled "Unfair trade practices and safeguard actions", and was awarded a Ph.D. in law from the University of London.

Tsai Ing-wen

59. "When do u get in?": ETA.

60. Old futon problem: SAG.  A new clue for old crosswordese?

61. Lower a pitch?: MOW.  "Pitch" is a term used by the groundsmen for the NYC FC (see 34D)

62. Figs.: NOS.
 
63. "__ Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band": SGT.   The clue didn't indicate if it was just for the first track or the eponymous album.  This link will take you to the play list and you can click   Play all   to cycle through the whole album (with 1 sec ad blips) or you can pick and choose what you like.  Enjoy!

Cheers,
Bill

As always, thanks to Teri for proof reading and for her constructive criticism.  

 

waseeley