Wednesday, October 16, 2019 Roland Huget

Theme: Any Portmanteau in a storm.  The letters of the prefix INSTA- are scrambled, and the concept is tied together, as we shall see later, with the suffix -GRAM.

17 A. Ellington-Strayhorn hit to which Johnny Mercer later added lyrics: SATIN DOLL. Love the tune, not crazy about Mercer's lyrics.  Here is the best arrangement ever, by Sammy Nestico for the Count Basie band.

27. Storied Alpine rescuer: SAINT BERNARD.  Only maybe, as it turns out.

45. Spot treatment: STAIN REMOVER.  Cleaning agent.

59. Social networking service ... or an apt portmanteau for the starts of 17-, 27- and 45-Across: INSTAGRAM.  OK.  The letters of INSTA have been presented in various configurations, and the -GRAM suffix indicates something in writing.  And mashing them together does generate a portmanteau, sort of.  But the surface sense is at best, pretty thin; and the whole concept is a bit of a stretch.  But, high marks for creativity and originality.

Hi, gang, JazzBumpa here see what else awaits us in today's adventure.

Across:

1. Give a little: BEND.  Not being rigid.

5. Under-the-sink cleaners: LYES.  Caustic drain unclogging substances.  NaOH, for the technically minded.

9. Spherical: ORBED.  Round, any way you look at it.

14. On the protected side: ALEE.  Away from the wind.

15. Ward of "FBI": SELA.

For a while.

16. Author Zora __ Hurston: NEALE. [1891 -1960] An anthropologist, film maker and author of influential African-American literature.

19. Mistreat: ABUSE.

20. "The Addams Family" cousin: ITT.

21. Device for scratch removal?: ATM.  Automatic Teller Machine, for extracting cash - i.e. "scratch."

22. Something found under a chest: ABDOMEN.  Body parts.

24. Viagra competitor: LEVITRA. Now, let me get this straight  .  .  .

26. Letter starter: DEAR.  The salutation.

32. Useful: OF HELP.  Providing some benefit.

35. Drop off: WANE.  Ebb, decline, fade away.

36. Motes may be seen in one: RAY.  Dust in a sun beam.

37. Two-time Indy winner Luyendyk: ARIE.  Race car driver.

38. Two-__-one: FOR.  Typical half-off sale gimmick.

39. Air Jordan company: NIKE.  Maker of athletic shoes.

40. Thing on a ring: KEY.

41. Bodily fluids: SERA.

43. Filled with wonder: AMAZED.  Cf 49 A.

48. Senate helper: PAGE.

49. "I must be seeing things": PINCH ME.  This can't be real.

53. Reliable income source: CASH COW.

56. Coll. aides: TAs.  Teaching Assistants

57. Feel poorly: AIL.

58. Tablet download: E-BOOK.  Electronic publication.

62. Nary a soul: NO ONE. Nope -  nobody here.

63. Snap, in ads: FOTO.  Photograph, mis-abbreviated.

64. Radiation units: REMS.  Roentgen Equivalent Man is an older unit measuring the health effects of low levels of ionizing radiation on the human body.

65. In good shape: TONED.  Buff.

66. Movie lab helper: IGOR.  In various Frankenstein movies.

67. Skip over: OMIT.  Or leave out.

Down:

1. Pesto herb: BASIL.  Along with olive oil, parmesan, pine nuts and garlic.

2. Really excite: ELATE.  I see elation as happiness, rather than excitement, so I think this equivalence is pretty dicey.

3. Hulu service: NET TV.  Streaming app.

4. Opus __: "The Da Vinci Code" sect: DEI.  In real life, this group is a secretive, ultra conservative institution within the Catholic Church.

5. '60s "journey": LSD TRIP.  The experience of being under the influence of a psychotropic drug.

6. Coast Guard rank: YEOMAN.  I can't find it listed in this ranking chart.

7. Angled piece: ELL.  Named for its cross-sectional profile.

8. Self-service food station: SALAD BAR.

9. How some silly things are done: ON A DARE.  Earlier: Bet you can't/won't. Later: No, you shouldn't have.

10. Spiritually awakened: REBORN.  Generally referring to a personal religious experience.

11. Gale family creator: BAUM.  In the Wizard of Oz.

12. Otherwise: ELSE. In addition, or instead of.

13. Cook Paula: DEEN.  Southern Fried Everything.

18. Birth-related: NATAL.

23. "I've __ busy": BEEN.

25. "It's clear now": I SEE.  The scales have fallen from my eyes.

28. Clock change hr. (though most do it sooner): TWO AM.  I did not know this.

29. Nev. neighbor: ARIZ.  Two western Sts.

30. Golf bunker tool: RAKE. A bunker is a sand trap.  Golf etiquette is to smooth all footprints, ball trails and club marks.

31. Like green hair: DYED.  Artificially tinted.

32. Symbols of strength: OAKS.  Mighty trees.

33. Fingerboard bar: FRET.  "Guitars and Banjos have ‘fretboards’ as they utilise a board (usually rosewood or maple) that has metal frets slotted into it and the note is sounded via your finger as it presses the string towards the board until the string meets the fret.)"

Don't fret - I wouldn't string you along

34. Casual greeting: HI-YA.  Yo, bro.

38. Coffee shop amenity: FREE WIFI.

39. DEA operative: NARC. Short for narcotics agt.

41. Ate at the theater, say: SNACKED.  On popcorn and candy.

42. Proof word: ERGO.  Therefore -

43. One who takes off a lot: AVIATOR.  Up in the sky, it's plane to see.

44. High-scoring club?: MENSA.  Organization of high IQ individuals.

46. Selfie stick attachment: I-PHONE.  Used for taking pictures - of your face.

47. Decides one will: OPTS TO.

50. Sultan's group: HAREM. Wife collection of a Sultan.

51. Marlins' home: MIAMI.  The last place team in the NL East Division, and the 3rd worst team in all of MLB

52. Title loc. in six horror films: ELM ST.  Place for nightmares.

53. Coin often left in a dish: CENT. The U.S. penny is worth one CENT.  I'm not sure what this clue is getting at.

54. Peek-__: ABOO.  Kids' hiding and peeking game.

55. "Are we there yet?" reply: SOON.

60. Yule quaff: NOG.  A spiced dairy-based beverage with variable alcohol content.

61. Miracle-__: GRO. Garden fertilizer product.

That wraps up another Wednesday.  Hope you had a good time.

Cool regards!
JzB

Notes from C.C.:

1) Dennis' surgery yesterday went well yesterday. His wife Linda said he's in ICU right now. Please continue keeping him in your thoughts and prayers.

2) Happy Birthday to dear CrossEyedDave, the master of fun links! Dave, can you send me a recent picture?

3) Happy Birthday to our foodie Blue Hen also! Picture, maybe?

Monday September 30, 2019 Roland Huget

Theme: WHITE MATTER (60. Certain brain tissue, or what each half of the answers to the starred clues can be) -

17. *Realtor's client: HOUSE-HUNTER. White House. White hunter.

26. *Surface for slicing rye, say: BREADBOARD. White bread. Whiteboard.

36. *Vehicle's rear warning lamp: TAILLIGHT.  Whitetail. White light.

50. *Feline metaphor for an empty threat: PAPER TIGER. White paper. White tiger.

Boomer here. First and foremost, I am pleased to convey a Happy New Year,  Rosh Hashanah to members of Jewish faith that participate on the Crossword Corner.

At home, the "Magic Number" finally hit zero, and it looks like our Twins are headed to New York to play the Yankee Doodle Dandies.  Too early to JUDGE who might win.

Across:

1. Gull relatives: TERNS. I wonder if, when the birds get together for Thanksgiving, do they sit on the left or right?

6. Spots to fast-forward through: TV ADS.  I am not able to fast forward, I watch TV in real time.  I hate most of the ads, especially car insurance and "Ask you doctor".

11. Cleopatra's killer: ASP.  "Would you take that lousy life if it was offered to you?  You can bet Cleopatra's ASP you would."  (Chad Mitchell Trio on Liz Taylor.)

14. Sharply inclined: STEEP.

15. Trip odometer function: RESET.  I do not have a Trip Odometer.  I am sure it was an option that I chose not to waste money on.

16. Chinese steamed bun: BAO.

19. Category: ILK.

20. Rural stopover: INN.  My favorite - C'Mon INN in Billings Montana.  I think it's about 800 miles from my home, but I am not sure.  I don't have a trip odometer.

21. __ d'Alene, Idaho: COEUR.

22. "Well, gosh!": OH GEE.  Together worth three points in Scrabble.

24. Social reformer Jacob: RIIS.

28. Body ink: TATTOO.  De plane, De Plane!

30. Eye part that may become detached: RETINA.

31. Golf's Slammin' Sammy: SNEAD.  It's amazing what this guy could do with woods made of real wood and a golf ball that is not Super Soft or a Pro V1.

32. Karma: FATE.

35. Vegas' "one-armed bandit": SLOT. Yeah you should expect to donate to the casino.  I like the draw poker machines. They make you think a little bit and not wait for three 7s to show up on the pay line.

39. Head or tooth pain: ACHE.  Or the New York Yankees whose pain is a bit lower and on the back side.

42. Pick out with care: CULL.

43. Aficionados: BUFFS.

47. "Ye Olde" retailer: SHOPPE.  You know, I see this in crosswords frequently, but I have never seen or been to a Shoppe.

49. Lose its fizz, as soda: GO FLAT.  I had a nail in a tire a few months ago but amazingly it was found and repaired by the tire store before it went FLAT.

54. Pâté de __ gras: FOIE.

55. Goodnight woman of song: IRENE.  I'll see her in my dreams.

56. "The __ Wears Prada": 2006 film: DEVIL.

58. "__ you awake?": ARE.  Of course.  You think I could do this if I was asleep??

59. Vied for office: RAN.  Only about 13 months away.

63. Pre-marital (just barely) promise: I DO.

64. Parisian love: AMOUR.

65. Reagan attorney general Ed: MEESE.

66. After taxes: NET.  After taxes, a NET is about the only thing I can afford.

67. Easy victories: ROMPS.  The Gophers took care of Purdue Saturday although it should not be called a ROMP. I was impressed by the folks in West Lafayette.  A college town of about 30,000 people.  I think most of them were at the game.

68. Medicare Rx section: PART D.  I really don't think Part D covers much. I am very thankful to have VA prescription service.  Co-pays are pretty reasonable.

Down:

1. Tops with slogans: T-SHIRTS.  I have many.

2. Ian Fleming or George Orwell, schoolwise: ETONIAN.

3. Get the old gang together: REUNITE.  Graybar has one of these for retired old coots in Las Vegas.  Usually in February, but I have not heard yet this year.

4. Old Nintendo game console: Abbr.: NES. This looks like half a name to me. Right Irish Miss?

5. Job detail, briefly: SPEC.

6. More accurate: TRUER.  Words were never spoken.

7. Change of __: trial request: VENUE.

8. Stars, in Latin: ASTRA.

9. Lousy grade: DEE.  Sandra of old time flicks.

10. Flasher at a disco: STROBE.  These things drive me nuts, almost as bad as the whoopers at ball games,

11. 1797-1801 first lady Adams: ABIGAIL.  I remember "Dear Abby" - Abigail Van Buren.

12. City near Naples: SALERNO.  South of Rome near Naples.

13. Prodded: POKED AT.

18. Stereotypical boxcar hopper: HOBO.  Red Skelton.

23. 1979 Donna Summer hit: HOT STUFF.

25. Local govt. prison: STATE PEN.  Or Jesse Ventura's retirement benefit.

27. Bit of wine sediment: DREG.

29. "Ghost" psychic __ Mae Brown: ODA.

32. Winter malady: FLU.  Do the shots really work?  Every pharmacy even the small ones in grocery stores beg me to get a flu shot every year.  I pass, and have never gotten the flu.  Too bad they don't sell cancer shots.

33. "__ My Children": ALL.

34. Shop __ you drop: TIL.

37. Rapper/actor whose name sounds like a summer drink: ICE T.  I DO NOT care for Rap, but I did like ICE T in "Law and Order SVU."  Did you know Mariska Hargitay is Jayne Mansfield's daughter?

38. "Westworld" network: HBO.  I pay enough for Direct TV.  I don't need to pay extra for whatever.

39. Pill for pain: ASPIRIN. Boy, that's old school. Now it is Ibuprofen, Aleve, Afrin, Oxycodin, Tylenol, etc.

40. Pantomimed act in a parlor game: CHARADE.

41. "Sure wish that doesn't happen": HOPE NOT.  My Mom's name was HOPE.  Earlier during doctor questions I was asked if I had "hopeless feelings".  I answered that my mother had passed away. Then explained her name was HOPE.  I am sure the nurse thought I was a smartass, which I am.

44. Pool noodle, e.g.: FLOATER.

45. "... who is the __ one of all?": Evil Queen: FAIREST.  Mirror Mirror on the wall ?

46. Manned the helm: STEERED.

48. Like the Great Depression, timewise: PRE-WAR.  We have had way too many PRE-WAR periods in the 20th Century.

49. Like the Reaper: GRIM.  Speaking of the 20th Century, Bob Grim was a pitcher for the Yankees, Kansas City A's, and others in the late 50s and early 60s.

51. Figure of speech: IDIOM.

52. Hop out of bed: GET UP.  "Get up Jimmie Newman, the morning has come." (Tom Paxton).

53. Activist Medgar: EVERS.  This clue should be "Tinker to ______ to Chance."

57. Tanning device: LAMP.  SUN did not fit in the grid.

61. Medical ins. plan: HMO.

62. Scone go-with: TEA.  Tea for two and two for me

Boomer

Notes from C.C.:

Happy Birthday to our dog lover Pat and her husband, who were born in the same day and same year. Pat was a few hours older than her husband. Hope today is extra special, Pat!

Tuesday, September 10, 2019 Roland Huget

Theme: POINT OF ORDER (54. Parliamentary rules violation ... or what each circled-letter quartet represents?) - Each theme entry contains four consecutive alphabet letters. 

20A. One on a dean's list: HONOR STUDENT.

29A. Imperfection related to an inherited disorder: GENETIC DEFECT.

 

44A. "The Third Man" or "Double Indemnity": FILM NOIR TITLE.

 

Boomer here again, filling in for Hahtoolah who's on vacation. She'll be back on Oct 1. 

"I just want to help the ballclub".  Crash Davis' advice to Nuke LaLoosh on responding to sportswriters in Bull Durham.

Across:

1. For both men and women, as a school: CO-ED.  In the sixties I attended and all-boys high school.  Now I help coach bowling there and it is CO-ED.

5. "Now!" letters: ASAP.

9. White vin: BLANC.  "What's up Doc ?"  Mel BLANC providing the voice of Bugs Bunny.

14. Jason's ship: ARGO.  I thought this was corn starch.

15. Southwest tableland: MESA.   Arizona, Take off your rainbow shades,  Hey wontcha go my way.

16. Piece between steps: RISER.  My high school glee club performed on risers. Tall guys on top.  Sorry ladies, it was an all-boys school.

17. Smokes, for short: CIGS.  I kicked that habit almost 20 years ago.  At that time they were about $2.00 per pack.  Now I am saving about $170.00 per week.

18. Nerve impulse carrier: AXON.

19. In tune: ON KEY.

23. Eclectic musician Brian: ENO.

24. Put mileage on: USE.  I have quite a bit of mileage on my bowling balls.  60 feet per delivery adds up.

25. Wood-shaping tool: ADZ.  I think I used to call this an AXE.

26. __-relief: BAS.

33. Word after ink or knee: PAD.  Or after mattress, landing, lily, and others.

34. Small island: CAY.

35. Horne of jazz: LENA.  Ole's wife gives us Norwegians a few chuckles.

36. Help for a small climber: BOOST.

39. Electrical unit: OHM.  Okay, but it is really an electrical resistance unit.

40. Civil War sword: SABER.

41. "Well, start talking": OK GO.  On your mark, get set....

42. __-Caps: SNO.  We get lots of snow in Minnesota, but we have no mountains to cap.

43. Agnus __: DEI.  This would be Latin for "Lamb of God", There was lots of Latin in a Catholic Mass when I was a kid.  I would pray and have no idea of what I was saying.  I used to think the Pope's phone number was Et Cum Spiri Two Two 0.

48. Service charge: FEE.

49. "Mr. Blue Sky" rock gp.: ELO.

50. Many times o'er: OFT.  We hear this in song when a single syllable is needed for often.

51. Old horse: NAG.

57. MD meeting an ambulance: ER DOC.  I never met in an ambulance, but for sure it was an ER Doc who discovered my malady about a year ago.

60. Parcel (out): DOLE.  My favorite pineapples, chunky in 100 % juice.

61. Subtle glow: AURA.

62. Safari heavyweight: RHINO.  Believe it or not, there is a good professional bowler named Rhino Page.

63. Composer Stravinsky: IGOR.  "Oh boy, Igor Stravinsky, Oh Boy Bo, Belinsky"  (Allan Sherman - "Ballad of Oh Boy)

64. Bearded flower: IRIS.

65. Seth who played Wozniak in "Steve Jobs": ROGEN.

66. Feline feet: PAWS.  Beverly Hillbillies and Green Acres fathers.

67. __-dish pizza: DEEP.  Okay, time to vote.  Years ago I made pizzas in a restaurant.  They were traditionally flat and very good.  I never liked deep dish, I consider them too bready.

Down:

1. Hidden supply: CACHE.  I have a CACHE of baseball cards.  they are so hidden even I have trouble finding them.

2. Mythological night-sky hunter: ORION.  Okay, I know it's a constellation, but it looks like a bunch of stars to me.

3. Christmas drink: EGGNOG.  Sorry but no hooch in the eggnog for me any longer.

4. "I can only __ much": DO SO.  That's how I feel when I put together these blog post.

5. Piled up: AMASSED.  Yup, I have amassed a cache of baseball cards.

6. Hockey team on the ice, e.g.: SEXTET.  We have a WILD Sextet.

7. Not worth __: A SOU.

8. Way to watch bamboo-munching zoo bears: PANDA CAM.  There are not too many in U.S. zoos.  Probably a tariff on them.

9. Medal metal: BRONZE.  Many of my Vietnam veteran friends have a Bronze Medal.

10. Dryer fluff: LINT.

11. Set a price of: ASK.  Sort of a new car joke.  The MSRP is on the show floor, then the salesman asks for less, then you offer even less than that, then the fun begins.

12. French word in bridal bios: NEE.  I think it just means "maiden name".  My mother's nee name was Hutchinson. Ancestor of the "Hutchinson family singers".  The leader was Asa Hutchinson.  No relation to the Governor of the great state of Arkansas.- I asked him.

13. Call out: CRY.  "I'll do my Cryin' in the Rain" - Everly Brothers.

21. Prepare to tackle: RUN AT.  I spent last Sunday watching Viking Dalvin Cook take many a RUN AT the Falcons.

22. Whirling current: EDDY.

26. U.K. network, with "the": BEEB.

27. Clearasil target: ACNE.

28. Oater badge shape: STAR.  Remember "You can trust your car to the man who wears a star."  A decent jingle.  Not like some of the idiotic commercials today.

30. English derby site: EPSOM.  This city is where Epsom salt was discovered,  Not table salt but something to soak your feet.

31. Blood of the gods: ICHOR.

32. Swing willy-nilly: FLAIL.  Twins have a guy, Miguel Sano, who Flails and takes a seat more than any other Twin.

36. Broadway hit, in slang: BOFF.

37. "__ from Muskogee": Merle Haggard song: OKIE.  This song tagged every person from Oklahoma.  Ron Gardenhire was my favorite "OKIE"

38. Eye rudely: OGLE.

39. Potato chip go-with: ONION DIP.  Don't eat a chip without it.

40. Scuffle: SET-TO.

42. Études, typically: SOLI.

43. Feels otherwise: DIFFERS.  One vowel different than my class of a golfer.  I'll let you figure it out.

45. Recent rightist: NEOCON.

46. Like pitches that bounce in the dirt: TOO LOW.  Never mind, Sano will swing at it.

47. Last: ENDURE.

52. Cliffside abode: AERIE.

53. Fully comprehend: GRASP.

54. Corn bread: PONE.

55. Draped Roman garment: TOGA.  A party at "Animal House".

56. Sudden attack: RAID.

57. Go wrong: ERR.  Sano does a few of these too.

58. Letter after pi: RHO.  It seems that you better know the Greek ALPHAbet if you want to solve crosswords.

59. Project for an archaeologist: DIG.  Okay, but what are they digging for ?

Boomer

Thursday, August 8th 2019 Roland Huget

Theme: Dennis Rodman - he created so many random news stories during his career, he seems a good theme title

17A. Annual e-tail sale event: CYBER MONDAY

25A. Expensive gift: DIAMOND RING. Here's one currently on eBay for $155,000 from Illinois. They don't say if you get free postage, I'm not bidding if I have to pay USPS. Pah.

38A. Old West wanted poster figure: REWARD MONEY

51A. Apollo craft: LUNAR MODULE. Lunar Excursion Module officially, but we'll LEM, or I mean LET that one go.

61A. Ideal deck-shuffling goal ... and a hint to a hidden word, and how it appears, in the four other longest answers: RANDOM ORDER, Surely random disorder? I think I see the point, but the reveal fell a little flat for me.

Simple enough theme from Roland, but still a lot of challenge to work through. I think we would all have navigated this one safely.

Let's see what else we've got:

Across:

1. Shelves for cooking: RACKS

6. Image problem, briefly: BAD P.R.

11. Navy letters: USS

14. Muscat native: OMANI

15. Catherine of "Best in Show": O'HARA

16. Water source: TAP. English! Faucet now.

19. Good Grips gadget brand: OXO. I have an OXO can opener. Best I've ever had. Bed, Bath and Beyond - take your 20% off coupon and get one, I'm sure you've got a pile of coupons. I tell them they should just knock 20% off all the prices and save themselves the cost of printing and mailing the coupons.

20. Distrustful: LEERY

21. Any of six classic Clue cards: WEAPON. What are they? The candlestick seems a little bludgeon-y. There! I just invented a word!

23. "I kissed thee __ I killed thee": "Othello": 'ERE. With a candlestick?

28. Folded snack: TACO. Food! I made carnitas al carbon tacos with two salsas, crema, queso and pico de gallo at the weekend. I think I passed out in a food coma.

30. Put away: HID

31. Shock, in a way: TASE

32. Sliced very thin: SHAVED. Food! I'm loving this today. Shaved truffles? Go lightly ...

35. Substantial: SOLID

41. Soprano Fleming: RENEE. Thank you, crosswords past.

42. Log on to: ACCESS

45. Barely go (through): SEEP. Hmmm. Not sure about this clue. Seep to me means slowly, not a struggle to get through a gap.

48. Like a favored project: PET

50. Govt. workplace watchdog: OSHA

56. "The Fountainhead" author Rand: AYN. I read this years ago, it was a long read. I rarely give up on a book, but this one was a challenge.

57. Build up: ACCRUE

58. Raptor's grabber: TALON

60. E'en if: THO'

66. Call someone by the wrong name, e.g.: ERR. I do this all the time, all the memory games I play just don't help. I've called long-term girlfriends the wrong name at random times. That usually doesn't go over well.

67. Outrage: ANGER

68. Small change in a small bank: PENNY

69. Catch: SEE

70. City on the Rhone: LYONS. I stalled on this one for a while, I've been to Lyon a number of times - as far as I know, unless there is another similar-named city on the Rhone, the city is called LYON. A quite beautiful place with great food. I first went there when I was 17 and was hitchhiking through France. I got dropped off at midnight by a little park where I pitched my tent. I woke up in the morning and found that I was camped on a traffic circle in the middle of the rush hour. A Gendarme drove up and told me to get the hell out of there :) I'd be happy to be corrected, about the spelling, but I'm calling this entry a rare mistake.

71. Ham it up: EMOTE

Down:

1. Big bird of myth: ROC

2. Adams of HBO's "Sharp Objects": AMY. No clue, thank you crosses.

3. Iconic San Francisco transport: CABLE CAR. Fun to ride up and down the hill from downtown to Fisherman's Wharf. Amazing that the old technology works just fine!

4. Tot's perch: KNEE

5. Fathered: SIRED

6. "Take that!": BOOYAH!

7. "Kung Fu" actor Philip: AHN. Another one, thank you crosses.

8. Pops: DAD

9. Decapod on a menu: PRAWN. I'm not sure I knew they had ten pods, whatever a pod is. I need to go and research this.

10. Like starfish: RAYED. I've love to explain this one, but I have no idea why a starfish is "rayed" - is it sunbathing? We need to explore Google.

11. Ideal place: UTOPIA

12. Battle of Hastings combatants: SAXONS. The home side. The Away team the Normans, sneaky buggers, invented shooting people in the eye with arrows. Then made a tapestry out of it. Oh well, that's why my DNA is 17% North-West French.

13. Dish cleaner: SPONGE. Whirlpool Dishwasher didn't fit.

18. Orthopedist's pic: MRI

22. Like the Empire State Building: ART DECO. Funny, I don't think of the Empire State Building as Art Deco. The Chrysler Building, yes.

23. Presumed UFO crew: E.T.'S

24. Cheering word: RAH!

26. Transgression: MISDEED

27. 2016 Tony winner Leslie __ Jr.: ODOM. Crosses again! I'd be all over (figuratively!) the basketball player.

29. Like a bogey: OVER PAR. Now this was interesting. I had the "O" in place and went for "ONE OVER". There's a lot of common letters, so unpicking the mistake wasn't straightforward.

33. Romano cheese source: EWE. Sheep. Cheese.

34. Singer Fogelberg: DAN

36. Mauna __: LOA. KEA also, so if you have the "A" wait for a cross.

37. Fortune rival: INC. Money magazines. I don't read them, maybe I should.

39. Seized wheels: REPO

40. Ambiguous response: YES AND NO

43. Short: SHY.Shy of a dollar, a dime ... short of the check.

44. Japanese title of respect: -SAN. I'd clue this as a suffix, as you don't use "SAN" alone. A man or a woman - Steve-san in my case, Zhouquin-san in C.C.'s case.

45. Roofing pieces: SLATES

46. Trick-taking card game: EUCHRE. I learned this game from some Mid-west friends. I knew I had it nailed when I "went alone" and won every trick. So much fun. My friend Laura from Illinois is an Euchre magician, just don't bet when you go up against her.

47. Recital bonus: ENCORE

49. Private teachers: TUTORS

52. Like much of Idaho: RURAL

53. Nasty type: MEANY

54. Hightail it: LAM

55. Hitch on the fly: ELOPE.

59. Utah city on I-15: OREM. Thank you, crosswords past. On the subject of Utah, when I drove to Las Vegas recently on I-15 from LA, the miles were shown to Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. What was odd was that the SLC mileage was pasted over with a new number. Did it move? There were at least 10 mileage boards that I passed with an "amended" mileage.

62. Private aid prog.: NGO. I ddn't even see this while I was filling in the grid. A Non-Governmental Organization.

63. Spot for a recliner: DEN

64. Tolkien creature: ENT. A tree, who specializes in tonsil infections, stirrup problems and sinus infections ... no, wait ....

65. Manhattan liquor: RYE. Whisky, bitters, sugar and a twist of orange.

And on that happy note, Slainte!

Here's the grid!

Steve

Tuesday, June 25, 2019, Roland Huget

Why did it have to be Snakes?  There is a triple "S" hissing sound in each of the theme answers.  Note that the first word of each phrase ends in a double S, and the first word begins with an S to give us the HISS.

17-Across. Contents of a landscaper's spreader: GRASS SEED.

25-Across. Hollywood or Vine, vis-à-vis the other: CROSS STREET.

38-Across. Formal attire: DRESS SUIT.

53-Across. Social hierarchy: CLASS SYSTEM.

64-Across. Leaky tire noise found in five puzzle answers including this one: HISS SOUND.

Across:
1. Scottish Celt: GAEL.

5. Brake component: DISC.

Anatomy of a Break

9. Confronts with cockiness: FACES

14. Road runner: AUTO.

15. Marc with a clothing brand: ECKŌ.  //  And 62-Down:  Novelist Umberto: ECO.  The surnames sound alike.  Marc Eckō (né Marc Louis Milecofsky; b. Aug. 29, 1972) is an American fashion designer and founder of Eckō Limited.  It's not a company I am familiar with, but it apparently is known for its graffiti-style tee shirts and hoodies.

Umberto Eco (Jan. 5, 1932 ~ Feb. 19, 2016) was an Italian novelist, best known for his 1980 historical novel, Name of the Rose.

16. Higher in rank than: ABOVE.  See 53-Across.

19. Jeans material: DENIM.  You, too, can have this pair of Muddy DENIM Jeans for only $425.

20. Bring up, as kids: RAISE.

21. Very small: WEE.

23. MDX ÷ X: CLI.  Roman Math.  1510 ÷ 10 = 151.

24. Building wing: ELL.

30. Voted in: ELECTED.  Voters in our last election got this beautiful sticker after leaving the voting booth.

32. T-shirt coloring method: TIE-DYE.

33. Harp constellation: LYRA.  Obvious, right?

34. Mexican girl: NIÑA.  Today's Spanish lesson.

37. Tots may be bounced on them: KNEES.

41. Bud in a cantina: AMIGO.  More of today's Spanish lesson.

44. Diplomat's forte: TACT.

45. Part of UAE: ARAB.  As in the United Arab Emirates.

49. Most inexperienced, as a recruit: RAWEST.

51. Allowing cars in a single direction at a time, as a bridge: ONE LANE.

56. School support gp.: PTA.  As in the Parent Teacher Association.  This is a crossword staple.

57. Grain bristle: AWN.

58. Acorn producer: OAK.  What did the little Acorn say when he grew up?  Geometry!

59. Unmitigated: UTTER.

Oh, wait.  That's an Otter.

61. Not exactly new: DATED.

67. "Fear of Flying" author Jong: ERICA.  Erica Jong (née Erica Mann; b. Mar. 26, 1942) is probably best known for her 1973 novel, Fear of Flying, which isn't about flying at all, but rather sexual fantasies.

68. Leave out: OMIT.

69. "Rule, Britannia" composer Thomas: ARNE.  I learned about Thomas Arne (né Thomas Augustine Arne; Mar. 12, 1710 ~ Mar. 5, 1778) from doing the crossword puzzles.  He makes occasional guest appearances.

70. Determined to do: SET ON.  As in the sentence:  He's SET ON finishing this puzzle before the end of the day.

71. Nashville venue: OPRY.

72. "The Walking __": zombie show: DEAD.

Down:

1. DVD blooper collection: GAG REEL.

2. By ear: AURALLY.

3. Online merchant: E-TAILER.

4. Red ink: LOSS.

5. __ Moines: DES.  A city in Iowa.

6. Rink surface: ICE.

7. Depicts unfairly, as data: SKEWS.

8. Secret languages: CODES.  The Rosetta Stone helped to de-code ancient languages.

9. Short-lived obsession: FAD.  Anyone remember this short-lived FAD?  I read recently that it's coming back.

10. Civil War prez: ABE.

11. Admit defeat: CONCEDE.

12. Hex-dispensing stare: EVIL EYE.  This Hamsa will protect you from the Evil Eye.

13. Some Middle East natives: SEMITES.  Webster's defines Semite as "(1) a member of any of a number of peoples of ancient southwestern Asia including the Akkadians, Phoenicians, Hebrews, and Arabs; and (2) descendants of these peoples."  The word "Semite"  comes from "Shem", which literally means "name" in Hebrew, and was also the name of the Noah's oldest son.  Thus, in ancient mythology, the Semites were all descendants of Shem.

18. Splinter group: SECT. 22. Ballpark fig.: EST.  As in Estimate.  I initially tried ERA, thinking we were looking for Earned Run Average.  But we weren't actually in the baseball park here.

26. Artist Magritte: RENÉ.  As in René Margritte (né René François Ghislain Magritte; Nov. 21, 1898 Aug. 15, 1967), a Belgium surrealist artist.

27. Writer of exalted verse: ODIST.  As in one who composes Odes.  John Keats (Oct. 31, 1795 ~ Feb. 23, 1821) is probably the best known Odist, having written Ode on a Grecian Urn.

28. __ bar: Polynesian-themed spot: TIKI.

You, too, can get your own Tiki Bar from Amazon.

29. U-Haul truck, e.g.: RENTAL.  When I moved to Boston, I rented a U-Haul to transport all my stuff.  When I went out to return the truck the next day, it was gone.  It had been stolen during the night.  I reported it, and U-Haul never flinched an eye about the loss.

31. Mooches: CADGES.  An interesting new word for me.  It apparently means to ask for or obtain something to which one is not really entitled to.

35. Govt. code-breaking org.: NSA.  As in the National Security Agency.

36. Fancy tie: ASCOT.  Fun to have this answer as the Royal Ascot just ended last Saturday ~ the event where everyone must dress up and women wear outrageous hats.

39. Flag maker Betsy: ROSS.  Betsy Ross (née Elizabeth Griscom; Jan. 1, 1752 ~ Jan. 30, 1836) is credited with having made the first American flag.  Fact or Fiction?

40. __ Reader: eclectic digest: UTNE.  This magazine appears fairly often in the crossword puzzles.  I once got a copy in the mail, totally unsolicited.  I don't remember whether or not I read the issue, but I did not subscribe to the journal.

41. Gaming centers: ARCADES.

42. Invasive computer software: MALWARE.

43. "Give me that!": I WANT IT!  Didn't your mother teach you manners?  Maybe you will CADGE off someone to get what you want.

46. Ecstasy: RAPTURE.

47. Insect's feeler: ANTENNA.

48. Like Abe Lincoln and Santa Claus, facially: BEARDED.

50. Chinese menu general: TSO.  According to an article in the Smithsonian, General Tso Chicken, was invented by a chef from Hunan province in the 1950s in Taiwan.  It is a sweet deep-fried chicken dish.

52. Outback birds: EMUs.

54. Gleeful shout: YAHOO!

55. Pinch pennies: SKIMP.

60. "The Wind in the Willows" amphibious Mr.: TOAD.  The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame (Mar. 8, 1859 ~ July 6, 1932) was first published in 1908.  Although classified as a children's book, it is really about the leisured class of British gentlemen.  The characters are all animals ~ rats, moles, toads, and badgers, who sit around and drink and smoke.

63. "Forrest Gump" lieutenant: DAN.  I didn't remember this character in the movie.  He was played Gary Sinise (b. Mar. 17, 1955) in the movie.

65. Dame's counterpart: SIR.

66. Messy place: STY.

Here's the Grid:

I'll leave you with a QOD:  I think being nice is more important than being clever.  ~  Ricky Gervais (b. June 25, 1961)