Friday, March 23, 2018, Samuel A. Donaldson

Title- Do not pass over this puzzle.

A bit early but still a timely reference to the story told in Exodus of Moses leading the Israelites from Egypt, and the reveal - parting the RED SEA. In Samuel's version, the parting is done by a black square. In each paired across theme fill the first ends with RED, black square, then SEA. With that back drop it is no surprise that Sam has included various religious and political references. There are many really sparkly fill that complete this friday grid.

ESSENCE, PERIDOT,  POACHED,  PREYS ON, ASPIRE TO, CLEAVAGE, MAMMA MIA,  PAUL RYAN, ENCROACHED,  MERIT BADGE


1A. Flintstones Vitamins option: FRED (4). 5A. Chicago Eight defendant: SEALE (5).

20A. Turned tail: RAN SCARED (9). 22A. Like some underbellies: SEAMY (5).

51A. Needed an eraser: ERRED (5). 52A. Herbs and spices: SEASONING (9).

62A. Ready to drop: TIRED (5). 63A. Burn a little: SEAR.

and the reveal

35A. Emulate Moses ... and what four black squares do in this puzzle: PART THE RED SEA (13).

Across:

10. B.C. law enforcers: RCMP. Royal Canadian Mounted Police. LINK. Hey Eh.

14. Big name in denim: LEVI. Strauss, and a bonus fill as this is one of the 12 tribes of Israel.

15. Dental restoration: ONLAY. Your Dentistry 101 LESSON.

16. Cause of some bad apples?: ALAR. More properly known as Daminozide, quite the scandal at the time.

17. Has to pay: OWES.

18. Part of a script: SCENE.

19. Cyber phenomenon: MEME.  Did you know it is an element of a culture or system of behavior that may be considered to be passed from one individual to another by nongenetic means, especially imitation? Dictionary.

23. Memphis-to-Atlanta dir. : ESE.

24. Big fuss: ADO.

25. With "the," what a boxer doesn't want to hit?: CANVAS. Reminds me of Joe PALOOKA.

26. Pulse: THROB.

28. High points: ACMES.

31. Latin I word: AMO amas, amat.

32. Prepared, as eggs for eggs Benedict: POACHED.

34. Votin' nay: AGIN.

38. Like a breeze? : EASY.

39. August birthstone: PERIDOT.

40. "How you doin'?" : SUP.

41. Lost patience: HAD IT.

42. "The Beauty Myth" author Wolf: NAOMI. Naomi R. Wolf is a liberal progressive American author, journalist, feminist, and former political advisor to Al Gore and Bill Clinton. Wolf first came to prominence in 1991 as the author of The Beauty Myth. Wikipedia. No politics.

46. Chip off the old block? : SLIVER.

48. Annoyed exclamation: BAH.

50. Greek god of the wild: PAN. This DEITY, but no religion.

55. Bill __ Climate Lab: former exhibit at Oakland's Chabot Space & Science Center: NYES. The Science Guy.

56. Awaits decision: PENDS.

57. Brief refusal to "Are you hungry?": I ATE.

58. Nineteenth Amendment campaigner: CATT. The Amendment that gave women the right to VOTE.

59. Rolex rival: OMEGA.

60. Gillette offering: ATRA.

61. Book of Mormon prophet: ENOS. No religion.

Down:

1. Daisy component: FLORET. Tricked me with Flower at first.

2. Clean some more: REWASH.

3. Plane, for one: EVENER. The meh of the day.

4. Ph.D. hurdle: DISSertation.

5. "I feel your pain": SO SAD.

6. Went too far: ENCROACHED. That is why you need to get a survey before you buy Property.

7. Protected, in a way: ALEE.

8. Succeed in getting: LAND.

9. Word with private or public: EYE.

10. Collegian's diet staple: RAMEN. That is how they use their NOODLES.

11. Rift: CLEAVAGE. Not the first definition I think of for cleavage. This COLLECTION is for all.

12. "Money, Money, Money" musical: MAMMA MIA.

13. Exploits: PREYS ON. This fooled me for minute, reading it as one word.

21. Henry __ Lodge: WWI senator: CABOT. I grew up in the sphere of these Boston Brahmin families who intermarried to consolidate power. However, it was not the Lodges in a famous quote, "Here's to dear old Boston, The home of the bean and the cod, Where Lowells speak only to Cabots, And Cabots speak only to god."

22. Swedish carrier: SAS. Scandinavian Airlines.

25. Surrendered: CEDED.

27. Nashville highlight: OPRY. As in Grand Old.

29. "SNL" alumna Oteri: CHERI. Classic corssword fill.

30. Scout's honor? : MERIT BADGE. Cute.

33. How some bonds are purchased: AT PAR.

34. Movie role for Skippy: ASTA. Skippy has his own IMDB PAGE.

35. Speaker after John Boehner: PAUL RYAN. So much politics to avoid.

36. Shoot for: ASPIRE TO.

37. Air Force pilot who became a pop star: DON HO. His BIO.

38. True nature: ESSENCE.

41. "__ give you the shirt off his back": HE'D. Give anything and everything one possesses. For example, Tom is truly generous-he'll give you the shirt off his back. This hyperbolic idiom was first recorded in 1771.

43. Morphine, e.g.: OPIATE.

44. It's repeated a lot: MANTRA. Om, om, om.

45. Ready to go: IN GEAR.

47. Kevlar products: VESTS.

49. Mideast ruling family name: ASSAD. The FAMILY.

52. Rest area heavyweight: SEMI. For those who did not like MACK.

53. Cabinet dept. : ENERgy.

54. Long and Vardalos: NIAS.

The pictures are backwards which I did not realize until now, but I am too lazy to change.









56. Winner's gathering: POT. Well, maybe now that they have legalized marijuana- oh, you mean a poker pot, Never mind.

Mr. Donaldson always delivers a good workout and a fun puzzle. I hope you all had as a good a time as I did. Lemonade out.

Tuesday, October 10, 2017 ~ Samuel A. Donaldson

Theme: Homophones. Five of them; enough for a limerick, eh?

17A. Legendary terror of the deep: SEA MONSTER

36A. Honor roll student's disappointment: C-PLUS

54A. "Doesn't matter to me": "SEE IF I CARE"

11D. "Forget You" singer who was a coach on "The Voice": CEE LO GREEN

27D. "Aye, lass," in Acapulco: "SI, SENORITA"

Argyle here. That last one; I picture Scotty from Star Trek beamed down into Mexico. A nice mix of wheelhouses in a classic pinwheel grid. Several CSO's.

Across:

1. Pet adoption agcy.: SPCA. (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)

5. West Indies tribe for which a sea is named: CARIB. Doubling the ending 'b' of Carib and adding -ean makes it an adjective, Caribbean Sea, as well as a noun.

10. "Rhyme Pays" rapper: ICE-T. This is the intro to his "Rhyme Pays" album, here.(6:30)

14. Boxers Laila and Muhammad: ALIs

15. Carne __: burrito filling: ASADA

16. Benelux country: Abbr.: NETH. (Netherlands) Benelux is the union Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

19. __ blocker: BETA

20. Action hero Jason in three Ludlum novels: BOURNE. The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum

21. Swedish vodka brand: ABSOLUT

23. Material: CLOTH

25. Prefix with space: AERO

26. "__ the Sheriff": Clapton hit: I SHOT. Live(8:28)

28. Under threat: IN DANGER

32. Like most people: ASIAN

33. Comic's perch: STOOL

34. Label for Elvis: RCA

35. "Supervixens" director Meyer: RUSS. Sexploitation films.

37. Fashion line: SEAM. Easy to overthink it.

38. Author's ending?: IZE. (authorize) Good misdirection.

39. Celebrated chef Ducasse: ALAIN. French.

40. Copycats: APERS

41. Lovers of wordplay: PUNSTERS

43. Get big on Twitter: TREND

44. Gumbo pod: OKRA

45. Sierra Nevada lake: TAHOE

47. Ginger's "Gilligan's Island" hutmate: MARY ANN. (Dawn Wells)

50. Repaired, as a fence: MENDED

53. Awesome, nowadays: EPIC

57. Old film dog: ASTA. (Skippy)

58. "Family Matters" misfit: URKEL. (Jaleel White)

59. Mirror shape: OVAL

60. Quantum movement?: LEAP. It was a TV Series (1989–1993).

61. Body of verse: POESY

62. Sunday benches: PEWS

Down:

1. Airline to Oslo: SAS. (Originally an abbreviation of its former name Scandinavian Airlines System or legally Scandinavian Airlines System Denmark–Norway–Sweden)

2. Working-class Roman: PLEB

3. Padua parting: "CIAO"

4. Even though: AS MUCH AS

5. Lacks what it takes to: CANNOT

6. Equipment, in a ledger: ASSET

7. Lab rodent: RAT

8. Brainstorm: IDEA

9. Rihanna's home country: BARBADOS. Rihanna, is a Barbadian singer, songwriter, and actress.

10. Congenital: INBORN. (existing from birth)

12. Caesar's last question: "ET TU?"

13. The one over there: THAT

18. Lightweight synthetic: ORLON

22. Elite Navy fighter: SEAL. ((SEa, Air, and Land))

24. Names given to an assassin: HIT LIST

26. Rodeo automaker: ISUZU

29. Sentence subject, usually: NOUN

30. Birthday greeting opened with a click: E-CARD

31. Ewes' guys: RAMS

32. Give it __: swing hard: A RIP

33. Prep for fight night: SPAR

36. Tidies: CLEANS UP

37. Radar gun user: SPEED COP. Not a term I'm familiar with.

39. Big name in razors: ATRA

40. Rice-__: A-RONI. The San Francisco treat!

42. Airport porter: SKYCAP

43. 1986 horror film in which a man becomes an insect: THE FLY. I liked the 1958 version better.

46. Female French friends: AMIEs

47. Repast: MEAL

48. Church area behind an altar: APSE

49. Detective Wolfe: NERO

51. Roof overhang: EAVE

52. Sketch: DRAW

55. Just get (by): EKE

56. Golf Hall of Famer Ernie: ELS

Argyle

Wednesday, September 6, 2017, Samuel A. Donaldson

TITLE: A CURRENT WAR

Husker Gary on the scene for this report of one of the great technological battles of the 19th century between two scientific giants. Nikolai Tesla who favored transmitting electric power using Alternating Current and Thomas Edison who wanted to use Direct Current. 

In the end Tesla's AC method proved superior as it could be transmitted great distances and is still used today. Tesla sold most of his patents to George Westinghouse and died in poverty while business savvy Edison made millions with his (and others') inventions.

The gimmick was pretty easy if you had the circles in your puzzle as was true in my Omaha World Herald. Once the AC/DC coupling was obvious, the remaining circles were pretty much  fish in a barrel.

The reveal:

56. Influential pairing, and a hint to the circles in four puzzle answers : POWER COUPLE

which was fitting for these two bitter rivals as they were a COUPLE, albeit not an amiable one. Samuel chose to split the DC across the last two words as you will now see in his theme fills.

17. Tennessee whiskey cocktail : JACK AND COKE - I wonder if Tinman has this setup?

23. Fruity dessert : PEACHES AND CREAM - The summer solstice of June 21st also serves as this tasty holiday.

35. One above criticism : SACRED COW - or traffic tickets

49. Pre-employment investigation : BACKGROUND CHECK - Mine might put the investigators to sleep

BTW, AC/DC's Australian brothers Malcom and Agnus Young took the name for their band from their sister after she saw AC/DC on a sewing machine.

Here are the rest of Samuel's current entries:

Across

1. One taken for a fool : DUPE - Edison reneged on a $50,000 payment to Tesla and it was all downhill after that

5. Question at a reunion : MISS ME? -And your name is...

11. Game show hosts : MCS

14. Camped in a trailer, for short : RVED - Hey, if you're gonna live in an RV...

15. Sort of : IN A WAY

16. Spoil : ROT

19. MLB's Indians, on scoreboards : CLE

20. __ Alamos : LOS

21. Groundbreaking tool : HOE

22. Aquatic plant : ALGA

28. "My package has arrived!" : IT'S HERE - In The Music Man it was via the Wells Fargo Wagon

29. "Darn it!" : OH RATS

30. Fun time, in slang : GAS

31. "Othello" antagonist " IAGO - "I hate the Moor, And it is thought abroad, That 'twixt my sheets 'Has done my office." Iago intimates that Othello is "Officing" his wife under his own sheets.

34. Unsurpassed : A-ONE

38. Good opponent : EVIL

40. Fair-to-middling : SO SO

41. MMDX ÷ V : DII - 2,510 ÷  5 = 502

44. Actor Estevez : EMILIO

46. Stump speech : ORATION - Edward Everett talked for two hours at Gettysburg but Abe's two minute ORATION is what every school kid learns

52. Morsels : BITS

53. Conditions : IF'S - If IF'S and but's were candy and nuts, we'd all have a Merry Christmas.

54. Done with one's career: Abbr. : RET - Everyday is Saturday now!

55. Yale alum : ELI

61. President pro __ : TEM - Orrin Hatch is the President Pro TEM of the senate and is therefore third in line for succession to the presidency

62. __ Jug: British Open trophy : CLARET - Jordan Spieth hit this incredible shot over that mound from a parking lot/driving range to help win this year's British Open.

63. Take a long bath : SOAK - Did it seem easier to get out of the tub a few years ago?

64. Most GRE takers : SRS

65. Iran, once : PERSIA

66. Holy recess : APSE - The Chair Of St. Peter in the APSE at St. Peter's Basilica

Down

1. Hall of Fame Sixer, familiarly : DR. J - Back when they used to win

2. Charlottesville sch. : U.VA. 

3. Course that makes you sweat, briefly? : P.E. CLASS 

4. "How'm I doing?" New York mayor : ED KOCH

5. Hr. segment : MIN

6. Swing voter: Abbr. : IND

7. Actor __ Baron Cohen : SACHA  and 36. Alter ego of 7-Down : ALI G - Not my cup of comedic tea

8. Faint : SWOON

9. Get by : MAKE DO

10. Pupil's place : EYE

11. Magic Eraser spokesman : MR. CLEAN

12. Palmolive's corporate partner : COLGATE

13. Cooks, as broccoli : STEAMS

18. Tennis legend who wrote "Days of Grace" : ASHE - Athletic and elegant

22. Traffic light symbol : ARROW - Huh?

23. Sty dweller : PIG

24. LAX posting : ETA

25. Lindros in the Hockey Hall of Fame : ERIC

26. Blackens, as tuna : SEARS

27. Former Labor secretary Elaine : CHAO - If you are into politics at all, you know Elaine is married to the Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell

32. Prefix with caching : GEO - This device says it is 31' away from the goal of 28.170N and 48.175W which is in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

33. Uses too much : OD'S ON - I may be approaching that as I have watched six of the fourteen seasons of NCIS in two months

35. Jockey's wear : SILKS

37. Wood measure : CORD

38. Screen writer? : E-MAILER

39. Con targets : VICTIMS - This kitty can't be conned!

41. Sugar-free soft drink : DIET POP - Diet Dr. Pepper is big around here

42. Summer Games org. : IOC - Look up "corrupt" in the dictionary and you'll find this organization

43. Tattoo, in slang : INK

44. __ Field: Brooklyn Dodgers' home : EBBETS - It greatly upset my dad when they left

45. Colorful songbird : ORIOLE


47. Height: Pref. : ACRO and 51. Operators : USERS - I have always wanted to Operate one of these tower cranes but I'm afraid my ACROPHOBIA would get the best of me

48. Where Springsteen was born? : THE U.S.A.

50. Tug __ : OF WAR

56. Angel dust, for short : PCP

57. Outdoor gear retailer : REI - Not for me if I can use the luxury RV above!

58. Transp. group in the Loop : CTA - I'll bet most of you know what will be found near this stop if you catch the Chicago Transit Authority Red Line train in the loop

59. Scale syllables : LA'S - After the Do's, Re's, Mi's and Fa's

60. Squeeze (by) : EKE

Now, no matter how you are wired, you may comment!

Friday, August 25, 2017 ~ Samuel A. Donaldson

Theme: Crank Up the AC - Add A C to some words starting with C and clue appropriately.

20A. Rudely confront espionage supervisors?: ACCOST CONTROLS. (cost controls)

34A. Agreement on the ratio of innies to outies?: UMBILICAL ACCORD. (umbilical cord)

40A. Ones meekly entering debits and credits?: ACCOUNTING SHEEP. (counting sheep)

51A. High praise at a carousel?: BAGGAGE ACCLAIM. (baggage claim)

Argyle here today. I hope nothing's wrong with Lemonade. update: He is okay.

Across:

1. Song one can't perform?: DUET

5. Walk through puddles: SLOSH

10. Mosul's home: IRAQ

14. On the water: ASEA

15. Princess Toadstool's rescuer: MARIO

16. Run into, maybe: DENT

17. Online gaming tyro: NOOB

18. Salem residents: OREGONIANS

22. OPEC member: UAE

23. Guzzler: SOT

24. Holy verse: PSALM

27. Letters by the shore: SPF

30. __ wave: TIDAL

37. Quote from a goat: MAA

38. Absent: NOT IN

39. "O Sole __": MIO

45. Embezzles: SKIMS

46. Trike rider: TOT

47. Big name in electric cars: TESLA

48. Somerhalder of "The Vampire Diaries": IAN

50. Org. that helps you find a way: AAA

59. Pinpoints: ZEROES IN ON

60. Apple talker: SIRI

61. Seeks: ASKS

62. With no other: ALONE

63. Noodle variety: UDON

64. Upscale: POSH

65. Cut with a beam: LASED

66. Await a decision: PEND

Down:

1. Ultimate Fighting Championship president White: DANA

2. Biennial games org.: USOC

3. Fair-hiring agcy.: EEOC

4. Mediterranean salad: TABOULI. Parsley and bulgur wheat salad.

5. Hit hard: SMOTE

6. Prix de __ de Triomphe: annual horse race: L'ARC

7. Oft-twisted cookie: OREO

8. Leo, for one: SIGN

9. Hilarious sorts: HOOTS

10. More than silly: IDIOTIC

11. Down-to-earth: REAL

12. Coulter and Curry: ANNs

13. Liq. measures: QTs

19. Campus org. for future ensigns: NROTC. Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps.

21. Cousin of Dan'l?: SAM'L

24. Adidas alternatives: PUMAs

25. More than a peck: SMACK

26. Old counters: ABACI. Plural of abacus.

27. Great guy?: SCOTT

28. Chaise place: PATIO

29. Fire starter: FLINT

31. Common state capital features: DOMEs

32. Moon of Uranus: ARIEL

33. Parkinson's drug: L-DOPA

35. Rustic stop: INN

36. "Life of Pi" director Lee: ANG

41. "Wow!": "O MI GOSH!"

42. Grammarian's concern: USAGE

43. Legato's opposite, in mus.: STAC

44. Closes, as a wound: HEALS UP

49. Like some cold symptoms: NASAL

50. Pimply: ACNED

51. Indicación de afecto: BESO

52. Sacred chests: ARKS

53. Arizona river: GILA

54. "The Dukes of Hazzard" deputy: ENOS

55. Top-shelf: AONE

56. Support staff member: AIDE

57. Monopoly token replaced by a cat in 2013: IRON

58. Object to: MIND

59. Nuke: ZAP

Argyle

Thursday August 3rd 2017 Samuel A. Donaldson

Theme: Read all about it! Four famous newspaper end names can be found in the circles:

The theme entries "break" a name into two pieces. Let's go around the globe with examples:

20A. Forest canines : TIMBERWOLVES - That's a gimme example for me, but certainly not a gimme entry.

The Times, London's original broadsheet,which has been published under that name since January 1, 1788. It was deemed the UK's "Paper of Record". I had a letter published in The Times in around 1981 when you still had to pen, ink, stamp and post.  I wish I still had the evidence. The Letters Editor reserved a spot at the end of the page for "quirky" letters that didn't address the major issues of the day but were deemed worthy of mild interest. Hand Up for "mild interest".

29A. "Yankee" entrée : POT ROAST

Can we get apple pie to go with that? Then we've got a Yankee Doodle Dandy. Stick around for Paul Robeson. Not a bad soundtrack for this crossword. The Washington Post is the first name to mind for me.

37A. "Good heavens!" : GLORY BE! I wasn't sure. It worked out fine eventually/

Boston. If you write anything bad about (in order) the Celtics, the Bruins or the (I think third) New England Patriots you might be in trouble. Great sports writing.

46A. Diver's weapon : SPEAR GUN. HAND HELD TORPEDO didn't fit. LIMPET MINE also. Eventually, sanity prevailed. Baltimore. Chicago also had a shout at this, but the Sun-Times rather messed it up in the naming stakes. A great paper!

53A. Developing story, and what this puzzle's circles illustrate : BREAKING NEWS

Great newspapers all. 

Thanks to all the journalist who every day help us understand the day. And thanks to all who syndicate the LA Times Crossword!

What a fun ride here. I started out with swathes of white squares and slowly things started to make sense. I got the SW corner first, I filled in the reveal and suddenly I saw SUN at 46A. Five minutes later with a Sahara of while squares in the NW the TIMES hint got me there.

Great job, Samuel, Print journalism is the primary source of my, and others, worldview. I'll leave it at that.

Across:

1. Promising location? : ALTAR

6. Omegas, to an electrician : OHMS

10. Best Actor winner for "Ray" : FOXX. I thought we were on to a pangram right here. Didn't help that I thought WILL Smith played the part.

14. "The Big Bang Theory" co-creator Chuck : LORRE. Crosses, I owe you dinner or a drink. The "L" was, in all honesty, a (considered WAG). See 1D for details.

15. Gusto : ZEAL

16. Tool for a landscaper : RAKE. 

17. Posh water : EVIAN. I think a lot of water brands have added to the posh pantheon.

18. Diva's number : ARIA

19. __ out a win : EKES

23. Island near Barbuda : ANTIGUA. Contributed to my ills in the NW. Perfectly fair.

24. Serve in the capacity of : ACT AS

28. Secretary of state before Shultz : HAIG. Head scratch and try to work your way backwards. The Veeps are tough enough for me.

32. Close on film : GLENN

34. Prefix with hertz : TERA. I had to look this up post-solve. I'm down in the IT world with tera, mega., kilo and all other stuff. Here's a frequency explanation that I would never have been able to deliver: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terahertz

35. Big name in vodka : SKYY. Handy YY for a crossword!

36. Allowed : LET

40. Slippery swimmer : EEL

41. 19th-century Arizona lawman : EARP

43. Sly as __ : A FOX

44. Die down : ABATE

48. Prohibitionists : DRYS

49. Sirius XM radio star : STERN. Shock Jock Howard. Certainly a polarizing individual. Either you think he moved talk radio forward, or he should never have been allowed close to a microphone.

50. Coming-down-with-something feeling : MALAISE

57. "Buzz off!" : SHOO

60. Square cereal : CHEX. Food! I think. Is Chex Mix in Gardetto's, or am I completely confusticating myself?

61. Wine list heading : ROSÉS. Dry, please.

62. Mani mate : PEDI Do you get a pedi without a mani? We should be told.

63. Ritz-Carlton competitor : OMNI

64. First name in cosmetics : ESTÉE. Probably Mme, but I"m just guessing.

65. Rink jump : AXEL

66. Vegas glower : NEON. Funny, I read the clue first as "Vegas unhappy face". Sulk, Lost, what else? Then I saw it

67. "The Tower" poet : YEATS. A snippet from the poem:

I have prepared my peace

With learned Italian things 

And the proud stones of Greece, 

Poet's imaginings 

And memories of love, 

Memories of the words of women, 

All those things whereof 

Man makes a superhuman 

Mirror-resembling dream.

Down:

1. Prince Valiant's wife : ALETA. WAG with the "L", but it made my success with the "L" in LORRE. Best Guess sometimes wins.

2. Like the singin' Spoonful : LOVIN' Another "Didn't you know" songs? Yes, so did.

3. Do some holiday decorating : TRIM THE TREE. How can this be so rare in a crossword? It is. Bravo.

4. Versatile horse : ARABIAN. I stared this down so long with ARAB in my mind and then finally ...

5. Weaseling out (on) : RENEGING

6. Longtime Boston Symphony maestro : OZAWA

7. Superman's favorite sandwich? : HERO

8. It may be registered : MAIL

9. Pole, e.g. : SLAV

10. Diego Rivera works : FRESCOS. Thank you, crosses.

11. Charter __: historic Hartford landmark : OAK. Why did I think LOG might work? I plead ignorance of the immigré. C.C. has this stuff down much better than me.

12. Jag to remember : XKE. Ah now! The E-Type. How can I not show this? A 1969 V12 Convertible in British Racing Green - sex on legs, I mean wheels:

13. Cancels (out) : XES

21. Throw __ : RUG

22. Bud holder? : EAR

25. Go out in the afternoon? : TAKE A SIESTA. There was some great down fill in this puzzle, this is one of them. These long fills really make a puzzle buzz.

26. To date : AS YET

27. Fashionista's concern : STYLE

29. Evita's married name : PERON

30. African antelope : ORYX

31. Diet Coke predecessor : TAB

32. "Cagney & Lacey" co-star : GLESS. Thank you, Mr. Earp for fixing my confident GLASS

33. Took off : LEAPT. Great clue/answer. When you see the past tense, you're always thinking "ED". It's this stuff that makes a crossword compiler/editor make you think twice

34. Food that has an extra-firm option : TOFU. Food! An ingredient in my Pad Thai. Hint: Even with extra-firm, cube the tofu then pour boiling water slowly over it in a sieve or a colander - it sounds counter-intuitive, but the water shower dehydrates the tofu - then when you fry it, it browns a lot better.

38. Hang back : LAG

39. Tea named for a nobleman : EARL GREY. It's a lovely, aromatic tea, flavored with Bergamot oil. My favorite is to take two parts of Assam and one of Earl Grey. That's a kick-ass wake-me-up tea with a soft side.

42. Precook, in a way : PARBOIL

45. Close way to win : BY A NOSE

47. Time away from the base, for short : R'N'R. Rest and Recuperation in the armed forces. I'm re-reading "A Bright Shining Lie" and "Chickenhawk" right now, so this didn't need much thought.

48. Stevens of "Beauty and the Beast" (2017) : DAN. Thank you, crosses!

50. Recipe phrase : MIX IN - A LOVIN' spoonful, a SWEET moment, and AH ME. The best dish.

51. Short partner? : SWEET

52. Mississippi foursome : ESSES

54. Macro or micro subj. : ECON.  I majored it Economics. I LOVED that subject. Not too many rules, it was a BA not a BSc. Tells you a lot. It's an art, not a science.

55. Wistful words : AH ME!

56. Numbers game : KENO

57. Cruise ship amenity : SPA

58. Bewitch : HEX

59. Dedicated piece : ODE. Especially Grecian Jugs. Next time, I'm coming back as a jug.

So - I'm listening to "Puff the Magic Dragon" because I left the YouTube feed running after posting the link to the Lovin' Spoonful song.

I'd love to share the earworm with you. I have to go to bed shortly so, all together:

Puff, the Magic Dragon, lived by the sea
and frolicked in the autumn mist
in a land call Honah Lee

Right then!

Grid? Here!

PS - I know you don't need to PS on a blog, but I wanted to add a journalist shout-out to Halberstam, Sheehan, Arnett and Galloway; Capra and Pyle - and many more. Nothing to do with the puzzle.

Steve

Note from C.C.:

Happy birthday to our beautiful Melissa B, creator of Adopt an Inmate project. Melissa inspire me every day with her strength and compassion. She's a quiet hero.

Left to Right: Melissa's daughter, Melissa's mom Barbara B, Melissa