Thursday, April 25, 2024 Sarah Sinclair & Kelsey Dixon

 GRWM

20. "Just decide!": MAKE UP YOUR MIND. 

30. Remedy known as "having a counter-beer" in German: HAIR OF THE DOG.

41. In great shape: FIT AS A FIDDLE.

55. Friend's invitation before a party, or a TikTok genre that shows off the starts of 20-, 30-, and 41-Across: GET READY WITH ME.  

So makeup, hair and fit.  Does fit mean outfit?

"GRWM is a slang term and acronym for Get Ready With Me that refers to a genre of vlog-style videos in which users show themselves doing their hair and makeup or dressing in an outfit, sometimes while talking with their viewers.   GRWM videos first became popularized on YouTube in 2011, becoming increasingly prevalent throughout the 2010s and 2020s on video-sharing sites like TikTok."

Who knew? 

Sarah and Kelsey did!    Congratulations to both of you on your LA Times debuts!

Across:

1. The hundred target, in Pilates: ABS.  Apparently there is also something called the 100 ABS challenge.  Who knew?

4. Wander (about): GAD. 

7. Bloke: LAD.  I think I may have learned these words reading Andy Capp.

10. "The Search for General __": food documentary: TSO.   I liked the General Tso cartoon that sumdaze posted on Monday, but FWIW, here's the trailer for the documentary:
 

13. Goal material: NET.

14. Pose: ASK.

15. Tussle over a 58-Down entry: EDIT WAR.  - The next time you pull up a Wikipedia article on a controversial issue,  explore the History and Talk tabs. 

17. Avenger in armor: IRON MAN.  A Marvel Comics character.  Iron Man is the superhero alter ego of the billionaire genius Tony Stark.

19. Foot fashion: TOE RING.   In many cultures of India, the groom puts a toe ring on the second toe  of  both feet of the bride.  An ancient tradition.   RiRi was seen sporting a toe ring with a large rock last May.

22. Stuck in one's craw: ATE AT.   Bugged.  Got on one's nerves. 

23. Sales channel: HSN.  Home Shopping Network.

24. Pokémon that evolves into Kadabra: ABRA.  No clue, but the perps were fair.  That's valid.

26. For fear that: LEST.

27. Rte. finder: GPS.

29. Around the clock worker?: GEAR.
 

35. Surfaces, e.g.: PCs.  Microsoft personal computers.

38. "So that's __?": A NO. 

39. Styled like: à la

40. Paramount+ partner, briefly: SHO time.

45. "That's valid": FAIR.

46. With 9-Down, traveling employee's allowance: PER.
       (9D) See 46-Across: DIEM. 
    - "Covered business expenses typically include accommodation, food, and incidental expenses such as fees and tips for services."

47. Body part with cinco dedos: MANO.

51. Cautionary __: TALE.    Aesop wrote many fables.  Some were cautionary tales.  

52. Landmark civil rights law acronym: ADA.  The Civil Rights Act was 1964.   The Americans with Disabilities Act was 1990. 

54. Try to buy from Ebay: BID ON.

59. Prep roses for "The Bachelor," say: DETHORN.

60. Spot far from the nosebleeds: VIP SEAT.

61. Tums, e.g.: ANTACID. 

62. Scrape (out): EKE.

63. Like much omakase: RAW.   Omakase - "the expression is used by patrons at sushi restaurants to leave the selection to the chef, as opposed to ordering à la carte."

64. Benefit that may be rolled over: Abbr.: PTO.  Paid time off, or personal time off.

65. Peele's partner: KEY.  Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key.  So many hilarious skits.

66. Sloth in "Ice Age": SID.  - Ice Age is a 2002 computer-animated movie.  Sid is a talkative and positive minded ground sloth who stands and walks like a human. 

67. Genre with intense lyrics: EMO.   This song is more rock than emo, but it captures the feelings of angst of a young person having to make a tough life decision.   In this case as the video depicts, as the teenage young woman decides to leave her family to pursue her dream of becoming a ballerina.   The band is typically more grunge, but the lyrics and intense strain in the vocal are somewhat evocative of emo.  To me, anyway. 
  

This song, Sound of Madness, is more typical of the musical style of Shinedown, if you want to hear a prime example of grunge.  

Down:

1. Cracker shape: ANIMAL.    Muppet wild drummer: ANIMAL.    And then there's George "The Animal" Steele. 

2. Scold: BERATE.

3. Tends a fire: STOKES.   Not sure why I thought of this song:

4. Spectrum: GAMUT.

5. "Now!" letters: ASAP.

6. Be Delicious perfume co.: DKNY.  Donna Karan, New York.  "Top notes are Cucumber, Grapefruit and Magnolia; middle notes are Green Apple, Lily-of-the-Valley, Tuberose, Violet and Rose; base notes are Woodsy Notes, Sandalwood and Amber."

7. "We'll take it from here": LET US entertain you.  Actually, let the regular bloggers entertain you.  My blogs are lame.

8. Add sparkle, say: ADORN. 

10. Places to sleep tight?: TWIN BEDS.

11. "Killing Eve" star: SANDRA OH.   Perhaps better known from her Grey's Anatomy role as Dr. Cristina Yang.

12. Agcy.: ORG.

16. Priority system: TRIAGE.

18. Not o'er: 'NEATH.

21. Très: OH SO.  Meaning very. 

25. Best Picture winner set in Iran: ARGO.  Also, Jason's Ship.

27. Torres of "9-1-1: Lone Star": GINA.   Gina perped in for me.

28. TA overseer: PROF.  I recall one very earnest TA that seemed to have had a mastery of the subject matter.   I'm sure his delivery got better with time. 

31. Wall clock inserts: AAs. 

32. Taper: FADE.

33. "In short" initialism: TLDR.   Too Long Didn't Read.  A summary.  Usually a bullet list of key takeaways gleaned from the lengthy article that follows. 

34. "2001" supercomputer: HAL.   HAL9000 first achieved consciousness in 1991 at the HAL laboratories in Urbana, Illinois.  Hal malfunctioned and became paranoid in a deep space mission.   

35. "As if!": PFFT.    "Not a chance!"    Or, in another sense, "Pfft, and it was gone!"

36. Role in many a spy thriller: CIA AGENT.  

37. 120mm Louboutin feature: STILETTO.  TY perps.  I had no idea what a Louboutin was before solving this answer.   I'll guess that it is a brand name for a shoe.

42. "Queen of Soul" Franklin: ARETHA.  She deserves her props.   That's all she's askin' in return, honey. 

43. Tipping point on a counter?: IPAD.  I scanned an article the other day that suggested that tipping is out of control. 

44. Puts off: EMITS.  I was getting nowhere thinking of defers, delays, postpones ...

48. Hold fast (to): ADHERE.   In woodworking, a holdfast (one word) is a tool used to secure a work piece to the bench.   
 

49. "Nuh-uh!": NO MAAM. 

50. Punch recipe?: ONE TWO. 

52. Bird of prey's nest: AERIE.    An ever growing eagle aerie

53. Hunky-dory: DANDY. 

54. Ostrich or emu: BIPED.  The two largest living (non extinct) birds.  Neither can fly, but they both can run very fast.  An emu tops out at just over 30 MPH while an ostrich can reach speeds of 43 MPH. A Cassowary is also flightless, and slightly slower than an emu. 

56. Giant diamond: ROCK.  Slang.   So many slang meanings for rock.   BTW,  did you link to the URL above and see the size of the rock that was mounted to the toe ring that RiRi was wearing? 

57. First name in haute couture: YVES  Saint Laurent.   See yesterday's review by Jazzbumpa for a worthwhile brief on this answer.

58. Collaborative site: WIKI.   This is not the abbreviation for Wikipedia.

59. "The Sacred Art of Giving __": Ta-Nehisi Coates essay about a friendly greeting: DAP.   - An essay from 2008 in which the author comments about the co-opting of giving dap.   He points out that although whites have adopted the dap, it's done primarily in sports related settings,  and that it doesn't carry the same weight of a much deeper meaning that it does among African Americans.    A much more recent article in Salon adds additional historical context and point of view.   Both were good reads for me.

That's all for today.

Here's the grid:   

Tuesday, April 18, 2023 Juliet Corless

Don't Give Up!  Stick With It! 

17. Spot for holiday decorations: FRONT YARD.

26. Component of many a 1980s dance performance: MOON WALKING.

53. Fruit-flavored loaf: BANANA BREAD.

62. "Sometimes you feel like a nut" candy: ALMOND JOY.

38. Persevere, or a hint to the ends of the answers to 17-, 26-, 53-, and 62-Across: STICK WITH IT.

This is Juliet's debut crossword at the LA Times! 

Across:

1. Outdated marriage vow word: OBEY.  A true statement in many cultures.

5. "lol": HE HE.  - A restrained laugh. Almost a polite laugh.  Ha Ha -  Especially when repeated, a more uproarious laugh. 

9. Religious divisions: SECTS.  Why are there so many branches of various religions?  Because they kept having more and more sects.

14. Renown: FAME.

15. Odd's opposite: EVEN.

16. Backless slippers: MULES. 

19. Loud, as a crowd: AROAR.

20. As an example: SAY.  My wife is always looking out for my best interests and finding new ways to help me out.  For instance,  one time I mentioned that my sometimes arthritic hands felt a bit relieved when washing the dishes in the hot soapy water.  Since then, she has almost always left the dishes for me.  What a gal!

21. Tons: OODLES.

23. Pep squad cheer: RAH.

30. Like dark clouds: OMINOUS.

32. Pizza __: pie without tomato sauce: BIANCA.  Didn't she marry Mick, and become a Jagger ?   Pizza Bianca:  J. Kenji López-Alt weighs in.

33. Proofreader's catch, hopefully: TYPO graphical error.  As in say, when you intend to compliment your wife by writing to her that she's older and wiser, but you hit the d key instead of the s. 

34. Volume of maps: ATLAS.

37. Gooey lump: GOB.  Gob is also a slang word for mouth.   I learned that from the Everlasting Gobstopper scene in Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory.

42. __ Bath & Beyond: BED. Once thriving.  Now struggling to stay afloat.

44. Hang gracefully: DRAPE.

45. Farm tower: SILO.

48. Phrase from Juliet Corless's balcony scene: O ROMEO.  "... be but sworn my love" 

50. Language arts teacher's concern: GRAMMAR.  Say it ain't so!   I'm far from a grammar snob, but every time I see someone write "tho", I think "ugh", which happens to be exactly what is missing.  I wonder what these people do with all of their free time.

56. Potato growth: EYE.

57. Dot over an "i": TITTLE.

58. Golf peg: TEE.

60. Quartet in many a string orchestra: CELLI.

67. Short-lived: BRIEF.

68. Boyfriend: BEAU.

69. Minecraft or Fortnite: GAME.

70. Run-down: SEEDY.

71. "Now!," in the ICU: STAT.  Latin statim - immediately.  Right now.

72. Future platypuses: EGGS. No, the plural is not platypi.  Interesting about how they find food.

Down:

1. Away from work: OFF.  The Offspring. "I wrote her off for the tenth time today"


2. Happy hour locale: BAR.  In 80's Houston, Friday "ladies night" at the nightclubs and dance clubs drew the biggest crowds.  

3. My Chemical Romance genre: EMO.


4. Strong longings: YENS.
  
5. "Psst!": HEY YOU. 


6. "Girl in Progress" actress Mendes: EVA.   Eva and Ryan

7. Long-legged wader: HERON.

8. Fund on an ongoing basis: ENDOW.

9. Sorta tiny: SMALLISH.

10. Shout of discovery: EUREKA.  I've heard it in old movies.  I know it more as the cities in Missouri and California.

11. Semisonic hit with the lyrics "You don't have to go home / But you can't stay here": CLOSING TIME.


12. Tazo beverage: TEA.

13. 20th century map inits.: SSR.  Click to enlarge.

18. __-shanter: Scottish cap: TAM O'.    I golfed with and bowled against this guy ('s childhood friend and high school teammate). 😉

22. Blot with a tissue: DAB AT.

23. Biodegrade: ROT.

24. Advice columnist Dickinson: AMY.   Don't know, don't care.  Not trying to be mean.  It's simply that I have no interest in the typical subject matter of advice columnists.

25. Shakira's only #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100: HIPS DON'T LIE.   Her elementary school choir teacher rejected her, and her classmates said she sang like a goat.  Who is laughing now?

27. 2019 and 2021 Australian Open winner Naomi: OSAKA.

28. Staff sgt., e.g.: NCO.  An enlisted rank of E-5 in the Air Force.   In the Army, a Staff Sergeant is an E-6. 

29. Gift of __: GAB.

31. "__ on my watch!": NOT.

35. County div.: TWP.  Township.

36. Feudal lord: LIEGE.

39. Call by name: IDENTIFY.


40. Zagreb native: CROAT.

41. Belief system suffix: ISM.  

42. Short cut: BOB. 

43. Memorable historical period: ERA.

46. Install, as tiles: LAY. 

47. Mined metal: ORE.

49. Sent, as a postcard: MAILED.  How quaint.  Regardless,  sending and receiving handwritten mail adds a personal touch that seems to be missing in emails and texts.

51. Snitch on: RAT OUT.  Tattles ?

52. Yemen's Gulf of __: ADEN.

54. Says too much: BLABS.  Tattles ?

55. Find a new tenant for: RELET.

59. One of 12 on a cube: EDGE.

60. "Blue Bloods" TV network: CBS.

61. Before, in classic poetry: ERE.

63. Goat's bleat: MAA.   They thought Shakira sounded like a goat ?

64. High-end British car, for short: JAG.   In Pittsburgh and Chicago, the word and its derivatives have a different meaning.

65. "No. Way.": OMG.  Did you hear oxygen and magnesium got together? They had a certain chemistry.  It's OMg.

66. "That's right": YES.

Yes, that's right.   I was asked to sub today.  Unbelievable, right ?   I thought Dash T was the sub.  When will we see him again ?

The Grid:

Tuesday, December 27, 2022 Margaret Seikel

"Boot Up" is the reveal and makes for an apt title.   And heads up, it's an LA Times Crossword debut for Margaret. 

Hi all !  Anonymous T(tp) here, subbing for Hahtoolah.    No cartoons, but I did hide three Easter eggs.   Can you find them ?

This puzzle was a real doozy.  Let's get right at it.

The reveal is BOOT UP.  Read the starred clues from the bottom up, and look for a famous boot name.

6. *Small child, facetiously: ANKLE BITER.   The first one is the heralded RE-TIB, made by ELK, NA.   These boots are commonly known as Wapitits because of the company name.   They feature two hooves in the front, and sport the instantly recognizable big white rump on the back of the heel.   The TIB was original men's version.    The redesigned RE-TIB model shed the decorative antlers after numerous product liability lawsuits were filed.    Not my cuppa, in either the original or redesigned version.  

10. *Endangered cat that turns white in winter: SNOW LEOPARD.  Boot # 2 is the equally famous DRAPO EL WONS.    I got a pair of these stylish winter boots for Christmas, and let me tell you, yes, they are "As-advertised."   They are the warmest winter boots I've ever had.    These heavily lined boots were originally made near the lowlands of Mont Blanc and marketed heavily in the French newspaper LE MONDE, using the French word drapeau, meaning woolen cloth maker.   I think they were a little too clever targeting an international market, combining French, Spanish and English.   It's been debated as to whether the intent was to be "The Winners" or "The Ones."    Regardless, look for these at high-end retailers.

Wait.   Cool your jets.  Hold the phone.  This just in.   That's not what's going on here.  Not even close.

Just read the first word (the "Up" word) in each of the theme answers, and add Boot to it.

6. *Small child, facetiously: ANKLE BITER.   - Ankle Boot

10. *Endangered cat that turns white in winter: SNOW LEOPARD. - Snow Boot

16. *Salad of corn and black-eyed peas that originated in Texas: COWBOY CAVIAR.  - Cowboy Boot.

26. *Sleeping option that lacks a box spring: PLATFORM BED.  - Platform Boot.

32. *Cinnamon roll with currants: CHELSEA BUN.  - Chelsea Boot.

62. Start, as a computer, and what each answer to a starred clue has?: BOOT UP.

That makes a lot more sense.   Down running theme answers, and the up (first, top) word is a style of boot.   I knew each of the styles by name except for Ankle and Chelsea.  

15 x 16 grid today.   A fine puzzle, Margaret.  Feel free to comment.

Across::

1. Enclosure for changing into a swimsuit: CABANA.   You might find one poolside when you take some time off to spend at at a relaxing resort in the southern climes.   

7. One of the original Seven Sisters schools: VASSAR.  The Hudson Valley college in Poughkeepsie that was named for a brewer.

13. Roused from sleep: AWOKEN.  Disturbed.

14. French daily paper: LE MONDE.  It's read at Notre Dame.  The one in Paris. 

15. Mostly shaved hairstyle: MOHAWK.   DeNiro's haircut in "Taxi Driver."

16. Commutes with co-workers: CARPOOLS.   HOV lane users.

17. __-mo replay: SLO.  The instant replay feature that often takes too long to review.

18. Arm joints: ELBOWS.  They're brutally effective in hand to hand combat and self defense. 

20. Foolish sort: TWIT. 

21. Like some GameStop merchandise: PRE-OWNED.  Used.

23. Units of wt.: LBS.   My New Year's resolution was to lose ten of them.  Only twelve more to go.

24. Home screen array: APPS.  Applications shown on your phone or browser.

27. __ and weaves: BOBS.   How a boxer moves to avoid getting hit.

28. Issa of HBO's "Insecure": RAE.   No relation to Norma.

30. __ monster: GILA.  The venomous lizard of the Sonoran desert.  Venomous, but not normally fatal to healthy adult people.   Any stories, Yuman  ?  Or anyone that's been to that desert ?
 
31. Ad abbr. for "seeking": ISO.    Do you think that ... ?  Is it true  ...  ?   Am I SO out of touch I don't know what ISO means ?   In search of.

32. Uses crayons: COLORS.  Stay between the lines.  Thems the rules.

35. Travel discount provider: AAA.  And a small battery size.

36. Courtroom fig.: ATTY.  A professional in briefs. 

37. Many a Woodstock attendee: HIPPIE.   I believe Lemonade said he was there.  Yasgur's farm, Bethel, N.Y.  

38. Chant: INTONE.  Enunciate slooowly.

 
40. Prompted on stage: CUED.   The forgetful actor was fed a line.

42. Get on in years: AGE.  Mature.  Maybe.  Maybe not.

43. "That's cheating!": NO FAIR.  "I was robbed!"

44. The Hawks, on scoreboards: ATL anta.   I must commend ATLGranny for always projecting such a positive attitude.   Not to take away from the other positive minded people here; it's just that I had that opening with ATL.  

45. __ and proper: PRIM.  Like many schoolmarms ?

46. Greenlights: OKS.  Approves.  Thumbs up !

47. Numbered rds. in a city: AVES.   Not so much in Chicago.  Generally, avenues here are named.

48. Stirs in: ADDS.  Combines.  The verb.  Not the generic name of the harvesting equipment.

49. Time off, briefly: RNR.  Rest and R (elaxation, ecuperation, ecreation, ...) Pick one.

51. Completeness: ENTIRETY.  The whole kit and caboodle.

54. Rhythmic foot: IAMB.   The metrical foot in poetry.

56. Hebrew prophet: ISAIAH.  Michelangelo painted him on the Sistine Chapel ceiling.

57. Relaxing resort: SPA.   A place to get some RNR.

60. "I expect more from you": DO BETTER.  "Improve, or else!"

64. Retired, as a professor: EMERITA.  Honored in academia.

65. Orders for regulars: USUALS.   The regular customers, and what they'll order.

66. 2022 documentary about actor and activist Poitier: SIDNEY.   Great actor.   The documentary is on Apple TV+

67. Weed with stinging hairs: NETTLE.   Plan on 30 to 45 minutes of stinging pain if you come in contact with a Texas Bull Nettle.   Click the pic for a close up.

Down:

1. Pic takers: CAMS.   Incredible overhead shots of the Argentinians celebrating.  I'm happy for Messi.

2. GI sought by MPs: AWOL.  I knew a few that received an Article 15 under the Uniform Code of Military Justice for not reporting for duty, but never knew anyone that got written up for the much more serious charge of being AWOL.   That's Article 87 of the UCMJ.  I just looked it up.

3. __-chic: 37-Across-influenced style: BOHO.  Boho-chic.  Bohemian stylish.  "While boho and hippie fashions have certain things in common, boho is more about encouraging a more romantic appearance and a more nomadic way of living.  Hippie and boho fashions both attempt to break away from conventional dress. Boho fashion, in contrast to hippie fashion, has no political roots."  - All news to me.

4. Alias letters: AKA.  As in, "Chicago, aka the Windy City, the City of Big Shoulders, or the Second City, is noted for ..."

5. Next gen: NEWER.  Next gen has become a marketing buzzword, and may or may not represent any real improvement or advancement in a product or service offering.  So it's often only hype, but it sells better than using descriptors like last gen or old gen. 

7. Song segment: VERSE.  Second verse, same as the first. 

8. Concert device: AMP.   The Story of the Marshall Amp.   Thanks, Dash T !

9. Chimney grime: SOOT.  How does Santa's suit stay so clean ?

11. Improvise on stage: AD LIB.  Spontaneous remarks or actions.  Riffing.  Sometimes by the forgetful actor that wasn't cued.

12. Takes five: RESTS.  A five minute RNR ? 

14. Grassy yards: LAWNS.  A coworker who was also a neighbor relocated here from Arizona, and hated mowing his large back yard, and also hated paying to have it mowed.  He hired a landscaping company to spray with a non-selective systemic herbicide, and then had them blanket the whole kit and caboodle with truckload after truckload of stones and rocks.  Apparently it wasn't enough to remind him of home, or maybe it was the winters, because as soon as he retired he moved back to Arizona. 

19. Helpful push upward: BOOST.   Physical, emotional or career wise. 

21. Anti-vaping spot, for short: PSA.  Public Service Announcement.  The current PSA encourages parents to "Get your head out of the cloud, and to talk to your kids about vaping."  Just so you know, nicotine is the third most addictive substance behind heroin and cocaine.

22. Sci-fi robot: DROID.  Abbreviated from android, I suppose.

24. "Can you repeat that?": AGAIN.    I said, "abbreviated from android, I suppose."

25. Baby grand, e.g.: PIANO.  Unlike baseball, the active player sits on the bench.

29. Swiss mountain: ALP.  

 Click here to open the enlarged version of this map

33. Inflexible: RIGID.   Are we talking about a character trait, or are we describing the physical properties of certain materials ?   I suppose the clue and answer works either way. 

34. Looks like: SEEMS.  Seems to me, you just turn your pretty head and walk away.

36. Licoricelike herb: ANISE.   Depending on the dish, a little goes a long way.

39. Acorn tree: OAK.  Squirrels love them.

41. Wombs: UTERI.   Gestation stations.

45. Pick up the tab: PAY.   Treat. 

47. Completely confused: AT SEA.   Is anyone puzzled by this ?

49. Uber offerings: RIDES.  Cedar Point attractions: Rollercoasters.  Rides.

50. Model Campbell: NAOMI.  Not just model.  1990s Supermodel.

52. __-gritty: NITTY.   The essentials.  The crux of the matter.  "Let's skip the chit chat and get down to the nitty gritty."  Brass tacks.

53. That and that: THOSE.  Them ones.  No, that's not correct.  It's them thar ones.

55. Swiss capital: BERN.   Zoom in, zoom out.  The ALPs shown in 29D are southeast of Bern.

 

57. Sports fan's datum: STAT istic.

58. Injure, as a muscle: PULL.  Been there, done that.

59. Cathedral recess: APSE.  The view from a pew.

61. Even score: TIE.   Baseball games rarely end in one. 

63. Not at home: OUT.   Gone fishin', perhaps.  I'm out.  Next time I'll try to do better.

 

Friday, Aug 14, 2020 Jerry Edelstein

 
"Sounds Like: Fun With Homophones"

17. Drove by the campsite?: PASSED TENTS.    Past Tense

25. Johann Sebastian and Johann Christian?: MALE BACHS.    Mailbox

35. Carpenter's work station?: PLANE SITE.    Plain Sight

49. Bird popularity surveys?: FOWLPOLLS.    Foul Poles

58. Wildebeests coming to a screeching halt?: BRAKING GNUS.    Breaking News 

This answer was flat out funny to me.   Couldn't find a suitable picture of gnus braking, but did find this happy boy.

 

Jerry should win a pullet surprise for creating these new homophones and definitions. 

Across:

1. Peak on the 1,000-yen note: FUJI. 

5. Kicked: BOOTED.

11. __ bod: DAD.    Here's the blog post that went viral in 2015 and brought national attention to the term dad bod:    Why Girls Love The Dad Bod

14. Sign not always recognized: OMEN.    

15. "Sanford and Son" son: LAMONT.   I loved that show.   Aunt Esther was always sticking her nose in Fred and Lamont's business.   Lamont would try keep the peace, but Fred always had some funny reply to get her even more fired up.  

16. Wool coat wearer: EWE.

19. Hist. majors' degrees: BAs.

20. Half a cocktail hour pair: TONG.

21. Needlefish: GAR.  2 minute YouTube video   on the needlefish.  

22. Winery sight: CASK.   If the answer was only three letters, we would most likely answer "tun".    A tun is 252 gallons.    That's the largest cask shown below.

If you look closely at this graphic, you'll see that the name for the cask that holds half of a tun is called a butt.  

So if it was fully loaded with wine, you would have a buttload.   Who knew that a buttload was a real measurement ?

23. It may be proven in court: GUILT.

27. Soap opera plot staple: AMNESIA.

29. Kemper who plays Kimmy Schmidt: ELLIE.   No idea, but the perps were kind.

30. Car stat: MPG.

31. Buckle: GIVE.   Buckle as a verb rather than as a noun.   As in, buckle under pressure.   But if you buckle down, you are not giving in.   And if you buckle up, the life you save may be your own.

34. Big game, say: EVENT.

38. Scotch-Brite cleaning product: DOBIE.

41. 9, at times: Abbr.: SEPT. ember.

42. Race unit: LAP.

45. First name on a 1945 bomber: ENOLA.   Second name on a 1945 bomber: Gay.

46. Polite response: YES MAAM.

53. Presidents take them: OATHs.

54. Song and dance: ARTs.   As are Carney and Linkletter.

55. Pod resident?: PEA.

56. "Picnic" dramatist: INGE.   A 1953 play written by William Inge.   Paul Newman had his Broadway debut in this play.

57. Fifth-century date: CDI.    401 in Roman numerals.   About the time of the beginning of the fall of the Roman Empire.   (I like looking things up)

62. Get ready to drive, with "up": TEE.  

63. Place for a shot: TAVERN.

64. Distasteful: ICKY.

65. Surg. facilities: ORs.

66. Location query opener: "WHERE'S  the beef ?",  asked Clara Peller.

67. Viewed warily: EYED.

Down:

1. Dandy: FOP.   A Beau Brummell. 

2. Thurman of the 2005 film "Prime": UMA.     I watched most of this movie sometime in the last six months.   Uma played a newly divorced 37 year old that falls in love with a 22 year old recent graduate.   She is seeing a therapist to help her deal with her divorce.  She confides to her therapist about her young lover.   The therapist soon realizes the young lover is her son.   Her therapist is played by Meryl Streep.   

The film started strong and hooked me in, but the story line quickly grew weak and somewhat dragged.   The only thing that kept me from turning it off earlier was watching Meryl Streep.    Love her subtle expressions of emotions.   

3. Having fun: JESTING.   WGN anchors Robert Jordan and Jackie Bange having some fun during a commercial break back in 2009.

The story behind ... epic commercial break handshake 

4. Shoe part: INSOLE.

5. Apt. house: BLDG.

6. __ grass: OAT.

7. Breitling competitor: OMEGA.

Jerry Seinfeld has a collection of Breitling watches.  

8. Relating to pitches: TONAL.   There are four tones in Mandarin Chinese, with a fifth neutral tone.     Kevin Salat, the constructor that introduced us to the word tauromachy on Saturday, August 1st, speaks Mandarin.

9. Between, in Brest: ENTRE.    For those of us that do not parlay voo French but do solve crosswords, it's just a matter of remembering some of the common phrases we see in clues and answers.  e.g.,  entr'acte (between the acts) and entre nous (just between us).

Of course you would have to assume we are talking about Brest, France and not Brest, Belarus.    In Belarusian, between would be паміж.

10. Drying-out hurdle: DTs.    Delirium Tremens.

11. Total disaster: DEBACLE.

12. Loaded with: AWASH IN.

13. It might contain an inbox: DESK SET.   Not related to the clue, but I thought of Desk Set, starring Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy.  IMO, it was one of their better movies.    The screenplay was written by Phoebe and Henry Ephron.   Harry was also the producer.    Yes, you are correct.   They are the parents of Nora.    We often see her here with clues related to her RomComs Sleepless in Seattle and When Harry Met Sally.

18. Tolkien creatures: ENTs.

22. Have a cow: CALVE.    This fun clue did not fool PK or Spitzboov.   I would not be surprised to learn that she helped deliver a few.

23. School of whales: GAM.   Sometimes it is a pod.

24. Foul line watcher, at times: UMP.   Sometimes with ire.    Double entendre.   Umpire and ump ire  :>)  

25. Water conduits: MAINS.

26. Red-rooted plant, usually: BEET.  

28. Food chain letters: IGA.  "Hometown Proud"

32. Flying formation: VEE.

33. Athletic awards: ESPYs.   Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly awards.

35. Some tablets: PILLs.

36. It may be quantum: LEAP.

37. Resident's suffix: ITE.

38. In reality: DE FACTO.

39. Awaiting shipment: ON ORDER.

40. Donald Duck and Winston Churchill wear them: BOW TIEs.   

42. Bulbs' pre-bloom condition: LATENCY.

43. Sound of delight: AAH.

44. U.K. leaders: PMs.

47. Musical number: SONG.

48. Smith who played Violet on "Downton Abbey": MAGGIE.   I was clueless.  The answer  perped in. 

50. Part of OWN: OPRAH.   The Oprah Winfrey Network.

51. Go: LEAVE.

52. James, since 2018: LAKER.   Lebron James,  NBA superstar playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. 

56. 1,000+ Holidays: INNs.   Tricky clue, easy answer.   Just looked it up to get a real count.  As of Sept 2018, there were 1173 Holiday Inns.

58. Texter's "just so you know": BTW.     By The Way.   

59. Wrath: IRE.   Sometimes directed at umps.

60. Hawaiian strings: UKE.    Ukulele.   Spelled out to reinforce the spelling.  

61. Barrett of Pink Floyd: SYD.    A founding member of the English band before they became really popular. 

Friday, July 31, 2020 David Alfred Bywaters

"P END"


17. Really cool traffic sound?: KILLER BEEP.

29. Reaction to an impressive flower?: GREENHOUSE GASP.

37. Summer getaway for a young Peter Parker?: WEBCAMP.

45. Waterproofer's guarantee?: LONG TIME NO SEEP.

60. Part of a bad restaurant review on Yelp?: DINING CARP.

68. Remain unsettled, or, read as two words, what five of this puzzle's long answers have: P END.

How fun was that ?  The theme answers, esp. Dining Carp, made me laugh.

You probably got an idea of what to look for after seeing the ending P in a couple of those answers, didn't you ?   Knowing that the P was coming helped me with the others.   I really liked the way David tied them all together with PEND as the reveal.

It was interesting to see consecutive answers at 29 and 30 Down both end with the ING suffix.   David handled the consecutive letters in the crossing answers skillfully.  

BTW,  David offers both old novels and crosswords for you to download at his blog.    In the "About" tab,  David writes, "You can find reviews and All the crosswords here have themes involving modifications either in language or its interpretation.  Their purpose is rather to amuse than to baffle.  I care nothing for hipness; I make no effort to include the latest neologism, celebrity, or TV series."

Sounds to me like that would be a great source of crosswords for the solvers who don't care for all of the pop culture clues and answers.   And as you'll notice when you review the clues and answers for  today's crossword, there's a scarcity of them.  For the few that do exist, I wonder if they are David's clues or the editor's clues.

Moving on.  Let's check it out:

Across:

1. Thing with three feet: YARD.   First thought was tripod.  Too many letters.

5. Mucho: LOTSA.   As in the expression, lotsa gusto. 

10. Life __ know it: AS WE.   has changed for most of us.   Mind your three W's. 

14. On the quiet side: ALEE.

15. Has a go: TRIES.

16. Steady guy: BEAU.

19. __'acte: ENTR'.   "Between the acts".   Last Saturday, the clue was    52. Entr'__: ACTE.

20. Hardy: STOUT.

21. Makes blue, maybe: DYEs.   Dye, Green and Brown were cousin's surnames in my family. No Blues.

23. Friendly opening?: ECO.

24. Literary count, familiarly: DRAC.  ula

27. Up in the air: ON HIGH.  

33. Feat: DEED.

34. Large cask: TUN.

35. Mediterranean island nation: MALTA.

36. "__ not over": IT'S.    Yes it is.   Roy said so.


Shankars is a big fan of Roy Orbison.  

40. Go awry: ERR.

41. Kitchen magnet?: AROMA. 

43. Game with a "Moo!" version for preschoolers: UNO.   U no I didn't know, but it was an easy guess.

44. Future atty.'s hurdle: LSAT.

49. Rio Grande city: LAREDO.  About a 300 mile drive for Dash T.   We normally get Marty Robbins singing Streets of Laredo, but how about some Jim Reeves this time ?



50. Env. directive: ATTN.   Envelope / Attention

51. Short-order order: BLT.   Abejo would order his BLT sans mayo.   Abejo,  I hope you are able to harvest some home grown tomatoes.  We did not plant any this year.  My error.

52. Ceremony: RITE.

54. Beasts of burden: ASSES. 

58. "How the Other Half Lives" author Jacob: RIIS.   "...a pioneering work of photojournalism by Jacob Riis, documenting the squalid living conditions in New York City slums in the 1880s" - Amazon Book review.

63. Cornerstone word: ANNO.   Latin for year.

64. In need of a sweep: SOOTY.  Like the chimney or hearth of a wood burning fireplace.

65. French friend: AMIE.  Vince Gill, with long hair in 1979: 

That guy can hit some high notes.  Shades of Roy Orbison.

66. Like custard: EGGY.

67. Beginning: ONSET.   From the get go.  Jump street.   Square one.
This song has an instantaneously recognizable beginning:


Down:

1. Shaggy beasts: YAKs.  Goes on and on.

2. Came to rest: ALIT.

3. Pull up stakes for one's co.: RELO. cate.   Happened to me.   Houston to Chicago.  From the 5th largest city in North America to the 3rd largest. 

4. Played for a chump: DELUDED.

5. Env. insert: LTR.   Envelope / Letter

6. Eye, to a bard: ORB.

"Cold-hearted orb that rules the night

Removes the colours from our sight
Red is grey is yellow white
But we decide which is right
And which is an illusion"

Graham Edge of  The Moody Blues - A modern bard.

7. Headed for extra innings: TIED.   Major League Baseball is back !

Did you hear about the lineup that Toronto (North America's 4th largest city) had in their opening game of the season ?

The Blue Jays had Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio, Vlad Guerrero, Jr. and Travis Shaw batting one through four.   Those first four batters are all sons of retired MLB players.  A first in ML history.

8. "Bye now": SEE YOU.  Later, alligator.  After while, crocodile.

9. Shivering trees: ASPENs.   Quakers.

10. Japanese prime minister since 2012: ABE.   Two syllables in Abe.   Shinzō Abe.

11. Dakar residents: SENEGALESE.  Immediately keyed in Sengallis and almost just as quickly corrected it.  Why in the world I tried Sengallis or where it came from is unknown.

12. What prevents time from slipping away?: WATCH STRAP.  Loved the clue.

13. German capital: EURO.  Gee. 

18. Raison d'__: ETRE.   The most important reason.  

22. One of the Stooges: SHEMP.    Chairman Moe is a fan, as his avatar of Larry, Moe and Curly would suggest.   Shemp was an original stooge but went solo, and was replaced by Curly.   Curly had a stroke in 1946.    Shemp returned to make the trio of stooges complete again.

25. Penny-__: ANTE.   Often meaning petty.   At other times, a poker game that won't break the bank.

26. Fish used for bait: CHUB.   Now this was tricky for me, because chum is fish parts and blood used to attract other fish, typically predator fish like sharks (as in that scene from Jaws).   Chub are freshwater fish, and are commonly used as bait for other larger fish such as bass and catfish.   SansBeach, and other fishing aficionados, please chime in.

28. Supermarket franchise initials: IGA.   Independent  Grocers Alliance.  With the slogan, "Hometown proud."    Not International Grocers Association, even though they are also in Canada, Australia and the Philippines.

29. Initiate: GET ROLLING.  Rock.  Get it ?  You know, Rolling Rock Beer, the beer that made Latrobe famous ?    Or was it Arnold Palmer that made Latrobe famous ?    Do you know who else was from Latrobe ?   Fred Rogers.  Yes, Mr. Rogers !    Plus, there was an apprentice pharmacist from Latrobe that is credited as the inventor of the banana split.    Now where was I ?    Oh, the review.   Time to get rolling. 

30. Striking a chord (with): RESONATING.   My first thought.  Funny how some word associations are so strong.  Like Rolling Rock, and the Laurel Highlands.  It just seems to resonate.

You don't usually see words like resonating in crosswords.  Surely someone somewhere has used it, but I've never seen it.  (I think Lemonade has some tools to check these kind of things.)   But having only about eight years of solving history, I don't have a great purview. 

31. As prompted: ON CUE.

32. Hair line: PART.   Two words in the clue.  Cute word play by David.   Hairline (one word) would be the edge of one's hair, or a very thin or fine line.

33. Old TV control: DIAL.  They used to have these on old phones, too.  Most readers here should have a good visual image of both of those dials.

37. Word with buffalo or wings: WATER.

38. "Frozen" sister: ANNA.   Knew it had to be Elsa or Anna, so I looked to confirm with a perp.  The first one I got was the last A.  

39. Academic: MOOT.
"Whatever was done is done
I just can't recall
It doesn't matter at all" - Greg Lake.

42. Dept. head: MGR. 

44. Shot spoiler: LENS CAP.

46. "You couldn't have!" retort: I DID SO.

47. Security lighting trigger: MOTION.  

48. Deer sir: STAG.

51. Highlands hillside: BRAE.

53. Short-lived spinoff of "The Dukes of Hazzard": ENOS.   I wonder if this was David's clue ?   Doubtful, given his predisposition to "...make no effort to include the latest neologism, celebrity, or TV series."   He probably had something like "Grandson of Eve".

55. Identical: SAME.

56. Sportscaster Andrews: ERIN.   I wonder if this was David's clue ?   Doubtful, given his predisposition to "...make no effort to include the latest neologism, celebrity, or TV series."   He probably had something like "Welsh name for Ireland".

57. Went fast: SPED.    Answers flowed today.  Got the scheme early.   Never saw the reveal until starting the write up.  Shame on me.  Then realized how clever it was.

59. __ sauce: SOY.

61. Mineral suffix: ITE.  A few examples would be  jerrygibbsite, jimthompsonite and joesmithite.

62. Paper read on the LIRR or Metro-North, perhaps: NYT.   Long Island RR, and the common abbr for the New York Times.

Friday, July 17, 2020 Nancy Stark & Will Nediger

"Artificial Replacements"


17. Minty green cocktail?: ASTROTURF HOPPER.   Grasshopper.

27. Easier to swallow?: ASPARTAME COATED.  Sugarcoated.    Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth: Alternative Sugars

49. Puritan preacher involved in the Salem Witch Trials?: POLYESTER MATHER.    Who ?    Cotton Mather.

65. 1934 Oscar-nominated film whose title hints at the wordplay in three other long answers: IMITATION OF LIFE.

Library of Congress - National Film Preservation Board - The importance of the film

Learning moments:  Cotton Mather and his father Increase Mather, and then reading various articles about the film Imitation of Life. 

Across:

1. Sticking point?: CRAW.

5. Mixed __: MEDIA.  " The term “mixed media art” is a broad definition that covers many arts and crafts, including collage, assemblage (both 2D and 3D), altered objects, including books and boxes, handmade greeting cards, artist trading cards (ATCs) and tags, art journalling and book making.

The “mixed media” used includes paints, papers and board of all descriptions, glues, buttons, fabrics, found objects, photos, metal bits, fibres, things from nature, inks, pencils, crayons, markers, pastels and polymer clays, to name a few."  - Mixed Media Art . Net

10. Surveillance network, briefly: CCTV.    Closed Circuit TV

14. Adonis: HUNK.

15. Finals, e.g.: EXAMs.

16. Vibe: AURA.

20. Plunging neckline type: DEEP V.

21. Island chain: LEI.

22. Annoying: PESKY.

23. Not an exact fig.: EST.  

25. __ King Cole: NAT.

36. Panache: ELAN.

37. Número after cero: UNO.   Numbers zero and one, in Spanish.

38. "Gypsy" (2008) Tony winner: LUPONE.   At the point in time, I was missing the last two vowels, so I and O went in.  Fortunately worked out Lupone instead of Lupino.

39. Airs: SONGs.    Back in the early days of my solving experiences, we had a clue Troubador' s offering and the answer was AIRS.   Here are the responses in the blog comments that day.

41. Pinnacle: TOP.

43. "The Goldfinch" novelist Donna: TARTT.   No idea.  Perps.  The 2014 Pulitzer Prize Winner in Fiction

44. Code prohibiting singing?: OMERTA.   The Mafia code of silence, to anyone outside of the organization, but especially to authorities.

46. Trashy newspaper: RAG.

48. Hard to find: RARE.

52. Old records: LPs.

53. Bobs and weaves: DOs.   Female hairstyles.   Butches and flattops for males.

54. Eye color: HAZEL.

58. "Barry" channel: HBO.    No idea, but the O was in place, so it was probable that it would be SHO or HBO.

"Barry follows Barry Berkman, a former Marine from Ohio who works as a hitman. Lonely and dissatisfied with life, he travels to Los Angeles to kill a target and ends up "finding an accepting community in a group of eager hopefuls within the L.A. theater scene"

60. Major religion of Indonesia: ISLAM.

68. Rackets: DINs.   My father nicknamed my niece Rachael  "Racket" when she was about two.

When Madame Defarge referred to her granddaughter as "The Blonde Tornado" back in 2016, I immediately understood.

69. Yankee Candle emanation: AROMA.

70. Retailer with a meatball recipe to make at "höme": IKEA.

OK, then let us translate from Finnish as well:

The Swedish version sounds more appealing.  

71. Nervous: EDGY.

72. Frisky swimmer: OTTER.

73. Whimper: MEWL.

Down:

1. Libya neighbor: CHAD.  Testing your geography knowledge, as well as country names.

2. Deceptive ploy: RUSE.

3. Poker entry fee: ANTE.   "Feed the kitty" followed by "Pot's right. Deal."

4. Sitcom radio station: WKRP.  The show was inspired by a Harry Chapin song.

12 fascinating facts about WKRP in Cincinnati

5. Brave adversary?: MET.   For the non sports solvers:  Major League Baseball.   Each is a player or coach on one of the two National League East teams.

6. Over the moon: EXULTANT. 

7. Take a risk: DARE.

8. "Feeling good": I'M FINE.


9. E-cig's lack: ASH.   First thought was tar. 

10. Sleeveless garment: CAPE.  First thought was vest.

11. Starbucks stack: CUPs.   First thought was lids, then CapS, then finally CUPS.

12. Cause of blisters, perhaps: TREK.

13. Your mileage may __: VARY.   In text: YMMV.

18. Word after bowl or blow: OVER.

19. Decline to participate: OPT OUT.    Last Thursday, we had "Refuse to participate" in Stella Zawistowski's crossword.

24. Early Beatle Sutcliffe: STU.   In the very early days, when they were a five-piece band.

26. Oft-torn knee part: ACL.    Anterior Cruciate Ligament.   The ACL is tissue that connects the thighbone to the shinbone, at the knee.

27. "Lion's share" originated from a story of his: AESOP.    The moral is "Might makes right" and the fable is The Lion's Share

28. NBA replay aid: SLO-MO.

29. Group of pundits: PANEL.

30. Seeing red: ANGRY.   Irritably needing food ?    Hangry.

31. Demi of "Ghost": MOORE.


14 Things You Might Not Know About Ghost

32. Separated: APART.   Role to play: A PART.

33. Word from the Hebrew for "teaching": TORAH.

34. __ nous: ENTRE.   Listen, do you want to know a secret ?  Do you promise not to tell ?

35. Discourage: DETER.

40. Designer McCartney: STELLA.    Daughter of Paul and Linda McCartney.   She was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2013 for services to fashion.

42. "Please repeat that?": PARDON ME ?.

45. Egyptian viper: ASP.

47. Controversial food letters: GMO.    Genetically Modified Organism

50. Many a souvenir: T-SHIRT.

51. "That'll be the day!": AS IF.    "You have to be kidding me !"

54. Conceal: HIDE.

55. Surrounded by: AMID.

56. "Oh snap!": ZING.

57. Handmade goods website: ETSY.

59. Abrupt dismissal: BOOT.

61. __ to none: bad odds: SLIM.   Muhammad Ali famously quipped about Joe Frazier's chances, "Frazier's got two chances. Slim, and none. And Slim just left town."

62. Go for: LIKE.

63. Several: A FEW.

64. Event with courses: MEAL.  No-brainer, but my mind strayed to golf.   Specifically,  The Pebble Beach Pro-Am, played on three different courses: Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill Golf Course, and Monterey Peninsula Country Club.

66. Eastern "way": TAO.

67. Shell mover: OAR.  Rowing 101

Friday, June 26, 2020 Mark McClain

Straight Fs

If you've never been able to solve a Friday, today should be your lucky day.


20. Avian athletic contest?: GAME OF FINCHES.

28. Advanced degree for a gemologist?: DOCTOR OF FLAWS.

47. Metropolis, thanks to Superman?: CITY OF FLIGHTS.

57. Flunk out ... and what three long answers do?: GET STRAIGHT FS.


Straight Fs would be bad for your GPA.   No one should flunk out today. 

I always enjoy solving Mark's puzzles.   He's definitely in my top 5 favorite constructors.   Today was no different, and each of the the three theme answers made me smile. 

But IMHO, this was way, way too easy for a Friday.   A scheduling error ?  What do you think ?  Oh, and I'm sorry if I burst your bubble.

I was confounded by the answer to 9D, IN A HUFF.   It obviously doesn't fit with the theme answers of the added F.   The two Fs still gave pause. 

Across:

1. President before Wilson: TAFT.

5. Sign of shock: GASP.

9. Classical inspiration for the 2004 film "Troy": ILIAD.   Troy ?   Hello, Irish Miss !   Hope you are feeling a little better. 

14. Another, in Mexico: OTRO.   Fill in OTR and check the perp to decide if it will be A (feminine) or O (masculine).   Oh no !  The perp is also Spanish.   Good thing we all know the Spanish word for bullfighter.

15. __ ID: USER.   You can make your USERIDs complex, but there's no need.   Keep them simple.  Make your passwords complex, and change them frequently. 

16. Chip in a bowl: NACHO.   Doritos Nacho Cheese are favored chips in this casa.

17. Almost at: NEAR.

18. Long vehicle: LIMO.  A conversation starter for your Limo driver ?  It's derived from Limousine.   From Limousin, a region in France.  A Gallic tribe (Celtics on the continent) lived there in the time of Caesar.   They were known as Lemovices, which means "those who vanquish by the elm."  Lemo - elm, and uices - victors.   In the end, their elm bows and lances were no match as Caesar's armies laid siege.  Even though the Roman Army was outnumbered 4 to 1, they won the battle and claimed Gaul once and for all as a Roman province.   If you driver has no interest,  just talk about the weather.

19. It has no subs: A TEAM.   Loved this clue.

23. Like a disciplinarian: STERN.

24. Torque symbol, in mechanics: TAU.

25. RV chain: KOA. 

33. Ominous: DIRE.

34. Destinies: FATEs.  There were three Goddesses of Fates, as we learned in Steve's write up on June 18th.  They were Clotho the Spinner, Lachesis the Alloter, and Atropos the Inflexible.   Speaking of destinies, the all girl group Destiny's Child consisted of Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams.

35. Push-up targets: PECs.   Pectoral muscles. 

39. Not against the rules: LEGAL.   Licit.

42. Like a hairpin: BENT.

43. Stretched circles?: OVALs.

45. Brewpub array: ALEs. 

52. Corrida cheer: OLE.  For the torero. 

53. Waze suggestion: Abbr.: RTE.   Waze is a GPS app from Google.

54. Estée Lauder subsidiary: AVEDA.   Never heard of it until solving C.C.'s "Back to Basics" crossword puzzle last Sunday.    She remarked in the review that it is a Minnesota based company owned by Estee Lauder.

62. Problematic bacterium: E. coli.

64. The Mississippi forms its eastern border: IOWA.   And the Missouri forms most of its western border.

65. Northern European capital: OSLO.

66. Singer nicknamed "The Velvet Fog": TORME.   I read that at age 19 he composed the music and co-wrote the lyrics for this song made famous by Nat King Cole.


67. Visible pollution: SMOG.   Fog and then smog ? And ice crystals in the air forming a sundog ?

68. Comics icon Lee: STAN.   Marvel Comics. 

69. Vast chasm: ABYSS.

70. Sun dog, e.g.: HALO.  I believe you pretty much have to be in a colder climate like the northern states or Canada to see these when the sun is at the horizon.

71. Carry: TOTE.

Down:

1. Kitchen picker-uppers: TONGs.

2. Patronized, as a diner: ATE AT.

3. Like many museum paintings: FRAMED. 

4. Corrida star: TORERO.   Bullfight star:  Bullfighter.

5. Wide gap: GULF.

6. "Dream on!": AS IF.

7. Big rig: SEMI.   One of my "other duties" in the Army was driving one of these M818  5 ton tractor trucks.   Mine was a -A2 multifuel with  a ragtop and a semi trailer rather than the lowboy pictured.  10 wheels on 3 driven axles with a lot of torque, and no creature comforts in the cab. 

8. Stat relative: PRONTO.

9. Highly annoyed: IN A HUFF.

10. Having missed the deadline: LATE.

11. Item of hockey equipment: ICE SKATE.  Like some potato chips, one is usually not enough.

12. Cry of discovery: AHA.

13. Champagne title: DOM.

21. Like much '80s-'90s music: ON CD.

22. Half-__: coffee order: CAF.

26. Wilson who voiced Lightning McQueen in "Cars" films: OWEN.  Also the first name of our resident poet and host of Jumblehints Blogspot

27. A new exec may hire one: ASST.   The position title is usually ...

29. Shop __ you drop: 'TIL.   "Honey, look how much money I saved !"

30. Hematite, for one: ORE.  Properties, uses, and occurrence of the most important ore of iron. Among others, ballast for ships, protection from x-rays, and jeweler's rouge.  DNK.

31. Fit for a queen: REGAL.

32. Yellow __: LAB.   The most popular dog in the United States is the Labrador.

35. Somewhat, to Schubert: POCO.    When it came to music, he was anything but poco.   He went full-bore.   One of the most prolific composers of all time.  Schubert only lived to age 31.   Steve had poco yesterday in Joe Denney's puzzle yesterday with the clue [Slightly, in scores].

36. Villainous: EVIL.

37. One in a Trivial Pursuit sextet: CATEGORY.

38. Slick: SLY.

40. Big name in Islam: ALI.

41. KFC selection: LEG.

44. Military pilot's missions: SORTIEs.

46. Heavy carpet: SHAG.

48. NBA foul shots: FTs.  Free throws.

49. Magic charm: FETISH.
   1.  any object believed by some person or group to have magic power

   2.  any thing or activity to which one is irrationally devoted to make a fetish of sports

   3.  Psychiatry any nonsexual object, such as a foot or a glove, that abnormally excites erotic feelings

50. Jay Leno, for many years: TV HOST. 

51. Starts: SETS TO. 

55. Key of Chopin's "Minute Waltz": D FLAT.

56. In concert: AS ONE.  Harmony, unity, accord

58. "Slippery" trees: ELMs.

59. Capital SSE of Firenze: ROMA.  Florence  / Rome in Italian.

60. Nowhere to be found: AWOL.

61. "Aladdin" parrot: IAGO.

62. Pilot's approx.: ETA.

63. Corn discard: COB.