This one needed to go back to the drawing board. Not to discredit the co-authors, but the puzzle, at best, is clunky, with a mediocre theme, too many names, and egregious fill - and that's on the editor. YMMV, but fills like 5 and 53D., with names not only at 1D. - Chairman Moe mentioned certain editors will not allow abbrs to start, and I agree - but also as theme answers ( even if I know two-thirds of them ) makes this grid lose lustre . . . Congratulations to Sheri, as this looks to be her debut, and Katie has constructed and co-authored several crosswords for the LA Times, "et al."; I do hope to see more collaborations. Standard grid, only 13 3LWs - all the "worst" ones - and an oversampling of 'generic' crossword fill - but hey, no circles~! The themers and the reveal;
20. Winner of the first Olympic gold medal in men's snowboard slopestyle: SAGE KOTSENBURG - name #1 - really vague - more here
34. "White Christmas" co-star: ROSEMARY CLOONEY - name #2
43. "Peanuts" character with a tendency to sleep through class: PEPPERMINT PATTY - name #3
58. Shampoo brand that claims to be "plant obsessed," and what 20-, 34-, and 43-Across all have: HERBAL ESSENCES
* - I see that there's a new analytic on the XWord Info page that tracks "Grid Flow", created at a site called Crosserville. There is a mathematical algorithm involved, and so far, the highest flow recorded has been 219.2, and the median 31.8 - turns out that Friday and Saturday crosswords show higher flow #s; I'm gonna keep an eye on this moving forward. Today's grid~? 20.0
And Away We Go~!
ACROSS:
1. Dreary: DRAB - this definitely describes my feelings about this puzzle
5. Shock: JOLT - when I filled in 53D., I certainly got a shock - I mean, really~?
9. Improvises vocally: SCATS
14. Currency in 20 countries: EURO
15. Desire: URGE
16. Like days long ago: OLDEN
17. Has-__: BEEN - hmmm . . . filled via perps
18. Cornhusker st.: NEBRaska - HuskerG nailed this one; abbr, geo name #1 - and meh.
19. McDonald of "The Gilded Age": AUDRA - name #4 in the Hahtoolah Convention -her IMDb
23. Not even: ODD
24. Pilot's approx.: ETD - Estimated Time of Departure, crossword "alt" staple to ETA
29. Problem in one's pants or pantry: ANTS - "ants in your pants" = nervous, twitchy, "antsy"
32. Burro: ASS
40. Where to see the big picture?: IMAX
41. "Rudy" coach Parseghian: ARA - I screwed up and went with ARI - name #5
42. Erté's style: DECO - I like Art Deco; since the skyscraper was born in that ERA, we still see it's influnce 100 years later - I would get me this book
49. Tennis great Arthur: ASHE - name #6, even if it's a crossword staple
50. Michigan's __ Locks: SOO - Joins the Great Lakes Superior and Huron - geo name #2
And there's another crossword staple in there - Sault STE Marie
51. Wee: SMA - meh.
54. Rocket ending: EER - RocketEER - semi-meh, in terms of fill
56. Speed Wagon automaker: REO - this one is getting as boring as ERA and ATM
64. Like sun bears and pandas: ASIAN - Naomi showed us a sun bear in this BUNS puzzle
65. __-Seltzer: ALKA
66. California roll ingredient: CRAB - I am east coast; this was a WAG from perps
And I don't care for sushi, either, but crab is good
68. Italian soccer great Maldini: PAOLO - name #7 - if you want to know more
69. __-back: LAID
70. Like a fairy tale duckling: UGLY
71. Fragrant compound: ESTER
72. Postseason honorees, briefly: MVPs - at the time of this write-up, the World Series was 1 - 1; I'm rooting for Toronto, because their NHL Maple Leafs are playoff confounders
73. Memorization technique: ROTE
DOWN:
1. Food blogger Perelman: DEB - name #8
2. Feels bad about: RUES - I feel bad about my review, but I'm being honest
5. Outdated term for noncoding genetic material: JUNK DNA - Maybe it's a great fill, but as a theme crossing, as part of a name, on a Wednesday, it's meh. Everything you ever wanted to know
6. Cookie with many specialty flavors: OREO - yet another crossword trope
7. Pride Month letters: LGBT
8. Not wordy: TERSE - I thought this read "worLdly" - so I was thinking CLERGY - Bzzzt~!
9. Scoundrel: SOANDSO - I do not see these as the same; "so-and-so" to me is someone anonymous, or that person whose name you cannot remember - at least that's how my mother used it
10. Country __: CLUB
11. Tally: ADD UP
12. __ firma: TERRA
13. Glitches: SNAGS - Tragedy~! A travesty~! For shame~!
Chairman paid a fine for breech of contract last Friday
21. Red-coated cheese: EDAM
22. List ender: ET AL. - abbr, Latin for "and others"
26. Klutz's move, perhaps: TRIP
27. "Ben-Hur" setting: ROME - even if I know this, it's geo name #3
28. "Hurry!" letters: A.S.A.P. - As Soon As Possible - and it's not the same as "hurry~!"
30. Peak transport: TRAM - I had T-bar, as in a ski lift to the peak
31. Lebanon neighbor: SYRIA - geo name #4
33. Bubbly beverage: SODA - good WAG; could have been COLA
35. Convention center event: EXPO - I have attended the Toy Fair in NYC twice
The Javits Center in Lego, from 2017
36. Tuna holders: CANS - NETS is next; my ARI at 41A. left the "I" in, so I did not get my ta-DA~!
37. Brooklyn B-ballers: NETS - B-ballers are basketball players, even tho Baseball could work as well; and they're name(ish)
38. Start for -derm or -plasm: ECTO - These guys knew all about Ectoplasm
"That's great Ray - save some for me~!" Ghostbusters
39. Toy on a string: YO-YO
44. "__ Rigby": ELEANOR - name #9 - and I spelled it wrong, too
45. Rod's partner: REEL - CONE worked, if we were talking eyes, as in Sunday's puzzle
46. Duds: THREADS - CLOTHES fit too, but Bzzzt
47. Hammer head: PEEN
51. Rhombus, e.g.: SHAPE - ah. Here's the actual 'classification' of four-sided polygons:
We had "kite" on Monday
52. Southwestern flattops: MESAS
53. Eliciting many laughs: A RIOT - Cringe. Even if you claimed to parse this as "the place was ariot with laughter" it still doesn't work, and sounds "meh" at best
55. Domain: REALM
57. Happen: OCCUR
59. Packed hay: BALE
60. Many an Eastern European: SLAV
61. YouTube ad option: SKIP - And I do this ASAP - now that's how to clue it~!
62. Therefore: ERGO
63. Shaker filling: SALT - Who's looking for their lost shaker of salt~?
I thought the third verse line was "and soon a Veranda" - hey, it makes sense . . .
It seems fitting that I should get a poker/card-playing theme - sadly, I was down on Long Island this past weekend to attend the wake of my dear friend Greg B., whom I'd known for nine years, as he died last Tuesday after a three-year battle with brain cancer. I had not seen him since the diagnosis, as the disease had made it diffiuclt for him to retain your name or the thread of a conversation, so he opted to spend his time ( rightfully ) with his wife and daughter. I was grateful to him for inviting me to his home for a poker game once a week, and you knew it was poker night because he would wear a shirt with "Bluffy McLiarpants" across the front; the image above was my response to that shirt; I wore this at the card table to "distract" the other players 😵. We've seen several Emma Oxford puzzles for the LA Times, and today's grid was a pleasant solve for me; no circles, just a few names, and a Wednesday difficulty. The themers which represent the "stages" of a card game;
18. 1977 Top 20 single by Boz Scaggs: LIDO SHUFFLE - Cool song
23. "Love your work!": I'M A HUGE FAN - we would fan first, to see who dealt first
38. Engagement ring option: PRINCESS CUT - done by the player to the dealer's right
54. Aspiring musician's goal: RECORD DEAL - always to the left
59. Dramatic presentation often staged during Lent: PASSION PLAY- we would PLAY high/low games, with a "stack" of chips, and the winners would "split" the pot; you could also go 'both ways', and if you won, you would "sweep" - thus, the words on my T-shirt
And Away We Go~!
ACROSS:
1. Civil War POTUS: ABE - I wondered what his middle name was; POTUS is the abbr for President of the United States, so I wondered what A_L would be - more here
4. Anklebones: TARSI - crossword staple
Such beautiful Tarsi
9. Lawn ornament in a hat: GNOME
14. Bagel topping: LOX - I stopped in to see Cooper ( also my brother, who shares the same house with the dog ) and had me another bagel with chocolate chip cream cheese - it's better than it sounds~!
15. Not suitable: INAPT
16. Aspirational, as goals: LOFTY - my lofty goal is to be recognized for my fantasic board games - still trying to figure out how to get them produced
17. Hill worker?: ANT - not the quaint reference to the "US Capitol", on the "hill"
20. DEA agent: NARC
22. 44th first family: OBAMAS
27. Drive-__: THRU
30. Polite assent in Seville: SIS, ENOR - Si, C.C.~!
31. Court figs.: DAs - District Attorneys
33. Rower's implement: OAR
34. "The Mystery of __ Drood": EDWIN
36. Face With Tears of Joy, for one: EMOJI - 😂
41. Selected: CHOSE
43. Cars: AUTOS
44. Zeus, e.g.: GOD - "high -ODs" . . .
45. Skip the grass seed: SOD - low "-ODs"
48. Cloaks: MANTLES - I watched two "classic" movies over the weekend - "The Curse of Frankenstein" ( that's Fron-ken-schteen - see 7D. ) and "The Horror of Dracula", both starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee - two actors who would later have roles in the Star Wars films
Tis the season~!
52. Highlander of ancient Peru: INCA
56. Zeus's daughter: ATHENA
58. Not fooled by: ONTO
64. Do some mending: SEW
65. The Ivies, e.g.: OCTET - those eight being these
66. Leader of the girl group Red Velvet: IRENE - we've seen her here before - KPOP
67. Before, before: ERE - "Able was I . . . "
68. Some Southwest landmarks: MESAS
69. Things to read on the road: SIGNS - 𝅘𝅥𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅯 if you're gonna rock down to . . . .
... and not recharge your smart phone 𝅘𝅥𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅯
70. Australian airport code: SYDney
DOWN:
1. "Ironic" singer Morissette: ALANIS - I linked her and the song in a previous puzzle
2. Brand of scouring powder: BON AMI
3. Bonuses: EXTRAS
4. Up to, for short: TIL - unTIL
5. Alex and __ jewelry: ANI - I had ANN to start, but she showed up later at 62D. Here's a shocking story behind the woman who founded the jewelry company
6. "Tubular!": "RAD~!"
7. "Spaceballs," for one: SPOOF - Mel Brook's parody of the Star Wars films; it's a tough call as to which of his other spoofs is better - Blazing Saddles or Young Frankenstein~?
Dark Helmet & Colonel Sandurz
8. Bleak assessment: IT'S BAD
9. Down in the dumps: GLUM
10. Skim, in the dairy aisle: NO FAT
11. Branch: OFFSHOOT
12. The NHL's Canadiens, on a scoreboard: MTL - abbr for Montreal; I had MON - MTL is nearly a unique fill; The "Habs" - too early in the season for me still, CandianEh!
13. Quiet part of a hurricane: EYE
19. "Pitch Perfect" actress __ Mae Lee: HANA - filled via perps
24. Boxers or briefs: UNDIES - which are you~? Or do you go "commando"~?
25. Formal dress: GOWN - were undies "formerly" worn beneath that gown . . . ?
26. Actor Stoltz: ERIC - I liked him in Pulp Fiction
Prank caller~!
28. "The Big Bang Theory" character: RAJ - I asked my brother, sitting across his dining room table, for this answer - he likes it, but I cannot stand to watch a single scene of this show
29. New England sch.: URI - University of Rhode Island - my "CT nextdoor neighbor"
32. __ fiddle: SECOND - HA~! FIT-AS-A- worked, too~!
35. Teacher's org.: NEA
37. High-priority activity, per some guidebooks: MUST-DO
38. Downloads before a long road trip, perhaps: PODCASTS - ROAD MAPS worked, too, but duped
39. Japanese sport: SUMO
40. Rating unit: STAR - I give this crossword four-and-a-1/2 out of five "Moe Stars"
41. Much of the F/X in the MCU: CGI - Computer-Generated Imagery, the Marvel Comic Universe; I am not a fan of this genre, tho I did like Deadpool
42. Babe: HON - I prefer this quaint three-letter SO nickname to "bae"
46. Black-and-white treat: OREO
47. "Mystic River" novelist Lehane: DENNIS - I have read the book; one of a just a handful from authors whose work gave me an emotional response - another was The Secret Place by Tana French
49. Inserts in some frames: LENSES - those kinds of frames
50. Diner or bistro: EATERY
51. Lost steam: SLOWED
53. Lost: AT SEA
55. Island off Naples: CAPRI
57. Battleship successes: HITS - the Milton-Bradley ship-hunting game
59. Juice brand with distinctive bottles: POM
60. Nail, as a test: ACE - R.I.P. ACE Frehley of KISS
Shock Me - the extended "smoking guitar" solo from 1977
61. Relay segment: LEG
62. "The Baby-Sitters Club" writer __ M. Martin: ANN - more here
17. Like some fast planes: JET POWERED. Refers to a vehicle or device that is propelled by a jet engine, which creates thrust by expelling a fast-moving jet of gas. While most commonly associated with high-speed aircraft, this principle is also used in jet-powered cars, boats, and even drones for various purposes.
25. Exclusive excursion: VIP TOUR. A VIP tour provides an elevated experience at an event or attraction, featuring exclusive perks like private guides, skip-the-line access, and behind-the-scenes looks. These
31. Chili dish served in a corn chip bag: FRITO PIE. A dish consisting of Fritos corn chips topped with chili, cheese, and other optional toppings. It is not a traditional pie but gets its name from using Fritos as a base, and it's often served directly out of a slit-open bag of corn chips, sometimes called a "walking taco" or "taco-in-a-bag".
45. Toaster pastry brand: POP TARTS. An American brand of toaster pastries produced and distributed by Kellanova (formerly Kellogg's) since 1964. The pastry consists of a sweet filling sealed inside two layers of thin, rectangular pastry crust.
50. Had a decent showing on the links: SHOT PAR. Achieved the expected number of strokes for a hole or course in golf. It signifies completing a hole in the standard number of shots assigned to it, based on its length and difficulty, or finishing a full round at the course's total par score.
62. Create tension among friends, or a hint to this puzzle's circled letters: STIR THEPOT. Cause controversy or challenge an established position.
In each theme fill the circled letter are an anagram of POT, hence, they are stirred into other letter sequences.
Hi, Gang - JazzBumpa here to unravel all the confusion. Let's dive in.
Across:
1. Have a trying experience?: TASTE. "Try some" is an invitation to taste something. Could be a trying experience in a different way if it tastes awful.
6. Exceedingly: OH SO. As in "Oh so much."
10. Torah chests: ARKS. The Torah ark, or Aron Kodesh, is an ornate cabinet in Jewish synagogues that houses the sacred scrolls of the Torah. It is the holiest place in the synagogue, symbolizing the Holy of Holies in the ancient Temple of Jerusalem, and serves as the focal point for prayer and worship, with the scrolls often removed from it for readings.
14. Common font: ARIAL. Arial is a sans-serif typeface in the neo-grotesque style. This sentence uses ARIAL. The rest of the post uses Georgia.
15. Wallpaper unit: ROLL. A wallpaper roll is a decorative covering for walls, with the standard size being either a single roll (often 21" x 16.5' in the U.S.) or a double roll, which is twice the length (33' long) and sold as a single piece. Rolls also vary by manufacturer, with widths often being 20.5" or 27".
16. Former Iranian leader: SHAH. Mohammad Reza Pahlavi [1919 - 1980] was the Shah of Iran from 1941 to 1979. He succeeded his father Reza Shah and ruled the Imperial State of Iran until he was overthrown by the 1979 revolution led by Imam Khomeini, which abolished the Iranian monarchy to establish the present-day Islamic Republic of Iran.
19. Link destination: SITE. On the series of tubes known as the world wide web.
20. 2007 Apple debut: I-PHONE. A line of smartphones from Apple Inc. that combines a mobile phone, music player, and internet-enabled device with a touchscreen interface and its own mobile operating system called iOS.
21. Sixth __: SENSE. A supposed intuitive faculty giving awareness not explicable in terms of normal perception.
22. Mono alternative: STEREO. Mono audio uses a single audio channel to deliver sound, combining all audio elements into one stream for a consistent listening experience, while stereo audio uses two channels (left and right) to separate sounds, creating a wider, more detailed, and spacious soundstage by directing different instruments to different speakers.
27. Clown: OAF. a person, particularly a man, who is rough or clumsy and unintelligent. I don't see this as a synonym for clown.
28. Make a home in: MOVE TO. As I did to Michigan 40 years ago.
34. Encrypted messaging software: SIGNAL. "Signal" can refer to several different software products, most notably the Signal Private Messenger, a free and secure messaging app with end-to-end encryption, and other business or scientific software like Signal AI for risk intelligence, Signal Software (UK) for rail rostering, or Revvity Signals Software for scientific research. It's important to specify which "Signal" you are looking for, such as the messaging app or a specific industry software.
39. Lion of Narnia: ASLAN. He is a majestic and powerful lion, king of Narnia and an allegorical representation of Jesus Christ. He has the power to create and recreate Narnia, bring spring to the land, heal, and has abilities related to teleportation and dream walking.
40. Microdosing study subj.: LSD. An extremely potent illegal street drug that comes as a white powder or clear colorless liquid. I can be derived from ergot or artificially synthesized.
42. Bubble bath accessory: LOOFA. In everyday non-technical usage, the luffa, also spelled loofah or less frequently loofa, usually refers to the fruits of the species Luffa aegyptiaca and Luffa acutangula. It is cultivated and eaten as a vegetable, but must be harvested at a young stage of development to be edible. The fruit section of L. aegyptiaca may be allowed to mature and used as a bath or kitchen sponge after being processed to remove everything except the network of xylem fibers.
43. Waged a long campaign against: SIEGED. A siege is a military operation in which enemy forces surround a town or building, cutting off essential supplies, with the aim of compelling the surrender of those inside. Not sure this fill is a legitimate construction. The verb form of siege is besiege.
47. Disquieted state: UNEASE. Anxiety or discontent.
49. Song list: SET. A list of the songs that a band or singer intends to perform at a particular concert.
54. Spuds: TATERS. Potatoes, casually.
57. "Obvi!": TOTES. Obviously and totally. Are these equivalent? You decide.
58. Microsoft business applications suite: OFFICE. A collection of productivity software from Microsoft, including core programs like Word (for documents), Excel (for spreadsheets), and PowerPoint (for presentations).
61. First name in jazz: ETTA. Jamesetta Hawkins [1938 - 2012] known professionally as Etta James, was a Grammy-winning American singer and songwriter who performed across multiple genres, including blues, jazz, R&B, and soul. I think of her more as a blues singer. Ella would be the first name in Jazz.
66. Some cold drafts: ALES. Ale is a style of beer, brewed using a warm fermentation method. As with most beers, ale typically has a bittering agent to balance the malt and act as a preservative.
67. Car freshener scent: PINE. Pine oil, derived from the needles, twigs, and cones of pine trees, carries a distinctive coniferous scent that many associate with crisp forest air and serene walks through evergreen landscapes. Its fresh, terpenic, green, woody, and sharper aroma makes it a staple in aromatherapy, perfume, and cleaning products.
68. One of the Coen brothers: ETHAN. Ethan Jesse Coen (b. 1957) is an American filmmaker. Working alongside his brother Joel, the duo have directed, written, edited and produced many feature films.
69. Musical instrument in Orpheus mosaics: LYRE. A lyre is a stringed musical instrument with a U-shaped frame, often compared to a small harp, known for its use in ancient cultures like Greece. Orpheus mosaics are found throughout the Roman Empire, normally in large Roman villas. The scene normally shown is Orpheus playing his lyre.
70. Amino __: ACID. Amino acids are organic compounds that contain both amino and carboxylic acid functional groups. Although over 500 amino acids exist in nature, by far the most important are the 22 α-amino acids incorporated into proteins. Only these 22 appear in the genetic code of life.
71. Low on cash: SHORT. Lacking funds.
Down:
1. __ Mahal: TAJ. The Taj Mahal is a white marble mausoleum in Agra, India, built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
3. Basic command at obedience school: SIT. Here is one way to teach it.
4. Mammal with a flexible snout: TAPIR. Tapirs are large, herbivorous mammals belonging to the family Tapiridae. They are similar in shape to a pig, with a short, prehensile nose trunk. Tapirs inhabit jungle and forest regions of South and Central America and Southeast Asia.
5. Wed without a guest list: ELOPE. Runaway bride - and groom.
6. Cookie preserved in a vault as part of a 2020 publicity stunt: OREO. Standard crossword confection.
7. Bike attachment: HORN. Tooting device to avoid dangerous cycling situations.
8. Arm: SLEEVE. Of an artice of clothing.
9. Ancient: OLD. Having lived a long time; no longer young. Like me.
10. Useful quality: ASSET. A useful or valuable thing, person, or quality.
11. Safari herbivore: RHINO. Rhinoceroses are large, herbivorous mammals from Africa and Asia that are known for their horns, which are made of keratin. There are five living species: the black, white, Indian, Javan, and Sumatran rhinoceros. All but one species are considered endangered, primarily due to poaching for their horns and loss of habitat. These horns lead to dangerous situations.
12. Panko-breaded fried cutlet: KATSU. A Japanese dish consisting of a breaded and deep-fried cutlet, typically made from pork (tonkatsu) or chicken (tori katsu).
13. Like organza and chiffon: SHEER. Transparently thin; diaphanous, as some fabrics.
18. Clobber: WHOMP.
21. Overly indulged, to a Brit: SPOILT. Spoiled on this side of the pond.
22. Catnap spots: SOFAS. A long upholstered seat with a back and arms, for two or more people - or cats; if you want to couch it in those terms.
23. Anklebones: TARSI. A group of small bones between the main part of the hind limb and the metatarsus in terrestrial vertebrates. The seven bones of the human tarsus form the ankle and upper part of the foot. They are the talus, calcaneus, navicular, and cuboid and the three cuneiform bones.
24. Go paperless on April 15: E-FILE. File a tax return electronically.
26. "__ my pleasure!": IT'S. Happy to be of service.
29. Part of EVOO: OIL. Extra virgin olive OIL.
30. "Roman Holiday" scooter: VESPA. An Italian brand of scooters and mopeds manufactured by Piaggio. Roman Holiday is a 1953 American romantic comedy film directed and produced by William Wyler. It stars Audrey Hepburn as a princess out to see Rome on her own and Gregory Peck as a reporter.
32. Identify on social media: TAG. Tagging on social media involves mentioning a user's account by using "@" followed by their username, which sends them a notification and links their profile to your post.
33. Bests: ONE UPS. "One up" is slang that means to surpass or outdo someone to gain an advantage, or to be in a position of advantage over someone.
35. India's smallest state: GOA. Goa is a state in western India with coastlines stretching along the Arabian Sea. Its long history as a Portuguese colony prior to 1961 is evident in its preserved 17th-century churches and the area’s tropical spice plantations.
36. Viking language: NORSE. "Norse language" most commonly refers to Old Norse, the language spoken in Scandinavia and areas of Viking expansion from about the 8th to the 14th century.
37. In search of: AFTER. Used to indicate the object of a stated or implied action.
38. Holds up: LASTS. Endures.
41. "Por qué no los __?": DOS. "Why not both?"
44. Double helix molecule: DNA. DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the molecule that contains the genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth, and reproduction of most living organisms.
46. "Le __ Prince": de Saint-ExupÈry novella: PETIT. The story follows a young prince who visits various planets, including Earth, and addresses themes of loneliness, friendship, love, and loss. Despite its style as a children's book, The Little Prince makes observations about life, adults, and human nature
48. Spicy, in a way: EROTIC. Refers to something that arouses sexual desire or excitement, is related to sexual love, or is marked by strong sexual desire.
50. Incredible bargain: STEAL. "It's a steal" means something is being sold at a very good price, a great bargain, or is a surprisingly low cost.
51. With anger: HOTLY. In a passionate, excited, or angry way.
52. Sea animal with "pockets" to store food and tools: OTTER.
53. Poke fun at: TEASE. Make fun of or attempt to provoke someone in a playful way.
55. Advil targets: ACHES. Continuous or prolonged dull pains in parts of one's body.
56. Gear components: TEETH. A gear tooth is an individual, raised element on the circumference of a gear that meshes with the teeth of another gear to transmit rotational motion and torque.
59. "Doneski!": FINI. Concluded
60. VanVleet of the NBA: FRED. Fredderick Edmund VanVleet Sr. [b. 1994] is an American professional basketball player for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association. He is also the current president of the National Basketball Players Association.
62. Venue offering LED light therapy: SPA. A commercial establishment offering health and beauty treatment through such means as steam baths, exercise equipment, and massage.
63. Vietnam's national dish: PHO. a type of Vietnamese soup, typically made from beef stock and spices to which noodles and thinly sliced beef or chicken are added.
64. Crew blade: OAR. A pole with a flat blade, pivoting in an oar lock, used to row or steer a boat through the water.
65. Explosive letters: TNT. TriNitroToluene, a high explosive formed from toluene by substitution of nitro groups for three hydrogen atoms. It is relatively insensitive to shock and can be conveniently melted.
So, we have come full circle. Hope you enjoyed the ride, and didn't get too dizzy.
Looks like this is Victoria's first puzzle publication. Congratulations! Hope there are many more.
I really enjoyed today's collaboration between two solid crossword constructors Amie & Amanda. A sports teams theme we have seen before, where the monikers are combined to make a new, funny/punny answer. Today's team names are from the National Basketball Association, the professional organization of a game I have no interest in whatsoever - I'd rather watch golf. I think it has to do with the squeak of sneakers on hardwood - that and the fact that one only needs tune-in to the last 30secs to see who wins, IMHO. Lot's of 3LWs, only five(ish) names, and all the theme answers are unique;
20. Peddles pearls of wisdom?: HAWKS NUGGETS - Atlanta / Denver - see below
28. Observes casual Friday at the office?: BUCKS BLAZERS - Milwaukee / Portland *¹
49. Gains barbers' equipment?: NETS CLIPPERS - Brooklyn / Los Angeles - *²
58. Microsoft virtual work gathering, and what can be found in 20-, 28-, and 49-Across:
TEAMS MEETING - When I worked at Westhampton Architectural Glass, the only thing we used TEAMS software for was to plan lunch; someone would put up, about 11am, a hint about what they were interested in eating, e.g. "pizza?" - and for the next hour, we would debate what to eat and who was going to pick up the food 😜
The list of all NBA teams
Some other pairings - MAGIC WIZARDS is too easy;
Lightning Affect~? = SPURS THUNDER
Steals from NASA~? = KNICKS ROCKETS
*¹ - Technically, it's the TRAIL Blazers . . . *² - Technically, a BOROUGH of NY, not the city . . .
And Away We Go~!
ACROSS:
1. Annoy: IRK
4. Bridge action: BID - Not TIE, as in span - that's the wrong kind of bridge - I like this type - 19 bizarre bridges, 12 unusual bridges
Scary~? Then you suffer from 66A., the Gephyro version
7. Floated in the air: WAFTED
13. "Good Grief" director Levy: DAN - name #1 - I'm following the "Hahtoolah Convention"
14. Pros: ACES
16. Iggy the Beanie Baby, for one: IGUANA - AND - 29D. Humphrey the Beanie Baby, for one: CAMEL - I still have one Beanie Baby, and three Webkins; had a pet iguana Zeus, too - name(ish)
Yes, Iggy is supposed to be blue . . .
17. Big fuss: ADO
18. Noodle with a sarashina variety: SOBA - I'm getting the hang of all these four-letter food-types; SOBA, NORI, UDON, MISO, etc
19. "Well, that came out of nowhere": RANDOM
23. "Never mind, I guess": "...OR NOT."
24. New prefix: NEO
25. Sword handle: HILT - not a week goes by without a Wed dupe of a Monday fill . . . .
52. "Can I get a __?": "I messed up": "RE-DO~?" or a Mulligan, in golf-speak
53. __ Tomé and Príncipe: SAO - name(ish)
54. Athlete Ledecky who went viral by swimming with a glass of chocolate milk on her head: KATIE - well, I did not know about this - ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ - name #3
66. Exposure therapy target: PHOBIA - what's yours~? I am afraid to reveal mine - which, uh, by default, makes clear it's Phobophobia
67. Garment worn under a dress: SLIP
68. One who sounds just like you: EWE - ah, not APE - a very clever meta clue
69. Sitcom about a couple living in a haunted house: GHOSTS - I've only seen the ads for this show
70. Tense NBA periods, for short: OTs - and a bonus 'Easter Egg'
71. Good to go: SET - "got my go-bag, I'm set~!"
DOWN:
1. State that's home to the Museum of Clean: IDAHO - learning moment - the website
2. Weather tracker: RADAR
3. Not just assumed: KNOWN
4. Low-pitched brass instrument: BASS TUBA - this seems a bit redundant for me, but here's more - this clue/answer needed to show up on a Jazzbumpa trombone Wednesday~!
5. Screen symbol: ICON - clecho with - 31. Screen symbol: STAR - I filled them correctly the first time
6. Prove false: DEBUNK - the X-Files word
7. Pipe cleaner center: WIRE - Huh - I didn't know I had a wire at my center....how ironic, having left the pipe organ company, that I made the cover of The Diapason magazine, and featured inside as well
That's Splynter in the overalls, 35lbs heavier - sheesh
8. "__ All Along": "WandaVision" spinoff: AGATHA - name #4 - more on IMDb
9. Like some small candy bars: FUN-SIZE - 'tis the season~!
10. Small amount: TAD
11. Musician Brian: ENO - name #5
12. Beaver project: DAM
15. Most wise: SAGEST
21. Expensive Japanese beef: KOBE - I tried WAGU, but it's Wagyu
22. Evacuation kit: GO-BAG - here's the 411 from 511 on what to have in yours
26. Following the rules: LEGAL
27. Treasure __: TROVE
30. Frawnche wine valley: LOIRE - Good WAG on my part; must have seen it in CWs before
32. Mystery writer?: ANONymous
33. Boxing pro: MOVER - I suppose this could be either "type" of boxer - the one who packs your stuff, and the "float like a butterfly" sparring expert
34. Give a speech: ORATE
39. Rainbow producer: PRISM - my brother has been reinvesting in classic albums on LP "vinyl" again
41. Permanently: FOR KEEPS
44. Papers needed for some trips?: LSD TABS - har-har~! Monster Magnet's first EP was "25...Tab", featuring a 32min trippy song - and a trippy video someone made here
Dave Wyndorf, lead singer, can be heard saying "make me a sa'mich" - among other things NSFW
46. Involuntary muscle movements: SPASMS - depends on the quality of the Acid, I guess~?
48. Future DA's exam: LSAT - LS 'dee' Acid Trip~?
50. Make changes with a collaborator: CO-EDIT - I'm guessing both "A" authors did on this one....
51. Large citrus fruit: POMELO - ORANGE fit as well; here's a cool image of a lot of citrus fruit
55. Multiplied by: TIMES - L x W = A; length TIMES width equals area
56. "I'm __": "You blow me away": "IN AWE~!"
57. "Snowy" bird: EGRET
59. Smallish batteries: AAAs
60. Give off: EMIT
61. D&D, for one: RPG - Roll Playing Game - in my youth, I was all about Dungeons & Dragons
62. "That hits the spot": "AHH~!"
63. Cow sound: MOO
Splynter
Notes from C.C.:
Happy 84th birthday to dear Jayce! Your steady presence in our little crossword family means so much to all of us.
May today bring you comfort, a few smiles, and the quiet joy of knowing how deeply you're valued. Sheng Ri Quai Le, John!