Wednesday, April 4 2018, David Poole

Theme: BOXED IN- Four different scrambles of AMEN is placed in each corner.

1. Whirlpool brand : AMANA

10. Italian smoker : ETNA

63. __ Domini : ANNO

65. 2014 film set in Alabama : SELMA

52. Exciting section of 37-Across, familiarly ... and a configuration found in four apt places in this puzzle : AMEN CORNER

Melissa here. The theme was subtle (each corner square contains the letter A), and I had to solve the whole puzzle before it clicked. Kept looking for something more obvious, like the word AMEN hidden in each answer, or something about golf because of  two golf-themed long answers. I'm guessing David Poole is a sports fan, and possibly French Canadian. Note: I was right!

(Thanks for the correction, Brian!)

Across              

6. "M*A*S*H" actor Jamie : FARR. He played Sergeant Maxwell Q. Klinger. More here.

14. Saint Kitts neighbor : NEVIS. Complete unknown to me.

  

15. Drink with a polar bear mascot : ICEE

16. Overflow (with) : TEEM

17. Civil rights org. : NAACP

18. Alum : GRAD

19. End of a Basque ball game? : ALAI

20. She walked into Rick's gin joint : ILSA

21. Tournament that awards a green jacket : THE MASTERS. Ten facts about the green jacket. And one more.


23. Springsteen's __ Band : E STREET

25. Speech therapy subject : LISP

26. Museum collection : ART

27. Show of strength? : FLEX

29. Montreal Canadien, to hockey fans : HAB. I had questions! Never noted that spelling of Canadien before - it is the French spelling. According to Wikipedia: "The "H" stands for "hockey", not "Habitants," a popular misconception. According to NHL.com, the first man to refer to the team as "the Habs" was American Tex Rickard, owner of the Madison Square Garden, in 1924. Rickard apparently told a reporter that the "H" on the Canadiens' sweaters was for "Habitants."

32. Wolfgang Puck restaurant chain : SPAGO

35. Litigant : SUER

36. Golfer's target : HOLE

37. Home of 21-Across : AUGUSTA NATIONAL. Anyone's guess this year.

40. Real estate measure : AREA

41. Quizzes : ASKS. Verb, not noun.


42. Colgate rival : CREST

43. "Full Frontal" host Samantha : BEE

44. Website with a "Craft Supplies & Tools" section : ETSY

45. Fenway team: Abbr. : BOS. Boston Red Sox.


46. Totally at sea : LOST

48. Actress Redgrave : VANESSA

56. Rating unit : STAR

57. Tennis score : LOVE. This sounds right, from Quora: "The word Love (for zero score) comes from French word l'oeuf - which means egg which is the shape of zero. The word Tennis itself originated from the French word tenez - which means to receive."

58. Granola grain : OATS

59. Skinny South American country : CHILE

60. Swimming event : MEET

61. Formerly, formerly : ERST

62. Songwriter Leonard : COHEN. Trivia - You Want It Darker came out days before Cohen died when he was in ill health. His son Adam brought recording equipment into his house and recorded his voice right into a laptop.

64. Ball belles : DEBS

Down

1. Miss Hannigan's charge : ANNIE

2. Board, in "room and board" : MEALS

3. Sailor's "Halt!" : AVAST

4. Central American nation : NICARAGUA

5. Egyptian viper : ASP

6. Argue : FIGHT

7. Farm field unit : ACRE

8. Paper order : REAM

9. Emergency status : RED ALERT

10. Les __-Unis : ETATS. More French, "The United States."


11. Whispering party game : TELEPHONE

12. Warm, in a game : NEAR

13. French friends : AMIS. Encore une fois avec français!

21. Asian New Year : TET

22. Joe Torre's retired Yankee uniform number : SIX

24. God with a bow : EROS

27. Musty-smelling : FUNKY

28. Grazing grounds : LEAS

30. "What a shame!" : ALAS

31. Karate skill award : BELT

32. Swedish auto : SAAB

33. Unadulterated : PURE

34. Anna Paquin won her Oscar for "The Piano" at it : AGE ELEVEN. So tricky.


35. Insolence : SASS

36. Good luck symbol : HORSESHOE

38. Drew on? : TATTOOED

39. Tapped symbol : ICON

44. PC bailout key : ESC

45. "Cheers" setting : BAR

47. "You're __ talk!" : ONE TO. Meaning, 'You're not one to talk!'

48. Three-piece pieces : VESTS

49. Chain saw brand : STIHL

50. Western state capital : SALEM. Oregon.

51. Toronto's Rogers Centre, for one : ARENA

52. __ mater : ALMA

53. Faucet brand : MOEN

54. Few and far between : RARE

55. Accident investigation agcy. : NTSB

59. Dosage amts. : CCS

Notes from C.C.:

The Saratoga Hospital turned out to be a cold place. They returned Agnes' card to Argyle due to lack of room number. We also cannot locate a package D-Otto sent. If any of you lives in that area, can you email me crosswordc@gmail.com? (Edited later: No need. Package was found. Thank you,  Spitzboov, for giving me the crucial contact person!)

I suspect some of you might have received bounced mail also. Argyle is now in a new place. The address is below. He'll be here for quite some time. He's doing OK. He has a phone and a tablet. Let's hope he can be on line soon.

D. Scott Nichols

Room #219
Wesley Health Care Center
131 Lawrence St.
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Wednesday, March 28, 2018 Jeffrey Wechsler

Theme: What happened to the Pope?   Let's start with the unifier.  It will make all clear.

54. Minister or imam, say ... and, in two ways, a hint to words hidden in 17-, 29- and 38-Across : RELIGIOUS LEADER.  The titles of RELIGIOUSly ministerial people are indicated at the beginning of each theme answer - thus LEADing the way in.  Let's see how that works.

17. Secondhand wave of excitement : VICARIOUS THRILL.  This is an imagined experience based on the actions or feelings of someone else.  The position of VICAR varies among different Christian denominations, but always involves some level of LEADERship responibiity.

29. Place to get delivery instructions? : LAMAZE CLASS.  This teaches a method of preparation for natural childbirth.  A LAMA is a teacher of the Dhamma, a principle of cosmic order, in Tibetan Buddhism.

38. Hare care site : RABBIT HUTCH.  Clever clue for a place where bunnies are nurtured [not the Playboy Mansion.]   In the Jewish faith, A RABBI is a teacher in Jewish law who also provides pastoral counseling and represents the community.

With two grid-spanners and two more entries of 11 letters each, this is quite rich for a 4-part theme.  Also, I found this to be a bit on the tough side for a Wednesday.  But, it's Jeffery, who we usually see on Fridays, so that might explain it.  In fact, word count, length and freshness are all in the Thursday- Friday range.

Hi, gang, JazzBumpa here to guide you on this pilgrimage.  Remember, religion is off-topic here, so we'll make our excursion secular and apolitical.

Down

1. Touch, e.g. : SENSE.  Along with sight, smell, taste, taste and hearing, the typical 5 SENSES.    Modern thinking identifies a longer list.

6. Model in a bottle : SHIP.

Scale model, not fashion model

10. SALT weaponry : ABMS.  Strategic Arms Limitation Talks/Treaties concerned Ballistic Missiles and Anti Ballistic Missiles [ground to air] designed to defend against them.

14. "Ta-ta, mon ami" : ADIEU.  French word of departure.

15. Students' lunchroom : CAFETERIA.

19. Surprised cries : EEKS.  Responses to rodent sightings.

20. Court plea, briefly : NOLO contendere, in full.  A plea that neither admits guilt nor claims innocence.

21. Bridal path : AISLE.  Not a horse trail, but the route a bride takes to the altar.

22. "Uh-uh--however ... " : NO BUT.  Always, an objection.

24. They may be raised in casinos : STAKES.  Betting levels.  Are you in or out?

25. Saudi neighbors : OMANIS.  Middle-eastern geography.

27. Google Apps component : G-MAIL.  21st century communication device.

31. Pro bono TV ad : Public Service Announcement.

34. "Hamilton" climax : DUEL.  I'm not familiar with the ending of the musical - but this event ended Alexander Hamilton's life.  After missing with his first shot, Hamilton was struck by Burr's shot, and died the following day from the wound.

35. 27-Across alternative : AOL.  An internet service provider.

36. Has second thoughts about : RUES.  This rather understates what would be better defined as "bitter regret."

37. Member of the fam : SIS.  I have one.  No bro, though.

42. Thick : DENSE.  Figuratively speaking, a not particularly bright person can be called dense.  In more physical terms, these words refer to a linear dimension and relative heaviness, respectively.

43. Off the beaten path : REMOTE. Or, alternatively, far away.

44. Arcade activity : GAMING.  Generally of video or pin ball varieties.

47. Welcome words to a hitchhiker : HOP IN.  Feel free to enter the vehicle.



48. Kicking partner? : ALIVE.  Words that go together in a vernacular phrase.

49. Ancient France : GAUL. A vast region of Western Europe north of Iberia inhabited by Celtic peoples, that includes parts of several other modern countries.

51. St. Petersburg's river : NEVA. In Russia, not Florida, therefore remote.

57. Jaguar's jaguar, e.g. : TRADEMARK.  A word, phrase or symbol that is registered or established by use to represent a company or product.

58. Clarence Odbody in "It's a Wonderful Life," e.g. : ANGEL.  Specifically, a 2nd class angel, who after 200 years, had still not earned his wings.  Sad.

59. Give a finer edge to : HONE.  Sharpen on a whetstone, or figuratively, refine one's skills.

60. Word with bill or ball : PLAY.  "PLAY ball" announces the start of a baseball game.  A PLAYbill is a poster announcing a theatrical performance.  Here is my lovely wife, Gloria,  admiring a recent PLAYbill featuring granddaughter Amanda.

1. In __: unborn : UTERO.  Still in the uterus.

Down

1. Hockey announcer's cry : SAVE.  The average NHL goalie's save percentage has been .913 to .915 for the last 5 seasons.

2. Actress Falco : EDIE.  Nurse Jackie, and before that Carmela Soprano.

Biography

3. The Sultan of Swat and The Splendid Splinter : NICKNAMES.  I've had a few.  Didn't like most of them.  The ones listed here refer to baseball legends George Herman "Babe" Ruth and Ted Williams, respectively.

4. Like produce at farm-to-table restaurants : SEASONAL.  Fresh and locally produced, unlike strawberries in Michigan in March.

5. The Danube's cont. : EUR. The continent of Europe.  Note abrv. in cl. & ans.

6. "Run along now" : SCOOT.  Get a move on.

7. Pull with effort : HAUL.  Schlep.

8. "Assuming it's true ... " : IF SO.  Conditional.

9. Guinea pig, e.g. : PET.  A domestic or tamed animal kept for companionship or amusement.

10. Taken from above, as photos : AERIAL.  Formerly from a plane, now probably from a drone.

11. Invigorating : BRISK.  Like a cool breeze or cup of hot tea.

12. Jacque's thousand : MILLE.  French number.

13. Cyber Monday events : SALES.  Along with Black Friday, President's Day, the 4th of July and Boxing Day.  All designed to separate you from your money.

16. "To clarify ... " : THAT IS.  What I meant to say  .  .  .

18. Operating : IN USE. Verb form used as a modifier.  Some grammarian help me with the vocabulary.

23. Show __ : BIZ.  There's no BIZ like it.

24. Copenhagen carrier : SAS.  Scandinavian Airlines.

25. Former GM division : OLDS.  It WAS your father's Oldsmobile.

26. Haleakala National Park locale : MAUI.  Oahu would have been my 2nd guess.  It includes both mountainous and coastal regions.

27. Round Earth map : GLOBE.

28. Landlocked African nation : MALI.  South of Algeria, west of Niger.  Chad also fits - it is east of Niger and south of Libya.

30. Airport lineup : CABS.  Taxis.  Alternate definition: red wine line up.

31. Made tense : PUT ON EDGE.  What puts you on edge?

32. Doctrinal faction : SECT.  Another tilt in the direction of religion.  I was going to join my carpenter friend's church, until I found out it was a splinter group.

33. Tennis great Arthur : ASHE.  In the early 80's Ashe is believed to have contracted AIDS from a blood transfusion he received during heart surgery.  He died at age 49 in 1993.

36. Cud-chewing mammal : RUMINANT.  A hoofed animal with a rumen - an extra stomach where plant matter is digested with the aid of bacteria.   Includes cattle, sheep, antelopes, deer and giraffes.

38. Go back (on) : RENEGE.  Fail to honor a promise or contract.

39. Director Lee : ANG.  [b 1953] Also screenwriter and producer whose often emotionally charged works explore cultural and personal conflicts.

40. Disruptive forum visitor : TROLL.  One whose comments serve to cause dissension and conflict for its own sake rather than move the conversation along in a rational manner.

41. With it, once : HEP.  What once was HEP became hip, then rad.  I don't what it is now.

42. Cut into parts : DIVIDE.

44. Brooks with two Grammys : GARTH.  Counrty singer

45. Last 25-Down model : ALERO.  It was built in Lansing, MI from 1998 until 2004.

46. Italian fashion city : MILAN.  The capital of Lombardy and 2nd most populous city in Italy.  It is also a leader in the arts, commerce, education, research and tourism.

47. Iditarod runner : HUSKY.   Sled dog.

The dogs do not have conflict of interest.

49. Hockey announcer's cry : GOAL.  Average number of goals against this year is 2.77, up from 2.59 last year and 2.51 the year before.  Average shots against per game have been 31.8, 30.1 and 29.6, respectively.  More shooting --> more scoring.

50. Pervasive glow : AURA.

52. Turn sharply : VEER.  Suddenly change direction.

53. Guthrie who sang about Alice : ARLO.  Here, for you listening enjoyment, if you have 18 spare minutes.



55. Little trickster : IMP.

56. Seine filler : EAU.  Water in a French river.  A purse seine filler would be poisson, on a good day.

Eau que, that wraps things up for another Wednesday.  Hope you enjoyed the journey.

Cool regards!
JzB

Wednesday, March 21 2018, Mark McClain

Theme: CHECKING IN- The first words can be CHECKED.

17. *Many a museum piece : OIL PAINTING. Oil Check.

36. *Choice spot at the opera : BOX SEAT. Checkbox.

11. *Family crest : COAT OF ARMS. Coat check.

27. *Ellington genre : SWING MUSIC. Check swing. (Baseball.)

56. Words to a server ... or a hint to the first words of the answers to starred clues : CHECK PLEASE.
 

Melissa here. I struggled more than I should have with this one, due to a handful of tricky clues and a few unknowns. The theme didn't help with solving much because sometimes CHECK preceded the first word of the answer, and sometimes it followed. Only short a Q and Z of a pangram.

Across        

1. Jordan's capital : AMMAN

6. Amounts to : COSTS

11. Cleveland hoopster : CAV

14. Tour leader : GUIDE

15. Popcorn brand whose logo resembles a movie marquee : ACT II

 
16. Corrida cheer : OLE

19. "MSNBC Live" co-anchor Velshi : ALI

20. Big Dipper's constellation : GREAT BEAR

 
21. Birth-related : NATAL

23. Couple of gags? : GEES. Wording of clue seems odd. Couple IN gags would make more sense.

24. Tied-on protectors : APRONS

25. Without : ABSENT

28. Not even close : WAY OFF

30. Vise features : JAWS

31. British nobles : EARLS

32. Roger Federer's org. : ATP. Association of Tennis Professionals (males). Female counterpart is WTA (Women's Tennis Association), founded by Billie Jean King in 1973.

35. French buddy : AMI. AMIE is the feminine form.

38. Pi follower : RHO

39. Stood for office : RAN

40. Powerful Japanese dog : AKITA. Much like yesterday's SHIBA INU.

41. Black bird or black cat, to some : OMEN

42. Go round and round : GYRATE

44. Messed (up) : LOUSED

46. Obtain : COME BY. Stumped me.

48. Is not misused? : AINT. Nice clue.

49. Very serious, as a water shortage : ACUTE. Medically speaking, ACUTE does not always mean serious, but indicates sudden or recent onset - as opposed to chronic, which is long-lasting.

50. Blunder : FALSE STEP

55. Humanities degs. : MASE. Master of Arts in Special Education. Not sure why this clue is plural. (Correction: the answer is MAS. Master of Arts. Thanks, everyone.)

58. "The Book of __": 2010 Denzel Washington film : ELI

59. Exorbitant interest : USURY

60. Ceremonial place : ALTAR. I like this clue 💕.

61. Fond du __, Wisconsin : LAC

62. Closed : ENDED

63. Braid : PLAIT

Down

1. Twittering : AGOG. In this internet age, twittering has a new meaning.

2. "Studies in the Sierra" writer John : MUIR. Originally appeared in 1874 and 1875 as a series of seven articles in the Overland Monthly, which were later (1915 to 1921) reprinted in the Sierra Club Bulletin. 

 
3. Fitbit unit : MILE. Not STEP.

4. Much of the Sunday paper : AD PAGES. Not ADVERTS.

5. Spruce (up) : NEATEN

6. Walking sticks : CANES

7. Penta- plus three : OCTA

8. Cup-a-Soup direction : STIR

9. Pewter component : TIN

10. Footpath aid : SIGNPOST 

12. Poe's middle name : ALLAN

13. Concealing accessories : VEILS

18. "Probably not" : I BET. Sneaky because it's sarcasm - normally "I bet" indicates total agreement.

22. "Wanna go out?" response : ARF

24. Protagonist of Auel's "Earth's Children" novels : AYLA

25. Somewhat open : AJAR

26. Auburn rival, familiarly : BAMA

28. Squander : WASTE

29. Surface product : AREA. For rectangles and squares - height x width = AREA. Area calculator.

31. Bright word in a dark theater : EXIT

33. You, back in the day : THEE

34. Koi habitat : POND

36. Kansas City cuisine : BARBECUE. Variation is BARBEQUE. That and a Z would make for a pangram.

37. Not bad : OKAY

41. Fly off the shelf faster than : OUTSELL

43. To date : YET

44. Struggle with sisters? : LISP. Great clue.

45. 400 meters, on many tracks : ONE LAP

46. It has one hump or two : CAMEL

47. Florida's __ National Forest : OCALA

48. Binder for some paints : ALKYD. New to me.

50. 2017 FX miniseries subtitled "Bette and Joan" : FEUD. Anyone watch this series?

51. Spacious lot : ACRE

52. Part of TTFN : TATA

53. Actor Morales : ESAI

54. Cheeky : PERT

57. QVC sister station : HSN. Home Shopping Network.

Wednesday, March 14, 2018 Robin Stears

Theme:  WORK.  You can WORK out, WORK at something, or WORK on someone.  Alternatively, you can use the word WORK as a modifier or compound noun component, as applied to either half of today's two-word theme entries.  Let's start off with today's theme song number 1.




17 A. Door-to-door seller's form : ORDER SHEET.  This is a list of items you can chose to buy from. A WORK ORDER tells the crew what their next job is.  A WORK SHEET can either be a student's assignment page listing questions with places for answers, or a page in a spreadsheet program.

25 A. Do some bargain-hunting : SHOP AROUND.  Search for the most cost effective alternatives.  A WORK SHOP is a meeting where people engage in activity related to a specific goal or project.  A WORK AROUND is a method for overcoming a problem or difficulty in a system or program,

35 A. Text with maps and timelines : HISTORY BOOK.  A chronicle of who did what to whom, and when and where it happened.  Your WORK HISTORY is a detailed report of all the jobs you've held, complete with dates and titles.  A WORK BOOK contains pages of student's instructions and assignments related to a specific topic.

49 A. Residential get-together : HOUSE PARTY.  A gathering at the residence of the PARTY's host. A WORK HOUSE is a prison where the inmates are subjected to labor as punishment.  A WORK PARTY can be either a social gathering of or for employees, or an organized unit of persons WORKing together.

59 A. Game with ringers : HORSE SHOES.  A game in which two players or teams alternate throwing actual HORSE SHOES or similar U-shaped objects at a stake set in the ground.  A ringer is a HORSE SHOE that completely encircles the stake.  A WORK HORSE is literally a HORSE used for work on a farm, or figuratively a person who dependably and consistently performs hard WORK. A WORK SHOE is a sturdy SHOE designed to provide protection for the foot during a labor assignment.

And the unifier -- 66 A. 2016 #1 hit for Rihanna, which can precede both parts of 17-, 25-, 35-, 49- and 59-Across : WORK.  Now that you can see how this theme WORKs, here is theme song 2.



Hi gang, JazzBumpa on the job.  We definitely have a thematically rich entry today.  How much WORK do you suppose that took?  Let's WORK our way through the puzzle and see what we can accomplish.

Across

1. Flow back : EBB. As tide.

4. "Get outta here!" : BEAT IT.  Advice from Michael Jackson.

10. Column in a pugilist's record : TKOs.  A Technical Knock Out occurs when the referee or official ring physician decides that a boxing mach must be stopped for safety reasons, while a round is in progress.

14. Congressional auditing org. : General Accounting Office.  An independent, non-partisan agency that WORKS for Congress using facts and data to support Congress in meeting constitutional responsibilities and help improve performance and accountability.

15. Rhine wine region : ALSACE.  Located in eastern France, adjacent to Germany and Switzerland.  Historically it's control has been disputed between France and various German states.

16. Stable parent : MARE.  Horse mama.  Mental and emotional states may vary.

19. Very smart : CHIC.  Fashionable and well-appointed.  Levels of intelligence may vary.

20. Gosling of "Blade Runner 2049" : RYAN.  This is a remake of a 1982 classic neo-noir science fiction film.  I never saw either, but long ago I did read the Philip K. Dick novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, on which they are [more or less] based.

21. Tupperware sound : BURP.

23. Jeans label : LEE.  Brand name.

24. Nightly TV staple : NEWS.  What weird thing happened today?

28. Where K-I-S-S-I-N-G goes on : IN A TREE.  Part of a playground taunt traditionally directed at a boy or girl suspected of being attracted to a girl or boy.

(Girl's name) and (boy's name) sitting in a tree
K-i-s-s-i-n-g! (spell it out)
First comes love.
Then comes marriage.
Then comes baby in the baby carriage,
Sucking his thumb,
Wetting his pants,
Doing the hula, hula dance!

 I can testify that I have never kissed anyone while sitting in a tree.

30. Hold the floor : ORATE.  Make a speech - especially pompously or at length.

31. Fabled beast : ASS.  Lots of animals in fables.   Levels of pomposity many vary.

32. Brad Paisley venue : OPRY.  It's grand, it's old, it's country.

34. Copycat : APE. Mimic.

39. Org. in Dan Brown's "Digital Fortress" : NSA.  National Security Agency.  

40. Temps : SUBS.  Temporary or substitute workers.

41. "There's an __ for that" : APP.  APPlication program for your computer or mobile device.

44. Figures on a sports news crawl : STATS.  Statistics - also scores and events.

47. Input, as accidentally erased data : RE-ENTER.  Tedious WORK.

53. Aviation prefix : AERO-.  Short for aeronautical, used to construct portmanteau words.

54. Pop __ : ART.  ART based on popular culture, often with critical or ironic intent.

55. Mongolia locale : ASIA.  The largest continent.

56. Camp Lejeune gp. : United States Marine Corp.

57. Losing proposition : DIET.  Ordinarily this means something that turns out - too late, alas - to be a lost cause.  But here, it's a clever misdirection for a nutritional strategy intended for weight reduction.

63. Burden : ONUS.  Literal, from Latin.

64. Smart people? : ALECKS.  Irritating people or who make rude wise-cracks or act superior in knowledge.  Actual knowledge, intelligence and fashion sense may vary.

65. NBC skit show : Saturday Night Live.

67. More sinewy : WIRIER.  More lean and tough.  Try saying it 3 times, quickly.

68. Farm area : STY. Where the pigs hang out.

Down 

1. Cause of star wars? : EGO.  Stars as celebrities, not celestial objects - so the wars are rather more trivial, and down to earth.

2. Scrubby wastelands : BARRENS.  Aptly descriptive.

3. Fragrant shower gel : BODY WASH.  Thickened liquid as an alternative to bar soap.

4. Setting for most of "Charlotte's Web" : BARN.

5. Overhead trains : ELS.  So called for their ELevated tracks.

6. Volcanic __ : ASH.  Small mineral particles expelled during a explosive volcanic eruption, correctly referred to as tephra.

7. Billy Blanks' workout system : TAE-BO.  A total body fitness system employing matial arts techniques.

8. Become frozen : ICE UP.

9. Aquarium fish : TETRA.  Small, tropical, brightly-colored tropical fresh-water fish.  Those in aquariums are penta-up.  Fortunately, they cannot put a hex on you, even if you have deviated septa.

10. SHO sister channel : TMC.  The Movie Channel.

11. Liqueur in an espresso martini : KAHLUA.  Coffee flavored liqueur.

12. Point in the right direction : ORIENT.  If you point in the wrong direction, someone could end up getting lost by occident.

13. Formally withdraw : SECEDE.

18. Point in the right direction? : EAST.  A clecho, indicating the normal ORIENTation of flat maps.  Do you have to turn the map upside down when traveling south?

22. Ask for a hand? : PROPOSE.  Another nice misdirection.  Not a request for assistance or one's share of the cards, but rather a request for a loved-one's hand in marriage. Possible outcome of K-I-S-S-I-N-G.

24. "Empire" actress Long : NIA.

At the 2016 Critic's Choice Awards

25. Nasal dividers : SEPTA.   The SEPTUM is the wall of cartilage and thin bone separating the nostrils.

26. Deli option : HERO.  Big sandwich of meat, cheese and spreads made on an oblong roll or similarly shaped loaf of bread that is sliced end-to-end horizontally, alternatively called the dagwood, submarine [sub], hoagy or grinder.

27. Cookie with a Peeps variety : OREO.   Please just stop.

29. Antarctic waters : ROSS SEA.  A deep bay in the extreme south pacific, at the edge of the antarctic continent.

33. Many mos. : YRS. Abbreviated or not, many months make years.

34. "__ Road": Beatles album : ABBEY.

36. QB's mistakes : INTs.  Interceptions - in American football, passes caught by the defenders instead of the intended receivers.

37. Mongolian tent : YURT.  A round, portable tent covered with skins or felt, used as a dwelling by nomads in the steppes of central Asia.



38. London-born supermodel : KATE MOSS.

No information here

42. Word of interest? : PERCENT.  Number used to calculate deposit earnings or loan premiums.

43. Quid __ quo : PRO.  Latin - "something for something" - a favor or advantage granted or expected in return for something.

44. Omen on February 2nd : SHADOW.  Woodchuck [marmota monax] as weather maven.

45. "Starsky & Hutch" Ford model : TORINO.

Lots of chase scenes

46. Highbrow filmmaker : AUTEUR.  One who controls all aspects of a collaborative creative WORK.

48. The "N" of CSNY : NASH.   Graham, along with David Crosby, Steven Stills and Neil Young.

Still great 48 years later

50. "Get outta here!" : PSHAW.  An expression of contempt, impatience or disbelief.

51. Garlic mayonnaise : AIOLI.

52. Worth more to collectors : RARER.

56. KGB country : USSR.  The Soviet Union, a grouping of nominal republics under Russian hegemony that existed from 1922 - 1981.  The KGB was its main security agency.

58. "Naughty, naughty!" : TSK.  Comic book attempt to indicate the disparaging sound of tongue clucking.

60. __-fi : SCI.  Reference to the SCIence Fiction genre of speculative literature.

61. Squeeze (by) : EKE.  To barely achieve, with great difficulty.

62. Plotting : SLY.  Cunning and deceitful or secretive.

That wraps up another Wednesday's labor.  Did you love it, or were you lost?

Cool Regards!
JzB