Wednesday, June 5 2019, Parikshit S. Bhat

Theme: CIRCLE OF LIFE

20. Many a coast-to-coast journey: RED EYE FLIGHT. A flight that takes off late at night and arrives early in the morning, usually taking off after 9 p.m. and arriving by 5 or 6 a.m. So, in taking a red-eye, you'll be in the air overnight, when you would typically be asleep. Typically, these flights travel west to east (according to cheapflights.com).

26. 2008 Ridley Scott film set in the Middle East: BODY OF LIES. Scott directed, Leonardo DeCaprio and Russell Crowe star. IMDB.

35. Reassuring reply to "You don't look well": I FEEL FINE. Except when it means the opposite.

46. Championship in a ring: TITLE FIGHT. For boxing fans - Andy Ruiz Jr. stuns Anthony Joshua in heavyweight title fight.

52. Influential in a big way ... and a hint to this puzzle's circles: LIFE CHANGING. 

Melissa here. Did you get the circles? Perfect answer for the reveal, very clever.

Across:

1. MSNBC analyst Melber: ARI.

4. Olds Cutlass model: CIERA. Tricky spelling.

9. Garbage boats: SCOWS.

14. Airport shuttle: VAN.

15. Up to this point: AS YET.

16. Deck with the Fool and the World: TAROT.

17. Make sense of: INTERPRET.

19. Yoga pose: ASANA.

22. Be concerned: MIND.

23. Burr and Hamilton, e.g.: ENEMIES.

31. Prefix with scope: ENDO. From Greek ἔνδον endon meaning "within, inner, absorbing, or containing."

32. Symbols in email addresses: ATS. @

33. Fishing equipment: REEL.

34. Ryegrass disease: ERGOT.

38. Cal. sequence: MTWTF. Monday, Wednesday, ...

41. Indigenous Japanese: AINU. Had no idea: Ainu, is a language spoken by members of the Ainu people on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.

42. Took in: ATE.

45. Neighborhood: AREA.

49. Party popper: BALLOON. Not pooper ...

51. Invasive plant: WEED. Scotch Broom was introduced from Europe as a garden ornamental by early settlers of the Pacific Coast. Later it was used to prevent erosion and stabilize banks and sand dunes. It became invasive, and now costs Oregonians an estimated $40 million per year in lost timber revenue and control efforts. It sure is beautiful, though.

57. Goes after: HAS AT.

59. Spanish estates: HACIENDAS.

61. "Flashdance...What a Feeling" singer Cara: IRENE.

62. Put in office: ELECT.

63. Increase, with "up": AMP.

64. Big name in wedding invitations: EATON.

65. Med measures: DOSES.

66. Salty expanse: SEA.

Down:

1. Prefix for the birds: AVI.

2. Went on a rampage: RAN RIOT. I like this fill.

3. Plans (to): INTENDS.

4. Bit of TLC?: CARE.

5. "__ with my little eye ... ": I SPY.

6. "Reader, I married him" governess: EYRE. One of my top five books of all time.

7. Coral environs: REEF.

8. British prime minister after WWII: ATTLEE. Clement Attlee.

9. __ whisper: STAGE.

10. Soft wool: CASHMERE.

11. Holding the floor: ORATING. Ohhhh ...

12. Got the gold: WON.

13. Many a stop: Abbr.: STA.

18. Jacuzzi effect: EDDY.

21. New officeholders: INS. Politics.

22. Deg. for a CEO: MBA.

24. Old name of Tokyo: EDO.

25. Drunk: SOT.

27. German composer Carl: ORFF. Wikipedia.

28. Payment for services: FEE.

29. "To Kill a Mockingbird" novelist: LEE. My newest granddaughter shares her first name, Harper. Another top five - both book and movie. We also have a cat named Boo, and another named Scout. Now I just need a dog named Atticus.

30. __ ease: anxious: ILL AT.

34. Plenty, in texts: ENUF.

35. Firenze native: ITALIANO.

36. Chick-__-A: fast-food chain: FIL.

37. Chemistry suffix: INE.

38. Queen of folklore: MAB. Queen of the fairies.

39. __-la-la: TRA.

40. Firmly established: WELL SET.

42. Meeting handouts: AGENDAS.

43. When you're "ahead of" it, you're likely to succeed: THE GAME.

44. JFK stat: ETD.

46. Clog part: TOE.

47. Made slow progress: INCHED.

48. "Victory is mine!": I WIN.

50. Many times: OFTEN.

53. Divine circle: HALO. Love this clue - and so appropriate for today's puzzle.

54. Killer serves: ACES.

55. "Sweet!": NICE.

56. Understands: GETS.

57. Shake a leg, quaintly: HIE.

58. Immortal Notre Dame coach Parseghian: ARA.

60. Place for a hot stone massage: SPA.

Note from C.C.:

Happy Birthday to dear TTP (Tom)! Besides being our Tuesday/Friday guide, TTP is also always there helping me with various blog glitches. 

Hope you have a fantastic round today, TTP!

  

Wednesday May 29, 2019 Roland Huget

Theme: ROUGHHOUSE (61. Rowdy play, and what's hidden in each answer to a starred clue) - Four different simple shelters are hidden in each theme entry.

17A. *Cocktail ingredient often made with a mallet: CRUSHED ICE.

40A. *Sleep: SHUT EYE.

 

11D. *Quarterback's underhand move: SHOVEL PASS.

29D *Restraint on a prisoner: LEG SHACKLE. Thought they're called "leg irons".

C.C. here, filling in another blogging gap.

Classic 5-themer grid with a 7 in the middle. You won't get sparkly 8 or 9 non-theme fill in this grid design, but the fill will be clean.  

I like the re-phrase of the reveal entry.  Nice wordplay. The shelter is consistently contained in one word.  

  

Across:

1. Was short: OWED.

5. Cut short, NASA-style: ABORT.

10. "Got it": I SEE.

14. "The Great" detective of kid-lit: NATE.

15. "Green Acres" co-star: GABOR. Eva. Youngest of the three Gabors.

16. Tobacco plug: CHAW.

19. Come up short: LOSE.

20. Hand-held allergy treatment: EPIPEN. D-Otto has one in his fridge.

21. Invite to one's home: ASK OVER.

23. Not from a bottle: ON TAP. 35. They may be 23-Across: ALES.

26. Swivel around: SLUE.

27. Seasoned sailors: SALTS. This is OK, but you guys don't like TARS, right?

30. Automated blog participant, for short: BOT.

32. Runs in neutral: IDLES.

36. Anne of Green Gables or Annie: ORPHAN.

38. Orchestra __: PIT.

39. Skit bit: GAG.

41. Ottoman bigwig: AGA. Or AGHA.

42. 911 response letters: EMS.

43. Stick a stake in, as a vampire: IMPALE.

44. Pale: ASHY.

45. Totally sexy: SO HOT. And 48. Strongly craves, with "after": LUSTS.

47. La-la lead-in: TRA.

49. "Sorry to say ... ": ALAS.

51. Blazer material: TWEED.

53. Performer's "Nailed it!" gesture: MIC DROP. Even Obama did it.

56. Followed: TAILED.

60. Rubs the wrong way: IRKS.

64. Cuba libre mixer: COLA. China has Future Cola.

65. First name in cosmetics: ESTEE.

66. Persia, now: IRAN. Hi there Abejo. Also, WikWak, hope you read all these birthday greetings from our blog regulars back in April.

67. From the top: ANEW.

68. Direct: STEER.

69. Brooding place: NEST.

Down:

1. Some time ago: ONCE.

2. What wet boards may do: WARP.

3. Special case: ETUI.

4. Cruel rulers: DESPOTS.

5. Contract negotiator: AGENT. Who's the most powerful sports agent right now? I only know Mark Steinberg. Oh also Jerry Maguire.

6. Naughty: BAD.

7. Kimono accessory: OBI.

8. Almond __: crunchy candy: ROCA.

9. Hair piece: TRESS.

10. Apple backup service: ICLOUD. We have Google Cloud.

12. Maneuver carefully: EASE.

13. Still-life subject: EWER.

18. Coop group: HENS.

22. Ryan's "French Kiss" co-star: KLINE.

24. Sudden: ABRUPT.

25. Toaster pastry: POP TART. I bet many of you have never had egg tarts. So good.

27. Learned advisors: SAGES.

28. Enterprise competitor: ALAMO.

31. Long-armed institution: THE LAW.

33. "Magic" ball digit: EIGHT.

34. Collar inserts: STAYS.

36. Unit of resistance: OHM.

37. Cry from a pro: AYE. One who's for.

40. Raga instrument: SITAR.

44. Port on some stereos: AUDIO IN.

46. Familiar saying: OLD SAW.

48. Sister of Rachel: LEAH. Here is the Leah on our blog. Chickie.

Left to Right: Chickie, JD, Garlic Gal and Lucina.

June 3, 2015

50. Aloe targets: SORES.

52. Former anesthetic: ETHER.

53. Layered rock: MICA.

54. Common club choice on a par-three hole: IRON. Short par-three.

55. Publish in an online forum: POST.

57. Tackle box item: LURE.

58. Those, in Tijuana: ESAS.

59. Minor progress: DENT.

62. 4 x 4, briefly: UTE.

63. "Hmm": GEE.

C.C.

 

Wednesday, May 22, 2019 Roland Huget

Theme: LABOR.  The Circled letters spell various kinds of paid gigs.

17 A. Car engine part: CRANKSHAFT.  A SHAFT constructed of a series of CRANKS and CRANK pins that attach to the connecting rods of an engine. A CRAFT is a skill used in making items by hand.

24 A. "Tell me about it": JOIN THE CLUB.  A commiserating phrase along the lines of "I feel your pain." A JOB is a paid position of regular employment.

34 A. Custodian: CARETAKER. Someone assigned to look after a person, pet, property, or entity, depending on context.  A CAREER is a long-term occupation with opportunities for progress.

50. Lonely Planet publication, e.g.: TRAVEL GUIDE.  A book of information about a location designed for visitors and tourists.  A TRADE is a skilled job usually involving manual skills and special training.

58. Temporary fix, or what's found in this puzzle's circles: WORK AROUND.  A method for overcoming a problem or limitation is a system or program.  In the theme, various synonyms for types of WORK book-end the theme fill, so WORK goes AROUND the completed answer.

Hi, Gang - JazzBumpa here, as we WORK our way through this puzzle.  Let's get on the job!

Across:

1. Receives at one's roof garden: HAS UP.  I had to ponder this one. To receive visitors, you HAVE them into your home.  So, you could have them up to your roof garden, should you be fortunate enough to possess such a thing.

6. "Shoot!": DARN. Exclamations of disappointment.

10. Bounces on the waves: BOBS.  Like a cork.

14. Food safety concern: E COLI.  Coliform bacteria that can be a food contaminant.

15. Miracle Mets outfielder Tommie: AGEE. [b 1942] He played for Cleveland and Chicago before the Mets.  The Miracle refers to their 1969 World Series win over the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles.  This was the 8th year of existence for the Mets, and their first year with a winning record.  AGEE is credited with making two of the greatest and most critical catches in World Series history in game 3, with the series tied.  He also led off the game with a home run.

16. Bell town in a Longfellow poem: ATRI.  You can read about it here.

19. Like racehorses: SHOD.  Having shoes.

20. __ Bora: Afghan region: TORA.  A cave complex in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan.

21. Roman 151: CLI.  Roman numerals.

22. Prolonged assault: SIEGE.  A tactic of surrounding the enemy's position to cut off supplies in hope of getting them to surrender.

23. U.K. honor: O.B.E.  Order of the British Empire, awarded for outstanding contributions to arts, sciences or public service.

27. Numbers to crunch: RAW DATA. Data in an unprocessed form.  Processing then leads to information.

29. Veer off course: YAW.  Twist around a vertical axis.

30. Poe's "Annabel __": LEE.

31. Stately horse: STEED.

32. Orbit segment: ARC.

33. Alpha-Bits cereal maker: POST.

38. Talk show host Cavett: DICK. [b. 1936]

41. Zamboni surface: ICE.  The Zamboni machine smooths the ice surface for hockey or figure skating.

42. Stretches out for a bit: RESTS.  Takes 5.

46. Bat wood: ASH. The best choice, but other woods are also used.

47. Aromatic garland: LEI.  Flowers strung together to be worn as a necklace.

48. Bob Cratchit's son: TINY TIM.  From A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

53. Zodiac feline: LEO.  From July 23 to August 22.

54. Relaxed: EASED.  Let up.

55. Salem-to-Portland dir.: NNE.  As the crow flies

56. Gardener's bagful: SOIL.

57. Outdo: BEST.  Perform better than someone.

61. Came to rest: ALIT.  Landed.

62. First name in stunts: EVEL.  AKA Robert Craig Knievel [1938-2007]

63. Superachievers: ELITE. A-list performers in some activity

64. Get out of bed: RISE. Even if reluctantly.  Can be alarming.

65. Obsolete demo medium: TAPE. A musical demo presented for possible publication or professional recording.

66. Cap bill: VISOR.  For shading one's eyes from the sun.

Down:

1. Strong-arms: HECTORS.  To bully, intimidate or browbeat,

2. Cirque du Soleil performer: ACROBAT.

3. "Us, too": SO ARE WE.  JOIN THE CLUB!

4. Radius neighbor: ULNA. The two long bones of the forearm.

5. Dental suffix with Water: PIK.  Device for cleaning teeth and massaging the gums.

6. Mexico's national flower: DAHLIA.

Decorative

7. From the top: AGAIN.  One more time.

8. Sports replay reviewer: REF.  Always trying to get it right.

9. After-tax: NET.  What is remaining after all charges and deductions have been removed.

10. Not advanced: BASIC. The A-B-C's.

11. The lord in "O, beware, my lord, of jealousy!": OTHELLO.  From Shakespeare's play about jealousy and betrayal.

12. Irish accents: BROGUES.  I wasn't able to come up with better information.

13. Extra gambling action: SIDE BET.  An additional bet beside the main wager, generally involving a related issue.

18. Highlander: SCOT.  One likely to speak with a burr instead of a BROGUE.

22. Clinch, with "up": SEW.  Nail it down.

24. "Gotham" actress __ Pinkett Smith: JADA. [b. 1971]

Mom and actress

25. Supermodel Banks: TYRA. [b. 1973]

Now a producer, as well

26. Access illegally, as a computer: HACK.  To get unauthorized access to stored data or documents.

28. Swabbing site: DECK.  Naval activity

32. Tucked away: ATE.

33. One being hunted: PREY.

35. Cambodian currency: RIEL. .00025 U. S. Dollar.

36. Vaping product, briefly: E CIG.  It provides a mist containing nicotine, without burning tobacco.

37. Sea eagle: ERNE.  Old school crossword entry.

38. Baked snack with dried fruit: DATE BAR.  A cookie or cake-like item with fruit chunks or filling that is baked and then cut into bars.

39. Lod native: ISRAELI.  Lod is a city of 75,000 located 9 miles south-east of Tel Aviv, near Ben-Gurion airport.  The area has been inhabited since 5,000 B.C.

40. Car's supporting frame: CHASSIS.  The base frame upon which the body and other componentry is located

43. Midwest city named for a French king: ST. LOUIS.  In Missouri.

44. Connect with: TIE INTO.

45. Do a slow burn: SMOLDER.

47. Took charge of: LED.

48. Wind chime sound: TINKLE.  Tinkle, tinkle, little chime, playing in a windy time.

49. Creative spark: IDEA.

51. Sporty Chevy: VETTE.  Corvette, more formally.

52. Gen. Assembly member: U. N. REP.

56. Etudes, e.g.: SOLI.  An etude is an instrumental study piece designed to improve technique.  As such, it is a solo.. SOLI is the plural.

58. Not just damp: WET. On a spectrum from moist through inundated.

59. In vitro supply: OVA. Unfertilized eggs.

60. Race in the driveway: REV.  To 'race" an engine is to give it gas [REV] while it is not in gear.

That, my circle of friends, wraps up another Wednesday.  Hope you found the work to your liking.

Cool Regards!
JzB

Wednesday, May 15, 2019, Chuck Deodene

Title: BE OUR GUEST.

Lemonade here pinch-hitting for Melissa with whom I shared Wednesdays when I first started blogging here. So this is full-circle for me. I described Mr. Deodene's history here and at the NYT in my most recent write-up of a Friday he built last year, so today I will provide this LINK to some of Chuck's life with words. Today is a hidden word puzzle. I have previously written about doing the London Times Cryptic Crossword with my mother when they began running in NEW YORK magazine. Here is a wonderful ARTICLE which was written by composer STEPHEN SONDHEIM. Remember, this was written in 1968; the modern crossword has incorporated much of the fun of cryptics.  I know some have expressed interest in Cryptics and this is a good primer. Getting back to our puzzle, we have the "hidden" version. Here there are four themers and a grid-spanning reveal. The word GUEST is hidden in the clue in between the words. The first two and the fourth have the split gue/st, the third gues/t. The reveal is fair, but I had the theme long before then.

For a Wednesday, we also have lots of sparkle like DESKSET,  GAS HEAT,  REDOUBT, ECSTATIC,  IT'S A SNAP, PANCREAS, and the odd SCAT SING. Time to move to the next phase...

17A. Sports page table: LEAGUE STANDINGS (14). Most only think of "standing", but each league has its own.

25A. Dissociative condition: FUGUE STATE (10). Dissociative fugue (formerly called psychogenic fugue, or fugue state) is a psychological state in which a person loses awareness of their identity or other important autobiographical information and also engages in some form of unexpected travel. Psychological amnesia.

37A. Makes a case for, with "of": ARGUES THE MERITS (14). For which the topic of oral pierces could be argued.

49A. Intraoral piercing: TONGUE STUD (10). I received a hole in my tongue playing touch football but never consider putting jewelry in my mouth.

57A. Talk show drop-by ... and a literal feature of 17-, 25-, 37- and 49-Across: GUEST APPEARANCE (15). 

Across:

1. Passport stamps: VISAS. Yes but LINK.

6. Improvised knife: SHIV. From "a razor," 1915, variant of chive, thieves' word for "knife" (the1670s) from Romany language.

10. MRI output: SCAN. Actually, it is an image.

14. Capital of Ghana: ACCRA. LINK.


15. "Say Anything..." actress Skye: IONE. Her vowel-rich name is more famous than she is here in crossword land.

16. "__ and Abel": Jeffrey Archer novel: KANE. I really enjoyed his works,

20. Plaza payment: TOLL.

21. Feel remorse over: RUE. I would remove the "over."

22. Winter hrs. in St. Louis: CST. Central Standard Time.

23. Blog entry: POST. Please keep them coming.

29. "Who __ to complain?": AM I.

30. Woman college basketball coach Summitt with an NCAA record 1,098 career wins: PAT. This legendary COACH died in 2016 from complications from Alzheimer's.  Coach K has eclipsed her victory total and Gino Auriemma is catching up.

31. Nairobi's country: KENYA. More Africa. See map above.

32. Insulin-producing gland: PANCREAS. The key to diabetes.

36. Left or right ending: IST. There are so many other choices.

42. Knot-tying vow: I DO. I did.

43. Like big lottery winners, presumably: ECSTATIC. Such a mixed blessing, historically. STORIES.

44. __ pad: STENO. I still use them.

47. Old Mideast org.: UAR. The United Arab Republic.

48. Reggae precursor: SKA. Ska is still around.

52. Carnival: FAIR.

53. Brightness nos.: IQS.

54. 6-Down's sib: BRO.

55. River swimmers: EELS. Not if C.C. gets them. They become a...

63. Repast: MEAL.

64. Char on a grill: SEAR. I'm not sure how many ways she cooks them.

65. Popular Google service: GMAIL.

66. About: AS TO.

67. Singer from County Donegal: ENYA. Eithne Ní Bhraonáin was born on May 17, 1961, in Gweedore, Donegal, Ireland, almost her birthday.

68. Leaf under a petal: SEPAL. I think I just had that botanical discussion,

Down:

1. Actor Kilmer: VAL. A bad Simon Templar and a bad Bruce Wayne.

2. Floe makeup: ICE. Tin are you okay?

3. Perform like Ella: SCAT SING. Is this a Yoda answer?

4. Insider lingo: ARGOT.

5. TV lawyer Goodman: SAUL. The spin-off from BREAKING BAD.

6. 54-Across' sib: SIS.

7. Trending: HOT.

8. Going nowhere, career-wise: IN A RUT.

9. Playhouse, say: VENUE. For a show Mickey Rooney!

10. Navigate slopes: SKI.

11. High-kicking dance: CAN CAN. So many links.

12. Showing insecurity: ANGSTY. A word from the 60s.

13. Snapple rival: NESTEA. This was very hard for me and only the perps did it. I was looking for a more esoteric company.

18. Wee toymaker: ELF. Not Wii.

19. Matching office accessories: DESKSET.

23. Dad: PAPA. I get that from many of my sons' friends.

24. Shortstop Vizquel with 11 Gold Glove Awards: OMAR.  bit obscure but talented fielder.

26. __ the crack of dawn: UP AT.

27. House-warming option: GAS HEAT.

28. Aquarium beauty: TETRA.

33. Stage prompting: CUING.

34. Stronghold: REDOUBT. From Bunker Hill to Yorktown, a feature of military actions during the American Revolution was the redoubt. Of course, redoubts were a fixture in worldwide military operations long before, and long after, that war, but those fortifications built of earth, sod and timber were usually more complex than their simple materials suggest. Journal of the American Revolution.

35. That, in Toledo: ESO. Our Lucina CSO.

36. Online chats, briefly: IMS.

38. Subdued hue: ECRU. The definition is having the color of raw silk or unbleached linen," from French écru "raw, unbleached.

39. "Simple as can be": ITS A SNAP. A very short period of time (figuratively, the time taken to snap one's fingers), or a task that can be accomplished in such a period. Etymology.

40. __ torch: luau light: TIKI.

41. What a tattoo may cover: SCAR. Why? I know many tattoos but none covering a scar.

44. Mark of shame: STIGMA.

45. Kitchen toppers: TOQUES. This hat has become a regular.

46. Put into power: ENSEAT. Ugh. The only good thing about this word is that it could be part of an anagram puzzle.

47. 2019 Pebble Beach event: US OPEN. Golf. SITE.

50. Wipe: ERASE. Computer hard drives.

51. "Weeds" law org.: DEA. Drug Enforcement Agency.

52. Moth attractor: FLAME.

56. Units of energy: ERGS.


58. __ Poke: retro candy: SLO. Never heard of it. The original Slo Poke Caramel Pop was first introduced in 1926 by the Holloway Candy Company.

59. Settle: PAY. The bill.

60. Time to remember: ERA.

61. "Homeland" org.: CIA. I have never watched the show.

62. Turn in the plumbing: ELL. A cute twist to end our tour.

Thank you Chuck; c'mon back mb and thank you all.

Wednesday, May 8, 2019 Sam Acker

Theme: ON THE DRAWING BOARD.  Here we will DRAW on our library of in-the-language phrases, to finalize certain concepts.  Since that seems a bit cryptic and abstract, let me DRAW it  more clearly.  This will be easier if we start with the unifier.

7. Infer ... or what the answers to starred clues end with?: DRAW CONCLUSIONS.  Gleaning the meaning from information that may or may not be complete.  In the theme answers, the 2nd word of two-word phrases can also follow the word DRAW to CONCLUDE another two-word phrase.

17. *Mint target: BAD BREATH.  Halitosis.

To DRAW BREATH is simply to breathe, or to pause a moment, and take a breath, before doing something, such as DRAWING a CONCLUSION.

20. *Overhead buzzers: POWER LINES.  Conduits for electricity.  Sometimes they're noisy.  To DRAW LINES is to set limits; figuratively LINES that should not be crossed.

31. *Lists of wrestling matches, say: EVENT CARDS.  Schedules of specific activities occurring at an event.  This phrase also has a variety of other meanings, which you can google, if interested.  To DRAW CARDS is to select specific cards from a deck as part of a game, trick or reading.

39. *Building sites: VACANT LOTS.  Plots of land that are currently undeveloped.  To DRAW LOTS is to decide something - such as who will do something, or in what order things will be done -by picking an item or items at random.

57. *HBO vampire series: TRUE BLOOD.  Never watched it.  Here's the season 1 trailer.

To DRAW BLOOD means to injure an opponent, either figuratively or literally.  Alternatively it means collecting a BLOOD sample from someone to run lab tests.

50. *Civil War volley: CANNON FIRE.  Cannons are now historical weapons.  To DRAW FIRE is to attract an enemy's attention in order to distract him from other tactical activities.

Hi Gang, JazzBumpa here to see what kind of CONCLUSIONS we can DRAW.  The first one is that with 6 theme entries and a grid spanning unifier, this puzzle is extremely thematically rich.  And second, with a central vertical unifier and two stacked theme answer pairs we have an unusual, and quite creative construction. So let us commence.

Across:

1. Try to punch: JAB AT.  Could be a swing and a miss.

6. Org. concerned with outbreaks: CDC. Center for Disease Control.

9. Follower of Guru Nanak: SIKH.  The word means a "disciple", "seeker," or "learner."  This is a monotheistic religion started in the Punjab region of India during the latter part of the 15th century.

13. Shapes for running laps: OVALS.  Typical track contour.

14. Shapiro of NPR: ARI. The host of All Things Considered.

15. Sunlit lobbies: ATRIA.  Often with a glass roof.

16. Crunch-like exercise: SIT UP.  Do it properly.

19. Soccer legend Mia: HAMM.

21. Verb type without a direct obj.: INTRansitive.   It' s always an action verb. Frex.: We arrived just in time.

23. Sing smoothly: CROON.

24. Bad guy you root for: ANTI-HERO.  Like Matt Scudder in Lawrence Block's mystery novels.

27. __ de cologne: EAU.  Originally a perfume formulation fron Cologne, Germany, but now a generic term for scented formulations.

30. Slangy "No reason": CUZ.  Cuz I says so.

35. Prepare to drag: REV.  Gun the engine in preparation for a fast take off.

36. Like maple syrup: VISCOUS.  Thick and slow to pour.

37. Geographical resource: MAP.  It lets you know where you are.  But, as Ned Stark often told his son Robb, "The map is not the territory."

41. "Wherever __": One Republic song: I GO.

42. "I see it now!": OH O or O HO!  Exclamation of surprise or discovery.

43. Yet to be tried: UNTESTED.

45. Flightless birds: RHEAS.  Large South American ratites, distantly related to the ostrich and emu.

49. Aspiring DA's exam: LSAT.  Law School Admission Test.  It's pretty well established that such standardized tests have little if any actual value, but they continue to be used.

54. Pet healers: VETS.  Animal doctors.

58. San Diego player: PADRE.  National League West baseball team

59. Like games in an arcade bar: RETRO.  Appealing nostalgically to a time in the not too distant past.

60. Protein-building molecule: RNA.  Ribonucleaic acid.

61. Shoelace tip: AGLET.  The plastic or metal tube the keeps the end of the shoelace from unraveling.

62. Young woman: LASS.

63. Mountain road curve: ESS.  A series of curves that double back in the shape of the letter S.

64. Spanish rulers: REYES.  Kings.

Down:

1. Kid: JOSH.  Tease playfully or joke.  Also, our 11 year old grandson is a kid named Josh.

2. Nike competitor: AVIA.  Brands of athletic shoes

3. Jewish girl's coming-of-age: BAT MITZVAH.  A ceremony held on the girl's 12th or 13th birthday, in varying traditions, after which she, instead of her parent, is considered to be responsible for her own actions.

4. Grads: ALUMNI.  Those who have completed a program of study and received a diploma from an educational institution.

5. Baker's meas.: TSP.  Teaspoon.

6. __ San Lucas: Baja resort: CABO.   Located at the southern tip of the Baja peninsula.

8. Fall drink: CIDER.  Unfermented juice pressed from fruit, most typically apples.

9. "Gone With the Wind" composer Max: STEINER.  [1888-1971] An Austrian born American composer of music for theater and films.  He was one of the first composers for movies and is known as the father of film music.

10. Shiraz's country: IRAN.  Located in the southwest of the country, Shiraz has been a trade center for over 1000 years.

11. Toy on a string: KITE.  A light frame with thin material stretched over it, to be flown in the wind.

12. Guffaws: HAHs.  Laughs

15. Woody's son: ARLO. Woody [1912-1967] died of Huntington's disease. Arlo [b 1947] is most famous for his epic recording of his narrative song Alice's Restaurant.

18. Pal: BRO.  Buddie.

20. Musician André with 11 Grammys: PREVIN.  [1929 -2019]  He was famous and highly accomplished in three areas - scores for over 50 films; music director and/or conductor for several major symphony orchestras; and jazz pianist, composer and arranger.

22. GIs' support gp.: THE VA. Veterans Administration.

24. Like six starred puz. answers: ACR. Across. A meta, theme-related clue that is not part of the theme.

25. New, in Nogales: NUEVO.  Literally, in Spanish.

26. Snooze: REST.  Sleep.

28. "Truth be told ... ": ADMITTEDLY.

29. Grammarian's concern: USAGE.  The manner in which words and phrases are normally and correctly employed.

32. Animation creation: TOON.  A cartoon character.

33. Nautilus cousin: CUTTLE.  A cephalopod having 8 arms and two tentacles with denticulated suckers to latch on to their prey.  They are typically 6 to 10 inches long.

34. Donkeys: ASSES.  Horse-like animals that are smaller, having longer ears and a braying sound.  They have been used as working animals for over 5000 years.

38. Sci-fi escape unit: POD. A small, secondary vehicle used to evacuate from the main vehicle when under duress.

40. Least gooey brownie pieces: CORNERS.  They bake harder due to having more edge surface.

44. Brutal: SAVAGE.  Fierce, violent, and out of control.

46. Stereotypical train hopper: HOBO.  The term originated in the western U.S in the 1890's, referfing to an impoverished migrant worker or vagrant.

47. Blowup: Abbr.: ENLargement.

48. Ere: AFORE.  Having occurred previously

50. Bottom row PC key: CTRL. A modifier key that performs a special operation when pressed with another key.

51. Real estate calculation: AREA.  Sizes of the lot surface, total dwelling and interior room spaces.

52. Bar freebies: NUTS. Either snacks, like peanuts, or the company of bar flies in questionable mental states.

53. Nutritional stds.: RDAS. Recommended Daily Allowances.

55. Christmas decoration: TREE. I'm going to quibble.  The tree is a symbol. It is adorned with decorations.

56. "Action!" places: SETS.  Places where movie scenes are filmed.

58. 72 for 18 holes, often: PAR.  The nominal proper score for a round of golf.

That wraps it up. Despite my one ADMITTEDLY picky nit, I found this puzzle to be quite up to par.  You, of course, are free to DRAW your own CONCLUSIONS. 

There doesn't appear to be another puzzle by Sam Acker in our library.  So this might be his first L.A. Times entry.  If so, congrats for a highly successful introduction!

Cool regards!
JzB

Wednesday May 1, 2019 Paul Coulter

It’s May, ribbit, ribbit!

“Tra la, it's May, the lusty month of May
That lovely month when everyone goes blissfully astray
Tra la, it's here, that shocking time of year
When tons of wicked little thoughts merrily appear

It's May, it's May, that gorgeous holiday
When every maiden prays that her lad will be a cad
It's mad, it's gay, a libelous display
Those dreary vows that everyone takes, everyone breaks
Everyone makes divine mistakes, the lusty month of May”

Recognize those lines? I’ll confirm or inform later on.

On to the puzzle with musical interlude #1. Today's cw is by our quasi-resident wordsmith, Paul Coulter.  For this mid-week effort, Paul placed all of the theme answers in the verticals, because.....well, because the theme demanded it.  The bottom word of each theme answer is a type of bell.
 
As a lowly enlisted swabbie, I can relate to the naval connotation of the Bell Bottom uniform. Those pant-legs were actually more stove-pipe than bell-bottom. The trousers were stocked extra long by waist measurement, and were then shortened to fit the individual sailor. The 13 buttons may be traditional (they represent the 13 colonies), but they’re a real bother to deal with. I’d vote for a zipper fly any day.

The Reveal:

28D. Retro pants, and a hint to the answers to starred clues:  BELL BOTTOMS  The bottom word of each theme answer is a type of bell.

3D. *Many Northeast tourists look up to her: LADY LIBERTY. Lady Liberty isn’t nearly so welcoming today as in years past. But here we’re talking about the Liberty Bell. When did it get it’s famous crack?

9D. *Bring-a-dish event: POTLUCK DINNER. The triangular dinner bell became popular in the early 1800s to call the family and workers in from the fields at mealtime.

 

18D. *Controversial educational institution: CHARTER SCHOOL. Your school bell might have been a hand-held model wielded by a bookish schoolmarm, but more likely it was an electric bell that signaled the beginning and end of class periods. I thought “saved by the bell” probably had a school connection. Nope, it originates in the boxing ring.

26D. *Real moneymaker: CASH COW. Cow bell. The company I worked for served as a Cash Cow for the parent corporate holding company. After the long recession in the “awl patch,” I wonder if that’s still the case.

 

Across:

 

1. Indonesian resort island: BALI. Just east of Java.

5. Champagne flute part: STEM.

9. Provide with lodging: PUT UP. Tried HOUSE first.

14. Australian export: OPAL. Wool would also fit...but it would be wrong.

15. Hilo feast: LUAU.

16. "SNL" alum Cheri: OTERI. Vowel-rich, but c’mon guys, she left SNL way back in 2000.

17. Lack of propriety: INDECORUM. I’ve been known to resemble that remark.

19. Link: TIE IN.

20. Marshal at Waterloo: NEY. Why did I think it was Dey? Oh, wait, that was L. A. Law.

21. Solo played by Harrison Ford and Alden Ehrenreich: HAN. Han Solo, Star Wars.

22. Fly off the shelves: SELL.

24. Producing a direct electric current: GALVANIC. Back in the late 1700s Luigi Galvani discovered that muscle tissues would contract when electricity was passed through them. He experimented with frog legs, because he was prone to playing with his food.

27. Colorado town that means "town" in Spanish: PUEBLO. The USS Pueblo was captured by North Korea in January, 1968. The ship was about 16 miles off the coast at the time. Here’s probably more than you ever wanted to know about the incident.

31. Tel Aviv's land: Abbr.: ISR. Israel.

32. Pre-exam feeling, if you didn't study: PANIC. I wanted ANGST.

34. Brain scan letters: EEG. I wanted MRI. I had a brain MRI last year. Contrary to popular belief, they found one.

35. Clog kin: SABOT. This was actually my first thought for this answer. Yay, me.

37. Down with something: SICK.

38. Short, for short: LIL. I really, really wanted IOU for this one. You may have noticed that I didn’t get a lot of the things I wanted in this puzzle.

39. Brunch serving: CREPE. Because Mimosa and Omelet were too long.

40. "Huh?": WHA. With the W in place, I immediately inked in the TF.  Nope, not to be.

41. Sweetly, to Solti: DOLCE. What do you suppose is the musical meaning of Dolce Vita?

43. Part of HRH: HER. Put in the H and wait for the ER or IS to show up.

44. Campus mil. group: ROTC. ROTC (Reserve Officer’s Training Corps). Back in the day, orientation lectures were required of all male freshmen. Those military instructors could stand the loud stamping of feet for just so long. They usually kicked us out after 10-15 minutes.

46. Out of favor: IN BAD. Also a sailor, missing his first letter.

47. "Dig in!": EAT.

48. In one fell __: SWOOP. I always say it as one “swell foop.” “If the shoe fits” gets similar treatment.

50. Paleo- opposite: NEO. Also the hero of the Matrix movies.

51. Source of theatrical fog: DRY ICE. Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide. It “sublimes” (goes directly from solid to gaseous state) when warmed. See, I didn’t sleep through every chemistry class, just most of ‘em.

53. "I'm qualified, too!": WHY NOT ME. Musical interlude #2 from this mother/daughter team.

57. "Gotcha": AH SO. Apparently “facetiously” is no longer required in the clue.

59. Bonanza find: Ore. Ben would’ve fit, but Hoss, Adam, and Little Joe were too long.

60. 1960s chess champ Mikhail: TAL. If you say so.

61. Historic Texas landmark: ALAMO. Easy for this pseudo-Texan to remember.

64. Book's epilogue: AFTERWORD.

67. "The Hobbit" hero: BILBO. Bilbo Baggins. Bilbo’s cousin, Frodo Baggins, was the hero of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

68. Hoops shot: HOOK. Basketball.

69. French friend: AMIE. Glue.

70. Creeping critter: SNAIL.

71. __ Major: URSA. The big bear in the sky.

72. Old autocrat: TSAR. “Old” tipped me off that it’d be TSAR and not CZAR.

Down:

 

1. Spring sound: BOING. I really liked this c/a. My first thought was CHIRP.

2. Sleep clinic study: APNEA. Is it really all that bad? I’ve never heard of death by snoring.

4. Paris's __ de la Cité: ILE. The had a fire there recently. You may have read about it.

5. "McSorley's Bar" painter: SLOAN. The oldest “Irish” tavern in NYC is actually known as McSorley’s Old Ale House.

6. Root vegetable: TURNIP. I don’t believe I’ve ever had one. How do you fix ‘em? Are they good? Do they get damaged when they fall off the truck?

7. __ Claire, Wisconsin: EAU. If it were in Florida, they’d call it Clearwater.

8. Rose Parade flowers: MUMS. Aren’t all flower types acceptable as float decoration?

10. Serving a purpose: UTILE. I’ve never spoken that word in my whole life as a person.

11. Links supporter?: TEE.

12. Ocean State sch.: URI. University of Rhode Island.

13. Debit card code: PIN. You also need a Pin from the IRS if you’ve been a victim of identify theft when somebody filed for your tax refund. (I think it’s safe to assume that nobody would steal your identity for the purpose of paying your taxes.)

23. Awesome: EPIC. Two of the most over-used words in the English language.

25. Brandy bottle abbr.: VSOP. “Very Superior Old Pale.” To bear that moniker, the youngest brandy in the blend must be at least four years old. In Wisconsin and Mini-Soda the brandy Manhattan is a popular cocktail...and only there, so far as I know.

29. German camera: LEICA. They’ve been at it since 1914.

30. Eyed inappropriately: OGLED. When is it an ogle, and when is it a leer? Discuss.

33. Long of "Empire": NIA. Recognize her name, but draw a blank at Empire.

35. Timetable: Abbr.: SCHED.

36. Backward, shipwise: AREAR. Gluey. Not to be confused with arrear or arrears – dead horses which were severely beaten in recent days.

40. Geneva-based commerce gp.: WTO. World Trade Organization.

42. Basie's "__'Clock Jump": ONE O. Musical interlude #3:

45. Has to pay: OWES.

49. Snaps: PHOTOS. Not ginger cookies.

52. Frost-y feet?: IAMBI. Robert Frost-y poetic feet.

54. California town wrongly thought to be named from a backwards "bakery" sign: YREKA. It’s the county seat of Siskiyou County, but you knew that. wy-REE-kə

55. "The Sound of Music" matriarch: MARIA. Von Trapp – that flibbertigibbet, will-o-the-wisp, and clown. In case you need a hint, the actress who played her in the movie also sang the words at the top of this post.

56. Church leader: ELDER. Also a tribal leader. I don’t remember any elders in the church I attended.

58. Maui neighbor: OAHU. Neighbor, if you ignore Molokai and Lanai…

61. Muscles seen at Muscle Beach: ABS. Does your muscle car have ABS?

62. Architect Maya __: LIN. Anybody else read this as “Ancient Mayan?” No, just me.

63. Montgomery's st.: ALA. Capital of Alabama.

65. In favor of: FOR. As opposed to agin.

66. Angkor __: Cambodian temple: WAT.

Quiz answer: Those lines were sung by Julie Andrews on Broadway as Queen Guinevere in Camelot.

I hope Melissa Bee is enjoying her time off. Desper-otto out. (With luck, C.C. will find a visual of the grid to stick here.)