Hello Cornerites!
sumdaze here with Zachary David Levy's latest puzzle. The theme is Back to School!
All of the first parts of the themers can be added AFTER, i.e., at the back of the word SCHOOL to create an in-the-language phrase. Let's take a look:
17 Across. Swimming trunks worn by some surfers: BOARD SHORTS.
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| It's a tough job finding these pics for your edification, but I'm willing to make the sacrifice. |
37 Across. Guardian angel, e.g.: SPIRIT GUIDE.
49 Across. Salad vegetable that may be red, yellow, or green: BELL PEPPER. 
Now the reveal:
59 Across. Common time for homework, and where to find the starts of 17-, 26-, 37-, and 49-Across: AFTER SCHOOL.
Placing the red words AFTER the word SCHOOL, we find these familiar things:
SCHOOL BOARD
SCHOOL NIGHT
SCHOOL SPIRIT
SCHOOL BELL
Let's study the rest of the clues:
1. Blow a gasket: ERUPT. This phrase and "blow a fuse" are idioms that mean "to become very angry or upset. Likewise, someone can ERUPT in anger.
11. "That's a pretty low __": BAR. A 'low BAR' is another way of saying a 'low standard'.
14. Angled cut: BEVEL.
15. Love, in Italian: AMORE.
Moonstruck (1987)
Dean Martin sings. Cher and Nicolas Cage act. Good stuff!
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| EWE rang(e)? |
20. One playing hooky: TRUANT. an Easter Egg???
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| best ever excuse note ABC News story |
21. From stem to __: STERN. the whole enchilada
23. Country music's __ Brown Band: ZAC. Unfamiliar to me but I had ZA_ so filling in the "C" seemed like a solid guess at a name. official website
28. Cold-weather coat: ANORAK.
31. Cheek colorers: ROUGES. Perhaps it's a regional thing, but I think most people say "blush" now-a-days.
32. Old Delta rival: PAN AM. Here's a link to some old Pan American seaplane pics.
33. Sample: DEMO. My first car was a dealer DEMO. It had all the bells & whistles.
36. Lemons: DUDS. speaking of cars....
40. Telephone-on-the-web tech: VOIP. Voice Over Internet Protocol. a thorough explanation from the FCC
42. Muslim scholar: IMAM.
43. Gumption: NERVE.
46. Consume, as food: INGEST. First we INGEST then we digest. Afterwards, we might need a rest.
48. Make precious: ENDEAR.
53. Genetic material: DNA.
54. Pay increase: RAISE. Earning one requires gumption.
28. Cold-weather coat: ANORAK.
31. Cheek colorers: ROUGES. Perhaps it's a regional thing, but I think most people say "blush" now-a-days.
32. Old Delta rival: PAN AM. Here's a link to some old Pan American seaplane pics.
33. Sample: DEMO. My first car was a dealer DEMO. It had all the bells & whistles.
36. Lemons: DUDS. speaking of cars....
40. Telephone-on-the-web tech: VOIP. Voice Over Internet Protocol. a thorough explanation from the FCC
42. Muslim scholar: IMAM.
43. Gumption: NERVE.
46. Consume, as food: INGEST. First we INGEST then we digest. Afterwards, we might need a rest.
48. Make precious: ENDEAR.
53. Genetic material: DNA.
54. Pay increase: RAISE. Earning one requires gumption.
55. Mount where Noah landed: ARARAT. 
58. Citrus drink suffix: ADE.
64. La Brea __ Pits: TAR.
65. Inform against: RAT ON.
66. Delivery room helper: DOULA.
67. Calm part of a hurricane: EYE.
68. Scissors sounds: SNIPS.
I heard a Ted Talk about how the sound of scissor SNIPS when someone cuts your hair can trigger ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response). Basically, you feel very relaxed and certain parts of your brain tingle -- like watching Bob Ross paint on TV. Here's the transcript.
69. Blubbers: CRIES.
Down:
1. Flow back: EBB.
2. __ Speedwagon: REO.
Keep on Loving You was released on REO Speedwagon's 1980 album, Hi Infidelity. It was their first single to break the top 50 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and reached the #1 spot in March 1981.
3. Charlottesville sch.: UVA. The University of Virginia
Designed by Thomas Jefferson, UVA with Monticello was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987. UNESCO site
4. Jaunty: PERT.
5. Abbr. before a synopsis: TLDR. I know it means Too Long Didn't Read but I am confused as to why this would appear before a synopsis. How can one write a synopsis without reading it first? Any thoughts?
6. Persian faith that promotes spiritual unity: BAHÁ’Í. According to the Official Website of the Worldwide Bahá’í Community, the Bahá’í calendar consists of 19 months with 19 days in each month plus 4-5 intercalary days.
7. In the middle of: AMONG.
8. Word with due or true: NORTH. I like clues like this.
9. Installation object: ART. The term "installation ART" is used to describe large-scale, mixed-media constructions, often designed for a specific place or for a temporary period of time.
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| Example: Cold Dark Matter: An Exploded View by Cornelia Parker, 1991, via Tate, London |
10. Not as much: LESS SO.
11. Under fire: BELEAGUERED. This was a challenging 11-letter fill, along with its symmetrical partner, 25D.
adjective
1.) in a very difficult situation.
"The board is supporting the beleaguered director amid calls for his resignation."
2.) (of a place) surrounded by armed forces aiming to capture it or force surrender; besieged.
"The board is supporting the beleaguered director amid calls for his resignation."
2.) (of a place) surrounded by armed forces aiming to capture it or force surrender; besieged.
"He led a relief force to the aid of the beleaguered city."
12. Bestowed, as a grant: AWARDED. The other day, some of us were commenting about xkcd. I said I had been trying to find a Randall Munroe comic to include in my review. I finally found one that fit:
13. Sign of irritation: REDNESS. Try some aloe.
18. Pocketed, as a pool ball: SUNK.
12. Bestowed, as a grant: AWARDED. The other day, some of us were commenting about xkcd. I said I had been trying to find a Randall Munroe comic to include in my review. I finally found one that fit:
18. Pocketed, as a pool ball: SUNK.
The Hustler
Jackie Gleason and Paul Newman (1961)
22. Landed hard: THUDDED. The clue is in past tense so we needed to use the past tense of THUD.
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| Kind of awkward... |
23. Hit with a laser: ZAP. Is that the technical term?
24. "Love, Victor" actress Ortiz: ANA.
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| Ana plays Victor's mom on Love, Victor (Hulu and Disney+). |
25. "The Godfather" right-hand man: CONSIGLIERE. If you knew this answer, you probably found the west side pretty easy. I did not.
Definition: a member of a Mafia family who serves as an adviser to the leader and resolves disputes within the family.
Robert Duvall played Tom Hagen, the Corleone family's CONSIGLIERE
in The Godfather (1972). James Caan is playing Sonny Corleone. (2 min.)
Both were nominated for (but did not win) an Oscar for Actor in a Supporting Role for their performances in this movie.
27. Pants, slangily: TROU. short for "TROUsers"
29. Descends, as a rock wall: RAPPELS. Australian-style RAPPELling is going down face-first.
29. Descends, as a rock wall: RAPPELS. Australian-style RAPPELling is going down face-first.
30. "Who __ to judge?": AM I.
33. Low-lit: DIM.
34. "When will u b here?": ETA. textspeak
35. Studio whose films begin with a roaring lion: MGM.
38. Ceremonial event: RITE.
39. Roadside lodging: INN.
40. Text alert option: VIBRATE.
41. Like many multivitamins: ONE A DAY. as in dosage or ONE A DAY® brand name
44. Passenger transport: VAN.
45. Span of time: ERA.
47. Asparagus units: SPEARS.
48. __ on the side of caution: ERRS.
50. Punk icon Smith: PATTI. CSO to the L.A. Times Crossword Editor
51. Area before surgery, briefly: PRE-OP.
52. Works hard for: EARNS.
56. "Thunderstruck" rock band: AC🗲DC.
57. Recurring role for Chris Hemsworth: THOR. Chris is an Australian actor born 8/11/83. He has been in the news lately, talking about lifestyle changes he is making after finding out that he has a genetic predisposition for Alzheimer's. Vanity Fair interview
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| These images are starting to feel gratuitous. |
Kristen Schaal was FANtastic as superfan Mel in Flight of the Concords (2007-2009).
If you are not familiar with the show, she is their only FAN and yet they are not nice to her.
(1:24 min.)
61. French "yes": OUI.
62. Nashville's Grand __ Opry: OLE.
63. __ Vegas Aces: LAS. The Aces were the 2022 WNBA champions. They were in the news last week because Tom Brady (ex-football player, no relation to the 70's TV family) became a minor owner of the team.
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| cool logo |
I better hurry and post the grid before the SCHOOL BELL rings.
That's all for today. I look forward to reading your thoughts!
