Jeffrey returns with a combination of two of his specialties - add a letter and fun puns. "F" is the letter, which is added to a word beginning with "L." However, he really goes out there to get his sound-alike puns. Every one of the sound words is changed when the "F is added but retain the same sound. Consistent as is all of his work, the F is added to the last word in themers 1/4 and the first word in 2/3. 58 squares of theme fill, aided by four cheater squares, still left room for CULPRIT, HAPLESS, STACK UP, SYNDICS, ANOTHER'S and PURE EVIL. To solve one needs to open one's mind and close one's eyes to "hear" what he is saying. I loved FLORAL AND HARDY and BAGELS AND FLOCKS. YMMV. Let's see what he created.16A. Feature of frequently sheared sheep?: SHORT TERM FLEECE (15). Animals really do not care about a short term LEASE.
Across:
1. Court player: JESTER. So nice to see a J word to begin even if it made me think of basketball and tennis.
7. Accident-prone: HAPLESS. To me, they are not the same.
14. Fuel calculation: OCTANE. An octane rating, or octane number, is a standard measure of the performance of an engine or aviation fuel. The higher the octane number, the more compression the fuel can withstand before detonating (igniting).
15. Satanic attribute: PURE EVIL. I am not sure that is true, but that would be talking religion. Verboten.
18. "__ everything?": HOW'S.
19. Orioles' div.: AL EAST. Baseball.
20. Chill in the air: NIP. The Cambridge Dictionary says a nip in the air is a feeling of cold.
21. Miss equivalent, in some cases: MILE. A miss is as good as mile probably comes from the 17th century this piece from William Camden's Remaines of a Greater Worke Concerning Britaine, 1614: An ynche in a misse is as good as an ell. An ell is a now obsolete English measure of length, equalling about 45 inches.
22. Player under Auerbach, familiarly: CELT. Nobody quite like RED AUERBACH
30. Namely: TO WIT. That is to say.
31. Turn heads during the audition: SHINE. Anyone else watching AGOT the Champions?
32. Whodunit revelation: CULPRIT. I love this word. Of course, I read 3 or 4 whodunits ever week.
35. Compare to, with "against": STACK UP.
39. Fathers: SIRES. Verb.
41. Twill fabric: CHINO. It is defined as a tough, twilled cotton cloth used for uniforms, sports clothes, etc. Usually chinos, trousers made of this material.
46. Pennywhistle sound: TOOT. They can be expensive.
47. Take __ empty stomach: ON AN.Part of your doctor's orders.
48. Coffee hour vessel: URN.
Do they earn when they hang at the urn?
49. Prohibit: ENJOIN. It stems from an injunction; English is so hard.
52. It might be used before sandpapering: RASP.
59. "__ Arms": Coldplay song: ANOTHER'S.
60. Brother of Isis: OSIRIS. LINK.
61. Business representatives: SYNDICS. One appointed to represent a corporation, university, or other organization in business transactions; a business agent. A Friday word?
62. Least courteous: RUDEST.
Down:
1. Kid: JOSH. The etymology "to make fun of, to banter," 1845 (intransitive), 1852 (transitive), American English; according to "Dictionary of American Slang," the earliest example is capitalized, hence it is probably from the familiar version of the proper name Joshua. Perhaps it was taken as a typical name of an old farmer
2. Repeat: ECHO.
3. Put away: STOW.
4. Works on a route: TARS. Not a paperboy but a worker on a roadway.
5. Rhinitis-treating MD: ENT. Ear Nose and Throat.
6. Target field: RETAIL.
7. "__ few bars and I'll play it for you": HUM A.
8. Pound sounds: ARFS.
9. Bearskin rug, e.g.: PELT.
10. "Fever" singer Peggy: LEE.
11. Tied: EVENED.
12. Mediterranean island: SICILY. Sicily (Italian: Sicilia [siˈtʃiːlja]; Sicilian: Sicilia) is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 20 regions of Italy. It is one of the five Italian autonomous regions, in Southern Italy along with surrounding minor islands, officially referred to as Regione Siciliana.
13. Was out all night, maybe: SLEPT. Love the misdirection. Where were you? I was out all night!
15. Works on one's image, in a way: PREENS.
17. "First Lady of Song": ELLA. Ms. Fitzgerald.
21. 1999 Best Visual Effects Oscar winner, with "The": MATRIX.
22. December display: CRÈCHE. No religion but a model or tableau representing the scene of Jesus Christ's birth, displayed in homes or public places at Christmas.
23. Fraud watchdog org.: FTC. Federal Trade Commission.
24. Comedic Costello: LOU. Louis Francis Cristillo, professionally known as Lou Costello was an American actor, best known for his film comedy double act with straight man Bud Abbott. Costello had started as an athlete, before working in burlesque on Broadway, where he stood-in for Abbott’s partner who had failed to show up. Fun to see Lou along with Laurel and Hardy.
25. Big-eyed flier: OWL.
26. Excitedly tries to open, as a gift: RIPS AT.
27. Cabinet agcy. founded under Bush 43: DHS. Department of Homeland Security.
28. Broadway success: HIT.
29. Pain relief brand: ANACIN.
33. North Atl. country: IRE.
34. "Oedipus __" : P.D.Q. Bach western-themed parody: TEX. The long VERSION?
36. Many bar mitzvah guests: KIN.
37. Chapel Hill sch.: UNC. The University of North Carolina.
38. "MS. Found in a Bottle" author: POE. “MS. Found in a Bottle” The manuscript initially appeared in the October 19, 1833 edition of a Baltimore newspaper, the Saturday Visiter, as the winner of a literary contest for the best short tale. Edgar Allan Poe submitted six stories.
40. Jug band percussionist's tools: SPOONS. Couldn't find a link with spoons.
42. To fit every possible: FOR ANY. Shouldn't it be "possibility?"
43. Well-supplied with: LONG ON.
44. Oklahoma city: ENID.
45. Tried to be elected: RAN FOR.
46. Marching band section: TUBAS. Tuba or not tuba...
49. K-12: ELHI. Ooh, JW, we know it is glue.
50. Very short time pd.: NSEC. Pd? Full stop (or period, in American English), used in coded military communications.
51. Unsettles: JARS. Jarring I know.
52. Source of rage, briefly: ROID. Roid rage is a term given to people who act in a very aggressive or hostile manner after taking large doses, usually on a regular basis, of anabolic steroids, sometimes nicknamed as roids.
53. Farm unit: ACRE.
54. Downhill runners: SKIS.
55. Restrained "Hey!": PSST.
57. LAX stat: ETD.
58. SEC school: LSU. We finish with a CSO shout to all of our Louisiana cornerites.
I once again finish a month blogging a Wechsler masterpiece. I found it quite fun, and I hope you all did. I look forward to seeing your thoughts. Lemonade out.
