Theme: Chief Inspector Dreyfus where did you get that TIC? (9:12) The theme answers are all in the language two word phrases with TIC added to the end of the first word to create a new and amusing phrase. This is a blast from the past, as Mr. Deodene has not been seen here since 2009. He is an experienced constructor who has been often published in the NY Times since 1995. I found this easy in places, challenging in others with both old and new elements, and some really nice clues.
17A. Berserk flutterer? : LUNATIC MOTH (11). John L could give you more info on the LUNA, while I have had a great deal of experience chasing the lunatic moths around my apartment.
24A. Trans-Alaska pipeline repairer? : ARCTIC WELDER. We have all seen these in operation.
53A. Alluring facial feature? : ROMANTIC NOSE. My favorite image, even though I cannot imagine what one looks like, I know ROMAN ones, but Romantic noses?
The unifier
40A. Like one afflicted with the added elements in 17-, 24-, 53- and 65-Across? : NERVOUS (TIC).
Across:
1. Unlikely hits : B-SIDES. I was beside myself with joy that I could start well.
7. Hiring may accompany one : BOOM. No politics, but it would be nice to have a hiring boom.
11. Classic Pontiac : GTO. Gran Turisimo Omlogato. My brother had a 1968. John DeLorean designed this for Pontiac and took the name from the Ferrari.
14. Unkeyed : ATONAL. What is with all the ATONALITY in our puzzles?
15. Lead-in to a congratulatory cry : ATTA. waugan is where my mother was born, but I think he means BOY/GIRL.
16. Punch lines? : OWS. When was the last time you were punched, or punched anyone? Nice misdirection with the punny clue.
19. Pen name : BIC. Rhymes with....
20. Sacred carving, perhaps : IDOL. Ba'al for example.
21. Place with pint-size servings? : PUB. Oh goodie, a beer clue and again nice pun on the pint sized. My youngest has job in Denver already.
22. Source of silky wool : ALPACA. I'll pack a nice SWEATER for you and one of those models for me.
27. Central American port named for an explorer : BALBOA. This city in Panama was named for the Spanish EXPLORER who was the first European to see the Pacific Ocean from America. he was no relation to
30. Rhein tributary : AARE. We have this word often, also spelled AAR, is the longest in Switzerland.
31. Kwik-E-Mart owner : APU. One of our many regular Simpsons references.
32. Like most people : ASIAN. Simple but deceptive; there are many more Asian on the Earth than any other kind of people, many have restaurants in South Florida.
35. Skewed : AWRY. he said with a wry smile.
39. Jacuzzi feature : JET. They mean the hot tub, not Tim Tebow.
43. Wide size : EEE.
44. Cousin of a toe loop : AXEL. Ice skating maneuver, and a reminder of our dear friend Clear Ayes to whom we send our healing prayers and our red shoed friend Robin, who we see quite infrequently.
46. Operative : AGENT. Provocateur.
47. Body wrap offerer : SPA. I tried to fit Dennis, but I guess he limits his work to the personal mobile mammogram.
48. "This ___ outrage!" : IS AN. Well, I did not think it was gooing badly....
51. Something that matters : FACTOR.
58. "Yay!" : HOORAH. Hoorah
59. Community property word : OUR. A nice legal concept hidden in there, referring to states where a husband & wife are considered to each own 50% of everything owned in a marriage.
60. Campus appointment : DEAN.
64. Dash sizes : EMS. This is a 1960's crossword answer from the Will Weng days at the NY Times.
68. Imitate : APE.
69. Pound or pint : UNIT. Another reference to the pint; I wonder if Chuck likes his Ale Pale?
70. About 2% of the Earth's surface : EUROPE. No wonder there are more Asians.
71. Not likely to pipe up : SHY. like our friend marti.
72. Family nickname : PAPA. My Father used to say, "My son is shy, shy a few brains." He was really a sweet man.
73. Surcease : DESIST. we finish the first half with a $5.00 clue word, and now the rest.
Down:
1. Indonesian resort island : BALI.. A great honeymoon spot.
2. Body-piercing choice : STUD. All the ladies, women and girls I know have told me they prefer have their bodies pierced by a Stud.
3. Prefix with sphere : IONO. Eastern Airlines used the name for their club room at the airports. I met Buddy Hackett there in between flights and we were both doing the NY Times Sunday puzzle.
4. Swab analysis site : DNA LAB. or the CSI office on TV.
5. Dispose of a course : EAT. Another nice turn of phrase.
6. Boxed-set box : SLIPCASE. Not familiar with this TERM.
7. Disney classic set in a forest : BAMBI. Or Ena's nephew. Did you know there were four different actors who provided the voice of Bambi?
8. Nebraska native : OTO. Sounds like...
9. River separating Ontario and Quebec : OTTAWA.
10. "Resurrection Symphony" composer : MAHLER. The entire SYMPHONY(24:17) takes an hour a half, so I picked the excerpt.
11. Stink up the fridge : GO BAD. Don't you just hate when that happens?
12. Doubly : TWICE. So many choices, perhaps this LINK.(0:30).
13. Thespian honor : OSCAR. Wellllll, I know an actor is a thespian, but the word is more associated with the stage.
18. Sever : CUT.
23. Defendant's response : PLEA. Only in criminal cases, there are many more civil defendants who file answers.
25. Reddish equine : ROAN. According to wiki, "A horse with intermixed white and colored hairs of any color is usually called a roan. However, such mixtures, which can appear superficially similar, are caused by a number of separate genetic factors. Identifiable types of roans include true or classic roan, varnish roan, and rabicano, though other currently unknown factors may be responsible for ambiguous roaning".
26. Where rocking is not suggested : CANOE. You must listen to this SONG(2:41).
27. Mexicali's peninsula : BAJA.
28. Top : APEX. or ACME.
29. Mandolin kin : LUTE.
33. Native of Shiraz : IRANI.
34. Diamond no. : AVG. Nor on your ring but on the filed, like batting average.
36. 1940 Field’s co-star : WEST. The MOVIE (10:50).
37. Certain seizure, for short : REPO.ssession.
38. Wine datum : YEAR. one of the fascinating things about grapes and wines is each year really is different.
41. Natural : UNFORCED.
42. Some stops: Abbr. : STAS. Stations.
45. One who embroiders to excess : LIAR. ah, finally, the lawyer reference.
49. Grab : SNAP UP. Not a sna pup.
50. Aegis wielder : ATHENA. There is debate about this SHIELD. The word comes from the Latin meaning basically protection, and we use it in America to signify if someone is under the sponsorship of a powerful person or group.
52. Chest sources : CEDARS. because of the nice smell of the wood, these became the favorite for Hope Chests for generations.
53. Large flightless birds : RHEAS. We have this a lot, along with Ms. Perlman as the singular.
54. Flair : OOMPH. I am working to give this some.
55. Go casually : MOSEY. Almost time for me to mosey on out of your living rooms.
56. Literally, "baked" : COTTA. hence Terra Cotta, baked earth.
57. Rapa ___ : NUI. Easter Island, both the place, the people and their language, I think. A nice Friday piece of knowledge.
61. Wells race : ELOI. Yvette, my tasty morsel, where are you?
62. Brenner Pass locale : ALPS. Between Italy and Austria.
63. Novgorod no : NYET. A little Russian lesson.
66. Doozy : PIP. Well, was this a Pip or what?
67. Be penitent : RUE. Well I hope you do not rue the day I started doing these write ups, and as usual it was fun. Thank you for all your help and enjoy the week end. Mr. Deodene welcome back and stop and say hello to our cast of characters.
Lemonade
