Theme: PARTing is such sweet sorrow. You all were unanimously un-receptive to my bedtime story pun, but I never quit, and you all know I loves me some Shakespeare.
We have an extremely intriguing and fun offering, with tremendous themeage, straight forward cluing, but if you did not get the gimmick, this could be hard. This appears to be another Jeff Chen mentoring puzzle, and the theme answers which are marked, 10 of them!!!! (plus a reveal) all words which appear after PART is removed form a word or phrase. The brilliance is each residue is a stand-alone word or phrase. We also have the unusual aspect of a theme starting at 1A. While I am not getting any faster (actually slower) as a solver, I now can see themes quickly, and after getting to 10 across which obviously was relating to the Michigan State SPARTANS, I realized some form of letter removal was in order. a RAMPART and a PARTRIDGE in a pear tree later, I was on my way. Some were really challenging, but most of the puzzle was easy for a Friday. They did squeeze in some nice fill like GET BACK AT, SKIN TIGHT, DON SHULA and MAKES OUT, and it is time for me to shut up and get to it.
1A. *Defensive fortifications : RAMPARTS. (4) O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming, And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air...
5A. *Noel bird : PARTRIDGE.(5). One of the many birds of the 12 days of Christmas.
10A. *East Lansing athletes : SPARTANS.(4). For you left coasters who love UCLA, I fell in love with college football watching Walt Kowalczyk lead MSU to victory in the 1956 ROSE BOWL.
23A. *After delivery : POSTPARTUM.(6). Postum (LINK) being a slightly obscure coffee alternative from before the art of caffeine extraction was perfected. I bought some after my heart problems and decided I would rather not. Postpartum blues are an ongoing mystery and a sad matter.
25A. *Baggage holder : COMPARTMENT, (7). One of the trickier ones to suss since it is a single word.
50A. *Go separate ways : PART COMPANY.(7). In this case a word is removed. Since we also have ENDED IT, I hope Jeff or his mentee did not have a recent break up.
52A. *School celebration : CLASS PARTY. (6) One word becomes two.
65A. *Bestowed : IMPARTED.(4) More tech stuff, I MED= Instant Messaged.
66A. *Crumbled : FELL APART.(5) Again one becomes two.
67A. *Opt in : TAKE PART..(4) When you opt in to a program, you take part in it. A whole word is deleted, leaving only TAKE. Could have been tricky to suss if you were thinking "partake."
and the reveal:
35A. 2006 Scorsese film, and a hint to answering this puzzle's starred answers : THE DEPARTED. (11).
Wonderful CAST. (2:21).
Across:
14. Verbal jabs : FLAK. Even worse than nit picking.
15. Face-to-face finals : ORALS. I wonder what Dennis and Lois would have said to this in the old days.
16. School that celebrates George III's birthday : ETON.
17. With 61-Down, Elton John duet partner : KIKI. 61D. See 17-Across : DEE. This SONG.(4:52).
18. Vestige : RELIC. So my appendix is a relic?
19. "___ Angel": Mae West film : I'M NO.
20. Texted "Let's just be friends" : ENDED IT. How cold is that? Some aspects of technology seem awful.
22. Supports : IS FOR.
27. C-3PO, for one : DROID. My smartphone's cousin.
28. Nincompoop : SCHMO. My old phone's cousin, and a foreshadowing of 49A. Capp chap : ABNER, who had to deal with the SHMOO.
30. Dawn goddess : EOS. I had a run of EOS on Fridays earlier this year.
31. Snug as ___... : A BUG. In a rug. I hate bugs.
32. "Eureka!" : AHA. The moment. Now in the dictionary, and on TV.(0:30)
33. Third-qtr. period : AUGust. Tricky even if simple.
39. Airer of many Cary Grant films : TCM. Turner Classic Movies.
40. Staycation benefit, for short : RNR. From the military, Rest aNd Recreation. I imagine Dennis has some stories, but we are all so PC now we will not hear them here.
41. Tattled : TOLD.
44. NYC's Penn, e.g. : STAtion.
47. Clean : LEGIT.
53. Dug the experience, with "up" : ATE IT.
54. Loser's demand : REMATCH. Especially boxers.
57. Cartoonist Lazarus : MELL, He drew Miss Peach and Momma.
58. Like some forces : NAVAL
59. Many a Kirkuk resident : KURD. This one almost had its way with me.
62. ___-dieu : PRIE. The kneely thing with the desk top.
63. Calm : STILL.
64. Tissue additive : ALOE. Goodbye to the first half. (Think French accent).
Down:
1. ___ Stadium, home of D.C. United : RFK. Robert Francis Kennedy.
2. Bard of boxing : ALI. Muhammad.
3. Discerns : MAKES OUT. So many other clues, but no link for this one, even if it is next to....
5. Composer of the 2005 opera "Our Town" : ROREM. Did you know the SCORE?
6. More than put out : IRED. SEE was removed for me in this fill.
7. "The Persistence of Memory" artist : DALI. Looks like he had a good time creating this one.
8. Bug : GLITCH. Oh that kind of bug.
9. Exit key of a sort : ESCape.
10. Quake : SEISM. I knew about seismology but never thought of this as a stand alone.
11. Charge for cash : ATM FEE. Nailed it.
12. "Ain't gonna happen!" : NO NO NO. A thousands times NO. Don't you hate fates like that? Especially when there are....
13. Corral chorus : SNORTS. Had NEIGHS for a second.
21. Turkey : DUD. Oh that kind of Turkey.
22. Response to "Raise," maybe : I'M OUT. Lots of these tricky word combos.
23. iPhone, e.g. : PDA. Personal Digital Assistant.
24. Eyeball : ORB. A sign he will win the Preakness too? Sad we cannot ask. Starting on the rail, oh oh. Maybe Rosie will be the first female jockey to win a triple crown race. Bet it.
26. Astrologer Sydney : OMARR. Because Kimmleman would not play in Peoria.
28. Ella, stateside : SHE. Translation.
29. Tyrrhenian Sea resort : CAPRI. Off of the Naples side of Italy.
32. Pitchers : AD MEN. So it is not pouring a drink or throwing a baseball.
34. Take revenge on : GET BACK AT. Another of the clever multi-word fill.
36. Showy display : ECLAT.
37. Hill inhabitant : ANT.
38. Coach of 1972's undefeated Dolphins : DON SHULA. A real gimme for the sofla crowd, as he is still on TV a lot and has tons of restaurants.
42. Guitarist Paul : LES. Mr. electric guitar. ENJOY.(2:11).
43. Wine choice : DRY. I am getting sec of all these wine clues.
44. Shellfish entrée : SCAMPI. Shrimp was my first thought.
45. For the full time : TO TERM. Both of my boys were premies.
46. 2001 French title heroine : AMELIE. Watch this MOVIE.(1:29).
48. Use a Hula-Hoop : GYRATE. No Elvis this time.
49. Cockpit abbr. : ALTitude.
51. Accumulated, with "up" : PILED.
52. Easter lily : CALLA. Marti must have known this was coming yesterday. Hey Fermat.
55. Superhero's target : EVIL.
56. Place for an anchor store : MALL. But how many people really need anchors? Does it do better than the scotch tape store?
58. Check prob. : NSF. The dreaded Not Sufficient Funds.
60. Seoul soldier : ROK. Republic Of Korea. This was filled by the perps or I would not have seen it.
Speaking of not being seen, I think it is time for me to slip away until next time. A hearty thanks to JC and Ms.(Mr.?) Smith for the presentation and to all of you who have made it this far in reading my ramblings, which are over until next time. Summer is almost upon, but winter is coming.
L.
Note from C.C.:
Here are two wonderful photos of dear Sallies, who is going to celebrate her 83rd birthday on July 12, 2013. Sallie's two sons (one lives in MN, one in NY) and her husband Gerry celebrated Mother's Day this year a few days earlier at a restaurant in Naples. Stay strong, Sallie, we're all here for you!
