Thursday, September 18, 2025, J.R. Willard, Dena R. Verkuil

Theme:  This puzzle isn't all there!

Today's puzzle appears to be an L.A. Times debut for each of our two constructors.  Dena R. Verkuil has had three puzzles published in the New York Times, and JP Willard co-created a puzzle with Lynn Watson for Universal crossword.  Did these newbies ERR somewhere?  They left three clues blank!

The explanation is found here:

59-Across. Is completely unaware, or what can be said about 17-, 26-, and 47- Across: DOESN'T HAVE A CLUE.  It is true that 17-, 26-, and 47- Across don't have clues.  It is also true that "doesn't have a clue" is an expression meaning to have no knowledge, understanding, or idea about something, or to be out of touch with reality.  The following theme entries have no clues, but they do have answers, all of which are expressions meaning essentially the same thing.

17-Across.        : ON ANOTHER PLANET.

26-Across.        : IN LA LA LAND.

47-Across.        : OUT TO LUNCH.

I hope you didn't draw total blanks on the theme answers!  On to more traditional clues!

Across:

1. Norimaki or gunkanmaki: SUSHI.  Norimaki consists of rice and fillings tightly rolled in a sheet of nori seaweed.  Gunkanmaki is an oval mound of rice wrapped in nori to create a little vessel for soft, creamy, or loose ingredients.  I took an educated guess on this one.

Norimaki     and     Gunkanmaki

6. Swiss Army Knife's array: USES.  A Swiss army knife has many uses, but do the uses consitute an array?  I questioned this, thinking that "array" best described physical objects, like the blades and tools on a Swiss army knife, but I learned that you can have an array of problems, or styles, or options, or other things that exist as concepts.

10. Yemen's Gulf of __: ADEN.

14. Budget-friendly: CHEAP.

15. Home of the Shipibo-Conibo people: PERU.  An indigenous group living along the Ucayali River in the headwaters of the Amazon.  

I took this photo of a local fisherman on the Ucayali River in 2018.
I love that a butterfly landed on his cap.

16. Wrapped garment: CAPE.

17. [Theme clue]

20. Blabbed: TOLD.

21. Tear (up): RIP.

22. Zigs and zags: DODGES.

23. Send: MAIL.

25. Actress Essman: SUSIE.  Susie Essman plays Susie Greene on Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Susie Essman on Curb Your Enthusiasm

26. [Theme clue]

30. Part of a circumference: ARC.

32. Like some grapes and tennis players: SEEDED.  Tennis players are ranked, or "seeded," according to past performance, and distributed across tournaments so that the best players do not face each other until later rounds.  Seeded grapes, well ... we don't have to eat those anymore, thanks to selective breeding.

33. Union fees: DUES.

35. Cry noisily: SOB.

37. Rubber tree goo: LATEX.  Proteins in latex can cause skin irritation.  DH can't tolerate bandages made with latex.

38. Playground game: TAG.

39. Kick back: CHILL.

41. Funny bone spot: ARM.

42. Succinct "No time to waste!": ASAP.

44. Get down: BOOGIE.  Some sources say "get down and boogie" means to get up and dance.  

45. 5-Down regulators: Abbr.: SEC.  Transactions on the New York Stock Exchange are regulated by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

47. [Theme clue]

49. Gleam: GLINT.

51. Frees (of): RIDS.

52. Galápagos lizard: IGUANA.  Iguanas in the Galápagos islands eat algae in the ocean.  They are the only lizards that spend any part of their lives in a marine environment.

I took this photo of a marine iguana on Española in the Galápagos in 2016.
I kvetch about having to work at my age, but someone has to pay for all this galavanting.

54. Casual greetings: HIS.

55. Make at work: EARN.

59. [Theme clue]

62. Gal: LASS.

63. Start of a classic palindrome implausibly attributed to Napoleon: ABLE.  Although this palindrome first appeared in print almost 30 years after Napoleon's death, it was written as though he might have said it -- especially if  Napoleon had been fond of inventing phrases that read the same way backwards and forwards -- in English, no less:

       “Able was I ere I saw Elba.”

64. Pointe shoe fabric: SATIN.  My late sister was a dancer; she had pink satin pointe shoes hanging by their ribbons in various rooms of her home.

65. "Keep Commerce Human" website: ETSY.  I have never encountered this slogan for Etsy, but I do recommend the site for handmade items and craft supplies.

66. Low on the Mohs' scale: SOFT.  The Mohs scale ranks the hardness of minerals from 1 (softest) to 10 (hardest).  

67. "Poor Things" Oscar winner: STONE.  If you enjoy a steampunk aesthetic, blending the Victorian era with futuristic and fantastical elements, you just might love Emma Stone in Poor Things.  I did.

Down:

1. One who may be loched in?: SCOT.

2. "Not for all the tea in China": UH NO.  Seasoned solvers have come to expect silly answers like this one.  "No way" and "Not on your life" wouldn't fit.

3. Elephant __: SEAL.

4. Crafted with care: HANDMADE.  Like much of the merchandise on ETSY.

5. NYSE debut: IPO.  An Initial Public Offering is the first sale of stock by a private company to the public.

6. Like their walks to school (in the snow, both ways), per some grandparents: UPHILL.

7. Flow slowly: SEEP.

8. Fumble: ERR.

9. "Yo, bro!": SUP DUDE.

10. Maine attraction: ACADIA.  It was rainy and cold when DH and I visited Acadia National Park in October 2019, and the leaves had not yet changed to autumn colors.  So here is someone else's (enhanced?) photo of the view from Cadillac Mountain:

11. Posting with a hazard symbol, e.g.: DANGER SIGN.

You come in here, stuff's gonna fall on you!

12. Duel-purpose tool?: ÉPÉE.

13. Catches: NETS.

18. Simple chord: TRIAD.

19. __ Angeles: LOS.

24. Speaker of the house?: ALEXA.  Amazon Echo smart speaker hardware is inhabited by Alexa voice assistance software.

25. Formfitting: SNUG.

26. Puerto Rico, por ejemplo: ISLA.  Puerto Rico, for example:  island.

27. Comes close: NEARS.

28. "I bet I know what you're going to say": LET ME GUESS.

29. Modify to fit: ADAPT.

31. Infant's ailment: COLIC.

34. Reprimand: SCOLD.

36. "This tastes terrible": BLEH.

38. Like a bed sheet with no creases: TAUT.

40. Purrr-fect roommate: HOUSE CAT.

43. Some Bach works: SONATAS.

44. Capital city with a New Year's Eve Potato Drop: BOISE.  We may have to switch to this broadcast on New Year's Eve!

46. Sophisticated: CLASSY.

48. Spot for a hot pot: TRIVET.

50. Place to stay: INN.

52. Not engaged: IDLE.

53. Kid at a petting zoo: GOAT.  When eldest son was in nursery school (more than 40 years ago), his class made a field trip to the L.A. Zoo.  The dear boy told me he was catching the GOAT in this photo with the string in his hand.

54. 13.1 miles of a marathon, e.g.: HALF.  A marathon is a foot race with a distance of 42.195 kilometres, or about 26 miles and 385 yards.

56. Midrange voice: ALTO.

57. Total: RUIN.  In this case, TOTAL is a verb, meaning to damage beyond repair.  To give almost equal billing to eldest daughter, she totaled my car when she was 17.  Bless the airbags in that old Corolla.

58. Hawaii's state bird: NENE.  Who's seen a NENE?  ME ME!

We took my mama to the Big Island and saw this Nene, or Hawaiian Goose.

60. "The White Lotus" airer: HBO.

61. Pack animal: ASS.

Here's the grid:

As this post NEARS its end, LET ME GUESS ...

Did you ADAPT easily to the missing clues?

Or did they RUIN the puzzle for you?

Let us know in the comments below!  

-- NaomiZ 

Wednesday, September 17, 2025 Zachary David Levy

div>Theme: Getting Away.  The last word of each two word theme entry is a synonym for departure.

17 A. *Ice cream sundae traditionally served in a boat: BANANA SPLIT.   A classic American ice cream dessert made with a peeled banana split lengthwise, a trio of ice cream scoops, and a variety of toppings, including syrups, nuts, whipped cream, and cherries.   SPLIT also means  to leave a place, or to depart quickly. 

 

40 A. *Salt-free seasoning introduced in 1983: MRS DASH.    A brand of salt-free seasonings introduced in 1983 and marketed by B&G Foods, offering various herb and spice blends to add flavor to food without sodium. The brand dropped the "Mrs." to create a modern identity and emphasize its ability to provide a quick, salt-free flavor boost.  DASH also means to move or run very quickly.

65 A. *Rehearsal: PRACTICE RUN.    A trial, test, or rehearsal performed before a real event, performance, or deployment to ensure it is prepared and functions correctly.   To RUN is to move at a speed faster than a walk, never having both or all the feet on the ground at the same time.

11 D. *Inflatable structure at a kids party: MOON BOUNCE.    An inflatable structure (also known as a bounce house) that children play in at events, named for the bouncing motion that resembles astronauts walking on the moon.   I had BOUNCE HOUSE, which set me back.  In slang, to BOUNCE means to leave or depart from a place, often quickly or abruptly. 

30 D. *Listing of all-time accomplishments: RECORD BOOK.   A compilation of outstanding achievements or best results in a specific field.  In slang,  BOOK means to leave or depart suddenly and quickly, often to hurry or flee.

And the unifier: 73 A. Have the final turn, and what can be found in the answers to the starred clues?: GO LAST.    This is clever construction, a synonym for "go" is in the last part of the fill.  Well played!

Since many of these departures suggest getting away or escaping, here is today's theme song.

Across:

1. Premolar neighbor: CANINE.  A pointed tooth between the incisors and premolars of a mammal, often greatly enlarged in carnivores.

7. Opposite of sans: AVEC.  Without, and with, in French.

11. Bub: MAC.  Dude, bro, bud, guy.

14. Handy: USEFUL.  Able to be used for a practical purpose or in several ways.

15. Indistinct number: SOME.  More than a few, maybe.

16. Lone: ONE.   Alone, solitary, or the only one of its kind.

19. Fertility clinic cells: OVA.   The mature female reproductive cells, or egg cells, which are the gametes produced by a female organism that, upon fertilization by a male gamete (sperm), can develop into a new individual. 

20. Minor dustup: SPAT.   A brief petty quarrel or angry outburst; 

21. Masks and gowns in the OR, e.g.: PPE.  Personal Protective Equipment, worn to minimize exposure to hazards that cause serious workplace injuries and illnesses.

22. Game featuring matches and love: TENNIS.  In tennis, "love" means zero. When a player or team has scored no points, their score is "love," such as "15-love" for 15 points to 0.

24. Organize: ASSORT.  Arrange or order by classes or categories.

27. Money with a double-headed eagle: RUBLE.   The basic monetary unit of Russia and some other former republics of the Soviet Union, equal to 100 kopeks.

28. Before now: EARLIER.  In the recent past.

31. San Antonio landmark: ALAMO.   A fort in San Antonio, Texas, the site of a pivotal siege and massacre in 1836 during the Texas Revolution. 

33. Fast Amtrak train: ACELA.    Amtrak's flagship passenger train service along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) in the Northeastern United States between Washington, D.C. and Boston via 13 intermediate stops, including Baltimore, New York City and Philadelphia. 

34. Pledge drive gift: TOTE.   A large, roomy bag, often open-topped, with parallel handles, used to carry many items. 

36. __ mail: BULK.    A method of sending large volumes of mail at reduced rates, either as part of a marketing or communication campaign or as physical mail sent by an organization. 

39. Brief moment in time?: SEC.  One second, a 60th on a minute.

43. Highland rejection: NAE.    The Scottish word for "no" or "not", 

44. Walked heavily: TROD.  Stomped.

46. "I'm standing right here": AHEM.  The clearing of one's throat.  I can see the connection to the clue, but am not fond of it in a puzzle.

47. Footnote abbr.: OP CIT.  An abbreviation of the Latin phrase opus citatum or opere citato, meaning "the work cited" or in the cited work, respectively.

49. Riding event: RODEO.    An exhibition or contest in which cowboys show their skill at riding broncos, roping calves, wrestling steers, etc.

51. Become familiar with: INURE TO.  Accustom someone to something, especially something unpleasant.

53. "The Princess Bride" co-star __ the Giant: ANDRE.   André René Roussimoff (19 May 1946 – 28 January 1993), better known by his ring name André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. Dubbed "the Eighth Wonder of the World", Roussimoff was known for his great size, which was a result of gigantism caused by excess human growth hormone.

55. Leonard who wrote "Get Shorty": ELMORE.  Elmore John Leonard Jr. (October 11, 1925 – August 20, 2013) was an American novelist, short story author and screenwriter. He was, according to British journalist Anthony Lane, "hailed as one of the best crime writers in the land". His earliest novels, published in the 1950s, were Westerns, but he went on to specialize in crime fiction and suspense thrillers, many of which have been adapted into motion pictures. 

57. Jewish mystical doctrine: CABALA.   The ancient Jewish tradition of mystical interpretation of the Bible, first transmitted orally and using esoteric methods (including ciphers). It reached the height of its influence in the later Middle Ages and remains significant in Hasidism.

59. Energy bar grain: OAT.   A species of cereal grain grown for its seed, which is known by the same name (usually in the plural). Oats appear to have been domesticated as a secondary crop, as their seeds resembled those of other cereals closely enough for them to be included by early cultivators. 

60. Named names: SANG.    Confessed, especially under interrogation, or acted as an informer.   Here, the latter is indicated.

64. GI show gp.: USO.   The United Service Organizations (USO) show, a popular form of entertainment for troops.

68. Eastern "way": TAO.  In Chinese philosophy, the absolute principle underlying the universe, combining within itself the principles of yin and yang and signifying the way, or code of behavior, that is in harmony with the natural order. 

69. Above the strike zone: HIGH. The baseball strike zone is an invisible area over home plate, extending from the midpoint between a batter's shoulders and the top of their uniform pants, down to just below the kneecaps, when the batter is in their stance and ready to swing. A pitch outside the strike zone is called a ball.  

70. Nabe in lower Manhattan: NOLITA.   Derived from "Northern Little Italy", Nolita is situated in Lower Manhattan, bounded on the north by Houston Street, on the east by the Bowery, on the south roughly by Broome Street, and on the west by Lafayette Street.[4] It lies east of SoHo, south of NoHo, west of the Lower East Side, and north of Little Italy and Chinatown.

71. Antlered buglers: ELK.    The second largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America and Central and East Asia. The word "elk" originally referred to the European variety of the moose, Alces alces, but was transferred to Cervus canadensis by North American colonists.

72. Pi Day follower: IDES.  Pi day is 3/14, representing the first 3 digits of the number π, 3.14; and the IDES is 3/15, a day falling roughly in the middle of each month.

Down:

1. Windy City team: CUBS.  The Chicago Cubs are currently in 2nd place in the National League Central Division of Major League Baseball.

2. Urgent letters: ASAP.  As Soon As Possible.

3. "99 Luftballons" singer: NENA.  Gabriele Susanne Kerner (born 24 March 1960), better known by her stage name Nena, is a German singer who rose to international fame in 1983 as the lead vocalist of the band Nena with the Neue Deutsche Welle song "99 Luftballons". In that same year, the band re-recorded this song in English as "99 Red Balloons".

And here is the English language version.

4. "Maybe not even that": IF AT ALL.    It indicates that something is unlikely to happen, or rarely happens, and that it will occur in a negative or restricted way if it does happen. 

5. Convent member: NUN.   A member of a religious community of women, especially a cloistered one, living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

6. Go by: ELAPSE.    Of time: to slip or pass by. 

7. In accordance with: AS PER.   A formal phrase that means "in accordance with" or "according to". 

8. Up/down arrows on a remote: Abbr.: VOLume.  Controlling the loudness of the broadcast medium.

9. Send off: EMIT.   Produce and discharge something, especially a sound, gas or radiation.

10. Peter of Chicago: CETERA.   Peter Paul Cetera Jr. is a retired American singer, songwriter, bassist, and producer. He's best known as a founding member of the rock band Chicago, where he played bass and sang lead vocals from 1967 to 1985. Cetera recorded 17 albums with Chicago and launched a successful solo career with eight studio albums. 

12. Middle ear bone: ANVIL.  The middle ear contains three small bones called the ossicles. These bones are: Malleus (hammer): Attached to the eardrum.  Incus (anvil): Connected to the malleus and stapes.  Stapes (stirrup): Attached to the oval window, which leads to the inner ear.   The ossicles amplify and transmit sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. They play a crucial role in hearing.

13. Discontinue: CEASE.  Stop!

18. Adidas offering: SPORT SHOE.    Footwear designed for physical activity, such as running, playing basketball, or exercising, and comes in various types like running shoes, tennis shoes, and cross-trainers. 

23. Not really feeling it?: NUMB.   Deprived of the power of sensation.

25. Thailand, once: SIAM.  A country in Southeast Asia that was known as Siam for centuries before being renamed Thailand in the late 1930s. The name Siam is an exonym, a term used by outsiders, and also refers to several historical kingdoms and the ethnic group that later became known as the Thais. 

26. Flooring in a ryokan: TATAMI MAT.   A traditional Japanese flooring or sleeping surface made of woven rush grass over a compressed rice straw core, known for its natural insulation, moisture-absorbing properties, and a firm yet yielding surface. 

28. Sunrise locale: EAST.   The direction toward the point of the horizon where the sun rises at the equinoxes, on the right-hand side of a person facing north, or the point on the horizon itself.

29. Taiwanese tech giant: ACER.    A Taiwanese multinational computer hardware and electronics company known for its laptops, desktops, monitors, and gaming systems like the Predator brand.

32. French article: LES.   A plural form of the definite article "the" with any plural noun, regardless of gender, when referring to specific or general items.

35. "__ of Girls' Things": poem by Sharon Olds: ODE.   Sharon Olds (born November 19, 1942) is an American poet. She won the first San Francisco Poetry Center Award in 1980, the 1984 National Book Critics Circle Award, and the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry.She teaches creative writing at New York University and is a previous director of the Creative Writing Program at NYU.  Her poem can be found here.

37. Café addition: LAIT.   French milk.

38. Fat-heavy diet: KETO.   A high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that aims to put the body into a metabolic state called ketosis. In ketosis, the body burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. 

41. Issa of "Insecure": RAE.  Jo-Issa Rae Diop is an award-winning actress, writer, producer, director, and web series creator. She first gained recognition for her 2011 YouTube series Awkward Black Girl, which she also wrote and starred in. Rae is perhaps best known for her role in the HBO show Insecure, which she co-created, co-wrote, and starred in from 2016 to 2021. She has received multiple Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for her work on the show. 

42. Time division: HOUR.  A unit of time equal to 60 minutes or 3,600 seconds, representing one-twenty-fourth of a day. 

45. Cartoon explorer: DORA.  Dora the Explorer is an American children's animated television series in the Dora the Explorer franchise, created by Chris Gifford, Valerie Walsh Valdes, and Eric Weiner that premiered on Nickelodeon on August 14, 2000, and ended on August 9, 2019. The series was produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio.

48. Make available ahead of time: PRE-SELL.    To market and sell a product or service before it is fully manufactured, constructed, or completed, allowing businesses to validate demand, fund production, and build excitement with customers who commit to buying in advance. 

50. Oracle site: DELPHI.   The Oracle at Delphi was the most renowned prophetic institution in ancient Greece, featuring a priestess known as the Pythia who delivered prophecies from the god Apollo, often through ambiguous answers to questions from seekers across the Greek world. 

52. Observing: NOTING.   Noticing or perceiving something and registering it as being significant.

53. Between zero and 90 degrees: ACUTE.  Said of any angle so described.

Angling

54. Congested, perhaps: NASAL.  Said of a condition possibly affecting one's voice or breathing.

56. Scottish bodies of water: LOCHS.  Lakes or sea inlets.

58. Extremely dry: ARID.  Long time no sea.

61. Solo at the Met: ARIA.  A long accompanied song for a solo voice, typically one in an opera or oratorio.

62. 17-Across topper: NUTS.   A nut is a fruit consisting of hard or tough shell around an edible kernel.  The kernel is sometimes crushed and used as desert garnish.

63. Buzzer in a cloud: GNAT.   A small two-winged fly that resembles a mosquito. Gnats include both biting and nonbiting forms, and they typically form large swarms.

66. Mature: AGE.    Develop a desirable quality through a period of time,

67. Talk sweetly: COO.    To make a soft, murmuring sound, like that of a dove or pigeon, or to speak in a soft, quiet voice to express affection. 

And so we bring another Wednesday to an affectionate close.  Now it's time to get away.

Coo regards!

JzB

Tuesday September 16, 2025 ~ Tennessee Grimes

Creature Comforts

Hi All!
Our normal relief pitcher, RustyBrain, is getting some well earned R&R so I'm stepping in [read: you're stuck with me] for Hahtoolah today.

Today's gimmick: Phrases that critters may call housing.

17. Fraternal organization venue: ELKS LODGE.

The Possum LODGE

24. Desk accessory that might coordinate with a wrist rest: MOUSE PAD.

Jerry Mouse's Pad

34. Place to adopt a new pet, or what is found in 17-, 24-, 49-, and 59-Across?: ANIMAL SHELTER.

49. Emphasizes passionately: RAMS HOME.

Ramming it Home?

59. "Land ho!" caller's spot: CROWS NEST.

Keepin' the crows out of the Crow's Nest
(so there's not a murder up there).

Across:
1. ABC show for early risers, briefly: GMA. American Broadcasting Company airs Good Morning America at 7am.

4. Cut, as logs: SAWED. Cut is past-tense here.

9. Button on a job listing website: APPLY. Oy! These are the bane of hirning managers (that actually read all submitted resumes) 'cuz folks / bots submit resumes w/o even reading the requirements.

14. Grammy winners __ Tigres del Norte: LOS. No clue. Their WikiP. I would link a video but I don't know enough Spanish to figure out if #Politics.

15. Muscat resident: OMANI.

16. Celtic priest of old: DRUID.

Stonehenge had Druids

[Spinal Tap (ft. Sir Elton) -- The End Continues]

17. [See: Theme]

19. Musical instrument similar to the xylophone, familiarly: VIBES. I'm assuming vibraphone.

20. On the line: AT STAKE.

21. Gloomy: GRIM.

23. Device at a parking spot: METER.

Sir Paul going on about Lovely Rita

24. [See: Theme]

28. Oscar hopeful: NOMINEE.

31. Turn into: BECOME.

32. Functions: USES.

33. Knowledgeable about: UP ON.

34. [See: Theme]

40. Latch (onto): GLOM.

41. Mystical glow: AURA.

42. Kenya's continent: AFRICA.

Toto's Africa

45. Knotty: GNARLED. I love this word - it's onomatopoetically visual.

49. [See: Theme]

51. Salami choice: GENOA. A very yummy Italian salami.

53. Shoe bottom: SOLE.

54. Ugly garment at many a holiday party: SWEATER. There's a whole store dedicated to this.

56. Pinkberry dessert, familiarly: FRO-YO.

[site cite]

59. [See: Theme]

61. Starts of some renovation projects, informally: DEMOS. Demolition: out w/ the old. Renovation: in w/ the new.

62. __ Major: constellation with Sirius, the Dog Star: CANIS.

63. Many ICU pros: RNS. Intensive Care Units are staffed by Registered Nurses.

64. Rascal: ROGUE.

65. Actress Harmon: ANGIE.

Angie's WikiP

66. Pigpen: STY. Not Charlie Brown's friend.

Down:
1. Twinkle: GLEAM. Think eyes.

2. Liquefied by heat, as lava or metal: MOLTEN.

3. Invites out for: ASKS TO.

4. Room with a lot of natural light: SOLARIUM. I kept trying to stretch out atRIUM.

5. Frenzied: AMOK.

6. Get ready to start fly-fishing, say: WADE.

7. U.K. part: ENG.

8. Soccer great Maradona: DIEGO. I didn't know of Maradona until last week when I heard The Engineer [25m] on This American Life.

WikiP

9. Counsel: ADVISE.

10. Quality piece of meat: PRIME CUT. I had PRIME rib.

11. Irish tavern: PUB.

12. Falsehood: LIE.

13. NFL gains: YDS. Yards gained in football.

18. Originate (from): STEM.

22. Create friction: RUB.

24. Email, e.g.: MESSAGE.

25. Title for Robert Prevost since May 8, 2025: POPE. Leo is Frank's successor.

26. Common topic for a bachata crooner: AMOR. Bachata is music from the Dominican Republic. I sussed AMOR from "crooner" :-)

27. Lair: DEN.

29. Govt. intel org.: NSA. National Security Agency - "The only part of government that actually listens." :-)

30. Skinny swimmer: EEL.

34. Automaker __ Romeo: ALFA.

My '86 Spider Veloce

35. Par for the course: NORM.

36. Words of longing: I MISS YOU.

37. Roman Empire raider: HUN.

38. Stretch of history: ERA.

39. Philanthropist's quality: LARGESSE.

40. Skinny swimmer: GAR. Another 3-letter thin aquatic animal.

43. Cast a ballot, say: CHOOSE.

44. Pioneering ISP: AOL. America On Line was an early Internet Service Provider.

46. Like a small, efficient team: LEAN.

John Candy in Stripes

47. Goes through an open door: ENTERS.

48. "That __ seem right": DOESN'T.

50. Site where the Quran was first revealed to Muhammad: MECCA.

52. Overly intellectual, maybe: ARTSY.

54. Spotify selection: SONG.

55. 1940s conflict, for short: WWII. World War II

56. U.S. pres. for most of 55-Down: FDR. Franklin Delano Roosevelt

57. __ Speedwagon: REO. The band [Keep on Rollin'] named themselves after the car that Neal Doughty (keyboardist) saw written on the blackboard in his History of Transportation class at U of IL.

A soup'd up REO Speed Wagon

58. Texter's "No way!": OMG. Oh, My Gracious!

60. Published: RAN. The reporter RAN with the story: "The senator, while insisting he was not intoxicated, could not explain his nudity." [WKRP Intro @0:24]

The Grid:

The Grid

WOs: heWED -> SAWED, PRIME rib => inON => UP ON, GNARLEy [sic]
ESPs: LOS (as clued), DIEGO, ANGIE
Fav: GNARLED is just too fun to ignore.

Cheers, -T

Monday September 15, 2025 Freddie Cheng

And just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water…ba-dum…ba-dum…it’s RustyBrain!
Sumdaze is taking some well-deserved time off, so you’re stuck with me for a month of Mondays. It’ll be difficult, but I’ll try to be as charming as she is.

Freddie Cheng has been constructing professionally for fifteen years. In this, his 8th puzzle in the LAT, he has the confidence to dare us to rank his puzzle.

17. Half expecting a terrible outcome: FEARING THE WORST. 

28. "What a pity": THAT'S TOO BAD.

39. Demographic statistical standard: NATIONAL AVERAGE.

46. "No problems yet": SO FAR, SO GOOD.

63. Classic family sitcom starring Robert Young: FATHER KNOWS BEST.

Freddie squeezes in five themers, three of which go wall to wall. I zoomed right through to the end as one would expect on a Monday. No revealer, so once I finished I had to backtrack to discover the secret. I found he's incorporated a basic rating system which could apply to almost anything such as star reviews, with 1 star being the worst and 5 stars being the best. The answers are also in proper order, so I give it *****.

Across:

1. "Darn!": RATS. I guess you could darn these?

5. Bubble tea "bubbles": BOBA. BOBA balls are made from tapioca starch and are designed to clog your straw.

9. Subside, as rain: LET UP.

14. Otherwise: ELSE.

15. Many a Dubai resident: ARAB.

16. Clean thoroughly: ERASE. As a reward (?) for being a good student in elementary school (I was an angel *blush*) I was chosen for the privilege of clapping the chalkboard erasers, sometimes creating works of art on the brick walls outside. Sadly, my path to being a pre-Banksy was blocked by teachers unimpressed with my genius.

17.[theme]

20. Clean thoroughly: SCRUB. I'm calling a clue like this (duplicating 16A) a reclusive (re-clue-sive).

21. "In all probability ... ": ODDS ARE. "I don't think you have a royal flush, so..."

22. Ran into: MET. 

24. __ Lanka: SRI.

25. "That's the fellow!": HIM. Sounds British, like "He's the chap!" A lot of clues today seem to evoke the UK.

28. [theme]

35. Japanese noodle: UDON.

37. Cookbook writer Garten: INA. She grows her herbs in a garden.

38. Mario Kart brother: LUIGI.

39. [theme]

43. Yours, once: THINE.

44. Promos: ADS.

45. Small opening: SLIT. 

46. [theme]

50. "Certainly!": YES. (and the obligatory album cover)

51. "__ the season ... ": TIS. Certainly looks like it already in the big box stores.

52. Pinterest pin: PIC.

54. Spiraling: IN A SPIN.

59. Dads: PAPAS.

63. [theme]

67. "The X Factor" judge Cowell: SIMON. British TV personality and record producer.

68. Architectural overhang: EAVE.

69. "By Jove!": I SAY. Something SIMON says.

70. Elizabeth of "WandaVision": OLSEN. "WandaVision" is a surrealistic miniseries by Marvel Comics where each episode is a decade newer than the last, starting with the 50s in black & white and on up through full-color present day. OLSEN plays Wanda, a woman with telepathic powers. 

71. Audition (for): READ.

72. Casual denial: NOPE.

Down:

1. Game officials: REFS. Now you can play at home! For the sanity of your family, a whistle is not included.

2. Oscar winner Guinness: ALEC.

3. Ruler of Imperial Russia: TSAR. Rule of xwords: Russian rulers are TSARs while government policy wonks are czars. Ideally.

4. Clear component of blood: SERUM.

5. Exile: BAN. Expel underarm odor!

6. URL ending for nonprofits: ORG. Short for ORGanists, I think. Ask Splynter.

7. Cricket club: BAT. I couldn't find a cricket bat, so I settled for one with a grasshopper.

8. Detests: ABHORS.

9. Off-color or blue: LEWD.

10. God with a bow and arrow: EROS. The Greek god made people fall in love by striking them with EROS.

11. Actress Reid: TARA.

12. Sputnik power, briefly: USSR. Sputnik was actually powered by three zinc-silver batteries designed to last two weeks, but they made it 22 days and kicked off the space race. Amazing something so small had such a huge impact.

13. Cubs slugger __ Crow-Armstrong: PETE.

18. Skeptical reply: I BET. "I don't believe you have a royal flush, so I BET it all."

19. Amend: EDIT. 

23. Slender: THIN. "I'd like a half pound of salami cut slender, please."

24. German prison camps: STALAGS. The popular 60s TV sitcom, Hogan's Heros, was set at fictional STALAG 13. It took until 1992 for reruns of the anti-Nazi satire to air in Germany. It failed to connect with audiences until scripts were rewritten to make the Nazi characters seem even more foolish.

25. Chases game: HUNTS. Unless the hunter simply sits in a blind and waits for the game to come to him.

26. Boise's state: IDAHO.

27. Recurring theme: MOTIF.

29. "SNL" alum Gasteyer: ANA. She's' more popular in xwords than she was on Saturday Night Live.

30. Flamenco cry: OLE. Flamingo cry: HONK! (They are very noisy birds.)

31. Yours and mine: OURS. Different from "yours, mine and ours."

32. Bagel alternative: BIALY.

33. A&M student, familiarly: AGGIE. Texas A&M is the AGGIEs, but Florida A&M is the Rattlers (rattlesnakes). There are several other A&Ms, including ones in Alabama and Louisiana, so this clue doesn't hold up.

34. Intake guidelines: DIETS. 

36. Totenberg of NPR: NINA.

40. "__ the ramparts we watched ... ": OER. According to my national park guide, Francis Scott Key used the term spangled in his poem "Defense of Fort McHenry" to mean the stars were tilted or askew on the garrison flag. His work was later set to music and re-titled "The Star-Spangled Banner."

41. Brouhaha: ADO.

42. Abbr. on a brandy label: VSOP. Very Superior Old Pale indicates that it has been aged for a minimum of four years in oak barrels for a smoother, more complex flavor.

47. Use a swizzle stick: STIR. British spy 007 would probably kill you with one of those little swords if you did this to his martini. He's very particular.

48. Pig, cutely: OINKER. Meh. This one's a stinker.

49. Quick swims: DIPS.

53. Airplane seating area: CABIN. This one is preparing for takeoff.

54. "Assuming that's true ... ": IF SO.

55. Emery board target: NAIL. 

56. Casino cash dispensers: ATMS. Automated Teller Machines were an early (1960s) volley in the battle to replace human jobs. And the war continues...

57. Casino card dispenser: SHOE. Almost another reclusive! 

58. Teller's partner in magic: PENN. Now celebrating 50 years together, I saw them with my family in Las Vegas around the turn of the century. Great show, but most impressive was afterwards when they both did a meet and greet in the hallway. They hung around chatting (yes, even Teller) and taking selfies until everyone in the audience had a chance to meet them. Class act.

60. Money in the Philippines: PESO.

61. "Now!" letters: ASAP. As Soon As Possible doesn't necessarily mean right now...unless it's my wife saying it.

62. Eye affliction: STYE. My STYE in my little eye...I'm fun on road trips, too!

64. Scottish refusal: NAE. Something James Bond would say if asked, "Should I use a swizzle stick?"

65. Lab eggs: OVA.

66. Tie the knot: WED. "Tying the knot" harkens back to the ancient ritual of handfasting, where a couple's  hands were tied together with ribbons or cords.

So, was this the best of times, or the worst of times? (Ain't I a Dickens?)