Title: It's all in where you cut it.
Dr. Ed returns to Friday for the first time since his mini-theme puzzle on November 1, 2019. One of many prolific constructors who publish often in the LAT; he started in 2007 with this PUZZLE in the NYT. He takes some in the language phrases and by adding an apostrophe, repurposes and redefines the clue. The concept is simple and it was easy for a Friday. Not any extra-interesting fill other than the themers.
17A. What Dr. Frankenstein kept at his bar?: MONSTER'S ALE. I do not recall Boris Karloff drinking ALE, but it does repurpose MONSTER SALE. P.S., I think Peter Boyle did.
24A. Sass from a therapist?: FREUDIAN'S LIP. Sigmund talking back to his old lady patients redoes FREUDIAN SLIP.
38A. Uncle Buck, perhaps?: DOE'S KIN. A central rework for DOE SKIN which is great for gloves. And not a great John Candy MOVIE.
52A. Dracula's haul in the poker game?: VAMPIRE'S TAKE. We get both Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi and the iconic VAMPIRE STAKE.
62A. Big cat's belly?: LEOPARD'S POT. I doubt there are many fat Leopards but they all have a LEOPARD SPOT.
On to the rest:
Across:
1. Mid-size Nissan: ALTIMA. They made the MAXIMA first, and I guess they liked the pseudo-Latin sound.
7. Ammo sold in rolls: CAPS. Almost tricky unless you played for hours every day with your cap gun when you were little.
11. By way of: VIA. Just a Latin word that was taken over by English.
14. Like many arcade games: COIN-OP.
15. Helter-skelter: AMOK.
16. Mantra syllables: OMS.
19. Fiddle player of rhyme: CAT.
Hey, diddle, diddle
The cat and the fiddle
The cow jumped over the moon
The little dog laughed to see such fun
And the dish ran away with the spoon.
20. North-of-the-border gas: ESSO. CSO to our Canadian Corner.
21. Zany trio member: MOE. Our Chairman Moe has moved to Arizona and seems to be living well.
22. "See if __": I CARE.
28. "SNL" castmate of Gilda and Jane: LARAINE. The SCREEN TEST for Ms. Newman.
31. It "hath charms to soothe a savage breast": MUSIC. The phrase sounds Shakespearian but in fact comes to us from The Mourning Bride, a poem by William Congreve, 1697. And yes, it is breast, not a savage beast.
32. Oak fruit: ACORN. Did you ever think of this as a fruit?
33. Marine mammal group: POD. We had the list published here recently.
34. Bed foundation?: SOIL. Garden bed.
42. Broadcasting pioneer: RCA. I went to grammar school with one of the descendants of the Sarnoff family.
43. Religious offshoot: SECT.
45. Meddle: PRY.
46. City near the Golden Spike: OGDEN. Where the transcontinental railroad met. More of the STORY.
48. Veronica of "Hill Street Blues": HAMEL. I wonder if she is related to last week's constructor Debra or Ray.
50. Spurred on: AROUSED. Well- gee. That is a titillating turn.
55. Orchestras tune to them: OBOES. I will let JzB explain again.
56. One of Venus de Milo's two that are conspicuous for their absence: ARM. She is back so soon.
57. Drink brand with a lizard logo: SOBE. SoBe is the abbreviation for South Beach, the southernmost part of the manmade island.
LINK.
61. Leave in ruins: GUT. In all of SoFla. we are always tearing down to build up. Did you see the story on the news of the 95-year-old home that was moved to keep it from demolition? LINK.
66. Take advantage of: USE.
67. Parrot: ECHO.
68. Tater Tots maker: ORE-IDA. Sadly this region has some virus issues.
69. Sniggler's quarry: EEL. They catch them by hand; 1645–55; snig eel (late Middle English snygge + le).
70. It may be cracked open: DOOR. My second place clue/fill favorite.
71. Sweat inducer: DURESS. Stress.
Down:
1. Highest point: ACME.
2. Restrooms for blokes: LOOS. British.
3. Metal containers: TINS. British.
4. To such an extent: INSOFAR.
5. Bon __: MOT. French
6. So-called missing links: APEMEN. My limited movie career. 48 or 49 seconds in. This was the Rathskeller at the U. of Florida.
7. Checked out before a heist: CASED.
8. GP's gp.: AMA.
9. D.C. figure: POLitician.
10. Knitter's supply: SKEINS. KNITTING 101.
11. They help one speak one's mind: VOCAL CORDS. My favorite clue/fill.
12. Japanese porcelain: IMARI.
13. __ in the right direction: A STEP.
18. Scoundrel: ROUÉ. The French word derives from the Latin rota (“wheel”), broken on the wheel.
23. Forensic TV episodes: CSIS. Meh. 37D. Specimen for 23-Down: DNA.
25. Melon feature: RIND.
26. Reassurance after a fall: I'M OK. Paint.
27. A4 automaker: AUDI.
28. Youths: LADS. Next to...
29. Teen malady: ACNE.
30. Black Flag product: ROACH MOTEL.
33. Humanities subj.: PSYchology. My undergraduate and graduate major.
35. Cold drink brand: ICEE.
36. Come down: LAND.
39. Letters near zero: OPERater. On your telephone.
40. Creator of Perry and Della: ERLE. Stanley Gardner.
41. Kindle rival: NOOK. I believe Hahtoolah uses one.
44. Scotch roll: TAPE. Maybe, MAYBE NOT.
47. Hangman player, e.g.: GUESSER. The Wheel of Fortune.
49. Took for a ride: MISLED.
50. First razor with a pivoting head: ATRA.
51. Force (through): RAMROD. verb (used with object), ram·rod·ded, ram·rod·ding. ... to accomplish or put into action by force, intimidation, etc.: to ramrod a bill through Congress
52. Popularity: VOGUE. This was difficult for me.
53. Treat badly: ABUSE.
54. Flavor: SAPOR. Sapor is what creates the flavor of something.
An example of sapor is chocolate ice cream tasting sweet.
58. Andy's catfishing partner: OPIE. Andy Griffith in Mayberry.
60. Flight deck data, briefly: ETAS.
63. Prefix with conscious: ECO.
64. "I see it now!": OHO. AHA!
65. R and B group __ Hill: DRU. Not sure, but here is a LINK.
That went quickly; enjoy Tom F. next week. I will be back. Thanks, Dr. Ed and all of you who read whether you comment or not, though I learn something every time. Lemonade out.
