google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner

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Sep 29, 2023

Friday September 29, 2023 ~ Robin Stears

Leader of the Puns?
Lead-off Punner?
Pun with Leaders?

Attila the Pun!


Robin delivers a Fabulous Friday. The theme is tight with leaders' titles used homophonically in the fill. If you like silly word-play like I do, you're in for a treat. Let's play.

17a. Official portraitist for a Mongolian leader?: KHAN ARTIST. Con Artist.

25a. Condiment for an Ottoman leader?: SULTAN PEPPER. Salt and Pepper. A couple of us from the office walked to The Galleria for lunch Wednesday and guess what I saw...
Sult'an Pepper.com

42a. Paltry stipend for a Middle Eastern leader?: EMIR PITTANCE. A mere pittance.

56a. Humble abode for an Arab leader?: SHEIK SHACK. Shake Shack.  There is also one of these at The Galleria.
 
ShakeShake.com

Across:
1. Some twitches: TICS.

5. Cicada predators: WASPS.

10. Challenges for nannies: IMPS. Or Lighting Bugs, Lucina?

14. Compatriot: ALLY.

15. Bracelet spot: ANKLE.

16. "Smashing!": NEAT.

17. [See: theme]

19. "Water for Elephants" novelist Gruen: SARA.

20. Sinus infection woes: EAR ACHES.

21. Sheer: UTTER.

22. Suddenly become alert: SNAP TO.

23. Tone down: EASE.

25. [See: theme]

31. __ curls: BICEP.

34. Tends to a draft: EDITS.

35. Paris street: RUE.
The hotel at this intersection is our fav.

36. R&B singer Redding: OTIS.
 

Chained and Bound [7:39]
37. Hitches: SNAGS.

38. Cartoon girl who often says "Swiper, no swiping" to a masked fox: DORA.

(L to R) Swiper, Boots, and Dora

39. Web: NET.

40. Afternoon hr.: ONE PM.

41. Creator of a cocky hare: AESOP. Tex Avery, et.al. didn't fit.

42. [See: theme].

45. Scoreboard count: OUTS.

46. Effect: IMPACT.

50. Thrones: SEATS.
The Throne

53. Alcoves: RECESSES. Also my best school subject.

55. Stretched to the max: TAUT.

56. [See: theme]

58. Hobby farm measure: ACRE.

59. Horror or mystery: GENRE.

60. Haitian friend: AMIE.

61. Comparison word: THAN.

62. Jacket wool: TWEED.

63. Coat with gold leaf: GILD. [See: 50a commode]

Down:
1. Points of view: TAKES.

2. Omar of Congress: ILHAN.
Omar Represents Minnesota's 5th

3. Civil War nurse Barton: CLARA.
 
Founder Red Cross

4. Automatic transmission parts?: SYNAPSES.

5. Pop art icon played by Bowie in "Basquiat": WARHOL. Pop-art & Bowie gave it away.


Trailer

6. Chip in a new pot: ANTE.

7. Goes downhill fast: SKIS.

8. "__ fix thx!": PLS.

9. Complete group: SET.

10. Keeping up (with): IN STEP.

11. Impossible Burger's lack: MEAT.

12. Peel: PARE.

13. Lead: STAR.

18. Cause trouble: ACT UP.

21. Exploits: USES.

23. "The Imitation Game" encryption machine: ENIGMA.
Wikipedia

24. Some 2BR listings: APTS. Two bedroom apartment(s).

26. Creeds: TENETS.

27. Go with the flow: ADAPT.

28. Aces: PROS.

29. Italian bread?: EURO. I inked Lira.

30. Use a scythe on: REAP.

31. Hip hop's __ Thugs-n-Harmony: BONE. No clue. I Googled so you don't have to.

Crossroads [4:43]

32. Thing: ITEM.

33. Big name in credit cards: CITI. I almost Swiped (38a) my VISA.

37. Huffy state: SNIT.

38. High-pile carpet style: DEEP SHAG.

40. Numbered piece: OPUS.

41. High spots: ACMES.

43. Raising a stink?: ROTTEN.

44. Barely cut: NICKED.

47. "Ditto," more formally: AS AM I.

48. Poet Day-Lewis who wrote the Nigel Strangeways detective novels as Nicholas Blake: CECIL. A sample of poetry.

49. Expressed disapproval: TSKED.

50. RBI or ERA: STAT. The STATistics Runs Batted In or Earned Run Average. #Baseball

51. A pop: EACH.

52. Vibe picked up by a psychic, supposedly: AURA.

53. Russo who plays Frigga in Marvel's "Thor" films: RENE.

54. DĂșn Laoghaire's land: EIRE.

56. Rank above cpl.: SGT. Sergeant outranks a corporal.

57. Fell: HEW.

The Grid:
The Grid


WO: Lira -> EURO
ESPs: SARA (as clued), BONE
Fav: c/a for SYNAPSES.

Cheers, -T
Coda