Theme: HORSE (67A. Word to add to 20-, 37- and 54-Across to make sense of the answers) - Horse needs to be fastened to the end of each common phrase to make sense of all the "uneasy" clues.
20A. Uneasy about a farm team member?: DODGING THE DRAFT(horse). Farm team member = Draft horse.
37A. Uneasy about a long shot?: AFRAID OF THE DARK(horse). Dark horse = Long shot. Nyctophobia refers to fear of darkness. I used to sleep with our closet light on all night.
54A. Uneasy about an aquarium fish?: CHICKEN OF THE SEA(horse). Aquarium fish = Seahorse. Used in Chinese herbal medicine.
We also have a cross-referenced SENATE (50A. Where Caligula reputedly tried to seat his 67-Across). A fact I was unaware of. But Galigula was an eccentric weirdo, so no real surprises.
A unique spin of our normal change letter string theme, in which the theme phrases often induce groan and only make sense when the letter string is dropped/added/substituted. Today, all the grid-spanning 15-letter theme entries are perfectly fine common phrases. You just need to tag HORSE to make horse sense of the clues. Loved the "uneasy" tie-in.
Also loved the side-by-side placement of GOLF (12D. Go for a Masters?) and SYST (13. CBS part). Golf fans all know that CBS has been covering the Saturday/Sunday Masters tournaments for years. But why "Go for a Masters" instead of "Go for Masters"? Why extra "a"?
Google shows that today's constructor Jascha Smilack is a Ph.D student in Chinese literature in Harvard. This seems to be his crossword debut. Gong Xi, Gong Xi!
Across:
1. Must: HAS TO
6. "Iron Chef America" chef Cat __: CORA. Needed crosses for her name. I did enjoy the few episodes of "Iron Chef America" I saw. Liked the Japanese flavor.
14. Dickens's mysterious Mr. Drood: EDWIN. Easy guess. I've never heard of "The Mystery of Edwin Drood", Dickens' final novel.
15. Fidel's successor: RAUL. The Castro brothers. Quite a few names in this puzzle.
16. "__ Named Sue": A BOY. And A DROP (2D. __ in the bucket). Partials.
17. Israeli ambassador Moshe: ARENS. Again, his name emerged itself. Not familiar with this guy at all. When was he the ambassador?
18. Like some profs.: ASST (Assistant)
19. Web links: URLS
23. Michael Phelps sponsor: SPEEDO. OK, for Jeannie. Phelps survived his drug scandal quite well.
24. "Dies __": IRAE. "Dies Irae", the Latin hymn. Literally "Days of Wrath". Dies = Day. Irae = Wrath.
25. Humble: DEMEAN
28. Play footsie, say: FLIRT. Directly above TOE TAP (36. Shoe part for Astaire).
32. It may be up: JIG. The jig is up. Rich used the identical clue a while ago, still got me. Lethologica!
41. Maps: CHARTS. Verb.
42. Fair-hiring abbr.: EOE (Equal Opportunity Employer). EEO = Equal Employment Opportunity.
43. Hi or lo follower: RES (Resolution)
44. "Flowers for Algernon" author Daniel: KEYES. Rang a faint bell. See the book cover.
45. "Analyze That" star: DE NIRO
48. Top-shelf: A ONE
59. Winery prefix: OENO. Oeno is Greek goddess of wine.
60. Casual top: POLO
61. Stock phrase: AT PAR
62. Exploit: DEED
63. Etonic competitor: AVIA
64. Peachy: SWELL
65. Wood shaper: ADZE. Or adz.
66. Appear dramatically: LOOM. I associate loom with ominously rather than dramatically.
Down:
1. Call before the game: HEADS. "Heads or tails?". We had this clue before.
3. Stockholm native: SWEDE
4. Colored a bit: TINGED. Wrote down TINTED first.
5. Like some daring football kicks: ONSIDE
6. Steep outcropping: CRAG. The rugged rock.
7. Brewery feature: OAST
8. Act like fools?: RUSH IN. Fools rush in. Nailed it today.
9. Let out, say: ALTER. Oh, the hemline. Nice clue.
10. Honored with a crown of foliage: LAURELED.
11. Start of a spell: ABRA. The start of Abracadabra.
21. Roaming types: NOMADS
22. Green Goblin portrayer in Spider-Man films: DAFOE (Willem). I only remember Tobey Maguire.
26. Rock producer Brian: ENO
27. Newspaper revenue component: AD FEE
29. __-Tass: news agency: ITAR (Information Telegraph Agency of Russia).
30. Red inside: RARE
31. I-90 in Mass. et al.: TPKS (Turnpikes)
32. Magic harp thief: JACK. From "Jack and the Beanstalk" the fairy tale. I peeked at the answer sheet.
33. "__ hollers, ...": IF HE. "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe, /Catch a tiger by the toe./If he hollers let him go..."
34. __ matter: GRAY. Felt silly not getting this one immediately.
36. Believer: THEIST
38. First three numbers, in some directories: AREA CODE
39. "Not a problem!": IT'S OK
40. Cargo unit: TON
45. Again, to Gaius: DE NOVO. Latin for "From the beginning".
46. Talk out again: REHASH
47. "Old" punches?: ONE-TWO. One-two punch. Why "old"?
49. High country: NEPAL. High in the Himalaya. I hope you were not thinking of Tibet, because it's not a country. It's part of China.
51. According to: AS PER
52. Dabbling ducks:: TEALS. Teals belong to the dabbling ducks, which feed by dabbling in the shallow waters.
53. Bogart's "High Sierra" role: EARLE. No idea. I've never seen the movie.
54. Musical ending: CODA
55. Follow: HEED. As advice.
56. Don Juan's mother: INEZ. Spanish for Agnes, meaning "pure".
57. Random collection: OLIO
58. Fire suppressant: FOAM
Answer grid.
C.C.
20A. Uneasy about a farm team member?: DODGING THE DRAFT(horse). Farm team member = Draft horse.
37A. Uneasy about a long shot?: AFRAID OF THE DARK(horse). Dark horse = Long shot. Nyctophobia refers to fear of darkness. I used to sleep with our closet light on all night.
54A. Uneasy about an aquarium fish?: CHICKEN OF THE SEA(horse). Aquarium fish = Seahorse. Used in Chinese herbal medicine.
We also have a cross-referenced SENATE (50A. Where Caligula reputedly tried to seat his 67-Across). A fact I was unaware of. But Galigula was an eccentric weirdo, so no real surprises.
A unique spin of our normal change letter string theme, in which the theme phrases often induce groan and only make sense when the letter string is dropped/added/substituted. Today, all the grid-spanning 15-letter theme entries are perfectly fine common phrases. You just need to tag HORSE to make horse sense of the clues. Loved the "uneasy" tie-in.
Also loved the side-by-side placement of GOLF (12D. Go for a Masters?) and SYST (13. CBS part). Golf fans all know that CBS has been covering the Saturday/Sunday Masters tournaments for years. But why "Go for a Masters" instead of "Go for Masters"? Why extra "a"?
Google shows that today's constructor Jascha Smilack is a Ph.D student in Chinese literature in Harvard. This seems to be his crossword debut. Gong Xi, Gong Xi!
Across:
1. Must: HAS TO
6. "Iron Chef America" chef Cat __: CORA. Needed crosses for her name. I did enjoy the few episodes of "Iron Chef America" I saw. Liked the Japanese flavor.
14. Dickens's mysterious Mr. Drood: EDWIN. Easy guess. I've never heard of "The Mystery of Edwin Drood", Dickens' final novel.
15. Fidel's successor: RAUL. The Castro brothers. Quite a few names in this puzzle.
16. "__ Named Sue": A BOY. And A DROP (2D. __ in the bucket). Partials.
17. Israeli ambassador Moshe: ARENS. Again, his name emerged itself. Not familiar with this guy at all. When was he the ambassador?
18. Like some profs.: ASST (Assistant)
19. Web links: URLS
23. Michael Phelps sponsor: SPEEDO. OK, for Jeannie. Phelps survived his drug scandal quite well.
24. "Dies __": IRAE. "Dies Irae", the Latin hymn. Literally "Days of Wrath". Dies = Day. Irae = Wrath.
25. Humble: DEMEAN
28. Play footsie, say: FLIRT. Directly above TOE TAP (36. Shoe part for Astaire).
32. It may be up: JIG. The jig is up. Rich used the identical clue a while ago, still got me. Lethologica!
41. Maps: CHARTS. Verb.
42. Fair-hiring abbr.: EOE (Equal Opportunity Employer). EEO = Equal Employment Opportunity.
43. Hi or lo follower: RES (Resolution)
44. "Flowers for Algernon" author Daniel: KEYES. Rang a faint bell. See the book cover.
45. "Analyze That" star: DE NIRO
48. Top-shelf: A ONE
59. Winery prefix: OENO. Oeno is Greek goddess of wine.
60. Casual top: POLO
61. Stock phrase: AT PAR
62. Exploit: DEED
63. Etonic competitor: AVIA
64. Peachy: SWELL
65. Wood shaper: ADZE. Or adz.
66. Appear dramatically: LOOM. I associate loom with ominously rather than dramatically.
Down:
1. Call before the game: HEADS. "Heads or tails?". We had this clue before.
3. Stockholm native: SWEDE
4. Colored a bit: TINGED. Wrote down TINTED first.
5. Like some daring football kicks: ONSIDE
6. Steep outcropping: CRAG. The rugged rock.
7. Brewery feature: OAST
8. Act like fools?: RUSH IN. Fools rush in. Nailed it today.
9. Let out, say: ALTER. Oh, the hemline. Nice clue.
10. Honored with a crown of foliage: LAURELED.
11. Start of a spell: ABRA. The start of Abracadabra.
21. Roaming types: NOMADS
22. Green Goblin portrayer in Spider-Man films: DAFOE (Willem). I only remember Tobey Maguire.
26. Rock producer Brian: ENO
27. Newspaper revenue component: AD FEE
29. __-Tass: news agency: ITAR (Information Telegraph Agency of Russia).
30. Red inside: RARE
31. I-90 in Mass. et al.: TPKS (Turnpikes)
32. Magic harp thief: JACK. From "Jack and the Beanstalk" the fairy tale. I peeked at the answer sheet.
33. "__ hollers, ...": IF HE. "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe, /Catch a tiger by the toe./If he hollers let him go..."
34. __ matter: GRAY. Felt silly not getting this one immediately.
36. Believer: THEIST
38. First three numbers, in some directories: AREA CODE
39. "Not a problem!": IT'S OK
40. Cargo unit: TON
45. Again, to Gaius: DE NOVO. Latin for "From the beginning".
46. Talk out again: REHASH
47. "Old" punches?: ONE-TWO. One-two punch. Why "old"?
49. High country: NEPAL. High in the Himalaya. I hope you were not thinking of Tibet, because it's not a country. It's part of China.
51. According to: AS PER
52. Dabbling ducks:: TEALS. Teals belong to the dabbling ducks, which feed by dabbling in the shallow waters.
53. Bogart's "High Sierra" role: EARLE. No idea. I've never seen the movie.
54. Musical ending: CODA
55. Follow: HEED. As advice.
56. Don Juan's mother: INEZ. Spanish for Agnes, meaning "pure".
57. Random collection: OLIO
58. Fire suppressant: FOAM
Answer grid.
C.C.
