Theme: ENEMY (56D. Foe hiding, in a way, in the puzzle's four longest answers). N & ME span across two words in each theme entry. Phonetically "N-M-E" sounds like "Enemy".
20A. Viral illness associated with a rash : GERMAN MEASLES. Wikipedia it's called "German measles because the disease was first described by German physicians in the mid-eighteenth century".
35A. List that comes from the top : DROP-DOWN MENU. Computer menu. Mangesh Ghogre used this great phrase in his "Missing You" puzzle in Games magazine. His answer is a hilarious "Drop-Down Men(u), clued as rappers referenced if I recall correctly.
43A. Possible response to "Gotcha!" : THAT'S ONE ON ME.
57A. Pie with a fluffy topping : LEMON MERINGUE. Still have not tried Lemon Meringue Pie yet.
C.C. here, pinch-hitting for the traveling Melissa Bee. When did you get the theme? Took me sometime to grok the gimmick.
We also have a bit of French current going on:
34D. Dijon honey : AMIE. I was picturing Dijon honey mustard, not how to say "Honey" in Dijon the French city.
60D. Old gold coins of France : ECUS. Classic crosswordese.
58D. Hot times in the cité : ETES
Favorite clue/answer today is LADY LUCK (40. Gambler's favorite woman?).
Across:
1. Chews the fat : GABS
5. "Here's to ..." tribute : TOAST
10. Lingerie size : C-CUP. Doesn't look like Salma Hayek is wearing a bra.
14. Inuit word for "house" : IGLU. That's how we get igloo.
15. Like bighorns : OVINE. Always thought bighorns are goats rather than sheep.
16. Obsessed fictional captain : AHAB. "Moby Dick".
17. Modeler's aid : GLUE.
18. More inclined to butt in : RUDER. Couldn't fit in NOSIER.
19. Comes together : GELS
23. Paint base : LATEX
24. A major, e.g. : KEY
25. Healthful resort : SPA
28. 911 responder, for short : EMS
29. Lanchester of "Witness for the Prosecution" : ELSA. Know her. Not familiar with the movie.
33. Like Fran Drescher's voice : NASAL
38. Cuba or Mallorca : ISLA
41. Thumper's friend : BAMBI. Thumper is a rabbit. There's also a character called Flower.
42. Agenda listing : ITEM
46. Like some waves : TIDAL
47. Have to have : NEED
48. Fond du __, Wisconsin : LAC
51. "School's out" response : YAY
52. "Eeeuuw!" : ICK
55. Bloodsucker : LEECH
62. Tight : TAUT
64. Sister's daughter : NIECE
65. Humorist Bombeck : ERMA. The "Joy of Cooking" author is Irma Rombauer.
66. "Going __, going ..." : ONCE
67. On the wrong side (of) : AFOUL. Have only encountered this word in the phrase "Run afoul of".
68. Track competition : MEET
69. Stir-fry cookers : WOKS
70. Full of juicy tidbits : NEWSY
71. Longings : YENS
Down:
1. Embarrassed reaction, maybe : GIGGLE. OK, "maybe".
2. Shining brightly : AGLEAM
3. Exclaims suddenly, with "out" : BLURTS
4. "Do something about it! I dare you!" : SUE ME
5. Betwixt and between : TORN
6. Egg, to Ovid : OVUM. Plural is ova.
7. Right-hand man : AIDE
8. Tiptoe : SNEAK
9. Succinct : TERSE. To me, TERSE has a negative one, succinct does not.
10. Place with bars : CAGE. Thought of JAIL first.
11. Where to find four knights : CHESS SET. Three consecutive Ss.
12. "Friendly skies" co. : UAL
13. "Masterpiece" airer : PBS
21. Hatchet man : AXER. ER words are seldom interesting.
22. "Coal Miner's Daughter" subject Loretta : LYNN
26. Glass section : PANE
27. Former senior, for short : ALUM. Couldn't quite parse the clue.
30. "Rio __": John Wayne film : LOBO. Was ignorant of the movie. Western again?
31. Wingspread, say : SPAN
32. Madison Ave. figures : AD MEN
35. Statistical input : DATA
36. Reed instrument : OBOE
37. Red, white or Blue Nun : WINE. Blue Nun is a German wine brand. Alien to me.
38. Bitty start? : ITTY. Itty-bitty.
39. Islamic branch : SHIA. And Sunni.
44. Svelte : SLIM
45. 1551, on monuments : MDLI
48. "Uncle Tom's Cabin" villain : LEGREE (Simon). No idea.
49. Keen judgment : ACUMEN
50. Marked deck users : CHEATS. What is "Marked deck"? Poker?
53. Movie barbarian : CONAN. "Conan the Barbarian".
54. Swiss Army __ : KNIFE
59. Catty remark : MEOW. The clue works with or without the question mark.
61. Bank (on) : RELY
62. Auto club service : TOW
63. Year, in Yucatán : AÑO
Answer grid.
C.C.
20A. Viral illness associated with a rash : GERMAN MEASLES. Wikipedia it's called "German measles because the disease was first described by German physicians in the mid-eighteenth century".
35A. List that comes from the top : DROP-DOWN MENU. Computer menu. Mangesh Ghogre used this great phrase in his "Missing You" puzzle in Games magazine. His answer is a hilarious "Drop-Down Men(u), clued as rappers referenced if I recall correctly.
43A. Possible response to "Gotcha!" : THAT'S ONE ON ME.
57A. Pie with a fluffy topping : LEMON MERINGUE. Still have not tried Lemon Meringue Pie yet.
C.C. here, pinch-hitting for the traveling Melissa Bee. When did you get the theme? Took me sometime to grok the gimmick.
We also have a bit of French current going on:
34D. Dijon honey : AMIE. I was picturing Dijon honey mustard, not how to say "Honey" in Dijon the French city.
60D. Old gold coins of France : ECUS. Classic crosswordese.
58D. Hot times in the cité : ETES
Favorite clue/answer today is LADY LUCK (40. Gambler's favorite woman?).
Across:
1. Chews the fat : GABS
5. "Here's to ..." tribute : TOAST
10. Lingerie size : C-CUP. Doesn't look like Salma Hayek is wearing a bra.
14. Inuit word for "house" : IGLU. That's how we get igloo.
15. Like bighorns : OVINE. Always thought bighorns are goats rather than sheep.
16. Obsessed fictional captain : AHAB. "Moby Dick".
17. Modeler's aid : GLUE.
18. More inclined to butt in : RUDER. Couldn't fit in NOSIER.
19. Comes together : GELS
23. Paint base : LATEX
24. A major, e.g. : KEY
25. Healthful resort : SPA
28. 911 responder, for short : EMS
29. Lanchester of "Witness for the Prosecution" : ELSA. Know her. Not familiar with the movie.
33. Like Fran Drescher's voice : NASAL
38. Cuba or Mallorca : ISLA
41. Thumper's friend : BAMBI. Thumper is a rabbit. There's also a character called Flower.
42. Agenda listing : ITEM
46. Like some waves : TIDAL
47. Have to have : NEED
48. Fond du __, Wisconsin : LAC
51. "School's out" response : YAY
52. "Eeeuuw!" : ICK
55. Bloodsucker : LEECH
62. Tight : TAUT
64. Sister's daughter : NIECE
65. Humorist Bombeck : ERMA. The "Joy of Cooking" author is Irma Rombauer.
66. "Going __, going ..." : ONCE
67. On the wrong side (of) : AFOUL. Have only encountered this word in the phrase "Run afoul of".
68. Track competition : MEET
69. Stir-fry cookers : WOKS
70. Full of juicy tidbits : NEWSY
71. Longings : YENS
Down:
1. Embarrassed reaction, maybe : GIGGLE. OK, "maybe".
2. Shining brightly : AGLEAM
3. Exclaims suddenly, with "out" : BLURTS
4. "Do something about it! I dare you!" : SUE ME
5. Betwixt and between : TORN
6. Egg, to Ovid : OVUM. Plural is ova.
7. Right-hand man : AIDE
8. Tiptoe : SNEAK
9. Succinct : TERSE. To me, TERSE has a negative one, succinct does not.
10. Place with bars : CAGE. Thought of JAIL first.
11. Where to find four knights : CHESS SET. Three consecutive Ss.
12. "Friendly skies" co. : UAL
13. "Masterpiece" airer : PBS
21. Hatchet man : AXER. ER words are seldom interesting.
22. "Coal Miner's Daughter" subject Loretta : LYNN
26. Glass section : PANE
27. Former senior, for short : ALUM. Couldn't quite parse the clue.
30. "Rio __": John Wayne film : LOBO. Was ignorant of the movie. Western again?
31. Wingspread, say : SPAN
32. Madison Ave. figures : AD MEN
35. Statistical input : DATA
36. Reed instrument : OBOE
37. Red, white or Blue Nun : WINE. Blue Nun is a German wine brand. Alien to me.
38. Bitty start? : ITTY. Itty-bitty.
39. Islamic branch : SHIA. And Sunni.
44. Svelte : SLIM
45. 1551, on monuments : MDLI
48. "Uncle Tom's Cabin" villain : LEGREE (Simon). No idea.
49. Keen judgment : ACUMEN
50. Marked deck users : CHEATS. What is "Marked deck"? Poker?
53. Movie barbarian : CONAN. "Conan the Barbarian".
54. Swiss Army __ : KNIFE
59. Catty remark : MEOW. The clue works with or without the question mark.
61. Bank (on) : RELY
62. Auto club service : TOW
63. Year, in Yucatán : AÑO
Answer grid.
C.C.
