(Note to late visitors: Due to computer error, we lost both the write-up and comments. This version is a recovered one. )
Theme: Vowel Quintet - A, E, I, O & U are orderly added to the start of the first word of each two-word familiar phrase.
20A. Proof of quartz sales? : AGATE RECEIPTS. Gate receipts.
30A. Brewery's best? : ELITE BEER. Lite beer.
38A. "Mad Max" and "Twelve Angry Men"? : IRATE MOVIES. Rated movies might be a better base phrase, but then, irated is not a word.
46A. One of many at a Syracuse University football game? : ORANGE TOP. Range top. Here is their mascot Otto the Orange.
58A. Making a mess at the warehouse? : UPENDING CASES. Pending cases.
C.C. here, pinch-hitting for Lemonade, whose computer is sick.
Great to see Gary Steinmehl's by-line. He's a real pro and always comes up with something unique in his theme approach. Read my interview with him if you haven't heard of him before.
Quite a few clechos in his grid today. As usual, I highlighted them in green colors.
Across:
1. Lip : BRIM. One-word clue is always tricky, esp if the word has various meanings.
5. One usually includes an aria and a recitative : SCENA. I wanted OPERA.
10. Rhode Island's motto : HOPE. Wow, so simple. No Latin/French.
14. Jim-dandy : A ONE
15. Kachina carvers : HOPIS. I've never understood the appeal of Kachina dolls.
16. Clue in a hunt : ODOR. Then 18. "Give me __" : A HINT.
17. Amounting to nothing : NULL
19. Texters do it : TYPE
23. __ moon : NEW
24. Ballot marker : X'ER. Every puzzle needs a few abbreviations to glue things together.
25. "One Good Cop" actress : RUSSO (Rene). I've never seen the movie. Rene Russo is awesome in "Tin Cup".
28. Money in the bank, e.g. : ASSET
34. Is after you? : ARE. As in "You are so hot!". So literally are is "after you".
36. Oscar-winning role for Forest : IDI (Amin). "The Last King of Scotland". Forest Whitaker.
37. However : YET. BUT, anyone?
42. Self-realization sect : ZEN
44. Bill : TAB
45. Sweet ending : OSE. As in glucose.
50. Lit up : AGLOW
54. Resort area near Reno : TAHOE
55. Org. offering jumps : AAA. They give cars a jump in cold weather, a la Argyle.
57. First mate? : EVE. Of Adam.
63. Pure and simple : MERE
65. Law partner : ORDER. Law and order.
66. Some are noble : FIRS. Did you want SIRS?
67. Head line : PART. Then 41D. Head lines? : EEG. Brain scan.
68. City where de Gaulle was born : LILLE. Learned this trivia a while ago.
69. Cameo, maybe : ROLE. 72. Cameo material : ONYX. Not the same "cameo" of course.
70. Fellows : GUYS
71. Like Falstaff : OBESE. Shakespeare's Falstaff.
Down:
1. Yogurt flavor : BANANA. Don't eat dairy.
2. They make you red in the face : ROUGES. ERRORS jumped to my mind first.
3. Wedding creations : IN-LAWS. Nice clue.
4. Get all mushy : MELT
5. Slice : SHARE. I don't get how these two are interchangeable.
6. Hold together : COHERE
7. Work with a wide scope : EPIC. Noun "Work" here.
8. Roger Maris wore it : NINE. Loved the movie "61". It's about Maris and Mantle (#7) trying to break the 60 home run record set by Ruth (#3) in 1961. So good.
9. Wine town near Turin : ASTI
10. Place to chill : HOT TUB
11. Adventures : ODYSSEYS
12. Top 40 genre : POP
13. Before : ERE. 22. Before, before? : PRE.
21. Hollywood "spear carrier" : EXTRA
26. Take in : SEE
27. Scrap : ORT
29. Stirrup site : EAR
31. People bend over backwards for it : LIMBO. Oh, this limbo.
32. Promising words : I DO
33. Save for later viewing : TiVO
35. Feminizing ending : ETTE
38. Rushed : IN A HURRY
39. Put away : EAT
40. Composer Albéniz : ISAAC. Onager guess. Not familiar with this Spanish fellow. He died in 1909.
42. Anteater's sound effect in the comic "B.C." : ZOT. Got the answer via crossings. What does ZOT connote? Like "Bam!"?
43. Chunk of time : ERA
47. Apartment caveat : NO PETS. Not a caveat to me. Never a pet person.
48. "My stars!" : GEE
49. Some judges sit on them : PANELS. Great clue. Not BENCHES.
51. Skin wound : LESION
52. Too : OVERLY
53. Setting for many Thomas Hardy novels : WESSEX. I've only read his "Tess of the d'Urbervilles".
56. Go along : AGREE
59. __ contendere : NOLO
60. Small quantity : DRIB
61. Like doodling : IDLE
62. Full coif : AFRO.
63. Automaker's concern, briefly : MPG
64. Water under le pont : EAU. Pont is French for "bridge". I had thought it's "pond".
Answer grid.
C.C.
