Theme: None
Total words: 72
Total blocks: 27
This puzzle is anchored by a pair of triple stacks of 10s on the upper right and lower left corners:
5A. 32 ounces at Long John Silver's, e.g. : MEDIUM SIZE. I've never been to the restaurant.
16A. Good time for criticism? : OPEN SEASON. Great clue.
18A. Brains : MASTERMIND
50A. Starts an operation : SETS UP SHOP
54A. One who gives things away : TATTLETALE. Informer.
56A. Half-awake : SLEEPY-EYED
All the above 10s are intersected by four 7s, including a stacked triple column. Lots of 7s in this puzzle.
Some excellent clues today. I really liked the below consecutive clechos:
12D. "Did we get the nod?" : IS IT A GO
13D. Nodding, with "out" : ZONKING
14D. Give the nod : ENDORSE
How was your solving? Tough fight for me. Again, the names gave me trouble.
Across:
1. Jags of the past : XKES. Jaguars sports cars.
17. "__ of beauty outvalues all the utilities of the world": Emerson : A RAY. Of no hope to me, this kind of quote clue.
15. Actress Thompson : SADA. Here she is. I wanted EMMA.
19. Merrimack River city : NASHUA. In New Hampshire. Wiki said it's twice named "Best Place to Live in America" in annual surveys by Money magazine. Who knows?
21. __-Z: Camaro model : IROC. I rock. Nailed it.
22. Ref's ruling : TKO (Technical Knock-Out). Boxing ref.
23. "Singin' in the Rain" co-director : DONEN (Stanley). Liked the movie. Never paid attention to who directed it.
24. Caspian country : IRAN
25. Refuge : LAIR
26. "Works for me" : OKEY-DOKEY
28. They may be held up by fans : SIGNS
29. Wkly. message : SER (Sermon)
30. Lea ladies : EWES
31. Easy mark : STOOGE. Patsy.
32. "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" screenwriter : URIS (Leon). "Exodus" & "Trinity" are all I know about him.
33. Kinkajou cousin : COON. Dictionary says Kinkajou is related to raccoon and coati.
34. Color on the Irish flag : ORANGE. A gimme after Sallie's green & orange comment.
37. Group that offers free memberships to spouses : AARP. Unaware of this fact.
38. Mauna __ : LOA
41. Baccarat call : BANCO. I've never played Baccarat.
42. Trying to be quiet : TIPTOEING
44. Dominates : OWNS
45. Villain named Julius : DR NO. Title character from the first James Bond movie. I only know him as Dr. No.
46. Bubblegum pioneer : FLEER. Known for its baseball cards. Went bankrupt a few years ago.
47. Chemical ending : IDE. As in chloride.
48. San Francisco's __ Tower : COIT. Wiki said it's "a monument to the firefighters of San Francisco". Paid by a guy named Coit, "a wealthy socialite who loved to chase fires in the early days of the city's history". Oddball.
49. Eminent : OF NOTE
53. Jazz singer Anderson : IVIE. No idea. She sang with Duke Ellington's orchestra. Died in 1949.
55. Marlin's lost son : NEMO. In "Finding Nemo".
57. Opera conductor Daniel : OREN. Who?
Down:
1. Romantic writing? : X'S AND O'S. Oh, romantic letters.
2. Bar staple : KARAOKE
3. He won comedy and drama Emmys for the same role : ED ASNER. As Lou Grant, I presume.
4. Nickname for an athletic "kid" : SAY HEY. Willie Mays. Cold guy.
5. Home of A. Warhol's "Campbell's Soup Cans" : MoMA
6. 1972 DDT banner : EPA
7. They may be fond : DESIRES. I only know fond memory.
8. Work basket : IN TRAY
9. Apply to : USE ON
10. Cougar, e.g., for short : MERC. Car again. Mercury Cougar.
11. Rick's pianist : SAM. "Casablanca". "Play it again, Sam".
20. Have : UNDERGO
24. Clanton and a "South Park" sibling : IKES. Wiki said Ike Clanton was a pivotal player in "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral". Completely stranger to me.
25. Royal Arms of England symbol : LION
27. Scrape, to a tot : OWIE
28. Rest, as at an inn : STOP OFF
31. Database command : SORT
32. Family nicknames : UNCs
33. Pitching device? : CAPO. I only know it's a guitar gadget. No idea on its pitch-adjusting function.
34. Some winds : OBOISTS
35. Unfair treatment : RAW DEAL. Opened 6 boxes of Heritage baseball cards so far, no autograph. Unfair!
36. Warren's "Bugsy" co-star : ANNETTE (Bening)
37. Bears no resemblance to peanuts? : AIN'T HAY. Slang. That ain't hay.
38. Be postponed : LIE OVER
39. Previous : ONE TIME
40. Get together about : AGREE ON
42. Sad, on the Seine : TRISTE. Je suis triste. I'm sad.
43. Current event around Christmas? : EL NINO. D'oh, ocean current.
45. Stupid : DOPEY
48. Star of TV's "Trackdown" : CULP (Robert). Stumped me last time. Again today.
49. Personal column? : OP ED
51. Abbr. in Québec place names : STE
52. Triumphant cry : OLE
Happy 51st Wedding anniversary to Jeannie's parents! And a belated Happy Birthday to Warren!
C.C.
