Friday, September 2, 2011 Pancho Harrison

Theme: These PUNS really raised my IRE. Each phrase is a sound alike of a common phrase with a word rhyming with the "IRE" replaced with a homonym. Really very clever, with the first three in the first word and the remaining two changing the second word. I have a soft spot for Mr. Harrison as he was our first LA Times constructor when the change was made, and his interview warned of his interest in music and puns, both of which make this a Friday delight. Lemonade back again, and found this a real treat, inspiring many musical links (remember, you do not have to click all of them, just the ones you want) and some fun stuff. let us see where we go. Oh Pancho!

17A. Sign some new sluggers? : HIRE POWER. HIGHER Power, like a deity, unlike the Indians getting Jim Thome back from the Twins.

24A. Henna and such? : DYER NEEDS. DIRE Needs. Henna makes hair red for you boys.

40A. Stand-up gig for Richard?: PRYOR ENGAGEMENT. PRIOR Engagement. My favorite pun in the puzzle, not just because of the wit of this COMEDIAN (please do not link if you are offended by profanity) but the humor within humor is appealing.

50A. Instrument in need of cleaning?: DIRTY LYRE. Dirty LIAR. Ok, I lied, this is my favorite.

64A. Augustine, for one?: DEEP FRIAR. Deep FRYER. Another witty pun with the deep thinking St. Augustine compared to a turkey fryer.

ACROSS:

1. Some rentals, in ads: APTS.

5. "Gimme just __": A SEC. Really, what can you do in a second?

9. Chew the scenery: EMOTE, ham it up so to speak.

14. Aquatic bird: COOT. In the rail family, strictly by perps for me.

15. Rowlands of "Gloria": GENA, a fine actress who appeared in this odd mob MOVIE.

16. Deteriorate: DECAY.

19. Word with time and space: WASTE. No need to comment, it would be a....

20. __ nous: ENTRE. French lesson: Between Us.

21. Like some nests: EMPTY. My boys have been gone for 4 years.

23. Wartime submachine guns: STENS. The British weapon along with the BREN; crosswordese. Why is it "SUB" machine?

29. Giant legend: OTT. By far the most famous baseball player in puzzledom and two time home run king of the National League.

31. Nagpur native: INDIAN. Really? Seemed too easy.

32. Granola grain: OAT.

35. 1805 Vienna premiere: EROICA; originally Beethoven's Third Symphony was written as a tribute to Napoleon Bonaparte, but the name was changed when Napoleon like Julius Caesar before him, declared himself Emperor.

39. Lambs: Lat.: AGNI. We are more used to the single "lamb" in AGNUS DEI.

43. Old wrap: TOGA. Gee, speaking of Caesar...

44. Original Speed Stick maker: MENNEN. Does someone else make it now?

45. Children's author Asquith: ROS; this was my obscure clue of the day, but it Friday and the perps were there, so I pass. Apparently a cartoonist as well, in England. Nice Cuppa?

46. Composer/violinist who taught Menuhin: ENESCO, luckily Devin studied Violin for a few years so I know this name and Yehudi.

48. U.S. Army E-5: SGT.

54. Sci-fi character whose first name, Nyota, was first revealed in film in 2009: UHURA.

58. Did a little courting: COOED. Don't you all love puzzles that have COOT and COOED both?

59. Like some denim jackets: LINED. For you of the Northern persuasion.

60. Flop with fins: EDSEL. Fond childhood Memory.

66. Best Actress nominee for "Ordinary People": MOORE. Put this MOVIE on your Netflix, I forgot how good it was.

67. Miss Megley's charge, in a Salinger story: ESME. With Love and Squalor, JD stood for Jerome David.

68. Lavish affection DOTE. Lavish the verb, not the adjective.

69. 1830s revolution site: TEXAS.

70. Grand jeté, e.g.: LEAP. A particular ballet move.

71. Go bananas: SNAP. Did you hear about Beyonce's sister, the inflatable banana and the switchblade?

relax, it is time to go:

DOWN:

1. More than twinges: ACHES.

2. Salient feature: POINT. You catch my drift?

3. High-calorie cake: TORTE. Which I guess brings us to Marie Antoinette to complete the Napoleon reference. Not to be confused with TORT, a civil wrong.

4. Jellied fuel: STERNO. Got me through Hurricane Wilma.

5. Past word: AGO.

6. Hemmed but didn't haw: SEWED. Really cute.

7. Ones not with you: ENEMY. If you ain't for me, your agin me.

8. __ diem: CARPE; Latin, Seize the Day.

9. He voiced Disney's Mad Hatter: ED WYNN; his voice helped make the Disney ALICE so special.

10. Drop-line link: ME A , not MEA Culpa.

11. Mil. training site: OCS. Officer Candidate School.

12. Ink spots, briefly?: TAT. Tattoo. Another clever clue.

13. Center: EYE How appropriate, the center of the storm in hurricanes. (and a nice personal reference).

18. Bedevil: PESTER. My fan club.

22. "M*A*S*H" procedures: TRIAGES, the initial exam to see who needs what.

25. Queso relleno cheese: EDAM; Queso means cheese in Spanish.

26. Peak in an Eastwood film: EIGER. THe peak in the Alps where Clint's CHARACTER had to perform his last SANCTION (assassination) in the eponymous movie.

27. Chin Ho co-worker, in a TV cop show: DANNO, now played by Scott Caan, son of James. Book 'em.

28. Miffed states: SNITS. Is this a word which applies only to females?

30. Vibrating effect: TREMOLO, more music. I defer to JzB for detail.

32. Made a choice: OPTED, yes, I opted not to discuss tremolo.

33. Product suffix created in San Francisco in 195: A-RONI a San Fransisco treat (try and keep that jingle out of your head).

34. Blake title feline: TYGER . A nice poem, you think CA?

36. "A Chorus Line" song: ONE

37. Starter: Abbr.: IGN, IGNITION. Meh.

38. Axe: CAN; Cleopatra records are going to re-release all of the AXE albums; yipee.

41. Hops drier: OAST. The now familiar brewing reference.

42. Swallow up: ENGULF.

47. Economic series: CYCLES, is it a cycle or a roller coaster off the tracks?

49. Bs in the key of G, e.g.: THIRDS, more music, need more help.

51. Sing "The Lonely Goatherd," say: YODEL performed by some favorites.

52. Entrepreneur inspired by Hershey: REESE, Peanut Butter Cup?

53. Fluid buildup: EDEMA, don't you love a puzzle that has EDAM and EDEMA?

55. U.S.S.R. part: UNION.

56. Gaucho's rope: REATA.

57. One concerned with the spot market? AD REP, cute advertising spots, not commodity prices.

60. 911 respondent: EMT, Emergency Medical Technician, well not too many Acronyms this week.

61. Female rabbit: DOE, who knew?

62. Chi-Town team: SOX, Nellie Fox was my childhood hero.

63. Historical span: ERA, also clothes washing product and an amendment that didn't.

65. __ rally: PEP, just in time, as I have run out of mine. Great long holiday weekend all, be careful and no more white pants or belts.

Answer grid.

Lemonade