Theme: DIG IN !!
This is what is called a "Definition" type theme, where the same clue is used for different meanings in the answers, like so:
17A. Digs : HIPPIES LODGINGS. "Cool digs, man!"
28A. Digs : TAUNTING REMARKS. Now known as "Diss's"?
45A. Digs : VOLLEYBALL MOVES. Saving a spiked or served ball from hitting your side of the court. (Who knew?)
58A. Digs : ARCHAEOLOGY JOBS. Indiana Jones would have answered this one in a heartbeat!
I believe this is the first puzzle in the LA Times for Ruth Ann Dailey, although she is no stranger to crossword constructing. She writes columns for the Pittsburgh Gazette, and constructs Sunday puzzles there as "The Pittsburgh Puzzler".
Marti here. I hope you will all soon be digging into your Thanksgiving meals!
Across:
1. Photo finish : MATTE. Not glossy or semi-gloss. Matte is a dull finish, suitable for formal portraits.
6. Turned right : GEE'D. "Gee" and "haw" are words used to direct farm animals. I always have trouble remembering my "gee" from my "haw".
10. Caen cleric : ABBÉ. Nothing special about "Caen", other than the fact that it is a French city. And ABBÉ is used as the title of a superior of a monastery in France.
14. Meet the need : AVAIL. Funny word, that. "Do the trick", "Be of use". As in, "To no avail..."
15. Chorus girl : ALTO. Or guy.
16. Catch with the goods, maybe : RAID
20. Amateur ending : ISH
21. Sgt. maj., e.g. : NCO . Non-Commissioned Officer.
22. Uncle Sam feature : GOATEE. Top hat would also fit...
23. "A Dog of Flanders" author : OUIDA. Ouida was her pseudonym. Her real name was Marie Louise del la Ramée. The story is about a boy named Nello and his dog Patrasche. Sad story, ending in the tragic death of the boy and the dog when they freeze to death on Christmas Eve in the Cathedral in Antwerp. You can catch it on TCM late night.
26. Trading place : PIT. The trading "pit" of the NY Stock exchange.
27. Angled joint : ELL
32. Textbook unit : LESSON
33. "Air Music" composer : ROREM. Piano Concerto in Six Parts for which he won the Pulitzer Prize in Music. Parts 1 & 2, here.
34. Alberta native : CREE
35. Limited number, with "the" : FEW ...the proud, the Marines.
36. Mosul's land : IRAQ. Map.
40. Not hide : ADMIT
43. Country with six time zones : CANADA . Map.
49. Syst. of sound syllables : IPA. International Phonetic Alphabet.
50. Mil. ranks : LTS . Lieutenants.
51. Very peculiar : OUTRÉ . French for "excessive". Way out there...
52. 1997 Nicolas Cage hair-raiser : CONAIR. Cons in the air...that about sums it up.
54. First name in objectivism : AYN. Ayn Rand. Read here about objectivism, if you are curious.
55. Overseas denial : NAE . No, nae, never...
62. Bus sched. data : RTES . Routes. Abbr. in clue hints at abbr. in ans.
63. Leap for Scott Hamilton : AXEL. I'm sure there's an axel in here somewhere...but I linked this because Scott Hamilton is just such a joy to watch! (And what a finish!!)
64. Reunion group : ALUMS
65. ___ speak : SO TO.
66. Banks on the tube : TYRA. Model, actress, media personality, author and business mogul as well!
67. Rapper's crew : POSSE. A hip-hop retinue.
Down
1. When repeated, a fish : MAHI - mahi.
2. Name on an airport shuttle : AVIS
3. British tavern : TAP HOUSE
4. Service reward : TIP. If someone does not provide good service, do you still tip?
5. Priest in I Samuel : ELI
6. Garage container : GAS CAN
7. Cockney greeting : 'ELLO.
8. WWII command : ETO
9. More evasive : DODGIER. Interesting word. And from Dickens we get "The Artful Dodger". Evasive character, that one!
10. Spotlit solo : ARIA
11. Teasing : BANTER . Lots of banter on this blog.
12. Omaha chief who was an ally of the U.S. in the War of 1812 : BIG ELK
13. 1950s bombs : EDSELS. The Ford Motor Company failures.
18. Conclude with : END IN
19. "I haven't the foggiest!" : GOT ME!
24. Open, in a way : UNSEAL
25. Simpson judge : ITO. Why did I immediately think of the cartoon Simpsons? (Abu? Stu?...) But then again, who am I TO judge?
26. Bow : PROW.
28. Mom's skill, briefly : TLC. Tender Loving Care, of course!
29. Flying prefix : AER. Shouldn't that have an "o" on the end?
30. "On the Record" host Van Susteren : GRETA
31. Key with no sharps or flats : A MINOR
35. Whopper juniors? : FIBS. Fun clue!
37. Famished : RAVENOUS. Are you all getting ravenous for turkey?
38. Ending for lime : ADE
39. ___ in Quebec : Q, AS
41. Screenwrite Ephron : DELIA
42. Big spender's offer : MY TREAT
43. Held on : CLUNG
44. Qty. : AMT. Quantity / Amount
45. Anglican priests : VICARS
46. Wine city north of Lisbon : OPORTO. The second largest city in Portugal. Their flag is quite pretty.
47. Surgeon's tool : LANCET . Also a doctor's magazine. You can read all about Ocrelizumab and relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in the current issue.
48. Common Jesuit school : LOYOLA
53. Semi-serious "I see" : AH SO
54. One of the Sox, e.g. : AL-ER. American League-er
56. Silo contents: Abbr. : ABMs. Anti Ballistic Missles. Not the farm type of silo.
57. Latin 101 verb : ESSE. To be, or not to be...
59. Acne Treatment brand : OXY. Skin car brand. Real People. Real Results. Real Fast.
60. You may be told to shut yours : YAP. Oh, sorry! Have I been yakking too much?
61. "Out of Sight" co-star, familiarly : J-LO. Jennifer Lopez, in case you have been living under a rock for the last few years...
Answer grid.
Happy Thanksgiving, everybody, and a very special THANK YOU to C.C. for making this wonderful, fun corner possible!
Hugs,
Marti
Note from C.C.:
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