Theme: A becomes Z.
The "A" in a familiar word or phrase in the 4 theme answers, becomes a "Z" creating a new word or phrase which is clued in a witty fashion, with a unifier to help if you get lost. I almost got lost with the days of the week, the holiday confusing me on the day of the week. But here we are, with a debut LA Times puzzle from a young Indiana college student who already has NY Times published. He used two across and two down for this theme fill and hides his unifier in the corner. There is more to it than that including a pangram and lots of other Zs.
18A. *Serious problem when planning an air force? : ZERO (AERO) PLANES (10). My first thought was we going for some complicated theme involving the Japanese air force.
62A. *Alluring Piccadilly hotel? : LOVELY RITZ (RITA) (10). The hotel born out of The Meter Maid.(2:43).
4D. *Malfunctioning candy dispensers? : PEZ (PEA) SHOOTERS(11). My favorite visual, with the candy flying everywhere
27D. *Game of nothing but pop flies and walks? : ZZZ (AAA)BASEBALL(11). This was my sticking point until I realized he was referencing minor league (AAA) baseball.
the unifier
65A. The whole nine yards, or a hint about how the starred answers were formed : A TO Z.
I like seeing ARIZ and ANTZ also in the grid.
Across:
1. Short distance : STEP. Just a step away.
5. Corsica neighbor : ELBA. I am sure you all were ABLE to get this word clued in a fresh fashion.
9. Den purchase : LCD TV. All perps, so many kinds of TVs.
14. Soccer legend : PELE. We keep kicking around this famous footballer.
15. Conan of NPR : NEAL. The award winning JOURNALIST who host TALK OF THE NATION for NPR.
16. 1939 Leigh role : O'HARA. Scarlett of course. She has been in many of the Fir-days this year.
17. MLB spring training locale : ARIZona. The first of three four- letter fill beginning in A and ending in Z; this one is the mirror fill with the reveal. We also have 26A. Film in which Woody Allen voices Z : ANTZ.
20. Inferior : TRASHY. And its companion 41D. Foul : SKANKY. Any thoughts Lois, Carol?
22. Feng ___ : SHUI. A shout out to our fearless leader who I am sure understands the dynamics of this ancient system of organization and design. Literally Wind and Water.
23. Unilever men's brand : AXE. My favorite never successful BAND.(4:57) This was put together by the drummer Teddy Mueller, after a tour with Cheap Trick. Sadly, Teddy just died in an accident.
24. Raw fish dish : SASHIMI. This gives me the SASHAKES.
28. Printer's extras : OVERS. Overruns, when too many are printed.
30. Stoked : JAZZED. The only J and more Z's.
34. It might be hooked to an outrigger : CANOE.
37. "Manhattan Murder Mystery" actor : ALDA. More Woody Allen, the TRAILER.(1:54)
39. Writer ___ Neale Hurston : ZORA. I was introduced to this AUTHOR by my son's 11th grade English teacher.Her books are well written and insightful.
40. Piles : A LOT.
41. Avian delicacy : SQUAB. UNDER GLASS this was considered a delicacy by many who did not know it is just a pigeon. Not much meat on those bones.
42. Bubble, perhaps : BOIL. Toil and trouble?
43. Piece of glass : PANE.
44. Diamondbacks manager Gibson : KIRK. An old Detroit Tiger who reemerged as a HERO (1:54) in LA.
45. Kosher deli offering : LATKE. Makes me feel at home, even if it is only a pancake or a troubled MIND (1:32).
46. Mountain chain : SIERRA.
48. Haydn and : PAPAS. Papa Hemingway was also in Midnight in Paris, to keep our Woody Allen sub plot going.
50. Grains at the shore : SAND. Oats and corn do not grow well at the beach.
52. Roller on a track : RACE CAR.
56. MLB spring training locale : FLA. Though no longer any teams in South Florida.
59. "___ You Not": Jack Paar book : I KID. You can buy it cheap at ALIBRIS.
61. Space cloud : NEBULA.
66. Too honorable for : ABOVE. Suspicion.
67. Lap edge : KNEE. I really like this clue/fill even if mine are shot.
68. Finish finish? : LINE. Or MAALIN?
69. Played, as a cello : BOWED.
70. Mariner's guide : STAR. Star light, star bright; first star I see tonight; I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight.
71. Ability to last : LEGS. Man this puzzle has lots of them, but I am suffering from double Monday disease.
Down:
1. Fancy footwear : SPATS. I always think of George Raft. And then of ZOOT SUITS like Carrey wore in Mask. Which fits with 31D. Muppet sax player : ZOOT.
2. Land at the Forum? : TERRA. Latin for land.
3. St. ___ Mountains: Alaska/Canada range : ELIAS. This PARK.
5. It often ends in "ase" : ENZYME. Another Z word.
6. Jamie or Kathie follower : LEE. CURTIS and GIFFORD.
7. Prevents : BARS.
8. Hana airport hello : ALOHA. How you land in Maui.
9. Nabokov classic : LOLITA. Jeannie, where are you?
10. Chinese tea : CHA. More HISTORY from China. Coincidence?
11. Fox's partner on "The X-Files" : DANA. Fox Mulder and Dana Scully were the two FBI agents. Remember who was the sceptic?
12. Creature that fought King Kong, familiarly : T-REX. Tyrannosaurus Rex. The ORIGINAL(2:57).
13. Centerpiece piece : VASE.
19. Kashmir neighbor : PUNJAB. Not far from Left.
21. Bee complex : HIVE. Nice vitamin pun.
25. President Jalal Talabani, for one : IRAQI. This MAN.
29. Sucking sound : SLURP.
32. Actor Estrada : ERIK. Any of the ladies hungry for some chips?
33. Low-lying area : DALE, not to be confused with Chip 'n Dale.
34. They may be locked on a computer : CAPS. Don't you yell at me!
35. Jai ___ : ALAI.
36. Less than slim, chancewise : NONE.
38. Senegal's capital : DAKAR. West African nation.
45. Tie, in a way : LACE. Your shoes.
47. Complained bitterly : RAILED.
49. German for "armor" : PANZER. Not related to Saul from Nero Wolfe books.
51. Highlands daggers : DIRKS. Not related to Mav Nowitski.
53. Doll : CUTIE. Pie.
54. Go-with go-between : ALONG. I do not go along with these connector clues.
55. Levels : RAZES. Ironic when it goes up it raises and then when it comes down....
56. Middle management problem : FLAB. Really excellent clue, except as a reminder of the the ongoing battle.
57. University of New Mexico mascot : LOBO. Wolf, but not Nero.
58. Admit openly : AVOW. Finally snuck in a legal one.
60. By ___ of: due to : DINT.
63. Three-faced woman of film : EVE. Based on a true psychology write up of a victim of DID, brilliantly played by Joanne Woodward, Paul Newman's wife.
64D. Spot in a pot : TEA. Well with 10D, Chinese TEA, this seems wrong, but it ends my run anyway, so you all decide. I am out of here for now.
Answer grid.
Lemonade out.
1. Short distance : STEP. Just a step away.
5. Corsica neighbor : ELBA. I am sure you all were ABLE to get this word clued in a fresh fashion.
9. Den purchase : LCD TV. All perps, so many kinds of TVs.
14. Soccer legend : PELE. We keep kicking around this famous footballer.
15. Conan of NPR : NEAL. The award winning JOURNALIST who host TALK OF THE NATION for NPR.
16. 1939 Leigh role : O'HARA. Scarlett of course. She has been in many of the Fir-days this year.
17. MLB spring training locale : ARIZona. The first of three four- letter fill beginning in A and ending in Z; this one is the mirror fill with the reveal. We also have 26A. Film in which Woody Allen voices Z : ANTZ.
20. Inferior : TRASHY. And its companion 41D. Foul : SKANKY. Any thoughts Lois, Carol?
22. Feng ___ : SHUI. A shout out to our fearless leader who I am sure understands the dynamics of this ancient system of organization and design. Literally Wind and Water.
23. Unilever men's brand : AXE. My favorite never successful BAND.(4:57) This was put together by the drummer Teddy Mueller, after a tour with Cheap Trick. Sadly, Teddy just died in an accident.
24. Raw fish dish : SASHIMI. This gives me the SASHAKES.
28. Printer's extras : OVERS. Overruns, when too many are printed.
30. Stoked : JAZZED. The only J and more Z's.
34. It might be hooked to an outrigger : CANOE.
37. "Manhattan Murder Mystery" actor : ALDA. More Woody Allen, the TRAILER.(1:54)
39. Writer ___ Neale Hurston : ZORA. I was introduced to this AUTHOR by my son's 11th grade English teacher.Her books are well written and insightful.
40. Piles : A LOT.
41. Avian delicacy : SQUAB. UNDER GLASS this was considered a delicacy by many who did not know it is just a pigeon. Not much meat on those bones.
42. Bubble, perhaps : BOIL. Toil and trouble?
43. Piece of glass : PANE.
44. Diamondbacks manager Gibson : KIRK. An old Detroit Tiger who reemerged as a HERO (1:54) in LA.
45. Kosher deli offering : LATKE. Makes me feel at home, even if it is only a pancake or a troubled MIND (1:32).
46. Mountain chain : SIERRA.
48. Haydn and : PAPAS. Papa Hemingway was also in Midnight in Paris, to keep our Woody Allen sub plot going.
50. Grains at the shore : SAND. Oats and corn do not grow well at the beach.
52. Roller on a track : RACE CAR.
56. MLB spring training locale : FLA. Though no longer any teams in South Florida.
59. "___ You Not": Jack Paar book : I KID. You can buy it cheap at ALIBRIS.
61. Space cloud : NEBULA.
66. Too honorable for : ABOVE. Suspicion.
67. Lap edge : KNEE. I really like this clue/fill even if mine are shot.
68. Finish finish? : LINE. Or MAALIN?
69. Played, as a cello : BOWED.
70. Mariner's guide : STAR. Star light, star bright; first star I see tonight; I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight.
71. Ability to last : LEGS. Man this puzzle has lots of them, but I am suffering from double Monday disease.
Down:
1. Fancy footwear : SPATS. I always think of George Raft. And then of ZOOT SUITS like Carrey wore in Mask. Which fits with 31D. Muppet sax player : ZOOT.
2. Land at the Forum? : TERRA. Latin for land.
3. St. ___ Mountains: Alaska/Canada range : ELIAS. This PARK.
5. It often ends in "ase" : ENZYME. Another Z word.
7. Prevents : BARS.
8. Hana airport hello : ALOHA. How you land in Maui.
9. Nabokov classic : LOLITA. Jeannie, where are you?
10. Chinese tea : CHA. More HISTORY from China. Coincidence?
11. Fox's partner on "The X-Files" : DANA. Fox Mulder and Dana Scully were the two FBI agents. Remember who was the sceptic?
12. Creature that fought King Kong, familiarly : T-REX. Tyrannosaurus Rex. The ORIGINAL(2:57).
13. Centerpiece piece : VASE.
19. Kashmir neighbor : PUNJAB. Not far from Left.
21. Bee complex : HIVE. Nice vitamin pun.
25. President Jalal Talabani, for one : IRAQI. This MAN.
29. Sucking sound : SLURP.
33. Low-lying area : DALE, not to be confused with Chip 'n Dale.
34. They may be locked on a computer : CAPS. Don't you yell at me!
35. Jai ___ : ALAI.
36. Less than slim, chancewise : NONE.
38. Senegal's capital : DAKAR. West African nation.
45. Tie, in a way : LACE. Your shoes.
47. Complained bitterly : RAILED.
49. German for "armor" : PANZER. Not related to Saul from Nero Wolfe books.
51. Highlands daggers : DIRKS. Not related to Mav Nowitski.
53. Doll : CUTIE. Pie.
54. Go-with go-between : ALONG. I do not go along with these connector clues.
55. Levels : RAZES. Ironic when it goes up it raises and then when it comes down....
56. Middle management problem : FLAB. Really excellent clue, except as a reminder of the the ongoing battle.
57. University of New Mexico mascot : LOBO. Wolf, but not Nero.
58. Admit openly : AVOW. Finally snuck in a legal one.
60. By ___ of: due to : DINT.
63. Three-faced woman of film : EVE. Based on a true psychology write up of a victim of DID, brilliantly played by Joanne Woodward, Paul Newman's wife.
64D. Spot in a pot : TEA. Well with 10D, Chinese TEA, this seems wrong, but it ends my run anyway, so you all decide. I am out of here for now.
Answer grid.
Lemonade out.
From C.C.:
Happy Birthday to dear Clear Ayes! Your fighting spirit and optimism are truly inspiring. And your presence and warmth are sorely missed on the blog.
Happy Birthday to dear Clear Ayes! Your fighting spirit and optimism are truly inspiring. And your presence and warmth are sorely missed on the blog.
