Theme: Shake 'em up baby, twist and shout. MUSIC.(2:47).
The last word in each theme answer has a vowel switch to create a new and whimsical answer clued appropriately. This is another gem from the multi-talented Mr. POOLE. He and I have been together many times, and my first Friday puzzle BLOG was one of his back in 2010. Some fun and some challenge, with long fill like RARA AVIS, MUENSTER and TATAMI. And like Jerome, I do love me an anagram. We don't need no stinkin' reveal.
17A. Army mints? : MILITARY TICTACS.(15). TACTICS. Wow, turning war into candy!
29A. Temperamental Midler impersonators? : BETTE DIVAS. (10) DAVIS. We get the two most famous Bettes.
37A. Penalize a Russian leader? : FINE LENIN.(9). LINEN. I cotton to this image of the old despot.
49A. Poll on where to sink the eight ball? : POCKET VOTE. (10). VETO. I love how the non-anagram word changes meaning so much in this and the previous answer.
64A. Seasonal shade of pink? : A CHRISTMAS CORAL. (15). CAROL. Perfect for your nails, my dears.
Across:
1. Circa : AROUND. A Latin word which has come into the language.
7. Snack brand with a monocled mascot : PLANTERS.
15. Retire : TURN IN. I am ready for bed.
16. One of a kind : RARA AVIS. We have this rare bird in pieces often. More Latin.
19. Bug : NETTLE.
20. Plural Spanish pronoun : ELLAS. Feminine. 60D. José's this : ESTO. Masculine.
21. Emu's extinct kin : MOA. Another extinct flightless bird; if you want information click and learn MOA.
22. Fleming and crime writer Rankin : IANS. I first learned of Scottish writer Rankin on this blog from Wolf Mom. A real anti-hero policeman, Inspector Rebus.
24. Smidgen : MITE.
27. Endow : FUND. Funny, when I think of a well endowed woman, I never think of money.
33. Estate item : ASSET. You need to prepare an inventory of assets in every estate.
35. "Got it!" : I SEE. Mira!
36. Student of Elves, in Tolkien : ENT. A tricky Hobbit reference.
41. Blast : GAS. I will pass on this one.
44. Shrimp : RUNT. I learned I really am shrinking.
45. ___ Galilee : SEA OF. Actually a lake in Israel.
53. Down : BLUE. I think this comes from the sailors flying a blue flag when a Captain died in days of yore.
54. Inner Hebrides isle : SKYE. Did anyone else think of this PERFORMER?
55. "Cheers" accountant : NORM. A favorite character. LINK.(3:47).
57. Texter's afterthought lead-in : BTW. By The Way.
58. Accounts : TALES. This one fooled me.
62. More than just calls : RAISES. Poker for example.
68. Semisoft cheese with an orange rind : MUENSTER. Along with Havarti, my favorite soft cheese.
69. Titillating : EROTIC. Such an individual concept, but perhaps some HISTORY. (2:59)
70. Recordings are made in them : SESSIONS. Hence studio musicians are also known as session musicians. Also, see jam sessions.
71. Jimmy follower : RONALD. Carter: Reagan.
Down:
1. Provider of bucks : ATM. Yes, those bucks, Automated Teller Machine.
2. Catastrophic : RUINOUS.
3. City saved by Joan of Arc : ORLEANS. On the Loire.
4. Troop group : UNIT. Actual military terms.
5. 1930s-'40s Chicago Outfit "enforcer" : NITTI. Frank, and the 2nd in command to Al Capone, who took over. Some wonderful books written including the historical mysteries of MAX ALLAN COLLINS I have been reading lots of his books, including ones with Nitti, who is presented as a somewhat sympathetic bad guy. Of course I loved the character on the old Untouchables.
6. Crime-solving locale : DNA LAB. CSI here we come.
7. Pull with effort : PRY.
8. Behind : LATE. I never heard a woman say she was behind.
9. Seed cover : ARIL. This is classic crosswordese.
10. Chemist's salt : NACL. NA-Sodium, CL-Chloride. Table variety as well.
11. Teahouse floor covering : TATAMI. Traditional Japanese MATS.
12. Not forthcoming : EVASIVE. This answer was elusive while it was evasive.
13. Rocker Ocasek : RIC. The lead singer of the CARS (4:18) (not yummy) and he is married to Paulina (yummy).
14. Old draft org. : SSS. Selective Service System
18. Pierce's co-star in "The Thomas Crown Affair" : RENE. Russo.
21. Museum curator's deg. : MFA. Master of Fine Arts.
23. Cheese with which port is traditionally served : STILTON. I will let our Anglo readers comment on this fine cheese.
25. Salon offering : TAN.
26. Setting for Columbus: Abbr. : EST. Ohio or Georgia, oh it does not matter they are both in Eastern Standard Time. Clock setting, good clue.
28. OED entry : DEFinition.
30. Grizabella creator's monogram : TSE. T.S. Eliot.
31. Bard's adverb : E'EN.
32. Agnus ___: Mass prayers : DEIS. Another crossword staple.
34. Flag : TIRE. This would have been hard but for the perps already there.
38. Aficionado : NUT.
39. P.O. purchase : ENVelope
40. Neighbor of Colo. : NEB. Hey Husker G!
41. SUV option : GPS.
42. Hunky-dory : A-OK. Pioneered by NASA to mean all okay.
43. Bush hooks, e.g. : SCYTHES. Nice clue.
46. Banff National Park locale : ALBERTA. A pretty and cold part of Canada.
47. Defeat in the regatta : OUTSAIL. NIT alert, while regattas are always boats, the races can be rowing ones like Henley.
48. Hardly hordes : FEW. Alliteration always!
50. "Team of Rivals" author Doris ___ Goodwin : KEARNS. Never heard of the AUTHOR or the book. The only Goodwin I know is Archie.
51. One-third of a WWII film : TORA. I believe it was a Pearl Harbor movie, Tora (Tiger) being the Japanese code word for the secret attack.
52. Backspace key, at times : ERASER.
56. Miniscule : MICRO. Yay, we get our O!
59. Actress Virna : LISI. One of the many Italian beauties.
61. Acronymous submachine gun : STEN. Reginald V. Shepherd and Harold Turpin, and EN for Enfield.
63. Procrastinator's word : SOON.
64. Trans ___ : AMS. The cars.
65. Stick around a pool hall? : CUE. Tightly phrased, stick (space).
66. Union title, often : MRS. Nice misdirection, nothing to do with workers or Civil War.
67. Calculator display, for short : LCD. Liquid Crystal Display.
Well the end came soon enough, and another Friday frolic finished. Going to visit my son in Denver for the first seder, and my best to those who celebrate Passover. A blessed day to all and a healthy happy Palm Sunday.
Lemonade out.
Happy Birthday to dear PK, who thinks pizza is the perfect food but can't have it due to food allergy. Spoil yourself today, PK!
