Great symmetry in this letter replacement puzzle, with the first "L" of double Ls in four letter words ending 'ALL', are replaced with an I (the first word in theme 1,3 and 5; the last word in theme 2,4) to give a new phrase clued with humor. This is our second offering from Ms. Slay, with marti expostulating on a letter add on in May of 2013. I found this on the easy side for a Friday, but since it is gimmick free that may be all I needed to make me happy. The pallbearers morphing into milkmaids seemed a bit macabre, but the rest were amusing. Let's look over the puzzle.
17A. Device that tracks certain weather? : HAIL MONITOR. (11). (HALL monitors prowl dormitories) This would be a very limited use device, but we do get a few hailstorms every year, once in a while enough to dent cars.
23A. Make a mournful cry louder? : DRIVE UP THE WAIL. (somebody wailing, like at the dentist, would drive me up the WALL).
39A. Follow, oater-style? : TAIL IN THE SADDLE. (TALL in the saddle will always conjure this IMAGE) (1:05).
48A. Run-of-the-mill letters? : PEDESTRIAN MAIL. ( I visited the 16th Street MALL when last in Denver)
61A. Eight maids a-milking? : PAIL BEARERS. (This combination cast a slight PALL on my solving experience, because images of funerals bring back memories). I think their are usually 6 pallbearers. Are Jack and Jill the most famous pail bearers?
Across:
1. "Sesame Street" lessons : ABCS.
5. Logo, e.g. : EMBLEM.
11. NASA vehicle : LEM. An actual acronym Lunar Excursion Module.
14. Word spoken con affetto : CARA. Some Italian, with affection dear. 22A. Together, in music : A DUE. Italian again, due is two.
15. Lead ore : GALENA. This is something I know only from doing puzzles; do we have geologists in our midst? I have a nephew who works in that field.
16. "Should I take that as __?" : A NO. Yes.
19. Ken. neighbor : INDiana.
20. Handle : SEE TO.
21. Karaoke need : MIC. I guess the world has decided this is an independent word.
27. Bulldog, perhaps : ELI. Yale has more than one nickname. This sort of ties to 37D. Annex, maybe : ELL, which I thought would not be in the puzzle because of the LL.
28. German article : DAS. The neutral (non-masculine or feminine) LINK. 1D. Rhine whines : ACHS. Little pun on wine/whine. Maybe you need a dictionary? LINK. Our multilingual crowd (Kazie, marti, etc., will tell you more).
29. Lollapalooza gear : AMPS. Another abbreviation (amplifiers) that appears to now be a word.
33. They may be in columns : ANTS. Army ones anyway.
36. More ironic : DRIER. senses of humor I guess, I thought this was very hard to suss.
42. Short exile? : EX-PAT. He is only 5'8" For all my New England Patriot cornerites.
43. Tops : A-ONE.
44. __-portrait : SELF. Selfies from the phone are taking over.
45. Watch : EYE.
46. 64-Across opposite : NAY. 64A. 46-Across opposite : YEA.
56. Pie crust ingredient : LARD. Not many big companies use pig fat anymore.
57. Tidy sum : WAD. He had quite a wad of cash.
58. Warmer for a snowy day : COCOA. Maybe this would WORK; I will mail you the A.
60. Tree ring revelation : AGE. Yes when the sequoias get together for a reunion, it is always a circus.
65. Jeans measure : INSEAM. Just be careful who is doing the measurements for you.
66. Auditor's mark : TICK. The check mark.
67. Humerus locale : ARM. Near the funny bone.
68. Expels : EGESTS. IN = into: E = from, immigrate, emigrate. Just simple Latin.
69. Santa __: dry winds : ANAS. A day late for our own Santa baby.
Down:
2. Sounded like a flock : BAAED. The were baaed to the bone.
3. Old-time newsman : CRIER. Really going back when you got your news from the town crier, who did not whine.
4. 1972 missile pact : SALT I. Strategic Arms Limitation Talks ; I was ratified, II was abandoned when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan.
5. Id checker? : EGO. Nice Freud lesson, our ID (as in libido) is kept in check by our EGO.
6. "Holy cow!" : MAN.
7. Skycam carrier : BLIMP. Goodyear I lives nearby me. Come for the TOUR, then stop by for a snack.
8. The Beatles' "__ Be" : LET IT. You want to be in this STUDIO. (3:09)
9. Cain's oldest son : ENOCH. Exile or not.
10. Deface : MAR.
11. Saved for the future : LAID ASIDE. In this context I always say PUT aside, but this WORKS.
12. Blasé state : ENNUI.
13. Hobby shop purchase : MODEL.A shout out to Dennis who is tolerating the Florida winter rather well. Speaking of models, Kate Upton.
18. Stir : MOVE.
22. Accolades : AWARDS. Comes from a Latin word for neck (collum) because recipients got stuff to wear around their neck. We still give out medals (see Olympics) that way.
24. Panache : ELAN.
25. Utah's __ Mountains : UINTA. We have had these a couple of times before, but they have not stuck in my mind.
26. Norse mythology source : EDDA. Classic crossword answer.
29. Put away : ATE.
30. "Where the Wild Things Are" boy : MAX. My youngest loved the story and we went to the movie when it came out many years later; he loved it. I did not.
31. Winning the lottery, usually : PIPE DREAM. From the dreams of OPIUM DENS?
32. Left rolling in the aisles : SLAYED. Comedians, kill, slay,
crush...
34. E'en if : THO'.
35. Medicinal shrub : SENNA. A multi-talented PLANT.
38. Instant replay watcher : REF. The third abbreviation which is in this puzzle which has apparently become a stand alone word.
40. Jersey add-on : ITES.
41. Hannity of "Hannity" : SEAN. hard not link something political HERE.(2:37).
47. Gesture-driven hit : YMCA. The boys from the Village.
48. __ del Carmen, Mexico : PLAYA. mean beach in Spanish. Lucina?
49. Bright-eyed : EAGER.
50. Country sound : TWANG. All you ever wanted to know and MORE.
51. Put up : RAISE. Or shut up?
52. Isn't busy : IDLES.
53. It originates from the left ventricle : AORTA.
54. Trap at a chalet : ICE IN.
55. Spanish poet Federico García __ : LORCA. I wish Clear Ayes was here to speak of this POET, a very influential Spanish writer killed by Franco's men during the civil war.
59. Queries : ASKS.
61. __ chart : PIE.
62. Cricket club : BAT. Cute misdirection.
63. 911 response letters : EMS.
Well I am not in Kansas any more, only passing through to Colorado, but I hope this Friday frolic left you smiling and confident in your skills. Lemonade out.
