17A. *Large emigration : MASS EXODUS.
24A. *Lunchbox item : SOUP THERMOS.
32A. *"I'll Be There for You" on "Friends," e.g. : THEME SONG.
47A. *Children's literature VIP : ILLUSTRATOR.
54A. *Daily Planet setting : METROPOLIS.
62A. Word that can follow five prefixes hidden sequentially in the answers to starred clues : SPHERE.
Wow. Once again, I believe I have an LA Times debut puzzle. If so, congratulations on your tour de force, John! Finding words that have atmospheric prefixes hidden in them would be tough, but to put them into the grid, in order of their height above the earth, is simply awesome!
It was fun to see 8D SHUTTLES crossing the THERMO- prefix, since that is where the space shuttle orbits. Let's see what else is on the agenda today.
Across:
1. Elementary fellow? : HOLMES. I immediately tried "Watson." Nope!
7. Chief Osceola riding Renegade introduces its home games: Abbr. : FSU. Florida State
University. The Seminoles had an unforgettable game against Auburn to win the national championship this year.
10. Daddy : PAPA.
14. Longtime Hawaiian senator Daniel : INOUYE.
15. Ottowan interjections : EHS. CanadianEh!
16. Woeful cry : ALAS.
19. Frisks, with "down" : PATS.
20. Asian holiday : TET.
21. Letter-shaped fastener : T-NUT.
22. Land at Orly? : TERRE. Cute misdirection. French "land."
23. Confederate : REB.
26. Smallish crocodilians : CAIMANS. Hey - I just had this one last week.
28. Portal toppers : LINTELS.
29. 100-eyed giant of myth : ARGUS.
30. Word of greeting : HEY.
31. Points a finger at : IDs.
36. __ date : DUE.
38. Levy : TAX.
39. Brought about : LED TO.
43. Southeast Asian honey lover : SUN BEAR. They also love termites.
45. Oporto native, e.g. : IBERIAN.
49. Brandy label letters : VSO. Very Superior (or "special) Old. I immediately thought of Tinbeni.
50. Cream of the crop : ELITE.
51. CNBC topics : IPOs. Initial Public Offering, on the stock market.
52. Breadbasket, so to speak : GUT.
53. Director Gus Van __ : SANT. I loved "Good Will Hunting."
57. Palm smartphone : TREO.
58. Celebratory poem : ODE.
59. Valuable lump : NUGGET. Not if it is just scat.
60. Bldg. annex : ADDN. Addition.
61. Beersheba's land: Abbr. : ISR.ael. We just had Beersheba in one of the Sunday clues this week.
Down:
1. "Tell __": 1962-'63 hit : HIM. The Exciters. 2:33.
2. Winning steadily : ON A TEAR. I always thought it meant to do something with a burst of frenzy. ("She was on a tear to get the house ready for her mother-in-law's visit.")
3. Get clobbered : LOSE BIG.
4. It's not an option : MUST.
5. Observe : EYE.
6. Church maintenance officer : SEXTON.
7. Disgusted : FED UP.
8. Back-and-forth flights : SHUTTLES. US Airways runs shuttles between Boston and NYC every hour from 6 AM to 9 PM.
9. Navy hull letters : USS. Spitzboov!
10. Empty threat : PAPER TIGER.
11. Afraid : ALARMED.
12. Platoon activities : PATROLS.
13. Look over carefully : ASSESS.
18. Burden : ONUS.
22. X, sometimes : TEN.
23. __ Victor : RCA.
24. Window part : SASH…jamb…sill…pane…head…rail...
25. Silver opening? : HI-YO. The Lone Ranger's shout to his horse "Hi-yo, Silver! Awaaaay."
27. Remote control : MUTE BUTTON. (Do husbands come with one of those?)
30. Spell : HEX.
33. Floride, par exemple : ETAT. More French.
34. Many couples : MARRIEDS.
35. Cub or Card : NLER. National Leaguer.
36. Simpleton : DULLARD.
37. Like some looseleaf paper : UNLINED.
40. Reveal : DIVULGE.
41. More to one's liking : TASTIER.
42. Plastic __ Band : ONO.
43. Cuarenta winks? : SIESTA. Spanish "40" = cuarenta.
44. Tongue suffix : ESE. Languages. Cantonese, Burmese, Chinese, etc.
45. "Click __ Ticket": road safety slogan : IT OR.
46. Quantum gravity particles : BOSONS. If you have trouble sleeping at night, turn to this article.
48. More timely : APTER. meh.
52. Painter van __ : GOGH.
54. French pronoun : MOI. It's all about me. Even more French.
55. __ tent : PUP.
56. CPA's office, perhaps : STE. Suite. I'll be visiting him soon.
'Til next week, adieu!
Marti
