Look what Blew in this week, marti blogging C.C., and then I get a Friday frolic with the mind of miss m with what was not a difficult extraction. Each of the four (4) theme answers has the letter "N" removed from a 4-letter word to create a new and side-splitting phrase. For me, all add a letter, take away a letter puzzles depend on the humor of the new phrases and especially the wittiness of the reveal. To transform BLOWN AWAY, a common phrase, into the evocative, BLOW 'N' AWAY, curls my puzzle solving toes. The 4 are all legitimate and fun (I like LOG DIVISION best). We have BREW for Tin and I, some Shakespeare, OSLO for our Norwegian contingent, some pretty people and Dr. Seuss. I found it it a quick solve, with oodles of 3 and 4 letter fill to speed the process. Odd that BLOW would be central to two themes this week?
17A. Transport selling wieners? : HOT DOG BU
24A. Woodsman's job? : LO
41A. Ma and pa's retirement dream? : LIVING OFF THE LA
51A. Tabloids? : LI
66A. Totally amazed ... or, read another way, a hint to 17-, 24-, 41- and 51-Across : BLOW N AWAY.(9)
Across:
1. Bangers side : MASH. I made my non-British version of this favorite for my son and his wife when they came by to drop off their dog last week. With the hot dog clue reference we have a mini-theme of encased meat.
5. DOL division : OSHA. I might run out of red ink, Department of Labor begot Occupational Safety and Health Administration. I know OSHA is an acronym, but does anybody say DOL?
9. Concerns : FEARS.
14. Potpourri : OLIO. A SSO to C.C.
15. Stock answers? : MOOS. marti, so witty, that was a live one.
16. First : ON TOP. Of the standings, for example.
20. Author among whose pen names was Theo LeSieg : SEUSS. Cute Friday clue, though marti nit number 1, does anyone ever not say, "Dr. Seuss?
21. Not suitable : INAPT.
23. Stutz contemporary : REO. Early automobiles.
27. Church official : DEACON. A sub-priest I believe. I had so many links, Richard Deacon, Phil Silvers' brother, Queen bassist John Deacon, Deacon Jones, Wake Forest Demon Deacons.... so I left the linking to you.
31. Racer Fabi : TEO. Formula One and Indy driver. LINK.(1:10)
32. Countertenor's range : ALTO. Do not know music but this seemed easy. Do people say countertenor?
33. Sommer of "The Money Trap" : ELKE.
37. Outline : TRACE.
44. __ question : YES/NO. marti has used this before? yes? no?
45. Broadway opening : ACT I. Nice clue.
46. Buyer's boon : SALE.
47. Repeatedly, quaintly : OFT.
49. Eschews the café : EATS IN. Where you stay home and eschew your food.
57. Growing field?: Abbr. : AGRiculture.
58. "... bombs bursting __" : IN AIR. Name that tune!
59. Nahuatl speaker : AZTEC. Incan Aztec, eh.
64. Danger : PERIL.
68. Round perch : STOOL. Avoiding more breakfast test commentary.
69. 21,730-pg. references : OEDS. Oxford English Dictionaries.
70. Logan of CBS News : LARA. This is the South African newswoman attacked and raped on camera in Egypt. No links. Horrible reality.
71. Pulls in : EARNS.
72. Pub order : BREW. Not likely to get much use in a real pub, as pubs have choices.
73. Mike Tirico's network : ESPN. He is CONTROVERSIAL.
Down:
1. Scratch-resistance scale : MOHS. Mineral hardness scale. Named for a German mineralogist, not one of the Three Stooges.
2. Natural balm : ALOE. In Florida, after too much sun, it is the bomb.
3. In __: as originally placed : SITU. Made famous by TV and CSI type shows.
4. Coal scuttles : HODS. Not hard, except for Bostonians.
6. Ferber novel : SO BIG.
7. Harass : HOUND. Game of Thrones?. LINK.
8. Verdi adverb : ASSAI. This could be very hard if you do not know Italian or music.
9. Ruby anniversary : FORTIETH. My son just had his wooden anniversary.
10. Opposite of 67-Down : ENE. Cheesy cross-reference with 67D. Opposite of 10-Down : WSW.
11. Big arcade name : ATARI.
12. Sport based on vaquero skills : RODEO. Vaquero is I believe Spanish for Cowboy; I hear they are riding motorcycles instead of horses now.
13. Keep under surveillance : SPY ON. No politics.
18. Home of the Munch Museum : OSLO. Like his most famous work, the place is surreal.
22. Cpl.'s subordinate : PVT
25. Heist unit : ONE G, I guess you decide how many thousands you get.
26. Most likely to groan : SOREST. Most sore, not so rest.
27. Carson of "The Voice" : DALY. A TV STAR.
28. Writer Wiesel : ELIE.
29. Rugged rides, for short : ATVS. All Terrain Vehicls.
30. Needing quarters, perhaps : COIN OP. Really?
34. Mauna __ : LOA. It is lower than KEA, which is higher than LOA..
35. Popeyes rival : KFC. Kentucky Fried Chicken.
36. Juvenile salamander : EFT.
38. "__, I am not coop'd here for defence!": "Henry VI, Part 3" : ALAS. Act V, SCENE I.
39. Colombian city : CALI.
40. Early cover-up site? : EDEN. Really cute fig leaf clue.
42. Basic : NO FRILLS. There is no truth to the rumor Spirit Airlines is selling toilet tissue by the square.
43. Bowl level : TIER.
48. London can : TIN. Another Shout out. Maybe Steve can bring us a tin of roe when he travels.
50. Slippery-eel link : AS AN. Is this a partial?
51. Backslide : LAPSE.
52. "__ Kick Out of You" : I GET A. How about some BLUE EYES (3:09)?
53. Flub : ERROR.
54. Big shot : NABOB. Are the nattering?
55. Floor worker : TILER. I wonder why there
56. Undermine : ERODE.
60. Jewelry entrepreneur Morris : ZALE. Did not know this MAN.The Z made it simple.
61. "__ the night ..." : TWAS. An Argyle SSO.
62. Tombstone lawman : EARP.
63. Primary printing color : CYAN.
65. It's always charged : ION.
No charging for me, I am going to have to pay cash as I had my pocket picked at the gas station, and my wallet and credit cards gone. You think it can't happen but it did and I had no clue. I did however pull myself together to unravel these clues and hope you are all doing well. I blame Mercury.
Lemonade out.
