17-Across. Tarot card representing union : TWO OF CUPS.
24-Across. Brightening near a sunspot : SOLAR FLARE.
35-Across. Mixer? : BAR KEEPER. Great clue! And this is a scene with my favorite mixer.
49-Across. Ingredient that mimics the flavor of an edible fungus : TRUFFLE OIL. It really doesn't, though. I prefer real truffles, but have only had them on rare occasions.
And the reveal:
58. Checkers' speech? (or what are hidden in 17-, 24-, 35- and 49-Across) : DOG SOUNDS. Checkers is perhaps the most famous dog who never lived in the White House.
Very nice! Well-hidden dog vocalizations: three split between two words, one hidden totally in the first word. I seem to have had a run of easy puzzles for the past few Thursdays. There may have been a couple trouble spots, but eventually perps revealed the correct answers.
Across
1. Travelocity user's request : AISLE. Nope, I prefer the window.
6. Get too personal : PRY.
9. Prepare a spread for : CATER.
14. Word after open, in retail : UNTIL.
15. Duvall's role in "Gods and Generals" : LEE. The movie focuses on Stonewall Jackson.
16. Rap sheet entry : CRIME.
19. Hobbles : LIMPS.
20. Wind that can be controlled : HORN. And then we have 18-Down. Trumpet protector : CASE. I sense a CSO to Jazzbumpa!
21. Chowed down : ATE.
22. Prairie home : TEEPEE.
23. Fertility lab supply : OVA. Singular ovum.
26. Genre that evolved from ska : REGGAE. Not to be confused with "raga."
29. Spanish article : LAS.
30. Wordless okay : NOD.
31. __ preview : SNEAK.
32. Leveling piece : SHIM.
34. Spruce cousins : FIRS.
38. Auto club amenities : MAPS.
41. Work for : EARN.
42. See 5-Down : SANTA. And 5-Down. 42-Across helper : ELF. Not much to go on here, except 5-letters and three-letters, with "helper," will almost always point to SANTA and his ELF. CSO to Argyle!
46. Mountain ending : EER. Mountaineer.
47. Inclined : APT. I am apt to agree...
48. Pantomime : ACT OUT. Oh, so that's what the little brats are doing at the supermarket when they can't get the candy they want?
53. Citi Field player : MET. Citi Field replaced Shea Stadium.
54. Set of devotional prayers : ROSARY.
55. Genetic stuff : RNA.
56. React to yeast : RISE. You won't get a rise out of me, yeast!
57. Time piece? : ISSUE. Cute misdirection. The magazine, not the watch.
60. Nickel and dime : COINS. Straight-forward, but nice misdirection as well.
61. Lennon's love : ONO.
62. Swindler : CHEAT.
63. Cut drastically : SLASH.
64. Youngster : TOT. The ones doing pantomimes at the supermarket.
65. Low cards : TREYS. Three OF CUPS? It's meaning is joyful camaraderie.
Down
1. King and Queen : AUTHORS. Great misdirection. Stephen KING. Ellery QUEEN was actually the pen name of two cousins: Frederic Dannay and Manfred Lee, which were assumed names of Daniel Nathan and Manford Lepofsky. (Quiz, later.)
2. Meshed together : INWOVEN. This answer didn't mesh at first.
3. Place to put things : STORAGE. Simple!
4. Beast in the Royal Arms of England : LION. Lucky WAG.
6. Second-most-massive dwarf planet : PLUTO. The New Horizons probe will visit it next July.
7. Force back : REPEL.
8. __-man : YES. Or in Reggae, "Yeah, mon."
9. Symbols seen in viola music : C CLEFS.
10. "The Tempest" spirit : ARIEL.
11. Percussion instruments : TIMPANI.
12. Beethoven's last piano concerto, familiarly, with "the" : EMPEROR. Officially titled "Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 73," it was dedicated to his patron Archduke Rudolf. It was the English publisher who called it "The Emperor" concerto. I only linked a portion - the full concerto is 45 min. long, and I am sure you would finish reading this post long before it was over!
13. Deals with a patchy lawn : RESEEDS.
22. __ steamer : TRAMP. TRAMP ships carry goods from one port to another, without any fixed schedule. They are still used today, but they no longer are powered by steam.
25. Stranger : ALIEN.
27. Yaks : GABS.
28. Letters in a dossier : AKA. Also Known As.
32. Do lutzes, say : SKATE. Here's an incredible quadruple lutz by Brandon Mroz. Now, that's skating! 0:19
33. The Beatles' "And I Love __" : HER.
34. Host of some off-campus parties : FRAT. With beer kegs and togas.
36. Wedding invitation request : REPLY.
37. "Abort!" key : ESC.ape.
38. Poet's art : METRICS.
39. Spray : AEROSOL.
40. Frederick the Great's realm : PRUSSIA.
43. Party choice : NOMINEE.
44. Time associated with graceful children : TUESDAY. I'm a Wednesday child. You?
45. Swears (to) : ATTESTS.
47. From the beginning : AFRESH.
48. "That's a shame!" : ALAS.
50. Mythical goat-men : FAUNS.
51. Academic Maine town : ORONO.
52. Gold brick : INGOT.
56. Oberhausen's region : RUHR. Germany.
58. Period, for one : DOT. It was already filled for me by the across answers, but did anyone want "era?"
59. Autumn mo. : OCT.ober. Coming soon to a neighborhood near you!!
And that's all I have to say about that...0:05
Marti
