Theme: Is this the Gamblers Anonymous meeting? I bet it isn't! How much you want to put on it?
GA, which is better known as the two letter abbreviation for Georgia is added into three thirteen letter phrases to create a new and whimsically clued phrase for which another 15 letter reveal is presented. With four grid spanning answers, Mark needed lots of short fill to make the grid work, primarily using four letter words, but not THE four letter words. This is the third of Mark's LAT publications that I have had the pleasure of blogging and so far the easiest. Mark has come by the Corner to comment on puzzles as well. The sparkly 6 letter fill came easily and while the gimmick hid for a while, once you see the added letters the long ones were done. This made the rest of the solve go quickly. I enjoyed seeing AMORAL, BORING, DADDY-O, EPONYM, MITTEN, RICOHS in the grid. There were some Friday clues/fill and some use of cheater squares to make it all fit. My unknown was COTE, which comes from the same strain as COTTAGE and I struggled with the vaguely recalled CAEN and LALO. Well let's look it over.
17A. Missed the bird's nest under the eaves? : FLEW INTO A GARAGE (14). I try not to rage.
26A. Red army unit? : BLUSHING BRIGADE (15). Do brides blush anymore?
44A. Druid baker's recipe? : PAGAN CAKE BATTER (15). Since I knew Druids were pagans, and pancake batter popped out, this is where I got the theme. Also my favorite.
57A. Carmichael/Gorrell classic, and a hint to this puzzle's theme : GEORGIA ON MY MIND (15). my favorite version. LINK.
Across:
1. Goof : SLIP. Betwixt the cup and the lip.
5. Barnyard cries : MAAS. I think of this defunct retailer.
9. Cook, in a way : BOIL.
13. Scheduled 2022 FIFA World Cup host : QATAR. More scandal there.
15. "As Time Goes By" requester : ILSA. She will live on.
16. Procter & Gamble cosmetics brand : OLAY. Katie Holmes did ads for them.
20. Toon cat : TOM. TomKat divorced.
21. Farm shelter : COTE. A new word for me, apparently home to pigeons among others. I would have done better with this one. LINK.
22. Records, nowadays : TIVOS. I think they are mostly generic DVRs.
23. Study intently, with "over" : PORE.
24. City SW of Le Havre : CAEN. This CITY was the base for William the Conqueror and the site of many war deaths.
33. Thirsts : LUSTS. Oh my! 41A. Drive : URGE. Oh my!
34. Bit attachment : REIN. Horses.
35. Luau dish : POI. Yummy!
36. Here, in 24-Across : ICI. Just the French word.
39. Throw in : ADD.
40. Time meas. : MINute..
42. Musical lament : DIRGE. Pray for the dead and the dead will pray for you. LINK.
48. Future execs, perhaps : MBAS. Not to be confused with MAAS.
49. They're full of beans : PODS. Fun clue.
50. It was removed from the Dow 30 the same year Nike was added : ALCOA. It happened in 2013.
53. Protective cover : HOOD.
54. Court : WOO, A nice old fashioned word.
61. Nike competitor : AVIA. Not sure about competitor anymore, but it has an interesting HISTORY.
62. Art medium : CLAY. I am better with play doh.
63. Shred : OUNCE. Your Honor there is not one shred of evidence...
64. Tiny stream : RILL.
65. Damage : HARM.
66. Hits the road : GOES. Was it George Carlin who pointed out how ridiculous this expression is? He did COMMENT on much life.
Down:
1. Real estate ad no. : SQFT. SQuare FeeT. Any Q without a U is tricky.
2. "Symphonie espagnole" composer : LALO. Compose yourself then read. LINK.
3. Couple in the news : ITEM. Another celebrity and a nanny?
4. Dog's dog : PAW. Do young people remember feet are called dogs, and the old 'my dogs are barking complaint? Is it true they name Hush Puppies because of that?
5. Winter warmer : MITTEN.
When I was first smitten
With a perfect white mitten
It wasn't my true love
With her leather glove
But a purrfect little kitten.
6. Natural soother : ALOE.
7. "__ rule ..." : AS A. Was it Groucho who said, " As a rule I do not smoke, but as a habit I do."
8. Subside : SAG. Not what brings sag to my mind.
9. Likely to elicit a nod? : BORING.
10. Norwegian saint : OLAV. Not OLAY!
11. "It is the green-eyed monster ..." speaker : IAGO.
12. Strong cleaners : LYES.
14. Some copiers : RICOHS.
18. "Me neither" : NOR I.
19. Canceled a reservation, maybe : ATE IN.
23. Ore. setting : PST. Pacific Standard Time.
24. Speaker of words like alpha and bravo : CBER. Semi clecho: 29D. Like alpha, but not bravo : GREEK.
25. It's frequently in Italian : ARIA.
26. Aerial view provider : BLIMP.
27. Saint __: Caribbean island nation : LUCIA.
28. Via : USING. I go to work by I-95.
30. Split : APART. Ben-Jen. TomKat, where will it all end?
31. Sidestep : DODGE. Impossible to not get into politics with this fill.
32. Where to get down : EIDER. My favorite clue, as the misdirection really works. My mind went to this SONG (3:03)with the rare female lead guitar.
37. Ocean predator : ORCA. Whale of a good answer.
38. Two of Rory McIlroy's major wins, familiarly : PGAS. A record breaking performance last week by Jason Day and Jordan Speith knocked Rory out of world number 1.
41. Put away, as groceries : UNBAG. Really?
42. Beat address : DADDY-O. I think of Maynard G. Krebs but see
43. "__ a trick!" : IT'S.
45. Unscrupulous : AMORAL.
46. Sousaphone, for one : EPONYM. The instrument is names after the inventor.
47. Loud noise : BOOM.
50. Food thickener : AGAR, Cool to this so soon on its own again.
51. Son of Jacob : LEVI. One of 12 sons, Reuben · Simeon · Levi · Judah · Dan · Naphtali · Gad · Asher · Issachar · Zebulun · Joseph · Benjamin.
52. Stamp purchase : COIL. The hardest clue for an easy fill.
53. Icy coating : HOAR. This and rime must be known.
54. Lush : WINO.
55. "The Sea of Faith / Was __, too, at the full ... ": "Dover Beach" : ONCE. All perps.
56. Laudatory verses : ODES.
58. Berlin pronoun : ICH. Wer ist da? — Ich bins! Who's there? — It's me!
59. In the fashion of : À LA. A little more French.
60. Actor's exaggeration : MUG. For the camera dear...
Well another Friday in the books and a nice workout from Mark, who I hope will stop by and tell us his inspiration for this puzzle. I had fun and hope you all did, Lemonade out.
