17. Political nickname for the Pacific states : LEFT COAST. Because they lean politically left.
29. Mexican seafood entrée : FISH TACOS. That made me hungry.
49. Protective botanical layers : SEED COATS. Look, it really is like a little coat.
66. Foppish neckwear : SILK ASCOT
41. Puccini title soprano whose name is an anagram of the ends of the four longest puzzle answers : TOSCA. Trailer below from The Royal Opera House in L(1:06)
Melissa here. Five letters that can spell at least four different words - although two are plural. Also, ACOST, but I know of no "____ ACOST" phrase. The crossing of ROLLE and BILE was the last to fill in for me - I first entered BITE, not remembering the name of the actress.
Across
1. Lose brightness : FADE
5. Sonic the Hedgehog developer : SEGA
9. "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" instrument : ORGAN
14. High-resolution film format : I-MAX. Tried HD--.
15. Spanish cross : CRUZ
16. Lariat loop : NOOSE. Lasso? Nope. Reata? Nope. Noose. Ding ding.
19. Up and about : ASTIR
20. Catch in a snare : ENTRAP
21. Departs : HEADS OFF
23. Tiler's calculation : AREA
25. Civil War side: Abbr. : CSA. Confederate States of America.
26. Deep voice : BASSO
35. European peak : ALP
36. Delivered from the womb : BORN
38. Trix or Kix : CEREAL
39. Rubber roller : TIRE
43. Designer Schiaparelli : ELSA
44. Nevertheless : EVEN SO
46. Geological timespans : EONS
48. Put a match to : LIT
51. Uneven, as a leaf's edge : EROSE
53. Everything : ALL
54. "Gone With the Wind" plantation : TARA
56. When the cock crows : DAYBREAK
61. Gospel writer enshrined in a Venice basilica : ST. MARK. Outside. Inside. Interesting.
65. To no __: fruitlessly : AVAIL
68. Esther of "Good Times" : ROLLE. Couldn't remember her name.
 |
| ha ha |
69. Bendable joint : KNEE
70. Lake on New York's western border : ERIE
71. 140-characters-or-less message : TWEET
72. Like much cheese and wine : AGED
73. Scream : YELL
Down
1. Submit one's taxes : FILE
2. "You said it!" : AMEN
3. Inane : DAFT.
4. Crowd scene actors : EXTRAS
5. Mouthwash brand : SCOPE
6. Significant time : ERA
7. Speak effusively : GUSH
8. Early Mexicans : AZTECS
9. At the movies, perhaps : ON A DATE.
10. '90s candidate H. __ Perot : ROSS
11. Attend : GO TO
12. "Yeah, sure" : AS IF. Such a rude expression, imo.
13. Soft ball maker : NERF
18. Chocolate substitute : CAROB
22. Waste receptacle : ASH CAN
24. Dr. J hairstyle : AFRO
26. Motel in a Hitchcock classic : BATES
27. Energetic : ALIVE
28. Shopping frenzy : SPREE
30. Map in a map : INSET
31. "__ you coming?" : ARE
32. String quartet member : CELLO. Two violins, one viola, and a cellist. Pictured below is the Brentano String Quartet. Here is their performance of "Quartet for Strings No. 6 in F minor, Op. 80 by Felix Mendelssohn (5:03).
33. Fertile desert spot : OASIS
34. Pool table slab : SLATE
37. "Becket" star Peter : O'TOOLE. 1964 Movie with Richard Burton, I had no idea.
40. Come to a close : END
42. Price : COST
45. Miss in the game of Clue : SCARLET
47. Mattress choice : SERTA
50. 49th state : ALASKA. Setting of Northern Exposure. Filmed in Roslyn, Washington.
52. Jazz pianist Lewis : RAMSEY
55. Showed curiosity : ASKED
56. Blowgun projectile : DART
57. Swear to be true : AVOW
58. Third-oldest U.S. university : YALE
59. Irascibility : BILE. Not bite.
60. Mattress choice : KING. Clecho.
62. Good-sized backyard : ACRE
63. Churn up : ROIL
64. "Power Hits" series record label : K-TEL. Wasn't aware they are still in business.
67. Robert E. __ : LEE
