Husker Gary back at the helm and after shuffling some vowels around, I got 'er done. Even I got Kenneth's fun theme of five, count 'em five, different ways of prefacing a word or phrase with SIN or one of its homophones. What a hoot!
16. Form by combining elements : SYNTHESIZE - The shuttle's 3 main engines SYNTHESIZE H2 + O2 from the orange fuel tank into H2O in the exhaust
22. "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" singer : CYNDI LAUPER - Obviously in any language
33. Fictional voyager : SINBAD THE SAILOR - As I said, in any language
49. Sparkle : SCINTILLATE - Nothing SCINTILLATES like a girl's best friend
59. Host of the 2015 MLB All-Star Game : CINCINNATI - One of the biggest stars of that night was this ex-CINCINNATI player Pete Rose that MLB allowed to participate despite his lifetime ban from the game for betting
And the reveal
44. Wicked ... and, homophonically, like five long puzzle answers : SINFUL - SINFUL desserts on a SIN City (Las Vegas) cart
Not one SCINTILLA of criticism or SINISTER comment from this corner. Let's examine the SINEW of Kenneth's fine puzzle! (Stop me before I SIN again!!)
Across
1. Lobsters' sense organs : PALPI - Sensory organs on the mandible in the middle of the picture. What a 1 Across!
10. Flight from the law : LAM
13. Poker declaration : I'M OUT - Uh, I'M OUT!
14. "__ my guard down" : I LET
15. Famille patriarch : PERE - Paris pop
18. One-piece garments, slangily : UNIS - UNIsuitS on 2012 Women's Olympic Rowing Team
19. Rome-based carrier : ALITALIA - Wake me when we land at da Vinci Airport
20. Toll road timesaver : E-Z PASS - It's faster but not this much!
28. Guacamole, e.g. : DIP
29. Twisty letter : ESS
30. Diva delivery : ARIA - On Fridays, it's clued Nessun Dorma
31. Snoozed : SLEPT - Yes we did.
40. Retired New York senator Al D'__ : AMATO
41. Rational : SANE
42. DDE rival : AES - Adlai Stevenson was the Democratic sacrificial lamb against Ike
45. Esteemed league member : IVY
46. N, in Morse code : DASH DOT .-- .... .- - .- ..-. ..- -. .--. ..- --.. --.. .-.. . is "What a fun puzzle" in Morse code. Can you find the "N"?
52. Currencies : MONEYS
53. Irrationality : UNREASON - "To be loyal to rags, to shout for rags, to worship rags, to die for rags -- that is a loyalty of UNREASON...invented by monarchy" Mark Twain - A Connecticut in King Arthur's Court
58. Bravo preceder : ALFA - NATO alphabet
61. Not masc. or fem. : NEUT
62. Prod : URGE
63. Gold brick : INGOT - An INGOT of gold is 400 oz. and worth about $500,000 - give or take
64. Fashion monogram : YSL
65. Jury member : PEER
66. Fluff, as hair : TEASE
Down
1. Italian capital of its own province : PISA
2. Kind of nitrite : AMYL - An ingredient that can be found in these "poppers" to give you a quick rush
3. Actress Anderson : LONI - My fav WKRP In CINCINNATI character!
4. Golf stroke that can be practiced in a hallway : PUTT
5. Cornell University city : ITHACA - A 45 Across member
6. Brand that "gets the red out" : VISINE
7. Epic with a very big horse : ILIAD
8. Refillable candy : PEZ
9. Metal playing marbles : STEELIES - Is that a STEELY Dominic is using?
10. Delaware Valley tribe : LENAPE - Most were eventually were forced into Indian Territory/Oklahoma by the 1860's
11. Comes into view : ARISES
12. Salutation abbreviation : MESSRS - Dear MESSRS Spock, Kirk and McCoy, Please beam us up some residuals. Scotty, Sulu and the Gang
15. Bite-size Chinese appetizer : PU PU - Tastes better than the name
17. Tarzan portrayer Ron et al. : ELYS
21. Mothers of Invention musician : ZAPPA
23. Empty, as threats : IDLE - Must be an election year
24. Fourth notes : FAS - Long, long ways to run...
25. "Entourage" agent Gold : ARI
26. Diarist Anaïs : NIN
27. Rum-soaked cake : BABA - One way to add the rum!
31. "The Affair" airer, briefly : SHO
32. Morticia, to Gomez : TISH - Ah, great TV, The Addams Family
34. Peaceful relations : AMITY
35. Annual tennis team event : DAVIS CUP - This year's pairings if you're interested
37. Chap : LAD - It's time for Name That Tune with this lyric "When I was just a LAD of ten, my father said to me..."
38. Lennon partner : ONO
39. On Soc. Sec. : RET
42. The same number : AS MANY
43. Places where élèves study : ECOLES - Even Splynter and I can translate this
46. One of the reindeer : DANCER - Not DASHER I find out
47. "The Bell of __": Longfellow : ATRI
48. "Don't need to watch that movie again" : SEEN IT - What's the record for Caddyshack?
50. Spiffy : NEAT
51. Fencing attack : LUNGE
54. Celebrity chef Burrell : ANNE
55. Lengthy story : SAGA
56. Nebraska natives : OTOS - Let's play Find That County (alt. spelling)
60. Anger : IRE
Why do I keep hearing a McGuire Sisters song rolling around in my head? Oh well, Let he that is without SIN cast the first snarky nit!
The Grid:
