Thursday, September 8th, 2016 Jeffrey Wechsler

Theme. ¿Hablas Español? Seven Spanish-language entries stepping across and down the grid as neatly explained by the grid-spanning reveal.

13A. Common refreshment : AGUA. I knew right away that something was afoot when this had no indication of "in Spanish" in the clue.

14D. "I'm outta here" : ADIOS. I like how "Amigo" is another of the seven themers.

28A. Chef's creation : SALSA. Once I saw this I was off to the races. I've never solved a puzzle diagonally before but the other four theme entries went in one after the other.

30D. Buddy : AMIGO

48A. Not us : OTROS. The others.

50D. Figure of veneration : SANTA. All females. The men are "San". When I can't sleep I sometimes try an alphabet run of place names, one for each San/Santa. I haven't been able to come up with a Santa "Z" yet, but there is a San Zaccaria church in Venice.

68A. Museum contents : ARTE. The Keats-Shelley memorial museum is in the house where Keats lived at the top of the Spanish Steps.

and the reveal:

39A. Roman landmark graphically portrayed by this puzzle's circles : THE SPANISH STEPS. Either "Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti" or "Scalina Spagna" in Italian depending on who you ask. You need to get up early to see them this devoid of people:

Buenos dias amigos y amigas! Steve here with Jeffrey's quick Spanish 101 quiz. A neat theme and a tidy grid with only one entry I wished wasn't there (I'm looking at you, S.F. FAN). There's a lot of unusual or unique fill; the whole puzzle feels very fresh. ¡Bravo!

Right then, let's see what else we've got. Ándale!

Across:

1. The 1% in 1% milk : FAT

4. Court activity : HOOPS

9. Baseball's "Georgia Peach" : COBB. Nailed it! Getting better at baseball icons.

15. TV comic Kovacs : ERNIE. I knew the name, but I never saw the show. He died in a car crash here in Los Angeles when I was three.

16. Campers' gathering place : FIRE. Not SITE as I had first.

17. Bill "Bojangles" Robinson's forte : TAP-DANCING

19. Actress Lena : OLIN. I always forget her. Thank you, crosses!

20. Amazon's biz : E-TAIL

21. Really dug : ATE UP

23. One may be tipped : HAT

24. Translate, in a way : DECODE

26. Landscaper's contraption : SEEDER. This one is not messing around:

31. Heavenly figure : SERAPH. Top of the heap of the celestial hierarchy. That's one boss angel.

33. Cadillac compact : ATS. It's the smallest of the brand's model line.

36. Soup bean : LIMA

38. Cookout spot : PATIO

43. Big fight : MELEE

44. Elegant molding : OGEE. Comes from "Oh gee, that's some nice molding you've got there".

45. Collecting Soc. Sec. : RET. Not RTD, which I tried first.

46. Claim in a tissue ad : SOFTER

51. Brand in a B-52 cocktail : KAHLÚA. Comes from Mexico, appropriately enough for this puzzle's theme. Kahlúa, Baileys Irish Cream and triple sec, layered.

53. Jerks : SPASMS

57. Promise : VOW

58. One rooting for the Niners, briefly : S.F. FAN. Not my favorite.

61. Open, in a way : UNCAP

62. "Iliad" warrior : AJAX. Also a Dutch soccer team. I saw them play in Amsterdam and have a souvenir jersey.

64. Chaucer narrative told by Huberd, with "The" : FRIAR'S TALE. He was mean about a summoner, and so the summoner told a mean tale about a Friar in turn. We read the Canterbury Tales at school, and to the credit of all concerned, our textbook was unexpurgated. It was a lot of fun translating the rude bits.

66. Trim : PARE

67. "__ Doone" : LORNA

69. Produced with effort, with "out" : EKED

70. English assignment : ESSAY

71. Transitory passion : FAD

Down:

1. Destined : FATED

2. Striped stone : AGATE

3. Rapper __ Shakur : TUPAC. A controversial figure; he was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas in 1996, aged 25.

4. Coop occupant : HEN

5. Sea predator : ORCA

6. "Will do!" :  ON IT!

7. Cone makers : PINES. Nicely obscure - I wanted something ice-cream related.

8. Smooth transitions : SEGUES

9. One who might be a CPA : CFO. Because Chief Financial Officer is too long to fit in three squares.

10. Winter warmer : OIL HEATER

11. Holmes accessory : BRIAR PIPE.  He also never said "Elementary, my dear Watson".

12. Like a crowbar : BENT

18. Six-time Emmy winner : ALDA. Five for writing, directing and acting in M*A*S*H and one for Best Supporting Actor in The West Wing. His real name is Alphonso D'Abruzzo.

22. Chums, slangily : PEEPS

25. First name in jazz : ELLA

27. "Well, shoot" : DRAT

29. Chinese: Pref. : SINO-. As in the "Sino-Soviet Split" during the Cold War.

32. Colbert, for one : HOST. Currently with The Late Show on CBS. Funny guy.

33. Devices with security cameras : ATMS

34. TV cop with a Tootsie Pop : THEO KOJAK. Didn't even hesitate with this one. I'm not sure how I knew he was called "Theo" but somehow I did.

35. Mindful of one's own needs : SELF-AWARE

37. As __: grouped together : A SET. I tried A LOT at first. Didn't stay in there long.

40. MacFarlane of "Family Guy" : SETH

41. Juicing discards : PEELS

42. "If she did play false, the fault was __": Shak. : HERS. From King John, Act I scene i in which John converses with a character charmingly called "the Bastard".

47. Dust __ : RUFFLE

49. Work : OPUS

52. Fluffed-up dos : AFROS

54. Winter accessory : SCARF

55. Island near Sicily : MALTA. The British Navy used to have a base close to the capital, Valetta. This street, nicknamed "The Gut" was infamous (or famous, depending on your point of view!)

56. Clip : SPEED

57. Enjoy an e-cig : VAPE. E-cigs are getting to have as bad a name as the real things.

59. Pretensions : AIRS

60. Family nickname : NANA

63. Struck (out) : X'ED

65. Slight manifestation, as of hope : RAY

I think that does it for me. Con rapida ... here's the grid!

Steve