Patti is here with her first 2017 puzzle, which structurally is like her last Friday effort. LINK. Using the inspiration of Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes who wrote all of his legal works standing, I am here typing at my makeshift standing desk. This may end up being brief, but then brevity is the soul of wit I am told. The theme are all one word clues, which are brought together on the tennis court.
17A. POINT : TAPERING END ( 11). The fill are literal responses to the clue.
23A. GAME : SAFARI ANIMALS (13). There does not appear to be any relation in the fill.
50A. SET : FILMING LOCALE (13). A little more difficult for me.
59A. MATCH : FIRE STARTER (11). Then the unmarked reveal...
34A. With 36-Across, question for the court : TENNIS (6) and 36A. See 34-Across : ANYONE (6).
For anyone who has played or watched Tennis (the amazing Williams sister are playing for the Australian Open title as I type) point, game, set and match track how a tennis match progresses, and they are skillfully in order here. An appropriate puzzle for the first grand slam event of the year.
Not much else in the longer fill, SEE PAST, IN A RUSH, HAIRCUT, EGG DROP, IMPOSE ON and ORIENTAL but some tricky proper names to be addressed.
Across:
1. Like much of the Southwest : ARID. Deserts are dry; desserts sweet.
5. Summer music? : DISCO. Wonderful old deception but I was a big Donna Summer fan.
10. Org. funded by FICA : SSA. Social Security Administration.
13. Under-the-sink brand : COMET.
15. "Paper Moon" Oscar winner : O'NEAL. Tatum O'Neal won the 1973 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
16. Like ibuprofen, briefly : OTC. Over The Counter.
19. Jiff : SEC.
20. "Nothing planned that day" : I'M OPEN. To suggestion, maybe, or I'm free.
21. Engineering sch. on the Hudson : RPI. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a cso to some of our own. Putting it nest to...
22. Sport with masks : EPEE. Might trick some to think of a hockey goalie.
26. Move a finger or two, maybe : PEEK. a-boo.
28. Physics units : RADS. You cacc call Sheldon to explain THESE.
29. Signs over : CEDES.
30. 1945 Pacific battle site, familiarly : IWO. Jima.
31. Superfan : NUT.
32. Superhero played by Chris Hemsworth : THOR.. So many named Chris.
40. Exercise woe : ACHE.
42. Alex Dunphy, to Luke, on "Modern Family" : SIS. She has grown up.
43. Mojito ingredient : RUM.
44. "Not a problem" : IT'S OK.
47. Stuff in a backpack : GEAR. Not any more.
49. Little stretches : FIBS. Just like the clue/fill.
53. Captain Picard's counselor : TROI. Star Trek:TNG
54. Unexpectedly by itself, as in the dryer : ODD.
55. Kenya neighbor : UGANDA. EAST AFRICA.
58. Storybook baddie : HAG. The ugly witches.
61. Programming pioneer Lovelace : ADA. A gimme for our math and Computer people, but I only knew of Linda. LINK.
62. Stopped lying : AROSE. To tell you the truth, this was trocky.
63. Sphere : REALM.
64. Common scale extreme : TEN. From one to....
65. Org. chart headings : DEPTS. Org. tells you the answer is an abbr.
66. Crack up : SLAY. Comedy.
Down:
1. When Lear disinherits Cordelia : ACT I. More friday Shakespeare.
2. "Home on the Range" verb : ROAM.
Oh give me a home where the buffalo roam,
Where the deer and the antelope play,
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word,
And the skies are not cloudy all day.
3. Take unfair advantage of : IMPOSE ON.
4. "Quantum Healing" author Chopra : DEEPAK. So stale, you might day 9D. Dated : OLD.
5. Throw on : DON. And his gay apparel.
6. Ilsa portrayer : INGRID.
7. Overlook, as a fault : SEE PAST.
8. "A Doubter's Almanac" novelist Ethan : CANIN. I guess I no longer read the NYT Book section on Sunday. This MAN.
10. Under-the-sink brand : SOS PAD. Or did your family use Brillo?
11. "Remington __" : STEELE.
12. Hacker's goal : ACCESS.
14. Nonkosher : TREF. An americanized word pronounced TRAYF.
18. Pressed for time : IN A RUSH.
22. Manicurist's tool : EMERY. Only when they are bored?
24. Expose, with "on" : RAT.
25. Desktop assortment : ICONS.
26. Cherry center : PIT.
27. Lamb parent : EWE. Not me.
31. "Pink Friday" singer Minaj : NICKI. Lots of names.
33. Coiffure : HAIRCUT. $150.00 /$10.00
35. "The End of America" author Wolf : NAOMI. Too POLITICAL for here.
37. Avenue after Reading Railroad : ORIENTAL. Monopoly.
38. Worn end : NUB. Pencil
39. Scrabble three-pointers : EMS.
41. Wonton alternative : EGGDROP. Soup choices.
42. Brazilian map word : SAO. Paulo.
44. "Maybe less" : IF THAT.
45. Intemperate speech : TIRADE. That was almost a trap.
46. Apple's "Think different," e.g. : SLOGAN.
48. Like Meg March, in "Little Women" : ELDEST.
49. Emergency signals : FLARES.
51. Bete __ : NOIRE. I had this recently.
52. Food thickener : AGAR.
56. Poet Walter __ Mare : DELA. Missed him when studying Poetry. LINK.
57. Large number : ARMY.
59. Pokémon Go, e.g. : FAD.
60. French possessive : SES.
Well the month is almost done; this was slow going as some of the proper names were hidden from my brain. Hey it is Friday. My six week wait for an epidural is almost done so maybe I will have more to say next week. Lemonade out. Thanks Patti.
