Friday, June 1, 2018, John Lampkin

Title: Now where did I hide that body? White rabbit, white rabbit all, welcome to June and hurricane season.

John is back following up last week's insect infested puzzle with a challenging and very creative entry in the LA Times not quite a REBUS puzzle type. Rich Norris does not accept classic multi-letters in a single square in puzzles, but here the word BODY is actually crammed into a black square, so it is hidden. Even if you do not like that explanation, this was a very fun puzzle to solve and a wondrous bit of construction. The special twist that makes it shine is the BODY missing at the front of the theme is placed on the left and the BODY missing at the end is on the right. He then puts a big bow on the puzzle by alternating the left-right march. WOW. With 66 squares committed to the theme, John still features some nice fill such as EVEREST, LOCALES, RUBS RAW, SLEEP IN, SPATULA, STOP HIM, PUHLEASE and TRAVIATA. We are given the extra hint of the * so you all knew which were theme related, and if you did not catch on to the gimmick, the two-part reveal should have made the puzzle very doable.  I will begin with the very clever movie reference that inspired this effort. Considered one of the 50 best Sci-Fi movies of all time with Donald Sutherland and Leonard Nimoy

27A. With 44-Across, classic 1956 film ... and why the answers to starred clues aren't quite themselves?: INVASION OF THE (13). 44A. See 27-Across: BODY SNATCHERS.(13).

Now let us find those bodies.

1A. *Tattoos: ART (3) BODY  ART. I think this form of expression has been made most popular by the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issues. Is it NUDITY?

8A. *Hypothetical object that absorbs all incident electromagnetic radiation: BLACKBODY (5).
A blackbody (sometimes spelled "black body") is a theoretically ideal radiator and absorber of energy at all electromagnetic wavelength s. (various). This is an unknown term for me.

16A. *Nonverbal communication: BODY LANGUAGE (8). A key to understanding other people, this is very important in business but may be most important for a COUPLE.

22A. *Snoop: BUSY BODY (4). I think of Samantha Stevens' next-door neighbor, MRS.  KRAVITZ.

50A. *Bumper repair site: BODY SHOP (4). Automobiles are always vulnerable and you need a good mechanic and good body shop.

62A. *Star or nebula: HEAVENLY BODY(8). A CSO to our NASA rep HG. There are so many TYPES. 

67A. *Circadian rhythm: BODY CLOCK. (5). Steve could give us his interesting perspective on this BIOLOGICAL  phenomenon. Meanwhile, I have commented first like three times recently, what's that all about?

69A. *Coveted journalism award: PEABODY. (3). The George Foster Peabody Awards program, named for American businessman and philanthropist George Peabody, honor the most powerful, enlightening, and invigorating stories in television, radio, and now, online media. Some past WINNERS. (various)

Well, I am worn out already and we must move on to the rest of the puzzle...

Across:

4. They churn out dough: ATMS. I have not used an Automated Teller Machine for some time.

13. Sign of summer: LEO. That kind of sign.

14. Ecologically challenged Asian sea: ARAL.

15. Ovine output: BAA BAA. Black sheep, have you any wool. CONTROVERSY?  Also, we have 9D. Ewe's output: LAMB. No double BAA, but a shameless self SO by John.

18. Deepest, as feelings: INMOST.

19. Realm: AREA.

20. Op-ed takes: VIEWS.

23. Outdoor gear giant: REI. Recreational Equipment, Inc., commonly known as REI, is an American retail and outdoor recreation services corporation. It is organized as a consumers' co-operative. REI sells sporting goods, camping gear, travel equipment, and clothing. (wiki) I never heard of it.

25. Game that may involve bumpers: POOL. The second reference to bumpers, one for a car and this one.

33. Dose people?: DEM. I bet DIS clue/fill did not please some.

35. Elite prep school: ETON. We started the week with this institution.

36. Dominica native: CARIB. I went to school with two brothers from this small island, and now I work on various projects there.

37. Abrades painfully: RUBS RAW. Alliterative fill, followed by...

39. Flay's flipper: SPATULA. Alliterative clue. Professionals do not need ONE. My wife just uses her wrist.

41. Furious: IRATE.

42. "Better Call __": SAUL. Part of the BREAKING BAD franchise.

43. Foxy: SLY. Saul must be.
.
48. Chihuahua chow: TACO.  Cute JL, but ridiculous- they can't fold or hold them.

49. The SEC's Tigers: LSU. A CSO to our many Louisiana friends here at the Corner.

54. First course in German?: SUPPE. Soup, at a meal, not a school.

56. Thailand, once: SIAM. A  CSO to my sweet wife, thank you JL.

60. Watch a neighbor's pooch, say: PET SIT.

64. Café: EATERY.

65. Ingrid, in "Casablanca": ILSA. So classic.

66. Tell's apple support: SON.

68. Face: MEET.

Down:

1. Penne __ vodka: ALLA. One RECIPE.

2. Caboose: REAR.

3. Text alert, often: TONE.

4. Nonpro sports org.: AAU.

5. "Fallen woman," in a Verdi title: TRAVIATA. A translation,  this was an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on La Dame aux Camélias (1852), a play adapted from the novel by Alexandre Dumas, fils. (wiki)

6. Star followers: MAGI.

7. Take advantage of a day off, maybe: SLEEP IN.

8. Bar: BAN.

10. "__ Ben Adhem": ABOU. Funny, I would not have known this poem unless YR had printed it when it was fill in a January BAG puzzle. Then again, it was already filled by the perps.

11. Mama with two Papas: CASS.

12. Pop's Perry: KATY. Did any of you watch the new AMERICAN IDOL?

15. Bearded bovine: BISON.

17. Jake __, first Congressman to fly in space: GARN. They named a SCALE after him.

21. Court: WOO.

24. Hillary's peak: EVEREST. An interesting MAN.

26. Neighborhoods: LOCALES.

27. "Don't mess with me": I'M BAD.  Are you LEROY?  I wonder if that is where they got Gibbs' name.

28. Spread: SOW. This would have been one of the harder three-letter fills ever but the perps were there.

29. Generous, as a contract: FAT.

30. Bind: TRUSS.

31. Jack and Jill's Waterloo?: HILL. Very cerebral clue.

32. AuctionWeb, since 1997: eBAY.

33. Little bit: DRIB. Not drab

34. French bread: EURO.

38. Pen with oink, not ink: STY. Cute.

39. Anatomical pouch: SAC. John, you trying my DF nature.

40. Eye-rolling word: PUH-LEASE. Exaggerated form of please, short for if you please, an intransitive, ergative form taken from if it pleases you, which replaced pray. (dictionary)

42. Cry after a holdup: STOP HIM. Stop thief probably jumps to mind

45. Awful: NASTY.

46. Pressure prefix: ACU. sharp-acute, acupuncture, accurate

47. Ploy: RUSE.

50. What a crossword is often constructed on: SPEC. 90% of them I imagine.

51. Mend: HEAL.

52. "Beetle Bailey" hound: OTTO.

53. One 60-trillionth of a min.: PSEC.

55. Brazilian hero: PELE. Soccer (football) legend.

57. Clouseau's rank: Abbr.: INSPector.

58. Bug bite soother: ALOE.  Okay, an insect but one that bit.

59. Feathered mimic: MYNA. How do I get this bird two weeks in a row?

61. Bug: IRK. Not really an insect reference.

63. Dye holder: VAT. A change from the normal beer or wine reference.

Always fun to be taken on a ride by John who often bedevils with his vast and varied knowledge on little critters and music but presented a very fun Friday. After two weeks of almost steady rain, today starts Hurricane season here. Yay. Be safe all, my Charlotte graduated preschool last night. See below. Have a  great month, Lemonade out.