Theme: Book 'em, Steve-o! Miscreants to be tracked down and dealt with.
20A. The blacksmith was busted for __: FORGING CHECKS. Have you seen the "Forged in Fire" show on the History Channel? They create some badass weapons each week. The producer came up with the idea after being "forced" to watch cooking shows like "Chopped" by his 14-yo daughter.
26A. The miner was busted for __: PICKING POCKETS
42A. The marathoner was busted for __: RUNNING NUMBERS
50A. The barber was busted for __: SHAVING POINTS
and a "bonus" unifier:
53D. Blacksmith, miner, marathoner or barber, in this puzzle: PERP
Morning! I tend to associate puzzles like this with the late Merl Reagle - he was extremely fond of the punning theme. Ed's done a nice job with the theme entries, nothing is forced, and there's also a couple of non-theme 10's in the across entries for good measure. The theme entries tie together well, and there's that "bonus" PERP cropping up late in the downs.
When you create a puzzle with a lot of theme squares, you can leave yourself a problem with the rest of the fill. Ed's done a pretty good job for the most part, but there are some clunkers which I didn't love.
Let's see what pops:
Across:
1. Lacks options: HAS TO
6. Passion: FIRE
10. Asian holidays: TETS
14. When Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are last seen in "Hamlet": ACT IV. They died at the hands of pirates, according to Hamlet.
15. Super-large film format: IMAX
16. Tons: A LOT
17. Give some space: LEAVE ALONE
19. Filmmaker Wertmüller: LINA. Who? She was the first woman nominated for "Best Director" Oscar back in 1975.
22. Chow line?: ARF. Woof. A "line" a chow (hound) might use.
24. Clamor: DIN
25. Pistons great Thomas: ISIAH
31. Pattern for some school uniforms: PLAID
32. French peak: ALPE. The Alpe d'Huez is a famous, grueling climb which makes a frequent appearance in the Tour de France stage race, including this year's route. The crowds of spectators can be more of a challenge than the hill itself.
33. Toxin fighters: SERA
34. Dogpatch name: ABNER. Looks a little racy for the time:
36. Some: A FEW
40. Desertlike: ARID
41. Jane Curtin title role: ALLIE. Kate's mutual support cohort in the 80's sitcom.
47. Confuse with booze: BESOT. One of those verbs you rarely see, if ever. The adjective is more common, but nothing to do with booze: "I was besotted by ..."
48. Vein find: ORE. I think I've seen ORE in every Thursday puzzle for the last couple of months.
49. Word with bar or suit: WET
55. "I hate the Moor" speaker: IAGO. Shakespeare's "Othello".
56. Creates opportunities: OPENS DOORS
59. Piano piece for four hands: DUET
60. "Love Song" singer Bareilles: SARA. Who? Oh - this song!
61. China's Zhou __: EN LAI
62. Alternatively: ELSE
63. Cheribundi Tart Cherry Boca Raton Bowl airer: ESPN. Now that's a proud moment for the players! Rose Bowl? Pah! Set your clocks for December 18th this year. Where would you rather be, let's face it!
64. Real cards: RIOTS
Down:
1. "I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that" speaker: HAL. "2001: A Space Odyssey" The mischievous computer, the primary antagonist. HAL 9000 for completeness. If you tick up one letter of the alphabet, HAL becomes IBM. Coincidence?
2. Big heart?: ACE
3. Military wheels: STAFF CAR
4. Watch-when-you-want gadget: TIVO. Is Tivo a thing any more? I thought cable boxes come with DVR built in.
5. Went too far with: OVERDID
6. Taxpayer's chore: FILING
7. "That's my cue!": I'M ON
8. Gave a buzz: RANG
9. Office VIP: EXEC
10. "The Voyeur's Motel" writer Gay: TALESE.
11. Evoke: ELICIT
12. Some small trucks: TONKAS. "Small" is relative. They're big toys to little kids!
13. Secret store: STASH
18. Not fer: AGIN. There's more, further down.
21. Walk in the woods: HIKE. Ignore the movie (usually good advice) - try the book.
22. iPhone downloads: APPS
23. Agitate: RILE
27. Soul supplier: KIA.
28. Pampers maker, for short: P AND G. Procter and Gamble. Not the easiest letter progression to parse.
29. World Cup cheer: OLÉ! I think it might be time to retire this one. I watched almost every minute of the 2018 World Cup and my recollection count of "olés" is nil.
30. EMT's skill: CPR
34. MSNBC journalist Melber: ARI. Thank you, crosses.
35. Compost holder: BIN
36. Clerical vestment: ALB. Three letters. Fill it in and move on.
37. Had no co-pilot: FLEW SOLO
38. Joyce's land: ÉIRE. Not really. Joyce left Ireland in 1912, never to return. Éire wasn't adopted as the official name of the free state until 1937 under Éamon de Valera. Confused?
39. Old place?: WEST
40. Not for: ANTI. Brother of AGIN in 18D
41. One changing a bill: AMENDER. Yeah. No. Clunk.
42. Move again, as lumber: RE-HAUL. Yeah, No. Clunk. One-two punch of "really?" for me here.
43. Linguist's concerns: USAGES
44. Dissenting ballot: "NO" VOTE. I say Nay Nay! Enough!
45. Presidential speechwriter Peggy: NOONAN. She wrote some remarkable speeches for Reagan and Bush 41. She was inspired in one case by John Gillespie Magee Jr's poem "High Flight" which he wrote while he was a fighter pilot with the Royal Canadian Air Force in WWII. He completed the verses a few weeks before his death in 1941:
46. "Mila 18" novelist: URIS
47. Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" was one: B-SIDE. Beloved of karaoke bars everywhere.
51. Odor detector: NOSE
52. Students' stats: GPA'S
54. "Beloved" author Morrison: TONI
57. Squeal: RAT
58. Part of the fam: SIS. Could be BRO or SIB, so wait for the crosses.
Pip, Pip!
Steve
20A. The blacksmith was busted for __: FORGING CHECKS. Have you seen the "Forged in Fire" show on the History Channel? They create some badass weapons each week. The producer came up with the idea after being "forced" to watch cooking shows like "Chopped" by his 14-yo daughter.
26A. The miner was busted for __: PICKING POCKETS
42A. The marathoner was busted for __: RUNNING NUMBERS
50A. The barber was busted for __: SHAVING POINTS
and a "bonus" unifier:
53D. Blacksmith, miner, marathoner or barber, in this puzzle: PERP
Morning! I tend to associate puzzles like this with the late Merl Reagle - he was extremely fond of the punning theme. Ed's done a nice job with the theme entries, nothing is forced, and there's also a couple of non-theme 10's in the across entries for good measure. The theme entries tie together well, and there's that "bonus" PERP cropping up late in the downs.
When you create a puzzle with a lot of theme squares, you can leave yourself a problem with the rest of the fill. Ed's done a pretty good job for the most part, but there are some clunkers which I didn't love.
Let's see what pops:
Across:
1. Lacks options: HAS TO
6. Passion: FIRE
10. Asian holidays: TETS
14. When Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are last seen in "Hamlet": ACT IV. They died at the hands of pirates, according to Hamlet.
15. Super-large film format: IMAX
16. Tons: A LOT
17. Give some space: LEAVE ALONE
19. Filmmaker Wertmüller: LINA. Who? She was the first woman nominated for "Best Director" Oscar back in 1975.
22. Chow line?: ARF. Woof. A "line" a chow (hound) might use.
24. Clamor: DIN
25. Pistons great Thomas: ISIAH
31. Pattern for some school uniforms: PLAID
32. French peak: ALPE. The Alpe d'Huez is a famous, grueling climb which makes a frequent appearance in the Tour de France stage race, including this year's route. The crowds of spectators can be more of a challenge than the hill itself.
33. Toxin fighters: SERA
34. Dogpatch name: ABNER. Looks a little racy for the time:
36. Some: A FEW
40. Desertlike: ARID
41. Jane Curtin title role: ALLIE. Kate's mutual support cohort in the 80's sitcom.
47. Confuse with booze: BESOT. One of those verbs you rarely see, if ever. The adjective is more common, but nothing to do with booze: "I was besotted by ..."
48. Vein find: ORE. I think I've seen ORE in every Thursday puzzle for the last couple of months.
49. Word with bar or suit: WET
55. "I hate the Moor" speaker: IAGO. Shakespeare's "Othello".
56. Creates opportunities: OPENS DOORS
59. Piano piece for four hands: DUET
60. "Love Song" singer Bareilles: SARA. Who? Oh - this song!
61. China's Zhou __: EN LAI
62. Alternatively: ELSE
63. Cheribundi Tart Cherry Boca Raton Bowl airer: ESPN. Now that's a proud moment for the players! Rose Bowl? Pah! Set your clocks for December 18th this year. Where would you rather be, let's face it!
64. Real cards: RIOTS
Down:
1. "I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that" speaker: HAL. "2001: A Space Odyssey" The mischievous computer, the primary antagonist. HAL 9000 for completeness. If you tick up one letter of the alphabet, HAL becomes IBM. Coincidence?
2. Big heart?: ACE
3. Military wheels: STAFF CAR
4. Watch-when-you-want gadget: TIVO. Is Tivo a thing any more? I thought cable boxes come with DVR built in.
5. Went too far with: OVERDID
6. Taxpayer's chore: FILING
7. "That's my cue!": I'M ON
8. Gave a buzz: RANG
9. Office VIP: EXEC
10. "The Voyeur's Motel" writer Gay: TALESE.
11. Evoke: ELICIT
12. Some small trucks: TONKAS. "Small" is relative. They're big toys to little kids!
13. Secret store: STASH
18. Not fer: AGIN. There's more, further down.
21. Walk in the woods: HIKE. Ignore the movie (usually good advice) - try the book.
22. iPhone downloads: APPS
23. Agitate: RILE
27. Soul supplier: KIA.
28. Pampers maker, for short: P AND G. Procter and Gamble. Not the easiest letter progression to parse.
29. World Cup cheer: OLÉ! I think it might be time to retire this one. I watched almost every minute of the 2018 World Cup and my recollection count of "olés" is nil.
30. EMT's skill: CPR
34. MSNBC journalist Melber: ARI. Thank you, crosses.
35. Compost holder: BIN
36. Clerical vestment: ALB. Three letters. Fill it in and move on.
37. Had no co-pilot: FLEW SOLO
38. Joyce's land: ÉIRE. Not really. Joyce left Ireland in 1912, never to return. Éire wasn't adopted as the official name of the free state until 1937 under Éamon de Valera. Confused?
39. Old place?: WEST
40. Not for: ANTI. Brother of AGIN in 18D
41. One changing a bill: AMENDER. Yeah. No. Clunk.
42. Move again, as lumber: RE-HAUL. Yeah, No. Clunk. One-two punch of "really?" for me here.
43. Linguist's concerns: USAGES
44. Dissenting ballot: "NO" VOTE. I say Nay Nay! Enough!
45. Presidential speechwriter Peggy: NOONAN. She wrote some remarkable speeches for Reagan and Bush 41. She was inspired in one case by John Gillespie Magee Jr's poem "High Flight" which he wrote while he was a fighter pilot with the Royal Canadian Air Force in WWII. He completed the verses a few weeks before his death in 1941:
"Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air....
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace.
Where never lark, or even eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
– Put out my hand, and touched the face of God."
46. "Mila 18" novelist: URIS
47. Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" was one: B-SIDE. Beloved of karaoke bars everywhere.
51. Odor detector: NOSE
52. Students' stats: GPA'S
54. "Beloved" author Morrison: TONI
57. Squeal: RAT
58. Part of the fam: SIS. Could be BRO or SIB, so wait for the crosses.
Pip, Pip!
Steve
