Jeffrey gives us a substitution puzzle, where LE is replaced by Y. Which seems like a random concept, until you see the wit that inspired the choice. Each of the fill is a very funny play on words. Once again he uses the expedient of adding a column to create a 15 x 16 grid. The seed entry is likely one of the grid-spanning fill; my guess is NEEDY IN A HAYSTACK, but that is just a guess. 66 theme squares are a challenge and limit some of the fill, but we still get ASKED OF, THEATRE, AQUARIAN, COAT TREE, TICKETED and TRAINS IN.
18A. Indigent ones hiding among bales?: NEEDY IN A HAYSTACK (16). You are more likely to have an indigent person hide in your haystack than a needle anyway.
29A. Holders of poor-taste gifts?: TACKY BOXES (10). For all the fisher people a tackle box is needed. I think a bad gift can come in a nice box.
35A. Result of smashing a piñata during a hurricane?: CANDY IN THE WIND (14). A very amusing image of candy flying everywhere with Elton JOHN in the background.
44A. Script for an absurdist play?: BATTY LINES (10). Battle lines are drawn but hopefully not quartered.
59A. Concept for creating difficult crossword puzzles?: TRICKY DOWN THEORY (16). Trickle Down Theory of economics is a political hot topic. So no COMMENT.
Across:1. Old gas station freebie: MAP. It has been a long time since free maps were given out. In fact, there are MANY things no longer at gas stations.
4. One holding all the cards?: WALLET. A wonderfully deceptive clue.
10. "__ run!": GOTTA.
15. Texter's cautioning letters: IMO. In My Opinion.
16. Take to the skies: AVIATE. We had this clued last August by Paul Coulter, as Do the Wright thing?
17. "The Phantom of the Opera" setting: PARIS. The Paris Opera (French: Opéra de Paris; French) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the Académie d'Opéra.
21. Like much ordinary history: UNTOLD. Who cares what people ate for lunch on October 10, 1975.
22. Japanese volcano: ASO. Nice to see a fill other than LOA or KEA. Aso volcano has produced more explosive eruptions than any other volcano in the world. Aso is a caldera about 12 miles (20 km) in diameter. The first documented eruption in Japan was at Naka-dake in 553.
23. Long walk: HIKE. To get to the top of the volcano, I guess. Ask JOE.
24. Author Jong: ERICA.
25. Ascended: GONE UP.
28. Stark in "Game of Thrones": NED. Birth name Eddard played brilliantly by Sean Bean, I liked him also in the Frankenstein Chronicles.
31. Must: HAS TO.
33. Presidential nickname: ABE.
34. Type of pitcher: RELIEF. Not to drink from but for baseball.
41. Food industry headgear: TOQUES. We have seen many clues for this chef's hat.
42. Barrel contents: OIL. Sometimes.
43. __ cuisine: HAUTE. From the French for high dinging. For years the French chefs (many of whom wore toques) were considered the world's best and their culinary schools as well. Not so much anymore.
51. PHL stat: ETA. Estimated Time of Arrival. Crossword glue.
52. Calls: PHONES. Verb, not noun.
54. Lavender asset: AROMA. Do you like the SMELL?
55. Gillette brand: ATRA.
57. Like Dorothy Parker's humor: WRY. The original use for the adjective wry was to describe something that was bent or twisted, so a sprained ankle could be described as "a wry ankle." Wry humor and wry wit both describe a sense of humor that is a little twisted from the norm. JW?
58. Pollen site: STAMEN.
63. Gaucho's tool: REATA.
64. Gift to an audience: ENCORE. An odd concept when the crowd is demanding it.
65. "Road to __": Hope/Crosby film: RIO.
66. Wee, jocularly: EENSY. The eensy weensy spider went up the water spout. Down came the rain and washed the spider out. Out came the sun and dried up all the rain. Then the eensy weensy spider went up the spout again.
67. Ancient eponymous advisor: NESTOR. Eponymous because the word has become, like kleenex a generic term for a wise man. He was a Greek leader who appeared in the Iliad, now noted for his wisdom and his talkativeness, both of which increased as he aged. These days, a nestor is not necessarily long-winded, but merely wise and generous with his advice.
68. Ernie with irons: ELS. Golf.
Down:
1. Stately dance: MINUET.
2. Ancient Egyptian deity: AMEN-RA. He was a god in whom Amen and Ra were combined: the god of the universe and the supreme Egyptian god during the period of Theban political supremacy.
3. How one might wax, but not wane: POETIC. 32D. 3-Down pugilist: ALI.
There live a great man named Joe
who was belittled by a loudmouth foe.
While his rival would taunt and tease
Joe silently bore the stings.
And then fought like gladiator in the ring.
4. Ambush: WAYLAY.
5. Passionate: AVID. Like Gary and his golf, or Picard his picture taking.
6. Architect Maya __: LIN. American architect and sculptor concerned with environmental themes who is best known for her design of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., designed when she was only 21 and at Yale. The daughter of intellectuals who had fled China in 1948,
7. 2002 W.S. champs, nowadays: LAA. Los Angeles Angels.
8. Hydrocarbon gas: ETHANE.
9. Kids: TEASES.
10. Traveler's aid, briefly: GPS. Global Positioning System.
11. Censor's target: OATH. Bad words, not hand on the bible. Swearing not swearing.
12. Prepares for, as a profession: TRAINS IN. I miss the old days with apprentices.
13. Cited on the road: TICKETED. Always a bad feeling getting stopped.
14. Required from: ASKED OF.
19. Harbor sight: DOCK.
20. The Gershwins' "Embraceable __": YOU. One of the most recorded songs of all time by so many different artists. I picked...
25. Arid Asian region: GOBI. In the desert, you do not see many...
26. Pair in a field: OXEN. But you do hear ...
27. "Is it ever hot today!": PHEW.
30. Hudson and James: BAYS.
34. Count (on): RELY.
35. Foyer convenience: COAT TREE.
36. Winter birth, perhaps: AQUARIAN.
37. Commonly hexagonal hardware: NUT. A hexagonal nut is a type of metal fastener that has six sides. Most nuts are cut in a hexagonal shape since it seems to be the easiest shape to grasp.
38. Not superficial: DEEP.
39. Purse relative: TOTE.
40. Pop radio fodder: HITS.
41. London's Old Vic, for one: THEATRE. Established in 1818 as the Royal Coburg Theatre, and renamed in 1833 the Royal Victoria Theatre, in 1871 it was rebuilt and reopened as the Royal Victoria Palace. It was taken over by Emma Cons in 1880 and formally named the Royal Victoria Hall, although by that time it was already known as the "Old Vic". wiki.
44. Corporate source of the Elmer's Glue logo: BORDEN. It has been 80 years since 1939 when Borden introduces the iconic bull, Elmer, as the husband of their spokes cow, Elsie. The pair spends their first few years of marriage appearing in print ads espousing the many virtues of Borden dairy products.
45. Random individual: ANYONE.
46. Agitation metaphor: LATHER. Working up a...
47. Wrath, in a hymn: IRAE. Dies Irae.
48. "When!": NO MORE. From the concept of, "say when" to stop.
49. "Bam!" chef: EMERIL. I do not see Mr. Lagasse much these days.
50. Some HDTVs: SANYOS. On December 21, 2009, Panasonic completed a 400 billion yen ($4.5 billion) acquisition of a 50.2% stake in Sanyo, making Sanyo a subsidiary of Panasonic. Then, in 2011, Sanyo became a wholly owned subsidiary of Panasonic.
53. 1-Acr. marking: HWY. On the free map, you no longer get.
56. Book after John: ACTS. I do not have the books of the New Testament memorized but the King James version lists these in ORDER.
58. Minute Maid Park player, to fans: STRO. A Houston Astro.
60. Jewelry giant: KAY. They are owned by the British Company Signet Jewelers Kay Jewelers, Jared The Galleria of Jewelry and Zales.
61. Lavs: WCS. Water Closets. The famous Jack Paar joke that caused him to walk off his show. The STORY.
62. "Just kidding!": NOT. I really loved when this was popular. Not!
It is time to say goodbye after another wonderful Wechsler window into the wild world of words. It was nice to have JW back on Friday. Look forward to all of your comments and coming back next week. Lemonade out.
