David is back for his second LAT publication. I blogged his debut in January. This time he adds to a one-word movie title and clues the new phrase with a reference to the movie chosen. A simple and tight theme. Just as with last week's puzzle which TTP blogged, this grid is more similar to an early week effort with no long fill outside the theme. The most striking thing is that the puzzle is just an "M" short of a pangram. So...
20A. Never heard of a 1996 Robin Williams movie?: DON'T KNOW JACK (12). This MOVIE is the first of two Diane Lane movies that David has chosen.
37A. "You grabbed the wrong Stephen King movie"?: THAT'S NOT IT (10). This MOVIE is not for you if you do not like horror.
43A. Essay about a 2015 Christina Applegate movie?: ON VACATION (10). This MOVIE is the second generation of Griswolds travels.
58A. Start a 2001 Keanu Reeves movie?: PLAY HARDBALL.(12). This MOVIE which was an early effort of Michael B. Jordan.
Across:
1. "Get outta here!": SCAT. Various theories of the ETYMOLOGY.
5. Snatch: GRAB. 28A. Have a sudden inspiration?: GASP.
9. Give up: QUIT.
13. Sweater outlet?: PORE. We have a friend who suffers from Hyperhidrosis. A classic use of the homonym misdirection.
14. Concerning kidneys: RENAL.
16. Annapolis sch.: USNA. United States Naval Academy
17. "Roots" author Haley: ALEX.
18. Actress Graff: ILENE. You may know her work but not her NAME. She has been a puzzle regular since 2003.
19. Ain't fixed?: ISN'T. Cute.
23. Wipes away: ERASES. My mind immediately went HERE.
24. Juegos Olímpicos prize: ORO. Spanish for Olympic Games and Gold.
25. Road crew's supply: TAR.
31. Sexually attractive: NUBILE. One of my favorite words when I started chasing women. Definition of nubile. 1: of marriageable condition or age nubile young women. 2: sexually attractive —used of a young woman a nubile starlet.
33. Magical phrase starter: ABRA. Cadabra.
39. The Parthenon, e.g.: RUINS.
41. Cry from a card holder: UNO.
42. Roof worker: TILER.
46. Fallon's predecessor: LENO. Do they really hate Jimmy Fallon?
47. __ symbol: STATUS.
48. Ancient queen, familiarly: CLEOpatra.
50. Immigrant's subj.: ESL. English as a Second Language. I am eternally grateful for this course.
51. Rap name contraction: LIL. 66A. "Rhyme Pays" rapper: ICE-T. 56D. Better, to a rapper: ILLER. Urban dictionary...iller
adj: more ill, better, sweeter, cooler.
53. Like some numerals: ARABIC.
61. Rattle: FAZE.
64. Flower girl, perhaps: NIECE.
65. Paella pot: OLLA.
67. Unsettled states: SNITS.
68. __ fee: USER.
69. Sainted historian: BEDE. An interesting HISTORY.
70. Backbone or spine: GRIT. Or 25D. Words on a spine: TITLE. Definition 2 for "spine": the part of a book's jacket or cover that encloses the inner edges of the pages, facing outward when the book is on a shelf and typically bearing the title and the author's name.
71. Weight allowance: TARE.
Down:
1. Garden tool: SPADE.
2. Rainbow flag component: COLOR. There are others.
3. Fan belt?: ARENA. Belt indeed.
4. Messages sent from cells: TEXTS.
5. Is amused by: GRINS AT.
6. Move, in Realtor-speak: RELOcates. Not an easy time for these sellers either.
7. From the top: ANEW.
8. Scruggs' strings: BANJO. A musical interlude.
9. Nestlé product suffix: QUIK. Suffix?
11. Imaret, say: INN. Miriam-Webster tells us that this is an inn or hospice in Turkey. I have some friends from Istanbul, but they have not taught me that word.
12. Bit of ink: TAT.
15. Profits (from): LEARNS.
21. Brew holder: KEG. A CSO to my beer brewing and selling family.
22. Matter: COUNT.
26. 1979 sci-fi classic with three sequels and two prequels: ALIEN.
27. In style again: RETRO.
29. Close: SHUT.
30. Go to pieces: PANIC. My certain reaction if I spent much time with Sigourney Weaver.
32. Bubble, in a way: BOIL. To me-
Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and caldron bubble.
33. Emanated (from): AROSE.
34. Diamond strategies: BUNTS. No baseball yet.
35. Same-state opponent, often: RIVAL. Auburn/Alabama. Florida/Florida State/Miami.
36. Future doc's subj.: ANATomy.
38. Plane, e.g.: TOOL. Not up in the air, but...
40. Racing craft: SCULL.
44. Chinese and Indians: ASIANS. And so many more.
45. Most closely related: NEAREST.
49. Chicago airport code: ORD. O'Hare originally named Orchard Place Airport/Douglas Field opened in 1942. Midway (MDW) opened in 1926.
52. Not true: LYING.
54. Give or take: ABOUT. Circa.
55. Modeling wood: BALSA. This WOOD is a CSO to our Canadian friends.
57. Shannon's county: CLARE. Learn MORE.
58. Townshend of The Who: PETE. More music.
59. Son or daughter, often: HEIR. Rather macabre.
60. When Juliet says, "Go ask his name": ACT I. Our Friday Shakespeare reference.
61. Little lie: FIB. Such an absurd concept.
62. Frequent winner: ACE. This leads us to the end...
63. British jazz element?: ZED. The middle Zs.
There you have it, the first Friday of April and some fun stuff that shouldn't have over-worked your stressed brain. Be careful, be safe. Wash your hands, gargle with warm saltwater. Thank you for being a cyber family I can count upon. Lemonade out.
