Monday March 15th, 2021 Michael Lieberman

Theme: SILENT PARTNER (54. Behind-the-scenes money source ... and a hint to the start of 20-, 35- and 43-Across) - The first word can follow "silent".

20. Youngster, metaphorically: SPRING CHICKEN. Silent Spring.

35. Toddler's monster deterrent: NIGHT LIGHT. Silent Night.

43. Morning awakener: ALARM CLOCK. Silent alarm,

Boomer here. Looks like another LA Times debut. Congrats, Michael!

SHH! I'll be at the bowling center, silently knocking over pins.  However I might loudly proclaim that I received the second shot of Pfizer vaccine 12 days ago and I have no side effects.  Well I have so many things wrong with me I am not sure what a side effect might be.

Across:

1. What a regular often orders, with "the": USUAL.  "It's not UNUSUAL."  Tom Jones.

6. First of a cereal box trio: SNAP.  I thought SNAPS were movie theater candy.  I think Kramer dropped one into a patient while observing surgery.

10. Box score number: STAT.  "Hurry up and do this puzzle STAT!!"

14. See 5-Down: MESSI. 5. With 14-Across, soccer's GOAT, to many: LIONEL.  An electric train that I had as a kid. Back when Eisenhower was President.

15. Dorothy's dog: TOTO.  "I'll get you my pretty, -- and your little dog too."

16. Distinctive vibe: AURA.

17. Sauce with basil: PESTO.  I wonder if you can spray this for mosquitos?

18. Like many cars sold online: USED.  Another crazy innovation of the 21st Century. Vroom? Carfax?

19. "Jurassic Park" predator: TREX.

23. Antlered Yellowstone beast: ELK.  I was once a member of ELKS Lodge 2221 in Minnesota but I think my Antlers fell off somewhere. 

24. Lao Tzu's "way": TAO.

25. __City: computer game: SIM.

28. Stick a stake in, as a vampire: IMPALE.  Change the "E" to an "A" and you have a Chevrolet.

32. Dry-eyes solution: SALINE.

34. Manual filing target?: NAIL.  I just clip mine.

39. Brings on board: HIRES.  Root beer?

41. Luau neckwear: LEI.  Hawaiian greeting.

42. He played Grant on "Lou Grant": ASNER.  Of course I liked him on the Mary Tyler Moore show, but I was not too excited about his role on "Roots"

46. Poi source: TARO.

47. One of four in five: LETTER.  "Gimme a ticket on an airplane, Ain't got time to take a fast train, My baby, just wrote me a LETTER.  The Box Tops.

 48. Theater walkways: AISLES.

50. Before, in poems: ERE.  "And I heard him exclaim ERE he rode out of sight"  You know the rest.

51. "__ Misérables": LES.

53. Hesitant utterances: UMS.  I don't know if you watch "America Says" but it seems like every contestant starts their answer with a few "UMS".

61. Elton or Lennon: JOHN.  Both Stars have a bathroom named after them?

63. Boxer's foursome: PAWS.

64. Garlicky mayo: AIOLI.  Too many vowels.

65. CNN anchor Burnett: ERIN.  Five minutes of yesterday's news, followed by five minutes of commercial ads.

66. Great Lake with the shortest name: ERIE.

67. King of rock 'n' roll: ELVIS.

68. Spinning toys: TOPS.  Add a "P" and you might have a few baseball cards.

69. Apt word found in "accident": DENT. Our Santa Fe is free of DENTS.

70. Tenant's contract: LEASE.

Down:

1. Officials calling strikes: UMPS.  They're always right and never wrong.

2. Trickle: SEEP.  Spring is creeping into Minnesota.  So far no SEEPS into anywhere there is not supposed to be.

3. Cold War initials: USSR.

4. Italian wine region: ASTI.  Solar Tech Stock on the Big Board.

6. Experiencing writer's block, say: STUCK.  Snow is nearly gone.  Nothing to get stuck in.

7. Light snack: NOSH.

8. Bit the dust: ATE IT.  "Another one gone, and Another one gone, Another one bites the dust" "Queen".

9. Online talk show: PODCAST.  I never listen to any of them. I am too busy playing Pac-Man.

10. Fill until full: SATE.

11. Car's blinker: TURN SIGNAL.  I got these figured out pretty early on the Santa Fe, but we had to consult the huge Owner's Manual for the windshield wipers.

12. "Roses __ red ... ": ARE.  "Violets are not really blue!"

13. Collectors' item?: TAX.  I think a Collector's item would be something like a Harmon Killebrew autographed plaque.  TAX is just one of things due in about a month.

21. Secluded valley: GLEN.

22. Eucalyptus eater: KOALA.

26. Response from the next room: INHERE.  "SHUT UP" is six letters but did not fit.

27. Urban transit systems: METROS.

28. Take a breath: INHALE.  First take the cigarette out of your mouth.  My last one was in 2001.

29. "The Naked and the Dead" author Norman: MAILER.

30. Hook's vessel: PIRATE SHIP.  "PIRATE SHIPS would lower their flags when Puff roared out his name." Peter. Paul, and Mary.

31. Wide awake: ALERT.  "Be A LERT!, America needs more LERTS."

33. Grocery shoppers' aids: LISTS.  I usually have a LIST with about 5-6 items.  But then why do I bring home about twenty ?

36. Sick: ILL.

37. Cable TV's Nat __ Wild: GEO.

38. Hyphenated fruit drink brand: HI-C.  Drink enough and you might get HIC CUPS.

40. Incense-sensing sense: SMELL.

44. Scared, with "out": CREEPED.

45. Hindu god of desire: KAMA.  Or add an "LA"  and you have a Vice President.

49. Tel Aviv's land: ISRAEL.

52. Drum type: SNARE.  I do not favor SNARE traps though.

53. Underdog's victory: UPSET.

55. Roadside lodgings: INNS.

56. Mary-Kate, to Ashley: TWIN.  Harmon Killebrew and Kirby Puckett to me.  Not to forget Tony Oliva.

57. Mah-jongg piece: TILE.  I am more acquainted with Scrabble, until C.C. started winning every game with me.

58. PBS science series: NOVA.  Compact Chevrolet.

59. Yale students: ELIS.

60. Heed a bailiff's order: RISE.  We have a heck of a trial going on in Minneapolis for the next few weeks.  They have only picked half a jury so far.  Good news, the demonstrators outside the courthouse have not caused any problems so far.

61. Hot tub feature: JET.  Also a feature of Delta, United, American, and others.

62. Spanish gold: ORO.  Our Records Only ??

Boomer