17. *Generous reward: HANDSOME SUM.
27. *"I sussed that out a while ago": THE NOSE KNOWS.
44. *Family dinner reservation request, perhaps: TABLE FOR FOUR.
59. Retreated on the same trail ... and what each answer to a starred clue has?: DOUBLED BACK.
A puzzle for word nerds (that includes everyone here). The two words are both homonyms (words that sound alike but have different meanings, with same or different spellings) and homophones (a type of homonym that also sounds alike but has different meanings, and different spellings). See here. DOUBLED BACK indicates the repeated sound on the back of each phrase. Nicely done.
Melissa, here. This appears to be Enrique's debut on the Corner, but his NYT debut was in December 2020, and you can also see his work on the Brain Candy and Square Pursuits blogs, both in July of 2020. Hope he drops by today.
Across:
1. Slim advantage: EDGE.
5. Embraces: ADOPTS.
11. Intel seeker: SPY.
14. Many a character on HBO's "Euphoria": TEEN. Can't keep up with all the paid streaming services and shows any more.
15. Warhol's "Campbell's Soup Cans," e.g.: POP ART. A collision of commercial items (usually advertising or cartoons) and cultural icons. How Andy Warhol Came To Paint Campbell Soup Cans (Smithsonian).
16. Vientiane people: LAO. Vientiane is the capital and largest city of Laos, near the border with Thailand.
19. __ al-Fitr: end-of-Ramadan feast: EID.
20. Skater Midori: ITO. The first woman to land a triple axle in the Winter Olympics.
21. Author's representative: AGENT.
22. Northeast Corridor express train: ACELA. Amtrak high-speed train between Washington DC and Boston, traveling up to 150 mph.
24. Gliding ballet step: CHASSE. Quick gliding steps with one foot always leading. More word nerd stuff, according to Thesaurus.com, chasse is a synonym for sashay, as a noun or a verb.
26. Cut loose: DROP.
33. One-named "Body Party" singer: CIARA. I was unfamiliar with her.
36. Sicilian peak: ETNA.
37. Cut off: SNIP.
38. Chewy Hershey candy: ROLO.
39. Like some serious flaws: FATAL.
40. Christmas candle scent: PINE.
41. "__ cost you!": IT'LL.
42. Old Roman road: ITER.
43. Put in a bibliography: CITED.
47. Designer Saarinen: EERO.
48. Like Camembert: CREAMY.
52. Back in style: RETRO.
54. Quickness: HASTE.
57. Romance: WOO. I like this word.
58. Dept. phone number: EXT.
62. Grow older: AGE.
63. Aerie newborn: EAGLET.
64. Tennis icon Arthur: ASHE.
65. Former space station: MIR.
66. Renaissance fair rides: STEEDS. Horses.
67. "Watch __ space": THIS.
1. Work __: moral belief: ETHIC.
2. "Murder by __": 1976 Neil Simon spoof film: DEATH. Mystery-Comedy in which a group of five guests (all renowned detectives) are invited to dinner and challenged to solve an impending murder. The guests are (word nerd alert) pastiches of Charlie Chan, Nick & Nora Charles, Hercule Poirot, Sam Spade, and Miss Marple.
3. Salami choice: GENOA.
4. Pierre's "fin," to Peter: END. Fin is French for end. English words that come from this Latin root word include final, finish, and definition.
5. Highest point in an orbit: APOGEE. Synonyms: apex, acme, zenith.
6. Taj Mahal feature: DOME.
7. Receptive: OPEN.
8. "What's __ is prologue": "The Tempest": PAST. The Shakespeare quote is inscribed on the base of one of two 65-ton statues (Future and Past) at the National Archives Building on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC.
9. __TV: reality channel: TRU.
10. Namesake of a Venice basilica: ST. MARK.
11. "You can give me an answer tomorrow": SLEEP ON IT.
12. Sand transporter: PAIL.
13. Jedi Grand Master: YODA.
18. Obama daughter: SASHA.
23. Plot: CONSPIRE.
25. Park carriage, or one pushing it: STROLLER.
26. Agreement: DEAL.
28. "I like it": NEATO.
29. Mammal at an aquarium: OTTER.
30. Eat (up): SNARF.
31. Bistro pour: WINE.
32. Didn't dillydally: SPED.
33. Lit __: CRIT. Short for literary criticism. Not knowing CIARA, this filled in slowly.
34. Scintilla: IOTA.
35. Assurance after putting a Band-Aid on a boo-boo: ALL BETTER.
39. Inventory tracking method for a CPA: For anyone, but CPA (certified public accountant) indicates the answer is also an acronym. FIFO. First in, first out.
43. Like corned beef: CURED. So timely for St. Patrick's Day! I wonder if this cluing was intentional or coincidental?
45. Wears down: ERODES.
46. Large jazz combos: OCTETS.
49. Knee-deep (in): AWASH. Slightly different mental images, but it's fair.
50. Sweet Japanese rice cake: MOCHI.
51. Farm fittings: YOKES.
52. Paper package: REAM. 500 sheets.
53. VFW member: EX GI. Veteran.
54. Bigger than big: HUGE.
55. Qualified: ABLE.
56. Winter coaster: SLED.
60. Breakfast grain: OAT.
61. Club that may be flipped with joy: BAT. By a batter who just hit a home run.
