Title: A timely tribute to Broadway.
We all know (or should know) that puzzles are scheduled long before publication. However with the recent death of Broadway ICON Steven Sondheim, it seems some outside influence created this time slot for our entertainment and reflection. And dramatically none of the eight (8) huge hits were created by Sondheim. I am however, foreshadowing the write-up, so it is time to get to work.
My internet sleuthing located Jeffrey Diton both at the Crossword Collaboration Directory* and on Facebook. It seems he is "retired and living the dream in Cary, North Carolina" though I know not his vocation. This is his world wide debut puzzle so let's give him a round of applause. (too much foreshadowing)? Not unexpectedly this puzzle does not check all the usual Friday difficulty boxes - too many words, word lengths too short - but he does bring some pizzaz. PET MD, ICEMAN, KRAUSS, LOW-RES, MIDORI , YASGUR, ALL YEAR, MISTRIAL and SLEEPERS are all solid fill. The ones in red are new. If you did not trek to Western NY on August 19, 1969, you probably don't know Max Yasgur and his farm in Bethel. N. Y. but those are stories for a different day. What he does do is include in each theme answer 2 one-word Broadway musicals. I find no commonality within the selection that determines which he chose, I hope he comes by and explains.
16A. Nightclub for seasonal workers?: ELF CABARET (10). Malls hire elves to accompany Santa and we all enjoy a night out at a cabaret, old chum. LINK 1 and LINK 2
22A. Reaction to opening a can of Whiskas?: CATS APPLAUSE
56A. Styling gel for a '50's teenager?: HAIR GREASE (10). HAIR with it's nudity was very bold for Broadway and GREASE a wonderful tribute to WEST SIDE STORY a Stephen Sondheim musical.
And the unusual Friday reveal:
34. Hit shows, and a hint to four puzzle answers: BROADWAY SMASHES. I am not sure if this was Jeffrey's intention, but I parse the clue for the show with individual names as Broadway Smashes, but for the entire answer Broadway's Mashes. YMMV.
Across:
1. Some model home residents: DOLLS. A very cute beginning.
6. Wrinkle, as one's brow: KNIT. HISTORY.
10. Rocky greetings: YOS. From the movie, not a bad romance.
13. '40s-'50s "Giant Brain": ENIAC. This is the 48th appearance of this fill in the LAT.
14. Streaming biggie: ROKU. Read all about IT.
15. Gas station convenience: MART. This one was slow in coming for me.
18. Capital on a fjord: OSLO. Norway here we come.
19. Easter supply: DYE. Of course EGG fits also.
20. Watson portrayer opposite Jonny Lee Miller's Holmes: LIU.
21. California athlete: ANGEL. Baseball in Anaheim.
26. Hardly well: RARE. Very nice Friday deception, not ill but not cooked much.
29. Surprise hits: SLEEPERS. This sense of the word may have originated in the world of gambling in the nineteenth century. When a card player unexpectedly drew a winning card, the card was called "a sleeper."
30. Pontificates: OPINES. C.C. has mostly eliminated that from this blog's posts.
33. Narrow strip of wood: LATH. The name derived from the spreading action, which is like pulling an accordion open. wiki
40. Top-notch: A-ONE. From astronauts HG? I know they own A-OK.
41. Note in the key of B major: D-SHARP. I know nothing but B major (or the key of B) is a major scale based on B. The pitches B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, and A♯ are all part of the B major scale. more wiki
42. Hung jury result: MISTRIAL. A victory for a criminal defendant.
46. Pop of pop music: IGGY. An 80's phenomenon.
50. Nice thoughts?: IDEES. The French Connection.
51. What "W" may mean: WIN. L loss.
52. Pilot or Explorer: SUV. The world has been overrun by this vehicle choice. The fact that they now can get 30 to 50 mpg or are electric has helped.
55. Gold rush town where Wyatt Earp ran the Dexter Saloon:
1. Act: DEED. Do a good one. It...
2. Just: ONLY. Takes a moment and can improve someone's
3. Long sentence: LIFE. A strained bit of incarceration humor.
4. Lakers rivals, on NBA scoreboards: LAC. The Clippers
5. Milan's La __: SCALA. Charlotte has her Ballet debut this coming Sunday.
6. Alison of bluegrass: KRAUSS. An intersting Duet.
7. Scand. land: NORway. It's back.
8. Prez after Harry: IKE. Nicknames not initials.
9. Tsk relative: TUT. King?
10. Max who owned the Woodstock farmland: YASGUR. An interesting HISTORY.
11. Discount phrase: OR LESS. Is it ever less?
12. Pinched: STOLE. This is a fun word which has so many meanings including stealing and being arrested; rather a broad spectrum. See 26D. Hold up: ROB. Not Reiner.
15. "Hidden Figures" actress Janelle __: MONAE. This MOVIE
1. Some model home residents: DOLLS. A very cute beginning.
6. Wrinkle, as one's brow: KNIT. HISTORY.
10. Rocky greetings: YOS. From the movie, not a bad romance.
13. '40s-'50s "Giant Brain": ENIAC. This is the 48th appearance of this fill in the LAT.
14. Streaming biggie: ROKU. Read all about IT.
15. Gas station convenience: MART. This one was slow in coming for me.
18. Capital on a fjord: OSLO. Norway here we come.
19. Easter supply: DYE. Of course EGG fits also.
21. California athlete: ANGEL. Baseball in Anaheim.
26. Hardly well: RARE. Very nice Friday deception, not ill but not cooked much.
29. Surprise hits: SLEEPERS. This sense of the word may have originated in the world of gambling in the nineteenth century. When a card player unexpectedly drew a winning card, the card was called "a sleeper."
30. Pontificates: OPINES. C.C. has mostly eliminated that from this blog's posts.
33. Narrow strip of wood: LATH. The name derived from the spreading action, which is like pulling an accordion open. wiki
40. Top-notch: A-ONE. From astronauts HG? I know they own A-OK.
41. Note in the key of B major: D-SHARP. I know nothing but B major (or the key of B) is a major scale based on B. The pitches B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, and A♯ are all part of the B major scale. more wiki
42. Hung jury result: MISTRIAL. A victory for a criminal defendant.
46. Pop of pop music: IGGY. An 80's phenomenon.
51. What "W" may mean: WIN. L loss.
52. Pilot or Explorer: SUV. The world has been overrun by this vehicle choice. The fact that they now can get 30 to 50 mpg or are electric has helped.
55. Gold rush town where Wyatt Earp ran the Dexter Saloon:
NOME. LINK.
60. "Dagnabbit!": DRAT.
61. Wind from the French for "high wood": OBOE. The name oboe was originally hautbois, or "high, loud wood" in French, also sometimes spelled hoboy in English. The Italians transliterated the French name to oboè, and the English followed around 1770 with oboe. Oo has friends called Bo which leads me to many bad musical puns.
62. Baseball VIP: OWNER.
63. Half of a Chinese pair: YIN. I wouldn't YANG your chain about that.
64. Conference giveaways: PENS. I have so many free pens in my house but they do not last long as they are very...
65. Demanding attention: NEEDY.
Down:
61. Wind from the French for "high wood": OBOE. The name oboe was originally hautbois, or "high, loud wood" in French, also sometimes spelled hoboy in English. The Italians transliterated the French name to oboè, and the English followed around 1770 with oboe. Oo has friends called Bo which leads me to many bad musical puns.
62. Baseball VIP: OWNER.
63. Half of a Chinese pair: YIN. I wouldn't YANG your chain about that.
64. Conference giveaways: PENS. I have so many free pens in my house but they do not last long as they are very...
65. Demanding attention: NEEDY.
Down:
1. Act: DEED. Do a good one. It...
2. Just: ONLY. Takes a moment and can improve someone's
3. Long sentence: LIFE. A strained bit of incarceration humor.
4. Lakers rivals, on NBA scoreboards: LAC. The Clippers
5. Milan's La __: SCALA. Charlotte has her Ballet debut this coming Sunday.
6. Alison of bluegrass: KRAUSS. An intersting Duet.
7. Scand. land: NORway. It's back.
8. Prez after Harry: IKE. Nicknames not initials.
9. Tsk relative: TUT. King?
10. Max who owned the Woodstock farmland: YASGUR. An interesting HISTORY.
11. Discount phrase: OR LESS. Is it ever less?
12. Pinched: STOLE. This is a fun word which has so many meanings including stealing and being arrested; rather a broad spectrum. See 26D. Hold up: ROB. Not Reiner.
15. "Hidden Figures" actress Janelle __: MONAE. This MOVIE
17. Tiny amount: BIT.
21. Top dogs: ALPHAS. They no longer are just males.
22. Wrestler-turned-actor John: CENA. Thank you all for last week, as I was unsure if "S" or "C."
23. Not seasonal: ALL YEAR. As a condo dweller this is a very familiar concept.
24. Pod residents?: PEAS. But do they pay rent or taxes?
25. Website for animal owners: PETMD. This is an awesome tool for anyone who has and/or loves animals. LINK.
27. Fig. in lending: APR. All you never asked about but should know about the difference between APR and INTEREST RATE.
28. 2016 Olympics city: RIO. Too soon to forget.
31. Tinder outings: E-DATES. Never tried it. Are they E-xciting?
32. There's a point to it: SWORD. Very fun, unless it is being stuck into you.
35. "It's not __, it's a when": AN IF. An old fahioned threat!
36. __ guard: SHIN. Football (soccer) players unite.
37. Crone: HAG.
38. Unit of energy: ERG.
39. Bond, for one: SPY. Excited about the new movie or the Rock wanting to be the new Bond?
42. Olympic skater Ito: MIDORI. Which came first, the skater or the
21. Top dogs: ALPHAS. They no longer are just males.
22. Wrestler-turned-actor John: CENA. Thank you all for last week, as I was unsure if "S" or "C."
23. Not seasonal: ALL YEAR. As a condo dweller this is a very familiar concept.
24. Pod residents?: PEAS. But do they pay rent or taxes?
25. Website for animal owners: PETMD. This is an awesome tool for anyone who has and/or loves animals. LINK.
27. Fig. in lending: APR. All you never asked about but should know about the difference between APR and INTEREST RATE.
28. 2016 Olympics city: RIO. Too soon to forget.
31. Tinder outings: E-DATES. Never tried it. Are they E-xciting?
32. There's a point to it: SWORD. Very fun, unless it is being stuck into you.
35. "It's not __, it's a when": AN IF. An old fahioned threat!
36. __ guard: SHIN. Football (soccer) players unite.
37. Crone: HAG.
38. Unit of energy: ERG.
39. Bond, for one: SPY. Excited about the new movie or the Rock wanting to be the new Bond?
42. Olympic skater Ito: MIDORI. Which came first, the skater or the
DRINK.
43. Certain clutch player, in sports parlance: ICEMAN. I think of
44. Shooting competition: SKEET. Good for hand to eye coordination and to keep the skeet population under control.
45. A bit fuzzy, as an image: LOW RES. Not Hi-res.
47. Blowing a lot: WINDY. Chicago, chicago, my kind of town.
48. Evasive maneuver: ZIG. Or do you need to zag also?
49. 2001 scandal subject: ENRON. Greed games.
43. Certain clutch player, in sports parlance: ICEMAN. I think of
44. Shooting competition: SKEET. Good for hand to eye coordination and to keep the skeet population under control.
45. A bit fuzzy, as an image: LOW RES. Not Hi-res.
47. Blowing a lot: WINDY. Chicago, chicago, my kind of town.
48. Evasive maneuver: ZIG. Or do you need to zag also?
49. 2001 scandal subject: ENRON. Greed games.
52. Sound: SANE. Which they were not as they decided to go after the new ones not the...
53. Secondhand: USED. In the land of Rolls Royces, designer dresses and Rolexes used stuff is very popular for the almost and the wannabe.
54. To a high degree: VERY. There is little chance I will dance this dance.
53. Secondhand: USED. In the land of Rolls Royces, designer dresses and Rolexes used stuff is very popular for the almost and the wannabe.
54. To a high degree: VERY. There is little chance I will dance this dance.
56. Bunny __: HOP.
57. White House nickname: ABE. He has been linked to the Civil War.
58. Charged particle: ION. Why don't they just pay cash?
59. Farm mom: EWE. Not me !
57. White House nickname: ABE. He has been linked to the Civil War.
58. Charged particle: ION. Why don't they just pay cash?
59. Farm mom: EWE. Not me !
Gee, I am worn out and it is only 7:00PM. I was fascinated by MalMan's write-up today going back to the old minimalist ways of the early blogs, but I also really enjoy all that Hahtoolah, Waseely, Chairman Moe and the rest find and link. Ah, decisions. Welcome Jeffrey D. come see us and thank you and the readers and posters
First the grid:
Four ballerinas in rehearsal:
I am out
