Title: This is no laughing matter! It is a puzzle, so solve it!
It is interesting that a constructor with at least 400 published puzzles is back at the LAT with 5 or 6 new ones this year, but who is counting. It is worth revisiting his INTERVIEW with C.C. back in 2008, a year when he had 11 published here alone. He was an influence on C.C., I am sure.
Today we have a "remove letter" theme to create new and whimsical phrases clued for silliness. This makes the puzzle a gem as its title is opposite to the apparent intention of the puzzle. Brilliant. Doug excises HA from the four theme answers with the central reveal. It is a 16 letter phrase, so the puzzle becomes a 16 x 15 grid which adds to the solving fun, more words, more fun. While the puzzle is dominated by the themers and the reveal there are some sparkly fill, BRAGGARTS, ELDORADOS, POTENTATE and SAUCEPANS. It is unusual to have three with plurals. Let's start with the themers.
18A. Nana who deciphers coded messages?: GRA
24A. Skirmish between rival hives?: BATTLE OF
52A. Horses now tame enough to ride?: CREATURES OF HABIT (14). This is a real stretch for me. While it is true they are taught ride with a bit controlled by a rider, the phrase does not resonate. A mini CSO to our favorite Nun (Lucy), except maybe Sally Field. How many bad habits did you have Lucy? You know I mean outfits.
And the reveal:
40A. Serious business, and a hint to four answers in this puzzle: NO LAUGHING MATTER (16). I love that a puzzle designed to make me laugh is billed this way. A good set-up for the rest, but don't rest yet.
1. Symbol in the center of Cameroon's flag: STAR.
5. Sentence server: INMATE. Once the perps led me here it was easy. Been there done that.
11. Retro-hip beers, for short: PBRS. Pabst Blue Ribbons. My first beer was a Pabst which convinced me beer was not for me.
15. Quaint sigh: AH ME.
16. "Mad About You" co-star: REISER. Paul has resurrected his career with his stints in STRANGER THINGS, THE KOMINSKY METHOD and even a 35 year sequel to the original show.
17. Baseball analyst Hershiser: OREL. A very successful player for the LA Dodgers.
11. Retro-hip beers, for short: PBRS. Pabst Blue Ribbons. My first beer was a Pabst which convinced me beer was not for me.
15. Quaint sigh: AH ME.
16. "Mad About You" co-star: REISER. Paul has resurrected his career with his stints in STRANGER THINGS, THE KOMINSKY METHOD and even a 35 year sequel to the original show.
17. Baseball analyst Hershiser: OREL. A very successful player for the LA Dodgers.
20. Finger food, in Zaragoza: TAPA. Zaragoza is the capital of northeastern Spain's Aragon region, but to me it was just a Spanish sounding name and there are many restaurants in South Florida offering Tapas. Though. I have never tried the fingers.
21. Colleague of Amy and Elena: SONIA. Out of 115 justices that have served on the court, only five have been women. Three are currently serving: Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Amy Coney Barret, who replaced RBG who had before her death suggested 9 women would make a good court.
22. Novelist Jaffe: RONA. Ms. Jaffe wrote a book called The Best of Everything describing her four years working at Fawcett Publishing. As show in this Encyclopedia.com ARTICLE it has spawned many successful books, movies and tv series.
23. Showbiz grand slam: EGOT. I think this makes three write ups in a row for this answer in one form or another.
28. Used a rocker: SAT. A specific sounding clue hides a general answer.
29. Black Sea resort: YALTA. The Yalta Conference was a meeting of three World War II allies: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin. The trio met in February 1945 in the resort city of Yalta, located along the Black Sea coast of the Crimean Peninsula, an area very much back in the news.
30. Functions: USES. See, some are easy.
34. ESPNU topic: NCAA. Colleges are the focus for both.
37. Boot camp barker: SARGE. A CSO to Tom from Wednesday?
44. "The Masked Dancer" panelist Paula: ABDUL.
45. Serious locks: MANE. More horsing around.
46. Name in a Salinger title: ESME. A short story in a book he published before Catcher in the Rye. Our academics can expound here.
46. Name in a Salinger title: ESME. A short story in a book he published before Catcher in the Rye. Our academics can expound here.
47. The planets, e.g.: OCTAD. Can you name all eight, or do you hang on to Pluto?
50. Masked caller: UMP. A really fun clue/fill. Not easy but inferable.
58. Smack: SLAP. A common form of discipline when we were young at home or in school.
59. Evian et Perrier: EAUX. The French word for water, and two waters from France.
60. Like some Windows errors: FATAL. You do not want to see that message. A fatal error is a type of error that forces a computer program to close or the entire operating system to shut down suddenly. This type of error is commonly associated with the blue screen of death in Windows, but less severe fatal exception errors only cause a single program to close. Lifewire.
62. Best Picture Oscar winner directed by Siân Heder: CODA. Siân, despite the exotic spelling of her name was born in Massachusetts and began writing and putting together movies at an early age. Her IMDB.
67. Coffee cup insulator: SLEEVE. I think this is backwards, as the sleeve insulates the hand buying the drink.
68. Consequently: THEN. People can buy and drink hot coffee.
69. Snafu: MESS. Ooh, ooh! Bad words implied here.
70. Shadow canvas: EYELID.
71. Org. scheme: SYSTem.
Down:
1. Gives a little: SAGS. I hope we are talking pillows not bodies.
2. Pulsate strongly: THROB. Is it just me or does the Scottish porn star Throb Roy come to mind? See 24A, supra.
3. Maker of the first refrigerator with a dry-erase door: AMANA. Wow, but what do I do with all the free calendars and note pads?
4. Mail payment: REMIT. When did I MIT the payment? Do I need to pay a late charge?
5. Like some vbs.: IRRegular.
6. PBS benefactor: NEA. National Education Association.
7. Smaller than small: MICRO. A clecho. 9D. Smaller than small: TEENSY.
8. Request from: ASK OF. Yes JFK, good question.
10. Collected goofs: ERRATA.
2. Pulsate strongly: THROB. Is it just me or does the Scottish porn star Throb Roy come to mind? See 24A, supra.
3. Maker of the first refrigerator with a dry-erase door: AMANA. Wow, but what do I do with all the free calendars and note pads?
4. Mail payment: REMIT. When did I MIT the payment? Do I need to pay a late charge?
5. Like some vbs.: IRRegular.
6. PBS benefactor: NEA. National Education Association.
7. Smaller than small: MICRO. A clecho. 9D. Smaller than small: TEENSY.
8. Request from: ASK OF. Yes JFK, good question.
10. Collected goofs: ERRATA.
11. Sovereign: POTENTATE and 12D. Self-promoters: BRAGGARTS which balance...
32. Cadillacs manufactured for 50 years: ELDORADOS and 33. They often hang around kitchens: SAUCE PANS all nine letter fill...
13. Bank actions, briefly: REPOS.
14. Crate piece: SLAT.
19. Pets who may squeeze into shoeboxes: CATS. CED, help.
25. Lana of Smallville: LANG. Kristen Kreuk is one of the early exotic actresses who blend the delicacy of Asian women with the strength of European men.
13. Bank actions, briefly: REPOS.
14. Crate piece: SLAT.
19. Pets who may squeeze into shoeboxes: CATS. CED, help.
25. Lana of Smallville: LANG. Kristen Kreuk is one of the early exotic actresses who blend the delicacy of Asian women with the strength of European men.
26. Mark for good: ETCH. Using acid will make it forever.
27. "Casablanca" role: ILSA. Lauren Bacall, shall we play it for her?
30. Telemundo article: UNA. One in Spinach, oops Spanish.
31. Blubber: SOB. He spilt some milk.
35. Point: AIM. Then fire.
36. Santa __ winds: ANA.
38. Bit of finery: GEM. The favorite of my comrades says no!
39. Palindrome in stanzas: ERE. Poetic enough for you all, Owen, Misty, Canadian Eh, Moe?
41. Sephora rival: ULTA. Would you like some COMPARISONS?
42. Veld grazers: GNUS. M-W tells us this is a grassland especially of southern Africa usually with scattered shrubs or trees. Do they look for new velds?
43. __ pad: MEMO.
48. Relaxed: AT EASE. Yes sir!
49. Pickup truck with four rear wheels: DUALLY. A dual rear-wheel truck (DRW) – often referred to as a dually – is a heavy-duty pickup truck with two rear wheels on each side, allowing more road contact and width for greater stability, balance, and traction while driving. A favorite for some of our players.
51. "Hah, right!": PFFT. The interjection PFFT (pronounced "pufft") is used to dismiss something that someone has said or typed. In Thai it is PFFT.
52. Mulled wine spice: CLOVE. Also our new friend Star Anise. RECIPE.
53. Karachi currency: RUPEE. This CURRENCY; not to be confused with the RUFEE a strong benzodiazepine.
54. Run out: EXPEL. The bad guys out of town, not the cornmeal for the pone.
55. Heckles: BAITS. Baits seems too specific, as you heckle to upset someone, to interfere but usually not wanting a real response. I see it more as badgering.
56. Like wool, for many: ITCHY. Just wear underwear there.
57. Lore: TALES. Spoken legends.
58. Grifter's game: SCAM. Grifter is an American invention, dating back to the early 20th century, but appears to be based on the slightly older slang term “grafter,” also meaning “swindler,” “con man” or simply “thief.” Some authorities believe that grifter is actually a combination of “grafter” and “drifter." The Word Detective.
61. Temporarily provided: LENT. Wrong time of the year.
64. Prefix for the birds?: AVI. That sounds rather judgmental, it seems like a fine prefix to me.
65. Rare color?: RED. I guess it is time to go eat some meat, seared on the outside and rare on the inside. This makes for an excellent time to bring this write up to a close and thank Doug, C.C., Patti, Cristina, Moe, Heart Rx, all the current bloggers, and all of you outstanding readers, writers, commenters, thinkers, poets, who make this experience what it is. I also appreciate the understanding of my computer skills, and lack thereof. Until next time. Lemonade out.
57. Lore: TALES. Spoken legends.
58. Grifter's game: SCAM. Grifter is an American invention, dating back to the early 20th century, but appears to be based on the slightly older slang term “grafter,” also meaning “swindler,” “con man” or simply “thief.” Some authorities believe that grifter is actually a combination of “grafter” and “drifter." The Word Detective.
61. Temporarily provided: LENT. Wrong time of the year.
64. Prefix for the birds?: AVI. That sounds rather judgmental, it seems like a fine prefix to me.
65. Rare color?: RED. I guess it is time to go eat some meat, seared on the outside and rare on the inside. This makes for an excellent time to bring this write up to a close and thank Doug, C.C., Patti, Cristina, Moe, Heart Rx, all the current bloggers, and all of you outstanding readers, writers, commenters, thinkers, poets, who make this experience what it is. I also appreciate the understanding of my computer skills, and lack thereof. Until next time. Lemonade out.
Oo and I are starting the 4th month of our beach cleaning walks which are part of my health regimen. Today was very successful with two bags full. Nobody was fishing so it was plastic bottles, cups, paper a single 16EEE basketball sneaker and a hypodermic with needle still attached. They were not near each other so don't worry about Shaq.
There also was the interesting return to our car and this truck delivering to the Briny Pub
