Theme: Put a RING on it!
I
Beyoncé (2008)
Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
"If you liked it then you should have put a ring on it" 🎵
Happy Presidents' Day, everyone! sumdaze here with a puzzle from the prolific constructor, Janice Luttrell. It might be fair to say that Janice liked putting a RING on four words to create a fun puzzle theme.
Let's round up the themed clues:
16. Disruptive student: CLASS CLOWN.
A CLASS RING is a ring worn by students and alumni to commemorate their year of graduation from a certain school/program.
Sidebar: waseeley got me watching Northern Exposure again. I notice Maurice the NASA guy and Dr. Joel both wear one. Perhaps the director is saying these two men aren't that different??
23. Cocktail with rum and vodka: BRASS MONKEY. The third ingredient is orange juice. These alcoholic beverages were sold pre-mixed in the '70s and '80s by the Heublein Company.
A BRASS RING is something you could reach out to grab while riding a carousel. I grew up reaching for the one at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. You had to be on the outside horse to be in position. Then you had to quickly throw it at a mural of a clown and hit it in its mouth. If you did, the nose lit up and you got a free ride. "Reaching for the BRASS RING" came to mean "trying for the big prize".
Note: This one was my FIW today. Being unfamiliar with the cocktail, I guessed BRASSdONKEY (after a lot of perps), which seemed to go fine with the name of an actress in 25-D. dARA is as reasonable as MARA. IMHO, the clue would have been improved with some sort of clever hint to a monkey.
35. Wilson/Vaughn comedy with the tagline "Hide Your Bridesmaids": WEDDING CRASHERS. Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn starred in this popular 2005 film.
A WEDDING RING is a symbol of timeless love and commitment.
45. Time for a final bow: CURTAIN CALL. The cast comes back onstage at the end of a live show.
A CURTAIN RING attaches the curtain to a rod. 
55. Mastermind, and what the first word of 16-, 23-, 35-, or 45-Across can be: RING LEADER. This is a person leading a group of people engaging in (usually) improper or unlawful activities.
CLASS, BRASS, WEDDING, and CURTAIN can all precede the word RING to create in the language phrases.
Here are the other clues:
1. Island northwest of Molokai: OAHU. This one was a gimme for me. The Na Wahini O Ke Kai is a women's outrigger canoe race from Molokai to Oahu. The first year I did it, it took my team 6.5 hrs. The second year, it took us 7 hrs. (Wind and water currents make a big difference.) The year after that I moved away but it was a bad year for my team. The breakers at Molokai were so strong they broke my team's canoe in half.
9. Grizzly, for one: BEAR.
13. Fastens, as shoelaces: TIES.
14. Monica who won nine Grand Slam singles titles: SELES. International Tennis Hall of Fame link
15. Not all thumbs: ABLE. Someone who is "all thumbs" lacks nimbleness with their hands.
18. Garden dirt: SOIL. Why Soil Matters article
19. Slobbers: DROOLS.
20. "Killing Eve" actress Shaw: FIONA. IMDb link
21. Short "I need a short break": BRB. Be Right Back
26. Carter's successor: REAGAN. It's a Presidents' Day clue!
President Ronald Reagan was born February 6, 1911 in Tampico, IL. He became the 40th President of the U.S. on January 20, 1981, succeeding President James "Jimmy" Carter. Reagan's inauguration ceremony was the first to be held on the west side of the Capitol -- an homage to his time as California's governor.
28. Body parts studied by otologists: EARS. Do the ENT's know about this??
29. Actress Chlumsky: ANNA. I know Anna from Veep. Here's a 30 sec. clip and her IMDb link .
30. Turn away: AVERT. and 32 Across. Sheep bleat: BAA.
39. "__ Misérables": LES. I saw this with my friend Gina at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts.
40. Flies like an eagle: SOARS. OK, so ... I had the Steve Miller Band song here but waseely just used it last Thursday so I removed it. What do you think of this cover by The Neville Brothers?
41. Most of the time: A LOT.
42. Apple's virtual assistant: SIRI.
43. Italian sub meat: SALAMI.
50. Roofing stuff: TAR.
51. "Ok, sure": UH HUH.
52. Nobody in particular: ANYONE.
54. Ibuprofen target: PAIN. and 1 Down. Available sans Rx: OTC. Over The Counter
59. "Three and out" football play: PUNT. I've not heard it called this before but teams usually PUNT on the 4th down if they do not think they can get a first down.
60. Country shaped like a boot: ITALY.
61. Clever tactic: PLOY. Def.: a cunning plan or action designed to turn a situation to one's own advantage.
62. Hoppy brews: ALES.
63. Mexican sauce made with chocolate: MOLE. It's so deliciosa and complex that it's difficult to find a restaurant that makes it on site.
64. "Auld Lang __": SYNE. It's often played when people RING in the New Year.
Down:
28. Body parts studied by otologists: EARS. Do the ENT's know about this??
29. Actress Chlumsky: ANNA. I know Anna from Veep. Here's a 30 sec. clip and her IMDb link .
30. Turn away: AVERT. and 32 Across. Sheep bleat: BAA.
40. Flies like an eagle: SOARS. OK, so ... I had the Steve Miller Band song here but waseely just used it last Thursday so I removed it. What do you think of this cover by The Neville Brothers?
41. Most of the time: A LOT.
42. Apple's virtual assistant: SIRI.
43. Italian sub meat: SALAMI.
50. Roofing stuff: TAR.
51. "Ok, sure": UH HUH.
52. Nobody in particular: ANYONE.
54. Ibuprofen target: PAIN. and 1 Down. Available sans Rx: OTC. Over The Counter
This time of year, you might be wondering which medical expenses are deductible. IRS website
New for 2023, the cost of OTC drugs may be paid or reimbursed by an HSA. See Q13 for more details.
59. "Three and out" football play: PUNT. I've not heard it called this before but teams usually PUNT on the 4th down if they do not think they can get a first down.
60. Country shaped like a boot: ITALY.
61. Clever tactic: PLOY. Def.: a cunning plan or action designed to turn a situation to one's own advantage.
62. Hoppy brews: ALES.
63. Mexican sauce made with chocolate: MOLE. It's so deliciosa and complex that it's difficult to find a restaurant that makes it on site.
64. "Auld Lang __": SYNE. It's often played when people RING in the New Year.
Down:
2. Feel awful: AIL.
3. Workout accessories that keep sweat out of the eyes: HEAD BANDS. Olivia Newton-John wore one in her Physical video. How '80s is this??!! It won a Grammy for Video of the Year in 1983.
4. Space race initials: USSR. Speaking of President Reagan....
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| Popular Science July 1984 issue Many of these ideas are a reality today. |
5. Heroine in Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" novels: BELLA. She was the angsty teen trying to choose between Edward the Vampire and Jacob the werewolf.
6. Word after dental or Mental: FLOSS.
7. Just a handful of: FEW. not A LOT
8. Nine-digit ID: SSN.
9. Sinks: BASINS. "Sinks" is a plural noun this time.
10. Kindle download: E-BOOK.
11. Dress with a triangular silhouette: A-LINE.
12. Electrical circuit component: RELAY. Here's a 2 min. video on how they work.
14. Contempt: SCORN.
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| generally not nice things |
17. Buckwheat noodle similar to udon: SOBA.
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| I thought this yin-yang arrangement was clever. (The dark noodles are SOBA noodles.) |
20. Old West outposts: FORTS.
John Wayne in Fort Apache (1948) (48 sec.)
21. Free-for-all fight: BRAWL.
22. "Judy" Oscar winner Zellweger: RENÉE.
24. Clairvoyants: SEERS.
25. "House of Cards" actress Kate: MARA. definitely not Kate dARA
27. Roam (about): GAD.
30. "Oh no, not __!": AGAIN.
31. TiVo precursor: VCR. VideoCassette Recorder
32. Not in time to be useful: BELATEDLY. This was the symmetrical fill to 3-Down, HEADBANDS.
33. Fragrance: AROMA.
34. Up and about: ASTIR.
36. Whitlock Jr. of "Da 5 Bloods": ISIAH. We've had this name a few times now.
37. Sushi seaweed: NORI. Here you can see that the NORI is on the outside of the rice for hosomaki and inside the rice for uramaki.
38. Linden who played Barney Miller: HAL. Hal also played the clarinet. I think JzB will like this one. Do you recognize those two at the beginning?
42. Daredevil's feats: STUNTS.
43. In a wily way: SLYLY.
44. Succulent with soothing gel: ALOE. I finally got around to repotting mine. It's happier now.
45. Brit's spot of tea: CUPPA. I picked up this lingo from my Aussie friends. They use it for any hot beverage ... "Wanna grab a CUPPA?"
46. Company with orange-and-white trucks: U-HAUL.
47. River through western Germany: RHINE.
48. Panama waterway: CANAL. 
49. Point of view: ANGLE. This was my favorite clue because both "point" and "ANGLE" can also be Geometry terms.
53. Siestas: NAPS.
55. Lip of a glass: RIM. It's where you stick the salt for your margarita.
56. "Who am __ argue?": I TO.
57. Countless lifetimes: EON.
58. Manhattan liquor: RYE. the cocktail -- not the NYC borough
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| Wes Anderson's Isle of Dogs (2018) |
22. "Judy" Oscar winner Zellweger: RENÉE.
 |
| (We're back to the RING theme.) |
25. "House of Cards" actress Kate: MARA. definitely not Kate dARA
27. Roam (about): GAD.
30. "Oh no, not __!": AGAIN.
31. TiVo precursor: VCR. VideoCassette Recorder
32. Not in time to be useful: BELATEDLY. This was the symmetrical fill to 3-Down, HEADBANDS.
33. Fragrance: AROMA.
34. Up and about: ASTIR.
36. Whitlock Jr. of "Da 5 Bloods": ISIAH. We've had this name a few times now.
37. Sushi seaweed: NORI. Here you can see that the NORI is on the outside of the rice for hosomaki and inside the rice for uramaki.
38. Linden who played Barney Miller: HAL. Hal also played the clarinet. I think JzB will like this one. Do you recognize those two at the beginning?
42. Daredevil's feats: STUNTS.
43. In a wily way: SLYLY.
44. Succulent with soothing gel: ALOE. I finally got around to repotting mine. It's happier now.
45. Brit's spot of tea: CUPPA. I picked up this lingo from my Aussie friends. They use it for any hot beverage ... "Wanna grab a CUPPA?"
46. Company with orange-and-white trucks: U-HAUL.
47. River through western Germany: RHINE.
49. Point of view: ANGLE. This was my favorite clue because both "point" and "ANGLE" can also be Geometry terms.
53. Siestas: NAPS.
55. Lip of a glass: RIM. It's where you stick the salt for your margarita.
57. Countless lifetimes: EON.
58. Manhattan liquor: RYE. the cocktail -- not the NYC borough
How to Make a Manhattan
This week's grid: 
Thanks for stopping by! Please RING us again tomorrow!
Notes from C.C.:
We made today's Atlas Obscura puzzle. It's edited by Samir Patel. Give it a whirl.
