Happy Monday, everyone! Today's offering comes to us from OVERachiever Larry Snyder. Husker Gary introduced us to Larry on his June 3, 2023 LAT debut.
Theme: Overdoing It!
I am always impressed when a constructer can double-up on the themers. Let's take a look:
17 Across. Like structurally significant walls: LOAD-BEARING. I knew this one from watching HGTV. It'll cost extra!
- OVERLOAD. to load with too great a burden or cargo
- OVERBEARING. unpleasantly domineering
- OVERTIME. in addition to normal working hours
- OVERSHARE. reveal an inappropriate amount of detail about one's personal life
39 Across. Taking every point, in hearts: SHOOTING THE MOON. Hearts is a card game. explanation
- OVERSHOOTING. going past (sometimes unintentionally)
- OVER THE MOON. extremely happy; delighted
46 Across. Have a guilt-free conscience, so to speak: SLEEP EASY.
- OVERSLEEP. sleep past the time one intended to wake up
- OVER EASY. a way to cook eggs so both sides are fried but the yolk remains runny
Then the reveal:
64. Repeatedly, or what can come before the main components of 17-, 30-, 39-, or 46-Across: OVER AND OVER.
When something is said repeatedly it is said OVER AND OVER. Also, two OVERs are paired with the two parts of the themed answers.
Well done, Larry! I especially liked your grid-spanner, SHOOTING THE MOON. 
Hmmm.... I wonder if C.C. will pay me OVERTIME for having to write two explanations for each answer? 😜
Next, I'll go OVER the remaining clues:
Across:
1. Lettuce wrap lettuce: BIBB. Fortunately I could only think of one variety of lettuce with a 4-letter name. Here is a P.F. Chang's copy-cat recipe. It calls for ground turkey or chicken but I want to try it with tofu.
5. "Tapestry" artist King: CAROLE. Tapestry is the title track of the second studio album by American singer-songwriter, Carole King (b. Feb. 9, 1942). Here is a version with the lyrics:
11. Weaken: SAP.
14. Opera solo: ARIA. and 36 Across. Kind of soprano: MEZZO.
1. Lettuce wrap lettuce: BIBB. Fortunately I could only think of one variety of lettuce with a 4-letter name. Here is a P.F. Chang's copy-cat recipe. It calls for ground turkey or chicken but I want to try it with tofu.
 |
| BIBB lettuce makes nice cups for the filling. |
5. "Tapestry" artist King: CAROLE. Tapestry is the title track of the second studio album by American singer-songwriter, Carole King (b. Feb. 9, 1942). Here is a version with the lyrics:
11. Weaken: SAP.
14. Opera solo: ARIA. and 36 Across. Kind of soprano: MEZZO.
MEZZO-soprano ARIAs offer a rich vocal range for the middle female singing voice (between soprano and contralto). This is Raehann Bryce-Davis singing La Luce Langue at Opera Ballet Vlaanderen in Antwerp, Belgium in 2021. She will knock your socks off!
15. Soft end of a pencil: ERASER. cute
16. One more than bi-: TRI-.
19. Cherry shade: RED. not the protection from the sun provided by a cherry tree
20. Creative motivation, casually: INSPO. INSPiration
21. Floating ice chunk: BERG. not a 4-letter nickname for iceberg lettuce (See 1-Across.)
22. Actress Merrill: DINA. (1923 - 2017) Her father was Wall Street broker E.F. Hutton and her mother was cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post. NPR ran this piece when she passed away.
23. Use oars: ROW.
25. "No harm done": IT'S OKAY.
27. Chew the fat: GAB. and 71 Across. Chews the fat: YAKS.
15. Soft end of a pencil: ERASER. cute
16. One more than bi-: TRI-.
19. Cherry shade: RED. not the protection from the sun provided by a cherry tree
20. Creative motivation, casually: INSPO. INSPiration
21. Floating ice chunk: BERG. not a 4-letter nickname for iceberg lettuce (See 1-Across.)
 |
| hanging out on the BERG |
23. Use oars: ROW.
25. "No harm done": IT'S OKAY.
27. Chew the fat: GAB. and 71 Across. Chews the fat: YAKS.
33. Beginning on: AS OF.
35. Sorento automaker: KIA. Here are the details on the 2025 model from Car and Driver magazine. When did KIAs get so large?
43. 41-Down variety: PEKOE. and 41 Down. Brewed beverage: TEA.
44. Floral garland: LEI.
45. How only two Super Bowls have ended, for short: IN OT. an Easter egg??
This just happened last February when the Chiefs beat the 49ers IN OverTime in Super Bowl LVIII. The other time was seven years ago when the Patriots beat the Falcons in Super Bowl LI.
50. Moody music genre: EMO.
51. Cajole: WHEEDLE.
53. Droop: SAG. Blame it on gravity!
50. Moody music genre: EMO.
51. Cajole: WHEEDLE.
53. Droop: SAG. Blame it on gravity!
Old 97's (You know I love them!)
No Baby I from their seventh studio album, Blame it on Gravity
"You got them tears
They fall like pearls
Blame it on gravity, yeah
Blame it on being a girl"
55. Gripped: HELD.
56. __ A Sketch: ETCH.
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| "screen time" in the 1960s |
59. Maps app output: ROUTE.
63. In need of chicken soup, maybe: ILL.
66. "Fee, __, foe, fum": FIE. I smell the blood of an Englishman. Be he alive, or be he dead, I'll grind his bones to make my bread.
(Hand up for preferring the dead option when this happens.)
67. Make fizzy: AERATE. On my recent cycling trip in the Pyrenees I tried txakoli wine (not a type-0! how to pronounce). It is not in itself fizzy but they pour it from on high so it AERATEs by the time it gets to your glass. (See the 9 sec. video below.) You are supposed to drink it quickly, before the bubbles leave. more info
67. Make fizzy: AERATE. On my recent cycling trip in the Pyrenees I tried txakoli wine (not a type-0! how to pronounce). It is not in itself fizzy but they pour it from on high so it AERATEs by the time it gets to your glass. (See the 9 sec. video below.) You are supposed to drink it quickly, before the bubbles leave. more info
He makes this look easy!
68. Dread: FEAR.
69. Supporting: FOR. as in "I am FOR this ballot measure"
70. Bishop's neighbor on a chess board: KNIGHT.
Down:
1. Indonesian island that has more than 20,000 temples: BALI. That is about 1 temple for every 225 people. Balinese Hinduism
2. Wrinkle remover: IRON.
3. Leaning: BIAS. "Atilt" took today off.
4. Negative media coverage, for short: BAD PR. Public Relations is shortened.
5. Fair grade: CEE.
6. Part of UAE: ARAB. United Arab Emirates
7. Hard to find: RARE.
8. Egyptian god of death and rebirth: OSIRIS. ESP for me but it turns out he was one of the most important gods of ancient Egypt. more info.
9. 50 meters, for an Olympic pool: LENGTH. I liked this fresh angle! I also like a 50-meter pool. The pool where I swim these days is only 25 yards. I feel like I am constantly turning around.
10. Unit of energy: ERG. The erg is a unit of energy equal to 10−7 joules.
11. Home plate umpire's parameter: STRIKE ZONE. Great fill! I saw that "batter's box" fit but that did not seem quite right so I waited for a couple of perps.
12. Large stadium: ARENA.
13. March 14, to math fans: PI DAY. 3/14 is the day we celebrate 3.14
18. Kick (out): BOOT.
69. Supporting: FOR. as in "I am FOR this ballot measure"
70. Bishop's neighbor on a chess board: KNIGHT.
1. Indonesian island that has more than 20,000 temples: BALI. That is about 1 temple for every 225 people. Balinese Hinduism
2. Wrinkle remover: IRON.
3. Leaning: BIAS. "Atilt" took today off.
4. Negative media coverage, for short: BAD PR. Public Relations is shortened.
5. Fair grade: CEE.
6. Part of UAE: ARAB. United Arab Emirates
7. Hard to find: RARE.
8. Egyptian god of death and rebirth: OSIRIS. ESP for me but it turns out he was one of the most important gods of ancient Egypt. more info.
9. 50 meters, for an Olympic pool: LENGTH. I liked this fresh angle! I also like a 50-meter pool. The pool where I swim these days is only 25 yards. I feel like I am constantly turning around.
10. Unit of energy: ERG. The erg is a unit of energy equal to 10−7 joules.
11. Home plate umpire's parameter: STRIKE ZONE. Great fill! I saw that "batter's box" fit but that did not seem quite right so I waited for a couple of perps.
12. Large stadium: ARENA.
13. March 14, to math fans: PI DAY. 3/14 is the day we celebrate 3.14
18. Kick (out): BOOT.
Nancy Sinatra released These Boots Are Made for Walkin' in 1966.
22. Sequence before fa-sol-la: DO RE MI. 
24. Crowdsourced site, briefly: WIKI. Today's meta moment: Wikipedia's entry about Wikipedia
26. Alike: SAME.
27. Sound of shock: GASP.
28. Tennis legend Arthur: ASHE.
29. Merchant with novels, memoirs, etc.: BOOK SELLER. I recently read Days at the Morisaki Bookshop. There is a picture of a cat on the cover so I kept waiting for a cat to appear in the story. Spoiler alert: no cat.
31. Least amt.: MIN. MINimum
32. Two under par, in golf: EAGLE.
34. Tricked: FOOLED.
37. Speed (by): ZOOM.
38. "You may be __ something there": ONTO.
40. Cued (up): TEED.
42. Angry cat sound: HISS.
47. An hour before midnight: ELEVEN. 11:00 p.m. is one hour before 12:00 a.m. Whose great idea was that?!
24. Crowdsourced site, briefly: WIKI. Today's meta moment: Wikipedia's entry about Wikipedia
26. Alike: SAME.
27. Sound of shock: GASP.
28. Tennis legend Arthur: ASHE.
29. Merchant with novels, memoirs, etc.: BOOK SELLER. I recently read Days at the Morisaki Bookshop. There is a picture of a cat on the cover so I kept waiting for a cat to appear in the story. Spoiler alert: no cat.
31. Least amt.: MIN. MINimum
32. Two under par, in golf: EAGLE.
34. Tricked: FOOLED.
37. Speed (by): ZOOM.
38. "You may be __ something there": ONTO.
40. Cued (up): TEED.
42. Angry cat sound: HISS.
47. An hour before midnight: ELEVEN. 11:00 p.m. is one hour before 12:00 a.m. Whose great idea was that?!
48. "Great" czar: PETER I. (1672-1725) more info
Hand up for quickly filling in P-E-T-E-R what???
49. Three feet: YARD.
51. Faint scent: WHIFF.
52. Prefix meaning "sun": HELIO-. Helios was the Greek sun god. He drove a chariot across the sky from east to west every day.
54. Silly: GOOFY.
57. Rocky projection: CRAG. This is a 5:35 min. video about a couple looking to find a new location in Greece for sport climbing. They establish ROUTEs on a gorgeous and challenging CRAG.
58. "Thirty days __ September ... ": HATH. I useth the knuckle trick.
60. Eye layer: UVEA.
61. Flooring wood: TEAK. and 64 Down. Flooring wood: OAK.
62. Messes up: ERRS.
65. Com alternative: NET. Top Level Domains (TLDs) See #4 below. (Click to enlarge.)
49. Three feet: YARD.
51. Faint scent: WHIFF.
52. Prefix meaning "sun": HELIO-. Helios was the Greek sun god. He drove a chariot across the sky from east to west every day.
 |
| relief sculpture excavated at Troy |
57. Rocky projection: CRAG. This is a 5:35 min. video about a couple looking to find a new location in Greece for sport climbing. They establish ROUTEs on a gorgeous and challenging CRAG.
58. "Thirty days __ September ... ": HATH. I useth the knuckle trick.
60. Eye layer: UVEA.
61. Flooring wood: TEAK. and 64 Down. Flooring wood: OAK.
62. Messes up: ERRS.
65. Com alternative: NET. Top Level Domains (TLDs) See #4 below. (Click to enlarge.)
Here's the grid:
That's it for today. sumdaze, OVER and out!
