Theme: Now where did I leave that MAN?
Five very successful authors who happen to have first names ending with "MAN" are clued with those letters lopped off, and returned only when we learn they are there, but cannot be seen per the unifier. All the theme except the unifier are present in Down answers, and the grid has a left to right mirror symmetry. Mr. Collins is a very prolific constructor, (INTERVIEW) both alone and with collaborators, though this appears to be the first puzzle effort for Mr. Samulak, who may be a teacher also from Michigan. A confusing, challenging Friday with lots of 3 letter fill but some interesting clues, and a really fabulous theme. Isn't it amazing how constructors notice five authors whose first names all ended in MAN and whose names fit his grid? If you do the acrosses first, you must have been wondering if somehow a themeless snuck in the door until you saw 60A. Lots of nice 7 and 9 letter fill. I am curious what the corner will think.
3D. *"Midnight's Children" author : SAL
5D. *"Armies of the Night" author : NOR
10D. *"Breakfast at Tiffany's" author : TRU
12D. *"The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven" author : SHER
25D. *"The Caine Mutiny" author : HER
Well the * may have helped, but here was the unifier:
60A. H.G. Wells (herbert, not herman) classic, and a hint to this puzzle's theme found in the answers to starred clues : THE INVISIBLE MAN. I love how this makes such perfect sense as the MAN is there, you just can't see it.
Across:
1. Like the Knights Templar : MASONIC. This fraternal organization symbolized by the compass, square and capital G claims its origins from the building of King Solomon's Temple. My family were all Mason, and my uncle taught masonry in trade school.
8. Performers, e.g. : ARTISTS. Many masons are artists but not performers, and watching many of the new shows this season on television, it seems many performers are not artists.
15. In : A LA MODE. This is a phrase which was quite common in 40's and 50's literature to show something was stylish, but it is mostly associated with Pie nowadays. Which made 2D. Mobile home?: Abbr. : ALAbama trickier, but Mowbeel (ph) is a coastal city in that fine state.
16. Kiss offerer : HERSHEY. From Hershey, PA.
17. Unit often counted : CALORIE. When dieting became popular, counting calories was the first theory, though it ignored other issues. It is true if you eat 1000 calories per day you will lose weight, and go crazy.
18. Big rigs : HAULERS.
19. Cowboy Tony : ROMO. Poor Tony Romo stuck on America's team and always losing the big one. SAD. (0:44).
20. Writer of creamy messages : ICER. It took me almost two hours to understand this refers to the person whop writes the message on top of the cake. DO'H(2:04) Skip the ad.
21. Lion's prey : GNU. Who knew?
23. Ancient Greek storage vessel : AMPHORA.
27. Hook, line and sinker : ALL. A fishy image.
30. Mantegna's "Criminal Minds" role : ROSSI. LINK.(1:38).
32. The Once-___: "The Lorax" character : LER.
33. March of Dimes' original crusade : POLIO. Almost eradicated by Salk and others, but on the rebound. My grandfather suffered as a child in Poland, and they buried his leg with him standing up to keep it from twisting. It did not help.
35. Leaded fuel component : ETHYL. I will let our scientists tell you about this.
36. Rush discovery : ORE. No, not something from Mr. Limbaugh, or a Canadian band, but like the Gold Rush.
37. Pizza places : OVENS. Nice clue, as they all go there.
38. Wimbledon champ before Pete : ANDRE. Agassi; has anyone read his controversial autobiography?
39. It didn't get its no. until 1939 : WWI. Yes, I believe it was the Great War, and the War to end all Wars until they showed they could do better.
40. Urban cruisers : TAXIS. Another nice clue.
41. "___ see" : SO I. Did you?
42. Determination : RESOLVE.
45. Alp ending : INE. Okay, am I the only one who thought of marti landing on her tush at the end of a run in the Alps?
46. Fleece sources : EWES. Youse guys get this one? or perhaps, 51D. Farm female : HEN.
48. People : SOULS.
49. Lines at the hosp. : EEGS. ElectroEncephaloGrams. They appear as lines on a graph.
50. Oscar winners' lines : THANK YOUS. Simple, but elegant answer.
53. On top of things : AWARE. We try here.
56. Make it right : ATONE. back to the sins?
66. "...by yonder blessed ___ I swear": Romeo : MOON.Act II, Scene 2, the balcony scene.
67. Muse of Hughes : ERATO. Langston Hughes. I know my Muses, just not my Hugheses.
68. Author Bagnold : ENID. A CW regular and a non-theme author, best known in the US for National Velvet, which became the movie which launched Elizabeth Taylor's career.
69. Squealed : SANG. The dirty rat, sang like a canary!
70. Sharp rival : XEROX. The old tricky product name deception, I wonder who they copied this clue from?
71. Thickness measures : MILS. .0001 inch. I had this one wired.
Down:
1. Buddy : MAC.
4. "Typee" sequel : OMOO. Gotta love those vowels.
6. Hit the road, say : IDIOM. Jack, and don't you come back no more, no more.
7. Hard part of mathematics? : CEE. Exceedingly tricky for a three letter fill as the letter is pronounced as hard C.
8. "What a relief!" : AHH. Plop, plop, fizz fizz?
9. Show again : REAIR. Yes the Alka Seltzer commercial often was re-aired.
11. ___ Royale: Lake Superior national park : ISLE. As with many, we get a shout out to the constructors' home state of MICHIGAN here.
13. Thrice, in Rx's : TER. Ter in die, mean three in a day in Latin, is also known as TID in scrips.
14. Part of CBS: Abbr. : SYStem.
21. ___ monkey : GREASE. I get the grease part, but why monkey, for that matter why monkey wrench, and why monkey around? Well I know why, but why call it that?
22. "This is a bad time" : NOT NOW. But it must be now!
24. Continues despite hardship : PLOWS ON.
26. Radar of TV : O'REILLY. Of grape Nehi fame on M*A*S*H.
28. Common boot feature : LINING. But who among us would ever wear a common boot?
29. They affect stock prices : LOSSES. Which then create losses in the stock prices, the circle of investing, though making or losing money does not always decide a stock price.
31. UAR member : SYRia. No politics.
34. Fertility clinic cells : OVA. here we are in three letter land, like munchkins.
43. That, in Oaxaca : ESA. Spanish is spoken in this Mexican town.
44. Brandy letters : VSO. Very Special Old, like many of you on the blog.
47. Quaint memory aid : STRING. FACTOID?
49. Respect : ESTEEM.
52. "Friendly skies" co. : UAL. United Airlines
53. Casino fixtures : ATMS. Automated Teller Machines; I know I will win it all back and more, I just need to keep playing!
54. "Halt!" : WHOA. What Gamblers Anonymous would tell you, also appropriate for Tonto and the Lone ranger.
55. Near-eternity : AEON. Charlize Theron, an artist?
57. Upscale hotel chain : OMNI.
58. Get exactly right : NAIL. Our own C.C.'s favorite expression when getting a tricky clue. I nailed it!
59. Culminates : ENDS.
61. Annoy : VEX. What we get by many anons, but we never show our
62. Anger : IRE.
63. Men's patriotic org. : SAR. Sons of the American Revolution, is a SOCIETY; I grew up in New England and when I started school, I was told Mrs. Sochor was a DAR, I was 6 but did the math and that meant she was at least 170 years old, she did look it. She was only 88.
64. Skater Midori : ITO. A truly appropriate tribute to dear CA who along with Robin were the FIGURE SKATERS on the Corner.
65. Enclose, in a way : BOX. Well I guess I have boxed myself into a Corner, which is where you are at, so it is time for me to go; Joe and Peter, thank you and for the rest, the sense of community here is awesome. be well and be careful.
Lemonade
