Theme: O, U r such a punny guy.
What an elegant offering from one of our steady senior scribes, Jack Mac; as seen below the letter "O" is renimoved from the last word of a phrase and replaced with a "U" creating a new and whimsical phrase. All of this in a package of 2 13s, 2 15s, a 9 and a 5 letter hint. 69 letters and yet the rest of the fill includes some originality and sparkle, such as OFF MIKE, VALID ID, GET SORE and the almost related UNHUNG.
Back in the Friday saddle, thanks Boomer for the assist; let's get to it.
20A. Gap that's easy to bridge? : MINIATURE GULF. (13). Gulf= Golf. HG, are you a miniature golf whiz with all the big boy golf you play?
28A. Prize for neatest coloring? : KINDERGARTEN CUP. (15). Cup=Cop. ARNOLD.(2:16)
36A. Kiss while hiking? : TRAIL BUSS.(9). Buss=Boss. How many of us oldster thought of Ward Bond in Wagon Train, or Erik Fleming in Rawhide?
49A. Alien adopted by Herman and Lily? : THE GREEN MUNSTER.(15). Munster=Monster. I have had the pleasure of sitting at Fenway and watching balls hit over the famous left field fence. I love the visual of ET moving in with Fred Gwynne.
57A. "If you don't go to bed, Santa won't come," e.g.? : CHRISTMAS RUSE.(13). Ruse=Rose. This PLANT is in a family not related to Roses, and a threat to animals as our friend Gareth Bain could explain better; and the hint
64A. Words to a kidder, and a hint to how this puzzle's five longest answers were created : OH YOU.(5).
Across:
1. Track : OVAL. Did anyone watch the NASCAR race at Indy last weekend?
5. Put up : BUILD. A parking lot? What song?
10. Agile : SPRY. To irritate me, my children suggest I am quite spry. but not a 27D. Wire wearer : SPY.
14. Song in the musical "Kismet" : FATE. Do not know the play or tune, but how easy was this?
15. 1973 Stones ballad : ANGIE. 40 years ago, a hair band!
16. Small music group : TRIO. Music intensive today, who is your favorite, Kingston?
17. Custard concoction : FLAN.
18. Sticking point : THORN.
19. Big refs. : OEDS. OED: Oxford English Dictionary.
23. Chemical ending : IDE. Need a bromide yet?
24. Animal enclosure : PEN. Noun and verb.
25. They're found in mines and minis : SEAMS. Another interesting visual. CED I gave up after ten minutes looking for a girl in a mini in a gold mine.
33. Icelandic literary collection : EDDA. and the unrelated, 35A. Ice cream entrepreneur Joseph : EDY
34. Look down on the clouds, perhaps : SOAR.
41. Diving bird : AUK.
44. ___ vodka: ristorante phrase : ALLA. Tinman, do we mix any Vodka in our marinara?
45. Ally of Roderigo : IAGO. Interesting use of the word ALLY, as Iago was his own player.
54. Big name in beauty : ESTEE. Do your criticize her of Lauder?
55. That, in Madrid : ESO.
56. Inc. abroad : LTD.
62. Lion portrayer : LAHR. Some Oz, other than Amos.
65. "___ off?" : ON OR. Written by a parent with a child who keeps turning lights on and off.
66. It's not a big case : ETUI. Nice pun, and gist for every lawyer.
67. ___ lazuli : LAPIS. Semi-precious stone.
68. Sandy shade : ECRU.
69. Family fare letters : TV-PG.
70. Plato's market : AGORA. The Ancient Greek marketplace.
71. Soccer broadcaster Messing : SHEP. The goalkeeper for the NY Cosmos Soccer team, now talking about 'football. LINK.(4:32).
Down:
1. Not meant to be public : OFF MIKE. Fresh fill.
2. Airport security req. : VALID ID. don't you love IDID?
3. Over : AT AN END. Lots of multiple word entries today.
4. Filmmaker Riefenstahl : LENI. Hitler's filmmaker.
5. Cupcakes-to-be : BATTER. Cute clue.
6. Like curtains to be installed : UNHUNG. Be careful Lois.
7. Role for Marty Feldman : IGOR. That is pronounced EEEEgore.
8. Currency until 2002 : LIRE. In Italy.
9. Leader after Mao : DENG. I leave any practical commentary to C.C. about this MAN. (From C.C.: Deng opened China to the outside world through his "Open Door Policy". He is famous for saying "It doesn't matter whether a cat is white or black, as long
as it catches mice." Wiki explains it quite accurately: "In other words, he did not worry too much about
whether a policy was capitalist or socialist as long as it improved the
economy.")
10. Pinched : STOLEN. I hope the pinch was not.
11. Where some thank-yous are written : PREFACE. All perps, but now it makes sense.
12. Divested (of) : RID..
13. Howdies : YOS. Images of both Arnold and Sly in one puzzle, and juxtaposed two.
21. Clod : APE. Hmmmm.
22. False friends : USERS.
26. Sludge : MUD. Well that should be clear.
29. Latin case: Abbr. : DATive.
30. Guardian of Narnia : ASLAN.
31. Co-star of Carroll, Jean and Sally : ROB. Reiner, All in the Family.
32. Cross-shaped letter : TAU.
37. Not as prevalent : RARER.
38. Draft pick : ALE. Not by a sports team but customer at Hops & Pie.
39. Mer land : ILE. Mer=Sea in French.
40. One of the fam : SIS. She is a sib too.
41. Bolted down : ATE. Part of why Americans become obese, eating too fast. Fast Food, an oxymoron?
42. Hesitating sounds : UHS. Um, er....
43. Whopper topper : KETCHUP. Speaking of fast foods, and the antonym to 6D.
46. Unavailable, in a way : AT LUNCH. At Burger King it seems.
47. Become irritated : GET SORE. Aw, Wally don't get sore.
48. Cook's "Food's ready!" : ORDER UP. Ding!
50. Baseball's "Iron Horse" : GEHRIG. Wally Pipp's favorite backup.
51. Obama's "Dreams From My Father," e.g. : MEMOIR.
52. Olympics chant : USA USA.
53. Terrible twos cries : NOS.
58. City in Kansas : IOLA. Well this one is obscure but has great letters. LINK.
59. Go after, as flies : SHAG. baseball again, not Austin Powers.
60. Slip in the pool? : TYPO. Typing pool, very nice.
61. Some reddish deer : ROES. Learning moment. WATCH. and listen, (2:12)
62. Rent : LET.
63. Beach transp. : ATV. All Terrain Vehicle.
Well I made it, Thanks Jack for the laughs and thank all of you who read these words whether you comment or not. Happy August all, my youngest is coming to visit. Lemonade all squeezed out.
