Monday July 8th, 2019 Jennifer Marra

Theme: TV investigators

20A. Investigating team in "Sherlock": HOLMES AND WATSON.

39A. Investigating team in "Dragnet": FRIDAY AND GANNON.

56A. Investigating team in "The X-Files": MULDER  AND SCULLY.

Boomer here.  C.C. said this might be Jennifer's LA Times debut. Congratulations!

I spent considerable time this weekend watching the 3M Open PGA golf tournament on TV.  I mentioned in the past the C.C. and I attended the Champions tour event at the TPC in Blaine but we did not visit this year's tourney.  The field was a bit weak however the play was very good on a tough course. I noticed many Canadians in the field but most of the upper level Europeans were across the pond getting ready for the Open.

I had to chuckle when one of the announcers identified Adam Hadwin as being from Manitoba, British Columbia.  He later corrected himself, but I think he said Adam was from Moose Jaw, Manitoba.  Well, since I have shirttail relatives in Saskatoon, I knew that Moose Jaw is in Saskatchewan.  The 3M tournament was happy to welcome Canadians and I think they probably felt at home in Minnesota.  We did not have any earthquakes this weekend. It's difficult to putt when the ground is shaking.  Exciting finish.  Funny hat Bryson knocked in an eagle putt on 18 but then congrats to Matt Wolfe who nailed an eagle of his own to win ! 

Across:

1. Head honcho: BOSS.  Bruce Springsteen

5. Bird's crop: CRAW.

9. Fare in a pigsty: SLOP.  There was a little rain at the 3M Open and a few sloppy shots.

13. Canal about which the 1905 song "Low Bridge, Everybody Down" was written: ERIE.

14. Subs from delis: HEROS.  I think Heroes is spelled with another "e".

16. One can be painted or papered: WALL.  OR you can make or lose paper money on this Street.

17. Tattle: TELL.  Have an apple William.

18. Now, in Nicaragua: AHORA. Chilean golfer Joaquin Niemann would know this.  I didn't.

19. On the ocean: ASEA.  He joined the Navy to see the world, but what did he see, he saw a sea.

23. Limbs in sleeves: ARMS.  "Babes in Arms" was a musical from the thirties that has been performed in many high schools over the years.

24. "__ woods these are I think I know": Frost: WHOSE.

25. Black __ : covert missions: OPS.  Remember Donald Sutherland's Black Ops revelation in the movie "JFK" ?

28. "Moby-Dick" narrator: ISHMAEL.

32. Archaeologist's find: RELIC.

34. Ventilation: AIR.  Basketball star Michael Jordan.

35. Turkey meat choice: DARK.  We used to have a local racing fan and journalist who called himself "Dark Star".  He stopped at "Boomer's Ballcards" once or twice and made purchases of baseball cards.  He was a member of Interlachen Country Club where Bobbie Jones won the US Open in 1930 for his third leg of the grand slam.  C.C. and I visited the course for the 2002 Solheim Cup and again in 2008 for the LPGA U.S. Open.  Not to play, just to watch.

43. Is the right size: FITS. It the shoe fits, wear it. 

44. Eisenhower nickname: IKE.  I will always remember when he visited Minneapolis in a bubble top convertible parade, around 1956. I always wondered why JFK did not use the same type of transportation.

45. Jack of "Twin Peaks": NANCE.

46. Losing weight: ON A DIET.  I did not need a diet.  The pills took my weight off.  Now I am a fighting 180 LBs.  C.C. can maybe convert that to KGs.

49. __ out: just manage: EKE.  Didn't take long to get from IKE to EKE. 

50. Sugar substitute brand: EQUAL.  A little spendy.  I buy the same stuff with the name "Stevia" in a bag from Aldi.  Of course I refill my empty "Equal" jars with the product.

54. "The Andy Griffith Show" tyke: OPIE.  I wonder if Ronnie Howard ever thought that his screen name would be used in over 1000 crossword puzzles.

63. Tight connection, as between mother and baby: BOND.  "Bond, James Bond."

64. "... had a farm, __": E I E I O.  Mr. McDonald's sneaky way to get 5 vowels into a puzzle.  By the way.  Old McDonald grew potatoes and livestock on his farm, and eventually opened a fast food restaurant.  Some people say that story is a Kroc.

65. In __ of: replacing: LIEU.

66. Bibliography space saver: ET AL.  How many eggs did you have for Breakfast Caesar ?  Et tu Brute.

67. "The Wife" actress Close: GLENN.  Famous astronaut John.  We have his autograph.

68. Unceasingly: EVER.  "If you're EVER in a jam, here I am.

69. Steak order: RARE.  Retired NL Umpire Dutch Rennert was said that his strike call sounded like STEAK RARE.

70. Fr. holy women: STES.

71. Part that's left: REST.  Did you ever notice that highway rest area bathrooms are not too restful?

Down:

1. Second Hebrew letter: BETH.

2. Three-ply snack: OREO.  I think OPIE used to ask Aunt Bea for an OREO.

3. Window ledge: SILL.  "High upon a Windowsill, I couldn't hardly reach it," (Our Gang) 

4. 1965 Alabama march site: SELMA. "And you tell me over and over and over again, that you don't believe, we're on the eve of destruction."

5. Deep fissures: CHASMS.

6. Discuss to death: REHASH.  Sounds like an afternoon meal in the U.S. Army.

7. Elvis __ Presley: ARON.

8. Scrabble play: WORD.  C.C. and I used to play frequently.  She beat me all the time but now we are donating the big Scrabble game to the church garage sale this month.

9. Lawn mower's trail: SWATH.

10. Roundup rope: LASSO.

11. Spreads on breads: OLEOS.  I wonder if Aunt Bea spread OLEO on OPIE's OREO.

12. Piper Cub, e.g.: PLANE.  Tattoo on Fantasy Island.  De Plane, De Plane !!

15. Observed: SAW.  Tweety - I taught I taw a puddy cat.

21. Author Jong: ERICA.

22. Shoemaker's tool: AWL.

25. "Carmina Burana" composer: ORFF.  Sounds like a dog bark during July 4 LOUD fireworks.

26. Prefix with scope or meter: PERI.

27. Use a box cutter on: SLIT. I slit the sheet, the sheet I slit.  Upon the slitted sheet I sit.  (say that carefully)

29. Like horses' necks: MANED.

30. Help: AID.

31. Work unit: ERG.

33. Cards shown to get past bouncers: IDS.  We have an IDS Tower in Minneapolis.  I believe it was an acronym for Investors Diversified Services. That company has been swallowed up, but the building remains with the same name.

35. Some trial evidence: DNA.  The "A" stands for acid.  The DN stands for something I cannot spell.

36. Diarist Frank: ANNE.

37. __ the boat: make waves: ROCK.  "I am a ROCK, I am an ISLAND" Simon and Art.

38. Leg joint: KNEE.  Quarterbacks take them at the end of a game.

40. Yang partner: YIN.

41. Alias letters: AKA.

42. Caper: ANTIC.

46. Corrida cheer: OLE.  Ole and Sven were installing new shingles on the roof.  But Sven was only using half the nails and tossing the others away.  Ole said, "Hey Sven, why are you throwing half the nails off the roof??"  Sven "Can't you see those nails are pointed on the wrong end." Ole - "Stupid!!  Those nails are for the other side of the roof!" 

47. "I" on the periodic table: IODINE.

48. Many office printers: EPSONS.  With apologies to any one who owns one.  I think they are a thing of the past. HP stands for Horsepower.

50. Live coal fragment: EMBER.  We used to have a restaurant chain in the Twin Cities.  Their slogan was "Remember the Embers."  Not many left. Needless to say they were predicting actuality.

51. Marketing target: QUOTA.

52. Of an arm bone: ULNAR.

53. Bewilder: ADDLE.  Adjective for BRAIN.

55. Swiss calculus pioneer: EULER.

57. Rule, for short: REG.

58. Isn't feeling up to par: AILS.

59. Bygone Nair rival: NEET.  I remember this.  Haven't seen it for a long time.  I never used it.  I never had hair on my legs.

60. Being broadcast as it happens: LIVE.

61. Wranglers alternative: LEES.  Levi's alternative also.

62. Asian tent: YURT.

Boomer

Sunday July 7th, 2019 Garry Morse

Theme: "Deliberate Lying" - LY is added to the end of the first word.

 23A. Enjoy prettifying the gifts?: GLADLY WRAP. Glad wrap.

 28A. Wrinkled Sunday dinner?: RUMPLY ROAST. Rump roast.

 38A. Skinny, loose-jointed club golfer?: GANGLY MEMBER. Gang member.

 65A. Dishes like a 28-Across?: HOMELY COOKING. Home cooking.

 91A. Just taps on the door?: HARDLY KNOCKS. Hard knocks.

107A. Texas Hold 'em in Texas?: DRAWLY POKER. Draw poker.

114A. Bird that returns fire when hunted?: DEADLY DUCK. Dead duck.

How did the constructor think of the title "Lying"? Amazing! In our corner, Husker Gary and D-Otto are great in coming up with brilliant titles also.

I like when the new LY words share no root with the base phrases. But often it's impossible. Also, is  "drawly" is word you guys actually use?

Across:

1. Einstein's "m": MASS.

5. Game with knights: CHESS.

10. Missouri city nickname: ST JOE. Eminem was born here.

15. Cell accumulation: APPS.

19. Some choristers: ALTI.

20. Auto pioneer Henry: ROYCE. OK, now I know what Rolls-Royce stands for: Henry Royce and Charles Rolls.

21. Woman on the original "Star Trek" bridge: UHURA.

22. Fish or book lead-in: BLUE.

25. Fast-spreading Web units: MEMES.

26. Spanish muralist: SERT. Jose Maria Sert.

27. "Piece of cake": NO PROBLEM.

30. Home of Odysseus: ITHACA.

31. What pros know, with "the": ROPES.

32. The Big Ten's Boilermakers: PURDUE.

33. Makes red-faced: ABASHES.

37. Brew in big containers: KEG BEER. Debut entry for LAT.

43. "The Enemy Within" org.: CIA.

44. Deg. for crown fitters: DDS.

45. "Tiny Alice" dramatist: ALBEE.

46. Golden State school whose city is also its county: UCSB. UC Santa Barbara.

47. Doesn't abandon, as one's promise: HOLDS TO.

51. Strategize: PLAN.

52. Helena winter hrs.: MST.

53. Yale of Yale fame: ELIHU.

55. "The Easter Parade" author Richard: YATES.

58. "Nobody wins!": IT'S A TIE.

60. How checks are written: IN INK.

62. Nine-piece combo: NONET. And 116. Square dance quorum: OCTAD.

64. "Fooled you!": NOT.

70. Morse "T": DAH.

71. Sugar coating: GLAZE. You can probably find these glazed buns in some dim sum place.

73. Kindle download: EBOOK.

74. Bishop's district: DIOCESE.

76. "Phooey!" cousins: DRATS.

78. Dense overgrowth: BRUSH.

80. Bad picnic omen: ANT.

81. Marseille mates: AMIS.

82. Sandburg's metaphorical fog carrier: CAT FEET. The fog comes on little cat feet.

84. Barbarian: OGRE.

86. Preserved, in a way: ON ICE.

87. Span. title: SRA.

90. Leaving approx.: ETD.

94. Rooftop landing spot: HELIPAD.

97. Like candid photos: UNPOSED.

98. Transfer to a larger computer, say: UPLOAD.

99. Barbecue leftovers: ASHES.

102. Rough partner?: TUMBLE. Rough and tumble.

109. Causes of road trip delays: FLAT TIRES. Be careful when you have any roofing project. Don't let the nails get into your tires.

112. 1977 ELO hit: DO YA.

113. Selection from a pool: JUROR.

115. Yet: EVEN.

117. "Live PD" airer: A AND E.

118. Throb: ACHE.

119. Wine list heading: REDS.

120. "Flashdance" star Jennifer: BEALS.

121. Top officers: BRASS.

122. Tarot reader: SEER.

Down:

1. Son of Thor, in comics: MAGNI. No idea.

2. Divvy up: ALLOT.

3. Bacteria in grapelike clusters: STAPH.

4. Libyan port on its own gulf: SIDRA. Another unknown.

5. Whiner: CRYBABY.

6. Lupine call: HOWL.

7. Fictional governess: EYRE.

8. Main plot element in "The Sting": SCAM.

9. Labor Day mo.: SEP.

10. Recap: SUM UP.

11. Central idea: THEME. Lying!! 

12. Springs: JUMPS.

13. Baseball's Hershiser: OREL.

14. "Piece of cake": EASY PEASY. Great fill.

15. Learn well: ABSORB.

16. Begged: PLEADED.

17. Went after: PURSUED.

18. Hunting dogs: SETTERS.

24. Where it's at: LOCALE.

28. Took off: ROSE.  Our Asiatic Lilies this morning. They started blooming a few days ago.

29. Persian on the floor: RUG.

31. Yeshiva leader: REBBE. Wiki says it's a "Yiddish word derived from the Hebrew word rabbi, which means "master", "teacher", or "mentor". Like the title rabbi, it refers to teachers of Torah or leaders of Judaism."

34. "I want to be entertained": AMUSE ME.

35. Mennonites, e.g.: SECT.

36. Pinafore letters: HMS.

37. Play a prank on: KID.

38. Like a large hole: GAPING.

39. Taking everything into account: ALL TOLD.

40. Jordan or Curry, e.g.: NBA STAR.

41. Actress Rowlands: GENA.

42. Beast with thick skin: RHINO. And 79. 42-Down features: HORNS.

43. Dropped-pot sound: CLUNK.

48. West Virginia border river: OHIO.

49. Letter after Sierra: TANGO. NATO phonetic alphabet.

50. Plains tribe: OTO.

52. Paolo's possessive: MIO. My or mine.

54. Enjoys, as an ice cream cone: LICKS.

56. Indigenous: ENDEMIC.

57. Not enjoying the whale watch, maybe: SEASICK.

59. Frat row letter: THETA.

61. Nephrologist's concern: KIDNEYS. Nephrologist is a new word to me.

63. Luther's 95 __: THESES.

66. Lessened: EBBED.

67. Old stories: LORE.

68. One's early years: YOUTH.

69. Tiny insect egg: NIT.

72. Efron of "High School Musical": ZAC.

75. Mets infielder Robinson __: CANO.

77. Regular work: STEADY JOB. Another sparkly fill.

80. Folksy Guthrie: ARLO.

83. ProFlowers parent co.: FTD. Read the Ligation part.

85. Econ. yardstick: GDP.

86. At work: ON DUTY.

87. Horror film reaction: SHUDDER.

88. Admonish: REPROVE.

89. Eased: ALLAYED.

92. Violinist who taught Heifetz: AUER (Leopold). We had this clue before.

93. Tea prep aids: KETTLES.

95. Hawkeyes: IOWANS.

96. Friend: PAL.

99. Blood line: AORTA.

100. Word shouted with a raised glass: SKOAL. Gai Bei in Chinese

101. Antelope groups: HERDS.

103. King with a magic touch: MIDAS.

104. Wayne of Wayne Manor: BRUCE.

105. Café lightener: LECHE.

106. Glacial ridge: ESKER. Not ARETE.

108. Dark purple: PUCE.

109. Word repeated in an iconic FDR quote: FEAR.

110. Superboy's girlfriend: LANA.

111. Includes: ADDS.

114. Slight amount: DAB.

C.C.

Saturday, July 6, 2019, Jeffrey Wechsler

Themeless Puzzle by Jeffrey Wechsler 

Archie League

On July 6th, 1936, the National Air Traffic Control System was created and it has progressed immensely since the days of the first air traffic controller - Archie League of St. Louis in 1929.

We now have a very high tech group of professionals that keep us safe in the wild blue yonder. To appreciate their job please click on this site that shows where every plane is that is currently flying anywhere in the world. I was shocked when I first saw how many planes are aloft at one time.

You can zoom in and out to see what plane is flying over your head right now and understand how hard it was to get all those planes on the ground on September 11, 2001

Today marks the second Jeffrey Wechsler themeless Saturday I have blogged in my year-and-a-half tenure here at the Corner. My first Wechsler Saturday puzzle blog was on the first Saturday of this year. He is shown below as the second from the left in this Minnesota event.  We all know the beautiful lady who is front and center. C.C.'s interview with Jeffrey

Now I will try to guide you through Jeffrey's crossword flight path from my Nebraska control tower. Wechsler flight 7.6.09 is now leaving the gate with various ETA's for the end of the trip:

Across:

1. Copper container?: POLICE CAR - The thought of copper meaning slang for a policeman occurred to me but I thought, nah, Jeffery wouldn't start with that. Well that was the first turbulence I hit on this flight. I most remember Car 54 and Adam-12

10. Avian sounds: CAWS - Not COOS it turns out

14. Clues in: MAKES AWARE.

15. Bypass: OMIT.

16. Field of operations?: ARITHMETIC - No new iteration of New Math makes sense to this math teacher. Pearson Publishing makes big bucks if you choose New Math as shown here.

17. Infiltrator: MOLE.

18. Car wash supply: RAGS - What? No SOAP?

19. Follower of TV?: SET.

20. Grapefruit stuff: PULP 

21. Penultimate of 24 letters: PSI - Next to last in Greek alphabet

22. Soup base: PEA 

25. 2002 Soderbergh film based on a 1961 sci-fi novel: SOLARIS - Rotten Tomatoes thought more of George Clooney's space effort that came eleven years later

27. "Stone walls do not a prison make" poet: LOVELACE - "Nor iron bars a cage" from Richard's 1642 poem To Althea, From Prison

30. Go bad: ROT.

31. Boxy conveyances: ELEVATORS - Art Deco entrances to said boxy conveyances in the lobby of the Empire State Building

33. Tolkien terror: ORC - Hello old cwd friend 

35. Accommodate: SUIT.

36. Pull apart: RIP - Just RIP that bandaid off!

37. Part of a bust: KILO - Illicit drugs (correction) often come in these 2.2. lb lots

39. Mideast group with observer status at the U.N.: PLO.

40. "After the Gold Rush" musician: NEIL YOUNG - Here ya go!

43. Bushes seem to flourish in it: Abbr.: GOP - Of these GOP Bushes, W's library is at 50. Dallas sch.: SMU.

45. Playful Pacific Northwest marine denizen: SEA OTTER.

46. Like pens designed for detailed work: FINE NIB - We crossworders are familiar with a pen's NIB

51. Auditor, often: Abbr.: CPA.

52. Bank product: LOAN.

53. Position, briefly: POV - It all depends on your Point Of View 

55. Where the tibialis anterior originates: SHIN.

56. Opposed to: ANTI.

57. Dismissed lightly: POOH POOHED - A 1939 NYT editorial POOH POOHED the idea that  TV would ever replace the radio. Origin of the phrase

61. In __: unmoved: SITU - An IN SITU mosaic in a Pompeii bathhouse 

62. Conscience: INNER VOICE 

63. Robert of "Airplane!": HAYS - The funniest movie I have ever seen (Robert HAYS on trumpet)! Craziness in the air traffic controller tower was a big part of this movie

64. Insignificant: PENNY ANTE - Also a low rent poker game


Down:

1. "The Mikado" props: PARASOLS.

Emma Kerr as Peep-Bo

2. "Just tell me already!": OK I GIVE UP, "What do you call a boomerang that won't come back?" (*Answer at the bottom of the blog)

3. With 23-Down, chow line: LETS 23. See 3-Down: EAT 

4. Cousin of -like: ISH.

5. Cell feature: CAM - I wonder if this lens would really enhance my cell CAM

6. One of Bo Peep's charges: EWE - She can't find 'em!

7. Best Musical Tony winner after "Nine": CATS.

8. First of 12: ARIES - Where the sun is during the spring equinox.  Why it really isn't in ARIES any more

9. Clerical leader: RECTOR.

10. Niels Bohr, to Victor Borge: COMPATRIOT - Fellow Danes in two very different disciplines 

11. Affaire de coeur: AMOUR - Love is an Affair of the heart

12. "__ ever!": "Yes!": WILL I 

13. Prominent Lincoln Memorial features: STEPS  - There are 58 STEPS from the plaza level up to the chamber.

14. Sleuth who knits: MARPLE - Margaret Rutherford was Agatha Christie's Miss Jane MARPLE in film from 1961 - 1964

22. Military group: PLATOON.

24. Seed with a prominent cap: ACORN 

26. "And another thing, buddy ... ": LOOK YOU.

28. Typical Bond foe: EVIL GENIUS - Here's some (I can only name Dr. No and Goldfinger)

29. Iroquois enemies: ERIES.

32. Infiltrators: SPIES.

34. Walk-off home run, e.g.: CLUTCH HIT - Baseball's most famous (1:00)

38. Swimwear option: ONE PIECE - In 1922 this D.C. cop's job was to make sure these ONE PIECERS were no more than 6" above the knee

41. On the __: LAM.

42. Starbucks size: GRANDE.

44. Repetitive British farewell: PIP PIP - Cheerio old bean!

46. Word with mob or card: FLASH - Gotta love this as it builds for six minutes

47. Ancient Greek region: IONIA - Map

48. Dapper: NATTY.

49. Northernmost Kentucky county: BOONE - Our 4,800 mile trip to Rome began at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport which is in BOONE County KY just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati 

54. Lindsey on skis: VONN.

55. "For violent fires __ burn out themselves": Shak.: SOON - "His rash fierce blaze of riot cannot last. / For violent fires SOON burn out themselves" John of Gaunt said of Richard II

58. Farm female: HEN.

59. Explore where you shouldn't: PRY.

60. Fertility clinic supply: OVA - It's also the name of this In Vitro Fertilization clinic in Zurich 

*A boomerang that won't come back is called "A Stick"

Now put your seat backs and tray tables in their upright and locked position and feel free to comment.

Friday, July 5, 2019 Derek Bowman

Thoroughbred Racing

Three grid spanners in the middle give us a thoroughbred racing mini-theme.  Nothing else that I could see.   

32. New York city with a historic race course: SARATOGA SPRINGS.

37. 2015 Triple Crown winner: AMERICAN PHAROAH.

38. California race that's a stepping-stone to Kentucky: SANTA ANITA DERBY.

As a 3 year old, American Pharoah won the Kentucky, Derby, then the Preakness and Belmont to become the 12th horse to win the Triple Crown.  He ended his career with a 9-1 record and became the only horse in history to win the "Grand Slam" of thoroughbred racing when he won the Breeders Cup Classic.

He also won at Santa Anita as a 2 year old in the FrontRunner Stakes,  but didn't he didn't run in the Santa Anita Derby.   The FrontRunner Stakes has been renamed the American Pharoah Stakes in the horses's honor.

His only loss came in Saratoga Springs at the Travers Stakes.   


Across:

1. Jimmy Choo shoe brand co-founder Mellon: TAMARA.    No idea, but it is Friday.  Thank you perps.   

7. Athlete's feint: HEAD FAKE. 

15. Cast out: EXILED.

16. Dander, e.g.: ALLERGEN.

17. "Sadly, that's not the case": ALAS, NO.

18. Not just requested: IMPLORED.  Beseeched.  To my ears, implored sounds more modern than beseeched.

19. Duff Beer server: MOE.  The Simpsons

20. Gives the go-ahead: OKs.

21. Sources of renewed energy: NAPS.  Our friend WikWak must have a lot of energy.  I think I'm going to follow his model and see if it works for me.

22. "Who, me?": MOI.   Miss Piggy was famous for asking, "Moi ?"

24. Wise teacher: GURU.

26. Pull (out): OPT.

28. Historic time: ERA.

29. Unified: ONE.

30. Muse with a lyre: ERATO.

39. Minute Maid Park player: ASTRO.    Astro Alex Bregman was MVP in last year's All Star game.  His 10th inning home run put the AL'ers ahead of the NL'ers 7 to 6.   His Astro teammate George Springer followed with another round tripper as an insurance run. and the AL won the game 8-6.    In 89 games, the AL leads the summer classic 44-43-2.    That's pretty even.   Also pretty even ?  Runs scored in the All Star games.  The AL leads 769 to 767.  Tuesday, July 9th will be the 90th game.  It would be neat if the NL won by 2 runs.

40. Denver-to-Omaha dir.: ENE.

41. Completely: ALL.

42. Talks acronym: TED.  Technology, Entertainment and Design.

43. Country in a Beatles title: USSR.   It's where I learned B.O.A.C.


45. 1992-2001 Expos manager Felipe: ALOU.

48. Boom source: TNT.

49. "__ Baby Baby": 1965 Miracles hit: OOO.  Smokey Robinson will be playing in Temecula tonight at the Pechanga Summit.   Tickets for the 8 PM concert are $39,  but you might do better if you Shop Around.



51. Has a revelatory experience: FINDS GOD.

54. Many city workers live in one: SUBURB.

57. Like Greenpeace, e.g.: ANTI NUKE.

58. 2017 biopic about a figure skater: I TONYA. Tonya Harding.


59. "Good Day Sunshine" album: REVOLVER.


I also especially like Got To Get You Into My Life from the same album.

60. Called for: NEEDED.   Despite the fact that the Rum Swizzle called for crushed or pebble ice, Tinbeni ordered it straight.

Down:

1. Spot to drink: TEA.

2. Rose of rock: AXL.


3. '80s-'90s Heat home: MIAMI ARENA.

4. Additionally: ALSO.

5. Go back to the table: RENEGOTIATE.

6. Hubbub: ADO.

7. Very short poem: HAIKU.  CSO to our occasional visitor Haiku Harry.

8. Stately trees: ELMS.

9. The Zugspitze, e.g.: ALP.   Been there.    You can not only see Austria from it, you can straddle both countries while doing it.  It is the tallest of the Alps in Germany.   The Zugspitze is not the tallest in Austria though.   That claim belongs to the Grossglockner, which is the second highest of all the Alps, trailing only Mont Blanc.    Just as the Zugspitze shares two countries, so does Mont Blanc, with France and Italy sharing the mountain.  

10. With 44-Across, "Summertime Sadness" singer Lana: DEL. And 44. See 10-Down: REY.   Never heard it before, but the video has 185M views, so either it's popular or there have been some bots at work.


11. It's off the ground during a wheelie: FRONT TIRE.

I would guess circa 1967.

12. Asian shrine city: AGRA.

13. Word with watch or time: KEEP.   Also for quiet and still.

14. Stops: ENDS.

20. Pizza seasoning: OREGANO.

22. Flat-topped lands: MESAS.  Buttes, plateaus...

23. Slangy event suffix: ORAMA.

25. Reverse, for one: UNO CARD.    One of the action cards, of which there are 5 or 7,  depending on your game deck.   There are 4 reverse cards.  You can only use the reverse card if you are playing it on a card of the same color, or on another reverse card.

 UNO RULES

26. Harry Potter and Tom Sawyer: ORPHANS.

27. Procession plan: PARADE ROUTE.

30. 1930s Rhine/Zener experiment: ESP TEST.

31. Circa: ON OR AROUND.

33. Painter's work area: ART STUDIO.  Atelier.

34. Singer DiFranco: ANI.

35. Cape Cod feature: GABLE.

36. With pause, perhaps: SHYLY.

43. Anesthetized: UNDER.

45. A long way off: AFAR.

46. Queue (up): LINE. 

47. Being broadcast: ON TV.

48. Tip in Vegas: TOKE.

50. Orchestras tune to one: OBOE.

52. "Weekend Update" show: SNL.

53. Bloke's address: GUV.

54. Offense: SIN.

55. Manhattan part: RYE.

56. Disobedient, to Fido: BAD.

Thursday July 4th, 2019 Ed Sessa

Theme: Death and ... taxes. The inevitable turns up today to celebrate July 4th. Maybe an odd choice but ...

17A. Meets unexpectedly: BUMPS INTO. Sin Tax. Excise levied on products the experts in the know think you shouldn't be buying. Tobacco, alcohol, etc. What about cheese?

23A. Works with one's private tutor, say: TAKES A LESSON. Sales tax. Getting out of hand here in California. We already have one of the highest ....

34A. Emergency run-through opening: THIS IS JUST A TEST. ... state taxes in the Union.

46A. Utah's state tree: QUAKING ASPEN. I'd never heard of the tree - well, the "quaking" part. We quake when the gas tax is increased, it seems like every budget. Pretty trees though ...

56A. Income-reducing inequity, or what can be found in the four other longest puzzle answers: HIDDEN TAX. I like the "inequity" part of the clue. Tax Freedom day was April 16th this year - the day you stop paying taxes to the Government and start making money for yourself.

Fun theme from Ed, and as usual, a nice grid, tight theme and pleasant fill. Let's see what else we've got:

Across:

1. Settle for leftovers: EAT IN

6. "A revolution is not a dinner party" statesman: MAO

9. Additions to the staff: HIRES. Deductions from the staff: FIRES. Admirable symmetry. Happier to be a hire than a fire.

14. Petting zoo critter: LLAMA. These buggers are nasty, I'm not sure they're really petting zoo candidates, they bite and have an amazing ability to spit.

15. Wayfarer's stop: INN

16. Lexus rival: ACURA

19. Connecting waterway: CANAL

20. Rock band need: AMP. I'd say "amps". Famously, the Rolling Stones brought the bass player Bill Wyman into the band because he owned an amp. I don't think Keith Richard liked him a whole lot, in his autobiography he mentioned Wyman twice - when he joined the band and when he quit. That's about 40 years of total anonymity, which seems unfair.

21. Board game with rooms: CLUE. Colonel Mustard in the Library with the Candlestick. Fun game.

22. Woo with a tune: SING TO

25. Emily Dickinson's hometown: AMHERST. Most of her work was never seen until her death, and even then was heavily edited.

28. Longtime nighttime host: LENO

29. Bread brushed with ghee: NAAN. Food! I usually stick to chapatis with Indian food, the naan are very filling.

30. Zipped: SPED

31. Feathery wrap: BOA

39. Tennis' Andy Murray's title: SIR. Wimbledon started this week, so very apt. By the way, it's "Wimbledon" with a "D", not "Wimbleton". Thank you.

40. Bud: CHUM

41. Sign of holiness: HALO

42. Facial tissue?: SKIN

43. Opposite of engagement: BOREDOM

50. When many workdays start: AT NINE. Mine usually kicks off at six - timezone issues with head office.

51. Said, "The dog ate my homework," probably: LIED. I'd love to know what the reaction is if your dog really ate your homework and you tried that excuse?

52. Notable period: ERA

55. Church offering: TITHE. Is it 5% of what you make? Seems a lot.

58. Fake handle: ALIAS

59. Many a Monopoly sq.: AVE. From memory, the British Monopoly board has only one - Northumberland Avenue, just off Trafalgar Square. When I visit London, my go-to hotel is on that street.

60. "Live at the Acropolis" keyboardist: YANNI. Who? Thank you, crosses.

61. Takes it easy: RESTS

62. "Let's do it!": YES!

63. Mild oath: EGADS!

Down:

1. Idris of "Luther": ELBA

2. College benefactor: ALUM

3. Pack (down): TAMP

4. Little dickens: IMP

5. Brickyard 400 acronym: NASCAR. I just saw an interview with Tony Stewart on Dan Patrick's Audience Network show. He was asked "What p*sses you off?" and after the "How long do we have?" response, he said, as the show was taped in LA - "Anyone that drives a Prius", I had to give a golf clap to that response.

6. Courtly dance: MINUET

7. Pays for a hand: ANTES. Poker. Ante up, people.

8. Middle name adopted by John Lennon: ONO

9. Mexicali mansion: HACIENDA

10. "Just you watch me": I CAN SO. Hopefully not ending in tears.

11. Steps up a ladder: RUNGS

12. Poetry Muse: ERATO

13. Place for a makeover: SALON

18. Sorts: ILKS

22. Icy forecast: SLEET

23. Change for a 50: TENS

24. "Heidi" setting: ALPS

25. Armadillo meal: ANTS

26. When repeated, fish on a menu: MAHI

27. Tresses: HAIR

30. Dim __: traditional Chinese food: SUM. I think we had a discussion about this a couple of weeks ago. The last time we were in the UK, we found a dim sum restaurant with a completely gluten-free menu, to the delight of my friend who can't eat wheat. It was worth every bite.

31. Spot on a sweater?: BEAD

32. Peace Prize city: OSLO

33. Minute matter: ATOM

35. Gross quality: ICKINESS

36. Stand out: SHINE

37. Freud contemporary: JUNG

38. If so: THEN

42. Schusser's topper: SKI HAT "Schuss" is the downhill ski tuck position, not turns, just get down as fast as you can.

43. They're usually not hits: B-SIDES. I think the Beatles might argue this, some of their b-sides were more successful than the "A"'s. Here's an example! 

44. Columnist's page: OP-ED

45. Overnight flight: RED-EYE. I've experienced plenty of these, absolutely horrible, I refuse to fly red-eyes as much as possible

46. Saudi Arabia's neighbor: QATAR

47. Of practical value: UTILE. I Like this word, and resolve to use it more often.

48. Voices against: ANTIS

49. Vibrant: ALIVE

52. Italian peak: ETNA

53. McNally's mapmaking partner: RAND. Did you know that Mason and Dixon, who plotted the line, were both British? One was a mapmaker, the other an astronomer.

54. Geometric reference line: AXIS

56. __ fever: HAY

57. Scraggly horse: NAG

I think that might be it from me today. Under a time-crunch, so maybe not a lot of color today, for which my apologies. However, here's the grid with some theme-color to make up for it.

Steve