Tuesday September 24, 2019 Robert Fisher

Theme: SOLD (62. Auctioneer's cry after the starts of 20-, 36- and 49-Across)

 

20. Seeking an Olympic victory: GOING FOR THE GOLD.

36. Hardly ever: ONCE IN A BLUE MOON.

49. Zwieback, e.g.: TWICE-BAKED BREAD.

Boomer here again.

Just watching the magic number go down.  Sunday was excruciating 4 and a half hours with too many walks.  Vikings did well though. Fun to be a sports fan in Minnesota this year.  I have little interest in NBA or NHL.

Across:

1. Octopus octet: ARMS.  Also many MLB bullpens octets this time of year.

5. Read electronically: SCAN.

9. Stand in for: ACT AS.  Unless you are a pitcher or a quarterback.

14. Painful joint inflammation: GOUT.

15. "What'll ya __?": HAVE. Pabst Blue Ribbon.

16. Legendary crooner Mel: TORME.  I think we just saw this. Reminded me of the Seinfeld when Kramer made a fool of himself with Mel.

17. Prefix meaning "all": OMNI.  Speaking of basketball and hockey, I am reminded of the OMNI Arena in Atlanta.

18. From the start: ANEW.  If your golf driver fails you, get A NEW one!

19. Utter nonsense: TRIPE.  This is disgusting innards from animals.  Yuk!

23. Beach toy for a windy day: KITE.  Go fly one.  Keep away from trees and especially power lines.

24. Information technology giant: UNISYS.  My golf buddy Jorge retired from them years ago.

25. "Norwegian Dances" composer: GRIEG. Edvard.

28. Road curves: BENDS.  I suppose the ones at Daytona don't count.

30. More than a few: MANY.  Many's the times I've been mistaken, and many times confused.  (American Tune - Paul Simon)  It's all right, all right, I'm just weary to my bones.

31. Come into view: EMERGE.

33. Hosp. diagnostic procedure: MRI.  This is exactly the treatment that convinced the professionals that I had Cancer and not an arthritis problem.  The MRI got me back on the right track.

39. Jamaican music: SKA.

40. "Big Little Lies" actress Meryl: STREEP.

41. Frenzied way to run: AMOK.  I guess it was somewhat organized and God bless the kids who were protesting the lack of attention to climate change, which seems to be running AMOK.

42. Smelting waste: DROSS.

43. Like good pie crusts: FLAKY.  Actually, I prefer the graham cracker kind of crust.

44. Field & __ Magazine: STREAM.  My dad was an outdoorsman and we had a subscription coming to our home when I was a kid.

47. Beach toy: PAIL.  Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch one full of water.

55. Celebrate boisterously: REVEL.

56. Urge on: GOAD.  Sixty thousand purple clad fans packed U.S, Bank Stadium to GOAD on the Vikings last Sunday.

57. 220-by-198-foot plot of land, e.g.: ACRE.  Some may call it a bad tooth.

58. Farsi speaker: IRANI.

59. To be, in Tours: ETRE.

60. Not that: THIS.

61. Animal skins: PELTS.  Sorry but I think the collection of these is disgusting.

63. Enjoy some tub time: SOAK.  I take showers. No time to soak, I have to go bowling.

Down:

1. Visibly awed: AGOG.

2. CBS Sports NFL analyst Tony: ROMO.  Former Cowboy quarterback is now trying out the PGA golf venue.

3. Tax-free govt. bond: MUNI.  Put your money in a MUNI.

4. Disapproving look: STINK EYE.

5. Elevator passage: SHAFT.  Years ago when I started at Graybar, our warehouse was four stories with a rail access on the lower level.  I do not have room on this blog to tell you the horror stories created by this elevator.

6. Kayak-like boat: CANOE.  Also a men's cologne.

7. State unequivocally: AVER.

8. Former House leader Gingrich: NEWT.  Strange name for a strange looking guy.  But I would never pick on a House of Representatives Speaker.  I believe they have a tough job.

9. Conference-goer: ATTENDEE.

10. Welsh herding dogs: CORGIS.

11. Small music ensembles: TRIOS.  Kingston and Chad Mitchell are my favorites, but I suppose you already know that.

12. In a plentiful way: AMPLY.

13. Plants-to-be: SEEDS.  May have to try something different next year.  Our garden was the Detroit Tigers of gardens this year.

21. Booking on a band's tour: GIG.

22. Stuck (on): HUNG UP.  Also the way I keep my phone in the basement.

25. Scientifically engineered crops, e.g., briefly: GMOS.  Maybe I could get some of these for our garden.

26. __ and file: RANK.  I made it to Specialist E-5.

27. Ancient Cuzco dweller: INCA.

28. Spanish newborns: BEBES.

29. Author __ Stanley Gardner: ERLE.  He spelled his first name funny, however Perry Mason was one of my favorite TV characters.  I even read a couple of Erle's books years ago.

31. Bury: ENTOMB.

32. "Veronica __": teen drama starring Kristen Bell: MARS.  Snickers and Milky Way!  No more for me. Not a good snack for diabetics. I don't think the U.S will ever get a space probe to MARS either.  At least not in my lifetime.

33. NYC cultural center: MOMA.

34. Chess piece involved in castling: ROOK.  I used to play a little chess.  I used to laugh at people who called the piece a castle.

35. Like many a stained shirt pocket: INKY.  Was this not a Pac-Man character?  I once drew a crowd playing Pac-Man at Six Flags Great America Amusement Park in Gurnee, Illinois.

37. Tel Aviv residents: ISRAELIS.

38. Ones habitually hanging out in retail complexes: MALL RATS.  There are no rats at our Mall of America in Minnesota, but not as much fun as the aforementioned Great America Park.

42. A step above "meh": DECENT.

43. White lie: FIB.

44. Remove paint from: STRIP.

45. Shakespearean contraction: 'TWERE.  "'Twere the nights before Christmas" sounds stupid.

46. Primary competitor: RIVAL.  Graybar used to sell RIVAL housewares to Target but then they went direct.

47. Oyster gem: PEARL.  PEARL Bailey was a legend.

48. Tacked on: ADDED.

50. Brings to maturity: AGES.  Some things get better with age.  Not my bowling or golf scores though.

51. Zither-like Japanese instrument: KOTO.

52. Canyon feedback: ECHO.  Toyota used to make a small car called an ECHO. I think they stopped around 2005 because nobody wants a small car anymore.

53. Opera song for one: ARIA.

54. Newsroom station: DESK.

Boomer

Monday September 23, 2019 Seth Bisen-Hersh

Theme: IT'S A DATE (54. "I'm there!" ... and hint to the first part of the answers to starred clues) - The first word can precede "date".

20. *Zero degrees, on a compass: DUE NORTH. Due date.

23. *Fiduciary entity whose holdings are unknown to its beneficiaries: BLIND TRUST. Blind date.

 

39. *Life insurance clause specifying twice the payment for certain situations: DOUBLE INDEMNITY. Double date.

 

47. *Wet wooded region: RAINFOREST. Rain date.

Boomer here. C.C. said this is another L. A. Times debut. Congrats, Seth!

Bowling is now in full swing.  The lanes will see me twice a week until April.  Golf season is running short in Minnesota. Courses close around November 1.  Crossword season is in play 12 months a year.

Across:

1. Bowler's challenge: SPLIT.  Happened to me six time last Thursday

6. River in western Belgium: YSER.  "YSER that's my babe, No Sir, I don't mean maybe."

10. "Quite contrary" gardener: MARY.  Silver Bells and Cockle shells.

14. Dog guide: LEASH.  I think most states require a leash now.

15. Paris currency: EURO.  I remember when EURO first hit the market I think I bought 25 coins in a set for about $20.00.  Later I sold them on eBay for about $10.00.  Story of my life.

16. Singer Adams: EDIE.  Mr. Grant's (of WJM TV) wife.

17. Bert's Muppet roommate: ERNIE.

18. Tiny bit of a min.: NSEC. Nanosecond.

19. "Bob's Burgers" daughter: TINA.  Or Tina Louise on Gilligan's Island.

22. Looks for: SEEKS. and you shall FIND.

26. Deli hanger: SALAMI.  Salami, Salami, Baloney.

31. Rivière contents: EAU.  I know this is French, but every time I see it in a puzzle, I think of our Wisconsin neighbor to the east, Eau Claire, Wisconsin.  Speaking of the big W, I watched the Badgers kick Michigan around today.  Too bad they had two players kicked out of the game for head butting.

32. Sun-dried brick: ADOBE.

33. Campus housing: DORM.  Never stayed in a dorm.  I carpooled to the U of M and parked in a lot in the Mississippi River flats. 15 cents per day.

35. Ceremonial shoulder-to-hip band: SASH.

42. "¿Cómo __ usted?": ESTA.

43. Pre-holiday nights: EVES.  I like Christmas Eve but I suppose New Year's eve is most rowdy.

44. Helped: AIDED.

45. Exist: ARE.

46. Opulent home: ESTATE.  Okay, we only have a town home on a small lot.  I imagine most of our Minnesota Twins might live on an estate.  That's okay though since they have to live in a hotel 81 days a year.

53. Early stage: ONSET.

60. Lab vessel: VIAL.

61. Therefore: ERGO.

63. Radamès in 36-Down, e.g.: TENOR. 36. Verdi opera: AIDA.

64. And others, in Lat.: ET AL.  Short for Et Cetera.

65. Author Roald: DAHL.

66. Wild West film: OATER.  Throw back to the early sixties with Oaters like Gunsmoke, Maverick,     Cheyenne, et al.

67. Provocative: RACY.

68. French "head": TETE.

69. Newspapers, collectively: PRESS.  I like MEDIA better.

Down:

1. Snow glider: SLED.  We all had one when we were kids. A nice friendly hill near my home helped too.

2. Lima is its capital: PERU.

3. Fictional reporter Lois: LANE.  Superman never got hit by a plane but Clark got hit on by a Lane.

4. "The doctor __": IS IN.  I have seen and heard this many times, but I never saw a sign like this at any doctor or dentist's office.

5. "God" prefix: THEO.  What follows THE N

6. Film in which Streisand plays a yeshiva boy: YENTL.

7. Japanese rolls: SUSHI.

8. Before, in verse: ERE.  I heard him exclaim ere he rode out of sight.

9. Mythical big bird: ROC.  Roc of ages, cleft for me.  Let me hide under a tree.

10. Usage measurer: METER.  "Lovely Rita, METER maid". The Beatles.

11. French farewell: ADIEU. Adieu, Adieu, my friends adieu. I can no longer stay with you.  I'll hang my harp in the weeping willow tree.  And may the world go well with thee.

12. Ice show venues: RINKS.  Yeah but also hockey games eh ?

13. Baker's dough raiser: YEAST. When I worked pizza, we always put in yeast when making the dough.  But then when making the pizza, we flattened the heck out of it.

21. Sac fly stat: RBI.  I think the major leagues are setting records for total RBIs among all the team.  they really tightened the strings on those baseballs this year.

22. "The Simpsons" disco guy: STU.

24. Geeky-sounding candy: NERDS. Candy??  I thought those were the guys that lived in Animal House.

25. Knight's lady: DAME.  There is nothing like one.  Nothing in the world !

26. "Smooth Operator" singer: SADE.

27. Kerfuffles: ADOS.

28. Lummox: LOUT.

29. __ The Museum: Stockholm exhibit honoring a pop group: ABBA.

30. Singer Tormé: MEL.  He was in a Seinfeld episode and I think Kramer fell on him.

33. Sunken ship explorer: DIVER.

34. __ of a kind: ONE.  It takes ONE to know ONE.

35. Peevish state: SNIT. Tobacco can spelled backwards.

37. Editor's "never mind that change": STET.

38. Jekyll's alter ego: HYDE.  Forget London, There is a Hyde Park in Chicago's South side near that big lake named after Michigan.

40. Gateway Arch designer Saarinen: EERO.

41. More, for Miguel: MAS.

45. Rearward at sea: AFT.  Also a period of time after MORN

46. Many "Star Trek" extras: ETS.

47. Mars explorer: ROVER.  "Red ROVER, Red ROVER send C.C. right over."

48. Friend of Maria in "West Side Story": ANITA.  "Tonight, Tonight, won't be just any night.  Tonight there will be no morning star."

49. Author Asimov: ISAAC.

50. Singer Furtado: NELLY.  "Hang on the bell Nelly, Hang on the bell.  You're poor daddy's locked in a cold prison cell."  (Chad Mitchell Trio.)

51. Octet count: EIGHT.  Crazy number

52. Swiped: STOLE.

55. Resting upon: ATOP.  Of Old Smokey

56. Honey alternative: DEAR.  Dear ABBY's Grandson (Dean Phillips) is our 3rd District Congressman from Minnesota.  (C.C. and I live in the 3rd district.)

57. Pot starter: ANTE.  Pretty much the same as a red chip on the Pass Line.  I don't play poker.  I'll let you guess the game I like.

58. Ballerinas dance on them: TOES.  Rings on her fingers, and bells on her toes.  Hey has anybody seen my sweet Gypsy Rose?

59. Makes a mistake: ERRS.  Can't blame those on the tight baseballs, or can they?

61. NYC summer hrs.: EDT.

62. Actress Charlotte: RAE.

Boomer

Sunday September 22, 2019 Gary Larson

Theme: - "Film Openings" - Each familiar phrase is re-phrased as if the first word is a film.

22A. Review of a 2013 Disney musical?: FROZEN ACCOUNT.

39A. 1:58 for the duration of a 2016 Amy Adams sci-fi flick?: ARRIVAL TIME.
 
70A. Author of a 1990 Swayze/Moore fantasy romance?: GHOST WRITER.

101A. Box-office receipts for a 1988 Tom Hanks comedy?: BIG BUSINESS.
 
117A. First draft of a 1995 De Niro/Pacino thriller?: HEAT TREATMENT.

16D TV commercial for a 1983 Chevy Chase comedy?: VACATION SPOT.

62D. Pretentious chatter about a 1960 Hitchcock thriller?: PSYCHO BABBLE.

Lots of one-named films. Many are not workable as they can't be put in phrases. Argo, Goodfellas, etc.

Upper left and lower right have triple-stacks of 8s. Very themeless-like. Amazing.

Across:

1. DSL provider: ISP. Ours is CenturyLink.

4. MSNBC rival: CNN.

7. Living room piece: DIVAN.

12. Tennyson poem that begins, "I waited for the train at Coventry": GODIVA.

18. Extreme degree: NTH.

19. Sushi topping: ROE.

20. Saudi neighbor: OMANI.

21. Turkey's highest peak: ARARAT. Noah's Ark landed there.


25. Small shooter: MINICAM. Pic-shooter.

27. Green-winged night flier: LUNA MOTH.

28. Sudden air movement: GUST.

30. Olympic skater Baiul: OKSANA. 70. Medal for 30-Across: GOLD. She won a gold medal in the 1994 Winter Olympics.

31. Singer with numerically named albums: ADELE. "19," "21" and "25".

32. Vocalist Kitt: EARTHA.

35. Job for an actor: ROLE.

37. Hanoi holiday: TET.

38. Place for a béret: TETE. 63. Leader in a beret: CHE. Guevara.


41. QB's stat: INT.

42. Inventor Otis: ELISHA.

44. Macho guy: MAN'S MAN. Great fill.

45. Reduce bit by bit: ERODE.

47. U.S. Army medal: DSC.

48. Spoke at length: ORATED.

51. George who was VP for both Jefferson and Madison: CLINTON. Wiki says "Along with John C. Calhoun, he is one of two vice presidents to hold office under two presidents". Our local Lake Calhoun, where constructor Andrea Carla Michaels grew up,  is now named Bde Maka Ska. Hard to remember. Calhoun was pro-slavery.

Boomer, Lori, Andrea and Tom Pepper

53. Three-time Oscar-winning director: CAPRA.

54. Stand-in: SUB.

57. Closes securely: SEALS UP.

60. How some stock is sold: AT PAR.

65. Hammock rests: NAPS.

68. Star NFL player: ALL-PRO. And 99. West Coast NFLer: LA RAM.

69. Great, in slang: BOSS. Unfamiliar to me.

73. Many ages: EONS.

74. Prefix with currency or zoology: CRYPTO. Cryptocurrency is such a complex concept.

76. Tool for a duel: EPEE.

77. Pretentious talk: GAS. 78. Pretentious: ARTSY.

79. Events with tea, perhaps: SOCIALS. Cantonese love "Yum Cha", literally "Drink tea". Retired people often go to afternoon tea every day. Chitchat and eat dim sum.

81. Word on a dipstick: ADD.

83. Book IDs: ISBNS.

85. Not easily able: HARD PUT.

88. Expired: RAN OUT.

90. Cassis aperitif: KIR.

93. Performed with brilliance: SHONE.

95. High-spirited horse: ARABIAN.

98. Diva Dion: CELINE.

100. __ mentality: MOB.

104. Sugar bowl marchers: ANTS.

105. Professional org. since 1847: AMA.

106. Sans accomplice: LONE.

107. California wine valley: SONOMA. Also a Kohl's brand.

108. Titled rapper: DR DRE.

109. Immortal NBA first name: LEBRON.

111. Go yachting: SAIL.

113. By birth, what Professor Jones wasn't, surprisingly: INDIANAN. OK, I just found out he was born in Princeton, New Jersey.

115. West African country: LIBERIA.

120. Bordeaux wine: CLARET.

121. Houston player: ASTRO.

122. Host's invitation: SIT.

123. Perceive: SEE.

124. Conger catchers: EELERS.

125. Second-stringers: B TEAM.

126. General on a menu: TSO.

127. Benchmark: Abbr.: STD.

Down:

1. Blew up: INFLATED.

2. Pastries from the German for "whirlpool": STRUDELS. Fixtures at the annual Graybar Christmas luncheon.

3. Like the spelling "kuh-zin" for "cousin," e.g.: PHONETIC.

4. Oreo filling: CREME.

5. Laying-down-the-law item: NO NO.

6. More orderly: NEATER.

7. Holliday title: DOC.

8. Texting qualifier: IMO.

9. Jazz singer Sarah: VAUGHAN. For Wendy and Jack. We just had SARAH clued as "Vaughan of Jazz" two weeks ago.

10. Yearbooks, say: ANNUALS.

11. Tiny complaints: NITS.

12. School of whales: GAM. I only know POD.

13. Brightly plumed songbird: ORIOLE.

14. German thanks: DANKE.

15. Tennessee state flower: IRIS. Our delicate state flowers.

17. Finished: AT AN END.

23. "The Diamond Store": ZALES.

24. Blacken: CHAR.

26. Not a shiny finish: MATTE.

29. Courtroom event: TRIAL.

33. Winter coat: RIME. And 43. Winter coat: HOAR.

34. Super Bowl highlights?: TV ADS.  Sure in our household.

36. Old Dodges: OMNIS.

39. Group lobbying for lower drug prices: AARP.

40. HBO competitor: TMC.

45. Series-ending abbr.: ET AL.

46. Painting aids: ROLLERS.

49. St. Louis landmark: ARCH.

50. Western resort: TAHOE.

52. Within reach: NEAR.

53. Sea in two continents: CASPIAN. Asian & Europe.

55. Single: UNWED.

56. Tavern: BAR.

58. Footed vases: URNS.

59. Ring-around-the-rosy bouquet: POSY.

60. Beginner's class material: ABCS.

61. Corrida opponent: TORO.

64. Debatable ability: ESP.

66. Orwell's Napoleon, for one: PIG. "Animal Farm".

67. Unwanted spot: STAIN. D-Otto uses Spray 'n Wash. Mango stains are not easy to remove.

71. Wonderland drink: TEA.

72. Canadian tank filler: ESSO.

75. Container weight: TARE. A regular in our old Tribute Daily days.

78. Chip in chips: ANTE.

80. New World colonizer: SPAIN.

82. Exhaust: DRAIN.

84. Pittsburgh Pirates nickname: BUCS.

86. Prods: URGES.

87. Keyboard key: TAB.

89. __ Domini: ANNO.

90. Subject of some random acts: KINDNESS. Blessed to have so many kind souls on our blog.

91. Private info-sharing system: INTRANET.

92. Begrudged: RESENTED.

93. Wee: SMALL.

94. Hockey advantage: HOME ICE.

96. Most hectic: BUSIEST. And 103. Least out there: SANEST.

97. Quarantine: ISOLATE.

101. More scrawny: BONIER.

102. Qatari leader: EMIR.

106. Mr. Moto portrayer: LORRE.

108. "Same here": DITTO.

110. Honest-to-goodness: REAL.

112. Queequeg's captain: AHAB.

114. Speaker's spot: DAIS.

116. @ signs: ATS.

118. Musical syllable: TRA.

119. Cruise, for one: TOM. The best Toms are on our blog.

Here are a few photos from Hahtoolah's Capri trip. She said "The water here is crystal clear. Alas, no beaches, but it is great for boating."

Saturday, September 21, 2019, Evan Kalish

Themeless Saturday by Evan Kalish

Today's constructor is our old friend Evan Kalish who has gone "postal" by amassing over 30,000 pictures of post offices at his fun website. You may remember that in this picture Evan is holding a picture of the post office in Yellow Jacket, Colorado.

Evan's comments on today's puzzle: It’s easy to overlook 14-letter entries when constructing themeless crosswords. I thought it would be interesting to create a grid with comparatively few (66) words showcasing a couple of lively 14s in the middle, with “caption contest" being the seed. The grid layout is segmented though still fairly open, which enabled quite a few long, lively answers in the corners (my personal favorite being “I’ll be here!”)

His sixty-six word entry took longer than most for this solver as some fill that looked perfectly fine to me did not get Evan's "stamp" of approval. Hey, you had to see that coming.

Erin definitely did not simply "mail it in" today (enough already!):

Across:

1. Prepared for a shot: TOOK AIM - William Tell had nothing like this!

8. It dropped "Western" from its name in 1997: SAMOA - Not to be confused with American Samoa

13. By design: ON PURPOSE - My pedantic toes curl up when I hear "ON ACCIDENT"

16. Basic: PLAIN.

17. Come to one's senses: SEE REASON.

18. Not level: ATILT - There's this tower in western Italy...

19. Department store section: CARDS 

20. Pacific resort, popularly: CABO - Driving there from my house would involve using the Topolobampo Ferry to cross the Gulf of California

22. Some years ago: ONCE  

23. Like: ALA.

24. Westernmost African capital: DAKAR - The Obamas stand in the infamous "Door Of No Return" where many West African slaves boarded ships from Goree Island just two miles east of DAKAR, Senegal

25. Hardly Mr. Cool: NERD.

26. Commonly crumbled fare: SALTINES.

29. Word on Italian street signs: VIA - The VIAS (streets) on the west and east side of the Pantheon

30. Competition involving pictures: CAPTION CONTEST - The three finalists in The New Yorker Magazine CAPTION CONTEST #675 (and Evan's seed entry)

33. Hometown folks: LOCALS - What About Bob?

34. Portmanteau coin: TOONIE - Because Canada's $1 coin was called a Loonie because it had a Loon on the back, when Canada minted a $2 coin they conjoined Loonie and Two and got a TOONIE.

35. Longtime Warner Bros. output: ANIMATED SHORTS - They produced Looney (not LOONIE) Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons that entertained me for hours in my misspent yute and still play well today

39. __ player: DVD - I think we have two somewhere

40. Calm: SERENITY.

41. Legendary Asian: YETI - Legend indeed

43. "War on Peace" author __ Farrow: RONAN - Is his real father Frank Sinatra and not Woody Allen?

44. Network for cinema lovers: TMC - Today's schedule there

47. Homecoming figure: GRAD.

48. Headline: STAR - Who would be the STAR if this facetious poster was for a real event?

49. Pinky __: SWEAR - The Seinfeld made a Pinky SWEAR for "The Contest"

51. Completely lost: AT SEA.

53. Waiting line: I'LL BE HERE - Evan's fav corner entry

55. Imply: GET AT

56. Some of Nixon's Plumbers, formerly: CIA AGENTS - They pulled the "Third Rate Burglary" that brought down a president

57. Simpson of fashion: ADELE -Here ya go!

58. "Aha!": THAT'S IT.


Down:

1. Puccini 3-Down: TOSCA and 3. See 1-Down: OPERA. An interesting way to pair these two

2. Magic star of the '90s: ONEAL - Shaq with a former girlfriend

4. Member of an Iraqi minority: KURD 

5. "Wonder Woman" (2017) villain: ARES - Here ya go!

6. Microbrew option: IPA - A crossword standard 

7. Asti wine grape: MOSCATO - Italian for the French Muscat grape

8. Pampering place: SPA.

9. Brown on the Food Network: ALTON - Sticks and stone may break my bones but names can really slow down my solving


10. Ring centerpiece: MAIN EVENT - This poster was way before Ali was the MAIN EVENT.  It even did 12. Come before: ANTEDATE when he became Ali.

11. Cause of many '70s lines: OIL CRISIS - I remember a former student telling me, "Sorry, Mr. Schlapfer, we're out of gas."

14. Really absorb: SOAK IN 

15. With all judges present, as at a Circuit Court: EN BANC - French for "in bench". 

21. Lower-calorie cookie since 2015: OREO THIN - 13 fewer calories than a regular OREO and 30 fewer than a double-stuff OREO

24. Hardly Hollywood's most wanted: D-LISTERS - Some Hollywood D-LISTERS

26. Filter target: SPAM - The father of a boy I has in class was in charge of the successful popularizing of edible Hormel SPAM in Beijing, China

27. World record?: ATLAS.

28. High-and-mighty sort: SNOOT - He's called a SNOOT because his is up in the air

30. Exchanged for an equivalent: CONVERTED - I still have a €5 note from 13 years ago I have yet to have CONVERTED to dollars

31. Pucker inducer: ACID TASTE

32. Revolutionary-era loyalist: TORY.

33. Super Bowl LI performer: LADY GAGA - Talk about an entrance!

36. Hot: EROTIC - See above

37. View from Anchorage: DENALI - You can see its 46. Peak: CREST in the background, NW across the Knik Arm of The Cook Inlet

38. Warn, watchdog-style: SNARL AT

42. Utopian: IDEAL.

44. Many Beliebers: TEENS 

45. Cuban hero José: MARTI - Here ya go!

49. Dreamcast maker: SEGA - If you're interested

50. Sharpen: WHET - A WHETstone 

52. Had: ATE.

54. "What a terrible idea!": BAH - Ebenezer's opinion of Christmas. "What, you want the day off?"

If you want to, you may mail in your comments from America's smallest post office in Ochopee, Florida (seen below) which of course is in Evan's collection. Or you may simply comment electronically here!

Friday, September 20, 2019, Kathy Wienberg and Lewis Rothlein

Title: Your serve, it is AD OUT.

A new pairing of constructors brings us a different variation on the remove letters theme. I wonder if Kathy and Lewis got together after a crossword tournament encounter? We have a take out two letter theme to allow for an amusing result, clued appropriately. I believe AD has been used before as the basic Bigram of constructors, but no example comes to mind. Of course, my mind has a mind of its own.

While this appears to be a first-time collaboration, it seems to be a seamless effort. Humor and variety. It has some sparkle with
AERIALS, AMASSED, ANNE RICE,  DEERSKIN, PINENUTS and, SOUL FOOD.

Time for the theme.

20A. What included a top hat, for Lincoln?: GETTYSBURG ADDRESS. (15). At 6' 4" tall, Abe made quite the impression at a time when people were shorter.

26A. Unvarnished inventions?: BARE NAKED LADIES (13). It is all lies, but you should get to know this entertaining Canadian group. LINK.



43. Citi Field catcalls?: FLUSHING MEADOWS (13). I love the kitty reference, and the Mets still haven't been the same since they moved into the new park.

53A. Joe-induced speaking clarity?: CAFFEINE ADDICTION.(15). Why is coffee called JOE?
The reveal:
47D. Ubiquitous YouTube button ... and a hint to four long Across answers: SKIP AD. Now it is time to skip to the puzzle.

Across:

1. "... harmony in the motion and magnitude of the __ ... ": Copernicus: ORBS. While Copernicus wrote extensively about orbs and the planets moving around the sun, I believe it was Kepler to whom the quote should be attributed.

5. Out, perhaps: A BED. He got home and he was out like a light.

9. Maintain: CLAIM. I maintain that I am unique in every way.

14. Stable newborn: FOAL. A baby horsie. Though they often aren't that stable in the stable. LINK.

15. Particle in a beam: MOTE. There is so much more to this than I knew - a game Destiny and reading from the Christian Bible as well as what I thought.

16. Lifetime parent: A AND E. One of the most confused and confusing networks. LINK.

17. Asian tourist city: AGRA. Home of the Taj Mahal.

18. Initial game payment: ANTE. Payment is a stretch but it is Friday.

19. Lengthy sentence: RUNON. I love RUNON sentences as has often been pointed out here at the blog both my detractors and my fans who are so kind.

23. Prohibition __: ERA.

24. Support gp. founded under FDR: USO. While the UNITED SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS primarily bring to mind Bob Hope, they are so much more.

25. Like Yosemite's El Capitan: SHEER.

31. P&L report column: YTD. Year To Date.

32. Symbol of ease: PIE.

33. Part of a baby's repertoire: COO. This verb is from 1660s, "to utter a low, plaintive, murmuring sound," echoic of doves. Compare, in the same sense, Danish kurre, German girren; also Hindi kuku "the cooing of a dove."

34. Stops lying?: RISES. Great misdirection.

37. One often stands alone in a split: PIN. A quick CSO to Boomer and TTP and a reminder of the unknown to me -PIN OAK.

38. Devote, as time: SPEND.

40. Gp. inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017: ELO.

41. They're often seen on trees: KIN. Hah hah - family trees, not Pin Oaks.

42. Disposed of: ATE.

48. "The Night They Invented Champagne" composer: LOEWE.
A classic movie and SONG.

49. Mentalist Geller: URI.

50. Sch. in Manhattan: KSU. Kansas State University is on the way to Denver.

57. Get around: AVOID.

58. Food stamp?: USDA.

59. 67, for Beethoven's Fifth: OPUS.

60. Invisible turnout?: NOONE.

61. Unlikely: TALL.

62. Olive Oyl's mother: NANA.

63. Wound up: ENDED.

64. Goes after: SUES. Meh.

65. Go around in circles?: EDDY. Whirlpool.


Down:

1. 18 or 21, typically: OF AGE.

2. Court rival of Rafael: ROGER. Nadal and Federer.

3. Bill for shots: BARTAB. Not inoculation.

4. Picket fence piece: SLAT.

5. Assembled: AMASSED.

6. Small chocolate-covered candy: BONBON.  This is what I see

7. Classic accusation: ET TU. Brute.

8. Moccasin leather: DEERSKIN.

9. Asked for ID: CARDED.

10. Victory wreath: LAUREL. I hope it is a Hardy one.

11. Lestat de Lioncourt creator: ANNE RICE. It started here...

12. Promises at the altar: I DOS.

13. YMCA part: MENS.

21. Mongolian tents: YURTS.

22. Butter used to deep-fry samosas:  GHEE. Ghee is a form of highly-clarified butter that is traditionally used in Asian cooking. Like butter, ghee is typically made from cow's milk.


27. Agreement word: AYE. We all missed yesterday's talk like a Pirate Day.

28. Mimicry: APING.

29. Geological time span: EON.

30. Scandinavian roofing material: SOD.

34. Whistle-blower: REF. Cute.

35. Down with the flu: ILL.

36. Deep South cuisine: SOUL FOOD.

37. Pesto ingredients: PINE NUTS. Today is the anniversary of my mother's birth so here is a story. When I bought first house in Gainesville, we had many pine trees and I had learned about the sweet nut inside the pinecones. My mother tasted some and had an immediate anaphylactic reaction. Sorry, Mother Dnaveear.

38. Poker-faced: STOIC.

39. Nave seat: PEW. You find them in the main part of the interior of a church.

41. New Zealand bird: KIWI.

42. Reception aids: AERIALS. I gave up cable and now use an HD antenna.

44. 1959 Fiestas hit: SO FINE. I hope you like it.

45. Followed: HEEDED.

46. Confused mess: MUDDLE. This is late Middle English (in the sense ‘wallow in mud’)

51. Squeak or creak: SOUND. Rhyme time.

52. Take back: UNSAY.

53. Prop for Chaplin: CANE.

54. The Bard's river: AVON. Finally, our Shakespeare!

55. Biblical hunter: ESAU. Jacob was a farmer, Esau a hunter.

56. Atmosphere: TONE.

I am worn out with all the music links I have followed. Hope you had a good time and welcome autumn. Also, I am dedicating this write up to my mother, may she rest in peace. Thank  you, Kathy and Lewis, see you again.