Monday January 13, 2019 Matt McKinley

Theme: Californian Hoopers

 18. Manicurist's tool: NAIL CLIPPER.

28. Eponymous '60s-'80s "Airways" entrepreneur: FREDDIE LAKER.

47. Attacker or defender of online information systems: CYBER WARRIOR.

62. "It" novelist: STEPHEN KING.

Reveal:

65. Org. for the ends of 18-, 28-, 47- and 62-Across): NBA

 

68. Home state for the ends of 18-, 28-, 47- and 62-Acr.: CAL.

 

Boomer here.  

Well, football season has ended here in Minnesota.  Good luck to the NFL teams that remain.  Although the NBA theme of this puzzle is a different sport and that season ended in Minnesota AROUND 1959.  Luckily, bowling season is still with us so here we go.

Across:

1. Hanks who plays Mr. Rogers: TOM.  I like him in "A League of Their Own".

4. Spanish houses: CASAS.

9. Watched secretly: SPIED.

14. Dr.'s group: AMA.  Stands for "I AM A Doctor"

15. Scarlett of fiction: O'HARA.  Shocking line in "Gone with the Wind".  "Frankly my dear. I don't give a d..."  Shocking four letter word in a 1939 movie.

16. African river: CONGO.  In the middle of Africa.  Flows into the Atlantic.

17. Server of shots: BAR. "Bar tender" is the actual server.

20. Word with sprawl or renewal: URBAN.  Also the name of Popes in the third and eleventh centuries

22. Norse trickster: LOKI.

23. Walrus feature: TUSK.  "I am the egg man, they are the egg men, I am the walrus" (The Beatles)

24. Made stuff up: LIED.

26. Like Mattel's Cathy doll: CHATTY.  My sister had one of these.  You had to pull a plastic ring on a string to get her to chat.

33. Like desperate straits: DIRE.

34. Send with a stamp: MAIL.  The first class stamp is now $.55.  Besides me, who remembers when it was .03 cents?

35. Old Detroit brewer: STROH.

39. Like frozen roads: ICY.  It's really bad here.  I hate to complain because Minnesota is my home.  But we had snow two weeks ago, then it melted a bit, then it got cold again and guess what happened.

40. Resolves out of court: SETTLES.  I would prefer ___ like dust, on the shoulders of the old friends.  (Simon and Garfunkel).

42. Paris summer: ETE.

43. Spot for a friendly kiss: CHEEK.

45. Bit of cat talk: MEOW.

46. Mennen lotion: AFTA.  I don't use it.  Got some "Old Spice" for Christmas.

50. Water heater: BOILER.

53. Nuremberg no: NEIN.  I learned a few words when I was in Deutschland.  This was ein of them.

54. German auto: AUDI.  A German vehicle.  If offered to me, I am afraid I would say nein danka.

55. Movie lab assistant: IGOR.  He did the monster MASH.

59. President #2: ADAMS.  John.

66. Remove the chalk: ERASE.  A "Stay after school" punishment.

67. Muslim holy city: MECCA.

69. Monica of tennis: SELES.

70. Beautify: ADORN.  "Major League II"  ADORN bought the Cleveland Indians from the lady.

71. Suffix with Japan or Milan: ESE.

Down:

1. "Forbidden" fragrance: TABU.

2. Actor Epps: OMAR.  Rep. Ilhan of Minnesota makes the news too frequently with negative opinions.

3. Bakery item Jerry stole from an old woman in a classic "Seinfeld" episode: MARBLE RYE.  It was the last one the bakery had.

4. Fooled in a swindle: CONNED.

5. "Figured it out!": AHA.

6. Windsurfing need: SAIL."We sail the ocean blue, in our saucy ships of beauty"  Gilbert & Sullivan.

7. Guthrie of folk: ARLO.  "You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant."

8. Quarterback-tackling stat: SACK.  Saw a few of these on Saturday.

9. Biol. or ecol.: SCI.

10. Toaster snack: POP TART.

11. Data to enter: INPUT.

12. Spew out: EGEST.

13. Not at all cool: DORKY.

19. Kiss from a pooch: LICK.  I HATE that Allstate commercial.  Where do they come up with tripe like that.

21. Teacher's helper: AIDE.

25. Ten-cent piece: DIME.  U.S. keeps messing with quarters and dollar coins, but the good old FDR ten center remains the same.

27. Gas brand with toy trucks: HESS.  A collectable toy tow truck.

28. Bank acct.-protecting org.: FDIC.

29. Wealthy: RICH.  "Happy Days RICHie Cunningham:.  Not OPIE

30. Cake directive Alice obeyed: EAT ME.  First she drank the "Drink Me" potion and became too small.  So than she tried some "Eat me" cake and blew up like a balloon. A little more potion and she was Just Right. 

31. Soda bottle buy: LITER.  Mostly in Europe. Also a white wine buy.  I think Canadian gasoline is sold by the Liter.  It sounds cheaper that way.

32. Permit: ALLOW.  First you get a driver's permit. Then soon you need to spend your allowance on a car.

36. Arrange new terms for, as a loan: REFINANCE.  Banks and loan companies always make this sound like a good deal.  I feel sorry for people that have to refinance due to cash flow issues. 

37. Bart's bus driver: OTTO.

38. Perceive aurally: HEAR.  What??

40. Terrier type: SKYE.  In an Island off Scotland.

41. McGregor of "Doctor Sleep": EWAN.

44. "Total" 2017 event visible in a coast-to-coast path from Oregon to South Carolina: ECLIPSE.

46. Very dry: ARID.

48. Soft French cheese: BRIE.

49. President #40: REAGAN.  One of two Presidents whose history included a divorce.

50. Diamond quartet: BASES.  The Twins used to have an announcer named John Gordon who would shout "Touch 'em all" whenever a Twin hit a home run --BORING

51. Off-the-wall: OUTRE.

52. Perfect: IDEAL.  It's a wonderful toy --- "It's Ideal" (Commercial.)

56. Govt.-owned home financing gp.: GNMA.  Sometimes called Ginnie Mae.  They might do a refinance.

57. Gave the nod to: OK'ED.

58. Wealthy, to Juan: RICO.  You would think the Hurricane was bad enough.  Now they are living in the results of an earthquake.

60. Corp. execs' degrees: MBAS.

61. January "white" event: SALE.  Pitcher Chris who the Red Sox got from the White Sox.

63. "For __ a jolly ... ": HE'S. --- Good Fellow.

64. ATM giant: NCR.  Remember when you could request $25.00 or $50.00?? Those were pretty stingy machines.

Boomer

Notes from C.C.:

Here are three fantastic pictures from Spitzboov. Cute and handsome.

 I’m 17 mos, old.  Before we moved upstate to the farm

I’m being hoisted into the helicopter from the ship’s fantail for transfer to the carrier Randolph in the right center background.

I’m in my full-dress whites - on occasion of ship’s change of command ceremony.  Sporting Lt.jg shoulder boards.

Sunday January 12, 2020 David Alfred Bywaters

Theme: "Up Above" - Up is added to front of each theme entry.

  

3. Like many characters in 22-Across?: UPSET TO MUSIC. And 22. Mozart works: OPERAS. One more cross-reference: 24. Mozart works for 22-Across: OVERTURES.

12. Fashion house employee?: UPSCALE MODEL. Scale model.

14. Belt firms?: UPHOLDING COMPANIES. Holding companies.

25. Some online forum posts?: UPLOADED QUESTIONS. Loaded questions.

28. Like an enthusiastic shrubbery salesperson?: UPBEAT ABOUT THE BUSH. Beat about the bush.

 

63. Unwanted piano key noise?: UPRIGHT CLICK. Right-click.

66. Niacin and protein, say?: UPSIDE OF BEEF. Side of beef.

Great visual! We don't often see theme entries placed in Down entries, unless the theme itself dictates, with reveals like DOWN *, or * FALLS.

One of the simple themes from David. His puzzles often have tricky wordplay.

Across:

1. Cozy: SNUG.

5. Dublin-based air conditioner company: TRANE. Ours is Rheem.

10. Fontaine filler: EAU. French "Fountain". Also 40. Fromage hue: BLEU.

13. Red and blue: PURPLE.

19. Sulk: MOPE.

20. Seriously flirt with: HIT ON.

21. Matterhorn or Jungfrau: ALP.

23. Informally formal entry announcement: IT'S I.

26. "Friends" friend: PHOEBE. "Smelly Cat".

27. "Friday I'm in Love" group: THE CURE.

29. Google __: MAPS. And 47. Google __: EARTH.

30. Rival of J.H. and W.K. Kellogg: CW POST. Post Cereals.

32. From bottom __: TO TOP.

33. Hiker's path: TRAIL.

35. Hall with Oates: DARYL.

36. Clear (of): RID.

39. Ambulance worker, briefly: EMT.

42. Unhappily unaccompanied: LONELY.

44. Holder of rays: DAISY. Can't wait to see this again.

46. Modernist's prefix: NEO.

49. Staff helper: AIDE.

50. Big finish: FINALE.

51. Intend: MEAN.

53. Bad sort whose second syllable is often dropped: HOODLUM. Hood.

55. Hart part: ANTLER.

56. Incisively sarcastic: CAUSTIC.

59. Intl. supporter of the arts: UNESCO. My pal Lesley (the Guangzhou girl) was in Xi'an last week. She went to this UNESCO site of course.

60. Metric wts.: KGS.

61. "__ luego": HASTA.

62. Enticed: LURED.

64. Like some ancient Icelandic works: EDDIC.

66. Strike caller: UMP.

69. Bigeye or yellowfin: AHI.

70. Appliance alert: BEEP.

72. Times and Herald, in NYC: SQS. Squares.

74. 21-year-old currency: EURO.

75. Taro dish: POI. Never tried poi. I bet I'll love it, since I love taro.

76. U.S. org. chaired by the president: NSC.

77. Aerosol targets: ODORS.

79. Eurasian range: URALS.

81. Surveying partner of Dixon: MASON. Oh, the Mason–Dixon line guys.

83. Area __: RUG.

84. They may abut peninsulas: INLETS.

86. "Kim" author: KIPLING.

88. Scold: BERATE.

91. Loses it: GOES APE. Surprise to see GONE PRO (100. Surrendered amateur status).

93. Incursion: RAID.

94. Calendar listings: EVENTS.

95. Search: HUNT.

96. Name after Paul or before Peter: SIMON.

98. Chicken source ... and product: EGG. We also have 124. Chicken choice: BREAST.

101. Often perpendicular measure: DEPTH.

102. Get to: ATTAIN.

104. Hindu princess: RANI.

105. Conquistador's treasure: ORO. The Korean "gold" is just "Kim", like Kim Jong-un.

106. Significant period: ERA.

107. The "Iliad" and the "Odyssey": EPICS.

109. Like some cookies: OATEN.

111. Impish: ELFIN. Spitzboov, do you have a childhood picture to share with us?

113. Submit a new invoice to: RE-BILL.

115. No longer fooled by: ONTO.

116. Render nonfunctional: DISABLE.

118. "Absolutely!": SO TRUE.

120. Mutton dish: IRISH STEW. Here is a well-known Xi'an mutton dish (Paomo).

123. Rightmost menu, often: HELP.

125. CO rank: COL.

126. Northeast express train: ACELA.

127. One in the headlights?: DEER.

128. 1994 Grammy Lifetime Achievement awardee: ARETHA.

129. Way in: KEY.

130. Grandmas: NANAS.

131. "In that case ... ": IF SO.

Down:

1. In love: SMITTEN.

2. Off somewhere: NOT HOME.

4. Insurance giant: GEICO.

5. Son of Odin: THOR.

6. Rosie, notably: RIVETER. The only one I know.

7. Consumed: ATE.

8. Marilyn's birth name: NORMA. So pretty.

9. Involve: ENTAIL.

10. Rabbit __: EARS.

11. Pub order: ALE.

13. "Row on row" blower in a classic poem: POPPY.

15. Flying Clouds, e.g.: REOS.

16. Like some court motions: PRE-TRIAL.

17. Workplace with tests: LAB. I was very nervous last November when Boomer's PSA went up. Dr. Nina calmed me down. Dr. Downs also said it's normal for the numbers to fluctuate. He said he has another patient whose prostate cancer metastasized to the bone. The guy's PSA number was 50 for six consecutive months. They had a bone scan but found no more bad cells.  

18. Salem-to-Boise dir.: ESE.

31. Twisted: WRY.

34. Bible book: RUTH.

35. Emulate Columbo: DEDUCE. The detective.

37. Many a map dot: ISLE.

38. Garment worker: DYER.

41. Social activist Guinier: LANI.

43. Good name for a Swedish soccer goalie?: NILS. Cute clue.

45. Picnic invaders: ANTS.

48. Time piece: HOUR.

50. Muslim mendicant: FAKIR. Wiki says it's Arabic for "poverty". And it refers to "a Sufi Muslim ascetic who has taken vows of poverty and worship, renouncing all relations and possessions. Fakirs are prevalent in the Middle East and South Asia. A fakir is thought to be self-sufficient and possesses only the spiritual need for God".

52. Ga. winter hours: EST.

54. People: ONES.

56. Sleuth Charlie known for aphorisms: CHAN.

57. Sighed lines: AAHS.

58. Jazz singer Laine: CLEO. Dame.

65. Gloaming: DUSK.

67. Tidal influence: MOON.

68. Send a text to: PING.

71. Borders: EDGES.

73. Span. title: SRTA.

78. Prominent noses: SNOUTS.

80. Nile serpents: ASPS.

82. Muhammad with gloves: ALI.

83. Tirade: RANT.

85. Horne or Headey: LENA.

87. Golfer's choice: IRON.

88. Old historian of older Britain: BEDE. The Venerable Bede.

89. One or more times: EVER.

90. Witty exchange: REPARTEE. You can find it our Comments section.

92. Hibernia: EIRE.

97. South African liberator: MANDELA.

99. Ornamental front ends: GRILLES.

102. Feel sick: AIL.

103. Revolutionary Hale: NATHAN.

108. Michelangelo masterpiece: PIETA.

110. Puccini masterpiece: TOSCA.

112. "Well, __-dah!": LAH-DI.

114. Part of Q.E.D.: ERAT.

115. Unctuous: OILY.

117. "As __ saying ... ": I WAS.

118. Entrepreneur-helping org.: SBA.

119. Bruins legend: ORR.

121. Shad spawn: ROE.

122. Half a score: TEN.

Saturday January 11, 2020, Erik Agard & Wyna Liu

Saturday Themeless by Erik Agard and Wyna Liu

Today's puzzle was authored by 
frequent LA Times constructor and Jeopardy Champion Erik Agard who partnered with Wyna Liu, seen here with a good friend. 

Online, I discovered - Wyna is a mixed media sculptor and crossword puzzle constructor based in NYC. She received Master from NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program in 2014. Her work combines digital fabrication techniques with fussy hand finishing processes. She is interested in modularity, mechanisms and the lathe. Okay... 

Here's a note I got from Wyna:  "This was a fun puzzle to work on! Erik and I began building the grid around CRANKYPANTS, HIDEYHOLE, and NAUGHTYLIST. We worked back and forth a number of times but finally had to lose NAUGHTYLIST to keep it clean (who likes seeing REECHO and OTTOII in a puzzle??). This was one of our first collaborations (the first themeless), and was a formative and invaluable learning experience for me."

Let's review Erik and Wyna's collaborative effort:

Across:

1. Drill bit?: MARCH - It was my first thought but tricky NW cluing held back confirmation

6. Sudden blow: GUST.

10. '60s civil rights gp. inspired by student sit-ins: SNCC - Often called "snick"

14. Recall trigger: E-COLI - They certainly experienced a recall

15. One singing in musical tones?: ALTO - A list of very good ALTOS/ALTI pop singers 

16. Ponies run in it: POLO.

17. Written in mystical letters: RUNIC - Crossword learning made this my first confident fill

18. Ghanaian flag feature: STAR - Oh yeah, it's just south of Burkina Faso. BTW, changing one letter of its capital would give us 2. Luxury auto: ACURA.

19. Micro amount: ATOM and 59. Micro amount: IOTA.

20. Irritable sort, in slang: CRANKY PANTS - Grumpypants came and went before I landed on this seed entry

23. Even prime: TWO - We math peeps are aware 

24. Stadium opening?: YANKEE - New YANKEE Stadium being built adjacent to the historic old YANKEE Stadium in 2008

25. Precious person: DEAR ONE.

27. Mickey's "Love Is Strange" singing partner: SYLVIA - Despite the on-screen graphics this live performance is fun to watch 

30. Hoods: GOONS.

31. Fricative admonishment: SHH - After a "Huh?" for Fricative, the admonishment of SHH came through. Fricative is a consonant sound that is created by constricting the vocal tract, causing friction as the air passes through it. 

34. Distorts to one's advantage: SPINS - Areas for news conferences after political debates are actually called SPIN rooms

35. Clog from France: SABOT - Familiar crossword footwear

36. Wasn't true: LIED.

38. Sober: STAID.

40. Gov't agency with a "meatball" logo: NASA - Students of mine have heard this space educator say "NASA meatball" for decades, therefore, I was so pleased to see Erik and Wyna make this reference. I've told Joann I want my ashes in an urn with the NASA Meatball on it!

41. Agent concerned with spots: AD REP - Singular clue should have gotten me off AD MEN a lot faster than it did!

43. Alternative to "start at," in pricing: AND UP - "Oh, if you want the 48. Opposite of austere: DELUXE model, that'll be another thousand dollars!"

45. Only article in a U.S. state capital name: DES - It is on and named after the DES Moines River, which likely was adapted from the early French name, Rivière des Moines, meaning "River of the Monks". You're welcome...

46. Key partner: PEELE - PEELE and Key did a lot of collaborative sketches but Keegan-Michael Key's portrayal of a substitute teacher is the hilarious holy grail for those of us who sub!

47. Looked bad?: LEERED paired with another 61. Look bad?: OGLE and less offensive  44. Looked over: PERUSED.

49. __ analysis: SYSTEMS - I just love this:

51. Venues with games: ARENAS.

55. Rap music article: THA.

56. Do a surveying task: TRIANGULATE - 1946 Triangulation surveying of Palestine

62. Plant name from the Arabic for "red": SUMAC - SUMAC really brighten the fall landscape around here

63. Film bit: CLIP - Actors on talk shows often have CLIPS from their films to show. Sometimes it is the only interesting scene in the movie

64. Las Vegas Aces' org.: WNBA - All pro teams in Vegas

65. Put into action: EXERT.

66. Was true to, as one's word: KEPT - And so he was

67. Elle Woods of "Legally Blonde" got 179 on hers, briefly: LSAT - I wonder what Reese Witherspoon, who portrayed fictional Elle Woods, would have scored.

68. Lucy's husband and son: DESIS - Desi Arnaz IV, later known as Desi Arnaz Jr., appeared only once on I Love Lucy - on the final episode, June 24, 1957, along with his sister, Lucie. But he wasn't playing Little Ricky on that finale. Both Desi Jr. and Lucie later starred on their mom's show, Here's Lucy (1968-74), as her kids, Craig and Kim.


Down:

1. Compassion: MERCY.

3. Saoirse __, "Lady Bird" star: RONAN - Nope, it had nothing to do with LBJ's wife

4. Toasting signs: CLINKS - CRUMBS didn't cut it for this fun clue that was heard often 12 days ago

5. Make-out spots?: HICKEYS - you might 6. Respond to a shock: GASP - if you google these
7. Beauty store chain: ULTA - Find the nearest one to you

8. Get out of the way: STAND ASIDE.

9. Dessert that just sounds wrong: TORTE 

10. Ooh-and-aah site: SPA.

11. Just okay: NOT TOO BAD - AT&T's new ad pitch. Don't open if you've seen this as many times as I have

12. Classic hole-in-one site: CLOWN NOSE - How else are ya gonna put one on?

13. José's greeting: COMO ESTAS - ¿Cómo estás? Adding usted is optional

21. Kennel chorus: YELPS 

22. Dips: SAGS.

26. Equine coat color: ROAN.

28. Physical figures: VITAL SIGNS - On a monitor by every hospital bed

29. Absurd: INANE.

31. Some visual humor: SLAP STICK - The Three Stooges leapt to my mind

32. Alternative to a wall safe: HIDEY HOLE - Bank Vault? Buzz, but thanks for playing!
33. Help line: HERE'S A TIP - Maxine uses that line a lot

37. Upper-bod muscle: DELT - Shoulder muscle not chest (PECT)

39. Aid in developing hair waves: DURAG - Its main purpose is to develop or preserve waves after they are in your hair. Worn by many football players under their helmets

42. Alfred of coffee fame: PEET - The intertwined history of Alfred PEET and Starbucks

50. Animated Tootsie Pop eater in ads: MR OWL - 50 yrs ago he posited the question of "How many licks it takes to get to the center or a Tootsie Pop?"

52. When repeated, spills the beans: NAMES - These guys refused to NAME NAMES to the HUAC committee 

53. Gaming biggie: ATARI.

54. Splinter groups: SECTS - Some SECTS form because of differing views on sex.

57. Jessica of "L.A.'s Finest": ALBA - Do LA police look like this?

58. Off the rocks?: NEAT - I may have to write Tinman to warn him about this picture 😦

60. Flat: Abbr.: APT - Housing is scarce in our growing town, so finding an apt APT. is difficult 

"I'll take Comments for $1,000 Alex". "The answer is 'Fun and Stimulating'". "What is Erik's and Wyna's 1.11.20 crossword puzzle?" You have a different answer?

Note to Wyna - Would this cluing have worked? 😏

Second reverberation - REECHO

HRE emperor known as "The Red" - OTTO II

Friday, January 10, 2020 Joe Deeney

"Joint Ventures"


18. Joint venture?: ORTHOPEDIC OFFICE. 

28. Joint venture?: PRIVATE PRISON.

47. Joint venture?: MARIJUANA SHOP.

62. Joint venture?: FURNITURE FACTORY.

Four types of  joints. 

Two maintenance guys were smoking a joint and offered to share some of it with me.  I don't partake, so I declined.  Besides, I really don't care to be around high maintenance people. 

Across:

1. They may be counted: SHEEP.  A study by Oxford showed that counting sheep doesn't help you fall asleep.  It has the opposite effect.  So unless you are a worried shepherd...

6. "Masterpiece" airer: PBS.   Home of Dour Downton Abbey.

9. Hideaway: LAIR.

13. Disinclined: LOATH.   Inclined: Predisposed.

14. One in the script: LINE.  

16. Tribal leader: ELDER.

21. Neon tips?: ENs.   "N or n is the fourteenth letter in the modern English alphabet. Its name in English is en (pronounced /ˈɛn/), plural ens."  - Wikipedia.

22. "C'mon, play along": BE A SPORT.  As in,  "C'mon, play along.  Be a sport,  and quit the crabbing every day about the clues and answers."  

23. A toddler may be put down for one: NAP. 

24. Curtails, with "in": REINS.

26. Of inferior quality: EL CHEAPO.  Pseudo Spanish. 

31. Winter Olympics event: LUGE.   "Luge is one of the most dangerous sports in the Olympic games, and the athletes who race down an icy, high-banked track at speeds typically up to 90 mph are a special breed."   daredevils !   Most of us won't drive that fast in a vehicle equipped with airbags.

32. Programming pioneer Lovelace: ADA.   Nailed it.   Her mother believed in rigorous study.  Her father was a poet.  Read all about it at Biography.com by clicking her name.

33. Hustle: MOTOR.  Verb.  Informal.   Run or move as fast as possible.

37. Combustion residue: ASH.   Combustion fuel: Ash. Or Oak, Hickory, Elm etc.

38. Like the object of an "Aww!": ADORABLE.   So passé.  Now it's totes adorbs !  If you wanna be a cool cat daddy-o, you gotta dig the new kings jive.   Can the lip and focus your audio, or you'll be swinging in squaresville.   Totes = totally.  Adorbs = adorable.   YMMV.

42. U.K. singer Rita __: ORA.   Would you like a frozen margaRITA ORA classic margarita ?  Wait, never mind.  I was channeling Boomer there for a moment.  Anyway, from what I read, she's very popular in the U.K. 

43. Food packaging abbr.: NET WT.   Net weight.

45. Cause of some royal sleeplessness: PEA.    Just add another mattress.

46. Salt Lake City team: UTEs.    The college team.  The professional basketball team in Salt Lake City is the Jazz.

52. Coastal evergreen: SAND PINE.    Pinus clausa     Florida, and a little bit of coastal Alabama.

55. Character usually seen in 41-Down (LA NIÑA):  TILDE.    An image of an adorable little Latina ?   No, the diacritical mark to tell you how to pronounce a letter.

56. Nail: ACE.

57. Pink drink: ROSÉ WINE.   There's another of those accent marks.

59. "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very __ Day": 2014 film: BAD.   A Disney film. Anyone see it ? 


65. Trauma pro: ER DOC.   Emergency Room Doctor.  With just the D in place, I tested for medic.  No go.  Don't know why I was thinking about the battlefield. 

66. Timbuktu's land: MALI.

67. "Stronger" rapper West: KANYE.

68. 1975 Wimbledon winner: ASHE.  Arthur.

69. Coddling, briefly: TLC.  The Learning Channel.   Tender Loving Care.

70. Place: STEAD. 

Down:

1. Plum used to flavor spirits: SLOE.

2. Jazz band staple: HORN.   The Utah Jazz periodically play the Charlotte HORNets in pro basketball.   In fact, the Jazz will be hosting the Hornets tonight at the Vivant Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City.

3. Adheres to a healthy diet: EATS RIGHT.

4. E. African land: ETH. iopia.   The capital of Ethiopia is Addis Ababa.   You will be tested on this in a future crossword puzzle.  The currency is the Birr, just in case that comes up some time.

5. It commonly involves spiders: PHOBIA.

1. Arachnophobia – The fear of spiders.
2. Ophidiophobia – The fear of snakes. 
3. Acrophobia – The fear of heights. 
4. Agoraphobia – The fear of open or crowded spaces. 
5. Cynophobia – The fear of dogs. 
6. Astraphobia – The fear of thunder and lightning. 
7. Claustrophobia – The fear of small spaces. 
8. Mysophobia – The fear of germs. 
9.  Aerophobia – The fear of flying.
10. Trypophobia – The fear of holes.

YMMV on the order of the above.    I found some links that listed the top phobias by state.   Most rankings were based on internet search queries, and state results seemed to vary by year.   I guess that's to be expected using that type of methodology.   Here's one: Common Fears by State

6. "I'd love that!": PLEASE DO.

7. Auction action: BIDS. 

8. Last-second online auction participant: SNIPER.   New to me.   A brief article  from eBay.

9. Moved out: LEFT HOME.

10. Furry TV ET: ALF.   Alf  (né Gordon Shumway; b. October 28, 1756) is the nickname (based on  Alien Life Form) of an extra planetary visitor who followed an amateur radio signal to Earth from the planet Melmac.   Be careful WikWak ! 

The series lasted about 4 years.  It was very popular in Germany.   During the series run, a place in Germany named Alf had municipal signs stolen so many times they had to have extras made and stored in reserve.  The municipality also created replicas and offered them for sale to curb the thefts.  

11. Tony winner Menzel: IDINA.   Thrice nominated.   She won in 2004 for her role in Wicked.    DW saw it in Chicago with her gal pals.   I tended the farm.   I best know Idina Menzel from crosswords and for the Top 10 song,  "Let It Go" from the Disney animated film, Frozen, in which she voiced the character of Queen Elsa. 

12. Summarize: RECAP.   As a speaker, tell them what you told them.  As a listener, tell them what you heard.  Key takeaways.

15. Food recall cause: E. coli.  Escherichia coli.

17. Auctioned wheels: REPO.   Repossessed automobiles sold at auction.  You don't actually own the automobile until you get clear title.   Lenders have repo clauses in the loan agreements to reclaim the asset for payment failure and loan default.  Some lenders may repo for failure to provide adequate insurance. 

19. Fivesome: PENTAD.   This pentad is known as the Greek Church.  It's said to be the hardest of all splits to pick up.  As all bowlers know, splits happen.

20. Tolkien brutes: ORCs.

25. Halloween __: EVE.   I've never heard of Halloween Eve as a thing.  Heard of Halloween.  Heard of All Hallow's Eve.  Different names for the eve of All Saint's Day, right ?  Halloween Eve would be like eve of the eve.  Is it a thing ?    Oh well, it's a crossword puzzle, and it perped right in. 

27. "Reflection" musician Brian: ENO.   Understanding The Importance Of Brian Eno

28. Map out: PLAN.

29. Subterfuge: RUSE.

30. It's expected: PAR.  On the golf course.  It's incredibly easy to get par and more on every single hole, but the goal is to get par or less.

34. As much as possible: TO THE BONE.   Very much, or thoroughly.  "I couldn't get to the clubhouse in time; I got soaked to the bone from the sudden downpour. "

35. "Wonderfilled" cookie: OREO.

36. Coarse file: RASP.  Coarse voice:  Coach Orgeron of the LSU Bayou Bengals has one.

38. Not without ramifications: AT A PRICE.   "Yes, we can add those additional features", the project executive said.  He quickly added, "At a price", knowing full well that this customer had a history of using "unclear communications" and "customer satisfaction" complaints to get more than was bargained for.  PEs and PMs call it scope creep.  Contract terms and conditions need specificity,  with special focus on deliverables.  Ask Jinx.  He teaches this stuff.   

39. "The Problem with __": 2017 documentary about racial stereotypes: APU.


40. Blissful: BEATIFIC.   Wanted Edenlike, but quickly ruled it out.

41. Pacific weather phenomenon: LA NIÑA.   All you wanted to know and more:  El Niño and La Niña: Frequently asked questions

44. Iraq war issue, briefly: WMD.   Weapons of Mass Destruction.

46. Currency mkt. money: USD.   United States Dollar.

48. Real hoot: RIOT.

49. "To recap ... ": IN SUM.   Didn't we just have that word in an answer ?

50. Boo: JEER AT.   Increasingly common fan interaction with players, coaches, owners and teams.

51. Smart set?: ALECKS.   Loved this clue / answer.

52. Cautious: SAFE.

53. Automaker whose current models end in X: ACURA.   Fooled me.  The Tesla Model X came to mind. 

54. "The Big Bang Theory" crowd: NERDs.

58. "Actually ... ": WELL.

60. "Game of Thrones" girl __ Stark: ARYA.   As Abejo would say, "Four perps and I had it."   I never watched Hunger Games of Thrones.

61. Turned green, say: DYED.

63. Japanese drama: NOH.


64. Skin pic: TAT. Picture / tattoo.

Here's the grid so you can check your answers:

Wrong grid.  Here's the real grid so you can check your answers:

Thursday, January 9th 2020 Christopher Adams

Theme: ? When Victor Hugo sent an ingenious telegram to his publisher to ask how sales of  his new novel "Les Miserables" were going, to save money he sent just "?" He received the reply "!" Which leads us in a roundabout fashion to ...

19A. Big musical number ... or what 60-Across is to four puzzle answers?: SHOW STOPPER

and when we navigate downtown, we find:

60A. Decisive ending: EXCLAMATION MARK

So let's see what this is all about:

16D. Musical revue performed in the nude: OH! CALCUTTA! Two show-stoppers here, I guess, one in the first act and one at the end. The title of the show is a play on a French phrase which you'd use to be complimentary about someone's - ahem - derrière.

18D. Musical whose first run won 10 Tony Awards: HELLO, DOLLY! 

38D. Musical featuring ABBA songs: MAMMA MIA!

39D. Musical awarded a special Pulitzer in 1944: OKLAHOMA! The Pulitzer jury was a little vague about why the prize was awarded, the citation just says "A special award for Oklahoma".

So we've got an unusual grid size (15x16) and East-West symmetry only. Why? To accommodate the theme. The 15-letter reveal needs to live alone, so in a regular puzzle it would have to occupy the middle row, and you can't fit the other themers around it, neither across nor down. So stretch the grid and abandon the N-S symmetry. Is this a bad thing? Not necessarily, as long as the concessions to the theme don't reflect badly in the fill. In this case, I'm not sure.

Purist's section - you certainly shouldn't have OH! CALCUTTA!, and you shouldn't have any other exclamation marks anywhere else. (Hello, 6D and others.) If you want to build a puzzle around a punctuation mark, you have to be consistent. If you can't find four theme entries that work with your reveal, either toss the puzzle away with a "ah, well, I tried" or think of a new way of tying those musicals together.

With that, let's see what's in store as we go down the aisles, not stopping to pick up any one of the 17 three-letter words littering the shelves:

Across:

1. Coffee holder: CUP. Not URN nor MUG then. I think we need a campaign to stop coffee appropriating tea's vessel of choice. It's a cup o' tea in my book.

4. "Top Chef" host Lakshmi: PADMA

9. Droop: SAG

12. Tapped-off remnant: ASH. Hopefully not seen around for much longer.

13. Thread holder: SPOOL

14. T'ai __: CHI. Fill in the blanks and move on.

15. Club condiment: MAYO. Do you need mayo with a club sandwich? Mayo-be you do.

17. "Fiddler" meddler: YENTE

18. Chemistry Nobelist Otto: HAHN

22. "My Friend" title horse: FLICKA. I read this book as a kid, I remember very little about it, it seemed a little formulaic maybe? Boy loves horse, horse is sick, boy gets sick, boy gets well, horse lives.

24. Coral creatures: POLYPS

27. "A Legacy of Spies" author: LE CARRÉ

29. Makes a mess of: FOULS UP

30. St. Teresa's town: AVILA

31. VII x XIII: XCI. The desperate act of a constructor. Short of options? Throw a roman numeral in there, no-one will notice. I know, I've done it myself.

33. Rodeo performer: ROPER

34. Catchall abbr.: MISC. ET AL is a temptation here.

35. Pool tool: CUE

36. Eat in style: DINE. That would preclude dining at the diner, which is amusing. I read recently that Amtrak are doing away with the dining car on most of their services, a shame. There's definitely something stylish about dining on a train. When I commuted into London as a youth, my train had a bar car. The journey home was an hour and one minute, and a very convivial hour it was too. Some folk were known to miss their stop intentionally to have "one for the road" and then catch the next train back.

37. Dramatic accusation: ET TU

38. Paris transit: METRO. I love the art deco signage on some of the stations - I think this one is just below Montmartre.

40. Deca- minus two: OCTA-

41. GPS part: Abbr.: SYST. Global Positioning System.

42. Smart __: ALECK

43. Eco-friendly certification letters: LEED. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, as we all know. Or not.

44. Tablet named for an organ: TUMS. My "tum" is an organ? I guess. "STOMACHS" doesn't fit. Not sure I like the twee euphemism here.

46. Kosher food carrier: EL AL

48. Preserve, in a way: EMBALM

51. "The Joy Luck Club" novelist: AMY TAN. On my "to-read" list. My dad taught me how to play mah-jong with a set he brought back from Hong Kong when he was stationed there with the British army in the 20's and 30's. Many years later in Beijing in 2008 I joined a pop-up game in a little square near the Drum Tower. The locals were surprised that I knew how to pick up the tiles, let alone play the game (albeit very slowly!)

55. Philosopher __-tzu: LAO

56. Short rest: NAP

58. Word for a woman: SHE

59. Hosp. area: I.C.U.

64. "I like that": NICE

65. Cool beans or warm fuzzies: IDIOM

66. Great Lake city: ERIE

67. MC alternative: AMEX. I didn't get the "MC" at first, so this needed some help from the crosses. MC : Mastercard AMEX : American Express

68. Yoga pose: ASANA

69. Word for men: LADS. It's a bit of an oddity, this clue. "Word for ..." doesn't add anything and doesn't misdirect either. Curious.

Down:

1. Dash attachment: CAM

2. NATO founding member: USA

3. The Curies, e.g.: PHYSICISTS

4. Propaganda battle: PSYWAR. Psychological Warfare.

5. Tarzan raisers: APES

6. "Cut it out!": DON'T!

7. Con __: briskly: MOTO

8. Syrian city: ALEPPO

9. Member of a 1990s girl group: SCARY SPICE which ties in with 63D later on.

10. Spa sigh: AHH!

11. Martini default: GIN. You'd think so, but I bet a dollar to a donut that if you ordered a martini and didn't specify, you'd get vodka, or at least be asked which vodka you wanted. The "James Bond" martini has both gin and vodka, and lilet blanc.

20. Gumbo pod: OKRA. Tends to be a little polarizing, this innocent vegetable, due to the "slime" factor. I use it regularly when I cook Indian food.

21. Refill a glass, say: POUR

22. Fire sign: FLAMES. I get the wordplay here, but aren't flames the fire itself, not a sign of fire? I'm not sure, perhaps someone can explain the chemistry behind the plasma.

23. Flippancy: LEVITY

25. Mambo legend Tito: PUENTE. "Oye Como Va".

26. Nutella, e.g.: SPREAD

28. Shines: EXCELS

29. Cutthroat, as competition: FIERCE

32. Meet-__: romcom device: CUTE. Totally unknown to me.

45. Radius neighbor: ULNA

47. "You said it!": AMEN!

48. Justice Kagan: ELENA

49. Pithy saying: MAXIM

50. Lawn game: BOCCE

52. Wonder Woman topper: TIARA

53. Pungent: ACRID

54. Zaps for dinner: NUKES

57. Sketchbooks: PADS

58. "The Da Vinci Code" priory: SION

61. Supervillain Luthor: LEX

62. Hermana de la madre: TIA. Aunt. A certain proficiency in Spanish required for this one - "Sister of the mother".

63. __ B: 9-Down's professional name: MEL

So here's the grid in all its 16x15 mirror-symmetry glory ...

But first, I learned "LEED", "PSYWAR" and "MEET-CUTE today. Always a good day when you go to bed more learnèd than you began it. The problem is that I think my brain was already full, and those three new 'uns just pushed some important stuff out, although I think I'll try and forget "MEET-CUTE". Now, where did I leave my car?

... as promised the grid - and where the heck did I leave the corkscrew?

Steve