Sunday July 12, 2020 MaryEllen Uthlaut

Theme: "Uncertain Endings" - ER is added to the end of each familiar phrase.

23. Dressed like the winning coach after the traditional ice bath?: IN A COLD SWEATER. In a cold sweat.

32. Pantry nook for chewy candies?: CARAMEL CORNER. Caramel corn.
  
52. Fudd, when being elusive?: SLIPPERY ELMER. Slippery elm.

69. Shoe that's really not better-than-none?: HALF A LOAFER. Half a loaf.

92. Regret losing one's straw hat?: MISS THE BOATER. Miss the boat.

103. Got a Mini airborne?: FLEW THE COOPER. Flew the coop.

121. Life-size cutout to promote "Rocky"?: CARDBOARD BOXER. Cardboard box.

Very consistent theme set. All ER end in the end and all the new ER words share no root with the original ER-less word.

A few strays ERs in the grid (58. One giving you a hand: DEALER. - 63. Diamond smash: LINER. StrayStray ER 95. Word with cut or crust: UPPER. 18D. Gradually become narrower: TAPER. 68D. Meal involving charoseth, a symbolic fruit paste: SEDER.) It's doable without them, but the fill would have been quite strained at times.

Across:

1. Human embodiment: AVATAR.

7. Prefix with -mance: BRO. Bromance.

10. Hat often with a pompon: TAM.

13. 45-Across landing site: ARARAT. 45. 13-Across lander: ARK.

19. Chef's asset: PALATE. Followed by 20. Musician's asset: EAR. And 31. Artist's asset: EYE.

21. Command for DDE: ETO. European Theater of Operations.

22. Caviar choice: BELUGA.

26. Short revitalizer: CATNAP.

27. Balloon operator: AERONAUT.

28. Boorish: CRASS.

30. Take forcefully: SEIZE.

35. Remarkable deed: FEAT. And 39. Really stood out: SHONE.

90-year old

41. Forsaken: LORN.

42. Quenya and Sindarin are forms of it: ELVISH.  "The Lord of the Rings".

46. Hurry-scurry: HASTE.

48. Foolish: DAFT.

55. Café haunter, say: HABITUE.

57. In reserve: TO SPARE.

60. Watchword: MANTRA.

61. Popular video-sharing app, familiarly: INSTA. Instagram.

65. Salty drops: TEARS.

66. "That __ fun!": WAS.

73. Cover-crop grass: RYE.

74. Wide-mouthed pitchers: EWERS.

77. Heath growth also called furze: GORSE.

78. Treats with scorn: SNUBS.

81. Part of LPGA: LADIES.

83. Rowland Macy's inspiration for the red star logo: TATTOO. Interesting trivia.

86. Eliciting feeling: EMOTIVE.

90. Bridge framework: TRESTLE.

94. Dried-up: SERE. Classic crosswordese.

97. Triumphant cry: AHA.

98. Matters of degrees: ANGLES.

99. On the main: ASEA.

100. Important figure in pro sports: AGENT. One of the most famous: Mark Steinberg.

102. Otherwise: ELSE.

109. Eng. majors' degrees: BAs.

112. Emmy-winning legal drama: LA LAW.

113. Military uniform material: SERGE.

114. Wide view: PANORAMA.

119. Fashion photographer Richard: AVEDON. Google shows that he took this picture.

124. Establishment with tastings: WINERY.

125. Had a bite: ATE.

126. Personal: OWN.

127. Live: RESIDE.

128. Impertinent in tone: SNARKY.

129. High-__ monitor: RES.

130. First word of Burns' "To a Mouse": WEE. No idea. I only understand two words from the first line.

131. Removes permanently: ERASES.

Down:

1. Samoan capital: APIA.

2. Spinner in the wind: VANE.

3. Banned apple spray: ALAR. Now I can stop eating apples for a few months. Peaches, nectarines are here.

4. Tuesday special, in many eateries: TACO.

5. Make amends: ATONE.

6. __ race: RELAY.

7. Correspondence sign-off: BEST.

8. Untrained or undressed: RAW.

9. Source of metal: ORE.

10. Brightly colored fish: TETRA.

11. Starters: A TEAM.

12. Juicy tidbits: MORSELS. My friend Carmen just got a big crate of seedless lychees. Freshly picked from a farm an hour away from her home.  Amazing. Hopefully our Asian market will import them someday. I just love lychees.

13. Epitome of simplicity: ABC.

14. Logician's asset: REASON.

15. Change: ALTER.

16. Altercation: RUN IN.

17. Unblinking: AGAZE. And 71. Moving about: ASTIR.

24. Union __: DUES.

25. 160 square rods: ACRE.

29. One just hanging in the forest: SLOTH.

32. Removed the center from: CORED. Lychees normally have big seeds.

33. It's not uncommon to twist it: ANKLE.

34. Skincare aid: CREAM.

35. Slug follower?: FEST. Slugfest.

36. Cockney greeting: ELLO.

37. "It's Your Space" sloganeer: AVIS.

38. Hedren of "The Birds": TIPPI. Never saw "The Birds".

40. Something to make on a sunny day?: HAY.

43. Nine-inch measure: SPAN.

44. Investigative journalist Seymour: HERSH. Quite controversial. He uses lots of anonymous sources.

46. Sun: Pref.: HELIO.

47. Area of conflict: ARENA.

48. Enjoy a meal: DINE.

49. Rose petal perfume: ATTAR.

50. Like some friends: FURRY.

51. Play an April Fool's joke on, say: TEASE.

53. Attach a new label to: RE-TAG.

54. Polo clubs: MALLETS. And 56. Baseball club: BAT.

59. Whistle blowers: REFS.

62. Tons: A LOT.

64. Two-time Oscar winner Zellweger: RENEE.

66. Shoemaker's strips: WELTS.

67. Up on the latest info: AWARE.

70. Set up for the fall: FRAME.

72. Cuban dance: RUMBA.

75. Become visible on the horizon: RISE.

76. Chess __: SET.

79. Timely benefit: BOON.

80. Soliloquy site: STAGE.

82. Partly melted snow: SLUSH.

84. "Middle Waters" tribe: OSAGE. Does "Middle Waters" refer to this book?

85. Different: OTHER.

87. "__ just take a minute": IT'LL.

88. Two-finger signs: VEES.

89. Scots Gaelic: ERSE.

91. Fencing gear: EPEES.

93. Flying Solo?: HAN. Nice clue.

96. Leader of the track: PACE CAR.

99. Where time cards are punched: AT WORK.

100. Copied: APED.

101. Way up the slope: T BAR.

103. Defects: FLAWS.

104. Linda of "Alice": LAVIN.

105. 2010 Barack appointee: ELENA.

106. Shorebird: WADER.

107. Speak loftily: ORATE.

108. Fairy tale beasts: OGRES.

110. Travel guide co-founder Michelin: ANDRE. I did not know his given name.

111. Not high: SOBER.

114. Sheet in a window: PANE.

115. Activist Parks: ROSA.

116. Graph line: AXIS.

117. Ancient Persian: MEDE. You can read more here. They lived in Media.

118. "Iliad" war god: ARES.

120. Bronx Bombers, on scoreboards: NYY.

122. Knot on a gift: BOW.

123. "I __ you one!": OWE.

C.C.

Saturday, July 11, 2020, by John-Clark Levin

John-Clark and Alex Trebek
His appearance aired in October of 2012

Themeless Saturday puzzle by John-Clark Levin

Today is the first John-Clark Levin Saturday LA Times puzzle. This was John-Clark's gracious reply for info on him and his puzzle:

Hi Gary,

A few words of introduction to readers of the blog... I am a native of Ojai, California, and currently a PhD candidate at the University of Cambridge in the UK. My research focuses on how governments can do a better job of anticipating the impacts of artificial intelligence. I also work as an author and journalist at the intersection of technology, politics, and security. Among more lighthearted pursuits, I’ve been known to perform stage magic, and will take even the flimsiest excuse to sing Tom Lehrer’s “The Elements.” (This is linked below the grid and highly recommended! - hg)

For seed entries, I was glad to debut ITS A MATCH, the Tinder notification transformed dating for my generation—and sparked unions whose precocious offspring are in some cases just a few years away from becoming crossword puzzle fans themselves. SUGAR RUSH has less social relevance, but is just the kind of evocative phrase that I love to see livening up a grid. But my favorite entry is NOT THE ONION. There's been so much absurd news over the past few years that people in my newsfeed have to constantly use that as a preface!

Rich Norris suggested some edits to the fill, and I'm much happier with the way the final version turned out, although I wish I could have avoided a few somewhat awkward entries like CRIER and TBILLS. I love the clues Rich added for ISLANDS, ITEM, ACH. So big thanks to him, Patti Varol, and the rest of the editorial team both for the acceptance and improvements. They're a pleasure to work with.

I love seeing so many lovely comments from solvers—getting to entertain and challenge so many amazing people on a Saturday morning is a genuine privilege. I hope you enjoyed today's puzzle!

All the best,

John-Clark

I managed to move right along in this puzzle and admired the word sights along the way. BTW, John-Clark assured me there is no intrigue to his hyphenated first name and that he enjoys its uniqueness. He added, "And let's just say nobody calls me "John" if they want an answer!"

Across:

1. Author Allende: ISABEL - A Chilean author of "magical realism"

7. Counter proposals?: ISLANDS - Hey, they're not just in kitchens! 

14. Still ahead: TO COME.

15. 2003 disaster movie about a mission to Earth's center: THE CORE.

16. Disneyland's Golden Horseshoe is one: SALOON - A chance to take a break, sit down in a/c, get a cool drink and see a show at The Magic Kingdom

17. Mr. Rogers catchword: NEIGHBOR 

18. Car loan figs.: APRS 

19. Leaf pore: STOMA - A highly magnified open STOMA on a rose leaf

21. Tolkien being: ELF.

22. Champagne with a diaeresis - MOËT - the diaeresis is the punctuation mark over the E that tells the vowels are pronounced separately not as one. ZOË rhymes with snowy not snow

23. Lion, say: CAT 

24. Govt. securities: T-BILLS - Here's a million dollar one

27. Handy program: APP.

28. Suggests to the palate: TASTES OF - Does bad wine TASTE OF vinegar?

30. Join forces: TEAM UP.

32. Help a vacationing friend, maybe: HOUSE SIT - We paid our granddaughter big bucks to HOUSE/KITTY SIT for us

36. Old news source: CRIER.

37. No WNBA players: MEN - Hence the W

38. Clam or lobster: SAUCE.

39. Crunchy cantina fare: HARD TACO - My shell preference 

41. Became one company: MERGED and 37. 2006 Verizon acquisition: MCI.

42. Rockford's home: ILLINOIS - JFK visiting Rockford, Illinois in 1960. Life magazine called Rockford  "as nearly typical of the U.S. as any city can be."

44. Include in the mix: ADD - We enjoy Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and are sometimes amazed at what ingredients chefs ADD to their creations 

45. Court rival of Roger: RAFAEL - Recent numbers 

48. Iraq War danger: Abbr.: IED - A horrible abbreviation we all have learned 

49. Hub near de Gaulle: ORLY - A 34-min. drive

50. Broadway's Burrows: ABE - His IMDB

51. Crystal-lined rock: GEODE - For $16.95 you can break open your own

53. Chesapeake delicacy: CRAB - Home of the Maryland/Chesapeake Blue Crab 

54. Pull out all the stops: GO TO TOWN.

57. Perspicacious: ASTUTE - A person can be called "sesquipedalian" if they choose words that are way bigger than necessary

59. Prince of Darkness: EVIL ONE.

60. Midday nap: SIESTA.

61. Trips taken mostly in the dark: RED EYES - We took a RED EYE flight from Honolulu to Los Angeles on New Year's Eve in 1986

62. Leash: TETHER.

Down:

1. Tinder notice: IT'S A MATCH - Gotta be better than, "Hey, what's your sign?"

2. Show labeled for its early sponsors: SOAP OPERA.

3. Fix for an injured knee: ACL REPAIR - Doctor to an athlete with an Injured Anterior Cruciate Ligament: 26. Lead-in to bad news: "I FEAR your career may be over"

4. Increase: BOOST.

5. Broody rock genre: EMO - Here's an example entitled Miserable At Best

6. Blank photo cause: LENS CAP - Oops!

7. Couple of People: ITEM.

8. Massage technique: SHIATSU - I can choose SHIATSU or Rolling massage 

9. Race stage: LEG.

10. Hamburger beef?: ACH - Love this clue. This Hamburger is a resident of the German city and the beef is a complaint. ACH du lieber! is what you might say if you 58. "Sprechen __ Deutsch?": SIE.

11. Prize founder: NOBEL.

12. Like some humor: DROLL - 20 of Steven Wright's best jokes

13. Russia's Alexander II emancipated them in 1861: SERFS.

17. Disclaimer for sounds-absurd-but-it's-real news content: NOT THE ONION - THE ONION is a famous satirical site. NOT THE ONION is said of a real story that seems like it could only be satire like you see here

20. Many Ph.D. candidates: TA'S - Teaching Assistants

25. Supervisors: BOSSES.

28. Symbol of slowness: TURTLE.

29. Ages and ages: EON.

31. Press and such: MEDIA.

33. Consequence of too much sweetness?: SUGAR RUSH - John-Clark's evocative entry

34. Refreshing coffeehouse order: ICED LATTE - $3.95 and 130 calories for a grande at Starbucks®

35. Focus of a former Florida museum that featured a Hug Club: TEDDY BEAR - Now closed after being bought by the Naples, FL. YMCA

40. Expended: ALL GONE.

41. Region of long-frustrated peace efforts: MIDEAST - It seems like EONS

43. Its Jan. 2018 additions include "hangry" and "mansplain": OED.

What could possibly go wrong?

45. Abandoned party: RAGER - U.S. - A student party where large amounts of alcohol are consumed and riotous behavior occurs. Throwing a RAGER in an abandoned house leaves no one to press charges - USA Today (John-Clark told me this was Rich's clue)

46. Where the stars are: ABOVE.

47. Rank: FETID - A line from a song in the play 1776 - You see, we piddle, twiddle, and resolve, Not one damn thing do we solve. Piddle, twiddle, and resolve, Nothing's ever solved in Foul, FETID, fuming, foggy, filthy Philadephia!

49. G7, before Russia's suspension: OCTET.

52. Farm girls: EWES.

55. La Liga cheer: OLE - The League of soccer teams in Spain

56. Yorkie's group designation: TOY - dog

For further insight into John-Clark, listen to his rendition of The Elements from the 2014 from the Harvard Kennedy School Talent Show. What a hoot!

Comments for John-Clark:

Friday, July 10, 2020, Kevin Salat

Title: An homage to the KNIGHTS WHO SAY NI.

The first Friday for Kevin S. who is a Saturday away from hitting for the cycle here at the LAT. To create this puzzle, Kevin uses a common Friday trick - a 16 x15 grid. This is an "add a sound" Friday which is made easier by an early reveal. 37A. Joint protection ... or, in a way, creators of four puzzle puns: KNEE CAPS (7). The sound "nee" is added to the end of four phrases presented in a pinwheel pattern with the central reveal. Since puzzles have various forms of symmetry, this one has some uniques aspects. (1) Both across fill are twelve letters and the sound comes from NEY being added. However, HOLD COURT does not change but NO CLOO/NO CLUE does (2) Both down fill end differently. the first NIE, the second the tricky GNA which is hard for literal people. Queen Bea is a legitimate name for someone named Elizabeth, but Down Below becomes BOLO. Because of the extra words and spaces we have ESSENCE, RED CARD, SENSORS, WELCOME, CAME NEAR, ELITISTS, BOOK SMART, INK SMEARS,  IN REVERSE, and OVERSLEPT.

18A. Embrace Love?: HOLD COURTNEY (12). Courtney Love is much more (or less) than Kurt Cobain's widow.

57A. Is unable to sign the top-billed star for an "Ocean's 13" sequel?: HAS NO CLOONEY (12). Rather true and a bit sad so soon after the passing of CARL REINER.

12D. Casual topper for Elizabeth II?: QUEEN BEANIE (11). The mental picture of the queen in a yarmulke, called by many a beanie amuses, but among the 5000 or so she has worn THIS is the closest I found. CED?

25D. Consume some deli meat?: DOWN BOLOGNA (11). Sounds like taking medicine. Have I told the story of the white bologna?

I am tired; time to get to the rest.

Across:

1. Stockpile: HOARD. This did not jump to mind despite all the hoarding shows on TV.

6. "Fuller House" actor: STAMOS. More stuff.

12. Proof letters: QED. Quod Erat Dēmonstrandum. Latin.

15. Perfume name: ESTEE. If you were speaking Latin you might Laud Her.
16. IdeaPad maker: LENOVO. Lenovo Group Limited is a Hong Kong-based company that bought IBM's PC business.

17. Sch. in Charlotte: UNC. University of North Carolina.

20. Time often named for a philosophy: ERA. Also can get your clothes clean.

21. Approached: CAME NEAR. Back to literal clue/fill.

22. Estate beneficiary: HEIR. Only if there is no will in Florida; 'Heirs' or 'heirs at law' means those persons, including the surviving spouse, who are entitled under the statutes of intestate succession to the property of a decedent.

23. Rental garage array: SEDANS. Does anyone actually call it a rental garage?

26. Basic nature: ESSENCE.

28. "Cancel the mission!": ABORT. A sideways CSO to our resident astronaut HG. Pete Conrad went to the same high school I did.

29. Anxious med. condition: OCD. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

32. Iberian capital, locally: LISBOA. Lisbon in Portuguese.

33. "Lawdy!": GAWD. Bordering on un-pc?

34. Ready to go back?: IN REVERSE. I like this one because to back up you need to be...

36. Writer Rand: AYN. The letters will keep her popular for many generations.

38. Civil War prez: ABE. In the news these days.

41. Educated in the classroom as opposed to the street: BOOK SMART. Versus street smart; we have both kinds here at the Corner.

43. Wrinkle: SNAG.

44. Hybrid utensils: SPORKS. Are there any Foons out there?

46. Nevada copper town: ELY. Not anymore, Ely's mining boom came with the discovery of copper in 1906. Ely was home to a number of copper mining companies, Kennecott being the most famous. They left in the 70's crash.
47. Bizet opera priestess: LEILA. Opera is not my strong suit, but I know his creation CARMEN. I did not know THE PEARL FISHER.

48. Friendly greeting: WELCOME. I had no choice.

50. Virgil epic: AENEID. Arma virumque cano. Latin.

51. Love god: EROS. Finally a Greek.

52. Snobs: ELITISTS.

56. Hosp. test: EKG.

61. It may not be intended: PUN. But today's clearly were.

62. Melodious: ARIOSE. This is having a melody, as distinguished from recitative.

63. Physique: FRAME. She was built like an A-frame.

64. Springs for a vacation?: SPA. Saratoga, and watch some horsies?

65. __ fly: TSETSE.

66. Nikon setting: F-STOP.

Down:

1. "Very cute": HEH.

2. Spanish bear: OSO. Hello, again Lucy.

3. CDC headquarters city: ATLanta.

4. Soccer ejection indicator: RED CARD. I will never forget ...

5. Pour to purify: DECANT. Can you get me some good wine? I decant!

6. Swing around: SLUE.

7. Gull relative: TERN.

8. Start-up money?: ANTE. Poker anyway.

9. Janelle of "Moonlight": MONÁE. A definite STAR. An award-winning movie...

10. Stayed out too long?: OVERSLEPT.

11. __ milk: SOY. Do we have any soy milk drinkers?

13. Tenor Caruso: ENRICO.

14. Takoma Park, Md., is part of it: DC AREA.

19. Yoga chants: OMS. I am working on a puzzle with OM part of the theme.

22. Gas company with toy trucks: HESS.

23. Long story: SAGA. Oo and I have begun watching the old PBS show, the FORSYTE SAGA.

24. Site with PowerSellers: EBAY. Who knew?

27. Gentlemen: SIRS.

29. Washington's bills?: ONES. The 1935 blue seal.

30. __ fraîche: dairy product: CRÈME.  This is a cultured cream soured with a bacterial culture, similar to sour cream or Mexican crema.

31. Helmet sticker: DECAL.

34. Concern for lefty writers: INK SMEARS. I broke myself of the twisted wrist style, so I am good.

35. Change: VARY.

37. Gorilla who learned modified 50-Down: KOKO.

39. Hanes brand: BALI.

40. "Jiminy cricket!": EGAD.

42. Tolkien beasts: ORCS. More LOTR trivia.

43. They may pick up speed: SENSORS.

44. Cleans, in a way: SWEEPS. October, February, May, and July.

45. Get excited: PERK UP. My morning coffee.

47. Allow to go free: LET OFF.

49. Commercial cow: ELSIE. Bordens.

50. Syst. with hand signals: ASL. American Sign Language.

53. "What am __ getting?": I NOT. The solve.

54. Chuck: TOSS.

55. Brand written in frosty letters: ICEE.

57. Uniform part, maybe: HAT. See "helmet" above.

58. __ Geo: NAT.

59. Angsty genre: EMO.

60. "For sure": YEP.

Yep, I am done and the stage is yours to provide comments and discussion. Thank you, Kevin, and all who read and write.

Thursday, July 9th 2020 Stella Zawistowski

Theme: Food Fad - as the theme reveal explains:

62A. Diet that involves eating fat, cutting carbs, and avoiding the ends of the answers to the starred clues: KETO.

And so we find:

20A. *49ers Hall of Famer who was MVP of Super Bowl XXIII: JERRY RICE. He was best known as a 49er although after he was released by San Francisco he played for the Raiders, the Seahawks and the Broncos. When he was ready to retire in 2006 he signed a one-day contract with the 49ers to allow him to retire as a member of the team where his NFL career began.

26A. *Inactive sort: COUCH POTATO

40A. *One hard to fool: SMART COOKIE

51A. *Head honcho: TOP BANANA. Here's the famous Andy Warhol painting that appeared on the cover of the 1967 album "The Velvet Underground and Nico" and now graces a record label's logo.

According to University of Chicago Medicine, following the keto diet can cause low blood pressure, kidney stones, constipation, nutrient deficiencies and an increased risk of heart disease. No thanks, I'll stick to my rice and cookies.

So a straightforward enough theme from Stella with the keto diet unifying four random foods. The fill was nicely done with a couple of longer downs and generally a very solid word list, nothing to make you groan which is always nice. Let's take a foray into said fill:

Across:

1. Number system in Programming 101?: BINARY. There are 10 types of people in the world - those who understand binary, and those who don't.

7. Tyler, the Creator work that won the 2019 Grammy for Best Rap Album: IGOR. Thank you, crosses. Rap isn't really my strong suit.

11. NYSE news: IPO

14. Gets around: EVADES

15. __ colada: PIÑA

16. Golf scorecard word: PAR. A word not often seen on my scorecards, that's a fact.

17. Best Actress between Halle and Charlize: NICOLE. Kidman in 2002 for her portrayal of Virginia Woolf in The Hours.

18. Late-day religious service: EVENSONG

22. Envelope-pushing: EDGY

23. Produit de la tête: IDÉE. Une bonne une, avec optimisme.

24. Maze rodent: RAT

25. Writer Deighton: LEN. British author best known for spy novels, but did you know he also writes cookbooks and illustrated cookstrips?

31. Bit of verbal derision: CATCALL

35. Like some patches: IRON-ON

36. Student, to a counselor: ADVISEE. One of those words which has gained more currency in recent years. It wasn't really seen around much before the 1950's.

37. Not empirically derived: A PRIORI. Theoretical deduction rather than evidence-based.

38. Sequel title words: PART II. Did Shakespeare write an 11-part play about the famous English King Iv, or am I imagining that? I'm sure I remember the final installment - Henry Iv, Part 11.

39. Shows contempt for: SPITS AT

43. __ tee: TO A

44. Newark-based insurer, on the NYSE: PRU. The ticker symbol for Prudential Financial Inc. My first office job was in a marine insurance underwriters' office who were agents for the Pru. I filed claim forms and entered policy details into a ledger the size of a desk. After six months of that I begged and pleaded to be allowed to learn how to program the computer, and the rest is history.

45. Musical note connector: SLUR

49. Leg bone: SHIN

54. Rest stop facility: MEN'S ROOM

57. Like much humor: IRONIC. It's ironic that none of the situations described in Alanis Morrisette's song "Ironic" are actually ironic. Good song though. Here's a refresher if you've not heard it for a while.

58. Assn.: ORG.

59. Sooty passage: FLUE

60. It has its pros and cons: DEBATE

61. Grill fuel: GAS. I was recently given a table-top electric grill; it's awesome for "skewer" meals like Korean barbeque and yakitori.

63. Not so tough: EASIER

Down:

1. Scruffy film dog: BENJI. Is he that scruffy? He's a mongrel, but cute.

2. Like some college walls: IVIED. Some baseball infield walls also. A ball lost in the Wrigley Field ivy is a ground-rule double.

3. Mussel shell lining: NACRE

4. Absolutely flip for: ADORE

5. Bank (on): RELY

6. River of Flanders: YSER

7. Poison remedy: IPECAC. Nasty stuff, it was an emetic given orally. No longer recommended, as apparently a good session of throwing up doesn't really do much good. Activated charcoal is much more effective and gives your whole system a good clean.

8. Donates, biblically: GIVETH

9. Unseparated: ONE

10. Bled or fled: RAN

11. Music players discontinued in 2017: IPOD NANOS. I've got a mini one lying around somewhere. It holds a grand total of about 50 songs but was quite the thing back in the day.

12. Hunger twinge: PANG

13. Wild indulgence: ORGY

19. "Get this done": SEE TO IT

21. "Who's better than me?!": I RULE! Yay me!

25. "Five Minutes" country singer Morgan: LORRIE. Thank you, crosses. Country music apparently isn't really my thing either.

26. Small Spanish house: CASITA

27. Acid found in vegetable oil: OLEIC

28. Longstocking of kiddie lit: PIPPI. I tried PIPPY first until SMART COOKYE looked a little too medieval English to be correct.

29. __ Bora: Afghan cave complex: TORA

30. "I'll get this done": ON IT

31. Baseball hats: CAPS

32. Cain raiser: ADAM

33. Nielsen concern: TV RATINGS. The Nielsen ratings are becoming less important as the shift continues towards streaming content rather than watching broadcast TV. Instead of estimating audience numbers by polling a small number of households, the streaming figures are actual views.

34. Thick-skinned yellow fruit: CITRONS. Here's one:

37. Invite to a balcony: ASK UP

41. Refuse to participate: OPT OUT

42. Words from a balcony: O ROMEO

O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?

Deny thy father and refuse thy name;

Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,

And I'll no longer be a Capulet.

45. Ones looking down: SNOBS

46. Molokai neighbor: LANAI. Maui too, they're both about the same distance from Lanai. Molokai is home to the highest sea cliffs in the world.

47. Become 9-Down: UNITE

48. Slot car, for one: RACER

49. Urban portmanteau: SMOG

50. Greek goddess of marriage: HERA

52. Wait for: BIDE

53. Zone: AREA

55. '60s atty. general: RFK

56. Cheer for un gol: OLÉ! Not really, you cheer for a gol by saying "gol!", and in the case of Mexican soccer commentators, strung out ad nauseam. Olé! tends to be used when a team is putting together an extended series of passes and keeping the ball away from the opposition.

And with Programming 101 to start, and Football Chants 101 to finish, here's the grid:

Steve

Note from C.C.:

 

Happy Birthday to dear Tony (Anonymous-T), who has helped me and this blog tremendously all these years. Thank you so much for your generosity Tony! You make our blogging so much easier and you lighten up our blog!

 

At Wit's End near Carmel on Father's Day 2017

Wednesday July 8th, 2020 Margit Christenson

Theme: A LONG LEASH (59. Lots of freedom, as illustrated in each set of circles)

17. "Horsefeathers!": BALDERDASH.

27. Imbibes to excess: DRINKS LIKE A FISH.

45. Wee-hours program with James Corden: THE LATE LATE SHOW.

Boomer again, filling in a blog schedule gap. LA Times debut for Margit Christenson. Congratulations!

C.C. has me on a short LEASH but I am happy to be here, I just want to help the ball club (Crash Davis).

Across:

1. More ironic, as a smile: WRYER.

6. Bunyan's blue ox: BABE.  Babe lives at the Paul Bunyan Center in Brainerd, Minnesota..

10. Questlove hairdo: AFRO.  I wonder if Colin Kaepernick will be offered a job this year.

14. "... said __ ever": NO ONE.

15. "Jeopardy!" host Trebek: ALEX.  I sort of backed off from Jeopardy,  I guess they can not tape new shows due to the virus, so they are showing replays.  Last week they showed the one where James got beat.

16. Dull: BLAH.  "The force can't do a decent job 'cause the kids have no respect for the law today ... and BLAH, BLAH, BLAH."  Save the Life of my Child.  - Simon and Garfunkel.

19. "Piece of cake!": EASY.

20. One-celled creature: AMOEBA.

21. Artist's paint holder: PALETTE.

23. Having prolonged success: ON A ROLL.  The only time I was ever "ON A ROLL" was in a bowling center.

26. Air traffic branch of the DOT: FAA.  The Federal Aviation Administration is probably not too busy these days.

32. Actress Chaplin: OONA. Granddaughter of Charlie Chaplin.

33. Instrument from the French for "high wood": OBOE.  "On Base On an Error?"  MLB is opening soon they say.  From a Twins fan - "Miguel Sano tested positive."

34. Cal. column: MON. "Monday, Monday, So good to me". Mamas and the Papas.

35. Sea debris: JETSAM.

37. Eateries' outdoor seating areas: PATIOS.  We have a few here, without problems so far.  It seems that the indoor restaurants and bars have trouble with social distancing.

40. Boater or bowler: HAT.  I am a BOWLER but no one ever called me a hat.  I've been called lots of other names though.

41. Sleeper agent: MOLE.

44. Org. that collects workplace injury data: OSHA.  I remember when Graybar had to reorganize the warehouse stock so nothing heavy fell on my head.

49. "Ouch!": YOW.

50. Take up again: RE-ADOPT.

51. Treatise on verse: POETICS.

53. Confession about the last piece of cake: I ATE IT.

58. Fencing sword: EPEE.  This is not a sign in a men's bathroom.

62. Alan of "M*A*S*H": ALDA.  "The game of life is hard to play, you're gonna lose it anyway."

63. Head of France: TETE.

64. App with pics, familiarly: INSTA. Instagram.

65. Get fresh with: SASS.

66. Canadian gas: ESSO.  "Canadian gas eh"

67. Early fur trader: ASTOR.  John Jacob had a few bucks. 

Down:

1. Org. with the Sun, Storm and Sky: WNBA.  We have the LYNX.  With former star Lindsey Whalen.  She now coaches the Minnesota Gopher Women's team.

2. Go here and there: ROAM.  Montana - Room to Roam.

3. "Life is short" initialism: YOLO. You Only Live Once.

4. "The Neverending Story" author: ENDE. Michael.

5. Adidas subsidiary: REEBOK.  No shoes, but I do have a comfortable pair of stretch pants perfect for bowling.  I also have bowling equipment.  Now all I need is a vaccine.

6. Word that oddly can mean "good" in slang: BAD.  or it could mean "Leroy Brown".

7. Chicken __ king: A LA.  "Oh moon of Alabama, we now must say goodbye". The Doors.

8. Custom-made: BESPOKE.  I used to have these on my beecycle wheels.

9. Sigh, say: EXHALE.

10. Have __ in one's bonnet: A BEE.  I have never owned a bonnet but I have swatted a few bees.

11. Common paint choice for ceilings: FLAT FINISH.  Only for FLAT ceilings.

12. Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer: RASTAS.

13. "I remember now": OH YEAH.

18. Kidnapper's demand: RANSOM.  I have never been kidnapped.  I must not be worth a RANSOM

22. Peruvian pack animal: LLAMA.  Since the Washington team is changing their name, Maybe Chicago NFL team could become the LLAMAs ??  Sorry TTP, I didn't mean it.

24. Neighbor of Greece: Abbr.: ALB.

25. 2016 Olympics city: RIO.  Now they are holding the Covid - 19 Olympiad

27. Attorney General's org.: DOJ.  You may want to pronounce it DODGE.  Oops, no politics.

28. __ v. Wade: ROE.

29. Overwhelmed with diner orders, as a server: IN THE WEEDS.  Where some of my tee shots land.

30. Like Fran Drescher's voice: NASAL.

31. Pics: FOTOS.  This seems to be spelled incorrectly.

36. Pong game maker: ATARI.  I spent hours attacking "PACMAN" back around 1980.  Now he shows up on the computer now and then.

37. Domesticated farm squealer: PET PIG.  Nice to call them pigs.  I think most are not pets, but rather a supply of pork.

38. "What have we here?!": OHO.

39. Carpenter's tool: SAW.

41. The first "M" in the MMR vaccine: MEASLES.  I had measles when I was a kid.  Must have been before the vaccine was invented.

42. Same __ story: OLD.  "Who you callin' OLD."

43. Philosopher __-tzu: LAO.

45. Ambitious, outgoing sorts: TYPE A's.

46. Hubbub: HOOPLA.  Quite a bit going on last weekend.  Celebrating USA's 244th Birthday.

47. Beer named for a Baja city: TECATE.

48. Latin "and others": ET ALIA.

52. High times?: TEAS.  C.C. is the TEA expert in our home.

54. Change for a twenty, maybe: TENS.  I don't think you can get change when spending a twenty,  Everything costs more than that.

55. Toward sunrise: EAST.  Most of the beaches on the EAST coast are closed, but a few are hangin' in there.

56. Analogy words: IS TO.

57. "__ she blows!": THAR.

60. Tie-breakers: Abbr.: OTS.

61. Classical prefix: NEO.

Boomer