Thursday, January 12, 2023 Amie Walker

 

Today's SETTER (see also 33D) is Amie Walker who, by my count has been by the Corner at least 7 times (on her way to and from other places around the crucisverbisphere).  She was here last on December 5, 2022, blogged by sumdaze, who stepped in and took up the torch, admirably filling some big shoes, to lead us onward at the beginning of each week.

Today Amie brings us an important PSA regarding traffic safety so we'll immediately start with the reveal:

59A. Legal turn at some intersections, and a turn in each set of circles in this puzzle: RIGHT ON RED.  Here's some good advice if your state permits this (everywhere except New York City apparently).

It's also permitted to turn right in this puzzle wherever there are traffic circles indicating that it is safe to do so.  As we all know, traffic circles can be very confusing (especially if you're driving in England!) and ... uh ... perhaps this is best illustrated with the full grid, as the theme is spread out over multiple clues (and no peeps out of you know who):

If we begin at NW in each set of circles and turn RIGHT, we see 6 RED things (Across and Down):

WINE

LAVA

RUBY

RUST

BEET

ROSE

As I'm sure all Cornerites are familiar with these things, I'll spare you any further illumination of them and turn our attention to the rest of the clues:

Across:

1. Easily vandalized site: WIKI.  The term Wiki originates from the Hawaiian word for "fast".  One the reasons they are fast is that they are not centrally curated and pages are effectively read/write by anybody in the world.  As it turns out, not only can they be vandalized, but articles about controversial subjects can become WAR ZONES.  Some partisans actually resort to using BOTS to detect changes to an article, and then automatically replacing them with their version of orthodoxy on that subject.  I don't write Wiki pages, but I've heard war stories about some sites on subjects that are near and dear to me.

5. "Such a bummer": SO SAD.

10. Spanish greeting: HOLA.  One of the things I look forward to each day is a cheerful "Hola" from our friend Lucina.

14. City on the Chisholm Trail: ENID.  Enid is the ninth-largest city in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 51,308. Enid was founded during the opening of the Cherokee Outlet in the Land Run of 1893, and is named after Enid, a character in Alfred, Lord Tennyson's Idylls of the King (but then maybe not).  In 1991, the Oklahoma state legislature designated Enid the "purple martin capital of Oklahoma." Enid holds the nickname of "Queen Wheat City" and "Wheat Capital" of Oklahoma and the United States for its immense grain storage capacity, and has the third-largest grain storage capacity in the world.  Today the Chisholm Trail follows U.S. Highway 81through present-day towns Oklahoma towns of El Reno, Duncan, Chickasha, and Enid.  Here's a map of the original trail:

1873 Map of Chisholm Trail

15. Grayish brown: TAUPE.  Here's an internet classic about the perils of managing software developers called The Man in the TAUPE Blazer.  It was my first encounter with the term "Scrum Master".

16. Norwegian royal name: OLAV.  May also be spelled OLAF, so you have to wait for perps.  Olav V (born Prince Alexander of Denmark; 2 July 1903 – 17 January 1991) was the King of Norway from 1957 until his death in 1991.

King Olav of Norway, 1957

17. "Catch you on the flip side!": TA TA FOR NOW.  or CU LATER.

19. Brick that's painful to step on: LEGO.  My Son says that stepping on a MATCHBOX CAR in the dark can be equally painful.

20. Defrost: THAW.  MELT. See also clue 38A.

21. Go-between: LIAISON.

23. Silky fabric: RAYON.  Apparently not a very green fiber.  Rayon is made from regenerated cellulose, generally derived from wood pulp. Rayon is usually made from eucalyptus trees, but any plant can be used (such as bamboo, soy, cotton, etc). To produce the fiber, the plant cellulose goes through a process involving a lot of chemicals, energy and water.

Rayon

25. Wears the crown: RULES.

27. Qty.: AMT.

28. Chicago's Northalsted and Manhattan's Chelsea, for two: GAYBORHOODS.  A portmanteau of GAY and NEIGHBORHOODS, e.g. Northalsted in Chicago and Chelsea in Manhattan.

34. Feudal worker: SERF.  Medieval serfs (aka villeins) were unfree labourers who worked the land of a landowner (or tenant) in return for physical and legal protection and the right to work a separate piece of land for their own basic needs. Serfs made up 75% of the medieval population but were not slaves as only their labour could be bought, not their person.  Serfdom persisted in some areas into the the mid-19th Century.

The Harvesters
Pieter Bruegel the Elder, 1565

36. "__ Haw": HEE.

37. Host: EMCEE.

38. Whodunit heroes: SLEUTHS.  Co-incidental to clue 20A, actor John THAW (3 January 1942 – 21 February 2002) played the imperious, mononymic Oxford detective, Inspector Morse, one of the best SLEUTHS outside the Marple Universe:

40. Examine in detail: DISSECT.

42. Inventive types?: LIARS.

43. Fellows: MEN.

44. Mario __: KART.  Mario is a pretty versatile guy.  Last week he was a painter and this week he's a go-kart racer:

Mario at the wheel

45. Leaves Thanksgiving dinner before pumpkin pie, maybe: EATS AND RUNS.  Or Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynn Truss (did she leave out the Oxford comma?).  A CSO to Yellowrocks.

49. Once called: NEE. Isn't it still called NEE?

50. Hilarious folks: RIOTS.  See next clue.

51. Bozo, in Canada: HOSER.  The term HOSER apparently had its origins on SCTV featuring such luminaries as Bob and Dave McKenzie.  I hope CanadianEh! stops by and tosses in her Toonie on this ...

53. Compendiums: DIGESTS.

57. Salmorejo, for one: SOUP.  Salmorejo is a cold tomato soup that is famous in the south of Spain. It's similar to gazpacho — but thicker and creamier.  Here's a recipe.

58. Social sci. major: ECON.

[Theme reveal]

64. Give a little: BEND.

65. Start of a take: ID SAY.  I thought this had something to do with making a movie, but it's really roughly equivalent to IMHO.

66. "O mio babbino __": Puccini aria: CARO. Italian Lesson #1: "Oh my dear Daddy" is the most famous aria in Giacomo Puccini's only comedy, Gianni Schicchi.  Schicchi was apparently an historical character, immortalized as one of the most notorious fraudsters of all time in Dante's Inferno (he ends up in Circle 7).  The opera's single act is a masterpiece of brevity, hilarity, mayhem, and wit. For anyone wishing to dip a toe into the wonderful art form of opera, I can't think of a better introduction.  Here's the complete 2020 production by the Pacific Opera Project with English subtitles (54 min). 

And here's the divine Renée Fleming singing O mio babbino caro.   Schicchi has just sent his daughter Lauretta out on the balcony while he's busy swindling a bunch of Buoso Donati's greedy heirs out of their inheritance so that Lauretta can afford to get married:

67. Golfer's pocketful: TEES.

68. __ Nast: CONDE.  Condé Nast is a global mass media company founded in 1909 by Condé Montrose Nast.   Its headquarters are located at One World Trade Center in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan. The company's media brands attract more than 72 million consumers in print, 394 million in digital and 454 million across social platforms. These include Vogue, The New Yorker, Condé Nast Traveler, GQ, Glamour, Architectural Digest, Vanity Fair, Pitchfork, Wired, and Bon Appétit, among many others.

69. "Their __ Were Watching God": EYES.  Their Eyes Were Watching God is a 1937 novel by American writer Zora Neale Hurston. It is considered a classic of the Harlem Renaissance,and Hurston's best known work.  I've blogged Hurston at least two times before, but I didn't know that the novel had been made into a film starring Halle Berry:

Down:

1. Like fresh nail polish: WET.  Another CSO to Lucina.

2. Cookbook writer Garten: INA.

3. Persian snack?: KITTY TREAT.

4. State with a panhandle: IDAHO.  Texas fit, but didn't perp.  Oklahoma and Florida were too long.
 

The State of Idaho

5. Stash away: STOW.

6. Crew need: OAR.

7. Connecticut WNBA team: SUN.  The Connecticut Sun are an American professional basketball team based in Uncasville, Connecticut that competes in the Eastern Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). 

8. Historic Harlem theater: APOLLO.  The APOLLO opened its doors in 1914 and introduced the first Amateur Night contests in 1934 and has played a major role in the emergence of jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, and soul — all quintessentially American music genres. Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Sammy Davis Jr., James Brown, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, and countless others began their road to stardom on the Apollo stage.

9. Like grass in the morning, compared to other times of day: DEWIER.

10. Hindu festival of colors: HOLI.  Behind the scenes at the HOLI festival from Series 1 Episode 3 of The Good Karma Hospital:
 

11. Estadio cries: OLES.

12. Italian body of water: LAGO.  Italian lesson #2 "Lake", e.g. MAR E LAGO ("Sea and Lake"), a Florida resort originally built as a winter home by heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post.

Mar a Lago

13. Harper Collins romance imprint: AVON.  Avon Publications is one of the leading publishers of romance fiction. Originally an American paperback book and comic book publisher, in the early 1970s it began publishing romance titles reaching and maintaining spots in bestseller lists. As of 2010, Avon is an imprint of HarperCollins.  AVON is also the name of a river in England with a very famous town called STRATFORD.  But then, you already knew that.

18. Viper tooth: FANG.  Nature's hypodermic needles.

22. Clambake leftovers: ASHES.

23. Fight, colloquially: RASSLE.

24. Bedelia of kid-lit: AMELIA.  Amelia Bedelia is the protagonist and title character of a series of American children's books that were written by Peggy Parish from 1963 until her death in 1988, and by her nephew, Herman, beginning in 1995. They have been illustrated by Wallace Tripp, Fritz Siebel, and the two current illustrators, Lynn Sweat and Lynne Avril.  Sounds to me like Amelia just might have the makings of a crossword puzzle constructor.

25. Some loaves: RYES.

26. Purple yam: UBE.  A favorite dessert vegetable of the Philippines, UBE means tuber in Tagalog.  Here are 17 recipes you can make with it.

Ube Root

29. Spa sigh: AHH.

30. Trans-Siberian Railway city: OMSK.  Omsk is the administrative center and largest city of Omsk Oblast, Russia. It is situated in southwestern Siberia, and has a population of over 1.1 million. Omsk is  the twelfth-largest city in Russia.  It is an essential transport node, serving as a train station for the Trans-Siberian Railway.

31. Juice brand with a wave in its logo: OCEAN SPRAY.  Cranberry juice.  I like Trader Joe's no sugar, organic brand.

32. Official order: DECREE.

33. Volleyball position: SETTER.   In addition to being the preferred Brit term for  a "crossword puzzle constructor", it is indeed a position in Volleyball.  One of my granddaughters is really into the game and we attended several meets last year.  It seems like a simple game, but I obviously had no idea what was really going on down on the court.  Here's the simplified explanation of what the SETTER and the other 5 positions do.
 

Match between Italy and Russia

35. Faux __: FURS.

39. Old autocrats: TSARS.

40. Roman god: DEUS.

41. Travel stop: INN.

43. "The A-Team" actor: MR T.

46. __ acid: NITRIC.  Nasty  stuff.

47. Peanut butter-flavored Girl Scout cookie: DO-SI-DO.

48. "Beat it!": SHOO.  "I promise this won't take much longer."

52. Cup fraction: OUNCE.

53. Financial liability: DEBT.

54. Drink similar to a Slurpee: ICEE.

55. Vanished: GONE.

56. Codas: ENDS.   This is the CODA proper (only the last minute or so) of the 4th movement of Beethoven's 5th Symphony  and undoubtedly the most famous in music history ...

57. Eyelid issue: STYE.

60. "People Puzzler" channel: GSN.  People Puzzler is an American television game show hosted by Leah Remini and broadcast by Game Show Network.  It premiered on January 18, 2021. The show is inspired by the celebrity and pop-culture themed crosswords in People magazine (I think this may be where our new constructors are getting a lot of their stumpers).   The grand prize for winning the People Puzzler is $10,000.  Hmm ... the top ACPT solvers get only $5,000.  Maybe they're in the wrong game!

61. "You __ one job!": HAD.  Now a lot of people don't even have one.

62. Sonnet preposition: ERE.

63. Novelist John __ Passos: DOS.  John Roderigo Dos Passos (January 14, 1896 – September 28, 1970) was an American novelist, most notable for his U.S.A. trilogy. Born in Chicago, Dos Passos graduated from Harvard College in 1916. He traveled widely as a young man, visiting Europe and southwest Asia, where he learned about literature, art, and architecture. During World War I, he was an ambulance driver for the American Volunteer Motor Ambulance Corps in Paris and Italy, before joining the United States Army Medical Corps as a private.

John Dos Passos

Cheers,
Bill

As always, thanks to Teri for proof reading and for her constructive criticism. 

waseeley

 

Wednesday, January 11, 2023 Tom Pepper and C. C. Burnikel

 Theme: Bad Beginnings.  Two-word in-the-language phrases are given new meanings by adding the prefix MAL- to the first word.  This prefix ordinarily indicates a bad or evil version of the root word, but here it results in a totally new, unrelated word.  Very clever, and I don't know how Tom and C. C. were able to find them.

17 A. Soft feathers on a croquet implement?: MALLET DOWN.   This is a silly image, so - right up my ally.  Maybe wielded by an iron fist in a velvet glove?  A LET DOWN is a disappointment.  None here, though.

30 A. Negotiations over the ingredients of a milkshake?: MALTED TALKS.  The silliness continues.  Here is a recipe to TALK about.  I got a 100 point glucose spike just looking at the nutrition facts. "TALKS" often refers to serious negotiation over treaties or arms limitation  A TED TALK is a recorded public-speaking presentation that was originally given at the main TED (technology, entertainment and design) annual event or one of its many satellite events around the world. TED is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks, often called "TED talks."

47. Place to park one's spiteful feelings?: MALICE SHELF.  Are you on silliness overload yet?  I'm enjoying it.  Malice is ill will or the intention or desire to do evil.  A bit abstract to be stored anywhere other than the depth of your psyche.  An ICE SHELF is a floating sheet of ice permanently attached to a landmass.  Until it collapses, that is.  This is not good.   You can learn more here.

64. Karl's years with the Utah Jazz?: MALONE TIME.  Karl Anthony Malone [b. 1963] is an American former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the Mailman", he is considered one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history.  He spent his first 18 seasons (1985–2003) in the NBA with the Utah Jazz.  He was a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, a 14-time NBA All-Star, and an 11-time member of the All-NBA first team.  Malone Time was a good time. ONE TIME can refer to some one or some thing from the past, or it can relate to a single, unique occurrence or event.

Hi, Gang - JazzBumpa here to assure we don't have a bad beginning, middle or end.  Let's dive into today's puzzle and see what we can find.

.Across:

1. Bit of pond growth: ALGA.   A simple, nonflowering, and typically aquatic plant of a large group that includes the seaweeds and many single-celled forms. Algae contain chlorophyll but lack true stems, roots, leaves, and vascular tissue.

5. Snatches: GRABS.   Grasps or seizes suddenly and roughly.

10. Map out: PLAN.   As indicated, plan out the details of program or course of action.

14. Earsplitting: LOUD.  Extremely loud.

15. Anti-harassment movement: ME TOO.   A global social movement that seeks to expose and prevent sexual harassment and assault, especially against women, by raising awareness and holding perpetrators to account publicly.

16. Perfect gradually: HONE.   By analogy to sharpening a knife.

19. Billions of years: EONS.  Indefinite and very long periods of time.

20. Stick on: AFFIX.  Stick, attach, or fasten (something) to something else.

21. Bow (out): OPT.   Make a choice from a range of possibilities.   One could also opt in.

22. Judi Dench and Helen Mirren, for two: DAMES.   DAME is an honorific title and the feminine form of address.  Originally this was the female equivalent of knighthood, but now is extended to recognize accomplishment in other endeavors.  The two mentioned DAMES are film actresses.

23. Emeril catchword: BAM.   

25. "No thanks": I PASS.  I'll opt out of whatever this is.

27. Proverb: SAW.   An old saying, often repeated; maxim; proverb.

35. CBS forensic franchise: CSI.   Crime Scene Investigation.

36. Animated film about a bird from Brazil: RIO.  

37. Some unauthorized creations: FAN ART.   Artwork created unofficially by fans of a book, film, etc., and based on that work.

38. All the __: RAGE.    Very popular at a particular place and time.

40. Font flourish: SERIF.   A slight projection finishing off a stroke of a letter in certain typefaces.

42. Rascal Flatts, e.g.: TRIO.   Rascal Flatts was an American country music band founded in 1999. The band members were Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus, and Joe Don Rooney. DeMarcus is LeVox's second cousin, a brother-in-law of country music singer James Otto, and a former member of the contemporary Christian music duo East to West. 

43. Casting director?: ANGLER.   Nice misdirection here.   Casting is the act of the angler throwing the bait and hook (or a lure) out over the water, typically by slinging a fishing line manipulated by a long, elastic fishing rod.   Angling is a fishing technique that uses a fish hook or "angle" attached to a fishing line to tether individual fish in the mouth. 

45. "Shea Butter Baby" singer-songwriter Lennox: ARI.   Courtney Shanade Salter [b. 1991] known professionally as Ari Lennox, is an American R&B singer from Washington, D.C.  She is the first female artist to be signed to J. Cole's record label, Dreamville Records. 

46. Day-__ paint: GLO.   The Day-Glo Color Corp. (also styled as DayGlo) is a privately held American paint and pigments manufacturer based in Cleveland, Ohio. It was founded in 1946 by brothers Joseph and Robert Switzer and is currently owned by RPM International. It specializes in fluorescent paint and pigments, such as those used in safety applications, artwork and signage. It invented black-light fluorescent and daylight fluorescent paints and nondestructive testing methods using fluorescent dyes.

50. Bracket shape: ELL.  Same shape as the letter "L".

51. Drop out of the conversation?: ELIDE.   Omit (a sound or syllable) when speaking.  Misleading clue.

52. Stately tree: ELM.   A tall deciduous tree that typically has rough serrated leaves and propagates from root suckers.

54. Herb piece: SPRIG.   A small stem bearing leaves or flowers, taken from a bush or plant.

56. SoFi Stadium NFL player: RAM.   Member of the L.A. Rams professional football team.  They were the victims of horrendous officiating on Sunday that gave a playoff spot to the Seahawks.  If they had lost or tied, that spot wold have gone to the Lions.  Wait until next year.

59. Psyched: EAGER.  Slang term for being highly enthusiastic about some activity.

63. Landing spot for a cannonball: POOL.   A cannonball is a diving style where the diver hugs their knees and attempts to enter the water with their body shaped as much like a sphere as possible. The goal is to create a large splash.

66. Unflappable: COOL.   Calm and composed, especially in a potentially tense situation.

67. Honeycrisp, for one: APPLE.   The round fruit of a tree of the rose family, which typically has thin red or green skin and crisp flesh. Many varieties have been developed as dessert or cooking fruit or for making cider.

68. Video snippet: CLIP.    Video clips are short sections of video, usually parts of a longer recording. The term is also more loosely used to mean any short video less than the length of a traditional television program.

69. Private employer?: ARMY.  Also a Major employer and a General employer. 

70. Sauce for gnocchi: PESTO.   Pesto is a sauce that traditionally consists of crushed garlic, European pine nuts, coarse salt, basil leaves, and hard cheese such as Parmigiano-Reggiano.

71. Sandogasa, beanie, etc.: HATS.  Various head coverings, some rather obscure..

Down:

1. __ mater: ALMA.  Literally, "nourishing mother;" an allegorical Latin phrase used to identify a school, college or university that one formerly attended or/and graduated from.

2. Be a couch potato: LOAF.  Be lazy.

3. View from Florida's west coast: GULF.   A large inlet from the ocean into the landmass, typically with a narrower opening than a bay, but that is not observable in all geographic areas so named. The term gulf was traditionally used for large highly-indented navigable bodies of salt water that are enclosed by the coastline.

4. Embrace spontaneity, in a way: AD LIB.   In music and other performing arts, the phrase ad libitum, often shortened to "ad lib" or "ad-lib", refers to various forms of improvisation. 

5. Clock-setting std.: GMT.   Greenwich Mean Time is the mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London, counted from midnight. 

6. Give the decor a face-lift: RE-DO.   Redecorate.

7. Resting on: ATOP.   On the top of.

8. Neckwear worn by Matt Smith on "Doctor Who": BOW TIE.   The bow tie is a type of necktie. A modern bow tie is tied using a common shoelace knot, which is also called the bow knot for that reason. It consists of a ribbon of fabric tied around the collar of a shirt in a symmetrical manner so that the two opposite ends form loops.

She forgot the shirt

9. Male offspring: SON.   A boy or man in relation to either or both of his parents.

10. Ring-necked state bird of South Dakota: PHEASANT.   Birds of several genera within the family Phasianidae in the order Galliformes. Although they can be found all over the world in introduced (and captive) populations, the pheasant genera native range is restricted to Eurasia. 

Wikipedia

11. Has tremendous influence: LOOMS LARGE.    Becomes or seems highly important and often causes worry.

12. Baby photographer Geddes: ANNE.   Anne Elizabeth Geddes [b 1956] MNZM [New Zealand Order of Merit] is an Australian-born, New York City-based portrait photographer known primarily for her elaborately-staged photographs of infants. Geddes's books have been published in 83 countries. 

13. Loch in tabloid photos: NESS.   Home of the Monster.

18. Final, e.g.: EXAM.   A test given to students at the end of a course of study or training.

22. Spreadsheet contents: DATA.  Facts and statistics collected together for reference or analysis.

24. Color akin to brick: MARS RED.   A Fine Arts red pigment used in painting, artificially made from an iron oxide base and characterized by strong film-forming properties and permanence. 

26. Common email attachment: PDF FILE.   Portable Document Format - a file format that provides an electronic image of text or text and graphics that looks like a printed document and can be viewed, printed, and electronically transmitted.

27. "Buzz off!": SCRAM.   Go away.

28. Yoga position: ASANA.   An asana is a body posture, originally and still a general term for a sitting meditation pose, and later extended in hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise, to any type of position, adding reclining, standing, inverted, twisting, and balancing poses.

29. Leeway in a negotiation, say: WIGGLE ROOM.   Capacity or scope for negotiation or operation, especially in order to modify a previous statement or decision.

31. Falsehood: LIE.   Dishonest statement intended to mislead.

32. Text at a bat mitzvah: TORAH.   The compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

33. Whale food: KRILL.   Small crustaceans of the order Euphausiacea, found in all the world's oceans. The name "krill" comes from the Norwegian word krill, meaning "small fry of fish", 

34. Seat at the bar: STOOL.   A seat usually without back or arms supported by three or four legs or by a central pedestal. 

39. Prozac maker: ELI LILLY.   Eli Lilly and Company is an American pharmaceutical company headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, with offices in 18 countries. Its products are sold in approximately 125 countries. The company was founded in 1876 by, and named after, Colonel Eli Lilly, a pharmaceutical chemist and veteran of the American Civil War. 

41. Ring of Kerry's isl.: IRE.   Ireland.  The Ring of Kerry is a scenic drive around the Iveragh Peninsula in southwest Ireland’s County Kerry. Its 179 km-long, circular route takes in rugged and verdant coastal landscapes and rural seaside villages. 

44. Vaping device: E-CIG.   E-cigarettes produce an aerosol by heating a liquid that usually contains nicotine—the addictive drug in regular cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products—flavorings, and other chemicals that help to make the aerosol. Users inhale this aerosol into their lungs. Bystanders can also breathe in this aerosol when the user exhales into the air.

48. Brightly colored wrap: SERAPE.   A long blanket-like shawl/cloak, often brightly colored and fringed at the ends, worn in Mexico, especially by men. 

49. Escape in a hurry: FLEE.  Scram.

53. Stick in a book: MATCH.   A short, thin piece of wood or cardboard used to light a fire, being tipped with a composition that ignites when rubbed against a rough surface.

54. Animal rescue org.: SPCA.   Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

55. Not great: POOR.   Worse than is usual, expected, or desirable; of a low or inferior standard or quality.

57. Austrian peaks: ALPS.   The Alps are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe,[b][2] stretching approximately 1,200 km (750 mi) across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, and Slovenia.

58. Lose feathers: MOLT.   The process of an animal to shed old feathers, hair, or skin, or an old shell, to make way for a new growth.

60. __ monster: GILA.   A species of venomous lizard native to the Southwestern United States and the northwestern Mexican state of Sonora. It is a heavy, typically slow-moving reptile, up to 56 centimetres long, and it is the only venomous lizard native to the United States.

61. Give off: EMIT.   Produce and discharge something, especially gas or radiation.

62. Counts at a gym: REPS.  Repetitions of an exercise or action. 

64. Diagram at a visitor center: MAP.  Floor plan of the building.

65. Opposite of paleo-: NEO.    A new and different form of something that existed in the past, such as a theory, style, language, or philosophy.

There goes another Wednesday.  Hope you enjoyed it from the beginning to the ending.

Cool regards!

JzB

Tuesday, January 10, 2023 Dan Schwartz and Shannon Rapp

What's the connection?  The theme answers have absolutely Nothing in Common with each other.  The circles show us that the connection is just NADA.

17-Across. 1965 Beach Boys hit whose B side was "Please Let Me Wonder": DO YOU WANNA DANCE.

29-Across. "Just part of the job": ALL IN A DAY'S WORK.

49-Across. Fruity cocktail: BANANA DAIQUIRI.

And the unifier:

63-Across. Lack of similar interests, and what the three long answers with circled letters have?: NOTHING IN COMMON.

Here's the Grid, so you can see for yourself that the three long answers have Nothing In Common (aka NADA).

Across:

1. __ off: gets smart: WISES.  I wanted Mouth off, but the second part of the clue indicates a plural answer.

6. Online customer service option: CHAT.

10. Actor Daniel __ Kim: DAE.  Daniel Dae Kim (b. Aug. 4, 1968) was born in Busan, South Korea.  He moved with his family to the United States when he was just 1-year old.  [Name # 1.]

13. Quaking trees: ASPENS.

15. Honolulu's island: OAHU.

16. Mos. and mos.: YRS.  Months and Months add up to Years and Years.

20. Cry of disgust: UGH.

UGG.

21. Field of greens?: GOLF.

22. "L'shanah __": Rosh Hashanah greeting: TOVAH.  Technically, this phrase means "for a good year".  Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year.

23. Stage accessory: PROP.

25. "Thor" role for Anthony Hopkins: ODIN.  Although Sir Anthony Hopkins (né Philip Anthony Hopkins; b. Dec. 31, 1937) played Odin in Thor, he is probably best known as Hannibal Lecter in The  Silence of the Lambs.   [Name # 2.]

27. "__ and Juliet": ROMEO.  My father was a member of the ROMEOs (Retired Old Men Eating Out).  [Name # 3.]

32. Honey liquor: MEAD.  I wonder if Margaret Mead (Dec. 16, 1901 ~ Nov. 15, 1978) liked Mead?

33. Uber status: ETA.  As in Estimated Time of Arrival.  This answer usually refers to plane schedules.

34. Method: Abbr.: SYS.  As in System.

35. Depilatory brand: NAIR.

38. Job detail, briefly: SPEC.

41. "__ your imagination!": USE.

44. Animated pic: GIF.  As in Graphics Interchange Format.

46. Protective trench: MOAT.

54. Bonus: EXTRA.

55. Khaki alternative: ECRU.  Both are shades of brown.

56. Simply must have: NEED.

58. Greek letter between rho and tau: SIGMA.

60. Slog away: TOIL.

62. Director DuVernay: AVA.  Ava DuVernay (née Ava Marie DuVernay; b. Aug. 24, 1972) is probably best known for her 2018 film A Wrinkle in Time.  [Name # 4.]

66. Letter opener?: ELL.  As in the letter "L".  I am not keen on this type of clue and answer.

67. Rex Stout sleuth Wolfe: NERO.  Nero Wolfe was/is a fictional private detective created in 46 mystery stories written by Rex Stout (né Rex Todhunter Stout; Dec. 1, 1886 ~ Oct. 27, 1975).  Stout's mysteries were later adapted into a television series that starred William Cannon (1920 ~ 1994).   [Name # 5.]

68. "Cobra Kai" practice: KARATE.  Cobra Kai is a martial arts comedy drama television series.

69. Digit on a foot: TOE.

70. Peabody-winning journalist Ifill: GWEN.  Gwen Ifill (Sept. 29, 1955 ~ Nov. 14, 2016) hosted Washington Week in Review.  She was the first African-American woman to host a nationally televised US public affairs program.  Sadly, she died young of cancer.  [Name # 6.]

71. Fees for overdue library books, e.g.: FINES.  I have 2 overdue books from my local library that should have been returned when I was away.  Oops!

Down:

1. Crumple into a ball: WAD UP.

2. Map line connecting points of equal value: ISOGRAM.

3. Small security opening in a door: SPY HOLE.

4. Job listing abbr.: EEO.  As in Equal Employment Opportunity.

5. Warm and cozy: SNUG.

6. Disclose: CONFIDE.

7. __ Chinese: world's largest ethnic group: HAN.

8. At the drop of __: A HAT.

9. Some houses with exposed-beam exteriors: TUDORS.

10. Big bundles of energy: DYNAMOS.  Also the name of the professional soccer team in Houston.

11. Target sport: ARCHERY.

 

12. Opposite of WNW: ESE.  Points on the compass.

14. Faint: SWOON.

18. "Bridge of Spies" actor Alan: ALDA.  Alan Alda (né Alphonso Joseph D'Abruzzo; b. Jan. 28, 1936) is best known for his role as Hawkeye Pierce on M*A*S*H.  He'll celebrate his 87th birthday later this month.  [Name # 7.]

19. Declare bluntly: AVOW.  A crossword staple.

24. Strategize: PLAN.

26. Battle of the Beltways MLB team: NATS.  [Name adjacent.]

28. Approves: OKs.

30. Mont. neighbor: IDA.  Idaho is adjacent to Montana.

31. Shrill bark: YAP.

36. Swiatek ranked world No. 1 by the WTA in 2022: IGA.  [Name # 8.]  Hand up if you are familiar with Iga Natalia Świątek (b. May 31, 2001).  She is a Polish professional tennis player.

37. Uber service: RIDE.

39. CGI bird in Liberty Mutual ads: EMU.  I'll spare you these annoying adverts.

40. Nickel or dime: COIN.

 

41. Purple yam from the Philippines: UBE.

42. Moment to shine at a jazz recital, perhaps: SAX SOLO.

43. Authorize: ENTITLE.

45. Political subgroup: FACTION.

47. Nameless local guy in The Onion headlines: AREA MAN.  Total guess.

48. 50-50 in the Senate, say: TIE VOTE.  Hmm...  No politics on this blog.

50. Exasperated cry: ARGH!

51. New pet owner's task: NAMING.

 

52. Wrinkle remover: IRON.

53. "Hurry up!": QUICK.

57. "Homeland" Emmy winner Claire: DANES.  Claire Danes (née Claire Catherine Danes; b. Apr. 12, 1979) got her start in the teen drama My So-Called Life.  In 2011, she began her role as CIA agent Carrie Mathison on Homeland.  [Name # 9.]

59. From the top: ANEW.

61. Bread shape: LOAF.

63. Pickleball court divider: NET.  Everything you need to know about Pickleball, but didn't know to ask.

64. Test for aspiring profs: GRE.  As in the Graduate Record Examinations, which of often required for admission into graduate school.

65. CT scan kin: MRI.

חתולה

Many thanks to Anonymous T for filling in for me for the last several weeks while I had the opportunity to explore in Southeast Asia.  Below are a few photos from my travels.

The Royal Palace Complex in Phnom Penh

The Royal Palace Complex in Phnom Penh

The Royal Palace

Angkor Thom

Angkor Wat

At the Udon Monestery