Our beloved blogmistress (and very pretty honorary Cornhusker) has another Saturday challenge for us. I had one bad cell in the same location as last week. 8 Across and 8 Down cost me a "got 'er done". My vowel coin flip came up wrong.
Across:
1. Green edges: FRINGES - C.C. had to steer this golfer away from green dress fringes to golf green FRINGES.
Can you see the ball on the FRINGE?
8. Art form also known as "kado," or "way of flowers": IKEBANA.
15. African country whose flag is similar to Old Glory: LIBERIA.
16. Sheep from Spain: MERINOS - I guessed correctly on the M
17. Get better with time: AGE WELL.
18. Wall Street figure: ANALYST - The ones on TV can really get it wrong!
19. Soft touches: PATS.
20. Victoria Arlen's cable channel: ESPN.
22. "Les Misérables" escape route: SEWER.
23. Close: NEAR.
24. 2020 NL batting champion Juan: SOTO - In the Covid year where he played only 47 games.
25. Largest moon of Saturn: TITAN.
28. Is behind, perhaps: OWES.
32. "This Is Us" Emmy winner __ Cephas Jones: RON.
33. Bar mixer: TONIC.
34. Minute: SMALL.
35. Cold case evidence: DNA.
36. "Big congrats!": I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU - This was my first long fill that helped unlock the puzzle
39. Pin cushion?: MAT.
40. Ingredient in some crusts: OREOS.
41. Part of the inn crowd: GUEST 😀
42. "What's ur __?": ETA - Police code, "What's your 10-77?"
43. Brief periods: SECS.
44. Lipstick type: MATTE.
45. Policy maven: WONK - My granddaughter just accepted a big time job in D.C. where she will be well on her way to using her love of being a WONK.
47. Close (to): AKIN.
49. Destination for the last flight?: ATTIC - 😀 and 58. Place for playthings: TOY ROOM - Here the last flight of stairs end up in the ATTIC TOY ROOM.
51. Knock harshly: SLAM.
52. X6 and i4 cars: BMWS - Here's an X6
56. Seedy place: RAT TRAP.
60. Record in advance: PRE-TAPE - These days, I am recording the old Perry Mason shows from the 50's and 60's that feature some of the most beautiful cars ever made.
61. Emphatic denial: I SAID NO - No means no!
62. Hold a grudge: STAY MAD.
63. Old money neighborhood in "The Great Gatsby": EAST EGG.
Down:
1. Wing it?: FLAP - 😀
2. Birthplace of Mikhail Baryshnikov and Mikhail Tal: RIGA - Ballet and Chess masters were born in Latvia
3. Skeptical reply: I BET.
4. Paper product?: NEWS - I still get some NEWS from the Omaha World Herald after I do the cwd
5. Test for some srs.: GRE.
6. Collins who was the first woman Space Shuttle commander: EILEEN and 14. Space Shuttle commander, e.g.: ASTRONAUT.
7. __ verde: SALSA - Even I know verde is Spanish for green.
8. "Ms. Marvel" star Vellani: IMAN.
9. Mental perception: KEN - Knowledge of the woman above is beyond my KEN
ken
one's range of knowledge or sight.
"such determination is beyond my ken"
10. Significant stretches: ERAS.
11. Gymnast named Time's Athlete of the Year in 2021: BILES - Her TRIPLE DOUBLE was featured in Monday's puzzle
12. Request for an update: ANY WORD YET.
13. Like the traditional Maori greeting known as the Hongi: NOSE TO NOSE - With then Prince Charles
21. Senior's big ask: PROMPOSAL - Portmanteau of PROM and PORPOSAL
23. Chips on the table: NACHOS and 46. Chips on the table: KITTY - 😀
25. Tangy pastry: TOMATO TART.
26. Quick beverage: INSTANT TEA - I can't imagine C.C. drinking this 😒
27. Nico Márquez, to Dora the Explorer: TIO - Can you find Uncle Nico?
29. Routes: WAYS.
30. Jon Favreau holiday film: ELF - Good luck finding Jon's name
31. Commercial line: SLOGAN.
33. Sci-fi anomalies: TIME WARPS - Is that how Marty McFly made it Back To The Future? 😀
34. Contractor's detail, briefly: SPEC.
37. Amount to: ARE.
38. Tire track: RUT - They can cause great damage on a golf course
44. Bottomless brunch drink, often: MIMOSA.
48. Journalist Couric: KATIE.
50. Quick study?: CRAM.
51. Apt rhyme of "fled": SPED.
52. Many a theatre attendee: BRIT. - "theatre"
53. Gamer's choice: MODE- The USA Today Puzzle allows to you to choose between Casual or Expert MODE
54. King, in Cantonese: WONG - C.C. gave me the okay on these ways of writing it.
Good Morning, Cruciverbalists. Malodorous Manatee here along with He-man to bring you a TGIF recap. Today, the ayes (I's) definitely have it with a straightforward theme from veteran puzzle-setter Pam Klawitter. This puzzle "continues" the egocentric "I Me Mine" drift of the puzzle reviewed by this blogger two weeks ago. Who knows what the future may hold. I can't wait to find out.
At the following four places within the grid, Pam has added (dropped in) the letter I within common words/phrases to create amusing answers to the given clues:
16 Across: Member of the swim-up bar staff?: TREADING WAITER. Treading Water.
21 Across: Exercise class that's all about one's ego?: VANITY PILATES. Vanity Plates.
34 Across: Elements needed to start NFL games?: THE PROS AND COINS. The Pros And Cons. A professional football reference.
54 Across: "Not staying long," and an apt title for this puzzle?: I JUST DROPPED IN.
Here are the rest of the clues and answers:
Across:
1. Pizza chain in many food courts: SBARRO. The chain specializes in what is called "N.Y. style" pizza.
7. Mark Cuban's NBA team: DALLAS.
13. Blue state: SADNESS. Misdirection. Not a political red state/blue state reference.
15. Fútbol chant: OLE OLE.
18. La Scala showpiece: ARIA. Tunes frequently heard in crossword puzzles.
19. Take a little off the top: TRIM.
26. Hardware with crosspieces: T-BOLTS.
28. Big name in nail polish: OPI. This had to be something like the twentieth time I have seen this one in a puzzle....and I finally remembered the product's name.
29. Phishing fig.: SSN. Social Security Number
30. Interior designer Berkus: NATE. Unknown to this solver. Thanks, perps.
31. Marriages: UNIONS.
40. Most massive: HUGEST. An odd-looking word is it not?
41. Barrel band: HOOP.
42. Many a "9-1-1" character: EMT. Emergency Medical Technicians are not strangers to crosswords.
45. Make a typo, say: ERR.
46. Not fair: CLOUDY. Not an ethics reference, a meteorological reference. With a nod to Paul and Art:
52. One with elitist tastes: SNOB.
53. Gray __: AREA. Neither MATTER nor WHALE were going to fit.
62. "Come From the Heart" country singer Kathy: MATTEA.
63. Without any oomph: WEARILY.
64. Came next: ENSUED.
65. Office binder: STAPLE. Not a three-ring binder. Something to use to bind papers together.
Down:
1. Retired jet: SST. SuperSonic Transport
2. Granola __: BAR. A raisin, a peanut, and an oat sit down to order a drink. The bartender says, "What do you think this is, a granola bar?"
3. Juice aisle suffix: ADE.
4. Genetic letters: RNA.
5. Hill-building stinger: RED ANT.
6. Egyptian god of the underworld: OSIRIS.
7. __ Jones: DOW. The stock market is fluctuating wildly. We haven't seen so much bouncing up and down since Clinton was in the White House.
8. Menu phrase: ALA. In the style of.
9. Island chain: LEI. A bit of wordplay. A "chain" of flowers often associated with the Hawaiian Islands.
10. Buncha: LOTTA. Punt.
11. National Weather Service postings: ALERTS.
12. Binger's target: SERIES.
14. Cranky mood: SNIT.
17. Part of LGBTQ+: GAY.
20. Web portal with a butterfly logo: MSN.
21. Participate in a primary, say: VOTE.
22. First Hebrew letter: ALEPH.
23. Gesture while giving directions, maybe: POINT.
24. Shuffle gadget: IPOD. Before we kept our tunes on those devices that we call "phones" some of us used these:
25. "The Mod Squad" role for Omar Epps: LINC.
Omar is on the right
26. Explosive letters: TNT.
27. "Phooey!": BAH. The sheep says Baa.
31. Tech support callers: USERS.
32. "Panini" rapper Lil __ X: NAS. A frequent visitor.
33. Not __: barely acceptable: SO HOT.
35. Had regrets: RUED.
36. Nasty sort: OGRE. Shrek might beg to differ.
37. "We'll square up later" markers: I O U S. Phonetically, I Owe You. In Philly, I Owe Youse.
38. Wordless agreement: NOD. Apparently, most people lean slightly forward when they NOD their head. I am inclined to agree.
39. Seeker of intel: SPY.
42. UFO mechanics, presumably: ETS. Extra TerrestrialS.
43. Verne Troyer's "Austin Powers" role: MINI-ME.
44. __ horse: TROJAN. As a UCLA Bruin and Cal Bear, I might take umbrage . . . but both my father and my son graduated from USC.
46. Brunch choice: CREPES. Two weeks ago we were served OMELETTES.
47. Seize, as an opportunity: LEAP AT.
49. Is up against: ABUTS.
50. Canal setting: EAR. Neither Suez nor Panama would fit the allotted space.
51. Jackdaw kin: CROW.
55. Disco __ of "The Simpsons": STU.
56. Rugby ball prop: TEE. Often clued with a reference to American football or golf.
57. Cam or Mitch, on "Modern Family": DAD. A TV reference.
58. Celebrated time span: ERA. Often clued along the lines of Equal Rights Amendment or Earned Run Average.
59. Short swim: DIP. When people take a dip in the ocean how do they say "Hi" to each other? They wave.
60. Under the weather: ILL.
61. "Science Guy" Bill: NYE. Another frequent visitor.
And now, having just dropped in for a quick visit . . . .
Quoting from Husker's review of the April 1, 2023 puzzle, constructor "Katie Hale,
originally from Houston, is now a stay-at-home mom in London and
Patti's assistant editor for the LA Times puzzles. We have seen her in a
collaborative role quite often." And it looks like Adam Arvidson, her collaborator today, is making his debut with the LA Times.
Together
they invite us on a whirlwind tour circle-navigating the scrambled
world of today's crossword with this theme reveal ...
60. Travel the world with one bag, and what can be found in this puzzle's circled letters?: BACKPACK. And while it may disappoint some, finding the BACKWARD PACKS wouldn't have been very easy without those round things ...
16A. "Not in public, you two!": GET A ROOM.
Publicly the speaker here is suggesting that a couple involved in a PDA
go someplace more private. But privately this clue refers to the RAT PACK,
an informal group of entertainers, the second iteration of which
ultimately made films and appeared together in Las Vegas casino venues.
They originated in the late 1940s and early 1950s as an evolving group
of A-list show business friends, including Errol Flynn, Nat King Cole, Mickey Rooney, Frank Sinatra and others who met casually at the home of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. By the 1960s, the group featured Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop, and Peter Lawford, among others. Here are some of the usual suspects:
25A. Spot to catch a ride: TAXI STAND. Drinking a cold one from a SIX PACK at a taxi stand might get you in some trouble. But if I were going to risk it, it would be one of these:
38A. Skydiving event: PARACHUTE JUMP. Parachuting has been around since 1617 and is a well established skill. OTOH a JET PACK
is a device worn on the back which uses jets of gas or liquid to propel
the wearer through the air. The concept has been present in science
fiction for almost a century and became widespread in the 1960s. However
they still haven't taken off yet, primarily due to their weight, the
dangers of the exhaust stream, and their limited range and
unwieldiness. Work is underway developing electric versions which would
eliminate at least some (but not all) of these limitations ... I
loved the narrator touting another video at the end on an "insane
nuclear fusion break thru" (as always "just 10 years away" I'm sure).
49A. Safety device in some kitchens: CHILD LOCK. Here's a HOWTO on installing child locks on kitchen cabinets: COLD packs are those BLUE BLOCKS you stash in your cooler to keep your SIX PACK cold.
I usually take them out with a plastic 50cc syringe (sans hypo of course) filled with denatured alcohol, fired from 50' away.
13. Circle section: ARC.
14. Uttar Pradesh city: AGRA. A World Heritage site that has enshrined itself in the crossword canon by virtue of two vowels plus endings for a gerund and a comparative adjective:
Taj Mahal Uttar Pradesh, India
15. Bakery-cafe chain: PANERA. We often take one of our granddaughters there after she's worked up an appetite after a volley ball game.
16. [Theme clue]
18. Longtime bud: OLD PAL.
19. Loops in, in a way: CC'S. Stuff owned by our fearless leader, who always keeps us in the loop. Also short for Carbon Copy. What the heck is that?
20. Nina Simone's "I Put a __ on You": SPELL. Eunice Kathleen Waymon (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), known professionally as Nina Simone,
was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist.
Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blues,
jazz, R&B, and pop. This song just might be enough for Jinx to get his letters straight. 😀
22. Bygone airline: TWA. Trans World Airlines for you younger folks.
23. Romanov dynast: TSAR. One of the dominant leaders in 4 letter fill, along with killer whales and irresistible cookies.
25. [Theme clue]
27. Clothes line: INSEAM.
30. Regarding: AS TO.
31. Lucy of "Elementary": LIU. Lucy Alexis Liu
(born December 2, 1968) is an American actress. Her accolades include
winning a Critics' Choice Television Award, two Screen Actors Guild
Awards and a Seoul International Drama Award, in addition to nominations
for a Primetime Emmy Award. Here's a trailer for Elementary:
41. "Mr. Blue Sky" gp.: ELO. The Electric Light Orchestra
(ELO) are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1970 by
songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood with
drummer Bev Bevan. Their music is characterised by a fusion of pop and
classical arrangements with futuristic iconography. Here's their 1977
hit Mr Blue Sky ...
42. Ride-hitching fish: REMORA. REMORA, (family Echeneidae), also called sharksucker or suckerfish
are noted for attaching themselves to, and riding about on, sharks,
other large marine animals, and even oceangoing ships. The hobos of the
sea world I guess. This clip has more on these fascinating creatures
... 43. Card worth four points in bridge: ACE.
45. Cambodia neighbor: LAOS.
47. Peace in the Middle East: SHALOM. SHALOM is a Hebrew word meaning peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare and tranquility and can be used idiomatically to mean both hello and goodbye. We've been streaming a series called The Chosen about life during the time of Christ.
As Hebrew doesn't have comparative endings it achieves this by
repeating words. In one scene Peter is asked by a Roman friend, "I
understand Shalom but what does it mean when you say Shalom, Shalom?" Peter replies that it means "Perfect peace". The Middle East is still trying to find SHALOM after nearly two millennia. For more on this subject see 4D.
Shalom
49. [Theme clue]
54. Part in four-part harmony: ALTO. The A in SATB.
55. Flying Solo?: HAN. A famous Star Wars cowboy, who flew the Millennium Falcon.
56. "Glass Onion" star Janelle: MONAE. Glass Onion is a Knives Out Mystery starring Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, and Janelle MONAE, who gets rave reviews from her fellow cast members in this trailer ... . 57. Bauxite or hematite: ORE. Tin (Sn) and Iron (Fe).
58. 23-Across's realm: RUSSIA. The current TSAR makes that Romanov's realm look like the "good old days".
60. [Theme reveal]
64. Entry-level position: INTERN.
65. Part of A.D.: ANNO. Today's Latin lesson.
66. Sushi spheres: ROE. Tiny ones.
67. Clinton's former department: STATE. Hillary Clinton was the 67th Secretary of STATE.
Hillary Clinton
68. Blockhead: LUNK.
69. Hog heaven: STY.
Down:
1. Playground game that is now a professional sport: TAG. At first I thought this was about Laser TAG, but it's really just about TAG.
2. Afore: ERE.
3. "Just pretend we belong here": ACT CASUAL. The art of being nonchalant ...
4. Conflicts in history class: WARS. We tend to think of WARS as a chaotic events, but in 1944 physicist Lewis F. Richardson published a peer reviewed article entitled The Distribution of Wars in Time,
a mathematical analysis of wars that indicated that they were to a
certain extent predictable, and perhaps even preventable. The previous
article is behind a paywall but this article, The Mathematics of War: On Earthquakes and Conflicts is based on Richardson's work, et. al. and also contains a link to a TED TALK summarizing the topic. Unsatisfied at the conclusion of the TED TALK, I posited this question to Google's Bard: "What can we do to end war?", and got this response. I'm still not satisfied.
5. "Four score and seven years __ ... ": AGO. ... speaking of WARS.
8. NYC stretch originally called "Het Cingel" by the Dutch: WALL ST. Today's Dutch lesson (is this our first?). WALL STREET, the home of the New York Stock Exchange, was originally known in Dutch as "Het Cingel" (or "the Belt") when it was part of New Amsterdam
in the 17th century. An actual wall existed on the street from 1653 to
1699. During the 18th century, Wall Street was a slave trading
marketplace and a securities trading site, and from the early eighteenth
century (1703) the location of Federal Hall, New York's first city
hall:
21. Precise, in Peru: EXACTO. Today's Spanish lesson.
23. "Voices Carry" pop group __ Tuesday: TIL. 'TIL Tuesday (often stylized as 'til tuesday) was an American new wave band formed in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The band, consisting of Aimee Mann (lead vocals, bass), Robert Holmes (guitar), Joey Pesce (keyboards), and Michael Hausman (drums), was active from 1982 to 1989. They are best known for their 1985 hit single [hush, hush] Voices Carry (or as my Father used to say to my Mother, "Little pitchers have big ears"). Lyrics ...
39. $10 worth of quarters, e.g.: ROLL. A CSO to Lucina (she'll explain it to you). Every penny counts ...
40. God, in Rastafarianism: JAH. And yes, He speaks German!
44. Fall Out Boy genre: EMO. There seems to be some of controversy over whether Fall Out Boy is really EMO. You'll have to decide that one for your self (simulated violence) ... 46. Esteem: ADMIRE.
48. Org. founded by Ethel Percy Andrus: AARP. Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus: One Woman Who Changed America ...
Ethel Percy Andrus
49. "Wicked Game" singer Isaak: CHRIS. The official video didn't pass the breakfast test, but at least this one has the words ... 50. Weigh on: HAUNT.
51. The 'gram: INSTA. INSTA is the more commonly used abbreviation, to avoid confusing its users with the metric unit defined as the weight of 1 cubic centimeter of water.
52. Scheming group: CABAL.
53. Reeves of "Always Be My Maybe": KEANU. Always Be My Maybe is a 2019 American romantic comedy film, starring Randall Park and Ali Wong as childhood friends Marcus and Sasha,
who have not been in touch since a brief teenage fling that ended
badly. When Sasha returns to San Francisco to open a restaurant and
romantic chemistry from their teenager years remains, Marcus's fears and
Sasha's fame and demanding career challenge their potential new
relationship. I don't think KEANU had to do much rehearsing for this scene ...
57. "Fine! Yes!": OK OK.
59. Prepared: SET.
61. Fareed Zakaria's channel: CNN. Fareed Rafiq Zakaria (born 20 January 1964) is an Indian-American journalist, political commentator, and author. He is the host of CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS and writes a weekly column for The Washington Post. He has been a columnist for Newsweek, editor of Newsweek International, and an editor at large of Time.
Fareed Zakaria
62. Camp sight: COT.
63. Delete, e.g.: KEY.
Cheers, Bill
As always, thanks to Teri for proof
reading, for her constructive criticism.
19. *Particularly memorable event: ONE FOR THE AGES.
32. *Party topper: PAPER HAT.
43. *1990 theft at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, e.g.: ART HEIST.
53. Attitude shift, and the shift found in five letters in the answer to each starred clue: CHANGE OF HEART.
Melissa here. Each theme answer contains an anagram of HEART.
Across:
1. Lots of bucks: DEER. DEER is both singular and plural. Some are for other animals - fish, moose, sheep, swine, buffalo. Here are 101 Words That are Both Plural and Singular.
5. Bird's crop: CRAW. "Craw" is an obsolete term for
"crop," and this is still seen in the saying "it sticks in my craw,"
meaning "I can't [metaphorically] swallow it," that is, a situation
is unacceptable, or at any rate annoying. Wikipedia: A crop is a thin-walled expanded portion of the alimentary tract used for the storage of food prior to digestion. This anatomical structure is found in a wide variety of animals. It has been found in birds, and in invertebrate animals including gastropods, earthworms, leeches, and insects.
9. Small amounts: DABS. Remember this?
13. Folklore brute: OGRE. A hideous giant represented in fairy tales and folklore as feeding on human beings. Ogres have appeared in many works, including Tom Thumb; Hansel and Gretel, where the witch is a type of ogre because she intends to eat the children; and Little Red Riding Hood, where the wolf resembles an ogre.
14. Fissile rock: SHALE. Easily split.
15. Some cold drafts: ALES.
16. "This week has gone on long enough!" letters: TGIF. Thank God/Goodness It's Friday.
17. Estate home: MANOR. A large country house with lands
18. Jedi Master voiced by Frank Oz: YODA. "Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try.”
22. __ Speedwagon: REO. American rock band from Illinois, named after the REO Speed Wagon, a 1915 truck that was designed by Ransom Eli Olds. Neal Doughty had seen the name written across the blackboard when he walked into his History of Transportation class on the first day they had decided to look for a name. Rather than pronouncing REO as a single word as the motor company did ("REE-oh"), they chose to spell the word out, pronouncing each letter individually ("R-E-O").
23. Reindeer reins holder: SANTA.
24. Beats, as an incumbent: UNSEATS.
28. Stand: STOMACH. Ohh, verb. To bear without overt reaction or resentment : put up with.
34. Lighthearted: MERRY.
35. One-named "Chandelier" singer: SIA.
36. Moles, maybe: SPIES. In espionage jargon, a mole (also called a "penetration agent," "deep cover agent," "illegal" or "sleeper agent") is a long-term spy (espionage agent) who is recruited before having access to secret intelligence, subsequently managing to get into the target organization. However, it is popularly used to mean any long-term clandestine spy or informant within an organization (government or private).
39. English cuppa: TEA.
40. Send packing: EVICT. Nice clue.
46. Sinews: TENDONS. A tendon or sinew is a tough, high-tensile-strength band of dense fibrous connective tissue that connects muscle to bone. Ligaments connect bone to bone.
49. Most miserly: MEANEST.
50. Barbecue briquettes: COALS.
52. Pipe plastic: PVC. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is one type of thermoplastic polymer that is currently penetrating many aspects of life through its wide use, and has become a universal polymer.
58. Disdainful chorus: BOOS. I have a cat named Boo, after the character in To Kill A Mockingbird, played by a very young Robert Duvall. Scout utters the words "Hey, Boo," a child's gesture of understanding kindness that leads To Kill a Mockingbird to its unforgettable conclusion.
59. Fiction or nonfiction: GENRE.
60. Prom attire: GOWN.
62. Besides: ELSE.
63. Fiji alternative: EVIAN. Bottled water brands.
64. Menu heading often next to File: EDIT. On your computer.
65. Ink spots?: TATS. Nice. Remember this group?
66. Leader with a .edu address: DEAN. Academia.
67. "A Suitable Boy" novelist Vikram: SETH. Also a a BBC television drama miniseries.
Down:
1. Small point: DOT.
2. French Toaster Sticks brand: EGGO.
3. "Blue Bloods" daughter played by Bridget Moynahan: ERIN.
4. Judo official: REFEREE. An unarmed modern Japanese martial art, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.
7. Warm welcomes: ALOHAS. Aloha actually comes from two Hawaiian words: Alo – which means the front of a person, the part of our bodies that we share and take in people. And Ha, which is our breath. When we are in each other's presence with the front of our bodies, we are exchanging the breath of life. That's aloha.
8. "If you __ you, then we'd all be a bit less we": wisdom from Piglet: WEREN'T.
9. Afternoon sports event: DAY GAME.
10. Household succulent: ALOE.
11. Garden areas: BEDS. It's almost time!
12. Fed. benefits provider: SSA. Social Security Administration.
14. Irons (out): SMOOTHS.
20. Phobia: FEAR.
21. Bit with neutrinos: ATOM. I am not going to pretend I have any idea what this means.
24. Beat, as a favored incumbent: UPSET.
25. Unsophisticated: NAIVE.
26. Much of Iberia: SPAIN. The Iberian peninsula is located in the West of Europe where modern-day Spain and Portugal are.
27. Plant juice: SAP.
29. Kevin McHale's "Glee" role: ARTIE. Kevin McHale, who plays all singing, all dancing, wheelchair using geek Artie Abrams, is not disabled himself.
30. Peppery salad green: CRESS. A fast-growing, edible herb.
31. Omni rival: HYATT. Hotel resorts.
33. Spanish aunt: TIA.
37. Sound of hesitation: ERM. I see this in books, but don't think I've ever actually heard someone make that sound.
38. Colbert of late-night: STEPHEN. I recently saw this clip of Colbert telling this charming story of how he met his wife Edie. Look how rapt the band is. 41. Jewel boxes: CD CASES.
42. Multiple-cel creature?: TOON. Animation. A cell is a transparent sheet of celluloid or similar film material, which can be drawn on and used in the production of cartoons.
44. Give birth to: HAVE.
45. Confines, as a pet bird: ENCAGES.
47. Kept bothering: NAGGED.
48. LP cover: SLEEVE.
51. Justice Sotomayor: SONIA.
53. Cuba libre mixer: COLA. Rum and Coke, or the Cuba libre, is a highball cocktail consisting of cola, rum, and in many recipes lime juice on ice.
54. Large number: HOST.
55. Hall of Fame quarterback Tarkenton: FRAN.
56. Needled: RODE. Tricky clue. Needled is to annoy someone, especially by repeated criticism: His mother was always needling him about getting a job. To ride is to harass persistently.
57. Silly goose: TWIT.
58. "After Happily Ever After" cable channel: BET. Did not know about this show. Hosted by Bow Wow, seven former couples live under the same roof as one person plays matchmaker for their ex and tries to find the perfect new person to date.
