Monday August 26, 2019 Kevin Christian

Theme: Titleholders in Music

19. Nickname for Elvis Presley: KING OF ROCK 'N ROLL.

 

37. Nickname for Ella Fitzgerald: FIRST LADY OF SONG.

49. Nickname for James Brown: GODFATHER OF SOUL.

Boomer here. Greetings all. Those of us that follow Major League Baseball probably noticed that this was "Oreo" weekend.  All home team players wore very very white uniforms, while the visiting teams dressed in black.  Players were allowed to have their nicknames on the backs of their uniforms.  

It started to rain Saturday on the golf tournament so I switched TV to the Cubs - Nationals game.  There were no Cubs uniforms with "TTP" on the back.  I did not see a "Boomer" name on any uniform either.  I suppose none of the players were born in 1947. 

There were a couple of Black Hawk hockey players in the announcers booth and they led the 7th inning "Take Me Out to the Ballgame". I hope they play hockey better than they sing. I'm sure Harry Caray was spinning in his grave. 

Hey Elvis lovers try this:  "As the snow flies, on a cold and gray Chicago morn, another little baby Cub is born in a Wrigley." 

Across:

1. Meat shaped for a burger: PATTY.

6. Consider: DEEM.

10. Place to unwind: SPA.

13. Sound before "Bless you": ACHOO.

14. Food brand for Fido: ALPO.  I'll bet that dogs with other names eat it also,

15. Visa competitor, briefly: AMEX.  I don't think they have the cash back and travel miles deals to compete.

16. Like a wet day: RAINY.  The aforesaid golf tournament in Atlanta.

17. "Deal me a hand": I'M IN.  This is a new slogan for the Minnesota State lottery.  C.C. and I don't play because of the long odds, so "I'm Out."

18. __ slaw: COLE.  I am pretty sure that Nat King Cole belongs on the header list.

22. One rotation of Earth on its axis: DAY. Doris recorded "Sentimental Journey".  Not sure if she could be called a "Queen of  Soul".

23. Up until now: YET.

24. "I'll pay any price!": NAME IT.

28. Nod off: DOZE.  Previous Twins hero Brian Dozier was playing for the Nationals Saturday.  I  think his nickname is Doze, but I did not see it.

31. Not hers: HIS.

34. "We're having __!": retail come-on: A SALE.  Chris SALE is having a so so year for the Red Sox.

35. Jupiter's wife: JUNO.

36. Marriott rival: OMNI.  Dodge had an "OMNI Hatchback" on the market in the 70s.  They were small and ugly and have now been replaced by big and beautiful SUVs.

40. Scarlett's plantation: TARA. Also 60. Scarlett's last name: O'HARA.

41. Acme: APEX.

42. "Nevermore!" bird: RAVEN.  Edgar Allen Poe wrote this poem over 150 years ago, and it lives on.  I wrote "Zoilo, Tony and the Brew" about 35 years ago, and nobody cares. "The Mudcat, the Kitty and Old Blue, They knew them from Duluth to Waterloo.  Especially Zoilo, Tony and the Brew."

43. Boy in "Star Wars" prequel films: ANI. Darth Vader.

44. Currier and __: printmakers: IVES.  "These wonderful things are the things we remember all through our lives."

45. Seth of "SNL": MEYERS.

46. Ring or stud site: EAR.  No way anyone is EVER going to put a hole in my ear.

48. He wrote "The 42-Across": POE.  SEE!  Boomer not even mentioned.

58. Funny Bombeck: ERMA.  She left us in 1996.  The Minneapolis paper used to carry her column.

59. A4 automaker: AUDI.  A4 Is just the model name.  Maybe they misspelled "4A"

61. Close by: NEAR.

62. Marvel Comics mutants: X-MEN.

63. Post-op therapy: REHAB.

64. 2,000 pounds: TON. Load 16 of them, and what do you get.  Another day older and deeper in debt.

65. Ain't right?: ISN'T.  "So Ain't that too damn bad?"

66. Brutalizes: MAULS.

Down:

1. Place to spread a picnic blanket: PARK.  Not Fenway.

2. Smoothie berry: ACAI. These are healthy but very expensive.  Not as $$$ as health insurance though.

3. Slender: THIN.  Speaking of expensive food, I used to love Thin Mints.  Not anymore.  Now I just snack on Metformin.

4. Half a barbecuer's pair: TONG.  We have a pair in the kitchen.  Sometimes I use them to pick up something I dropped on the floor.  What can I say.  Sometimes older people need a little help.

5. Up-and-down weight loss effort: YO-YO DIET.  Not to be confused with Yo-Yo Ma, an accomplished cellist.

6. Grocery section with milk: DAIRY.

7. Red Muppet: ELMO.  He is tickled to be in this puzzle.

8. "Lawrence of Arabia," e.g.: EPIC.  This movie lasted nearly four hours!!  I preferred the 90 minute flicks at the Drive In.

9. 2000s OCD-afflicted TV sleuth: MONK.

10. Often sarcastic "Nice one!": SMOOTH MOVE.  Generally you should call "Nice one" on the golf course, whether it's a good shot or not.

11. __-mell: disorderly: PELL.  We used to call Pall Mall Cigs - Pell Mell.

12. Ice skater's jump: AXEL.

15. Property measure: ACRE.  Also can describe a bad tooth.

20. White part of beef: FAT.  Don't forget the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.  Celebrated heavily in New Orleans and Las Vegas.

21. "Science Guy" Bill: NYE.  Speaking of Las Vegas there is a "Nye" county just west northwest of the "Silver City". We stay at the "Orleans", but not during the Mardi Gras festivities.

C.C. & Boomer, Feb, 2019

24. 1990s commerce pact acronym: NAFTA.  "North Atlantic Free Trade."  Trade does not seem to be free any longer.

25. Thai or Laotian: ASIAN.  Occasionally I like Chow Mein for a meal.  But C.C. says it is not real Chinese food.

26. He's not single: MARRIED MAN.

27. Film lioness: ELSA.

28. Fellas: DUDES.  I am not a Dude.  I dress sloppy and have never been to one of their ranches.

29. Banded gemstone: ONYX.

30. Place to observe animals: ZOO.  We have two zoos in Minnesota, but they don't seem to compete.  Neither has a Panda or a purple cow.

32. __ circle: group of close advisers: INNER.

33. Omens: SIGNS.

35. Joke: JAPE.

36. "__, can you see ... ": O SAY.  This is our national anthem.  I really object to some of the performances allowed at special events.  Can you say Roseanne Barr ??

38. Loo: LAV.

39. Having an irregular design: FREE FORM.

44. "Roth" investment: IRA. The "Roth" seems very complicated, however tax-efficient I suppose.

45. Bovine sound: MOO.  This was a sorority in "Animal House".

47. Not at all close by: AFAR. "We three kings of Orient are; bearing gifts we traverse AFAR"

48. Make a hard copy of: PRINT.

49. Fellow: GENT.  Earlier in the puzzle he was a "Dude".

50. Black-and-white treat: OREO.  MLB games last weekend.

51. Uber alternative: TAXI.

52. Runs smoothly: HUMS.

53. Blissful Genesis place: EDEN.  I have mentioned this before.  We have a Minneapolis suburb of Eden Prairie.  It's about 40 miles south of us, and a very nice suburb.  I think Bud Grant lives there.

54. New York stadium dismantled in 2009: SHEA.  It is amazing that the Mets and formerly the Giants have gone through three ballparks.  So have the Twins and others.  While the Cubs and Red Sox live on in Wrigley and Fenway.

55. Honolulu's island: OAHU.

56. Eurasia's __ Mountains: URAL.

57. Chocolate dogs: LABS.  I have not seen a "Chocolate dog".  I have eaten chocolate bunny rabbits around Easter, but not any more. 

Boomer

Notes from C.C.:

Happy birthday to Montana,  a retired math & science teacher who lives in Montana. Here is a nice picture from her Oregon Trail trek back in 2012. 

Sunday August 25, 2019 Pam Amick Klawitter

Theme:  "Literal Literature" - "Each what book" phrase is defined literally.

 21. Pop-up book?: HOW TO MAKE PERFECT TOAST.

 33. Match book?: ONLINE DATING PRIMER.
  

 64. Blue book?: A HISTORY OF THE SMURFS.

 94. Text book?: MESSAGING DONE RIGHT.

 
112. Address book?: BEST SPEECHES OF ALL TIME.

We normally have 7 theme entries. Today we have 5, but all of them are very long. Rich's minimum theme material is 84 squares.

I chucked at these theme entries. Quite convincing book titles.

Take a look at the book titles of today's constructor Pam Amick Klawitter.

Across:

1. It can have pins at the end of it: LANE. Bowling alley.

5. El __: CID.

8. Pop's Mama: CASS.

12. Printer handle: EPSON.

17. Declare to be true: AVER.

18. Math class ratio: SINE.

19. Metz man: HOMME. Just French for "man". UOMO in Milan. We did have an Italian word: 91. Eros, in Rome: AMOR.

20. __ Khan: "The Jungle Book" tiger: SHERE. Voiced by Idris Elba.

25. Tool usually pluralized: TWEEZER.

26. "According to whom?" retort: SAYS ME.

27. "Don't be __!": A HERO.

28. Haifa's home: Abbr.: ISR.

29. Pleasingly dated retail adjective: OLDE.

31. Post-WWII pres. monogram: DDE.

32. Black cat, to some: OMEN.

40. Woodard of "Passion Fish": ALFRE. Unaware of the movie.

43. "The Voice" host Carson: DALY.

44. One eliciting yawns: BORE.

45. Diagnostic aid: X-RAY. And 37. Diagnostic aids: MRIS.

46. Silver finish?: WARE. Silverware.

47. King Minos' land: CRETE.

49. Does the 96-Down for: CATERS. And 96. Things to do after dinner: DISHES.

51. Sussex suffix: ISE. Like "realise". Also 65. End of a believer?: IST. Like "realist".

52. Has regrets about: RUES.

53. Hill helper: AIDE. Capitol Hill.

54. Over-the-shoulder garment: SARI.

55. Battery parts: TESTS. Had to ask Boomer. He said "a battery of tests", a new phrase to me.

57. They're defined by revolutions: Abbr.: YRS. Liked the "revolutions".

58. Bit of work: ERG.

59. Some HDTVs: RCAS.

61. Swiss Miss product: COCOA.

70. Sign of vacancy?: STARE. Vacant stare.

71. Tempe neighbor: MESA.

72. St. Louis summer hrs.: CDT.

73. Leave in the dust by overtaking?: LAP. Like in a track meet. 

75. Pool table slab: SLATE.

78. Fivers: ABES.

80. "The Lion King" villain: SCAR.

82. Almanac fodder: DATA.

83. Facebook chuckle: LOL.

84. Removes for good: ERASES.

87. Bygone royals: TSARS.

88. "The Haj" novelist: URIS.

89. "Get on it now!": ASAP.

92. Didn't let out, as one's breath: HELD.

93. Chanel product: SCENT.

99. Picasso output: ARTE.

100. Recipient of much Apr. mail: IRS.

101. Morales of "Ozark": ESAI. And 41. Linney of "Ozark": LAURA.

102. "Leaves and Navels" artist: ARP.

105. Schoolyard pal in a Paul Simon song: JULIO. OK, this song.

107. Short-legged hunter: BASSET.

110. Rudolph Valentino's "Blood and Sand" co-star: LILA LEE. Unfamiliar to me.

115. Zellweger of "Cold Mountain": RENEE.

116. Lions' prides: MANES.

117. Gobs of: MANY.

118. "Yeah, yeah, I get it": OK OK.

119. Practices in a ring: SPARS.

120. Small strings: UKES. "Somewhere over the rainbow. Bluebirds fly. And the dreams that you dream of. Dreams really do come true ..."

121. Put in: ADD.

122. Litter cries: MEWS.

Down:

1. Christine of "The Blacklist": LAHTI.

2. Declares: AVOWS.

3. More up-to-date: NEWER.

4. Art Deco icon: ERTE.

5. Dante translator John: CIARDI. Another unknown figure.

6. Tats: INK.

7. Shoddy pair?: DEES. Shoddy.

8. Tummy-tightening garment: CORSET.

9. Clock radio toggle: AM FM.

10. Barrie's bosun: SMEE.

11. UGA's conf.: SEC.

12. Book before Job: ESTHER.

13. Fifth-most populous U.S. city: PHOENIX. So many in Texas. Minneapolis is way behind.

14. Scorch: SEAR.

15. Relative of -ish: OR SO.

16. Cousin of com: NET. Did you once have a Prodigy web page? We had a few pictures there. All gone.

18. Dog attractor: SMELL.

19. Period of great popularity: HEYDAY.

22. Thinning layer: OZONE.

23. Striker of a polymer ball: PADDLE.

24. Mess (with): TAMPER.

30. Was discontinued: ENDED.

32. Fiona or Shrek: OGRE.

33. Finds in mines: ORES.

34. Grill, maybe: EATERY. Sure miss these. If you visit Xi'an, you've got to go Muslim Quarter. Incredible food. Susan was there.

35. Flanged girder: I-BAR.

36. Pay attention to: NOTICE.

38. Steinbeck's "__ of Eden": EAST.

39. Deli selections: RYES.

40. Out of whack: AWRY.

42. Caught this morning: FRESH. Fish.

47. Magna __: CARTA.

48. Hardship: RIGOR.

49. Treatments for breaks: CASTS.

50. Pub pick: STOUT.

54. Burglars' targets: SAFES.

56. Unit of wheat: EAR.

58. First name in the beauty aisle: ESTEE. Vowel-rich, hence its frequent appearance.

60. Word with clean or unglued: COMES.

62. Richard's songwriting partner: OSCAR (Hammerstein). Richard Rodgers.

63. Starfleet VIPs: CMDRS. Commanders. Spitzboov was a commander before he retired.

66. "Because," to a kid: REASON.

67. Pain in the neck: HASSLE.

68. Highway alert: FLARE.

69. Attended as an observer: SAT IN.

74. It's behind you: PAST. We also have 87. Reacts to trouble: TENSES.

75. __ dunk: SLAM.

76. Misplace: LOSE.

77. Worry word: ALAS.

79. North Atlantic hazard: BERG.

81. Tight-knit squad: CADRE.

82. Conveyer of tears: DUCT.

85. Slangy convertible: RAGTOP.

86. Grenoble gal pal: AMIE.

90. Hymnal that's often richly illustrated: PSALTER. I can never remember this word.

92. Oater regulars: HORSES.

93. Con man's cohort: SHILL.

95. Surfaces: ARISES.

97. Kitchen work spot: ISLAND. This looks nice.

98. In a carefree manner: GAILY.

102. How great minds think: ALIKE.

103. Cut again, as grass: RE-MOW.

104. Cheats at blind man's buff: PEEKS.

105. Wrangler, e.g.: JEEP.

106. Middies' sch.: USNA.

107. Toucan's pride: BEAK.

108. Teen breakout: ACNE.

109. Detective show that spawned "Baretta": TOMA. Never heard of it.

111. Chem class model: ATOM.

112. Real estate ad abbr.: BRS.

113. Bird in some Australian place names: EMU.

114. Fidget spinners, evidently: FAD.

C.C.

Saturday, August 24, 2019, Ed Sessa

Saturday Themeless by Dr. Ed Sessa

A breakfast favorite takes center stage today as we celebrate National Waffle Day. A beautiful waffle covered with maple syrup and and some strips of bacon? Yum, yum!

Of course this prompts the story of the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair when an ice cream vendor ran out of little dishes in his booth but Ernest A. Hamwi, a Syrian concessionaire in the booth next door, saw the solution. Using his waffle-like pastry - zalabias, he formed a cone, put the ice cream in it and, voila, a new treat was born - The Waffle Cone!

Our constructor, Dr. Ed Sessa featured a triple 13-stack in the middle like our Postlandia constructor Evan Kalish did two weeks ago. Now let's see what else Dr. Sessa has prescribed for us. A spoonful of sugar (gettable long fills) made this go down very nicely. 

Across:

1. Karate match exchanges: BOWS.

5. Nickname for Chicago's Ernie Banks: MR CUB - Ernie is always listed as one of the greatest (and nicest) players to have never been to a world series with his then hapless Cubs.

10. Gradually decrease: WANE.

14. Chamber phenomenon: ECHO.

15. Campaign suspensions: CEASE FIRES - Neither a CEASE FIRE, a truce or an armistice  is a peace treaty.

17. Biting: ACID.

18. Gadgets with small rotary blades: CAN OPENERS - A lost art?

19. Pub nibbles: NUTS.

20. Corrida shout: OLE - The barbarity of bull fighting repulses me

21. Christmas hymn start: ADESTE - Former students at big box stores tell me the Christmas stuff is filling up their storage areas. (ADESTE shoppers - O Come All Ye Shoppers)

22. Vent opening?: PRE -Late Middle English (in the sense ‘act in anticipation of’): from Latin praevent- ‘preceded, hindered’, from the verb praevenire, from prae ‘before’ + venire ‘come’. (etymonline.com)

23. One in a gun show?: GYM RAT 

25. Ax wielder, at times: BOSS - Well, he/she is the BOSS...

26. Lover of Euridice, in a Gluck opera: ORFEO (Italian for Orpheus) - If you must know

28. Anaheim stadium nickname: BIG A.

30. 1843 story narrated by a murderer, with "The": TELL TALE HEART - Poe's short story of a guilty conscience that became a 56.
Heavy burdens: MILLSTONES around the murderer's neck

35. Finger in the dike, so to speak: DAMAGE CONTROL - What my [insert candidate] meant to say...

37. Out until tomorrow: GONE FOR THE DAY - A NASA guy might be "Out To Launch"

39. Essential nutrient: SALT.

40. Split for a union: ELOPE - This cluing flummoxed me

41. Gush: SPEW.

44. Meteorological line: ISOBAR - ISOBARS connect points of the same pressure. It was a windy day in Delaware below

48. Units for many staples: Abbr.: LBS 

49. Blowup sound: KABOOM.

51. Bumped into: MET.

52. Didn't make it through committee, as a bill: DIED - Bills to legalize casino gambling have DIED year after year in our unicameral 

53. Beyond reason: INORDINATE - This summer's INORDINATE number of butterflies are very welcome

55. Land in a lake: ISLE.

57. Wonder Woman gal pal __ Candy: ETTA.

58. Pompano kin: SCAD.

POMPANO                                 SCAD

59. Black-necked shorebird: STILT - Like SCAD, this is wildlife out of my ken 

Black Necked Stilt

60. World power initials until 1991: USSR.

Down:

1. Slow cooker associated with Boston: BEAN POT - My friend said Bostonians hate "Beantown" as much as San Franciscans hate "Frisco"

2. Went down, in a way: OCCURRED.

3. Yield sign?: WHITE FLAG - One sports writer called a bad relief pitcher a "human WHITE FLAG"

4. Puts down roots: SODS.

5. "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer" doctor: MCCOY.

6. King's domain: REALM.

7. Worker with rattan: CANER - We had this in a daily puzzle recently

8. "For the Boys" org.: USO.

9. Advice for the itchy: BE PATIENT - Nebraskans are itchy for the start of football season

10. Port vessel: WINE BARREL - BARRELS full of Cockburn's Port WINE near Porto, Portugal 

11. "You __ lucky!": ARE SO.

12. "Fiddlesticks!": NERTS.

13. Pair of shoes?: ESSES - Yes, ShoeS has two ESSES

16. Ness, for one: FED - FED accountants did more to put Al Capone away than FED (g-man) Elliot Ness

23. Was a whiz on a quiz: GOT AN A - Curve wrecker!

24. Can't stand: ABHOR.

27. "Sesame Street" segment: ELMO'S WORLD.

29. Round up: GATHER.

31. Certain eligibility rules: AGE LIMITS - Alcohol AGE LIMITS for every country (scroll down below map)

32. Ali hooks, at times: LEFTS - Ali was not only good at throwing LEFT hooks he was incredible at avoiding them

33. "The Name of the Rose" author: ECO - If you must know

34. Work plans: TO DO LISTS - Mine grew from one to four last week due to my cell phone availability 

36. Safety features that have evolved since their inception: LAP BELTS - Neither mom nor baby seem safe here in these early models

38. Spousal consent: YES DEAR - "A soft answer turneth away wrath"

41. Works on pools: SKIMS.

42. __ attack: PANIC - Tony Soprano's Achilles Heel. The ducks he had bonded with flying away triggered this one

43. Target of a new vaccine: EBOLA.

45. Spender of rials: OMANI - This bucket would cost an OMANI 3.8 OMR (OMani Rials) or $9.78

46. Stimulating nut: BETEL - Chewing this nut can have horrible consequences. Google at your own peril

47. '50s headline event: A-TEST - The first A (bomb) -TEST was conducted in 1945 at Alamogordo, New Mexico as a successful conclusion of the Manhattan Project

50. Takes in too much, for short: ODS - See BETEL nut above

52. Spirit of Notre-Dame: DIEU - Que DIEU bénisse Notre Dame (May God bless Notre Dame)

54. "__ my problem": NOT - A mantra for some of us at this popsicle stand

Now don't waffle (you had to see that coming), we'd love to read your comments:

                                                                                                                                             

Friday, August 23, 2019, Jeffrey Wechsler

Title: I must P!

Hi, Lemonade here back with my Friday foil, Jeffrey Wechsler. It was fun to read Tom's slant on JW's last two Fridays. It reminded me of when marti was reviewing Jeffrey's Thursdays when he first appeared here at the LAT. But now I am back on the clock with another over-sized offering that no doubt was the product of (my guess) the inspired 16 letter fill - PART APPRECIATION (16). With Jeffrey's background as a  curator, I am betting that was where this gem started. Of course, he had to then make the rest of the themers grid-spanners, the middle two at 15 spaces and the outside two 16 spaces. He also introduced some unused fill, one with one prior appearance in any mainstream puzzle (ICY HOT), and AHIAHI brand spanking new. We also get to reveal EXTERNS, HOE CAKE, NYMPHET,  TITULAR, HANDKNIT, and PURLOINS.  There are some very fun words there.

17A. Gratitude for a well-played role?: PART APPRECIATION (16). A literal but funny clue/fill.

27A. Crackin', peelin' and fadin'?: PAINT MISBEHAVIN' (15). By far my favorite, as I could hear the music in my head as this filled.

45A. Couples therapist?: PAIR CONDITIONER (15). How many have ever tried couples therapy?

55A. Extreme example of layering for cold weather?: PANTS IN ONE'S PANTS (16). This is absurd which is its charm, though the second P is distracting.

Time to solve...

Across:

1. Irrigation need: PIPE.

5. '90s trade pact: NAFTA. North American Free Trade Agreement.

10. "Go no further!": HALT. Reminds me of Sergeant Schultz from Hogan's Heroes.

14. Heart: CRUX. The heart of the matter. Hey marti, hope you are well.

15. "... __ player, / That struts and frets his hour upon the stage": Macbeth: A POOR. Jeffrey's Shakespeare quote.

16. Lake near Carson City: TAHOE. It may be the perfect place on Earth.

20. Papal messenger: LEGATE. Now it is an ecclesiastic delegated by the pope as his representative. Historically it was a provincial governor of senatorial rank appointed by the emperor in ancient Rome.

21. On the other side of: Abbr.: ACRoss.

22. Enzyme suffix: ASE.

23. Unscrupulous: AMORAL. As opposed to Anthony Gael Moral.

25. Youthful maiden of myth: NYMPHET. I think of Lolita and Nabokov's words, "Now I wish to introduce the following idea. Between the age limits of nine and fourteen there occur maidens who, to certain bewitched travelers, twice or many times older than they, reveal their true nature which is not human, but nymphic (that is, demoniac); and these chosen creatures I propose to designate as 'nymphets.' " - Part One, Chapter 5." Please no Jeffrey Epstein comments.

31. Clean, as greens: RINSE.

32. Newton honorific: SIR. Isaac.

33. LGBT History Mo.: OCTober.

34. '60s campus gp.: SDS. Students for a Democratic Society.

35. Start growing: SPROUT. Add an "S" and you have the newest grocery chain coming to my neighborhood, LINK.

37. Hem partner: HAW. Hee.

40. Asian language: LAO. Like THAI, just the beginning of the land.

42. Hammer site: EAR. The ear bones - the malleus, or hammer, the incus, or anvil, and the stapes, or stirrup.

43. Kofi Annan's birthplace: GHANA. His BIOGRAPHY.

49. Like Macbeth in "Macbeth": TITULAR. Like eponymous. A bonus Shakespeare reference.

50. Jumpy: ON EDGE.

51. Jeff Lynne rock gp.: ELO. Electric Light Orchestra

52. HP product: INK. Funny, not technology.

53. Hit: STRUCK. No violence, please.

60. Discrete things: ITEMS.

61. Poetry Muse: ERATO.

62. Fruit with fuzz: KIWI.

63. First name in Latin bands: DESI. Arnaz.

64. "Holy cow!": YIPES. Yipes?

65. Venerable college that owns a river island: ETON. Did you know? Queen's Eyot (pronounced 'eight') is an island on the River Thames close to Windsor. The island has been owned by Eton College since 1923 and has a beautiful clubhouse used for weddings etc.

Down:

1. Angel dust, briefly: PCP. Phencyclidine.

2. Investment option, briefly: IRA.

3. Misappropriates: PURLOINS. There was a famous letter.

4. Nonresident doctors: EXTERNS. Intern ≠ extern.

5. Controversial combat material: NAPALM. This is a highly flammable sticky jelly used in incendiary bombs and flamethrowers, consisting of gasoline thickened with special soaps.

6. Cal. entry: APPT. Calendar - appointment.

7. Golf alert: FORE. Mini-clecho.

8. Golf club part: TOE.

9. Understood by few: ARCANE. Jeffrey's middle name?

10. Seuss title top: HAT. Cat in the...

11. "Aloha __": Hawaiian "Good evening" that sounds like a repeated fish: AHIAHI. Not to be confused with AHI AHI. Timing so soon after the lovely Jimmy B. C.C. puzzle.

12. Ease: LOOSEN.

13. Principle: TENET.

16. Lighting area?: TARMAC. My guess is this refers to the runway lights at airports. Very Friday clue/fill.

18. Patterned mineral: AGATE. This one is for sale at $4,200.00

19. Lidocaine brand endorsed by Shaq: ICY HOT. The second appearance of this brand, It was introduced to the LAT and all major newspapers by one C.C. Burnikel July 25, 2017.

23. Car loan nos.: APRS. An annual percentage rate (APR) is the annual rate charged for borrowing.

24. Hotel employee: MAID.

26. Mil. rank: PVT.

28. Comcast, e.g.: Abbr.: ISP. Internet Service Provider.

29. Warning sound: SIREN.

30. Wide-ranging: BROAD.

35. "You're not the only one!": SO CAN I.

36. Ocean State sch.: URI. The University of Rhode Island.

37. Like some homemade sweaters: HAND KNIT. We have a friend who gives Oo something she knitted every time we see her. I am not sure she should have retired.

38. Rare blood type, briefly: A-NEG.

39. Word with hard or soft: WARE.

40. Lucy of "Elementary": LIU. Dr. Watson.

41. Bygone HBO series about a sports agent: ARLISS. You can now stream this series.

43. Generate: GIN UP. Not a phrase I know. The idiom gin something up means to increase something, to get something going, to stir something up, to agitate or perhaps make a little trouble, sometimes through less than honest means. grammarist.com

44. Southern cornmeal fare: HOECAKE. A hoecake is cornbread made minimalist—a thin, unleavened round made from the simplest batter (cornmeal, water, and salt).

45. "Ecce homo" speaker: PILATE. His Latin name was Marcus Pontius Pilatus. As a child, I heard him called Pontius Pilate (Pilot). It should have been said like the exercise.

46. Makes up (for): ATONES. A continguous clue with religious overtones.

47. Scottish archipelago: ORKNEY. You can READ ALL ABOUT. More arcane knowledge about Great Britain.

48. Ancient statuary fragments: TORSOS.

49. Unenthusiastic: TEPID.

53. Cinch: SNAP.

54. Parisian bean?: TETE. Bean as noggin or the like in French.

56. "That's quite enough": TMI. Too Much Information.

57. "Do it, __ will!": OR I. Sounds ominous.

58. What a V-sign probably means in a restaurant: TWO. I love this clue. Very visual.

59. Envy, say: SIN. One of seven supposedly deadly ones.

Where do all the Fridays go? Another gone, but not before some good old fashioned Jeffrey Wechsler challenge and humor. My two granddaughters are now going to school after a very fun summer. Labor Day approaches. Thank you, Jeffrey and all who read. Lemonade out.

Notes from C.C.:

Here are a few cute pictures of Lemonade's grandchildren Charlotte, Harper and Owen. You can see more pictures here. 

2) Happy birthday to the always cheerful and happy Tinbeni, who's been with our blog for a long long time. Hope it's a day full of adventure and fun, Tinbeni!

Thursday, August 22nd 2019 Winston Emmons

Theme: EPI-penned - the letters EPI appear in the theme entries as the reveal explains:

65A. Quake's origin, and a feature of the answers to starred clues: EPICENTER. Very common word on the news around these parts. There have been a few pretty big shakes over the last few weeks.

So we get:

17A. *Watch: TIMEPIECE

24A. *Jazzman Fats Waller, style-wise: STRIDE PIANIST.  I was not familiar with this term at all.

40A. *"Boulevard Montmartre" series painter: CAMILLE PISSARRO

Here's the boulevard "on a Winter's Morning":

52A. *Understand: GET THE PICTURE

Straightforward enough theme, nicely executed. Note that the "EPI"s in each theme entry are the middle three letters of each answer. I struggled a bit with the STRIDE/W.C. HANDY/AZO/DYNES region but the crosses eventually pulled it together.

Across:

1. Suggestions, informally: RECS. Recommendations, I presume.

5. Many 40-Across works: OILS. A cross-reference clue right off the bat to annoy those who don't like them!

9. Supplement: ADD TO

14. Monsieur's mine: À MOI

15. Champagne designation: BRUT. Driest of the champagnes. The others, from dry to sweet, are Extra Sec, Sec, Demi Sec and Doux. Some purests split "rut" into "Extra Brut", the driest, and "Brut Nature".

16. React to a loss: MOURN

19. Palestinian leader Mahmoud: ABBAS. Thank you, crosses

20. Childish comeback: ARE SO!

21. Increase, with "up": REV

23. Simian: APE

29. "St. Louis Blues" composer: W.C. HANDY. Unknown to me. A very influential musician, I come to find.

31. Huntsville's home: Abbr.: ALA. Handy briefly taught at the now-named Alabama A&M University near Huntsville, and quit when he found that a pipe-fitter made more money. See what I just learned?

32. Nitrogen-based dye: AZO. Another unknown.

33. Turow book set at Harvard: ONE L. "One L" refers to a first-year law student, not just at Harvard but all law schools.

36. Quaking tree: ASPEN

44. Krispy __: KREME

45. Room in una casa: SALA

46. __ bran: OAT

47. Corn unit: EAR

49. Sisters on whom "Little Women" was loosely based: ALCOTTS

57. It may be inflated: EGO

58. Not bright: DIM

59. Dreadlocks wearer: RASTA

62. Golfer with an "army": ARNIE. Arnold Palmer, nicknamed "The King". He was one of the first golf superstars with the arrival of televised tournaments.

68. Walks unsteadily: REELS

69. Make over: REDO

70. "Star Trek" creator Roddenberry: GENE. There's a building on the Paramount lot named for him. He's made them quite a bit of money over the years.

71. Sore throat cause: STREP

72. Word with dash or happy: SLAP

73. Novelist Ferber: EDNA

Down:

1. Female rodent, to Fernando: RATA. You need a gato to chase her off.

2. Arab chieftain: EMIR

3. Returns: COMES HOME

4. Afternoon break: SIESTA

5. Kimono sash: OBI

6. Anger: IRE

7. "Filthy" moolah: LUCRE. Is all lucre filthy?

8. Expensive: STEEP

9. Physicians' gp.: A.M.A.

10. Bio info: D.O.B.

11. City with the world's tallest building: DUBAI

12. Snares: TRAPS

13. Kickoff: ONSET

18. Dirty work?: PORN. Rich has been getting a little more lenient over the years with "acceptable" entries.

22. By way of: VIA

25. Object of much reverence: IDOL

26. Newton fractions: DYNES. This was part my problem area, crossing "STRIDE" and "HANDY".

27. Rueful word: ALAS

28. Voyager org.: N.A.S.A.

29. Eccentric: WACK

30. Überauthority: CZAR. What, he arrived in Russia in a ride service? Maybe Otis was a Lyftauthority?

34. "Learn about the UV Index" org.: E.P.A.

35. Pastel shade: LILAC

37. Voiced one's opposition: PROTESTED

38. Logician's "E": ERAT. "Quod Erat Demonstrandum", "QED".

39. Forget-me-__: NOTS

41. "How __ Your Mother": I MET

42. "Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology" memoirist Remini: LEAH. I remember hearing about the book, I never got around to reading it.

43. Brine has a lot of it: SALT

48. Signal to stop: RED

50. Virologist's goal: CURE

51. Creamsicle flavor: ORANGE. How funny, just last Friday I had my first "Orange Julius" at a Dairy Queen in Westminster Mall. It was surprisingly good!

52. Gets ready, with "up": GEARS

53. Long-billed wader: EGRET

54. Copier cartridge: TONER

55. Places to tie up: PIERS

56. Drive: IMPEL

60. Miss. neighbor: TENN.

61. Plane measurement: AREA

63. Martinique, par exemple: ÎLE. Caribbean island, part of the French West Indies. Here's La Plage des Salines - beautiful!

64. Clairvoyant's claim: E.S.P.

66. Journalist Tarbell: IDA

67. Steal, in slang: COP

I think that about does it for me today. Hasta la Jueves!

Steve