Sunday August 26, 2018 Robin Stears

 Theme: AmazeBalls* - Ball can follow both part of each theme entry.

23. *Convenient carrier: HANDBASKET. Handball. Basketball.

25. *Small, flat legume: BUTTER BEAN. Butterball. Beanball.

44. *Octal system: BASE EIGHT. Baseball. Eight ball.

47. *Item found in a parlor: CUE STICK. Cue ball. Stickball.

64. *Pneumatic silo declogger: AIR CANNON. Air ball. Cannonball.

74. *Fund for fun: PIN MONEY. Pinball. Moneyball.

77. *Path for a promising young exec: FAST TRACK. Fastball. Trackball.

99. *It covers the Batmobile: BLACK PAINT. Black ball. Paintball

101. *Brie, e.g.: SOFT CHEESE. Softball. Cheeseball.

No reveal but theme entries are starred, puzzle title is starred also.

This type of both words can follow/precede type is quite hard to pull off. Tricky to find solid in-the- language phrases. 

Robin is very fond of this theme type, as we've seen in the past. The grid is also classic Robin. Very clean.

Across:

1. Takes the odds: BETS.

5. Flop's opposite: SMASH. Smash hit.

10. Anchored: MOORED.

16. Braying beast: ASS. Alliteration.

19. Audition piece: ARIA.

20. 1988 Summer Olympics site: KOREA.Widely watched in China. 

21. From C to C: OCTAVE.

22. __ Victor: RCA.

27. Braille bits: DOTS.

28. Poet Pablo Neruda, e.g.: CHILEAN. Boomer's 87-year-old golf buddy Jorge is Chilean.

30. "My treat": ON ME.

31. Distinctive Rolls Royce feature: GRILLE.

34. Many a text writer: SCHOLAR. We also have 96. Old copiers: SCRIBES.

36. Hikes from the center: SNAPS.

37. Wilson of "Pitch Perfect" movies: REBEL. Australian actress. 

38. Heinz Field player: STEELER.

39. Rapid __: TRANSIT.

41. Nickname for young Skywalker: ANI.

42. Ramshackle shelters: LEAN-TOS.

43. One way to get you: RUSE.

51. Like Fran Drescher's voice: NASAL. Never into "The Nanny".

52. Cheerleaders' handfuls: POMPOMS.

56. Your cousin's 81-Across, maybe: MOM. 81. See 56-Across: AUNT.

57. Plague critter: LOCUST.

60. Pudding starch: TAPIOCA. Used in Bubble tea, popular drink in Guangzhou.

61. Carne __: ASADA.

63. Subject of a Dean Martin classic: AMORE.

66. "Your table's ready" gizmo: PAGER.

67. Chekov on "Star Trek": PAVEL.

68. Directed: STEERED.

69. Last to arrive: LATEST.

70. French article: UNE.

71. Proclaims: ASSERTS. Google claims one of our May posts has a link/image/video that breaks their policy. Been a week of 1) Remove the link 2) Send in Request for Review 3) Nope, problem still exists. Repeat. Repeat. Why don't they just tell you which link is bad?!

72. Passionate: FIERY.

82. Fouls up, as plans: DERAILS.

85. "The Crow" actress Ling: BAI. Chinese. Very edgy.

86. "The Star-Spangled Banner" quartet: STANZAS.

89. "Les Misérables" girl: COSETTE. Fantine's daughter.

90. __ Ste. Marie: SAULT.

92. Prefix with centric: HELIO.

93. Barbaric: BRUTISH.

94. Worrisome engine sound: RATTLE.

95. Teatro __ Scala: ALLA.

98. Right on the map: EAST.

107. Ottoman bigwig: BEY.

108. Cooling-off period?: ICE AGE. Nice clue. Tiny clue/answer dupe with 5. Ice __: SKATE.

109. City of NE Italy: UDINE. Unfamiliar to me.

110. Garbage hauler: SCOW.

111. B-day numbers: YRS.

112. "Full House" surname: TANNER.

113. Award for "Mr. Mercedes": EDGAR. Unfamiliar with this Stephen King novel.

114. Lift one's spirits?: TOPE. Good old clue.

Down:

1. "Phooey!": BAH.

2. Significant time: ERA.

3. Bronze component: TIN.

4. Tack room item: SADDLE.

6. Shade of green: MOSS. The name of Boomer's doctor at the Orthopedic Urgent Care is Kelli Greene. Alas, the Methylprednisolone she prescribed has not worked its magic yet. And the pain spot has moved from left hip to lower/middle back.

7. What Indiana sought: ARK.

8. "What did I tell you?": SEE.

9. Chopper: HATCHET.

10. Calder pieces: MOBILES.

11. Telescope eyepiece: OCULAR.

12. Weasel relative: OTTER.

13. Pro follower: RATA.

14. 102-Down opposite: EVEN. And 102. 14-Down opposite: ODD.

15. "__ Rosenkavalier": DER.

16. Spots for sports: ARENAS.

17. Trattoria entrée: SCAMPI.

18. Least extreme: SANEST. Lower back/hip pain can drive you insane. Boomer normally has very high pain threshold.

24. Weevil's target: BOLL.

26. Tied-under-the-chin topper: BONNET.

29. Prefix with gram: HOLO.

31. Take the wrong way?: GRAB.

32. Sofer of soaps: RENA.

33. Sacred Nile bird: IBIS.

34. Longtime "60 Minutes" reporter: STAHL. She always wears pretty earrings.

35. Small price to pay: CENT.

36. Backtalk: SASS.

38. Sonic the Hedgehog maker: SEGA.

39. "Mr. Citizen" autobiographer: TRUMAN. Another learning moment.

40. Regrets: RUES.

42. Santa has a famous one: LIST. How I miss our own Santa!

45. Acclimatize: ENURE.

46. Art supporter?: EASEL.

47. Fashion first name: COCO.

48. Pixel pattern: IMAGE.

49. Secret stuff: CODES.

50. Target rival: KMART. I love these Target bath towels. So soft and light. And only $3.99. You can get a new one after a couple months. Little luxury in life.

52. Worrywart, at times: PACER.

53. Eye-fooling genre: OP ART.

54. Extraction sites: MINES.

55. Golden or Walden: POND.

57. Drink from a bowl: LAP UP.

58. Spender of rials: OMANI. 

59. Group of 13, traditionally: COVEN. Here is our corner blog California Coven.

L to R: JD, Garlic Gal, Chickie & Jill, 2013.

60. Genealogy chart: TREE.

61. Spaced out: APART.

62. Lustful deity: SATYR.

64. Portfolio listings: ASSETS.

65. Wee: ITSY.

69. Rents: LETS.

71. "Frozen" princess: ANNA. We see ELSA often.

72. Conviction: FAITH.

73. "Cast Away" setting: ISLE.

75. Fanatic: MANIAC

76. Anise liqueur: OUZO.

77. Dieter's concern: FATS. Both fats and carbs raise our A1C, correct?

78. Lie next to: ABUT.

79. Birdsong: CALL.

80. Toy with a tail: KITE.

82. Skeptic: DOUBTER.

83. Italian noble family: ESTE.

84. Budget bin record: REISSUE.

86. Ramshackle: SHABBY.

87. One taking a lot of notes: TELLER. Oh, I like this clue.

88. Soothes: ALLAYS. I'm also rubbing this St John's Wort oil on Boomer. So many positive reviews on Amazon. Thanks again for delivering it quickly to us, D-Otto!

89. React to an awkward moment: CRINGE.

90. Military band: SASH.

91. Bear witness: ATTEST.

93. Queen lead guitarist __ May: BRIAN.

94. Track figure: RACER.

96. Animal lovers' org.: SPCA.

97. French city where William the Conqueror is buried: CAEN. Did not know this trivia.

98. Italian smoker: ETNA.

100. Many an IKEA buy: KIT. We've only been to IKEA once. It's close to Mall of America.

103. Newton fruit: FIG. Trader Joe's Organic Turkish Figs are the best.

104. Green prefix: ECO.

105. Sponge (up): SOP.

106. Woolly mama: EWE.

The super cool crossword constructor Brendan Emmett Quigley visited Minnesota last Tuesday. Our local constructor and solvers had another gathering. You can see more pictures here. Brendan publishes two free puzzles at his site every week, Monday and Thursday. And he has been doing that for many years. Just amazing!

First Row: Brendan Emmett Quigley, David Hanson (Rosebud), Tariq Samad and Victor Barocas.

Second Row: C.C., Ron Dahlquist, George Barany, Theresa Horan (Teedmn), Chris Adams, Stew Lelievr and David Liben-Nowell

  

Marcia Brott was there somewhere inside Barnes & Noble also.  

Saturday, August 25, 2018, Patti Varol and Doug Peterson

Themeless Saturday Puzzle by Patty Varol and Doug Peterson

What could be a better followup to yesterday's ICE CREAM puzzle by Jeffrey Wechsler than a day that celebrates one of the true delights made with it? 

Latrobe, PA is famous for being the home of golfing legend Arnold Palmer but in 1904 an apprentice pharmacist in Latrobe, David Strickland, invented a banana triple ice cream sundae that sold for a dime which was twice the price of other sundaes and it was a huge hit. Strickler bought the drug store and although his invention endures, the building was torn down years ago.

Latrobe is celebrating The Great American Banana Split Festival yesterday, today and tomorrow with many events. I wonder if anyone washes down a banana split with an Arnold Palmer? 

On this day celebrating this legendary sweet treat, Patty Varol and Doug Peterson have concocted this lovely puzzle that entertained me greatly but took 23 minutes before I could put the cherry on top! Patty is our esteemed editor Rich's very able assistant as well as being a constructor herself and I have received some great feedback from her and some "thanks, but no thanks" notes as well. I blogged a puzzle Doug constructed with Neville Fogarty this past February.

Patty Varol                    Doug Peterson

Let's see what else Patty and Doug have for us today as this (soda) jerk tries to make sense of it:

Across:

1. Knot remover: NECK RUB 

8. Not pointless?: ON TOPIC - Politicians always steer debate back to their talking points rather than staying ON TOPIC

15. Took too many courses?: OVER ATE - We had Thanksgiving FOOD COMA recently which could include the portmanteau 21. Hybrid roast: TURDUCKEN (a deboned chicken stuffed into a deboned duck stuffed into a turkey)

16. "Marvelous": HOW NICE.

17. Sent along: RELAYED - Norman Rockwell captures Americana as well as anyone

18. One pulling his weight around Christmas: BLITZEN  - But neither he nor his friends would let poor Rudolph join in any reindeer games

19. Caper: ANTIC.

20. Stuff on the deck: STAIN - After 15 years we have given up on STAINING and a 37. House coat: PAINT JOB and so we are installing a synthetic deck this week

22. Proactiv target: ZIT.

23. European underground nickname: THE TUBE.

25. Forbids: BANS.

26. Flood insurance, once upon a time: ARK - Professor Paul Esperante and others believe this could be the remains of Noah's ARK in Eastern Turkey near Mt. Ararat

29. Copycat's talent: APERY - I suppose... 

30. Alley goop: TAR - I like the play on Alley Oop! 

31. Toasting candidate: RYE BREAD

33. Grizabella the Glamour Cat's solo: MEMORY - It is the show stopper from Andrew Lloyd Weber's Cats

36. Single from Dylan's "Blood on the Tracks": TANGLED UP IN BLUE - Has never crossed my turntable, CD player or MP3 device

38. Some navels: INNIES.

39. Puerto Rico's __ de Morro: CASTILLO - CASTILLO (San Felipe) de Morro 

40. Hosp. sections: ERS where they are prepared to 58. Do an inside job?: OPERATE if need be

41. Warehouse supplies: SKIDS.

42. Darn things: SEW.

43. Vince with 18 CMA Awards: GILL - Not familiar with any of Vince's work that got him those Country Music Awards

45. Lacking versatility: ONE NOTE - Can you decipher this equivalent phrase? (* answer below grid at end of blog)

47. Raised eyebrow, e.g.: ARC.

48. Nine Inch Nails founder Reznor: TRENT - Okay

49. Stomach: ABIDE - Do you, like me, no longer ABIDE things you did years ago?

53. Brewery sugar: MALTOSE.

55. Where old records may be kept: JUKEBOX - Five plays for a quarter in my 6. Sporty truck, briefly: UTE (Yeah, I know it's a Utility Vehicle but I couldn't resist)

57. Congo line?: EQUATOR - Here are people in the Democratic Republic Of Congo (formerly Zaire and Belgian Congo) standing on said line

59. Fair rewards: RIBBONS - Granddaughter got many purples at the Lancaster County Fair this year

60. Small restaurants: BISTROS.


Down:

1. "Brothers & Sisters" matriarch: NORA - NORA is played by...

2. Square: EVEN - Game sevens are played when the series is EVEN at three games apiece 

3. Gael, for one: CELT

4. Nocturnal Asian snake: KRAIT - India's deadliest, 10X more poisonous than a cobra

5. Singer ranked #10 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time: RAY CHARLES - Too many hits to pick a favorite but this one always moves me

7. Framework for retiring: BED STEAD - No IRA here

8. "Yowza!": OH BABY - Sounds like a Ray Charles lyric to me

9. "Honestly!": NO LIE - Truman won??

10. Matching: TWIN - The TWINS and their mother - Joyce, Martha and my bride  Joann

11. Toronto's prov.: ONT - Would you do The Edge Walk from the 1800' foot tall Toronto, ONTARIO CN tower?

12. Party bites from the toaster oven: PIZZA ROLLS - A fav around here

13. Maroon at a chalet, maybe: ICE IN - A meteorological event not a color scheme 

14. Coppers: CENTS  - A man in England was not allowed to pay a £800 debt using 166 kg (365 lbs) of these 1 cent coppers

24. Olympic gear: EPEES.

25. Film fawn: BAMBI - Disney refused to let the National Forest Service use BAMBI in their anti-fire PDA's after one year and so Smokey the Bear was invented in 1944

26. Basic studio class: ART I - My college class so-named was boring beyond belief because all we did was take notes

27. "Deadpool" actor Reynolds: RYAN - Deadpool is the highest grossing R-rated movie of all time

28. Group concerned with good breeding: KENNEL CLUB - Looking like your owner is not necessary 

30. Camper's anchors: TENT STAKES - Not quite enough here. Definitely a 33. Bungle: MISDO.

32. Speakeasy circulator: B-GIRL - Father Mulcahy, "Why Hawkeye, I earned my way through divinity school as a B-GIRL in San Francisco!"

34. Word with home or slide: RULE - I might as well show my math students a buggy whip as much as a slide RULE. 

35. Stinging response: YEOW.

41. Ugly looks: SNEERS.

43. Xbox devotee: GAMER - How many hours/day is too many?

44. Kirkuk native: IRAQI - McDonalds is not allowed in Northern Iraq so... 

45. Name on "The Magnificent Ambersons" theater poster: ORSON - Mercury Players ORSON Wells, Agnes Morehead, Joseph Cotten, et al moved on to this project after Citizen Kane.

46. Pulitzer-winning film critic: EBERT - Of the above movie, EBERT wrote, "The Magnificent Ambersons" (1942, a masterpiece with its ending hacked to pieces by the studio...)

48. Terry's role in the original "Wizard of Oz": TOTO - Terry/TOTO's memorial at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery (dog picture for our Irish Miss)

50. Structural beam: I-BAR - A baby I-BEAM?

51. Inflict on: DO TO - "What did you DO TO your hair?"

52. They're split: EXES - George Strait sings that all his EXES live in Texas while he hangs his hat in Tennessee. 

54. Check for drinks: TAB = Jay Z's bar TAB that included an $11,000 tip. I've never heard of Ace Of Spades Champagne. 

56. Org. with an "Odd News" web page: UPI - They recently led with a Calgary Museum that says it now has the world's largest working Rubik's Cube

If you can't get away to Latrobe, PA for the festivities today, why not leave a comment:

DA GRID:

*45 Across deciphered is "One Trick Pony"

Friday, August 24, 2018, Jeffrey Wechsler

Title: Can I have your cherry?

It may be Friday, but we are today faced with creating a SUNDAE. As the link explains there are debate and a history about this American creation, but there can be no debate about the one put together by our own Jeffrey Wechsler both verbally and visually. We had an expanded grid yesterday and  JW has also used this vehicle for his creative horizon lately with the 15 x 16 grids. This allows for more words especially sparkly like LAPPED UP,  SCENARIO,  SPARSELY,  THAT IT IS,  HARD WINTER, and  SCRATCHPAD. In this iteration, we have 36 three letter words, and 22 with four letters. Both of which are unusually high for a weekday puzzle, as are the 46 blocks. The theme fill is not symmetrical (thought the puzzle does have left-right symmetry).  Jeffrey also places a circle around a single letter in each themer and starting from the top down they spell (Ta-Dah) SUNDAE. That was the icing on the cake (I loved mixed metaphors!). Also, with all the theme fill clued only by 64-A, it is a very much circular solve. Obviously, with theme fill ranging from 4-16 letters, we are outside any of the old conventions which say the theme fill should be the longest words. I wish JW would stop by or write C.C. on this unique creation. On to the rest.

18A. *See 64-Across: MARASCHINO CHERRY (16). The cherry on top is both literal and figurative. They are an integral part of an American ice cream sundae. The term "cherry on top" refers to the Maraschino cherries on top of the ice cream sundae. wiki. HISTORY.

24A. *See 64-Across: NUTS (4). Toast and roughly chop your favorite nuts. Walnuts are a popular choice for sundaes, but just about any nuts will taste great. Cashews and almonds are two popular choices. You can even buy slivered almonds and save yourself the chopping. Various recipes.

34A. *See 64-Across: WHIPPED TOPPING (13). You want to make your own?  THREE WAYS. Notice that to avoid a dupe Jeffrey could not use Whipped Cream with Ice Cream. 

41A. *See 64-Across: HOT FUDGE (8). I like this RECIPE from the Smitten Kitten.

51A. *See 64-Across: FRUIT SAUCE (10). There are so many but how about STRAWBERRY?

64A. *Foundation ingredient of a treat built upward in the answers to starred clues and spelled downward in the circles: ICE CREAM (8).  If you want the entire dessert HOMEMADE have fun, and please share your personal stories.

I am hungry, but we must press on...

Across:

1. Smartphone call record, say: LIST. How often do you clear your history?

5. Wet-Nap unit: PACKET.

11. Utterly beyond repair: SHOT.

15. Part of a foot: ARCH. Not an inch.

16. St. Clare's town: ASSISI. Her STORY.

17. Carrie who was a friend of Susan B.: CATT. Carrie Chapman Catt was an American women's suffrage leader who campaigned for the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States                                                                    Constitution, which gave U.S. women                                                          the right to vote in 1920.

21. "Shove off!": BEAT IT.

22. Summer footwear: SANDAL. Not in Florida, it is a year-round phenomenon.

23. Suggestion: TIP. Especially in the 10th at Gulfstream.

28. Rudder-controlled movement: YAW. An aircraft in flight is free to rotate in three dimensions: yaw, nose left or right about an axis running up and down; pitch, nose up or down about an axis running from wing to wing; and roll, rotation about an axis running from nose to tail. wiki.

29. Beckett's "Endgame" has one: ACT. This play sounds boring, but it was written in French and Samuel Beckett was the one to translate into English, so I guess he liked it.

30. 7-Up moniker: UNCOLA. This AD was brilliant. The link is for CED.  Not to be confused with 53D. Take the top off: UNCAP.

32. Narrow inlet: RIA.

37. Strikes lightly, as a window: TAPS AT. What light through...

38. Sexy: EROTIC.

40. Rap sheet letters: AKA. Also Known As.  This term is used in much more than criminal law; if you buy a house and borrow money you will sign a name affidavit with all of your akas.

46. SFO info: ETA. Estimated Time of Arrival.

47. Sci-fi good guys: JEDI.

49. Prove equal (to): RISE. To the occasion.

50. Take quickly: GRAB.

56. Christian official: DEACON. In Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox churches an ordained minister of an order ranking below that of the priest.

59. Laundry convenience: HAMPER. My sweet wife just went shopping at Big Lots to find one that had wheels so I can get the laundry back and forth to our laundry room here at the condo.

63. Alpine retreat: INN.

69. Guitar, slangily: AXE. Originally, the first band I negotiated a record deal for was named ALIEN and then along came a movie, so they became AXE (3:23).

70. Needle part: EYE.

71. Really enjoyed: LAPPED UP. Kitties like Ice Cream too.

72. Little bit: TAD.

73. Spotted: SAW.

74. How farmland is populated: SPARSELY. A word that fascinated me when I was young. We grew up near lots of farmland.

75. Dr.'s group: HMO.

Down:

1. Country kid?: LAMB. Nice literal but still deceptive.

2. See 56-Down: IRAE. 56D. With 2-Down, Latin hymn: DIES. Very common in the CWP world.

3. Doodle site: SCRATCHPAD. My brother Barry was a frustrated Peter Max.

4. "Precisely so!": THAT IT IS. Instead of the all too popular 'it is what it is'.

5. Formal agreement: PACT. Any of you have blood brothers/sisters?

6. Grill remnants: ASH.

7. TV forensic series: CSI. Crime Scene Investigation. Changed television and the real world of investigations.

8. Many holiday guests: KIN.

9. Anka's "__ Beso": ESO. Spanish for "that kiss."

10. Involuntary motions: TICS.

11. Plot outline: SCENARIO. I am surprised there has not been a tv series with this as a title.

12. Seasonal frontier challenge: HARD WINTER. Still a challenge.

13. José's "other": OTRA. Spanish.

14. Texter's sign-off: TTYL. Talk To You Later.

19. Hardly a gulp: SIP.

20. Loft bale: HAY.

24. Philadelphia-to-Albany dir.: NNE. Back to the Trailways bus station.

25. Golden State sch. in Davis: UCD. Univesity of California Davis.

26. Young one: TOT.

27. __-mo: SLO. Is it worth the abbreviation to take off a single letter?

29. Open one's eyes: AWAKE.

30. Plotting: UP TO.

31. Take down __: A PEG. Peg Slay, where are you?

33. Emotional distress: AGITA. Is it stress or a heartburn?

35. Half a tuba sound: PAH. OOM?

36. Tense beginning?: PRE. PREtense. Beginning to end. 68D. Stamp addition?: EDE. Stampede.

37. Jersey casino, with "The": TAJ.

39. Bus alternative: CAB.

42. Half of hexa-: TRI. Twice.

43. Able-bodied: FIT.

44. Initials on American vessels: USS. United States Ship; it's a ship, not a boat.

45. Org. concerned with meth: DEA. Drug Enforcement Agency.

48. "Stan Against Evil" airer: IFC.  Formerly called: Independent Film Channel (1994–2014)

50. Shining example: GEM.

52. Deeply disturbs: ROILS. This also means agitates.

54. Big name in moving: U-HAUL. U-Haul is an American moving equipment and storage rental company, based in Phoenix, Arizona, that has been in operation since 1945.

55. Like TV's "Batman": CAMPY. Adam West was amazing.

57. "May It Be" co-songwriter: ENYA. A song which was written for the Lord of the Rings movies. Enya wrote music, Roma Ryan studied the languages created by Tolkien and wrote the lyrics in English and Quenya. There are two lines with phrases written in Quenya. The first, Mornië utúlië, translates to "Darkness has come." Mornië alantië translates as "Darkness has fallen."

58. Once more: ANEW.

60. Hiking spot: PATH.

61. Final, for one: EXAM.

62. Correct, in a way: REDO.

65. Org. dealing with brownfields: EPA. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines a brownfield as "real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant".

66. EMT proficiency: CPR. Emergency Medical Technicians do Cardiopulmonary resuscitation

67. High-__ monitor: RES. Abbreviation of resolution.

This was a very hard but satisfying solve. The double sixes on top of the grid-spanning Maraschino Cherry; Lapped Up and Sparsely supporting the ICE CREAM- wonderful. As you all know I also love visual grids.  The solve started very slowly hindered by the circular cluing (Barry G. where are you?) but the payoff was great. I look forward to your comments and the rest of the weekend. Thanks, Jeffrey, Lemonade out.

Note from C.C.:

I'm so happy to share with you these three beautiful pictures from Nina, "Inanehiker" on our blog. Nina is a doctor and her "Team Argyle" comment was extremely helpful in gathering our support for Argyle during his final days.

Nina said:

"It's been a crazy few weeks with my mom breaking her hip a few weeks before my son Sam's wedding.  Nice to have the Corner crowd have my back.

Here are a few pics: from the wedding and my mom who is headed home on Saturday from rehab - yay!"

Nina's Mom

Nina and her husband

Sam's Wedding

Thursday August 23rd 2018 Roger & Kathy Wienberg

Theme: Anagram Fun. 'Nuf said?

18A. Takes on a new responsibility, as of leadership: ASSUMES THE MANTLE. Who assumed Mickey's mantle? The Mick followed Joe DiMaggio, not exactly an easy mantle to assume. The Commerce Comet was followed in turn by Bobby Murcer.

28A. "Guys and Dolls" showstopper: ADELAIDE'S LAMENT. Showstopper? I think I must have a different idea of a showstopper than this solo dirge. I'd use it as an opportunity to go take a bathroom break and maybe grab something from the bar. I'd link it, but it's too depressing.

48A. Shelf for trophies, maybe: FIREPLACE MANTEL

63A. Complex reasoning that occurs literally at the end of three long answers: MENTAL GYMNASTICS

So MENTAL becomes three anagrams - two homophone and a dirge - I mean a lament. Nothing too challenging. The reveal is 16 letters long, so again we have a break from the "regulation" 15x15 - 15x16 last week, 16x15 this time around.

The spousal double of Roger and Kathy are back - I don't see a Kathy & Roger in the books yet - is this like Lennon & McCartney or Jagger/Richards?

Across:

1. Massage therapists' workplaces: SPAS

5. "Fiddlesticks!": P'SHAW!

10. Used room service: ATE IN

15. Largest city on Hawaii's largest island: HILO

16. Terminix target: ROACH. I'd link a nice picture, but I follow Rich's "yew!" rule for breakfast crossword solvers.

17. Piquant: ZESTY

21. Indigenous New Zealanders: MAORIS

22. Kind of artery: RENAL. Not AORTA then.

23. Key in a PC reboot combo: ALT. Where would we be without CTRL-ALT-DEL? My keyboard currently says DELETE though.

24. Evenly matched: CLOSE

26. Mosquito repellent: DEET. Terminix and Deet in quick succession. Not a good day to be a bug.

34. Sporty '60s Pontiac: GTO. Quick, we had this last week - what does it stand for?

35. __ out a win: EKE

36. Biopic about Charles: RAY. Very well portrayed by Jamie Foxx. Here's one of the originals.

37. "So that's it": I SEE

38. Threw a fit: RAGED

Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Dylan Thomas

40. Capital of Oman: RIAL. "Capital" means "currency" in this context, for any newcomers.

42. Muscle: BRAWN

43. Superficially highbrow: ARTY

44. To and __: FRO

45. "So that's it!": AHA!

47. Orchestrated: LED. Why use 10 letters when one will do?

52. Cruising, say: ASEA

53. Stealthy warrior: NINJA

54. Movie SFX: CGI. All together now: "Special Effects: Computer-Generated Imagery".

56. Prince Harry's mother: DIANA

59. Word on the street: GOSSIP

66. "Inside the NBA" analyst: O'NEAL . Law-enforcement legend Shaquille, who holds the record for Clayton County's "Tallest Sheriff's Deputy"

67. In the back: AREAR. Please stop this. It's not a word "in the language". I know it's handy, but it's not a word.

68. Love god: EROS

69. Dweebs: NERDS

70. "Same Time, Next Year" has only two: ROLES. Alan Alda and Ellen Burstyn played the roles in the movie.

71. Not a good impression: DENT. But it's a good impression if you make a dent in a task that's been sitting around waiting for your attention, right?

Down:

1. Pretense: SHAM

2. Tuscany town: PISA. They should fix that tower; it's a menace, that thing. Shoddy construction, it should be demolished before it hurts someone. They should sue the contractors and built a straight one. Pisans, Untie! I mean Unite!

3. Furthermore: ALSO

4. Lake Itasca, for the Mississippi: SOURCE

5. Laundry cycle: PRE-SOAK. This is weird - isn't pre-soak when the laundry is in the basket? I'm at a loss to what a washing machine will do that leaving the clothes on the floor, pre-soak, doesn't accomplish. Do they sit in the machine waiting for the "soak" phase? We should be told. I'm baffled.

6. Three-letter product with two periods: S.O.S You can buy two cans of this stuff online - used, apparently. You can't make this stuff up.


7. Animosity: HATRED

8. Feel yesterday's yoga class, maybe: ACHE

9. "Stop pouring": WHEN. Personally a word that has passed my lips very few times in the "pour" context.

10. Spring bloomer: AZALEA

11. Yellow bill in classic Monopoly: TEN

12. Event that may feature family heirlooms: ESTATE SALE. Funny how some words or phrases are new to the puzzle databases. This is one of them. It's been used in the plural, never in the singular.

13. "__ turn up": IT'LL

14. Dmitry's denial: NYET

19. Roamed (around): MILLED

20. At a frenetic pace: MADLY

25. Saw-toothed range: SIERRA. Is there a brand-name range of carpentry tools called "Sierra?" There should be. If not, I'm calling dibs on the idea.

27. Kuwaiti ruler: EMIR

28. Big name in games: ATARI

29. Animal behavior specialist: DOG TRAINER. Dog whisperer didn't fit.

30. New __: MLB baseball cap supplier: ERA. You'll see the logo in every dugout.

31. Deli choice: SALAMI

32. Staircase pillar: NEWEL. I recall that I got in all kinds of "Anon" trouble the last time I talked about the components of a staircase, so I'll pass on this occasion. I didn't know the staircase community was so touchy.

33. Work the bar: TEND

34. Five-time US Open champ: GRAF. Steffi, tennis.

39. Checks out: EYES

41. Org. with a five-ring logo: I.O.C. International Olympic Committee. They're a non-profit. They fairly and equitably distribute the billions of dollars accruing from each Olympiad. Yes they do. c.f. F.I.F.A., the org. tasked with fairly and equitably distributing the billions of dollars accruing from each World Cup. I don't know how they manage it.

42. Stringed instruments: BANJOS

44. Swing wildly: FLAIL

46. Airport parking facilities: HANGARS

49. Piano trio: PEDALS. The upright I learned on has two. PIANO and FORTE. I've no idea what the middle one on a grand piano does.

50. Protective coating: ENAMEL

51. Sampled: TASTED

54. "Get real!": C'MON

55. __ pool: GENE

57. Thickening agent: AGAR

58. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame songwriter Laura: NYRO. She passed me by. I was amused to read that her first manager was a gentleman by the name of Artie Mogull. It just tickled me.

60. Stable stud: SIRE

61. Clickable image: ICON

62. "Hey, you!": PSST!

64. Abe Lincoln's youngest son: TAD. Now there's a bit of trivia I never knew.

65. Dundee denial: NAE. "If there's nae wind and nae rain, it's nae golf". The Scots have their own opinion about sunny, calm days on the links. For me, it's the only time I have a cat in hell's chance of a half-decent round. I once played at Easter on a course in Wales on the Irish Sea, it was so cold and I was so numb I swung my driver out of my hands and sent it helicoptering over a cliff.

And with that, here's the slightly portly grid!

Steve

Note from C.C.:


Happy birthday to Tinbeni, our always cheerful friend. Let's all toast him at sundown today!

Wednesday, August 22 2018, C.C. Burnikel

Theme: SOWING DISCORD

20. "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" subject: CORPORATE GREED.

32. Occupant-owned apartment overseeing group: COOP BOARD.

40. Many a comics supervillain: CRIME LORD. Not Crime Boss.

51. Eschewing big cable, and a hint to 20-, 32- and 40-Across: CUTTING THE CORD.

Melissa here. Another beauty from our prolific C.C. I imagine she is always thinking of how to turn (or cut) phrases into a clever theme, like this one.

Across:

1. Sources of fast cash: ATMS.

5. Paper holder: CLIP.

9. Underworld society: MAFIA. It doesn't really fit, but I was thinking more along these lines.

14. Secular: LAIC. As a layperson.

15. Gambling city that rhymes with "casino": RENO.

16. Chatting on WhatsApp, e.g.: IMING. Instant messaging.

17. "Frozen" queen: ELSA.

18. Serpentine swimmers: EELS.

19. Gall: NERVE.

23. Hotmail alternative: AOL.

24. Fashion monogram: YSL. Gimme.

25. Suffix with real or ideal: IST.

26. Functional: USABLE. Not useful.

29. "Well, golly!": OH GEE.

31. Subway stops: Abbr.: STNS.

36. Comfy shoe: MOC.

37. Adopt a caveman diet: GO PALEO. PALEO was in last Sunday's puzzle.

39. Utter: SAY.

42. Shower affection (on): DOTE.

43. Three squares, so to speak: MEALS.

44. Apple music manager: ITUNES.

46. Longtime NBC hit: SNL.

47. Canon SLR: EOS. Electro-Optical System. Wikipedia.

50. Band's stint: GIG.

56. Think tank member: BRAIN.

57. Beet, e.g.: ROOT.

58. "I don't like the sound of that": UH OH.

60. "Snowy" wader: EGRET.

61. "The Time Machine" race: ELOI.

62. Actress Hatcher: TERI.

63. In vogue again: RETRO. I think of it as meaning from the recent past, although retro is often in vogue.

64. Put through a screen: SIFT.

65. Fifth Avenue store since 1924: SAKS. History of Saks.

Down:

1. Tavern pour: ALE.

2. Salon powder: TALC.

3. Soup with tofu and seaweed: MISO. MISO was also in last Sunday's puzzle.

4. Sacred beetles: SCARABS. Both an insect, and an artifact.

5. Étouffée cuisine: CREOLE.

6. Lusty look: LEER.

7. Woodwork embellishment: INLAY.

The Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, California contains some beautiful hand-inlaid parquet floors and trim.

8. Blog write-ups: POSTS. People often refer to a post as a blog. Not the same thing.

9. Dynasty known for its vases: MING.

10. Explorer Vespucci: AMERIGO.

11. Drought-affected annual period: FIRE SEASON. Wildfire season in the American West is now more than 4 months longer than it was just 40 years ago.

12. Dyed-in-the-wool: INVETERATE.

13. Like fine Scotch: AGED.

21. D.C. insider: POL.

22. Marry in a hurry: ELOPE.

26. "Oorah!" org.: USMC. Marines.

27. Coastal hurricane threat: STORM SURGE.

28. Cave painting, e.g.: ANCIENT ART.

30. "Silicon Valley" channel: HBO.

32. Nav. noncom: CPO.

33. Wake maker: OAR.

34. Not at all fresh: OLD.

35. Batik supplies: DYES.

37. Toothpaste choice: GEL.

38. Jimmy of the Daily Planet: OLSEN.

41. More grainy, as lager: MALTIER.

42. Where bats hang out?: DUGOUTS. Nice.

44. "That makes sense": I GET IT.

45. Nervous twitch: TIC.

48. Scary beasts: OGRES.

49. Absolut rival, familiarly: STOLI.

51. Trucker with a handle: CBER.

52. Really digging: INTO.

53. Filly's foot: HOOF.

54. Ostrich relative: RHEA.

55. Socially awkward type: DORK.

59. Friendly exchanges: HIS.

Notes from C.C.:

1) Melissa's granddaughter Jaelyn turned two on Saturday. Here is a cute picture of the birthday girl. So sweet!

2) Click here to solve the the Puzzle Society Crossword, edited by the talented David Steinberg. It's the debut of Jim Bordoni, JimmyB on our blog. Jim used to comment on our blog regularly. He still reads our comments these days. Click here to see the answer grid and the constructors' note. Congratulations, Jim!

Dianne (Jim's wife), Jim and C.C., Sept 25, 2016