3D. Diner's breakfast request : EGGS SUNNY SIDE UP. The order you give to Flo, in Mel's diner.
5D. Baseball manager's decision : STARTING LINEUP. The list of players who will be in the game.
9D. Cop's command : PUT YOUR HANDS UP. An order that caused a lot of unrest in Ferguson.
And the reveal:
11D. What sports stats are usually shown in ... or what 3-, 5- and 9-Down each represents? : DESCENDING ORDER. Each of the three theme entries is a type of "order" descending in the grid. I am not sure if "up" at the end of each one has something to do with the theme, or if they are just coincidental. Let's see if Mr. Sessa can enlighten us.
(From C.C.: I thought they're coincidental. Lemonade said Rule 39 is "there are no coincidences". So we consulted the constructor Mr. Ed. Here is what he told us:
I figured it added a little twist to the puzzle, up being "down", along with having three different "takes" on the meaning of the word "order")
Unusual grid, with left to right symmetry, but not top to bottom. It also seemed very easy to me for a Thursday, but your experience may vary.
Across
1. Many Pindar poems : ODES.
5. Philatelist's find : STAMP.
10. Mt. Rushmore locale : S. DAK.
14. "Rich & Meaty" brand : RAGU
15. "I should have made my way straight __ long ago": Whitman : TO YOU.
16. "Try this" : HERE.
17. Joule fractions : ERGS.
18. Explosive trial : A-TEST.
19. "Makes sense to me" : I SEE.
20. Old Buick : LESABRE.
22. Not surprising : TYPICAL.
24. Schoolyard comeback : IS NOT.
25. Chaps can be seen in one : OATER. This one got a smile from me.
26. Like boxed matches : UNLIT.
28. Jackson successor Van __ : BUREN.
29. Predatory seabird : ERN.
31. "Hit me" : ONE MORE. You might hear those words at a bar or at a Blackjack table.
33. Speckle : DOT.
36. Broadway's __-Fontanne Theatre : LUNT. No clue. All perps. It was originally called The Globe Theater, but renamed after renovation in 1957, in honor of Alfred Lunt and Lynne Fontaine.
38. Grind, as teeth : GNASH.
39. Young hombre : NINO.
40. Shout before Silver : HI YO. Silver, Awaaaaaaaaaaay!
41. Patterson who played the singing flight attendant in "Airplane!" : LORNA. Loved that movie.
42. Handling the situation : ON IT.
43. Pancreatic hormone : INSULIN.
45. Blue hues : INDIGOS.
47. Chase scene sounds : SIRENS.
48. Annexes : ADDS ON.
49. One of a fiver's fifty : DIME.
50. Recipe word : STIR.
51. Flock females : EWES.
53. Freedom, in Swahili : UHURU. Total WAG, with only 5 perps needed. ;-)
57. "The Country Girls" novelist O'Brien : EDNA. the novel was banned in Ireland, and her parish priest publicly burned copies, because it dealt with sexuality in the '60s.
60. Big oaf : LOUT.
61. Surgical holding area : PRE-OP.
62. Go slowly (through) : SEEP.
63. Hard-to-do dos : MOPS.
64. Part of REM : EYE.
Down
1. City about 225 miles from Moscow : OREL. I always get this city confused with Orem, which is near Provo, Utah.
2. "__ say it?" : DARE I.
4. "Valley of the Dolls" author Jacqueline : SUSANN. Gimme. That book was also considered "racy" when it came out in the '60s.
6. Carry : TOTE.
7. Word to a captain : AYE.
8. Greatest amount : MOST.
10. Many an Iraqi Muslim : SHIITE.
12. Toward the stern : AREAR.
13. Boat base : KEEL.
21. Barn dance neckwear : BOLO.
23. Remove the skin from : PARE.
27. Mortise inserts : TENONS.
28. Sarajevo's region : BOSNIA.
29. K-12 : ELHI.
30. Roman holiday attractions : RUINS. It's an incredible feeling to walk where Caesar once stood.
32. Dent or scratch : MAR.
34. Pizza topping : ONION. I just made Hawaiian pizza last night, with ham and pineapple. Yum!
35. Wee ones : TOTS.
37. Busload at a resort, probably : TOURISTS.
39. Loud to the max : NOISIEST.
44. Moon lander, briefly : LEM.
46. Prohibited insecticide : DDT.
51. With 65-Across, source of shade : ELM. And 65-Across: See 51-Down : TREE.
52. Act the suitor : WOO.
54. Charlemagne's realm: Abbr. : HRE. Holy Roman Empire.
55. Turn that's hung : UEY. I think we should take a vote for our favorite spelling of this, and then banish all other spellings forever from crossword puzzles!
56. Canapé topping : ROE.
58. Wedding page word : NEE.
59. Oaf : APE.
That's all from me. Let's hear from you!
Marti
