Wednesday, May 4, 2016 Parikshit Sreedhara Bhat

THEME: THE GREAT OUTDOORS

When the cold, harsh winter has given its last breath,
When the sky above shows life instead of death,
When the claws reaching to the frozen sky become decorated with leaves,
When the animals -long in hiding- scurry from trees,
We know winter has ended.
Camile Gotera

With spring in full bloom, what's better than to take a metaphorical roll in the hay! Parikshit has given us three words ending a two-word phrase denoting a bucolic area that "shows life instead of death" this time of year, at least for those of us north of the Mason Dixon Line. I wondered in what direction we were headed when I saw FLUSHING first but it was all good. I fully expected our crossword citizen LEA to show up too but was greatly entertained by this puzzle.  MONGER, MENORCA and ICE UP slowed up the swift completion of my appointed rounds.

As best as I can determine, it appears that Parikshit is a PhD candidate in India where The LA Times Crossword runs in this newspaper below. I hope he will drop in to give us more info on himself and this lovely puzzle. It would also be interesting to know how he came about acquiring all these American cultural references.

THEME FILLS

17. New York City park that hosted two world's fairs : FLUSHING MEADOWS - The Unisphere of the 1964 World's Fair serves as a backdrop for this comedy opening

35. Rice cultivation lands : PADDY FIELDS - The 31st Infantry Regiment in a rice PADDY FIELD

54. More exciting circumstances : GREENER PASTURES - How they are made in Nebraska

Across     
   
1. Sleep lab study : APNEA - How do you sleep in these?

6. Dalí works, por ejemplo : ARTE - Art in español  

10. Drug cop : NARC 

14. Some storytellers : LIARS

15. Midday : NOON - Astronomical high NOON occurs 36 min. sooner in Chicago than Omaha but both are on CDT

16. Chevy hatchback : AVEO

20. Current fashion : RAGE

21. Put on any old way : DAUB - One section has been DAUBED and the rest of the wattle awaits 

22. Permissible : LICIT

23. Ordinal suffix : ETH and 34. Wks. and wks. : MOS - Our FIFTIETH anniversary is nine MOS. away

24. First-rate : A-ONE

25. Albania's capital : TIRANA - At the Mickey Dee's in TIRANA you'll get 38Lek in change for this bill when you buy a Big Mac meal

26. Dry out, so to speak : DETOX

28. Fall behind : LAG

29. Periodontist's deg. : DDS

30. "How Deep Is Your Love" group : BEE-GEES

37. Prefix with life or wife : MID

38. Star in Scorpius : ANTARES

39. Voice legend Blanc : MEL

40. U-verse provider : AT&T

41. "Not just a scooter, a way of life" brand : VESPA

45. Kind of surprise kick : ONSIDE - Football trickery

47. Popular berry : ACAI

50. Trawler's catch : COD

51. Present moment : NONCE - "For the NONCE, however, he (Queequeg) proposed to sail about, and sow his wild oats in all four oceans." Chapter XII Moby Dick

52. Farm implement : PLOW - My minimum tillage neighbor and many others sold their PLOWS years ago

53. Coil in a garden : HOSE

57. Tan tone : ECRU

58. Scale for rock hounds : MOHS

59. Alaskan native : ALEUT - The volcanic island homes of these subarctic Alaskans

60. Filing tool : RASP

61. Petty fight : SPAT

62. Señorita's parent : MADRE - I'll bet you can translate this truism about Mamas  - "Si la MADRE no es feliz, nadie está content" (* translation at the end of the write-up)

Down

1. Valet at Wayne Manor : ALFRED

2. Hand-washer of the Gospels : PILATE - "Pilate . . . took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. "—Matthew, 27 : 24.

3. All for __: in vain : NAUGHT

4. Celtic language : ERSE - "Maidin mhaith" is "Good morning"

5. Volcanic cloud that can disrupt flights : ASH - Can rise from those islands of the ALEUTS

6. 1997-2006 U.N. leader : ANNAN

7. Disobedient way to go : ROGUE

8. Mummy's resting place : TOMB - Lord Carnarvon, a real occupant of Highclere Castle below, financed the 1923 opening of King Tut's TOMB and died the next year. Curse?

9. Yakima-to-Spokane dir. : ENE

10. Low point : NADIR

11. Guacamole ingredients : AVOCADOS

12. Goes back a scene or two : REWINDS

13. Bob of "Football Night in America" : COSTAS

18. Words before a kiss : I DO

19. Sacha Baron Cohen alter ego : ALI G - Talk about a POSEUR (43 Down)

24. Shown the office door : AXED

25. Stun gun brand : TASER

27. Bk. after Amos : OBAD - OBADIAH with only one chapter and 440 words is the shortest book in the Old Testament 

28. Daughter of Darth : LEIA - Almost LEA

31. Bit of online courtship : E-DATE - I suppose

32. Ibsen's "Peer __" : GYNT - Surely some constructor has clued Oslo as "Where PEER GYNT premiered in 1876"

33. Young newt : EFT

34. Inventory: Abbr. : MDSE - Exchange students from the Baltic States are AWED by MerchanDSE in our American stores

35. Tapered beer glasses : PILSNERS

36. Big name in jeans : LEVI - LEES knew the wrath of my Delete Key

37. One of Las Islas Baleares : MENORCA - ENE of Valencia

39. Fish tail? : MONGER - A seller of fish. A WARMONGER? 

40. Yemen coastal city : ADEN - Where the USS Cole was attacked in October 2000

42. Made a point : SCORED

43. One with affectations : POSEUR - also Poser

44. Carol opener : ADESTE

46. Acquire a winter coat? : ICE UP - Very dangerous on airplane wings

47. Omega's opposite : ALPHA

48. Move effortlessly : COAST 

49. Cribside chorus : AWS

52. Pocket watch, to a hypnotist : PROP

53. Luau dance : HULA - Did MEL sing Aloha'Oe? 

55. Ambulance letters : EMS

56. Edinburgh bonnet : TAM

*62 Across roughly - "If mama ain't happy, ain't no one happy!"

Now let's put me out to PASTURE and FIELD some of your comments:

Answer Grid:

Tuesday, May 3, 2016 Janice Luttrell

Title: Word Combinations - The first word of the first three long climbers can be placed ahead of the word, FIGURE.

3. Manual transmission : STICK SHIFT. Stick Figure

9. Husband of a fabled storyteller, in an L. Frank Baum title : FATHER GOOSE. Father Figure

24. One on the FBI's "Most Wanted" list : PUBLIC ENEMY. Public Figure

31. Ship's bow decoration ... and, literally, the first word of 3-, 9- and 24-Down : FIGUREHEAD. 3-, 9-, and 24-Down are the FIGURE HEADS.

Argyle here. Neat getting the reveal into the last spot. I had 3-Down and 24-Down filled in and looked for a theme. I thought I had it but thought, "EWW!". They had TICKS and LICE. I was relieved to find there weren't any more, shall we say, nits.

Across:

1. Old West chasers : POSSE

6. Child in the kitchen : CHEF

10. Sleep under the stars, with "out" : CAMP

14. Stage performer : ACTOR

15. Dance often accompanied by a ukulele : HULA

16. Heavenly bear : URSA

17. A Marx brother : CHICO

18. Be the lookout for, say : ABET

19. Angler's gear : REEL

20. Sounds of time : TOCKS. I know where the TICKS are.

21. Pretense : CHARADE

23. Hold on to : KEEP

25. 43-Down alum Cheri : OTERI. "Saturday Night Live" alumna, Cheri Oteri.

 

26. __ of thousands : CAST

28. GM labor group : UAW. (full name: International Union of United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America)

30. Seaman's double-breasted jacket : REEFER. This link may be TMI but interesting. LINK



 

 

34. "Excuse me?" : "HUH?"

35. Fit for the task : ABLE

36. Upscale chocolate brand : GODIVA

37. Bush spokesman Fleischer : ARI. White House Press Secretary.

38. Take to the skies : FLY

39. Letters in some email addresses : AOL

40. Ring insert : GEM

41. Spotted cats may be spotted on one : SAFARI. Cool cross with AFRICA.

43. Column-lined walkway : STOA

 

44. Game name often shouted during play : UNO. Kids love this game.

45. Like grams and liters : METRIC

46. Wii forerunner : NES. (Nintendo Entertainment System)

47. __ and crafts : ARTS

48. Immune system component : T-CELL

50. Otherwise : ELSE

52. Miss Teen USA contest, e.g. : PAGEANT

55. Cigar remains : ASHES

58. Proctor's handout : EXAM

59. Like a frittata : EGGY

62. Talk show interviewee : GUEST

63. Height: Pref. : ALTI. (altitude)

64. Glutton's demand : MORE. Was Oliver a glutton then?

65. Use a soapbox : ORATE

66. Some undershirts : TEEs

67. The "Y" in YSL : YVES. (Yves Saint Laurent)

68. Honda Accord, e.g. : SEDAN

Down:

1. Treaty : PACT

2. Tres y cinco : OCHO. 3+5=8 (Cinco de Mayo Thursday)

4. Place for a plug : SOCKET

5. Unevenly notched, as leaf edges : EROSE

6. "__-ching!" : CHA or "KA-ching!

7. Wheel center : HUB

8. Vote into office : ELECT

10. Like a spicy Indian chicken dish : CURRIED

11. Locale : AREA

12. Teacher's graduate deg. : MSED. The Master of Education (M.Ed., Ed.M., M.A.Ed., M.A.E., M.S.Ed., M.S.E., or M.Ed.L.)

13. Lacking color : PALE

22. Colored part of the iris : AREOLA. I'm confused; the iris is the colored part of the eye. I did enjoy searching for an image of an AREOLA though but nothing iris related showed up.

25. What borrowers do : OWE

26. Deep gap : CHASM

27. Surrounding glows : AURAE

29. Prince __ Khan : ALY

32. Blessed __ : EVENT

33. 1990s Philippine president : RAMOS. Fidel V. Ramos, Wiki LINK.

35. Kilimanjaro's locale : AFRICA

39. Wolfed down : ATE

42. Greek goddess of the hunt : ARTEMIS

 

43. NBC sketch series, briefly : SNL

47. Guarantee : ASSURE

49. Statehouse official: Abbr. : LT.GOV. (lieutenant governor)

51. Old Nigerian capital : LAGOS. 1991, the Federal Government was relocated to Abuja. However, Lagos still remains the financial center of the country.

52. __ moss : PEAT

53. Wheelbarrow shaft : AXLE

54. Scandal suffix : GATE

56. This, to a señora : ESTA

57. WWII machine gun : STEN. British tommy gun.

60. LSAT cousin : GRE. (Graduate Record Examination)

61. Word of assent : YES, and a roundabout way of saying I'm done.

 

Argyle

Monday, May 2, 2016 Jeff Stillman

Theme: No Reveal Monday - Point/Counterpoint.

19A. "Fiddler on the Roof" song : SUNRISE / SUNSET

31A. Like businesses specializing in international trade : IMPORT / EXPORT

40A. Beatles hit that begins, "You say yes, I say no" : HELLO / GOODBYE

54A. Like some government partnerships : PUBLIC / PRIVATE

Argyle here. This is different; there are many things I could link but little that I need to. I'll search for some pretty pictures.

Across:

1. "Dragnet" star Jack : WEBB

5. Campus military prog. : ROTC. (Reserve Officers' Training Corps)

9. Die-hard : AVID

13. Gillette razor : ATRA

14. Bridal path flower piece : PETAL

15. Hindu princess : RANI

16. Apply crudely, as paint : DAUB

17. Samuel on the Supreme Court : ALITO. Conservative.

18. To be, to Tiberius : ESSE. Oh, to be a Star Fleet Captain!

Captain James Tiberius Kirk

 

22. "What a relief!" : "AHH!"

24. Continental trade gp. : EEC. (European Economic Community)

25. Ritzy residence : ESTATE

26. Corned beef-and-Swiss sandwich : REUBEN

28. Quantities: Abbr. : AMTs. Amounts.

30. '60s hallucinogen : LSD. (Lysergic acid diethylamide)

34. Second in command: Abbr. : ASST. (assistant)

Number Two

 

35. Golfer's concern : LIE

36. Convenience : EASE

45. Sci-fi saucer : UFO

48. Bears or Cubs : TEAM

49. At the back of the pack : LOSING

50. Poe's "The Murders in the Rue __" : MORGUE

52. ATM access code : PIN

53. __ Moines : DES

58. Hipbone parts : ILIA

59. "__-ho!" : HEAVE

60. European capital west of Helsinki : OSLO

63. No longer working: Abbr. : RET'D. (retired)

64. Forgetting to carry the one, say : ERROR

65. In the sack : ABED

66. Scots Gaelic : ERSE, Hey, Derek Bowman, that's close to ARSE.

67. Sheep fat : SUET

68. Unit of force : DYNE. Repeat from the 19th.

Down:

1. Fistful of bills : WAD

2. Approx. landing hour : ETA

3. Quick reviews, as before a test : BRUSH-UPs

4. Hindu title of respect : BABU

5. Archaeologist's find : RELIC

6. Big name in elevators : OTIS

7. London gallery : TATE. Tate Modern opened in 2000.

 

8. In the vicinity of : CLOSE TO

9. "__ you clever!" : AREN'T

10. Feudal servant : VASSAL

11. Enlarged map segments : INSETS

12. Cut down on calories : DIETED

14. PepsiCo, to Quaker Oats, e.g. : PARENT

20. __-do-well : NE'ER

21. SALT I participant : USSR

22. Opera solo : ARIA

23. Garment edges : HEMS

27. This and that : BOTH

28. Geometric given : AXIOM

29. Video file format : MPEG

32. Jazzy Fitzgerald : ELLA

33. Kennedy and Turner : TEDs

37. Obeys, as rules : ABIDES BY

38. "Auld Lang __" : SYNE

39. Brain scans, briefly : EEGs. Have at it.

41. Small needle case : ETUI

42. Freeloaders : LEECHES

43. Twist who asked for some more : OLIVER

44. Chaplin of "Game of Thrones" : OONA

45. Judge at home : UMPIRE

46. More unpleasant : FOULER. Not the batter staying alive? Ok, more unpleasant for the pitcher.

47. Planetary paths : ORBITS

51. Air freshener brand : GLADE

William Shayer: Resting In A Wooded Glade

 

52. Turn on one foot : PIVOT

55. Ecuador neighbor : PERU

 

56. In very short supply : RARE

57. Creek croaker : TOAD

61. "Dancing With the Stars" judge Goodman : LEN. A professional ballroom dancer.

62. Keats' "To Autumn," e.g. : ODE. Bah! Wrong time of year.

Ode to Spring

 

 

Argyle

Sunday May 1, 2016 Kathleen Fay O'Brien

 Theme:  "Floss" (F-loss). F sound is dropped from the start of one word in each theme entry.

 

23A. Perfect apartment deal? : GOLDEN LEASE. Golden Fleece.  For Jason and the Argonauts.

25A. Saying "Break a leg," say? : STAGE RITE. Stage fright.

46A. Plumbing school basic? : WRENCH LESSON. French lesson for Splynter.

71A. Traditional wisdom about hustlers? : DANCE LORE. Dance floor.

95A. Astronomers' monthly reading? : ORBS MAGAZINE. Forbes magazine.

119A. Song about a yellow ribbon? : OAK BALLAD. Folk ballad.

123A. Hooting, mostly? : OWL LANGUAGE. Foul language.

  

35D. Supply at the thermometer factory? : READY MERCURY. Freddie Mercury.

40D. Beet-flavored drink? : ROOT COCKTAIL. Fruit cocktail.

What a great title. I recall kicking around  a "Drop the f-bomb" idea with Don G ages ago.

All theme entries go through spelling changes. Very consistent. Kathleen dropped three F sound from the last word, 6 from the first word. No odd man out.

Across:    

1. Some "No Passing" road sections : ESSES

6. Journalist Roberts : COKIE

11. Tests with printed patterns, briefly : ECGs. Had to wait for the C as I just could not nail CATTY (12D. Showing one's claws, so to speak).

 

15. "Phooey!" : DANG. And 34. "Phooey!" : NERTS

19. 1814 treaty site : GHENT. Treaty of Ghent.

20. Dadaism pioneer : ERNST (Max)

21. Worn item that actually originated in Ecuador : PANAMA HAT. I'd have chickened out and broke this answer and LIE AROUND (125A. Relax) into two entries.

26. "TMI!" : SPARE ME

27. __ Authority : PORT

29. Minor adjustment : TWEAK. Rich often tweaks 50% of the clues. I fare slightly better on Sundays. But totally suck on Mondays/Tuesdays.

30. Descendant of Sperry Rand : UNISYS. Unknown trivia to me.

32. Likely to pry : NOSY

38. Traditionally red structure : BARN

41. Roller with leaves : TEA CART. Tea leaves.

43. Situation of intense scrutiny : HOT SEAT

45. Preview to a view, for short : IMO. Tricky clue.

 

49. Islands staple : TARO

50. "__ here!" : LOOKEE

52. Glide on powder : SKI. Did not think of snow.

53. Portent : OMEN

55. N.L. lineup absentees : DHs.  Also 74A. Ernie Banks epithet : MR. CUB And 17D. 2015 N.L. MVP Bryce Harper, e.g. : NAT

56. Highly values : ESTEEMS

58. The 114th began in 2015 : CONGRESS. So the Supreme Court is older than Congress?

62. "Roundabout" rockers : YES. Unfamiliar with the band or the song.

63. Flip over : CAPSIZE

66. It has all five black keys in its scale : D FLAT. Got via crosses.

67. Singer Mann : AIMEE

69. Black, in verse : EBON

73. Go like hotcakes : SELL

76. Karnak's country : EGYPT

77. "Please help me out" : BE A DEAR

80. Sound of fear : EEK

81. Sunday dinner entrée : RIB ROAST. We don't have a traditional Sunday dinner. How about your family?

84. Little shooter : MINICAM. Great clue.

87. Traitor : RAT

88. Scottish hillside : BRAE

89. Lager alternative : ALE

92. Working : ON DUTY

93. Top-billed : STAR

 

100. CD-__ : ROM

101. Canton natives : OHIOANS. I always think of Guangzhou when I see "Canton".

 

103. Key part of Bruce Wayne's wardrobe : BATSUIT

104. 10001 letters : NY NY. Zip code.

105. "M.O." rapper : NELLY

106. Many a reception : GALA

107. Emulate Cher in the '70s : GO SOLO. Also 130. Cher's former partner : SONNY

110. __ law : LEASH

113. Valley where David fought Goliath : ELAH. Valley of Elah.

115. Came out : EMERGED

 

126. Backs (away) : SHIES

127. Ottoman Empire founder : OSMAN

128. Banned apple spray : ALAR. And 122D. Banned bug spray : DDT

 129. Part of Q.E.D. : ERAT

131. Storage facilities : SHEDS

Down:

1. They're usually broken before use : EGGS. Also got via crosses. D'oh!

2. Mom-and-pop enterprise : SHOP

3. Ward of Hollywood : SELA

4. Evasive strategy : END RUN

5. Dutchman who painted "The Surprise" : STEEN. Can you link "The Surprise" painting for me?

6. Frozen pizza brand : CELESTE

7. Rock to refine : ORE

8. Hiker's burden : KNAPSACK

9. Schoolyard retort : IS SO

10. Infinite : ETERNAL

11. Some 45-rpm records : EPs

13. Nibble : GNAW

14. Wise one : SAGE

15. Most gloomy : DARKEST. Don't lose hope.

16. Sushi fish : AHI. Not our regular EEL.

18. Old AT&T rival : GTE

22. Was serious about : MEANT

24. Abbr. for people with only two names : NMI. I don't have middle name.

 

28. Raced : TORE

31. Desires : YENS

33. Rd. atlas listings : STS

36. Chapel Hill athlete : TAR HEEL

37. Eponymous Fox weekly news show : STOSSEL (John). Never watched his show.

38. Anger : BILE

39. Biblical prophet : AMOS

42. Stylish : CHIC

43. Betting favorite, often : HOME TEAM

44. People : ONES

46. Cry : WEEP

47. Radiation units : REMs. Learned from doing xwords. Never know what it stands for.

48. Like a June day, to Lowell : SO RARE

51. Reeves of "John Wick" : KEANU

 

54. Codebreaker's org. : NSA

57. "May I approach" court conferences : SIDEBARS. Tiny BAR dupe with ROLLBAR (94. Racecar safety feature) 

 

59. "Awake and Sing!" dramatist : ODETS (Clifford)

60. Patriots' org. : NFL

61. Goo amount : GLOB

64. Croatian capital : ZAGREB. Tinbeni's old haunt.

65. Companion of Ares : ENYO. I forgot. We had this sometime ago.

68. "Again ... " : I SAID

69. "Nature" author : EMERSON

70. Live partner : BREATHE. Live and breathe.

72. Tax season VIP : CPA

75. "I need a short break" : BRB (Be Right Back)

78. Belmonts frontman : DION

79. Kin of -trix : ENNE. Or ETTE.

82. Golfer's choice : IRON

83. Luggage danglers : TAGS

 

85. Loads : A TON. Not A LOT.

86. "Goodness!" : MY MY. And 117. "Goodness!" : EGAD

90. Texas Air Force base : LAUGHLIN. Well, gimme for D-Otto and Anon-T. Unknown to me.

91. He played Emile in Broadway's "South Pacific" : EZIO (Pinza). I only watched the movie "South Pacific". I talk like Bloody Mary.

 

96. Agcy. that aids start-ups : SBA

97. Guy : MALE

98. Stumped : AT A LOSS

99. "Piece of cake" : IT'S EASY

102. Annually : A YEAR. A partial.

104. "I have time" : NO RUSH

106. Togo neighbor : GHANA

108. Every, in an Rx : OMN. I won't dare to put this or TER in a grid. Rich just told me he would not allow DAMN any more.

109. The 5,922 of a Taj Mahal model : LEGOS

111. Natural balm : ALOE

112. Mark indicating a musical phrase : SLUR

114. Dr. Seuss's "Horton Hears __" : A WHO

116. Phone download : GAME

118. TV sites : DENS

119. Ipanema greeting : OLA

120. Confine to bed, maybe : AIL. Boomer had to take a cane when we walked yesterday. His right hip gave him so much pain. He normally toughs it out the elbow and shoulder pain. This hip pain is something else.

121. Mauna __ : KEA

124. Novelist Deighton : LEN

C.C.

Saturday, Apr 30th, 2016, Derek Bowman

Theme: 15x16 Triple-stack Debut~!(?)

Words: 75 (Pangram~!)

Blocks: 38

  Quite an effort for a debut (at least a debut for the LA Times).  I did not recognize the author's name, and I do not see his name on the blog list of constructors.  I dove right in and didn't see the triple-stack in the center, but I did sense that the grid was slightly w-i-d-e-r than our normal fare.  And a pangram, to boot~!  I finished under my personal time, but I have to confess two Google look-ups; both proper names.  Oh well, still a good solve, and a fun puzzle as well.  Just a tad too many proper names, I thought.  The triple-stack;

34. Capital near Las Vegas : SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO - it fit, so I went with it, and it was a good guess

41. Popular software for gamers : ADOBE FLASH PLAYER - a bit deceptive, since I am not a gamer, but I need the software to view certain YouTube videos

42. Variety show on which "The Honeymooners" began as a skit : CAVALCADE OF STARS - my house mate Garry was standing over my shoulder while I was solving, and at 69 years old, didn't know this one - until I told him the answer later.  It filled via perp(endicular)s

ACROSS:

1. Protests by not taking any courses? : FASTS - I tried SIT IN, as in students who audit classes, but don't "take" them

6. Floorboard hardware item : BRAD - as a carpenter, I end up using brads in most finishing work

10. Cloaks : VEILS

15. Top dog : ALPHA - my supervisor at UPS is a mere 21 years old, but he's got a need to prove he's the "alpha" male on the line; it's not working for him

16. Western city with an annual balloon race : RENO - filled via perps

17. She slugged a sheriff in "Selma" : OPRAH

18. Pick up : LEARN

19. Big story : EPIC - dah~! Not SAGA

20. With 13-Down, "Unfaithful" Oscar nominee : DIANE; 13. See 20-Across : LANE

21. Waits on hand and foot : CATERS TO - I pondered this, but waited

23. "Pity" : TSK

25. Proof letters : Q.E.D.

26. Not much power : ONE WATT - Garry owned "Go Solar" before retiring; everything is about watts and volts in his business

27. "Never Cry Wolf" author Farley __ : MOWAT - cheat #1; I had MO_AT

29. "__ tree falls ... " : IF A - if a man speaks, and there's no woman around to hear him, is he still wrong~?

30. Significant period : ERA

31. __ moment : A-HA

43. Buddy : MAC - argh~! Not PAL

44. Former court gp. : ABA - American Bar Association; I looked on Wiki, but couldn't find out why it is "former"

45. Big name in outdoor gear : REI - this has become a popular crossword clue/answer

46. Pope John Paul II's given name : KAROL

48. "Ready for business" sign : NOW OPEN

52. Toon that debuted in the 1954 cartoon "Devil May Hare" : TAZmanian Devil

55. "Hyde Park on Hudson" subj. : FDR - the movie starred Bill Murray

56. Peak : HIGH NOTE

57. Hardly warm : ALOOF

59. Comet competitor : AJAX

61. Secretary of war under Teddy : ELIHU - look up #2

62. Language that gives us "mako" : MAORI

63. Accept : TAKE

64. Tears down, in 65-Across : RASES - the British version of RaZes

65. North Sea county : ESSEX - when it's at the bottom of the grid, it's a safe guess to go with ESSEX, which is letter-friendly

66. Inspected : EYED - I'm a licensed Home Inspector, and a free-lance leg inspector....

67. Decorative pitchers : EWERS - another letter-friendly bottom answer

DOWN:

1. Gandolfini's TV wife : FALCO - "The Sopranos", which I didn't watch, but I knew the stars; made me change my NW across answers

2. "Yond Cassius has __ and hungry look" : A LEAN

3. Sudden rush : SPATE

4. Obeyed a fishing regulation : THREW IT BACK

5. Marin County seat : SAN RAFAEL

6. Football's Favre : BRETT

7. Tow job, for short : REPO

8. Singer DiFranco : ANI

9. BBC hero since 1963 : DOCTOR WHO

10. Screwdriver part : VODKA - I went with "BLADE" - the tool, not the drink. 

11. Commercial prefix with Pen : EPI - EPIpen

12. Big oil exporter : IRAQ

14. Lose : SHED - like pounds; today I'm at 180, about the lowest I've been in 25 years - lost the long hair, too

22. It may be swiped at work : STAFF CARD - I have an ID card to get on the UPS property, but I don't swipe it

24. Lowland amphibian : SWAMP FROG

27. 1980s attorney general : MEESE

28. Attorney's specialty : TAXATION LAW

32. Simple greeting : "HI-YA~!"

33. Big name in PCs : ACER

34. Ink __ : SAC - took too long to dawn on me

35. Actor Driver of "Girls" : ADAM - my mind was stuck on Minnie

36. Salmon choice : NOVA

37. Involved : ELABORATE - the adjective; this is an involved construction

38. Athlete known as "The King of Clay" : NADAL - I knew we were looking for a tennis star, but I don't watch enough to know which one is the 'king of clay'

39. Absent : ELSEWHERE

40. Logical operators : ORs

47. Pin, say : AFFIX - the verb

48. Rejected : NIXED

49. Self-confidence : POISE

50. Wild blue yonder : ETHER

51. City across the Rhine from Düsseldorf : NEUSS

52. Hardly boundary-pushing : TAME

53. "Poor me!" : ALAS

54. Places with exhibits : ZOOS

56. Cod relative : HAKE

58. Mt. Hood setting : OREgon

60. Colorful flier : JAY

Splynter
 

Note from C.C.:

I can't believe Splynter's transformation. Here he is a few years ago.
 

 

Here is the 180-pound Splynter. Click to enlarge. New face. New hair. What's the logo on your shirt, Splynter?

Friday, April 29, 2016, Jeffrey Wechsler

Title: Cereal killer on the loose...

Wow! Three JW puzzles in succession and each one a completely different look. Today is totally silly, taking a single letter out of a cereal name to create a very foolish sounding concoction. If he had some deep meaning for the theme I missed it. I found this just plain fun. Lots of substantial and original fill with some Friday words interspersed and his usual multiple word fill. PARFAIT,  ON A RIDE,  LAVORIS,  FLORIST,  I'LL HIDE,  CLEANER, SETTERS, TRADE IN,  PLANARIA, DERRIERE,  INCHOATE,  ROPE KNOT, ON RECEIPT and  ARTICHOKE are all great. So get your milk, and pull up a chair.

18A. Knockoff cereal? : FROSTED FLAKES (12). They're grrrreat.

28A. Cold cereal? : PUFFED RICE (9). Tasted like air.

37A. Recalled cereal? : FROOT LOOPS (9). Pure sugar.

48A. Prohibited cereal? : RAISIN BRAN (9). The healthy alternative.

57A. Mystery cereal? : SHREDDED WHEAT (12). The classic.

Across:

1. Did a gondolier's job : POLED. Venice (Vennis) anyone?

6. Wedding planner's contact : FLORIST. I loved our wedding flowers.

13. Like antique watches : ANALOG. Not digital.

15. Freshwater flatworms : PLANARIA.  Ucky but interesting to study WORMS.

16. Hiker's challenge : RAVINE. A deep narrow steep-sided valley, esp one formed by the action of running water.

17. Caboose : DERRIERE. Not of the train, but of the body. French.

20. Swift's medium : AIR. Tom Swift?

21. Runner in the Alps : SKI. Nice misdirection.

22. Expire : CEASE.

26. "And if __, no soul shall pity me": King Richard III : I DIE. They did not pity RIII even after Shakespeare tried to help. RGIII anyone?

32. Charged wheels : TESLAS. Electric cars.

35. With 24-Down, course for future pundits : POLI. 24D. See 35-Across : SCI. Political Science.

36. Hägar creator Browne : DIK.

40. "Get off the stage!" : BOO. Hiss.

43. Corrida figure : TORO. The bull.

44. Philosophers' subject : ETHICS.

51. "Ex's & Oh's" singer King : ELLE.

52. MetLife competitor : AFLAC. Insurance companies.

53. Span of note : ERA.

56. Court mulligan : LET. The odd tennis do over on your first serve.

62. Disorganized : INCHOATE. Really more unformed than disorganized, especially in the law.

65. Emmy-winning role for Julia : ELAINE Benes.

66. Mooring hitch, for one : ROPE KNOT. As opposed to a rope loop?

67. More thoughtful : KINDER.

68. Deal on a lot : TRADE IN.

69. Round components, maybe : BEERS. Whew, half done, let me get this round.

Down:

1. Baskin-Robbins offering : PARFAIT. I never knew they had these.

2. Enjoying the amusement park : ON A RIDE.

3. Brand that's swirled, not swallowed : LAVORIS. From my childhood; kids in school drank it for the alcohol content. Scope really derailed this brand, I think.

4. Eero Saarinen and others : ELIS. More references to Yale University; he graduated from their school of architecture in 1934.

5. They're forbidden : DON'TS.

6. Little nipper : FLEA. Too many choices.

7. Frolic : LARK.

8. How some deliveries are paid : ON RECEIPT. COD?

9. Brought up : RAISED.

10. Choler : IRE.

11. Mr. Bumble, to Oliver Twist : SIR.

12. __ Bo : TAE.

14. "The Big Bang Theory" figure : GEEK. Rhymes with 25D. "That's scary!" : EEK. 54D. Be offensive, in a way : REEK. Did you watch GOT and the REEK?

15. Freebie from Adobe : PDF. Portable Document Format.

19. Go down : DIP. Love these two together.

23. Prop up : AID.

27. Middle-earth figure : ELF.

29. __ point: with limitations : UP TO A. A partial?

30. Rock's __ Fighters : FOO. When Cobain died, his drummer founded THEM.

31. Penguin's perch : FLOE. Sorry Tin, but it is ice.

33. Edible thistle : ARTICHOKE. Man there is so much more to this thistle (say that fast) than just using it as part of a dip. It has HEART. We miss you marti.

34. "Just another minute" : SOON.

38. Spheroid : ORB. JW tends to bunch his threes to get long fill in the other direction.

39. Ewe or sow : SHE.

40. It may be wired : BRA.

41. Boor : OAF.

42. Peanut product : OIL.

45. Offer to a potential seeker : I'LL HIDE. I did love hide and seek in the back yard.

46. Dry __ : CLEANER.

47. English and Irish : SETTERS.

49. Like some beauty contest winners : SASHED. JW used this image recently.

50. Neighbor of Homer : NED. Flanders on the Simpsons.

55. Response to a heckler : AD LIB.

58. Indian royal : RANI.

59. "The most private of private schools," to Hugh Laurie : ETON.

60. Rizzoli of "Rizzoli & Isles": Abbr. : DETective.

61. Decrease : WANE.

62. NYC subway : IRT.  Interborough Rapid Transit was a private company until bought by the city in 1940.

63. "__ will I" : NOR. Talk about your obscure clue/fill combos. Am I missing a famous quote?

64. IRS employee : CPA. Certified Public Accountant.

Back from a wonderful brief vacation in Denver with both sons, dil and granddaughters. This lighthearted effort is just what I needed coming back on short rest. I hope you had fun and enjoy the rest of April. Lemonade out.

Note from C.C.:

Here are a few great photos from Lemonade's Denver trip.

My day started with this