Theme: Johnnys-come-lately. As explained succinctly by the theme hint
35A. Classic TV intro which can be applied to the starts of the four other longest puzzle answers : HEEEEERE'S JOHNNY! Choose your own number of "E"s!
Also famously used by Jack Nicholson in the movie adaptation of Stephen King's "The Shining":
18A. Year-end rewards : CASH BONUSES. Johnny Cash."The Man in Black". Portrayed to great effect by Joaquim Phoenix in the biopic "Walk the Line".
23A. Silver State capital : CARSON CITY. Johnny Carson. The original Johnny referred to by the puzzle title. Ed McMahon's intro line for Carson on "The Tonight Show". Nevada is the Silver State.
50A. Bad break : ROTTEN LUCK. Johnny Rotten. John Lydon in his "Sex Pistols" alter ego. The Pistols were a tad controversial, but a huge influence on popular music, despite only releasing four singles and one studio album. Here's the first single if you want a taste of 1976.
56A. Dugout loudmouth : BENCH JOCKEY. Johnny Bench. Appropriate clue for the Red's catcher from 1967-1983. I don't know if he was a loudmouth in the dugout. Anyone? I'm not sure I'm familiar with the phrase, but the crosses were solid.
Nice theme from Ed, and some really nice fill, especially in the downs. POSEIDON and PLAY NICE, along with the stacked vertical 6's in the NW and SE. Good stuff. Let's see what else we've got to talk about:
Across
1. Place for peas or z's : BED. The Princess and the Pea reference, I'm sure.
4. Bridge measure : SPAN
8. Like traffic at a bottleneck : STOP-GO. Very nice.
14. "Norma __" : RAE. Played by Sally Field in the movie.
15. She famously said "Play it" to 49-Across : ILSA. Casablanca. No "again" contrary to some opinions.
16. Saved to watch later : TIVO'ED
17. Horace's "__ Poetica" : ARS. A poem advising others how to write poetry.
20. One-step-at-a-time toy : SLINKY. The walking-downstairs spring. All the rage for a while, but essentially a one-trick pony.
22. "Only __": NPR sports program : A GAME
26. "The Mindy Project" actor Barinholtz : IKE Thank you, crosses
29. Well-endowed org.? : OPEC. Nice pun on the "well" in the clue. What did Red Adair say to "Boots" Hansen? " Oil's well that ends well".
30. McKellen and McShane : IANS. Both fine actors.
31. Said further : ADDED
33. Real estate unit : ACRE
34. Acted bullish? : MOO'ED. I associate mooing more with cows. Bulls snort.
41. Volunteer's offer : I'LL GO
42. "Vaya con __" : DIOS. "Go with God" - first sung by Freddy Fender.
43. Attach with string : TIE ON
44. Half of half-and-half : MILK. My local market has fat-free half-and-half - isn't that defeating the purpose?
45. Flower painted by van Gogh : IRIS
49. See 15-Across : SAM
52. Really worry : EAT AT
55. __ Tunes : LOONEY
60. Horseplayer's hangout, for short : OTB. Off-Track Betting facility. Every high street in every town in Britain has a betting shop, or two. They will take bets on anything you like - famously offering 5000-1 odds that the world would end as prophesied by the Mayan Calendar (and offering 1-5000 odds that it wouldn't); 5000-1 that perennial underdogs Leicester City would win the Premier League title in 2015-16 (and they did) and 175-1 odds that Uruguayan soccer star Luis Suarez would take a bite out of an opponent after two prior offenses. (He did, at the 2016 World Cup in Rio and was banned for six games).
61. "Good News" Grammy winner Kathy : MATTEA. Merci, les croixes.
62. Workshop gadget : VISE
63. Opposite of paleo- : NEO-. Paleolithic, neolithic, for example.
64. Wimps : WUSSES
65. Cheek or lip : SASS
66. "Yakety __": rock-'n'-roll novelty hit : SAX. I thought this was "Yakety Yak", so that slowed down my progress in this corner.
Down:
1. "Donnie __": Depp film : BRASCO. That's the fifth Johnny for today.
2. Part of a winter hat : EARLAP. What happened to the "F"?
3. Appetite : DESIRE
4. Michael Moore film about healthcare : SICKO
5. "No more fighting!" : PLAY NICE!
6. Pack animal : ASS
7. "Don't think so" : NAH
8. Cheap smoke : STOGY. I thought it was spelt "stogie". Mark Twain wouldn't smoke a cigar that cost more than 5¢
9. Actress Fey : TINA
10. Egg cell : OVUM
11. Trident-carrying god : POSEIDON. Neptune is his Roman counterpart.
12. "My goodness" : GEE
13. Pigs out (on), for short : OD'S
19. Creatures in caves : BATS
21. Pres. advisory team : NSC. National Security Council.
24. "The Alienist" novelist Caleb : CARR. Indebted to you, crosses.
25. Boss' demand often followed by "now!" : I NEED IT!
27. Shrewd : KEEN
28. Circular current : EDDY
31. Tori of pop : AMOS. Aged five, she was the youngest student ever admitted to the Peabody Conservatory of Music. She was expelled at 11 years old due to her interest in rock and pop, and her dislike of sight-reading. Her first band was called "Y Kant Tori Read" as reference to that episode in her life..
32. Head-slapper's cry : DOH!
33. Long, long time : AEON
35. Search engine results : HITS
36. Director Kazan : ELIA. A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront and East of Eden are some of his best-known. A great director.
37. Basic principles : ELEMENTS
38. Big head : EGO
39. Sandy sediment : SILT
40. Like a really bad comedy skit : JOKELESS
44. Fictional detective Mr. __ : MOTO
45. U.N. workers' agcy. : ILO. The International Labour Organization. Founded in 1946, the UN's first specialized agency.
.
46. Sentences that need fixing : RUN-ONS
47. Summer drink : ICE TEA
48. Posh stadium seating : SKY BOX. I prefer the cheap seats. Much better atmosphere than hanging out with the mucky-mucks in the boxes.
50. Hindu princes : RAJAS
51. "The Highwayman" poet : NOYES
53. "Hair" parts : ACTS
54. Biblical pronoun : THEE
56. Big name in luxury autos : BMW. "Bayerische Motoren Werke AG". Originally an aircraft engine manufacturer. The blue-and-white badge represents an aircraft propeller. They made a three-wheel one-person car with the door opening at the front. The car had a reverse gear, unlike the Messerschmidt version, which caused the driver some problems if he pulled into the garage and stopped too close to the back wall. He couldn't open the door, and couldn't back up.
57. __ de cologne : EAU
58. Rite Aid competitor : CVS. One on every corner here in LA. I get my RX's filled through CVS.
59. Soul maker : KIA. Korean car company.. 기아자동차
And that pretty much wraps it up for me. I'm heading back East into some snow from the sunny California shores. I'm going in the wrong direction.
Here's the grid!
Steve
35A. Classic TV intro which can be applied to the starts of the four other longest puzzle answers : HEEEEERE'S JOHNNY! Choose your own number of "E"s!
Also famously used by Jack Nicholson in the movie adaptation of Stephen King's "The Shining":
18A. Year-end rewards : CASH BONUSES. Johnny Cash."The Man in Black". Portrayed to great effect by Joaquim Phoenix in the biopic "Walk the Line".
23A. Silver State capital : CARSON CITY. Johnny Carson. The original Johnny referred to by the puzzle title. Ed McMahon's intro line for Carson on "The Tonight Show". Nevada is the Silver State.
50A. Bad break : ROTTEN LUCK. Johnny Rotten. John Lydon in his "Sex Pistols" alter ego. The Pistols were a tad controversial, but a huge influence on popular music, despite only releasing four singles and one studio album. Here's the first single if you want a taste of 1976.
56A. Dugout loudmouth : BENCH JOCKEY. Johnny Bench. Appropriate clue for the Red's catcher from 1967-1983. I don't know if he was a loudmouth in the dugout. Anyone? I'm not sure I'm familiar with the phrase, but the crosses were solid.
Nice theme from Ed, and some really nice fill, especially in the downs. POSEIDON and PLAY NICE, along with the stacked vertical 6's in the NW and SE. Good stuff. Let's see what else we've got to talk about:
Across
1. Place for peas or z's : BED. The Princess and the Pea reference, I'm sure.
4. Bridge measure : SPAN
8. Like traffic at a bottleneck : STOP-GO. Very nice.
14. "Norma __" : RAE. Played by Sally Field in the movie.
15. She famously said "Play it" to 49-Across : ILSA. Casablanca. No "again" contrary to some opinions.
16. Saved to watch later : TIVO'ED
17. Horace's "__ Poetica" : ARS. A poem advising others how to write poetry.
"Ye who write, make choice of a subject suitable to your abilities; and revolve in your thoughts a considerable time what your strength declines, and what it is able to support. Neither elegance of style, nor a perspicuous disposition, shall desert the man, by whom the subject matter is chosen judiciously."
20. One-step-at-a-time toy : SLINKY. The walking-downstairs spring. All the rage for a while, but essentially a one-trick pony.
22. "Only __": NPR sports program : A GAME
26. "The Mindy Project" actor Barinholtz : IKE Thank you, crosses
29. Well-endowed org.? : OPEC. Nice pun on the "well" in the clue. What did Red Adair say to "Boots" Hansen? " Oil's well that ends well".
30. McKellen and McShane : IANS. Both fine actors.
31. Said further : ADDED
33. Real estate unit : ACRE
34. Acted bullish? : MOO'ED. I associate mooing more with cows. Bulls snort.
41. Volunteer's offer : I'LL GO
42. "Vaya con __" : DIOS. "Go with God" - first sung by Freddy Fender.
43. Attach with string : TIE ON
44. Half of half-and-half : MILK. My local market has fat-free half-and-half - isn't that defeating the purpose?
45. Flower painted by van Gogh : IRIS
49. See 15-Across : SAM
52. Really worry : EAT AT
55. __ Tunes : LOONEY
60. Horseplayer's hangout, for short : OTB. Off-Track Betting facility. Every high street in every town in Britain has a betting shop, or two. They will take bets on anything you like - famously offering 5000-1 odds that the world would end as prophesied by the Mayan Calendar (and offering 1-5000 odds that it wouldn't); 5000-1 that perennial underdogs Leicester City would win the Premier League title in 2015-16 (and they did) and 175-1 odds that Uruguayan soccer star Luis Suarez would take a bite out of an opponent after two prior offenses. (He did, at the 2016 World Cup in Rio and was banned for six games).
61. "Good News" Grammy winner Kathy : MATTEA. Merci, les croixes.
62. Workshop gadget : VISE
63. Opposite of paleo- : NEO-. Paleolithic, neolithic, for example.
64. Wimps : WUSSES
65. Cheek or lip : SASS
66. "Yakety __": rock-'n'-roll novelty hit : SAX. I thought this was "Yakety Yak", so that slowed down my progress in this corner.
Down:
1. "Donnie __": Depp film : BRASCO. That's the fifth Johnny for today.
2. Part of a winter hat : EARLAP. What happened to the "F"?
3. Appetite : DESIRE
4. Michael Moore film about healthcare : SICKO
5. "No more fighting!" : PLAY NICE!
6. Pack animal : ASS
7. "Don't think so" : NAH
8. Cheap smoke : STOGY. I thought it was spelt "stogie". Mark Twain wouldn't smoke a cigar that cost more than 5¢
9. Actress Fey : TINA
10. Egg cell : OVUM
11. Trident-carrying god : POSEIDON. Neptune is his Roman counterpart.
12. "My goodness" : GEE
13. Pigs out (on), for short : OD'S
19. Creatures in caves : BATS
21. Pres. advisory team : NSC. National Security Council.
24. "The Alienist" novelist Caleb : CARR. Indebted to you, crosses.
25. Boss' demand often followed by "now!" : I NEED IT!
27. Shrewd : KEEN
28. Circular current : EDDY
31. Tori of pop : AMOS. Aged five, she was the youngest student ever admitted to the Peabody Conservatory of Music. She was expelled at 11 years old due to her interest in rock and pop, and her dislike of sight-reading. Her first band was called "Y Kant Tori Read" as reference to that episode in her life..
32. Head-slapper's cry : DOH!
33. Long, long time : AEON
35. Search engine results : HITS
36. Director Kazan : ELIA. A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront and East of Eden are some of his best-known. A great director.
37. Basic principles : ELEMENTS
38. Big head : EGO
39. Sandy sediment : SILT
40. Like a really bad comedy skit : JOKELESS
44. Fictional detective Mr. __ : MOTO
45. U.N. workers' agcy. : ILO. The International Labour Organization. Founded in 1946, the UN's first specialized agency.
.
46. Sentences that need fixing : RUN-ONS
47. Summer drink : ICE TEA
48. Posh stadium seating : SKY BOX. I prefer the cheap seats. Much better atmosphere than hanging out with the mucky-mucks in the boxes.
50. Hindu princes : RAJAS
51. "The Highwayman" poet : NOYES
Tlot-tlot, in the frosty silence! Tlot-tlot, in the echoing night!
Nearer he came and nearer! Her face was like a light!
Her eyes grew wide for a moment; she drew one last deep breath,
Then her finger moved in the moonlight,
Her musket shattered the moonlight,
Shattered her breast in the moonlight and warned him—with her death.
53. "Hair" parts : ACTS
54. Biblical pronoun : THEE
56. Big name in luxury autos : BMW. "Bayerische Motoren Werke AG". Originally an aircraft engine manufacturer. The blue-and-white badge represents an aircraft propeller. They made a three-wheel one-person car with the door opening at the front. The car had a reverse gear, unlike the Messerschmidt version, which caused the driver some problems if he pulled into the garage and stopped too close to the back wall. He couldn't open the door, and couldn't back up.
57. __ de cologne : EAU
58. Rite Aid competitor : CVS. One on every corner here in LA. I get my RX's filled through CVS.
59. Soul maker : KIA. Korean car company.. 기아자동차
And that pretty much wraps it up for me. I'm heading back East into some snow from the sunny California shores. I'm going in the wrong direction.
Here's the grid!
Steve
