Tuesday May 14, 2019 Craig Stowe

Theme: AFTER PARTY (56. Oscar night celebration ... and where to find the ends of the answers to starred clues)

 17. *Ingratiate oneself (with): CURRY FAVOR. Party favor.

 24. *Hardly cutting-edge: OLD SCHOOL. Party school.

 36. *Last stage of a chess match: END GAME. Party game.

 46. *Joke payoff: PUNCH LINE. Party line.

This compliments the "PARTY ON" a few years ago where both words can precede "party". 

C.C. here. After more than a year of dedicated weekly blogging, TTP wants to cut back a bit and blogs every other week. He'll be back next Tuesday. 

As I mentioned before, it's fun to blog once or twice. Doing it week after week can be exhausting. It's no coincidence that TTP always has the perfect images and apt shout-outs on his write-ups. It's hours of hard work. Finding the right words to describe the theme clearly. Finding the suitable images and video clips to go with some entries. Formatting. Googling various crossword websites and our own blog for past references, etc. This all takes time, often 3 or more hours. I feel so lucky to have such a dedicated team! 

Across:

1. Car cam spot: DASH.

5. Sacred Judaic scroll: TORAH.  Hebrew for "law".

10. Wild guess: STAB.

14. Reverberate: ECHO.

15. Of __: helpful for: USE TO.

16. Pop in a bottle: COLA. Pepsi in our house.

19. Similar: AKIN.

20. Childish comeback: ARE NOT.

21. Needing cleaning, as tabletops: DUSTY. Also the name of Misty's sorely-missed dog.

23. Doctored in a bad way: FAKED.

28. Latin American dances: TANGOS.

30. Spooky: EERIE.

31. Surprised sounds: OHS.

33. "__ light is not daylight": Juliet: YON.

34. Shoe pad: INSOLE. Found your perfect shoes last week, Agnes?

35. Good name for a cook: STU.

38. Sun. speech: SER.

39. That is: NAMELY.

41. Early TV maker: RCA.

42. Pricing word: PER.

43. Armenian's neighbor: IRANI. Often Iranian.

44. Coo: MURMUR.

48. Type of pie popular in Southern cuisine: PECAN.

52. Lecherous sorts: ROUES.

53. Concerns of teachers and ophthalmologists: PUPILS. Cute clue.

54. Drop of sweat: BEAD.

59. Turn toward: FACE.

60. Brahms played it: PIANO.

61. Element with the symbol "Fe": IRON. I know iron deficiency, but can you get too much iron in your body?

62. Mister Rogers: FRED.

63. Deign (to): STOOP.

64. Part of DVD: DISC.

Down:

1. Brew for an early night: DECAF.

2. High-end Honda: ACURA.

3. Princess Fiona's love: SHREK.

4. Charlotte NBA team: HORNETS. Owned by Michael Jordan.

5. Hair clump: TUFT.

6. Mama bear, in Madrid: OSA.

7. Gun, as an engine: REV.

8. In conflict: AT ODDS.

9. Falcon-headed son of Osiris: HORUS.

10. Verbally tears apart: SCATHES. I've only used "scathing".

11. Name in Japanese WWII propaganda: TOKYO ROSE. And 32. Group often threatened in dystopian fiction: HUMAN RACE. Nice pair of 10's.

12. Boxer Laila: ALI.

13. Outlaw: BAN.

18. "Size matters not" Jedi master: YODA.

22. Play part: SCENE.

24. Prayer opener: O GOD.

25. Extended period of time: LONG RUN. Great 7 also.

26. Refueling ship: OILER.

27. Rude look: LEER.

29. Part of a Park Ave. address: NY NY.

31. Japanese seaport: OTARU. Northern Japan. Kazie just visited Japan last month.

34. Quran reader: IMAM.

35. Salon sound: SNIP.

36. Peace Nobelist Root: ELIHU.

37. 43,560 square feet: ACRE.

40. Made cryptic: ENCODED.

42. Like most phone cards: PRE-PAID.

44. Fish out of water: MISFIT.

45. "__ and away!": UP UP.

47. Springs: LEAPS.

49. Wispy clouds: CIRRI.

50. Choir section: ALTOS.

51. "This I Promise You" band: NSYNC.

53. Shore (up): PROP.

54. IM VIP: BFF.

55. Musical talent: EAR.

57. Lao Tzu's "way": TAO. Here is the Tao Vegas billboard. "Always a Happy Ending." I think of Steve every time I see it.

58. Brian of ambient music: ENO.

C.C.

Monday May 13, 2019 Dan Margolis

Theme: This is Us - Each theme entry is in the pattern of U* S*:

  

19. *Anonymous Arlington honoree: UNKNOWN SOLDIER.

31. *Evil Cinderella sibling: UGLY STEPSISTER.

38. *Possibly the perp: UNDER SUSPICION

51. *Entryway conveniences for rain deflectors: UMBRELLA STANDS.

Reveal:

63. With 64-Across, NBC drama ... or, in four parts, a hint to the answers to starred clues: THIS. 64. See 63-Across: IS US

Boomer here.

Greetings from Minnesota where the fishing opener occurred Saturday. I only fish for golf balls these days.  I was able to play my first round of the year Friday. However, we have had so much rain (and snow) that the course would not allow carts on the fairways.  My front nine was pretty good (for me) however all that walking from the cart to the ball created incredible fatigue so the back nine was not so good. The energy that is sapped by my drugs had a hand in that also.

I'll try again this week, weather permitting. And as far as the rainfall goes, I am sure the courses in Houston are not even putting out the carts and the golfers need to use boats.  I hope my good friend desper-otto is doing okay.  Houston had to deal with a hurricane in recent past, and now this.  

   

Across:

1. After-bath powder: TALC.  I think there is a health warning out about this stuff.

5. Crunchy potato snack: CHIP.  One of "My Three Sons".

9. Stew (over): FRET.  I never learned guitar but I know it has several

13. Cookie in some Breyers Cookies & Cream: OREO.  I like these cookies although diabetes prevents me from eating more than two per year.  But they show up in crosswords more than twice per year and I have run out of comments.

14. Vintner's prefix: OENO.

15. Still in the running: ALIVE. And well and living in Minnesota.  Along with millions of fish that were not caught.

16. "The Twelve Days of Christmas" tree: PEAR.  With a partridge hidden in it. Traditional jigsaw puzzle at the Burnikel household.
 

17. Crooner Crosby: BING.  His best rendition was "White Christmas" I believe.

18. Entitled: NAMED.

22. Be worthwhile: PAY.  OR if you are worthwhile you may get paid.

23. Dispenser candy: PEZ.  I had these when I was a kid.  It was a plain dispenser.  Now some of them are collector's items.

24. Boot the ball: ERR.  Baseball slang.  I always call them errors.

25. Wall St. specialist: ARB.  Wall Street had a roller coaster ride last week.  I hope you all survived!

26. Fill to the gills: SATE.

28. __-Wan Kenobi: OBI.  A couple of Saturdays ago.  May the Fourth be with you. 

35. History Muse: CLIO.

36. Sean Lennon's mom Yoko: ONO. "Un Huh OH NO don't let the rain come down."

37. School orgs.: PTAS.  Remember Mrs. Johnson of Harper Valley..

43. Singer Carly __ Jepsen: RAE.

44. Where Cork is: EIRE.  I spell it Ireland but that did not fit

45. Bottom line: NET.  Nothing but …

46. Rowing implement: OAR.  Many were used in Minnesota this past weekend, but most fisherman have a motor.

47. Criticize harshly, as a film: PAN.

48. Freelancer's enc.: SAE.

56. Best man's best friend, often: GROOM.

57. MacFarlane of "Family Guy": SETH.

58. Lane at the Daily Planet: LOIS.  Look!  Up in the sky!  It's a Bird, It's a Plane, NO It's Lois's Boss, Clark.

59. Makes eyes at: OGLES.

60. Part of un opéra: ACTE.

61. "The African Queen" screenwriter James: AGEE.  Centerfielder Tommie of the 1969 Miracle Mets!!

62. Dogs, to dog owners: PETS.  Add CAN and you have a procedure that detects everything but the kitchen sink.

Down:

1. Refresh, as a cup of coffee: TOP UP.  I do this at least five times every morning, but the coffee is never as hot as the first cup.

2. Sports venue: ARENA.

3. Hardly watertight: LEAKY.   We had a leaky shower that damaged our garage ceiling. We had it fixed and it only cost an arm and a leg,

4. Succotash kernel: CORN. This is Minnesota's second largest crop but it may surpass soybeans this year

5. Attic accumulation: COBWEBS.

6. "57 Varieties" brand: HEINZ.  "Our soup costs no more than other kinds, and you know it's good because it is Heinz !"  I cannot name all of the 57 varieties -- Can you??

7. Overnight places: INNS.  My favorite is the C'mon Inn in Billings, Montana.

8. Possum in comics: POGO. 

9. Natural aptitude: FLAIR.  Reminds me of Ric Flair, pro wrestler in the WWE.  Now I have heard of Charlotte Flair.  I do not know if they are related.

10. Icy winter coating: RIME.  Funny way to spell SNOW.

11. In any way: EVER.  If you're EVER in a jam, here I am. 

12. Media mogul Turner: TED.  He owns a TV network AND a major league baseball team.  I only have a pile of Atlanta Braves baseball cards.

15. Peace Nobelist Sakharov: ANDREI.

20. Grand Ole __: OPRY.  Fort Campbell was only about 60 miles from Nashville.  I never went to the Opry, but we listened on the radio most Saturdays.

21. "Shall we?" response: LETS.

25. Burn soother: ALOE.  When Alexander Graham Bell inventor of the telephone suggested folks answer with AHOY, I think Elisha Gray (founder of Graybar) wanted his phone answered ALOE.

26. Sight or smell: SENSE.

27. Per unit: A POP.

28. Director Preminger: OTTO.  Young Otto Warmbier was sent home from North Korea a few days before his death.  Then Kim sent us a bill for 2 million dollars.  What is this world coming to?

29. Noggin: BEAN.  Orson was a frequent guest of Johnny Carson.

31. Bone parallel to the radius: ULNA.

32. "The Immoralist" author André: GIDE.

33. Sightseeing outing: TOUR.

34. Roasting rod: SPIT.  Back in the days of the HHH Metrodome in Minneapolis, players were not allowed to spit on the Astroturf.  (Tobacco stains).

35. Mangy mutt: CUR.

39. Provides with more weapons: REARMS.

40. Beget: SIRE.  This would be the father of Maximum Security, turning his nose up at the Preakness.  I don't blame him.

41. Reduced to rubble, as by a fire: IN ASHES.

42. Penny: CENT.  "If you haven't got a penny, a half penny will do, If you haven't got a half penny, then God bless you!'

46. Instruments among the reeds: OBOES.

47. Singer LaBelle: PATTI.  I remember Patti Page and see her occasionally on those half hour ad shows that try to sell you CDs of old time hits.

48. Canoodles, in Britain: SNOGS.

49. French bye word: ADIEU. "Adieu, Adieu my friends adieu.  I can no longer stay with you" - Then something about drinking wine.

50. Letters after ars: ESSES.

51. Advocate: URGE.

52. Shed skin: MOLT.

53. Future atty.'s hurdle: LSAT.

54. Solidarity leader Walesa: LECH.  Highly controversial, but I think he represented poor workers very well in Poland and improved their status.  Holler at me if I am wrong.

55. Jai __: ALAI.

56. Republican org.: GOP.  Grand Old Party.  Interesting nickname.

Boomer

Sunday May 12, 2019 Gail Grabowski

Theme: "Youth Group" - LAD spans across each theme entry.

23. Warning during a snowstorm: TRAVEL ADVISORY.

32. Octane booster: FUEL ADDITIVE.

46. High naval rank: FULL ADMIRAL.

67. One who can't put down the phone?: DIGITAL ADDICT.

86. Founding Father found in a bar?: SAMUEL ADAMS.

102. Common login component: EMAIL ADDRESS.

113. Shelter mission: ANIMAL ADOPTION.

Reveal:

116. Youth found in this puzzle's seven longest answers: LAD.

Very consistent *L AD* span. Simple but never-done theme. This is Gail's hallmark.

Gail is also careful with her fill also. You won't find a plethora of names in her grids. Or odd abbreviations. She never wants to stump solvers.


Across:

1. Informal demand for propriety: ACT NICE. Great 7-letter start.

8. Choice bit: MORSEL.

14. Group with similar interests: CIRCLE.

20. "I always lie," e.g.: PARADOX.

21. Illinois city west of Chicago: AURORA. Gail lives in Peru, Illinois.

22. Filled, folded fare: OMELET.

25. Wyndham-owned chain: RAMADA. Not familiar with Wyndham, you? Wiki says "It has locations in China".  Ramada does have many hotels in China.

26. Seashore raptor: ERNE.

27. Watch readout abbr.: LCD.

28. Discontinuation phrase: NO LONGER.

30. Quote qualifier: SIC.

31. Last stroke, usually: PUTT. Also 36. Disc golf starting points: TEE PADS.

38. German title: HERR.

39. Geological stretch: EON.

40. Goose egg: NIL.

41. Wild way to go: APE.

42. NYC tourist attraction: MOMA. Oh, Starry, Starry Night, Paint your palette blue and green...

43. Slim predatory swimmer: CONGER EEL.

50. Doesn't need: HAS.

51. Jazz singer Jones: ETTA.

52. Physicist's study: ATOM.

53. "Chopped" utensil: PAN. We also have 54D. Celebrity chef Bobby: FLAY. I like Jamie Oliver. Who's your favorite?

54. On-call volunteer, perhaps: FIREMAN.

57. Reported story: NEWS ITEM.

60. See 17-Down: BELL. And 17D. Instrument with a flared 60-Across: CLARINET.

62. Source of a draft: ALE TAP.

66. A third of nove: TRE. Nove is 9.

71. Vichy vacation time: ETE.

72. Studio apartment accommodation: AIRBED.

74. Crafts website: ETSY.

75. Indian brew: ASSAM TEA. Black tea.

77. "The Blues Brothers" fashion accessories: RAYBANS.

80. Made a fast stop?: ATE. Great clue.

81. Like some folklore: ORAL.

82. "David Copperfield" girl: EM'LY. Little Em'ly.

85. Student leader?: ESS. Just the first letter in Student.

90. Debate focal point: MAIN ISSUE.

93. Senior's highlight: PROM.

94. Eligibility factor: AGE. I'm going to be eligible for senior discounts soon. Amazing.

95. Big bucks, briefly: MIL.

96. Aloha shirt go-with: LEI.

97. Truck maker with a bulldog logo: MACK.

98. Casual Friday adjective: TIELESS.

106. Eliot title hero: BEDE.

107. Disappoint, with "down": LET.

108. Arranged, as a deal: BROKERED.

109. Put the kibosh on: END.

110. Brad's role in "Inglourious Basterds": ALDO. No idea. But I like the new clue angle.

111. Hat of Ecuadorian origin, oddly: PANAMA.

118. She outwitted a witch: GRETEL.

119. Puget Sound city: TACOMA.

120. Like candy canes: TWO-TONE. And 123. Poor Yelp rating: ONE STAR.

121. Not easily ruffled: SERENE. D-Otto! Such a calm and reassuring presence in our life. We also have 68D. Far from relaxed: TENSE. 103D. Ready to explode: IRATE.

122. Angled: SLOPED.


Down:

1. Most fitting: APTEST.

2. King's first published novel: CARRIE.

3. Daze: TRANCE.

4. Cathedral section: NAVE.

5. Ending with fluor-: IDE.

6. Conspired: COLLUDED. No collusion.

7. Calls for: EXACTS.

8. Big D hoops pro: MAV.

9. Tokyo : hai :: Paris : __: OUI. I've mentioned a few times. "hai" is also Cantonese for "yes".

10. Commuting options: Abbr.: RRS.

11. With less delay: SOONER.

12. Weasley family owl: ERROL. "Harry Potter".

13. Clapton classic: LAYLA.

14. County fair fare: CORN DOG.

15. "Just think ... ": IMAGINE.

16. Held another session: RE-MET.

18. Headed up: LED.

19. Weather-sensitive hr.: ETA.

24. EPA-banned pesticide since 1972: DDT.

29. Danish seaport: ODENSE. Hans Christian Andersen's birthplace.

31. Bear with a too-hard bed: PAPA.

32. Storm relief org.: FEMA.

33. Region in the Eurasian Steppe: URAL.

34. Nam lead-in: VIET.

35. "Enchanted" film title girl: ELLA.

37. Coconut sources: PALMS. And 42. Coconut Grove setting: MIAMI.

38. Road warning: HORN.

43. Jack Reacher creator Lee __: CHILD.

44. Stroked tool: OAR.

45. Russo of "The Intern": RENE. She is Frigga in "Avengers: Endgame".

46. Fruity soda: FANTA.

47. Development areas: UTERI.

48. Farther down: LOWER.

49. Compressed video format: MPEG.

55. Apple.com array: MACS.

56. Resort near Snowbird: ALTA.

58. Planning session product: IDEA.

59. Fairly large, sumwise: TIDY.

60. Louisville Sluggers, e.g.: BATS. I think we still have a couple of mini bats in our garage.

61. Golf's "Big Easy" Ernie: ELS. Our Big Easy was close to him a few times. George volunteers for Zurich Classic every year.

63. Aquarium favorite: TETRA.

64. Subs aren't on it: A TEAM.

65. Sounds of thunder: PEALS.

69. Matter of fact: DATUM.

70. "So that's it!": I SEE.

73. __ Mawr College: BRYN. The only way to clue this entry.

76. Pose in fancy clothes, say: MODEL. This supermodel (fancy Dolce & Gabbana dress) is from my hometown. Her name is Xiao Wen Ju.

78. Abutting: BESIDE.

79. Sch. with a Phoenix campus: ASU.

80. Wild way to run: AMOK.

82. Former "Fashion Emergency" host: EMME.

83. Severely harm: MAIM.

84. 19-y'ar-old comics character: LIL ABNER.

86. Seaweed wrap purveyors: SPAS.

87. Hammer-throw trajectories: ARCS.

88. Gave up, as arms: LAID DOWN.

89. "A Death in the Family" author: AGEE. James.


91. It's a bad sign: ILL OMEN.

92. Broad-leafed maritime plant: SEA KALE.

97. Doc: MEDICO.

98. Look after: TEND TO.

99. 2009 Tony-winner "Billy __ the Musical": ELLIOT.

100. Site of Arizona's Red Rock State Park: SEDONA.

101. Type that can't stay off the grass?: STONER. Drug.

104. Mild oaths: DRATS.

105. Kidney-related: RENAL.

106. Co-star of Betty, Rue and Estelle: BEA.

110. Case workers: Abbr.: ATTS.

111. Some movie ratings: PGS.

112. "All bets __ off": ARE.

114. Swiffer product: MOP. Hope it's all dried up, D-Otto!

115. Soul, to Sartre: AME.

117. Author of macabre tales: POE.

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms on our blog!

C.C

Saturday, May 11, 2019, Matthew Sewell

Themeless Puzzle by Matthew Sewell


Spring Astronomy Day is observed on the Saturday nearest the 1st quarter moon between Mid April and Mid May. This year that falls on May 11 and I wish I could get to the Northern Virginia Astronomy Club event near Manassas where they have all the wonderful opportunities you see listed on this poster.

Today's constructor is Matthew Sewell, PhD who teaches literature and film at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and has had puzzles published in the The Chronicle of Higher Education, Newsday, The Orange County Register and the Wall Street Journals. Some of Dr. Sewell's classes at UMM

Having these two entries in the NW corner was a real stumbling block for this solver:

17. Modern gamer's headset, briefly: VR GOGGLES - (Virtual Reality GOGGLES) and 1. Nordic cured salmon appetizer: GRAVLAX - (A new word for you too?)

Let's now peer into the wide sky of the crossword universe to see what else Dr. Sewell has for us today.

Across:

1. Annual gown renters: GRADS.

6. Dwelled (on): BROODED.

13. Theatrical potpourri: REVUE - My barber bought this shop 30 years ago but has no idea why the word REVUE is in the business title

14. Got some air, say: TOOK FIVE - Dave Brubeck's famous TAKE FIVE was #5 on Billboard's Hot 100 for three weeks

15. Lit: AFIRE.

16. Multicolored solidarity emblem: PRIDE FLAG - References the rainbow flag of the LGBTQ community

19. Org. concerned with gaps, at times: ADA - David Letterman eschewed their services for his tooth gap

20. Cavalry member: LANCEMAN - The LANCE/Saber equipped calvary members of The Charge of the Light Brigade in 1854. My original HORSEMAN was wrong

21. "Between the World and Me" author Ta-Nehisi __: COATES - More info

24. Latin primer word: AMO 

25. Singer who made Georgia famous: RAY CHARLES - Five of the best minutes you'll spend today

27. TV warrior princess: XENA - Lucy Lawless then and now

29. Classic paper name: HERALD - My puzzles appear on the last page of the sports section of The Omaha World HERALD

30. Restored: MADE WHOLE.

34. San Joaquin Valley wine region: MADERA - There it is just south of Sacramento. _ _ _ _ _ A was not Sonoma

35. Anguished protest: YOWL.

39. Fast-paced highlight video: SIZZLE REEL - A new phrase for me but here are Six examples you can play (I loved the Cracker Jack one)

43. Adjective for Scotty on "Star Trek": WEE - Aye, tis likely for a Scotsman

44. Baker, for one: STREET - A museum is adjacent to the famous 221B Baker STREET address

45. Most delicate: FRAILEST.

47. Cy Young Award stat: ERA - How to calculate an Earned Run Average

48. Two-piece ensembles: PANT SUITS.

49. Sports show hosts, often: RECAPPERS - This guy is also called a RECAPPER

53. Hitchcock antagonist: BATES - Psycho killer Norman BATES shows his "mommy" issues in this very famous scene

54. Had no doubt: FELT SURE.

55. Bizarre: OUTRE - These useful letters are seen here often  pronunciation 

56. Go caving: SPELUNK - Other pictures I found made me claustrophobic just looking at them. These people are 9. Not right: OFF 

57. Perfectly harmonious: AS ONE.


Down:

2. Provide another context for: REFRAME - Tom 11. Gets by: EVADES work by REFRAMING what he is doing (1:30)

3. French city on the Rhone: AVIGNON - The seat of the Papacy from 1309 - 1377

4. Hardy red hog: DUROC - A Nebraska State Fair champion

5. Honoree of Springsteen's 2006 "We Shall Overcome" album: SEEGER.

6. __ de Boulogne: Paris park: BOIS - pronunciation. Woods of Boulogne, a seven minute Uber ride from the Eiffel Tower

7. "Submitted for your approval ... " first name: ROD.

8. Fine, in old slang: OKE - [ohk] - An Americanism dating back to 1920's, apparently the shortening of okay

10. Widened: DILATED - Haven't we all worn anti-DILATION sunglasses after leaving the optometrist? BTW, this word only has three syllables 

12. "Place de la Concorde" artist: DEGAS.

14. Fighting involving excavated shelters: TRENCH WARFARE - Miserable living amidst horrible WWI warfare

16. Word with safe or out: PLAY - If kids PLAY SAFE it will probably PLAY OUT fine. Making a SAFE PLAY often allows you to OUTPLAY your opponent 

18. 1975 ABC debut, initially: GMA - I am not a morning TV watcher 

21. Dear, to Donizetti: CARO - Caro elisir! Sei mio! (Dear elixir! You are mine) from Donizetti's Elixir of Love

22. Dictated: ORAL - 50's TV featured Susie taking dictation from Mr. Sands

23. Urban shortcut: ALLEY 28. Bowl over: AMAZE - Boomer has AMAZED a lot of pins in ALLEYS

26. Devious laugh: HEH.

31. Trimming tool: ADZE - Familiar tool to crossworders

32. Lat neighbor: DELT - Here ya go (first syllables only)

33. "And fly, __ evil intercept thy flight": Milton: ERE - "Get going while the gettin's good" is how I read it

34. Wonder: MIRACLE.

36. Credit as an inspiration: OWE IT TO - Crosswords and this blog have filled a large part of my retirement. I OWE IT all TO C.C. and youse guys!

37. Best __: WESTERN 

38. Chin stroker's words: LET'S SEE - Ahhh, I'll have a Snickers

39. "The Post" co-star: STREEP - She plays Katherine Graham

40. Taloned predators: ERNS - ERNS and EMUS are chief residents in our cwd avaiary 

41. Take off the table?: EAT - Fun!

42. Portugal's capital, locally: LISBOA - You say LISBOA, I say LISBON, Let's call the whole thing off 😉

44. Lowly laborers: SERFS 

46. Hawaiian parties: LUAUS.

48. Exec's private jet, say: PERK - My classmate Glen (Nick Saban on the right) pilots the Bama private recruiting executive jet.

50. Delta hub code: ATL 

51. Sch. with a Schuylkill campus: PSU.

52. Many a Ben & Jerry's flavor: PUN - Is Cherry Garcia their most famous flavor pun?

Please take an opportunity tonight to be amazed by the spring evening sky - especially Leo (backwards question mark for the head)!

Southern Spring Sky From North Of The Equator

Friday, May 10, 2019, Rich Proulx

Title: Do you see the pattern?

We have our second puzzle from Rich P., who had the misfortune of being published on the day Argyle became ill. He also had two NYT published in 2017 which should have prepared us for today. This was a very difficult puzzle. First, the theme was not a theme but a picture and while there are 21 "T"s in the puzzle, there is really only one theme clue. 58A. Classic car ... and a hint to the hidden image you can draw using 21 identical squares in this grid: T-BIRD. If you have been reading my Friday ramblings for a while you know I love visual aspects to themes. However, today's grid is a themeless puzzle with a picture. And my drawing skills are limited. So hopefully I will figure out a way to make his point in the grid. Because it is basically themeless, there are oodles of 7,8, and 9 letters fill all over the puzzle. I found BRA PADS, CULTIST, DEBONES, PRESTON, ALBACORE,  BAD DEBTS,  COMANECI,  COMIC-CON, FORETELL, IN TERROR.  TRIMOTOR, YELLOWED, DECORATOR, and DUBITABLE
                                                                           
Across:

1. Confidentially informs: BCCS. Blind copies.

5. Skewer: SPIT.

9. __ top: TUBE. Memories from my youth.






13. Solar panel site: ROOF.

14. Chili partner: CARNE. Meat.

15. Words that can precede and follow "what": IT IS. It is what it is.

16. BB, e.g.: AMMO. It is back this week to haunt us.

17. "Waiting for Lefty" playwright: ODETS. Clifford Odets was born in Philadelphia in 1906. Odets' fame as a playwright was made when he wrote and acted in Waiting for Lefty, produced by the Group Theatre in 1934. Its production in New York was simultaneous with the city's famous taxicab strike. It was his first play. Various.

18. Native of Riga: LETT. This term for the natives of LATVIA may be losing its place, but the place is interesting.

19. FCC chairman Ajit __: PAI. Ajit Varadaraj Pai is an American lawyer who serves as the Chairman of the United States Federal Communications Commission. He is the first Indian American to hold the office. I had no idea.

20. Bichon __: dogs with fluffy coats: FRISES.

21. Early smartphone: TREO. I had a friend who had one in the early 2000s, very impressive at the time. Not to be confused with 57A. Beethoven's Opus 11, e.g.: TRIO.

22. Mole sauce chili: ANCHO. A dried Poblano chile. The RECIPE.

24. Classic guitar, briefly: STRAT. The Fender  STRATOCASTER was part of the early rock and roll revolution.

26. One verifying safe arrivals?: UMP. Cute baseball reference. Along with 31A. Ball game official: SCORER and 32A. Like a rare baseball game: NO HIT.

27. New homeowner's hire: DECORATOR. Not in my lifetime.

29. Heads up: RISES. Nope, do not get it.

34. How some nursery-rhyme men traveled: IN A TUB. Rub-a-dub-dub.

36. Outspoken chef Gordon: RAMSAY. His RESTAURANTS.

39. Wyatt of "People of Earth": CENAC. Oh, oh. I am getting bogged down and no theme in sight to help. Wyatt Cenac is a writer and actor, known for The Daily Show (1996), People of Earth (2016) and aka Wyatt Cenac (2017), another complete unknown.

41. Cheeky?: JOWLED. I think Nixon's were famous.

43. Monopoly piece: HOTEL.

46. Open to question: DUBITABLE. As opposed to indubitable.  It just means doubtful.

49. Ursa Minor shape: LADLE. Ursa Minor is colloquially known in the US as the Little Dipper because its seven brightest stars seem to form the shape of a dipper (ladle or scoop). wiki.

51. Floss brand: ORAL-B.

52. "brb" or "ttyl": TEXT. Be right back; talk to you later.

54. Injure again, as one's ACL: RE-TEAR.

56. Bit of baby talk: COO.

59. Cut down: MOWN.

60. Mid-month day: IDES. Not very popular anymore, especially to Julius.

61. Identification assuming familiarity: IT'S ME.

62. Loose: FREE. Like the doggies in your backyard.

63. Whale groups: PODS.

64. Ferrara family name: ESTE. Hard fill. I did not know THIS history.

65. Cabs are among them: REDS. Cabernet wine.

Down:

1. Some cup liners: BRA PADS. So much I do not know.

2. First Olympic gymnast to receive a 10: COMANECI. Nadia will always be the first.

3. Where Vulcans congregate?: COMIC-CON.

4. BART stop: SFO. San Francisco airport.

5. Exemplar of cruelty: SADIST.

6. "The Good Wife" Emmy winner Carrie: PRESTON. She played the quirky powerhouse attorney Elsbeth Tascioni. Apparently, she is playing the part still in some spin-off.

7. Really scared: IN TERROR. This just does not seem right, but it was easy to fill.

8. Championship ice dancer __ Virtue: TESSA. She is a shining light for all of Canada and more than just a SKATER. CSO to our Canadian readers and dear departed ClearAyes.

9. Arcade goof: TILT.

10. Embryo's home: UTERUS. Literal.

11. Sassy retort: BITE ME.

12. Bars in court: ESTOPS. It is used more than just in court as you need to get estoppel letters.

14. __ anglais: English horn: COR. I had this WOODWIND before.

20. Augur: FORETELL. Latin that has become part of English.

23. Public school advocate Mann: HORACE. A very important PERSON in the history of public education in the US.

25. Three-engine plane: TRIMOTOR. Literal.

28. Gave __ for one's money: A RUN.

30. Fighting words: IT'S WAR.

33. Muslim pilgrim: HAJI. Also sometimes spelled Hadji, Alhaji, Al hage, Al hag or El-Hajj

35. They may be written off: BAD DEBTS. You can offset your business income with your uncollectable debts. I will let those who know tax stuff say more about this.

37. Much canned tuna: ALBACORE. The albacore, known also as the longfin tuna, is a species of tuna of the order Perciformes. It is what is labeled as white meat tuna and is so popular, the population is decreasing.

38. Like old manuscripts: YELLOWED. Paper is made from wood, which is made up mainly of white cellulose. Wood also has a lot of a dark substance in it called lignin, which ends up in the paper, too, along with the cellulose. The exposure of lignin to air and sunlight is what turns paper yellow.

40. Certain worshipper: CULTIST.

42. Fillets: DEBONES. Literal.

43. Polite greeting gesture: HAT TIP. Tip of the hat sounds better, but I guess it is the same thing.

44. Go too far: OVERDO.

45. Approached the gate: TAXIED.

47. "I'll take a brewski": BEER ME. This PHRASE has escaped me but with One billion hits I guess it is known.

50. Bandleader Shaw: ARTIE. He also was briefly married to both LANA TURNER and 48A. Actress Gardner: AVA.

53. Cornhole turn: TOSS. Yes, there are RULES and it must be underhand.

55. Lemon finish: ADE. I do not even know Rich but I get a nice ending CSO!

59. Plant owner: Abbr.: MFR. Manufacturer.

Well now to play with the grid on Paint and see if I can get somewhere. Hope you had fun. Welcome back, Rich. Happy Mother's Day to all of you mothers/Lemonade out.

You think it looks like this?