My regular doubles partner here at the Corner, Jeffrey Wechsler is back on a Friday with one of his classics - an add letters puzzles to create funny fill. Today DA is added and I hope it did not addle your brain. DA is the yes in Russian, an abbreviation for DAD in Britain (I think-Steve?) and a common shortcut for District Attorney. He also sneaks in the amusing non-themer DADAIST, along with many other sparklies like ANALYST, DOGGIES, I'M ALONE, MASCARA, ON A DATE, PORGIES, STENCIL, ALARMING, MACARENA, MIRRORED, and SEDATION. We also have many apostrophes and the usual trickery in some cluing. On with the fun.
17A. Short-order bear?: FRYING PANDA (11). If you can have a Kung-fu Panda why not one in the kitchen making your lunch, using a FRYING PAN.
24A. News item from Hoda Kotb?: TODAY STORY (10). The 4th-hour anchor is away with her new adopted BABY. It is too soon to watch TOY STORY.
34A. Skeptical response to "Here's the drink I owe you"?: SAY IT ISN'T SODA (13). Obviously not the response of a teetotaller.
46A. Element of avant-garde music?: DARING TONE (10). I think the tonality or lack thereof of Arnold Schoenberg was more daring. I have a cousin who married a Schoenberg.
55A. Prosecutor ... or what four long puzzle answers have received?: ASSISTANT DA (11). So maybe this is the one he had in mind. I hope he doesn't mind my subversive write-up, but I just must have fun. On with the show.
Across:
1. Just right: APT. Not an easy start, but it is Friday.
4. Some pets, in totspeak: DOGGIES. Totspeak is a term I think was developed solely for crossword fill like OWIE, WAWA and oh yeah DADA!
11. Ronda Rousey's sport, initially: MMA. Mixed Martial Arts.
14. Supporting: FOR. Not a beam but a person.
15. Tempting text to a lover: I'M ALONE. Sounds like some kind of illicit rendezvous.
16. McShane of "Deadwood": IAN. Ian has been one of my favorites, I think Steve also, since his days as LOVEJOY. However, in the John Wick 3 movie, he is not a nice man, and that is not a nice movie. Halle Berry continues to look nice, though.
19. Label for some Usher releases: RCA. Do people care about record labels anymore?
20. Words from a bell ringer: IT'S ME. Not in the tower, but at your front door. Obviously not an academic visitor.
21. Pen part: NIB. All you ever wanted to know about PENS.
22. Continental border river: URAL. This divides Europe and Asia.
23. Coolidge who wasn't president: RITA. This mostly Cherokee and mostly forgotten SINGER was married to Kris Kristofferson as well as having hits like...
27. L'Oréal's Voluminous Carbon Black, e.g.: MASCARA. I love having this in the puzzle with 12D. Popular '90s dance: MACARENA.
29. Longtime preceder of Johnny?: HERE'S. Both Ed McMahon and Jack Nicholson made this famous.
30. Maurice Sendak/Carole King musical "Really __": ROSIE. A hard Friday fill but a wonderful collaboration between the creator of Where the Wild Things Are and the very talented Ms. King, subject of the Broadway hit Beautiful.
33. "__ you clever!": AREN'T. Yes, he is.
38. Apollo's birth island: DELOS. This Greek god has great BACKSTORY.
39. Nautical pole: SPRIT. I will leave the words to our sailors.
40. Saw: ADAGE. Nope, just letters here.
41. At the movies, maybe: ON A DATE. Here too.
50. Bird's biological class: AVES. I like this followed by...
51. Bill distributors: ATMS. Since birds have bills.
52. Detroit labor gp.: UAW. United Auto Workers.
53. Research support: GRANT.
54. Sundial marking: III.
58. Luke, to Anakin: SON.
59. Sign maker's aid: STENCIL. Do they need them any longer?
60. Court fig.: ATTorney. Not an abbreviation popular in the profession.
61. "Star Trek" spin-off, briefly: TNG. The Next Generation.
62. Fish also called sea breams: PORGIES. This little FISH is one the many considered as a kosher fish. Catfish are not.
63. Future 62-Across: ROE. JW just egging you on.
Down:
1. Validate: AFFIRM.
2. "The quality of mercy is not strain'd" speaker: PORTIA. "It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven." Merchant of Venice Act IV, Scene I. Jeffrey and I both love our Friday Shakespeare.
3. Secret meetings: TRYSTS.
4. Order the Beef Wellington, say: DINE.
5. Bit of texting shock: OMG.
6. Space: GAP.
7. Endocrine __: GLAND.
8. Ancient region of present-day Turkey: IONIA. I always thought it was in Greece.
9. Not continue past: END BY. Also Use By.
10. Ahab's milieu: SEA.
11. Did the same as: MIRRORED.
13. Pro with a couch: ANALYST. Psycho-
18. Apple product: IMAC.
22. Unborn, after "in": UTERO. Literal Latin.
24. Unhurried pace: TROT.
25. Refreshing place: OASIS. Or maybe you want to visit...
26. Siskiyou County peak: SHASTA. I am sure this was a gimme for our West Coast contingent.
28. Gotten up: ARISEN.
31. Many a cable co.: ISP. Internet Service Provider. Not related to 55D. Cleopatra's "poor venomous fool": ASP. A double dose of Will from Act V, Scene 2.
"Poor venomous fool
Be angry and dispatch. Oh, couldst thou speak,
That I might hear thee call great Caesar ass."
32. 2001 scandal subject: ENRON.
34. It puts people out: SEDATION. A very nice clue for a Friday deception.
35. Frightful: ALARMING.
36. Ones using asanas: YOGIS. And so many of your neighbors. 12 FAVORITES.
37. Pitchfork part: TINE. Actually any fork.
38. Arp, for one: DADAIST.
42. "Phooey!": DARN. Probably the tame version of what JW is thinking about my silliness.
43. Video game figure: AVATAR.
44. Take care of: TEND TO.
45. Wayne Manor and environs, e.g.: ESTATE. An odd Batman reference?
47. Relish: GUSTO.
48. Law enforcement tool: TASER.
49. In arrears: OWING.
53. Hoedown misses: GALS. Not misses, but misses. Not related to Hoda Kotb.
56. Chem. or phys.: SCI.
57. Bun package closer: TIE. If you keep your legs tied together you will not get a bun in the oven.
We have made it through another Friday challenge from Jeffrey. It always feels good to solve and then discuss one of his creations. I hope you had fun and I will leave you with the grid and another picture of a classic DA. Lemonade out.
