Adhering to the strict interpretation, we have a word jumble (not an anagram) puzzle that features 63 theme squares including the reveal and a grid spanner in the middle. To make this all work, there is the unusual use of six cheater squares, three in the NW and three in the SE. There are many 3 and 4 letter fill and an overall difficulty that did not seem like a Friday. As usual with JW there were lots of sparkly fill CREDOS, FRERES, KIMMEL, PLINTH, BASE TEN, EACH ONE, GEOLOGY, MC ENROE, REELS IN, ARISTOCRACY, YOU ARE WRONG and a reveal which is very revealing and amusing. As I have said before, the joy in this type of puzzle comes from the phrasing of the reveal and I really enjoyed the image of the letters from Poetry moving about. Anyway, it is time we move about the puzzle.
16A. Formal dissent : MINORITY REPORT (14). Also a movie with TOM CRUISE. Now a TV pilot that ran this SUMMER.
22A. Lead role in many a Western : STEREOTYPE (10). White hat, ruggedly handsome.
37A. Independence Day VIPs : PYROTECHNICIANS (15). They make our fireworks work.
50A. Vegan diet component : SOY PROTEIN (10). They get their protein where they can.
58A. Metaphor for ballet ... or what this puzzle's circles literally contain : POETRY IN MOTION (14).
Across
1. "It came without ribbons. It came without __": The Grinch : TAGS. We start with Dr. Seuss.
5. Glutton : PIG. Hog also fits.
8. Be at loggerheads : CLASH. Hmmm. A HUM .
13. Layered snack : OREO. How many clues are there for this American classic cookie?
14. Sch. with residence halls named Acadian and Beauregard : LSU. A CSO to Louisiana solvers.
15. Crystal __ : RADIO. We have had this clue/fill before and it brought back memories for some of you. Bill G.?
19. Decimal system foundation : BASE TEN. I will defer to our math mavens.
20. Educator LeShan : EDA.
21. Fig. in TV's "Suits" : ATT. This abbreviation for attorney....as foolish as the premise of the show.
28. Cheap sauce : HOOCH. Interesting HISTORY .
31. Transports : HAULS.
32. Appreciative cry : OLE.
33. Rocky prominence : CRAG.
35. Org. of former Soviet republics : CIS. Is this still operational? LINK . Commonwealth of Independent States.
36. Paired : DUAL. Carburetors?
41. It's found in bars : SOAP. I guess Jeffrey was cleaning up his CLUING to be g-rated.
42. "I see what's going on!" : O HO. Not safe to yell on street corners?
43. In the area : NEAR.
44. Obedience trials org. : AKC. American Kennel Club.
45. __ steak : FLANK.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ledh9bMpnko
47. Dropped off : SLEPT.
53. "Quadrophenia" group, with "The" : WHO.
XXXXXXXXXXX
54. Med. recording : EEG. ElectroEncephaloGram.
55. Four-time US Open winner : MC ENROE. The other US Open. John has established a healthy career making fun of his own antics in commercials. The HBO documentary about him and Borg was great.
63. Word on a menu : CARTE. A la.
64. One rarely without a comb? : BEE. Honeycomb humor.
65. Klein of fashion : ANNE.
67. Ware lead-in : MAL. All you windows users know this term.
68. Long-term appeal : LEGS. Splynter are you out there?
Down
1. Burger go-with : TOMATO. Not my first thought.
2. Reign of Terror victims : ARISTOCRACY. The French revolution was so bloody. LINK.
3. Biological determinant : GENE.
4. Laundry woe at the Claus home? : SOOT. All those damn chimneys!
5. Public monument support : PLINTH. A really cool word.
6. Real ending? : IST. Ity, ism?
7. Dude : GUY. My wife says, man-guy.
8. Words to live by : CREDOS. From the Latin to believe.
9. Gently massage, wave-style : LAP AT. The waves lap at the shore?
10. Big deal : ADO.
11. Title for Edward Elgar : SIR. The prolific composer of pomp and circumstance music.
12. Popular : HOT.
17. __ judicata: decided case : RES. Literally the thing adjudicated.
18. Catches : REELS IN.
19. "What nonsense!" : BAH.
23. All : EACH ONE. Do not get this one. Each and every?
24. Archaeological site : RUIN. Not necessarily.
25. "What nonsense!" : YOU ARE WRONG. Nice.
26. Work out the details : PLAN.
27. Unadon fillets : EELS. For C.C.?
29. Corn, for example : CROP. So vague needed perps.
30. One may be passed : HAT. So vague needed perps. Once unearthed I enjoyed it.
34. Rocky field? : GEOLOGY.
36. Ivory alternative : DIAL. Soap not Jade.
37. Spots for Smokey: Abbr. : PSAS. Public Service Announcements.
38. Mother of Sean : YOKO. Not sure why this came immediately, there are many Seans.
39. Shoot the breeze : CHAT. Cat in French.
40. These, to Thérèse : CES. French.
45. Monastère members : FRERES. Our French lesson continues.
46. Late-night host since 2003 : KIMMEL. Wow, time flies, I still remember him from Ben Stein' s show.
48. Obsolescent public conveniences : PHONES. I know people who invested heavily in pay phones in the 70s.
49. Word with dance or shoe : TOE. Another stumper.
51. Small-minded : PETTY. Not Tom.
52. Sgt., e.g. : NCO. Non Commissioned Officer
56. List substitute : ETAL.
57. Diamond complement : NINE.
58. See 61-Down : PCS. Personal Computers.
59. Bit in a horse's mouth? : OAT. Tricky.
60. Baseball stat : ERA. Earned Run Average.
61. Longtime maker of 58-Down : IBM. International Business Machine. Sold the business to Lenovo in 2005.
62. Org. supporting exhibitions : NEA. National Education Association.
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