The most recent champion solver of the 2016 ACPT, Howard Barkin bring us his third LAT creation since his DEBUT. This is another variation on adding the visual to the words in a puzzle. it is not uncommon to have a single word be the clue for all of the theme answers, but Howard gives us a symbol. Working backwards from the fill, it is easy to see that the little circle is a RING, and each of the three themers are distinct and different types of ring. This all tied up with a nice neat bow with the reveal which by its nature limited Howard to three theme answers. Not sure why, but I clicked with this puzzle and had a really fast Friday time for me. Howard has lots of very common words like ARENA, SEE, OLEO, EASE. ERE and ERA. But he also gives us TROWEL, LEERER, RAINING, OARLOCK, NEW COKE, DOGLEGS, EASTER EGGS, ANSWERED TO. Okay
Next....
20A. O : CRIMINAL NETWORK (15). Ring has so many connotations, picking only three must have been difficult.
32A. O : BOXING VENUE (11). A reminder of the recent passing of Muhammed Ali, the Champ.
43A. O : WEDDING BAND (11). With this ring, I thee wed...
And the reveal
56A. Site of confused activity, and a hint to 20-, 32- and 43-Across : THREE RING CIRCUS (15).
Across:
1. "I Love Lucy" airer : CBS. Love an easy 1A on Friday.
4. Search, in a way : GROPE. In the darkness, not your neighbor at the movies.
9. "I Love Lucy" role : ETHEL. Plunked this is without hesitation, and I was off.
14. Caucasian native : HUN. We are not talking racially but GEOGRAPHICALLY. I had no idea about any of this and filled in only because I did 1A, 1D, 2D and 3D to begin.
15. Havens : OASES. Very literal.
16. __ football : ARENA. This is the 29th season for the SPRING indoor football league.
17. Detergent in a red container : ERA.
19. More miffed : SORER.
23. Inca __: Peruvian soft drink : KOLA. My learning moment. LINK. Not ot be confused with 45D. Widely criticized 1985 product introduction : NEW COKE.
24. Taxing people? : IRS. Funny?
25. Meet at the poker table : SEE. I will see your $10.00 and raise you $10.00.
26. Twitter follower, usually : FAN. Stalker, media person...
28. Horseshoe-shaped boat part : OARLOCK.
37. Garden pond fish : KOI. We have had this CARP before many times.
38. Crook's invention : ALIAS.
39. Meteor tail? : ITE. The word, not the phenomenon.
40. Ancient Greek physician : GALEN. Aelius Galenus or Claudius Galenus, often Anglicized as Galen and better known as Galen of Pergamon, was a prominent Greek physician, surgeon and philosopher in the Roman empire. Wikipedia
42. Author Deighton : LEN. A spy novelist who gave us many books and movies with The Ipcress File one that comes to mind.
46. Angles for iron users : DOGLEGS. I love the fill, great for all of our golfers, but the clue seems awkward. Howard? Rich?
48. Course for newcomers: Abbr. : ESL. English as a Second Language. The course really helped Oo.
49. "... __ the set of sun": "Macbeth" : ERE. A return of Will to Friday.
50. Seven-film franchise : SAW. I have not seen any SAW.
52. Smooth over : EASE.
61. Stockpile : HOARD. I think my uncle was one, but not as bad as seen on TV.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3eOo_EeGj0
62. Sportscast analysis : COLOR.
63. "Rumour __ It": 2011 Adele hit : HAS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksc85bFfoPk
64. First sign : ONSET. Sadly mostly associated with dementia.
65. In need of change? : BROKE. Very cute, except when you go to by gas.
66. Spacewalk initials : EVA.
67. Brief copy? : REPROduction.
68. Spoke Abyssinian? : MEWED.
69. "L.A. Law" actress : DEY.
Down:
1. It's always dated : CHECK. More fun cluing.
2. Grand Canyon animal : BURRO.
3. Spiral-shelled creature : SNAIL.
4. View from the Qilian Mountains : GOBI.
5. Coming down : RAINING.
6. Muppet in a can : OSCAR.
7. Strips off : PEELS.
8. "Outside the Lines" airer : ESPN.
9. Hidden DVD features : EASTER EGGS. Love this reference. An Easter egg is an intentional inside joke, hidden message, or feature in an interactive work such as a computer program, video game or DVD menu screen. The name is used to evoke the idea of a traditional Easter egg hunt.
LINK.
10. Garden tool : TROWEL.
11. Sub : HERO.
12. U.S. dept. with a windmill on its seal : ENERgy.
13. Escapade : LARK.
21. Classic 20-Across : MAFIA.
22. Genesis name : ESAU.
27. Was supervised by : ANSWERED TO.
28. R.E.M.'s "The __ Love" : ONE I.
29. St. with a panhandle : OKLAhoma.
30. "Fargo" director : COEN.
31. Warmhearted : KIND
32. Undisguised : BALD
33. Toast topping : OLEO
34. Word seen under a deer silhouette : XING
35. YouTube clips, for short : VIDS
36. RR schedule listing : ETD
41. More capable : ABLER
44. Hungarian wine region : EGER
47. Rude sort : LEERER.
50. Bedroom noise : SNORE
51. Warmly lit : AGLOW
53. Yearned : ACHED.
54. Polished : SUAVE.
55. SAT part that's judged : ESSAY.
56. Wielder of Mjölnir : THOR.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIJoED70HZU
57. Perfect : HONE. People often hone their craft, or hone
58. Grating sound : RASP. You can use a rasp to sharpen (hone) your tools.
59. SALT topic : ICBM. InterContinental Ballistic Missile.
60. More than annoyed : IRED. A variation of IRE I have never seen anywhere but crossword puzzles.
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