Jeffrey Wechsler

Title M M M M M good.

JW is back and it seems almost as if hre and mark McClain collaborated on the last two offerings. Instead of removing a :T: like we did last week, we add an M to each phrase to create a new and entertaining phrase. 1/3/5 have the M added at the end with a complete change in spelling. 2/4 add the M before a final E, with Tome the only one which does not change the spelling. A minor nit.It may have been his seed entry. The rest is vintage JW with ARCADIA,  DAEMONS,  SPACIER, SINATRA, YOU HEAR ME, WORK FORCE, TOM SWIFTY,  I THINK NOT, FOREIGN MAIL, SCIENCE SHOW all fun longish fill. With so many spaces filled by the theme and the long fill, there are some 3/4 letter fillers but all in all a fun Friday.

20A. Seminal discovery by sports historians? : THE FIRST TEAM (12). The first tee.  This is an organization that uses golf to inspire the young. LINK.

27A. Comprehensive text on mints? : TIC TAC TOME (10). Tic tac toe. The Xs and Os GAME.
LINK before they found Kelly Harmon.

37A. Reaction to Bugs' continued evasiveness? : ELMER'S GLOOM (11). Elmer's glue. Poor Elmer Fudd, poor COW. Which leads perfectly to...

48A. How a snail moves? : ON THE SLIME (10). On the sly. LINK.

56A. "I plotted against Caesar completely on my own!"? : CASSIUS' CLAIM (12). Cassius Clay. JW slips a little hint of Shakespeare with a Muhammad Ali reference

Across:

1. Out of practice : RUSTY. I like this clue/fill  but it actually took me a moment, which suggests that maybe I am....

6. Blue stone : LAPIS. I always think of Lapis Lazuli.

11. It doesn't last long : FAD.

14. Casual opening : INTRO. I was looking for a prefix for casual all too long.

15. Saudi neighbor : OMANI.

16. Part of un giorno : ORA. Italian for a day and an hour.

17. Crayfish habitat : BAYOU. A CSO to all of our Louisiana contingent.

18. Employees : WORK FORCE.

22. Newspaper supporters : ADS. A tricky way to clue a simple one- ads do pay for the newspaper to exist, but...

25. LAX stat : ETA.

26. "You got me there" : SO I DO. This is a bit of confusion for me, though it turns out ok.
So do I is simply "I agree", or "I feel exactly the same" (me too).

So I do can mean several similar things. It is a way of agreeing about something you did not realize, as in "well, how about that, what you say is true." I do in fact do that, what you say. (for example, you raise your eyebrow when you are lying. So I do (I never realized that before).
.
It also is a way of agreeing with something fairly obvious, that you have known for some time. (you raise your eyebrow when you are lying. So I do (yes, and you are just noticing that?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhBB4CCB4h4

32. Card game : GIN. I have played many hours, including knock gin and all the rummy cousins.

33. Certain cross-country traveler : SKIER. Hey marti.

34. Crane's construction : NEST. Tricky, the bird not the heavy equipment.

36. "One Mic" rapper : NAS. I will NOT link this song.

41. Common ID : SSN.

43. Soaps actress Rylan : EMME. This diminutive actress appears on soaps mostly and changed her name legally from Marcy.

44. Some kissing sounds : MWAHS. Back at you.

47. Snap : PIC.

51. Lend __ : AN EAR. Friends, Romans....

54. "That's so cute!" : AWW. Two weeks in a row. Did not help the Dolphins.

55. Brine-cured delicacy : LOX. When I was a kid, there was LOX (salty) and Nova, not salty.Now I know Why.                                                                                                                                                

61. "Doubtful" : I THINK NOT. A classic JW multi-word fill.

62. Be enamored of : FANCY. I can almost hear this in a British accent.

66. Relative of -ista : ERO. Spanish that has invaded US speak. LINK.

67. View from the Eiffel Tower : SEINE.

68. Traction aid : TREAD.

69. Cold and wet : RAW. The night was...

70. Fragrant compound : ESTER. Not Esther Lessner...oh the other ONE.

71. Quite a while : YEARS.

Down:

1. Kid : RIB. I was slow getting this and 1 across, sad, especially for a kidder like me.

2. A, in Acapulco : UNA.

3. Mess metaphor : STY. Rhymes with Sly.

4. Canter cousin : TROT. Many kinds of GAITS for horses. 49D. Bit of equestrian gear : HALTER.

5. "Am I clear?" : YOU HEAR ME? Another classic JW multi-word fill; words a child does not ant to hear from a parent.

6. Dieter's choice : LOW FAT. There are high fat diets as well.

7. Milwaukee : mine :: Marseilles : __ : A MOI. Just French.

8. Last of three Catherines : PARR. 37.5% of Henry VIII wives.

9. Calligrapher's array : INKS.

10. Searches (through) : SIFTS. Even works for emails.

11. Philatelist's source : FOREIGN MAIL. It was always so exciting to get a letter from a foreign country, and look at the stamp.

12. Peloponnesian region : ARCADIA.  A reference to both old and new GREECE. Next to....

13. Nature spirits of Greek myth : DAEMONS. BZZZT! That is the Latin term for the GREEK. This like cluing JUPITER as Greek god.

19. Plains tribe : OTO.

21. List substitute: Abbr. : ETC.

22. Cadillac model : ATS. A car- whoopee!

23. Hägar creator Browne : DIK. Gone 27 years, his son Chris now produces the strip.

24. TV's "Through the Wormhole," e.g. : SCIENCE SHOW. Available on Netflix. EXAMPLE.

28. Invoice heading no. : TEL.

29. Initiation : ONSET.

30. Ryan of "Sleepless in Seattle" : MEG. Another victim of plastic surgery.

31. Night sch. staple : ESL. It  helped Oo and I become a couple.

35. Bit of adverbial wordplay : TOM SWIFTY. I have a split personality," said Tom, being frank.

38. Confessional music genre : EMO.

39. LBJ's successor : RMN. Tricky Dicky.

40. Real head-turner in the animal kingdom : OWL.

41. Deeper into la-la land : SPACIER.

42. "From Here to Eternity" Oscar winner : SINATRA.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvaXp2OM_F0

45. Coverage-providing org. : HMO.

46. __ symbol : SEX. Brigitte Bardot, Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, Paul Newman,,,who is it now. Link your favorites.

50. __ Beach, Hawaii, home of the 2005 Little League World Series champs : EWA. I can sense some serious grumbling about this fill unless you all know Hawaii much better than I do. It was filled before I got here, but this is obscure.

52. "__ suspected!" : AS I.

53. Salon procedure : RINSE. As a child when my grandmother would go to get her hair rinsed and set, I though 'how stupid' it was, since we had a perfectly serviceable sink and shower. I did not know about THIS.

57. Hawaiian strings : UKES. More Hawaii.

58. Agitated state : SNIT. I hope no reader got in a snit over any of the fill.

59. Pothole warning : CONE. Or barrels? ORANGE.

60. Farm female : MARE.

63. Org. assisting museums : NEA. I always get this wrong.

64. Amtrak unit : CAR. How simple.

65. QB's stat : YDS.

Well, fall has fallen, I get home after dark and another Jeffrey Wechsler is in the record books. It fit and and I had a good tuime. You all have a great week end. Lemonade out.

Mark McClain

Title: Has anybody seen my T?

Mark is back for his eighth LAT of the year and second this month. I have not had him on a Friday since August 2015. This time we have four starter words in phrases all containing the sound o͞ot derived from the letters "UTE" and Mark then removes the "T" and uses the resulting o͞o sound to find words which combine with the rest of the phrase are clued wackily. Easier to see than explain. Two are the first word, two are the last word' the only outlier is MAGIC LUTE which maintains the spelling "ute"unlike the other three. We also have no hint or reveal, so you have see the gimmick. We do have some new fill like BLOW BY,  SAY BOO (BUTE?),  RED CAP,  DEUCES, DAYTONA, WHITNEY,  ORCHARD and TIDIEST. On with the show...

20A. Number on some beer bottles? : BREW STRENGTH (12). Brute strength. Craft beer tends to be very strong.

35A. Washateria wear? : LAUNDRY SHOE (11). Laundry chute. We have garbage chutes here.

42A. Musical work played where Brits go? : LOO CONCERTO (11). Lute concerto.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9m3ghjN0RE

59A. Smokeless chimney duct? : THE MAGIC FLUE (12). The magic flute.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vwub-9dZLFU


Across:

1. Shot in the dark : STAB. My favorite Shot In The Dark

5. Mild expletive : DANG.

9. Contraction used with "up" : WHAT'S. Doc.

14. Confining room : CELL.

15. River originating in Manchuria : AMUR. I wonder how many remember this river from the Wednesday the 7th puzzle.

16. Assails : HAS AT.

17. Woodstock performer before Joan : ARLO. I will not repeat my comments about this performance. Joan Baez was awesome.

18. Sci-fi guru : YODA.

19. Rodeo maker : ISUZU.

23. Make even the slightest comment : SAY BOO. I do not want to hear a word, not even Boo!

24. Hall of Famer Musial : STAN. Stan the man; I was lucky enough to have watched him and Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle and so many more.

25. Some suits, briefly : VPS.

28. Egg foo __ : YUNG. Some HISTORY.

30. Depot worker : REDCAP. Train depot; bus depot?

32. Flight regulatory org. : FAA.

38. "__ turca: allegretto": Mozart rondo : ALLA. A second helping of Mozart.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geER3iQDO5k

40. "Is that __?" : A NO. Yes.

41. Floor option : TILE.

47. Sci-fi craft : POD.

48. Exotic journey : SAFARI.

49. Kennel calls : YIPS.

51. Terrestrial wiggler : EFT.

52. Storm sound : CLAP.

55. Jefferson bills, slangily : DEUCES. LINK.

61. Courts in some hotels : ATRIA.

64. Bend for a swan, maybe : PLIE.

65. Woodworking tool : FILE. Last week I had rasp.

66. Contemporary of Beethoven : WEBER. This MAN.

67. Trouser parts : LEGS.

68. Chatted with online : IM-ED.

69. Quirky : WEIRD.

70. 2015 World Series-winning manager Ned : YOST.

71. Much of the MTV generation : XERS.

Down:

1. Natural skin protection : SCABS.

2. __ firma : TERRA.

3. Way in the back, often : ALLEY.

4. Pass easily : BLOW BY.

5. Prestigious NASCAR venue : DAYTONA.

6. Lima love : AMOR.

7. Many Renoirs : NUDES.

8. Foster __: sunglasses brand : GRANT.

9. Self-titled 1987 pop album : WHITNEY.

10. Diner concoction : HASH.

11. Phil Mickelson's alma mater: Abbr. : ASU. Arizona State University. Phil won a PGA tournament while still a student. The STORY. 25 years ago.

12. Toon devil : TAZ.

13. "The Simpsons" disco guy : STU.

21. Subject of an evil negotiation : SOUL.

22. "Dumb and Dumber" actress : GARR.

25. Parental control device : V-CHIP.

26. Italian soccer great Rossi : PAOLO. This football STAR.

27. Dash datum : SPEED.

29. Tortilla chip topper, informally : GUACamole.

31. It's not observed in P.R. : DST.

32. Pseudo : FALSE.

33. "Half __ is ... " : A LOAF.

34. On high : ALOFT.

36. San Antonio-to-Dallas dir. : NNE.

37. Small craft : DORY.

39. Picasso's here : ACA.

43. Picking site : ORCHARD.

44. Giza's river : NILE.

45. Like the maximum sum : TIDIEST.

46. Multinational energy gp. : OPEC. Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

50. Less, when added? : SUFFIX.

53. To an adequate degree : AMPLY.

54. __ diet : PALEO.

56. Versifier's weather : CLIME.

57. Calculus pioneer : EULER.

58. Origins : SEEDS.

59. Echelon : TIER.

60. Touring jobs : GIGS.

61. "What a darling baby!" : AWW.

62. Golfer's support : TEE.

63. Cred for bringing someone home : RBI.

Patti Varol

Title: Beer today, song tomorrow.





20A. Beer made in Johannesburg? : STOUT OF AFRICA (13).

33A. One who aspires to be the king of beers? : PORTER PRINCE (12).

41A. Sounds from a brewery? : LAGER RHYTHMS (12).

57A. Toast said while hoisting presidential beer? : ALE TO THE CHIEF (13).


Across:

1. Crudités enhancers : DIPS. A vegatable tray for you french haters.

5. __ puppet : SOCK. Hand fits as well. Make your OWN.

9. Hot dogs and hams : MEATS. Tried to fool you with the other meaning.

14. With, on la carte : AVEC. Straight French.

15. Tartan wearers : CLAN. How better than with a single malt.
http://www.jewmalt.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Tartan-poster-11x17-662x1024.jpg

16. Lowest deck on a ship : ORLOP. I hit a rough patch here. This is just a worf=d you need to remember.

17. Gadget that exercises the wrist : YOYO. I also never thougth of a yoyo as a gadget.

18. Spydom name : HARI. Hello Mata, hello fata.

19. Crisp : NIPPY. New England evenings this time of year.

23. Lorry supply : PETROL. British trucks also run on gasoline.

24. Deck wood : TEAK. But not the orlop.

25. Chi. setting : CDT. Central Daylight Time.

28. Citrus suffix : ADE. Nothing like a shout out to get my attention.

29. Letter before upsilon : TAU. Tau was derived from the Phoenician letter taw Phoenician taw.svg (𐤕). Letters that arose from tau include Roman T and Cyrillic Te (Т, т).

31. Ranking : SENIOR. Who is the senior office on duty?

36. Run out : FLEE. I was thinking using up something and having no more.

39. Larter of TV's "Heroes" : ALI. My thanks and apologies to Splynter and HG.

40. Tip for a dealer : TOKE.You ask WHY?

46. "Life of Pi" Oscar winner : ANG LEE.

47. Justice dept. heads : AGS. Attorney Generals.

48. Form 1040 fig. : AGI. Ajdjusted Gross Income.

51. Welker of the NFL : WES. The Dolphins had him, traded him and he became Tom Brady's favorite target. CAREER.

52. Highbrow : SNOB.

55. Oil once touted by Florence Henderson : WESSON.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vF2_AgXYUCQ

60. Gourd fruit : MELON.

62. Happy __ : MEAL. Mickey D's.

63. Fluency : EASE.

64. Mesmerizing designs : OP ART.

65. Dark cloud : PALL.

66. They may not be quiet on the set : EGOS.

67. Fords a stream : WADES.

68. Gps. with copays : HMOS. Health Maintenance Organizations.

69. Paris' __ Neuf : PONT. The Pont Neuf (French pronunciation: ​[pɔ̃ nœf], "New Bridge") is the oldest standing bridge across the river Seine in Paris, France. Remind you of  Ponte Vecchio?


Down:

1. Place for pampering : DAY SPA.

2. Polling place sticker words : I VOTED.

3. Desert hallucinogen : PEYOTE. You can make a mess of MESCALINE.

4. Use a Brillo pad : SCOUR. Next to...

5. Learned one : SCHOLAR.

6. Evil count of "A Series of Unfortunate Events" : OLAF. Did you watch the Movie?

7. Stone measure : CARAT.

8. Word with bread and butter : KNIFE. My bread and butter response.

9. Sobriquet : MONIKER. So many names for names.

10. Los Angeles mayor Garcetti : ERIC. An impressive sounding MAN.

11. Actor with eight Oscar nominations (and one win) : AL PACINO.
Academy Awards
Year         Film            Category                 Result
1973 The Godfather   Best Supporting Actor Nominated
1974 Serpico           Best Leading Actor Nominated
1975 The Godfather Part II                         Nominated
1976 Dog Day Afternoon                                 Nominated
1980 ...And Justice for All                         Nominated
1991 Dick Tracy Best Supporting Actor Nominated
1993 Glengarry Glen Ross                         Nominated
                Scent of a Woman Best Leading Actor Won

12. Cover : TOP.

13. Many a character in "The Americans" : SPY. The story a a soviet couple in the US as spies for Russia. It  was created by Joe Weisberg, a former CIA officer.

21. Wizard revealer : TOTO. Cannot fool a dog.

22. Coarse file : RASP.

26. Put in : DOCK.

27. One on a cartoon desert island : TREE.

30. State with five national parks : UTAH.

32. Trifles : NITS.

33. Marmalade ingredient : PEEL.

34. Nevada copper town : ELY.

35. Beatles girl with a "little white book" : RITA.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ly0niNZzfxU

36. Weak spot : FLAW.

37. Hatcher's "Lois & Clark" role : LANE.

38. Sandwich spread : EGG SALAD. Spread?

42. Feels sore about : RESENTS.
43. Monopoly deed word : RENT
44. Sinclair Lewis nominated him for the 1932 Nobel Prize in Literature : HGWELLS
45. Tiny time meas. : MSEC
48. Italian cheese : ASIAGO
49. Takes the stage : GOESON
50. Overrun : INFEST
53. Energy : OOMPH
54. Players riding the pine : BTEAM
56. Docile sorts : SHEEP
58. Mythology : LORE.

59. Circle overhead? : HALO.

60. Do the lawn : MOW.

61. AQI monitor : EPA.

Mark Feldman

17A. Politically active fowl? : TRUMP DUCK (9). Dump Truck.

28A. Clever insect? : CUNNING ROACH (12).Running Coach.

45A. Embarrassed avian? : BLUSHING CROW (12). Crushing blow.

59A. Street-wise amphibian? : ROUGH TOAD (9). Tough Road.
And the reveal,
66A. Oxford don associated with slips similar to 17-, 28-, 45-, and 59-Across : SPOONER. The MAN.


Across:

1. Books in which each sheet of paper is folded into eight leaves : OCTAVOS. Latin for 8.

8. Factions : SECTS.

13. See 2-Down : TORTILLAS. 2D. With 13-Across, Mexican restaurant choices : CORN. When I was young and first exposed to Mexican food in new England, corn tortillas were the only choice. They were crunchy and messy- great for a kid.

16. Not likely to miss much : ALERT.

18. Eyelashes : CILIA. The Latin plural of cilium- 1. the eyelids or eyelashes.
2. small, hairlike processes projecting from epithelial cells on the outer surfaces of some cells, aiding metabolism by producing motion, eddies, or current in a fluid. In the lung, cilia wave mucus, pus, and dust upward. In the Fallopian Tube, they are an integral part of getting pregnant.

19. "A Chorus Line" number : ONE. The Finale.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyZeGOsR9IA

20. Goddess with a throne headdress : ISIS.

22. Become clear : JELL. Thoughts can jell. They also can be discarded. 57A. Get rid of : SCRAP.

23. Flair : ELAN.

26. Easily bent : PLIABLE.

32. Comfortable with : USED TO.

33. Dresden's river : ELBE.

34. Takes in : HAS.

37. Big hit : SMASH. Broadway.

38. Subside, with "down" : DIE.

39. Doozy : BEAUT.

41. Loan fig. : PCT. Percent.

42. "The Little Mermaid" prince : ERIC.

                                                                        The Story

44. The kiwi is the smallest one : RATITE. Any of the mostly large birds with a flat breastbone without a keel, therefore unable to fly, i.e., the ostrich, rhea, emu, cassowary, and kiwi, together with the extinct moa and elephant bird.

47. Fake it, in a way : LIPSYNC. I really like seeing this Friday worthy fill.

50. Pageant accessory : SASH. I have had this and Obi very often this year.

51. Sandy's home : UTAH. Got me; there is a Sandy City Utah? Not the dog....

52. Puts in place : SETS. Like a dinner table.

54. Achievement of many a CEO : MBA.

63. Birch of "American Beauty" : THORA. Birch was born in Los Angeles, the eldest child of Jack Birch and Carol Connors. Her parents, who have been her business managers throughout her acting career, are former adult film actors; both appeared in the film Deep Throat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amEjnYxoWFU

64. Require help : NEED A HAND.

65. Slender woman : SYLPH. Another wonderful word. One would move 24D. In a supple manner : LITHELY.


Down:

1. Anne Frank's father : OTTO. Somehow I remembered his NAME.

3. Loyal : TRUE. Be true to your love.

4. 20s dispenser : ATM.

5. Bigwig : VIP.

6. Dated : OLD.

7. Swinging about : SLUING. Not high on my list: verb (used with object), slued, sluing. 1. to turn (a mast or other spar) around on its own axis, or without removing it from its place. 2.to swing around.
verb (used without object), slued, sluing. 3. to turn about; swing around.

8. __ fly: productive MLB out : SACrifice.

9. Hebrew prophet : ELIJAH. A most important PROPHET.

10. Star : CELEB.

11. Operatic vocal effect : TRILL. When he retired in 2012, Bass Paul Plishka said, he could not do it any more. "The trill is gone."

12. Dated : STALE. Liker some humor!

14. Coolers, briefly : ACS.

15. Balancing aid on the slopes : SKI POLE.

21. Piece at the butcher shop : SLAB.

23. Goals : ENDS.

25. Mayo is in it : ANO.

27. Swell applications : ICE BAGS.

28. Edge : CUSP.

29. Letters at N.C.'s Camp Lejeune : USMC.

30. Drink order : NEAT. Tinbeni CSO!

31. Clinton's first Labor secretary : REICH. A very interesting MAN, only 4'11."

34. Locks often gray : HAIR.

35. Aries or Taurus : AUTO.The K Car is long gone, but Ford Taurus is back.

36. Brood : STEW.

38. Make out : DISCERN.

40. Make an impression : ETCH.

43. Hose problems : RUNS.

44. Stranded messenger : RNA.

45. C equivalent : B SHARP.

46. Time units : ISSUES. The magazine, silly.

47. Hungers (for) : LUSTS.

48. Raring to go : ITCHY.

49. Given orally, as evidence : PAROL.

53. Golf club part : TOE.

54. Complain : MOAN. Stop your moaning and groaning; I guess more appropriate than any other definition. U had an aquaintance who made a living moaning for  pron movies.

55. Thorn in one's side : BANE.

56. Dely. destination : ADDRess.

58. Half a tuba sound : PAH. really, isn't it 1/3- oom pah pah?

60. Econ. yardstick : GDP. D or N? Domestic or national.

61. One-tenth of a Vietnamese dong, formerly : HAO. A very obscure clue, even with the formerly hint. A Vietnamese currency previously issued by the Vietnam National Bank. The hao, or hào, is one-tenth of a Vietnamese dong and can be subdivided into 10 xu. Neither the xu or the hao are currently in use in Vietnam.

62. E'en if : THO.