Francesca Goldston

20A. "Am I clear, George?"? : CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW(13).

28A. "Okay, so it's THAT dictionary"? : NOAH WEBSTER(9).

48A. Former space sports group? : MINOR LEAGUE (9).

58A. Little Spanish range? : POCONO MOUNTAINS (13).
And the reveal

71A. Taboo that hints at this puzzle's theme : NO NO (4).


Across:

1. "It's not easy to __": Five for Fighting lyric : BE ME.

5. Sun, for one : G-STAR.

10. Omegas, in the electrical world : OHMS.

14. Field beasts : OXEN.

15. Manual : HOW TO.

16. Central points : FOCI.

17. Jack Blum's "Meatballs" character : SPAZ.

18. House work? : OPERA.

19. Work meas. : FTLB.

23. Incitements : STIMULI.

24. Wonderstruck : IN AWE.

27. Manuscript mark : STET.

32. 9, often: Abbr. : SEPtember.

34. Have something : AIL.

35. Symbols of elusiveness : EELS.

36. Govt. stipend provider : SSI.

39. "The Ten Commandments" (1956) director : DEMILLE.

42. AAA offering : RTE.

43. It's near the funny bone : ULNA.

45. Reaction to a 71-Across : TSK.

46. Embarrassing marks : EFS.

51. Nursery buy : LOAM.

54. Roosevelt feature partially carved on Rushmore : SPECS.

55. Jordan River outlet : DEAD SEA.

62. "Oops!" : OH OH. How quaint in a no no puzzle.

64. Sneeze, say : REACT. Random, but real, as you react to dust by sneezing.

65. Tilted position : CANT.

66. Mexican bread : PESO.

67. Early anesthetic : ETHER.

68. New __ : AGER.

69. Winter Olympics jump : AXEL.

70. Loud : GAUDY.


Down:

1. Certain pears : BOSCS.

2. Americans in Paris, maybe : EXPATS.

3. Be dead serious : MEAN IT.

4. Biology subjects : ENZYMES.

5. Halloween costume : GHOUL.

6. Cary's love interest in "Houseboat" : SOPHIA.

7. Too precious, in Portsmouth : TWEE.

8. Quattro competitor : ATRA.

9. Ocean output : ROAR.

10. Cause of hurt feelings : OFFENSE.

11. Sticky spot : HOTWATER.

12. Ligament commonly injured in football : MCL.  How nice to see a ligament rather than a Roman Numeral.

13. Ted, to Bobby : SIB.

21. Exposed : OUTED.

22. Sci-fi pic series : MIB.

25. Temporary skin damage : WELT.

26. Gaelic tongue : ERSE.

29. Narrowly defined verse : HAIKU.

30. Wheaton who played Wesley on "Star Trek: T.N.G." : WIL.

31. Women's issue : ELLE.

33. Org. that opened a Bob Barker building in 2012 : PETA.

36. Tidy amounts : SUMS.

37. Tongue problem? : SLIP.

38. At peace : IN REPOSE.

40. Stir-fry sprinkle : MSG.

41. Key of four Beethoven piano sonatas : E-FLAT.

44. "The anesthesia by which we endure the operation of life": Shaw : ALCOHOL.

47. Recycle item : SODA CAN.

49. User's way out : ESC.

50. Brought out : EDUCED.

52. Panini cheese : ASIAGO.

53. Skin Bracer maker : MENNEN.

56. Contest form : ENTRY.

57. The Jetsons' dog : ASTRO.

59. The Snake R. forms part of its eastern border : OREGon.

60. Prefix with physics : META.

61. Kalanikupule's kingdom : OAHU.

62. German grandpa :  OPA .

63. Evil eye : HEX.


ENZYMES OFFENSE STIMULI DEMILLE ALCOHOL SODACAN DEADSEA
HOTWATER INREPOSE

Alan P. Olschwang

Title: It must be Thursday in 2008 Alan Olschwang is back!

For the few remaining regular posters who go back to the Tribune Media Services puzzles which inspired C.C. to become a blogger, this is a blast from the past. Every Thursday we has a quip/quote puzzle from Mr. O The fourth puzzle that was blogged by C.C. here was this ONE which predates all of us. As C.C. honed her interviewing skills, she presented us with this GLIMPSE into the mind of APO. The quip:

"20A. Start of a quip : IT WON'T MATTER (12).
  29A. Quip, part 2 : HOW FAR YOU (9).
  38A. Quip, part 3 : PUSH THE ENVELOPE (15).
  45A. Quip, part 4 : IT'LL STILL (9).
  53A. End of the quip : BE STATIONERY (12)."

I think the ER is funnier.
His version is used to protect the symmetry of the clues.



As with most of these type puzzles, the quip is based on a pun - stationery / stationary. It feels strange to be back in the day; I hope you enjoy the trip. It is interesting how many constructors are resurfacing after an extended absence.

Across:

1. Did one part of a typical triathlon : SWAM. A sport with swimming, cycling, and long-distance running.

5. Overwhelm : SWAMP.

10. Camera output : SNAP.

14. Tuscan waterway : ARNO. The RIVER.

15. Smoothes : EASES.

16. 1899 gold rush town : NOME. 50 years later.

17. It's nothing to Noelle : RIEN. Just french.

18. Pines, e.g. : TREES. Sometimes the simple answer is right even on Friday.

19. Wavy lines, in comics : ODOR. There are  ORGANIZED rules?

23. Stuff in a sack : LOOT.

24. Dough shortage consequence : DEBT.

27. "Chicago P.D." detective Lindsay : ERIN. A pretty young lady who is played by Sophia Bush

34. Speaks : ORATES.

36. Durango day : DIA. This time the language is Spanish.

37. Rotation meas. : RPS. Revolutions Per Second? Certainly not RPMS. Hmm, rock, paper, scissors? Nit pick?

42. Pranks, in a way, informally : TPS. Good symmetry with the questionable RPS. NC questions whether this is really done in America, yes it does happen often

43. Browser's find : URL.URL is the short version for : Uniform Resource Locator, previously Universal Resource Locator – usually pronounced by sounding out each letter. URL – is the unique address for a file that is accessible on the Internet. Various sources.

44. Privileged groups : ELITES.

49. Wrapped up : OVER. That story arc was finally wrapped up.

50. See 52-Down : SEAT. 52D. With 50-Across, flier's option : AISLE.

51. Swiss waterway : AARE. A fun tour by ORANGE (Amy Renaldo)..

60. Hook for landing large fish : GAFF. Is this a GAFFE.

63. Wines named for an Iberian city : PORTS.

64. Pivot around : SLUE.

65. Plot measure : ACRE.

66. Mexican Academy of Film award : ARIEL.

67. McCain's alma mater: Abbr. : USNA. United States Naval Academy.

68. Casino device : SHOE. They like the 8 deck version in Las Vegas to defeat the card counters.

69. Spider's web, e.g. : SNARE.

70. Jury member : PEER. Only the British could have started something that became sio different.

Down:

1. Asian garment : SARI.

2. Legal paper : WRIT. More law 13D. __ stirpes: estate law term : PER.

3. Once more : ANEW. 7D. Europe-bound, perhaps : ASEA.

4. Yosemite's El Capitan, e.g. : MONOLITH. people actually climb this for fun!

5. Scrape : SET TO.

6. Affection : WARMTH.

8. Athletic contest : MEET. an organized event at which a number of races or other sporting contests are held. "a swim meet."

9. "Hey, you!" : PSST.

10. Common nocturnal disturbance : SNORER. Syntax? It is the snoring that is the disturbance?

11. Wordless opinion : NOD.

12. Te-__: cigar brand : AMO.

21. Good-sized combo : NONET. Nine pieces.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b7X2i2FUjw

22. First name in childcare writing : EDA.

25. How many learn : BY ROTE. Memorization without thought.

26. High hat : TOPPER.

27. Rages : ERUPTS.

28. Brawl in the sticks : RASSLE.

30. Former "Access Hollywood" anchor Nancy : O'DELL. Too political.

31. When repeated, mutually advantageous : WIN. Much of what I do now is win-win where a buyer and seller of real property are both very happy at the closing.

32. Most liked, casually : FAVE. I have a cousin who loves this word.

33. Versatility list : USES.

34. Eye opener? : OPTIcal e.g.

35. Close : SHUT.

39. NW Penn. airport : ERIe. The universal code for airports. This ONE really is not in Erie is it gentleman?

40. Ecuadoran gold region : EL ORO.  El Oro province is the southernmost of Ecuador's coastal provinces. It was named for its historically important gold production. Today it is one of the world's major exporters of bananas. Wiki.

41. Cheers : LIVENS UP. Nice fill that liv...oh never mind.

46. Tuition add-on : LAB FEE.

47. Abbr. in some Canadian place names : STE. A female saint. more French.

48. LDS part : LATTER. It is religion; some say Mormon, but in 1834, the church was being referred to as the "Church of the Latter Day Saints" in early church publications, and in 1838 Smith announced that he had received a revelation from God that officially changed the name to the "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints." wiki.

54. Therapeutic resorts : SPAS.

55. Ambivalent : TORN.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sks0x_GJIDs

56. One of a tenor's repertoire : ARIA.

57. Word suggesting options : ELSE. Back again.

58. Ancient character : RUNE. Not Mel Brooks.

59. Sentence component : YEAR.  Penal system not classroom.

60. Yakking : GAS.

61. German gripe : ACH.

62. One way to sway : FRO and to? Another way to go is over and out, which is a good segue into my saying thank you Mr. Olschwang for a different ride. It is not our first LAT quip but we do not see many. Hope you all enjoyed and come back and see us next time. Lemonade out.

Patti Varol

Title: Time to clean the kitchen

Patti V., who doubles as Rich Norris' assistant at the LAT, has turned on the creative juices again in 2016 with 5 puzzles in the last 10 weeks. Today we have a variation of the definition puzzle, where words that are associated with each other - here items in a kitchen - are used as clues for completely different things.





ARTESIAN,  READ UP ON, PLEASE HOLD,  DEAN MARTIN

17A. Spoon : HUG TENDERLY (11).

24A. Dish : SPREAD GOSSIP (12).

38A. Fork : BRANCH IN THE ROAD (15).

49A. Plate : COAT WITH GOLD (12).

60A. Bowl : PLAY TEN PINS (11).


Across:

1. Assuming it's true : AS FACT.

7. "Bloom County" penguin : OPUS. I gratuitously linked him recently.

11. Jams : PJS. Jammies-yes. Jams?

14. After-dinner gathering : SOIREE. The forties and fifties were filled with soirees.

15. Go in different directions : PART. Part company.

16. Service to redo : LET. Tennis.

19. Flight status info : ETA.

20. In addition : ELSE. Put it in, took it out, put it back.

21. "The Fault in __ Stars": John Green novel : OUR. if you like crying...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ItBvH5J6ss

22. Leader's domain : REALM.

28. Chatter boxes? : RADIOS. I like the clue and remember the nights before we had TV and listening to all those great voices.

31. Light weight : OUNCE.

32. It may precede bad news : I FEAR. I fear we have run out of caviar, deah.

33. Beavers, e.g. : HATS. I bet you did not know all of THIS.

35. "Girls" channel : HBO.

42. Icarus, to Daedalus : SON.

43. Bar employee: Abbr. : ATTY. Please let us never have att as fill for lawyers.

44. String quartet member : CELLO. A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – two violin players, a viola player and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group. ... The string quartet was developed into its current form by the Austrian composer Joseph Haydn, with his works in the 1750s establishing the genre. Wiki.

45. Prefix with arch : MATRI. Patri anyone?

48. Bulldozer companion : LOADER. LINK. Can you name them all?

53. Marx with a horn : HARPO.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFk0BnxndMA

54. Vienna's land: Abbr. : AUStria.

55. The munchies, e.g. : URGE.

59. Hairy TV cousin : ITT.

64. Flowery welcome : LEI.

65. It's retold often : LORE.

66. Greet on the street : TOOT AT.

67. Roadside shelter : INN.

68. "Oh, ew" : YUCK.

69. Fancy, and then some : ORNATE.

Down:

1. New York stadium named for a sports great : ASHE.

2. __-searching : SOUL.

3. Tree fruit : FIGS.

4. Like some wells : ARTESIAN.

5. One of a Chicago duo : CEE.

6. Group of like voices : TENORS.

7. Purcell's "Dido and Aeneas," e.g. : OPERA.

8. Four score, often? : PAR.

9. Address bar address : URL.

10. "Lie Down in Darkness" author : STYRON.

11. Request before the music starts : PLEASE HOLD. 33D. Order before the music starts : HIT IT.

12. Beijing-born action hero : JET LI.

13. Passport mark : STAMP.

18. Payable : DUE.

23. "I didn't mean that" key : ESC.

25. Bordeaux butcher's offering : PORC.

26. Eccentric : DOTTY.

27. Write effusively : GUSH.

28. Smokehouse order : RIBS.

29. Coiffure style : AFRO.

30. '60s-'70s variety show host : DEAN MARTIN. After leaving Jerry Lewis, Dean has his own show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgcCfMo1HcY

34. Colony occupant : ANT.

36. Agricultural bundle : BALE.

37. Reminder to take out the trash? : ODOR.

39. Big name in WWI espionage : HARI. Sh;e back. The 100 year anniversary of her execution will be in October 2017.

40. Green sci. : ECOLogy.

41. Research : READ UP ON.

46D. Org. for netmen : ATP. The Association of Tennis Professionals  HISTORY.

47. Like some paper towels : TWO PLY.

48. Underscore? : LOSE TO. Very tricky; we use the other meaning often in legal writing.

49. Some like it hot : CHILI.

50. Like Cheerios : OATEN. To me they are more often eaten.

51. "Frida" star Salma : HAYEK. Seeing her with Antonio Banderas in Desperado was eye opening!

52. Prepare to remodel, maybe : GUT. Of the 16 definitions for this word, 4 are verbs.
13. (Cookery) to remove the entrails from (fish, etc)
14. (esp of fire) to destroy the inside of (a building)
15. to plunder; despoil: the raiders gutted the city.
16. to take out the central points of (an article), esp in summary form

56. Poet Dove : RITA. I like poetry but I am not up on my POETS.

57. Pest in a swarm : GNAT. Not a midge.

58. Where el sol rises : ESTE. Sun rises in the east even in Spanish speaking places.

61. Murderers' Row teammate of Babe : LOU. Ruth and Gehrig.

62. Part of a hinged-door floor plan symbol : ARC.

63. Fish-fowl link : NOR.

Jeffrey Wechsler

Title: It's election time, please call the Spin Doctors! Interesting that this group was mentioned Monday.

I will keep this politically correct, adding no SPIN of my own. A truly non-partisan puzzle, or is it? JW gives us another example of adding to an existing phrase to create a new and amusing fill. Today, it is four letters (the word SPIN). JW has really come up with so many ways to present the add a _ _ _ that I wonder what could be next. He also infused this puzzle with some very excellent non-theme entries such as NON-MOTILE,  SNOW ANGEL, STEP-PARENT,  SO THIS IS IT,  ONE NO TRUMP, LORGNETTES.

17A. Vito Corleone talking bobblehead? : RASPING DOLL (11). Rag doll gets Marlon Brando's voice.

22A. Goal of a holistic chiropractor? : SPINE HARMONY (12). Well-advertised dating site E-Harmony gets well adjusted.

38A. As a group, emulate Popeye? : BE SPINACH LOVERS (15). We beach lovers get to eat spinach also.

50A. Maiden aunt mascot? : TEAM SPINSTER (12). maiden aunt and spinsters probably are no longer PC terms, and the TEAMSTER's union isn't what it used to be.

And the reveal
59A. Enjoying the new car ... or what four puzzle answers are literally doing : TAKING A SPIN (11).
Really well played as they all take on a spin.

Well I hope your head is not spinning so we can get to work on this fun Friday.


Across

1. Start of something : ESS. Something. So simple it becomes tricky.

4. Know-it-all : BRAIN.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBkT19uH2RQ

9. Sticky roll : TAPE. Not food....

13. Title car in a Ronny & the Daytonas hit : GTO.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6c-bGVt3Pp8

14. Michelangelo's "The Last Judgment," e.g. : FRESCO. Per wiki:
The Last Judgment, or The Final Judgement (Italian: Il Giudizio Universale), is a fresco by the Italian Renaissance master Michelangelo executed on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. It is a depiction of the Second Coming of Christ and the final and eternal judgment by God of all humanity

15. Australian export : OPAL. And dear Kazie.

16. Like Gen. Powell : RETired.

19. N.T. book before Phil. : EPHesians come directly before the Phillipians. These are two of the epistles ascribed to Paul.

20. Denver-to-Wichita dir. : ESE.

21. Oppressive atmosphere : MIASMA. What a fun word which we have not had since marti was doing Thursdays.

26. Renewal notice feature, briefly : SASE. Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope.

27. Like a well-written mystery : TAUT. But hopefully not tautological.

28. Hammer user's cry : SOLD. At the auction!

32. Payment in Isfahan : RIALS. In Iran, old Persia.

LINK

35. Chem. and bio. : SCIS.

37. Drift (off) : NOD.

41. Singer DiFranco : ANI. Some music...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVg7mtgEqGY

42. Pop : SODA.

43. TV oil name : EWING. The show finally died when JR (Larry Hagman) died.

44. "The Good Wife" figs. : ATTS.

46. Fabric rib : WALE.

48. Its home version debuted at Sears in 1975 : PONG. At Sears?

54. Israeli prime minister after Barak : SHARON.

57. "__ Gotta Be Me" : I'VE.

58. Way to go: Abbr. : RTE. Nice, was thinking atta boy.

62. Great Basin native : UTE.

63. Saharan : ARID.

64. Hydrocarbon gas : ETHENE. I did not know this was the official NAME for ethylene.

65. Rx item : MED.

66. Inheritance factor : GENE.

67. Tends : LEANS.

68. Humanities maj. : PSYchology. My major in college. My youngest as well who recently asked, "Dad how could you let me major in psychology?

Down:

1. Way out : EGRESS.

2. Mike or Carol on "The Brady Bunch" : STEP-PARENT. As are my wife and I. She got to be an instant grandmother.

3. "I guess the moment has finally arrived" : SO THIS IS IT. Not sure, but this was my thought.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCRZZC-DH7M

4. Impetuous : BRASH.

5. Find a new table for : RESEAT. More glue.

6. Nile slitherer : ASP. Another big week for this snake.

7. It's here in Paris : ICI.

8. Anchored for life, as barnacles : NON-MOTILE. A really fun five dollar word.

9. Word in morning weather forecasts : TODAY'S.

10. Mil. mail drops : APOS.

11. It faces forward in a stop sign : PALM. very cerebral/

12. Big name in jazz : ELLA.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrVu9WKs498

14. Like IHOP syrup : FREE. Really?

18. Alabama Slammer liquor : GIN. This is tricky, it has sloe gin, but no plain gin. But SLOE is made with gin.

23. Type of tide : NEAP.

24. Troublemakers : RASCALS.

25. Often : MUCH.

29. Bridge bid : ONE NO TRUMP.

30. Glasses with handles : LORGNETTES. What a fun fill.  For sale on Amaazon.

31. One working on a bridge: Abbr. : DDS. Dental humor.

33. Fleur-de-__ : LIS. The flower of the lily is very important in french and REnglish heraldry, religion and appaently in post-Katrina New Orleans.

34. What a kid is prone to make in winter? : SNOW ANGEL.

36. Farm mom : SOW. She does not say....

38. Pastoral call : BAA.

39. Early exile : ADAM.

40. Ones with clout : VIPS.

45. Variable distance measure : STRIDE.

47. Hand-held allergy treatment : EPIPEN. Timely clue after all the recent scandal.

49. Insatiable : GREEDY.

51. Very long time : EON.

52. Political columnist Molly : IVINS. She was a very quotable woman, but it was mostly politics.
“Margaret Atwood, the Canadian novelist, once asked a group of women at a university why they felt threatened by men. The women said they were afraid of being beaten, raped, or killed by men. She then asked a group of men why they felt threatened by women. They said they were afraid women would laugh at them.”
― Molly Ivins, Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She?

53. Island bird named for its call : NENE. Hawaiian Goose.

54. Doe beau : STAG. My eyes first saw "Doe Bean"

55. Long-eared critter : HARE. Lots oa animals on our way out.

56. Similar : AKIN.

60. Snacked : ATE.

61. __ Na Na : SHA. I had never heard of them until seeing this at Woodstock. 47 years ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXLsMszmQpA