This is the third LAT from this couple, with the others running on Tuesday. They clearly worked hard to create this very challenging effort. I know I am still getting my solving skills back, but this was very difficult to suss the theme. I was very close to use my 'phone a friend' lifeline, but I was able to get most things filled in. Because there were no clues for 4 words, I knew I had to work backwards from those fill. I saw the connection "m-odule." Then after pondering the reveal: 65A. Like some baseball pitches ... and a hint to locating the second part of four three-part puzzle answers : SIDEARM, the four un-clued fill and the inexplicable clue/fill: 8D. The Eagle, for one : LUN and the light bulb came on. Voila- The Eagle was the name of the LUNAR MODULE. It was seeing that you got "three parts" going to the side to get the "ARM." The next to fall was also left, then right, 15D. McDonald's offering for tight budgets : DOLL leading to DOLLAR MENU. Then the lightbulb came all the way on, just as they told us it was ARM that was on the side in all 4 themers! Wonderful! 35D. Post office standard : REGUL quickly led to REGULAR MAIL. Finally we have
37D. Syrup source : SUG to reveal SUGAR MAPLE. This exposed the brilliance as all are separated between two words one ending in AR on starting with M.
There also some nice 7 letter fill ANDIRON, ANTONIO, EARLOBE, GESTALT. LUCKY ME, RAW DATA and the unknown to me TANGRAM. I sense this will be a love it/hate it puzzle, but you will let me know.
8D. The Eagle, for one : LUN...(ARM)...26D. - : ODULE.
15D. McDonald's offering for tight budgets : DOLL...(ARM)...34D. - : ENU.
35D. Post office standard : REGUL...(ARM)...59D. - : AIL.
37D. Syrup source : SUG...(ARM)...51D. - : APLE.
Across:
1. Welcome site : MAT.
4. One may be nervous : TIC.
7. Best of the best : ALL STAR. Miami Dolphin great Jason Taylor was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame this past week-end. He and brother-in-law Zach Taylor have been all stars both on and off the field.
14. It hasn't been analyzed yet : RAW DATA. We make our information like our vegetables.
16. Lottery winner's comment : LUCKY ME. Would you tell people immediately when you win?
17. Shutterbug : SHOOTER. In our troubled time, nice to see this clue/fill.
18. Fireplace fixture : ANDIRON.
19. Like a vertebral region : LUMBAR. My microdiscechtomy was at L2-L3.
21. Meddle, with "around" : NOSE.
22. Biblical songs : PSALMS.
25. Splotchy garment : SMOCK. How many remember Steve Allen and "Smock, Smock"
28. Calendar abbr. : APRil.
29. Blow : MISDO. A repeat from Tuesday, not a word I use, but it has been around since the 1200's. LINK.
30. Suffix with star or tsar : DOM. Never thought of TSARDOM, but like the anagram clue.
33. Flimsy : LAME. Like most excuses.
35. U.K. fliers : RAF.
36. Bearish? : URSINE.
38. Twists : IRONIES.
40. Couple in the news each December : CLAUSES. Santa (CSO Argyle) and the MRS.
41. Like tennis rackets : STRUNG.
42. Color property : HUE.
43. They go with guys : GALS. Is this now an un-pc term?
44. Stable diet : HAY. Cute.
45. Item from a mill? : RUMOR. Nice misdirection.
47. Singer/songwriter Carly __ Jepsen : RAE. She was popular in x-words for a while.
48. Secure, as a ship's line : BELAY. I was long confused by the two meanings. verb
1.fix (a running rope) around a cleat, pin, rock, or other object, to secure it.
2.nautical slang stop; enough! “Belay that, mister. Man your post.”
49. Rascals : SCAMPS.
52. Hook's right hand : SMEE. Also fun. Which hand was bitten off?
55. Intensify : RAMP UP.
57. Seven-piece Chinese puzzle : TANGRAM. Did not know the name, but they are used as part of many IQ tests.
60. Stud location : EARLOBE.
64. Shakespearean merchant : ANTONIO. Our Friday dose of Will. The MERCHANT of Venice.
66. Unified whole : GESTALT. A gimme for anyone with a degree in Psychology.
67. To some degree : ANY.
68. Upsilon preceder : TAU. Greek - one of many alphabets to memorize.
Down:
1. Dash or Doubtfire : MRS. Salt free or a very salty Robin Williams.
2. Sound of relief : AAH.
3. Number missing, in a way, from "4 = 16" : TWO. This is interesting as 4 to the 2nd power = 16 and 2 to the 4th power = 16.
4. Ryan's daughter : TATUM. She won an Oscar married John McEnroe and disappeared from fame.
5. Chairperson's list : ITEMS.
6. Energy food component : CARBohydrate. Carb loading was big when I was playing sports.
7. Snooze buttons stop them : ALARMS. Stopped using an alarm once I became ill.
9. PC screen type : LCD. Liquid Crystal Display.
10. Lizard that can shed its tail : SKINK. We have lots of them in Florida. I have many friends (ladies) who are terrified by these small creatures.
11. Pro's opposite : TYRO. Beginner.
12. Book after Joel : AMOS. No religion but if you want INFORMATION.
13. Actor Auberjonois : RENE. He has appeared as Father Mulcahy in the M*A*S*H movie, Odo in Star Trek, Deep Space Nine and the wonderful Boston Legal. Do you know his face?
20. "Dream on!" : AS IF.
22. Lacking color : PALISH. Not a word I would ever use.
23. Athens rival : SPARTA.
24D. Weapons source : ARMORY.
27. "Downton Abbey" countess : CORA. The all-American Elizabeth McGovern
29. Uno __: Juan's "one more" : MAS. I learned from Roberto Duran.
30. Captivate : DISARM.
31. A quarter mile, maybe : ONE LAP. We had a 440 track built by the Catholic girls high school next to our house.
32. Cans of worms : MESSES.
39. Memo opener : IN RE.
40. Lowlife : CUR.
42. Georgetown cager : HOYA.
46. Critter in the same family as chipmunks and squirrels : MARMOT. Cute?
48. Conceived : BEGOT. More biblical wording.
49. New World colonizer : SPAIN.
50. Like Miss Muffet's fare : CURDY. Meh.
52. Guys-only : STAG. I love the Farmers AD.
53. Locks in a barn : MANE. One of the NAME anagrams from Monday.
54. Tolkien race : ENTS.
56. Tableland : MESA.
58. Genetic messenger : RNA.
61. Muffin choice : OAT. Usually Oat bran.
62. Top at the shore : BRA. A LINK to make up for last week's thong?
63. Outback runner : EMU. A CSO to our OZ connection - Kazie.
A true work out, but when I understood the concept I was hooked. YMMV. In any case thank you Roger and Kathy and all who comment and all who read. lemonade 714 out. Also a special thanks to HG for massaging the grid picture to highlight the side arms.
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