David Alfred Bywaters

Title: Theater 101

I am back serving as DAB's caddie for the third time. He had his debut on a Friday at the end of last year and now he has another December offering. Today he has terms from theater (theatre to some) hiding them in words and phrases. There is no reveal but each clue refers to "theater" letting you know which fill are art of the theme. You then have a hint to what the fill will be. I enjoyed CAST IN STONE and FLOOD STAGE the most. My youngest directed and appeared in a play that took place in a pool they constructed onstage. Anyway, back to my last review of the year, David has some sparkle in the fill THIRDLY, SPIDERWEB and  STORMS OFF, but again with 5 themers there was not much room for more. With the cluing giving you the theme, I htought this was a late gift to you all. Let's get detailed.

18A. Text for a mailroom theater production? : POSTSCRIPT(10). This is outlier, as it is but one word, but imagined as POST SCRIPT. If you look at it that way we have 1/5 with the theater word at the end and 2/3/4 with the first word the theater word.

23A. Statue of a theater troupe? : CAST IN STONE (11). I love this as the mental picture of an entire cast sculpted in stone is cool.

38A. World leader in the theater? : ACTING PRESIDENT (15). Ronald Reagen anyone? Or perhaps you like KIRKMAN.

48A. Squawker in a theater performance? : PLAY CHICKEN (11). It conjurs up non-theater images. LINK.

56A. Theater backdrop for a biography of Noah? : FLOOD STAGE (10). Cute.

Across:

1. Ovation fraction: CLAP. I was pleased that I filled this and the perps confirmed I was right.

5. Overstress, with "on": HARP.

9. "Hungarian Rhapsodies" composer: LISZT. How about number No. 2.

14. Shout: YELL.

15. Notion: IDEA.

16. Let down, as hair: UNPIN. My thought: LINK.
Walk right in, sit right down
Baby, let your hair hang down
Walk right in, sit right down
Baby, let your hair hang down

17. Silents star Naldi: NITA. I do not know why I remembered this name, but it must be related to doing crossword puzzles.

20. Much Byzantine art: ICONS. You ready to BUY?

22. Put on: HIRED. My mind went to the other meanings.

27. CPR provider: EMT.

30. Upside-down forest hangers: SLOTHS.

31. Scottish landscape feature: BRAE. Luckily I read Hamish Macbeth novels. LINK.


32. Dorm VIPs: RAS. Resident Advisors,

35. "... __ saw Elba": ERE I. We are seeing a lot of ELBA these days.

36. Shellfish order: PRAWNS. Time we all understood this CRUSTACEAN.

41. Literary family name: BRONTE. Three sisters. Very Chekov.

42. Ottoman officials: DEYS. I knew of the beys, but not these OFFICIALS.

43. Large inlet: BAY. A different bey.

44. Shipping hazard: BERG. ICEBERG?

45. Shepherds' charges: FLOCKS.

47. Brief belief: ISM.

53. Taters: SPUDS. Very common in the hills and mountains.

55. Consolation beginning and ending: THERE. There, there dear it will be all right.

61. Auto club recommendations: INNS. I need advice on the outs.

62. Clear of mist: DEFOG. Not as necessary as deicing.

63. Measure of skills: EXAM.

64. Part of CBS: Abbr. : SYST.

65. Prepare beans, Mexican-style: REFRY. Refried beans are really just beans with some seasoning, mushed up. It’s like hummus, actually. And the word “refried”? Well, that’s not even what you think. It doesn’t mean fried twice (horrors!) – It’s just an English translation of “refrito” which is Spanish means “well fried” or “cooked well.” See LINK.

66. Nonpayment consequence: REPO.

67. Yoga needs: MATS. Last week we had poses.

Down:

1. Pessimist: CYNIC.
- A cynic is someone who refuses to believe;
- A pessimist is someone who has given up on believing;
- A skeptic is someone who is reluctant to believe. Pschology Today.

2. German camera: LEICA.                              LINK.

3. Choir parts: ALTOS.

4. Photosynthesis users: PLANTS.

5. Trendy: HIP.

6. Stir: ADO.

7. Hi-__ image: RES, I initially wanted DEF.

8. Compassion-evoking quality: PATHOS. I minored in English and we were taught all about Pathos, Bathos and other criticism from a wonderful TEACHER.

9. It may be filthy: LUCRE. Money; originally, money obtained dishonestly. For example, She didn't like the job but loved the filthy lucre in the form of her weekly paycheck. This term comes from the Bible (Titus 1:11), where it refers to those who teach wrongly for the sake of money. In time it came to be used loosely, and usually jokingly, for money in general, and in the mid-1900s gave rise to the jocular slang term the filthy for “money.” Dictionary.com.

10. As to: IN RE.

11. Catcher of small prey: SPIDERWEB. Very fun clue/fill, though I have seen some big spiderwebs. Like many big things, the picture is from Texas.

12. Close, as a parka: ZIP.

13. Explosive letters: TNT.

19. Reason for regret: SIN.

21. Like the last letter in a column? : SILENT. I love this kind of simple misdirection.

24. Norway, in Norway: NORGE. Norge is Norwegian, Danish and Swedish for Norway.

25. Dance part: STEP. Step by step; slowly I turned....

26. Adverb after a second contract item: THIRDLY. Not really. the word is not in fashion in contract drafting.

28. Food for the wandering Israelites: MANNA.

29. Irritable: TESTY.

31. Serious, as an injury: BAD.

32. Jewish teacher: RABBI. Master, teacher —used by Jews as a term of address (Webster's). Not a religious figure historically.

33. Farm parts: ACRES.

34. Departs in anger: STORMS OFF.

36. "Fooled you!" : PSYCH. Did anyone see the MOVIE?

37. Take a chance: RISK IT.

39. Having one sharp: IN G.

40. Anti-discrimination agcy. : EEOC.

45. Like the tortoise in the fable, ultimately: FASTER. Does winning the race make him faster? I think not.

46. Religious division: SCHISM.

48. Rotund: PUDGY. Pugsley? He is GONE.

49. Mormons, initially: LDS. Latter Day Saints.

50. African nation on the Indian Ocean: KENYA.

51. Surrealist Max: ERNST. I love elephants.

52. Forest homes: NESTS. All you needed to know and MORE.

54. Needy: POOR. These days needy is more associated with emotional issues.

56. HST predecessor: FDR. Harry S. Truman. Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

57. "Fever" singer Peggy: LEE.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGb5IweiYG8

58. Hatchet: AXE. 40 years after I met the people who would become the band AXE, they are putting out a new album. Listen to a rock and roll ballad.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaCeW_R-3Qs

59. Space: GAP.

60. Punk rock offshoot: EMO. Did you KNOW?

2017 was quite a year for me, as Charles Dickens wrote "It was the best of times. it was the worst of times." I end the year very grateful for my life, my friends here at the Corner, my wonderful familyand all the excitment of the roller coaster ride the is my life. I also am grateful for Mr. Bywaters and the 27 other constructors who provided the puzzles which I (and my pinch hitters) have brought you everyFriday. Speical thanks to C.C.and Rich Norris and wishing you all a great 2018. Hope to see you back here next year. Lemonade out.

Paul Cuerdon

Title: Coming and Going

We have a palindrome puzzle presented by what appears to be a debut for another Paul in our panoply of presenters.  In researching past puzzles, I see 4 or 5 earlier such puzzles, including the use of two of the palindromes, but they are all clued very differently. Also. EGAD NO BONDAGE is all Paul and my favorite. For CED and others, WAS IT A CAT I SAW? is also new. I really enjoyed the cluing of the theme answers, as Paul showed wit and timeliness. The rest seemed just a touch uneven, but for a debut on a Friday, I was impressed. We do have the fresh IN A BOX, Deviant and IT'S LATE. I await the verdict from the Corner jury.

17A. "The terrible tsar has arrived," either way? : TIS IVAN ON A VISIT (15). Ivan the terrible stops by.

27A. Disappointed reaction to the censored version of "Fifty Shades of Grey," either way? : EGAD NO BONDAGE (13). Very whimsical and a still modern phrase.

48A. Query about the Cheshire's grin, either way? : WAS IT A CAT I SAW? (14). Seeing only the teeth could inspire that question.

63. Mrs. Claus' remark about what she did to keep Santa home, either way? : TOO BAD I HID A BOOT.Would he ride without his signature black boots?

On to the rest....

Across:

1. Plodded (through) : WADED. I am never happy when 1 across does not fill immediately. I am not thrilled with definition, but what do I know.

6. Dies down: EBBS. More trickery but this did not fool me.

10. Not quite shut: AJAR. Of course, it is not a door.

14. Where something can be set for later: ASIDE. I like this one.

15. Protected at sea: ALEE.

16. Queen of Heaven: HERA. Hera is married to her brother Zeus and is titled as the Queen of Heaven. One of her characteristics is her jealous and vengeful nature against Zeus's other lovers and offspring and against the mortals who cross her. For more WIKI click.

20. Gambit: TACTIC. A gimme for any chess players in our readership.

21. __ Field: NYC stadium: CITI.  Where the Mets play in QUEENS.

22. QB Peyton Manning has an NFL passing record 539 of them: TDS. Touchdowns.

23. "I could __ horse!" : EAT A. But why?

25. "Sommersby" actor: GERE. Richard. A very odd MOVIE. (2:00)

32. Amused initialism: LOL. Laugh Out Loud.

33. Clumsy boats: TUBS. Number 6 on the dictionary.com definition list. 6. Nautical. an old, slow, or clumsy vessel.

34. Sweethearts: LOVES.

37. Eponymous virologist: SALK.  Love the word EPONYMOUS; anyway- polio and the vaccine were important in my childhood, First my grandfather had contracted polio as a child, and as a cure they dug a hole and buried his affected leg to keep it from twisting, Second, my uncle was the county health officer and my brothers and I were used as test subjects.

39. Part of NAFTA: TRADE. North American Free Trade Agreement

42. 39-Across, perhaps: SELL.

43. Hawaiian greeting: ALOHA.

45. "The Americans" actress Russell: KERI.      LINK.

47. Magic org.? : NBA. Correct twice, Orlando and Johnson.

52. Chipmaker's prefix: NANO. Personally, I like YOCTO better.

53. A, in many orgs. : ASSN.

54. "__ who?!" : SEZ?

57. DEA agent: NARC.

59. Slip away: ELAPSE.

66. __ Domini: ANNO. A bit unnerving to see these two words both meaning YEAR next to each other in the grid. Latin/Italian

67. Calendario units: ANOS. Spanish/Portuguese.

68. Springsteen's "Born __": TO RUN.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxuThNgl3YA

69. Tuts: TSKS. Tut, tut- tsk, tsk

70. Wail: YOWL. We had an owl fall down our chimney one winter. Luckily the grate was up. Our long-haired dachshund was convinced it was meant to be her friend. The both yowled alot.

71. __ innings: EXTRA.

Down:

1. Measure of power: WATT. This too did not jump to mind, so it was a slow start.

2. Tibet's place: ASIA. A gimme.

3. __ jockey: DISC. Many predicted this profession would be gone by now.

4. Polished words: EDITED. He was looking for the verb, not the adjective.

5. Nowhere near the norm: DEVIANT. Harsh.

6. Ending with Tyrol: EAN. Very straightforward clue/fill for a Friday.

7. Common-interest group: BLOC.

8. Harmless: BENIGN. Bingo is back and one of our favorite calls- B9.

9. Ready for the curtain to open: SEATED.

10. Sushi tuna: AHI.

11. Kid: JEST.

12. Moistureless: ARID. Despite its frequent appearance as fill, ARID has never been clued this way in the LAT.

13. Traitors: RATS. Not really that simple.

18. Rebel, in a way: ACT OUT. Right next to traitors.

19. Like some memes: VIRAL.Does everyone know what a meme is?

24. ERA or RBI: ABBR. Tricky, as it seemed like a baseball clue.

26. Coaches' headaches: EGOS.

27. Big cat of film: ELSA. She is back and Frozen takes a back seat. I finally watched the entire movie (a favorite of my granddaughters) and I enjoyed it.

28. Certain score: GOAL.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_7B5HcVF0c

29. Give the okay: ALLOW.

30. City near Kobe: OSAKA. Okay, we leave Europe for Japan.

31. Roulette bets: EVENS.

35. Actor Idris _ _: ELBA. Interesting choice to avoid ABLE WAS I. perhaps an intentional extra hint?

36. Sandwich side: SLAW.

38. Medieval Tatar chief: KHAN. Was this where the Han came to Geroge? LINK.

40. Ten up front? : DECA. A prefix meaning ten from Latin.

41. Undid: ERASED.

44. Pose in yoga: ASANA. Not one, but all of them.

46. Words just before leaving: IT'S LATE. Get me out of here!!!!

49. How Rome wasn't built? : IN A DAY. Cute. Nor was...

50. Piemonte city: TORINO. The first car I drove regularly was my Uncle's Torino station wagon. It had the fake wood panels.

51. Ready to be shipped: IN A BOX.

54. ERA or RBI: STAT. A baseball clue fake out.

55. An eternity: EONS.

56. Pass (out): ZONK.

58. Food on the trail: CHOW.

60. Wine named for an Iberian city: PORT. Where hopefully the wine is not made from...

61. __ grapes: SOUR.

62. Sicilian mountain: ETNA. So much Europe in this puzzle.

64. Derek and Peep: BOS.

65. U.K. component: ISLand.  I think this is a great explanation, but I defer to Steve (Nice Cuppa if he stops by and others). LINK.

Is that some Jingle Bells I hear in the distance? Good luck finishing your Xmas shopping if you haven't. I celebrated 3 years married to Oo yesterday and the beginning of winter. Hope you enjoyed the puzzle Thanks and welcome Paul C. 2. Lemonade out.

John Lampkin

Title: Sorry I did not have time to finish....

Where do I begin in discussing this most perfect example of the contructor and his humor? JL begins with a shout out to himself, as his name Lampkin is a pet form of Lambkin. Kin was added in the 12th century when taxes began being collected from individuals rather than property and they needed surnames to keep track of who paid and who did not. (Opinion, not fact, as who really know?)
He created a 15x16 puzzle to fit in all of his whimsical reboots of famous pieces of music. John is an accomplished professional musician and piano teacher who I am sure is very familiar with each of these actually finished pieces. In contrast to the adding KIN to his name, John removes the end of each of the titles of the work and clues the result for maximum humor. The themers are presented in pinwheel with a center fill. He also adds NO CLUE, CAROMED, DESPOTS, FLEABAG, GYRATOR, the mini-theme added musical fill LULLABY and SAD SONG along with SLAMMER, UP A TREE, RECRUITS and TOOK CARE. So, here we go.

18A. Unfinished Puccini work a.k.a. "Homage to a Dairy"? : MADAMA BUTTER(FLY) (12). Before anyone calls "foul" the play was Madame Butterfly. The opera Madama. LINK.

42A. Unfinished Beethoven work a.k.a. "Salute to Manning"? : FÜR ELI(SE) (6). How up to date to use Eli Manning, and our common clue/fill LINK.

66A. Unfinished Beethoven work a.k.a. "Dracula's Boy"? : MOONLIGHT SON(ATA)(12). No sun for Drac's son; the musical piece was finished before he completely lost his hearing. LINK.

12D. Unfinished Mozart work a.k.a. "A Sorcerer's Bug"? : THE MAGIC FLU(TE) (11). This opera LINK was his last. Flu season is back, be careful.

26D. Unfinished Vivaldi work a.k.a. "Water Music for the Mathematically Challenged"? : THE FOUR SEAS(ONS) (11). He wrote these four violin concertos LINK, and a poem for each. Forgetting that there are seven seas would be difficult.

Across:

1. Meat of which Australia is among the largest producers : LAMB. Shamelessly crossing 1D. Hasty flight : LAM. The self-referential beginning to this over-sized effort is wonderful.

5. Down-and-out inn : FLEA BAG.  Such a fun ORIGIN.

12. Apt brew for a golfer? : TEA. A tee for two pun.

15. Healing salve : ALOE.

16. Oral soporific? : LULLABY.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJD5JFWnxNo (37:25).

17. Solo with memorable lines : HAN. The new Star Wars movie, without Han opens today. It also is the 49th anniversary of my first corneal transplant and 44 years since I graduated law school.

20. Fertilization target : EGG. Ova last week.

21. Cashed, as a forged check : KITED.  It actually is  THIS. Juxtaposed with...

22. Hoosegow : SLAMMER. Where people can end up for kiting checks.

24. Completely filled : SATED.

27. Singers do it : SEW. A fake out addition to the mini-theme. My grandfather used a Singer like this

29. Moist-eyed : TEARY.

30. "Argo" setting : TEHRAN. The Movie.

32. It may make you 29-Across : SAD SONG.
Hey Jude, don't make it bad
Take a sad song and make it better
Remember to let her into your heart
Then you can start to make it better

35. "All bets __ off" : ARE.

36. Soak (up), as gravy : SOP.

38. They may be raw : RECRUITS. A new, inexperienced, or fresh recruit, such as someone just entering the army, navy, police, etc. Also, college athletes.

41. Whistle-blower : REF. Fun.

44. Cabin bed : COT.

45. Proceeded cautiously : TOOK CARE.

48. Arcing shot : LOB. Tennis.

50. Side dish piece : FRY. The French is being fazed out. Freedom never caught on.

51. Stuck : UP A TREE. Cats 1?

53. What the puzzled have : NO CLUE. And of course we have lots of clues here.

55. Baseball commission? : ERROR. Tricky baseball clue/fill; not an investigative body.

57. Mex. distances : KMS. Kilometers also in Thailand.

59. Tie for cooking : TRUSS. Did you?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hn5Fes01nc

60. Dictators : DESPOTS.

63. Track bet : PLACE. Win, place and show = 1, 2 and 3.

65. View : SEE.

71. Actress Gabor : EVA. Merv Griffin's beard and the Green Acres' wife.

72. "M*A*S*H" unit? : EPISODE. JL was an early creator of clechos.

73. "M*A*S*H" actor : ALDA.

74. Guitarist Paul : LES.

75. Held up : DELAYED.

76. Putin's refusal : NYET.

Down:

2. In the style of : À LA.

3. Stylish, '60s-style : MOD. The mods and the rockers.  FLASHBACK.

4. Lab container : BEAKER.

5. Like day-old seltzer : FLAT. The bubbles burst.

6. Garage services : LUBES.

7. Dodges : ELUDES.

8. Key usually pressed and held : ALT. CTRL/ALT/DEL.

9. Takes cuts in a box : BATS. Another of the tricky baseball clues.

10. Slain brother : ABEL.

11. Belly dancer, e.g. : GYRATOR. You want to watch? LINK.

13. Gung-ho : EAGER.

14. Steamed : ANGRY. Coming out of your ears?

19. Gilt-ridden king? : MIDAS. There have been so many clues for this storied king, but this is perfect.

23. List of options : MENU. Not just food any longer.

24. Square one : START. GO?

25. Word on Spanish mail : AEREO.

28. Soft finish? : WARE.

31. Dietary watchwords : NO-FAT.

33. Farmer's habitat? : DELL.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0HT-7uOYng

34. Boxy Toyota : SCION. They aren't anymore, but were in 2004.

37. Persian murmur : PURR. Another kitty cat for CED and the other feline fanatics.

39. Bagel shape : TORUS.

40. Eye sores : STYES.

43. Smell to high heaven : REEK.

46. "Gangnam Style" genre, for short : K-POP. LINK.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIoDctYs_OE

47. Ricocheted : CAROMED. A gimme to any billiard/pool player.

49. Make a mess of : BOTCH.

52. Use : EMPLOY.

54. Ancient Knossos denizen : CRETAN. Knossos is the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete and has been called Europe's oldest city.  The citizens of Crete are Cretans, literally.

55. Collectible lemon : EDSEL. A fabulous CSO to yours truly!

56. "Still Me" memoirist : REEVE.                  LINK.

58. One way to come home : SLIDE. A cool baseball misdirection.

61. Hit the sauce : TOPE. Archaic, literary. Drink alcohol to excess, especially on a regular basis.
‘he was toping the while from a flagon of sack.’ Or perhaps, port.

62. Get dirty : SOIL. This has so many negative implications.

64. Like port, usually : AGED. It is one of this wine's ADVANTAGES. Something else our Renaissance Man knows about.

67. DOD division : NSA. Department of Defense oversees the National Security Agency.

68. Underhanded : SLY.

69. Keats forte : ODE.

70. 2017 NLDS player : NATional. One final baseball reference for C.C.

I have such fun doing these write-ups especially when the puzzles are as whimsical as this one was.  Happy Chanukah to those who light the candles and get ready for Christmas- 10 more shopping days. Thanks John Lampkin and all of you who come to the corner. Lemonade out.

Paul Coulter

Title: Strange bedfellows.

Paul Coulter is back with very inventive and entertaining Friday theme sure to irritate those who do not like themes. He pairs two completely unrelated characters (they may be fictional) and posits a common bond. Natashe Fatale and Apollo Creed both battled foes named Rocky. Mr. Spock- Dr. Spock, Homer the Greek - Homer Simpson and Blondie Bumstead - Debbie Harry and her band are the other pairs sharing a commonality that can be expressed in 15 letters (grid-spanners). I am so impressed by the thought process and the execution of this theme. Thank you Paul. He also squeezes in DABS AT,  GETS AT,  IN A WAY,  SHANDY, BEDSIDE, PARSONS, HOTFOOTING and RAISE COSTS to complete the offering. Excellent. The themers:

                                         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAs07ZhCMio

17A. Two foes of Rocky : NATASHA AND CREED (15).  June Foray voiced both Rocky the Flying Squirrel and Natasha. Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed both were products of Sylvester Stallone's mind.

27A. Two loves of Homer : POETRY AND MARGE (15). The Greek POET responsible for The Iliad and The Odessey, and Marge Simpson's LOVE. He is known for coining "D'Oh."

43A. Two specialties of Spock : LOGIC AND BABIES (15).  We have Mr. Spock for LOGIC and Dr. Spock for BABIES.

54A. Two priorities of Blondie : DAGWOOD AND MUSIC (15). Blondie Bumstead loved DAGWOOD and Blondie (Debbie Harry) made some beautiful music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsYbMnQd6c8

Across:

1. "Yeah" : UH HUH. Nailed it, felt good.

6. Whack : STAB.

10. They're corny : COBS. He tricked me here for a bit.

14. Spaghetti Western director Sergio : LEONE. He made CLINT (2:41) famous.

15. Refine : HONE. Hone your craft, not just your knife.

16. Spread for dinner, say : OLEO. Not at my house.

20. Request to go out, maybe : ARF. Cute.

21. Cease : END.

22. Airs : SONGS. The perps are solid but the choice of clue is beyond me. I may have to use a Homer D'Oh when it is explained.

23. Mountain nymph : OREAD. More from Ancient GREECE.

26. Form of love in Paris? : AIME. Je t'aime, je t'adore.

32. Implies : GETS AT.

33. One may accompany a finger snap : IDEA. Got it.

34. Small battery : AAA.

35. Mine entrance : ADIT. From the Latin ADITUS, this is old fashioned crossword fill.

36. Meddle : PRY. Third time in recebt memory- hmm.

37. Artist's array : OILS. If he is a painter.

38. Large brewer : URN.

39. Blunted blade : EPEE.

41. Blots : DABS AT.

46. "Heartburn" novelist Ephron : NORA. Nora Ephron was also the author of Wallflower at the Orgy. She received Academy Award nominations for Best Original Screenplay for When Harry Met Sally..., Silkwood, and Sleepless in Seattle, which she also directed. Her other credits include the film Michael, I believe a John Travolta film and the play Imaginary Friends. She died in 2012

47. San Diego State athlete : AZTEC.

48. Advances : LOANS.

50. Chemical suffix : ENE.

51. Fertility clinic supply : OVA. Egg.

58. Between ports : ASEA.

59. Bridge site : NOSE. Very funny.

60. A lot : OFTEN.

61. Milk by-product : WHEY. I loved Moe's poem about Miss Muffit finder her whey.

62. Oracle : SEER.

63. Entourage : POSSE.

Down:

1. It parallels the radius : ULNA. In the arm, not  a circle.

2. Get wind of : HEAR.

3. Hurrying, with "it" : HOTFOOTING. A really fun word.

4. Acapulco article : UNA.

5. Cock and bull : HES. Male animals.

6. Sterne's Tristram : SHANDY.

7. Hopper on a pad : TOAD. Mr. Toad? I went with Frog at first.

8. Gothic novelist Radcliffe : ANN. Radcliffe is said to have influenced many later authors, including the Marquis de Sade (1740–1814), Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), and Sir Walter Scott (1771–1832), and many lesser imitators of the "Radcliffe School", such as Harriet Lee and Catherine Cuthbertson. LINK.

9. Important place for good manners : BEDSIDE. Why is it bedside manner when it is no longer at home that you see the doctor?

10. Pupil's cover : CORNEA. My personal specialty, still working with two borrowed ones.

11. Cassini of fashion : OLEG. Father of Tini Cassini.

12. Honey bunch : BEES. Of oats?

13. Ground cover : SOD. Such language!

18. Soul mate? : HEART. I miss marti.

19. Feature of many a list : COMMA.

24. Common medical advice : REST.

25. In-flight info : ETA.

26. Name at the end of many a "60 Minutes" episode : ANDY. Rooney.

27. MLB Network analyst Martinez : PEDRO.

28. Put on : AIRED.

29. What supply shortages often do : RAISE COSTS. Supply and demand.

30. Big dos : GALAS. Not hairdos.

31. Bridge column word : EAST.

32. Caesarean section? : GAUL. "Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres"

36. Clinton transportation secretary Federico : PENA. LINK.

37. Tony relative : OBIE. Off broadway awards.

39. Low-price prefix : ECONO.

40. Service aces? : PARSONS. Do parsons really run religious services?

41. Stunned : DAZED.

42. NYC dance troupe : ABT. Since 1940, American Ballet Theatre has performed in the greatest theatres around the world, creating a tradition of passion, innovation, and athleticism that transcends cultural boundaries and touches the soul of ballet lovers old and new.

44. Kind of : IN A WAY.

45. Stadium sign : BANNER.

48. Eye piece : LASH. No.

49. Arch type : OGEE.

50. Convenience : EASE.

52. Competes : VIES.

53. Bad marks in high school? : ACNE. A semi-cruel remark about those marks.

54. Margery of nursery rhymes : DAW.

55. Female antelope : DOE.

56. Floor cleaner : MOP. Which is my clue to mop up my comments.

57. Tabloid topic : UFO. But not without an Unidentified Flying Object.

I really enjoyed the puzzle, the solve and Paul is one of constructors getting regular Friday slots, with this hsi 4th this year, along with 5 Sundays. Maybe it si time for one of the amazing C.C. interviews. Thanks Paul and thank you all for being here.

Jeffrey Wechsler

Title: THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME .

JW is here for another Friday (thank again HG for the blogs while I was gone) and with what I believe is his first punny quotation puzzle. " If I tolled them once, I tolled them a hundred times."
The tolled-told homonym the key to the humor. We also have some related fill with QUASIMODO and BELL TOWER. This is a rather upbeat puzzle for a very dark story. VICTOR HUGO was quite political in his writings.



 CHIPS AWAY, EVIL DEEDS, LIVIDNESS, MIAMI VICE



17A. Hugo character memorably portrayed by Charles Laughton: QUASIMODO.

23A. With 36- and 44-Across, what 17-Across might have said when his job became too repetitious? : IF I TOLLED THEM (13).

36A. See 23-Across: ONCE, I TOLLED THEM (15).

44. See 23-Across: A HUNDRED TIMES (13).

57A. 17-Across' workplace: BELL TOWER (9).


Across:

1. Qualifier for a hall entry? : FAME.

5. Excuse descriptor: LAME. So we start with a nice rhyme.

9. Med. recordings: EKGS.

13. Over, in much Twain dialogue: AGIN. As opposed to agin/ fer.

14. "__ my way": I'M ON.

15. Relatives of windsocks: VANES. I guess.

19. Fuming: IRATE.

20. Uncle__: SAM.

21. Risk pieces: DICE.

22. Type of large TV: PLASMA.

26. Sitarist Shankar: RAVI. Norah Jones' mother.

28. Metal sources: ORES.

29. Important part of a whale's diet: KRILL. The look like small SHRIMP.

31. Feigned: FALSE.

33. Many an IRS employee: CPA. Certified Public Accountant.

39. "Got it now?" : SEE.

40. Parts of Walmart work uniforms: VESTS.

41. Frodo's home, with "the": SHIRE.

42. Gentlemen: SIRS.

43. Actor Omar: EPPS. Once again this week; who is his publicist?

51. Lengthy account: LITANY. Usually of bad things.

52. Participate in a race, maybe: RIDE.

53. Fluoride-touting org.: ADA. American Dental Association.

56. Blazing: AFIRE. Ooh, an a-word.

59. Problems electric razors should prevent: NICKS.

60. Avoid getting into deep water? : WADE.

61. "Lobster Telephone" artist: DALI.

Lobster Telephone is a surrealist object, created by Salvador Dalí in 1936 for the English poet Edward James, a leading collector of surrealist art. Wiki.

62. "__ who?" : SAYS.

63. Monthly Roman calendar occurrences: IDES.  Twice this week. With the fate of Julius Caesar in mind,  this is an interesting juxtaposition with....

64. Turned yellow, perhaps: DYED.

Down:

1. Customer info sources: FAQS.

2. Lago contents : AGUA. Lake:Water. Spanish.

3. '80s cop show featuring Ferraris : MIAMI VICE. An interesting story. LINK. Ferraris twice this week.

4. USN rank : ENSign.

5. Keep in check : LIMIT.

6. Merged gas company : AMOCO. Gobbled up by BP, this brand may be BACK.

7. Auto datum : MODEL.

8. Brian of music : ENO.

9. What superheroes seek to thwart : EVIL DEEDS. This needed many perps.

10. Gold fineness units : KARATS. From a JEWELER.

11. Grind : GNASH.

12. "They __ up!": scapegoat's cry : SET ME.

16. Alteration target : SEAM. My mother was a wonderful nurse and mother, but she could not sew. My brothers and I had to stand with one leg up on stair after she shortened the pants.

18. Infamous Amin : IDI.

22. Intrinsically : PER SE. This is not a legal term, per se.

24. Rank partner : FILE. READ and discuss.

25. Doesn't do much : LOLLS.

26. Classic movie theaters : RKOS.

27. "Alfred" composer : ARNE. Not his most famous work. LINK.

30. Red state? : LIVIDNESS. This was very difficult, but when you are livid you turn red.

31. Broadway choreographer for "Chicago" : FOSSE.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5gv_pdxEcw

32. PC key : ALT.

33. Cuts into, with "at" : CHIPS AWAY.

34. Cop's collar : PERP. Not her.

35. Iowa college town : AMES. Not Ed this time.

37. Jones or Gilliam of Monty Python : TERRY. The only AMERICAN  in Monty Python is Terry Gilliam.

38. Passé pronoun : THEE.

42. Impertinent in tone : SNARKY.

44. PBS "Mystery!" host Cumming : ALAN.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9_EOXlEXds

45. LP players : HI FIS.

46. Erie Canal city : UTICA.

47. More than fear : DREAD.

48. Circumflex cousin : TILDE. Diacritic marks. COMPLICATED.

49. Doesn't do much : IDLES.

50. Satisfied : MET.

54. Editor's mark : DELE.

55. Like much of New Mexico : ARID.

57. Md. airport serving D.C. : BWI. Baltimore Washington International.

58. Not quite right : ODD. We have one living at our condo complex...not easy.