Tracy Bennett and Victor Fleming

Title: Themeless Friday

I have been doing puzzle blogging here for close to nine years, Friday for 7 years, I think. I have never been faced with a themeless puzzle, so I have spent a very long time looking for a theme in this cooperative effort from Tracy Bennett and Victor Fleming. We had our debut for TRACY on a Wednesday blogged by Steve. He commented she was getting into themeless puzzles. She had one here on a Saturday with Erik Agard recently. In a comment on xwordinfo, she mentioned that Victor Fleming was her "mentor." I really do not know how to write-up a themeless. There are lots of long, sparkly fill FINITUDE,  IT CAN'T BE, NOT A HOPE, TRAWL NET,  PULLAPART, SATIN DOLL, BULL MARKET FAIR ENOUGH and the mini-theme ALMOST HEAVEN /WEST VIRGINIA. Splynter, where are you when I need you? Here he is suggesting that concept in a C.C. SATURDAY.  So here I go...

Across:

1. Caesar's fault: CULPA. For those who did not study Latin for many years, this might be tough, but the phrase mea culpa is pretty well known.

6. Big box office success, slangily: BOFF. I do not like this fill, as I always thought it was BOFFO, but dictionary.com says "Theater. a box-office hit.; a joke or humorous line producing hearty laughter. a loud hearty laugh; belly laugh."

10. PC scroll key: PGUP. Page up.

14. Rental brand with a hyphen: U-HAUL. Rental was so unhelpful. 

15. Like the 1998 Pikachu Illustrator card: RARE. There’s an old saying, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” and this card sold at auction in 2016 for more than FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.

16. Source of fizz: SODA. That is backasswards to me.

17. Stock up time?: BULL MARKET. When stocks are going up it is considered a bull marker; when down a bear market.

19. Does sum work: ADDS. A tiny pun.

20. Hebrew wishing well?: SHALOM. שלום is such an important word in Hebrew, and the pun here is wonderful, worth the 25 cents you need to throw in.

21. Shrimper's catcher: TRAWL NET.

23. More than dream: ASPIRE. To direct one's hopes or ambitions toward achieving something

25. Atlanta campus: EMORY. The University.

26. Dreamt, perchance: SLEPT. Shakespeare.

29. Monument Valley features: MESAS. A natural wonder in Utah.  and the clecho 53A. Hilly terrain features: RIDGES.

31. Zero chance: NOT A HOPE.

33. Starfleet Acad. grad at the helm: LT. SULU. Our friend...

38. Woman in the picture: ACTRESS. A tricky generic clue.

39. Old duple-time dances: PAVANES. Duple meter (or duple metre, also known as duple-time) is a musical metre characterized by a primary division of 2 beats to the bar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=B10z9b_PRXw

40. Some religious sculptures: PIETAS.

41. Limited state: FINITUDE. A finite state or quality. For example, one quickly senses the finitude of his patience.

42. Event with a horse: VAULT. Actually, this is no longer true, as it has been replaced with the vault TABLE.

44. "How Do I Live" singer: RIMES. LeAnn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=MUFasKZcH_c

45. Binary pronoun: HESHE. Is this now an accepted unique pronoun?

49. Quit: RESIGN.

51. "Unbelievable!": IT CAN'T BE. It reminds me of a commercial but I can't remember the product. 

57. Retreat: LAIR.

58. Negotiation-ending words: FAIR ENOUGH. This is ridiculously hard, as I have never seen a negotiation end this way.

60. __ hack: LIFE.

61. Hathaway of "Rachel Getting Married": ANNE. Very popular actress, not so much the MOVIE.

62. Willing offer: I'LL GO. Also not easy. But with 64A...

63. Not likely: SLIM. And none. 

64. Big name in little bricks: LEGO. We see GO often in this puzzle;  55D. "Too good not to share" breakfast brand: EGGO.

65. Permit: ALLOW.


Down:

1. Chicago's "North Siders": CUBS. Baseball- CUBS to the North, WHITE SOX to the South. 

2. "Don't think so": UH UH.

3. __ land: LA LA. A CSO to ur friend Linda who I hope is doing well now.

4. Separate: PULL APART.

5. Like 22-Down, according to a song by John Denver (born 12/31/1943): ALMOST HEAVEN. 22D. See 5-Down: WEST VIRGINIA. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=1vrEljMfXYo

6. Cold reaction: BRR.

7. Symbol of might: OAK TREE. There have been many POEMS extolling the Oak.

8. Famille members: FRERES. Brother, in French families.

9. Cheese served with kalamata olives: FETA. Made from sheep and goat milk. READ.

10. One of a Biblical 150: PSALM. These are poems of praise originated in Hebrew literature and revered also by Christians. 

11. "What terrible news!": GOD NO. Oddly placed.-

12. Whence milk: UDDER. A very literal answer.

13. Irish pub pie: PASTY. A pie or turnover, especially one with a savory filling including seasoned meat, fish, or vegetables. These are popular in more places than Irish pubs.

18. Energize: AMP. If you think of being "amped" this makes sense. 

24. Provocative little ones: IMPS. Next to amp, this is a cute use of a common fill.

26. __ bean: SNAP.

27. Math points: LOCI.

28. Marion's conclusion: ETTE.

30. Actor Thicke on Canada's Walk of Fame: ALAN. Alan Thicke was born on March 1, 1947 in Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada as Alan Willis Jeffrey. He died in 2016. 

32. Mountain near Pelion: OSSA.  Tough unless you are up on your Greek geography or mythology. Pelion a wooded mountain in Greece, near the coast of SE Thessaly, which in Greek mythology was held to be the home of the centaurs, and the giants were said to have piled Mounts Olympus and Ossa on its summit in their attempt to reach heaven and destroy the gods. This story has given rise to the phrase pile Pelion on Ossa, meaning to add an extra difficulty or task to something which is already difficult or onerous.

34. Ellington classic: SATIN DOLL.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=5&v=TrytKuC3Z_o


35. Coined word?: UNUM. E pluribus...cute clue.

36. News article intro: LEDE. Often mistaken for "lead" 

37. Avails oneself of: USES.

39. Drupe remains: PITS. A drupe is any fruit, such as a peach, cherry, plum, etc., consisting of an outer skin, a usually pulpy and succulent middle layer, and a hard and woody inner shell usually enclosing a single seed, or pit. 

41. Hardly turning oneself in: FLEEING. The fleeing felon. 

43. Polished: URBANE. Thin David Niven. 

45. Roman septet: HILLS. Septet = 7. Seven Hills of Rome, group of hills on or about which the ancient city of Rome was built. The original city of Romulus was built upon Palatine Hill (Latin: Mons Palatinus). The other hills are the Capitoline, Quirinal, Viminal, Esquiline, Caelian, and Aventine (known respectively in Latin as the Mons Capitolinus, Mons Quirinalis, Mons Viminalis, Mons Esquilinus, Mons Caelius, and Mons Aventinus).

46. Much cashless commerce: E-TAIL.

47. Ursula K. Le Guin's genre: SCI-FI. This acclaimed AUTHOR died in 2018.

48. Polyamorous anime subgenre: HAREM. I understand the words but knew nothing about this graphic genre of anime where there is a possibility of a polygamous romantic relationship. It is a reverse harem when it is more than one boy involved. You can look it up yourselves.

50. Wrath: IRE. Maybe the most common fill in crosswords.

52. Pan name: T-FAL. Also very common fill. Lots of hyphens today.

54. Seaside soarer: GULL.

56. Take third: SHOW. WIN/PLACE/SHOW. Easy if you bet on horses. 

59. __ Speedwagon: REO. I will leave you with some music and a sincere thanks to Tracy and Victor providing my fist themeless review, C.C. and the rest of our bloggers for help and reassurance in my efforts and to all of you I wish healthy, happy, successful 2019.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpOULjyy-n8

Paul Coulter

Title: Where the 'ell is the L? There is no end to it!

I continue in pig heaven with today's fun, challenging puzzle from one of Rich's stable of consistent Friday winners. Very simple theme but it took unraveling HELIOSTAT to get me going in the right direction. I love that the reveal was both tricky and very helpful. It also was a parsing of words that took a skilled eye.


FITNESS,  NEWAGER,  ONESHOT,  SHINDIG, HELIOSTAT, and  MISS ELLIE




17A. Cartoon drawing of Rip Van Winkle?: SLEEPER CELL (10). Cartoons are made up of cels, very different from a terrorist cell whose members work undercover in an area until sent into action, as featured in this TV SHOW. I never heard of it, but I do know this ACTOR from NCIS. Since he has lots of credits, maybe he can replace the awful OD'ed in puzzledom. He really was born in Tel Aviv.

24A. Decoration for a Tinseltown party gift?: HOLLYWOOD BOWL (12). A Bow is a common part of packaging a gist. Since its opening in 1922, the Hollywood Bowl has been the premier destination for live music in Southern California, hosting everyone from Billie Holiday to The Beatles to Yo-Yo Ma under the iconic silhouette of its concentric-arched band shell. It was renovated in 2000.

39A. Dismiss a disobedient film computer?: FIRE HALL (7). In the US and Canada is more commonly called a fire station, but they are the same thing. I like the image of firing this out of control 2001 Space Odessey whose full name is HAL (Heuristically programmed ALgorithmic computer) 9000. 

51A. Dixie hospitality, e.g.?: SOUTHERN DRAWL (12). This is fun, I guess it means that hospitality is the reason why people are Drawn to visit the South. 

64A. Allowing use of, as a library does ... or, in three parts, a hint to four puzzle answers:  L ENDING OUT (10). They often are called  Lending libraries; here, however, it the "L" as the ending of each of the theme phrase that comes out. Brilliant!

Across:

1. Spite: VENOM. Isn't there a movie? I still can't believe Stan Lee is gone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=u9Mv98Gr5pY

6. Don't believe it: MYTH. Is as good as a mile?

10. Lying lion in "The Lion King": SCAR.

14. Colleague of Samuel and Sonia: ELENA.
Alito, Sotomayor, and Kagan of the SUPREMES. The clecho, 12D. Colleague of Kagan and Kavanaugh: ALITO. 1st names, then last names.

15. Yorkshire river: OUSE. A CSO to Steve and a challenge as there are 4 rivers in the UK with this name.

16. In fine fettle: HALE. And often hearty unless you are a golfer, then you are just HALE.



19. Camera part: IRIS. Like any eye, it opens and closes. LINK.

20. Blackens: TARS. Meh.

21. "We need to get a cat!": EEK. A cute clue for a mouse.

22. Set off: IGNITE.

27. Seat for a shot: STOOL. In the doctor's office?

30. Piedmont province: ASTI.

31. Orchestral gong: TAM-TAM. I see it written both with and without the hyphen, Chau gong (Tam-tam) The familiar "Chinese" gong is the Chau gong or bullseye gong. Large Chau gongs, called tam-tams have become part of the symphony orchestra. Wiki. This one is made by the same people who make the best cymbals.

33. Salem winter hrs.: PST.

34. Hat-removing event: GUST.

38. Be off base: ERR.

42. Future fish: ROE.

43. "Oliver Twist" type: WAIF.

45. Farm mom: SOW.

46. It may be held or bitten: TONGUE. Generally a good idea.

48. "Insecure" Emmy nominee __ Rae: ISSA. I was not aware of this TV series which she created, produces, writes and stars in much like a modern-day George Burns. She did change the character name from Issa Rae to Issa Dee.

50. Bad looks: LEERS. Deceptive.

57. Dig: TUNNEL.

58. Macabre monogram: EAP. Edgar Allan Poe.

59. Name of two of Henry VIII's wives: ANNE.

63. Massachusetts motto opener: ENSE.  This has appeared very often.

67. First-rate: ACES.

68. Angry: IRED.

69. Busybody: YENTA.

70. Two-time World Series champs: METS.

71. Like falling off a log?: EASY.

72. Boorish: CRASS.


Down:


1. Protective wear, often: VEST.

2. Self-titled 1969 jazz album: ELLA.

3. Poetic negative: NEER.

4. Not to be repeated: ONESHOT.

5. Blueprint: MAP.

6. Culinary mushroom: MOREL.

7. Foul: YUCKY.

8. "Ash Wednesday" poet's monogram: TSE.

9. Device that generates solar power: HELIOSTAT.

10. Bash: SHINDIG.

11. West Indies native: CARIB.

13. Alter with thread: RESEW.

18. Unagi, e.g.: EEL.

23. Nabbed: GOT.

25. Kiddie lit count: OLAF.

26. Clean with soap: WASH.

27. Brood: STEW.

28. Twelve Oaks neighbor: TARA.

29. Katz of "Dallas": OMRI. He played John Ross III. It is an adjoining clecho to help parse...32. Mother of J.R. and Bobby: MISS ELLIE.

33. Row of seats: PEW.

35. Advocate: URGE.

36. Whiskey __: SOUR.

37. Cafepress.com offerings: TEES. And so much more.

40. Big laugh: ROAR.

41. 1970 Kinks hit: LOLA.

44. Gym goal: FITNESS.

47. Hard-to-define spiritualist: NEW AGER.

49. Cow, for one: SHE.

51. Cook, as clams: STEAM.

52. Not a heavy weight: OUNCE.

53. Up in the air: UNSET.

54. Bogotá babies: NENES.

55. Family nickname: DADDY.

56. N.Y. engineering sch.: RPI.

60. Actress Gaye of "Ali": NONA.

61. Bar freebies: NUTS.

62. Itinerary info: ETAS.

65. Victorian __: ERA.

66. 9/11 Memorial site: Abbr.: NYC.

Ed Sessa

Title: Fooey, we do not need them both. Why do we have PH and F both for the /f/ sound? The Greek letter φ (phi) started it. In Classical Greek this was pronounced as an aspirated [pʰ], which the Latins wrote as phwhen they borrowed the words from Greek. Later this sound changed into an [f] in both Greek and Latin, and was passed as such into French, and then into English. Once the idea that ph was pronounced [f] was established, it spread to a few other areas, as well. Borrowings from Hebrew and other Semitic languages sometimes use ph, especially since the Hebrew letter פ can be [p] or [f] depending on context. Vietnamese regularly uses ph for [f], because the modern Vietnamese orthography was designed by the French.

Hello everyone; hopefully, you are happy to see the puzzle author, our once again prolific retired Dr. Ed who plays beautifully and amusingly with sounds. In a very consistent theme, where F becomes PH, then PH - F, F - PH, PH - F and finally F - PH to complete the perfectly symmetrical and consistent theme. I loved the reversing of the PH/F F/PH as the puzzle gimmick, but I began looking for the A, also. To make the theme work, Ed had to widen the grid and place his grid-spanning central fill with a cheater square on each side to make this all work. Friday, home of the 16 x 15 grid. Also, it is the home of  IT WORKS. SLAMS ON, DOMESTIC, HOT WIRES, iPOD-MINI,  and UNION MAN. Ed is a pro, so let us this effort.

19A. Paramount paramour?: ALPHA ROMEO (10). ALFA Romeo automobiles.  Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili. I had the hardest time of thinking past Paramount Pictures and the many leading early stars developed there, including Mary Pickford, Marguerite Clark, Pauline Frederick, Douglas Fairbanks, Gloria Swanson, Rudolph Valentino, and Wallace Reid.

24A. Greek goddess carrying a pick?: AFRODITE (8). APHrodite, was the ancient Greek goddess associated with love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation. She is identified with the planet Venus, which is named after the Roman goddess Venus, with whom she was extensively syncretized.

36A. Program for young readers, and a hint to five puzzle answers: PHUN WITH FONICS (14).

51A. Online scammer's tool?: PHISH NET (8). Fishnet will always bring to mind dear Splynter and his ladies. Can you name this lady? Anyway, PHISHING is not nice.

56A. Dispensers of horse pills?: FARMACISTS (10). PHarmacists might not find this amusing, but I do.

Across:

1. O on a stand, say: ISSUE. I am not sure I have the slightest idea what this means; music? My wife?

6. "Pokémon: The Series" genre: ANIME. I like it when clues have their accents.

11. Ceremonial exchange: I DOS.

15. "The Nightmare Room" series author: STINE. R.L. who created the GOOSEBUMPS phenomenon. Here is an INTERVIEW. The man has written an amazing number of BOOKS.

16. Misses without exception: WOMEN. Be careful Dr.Ed, gender is no longer that simple.

17. Dirty work?: PORN. I will not follow that thought up here.

18. Scuba diver's destination: WRECK. If you want to try, you can read THIS.

21. Sandwich title?: EARL.  As with the author of this ARTICLE, I grew up listening to Dusty Dick Summer on WBZ. He is a nice man with whom I have corresponded.  There is one named for 24A.

22. Watches kids: SITS. Interesting how this word developed, as little of the process involves sitting.

23. Sit tight: BIDE.

26. Applies with force, as brakes: SLAMS ON. I filled before reading the clue and was trying to think of a Samson reference that would make sense.

29. Jelly bean-munching president: REAGAN.

30. Color gradation: HUE. I didn't know they even went to school.

31. Modest acknowledgment: I TRY. If you do not laugh, at least...

32. Wolverine relative: WEASEL. Wait just one darn minute, you mean THIS is related to THAT? But what about HIM?

35. In the cooler: ON ICE. Not poured over ice, Tin, so this okay. Maybe you keep your chocolate there.

40. Some satellites: MOONS. Defined as a celestial body orbiting another of larger size

41. Back up anew: RESAVE.

42. European wine area: ASTI.

43. Mend, perhaps: SEW.

44. iHeartRADIO fare: OLDIES.

49. Inventor's cry of success: IT WORKS.!

53. Jones of film, familiarly: INDY.

54. Motley: PIED.

55. Real estate unit: ACRE.

59. Bop on the bean: BRAIN.

60. Bulb in a balloon?: IDEA. I like the alliteration, but this was tough. This EXPERIMENT? Or

61. Boffo Moffo performances: ARIAS. A bit misleading use of the rhyme for a wonderful song by Anna Moffo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTGRnNA33Ww

62. "No more for me": I'M SET.

63. Cap'n's mate: BOSN.

64. Stroke in a parlor: MASSE. Billiard, not beauty, nor even massage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmin3exAQL0

65. Boxing family: BAERS. Maximilian Adelbert Baer (February 11, 1909 – November 21, 1959) was an American boxer who was the World Heavyweight Champion from 14 June 1934 to 13 June 1935. His fights were twice (1933 win over Max Schmeling, 1935 loss to James J. Braddock) rated Fight of the Year by The Ring Magazine. Baer was also a boxing referee and had an occasional role on film or television. He was the brother of heavyweight boxing contender Buddy Baer and father of actor Max Baer Jr.

Down:

1. Start of an oath: I SWEAR. To uphold the Constitution...

2. Attack from above: STRAFE.

3. __ Nevada: brewery: SIERRA. We went to their brewery in North Carolina in 2016

4. Clear, as a drain: UNCLOG. Long haired wives...

5. Reaction to a mouse: EEK.

6. Anticipate: AWAIT.

7. "A Walk in the Woods" actor: NOLTE.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suK1e_3zNHg

8. Rowdy rug rats: IMPS.

9. "I couldn't care less": MEH.

10. Facilitate: ENABLE.

11. Early Apple audio player: iPod MINI.

12. Made at home: DOMESTIC.

13. Mineral source: ORE.

14. __-Caps: candy: SNO.

Mini Non-pareils

20. Coastal inlet: RIA.

22. Tendon: SINEW.

25. Occurs to, with "on": DAWNS.

26. Early antibiotic: SULFA.

27. Fictional flesh-eaters: ORCS.

28. TV's "Science Guy": NYE.

30. Sly chuckles: HEHS.

33. Buenos __: AIRES.

34. Crock-Pot dish: STEW.

35. First-year law students: ONE LS.

36. Nutter Butter Cereal maker: POST.

37. Starts without a key: HOTWIRES.

38. True-blue teamster, say: UNION MAN.

39. Dumpty-shaped: OVOID.

40. English R&B singer Ella __: MAI.

43. Overhead stadium equipment: SKYCAM.

45. Greg's sitcom wife: DHARMA.

46. To be safe: INCASE.

47. More spooky: EERIER.

48. Angioplasty implants: STENTS.

50. Nutritional no.: RDA.

51. Greek breads: PITAS.

52. "Steppenwolf" author: HESSE. Herman.

54. Greek letters: PSIS. We started with PHIS, now this Ψ.

56. Little lie: FIB.

57. It may be about nothing: ADO. Muchly.

58. 401(k) relative, briefly: IRA. Individual Retirement Account.

59. Food collector, at times: BIB.  Until I had grandchildren, I was unfamiliar with these high tech bibs. Much neater.

Jeffrey Wechsler

Title: I C said the blind man. 'I see said the blind man' is an old expression, often with "to his deaf wife." My favorite ending is, "... as he peed into the wind. It's all coming back to me now!"

I would reference I.C.E. since the IC replaces E, but that would end up being political. I think I may have exhausted the topic of blindness, but Jeffrey never seems to exhaust his library of wit. In another letter replacement version, he packs in 65 spaces of theme with a central grid-spanner. He uses cheater squares for the 14s, but the rest is just a nice puzzle. Such skill to include IS IT SO, CIERAS, RARE COIN, I'VE GOT TO, TENON SAW all of which are uncommon or brand new for the LAT and the fun word FLAMENCO. The cluing which apparently is too much for CED was fun throughout, so...

16A. Art class model, say?: STATIC EMPLOYEE (14). The STATE employee gets to stand still while being sketched. Some sat they standstill while waiting on you.

25A. Homeowner's extreme reaction to a hailstorm?: WINDOW PANIC (11). Here we all have hurricane-proof window PANES or shutters.

34A. Ancient Roman's suggestion to a sweat-drenched pal?: CHANGE YOUR TUNIC (15). I wonder if finding this grid spanner made JW change his TUNE?

46A. Where sick con victims seek help?: PATSY CLINIC (11). But do they play her hits over the loudspeaker?

59A. Stand-up invited to a holiday meal?: COMIC FOR DINNER (14). Look who is COMING for dinner? I understand most professionals do not like 'performing' for relatives. I am glad I am not a professional.

A really nice set of themers

Across:

1. City in which much of "Moonlight" is set: MIAMI. Academy Award winner; oops. LINK.

6. Lively display of stamps?: FLAMENCO.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRW4J0HyeiY

14. Long range: ANDES. One of those clues CED spoke of, nit far but an extended mountain range.

15. Valuable collectible: RARE COIN. This fill has been in the LAT twice before, introduced to us by Paul Coulter on a Friday I blogged HERE. That puzzle write-ups has two very interesting aspects; pictures of Lucina added by C.C. and the TONSURE of Buddhist monks which I participated in this trip.

18. Singer Jones: TOM.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2TtzDmCQ9s

19. Ashes not caused by fire: TREES. Another deceptive one, where we wanted fire and needed Fraxinus, English name ash, a genus of flowering plants in the olive and lilac family, Oleaceae.

20. Notable times: ERAS.

22. Genesis twin: ESAU. When your name is 4 letters and has three vowels, you will live on in xwords.

23. Volcanic rock: BASALT. This is a dark, fine-grained volcanic rock that sometimes displays a columnar structure. It is typically composed largely of plagioclase with pyroxene and olivine. The dictionary makes that so clear, right?

30. Calculating: SLY.

31. Lot unit: ACRE.

32. Sucker of sorts: LEECH. Not the victim, but THIS.

41. Wise guys, maybe: SAGES. Using 'guys' to lead you to mobsters, not smart people. If you notice it is clued as two words, and not as wiseguys, you will not fall in his trap.

42. Hotel worker: MAID.

43. Asian holiday: TET. As the celebration of the lunar new year, Tet is the most important holiday on the Vietnamese calendar.

50. Went from 50 to 40: SLOWED. Because lying about his/her age would not fit.

52. "Put __ on it!": A LID.

53. Bust size?: KILO. Stop looking for boobie, all we have here is a drug bust. Why do we use pounds/ounces for most things but 'keys' for heroin and cocaine?

54. Flynn of film: ERROL. He is back; no buckling a swash today.

56. Attorney's org.: ABA.  American Bar Association. A CSO to Susan and others.

63. "It's my duty": I'VE GOT TO. If you must, you must.

64. Really irk: EAT AT.

65. Cutting tool for making joints: TENON SAW. This full name appeared only once, in 2005, in the LAT. It has never been used in an NYT.

66. Works on a batter: STIRS. No baseball, but cooking. Sorry CED.

Down:

1. It's often rigged: MAST. Another fun clue, right CED?

2. Fascinated by: IN TO.

3. Biblical exile: ADAM. It is so easy to put in CAIN and be wrong. JW! And a mini-clecho 22D. Delightful places: EDENS.

4. Came across: MET.

5. "Can this be true?": IS IT SO? A challenging parse.

6. Clear, as a schedule slot: FREE UP.

7. Fabric with a glint: LAMÉ. You do not get the accent in the clue making it hard to see this fabric with interwoven gold or silver threads.

8. Some dadaist works: ARPS.

9. Brooks with lines: MEL. Not bubbling streams but a shout out to this awesome PUZZLE.

10. Green prefix: ECO.

11. British poet Alfred: NOYES.

12. '80s-'90s Olds models: CIERAS.

13. Score early in the set, maybe: ONE ALL. Tennis anyone?

17. Bird crop: CRAW. Anything about this puzzle stick in your...?

21. Muddy enclosure: STY.

23. Stuttgart suds: BIER. Beer by any other name...German 1.

24. Bank holding: Abbr.: ACCT. Cking or sving?

25. WWII female: WAC.

26. Gigi : je :: Greta : __: ICH. German 2.

27. Org. with frequent firings: NRA.

28. See 57-Down: A LOSS.

29. Fresh, to Franz: NEU. German 3.

33. Like a rainforest: HUMID.

35. Show awe: GAPE.

36. Quaint "Yikes!": EGAD.

37. Equivalent of OTOH: YET. In didactic discourse, perhaps.

38. Photographer Goldin: NAN.

39. Sundial marking: III. Another use of Roman numerals to fill difficult places.

40. Health org. with HQ in Atlanta: CDC. What happened to the "P"; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

43. "Naughty!": TSK. Generally in pairs.

44. Draw out: ELICIT.

45. Queen's "Somebody __": TO LOVE.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aA2IRoPFIn0

47. Peter of Peter, Paul and Mary: YARROW.

48. Lump of earth: CLOD.

49. Easter display: LILIES.

51. Many suffragists: WOMEN. Hmm, yes women led the movement for women to vote.

54. Young newts: EFTS.

55. "The Godfather" composer Nino: ROTA.

56. Opposition member: ANTI.

57. With 28-Down, persevere despite hardship: BEAR.  Did you write an essay in school about the cross-eyed bear?

58. Liberal follower?: ARTS. JW will go to any degree to confound and amuse.

60. "Can __ forward when my heart is here?": Romeo: I GO.

61. Fool: CON.

62. D.C. ballplayer: NAT. Will Bryce Harper remain a Washington National?

Dan Margolis

Title: Cue Q.  LINK.

I blogged Dan's debut here back 5 + years ago, click if you want to REMEMBER. I do not believe James Bond was the inspiration, but perhaps we can induce Dan to stop by and let us know. In the interim, the theme is straightforward, though a bit varied. There are 5 themers and a reveal. The first two have CU replaced, the third has one of its two CUs replaced. Next has CUE, and the last CCU. It is consistent because in each and every case it is the sound kju that is replaced. he does provide a reveal if you hadn't gotten the hint, though it too could be confusing. 56 theme spaces do not leave much room for outside sparkle, but did leave room for lots of linguistics. We see many languages featured



10A. Like many Miamians: QBAN (4). My son is married to a young lady of CUBAN descent.

17A. Not to be tolerated: INEXQSABLE (10). If I had used all the bad puns that came to mind with this theme, you likely would have found it INEXCUSABLE.

26A. Unruffled: COOL AS A QCUMBER (14). While scientifically correct - cucumbers internal temperature will be 11 to 20 degrees cooler and its surroundings, the+ phrase was first recorded in a poem by the British poet John Gay 'New Song on New Similies' in 1732: "Cool as a cucumber could see the rest of womankind". This is challenging because of the double "CU" but the second is not pronounced with the long U.

43A. Potentially lifesaving efforts: RESQ OPERATIONS (14). RESCUE operations are organized procedures to bring people or a person out of danger, attack, harm, etc. Collins dictionary. Here the Q replaces CUE. 

62A. Charge: AQSE (4). I ACCUSE (J'ACCUSE in the original) was made famous from a letter written by Emile Zola defending Alfred DREYFUS.
The reveal:

56A. Words before entering ... and a hint to five puzzle answers: THAT'S MY CUE (10).

and that is mine to get on with reviewing and discussing...

Across:

1. Accommodate: ADAPT.

6. "Who, me?": NOT I. Very formal.

14. Craft pointed in two directions?: CANOE. We begin our world of words with a word that came to us from mid 16th century: from Spanish canoa, from Arawak, from Carib canaoua .

15. __à-brac: BRIC. French.

16. Bear overhead: URSA. The famous Major and Minor
constellations. Latin for bear.

19. Farm feed: OATS.

20. Pasture moisture: DEW. Not the same as Mountain Dew.

21. One of the two most recent Pac-12 members: UTES.
The STORY.

22. Xerxes' empire: PERSIA. This guy...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhfItWExa9E

24. Krombacher output: BIER. This German BREWER makes beer which is bier in German (CSO to my son's current career in craft beer distribution).

25. In __: undisturbed: SITU. Latin, meaning “in position. We hear it in archaeology (CSO to my son's graduate school time).

32. Native American shelter: WIGWAM. This is from Algonquian language.

33. Polynesian carving: TIKI. This from the Maori language. In Māori mythology, Tiki is the first man created by either Tūmatauenga or Tāne. He found the first woman, Marikoriko, in a pond; she seduced him and he became the father of Hine-kau-ataata.

34. Waze suggestion: Abbr.: RTE. I never heard of this app (WAZE) until this year and now I have seen it often including in last Saturday's Puzzle Society by Chris King.

35. Flubs: ERRS.

36. Dominate: OWN. Tom Brady owned Peyton Manning.

37. "La Vie en Rose" singer: PIAF. The troubled but talented French singer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFzViYkZAz4

38. Duffer's dream: ACE. A golfer who is not very good who wishes for a hole in one.

39. Final notes: CODA. From Italian, the concluding passage of a piece or movement, typically forming an addition to the basic structure

41. Gym wear: SWEATS.

46. One often paying a fee: USER.

47. Seagoing shortening: BOSN. Boatswain.

48. Stay put: REMAIN.

51. Stare slack-jawed: GAPE. Better than agape.

52. Sleeve: ARM.

55. Like __ of sunshine: A RAY. A golden ray?

59. Beatles song that begins, "Is there anybody going to listen to my story": GIRL.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPYXC-CtU5A
LYRICS.

60. Exude: OOZE.

61. Like some kitchens: EAT IN. These are usually the most popular room in the house.

63. Old-style "Wow!": EGAD.

64. Exceedingly: NO END.


Down:

1. Stinging: ACID.

2. Many a "Hamlet" character: DANE.  Friday Will S; cool. Well, he was Prince of Denmark...

3. Freshly: ANEW.

4. Curse: POX. A Shakespearian word.

5. Drink with blanco and plata varieties: TEQUILA. This is a Mexican liquor made from an agave. Interestingly to me, the two types mentioned really are the same though there are other KINDS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9j8afmT-bLM

6. Grizzlies, e.g., for short: NBAERS. Odd mascot.

7. "Nor to their idle __ doth sight appear": Milton: ORBS. A line by John Milton, the blind poet, in a sonnet to CYRIAK SKINNER.

8. Up to, in ads: TIL.

9. Chip maker: ICEPICK. A very difficult clue to parse, luckily the perps were there. Keebler fit.




10. Number needed for official business: QUORUM. Tricky since the answer is not a number, these meetings are often mind-numbing.

11. Support group?: BRAS. Hard to think of bras as a group; they never had a hit album.

12. Italian wine region: ASTI.

13. Rocket launcher: NASA.

18. Anger: STEAM.

23. Holder of needles: ETUI. Not Eric but
French.
24. Bends over forward: BOWS. Alfonse? Gaston?

25. Newspaper ad meas.: SQIN. This is used as an acronym for SQare INch.

26. "Odyssey" sorceress: CIRCE. Inspired so many imitations including GOT's Cersei

27. Cruel sorts: OGRES.

28. Fighting big-time: AT WAR.

29. Beach Boy Wilson: BRIAN.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YIaXYrCGys

30. States overseas: ÉTATS. French and related languages.

31. Whistle blowers: REFS. Nice misdirection.

32. Sport: WEAR. My grandmother even in senility always commented when my mother was spoting a new outfit.

36. Frankfurt's river: ODER.

37. McJob holder: PEON.

39. Mozart's "__ fan tutte": COSI. Italian, they all do it.

40. Like pedi-showing shoes: OPEN TOE.

41. Bus route components: STOPS. Such a fancy word bor a bus stop.

42. Stable visitors: WISEMEN. Not one who has it together but who went to a specific stable.

44. Veep before Gore: QUAYLE.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnAHsZFhRdo

45. Let up: ABATED.

48. Sitar music: RAGA. I do not think I knew this. The word is from Sanskrit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WghXM8s4jqU

49. Actor La Salle: ERIQ. I wish I could think of the actor who first came to mind with a toothpick in his mouth, but this is ERIQ.

50. Blemishes: MARS.

51. Controversial Mideast strip: GAZA. Hard to discuss as a non-political issue but here is some HISTORY.

52. Partie d'une comédie: ACTE. French.

53. Destruction: RUIN. A  "u" sound but not kju.

54. Use thread on threads, say: MEND. I like this clue/fill a lot.

57. Monopolize: HOG.

58. Former hoopster __ Ming: YAO. A mini CSO to my sweet Thongyao. In Chinese Yáo, literally means ‘precious jade.' Or maybe not- Jayce? Barry G.?

Jeffrey Wechsler

Title: The car of the year = a TR-7?

Well guess who is back with an add-on letters theme. This Jeffrey adds TR to the beginning of some in the language phrases. The results are pretty funny





17A. Imaginary fish?: TROUT OF ONE'S MIND.(15)

32A. Participates in a biathlon for physicians?: TREATS AND RUNS.(13).

41A. Where climbing plants flourish?: TRELLIS ISLAND.(13).

61A. Tire-testing statistics?: TRACTION FIGURES.(15)

Across:

1. Chicken (out): WIMP.

5. Mild cheese: GOUDA.

10. Latticework component: LATH.

14. Grandson of Adam: ENOS.

15. Behind-the-scenes retail space: OFFICE AREA.

19. QBs' targets: TES. Tight Ends, the best known of which is currently...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpTc8gYaXVM
canada v usa land area

20. Second-largest W. Hemisphere country: USA. I am a bit confused because the USA is bigger than Canada, but not as big of Antarctica, which is only partially in the Western Hemisphere. LINK.

21. Clutches: GRABS ON.

22. Ann้e quarter: ETE. French for part of a year.

23. Composer Bart๓k: BELA.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szC8cS9M-Ew

25. Email tab: SENT.

26. Water collection pit: SUMP.

28. Uh-huh accompaniers: NODS.

38. Of limited scope: NARROW.

39. Old auto named for an explorer: DE SOTO. The history of the CAR.

44. More than a peck: KISS.

45. Yours, to Yves:  À TOI.  

46. "O, that way madness lies" speaker: LEAR. Jeffrey gets his Shakespeare in this week. King Lear bemoaning the treatment he has received from his daughters.

50. Many a Ph.D.: PROFessor.

54. 50-Across' subj., perhaps: ENGlish

55. Mail creator: ARMORER. Chain mail not e-mail.

59. Texting qualifier: IMO. In My Opinion.

60. Where some drives begin: TEE.

64. Common cooking ingredient: KOSHER SALT.

65. Campsite sight: TENT.

66. Language that gave us "plaid": ERSE.

67. Architectural projections: EAVES.

68. Last letters in London: ZEDS.


Down:

1. Record-breaking, rainwise: WETTEST.

2. Reciprocally: IN RETURN.

3. Alaskan burger choice: MOOSE MEAT.

4. Nittany Lions' sch.: PSU.

5. Dickensian holiday dish: GOOSE. Famous in A Christmas Carol not as the gift, but the background. The STORY.

6. Remains at the butcher: OFFAL. This is an old word which began as a combination of "off" and "fall" - that which falls off.

7. Aerial enigma: UFO.

8. Microwave signal, sometimes: DING.

9. Hardware brand: ACER. I am typing on an ACER laptop.

10. Symbols of innocence: LAMBS. Unless you are being silent.

11. Spring up: ARISE.

12. Mortise partner: TENON.

13. "I __ noticed": HADN'T.

16. That, in Madrid: ESA.

18. One may include a shower: TUB.

24. __ Arbor: ANN.

27. Henry VIII's sixth: PARR.

29. They may be long at the track: ODDS.

30. Square root of neun: DREI. German division that isn't military.

31. Find (out): SUSS.

33. Long haul: TREK.

34. Recital numbers: SOLI.

35. Leatherworker's set: AWLS.

36. 2014 "NCIS" spinoff locale, briefly: NOLA.

37. Pecan, for Texas: STATETREE.

40. How brooms are usually stored: ONONEEND.

42. Org. affected by net neutrality: ISP.

43. Fully comprehends: DIGESTS.

46. Hanukkah serving: LATKE.

47. Wrong turn, say: ERROR.

48. Bring together: AMASS.

49. Basel-based pharmaceutical giant: ROCHE.

51. Feature of many a Daniel Boone depiction: RIFLE.

52. Skips: OMITS.

53. Driving hazard: FOG.

56. GPS datum: RTE.

57. Land of the banshee: EIRE.

58. Civil rights icon Parks: ROSA.

62. Canadian rapper with the album "Reckless": NAV.

63. Big name in snack food: UTZ.

James Sajdak

Title: Let’s get down with UP!

James is  back for his second Friday this year.





17A. Novice hiker's predicament?: TRAIL MIXUP (10).

23A. Relief pitcher?: DIAMOND BACK UP (13).

38A. Flipped ... and what four puzzle answers are?: UPENDED (7).

50A. Showoff with gags?: HOTDOG STANDUP (13).

62A. Tenement for one on the lam?: PERP WALKUP  (10).

Across:

1. "__ simple, duh!": IT'S SO. Well that i a challenge to starts.

6. Gobi container: ASIA. Cute clue, as the Gobi is in fact in Asia (as am I).

10. Pollutants targeted in Great Lakes cleanups: PCBS. Why were they BANNED?

14. "Sorry, bro": NO WAY. José. 

15. Brits' foul-weather gear: MACS. The Mackintosh or raincoat is a form of waterproof raincoat, first sold in 1824, made out of rubberised fabric. The Mackintosh is named after its Scottish inventor Charles Macintosh, although many writers added a letter k. The variant spelling of "Mackintosh" is now standard.

16. Devastated sea: ARAL. We have had this so often with illustrations, I feel like I have been there.

19. Taboo: NO NO. Nanette?

20. DUI-fighting org.: SADD. Students Against Destructive Decisions has become about much more than drunk driving. LINK.

21. Card game shout: UNO.I learned this game and Skup-Bo from my grandmother who always taveled with various decks of cards. She also loved cribbage.

22. Dairy prefix: LACTO. This clue has milked dry.

27. Spot for a springbok: VELDT. This is the open country, bearing grass, bushes, or shrubs, or thinly forested, characteristic of parts of southern Africa, home to these small antelopes.

29. Allay: EASE.

30. "Cats" source: ELIOT. T.S.

31. Stopped working: DIED. My 5 year old iPhone 5 just up and died causing me to upgrade to a phone I need to learn how to use.


33. Snarky retort: AS IF.

37. Cheshire can: TIN. A dual purpose CSO yo Steve Nice Cuppa etc., as well as our toastmaster.

41. Where Charlemagne reigned: Abbr.: HRE. Holy Roman Empire.

42. Extended account: SAGA.

44. Sources of some barrels: OAKS.They are the preferred wood source for aging whiskey. Today's LESSON.

45. Salty expanse: OCEAN.

47. Boone, to his buds: DAN'L. What you need to KNOW.

49. Put oil and vinegar on, say: DRESS. A salad; you would want it nekkid in public would ya?

56. Swashbuckling Flynn: ERROL.

57. Employ: USE.

58. "¿Cómo __?": ESTA. Usted.

61. Digitize, in a way: SCAN.

65. Director Gus Van __: SANT. I hear much about this MAN but only know one movie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=5_Rs8c08hM8

66. Barb: GIB

67. "A Fish Called Wanda" Oscar winner: KLINE. When Jamie Lee was young and hot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqHzMwMr22I

68. 3-Canada competitor: ESSO.

69. Erelong: ANON.

70. Worked with osier: CANED.

Down:

1. Cornerback's coups, briefly: INTS.

2. One-third of a WWII film: TORA. This is a moive which shall live in indamy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFUfY9bQMgI

3. Wrapping tightly: SWADDLING.

4. Got married: SAID I DO.

5. Olive __: OYL.

6. Acid type: AMINO.

7. Ivanhoe, e.g.: SAXON.

8. Post-OR stop: ICU.

9. Nile biter: ASP.

10. Cure-all: PANACEA.

11. Bunch of baloney: CROCK.

12. Linguistic group that includes Zulu: BANTU.

13. Single-master: SLOOP.

18. Silent: MUM.

22. __ Palmas: Canary Islands city: LAS.

24. Western tip of Alaska: ATTU.

25. Closing documents: DEEDS.

26. Expressed, as farewell: BADE.

27. Checks out: VETS.

28. Oscar-winning director Kazan: ELIA.

31. Gives a hand: DEALS.

32. Press: INK.

34. Grad's award: SHEEPSKIN.

35. Nest egg choices: IRAS.

36. Bogs: FENS.

39. Early Atari offering: PONG.

40. __-Frank: 2010 financial reform bill: DODD.

43. Enlarge, as a house: ADD ON TO.

46. First name in Disney villains: CRUELLA.

48. Verizon subsidiary: AOL.

50. "Siddhartha" author: HESSE.

51. Black-and-white cetaceans: ORCAS.

52. Mission opening?: TRANS.

53. Supercharger: TURBO.

54. Steamboat Springs alternative: ASPEN.

55. Fresh: NEW.

59. Piece of music: TUNE.

60. Impersonated: APED.

62. Woods gp.: PGA.

63. Strauss' "__ Heldenleben": EIN.

64. Pedigree-tracking org.: AKC.

Bonnie L. Gentry and Victor Fleming

Title: Where did he hide my LEGO?

You have to go back more than 9 years to see the first puzzle by this team reviewed here at the CORNER. Then you have to travel 9,811 miles to watch me prepare this write-up from Thung Saliam, Sukhotjai Province,Thailand. I am no world traveler like Steve, but we are here as Oo's son honors her by being ordained a monk for 7 days. Back to the write-up; I commented back in 2009 about coincidence in puzzles, and here we are again. Just after commented on Mark McClain's use of the black space in his Sunday effort, this team goes one better and has the black space represent the word BLOCK, which is of course is what a black space is. Wonderful.  And for the icing on the cake the symmetry of the break 9/5 to 5/9 3/11 to 11/3 extraordinary.



17A. Impediment: STUMBLING (9) (BLOCK) and 19A. Neighborhood gathering: (BLOCK) PARTY.(5).  Once a again, a grid -spanning set.

25A. Beach application: SUN (3) (BLOCK) and 28A. Billion-dollar pharmaceuticals: (BLOCK) BUSTER DRUGS.(11). This slowed me down as I did not know this PHRASE.

46A. One with a lot to learn, perhaps: NEW KID ON THE (11) and 49A. Obstruction: (BLOCK) AGE.(3).

61A. Local anesthesia effect: NERVE.(5) (BLOCK) and 62A . Device with pulleys: (BLOCK) AND TACKLE (9).
The reveal:

67A. Word aptly represented by four black squares in this puzzle: BLOCK.

Across:

1. Bad cut: GASH.

5. And: ALSO.

9. __ Ababa: ADDIS.

14. Natural skin soother: ALOE.

15. Good earth: LOAM.

16. Datum in a forensic database: PRINT.

20. Outcasts: PARIAHS.

21. Boiling point?: KETTLE.

22. "No seats" sign: SRO.

23. Score after deuce: AD IN.

34. More than suspect: KNOW.

36. Early 20th-century touring cars: REOS.

37. Part of a joke: SETUP.

38. Lingering effect: ECHO.

39. Not as dotty: SANER.

41. Colorado tributary: GILA.

42. Massey of old films: ILONA.  She was a star. LINK.

44. Thoroughbred's dad: SIRE.

45. "Git!": SCAT.

50. Pushed the doorbell: RANG.

51. Night school subj.: ESL.



53. Scandinavian bar exchange: SKOALS.

57. Corrode: EATAWAY.

64. Words in some English resort town names: ON SEA.

65. Major fit: RAGE.

66. First name in homespun humor: ERMA.

68. Watched carefully: EYED.

69. Exchange jabs: SPAR.


Down:

1. [You can't mean that!]: GASP.

2. Wasatch Mountains resort: ALTA. This is the LINK. I am much more familiar with park City.

3. __ grapes: SOUR.

4. Some Chrysler engines: HEMIS.

5. Around-the-clock: ALL HOURS.

6. Half a Daily Planet byline: LOIS.

7. __ Antonio: SAN.

8. Texting interjection: OMG.

9. Tacks on: APPENDS.

10. "Phooey!": DRAT.

11. __-cheap: DIRT.

12. Like some JFK flights: INTL.

13. Lid issue: STYE.

18. Verbal jab: BARB.

21. Cassis apéritif: KIR.

23. Penitent: ATONING.

24. Mirage site: DESERT.

25. Knitter's coil: SKEIN.

26. Family reunion attendee: UNCLE.

27. At all: NOHOW.

29. A pass may cover one: SEASON.

30. Brief rules?: REGS.

31. City in New York's Mohawk Valley: UTICA.

32. Stalin-era prison: GULAG.

33. Dramatic outpouring: SPATE.

35. Policy __: WONK.

40. Readied, as leftovers: REHEATED.

43. Puncture consequence: AIR LEAK. I guess, but it sounds

47. Court figures, for short: DAS.

48. Ensenada pronoun: ESTA. A Spanish word.

52. Velcro alternative: LACES.

53. Nose-in-the-air sort: SNOB.

54. __ Ration: KEN-L.

55. Guesstimate phrase: OR SO.

56. With, on le menu: AVEC. Our French word of the day.

57. Do landscaping work: EDGE.

58. Dr. Johnny Fever's fictional station: WKRP. In Cincinnati...

59. Soprano Gluck: ALMA.

60. Sommelier's concern: YEAR. The vintageof the wine.

62. "__ you out of your mind?": ARE.

63. "All opposed" reply: NAY. And the votes are in and i lovr=ed this puzzle.

Ed Sessa

Title: It's November, and that means time to fall back.

A wonderful and timely puzzle from Dr. Sessa, as a reminder to set your clocks back one hour this Sunday, November 4, 2018.  In another Friday 16 x 15 supersized puzzle,  each of the three themers describes a time an hour earlier than the common expression. Dr. Ed works in 2 four-letter bonus fill as well as two 16 space grid-spanners. He also references so many things that are fun for me, if not for everyone. Hey, I am happy. It is nice to have Dr. Sessa back with clues like Make the cut and Off the plate and some sparkly fill HARPOON, PH SCALE, SCISSOR, and SNOOPER.  Well enjoy- time to get to work.


18A. Commonly bristly covering: FOUR O'CLOCK SHADOW (16). Five O'clock Shadow has a great HISTORY.

29A. Christmas celebration: ELEVEN PM MASS (12). Midnight Mass is a little more of a stretch. 

36A. With 37-Across, an apt reminder: FALL (4).

37A. See 36-Across: BACK (4).

51A. Last-minute deadline: THE TENTH HOUR (12). The Eleventh Hour is a phrase meaning at the last moment, taken from a passage in the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard in the King James Bible, didja know? 

And the reveal-

61A. "Things are different now" ... and an apt hint to three other answers: TIMES HAVE CHANGED (16). They haven't yet, but they are about to. 

Across:

1. Service calls: AMENS. Another fun clue/fill- not tennis.

6. Emotionally bother: GET TO.

11. Sonic the Hedgehog maker: SEGA. SErvice GAmes of Japan has had a troubled HISTORY.

15. Miller's salesman: LOMAN. Arthur, not the beer maker. I think Lee J. Cobb was the best.
ACT I 

16. Audibly awed: AGASP. A word.

17. Dirt handful: CLOD. It is the earth equivalent of a clot; "lump of earth or clay," Old English clod- (in clodhamer "the fieldfare," a kind of thrush), from Proto-Germanic *kludda-, from PIE *gleu- (see clay). Also, the pejorative from 1590s; that of "blockhead, dolt, stupid fellow" is from c. 1600 (compare clodpate, clodpoll, etc. in the same sense). And no you know.

21. "Settle down!": COOL IT.

22. Watch name: OMEGA. Bond, James Bond.

23. Black shade: JET. The clecho- 60D. Black shade: ONYX.

26. Positive aspects: PROS. This list- pros/cons.

27. Make the cut?: SCISSOR. Scissor as a verb (why is that "c" there?) transitive verb: to cut, cut up, or cut off with scissors or shears.

32. Sock part: TOE.

33. Innate abilities: FLAIRS.

34. Ginsburg colleague: ALITO. Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader and Samuel.

39. Pile: HEAP.

43. Off the plate: EATEN. Literally true.

46. Mooch: SPONGE.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30knrJBeyr0

48. SHO sister channel: TMC. The Movie Channel, which costs money; not Turner Classic Movies.

54. Whaling weapon: HARPOON. Think Moby Dick.

56. Narrow inlets: RIAS.

57. Friend of Frodo: SAM. Samwise "Sam" Gamgee is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. Samwise is one of the main characters of The Lord of the Rings, in which he fills an archetypal role as the sidekick of the primary protagonist, Frodo Baggins.

58. Red flag: ALARM.

59. World Heritage Site org.: UNESCO. LINK.

67. Long-billed wader: IBIS. Oddly the mascot of the Miami Hurricanes. Down here we have many Egrets which look very much like them.

68. Like Stout's Wolfe: OBESE. Nero is back. My favorite character and sidekick- Archie Goodwin.

69. Former National Endowment for the Humanities chair Cheney: LYNNE. This WOMAN is the wife of former VP Dick Cheney.

70. Great balls of fire: SUNS. You must listen to one of my all-time favorites who came to play at the Great Southern Music Hall when I lived in Gainesville.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IjgZGhHrYY

71. Herd butters: GOATS. A little head-butting humor.

72. Radiate: EXUDE.

Down:

1. 1980s TV ET: ALF. Alternate Life Form.

2. Call from Mrs. O'Leary's barn: MOO.

3. Dingo prey: EMU.

4. Cop making a traffic stop?: NARC.
Drug traffic- well-done
misdirection.

5. Nosy sort: SNOOPER. Love Gladys.


6. Mustang's rate of speed, at times: GALLOP. The horse not the car.

7. Selfishness: EGOISM. Often is in conflict with...

8. Delicacy: TACT. Which causes people to express...

9. Sound of disapproval: TSK. Seldom just one.

10. Special __: OPS.

11. Ponzi schemes, e.g.: SCAMS.

12. Firstborn: ELDEST. And some famous ones. 40D. Genesis grandson: ENOS. Talk about literary license; Enos, son of Seth, grandson of Adam,  was ninety when he begat Cainan, his eldest. After Cainan, Enos had other sons and daughters and lived for another eight hundred and fifteen years. The Bible Timeline charts his birth at 3769 BC and death at 2864 BC.

13. Like lovestruck eyes: GOO GOO. I am told the phrase has something to do with the old comics (1919) character Barney Google, who had protruding eyes (I know, hardly a flattering version) called Googley eyes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LDRbOFkP0A

14. Pop-up source: ADWARE.

19. Reasons to take painful steps?: CORNS. What exactly are corns on the foot? Corns generally occur at pressure points, typically the bottom of the feet and the sides of toes. They can be painful. A hard corn is a small patch of thickened, dead skin with a central core. A soft corn has a much thinner surface and usually occurs between the 4th and 5th toes. WebMD.

20. Verb in the song "Sloop John B": HOIST. The chorus...
So hoist up the John B's sail
See how the mainsail sets
Call for the Captain ashore
Let me go home, let me go home
I want to go home, yeah yeah
Well I feel so broke up
I want to go home

23. Mutt's companion: JEFF. More old-time comic characters. 1907.

24. "First Lady of Song": ELLA. Hard to believe she has been gone more than 20 years. LINK.

25. Colorful duck: TEAL. Yes, but they taste terrible.

27. Polio vaccine pioneer: SALK. I have told my polio vaccine story too often, but it was a special time for my brothers and me.

28. TV forensic series: CSI. Crime Scene Investigation.

30. Nasty: VILE.

31. Cheese go-with: MAC.

35. "Trouble ahead!": OH OH.

37. "It's __ fun": BEEN.

38. Farm crawler: ANT.

41. Water en un lago: AGUA. Water in the Spanish lake.

42. Salon offering: PERManent. Those with straight hair want curls; those with curls want straight.

44. Scintillas: ATOMS.

45. Short still?: THO. Yet or again, short tells you it is not a full word.

46. Squirrel away: STASH.

47. Range on which 7 denotes neutrality: PH SCALE. Acidic and basic are two extremes that describe a chemical property chemical. Mixing acids and bases can cancel out or neutralize their extreme effects. A substance that is neither acidic nor basic is neutral. The pH scale measures how acidic or basic a substance is. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. Elmhurst Colleg.

48. Strictly speaking: THAT IS.

49. "Two and a Half Men" beach setting: MALIBU.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypMtP5qfpfE

50. Pack without an inch to spare: CRAM IN.

52. First name of a literary "Papa": ERNEST.

53. Family reunion attendees: NIECES. The 29th was my first grandchild, Charlotte's birthday, and the day my newest grand-niece (by way of Oo) was born.

55. Persist, with "on": PRESS.

59. Pigmented eye area: UVEA. Did you know uveal pigment
Melanin in the choroid layer of the eye, the ciliary processes, and the posterior surface of the iris. Uveal pigment absorbs light within the eyeball to prevent glare.

62. "Sooey!" responder: HOG.

63. Blood classification letters: ABO. The HISTORY.

64. Beast that rhymes with zoo: GNU. Who knew?

65. Word with living or dead: END. The living dead are not the living end.

66. When doubled, a Ramone: DEE. Dee Dee and Joey Ramone TALK.