Jeffrey Wechsler

Title: Flast one in is a wet blanket.

Jeffrey returns with a combination of two of his specialties - add a letter and fun puns.  "F" is the added letter, but he really goes out there to get his sound-alike puns. Every one of the sound words is changed when the "F is added but retain the same sound. Consistent as all of his work. 58 squares of theme fill, aided by four cheater squares, still left room for CULPRIT, HAPLESS, STACK UP, SYNDICS, ANOTHER'S and PURE EVIL. To solve one needs to open one's mind and close one's eyes to "hear" what he is saying. I loved FLORAL AND HARDY and BAGELS AND FLOCKS. YMMV let's see what he created.

16A. Feature of frequently sheared sheep?: SHORT TEAM FLEECE (15). Animals really do not care about a short term LEASE.

23A. Like aromatic, weather-resistant plants?: FLORAL AND HARDY (14). I used to love watching LAUREL and Hardy. LINK.

42A. Skills acquired manufacturing linens?: FLAX EXPERIENCE (14). The conundrum of needing some experience to get a job, but how do you start when one LACKS experience.

56A. Shepherds' view during breakfast?: BAGELS AND FLOCKS (15). More sheep, but not the morning favorite smoked salmon, known as LOX.

Across:

1. Court player: JESTER. So nice to see a J word to begin even if it made me think of basketball and tennis.

7. Accident-prone: HAPLESS. To me, they are not the same.

14. Fuel calculation: OCTANE. An octane rating, or octane number, is a standard measure of the performance of an engine or aviation fuel. The higher the octane number, the more compression the fuel can withstand before detonating (igniting).

15. Satanic attribute: PURE EVIL.

18. "__ everything?": HOW'S.

19. Orioles' div.: AL EAST.

20. Chill in the air: NIP. The Cambridge Dictionary says a nip in the air is a feeling of cold.

21. Miss equivalent, in some cases: MILE. A miss is as good as mile probably comes from the 17th century this piece from William Camden's Remaines of a Greater Worke Concerning Britaine, 1614: An ynche in a misse is as good as an ell. An ell is a now obsolete English measure of length, equalling about 45 inches.

22. Player under Auerbach, familiarly: CELT. Nobody quite like RED AUERBACH 

30. Namely: TO WIT. That is to say.

31. Turn heads during the audition: SHINE.

32. Whodunit revelation: CULPRIT.

35. Compare to, with "against": STACK UP.

39. Fathers: SIRES.

41. Twill fabric: CHINO.

46. Pennywhistle sound: TOOT.  They can be expensive.

47. Take __ empty stomach: ON AN. Part of your doctor's orders.

48. Coffee hour vessel: URN. Do they earn when they hang at the urn?

49. Prohibit: ENJOIN. It stems from an injunction; English is so hard.

52. It might be used before sandpapering: RASP.

59. "__ Arms": Coldplay song: ANOTHER'S.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7Ob2ltW_wM

60. Brother of Isis: OSIRIS.

61. Business representatives: SYNDICS.

62. Least courteous: RUDEST.


Down:

1. Kid: JOSH.

2. Repeat: ECHO.

3. Put away: STOW.

4. Works on a route: TARS. Not a paperboy but a worker on a roadway.

5. Rhinitis-treating MD: ENT. Ear Nose and Throat.

6. Target field: RETAIL.

7. "__ few bars and I'll play it for you": HUM A.

8. Pound sounds: ARFS.

9. Bearskin rug, e.g.: PELT.

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

11. Tied: EVENED.

12. Mediterranean island: SICILY.

13. Was out all night, maybe: SLEPT.

15. Works on one's image, in a way: PREENS.

17. "First Lady of Song": ELLA.

21. 1999 Best Visual Effects Oscar winner, with "The": MATRIX.

22. December display: CRECHE.

23. Fraud watchdog org.: FTC.

24. Comedic Costello: LOU.

25. Big-eyed flier: OWL.

26. Excitedly tries to open, as a gift: RIPS AT.

27. Cabinet agcy. founded under Bush 43: DHS. Department of Homeland Security.

28. Broadway success: HIT.

29. Pain relief brand: ANACIN.

33. North Atl. country: IRE.

34. "Oedipus __" : P.D.Q. Bach western-themed parody: TEX. The long VERSION?

36. Many bar mitzvah guests: KIN.

37. Chapel Hill sch.: UNC. The University of North Carolina.

38. "MS. Found in a Bottle" author: POE. “MS. Found in a Bottle” initially appeared in the October 19, 1833 edition of a Baltimore newspaper, the Saturday Visiter, as the winner of a literary contest for the best short tale. Edgar Allan Poe submitted six stories.

40. Jug band percussionist's tools: SPOONS. Couldn't find a link with spoons.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2Ntl1uIHVc

42. To fit every possible: FOR ANY. Shouldn't it be "possibility?"

43. Well-supplied with: LONG ON.

44. Oklahoma city: ENID.

45. Tried to be elected: RAN FOR.

46. Marching band section: TUBAS.

49. K-12: ELHI. Ooh, JW, we know it is glue....

50. Very short time pd.: NSEC.  Pd? Full stop (or period, in American English), used in coded military communications.

51. Unsettles: JARS. Jarring I know.

52. Source of rage, briefly: ROID. Roid rage is a term given to people who act in a very aggressive or hostile manner after taking large doses, usually on a regular basis, of anabolic steroids, sometimes nicknamed as roids.

53. Farm unit: ACRE.

54. Downhill runners: SKIS.

55. Restrained "Hey!": PSST.

57. LAX stat: ETD.

58. SEC school: LSU. We finish with a CSO shout to all of our Louisiana cornerites.

Bruce Haight

Title: Letter sounds

One of our regular Friday contributors is back with a puzzle, which I expect will be debated. The clues give you a hint of what is going. For example, the "B" in 17 A is read as "BE" which makes "EZR" the interpretation "EASIER." Once you get the idea then the puzzle is not too difficult for a Friday. But you need to get the push from the crosses. We have had various letter sound puzzles before, but none quite like this one. I related to 4 of the themers, but I struggled with sounding out JQZ. Which is a significant fill because it was the cornerstone of making this puzzle a pangram using three of the least used letters. Of course, once I sussed the sound, it was one so obvious. There really are so many types of HOT TUBS, I like the fact that the clue with a letter/word let us know the fill will also need the same. With two grid-spanners and 29 other blocks used in the theme, it is awesome to also get  COZUMEL, ERITREA, HURTLED, I LOST IT, MENORAH, ONEONTA, PETTILY, PLATOON, SENEGAL, and SILENT C. Heavy on geography again. Damn, I wish I had studied harder.

17A. Likely to B surprisingly difficult: EZR SAID THAN DONE (15). Easier said than done is something that is easy to suggest, but much more difficult to make happen. Like keeping CED's cats of the furniture.

23A. One might Q Shamu: NML TRAINER (10). Q - cue. An animal trainer worked with Shamu who was the first killer whale (orca) which appeared in shows at SeaWorld San Diego in the mid/late 1960s.

38A. U can soak in one: JQZ HOT TUB (9). Jacuzzi jets provide serious therapeutic benefits. 

54A. Something to C at Carnegie Hall: PNO RECITAL (10).

61A. Possible reason Y lights get turned off: NRG CONSERVATION (15).

Across:

1. Figura de __: Spanish skating move: OCHO. The figure eight which is a skating move translated to Spanish. A CSO to our dear departed Clear Ayes and a winsome friend Robin.

5. Besides: ALSO.

9. Cut back a lot: SKIMP. Skimp and save. No comment considering the times.

14. It might not be proper: NOUN. An oldie but goodie clue/fill combo.

15. Secular: LAIC. Adjective for the lay - non-cleric.

16. Edmonton athlete: OILER. The greatest, Wayne Gretsky, started there.

20. __ space: OUTER. Could be inner, also.

21. Spring bloom: IRIS. The iris family is closely related to the lily and amaryllis families, differing from them in having three stamens rather than six. A shout out to our reprentative from Delaware.
                                                             

22. __-fa: set of musical syllables: SOL. Do re mi ...

26. Cycle starter: TRI. Here the look like this...

27. Place to drive from: TEE. A cso to Gary and George and more.

28. Not irr.: STD.

29. Affirmative reply: YES I AM.

32. "The Aviator" (2004) Oscar nominee: ALDA.

34. Buffoons: OAFS.

37. "The fool __ think he is wise ...": "As You Like It": DOTH.

41. Biblical hunter: ESAU.

43. It was originally called a "Biscuit": OREO.

44. They're mostly on the phone: APPS.

48. Bygone predators: T-REXES.

50. Long-legged runner: EMU.

52. Bulldog booster: ELI.

53. Component of a sweep, maybe: WIN.

58. Downed: ATE.

59. Countenance: MIEN.

60. Lenya of "From Russia With Love": LOTTE.

65. They're changed on the road: GEARS. Very nice clue for simple fill.

66. Sandwich staple: TUNA. I am a fan.

67. Frequently: A LOT.

68. French greeting: SALUT. A French shalom.

69. Reach: SPAN. Fighters have their's measured.

70. Out of __: SYNC.

Down:

1. College town WSW of Albany: ONEONTA. Another shout out to upstate New York contingent.
The COLLEGES.

2. Island resort near Cancún: COZUMEL.

3. Went like a runaway train: HURTLED.

4. It's a start: ONSET.

5. Lord of the ring?: ALI.

6. Brit's bud: LAD.

7. Sub (for): SIT IN.

8. Earthy tone: OCHRE.

9. Juniors, maybe: SONS.

10. Razz: KID.

11. "My temper got the best of me": I LOST IT.

12. Holiday candle holder: MENORAH.

13. Heat at a meet, for short: PRELIM.

18. LAX landings: ARRS.

19. Opposite of stuffy: AIRY.

24. Entire range: A-TO-Z.

25. Shoshone Falls state: IDAHO.

30. Academic address ending: EDU.

31. Nagano noodle: SOBA.

33. "Iliad" warrior: AJAX.

35. Behind: FOR.

36. Handle the wheel: STEER.

39. Ont. neighbor: QUE.

40. Heavy reading?: TOME.

41. Coastal East African country: ERITREA.

42. Coastal West African country: SENEGAL.

45. In a small-minded way: PETTILY.

46. Army outfit: PLATOON.

47. Bit of obscenity?: SILENT C. A witty way to hide the answer.

48. Musical saw sounds: TWANGS.

49. Bias: SPIN.

51. Pauley Pavilion Pac-12 team: UCLA.

55. Fits one within another: NESTS.

56. Best: ONEUP.

57. Frat letters: IOTAS.

59. Guinness book adjective: MOST.

62. French vineyard: CRU.

63. Biological chain letters: RNA.

64. Moving aid: VAN.

Jeffrey Wechsler

Title: Y?

Jeffrey gives us a substitution puzzle, where LE is replaced by Y. Which seems like a random concept, until you see the wit that inspired the choice. Each of the fill is a very funny play on words. Once again he uses the expedient of adding a column to create a 15 x 16 grid. The seed entry is likely one of the grid-spanning fill; my guess is  NEEDY IN A HAYSTACK, but that is just a guess. 66 theme squares are a challenge and limit some of the fill, but we still get  ASKED OF, THEATRE, AQUARIAN, COAT TREE, TICKETED and TRAINS IN.

18A. Indigent ones hiding among bales?: NEEDY IN A HAYSTACK (16). You are more likely to have an indigent person hide in your haystack than a needle anyway.

29A. Holders of poor-taste gifts?: TACKY BOXES (10). For all the fisher people a tackle box is needed. I think a bad gift can come in a nice box. 

35A. Result of smashing a piñata during a hurricane?: CANDY IN THE WIND (14). A very amusing image of candy flying everywhere with Elton JOHN in the background.

44A. Script for an absurdist play?: BATTY LINES (10). Battle lines are drawn but hopefully not quartered.

59A. Concept for creating difficult crossword puzzles?: TRICKY DOWN THEORY (16).  Trickle Down Theory of economics is a political hot topic. So no COMMENT.

Across:

1. Old gas station freebie: MAP. It has been a long time since free maps were given out. In fact, there are MANY things no longer at gas stations.

4. One holding all the cards?: WALLET. A wonderfully deceptive clue.

10. "__ run!": GOTTA.

15. Texter's cautioning letters: IMO. In My Opinion.

16. Take to the skies: AVIATE. We had this clued last August by Paul Coulter, as Do the Wright thing?

17. "The Phantom of the Opera" setting: PARIS. The Paris Opera (French: Opéra de Paris; French) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the Académie d'Opéra.

21. Like much ordinary history: UNTOLD. Who cares what people ate for lunch on October 10, 1975.

22. Japanese volcano: ASO. Nice to see a fill other than LOA or KEA. Aso volcano has produced more explosive eruptions than any other volcano in the world. Aso is a caldera about 12 miles (20 km) in diameter. The first documented eruption in Japan was at Naka-dake in 553.

23. Long walk: HIKE. To get to the top of the volcano, I guess. Ask JOE.

24. Author Jong: ERICA.

25. Ascended: GONE UP.

28. Stark in "Game of Thrones": NED. Birth name Eddard played brilliantly by Sean Bean, I liked him also in the Frankenstein Chronicles.

31. Must: HAS TO.

33. Presidential nickname: ABE.


34. Type of pitcher: RELIEF. Not to drink from but for baseball.

41. Food industry headgear: TOQUES. We have seen many clues for this chef's hat.

42. Barrel contents: OIL. Sometimes.

43. __ cuisine: HAUTE. From the French for high dining. For years the French chefs (many of whom wore toques) were considered the world's best and their culinary schools as well. Not so much anymore.

51. PHL stat: ETA. Estimated Time of Arrival. Crossword glue.

52. Calls: PHONES.

54. Lavender asset: AROMA. Do you like the SMELL?

55. Gillette brand: ATRA.

57. Like Dorothy Parker's humor: WRY. The original use for the adjective wry was to describe something that was bent or twisted, so a sprained ankle could be described as "a wry ankle."Wry humor and wry wit both describe a sense of humor that is a little twisted from the norm.

58. Pollen site: STAMEN.

63. Gaucho's tool: REATA.

64. Gift to an audience: ENCORE.

65. "Road to __": Hope/Crosby film: RIO.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKZtgXazQnw

66. Wee, jocularly: EENSY. Weensy spider...

67. Ancient eponymous advisor: NESTOR.

68. Ernie with irons: ELS.


Down:

1. Stately dance: MINUET.

2. Ancient Egyptian deity: AMENRA.

3. How one might wax, but not wane: POETIC.

4. Ambush: WAYLAY.

5. Passionate: AVID.

6. Architect Maya __: LIN.

7. 2002 W.S. champs, nowadays: LAA.

8. Hydrocarbon gas: ETHANE.

9. Kids: TEASES.

10. Traveler's aid, briefly: GPS.

11. Censor's target: OATH.

12. Prepares for, as a profession: TRAINS IN.

13. Cited on the road: TICKETED.

14. Required from: ASKED OF.

19. Harbor sight: DOCK.

20. The Gershwins' "Embraceable __": YOU.

25. Arid Asian region: GOBI.

26. Pair in a field: OXEN.

27. "Is it ever hot today!": PHEW.

30. Hudson and James: BAYS.



34. Count (on): RELY.

35. Foyer convenience: COAT TREE.

36. Winter birth, perhaps: AQUARIAN.

37. Commonly hexagonal hardware: NUT. A hexagonal nut is a type of metal fastener that has six sides. Most nuts are cut in a hexagonal shape since it seems to be the easiest shape to grasp.

38. Not superficial: DEEP.

39. Purse relative: TOTE.

40. Pop radio fodder: HITS.




41. London's Old Vic, for one: THEATRE. Established in 1818 as the Royal Coburg Theatre, and renamed in 1833 the Royal Victoria Theatre, in 1871 it was rebuilt and reopened as the Royal Victoria Palace. It was taken over by Emma Cons in 1880 and formally named the Royal Victoria Hall, although by that time it was already known as the "Old Vic". wiki.

44. Corporate source of the Elmer's Glue logo: BORDEN.  It has been 80 years since 1939 when
Borden introduces the iconic bull, Elmer, as the husband of their spokes cow, Elsie. The pair spends their first few years of marriage appearing in print ads espousing the many virtues of Borden dairy products.

45. Random individual: ANYONE.

46. Agitation metaphor: LATHER. Working up a...

47. Wrath, in a hymn: IRAE. Dies Irae.

48. "When!": NO MORE. From the concept of, "say when" to stop.

49. "Bam!" chef: EMERIL. I do not see Mr. Lagasse much these days.

50. Some HDTVs: SANYOS. On December 21, 2009, Panasonic completed a 400 billion yen ($4.5 billion) acquisition of a 50.2% stake in Sanyo, making Sanyo a subsidiary of Panasonic.Then, in 2011, Sanyo became a wholly owned subsidiary of Panasonic.

53. 1-Acr. marking: HWY. On the free map, you no longer get.

56. Book after John: ACTS. I do not have the books of the New Testament memorized but the King James version lists these in ORDER.

58. Minute Maid Park player, to fans: STRO. A Houston Astro.

60. Jewelry giant: KAY. They are owned by the British Company Signet Jewelers Kay Jewelers, Jared The Galleria of Jewelry and Zales.

61. Lavs: WCS. Water Closets. The famous Jack Paar joke that caused him to walk off his show. The STORY.

62. "Just kidding!": NOT. I really loved when this was popular. Not!

Brian Herrick

Title: This debut is his BEST effort.

Happy New year from Friday and we begin 2019 with a new constructor. We are back to themes with the maiden effort from our fourth constructor named Brian. I guess I should welcome him with this Link. Welcome, Brian. Today we have three themers and a two-part reveal. It is another missing word puzzle, as close to a rebus as Rich Norris allows -so far. With 49 theme squares, we are given lots of longer fill. ADD ONTO, AMOROUS, ASSUMES, DRUNKEN, EGOLESS, EMERALD, LEONARD, MAGENTA, PIE SHOP, RIHANNA, SENDERS, SORROWS, and STRIPES which I like better than Sunday's stipes.

17A. Give it the old college try: DO ONE'S LEVEL BEST (11).

27A. Benchmarks on the way to mastery: GOOD BETTER BEST. (10).

41A. "Please don't expect any more from me": I'M TRYING MY BEST. (10).

40D. With 51-Across, Sinatra classic, and a hint to completing three puzzle answers: THE BEST. (7)

51A. See 40-Down: IS YET TO COME (11). Time to let Frank sing us into the solve. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=rmf1AYgYj6I


Across:

1. Logician Turing: ALAN. A very important figure in the birth of computers and computers science who sadly was driven to suicide for the way he was treated as a gay. LINK.

5. 15-Across protagonist: RIPLEY. Sigourney Weaver was this character in  15A. 1986 sci-fi sequel: ALIENS.

11. HMO group: MDS.

14. Try out, briefly: DEMO.

16. Exist: ARE.

19. Spray __: GUN. Not my first or second thought but real. They have changed from when I was spraying the roses in my father's garden to keep the aphids away.

20. It's no exit: ON RAMP.

21. Start of a cheer: SIS. Boom bah- cheerleading chant, originally (1867) an echoic phrase imitating the sound of a skyrocket flight ( sis ), the burst of the fireworks ( boom ), and the reaction of the crowd (bah). Dictionary.com.

22. Await judgment: PEND. Judges wait all the time.



23. Woman in the Book of Ruth: NAOMI. She was the mother-in-law to whom Ruth, the Moabite,  pledged her life after her husband died. "And Ruth said: 'Entreat me not to leave thee and to return from following after thee; for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God."

24. Sailing pronoun: SHE.

25. "Much appreciated," in Munich: DANKE. Thanks in German.

26. Aligned: TRUE. Carpentry term.

29. Pigs out (on): ODS.

30. One may be rolled out in a stadium: TARP.

31. Plenty: OCEANS. Very vague, if ultimately correct. I was oodles for tow long.

32. Lip-thrusting look: POUT.

33. N.Y.C. part: YORK.

34. Make even smoother: RESAND.

37. N.W.A rapper __-E: EAZY. This PERFORMER died young, after starting out with ICE CUBE and Dr. Dre, from Compton, California.

38. Posed: SAT.

43. Comedian Daniel: TOSH.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=ukLrUtj2BYc

44. Start of an old late-night intro: HERE'S.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=33&v=WZKmsA8bzao

45. Daybreak deity: EOS.

46. "It's __ than I thought": WORSE.

47. Nothing like wetlands: ARID.

48. Screech __: OWL.

49. Garden of Eden protector: CHERUB.

50. Carpet feature: NAP.

53. Phillies' div.: NLE.

54. Effective deal maker: CLOSER.

55. Amazes: AWES.

56. Eight minutes of the average sitcom: ADS.

57. Puts up: HOUSES.

58. "Hey, you!": PSST.


Down:

1. Expand, as a residence: ADD ONTO.

2. Conductor Bernstein: LEONARD.

3. Lovey-dovey: AMOROUS.

4. Generic: NONAME.

5. Filing aid: RASP.

6. Down with something: ILL.

7. Mrs. Lovett's business in Broadway's "Sweeney Todd": PIE SHOP. It was the filling that was so filling.

8. Imposed: LEVIED.

9. NBA center __ Kanter: ENES. I understand liking the letters but a back up center for a bad team?

10. Fashion initials: YSL.

11. Purple shade: MAGENTA.

12. Like a bar free-for-all: DRUNKEN.

13. Emailers: SENDERS.

18. Old U.K. record label: EMI.

22. Luxury watch brand __ Philippe: PATEK.

24. Database function: SORT.

25. Rail against: DECRY.

27. Catalonian architect Antoni __: GAUDI.

28. See 12-Down: BOOZY.

30. "Hamilton" got 11: TONYS.

32. Trimmed: PARED.

33. Orange tubers: YAMS.

34. "Rude Boy" singer: RIHANNA.

35. May birthstone: EMERALD.

36. 1981 Bill Murray military comedy: STRIPES.

37. Small-headed?: EGOLESS.

38. Sad subjects: SORROWS.

39. Takes over the duties of: ASSUMES.

42. What diets and beauticians may promise, with "a": NEW YOU.

43. It covers the end of the foot: TOE CAP.

46. "__ cares!": WHO.

48. Nobel Peace Prize city: OSLO.

49. Hubs: Abbr.: CTRS.

51. German I: ICH.

52. Fore site?: TEE.