A quick turn around for me with another Friday JW special. This is an add a letter puzzle with the simplicity and consistency that are hallmarks of his work. "B" is added to the first word of the 1st and 3rd theme fill and to the last word of the 2nd and 4th. And the
ADULATE, BANK JOB, CRUELLA, ETERNAL, FLEECED, GO BELOW, HINGE ON, HOWARDS, LAST ONE, MODESTY, RETORTS, SANDFLY, and READ A POST
17A. Total confusion at the creamery?: BUTTER CHAOS (11).
This is a fun image with all kinds of slapstick being churned up.
30A. Foot condition seen in oaters?: WESTERN BUNION (13).
The slight outlier, as the pronunciation of the added B-word is changed. I was in my 40s before I knew a bunion is a painful bony bump that develops on the inside of the foot at the big toe joint.
35A. Comparison of a motor coach to all other travel options?: BUS VERSUS THEM (13). I also think this is pretty funny.
52A. Barista's occupational hazards?: COFFEE BURNS (11). Our local Starbucks staff are more careful than that.
Across:
1. Long-nosed fish: GAR. Gar, is any of seven species of large North American fishes of the genera Atractosteus and Lepisosteus, in the family Lepisosteidae.
4. Took to the cleaners: FLEECED. A subtle CSO to me and the Golden Fleece.
11. With 29-Down, anticipates potential trouble: HAS. 29D. See 11-Across: AN OUT. The escape route.
14. Burns wrote one on a louse: ODE. This POEM talks about how we are all equal to a louse.
15. "After this, no more questions": LAST ONE. Is this your clue Jeffrey? See how demanding I am now that he cooperated one.
16. Tahiti, to Gauguin: ILE. French.
19. Actor Cage, casually: NIC. He changed his name to Nicolas Cage (no H, just like his birth name Nicolas Coppola) after the comic book anti-hero LUKE CAGE who you may not know.
20. Avoided a family affair, perhaps: ELOPED. Very nice clue/fill.
21. Fabled beast: ASS. I wonder which one this refers to? Buridan's Ass?
22. Golden __: AGER. That's us, baby.
23. Carefree adventure: LARK. Not sure why, but this popped into my head.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sox5JVZ0teQ
24. Little tunneler: ANT. Hey, John Lampkin how are you?
25. "The L Word" co-creator Chaiken: ILENE. I did not know of this successful PRODUCER with a varied background from the Fresh Prince of Belair to Empire and Stumptown.
26. Giant among Giants: OTT. A nice clue for some old-time crossword glue.
27. Alicia Keys record label: RCA. Who really knows or cares? I think she is very talented and attractive but who buys records?
29. Without markup: AT COST.
34. Checked the latest blog entry, say: READ A POST. A nice CSO to each and every one of you.
39. Gershwin classic: SWANEE. The PERFORMANCE is very un-pc.
41. Ike's WWII command: ETO. Eastern Theater of Operations.
42. Prefix with laryngology: OTO.
43. Throws the game: TANKS. No doubt written for all the Dolphin fans. Of course, they ruined their [erfect season by beating the Jets last Sunday.
44. O'er and o'er: OFT. Archais synonyms.
46. Thunderstruck: AWED.
47. Synagogue storage cabinets: ARKS. Where the Torahs stay when not in use. A fancy one at our synagogue.
48. T'ai __: CHI. Tai chi, short for T'ai chi ch'üan or Tàijí quán, is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for both its defense training, its health benefits, and meditation.
49. Compassionate words: WE CARE. Do you really?
51. TX library honoree: LBJ. There are a few.
54. "Don't Bring Me Down" gp.: ELO. Electric Light Orchestra.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxELf7F5xlY
55. Fur-loving de Vil: CRUELLA.
56. "Who __?": New Orleans Saints chant: DAT. Re
57. Lee follower: REB.
58. Beach pest: SANDFLY.
59. "You __ devil!": SLY.
Down:
1. Visit the engine room, perhaps: GO BELOW.
2. Put on a pedestal: ADULATE.
3. Sharp answers: RETORTS.
4. Head for the hills: FLEE.
5. Frying medium: LARD. Two weeks in a row with pork fat.
6. It's NW of QWERTY: ESC. Literal look at the keyboard.
7. Allen of Vermont: ETHAN.
8. "See the ___ clear'd, and then we will depart": "King Henry VI": COAST. JW's weekly Will Shakespeare clue. Act I, Scene 3.
Lord Mayor of London.
See the coast clear'd, and then we will depart.
Good God, these nobles should such stomachs bear!
I myself fight not once in forty year.
9. Grandson of Adam: ENOS. Enos or Enosh (Hebrew: אֱנוֹשׁ ʾĔnōš; "mortal man." Son of Seth.
10. __ Arc, Arkansas: DES. The obscure Friday clue. Thank you for the perps.
11. Require for success: HINGE ON.
12. Ones from afar: ALIENS.
13. It may be hard to keep: SECRET.
18. State hwy., often: TPK.
22. "Jo's Boys" author: ALCOTT.
24. "Storage Wars" network: A AND E.
25. "I speak the truth": IT IS SO.
27. Brand munched by E.T.: REESES. Pieces.
28. Want badly: CRAVE.
31. Boxer's boxers: TRUNKS. Cute clue. Is it your clue Jeffrey?
32. Gold __: BAR. Very random- -BUG, CUP, BAR...
33. Agitated: UPSET.
35. Many a heist: BANK JOB.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WB3oylmcFzg
36. E.M. Forster's "__ End": HOWARDS. No apostrophe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3o4t9ATM6w
37. Opposite of momentary: ETERNAL.
38. Reason for a cover-up?: MODESTY. Do you all recall BLAISE?
39. Less fresh: STALER.
40. Emulate a nightingale: WARBLE. Maybe "(of a person) sing in a trilling or quavering voice."
44. "Whoop-de-doo": OH FUN.
45. Played a piccolo-like instrument: FIFED. (verb) ARCHAIC
play the fife.
46. Needle front?: ACU. This was very hard to parse. Once the lightbulb came on with acupuncture, it seemed to right.
48. "Downton Abbey" countess: CORA.
50. StubHub parent: EBAY. They bought the ticket exchange company for $310,000,000.00 in 2007. Now the PLAN has changed.
52. IV units: CCS. Also measured in mLS, milliliters. They have a one to one ratio.
53. 2003 holiday film: ELF. We end with an early Christmas classic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gW9wRNqQ_P8
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