Jeffrey

Who needs a title- IT'S CHRISTMAS with Jeffrey. What we need is some music!

So much for my sincere "see you next year!" This Friday tag team is back with the holiday spirit. This a classic Friday that demands you deduce a theme, which will displease many but otherwise you would be forced to solve all the downs to finish. We also have a group that dislikes referential cluing so...To begin, recognize that this is a special puzzle for the day (Merry Christmas to all!). Then examine all the effort to make this work: a 16x15 grid to allow the one grid spanning theme fill; 15 cheater squares to make it work without conventional symmetry. The Joy! 

21A. Seasonal favorite: DECK THE HALLS (12). 40A.
With 43-Across, 21-Across chorus line: FALALALALA. 43A. See 40-Across: LALALALA. 

63A. Seasonal favorite: LITTLE DRUMMER BOY. 66. 63-Across chorus line: PARUMPUMPUMPUM.

Across:

1. Oft-heard disembodied voice: SIRI. The apple of our ears. You can make some choices now but there may be a big CHANGE soon.

5. Fauna component: ANIMAL. Flora's partner in the forest.

11. [It vanished!]: PFFT. It's magic!

15. Turkmenistan neighbor: IRAN. They are bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north and east, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the south and southwest, and the Caspian Sea to the west.

16. Ford's second commercial success: MODEL A. First sold on December 2, 1927, it replaced the Model T which had been in production for 18 years. The new Model A was designated a 1928-year model and was available in four standard colors

17. Senator's helper: AIDE. Did any watch VEEP?

18. One standing before the king and queen: PAWN. I love this tricky clue. And I loved 

19. Frederick Douglass, notably: ORATOR. This impressive MAN is not to be confused with the one "s" senator who debated Lincoln.

20. European border range: URAL. These MOUNTAINS were an important part of Hitler's plan for a pure Europe.

24. Maneuver: STEER. This word has many possible ORIGINS.

26. Circle dance: HORA. Not a Christmas dance.

27. Fabric-dyeing process: BATIK.

30. Sycophant: TOADY.

31. Toss insults (at): SNIPE. Sadly the actor died; oops that was SNAPE.

32. Sport for swingers?: POLO. Golf fits so much better.

33. They're often seen on slides: AMEBAS. Are they?

39. Don't have to guess: KNOW.

44. Entertains: HOSTS.

48. Part of BPOE: ELKS. Benevolent Protective Order of Elks so soon after yesterday's reference.

49. Phase: STAGE. 

54. Fit to serve: ONE-A. Selective service designation.

55. Seriously off the mark, as a throw: WILD.

56. Show appreciation to: THANK. I want to take the time to thank all of the wonderful talents who have created 52 entertaining and challenging puzzles. 

58. Asian desert: GOBI.

62. King of Judea: HEROD. I really cannot discuss without getting into a religious discussion, but this name is also part of the Christmas story.

67. Rascal: SCAMP. Child of Lady and the Tramp.

68. Like Oscar of "The Odd Couple" or "Sesame Street": MESSY.

Down:

1. Opposite of guzzle: SIP.

2. Novelist Levin: IRA. You do not want to adopt one of his babies. 

3. Unfair outcome: RAW DEAL.

4. Demanding: IN NEED OF.

5. Uncontrolled: AMOK.

6. Word with due or true: NORTH. Also Oliver.

7. Yukon Gold source: IDAHO. The Potato, not the mineral. 

8. Poet's concern: METER.

9. Greeting in a state nickname: ALOHA.

10. Spencer of "Good Morning America": LARA. Everything and MORE.

11. '50s-'70s singer with 12 Billboard Top 10 hits: PAUL ANKA. Paul did many Christmas albums but I did not see our two featured tunes.

12. Inventory evaluation term: FIRST IN. First out. 

13. Org. that tests cosmetics: FDA. Ans COVID-19 vaccines.

14. Business card no.: TEL.

22. Yell: CRY.

23. Freight meas.: LBS.

24. Indy 500 initialism: STP. Mario Andretti.

25. Excessively: TOO.

28. Wall St. event: IPO. Initial Public Offering.

29. Royal Botanic Gardens locale: KEW.

33. Like: À LA. Near 35D. Mideast carrier: EL AL. 37D. Woeful word: ALAS. 38D. Mineo of "Rebel Without a Cause": SAL. 41D. Gore and Green: ALS. And 42D. __ Cruces: LAS. I will leave out the next two, even though they both have "AL" inside.

34. What Y can imply: MALE. Chromosome, baby!

36. Resist, with "at": BALK.

44. Lanford Wilson's "The __ Baltimore": HOTL.

45. Where impatient hands might be placed: ON HIPS.

46. Washington airport: SEATAC.

47. Hindu philosophy: TANTRA.

50. Annoying sorts: TWERPS.

51. Boeing competitor: AIRBUS.

52. Like Eeyore's outlook: GLOOMY.

53. Swirl: EDDY. Nelson?

57. "Project Runway" host: KLUM. Heidi made it back to AGOT. Still a pretty woman.

58. Econ. stat: GDP. Gross Domestic Product.

59. Tulsa sch. with a Prayer Tower: ORU.

60. Mooch: BUM. 

61. Pesky sort: IMP. Aren't they really elves?

62. Iron-rich blood pigment: HEME. It is more places than blood LINK.  I wonder if Wimpy would want an Impossible Burger?

64. Ruler of anc. Rome: EMPeror.

65. Silent: MUM. Not if you are from Britain, there the mums are seldom silent.

But fittingly, it is time for me to be silent and let you savor the flavor of JW's Christmas treat. It has been a year; my best to all who read, the posters, the lurkers, the constructors, and our own Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn- C.C. and Boomer. We have lost some followers, both literally and figuratively. We won't forget. We have had bloggers come and go, but we are here. COVID be damned. 

Lemonade out.

Robin Stears

 Title: It's my job man not my life.

I agree, not every title is a gem, but 2020 is almost over and I am worn out. Robin's debut at the LAT was this 2009 FRIDAY which is worth visiting because it tells us about Robin, and also shows the joy of a C.C. write-up which led to her being a preeminent constructor. Today's effort is substantially easier, with a wordplay gimmick that makes sense once you see it. After a brief struggle, the always helpful 17A filled and I was off to the races. There were some unknowns but the perps were all fair and the longer non-theme fill helped getting the solve. ARRANGE, AVONLEA, ENLARGE, IVORIES, MIDEAST, YIELDED, BROWN BAG, and COOLANTS. We end up with 5 fill in the theme symmectrically placed. 

First the themers, then the rest. 

17A. Organizer of a party for a mom-to-be?: SHOWER HEAD(10). The mandatory baby shower which is not just females any more in our new realities.

25A. Class clown at the prom?: DANCE CARD(9). If you call someone a card, it means they’re funny or quick-witted. This is discussed on a radio show.

34A. Musicians at a formal gala?: BALL PLAYERS(11). A CSO to our own Trombone master JzB. 

49A. The most amazing party guests ever?: DO WONDERS(9). Sussing this one was the most difficult. First you have to relate to throwing a  DO, meaning a party. The dictionary says this is a mostly British definition of a social event such as a party. The WONDER as a noun, oh my he is a Wonder!

58A. Radio hobbyists at a park outing?: PICNIC HAMS(10). This is very cute. 

Across:

1. HBO political satire until 2019: VEEP. The show that won Julia Louis-Dreyfus more Emmys.

5. Low areas: DALES. A CSO to dear Lucina.

10. __-deucey: ACEY. A card game I have not played in years which I have seen in rare visits to the casinos.

14. Limo bar: AXLE. I never get tired of a good misdirection.

15. Light __: Offenbach music genre: OPERA. This is a short, amusing musical play; an operetta. This is OFFENBACH. 

16. Love of "The Real": LONI. I knew nothing of this comedian, her show or the CONTROVERSY.

19. __ vault: POLE. What else would you call it?

20. Tree goo: SAP. Goo?

21. Collar: NAIL. Think police and a perpetrator.

22. Judaism : kosher :: Islam : __: HALAL.

23. Inuit relative: ALEUT. The same but DIFFERENT.

28. Depot worker: REDCAP. A train depot, as these are baggage handlers at the train station.

30. Orchestrate: ARRANGE. One could think about arranging as a type of musical composition, requiring the same skills and talents required of all composers. Orchestration is the art and craft of arranging a musical composition for performance by an orchestra or other ensemble. According to New Music Box.

31. "Kung Fu Panda" voice actress Lucy: LIU.

32. Health haven: SPA.

33. Dude who time-travels with Bill: TED. And they have excellent adventures.

38. Damage: MAR.

40. Sauce in a tiny packet: SOY.

41. Ergonomic kitchenware brand: OXO.

42. Keys for a music room?: IVORIES.

45. Words of emphasis: NO LESS.

52. Car company that owns SolarCity: TESLA.

53. Blah feeling: ENNUI.

54. German automaker: AUDI.

56. Prefix with gender: CIS. Another modern word added- cisgender.

57. Mass robes: ALBS.

61. Political goal: SEAT.

62. Field of conflict: ARENA.

63. Weapon with two accents: ÉPÉE. Both of which are French.

64. States' plates: TAGS.

65. She played Julia in "Julie & Julia": MERYL.

66. Major muddle: MESS.

Down:

1. Poughkeepsie campus: VASSAR. A famous once female only school, now COED.

2. Yoga class directive: EXHALE.

3. Got together quietly?: ELOPED.

4. Place to pray: PEW.

5. Bilingual toon explorer: DORA.

6. Rose pest: APHID.

7. "Futurama" woman with one eye and purple hair: LEELA. I could hear Katey Sagal's voice but my brain only got me as far as Leeza which I knew was wrong.

8. Detergent brand: ERA.

9. Pathetic: SAD.

10. Source of silky wool: ALPACA.

11. Radiator fillers: COOLANTS.

12. Blow up: ENLARGE.

13. Produced: YIELDED.

18. Necessitate: ENTAIL.

22. Part of HRH: HER.

24. Bruins' sch.: UCLA.

26. Valley with a Wine Train: NAPA.

27. Handout with a kids' menu: CRAYON.

29. Throbbed: PULSED.

32. Subtle: SLY.

34. There might be a lunch in it for you: BROWN BAG.

35. Prepare for a selfie: POSE.

36. Definitely not from around here: EXOTIC.

37. IMDb listing: ROLE.

38. Region spanning three continents: MIDEAST.

39. "Anne of Green Gables" setting: AVONLEA.

43. De-bunks?: ROUSTS.

44. "Here Comes the Hotstepper" singer __ Kamoze: INI.

46. Get away from it all: ESCAPE.

47. Coats with goo: SLIMES.

48. Gets lippy with: SASSES.

50. Danica Patrick, for one: RACER.

51. Fair: SUNNY.

55. Remote precursor: DIAL.

58. Cooking spray: PAM.

59. Fury: IRE.

60. Blind stitch: HEM.

December 4

 Title: Hey let's go to the double feature at the bijou!

Yoni is back for his first solo effort here at the LAT, after two collaborative Sundays working with Yaakov Bendavid over this past summer. Yoni has two solos published at the Universal site as well as 98 puzzles in the Jewish Press dating back at least to 2013. Today is a variation on a somewhat common theme where the front and back of the theme fill each are part of hidden joy. Simply put, the clue ends up revealing two movie titles. The sparkle comes from both of those movies being in the horror genre, as is revealed in 36A. 2001 Wayans Brothers sequel, and a hint to the four other longest puzzle answers: SCARY MOVIE TWO which was pretty funny with an interesting cast. The icing on this creation is having two of the theme fill be grid-spanners. Well done.

We also have some long fill outside the theme ABSOLVE, ELAPSED, OPTED IN, HERBIVORE and SHREDDERS with the word highlighted in red making its major puzzle debut.

On to the theme:

17A. Checked out '70s AMC cars? (2004, 1984): SAW GREMLINS. The Gremlin automobile was introduced on  April 1, 1970, which led many to believe it was intended as a joke. The year of the release of the films is added in parentheses to guide the solver once the theme is recognized. SAW and all of its sequels are truly horrifying. GREMLINS was much sillier, but does show us a baby Yoda? 

23A. Genetic indicators? (2018, 2002): HEREDITARY SIGNS. I never SAW HEREDITARY, and am content with seeing only the trailer even though I enjoy the work of TONI COLLETTE. On the other hand, I have watched and enjoyed SIGNS.

51A. Getting no goodies from trick-or-treating? (1978, 1990): HALLOWEEN MISERY. This Jamie Lee Curtis vehicle TRAILER spawned so many sequels. Kathy Bates was so perfect in this MOVIE based on a Steven King novel.

58A. Possible sequel to "Despicable Me"? (2010, 2019): INSIDIOUS US. This cluing is an outlier as it uses a film to lead to the fill. It also used two films I never have heard about. The INSIDIOUS franchise was a second appearance of director JAMES WAN on our list of movies. Jordan Peele brought us US a movie with hidden meanings and dramatic twists, or so I am told.

If you followed every link you may be too tired to go on, but on we must go.

Across:

1. Brosnan and Craig, most recently: BONDS. An added hint to the movie basis of the puzzle. 

6. "You __ at hello": HAD ME.

11. Bench subject: LAW. The bench and the bar.

14. Mosque-goer's deity: ALLAH. If you want to LEARN more.

15. Certain lesson: MORAL. This usage was coined by Cicero ("De Fato," II.i) to translate Greek ethikos (see ethics) from Latin mos (genitive moris) "one's disposition."

16. "Do Ya" rock gp.: ELO. Electric Light Orchestra.

19. Uruguay uncle: TIO. A Spanish speaking country.

20. Coagulate: GEL. Also, bonus fill reference to all the blood that is coagulating in the theme movies.

21. Went by: ELAPSED. Time, rather than a name. 

28. "We need to chat": A WORD. Generally not a good thing to hear.

29. Hand-off recipients: Abbr.: RBS. American Football running backs.

30. Interested to a fault: NOSY.

31. Gamble: BET.

32. Flight sked info: ETAS.

34. "Dexter" airer, briefly: SHO. More bonus fill, with this very popular serial killer's story. 

41. Ltr. addenda: PSS.

42. King played by Glenda Jackson: LEAR. This remarkable PRODUCTION included PEDRO PASCAL who plays the MANDALORIAN. 

43. Actress Gardner: AVA.

45. Sneaky stratagem: TRAP.

48. TV watcher's device: DVR.

49. Long-time Delaware senator: BIDEN.

55. Chose to take part: OPTED IN.

56. Colorado NHL club, to fans: AVS.

57. 66, e.g.: Abbr.: RTE.



64. 1994 Olympics host: Abbr.: NOR.

65. Movie segment: SCENE.

66. Curbs, with "in": REINS.

67. Graduating gp.: SRS.

68. Concise: TERSE.

69. Vedder of Pearl Jam: EDDIE.

Down:

1. English lit degrees: BAS.

2. Pay add-on?: OLA.

3. Dodgers' div.: NLW.

4. Prop for a Macbeth soliloquy: DAGGER. We get a touch of our Friday Will Shakespeare.

5. Machines that may cover tracks?: SHREDDERS. Really fun clue.

6. "Interesting": HMM. 

7. Web pioneer: AOL.

8. Moisture-absorbing substances: DRIERS.

9. Virile: MANLY.

10. __ ice palace: Disney movie setting: ELSAS. Was FROZEN a horror movie? 

11. Releases: LETS GO.

12. Sci-fi film staples: ALIENS. Another bonus horror film reference.

13. Pine-scented, say: WOODSY.

18. Manning with two Super Bowl victories: ELI. They both have two now.

22. Wine option: PINOT.

23. Montreal NHLer, to fans: HAB.

24. Wool sources: EWES.

25. Campus mil. group: ROTC.

26. Airport transport: TRAM.

27. Clear: ABSOLVE.

33. TV's Burrell and Pennington: TYS.

34. "Titanium" vocalist: SIA.

35. Stegosaurus, for one: HERBIVORE.

37. Jobs creation, in part: APPLE.

38. Offscreen friend in "Ernest" films: VERN.

39. Get one's feet wet: WADE.

40. Finished: OVER.

44. Whichever: ANY.

45. Hiking hazards: THORNS.

46. "Jurassic Park" enemy: RAPTOR. Another scary movie reference.

47. Edits, say: ALTERS.

48. More concentrated: DENSER.

50. Gave out: ISSUED.

52. Keats, for one: ODIST.

53. Show a bit of pain: WINCE.

54. Month in printemps: MAI.

59. They can get you a job: INS.

60. Crummy grade: DEE.

61. Funny Caesar: SID.

62. Aussie college: UNI.

63. Chicago-to-Jacksonville dir.: SSE. This is the time of year for the trip, less than 16 hours driving if you take  I-65 S, I-24 E, I-75 S and I-10 E to your destination in Jacksonville. 

Then if you take 10 to I-95 South 

themeless for aaron

 

Across:

1. 2015-'20 TV hip-hop musical drama: EMPIRE.

7. Toyota sedans: AVALONS.

14. Outer organ layer: CORTEX.

15. Email staple: EMOTICON.

16. Pooh-pooh, with "at": SNEEZE.

17. Michelangelo's "David," for one: MALE NUDE.

18. Do something to hide?: TAN.

19. Devoted: ARDENT.

21. Name on the 1949 "Death of a Salesman" playbill: ELIA.

22. Bad news word: ALAS.

24. Thrice, in prescriptions: TER.

25. Nosh: SNACK.

26. Proportional gift: TITHE.

28. Extreme distress: AGONY.

31. "Curious George" co-author Margret: REY.

32. Start of a "Huh?" response: ISAID.

33. Fix up, as an old pool: RELINE.

35. Comics characters in "Homicidal Psycho Jungle Cat": CALVIN AND HOBBES.

40. Duck soup: ACINCH.

41. Exmoor heroine: DOONE.

42. Part of the 56-Across: SIB.

45. Tucker of country: TANYA.

46. Warblers' warbles: SONGS.

47. Law school beginners: ONELS.

49. High-__: upscale: END.

51. __ Sea: Arctic Ocean arm: KARA.

52. Cut with light: LASE.

53. It was delayed three months in 2020: TAXDAY.

56. See 42-Across: FAM.

57. Apple Pencil go-with: iPAD MINI.

59. "Honest!": NO JIVE.

61. Try-before-you-buy item: DEMO UNIT.

62. Ace of Base, e.g.: SWEDES.

63. "The Mets have shown me more ways to lose than I even knew existed" speaker: STENGEL.

64. First arrival: ELDEST.

Down:

1. Stoked: ECSTATIC.

2. 16th-century masterpiece: MONA LISA.

3. Like most OB visits: PRENATAL.

4. Mineral ending: ITE.

5. Exiled Shah Mohammad __ Pahlavi: REZA.

6. Bring into play: EXERT.

7. Start of many bar jokes: AMAN.

8. Electric Chevy: VOLT.

9. Put away: ATE.

10. Bedding: LINEN.

11. Concerned with pupils?: OCULAR.

12. "Fat chance": NO DICE.

13. Disingenuous: SNEAKY.

15. Way away from danger: EMERGENCY EXIT.

20. Start of a request for advice: DEAR ANN.

23. Hindu deity: SHIVA.

25. Clerical assemblies: SYNODS.

27. Royal commands: EDICTS.

29. Warhorse: OLD HAND.

30. Org. studying epidemics: NIH.

34. Digital read: E-BOOK.

36. Vardalos of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding": NIA.

37. Real: BONAFIDE.

38. Cuts in lines: ENGRAVES.

39. Fictional NYC thoroughfare: SESAME ST.

42. Big favors, in slang: SOLIDS.

43. Ticked: IN A PET.

44. "__ Mucho": 1944 #1 song: BESAME.

48. Conned: LED ON.

50. "__ avec les stars": DANSE.

53. Pointed part: TINE.

54. Indigo dye: ANIL.

55. Wail: YOWL.

58. Travel __: MUG.

60. Clampett patriarch: JED.

August Miller

 Title: Take a left and go north

I get to introduce another first time LAT constructor. I also could not find any other publications for this August August, so welcome. The theme has a visual curveball, so let us get right to it. 

I would have been stumped but for my problem with milk. When 20 A took me to the doorstep of Lactose Intolerant but had no room for the "ant," I had two thoughts. 1. There was going to be a picnic theme with"ants" missing from all of the themers. 2. It was visual and the "ant" was going to crawl up the puzzle. Neither was correct, but I did grok that the end of the fill just went up. The circles made that choice obvious. A fun idea that created much room for sparkly fill. 

MINOR IN, SUMMONS, GOES BOOM, OPERA HAT,  ABECEDARY, IN THE AREA, IRS AGENTS  and SKATEPUNK

Across:

1. Key __: remote-start devices: FOBS.

5. Not straight, in a way: GAY.

8. Haggard of country: MERLE.

13. "Yeah, yeah, I get it": OKOK.

14. People: ONES.

16. Lock up the victory: ICEIT.

17. They have taxing jobs: IRSAGENTS.

19. "Interstellar" co-writer/director Christopher: NOLAN.

20. Deficient in a certain enzyme: LACTOSEINTOLERA.

22. Recede: EBB.

23. Court orders: WRITS.

24. Brit's "Don't get upset, now": KEEPYOURHAI.

30. Org. fighting for refugees: ACLU.

31. Columbus' home: OHIO.

32. Some traffic monitors: NARCS.

37. Word after greater or lesser: THAN.

38. Very many, informally: MUCHO.

40. Situation, metaphorically: BOAT.

41. Passes (out): ZONKS.

43. Take another tour: REUP.

44. "Enchanted" girl in a 2004 film: ELLA.

45. Hand-to-hand battle: UNARMEDCOMB.

48. Streaks: ZOOMS.

51. Dwell on, maybe: RUE.

52. Lone survivor ... and a hint to the puzzle's circles?: LAST MAN STANDING.

59. State with a panhandle: IDAHO.

60. Nearby: IN THE AREA.

61. Compare: LIKEN.

62. Georgetown cager: HOYA.

63. __ Malek, Best Actor winner for "Bohemian Rhapsody": RAMI.

64. Neptune's are about 165 times longer than ours: YEARS.

65. Sandwich with a bit of crunch: BLT.

66. 2010 Ringo Starr album: YNOT.

Down:

1. The creature, to Dr. Frankenstein: FOIL.

2. Cajun food staple: OKRA.

3. Pear variety: BOSC.

4. Rock subgenre whose music is featured in "Tony Hawk's" games: SKATE PUNK.

5. Blows up: GOESBOOM.

6. Actress Hathaway: ANNE.

7. Himalayan with a thick coat: YETI.

8. Study on the side: MINORIN.

9. Food recall reason: ECOLI.

10. Subleased: RELET.

11. Yarn weavers: LIARS.

12. It's south of Vesuvius: ETNA.

15. Fig. on a return: SSN.

18. Pass: GOBY.

21. Defunct airline: TWA.

24. Apt surname for a vet: KATZ.

25. __ chamber: ECHO.

26. Panache: ELAN.

27. "Star Trek" linguistics expert: UHURA.

28. Kitchen gadget: RICER.

29. Just meh: HOHUM.

33. School primer: ABECEDARY.

34. Candy with a gooey center: ROLO.

35. Still, as a day: CALM.

36. Whack: STAB.

39. Collapsible headwear: OPERAHAT.

42. It's usually bad to be served with one: SUMMONS.

46. Hush-hush org.: NSA.

47. Sci-fi classic set on an arid world: DUNE.

48. "White Teeth" novelist Smith: ZADIE.

49. Japan's second-largest city: OSAKA.

50. Catch-all survey option: OTHER.

52. __ of the valley: LILY.

53. Medical research agcy.: NIH.

54. Stuck-up sort: SNOB.

55. Texter's sign-off: TTYL.

56. Caspian Sea land: IRAN.

57. Film fish to find: NEMO.

58. Way of walking: GAIT.

Kevin Christian

 Title: ANIMAL COLLECTIVE.

Today's trek will require you to jog your memories to recall various "nouns of multitude" for animal groups. If that term is not a familiar one then you might want to follow this LINK and listen and learn. This is a play on word puzzle with five theme fill. Kevin has been entertaining us for more than 10 years with the late dear Santa blogging his first here in April 2010. Remarkably, I do not believe I have ever written up one of his efforts -until now. This theme is a bit subtle, taking an animal group pairing that with a word that gives a different meaning to the now paired word. As with most featured Fridays, this has much to like in the fill...ARE WE OK,  HASSLES,  HOTDOGS,  HYDRANT,  RISOTTO THE BOMB, PANCETTA and USA TODAY, I highlight the new fill by using red. 

For a theme, we have...

17A. Lions in the city?: CIVIC PRIDE (10). Civic being the city part...

25A. Fish with experience?: OLD SCHOOL (9). We reverse the clue, not the fill.

36A. Bees behind bars?: PENAL COLONY (11). This was hard because we think of bees in a hive. My thought was "where do chlamydia live?" I'll see if Tom censors me.

47A. Whales on the run?: ESCAPE POD (9). By now you should know this one. Whales can be very tight when they group, swimming in close proximity to each other on occasion. To the first ceteologists, they resembled seeds in a pod-like that of a legume.

58A. Wolves with a clean lair?: VACUUM PACK (10). Picturing a bunch of surly wolves vacuuming makes this a big stretch.

Across:

1. Persepolis ruins locale: IRAN. In the old Persia, where so much HISTORY lies.

5. Prickly plants: CACTI. Much better than prickly pants.

10. Former Supreme Court first name: RUTH. Ms. Bader Ginsberg, a remarkable woman.

14. iPod model: NANO. 

15. Garden nuisance: APHID. But needed by Peonies, remember?

16. Protection org. since 1970: OSHA. Occupational Safety Health Administration.

19. Slangy sweeties: BAES. I.m already bored with this word. 

20. Pulitzer-winning author Lurie: ALISON. I cannot read the way I used to, but I would have missed her anyway. LINK.

21. Spring: LEAP. Forward.

23. Conan's network: TBS. One of Ted Turner's baes.

24. Willamette River capital: SALEM. The OREGON one. 

27. UFO fliers, presumably: ETS. Meh.

28. __ bath: MUD. People actually pay for these. Or...


30. Luke and Leia's mother: PADME. I just had the yummy Natalie Portman.

31. Show-offs: HOTDOGS. None more so than JOEY.

35. Pats gently: DABS. A little one will do you. 

38. Inland Asian sea: ARAL. Having a COMEBACK?

40. Fixture in some no-parking zones: HYDRANT. Very random.

41. Starr man: RINGO. A gimme from the spelling. 

43. One kept on a child at the pool: EYE.

44. Hole goal: PAR.

51. GE rival: AMANA. Appliance makers. 

53. "Alas!" prompter: WOE. Alack, 

54. Seafarers: TARS.

55. USC athlete: TROJAN.

56. Novel ending?: ETTE.

60. Miranda __ of "Homeland": OTTO. Miranda Otto is an Australian actress who portrayed Allison Carr on Homeland. She is best known for playing Eowyn in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

61. Dutch cheeses: EDAMS.

62. Czech track legend Zátopek: EMIL.

63. Zen riddle: KOAN. A characteristic example of the style is the well-known koan “When both hands have clapped a sound is produced; listen to the sound of one hand clapping.”

64. "Building a Mystery" singer McLachlan: SARAH.

65. Cook of comedy: DANE. Rather a passe star I think, but I never enjoyed his comedy.

.

Down:

1. If: IN CASE. In Alabama, they say, for case. 

2. Scold harshly: RAIL AT.

3. Wile E. Coyote weapons: ANVILS. He is back again!

4. White __: NOISE. We use a fan.

5. Bo's'n boss: CAPN. Match the abbreviations.

6. Loan fig.: APR. Annual Percentage Rate.

7. Put on ice: CHILL.

8. Helped through a tough time, with "over": TIDED.  Stimulus anyone?

9. Brainstorming session output: IDEAS.

10. Director Reiner: ROB. He also is back after his recent appearance as the director of When Harry Met Sally.

11. Paper with Money and Life sections: USA TODAY. Where you get lots of C.C. puzzles these days.

12. Awesome, slangily: THE BOMB.

13. Bothers: HASSLES.

18. Public town park: COMMON.

22. Narc's find: PCP.

25. "Funny thing is ... ": ODDLY.

26. "I __ thought of that": HADN'T.

29. Home to the Ogden Raptors of MiLB: UTAH. Minor League Baseball.

31. Hägar the Horrible's wife: HELGA.

32. Med. condition with repetitive behavior: OCD. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.  

33. Hurt in a ring: GORED. A bunch of bull.

34. Take out, as a vampire: SLAY. Hey Peg, how are you? 

36. Italian bacon: PANCETTA. Maybe with some 39D. Dish with arborio rice: RISOTTO.

37. Like difficult push-ups: ONE ARM. Who can forget?

38. "Do you and I need to clear the air?": ARE WE OK.

42. Withdraw, with "out": OPT.

44. __ party: PAJAMA.

45. Aleve rival: ANACIN.

46. Really get to: RANKLE.

48. Wasp nest sites: EAVES.

49. Red-carpet brand: PRADA. 

50. NBA great Robertson nicknamed "The Big O": OSCAR.

52. Minibike kin: MOPED. We had one while we were kids.

55. Derriere: TUSH. I do appreciate a well-formed one.

57. Long time to wait, facetiously: EON.

59. Thurman in films: UMA. We finish with the now ubiquitous Uma.

Gary Larson

 Title: Where are they from?

ATM FEES,  BISQUES, EMERITI, EYE EXAM, GRAFTON, GRETZKY,  GROUPIE,  HAT SIZE, SIERRAS, SKI PASS, and UNMEANT.

Across:

1. Ancient wizard: MAGE.

5. Serbian-born NBA center __ Jokic: NIKOLA.

11. Fella: BRO.

14. Speck: ATOM.

15. Bordeaux wine: CLARET.

16. Narrow inlet: RIA.

17A. Grasslands around Dakar?: SENEGAL LEAS.

19. Petition: ASK.

20. High ranges: SIERRAS.

21. Holder of 61 NHL records: GRETZKY.

23. Chamber group: TRIO.

24. Comet relative: BONAMI.

25. Retire: TURNIN.

28. Jessica of "Dark Angel": ALBA.

31. Winter vacation purchase: SKI PASS.

33. Part of a late 1900s demographic: GEN-Y-ER.

35. "The Simpsons" storekeeper: APU.

36. Feature of a map of Baghdad?: IRAQ KEY.

38. MD treating canals: ENT.

39. Oklahoma tribe: PAWNEE.

41. Accidental: UNMEANT.

43. Genesis twin: ESAU.

44. Middle of a three-part start: GET SET. On your mark ...

45. Subtly points out: INFERS. Oh, this is so wrong.

48. Present time?: X-MAS.

51. Uniform concern, maybe: HAT SIZE.

53. Late author whose daughter wrote, "As far as we in the family are concerned, the alphabet now ends in Y": GRAFTON.

56. Behave: ACT.

57. Laid-back attitude in Hanoi?: VIETNAM EASE.

59. Charlotte of "The Facts of Life": RAE.

60. Bivouac: ENCAMP.

61. Times past: ERAS.

62. Uma's "Pulp Fiction" role: MIA.

63. Perceived to be: SEEN AS.

64. Caesar and others: SIDS.

Down:

1. One side of a physics equivalence principle: MASS.

2. Bit the dust: ATE IT.

3. One with no hope: GONER.

4. Honored retirees: EMERITI.

5. Indiana-based sports org.: NCAA.

6. Troubles: ILLS.

7. Penn of "House": KAL. He is all over the place. His IMDB

8. Crater Lake locale: OREGON.

9. Hear (of): LEARN.

10. Without a clue: ATSEA.

11. Longing in São Paulo?: BRAZIL YEN.

12. Take a shot at: RISK.

13. Wine nuance word: OAKY.

18. Exuberant fan: GROUPIE.

22. IRS agent: TMAN.

24. Fish restaurant offerings: BISQUES.

26. Unusual: RARE.

27. Eavesdropping org.: NSA.

29. Twisted: BENT.

30. Focus for some collectors: ART.

31. Watering holes: SPAS.

32. Hot spot in Al Ahmadi?: KUWAIT TEA.

33. Masterpieces: GEMS.

34. Test involving gradually longer lines: EYE EXAM. A wonderful clue as each successive line is longer.
EYE CHART 

35. Mimic: APE.

37. Round Table VIP: KNT. Knight abbreviation? 

40. Creatures of habit?: NUNS. Hah, hah. 

42. Some bank acct. charges: ATM FEES.

44. Homer's home: GREECE.

46. Fins: FIVES.

47. Slate, for one: E-ZINE.

49. Original Flashback games console designer: ATARI.

50. "What a pity": SO SAD.

51. Wrong: HARM.

52. Smoothie fruit: ACAI.

53. Fed. lending agency: GNMA.

54. Criticizes: RAPS.

55. Storied loch: NESS.

58. Brown shade: TAN.

Will Tobias

 Title: Play ball!

I have had the pleasure of introducing the cruciverb world to so many first time publications. One day, I should count them. In any event, Will Tobias is the next in line. His puzzle is a repurposing of common phrases used during a baseball broadcast by cluing them with descriptive and amusing images. He even includes, what I see as an unnecessary reveal.   

20A. *Where to hang a lei on a rhino?: AROUND THE HORN (13).

32A. *Bits of dialogue censored on network television?: FOUL LINES (9).

40A. *Dracula after a hearty meal?: FULL COUNT (9).

51A. *Crime of someone who wants folks to get lost?: STEALING SIGNS (13). 

The reveal: 59D. Org. in which you'd hear the answers to starred clues: MLB. Major League Baseball.

On to the rest...

Across:

1. Travel pillow spot: NAPE.

5. "Nothing but net": SWISH.

10. One often looking down: SNOB.

14. Handmade blade: SHIV.

15. George who co-wrote the graphic memoir "They Called Us Enemy": TAKEI.

16. Do the honors: POUR.

17. Blaze: FIRE.

18. Circular gasket: ORING.

19. "__ boy!": ATTA.

23. Acquire: GET.

25. Whitney and Washington: Abbr.: MTS.

26. Counted (on): BANKED.

27. Unstable time: CRISIS.

29. Bygone Russian title: TSAR.

31. Lawful: LICIT.

37. And others, in Lat.: ETAL.

38. Group of experts: PANEL.

39. "Strega __": Tomie dePaola Caldecott winner whose title means "Grandma Witch": NONA.

42. Doughnut-shaped: TORIC.

43. Women's Basketball Hall of Famer Donovan: ANNE.

44. Musical inability: TIN EAR.

45. Dark igneous rock: BASALT.

49. Suffix with bass: OON.

50. High card: ACE.

55. "The Sopranos" actor Robert: ILER.

56. "And that's __!": FINAL.

57. Elemental unit: ATOM.

60. Belafonte classic: DAYO.

61. Cereal tidbit: FLAKE.

62. Auction, say: SELL.

63. "Birds of Prey" actor McGregor: EWAN.

64. Attack: SETAT.

65. Cairo native: ARAB.

Down:

1. Bad check letters: NSF.

2. Poke tuna: AHI.

3. Given to plundering: PIRATICAL.

4. At any time: EVER.

5. Dark drafts: STOUTS.

6. Cautions: WARNS.

7. "Joke, joke": IKID.

8. Email status: SENT.

9. Tall drink: HIGHBALL.

10. Pitcher Warren with the most lifetime wins for a southpaw: SPAHN.

11. Far from acceptable: NOT OK.

12. Quite unusual: OUTRE.

13. __ awareness: BRAND.

21. Drop: OMIT.

22. Rank between marquess and viscount: EARL.

23. Staff symbol: GCLEF.

24. Verdi baritone aria: ERITU.

28. Window ledge: SILL.

29. 1,000 kilograms: TONNE.

30. Bird feeder cake: SUET.

32. Woodland spirit: FAUN.

33. Privy to: INON.

34. Stahm that may affect Bahston: NOREASTER.

35. Early computer: ENIAC.

36. "__ bleu!": SACRE.

38. Popes: PONTIFFS.

41. Ring up: CALL.

42. Sound of a tiny bell: TING.

44. __ water: TOILET.

45. It may be a sleeper hit: B-SIDE.

46. Shingle words: AT-LAW.

47. "Toodles!": SEE YA.

48. Judge on a diamond: AARON.

49. Japanese financial hub: OSAKA.

52. River delta where the Rosetta Stone was found: NILE.

53. Winged pest: GNAT.

54. Mission Control org.: NASA.

58. Goiânia greeting: OLA.

Jeffrey Wechsler

Title: Having an anagram old time!

Hi, I have donned my plus-fours to caddie once again for JW, and will provide the tour for another Friday effort. This one is a true anagram puzzle, nothing but. Or is it? In the words of Ron Popeil - wait- there's more! All of the anagrams are accomplished by switching only the last two letters of an expression. And! Each is an ST becoming a TS!  And what he conjures with this simple plan is very amusing and laughable or at least grinnable. I am not sure it is anything but coincidental the puzzle is running on Shabbat Shuvua- "Sabbath [of] Return" שבת שובה. But the puzzle is rife with religious rites, no lefts invited. 

ENAMELER, IDOLIZED, LITERATI, YALE BLUE,  SEMESTERS, and SPARE TIRE. 

18A. Frenetic drummer's output?: SAVAGE BEATS (12).

25A. Like a professional gambler's life?: ALL FOR THE BETS (13).

39A. Consistently wins prizes for carrots, turnips, etc.?: RULES THE ROOTS (13).

50A. Specially designed Valentine's Day burgers?:  PATTY HEARTS (12).

Across:

1. Word with a wave: BYE. Bye Miss American Pie. A Boomer favorite song. 

4. Table __: SCRAPS. This was hard for an easy one. 

10. Big name in Norwegian history: OLAV. OLA_ wait for the perp.

14. Political scientist Bremmer: IAN. No comment but I will run a snippet from April 2020. 

15. Undermines: ERODES. A more dramatic word than I initially thought.

16. Fountain with a wind: PETE. A CSO to our Louisiana group. 
Pete Lafontaine.

17. According to: À LA.

20. Literally, half-year periods: SEMESTERS. From sex ‘six’ + mensis ‘month’, Latin.

22. Hawaii, on many maps: INSET. Most islands appear as insets. 

23. Cast doubt upon: BELIE.

24. They're not from around here: ALIENS. Cute way to phrase this clue/fill. 

29. Expected: DUE IN. My arrival in the office gets later and later as I age.

30. Theme park array: RIDES.

31. Marine bird: TERN. Not related to this song. 

32. Stinky: FETID. Back so soon?

33. Legislative creation: BILL. Is that true Bill G., were you part of a political decision?

37. "Wonderful!": GREAT.

38. Debate fixtures: PODIA. The Latin plural for words ending -ium.

42. Butter source: PEANUT. There are so many non-dairy kinds of butter in your Whole Foods aisles.

44. Row divider: AISLE. Did I see that coming? 

45. Golf nickname: ARNIE. Now tied with Tiger for most PGA titles.

46. Flat out?: SPARE TIRE. Whimsical, but tricky. My spare tires go with me everywhere.

52. Veer sharply: ZAG. Add a ZIG and you have some rolling papers.

53. Like Magellan, for long periods: ASEA.

54. Correctly, old-style: A'RIGHT?

55. ORD posting: ETA. Estimated Time of Arrival.

56. Jumbotron displays, briefly: LEDS.  The Orthodox Rabbi's Union has approved them for SHABBAT.

57. "Good riddance": NO LOSS.

58. Worked on: DID.

Down:

1. Prejudice: BIAS. No prejudice here at the Corner; all are welcome.

2. Official school color since 1894: YALE BLUE. HISTORY.

3. Jewelry artisan: ENAMELER. A ten-dollar word. 

4. Stretch in therapy, say: SESSION. Why aren't they visits?

5. Evidence of a large impact: CRATER. The Dinosaur killers?

6. Wander: ROVE. Have not heard from Carl for a while.

7. Month between Shevat and Nisan: ADAR. It also can have a twin, ADAR II for the 7 years that need a leap month on the Hebrew calendar.

8. Hat-hanging aids: PEGS. 

9. Montpelier-to-Providence dir.: SSE.

10. Christmas morning cry: OPEN IT. Really?

11. Auto options: LEASES.

12. When some local news is broadcast: AT TEN.

13. Road workers' garb: VESTS. Generally reflective.

19. "Greatest gymnast ever," per Retton: BILES.

21. Like storied North Pole workers: ELFIN.

24. Not up: ABED.

25. Home security giant: ADT. It all started on April 5, 1874, with a nighttime break-in. American District Telegraph (ADT) Founder Edward Callahan created a telegraph-based "call-box" to signal for assistance to a central office. He quickly connected 50 other homes in the neighborhood, creating the first residential security system network.

26. Tundra's lack, usually: TREES. Not always. LINK.

27. Try to strike: HIT AT. Try to? 

28. Bunker of note: EDITH. She was the star of the show for me. 

32. Stew: FRET.

33. Helping hand: BOOST. Also a cell phone company and a protein shake.

34. Worshipped: IDOLIZED. Jews do not believe in idols no matter what Simon Cowell says. Did anyone watch the finale of AGT?

35. Ones who do things by the book?: LITERATI. Cute clue, but not the whole story as Literati were scholars in China and Japan whose poetry, calligraphy, and paintings were supposed primarily to reveal their cultivation and express their personal feelings rather than demonstrate professional skill. It has been coopted in the English speaking world for the Literate.

36. __ Cruces: LAS. New Mexico. 

37. Sticky: GLUEY. Like many crossword clue/fill choices. 

38. Aaron and Eli, in the Old Testament: PRIESTS. Many may not know but Moses' brother Aaron (my oldest boy's name) was the high priest of JUDAISM. The Egyptians also had priests and priestesses. LINK.

39. Carried on: RANTED. Enough religion for one puzzle; on to a different Sunday hero. 

40. "The Golden Arm" of the Baltimore Colts: UNITAS. An outcast from Pittsburgh, who became an all-time great in Baltimore. 

41. "At the __ Core": Burroughs novel: EARTH'S. One in a series Edgar Rice wrote about the hollow center of our planet.

42. Authoritative type of bull: PAPAL. These are written edicts from the sitting Pope of the Catholic Church and derive their name from the leaden seal on the document- BULLA. I was wrong, more religion.

43. Wipe out: ERASE. Or rub out. 

46. Hematology prefix: SERO. From serology, the study of SERUM. 

47. Traditional dairy farm item: PAIL. As a child living in a farming area with endless milk cows, my image of Mrs. O'Leary's cow knocking over the lantern while being milked seemed very real. Now I know it was unlikely to be true. The LEGEND. As we near the anniversary (October 8) I just learned it was not even the worst fire that night as PESHTIGO WISCONSIN had a fire that night that killed over 1,000 people.

48. Ship that sailed from Iolcus: ARGO. A CSO to me. MYTH

49. "Zounds!": EGAD.

51. Luke's pilot pal: HAN. Another SOLO write-up effort from me ending with a STAR WARS reference.

That was exhausting

David Van Houten

Title: I AM what I AM 

I begin with wishing all those who will celebrate the Jewish New Year, starting this evening at sundown, Shana Tovah-שנה טובה. 

ADMIRALS, TERRIBLE, BASSINETS,  and UNDAMAGED

20A. Nickname for the first Web user?: INTERNET ADAM (12).

34A. General Motors toy?: BABY GRAND-AM (11).

41A. Cheese snack for the road?: DRIVERS EDAM (11).

55A. Hangover ... and a hint to 20-, 34- and 41-Across: MORNING AFTER (12).

Across:

1. Sit tight: BIDE.

5. Lucy who played Watson on "Elementary": LIU.

8. 10-Down instrument: PIPES.

13. Isn't with more people?: AREN'T.

15. Miller of "Room Service": ANN.

16. Winner of four FIFA World Cups: ITALY.

17. French toast part: SANTE.

18. Baby goat: KID.

19. Arc lamp gas: XENON.

23. California peaks, with "the": SIERRAS.

24. Peace, in Russian: MIR.

25. Pen name: BIC.

28. Family nickname: SIS.

29. Benjamin Hoff's "The __ of Pooh": TAO.

30. Japanese wrestling: SUMO.

31. Middle of summer?: EMS.

37. Stylish flap: LAPEL.

39. Tarzan's Cheeta, for one: APE.

40. Evasive maneuver: DODGE.

44. Until now: YET.

45. Vogue rival: ELLE.

46. Volume-increasing addition, usually: ESS.

47. Small untruth: FIB.

49. Mall __: RAT.

50. Japanese yes: HAI.

51. Pitcher's malady: SORE ARM.

57. "Death of a Salesman" family name: LOMAN.

60. Ambient music pioneer Brian: ENO.

61. SoFi Stadium NFLer: LA RAM. Oops, no, not part of the theme.

62. Winner of 15 Grammys (2009-2017): ADELE.

63. Fort Worth sch.: TCU.

64. Snail trail: SLIME.

65. Loser to Roosevelt and Truman: DEWEY.

66. Remained idle: SAT.

67. Keep: LAST.

Down:

1. Foundation: BASIS.

2. Afghan's neighbor: IRANI.

3. Al __: DENTE. Didn't he blog Thursdays here years ago?

4. Goes into: ENTERS.

5. Land O'__: dairy aisle brand: LAKES.

6. Competitive: INIT.

7. Intact: UNDAMAGED.

8. "Cars" maker: PIXAR.

9. Tabloid twosome: ITEM.

10. Part-goat god: PAN.

11. "Evil Woman" gp.: ELO.

12. Example, for instance: Abbr.: SYN.

14. Adjective for Alexander's day, in a Judith Viorst kids' book: TERRIBLE.  THE BOOK

21. Mars rover org.: NASA. Did any of you watch AWAY with Hilary Swank?

22. Couture giant: DIOR.

25. Mac: BUDDY.

26. It might be spitting: IMAGE.

27. Dancer companion: COMET.

29. Varieties: TYPES.

30. __-cone: SNO.

31. Ranking member, as in a village: ELDER.

32. Actress Gibbs of "The Jeffersons": MARLA.

33. In need of mopping up: SPILT.

35. Baby beds: BASSINETS. It has been so long since I had a baby in my home, I had forgotten this word. They were wonderful when you did not want to leave your room to comfort a baby.

36. Military leaders: ADMIRALS.

38. Portentous time: EVE.

42. Bring up: REAR.

43. In __: confused: A FOG.

48. Come about: BEFALL.

50. Dear: HONEY.

51. Pig feature: SNOUT.

52. Naturally lit courtyards: ATRIA.

53. Paper quantities: REAMS. 500 sheets.

54. Big Apple sports mascot: MR MET. Another appearance of the ball headed one.

55. Tom or bull: MALE.

56. Ancient Cuzco resident: INCA. Did they eat couscous there? So much HISTORY.

57. Bloke: LAD. Steve, I miss you already.

58. Wordsworth wrote one to duty: ODE. Would you like some extensive COMMENTARY?

59. Pound sound: MEW. Do they really take cats to the pound?

Paul Coulter

 Theme: Beware of Star Warts

I am back for week three of my most recent activity as Friday sherpa, which for an unknown reason, I predicted last Friday. Tom F., who does so much for the blog and the bloggers has decided to retire from blogging which leaves you all stuck with me. This will help those who were getting their "thank yous" wrong. At least until Chairman Moe gets to his first Friday frolic. 

I enjoy Paul, his puzzles, his visits, and his family updates. I am puzzled by this puzzle which has a decidedly Monday/Tuesday feel. 53 of the 78 words are 3 or 4 letters long, separated with 40 black squares. I love humor 'from pun' puzzles, but these seemed a bit forced, speaking of which I think this would have fit better with STAR WARS DAY, May the 4th. On the other hand, this should keep you all happy on a Friday, so off we go. 

The puns are all consistent with the first word a sound-alike to a Star Wars character. Like the famous latex and corn syrup hero

I found them to be a stretch. It did not take away from enjoying the solve, but it required more imagination. Let's look at the themers.

17A. Solo's favorite sandwiches?: HAN BURGERS (10). The Millenium Falcon skipper and father of Kylo. 

27A. Vader's favorite treat?: DARTH CHOCOLATE (14). An example of the use of "TH" to replace "K" not!

47A. Wookiee's favorite dessert?: CHEWIE BROWNIES (14). Chewbacca gets the only nickname.

63A. Hutt's favorite beverage?: JABBA JUICE (10). A slight variation as this character is "the Hutt," not Jabba Hutt. I was not sure how well known the juice franchise is, but they are almost everywhere. LINK.

While we already have Darth, there is a dearth of long fill HOUSEPLANT, PARTICULAR, REDCOATS, and TEETOTAL being the crop. 

Across:

1. Ticket category: ADULT. Not an infraction.

6. Goggle: GAPE. There are lots of G words for this.

10. Request to a prospective guest: RSVP. Respondez S'il Vous Plait.

14. "Paint It Black" instrument: SITAR. The song is older than my wife. They dropped the Sitar over the years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flSmiIne-4k

15. "That's a shame": ALAS. For our Friday Shakespeare quotation, we could clue ______ poor Yorick.

16. "East of Eden" director Kazan: ELIA. His birthday will be Monday. 

19. "The Persistence of Memory" painter: DALI.

20. 1914 battle river: YSER. It was a turning point for the Belgian soldiers and part of the inspiration for Hercule Poirot.

21. Side in some all-star games: EAST. They have also been known to West, North, and South.

22. Didn't dawdle: ACTED.

23. __ loss for words: AT A.

25. Digging: INTO. Like music, man!

34. Automne preceder: ÉTÉ.

35. Refrain: CHORUS. Don't stop, but sing along.

36. Cabeza, across the Pyrenees: TÊTE.

38. Busy, busy, busy: AT IT.

40. "Friendly Skies" co.: UAL.

41. X-rated material: SMUT. 

42. Jasmine __: RICE.

43. Not on the level: ASLANT.

46. BlackBerry, e.g.: PDA.

50. Protective cover: TARP.

51. Canapé topper: ROE.

52. Hit gently: TAPON.

55. Actor Hemsworth: LIAM.

58. Soak up the sun: BASK.

62. Rapper with a beverage-like name: ICE-T. All 457 episodes. Odaphin

65. No ally of Asta: FLEA. Don't feel bugged by all the references to this dog?

66. Uptight: ANAL. Be still my, heart that is a scandalous word. Does anyone watch the mini-golf show HOLEY-MOLEY?

67. Put to rest: ALLAY. Your fears.

68. What "F" may mean: FULL. On a gas tank.

69. Modest response to praise: I TRY. My mantra when I do my write-up.


70. Brigantine's pair: MASTS.

Down:

1. Far from ruddy: ASHY. At least it isn't Arthury...

2. "Buenos __": DIAS. Bon Jour. Guten Tag.

3. "Cure Ignorance" online anthology: UTNE. Very popular in the CW world.

4. Unwitting test taker: LAB RAT. That seems unfair. They may know what is going on but like the treats.

5. Capote nickname: TRU. True. 

6. "Born This Way" Lady: GAGA.

7. Tavern pours: ALES. 

8. Hard to please: PARTICULAR.

9. Double curve: ESS.

10. Revolutionary soldiers: REDCOATS.

11. Deck chair piece: SLAT.

12. Beneath contempt: VILE.

13. Treated: PAID.

18. Part of a boxer's "tale of the tape": REACH.

22. The NHL's Thrashers: ATL.

24. Cannabis compound: THC.

26. Discouraging words: NOS.

27. Honey: DEAR.

28. Room at the top: ATTIC.

29. 1990s Labor secretary: REICH.

30. Boston fern, e.g.: HOUSEPLANT.

31. Sonicare rival: ORALB.

32. Piano practice concerns: TEMPI.

33. Piano practice piece: ETUDE.

37. Share-a-ride updates, briefly: ETAS.

39. Stay dry: TEETOTAL.

43. Balloon filler: AIR.

44. Bellini opera: NORMA.

45. Wee hour: TWO.

48. Blanched: WAN.

49. One of six awards for Ursula Le Guin: NEBULA.

52. Minor argument: TIFF.

53. Free speech org.: ACLU.

54. Zest: PEEL.

56. Support beam: IBAR.

57. Well: ABLY.

59. Is home sick, maybe: AILS.

60. "Go on, git!": SCAT.

61. Custodian's ringfull: KEYS.

63. __ alai: JAI.

64. Improv session: JAM.

Jeffrey W

Title: AX me no questions...

It is the not uncommon double dose of Jeffrey and me. I have never understood Rich's scheduling parameters, but looking back I only know that I have written up back to backs before. As we take the day to recover from the fun and frolicking associated with celebrating my 72nd birthday we are treated to an "add a bigram" and make everyone laugh puzzle. This is among my favorite JW's silly puzzles. He once again uses the 15 x 16 grid to feature a central themer and to avoid using any cheater squares. He also blended in such fun fill as ERASERS, FLEXION, MALAISE, PLUNGES, POPE LEO,  ROSETTE, BENTO BOXES, and DIVVYING UP. Again, the ones in red are major puzzle originals.

On to the tour.

19A. False claim about one's pioneer ancestors?: WESTWARD HOAX (12). Things I learn blogging. Did you know Westward Ho! is a seaside village near Bideford in Devon, England? Steve? This is a reference to the generic call for the early Americans to go west. HOAX is too political a word to comment.

25A. Medieval German spendthrift?: PRODIGAL SAXON (13). The Bible tells us of the Prodigal Son, a son who receives his inheritance and travels to a distant country, wastes all his money in wild extravagance, becomes desperately poor, returns to his father, and is received with open arms. Saxons were a group of early Germanic peoples who fought the Anglos.

41A. Transmitted documents with Red Riding Hood's location?: FAXED TO THE WOLVES (16). Fed to the wolves was the plan for Red, but the image of the wolf in the forest receiving a facsimile transmission showing the way to gramma's house is priceless.

52A. Beauty treatment for poultry?: CHICKEN WAXING (13). Thinking of taking a simple chicken wing and adding two letters to create the image of big fat chicken as the salon getting her bikini wax...

63A. Big-screen entertainment for angels?: IMAX IN HEAVEN (12). You lose an apostrophe to get this wonderful fill, picturing the angels watching the movies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3RSlUkw9U0

And the rest.

Across:

1. Quick blow: JAB. A quick start and a "J.'

4. Weary worker's sigh: TGIF. Thank God It's Friday.

8. Dives: PLUNGES.

15. 4 x 4, briefly: UTE. Utility vehicle.

16. Six-ton predator: ORCA.

17. Leopard spot: ROSETTE. My last fill; I learned that many of the spots are not spots at all, but clusters of black, yellow, and tan markings called “rosettes”. These patterns are unique to each leopard, like a human fingerprint.

18. ICU staffer: LPN. Licensed Practical Nurse.

21. Taking courses?: EATING. Haha.  Eating a three-course meal.

23. Crest box abbr.: ADA. American Dental Association.

24. Crafty: SLY.

30. Honey, in slang: BAE. This is a common fill.

31. Zip: PEP.

32. Lot choice: SEDAN.
https://youtu.be/p7PJqbX9VZ8

36. Wall St. event: IPO. Initial Public Offering.

38. Enforcer of some ACA provisions: IRS. Affordable Care Act.

39. Vague unease: MALAISE.

45. Bending movement: FLEXION. The action of bending or the condition of being bent, especially the bending of a limb or joint.

46. __ clear: ALL. on the western front.

47. Large receptacle: VAT.

48. Nods, maybe: YESES.

49. It was precious to conquistadores: ORO. There's gold in them there clues.

50. Oliver Twist or Tiny Tim: BOY. So simple, this was hard.

58. Half-hearted: WAN. This was a stretch that took perps.

61. "There's __ in team": NO I.

62. Laundry employee: IRONER. A real word. Meh.

68. Hurdle for srs.: GRE. Graduate Record Examinations.

69. First religious leader of his title to be called "The Great": POPE LEO. Thank you, Joe Deeney and HG for teaching me this Saturday.

70. Guy: MALE.

71. Charlottesville sch.: UVA. University of Virginia. My brother dated a woman who was teaching at the medical school.

72. Tools for some crossword solvers: ERASERS. Or backspace.

73. 500-mile race: INDY. The Indianapolis 500.

74. Furry friend: PET.

Down:

1. Derby cocktail: JULEP. Churchill Downs has promoted Mint Juleps since 1938. Each year around 120,000 this classic mint julep recipe are served over the 2 day race period. That’s a lot! While Woodford Reserve is the official whiskey of the Kentucky Derby, we chose another Kentucky Bourbon, Knob Creek, which is one of our favorites.

2. For face value: AT PAR.

3. Japanese takeout orders: BENTO BOXES. They are popular in Thailand as well. We had some at Zen,  2 Mahidol Rd, Hai ya Subdistrict | Central Airport Plaza Level 1, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand

4. Many an off-campus local: TOWNIE. Initially, I read this as "locale." In prep school, there were great conflicts with the townies.

5. An Allman brother: GREGG. He was no Duane, but he did marry Cher.

6. Suffix with robot: ICS. -ics. a suffix of nouns that denote a body of facts, knowledge, principles, etc., usually corresponding to adjectives ending in -ic or -ical: ethics; physics; politics; tactics.

7. Budgetary excess: FAT. Politics.

8. Fendi rival: PRADA. A learning week as I bet you didn’t know that in 1999, the LVMH group and Prada purchased 51% of Fendi.

9. Seuss activist: LORAX. Geopolitical STORY.
"Unless someone like you
Cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better.
It’s not."

10. Amer. capital: USD. Money.

11. Bk. before Esther: NEHEMIAH

12. Classic muscle cars: GTOS. Gran Turismos.

13. Shorthand for unlisted items: ET AL.

14. Alluring: SEXY.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjxLz-yMBR8

20. With 35-Down, papery construction best left alone: WASP. 35D. See 20-Down: NEST. A wasp nest is made from chewed wood that gives them their distinctive papery walls.

22. Filmmaker Lupino: IDA. Her IMDB.

26. Blacksmith wear: APRON.

27. For fear that: LEST.

28. Capital on a fjord: OSLO.

29. Patricia of "Hud": NEAL. Paul Newman's wife.

33. Tending to, as the loot: DIVVYING UP.
Dividing up.

34. Like pirates, often: ASEA.

36. Uncertain: IFFY.

37. Part of IPA: PALE.

38. Midori in a rink: ITO. Time flies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCVsl7XWtDM

39. Gourd fruit: MELON.

40. Piercing tool: AWL.

42. Corner off. occupant: EXEC.utive.

43. Share juicy details: DISH.

44. Fabled braggart: HARE. The tortoise and...

49. Dust Bowl migrant: OKIE.

50. Dancing dinosaur: BARNEY.

51. Kitchen gadget maker: OXO.

53. __ circle: INNER. When I was representing AXE before they got their record deal, they rehearsed at SIR Studio in NYC and INNER CIRCLE was also their rehearsing.

54. Pacific salmon: COHOS. Sockeye is an oilier fish with deep red flesh, sockeye salmon also high in heart-healthy omega-3s but has a stronger flavor and stands up well to grilling. Coho is milder and often lighter in color

55. Brandish: WIELD.

56. Guts: NERVE.

57. "That's what I'm talking about!": GREAT. More greatness.

58. Sanitizing cloth: WIPE. The be-all and end-all of MONK.

59. Latin love: AMOR.

60. California tourist valley: NAPA.  Don't whine. This VALLEY.

64. Kisses, in love letters: XES. And OOs. And at my house.

65. Paris' __ de la Cité: ÎLE. Tourists flock to Notre Dame, located on Île de la Cité, but few take the time to discover the island’s many parks, shops, and cafés.

66. "What __ missing?": AM I. Looks like the French AMI.

67. FedEx fleet member: VAN.