This is the first 2020 LAT puzzle from our own hero Jeffrey. He had gone 23 months straight being published here. I spoke to him about the month off; he was a bit crabby and really clammed up like an oyster protecting a pearl when I tried to push him. An ex-roommate call them "shell food." She was cute. Anyway, I have no clue how to work lobster into my sentence so I will quit while I can. I did learn the are three types of shellfish, Crustaceans, Mollusks (which I knew) and ECHINODERMS which was an unknown term. This puzzle is also a learning experience because as you see, the theme begins in row 4; not the usual 3. C.C. has commented on the need for this when you have four long themers in a puzzle. Because this puzzle involves "sounds like" it is a special challenge for C.C. and other ESL people.
As with 99% of Jeffrey's creativity, much is based on humor. It also showcases his use of words with DRY NOSE, NOT OPEN, ONE ACRE, SATCHEL, ETHERNET, POULTICE, EXCERPTING and WE HAVE MORE as bonus fill. The three in this COLOR are all introduced to the LAT here. How much fun you have will depend on your sense of humor. I had a fine time, so let us look at the theme.
20A. Offering in shellfish worship?: PRAWN SACRIFICE (14). A PAWN SACRIFICE is a common tactic in chess.
29A. Shellfish massage?: MUSSEL RELAXER (13). MUSCLE RELAXER changes into an image of hundreds of tiny guys walking on your back.
38A. Good name for a budget shellfish dealer?: SHRIMP AND SAVE (13). SCRIMP AND SAVE is an expression that has been around for hundreds of years,
52A. Like one who exchanges texts with a shellfish?: WHELK CONNECTED (14). This was the hardest because even though WELL CONNECTED is a common phrase, WHELK is not a well known. Similar to CONCH which we have in Florida which are warm water herbivores. Whelks are eaten in England, Italy and Japan and are cold water carnivores.
Time to move on to the rest of the puzzle. We hope you enjoyed the marine lesson.
Across:
1. "... morning roses newly wash'd with __": Petruchio: DEW.
I really enjoy JW having Shakespeare in almost all of his puzzles.
"I’ll attend her here
And woo her with some spirit when she comes.
Say that she rail; why then I’ll tell her plain
165She sings as sweetly as a nightingale.
Say that she frown; I’ll say she looks as clear
As morning roses newly washed with dew.
Say she be mute and will not speak a word;
Then I’ll commend her volubility,
And say she uttereth piercing eloquence." Taming of the Shrew
8. Caused trepidation: SCARED. From the Latin meaning trembling.
14. Phoenix-to-Albuquerque dir.: ENE.
15. O'Neill's daughter: OONA. She married Charlie Chaplin and has a granddaughter with the name.
16. "Happy Days" diner namesake: ARNOLD. Mr. Miyaki started out as an Arnold.
17. Networking technology: ETHERNET. This is traditional technology for connecting wired local area networks (LANs), enabling devices to communicate with each other via a protocol -- a set of rules or common network language.
19. Jalopy sound: RATTLE. Hence- rattletrap.
22. Mississippi sight: LEVEE. "Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry. And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye Singin' this'll be the day that I die"
23. Storage furniture: CHESTS.
24. "__-haw!": YEE. A junction in Florida or a Mikasuki word for wolf. Recently almost entirely DESTROYED.
25. Expanse: AREA.
26. Word often preceded by a leader's name: ERA. Roosevelt Era. Reagen Era.
35. Perfect place: UTOPIA.
37. "Modern Family," e.g.: SITCOM. A classic PORTMANTEAU - situation comedy.
42. "Catch you later": BYE.
43. Traditional knowledge: LORE.
44. Rate for records, briefly: RPM. Revolutions per minute are the number of turns in one minute. It is a unit of rotational speed or the frequency of rotation around a fixed axis.
47. High spirits: GAIETY. Not so much anymore.
50. Hit the big time: GO PRO.
55. One of an infant's pair: BOOTIE.
56. Sore application: POULTICE.
57. City adjoining Champaign, Illinois: URBANA.
58. Began, as a co.: ESTD.
59. Fourth bk. of the Jewish Torah: NUMbers.
60. U.S. IOUs: T-NOTES.
61. Relative of -ity: NESS.
62. Fast sports cars: GTS.
Down:
1. With intensity: DEEPLY.
2. Dinner menu item: ENTREE.
3. Merchant's assurance during a sale: WE HAVE MORE.
4. Carried: BORNE.
5. They're charged: IONS.
6. Land parcel size: ONE ACRE.
7. Bag with a strap: SATCHEL.
8. Bollywood costumery: SARIS.
9. Modeling, say: CRAFT.
10. They're not with you: ANTIS.
11. Uniform education org.?: ROTC.
12. Bardot was on its cover at age 14: ELLE.
13. Golfing pres.: DDE.
18. Lea grazer: EWE.
21. __ admiral: REAR.
25. "Don't delay!" letters: ASAP.
26. Taking parts of: EXCERPTING.
27. Early initials in American cars: REO.
28. Certain limb: ARM.
30. News agcy. since 1958: UPI.
31. __City: computer game: SIM.
32. In __: actual: ESSE.
33. YouTube star __ Marie Johnson: LIA.
34. Honda FourTrax, e.g.: Abbr.: ATV.
35. Very active port?: USB.
36. Genesis pronoun: THY.
39. Baldwin of "30 Rock": ALEC.
40. Closed: NOT OPEN.
41. Vet's concern, perhaps: DRY NOSE.
45. Like many hobby shop mat boards: PRECUT.
46. Surfing equipment: MODEMS.
47. Hint: GET AT.
48. Dior design: ALINE.
49. Some big box stores: IKEAS.
50. Neuters: GELDS.
51. Canadian Thanksgiving mo.: OCT.
52. Well-used: WORN.
53. Vagrant: HOBO.
54. "Dang!": NUTS.
55. Objection: BUT.
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