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