Friday, July 2, 2021

dallas fletcher

No matter how inspired we may be, there are write-ups where there is no better title than the constructor's reveal. This is one of those.

Dallas is making his LAT debut though he started with a Universal collaboration with Christopher Adams in 2019, then a solo UC in 2020 and WSJ earlier this year,

40A. Magic trick that affects the answers to starred clues: DISAPPEARING ACT (15). Those three magic letters disappear in every one of the many themers, so before we discuss Dallas and his arrow making abilities, let's look them over.

17A. *Runs drills: PR{ACT}ICES (6).

22A. *Extremely demanding: E{ACT}XING (5).

23A. *Did a double-take, say: RE{ACT}ED (4). 

31A. *Produce milk: L{ACT}ATE (4).

59A. *Like two-humped camels: B{ACT}RIAN (5).

73A. *In a concise manner: COMP{ACT}LY (6).

12D. *Strategic maneuver: T{ACT}IC  (3).

41D. *Has an effect on: IMP{ACT}S (4).

65D. *Thing that matters: F{ACT}OR (3).

The grid: 
So we are left with: PRICES: EXING: REED: LATE: BRIAN: COMPLY: TIC: IMPS: FOR. If you can make more out of them as part of the theme I look forward to hearing the theory. 

Meanwhile, Dallas did include some nice long fill HAS A COW, 
FENG SHUI, NOAH'S ARK, SAILBOAT, SHAGGY D.A., STORY ARC, and UFO CULTS. The ones in red are new fill. He had some nice combinations like 14 - 18 across and 64 - 69 across. Overall, this does not really play like a Friday with so many three letter fill and so many fill in general. He does provide a reverse CSO to Shawn Corey Carter . On that note, on to the rest.

Across:

1. Let off: ACQUIT. This fits right in with earlier in the week mini-rant about our judicial system. There are innocent people who are charged with crimes and desrved to be acquitted. It is not being let off.

7. "Beats me," in texts: IDK.  I Don't Know.

10. Boozer: SOT. Everything you didn't know you wanted to know about SOT.

13. Its recipe often includes egg whites: MOUSSE. You guess how to make it work...
100g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
4 egg whites
¼ tsp lemon juice
20g unrefined sugar

14. System used in home decor: FENG SHUI. This is  the ancient Chinese practice that charts the balance of energy, or chi, via scientific calculations.

18. It can unfold over many episodes: STORY ARC. TV Talk.

19. P.O. box item: ENVelope.

20. Canadian grazer: ELK. A deer relative and a CSO to CEh.

25. Sounds of relief: AHHS. Sometimes requiring more Hs. 

27. Simon of "Shaun of the Dead": PEGG. Very funny movie.

29. Screen legend Flynn: ERROL. He would not have appeared in the above movie.

33. "Indeedy": YUP. Slang.

35. One-time Nigerian capital: LAGOS. Abuja is a planned city and is relatively affluent. It was built from scratch in the 1980s and became the nation's capital in 1991. 

37. Thingamajig: DOODAD. A recent jumble solution.

44. Seales of HBO's "Insecure": AMANDA. This unlnown to me but multi-talented PERFORMER.

45. Feed a crowd, say: CATER. Well golly, that was who brought the food to my wedding.

46. Printer spec.: DPI. DOTS PER INCH

47. Singer Susan Boyle, e.g.: SCOT. Another of Simon Cowell's discoveries.

49. Outfit again: RERIG. Meh. 

53. Kind of sink: SLOP. A deep sink, usually set low, esp. used by janitors for emptying pails of dirty water.

56. Tot's bruise: OWIE. and 70A. "Ouch!": I'M HURT.

58. __ trap: SET A

61. Non-Rx: OTC. Over The Counter.

63. Form 1040 calc.: AGI. Adjusted Gross Income.

64. Religious groups that allegedly communicate with ETs: UFO CULTS. A more complicated GROUP.

67. Sweatshirt with a head cover: HOODIE.

69. Classic couples carrier?: NOAH'S ARK. I love this clue/fill.

71. Word with film or form: ART

72. Utter: SAY.

Down:

1. Electrical unit: AMPERE. Begins the down clues and they finish with a classic clecho 68D. Electrical unit: OHM.

2. Home plate edge: CORNER. That picher sure knew how to paint the corner. More baseball esoterica for our non-sports group.

3. Accessory for Katniss Everdeen: QUIVER. A self-SO to our constructor. 

4. Trojans' sch.: USC. Not the condoms.

5. "That makes sense": I SEE. That is why I am here.

6. Electric wheels: TESLA. My wife wants to drive one- but if she likes it, what do I do? 

7. Hypotheticals: IFS. Yes, it is only a thought and the idea is not one...

8. Not like at all: DETEST. I hate

9. Fort defended by Bond: KNOX. The classic 007 film GOLDFINGER starring Sean Connery as James Bond is set mainly in England and Switzerland, but it was partially filmed at Fort Knox. 

10. Disney film featuring a canine prosecutor, with "The": SHAGGY DA. Part of the Shaggy Dog series.
                                    

11. Lord's Prayer opener: OUR. Father...

15. Handlebar part: GRIP.

16. Last word in a holiday song: SYNE. That auld saw...

21. Kin of Kourtney: KHLOE. Kardashian krap.

24. __ Twins: online comedy duo: DOLAN. The INSIDE SCOOP if you care. This is very "modern" fill which many want to see more of in the 2020 decade.

26. Freaks out: HAS A COW. Not quite as new, but classic BART.

28. Quick dip?: GUACamole.

30. "Bosch" squad: Abbr.: LAPD. Lots of Southern California references in this puzzle.

32. Prep for publication: EDIT.

34. Calif. summer hrs.: PDT. Didn't I tell you.

36. Admissions depts. review them: GPAS.

38. Unique thing, to a Brit: ONER. Steve? Help.

39. Meanies: OGRES. Makes them sound almost cuddly.

40. __ joke: DAD. I had a good one but I forgot, maybe by morning.

42. Tot's tub toy: SAILBOAT.

43. 1:15, e.g.: RATIO

48. Against: CONTRA. Iran affair>

50. Study, with "on": READ UP.

51. Celebrity socialite: IT GIRL. Not my idea of an IT girl but what do I know.

52. Merriment: GAIETY

54. Theater ticket abbr.: ORCHestra.

55. Name of 12 popes: PIUS. You would hope they all were and had a well defined...

57. Value system: ETHIC. But, if not...

60. Old-style "Bummer!": ALAS what are you going to do.

62. Crooner Perry: COMO. He settled in So. Fla. for hsi golden years.

64. __ vez: once: UNA. Hola, Lucy. 

66. __-high: SKY. And to wrap up the week we have sky back, which leaves popping off rather than popping up. Have a safe and fun 4th of July week-end all. Thank you Dallas, please come by and share your thoughts. We are a bunch of fun curious people. lemonade out.





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