February 25

Title: What the "H" is going on? Of course you can use her reveal if you prefer.

Welcome to the LAT debut puzzle from Karen who already has two published puzzles: August 25, 2021 in the American Values Crossword Club (AVCX) and earlier this year the NYT on January13, 2022. She is " a comedy and game show writer" who used the at home time of the pandemic to try her hand and making crosswords. Here is the PICTURE she provided the NYT for her publication. An example of her writing is the sadly accurate MEMO  on the workplace. It is extra fun to have this creative female constructor to balance Wednesday's other creative female. I smell change in the air; I hope it more than nickels.

She presents us with a familiar A/B/B/A theme with a reveal. The other longish answers are limited BAD LUCK,  IN CHECK,  IT'S LATE and RESHOOT but she does include 26 five letter fill, a surprise gift for all the WORDLE players. I solved this after a terrible day where it took me all 6 guesses to get the word. Players, can you pick which one it was? So lets begin the fun...

20A. Aroma of a freshly grilled steak?: NEW CHAR SMELL (12).

I am not sure I would have associated a new CAR smell with food.

32A. Horror film writer's mantra?: PUT A SHOCK IN IT (13). I really like this multi-word variation.

40A. What Stanford University catchers' gear protects?: CARDINAL SHINS (13). Shin guards were not my first catchers' protective thought, but then I realized they do all that kneeling both on the field and in Church.

55A. "Always dust before you vacuum" and others?: CHORE BELIEFS (12). The parentheses signify the basic nature of this CORE belief which makes perfect sense - I think.

And the reveal:

51D. Cold War concern ... and what created 20-, 32-, 40- and 55-Across?: HBOMB (5). This is a variation of the PHOTOBOMB which has become a ritual in modern life, with the lonely letter jumping into all the phrases. 

Across:

1. Go on or come off: OCCUR. Did the strike go on? Did they get it to come off?

6. Had a bite: ATE. Unless it is a worker's head?

9. Checks: BILLS. Sure they are; a good Friday combination.

14. Prize money: PURSE. This usage goes all the way back to the 1400s when both men and women carried purses.

15. Jorja of the "CSI" franchise: FOX. She is back in the reboot of the CSI: Las Vegas series. Everytime my wife sees her on screen she says the Jorja is "ไม่สวย" No s̄wy. Use your imagination, or ask me.

16. Something bid: ADIEU. More nice Friday misdirection.

17. Agenda entries: ITEMS. Getting a condo board to prepare an agenda and then stay with the items is a challenge.

18. Brief plan for the future?: IRA. Brief suggesting an abbreviation and this is your retirement plan, or part of it. 

19. Artful evasion: DODGE. My favorite was introduced by in Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens. A young pickpocket named Jack Dawkins who most people refer to him as "the Artful Dodger" The nickname describes his skill at his trade: his mind is cunning, his fingers are sly, and he's quick on his feet. 

23. Hosp. areas: ERS. 

24. Sweet little sandwich: OREO. Despite the endless clues used for this fill, this version is brand new.

25. Employs a hard sell: PUSHES. I do hate a pushy salesperson.

29. Nemesis, say: FOE. Did she get a bad rap, she was just doing her job. In ancient Greek religion, Nemesis, also called Rhamnousia or Rhamnusia (Ancient Greek: Ῥαμνουσία, romanized: Rhamnousía, lit. 'the goddess of Rhamnous'), is the goddess who enacts retribution against those who succumb to hubris, arrogance before the gods.

30. Third of a game?: TIC. I bet you all got this one

31. "These __ the times ... ": Paine: ARE.  "These are the times that try men's souls: the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country..." Written in Dec. 1776 by Thomas Paine who wrote the COMMON SENSE pamphlets which were so important during the revolution.
They also were just recognized in "Seth Bisen-Hersh's puzzle on Tuesday. The world my be folding in on itself.

36. Paralyze with surprise: STUN.

38. Beige cousin: TAN.

39. García Lorca wrote them to Whitman and Dalí: ODES. This the ONE to Whitman.

45. Stein filler: ALE. My first thought TOKLAS would not fit.

46. Choice word: NOR. Nicely phrased. 

47. Native suffix: ITE. I think I may be related to the WORDNIK site.

48. Laundry room supply: BLEACH.

50. Some Drs.: PHDS.

52. Small Indian state: GOA. So happy to see my birth twin Vidwan back; perhaps he will expand on this. 

58. Papier-__: MACHE. Staying in India, papier-mâché was introduced to India in the 14th century by the Persian mystic Mir Syed Ali Hamdani. He was visiting the Kashmir region from Persia, and brought along skilled artisans and craftsmen.

61. 2008 Visa event, briefly: IPO. Initial Public Offering.

62. Be bratty: ACT UP.

63. Worshiper of the rain god Tlaloc: AZTEC. Tlaloc, (Nahuatl: “He Who Makes Things Sprout”). He was the eighth ruler of the days and the ninth lord of the nights.

64. PIN point: ATM. Another cute clue.

65. Mock: TEASE.

66. "Find out": GO ASK. Such simple advice to give your children; parents, you do not need to know everything so stop lying to your kids.

67. Loft: LOB. Tennis or hand grenades?

68. Fruity-smelling compound: ESTER. But she was helluva fun girl at parties.

Down:

1. Express views: OPINE.

2. More like a puppy: CUTER. Mine is cuter than yours.

3. Teams: CREWS. The mafia likes calling their teams crews as did the recent fat tuesday celebrants.

4. Mil. branch: USMC. United States Marine Corps.

5. Result of a botched line: RESHOOT. Do not say this near Alec Baldwin.

6. Lit: AFIRE. An A word. 

7. Tailor's dummy, e.g.: TORSO.

8. Skills barometer: EXAM.

9. Gambler's concern: BAD LUCK. 

10. Stars watched by many: IDOLS.  Season 20 is on. I am not a Ryan Seafrest fan.

11. Shadow target: LID. Make-up your mind.

12. Part of a journey: LEG.

13. WNBA star Bird: SUE. Another University of Connecticut Husky star. Her story.

21. Land measure: AREA.

22. Sweeping: EPIC.

26. Jazz __: dance technique: HANDS.

27. Pennsylvania city on I-90: ERIE. Like Oreo, Erie is also always here.

28. Establishes: SETS.

29. Back: FUND.

30. A whole bunch: TONS.

32. Tomato product: PUREE.

33. Night light: STAR.

34. Shakespearean prince: HAL.

35. Actress Skye: IONE.

36. Healing sign: SCAB.

37. Unlikely: TALL.

41. Under control: IN CHECK.

42. NYC neighborhood above Houston Street: NOHO.

43. Obscure: HIDE.

44. "I should probably get going": IT'S LATE.

49. Soreness: ACHES.

50. __-Bismol: PEPTO.

52. Insinuate: GET AT.

53. Valuable: OF USE.

54. According to: AS PER.

56. Iranian bread: RIAL.

57. Street fair treats: ICES.

58. E-__: MAG.

59. Nitrogenous dye: AZO.

60. Commuter org. in the Loop: CTA.