Patti Varol

Title: Does a male deliver your mail?

Today Rich's assistant Patti provides the entertainment with a very consistent homonym puzzle. 5 in the language phrases are repurposed using their sound-alike equivalent with humorous results.  This is my seventh trip as the guide for a PV puzzle, one of more than 30 she has published in the LAT. All five themers are four-letter words ending "AIL" replacing the "ALE."  WHALE is the outlier, as it is five letters. The puzzle does not feel like a Friday, with 78 words which average less than 5 letters each. It has some non-theme glitter like ATHEIST, EGOSURF, FLITTED, MULCHES, PADLOCK, SIDE BET, CAROL KANE, and  KALE CHIPS. There are some challenging words, some unknown directors, and a few that were unknown to me as clued, but lo and behold it is done, so time to discuss.

17A. Totally rad electric guitar performance?: KILLER WAIL (10). After last Saturday's WHALE tribute by HG, we start with a nice guitar solo. BOBBY BARTH.

23A. Emergency bucket on Dior's boat?: CHRISTIAN BAIL (13). Christian Dior has a hole in his boat which he needs to BALE the water and becomes the Welsh actor who has been Batman and Dick Cheney on screen but is HIMSELF accepting his awards.

37A. Jib made of clothing labels?: TAG SAIL (7). When I was a child, my grandmother worked in a tag factory, where they made all the labels used to show at a Tag SALE.

51A. Where to find more beach toys?: BEYOND THE PAIL (13). Beyond the PALE  a rather negative concept changes to evoke an idyllic scene by the ocean.

60A. Impressive New York zoo peacock display?: A BRONX TAIL (10). This is my favorite as the cult classic A BRONX TALE, a dark movie becomes a lively display at the famous Bronx Zoo.

Across:

1. Information desk sign: ASK ME. I do not see that often, my favorite is below.

6. Sits in a cellar, say: AGES. Wine, it was Chairman Mao's birthday recently.

10. Chuckleheads: SAPS. I have not heard the phrase chucklehead in years.

14. Yuletide name: CLAUS.




15. Philanthropist Wallace: LILA. Co-founder of the READER'S DIGEST. Do you remember her?

16. Grammy-winning rapper: ICE-T. Tracy Lauren Marrow reappears. HG one.

19. Short copy?: DUPE. Cute.

20. Upper bod muscle: PEC. Bod tells you it is an abbreviation. It also is a word not popular any longer IMO.

21. Poor Richard, really: BEN. I did not know Mr. Franklin well enough to call him Ben, I do like to look at him in my wallet.

22. Brusque: TERSE.

27. Nonbeliever: ATHEIST.

29. Shoreline flood protection: DUNE. According to the Waikato Regional Council, sand dunes protect our shorelines from coastal erosion and provide shelter from the wind and sea spray.

30. Caper film event: HEIST. What is your favorite of all time?

31. Actor Danson: TED. Again a repeat from Husker's Saturday.

32. Dessert chain with Cotton Candy Freeze: TCBY. The Country's Best Yogurt.

36. Travel guide: MAP.

41. SE state: ALAbama.

42. "When all __ fails ... ": ELSE. People say THIS many ways.

44. "Let 'er __!": RIP. Speaking of ripped...

45. Zac of "Baywatch": EFRON.

47. Error: GOOF.

49. Master piece?: PADLOCK. Very cool clue.  This fill has never appeared in the LA Times and referencing the lock company MASTER  was brilliant.

55. Expunge: ERASE.

56. Mahershala of "True Detective": ALI. This is his BIOGRAPHY.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrDYsNTN9b4

57. IMAX purchase: TKT.

59. X-ray, Yankee, __: ZULU.  Your cheat sheet.

64. Phone button abbr.: OPER.

65. X-ray units: RADS. The rad is a unit of absorbed radiation dose , defined as 1 rad = 0.01 Gy = 0.01 J/kg.

66. Starbucks size: VENTI. We have had this discussion recently.

67. Double __ Oreos: STUF. We have had this discussion recently.

68. "If you don't mind?": MAY I.

69. In other words, in Caesar's words: ID EST. Not Sid, but one of the Emperors speaking Latin.


Down:

1. "Crikey!": ACK. I do not see these as synonymous. My SOURCE.

2. Berth place: SLIP. A nice sound alike pun/clue.

3. Healthy snack: KALE CHIPS.  That claim is being DEBATED.

4. Puts a cover on, as a bed: MULCHES.  A bed of flowers, again, cool misdirection. These are probably healthy as well,  just as tasty, but too high in fiber.

5. Jargon suffix: ESE.

6. Astros' MLB division: AL WEST.

7. Really big: GIANT.

8. "The House With a Clock in Its Walls" director Roth: ELI. I have not seen this movie, but would never have known the DIRECTOR even if I had. His work seems promising.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQGA42-U0Ro

9. "On the Road" narrator: SAL. Sal Paradise was the central character in Jack Kerouac's anthem to the post-World War II freedom of the open road.

10. Secondary wager: SIDE BET. There are various situations where this occurs. Side bets can involve any topic, such as a bet on a sports game occurring at the same time as the poker game or a bet on a piece of trivia that players are arguing over. However, usage is traditionally confined to bets that in some way involve occurrences in the poker game.

11. Integra maker: ACURA.

12. "For every generation" soft drink: PEPSI. Do you like the new Steve Carrell commercial?

13. 1943 penny metal: STEEL. Copper shortage due to WWII.

18. Hitting stat: RBIs. Runs Batted In.

22. Paramount Network, once: TNN. The NASHVILLE NETWORK became Spike TV before the recent switch to its current name.

24. "Norma Rae" director: RITT. Another DIRECTOR I do not know. Sally is back after also seeing her in this part in HG's Saturday.

25. Writer's block breakthrough: IDEA.

26. German wheels: AUDI.

27. Words of lament: AH ME. Ask me?

28. Marsh duck: TEAL.

31. Cough syrup meas.: TSP. Abbreviations.

33. Actress who plays Kimmy Schmidt's landlady: CAROL KANE. Her role in TAXI will always be what my memory of her is, I have never watched the new show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md5Lvq4oGEs

34. Allied group: BLOC. Bloc is also back.

35. Jerk: YANK.ee?

38. "Sunday Night Baseball" analyst, familiarly: A-ROD.

39. One often taking a bow: GIFT. Ah, bow not bow!

40. Helen of Troy's mother: LEDA. The STORY is much more complicated than that clue/fill suggests.

43. Try to find oneself?: EGOSURF. I still do not know this term, but it is in the OED and was introduced to us by Brad Wilber on Saturday, Mar 27, 2010, here at the LAT. I also said then I did not know the concept while commenting on a rare JzB Saturday write-up.

46. Made moth moves: FLITTED. A very cute clue also.

48. Half and half: ONE. Another time a simple clue adds up as something other than for coffee.+

49. House speaker after Ryan: PELOSI. No apolitical way to comment on this.

50. Neat as __: A PIN.

51. Amazon founder: BEZOS. How will his FEUD with the National Enquirer turn out? For 500 million, I might have married him.

52. Blow one's stack: ERUPT.

53. Ivy in Conn.: YALE U. Glue.

54. Resistant to cold, as plants: HARDY. Such a versatile word.

58. Small songbirds: TITS. Snicker, snicker.

60. Parka sleeve: ARM.

61. "Listen, ewe!": BAA.

62. Income tax Amendment: XVI. "The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several states, and without regard to any census or enumeration." The origin of the income tax on individuals is generally cited as the passage of the 16th Amendment, passed by Congress on July 2, 1909, and ratified February 3, 1913; however, its history actually goes back even further. During the Civil War Congress passed the Revenue Act of 1861 which included a tax on personal incomes to help pay war expenses.

63. Hammered: LIT. There are endless synonyms for this (maybe I shouldn't mention that after the last week kerfuffle); here are SOME.

Patti Varol

Across:

1. Like much of the Southwest : ARID
5. Summer music? : DISCO
10. Org. funded by FICA : SSA
13. Under-the-sink brand : COMET
15. "Paper Moon" Oscar winner : ONEAL
16. Like ibuprofen, briefly : OTC
17. POINT : TAPERING END
19. Jiff : SEC
20. "Nothing planned that day" : IMOPEN
21. Engineering sch. on the Hudson : RPI
22. Sport with masks : EPEE
23. GAME : SAFARI ANIMALS
26. Move a finger or two, maybe : PEEK
28. Physics units : RADS
29. Signs over : CEDES
30. 1945 Pacific battle site, familiarly : IWO
31. Superfan : NUT
32. Superhero played by Chris Hemsworth : THOR
34. With 36-Across, question for the court : TENNIS
36. See 34-Across : ANYONE
40. Exercise woe : ACHE
42. Alex Dunphy, to Luke, on "Modern Family" : SIS
43. Mojito ingredient : RUM
44. "Not a problem" : ITSOK
47. Stuff in a backpack : GEAR
49. Little stretches : FIBS
50. SET : FILMING LOCALE
53. Captain Picard's counselor : TROI
54. Unexpectedly by itself, as in the dryer : ODD
55. Kenya neighbor : UGANDA
58. Storybook baddie : HAG
59. MATCH : FIRE STARTER
61. Programming pioneer Lovelace : ADA
62. Stopped lying : AROSE
63. Sphere : REALM
64. Common scale extreme : TEN
65. Org. chart headings : DEPTS
66. Crack up : SLAY

Down:

1. When Lear disinherits Cordelia : ACTI
2. "Home on the Range" verb : ROAM
3. Take unfair advantage of : IMPOSEON
4. "Quantum Healing" author Chopra : DEEPAK
5. Throw on : DON
6. Ilsa portrayer : INGRID
7. Overlook, as a fault : SEEPAST
8. "A Doubter's Almanac" novelist Ethan : CANIN
9. Dated : OLD
10. Under-the-sink brand : SOSPAD
11. "Remington __" : STEELE
12. Hacker's goal : ACCESS
14. Nonkosher : TREF
18. Pressed for time : INARUSH
22. Manicurist's tool : EMERY
24. Expose, with "on" : RAT
25. Desktop assortment : ICONS
26. Cherry center : PIT
27. Lamb parent : EWE
31. "Pink Friday" singer Minaj : NICKI
33. Coiffure : HAIRCUT
35. "The End of America" author Wolf : NAOMI
37. Avenue after Reading Railroad : ORIENTAL
38. Worn end : NUB
39. Scrabble three-pointers : EMS
41. Wonton alternative : EGGDROP
42. Brazilian map word : SAO
44. "Maybe less" : IFTHAT
45. Intemperate speech : TIRADE
46. Apple's "Think different," e.g. : SLOGAN
48. Like Meg March, in "Little Women" : ELDEST
49. Emergency signals : FLARES
51. Bete __ : NOIRE
52. Food thickener : AGAR
56. Poet Walter __ Mare : DELA
57. Large number : ARMY
59. Pokémon Go, e.g. : FAD
60. French possessive : SES

Patti Varol

Title: Time to clean the kitchen

Patti V., who doubles as Rich Norris' assistant at the LAT, has turned on the creative juices again in 2016 with 5 puzzles in the last 10 weeks. Today we have a variation of the definition puzzle, where words that are associated with each other - here items in a kitchen - are used as clues for completely different things.





ARTESIAN,  READ UP ON, PLEASE HOLD,  DEAN MARTIN

17A. Spoon : HUG TENDERLY (11).

24A. Dish : SPREAD GOSSIP (12).

38A. Fork : BRANCH IN THE ROAD (15).

49A. Plate : COAT WITH GOLD (12).

60A. Bowl : PLAY TEN PINS (11).


Across:

1. Assuming it's true : AS FACT.

7. "Bloom County" penguin : OPUS. I gratuitously linked him recently.

11. Jams : PJS. Jammies-yes. Jams?

14. After-dinner gathering : SOIREE. The forties and fifties were filled with soirees.

15. Go in different directions : PART. Part company.

16. Service to redo : LET. Tennis.

19. Flight status info : ETA.

20. In addition : ELSE. Put it in, took it out, put it back.

21. "The Fault in __ Stars": John Green novel : OUR. if you like crying...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ItBvH5J6ss

22. Leader's domain : REALM.

28. Chatter boxes? : RADIOS. I like the clue and remember the nights before we had TV and listening to all those great voices.

31. Light weight : OUNCE.

32. It may precede bad news : I FEAR. I fear we have run out of caviar, deah.

33. Beavers, e.g. : HATS. I bet you did not know all of THIS.

35. "Girls" channel : HBO.

42. Icarus, to Daedalus : SON.

43. Bar employee: Abbr. : ATTY. Please let us never have att as fill for lawyers.

44. String quartet member : CELLO. A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – two violin players, a viola player and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group. ... The string quartet was developed into its current form by the Austrian composer Joseph Haydn, with his works in the 1750s establishing the genre. Wiki.

45. Prefix with arch : MATRI. Patri anyone?

48. Bulldozer companion : LOADER. LINK. Can you name them all?

53. Marx with a horn : HARPO.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFk0BnxndMA

54. Vienna's land: Abbr. : AUStria.

55. The munchies, e.g. : URGE.

59. Hairy TV cousin : ITT.

64. Flowery welcome : LEI.

65. It's retold often : LORE.

66. Greet on the street : TOOT AT.

67. Roadside shelter : INN.

68. "Oh, ew" : YUCK.

69. Fancy, and then some : ORNATE.

Down:

1. New York stadium named for a sports great : ASHE.

2. __-searching : SOUL.

3. Tree fruit : FIGS.

4. Like some wells : ARTESIAN.

5. One of a Chicago duo : CEE.

6. Group of like voices : TENORS.

7. Purcell's "Dido and Aeneas," e.g. : OPERA.

8. Four score, often? : PAR.

9. Address bar address : URL.

10. "Lie Down in Darkness" author : STYRON.

11. Request before the music starts : PLEASE HOLD. 33D. Order before the music starts : HIT IT.

12. Beijing-born action hero : JET LI.

13. Passport mark : STAMP.

18. Payable : DUE.

23. "I didn't mean that" key : ESC.

25. Bordeaux butcher's offering : PORC.

26. Eccentric : DOTTY.

27. Write effusively : GUSH.

28. Smokehouse order : RIBS.

29. Coiffure style : AFRO.

30. '60s-'70s variety show host : DEAN MARTIN. After leaving Jerry Lewis, Dean has his own show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgcCfMo1HcY

34. Colony occupant : ANT.

36. Agricultural bundle : BALE.

37. Reminder to take out the trash? : ODOR.

39. Big name in WWI espionage : HARI. Sh;e back. The 100 year anniversary of her execution will be in October 2017.

40. Green sci. : ECOLogy.

41. Research : READ UP ON.

46D. Org. for netmen : ATP. The Association of Tennis Professionals  HISTORY.

47. Like some paper towels : TWO PLY.

48. Underscore? : LOSE TO. Very tricky; we use the other meaning often in legal writing.

49. Some like it hot : CHILI.

50. Like Cheerios : OATEN. To me they are more often eaten.

51. "Frida" star Salma : HAYEK. Seeing her with Antonio Banderas in Desperado was eye opening!

52. Prepare to remodel, maybe : GUT. Of the 16 definitions for this word, 4 are verbs.
13. (Cookery) to remove the entrails from (fish, etc)
14. (esp of fire) to destroy the inside of (a building)
15. to plunder; despoil: the raiders gutted the city.
16. to take out the central points of (an article), esp in summary form

56. Poet Dove : RITA. I like poetry but I am not up on my POETS.

57. Pest in a swarm : GNAT. Not a midge.

58. Where el sol rises : ESTE. Sun rises in the east even in Spanish speaking places.

61. Murderers' Row teammate of Babe : LOU. Ruth and Gehrig.

62. Part of a hinged-door floor plan symbol : ARC.

63. Fish-fowl link : NOR.

Patti Varol

Title: Beer today, song tomorrow.





20A. Beer made in Johannesburg? : STOUT OF AFRICA (13).

33A. One who aspires to be the king of beers? : PORTER PRINCE (12).

41A. Sounds from a brewery? : LAGER RHYTHMS (12).

57A. Toast said while hoisting presidential beer? : ALE TO THE CHIEF (13).


Across:

1. Crudités enhancers : DIPS. A vegatable tray for you french haters.

5. __ puppet : SOCK. Hand fits as well. Make your OWN.

9. Hot dogs and hams : MEATS. Tried to fool you with the other meaning.

14. With, on la carte : AVEC. Straight French.

15. Tartan wearers : CLAN. How better than with a single malt.
http://www.jewmalt.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Tartan-poster-11x17-662x1024.jpg

16. Lowest deck on a ship : ORLOP. I hit a rough patch here. This is just a worf=d you need to remember.

17. Gadget that exercises the wrist : YOYO. I also never thougth of a yoyo as a gadget.

18. Spydom name : HARI. Hello Mata, hello fata.

19. Crisp : NIPPY. New England evenings this time of year.

23. Lorry supply : PETROL. British trucks also run on gasoline.

24. Deck wood : TEAK. But not the orlop.

25. Chi. setting : CDT. Central Daylight Time.

28. Citrus suffix : ADE. Nothing like a shout out to get my attention.

29. Letter before upsilon : TAU. Tau was derived from the Phoenician letter taw Phoenician taw.svg (𐤕). Letters that arose from tau include Roman T and Cyrillic Te (Т, т).

31. Ranking : SENIOR. Who is the senior office on duty?

36. Run out : FLEE. I was thinking using up something and having no more.

39. Larter of TV's "Heroes" : ALI. My thanks and apologies to Splynter and HG.

40. Tip for a dealer : TOKE.You ask WHY?

46. "Life of Pi" Oscar winner : ANG LEE.

47. Justice dept. heads : AGS. Attorney Generals.

48. Form 1040 fig. : AGI. Ajdjusted Gross Income.

51. Welker of the NFL : WES. The Dolphins had him, traded him and he became Tom Brady's favorite target. CAREER.

52. Highbrow : SNOB.

55. Oil once touted by Florence Henderson : WESSON.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vF2_AgXYUCQ

60. Gourd fruit : MELON.

62. Happy __ : MEAL. Mickey D's.

63. Fluency : EASE.

64. Mesmerizing designs : OP ART.

65. Dark cloud : PALL.

66. They may not be quiet on the set : EGOS.

67. Fords a stream : WADES.

68. Gps. with copays : HMOS. Health Maintenance Organizations.

69. Paris' __ Neuf : PONT. The Pont Neuf (French pronunciation: ​[pɔ̃ nœf], "New Bridge") is the oldest standing bridge across the river Seine in Paris, France. Remind you of  Ponte Vecchio?


Down:

1. Place for pampering : DAY SPA.

2. Polling place sticker words : I VOTED.

3. Desert hallucinogen : PEYOTE. You can make a mess of MESCALINE.

4. Use a Brillo pad : SCOUR. Next to...

5. Learned one : SCHOLAR.

6. Evil count of "A Series of Unfortunate Events" : OLAF. Did you watch the Movie?

7. Stone measure : CARAT.

8. Word with bread and butter : KNIFE. My bread and butter response.

9. Sobriquet : MONIKER. So many names for names.

10. Los Angeles mayor Garcetti : ERIC. An impressive sounding MAN.

11. Actor with eight Oscar nominations (and one win) : AL PACINO.
Academy Awards
Year         Film            Category                 Result
1973 The Godfather   Best Supporting Actor Nominated
1974 Serpico           Best Leading Actor Nominated
1975 The Godfather Part II                         Nominated
1976 Dog Day Afternoon                                 Nominated
1980 ...And Justice for All                         Nominated
1991 Dick Tracy Best Supporting Actor Nominated
1993 Glengarry Glen Ross                         Nominated
                Scent of a Woman Best Leading Actor Won

12. Cover : TOP.

13. Many a character in "The Americans" : SPY. The story a a soviet couple in the US as spies for Russia. It  was created by Joe Weisberg, a former CIA officer.

21. Wizard revealer : TOTO. Cannot fool a dog.

22. Coarse file : RASP.

26. Put in : DOCK.

27. One on a cartoon desert island : TREE.

30. State with five national parks : UTAH.

32. Trifles : NITS.

33. Marmalade ingredient : PEEL.

34. Nevada copper town : ELY.

35. Beatles girl with a "little white book" : RITA.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ly0niNZzfxU

36. Weak spot : FLAW.

37. Hatcher's "Lois & Clark" role : LANE.

38. Sandwich spread : EGG SALAD. Spread?

42. Feels sore about : RESENTS.
43. Monopoly deed word : RENT
44. Sinclair Lewis nominated him for the 1932 Nobel Prize in Literature : HGWELLS
45. Tiny time meas. : MSEC
48. Italian cheese : ASIAGO
49. Takes the stage : GOESON
50. Overrun : INFEST
53. Energy : OOMPH
54. Players riding the pine : BTEAM
56. Docile sorts : SHEEP
58. Mythology : LORE.

59. Circle overhead? : HALO.

60. Do the lawn : MOW.

61. AQI monitor : EPA.

Patti Varol

Theme: A pass/fail puzzle, unless you understand the variations of pass, you fail.

A new puzzle from Patti Varol, who is Rich Norris' assistant at he LAT. C.C. did a nice INTERVIEW back in 2013. This style of cross-referential cluing is reminiscent of a 2012 Friday presentation which I believe was the first of her puzzles that I blogged. In this case the single word which is the clue for the four long answers is PASS which appears as the last Across clue, but has no clue.  There is room for a lot if fun fill like ANTHEM, BUTTES, (which reappears immediately after last week's duty in the theme) CONFAB,  DENOTE, LOUISA,  MOREAU,  ONIONY, ENTHUSE, NUANCES,  RAN AMOK,  UTENSIL, BROWBEAT and TIRAMISU. As someone who gets to read all of the submissions to the LAT Ms. Varol has a sense of what is fresh. I know many do not like cross-references, but i think you will like this Friday frolic.

20A. See 69-Across : FOOTBALL THROW (13). The forward PASS changed football forever.

34A. See 69-Across : MAKE THE GRADE (12). Important both in school and in life. Does pass/fail stunt learning? With all of our teachers out there, does competing for a grade improve performance?

41A. See 69-Across : SKIP ONE'S TURN (12). A term familiar to all who play bridge or any other bidding game; can you skip your turn in Monopoly?

56A. See 69-Across : MOUNTAIN ROUTE (13). There are so many famous mountain passes, but did know the TOPOGRAPHY?

And the common clue
69A. Clue for four puzzle answers : PASS.

Across:

1. Some UPS deliveries : CODS. No, Splynter is not bringing fish to your home, or an outdated male garment.  Historically, the term was Cash On Delivery, but UPS has repurposed it as Collect On Delivery, getting the payment and forwarding to its customers.

5. First Homeland Security secretary : RIDGE. It is impossible to not think of this MAN on this anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy, and equally impossible to discuss without venturing into politics.

10. Help badly? : ABET.

14. Scott Turow title : ONE L.

15. "I don't give __" : A DARN. Even Rhett was more emphatic than that.

16. It may be hard to resist : URGE. So, why resist?

17. One in una escuela primaria : NINO. Spanish for boy or child.

18. Like two Tim Lincecum games : NO HIT. There have been six in June, July and August this year. A complete LIST.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2yMoxLyKcg

19. Senate garment : TOGA. Fun misdirection did not fool me.

23. Country song : ANTHEM.

24. __ generis : SUI. Latin for of its own kind. In the law, it is used to identify a specific party in litigation.

25. Word with band or toy : BOY. N'sync or Backstreet Boys?

28. "Peace out" : BYE.

29. Struggling with a choice : TORN.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sks0x_GJIDs

32. Hardly friendly looks : SNEERS.

36. Idaho motto word : ESTO. Really needed perps to get this. Esto perpetua is Latin for let it be forever.

39. Theater funding gp. : NEA. This time it is the National Endowment for the Arts. LINK.


40. "... like __ not" : IT OR.

46. Doctor with an island of Beast Folk : MOREAU. The wonderful mind of H.G. Wells.

47. Idée source : TETE. Did anyone do David Steinberg's puzzle last week about heads? Awesome.

48. Butcher's units: Abbr. : LBS.

51. Progressive __ : ERA.

52. Gives birth to : HAS. On alert for the birth of my second grandchild. Trying hard to keep up with Kazie.

54. Enjoy the bistro : EAT OUT.

60. Home to many Indians : ASIA.

62. Indianapolis pros : COLTS.

63. Wrap alternative : PITA.

64. Staff at sea : MAST. Not much sailing talk these days, Spitzboov?

65. Food inspector's concern : ECOLI.

66. Showing wear : USED.

67. And : PLUS.

68. "Hamlet" prop : SKULL. Alas, poor Yorick...


Down:

1. Informal chat : CONFAB. A really fun word; from the Latin root that gives us fable.

2. Like some dips : ONIONY.  Just an adjective.

3. Symbolize : DENOTE. A five dollar word.

4. Critter that sleeps upside down : SLOTH. Kinda cute sleeping.

5. Went berserk : RAN AMOK. Amok comes from a Malay word; this is the national language of Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. It is spoken by 270 million people, per wiki.

6. Screen VIP : IDOL.

7. "Fantastic Mr. Fox" author : DAHL. Roald wrote so many twisted tales.

8. Breakfast side : GRITS. learned to enjoy them at Skeeter's in Gainesville.

9. Speak with passion : ENTHUSE.

10. Start to focus? : AUTO.

11. Bully : BROWBEAT. An interesting word around since the 1500s.

12. Frittata base : EGG.

13. Leaves in a bag : TEA. In the bag, not left in the bag.

21. Interim software phase : BETA. There really is alpha TESTING.

22. Digital band : RING. Not music but on a finger.

26. Great Seal word : ORDO. Novus ordo secolorum ( "New order of the ages") appears on the back of every one dollar bill so you should recognize the term. If you want more READ.

27. Strategic European river of 1914 : YSER. The BATTLE.

30. Former Quebec premier Lévesque : RENE.  This MAN died 28 years ago.

31. Arms control subj. : N-TEST. I wonder why I get so many bomb related fill.

33. Land with "her back towards Britain, her face to the West," in a William Drennan poem : ERIN.
Not familiar  with Poem but it was an easy guess.

34. Brood : MOPE. Most teenagers do lots of this.

35. Not fancy at all : HATE. In the British sense....

36. Miss Megley's charge, in a Salinger story : ESME.

37. Chocolate-and-toffee bar : SKOR. I have seen it but never bought it and I love chocolate.

38. Layered dessert : TIRAMISU. Only the GARNISH is chocolate for this classic.

42. Waimea Bay locale : OAHU.

43. Easy things to overlook : NUANCES. Very subtle.

44. Diner's need : UTENSIL.

45. Slowpoke's place : REAR.

48. Creator of Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy : LOUISA. May Alcott's Little Women.

49. Flat-topped formations : BUTTES. A gimme if you paid attention last week.

50. Places : STEADS.

53. Seller's supply : STOCK.

55. Freshen, as a drink : TOP UP. Never top off.

57. Stable diet : OATS.

58. Giants manager before Bochy : ALOU. Felipe, the oldest brother.

59. "__ be all right" : IT'LL. Do you prefer ROCK or POP ?

60. Juice unit : AMP. Juice as electricity.

61. ESPN reporter Paolantonio : SAL. I am glad I did not have to spell his last name.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiLPr1heWiY

Well on that embarrassing note, I wish you all a good week end and remember all the brave people who came to the fore in 9/11 and let them inspire us all to be better people. lemonade 714 out.