Paul Coulter

Title: As we approach summer it is time for PUN IN THE SUN!

One of our friends and a regular Paul Coulter is back. For those who do not remember, his first LAT TIMES PUBLICATION was 6 years ago.  It makes me a bit sad to these all those we do not see here any longer. It was very hard introductory puzzle but we did get to see wonderful pics of our own Lucy Dale. This puzzle was not as difficult if you have the 'proper' sense of humor, the themers are sound-alike puns. And like all of this type of puzzle, the humor is subjective, so you all might not be amused, but I was. Not to jump on the negative bandwagon, but this was not my favorite of Paul's puzzles. There were sacrifices to have the five long themers with 57 blocks dedicated to theme.  There was not much room for other sparkly fill. ISSUERS, MIDTOWN, UNCTION, NERVE ENDING and PAPER TRAILS do make the grid better but we do have an abundance of initialisms;  it is time to move to the theme.

17A. Winter wear made from tusks?: IVORY COATS (10). The Ivory Coast is both a pun and an anagram.

30A. Routines for barbecuing?: WIENIE ROTES (11). Wienie  Roast is a pun, but not an angram, but it does rhyme with 17A.

37A. Cuts back on one's livestock business?: GIVES UP THE GOATS (15). Gives up the Ghost must be the seed entry, and ta da also rhymes with...

46A. Carryalls made by Dior?: FRENCH TOTES (11). Many believe challah makes the best French Toast. 

60A. Useless castle defenses?: INNER MOATS (10). This also includes OATS, but is paired with yet a different rhyme Innermost. This an outlier, as it is one word, though I did find a clothing brand. I love that Paul found 5 different sounds that rhyme for his sound-alikes, but I am guessing some will say, "stop at four"and forget the outlier. But he would not have had the needed symmetry. Making puzzles is not for sissies. 

Across:

1. Jokers: WAGS. Unlike our Wild Ass Guesses, this goes back to the 1550s "person fond of making jokes,"  perhaps a shortening of waghalter "gallows bird," person destined to swing in a noose or halter, applied humorously to mischievous children.

5. Small ball on a string: PEARL. Our Friday cluing begins here.I needed the perps. Followed by a gimme...

10. Emulated: APED. Followed by personal poetry...

14. Classic Langston Hughes poem: I TOO. LINK.

15. Portmanteau metal producer: ALCOA. No, no, no! AL CO A, aluminum company of america is not words mashed together.

16. Alley unit: LANE. Now we insult Boomer with a bowling non-sequitur. 

19. __-FREE: contact lens solution: OPTI. Which actually may be a paortmanteau.

20. Asian holiday: TẾT  Tết short for Tết Nguyên Đán, Spring Festival, Lunar New Year, or Vietnamese Lunar New Year is the most important celebration in Vietnamese culture. While Asian cultures celebrate the lunar new year, only Vietnam calls it by that name.

21. Publishers: ISSUERS. A bit of a pun and they issue issues. 

23. Onetime Tide competitor: RINSO. 

26. Less formal alternative to a toga: TUNIC. The toga was considered Rome's "national costume," but for day-to-day activities most Romans preferred more casual, practical and comfortable clothing; the tunic, in various forms, was the basic garment for all classes, both sexes and most occupations.

28. Like many AARP mems.: RETired. I guess 'mems' mean members...

29. "A Chorus Line" number: ONE. 

33. Blows it: ERRS. But it is human, unlike...

35. Mythical monster: ORC.

36. Airport abbr.: ARRivals

43. Classified ad abbr.: EEO. Equal Employment Opportunity 

44. Charged item: ION. I always pay cash when I buy ions.

45. Respectful group address: SIRS. Sexist, too.

51. PC linkup: LAN. Local Area Network. A CSO to all of our techies.

52. Long, long time: EON. The largest unit of time. era = A unit of time shorter than an eon but longer than a period.

53. Loudly laments: KEENS. We are back to Friday, not a proper noun but "lament loudly over the dead, bitterly wail," 1811, from Irish caoinim "I weep, wail, lament," from Old Irish coinim "I wail." Hence "to utter in a shrill voice" (1893). We have seen it a few times.

54. First signs of smoke: WISPS. 

56. Manhattan theater district locale: MIDTOWN. A MAP

58. Blame: PIN. You can't pin that on me!

59. Others, in Latin: ALII.

66. Advance: LEND. 

67. "Cool!": NEATO. With another similar made up word 38D. Smashing: SOCKO.

68. Google results: URLS. Uniform Resource Locators

69. Not at all cool: EDGY. I disagree, edgy can be way cool.

70. Midas' undoing: GREED. He had the touch.

71. What boors lack: TACT.

Down:

1. Popular console since 2006: WII. The active Nintendo console which you can buy used for $60.00 or so.

2. Off-roader's purchase, for short: ATV. All Terrain Vehicle.

3. Muck: GOO.

4. Varieties: SORTS.

5. Dispute resolution: PACT. Maybe music will help.

6. "Do Ya" rock gp.: ELO. 

7. 2010 health law: Abbr.: ACA. Affordable Care Act. Not aqui.

8. Twisty pasta: ROTINI. It is Italian for twists, I believe.

9. Classic movie girl played by a boy: LASSIE. Fun and truthful clue. There are some very fun LASSIE FACTS.

10. 1966 N.L. batting champ Matty: ALOU. I can hear the grumbling already but the perps were fair.

11. Hard-copy evidence: PAPER TRAILS. If you watch Television crime drama the good guys are always looking for these.

12. Main course preceder, in France: ENTREE.  A typical French lunch will consist of: a starter (une entrée), such as a mixed salad, soup, some terrine or paté. A main course, (le plat principal), typically a choice of meat or fish, with potatoes, rice, pasta and/or vegetables; a cheese course (often a selection of local cheeses) and/or a dessert. Desserts are sometimes not detailed on the menu, so you have to listen to the waiter. 

13. Jefferson et al., religiously: DEISTS. The term is used chiefly of an intellectual movement of the 17th and 18th centuries that accepted the existence of a creator on the basis of reason but rejected belief in a supernatural deity who interacts with humankind.

18. "Ouch!": YEOW. So many sounds...

22. Scrawny one: SCRAG. One who is scraggly

23. "The Witches" (1990) director Nicolas: ROEG. His BIOGRAPHY; the movie 

24. Calvary inscription: INRI. Iesvs Nazarenvs Rex Ivdaeorvm

25. Source of feelings: NERVE ENDING. No namby pamby emotion here, just the literal site of feeling.

26. Md. athlete: TERP. Maryland = Terrapin.

27. Religious fervor: UNCTION. This was very hard as I associate the word with the act of anointing, but a deep dive shows this connection for the word.

31. Chit: IOU. And I want to get my money!

32. Top medals, in Barcelona: OROS. There's gold in them there Olympics.

34. Caught in the act: SEEN. Caught you.

39. Have the __ for: HOTS. This idiom has no known origin, except perhaps the literal autonomic response to extreme sexual attraction.

40. Chicago-to-Lansing dir.: ENE. Going to Michigan!

41. Trick, in a way: TRAP. In a lie for example.

42. IRS IDs: SSNS. Social Security NumberS.

46. Doe, for one: FEMALE. She is back!

47. Stirred up: ROILED. Why not riled? If you roil someone you're stirring them up but not necessarily annoying them. To rile someone is to deliberately provoke or antagonize them. Vocab.com

48. Wielding an axe: HEWING. Or a new HOTEL in Minneapolis.

49. One percent of a G: TENNER. .01 x $1,000.00 = $10.00

50. Dip: SWIM. You must get wet!

55. Two-way, as a door: IN/OUT. Important in restaurants for the servers.

57. Like some sums: TIDY.  Some HISTORY.

58. Egg on: PROD.

61. Dumfries denial: NAE. Scotland.

62. Automne preceder: ETE. Simple French seasons

63. Altar in the sky: ARA. Moe just had it in his May 28 write-up.

64. Help for a sad BFF: TLC. Best Friends Forever /Tender Loving Care.

65. Retired flier: SST. SuperSonicTransport. I here they are coming back.

Paul Coulter

 Theme: Beware of Star Warts

I am back for week three of my most recent activity as Friday sherpa, which for an unknown reason, I predicted last Friday. Tom F., who does so much for the blog and the bloggers has decided to retire from blogging which leaves you all stuck with me. This will help those who were getting their "thank yous" wrong. At least until Chairman Moe gets to his first Friday frolic. 

I enjoy Paul, his puzzles, his visits, and his family updates. I am puzzled by this puzzle which has a decidedly Monday/Tuesday feel. 53 of the 78 words are 3 or 4 letters long, separated with 40 black squares. I love humor 'from pun' puzzles, but these seemed a bit forced, speaking of which I think this would have fit better with STAR WARS DAY, May the 4th. On the other hand, this should keep you all happy on a Friday, so off we go. 

The puns are all consistent with the first word a sound-alike to a Star Wars character. Like the famous latex and corn syrup hero

I found them to be a stretch. It did not take away from enjoying the solve, but it required more imagination. Let's look at the themers.

17A. Solo's favorite sandwiches?: HAN BURGERS (10). The Millenium Falcon skipper and father of Kylo. 

27A. Vader's favorite treat?: DARTH CHOCOLATE (14). An example of the use of "TH" to replace "K" not!

47A. Wookiee's favorite dessert?: CHEWIE BROWNIES (14). Chewbacca gets the only nickname.

63A. Hutt's favorite beverage?: JABBA JUICE (10). A slight variation as this character is "the Hutt," not Jabba Hutt. I was not sure how well known the juice franchise is, but they are almost everywhere. LINK.

While we already have Darth, there is a dearth of long fill HOUSEPLANT, PARTICULAR, REDCOATS, and TEETOTAL being the crop. 

Across:

1. Ticket category: ADULT. Not an infraction.

6. Goggle: GAPE. There are lots of G words for this.

10. Request to a prospective guest: RSVP. Respondez S'il Vous Plait.

14. "Paint It Black" instrument: SITAR. The song is older than my wife. They dropped the Sitar over the years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flSmiIne-4k

15. "That's a shame": ALAS. For our Friday Shakespeare quotation, we could clue ______ poor Yorick.

16. "East of Eden" director Kazan: ELIA. His birthday will be Monday. 

19. "The Persistence of Memory" painter: DALI.

20. 1914 battle river: YSER. It was a turning point for the Belgian soldiers and part of the inspiration for Hercule Poirot.

21. Side in some all-star games: EAST. They have also been known to West, North, and South.

22. Didn't dawdle: ACTED.

23. __ loss for words: AT A.

25. Digging: INTO. Like music, man!

34. Automne preceder: ÉTÉ.

35. Refrain: CHORUS. Don't stop, but sing along.

36. Cabeza, across the Pyrenees: TÊTE.

38. Busy, busy, busy: AT IT.

40. "Friendly Skies" co.: UAL.

41. X-rated material: SMUT. 

42. Jasmine __: RICE.

43. Not on the level: ASLANT.

46. BlackBerry, e.g.: PDA.

50. Protective cover: TARP.

51. Canapé topper: ROE.

52. Hit gently: TAPON.

55. Actor Hemsworth: LIAM.

58. Soak up the sun: BASK.

62. Rapper with a beverage-like name: ICE-T. All 457 episodes. Odaphin

65. No ally of Asta: FLEA. Don't feel bugged by all the references to this dog?

66. Uptight: ANAL. Be still my, heart that is a scandalous word. Does anyone watch the mini-golf show HOLEY-MOLEY?

67. Put to rest: ALLAY. Your fears.

68. What "F" may mean: FULL. On a gas tank.

69. Modest response to praise: I TRY. My mantra when I do my write-up.


70. Brigantine's pair: MASTS.

Down:

1. Far from ruddy: ASHY. At least it isn't Arthury...

2. "Buenos __": DIAS. Bon Jour. Guten Tag.

3. "Cure Ignorance" online anthology: UTNE. Very popular in the CW world.

4. Unwitting test taker: LAB RAT. That seems unfair. They may know what is going on but like the treats.

5. Capote nickname: TRU. True. 

6. "Born This Way" Lady: GAGA.

7. Tavern pours: ALES. 

8. Hard to please: PARTICULAR.

9. Double curve: ESS.

10. Revolutionary soldiers: REDCOATS.

11. Deck chair piece: SLAT.

12. Beneath contempt: VILE.

13. Treated: PAID.

18. Part of a boxer's "tale of the tape": REACH.

22. The NHL's Thrashers: ATL.

24. Cannabis compound: THC.

26. Discouraging words: NOS.

27. Honey: DEAR.

28. Room at the top: ATTIC.

29. 1990s Labor secretary: REICH.

30. Boston fern, e.g.: HOUSEPLANT.

31. Sonicare rival: ORALB.

32. Piano practice concerns: TEMPI.

33. Piano practice piece: ETUDE.

37. Share-a-ride updates, briefly: ETAS.

39. Stay dry: TEETOTAL.

43. Balloon filler: AIR.

44. Bellini opera: NORMA.

45. Wee hour: TWO.

48. Blanched: WAN.

49. One of six awards for Ursula Le Guin: NEBULA.

52. Minor argument: TIFF.

53. Free speech org.: ACLU.

54. Zest: PEEL.

56. Support beam: IBAR.

57. Well: ABLY.

59. Is home sick, maybe: AILS.

60. "Go on, git!": SCAT.

61. Custodian's ringfull: KEYS.

63. __ alai: JAI.

64. Improv session: JAM.

Paul Coulter

Title: Where the 'ell is the L? There is no end to it!

I continue in pig heaven with today's fun, challenging puzzle from one of Rich's stable of consistent Friday winners. Very simple theme but it took unraveling HELIOSTAT to get me going in the right direction. I love that the reveal was both tricky and very helpful. It also was a parsing of words that took a skilled eye.


FITNESS,  NEWAGER,  ONESHOT,  SHINDIG, HELIOSTAT, and  MISS ELLIE




17A. Cartoon drawing of Rip Van Winkle?: SLEEPER CELL (10). Cartoons are made up of cels, very different from a terrorist cell whose members work undercover in an area until sent into action, as featured in this TV SHOW. I never heard of it, but I do know this ACTOR from NCIS. Since he has lots of credits, maybe he can replace the awful OD'ed in puzzledom. He really was born in Tel Aviv.

24A. Decoration for a Tinseltown party gift?: HOLLYWOOD BOWL (12). A Bow is a common part of packaging a gist. Since its opening in 1922, the Hollywood Bowl has been the premier destination for live music in Southern California, hosting everyone from Billie Holiday to The Beatles to Yo-Yo Ma under the iconic silhouette of its concentric-arched band shell. It was renovated in 2000.

39A. Dismiss a disobedient film computer?: FIRE HALL (7). In the US and Canada is more commonly called a fire station, but they are the same thing. I like the image of firing this out of control 2001 Space Odessey whose full name is HAL (Heuristically programmed ALgorithmic computer) 9000. 

51A. Dixie hospitality, e.g.?: SOUTHERN DRAWL (12). This is fun, I guess it means that hospitality is the reason why people are Drawn to visit the South. 

64A. Allowing use of, as a library does ... or, in three parts, a hint to four puzzle answers:  L ENDING OUT (10). They often are called  Lending libraries; here, however, it the "L" as the ending of each of the theme phrase that comes out. Brilliant!

Across:

1. Spite: VENOM. Isn't there a movie? I still can't believe Stan Lee is gone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=u9Mv98Gr5pY

6. Don't believe it: MYTH. Is as good as a mile?

10. Lying lion in "The Lion King": SCAR.

14. Colleague of Samuel and Sonia: ELENA.
Alito, Sotomayor, and Kagan of the SUPREMES. The clecho, 12D. Colleague of Kagan and Kavanaugh: ALITO. 1st names, then last names.

15. Yorkshire river: OUSE. A CSO to Steve and a challenge as there are 4 rivers in the UK with this name.

16. In fine fettle: HALE. And often hearty unless you are a golfer, then you are just HALE.



19. Camera part: IRIS. Like any eye, it opens and closes. LINK.

20. Blackens: TARS. Meh.

21. "We need to get a cat!": EEK. A cute clue for a mouse.

22. Set off: IGNITE.

27. Seat for a shot: STOOL. In the doctor's office?

30. Piedmont province: ASTI.

31. Orchestral gong: TAM-TAM. I see it written both with and without the hyphen, Chau gong (Tam-tam) The familiar "Chinese" gong is the Chau gong or bullseye gong. Large Chau gongs, called tam-tams have become part of the symphony orchestra. Wiki. This one is made by the same people who make the best cymbals.

33. Salem winter hrs.: PST.

34. Hat-removing event: GUST.

38. Be off base: ERR.

42. Future fish: ROE.

43. "Oliver Twist" type: WAIF.

45. Farm mom: SOW.

46. It may be held or bitten: TONGUE. Generally a good idea.

48. "Insecure" Emmy nominee __ Rae: ISSA. I was not aware of this TV series which she created, produces, writes and stars in much like a modern-day George Burns. She did change the character name from Issa Rae to Issa Dee.

50. Bad looks: LEERS. Deceptive.

57. Dig: TUNNEL.

58. Macabre monogram: EAP. Edgar Allan Poe.

59. Name of two of Henry VIII's wives: ANNE.

63. Massachusetts motto opener: ENSE.  This has appeared very often.

67. First-rate: ACES.

68. Angry: IRED.

69. Busybody: YENTA.

70. Two-time World Series champs: METS.

71. Like falling off a log?: EASY.

72. Boorish: CRASS.


Down:


1. Protective wear, often: VEST.

2. Self-titled 1969 jazz album: ELLA.

3. Poetic negative: NEER.

4. Not to be repeated: ONESHOT.

5. Blueprint: MAP.

6. Culinary mushroom: MOREL.

7. Foul: YUCKY.

8. "Ash Wednesday" poet's monogram: TSE.

9. Device that generates solar power: HELIOSTAT.

10. Bash: SHINDIG.

11. West Indies native: CARIB.

13. Alter with thread: RESEW.

18. Unagi, e.g.: EEL.

23. Nabbed: GOT.

25. Kiddie lit count: OLAF.

26. Clean with soap: WASH.

27. Brood: STEW.

28. Twelve Oaks neighbor: TARA.

29. Katz of "Dallas": OMRI. He played John Ross III. It is an adjoining clecho to help parse...32. Mother of J.R. and Bobby: MISS ELLIE.

33. Row of seats: PEW.

35. Advocate: URGE.

36. Whiskey __: SOUR.

37. Cafepress.com offerings: TEES. And so much more.

40. Big laugh: ROAR.

41. 1970 Kinks hit: LOLA.

44. Gym goal: FITNESS.

47. Hard-to-define spiritualist: NEW AGER.

49. Cow, for one: SHE.

51. Cook, as clams: STEAM.

52. Not a heavy weight: OUNCE.

53. Up in the air: UNSET.

54. Bogotá babies: NENES.

55. Family nickname: DADDY.

56. N.Y. engineering sch.: RPI.

60. Actress Gaye of "Ali": NONA.

61. Bar freebies: NUTS.

62. Itinerary info: ETAS.

65. Victorian __: ERA.

66. 9/11 Memorial site: Abbr.: NYC.

Paul Coulter

Title: I see the sea, see?

Paul is back with one of the most difficult Fridays for me in a very long time.  It is a strange puzzle, with 84 words, 60 of which are 3 or 4 letters long. Just because the fill is not long does not mean it was easy. HENNAING and  LIE-ABEDS are the only long fill outside of the grid-spanning reveal  - 42A. Result of polar ice melt graphically shown by the second part of six two-part puzzle answers: RISING SEA LEVELS (15). This made the theme sort of easy to spot, and I saw that if 63A BAL  moved up next to 57A TIC, it named a sea I was familiar with (BALTIC). Likewise, ARAB and IAN (ARABIAN)  but from there it was a learning experience made more challenging by the US failure to teach geography. The (2) and (1) made finding the remaining pairs easy. There are six pairs, and I only was sure of those two. Well, I really look forward to Paul's comments today, and all of yours. My information is from various sources online.

The theme:

Pair one- 25A. Univ. aides (1): TAS (3). 20A. "Wow!" (2): MAN (3). The TASMAN SEA is a section of the southwestern Pacific Ocean, between the southeastern coast of Australia and Tasmania on the west and New Zealand on the east; it merges with the Coral Sea to the north and encloses a body of water about 1,400 miles (2,250 km) wide and 900,000 square miles (2,300,000 square km) in area.

Pair two- 28A. Damage (1): MAR (3). 22A. Actress Kate (2): MARA (4). The MARMARA SEA is an inland sea located entirely within Turkey's borders. It separates Turkey's Asian and European parts by connecting the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea. It does so by connecting the Black Sea to the Marmara Sea via the Bosphorus Strait and the Aegean Sea to the Marmara Sea via the Dardanelles Strait. The Marmara Sea is the world's smallest sea covering only 4,380 square feet.

Pair three- 30A. Helpless? (1): SOLO (4). 24A. Cal. column (2): MON (3). The SOLOMON SEA is a portion of the western South Pacific Ocean, bounded on the west by New Guinea, on the north by New Britain, and on the east by the Solomon Islands. With an area of 280,000 square miles (720,000 square km), the sea contains the Louisiade Archipelago, New Georgia, and Guadalcanal Island.

Pair four- 58A. Happy hour spot (1): BAR (3). 54A. Sinusitis docs (2): ENTS (4). The BARENTS SEA, a marginal sea of the Artic Ocean, was once known as the Murmanskoye Morye by the Russians. It appears as such in a 1595 atlas. The basin countries of the Barents Sea are Russia and Norway (they drain into this body of water).

Pair five- 61A. Many an Omani (1): ARAB (4). 56A. Author Fleming (2): IAN. The ARABIAN SEA's largest islands include Yemen's Socotra, Oman's Masirah Island, India's Lakshadweep, and Pakistan's Astola Island. Countries that have coastlines along the Arabian Sea include India, the Maldives, Pakistan, Oman, Yemen, and Somalia.

Pair six- 63A. Remaining loan amt. (1): BAL (3). 57. Sign of nerves, maybe (2): TIC (3). The BALTIC SEA is the youngest sea on our planet, emerging from the retiring ice masses only some 10,000-15,000 years ago. Governed by special hydrographical and climatic conditions, the Baltic Sea is one of the planet’s largest bodies of brackish water. It is composed of salt water from the North East Atlantic and fresh water from rivers and streams draining from an area four times larger than the Sea itself

Again the reveal:
42A. Result of polar ice melt graphically shown by the second part of six two-part puzzle answers: RISING SEA LEVELS (15).

Well if you are not all worn out, let's solve all the rest.

Across:

1. Take to the cleaners: HOSE. We start with a tricky slang verb- slang : to deprive of something due or expected : TRICK, CHEAT.

5. Lay low: HID. After hosing them you need to.

8. Pretty companion?: PLEASE. With a cherry on top.

14. Windows alternative: UNIX. UNIX is an operating system which was first developed in the 1960s, and has been under constant development ever since. By operating system, we mean the suite of programs which make the computer work.

15. Drop the ball: ERR.

16. Dragster's wheels: HOT ROD. Some history. LINK.

17. Wedding ring?: HORA. Very tricky, but literally a dance in a circle and popular at Jewish weddings. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Hdz2oX_yLY

18. Class-conscious org.?: NEA. More tricky cluing, class like in school. National Education Association

19. Charge: ACCUSE. For me, it brings to mind J'ACCUSE.

32. Infamous Amin: IDI. Amin (in Arabic أمين) is an Arabic and Persian male given name that means "faithful, trustworthy"

33. Constriction of the eye's pupil: MIOSIS. I did not know this.

35. Apple's apple, e.g.: LOGO. Another fun clue.

39. Hail, to Hadrian: AVE. He built a wall in Rome.

40. All over again: ANEW.



41. "I'll second that": AMEN.

47. Isn't idle: ACTS.

48. Deep blue: ANIL.

49. Track meet segment: LAP.

50. Authenticity emblem: SEAL. Still used by courts and clerks.

51. Parlor furniture item: SETTEE. The settee, a precursor to the sofa and type of love seat, is characterized by a straight back, room for two people, and founded atop four legs.

53. Hot time in Haiti: ETE. Summer.

65. Individually: APIECE.

67. Dug, with "up": ATE.

69. Big times: ERAS.

73. A through E, at times: WIDTHS. Shoes.

74. Sprout: LAD.

75. Courteous: NICE.

76. Snares with a loop: LASSOS.

77. Med. show locales: ERS.

78. Serve sparingly, with "out": DOLE.


Down:

1. "Say what?": HUH.

2. Dedicatee of Lennon's "Woman": ONO. Yoko next to...

3. McCartney's title: SIR. Paul.

4. Checkup: EXAM.

5. Applying a temporary tattoo: HENNAING. Very big in Key West.

6. Boiling state: IRE.

7. Scotch serving: DRAM. Poor Hamish Macbeth has to dole out many a wee dram.

8. Seven Wonders lighthouse: PHAROS. A long HISTORY.

9. One from town: LOCAL. We always called them townies.

10. "Yada yada yada" letters: ETC. Thank you george Costanza.

11. Jack-in-the-pulpit family: ARUM. We are talking PLANTS not about a preacher named Jack.



12. Fair: SO SO.

13. First place?: EDEN. Not leading the league, but where it all began.

21. Mideast capital: AMMAN. Jordan.

23. Faulkner's "__ Lay Dying": AS I. His writing is very respected and his novel the subject of much DISCUSSION.

25. Pageant toppers: TIARAS.

26. It may be unsolicited: ADVICE.

27. Daybreak?: SIESTA. More misdirection, a break during the day not dawn.

29. Agile deer: ROES. This is a small, agile Old World deer, Capreolus capreolus, the male of which has three-pointed antlers. CUTE.

31. Norse patron: OLAV.

34. Hard work: SWEAT. Blood, sweat and tears.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFEewD4EVwU

36. Fare filled and folded: OMELET.

37. Trattoria desserts: GELATI. The plural. Gelato is simply the Italian word for ice cream, but in English, it has come to mean specifically Italian or Italian-style ice cream.

38. With no guarantee of payment: ON SPEC. Spec homes are still popular here in South Florida where an older home is torn down and replaced with a much bigger house.

43. Cartography dot: ISLE.

44. Against: ANTI.

45. Reluctant risers: LIE-ABEDS. An old-fashioned word that has appeared in much literature.
LINK.

46. Barack's 2010 High Court appointee: ELENA.  Please no more politics. KAGEN.

51. Emphasize: STRESS.

52. That, in Tijuana: ESA.

55. Snack chip: NACHO.

58. Much more than a sniffle: BAWL.

59. Samoa's capital: APIA. A better clue than, "Either Lindstrom or Zadora."

60. Purges (of): RIDS.

62. One may be stored in a barn: BALE. Is that anyway to treat this man?

64. Advance: LEND.

66. Sci-fi staples: ETS. Extra-terrestrials.

68. Blacken, in a way: TAR. Not La Brea today.

70. Copacabana city: RIO.

71. Commonly torn ligament, briefly: ACL. The anterior cruciate ligament is one of the key ligaments that help stabilize your knee joint. The ACL connects your thighbone (femur) to your shinbone (tibia).

72. Note: SEE.

Paul Coulter

Title: Breaking out the creatures.

PC makes a rapid return with this very creative 'reorganize the word' theme. As an added bonus the separation results in a living being.  The themers are set out in a pinwheel pattern, with wonderful consistency, as 1, 3 and 5 have an animal appear with 2 and 4 revealing bugs. Really well done. This is not an easy solve, but if you remembered the people in AVATAR are called NA'VI the whole puzzle falls in place. We have had many puzzles where the reveal was dependent on reparsing a word, but I do not recall one like this one. The hard part, of course, is that the clue does not inform as to the fill directly. The fill is just the pieces that together make a real word. The challenge of the concept left little room for much long fill, but we do get AMASSES  ROSEATE ROUTINE SMOTHER and TRISECT.



17A. Alien reptile in "Avatar"?: NA'VI GATOR.(9). NAVIGATOR. This word is derived from the identical Latin word Navigator. Na'vi came from the mind of James Cameron; I loved the MOVIE. You thin Cameron was thinking about the Navy?

42A. Pest that's gotten into the cheese?: BRIE FLY (7). BRIEFLY. Brie was named from where it was first made; briefly from the Latin BREVE, which also gave us brevity. 

68A. Long-eared mascot of an L.A. newspaper?: TIMES HARE (9). TIMESHARE. I love this CSO to the publisher, though I doubt a rabbit is the mascot of the paper. Most have decided timeshare is a waste of money, but the business still thrives.

11D. Tiny insect that casts spells?: COVEN ANT (8). COVENANT. They both derive from the Latin word "convenire", which is a contraction of "com venire" or "come together". The words convene (to come together at an appointed place and time) and convent (a home for nuns) also have the same root. I love the imagery  of some ants getting together inside a pentagram. 

41D. One of a group of feline predators?: GANG LION (8). GANGLION.  Another wonderful mental picture of lions wearing leather and tats hanging out by their hogs.  It all has nothing to do with a structure containing a number of nerve cell bodies, typically linked by synapses, and often forming a swelling on a nerve fiber. I have a ganglion cyst on my shoulder. Oo plays with it and cnsiders it her 'toy.'

On that bizarre note on to the solving. 

Across:

1. Amendment dealing with states' rights: TENTH. "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." No politics.

6. Hobby shop buy: KIT. A CSO to former hobby shop impresario and longtime Corner fixture DENNIS.

9. Longtime Wall Street name: SACHS. Goldman Sachs is major and controversial diversified investment company which was led by founder Marcus Goldman and his son-in-law SAMUEL SACHS. No politics.

14. Spanish month: ENERO. January.

15. Draft pick: IPA. Not a sports clue, but draft beer and India Pale Ale.

16. Outfielder Mike who finished first (twice) or second (three times) in 2012-2016 A.L. MVP voting: TROUT. This excellent PLAYER is not related to one of my favorite Detroit Tiger players of the past Dizzy Trout.

19. Snake, e.g.: RIVER.

20. Racks up: AMASSES.

21. Corpulent: OBESE. Or perhaps - fat, overweight, plump, portly, stout, chubby, paunchy, beer-bellied, heavy, bulky, chunky, well upholstered, well padded, well covered, meaty, fleshy, rotund, broad in the beam, tubby, pudgy, beefy, porky, roly-poly, blubbery, corn-fed. Cruel or not?

23. Connecting point: NODE.

24. "Bad Moon Rising" band, initially: CCR. Credence Clearwater Revival.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BmEGm-mraE

26. First of a series: OPENER.

29. Small amount: TRACE. Made famous by CSI.

31. Worked the soil: HOED. Be careful there Mr. Imus.

33. Shopper stopper?: SALE.  Who doesn't love a good rhyming clue?

34. TV schedule abbr.: TBA. To Be Announced.

36. Buttonhole, say: SLIT.

38. Affirmative action: NOD.

39. Bit of horseplay: GAG.

44. Castilian kin: TIO. Uncle. Spanish.

45. GP gp.: AMA. American Medical Association for General Practitioners.

46. Mex. miss: SRTA. Senorita. Spanish.

47. Jr. and sr.: YRS.

49. Brass component: ZINC. Brass is a metallic alloy that is made of copper and zinc.

51. Bit of swearing: OATH.

53. Slate et al., for short: EMAGS.

57. Merchant ship flotilla: ARGOSY. 1. a large merchant ship, esp. one with a rich cargo. 2. a fleet of such ships. 3. an opulent supply or collection. Not a word I use.

59. Ring bearer: EAR. Cute misdirection.

61. Baker: OVEN. More misdirection as it is, after all,  the oven that bakes it.

62. Sprite flavor: LEMON. I knew Paul liked some of my write-ups, and it is great to be in one of his puzzles - oh it wasn't for me?

64. Stage bit: ROUTINE.

66. North African site of a 1943 conference: CAIRO. An echo of last week's WWII conferences.

70. Stun: SHOCK.

71. "We've exceeded seating capacity" sign: SRO.

72. Gauge: METER.

73. Chief Justice after Marshall: TANEY. Two very influential jurists, and members of a very exclusive group. There have only been 17 CHIEF JUSTICES compared to 45 Presidents. No politics.

74. It's big in London: BEN. Clock humor.

75. Salad green: CRESS. We have this word going back to 2008 when C.C. did all the blogging. LINK.


Down:

1. Letter?: TENANT.  This is also cute but is not a real word, as it is the landlord who has an apartment to let-  "chiefly British: to offer or grant for rent or lease let rooms."

2. Captivate: ENAMOR. Derived from the French, AMOUR. Love.

3. Area 51 locale: NEVADA. The true STORY.  Or if you prefer...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBIA5oITt7g

4. Cut into three equal parts: TRISECT. BI = 2. TRI = 3.

5. Keeps to oneself: HOGS.

6. Lawn gnomes, e.g.: KITSCH. Not to be confused with brownies. Infra. Kitsch is considered to be in poor taste but appreciated in an ironic or knowing way.

7. Snapchat had one in Mar. 2017: IPO.

8. Poi source: TARO.

9. Antibiotic target: STREP.

10. Crops up: ARISES.

12. Peach, e.g.: HUE. Hey you, what your hue, Hugh?

13. Orch. section: STRings.

18. Old nuclear agcy.: AEC. We had this recently.

22. __ harm: BODILY.

25. Promising: ROSEATE. Picturing the worls through rose colored glasses.

27. Wells race: ELOI. Always nice to have an excuse to post a pic of Yvette Mimieuz.

28. Make over: REDO.

30. Drops off: EBBS. And flows.

32. Brownie, in folklore: ELF. This was unknown to me. The most well-known and loved house elf in folklore is the Scottish Brownie. A brownie or broonie, also known as a brùnaidh or gruagac. The Brownie is a small male creature, between one and two feet tall, who takes up residence in a deserving family's home and is helpful. They were the precursor to Alexa and other modern household helpers. Various sources.

35. Dry gulch: ARROYO.

37. Rubber in a boot?: TYRE. Boot being British for the trunk of a car where you keep your spare "tyre."

39. __ Strip: GAZA. Gaza is a densely populated strip of land that is mostly surrounded by Israel and peopled almost exclusively by Palestinians. Israel used to have a military presence but withdrew unilaterally in 2005. Gaza was part of the Ottoman Empire before it was occupied by the United Kingdom (1918–1948), Egypt (1948–1967), and then Israel, which in 1994 granted the Palestinian Authority in Gaza limited self-governance through the Oslo Accords. Since 2007, the Gaza Strip has been de facto governed by Hamas, which claims to represent the Palestinian National Authority and the Palestinian people. Various sources. No politics.

40. "The Kite Runner" boy: AMIR. A very powerful and disturbing book and movie. A must watch, but no politics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKzAuhhgiyY

43. "Give __ rest!": IT A.

48. Overwhelm: SMOTHER.  A little daily double of mayhem, with...

50. Strong-arm: COERCE.

52. Mark of "NCIS": HARMON. When I first watched NCIS, initially it seemed like a mediocre cop show, as some have suggested. Now having watched all 15 seasons with Oo I see the skill of the writers who are putting forth a family drama, with all kinds of interesting twists and turns of personality.

54. Do the Wright thing?: AVIATE. I did not say it was not a real word, it just sounds funny to me.

55. Types: GENRES. I learned the word from watching movie reviewers.

56. Nasty smiles: SNEERS. Snidley whiplash had my favorite sneer.

58. Idaho's __ Mountains: SMOKY. This chain is part of the Rocky Mountains and not to be confused with the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee.

Idaho                      Tennessee
↞                            ↠





60. Fluke-to-be: ROE. Roe is fish eggs, and Fluke is a fish.
All Fluke Are Flounder but Not All Flounder Are Fluke. Generally speaking, left-side up flounder are flukes, and right-side up flounders are called flounders.  That sounds easy enough to remember, but it gets worse.  Flukes are also called “summer flounder,” and flounder, or right-side fish, are called “winter flounder.”

63. Black-box analyzers: Abbr.: NTSB. National Transportation Safety Board.

65D. Camp Pendleton letters: USMC. United States Marine Corps.

66. K.C. hours: CST. Central Standard Time.

67. "Caught you!": AHA. We all have our AHA moments here, as well as ones that inspire...

69. Rage: IRE.

Paul Coulter

Title: Sounds like a punny puppy.

Paul makes a quick turn around after his Thursday last week,  this time featuring humor as the primary theme. The basics- take a breed of dog and pair it with a sound-alike word that creates a funny image. Then clue them all with "Dog who loves..." With only 40 squares of theme and no reveal, we have a variety of longish fill - EPISODE, ITERANT, MANDALA, MONOPOD RAINOUT, TREATER, BREATHER and INERRANT.  As we will discuss, ITERANT and INNERANT are both very much Friday words. We have some sports, some music, some food, some French, Italian and Spanish, lots of fun for me. Let's go.

17A. Dog that loves a burger topping?: ONION BEAGLE (11).  The ONION BAGEL often dresses up the lox and cream cheese with onion and tomato. Spitz, am I right the word bagel comes from a German word for bracelet?

29A. Dog that loves a winter sport?: HOCKEY PUG (9). Hockey and the PUCK are our first sport of the puzzle and the basis of this punny pup. Ice hockey and its various precursor games utilized balls until the late 19th century. By the 1870s, flat pucks were made of wood as well as rubber. At first, pucks were square. The first recorded organized game of ice hockey used a wooden puck, to prevent it from leaving the rink of play. wiki.

49A. Dog that loves to play in the rain?: MUD POODLE (9). A poodle playing in a mud puddle is a pretty cool image, especially if it a white one. 

65A. Dog that loves spaghetti?: PASTA COCKER (11). The use of a PASTA COOKER rather than merely boiling water may seem extreme, but a Cocker Spaniel eating spaghetti is a great image.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEFwcl8WMLM

On to the solve.

Across:

1. Indian state bordering Bhutan: ASSAM.

6. Pasture sound: BLEAT. And the clecho 34A. Called from the pasture: BAAED.

11. Cheese go-with: HAM. Sorry, this was hard for me.

14. Fiji neighbor: TONGA. Geography 2.

15. Asperity: RIGOR. Fun five letter word, but I never thought of them as synonyms.
Asperity-harshness of tone or manner. Rigor-severity or strictness.  Dictionary.


16. Trick taker, often: ACE. Bridge, spades, hearts, etc.

19. Mme., in Madrid: SRA. A little Spanish, literally.

20. Blueprint: MAP.

21. Loved ones: DEARS.

22. Colorless: ASHEN.

24. Repeating: ITERANT. Ah, here we are; we have all heard people reiterate and probably iterate, but the definition repeating; iterating; as an iterant echo? I love this quote from George Sand, “Iteration, like friction, is likely to generate heat instead of progress.”

26. "__ Day": chapter in the '50s "The Thin Man" TV series: ASTA. What an odd way to clue the dog, but perhaps a bonus dog fill.

28. Noel: CAROL.

36. Bearish?: URSINE.

37. "The Facts of Life" actress Charlotte: RAE.

40. Barbecue, say: BROIL.

42. "As if!": NOT.

43. Equanimity: APLOMB.

46. Vacant, as an apartment: UNLET.

51. Green pair, often: PUTTS. Par is determined by an estimated 2 putts on every green.

55. "Do __ others ... ": UNTO.

56. Cancellation of a sort: RAINOUT. Common in baseball.

58. Bit of statuary: TORSO.

61. Undercover cops' gear: WIRES.

63. Part of un giorno: ORA. Day and Hour in Italian. Buon Giorno!

64. Brown, e.g.: IVY.

68. Born, in Brest: NEE. French.

69. Vast quantity: OCEAN.

70. Socially active sort: DATER.

71. Triage ctrs.: ERS.

72. Limp Bizkit vocalist Fred: DURST.

73. Black shade: EBONY.


Down:

1. Very minute: ATOMIC.

2. Beethoven's "Moonlight," for one: SONATA. Clecho 44D. 27, for Beethoven's "Moonlight":  OPUS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsOUcikyGRk

3. Inveterate critic: SNIPER.

4. Back: AGO.

5. Hindu meditation aid: MANDALA.

6. Rest: BREATHER.

7. Pinocchio, at times: LIAR. And now a star of TV commercials.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRIolQQONQg

8. Arachnid's hatching pouch: EGG SAC. All you need to KNOW.

9. Verizon subsidiary: AOL.

10. Generous bar buddy: TREATER. Not my favorite clue/fill.

11. Chop finely: HASH. Dictionary says to chop (food, such as meat and potatoes) into small pieces.

12. Real estate unit: ACRE.

13. Signify: MEAN.

18. Oscar winner Kingsley: BEN.

23. Comes out with: SAYS.

25. Take badly?: ROB. A repeat but fun.

27. "Hamlet" prop: SKULL. Our very brief Will S. reference this week.

30. Two-time N.L. batting champ Lefty: O'DOUL.

31. One standing at the end of a lane: PIN. More sports, and a CSO for Boomer.

32. A, in Acapulco: UNO.

33. Acquire: GET.

35. Brothers' keeper?: ABBOT. Cute clue, as the head of the monks.

37. Zodiac critter: RAM.

38. Toon storekeeper: APU. The Simpsons, not a favorite here. Apu Nahasapeemapetilon is an Indian Immigrant settled in Springfield.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi4ujBB7gvw

39. Antiquity, in antiquity: ELD.

41. Perfectly correct: INERRANT. This has a religious meaning, basically infallible but also has a meaning from astronomy : 1650s, in reference to "fixed" stars (as opposed to "wandering" planets), from Latin inerrantem (nominative inerrans) "not wandering, fixed (of stars)," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + errans, present participle of errare "to wander, stray, roam, rove" (see err). Meaning "unerring, free from error" is from 1785.



45. One-legged camera support: MONOPOD. Tripod- three. Mono- one.

47. Netflix installment: EPISODE. They are going after the world of entertainment since streaming began working and you did not have to wait for a disc in the mail.

48. 252 wine gallons: TUN. That is about what my friend drinks annually.

50. Divining rod: DOWSER.

52. Grew fond of: TOOK TO.

53. Deep dish: TUREEN. Generally to serve soup. LINK.

54. Like a cloudless night: STARRY.

57. NRC forerunner: AEC. Nuclear Regulatory Commission v. Atomic Energy Commission.

58. Food sticker: TINE. Generally more than one on your fork.

59. "Your turn": OVER.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OBZf0QdKdE

60. Bakery selections: RYES. It is so hard to find a good rye bread in the south.

62. See __ an omen: IT AS.

66. Prefix with pressure: ACU. Not to be confused with APU.

67. Hack: CAB.  You wonder why? Hack short for "hackney cab," which referred to a carriage for hire drawn by a hackney, or an ordinary horse -- leading to the use of "hack" to mean "writer for hire," and the word "hackneyed," which means cliche-ridden. The use of "hacker" to refer to a computer user dates back to the mid-1970s.

Paul Coulter

Title: Strange bedfellows.

Paul Coulter is back with very inventive and entertaining Friday theme sure to irritate those who do not like themes. He pairs two completely unrelated characters (they may be fictional) and posits a common bond. Natashe Fatale and Apollo Creed both battled foes named Rocky. Mr. Spock- Dr. Spock, Homer the Greek - Homer Simpson and Blondie Bumstead - Debbie Harry and her band are the other pairs sharing a commonality that can be expressed in 15 letters (grid-spanners). I am so impressed by the thought process and the execution of this theme. Thank you Paul. He also squeezes in DABS AT,  GETS AT,  IN A WAY,  SHANDY, BEDSIDE, PARSONS, HOTFOOTING and RAISE COSTS to complete the offering. Excellent. The themers:

                                         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAs07ZhCMio

17A. Two foes of Rocky : NATASHA AND CREED (15).  June Foray voiced both Rocky the Flying Squirrel and Natasha. Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed both were products of Sylvester Stallone's mind.

27A. Two loves of Homer : POETRY AND MARGE (15). The Greek POET responsible for The Iliad and The Odessey, and Marge Simpson's LOVE. He is known for coining "D'Oh."

43A. Two specialties of Spock : LOGIC AND BABIES (15).  We have Mr. Spock for LOGIC and Dr. Spock for BABIES.

54A. Two priorities of Blondie : DAGWOOD AND MUSIC (15). Blondie Bumstead loved DAGWOOD and Blondie (Debbie Harry) made some beautiful music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsYbMnQd6c8

Across:

1. "Yeah" : UH HUH. Nailed it, felt good.

6. Whack : STAB.

10. They're corny : COBS. He tricked me here for a bit.

14. Spaghetti Western director Sergio : LEONE. He made CLINT (2:41) famous.

15. Refine : HONE. Hone your craft, not just your knife.

16. Spread for dinner, say : OLEO. Not at my house.

20. Request to go out, maybe : ARF. Cute.

21. Cease : END.

22. Airs : SONGS. The perps are solid but the choice of clue is beyond me. I may have to use a Homer D'Oh when it is explained.

23. Mountain nymph : OREAD. More from Ancient GREECE.

26. Form of love in Paris? : AIME. Je t'aime, je t'adore.

32. Implies : GETS AT.

33. One may accompany a finger snap : IDEA. Got it.

34. Small battery : AAA.

35. Mine entrance : ADIT. From the Latin ADITUS, this is old fashioned crossword fill.

36. Meddle : PRY. Third time in recebt memory- hmm.

37. Artist's array : OILS. If he is a painter.

38. Large brewer : URN.

39. Blunted blade : EPEE.

41. Blots : DABS AT.

46. "Heartburn" novelist Ephron : NORA. Nora Ephron was also the author of Wallflower at the Orgy. She received Academy Award nominations for Best Original Screenplay for When Harry Met Sally..., Silkwood, and Sleepless in Seattle, which she also directed. Her other credits include the film Michael, I believe a John Travolta film and the play Imaginary Friends. She died in 2012

47. San Diego State athlete : AZTEC.

48. Advances : LOANS.

50. Chemical suffix : ENE.

51. Fertility clinic supply : OVA. Egg.

58. Between ports : ASEA.

59. Bridge site : NOSE. Very funny.

60. A lot : OFTEN.

61. Milk by-product : WHEY. I loved Moe's poem about Miss Muffit finder her whey.

62. Oracle : SEER.

63. Entourage : POSSE.

Down:

1. It parallels the radius : ULNA. In the arm, not  a circle.

2. Get wind of : HEAR.

3. Hurrying, with "it" : HOTFOOTING. A really fun word.

4. Acapulco article : UNA.

5. Cock and bull : HES. Male animals.

6. Sterne's Tristram : SHANDY.

7. Hopper on a pad : TOAD. Mr. Toad? I went with Frog at first.

8. Gothic novelist Radcliffe : ANN. Radcliffe is said to have influenced many later authors, including the Marquis de Sade (1740–1814), Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), and Sir Walter Scott (1771–1832), and many lesser imitators of the "Radcliffe School", such as Harriet Lee and Catherine Cuthbertson. LINK.

9. Important place for good manners : BEDSIDE. Why is it bedside manner when it is no longer at home that you see the doctor?

10. Pupil's cover : CORNEA. My personal specialty, still working with two borrowed ones.

11. Cassini of fashion : OLEG. Father of Tini Cassini.

12. Honey bunch : BEES. Of oats?

13. Ground cover : SOD. Such language!

18. Soul mate? : HEART. I miss marti.

19. Feature of many a list : COMMA.

24. Common medical advice : REST.

25. In-flight info : ETA.

26. Name at the end of many a "60 Minutes" episode : ANDY. Rooney.

27. MLB Network analyst Martinez : PEDRO.

28. Put on : AIRED.

29. What supply shortages often do : RAISE COSTS. Supply and demand.

30. Big dos : GALAS. Not hairdos.

31. Bridge column word : EAST.

32. Caesarean section? : GAUL. "Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres"

36. Clinton transportation secretary Federico : PENA. LINK.

37. Tony relative : OBIE. Off broadway awards.

39. Low-price prefix : ECONO.

40. Service aces? : PARSONS. Do parsons really run religious services?

41. Stunned : DAZED.

42. NYC dance troupe : ABT. Since 1940, American Ballet Theatre has performed in the greatest theatres around the world, creating a tradition of passion, innovation, and athleticism that transcends cultural boundaries and touches the soul of ballet lovers old and new.

44. Kind of : IN A WAY.

45. Stadium sign : BANNER.

48. Eye piece : LASH. No.

49. Arch type : OGEE.

50. Convenience : EASE.

52. Competes : VIES.

53. Bad marks in high school? : ACNE. A semi-cruel remark about those marks.

54. Margery of nursery rhymes : DAW.

55. Female antelope : DOE.

56. Floor cleaner : MOP. Which is my clue to mop up my comments.

57. Tabloid topic : UFO. But not without an Unidentified Flying Object.

I really enjoyed the puzzle, the solve and Paul is one of constructors getting regular Friday slots, with this hsi 4th this year, along with 5 Sundays. Maybe it si time for one of the amazing C.C. interviews. Thanks Paul and thank you all for being here.

Paul Coulter

Title: It's all backasswards!

4 in the language two-word phrases have the words reversed and are then re-clued to match the new phrase. This is the third Friday from Paul this year and each have featured a a combination of two words. It is also the first time HG did not blog one of these in my stead but I have enjoyed all of them. Paul



19A. *Idle : NOTHING DOING (12). Doing Nothing is what makes one idle.

27A. *Athlete's time-out on a hot day : BREAK WATER (10). A Water Break feels good these days here in sunny South Florida.

34A. *Maestro's signals : BEATS DOWN (9). Down Beat is the downward stroke of a conductor's arm or baton indicating the first or accented beat of a measure. Various.

44A. *Returned : BACK HANDED (10). Handed Back is how you return things.

The reveal:

51A. "Nice" expression ... and a hint to the answers to starred clues : TURN OF PHRASE (12).
I do love a reveal that brings what seems like a meaningless bunch of fill together in a sensible fashion.





Across:

1. Prickly case : BUR. I learned this word from the old westerns on TV where the bad guy would put a BUR under the saddle of the good guy.

4. Retired flier : SST.

7. Wombat relatives : KOALAS. Not sure why but I knew this.

13. Pittsburgh-to-Scranton dir. : ENE.

14. School gp. : PTA. Parent  Teacher Association.

15. "Hannity" airer : FOX NEWS.

16. Loser : ALSO RAN.

18. Thoughtful guys? : IDEA MEN.

21. Crow : BOAST.

22. Protein producer : RNA.

23. "Eldorado" rockers : ELO. Electric Light Orchestra.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pC_lakXdc-E

26. Communiqué segue : AS TO.

31. "Holy cow" : GEE.

32. Extinct New Zealanders : MOAS. The fooled me for a while making me think of people not the BIRDS.

33. Court call : ORDER.

37. "Amadeus" director Forman : MILOS. An amazing man who directed 8 different actors who were nominated for best actor, three won.  BIO.

40. Sushi kitchen supply : EELS.

41. Albanian coin : LEK. I think I have a few in my pocket.

47. See 20-Down : KILL. 20D. With 47-Across, in a drop-dead gorgeous outfit : DRESSED TO. DRESSED TO KILL.

48. "Go on ... " : AND.

49. In shape : FIT.

50. Lively French dance : GIGUE. I am part French but did not know this DANCE.
.
55. Group that's mostly secretaries : CABINET. The best clue of the puzzle.

58. Protein that allows skin to stretch or contract : ELASTIN. If you know elastic....

59. Monstrous : OGREISH.

60. Get into : DON.

61. Time to prepare : EVE.

62. Scarcity : DEARTH. Nice $5.00 word.

63. Marienbad, for one : SPA. I think only Tinman knew this RESORT.

64. Census datum : SEX.

Down:

1. Dorm room seat : BEAN BAG. We all had them, mine was red vinyl.

2. Let free : UNLOOSE.

3. Put another way : RESTATE.

4. Nautical pole : SPRIT. (nautical) a light spar pivoted at the mast and crossing a fore-and-aft quadrilateral sail diagonally to the peak.

5. "South Park" boy : STAN.

6. Pungency : TANG.

7. Big bear : KODIAK.

8. Big bovines : OXEN. Back again.

9. Course for Crusoe?: Abbr. : ANAGram.

10. The Eagle, briefly : LEM(onade?) Nope, Lunar Excursion Module.

11. Amazement : AWE.

12. 81-yr.-old ID : SSN. Social Security Number.

15. Musical Apple : FIONA.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BK30r_SIZ-g

17. Quite : OH SO.

23. LAX posting : ETD. ETA ETD, flip a coin or wait.

24. "Malcolm X" director : LEE. Spike.

25. "Catch-22" pilot : ORR. A very good read.

27. Fluffy accessory : BOA.

28. Double-crosser : RAT. The best...WATCH

29. Blows away : WOWS.

30. Prince Valiant's son : ARN. A puzzle favorite for many years and last week.

32. Dovetail : MESH.

34. __ choy : BOK.   Bok choy or pak choi is a type of Chinese cabbage. Chinensis varieties do not form heads and have smooth, dark green leaf blades instead, forming a cluster reminiscent of mustard greens or celery

35. Sandra who was the first to play "Gidget" : DEE.

36. Dated : OLD. Some date young.

37. CEO's degree : MBA.

38. McKellen of "X-Men" : IAN. And Harry Potter , the Hobbit, and Beauty and  they Beast and more.

39. TV screen type : LCD.

41. Ties surgically : LIGATES. The root word for ligature.

42. Hard to pin down : ELUSIVE.

43. Soft tissue : KLEENEX.

45. From the top : AFRESH. An A word.

46. Beethoven's __ : NINTH.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-mvutiDRvQ

47. White wine apéritifs : KIRS. This is a drink made from dry white wine and crème de cassis.

50. Ivory Coast neighbor : GHANA.

51. Bleacher feature : TIER.

52. Ton, for one : UNIT.

53. Govt. enforcers : FEDS.

54. Fall, as into a chair : PLOP.

55. Whiting cousin : COD. The fish of fish and chips.

56. Sensitive subject, to some : AGE.

57. Source of support : BRA. Nice clue.