Jeffrey Wechsler

Title M M M M M good.

JW is back and it seems almost as if hre and mark McClain collaborated on the last two offerings. Instead of removing a :T: like we did last week, we add an M to each phrase to create a new and entertaining phrase. 1/3/5 have the M added at the end with a complete change in spelling. 2/4 add the M before a final E, with Tome the only one which does not change the spelling. A minor nit.It may have been his seed entry. The rest is vintage JW with ARCADIA,  DAEMONS,  SPACIER, SINATRA, YOU HEAR ME, WORK FORCE, TOM SWIFTY,  I THINK NOT, FOREIGN MAIL, SCIENCE SHOW all fun longish fill. With so many spaces filled by the theme and the long fill, there are some 3/4 letter fillers but all in all a fun Friday.

20A. Seminal discovery by sports historians? : THE FIRST TEAM (12). The first tee.  This is an organization that uses golf to inspire the young. LINK.

27A. Comprehensive text on mints? : TIC TAC TOME (10). Tic tac toe. The Xs and Os GAME.
LINK before they found Kelly Harmon.

37A. Reaction to Bugs' continued evasiveness? : ELMER'S GLOOM (11). Elmer's glue. Poor Elmer Fudd, poor COW. Which leads perfectly to...

48A. How a snail moves? : ON THE SLIME (10). On the sly. LINK.

56A. "I plotted against Caesar completely on my own!"? : CASSIUS' CLAIM (12). Cassius Clay. JW slips a little hint of Shakespeare with a Muhammad Ali reference

Across:

1. Out of practice : RUSTY. I like this clue/fill  but it actually took me a moment, which suggests that maybe I am....

6. Blue stone : LAPIS. I always think of Lapis Lazuli.

11. It doesn't last long : FAD.

14. Casual opening : INTRO. I was looking for a prefix for casual all too long.

15. Saudi neighbor : OMANI.

16. Part of un giorno : ORA. Italian for a day and an hour.

17. Crayfish habitat : BAYOU. A CSO to all of our Louisiana contingent.

18. Employees : WORK FORCE.

22. Newspaper supporters : ADS. A tricky way to clue a simple one- ads do pay for the newspaper to exist, but...

25. LAX stat : ETA.

26. "You got me there" : SO I DO. This is a bit of confusion for me, though it turns out ok.
So do I is simply "I agree", or "I feel exactly the same" (me too).

So I do can mean several similar things. It is a way of agreeing about something you did not realize, as in "well, how about that, what you say is true." I do in fact do that, what you say. (for example, you raise your eyebrow when you are lying. So I do (I never realized that before).
.
It also is a way of agreeing with something fairly obvious, that you have known for some time. (you raise your eyebrow when you are lying. So I do (yes, and you are just noticing that?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhBB4CCB4h4

32. Card game : GIN. I have played many hours, including knock gin and all the rummy cousins.

33. Certain cross-country traveler : SKIER. Hey marti.

34. Crane's construction : NEST. Tricky, the bird not the heavy equipment.

36. "One Mic" rapper : NAS. I will NOT link this song.

41. Common ID : SSN.

43. Soaps actress Rylan : EMME. This diminutive actress appears on soaps mostly and changed her name legally from Marcy.

44. Some kissing sounds : MWAHS. Back at you.

47. Snap : PIC.

51. Lend __ : AN EAR. Friends, Romans....

54. "That's so cute!" : AWW. Two weeks in a row. Did not help the Dolphins.

55. Brine-cured delicacy : LOX. When I was a kid, there was LOX (salty) and Nova, not salty.Now I know Why.                                                                                                                                                

61. "Doubtful" : I THINK NOT. A classic JW multi-word fill.

62. Be enamored of : FANCY. I can almost hear this in a British accent.

66. Relative of -ista : ERO. Spanish that has invaded US speak. LINK.

67. View from the Eiffel Tower : SEINE.

68. Traction aid : TREAD.

69. Cold and wet : RAW. The night was...

70. Fragrant compound : ESTER. Not Esther Lessner...oh the other ONE.

71. Quite a while : YEARS.

Down:

1. Kid : RIB. I was slow getting this and 1 across, sad, especially for a kidder like me.

2. A, in Acapulco : UNA.

3. Mess metaphor : STY. Rhymes with Sly.

4. Canter cousin : TROT. Many kinds of GAITS for horses. 49D. Bit of equestrian gear : HALTER.

5. "Am I clear?" : YOU HEAR ME? Another classic JW multi-word fill; words a child does not ant to hear from a parent.

6. Dieter's choice : LOW FAT. There are high fat diets as well.

7. Milwaukee : mine :: Marseilles : __ : A MOI. Just French.

8. Last of three Catherines : PARR. 37.5% of Henry VIII wives.

9. Calligrapher's array : INKS.

10. Searches (through) : SIFTS. Even works for emails.

11. Philatelist's source : FOREIGN MAIL. It was always so exciting to get a letter from a foreign country, and look at the stamp.

12. Peloponnesian region : ARCADIA.  A reference to both old and new GREECE. Next to....

13. Nature spirits of Greek myth : DAEMONS. BZZZT! That is the Latin term for the GREEK. This like cluing JUPITER as Greek god.

19. Plains tribe : OTO.

21. List substitute: Abbr. : ETC.

22. Cadillac model : ATS. A car- whoopee!

23. Hägar creator Browne : DIK. Gone 27 years, his son Chris now produces the strip.

24. TV's "Through the Wormhole," e.g. : SCIENCE SHOW. Available on Netflix. EXAMPLE.

28. Invoice heading no. : TEL.

29. Initiation : ONSET.

30. Ryan of "Sleepless in Seattle" : MEG. Another victim of plastic surgery.

31. Night sch. staple : ESL. It  helped Oo and I become a couple.

35. Bit of adverbial wordplay : TOM SWIFTY. I have a split personality," said Tom, being frank.

38. Confessional music genre : EMO.

39. LBJ's successor : RMN. Tricky Dicky.

40. Real head-turner in the animal kingdom : OWL.

41. Deeper into la-la land : SPACIER.

42. "From Here to Eternity" Oscar winner : SINATRA.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvaXp2OM_F0

45. Coverage-providing org. : HMO.

46. __ symbol : SEX. Brigitte Bardot, Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, Paul Newman,,,who is it now. Link your favorites.

50. __ Beach, Hawaii, home of the 2005 Little League World Series champs : EWA. I can sense some serious grumbling about this fill unless you all know Hawaii much better than I do. It was filled before I got here, but this is obscure.

52. "__ suspected!" : AS I.

53. Salon procedure : RINSE. As a child when my grandmother would go to get her hair rinsed and set, I though 'how stupid' it was, since we had a perfectly serviceable sink and shower. I did not know about THIS.

57. Hawaiian strings : UKES. More Hawaii.

58. Agitated state : SNIT. I hope no reader got in a snit over any of the fill.

59. Pothole warning : CONE. Or barrels? ORANGE.

60. Farm female : MARE.

63. Org. assisting museums : NEA. I always get this wrong.

64. Amtrak unit : CAR. How simple.

65. QB's stat : YDS.

Well, fall has fallen, I get home after dark and another Jeffrey Wechsler is in the record books. It fit and and I had a good tuime. You all have a great week end. Lemonade out.

Mark McClain

Title: Has anybody seen my T?

Mark is back for his eighth LAT of the year and second this month. I have not had him on a Friday since August 2015. This time we have four starter words in phrases all containing the sound o͞ot derived from the letters "UTE" and Mark then removes the "T" and uses the resulting o͞o sound to find words which combine with the rest of the phrase are clued wackily. Easier to see than explain. Two are the first word, two are the last word' the only outlier is MAGIC LUTE which maintains the spelling "ute"unlike the other three. We also have no hint or reveal, so you have see the gimmick. We do have some new fill like BLOW BY,  SAY BOO (BUTE?),  RED CAP,  DEUCES, DAYTONA, WHITNEY,  ORCHARD and TIDIEST. On with the show...

20A. Number on some beer bottles? : BREW STRENGTH (12). Brute strength. Craft beer tends to be very strong.

35A. Washateria wear? : LAUNDRY SHOE (11). Laundry chute. We have garbage chutes here.

42A. Musical work played where Brits go? : LOO CONCERTO (11). Lute concerto.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9m3ghjN0RE

59A. Smokeless chimney duct? : THE MAGIC FLUE (12). The magic flute.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vwub-9dZLFU


Across:

1. Shot in the dark : STAB. My favorite Shot In The Dark

5. Mild expletive : DANG.

9. Contraction used with "up" : WHAT'S. Doc.

14. Confining room : CELL.

15. River originating in Manchuria : AMUR. I wonder how many remember this river from the Wednesday the 7th puzzle.

16. Assails : HAS AT.

17. Woodstock performer before Joan : ARLO. I will not repeat my comments about this performance. Joan Baez was awesome.

18. Sci-fi guru : YODA.

19. Rodeo maker : ISUZU.

23. Make even the slightest comment : SAY BOO. I do not want to hear a word, not even Boo!

24. Hall of Famer Musial : STAN. Stan the man; I was lucky enough to have watched him and Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle and so many more.

25. Some suits, briefly : VPS.

28. Egg foo __ : YUNG. Some HISTORY.

30. Depot worker : REDCAP. Train depot; bus depot?

32. Flight regulatory org. : FAA.

38. "__ turca: allegretto": Mozart rondo : ALLA. A second helping of Mozart.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geER3iQDO5k

40. "Is that __?" : A NO. Yes.

41. Floor option : TILE.

47. Sci-fi craft : POD.

48. Exotic journey : SAFARI.

49. Kennel calls : YIPS.

51. Terrestrial wiggler : EFT.

52. Storm sound : CLAP.

55. Jefferson bills, slangily : DEUCES. LINK.

61. Courts in some hotels : ATRIA.

64. Bend for a swan, maybe : PLIE.

65. Woodworking tool : FILE. Last week I had rasp.

66. Contemporary of Beethoven : WEBER. This MAN.

67. Trouser parts : LEGS.

68. Chatted with online : IM-ED.

69. Quirky : WEIRD.

70. 2015 World Series-winning manager Ned : YOST.

71. Much of the MTV generation : XERS.

Down:

1. Natural skin protection : SCABS.

2. __ firma : TERRA.

3. Way in the back, often : ALLEY.

4. Pass easily : BLOW BY.

5. Prestigious NASCAR venue : DAYTONA.

6. Lima love : AMOR.

7. Many Renoirs : NUDES.

8. Foster __: sunglasses brand : GRANT.

9. Self-titled 1987 pop album : WHITNEY.

10. Diner concoction : HASH.

11. Phil Mickelson's alma mater: Abbr. : ASU. Arizona State University. Phil won a PGA tournament while still a student. The STORY. 25 years ago.

12. Toon devil : TAZ.

13. "The Simpsons" disco guy : STU.

21. Subject of an evil negotiation : SOUL.

22. "Dumb and Dumber" actress : GARR.

25. Parental control device : V-CHIP.

26. Italian soccer great Rossi : PAOLO. This football STAR.

27. Dash datum : SPEED.

29. Tortilla chip topper, informally : GUACamole.

31. It's not observed in P.R. : DST.

32. Pseudo : FALSE.

33. "Half __ is ... " : A LOAF.

34. On high : ALOFT.

36. San Antonio-to-Dallas dir. : NNE.

37. Small craft : DORY.

39. Picasso's here : ACA.

43. Picking site : ORCHARD.

44. Giza's river : NILE.

45. Like the maximum sum : TIDIEST.

46. Multinational energy gp. : OPEC. Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

50. Less, when added? : SUFFIX.

53. To an adequate degree : AMPLY.

54. __ diet : PALEO.

56. Versifier's weather : CLIME.

57. Calculus pioneer : EULER.

58. Origins : SEEDS.

59. Echelon : TIER.

60. Touring jobs : GIGS.

61. "What a darling baby!" : AWW.

62. Golfer's support : TEE.

63. Cred for bringing someone home : RBI.

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.

Mark Feldman

17A. Politically active fowl? : TRUMP DUCK (9). Dump Truck.

28A. Clever insect? : CUNNING ROACH (12).Running Coach.

45A. Embarrassed avian? : BLUSHING CROW (12). Crushing blow.

59A. Street-wise amphibian? : ROUGH TOAD (9). Tough Road.
And the reveal,
66A. Oxford don associated with slips similar to 17-, 28-, 45-, and 59-Across : SPOONER. The MAN.


Across:

1. Books in which each sheet of paper is folded into eight leaves : OCTAVOS. Latin for 8.

8. Factions : SECTS.

13. See 2-Down : TORTILLAS. 2D. With 13-Across, Mexican restaurant choices : CORN. When I was young and first exposed to Mexican food in new England, corn tortillas were the only choice. They were crunchy and messy- great for a kid.

16. Not likely to miss much : ALERT.

18. Eyelashes : CILIA. The Latin plural of cilium- 1. the eyelids or eyelashes.
2. small, hairlike processes projecting from epithelial cells on the outer surfaces of some cells, aiding metabolism by producing motion, eddies, or current in a fluid. In the lung, cilia wave mucus, pus, and dust upward. In the Fallopian Tube, they are an integral part of getting pregnant.

19. "A Chorus Line" number : ONE. The Finale.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyZeGOsR9IA

20. Goddess with a throne headdress : ISIS.

22. Become clear : JELL. Thoughts can jell. They also can be discarded. 57A. Get rid of : SCRAP.

23. Flair : ELAN.

26. Easily bent : PLIABLE.

32. Comfortable with : USED TO.

33. Dresden's river : ELBE.

34. Takes in : HAS.

37. Big hit : SMASH. Broadway.

38. Subside, with "down" : DIE.

39. Doozy : BEAUT.

41. Loan fig. : PCT. Percent.

42. "The Little Mermaid" prince : ERIC.

                                                                        The Story

44. The kiwi is the smallest one : RATITE. Any of the mostly large birds with a flat breastbone without a keel, therefore unable to fly, i.e., the ostrich, rhea, emu, cassowary, and kiwi, together with the extinct moa and elephant bird.

47. Fake it, in a way : LIPSYNC. I really like seeing this Friday worthy fill.

50. Pageant accessory : SASH. I have had this and Obi very often this year.

51. Sandy's home : UTAH. Got me; there is a Sandy City Utah? Not the dog....

52. Puts in place : SETS. Like a dinner table.

54. Achievement of many a CEO : MBA.

63. Birch of "American Beauty" : THORA. Birch was born in Los Angeles, the eldest child of Jack Birch and Carol Connors. Her parents, who have been her business managers throughout her acting career, are former adult film actors; both appeared in the film Deep Throat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amEjnYxoWFU

64. Require help : NEED A HAND.

65. Slender woman : SYLPH. Another wonderful word. One would move 24D. In a supple manner : LITHELY.


Down:

1. Anne Frank's father : OTTO. Somehow I remembered his NAME.

3. Loyal : TRUE. Be true to your love.

4. 20s dispenser : ATM.

5. Bigwig : VIP.

6. Dated : OLD.

7. Swinging about : SLUING. Not high on my list: verb (used with object), slued, sluing. 1. to turn (a mast or other spar) around on its own axis, or without removing it from its place. 2.to swing around.
verb (used without object), slued, sluing. 3. to turn about; swing around.

8. __ fly: productive MLB out : SACrifice.

9. Hebrew prophet : ELIJAH. A most important PROPHET.

10. Star : CELEB.

11. Operatic vocal effect : TRILL. When he retired in 2012, Bass Paul Plishka said, he could not do it any more. "The trill is gone."

12. Dated : STALE. Liker some humor!

14. Coolers, briefly : ACS.

15. Balancing aid on the slopes : SKI POLE.

21. Piece at the butcher shop : SLAB.

23. Goals : ENDS.

25. Mayo is in it : ANO.

27. Swell applications : ICE BAGS.

28. Edge : CUSP.

29. Letters at N.C.'s Camp Lejeune : USMC.

30. Drink order : NEAT. Tinbeni CSO!

31. Clinton's first Labor secretary : REICH. A very interesting MAN, only 4'11."

34. Locks often gray : HAIR.

35. Aries or Taurus : AUTO.The K Car is long gone, but Ford Taurus is back.

36. Brood : STEW.

38. Make out : DISCERN.

40. Make an impression : ETCH.

43. Hose problems : RUNS.

44. Stranded messenger : RNA.

45. C equivalent : B SHARP.

46. Time units : ISSUES. The magazine, silly.

47. Hungers (for) : LUSTS.

48. Raring to go : ITCHY.

49. Given orally, as evidence : PAROL.

53. Golf club part : TOE.

54. Complain : MOAN. Stop your moaning and groaning; I guess more appropriate than any other definition. U had an aquaintance who made a living moaning for  pron movies.

55. Thorn in one's side : BANE.

56. Dely. destination : ADDRess.

58. Half a tuba sound : PAH. really, isn't it 1/3- oom pah pah?

60. Econ. yardstick : GDP. D or N? Domestic or national.

61. One-tenth of a Vietnamese dong, formerly : HAO. A very obscure clue, even with the formerly hint. A Vietnamese currency previously issued by the Vietnam National Bank. The hao, or hào, is one-tenth of a Vietnamese dong and can be subdivided into 10 xu. Neither the xu or the hao are currently in use in Vietnam.

62. E'en if : THO.

Jeffrey Wechsler

Title: Oh U! Where did U go now?

Rich really is making my life easy with JW and Bruce dominating the Friday landscape. The have many stylistic similarities which makes sussing the theme easy. The first themer jumped out at me, I knew the gimmick of removing the letter "U" from a two word fill to create a new fill with a witty clue. We get the bonus of reveal which sadly required the inclusion of a "U" in the grid. We have lots of foreign languages,



We do have some very sparkly fill CARHOPS, AREOLAE, A TAD OFF, ARM BONE, BEVELED, BOASTED, CASUAL SMILE and GET A SHOT OFF. (Were you put off by the two offs?)

17A. Fishing spot for vacationing Londoners? : BRITISH POUND (11). What is the difference between a Pond and a Lake?

20A. Legwear for air travelers? : BOARDING HOUSE (12). Like this imagery...Splynter, ok?

54A. 007 returning from assignment? : HOMEWARD BOUND (12). Bond, James Bond.

60A. Vacant look? : STERILE GAUZE (11).

And the centrally placed grid-spanning reveal...
39A. Retirement party remark ... or a homophonic hint to four long Across answers : YOU WILL BE MISSED (15).

Across:

1. Sonic employees : CARHOPS.

8. Shrinking section at Barnes & Noble : CDS. I ahve not bought one in years.

11. Bit of wit : GAG. Palindrome.

14. Anatomical rings in irises : AREOLAE. I cannot find our seminal picture that C.C. links. Latin.

15. Earth-moving tool : HOE. No Don Imus humor here, please; especially not next to Areolae and...

16. Reproductive cells : OVA. Latin.

19. Upset, with "over" : TIP. Think apple cart...verb not adjective.

22. Ruff stuff : LACE. Think ruffle..

New                                                                         Old

25. Lacking : FREE OF.

26. Not quite right : A TAD OFF.

30. Until now : SO FAR.

33. P replacers, in some lineups : DHS. This clue is just a tad off, as the Designated Hitter only replaces the Pitcher in the batting order, not the lineup. But then the lineup is the batting order.

34. Woman's name meaning "white" : BIANCA. Shakespeare anyone?
"I am no strumpet; but of life as honest
As you that thus abuse me."

38. Smooth, perhaps : PAVE.

42. Epps of "House" : OMAR.

43. Computer conveniences : MACROS. We use word perfect for legal docs and macros are a necessity.

44. [That's kinda funny] : HEH. Heh...

45. Sylvester's genus : FELIS. Latin: Felis catus.

47. Radius, e.g. : ARMBONE. A subtle shout out to me, as that is the bone which has the oblique fracture.

49. "The Great Escape" setting : STALAG. A classic movie, which inspired the music and perhaps Hogan's Heroes. POW camp. German short for Kriegsgefangenen-Mannschafts-Stammlager.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkwmIDx9RwQ

53. Lots : A TON.

59. "... __ quit!" : OR I!

64. Toondom's Phineas, to Ferb : PAL. I missed this SHOW.

65. Strauss' "__ Heldenleben" : EIN. Strauss was also a very famous conductor, but he does not seem very happy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doJVlS7nn_g

66. Like the edges of some mirrors : BEVELED.

67. Dodge City-to-Topeka dir. : ENE.

68. Mining supply : TNT. Explosive idea.

69. Talked big : BOASTED.

Down:

1. Waiter at a stand : CAB.

2. LAX stat : ARRival.

3. Bonn : König :: Lisbon : __ : REI. German : Portugese: KING

4. Place of rapid growth : HOT BED.

5. Miscellany : OLIO. The word of the Corner. And, 57D. Muffin go-with : OLEO.

6. "¿Qué __?" : PASA. Spanish.

7. Very, in Vienna : SEHR.  I grew up hearing, "sehr gut."

8. "Carmina Burana" performers : CHOIR.

9. "It tolls for thee" poet : DONNE. To CA and all of you...
No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thine own
Or of thine friend's were.
Each man's death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.

10. Wetlands grasses : SEDGES.

11. Beat the buzzer, say : GOT OFF A SHOT. JW loves his multi-word fill. And basket ball? 21D. Court action : HOOPS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO_7H9BuzSo

12. National alternative : AVIS. Rental car companies, not airports.

13. Show wonder : GAPE.

18. Email attachment : PDF. While we create in word perfect, we send out Portable Document Format.

22. After "Our" and with 54-Down, title for the Virgin Mary based on an 1871 apparition : LADY OF. 54D. See 22-Down : HOPE. Between the politics and the religion this is a hard one to blog. LINK.

23. Where many strikes are called : AT HOME. Baseball.

24. Subtle come-on, perhaps : CASUAL SMILE. Like below.

27. Geisha accessory : OBI. Sash, like above.

28. Thin coating : FILM.

29. WWII White House dog : FALA. FDR's dog.

31. Johnson &  Johnson brand : AVEENO. The make nice products but the name reminds me of the haunting Hebrew prayer, "Our Father, Our King."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YONAP39jVE

32. Hard-working "little" folk tale critter : RED HEN. A LINK for all of our teachers.

35. "30 Rock" network : NBC.

36. Michael of "Arrested Development" : CERA.  A very busy career, I loved JUNO and SUPERBAD.

37. __ vincit omnia : AMOR. If you know Latin, then you know love conquers all. 50D. Forum language : LATIN.

40. Work on a novel : WRITE. Sounds like fun.

41. System of thought : ISM.

46. Carpenter's array : SAW SET. I was not impressed with this fill until after I was done I checked and found 492 million links! I will those who can, explain it all.

48. Access requirements : BADGES. I used to have many of these. LINK.

51. "__ you done yet?" : ARE N'T.

52. E. Berlin's land : GDR. German Democratic Republic.

55. African city on the Mediterranean : ORAN. In Algeria and more geography I do not know.

56. Romaine relative : BIBB. Lettuce pray, or is that religion.

58. St. Petersburg's river : NEVA. New to me. READ?

61. Space bar neighbor : ALT.

62. What's found in central Arizona? : ZEE.

63. Byrnes of '50s-'60s TV : EDD. An early TV heart throb.

ThenNow

Bruce Haight

Title: Another @##% circle puzzle to irritate Barry!

We take a journey with back to back Bruce Haight Fridays and memories of going to the ocean and looking for stones to throw. This time he packaged his effort in a rare 14 x 16 with a total of 70 theme squares. The 14s are grid-spanners and with so many, there is not much room for sparkle, but we do get  AM FM RADIO and  SALMON ROE.  Once again I will begin with the very clever reveal which tells us we are looking for stones in the skipped parts of fill, in the circles.

58A. Leisurely lakeside activity, and a clue for the circled letters : SKIPPING STONES (14).

16A. Reason kept to oneself : ULTERIOR MOTIVE (14). Limestone  is a sedimentary rock that contains at least 50% calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Because sedimentary rocks are made of various types of sediments, the other 50% of a limestone rock could be virtually any other mineral. Limestone originates in wet areas which mean it could also be composed of shells and waste matter from organisms.

22A. Wig out : FLIP ONE'S LID (11). Fieldstone. This is a building construction material. Strictly speaking, it is stone collected from the surface of fields where it occurs naturally. Collections of fieldstones which have been removed from arable land or pasture to allow for more effective agriculture are called clearance cairns.Coming from New England we know all about this. What movie comes to mind?

29A. Thorny thicket : BRIAR PATCH (10).  Birthstone. Am I the only one who always thinks about UNCLE REMUS?

42A. Johnny Olson catchphrase : COME ON DOWN (10). Moonstone. This is an alternate birthstone for June, but also a gem used by

48A. Bum rap : FALSE CHARGE (11). Flagstone. These flat stones are popular for making paths etc. so here is how to DIY.

Across:

1. "Anaconda" rapper Nicki : MINAJ. I am not sure why but I knew this MUSIC (4:49).

6. Sizable chunk : SLAB. Of roast beef? Or Nicki?

10. "Yuck!" : EWW. Ok, I agree. So does 63A. "Yuck!" : BLEH.

13. Carne follower, in Mexican fare : ASADA. Grilled beef.

14. Roll at the airport : TAXI. On the Taxiway.

15. Former Vietnamese emperor Bao __ : DAI. This man. LINK.

19. Barack Obama, astrologically : LEO. He has the same birthday as my step-son.

20. Old Venetian magistrate : DOGE.  You should recall THIS.

21. Boy in the first family : ABEL. All the men had four letters.

25. Country singer Clark : TERRI. The only Clark I recall is ROY, not this tall Canadian.

28. Cold weather word : TEENS. Down here that would be freezing.

34. 1953 automobile innovation : AM FM RADIO. Introduced by a Mexican Company. HISTORY.

35. Catch something : AIL. Nice simple misdirection.

38. Put away : ATE.  Nice simple misdirection.

39. Some caviar : SALMON ROE. Traditionally, the term caviar refers only to roe from wild sturgeon in the Caspian and Black Sea (Beluga, Ossetra and Sevruga caviars). Depending on the country, caviar may also be used to describe the roe of other fish such as salmon, steelhead, trout, lumpfish, whitefish, carp,and other species of sturgeon.

43. West Indian sorcery : OBEAH. Hard to discuss this PRACTICE when we do not talk religion.

47. Young partner : ERNST. CPA firm.

53. Low-cost home loan org. : FNMA. Federal National Mortgage Association.

54. Lug : HAUL.

55. Letters left of center? : EPI. Cute...left of mean a prefix.

62. "If __ again I meet him beard to beard ... ": Shak. : EER. Rar lay I do not know well, Coriolanus.

64. Whiz : MAVEN. It's back.

65. Carefree syllable : TRA. La La.

66. Fun : JEST.

67. Sarcophagus holder : CRYPT.

Down:

1. Stake-driving hammer : MAUL.

2. Part of a chain : ISLE.

3. Defense acronym : NATO. He must like this oraganization. North American Treaty Organization.

4. Thirst quencher : ADE
5. Rattle : JAR
6. Bend : STOOP
7. Slow passage : LARGO
8. Guitar players, slangily : AXMEN
9. Dust jacket info : BIO
10. Safe to put away : EDIBLE
11. Encourage to score, as a base runner : WAVEIN
12. Brandishes : WIELDS
17. First name in despotism : IDI
18. Zap : TASE
22. Set up : FRAME
23. NYC commuter line : LIRR
24. Ordinal ending : ETH
25. TV sched. uncertainty : TBA
26. Aunt with a "Cope Book" : ERMA
27. Divide : RIFT
30. El __ : PASO
31. Maroon 5 singer Levine : ADAM
32. Counter square : TILE
33. Lake of Lombardy : COMO
35. Auto company founder Citroën : ANDRE
36. Golf bag item : IRON
37. Not the best of times : LOWS
40. Universal donor's type, briefly : ONEG
41. Uvula doc : ENT
42. "Evita" role : CHE
43. Counterbalance : OFFSET
44. Loan officer, e.g. : BANKER
45. Twain's New York resting place : ELMIRA
46. "Make it snappy!" : ASAP
49. Country about 12 times longer than its widest point : CHILE
50. Underwear brand : HANES
51. Zero : AUGHT
52. Literary monogram : RLS
55. Green attitude? : ENVY
56. Sound often not allowed? : PEEP
57. "It __ Right": 1956 Platters' hit : ISN'T
59. Lunchbox staple, familiarly : PBJ
60. Cinephile's TV choice : TMC
61. Tool sometimes used for steering : OAR

Bruce Haight

Title: Measured endings

Bruce is back and he tops JW's 4 grid spanners last week with 5, including the reveal. We see that the end of the 4 phrases are measures (each four letters) which wonderfully appear in order from INCH to MILE. With 75 squares accounted for, there was not much room for more, but we do get ENID O.K. (which was a bear to parse) AS IT IS and the lovely SWEAR WORD (how cools to sneak a swear word in the puzzle) and the entertaining  BAT SIGNAL.


We will begin with the end...

57A. Finishes a task, and a hint to hidden words in this puzzle's four other longest answers : GOES THE DISTANCE (15).

17A. Strapped : FEELING THE PINCH (15). Maybe in ITALY?

23A. "Carefree Highway" singer : GORDON LIGHTFOOT (15). Listen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wa9XVvMtBVk

37A. Island on which much of "Jaws" was filmed : MARTHA'S VINEYARD (15). I grew up not far from this ISLAND.

47A. Grin : BREAK INTO A SMILE (15). Maybe one like....





Well, take your pick, we must go to work to solve the rest....

Across:

1. Read the riot act : BASTE. This was a very hard place to start, as I had no idea of this definition and resisted the perps.

6. Like tightrope walkers : AGILE. Did you all watch the AGT where the man was struck by the flaming arrow?

11. D-backs, on scoreboards : ARIzona.

14. Physics Nobelist Schrödinger : ERWIN. He and Neils Bohr are very popular in crosswords. Here is a great discussion of his CAT.

15. Attendance count : NOSES.

16. Soft slip-on : MOC. Like ALUM last week a word that may have gone beyond being an abbreviation.

20. Baja bear : OSA. Spanish.

21. Two piece? : DUET. Nicely clued.

22. Paycheck abbr. : FICA. Federal Insurance Contributions Act - though contribution seems a bit out  of place.

28. Seasoned cookers : WOKS. Does the clue WOK for you?

29. Golfer McIlroy : RORY. Another 0 for major year...

30. Eastern noodle : UDON. More Asian influence.

32. Clued in : AWARE.

34. What might make a ewe turn? : BAA. I LOVE< LOVE this clue.

41. Many a prof : PHD.

42. In base eight : OCTAL. Straight Latin.

43. First name in jazz : ETTA. James, not ELLA.

44. Con : ANTI.

45. Free ride : PASS.

54. "Do or do not. There is no try" speaker : YODA.

55. Hyatt competitor : OMNI. They have lots of golf courses including LA Costa in Carlsbad, California which I had the pleasure of playing many times.

56. Informal British address : GUV. Is this LINK accurate Steve? NC?

62. SEALs' org. : USN.

63. Baron Cohen's Kazakh journalist : BORAT. Ali G., Borat or Bruno? ALL you need to know.

64. "... bombs bursting __" : IN AIR.

65. High pts. : MTS.

66. Bends with the breeze : SWAYS.

67. __ pitch : SALES.

Down:

1. Obscure : BEFOG.

2. Playground comeback : ARE SO. Same number of letters as AM NOT.

3. Censor's target : SWEAR WORD. Simple.

4. Up to, in ads : TIL.

5. City SSW of Wichita, KS : ENID OK.

6. Source of opera financing : ANGEL. In the earlier years they were called patrons.

7. "The Teflon Don" : GOTTI. The late mob boss, died in prison in 2002 at 62.

8. "More or less" equivalent : ISH. Ir-ish? Swed-ish? Jew-ish?

9. Casual wear biggie : LEE. I never can tell Lee from Wrangler, now I know why. Major players in US jeans include jeans companies such as Levi Strauss & Co (which owns brands like Levi’s, Dockers, Signature by Levi Strauss & Co and Denizen) and VF Corp (which owns Wrangler, Lee and Rustler brands), apparel brands such as Gap, American Eagle, Zara and H&M, and private label brands by major retailers like Wal-Mart Stores and JC Penny.

10. Debatable power : ESP.

11. Test that examines fetal DNA, briefly : AMNIOcentesis. The needle is enough to convince me women are stronger. My wife went through this.

12. "Fidelio" jailer : ROCCO. Beethoven's only OPERA.

13. Phased-out Apple messaging software : I CHAT.

18. They have their orders : NUNS. These constructors are making a habit of punny clues for nuns.

19. Questionable : IFFY.

24. "Cut that out!" : DON'T
25. Holy __ : GRAIL. How could I resist this LINK.

26. 38-Down source : HORN.

27. Back into a corner, in a way : TREE.

30. One with a stay-at-home job? : UMP.

31. Code word : DAH.

32. Sean of "Rudy" : ASTIN. And Samwise Gamgee.

33. Penn. neighbor : W.VA.

34. Device that debuted in Detective Comics in 1942 : BAT SIGNAL.

35. Knack : ART.

36. Org. concerned with securing crowns : ADA.

38. 26-Down sound : HONK.

39. Dramatic start : ACT I.

40. Respectful rural response : YES'M.

44. Small power sources : AAAS.

45. Discouraging words : PANS.

46. "Given the circumstances ... " : AS IT IS.

47. Quaint words of resolve : BY GUM. By golly has never been used, by gum.

48. Place to rule : ROOST.

49. Paradises : EDENS.

50. "No more procrastinating!" : TODAY.

51. Passes over : OMITS.

52. Florida's Port St. __ : LUCIE. This may be a challenge for those who do not live or visit SoFla., as it is a CITY of about 180,000 people not known for much except being perhaps the most devastated by the real estate collapse.

53. '50s-'60s civil rights activist : EVERS.

58. "Angie Tribeca" airer : TBS
59. Methodology word : HOW
60. Period : ERA
61. Santa __, California : ANA