John Lampkin

Title: Now where did I hide that body? White rabbit, white rabbit all, welcome to June and hurricane season.

John is back following up last week's insect infested puzzle with a challenging and very creative entry in the LA Times not quite a REBUS puzzle type. Rich Norris does not accept classic multi-letters in a single square in puzzles, but here the word BODY is actually crammed into a black square, so it is hidden. Even if you do not like that explanation, this was a very fun puzzle to solve and a wondrous bit of construction. The special twist that makes it shine is the BODY missing at the front of the theme is placed on the left and the BODY missing at the end is on the right. He then puts a big bow on the puzzle by alternating the left-right march. WOW. With 66 squares committed to the theme, John still features some nice fill such as EVEREST, LOCALES, RUBS RAW, SLEEP IN, SPATULA, STOP HIM, PUHLEASE and TRAVIATA. We are given the extra hint of the * so you all knew which were theme related, and if you did not catch on to the gimmick, the two-part reveal should have made the puzzle very doable. Considered one of the 50 best Sci-Fi movies of all time with Donald Sutherland and Leonard Nimoy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52vK2-Dv1TA

27A. With 44-Across, classic 1956 film ... and why the answers to starred clues aren't quite themselves?: INVASION OF THE (13). 44A. See 27-Across: BODY SNATCHERS.(13).

Now let us find those bodies.

1A. *Tattoos: ART (3) BODY  ART. I think this form of expression has been made most popular by the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issues. Is it NUDITY?

8A. *Hypothetical object that absorbs all incident electromagnetic radiation: BLACKBODY (5).
A blackbody (sometimes spelled "black body") is a theoretically ideal radiator and absorber of energy at all electromagnetic wavelength s. (various). This is an unknown term for me.

16A. *Nonverbal communication: BODY LANGUAGE (8). A key to understanding other people, this is very important in business but may be most important for a COUPLE.

22A. *Snoop: BUSY BODY (4). I think of Samantha Stevens' next-door neighbor, MRS.  KRAVITZ.

50A. *Bumper repair site: BODY SHOP (4). Automobiles are always vulnerable and you need a good mechanic and good body shop.

62A. *Star or nebula: HEAVENLY BODY(8). A CSO to our NASA rep HG. There are so many TYPES. 

67A. *Circadian rhythm: BODY CLOCK. (5). Steve could give us his interesting perspective on this BIOLOGICAL  phenomenon. Meanwhile, I have commented first like three times recently, what's that all about?

69A. *Coveted journalism award: PEABODY. (3). The George Foster Peabody Awards program, named for American businessman and philanthropist George Peabody, honor the most powerful, enlightening, and invigorating stories in television, radio, and now, online media. Some past WINNERS.

Well, I am worn out already and we must move on to the rest of the puzzle...

Across:

4. They churn out dough: ATMS. I have not used an Automated Teller Machine for some time.

13. Sign of summer: LEO. That kind of sign.

14. Ecologically challenged Asian sea: ARAL.

15. Ovine output: BAA BAA. Black sheep, have you any wool. CONTROVERSY?  Also, we have 9D. Ewe's output: LAMB. No double BAA, but a shameless self SO by John.

18. Deepest, as feelings: INMOST.

19. Realm: AREA.

20. Op-ed takes: VIEWS.

23. Outdoor gear giant: REI.

25. Game that may involve bumpers: POOL. The second reference to bumpers, one for a car and this one.

33. Dose people?: DEM. I bet DIS clue/fill did not please some.

35. Elite prep school: ETON. We started the week with this institution.

36. Dominica native: CARIB. I went to school with two brothers from this small island, and now I work on various projects there.

37. Abrades painfully: RUBS RAW. Alliterative fill, followed by...

39. Flay's flipper: SPATULA. Alliterative clue. Professionals do not need ONE. My wife just uses her wrist.

41. Furious: IRATE.

42. "Better Call __": SAUL. Part of the BREAKING BAD franchise.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1xIGfVFb-U

43. Foxy: SLY.
.
48. Chihuahua chow: TACO.  Cute JL, but ridiculous- they can't fold or hold them.

49. The SEC's Tigers: LSU. A CSO to our many Louisiana friends here at the Corner.

54. First course in German?: SUPPE. Soup.

56. Thailand, once: SIAM. A  CSO to my sweet wife, thank you JL.

60. Watch a neighbor's pooch, say: PET SIT.

64. Café: EATERY.

65. Ingrid, in "Casablanca": ILSA. So classic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V70VxbNVzsg

66. Tell's apple support: SON.

68. Face: MEET.

Down:

1. Penne __ vodka: ALLA. One RECIPE.

2. Caboose: REAR.

3. Text alert, often: TONE.

4. Nonpro sports org.: AAU.

5. "Fallen woman," in a Verdi title: TRAVIATA. A translation this was  an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on La Dame aux Camélias (1852), a play adapted from the novel by Alexandre Dumas, fils.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SK-NUuTCras

6. Star followers: MAGI.

7. Take advantage of a day off, maybe: SLEEP IN.

8. Bar: BAN.

10. "__ Ben Adhem": ABOU. Funny, I would not have known this poem unless YR had printed it when it was fill in a January BAG puzzle. Then again, it was already filled by the perps.

11. Mama with two Papas: CASS.

12. Pop's Perry: KATY. Did any of you watch the new AMERICAN IDOL?

15. Bearded bovine: BISON.

17. Jake __, first Congressman to fly in space: GARN. They named a SCALE after him.

21. Court: WOO.

24. Hillary's peak: EVEREST. An interesting MAN.

26. Neighborhoods: LOCALES.

27. "Don't mess with me": I'M BAD.  Are you LEROY?  I wonder if that is where they got Gibbs' name.

28. Spread: SOW. This would have been one of the harder three-letter fills ever but the perps were there.

29. Generous, as a contract: FAT.

30. Bind: TRUSS.

31. Jack and Jill's Waterloo?: HILL. Very cerebral clue.

32. AuctionWeb, since 1997: eBAY.

33. Little bit: DRIB. Not drab

34. French bread: EURO.

38. Pen with oink, not ink: STY. Cute.

39. Anatomical pouch: SAC. John, you trying my DF nature.

40. Eye-rolling word: PUH-LEASE. Exaggerated form of please, short for if you please, an intransitive, ergative form taken from if it pleases you, which replaced pray.

42. Cry after a holdup: STOP HIM. Stop thief probably jumps to mind

45. Awful: NASTY.

46. Pressure prefix: ACU. sharp-acute, acupuncture, accurate

47. Ploy: RUSE.

50. What a crossword is often constructed on: SPEC. 90% of them I imagine.

51. Mend: HEAL.

52. "Beetle Bailey" hound: OTTO.

53. One 60-trillionth of a min.: PSEC.

55. Brazilian hero: PELE.

57. Clouseau's rank: Abbr.: INSP.

58. Bug bite soother: ALOE.  Okay, an insect but one that bit.

59. Feathered mimic: MYNA. How do I get this bird two weeks in a row?

61. Bug: IRK. Not really an insect reference.

63. Dye holder: VAT. A change from the normal beer or wine reference.

Winston Emmons

Title: Anagrams bug me!

So John Lampkin, my favorite entomologist, what do you think? We have what I believe is the second LAT for Winston Emmons who debuted on Agnes' birthday last month. We have a very consistent insect anagram theme, with what was for me an unnecessary and weak reveal.


SOMEDAY, TAVERNA, CONSISTS, and PACIFIER.



20A. Competition among insects?: GAME OF HORNETS (13). Game of THRONES.

29A. Rule by generations of insects?: GNAT DYNASTY (11). TANG Dynasty.

47A. Tiny but impressive insect?: HECK OF A MITE (11). Heck of a TIME.

57A. Deceptiveness of insects?: FLEAS PRETENSE (13). FALSE Pretrense. 

And the little reveal, 

56D. Ones that have infested four puzzle answers: PESTS.

Across:

1. Actress Gilbert of "The Big Bang Theory": SARA. More famous from Roseanne, where she first worked with Johnny Galecki. They DATED?

5. "Lucky Jim" author: AMIS. The first novel of KINGSLEY.

9. "Be silent," in scores: TACET. Musical scores (as a direction) indicating that a voice or instrument is silent.

14. Stagecraft aid: PROP. Clecho- 65A. Stagecraft arrangements: SETS.

15. Email category: SENT.

16. House: ABODE.

17. App opener: ICON. Click on the icon.

18. Director Preminger: OTTO. This Austrian born DIRECTOR was a major influence on Hollywood and film noir.  He was a big deal when I was young, and also was anactor.

19. 66-Across, e.g.: VENUE.

23. 2000 NBA MVP: O'NEAL. If you did not know or have forgotten, look at the statistics for SHAQ in the 2000 playoffs. He is one of the GOAT in basketball. Kobe was averaging 15 points a game.

24. Part of ENT: EAR. Nose and Throat are the rest.

25. Cartesian conclusion: I AM. Cogito ergo sum. I think, therefore I am. This is Dualism, as explained by Rene Des(cartes).

28. Pit stuff: TAR. Brea.

34. City north of Memphis: CAIRO. Memphis, city, and capital of ancient Egypt and an important center during much of Egyptian history. Memphis is located south of the Nile River delta, on the west bank of the river, and about 15 miles (24 km) south of modern Cairo

35. "The Lord of the Rings" actor: ASTIN. Samwise Gamgee became a fan favorite as played by Astin. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-RC1REmzpg

36. Brand once pitched by Garfield, oddly: ALPO. It was for their CAT FOOD so it was not so odd.

39. Fabric-dyeing technique: BATIK. Batik is a "resist" process for making designs on fabric. The artist uses wax to prevent dye from penetrating the cloth, leaving "blank" areas in the dyed fabric. The process, wax resist then dye, can be repeated over and over to create complex multicolored designs. A complicated tie-dye.

42. "¿Cómo __?": ESTA. Hi Lucy, hope you feel all better.

43. Macy's competitor: SEARS. Really?

45. Minneapolis suburb: EDINA. When I started reading this blog, this was common fill. In fact, it appears in a PUZZLE from just over 10 years ago. As you can see the comments and the cast have changed.

50. One on first?: WHO. The complete routine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTcRRaXV-fg

53. "__ tu": Verdi aria: ERI. Sung by a 27-year-old. LINK.

54. Fairy queen of folklore: MAB. You may need to READ this article.

55. Bee-related: APIAN.

62. Gathered intelligence: SPIED.

64. Israeli carrier: EL AL.

66. Barclays Center, for one: ARENA.  Clecho 2- 67A. Barclays Center team: NETS.Basketball in Brooklyn.

68. Cherry or pear: TREE.

69. Inclined to ramble: WORDY. Oops, was this here to shut me up? Just don't...

70. Stun, in a way: TASE. me, bro!

71. In __: aligned: SYNC.


Down:

1. Peg in a cask: SPIGOT. My ex-wife hated her name being shortened to Peg.

2. One of two tarot card groups: ARCANA. I am not up on Tarot, having learned fortune telling from my French grandmother using a regular deck of cards.

3. Small-space renter: ROOMER. I was thinking of storage units.

4. Sleep disorder: APNEA.

5. Starting: AS OF. May 25, 2018.

6. "Breaking Bad" contraband: METH.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Re0yU2s-Uw8

7. Enthusiastic about: IN TO.

8. Saved: STORED.

9. Greek restaurant: TAVERNA. Greek: ταβέρνα is a small Greek restaurant, similar to a tavern, that serves Greek cuisine. Who does not love tzatziki: yogurt with cucumber and garlic purée, used as a dip?

10. Help badly?: ABET. I think we have seen this before, but it is still cute misdirection.

11. Is made up: CONSISTS. Not fabricated, but fabricated.  Needed an"of."
1. to make by art or skill and labor; construct:
2. to make by assembling parts or sections.
3. to devise or invent (a legend, lie, etc.).
4. to fake; forge (a document, signature, etc.).

12. Vanderbilt domain: EDU. The domain for Vanderbilt University in Tennessee.

13. Where many a drive begins: TEE. Some golf for HG and others.

21. Memorable first name in Olympic gymnastics: OLGA. Ms. Korbut.

22. Vote against: NAY.

26. Arguing: AT IT.

27. Mimic on a perch: MYNA.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpfF1xUqbOE

30. Pen part: NIB.

31. Coach Parseghian: ARA. He won NCAA football titles with Notre Dame; how long will puzzle solvers remember this man? Lou Holtz is already fading.

32. Tribal symbol: TOTEM.

33. Whaling, say: ASEA.

34. Ireland's largest county: CORK. Did n't we have this recently?

36. Tennis legend: ASHE. Arthur appears often on Friday.

37. Lascivious look: LEER. In this modern environment, not a good idea.

38. Binky: PACIFIER. My youngest used to keep one in his mouth and one in each hand.

40. Uganda's Amin: IDI. The last King of Scotland is back.

41. Modeling enthusiast's purchase: KIT. A CSO to past pparticipants?

44. Eventually: SOMEDAY.

46. Picked-up: NEAT.

48. Runway safety org.: FAA.  Federal Aviation Administration.

49. Away: ABSENT.

50. Vintage locale: WINERY. Cute clue, not an old location.

51. Hurry: HASTEN. Hasten Jason...

52. "Hold on": ONE SEC. This is one of those phrases which should be banned, it is never just one second.

58. Advance: LEND. Dad, can I get an advance on my allowance?

59. Court bargaining chip: PLEA. I guess the prosecutor uses the offer of a plea as a bargaining chip.

60. "Darn!": RATS.

61. Otherwise: ELSE.

62. Adage: SAW. Most often seen as "old saw."

63. Ace: PRO.

David Alfred Bywaters

Title- D-lete! D-lightful.

D is for David Alfred Bywaters who removes himself from the theme answers by ejecting the letter "D" from a word in a common phrase. The symmetry with D at the end of three of the fill and at the beginning of the last two is great. The wit of the resulting phrases is also very pleasing. Parsing the D from dejection into d-ejection was also very impressive. Like most of the DAB Friday efforts, there are many short fill, especially here where he has six theme answers. He does offer OIL BASE,  PRESOAK,  SEE HERE  and TROTSKY as long fill. I seldom nitpick but I wish he had not used
ADD at 45 across. If we had AWL (leatherworking tool) crossed by WISC. (Minn. neighbor) and MOLE (Mexican sauce) the only D in the puzzle would have been DEJECTION/DIM. That would have been elegant.

16A. Shakespeare's riverside haunt?: BARD OF AVON(9). Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon District, in the county of Warwickshire, England, on the River Avon, 101 miles (163 km) north-west of London, 22 miles (35 km) south-east of Birmingham, and 8 miles (13 km) south west of Warwick. Wiki.

24A. Snow-day play?: SLUSH FUND (8). I know I never found slush enjoyable to play in.

35A. Essential pig?: KEY BOARD (7). Pig, hog and boar essentially describe the same animal, but there are some distinctions. A boar is an uncastrated male domestic pig, but it also means a wild pig of any gender. A hog often means a domestic pig that weighs more than 120 lbs. (54 kilograms). Pigs are also called swine. Wiki

38A. Biblical voyage serving that probably upset some passengers?: DARK MEAT (7). Myoglobin is the hemoprotein (an oxygen-carrying protein) responsible for giving dark meat its reddish color. The more myoglobin, the darker the meat and the richer the nutrients. Myoglobin provides muscles with the oxygen they need during exercise or movement. Since chickens are flightless birds, they use their legs and thighs to get around, making them darker than the breast or wings. Various. 

47A. Poor wig maintenance?: DRUG ABUSE (8). The funniest of the theme fill, as the picture of someone abusing their toupee, is pretty rib-tickling.

And the reveal- 

59A. Sadness ... or, read another way, what five puzzle answers have in common: D-EJECTION.

Across:

1. IMDb listing: CAST. I like it when a puzzle begins with a hidden anagram.

5. Sylvester and others: CATS.

9. Biblical voyager: NOAH. Did you all like this version?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdu10cX3pWA

13. Put out in the open: AVOW.

14. Predecessors of much email: Abbr.: LTRS.



15. Pasta tubes: PENNE. Penne is the plural form of the Italian penna, deriving from Latin penna (meaning "feather" or "quill"), and is a cognate of the English word pen. Wiki.

18. Spanish wine region: RIOJA. Our own Chairman Moe could explain it; all I have is this LINK.

19. On fire: LIT.

20. Irresistible desire: LUST.

21. Plead to be given: BEG FOR.

22. Overjoys: ELATES. A favorite word of C.C.

26. Need to return the favor to: OWE. To all of our teachers, I think the "to" in the clue is unnecessary.

27. Decks: KAYOS. K. O., informal - knock (someone) to the ground with a punch.

28. Fake: SHAM.

31. Ambitious sort: TYPE A. Type A personality behavior was first described as a potential risk factor for heart disease in the 1950s by cardiologists Meyer Friedman and Ray Rosenman. It is a personality type characterized by ambition, high energy, and competitiveness, and thought to be susceptible to stress and heart disease. Wiki.

32. H.S. course: SCI.

40. Cork's place: Abbr.: IRE. The largest county in Ireland  - LINK. The county is in dark green.

41. "There's no choice for me": I MUST.

43. Takes responsibility for: OWNS. To all of our teachers, I think the "for" in the clue is unnecessary.

44. Shut: CLOSE.

45. Tack on: ADD.

50. Nap: SIESTA.


54. Kind of family: ONE CAR. Oo and I have decided to listen to this ADVICE.

55. World's most cultivated avocado, named for its developer: HASS. The LINK.

57. Roleo surface: LOG. This is the rodeo inspired name for the SPORT of log-rolling.

58. Goes down: SINKS. In the early days of the blog, this would have generated many DF comments.

61. Steps over a fence: STILE. Definition: an arrangement of steps that allows people but not animals to climb over a fence or wall.

62. Line 32 items on 1040 forms: IRAS. A new clue for one of the most common crossword words. I do not have the FORM memorized.

63. Not working: IDLE.

64. "Ah, right": I SEE.

65. Cousteau's milieux: MERS. French for seas.



66. Not as much: LESS.


Down:

1. Internet provider: CABLE.

2. Help: AVAIL.

3. In a way, in a way: SORTA.

4. __-faced: TWO. Worse than a one car family.

5. Sentence component: CLAUSE.

6. Off-road rec equipment: ATVS.

7. Lenin frenemy: TROTSKY. Two weeks in a row - what are the odds?

8. Nine-digit ID: SSN.

9. Horseplay outbursts?: NEIGHS.

10. Switch words: ON/OFF.

11. Pear variety: ANJOU.

12. Basketball Hall of Fame announcer Chick: HEARN.

15. Treat before washing: PRESOAK.

17. Went really fast: FLEW.

21. Seller's need: BUYER. Such a simple concept.

23. Sepulcher: TOMB.

25. Wash against gently: LAP AT. The waves from the ocean here in Pompano Beach are usually quite gentle.

28. __ patrol: SKI.

29. QE2 designation: HER. Spitzboov will remind us why ships are shes.

30. Word of assent: AYE. Aye aye, good juxtaposition.

31. Bridge support: TRUSS. I had this fill less than a month ago on April 22, 2018.

32. Finalize, with "up": SEW.

33. Cylindrical container: CAN.

34. Word often improperly punctuated: ITS.

36. Kind of paint: OIL BASE.

37. Pepé Le Pew's pursuit: AMOUR. Un autre chat comme Sylvester.

39. Fashion: MODE.

42. "Wait a minute!": SEE HERE.

44. Barnyard sound: CACKLE.

45. Gauge: ASSESS.

46. Pancake, for one: DISC.

47. Martini partner: ROSSI. Not a nice Caprese salad, but the vermouth partner.

48. Apartments or condos: UNITS.

49. "Friend Like Me" singer in "Aladdin": GENIE. The late great Robin Williams.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99Op1TaXmCw

51. Arrive at a base, maybe: SLIDE. A baseball reference for C.C.

52. Trade things: TOOLS.

53. Keats' "The Eve of St. __": AGNES. The first stanza of a long poem (the indents are the authors)
St. Agnes' Eve—Ah, bitter chill it was! 
       The owl, for all his feathers, was a-cold; 
       The hare limp'd trembling through the frozen grass, 
       And silent was the flock in woolly fold: 
       Numb were the Beadsman's fingers, while he told 
       His rosary, and while his frosted breath, 
       Like pious incense from a censer old, 
       Seem'd taking flight for heaven, without a death, 
Past the sweet Virgin's picture, while his prayer he saith.

56. Open slightly: AJAR.

59. Badly lit: DIM.

60. Shop __ you drop: TIL.\

C.C. Burnikel

Title: A tall order from C.C.

Not a tall, but A↠ TO↠ LL. Well, we continue adjusting, and I am comforted by the task of unraveling one of our dear leader's creations. I do not get to blog C.C. often, but this puzzle is a perfect example of why C.C. has become an Icon of modern crossword construction. While seeing the great reveal, ATOLL being reparsed as A TO LL was impressive; finding four meaningful phrases that would make sense when the ending "A" in the first word of the phrase was replaced with "LL" was awesome.  The rest of the fill was chock full of sparkle - ARSENAL EDAMAME,  SALT COD,  SPUMONI,  TROTSKY,  VERTIGO, DESOLATE,  GET ANTSY, IDRIS ELBA, and LET ME KNOW. And the cultural references for a non-US born person highlights how much C.C. has incorporated into her mental database. "Nuff said, enjoy.

18A. Spread served in concave pasta?: SHELL BUTTER (11). SHEA Butter has nothing to do with the Mets old ballpark.

32A. Laid-back cats and dogs?: CHILL PETS (9). CHIA pets are hanging in as an absurd gift.

44A. Revealing sweat remover at the poker table?: TELL TOWEL (9). TEA Towel may not be a phrase to which you are familiar; mine are all linen.

59A. What Royal Caribbean reps do?: SELL CRUISES (11). SEA cruises can be distinguished from river cruises.
And the reveal:

53D. Island ring ... or, in three parts, a hint to 18-, 32-, 44- and 59-Across: ATOLL.(5).

Across:

1. Cow, for one: SHE. The old simple misdirection. DUH!

4. Cancel, in a way: ABORT. The space race gave this old word new meaning.

9. Food fight noise: SPLAT.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9hxYG-vWuE

14. "U R 2 funny!": LOL. Textspeak Laugh Out Loud (or Lagh ot lod?).

15. "On the Media" medium: RADIO. A podcast from our friends at NPR.

16. Michelangelo carved it from a single slab of marble: PIETA.  I did not know this fact. I am in...

17. Circus reaction: AWE.

20. Statuette site: NICHE.

22. Sushi bar appetizer: EDAMAME.

23. Start to pace, say: GET ANTSY. This word has followed me recently.

26. Stood: ROSE.

27. Polite address: MA'AM.

28. "We'll Meet Again" host Curry: ANN.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pr5DN-_AOGM

29. Documentarian Burns: KEN. A very prolific and important documentary filmmaker. His body of WORK.

36. Ancient Aegean region: IONIA. You should brush up on this HISTORY.

38. Teased: RODE.

39. Word of welcome: ALOHA.

41. 1993 Literature Nobelist Morrison: TONI.

42. Law school subject: TORTS. One of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe mysteries was solved when Wolfe asked a suspect who was talking about his experience in law school if he had learned drafting torts.

46. Sliding runner: SKI.

47. Sounds of contentment: AHS.

49. Name associated with the Gateway Arch: EERO.  We see this DESIGNER often thanks to the three vowels.

50. Only: SOLE.

52. Like ghost towns: DESOLATE.

56. Hitchcock classic set in San Francisco: VERTIGO. The inspiration for Mel Brooks' High Anxiety. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHhsEYDg8GI

58. Colorful tank addition: TETRA. Sometimes called neon this is  a small tropical freshwater fish that is typically brightly colored. Native to Africa and America, many tetras are popular in aquariums.

62. Move on a lake: OAR. ?

63. Forbidden: TABOO.

64. For fun, with "on": A LARK. Or an old cigarette brand.

65. "Hamilton" creator __-Manuel Miranda: LIN. He is very busy these days.

66. Spiral-horned creature: ELAND.

67. Sinatra standard: MY WAY.
https://vimeo.com/91950808

68. Sgt.'s superiors: LTS.

Down:

1. Urban Dictionary focus: SLANG.

2. Mandel of "Deal or No Deal": HOWIE. A bald germaphobe comedian who has made his mark in reality TV, with this show that once had princess to as a suitcase girl. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R-N5_TKlVI

3. Give a seat to: ELECT.

4. Premier League powerhouse: ARSENAL. the FOOTBALL CLUB.

5. "Humph!": BAH.

6. Celebratory work: ODE.

7. One with an easy life: RILEY. A memory from my early years, this SITCOM was Mr. Bendix' starring role.

8. Spilled the beans: TOLD.

9. Layered ice cream: SPUMONI.

10. Deli pockets: PITAS.

11. "I'll be waiting to hear from you": LET ME KNOW. LMK, a favorite phrase.

12. Suit to __: A TEE.

13. Street cover: TAR.

19. Raised building?: BARN. A New England TRADITION.

21. Play with a ghost: HAMLET. Ah, play WITH, not play with.

24. Taberna tidbit: TAPA. Simple Spanish.

25. Refines, as ore: SMELTS.

28. "Pieces of Me" singer Simpson: ASHLEE. Jessica's sister.

30. Bonn article: EINE.

31. Polish target: NAIL.

32. Older PC screens: CRTS. Cathode Ray Tube.

33. Errant golf shot, usually: HOOK.

34. "Luther" star: IDRIS ELBA.  I know the actor, but not the SERIES.

35. Golf club part: TOE.

37. "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" (1969) star: O'TOOLE. Peter.

40. Taproom array: ALES.

43. Dried fish used in brandade: SALT COD. Not familiar with this DISH or Portuguese cooking in general.

45. October Revolution leader: TROTSKY.

48. Next in line: HEIR.

51. Wrinkle-resistant fabric: ORLON.

52. Lacy table mat: DOILY.

54. Black hair, e.g.: TRAIT.

55. Deserves: EARNS.

56. Saltimbocca meat: VEAL. This is Italian for jumps in the mouth, and you can make it at HOME.

57. Largest of the Mariana Islands: GUAM.

59. Sault __ Marie: STE.

60. Tool with teeth: SAW.

61. Cy Young Award stat: ERA.

David Alfred Bywaters

Title: F-f-f-f-friday!

A little déjà vu as David is back again with an add a letter puzzle. This variation has the letter "F" added to the first word in a two word in the language phrase. We have five themers plus a reveal using 62 squares. This placed my restrictions on the grid, and there was no room for long sparkly fill. But there was quite a bit of humor in theme fill and cluing.  FLAB COAT and FACTION FIGURE  both tickled my Fancy and I did not feel ANTZY, or is it ANTSY?




17A. Origami academy?: FOLD SCHOOL (10). A bit of foreshadowing.

23A. Exhaust from the carnival food tent?: FAIR POLLUTION (13).
You can watch this VIDEO.

32A. Scary beach phenomenon?: FIN SIGHT (8).
You can watch this VIDEO.

41A. Garment tailored to flatter your waist?: FLAB COAT (8). Well, flatter is asking too much. VIDEO.

47A. Divisive politician?: FACTION FIGURE (13). No politics, no link.

59A. Boldness, and a hint to five long puzzle answers: EFFRONTERY (10). I like this reveal. with EFF (the word for the letter F) which is put on the front.

Okay, to work.

Across:

1. Like many superheroes: CAPED. And crusaders. I watched AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR last Friday. No spoilers but we enjoyed the 2 1/2 hours.

6. Paper items: NEWS. I struggled with this at first, trying to think of things made of paper.

10. Rock-blasting equipment: AMPS. I nailed this; all the years on the road paid off.

14. Kind of acid used in food flavoring: AMINO. You like reading, hee is the LINK.

15. Dos x dos x dos: OCHO. Spanish multiplication.

16. Indian garb: SARI. This picture wraps up this garment.

19. Chimney liner: SOOT. How true, and deceptive.

20. Victorian, e.g.: ERA.

21. Erelong: SOON. Before long.

22. Physicist who left Italy in 1938 to protect his Jewish wife: FERMI. The "wife" was a remarkable woman in her own RIGHT.

27. Hand over: CEDE.

28. Small wake maker: OAR. Another simple, but cute clue/fill.

29. Cowboy, at times: ROPER. Mmm.

37. Pitcher with no arms: EWER. The old baseball misdirection. My grandmother had some Roseville.

38. Backbone: SPINE.

40. Forest grazers: DOES. A heteronym.

43. Growing things: FLORA.

44. Quotable boxer: ALI.

45. Story: TALE.


53. Filmmaker born Konigsberg: ALLEN. Better know as Woody. Based on the virulent hatred of this man, I am surprised he is still in puzzles. Is Bill Cosby coming next?

54. Barbarian: OGRE.

55. Nickname derived from "Mortgage Association": MAE. FNMA. GNMA. SLMA.

58. Glasses, in adspeak: SPEX. Not wrong, just meh.

62. Yonder thing: THAT.

63. Hawaiian island: MAUI.

64. She turned Odysseus' crew to swine: CIRCE. The inspiration for Game of Thrones?

65. Antoinette preposition: SANS. We had this "without" this week.

66. Highland hats: TAMS. This would fit in the hat puzzle.

67. Toys on strings: YOYOS. I go up and down on this toy.


Down:

1. Tea and cake purveyor: CAFE.

2. Deity with a bow: AMOR. The same number of letters as EROS.

3. Rice dish: PILAF. Stir in onion and cook until onion becomes translucent, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Mix in the rice and chicken broth. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, and the liquid has been absorbed 20 to 25 minutes.

4. Finish: END.

5. Set of related documents: DOSSIER. This is late 19th century: from French, denoting a bundle of papers with a label on the back, from dos ‘back,’ based on Latin dorsum.

6. Optimism opposite: NO HOPE.

7. Prefix suggesting affordability: ECONO.

8. Journalist's question: WHO.

9. Fa-la link: SOL.

10. Factory equipment, e.g.: ASSET.

11. "The Piano" extra: MAORI.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdhCBuHgfWQ

12. Publicity video: PROMO.

13. Peaceful protest: SIT IN. My brothers and I were in graduate school in Storrs for the EVENTS depicted here. But we never considered a 47D. Some protests: FASTS.

18. Electrical supply: CORD.

22. Symbols of wealth: FURS.

24. Bitter: ACERB. I like acerbic better.

25. Meat cut: LOIN. Pork loin is a cut of meat from a pig, created from the tissue along the dorsal side of the rib cage.

26. Exit __: LANE.

29. Penalty caller: REF.

30. Talkative "Winnie the Pooh" character: OWL. Like Rabbit, he was not a stuffed animal that was brought t life, just a character created by Milne. He has been voiced by Craig Ferguson (Winnie the Pooh); Hal Smith (The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh); Jack Warden (Alice in Wonderland) and Andre Stojka (The Tigger Movie)

31. Edible sphere: PEA.

32. Able: FIT.

33. Lazybones: IDLER.

34. Unappealing viscous material: GOO.

35. The Beatles' "I Saw __ Standing There": HER.

36. Org. using wands: TSA. Transportation Security Administration. And, 60D. Airport org.: FAA. Federal Aviation Administration.

38. Aria, usually: SOLO.

39. Royal annoyance?: PAIN. Rhymes with...

42. Biblical brother: CAIN.

43. Orator's skill: FLUENCY.

45. Fertile Crescent waterway: TIGRIS.

46. Farming prefix: AGRO. Sounds like 56D. With the bow, on a score: ARCO. A musical score; usually used as a direction in music for players of stringed instruments.

48. Top dog: ALPHA.

49. Unarmed, to a cop: CLEAN.

50. Modern messages: TEXTS.

51. End of a giant sequence: FO FUM. Fee fi

52. Nail-filing abrasive: EMERY. I am board with this clue/fill. It rubs me the wrong way.

57. Watchers: EYES.

59. Life-saving pro: EMT. Emergency Medical Technician.

61. Spanish uncle: TIO. My grandchildren have learned some Spanish, and call some of their uncles Tio.

I found this a fairly fast finish. I hope you enjoyed it and welcome to May. Lemonade out.

David Alfred Bywaters

Title: Pre-fab puzzle. Did you all grow up hearing about pre-fab houses? LINK.

DAB seems to have slid into JW's every other Friday place here at the Corner. He also uses add letter(s) with today being the 'PRE' trigram. None of the themers jump out (for me) but they are consistent and Friday hard. All of David's LAT publications are Fridays, and eh obviously is on Rich's wavelength; how about you all? He has some nice sparkle with ALCOVES, ANIMATE, CLERICS, SAVANTS, DINETTES,  POINTS TO,  SPECTERS and TEN CENTS.

The theme -

17A. Bishop in bed?: SLEEPING PRELATE (15). Prelate which is defined as a bishop or other high ecclesiastical dignitary might be tricky for some.

24A. "I happen to have a deck of cards right here"?: POKER PREFACE (12). The poker is random, but the alliteration is fun.

40A. Fake lawyer?: BAR PRETENDER (12). A little technical, and a little different as it splits a single word apart.
And the reveal-
52A. Software service provided by hardware sellers ... and a hint to three long puzzle answers: PREINSTALLATION.

The rest-

Across:

1. Short shots?: PICS. A nice way to clue an abbreviation that has become a word.

5. Toque wearer: CHEF.

9. Tenth of a grand: C-SPOT. Grand is also represented by a G-Note. 1/10 of $1,000.00

14. "Quickly!": ASAP. These days said A sap.

15. Quasimodo's creator: HUGO. Victor to his friends.

16. Conifer with durable wood: LARCH. This is a coniferous tree with bunches of deciduous bright green needles, found in cool regions of the northern hemisphere. It is grown for its tough timber and its resin (which yields turpentine).

20. Mid-'70s cost to mail a typical letter: TEN CENTS. Very random, and I would have preferred something else. That is just my ten cents worth. (inflation!)

21. Wears down: ERODES.

22. Veracious: TRUE. Not Voracious. This one is a cousin of veracity.

23. Enliven: ANIMATE.

28. "__ Rose Has Its Thorn": Poison hit: EVERY. The STORY of this Glamrock hit.

29. Bashes: RAMS.

30. "So there!": HAH.

33. Focusing aid: LENS.

34. "Under the Redwoods" author: HARTE. Bret Harte died in 1902 but was quite well received. READ the book for free.

36. Valley: DALE.

37. "Good Behavior" broadcaster: TNT. This SERIES was a serious departure for Michelle Dockery. She was not a nice girl.

38. High spot on a farm: SILO.

39. Radio station, e.g.: AIRER.

43. Nooks: ALCOVES.

46. Get behind, with "for": VOTE.

47. Immature insects: LARVAE. Shout out for John Lampkin.


48. Indicates: POINTS TO.

54. Lacks: HASN'T.

55. Bad thing to take in a ring: DIVE. Before ROCKY there was BATTLING JACK MURDOCH.

56. Rim: EDGE.

57. Beasts of burden: ASSES.

58. Gravity-propelled toy: SLED. More sledding this week, but maybe the snow is finally over.

59. Seven __: SEAS.


Down:

1. Historian's field: PAST.

2. Archipelago piece: ISLE. In case you did not know it is a sea or stretch of water containing many islands.

3. Normandy city: CAEN. Caen is known for its historical buildings built during the reign of William the Conqueror, who was buried there, and for the Battle for Caen—heavy fighting that took place in and around Caen during the Battle of Normandy in 1944, destroying much of the city. The city has now preserved the memory by erecting a memorial and a museum dedicated to peace, the Memorial de Caen. Wiki.

4. Ghosts: SPECTERS.

5. Calisthenic exercise: CHIN UP. Different from a PULLUP. Pull-ups, done with both hands in an overhand (or prone) grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, prove to be the most difficult of the pair. The wide grip isolates your lats, taking away much of the emphasis from the biceps. The underhand alternative—chinups—receives high praise as both a bicep- and back-builder.

6. Fox pursuer: HUNTER. This juxtaposition makes this next one harder.

7. What some poachers poach: EGGS. Tricky, not someone hunting or fishing where he is not permitted, just cooking.

8. Metrosexual: FOP. I guess as a fop is a man who is concerned with his clothes and appearance in an affected and excessive way; a dandy.

9. Priests, e.g.: CLERICS.

10. Biblical dancer: SALOME.

11. Milan-based fashion house: PRADA.

12. Work for a chamber group: OCTET.

13. What we have here: THESE.

18. Matthew who led a 19th-century expedition to Japan: PERRY. Matthew C. Perry, not to be confused with Matthew L. Perry, became quite famous in his own RIGHT. However,  look at some of his famous relatives, may compel to sign up for Ancestry.com. LINK.

19. Alter, in a way, as a file: RENAME. I do this everytime I download a scan.

23. "__ lot of good that'll do you": A FAT. I bet you want to know its ORIGIN.

24. Bombard: PELT.

25. Roasting site: OVEN.

26. Canterbury's county: KENT. Kent is a county in southeastern England. In the city of Canterbury, Canterbury Cathedral has a 1,400-year history, and features a Romanesque crypt and medieval stained glass.

27. Mistake: ERROR.

30. Word with cash or candy: HARD. Hard money is very important in all real estate transactions.

31. Away from the wind: ALEE.

32. German title: HERR.

34. Staff expanders: HIREES.

35. Multinational range: ALPS.

36. Sets for some 43-Across: DINETTES.

38. Learned experts: SAVANTS.

39. Company name inspired by a volcano: AETNA.

40. Like oxen: BOVINE.

41. Gradually develop: EVOLVE.

42. Labored: TOILED.

43. Highest-ranking: ALPHA.

44. "__ Theme": "Doctor Zhivago" melody: LARAS. They were a beautiful couple.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXtFRl1nSs4

45. Salad green: CRESS. Not watercress, but a plant of the cabbage family, typically having small white flowers and pungent leaves. Some kinds are edible and are eaten raw in a salad.  Garden cress is genetically related to watercress and mustard, sharing their peppery, tangy flavor and aroma.

48. Gardening aid: PAIL.

49. Aspect: SIDE.

50. Roman robe: TOGA.

51. Small tip components: ONES.

53. NFL stat: TDS.

Mike McHugh

Title: Quick turn around!

Another 2018 debut puzzle, the first solo on a Friday this year, though Priscilla Clark did a collaboration here with Jeff Chen. We have had a spate of going in the wrong direction, and this time it was a simple turn the first word around, with a simple reveal if you needed it. For a newbie, the non-theme fill had some real sparkle. We are given ANEMONE, CAKE MIX, ISOTOPE, ITALIANO, OH DEAR ME, SLED RIDE and VINEYARD- fun!

17A. *Pay back: PRATTLE ON(9). PAY <----><----> <---->YAP. The clue backward is YAP, hence the fill. 

28A. *Step back: DOMESTIC ANIMALS (15). STEP  <----> <----> <----> PETS.

48A. *Snap back: GIVESABADREVIEW(15). SNAP <----><----> <---->PANS.
The reveal-
64A. One way to drive ... and what the last word of each starred clue really means: IN REVERSE (9).


Across:

1. Place for a guard: SHIN. I thought this was a clever way to begin.

5. American sports org.: USOC. United States Olympic Committee.

9. Walk or wind preceder: CROSS. Walk, wind and word!

14. Suffix for the wealthy: AIRE. As in Billion-

15. Actor who's played a doctor and senator on TV: ALDA. Alan- he played Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce in M*A*S*H and Senator Vinick in The West Wing. They were not similar characters. LINK.

16. What captions can capture: AUDIO. I love the alliteration, even though it is not accurate.

19. Pay homage, in a way: KNEEL. A very im[portant way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUSaWc_aFdo

20. Basil sauce: PESTO. Don't use Thai basil.
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed (can sub half the basil leaves with baby spinach)
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan-Reggiano cheese (about 2 ounces)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts (can sub chopped walnuts)
3 garlic cloves, minced (about 3 teaspoons)
1/4 teaspoon salt, more to taste
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste

21. Teed off: DROVE. Not angry, well-done misdirection.

23. __ Fridays: TGI.

24. Hideout: LAIR.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAl7Df_e0EY

26. Like some sale quantities: LIMITED.

32. She played Mia in "Pulp Fiction": UMA.

33. "I did it!": TADA. A solvers' best friend.

34. Prefix with thermal: EXO.

35. "Puss in Boots" baddie: OGRE. Am not much of a fan of the story or the movie, but OGRE is always a good answer.

37. Brown in a Croce title: LEROY.
"And it's bad, bad Leroy Brown
The baddest man in the whole damned town
Badder than old King Kong
And meaner than a junkyard dog"

39. Houston suburb named for initials from the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad: KATY. We have a  CSO to D-O; I did not know the name was derived from the MKT Railroad Company and was commonly referred to as "the K-T," which was also its stock exchange symbol.

43. 2018 Super Bowl designation: LII.

45. Compared with: THAN.

47. Tilling tool: HOE.

53. Buttercup family member: ANEMONE.  Gardening TIPS.

54. Beat at the buzzer: EDGE.

55. Benching units: Abbr.: LBS. Bench pressing.

56. Big name in little trucks: TONKA.

58. Many a UAE resident: EXPAT. Is this true?

62. Chain with a dog-and-cat logo: PETCO.

66. Really dug: ATE UP.

67. Command to Rover: COME. Sit, Roll Over!

68. Mindless repetition: ROTE.

69. Gumbo server: LADLE.

70. Govt. branch: EXEC.

71. PR firm's forte: SPIN.


Down:

1. '90s-'00s NFL Pro Bowler Warren: SAPP. His STATS.

2. Take on: HIRE.

3. Accts. funded annually, perhaps: IRAS.

4. Prickly plant: NETTLE.

5. Chi.-based flier: UAL.

6. Downhill excursion: SLEDRIDE. It is one of the only things I ever missed from childhood.

7. Bleach feature: ODOR.

8. Rapeseed oil: CANOLA. Oh, that explains it all.

9. Baking convenience: CAKE MIX.

10. Winning streak: RUN.

11. 2003 self-titled folk album: ODETTA. The VOICE of the Civil Rights movement.

12. Superman co-creator Jerry: SIEGEL.

13. Cones and cubes: SOLIDS.

18. Doomed, slangily: TOAST.

22. Resort near Cape Cod, with "the": VINEYARD. Reason to visit New England include these ISLANDS.

25. Napoli native: ITALIANO.

27. "It's just a scratch": I'M OK.

28. Outkast, for one: DUO.

29. Texter's "Shocking!": OMG.

30. Damage: MAR.

31. Magna __: CARTA. Magna Carta Libertatum was so much more than most REMEMBER.

36. I, O or U: ELEM. Iodine (53) - Oxygen (8) - Uranium (92). Nice misdirection.

38. "My goodness!": OH DEAR ME.

40. Rarely served fish?: AHI.  Ahi tuna is usually served uncooked.

41. Low digit: TOE.

42. Archery wood: YEW.


44. Uranium-238, e.g.: ISOTOPE. Defined as each of two or more forms of the same element that contain equal numbers of protons but different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei, and hence differ in relative atomic mass but not in chemical properties; in particular, a radioactive form of an element.

46. Beersheba's locale: NEGEV. Beersheba, also spelled Beer-Sheva, is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel

48. Female bud: GALPAL.

49. Still being tested, as software: IN BETA. You can learn it all makes SENSE.

50. __ interest: VESTED.

51. "Mind your manners": BE NICE. Or you will end up as one of the ...

52. Irritations: VEXERS.

57. Polk's middle name: KNOX. James Knox Polk was an American politician who served as the 11th President of the United States. He previously was Speaker of the House of Representatives and Governor of Tennessee.

59. Support, with "up": PROP.

60. Product of white Muscat grapes: ASTI. Asti (also known as Asti Spumante) is a sparkling white Italian wine that is produced throughout southeastern Piedmont but is particularly focused in the towns of Asti and Alba. Made from the Moscato Bianco grape, it is sweet and low in alcohol and often served with dessert.

61. New driver, usually: TEEN.

63. __-de-sac: CUL.

65. Continental trade gp.: EEC. The European Economic Community was created in 1957 by the Treaty of Rome, which was signed by Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and West Germany.