Jeffrey Wechsler

Theme: A Jeffrey Jumble tribute to Owen and Moe.

Adhering to the strict interpretation, we have a word jumble (not an anagram) puzzle that features 63 theme squares including the reveal and a grid spanner in the middle. To make this all work, there is the unusual use of six cheater squares, three in the NW and three in the SE. There are many 3 and 4 letter fill and an overall difficulty that did not seem like a Friday. As usual with JW there were lots of sparkly fill CREDOS, FRERES, KIMMEL, PLINTH, BASE TEN, EACH ONE, GEOLOGY, MC ENROE, REELS IN, ARISTOCRACY, YOU ARE WRONG and a reveal which is very revealing and amusing. As I have said before, the joy in this type of puzzle comes from the phrasing of the reveal and I really enjoyed the image of the letters from Poetry moving about. Anyway, it is time we move about the puzzle.

16A. Formal dissent : MINORITY REPORT (14). Also a movie with TOM CRUISE. Now a TV pilot that ran this SUMMER.

22A. Lead role in many a Western : STEREOTYPE (10). White hat, ruggedly handsome.

37A. Independence Day VIPs : PYROTECHNICIANS (15). They make our fireworks work.

50A. Vegan diet component : SOY PROTEIN (10). They get their protein where they can.

58A. Metaphor for ballet ... or what this puzzle's circles literally contain : POETRY IN MOTION (14).

Across

1. "It came without ribbons. It came without __": The Grinch : TAGS. We start with Dr. Seuss.

5. Glutton : PIG. Hog also fits.

8. Be at loggerheads : CLASH. Hmmm. A HUM .

13. Layered snack : OREO. How many  clues are there for this American classic cookie?

14. Sch. with residence halls named Acadian and Beauregard : LSU. A CSO to Louisiana solvers.

15. Crystal __ : RADIO. We have had this clue/fill before and it brought back memories for some of you. Bill G.?

19. Decimal system foundation : BASE TEN. I will defer to our math mavens.

20. Educator LeShan : EDA.

21. Fig. in TV's "Suits" : ATT. This abbreviation for attorney....as foolish as the premise of the show.

28. Cheap sauce : HOOCH. Interesting HISTORY .

31. Transports : HAULS.

32. Appreciative cry : OLE.

33. Rocky prominence : CRAG.

35. Org. of former Soviet republics : CIS. Is this still operational? LINK . Commonwealth of Independent States.

36. Paired : DUAL. Carburetors?

41. It's found in bars : SOAP. I guess Jeffrey was cleaning up his CLUING to be g-rated.

42. "I see what's going on!" : O HO. Not safe to yell on street corners?

43. In the area : NEAR.

44. Obedience trials org. : AKC. American Kennel Club.

45. __ steak : FLANK.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ledh9bMpnko

47. Dropped off : SLEPT.

53. "Quadrophenia" group, with "The" : WHO.
XXXXXXXXXXX

54. Med. recording : EEG. ElectroEncephaloGram.

55. Four-time US Open winner : MC ENROE. The other US Open. John has established a healthy career making fun of his own antics in commercials. The HBO documentary about him and Borg was great.

63. Word on a menu : CARTE. A la.

64. One rarely without a comb? : BEE. Honeycomb humor.

65. Klein of fashion : ANNE.

66. Stopovers : STAYS.

67. Ware lead-in : MAL. All you windows users know this term.

68. Long-term appeal : LEGS. Splynter are you out there?

Down

1. Burger go-with : TOMATO. Not my first thought.

2. Reign of Terror victims : ARISTOCRACY. The French revolution was so bloody. LINK.

3. Biological determinant : GENE.

4. Laundry woe at the Claus home? : SOOT. All those damn chimneys!

5. Public monument support : PLINTH. A really cool word.

6. Real ending? : IST. Ity, ism?

7. Dude : GUY. My wife says, man-guy.

8. Words to live by : CREDOS. From the Latin to believe.

9. Gently massage, wave-style : LAP AT. The waves lap at the shore?

10. Big deal : ADO.

11. Title for Edward Elgar : SIR. The prolific composer of pomp and circumstance music.

12. Popular : HOT.

17. __ judicata: decided case : RES. Literally the thing adjudicated.

18. Catches : REELS IN.

19. "What nonsense!" : BAH.

23. All : EACH ONE. Do not get this one. Each and every?

24. Archaeological site : RUIN. Not necessarily.

25. "What nonsense!" : YOU ARE WRONG. Nice.

26. Work out the details : PLAN.

27. Unadon fillets : EELS. For C.C.?

29. Corn, for example : CROP. So vague needed perps.

30. One may be passed : HAT. So vague needed perps. Once unearthed I enjoyed it.

34. Rocky field? : GEOLOGY.

36. Ivory alternative : DIAL. Soap not Jade.

37. Spots for Smokey: Abbr. : PSAS. Public Service Announcements.

38. Mother of Sean : YOKO. Not sure why this came immediately, there are many Seans.

39. Shoot the breeze : CHAT. Cat in French.

40. These, to Thérèse : CES. French.

45. Monastère members : FRERES. Our French lesson continues.

46. Late-night host since 2003 : KIMMEL. Wow, time flies, I still remember him from Ben Stein' s show.

48. Obsolescent public conveniences : PHONES. I know people who invested heavily in pay phones in the 70s.

49. Word with dance or shoe : TOE. Another stumper.

51. Small-minded : PETTY. Not Tom.

52. Sgt., e.g. : NCO. Non Commissioned Officer

56. List substitute : ETAL.

57. Diamond complement : NINE.

58. See 61-Down : PCS. Personal Computers.

59. Bit in a horse's mouth? : OAT. Tricky.

60. Baseball stat : ERA. Earned Run Average.

61. Longtime maker of 58-Down : IBM. International Business Machine. Sold the business to Lenovo in 2005.

62. Org. supporting exhibitions : NEA. National Education Association.

No naticks, and a great reveal; hope you all unraveled this one. See you in September. Lemonade out.

Mark McClain

Theme: Is this the Gamblers Anonymous meeting? I bet it isn't! How much?

GA, which is better known as the two letter abbreviation for Georgia is added into three thirteen letter phrases to create a new and whimsically clued phrase for which another 15 letter reveal is presented. . With four grid spanning answers, Mark needed lots of short fill to make the grid work, primarily using four letter words, but not THE four letter words. This is the third of Mark's LAT publications that I have had the pleasure of blogging and so far the easiest. The sparkly 6 letter fill came easily and while the gimmick hid for a while, once you see the added letters the long ones were done. This made the rest of the solve go quickly. I enjoyed seeing AMORAL,  BORING,  DADDY-O,  EPONYM,  MITTEN,  RICOHS in the grid. There were some Friday clues/fill and some use of cheater squares to make it all fit. My unknown was COTE, which comes from the same strain as COTTAGE and the vaguely recalled CAEN and LALO. Well let's look it over.

17A. Missed the bird's nest under the eaves? : FLEW INTO A GARAGE (14). I try not to rage.

26A. Red army unit? : BLUSHING BRIGADE (15). Do brides blush anymore?

44A. Druid baker's recipe? : PAGAN CAKE BATTER (15). Since I knew Druids were pagans, and pancake batter popped out, this is where I got the theme.

57A. Carmichael/Gorrell classic, and a hint to this puzzle's theme : GEORGIA ON MY MIND (15). my favorite version. LINK.

Across:

1. Goof : SLIP. Betwixt the cup and the lip.

5. Barnyard cries : MAAS. I think of this defunct retailer.

9. Cook, in a way : BOIL.

13. Scheduled 2022 FIFA World Cup host : QATAR. More scandal there.

15. "As Time Goes By" requester : ILSA.

16. Procter & Gamble cosmetics brand : OLAY.

20. Toon cat : TOM.

21. Farm shelter : COTE.

22. Records, nowadays : TIVOS.

23. Study intently, with "over" : PORE.

24. City SW of Le Havre : CAEN.

33. Thirsts : LUSTS.

34. Bit attachment : REIN.

35. Luau dish : POI.

36. Here, in 24-Across : ICI.

37. Barber's "Vanessa," for one : OPERA.

39. Throw in : ADD.

40. Time meas. : MIN.

41. Drive : URGE.

42. Musical lament : DIRGE

48. Future execs, perhaps : MBAS.

49. They're full of beans : PODS.

50. It was removed from the Dow 30 the same year Nike was added : ALCOA.

53. Protective cover : HOOD.

54. Court : WOO

61. Nike competitor : AVIA.

62. Art medium : CLAY.

63. Shred : OUNCE.

64. Tiny stream : RILL.

65. Damage : HARM.

66. Hits the road : GOES.

Down:

1. Real estate ad no. : SQFT.  SQuare FeeT. Any Q without a U is tricky.

2. "Symphonie espagnole" composer : LALO. Compose yourself then read. LINK.

3. Couple in the news : ITEM. Another celebrity and a nanny?

4. Dog's dog : PAW. Do young people remember feet are called  dogs, and the old 'my dogs are barking complaint? Is it true they name Hush Puppies because of that?

5. Winter warmer : MITTEN.
When I was first smitten
With a perfect white mitten
It wasn't my true love
With her leather glove
But a purrfect little kitten.

6. Natural soother : ALOE.

7. "__ rule ..." : AS A.  Was it Groucho who said, " As a rule I do not smoke.  As a habit I do."

8. Subside : SAG.

9. Likely to elicit a nod? : BORING.

10. Norwegian saint : OLAV.

11. "It is the green-eyed monster ..." speaker : IAGO.
12. Strong cleaners : LYES.

14. Some copiers : RICOHS.

18. "Me neither" : NOR I.

19. Canceled a reservation, maybe : ATE IN.

23. Ore. setting : PST. Pacific Standard Time.

24. Speaker of words like alpha and bravo : CBER. Semi clecho: 29D. Like alpha, but not bravo : GREEK.

25. It's frequently in Italian : ARIA.

26. Aerial view provider : BLIMP.

27. Saint __: Caribbean island nation : LUCIA.

28. Via : USING. I go to work by I-95.

30. Split : APART. Ben-Jen.

31. Sidestep : DODGE. Impossible to not get into politics with this fill.

32. Where to get down : EIDER. My favorite clue, as the misdirection really works. My mindwent to this SONG (3:03)with the rare female lead guitar.

37. Ocean predator : ORCA.
38. Two of Rory McIlroy's major wins, familiarly : PGAS. A record breaking  performance last week by Jason Day and Jordan Speith knocked Rory out of world number 1.

41. Put away, as groceries : UNBAG.

42. Beat address : DADDY-O. I think of Maynard G. Krebs but see
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehtEFCuBD_8

43. "__ a trick!" : IT'S.

45. Unscrupulous : AMORAL.

46. Sousaphone, for one : EPONYM. The instrument is names after the inventor.

47. Loud noise : BOOM.

50. Food thickener : AGAR, Cool to this so soon on its own again.

51. Son of Jacob : LEVI. One of 12 sons, Reuben · Simeon · Levi · Judah · Dan · Naphtali · Gad · Asher · Issachar · Zebulun · Joseph · Benjamin.

52. Stamp purchase : COIL. The hardest clue for an easy fill.

53. Icy coating : HOAR. This and rime must be known.

54. Lush : WINO.
55. "The Sea of Faith / Was __, too, at the full ... ": "Dover Beach" : ONCE. All perps.

56. Laudatory verses : ODES.

58. Berlin pronoun : ICH. Wer ist da? — Ich bins! Who's there? — It's me!

59. In the fashion of : À LA.  A little French.

60. Actor's exaggeration : MUG. For the camera dear...

Jeffrey Wechsler

Theme: Annie where are you?

Well we have Jeffrey back on Friday with a very visual puzzle that
Across:

1. Game piece : TILE. Especially if you play Scrabble.

5. Place for oysters : BED. Cute misdirection. So much I did not KNOW.

8. Perch, at times : LIMB.

12. Beef __: dish sometimes made with Guinness : INALE
14. Enzyme suffix : ASE
15. Social __ : MEDIA
16. Narrow landforms : NECKS
17. Record number, briefly : RPM
18. Hides : SKINS
19. Higher ed challenge : GRE
20. Aromatic : ODOROUS
23. Hägar creator Browne : DIK
24. Emperor before Vitellius : OTHO
26. Yards, e.g. : UNITS
27. Rude look : OGLE
28. "Runaround Sue" singer : DION
29. Path lead-in : OSTEO
30. Pace maker? : FOOT
31. Setting for a Tony-winning Miller play : SALEM
33. Cheers : ROOTS
34. Classic comics catchphrase ... and a hint to four sets of puzzle circles : LEAPINLIZARDS
40. Patronizes, as a hotel : STAYSAT
41. Hold on a diner order : OMIT
45. Common sense : SMELL
46. What Barry White often sings? : BASS
50. Cosmic clouds : NEBULAE
52. Slithery : EELLIKE
54. Fireplace wood : BEECH
55. Relief provider : OASIS
56. South American desert : ATACAMA
59. Like some landscape paintings : MOONLIT
61. Plucked Japanese instrument : SAMISEN
62. Bleepworthy : OBSCENE
63. Sci-fi staples : ETS
64. Calculate, in a way : ADD
65. See 35-Down : TIE
66. U.S. Army E-5 : SGT

Down:


1. Self-important authoritarians : TINGODS
2. __ navigation: aerospace guidance system : INERTIAL
3. Wingtip feature : LACEHOLE
4. Rockies grazer : ELK
5. Some nobility : BARONS
6. Lively wit : ESPRIT
7. Punish for a military rules violation, perhaps : DEMOTE
8. Albanian coin : LEK
9. "Yay, me!" : IDIDGOOD
10. Small currency-market trading quantities : MINILOTS
11. Navajo craftwork products : BASKETS
13. That, in Madrid : ESO
15. Rejects, usually: Abbr. : MSS
21. Laurel and Hardy, e.g. : DUO
22. 1941 FDR creation : USO
25. Selective Service status : ONEA
27. "__ a Thousand Tongues to Sing": Christian hymn : OFOR
32. USMC enforcers : MPS
33. Singer? : RAT
35. With 65-Across, soccer game cry : ITSA
36. Word before or after brand : NAME
37. Corrosive material : LYE
38. Key : ISLE
39. Big name in jewelry : ZALE
41. Distracting the pitcher, maybe : ONBASE
42. Use for a rendezvous : MEETAT
43. Steel girders : IBEAMS
44. Stanley who plays Flickerman in "The Hunger Games" : TUCCI
46. Sommelière's suggestion : BLANC
47. Theatrical features : AISLES
48. It may be freestyle : SKIING
49. Sonnet part : SESTET
51. Tibet University city : LHASA
53. Free : LOOSE
57. Rx spec : MED
58. Furthermore : AND
59. Nice word : MOT
60. Geisha's band : OBIT

Bruce Haight

Theme: The Key is on the Board

Three theme fill are common phrases with the first word replaced with the abbreviation for the word which appears on a standard computer keyboard. Does Apple had the same keys? Nope Option key.... Apple in 10 days. If only Bruce had worked in CAPS LOCK he would have managed all the abbreviations on the standard keyboard (ignoring stuff like NUM LOCK, PG DN on the little part). I did Bruce's first LAT, which had no E's as well as a Latin Pun one, so this one seemed easy in comparison. My only stumbling block was the mental meltdown that left me grasping for AFTA, which was my last fill, coming from 'FRAID SO. Speaking of which, it was the seven letter fill, much of which was fun, that opened up the grid for me. ALABAMA,  ESTRADA, LA LAKER,  OIL HEAT,  OTHELLO,  PIG IRON, PRY OPEN,  SLED DOG,  TEAPOTS,  WHAT THE,  WIN BACK gave me footholds in each region.


17A. DVD extras, perhaps : ALTernate ENDINGS (10). Don't you wonder about a movie that has different endings filmed; make up your mind!

29A. Ones getting away often : ESCape ARTISTS (10). Is there artistry in escaping?

45A. Hardly team players : ConTRoL FREAKS (10).

58A. Place to see part of 17-, 29- and 45-Across : Personal Computer KEYBOARD (10).


Across:

1. Lamentations : WOES. Sounds religious. 50D. Sound of lament : SOB.  Safer than using the initialism.

5. Handle indelicately : PAW AT. I am sure the cats and dogs of the world would disagree; CED link away (manac where are you?).

10. Mennen skin product : AFTA. I do not use shaving products anymore.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odher0xBlXE

14. That ol' boy's : HIS'N. With my wife's family from Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee this was a gimme.

15. PABA part : AMINO. para-aminobenzoic acid, a nayural ingredient in sunscreen no longer in favor.

16. Ready : PREP.

19. Allen contemporary : PAAR. Jack Paar replace Steve Allen on the Tonight Show when I was quite young and we had no television.

20. Court long shots : THREES. Three point shots in basketball; the most famous in Miami history...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr6XsZVb-ZE  made by a UConn graduate!

21. Order : BOSS. I expect "around" to be around.

23. SEC concern : IPO. Initial Public Offering.

24. Wrenches : TEARS. I expect "from" to be around.

25. Wave catcher? : EAR. Sound waves; very tricky.

26. Aftermarket item : ADD ON.

28. "I've been __!" : HAD. A mini-theme? 33A. "Don't __" : ASK. And...48A. "What a kidder!" : OH YOU. 1D. "Huh?" : WHAT THE....or wtf in textspeak. 11D. "Hate to be the one to tell ya" : 'FRAID SO.

31. Letters from Greece : ETAS.

34. Jam ingredients? : AUTOS. Verry tricky; traffic jam.

35. "Women and Love" author Shere : HITE.

37. Nurses at a bar : SIPS. Not your pick up target....

38. Hold forth : OPINE.

40. Shaver : LAD. Are you familiar with the 'little shaver?' 47A. Rap name adjective : LIL. Wayne?

41. Blathers : YAPS.

49. Some tees : XLS. Extra Large.

50. Old West transport : STAGE Coach. We too a ride in one at Old Sturbidge Village while up north in June? Any of our other New Englanders made that ride?

52. Modernist's prefix : NEO.

53. Bracketology org. : NCAA. The guess ing rating the college basketball teams for March Madness.

55. More than gloomy : MORBID.

56. Yodeler's range? : ALPS. Not hsi/her vocal range but the mountain range.

60. Parts of Polynésie française : ILES. The islands in Polynesia.

61. Alamogordo event : A-TEST. Not sure why I get so many references to the bomb testing.

62. 19th-century novel with the chapter "How They Dress in Tahiti" : OMOO. Memo to self: Avoid Moby Dick comments!!

63. Novelist Jaffe : RONA. Many of her BOOKS became movies.

64. Fergie's given name : SARAH. This took a very long time because I thought of HER not HER.

65. Twinge : PANG. Jealousy?

Down:

2. Alternative to gas : OIL HEAT. We had an oil burnng furnace in our home when I was growing up. We were shocked one winter in Fort Lauderdale to learn our office building had NO heating system at all.

3. "CHiPs" actor : ESTRADA. Poor larry Wilcox gets no love.

4. Unpleasant look : SNEER. Nobody did better than Snidely.

5. Inflates improperly : PADS. More deception; the expense account not Tom Brady's footballs.

6. Cherbourg chum : AMI. Just french.

7. Recover : WIN BACK. Often the goal at a casino.

8. Wool variety : ANGORA. Do not get your rabbits and goats confused. READ.

9. Evict : TOSS.

10. Kindle download : APP. This was so easy I had trouble with it.

12. Brewing vessels : TEA POTS. Too much beer in my life, another easy one gone wrong.

13. They have strings attached : APRONS. Cute.

18. Super __: game console : NES. I loved playing Mario with my sons.

22. Suddenly became interested : SAT UP. And took notice.

25. Latin being : ESSE. From when we get essence.

27. Like a flibbertigibbet : DITSY.
Gracie Tells a Story

29. Peter, pumpkinwise : EATER. Talk about your weird poetry; luckily we have owen and Moe.
Peter, Peter, pumpkin-eater
Had a wife, and couldn't keep her.
He put her in a pumpkin shell,
And there he kept her very well.

30. Invades : RAIDS.
32. Imaginary playmate in a Neil Diamond title : SHILO.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98mxTslGjbs

36. For kicks : IN FUN.

37. Upscale retail chain : SAKS. Fifth Avenue.

38. "Then must you speak / Of one that loved not wisely but too well" speaker : OTHELLO. Love Shakespeare, feel bad for foolish Othello.

39. Jimmy : PRY OPEN.

40. Shaq, for eight seasons : LA LAKER. Now he and george Foreman are competing for the most commercials.

42. First state, in a way : ALABAMA. Alphabetically.

43. Smelting intermediary : PIG IRON. Did you know this HISTORY?

44. Iditarod sight : SLED DOG.

45. 1997 Nicolas Cage thriller : CONAIR.
Trailer
xxxxx
46. Handicapper's option : EXACTA. Along with the Trifecta and the Pick 6, favorites of the gamblers. You pick the horse that finish 1/2, in order.

51. Company : TROOP. Still my favorite.
xxxx
54. Frequent e-Filers : CPAS.

55. Bit of lore : MYTH.

57. Org. issuing nine-digit numbers : SSA. Social Security Administration.

59. That, in Spain : ESA. how perfect a place to finish. I enjoyed this immensely. Thanks Bruce and for the rest of you Lemonade out.

Kurt Krauss

Theme: NESW? I am lost where do I go? It does not matter any direction will do, they all lead to home.

There are four pairs of theme answers along with the grid spanning 'hint'  40A. Like the answers to eight starred clues ... and a hint as to how to fill them in : OMNIDIRECTIONAL (15). The gimmick is you must read the fill in the direction of the of the words themselves. 93 theme letters is a big challenge so you can expect many short fill but we do get ANOMALY,  CITADEL,  COOLERS,  LABORED, UNRESERVED  and the complete ET TU BRUTE. Of course as is often the case on Friday, many will not like the backwards words. The last KK I blogged in 2014 brought out many negative or Thumper comments. But which way do you prefer to make Fridays challenging? Obscurities? Originality? I thought this was relatively easy and I had fun. let's peek at the answer sheet.

12A. *Ring punch : RIGHT HOOK (9). This was perps but it made sesne when paired with 68A. *Ring punch : SSORC TFEL (9) Left Cross, another common boxing term. The fill must be read from right to left.  We read right to left in Hebrew.

19A. *Manhattan neighborhood : EAST HARLEM (10). This neighborhood known also as Spanish Harlem is not a place many go to visit. It is Paired with 57A. *Liberia locale : ACIRFA TSEW (10) West Africa, which you have to read from West to East (right to left). This where I caught on as I know where Liberia is.

4D. *Animated TV series set in the Rockies : SOUTH PARK (9). This paired with 38D. *Challenge to Eiger climbers : ECAF HTRON (9) (North Face) which requires you to head North to understand the fill.

9D. *Promising : GNIMOC DNA PU (11). Up and Coming, which is paired with 23D. *Level-headed : DOWN TO EARTH (11) like the previous pair they must be read in the direction of the words.

Across:

1. Blesses : OKS. In retrospect this was easy, but I was thinking sneezing or religion.

4. Star Wars, initially : SDI. Strategic Defense Initiative.

7. Go fishing : ANGLE. I floundered about looking for an answer but the bass I cod come up with is that it describes the angle of the pole and the line. Or maybe the angle of the hook? I hate to worm my way out of this so help....

16. IQ test pioneer : BINET. Alfred did so much MORE.

17. Start of the line before "Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!" : ET TU BRUTE? This is Shakespeare's version where Cinna tries to justify killing Julius Caesar because Caesar was too popular. You can tell it is from a English writing because it mixes the Latin phrase with an English response.

18. Bluebloods : ELITE.

21. 1965 Sophia Loren comedy : LADY L.  What a cast. LINK (0:54).

24. Gas sign in green letters : HESS. Are there any left or are they all Speedway? I did not know Speedway was owned by Marathon until today.

25. Line of work: Abbr. : OCCupation. I find this an awesomely bad clue, but it is used regularly. There are many nice clues for the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. HERE.

28. Year in Mexico : ANO. Spanish.

29. Talladega unit : LAP. An Alabama track on the NASCAR circuit.

31. Result of a 1955 merger : AFL-CIO.

34. Postseason game : BOWL. College football.

36. Pull in : MAKE. Money you make.

39. Treating poorly : BAD TO.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7VsoxT_FUY

43. Role for Dustin : RATSO. Midnight Cowboy. His break out role?

44. "The Bridge on the River __" : KWAI. Another wonderful movie.

45. Marquis de __ : SADE. How much do you really know about this man?

46. Chooses the window instead of the aisle? : ELOPES. Really cute airplane misdirection but it did not fool me.

48. Fraud watchdog org. : FTC.  Federal Trade Commission.

50. For each : PER.

51. Shade provider : DYE. Fun clue/fill misdirection.

52. Ness, for one : LOCH. Lake.

55. Castro and others : RAULS.

61. Don Diego de la Vega, familiarly : ZORRO. He will always be Guy Madison for me.

63. Frankness : UNRESERVE.

67. The Bradford kids of '70s-'80s TV, e.g. : OCTET. Who didn't love this FAMILY (1:02)

69. Milo of "Barbarella" : O'SHEA. He was in so many great roles. THIS (3:51) was not one of them. Jane was adorable.

70. Long time : EON.

71. Major : KEY.

Down:

1. Natural resource : ORE. Or not?

2. Young beaver : KIT. Be careful here....

3. Pepper, for one: Abbr. : SGT. All perps.

5. Words before dances : DO THE. This was filled before I saw the clue but I am completely unaware of this phrase. Help.

6. Some furniture stores : IKEAS. Meh, the extra s....

7. Biblical brother : ABEL.

8. Juba's "White" river : NILE. This was my learning moment, I just do not know much about the Southern Sudan.

10. Betray, with "down" : LET. To me the act of betrayal is much more than letting down.

11. Juillet's season : ETE. French for July and Summer. 30D. Brest friend : AMI. More French.

13. One of three cartoon nephews : HUEY.

14. Little League precursor : T-BALL. and the semi-clecho 15D. Little League belts: Abbr. : HRS. Home runs.

20. Soweto's home: Abbr. : RSA. Republic of South Africa.

21. Toiled : LABORED.

22. Rule exception : ANOMALY. A wonderful word.

26. Stronghold : CITADEL. Also a college.

27. Beach party staples : COOLERS.

32. Govt. group that began in 1908 : FBI.

33. Where kip are spent : LAOS. No idea, but I do know Thailand uses Baht.

35. Sylvester's problem : LISP.

37. London's __ Gardens : KEW.

41. Fawn's mom : DOE. Yes, her name is Jane.

42. Tiny songbird : TIT. Always good for a link. I like it when the two MATCH.

47. Canon offering, briefly : SLR. SingleLens Reflex.

49. Dimin.'s opposite : CRESCendo.

53. Handy : OF USE.

54. Playground retort : CAN SO.

56. Mad as __ hen : A WET.

58. Algonquian language : CREE.

59. Bit : IOTA.

60. Sun. message : SERmon.

61. Animal house : ZOO.

62. It turns out lts. : OCS. Officer Candidate School.

64. Nats' former stadium : RFK. Baseball team that shared the park with the unnamed football team.

65. Symbol of peace : VEE. This always reminds me of Churchill, which reminds me that I am watching the Roosevelt mini-series while I ride the exercise bike. Such an interesting family.

66. Eastern Nevada city : ELY. An old stagecoach TOWN. I know only from puzzles.

Mike Buckley

Theme: BOGO, get one pun and then a second one for free.

We get our third Mike Buckley effort of 2015 with this one a sound-alike pun effort.



18A. Composer Dvorák in hiding? : CACHED CZECH (11). This cashed check transforms into a musical clue. LINK.

38A. Demands for quiet from the downstairs tenant? : CEILING WHACKS (13). Sealing wax is not commonly used anymore, but the clue does bring back this SONG (3:00).

58A. Wildebeests slowing down? : BRAKING GNUS (11). My favorite mental picture comes from this breaking news.

3D. Walked by a campsite? : PASSED TENTS (11). Walked is whimsically past tense.

26D. Poor jousters? : WEAK KNIGHTS (11). Can you watch them on week nights on ESPN?



ASSISI,  DEANNA, I RAISE,  MAZDAS,  PINDAR,  PRAWNS,  SINKER,  TICTAC,  YTTRIA, DEPECHE, MIAMIAN,  SURGEON, AS EASY AS,  NEPOTIST, PECOS BILL, SAWHORSES


Across:

1. Spot : PIP. Like on a die.

4. "My Name Is Asher Lev" author : POTOK. Chaim Potok has written may wonderful books and appeared in puzzles often.

9. Normandy beachhead : OMAHA. No Nebraska clue on a Friday; will the next generation remember?

14. Rollover __ : IRA.

15. Send packing : EVICT.

16. Jazz section : SAXES.

17. "Hip Hop Is Dead" artist : NAS.
xxxxxxx
20. Misrepresent : DISTORT.

22. Main part : LEAD.

23. No harder than : AS EASY AS. An odd looking stretch of letters in a partial.

25. Edible decapods : PRAWNS.

29. Provide new audio for : REDUB.

30. More than square : CUBE.

32. Council position : SEAT.

33. Adjust, as sails : TRIM.

35. Mythical elephant carriers : ROCS.

37. "Aladdin" monkey : ABU.

41. Your Moment of __: Jon Stewart's show ender : ZEN. Obama ordered him to stay.

42. Spike : LACE. As in the punch; this was very tricky 4 letter fill.

43. Fuzzy Endor native : EWOK.

44. They're often smashed : SOTS. No Tinbeni comments here, please.

46. Ellington's "__ Indigo" : MOOD. The Duke.
xxx
48. Nearby : HANDY.

51. Umbria tourist town : ASSISI.

53. One who keeps it in the family : NEPOTIST. WE all have heard of nepotism, so I guess this word exists.

55. Sports gp. with three divisions : NCAA.

57. "The Kids Are __": 1979 The Who documentary : ALRIGHT.

62. One of Kramden's hardy followers? : HAR.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO4DPI1hegc

63. Staff symbol : C CLEF. Music notation. 8D. "Hooked on Classics" co. : K TEL. 49D. Note in the key of B major : D SHARP. A mini-theme ?


64. Singer's asset : RANGE.

65. Ode opener? : TRI.

66. Resort off the Sorrentine Peninsula : CAPRI.

67. Gather together : AMASS.

68. Post-workout destination : SPA.

Down:

1. "The test of any man lies in action" odist : PINDAR.

2. Game challenge : I RAISE.

4. Lover of Slue-Foot Sue : PECOS BILL.

5. Subject for Italian anatomist Fallopius : OVARY. He also invented the English subway, hence its name- the Fallopian Tube.

6. Certs alternative : TICTAC. Paddy whack...

7. "Alas!" from a lass : OCH.

9. Grouch in a can : OSCAR.

10. Protegés, e.g. : MAZDAS.

11. Fire : AXE.

12. Crime-solver Ramsey of 1970s TV : HEC. The second incarnation of Richard Boone, perhaps more famous as Palladin.

13. Krakatoa output : ASH.

19. "Exciter" band __ Mode : DEPECHE.

21. Alpha __, star in the Bull constellation : TAURI. This huge ORANGE star, known as Alderbarran is not related to the more familiar Alpha Centauri.

24. Cutting-edge professional? : SURGEON. Really sharp humor.

27. Snares : NABS
28. Former Beatle Sutcliffe : STU
31. Defer : BOW
34. Dolphin, e.g. : MIAMIAN
36. Cutting supports : SAWHORSES
38. Co. VIPs : CEOS
39. Sgt. maj., e.g. : NCO
40. Tropical raccoon kin : COATI
41. Half a Gabor? : ZSA
45. Angling aid : SINKER
47. Counselor in Jean-Luc's command : DEANNA

50. Oxide in incandescent gas mantles : YTTRIA. I do not even know what a gas mantle is, but this was interesting to READ.

52. Space opera genre : SCI-FI.

54. Promotions : PLUGS
56. Uttar Pradesh tourist city : AGRA
58. Discreet email letters : BCC
59. Nipper's label : RCA
60. High peak : ALP
61. Moll's leg : GAM. A great

Jeffrey Wechsler

These: Where did you hide all of the Holes?

Keeping to our bi-weekly schedule, we have Jeffrey back this time with a missing word puzzle. In row 1, 8 and 15 (the beginning middle and end) we have a three word string, each 4,5,4, the clue is for a word ending in "HOLE" but the hole is missing. It is an interesting scientific conundrum, can a hole which is nothing be missing? There is much consistency to the grid though a few of the ___HOLE fill are two words rather than a single word. What makes the puzzle a delight is JW's fun reveal which points out that there are nine words that are not but should be followed by HOLE. Other than that, it is another Friday with high word count and less than 5 letter average fill. The longer fill is varied including ABORTS,  LESTER,  NO SHOW,  SECURE,  SPLEEN,  SUCCOR,  TOO BIG, WADDLE, AM I BEAT,  CAPSULE,  GADGETS,  LOCKS ON,  REVERTS,  SEVENTY, SLEDGES, BASE CAMP,  PUNK ROCK, ORIGINALS,  REMINDS OF, with many of them Jeffrey's customary two word fill. The asterisks immediately warn the solver that the the game is afoot, otherwise 1A would be discouraging, WORMHOLE opened my eyes. Lots of nice musical references; let's see how we all did.

1A. *It offers an ocean view : PORTHOLE(4). Well both ports and portholes do, so this was a hard start. PORTHOLE is written both as one and two words.

5A. *Hardware insertion point : SCREW HOLE (5). While completely avoiding all DF comments, this is one of the theme fill that takes two words, always I think.

10A. *Sci-fi shortcut : WORM HOLE (4). Like many, I learned of this method of travel through STAR TREK. Sorry for the ad, but I like the LINK (4:46).

38A. *Means of evasion : LOOPHOLE (4).  Did you know THIS?

40A. *Stephen Hawking subject : BLACK HOLE (5). Back to space, this time real science. LINK.

41A. *Orca feature : BLOWHOLE (4). This time the science is mammal anatomy. LINK.

67A. *Geologic danger : SINKHOLE (4). I learned about these when I moved to Gainesville and this limestone sinkhole attributed to the DEVIL.

68A. *Serengeti gathering place : WATERHOLE (5). I think in terms of watering holes, but MW says, " a small pool, pond, or lake used by animals for drinking" so what do I know?

69A. *Home security device : PEEPHOLE (4). I do not find these very helpful and they installed the one at work for much taller peep-le, but I do remember this SCENE (1:05).
And the reveal, which i am sure appealed at least to me and Moe and HG and the other golfers----
46A. Quick round ... and, collectively, what the answers to starred clues lack : NINE HOLES (9).

I liked it!

Across:

14. Chevy subcompact : AVEO. Discontinued in 2011, so...

15. Salad bar morsel : OLIVE. This was hard because I think of morsel as part of rather than a whole.

16. Domingo forte : ARIA. You do not have to like opera to like Placido. LISTEN (3:01).

17. Spectator sport since the Edo period : SUMO. Not something I knew but easily inferrable.

18. Alpine air : YODEL. A stretch for me.

19. Checker, e.g. : DISC.

20. "What an exhausting day!" : AM I BEAT! JW like multiple word fill.

22. Pounding tools : SLEDGES. I did not need to be hit on the head with a hammer to get this one.

24. Veto : NIX.

25. Clay, nowadays : ALI. Easy unless you are a sculptor or into pottery.

26. Handy assortment : GADGETS.

30. "Terribly strange" age in Simon & Garfunkel's "Old Friends" : SEVENTY. They are both over seventy now.

34. ICU connections : IVS.

35. Medical unit : CAPSULE. I imagine those who did not like the earlier in the week capsule used as a clue for ROCKET, there will be debate about this clue/fill.

37. "__ you finished?" : ARE.

42. Terrible : AWFUL.

44. F1 neighbor : ESC. If you had to look at your keyboard was that cheating?

45. Makers of wood pulp nests : WASPS. John Lampkin showed us this PICTURE back in December.

49. Gets in one's sights, with "to" : LOCKS ON. As with a telescopic sight on your rifle.

52. Backslides : REVERTS to his/her old habits.

56. Cancels the launch : ABORTS.

57. Fasten : SECURE.

58. "Whip It" rockers : DEVO. Where are they NOW (0:16)?

59. Order outfit : HABIT. Nun too soon.

63. __ on the back : A PAT.

64. Monthly pmt. : ELECtricity bill.

65. Midway alternative : O'HARE. The two major Chicago airports.

66. Choice array : MENU. And the clecho, 43A. Choice array : LIST. 

Down:

1. "¿Qué __?" : PASA. The upside down question mark tells you it is Spanish.

2. Reproductive cell : OVUM. Eggs-actly.

3. Takes back to : REMINDS OF. Like my trip to my 50th high school reunion took me back to my childhood.

4. Goldilocks complaint : TOO BIG. Too hot?

5. Protein-rich bean : SOYA. Soy?

6. Blood __ : CLOT.

7. Unburden : RID.

8. Anticipatory times : EVES. Twas the night before Christmas....

9. More than adequately : WELL. Oh my, you do that so well!

10. Swaying walk : WADDLE.

11. Art museum works, usually : ORIGINALS.

12. Increase : RISE.

13. Pro and mini : MACS. Apple computers, here I come.

21. Business VIP : EXECutive.

23. Architectural projection : EAVE.

26. Colorado tributary : GILA.

27. State as accurate : AVOW.

28. Bar __ : TAB.

29. Petulance : SPLEEN.

30. Help : SUCCOR. A nice old fashioned word.

31. Yosemite grazer : ELK. I di not know this.

32. Stadium in St. Pete, with "The" : TROPicana. You know who has juice in Florida.

33. Landscaping shrubs : YEWS.

36. Obi, e.g. : SASH. So often OBI is the fill.

39. "Pure, stripped down" genre, per Tommy Ramone : PUNK ROCK. One of the originals.

41. Climber's refuge : BASE CAMP.

45. "__ Got Tonight": 1983 hit duet : WE'VE.

47. Absentee : NO SHOW.

48. Sci-fi author/editor del Rey : LESTER.

49. Fills with cargo : LADES.

50. Division symbols : OBELI.

51. Neo-pagan gathering : COVEN.

53. Nepal currency : RUPEE.

54. Big name in air conditioning : TRANE.

55. Everything but the liquor : SET UP.

60. Word associated with a light bulb : AHA.

61. Echolocation user : BAT.

62. Steaming state : IRE.