Joe Kidd

Title: Do you speak Thai Oo? KA!

We have the first 2019 puzzle from Mr. Kidd after he had 6 last year. His specialty seems to be to add letters and today is no exception. The bigram "KA" is inserted at the beginning of a word in a two-word phrase to create a new and whimsical fill. The cluing is also all fun. This week the consistency is A-B-B-A, with 11-10-10-11 letter themers. The base phrases are Friday hard to parse but once you got one, they all should fall in place. He also includes ALOOFLY. BACKRUB, MIDTERM, ONE BALL, TRAFFIC COPS, and SUPER MODELS as sparkly long fill. Getting these words in the grid is what makes gridding the trickiest part of puzzle creation, to me. Time to review the theme and the rest of the creation.

17A. Energetic jug band performer?: KAZOO ANIMAL (11). We have had a few jug band references lately, and I still do not have any great link, but here you can LEARN HOW.

29A. Skewered food cooked vertically?: PLUMB KABOB (10). We have the kebab/kabob hurdle to overcome, and you must know about the art of the PLUMB BOB.

46A. Doesn't get fixed?: STAYS KAPUT (10). A phrase no one would ever use, but I think we all know the concept from the German kaputt, perhaps via Yiddish קאַפּוט (kaput, “lost, dead”). The same word has also been borrowed by many other languages.

56A. Wile E. Coyote purchases from Acme?: KABOOM BOXES (11). My favorite for so many reasons, including our new recurring theme of Wile E. and his efforts to blow poor Roadrunner to smithereens. WATCH. I also like smithereens. 

Across:

1. Building unit: ACRE. A tricky 1A, as the lot size is not the first thing to come to mine.

5. "Oh yeah?": THAT SO. Missing an "IS"?

11. Pranks, in a way, for short: TPS. Toilet papers. I never understood the joy of wrapping houses in toilet paper.

14. Industrial portmanteau: SMOG. Smoke/fog.

15. Movie leads, often: HEROES. A vague answer that took a bit of perpage.

16. Narrow inlet: RIA. We have this very often.

19. Mtn. stat: ALT. Mountain statistic - altitude.

20. Lodge: INN.

21. With indifference: ALOOFLY. Not a word I ever use.

23. Western formation?: POSSE. A clip from THE LAST POSSE.

26. "See ya later": TATA. Did you all see this MOVIE?

28. Some distance away: AFAR.

31. Caine and Connery: SIRS. Michael and Sean.

32. __ rally: PEP. Mine were not this fancy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8V4a5pUrmI

33. What snobs may put on: AIRS.

34. "Up to 3,000 lights" brand: BIC.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DtMvKIknIw

35. Do business with: SELL TO.

37. Mississippi source: ITASCA. Itasca is a word coined by Henry Schoolcraft as a name for Lake Itasca, the source of the Mississippi River. Schoolcraft coined the name from a combination of the Latin words veritas ("truth") and caput ("head").

40. Seminarian's subj.: RELigion.

41. Like-minded group: BLOC. I have had this a few time this year.

42. It's worn with a kimono: OBI.

44. Himalayan priest: LAMA. The one L.

49. Off-kilter: ALOP. perhaps my least favorite "A" word.

50. Weymouth of Talking Heads: TINA.

51. Oxidizes: RUSTS.

52. Like some elections: MIDTERM.

54. "This is __ chance": OUR. No, it is your chance to write whatever you want, except religion, politics or personal attacks.

55. Cooler cooler: ICE. Cute clue- sorry Tin.

62. Zero, to Man U: NIL.

63. Online investment service: ETRADE. In 1982, William A. Porter and Bernard A. Newcomb founded TradePlus in Palo Alto, California, with $15,000 in capital. In 1991, Porter and Newcomb founded E-Trade Securities, Inc., with several hundred thousand dollars of startup capital from TradePlus.

64. Loan default risk: REPO.

65. Remote cells: AAS.

66. One who's determined to lose: DIETER. Or those who buy Powerball tickets.

67. Server's edge: ADIN.


Down:

1. Suggest, as a price: ASK.

2. Org. that voted Keith Urban 2018 Entertainer of the Year: CMA.

3. "Monsters, Inc." raspy-voiced undercover agent: ROZ.

4. "I" swelling?: EGOISM.

5. Word of comparison: THAN.

6. Farm female: HEN.

7. Jackie O's second: ARI.

8. Original V8 base: TOMATO.

9. Aquanaut's workplace: SEALAB.

10. Nobel Institute city: OSLO.

11. They sometimes help relieve congestion: TRAFFIC COPS.

12. Vertical Parthenon component: PILLAR.

13. Mythical man-goats: SATYRS.

18. Yellow pool table item: ONEBALL.

22. Caravan stopover: OASIS.

23. Maximally soft, in music: PPP.

24. Fútbol cheers: OLES.

25. Celebs on runways: SUPERMODELS.

26. Poi plant: TARO.

27. Hunk's pride: ABS.

30. Build-it-yourself buy: KIT.

34. Massage parlor service: BACKRUB.

36. Sprang: LEAPT.

37. Three-time NHL All-Star Kovalchuk: ILYA.

38. Talking-__: lectures: TOS.

39. Be up against: ABUT.

41. Disallow: BAN.

43. "__ a deal!": ITS.

44. Thin layer: LAMINA.

45. Jodie Foster's birth name: ALICIA. Jodie Foster was born Alicia Christian Foster on November 19, 1962 in Los Angeles.

46. Low clouds: STRATI.

47. Musical tone quality: TIMBRE.

48. Natural light show: AURORA.

53. Barely managed, with "out": EKED.

54. Traditional Passover barley offering: OMER. A very timely clue/fill. READ.

57. Granola kernel: OAT.

58. Keats creation: ODE.

59. Marked, as a ballot: XED.

60. Prefix with -logue: EPI. Not the center this time.

61. Male issue: SON.

Robert & Marlea Ellis

Title: I EE? OH!

This is our third creation by this couple, with the first two Thursday efforts. I was in Thailand when they had their debut and Steve was off watching LA LA LAND. Today we have a sound-a-like punny sort of theme, requiring some imagination.

ARMOIRE, DEMERIT, FATHEAD, FUSSPOT, GET THIS,  MELISSA, RETIREE, SILICON and THIEVES

18A. Make some cote residents angry?: STEAM SHEEP (10). A Steam SHIP.

26A. Calf roper's target?: FEET TO BE TIED (12). FIT to be tied

48A. Birdwatcher's journal entry?: CARDINAL SEEN (12). Cardinal SIN.

63A. Borden, in the 1870s?: TEEN LIZZIE (10). TIN Lizzie

Across:

1. Triumphant exclamation: TADA. Reverse psychology beginning with the joy of the solve.

5. Illusion: FACADE. Not a direct synonym, but a typical Friday level clue/fill.

11. "The good is __ interred with their bones": "Julius Caesar": OFT. The speech posited by Shakespeare to be said by Marc Anthony is one of the most moving of Shakespeare's use of words.
LINK.

14. Ostrich relatives: EMUS.

15. Payday lender, perhaps: USURER. In Florida, there are special laws for these folks which allow them to collect what would otherwise be usurious interest. The latest litigation which I  am working on is a reply to a collective effort by someone who committed criminal usury (under Florida Law 687.071  ). Fun stuff.

16. Extract with effort: PRY.

17. Suffers: AILS. See 5A.

20. Singer Etheridge: MELISSA. CSO to our own.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaY5-LGYJKc

22. One no longer working: RETIREE. Not me, I still work, just don't make big money anymore. 47A. Savings plan IRA. Individual Retirement Account.

23. Enjoy at a leisurely pace: SIP.

24. Pikelike fish: GAR. Gars are members of the Lepisosteiformes, an ancient holosteian order of ray-finned fish (easy for them to say). LINK.

25. Nihilistic art movement: DADA. If you want to know more, you can read this INFORMATION.

31. Put away: EAT.

32. Young one: TOT.

33. Storm components?: TWEETS. It takes constructor cojones to put this fill next to 37. Ranking suit: TRUMP.

40. Giant Mel: OTT. It sounds cute, but he is part of true crosswordese history. 45A. 40-Acr. is in it: HOF. Hall of Fame.

42. Fund: ENDOW.

43. 2019 Grammy Awards host Keys: ALICIA. And an off and on judge on the VOICE.

52. "Frozen" sister: ELSA.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0MK7qz13bU

55. "Live __": Taco Bell slogan: MAS. At the core of Taco Bell's DNA is a slogan introduced in 2012, Live Mas (“Live More”), which animates its brand and encapsulates the company's philosophy of enriching the lives of its customers and employees in everything it does. Forbes. I bet Roberto Duran is glad they chose this.

56. Prop for Palmer: TEE. Arnold who now plays in heaven.

57. Valley element?: SILICON. A nice clue/fill combo based on the REGION which has become the basis of a popular TV SERIES.

59. Embezzlers, e.g.: THIEVES.

65. Cloud of gloom: PALL. A pall was originally a coffin's cloak. Now pall usually means that an event or situation is — literally or figuratively — covered in gloom, like disappointing news that casts a pall on your day. The noun pall comes from the Latin word, pallium, “covering or cloak.”

66. Golden __: AGE. There have been so many, so far.

67. Singer Grande: ARIANA. Some modern wholesome music. LINK.

68. Biblical twin: ESAU.

69. Risk: BET.

70. Identified: PEGGED. A sideways CSO to my ex.

71. Editor's notation: DELE.

Down:

1. Group of playmates: TEAM. So sweet.

2. Parisian love: AMIE.

3. Hardly inspiring: DULL.

4. Good Samaritan's offer: ASSIST.

5. Persnickety one: FUSSPOT. Here is some RESEARCH.

6. "The Thin Man" canine: ASTA.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKLCAHVKb0w

7. Help in the theater: CUE.

8. Biblical mount: ARARAT.

9. Unfavorable mark: DEMERIT.

10. In the past, in the past: ERST.

11. Adams' "Nixon in China," e.g.: OPERA.

12. Let go: FREED.

13. Far from laid-back: TYPE-A.

19. Out of sight: HIDDEN.

21. Work for parents: SIT.

24. Juicy tidbit lead-in: GET THIS.

26. Greek salad topper: FETA.

27. Bowling great __ Anthony: EARL.

28. Sewing case: ETUI.

29. "I can't get no satisfaction!": BOO. I guess booing is what you do when you can't get what you want, maybe?

30. Farm mom: EWE.

34. First name in the cast of "The Sopranos": EDIE. Referring to any first name of a cast member. This one plopped in immediately although there were other choices; AIDA Turturro; DREA de Matteo; and, TONY Sirico. Name the characters?

35. Sped: TORE.

36. Christmas song swimmer: SWAN.

38. 2008 presidential candidate: MCCAIN.

39. Actress Zadora: PIA. One of the earliest media darlings with no talent but a rich husband. She has not been around in a while.

41. Heavy weight: TON. More trickery, as the difference between heavyweight and heavy weight is subtle.

44. Bedroom piece: ARMOIRE.

46. Dimwit: FATHEAD.

49. Polish seaport, in Germany: DANZIG. Another tricky clue, as the historic port city of  GDAŃSK.

50. Welcoming gift: LEI. Too many easy DF comments.

51. Leaked slowly: SEEPED. This is a creepy sounding word for me.

52. Founded: Abbr.: ESTAB. This actually slowed me down the most as I had ESTBD.

53. Feudal subject: LIEGE. This is very difficult, as the LIEGE is the Lord to whom the subjects are subordinate.

54. Reason for closed schools, perhaps: SLEET. Neither rain nor snow nor sleet.

58. Show appreciation: CLAP. Did you ever wonder where it started? LINK. I love Mozart's comment.

59. Stabber: TINE. This is a stretch, as befits Friday. We all know a tine is a prong or sharp point, such as that on a fork or antler, but thinking of stabbing in relation to a French Fry...

60. Still-life standard: VASE. You all know this Van Gogh?

61. Airline known for tight security: EL AL.

62. Turn on an axis: SLUE.

64. Half a slalom segment: ZAG. A zig, a zag. The ZIG-ZAG of my youth.

Susan Gelfand

Title: I've heard that before.

Susan is back for her 10th LAT publication and second Friday. her first PUZZLE that I blogged also relied on ordinary phrases not tampered with, only redefined for humorous effect. This type can be difficult to get a foothold on because there are no tricks. You just need to let your imagination run free. The let a few perps get you started. The long fill is also varied and sparkly with ALTOONA, EMANATE, HASIDIM, ROACHES, BLUEMOON, and HYSTERIA all good.

20A. High-quality tennis venue?: SUPERIOR COURT (13). The TRIAL COURT in many states is repurposed.

34A. Well-known boxing venue?: FAMILIAR RING (12). This time an idiom is repurposed. To sound like something one has heard before. I must have read this before—the words in the opening paragraph have a familiar ring to them.

41A. Virtual golf venue?: ONLINE COURSE (12). My massage therapist got her Bachelor's of Alternative Medicine at this local UNIVERSITY. 

56A. Attractive soccer venue?: MAGNETIC FIELD (13). Do you what a MAGNETIC PERSONALITY is?

Speaking of personalities, this is my tenth year blogging with most of my work on Friday, and with a few new things in my life, I am going to be sharing the duties starting next week, but I will let C.C. fill in the details. I appreciate all the wonderful words and friendships from this venue. But let us go back to work.

Across:

1. No-way man?: JOSE. I was going to start week this with the old joke about the National Anthem at the ballpark but remembered the joke was recently used. "Jose, can you see?"

5. Shade-loving plant: HOSTA. Similar sound.

10. Brainiac: WHIZ. Often associated with "kid."

14. At Dodger Stadium, briefly: IN LA. Back to baseball. Hello, left-coasters.

15. Playwright Fugard: ATHOL. I already had him once this year.

16. London's __ Park: HYDE.  Hyde Park is a Grade I-listed major park in Central London. It is the largest of four Royal Parks that form a chain from the entrance of Kensington Palace through Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, via Hyde Park Corner and Green Park past the main entrance to Buckingham Palace. It was created by Henry VIII.

17. Walk, e.g.: GAIT.

18. Electrical problem: SHORT. Electrician talk for a short circuit, where the electricity is diverted from its intended path. One of my nephews is a master electrician who started his own business this year as Florida's building boom returned.

19. "Makes sense to me": I SEE.

23. Made amends: ATONED. Early days for me, as Yom Kippur is months away, but we are in Lent.

24. Fireplace shelf: HOB. This is a flat metal shelf at the side or back of a fireplace, having its surface level with the top of the grate and used especially for heating pans. Wiki, I think.

25. Noteworthy stretch: ERA.

28. Earned: WON.

29. Legal tender with an 8-Down: DIME. On the obverse. 8D. Statue of Liberty feature: TORCH.

32. Kind of network: NEURAL.

36. Udon cousin: SOBA. Not a cousin but a related FOOD. Oo uses both.

39. Texting format, briefly: SMS. Short Message Service (SMS) is a text messaging service component of phone, Web, or mobile communication systems. It uses standardized communications protocols to allow fixed line or mobile phone devices to exchange short text messages.


40. Infatuated: GAGA. You want a song?

46. Early morning hr.: FOUR AM.

47. Catch sight of SPOT.

48. Maple output: SAP. We harvested the sap when I was at boarding school and made our own maple syrup. When I went back for my 50th reunion, they are still making it, but the bottles and labels are prettier.

51. Art nowadays?: ARE. Tricky three letter fill.

52. MLB player nickname since 2005: NAT. The Washington Nationals are a Major League Baseball team formed in 1969 as the Montreal Expos. In 2005, the Expos moved to Washington, D.C. and were renamed the Nationals. The franchise has never won a World Series or National League pennant but has won its division five times. We also have 68A. Trade shows: EXPOS.

54. Em, for one: AUNTIE. Go, Dorothy. We never learn Emily's last name, in the book or movie.

60. Declare: AVOW. Not AVER today.

62. Starting word containing five of the letters of what it starts: ALEPH. ALPHABET, and the first letter in the Hebrew alphabet.

63. Street __: CRED.

64. Fashionable Christian: DIOR. Cute clue.

65. Curt: TERSE.

66. Ship's spine: KEEL. We must have some music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=6&v=QhDE7Qf6xdU

67. Like the Marx Brothers: ZANY.

69. Loudness unit: SONE. I know decibels, not Sone, which is a unit of loudness. Loudness is a subjective characteristic of a sound (as opposed to the sound-pressure level in decibels, which is objective and directly measurable). Consequently, the sone scale of loudness is based on data obtained from subjects who were asked to judge the loudness of pure tones and noise. Well, that cleared it up for me. Not!

Down:

1. Something to put together: JIGSAW. Not a puzzling clue at all.

2. Running by itself: ON AUTO. Pilot?

3. Comfy shoe: SLIP ON.

4. Polished off: EATEN.

5. Orthodox Jewish sect: HASIDIM. The plural of  Hasid - pronounced. Chas·sid  (KHä′sĭd). 

6. Emperor after Galba: OTHO. In the year of four emperors. I also get him often but I learned when my oldest was studying the classics.

7. Toots in a restaurant: SHOR. No doubt a soon to be forgotten figure, as baseball is no longer king. LINK. My brothers and I ate there a couple of time with my father when we were kids just to see who we would see.

9. Pennsylvania railroad city: ALTOONA. Home of the Railroader MUSEUM. I am not sure I knew it was called "railroad city", but with the A, I plunked in Altoona.

10. Spinning sound: WHIR. Onomatopoeia. Damn, I spelled it right!

11. Frenzied state: HYSTERIA. A good definition for a fun fill.

12. Suffix with ox-: IDE.

13. Middle of Venezuela?: ZEE. The Middle of Venezuela is not a place I would want to be.

21. "The Scarlet Letter" letter: RED A.

22. Means of getting around town: UBER. I prefer Lyft.

26. Summoned, in a way: RANG. From last week.

27. Pond growth: ALGA.

30. Odds-and-ends abbr.: MISC.

31. St. __ Fire: ELMOS. We have this often.

33. Craving: URGE.

34. More susceptible to sunburn: FAIR.

35. Bats: IS UP.

36. Sectional __: SOFA. We had one in our house after my father re-did the living room.

37. Words before before: ON OR. I like the clue clue.

38. Very long time: BLUE MOON. A blue moon is an additional full moon that appears in a subdivision of a year: either the third of four full moons in a season or a second full moon in a month of the common calendar. The phrase has nothing to do with the actual color of the moon, although a literal "blue moon" may occur in certain atmospheric conditions: e.g., if volcanic eruptions or fires leave particles in the atmosphere of just the right size to preferentially scatter red light. Wiki.

42. Da __, Vietnam: NANG.

43. Spring (from): EMANATE.

44. Raid targets: ROACHES.

45. Word after Double in a cookie name: STUF. The Alabama defensive lineman who ran the fastest 40-yard dash for a 300+ pound person at the NFL combine ate 4 as part of his prerun breakfast.

48. Assembly with speakers?: STEREO.

49. Quinn of "Annie": AILEEN. I could not find anything but a two-hour link, so I chose this clip.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8XvrRz6q5Q

50. Hawk: PEDDLE.

53. Fax ancestor: TELEX.

55. Steals, in British slang: NICKS.

57. Out of kilter: AWRY.

58. Md. athlete: TERP.

59. __ facto: IPSO.

60. Wood shaper: ADZ.

61. Routing term: VIA.

David Alfred Bywaters

Title: G that was a cute puzzle!

DAB is back with our second week in a row with an add a letter to the end of a phrase to create a new and fun phrase theme. He adds a really perfect reveal. You are directed to reparse ENDING into three parts - END IN G.



DELIGHT, OFF GRID, PERSONA, PRESETS, REMARKS, SARONGS, OBAMA CARE  and PAVAROTTI



18A. Didn't just knock?: ALSO RANG (8)

29A. Barbecue dinner followed by dyspepsia?: RACK AND RUING (12)

49A. Part for a robot vampire?: ELECTRIC FANG (12).

62A. Eagerly excited for an extended period of time?: LONG AGOG (8)

73A. Conclusion ... or, in three parts, what four answers in this puzzle unexpectedly do: ENDING.(6).

Across:

1. Fencing needs: SWORDS. Did anyone think PANELS?

7. Soup holder: POT. Where you cook it, not serve it.

10. Web creation: SITE.

14. "Amen": SO BE IT. Another interesting array of letters. I am surprised we do not see this more.

15. Complement for a tango: TWO. The SAYING. The song...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDd1S1TJdhY

16. Sharp: ACID. Like a tongue.

17. Fill with love: ENAMOR.

20. Like a male lion: MANED. A typical Friday stretch, correct but who uses it?

22. Housecleaning aid: SPONGE. This needed perps, there are so many.

23. Arctic trout: CHAR. Interesting not only this fish but a house cleaner in Britain.

25. Completely erase: WIPE. Interesting, not only what you do when you sell your phone, but one of the things you do with a sponge.

28. PC key above Shift: ENTER. Not CAPS LOCK.

32. Audibly amazed: AGASP.

33. Period: ERA.

34. Bad Ems and Marienbad, for two: SPAS. I knew MARIENBAD, bever heard of BAD EMS.

38. Animal protection agent: FUR.

39. Public face: PERSONA. This from the Latin word - an individual's social facade.

43. Muhammad's son-in-law: ALI. He married Fatima. This is RELIGION but educational.

44. Ready to drive: TEED. I think you really need "UP" but it is a Friday.

46. Contend: VIE.

47. Trailer follower: MOVIE.

53. Prop for a Tell skit: APPLE. William Tell that is.

56. Label caveat: AS IS.

57. Wandering the range, say: FREE.

58. Thinking things: BRAINS.

60. Game with 25 squares: BINGO. I call Bingo for a 13 week winter season at our condo when the snowbirds are in town. Come on by, we have fun. I play Pat and Oo is Vanna.

65. Containing more lemon: TARTER.

68. O.T. book after Neh.: ESTH.

69. Pedi pinkie: TOE.

70. French teacher: MAÎTRE. If you remember Zazie's French lesson, the circonflexe becomes an "S" giving us MASTER.

71. Remainder: REST.

72. "I think my love as rare / As any __ belied by false compare": Shak.: SHE. Another Friday Will S. This time a Sonnet. 130.


Down:

1. Memphis-to-Mobile dir.: SSE.

2. Outplayed an opponent: WON.

3. 2010 health statute, informally: OBAMACARE.

4. They may be nasty: REMARKS. Yes, they may, especially on Fridays.

5. Belmonts frontman: DION. From my childhood.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAPEfdjvTqE

6. Thrown around: STREWN. Old English strewian, streowian "to scatter," from Proto-Germanic *strawjan- (source also of Old Frisian strewa, Old Saxon strowian, Old Norse stra, Danish strø, Swedish strö, Middle Dutch strowen, Dutch strooien, Old High German strouwen, German streuen, Gothic straujan "to sprinkle, strew"), from suffixed form of PIE root *stere- "to spread." Related: Strewed; strewn; strewing. I like this word.

7. School org.: PTA.

8. Hogwarts mail carrier: OWL.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNEkn-C8Cww

9. Discard: TOSS.

10. Simple island garments: SARONGS. This will always be my image of a sarong.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GmkcjAQrAw

11. "__ even!": I CAN'T. Valley speak.

12. Bit of color: TINGE.

13. Landscaping tool: EDGER.

19. Taking customers: OPEN. For business.

21. Completed: DID.

23. Boat, or the building of one: CRAFT.

24. World Court site, with "The": HAGUE. All that you need to KNOW.

26. Car stereo conveniences: PRESETS.

27. Continental currency: EURO.

30. Dictionary on a phone, say: APP.

31. Scottish John: IAN.

35. "King of the High C's": PAVAROTTI. A publicist long ago gave Luciano Pavarotti the sobriquet King of the High C’s, for his remarkable ability to hit and sing the heck out of one of the highest notes of the tenor voice. NYT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX_DvgB0_R4

36. Dress style: ALINE.

37. "Iliad" topic: SIEGE. This was perps. The PLOT.

40. Party time: EVE.

41. Costa __: RICA. I have a friend who always says Costa Rico. I go crazy.

42. "Preacher" airer: AMC. No longer its original American Movie Classics name, this channel creates original TV programs like this one based on a DC Comic Book. Seth Rogen is one of the writers. LINK.

45. Gladden: DELIGHT.

48. Independent of public utilities: OFF GRID. Very important to SURVIVALISTS.

50. Singer Horne: LENA. A wonderful talent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPgnj5upihQ

51. Tease: RIB.

52. Self-reflective thought: IS IT ME?

53. Not so ham-handed: ABLER.

54. Verse alternative: PROSE. Here we get both, with OKL starting off most days.

55. Slacks: PANTS.

59. PD ranks: SGTS. Police Departments.

61. Bread with tikka masala: NAAN.

63. "That's amazing!": OOH.

64. "That's interesting": GEE. A little tongue in the cheek fill from DAB to amuse himself about the theme..

66. Fish-eating bird: ERN. There are many fish-eating birds.

67. Brief rule?: REG.ulation.

Robert E. Lee Morris

Title: X marks the spot

RELM is back for his 21st publication since the switch when the Corner began blogging the LAT. This is, however, my first time to write-up Mr. Morris. I tried to read about him and did not find much except he had 13 prior LATs beginning in 2004 and 3 NY Sun puzzles. Today is a simple theme - add an "X" to the end of the second word of a two word 'in the language' phrase. With only 45 theme letters, there is lots of room for some lively 7 and 8 letter fill. LARAMIE, LYNETTE, REFUELS, UPSTART, FLAT TIRE, FOXY LADY, TEAR INTO and WINE LIST are the group. Showing off his 15 years of experience, we are presented with a pangram. I imagine if you are using an "X" as the centerpiece of a puzzle, you might as well get the rest of the letters in the grid.
Meanwhile, I just lost a significant part of my write up, so here I go again.

17A. Addition at the palace?: QUEEN ANNEX (10).

58A. Mole in the cat food factory?: INSIDE MANX (10).

11D. Missing watch?: LOST TIMEX (9).

34D. Change in China?: ASIAN FLUX (9).

And the reveal

25D. Intangible quality responsible for four puzzle answers: X-FACTOR (7).

Across:

1. College Park Big Ten athlete: TERP. College Park, Maryland is the home of the State University. They are called the Terrapins, shortened to Terps.

5. Smarten (up): SPIFF. This was a bit if a struggle, especially after I entered the semi-verboten 5D. Brainpower: SMARTS.

10. Cutlass, e.g.: OLDS. Not a sword.

14. Big name in the cookie aisle: OREO.

15. "Rebel Without a Cause" actor: MINEO. The reverse of the earlier clue that gave us Sal. James Dean was the star, but Sal was a pretty boy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSDp7p3d3fc

16. Castle: ROOK. Chess piece.

19. Dot on a globe, perhaps: ISLE. This took a bit as well.

20. Surprising and sometimes annoying success: UPSTART. I needed this one to get going in the NW.

21. Felicity's "Desperate Housewives" role: LYNETTE.

23. Somme summer: ETÉ. Our first of three accents from French.

24. Pringles alternative: STAX.

26. Trap fluff: LINT. I have told the story before, but my mother was a nurse working 12-hour shifts and never had owned a dryer. Our clothes were put outside on the line, or in the winter, my father dropped the clothes off to be washed an dried. Finally, as she became the boss in her work as the head nurse in the hospital, my father bought her a new washer and dryer. I was starting college and came home one day when she asked me to help because she could not understand how to deal with the flannel in the dryer. She was having trouble forcing it in to close the door. It was the lint, which kept growing.

27. "__ about time!": ITS.

28. Reason for road service: FLAT TIRE.

32. Disreputable: SHADY.

35. "All in the Family" spinoff: MAUDE.

36. Dallas NBAer: MAVerick.

37. Church service: MASS.

38. Zany: WACKY.

39. Ballet move: JETÉ. This is a jump in which a dancer springs from one foot to land on the other with one leg extended outward from the body while in the air. See also grand jeté, petit jeté.

40. Weapon in some action flicks: UZI.

41. Potsdam "please": BITTE. Our german lesson reminder.

42. Social gathering: MIXER.

43. Rip verbally: TEAR INTO.

45. Fall back: LAG.

46. Acknowledge: NOTE.

47. Woodwind musician's piece: REED.

49. CPR pro: EMT.

52. Gasses up: REFUELS.

55. University of Wyoming city: LARAMIE.

57. PC addresses: URLS. Uniform Resource Locators, colloquially termed as web addresses, is a reference to a web resource that specifies its location on a computer network and a mechanism for retrieving it. Wiki,

60. Down: BLUE. Referencing one's mood.

61. Egbert __, aptly named W.C. Fields character: SOUSÉ. Classic humor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIy-CKvHoMk

62. Countertop material: MICA.

63. Alluring: SEXY.

64. Youngster of an awkward age: TWEEN.

65. Bullring bravos: OLES.


Down:

1. Kitchen topper: TOQUE.

2. Release violently: ERUPT.

3. Shortstop alongside Robinson: REESE. The great Pee Wee Reese

4. Keats or Yeats: POET. Yes, but they were not as prolific as our own Owen KL.

6. 1492 sailer: PINTA. If you pay attention you will notice it is not a sailor but sailer. Great clue.

7. Lodging provider: INN.

8. Sense: FEEL. One of many normally called touch.

9. Jimi Hendrix classic: FOXY LADY. An amazing talent. He was the headliner at Woodstock.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F89MQGlYf64

10. Point in the right direction: ORIENT. I am proud I got this instantly.

12. Nimrod: DOLT. Mean words from my youth.

13. Arcade trademark word: SKEE. Skee ball.

18. Vile: NASTY.

22. Nick at __: NITE.

27. Passports, e.g.: IDS.

29. "Star Wars" hero: LUKE. Skywalker. One of Anakin's twin children.

30. Velocity, e.g.: RATE.

31. At any time: EVER.

32. "Give me __ and nothing but": Tom Lehrer lyric: SMUT. Classic humor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaHDBL7dVgs

33. Sunset obscurer: HAZE.

35. Actor LeBlanc: MATT. He has worked steadily but without any great success since Friends.
LINK.

38. It includes reds: WINE LIST. Red. Rose. White.

39. Lively dance: JIG. Would you like to know HOW TO?

41. Small meal: BITE.

42. Sierra __: MADRE.

44. Mixed martial artist Ronda: ROUSEY. She was undefeated and then she wasn't. LINK.

45. Heavy: LEADEN.

48. Beethoven dedicatee: ELISE. Für sure.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mVW8tgGY_w

49. Inbox message: EMAIL.

50. Prepare, as garlic: MINCE.

51. __ Pete: hot sauce brand: TEXAS. This SAUCE.

52. Massages: RUBS.

53. Creator of Perry and Della: ERLE. I am about half way through my reading all of the books.

54. Winter coat: SNOW.



56. Magazine contents: AMMO. A magazine is a part of a firearm that is used to store ammo in until the weapon uses it

59. Go after, in a way: SUE.

Patti Varol

Title: Does a male deliver your mail?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Across:

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

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

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

14. Yuletide name: CLAUS.




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

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

19. Short copy?: DUPE. Cute.

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

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

22. Brusque: TERSE.

27. Nonbeliever: ATHEIST.

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

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

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

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

36. Travel guide: MAP.

41. SE state: ALAbama.

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

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

45. Zac of "Baywatch": EFRON.

47. Error: GOOF.

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

55. Expunge: ERASE.

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

57. IMAX purchase: TKT.

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

64. Phone button abbr.: OPER.

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

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

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

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

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


Down:

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

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

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

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

5. Jargon suffix: ESE.

6. Astros' MLB division: AL WEST.

7. Really big: GIANT.

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

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

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

11. Integra maker: ACURA.

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

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

18. Hitting stat: RBIs. Runs Batted In.

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

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

25. Writer's block breakthrough: IDEA.

26. German wheels: AUDI.

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

28. Marsh duck: TEAL.

31. Cough syrup meas.: TSP. Abbreviations.

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

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

35. Jerk: YANK.ee?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

50. Neat as __: A PIN.

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

52. Blow one's stack: ERUPT.

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

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

58. Small songbirds: TITS. Snicker, snicker.

60. Parka sleeve: ARM.

61. "Listen, ewe!": BAA.

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

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

Winston Emmons

Title: Winston, I C what you did here.

We have a Friday add a letter theme presented in a pinwheel grid.




16A. Social media buzz about Alfred E. Neuman?: MAD CHATTER (10).

62A. Jalopy that still works?: GOING CRATE (10).

9D. Vegan regimen for a willowy look?: CATKINS DIET (11).

22D. Trysting place?: CHEATING PAD (11)

With a reveal:

67A. Grade describing the four longest puzzle answers?: C PLUS (5).

Across:

1. Dip with a kick: SALSA.

6. Highest: NTH.

9. Video segment: CLIP.

13. "A Lesson From __": Fugard play: ALOES.  New York Drama Critics' Circle Award, Best Play of the Year, in 1980, I think.  FUGARD was a South African and outspoken critic of Apartheid.

14. Electronic music effect: WAWA. My son, Devin. uses his wah-wah pedal (or simply wah pedal) which is a type of electric guitar effects pedal that alters the tone and frequencies of the guitar signal to create a distinctive sound, mimicking the human voice saying the onomatopoeic name "wah-wah".

15. Helper: AIDE. Even if you are not in the Senate.

18. Labor: TOIL.

19. Montgomery-to-Macon dir.: ENE. I have made this drive.

20. Founded: BASED. The theory was founded on the assumption...

21. Tie feature: KNOT. Silly; they do not come with knots. Oh, I guess if you are wearing one.

22. Fiscal exec: CFO.

24. Removes from the exchange: DELISTS. Delisting occurs when a listed security is removed from the exchange on which it trades. A stock may be removed from an exchange if the company for which the stock is issued is not in compliance with the listing requirements of the exchange. The criteria to remain listed on an exchange differs from one exchange to another. On the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), for instance, if a security's price closed below $1.00 for 30 consecutive trading days then the exchange would initiate the delisting process.

26. It's not an equine: SEAHORSE.

31. Directed: RAN.

32. Forceful: ASSERTIVE.

34. "There's many __ 'twixt the cup and the lip": old proverb: A SLIP. The origin  STORY. It is cool in a semi-sad way.

38. About one-third of Earth's land area: ASIA. Whis is where the story comes from, as well as my beautiful wife.



39. Slyly disparaging: SNIDE.

41. Monopoly pieces: DICE.

42. Tops: BESTS.

44. Like some posters: STENCILED.

46. Windows competitor: IOS.

48. Big name in auto racing: ANDRETTI.

49. Chicago mayor since 2011: EMANUEL.

53. Addams cousin: ITT.

54. Actress Helgenberger: MARG.

55. Case, often: DOZEN.

58. Hanoi holiday: TET.

61. Radar readout feature: BLIP.

65. "Frozen" princess: ELSA.

66. Grandson of 33-Down exiles: ENOS.

68. Marsh plant: REED.

69. Case, for example: Abbr.: SYN.

70. Permissible: LICIT.


Down:

1. Matching: SAME.

2. Jackson of country: ALAN.

3. Pay dirt: LODE.

4. Holding-on period?: SEC.

5. 49-Down remnant: ASH.

6. Expos, now: NATS.

7. Rough material: TWEED.

8. Taking more time, probably, as a test: HARDER.

10. Ford Field team: LIONS.

11. Nitwit: IDIOT.

12. Trapper's collection: PELTS.

14. Athletic org. founded by Billie Jean King: WTA.

17. Ends prematurely: ABORTS.

23. Pro: FOR.

25. Mike Trout's team, on scoreboards: LAA.

26. Swedish auto: SAAB.

27. Latin I verb: ESSE.

28. Craigslist caveat: ASIS.

29. Sloth and the like: SINS.

30. Musical narrated by Che: EVITA.

33. Paradise: EDEN.

35. Rhythmic cadence: LILT.

36. Tracy Marrow's stage name: ICET.

37. Salon offering: PEDI.

40. Outcome: ENDING.

43. Trifling amount: SOU.

45. Old PC monitor: CRT.

47. Marsh plants: SEDGES.

49. Eventual 5-Down: EMBER.

50. "Atlantic City" director Louis: MALLE.

51. Stand: ARISE.

52. More than a little silly: LOONY.

56. Angels Landing's national park: ZION.

57. Nation borders?: ENS.

58. Soothing application: TALC.

59. Notions case: ETUI.

60. Acid __: TEST.

63. Half of D: CCL.

64. Hudson Riv. engineering school: RPI.