Jeffrey

Who needs a title- IT'S CHRISTMAS with Jeffrey. What we need is some music!

So much for my sincere "see you next year!" This Friday tag team is back with the holiday spirit. This a classic Friday that demands you deduce a theme, which will displease many but otherwise you would be forced to solve all the downs to finish. We also have a group that dislikes referential cluing so...To begin, recognize that this is a special puzzle for the day (Merry Christmas to all!). Then examine all the effort to make this work: a 16x15 grid to allow the one grid spanning theme fill; 15 cheater squares to make it work without conventional symmetry. The Joy! 

21A. Seasonal favorite: DECK THE HALLS (12). 40A.
With 43-Across, 21-Across chorus line: FALALALALA. 43A. See 40-Across: LALALALA. 

63A. Seasonal favorite: LITTLE DRUMMER BOY. 66. 63-Across chorus line: PARUMPUMPUMPUM.

Across:

1. Oft-heard disembodied voice: SIRI. The apple of our ears. You can make some choices now but there may be a big CHANGE soon.

5. Fauna component: ANIMAL. Flora's partner in the forest.

11. [It vanished!]: PFFT. It's magic!

15. Turkmenistan neighbor: IRAN. They are bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north and east, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the south and southwest, and the Caspian Sea to the west.

16. Ford's second commercial success: MODEL A. First sold on December 2, 1927, it replaced the Model T which had been in production for 18 years. The new Model A was designated a 1928-year model and was available in four standard colors

17. Senator's helper: AIDE. Did any watch VEEP?

18. One standing before the king and queen: PAWN. I love this tricky clue. And I loved 

19. Frederick Douglass, notably: ORATOR. This impressive MAN is not to be confused with the one "s" senator who debated Lincoln.

20. European border range: URAL. These MOUNTAINS were an important part of Hitler's plan for a pure Europe.

24. Maneuver: STEER. This word has many possible ORIGINS.

26. Circle dance: HORA. Not a Christmas dance.

27. Fabric-dyeing process: BATIK.

30. Sycophant: TOADY.

31. Toss insults (at): SNIPE. Sadly the actor died; oops that was SNAPE.

32. Sport for swingers?: POLO. Golf fits so much better.

33. They're often seen on slides: AMEBAS. Are they?

39. Don't have to guess: KNOW.

44. Entertains: HOSTS.

48. Part of BPOE: ELKS. Benevolent Protective Order of Elks so soon after yesterday's reference.

49. Phase: STAGE. 

54. Fit to serve: ONE-A. Selective service designation.

55. Seriously off the mark, as a throw: WILD.

56. Show appreciation to: THANK. I want to take the time to thank all of the wonderful talents who have created 52 entertaining and challenging puzzles. 

58. Asian desert: GOBI.

62. King of Judea: HEROD. I really cannot discuss without getting into a religious discussion, but this name is also part of the Christmas story.

67. Rascal: SCAMP. Child of Lady and the Tramp.

68. Like Oscar of "The Odd Couple" or "Sesame Street": MESSY.

Down:

1. Opposite of guzzle: SIP.

2. Novelist Levin: IRA. You do not want to adopt one of his babies. 

3. Unfair outcome: RAW DEAL.

4. Demanding: IN NEED OF.

5. Uncontrolled: AMOK.

6. Word with due or true: NORTH. Also Oliver.

7. Yukon Gold source: IDAHO. The Potato, not the mineral. 

8. Poet's concern: METER.

9. Greeting in a state nickname: ALOHA.

10. Spencer of "Good Morning America": LARA. Everything and MORE.

11. '50s-'70s singer with 12 Billboard Top 10 hits: PAUL ANKA. Paul did many Christmas albums but I did not see our two featured tunes.

12. Inventory evaluation term: FIRST IN. First out. 

13. Org. that tests cosmetics: FDA. Ans COVID-19 vaccines.

14. Business card no.: TEL.

22. Yell: CRY.

23. Freight meas.: LBS.

24. Indy 500 initialism: STP. Mario Andretti.

25. Excessively: TOO.

28. Wall St. event: IPO. Initial Public Offering.

29. Royal Botanic Gardens locale: KEW.

33. Like: À LA. Near 35D. Mideast carrier: EL AL. 37D. Woeful word: ALAS. 38D. Mineo of "Rebel Without a Cause": SAL. 41D. Gore and Green: ALS. And 42D. __ Cruces: LAS. I will leave out the next two, even though they both have "AL" inside.

34. What Y can imply: MALE. Chromosome, baby!

36. Resist, with "at": BALK.

44. Lanford Wilson's "The __ Baltimore": HOTL.

45. Where impatient hands might be placed: ON HIPS.

46. Washington airport: SEATAC.

47. Hindu philosophy: TANTRA.

50. Annoying sorts: TWERPS.

51. Boeing competitor: AIRBUS.

52. Like Eeyore's outlook: GLOOMY.

53. Swirl: EDDY. Nelson?

57. "Project Runway" host: KLUM. Heidi made it back to AGOT. Still a pretty woman.

58. Econ. stat: GDP. Gross Domestic Product.

59. Tulsa sch. with a Prayer Tower: ORU.

60. Mooch: BUM. 

61. Pesky sort: IMP. Aren't they really elves?

62. Iron-rich blood pigment: HEME. It is more places than blood LINK.  I wonder if Wimpy would want an Impossible Burger?

64. Ruler of anc. Rome: EMPeror.

65. Silent: MUM. Not if you are from Britain, there the mums are seldom silent.

But fittingly, it is time for me to be silent and let you savor the flavor of JW's Christmas treat. It has been a year; my best to all who read, the posters, the lurkers, the constructors, and our own Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn- C.C. and Boomer. We have lost some followers, both literally and figuratively. We won't forget. We have had bloggers come and go, but we are here. COVID be damned. 

Lemonade out.

Robin Stears

 Title: It's my job man not my life.

I agree, not every title is a gem, but 2020 is almost over and I am worn out. Robin's debut at the LAT was this 2009 FRIDAY which is worth visiting because it tells us about Robin, and also shows the joy of a C.C. write-up which led to her being a preeminent constructor. Today's effort is substantially easier, with a wordplay gimmick that makes sense once you see it. After a brief struggle, the always helpful 17A filled and I was off to the races. There were some unknowns but the perps were all fair and the longer non-theme fill helped getting the solve. ARRANGE, AVONLEA, ENLARGE, IVORIES, MIDEAST, YIELDED, BROWN BAG, and COOLANTS. We end up with 5 fill in the theme symmectrically placed. 

First the themers, then the rest. 

17A. Organizer of a party for a mom-to-be?: SHOWER HEAD(10). The mandatory baby shower which is not just females any more in our new realities.

25A. Class clown at the prom?: DANCE CARD(9). If you call someone a card, it means they’re funny or quick-witted. This is discussed on a radio show.

34A. Musicians at a formal gala?: BALL PLAYERS(11). A CSO to our own Trombone master JzB. 

49A. The most amazing party guests ever?: DO WONDERS(9). Sussing this one was the most difficult. First you have to relate to throwing a  DO, meaning a party. The dictionary says this is a mostly British definition of a social event such as a party. The WONDER as a noun, oh my he is a Wonder!

58A. Radio hobbyists at a park outing?: PICNIC HAMS(10). This is very cute. 

Across:

1. HBO political satire until 2019: VEEP. The show that won Julia Louis-Dreyfus more Emmys.

5. Low areas: DALES. A CSO to dear Lucina.

10. __-deucey: ACEY. A card game I have not played in years which I have seen in rare visits to the casinos.

14. Limo bar: AXLE. I never get tired of a good misdirection.

15. Light __: Offenbach music genre: OPERA. This is a short, amusing musical play; an operetta. This is OFFENBACH. 

16. Love of "The Real": LONI. I knew nothing of this comedian, her show or the CONTROVERSY.

19. __ vault: POLE. What else would you call it?

20. Tree goo: SAP. Goo?

21. Collar: NAIL. Think police and a perpetrator.

22. Judaism : kosher :: Islam : __: HALAL.

23. Inuit relative: ALEUT. The same but DIFFERENT.

28. Depot worker: REDCAP. A train depot, as these are baggage handlers at the train station.

30. Orchestrate: ARRANGE. One could think about arranging as a type of musical composition, requiring the same skills and talents required of all composers. Orchestration is the art and craft of arranging a musical composition for performance by an orchestra or other ensemble. According to New Music Box.

31. "Kung Fu Panda" voice actress Lucy: LIU.

32. Health haven: SPA.

33. Dude who time-travels with Bill: TED. And they have excellent adventures.

38. Damage: MAR.

40. Sauce in a tiny packet: SOY.

41. Ergonomic kitchenware brand: OXO.

42. Keys for a music room?: IVORIES.

45. Words of emphasis: NO LESS.

52. Car company that owns SolarCity: TESLA.

53. Blah feeling: ENNUI.

54. German automaker: AUDI.

56. Prefix with gender: CIS. Another modern word added- cisgender.

57. Mass robes: ALBS.

61. Political goal: SEAT.

62. Field of conflict: ARENA.

63. Weapon with two accents: ÉPÉE. Both of which are French.

64. States' plates: TAGS.

65. She played Julia in "Julie & Julia": MERYL.

66. Major muddle: MESS.

Down:

1. Poughkeepsie campus: VASSAR. A famous once female only school, now COED.

2. Yoga class directive: EXHALE.

3. Got together quietly?: ELOPED.

4. Place to pray: PEW.

5. Bilingual toon explorer: DORA.

6. Rose pest: APHID.

7. "Futurama" woman with one eye and purple hair: LEELA. I could hear Katey Sagal's voice but my brain only got me as far as Leeza which I knew was wrong.

8. Detergent brand: ERA.

9. Pathetic: SAD.

10. Source of silky wool: ALPACA.

11. Radiator fillers: COOLANTS.

12. Blow up: ENLARGE.

13. Produced: YIELDED.

18. Necessitate: ENTAIL.

22. Part of HRH: HER.

24. Bruins' sch.: UCLA.

26. Valley with a Wine Train: NAPA.

27. Handout with a kids' menu: CRAYON.

29. Throbbed: PULSED.

32. Subtle: SLY.

34. There might be a lunch in it for you: BROWN BAG.

35. Prepare for a selfie: POSE.

36. Definitely not from around here: EXOTIC.

37. IMDb listing: ROLE.

38. Region spanning three continents: MIDEAST.

39. "Anne of Green Gables" setting: AVONLEA.

43. De-bunks?: ROUSTS.

44. "Here Comes the Hotstepper" singer __ Kamoze: INI.

46. Get away from it all: ESCAPE.

47. Coats with goo: SLIMES.

48. Gets lippy with: SASSES.

50. Danica Patrick, for one: RACER.

51. Fair: SUNNY.

55. Remote precursor: DIAL.

58. Cooking spray: PAM.

59. Fury: IRE.

60. Blind stitch: HEM.

December 4

 Title: Hey let's go to the double feature at the bijou!

Yoni is back for his first solo effort here at the LAT, after two collaborative Sundays working with Yaakov Bendavid over this past summer. Yoni has two solos published at the Universal site as well as 98 puzzles in the Jewish Press dating back at least to 2013. Today is a variation on a somewhat common theme where the front and back of the theme fill each are part of hidden joy. Simply put, the clue ends up revealing two movie titles. The sparkle comes from both of those movies being in the horror genre, as is revealed in 36A. 2001 Wayans Brothers sequel, and a hint to the four other longest puzzle answers: SCARY MOVIE TWO which was pretty funny with an interesting cast. The icing on this creation is having two of the theme fill be grid-spanners. Well done.

We also have some long fill outside the theme ABSOLVE, ELAPSED, OPTED IN, HERBIVORE and SHREDDERS with the word highlighted in red making its major puzzle debut.

On to the theme:

17A. Checked out '70s AMC cars? (2004, 1984): SAW GREMLINS. The Gremlin automobile was introduced on  April 1, 1970, which led many to believe it was intended as a joke. The year of the release of the films is added in parentheses to guide the solver once the theme is recognized. SAW and all of its sequels are truly horrifying. GREMLINS was much sillier, but does show us a baby Yoda? 

23A. Genetic indicators? (2018, 2002): HEREDITARY SIGNS. I never SAW HEREDITARY, and am content with seeing only the trailer even though I enjoy the work of TONI COLLETTE. On the other hand, I have watched and enjoyed SIGNS.

51A. Getting no goodies from trick-or-treating? (1978, 1990): HALLOWEEN MISERY. This Jamie Lee Curtis vehicle TRAILER spawned so many sequels. Kathy Bates was so perfect in this MOVIE based on a Steven King novel.

58A. Possible sequel to "Despicable Me"? (2010, 2019): INSIDIOUS US. This cluing is an outlier as it uses a film to lead to the fill. It also used two films I never have heard about. The INSIDIOUS franchise was a second appearance of director JAMES WAN on our list of movies. Jordan Peele brought us US a movie with hidden meanings and dramatic twists, or so I am told.

If you followed every link you may be too tired to go on, but on we must go.

Across:

1. Brosnan and Craig, most recently: BONDS. An added hint to the movie basis of the puzzle. 

6. "You __ at hello": HAD ME.

11. Bench subject: LAW. The bench and the bar.

14. Mosque-goer's deity: ALLAH. If you want to LEARN more.

15. Certain lesson: MORAL. This usage was coined by Cicero ("De Fato," II.i) to translate Greek ethikos (see ethics) from Latin mos (genitive moris) "one's disposition."

16. "Do Ya" rock gp.: ELO. Electric Light Orchestra.

19. Uruguay uncle: TIO. A Spanish speaking country.

20. Coagulate: GEL. Also, bonus fill reference to all the blood that is coagulating in the theme movies.

21. Went by: ELAPSED. Time, rather than a name. 

28. "We need to chat": A WORD. Generally not a good thing to hear.

29. Hand-off recipients: Abbr.: RBS. American Football running backs.

30. Interested to a fault: NOSY.

31. Gamble: BET.

32. Flight sked info: ETAS.

34. "Dexter" airer, briefly: SHO. More bonus fill, with this very popular serial killer's story. 

41. Ltr. addenda: PSS.

42. King played by Glenda Jackson: LEAR. This remarkable PRODUCTION included PEDRO PASCAL who plays the MANDALORIAN. 

43. Actress Gardner: AVA.

45. Sneaky stratagem: TRAP.

48. TV watcher's device: DVR.

49. Long-time Delaware senator: BIDEN.

55. Chose to take part: OPTED IN.

56. Colorado NHL club, to fans: AVS.

57. 66, e.g.: Abbr.: RTE.



64. 1994 Olympics host: Abbr.: NOR.

65. Movie segment: SCENE.

66. Curbs, with "in": REINS.

67. Graduating gp.: SRS.

68. Concise: TERSE.

69. Vedder of Pearl Jam: EDDIE.

Down:

1. English lit degrees: BAS.

2. Pay add-on?: OLA.

3. Dodgers' div.: NLW.

4. Prop for a Macbeth soliloquy: DAGGER. We get a touch of our Friday Will Shakespeare.

5. Machines that may cover tracks?: SHREDDERS. Really fun clue.

6. "Interesting": HMM. 

7. Web pioneer: AOL.

8. Moisture-absorbing substances: DRIERS.

9. Virile: MANLY.

10. __ ice palace: Disney movie setting: ELSAS. Was FROZEN a horror movie? 

11. Releases: LETS GO.

12. Sci-fi film staples: ALIENS. Another bonus horror film reference.

13. Pine-scented, say: WOODSY.

18. Manning with two Super Bowl victories: ELI. They both have two now.

22. Wine option: PINOT.

23. Montreal NHLer, to fans: HAB.

24. Wool sources: EWES.

25. Campus mil. group: ROTC.

26. Airport transport: TRAM.

27. Clear: ABSOLVE.

33. TV's Burrell and Pennington: TYS.

34. "Titanium" vocalist: SIA.

35. Stegosaurus, for one: HERBIVORE.

37. Jobs creation, in part: APPLE.

38. Offscreen friend in "Ernest" films: VERN.

39. Get one's feet wet: WADE.

40. Finished: OVER.

44. Whichever: ANY.

45. Hiking hazards: THORNS.

46. "Jurassic Park" enemy: RAPTOR. Another scary movie reference.

47. Edits, say: ALTERS.

48. More concentrated: DENSER.

50. Gave out: ISSUED.

52. Keats, for one: ODIST.

53. Show a bit of pain: WINCE.

54. Month in printemps: MAI.

59. They can get you a job: INS.

60. Crummy grade: DEE.

61. Funny Caesar: SID.

62. Aussie college: UNI.

63. Chicago-to-Jacksonville dir.: SSE. This is the time of year for the trip, less than 16 hours driving if you take  I-65 S, I-24 E, I-75 S and I-10 E to your destination in Jacksonville. 

Then if you take 10 to I-95 South 

themeless for aaron

 

Across:

1. 2015-'20 TV hip-hop musical drama: EMPIRE.

7. Toyota sedans: AVALONS.

14. Outer organ layer: CORTEX.

15. Email staple: EMOTICON.

16. Pooh-pooh, with "at": SNEEZE.

17. Michelangelo's "David," for one: MALE NUDE.

18. Do something to hide?: TAN.

19. Devoted: ARDENT.

21. Name on the 1949 "Death of a Salesman" playbill: ELIA.

22. Bad news word: ALAS.

24. Thrice, in prescriptions: TER.

25. Nosh: SNACK.

26. Proportional gift: TITHE.

28. Extreme distress: AGONY.

31. "Curious George" co-author Margret: REY.

32. Start of a "Huh?" response: ISAID.

33. Fix up, as an old pool: RELINE.

35. Comics characters in "Homicidal Psycho Jungle Cat": CALVIN AND HOBBES.

40. Duck soup: ACINCH.

41. Exmoor heroine: DOONE.

42. Part of the 56-Across: SIB.

45. Tucker of country: TANYA.

46. Warblers' warbles: SONGS.

47. Law school beginners: ONELS.

49. High-__: upscale: END.

51. __ Sea: Arctic Ocean arm: KARA.

52. Cut with light: LASE.

53. It was delayed three months in 2020: TAXDAY.

56. See 42-Across: FAM.

57. Apple Pencil go-with: iPAD MINI.

59. "Honest!": NO JIVE.

61. Try-before-you-buy item: DEMO UNIT.

62. Ace of Base, e.g.: SWEDES.

63. "The Mets have shown me more ways to lose than I even knew existed" speaker: STENGEL.

64. First arrival: ELDEST.

Down:

1. Stoked: ECSTATIC.

2. 16th-century masterpiece: MONA LISA.

3. Like most OB visits: PRENATAL.

4. Mineral ending: ITE.

5. Exiled Shah Mohammad __ Pahlavi: REZA.

6. Bring into play: EXERT.

7. Start of many bar jokes: AMAN.

8. Electric Chevy: VOLT.

9. Put away: ATE.

10. Bedding: LINEN.

11. Concerned with pupils?: OCULAR.

12. "Fat chance": NO DICE.

13. Disingenuous: SNEAKY.

15. Way away from danger: EMERGENCY EXIT.

20. Start of a request for advice: DEAR ANN.

23. Hindu deity: SHIVA.

25. Clerical assemblies: SYNODS.

27. Royal commands: EDICTS.

29. Warhorse: OLD HAND.

30. Org. studying epidemics: NIH.

34. Digital read: E-BOOK.

36. Vardalos of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding": NIA.

37. Real: BONAFIDE.

38. Cuts in lines: ENGRAVES.

39. Fictional NYC thoroughfare: SESAME ST.

42. Big favors, in slang: SOLIDS.

43. Ticked: IN A PET.

44. "__ Mucho": 1944 #1 song: BESAME.

48. Conned: LED ON.

50. "__ avec les stars": DANSE.

53. Pointed part: TINE.

54. Indigo dye: ANIL.

55. Wail: YOWL.

58. Travel __: MUG.

60. Clampett patriarch: JED.

August Miller

 Title: Take a left and go north

I get to introduce another first time LAT constructor. I also could not find any other publications for this August August, so welcome. The theme has a visual curveball, so let us get right to it. 

I would have been stumped but for my problem with milk. When 20 A took me to the doorstep of Lactose Intolerant but had no room for the "ant," I had two thoughts. 1. There was going to be a picnic theme with"ants" missing from all of the themers. 2. It was visual and the "ant" was going to crawl up the puzzle. Neither was correct, but I did grok that the end of the fill just went up. The circles made that choice obvious. A fun idea that created much room for sparkly fill. 

MINOR IN, SUMMONS, GOES BOOM, OPERA HAT,  ABECEDARY, IN THE AREA, IRS AGENTS  and SKATEPUNK

Across:

1. Key __: remote-start devices: FOBS.

5. Not straight, in a way: GAY.

8. Haggard of country: MERLE.

13. "Yeah, yeah, I get it": OKOK.

14. People: ONES.

16. Lock up the victory: ICEIT.

17. They have taxing jobs: IRSAGENTS.

19. "Interstellar" co-writer/director Christopher: NOLAN.

20. Deficient in a certain enzyme: LACTOSEINTOLERA.

22. Recede: EBB.

23. Court orders: WRITS.

24. Brit's "Don't get upset, now": KEEPYOURHAI.

30. Org. fighting for refugees: ACLU.

31. Columbus' home: OHIO.

32. Some traffic monitors: NARCS.

37. Word after greater or lesser: THAN.

38. Very many, informally: MUCHO.

40. Situation, metaphorically: BOAT.

41. Passes (out): ZONKS.

43. Take another tour: REUP.

44. "Enchanted" girl in a 2004 film: ELLA.

45. Hand-to-hand battle: UNARMEDCOMB.

48. Streaks: ZOOMS.

51. Dwell on, maybe: RUE.

52. Lone survivor ... and a hint to the puzzle's circles?: LAST MAN STANDING.

59. State with a panhandle: IDAHO.

60. Nearby: IN THE AREA.

61. Compare: LIKEN.

62. Georgetown cager: HOYA.

63. __ Malek, Best Actor winner for "Bohemian Rhapsody": RAMI.

64. Neptune's are about 165 times longer than ours: YEARS.

65. Sandwich with a bit of crunch: BLT.

66. 2010 Ringo Starr album: YNOT.

Down:

1. The creature, to Dr. Frankenstein: FOIL.

2. Cajun food staple: OKRA.

3. Pear variety: BOSC.

4. Rock subgenre whose music is featured in "Tony Hawk's" games: SKATE PUNK.

5. Blows up: GOESBOOM.

6. Actress Hathaway: ANNE.

7. Himalayan with a thick coat: YETI.

8. Study on the side: MINORIN.

9. Food recall reason: ECOLI.

10. Subleased: RELET.

11. Yarn weavers: LIARS.

12. It's south of Vesuvius: ETNA.

15. Fig. on a return: SSN.

18. Pass: GOBY.

21. Defunct airline: TWA.

24. Apt surname for a vet: KATZ.

25. __ chamber: ECHO.

26. Panache: ELAN.

27. "Star Trek" linguistics expert: UHURA.

28. Kitchen gadget: RICER.

29. Just meh: HOHUM.

33. School primer: ABECEDARY.

34. Candy with a gooey center: ROLO.

35. Still, as a day: CALM.

36. Whack: STAB.

39. Collapsible headwear: OPERAHAT.

42. It's usually bad to be served with one: SUMMONS.

46. Hush-hush org.: NSA.

47. Sci-fi classic set on an arid world: DUNE.

48. "White Teeth" novelist Smith: ZADIE.

49. Japan's second-largest city: OSAKA.

50. Catch-all survey option: OTHER.

52. __ of the valley: LILY.

53. Medical research agcy.: NIH.

54. Stuck-up sort: SNOB.

55. Texter's sign-off: TTYL.

56. Caspian Sea land: IRAN.

57. Film fish to find: NEMO.

58. Way of walking: GAIT.

Kevin Christian

 Title: ANIMAL COLLECTIVE.

Today's trek will require you to jog your memories to recall various "nouns of multitude" for animal groups. If that term is not a familiar one then you might want to follow this LINK and listen and learn. This is a play on word puzzle with five theme fill. Kevin has been entertaining us for more than 10 years with the late dear Santa blogging his first here in April 2010. Remarkably, I do not believe I have ever written up one of his efforts -until now. This theme is a bit subtle, taking an animal group pairing that with a word that gives a different meaning to the now paired word. As with most featured Fridays, this has much to like in the fill...ARE WE OK,  HASSLES,  HOTDOGS,  HYDRANT,  RISOTTO THE BOMB, PANCETTA and USA TODAY, I highlight the new fill by using red. 

For a theme, we have...

17A. Lions in the city?: CIVIC PRIDE (10). Civic being the city part...

25A. Fish with experience?: OLD SCHOOL (9). We reverse the clue, not the fill.

36A. Bees behind bars?: PENAL COLONY (11). This was hard because we think of bees in a hive. My thought was "where do chlamydia live?" I'll see if Tom censors me.

47A. Whales on the run?: ESCAPE POD (9). By now you should know this one. Whales can be very tight when they group, swimming in close proximity to each other on occasion. To the first ceteologists, they resembled seeds in a pod-like that of a legume.

58A. Wolves with a clean lair?: VACUUM PACK (10). Picturing a bunch of surly wolves vacuuming makes this a big stretch.

Across:

1. Persepolis ruins locale: IRAN. In the old Persia, where so much HISTORY lies.

5. Prickly plants: CACTI. Much better than prickly pants.

10. Former Supreme Court first name: RUTH. Ms. Bader Ginsberg, a remarkable woman.

14. iPod model: NANO. 

15. Garden nuisance: APHID. But needed by Peonies, remember?

16. Protection org. since 1970: OSHA. Occupational Safety Health Administration.

19. Slangy sweeties: BAES. I.m already bored with this word. 

20. Pulitzer-winning author Lurie: ALISON. I cannot read the way I used to, but I would have missed her anyway. LINK.

21. Spring: LEAP. Forward.

23. Conan's network: TBS. One of Ted Turner's baes.

24. Willamette River capital: SALEM. The OREGON one. 

27. UFO fliers, presumably: ETS. Meh.

28. __ bath: MUD. People actually pay for these. Or...


30. Luke and Leia's mother: PADME. I just had the yummy Natalie Portman.

31. Show-offs: HOTDOGS. None more so than JOEY.

35. Pats gently: DABS. A little one will do you. 

38. Inland Asian sea: ARAL. Having a COMEBACK?

40. Fixture in some no-parking zones: HYDRANT. Very random.

41. Starr man: RINGO. A gimme from the spelling. 

43. One kept on a child at the pool: EYE.

44. Hole goal: PAR.

51. GE rival: AMANA. Appliance makers. 

53. "Alas!" prompter: WOE. Alack, 

54. Seafarers: TARS.

55. USC athlete: TROJAN.

56. Novel ending?: ETTE.

60. Miranda __ of "Homeland": OTTO. Miranda Otto is an Australian actress who portrayed Allison Carr on Homeland. She is best known for playing Eowyn in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

61. Dutch cheeses: EDAMS.

62. Czech track legend Zátopek: EMIL.

63. Zen riddle: KOAN. A characteristic example of the style is the well-known koan “When both hands have clapped a sound is produced; listen to the sound of one hand clapping.”

64. "Building a Mystery" singer McLachlan: SARAH.

65. Cook of comedy: DANE. Rather a passe star I think, but I never enjoyed his comedy.

.

Down:

1. If: IN CASE. In Alabama, they say, for case. 

2. Scold harshly: RAIL AT.

3. Wile E. Coyote weapons: ANVILS. He is back again!

4. White __: NOISE. We use a fan.

5. Bo's'n boss: CAPN. Match the abbreviations.

6. Loan fig.: APR. Annual Percentage Rate.

7. Put on ice: CHILL.

8. Helped through a tough time, with "over": TIDED.  Stimulus anyone?

9. Brainstorming session output: IDEAS.

10. Director Reiner: ROB. He also is back after his recent appearance as the director of When Harry Met Sally.

11. Paper with Money and Life sections: USA TODAY. Where you get lots of C.C. puzzles these days.

12. Awesome, slangily: THE BOMB.

13. Bothers: HASSLES.

18. Public town park: COMMON.

22. Narc's find: PCP.

25. "Funny thing is ... ": ODDLY.

26. "I __ thought of that": HADN'T.

29. Home to the Ogden Raptors of MiLB: UTAH. Minor League Baseball.

31. Hägar the Horrible's wife: HELGA.

32. Med. condition with repetitive behavior: OCD. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.  

33. Hurt in a ring: GORED. A bunch of bull.

34. Take out, as a vampire: SLAY. Hey Peg, how are you? 

36. Italian bacon: PANCETTA. Maybe with some 39D. Dish with arborio rice: RISOTTO.

37. Like difficult push-ups: ONE ARM. Who can forget?

38. "Do you and I need to clear the air?": ARE WE OK.

42. Withdraw, with "out": OPT.

44. __ party: PAJAMA.

45. Aleve rival: ANACIN.

46. Really get to: RANKLE.

48. Wasp nest sites: EAVES.

49. Red-carpet brand: PRADA. 

50. NBA great Robertson nicknamed "The Big O": OSCAR.

52. Minibike kin: MOPED. We had one while we were kids.

55. Derriere: TUSH. I do appreciate a well-formed one.

57. Long time to wait, facetiously: EON.

59. Thurman in films: UMA. We finish with the now ubiquitous Uma.

Gary Larson

 Title: Where are they from?

ATM FEES,  BISQUES, EMERITI, EYE EXAM, GRAFTON, GRETZKY,  GROUPIE,  HAT SIZE, SIERRAS, SKI PASS, and UNMEANT.

Across:

1. Ancient wizard: MAGE.

5. Serbian-born NBA center __ Jokic: NIKOLA.

11. Fella: BRO.

14. Speck: ATOM.

15. Bordeaux wine: CLARET.

16. Narrow inlet: RIA.

17A. Grasslands around Dakar?: SENEGAL LEAS.

19. Petition: ASK.

20. High ranges: SIERRAS.

21. Holder of 61 NHL records: GRETZKY.

23. Chamber group: TRIO.

24. Comet relative: BONAMI.

25. Retire: TURNIN.

28. Jessica of "Dark Angel": ALBA.

31. Winter vacation purchase: SKI PASS.

33. Part of a late 1900s demographic: GEN-Y-ER.

35. "The Simpsons" storekeeper: APU.

36. Feature of a map of Baghdad?: IRAQ KEY.

38. MD treating canals: ENT.

39. Oklahoma tribe: PAWNEE.

41. Accidental: UNMEANT.

43. Genesis twin: ESAU.

44. Middle of a three-part start: GET SET. On your mark ...

45. Subtly points out: INFERS. Oh, this is so wrong.

48. Present time?: X-MAS.

51. Uniform concern, maybe: HAT SIZE.

53. Late author whose daughter wrote, "As far as we in the family are concerned, the alphabet now ends in Y": GRAFTON.

56. Behave: ACT.

57. Laid-back attitude in Hanoi?: VIETNAM EASE.

59. Charlotte of "The Facts of Life": RAE.

60. Bivouac: ENCAMP.

61. Times past: ERAS.

62. Uma's "Pulp Fiction" role: MIA.

63. Perceived to be: SEEN AS.

64. Caesar and others: SIDS.

Down:

1. One side of a physics equivalence principle: MASS.

2. Bit the dust: ATE IT.

3. One with no hope: GONER.

4. Honored retirees: EMERITI.

5. Indiana-based sports org.: NCAA.

6. Troubles: ILLS.

7. Penn of "House": KAL. He is all over the place. His IMDB

8. Crater Lake locale: OREGON.

9. Hear (of): LEARN.

10. Without a clue: ATSEA.

11. Longing in São Paulo?: BRAZIL YEN.

12. Take a shot at: RISK.

13. Wine nuance word: OAKY.

18. Exuberant fan: GROUPIE.

22. IRS agent: TMAN.

24. Fish restaurant offerings: BISQUES.

26. Unusual: RARE.

27. Eavesdropping org.: NSA.

29. Twisted: BENT.

30. Focus for some collectors: ART.

31. Watering holes: SPAS.

32. Hot spot in Al Ahmadi?: KUWAIT TEA.

33. Masterpieces: GEMS.

34. Test involving gradually longer lines: EYE EXAM. A wonderful clue as each successive line is longer.
EYE CHART 

35. Mimic: APE.

37. Round Table VIP: KNT. Knight abbreviation? 

40. Creatures of habit?: NUNS. Hah, hah. 

42. Some bank acct. charges: ATM FEES.

44. Homer's home: GREECE.

46. Fins: FIVES.

47. Slate, for one: E-ZINE.

49. Original Flashback games console designer: ATARI.

50. "What a pity": SO SAD.

51. Wrong: HARM.

52. Smoothie fruit: ACAI.

53. Fed. lending agency: GNMA.

54. Criticizes: RAPS.

55. Storied loch: NESS.

58. Brown shade: TAN.