06.21 Tue

T U E S D A Y
June 21, 2011
Norma Steinberg

Theme: Incoming Puns — Theme answers are familiar phrases about money clued wackily.

Theme answers:

• 21A: Honky-tonk owner's income? (JOINT RETURN).
• 56A: Actor's income? (PART PAYMENT).
• 3D: Trawler's income? (NET PROFIT).
• 36D: Librarian's income? (HUSH MONEY).

Today we've got a cute twist on some pretty dry phrases. Except for one: HUSH MONEY is kinda cool. I'm not a big fan of PART PAYMENT. In my head, it's PARTIAL PAYMENT, so that one threw me a little.

Bullets:

• 16A: They can take a yoke (OXEN). This literally made me chuckle.
• 20A: Cassandra's gift, for short (ESP). I guess you could say she was something of a SEER (70A: Fortuneteller).
• 43A: Take a mulligan in golf, say (RETRY). Whenever I see the word "mulligan" I think of the old "Mulligan Stew" videos they showed us back in elementary school a hundred years ago. It was all about the four food groups, which I guess don't exist any more? Not entirely sure how that all works.

• 49A: Political commentator Maddow (RACHEL). I'm a big RACHEL fan. Some might even say I'm obsessed with her. Those people are just grumpy.
• 68A: Oscar winner Witherspoon (REESE). I'm gonna guess she won an Oscar for her portrayal of June Carter in "Walk the Line." No time to look it up, but I'm pretty confident. That's my final answer.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 47A: Fencing weapon (ÉPÉE).
• 13D: Without stopping (ON END).
• 22D: "Golden Boy" playwright Clifford (ODETS).
• 37D: "Night" author Wiesel (ELIE).

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Everything Else — 1A: Pained expression (WINCE); 6A: City in Peru or Ohio (LIMA); 10A: Disallow (VETO); 14A: Standard of excellence (IDEAL); 15A: Satan's doing (EVIL); 17A: __ dish: lab item (PETRI); 18A: Direction indicator (VANE); 19A: Legends and such (LORE); 24A: Byways (ROADS); 26A: Sampled (TASTED); 27A: Dress (in) (CLOTHE); 29A: Rumple, as hair (MUSS); 31A: 47-Across handle (HAFT); 32A: Numbers for Noah (TWOS); 34A: Early anesthetic (ETHER); 39A: Pierre's significant other (AMIE); 40A: Cut off (SEVER); 42A: Govern (RULE); 45A: Workshop gadget (VISE); 46A: Altai Mountains' continent (ASIA); 51A: Spiral-shelled mollusks (SNAILS); 55A: Capital between Eugene and Portland (SALEM); 59A: Org. that advises the president in financial planning (OMB); 62A: "We try harder" sloganeer (AVIS); 63A: Praise (LAUD); 64A: "Rubber Duckie" singer (ERNIE); 66A: Consider (DEEM); 67A: Marseilles miss: Abbr. (MLLE.); 69A: Ultimatum ender (ELSE); 71A: Watch surreptitiously (SPY ON); 1D: Use a dust rag on (WIPE); 2D: Bad day for Caesar (IDES); 4D: Wheels, so to speak (CAR); 5D: Hebrew prophet mentioned during 55-Downs (ELIJAH); 6D: Casual brand (LEVI'S); 7D: Tennis great Lendl (IVAN); 8D: Condition like new (MINT); 9D: Warns (ALERTS); 10D: Electrical units (VOLTS); 11D: Remove from text (EX OUT); 12D: __ Haute, Indiana (TERRE); 23D: Comfort (EASE); 25D: Aquatic frolicker (OTTER); 27D: Sear (CHAR); 28D: Hobbling (LAME); 29D: Film (MOVIE); 30D: Functions (USES); 33D: "__ Only Just Begun": Carpenters hit (WE'VE); 35D: Smidgen (TRACE); 38D: Tangible (REAL); 41D: Aired again (RERAN); 44D: Cry from the litter (YELP); 48D: Biblical poems written partly by King David (PSALMS); 50D: Changes (ALTERS); 51D: Gardening tool (SPADE); 52D: Bellybutton (NAVEL); 53D: Sign of spring? (ARIES); 54D: "Who's there?" reply (IT'S ME); 55D: Passover meal (SEDER); 57D: Clinton's alma mater (YALE); 58D: Stubborn animal (MULE); 60D: Sushi bar soup (MISO); 61D: "How've you __?" (BEEN); 65D: Salesperson, briefly (REP).