01.21 Fri

F R I D A Y

January 21, 2011
Kelsey Blakley

[This is the one week out of the year where I'm going to just mention that there is a donation button over in the sidebar. Please read my pitch for donations at the beginning of Monday's write-up here. And thanks so much for being here and for all the kind notes I've received this week.]

Theme: Whateva! — Familiar (?) phrases that end in ER are transformed into wacky phrases that end in A.

Theme answers:

• 20A: Heavy metal mimic? (HARD ROCK MYNA).
• 28A: Nickname for a pharmaceuticals czar? (PILL PAPA).
• 37A: Surfing-induced torpor? (BEACH COMA).
• 49A: Sailor's pocket bread? (SALT PITA).
• 56A: Heavenly food on the nightstand? (BEDSIDE MANNA).

Can't say that I'm a big fan of this theme. I finished up in the northeast where it took me what felt like forever (and was probably 40 seconds) to grok the first theme answer. So the base phrase is HARD ROCK MINER? Is that a phrase? It gets 200,000 Google hits as a phrase. That's really not many. In my world I just call that person a MINER and I don't feel the need to get any more specific than that. If HARD ROCK MINER is an appropriate base phrase then I'm building my next puzzle around BLUES MUSIC SINGER.

To be fair, BEDSIDE MANNA gave me a chuckle. And even though I typically don't like to find the word COMA in my puzzle (not sure why, it's just distasteful to me), BEACH COMA amused me for some reason. SALT PITA on the other hand is just super super dry and PILL PAPA has a clue that doesn't make any sense to me. (Wouldn't the "pharmaceuticals czar" be called the PILL CZAR?) I guess what I'm saying is the theme just felt off to me all the way around. Sometimes when that happens, it doesn't affect my solving experience, but today it definitely did.

Good stuff in the puzzle includes SMIDGEN, of course (42D: Wee bit). I kinda wanna be mad at ENNUI (38D: Lassitude), but only because it's so awesome. Let me explain. I remembered that I had once included a video clip from "Gilmore Girls" to go along with an ENNUI entry. So I went back and looked for it, and found it was back in April 2009. Well that's quite a while ago, so I thought it would be okay to run it again today. Apparently, between then and now the person who posted the video to YouTube decided to disable embedding. I wanted to be all determined and find the clip in an embeddable format, but I knew if I started poking around "Gilmore Girls" video clips I would be sucked into the YouTube vortex and never finish this write-up. So. The clip is here if you're interested. And that's really the best I can do for you today. So sorry!

Bullets:

• 1A: Iowa wrestling legend Dan (GABLE). No, that's not really the clue. But it could have been!
• 16A: Plantation near Twelve Oaks (TARA). I started with PITCHER where MANAGER was supposed to go (13D: Recipient of an annual baseball award since 1983), which made this answer end in an I. But I thought "Well, it must be TARA, I mean, TARA is the only plantation in CrossWorld, right?"
• 23A: Exotic guided tour (SAFARI). And we learned recently that a SAFARI might even make a good honeymoon.
• 27A: Flop (DOG). Tried SAG first.
• 34A: Chapeau's perch (TÊTE). Anyone remember the Cat in the Hat song? "Cat. Hat. In French chat chapeau. In Mexico el gato in a sombrero."
• 40A: Williams of ''Happy Days'' (ANSON). Potsie!
• 44A: One shooting the bull? (VET). The bull presumably has some sort of malady and the VETerinarian needs to give him a shot. Good luck, VETerinarian!
• 71A: Pram occupant's wear (NAPPY). This one tricked me in a good way. I thought "ONESIE doesn't fit!" but then realized the word "pram" in the clue was an indication that the answer would be a British word.
• 9D: Long-odds track wager (EXACTA). An EXACTA bet is when you choose the first- and second-place finishers in order. A QUINELLA is choosing the first- and second-place finishers in either order. And now you're ready to go to the track.
• 12D: Cargo on the Edmund Fitzgerald when it sank in Lake Superior (IRON ORE). Wow, really? That's so interesting! It was carrying IRON zzzzzz….

• 32D: Zadora of "Hairspray" (PIA). Was she in the original film, the remake, or the stage production? Wikipedia to the rescue! (She was in the original film.)
• 35D: OAS member (ECUA.). I'm guessing that's an abbreviation for ECUAdor but I'm not interested enough to look it up.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 18A: __ avis (RARA).
• 19A: Prince William's alma mater (ETON).
• 66A: Nat or Card (NL'ER).
• 21D: Rodeo prop (RIATA).
• 45D: SFO listing (ETA).

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Everything Else — 1A: Cape Cod feature (GABLE); 6A: Valentine trim (LACE); 10A: Embezzle (SKIM); 14A: Medicinal plants (ALOES); 15A: Comet competitor (AJAX); 17A: Like ESP? (SIXTH); 26A: Subway co. in a 1959 song (MTA); 31A: Aim high (ASPIRE); 33A: Commotion (ADO); 36A: One bearing down (EIDER); 43A: Peevish, as a puss (SOUR); 47A: Sharp Italian cheese (ROMANO); 52A: 11th-century date (MVI); 53A: Mantel piece (URN); 55A: Crankcase reservoir (OIL PAN); 60A: Bit of plankton (ALGA); 61A: C-3PO worshiper (EWOK); 62A: Where to see government programs (C-SPAN); 67A: Sparkling wine city (ASTI); 68A: Elicit a :-) from (AMUSE); 69A: Dismally damp (DANK); 70A: "Lolita" star Sue (LYON); 1D: State of matter (GAS); 2D: Fighter who was a dove (ALI); 3D: Emulate 2-Down (BOX); 4D: Ruinous (LETHAL); 5D: F equivalent (E SHARP); 6D: Blubber (LARD); 7D: Slightly gapped (AJAR); 8D: Ricochet (CAROM); 10D: Stalk (STEM); 11D: Insect that can mimic a leaf (KATYDID); 22D: "Casey's Top 40" host (KASEM); 23D: Bad Ems attraction (SPA); 24D: Give a leg up (AID); 25D: Showman Ziegfeld (FLO); 29D: Chest muscles, briefly (PECS); 30D: Oldest musketeer (ATHOS); 37D: Zookeeper's main squeeze? (BOA); 39D: DuPont's Fiber A, now (ORLON); 40D: Worn symbol of support (ARMBAND); 41D: "Billy Budd," e.g. (NOVELLA); 44D: Certain lounge frequenter (VIP); 46D: Soak up some rays (TAN); 48D: Tough test (ORDEAL); 50D: Object of a kicking game (TIN CAN); 51D: State of matter (PLASMA); 54D: Like a thorough update (NEWSY); 57D: Cutty __: historic clipper ship (SARK); 58D: Agent inspired by Chan (MOTO); 59D: Like, with "to" (AKIN); 63D: Minor crying wolf? (PUP); 64D: Egyptian viper (ASP); 65D: Napoleonic Wars marshal (NEY).

12.30 Thu

T H U R S D A Y

December 30, 2010
Kelsey Blakley


Theme: City Mash-Up — Theme answers are made up of two city names put together, where the end of the first city and the beginning of the second city make up a third city.

Theme answers:

• 20A: Iowa/Arizona/Maryland tri-city area? (AMESANNAPOLIS). [Ames Mesa Annapolis]
• 32A: Washington/Georgia/ New Hampshire tri-city area? (TACOMACONCORD). [Tacoma Macon Concord]
• 40A: South Dakota/Nevada/ Virginia tri-city area? (PIERRENORFOLK). [Pierre Reno Norfolk]
• 55A: California/Alaska/ Tennessee tri-city area? (FRESNOMEMPHIS). [Fresno Nome Memphis]

We've really had a good week here at the LAT haven't we? This theme is super super cute and I found the puzzle really fun to solve. Once I figured out the theme, I tried to guess the rest of the theme answers without crosses, but I had trouble with the first one because I was resisting AMES until the very end. I'm so sick of seeing AMES in the puzzle! Enough with AMES already! Ya know what's in AMES? Iowa State University, that's what! In-state rival to my beloved Hawkeyes. (Not that they're really much of a rival, I mean when one side is so far superior to the other — is it even accurate to call it a rivalry?) Okay, okay, I'm a little hopped up on Hawkeye Love right now because there's a big wrestling tournament going on and I've been following it all day. Session Three starts tomorrow at noon. I'm exhausted already. But I'm not going to bore you all with my personal obsession because I'm sure that gets old.

The puzzle! Quite a bit of crosswordese in this one, but I didn't really mind it because I love the theme and I kinda dug the long downs as well: CLOSE LOOK, COLD SPELL, BUMPER CAR — those are some pretty colorful entries if you ask me. All in all … fun! Let's get to the bullets!

Bullets:

• 5A: Flintstone word (DABBA). Raise your hand if you wrote in *ABBA and waited for the cross.
• 15A: Stevie Wonder's "My Cherie __" (AMOUR). My very favorite version of this song was sung by Eddie Murphy on an old SNL where he was doing an impersonation of Stevie Wonder in order to show Stevie Wonder (who was playing a character who wasn't Stevie Wonder) how it should be done. I've never been able to find that clip online. SethG?
• 27A: "__ Town Too": 1981 hit (HER). Ooh! Awesome!



• 29A: The Concord Sage's monogram (RWE). That would be Ralph Waldo Emerson.
• 43A: Like some outlet mall mdse. (IRR.). Irregular.

• 46A: Alberta natives (CREES). Not a fan of the S-plural of Indian tribe names.
• 58A: Soldier who has completed most of his tour of duty (SHORT-TIMER). I guess I knew somewhere back in the far reaches of my brain that this phrase had its start in the military.
• 2D: 2007 Enterprise acquisition (ALAMO). The car rental company, not the starship.
• 9D: Not pizzicato (ARCO). Speaking of the far reaches of my brain, wow. I came up with this one with no crosses. I was involved with music a lot from the time I was, like, four through college and then some. But I only played a string instrument (the cello) for one year. Can't believe I remembered ARCO.
• 10D: Cheerleader's feat (SPLIT). I was thinking maybe we'd argue about whether it's okay for this to be singular instead of the plural "the splits." You start.
• 25D: '70s "Concentration" host Jack (NARZ). All I can say to this one is … WTF?!?!? Wow! Ne-Ever heard of the guy. I totally remember Ed McMahon hosting "Concentration" and he was only on for nine months, while this NARZ character hosted for five years! Bizarre! Awesome name though ….

Crosswordese 101: This is gonna be more like CW301, but you guys are ready for it, right? There are two sports guys named ODOM that you should know for crosswords. First, and most common, is today's 42D: Blue Moon of '60s-'70s baseball. His full name was Johnny Lee ODOM, but you don't need to know that. He's always clued as "Blue Moon," and there will always be a reference to baseball, 1960s-70s, and/or the fact that he was a pitcher. The other one is Lamar ODOM, a professional basketball player currently with the L.A. Lakers.

Other crosswordese in the puzzle that we've already covered:

• 36A: K-12 (ELHI).
• 45A: Announcer Hall (EDD).
• 61A: Saarinen who designed the Gateway Arch (EERO).
• 64A: Skating maneuver (AXEL).
• 65A: Broadway matchmaker (YENTE).
• 21D: Pianist Templeton (ALEC).
• 57D: Contemporary of Rex and Agatha (ERLE).

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Everything Else — 1A: Squish (MASH); 10A: Bairn, e.g. (SCOT); 14A: Pick of the litter? (ALPO); 16A: Horse around (PLAY); 17A: Zoo retreat (LAIR); 18A: Red and yellow but not green (WARM COLORS); 22A: Sing like Slim Clark (YODEL); 23A: Cut from the staff (AXE); 24A: Arterial implant (STENT); 31A: My __, Vietnam (LAI); 38A: It may be precious (METAL); 39A: Percolate (OOZE); 44A: Quite a long time (EON); 48A: Anesthesiologists' work sites, briefly (OR'S); 51A: Neapolitan song starter (O SOLE); 60A: Drops off (EBBS); 62A: Even a little (AT ALL); 63A: Passed-down tales (LORE); 66A: Oven cleaner chemicals (LYES); 1D: Asia's __ Peninsula (MALAY); 3D: Spotted (SPIED); 4D: Paintbrush material (HORSE HAIR); 5D: Become clear to, with "on" (DAWN); 6D: Radarange maker (AMANA); 7D: Cleansing agent (BORAX); 8D: Crash course vehicle? (BUMPER CAR); 11D: More than a glance (CLOSE LOOK); 12D: Crew tool (OAR); 13D: Cobb et al. (TYS); 19D: "The Daily Planet" reporter (OLSEN); 26D: Ocean phenomenon (TIDE); 28D: Lover boy (ROMEO); 30D: Stout hero Nero (WOLFE); 32D: Start of a conclusion (THEREFORE); 33D: Anabaptist denomination (MENNONITE); 34D: "From __ Zinc": vitamin slogan (A TO); 35D: Time to bundle up (COLD SPELL); 36D: Like some proportions (EPIC); 37D: NYC commuter line (LIRR); 41D: Odometer button (RESET); 47D: Swashbuckler Flynn (ERROL); 49D: __ candle (ROMAN); 50D: Silver fish (SMELT); 52D: "Whoopee!" ("OH BOY!"); 53D: Vers __: free verse (LIBRE); 54D: Switchback features (ESSES); 56D: Layover (STAY); 58D: Something fishy (SEA); 59D: Give the evil eye (HEX).

F R I D A Y October 15, 2010 Kelsey Blakley

Theme: What the L? — An "L" is added before the "Y" in words ending in "Y," and wackiness ensues.

Theme answers:

• 17A: Mentioned with a yawn? (DULLY NOTED)
• 23A: Tightfistedness scale? (MISERLY INDEX)
• 53A: Like a centaur? (PARTLY ANIMAL)
• 64A: Old enough to know better? (HARDLY BOYS)

Howdy, fellow cruciverbalists. Doug here, pinch-hitting for PuzzleGirl on a Friday. Speaking of hitting, Kelsey Blakley knocked one out of the park! Today's puzzle is excellent. Lots of fun from top to bottom. We've all seen add-a-letter puzzles before. I've constructed quite a few of them myself. Now to make an add-a-letter theme really shine, the constructor has to create phrases that can be clued in clever and surprising ways. I thought the first two theme entries were OK--cute and not terribly memorable. But the last two are just awesome. "Like a centaur?" sounds like the title for a creepier-than-usual Madonna video. And HARDLY BOYS for "Old enough to know better?" is the icing on the cake. Plenty of good stuff in the fill too. Let's look at some highlights:

Bullets:

• 1A: A popular one is modeled after the Winchester rifle (BBGUN). Nice entry and clue to kick off the puzzle. Clumps of consonants like "BBG" are great for making the solver think he or she has written in something wrong.

• 21A: Like jellybeans (OVOID). Boring entry saved by a tasty clue.
• 33A: Lollipop-licking cop (KOJAK). I don't have much of anything to say about the show, as it was a little before my time, but that's one cool-looking grid entry with the J and double K.
• 43A: Contest entry (ESSAY). I got the initial E and confidently put in ENTRY. Genius.
• 51A: Battle preparation place, in metaphor (WARPATH). From "on the warpath" I presume. Clever clue. At first, I thought it might be WARROOM, but I couldn't jibe that with the "metaphor" part of the clue.

• 4D: Black light, briefly (UVLAMP). When I was a kid, I begged my parents for a black light. I thought it would be the coolest thing to buy a couple of those trippy black light posters they sold in comics books. My mom's exact quote: "You're not ordering a bunch of crap from a comic book." Well, I showed her. When I got to college I finally sent away for the x-ray glasses!
• 8D: Tip of Massachusetts (ONEILL). I figured it was one of those capes (Cod, Ann, May?) but of course none of them fit. I've never been great with East Coast geography. I've only lived in the "big states" out West. You could drop Delaware or Rhode Island into Eastern Montana and nobody but the cows would notice.
• 27D: God wounded by Diomedes in the "Iliad" (ARES). I love mythology clues. Wounding the God of War? That's hardcore! Brush up on your ARES with this Crosswordese 101 entry.
• 50D: Home to many Berbers (SAHARA). I misread the clue as "Home to many Biebers" and thought "Oh my god, there's more than one of him!"

That's all for today, folks. I hope you enjoyed the puzzle as much as I did.

[Follow PuzzleGirl on Twitter.]

Everything Else — 6A: Three-time A.L. MVP (AROD); 10A: Narcissist's obsession (SELF); 14A: Oil source (OLIVE); 15A: __ fide (BONA); 16A: Gin flavoring (SLOE); 19A: Inn group member (MAID); 20A: __ trap (SETA); 22A: Memo header (INRE); 26A: Swiffer WetJet, e.g. (DAMPMOP); 29A: Bereft (LORN); 30A: Jupiter, for one (ORB); 31A: Allen contemporary (PAAR); 37A: Ristorante staple (VEAL); 39A: Explore deeply (PROBE); 42A: Derelict, perhaps (WINO); 45A: Factor opening (BENE); 47A: Bucko (MAC); 48A: Goofs (around) (BUMS); 57A: Actress Falco (EDIE); 58A: Oarlock pin (THOLE); 59A: Vanishing points (ENDS); 63A: Outfits (RIGS); 66A: Send out (EMIT); 67A: End of a lover's ultimatum (ORME); 68A: Designated (MEANT); 69A: Aussie sleep sounds? (ZEDS); 70A: European coal region (SAAR); 71A: Fire proof? (ASHES); 1D: Mr. Olympia contestants' obsessions (BODS); 2D: RisquÈ (BLUE); 3D: Thin ornamental layer (GILT); 5D: Marshal under Napoleon (NEY); 6D: Good, except on the links (ABOVEPAR); 7D: Eggbeater feature (ROTOR); 9D: Beatnik's address (DADDYO); 10D: Gilligan's shipwrecked ship (SSMINNOW); 11D: Savanna grazer (ELAND); 12D: River through Tours (LOIRE); 13D: Fly-by-night co.? (FEDEX); 18D: "It'll never wash!" (NOSOAP); 24D: Little cut-up (IMP); 25D: Bug like a 24-Down (IRK); 26D: Went off the deep end (DOVE); 28D: Wheels of Fortune? (MBAS); 32D: Knock over (ROB); 34D: "Sands of Iwo __": 1949 film (JIMA); 35D: Med school subj. (ANAT); 36D: "Mayor" author (KOCH); 38D: Doctor's orders, often (LABTESTS); 40D: Stump (BEWILDER); 41D: Plaque holder? (ENAMEL); 44D: James's "Westworld" costar (YUL); 46D: Time slice (ERA); 49D: Aristotle's first element of tragedy (MYTHOS); 52D: Annapolis newbies (PLEBES); 53D: Two-time Venezuelan president Carlos (PEREZ); 54D: Turn on __ (ADIME); 55D: Intolerant (RIGID); 56D: "__ Rae" (NORMA); 60D: Early animal handler (NOAH); 61D: Bit of force (DYNE); 62D: Ret. fliers (SSTS); 65D: Sumac from Peru (YMA).

F R I D A Y September 24, 2010 Kelsey Blakley

Theme: Table Etiquette — Theme answers are two-word phrases, the second word of which can describe a type of knife. The phrase itself is a spoonerism.


Theme answers:

• 17A: Choose deli platter items? (PICK CHEESE). [chick peas]
• 25A: Beef marinated in Jim's bourbon? (BEAM STEAK). [steam bake]
• 34A: Rooster's spread? (COCK'S BUTTER). [box cutter]
• 49A: "Casablanca" nightclub income? (RICK BREAD). [brick red]
• 55A: Ironically, the 58-Acrosses in this puzzle end in types of them (KNIVES).
• 58A: What each of the other four longest answers in this puzzle is (SPOONERISM).

Before we get started, I just want to give a warm welcome to Stephen W. Keys, the blog's 200th follower! Yee-haw! Stephen, I wish I had some kind of prize to send you but … I don't. You'll have to settle for a public declaration of my gratitude. And hey, while I'm at it, thanks to all of you for sticking around and making this blog a fun place to talk about puzzles. I appreciate all of you! Speaking of puzzles ….

We've got ourselves a clever (and complicated!) theme today. Sometimes the theme can be a real help in solving a puzzle, but I didn't find that to be true today. Wait that's not completely true. I could decipher one of the words in the theme phrase based on the clue, so I guess that's something. Actually, more than something. I totally take back what I said about the theme not helping. My brain could probably have come up with the complete phrase but I was sailing through with the crosses so didn't really need to stop and think about it. I guess I just have one question though: Cheese knife? I'm sure it's a thing, but it's not something you'll find in my low-class kitchen. In fact, the cheese we use most often here at the PuzzleHouse already comes in slices.

Misc.:

• 1A: Elián Gonzalez's home (CUBA). I wonder how that kid's doing these days. I hope he's not scarred for life.
• 19A: Jabber? (TINE). Tricky clue. Not "jabber" as in Mr. T's "jibber-jabber" but literally the act of jabbing something.
• 30A: Shooting gadget (SYRINGE). I was trying to think of some sort of firearm attachment. And since I know absolutely nothing about firearms I wasn't having any luck.
• 31A: Oklahoma tribe (KIOWA). This tribe isn't nearly as popular in CrossWorld as the ERIE, CREE, OTO, OTOE, and UTE, but it is one you'll want to remember.
• 53A: Shih __ (TZU). My kids love saying this out loud. They really think they're getting away with something!

• 54A: Light-headed flier? (MOTH). I get it — a flier that's headed toward the light. Clever!
• 1D: "In Cold Blood" author (CAPOTE). I finallyread this book a couple years ago after having it on my list for a loooong time. It's terrifying.
• 6D: It may be blonde or brown (ALE). Yep, firearms and ale. Possibly the two things I know the least about.
• 7D: Volleyball star Gabrielle (REECE). She was in the puzzle not too long ago. Did you remember her?
• 37D: Albania's capital (TIRANE). This particular capital doesn't appear in the puzzle very often. In fact, it's only been in the LA Times puzzle once before and that was in 2003. So don't feel bad if you had to use crosses to get it (like I did).
• 39D: Home of Carefree Highway (ARIZONA). What an awesome name for a road! I know there's a town in Arizona called Carefree and, come to think of it, that's an awesome name for a town too! Do you think everybody who lives there is totally happy?
• 42D: Chip maker (IBM). Couldn't get Intel out of my brain long enough to come up with anything else. I hate it when a wrong answer is stuck there preventing me from coming up with the right one.

• 43D: Detroit suburb __ Pointe (GROSSE). Love the movie "Grosse Pointe Blank." Here's the thing about John Cusack. It's all about his delivery. He says things that really aren't all that funny on their face, but the way he says them makes them hilarious. Love that guy.

Crosswordese 101 Round-Up:

• 8D: Ottoman lords (PASHAS).
• 10D: Baseball's Master Melvin (OTT).
• 47D: Discharges (EGESTS).

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Everything Else — 5A: Legendary brothers in law (EARPS); 10A: Hogwarts messengers (OWLS); 14A: What the connected have (AN IN); 15A: Sole projection (CLEAT); 16A: Unconvincing (THIN); 20A: Opera set on Cyprus (OTELLO); 21A: Spiced 23-Across (CHAI); 23A: See 21-Across (TEA); 24A: Oater camp sight (TEPEE); 27A: Both Begleys (EDS); 28A: Chrysler division (RAM); 33A: Dutch physics Nobelist Simon van der __ (MEER); 38A: Shelled out (PAID); 40A: Rival of 2-Down (USAIR); 41A: Bring charges against (ARRAIGN); 45A: Stumble (ERR); 46A: Sagittarian's mo., probably (DEC.); 51A: Friend of Jesús (AMIGO); 56A: Pack member (WOLF); 60A: Subj. with skeletons in the closet?: Abbr. (ANAT.); 61A: Balm (SALVE); 62A: Within: Pref. (ENTO-); 63A: Place to keep stock? (YARD); 64A: Grammy winner Gormé (EYDIE); 65A: Mtg. (SESS.); 2D: Red Carpet Club flier (UNITED); 3D: Arm & Hammer logo feature (BICEPS); 4D: __ socks (ANKLE); 5D: Pilot's "E" (ECHO); 9D: Hot and heavy (STEAMY); 11D: Bleach (WHITENER); 12D: Roots (LINEAGE); 13D: British : trainer :: American : __ (SNEAKER); 18D: Ayatollah, e.g. (CLERIC); 22D: Camp David Accords signer: Abbr. (ISR.); 25D: Upscale imports (BMW'S); 26D: Source of ticking (TIMER); 29D: Verbal thumbs-up (A-OK); 31D: Maker of the FunSaver disposable camera (KODAK); 32D: __ Dhabi (ABU); 34D: Advertising notice (CIRCULAR); 35D: Recycled (USED); 36D: What many rural roads lack (TAR); 38D: Not completely (PARTWAY); 44D: Take-home (NET PAY); 46D: Like some wisdom (DIVINE); 48D: Carl Sagan PBS series (COSMOS); 50D: Get __ of: locate (A HOLD); 52D: Entangles (MIRES); 55D: Bouncing joint? (KNEE); 57D: Wire svc. involved in many arrangements (FTD); 59D: Egg opening (OVI-).