Theme: Verkehrs-marmelade. Decades ago, when I was in German class, we invented this Teutonic psuedo-portmanteau for today's hidden word theme. To dispel whatever mystery there might be, let's start with the unifier.
64A. Rush-hour headache, components of which are hidden in the answers to starred clues : TRAFFIC JAM. Of course, here JAM means a condition of being stuck and unable to move, not a confection made of smashed fruit cooked with sugar. Lets check out the components.
17 A. *Big name in veggie patties : BOCA BURGER. The original vegan version is mostly soy protein and wheat gluten, but there are variations. The hidden word is a CAB, aka Taxi, a ride for hire.
40 A. *Certain surfer : WEB USER. We're all WEB USERS on this BUS. WI FI? WI not?
11 D. *Passé reception aid : TV ANTENNA. Gone the way of the rotary phone. Now it's cable, U-verse or satellite. You might even get reception in your VAN.
35. *Steamy gallery display : EROTIC ART. Putting a CAR into EROTIC ART is a somewhat different take on auto-eroticism. I wasted a few good moments trying to find something worth posting, and finally had to settle for this.
Hi gang, JzB here. Let's get it in gear and see if we can motor through this puzzle without mashing up too much fruit.
Across
1. Finch or falcon : BIRD. One would probably eat the other.
5. Heart-to-hearts : TALKS. Serious buisness
10. City southwest of Bayeux : ST LO. Timely with the 70th anniversary of D-Day this past week. The town was reduced to rubble by the fighting.
14. Actor Ladd : ALAN. Appeared mainly in westerns and film noir, where he was often paired with Veronica Lake.
15. Intermediary : AGENT. Cut taker.
16. It bakes the cake : OVEN. Hot spot.
19. Great __ : DANE. Going to the dogs.
20. Invite for : ASK TO. Our two oldest grandchildren got asked to Prom for the first time this spring. [Back in the day, it was THE Prom but not so now.] They are both Juniors, and Danny's date had to ASK him, because she's a Senior.
21. Land in the ocean : ISLE. Speck of land, not a splash.
22. "Fire" bugs : ANTS. Ants work so hard. Why would anybody fire them? The stinging omnivorous variety also popped up in C.C.'s puzzle the last time I blogged.
23. Get one's back up about : RESENT. Odd, phrase that. Any INPUT from out linguists?
25. Went for a rebound, say : LEAPT. Pretty much the antithesis of this.
27. Letter flourish : SERIF. With Serif. Sans Serif. Check under the R and the F.
30. Like some omelets : TWO EGG. Breakfast!
33. Borscht base : BEET. As they once said on The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, when it come to Borscht, you can't beat soup!
36. Sch. with 110 NCAA titles : UCLA. University of California, Los Angeles
38. Snorer's problem, perhaps : APNEA. A momentary lull in breathing, while asleep. The most effect preventive is insomnia.
39. "__ Town" : OUR. Play about early 20th century Americana by Thorton Wilder. Oscar was Wilde, but Thorton was Wilder.
42. Time out? : NAP. Out, as in asleep. Potenital apnea venue.
43. Pledge of fidelity : TROTH. Solemn pledge, and that's the truth.
45. Chef's protection : MITT. Hand in glove, as we say here in MI.
46. Take the risk : DARE. Dare to be [fill in the blank.]
47. Blowhard's output : HOT AIR. Nope. No politics.
49. Playground comeback : DID SO. Did not!
51. Feedback : INPUT. Do you input my output, or is there too much FEEDBACK?
53. Unattached : SINGLE. Unmarried.
57. Clock sound : TICK. We have ways of making you tock!
59. Spot for a 42-Across : SOFA. Not for me. phooey on SOFA NAPS. I do it right, and take me to bed!
62. "Even so ..." : STILL. Bu, anyway . . .
63. Berry promoted as a superfood : ACAI. There are no known health benefits that are specific to this fruit.
66. In a dilemma : TORN. Could be a clash of ideas.
67. Actress Lenya : LOTTE. Wife of Kurt Weill
68. "La Dolce Vita" setting : ROME. Doesn't really seem that sweet.
69. One opposed : ANTI. The anti-bellum are opposed to war.
70. College paper : ESSAY. Write on.
71. Timeline component : YEAR.
Down
1. Elephant in picture books : BABAR.
2. "Guess you beat me" : I LOSE. Something the Tigers are saying far too often these days.
3. Clothing store fixtures : RACKS.
4. Paternity suit procedure : DNA TEST. The most reliable method to prove or disprove if there s a parent-child relationship.
5. Sigma follower : TAU. It's all Greek [letters] to me
6. Business opening? : AGRI- Bah!
7. Chair parts : LEGS. I see.
8. Solemn ring : KNELL. Ask not for whole the bell KNELLS.
9. Main drag, e.g. : STREET. You know its a small town if Main Street is the main street.
10. Picnic drink : SODA POP. Carbonated.
12. Advanced : LENT. An advance of money is a loan.
13. Tip jar fillers : ONES. Dollar bills. Different sense of the word SINGLE.
18. Dog biscuit shape : BONE. As if the dog cares.
24. "I can't deny that" : TRUE. It's a fact
26. Wage __ of words : A WAR. A long argument.
28. Long-range weapon, for short : ICBM. Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile for long.
29. Gin or tonic : FLUID. Any liquid. These two work together rather well.
31. Paraphernalia : GEAR. Stuff.
32. Hang open : GAPE. As a mouth
33. The pair : BOTH. The one and the other one.
34. Continental cash : EURO.
37. Piedmont wine area : ASTI.
40. Prepare quickly, with "up" : WHIP.
41. LAX data : ETDS. ETD or ETA always takes perp help.
44. Beachwear portmanteau : TANKINI. A portmanteau of TANK top and biKINI, refering to an article of swim wear consisting of a TANK top [imagine that] and biKINI bottom.
46. Comforting words : DON'T CRY. I don't see a lot of comfort here.
48. Prepare quickly, with "up" : RUSTLE. As in dinner.
50. Emphatic Spanish assent : SI SI! We all say "SI SI!" to C.C.
52. Pamplona runners : TOROS. That's a lot of bull.
54. WWII enlistee : GI JOE. Before he became an action figure and then a cartoon character.
55. Andean hauler : LLAMA. South American humpless camelid.
56. Wabbit hunter : ELMER. Fudd.
57. "Toodle-oo!" : TATA. Bye, now. No - wait. Four more to go.
58. Screen image : ICON. Kinda-sorta.
60. They may be saturated : FATS. The ones from animals and avocados.
61. Colgate-Palmolive shaving lotion : AFTA.
65. Baldwin's "30 Rock" co-star : FEY. Tina.
There We made it to the finish line. Hope you all enjoyed the trip.
Cool regards!
JzB
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This is a fun blog. Light-hearted banter is welcome. Snark is not. If you want to fight, find my other blog.
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Cheers!
JzB