Let\u2019s use the crossing answers to help. At 17A, [*It may precede or follow \u201ca million\u201d] solves to TOM HANKS, not thanks. The clue at 19A, [*Line used in plotting points], describes an axis, but its answer is AXIOMS. For each theme answer, we need to remove \u201com,\u201d a chant used in yoga and meditation, for it to agree with its clue.<\/p>\n
The answer to 30A\u2019s clue, [*Trendy], is the ALAMODOME, the former arena of the San Antonio Spurs. Remove the \u201com\u201d from ALAMODOME to get \u201c\u00e0 la mode,\u201d a synonym for trendy. The clue at 34A, [*Weapon in \u201cIvanhoe\u201d], solves to LANC\u00d4ME, a popular cosmetics brand. Without the \u201com\u201d chant, it\u2019s \u201clance,\u201d a weapon featured in Walter Scott\u2019s medieval novel. And 57A\u2019s clue, [*Inventory clearance option], is SALOME, the biblical figure best known for her role in the execution of John the Baptist. Drop \u201com\u201d to get \u201csale,\u201d which tracks with the clue.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re on a roll, just like the brilliant answer to the clue at 45-Across. [*Subs] solves to HOMEROOMS, but if we remove both instances of \u201com\u201d in the answer, we get \u201cheros,\u201d the nonstandard plural of another word for submarine sandwiches. Our constructor pulls off the double removal again at 38-Across; its clue, [*Second letter addendum, for short], solves to POMPOMS, but with no chants, it\u2019s P.P.S. Two especially excellent finds, Mr. Kahn.<\/p>\n
Tricky Clues<\/p>\n
15A. Here\u2019s a prime example of a more cryptic style of clue that sometimes pops up in late-week puzzles. [What makes her hear?] is asking how to literally make the word \u201cher\u201d into the word \u201chear.\u201d The answer is AN A. Earlier in the week, this would probably be a more straightforward clue, like \u201cActress de Armas\u201d or \u201cSanta ___ winds.\u201d<\/p>\n
16A. I loved this puzzle-within-a-puzzle: [Island capital that\u2019s an anagram for a word meaning \u201csteamy baths\u201d]. Those baths are saunas, which anagrams to NASSAU, the capital of the Bahamas. (The geography buffs really got to flex today; there are three world capitals in the grid.) If you liked this style of clue, we sometimes include similar stand-alone brain teasers in the Gameplay newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Let\u2019s use the crossing answers to help. At 17A, [*It may precede or follow \u201ca million\u201d] solves to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":379219,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[44226,41568,9,11,10],"class_list":["post-379218","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-york","tag-crossword-puzzles","tag-games","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-headlines","tag-new-york-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/379218","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=379218"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/379218\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/379219"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=379218"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=379218"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=379218"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}