Joseph Knecht

    Hi kids!  Today we're visited by our old friends Yoni Glatt and Dani Raymon , who conduct a  reveal-less tour of  The Musical Plant Kingdom The themers for this tour are all musicians whose last names refer to plants in one way or another.  CAVEAT : I don't like to RAP constructors, but a couple of these numbers may not be your idea of SOUL music. 17A. " Fancy " (2014) singer: IGGY AZALEA .  Amethyst Amelia Kelly (born 7 June 1990), known professionally as Iggy Azalea , is an Australian rapper, singer-songwriter, and model.  As the French say, "a chacun a son goût",  but it's certainly not to my taste. 😞 22A. " November Rain " lead singer: AXL ROSE .  W. Axl Rose (born William Bruce Rose Jr. ; born February 6, 1962) [3] is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer.  He is best known for being the lead vocalist ...

Today's constructor Jeff Eddings has appeared previously in the LA TIMES with these puzzles .  The following site contains a brief bio on Jeff and a freebie puzzle he constructed for them (I can't say anything more about it or they might have to shoot me!).  As an erstwhile cryptographer, Jeff apparently likes to hide things, and today he riffs on one of the many meanings of the word CLUB (card suit?, primitive weapon?, deformity?) and hides them in the themers.  In this case Jeff intends them as:  BIRDS OF A FEATHER Here's the reveal: 60A. Order served with toothpicks ... and what each of the other four longest answers is?: CLUB SANDWICH .  That is, a group of people sharing a common interest, held together by toast and toothpicks.  Here's the toast and meat : 17A. Alternative medicine treatment: ARO MATH ERAPY .  The toast in this sandwich is Aromatherapy, a holistic healing treatment that uses natura...