Joseph Knecht

 The Wood Wide Web In 1995 ecologist Suzanne Simard discovered that trees communicate with one another via a vast underground network of FUNGI .  Recently cruciverbalist and engineer Barbara Lin * has discovered that trees actually have FUN while they're doing this. Apparently they exchange PUNNY homophones to amuse themselves while they carry out their essential work of world-wide photosynthesis.  Their real favorites of course are Stupid Ent Jokes 😀.     To construct this puzzle Barbara simply pressed her ears firmly to the ground and picked up these four themers -- exchanges of tree root straight lines and pun responses ... 17A. Evergreen seedlings?: FIR BABIES .  I announced recently that one of my grandchildren's cats had seven kittens.  I believe some are still available for adoption ... New mom Fizzy and two of her FUR BABIES 27A. Shade tree that's been pruned too severely?: TOPLESS BEECH .  Topless beach voting 46A. Fruit tree in the royal orchard?: PEAR

Cheaper by the Dozen Constructor Jeff Stillman is back with a puzzle that is so holy that I fear it might violate the Corner prohibition on religion.  But in this case most people are indeed quite religious about the subject of today's theme, so I don't think we'll have any problem with the censors (although AnonymousDNLC may have a fit 😁).  Here are the theme clues ... 18A. Propaganda technique that attempts to appeal to average Joes: PLAIN FOLKS . American Gothic Grant Wood 26A. Accessory for early U.S. presidents: POWDERED WIG . George Washington 44A. Candy-coated caramels in a yellow package: SUGAR BABIES .   In researching this clue I came across some alternate connotations for the fill, of which Margaret definitely wouldn't approve (solvers so inclined can do their own research). 59A. Like the eyes of a person who hasn't gotten enough sleep: GLAZED OVER .   And what do they have in common ... 52D. Treat whose varieties appear at the starts of four

 Signals Ahead Kwabs Kwabena Sarkodee Adjepong Constructor Jason Reich shared a few grains of truth in his first appearance on the Corner this past January .  Today he sends us some mixed messages that life might not be so simple after all.  Modern society is constantly bombarding us with messages, and at times it becomes difficult to tell them from the noise, especially if the former are encrypted (scrambled) in someway, like these 4 themers ...  17A. "Devilishly delicious" hard cider brand: ORIGINAL SIN .  It's what got Adam and Eve kicked out of the Garden, but where would we cruciverbalists be without EDEN ?  This one can get you kicked out if you drink too much of it.  I think all the Cornerites are old enough to get into this site . Original Sin Ciders 24A. One performing a service, maybe: CHORAL SI