Joseph Knecht

  Terpsichore Today's puzzle is all about dancing so I've taken the title of this review from the name of the Greek muse of Dance and Choral music and the opening video is a performance of  La Bourée   by Renaissance composer  Michael Praetorius  from his  Dances from Terpsichore. Today's constructor is our very own Renée Thomason , and today is her first solo without her mentor C.C. Burnikel.  And I have to say that C.C. has mentored her well.  I usually don't comment on the quality of puzzles, but in this case I really enjoyed solving and reviewing this one.  Not only was there a cleverly executed theme to amuse us, but there were no references to obscure pop culture icons,  and  some very clever cluing. Here are the themers.  They don't appear to have anything in common semantically so we really need the reveal to tell us that they all have something to do with d...

IT's ALL Really Simple! Today's constructor  Bryant Shain  rejoins us today  after a long absence (recapped by a beloved reviewer)  to treat us to a relatively uncommon vertical theme.  He gives us these 3 down clues and a down reveal indicated by asterisks.  If you don't see the embedded words in each of the themers (I didn't)  IT 's ALL  given away by the reveal ... 3D. *Party boss:  POLITICAL LEADER .  As we are in the thick of an election year, and as the Corner doesn't generally do politics, I decided to go to a great General who later became a great President, whom I trust most will agree was one of the best political leaders in American history --  Dwight D. Eisenhower  (October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969). President Dwight D. Eisenhower 22D. *"Let's go already!":  QUIT STALLING .  Sorry, but I've got more important clues to explain right now ... 😀 9D. *Runs out of free content, in a way:  HITS A PAY...

    An Ode to Dogs Gary Larson 's theme for this puzzle was service animals,  which all happen to be dogs. But let's face it -- have you ever seen a seeing eye cat? 😀.  Jimmy Stewart's famous Ode to Beau was probably my best option for a splash screen --  Old Shep  is a bit maudlin (but a favorite of my Dad's) and Who Let the Dogs Out  is positively manic.  No asterisks, no circles, no reveal -- just 5 punny clues that fill to a two word in the language phrase, the second word being a wet-nosed canine (see also 15A for a slobbering comic Easter Egg). The fills are illustrated here with definitions of the full phrase, followed by the canine ... 17A. Service animal for a heavy-metal musician?:  ROCK HOUND .  Someone who collects rocks and minerals.  For anyone with a passing interest in this subject I cannot recommend enough the Golden Nature Guide to  Rocks and Minerals by Herbert Zim .  This brief book ...