Thu., 11/13 Jerome Gunderson

[magus]

THEME:   G added to the front of a common phrase
   
GOOD ONES:    
Place for a nagging passenger?   GRUMBLE SEAT   
Tribute to a sourpuss?   GRUMP ROAST   
Pay back?   -OLA   
Zebras that don't fear Lions?   REFS [note capital L]   
Joltless joe?   DECAF [Joltin' Joe DiMaggio was a slugger; joe is coffee]   
   
BTW:   
This puzzle is a gem in many ways, but I'll bet the editor changed the clue for GRACE COURSE, which had been something like "Debutante training?"   
   
RATING:    
Three grins = Loved it; Two grins = Enjoyed it; One grin = A bit bland for my taste; One teardrop = Not much fun   

[Thomps2525]

TIN was clued with "English can," a clue that is also used for LOO.

The Los Angeles Daily News is always four weeks behind in publishing each day's New York Times crossword. I know not why. But the puzzle appearing today had no across clues or down clues, just clues. For every square that began an across word and a down word, there was a single clue and both words shared the first letter and combined to form a phrase. Clue #1 was "Corn or cotton" and the answer was CASHCROP, with CASH going across and CROP going down. Clue #27, "Dessert often made with cream cheese frosting," referred to CARROTCAKE, with CARROT going across and CAKE going down. Among the other combination answers were FREEZE & FRAME and BUNSEN & BURNER. The theme of two-word phrases with a shared letter was a very clever idea, one which I had never seen before.

The best clue/answer, however, was "Be unsuited?" The word was SKINNYDIP.