Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Rhapsodie Hongroise composer

Constructor: Barry C. Silk

Relative difficulty: Medium

THEME: none

Word of the Day: Leopold AUER (49A: "Rhapsodie Hongroise" composer) —

Auer, Leopold, 1845-1930, Hungarian violinist and teacher, studied at the conservatories of Budapest and Vienna and with Joseph Joachim in Hanover. He taught at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, 1868-1917. Among his pupils were Mischa Elman, Jascha Heifetz, and Nathan Milstein. In 1918 he came to the United States, where he taught at the Institute of Musical Art, New York City, and the Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia. He became an American citizen in 1926. He was tremendously successful as a concert violinist and conductor. (Columbia Encyclopedia)

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Entertaining outing from Mr. Silk today — fun to solve, and a good sight easier than yesterday's beast (though still suitably tough for a Saturday). The NW fell fast, and then: pause. That corner is hard to get out of—just these tiny little apertures. Having FREEZING somehow did not allow me to get DRIZZLE right away

(17A: Winter weather hazard). That had to wait for OOZIER (12D: More like the Blob) (confirmed somewhat by ISR.->21A: Maccabiah Games setting: Abbr.). Tried KANSAN at first for 13D: Certain Tornado Alley resident, but that "Z" in OOZIER tipped me to DRIZZLE and so KANSAN became the correct TULSAN. The -TTOUT at 16A: Sew up a hole? was killing me for a little while. "QTIP is right (10D: Stick in a cabinet) ... UTZ is right (11D: Snack food brand) ... what the hell!?" (answer: PUTT OUT — back-to-back days with longish golf terms!) Also tried REQUOTE (?) before finally tumbling to the meaning of the clue at 8A: Indicator that you're back to your own words (UNQUOTE).

Once the NE was put to bed, I stepped gingerly down the grid toward the SW. A little trouble getting into that corner, as I somehow wanted OLDER for 40A: Primates vis-à-vis humans (ORDER). Also wanted ONEIDA for OJIBWA (40D: Native of the Lake Superior region) and DIMMEST for WARMEST (54A: Like the midafternoon hours, typically), so lots of rewrites going on down there. Still, all in all, not too much trouble. SE proved easiest of all. Right guesses right away at VIM and NINE, and then no missteps except for the feeble ALL-SIZE where ONE-SIZE was called for (38D: Endlessly adjustable, as clothing). Final letter was the "C" in CASED (47A: Like some joints) / COTAN [Sun together?] [Kidding: it's 47D: Trig ratio].

Bullets:

27A: "Five Weeks in a Balloon" author (VERNE) — Is this the same as "Around the World in Eighty Days?" Because that's what made me guess VERNE. (No, they're different books entirely) My copy of "Around the World..." growing up definitely had a hot air balloon on it.
28A: Surface for the Olympische Winterspiele (EIS) — one of about half a dozen German words I know, most of which I learned from crosswords.
36A: Hub for Air Caraïbes Atlantique (ORLY) — really wanted something Caribbean here at first.
43A: Barrie's "oddly genial man" (SMEE) — four-letter Barrie character. Come on.

7D: Perfect-game pitcher Barker (LEN) — Gimme! Threw his perfect game for the Cleveland Indians, on May 15, 1981, against the Toronto Blue Jays
18D: He said "I was married by a judge. I should have asked for a jury" (GROUCHO MARX) — kinda mad at myself for not getting this off the "G" alone. A few crosses made it clear.
30D: Ivy with deep roots (YALE) — I *think* this clue is playing on the last name of YALE's founder, ELIHU Root. Wait, no, its founder was Elihu Yale. Whoa. Crosswire! (Elihu Root was the winner of the 1912 Nobel Peace Prize)
32D: Fulda feeder (EDER) — if I tried to locate either on a map, I would Fail.
34D: Princess Najla player in Broadway's "Flahooley" (YMA SUMAC) — as with GROUCHO, not happy I couldn't get this from the first letter. She's in crosswords enough!