THEME: long vowel sounds, except a, begin phrases
GOOD ONES: MLB team, familiarly {& theme} THE A'S
Marching order EYES FRONT [military, not upbraidment]
Strike zones? ALLEYS [bowling, not baseball]
Hip joint IN SPOT [nightclub, not anatomy]
Stands for things EASELS [painting, not symbols]
BTW: Tre times due SEI [wonder why "times" is not in Italian also --- I do know why SEI is in the puzzle though; easier for construction and a precedent exists, probably in the infallible NYT]
I am embarrassed to say how long it took me to figure out what the theme was. Perhaps the WISE… threw me off as I don't think of Y as a vowel. But that was my problem, not Mark's.
RATING:
Three grins = Loved it; Two grins = Enjoyed it; One grin = A bit bland for my taste; One teardrop = Not much fun
