Wednesday's New York Times puzzle solved: January 10, 2018

Today's time: 12:31.

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This puzzle is by Democratic senator from Indiana Joe Donnelly and Michael S. Maurer.  The theme is sports puns.  Or apparently, basketball puns, as I found out later.  The clues are admirably amusing.  "Warning during a heist?" is BANK SHOT (which is also a term in hockey and billiards).  "Gutterball?" is ALLEY-OOPS.  "Dinner at the end of Ramadan?" is FAST BREAK.  "Rug store promotion?" is FREE THROW.  "Something bleeped out for television?" is FOUL LINE.

One thing that tripped me up, besides the sports terms I'm not very familiar with, was Eric SEVAREID, CBS anchor from 1939 to 1977, one of "Murrow's boys."  He was the first to report the fall of Paris when it was captured by the Germans during World War II.  He was investigated by the FBI for alleged Communist sympathies.

"Artists' oil sources" is LINSEEDS.  Linseed oil is used as a pigment binder and a wood varnish.  It can also be called flax oil.

OLAY, which used to be Oil of Olay, has the tagline "Ageless."  Other slogans have included "Love the skin you're in" and "Challenge what's possible."

I've never heard of SKAT, a German trick-tacking card game played with 32 cards.

Punta del ESTE is a Uruguayan resort city famed for its beaches and right whales.

A "two-bagger" is a DBL in baseball, which I managed to suss out after a few minutes' confusion.

The SOO Locks (called Canals in the puzzle), sometimes spelled Sault Locks, are located on the St. Marys River between Lake Superior and Lake Hudson.  They allow boats to travel from Superior to the lower lakes.  The name is a corruption of Sault, as in the Sault Ste. Marie Bridge which connects Michigan and Ontario.

The other clue I had trouble with was "bestow, to Burns," which is GIE, but I rather dumbly put *GAE for too long.

Spalding is a big basketBALL brand, while Voit is a colored playground rubber BALL maker.

Clever clues: "Smart farm animal?" is WISE ASS.  "Digital media player that's 'big' in New York City?" is APPLE TV.  While ZED for "the end of the British monarchy?" doesn't make any sense, ARSE for the same clue is very good.

SOL much for this puzzle.