Wednesday's New York Times puzzle solved: February 21, 2018

My time: 8:52, not bad!

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Ori Brian and Zachary Spitz team up to dispatch this rebus puzzle, which celebrates the humble P.O. BOX.  Fourteen squares are PO boxes; that is, they contain the letters PO, together, in the box --- as in [PO]LLUTE, S[PO]RTS RE[PO]RTER, [PO]LITICAL, [PO]M[PO]M, even when the sharing is totally at odds with the original word structure, as in HO[P O]N [PO]P or U[P O]NE.

Did you know Amy Winehouse was an ALTO?  Me neither.  This page calls her a contralto, similar to but lower than an alto.

I had long forgotten, if I even knew, Obama's stepfather LOLO Soetoro, but that's a great name.  He died too young, at 52, just like his wife, Obama's mother, Stanley Ann Dunham.

"Game fish that can breathe air" is TARPON.  According to Wiki, "these fish are obligate air breathers, and if they are not allowed to access the surface, they will die."  I had no idea there were any fish like that.

"LA LA Means I Love You" was a 1968 hit by the Delfonics.  I could produce the first word of the title given the others, but I had no idea who the band was.  They are also famous for the song "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)."

I didn't remember immediately that merinos are sheep, but once it clicked, obviously their mothers are EWES.

Actress NIA Long of Alfie (2004) appeared November 9, 2017, with a different credit to her resume.

I think the person who has appeared most in crosswords since I've started this blog is NAS.  This time the clue is his song "Street Dreams."

I knew all the sports questions this time!  Slammin' Sammy SOSA and the Miracle METS are famous enough even for me.

Clever clues: "Underworld boss?" is SATAN.  "It may be at the end of one's rope" is NOOSE.

Well, this was a fun one.  And SOTO bed.