Wednesday's New York Times crossword puzzle solved: September 19, 2018

My time: 6:11, great!

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Scott Ober and Jeff Chen, mensches and yiddisher kops both, celebrate YIDDISH with this puzzle, which features TCHOTCHKE, SCHMALTZ, CHUTZPAH, OY GEVALT, MEGILLAH ("long, involved account"), and VERKLEMPT.

It's a great idea that allows for some very impressive fill placement, and is my favorite kind of theme: one that helps you solve the puzzle.  After all, it's a safe bet that you'll get YIDDISH before you fill in those tricky Germanic spellings.  For me, it was MEGILLAH that revealed the theme.

I'm not familiar with the TV special/documentary "Frank, LIZA, and Sammy: The Ultimate Event," but failing another Rat Packer, the Queen of Broadway seems like a legit choice to share the stage.

For "girl or boy intro" I put *IT'S A, but it's actually ATTA.

The Rose Bowl (in Pasadena, CA) is an OVAL, apparently.  Is it?  Mostly.

Moses climbed up Mt. SINAI to hear what God had to say.  "I'll be back," he told the Israelites.  "Wash yourselves and don't touch your women!"  He must have been a popular guy.  He came back down bearing the ten commandments.  SINAI is also called Mt. Horeb in the Bible.

The University of Houston's same-city rival is RICE.  Ah, the classic Cougars-Owls matchup.

I thought the once-regular visitor on "The Oprah Winfrey" show was Dr. PHIL, but it's disgraced quack DR. [Mehmet] OZ.

Did you know Alan ALDA has been nominated for 34 Emmys?  That's a lot.

"Painter's primer" GESSO, last seen December 17, 2017, makes a reappearance.

Clever clues: "Part of XXX" is TIC.  "One of the Gulf States (abbr)" is ALA --- the Gulf of Mexico, not the Persian. 

Unlike yesterday's puzzle, this one did not make me say, "I GIVE!"  Bring on the RAVES!  Commence to CLAP!  And so on.  I'm OUTTA here!