We were just talking about Nancy Salomon and today's Thursday, May 8 puzzle (answers) is by one of her frequent collaborators. Harvey Estes has 69 solo efforts plus 43 co-written with Ms. Salomon (and one with Bob Klahn) in my database.
Being lucky is as good as being smart and today the theme answers tumbled out quickly. I have a vague feeling I should feel ripped off when that happens on a Thursday, but just the opposite. It's fun to breeze through a mid-week. That could mean it was too easy or I'm getting smarter, but let me put the KIBOSH on those explanations and suggest it's just luck. Everything I guessed was right. That's statistically going to happen now and then.
I tried to do some etymological research on kibosh but it turns out all my references say the origin is either unknown or obscure. Isn't it odd how such a colorful word can make it into common speech without anyone remembering for sure how.
It was interested to see both IRE and IRK in the same puzzle. I thought that might be unique but it's happened twice before. Ire. gets a country reference for variety. "Chasers in a saloon, perhaps" is a great clue for POSSE.
That's ENYA in the photo. I've always thought she should do a duet with that other crosswordy vocalist Yma Sumac someday.