Back to bed on Monday morning

The Monday Sun puzzle is by Larry Shearer and it's titled "Beginning with Z's", but you know that even on Monday it's not going to as simple as every theme word starting with the 26th letter of the alphabet. As a matter of fact, there's not a single z in this puzzle.

SPOILER WARNING: Don't read any further until you've done today's New York Sun Crossword Puzzle. New York Sun puzzles are every bit as fun and challenging as the more well-known New York Times and they're indisputably better in one way -- they're free. If you'd like to read about an unbiased head-to-head competition between the Sun and the Times puzzles check this out. Or if you're ready to decide for yourself you can download this puzzle and join in on the fun here.

The theme of this puzzle is spelled out at 71A: Word that can begin both parts of 17- and 63- Across and 10- and 36-Down (BED).

17A: Chinese resturant appetizer (SPRING ROLL) gives us "bed spring" and "bedroll". You don't usually hear "bed spring" in the singular because it takes more than one to hold us up. It's usually "bed springs" but I won't quibble.

63: First page of a fax (COVER SHEET) Not all faxes have cover sheets. In fact, I don't think I've ever sent a fax with a cover sheet, but I still won't quibble.

10D: Game-ending announcement (CHECKMATE) 36D: Schedule (TIME TABLE)

Other "bed" words that might have showed up -- Bedrock, bed pan, bed spread, bedlam, bed bug, bed tester (no, not a dream job for lazy people, it's another word for canopy), the bedhead hairdo, bedroom, bedsore, bed man (no, not a dream job for casanovas manque, it's the guy who prepares sand beds for pig iron to be cast), bed of roses, bedsde manner and more.

I don't see much else worthy of comment among the other clues. Perfectly serviceable of course, but despite the presence of 16A: Funny reaction (HA HA) and 26A: Said three times, a Three Stooges laugh (NYUK) there's not a lot of humor going on today, as evidenced by the fact that there's not one single question marked clue (signifying wordplay) to be found. I did like 57A: Game with miners, scouts, and spies (STRATEGO) because it's a game I played with my dad when I was a kid and with my kids now that I'm a dad.

That's about it for today, sorry it's shorter than usual but all of a sudden I'm very sleepy.