Tuesday, July 31, 2012 Matt Skoczen

Theme: Heeere's Johnny - Four in fact whose last name begin the in language themes and a grid spanning reveal.

17A. One may spoil the whole bunch : ROTTEN APPLE. Johnny Rotten - The stage name of the lead vocalist for the Sex Pistols, an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975.

24A. State capital near the Comstock Lode : CARSON CITY. Johnny Carson - Needs no intro. Carson City is the capital of Nevada.

38A. Handy guy to have around, or a hint to this puzzle's theme found in 17-, 24-, 50- and 62-Across : JOHNNY ON THE SPOT

50A. Monetary assets : CASH IN HAND. Johnny Cash - The man in black. Video(3:09).

62A. Substitute player : BENCH WARMER. Johnny Bench - Baseball catcher for the Cincinnati Reds from 1967 to 1983, not a bench warmer.

Heeere's Argyle. "I feel a hot wind on my shoulder

And the touch of a world that is older" - Mexican Radio.

My first look at the NW corner had me checking the day. Some of the clues/entries are from an older time. I felt an international feel for it, too. The anon who complained about abbreviations won't like it, but after all was said and done, I did.

Across:

1. Set in motion : STARTED

8. Letters for an open schedule slot : TBA. (to be announced)

11. LAX calculation : ETA. (estimated time of arrival)

14. Soho "So long!" : "CHEERIO!"

15. "Still and all ..." : "YET ..."

16. Fish-fowl connector : NOR

19. No. that's zero at the equator : LAT. The number for the latitude at the equator is 0 and 90 at the poles.

20. Golfer Palmer : ARNIE

21. Store, as a hose : COIL

22. Get wise with : SASS

23. Plaintive sound : MOAN

26. Economist Smith : ADAM. The Wealth of Nations, 1776.

28. Old draft classification : TWO A. Occupational deferment category.

29. Gaza Strip gp. : PLO. (Palestine Liberation Organization)

32. "__ Sleep, for Every Favor": old hymn : ERE I. Instrumental on the organ at Eccles Congregational Church, Salford, England, near to Liverpool.

34. 1950s WMD : H-BOMB. (weapon of mass destruction, WMD)

42. Margaret Mead subject : SAMOA. Her book, Coming of Age in Samoa.

43. Besmirch : SOIL

44. Drag behind : TOW

45. A or Jay, e.g. : ALer. (baseball)

48. "Jesus __": shortest Bible verse : WEPT

54. Dost own : HAST

58. Weight on one's shoulders : ONUS

59. Carries out : DOES

60. 19th-century German poet Heinrich : HEINE. Wikipedia article.

61. Genetic letters : RNA

64. Soho sir : GUV. Informal British for governor.

65. Philanderer : CAD

66. Syrian's neighbor : ISRAELI

67. Suffix with infant : ILE. (infantile, like some anons)

68. Pitcher's stat : ERA

69. Beats, and how : PUMMELS. Don't confuse with pommel horse.

Down:

1. "Get outta here!" : "SCRAM!"

2. Exhaustive, informally : THORO. (thorough)

3. Humana rival : AETNA. Health care companies.

4. Light-sensing eye part : RETINA

5. Mimosa, for one : TREE. The alcoholic drink is so called from its yellowish color, which resembles that of the mimosa. Who knew?

6. A, in Augsburg : EIN. Today's map of Germany.

7. Appear on screen like Hitchcock : DO A CAMEO

8. Data entry pro : TYPIST

9. Deep roar : BELLOW

10. Gobbled down : ATE

11. China's Zhou __ : ENLAI. First Premier of the People's Republic of China.

12. Salute with a raised glass : TOAST

13. La-di-da : ARTSY

18. "Un momento, __ favor" : POR. Yo no hablo español.

22. Signs of healing : SCABS

24. Grant with an Honorary Award statuette : CARY. Grant was given an Honorary Oscar at the 42nd Academy Awards in 1970. Frank Sinatra presented Grant with the award, "for his unique mastery of the art of screen acting with the respect and affection of his colleagues". (Wiki)

25. Caution to a game show audience : "NO HELP!". Unless it's "The Price is Right". All that help is no help.

27. Mount McKinley's national park : DENALI

29. Jammies : PJ's

30. Mauna __ : LOA. Are you nuts?

31. Resistance unit : OHM

33. Shoo-__: easy winners : INs

35. Make up one's mind : OPT

36. __ goo gai pan : MOO. Now, how do they say it in Boston?

37. Incidentally, in IMs : BTW. (By The Way)

39. Whose ark it was : NOAH'S

40. County subdivision : TOWNSHIP

41. Zipped along : HIED

46. Make beloved : ENDEAR

47. Beach Boys title girl : RHONDA. She was helpful.

49. Aries : THE RAM

50. Welsh dog : CORGI

51. Invalidate : ANNUL

52. Smoothly polite : SUAVE

53. Nuclear agcy. formed under Truman : AEC. (Atomic Energy Commission)

55. Pop singer Mann : AIMEE. Not my cup of tea but here is a video(3:12).

56. Fishhook connector : SNELL. Here, if you want to tie your own hook on the line. Most people buy hooks with the leader already attached.

57. Garr and Hatcher : TERIs. Unable to find a photo of the two of them together.

60. "No __, no foul" : HARM. Nor fish.

62. Pre-A.D. : BCE. (Before Common Era) If you need more, Wiki link.

63. Sch. with a Vancouver campus : WSU. (Washington State University)

Answer grid.

 

Argyle

Monday, July 30, 2012 Vanessa Michaels

Theme: Opposite Partners - Four common phrases stating diametrical extremes. The verbs are all in third person singular form.

17A. Vacillates : BLOWS HOT AND COLD

25A. Goes out with periodically : DATES OFF AND ON

47A. Acts nervously in the waiting room : PACES TO AND FRO

62A. Searches all over : LOOKS HIGH AND LOW

Argyle here and there. Debut puzzle? A little bland but it has two grid spanners on a Monday, nice. It may have been intentional; some clues are gimmes and some are Thursday. Only eight three-letter words. It doesn't feel like a rookie submission.

Across:

1. Captain after a white whale : AHAB. "Moby Dick or, The Whale" by Herman Melville.

5. Former "Idol" judge Paula : ABDUL. Replaced by Ellen DeGeneres, replaced by J-Lo, replaced by Mariah Carey?

10. Glove compartment items : MAPS

14. Pro __: free, as legal work : BONO

15. Mild cigar : CLARO. Hey, put that out! This is a smoke-free blog.

16. Juan's water : AGUA

20. Gossip spreader : YENTA

21. America's national bird : BALD EAGLE

22. Belief: Suff. : ISM

24. "__ the land of the free ..." : O'ER

32. Make a mistake : ERR

33. "__ be sorry!" : YOU'LL

34. Porcine sniffer : SNOUT. Now, don't be piggy.

37. Name of 12 popes : PIUS

39. Trick alternative : TREAT

41. "The __-bitsy spider ..." : ITSY

42. Florida coastal city : TAMPA

44. "__ at 'em!" : LEMME

46. www connection co. : ISP. (Internet Service Provider)

50. B&O et al. : RR's. (Baltimore and Ohio Railroad)

51. Gun lobby org. : NRA. (National Rifle Association)

52. "A __ Named Desire" : STREETCAR. STELLA!

58. Smells : ODORS

64. Drink buyer's words : ON ME. "I got dozens of friends, and the fun never ends

That is, as long as I'm buying" Too Much Time on My Hands(5:12) By Styx With Lyrics.

65. Use at mealtime, as dishes : EAT ON

66. When tripled, a story shortener : YADA

67. Lay eyes on : ESPY

68. Martini's partner in vermouth : ROSSI.

69. Bakery appliance : OVEN

Down:

1. "Dear" columnist : ABBY

2. Golfer's target : HOLE

3. Soon, to Shakespeare : ANON. It's not what it is to me.

4. Neckwear with a tux : BOW TIE

5. Coblenz complaint : "ACH!". The complaint is "It's spelled with a K". Map.

6. Oozy horror film menace : BLOB (1958)

7. Number-cruncher's input : DATA

8. Russian river : URAL

9. Big Ben's city : LONDON. Boy, is this a gimme or what?

10. Tubes with cheese : MACARONI

11. Eagerly excited : AGOG

12. Yank : PULL

13. One-named Nigerian singer : SADE. Paradise(3:38), filmed in Mexico?

18. Back-talking : SASSY

19. Owners' documents : DEEDS

23. No longer at issue : MOOT

25. Men's or Women's, e.g.: Abbr. : DEPT.

26. Opera highlight : ARIA

27. Noted TV firer : TRUMP. The Donald.

28. Rolls up, as a flag : FURLS

29. Admiral's command : FLEET

30. Car rental giant : ALAMO

31. "__ I have anything to say about it" : NOT IF

35. Cold War country: Abbr. : USSR

36. "Teh" for "The," say : TYPO

38. One may be hidden in a fake rock : SPARE KEY

40. IRS employee : T-MAN

43. Farm size units : ACRES

45. 2000s Houston-based scandal subject : ENRON

48. Bible book named for a woman : ESTHER

49. Bro, to a beatnik : DADDY-O

52. Blackthorn fruit : SLOE

53. Heavy weights : TONS

54. Play friskily : ROMP

55. "So long, signore" : "CIAO!"

56. FBI personnel : AGT's

57. Letters after pis : RHOs

59. Norwegian saint : OLAV

60. Went on horseback : RODE

61. Tchaikovsky's "__ Lake" : SWAN

63. "Star Wars" saga nickname : ANI. From Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace: Anakin (Ani) Skywalker is set on the road to become Darth Vader.

Answer grid.

Argyle

From C.C.:

Here is a wonderful photo of the two cottages Jazzbumpa rented for his family lake vacation last week. It's on the west shore of Black Lake. I think they go there every summer.

Sunday July 29, 2012 Gail Grabowski and Bruce Venzke,

Theme: "Dog Days of Summer" - The first word in each theme entry is just "hot".

23A. Cozy sensations : WARM FUZZIES. Every time bad girl Lois stops in.

33A. Turkey site : ROASTING PAN. Marti used this clue for ASIA once, I think.

49A. One may be set in a race : BLISTERING PACE. Alas, no medal for Phelps (yet).

91A. Stock held by a fence : HOT MERCHANDISE

105A. Place for future cookies : BAKING SHEET. I've been craving date cookies.

121A. Mae West attribute : SULTRY VOICE. Well, subjective.

3D. Crucial topic : BURNING ISSUE

66D. Critical threshold : BOILING POINT

Amazing grid. Look at the theme intersections here. Very impressive.

Here is my guess at how the puzzle was created:

1) Gail came up with the theme idea (Her name came up first in the byline);

2) Bruce liked it, then they brainstormed for the full set of the theme answers;

3) Bruce did the grid design;

4) They each filled in half the grid;

5) Gail clued the whole grid, since Bruce is not fond of cluing.

Across:

1. Sussex sword : SABRE. Saber here.

6. Full : SATED

11. On its way : SENT

15. Make comparisons at the mall, say : SHOP. I fell in love with Bruno Mars' "Just the Way You Are" while shopping in a mall last year. This kid is amazing.

19. Challenge to __ : A DUEL

20. Amazed : IN AWE

21. Reebok rival : AVIA

22. Manage : COPE

25. Cat named for its island origin : MANX. CrossEyedDave is a cat expert. Ask him if you have any cat problem.

26. Part of AMA: Abbr. : AMER

27. Feminine suffix : ENNE. So is ETTE.

28. "Brighton Beach Memoirs" playwright : NEIL SIMON. Nice to see his full name.

30. Deal sealer : AGENT

31. Source of athletic rage, briefly : ROID. Roid rage. Too much steroids.

32. Union agreements : I DOs

36. Peeples and Vardalos : NIAs

38. Look closely : PEER

40. "Most likely ..." : ODDS ARE

41. Darling : ANGEL. So lately I've been listening to Neil Young's rock version of "Oh Susanna" (that kid smokes later on), though I don't understand why Susanna will cry. I'll be crying if my love leaves me, not when he's visiting me.

43. Fussy sort : PRIG

45. Letter-shaped track : T-SLOT

48. MLB execs : GMs

52. What a password provides : ACCESS

55. '50s political monogram : AES

56. Make changes to : EDIT

57. Field standouts : SILOs. Not the "field" I had in mind.

58. Chicken, in a Chinese dish : GAI. I mentioned last time that hookers are called "wild chicken" in Chinese.

59. Play mates? : CAST. Stage play.

61. Miss roll call, say : GO AWOL

63. Available without a scrip : OTC

65. Top banana : MR BIG

69. Throne grabber : USURPER

71. Cabin fever, e.g. : ANGST

73. Daily sorting criterion : ZIP CODE. For the mailmen.

75. Take the wrong way? : STEAL. Great clue.

76. Arabic "son of" : IBN

78. List : ROSTER

80. Isn't up to snuff : AILS

81. Blue : SAD

83. When cocktails may be served : AT SIX

85. Tiptop : ACME

87. Net grazer, at times : LET

88. Nymph pursued by Apollo : DAPHNE. Literally "Laurel". She turned into a laurel.

94. Land in la mer : ILE. Both Lemonade and Marti have a French mother.

95. Safari boss : BWANA. Haven't heard from JD for a whole.

97. Classic wheels : REOs

98. Colors lightly : TINTS

99. Prevails against, in slang : ACES OUT

102. Waterfall feature : MIST. Hi there Misty!

104. "Walkabout" director Nicolas : ROEG

108. Prime Cuts in Gravy maker : ALPO. No idea. We don't own dogs.

111. Flow with force : SPEW

114. Victor Vasarely's "Zebras," e.g. : OP-ART. See here. Never heard of that guy.

115. Stubborn : TENACIOUS

117. Capitol cap : DOME

118. It might be pierced : LOBE

119. State firmly : AVER

123. A party to : IN ON

124. Actress Virna : LISI. Total stranger to me. Great eyelashes.

125. Mediterranean tourist attraction : CRETE

126. Possessed : OWNED

127. Bus. bigwigs : CEOS

128. French spread : PATE

129. Catkin bearer : ALDER

130. Enters into a deal? : ANTES

Down:

1. Carpenter, at times : SAWER. Want a beautiful deck, call Splynter!

2. Hersey's bell town : ADANO. "A Bell for Adano".

4. Puts right : REMEDIES

5. Seasonal sprite : ELF

6. Judged, with "up" : SIZED. Are you a good watermelon picker?

7. 1944 Italian beachhead : ANZIO

8. Dramatic decline : TAILSPIN

9. Fleecy meadow grazers : EWES

10. Long for : DESIRE

11. Island group near Fiji : SAMOA

12. '70s-'80s Red Sox star Dwight : EVANS. I'll leave him to Husker Gary/LaLaLinda to comment. I might have his baseball cards.

13. "Collages" novelist : NIN (Anaïs). I read the first few stories of her "Delta of Venus". Similar experience as PK. Couldn't finish the book.

14. Invoice add-on : TAX

15. "Lido Shuffle" singer Boz : SCAGGS

16. Website entry point : HOME PAGE

17. Welcoming sight? : OPEN ARMS. Quite a few nice long entries in this puzzle.

18. Saucy behavior : PERTNESS

24. Canberra colleges : UNIs

29. Human being : MORTAL. Yellowrocks, nope, I'm not aware of the code word "Little Secretary", though sleeping with the boss doesn't seem to be too uncommon for secretaries, even in western countries,

30. Also : AND

34. Also : TOO

35. One might dangle from your neck : ID TAG. Mine is a silver cross. It's magical!

37. Adjective for Adenauer : ALTE

39. Encourages : EGGS ON

41. Ancient adder : ABACUS. The clue always makes me feel old.

42. Baseball div. : NL EAST

43. A __: logician's term : PRIORI

44. Pinup Hayworth : RITA

46. Skedaddles : SCOOTS

47. "__ we forget" : LEST

50. Advantage : EDGE

51. Plymouth Colony settler : PILGRIM

53. Roughing-it spot : CAMP

54. About : CIRCA

60. Destroy : TRASH

62. Uncalled-for : WANTON

64. Composer Dvorák et al. : CZECHS. Boomer has Polish blood. We had Polka dance at the family gathering a few weeks ago.

67. Least busy : IDLEST

68. Beaux __: noble deeds : GESTES

70. Opposite of improvise : PLAN

72. Bobby __ : SOXERS

74. Early Shirley role : IRMA. "Iram la Douce".

77. Island band The __ Men : BAHA. The annoying "Who Let the Dogs Out".

79. Folded food : TACO

82. Fix, as software : DEBUG

84. Where to find the anther : STAMEN. So, where is anther?

86. Inner: Pref. : ENTO

88. Outrageously wicked : DIABOLIC

89. Symbol of Prohibition era lawlessness : AL CAPONE. I remember watching "The Untouchables" in Chinese, with Roberto. I did not really understand the plot. Now I do.

90. Face-covering game : PEEK-A-BOO

92. Sold : RETAILED

93. Loses steam : DIES DOWN

96. Mg. and kg. : WTS

100. Chase scene sounds : SIRENS

101. Niagara Falls prov. : ONT

103. Source of the Mississippi : ITASCA. Here in MN.

104. Looking up : ROSY

106. '50s blast, briefly : H-TEST

107. Uncanny : EERIE

109. Austrian singer Lenya : LOTTE

110. More virtuous : PURER

112. Dais VIP : EMCEE

113. Bed intruders : WEEDS. Garden bed. I'm disturbed by the clue.

116. Weightlifter's rep : CURL

119. Mont Blanc, e.g. : ALP. The pen name is Montblanc, one word.

120. Itinerary word : VIA

122. Intl. broadcasting initials : VOA

Answer grid.

C.C.

Saturday, July 28th, 2012, Julian Lim

Theme: None

Words: 70

Blocks: 30

A fun solve today from Julian Lim - oh, "F" - just shy of a pangram for a Saturday ( I see OMAN, LEG OF and FESS as a way to squeeze it in; my grid here ). Triple stacks of 9- and 10-letters in a pinwheel fashion, plus two more 9's, including;

20A. Line from one with no match : "GOT A LIGHT?" - Reminds me of two funny things; the first is when someone asks to bum a cigarette, and asks "got a light?" too - the response is "would you like me to smoke it for you?" - and the other you'll have to email me for....

other notables;

1A. Great Basin locale : WESTERN U.S. - Image

12D. Bad copying : PLAGIARISM - great fill

27D. The Fab Five of '80s rock : DURAN DURAN - one of my favorites from these guys (4:23)

63A. Shower needs : UMBRELLAS - I like umbrellas in art, like this, and this

Onward ~!

ACROSS:

10. Shock : APPAL - yep, it's "55A." - from the French to turn pale

15. Angry Birds, originally : iPHONE APP

16. 1972 missile pact : SALT I - had this last week, too, but without the Roman numeral

17. Excoriates : TEARS INTO - my boss at UPS has not had to "excoriate" me in a while....

18. Hospitality giant : HYATT

19. Comic introduction? : SERIO - serio-comic, having a mixture of seriousness and sport

22. Ruminant's chew : CUD - I knew what ruminant meant

24. Like peons : MENIAL

25. Drop (off) : NOD

28. Intercalary event : LEAP DAY - did you make use of your Leap Second a few weeks back?

32. Used (up) : ATE

33. Burden : ONUS

35. Pollo partner : ARROZ - Chicken and Rice, no???

36. Misguesses, e.g. : ERRS - and then you get excoriated

37. Dean's "Lois & Clark" co-star : TERI



38. Lorna of literature : DOONE

39. Vaccine holder : VIAL

40. Kodak film brand : T-MAX - ah, yes, B&W film - took photography in high school; would have been much better with a decent camera

41. Like many a superhero : CAPED - see above for details

42. Barker in early Hollywood : ASTA - D'oh~! barker, as in "to bark"; stuck on Bob Barker, Ma Barker, Clive Barker....more on the dog, here

43. Solo in space : HAN - meet Han Solo, Star Wars

44. Where a belt is almost always required to be worn : CAR SEAT

46. Dues payer: Abbr. : MEMber

47. Final purpose : END-ALL

49. Atlantic City resort, with "The" : TAJ - the Taj Mahal, Donald Trump.

51. 2010 Grammy winner for "Just the Way You Are" : BRUNO MARS - not familiar to me

55. Not shady : LEGIT

59. Continental circulators : EUROS

60. RealPlayer alternative : QUICKTIME - Sorry, I'm a PC

62. Playwright Bernard who created "The Partridge Family" : SLADE

64. Article of faith : TENET

65. Descendants of ancient Mesopotamians : ASSYRIANS - good bottom edge fill with 3 "S's", a "Y", an "R", and an "N"

DOWN:

1. Cards : WITS

2. Event with an attack called a flèche : ÉPÉE - I thought this was the weapon, not the event, but def. #2 says it's also 55A.

3. __-Pei : SHAR - Awww - wrinkly image

4. Like Cheerios : TORIC - its donut-shape, the torus.

5. Fill with spirit : ENSOUL - meh, what can you do....

6. Portuguese royal : REI - we just has this recently, too - king in Portuguese, Rey in Spanish

7. Vietnam's Da __ : NANG - I remember this from the show Magnum, P.I.

8. Plotting : UP TO - hey, what are you up to over there....?

9. Lend, as a fin : SPOT - a fin is a $5 bill

10. "High School Musical" actress Tisdale : ASHLEY

11. Add, as to one's IRA : PAY IN

13. If things continue as they're going : AT THAT RATE - I had 'at THIS rate' to start

14. Bridge coup : LITTLE SLAM - Don't play bridge, but I am familiar with some terms, so I filled in SLAM and waited

21. Floored by : AMAZED AT

23. Sailor's concern : DEAD CALM - no wind, the doldrums, like in Rime of the Ancient Mariner

25. Somewhat lacking : NOT THE BEST

26. Despotism : ONE-MAN RULE

29. Like bowls, at times : AROAR - ah, as in the Superbowl, with the fans a-roar

30. Respect, in slang : PROPS - I have heard this

31. Foundation, perhaps : DONEE - like the Lustgarten, not the concrete one

34. Pack count : SIX

36. Stowe girl : EVA

44. Hanging site : CLOSET - great clue/answer

45. One who runs on : TALKER - I had "SUNNY" for LEGIT, so I had GASSER here

48. Jumping connection : ANODE - Car jumping, that is

50. "The Expendables" (2010) co-star : JET LI - and now there's the sequel, out next month

52. __-Lung : AQUA - diving, here; in music, a Jethro Tull album - not a fan; even less so for getting a Grammy for "Metal" - IMHO

53. Zombie bases : RUMS - ah, the drink, here - Tin, a shout out at sunset? Do one for me, I am off the sauce these days....

54. Sasha and Malia, e.g. : SIBlingS - the daughters of our president - I linked their pic last week

56. River through Yuma County : GILA

57. Model married to David Bowie : IMAN

58. Hardy woman : TESS

61. Call out : CRY

Answer grid.

Splynter