Theme: Poor grade (or an appropriate title for this puzzle) - D-plus. The target word starts with 'D' followed by phonetic long vowel, progressing from 'D-long A' to 'D-long U'.
17A. Thanksgiving, casually : TURKEY DAY. D + Ā
21A. Actress/activist who was Ossie Davis' life partner : RUBY DEE. D + Ē
38A. Crooked craps cube : LOADED DIE. D + Ī
60A. Anonymous man : JOHN DOE. D + Ō
65A. "Where Are You!" toon pooch : SCOOBY DOO. D + Ū
Argyle here. Impressive looking grid for a Monday; triple seven columns in all the corners. The long fill keeps this easy theme puzzle from being too bland.
Across:
1. Receives : GETS
5. Slide downhill on runners : SLED
9. Long stories : SAGAs
14. Water color : AQUA
15. Frankfurt mister : HERR. German.
16. Chat room troublemaker : TROLL
19. "Humble" home : ABODE
20. River through Rome : TIBER
23. "Give me __!": start of a Hoosier cheer : AN I
24. Becomes slippery, as a road : ICES UP
28. Dirty dishes site : SINK
29. Negative aspect : CON
30. Hot chili pepper : CAYENNE
32. Parisian summer : ÉTÉ
33. Wood choppers : AXES
35. When repeated, a former breath freshener : SEN
36. Hard luck case : LOSER
42. "My bad" : "SORRY"
45. __ Nineties : GAY
46. Nepalese staple : RICE
50. Tres menos dos : UNO. Spanish 3-2=1
51. Finds : LOCATES
55. Doze briefly : NAP
56. Alpha follower : BETA
58. In the best shape : HALEST
59. Part of TGIF: Abbr. : FRIday
62. Storage auction buys : UNITS
64. Argentine icon played by Madonna : EVITA
69. Roman agriculture goddess : CERĒS
70. Quattro automaker : AUDI
71. Texting button : SEND
72. Garbage : TRASH
73. Film holder : REEL
74. Other than that : ELSE
Down:
1. 1997 Hawke/Thurman sci-fi movie : GATTACA. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a pretty good review.
2. Semiannual astronomical event : EQUINOX. So is the solstice.
3. Many a windmill : TURBINE. Redux c/a.
4. Sushi bar cupful : SAKE
5. Hardly outgoing : SHY
6. Was in first place : LED
7. Stretch of history : ERA
8. Practice session : DRY RUN. The Word Detective says the term comes from fire companies doing practice sans water.
9. Wild guess : STAB
10. Fast food chain known for its roast beef : ARBY'S. Current ad campaign, "Arby's | We Have The Meats".
11. Halloween treats : GOODIES
12. Like firm spaghetti : AL DENTE. (firm to the bite)
13. More smooth : SLEEKER
18. Guitarist Clapton : ERIC
22. "Star Trek: Enterprise" network : UPN. (United Paramount Network)
25. Bambino's home : CASA. Not Babe Ruth's.
26. Watched with suspicion : EYED
27. Mali neighbor : SENEGAL. African west coast.
31. Yale student : ELI
34. Digital camera type, for short : SLR. (single-lens reflex)
37. Poet's "above" : O'ER
39. Popeye's Olive : OYL
40. See socially : DATE
41. Salon colorings : DYES
42. Topic : SUBJECT
43. Bogey, vis-à-vis par : ONE OVER
44. Nest egg named for a Del. senator : ROTH IRA
47. Nonbeliever, to some : INFIDEL
48. Moving day stack : CARTONS
49. Show in a television series : EPISODE
52. "Look what I found!" : :"O HO!"
53. Shaw's "__ and Cleopatra" : CAESAR. (George Bernard Shaw)
54. Ticket part you keep : STUB
57. Feeds the kitty : ANTEs
61. Smidge, as of salt : DASH
63. Org. at 11 Wall St. : NYSE. (New York Stock Exchange)
66. Actor's aid : CUE
67. Poetic tribute : ODE
68. It may be crude : OIL
Argyle
Note from C.C.:
Happy Birthday to our beautiful Melissa, whose life was turned upside down the past few years. Melissa is the most courageous and selfless sister I know. Find her the sweetest cake, Dave!
Morning, all (and Happy Birthday, Melissa)!
ReplyDeleteGot through this one in typical Monday time. Hated HALEST, but everything else was smooth as butter. Didn't have any clue what the theme was, however, mostly because the supposed theme answers weren't particularly long and didn't stick out in any way to me. Ah well, fun puzzle nonetheless.
Good Morning, Argyle and friends. Thanks for explaining the theme. I had no clue, although I recognized where the usual theme answers are located. I didn't see the connection, however.
ReplyDeleteFun seeing both OYL and OIL in the same puzzle.
I misread Bambino's Home as Bambi's Home. Bambi is such a frequent guest in our puzzles, it seemed logical, but Forest clearly wouldn't fit into the spaces provided.
Funny story about CAYENE Pepper. A Louisiana friend was traveling in the mid-west and stopped at a restaurant. Cajun Chicken was on the menu, so my friend asked what made the dish "Cajun." The waitress said she thought it was due to the Cheyenne pepper. My friend asked if that would be Cheyenne, Wyoming or Cheyenne, Louisiana,
Happy Birthday, Melissa Bee. Hope you have a special day.
QOD: If you go long enough without a bath, even the fleas will leave you alone. ~ Ernie Pyle (Aug. 3, 1900 ~ Apr. 18, 1945)
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Melissa. Hope you have the time to kick up your heels and enjoy the day.
Did not figure out the theme, but it didn't matter. Thought puzzle was a little dicey for a Monday. Did not read the clue for 5A correctly and entered skid. 6D & 7D made SLED appear. V8 can moment. Always wonder if it should be SAGAS or Epics.
Did not like HALEST either, but no other nits.
Good morning everyone.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Melissa.
Good intro, Argyle. Good point about the triple seven columns.
Straightforward solve today. No strikethroughs or searches were needed.
REELS - Reminds me of an earlier life when I had collateral duty as my ship's Movie Officer. My sailors, whose job it was to procure prints from the Base, had a penchant for returning with B westerns or worse. One day the XO complained about the quality of the movies, so I had a heart-to-heart with the sailors involved. A few days later they returned with just-released "Inherit the Wind" (this was in 1960). So we got to watch it before its first showing in the Norfolk theaters. Never heard a complaint again.
Another time we were exchanging movies at sea by high-line with a submarine. For some reason the line parted and a movie went to the bottom of the sea. So I got to fill out and submit to the appropriate Navy movie office a missing movie report with as serious a face as I could muster.
An enjoyable Monday romp. Got the theme, but late. Only had John Doe to go when it dawned on me. Did not know Gattaca, all perps. Otherwise, no hangups.
ReplyDeleteA very Happy Birthday, Mellissa!!
Good morning all. Thank you Ray Hamel and Argyle. Happy Birthday Melissa !
ReplyDeleteI noticed the aeiou sound progression of the Ds, but couldn't come up with a theme.
The S in CASA saved me from a Monday fail with SEN.
CERES sits atop the Chicago Board of Trade building. She is made of solid aluminum and weighs 6500 pounds.
(Red) Hot Chili Peppers Dani California
I cry foul for 1 down on a Monday. It was all perps with a Nattick. I had NON instead of CON. GATTICA looks weird to me. I have never heard of it. Otherwise it was a good Monday puzzle. Nice theme, although I didn't realize it until Argyle's blog.
ReplyDeleteMelissa, a very happy birthday to you. I hope that this will be a great year for you.
I dislike "My bad" as an apology. It sounds insincere. I would rather have no apology at all.
Fun puzzle, nice write-up. I didn't know GATTACA either, had to rely on perps. As usual, I didn't see the theme, even after completing the puzzle. Had to come here as usual to be told what it is. Where's Owen with his limericks?
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Melissa!
ReplyDeleteMy "first" toast at Sunset is to you!
Argyle: Glad to see you came up with a theme. I didn't see it ... but it didn't matter.
For 25-d, Bambino's home, at first all I could think of was Yankee Stadium, known as "The House that Ruth Built" ... and he was called "The Bambino" (along with Sultan of Swat, etc.) ... but it wouldn't fit and CASA was filled by ESP.
All-In-All though it was a FUN Monday puzzle.
Cheers!
Musings
ReplyDelete-In my childhood, we could only GET/RECEIVE 2 TV stations. You?
-No snow SLEDDING but Bellevue, NE set up this1000’ slide last week
-It’s hard to do but, “Don’t Feed The Trolls!” They live for the abuse.
-It was definitely ETE here yesterday. Sacre’ Bleu!
-Not a good place to be growing RICE these days
-Never hit SEND in anger!!
-Digital projectors have mostly replace movie REELS
-Is this how you test for al dente pasta?
-Some male of my friends DYE their hair. Ain’t happenin’ to me!
-You can be an INFIDEL to what I believe and I don’t care
-This is the movie (2:15) that is credited with bringing “MY BAD” (@ 1:02) into the mainstream.
-CAESAR – where to put those pesky vowels?
-Have you ever bought a game ticket, pitched the STUB and later sat in unoccupied expensive seats?
-HBD, Melissa!
Good morning,
ReplyDeleteI did notice all the D's....but that's all. I wanted an I somewhere in GATTACA -- maybe I'm confusing it with Attica or Gallipoli. Sort of like confusing cedilla with pecadillo.
NYT spoiler alert: What are the chances that that word with the cedilla would appear on two consecutive days? Yesterday in the LAT and today in the NYT. It's not what I'd call a common word. And in both cases the C was pronounced as S in one direction, and hard C in the other. Hmmmmm.
I'll bet Husker can tell you the name of the movie song that features "SEN-SEN" in its lyrics.
Happy birthday, Melissa BEE (which rhymes with Ruby DEE).
Husker, that movie clip looks like al dente pasta. Perhaps you should say, "My Bad!"
ReplyDeleteIn ball, "my bad" is often used by the player to overtly acknowledge the error or misplay he or she just made. Muffing a one hopper at the hot box, short hopping or sailing the throw to first would all be reasons to exclaim "my bad."
ReplyDeleteI've been meaning to ask... I haven't seen them.... where are Manac and PK ?
-Phooey, MY BAD indeed, MY BAD clip!
ReplyDelete-Yup, I definitely remember that song. You'd need some SEN-SEN if you're packin' a fresh pack of Luckies!
My computer crashed during my post so I will limit it to "HBDTY HBDTY dearest Melissa and many more" and thank you Ray and Argyle
ReplyDeleteWEES
Good Morning:
ReplyDeleteAn easy breezy start to the week. I did notice the theme upon completion. No hang-ups but never heard of Gattaca. Ethan and Uma were married but divorced. Another take on cayenne is when a friend of mine referred to it as "canine."
It's supposed to be very hot and humid today with bad storms later in the day. Then a cooling off period, in the high 70's. Nice reprieve.
Thanks Ray and Argyle. Happy Birthday, Melissa, hope you do something special!
Have a great day.
O ho???? I say that all the time when i find something. Halest??? Never heard of sen sen. Waaaaaaaay before my time I guess.
ReplyDeleteForgot to wish Canadian Eh and other Ontarians a Happy Civic Holiday today. Hope you enjoy it immensely.
ReplyDelete"puzzling thoughts":
ReplyDeletewhat Yellowrocks said about 1d - I had no clue about GATTACA, and was hoping for perps to solve. I had NON in 29a, so I guess this Monday puzzle, for me, was a FIW
The theme was pretty advanced for a Monday, but my one nit to pick would be for the constructor to have used the actual vowel "U" in his final (65a) solve. All of the other vowels are used (DAY,DEE,DIE, and DOE); where's the love for the "U"?? Here, maybe?
Other than that, I did have a few ink blots as I failed to check the down clues before entering my answer (had SKIS before SLED in 5a, e.g.)
unclefred, et. al., guess Owen took today off, or will post a poem later.
Happy Birthday, Melissa!
ReplyDeleteFun puzzle, Ray. Had no clue about GATTICA but perps took care of that, and it took me a little while to figure out the theme, but I got it. Thanks, Argyle, for the confirmation.
Have a great week, everybody!
Good Morning--or what's left of it.
ReplyDeleteWEES today. Late to the game. 1D set me on a poor start, but otherwise pretty smooth.
Happy Birthday, Melissa!
Thanks for the puzzle, Ray. Argyle, you did your usual splendid job for us today. Thanks.
Enjoy the day, everyone!
Hello, friends!
ReplyDeleteA nice, easy slide to the finish today. Only GATTACA almost stumped me as I had NON before CON but from somewhere it emerged as a distant memory. And if the cheer is for the Hoosiers, why isn't it AN H? It all worked out though.
Some adjectives really shouldn't be used in the superlative and HALE is one; most HALE sounds so much better. I know, puzzlers license like poetic license.
A very happy birthday to you, Melissa!
Has anyone else read Harper Lee's newly published book? I've started it and immediately noticed the stark difference to Mocking Bird which has densely rich descriptions. Though I've only started reading it, this on seems much lighter and so far not much depth.
Thank you Ray Hamel for a smooth puzzle and Argyle for a spot on review including the theme, of which I had no idea.
Have a lovely day, everyone!
I waited until noon (EDT) to see if anyone had a nit with windmill/TURBINE. Windmills don't generate electricity and wind TURBINES don't mill anything. It's one of my (many) pet peeves.
ReplyDeleteBTW, what did Argyle mean by "Redux c/a"?
Lucina: Cheerleaders for the Hoosiers ask for an "I", then an "N", then a "D", then another "I", then an "A", then another "N", then another "A".
ReplyDeleteHands up for NON I guess it's the french in me.
ReplyDeleteTurned on the red letters then hit the C and a TADA !! Bon Fete Melissa !!!
25D. Wind farm sight : TURBINE was Clue/Answer on Saturday.
ReplyDeleteHello everybody, and happy birthday greetings to you, Melissa.
ReplyDeleteGATTACA was a gimme for me. I saw and enjoyed the movie a couple of times. I understand Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman got married after being in it together.
I didn't see the vowel progression, but it in no way diminished my pleasure in working this puzzle today. I found it to be a lovely Monday puzzle.
Best wishes to you all.
I saw all the Ds in the theme answers, but never thought to look further. Which is kind of strange because at 33A wood choppers, I really wanted "false teeth."
ReplyDeleteQuery, I always thought the form of the clue had to be in the form of the answer.
43A Bogey, vis-a-vis par = one over.
I would think this clue would reveal an answer like "eagle."
Shouldn't the clue be one under vis-a-vis par?
(just askin')
Not exactly a cake, I hope you like chocolate! HBD Melissa!
Bonus! Todays apercu!
HG @ 8:34 - don't know if your last question was rhetorical or not, but yes, I did (back in my "yute") occasionally occupy a more expensive seat when my STUB said I "belonged" in a less-expensive row. One time that comes to mind was about 30+ years ago when I used to attend the Big East Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden in NYC. It was almost too easy to move around, especially in the early rounds, and if one of the teams you were watching was not Syracuse or St Johns. I sat behind the bench of my alma mater for a second round game (we lost); time-outs were interesting as I could hear the coach giving instructions to the players. Of course most of what he was saying was laced with expletives . . .
ReplyDeleteAnonymous@12:11
ReplyDeleteI realize it's Indiana but since I don't follow sports it surprised me, that's all.
Thank you.
CED @ 12:55 - not sure I get your query, but a "Bogey" - vis-à-vis a "Par" - is one stroke higher, or as the clue solves, "ONE OVER". "Eagle" - vis-à-vis a "Par" - is TWO UNDER. Not to be confused with the erstwhile TV Series Six Feet Under which featured a star-studded cast, and whose episodes were filled with dark humor and irony . . . here is a brief clip
ReplyDeleteAh, thank you Chairman Moe. Pardon my French...
ReplyDeleteI mistook Vis-a-vis to mean "instead of," rather than "in relation to."
My bad...
Today's puzzle was straightforward and simple. Nothing to write home about.
ReplyDeleteNoticed the D correlation and the vowel progression, but SCOOBYDOO didn't have a "U", so I thought "what's up?" There was NOTHING you could have found to end it that way?
GATTACA was a movie which has a subject (eugenics) which is quite timely. Future children are conceived by gene manipulation, so that they are born with the best traits of both parents. One couple has two sons, the first naturally born, the second through scientific intervention. The story follows the brothers lives, their manipulation of the system as working adults, and an ultimate sacrifice. I found it to be a powerful movie, and a cautionary tale.
Happy Birthday, Melissa...
For all you tennis fans...Raphael Nadal finally won a clay court tournament yesterday in Germany. It's about time. Hope it gives him a little confidence and his game continues to improve. Bueno Suerte.
And that wraps up my Monday commentary. See you tomorrow.
Greetings!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ray and Santa!
Happy birthday, melissa! Have a ball!
GATTACA was a gimme for me also. Crazy about science fiction!
Puzzle went very fast.
Cheers!
Coneyro, how about DEVIL'S DUE?
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday, Melissa!
Hello Puzzlers -
ReplyDeleteHand up for Non before Con, otherwise smooth sailing. Had to read up on Gattaca, having never heard of it, but wondering whether it was a fit for lovely Uma.
Speaking of lovely: Happy Birthday, Melissa! So glad you came back to the Corner!
Howdy, Argyle, thanks for the doin's.
a little bird just told me to check the blog - so i'm just now seeing all your sweet messages, thank you, it means a lot.
ReplyDeleteHi Puzzle Pals!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Melissa! I think CED did good by you re: cake...
I'm no LOSER today. Easy fun puzzle. Thanks Ray & thanks Argyle for the write-up.
WEES re: HALEST. The H was an iWAG.
Some fun words for a Monday - EQUINOX, INFIDEL, GOODIES, CAYENNE...
I've seen GATTACA (took a few perps) - DW is a Hawke fan. He was staying next to us in NOLA. DW met him (I did too, but had no clue - just another dude drinking coffee) and talked w/ him on the balcony. Imagine her joy talking w/ him for 15 min - imagine my insecurity :-)
Back to the SUBJECT at hand...
ESP -Working in this building for 10 weeks, you'd think I'd know CERES (the main USDA building is to the left - it's on The Mall). RUBY DEE was ESP too.
Fav - NAP on FRI.
Runner up: Those meddling kids and their dog... SCOOOOBY-"Doobie"-DOOO
Anon @12:06 - I think those TURBINEs mill plenty of birds...
HG - Chuckin' a noodle at the wall is a fun way to test when guests are there but, for perfect AL DENTE, fish a noodle out, put it in your hand, blow hard 'cuz it's hot, bite into it.
I hope Avian flu doesn't drive up gobbler prices like it did egg prices b/f TURKEY DAY!
Cheers, -T
Not TURKEY DAY today. We are celebrating Civic holiday. (thanks Spitzboov) and that means BarBQ! Started the puzzle this morning but then had family visiting and just returning now. Fairly quick solve and didn't even see the theme.
ReplyDeleteHand up for Non before CON. I hesitated to enter SLED because I thought it was too close to the clue, slide. My Halloween treats were Gummies before GOODIES.
Happy Birthday Melissa.
Good evening, folks. Thank you, Ray Hamel, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, Argyle, for a fine review.
ReplyDeleteFirst, and foremost, Happy Birthday, Melissa Bee. You are one of my all time favorites on the blog!
As I was finishing the Sunday Trib Puzzle, my wife picked up the Monday and did most of it. I did finish it, however. She had misspelled SCOOBYDOO and that screwed up that corner. I figured that out and finished it.
Having looked over the puzzle, I caught the theme. We like phonetic vowel sounds.
I was proud as punch to get INFIDEL, CARTONS, and EPISODE.
GATTACA was with perps, I am sure. Should I wake my wife and ask her? Hmmmmm, no!
I will get the first shot at the Tuesday puzzle.
See you tomorrow.
Abejo
( )
Way late today, but surprised no one has mentioned the bonus theme entry: DYE for a vowel Y sound!
ReplyDeleteAlso surprised no one mentioned Ceres is currently being orbited by a NASA spacecraft.
OwenKL - Nice catch on sometimes DYE. I didn't realize humans had already closed in on that CERES. NASA rocks! :-) C, -T
ReplyDelete