Wednesday, May 10, 2017, Agnes Davidson and C.C. Burnikel

TITLE: MUSH!

Our own Irish Miss and C.C. have doggedly produced a lovely Wednesday puzzle that provided a fun exercise for me while their theme escaped my blood hound instincts. There was also just enough challenge to make my solving experience enjoyable.

What these ladies did was to supply five two-word theme answers wherein both words can serve as a "LEAD" for the word DOG. This is all tied up in their theme reveal:

37. Iditarod front-runners ... or what both parts of the answers to starred clues can do? : LEAD DOGS - As you can see by the picture here, being the LEAD DOG does have its advantages!

The previous puzzle I blogged was last Wednesday's where the phrase OUT OF could precede each word in a two word phrase to give two new phrases and so there was some similarity. 

Now let's take a look at the theme fills, some of which are canine related and some not so much:

18. *Suffering harsh criticism : UNDER ATTACK which yields

55. *Highway patrol group : STATE POLICE and we also get

 3. *Deep trouble : HOT WATER 

6. *Member of a 1960s Chinese paramilitary group : RED GUARD

36. *Hard-to-control blaze : WILD FIRE where Agnes and C.C. also give us

Let's see what else is in their, anything but shaggy, dog story:

Across

1. __ Wednesday : ASH - The day after Mardi (Tuesday) Gras (Fat)

4. Rock of comedy : CHRIS

9. Miata automaker : MAZDA - The star of the movie Husker Gary's Midlife Crisis

14. 6-Down leader : MAO

15. Moocher : LEECH

16. Cannes concepts : IDEES - En France, les bonnes IDEES peuvent impliquer des vin (In France, good ideas can  involve wine)

17. CPR pro : EMT

20. Attach, as a patch : SEW ON 

22. All skin and bones : GAUNT

23. See 39-Down : LEE 39. With 23-Across, "Life of Pi" Oscar winner : ANG - ANG LEE - Lots of CGI required

24. Put up, as wallpaper : HANG

25. Fleecy boot brand : UGGS - Tom Brady was a spokesperson at one time

26. Word on a sample check : VOID

27. Sneaky guy? : PETE

28. Charlotte of "The Facts of Life" : RAE

29. Lawman Earp : WYATT

31. Portable gifts for book lovers : E READERS - Do you like turning the pages like I do?

33. Very long spell : EON

34. Part of mph : PER - Do you really want to get your 'vette going this fast?

35. Exchange rate abbr. : USD - Your Canadian loonie is worth about .73 USD

36. Like some smiles : WRY

37. NYC airport code : LGA

40. Cat, often : PET - We have one of those

LILY

41. Clam : SIMOLEON - Ah, the euphemisms abound

43. "Sailing to Byzantium" poet : YEATS - I did better understanding calculus and relativity

45. Where LeBron plays home games, on scoreboards : CLE - Has any athletes ever meant as much to one city as LeBron has to CLEveland?

46. Yin partner : YANG

47. Standard : NORM

48. Passed down, as folk mus. : TRAD - I didn't understand TRAD until I saw mus. Hence TRADtional music

50. Antique shoppe adjective : OLDE

51. Wilder's "__ Town" : OUR

52. "Mrs. Dalloway" novelist : WOOLF - I ain't afraid of her

53. Bicycle part : PEDAL - Once you attach your foot to the PEDAL there could be issues

58. Have debts : OWE

59. Ancient Aegean region : IONIA


60. Bugs of crime : MORAN - George "Bugs" MORAN was on his way to the garage on Valentine's Day 1929. Good thing he was late.

61. Came down with : GOT

62. Chopper blade : ROTOR  - One horizontal and one vertical

63. Gushes : SPEWS

64. Caution to drivers : SLO 



Down - Picture seemed appropriate here with the clue direction and the theme...

1. Iowa college town : AMES

2. "One for me, too" : SAME HERE

4. Held tightly (to) : CLUNG

5. Coop resident : HEN

7. Glacial periods : ICE AGES

8. Show of indifference : SHRUG

9. Baker's accessory : MITT


10. Electronic security corp. : ADT - The telephone ran them out of their original business

11. Fanatic : ZEALOT

12. Duplicity : DECEIT

13. Posed a question : ASKED

19. Mom's demand for an explanation : ANSWER ME - Been there, heard that!

21. Top draft status : ONE-A - This IV status card was "found" on him on 11/22/63 using an alias

26. Moving vehicle : VAN

27. __ rally : PEP 

28. Road trip convenience : REST STOP


30. Go up and down : YOYO - A lot of this motion is NOT up and down

32. Tune for two : DUET

38. Left base illegally : GONE AWOL

40. Kitchen spray : PAM

41. Edible mollusk : SCALLOP

42. Country singer Lovett : LYLE - Yeah, I know who he was married to for two years and I don't know why either

43. "Right back atcha" : YOU TOO

44. Off the mark : ERRANT - William Tell pulled two arrows and told Gov. Gessler that the second arrow would have been for Gessler if the first shot was ERRANT and had killed his son and then... 

47. Respectful refusal : NO SIR

49. Destinations in Clue : ROOMS - The original ROOMS

50. Pops the cork from : OPENS

52. Be dressed in : WEAR

54. Jared of "Suicide Squad" : LETO

56. Juan's uncle : TIO - An Almost Perfect Uncle

57. Bit of cornfield cacophony : CAW

Now, after my DOG and pony show, let's have some good comments 

THE GRID

Monday, April 10, 2017 Agnes Davidson & C.C. Burnikel

Theme: Where AM I? - I didn't notice the constructors til now.

57A. Coffee break time ... and a hint to an abbreviation aptly placed in each answer to a starred clue: MIDMORNING

17A. *Niña and Pinta's sister ship: SANTA MARIA

28A. *Leader of the pack: ALPHA MALE

44A. *Yale, for five U.S. presidents: ALMA MATER

11D. *Renamed lemon-lime soft drink: SIERRA MIST. (Mist Twst now)(sic)

27D. *Spot for bargain hunters: FLEA MARKET

Argyle here? this AM. I should have known so much themage on a Monday would have come from our dynamic duo.

Across:

1. "__ Noon": Gary Cooper classic: HIGH. Tex Ritter - The Ballad of High Noon 1952(2:31). Quite different from the Frankie Laine version(2:44).

5. Tippy watercraft: CANOE

10. "Make it snappy," in memos: ASAP. (as soon as possible)

14. Length-times-width calculation: AREA

15. Take place: OCCUR

16. Pleasant: NICE

19. Camper's quarters: TENT

20. Like some rye bread: SEEDED

21. Number of little pigs, in a fable: THREE

22. Decorative theme: MOTIF

24. Crystal ball reader: SEER

25. Up to now: SO FAR

32. Surfing at one's desk, say: ONLINE

34. Places for studs: EARs

35. Fellow: MAN

36. Rod's fishing partner: REEL

37. "__ you go again!": THERE. A Reaganism.

39. Like Solomon: WISE

40. Aunt, in Argentina: TIA. My favorite aunt.

41. Fashionably smart: CHIC

42. Crusty roll: KAISER

47. "SNL" host's monologue, e.g.: INTRO

48. Door-to-door cosmetics seller: AVON

49. Cavalry sword, in Sussex: SABRE. British spelling.

51. Kitchen cover-up?: APRON. Cute alliteration.

53. Granola alternative: MUESLI

56. Luau torch type: TIKI

61. Opinion column, for short: OP-ED

62. Unfamiliar (to): ALIEN

63. Director Preminger: OTTO

64. Baseball's "Amazins": METS. World Series titles 1969 & 1986. Maybe this year?

65. Bamboo lover: PANDA

66. Karate award: BELT

Down:

1. "__ it been that long?": HAS

2. Tax-sheltered plans: Abbr.: IRAs. (individual retirement account)

3. Heredity unit: GENE

4. Venomous letters: HATE MAIL

5. Cleaner sold in green canisters: COMET

6. National park in Maine: ACADIA. On the coast of Maine.

7. ATM maker: NCR. (National Cash Register known as NCR Corporation now)

8. Avignon assent: "OUI". In the south of France.

9. Division of history: ERA

10. "O Canada," e.g.: ANTHEM. A big CSO, eh!

12. Clearasil target: ACNE

13. Rose of baseball: PETE

18. Festoon: ADORN

21. Lipton products: TEAs

23. Takes for a sucker: FLEECES

24. Princess Fiona's beloved ogre: SHREK

25. Somewhat, informally: SORTA

26. NBC newsman Roger: O'NEIL

29. Golfer's goal: PAR. What a finish at The Masters.

30. Surgical beam: LASER

31. January, in Mexico: ENERO

33. Hawke of "Boyhood": ETHAN. Keeping busy. IMDb

38. Triple or homer: HIT, or third baseball clue.

39. One who scoffs at boxed Merlot, say: WINE SNOB

41. "Hurry up, will ya?": "C'MON!"

43. TV network, e.g.: AIRER

45. Sidesteps: AVOIDS

46. Smashed into: RAMMED. An inconsequential AM.

50. "__ sera": Italian "Good evening": BUONA. The Bella Sera wine threw me off at first.

51. Proton's place: ATOM

52. Plumbing unit: PIPE

54. Calorie-friendly: LITE. Ad-speak.

55. Not domestic, flight-wise: Abbr.: INTL. (international)

57. Travel guide: MAP

58. Dockworker's gp.: ILA. (International Longshoremen's Association)

59. Clamorous noise: DIN

60. Understood: GOT

Argyle

Tuesday, April 4, 2017 Agnes Davidson & C.C. Burnikel

Theme: IM&CC - If you missed them in the NY Times, you can get their LA Times puzzle right here.

17A. Verizon invoice, e.g.: PHONE BILL

30A. Second wife of Henry VIII: ANNE BOLEYN

47A. Country divider that allows unrestricted travel: OPEN BORDER

11D. Molecular link with two pairs of electrons shared by two atoms: DOUBLE BOND

29D. "Button-Down Mind" comedian: BOB NEWHART

63A. Sensitive elbow area, and a literal hint to the circled letters: FUNNY BONE

Argyle here again. I sure hope you found the circles. There is no duplication in the order of the letters.

Across:

1. Complain and complain: CARP

5. Frolic in the field: ROMP

9. Searched for shells in the shallows: WADED

14. Where to find Java: ASIA

15. Governor Kasich's state: OHIO

16. Be a ham: EMOTE

19. Way to get there: ROUTE

20. Saint at a gate: PETER

21. Melt frost from, as a windshield: DE-ICE

23. Self-serve salad site: BAR

24. Old World Style sauce brand: RAGU

26. The "c" in a + b = c: TOTAL

28. Govt. agency that lends to start-ups: SBA. (Small Business Administration)

34. "It's __-brainer!": A NO

35. Humerus neighbor: ULNA

36. "__, black sheep ... ": BAA, BAA

37. Pierced ear parts: LOBES

39. Gives approval to: OKs

41. Horse's harrumph: SNORT

42. Consider carefully: PONDER

44. Coup d'__: ÉTAT

46. Opposite of SSW: NNE

49. Free app annoyances: ADS

50. __ Manor: "Batman" mansion: WAYNE. Stately I heard.

51. Mani go-with: PEDI. What is a decent price for the full works?

53. Sound of disdain: [BAH!]

55. Tot's reply to a taunt: DID SO

57. Shady retreat: ARBOR

61. Appliance maker: AMANA

65. Flat hat: BERET

66. Spring blossom: IRIS

Spring Rain over Wild Iris | Maria A. Bales©

67. Moniker: NAME

68. Perfumer Lauder: ESTÉE

69. Pinup Hayworth: RITA. A comely Rita Hayworth in a form-fitting negligee kneeling seductively on a bed made up in silk sheets.

70. Raised, as cattle: BRED

Down:

1. "Li'l Abner" creator Al: CAPP

2. Arthur with three Grand Slam singles titles: ASHE

3. Civil mayhem: RIOT

4. Bakery-café bread company: PANERA

5. Steal from: ROB

6. "Hmm, gotta think about that ... ": "OH, I DUNNO ... "

7. Eight furlongs: MILE

8. Well-mannered: POLITE

9. "Mom's gonna kill us!": "WE'RE TOAST!"

10. Latin "I love": AMO

12. Sundance's sweetie: ETTA. Etta Place was a companion of the American outlaws Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

13. Bambi, for one: DEER

18. Hurler's stat: ERA. (earned run average)

22. __ salad: COBB. Serving suggestion.

25. Guy's partner: GAL

27. Actor Alda: ALAN

28. Nosy one: SNOOP

31. Not wearing a thing: NAKED

32. Tall tales: YARNS

33. "Big" comics kid: NATE. I must have missed him.

34. Dog food brand: ALPO

35. Milk-souring warning number: USE BY DATE

38. Novelist Ferber: EDNA

40. "Hit the gas!": "STEP ON IT!"

43. Rice-A-__: RONI

45. "__ we alone?": ARE

48. Colorful timber tree: RED FIR. The name red fir derives from the color of the bark on old trees.

49. Online rent-a-room option: AIRBNB. It started out as AirBed & Breakfast.

52. Week segment: DAY

53. Yankee Ruth: BABE

54. Iowa college town: AMES

56. TomKat's daughter: SURI

58. Wild hog: BOAR

59. "I'll pick up the tab": "ON ME". "I've got dozens of friends, and the fun never ends ... That is as long as I'm buying" ~ Styx – Too Much Time on My Hands.

60. Oboe or bassoon: REED

62. Marriage announcement word: NÉE

64. CIA cousin: NSA. (No Such Agency)

Argyle

Wednesday, March 8, 2017, Agnes Davidson & C.C. Burnikel

TITLE: WORD LOVERS


Our two good friends here at this little literary outpost, C.C. and Irish Miss, have produced a lovely exercise for us today. 

Husker Gary reporting on their effort to take a word (foreign to me) and use it as a delightful pattern.These word-loving ladies used the word LOGOPHILE, from the Greek - LOGOS meaning word and PHILE meaning lover, to give us four fills where the first word starts with LO and the second with GO. 

What word could be more apropos? 

The reveal tells all. I could see the pattern but had no idea what these two LOGOPHILES were doing.

64. Word lover who'd especially enjoy the four longest answers in this puzzle? : LOGOPHILE

THEME FILLS:
17. Ambitious aspiration : LOFTY GOAL - After 108 long years, the Chicago Cubs reached their LOFTY GOAL of a World Championship last fall

25. "We're off to a strong start" : LOOKING GOOD - Forest Gump's 1970's investment in "some kind of fruit company" would have him LOOKING GOOD and worth $6B today.

39. A city council is part of it : LOCAL GOVERNMENT - My town's LOCAL GOVERNMENT has been besieged by debate on both sides concerning the building of a $300,000,000 Costco Chicken Plant two miles south of our house. A former Nebraska governor with whom I golf told me, "Gary, what kind of industry did people think we would attract?"

50. Aphrodite or Venus : LOVE GODDESS - Hilarious Judy Tenuta billed herself as a "LOVE GODDESS - It could happen!"

Now that you've LOGged On, let's see what else Agnes and C.C. have for us

Across

1. __-pedi : MANI

5. Like many snowbirds: Abbr. : RET'D - I subbed five of the last eight days. I've got to look up the word RETIRED 

9. Golden Arches pork sandwich : MCRIB

14. __ jacket : ETON - May we clear that for you?

15. Part of a plot : ACRE

16. Muse for Millay : ERATO

19. Industry bigwig : TITAN

20. Hotel breakfast buffet offering : OMELET - Your attendants might be wearing ETON jackets

21. "Evita" role : CHE

23. River near the Sphinx : NILE

24. Hush-hush govt. org. : NSA

28. Lauren of fashion : RALPH - His company made an entire line of ads for sponsoring Downton Abbey. 

30. Mystery man John : DOE - He seems to show up in a lot of morgues

31. Uninteresting : BLAH

33. "Yippee!" : WAHOO - Twenty minutes from here

36. Flapper's accessory : BOA - The kind that's safe around your neck

43. Typical "Blue's Clues" watcher : TOT

44. Davenport resident : IOWAN

45. Gossip column twosome : ITEM - These things are like our savings account - they generate no appreciable interest!  

46. Stop : END

47. Stop : CEASE - Didn't I just see this clue recently?

55. __ King Cole : NAT

58. "Not sure yet" : I MAY

59. Road cover : TAR - This road TAR job was in one of my favorite movies

60. Sole role in the play "Tru" : CAPOTE

62. Place for short cuts : SALON

66. Pointed remark? : THERE

67. Always : EVER

68. Persia, today : IRAN - The mullahs don't like it but some American knockoffs like this and "Mash Donalds" are showing up. 

69. Totally filled : SATED

70. Email status : SENT - Oh my! Did I hit SEND?

71. What a successful dieter weighs : LESS

Down

1. Fruit served in balls : MELON - Oh, now I get it!

2. Matter makeup : ATOMS

3. 2002 legislation that protects whistleblowers, familiarly : NO FEAR ACT 

4. Like some waters: Abbr. : INT'L

5. Convertible, in slang : RAG TOP - Guy Fieri's RAG TOP and his show - Diners, Drive-In and Dives - are both cool!

6. Prefix with friendly : ECO

7. Song on a CD : TRACK -I haven't bought music on a record, tape or CD since Moby Dick was a guppy.

8. Indian metropolis : DELHI - The Ploof Gourmet Kitchen in Deli has been proclaimed the best Deli in, uh, DELHI. Call  +91 22 2463 4666 for take out!

9. Got together : MET

10. Shrink in fear : CRINGE

11. Probability expression : RATIO - The odds for my FB Huskers winning the National Championship  this year are 100:1. VB odds are much better!

12. Author Calvino : ITALO - Classics always wear well and offer lessons to all generations. To Kill A Mockingbird is one that comes to my mind! You?

13. Like fillets : BONED

18. Cry out : YELL

22. Home of the Ewoks : ENDOR - The home of our crossword buddies. Now where do those ELOI hale from? 

26. "I'm impressed!" : OH WOW

27. Hired hood : GOON - Some don't make it to Social Security age

29. Puzzle solver's cry : AHA - AHA, now I get it! It's two word phrases where the first word starts with LO and the second with GO!

31. Lunchtime fave : BLT - You had me at bacon!

32. John of the U.K. : LOO

34. Gardner of the silver screen : AVA - No one was afraid of her boyfriend/husband, just his GOONS!

35. Start of a conclusion : HENCE

36. Bane : BETE NOIRE - That which is hated or a rasslin' stage name

37. Cardinal Ozzie Smith's retired uniform number : ONE - Now there's a guy who knew how to take his position 

38. Spot to check your balance : ATM

40. Lisa who hosts CNN's "This Is Life" : LING

41. Beckett no-show : GODOT

42. Leading lead-in : MIS - It's MISLEADING if you think GODOT is going to show up

46. Friend of Pooh and Roo : EEYORE - What a sad outlook on life. I've known a few.

48. Go along with : ESCORT

49. PDQ : ASAP

50. Leans while sailing : LISTS

51. D-Day beach : OMAHA - C.C and Agnes, you couldn't throw Nebraska a crumb here? :-) 

52. Lot attendant : VALET - A dfferent pronunciation if you are handing Lord Grantham his riding clothes

53. Lowlands : DALES

54. Used the car : DROVE

56. Book with roads : ATLAS - or...

57. After-school jobholders : TEENS - Like any honest labor, McJobs have dignity

61. One of the Everly Brothers : PHIL - The Beatles were huge fans of Don and PHIL

63. Actor Beatty : NED -This t-shirt was inspired by what may be Ned's most remembered role

65. High-ranking off. : GEN

I am LOng GOne but look forward to your comments: