Tuesday, December 13, 2011 Mike Nothnagel

(Please click here to solve the LA Times Daily Crossword in old format.)

Theme: "Break a Leg" - The traditional wish that means "good luck", said to actors before they go on stage to perform seems like an appropriate title for these backstage terms from the Great White Way.

18A. *Strikers' formation : PICKET LINE. I did think of the queue in front of the theater but the 48-Down bonus puts it in the back; dialogue.

35A. *Severe reprimand, in metaphor : RIOT ACT

3D. *Where evidence is gathered : CRIME SCENE

28D. *Extremely easy task : CHILD'S PLAY. "The play's the thing ..."

55A. 1963 hit for the Drifters ... or where you can see the ends of the starred answers : "ON BROADWAY". Clip.(3:01)

Bonus: 48D. Setting for this puzzle's theme : STAGE

Argyle here. The theme seems tight but the fill is eclectic and there is nothing wrong with that. Even JACOBI(49A) filled in nicely. The four 8's and five 7's are all pretty solid.

Across:

1. Baroque composer of the "Goldberg Variations" : BACH. The Goldberg Variations is a work for harpsichord, consisting of an aria and a set of 30 variations. Aria.(2:12)

5. Civil rights activist Parks : ROSA

9. Online money : ECASH

14. Hairdo that's picked : AFRO

15. Barely manages, with "out" : EKEs

16. "I'm not kidding!" : "NO LIE!"

17. Corner Monopoly space : JAIL

20. Soldiers' shelter : ARMY TENT

22. Most restricted, filmwise : X-RATED

23. TV oil family name : EWING. 1978–1991 CBS

24. Thoroughfare : ROAD

25. Volcanic rock : BASALT

27. Futuristic personal transport devices : JET PACKS

31. "Filthy" money : LUCRE

32. Pastrami seller : DELI

33. Former Mideast leader : SHAH

34. Were in the present? : ARE

38. Simpson judge : ITO

39. Indian breads : NANS. "Authentic (i.e., delicious) naan must be cooked by slapping it against the side of a TANDOOR - a very hot oven originally dug into the ground. One of those things you cannot replicate at home." - Nice Cuppa

41. Prehistoric threat, for short : T-REX

42. Kate's TV roommate : ALLIE. 1984-1989 CBS

44. Pollution legislation goal : CLEAN AIR

46. 13-piece suit? : SPADES

47. Tenn. athletes : VOLS. The Volunteer State is the State of Tennessee nickname.

48. Train schedule listings : STOPS

49. "I, Claudius" star Derek : JACOBI. Image.

52. Not draw any cards : STAND PAT. Poker.

57. Mixed bag : OLIO

58. Demander's words : "I NEED ..."

59. "Othello" conspirator : IAGO

60. Fund-raising dinner, often : GALA

61. Like pocket protector wearers : NERDY

62. Cyclops and Wolverine, e.g. : X-MEN. Comics and movies.

63. Part of CBS: Abbr. : SYST. Columbia Broadcasting System.

Down:

1. Tijuana's region : BAJA. Déjà vu. Almost the same position as yesterday's.

2. Requiring binoculars to see : AFAR

4. Faith-based battle : HOLY WAR

5. Show contrition : REPENT

6. Giving the go-ahead : OKing

7. Splinter group : SECT

8. Pose, as a question : ASK

9. Trick into wrongdoing : ENTRAP

10. Piña __: rum drinks : COLADAs

11. Got down : ALIT

12. Trig class ratio : SINE

13. Be mindful of : HEED

19. Mysteriously unusual : EXOTIC

21. Flooring craftsman : TILER

24. "Chill out!" : "RELAX!"

25. Mel who voiced Bugs : BLANC. The Voices of Mel Blanc (2:53)

26. Like an otological test : AURAL

27. Teammate of Rivera and Posada : JETER. New York Yankees.

29. Actress Holmes : KATIE. Appeared in a episode of How I Met Your Mother, CBS TV show.

30. Pumps and clogs : SHOES

32. Day at the movies : DORIS

36. Milano's land : ITALIA

37. Strike lightly : TAP ON

40. Enjoyed every bite of : SAVORED

43. Teacup poodles, e.g. : LAP DOGS

45. Unimportant person : NOBODY

46. Remain a little longer : STAY ON

49. Become a member : JOIN

50. Author Tyler : ANNE. List of her novels.

51. "Good buddy" : CBer

52. Emulated Michael Phelps : SWAM. Fermatprime? He has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008.

53. Is out sick : AILs

54. With perfection : TO A 'T'

56. New Jersey fort : DIX

Answer grid.

Argyle

Monday, December 12, 2011 Mel Rosen

Theme:

17A. Downside of reading in poor light : EYE STRAIN. Private Eye.

24A. Drive-thru cleanings : CAR WASHES. Private car. I think of the old railroad cars.

39A. Range for indoor comfort : ROOM TEMPERATURE. Private room, if your lucky.

49A. Staunch political group member : PARTY HACK. Private party, that's what I hear when I try to get in.

62A. Solid baseball hit : LINE DRIVE. Private line, telephone.

7D. Doctor's self-employment, and a hint to the starts of the five longest across answers : PRIVATE PRACTICE

Argyle here with a rare Monday pangram. Grid spanning row and column. Interesting fill. Should be a good week.

Across:

1. Brewpub choices : ALES

5. Bottle tops : CAPS

9. Newly hatched pigeon : SQUAB. I wonder at what age they stop being SQUAB and become flying rats.

14. Lower California, familiarly : BAJA. The actual name of the peninsula, nothing to do with the state.

15. Mother Goose baddie : OGRE

16. Hearing-related : AURAL

19. Magic wand wielder : FAIRY

20. PC go-to type : TECHIE

21. Use the ballot : VOTE

23. Mlles., in Spain : SRTAs

29. Checkpoint "Hold it!" : "HALT!". "Where are your papers?"

31. Little-known information : ARCANA

32. Prefix meaning "billion" : GIGA

36. Harbor landing : PIER

38. Bridge positions : EASTs

42. "Tomorrow" title singer : ANNIE

43. High spirits : BRIO. From Italian but of Celtic origin.

44. 1974 Sutherland/Gould spoof : "S*P*Y*S". Asterisks were to indicate bullet holes.

45. "Burnt" crayon color : SIENNA

47. Egyptian cross : ANKH

51. Montezuma subject : AZTEC

56. Admin. aide : ASST.

57. Hawkish : PRO WAR

58. Not so many : FEWER

64. African antelope : ELAND

65. Muscular woe : ACHE

66. Born and __ : BRED

67. Prepares, as cocktails : MIXES

68. "Little" Dickens girl : NELL. Nell Trent, fictional heroine of Charles Dickens's novel "The Old Curiosity Shop".

69. "Besides that ..." : "ALSO ..."

Down:

1. Helps illegally : ABETS

2. Hen, vis-à-vis eggs : LAYER

3. Kick out : EJECT

4. Olympic skater Cohen : SASHA. She is the 2006 Olympic silver medalist.

5. Apple heart : CORE

6. Turkish title : AGA

8. Hombre's title : SEÑOR

9. Low-crime section of town : SAFE AREA

10. Sine __ non: essential : QUA

11. Ocean State sch. : URI

12. River to the Rhine : AAR. In Switzerland, Aare.

13. Activist Nellie : BLY

18. Addams Family nickname : TISH. Morticia Addams (TV)

22. Howard Hughes's airline : TWA

24. Scale, as Everest : CLIMB

25. Improvises like Armstrong : SCATS. Scatting with Louis and Ella. Clip(3:09)

26. Welcomes to the penthouse : HAS UP

27. Blog piece : ENTRY

28. Freelance writers' encls. : SASEs

30. Zoo swinger : APE

32. Hold tightly : GRASP

33. Ancient Greek region that was home to Heraclitus : IONIA

34. One with no hope : GONER

35. Make ___: rake it in : A MINT

37. Sign anew, as a contract : RE-INK

40. Thirty feet : TEN YARDS

41. Soldier of Seoul : ROK

46. Sighs of relief : AHs

48. Difficult : HARD

50. "The Chronicles of Narnia" lion : ASLAN

52. "___ the Greek" : ZORBA Novel and film.

53. Handle, as a baton : TWIRL

54. Rain gutters run under them : EAVES

55. System of belief : CREDO

57. Banana covering : PEEL

58. Like "la" in Fr. or Sp. : FEM.(feminine)

59. Quarterback Manning : ELI

60. Like many lifelike museum displays : WAX

61. Opposite of WSW : ENE

63. Buffalo Sabres' org. : NHL

Answer grid.

Argyle

Notes from C.C.

1) Here are some gorgeous photos from Marti's Europe trip. All the bar pictures are cozy & inviting. Marti looks so beautiful and happy.

2) Please click here (Chicago Tribute's website) if you're not happy with the new LA Times crossword format.

Thursday, December 8, 2011 Don Gagliardo

Theme: Oh, Really? - Five phrases starting with an 'O' homonym.

17A. Evian, in Evian : EAU MINERALE. French mineral water.

23A. Thankfully credit : OWE EVERY THING TO ...

35A. One way to serve beef : AU JUS. French for "with [its own] juice".

50A. Sweet treat with an exclamation point in its name : OH HENRY! CANDY BAR. There is no definitive explanation as to the exact origin of the name.

56A. Classic noel : "O TANNENBAUM". German for "O Christmas Tree", Classic clip.(1:57)

Argyle again. Don "Hard G" doing a solo today. Two grid spanners, a season song; a trifle easy for a Thursday but who's complaining. Well, maybe HeartRx because she missed out blogging it but that's what you get if you go traipsing off to Europe.

Across:

1. Bombed : STANK

6. Hindu title : SWAMI

11. Easy letters? : ABC

14. Board : HOP ON

15. Bar mixer : TONIC

16. Mme., across the Pyrenees : SRA.

19. One who can't pass the bar? : SOT

20. Marked for removal : DELED

21. House coat : PAINT

28. Org. concerned with the No Child Left Behind Act : NEA. This time it is the National Education Association (NEA) and not the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), I think.

29. Ambulance arrival sites, briefly : ERs

30. London taxi : HACKNEY. Boston police department has a Hackney Carriage Unit, analogous to taxicab regulators in other cities, that issues Hackney Carriage medallions to its taxi operators.

31. She played Julia in "Julie & Julia" : MERYL. Streep

33. Bohemian dance : POLKA. Not what I'm familiar with.

34. Novelist Ferber : EDNA

37. SASE enclosure, maybe : RSVP

41. Weaklings : WIMPS

43. Place for a large umbrella : PATIO

44. Mooches : SPONGES

47. She turned pro before her 16th birthday : WIE. Michelle (golfer)

49. Sch. with a Mesa campus : ASU. Arizona State University.

53. One of the deadly sins : PRIDE

54. Pianist Claudio : ARRAU. Short but powerful clip.(1:29)

55. __ Tomé : SÃO. Off the west coast of Africa. Map. In 1908, Sao Tome had become the world's largest producer of cacao which still is the country's most important crop.

62. __ Today : USA

63. Joint-forming bones : ULNAE. Forearm.

64. Surface with legs : TABLE

65. Author : PEN so 4D. __ plume : NOM DE. pen name.

66. Tell off : SCOLD

67. Slammin' Sammy of golf : SNEAD. Snead(1912 - 2002) won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors but failed to win a U.S. Open.

Down:

1. Sailor's pronoun : SHE

2. Ode title words : TO A

3. Kwik-E-Mart guy on "The Simpsons" : APU. Nahasapeemapetilon.

5. 1999 Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductee : KNIEVEL. Evel

6. Takes the wheel : STEERS

7. Prolix : WORDY. Word Origin & History: PROLIX - 1412, from O.Fr. prolixe (14c.), from L. prolixus "extended," lit. "poured out," from pro- "forth" + base of liquere "to flow". Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

8. Santa __ winds : ANA

9. "Cool" amount : MIL. as "a cool million"

10. Chipping tool : ICE PICK

11. Make responsible for, as a case : ASSIGN

12. 19th-century literary family name : BRONTË

13. Stuffed mouse, e.g. : CAT TOY

18. Card or Met : NLer. Baseball.

22. Capital south of the Black Sea : ANKARA. The capital of Turkey.

23. "My treat!" : "ON ME!"

24. Whacker's target : WEED

25. Merit : EARN

26. Grand : THOU. $1,000

27. Dutch Golden Age painter : HALS

32. Showed disinterest, maybe : YAWNED

33. Early a.m. wear : PJs. Might see them being worn anytime at Walmart.

35. AKC part: Abbr. : AMER.

36. Daisy lead-in : UPSY

38. Try : STAB

39. Plastic choice : VISA. I chose MasterCard.

40. Decant : POUR

42. Formed by the solidification of magma : IGNEOUS

43. Bookish types : PEDANTS

44. Absorbs, in a way : SOPS UP

45. More than words : PHRASE

46. Buckeye : OHIOAN

47. Put on alert : WARNED

48. Concerning, in memos : IN RE

51. Erie __ : CANAL

52. John Arbuckle's coffee : YUBAN. Decades ago there was a Yuban coffee ad campaign with the tag line: “as John Arbuckle would say, 'You get what you pay for'. Very interesting man. Info.

57. LPN skill : TLC

58. California's __ Nuevo State Park : AÑO. On the southern San Mateo County coast, Año Nuevo(New Year) is the site of the largest mainland breeding colony of the northern elephant seal. Fifty-five miles south of San Francisco, a low, rocky, windswept point juts out into the Pacific Ocean. The Spanish maritime explorer Sebastian Vizcaino sailed by the point on January 3, 1603. His diarist and chaplain of the expedition, Father Antonio de la Ascension, named it Punta de Año Nuevo (New Year's Point) for the day on which they sighted it in 1603.

59. 16th prez : ABE. Honest!

60. Form ending : ULA. (formula)

61. Post-op dose : MED. Short version of medicine and for most of us, it's meds.

Answer grid.

Argyle

Happy Birthday to Jazzbumpa (Ron). May you never lose the beat. Here is a recent photo of Ron and his beautiful wife Gloria. Here is their ad hoc trombone quartet (from left to right): Ron, Mike, Jeff and Dan. Very cool!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011 Ned White

Theme: Maybe - A fence sitters puzzle; three pros, three cons, and a grid spanning undecided in the middle.

14. "Affirmative!" : "NO ARGUMENT!"

16. "Affirmative!" : "AMEN!"

17. "Affirmative!" : "I'M SURE OF IT!"

38. "It could go either way" : "I JUST CAN'T DECIDE"

63. "Negative!" : "NOT A PRAYER!"

65. "Negative!" : "UH-UH!"

66. "Negative!" : "IN A PIG'S EYE!"

Argyle here. I researched today's constructor before I started and was slightly intimidated. The man's first puzzle was a Saturday NYT! But his debut LAT feels like a perfect fit for a Wednesday. A few unknowns to keep it a learning experience, minimal crosswordese, good fill and a unique grid layout. I would like to see some more of Ned's work.

Across:

1. Bar fixture : ALE TAP

7. Twosome : DUO

10. Border Patrol city of the Southwest : YUMA. Sector map below.

18. Drill command : HALT

19. Shiny fabrics : SATEENS

20. Hiker's map, casually : TOPO. Short for topographic map.

22. Nav. rank : ENS.

23. Times for les vacances : ÉTÉs. They get more vacation than we do in France?

25. Bank products : LOANS

29. Block or stock suffix : ADE

30. Oil, informally : TEXAS TEA

33. Give or take, e.g. : VERB

36. Japanese noodle dish : RAMEN. Clued as Nagano noodles on Sunday.

37. Zebra on a field : REF

42. Pres. Carter, e.g. : DEM.

43. Snarl noises : HONKS. Snarls from a traffic jam.

44. __ Inn : DAYS

45. 1975 seminal green movement novel by Ernest Callenbach : ECOTOPIA. Wikipedia article.

47. Post-WWII nuclear org. : AEC. Atomic Energy Commission. 1946 - 1974

49. Others, in Oaxaca : OTROS. State located in Southwestern Mexico.

50. Down Under st. : TASM.. Tasmania is the island down under Down Under.

52. Former boomer, briefly : SST

55. Staff sign : REST

58. Frankenstein's creator : SHELLEY

60. "The Thorn Birds," e.g. : SAGA. Down Under saga.

67. Hampers : BINS. You know, ladies, those clothes hampers men don't use.

68. Cribbage marker : PEG

69. Colorful fish : TETRAs

Down:

1. Ouzo flavoring : ANISE

2. Fictional salesman : LOMAN. Willy, from Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman.

3. Bridge seats : EASTs. The card game.

4. Devoted : TRUE

5. "Deal!" : "AGREED!"

6. Bandleader Tito : PUENTE

7. Excellent, in modern slang : DEF. Short for definitely but Urban Dictionary entry says it's archaic, circa 1981.

8. Second, e.g. : UNIT

9. "Beetle Bailey" dog : OTTO

10. Boors : YAHOOs

11. Thurman of film : UMA

12. Director Brooks : MEL

13. Social worker : ANT

15. Jazz pianist Allison : MOSE. Mose Allison Trio live on PBS. Your Mind Is On Vacation.(2:32)

21. Carpenter's tool : PLANE

24. Performed terribly : STANK AT

26. Bright lobbies : ATRIA. Plural of atrium.

27. Down on one's luck : NEEDY

28. They may be hard to crack : SAFEs

29. Bodybuilder's pride : ABs

31. Lifesavers, for short : EMTs

32. Crossed (out) : Xed

33. Tape, perhaps : VIDEO

34. DVD button : EJECT

35. Buzz : RUMOR

36. Eastern royal : RANI

39. More than that : THOSE

40. Swipe : COP

41. Atlanta-based health org. : CDC. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (or CDC)

46. Sacred scrolls : TORAHS

47. Fireplace receptacle : ASH PIT. Usually there is a trap door under the grate that you sweep the ashes into, the clean out would be in the cellar.

48. Come out : EMERGE

51. "Stat!" relative : ASAP

52. More cunning : SLYER

53. "Ciao!" : "SEE YA!"

54. Rolls rollers : TYRES. British car, British spelling.

56. Short cut : SNIP

57. Shape (up) : TONE

59. Endure : LAST

60. Torpedo, or its launcher : SUB. Some ambiguity, torpedo(sandwich)/sub would be launched by Subway.

61. Yellowfin tuna : AHI

62. Shooter : GUN

64. Mattress feature : TAG

Answer grid.

Argyle

Birthday greetings to Windhover today. I hope you are warm and dry.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011 Kelly Clark

Theme: Fun for the Whole Family - A few words and phrases that start with a bowling term and the unusual placement of the unifier at 1-Across

1A . Postseason gridiron game, and a hint to the puzzle theme found in starred answers : BOWL

17A. *Sign of a typing mistake : STRIKEOVER

25A. *Indigent's request : "SPARE CHANGE?"

38A. *Wizard's game in the rock opera "Tommy" : PINBALL. Both parts of this entry would work.

53A. *Street urchin : GUTTERSNIPE

62A. *Chain for plus-size women's fashion : LANE BRYANT

Argyle here but it should be Boomer; it's right up his alley. Also, an unusual grid with triple eights and sixes down the sides. I didn't find a few entries until my write-up but still it was harder then Monday's puzzle, IMO.

Across:

5. Baseball card brand : TOPPS

10. Young men : LADS

14. Tiny battery : AAAA

15. Well-honed : SHARP

16. Vicinity : AREA

19. Dogpatch possessive : HIS'N

20. Country singer Gibbs : TERRI. Somebody's Knocking".(2:42)

21. Ostrich cousins : EMUs

23. Quick swim : DIP. but 31A. Not a good area for nonswimmers : DEEP END

24. Before, before : ERE

29. Nine-digit ID : SSN

30. Ready : SET

32. Rehab woes, briefly : DTs

34. Also-ran : LOSER

35. Little demon : IMP

41. B'way sellout sign : SRO

42. Shearer of "The Red Shoes" : MOIRA. The Red Shoes (1948) is a British feature film about a ballet dancer. Image.

44. ID checker's concern : AGE

45. An original Mouseketeer : ANNETTE

48. Séance sound : RAP

50. Make a choice : OPT

55. "To Kill a Mockingbird" author Harper __ : LEE

56. AOL chats : IMs. Instant Messaging (IM).

57. California wine valley : NAPA

58. Church chorus : AMENS

60. Playwright Simon : NEIL. Barefoot in the Park (1963), Brighton Beach Memoirs (1983), The Goodbye Girl (1993).

65. Automaker Ferrari : ENZO

66. "What's in __?": Juliet : A NAME

67. Orchard grower : TREE

68. Fret : STEW

69. Pert : SASSY

70. Murderous Stevenson character : HYDE. Psst, it's really Dr. Jekyll.

Down:

1. Moistens in the pan : BASTES

2. Many John Wayne movies : OATERS. Westerns.

3. President Harding : WARREN. Here's your shout out, Warren.

4. Lion's den : LAIR

5. Taoist Lao-__ : TSE

6. "Well, lookee here!" : "O HO!"

7. Road repair worker : PAVER

8. Future doc's undergrad concentration : PREMED

9. Smarten (up) : SPRUCE

10. "Well, __-di-dah!" : LAH

11. Desert feature : ARIDNESS

12. Fashion world VIP : DESIGNER

13. Los Angeles bay named for an apostle : SAN PEDRO

18. Smooch : KISS

22. Turtle's protection : SHELL

26. Salon service often paired with a mani : PEDI. Cure for bad nails.

27. Memo-routing abbr. : ATTN.

28. GI's address : APO. Army Post Office or Air Force Post Office, while Navy and Marine Corps use FPO (Fleet Post Office).

33. Entrepreneur-aiding org. : SBA. Small Business Administration.

35. Makes believe : IMAGINEs

36. Memorial structure : MONUMENT

37. Peewee : PINT-SIZE

38. Eucharistic plate : PATEN. Usually of gold or silver, it is used to hold the host during the celebration of the Eucharist. I haven't seen it in a puzzle lately but has been common in the past.

39. Farming prefix : AGRI

40. "Look before you __" : LEAP

43. On a pension: Abbr. : RET.

46. Sung syllables : TRA LAs

47. Francia neighbor : ESPANA

49. Bartlett or Bosc : PEAR

50. Chicago Fire Mrs. : O'LEARY. Her cow is alleged to have started the fire but I think it was a scapegoat

51. In a sty, say : PENNED

52. Exam taker : TESTEE. Go ahead; take a shot.

54. Family matriarchs : NANAs. Just ask grandma if you don't believe it.

59. Fable : MYTH

61. Sad : LOW

63. 911 response initials : EMS. Emergency Medical Services.

64. Ottoman governor : BEY. The last of the Thursday words on Tuesday.

Answer grid.

Argyle

Monday, November 28, 2011 Jeff Chen

Theme: Mr. T on A-Team - Two long themes(14), two short(9) and one(7) in the middle. The "B.A." on the A-Team stood for...Bosco A. Baracus but pity the fool who called him Bosco.

20A. Ted Williams had a .344 lifetime one : BATTING AVERAGE

28A. Site of many a shady transaction : BACK ALLEY

39A. Boo-boo protector : BAND-AID

48A. Bullet-proof vest, e.g. : BODY ARMOR

55A. Common college degree, whose abbreviation is a hint to 20-, 28-, 39- and 48-Across : BACHELOR OF ARTS

Argyle here today. It must have been tough to create such an easy solve. Bravo, Jeff.

Across:

1. Baby bovine : CALF

5. At the drop of __ : A HAT

9. Ice cream brand that's "Grand" : EDY'S. Their Cookies 'N Cream do not mention OREO's by name.

13. Ice cream-and-cookies brand : OREO. Oreo Ice Cream is licensed by Breyers, Good Humor, and Klondike in the US, and Nestlé in Canada.

14. "The Thinker" sculptor : RODIN. Thinking about cookies.

16. Fat unit : GRAM

17. Tailless cat : MANX

18. Steak option : T-BONE. cooked 59D. Steak order : RARE

19. Hereditary code carrier : GENE

23. Stat start : RHEO. RHEOstat, adjustable resistor used in applications that require the adjustment of current or the varying of resistance in an electric circuit.

24. Fishing pole : ROD

25. Agreeable to doing : UP FOR

34. More or less : SORT OF

36. Cacophony : DIN

37. __ Linda, California : LOMA. Take the Santa Monica freeway to the San Berdoo Freeway east; can't miss it.

38. Chef's recipe words : À LA

42. "Bad Moon Rising" pop gp. : CCR

43. Go ape : FLIP

45. Go bad : ROT

46. Attached to the bulletin board : TACKED

51. Pries (into) : NOSES

52. P&L column : YTD. Year to date.

53. Visibility impairer : HAZE. Watch out for it on the freeways.

62. Japanese golfer Aoki : ISAO

63. With 67-Across, innovative or experimental artists' group : AVANT. 67. See 63-Across : GARDE

64. Birthday serving : CAKE

66. Envelope abbr. : ATTN.

68. Way out : EXIT

69. Give guff to : SASS

70. Shakespearean king : LEAR

71. Chip enhancers : DIPS

Down:

1. Dot-__ : COM

2. Man from Oman, often : ARAB

3. Actress Olin : LENA. As she appeared in The Reader.

4. Dance that precedes "golf" in the NATO phonetic alphabet : FOXTROT

5. Wheelchair guy on "Glee" : ARTIE. This guy.

6. Schmooze, as with the A-list : HOBNOB

7. Work like __ : A DOG

8. Fey of "30 Rock" : TINA

9. Asian menu appetizer : EGG ROLL

10. Rasta's hairdo : DREADLOCKS

11. Yin's counterpart : YANG

12. Hook's sidekick : SMEE

15. St. for gamblers : NEV.ada

21. Go pitapat : THROB

22. Disco __ : ERA

25. Vandenberg or Edwards: Abbr. : USAFB. Air Force bases.

26. Chico's chicken : POLLO. and

27. Chickens, to kids : FRAIDY CATS

29. Build up, as a collection : ADD TO

30. Hush-hush fed. org. : CIA

31. Make booties, e.g. : KNIT

32. Game show host : EMCEE

33. 36-inch units : YARDS

35. Jamie of "M*A*S*H" : FARR. Cpl. Klinger, took Radar's place as company clerk.

40. __ de plume : NOM. French for pen name.

41. Tony of 60-Down : DANZA. 60. Sitcom set in a garage : "TAXI". Reminded me of this garage.

44. Constricting snakes : PYTHONS

47. Compelled via force : COERCED

49. Suffix with lemon : ADE

50. "Help Me, __": Beach Boys hit : RHONDA

54. "... happily ever __" : AFTER

55. Skewed view : BIAS

56. "The Thin Man" canine : ASTA

57. Fall behind : LAG

58. Roundish shape : OVAL

61. Not attend : SKIP

65. "Men in Black" baddies, briefly : ETs. Not at all like the one in the the movie, "E.T.".

Answer grid.

Argyle

Sunday, November 20, 2011 Don Gagliardo & C.C. Burnikel

Theme: "Pair Options" - Three options: 1. The complete humorous answer to the clue. 2. The stand alone partners that begin the answer. And 3. The last word of the pairs changes its meaning and used in another stand alone phrase.

23A. Ring from Chuck Berry? : ROCK AND ROLL CALL. ROCK AND ROLL, ROLL CALL.

32A. Tiny decathlon entrant? : TRACK AND FIELD MOUSE. TRACK AND FIELD, FIELD MOUSE.

54A. Contest for a free night at the inn? : ROOM AND BOARD GAME. ROOM AND BOARD, BOARD GAME.

71A. Trait of a gentleman in training? : HIT AND MISS MANNERS. HIT AND MISS, MISS MANNERS.

92A. Show that makes teens cringe? : MOM AND POP CONCERT. MOM AND POP, POP CONCERT.

107A. Fixture that refunds money for unused time? : FAIR AND SQUARE METER. FAIR AND SQUARE, SQUARE METER.

125A. Mess hall handout? : RANK AND FILE MENU. RANK AND FILE, FILE MENU.

Surprise! Argyle here. I had my doubts about this puzzle when it started with AGITA but it all worked out in the end.

Across:

1. Gut feeling : AGITA. A physical feeling, like indigestion.

6. Vegging out : IDLE

10. Bratz product : DOLL

14. "Ain't happening" : "NO HOW"

19. Receive useful information about : GET A LINE ON

21. "East of Eden" director Kazan : ELIA

22. French story : ÉTAGE. Today's French lesson: maison à deux étages - two-storey house.

25. Bizarre : WEIRD

26. "Off the Court" author : ASHE. Tennis great, Arthur Ashe.

27. Willingly : LIEF. Akin to love. I believe we had this before.

28. Lummox : OAF

29. Small batteries : AAs

31. Frat party purchase : KEG

37. Writer who worked on Friday? : DEFOE. Friday is a character in Daniel Defoe's novel, "Robinson Crusoe".

40. Monopolize : HOG

41. Bank features : SAFES

42. Nueve menos ocho : UNO. Spanish, 9-8=1.

43. Off! ingredient : DEET

47. Duck, say : REACT

50. Cybermemos : E-NOTES

58. Respite : LULL

59. "Flash of Genius" actor Alan : ALDA

60. Entrance : DOOR

61. See eye to eye : JIBE

62. Lofty home : AERIE

63. Tex-Mex snacks : NACHOS

65. World leader who said "Every little thing counts in a crisis" : NEHRU. Jawaharlal Nehru was the first prime minister of independent India (1947–64).

68. __-en-Provence, France : AIX

70. Homer's neighbor : NED. From The Simpsons.

76. "That's it!" : "A HA!"

78. Downed : ATE

79. Passé : DATED

80. Party catchphrase : SLOGAN

83. Like frat parties : NOISY

85. Timbuktu's land : MALI

88. [Oh my God!] : [GASP!]. The brackets indicate the response is non-verbal and why my GOSH was wrong.

90. "Star Trek: T.N.G." counselor : TROI. I believe because the abbreviation was within the quotes and that T.N.G.(The Next Generation) is the common way the show is written, that an abbreviated answer is NOT indicated.

91. Potent start? : OMNI. Omnipotent.

96. Lipton rival : NESTEA

98. "Bummer" : "AW, GEE"

99. Small monkey : TITI

100. Summer overseas : ÉTÉ. In France.

101. Perp's cover : ALIAS. Or 123A. Perp's cover : ALIBI

103. "Uh-uh" : "NAH"

105. Grannies : NANAs

115. Affair twosome? : EFs. The letters 'F'.

116. General on a menu : TSO

117. Dull finish? : ARD. Dullard.

118. Worm, often : LURE. In this computer age, VIRUS was the first thing to come to mind at the word, WORM.

119. Egg cell : OVUM

129. 9 to 5, e.g. : RATIO. Tricky.

130. "The Neverending Story" author : ENDE. German fantasy novel by Michael Ende, first published in 1979.

131. Some bed makers : HOTEL MAIDS

132. Offspring : SCION

133. "Agreed!" : "DEAL!"

134. Spanish cordial : ANIS

135. Letter-shaped opening : T-SLOT

Down:

1. Tourist city SE of New Delhi : AGRA

2. Metros and Prizms, at first : GEOs. Little vehicles.

3. Longing : ITCH

4. Grow fond of : TAKE TO

5. __ carte : À LA

6. Hindi is a subgroup of it : INDIC

7. 12-time All-Star Jeter : DEREK

8. Bath sponge : LOOFAH

9. Photographer's order: Abbr. : ENL.

10. Morning brew order : DECAF

11. Norwegian king, 995-1000 : OLAF I

12. Rap name adjective : LI'L

13. "Deck the Halls" sequence : LA, LA, LA. Do rappers have Christmas albums?

14. Some anchors : NEWS MEN

15. Suffix with Capri : OTE. A native or inhabitant of Capri.

16. Verse often about nature : HAIKU

17. Fairy tale baddies : OGREs

18. Divisive element : WEDGE

20. Attending a Dodgers home game, say : IN LA. A stadium without a corporate name, wow!

24. Tenant : LODGER

30. Google revenue source : AD FEE

33. Prynne's stigma : RED A. From Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter.

34. "I Feel Bad About My Neck" author Ephron : NORA. A collection of essays.

35. Abbr. on a shingle : ESTAB.

36. Neapolitan song title opening : 'O SOLE

37. Boxer who held titles at four different weights : DURAN. "No mas"

38. __ Gay : ENOLA

39. What-eats-what orders : FOOD CHAINS. Great explanation.

44. Wraps up by : ENDS AT

45. Tokyo, before 1868 : EDO

46. Govt. security : T-BOND

48. Fine-tune : ADJUST

49. Special effects technique, briefly : CGI. Computer-Generated Imagery.

51. Gets jealous : TURNS GREEN

52. "Night" author Wiesel : ELIE

53. Vehicle on a Christmas card, perhaps : SLED

55. Half a fish : MAHI

56. Central Utah city : OREM

57. Average : MEAN

62. Rink maneuver : AXEL

64. Our Gang assent : "OTAY!"

66. Covering up : HIDING

67. Golfer Gary Player's homeland: Abbr. : RSA. Republic of South Africa.

69. Place to be : IN SPOT

72. Pixar fish : NEMO

73. "Let __!" : ME GO

74. One way to cope : ADAPT

75. Drilling gp. : ROTC

76. Like Mr. X : ANON

77. Main website page : HOME

81. Main artery : AORTA

82. Evenings, in ads : NITEs

84. George Harrison learned it in the '60s : SITAR

86. Rack up : AMASS

87. Bar code? : LAW. The legal bar.

89. __-fi : SCI

92. Big pipes : MAINS

93. "Gracias" reply : "DE NADA"

94. High-fiber fruit : PEAR

95. "Ladies dancing" carol contingent : NINE

97. Joy : ELATION

102. Was gaga over : ADORED

104. Got a grip : HELD ON

106. Kitchen drawers? : AROMAs

107. Dreads : FEARS

108. Big name in supplemental insurance : AFLAC

109. Last Supper question : "IS IT I?"

110. Brief interview? : Q AND A

111. "Family Matters" nerd : URKEL

112. Civilian garb : MUFTI

113. Ohio natives : ERIEs

114. Divulge : TELL

120. Concealing garb : VEIL

121. Erase : UNDO

122. Has to : MUST

124. Short life story? : BIO

126. "Wheel of Fortune" buy : AN 'E'

127. FDR home loan org. : NHA. National Housing Agency.

128. ER staff member : EMT

Answer grid.

Argyle

1) Constructors' Notes:

"Don came up with this theme. It is a little inspired by the "Wheel of Fortune" "before and after" trick, or the similar "Jeopardy" occasional category. Don cannot recall the inspirational phrase that kicked it off. It may have been MOM AND POP CONCERT. We reviewed many potential phrases, trying to come up with entries where the shared middle word has a different meaning in the newly formed phrases. The grid went through a couple revisions. We had too many proper names in the first submission."

2) Personal Note:

Very sad news from Creature. She lost her husband yesterday from a fall he took at their cabin. She would like to thank everyone for the birthday wishes. Our condolences go out to her from here at the Corner.