Tuesday, October 10, 2017 ~ Samuel A. Donaldson

Theme: Homophones. Five of them; enough for a limerick, eh?

17A. Legendary terror of the deep: SEA MONSTER

36A. Honor roll student's disappointment: C-PLUS

54A. "Doesn't matter to me": "SEE IF I CARE"

11D. "Forget You" singer who was a coach on "The Voice": CEE LO GREEN

27D. "Aye, lass," in Acapulco: "SI, SENORITA"

Argyle here. That last one; I picture Scotty from Star Trek beamed down into Mexico. A nice mix of wheelhouses in a classic pinwheel grid. Several CSO's.

Across:

1. Pet adoption agcy.: SPCA. (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)

5. West Indies tribe for which a sea is named: CARIB. Doubling the ending 'b' of Carib and adding -ean makes it an adjective, Caribbean Sea, as well as a noun.

10. "Rhyme Pays" rapper: ICE-T. This is the intro to his "Rhyme Pays" album, here.(6:30)

14. Boxers Laila and Muhammad: ALIs

15. Carne __: burrito filling: ASADA

16. Benelux country: Abbr.: NETH. (Netherlands) Benelux is the union Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

19. __ blocker: BETA

20. Action hero Jason in three Ludlum novels: BOURNE. The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum

21. Swedish vodka brand: ABSOLUT

23. Material: CLOTH

25. Prefix with space: AERO

26. "__ the Sheriff": Clapton hit: I SHOT. Live(8:28)

28. Under threat: IN DANGER

32. Like most people: ASIAN

33. Comic's perch: STOOL

34. Label for Elvis: RCA

35. "Supervixens" director Meyer: RUSS. Sexploitation films.

37. Fashion line: SEAM. Easy to overthink it.

38. Author's ending?: IZE. (authorize) Good misdirection.

39. Celebrated chef Ducasse: ALAIN. French.

40. Copycats: APERS

41. Lovers of wordplay: PUNSTERS

43. Get big on Twitter: TREND

44. Gumbo pod: OKRA

45. Sierra Nevada lake: TAHOE

47. Ginger's "Gilligan's Island" hutmate: MARY ANN. (Dawn Wells)

50. Repaired, as a fence: MENDED

53. Awesome, nowadays: EPIC

57. Old film dog: ASTA. (Skippy)

58. "Family Matters" misfit: URKEL. (Jaleel White)

59. Mirror shape: OVAL

60. Quantum movement?: LEAP. It was a TV Series (1989–1993).

61. Body of verse: POESY

62. Sunday benches: PEWS

Down:

1. Airline to Oslo: SAS. (Originally an abbreviation of its former name Scandinavian Airlines System or legally Scandinavian Airlines System Denmark–Norway–Sweden)

2. Working-class Roman: PLEB

3. Padua parting: "CIAO"

4. Even though: AS MUCH AS

5. Lacks what it takes to: CANNOT

6. Equipment, in a ledger: ASSET

7. Lab rodent: RAT

8. Brainstorm: IDEA

9. Rihanna's home country: BARBADOS. Rihanna, is a Barbadian singer, songwriter, and actress.

10. Congenital: INBORN. (existing from birth)

12. Caesar's last question: "ET TU?"

13. The one over there: THAT

18. Lightweight synthetic: ORLON

22. Elite Navy fighter: SEAL. ((SEa, Air, and Land))

24. Names given to an assassin: HIT LIST

26. Rodeo automaker: ISUZU

29. Sentence subject, usually: NOUN

30. Birthday greeting opened with a click: E-CARD

31. Ewes' guys: RAMS

32. Give it __: swing hard: A RIP

33. Prep for fight night: SPAR

36. Tidies: CLEANS UP

37. Radar gun user: SPEED COP. Not a term I'm familiar with.

39. Big name in razors: ATRA

40. Rice-__: A-RONI. The San Francisco treat!

42. Airport porter: SKYCAP

43. 1986 horror film in which a man becomes an insect: THE FLY. I liked the 1958 version better.

46. Female French friends: AMIEs

47. Repast: MEAL

48. Church area behind an altar: APSE

49. Detective Wolfe: NERO

51. Roof overhang: EAVE

52. Sketch: DRAW

55. Just get (by): EKE

56. Golf Hall of Famer Ernie: ELS

Argyle

Monday, October 9, 2017 ~ Janice Luttrell

Theme: This is only a test, so don't be alarmed.

17A. Unwise act that could be dangerous: FALSE MOVE. False alarm.

25A. Time-out for a cigarette: SMOKE BREAK. Smoke alarm.

35A. Dashboard music provider: CAR STEREO. Car alarm.

51A. Pre-talkies movie: SILENT FILM. Silent alarm.

60A. Hot chili designation, and a literal description of the starts of 17-, 25-, 35- and 51-Across: FOUR ALARM

Argyle here. Big beefy corners today, a bit unusual for a Monday. Also, a déjà vu feeling; a lot of recent clues/answers. Or is it just me?

Across:

1. "Death of a Salesman" salesman Willy: LOMAN. 1949 play written by American playwright Arthur Miller.

6. Abysmal grades: EF's

9. "__ Cross": 1949 Lancaster movie: CRISS

14. Friend's opposite: ENEMY

15. Minor point to pick: NIT

16. Convened again: REMET

19. Video game pioneer: ATARI

20. Singing syllable: TRA, La, La...

21. Vicinity: AREA

22. Type of cleansing acid: BORIC

23. Actress Skye: IONE

27. Upper crust groups: ELITEs. Um, not elists.

29. Courage and fortitude: METTLE

30. Done in, as a dragon: SLAIN

31. Swoosh company: NIKE. It takes courage and fortitude to slay one's dragons. Just do it.

34. Cold War state: Abbr.: SSR. (Soviet Socialist Republic)

39. Oral health org.: ADA. (American Dental Association)

42. "Piece of cake!": "EASY!"

43. Real doozies: LULUs

47. Dips for tortilla chips: SALSAs

50. Agree: ASSENT

55. "Please leave your message at the __": TONE. [BEEP!]

56. Illegal lending tactic: USURY

57. Wrath, in a hymn: IRAE. Dies Irae (Day of Wrath) definition: a famous Latin hymn of the 13th century, describing the Last Judgment. Collins English Dictionary.

58. Round green veggie: PEA

59. Helped: AIDED

63. "The Accidental Tourist" actress Davis: GEENA

64. Z, alphabet-wise: END

65. Start of a tennis point: SERVE

66. Opinion piece: ESSAY

67. Part of GPS: Abbr.: SYS. (Global Positioning System)

68. Passover feast: SEDER

Down:

1. Southpaws: LEFTIES. Also, LEFTYs.

2. Winning at craps, say: ON A ROLL

3. First lady after Michelle: MELANIA

4. Wee hrs.: AMs. (from the Latin, ante meridiem, meaning before midday)

5. PBS "Science Guy" Bill: NYE

6. Huge, in verse: ENORM

7. "Hawaii __": TV cop show: FIVE-O

8. T-bone, for one: STEAK

9. Buster who played Flash Gordon: CRABBE. Got to go back in the archives for this one. "Embedding disabled by request" No trailer, just a pic.

10. Sharp comeback: RETORT

11. Turkish travel shelters: IMARETS. Pretty fancy shelter! Learn more at Wiki.

12. Continuing stories: SERIALS. Like Flash Gordon.

13. Place for a new-car price: STICKER

18. Sunday service: MASS

24. Suffix with diet: ETIC. An adjective, pertaining to regulation of the use of food. Add an S on the end and it becomes a noun.(dietetics)

26. 911 situation: Abbr.: EMER. (emergency)

28. Disney doe: ENA. Bambi's aunt.

31. CIA cousin: NSA. (National Security Agency)

32. "__ not up to me": IT'S. "Go ask you mother/father."

33. Vitally important: KEY

36. Relax: REST

37. Overhead trains: ELS. (elevated)

38. Kick out of office: OUST

39. Appease: ASSUAGE

40. Yellow-disked flowers: DAISIES

           Daisies by Ernst Arnold

41. Refers casually (to): ALLUDES

44. Spotted wildcat: LEOPARD. Their spots can't be changed.

45. Rattle: UNNERVE

46. Soft-shell clam: STEAMER

48. Williams of tennis: SERENA. Sister of Venus.

49. Very soon: ANY DAY

50. From the States: Abbr.: AMER. (American)

52. Small winds paired with drums: FIFEs

                       Old Sturbridge Village

53. Literary twist: IRONY

54. Heaps praise on: LAUDS

61. Beast of burden: ASS

62. Golfer Trevino: LEE. "Pressure is playing for ten dollars when you don't have a dime in your pocket."

Argyle

Tuesday, October 3, 2017 ~ Roland Huget

Theme: Let's Make A Deal!

42D. "Agreed!" ... and what can be said about the start of the answers to starred clues: "IT'S A DEAL!"

17A. *Boot camp newbie: RAW RECRUIT. Raw deal.

66A. *Defensible alibi: GOOD EXCUSE. Good deal.

11D. *Grand scheme of things: BIG PICTURE. Big deal.

29D. *It may be rational, in math: REAL NUMBER. Real deal.

Argyle here, dealing from the top of the deck. Roland makes a rare trip to the start of the week. It is a pinwheel but then again, it sort of looks like a Q.

Across:

1. Carpet thickness: PILE

5. Crowbar, basically: LEVER

10. Vanishing ski lift: T-BAR. More accurate than yesterday's clue.

14. Preemptive rescue op: EVAC. (Evacuation) Is the hurricane season over?

15. Wear down: ERODE

16. MasterCard rival: VISA

19. Not fer: AGIN. For and against.

20. Slap in the face: INSULT

21. Play the hand you were dealt: STAND PAT. 36-A. Starts the kitty: ANTEs

23. Smooth engine sound: [HUM]

25. __-Locka, Florida: OPA. Opa-tisha-wocka-locka (Seminole)

                               Historic City Hall.

26. Aetna's bus.: INS. (insurance)

27. Michelin product: CAR TIRE

31. Ancient vase in a museum, say: RELIC

33. Fuel-efficient Chevy: AVEO

34. Physics work unit: ERG. The erg is a unit of energy and work equal to 10−7 joules.

39. Truth stretcher: LIAR directly above 44-A. Untrue: FALSE

40. Nebula Award genre: SCI-FI. Awarded for the best science fiction or fantasy works of the previous calendar year.

43. Undiluted: PURE

46. Acquired: GOT

47. __ Minor: Little Bear: URSA

48. Chinese menu promise: NO MSG. (MonoSodium Glutamate)

51. Company co-founded by J.P. Morgan: US STEEL. Founded: 1901 by Andrew Carnegie, J. P. Morgan, Charles M. Schwab, Elbert Henry Gary.

53. "The Simpsons" disco guy: STU

55. Sport-__: 4 x 4: UTE. A utility vehicle.

56. 90 deg. at the North Pole, e.g.: LAT. (latitude)

57. Overly long and generally unproductive activity: TIME SINK. Related to "fun sponge"?

60. One of Santa's reindeer: DASHER. Time to start getting them back into shape.

65. "SOS" pop group: ABBA

68. Baked desserts: PIEs

69. Latest craze: MANIA

70. Ointment additive: ALOE

71. Tortoise racer: HARE

72. Spiritual guardian: ANGEL

73. Identity hider: MASK

Down:

1. Prefix with scope: PERI

2. Hall of Fame catcher Rodriguez: IVAN. Iván Rodríguez, "Pudge". In his career, he played for the Texas Rangers, Florida Marlins, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Houston Astros and Washington Nationals. Wikipedia

3. Newton's motion trio: LAWS

4. Color of raw silk: ECRU

5. Professors' talks: LECTURES

6. Boot the ball: ERR

7. "Parlez-__ français?": VOUS. "Do you speak French?"

8. Manuscript fixer: EDITOR

9. Make another recording of: RETAPE. This is as dated as the T-bar.

10. Promo on the tube: TV AD

12. From China, say: ASIAN

13. Tirades: RANTS

18. Pre-college, briefly: ELHI. Grades 1 to 12. (ELementary and HIgh-school)

22. Simba's playmate: NALA. I'm not lion.

24. Defunct Ford division, for short: MERC. (Mercury)

27. Baby whale: CALF

28. Sports shoe brand: AVIA

30. Sculptor's subject: TORSO

32. Data to be processed: INPUT

35. Band tour booking: GIG

37. Highland tongue: ERSE

38. Close tightly: SEAL

41. Basketball transgression: FOUL

45. Grounded Aussie birds: EMUs

49. Mark of disgrace: STIGMA

50. Columbus, by birth: GENOAN 

        The Biosphere and the Porto Vecchio in Genoa.

52. Lay's chips-in-a-can brand: STAX. Pringles competition.

53. Dangerous bacterium: STAPH

54. Knee-to-ankle bone: TIBIA

58. Lessen, as pain: EASE

59. Skull Island ape: KONG. (King)

61. Rip-off: SCAM

62. Island dance: HULA

63. Those, in Mexico: ESOS

64. Cause serious nose-wrinkling: REEK

67. Stop working, as an engine: DIE

Argyle

Note from C.C.:

Today dear Santa Argyle wrote his 800th blog post. Day after day, he's here for us. Thank you, Santa.

Monday, October 2, 2017 ~ Brock Wilson

Theme: No Reveal Monday - Add ten.

17. Evening show with headlines and stories: NEWS AT TEN. 10

29. Like perceptive hindsight: TWENTY-TWENTY. 20

47. Generic pre-sunrise hour: OH DARK THIRTY. 30

64. Farm's remote acreage: BACK FORTY. 40

Argyle here. Not much to say so I won't.

Across:

1. Ophthalmic sore: STYE. ophthalmic : of or relating to the eye.

5. Season-ending college football game: BOWL could end in 25-Acrosses. Periods that may decide 5-Acrosses, briefly: OTs. (overtimes)

9. Stories spanning decades: SAGAs

14. __ hygiene: ORAL

15. Bounce off a wall: ECHO

16. Chopin piece: ETUDE. Chopin - Etude Op. 25 No. 11 "Winter Wind"

19. Flabbergast: AMAZE. We have gone from heat wave to frost warnings.

20. Swiss convention city: GENEVA

21. Fist-pump cry: "YEAH!"

23. Sales force member: REP. (representative)

24. '60s protest org.: SDS. (Students for a Democratic Society)

27. Andean animal: LLAMA

33. Promise before testimony: OATH

36. Take to court: SUE

37. Journalist Couric: KATIE

Katie stops for coffee in Fremont.

38. German coal valley: RUHR

39. Lifts on slopes: T-BARS

42. Gotten a glimpse of: SEEN

43. Uncomfortably pricey: STEEP

45. One collaring a perp: COP

46. Watch displays, briefly: LEDs. (light-emitting diode)

51. Prefix for Rome's country: ITALO

52. Use a shovel: DIG

53. Pound sound: [ARF!]

56. __ Palmas: Canary Islands city: LAS

58. "No damage done": "I'M OK"

60. Five cents: NICKEL

62. Yellowish brown: OCHER

66. French sweetie: CHERI

67. Inland Asian sea: ARAL

68. Eve's opposite: MORN

69. Frankfurt's state: HESSE

70. Lowdown: DOPE

71. Soon, to a bard: ANON

Down:

1. Billy Joel creations: SONGS

2. Trapped on a branch: TREED

3. Signs of boredom: YAWNS

4. "Is there something __?": ELSE but also 29-Down. "... or else!" remark: THREAT

5. Software trial: BETA TEST

6. Halloween mo.: OCT. This month; the stores are ready.

7. Food for Miss Muffet: WHEY

8. Needing company: LONELY. Just a lonely spider.

9. Seattle athlete: SEAHAWK

10. Fast-cash spot, for short: ATM

11. "Money-back" assurance, perhaps: GUARANTEE

12. Carving tool: ADZE

13. Ooze: SEEP

18. Swear to be true: AVOW

22. Bottom-row PC key: ALT

26. Dismiss with disdain: SNUB

28. Insultingly small, as a payment: MEASLY

30. Instruct: TEACH

31. Even on the scoreboard: TIED

32. Strong desires: YENs

33. Not exactly: OR SO

34. Writer: Abbr.: AUTH

35. Things to wash after dinner: THE DISHES

40. __ rage: PED user's aggression: ROID. PED - performance-enhancing drug.

41. Very light rain: SPRINKLE

44. Grassland: PRAIRIE

48. Netherlands airline: KLM

49. "That's a shame": TOOBAD

50. Jubilant end-of-week cry: TGIF

53. Ohio rubber city: AKRON

54. Back in style: RETRO

55. Swashbuckling Errol: FLYNN

56. __ Ness monster: LOCH

57. Steady pain: ACHE

59. Corn syrup brand: KARO

61. Unconscious state: COMA

63. Ambulance destinations: Abbr.: ERs

65. Golfer's hat: CAP

Argyle

Tuesday, September 26, 2017 ~ Peter Gordon

Theme: Sing, Sing, Sing! - Three musical numbers from a 1957 Broadway production.

20. Julie Andrews' "The Sound of Music" role: MARIA VON TRAPP

25. Jimmy Fallon hosts it: THE TONIGHT SHOW

43. Avengers member with a patriotic shield: CAPTAIN AMERICA

50. 9/26/1957 Broadway debut featuring the consecutive songs found at the start of 20-Across, the middle of 25-Across and the end of 43-Across: WEST SIDE STORY

Argyle here. The theme was lost on me until I read the full reveal. Clever.

Across:

1. Sales pitch: SPIEL

6. Outback birds: EMUs

10. Sunup: DAWN

14. Café lure: AROMA

15. Clickable webpage word: LINK

16. Home to billions: ASIA

17. Grass shortener: MOWER

18. Apart from that: ELSE

19. Slightly wet: DAMP

23. Risk, e.g.: GAME

24. Healthful berry: ACAI

31. "Homeland" spy org.: CIA. (Central Intelligence Agency) Homeland is a TV series on Showtime and is in its sixth season.

32. Taxi: CAB

33. Nebraska city: OMAHA

34. "Apocalypse Now" setting, familiarly: NAM

35. Gathering for fans of graphic novels, anime, etc.: COMICON. (comic book convention or comic-con)

38. Delivery vehicle: VAN

39. Painting need: BRUSH

41. Microwave: ZAP

42. Valuable rock: ORE

48. Tolstoy's Karenina: ANNA. 864 pages; too late for a summer read.

49. Dutch cheese: EDAM

55. With 50-Down, tightrope walker's place: HIGH. 50-Down. See 55-Across: WIRE

56. Oscar winner Kazan: ELIA. Best Director—"Gentleman's Agreement"(1948) and "On the Waterfront"(1955) Also, Academy Honorary Award—Lifetime Achievement(1999)

57. Aquafina rival: EVIAN. Bottled water products; Aquafina - Pepsi, EVIAN - Danone(French)

59. Craving: URGE

60. Accelerates, with "up": REVS

61. Foolish: DIPPY

62. Military meal: MESS. 63. Cafeteria carrier: TRAY. Good pairing.

64. V-formation fliers: GEESE. They are starting to form up now.

Down:

1. "Casablanca" pianist: SAM

2. Formal school dance: PROM

3. Corn Belt state: IOWA

4. Rise into view: EMERGE

5. Cattleman's rope: LARIAT

6. Late morning hr.: ELEVEN AM

7. Venus de __: MILO

8. Disentangle: UNSNAG

9. Quick drawing: SKETCH

10. Arp's art movement: DADAISM. Dada was not so much a style of art like Cubism or Fauvism; it was more a protest movement with an anti-establishment manifesto.

11. Right away, in a memo: ASAP. (as soon as possible)

12. Namby-pamby person: WIMP

13. Midday snooze: NAP

21. Gas brand that had a torch in its logo: AMOCO

22. Florida's Boca __: RATON

25. Pageant winner's crown: TIARA

26. Exaggerate, as a stage role: HAM UP

27. Spanish island in the Mediterranean: IBIZA

28. Devastation that's wreaked: HAVOC

29. Scarlett of Tara: O'HARA. Gone with the Wind

30. Decrease in intensity: WANE

31. "Closing Bell" channel: CNBC. (Originally, the Consumer News and Business Channel.) The show is named after the bell that is rung to signify the end of a trading session.

35. Repetitive shout at a protest: CHANT

36. Required little effort: CAME EASY

37. Newspaper opinion pieces: OP ED's

40. Secret supplies: STASHES

44. Add to text, as a missing letter: INSERT

45. Carpenter, at times: NAILER

46. Suitable for all ages, filmwise: RATED G

47. Apple software for creating videos: iMOVIE

51. Omelet ingredients: EGGS. Gotta break 'em to make an omelet.

52. Prima donna: DIVA

53. Ready for picking: RIPE

54. Toy dog's barks: YAPS

55. Play a kazoo: HUM

58. TV's "Science Guy": NYE

Argyle

Monday, September 25, 2017 ~ C.C. Burnikel

Theme: ROAR! - A set of four lions but don't be scared; they are encircled.

16-Across. "Is that your __?": "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" inquiry: FINAL ANSWER. Nala, from The Lion King.

10-Down. Quaint light during a power outage: GAS LANTERN. Aslan, from The Chronicles of Narnia series.

61-Across. Colorful burger topper: PURPLE ONION. Leo, mascot of MGM.

28-Down. Secure places for guests' valuables: HOTEL SAFES. Elsa, from Born Free.

36-Down. Hostile place ... and where to find the circled animals in this puzzle: LIONS DEN

Argyle here with a classic pinwheel from C.C., very Monday friendly. All theme entries span two words. A vertical reveal, if you needed it. If you didn't have circles, you probably did.

Across:

1. Party thrower: HOST

5. Seasoned rice dish: PILAF

10. Practical joke: GAG

13. Classroom "I know this one!": "OH!, OH!"

14. Sandwich chain known for artisan bread: PANERA

15. "__ you kidding?": ARE

18. Moral wrong: SIN

19. Blender brand with an -izer product suffix: OSTER. Osterizer but their web site only calls them Oster® Blenders.

20. Spam container: TIN

21. Board in a window shutter: SLAT

22. Amazon: Alexa :: Apple: __: SIRI

24. Malia Obama's sister: SASHA

26. Canyon feedback: ECHO

29. Surg. facilities: ORs. (operating rooms)

31. Touch of color: TINCT. Got me, tried TINGE.

34. Request for eye contact: "LOOK AT ME!". More often a demand.

36. Utterly detest: LOATHE

37. Acct. earnings: INT. (interest)

38. Start of a formal letter: DEAR SIR

40. Shade tree: ELM

41. Time-tested: AGE OLD

43. Library return spot: BOOK DROP

45. Nick of "A Walk in the Woods": NOLTE. A Walk in the Woods, a 2015 film by Ken Kwapis, based a 1998 book by Bill Bryson. Two friends attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail..

46. __-dried tomatoes: SUN

47. Bills in a tip jar: ONEs

48. Remove sheets from, as a bed: STRIP

51. Tiny time meas.: PSEC. picosecond - one trillionth of a second.

53. "See ya, Luigi": "CIAO"

55. Alumna bio word: NÉE

57. Monopoly cards: DEEDS

60. Punch-in-the-gut reaction: [OOF!]

64. Broke a fast: ATE

65. Annual golf or tennis tournament: US OPEN

66. "Yay me!": "TA-DA!"

67. "Viva __ Vegas": LAS

68. All wound up: TENSE

69. Thick cut of meat: SLAB

Down:

1. Sports inst. in Cooperstown: HOF.(Hall of Fame)

2. Akron's state: OHIO

3. Family boys: SONS

4. "Don't sweat it": "THAT'S OK"

5. Omelet cooker: PAN

6. The "I" in MIT: Abbr.: INST. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

7. Novelist C.S. __: LEWIS. Author of The Chronicles of Narnia series.

8. Concert venue: ARENA

9. In the distance: FAR

11. Diva's solo: ARIA

12. Courteous fellow: GENT

14. Repeated mindlessly: PARROTED

17. Flower wreath: LEI

21. Muslim denomination: SHIA

23. "__ la Douce": IRMA

25. Bird on birth announcements: STORK

26. González in 2000 headlines: ELIAN. The young boy embroiled in a heated international custody and immigration controversy. Wiki

27. Second longest African river: CONGO

30. Belgrade natives: SERBS

32. Actress Sevigny: CHLOË  Wikipedia

33. Weather numbers, briefly: TEMPs

35. Psychologist Alfred: ADLER. Founder of the school of individual psychology.

39. Salad go-with: SOUP

42. "Beetle Bailey" dog: OTTO

44. Museum guides: DOCENTs

49. Unavailable at the moment: [IN USE]

50. Evita's married name: PERON

52. Fair-hiring abbr.: EEO. (Equal Employment Opportunity)

53. Stuff for Frosty's eyes: COAL. the Snowman.

54. Greek "i": IOTA

56. "Almost Christmas" actor Omar: EPPS. Almost Christmas is a 2016 American Christmas comedy-drama film written and directed by David E. Talbert and starring Kimberly Elise, Mo'Nique, Nicole Ari Parker, Gabrielle Union, Keri Hilson, Jessie Usher, Danny Glover, Omar Epps, John Michael Higgins, D.C. Young Fly and Romany Malco. The film follows a dysfunctional family that comes together for the holidays for the first time since their mother's death. Wiki.

58. Rotary phone part: DIAL

59. Coke or ginger ale: SODA

61. __ up with: tolerate: PUT

62. Director Spike: LEE

63. Arrest: NAB

Argyle

Monday, September 18, 2017 ~ Brock Wilson

Theme: Double, Double - but not Toil and Trouble. Two-word phrases; each word starts with the same two letters.

20A. Earnings before the government's cut: PRETAX PROFITS

38A. Words on a "No Trespassing" sign: PRIVATE PROPERTY

54A. Invention that revolutionized book production: PRINTING PRESS

53D. Ad agency guys responsible for 20-, 38- and 54-Across?: PR MEN. Men, because there are two PR's per entry.

Argyle here. Nice spanner. Didn't really need a reveal but it's a cute reveal so ok. Brock has become quite the Monday specialist.

Across:

1. British bloke: CHAP

5. Title for a fictional fox: BR'ER

9. Pancake syrup tree: MAPLE

14. Prefix for "six": HEXA

15. Coleridge's "The __ of the Ancient Mariner": RIME

16. Partners of pains: ACHEs

17. Many Manet works: OILS

18. Like a grand-scale fail: EPIC

19. __ Islander: small-state resident: RHODE

23. End in __: come out even: A TIE

24. French street: RUE, as in "The Murders in the Rue Morgue". The Rue Morgue is a fictional street in Paris.

25. Cops' orgs.: PDs. Police Departments

28. Fave pal, in 67-Across: BFF. (Best Friends Forever). 67-Across. Cellphone messages: TEXTS

31. German pastry: STRUDEL. Braided Apple Walnut Strudel

33. Question as to technique: HOW

34. New Haven collegian: YALIE

36. Cribbage piece: PEG

37. Gossip columnist Barrett: RONA

42. Rockers' sound machines: AMPs

43. Speck in la mer: ÎLE

44. Coloring cosmetic: ROUGE

45. Chessmen and board, e.g.: SET

46. Squeaky clean, as hospital supplies: STERILE

49. Alternative to grass seed: SOD

50. "No seats" initials: SRO. (Standing-room only)

51. Big __: trademark burger: MAC

52. Gunk: GOOP

60. First appearance: DEBUT

62. Promises at the altar: I DO's

63. __ Hari: MATA

64. Smidge: SKOSH

65. "Me neither": "NOR I"

66. Getting people out of harm's way, for short: EVAC. (Evacuation) Who's next?

68. Secluded valley: GLEN

69. __ of the woods: NECK. Area.

Down:

1. Lamb serving: CHOP

2. Will beneficiary: HEIR

3. Rod on which wheels turn: AXLE

4. Rotini or rigatoni: PASTA

5. Secession approved in a 2016 U.K. referendum: BREXIT. (portmanteau of "British" and "exit")

6. Jack the __: RIPPER

7. Arab leader: EMIR

8. Piccolo relative: RECORDER. Grace Slick on the recorder, gives the song a haunted sound.

9. Actress Hemingway: MARIEL. Don't look to close.

10. German eight: ACHT. More German.

11. Element in matches: PHOSPHORUS. Wiki article White phosphorus hasn't been used for regular matches for some time but you can still get "strike-anywhere" matches.

12. Conducted: LED

13. Language suffix: ESE

21. On the Caribbean: AT SEA

22. En __: on a hot streak, slangily: FUEGO. Spanish, 'on fire'. (Don't play with matches!)

26. "Stick around": "DON'T GO"

27. Influenced: SWAYED

28. Road that avoids the city center: BYPASS

29. Crop raiser: FARMER

30. Container with an attached cover: FLIPTOP BOX

32. Michigan's __ Peninsula: UPPER

35. Drips in a hosp.: IVs

37. Classic roadster: REO. Ransom Eli Olds

39. Giant: TITAN

40. Putting in office: ELECTING

41. Surg. holding area: PRE-OP

46. Workers with anvils: SMITHS.

Under a spreading chestnut-tree

The village smithy stands ...

Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend,

For the lesson thou hast taught!

Thus at the flaming forge of life

Our fortunes must be wrought;

Thus on its sounding anvil shaped

Each burning deed and thought.

47. Pay no mind: IGNORE

48. Begins a computer session: LOGS IN

55. Oxidation damage: RUST

56. Beloved star: IDOL

57. Roof gutter locale: EAVE

58. Like short, clipped notes, in mus.: STAC. (staccato)

59. Burlap container: SACK

60. Va. summer hours: DST. [Eastern](Daylight Saving Time)

61. __ out a living: EKE. Eek! Time to put this to bed.

Argyle