Tuesday, February 13, 2018 ~ Brian Gubin

Theme: Weather Report - no precipitation coming down as sleet at least.

4. Baseball overtime: EXTRA INNINGS. Rain.

8. Bellyache: STOMACH AILMENT. Hail.

14. "We're trapped in here!": "THERE'S NO WAY OUT!". Snow.

22. Frank Lloyd Wright house built around multiple cascades, and what's literally found in this puzzle's circles: FALLING WATER

Argyle here. Brian gave us downward dog in December and now rain is coming down. Can cats be next? A plethora of people today. 

Across:

1. Suffix with silver or glass: WARE

5. 1980 Dom DeLuise film: "FATSO"

10. Cry noisily: SOB

13. Acme: APEX

14. This evening, on marquees: TONITE

15. Actress Longoria: EVA

16. Fiction's opposite: FACT

17. Drag race racer: HOT ROD

18. Women's __: LIB

19. Trick-taking game: ÉCARTÉ. The rules seem worthy of Calvin and Hobbes.

21. "Stay With Me" singer Smith: SAM

22. A-OK: FINE

23. Fixes: REPAIRS

25. Does harm to: DAMAGES

27. Prefix with gram or graph: IDEO-

28. Earth sci.: ECOL. (ecology)

29. World's largest cognac producer: HENNESSY

33. Cry of distress: "HELP ME!"

37. Economist Greenspan: ALAN. Former Chairman of the Fed.

38. Marilyn Monroe's first name at birth: NORMA

40. Pakistan neighbor: IRAN

41. Game piece with pips: DOMINO

43. Refused: SAID NO TO

45. Former House leader Gingrich: NEWT

47. Gurgling sound: [GLUG]

48. BBC TV series about cars: "TOP GEAR"

51. "You don't have to tell me": "I'M AWARE"

55. Kia subcompacts: RIOs

56. '60s-'80s Red Sox nickname: YAZ. Carl Yastrzemski.

58. Makes happy: ELATEs

59. Raised railroads: ELs

60. Really tired: DONE IN

62. President before Wilson: TAFT. William Howard Taft.

63. Nintendo's Super __: NES. (Nintendo Entertainment System)

64. Steam shovel scoop: BUCKET

65. The "E" in the HOMES mnemonic: ERIE. (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior)

66. Dr. with Grammys: DRE

67. Jouster's horse: STEED

68. Ceremony: RITE

Down:

1. Kit Kat layer: WAFER

2. Quickly: APACE

3. Brief summary: RECAP

5. Egg __ yung: FOO

6. Carpenter insects: ANTS

7. Rant: TIRADE

9. Multivolume ref. work: OED. (Oxford English Dictionary)

10. Former baseball commissioner Bud: SELIG

11. Sheeplike: OVINE

12. Innocents "in the woods": BABES

20. It ebbs and flows: TIDE

24. "Meh": "SO-SO"

26. "The Simpsons" beer server: MOE. Moe Szyslak.

29. Fooled: HAD

30. "Xanadu" gp.: ELO. (Electric Light Orchestra) Here is Rush doing their version of Xanadu.(11:09) (It would have been linked later anyway.)

31. '60s war zone: NAM

32. Coll. periods: YRs

34. For: PRO

35. Gym cushion: MAT

36. Musical Brian: ENO

39. Nativity trio: MAGI

42. Formerly, in bridal announcements: NÉE

44. Two-part: DUAL

46. Hypnotic state: TRANCE

48. General tendency: TREND

49. Refueling ship: OILER

50. Old West outlaw chasers: POSSE

52. Video game pioneer: ATARI

53. Equip anew: REFIT

54. Cosmetician Lauder: ESTÉE

57. "The Wizard of Oz" farmhand: ZEKE. Portrayed by Bert Lahr.

Dorothy wakes up with Professor Marvel, 

Hickory, Hunk and Zeke watching over her.

60. Sound units, briefly: dBs. (Decibel)

61. Mil. roadside hazard: IED. (improvised explosive device)

Argyle

Monday, February 12, 2018 ~ Jerry Edelstein

Theme: An Honest Puzzle - Would I lie to you?

16. Trifling matters: PENNY ANTE STUFF. Penny ante is the smallest ante in poker; Lincoln Penny.

27. Focal point in a theater: CENTER STAGE. Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is a 16.3-acre complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood in New York City.

34. John Paul Jones was a commander in it: CONTINENTAL NAVY. Lincoln Continental: luxury car from Ford.

42. May observance for those who died in military service: MEMORIAL DAY. Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

54. Statesman born 2/12/1809 whose surname can precede the starts of four long puzzle answers: ABRAHAM LINCOLN

Argyle here. Happy Birthday, Abe. I'm sure we can come up with a cake for you.

Across:

1. Send (to), as an inferior place: RELEGATE

9. Partner of Paul and Mary: PETER. Peter, Paul, and Mary.

14. Trite: OVER-USED

15. WWII bomber __ Gay: ENOLA. This answer isn't trite but is over-used.

18. Iroquois enemies: ERIEs

19. Editor's "never mind": STET

20. IRS form IDs: SSNs. (Social Security number)

21. One out on the lake, e.g.: BOATER

24. Cookie holder: JAR

29. That girl: SHE

32. 18-wheeler: SEMI

33. Tablet with Mini and Pro versions: iPAD

39. Chevy subcompact: AVEO

40. Rowlands of "The Notebook": GENA. "The Notebook" is a 2004 film based on the 1996 novel by Nicholas Sparks. Interesting concept.

41. Originally named: NÉE

46. Two-__ tissue: PLY

47. Troubled state: UNREST

48. Has a midnight snack, say: EATS

52. __ upon a time ...: ONCE

53. Kate's TV sidekick: ALLIE

59. Señor's squiggle: TILDE

60. Schemed: CONNIVED

61. Bottomless chasm: ABYSS

62. Ones storming the castle, say: INVADERS. Hagar the Horrible's forte.

Down:

1. Lassos: ROPES

2. Activist Medgar: EVERS. Civil rights activist assassinated in 1963.

3. Russian Revolution leader: LENIN. Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, better known by the alias Lenin as we learned recently.

4. Diving seabirds: ERNEs

5. Fellows: GUYS

6. Busy __ bee: AS A

7. Bill with Hamilton on it: TEN

8. NYC summer hrs.: EDT. (Eastern Daylight-savings Time)

9. Be a nuisance to: PESTER

10. Goes in: ENTERS

11. Promote big-time: TOUT

12. North Pole worker: ELF

13. U.K. flying squad: RAF. (Royal Air Force)

17. East, to 48-Down: ESTE. 48-Down. Legendary Spanish hero: EL CID

21. "__ there, done that": BEEN

22. "I've got this round": "ON ME"

23. Prickling with excitement: ATINGLE

24. Tokyo's country: JAPAN

25. Tequila source: AGAVE

26. Color again, as hair: REDYE

27. TV forensic series: CSI. (Crime Scene Investigation)

28. __ Pan Alley: TIN. The collection of New York City music publishers and songwriters.

29. Rascal: SCAMP

30. Ramshackle home: HOVEL

31. Hostile force: ENEMY

35. In addition: TOO

36. Kennedy and Koppel: TEDs

37. Gray's subj.: ANAT. (anatomy)

38. Dismiss from work temporarily, with "off": LAY

43. Put spots in magazines: RUN ADS

44. Foot's 12: INCHES

45. Side squared, for a square: AREA

49. "__ like ours / Could never die ... ": Beatles: A LOVE

For educational purposes only. Do not use commercial.

50. Flooring specialist: TILER

51. Mails: SENDS

52. Paris airport: ORLY

53. Kendrick of "Twilight": ANNA. No idea about her or "Twilight".

54. One step __ time: AT A

55. Baby's spilled food protector: BIB

56. 1101, to Romans: MCI

57. Chaney of horror: LON

58. Bill for mdse.: INV. (invoice)

Argyle

Note from C.C.:

Happy Birthday to dear LaLaLinda, who used to post regularly on our blog. Health issues have prevented her from engaging with our little Corner community actively, but she still solves puzzles daily and reads our blog.

Tuesday, February 6, 2018 ~ C.C. Burnikel

Theme: Wet Borders - Names of border lakes in the circles. The circles are on the borders of the entries.

17A. Cold dish topped with hard-boiled egg: CHEF'S SALAD. Lake Chad, borders Chad, Cameroon, Niger, and Nigeria

25A. Longtime Susan Lucci soap role: ERICA KANE. Lake Erie, borders Canada and the United States.

38A. It clicks on the dance floor: TAP SHOE. Lake Tahoe, border between California and Nevada.

50A. Appear intermittently: COME AND GO. Lake Como, Italy and near the Swiss border.

61A. It may be a boundary between neighboring countries ... or what each set of circles depicts?: BORDER LAKE

Argyle here. Lake Como seems to be the outlier here. It's 5 minutes by train from Como to the Swiss border. So many beautiful pictures, so I didn't choose any.

Across:

1. Jazz singer Simone: NINA. The Animals version was a cover of this Nina Simone original.

5. Colorado ski resort: ASPEN

10. Apple computer with a Magic Keyboard: iMAC. Why Magic?

14. Ambulance-calling situation: Abbr.: EMER.. "911, what is your emergency?"

15. Take off: LEAVE

16. Fizzy drink: COLA. 44A. Fizzy drink: POP

19. Grasp: HOLD

20. Sent to the canvas: KO'd. Knocked out.

21. Japanese beef city: KOBE

22. Wisdom tooth, e.g.: MOLAR. 41A. Crown installer's org.: ADA. (American Dental Association)

23. Having many curves: SNAKY. Better to be SNAKY than snarky.

28. Bully's warning words: OR ELSE

30. A cat may climb one: TREE

31. Beginning: ORIGIN

32. Skater's surface: ICE

33. Tiny amount: DRIB. Partner of drabs.

37. Place for pillow talk: BED

42. Picked out of a lineup, briefly: IDed. (identified)

45. "Here's the deal ... ": "LISTEN ... "

47. Metal in steel: IRON

49. Hire, as a lawyer: RETAIN

54. Nocturnal calls: HOOTS

56. Wonderland visitor: ALICE

57. Simplify: EASE

59. Tiny insect egg: NIT

60. Bread for a gyro: PITA

64. Nights before: EVEs

65. Confess: ADMIT

66. Radar screen spot: BLIP

67. Take a break: REST

68. Medicinal amounts: DOSES

69. Flies on a fast plane: JETS

Down:

1. Mandolin parts: NECKS

2. Bit of gratitude from an award recipient: "I'M HONORED"

3. Driver's invitation: "NEED A RIDE?"

4. [I want a treat!]: [ARF!]

5. As well: ALSO

6. Naval builder: SEABEE

7. Not as tanned: PALER

8. Juan Perón's wife: EVA

9. Homer Simpson's friend Flanders: NED

10. "The pressure was too much for me": "I CHOKED"

11. Greenbacks: MOOLA

12. Hunter Quatermain of "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen": ALLAN. Not the character on the soap opera General Hospital.

13. Close-knit group: CADRE

18. Like greenhouses: SKYLIT

22. West of old films: MAE

24. Brewery container: KEG

26. Rash symptom: ITCH

27. New Orleans cuisine: CREOLE. Just Sunday we had Creole vs Cajun.

29. Attach with a click: SNAP ON. And a lot of moola.

31. Back-tied sash: OBI

32. Co. for Web users: ISP. (Internet service provider)

34. Underlying reason: RATIONALE

35. Police artist's composite pic maker: IDENTI-KIT

36. Blackball: BAN

39. Duck's habitat: POND

40. "Your choice": EITHER

43. Like many metal toys: DIECAST

46. __ Tomé: SÃO. São Tomé is the capital city of São Tomé. Its name is Portuguese for "Saint Thomas".

48. Singer Carly __ Jepsen: RAE

49. Rock band's helper: ROADIE

50. Zany adventure: CAPER

51. Martini fruit: OLIVE

52. Tiny parasites: MITES

53. Causes of illness: GERMS

55. Fitbit units: STEPS. Fitbit: wearable technology.

58. Film backdrops: SETS

61. No longer edible: BAD

62. Prefix with meter: ODO

63. Prez whose library is in Austin: LBJ

Argyle

Monday, February 5, 2018 ~ Jeff Eddings

Theme: Big Game - not really about the game, just words that start with a B and G.

17A. Nonconformist Harley-riding groups: BIKER GANGS

25A. Rose and Orange: BOWL GAMES

38A. Places where critters procreate: BREEDING GROUNDS

46A. Honey Ryder and Mary Goodnight: BOND GIRLS

59A. Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb ... and a hint to 17-, 25-, 38- and 46-Across: THE BEE GEES

Argyle here. A debut from this constructor but there may be more in the near future.

Across:

1. Closest pal, in IM shorthand: BFF. (Best Friend Forever)

4. Fish-eating raptor: OSPREY

10. Wretched: VILE

14. Period of history: ERA

15. Put a new flannel layer in, as a coat: RELINE

16. Fruit punches: ADEs

19. Picky details: NITS

20. Chief Norse god: ODIN

21. "Hulk" director Lee: ANG

22. Photoshop creator: ADOBE

23. Longtime "SNL" announcer Don: PARDO

28. Hoppy brews, for short: IPAs. (India pale ale)

30. Dog command: HEEL

31. Shake, as with fear: QUAVER

34. Demeanor: MIEN

35. "__ on a Grecian Urn": ODE

41. Camera initials: SLR. (single-lens reflex)

42. 35-Across, e.g.: POEM

43. Gulf War reporter Peter: ARNETT

44. Cancún house: CASA

45. Quick cash sources, initially: ATMs. (automated teller machine)

50. "Fantastic!": "SUPER!"

54. Like beer in a cooler: ON ICE

55. Unit of resistance: OHM

57. Lost fish in a Pixar film: NEMO

58. Letter before eta: ZETA

62. Rowing tools: OARS

63. Pine secretions: RESINS

64. Antonym of post-: PRE

65. Gin fizz fruit: SLOE

66. Remove, as a chin strap: UNSNAP

67. The "S" in iOS: Abbr.: SYS. (Internet (i) and operating system)

Down:

1. Jazz style: BEBOP

2. Mexican artist Kahlo: FRIDA. Self-taught painter (1907-1954) Wiki

3. Fire-walking mystic: FAKIR

4. Bruin legend Bobby: ORR

5. Nintendo rival: SEGA

6. Backup strategies: PLAN B's

7. Drummer Starr: RINGO

8. London's land: Abbr.: ENG. (England)

9. "Okay": "YES"

10. Graffiti creator, perhaps: VANDAL

11. Figure of speech: IDIOM

12. Do not disturb: LET BE

13. Letters before tees: ESSES

18. Curly salad green: ENDIVE

22. Child psychologists' benchmarks: AGE NORMS

24. Where to find columns with views: OP-ED PAGE

26. Millard Fillmore, partywise: WHIG

27. Ogle: LEER AT

29. Melodic passages: ARIOSI. Italian

31. NFL play callers: QBs. (quarterback)

32. Internet address: URL. (Uniform Resource Locator)

33. __ Lingus: Irish carrier: AER

34. Roaring-lion studio: MGM. (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)

35. Washington's bill: ONE

36. Banned pesticide: DDT. (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane)

37. Winter hrs. in most of Michigan: EST. (Eastern Standard Time)

39. Not far: NEAR

40. Like heroes deserving more recognition: UNSUNG

44. Jewel box: CD CASE

45. Hearth receptacle: ASH BIN

46. Obnoxious clowns: BOZOS

47. Basketball's Shaq: O'NEAL

48. Part of TNT: NITRO

49. Rich soil: LOESS

51. Pals, in slang: PEEPS

52. Nail-filing board: EMERY

53. Kentucky Derby flowers: ROSES

56. "American Beauty" actress Suvari: MENA

59. __TV: Turner channel: TRU

60. Farm layer: HEN

61. Telepathy, e.g.: ESP. (Extrasensory perception)

Argyle

Tuesday, January 30, 2018 ~ David Liben-Nowell

Theme: Basketball Stat - Three phrases that graphically represent this desirable B-ball statistic.

54A. Ten or more points, rebounds and assists in one game, in hoops lingo ... and a literal feature of 20-, 33- and 43-Across: TRIPLE DOUBLE

20A. Played the Samaritan: DID A GOOD DEED

33A. Ones who once shared quarters: FORMER ROOMMATES

43A. Love sugary snacks, say: HAVE A SWEET TOOTH

Argyle here. Rows: 16, Columns: 15. David's second puzzle for us. The gimmick was obvious but needed the reveal to make sense of it.

Across:

1. Vulgar: LEWD

5. Cancel, as a mission: ABORT

10. Leave in a hurry: BAIL

14. Gobi Desert continent: ASIA

15. Calf-roping event: RODEO

16. "The __ Duckling": UGLY

17. Writer Ayn: RAND

18. Harmless garden slitherer: GREEN SNAKE

22. Italian automaker: FIAT

23. "The Big Bang Theory," for one: SITCOM

27. Big bang: BLAST

29. Rock band staple: AMP

32. Gush: SPURT

36. Juicy Fruit, e.g.: GUM

37. Cause of shrinking beaches: EROSION

38. Delivers the news: REPORTS

40. Cup o' mud: JOE

48. Up in the air: ALOFT

49. Ukr., until 1991: SSR. Ukraine, a former Soviet Socialist Republic.

50. Many Middle Easterners: ARABs

51. More alluring: SEXIER

53. App symbol: ICON

60. Minor infraction: PETTY CRIME

63. Special forces mission: RAID

64. Ointment additive: ALOE

65. Fertile desert spot: OASIS

66. Thomas __, 9/11 Commission chairman: KEAN. Former Governor of New Jersey.

67. Snowy day toy: SLED

68. Hilton rival: HYATT. Hotels.

69. Poet Pound: EZRA. List of his works.

Down:

1. Cooking fat: LARD

2. Morales of "NYPD Blue": ESAI

3. Collection of energy-producing turbines: WIND FARM

4. Avant-garde art movement: DADAISM

5. Specialized jargon: ARGOT

6. NYC division: BORO. (borough)

7. Took too much, briefly: ODed

8. Clarinet insert: REED

9. Shades of color: TONES

10. Baker's ring-shaped mold: BUNDT PAN

11. Turkish honorific: AGA

12. Type: ILK

13. Caustic chemical: LYE

19. Earthquake prefix: SEISMO

21. Garden entrance: GATE

24. Piece of the action, or a shout that stops the action: CUT. Best entry, IMHO.

25. Valuable underground find: ORE

26. Peaks: Abbr.: MTs

27. 2016 film based on a Roald Dahl novel, with "The": BFG. "Big Friendly Giant"

28. Baseball's Gehrig: LOU

29. Archery ammo: ARROWS

30. Poet Marianne and actress Julianne: MOOREs. Unlikely pairing.

31. Dorm decoration: POSTER

34. Workout count: REPS. Short for repetitions.

35. Waterfall spray: MIST. CSO Niagara Falls.

38. Updated, as factory equipment: REFITTED

39. Diner, drive-in or dive: EATERY

40. 1969 Woodstock folk singer: JOAN BAEZ. I can't say as if I ever heard this one before.

41. Gambling venue letters: OTB. (Off Track Betting)

42. "I didn't hear you" sounds: EHs?

43. Gives birth to: HAS

44. Pub brew: ALE

45. __ populi: popular opinion: VOX

46. Food truck fare: TACO

47. Political satirist P.J.: O'ROURKE

52. Copier maker: RICOH. Japanese multinational imaging and electronics company.

53. That is, in Latin: ID EST

55. Ask for divine guidance: PRAY

56. Pop singer Loeb: LISA. I prefer the Cass Elliot version. The first recording was done by Ozzie Nelson! Give a listen.

57. Discharge: EMIT

58. Perjurer: LIAR

59. Writer Ferber: EDNA

60. __ de deux: PAS. (in ballet) a dance for two people.

61. Pipe bend: ELL

62. Digit on a foot: TOE

Argyle

Monday, January 29, 2018 ~ John Guzzetta

Theme: Do Effects Affect You? - Place the word, EFFECT beside the last word of the theme answers.

17A. "Blueberry Hill" R&B singer: FATS DOMINO. The domino effect, when one event sets off a chain of similar events.

23A. Title passenger train with an "ever-lovin' light": MIDNIGHT SPECIAL. Special effect, usually plural. Some movies seem to be made just to show off the special effects.

37A. Cho-Cho-San story on which a Puccini opera was based: MADAME BUTTERFLY. The butterfly effect, when a minute local change can have large effects elsewhere.

48A. Body of water bordering most of Connecticut's coast: LONG ISLAND SOUND. Sound effect, again often plural, can be silly, like tires squealing on dirt.

59A. Undesired medication consequence ... and what can literally go with the end of 17-, 23-, 37- and 48-Across: SIDE EFFECT

Argyle here. Three spanners plus two more; big for a Monday. John has been busy but not with LAT of late.

Across:

1. Pearl Harbor site: OAHU

This photo of USS Arizona Memorial is courtesy of TripAdvisor

5. Breaks under pressure: SNAPS

10. Fabric woven with metallic threads: LAMÉ

14. Dec. 25: XMAS

15. Aerosmith frontman Steven: TYLER. Here with daughter, Liv.

16. Apple tablet: iPAD

19. Telephoto, for one: LENS

20. Had lunch, say: ATE

21. Cry from one who's all thumbs: "OOPS!"

22. Boot camp nickname: SARGE. Sir! Not in my boot camp, Sir!

27. Integer after zero: ONE

28. Bank job: HEIST

29. Frosty coat: HOAR

32. Plant's sticker: THORN

34. Arabic "son of": IBN

41. "Total Request Live" network: MTV. (an initialism of Music Television)

42. Bedouins, e.g.: ARABS

43. 90 degrees from norte: ESTE. (Spanish, north / east)

44. Ear-related: AURAL

46. 007 creator Fleming: IAN

55. Ancient Peruvians: INCAs

56. Place to order a Reuben: DELI

57. __ Paulo, Brazil: SAO

Museu de Arte ( Museum of Art)

58. Chow or lo follower, in Chinese cuisine: MEIN. Just American Chinese, C.C.?

62. Marching musicians: BAND

63. Opinion pieces: OP-EDs

64. Fishing decoy: LURE

65. Gold medalist Korbut: OLGA

66. Bottom-of-the-barrel: WORST

67. Copies: APEs

Down:

1. Britain-based relief agcy.: OXFAM. Oxfam was founded in 1942 as the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief. More

2. Prized violin: AMATI

3. Abhorrent: HATED

4. Navy sub initials: USS

5. Moe, Curly or Larry: STOOGE

6. Lorelei, for one: NYMPH

7. Roster of invited celebs: A-LIST

8. Signer's writer: PEN

9. Sign of a sellout: SRO. (Standing Room Only)

10. Purple flowers: LILACS

11. Pre-dinner drinks: APÉRITIFs

12. Japanese comics: MANGA

13. '50s Ford flop: EDSEL

18. Bump off: DO IN

22. River through Paris: SEINE. Running a little high right now.

24. Screenwriter Ephron: NORA. (1941-2012) Alma mater: Wellesley College.

25. Attempts to score, in hockey: SHOTS. Noun.

26. Saucy: PERT

29. "I'm thinking ... ": "HMM ... "

30. Grain in Quaker cereals: OAT

31. Getting promotions: ADVANCING. Ah, the Peter Principle. Wiki

32. Little League precursor: T-BALL. Pitchers and catchers report mid-February.

33. Center of a wheel: HUB

35. Sandwich letters: BLT

36. "Science Guy" Bill: NYE

38. Roger who broke Babe's record: MARIS. On October 1, 1961, but the season was eight days longer than when Ruth set his record.

39. Times often named for presidents: ERAs

40. Alternative to Vegas: RENO

45. Where Amin ruled: UGANDA. The Rwenzori Mountains(surprised? I am.)

46. Least active: IDLEST

47. "Yeah, right!": "AS IF!"

48. Dance under a bar: LIMBO

49. Tatum of "Paper Moon": O'NEAL

50. Puff __: snake: ADDER

51. Requires: NEEDS

52. Exhaust: USE UP

53. Mother-of-pearl: NACRE

54. Adores to death, with "on": DOTES

59. Spread, as discord: SOW

60. NYSE debut: IPO. Stocks(initial public offering)

61. Ga.'s southern neighbor: FLA.

Argyle