Thursday, May 31, 2012 Bill Thompson

Theme: Boxer set?

No...Boxing set??

Uhhh.. "Boxed"set?

...sorry, I got distracted with the theme today. AHEM!!

(On to the regular program....)

65A. With 1-Across, Time-Life Records product...and in a way, what each of the answers to the starred clues is : BOX, and 1-Across: See 65-Across : SET.

Aha! BOX SET !!

So how does that relate? Each of the theme entries begins and ends with a word that could be "boxed", making a "set":

17A. *Ongoing saga : SOAP OPERA. SOAP box is what a politician uses to express his views...and an OPERA box is my favorite place to be in Vienna.

29A. *Focaccia-like treat : PIZZA BREAD. PIZZA box is what I always wonder, "Can I recycle this???", and a BREAD box is where .... the bread gets green.

43A. *Kitchen extraction gadget : JUICE PRESS. JUICE box is what I wish my wine came in, so I wouldn't spill it... or, it might describe the coverage at OJ's trial? And a PRESS box is where all those pundits sit.

56A. *Barely find room for : SQUEEZE IN. A SQUEEZE box is another name for an accordion. My daddy used to play one (with mummy on the violin...). And an IN box is what I look forward to every Monday morning....(Not!!!)

Put them all together, and they make four "box set"s! Brilliant!

Marti here, to wend our way through the rest of the entries:

Across:

4. "My Cousin Vinny" star : PESCI. "What's a 'ute'?" Great flick!!

9. Mar. parade VIP : ST PAT.rick

14. Bio stat : AGE

15. Abbr. seen before a year : ESTAB.lished

16. Ad : PROMO. tion

19. Cougar and Impala : AUTOS. And a clecho with 7-down. Cougar or Impala : CAR. Take me for a ride in your car, car...1:50

20. Grammar class no-no : RUNON. Likethisanswer?

21. They're unbeatable : NEMESES

23. Prolonged suffering : AGONY

25. City on the Orne : CAEN. In Normandy, northwestern France. Image.

27. Cutting remark : GIBE

28. Broke down : WEPT

31. Vein pursuit? : ORE.

32. Brewer's need : MALT

33. "Surely you don't mean me?!" : MOI. Who...moi??? 4:47

34. 60-Across with heart-shaped leaves : LINDENS. (Why yes, they are...)

36. Set-up punch : LEFT JAB (...see second image, at top of page.) (Or, is that a right jab?) (I don't know my right from my left tonight!!)

40. Poet-punk music genre : EMO. Such drama!! 3:49

41. Ill-gotten gains : PELF. It took a while for this word to come to me, but I am resolved to use it in a sentence today! pelf...Pelf...PELF!!

42. Before now : AGO. How would you clue this one? (...not as easy as you thought, is it??)

47. Bikini specification : B CUP. OK, how about a few cups here? (I think we need Dennis's expert measurements here...)

48. In another life : ONCE...upon a time

49. Fireside stack : LOGS

50. Concession stand drinks : COKES

51. "True dat!" : I HEAR YA

53. Bovine bedding : STRAW

55. Off one's rocker : NUTSO (Thanks for catching that one, Anony-Mouse!)

60. "A nest of robins in her hair" poem : TREES. Joyce Kilmer (Where is Clear Ayes??):
"I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree."

61. Players take them : TURNS

62. Music-licensing org. : BMI. "Broadcast Music, Inc."

63. ___ de France: sports venue near Paris : STADE. Football and rugby stadium.

64. Sprouts-to-be : SEEDS

Down:

1. KLM rival : SAS. Can you say Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V.? (Jerome?) And, Scandanavian Airlines System (OK, I can say that one!!)

2. Centrist leader? : EGO.

3. Eagerly deal with, as an envelope : TEAR OPEN. (Oh yes, I just "tear open" all those bills!!)

4. Indiana state flower : PEONY. Beautiful.

5. Hockey nickname : ESPO. Phil Esposito, from the Boston Bruins and (ack!) New York Rangers.

6. Sign-making aids : STENCILS

8. Spanish writer Blasco ___ : IBANEZ. Best known for his novel "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse"

9. Cyberjunk : SPAM. I get about 100 spam emails a day....fortunately, I have a program that filters them to a "junk mail" box...

10. 2010 Coen brothers Western : TRUE GRIT. Do you think Jeff Bridges lived up to John Wayne's original portrayal?

11. "Happy Days" pal of Richie : POTSIE

12. It divides to multiply : AMOEBA. Opposite of "E pluribus unum"?

13. Threw easily : TOSSED (Somehow, this had a really bad vision of leaning over a toilet...ewww)

18. Kick with a "hang time" : PUNT. I got a kick out of this clue!

22. Glossy coats : ENAMELS

23. Illegally off base : AWOL. Absent WithOut Leave

24. Spice Girl Halliwell : GERI

26. HIV-treating drug : AZT. Azidothymidine. (But you knew that, right??)

29. Impressive display : PANOPLY.

"Thee for my recitative,
Thee in the driving storm even as now, the snow, the winter-day declining,
Thee in thy panoply, thy measur'd dual throbbing and thy beat
convulsive,
Thy black cylindric body, golden brass and silvery steel..."
- Walt Whitman
(...where is ClearAyes??)

30. Box office smash : BOFF. From the British "boffin", meaning a scientist or technical expert. Not sure how that translates to a "box office smash".

32. Internet ___: fast-spreading item : MEME. Nonsensical internet clips that go viral, like this one. Why?

35. "That parrot is definitely ___": line from a Monty Python sketch : DECEASED. Funny clip. 5:34

36. Not as confident : LESS SURE

37. Friday guy? : JACK WEBB. Who remembers him? "Just the facts, ma'am..." 2:21

38. Feverish chills : AGUE

39. Conks on the head : BOPS

41. Throw hard : PEG

43. Ace bandage sites : JOINTS

44. Injury-free : UNHURT

45. Picnic pitcher filler : ICE TEA. No, no, no...IT IS ICED TEA!!

46. Friars Club events : ROASTS

47. Ruth's husband : BOAZ

50. Mustard family plant : CRESS

52. Lost a lap? : ROSE. (Stood up)

54. Serve behind bars : TEND. "Two termites walk into a bar..."

57. José's "Huh?" : QUE. And here is how to pronounce it. 0:01

58. "As I see it", in email : IMO. "In My Opinion", or, more politely: "IMHO" ("In my humble opinion").

59. Quash : NIX. Ix-Nay!

Answer grid.

That's all for tonight. See you next week!

Hugs,
Marti

Thursday April 12, 2012 Bill Thompson

Theme: "Before and After". No, not those weight-reducing ads...

17A. *Place for after-dinner courses : NIGHT SCHOOL. Night cap. I need one right now...I'll never make it to trade school at this rate!

25A. *Repress : BOTTLE UP. Bottle cap...yes, pop one open for me, please! On second thought, I want to trade up to something like Remy Martin!

51A. *Skating exhibitions : ICE SHOWS. Ice cap. No thanks, Tinbeni would be horrified if I added ice!! Anyway, I can't drink while I am doing trade shows...

64A. *Delta's aptly named monthly : SKY MAGAZINE. Sky cap. Uh, I think he needs one. Maybe he should read about proper behavior for coaches in a trade magazine?

And the unifiers:

40A. See 33-Down, and word that can precede the end of the answers to starred clues : TRADE

33D. With "and" and 40-Across, emissions-reducing method whose first word (this answer) can follow the start of the answers to the starred clues : CAP. "Cap and Trade" is an environmental policy tool for delivering positive results with a mandatory cap on emissions...you have heard of your "carbon footprint", right?

Whew! This was a really convoluted theme reveal for the simple word "cap", that can follow the first words of the theme entries, and "trade", that can precede the second word. I hope the colors that I used will help you to "see" this theme. It certainly took me a few minutes before I realized the elegance of it! I blogged the last Bill Thompson LAT offering, and there was plenty of good stuff there, as well!!

Marti here, to explore the other beauties in this one.

Across:

1. Loathe : ABHOR

6. Poke into : PROBE

11. "Blue Hawaii" prop : UKE. OK, so we go back in time a bit for this one.

14. Rear : RAISE

15. Houston hockey team : AEROS

16. Frat letters : NUs. and 71A. Sorority letters : ZETAS

19. Banned pesticide : DDT

20. Magic show reaction : OOH

21. Lots : OCEANS. Tons, oodles, a whole bunch...

22. "Omertà" author : PUZO. Mario Puzo. Have you read it, Mari or Irish Miss?

23. Mystery writer John Dickson ___ : CARR.

27. Double-___: puzzle type : CROSTIC

30. German pronoun : SIE. Formal "you". Informal you is "du". But, be very careful that you never use the informal (familiar) form, until you are invited to do so!

31. When many Lyon Lions are born : AOUT. In August, in French.

32. Brownish purple : PUCE. Eeeww...that just conjures up bad images.

35. Certain commuter's aid : STRAP. On the bus. I've spent many hours hanging onto them!

39. Utter : PURE. Sheer, pure terror (like when facing an audience for the first time?)

42. Grinder : HERO. Sub, Po' Boy, Hoagie, Zep, Muffalata, Panini...What's yours?

43. Uncredited actor : EXTRA

45. Yani Tseng's org. : LPGA. Currently ranked # 1 in women's golf.

46. Home of Miami University : OHIO. Ha! Didn't fool me at all.

47. Neighbor of Leb. : ISR.ael

49. Neverending : ETERNAL

56. Fertile crescent land : IRAQ

57. Musty : DANK

58. Butter sources : CHURNS. Not nowadays, though.

60. American rival: Abbr. : UAL. United Air Lines.

63. "___ Fine Day": 1963 hit : ONE. The Chiffons, 1963. Oldie but goodie. (Ugh, I hate those YouTube ads!!)

66. Fly the coop : LAM. Usually, we hear "on the lam", but the actual meaning of "lam" is to break away, or escape.

67. Stud : HE-MAN. Like yesterday's "Ken" doll?

68. Assays : TESTS

69. Like some looks : SLY

70. Put up : ERECT. OK, I will leave this one alone...

Down:

1. River of Tuscany : ARNO. Obligatory geography lesson for the day. (Just above Florence.)

2. "Joanie Loves Chachi" co-star : BAIO. Scott. This "kid". My guess, is that Joanie is the one on the left?

3. Hearer of final appeals : HIGH COURT. Lemon and Hahtoolah can expand...

4. ___ Kosh B'Gosh : OSH. I never liked this clue/ans. "Kosh" and "Gosh" contain the entire thing, don't they??

5. Comeback : RETORT

6. Go to and fro : PACE

7. Post-op program : REHAB

8. Maine campus town : ORONO. Mainiac, where've you been?

9. Promotes : BOOSTS

10. Immigrant's subj. : ESL. English as a Second Language.

11. Excessive : UNDUE

12. Invasive Japanese vine : KUDZU

13. Prevent legally : ESTOP. (See comment on 3D)

18. What ad libbers ignore : SCRIPT. Great clue! And best show with ad libbers I have ever seen.

22. Overabundance : PLETHORA

24. Star : ASTERISK. *******

26. "My country, ___ ..." : TIS of thee...

27. Horn, for one : CAPE. Another geography lesson...

28. Gravy thickener : ROUX

29. Ringlet : CURL

34. Sidle : EDGE. Edge through the crowd, to the front of the line?

36. Burger follower : REHNQUIST. William, 16th Chief Justice of the US.

37. "Nessun dorma", e.g. : ARIA. Oh boy, I get to link an aria from Puccini's Turandot!! The aria is Italian for "None shall sleep". It's a long story, but basically the cold-blooded princess has to guess, before dawn, the name of the one who has won her hand (by correctly answering three riddles). She is repulsed at the thought of marrying him, and demands that no one shall sleep that night until his name is figured out. If the name is revealed, she is freed from the marriage demand. Kind of Rumpelstiltskin-esque, don't you think?

38. Combine, as assets : POOL

41. Using (up) : EATING

44. Fireplace powder : ASH

48. Chair on a porch : ROCKER. Cracker Barrel, anyone?

50. Fake : ERSATZ. Love that word!

51. Fan club focuses : IDOLS

52. Towpath locale : CANAL. They used to be used by donkeys towing barges through the canals. Now, it's mostly Sunday joggers.

53. She's not for you : ENEMY. Why "she"?

54. "What did I do to deserve this?" : WHY ME. ...why me?

55. "Poison" plant : SUMAC. Poison oak is much more allergenic.

59. Harangue : RANT.

61. Architectural pier : ANTA. Post or pillar on the sides of Greek temple entrances.

62. More, to a minimalist : LESS. "Less is more..."

64. Elle, across the Atlantic : SHE. HaHa, a reversal of the usual clue we see.

65. Bit of a snore? : ZEE. So now I have gone full circle from 71A ZETAS to ZEE tonight, so I'll say "Zo long".

Answer grid.

Hugs,
Marti

From C.C.:

Last Sunday Wisconsin State Journal published a thought-provoking letter Kazie wrote regarding student and teacher evaluation here in the US.

Below is the letter. (Thanks for the alert, Marge!)

"Having taught high school more than three decades, in four countries on three continents, I feel uniquely qualified to comment on education here. In Australia, I grew up and taught in a system where most student assessment relied on massive three-hour tests twice yearly--not the best way to foretell future success. However, I am also appalled that here, most testing consists of multiple-choice, fill-in-the-bubble guesses, very quickly gradable by computer, as opposed to subjective tests demanding active recall. The main concern at the end of the year, if teachers need more than 24 hours to get tests graded and results out, is how to entertain students after exams are done.

In contrast, French and German schools encourage daily, graded, student discussions of material they’ve studied, as well as long essay assignments throughout the year. Students can’t hide behind objective test guessing. Teachers there don’t just “lecture” in class, as is common here. Students participate actively in all their classes, resulting in more thorough comprehension and commitment to learning. The fault here is with the system itself. Changing student expectations, not just evaluation of teachers, will result in improved student performance, and that is the ultimate goal."

Thursday, November 10 2011, Bill Thompson

Theme: “Say the secret word and win yourself a hundred dollars!” - Hint: It’s a “VETO”, hidden in the pockets of the theme entries.

17A. Symbolic gifts: LOVE TOKENS. For Valentine’s day, do you give “symbolic gifts” like chocolate hearts or roses? Or, something really significant like diamonds, or even a Ferrari??

22A. Exasperate: DRIVE TO DRINK. My mother always yelled this to us kids, although I don’t remember her ever taking anything stronger than a tiny glass of Ernest and Julio Gallo on New Year’s Eve…

35A. Soother for men: AFTERSHAVE TONIC. Would that be with gin??

45A. Indigenous language: NATIVE TONGUE. Mine is English. What’s yours?

and the unifier:

56A. President’s option, and a hint to the puzzle theme in17-, 22-, 35- and 45-Across: POCKET VETO. In this case, VE-TO is split the same way in all four theme entries. In other puzzles, constructors might try to split a hidden word in different ways. But can you think of common phrases with words ending in –v and the next beginning with eto-, or ending in –vet and beginning with o-? (I didn’t think so…)

Marti here, so it must be Thursday again. (Really, already??) (Yep, so get crackin’!) (OK, OK, already!)

Across:

1. Gaucho’s weapon: BOLA

5. What two lanterns in the Old North Church signified: BY SEA. From “Paul Revere’s Ride”, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:

“…One if by land, and two if by sea:

And I on the opposite shore will be…”

10. Shenanigan: LARK

14. “Paradise Lost” setting: EDEN

15. Assessed: RATED

16. Holder of small tools: ETUI. Hello, old crosswordese friend!

19. Jose’s hand: MANO … a mano.

20. Like some ink cartridges: TRI-COLOR. I just bought a new printer today, but it only does B&W.

21. Vitruvian Man is on some Italian ones: EUROS. This is the Vitruvian Man, by Leonardo da Vinci.

Unfortunately, more people recognize him from this movie than from the work in the Louvre…

22. Pago Pago resident: SAMOAN

28. Sosa’s 1,667, briefly: RBIs. HA!! I knew this had to be a baseball clue, as I am beginning to recognize Sammy Sosa as some guy in baseball. But it still eluded me, if the clue was looking for ERAs or RBIs. Sighhh….OK, C.C. I did my due diligence: Sammy Sosa is from the Dominican Republic, and while a member of the Chicago Cubs, he and Mark McGuire achieved national fame for their ability to hit home-runs.

29A. Conspiracy theorist’s worry: PLOT

30. Zeno, notably: STOIC. (I had the “C” from filling in EDICT down…so what else could it be??)

32. Styled after: A LA. As in “Chicken à la King” (Does that mean the king is a chicken??). and a clecho with 33D. Styled after : LIKE

39. Stadium sound: RAH. Or boooo, if they are playing badly?

40. Shake: ELUDE. As in, shake (off) the cops.

41. Victory goddess: NIKE. And you thought she was just a sneaker, huh?

42. ___ Deion: NFL nickname: NEON. I had no clue, but with N-ON from perps, not hard to guess the rhyming nickname here.

43. Bk. After Proverbs: ECCLES. “Bk.” gives the hint that the answer is an abbr. of “Ecclesiastes”. (I had the darndest time spelling out that full name just now!!)

50. Selectric selection: ELITE. Does anyone still use an IBM Selectric (electric) typewriter? And, just which“Elite” does the answer refer to? There was the Elite 72, Auto Elite, LargeElite (12), Prestige Elite 72, Prestige Elite 96…not to mention the Presidential Elite!

51. Became one lane, say: NARROWED. Boston is famous for having 16 lanes narrow into one. So do you wonder why we have such aggressive drivers??

55. Hammer feature: CLAW. Ok, hands up for whoever entered the crosswordese “peen” here. (one, two, three, four, five…)

58. Soprano TeKanawa: KIRI. To my surprise, not everyone appreciates a pure operatic soprano voice like this. Do you?

59. Gets zero mpg: IDLES.

60. First name in bike stunts: EVEL. Knievel, motorcycle daredevil of the 70’s. After living through all of his unbelievable stunts, he died of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

61. Fall runner’s goal, perhaps: SEAT. Fall elections, that is.

62. Requirements: NEEDS

63. Take it easy: REST

So, after our brief REST, let’s continue

Down:

1. Whack: BELT. OK, OK, I’m awake after my REST!!

2. Glade target: ODOR. “Ewwww…fried fish tonight, dear??”

3. “Hello, Dolly!”surname: LEVI.

5. Josh of "True Grit" (2010) : BROLIN. I liked John Wayne better than this guy...

6. Comedian Smirnoff : YAKOV. Funny guy, famous for his ironic portrayals of life under communism. But back in the 80's, it seemed more "cutting edge" than it would now, I guess.

7. Cordwood measure : STERE

8. Bard's nightfall : E'EN

9. Many pop-ups : ADS. grrr, I hate those things!

10. Madagascar mammals : LEMURS

11. Asteroids maker : ATARI

12. Syntax problem : RUNON (... like the answer)

13. Newsstand booth : KIOSK

18. When said three times, a WWII film : TORA

21. Order from on high : EDICT

23. Valuable stash : TROVE

24. Tony's cousin : OBIE. Not Tony Orlando, silly! The American Theater awards.

25. Bandy words : SPAR. Do you bandy words with your boss? My DH would check to see if the spar tar was in good condition before going on a long trip. But then, he is from the south...

26. It's five before Foxtrot : ALFA. NATO phonetic alphabet.

27. Light-headed insect? : MOTH. Loved this clue! And a chance for a fav song.

30. Railroad switch : SHUNT. Much better clue than "Atrial septal defect with left-to-right ___"

31. Smidgen : TAD

32. Indigo dye source : ANIL

34. Whizzes : ACES. (Oops! I put "pees")

36. "The Canterbury Tales" estate manager : REEVE. "The Reeve's Tale" is the third of the Canterbury tales.

37. Gin flavoring : SLOE. Oh, here's the gin I was looking for at 35A !!

38. Quick look : ONCE-OVER. Hmmm, wanna come up and see me some time?

42. Dipstick : NITWIT

43. Door to the street : EGRESS

44. Brusque : CURT

45. Kisses and then some : NECKS... Hmmm, wanna come up and see me some time?

46. Kate's TV roommate : ALLIE. "Kate and Allie", a popular TV series in the 80's.

47. Regal topper : TIARA

48. Frère de la mère : ONCLE. Sorry Abejo, here is your required French entry...

49. Blunt, as truth : NAKED. Yeh, sure. We know how this was originally clued, right?
:
:
:
("The ___ Ape" !!)

52. "Houston, __ had a problem" : WE'VE. Often misquoted as "Houston, we have a problem..."

53. Nice warm times : ETES. Ahhh, here's our nice misdirection. Nice, as in the city in southern France. I would really, really love to see this just once clued as "Summers (Fr.)" (Sorry Abejo, that makes two in one puzzle!)

54. Dimbulb : DOLT

56. Verb associated with blame : PIN. Not the tail on the donkey?

57. Neruda's "__ to Conger Chowder" : ODE. You really should read this...it is a very different poetic offering than the dishes served up by our dear Clear Ayes!

Answer grid.

Thanks for stopping by, and feel free to comment!

Hugs,

Marti

Thursday, September 8, 2011 Bill Thompson and Ann Thompson Richter

Theme: "What am I...?" *

This is Bill Thompson's second LAT puzzle, but I don't remember ever seeing Ann Thompson Richter. Maybe a father-daughter team? It would be interesting to hear from them today. Moving on...

18A. Portrayer of the Elf maiden Arwen in "The Lord of the Rings" : LIV TYLER. You may not know that this hauntingly beautiful lady is the daughter of Steven Tyler of Aerosmith.

26A. Exist like a mob informant, say : LIVE IN FEAR. I thought of Vinnie Antonelli in "My Blue Heaven". A hilarious comedy, and he didn't seem to be living in fear...

49A. Enjoy leisurely : LINGER OVER. I think Bill G. must linger over his delicious lunches!

60A. Solon : LAW GIVER. A "slightly" more modern clue would be John Huston's role in "Battle for the Planet of the Apes".

And the unifier:

69A. It's chopped, in a way, in 18-, 26-, 49- and 60-Across : LIVER. I thought it was elegant to "chop" in different ways in each theme entry.

*The phrase "What am I, chopped liver?" has different meanings, but generally refers to a feeling of being overlooked or under appreciated.

Marti here, blogging another Thursday. I love puzzles on this day of the week - not so frustrating as Friday or Saturday, but more challenging than those "simple" Monday - Tuesday offerings! So, let's analyze this puppy:

Across:

1. Leader elected by monks : ABBOT. I don't think Michael Sharp would argue about the accuracy of this clue.

6. Jazz aficionado : CAT. As in "Hep cat" or "cool cat".

9. "__ Astor": Sargent portrait : LADY. This lady.

13. Rule : GOVERN

15. Maker of Good Grips kitchen tools : OXO. Is this the new "asp"?

16. __ of mystery : AURA

17. Former quarterback Peete : RODNEY. He was the first player from USC to win the Johnny Unitas award as the best quarterback. His NFL career was less distinguished, though.

20. Hunk's pride : ABs

21. The sun, in Cancún : EL SOL

23. Award for books on tape : AUDIE. Apt name.

24. Torchiere, e.g. : FLOOR LAMP

29. Mlle. counterpart : SRTA

33. Nut in a cupule : ACORN

34. Words in a market report : ARE UP. (I wish...)

36. Equip with firepower : ARM

37. Somersaulting dive : GAINER. Do not try this at home!

39. Executive position : TOP JOB. This one started on the bottom floor, and worked up.

41. Tolkien creature : ORC

42. "Pink Shoe Laces" singer Stevens : DODIE. Yay! Music link!

46. Green shade : OLIVE.

47. Tourney ranking : SEED

51. 1988 Radio Hall of Fame inductee : AMOS 'N ANDY

53. Boss, in Swahili : BWANA. My Swahili is a little rusty, so I'll take your word for it!

56. Beatles title woman who "made a fool of everyone" : SADIE. Interesting comments by Lennon below this video. (Click on "Show more".)

57. Bit of work : ERG

62. Santa Catalina's only city : AVALON

64. All: Pref. : OMNI

65. Wrap up : END

66. Place for a picture : CINEMA

67. Narc's goal : BUST. Is this what they're after?

68. Old IBM PCs : XTS

Down:

1. Indian tomb site : AGRA. Hey Vidwan - we're back in Agra!

2. Nincompoop : BOOB. (see 67a)

3. Briefs not seen in court : BVDS. OK, I want to know what the "weight" and "softness" scales on the left side are really referring to???

4. Sommelier's prefix : OEN

5. Like many a New England street : TREE LINED

6. Kid finishing a book, maybe : COLORER

7. They're under shoulder joints, anatomically : AXILLAE

8. "Mazel __!" : TOV

9. Bucks shots : LAYUPS. Milwaukee Bucks, basketball team.

10. Seasonal song starter : AULD. (frown)

11. Eins und zwei : DREI. Eins zwei drei vier fünf sechs sieben acht neun zehn. (Quiz, to follow.)

12. Easy to maneuver, at sea : YARE. Or, "yar"

14. Versatile synthetic : NYLON

19. Cap with a pom-pom called a toorie : TAM

22. Remote hiding place? : SOFA. The TV remote always seems to get buried between the cushions, doesn't it? Clever clue.

24. Frond bearer : FERN

25. Stuck, after "in" : A RUT

26. Old Nigerian capital : LAGOS

27. Words of compassion : I CARE

28. Walt Disney, vis-à-vis Mickey Mouse : VOICE

30. Indira's successor : RAJIV. After Indian Prime Minister Indira Ghandi was assassinated, her elder son took office. Rajiv himself was assassinated in 1991. Sounds like a dangerous job...

31. Treasure stash : TROVE

32. Brew hue : AMBER

35. Unfortunate soul : POOR DEVIL

38. Chewy caramel candy : ROLO

40. Sneaky maneuver : PLOY

43. Buck the majority : DISSENT

44. Guts : INNARDS

45. Quaint outburst : EGAD

48. "Aw, shucks!" : DANG IT. EGAD, two in a row!

50. "Giant Brain" unveiled in 1946 : ENIAC. "Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer". Its design and construction were financed by the US Army during WWII to calculate artillery firing tables.

52. It follows April in Paris : MAI. Janvier Février Mars Avril Mai Juin Juillet Août Septembre Octobre Novembre Décembre. (Quiz, to follow.)

53. Shapeless form : BLOB. This was my first drive in movie. It scared the begeesus out of me!

54. U.S.'s largest S&L until its 2008 collapse : WAMU. Washington Mutual.

55. Botanical bristles : AWNS

57. Mtn. statistic : ELEV. Mtn. abbreviation indicates abbreviation of the answer. Elevation.

58. Where all roads lead? : ROME. When you get there, do as the Romans do.

59. Growl : GNAR. I thought this was short for "gnarly". Snowboarder friends use it a lot to describe awesome jumps. But there it is in the dictionary: snarl or growl. Oh well, what do snowboarders know, anyway??

61. Annoy : VEX

63. "Wheel of Fortune" purchase : AN I

Answer grid.

Until next time!

Marti

Tuesday, July 12, 2011 Bill Thompson

Theme: Brew - The last word of the first four theme entries can follow(chase) BEER.

17A. Type of government spending typified by the Bridge to Nowhere : PORK BARREL. Beer barrel.

25A. "Two Tickets to Paradise" singer : EDDIE MONEY. Clip.(3:56) BEER MONEY - Some extra money not needed for essential payments, which is available for spending on luxuries, hobbies, or simply going out for a beer. It is like "pin money".

37A. (At) maximum capacity : FULL BLAST. BEER BLAST - A large, usually boisterous party at which beer is the sole or principal beverage and is consumed in large quantities.

51A. Classic candy bean : JELLY BELLY. Beer belly

62A. Brew after a shot (and, in a way, what the end of 17-, 25-, 37-, or 51-Across can be) : BEER CHASER

Argyle here. Not as impressive as yesterday's but ok. Very similar lay-outs.

Across:

1. Detective Pinkerton : ALLAN. Maybe C.C.has some insight on this gentleman.

6. Bug-eyed with excitement : AGOG

10. Formally give up : CEDE

14. Let, as a flat : LEASE

15. Place for doves, not hawks : COTE. A small shelter for pigeons, sheep, etc

16. x or y line : AXIS

19. Tach measures: Abbr. : RPMs

20. Very old: Abbr. : ANC.ient

21. More furtive : SLIER

22. Disco __ : ERA

23. Unlike Wabash College : CO-ED. One of the few remaining liberal arts colleges for men only. Crawfordsville, IN, northwest of Indianapolis.

29. "Gunsmoke" star James : ARNESS. Here with his brother, Peter Graves.

31. "We're outta here!" : "LET'S GO!". See 25-Across.

32. Doctor's request : SAY, "AH"

33. Studio warning : ON AIR

36. Long, long time : EON

40. "Because I said so!" elicitor : "WHY?"

43. Bad time for a procrastinator : TODAY. "Never do today what you can put off till tomorrow." Then repeat.

44. Planet's path : ORBIT

48. Big honey brand : SUE BEE. Image.

50. Fishing line tangles : SNARLS

55. Michelle of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" : YEOH. Image.

56. 57-Across brand : LEE

57. Casual pants : JEANS

59. Bird: Prefix : AVI

60. Flat-topped rise : MESA

64. Poet Khayyám : OMAR

65. Beige shade : ECRU

66. Absorb a loss, slangily : EAT IT

67. Responsibility : DUTY

68. Eyelid affliction : STYE

69. Spars on board : MASTS. No, not a shipboard donnybrook.

Down:

1. Llama relatives : ALPACAs. "Are you lookin' at me?"

2. "Il Trovatore" soprano : LEONORA. The character's name.

3. Grand or petit crime : LARCENY

4. Look for answers : ASK

5. Birds' bills : NEBS

6. Pungent : ACRID

7. Injured in the bullring : GORED. Film at 11:00, you don't want to see this at breakfast.

8. "SNL" alum Cheri : OTERI. Cheri Oteri Pictures.

9. Hair-holding goo : GEL

10. Metaphorical incentive : CARROT. Image. Maybe a new hat would be a better incentive.

11. Broad area : EXPANSE

12. Lower, as lights : DIM

13. Twisting shape : ESS

18. Quaffs in tankards : ALES

22. Rock music's __, Lake & Palmer : EMERSON

24. Unwilling to listen : DEAF

26. "Splendor in the Grass" director Kazan : ELIA. 1961 film.

27. Self-esteem : EGO

28. Over there, to Milton : YON

30. Sleep, informally : SHUT-EYE

33. Like the hills? : OLDer than the hills.

34. Miami Heat gp. : NBA. Basketball

35. Prince __ Khan : ALY

38. Leopold's co-defendant : LOEB. Killers. Do you notice a dark tone to this puzzle?

39. Butler's carrying aid : TRAY

40. N.Y. financial paper : WSJ. The Wall Street Journal.

41. Color : HUE

42. Bawls out : YELLS AT

45. Chicken choices : BREASTS. This should bring out Dennis and/or Lois.

46. "That's perfect as is!" : "I LOVE IT!"

47. Casual tops : T-SHIRTS

49. Clouded, as vision : BLEARY

50. Harmony : SYNC

52. Unique button in 007's Aston Martin : EJECT. One way to get rid of pesky passengers.

53. Suspicious : LEERY. What you should be if James Bond offers you a ride.

54. Oater star Lash : LARUE. Popular western motion picture star of the 1940s and 1950s. He had exceptional skill with the bullwhip.

58. Noah's firstborn : SHEM

60. Stylish, in the '60s : MOD

61. Outback runner : EMU

62. Teachers' degs. : BEs. Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.)

63. Little battery : AAA

Answer grid.

Argyle

Note from C.C.:

Happy 81st Birthday to dear Sallie!

Thursday, Jun 23, 2011, Bill Thompson

Theme: Spot a bomb in a bull: Hidden snowmen.

20A. When to say night-night: BEDDY BYE TIME.

28A. Ohio Stadium purchase: BUCKEYE TICKETS. Why would anyone pick this for their team mascot name? The tree species Aesculus glabra is commonly known as Ohio buckeye, American buckeye, or fetid buckeye. It derives its unflattering common name from the disagreeable odor generated from the flowers, crushed leaves, broken twigs, or bruised bark.

42A. Advance sale teaser line: NOT YET IN STORES.

47A. Dubious Himalayan headline and phenomenon in 20-, 28- and 42-Across: YETI SIGHTING.

Hi all, Al here, time is kind of tight, so I'll have to be brief...

ACROSS:

1. Improvise at the jazz club: VAMP. From revamp, to fix or make over. A vamp is the part of a stocking that covers the foot and ankle, so revamping originally meant meant mending socks.

5. Butt (in): HORN. Cowboy slang, comparison to buffalo behavior.

9. Oncle's spouse: TANTE. French: Uncle, Aunt.

14. River to the Fulda: EDER.

15. Its French name means "high wood": OBOE. Hautbois.

16. Sun Valley locale: IDAHO. Scenic.

17. Move, briefly: RELOcate.

18. Monument Valley sight: MESA. Also very scenic.

19. Many a Justin Bieber fan: TWEEN. Know your audience, I guess...

23. Former Mideast org.: UAR. United Arab Republic, Egypt + Syria.

24. Author of the Yiddish memoir "And the World Remained Silent": WIESEL. A common crossword clue, turned into an answer (ELIE).

33. Swiss Guard charges: POPES. Why would there be a Swiss Guard in the middle of Rome, Italy?

34. Quick: AGILE. Almost directly from Latin: agilis, nimble or quick.

35. Chinese tea: CHA.

36. Prunes: LOPS. Verb use to cut, not dried plums.

37. Georgia of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show": ENGEL.

38. "Cinque, dieci, venti, trenta" in "The Marriage of Figaro," e.g.: DUET. Five, ten, twenty, thirty.  Figaro is measuring the space where the bridal bed will fit while Susanna is trying on her wedding bonnet in front of the mirror.

39. Yellowfin tuna: AHI. A sushi staple.

40. Estate home: MANOR. The main house.

41. Sounds content: PURRS.

45. "I love what you do for me" automaker: TOYOTA. Anagrams to: Hey! You motivated a fool or two.

46. Big-house link: AS A.

54. Peer in a box: JUROR. Peer as an equal (from Latin "par"), not "to look" as with "appear".

57. Relinquish: CEDE.

58. Golfer Aoki: ISAO. He only plays with golf balls marked with the number 5. That number is pronounced "Go" in Japanese, and his goal is to never shoot higher than that on a hole.

59. Japanese art genre: ANIME.  Animation (cartoons) often expanded from Manga (comic books).

60. Oregon Trail team: OXEN.

61. Sommelier's prefix: OENO. Wine.

62. Lose it: GO MAD.

63. Distance swimmer Diana: NYAD. At the age of 61, this summer she will attempt to swim from Cuba to Florida (103 miles) without a shark cage.

64. Pont __: Paris bridge: NEUF. The name means "new bridge", but is the oldest bridge across the Seine. It connects the Rive Droit (right bank) with the Rive Gauche (left bank).  Now I have an urge to get my guitar out and re-learn this...

DOWN:

1. 3-Down, e.g.: VERB. Ah, yes, the referential clue mixed with a literal meaning.  It's definitely Thursday.

2. "Zip-__-Doo-Dah": A-DEE. From Song of the South, sung by Uncle Remus (James Baskett).

3. Blend: MELD. Related word: meddle.

4. Yields: PRODUCES.

5. Man of La Mancha: HOMBRE. Spanish man.

6. Mind: OBEY. A strange associative progression from the word mind, originally meaning memory, or remembering: "Mind your Manners", "Never you mind about that". Those kinds of phrases were commands, which instilled the sense of needing to obey: mind your elders.

7. See 12-Down: ROSE. 12D. With 7-Down, Bette Midler classic: THE. A lot of people seem to like Bette, and they are allowed to, but she's not really my cup of tea.  Feel free to provide your own links in the comments.

8. Bourbon order: NEAT. Unadulterated, free from impurities (like water from melting ice).

9. They may be tufted: TITMICE. Having a cardinal's peak.

10. Magazine that highlights Clio winners: ADWEEK. A magazine about advertising.  In other words, a magazine.

11. "Sorry, laddie": NAE. Scottish.

13. Quite a span: EON. Time, not distance.

21. Goes on and on: YAKS. What I do sometimes.

22. Volunteer's offer: I WILL.

25. Like an encrypted transmission, in theory: SECURE.

26. Old anesthetics: ETHERS.

27. Future J.D.s' exams: LSATS. Law School Admission Tests. Juris Doctor, the first professional graduate degree in law.

28. Melodramatic cry: BOO HOO.

29. Haughty: UPPITY.

30. Greek New Ager: YANNI. I'll spare you the music link.

31. Goad: EGG ON. This sense of egg comes from "edge".

32. Feature of some fancy cakes: TIERS. Related words: tirade and attire.

33. Magician's secret cohort: PLANT. A ringer.

37. Really worry: EAT AT.

38. Term: DURATION. Latin durare, to harden (endure).

40. Like some mail: METERED. Postage is printed on instead of applying individual stamps, allowing for automation and time savings.

41. Sumptuous: POSH. Long explanation for this, but it does NOT mean port out starboard home, that is a backronym from people trying to retrofit a meaning.

43. He has a cello named Petunia: YO YO MA. He was doing a class in Salt Lake City, and a high school student asked if he had a nickname for his cello. he said, "No, but if I play for you, will you name it?" She chose Petunia, and it stuck.

44. Remnant: TAG END.

48. Tiny trash can, e.g.: ICON. On your PC desktop.

49. Hot: SEXY.

50. Thought: IDEA.

51. "Mm-hmm": I SEE.

52. Half a sitcom sign-off: NANU. Mork & Mindy.

53. Flub: GOOF. A gaffe.

54. Spree: JAG. A period of unrestrained activity.

55. The loneliest numero?: UNO. A play on Three Dog Night's first hit "One", written by Harry Nilsson.

56. Drum edge: RIM. Ba-dump Tish. And that's the end.

Answer Grid.

Al