Tuesday, December 14, 2010 Billie Truitt

Theme: J_N - Fill in the space with a vowel, A thru U, and create an entry that starts with it.

18A. Actress in a classic shower scene: JANET LEIGH

23A. Weight management guru: JENNY CRAIG

38A. 1996 Schwarzenegger Christmas comedy: "JINGLE ALL THE WAY"

51A. Comedy Central satirist: JON STEWART. All the other J?N words are embedded in another word.

56A. Kipling story collection, with "The": JUNGLE BOOK

Argyle here.

I checked twice, today is Tuesday. Puzzle feels harder than normal.

Across:

1. Pathfinder org. : NASA. The Mars Pathfinder was designed to be a demonstration of the technology necessary to deliver a lander and a free-ranging robotic rover to the surface of Mars.

5. D-Day carriers : LSTs. There were other ships but we only get this one.

9. Hi-tech classroom : PC LAB

14. Sixth Jewish month : ADAR

15. Tuckered out : BEAT

16. Bowl, e.g. : ARENA. "Are you ready for some football?" Well, maybe not the Metrodome.

17. Siamese checkers? : VETS. Siamese cats and veterinarian doctors.

20. Geometry truth : AXIOM

22. Low-lying area : VALE and 27. Low-lying area : DALE

31. Lieut. producer : OCS. Officer Candidate School (OCS) Graduates are brown bars(due to the subdued gold color of the single bar insignia), second lieutenants.

32. Beaujolais's department : RHONE. Quincié-en-Beaujolais is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France.

33. Through : VIA

34. Blast from the past : A-TEST

35. Like this answer : ACROSS

42. Consensus builder : UNITER

43. Mountaineer's tool : ICE AX. Image. Used in mountain climbing.

44. Sleepy colleague? : DOC. Has anyone been keeping track of how many of the dwarves we've had?

45. Pops : SODAS

46. Inflation stat. : CPI. Consumer Price Index (CPI)

49. Most eligible for the draft : ONE A

53. Leeway : ROOM

55. First name in morning talk : REGIS. "LIVE! with Regis & Kelly" Regis Francis Xavier Philbin and Kelly Maria Ripa.

62. Prefix with -gon : DECA

63. "The Interpretation of Dreams" author : FREUD. Dr. Sigmund Freud.

64. Italian bread? : EURO

65. Golfer Norman : GREG. AKA, the Shark. His 2010 Shark Shootout was last week.

66. Patched pants parts : KNEES

67. Barbecue specialty : RIBS. Ummm! Bar-B-Q.

68. Standard Oil name : ESSO. In Canada.

Down:

1. Hogan dweller : NAVAJO. The hogan was much more permanent than the teepees of the plains Indians.

2. Madison Ave. VIP : AD EXEC

3. Some lustrous dresses : SATINS

4. Flaming offense : ARSON

5. Successor to 56-Down : LBJ. Lyndon Baines Johnson. 56. He defeated RMN : JFK. John Fitzgerald Kennedy defeated Richard Milhous Nixon.

6. Bounding main : SEA

7. Salon acquisition : TAN

8. Wonder of music : STEVIE. Started out as "Little Stevie Wonder". I like the way this song(4:45) starts out.

9. Cloud of gloom : PALL

10. Words to live by : CREED

11. Wahine's gift : LEI

12. Director Lee : ANG

13. Dickensian cry : "BAH!". Trivia: Scrooge uttered "Bah! Humbug!" only twice in the entire book.

19. Luggage label : TAG

21. __ Beach: South Carolina resort : MYRTLE

24. Shout of approval : CHEER. Not the actual word; had me going for quite awhile.

25. Parks on a bus : ROSA. But not on the back of the bus.

26. Adult doodlebug : ANT LION. The larva is often called "doodlebug", the adult is often called "lacewing". So where do they get the name Ant Lion? Well it's mainly because they are deadly predators (like lions) and their main diet is usually ants. Want some of your own? Buy 'em here, LittleAussieProducts.

28. Declare : AVOW

29. Maggie Simpson's sister : LISA. Part of the animated TV family.

30. Like pie? : EASY. I know a lot of cooks wonder where "easy as pie" came from.

34. Author's rep. : AGT.. Agent.

35. Really got to : ATE AT

36. Milder drink than the one before it : CHASER. I tried WEAKER for awhile.

37. "Oedipus __" : REX. The Latin title of a Greek play, Oedipus the King, an Athenian tragedy by Sophocles that was first performed c. 429 BC.

38. Karate kin : JUDO

39. Privy to : IN ON

40. "Good one!" : "NICE!"

41. Watch readouts, for short : LCDs. Think wristwatch, liquid crystal displays.

45. Melancholy : SOMBER

46. Court shooters : CAGERS. On the basketball court, shooting baskets. Trivia: An early rule of the game was that when the ball went out of bounds, the team who touched it first got possession of the ball. This resulted in scuffles with the fans getting involved! So a fence of cage wire was erected around the court to keep the ball in bounds; whence the term, cagers, for the players inside. Finally, they decided changing the rule was easier than maintaining the fence.

47. Inflation drives them up : PRICES

48. "We're on!" : "IT'S A GO!"

50. Have a dispute : ARGUE

51. Average guy? : JOE

52. Club for most greenside shots : WEDGE. Golf.

54. Auto pioneer : OLDS. Ransom Eli Olds.

57. Coffee source for a crowd : URN

58. Originally called : NÉE

59. Yes, to Yvette : OUI. French.

60. Poetic planet : ORB

61. Levels, briefly : KOs. Knocks out.

Answer grid.

Argyle

Monday, October 5, 2009 Billie Truitt

Theme: S and S

19A: What little girls are made of, so it's said: SUGAR AND SPICE

33A: Out of harm's way: SAFE AND SOUND

40A: Light lunch: SOUP AND SALAD

55A: Pleasantly concise: SHORT AND SWEET

Argyle blogging.

This is one of the easiest ones yet. If you would like to add your own S and S, remember it should be 12 or 13 letters to fit the puzzle, e.g., Slip and Slide, but not Stop and Shop.

Across:

9A: Roe source: SHAD. Any of several unrelated fishes.

13A: Most eligible for the draft: ONE A

14A: Like a snowy landscape: WHITE.

15A: "Royal" nuisance: PAIN. I've heard this mostly as a qualifier: not just a pain in the a**, but a "Royal" pain in the a**.

16A: Put in pigeonholes: SORT.

17A: Duncan __: cake mix brand: HINES.

18A: Reformer for whom a Bible book is named: EZRA. Do you all know this fact?

22A: "That makes sense": I GET IT.

23A: The Blue Jays, on scoreboards: TOR. (Toronto). AL League, East Division. They've won 2 World Series, the same as the Twins.

24A: Place for a napkin: LAP.

27A: Prof's degree: PHD.

28A: Spat: TIFF.

31A: C.S. Lewis's "The Chronicles of __": NARNIA. .

38A: Prior to, poetically: ERE. Root word for ERST (67A: Previously, old-style)

39A: Courtroom figs.: ATTS. (Attorneys)

45A: "Queen of Soul" Franklin: ARETHA. Ah, the famous inauguration hat!

46A: Supermarket checkout unit: ITEM.

50A: Hesitant sounds: UMS. The "Mantra sounds" is OMS.

51A: Mexican Mrs.: SRA. (Señora)

53A: "Beats me": NO IDEA.

59A: Fuzzy fruit: KIWI. Full of vitamin C.

61A: "Shucks!": AW GEE.

62A: Castaway's spot: ISLE.

64A: Spud: TATER. (Potato)

65A: Use a swizzle stick: STIR.

66A: Modernists: NEOS. NEO is usually found in combination with other words, not standing alone as a noun.

Down:

1D: Grapevine news: GOSSIP.

2D: Sufficient: ENOUGH.

3D: Combined two companies into one: MERGED.

4D: Occupied, as a desk: SAT AT.

5D: Goatee's location: CHIN.

6D: __ legs: rear extremities: HIND.

7D: '50s nuclear experiment: A-TEST. (Atomic Bomb)

8D: Answer: RESPOND. Verb.

9D: Designer's detail, briefly: SPEC. SPEC could be shortened speculative or speculation but in this case, SPEC is the shortened form for specification.

10D: Coffee flavoring: HAZELNUT. Do you have a favorite coffee flavoring?

14D: "Just suppose ...": WHAT IF.

20D: Beatles meter maid: RITA.

25D: "__ That a Shame": Domino hit: AIN'T.

29D: Supply meals for: FEED.

30D: Iran's official language: FARSI. Now how did this slip into an easy-peasy Monday?

33D: Labor Day mo.: SEPT.

35D: Jacob's twin: ESAU.

36D: College housing: DORM. (dormitory)

37D: Phone caller's "Bet you don't recognize my voice!": GUESS WHO.

41D: Facetious "Of course": AH SO. Charlie Chan.

42D: Tell a story: NARRATE.

43D: Mortgage bank, e.g.: LENDER.

44D: Andy's old radio partner: AMOS.

47D: "__ Fideles": Christmas carol: ADESTE. "O Come All Ye Faithful".

52D: Engaged in battle: AT WAR.

54D: Start of a request to a genie: I WISH.

56D: Goes in haste: HIES.

57D: FBI employees: AGTS. (Agents)

58D: Depilatory product: NEET. Brand name. Nicely positioned under NEAT (34D: Tidy).

59D: Wichita's state: Abbr.: KAN. (Kansas or KS)

Answer grid.

Picture of the Day: Here is a great picture of what Clear Ayes dubbed as "California Coven + One" (Carol is from Oregon). They gathered at Milpitas, CA yesterday. Left to right: Chickie, Carol, Moon, JD, with Wolfmom (WM) and Clear Ayes seated.

Argyle

Monday, August 10, 2009 Billie Truitt

Theme: Frequent 'F and F' Formats

20A: "American Idol" contestant's dream: FAME AND FORTUNE

37A: Hard data: FACTS AND FIGURES

52A: Like a movie auto chase scene: FAST AND FURIOUS

Argyle here.

All the first theme words start with FA, and only have one syllable. There are total 9 letter F's in this puzzle (NY Time's record is 12), quite unusual. One Z and 2 J's also makes this puzzle rather scrabbly.

Not much to say: If it gets any easier there won't be much reason to blog. That's not to say it isn't a good puzzle, it is, but I'll bet we have many that didn't have to google at all today.

Think of some other F and F and leave it in the comments section. I have several, but I'll wait to post them. Have a good week.

Across:

1A: Cough syrup amts.: TSPS. Teaspoons

9A: Pirate's chum: MATEY. "Ahoy, MATEY".

18A: With 10-Down, approximately: ON OR. 10D: See 18-Across: ABOUT.

19A: Sure to end in failure, as a situation: NO WIN.

23A: Swiss painter Paul: KLEE.

25A: Wander (about): GAD. Gadabout Gaddis (Roscoe Vernon)- The Flying Fisherman. An early pioneer of television, Gadabout's name was synonymous with freedom

28A: Handyman's tasks: ODD JOBS.

30A: Shriner's hat: FEZ. Thimble Cute!

35A: Place for mil. planes: AFB. Air Force Base.

36A: Jazz jargon: JIVE.

44A: Mummy's threesome?: EMS. Three letter M's in Mummy.

45A: Bead of morning moisture: DEWDROP. Common name for a roadhouse, The Dew Drop Inn.

48A: Oink spot: STY.

49A: U2's lead vocalist: BONO. nee Paul David Hewson. BONO owns Forbes magazine.

59A: Connect the _: DOTS.

60A: Kitten lifting spot: NAPE. Place "awwww" picture here.

61A: Ivan of tennis: LENDL.

62A: Blunt blade: EPEE. Sharp point.

Down:

1D: "Finally, the weekend!": TGIF.

3D: Pilot or Treo maker: PALM. Palm USA, is an innovator of easy-to-use mobile products including Treo and Centro smartphones, handhelds, software, and accessories. Rival of Blackberry.

5D: Copied genetically: CLONED.

6D: Passed (out): HANDED. Hmmm, why did I think of a different kind of "passed out".

7D: Dating from: AS OF.

8D: Mislead deliberately: THROW OFF. from 'THROW OFF the trail'. Foxes were known to have doubled back on their trail and then jump sideways(to a log or hard ground or water)thus throwing the hounds off their trail.

9D: "Praying" insect: MANTIS. Greek for prophet/seer.

21D: At __ for words: A LOSS.

22D: Temple leader: RABBI.

25D: Faux pas: GAFFE. The fishing hook is GAFF.

29D: Bored with life: JADED.

30D: Pink-slips: FIRES. Pink-slips used as a verb here.

36D: Moonshine container: JUG.

39D: "Ah, that explains it!": NO WONDER.

40D: Rubbernecker: GAPER.

45D: "This I gotta hear!": DO TELL.

46D: Traveled like Huck Finn: RAFTED.

47D: Numbered works: OPUSES. I half expected the plural to be OPUSAE or OPUSI or something. Update: noun - a plural of opus: opera [oh-per-uh](Who knew?)

51D: Tendon: SINEW.

52D: Agonize (over): FRET.

53D: Ill-fated Boleyn: ANNE.

54D: Nitwit: DOPE.

55D: "I do," for one: OATH.

56D: __ no good: plotting: UP TO.

57D: Evidently are: SEEM.

58D: Trains above streets: ELS. In Chicago. And ERNIE (58A: Berts Muppet buddy). Poor ERNIE ELS. Maybe he will pull off a surprise at Hazeltine (PGA Championship) this week.

Answer grid.

Argyle

Tuesday April 14, 2009 Billie Truitt

Theme: They R Different

17A: 11:00a.m. restaurant patrons?: BRUNCH BUNCH

29A: Fraternity nerd?: GREEK GEEK

39A: Advice from the auto club?: TRIP TIP

48A: Whimsical Barbie?: DROLL DOLL

63A: Quite small-minded?: PRETTY PETTY

The first three pairs rhyme. The last two don't. Adding one letter R is like adding a stroke to a Chinese character, the meaning and the pronunciation of the word can change dramatically. The same with letter L: FLAIR, FAIR; FLOUR, FOUR; GLUT, GUT, etc.

I like seeing REAR (23A: Caboose's place) & END (36A: Caboose's place) with the same clue. The same with EVEN (37A: Deadlocked) and TIED (52A: Deadlocked). Nice pair.

My favorite clue today is TAR (66A: Seasoned salt?). Of all the slang for sailor, gob is the strangest. But I learned yesterday that gob is actually short for gobshite, old English for wad of spit chewing tobacco or tobacco juice. I don't know, maybe sailors like chewing tobacco?

The STUD clue (58D: It may be ear-piercing) is cute too. I used to think all STUD earrings are penetrative, then Argyle found some clip-on STUD earrings on internet. So "may be" here is quite accurate.

Oh I got several questions regarding Dan Feyer's best time. Dan said his paper record is 1:56 for Monday March 9, 2009 NYT puzzle. And his online record (Across Lite) is 1:17 for an old NYT. Do you think he will break 1 minute threshold?

Across:

1A: E-junk: SPAM. Wikipedia says Rolex and Viagra-type drugs are two common products advertised in SPAM e-mail.

5A: Honshu port: OSAKA. Literally "large hill" or "large slope". Its Japanese Kanji and Chinese characters are the same, both are 大阪市. I did not know it's so close to Kyoto.

10A: No.-crunching pro: CPA

13A: Shakespearean betrayer: IAGO. The villain in "Othello".

14A: Fancy calligraphy strokes: SERIFS. I would not call SERIFS fancy. These calligraphy strokes are fancy. Does Chinese word "love" look complicated to you?

20A: Ocean color: SEA GREEN

21A: Em and Bee: AUNTS. Another famous one is Aunt Jemima.

34A: Ace the exam: NAIL IT

38A: Banned bug killer: DDT. Banned in the US in 1972. I think we still used it on apple orchard in 1980's.

45A: Big oaf: APE. This reminds me of my babu (baboo) and baboon confusion. I always thought Seinfeld calls the Indian immigrant Baboon.

46A: Crocodile hunter of film: DUNDEE. Learned this film from doing Xword.

58A: Answer: SOLUTION

62A: "__ said it": YOU. I wanted I'VE.

67A: Patriot Adams: SAMUEL. Why emphasizes "Patriot" here?

68A: Organ knob: STOP

Down:

3D: Juanita's water: AGUA. Shui, in Chinese. Like Feng Shui. Feng is literally "wind".

4D: Mutt: MONGREL

5D: __Jackson: rapper Ice Cube's birth name: O'SHEA. No idea. Only know him as Ice Cube. O'SHEA is often clued as "Actor Milo". Ice-T's original name is Tracy Marrow, which appeared in our TMS Daily before.

6D: Jean of "Saint Joan": SEBERG. Unknown to me also. Wikipedia says Jean SEBERG had an affair with Clint Eastwood while shooting "Paint Your Wagon".

7D: Make __ for it: A RUN

9D: Org. with Patriots and Jets: AFC. The answer emerged after I filled in the across. I don't know which teams are AFC, which are NFC. Most of the time I just fill in NFL.

11D: Animal hide: PELT

15D: Predatory lender: SHARK. Hmm, no California hockey reference here. Too bad, JD, maybe Rich Norries does not like San Jose Sharks.

18D: Plastic, so to speak: CREDIT. Good clue.

24D: Out of shape?: BENT. I like this clue too.

26D: Like most movie rentals: ON DVD

28D: Explosive stuff, briefly: NITRO (Nitroglycerin). Always thought NITRO is a complete word itself.

32D: Went sniggling: EELED. Koreans men eat eels for "stamina". Vietnamese men drink snake blood for "stamina". Weird, isnt it? Snakes and eels actually look quite similiar.

33D: Patched pants parts: KNEES. I like the alliteration in the clue.

35D: Livelihood: TRADE

40D: Product with earbuds: iPOD. Use mine mainly for NPR podcast.

41D: Upper body strengthener: PUSH-UP

44D: Crunchy sandwiches: BLTS. Have never had a BLT in my life. Can't get used to the mayonnaise taste.

49D: Speaks like Daffy: LISPS

60D: Plains native: OTOE. The "Plains" here refers to "The Great Plains", right?

61D: Big Apple enforcement org.: NYPD. Reminds me of "NYPD Blue" and crossword stalwart ESAI Morales.

64D: It's used for battering: RAM. The long pole in the middle? Vaguely remember someone explained battering RAM to me before.

65D: Flightless bird: EMU. Dennis just mentioned at the Comments section that EMU can't walk backward. Nor can kangaroo. Both are in Australia's coat of arms. They signify Australia's "Forward with Pride" spirit.

Answer grid.

C.C.