Wednesday December 16, 2020 Brock Wilson

Theme: Happy Birthday! [Maybe?] Today might or might not be the birthday of the below identified composer.  Nobody really knows. In the theme, his name and some of his works or identified by either name or number.

17A. With 63-Across, musician born 12/16/1770: LUDWIG VAN.

63A . See 17-Across: BEETHOVEN.

Wikipedia

He was baptized on the 17th, so his birthday is assumed to be the 16th, but that is just a guess.  He could have been a week or a month earlier.  Anyway, later in life, he wrote some music. You can read more about him here.

39 D. 63-Across work: SYMPHONY. An elaborate musical composition for full orchestra, typically in four movements, at least one of which is traditionally in sonata form.

26 A. Nickname for a 63-Across 39-Down: CHORAL. Numerically, the 9th, and last.

 

Well, this set my write up back by 23 minutes, but it was time well spent.  Give it a listen if you have the time.  Schiller's poem is a hot, sappy mess, but I guess it works in the original German. And Beethoven's setting makes it truly heavenly.

40 A. Numerically, 63-Across' C-minor 39-Down: FIFTH.  Which gives us what is probably the most recognizable 4 note sequence in all of music.

50 A. Nickname for a 63-Across 39-Down: EROICA.  Numerically, the 3rd.

 

10 D. Nickname for a 63-Across 39-Down: PASTORAL.  Here is a Disneyfied excerpt.

 

Hi, gang.  Jazzbumpa here to conduct today's musical adventure.  Once upon a time, there was trombone themed puzzle, and by chance in landed on my blogging day.  This one is just about as fitting.  Beethoven was my introduction to what we call classical music, though he stood on the bridge between the classical and romantic periods.  Having him as my intro made it hard for me to appreciate the much simpler - and genuinely classical - music of his teacher Haydn.  But everything builds over time, and without Haydn and Mozart, there could have been no Beethoven.  Let's move on through this score, and hope there are no sour notes.

Across:

1. Quotable Yankee, familiarly: YOGI.  Berra [1925-1915] "When you come to a fork in the road, take it."

5. "Yikes!": JEEZ.  Oh, my!

9. Fencing blades: EPEES.  A narrow-bladed sword with a blunted tip.

14. Tarzan raisers: APES.  I guess Jane was the gorilla his dreams.

15. Cher and Sade, vocally: ALTI.  Voices with  range above tenor and below soprano.

16. 16th-century English queen: MARY I.  "Bloody Mary" Tudor [1516 -1558]  in her 5 year reign, she had over 280 religious dissenters burned at the stake. 

19. North Sea county: ESSEX.  Located north-east of London.

20. German steel city: ESSEN. Eight of the 100 largest publicly held German corporations are head-quartered there.

21. Offered an arm to: ESCORTED.  As into a formal event.

23. Basics: ABCS.  

25. Ming most look up to: YAO.  Because he is 7'6" tall.  He started his basketball career in Shanghai, China, then played for the Houston Rockets from 2002-2011. He was an 8-time all star.

29. Literate: WELL READ.  

34. __ Vegas: LAS.  Sin City, it's been called.

35. Marks for removal: DELES.  To be deleted.

37. "Inferno" poet: DANTE. From whom we get out modern, and at best only marginally Biblical concepts of hell and the devil.

38. Story lines: ARCS.  

42. Tolkien trilogy, to fans: LOTR.  Lord Of The Rings.

43. Remains: STAYS.

45. It's usually not a hit: SIDE-B.  Now here is some nostalgia - referring to the presumably less popular song on one side of a 45 RPM phonograph record.
 
47. Toon crime fighter __ Possible: KIM.  An American animated action comedy-adventure television series created by Bob Schooley and Mark McCorkle for Disney Channel. The title character is a teenage girl tasked with fighting crime on a regular basis while coping with everyday issues commonly associated with adolescence.  It ran from 2002 to 2007, and was a favorite of our oldest granddaughter.

48. Spread throughout: PERMEATE.

52. Pipe plastic: PVC. PolyVinyl Chloride is the third most widely produced thermoplastic, after polyethylene and polypropylene.

53. Like cotton candy: SPUN.

54. Sticky stuff: ADHESIVE.  Glue

58. Facebook action: SHARE.

62. Unverified word: RUMOR.  A circulating story of uncertain or doubtful truth.

65. Tony winner Menzel: IDINA.  She originated the role of Elphaba Thropp in the Broadway musical Wicked in 2003.  Later she sang some songs in animated Disney movies.

 

 66. The M in BLT?: MAYO.   As an option.

67. Artist's quarters: LOFT.   An upper story or attic in a building, directly under the roof, presumably with north light..

 
68. Record material: VINYL.  Here, phonograph records and PVC make another appearance - together.

69. Chopped side dish: SLAW.  Cabbage fragments, typically with a 66 A- based dressing.

70. Some traffic court cases: Abbr.: DWIS.  Driving While Intoxicated.

Down:

1. New Haven school: YALE. Where the Elis roam.

2. Musical work: OPUS.  These are given numbers, approximately in the order of publication date. 40 A is Beethoven's OPUS 67.

3. H.S. proficiency tests: GEDS.  General Educational Development, indicating an approximate equivalence to a high school diploma.

4. Oath beginning: I SWEAR.  And you'd better tell the truth.

5. XK-E, for short: JAG.  The Jaguar E Class, Marketed in the U.S. as the XK-E, was manufactured from 1961 to 1975.

6. Seasonal aides: ELVES.  Santa's helpers, also known as subordinate clauses.

7. Greek vowels: ETAS.  Notable, because they look like h's.

8. It makes cents: ZINC.  Usually when mixed with copper.

9. Important gem in Oz: EMERALD.  I was thinking in Australia, which would be the OPEL.  But it doesn't have enough letters.  In the wonderful land of OZ, there is the EMERALD city.

11. Gaelic language: ERSE. A Scottish or Irish language.

12. Watched closely: EYED.  Peered at.

13. Touchdown points: SIX.  The kicked extra point used to be automatic, but many have been missed this season.

18. __ humor: grumpy: IN BAD.  Irascible.

22. Bony Olive: OYL.  Popeye's often disloyal girlfriend.

Wikipedia

24. Musical symbol: CLEF.

26. Bracelet fastener: CLASP.  Hook and lock mechanism.

27. Gold rush storyteller: HARTE.  Francis Brett HARTE [1836-1902]  was an American short story writer and poet, best remembered for his short fiction featuring miners, gamblers, and other romantic figures of the California Gold Rush. 

28. "The Odd Couple" roommate: OSCAR. Madison and Felix Unger from the Neil Simon play and the resulting movie and TV series.

29. Group self-pic, in slang: WEFIE.  Everybody crowd in tight.

30. Started, as a co.: ESTD.  Established

31. Japanese mushroom: ENOKI.  Sounds like a minor Star Wars character.  But it is a  mushroom that naturally grows on the stumps of the Chinese hackberry tree (Celtis sinensis, "enoki" in Japanese) and on other trees, such as ash, mulberry and persimmon trees.

32. Web site: ATTIC.  Not the world wide web - the top floor of a house that seldom gets entered by a human.

33. Stuffed Jewish dish also called kishke: DERMA.  Make it here.

36. Itemize: LIST.   

41. Dickens sycophant: HEEP.   Uriah, a fictional character created by Charles Dickens in his 1850 novel David Copperfield. Heep is one of the main antagonists of the novel. His character is notable for his cloying humility, unctuousness, obsequiousness, and insincerity, making frequent references to his own "'umbleness". 

44. A few: SEVERAL.  Less than many.

46. Salon item: BRUSH.  

49. Summer coolers, briefly: ACS.  Air Conditioners, not cooling drinks.

51. Indefinitely suspended: ON HOLD.  In limbo.

53. "Later!": SEE YA.  TTYL.

54. Autobahn auto: AUDI.  Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer that designs, engineers, produces, markets and distributes luxury vehicles.  It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group.

55. Key of the 26-Across 39-Down: Abbr.: D-MINor.  Has one flat.  And should probably have been included with the theme entries.

56. System/360s, e.g.: IBMS.  Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Systems?  Nope. Just a family of mainframe computer systems from IBM that were delivered between 1965 and 1978.

57. Piccata meat: VEAL.  It is sliced, dredged in flour, browned, then served in a sauce containing lemon juice, butter, and capers.  Yum!

59. Openly declare: AVOW.  Or Aver.  Always needs perps.

60. Mortgagee's option, for short: REFInance.  Looking for a lower interest rate and/or monthly payments.

61. Laryngitis docs: ENTS.  Ear, Nose and Throat specialists.

62. Ohio or Mississippi: Abbr.: RIV.  River

64. Auto club service: TOW.  As, frx, when my transmission decided to stop transmitting 20 miles north of Muskegon, and 200 miles from home.  That was fun.

So we reach the coda of another Wednesday, melody complete and chords resolved.  And every day is somebody's birthday.  HBD, if it's yours.

Cool regards!

JzB

Monday July 1, 2019 Brock Wilson

Theme: CHECKLIST (62. To-do items to tick off ... and what the starts of the answers to starred clues comprise) - The first word means "check" in a different way.

17A. *Cold one from a tap: DRAFT BEER.

38A. *Nuclear restraint pact: TEST BAN.

11D. *"Ghostbusters" co-star: BILL MURRAY.

28D. *Attractiveness when viewed from the street, to a Realtor: CURB APPEAL.

Boomer here.

Can anyone explain how "Draft" belongs to a "checklist"?  My guess is that if you write a check I suppose it could be called a bank draft.  However when I see draft, I think of closing a window,  We FINALLY are realizing summer in Minnesota. After a long cool spring, weather forecasters are issuing heat warnings and keeping me off the golf course.

Speaking of golf, The 3M Open is at the TPC Blaine this week. The Senior PGA used to have a tournament there ((3M Championship) about this time of year. C.C. and I attended many days. However, they have shunned the seniors and now the regular PGA Tour has the first stop in Minnesota in 50 years.  The Champions Tour stop was no charge.  Now there are pricey tickets.

Boomer, 3M, 2016

Across:

1. Six-legged picnic invaders: ANTS.  I never counted the legs on an ant.

5. Nasty film: SCUM.

9. Like a mad dog: RABID.  You don't want to mess with any animal with rabies.

14. Bossa __: dance: NOVA.  Blame it on the Bossa Nova.

15. Really bugs: IRKS.  I have to listen to Bert Blyleven's comments on Twins telecasts for about 50 of them.

16. Fail to pronounce, as the "g" in an "-ing" word: ELIDE.

19. Room in le chalet: SALLE. De La Salle High School was our arch rival in High School.

20. Disdainful glance: SIDE-EYE.  If you got that from a teacher, you knew you were in trouble.

21. "Something wrong?": PROBLEM.  No problem here.

23. Hesitates: BALKS.  Sometimes a pitcher will fake home and throw to first.

25. Economist Smith: ADAM.  Thinking more of Adam Sandler, "Happy Gilmore" !

26. Playground time at school: RECESS.  Yup, I remember in grade school they would send us out in freezing cold weather.

29. __ Beta Kappa: PHI.

31. Call to the sled dogs: MUSH.  Remember Cream of Wheat or Malt-O- Meal ?

34. Like two right-triangle angles: ACUTE.  This does not seem to be A CUTE clue.

35. Poker pot promises: IOUS.  I would not play poker with anyone who has no money.

36. __-Navy game: annual football rivalry: ARMY.  Many of these players become Generals or Admirals.

37. Road surface goo: TAR.

41. Fabric flaw: RIP.  Mr. Van Winkle fell asleep for 20 years.  They did not have alarm clocks in the early 1800's.  Only roosters.

42. Sun circlers: ORBS.

44. Dieter's count: FATS.  "I found my thrill, on blueberry hill." His real name was Antoine Domino.  I don't think it's kosher to call anyone "Fats" anymore.

45. Make deliveries to large groups?: ORATE.

47. Bismarck's st.: N DAK.  One of my favorite movies was "FARGO".  Probably because of the local flavor.

48. Whiskey sour whiskey: RYE.  I am not a whiskey expert.  I think I remember that a whiskey sour was any kind of whiskey with a lemon sour mixer.

49. Game competitor: PLAYER. "The Black Knight"  Mr. Gary Player.

50. Flammable pile: PYRE.

52. Show shown over: RE-RUN.  Like "Law and Order" on about three cable channels.

54. Oft-framed college memento: DIPLOMA.  If you have one, does that make you a diplomat ??

57. Alan who played Snape: RICKMAN.

61. Fitness motto opening: USE IT.

64. Large Dallas suburb: PLANO.  I think the Southfork Ranch is near Plano, making TV's "Dallas" location famous.

65. "Have a __ day": NICE.  A bit overused, but still pleasant. 

66. Yale students: ELIS.

67. Pursuer of snakelike fish: EELER.  If you catch one, you will need a feeler for your peeler. 

68. Ambulance staffers, for short: EMTS.

69. Hunk of beef: SLAB.  Beef is something to eat, but I have heard of a slab of concrete.

Down:

1. "No ifs, __ or buts": ANDS.

2. Sushi seaweed: NORI.

3. Prime-time spot: TV AD.  Doesn't matter if it's prime time or not.  I think I sit through 100 or more every day.

4. Sure thing: SAFE BET.  There's really no such thing, unless you cheat.

5. Old Greek prophets: SIBYLS.

6. Small stream: CREEK.  Lots of creeks in Minnesota,  They name golf courses after them.  C.C. and I used to play at "Cedar Creek".

7. Luau strings: UKE.  I am so old that I remember Arthur Godfrey playing his on TV. (black and white of course).

8. Car sticker no.: MSRP.  I wonder who makes these up.  Every new car has one, and no one pays that price.

9. Fill in, as a lawn bare spot: RE-SOD.  Normally I just use seed.  Sod is heavy and dirty. 

10. Gulf of Mexico state: ALABAMA. A red state with a blue senator.  But I don't think we have heard the last of Roy Moore.
 

12. Not working: IDLE.  "An idle brain is the devil's workshop."  Professor Harold Hill.

13. Regard: DEEM.

18. Service with cups and saucers: TEA SET.  I think all three of my sisters had one when we were kids.  Or maybe they shared the same one.

22. Gorbachev's wife: RAISA.

24. Helper during gym practice: SPOTTER.

26. Boca __, Florida: RATON.  Looks inviting, on the eastern beach on the Atlantic.

27. Online b'day wish: E-CARD.

30. Central airports: HUBS.  Still have not heard much about the 737 MAX.  I saw that Dallas has a new Airbus 220.  Take a ride?

32. Whack, biblically: SMITE.

33. Bursting with energy: HYPER.

35. Dr. Watson exclamation: I SAY. Elementary.

39. Violinist Zimbalist: EFREM.  Interesting name.  I used to think he played the cymbals.

40. Frustrated searcher's news: NO LUCK.  Should have made a SAFE BET.

43. City panorama: SKYLINE.  Used to be one of my favorite JIGSAW puzzle themes.

46. Irritates: RANKLES.

49. What shoppers compare: PRICES.  Maybe - but sometimes the better watermelons cost a little more.

51. Copter blade: ROTOR.

53. Standing upright: ERECT.  I used to have an Erector set that came in a red metal case.  Are they still on the market??

54. Put one over on: DUPE.

55. Site in shipwreck cartoons: ISLE.  The skipper, the movie star, the Billionaire and his wife.  The professor and Mary Ann here on Gilligan's Island.

56. Clearasil target: ACNE.

58. Pepper grinder: MILL. The ONLY way to add pepper to your food!

59. One side of the Urals: ASIA.

60. Govt. crash investigator: NTSB.  These are always sad.  Last week we had a medical helicopter go down in bad weather and we lost a nurse and the pilot.

63. That guy: HIM.

Boomer

Notes from C.C.:

Thanks for the birthday wishes, everyone. Boomer prepared our special occasion meal: baked Canadian walleye and wild rice (perfectly cooked: chewy and tender). I also had a plate of mini cucumber salad topped with the additive Target Crazy Fresh Pico de Gallo. And some fresh lychees, which Boomer declined to taste. He's not an adventurous eater. He had some fruit salad and a few slices of the sweet watermelon. Just a perfect meal on a very hot humid day.

Monday May 6, 2019 Brock Wilson

Theme: Vowel Movement - Each theme entry start with P? LL.

17. Coffin carrier: PALLBEARER.

31. College student's federal subsidy: PELL GRANT.

38. Prescription meds scheduling aid: PILL ORGANIZER.

43. One sampling opinions: POLL TAKER.

60. One whose batted balls rarely go to the opposite field, in baseball lingo: PULL HITTER.

 

Boomer here.

Well, I thought I had picked the winner of the Kentucky Derby but luckily I was too cheap to bet.  The Derby is billed as the most exciting two minutes in sports. I always thought that was Justin Morneau hitting a triple. Speaking of winners, how about James Holzhauer, who has pocketed over 1.6 million $$ on Jeopardy. I cannot believe how much he knows.  I'll bet he could finish a Saturday crossword in less than 5 minutes.

Across:

1. Meh: BLAH.  I did the Simon and Garfunkel thing from "Bookends" last week

5. Crude, as behavior: CRASS. Clumsy riding donkey ??

10. Journey: TRIP.  The light fantastic

14. "I wish __ told me": YOU'D.  "I told you SO".

15. Trash bag brand: HEFTY.

16. Oxen connector: YOKE.  These things come in eggs too.

19. Writer of verse: POET. He's a poet but he don't know it, but his feet show it. They're Longfellows.

20. Words before time or clip: AT A. 

21. MIT Chapel designer Saarinen: EERO.

22. Sewn dress edge: HEM. and Haw.

23. Chinese toy dog: SHIH TZU.  I know a lady who has one.  Be careful how you pronounce it.

25. Blood-typing letters: ABO.

27. Sales team member: REP.

30. Alien-seeking gp.: SETI.

34. Carry with effort: LUG.  These are nuts that hold tires in place. I am not sure how they got the name but you need a lug wrench to remove them.

37. Stirs up trouble: AGITATES.  Trouble in River City.  But professor Harold Hill's on hand and River City's going to have a boys band, and that band's gonna be in uniform.

41. Column base: PEDESTAL.

42. Prefix with graphic or centric: GEO.  Geo was a relatively unpopular car made by General Motors about 30 years ago.  No, I never had one.  I don't think three bowling balls and a set of golf clubs would have fit in it.

45. Early color TVs: RCAS.  When they hit the market my family could not afford one. I did not mind though, because I had a few friends who had one in their home, and the picture was terribly fuzzy.

49. Cold-sounding product prefix: SNO.  Add a "W" and you have six months of Minnesota weather.  Add an "A" between the S and N and you have a third baseman in the Twins minor league system who they think is getting ready for the "Show".  (That's what Crash Davis calls it.)

Miguel Sanó

50. Summer in Paris: ETE.

51. Veteran sailor: OLD SALT.

54. TiVo predecessor: VCR.  Video Cassette Recorder.  I still have many cassettes, but no player any more.

56. Baseball family name: ALOU.  Felipe, Matty, and Jesus.  Skip to Alou.

57. Progressive insurance spokeswoman: FLO.  Has now become a maid.

58. "Piano Man" Billy: JOEL. "What else could I do ?  I'm so inspired by you, That hasn't happened for the longest time."

63. Opposite of baja: ALTA.  We have three businesses in Minneapolis with the name Alta.  Planning and Design, Tube fabrication, and Technologies.

64. Where to find Delhi sandwiches: INDIA.  I get it -- Ha Ha.

65. Pay to a worker: WAGE.  Some words are interesting.  You earn wages, countries WAGE war      or you might go to Churchill Downs and place a wager.

66. Dog : woof :: cat : __: MEOW.

67. State sch. near Hartford: UCONN.  Famous for Women's Basketball.

68. Singles: ONES.

Down:

1. Road that avoids town traffic: BYPASS.  Minnesota claims they are working on the roads.  But maybe it's just a rumor so they can increase gasoline tax.

2. Hate: LOATHE.

3. Literally, "with milk," as café: AU LAIT.  I think they sing this on a British golf course but I don't think they spell it this way.

4. Good cholesterol, briefly: HDL.

5. __ Whiz: processed spread: CHEEZ.  A Kraft product.  I like Cheese but I do not like this stuff.

6. Rise defensively on two legs, as a horse: REAR UP.  I did not see any of this at Churchill Downs on Saturday. No, I was not there, just watched TV for about three hours waiting for "My Old Kentucky Home".  (Makes me think of Fort Campbell, KY.)

7. Picked hairdo: AFRO.  There is a pro bowler named Kyle Troup who has an outrageous Afro. (And quite a closet full of funny looking bowling outfits.  Like father - Guppy - like son)

8. Sault __ Marie: STE.

9. Damascus is its cap.: SYR.

10. Key in: TYPE.  When you "Key in" something into your computer, do they still call it typing??

11. Hotel cost per night: ROOM RATE.  Just say Bodda Book, Bodda Boom. (I still hate that commercial.

12. '50s White House nickname: IKE.  I was born during the Truman administration but Ike is the first prez that I remember.  I also remember a comedian in 1960 saying about the campaign that this was the first time in 8 years that we had a chance to vote for a president with hair.

13. Adopted cat, e.g.: PET.

18. Raise or call, say: BET.  Hope you did not put too much on Maximum Security.

22. Stymie, in a porcine way: HOGTIE.

24. Early Jewish scholar: HILLEL.

25. Pond organism: ALGA.  I have never seen a single algae.

26. Flashy jewelry: BLING.  Churchill Downs saw many flashy dresses and hats on the ladies.  I'll bet there was a bit of bling also.

28. U.S. dept. with a bolt on its seal: ENER.

29. TD's six: PTS.

32. Sharp-eyed bird: EAGLE.  Two under par on one hole!

33. Sideburns trimmers: RAZORS.  To look sharp, and feel sharp too.

35. Coat named for an Irish province: ULSTER.

36. Was able to reach: GOT AT.  High up on the apple tree, I couldn't hardly reach it.

38. Lowly worker: PEON.

39. "My pleasure!": I'D LOVE TO.

40. Tool with teeth: RAKE.  Time to get these out of the garage this week.

41. Second afterthought, in a ltr.: PPS.

44. Arrive, as fog: ROLLIN.  Reminded me of Rich Rollins, 3rd Baseman for the Twins, about 50 years ago.

46. Lounging robe: CAFTAN.

47. Assert sans proof: ALLEGE.

48. Target and Walmart: STORES.

52. Lindsay of "Freaky Friday": LOHAN.

53. MADD concern: DUI.  I never have done this because I cannot afford the penalty. I read outrageous stuff in the newspaper almost daily.  Last week it was a woman with her 10 and one year old kids in the car.

55. Curved hammer part: CLAW.

56. Designer Gucci: ALDO.

58. Fruity toast topper: JAM.  Too much sugar.

59. Fútbol cheer: OLE.  And British Golf.

60. More, musically: PIU.

61. Auntie's hubby: UNC.  A lot of three letter abbreviations in this puzzle, Don'tcha think? 24.

62. Not quite a crowd?: TWO.

Boomer

Monday August 20, 2018 Brock Wilson

Theme: Go Lickety-split - Synonym themes.

17. Online site for making a will: LEGALZOOM.

23. Ironic exclamation before an unsurprising announcement: NEWS FLASH.

38. Fills (someone) in about the latest developments: BRINGS UP TO SPEED.

47. All people, with "the": HUMAN RACE.

59. Hollywood pre-award speculation: OSCAR BUZZ.

Boomer here.

Greetings from Minnesota. Many states tend to brag about their annual State Fair, and Minnesota is no exception.  The fair is huge and draws about 1.5 million visitors in the 11 day period ending on Labor Day.  Most food items are served on a stick, ice cream, pronto pups, etc.  Last year I saw a booth selling a large dill pickle on a stick for $6.00!  The University of Minnesota has a building and they offer a number of free shirts and souvenirs.  There are quite a few merchant displays with free giveaways. I am not interested in the fattest hog, or who grew a 4 pound green bean.  But there is an art building where you may find a replica of Mount Rushmore made out of corn.  C.C. and I ran into a huge parking shortage last year, topped by some bad travel advice at the Sun Country Airlines booth, so we probably will skip the fair this year.  I am sure the politicians will be there though.

Across:

1. Chowder bit: CLAM.  Interesting - this can be a direct to shut up.

5. Conversation: TALK. And this is to say whatever might be on your mind.

9. Chopped cabbage sides: SLAWS. My daily lunch salad.

14. Tree with needles: PINE.  Plenty of these in Minnesota.

15. Mine, in Metz: A MOI.

16. Bounce off the wall: CAROM.  I remember every house having a carom board when I was a kid.  It was about 3 feet square and had four net pockets on each corner.  The play included wooden rings and small cues to knock them around.

19. Wagner work: OPERA.  I think he did some Beethoven stuff.

20. Not kidding: SERIOUS.

21. Wards (off): FENDS.

22. System of connected PCs: LAN.  Stands for Local Area Network and is essential for multi location businesses.

26. __-di-dah: pretentious: LAH.  Stands for Local Area Hogwash.  (Thank you John Brennan)

28. Suffix with violin: IST.

30. "__ a Sin": Pet Shop Boys hit: IT'S.  "To tell a lie"

31. Fashion's Versace: GIANNI.

33. __-pitch: SLO. Okay, I played Slow Pitch softball for years and we always spelled it with a W.  But I will lend some crossword constructor latitude.

34. Coif for the prom: UPDO. Not in my Funk and Wagnalls.

41. Flat to change, in Chelsea: TYRE.  I know Chelsea is in England, but I did not know that they don't know how to spell tire.

42. Attempt: TRY.  If at first you don't succeed …..

43. Profited: GAINED.  I depends what was gained.  If you gained weight, do you call that a profit?

44. Some fridges: GES.

45. Coop layer: HEN.  Chickens live in coops, I thought hens lived in hen houses.

46. Online chats, briefly: IMS. Instant Messages.

52. Airer of old quiz show reruns, for short: GSN.  I won't watch "Family Feud", I hate Steve Harvey.

54. San Antonio mission: ALAMO. Hi Up Santa Anna, We're killing your soldiers below.  So the rest of Texas will know …. And remember the Alamo.

55. Placate: APPEASE.

58. Doodle on the guitar: STRUM. Hee Haw

61. Get up: ARISE.

62. Summer weather word: HEAT. Miami NBA winter word.

63. Muffin spread: OLEO.  Covered this in the past.  When I was young, you could not buy yellow margarine in Wisconsin.  Minnesota had it, but they also had it in plastic bags where you had to pop a button and squeeze to color it.

64. Stuns in an arrest: TASES.

65. Legend: MYTH.

66. Hawaiian root: TARO. C.C. makes taro cakes from time to time. 

Down:

1. NCO below sgt.: CPL.  NCO is a non commissioned officer.  Corporal is the lowest ranked NCO.

2. False statements: LIES.

3. Thin spaghetti: ANGEL HAIR.  My favorite kind of pasta.

4. Anne who teamed with Stiller: MEARA.  Or Tiger Woods golf buddy Mark O'

5. Starbucks tea brand: TAZO.

6. Total up (to): AMOUNT. Trigger to Roy Rogers.

7. Running free: LOOSE.

8. "Lil'" rapper: KIM.

9. Pooh-poohs, with "at": SCOFFS.

10. Boutonniere site: LAPEL.  I prefer a number of lapel pins.  I can't spell Boutonniere.

11. Sports stadium: ARENA.  I have a problem with this. I consider Stadiums outdoors and Arenas indoors.  You can yell at me in the comments if I am wrong.

12. Lexicographer's love: WORDS.

13. Huge hit: SMASH.  Joe Mauer had one on Friday night vs. Detroit.

18. Every cloud's silver feature?: LINING.  I have heard this but I think an optimist made it up.

24. Go limp: WILT. I don't remember Mr. Chamberlain ever limping.

25. Moe or Curly, e.g.: STOOGE. Or Shemp or Larry

26. Rainbow flag letters: LGBT.

27. Well-ventilated: AIRY.

29. Anne Brontë, to Emily: SISTER.

32. Opposite of SSW: NNE.  I always fill in these clues first

33. One of many in TV's "The Americans": SPY.

34. AP competitor: UPI.  United Press International.  Lately I have noticed that our local paper gets a lot of stories from the New York Times and the Washington Post.  I can get them from MSNBC.

35. Florida, mostly: PENINSULA. And a huge one it is!

36. Consider to be: DEEM.

37. Pre-Kentucky Derby postings: ODDS.  In 1973, Secretariat went off at 1.5 to 1.  By the time he got to the Belmont Stakes he paid .10 to 1.  But the track still made a ton of money because thousands bought a $2.00 bet ticket and kept it as a souvenir.

39. Heavenly bear: URSA.  Ursa Major is the Big Bear.  Ursa minor is the small bear.

40. Birth control activist Margaret: SANGER.

44. Pointy-hatted garden figures: GNOMES.  I wonder if these will keep rabbits and squirrels away.  Fake owls did not work for us.

45. Jazz music fan: HEPCAT.

47. Attacks: HAS AT.  This is two words.  Not a boss of a Mideastern country.

48. Michelob diet beer: ULTRA.

49. He broke Ruth's home run record: MARIS. Yes I remember.  He broke the season record of 60.  Hank Aaron broke the career record of 714.  Then a few others broke the performance enhancement drug record in the nineties and 2000s.

50. Get a guffaw from: AMUSE.

51. "... mighty __ has struck out": CASEY.  There's no joy in Mudville.

53. Wooden shoe: SABOT.  This is not the boss of a Mideastern country either.

56. Way in the woods: PATH.

57. Weizman of Israel: EZER.

59. Unit of resistance: OHM.  I think gold has the least resistance to electric current, but it costs more than copper.

60. Animal house: ZOO.  Someone told me it's all happening at the ____.

Boomer

Monday April 2, 2018 Brock Wilson

Theme: LEADING QUESTION (62A. It's designed to elicit a certain answer ... or where the end of 17-, 25- and 47-Across may be found) -The end of each theme entry can precede "Question".

17A. Made it possible (for) : LEFT THE DOOR OPEN. Open question.

 

25A. Reason for "Fahrenheit 451" fires : BOOK BURNING. Burning question.

47A. Achieved desired results : DID THE TRICK. Trick question.

Boomer here.  Pleasant thoughts for Argyle and best wishes to all for a pleasant Easter season.  Here in nasty old Minneapolis, we had about three inches of the white stuff on Saturday with a harsh cold wind.  Still waiting for Spring.

Across:

        

1. Smallest chess piece : PAWN - I have to admit that I have watched "Pawn Stars" on the history channel a few times.  Chumlee is pretty disgusting as well as the old man.  I drove by the place a few years ago when in Las Vegas, and there was a line to get in.  Curiosity seekers I suppose.  Back to chess - if you can get that pawn to the other side of the board, it becomes a queen !  A much biffer piece.

5. Intl. alliance with a phonetic alphabet : NATO - A treaty formed by 29 nations.  I think Russia is ticked off because they won't let them in.

9. Test for fit : TRY ON

14. Where to find Columbus : OHIO -  I am not so smart so I googled this and found that there are nine states in the US with a city named after Christopher.  One is in Minnesota!  Don't ask me where, I was surprised to learn this.

15. Surrounded by : AMID

16. Like a wolfman : HAIRY - Not Wolfman Jack of American Graffiti fame, and definitely not Harry Truman.

 

20. Bit of campaign ugliness : SMEAR - It was pretty ugly in 2016, could get worse in the future.

21. In a jittery way : NERVOUSLY

22. Food storage cover : LID - I use mine to cover my eyes at night.

24. Big pic from a small neg. : ENL - sigh, abbreviations

31. Yr.'s dozen : MOS - This is also an acronym for your job in the military service.  Stand for Military Occupation Specialty, I think

34. Smoothie berry : ACAI

35. Pet store cry : MEOW - There is a pet store in a mall near our home, but all I ever see in there is dogs.  Maybe the cats are in a cradle ??

36. Resell exorbitantly, as tickets : SCALP - I guess this is now legal and can be done on line.  For the recent Super Bowl in Minnesota, I think some tickets were going for over $3000.

38. Iowa crop : CORN - Since Iowa is just South of me, I have been there many times.  The corn fields stretch for miles.

39. Extreme fear : PANIC

41. First website page : HOME

42. Last Greek letter : OMEGA - There is that word again.  The acronym for older, more energetic Graybar Associates.  (Gathers every year around February at the Orleans in Las Vegas.)

44. Lucy's sitcom partner : DESI - It's interesting how sitcoms of yesteryear differ from today.  I think Archie Bunker changed things.

45. Neighborhood : AREA

46. Stark in "Game of Thrones" : NED

50. Math basics: Abbr. : NOS -- Another Abbreviation !

51. Tweeter's titter : LOL - I think "Laughing out loud" preceded twitter by 15 years or more.

52. White ursine critter : POLAR BEAR - You crossword experts must have known what Ursine is.  I thought it was something you asked a prospective date regarding the month that they were born.

58. Hand prettifiers : MANIS - Another strange animal not found in Minnesota.

64. Dickens' Drood : EDWIN

65. Garage goop : GUNK

66. Opponent : ANTI

67. Hit __: ran into trouble : A SNAG - I thought this was something that occurred in nylon stockings.  Do women wear them anymore ??

68. Wise, as advice : SAGE - I call this a spice that I load up into turkey stuffing.

69. Twice-monthly 7-Down : NEAP - It's amazing how the moon affects the ocean.  What's even more amazing is how they came up with a word like neap to describe it.

Down:

1. Seasoned senators, say : POLS

2. "If I may say something ... " : AHEM

3. Edith, to Archie : WIFE - Boy the way Glen Miller played, Songs that made the hit parade, guys like us we had it made, Those were the days.

4. Teacher's "Shh!" : NO TALKING - In high school when the room got a little noisy, I had a teacher that would say, (" I don't think I said talk, I might have, I'm not sure.")

5. "Uh-uh" : NAH

6. Confirmation from the congregation : AMEN

7. Ocean phenomenon : TIDE - Named for the Tide brothers, Spring and Neap.

8. Reason for a diaper change : ODOR - A second baseman for the Texas Rangers.  If you think that surname stinks, his given name is Rougned. 

9. Big crowds : THRONGS

10. Phantom's rival, in "The Phantom of the Opera" : RAOUL

11. Pet store cries : YIPS - I knew they had puppies in those places.

12. Baseball's Hershiser : OREL - Probably more amazing than even Sandy Koufax.  I still remember 1988 when Hershiser went 59 INNINGS without allowing a run !  He passed former Dodger Don Drysdale who had 58 2/3.  Orel went to the playoffs that year and threw 8 more zero innings but they are not a part of the official record.  There was a debate about whether the streak could be extended into 1989, but Hershiser ended the issue when he gave up a run in the first inning of 1989.

13. Big Apple address letters : NY NY.  Start spreading the news.

18. Chicago paper, for short : TRIB

19. Toaster __ : OVEN

23. Dilapidated joint : DUMP - I thought the clue was about my knees.  I have never heard a dump called a joint.  (Although there are several beer joints which could be called dumps).

25. Breakfast partner of 55-Down : BACON. 55. See 25-Down : EGGS - Forgot the hash browns and pancakes.

 26. "__, all ye faithful ... " : O COME - More of a Christmas clue than an Easter Monday clue.

27. Rowed : OARED - I am sorry but I never heard anyone say they oared a boat.  P.J. Fleck, new football coach of the Minnesota Gophers is using "Row the boat" as a team spirit slogan.  I'm sure if decided on "Oar the boat" he would be looking for a job.

28. Verify, as totals : RE-ADD - In restaurants, to verify the bill.  Many people do it on their phone.  I remember when phones had dials and were used to talk to others, from your home or office.  NOT WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING YOUR CAR !!!!

29. Octet plus one : NONET

30. "If only" : I WISH - When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are... Jiminy Cricket.

31. New Zealand native : MAORI

32. Early Mesoamerican : OLMEC

33. "Bark, Bowser!" : SPEAK - Jon Bauman is a baby boomer, only six weeks older than I.  You may know him as "Bowser" the lead singer of the group Sha Na Na.

37. Phony : CHARLATAN

40. Sky over Paris : CIEL

43. Loving and devoted, as fans : ADORING

48. Library vol. ID : ISBN - an acronym for book identification that is news to me.

49. Gobbling guys? : TOMS - Wasn't Turkey Lurkey a pal of Henny Penny ?

50. Gymnast Comaneci : NADIA - Everyone remembers Nadia.  I am surprised we don't see Olga in puzzles much.

52. Ardent request : PLEA

53. Voluminous syn. and etym. sources : OEDS. Oxford English Dictionary.

54. Mowed expanse : LAWN - Golf course has too many letters.  I would not call my lawn an expanse.

56. Water color : AQUA

57. Ladder step : RUNG - May you build a ladder to the stars and climb on every rung, and may you stay... forever young.  (Minnesota's own Robert Zimmerman.  You may know him better as Bob Dylan)

59. 29-Down count : NINE

60. Kappa preceder : IOTA - Finally, a four letter word with three vowels

61. Barbershop sound : SNIP

63. Barely make, with "out" : EKE

Boomer

Monday, December 18, 2017 ~ Brock Wilson

Theme: This - What we have here is...what we have here.

17A. Shunning public utilities and such: GOING OFF THE GRID

22A. Even-steven: ALL SQUARE

39A. Respond to cries of "Encore!": DO ANOTHER NUMBER

51A. Is totally in the dark: HAS NO CLUE

60A. Where to find the last words of 17-, 22-, 39- and 51-Across: CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Argyle here. Three spanners and a pangram; what a way to start the week. Ya' can't say this isn't in your wheelhouse.

Across:

1. Trains with a view of the street below: ELs

4. Second-string squad: B TEAM

9. Cherokee and Wrangler: JEEPs

14. VCR go-back button: REW. (rewind)

15. 1945 "Big Three" conference city: YALTA. A resort city on the south coast of the Crimean Peninsula surrounded by the Black Sea.

16. "Snowy" bird: EGRET

20. "Blame It __": Caine film: ON RIO

21. Continental coin: EURO

26. Twelfths of yrs.: MOs. (months)

29. "Say what?" responses: "HUH?"s

30. Horror film reaction: SCREAM

33. __ fatso: bit of Archie Bunker language-mangling: IPSO. (ipso facto)

37. World games org.: IOC. (International Olympic Committee)

38. Oktoberfest dance: POLKA

43. Delivery doc: OBGYN. (Obstetrics and gynecology) Don't most people pronounce this by the letters, oh-be-gee-why-en?

44. Prefix with natal: NEO. Neonatal: Pertaining to the newborn.

45. Breathe like a hot dog: PANT

46. "You can't leave this way" sign: [NO EXIT]

48. Soprano superstar: DIVA

50. Notepad file extension: TXT. (text file)

56. Classic 900 automaker: SAAB

                            prototype Saab 92.001

58. No-brainer: CINCH

66. Cry of dismay from Charlie Brown: "AAUGH!"

67. Grape holders: VINES

68. McKellen of "X-Men": IAN

69. Minor, as a complaint: PETTY

70. Online social appointment: eDATE

71. Z's 10, in Scrabble: Abbr.: PTs. (points)

Down:

1. Therefore: ERGO

2. British pop singer Lewis: LEONA. I linked it but couldn't watch it.

3. Ice cream pattern: SWIRL

4. "Golly!": "BY GOSH!"

5. Lao Tzu principle: TAO

6. Helper in Santa's workshop: ELF. Couldn't do it without them (but don't say I said that).

7. Justice Dept. arm: ATF. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

8. Mom in Middlesex: MATER. Steve, help!

9. Sound of bleachers discontent: JEER

10. Toaster waffle choice: EGGO

11. Goof: ERR

12. Architect I.M. __: PEI

13. Par for the course: Abbr.: STD. (standard)

18. Zero, in soccer: NIL

19. Color variations: HUES

23. Storm out of work for good: QUIT

24. "Oops!": "UH-OH!"

25. Climbs: ASCENDS

26. Word before toast or after peach: MELBA

27. Like the old bucket of song: OAKEN. If you watch it on YouTube, the whole poem is listed below it.

28. Intelligent: SMART

31. PC brain: CPU. (central processing unit)

32. Easy victory: ROMP

33. "__ get it": I DON'T

34. Mail dely. compartment: PO BOX

35. Bob of "Fuller House": SAGET

36. Black gem: ONYX

40. Covert maritime org.: ONI. (Office of Naval Intelligence)

41. Equestrian strap: REIN

42. De __: again: NOVO. “from the new.”

47. Melt: THAW

49. Point a finger at: ACCUSE

52. Below's opposite: ABOVE

53. Actress Taylor, familiarly: LIZ. Oh, those eyes!

54. Open, as a ski suit: UNZIP

55. Brilliant display: ECLAT

56. NCO rank: SSGT. (Staff Sergeant)

57. Like used fireplaces: ASHY

59. Coop layers: HENS

60. Baseball hat: CAP

61. Charlotte of "The Facts of Life": RAE. (Mrs Garrett)

62. On a date, say: OUT

63. Unburdened (of): RID

64. "CSI" evidence: DNA

65. Family dog, e.g.: PET

Argyle