Friday, July 20, 2018, Bruce Haight

Title: There is no "I" in  TEAM and no ME in this "puzzle"!

Bruce returns to the Friday stage with a letter extraction effort. Seeing the commonality for this theme was very tricky as the remaining words- GAS, ROO, CODY, and  E.T.S do not help. This is why he included the reveal which I hope was enough to get you going. I enjoyed the whole effort very much. To make all of this happen, he uses a 16 column grid and has two grid spanners resulting in a grid only an X away from a pangram. With 4 theme fill and a reveal, he uses the customary 3rd/13th row, with a word in the middle. And the extra words in the bigger format allowed for such fun fill like AS A TEAM,  BAR SEAT, BIG ASKS, KEEPERS,  ON A DIET, OSMOSED, QUE PASA,  ROADIES, ROSE TEA, SEASIDE, TRINITY, and WIG SHOP. So let's see what it all added up to.

18A. Torch fuel?: GAMES OF THE OLYMPIAD (16). The Olympic torch starts the Games and this puzzle.

25A. Tragedy involving a Milne character?: ROMEO AND JULIET (12). You have to love seeing that taking the ME out of ROMEO left ROO, the baby kangaroo in the Winnie the Pooh stories. ROO and Juliet was a fun image.

37A. Drawing by Buffalo Bill?: COMEDY SKETCH (9). You need to recall his last name was Cody and work backward to get this one.

53A. Spectator sport aboard a UFO?: WRESTLING MEETS (12). This one was hard knowing the gimmick, as picturing E.T. wrestling took some imagination.

And the reveal

61A. "No comment!" ... and a hint to four puzzle answers: LEAVE ME OUT OF THIS(16). A very fair reveal. 

Across:

1. Looking to start something new, maybe: BORED. I hope this did not leave any of you bored.

6. Syria's Bashar al-__: ASSAD. Obviously to discuss this man would involve politics.

                                                                          LINK.

11. Ed. promoters: PTAS. Parent Teacher Associations.

15. Combined: IN ONE. The first of much multi-word fill.

16. Some Strads: CELLI. I did not know Stradavarius made a Cello, but you can still BUY one.

17. Minor overhead?: URSA. Our astronomy clue of the day.

21. Refreshing drinks: ADES. Yea me. There is a "me" in this puzzle, it is a CSO.

22. Georgetown athlete: HOYA. The team name is derived from the mixed Greek and Latin chant "Hoya Saxa" (meaning "What Rocks"), which gained popularity at the school in the late nineteenth century. The name "Hoyas" came into use in the 1920s.

23. Is not wrong?: AIN'T. Is not = ain't.

24. Rest, in a way: SIT.

29. Things to hang onto: KEEPERS.

31. Suffer: AIL.

32. Can opener: TAB. Sadly, this brings to mind the recent demise of this teen idol.

                                                                               LINK.
33. Reserved: STAID.

34. Noble title: EARL.

36. Sylvia of jazz: SYMS. I have no memory of this SINGER who died while performing at the Oak Room at the Plaza. Apparently, she was a favorite of Sinatra.

41. Spit spots, for short: BBQS. This is what I think of.

44. Smidge: IOTA.

45. "In what way?": HOW SO?

49. Greek cross: TAU.

50. Decline: SAG.

51. Amp transporters: ROADIES. Some of my favorite people were the workers who made rock and roll work.

57. Whale group: GAM. I read the definition (rare) a school of whales, porpoises, or dolphins. I have always thought of this word from noir detective fiction book covers. Hey Splynter.

58. Fix, as a toy: SPAY.  Poor puppy.

59. A pop: EACH.

60. Gulf Canada alternative: ESSO.

65. Facility: EASE.

66. 1951 Reagan co-star: BONZO.

67. Cell terminal: ANODE. Not A NODE, but it is...

68. Slightly: A TAD.

69. Burden-bearing beasts: ASSES.

70. Supported, as a weak ankle: TAPED. It does not have to be weak.


Down:

1. Major requests: BIG ASKS.

2. Losing purposely: ON A DIET.

3. Floral brew: ROSE TEA. My mother, may she rest in peace worked as an OB-GYN nurse for many years and recommended this tea for her patients for its HEALTH BENEFITS.

4. Son of Seth: ENOS. Grandson of Adam reappears a few weeks after being in a Friday JW. C.C. clued using Mr. Slaughter of baseball.

5. Dict. offering: DEFinition.

6. Ones bringing blessings?: ACHOOS. I like this clue/fill even if it is been done many times before.

7. "Later!": SEE YA.

8. "McSorley's Bar" artist: SLOAN. I did not remember the ARTIST but do the BAR.

9. From A to Z: ALL.

10. Handy initials: DIY. Do It Yourself. Not I.

11. Star __: PUPIL. This was so random, but it was already filled by the perps.

12. Fundamental doctrine of Christianity: TRINITY. Three in one.

13. Together: AS A TEAM. I love this being in this puzzle.

14. Down: SAD.

19. Superhero with a hammer: THOR.

20. Spike __: railroad worker's tool: MAUL. This word is back again in a new context.

25. More than fix up: RE-DO.

26. Take the plunge: DARE.

27. Dump: JILT.

28. "Conan"channel: TBS. Does anyone watch him any more?

30. Snaps: PICS.

34. No. from a builder: ESTimate.

35. Sometimes called, for short: AKA. Also Known As.

36. Booted, say: SHOD.

38. Lifebuoy competitor: DIAL. Soap.

39. Classic Yankee nickname: YOGI. Mr. BERRA.

40. Chuck alternative: CHAS.

41. "Incidentally," in texts: BTW. By The Way.

42. It's often a high chair: BAR SEAT. Barstool is the more common term and it has only been clued before as "Stool typically (or often).

43. Granada greeting: QUE PASA. A reference to this Spanish CITY.

46. Top secret store?: WIG SHOP. The idea is that you do not let people know you are wearing a wig- a secret about your top. Witty.

47. Coast: SEASIDE.

48. Diffused through a membrane: OSMOSED. Do we all remember OSMOSIS from high school?

50. Ophthalmologist's concern: STYE. This common infection in the eyelid normally does not require a specialist, as most styes do not require medical care and tend to go away on their own,

51. Right-hand pages: RECTOS. We have had this TERM recently.

52. Second emperor after Nero: OTHO. I only know this obscure man from my oldest son's education. Otho was Roman emperor from January to April 69 CE. Immediately after the assassination of Galba, Otho, the governor of Lusitania, was proclaimed emperor by the army. He was the second emperor of the Year of the Four Emperors.

54. Backed up: SAVED.

55. Bright signs: NEONS.

56. First-aid kit item: GAUZE.

60. Sicilian tourist attraction: ETNA.

61. Field: LEA.

62. Finance deg.: MBA. Master of Business Administration.

63. Sister of the moon goddess Selene: EOS. There was a time when I had this goddess of the DAWN often in my Friday write-ups.

64. Thick: FAT. A tough way to end.


Bruce never disappoints; he makes us work but entertains as we go. We are already a month into summer, and more than halfway through 2018. Wow. Thank BH and all of you. Lemonade out.

Note from C.C.: 

Our Chicago Crossword Corner regulars met for lunch yesterday. Abejo said they "had a great time and gabbed for nearly four hours."

  

Left to Right: Abejo (Bradley), WikWak  (Chuck), Madame DeFarge (Janice) and TTP  (Tom)

Tuesday, July 10, 2018 Bruce Haight

"DJ Set"

18. Ideal occupations: DREAM JOBS. Job recruiters promise them.

20. Scrambled words newspaper game: DAILY JUMBLE.  Disorganized units of language in a game format, with a helpful illustration.

38. Fashionably ripped denim: DISTRESSED JEANS.  Often expensive.

55. Copier malfunction: DOCUMENT JAM.  Always annoying.

59. Off-color humor: DIRTY JOKE.  Mostly bawdy.

50. Track mix for a party, and what the five longest Across answers comprise: DJ SET.  Disc Jockey playlist selections.

Bruce struck a chord today. 

I was pleased to meet WERV FM 95.9 "The River" DJ Scott Mackay while golfing in the Ronald McDonald House charity golf outing a couple of weeks ago.    Great guy and a good golfer.  95.9 "The River" is the station I listen to in the mornings.   And today I get to play DJ.  Hope you'll find a song or two to like in my playlist.
 
Across:

1. Chatting online, for short: IM'ing.  Instant Messaging.  User to user communication on PCs, versus texting and messaging apps on mobile phones.  The terms are used somewhat interchangeably.

6. Little troublemakers: IMPS.

10. Invitation letters: RSVP.  "Répondez s'il vous plaît"    Victor Barocas had both S'IL and VOUS in Sunday's crossword that C.C. reviewed.

14. Indiana hoopster: PACER. The top Indiana Pacers of all time.

15. Like frat brothers: MALE.

16. Keep __: persist: AT IT.  Don't stop. 


17. Fast train in the Northeast: ACELA.  Amtrak's flagship train service.  The name is a derivation of acceleration and excellence.

22. Crosswalk user, briefly: PED.  Pedestrian.


23. Prodigal __: SON.

24. Garden tools: HOES.

25. Hosp. drips: IVS.

27. Vaudeville bit: GAG.

28. Car music source: FM RADIO.  FM (No Static At All) "is a complex jazz-rock composition driven by its bass, guitar and piano parts" by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen.  The song was written as the title track for the movie FM.   Some claim the movie was the basis for the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati.  In the movie, a group of DJs take control of L.A. radio station QSKY in protest of having to play more commercials.  


32. Baghdad native: IRAQI.

35. Mystical glow: AURA.

37. Eyeglasses glass: LENS.  The new glasses are helping.

41. So totally gross: ICKY.  How I felt at the end of each day last Friday and Saturday after staining the house and the deck railing for 10 hours.

42. Fencing sword: EPEE.

43. "Therefore ... ": AND SO.   I received this advice when first starting a stint as a guest instructor:
1) Tell them what you are going to tell them,
2) Tell them,  and then
3) Tell them what you told them.

44. Matthew and Mark wrote two of them: GOSPELS.

46. Pained cries: OWS.

47. Gave lunch to: FED.

48. Surrealist Salvador: DALI.   "...from 1929 to 1937 he produced the paintings which made him the world’s best-known Surrealist artist.  He depicted a dream world in which commonplace objects are juxtaposed, deformed, or otherwise metamorphosed in a bizarre and irrational fashion."

50. Ike's monogram: DDE.

53. Medical ins. plan: HMO.

61. Get ready to hit the road: GAS UP.


62. Chicago paper, familiarly: TRIB.  The Chicago Tribune, the flagship newspaper of the one-time Tribune Company.  

63. Sign of the future: OMEN.

64. "__ you ready yet?": AREN'T. 

65. November honorees: VETS.

66. Get fresh with: SASS.

67. Moth-eaten: TATTY.

Down:

1. Apple tablets: IPADS.

2. Chinese gambling mecca: MACAO.  The "Las Vegas of Asia."

Perhaps Las Vegas should be called the "Macao of the United States" ?

3. Strand at the ski lodge, maybe: ICE IN.

4. Women's basketball analyst Fortner: NELL.  USA Basketball Women's National Team coach on the 1996 Olympics Gold Medal team, and then Head Coach of the 2000 Olympics Gold Medal team.   Now an ESPN analyst.  Summary info on Wikipedia.

5. It may be a result of stress, some say: GRAY HAIR.

6. "My luck HAS to change!": I'M DUE.


7. Quaint schoolteachers: MARMS.

8. Roman commoner: PLEB.

9. __ the deal: SEAL.

10. Indian friend of TV's Sheldon: RAJ.

11. Comes to a complete halt: STOPS DEAD.

12. Vague feeling: VIBE.   "The DJ was central to the ritual of 1970s dance culture, but the dancing crowd was no less important, and it was the combination of these two elements that created the conditions for the dance floor dynamic.  A good DJ didn't only lead dancers along his or her... preferred musical path, but would also feel the mood of the dance floor and select records according to this energy (which could be communicated by the vigor of the dancing, or level of the crowd's screams, or sign language of dancers directed towards the booth).  This communication--described by Sarah Thornton, in her early analysis of late 1980s and 1990s dance culture, as "the vibe"--amounted to a form of synergistic music-making in which separate elements combined to create a mutually beneficial and greater whole." Beyond the Hustle...

13. Condition once called "shell shock," for short: PTSD.  Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder  National Institute of Mental Health information

19. Israel's Golda: MEIR.

21. Trot: JOG.

26. "Donna" singer Ritchie: VALENS.


DJ Bob Hale, who was the MC for the concert, agrees that the coin flip was between Allsup and Valens.

27. One usually dressed for success: GQ TYPE.    A smartly dressed, well groomed and mannered man.   GQ magazine, a Conde Nast publication,  was formerly Gentlemen's Quarterly, promoted as  "The latest tips and advice for men on style, grooming, fitness, best products, travel destinations and more."

28. Liberate: FREE.

29. Alfred E. Neuman magazine: MAD.


30. Road trip stopovers: INNS.

31. __ buco: veal dish: OSSO.

32. Beatnik's "Gotcha!": I DIG. I can dig it, he can dig it, she can dig it, we can dig it, they can dig it, you can dig it. Oh, let's dig it. Can you dig it, baby?


or:



33. Puerto __: RICO.

34. Ignores warnings to behave, say: ASKS FOR IT.

35. Once-sacred snakes: ASPS.

36. Employ: USE.


39. Long, thin fish: EEL.

40. Talking endlessly to: JAWING AT.

45. Whirlpool: EDDY.  Could have been clued as twangy guitarist Duane ___ .  Here's a 1986 remake of Henry Mancini's Peter Gunn. 


46. Fútbol fan's cry: OLE.  Little chance chance for a mondegreen in the lyrics of this one.

48. Noblemen below princes: DUKES.

49. Chorus from the pews: AMENS.

51. Intimidate: DAUNT.

52. Running on __: EMPTY.


53. RCA product: HDTV.

54. Swampy area: MIRE.

56. Spanish eyes: OJOS. 


57. Deep sleep: COMA.


58. "Sharknado" actress Reid: TARA.

60. Atlanta-based cable channel: TBS.  Turner Broadcasting System. 

Note from C.C.

Owen has started a Jumble blog, please click here for your daily discussions.

Thursday, May 31 2018 Bruce Haight

Theme: Thievery - Five synonyms, five plural nouns, five common phrases clued punningly.

19A. Steal items on parking lot windshields?: LIFT TICKETS. I got a ticket recently when I forgot that it was Saturday, not Sunday, when I went to get breakfast at the deli on Ventura Boulevard - the meters are free on Sundays. Then I forgot to pay the darn thing until it was a day too late and the charge doubled. That was one expensive plate of pastrami & eggs.

24A. Steal kitchen tools?: POCKET KNIVES. You'd make a mess of your pockets if you tried to make off with mine. They're sharp.

40A. Steal plastic?: SWIPE CREDIT CARDS. Will "swipe" cease to be a thing when all cards have chips and all readers have a slot in which to insert the card?

53A. Steal wishing well money?: PINCH PENNIES. Or redistribution of wealth, depending on how you look at it.

64A Steal watch components?: PALM SPRINGS. LCD's, batteries and solid-state movements don't work so well.

I sprinted through the top half, then waded through treacle for the bottom half of this one. The theme is solid and the grid is stretched to accommodate the 16-letter grid spanner across the center, so there's a slightly-unusual 16x15 layout today.

Across:

1. Tax time VIPs: CPA'S

5. GE competitor: AMANA. Kitchen appliance showdown.

10. "Stranger Things" actress: RYDER. The first actress/actor of the day I've never heard of.

15. A studio may be in one: LOFT

16. Doughnut-shaped: TORIC

17. Line from the heart: AORTA

18. Folksy Guthrie: ARLO

21. Bottleneck problem: SNARL

23. Neatened a bit: TIDIED UP

28. Fashion icon London: STACY. "What Not To Wear" personality.

29. Adjective for fighter Joe Frazier: SMOKIN'

34. Drivel: ROT

37. Hold responsible: BLAME

39. Western casino city: RENO

45. Trattoria bar order: VINO. Rosso or bianco. Or rosato.

46. Island east of Java: TIMOR. The sovereign state of East Timor is on the eastern part of the island (!) and Indonesia occupies the west.

47. Reuben bread: RYE. I had rye bread with my aforementioned expensive breakfast.

48. Lassie, for one: PET DOG

51. Sushi bar array: TUNAS. Back to the fish plural debate. I say "tuna" for both one and many.

59. Have an average day on the links?: SHOOT PAR. In my dreams. My average day looks a LOT different from that.

63. Buddy: KIDDO

68. "Voilà!": TADA! Beloved of online crossword solvers everywhere.

69. __ planner: EVENT

70. French film award: CÉSAR

71. Crispy snack: CHIP. CHEX, my first thought, didn't work too well.

72. Synthesizer brand: CASIO

73. Intense exams: ORALS

74. Breaks up a plot: HOES. Nice clue.

Down:

1. Necklace part: CLASP

2. X-rated stuff: PORNO. Not the first time in the LAT, but this is one of those entries that I'm surprised that Rich lets go.

3. Company whose mascot uses fowl language: AFLAC

4. Wading birds: STORKS

5. Only city from which two NHL hockey teams relocated (both went to Canada): ATL. I didn't think twice about this and I'm not even a particularly keen hockey fan. The Atlanta Flames went to Calgary (now I think about it, the name makes sense, I thought it was something to do with oilfield fires.) The Thrashers went to Winnipeg and became the second incarnation of the Jets.

6. "You can't mean me!": MOI

7. 48-Across sound: ARF

8. Capone henchman: NITTI. I knee-jerked GOTTI first before I had to unpick part of it.

9. When the "Macbeth" witches add "eye of newt": ACT IV. With the V in place, nothing else could work.

10. Subject of the film "42": RACISM

11. Farm link: YOKE. Ox-to-ox link, making yoked oxen.

12. 1857 litigant Scott: DRED

13. Caesar's last gasp: ET TU. Nice connection with the neighboring 20D

14. Rough file: RASP

20. Caesar's last day: IDES

22. Don't bother: LET BE. LET GO at first. Didn't work.

25. Powder source: TALC

26. 1980s Chrysler offering: K-CAR. Look at those sleek, elegant lines and the subtle color palette:

27. Citi Field MLBer: NY MET

30. "... boy __ girl?": OR A

31. Actress Deborah: KERR

32. 500 nickname: INDY

33. Wine quality: NOSE

34. Short answer?: RSVP. "Answer" in the sense of the instruction. Yes, No or Maybe are the answers.

35. Boo-boo: OWIE

36. Shade: TINT

38. Gloria's mom in '70s TV: EDITH. Bunker. Of course I knew this. (I didn't).

41. Okra unit: POD

42. Morning mumble: I'M UP. Alright, already.

43. Shade: TONE. 36D clecho.

44. Model T feature: CRANK. My Dad's first car had a starting handle as backup for when the battery went flat, a not-unusual occurrence.

49. Decides one will: OPTS TO

50. Reagan role in a Notre Dame football movie: GIPP. "Rock ..."

52. Teller?: SNITCH

54. DEA cop: NARCO

55. Old news source: CRIER. Oyez! Oyez!

56. State bordering six others and the Canadian mainland: IDAHO. Didn't we see this self-same clue a few weeks ago?

57. Redmayne of "The Theory of Everything": EDDIE. Thank you, crosses.

58. Some daytime TV: SOAPS

59. Building guideline: SPEC

60. "__ Nagila": HAVA

61. World Cup cheers: OLES

62. Potent start?: OMNI

65. Govt. code crackers: N.S.A. I recently hired a new analyst who previously worked for the N.S.A - her office was in a bunker on Oahu. Nice place to live, but you're still working in a bunker.

66. Square dance dancer: GAL

67. H.S. yearbook section: SR'S Seniors. Adios!

I picked up a potential new client from one of the recent Vegas expos. They're based in Australia. I smell some long-haul air travel in my tea leaves.

With that, here's the grid and g'day mates!

Steve

Tuesday April 24, 2018 Bruce Haight

Theme: Over and Over Again

 I’ve been called up from the minors to pinch-hit for TTP who’s been standing in for Argyle (How ya doin’, Marine?). Bruce gave us a nice early-week challenge with “over” split within the theme answers – twice as O-VER and twice as OVE-R: consistent.

17. Video game preview: DEMO VERSION. No “beta” this morning.

23. Exemplary: ABOVE REPROACH.

38. Romantic jewelry item: LOVE RING. Is this really a thing?

48. Latin phrase about certain effects of alcohol: IN VINO VERITAS. (Words that Tin lives by.)

And the reveal…

59. Social sin ... and what 17-, 23-, 38- and 48-Across are guilty of?: OVER SHARING. 

 Let’s see what else Bruce has hidden in the grid for our amusement.

Across:

1. __ jacket: soldier's protection: FLAK. 

5. Reeded woodwinds: OBOES. Hello again, old friend.

10. Like some humor: WRY. Could’a been DRY – I waited for the perps to decide.

13. NASA prefix: AERO.

14. Grow fond of: WARM TO.

16. Elisabeth who played Finlay on "CSI": SHUE. She was good in the role. You may remember her as Jennifer from Back To The Future II and III. She was a little younger then, but so were we.

 

19. Window section: PANE.

20. Naturally bright: SKYLIT. My thoughts were in the intelligence vein.

21. College sr.'s test: GRE. Anyone else misread the clue and ink in SAT?

22. Elevator name: OTIS. He had his ups and downs.

27. Commercial cow: ELSIE. She’s buried in New Jersey.

30. Before, in verse: ERE.

31. Many Louvre paintings: OILS. Perhaps the most famous is the Mona Lisa. She’s hung in the Louvre for more than 200 years.

32. Columnist Maureen: DOWD. NYT readers know her well.

33. End of most work wks.: FRI. Unless you’re a homemaker...

34. Arresting image?: MUGSHOT. Tried GUMSHOE first. Don’t ask why.

37. Boxing legend: ALI.

40. "A Wrinkle in Time" director DuVernay: AVA. She was the first black woman to direct an Oscar nominated film. Here’s a short two-minute film about that.

41. Sewer entrance: MANHOLE.

43. Past its prime: OLD. CSO to moi, among others who hang out here.

44. "My turn!": I’M UP.

45. Soccer score: GOAL.

46. Mineo of film: SAL. Best known for his role in Rebel Without A Clue with James Dean.

47. Muse of memory: MNEME.

52. Johns, to Elton: LOOS. Similar to “John of London” – Elton.

53. Finish in front: WIN. I was looking for a prefix which meant “finish.” D’oh!

54. Long look: EYEFUL. 

58. Riga resident: LETT. Riga is the capital of Latvia, one of the Baltic states. Latvians are called LETTs, and a third of ‘em live in Riga. I always get those three small countries mixed up: Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.

62. Significant others, in modern slang: BAES. Was sure this had to be wrong. Nope. Urban Dictionary says it’s a dialectical pronunciation of “Babe.” Others claim it’s an acronym for Best At Everything. I don’t plan to use it anytime soon.

63. __ Creed: NICENE. The Apostle’s Creed is a watered down version.

64. Windy City daily, familiarly: TRIB. The famed Tribune Tower had been home to the newspaper since 1925. The Gothic spires at the top look like they belong on a cathedral. At street level the facade is decorated with 149 stones from around the world – places like the Taj Mahal, the Hagia Sofia, the Parthenon, the Great Pyramid and the Alamo. If there’s a “the” in the place name, there’s probably a stone from it in the tower. The building was recently sold. It’s to be turned into condo units.

65. Take a wrong turn, say: ERR.

66. "Spider-Man" actor Willem: DAFOE. He’s originally from Appleton, not far from where I grew up.

67. Racy Snapchat message: SEXT.

Down:

1. Passing fancies: FADS.

2. Oniony soup ingredient: LEEK. It’s an onion relative. They’re both alliums; garlic is too.

3. Military force: ARMY.

4. Powdered drink mix brand: KOOL-AID. 6. Place for mixed drinks: BAR.

5. Be a debtor of: OWE TO.

7. Surgery ctrs.: ORS.

8. Political refugee: EMIGRE. Our shores are not as welcoming as they once were.

9. Shop: STORE.

10. "Such sad news!": WHAT A SHAME! Bummer was too long.

11. Written in mystical, ancient letters: RUNIC. 

12. "Holy moly!": YEESH. I’ve heard sheesh (hiya, Jayce), but I don’t recognize yeesh.

15. Candy box size: ONE POUND.

16. Thread holders: SPOOLS.

18. Vague sense: VIBE.

24. Liveliness: VERVE. Verve records has the worlds largest jazz catalogue including the likes of Stan Getz, Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald.

25. Of the Great Lakes, only Ontario is smaller than it: ERIE. And it’s back again!

26. Diana of "Game of Thrones": RIGG. I remember her best as the alluring Emma Peel in the ‘60s TV series The Avengers with Patrick Macnee.

27. Mild cheese: EDAM. 

28. Kinks title woman with "a dark brown voice": LOLA. In one episode Patrick plays Basil and Diana plays Lola, “a slutty, gum-smacking, ale-swilling tart.” Those Brits have a way with the language. 

29. Campaign ad target: SWING VOTER. 

33. Naturally evolving: FOLLOW ON. Awkward.

34. Pop's __ Vanilli: MILLI.

35. Fertility clinic egg: OVUM.

36. Sticky strip: TAPE. So easy. Why couldn’t I think of it?

38. Interlibrary __: LOAN. There must be a better way to clue this.

39. Strong sound from the savanna: ROAR.

42. Raises, as a sail: HOISTS. That word always makes me think of “Hoist by one’s own petard.” After reading the explanation, I still don’t know what it means.

44. Newspaper extras: INSERTS.

46. New York lake named for a Five Nations tribe: SENECA. One of the “Finger Lakes” (Hi, Spitz and I.M.)

47. Yucatán native: MAYA. One of five major Mexican civilizations. How many of the others can you name? (Answers below)

48. "Gee!": I'LL BE.

49. Musical shortcoming: NO EAR. I have a good ear, but I can’t carry a tune. I used to play a mean phonograph, though.

50. Brightly colored: VIVID. NEON was too short.

51. Snicker: TEHEE.

55. Send packing: FIRE.

56. Computer operating system: UNIX. Created in the ‘70s by AT&T’s Bell Labs. It’s still around with several spin-off descendants.

57. Pride Month letters: LGBT. Lesbian, Gay, Bi- and Trans.

60. NBA official: REF.

61. __ Balls: Hostess treats: SNO.

The other four civilizations are Olmec, Teotihuacan, Toltec and Aztec.

With C.C.’s help, the grid will now magically appear below. Desper-otto OVER and out.

Thursday, April 12 2018 Bruce Haight

Theme: Hard Ates. I'm in Las Vegas, so "ates the hard way" was little craps-inspiration. Except there's no such thing. Sometimes when the reveal is so slick naming the theme becomes a challenge. Which I failed. Moving on:

17A. Carnivores: MEAT EATERS. That's me.

24A. Appliance needed for a hot bath: WATER HEATER

38. Latvia and Lithuania, once: SATELLITE STATES. Satellite states of the old Soviet Union.

47A. 2015 NFL controversy involving air pressure: DEFLATEGATE The Watergate cover-up has a lot to answer for, but at least you know that the latest "gate" is a controversy. The equipment manager for the New England Patriots was accused of letting air out of the match balls that QB Tom Brady would throw that game.

58A. It consists of a couple of couples ... and, when divided differently, a hint to something hidden in 17-, 24-, 38- and 47-Across: DOUBLE DATE. When divided differently, we get "DOUBLED ATE" for the very neat reveal.

I think this is a great puzzle from Bruce. The theme entries are snappy and the reveal is genuinely clever. Even with the quite heavy themage, Bruce still finds a way to add eight- and ten-letter entries in the downs.

We bloggers were discussing the quality of the fill in the LA Times, which C.C. describes as "gluey" on occasion, a polite term for "not very good". There's very little glue in the fill today, this is a high-quality puzzle.

Let's see what jumps out:

Across: 

1. Jay-Z output: RAP CD

6. Reach great heights: SOAR

10. Attempt: STAB

14. White house?: IGLOO. Nice clue!

15. Fair: EXPO

16. Bear in the heavens: URSA. Two sizes of bear up there. Bear Major and Bear Minor. Sounds like two brothers at private school (or public school in the UK, which is the very opposite of what you would think it means).

19. Invite abbr.: BYOB. Bring your own B(ottle) or B(ooze). I'm not sure I'd be terribly impressed if I received an invitation that actually told me to bring a bottle. BYOB restaurants are great, you can take a great bottle of wine and not get held hostage by the wine list prices.

20. Job application fig.: S.S.N. Do you put your Social Security Number on a job application? I'm not sure this is a thing.

21. Hang around: STAY

22. "National Velvet" sister: EDWINA. Solid crosses filled this in for me. I saw the movie starring Elizabeth Taylor many moons ago.

26. Got the ball rolling?: PUTTED

30. Smooth-talking: OILY

31. "60 Minutes" regular: STAHL. Moderator Lesley.

32. Improvised jazz part: VAMP

34. Element Prometheus stole from Olympus: FIRE. Didn't go well, I seem to recall.

41. Harbinger of spring: THAW

42. "Beetle Bailey" dog: OTTO

43. 1990s-2000s skating champ Slutskaya: IRINA. I always try IRENA first and have to correct it when the cross doesn't work.

44. Davenport's place: IOWA

46. 1974 hit with Spanish lyrics: ERES TU. "It's you". Great 70's video, lots of camera-staring and men with questionable facial hair. I don't recognize the song, I have to confess.

52. Italy's __ Coast: AMALFI. This has been a regular reference recently, it seems.

53. Like arf and meow: ORAL. Fiendish clue. Very nice.

54. Hallucinogenic letters: LSD. Lysergic acid diethylamide

57. "Pleeease?": CAN I?

61. Writer Shere: HITE. Writer on feminism and women's sexuality.

62. Avant-garde: EDGY

63. Font flourish: SERIF. The default font on the blog is a "serif'ed" one.

64. "Regrettably ... ": ALAS

65. Grasps: SEES

66. Like horror films: SCARY

Down: 

1. What "nothin' but net" shots don't touch: RIMS. No clanging on the basketball hoop. Just a swish as the ball goes through.

2. Periods: AGES
.
3. Not leave things to chance: PLAN

4. Foldable bed: COT

5. Succeeds: DOES WELL

6. Tuned to: SET AT

7. Daisy variety: OX-EYE. Pretty things.

8. Car ad abbr.: APR. Interest rate on the loan. You pay cash, no loan, no APR.

9. Botanical source of vitamin C: ROSE HIPS.

10. Commuter's cost: SUBWAY FARE. Could also be the picnic you eat on a long commute on the subway.

11. "Have a taste": TRY IT!

12. In harmony: AS ONE

13. Kiddie lit elephant: BABAR. The perfect gentleman, always doffed his hat to a lady. Which prompts a question - can you doff anything other than your hat? If you can't, the "his hat" part of the phrase is redundant, you should just "doff". If you can doff other stuff, what does doffing your shoe look like? We should be told.

18. Somewhat: A TAD

23. __ Taco: DEL. Not your first choice of venue for taco dining in Los Angeles

25. Lover of Shakespeare?: ROMEO. Nice cluing.

26. Sibilant "Yo!": PSST!

27. Its motto is "Industry": UTAH. Thanks, crosses.

28. "Cheerio!": TA-TA!

29. Jittery condition: THE WILLIES. Loved this one.

32. Curriculum __: résumé: VITAE. CV is the term in the UK and elsewhere for your job history.

33. Brief writer, briefly: ATT. Attorney. Took me a while to see this one.

35. Words before and after "what": IT IS

36. Dollars for quarters: RENT

37. Biblical twin: ESAU

39. Good times for beachcombing: LOW TIDES

40. Indefatigable: TIRELESS

45. Lummox: OAF

46. Lat. shortener: ET AL. Et alia if you want to be long-winded about it.

47. Russian country house: DACHA

48. Online message: EMAIL

49. Crush rival: FANTA. Fizzy fruit-flavored drinks. Fanta is most often associated with the orange version, but there are more than 100 flavors worldwide.
.
50. Overcharge but good: GOUGE

51. Chain known for roast beef: ARBY'S. "We Have The Meats"

54. Actress __ Flynn Boyle: LARA. Best known for her role in Twin Peaks, she appeared in all the episodes.

55. Show signs of life: STIR. I wasn't sure I'd be showing signs of life this morning. I'm at a convention in Las Vegas and last night was the industry association party at a nightclub. With an open bar. I actually felt rather jaunty.

56. Stand up to: DEFY

59. Laudatory poem: ODE

60. Usual Hanukkah mo.: DEC.

I think that does it for me today. Just need to add the grid and I'm done!

Steve

Tuesday, March 27, 2018 Bruce Haight and Loren Smith

Bruce Haight and Loren Smith team up to delight us with a puzzle where each of the theme answers start and stop with a W. 

18. "You think anyone cares about MY opinion?" : WHAT DO I KNOW ?

24. Boatload (of) : WHOLE SLEW

39. "Let's see here ... " : WELL NOW.

52. Overall concept of the universe : WORLD VIEW

58. Eye-of-newt concoction : WITCHES BREW

And the reveal:
49. Crammed (into) ... and, when aptly hyphenated, like 18-, 24-, 39-, 52- and 58-Across : WEDGED.  Aptly hyphenated as W-EDGED.

ACROSS:

1. "__ show time!" : IT'S.    So many movie scene choices.  This supercut that's 3:45 in duration must have taken hours to edit. 

The cited list of films.

4. Get some rays : BASK. Sunbathe.

8. Weak, excuse-wise : FLIMSY. Lame.  If it is important to you, you will find a way.  If not, you will find an excuse.

14. Stanley Cup org. : NHL.  National Hockey League. Things you might not know about the Stanley Cup

15. "See ya" : TATA.  We recently had the initialism TTFN for Ta Ta For Now.  I thought it originated as texting shorthand, but it apparently originated in the '40s.

16. Change from five stars to three, say : RERATE

17. Drink with jam and bread, in song : TEA.  Lyric in the song "Do-Re-Mi", from the movie Sound of Music.

20. Nocturnal birds : OWLS.  See 50D.

22. HBO miniseries "Big Little __" : LIES.  Haven't seen any episodes.  Wikipedia indicates it's a  mystery drama set in Monterey, CA.

23. Easy-to-scam people : SAPS

27. Caramel-filled candy : ROLO

28. "Hold the Hellmann's" : NO MAYO.  Qué ?  Tengo muchas ganas de mayo.  (see Google Translate, as required.)

29. Protein-building acid : AMINO

31. Mother in Calcutta : TERESA

35. "On the Beach" novelist Shute : NEVIL.  Thank you perps.   Found this overview of the author  Editor Eric's Greatlit: Authors and the novel.     Might be a handy site to bookmark.

36. Texter's #1 pal : BFF.   Best Friend Forever.

41. Finish : END

42. "You win" : I LOSE

44. Ophthalmologist's concern : MYOPIA.  Today's co-constructor, Bruce Haight, is "an ophthalmologist in the San Diego area, originally from Wisconsin."

46. Myanmar, once : BURMA

47. Gives the go-ahead : ALLOWS.  Also lets, but not let's.  Punctuation matters.  

51. Scent : ODOR

55. Guthrie of folk : ARLO

56. Manufacture : MAKE

57. Designer Gucci : ALDO

62. Sense of self : EGO

63. "You can say that again!" : AND HOW !   We are all looking forward to Argyle's return. AND HOW !

64. Christmas season : YULE

65. U.S. House member : REPresentative.

66. "You can say that again!" : YES YES

67. City near Tulsa : ENID.  Located about 105 miles WNW of Tulsa,  about 70 miles NNW of Oklahoma City, and about 110 miles SSW of Wichita.    Nicknamed the "Wheat Capital" of Oklahoma and the United States.

68. Radical '60s campus gp. : SDS.  Students for a Democratic Society.

DOWN:

1. Visiting the area : IN TOWN

2. "My Generation" rock band : THE WHO. OK, I could have linked the song in the clue, but decided to link "Love, Reign o'er Me" instead. The songs were ranked #3 and #5 respectively in Rolling Stones magazine's list of the Top 50 Greatest Hits by The Who.

 
3. Zigzag ski event : SLALOM

4. "Before I forget," in texts : BTW. By The Way. 

5. "Say __": doctor's directive : AAH

6. Buy time : STALL

7. Longtime "Today" co-host Couric : KATIE.

8. Some big dos : 'FROS.  Hairdos, Afros.  NBA Hall of Famer Julius Winfield Erving II. More widely known as Dr. J.

 

9. Kauai garland : LEI

10. Exasperating : IRKSOME

11. "Holy smokes!" : MAN ALIVE

12. Drop by, colloquially : STOP ON IN.  Homey. Welcoming.

13. Evergreens shrubs : YEWS

19. Drops on the grass : DEW

21. Wood strip : SLAT

25. Glasses and goggles : EYE WEAR.  Corrective and protective, and sometimes both.  An ophthalmologist, such as Dr, Bruce Haight, might recommend these.

26. Achy : SORE

27. Acted without restraint : RAN WILD

30. Overused, as jokes : OLD

32. Shade tree : ELM

33. Foxy : SLY

34. "I'll take that as __" : A NO

36. Lobster eater's protection : BIB 

37. The "F" element in CFC : FLUORINE. Chlorofluorocarbon.  CFCs are widely used as refrigerants. Not good for the ozone. Many will recognize the DuPont brand name of Freon.  Paraphrased from Wikipedia. 

38. Full-size cars of the 1960s-'80s : FORD LTDs.  A brother-in-law bought a new one in '73 or '74 after getting a significant job promotion.  The car was huge, well-appointed, and had a very comfortable ride, along with a large V-8 gas-guzzling engine that was standard equipment back in the day.

40. Lustrous white gem : OPAL

43. Kissy-kissy : SMOOCHY

45. Thomas __ Edison : ALVA

48. Persian Gulf ships : OILERS

50. Descends suddenly : SWOOPS.  Great Gray Owl swoops in for a rodent. Beautiful photograph.

52. Used to be : WAS

53. "All right, so long" : OK BYE

54. "Friends" episode, now : RERUN

55. Not 1-Down : AWAY

56. Kitty sounds : MEWS. CrossEyedDave links the best kitty cat videos, but I'll give it a shot with mews.

59. Groundbreaking invention? : HOE.  Nice clue. Also, long clue for such a short answer.

60. Quarterback Manning : ELI.  QB of the "N.Y. football Giants."   Two-time Super Bowl MVP. 

61. Marry : WED

See all y'all later n'at ! 

TTP

Thursday, March 15 2018 Bruce Haight

Theme: Beware the herds of March. A hidden word theme from Bruce, with "herd" being the concealed noun, as the reveal explains:

61A. Certain investor ... and, based on the word hidden in each, what 17-, 26-, 37- or 50-Across is? : STOCKHOLDER

And we have:

17A. Dual-purpose machine : WASHER/DRYER. I had one in my London flat, there was no room for anything bigger. When I moved to the US I was taken about by the size of the appliances, particularly that you could fit more than a six-pack of beer and a pint of milk in the fridge.

26A. End of the end of "Gone With the Wind" : ANOTHER DAY. Tomorrow is ..

37A. Lower : FURTHER DOWN. Tricky clue, could be something to do with a cow, something to do with a sail, all kinds of options.

50A. Place to order matzo ball soup : KOSHER DELI. "All kosher delis are Jewish, but not all Jewish delis are kosher". Discuss. My favorite, Katz's in New York is "kosher style".

Straightforward theme from Bruce today, the theme entries are all solid and there's some nice fill too. Let's dig in and see what we've got:

Across:

1. Croquet surfaces : LAWNS. Did you know that the full name of Wimbledon (not Wimbleton, please) where the tennis championships are held is "The All-England Wimbledon Tennis and Croquet Club?" Wimbledon is a great place. There's a golf course I've played on Wimbledon Common where golfers have to wear a red shirt or sweater so that those strolling on the Common can see them coming and be alert for miss-hit balls whistling around their ears.

6. Chic : SMART

11. Christopher A. Wray's org. : F.B.I.

14. Roundish : OVATE

15. Course without much challenge : EASY "A"

16. Neurotic cartoon dog : REN and his buddy Stimpy.

19. Trauma ctrs. : E.R.S

20. Airport limo driver's concern, briefly : E.T.A. I'm glad I didn't have a limo driver meeting me at LAX on Tuesday from Chicago. There was an engineering problem with the plane that needed to be fixed, then a snowstorm that suspended operations for a while, then a de-icing, then Air Force One was flying into LAX which always causes delays for commerical traffic, then we had to wait 20 minutes for a gate to open up. The joys of travel. Added up to about three hours late. I've had worse.

21. "Later, dude" : PEACE

22. Scrawny : GAUNT

24. One in the woods? : BABE. I had "TREE" first. I was wrong, obviously.

28. Water filter brand : BRITA

30. Socialite adopted by the media : "IT" GIRL

31. In-house trial : TEST RUN

36. Cool drink : ADE

40. Court org. : A.B.A. American Basketball Association which merged with the NBA in 1976. Coincidentally I took this picture at the NBA office in Secaucus a couple of weeks ago of a poster which shows a few of the old ABA franchises. Miami Floridians, Oakland Oaks anyone?

42. Shut the door on : EXCLUDE

43. "How pathetic!" : SO LAME!

46. "Tree of Smoke" novelist Johnson : DENIS. Unknown to me, thank you, crosses.

55. Facebook entry : POST

56. Yarn coil : SKEIN

57. Words of urgency : I MUST. There was a breast augmentation exerciser marketed in the UK when I was growing up (I'm being serious) which had the advertising tag line "I Must, I Must, Improve My Bust". I learned this from reading my mom's copy of "Woman's Own" magazine.

59. WWII battle site, for short : IWO. Jima.

60. Rock concert effect : FOG

64. Tokyo-born artist : ONO. Yoko. Food! Ono is also an alternative name for the Hawai'ian wahoo fish.

65. Jazz pianist Chick : COREA

66. Flash of light : GLEAM

67. Word with cell or cent : RED

68. Vacuum attachments : HOSES

69. Like R.L. Stine stories : SCARY. "The Stephen King of children's writing". He looks pleasant enough.

Down:

1. Serious state of decline : LOW EBB

2. Personification : AVATAR

3. Pungent condiment : WASABI. Most wasabi you find is simply horseradish with a green food coloring. I get the genuine stuff from my local Japanese market, the flavor is a little more subtle.

4. __ degree : NTH

5. Flow slowly : SEEP

6. Four-door ride, usually : SEDAN. They call 'em "saloons" in the UK.

7. Call in a pool game : MARCO. Took me a while here. I was thinking bank shot, swerve, massé, something along the billiards lines.

8. Until now : AS YET

9. Manhattan liquor : RYE

10. Walmart rival : TARGET

11. Like some revealing slips? : FREUDIAN. Not wardrobe malfunctions.

12. Name associated with alpine rescues : BERNARD. St. Bernard rescue dogs. Don't forget the schnapps!

13. Fashion magazine : IN STYLE

18. Actor Stephen : REA

23. Tango land: Abbr. : ARG. Don't cry for me.

25. Words to a traitor : ET TU? Very apt for today.

27. Vishnu worshiper : HINDU

29. Fizzy prefix : AER-

32. Take the wheel : STEER

33. Appreciative text : THX

34. __ hall : REC

35. Bus. card address : U.R.L. Universal Resource Locator.

37. Baal : FALSE GOD

38. Like 2017 : ODD. 2017 was so last year. Odd number.

39. Lose it, in a way : WEEP

40. Requests : ASKS FOR

41. Trilogy starter : BOOK ONE

44. Sushi fish : AHI

45. Decent sort : MENSCH

47. "Darned if I know" : NO IDEA

48. "Cross my heart!" : I SWEAR!

49. Tempestuous : STORMY

51. Some designer gowns : DIORS

52. Award show VIP : EMCEE

53. Haas of "Witness" : LUKAS. First came to notice playing the role of the Amish boy in this movie. He's had a pretty successful acting and music career since. I'm not sure this is the most flattering picture though:

58. Outfits : TOGS

62. And : TOO

63. Business letters : LLC. Limited Liability Company.

And - the grid.

Steve

Notes from C.C.:

Argyle had surgery yesterday. He's stable right now. I'll let you know more information soon. Please continue keeping him in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you!

Tuesday, December 12, 2017 ~ Bruce Haight

Theme: Special - Festival of Lights.

17A. Potato __: 61-Across dish: PANCAKES

19A. Items in a 59-Across lit for 61-Across: CANDLES

37A. Traditional 61-Across surprise, aptly boxed, and spelled with the only four letters of the alphabet that don't appear elsewhere in this grid: GIFT

59A. 61-Across centerpiece: MENORAH

61A. Two-millennia-old tradition that begins at sunset tonight: HANUKKAH

and an added hint to the center answer. 36A. Pack in cartons: BOX UP

Argyle here. 15x16 pangram. Visual grid.

Across:

1. 1960s presidential monogram: LBJ

4. Gremlins and Pacers: AMCs. (American Motors Corporation) Cars from the seventies.

8. Lands' End rival: L.L.BEAN

14. World Cup cry: OLÉ

15. Naked: BARE

16. Cross-referencing phrase: SEE ALSO. Very apt for today's puzzle.

20. Novelist Ferber: EDNA

21. Key with four sharps: E MAJOR

23. Wife of Jacob: LEAH

24. Fervor: ZEAL

25. Rebecca of "Risky Business": DE MORNAY

27. Relaxed condition: LOOSENESS

29. "¿__ pasa?": QUE. "What's up?"

32. One lacking manners: BOOR, not 32D. Dutch South African: BOER

34. Cowboy boot attachments: SPURS

38. Range dividing Europe and Asia: URALS

39. "You gotta be kidding": "YEESH!"

40. Rx items: MEDS

41. Coffee server: URN

42. Long-finned tunas: ALBACOREs

49. Nash priest, not beast: ONE 'L' LAMA

50. Roughly: OR SO

54. Make __ dash for: A MAD

57. Expired: LAPSED

58. Contented sounds: AAHs

63. Football rushing plays: END RUNS. Offense.

64. Greek love god: EROS

65. December 24, e.g.: EVE

66. Figured (out): SUSSED

67. Suffix with ransom: WARE

68. Org. with narcs: DEA. (Drug Enforcement Administration)

Down:

1. Pop icon Jennifer: LOPEZ. J.Lo

2. Razor insert: BLADE. I barely remember.

3. Barbara Bush's twin sister: JENNA. On left.

4. Legal org.: ABA. (American Bar Association)

5. Manage somehow: MAKE DO

6. Sweet liqueurs: CRÈMES

7. Bagel seed: SESAME

8. Finds out: LEARNS

9. Actor Cariou: LEN. Wiki. Canadian actor currently playing Henry Reagan the TV series Blue Bloods.

10. In a shoddy way: BADLY

11. She, in Paree: ELLE

12. On an ocean liner: ASEA

13. Quick snack: NOSH

16. Music for a film: SCORE

18. Hardhearted: CALLOUS

22. Actor Voight: JON

26. Take for granted: ASSUME

28. Annie, notably: ORPHAN

29. Campus hangout: QUAD

30. Addresses beginning with "http://": URLs. (Uniform Resource Locator)

31. Letter before tee: ESS

33. Plow-pulling team: OXEN

35. Washing machine cycle: PRESOAK

36. Mormon sch.: BYU. (Brigham Young University)

43. University founder Stanford: LELAND. Father of Stanford University in in Stanford, CA.

44. Malaise, with "the": BLAHS

45. Swiss peak: ALP

46. Kidney-shaped nut: CASHEW

47. 1998 Masters champ Mark: O'MEARA

48. Philadelphia suburb: RADNOR. An unincorporated community I've never heard of.

49. Smells: ODORS

51. Gathered leaves: RAKED

52. Trim whiskers: SHAVE

53. Actor Milo: O'SHEA

Milo O'Shea in Ulysses in 1967

54. Home of Iowa State: AMES

55. Diner handout: MENU

56. Added stipulations: ANDs

60. Regret: RUE

62. "__ as directed": USE

Argyle