Tuesday, March 12, 2013 Bruce Venzke and Gail Grabowski

 Theme: Acme - A synonym for acme, (high point), starts off each theme entry.

17A. Prime hours for television broadcasters : PEAK VIEWING TIME

23A. Down in the dumps : CRESTFALLEN

37A. "Greetings, Paddy!" : "TOP O' THE MORNIN'!"

53A. Moonshine, or a soda named for it : MOUNTAIN DEW

61A. Conduct observed during international negotiations : SUMMIT DIPLOMACY

Argyle here and, shore and begorrah!, a roundabout way to get an Irish greeting in! Took a couple of spanners but the job was done.

Across:

1. Zion National Park's state : UTAH

5. "Liquid diet" drinkers : SOTs. Nobody we know. ;~)

9. Low-prestige position : McJOB

14. Actress Rogers : MIMI. And competitive poker player; I did not know that.

15. Front of the boat : PROW

16. River in Lyons : SAÔNE. Oh, great, another river to remember.

20. Snorkeling spot : REEF

21. Quaint "before" : ERE

22. Scissors sound : SNIP

27. Scrape together, with "out" : EKE

28. Googler's success : HIT

29. Skinny Olive : OYL. But was she EVOO?

30. Transferred, as property : DEEDED

32. Small amount : IOTA

34. GM navigation system : ONSTAR. (OnStar)

42. List of corrections : ERRATA

43. Created, as a web : SPUN

45. Jim of "Liar, Liar" : CARREY. Canadian,; I did not know that.

48. Dreamer's acronym : REM. (rapid eye movement)

51. Dedicated lines? : ODE

52. Conquistador's treasure : ORO. (gold)

57. Connecting point : NODE

59. Game with Skip and Reverse cards : UNO. Fun for all ages.

60. Show one's pearly whites : GRIN

66. Delta rival, as it used to be called : USAIR

67. Southernmost Great Lake : ERIE

68. Top draft status : ONE A

69. Debussy's "slow" : LENTE. (French notation)

70. Studio payment : RENT

71. More-caloric egg part : YOLK. I did know that.

Down:

1. "Steee-rike!" caller : UMP. The Houston Astros will host the Texas Rangers in the first game of the 2013 regular season on Sunday, March 31 at 8 p.m. EDT.

2. Accessory with a Windsor knot : TIE

3. Liqueur sometimes used in amandine sauce : AMARETTO. Start with a trout from a clear Irish stream. amandine sauce recipes.

4. Backpackers' outings : HIKES

5. All gussied up : SPIFFY

6. Forty-niner's pay dirt : ORE. The eighteen forty-niners, looking for gold, not the footballers looking for the end zone.

7. Beach bring-along : TOWEL

8. Marble cake pattern : SWIRL

9. Flavor-enhancing additive : MSG

10. Maine Coon and Manx : CATS

11. Signed up for : JOINED

12. Ready for recording : ON MIKE. (ready or not, in some cases.)

13. Alerted, in a way : BEEPED

18. Legislative turndown : VETO. The executive branch may turn down the legislative branch.

19. Must : NEED TO

23. Ill. metropolis : CHI. Anybody know where this is?

24. Laugh-a-minute type : RIOT

25. Wahine's greeting : "ALOHA"

26. In the vicinity : NEAR

31. Coastal divers : ERNS. Normally, they dive down to the water but not in it.

33. Mimic : APER. (nouns)

35. Hoops dangler : NET. (Basketball)

36. Shrewd : SMART

38. City near Provo : OREM

39. Beta-test : TRY OUT

40. Little music player : iPOD NANO

41. Not decent, so to speak : NUDE. but not indecent, either. Depends on the context.

44. Still in the package : NEW

45. Government official working overseas : CONSUL

46. Inspire, as curiosity : AROUSE

47. Former NBAer Dennis : RODMAN. Yes, he inspired curiosity.

49. Predatory hatchling : EAGLET

50. Surrealist Joan : MIRO. but more surreal than Rodman?

54. Less than : UNDER

55. Bête __ : NOIRE. Something or someone particularly detested and avoided.

56. "Star Trek" co-star of Shatner : NIMOY

58. Radiate : EMIT

62. Anger : IRE

63. Tailor's fastener : PIN

64. Toon collectible : CEL

65. Talk and talk : YAK

Argyle

Notes from C.C.:

Here are two lovely pictures of Kazie & her husband Barry with their then 6-week old granddaughter Lea. Click here for more pictures.

Kazie said Lea is raised to be bilingual. So she and Barry are Grandma and Grandpa, and Lea's German grandparents are Oma and Opa.

Lea and Grandma Kazie

 

Lea and Grandpa Barry

 Here is a picture of the wedding of Lea's mom & dad (Saxony, August 2008):

Left to right: Kazie' younger son, her husband Barry, the happy couple, her husband's brother and sister, the sister's husband and Kazie.

Monday, February 11, 2013 Gail Grabowski and Bruce Venzke

 Theme: Did you get the memo? - No? Look for it in these three theme entries.

20A. Residential loan : HOME MORTGAGE

35A. "I'd like to hear the rest" : "TELLME MORE"

42A. 1974 Jimmy Buffett song : "COME MONDAY"

56A. Office communication, and what can literally be found in 20-, 35- and 42-Across : INTERNAL MEMO

Argyle here. A theme reveal that could hardly be clearer. Gail and Bruce seem to be on a two week schedule, though today's isn't as complex as the last one. Straightforward, easy-peasey. Four nice long vertical entries. A musical flair today, also. Feel free to link your favorites.

 

 

Across:

1. Tip, as one's hat : DOFF. Word Origin & History - A contraction of do off, preserving the original sense of do as "put." At the time of Johnson's Dictionary [1755] the word was "obsolete, and rarely used except by rustics," but it was saved from extinction (along with don) by Sir Walter Scott.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

5. Empty spaces : GAPS

9. Subsides : WANES

14. Suffix with switch : EROO

15. Wilson of "Wedding Crashers" : OWEN. Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn play a couple of rogues who mingle and tango at the receptions of weddings to which they weren't invited.

16. Texas shrine : ALAMO

17. Tall tale teller : LIAR

18. "Deck the Halls" syllables : FA LA la la, la la la.

19. Tear to shreds : RIP UP

23. About to happen : IN STORE. As in, "What's in store for us this week?" and 4D. Hint of the future : FORETASTE. As in, "Is this puzzle a foretaste of the coming week?"

24. Bronze from a day at the beach : TANNED. From one day? I doubt it.

28. René's friend : AMI

29. Appear to be : SEEM

31. __ Lingus: Irish carrier : AER

32. Russian fighter jets : MIGs. Strap yourself in a Mig. Link

38. Italian violin maker : AMATI. They say it's all in the varnish.

40. Squeak stopper : OIL. Is that what C.C. used to get rid of her mouse?

41. Rigs on the road : SEMIs. Tractor-trailers.

45. Reasons for extra innings : TIEs. Possible reason for the end of ties, 63A. Paths of pop-ups : ARCs. One more baseball reference: 29D. Base runner's option : SLIDE

46. "Tastes great!" : "YUM!". "Less filling!" : "Burp!"

47. Poet's inspiration : MUSE

48. Sow or cow : SHE

50. What social climbers seek : STATUS

52. Curtail : SHORTEN

59. Gangster John known as "The Teflon Don" : GOTTI. He died in a federal medical center, June, 2002, at the age of 61.

62. Twice-monthly tide : NEAP

64. Place on a pedestal : EXALT

65. Show some spunk : DARE

66. "That makes sense" : "I SEE"

67. Saunter : MOSEY

68. Vehicle on runners : SLED. NorthEast needed dog sleds.

69. Proof of ownership : DEED. 51D. Proof of ownership : TITLE

Down:

1. New __: India's capital : DELHI

2. Hunter constellation : ORION. Prominent in winter sky(Northern Hemisphere)

3. Heads on beers : FOAMS

5. "Take a shot!" : "GO FOR IT!". The result of too many 3D's?. 22D. "Lemme __!" : AT 'EM

6. Informed (of) : AWARE

7. Attack, as with snowballs : PELT

8. Stocking tear : SNAG

9. Military practice : WAR GAMES

10. Visitor from afar : ALIEN

11. Treat jet lag, perhaps : NAP

12. Earthbound Aussie bird : EMU

13. Dip, as bread in gravy : SOP. Shakshuka with a sop.

21. Dad's partner : MOM

25. Vocalist Judd : NAOMI

26. Really strange : EERIE

27. Bride's purchase : DRESS

30. Scat legend Fitzgerald : ELLA

32. Flagship store at New York City's Herald Square : MACY'S

33. Words from one with a bad hand : "I'M OUT". Think 'poker'.

34. Letter after beta : GAMMA

36. Long, long time : EONs

37. Parking ticket issuer : METER MAID

 

39. Resistance to disease : IMMUNITY

43. Expel : OUST

44. Like a slingshot handle : Y-SHAPED

49. Christmas, e.g.: Abbr. : HOL.. (Holiday)

52. Simple trap : SNARE

53. Far from talkative : TERSE

54. Intro giver : EMCEE. A lot of emcees on TV award shows this time of year.

55. Snooped (around) : NOSED

57. Pulls the plug on : ENDS

58. More than lifelike : REAL

59. Precious stone : GEM

60. Big name in kitchen gadgets : OXO. Reasonably priced.

61. Profs' helpers : TA's. (teaching assistant)

Argyle

Tuesday, February 7, 2012 Bruce Venzke and Gail Grabowski

Theme: Article 17 of the Geneva Convention - The first words of the theme entries are the three things(split into four parts) that the unifier(in the center) is required to give interrogators.

20A. *Reason consumers purchase certain brands : NAME RECOGNITION

28A. *Bumbling beginner : RANK AMATEUR

39A. Mil. detainee who may reveal only the starts of the answers to starred clues : POW

48A. *Hookups for computer peripherals : SERIAL PORTS

54A. *Financial analysts : NUMBER CRUNCHERS

Argyle, corporal, 2083472. OK, I'll talk. I liked this one better than yesterday's, as one might expect from Bruce and Gail. Tight theme, minimum crosswordese, strong corners, classic grid. Two grid spanners.

Across:

1. Hook or Cook: Abbr. : CAPT. Spelling it Cap'n reflects sailors' pronunciation, as in Cap'n Horatio Magellan Crunch.

5. For the calorie-conscious : LITE

9. Purse handle : STRAP

14. Fairy tale baddie : OGRE

15. Ugandan baddie : AMIN. Idi

16. Remove pencil marks : ERASE

17. Completely destroy : RUIN

18. Rikki-Tikki-__: Kipling critter : TAVI. A story from the Jungle Book describing the mongoose's, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, fight with Nag, the big black cobra.

19. __ Carlo: Grand Prix setting : MONTE. It is part of Monaco, the sovereign city state on the French Riviera.

23. Ankle artwork, briefly : TAT

24. Fathers and grandfathers : MEN

25. Bks.-to-be : MSs. (manuscripts)

35. Historic WWII bomber : ENOLA GAY. Always good to see both names.

37. Threat punctuator : OR ELSE. Yes, punctuator is in the dictionary, as a related noun form.

38. Timber wolf : LOBO

41. Paper purchase : REAM. International standards organizations define the ream as 500 identical sheets.

42. Poll findings : TRENDS

45. Island state of Australia : TASMANIA

50. Dadaist Jean : ARP. When Arp spoke in German he referred to himself as "Hans", and when he spoke in French he referred to himself as "Jean".

51. Wish undone : RUE

52. Opposite of 'neath : O'ER

63. Inventor Howe : ELIAS. American inventor and sewing machine pioneer.

64. Winslet of "Titanic" : KATE. At age 11. Image.

65. "The rest __ to you" : IS UP

66. Insurance giant : AETNA

67. "Did You __ See a Dream Walking?" : EVER. Clip(6:43) but you might want to stop when Ginger Rogers starts singing at 1:03.

68. Int'l alliance : NATO

69. "Our Gang" dog : PETEY

70. Ph.D. hurdle : DISS. (dissertation)

71. Remove from power : OUST

Down:

1. Ear on your plate : CORN

2. Isla surrounder : AGUA. Spanish island/water.

3. Stiffly neat : PRIM

4. Religious belief : TENET

5. Infielder's untimely move : LATE TAG

6. 1998 Apple debut : IMAC

7. DVR pioneer : TIVO. Digital Video Recorder (DVR).

8. Tough nut to crack : ENIGMA

9. Advanced study group : SEMINAR

10. Relaxed pace : TROT

11. Hindu princess : RANI

12. Regarding : AS TO

13. Rounded end of a hammer : PEEN

21. Uncommon, avis-wise : RARA. Latin: rara avis - rare bird

22. Much sought-after clownfish of film : NEMO

25. Gets all gooey : MELTS. Tinbeni doesn't want his avatar gooey so he stays away from ice.

26. Nocturnal noise : SNORE

27. Clearheaded : SOBER

29. Brit : lie-down :: Yank : __ : NAP

30. Former Japanese capital : KYOTO. Some say that Tokyo and Kyoto are simultaneously capitals of Japan. Not me, I only know what I read in Wikipedia.

31. Trillion: Pref. : TERA

32. Kagan of the Supreme Court : ELENA

33. TWA competitor : USAIR

34. Plot a new route : REMAP

36. Actress Anderson : LONI

40. Serious conflict : WAR

43. Assume as probable : DARESAY

44. Disparaging remark : SLUR

46. Habitual pot smokers : STONERS. "Dudes!"

47. Fraction of a min. : MSEC (millisecond)

49. Ate like a bird : PECKED

53. Thick-skinned beast : RHINO

54. Kind of tide : NEAP

55. Fonda's beekeeper : ULEE. From the movie, "Ulee's Gold".(1997)

56. Oven user's accessory : MITT

57. Thorn in one's side : BANE

58. Shankar with a sitar : RAVI. Strangely alliterated clue.

59. Western natives : UTEs

60. Biblical twin : ESAU

61. Grooves in the road : RUTS

62. Carpet cleaner's concern : SPOT

Answer grid.

Argyle

Wednesday, Sep 28, 2011 Bruce Venzke and Gail Grabowski

theme:

20A. *Test that sounds easier than it often is : OPEN BOOK EXAM

26A. *"End of discussion" : AND THAT'S THAT

36A. *Z's : SHUT EYE

43A. *Thing to do before a heist : CASE THE JOINT

51A. What the first words of the answers to starred clues describe : LAWYER'S DREAM. (OPEN AND SHUT CASE)

meliss here.

wasn't sure about the theme until the unifier, and then it was clear. nice shout-out to lemon and hahtool. the grid is visually interesting, looking a little like stair steps. i like the way SHUTEYE looks right in the center.

across:

1. Olds compact : ALERO. a bit obscure for me, needed perps.

6. State secrets? : BLAB. love this clue.

10. "Casablanca" character : ILSA

14. Logger's competition : ROLEO. clever word, like a rodeo with logs. an america's funniest videos grand prize winner waiting to happen.

15. Get to : RILE

16. Like Switz. in WWII : NEUTral.

17. Bottomless pit : ABYSM. did this remind anyone else of their kids?

18. Strike callers : UMPS

19. Major-__ : DOMO

23. Fill with bubbles : AERATE

25. Major stories : EPICS

30. Weather map figures : LOWS

31. Symbol of strict control : IRON HAND

35. Cycle opener : UNI. unicycle.

39. Compete : VIE

40. She has a memorable smile : MONA LISA.

42. Hamlet, for one : DANE. brilliantly portrayed by kenneth branaugh.

47. Scrub, at NASA : ABORT

50. Either "Cathy's Clown" singer : EVERLY. i'll spare us all the ear worm. don't think about it!!!

55. Genesis victim : ABEL

56. Swedish furniture giant : IKEA

57. Egg holders : NESTS

61. Hindu royal : RANI

62. Tumbled : FELL

63. Corkers? : IRISH. cork is the second-largest city in ireland.

64. Howard's wife, to the Fonz : MRS. C. from 'happy days' sitcom. the original cougar.

65. Offended, with "off" : TEED

66. Homework assignment : ESSAY

down:

1. Notre Dame's Parseghian : ARA. football coach.

2. Tennis tactic : LOB. a ball hit high and deep into the opponent's court.

3. Bridge guru Culbertson : ELY. i had no idea there was a bridge guru.

4. Vacation destinations : RESORTS

5. Brass band sound : OOMPAH. ♪♫•*¨*•. i've got a perfect puzzle for you ¸¸.•♫♪♬ ♫

6. Brown-haired boy : BRUNET. wikipedia defines brunet as 'a person, male or female, with brown hair.'

7. Trunk attachment : LIMB

8. Chow chow : ALPO. clever.

9. Affectionate gesture con los labios : BESO. spanish. con los labios - with the lips. beso = kiss. muy bueno.

10. Thorough : IN DEPTH. see above.

11. April 1605 pope : LEO XI.

12. "Poison" shrub : SUMAC

13. Elemental bits : ATOMS

21. Greek vowel : ETA

22. "The Family Circus" cartoonist : KEANE.

23. "Bullying is __!": school rule : A NO-NO

24. Dickens's Drood : EDWIN. the mystery of edwin drood, charles dickens's last, and unfinished, mystery.

26. Homecoming guest : ALUM

27. Occupy, in a way : SIT AT

28. Roman numeral : TRE. very sneaky. italian for three.

29. Today, in Toledo : HOY. toledo, spain. hoy is spanish for today.

32. Help : AVAIL

33. Dolt : NINNY

34. Bug bugger : DEET.

36. November ticket : SLATE. list of candidates.

37. Embroidered word : HIS

38. Put to the test : USE

41. Painter's medium : ACRYLIC

42. Half-story windows : DORMERS. a dormer pops up from the main roofline, like a small house with its own walls, roof and window. a gable is a triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof, often used as an opening for a window. a

44. Cape May County weekly : HERALD

45. Time for celebration : EVE

46. Foster's dream girl : JEANIE. stephen foster's 'i dream of jeanie with the light brown (brunet) hair." covered by sam cooke. hi jeannie!

47. Security device : ALARM

48. Kid-lit elephant : BABAR

49. "Hee Haw" host : OWENS. buck owens.

52. Break : RIFT

53. __-Ball : SKEE

54. Manuscript marking : DELE

58. Family nickname : SIS

59. Org. with body scanners : TSA. "you know, if i wanted somebody half-heartedly patting my groin without eye contact, i'd get married." - seth meyers

60. Retiring : SHY

Answer grid.

melissa

Tuesday May 31, Gail Grabowski & Bruce Venzke

Theme: Dick and Harry's friend - Four famous Toms start the theme entries. No fooling...'til you get to the unifier.

17A. Port of call : CRUISE STOP. TOM CRUISE, Here as Maverick in "Top Gun".

24A. Readily interchangeable, fashionwise : MIX AND MATCH. TOM MIX, here in the white hat, of course.

35A. Office fund for minor expenses : PETTY CASH. TOM PETTY, here, with whitish hair, singing "I Won't Back Down".(2:56)

49A. Head locks : HANKS OF HAIR. TOM HANKS, here as Captain John Miller in "Saving Private Ryan".

58A. Horseplay, and a hint to the starts of 17-, 24-, 35- and 49-Across : TOMFOOLERY

C.C. here. Argyle's computer was down before he could finish the write-up. I'll get his draft published. Then I'll do the formatting and fill in some comments. (Updated at 6:10am: Write-up is complete now).

Across:

1. McCartney bandmate : STARR (Ringo)

6. Minimal effort : EASE

10. "It seems to me," online : IMHO (In My Humble Opinion)

14. Fax predecessor : TELEX. Four X'es in this grid.

15. Makes collars, say : SEWS

16. Armstrong on the moon : NEIL

19. Hindu royal : RAJA

20. Rip to shreds : REND

21. City near Lake Tahoe : RENO. Janet's favorite city.

22. Inner Hebrides isle : IONA

23. Switch settings : ONs

27. Bygone deliverer : ICEMAN

29. "Rabbit, Run" author : UPDIKE (John)

30. Office copy : XEROX

31. Aid for a ref's review : SLO-MO

34. Original Dungeons & Dragons co. : TSR. Was this a gimme for you?

38. Held a hearing, say : MET

41. Give a rude awakening to : ROUST

42. African capital contained in its country's name : TUNIS. Tunisia. Ben Ali started this whole Arab Spring.

46. Easily bent : PLIANT

48. Ochoa of the LPGA : LORENA. Retired now.

53. Upsilon follower : PHI

54. Bozo, in Bath : TWIT. Bath, England.

55. Take it easy : LOLL

56. Place for a snow blower : SHED

57. Barrel of laughs : RIOT

60. Pacific island half? : BORA. Bora Bora.

61. Masterful server : ACER

62. "Fame" singer David, 1975 : BOWIE

63. Attends to, as a dry stamp pad : INKS

64. Terrier type : SKYE

65. Jokes around : JESTS

Down:

1. Largest of the Virgin Islands : ST. CROIX. Good entry.

2. "Separate Tables" dramatist Rattigan : TERENCE. Not a familiar name to me.

3. Four-time Indy 500 winner : AL UNSER. Comment away, eddyB.

4. Senate majority leader Harry : REID

5. Prescriptions, for short : RXs

6. County northeast of London : ESSEX

7. Insurance giant : AETNA

8. Beatles concert reaction, often : SWOON. More of a Justin Bieber concert reaction now.

9. Uncanny gift, for short : ESP

10. Encroachment : INROAD

11. Wasn't kidding : MEANT IT

12. Takes by force : HIJACKS

13. Ending for pay : OLA. Payola.

18. Ireland, in poetry : ERIN

22. Identity thief, e.g. : IMPOSTOR

24. Dada pioneer : MAX ERNST. Nice full name.

25. Russian assembly : DUMA. The term comes from the Russian word (dumat’), "to think" or "to consider".

26. "I've Grown Accustomed to __ Face" : HER

28. Swabbing tool : MOP

31. R-V connectors : S T U. Alphabetically.

32. Lille lily : LYS. As in Fleur de Lys. The flower.

33. Mo. to see Dracula at your door? : OCT. Halloween.

36. Pooch in Oz : TOTO

37. "Ben-__" : HUR

38. Dashboard abbr. : MPH

39. Walking-on-air feeling : ELATION

40. Craft using the element Sn : TIN WORK. Sn = Tin

43. Reunion attendees : NEPHEWS. Family reunion, not class.

44. Come into some money, maybe : INHERIT

45. Answered affirmatively : SAID YES

47. Tough watchdogs : AKITAs. Dennis' previous dog. Welcome back, Dummy!

48. Disney girl who adopted Stitch : LILO

50. Shepherd's charge : FLOCK

51. Comfy-cozy : HOMEY

52. Actress Woodard : ALFRE. Always have trouble remembering her name.

56. Plumlike fruit : SLOE

57. Baseball stat : RBI

58. Coll. helpers : TAs

59. Word after a transitive vb. : OBJ.

Answer grid.

Argyle

Tuesday, February 1, 2011 Bruce Venzke and Gail Grabowski

Theme: Rack 'Em - The first word of the theme entries relate to that trouble they had in River City. Yes, I said trouble. Trouble with a capital "T" and that rhymes with "P" and that stands for 65-Across!

17A. Coach's pregame lecture: CHALK TALK. A coach will often use a blackboard as a visual aid during the pep talk. A pool player uses chalk on the tip of the cue to aid in applying "English" to the cue ball.

24A. Home seller-and-buyer's short-term loan: BRIDGE FINANCING If one has bought a new home that they were going to pay for with the proceeds from the sale of their old home and the old one hasn't sold yet, a bridge loan can cover the gap. In pool, a special stick, can be used when striking the cue ball has to be done bridging another ball.

41A. 1929 women's air race, as dubbed by Will Rogers: POWDER PUFF DERBY. I don't believe Will's term is politically correct nowadays. Talc powder is used to keep a player's hand smooth and dry while making a pool shot.

51A. Production number director's cry: CUE THE ORCHESTRA This cue is the spelled name of the letter q which is an abbreviation (found in acting scripts) of Latin quando, "when". (News to me.) The cue stick comes from the word queue, because it is similar to the long and tapering braid of hair called a queue?

65A. Summer shindig, and a hint to the starts of 17-, 24-, 41- and 51-Across: POOL PARTY. Again, the word pool has come from to different meanings. The game is so-called because a betting pool was established prior to playing the game. "I am shocked — shocked— to find that gambling is going on in here!"

Argyle here. 

Solid puzzle. Grid spanners. Blocks in the corners. I wrote so much on the theme I don't have much left for the rest so I better get to it.

Across:

1. One in charge : BOSS

5. Ticketless rail rider : HOBO. and 44A. Rail rider : TRAIN

9. Resell at a major markup : SCALP

14. Pirate's syllables : YO, HO. Some scalpers are pirates.

15. Bean product? : IDEA. Bean, slang for head.

16. More virtuous : PURER

19. University of Maine town : ORONO

20. Raptor's roost : AERIE

21. Late-night Jay : LENO

23. Diarist Anaïs : NIN

28. TV revue since '75 : SNL. Saturday Night Live.

29. Acting instructor's deg., perhaps : MFA. Master of Fine Arts.

30. Start to knock? : ANTI. Gasoline additive.

34. Pop music's Lady __ : GAGA. Sounds better than she looks, IMHO.

37. Surround securely : EMBED

45. 1944 invasion city : ST. LO

46. Spot for a hoop : LOBE. Earring.

47. WWII espionage gp. : OSS. Office of Strategic Services.

49. Oktoberfest cry : "ACH!"

60. Gambling letters : OTB. Off-track betting.

61. Gambling city : RENO. Clecho.

62. Assumed identity : ALIAS

63. Absolut rival, for short : STOLI. Vodka

68. Fruit served in balls : MELON

69. Way to store pix : ON CD

70. Prepare for a shot : POSE

71. Speak at length : ORATE

72. Soup veggies : PEAs

73. Job opening : SLOT. I also tried SPOT and SHOT, close but no cigar.

Down:

1. How many city folks travel : BY CAB

2. Fireworks watcher : OOHer

3. Puppeteer Lewis : SHARI

4. Three-dimensional : SOLID

5. Wallop : HIT

6. Harem room : ODA

7. Attorney Melvin : BELLI. The palimony lawyer.

8. Like wine barrels : OAKEN

9. Pampered : SPOON-FED

10. Mangy mongrel : CUR

11. Rice-__ : A-RONI

12. Bolshevik leader : LENIN

13. Plug projection : PRONG

18. Tapped barrels : KEGS

22. '60s-'70s service site, briefly : NAM

25. Certain Caltech grad: Abbr. : ENGR.

26. Envelope parts : FLAPS

27. Desert mount : CAMEL. Got me!

30. Well-chosen : APT

31. Fish-fowl connection : NOR

32. Bygone intl. carrier : TWA. Trans World Airlines.

33. Jerk : IDIOT

35. Instinctive, as a feeling : GUT

36. Company with a web-footed spokescritter : AFLAC. He won't go away!

38. Short relative? : BRO

39. Recede : EBB

40. Change, as one's locks? : DYE

42. Elect to a Hall of Fame, say : ENSHRINE

43. Nina of "Spartacus" : FOCH. Image.

48. "What did I tell you?" : "SEE!"

50. Disorderly mound : HEAP

51. Women's mag : COSMO

52. Put into words : UTTER

53. African virus : EBOLA

54. "Hop __": Dr. Seuss book : ON POP

55. ABC's Arledge : ROONE

56. High-fives, e.g. : SLAPS

57. Divided Austrian state : TIROL. German spelling of TYROL

58. Joe's "Midnight Cowboy" pal : RATSO

59. Up to this point : AS YET

64. Subdivision unit : LOT

66. Andean tuber : OCA

67. Mormons' gp. : LDS. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (abbreviated as the LDS).

Answer grid.

Argyle

Monday, January 10, 2011 Bruce Venzke and Gail Grabowski

Theme: Special Edition - Along with the unifier, the first word from the four longest entries form the cry of the old time paperboy. Statue in Great Barrington, MA.

17A. Do some palmistry: READ ONES FORTUNE

26A. Groundbreaking 1970s sitcom: ALL IN THE FAMILY

47A. Link on a writer's Web site: ABOUT THE AUTHOR

61A. Hillary Clinton bestseller: IT TAKES A VILLAGE

68A. When repeated, start of an old shout that ends with the starts of 17-, 26-, 47- and 61-Across: EXTRA

Argyle here.

Not bad for a Monday, although someone will complain about 2-Down, I suppose. Four long theme entries with some sparkling fill makes this a Special Edition Monday puzzle.

Across:

1. Make mention of : CITE

5. Bamboo lover : PANDA

10. Army NCO : SSGT

14. Eight, in Essen : ACHT. In Germany.

15. Look forward to : AWAIT

16. Tiger or Twin, briefly : ALer. Baseball.

20. Giant legend Mel : OTT. Baseball, again. He batted left-handed but threw right-handed and played right field.

21. Chick's digs : NEST. Cute clue.

22. Fine distinction : NICETY

23. Tavern tussle : MELEE

25. Delaware senator who sponsored IRA legislation : ROTH. The Roth Individual Retirement Account (IRA) is a tax plan that allows a tax reduction on a limited amount of saving for retirement. The principal difference from most other tax advantaged retirement plans is that, rather than granting a tax break for money placed into the plan, the tax break is granted on the money withdrawn from the plan during retirement.

33. Excessively ornate : FLORID

34. Sensitive skin spots : SORES. Alliteration all the way.

35. Not operating : OFF

38. "Midnight Cowboy" hustler Rizzo : RATSO

40. __ Kan: Alpo alternative : KAL. Dog food.

41. Welsh dog : CORGI. Just mention food and a Corgi will show up.

44. Soviet anti-spy group in some James Bond novels : SMERSH. It is an acronym from two Russian words meaning "Death to Spies".

51. "__, old chap!" : I SAY

52. Laura's cry on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" : "OH, ROB!". Laura Petrie, played by Mary Tyler Moore and Rob Petrie , played By Dick Van Dyke.

54. Small gun : PISTOL

57. Western tie : BOLO

60. Stag party attendee : GUY

64. One who might 17-Across : SEER

65. Begat : SIRED

66. Top draft status : ONE A

67. Music boosters : AMPS

69. Cold War initials : USSR

Down:

1. Billiards bounce : CAROM

2. Summer refresher : ICE TEA

3. "__ be the day!" : THAT'LL. Buddy Holly clip.(1:22) I can't help feeling a little sad listening to this clip, given his tragic end.

4. LAX datum : ETD. Estimated Time of Departure.

5. Window section : PANE

6. Leaves speechless : AWEs

7. Condé __ Publications : NAST. Founded by Condé Montrose Nast. Background.

8. "What's the __?" : DIF. Shortened version of DIFFERENCE.

9. Numerous : A TON OF

10. Armstrong's nickname : SATCHMO. That is Louis Armstrong (1901-1971), American jazz musician and not one of these. Wikipedia List.

11. Turn on an axis : SLUE

12. Lady's partner : GENT

13. Low card : TREY

18. NBC correspondent Roger : O'NEIL This guy.

19. Hayworth and Moreno : RITAs. Actresses. R.H. and R.M.

24. Wrapper for Santa : ELF. My unsung heroes.

25. Obstacle for Moses : RED SEA

27. Hide-hair link : NOR

28. In poor taste : TRASHY

29. Blackjack request : "HIT ME". Ask for another card.

30. Aggravate : IRK

31. Grassy expanse : LEA

32. French designer's monogram : YSL. Yves Saint Laurent.

35. Andean stew veggie : OCA. A tuber.

36. Watch chain : FOB

37. To's opposite : FRO

39. Tulsa sch. named for a televangelist : ORU. Oral Roberts University (ORU) in Tulsa, OK.

42. Rock instruments : GUITARS

43. "Not to worry" : "IT'S OK"

45. Seat that often swivels : STOOL

46. 1968 loser to RMN : HHH. Nixon/Hubert H. Humphrey.

48. "Honor Thy Father" author Gay : TALESE

49. Instruments with many pedals : ORGANS

50. Cheek colorers : ROUGES

53. How some learn music : BY EAR

54. Tuscany tower site : PISA. Also, an avatar.

55. Agenda unit : ITEM

56. Twelve-__ program : STEP

57. Homer's son : BART

58. In excess of : OVER

59. "__ Rose": "The Music Man" song : LIDA. Clip.(5:32)

62. Common dinner hour : SIX

63. Comic Costello : LOU

Answer grid.

Argyle