Monday, June 2, 2014 Bruce Venzke and Gail Grabowski

Theme: What are the odds? - Well?

17A. Baby book milestones : FIRST STEPS

23A. Backup player's backup : THIRD STRINGER

39A. Hershey's chocolate-and-peanut-butter products : FIFTH AVENUE BARS

52A. Bliss : SEVENTH HEAVEN

63A. Penultimate bowling game division : NINTH FRAME

Argyle here. A nice straightforward Monday.

Across:

1. A rather long time : AGES

5. Be of use to : AVAIL

10. Greenside golf shot : CHIP

14. Kauai cookout : LUAU

15. Alabama civil rights city : SELMA

16. Titled nobleman : LORD

19. Baghdad's country : IRAQ

20. Even if, briefly : ALTHO

21. Prepares, as a violin bow : ROSINS

27. Dusk-dawn link : 'TIL

28. Steeped brew : TEA

29. Low mil. rank : PVT.

31. Commotions : ADOs

35. Actor Kilmer : VAL

37. Road Runner chaser __ Coyote : WILE E.

43. Prepare beans, Mexican-style : REFRY

44. Square dance lass : GAL. CSO YR.

45. Island in a computer game : MYST

46. NHL tiebreakers : OTs

47. Zadora of "Hairspray" : PIA. Not her usual blond hair.

50. "Wait a __!" : SEC

58. Fill with bubbles : AERATE

59. Purple flower : LILAC

61. Cold War country: Abbr. : USSR

66. Hired hood : GOON

67. Baseball bobble : ERROR

68. Sport __: family cars : UTEs. (sport-utility vehicle)

69. Sharpen : HONE

70. Steed stoppers : REINS

71. Spanish muralist José María : SERT

Down:

1. __ Romeo: Italian sports car : ALFA

2. Feeling of remorse : GUILT

3. Target in alien-attack films : EARTH

4. Japanese fish dish : SUSHI

5. Long-eared beast : ASS

6. Doggie doc : VET

7. On the ball : ALERT

8. Non-domestic beer, e.g. : IMPORT

9. Film collie : LASSIE

10. Hang on (to) : CLING

11. Boisterous behavior : HORSEPLAY

12. Savings option, briefly : IRA

13. ASAP kin : PDQ. Was your solve PDQ? (pretty damn quick)

18. Lawsuit basis : TORT

22. Amazed : IN AWE

24. Distinguished soprano, say : DIVA

25. Pole or Croat : SLAV

26. Campground users, briefly : RVers. (recreational vehicle)

30. Driver's license prerequisite : TEST

31. Frizzy do : AFRO

32. Loses on purpose? : DIETS

33. Summer, at ski resorts : OFF-SEASON. but not without some excitements.

34. Orchestra sect. : STR. (strings)

36. Chair support : LEG

38. Tech co. known as Big Blue : IBM

40. All keyed up : HYPER

41. Poet Ogden : NASH

42. Peter Fonda title role : ULEE. (Ulee's Gold)

48. More absurd : INANER

49. Clothes : ATTIRE

51. Young cow : CALF

53. Sci-fi pioneer Jules : VERNE

54. Artist Rousseau : HENRI. Bio.

55. Computer invader : VIRUS

56. Tickle pink : ELATE

57. Snitch, when identifying the bad guys : NAMER

60. "__ la vie!" : C'EST

61. "That smells disgusting!" : "UGH!"

62. Jack of "Barney Miller" : SOO

64. Freight measure : TON

65. Baseball round-trippers: Abbr. : HRs. (home run)

Argyle

Tuesday Apr 22, 2014 Gail Grabowski and Bruce Venzke

Theme: Save the LAST word for me! Bruce and Gale's Tuesday offering was fun to do and to blog for this Husker coming in from the computer bullpen.


20A. Fictional legal secretary : DELLA STREET. She too was instrumental in foiling Hamilton Berger

34A. The 1969 Mets, e.g. : CINDERELLA STORY. Every golfer knows Carl's from Caddyshack

 43A. Cheesy appetizer : MOZZARELLA STICK

And the reveal (also how toy Tonka trucks were built)

58A. Constructed for endurance, and a hint for the word hidden in 20-, 34- and 43-Across : BUILT TO LAST

Let's trek onward to see what slightly LATE Easter eggs Gail and Bruce left for us. 

Across:

1. "Battlestar Galactica" genre : SCI-FI. I put 2001 A Space Odyssey at the top of my list. 

6. Rejuvenation destination : SPA

9. Thyroid, e.g. : GLAND. How my doctor found out I had hypo-active thyroid gland

14. Couldn't stomach : HATED. Middle school kids either HATE something or find it AWESOME. Surely their phones have a thesaurus!

15. Weather report backdrop : MAP

16. Bro : HOMIE.

17. Colgate rival : ORAL B

18. Catering dispenser : URN. A staple in every church basement

19. Put on a pedestal : EXALT

23. __-pitch softball : SLO. I've seen a SLEW of friends rack up bad injuries in this game. Check your birth certificate boys!

24. Hubbub : ADO

25. Charlie Parker's instrument : ALTO SAX. Professional muscian who is marrying my daughter named his son Parker in honor of Charlie.

27. Fed. benefits issuer : SSA

30. Chatters : GABS

33. Caseworker's coll. major, perhaps : SOC (Sohsh)

40. "Do __ others ..." : UNTO ...and then split

41. Mormon sch. : BYU

42. Director Kazan : ELIA

48. Historic time : ERA. Is Tiger Woods' over?

49. Arizona county or its seat : YUMA

50. Gives a thumbs-up : OKS. That corral was in Tombstone, not Yuma

51. Prom accessory : CORSAGE. You might want to let her mom pin that on!

55. Menu words : ALA

57. __ Dhabi : ABU

64. Exodus mount : SINAI

66. __ Fring, "Breaking Bad" drug kingpin : GUS. #3 in TV Guide's nastiest villains of all time

67. Elementary seed : OVULE

68. Colorful aquarium fish : TETRA

69. Broom rider : HAG

70. Evenings, on marquees : NITES. Correct spelling if English made sense

71. German industrial city : ESSEN

72. Sound of annoyance : TUT

73. Hemingway's "The __ of Kilimanjaro" : SNOWS

Down:

1. Not barefoot : SHOD. Back to flip flops now!

2. Part of TLC : CARE

3. Tilted type: Abbr. : ITAL

4. Guy : FELLA. I remember singing Standing on the Corner from The Most Happy Fella in high school boy's glee or was it in boy's OCTET?

5. Govt. security pass : ID BADGE. My guide mishandled an id badge going through a door in a nuclear power plant and a lady with a machine gun appeared post haste!

6. Lewd material : SMUT. Is this an anachronism today?

7. Henry VIII's last wife Catherine : PARR. Hey, another LAST thrown in. She just outlived him.

8. Breathing trouble during sleep : APNEA. Does snoring = apnea?

9. Inner city areas : GHETTOS. It's now an adjective, as in, "That is so ghetto!"

10. Bagel topping : LOX

11. Stock up on : AMASS

12. Nabisco cookie named for its flavor : NILLA. Gotta love 'em.

13. Rehab program : DETOX. It was painful, but one saved dad. Not my brother.

21. Use an updraft, say : SOAR. Soarin' is a very popular ride at EPCOT

22. "Born Free" lioness : ELSA. Born Free, my dad's an obstetrician

26. Large wedding band : OCTET

27. Bathtub buildup : SCUM. Tut, tut

28. __-Japanese War : SINO

29. 1998 animated film with soldiers, workers and a queen : ANTZ

31. Actress Neuwirth : BEBE. Who could have done Lilith better?

32. In a sneaky way : SLYLY

35. Sleeps lightly : DOZES. I can do a refreshing 5 min. doze. You?

36. Humdinger : LULU. If you're hip, you've heard of this Lulu.

37. Mishmash : OLIO. CC's usual email subject line

38. "Jessie's Girl" singer Springfield : RICK

39. Chatters : YAKS. YAKety Sax was Benny Hill's theme song but I don't think Charlie Parker ever played it.

44. High-spirited horse : ARABIAN. Much preferred to ARAB alone.

45. Sauce brand with "Robusto!" flavors : RAGU. LaVerne and Shirley had the Big RAGU

46. "I __ my wit's end!" : AM AT

47. Oater hangouts : SALOONS. Was Miss Kitty's the most famous?

51. Social stratum : CASTE

52. Big Apple stage honors : OBIES

53. Pipsqueaks : RUNTS

54. Highest unstriped ball : EIGHT. Eight ball was the game of choice in my Uncle's SALOON for us kids

56. Trouble-making chipmunk : ALVIN

59. Tropical party : LUAU

60. USAF rank : TSGT

61. Caddy or Jag : AUTO

62. Large quantity : SLEW.

63. Hardy's "Pure Woman" : TESS

65. "Just the Way You __": Bruno Mars hit : ARE. I'll take the Lettermen's version.

Off to golf league on a beautiful spring day. I hope we aren't, uh, LAST!

Husker

Tuesday, January 7, 2014 Bruce Venzke and Gail Grabowski

Theme: The end of a relationship - The last word of the long entries could be used with up to describe a failed commitment...although the last one might be the start of a commitment.

17A. Colorado Gold Rush motto : "PIKE'S PEAK OR BUST!"

34A. "How stupid do you think I am?!" : "GIMME A BREAK!"

42A. Diet-busting ice cream treat : BANANA SPLIT

61A. One who's not easily convinced : TOUGH NUT TO CRACK

Argyle here. Two grid-spanners in this quality puzzle. Nothing forced but still Tuesday hard. No reveal or unifier.

Across:

1. Like many eBay items : USED

5. Swing, as trees in the wind : SWAY

9. Butler's belle : O'HARA. GWTW

14. __ contendere: court plea : NOLO

15. Keyboard error : TYPO

16. Be an omen of : AUGUR

20. Jewelry fastener : CLASP

21. "__ chic!" : TRÈS

22. Spelling contests : BEEs

23. Too small, clothing-wise : TIGHT

25. Kwik-E-Mart owner on "The Simpsons" : APU

27. Looks forward to : AWAITS

30. No strangers to the slopes : SKIBUMs

37. Crooner Cole : NAT. 35D. Crooner Crosby : BING

38. "Dies __": Latin hymn : IRAE

39. Cooler in coolers : ICE. Ok but not in the Pinch. Has anybody tried Ardbeg 10yr old single malt?

40. Zenith : ACME

41. Tuna catcher : NET

46. Complaining : GRIPING

48. Delhi money : RUPEEs

49. Make a choice : OPT

50. __ minister : PRIME

52. Give a high-five to : SLAP

55. City near Santa Barbara : OJAI

57. Sounded delighted : AAHed

64. Results from, with "to" : IS DUE

65. Egyptian pyramid city : GIZA

66. School on the Thames : ETON

67. Jockey's straps : REINs

68. Tofu beans : SOYs

69. Claim to be untrue : DENY

Down:

1. Offensive to some, for short : UN-PC. "Not Politically Correct"

2. Gardener's purchase : SOIL

3. Elderly caretaker in TV's "Hot in Cleveland" : ELKA. Betty White.



                          LINK

4. Pays for one's crime : DOES TIME

5. Octane Booster brand : STP

6. "Christina's World" painter Andrew : WYETH. Do you remember Christina's last name?

7. Separated : APART

8. Oxen neckwear : YOKE

9. Dinghy driver : OAR. A very small boat propelled by oar.

10. Clamor : HUBBUB

11. Fever and chills : AGUE

12. Sneaky tactic : RUSE

13. Creative pursuits : ARTS

18. Malice : SPITE

19. Honshu metropolis : OSAKA. On the Yodo River. (Japan)

24. Fed. agency that supports other agencies : GSA. (General Services Administration)

26. Dental brand suffix : PIK. Waterpik

27. Vintner's concern : AGING

28. Electrician, now and then : WIRER

29. Italian violin maker : AMATI

30. Observed : SEEN

31. Cry of concession : "UNCLE!"

32. Dwight's spouse : MAMIE Eisenhower

33. Undoes a dele : STETs

36. Color TV pioneer : RCA

40. Became visible : APPEARED

42. Marcel Marceau character : BIP

Embedding disabled by request

LINK

43. Playwright Chekhov : ANTON. 1860 - 1904 Bibliography

44. D-backs, on scoreboards : ARI. (Arizona Diamondbacks)

45. "Poison" shrub : SUMAC

47. Toy weapon : POPGUN. Pastry weapon : POPTART. Story

50. Backyard party setting : PATIO

51. Swanky : RITZY

52. Hustle and bustle : STIR

53. Get licked : LOSE

54. High-end German car : AUDI

56. Hooch containers : JUGS. Careful, getting close to hooters.

58. Detest : HATE

59. Subj. for a business major : ECONomy

60. Fashion initials : DKNY. (Donna Karan New York)

62. "__ making a list ..." : HE'S. Who? Kriss Kringle.

63. Post-WWII alliance : OAS. (Organization of American States)

Argyle

Tuesday, October 22, 2013 Bruce Venzke and Gail Grabowski

Theme: "Is that your final answer?" - The ends of the theme entries are synonyms of END. 

17A. It's heedless to go off it : THE DEEP END

28A. Car-waxing result : LUSTROUS FINISH

47A. Motion on a mound : PITCHER'S WIND-UP

63A. Director's cry, and hint to the ends of 17-, 28- and 47-Across : "THAT'S A WRAP!"

Argyle here. (I hope.) Sure got a quick send off in the NW corner. No hobos in sight.

Across:

1. Jay who's on late : LENO

5. Crop up : ARISE

10. 1974 CIA vs. KGB spoof : S*P*Y*S

14. Vehicle behind dogs : SLED

15. Summer skirt material : LINEN

16. McDonald's founder Ray : KROC

19. Davenport's state : IOWA

20. One-__: biased : SIDED

21. Ancient Mexican : AZTEC

23. HIV-treating drug : AZT

24. "Hold on __!" : A SEC

26. Family nicknames : MAMMAs and 59D. Grandma : NANA

33. Letters linking real and assumed names : AKA. (also known as)

34. Lures : ENTICES

35. Himalayan republic : NEPAL

38. Invoice add-on : TAX

39. Choir room hangers : ROBES

43. "Over my dead body!" : "NO SIREE!"

46. MouthHealthy.org org. : ADA. (American Dental Association)

51. Dwarf planting : BONSAI

                               Visit Page

52. Polish prose : EDIT

53. Mil. training center : OCS. (Officer Candidate School)

54. Wood shop tool : LATHE

58. Prefix meaning "culture" : ETHNO

61. Work hard : TOIL

65. Savvy about : ONTO

66. __ voce: softly : SOTTO

67. Skye of "Say Anything ..." : IONE

                                     LINK

68. Mark for removal : X OUT

69. Deplete : USE UP

70. Start of a classic Christmas poem : 'TWAS

Down:

1. D-Day fleet : LSTs. (Landing Ship, Tank)

2. Pre-college, for short : ELHI

3. Must have now, in memo-speak : NEED ASAP

4. Most peculiar : ODDEST

5. Stein filler : ALE

6. Kelly in Electrolux ads : RIPA. Notice the music.

                                  LINK 

7. Mother of Don Juan : INEZ

8. Transmitted : SENT

9. Natural to a region : ENDEMIC

10. Enjoy a winter sport : SKI

11. Some charity golf tournaments : PRO-AMs

12. Cry of surprise : "YOWZAH!"

13. Sings like Ella : SCATS

18. German river : EDER

22. Wicker worker : CANER

25. Runner Sebastian : COE

27. Sushi bar soup : MISO

28. PC linkup : LAN

29. Tiny Tim's instrument : UKE

30. Loosen, as laces : UNTIE

31. "Act Naturally" singer Ringo : STARR

32. Puts back together : FIXES

36. Picnic crashers : ANTS

37. From around here : LOCAL

40. Infielder's mistake : BAD THROW

41. Academic address ending : .EDU

42. Breakfast syrup source : SAP

44. Massage technique : SHIATSU. Wiki LINK.

45. Female in the flock : EWE

47. __ Raceway: Pennsylvania NASCAR track : POCONO

48. Latin for "where it originally was" : IN SITU

49. Creative output : IDEA

50. Blockhead : NITWIT

51. Anti-crow's-feet treatment : BOTOX

55. Pres. Jefferson : THOS. Abbreviated written form of Thomas.

56. Despise : HATE

57. Words to a traitor : "ET TU?"

60. Unlocks, poetically : OPES

62. Subdivision unit : LOT

64. Bread for dipping, say : SOP. We've been getting both versions of the word.

The real end.

Argyle

Monday, June 24, 2013 Bruce Venzke and Gail Grabowski

Theme: Inclement Weather - The stars of any weather report are the bad things that may occur. Our starred entries begin with those types of storms that bring warnings.

20. *Vice president's official entrance march : HAIL, COLUMBIA. LINK(0:47)

28. *Anxiety-reducing meeting opener : ICE BREAKER

34. *Hoffman's 1988 title savant : RAIN MAN. It was on TV last night.

38. *Stir-fry veggie : SNOW PEA. Yum! Picture

42. *Endurance-building full-speed run : WIND SPRINT. Start them while they're young. LINK (0:28)

53. Weather advisory, and hint to the starts of the answers to starred clues : STORM WARNING

Argyle here. A few hard-for-Monday entries but not unduly so. Maybe a spot or two where the perp needed a perp but in the end, all doable. Substantial white space in the NW and SE.

Across:

1. Where the Stars and Stripes flies, familiarly : US OF A

6. Approximate fig. : EST.

9. Stops on the way home? : BASES. "Just to hit the ball and touch 'em all - a moment in the sun" (J.C. Fogerty)

14. Fragrant evergreens : PINES

15. "I'm underwhelmed" : "MEH"

16. "You __ right!" : ARE SO...said the boy wonder.

17. Sharply inclined : STEEP

18. Put on a pedestal : IDEALIZED

22. Trying experience : ORDEAL

23. Corn core : COB

24. Church-owned Dallas sch. : SMU. (Southern Methodist University)

27. Bygone Russian despot : TSAR

32. Gabor and Peron : EVAs

33. Irritating sorts : TWITS

40. "Ready __, here ..." : OR NOT

41. Leave speechless : STUN

45. Zap with a weapon : TASE

49. '60s militant campus org. : SDS. (Students for a Democratic Society)

50. Sleep phase initials : REM. (rapid eye movement)

51. Elevated : RAISED

56. Entrance whose top half opens separately : DUTCH DOOR. Double Dutch door.

59. Stop : CEASE

60. Not warranted : UNDUE

61. Man-mission link : ON A

62. Champing at the bit : EAGER

63. Thingy : GISMO

64. Chef's meas. : TSP. Teaspoon

65. Smeltery refuse : DROSS. The waste matter when refining ore.

Down:

1. End result : UPSHOT. 1531, from up + shot (n.); originally, the final shot in an archery match, hence the figurative sense of "result, issue, conclusion" (1604).

2. Indian stringed instruments : SITARs

3. New York lake near Syracuse : ONEIDA. I have an aunt who lives on the north shore, in Cleveland, NY.

4. Information-eliciting negotiation tactic : FEELER

5. Furry friends' protection org. : ASPCA. I'd hope it wasn't just the furry animals that get protection. (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)

6. Jannings of classic cinema : EMIL. In 1929 he won the first Best Actor Oscar.

7. Beguiles : SEDUCES

8. Cosa Nostra : THE MOB

9. Indonesian island : BALI

10. Operatic showstopper : ARIA

11. "__ who?" : SEZ

12. WNW's opposite : ESE

13. Landscaper's purchase : SOD

19. Shortened wd. : ABBR. (abbreviation)

21. Three-time A.L. batting champ Tony : OLIVA. He is here so often, we're on a first name basis.

24. Hop, __ and jump : SKIP. Track event.

25. Parcel (out) : METE

26. Constellation bear : URSA. Major and Minor or also known as the Big and Little Dippers.

29. Recycle bin item : CAN

30. Thames school : ETON

31. "How cute!" : "AWW!". As Spitzboov said on Saturday...All the bear news from Canada.(7:42)

32. CPR pros : EMTs

34. Handles the oars : ROWS

35. Extremely dry : ARID

36. Roadside retreats : INNs

37. Agree wordlessly : NOD

38. RR stop : STN. Rail station.

39. __Sweet: aspartame : NUTRA. In the blue packets.

41. Beautyrest mattress maker : SIMMONS. That was interesting about the Sleep Number beds the other day.

43. Cattle poker : PROD. Cattle poker - "I'll see your two Herefords and raise you a Holstein."

44. Get established in a new planter : REROOT

45. Musical liability : TIN EAR

46. Italian cheese : ASIAGO

47. Has an inkling : SENSES

48. Lawn neateners : EDGERS

52. Followed a curved path : ARCED. Edging gets a little trickier if it's curved.

53. Mr. Clean target : SCUM. But not riff-raff.

54. "The Cosby Show" son : THEO

55. Rolled sandwich : WRAP. When did sandwich wraps become popular and are they really a sandwich?

56. Used a trowel : DUG

57. Prefix with lateral : UNI

58. QB scores : TDs. (Touchdowns)

Argyle

Notes from C.C.:

1) Happy 25th wedding anniversary to Dennis and his lovely wife Linda. Click here to see some fun pictures from their wedding and reception.

2)  Happy Birthday to Barbara B, Melissa's beautiful mother, who was very active on the blog a few years ago. 

Left to right: Melissa's daughter, Barbara B & Melissa

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