Saturday, Mar 18th, 2017, Bruce Venzke

Theme: None

Words: 72 (missing F,J,Y,Z)

Blocks: 34

 Two constructors in a row named Bruce - a little over one year since our last Bruce Venzke Saturday puzzle, and another tough start to for me, but with only one cheat, I was able to get it finished, and within my personal allotted time.  Got deceived by the "easy" four-letter NW corner, and was unable to get any traction there - though I did have an inkling about what 1a was supposed to be.  My down run in the NE was quick, and that helped open up the grid.  Just the triple 10-letter corners and two 8-letter fills for the long answers today;

18a. Sharper : SCAM ARTIST - ah, new definition for me

25a. Showman named Phineas : P.T. BARNUM

47a. Disgruntled fans, slangily : BOO BIRDS

ahh, hockey fans....

65. Windows alternatives : AISLE SEATS - ah, planes, not computers.  Firefox has dropped support for Windows XP, which is tragic, since I think it was the best version of the software - now I have to buy a new computer....

onwarDE~!

ACROSS:

 1. Cleaning up a mess? : ON K.P. - I was thinking KP, but duty, not the other way around

5. Overcomes, as adversity : RISES ABOVE

15. River to the Laptev Sea : LENA

16. Beset by dire circumstances : IN EXTREMIS

17. Reach new heights : GROW - I am in Delaware this weekend to work out the details of getting three board games into production with my buddy's games company - I hope to reach new heights with them

19. Publication for pitchers? : ADWEEK

21. Paid : REMITTED

22. "I have a lady in the balcony" old radio/TV quiz show : Dr. I.Q. - the Wiki

24. Binge-watcher's aid : TiVO

29. Butterflies : NERVES

33. __ room : CHAT

34. Largest Italian lake : GARDA - my cheat

36. __ Valley, Calif. : SIMI - or NAPA~?

37. Court judgment : LET - tennis, not legal

38. Metaphorical social barrier : ICE - yeah, I need some work on my "ice breakers"

39. Salon substance : GEL - or DYE~? had to wait

40. They might be about nothing : ADOs

42. Gather in a mass : CLUMP

44. Self-named 1954 or 1964 jazz album : MONK - good WAG.  Thelonious

45. Expel : BANISH

49. Novelist O'Flaherty : LIAM

51. X-Ray __: U.K. punk band : SPEX

52. Socrates or Plato : ATHENIAN

56. Meditative discipline : TAI CHI

60. Agenda : THINGS TO DO - my list of 'things to do' is way too long - and I still haven't had the chance to wash and wax the new caravan~!

62. Kennebunk-based personal care products brand, familiarly : TOM'S - new to me; here's the website

63. Old crate : RATTLETRAP

64. Noodle bar order : UDON - filled via perps

66. Shady time, for some : PAST - mine contains 15 years of "wreckage": W. Charles - I know what the L.E.B.F.T. stands for~!

DOWN:

1. Wife of Igor of Kiev : OLGA - yeah, not too vague....

2. Socially awkward type : NERD

3. Recognize : KNOW

4. Handled carelessly : PAWED AT

5. Putting in jeopardy : RISKING

6. Like many beginners' piano pieces : IN C - all white keys, no sharps or flats

7. Burn slightly : SEAR

8. Keith Hernandez, e.g. : EX-MET - this one was in my wheelhouse

9. Marathoner's need : STAMINA

10. Succeed big-time : ARRIVE

11. Pool habitués : BETTORS - like football boxes, not swimming

12. Leave off : OMIT

13. It has two jaws : VISE

14. Storefront sign abbr. : EST'D

20. Miss an easy spare, say : ERR - ah, bowling....

23. Bobwhite, e.g. : QUAIL - a gimme once the "Q" appeared

25. Classroom with mice : PC LAB - computer mouse, that is

26. Old-time screen vamp Bara : THEDA

27. Track bar : BATON

28. Ernie Banks' sobriquet : Mr. CUB

30. Intensity : VIGOR

31. Fix, as copy : EMEND

32. Track apparel : SILKS - horse racing; I was thinking about running - sweats or sneak(er)s

35. Teaching methods : DEMOS

41. A quarter of a half? : SILENT L - clever

42. Some recliners : CHAISES - another kind of "recliner"

43. Beer openers : POP-TOPS

44. Scrap : MIX IT UP - ah, the fighting and not recycling kind of scrap

46. One of Pete Rose's record 3,215 : SINGLE

48. '80s-'90s co-star with Betty, Rue and Estelle : BEA

50. Far from shiny : MATTE - I refinished the floors at one of the restaurants - in gloss, not matte - came out great, but need to go back and do a buff and re-coat this coming week

52. First razor with a pivoting head : ATRA

53. Chiang Mai native : THAI - semi dupe with "Tai-Chi"

54. Battleship goals : HITS - "you sank my battleship~!"

55. Myrna's role in "The Thin Man" : NORA

57. Musical closing : CODA - and the title of Led Zeppelin's last album

58. Managed care gps. : HMOs

59. Exists no more : ISN'T

61. Brooklynese pronoun : DAT - oops, not "DEM"

Splynter 

Monday, February 27, 2017 Gail Grabowski and Bruce Venzke

Theme: Give me some skin, bro - One word that can be patched to the start of the entry phrases.

66A. Medical adhesive strip ... and a hint to what can precede the first word of 17-, 25-, 40- and 52-Across: SKIN PATCH

17A. Filled light pastry: CREAM PUFF. Skin cream.

25A. Gronk's position on football's Patriots: TIGHT END. Skintight.

40A. Magician's hand movement: FLICK OF THE WRIST. Skin flick.

52A. Like some pizzas and apple pies: DEEP DISH. Skin deep.

Argyle here, plus Gail with Bruce today. No "B" in this naughty blue Monday. The pics I could have posted boggles the mind but you already have been boggled enow if you watched the Oscars.

Across:

1. Seaweed wrap resorts: SPAs

5. Peaceful: CALM

9. Dozed: SLEPT

14. Small chess piece: PAWN

15. Baseball's Moises: ALOU

16. Flooring specialist: TILER. A tiler earns his pay putting tiles around pipes and the edges of the room.

19. Like good gossip: JUICY

20. Expand, as a collection: ADD TO

21. San __, California: MATEO

23. Comic Margaret: CHO. "I love drugs, but I hate hangovers, and the hatred of the hangover wins by a landslide every time." - Margaret Cho

30. Spiro ran with him: RICHARD. Late-’60s Maryland governor, Spiro Agnew, served as Vice-President under Richard Nixon.

34. Baby's bodysuit: ONESIE. Standard baby shower present.

35. Comm. system with hand motions: ASL. (American Sign Language)

36. Slowly withdraws: WEANS

39. Tablet downloads: APPs

44. RPM gauge: TACH

45. Unifying idea: THEME

46. Pierced body part: EAR

47. Moral values: ETHICS

50. Mob witness' request: AMNESTY, and entry into the witness protection system.

55. Purported UFO fliers: ETs. (Extra-Terrestrial)

56. Bond portrayer Daniel: CRAIG

58. "__ directed": medication warning: USE AS

62. Magna __: CARTA. Runnymede, 1215. It will be on the quiz.

68. Graceland idol: ELVIS

69. Military medal earner: HERO

70. Ivy League school: YALE and 11D. 70-Across collegian: ELI

71. Hosiery thread: LISLE

72. Hullabaloos: ADOs

73. Upright wall timber: STUD

Down:

1. Pet lovers' org.: SPCA. (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)

2. Western chum: PARD. 1840-50, Americanism; by alteration and shortening of partner.

3. Left dumbstruck: AWED

4. Grab quickly: SNATCH

5. Bottle topper: CAP

6. University supporter, briefly: ALUM. An alumna or alumnus.

7. Lite, dietwise: LO-FAT. Both words are adspeak.

8. Civilian attire: MUFTI. Origin.

9. Virgin Islands isl.: ST. JOHN

10. Lucy of "Elementary": LIU. Holmes and Watson

12. Ab neighbor: PEC. Muscles, abdominals and pectorals.

13. Give it a whirl: TRY

18. Mostly shaved-head style: MOHAWK

22. Bigheadedness: EGO

24. Double Delight cookie: OREO

26. Hazmat suit problem: TEAR

27. Glimpses: ESPIES

28. Tries to bite, puppy-style: NIPS AT

29. "__ Rides Again": 1939 Western: DESTRY

30. Shot the rapids, say: RAFTED

31. Arrives after the bell: IS LATE

32. Overused expression: CLICHÉ

33. Bonkers: DAFT

37. To the __ degree: NTH

38. Mets' old stadium: SHEA

41. Greenside golf shot: CHIP

42. Plus-size supermodel: EMME

43. Ascended: WENT UP

48. Jewel box: CD CASE

49. Title for Connery: SIR

51. Emerson works: ESSAYS. Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 – 1882)

53. Recent White House daughter: SASHA. Malia Ann and Natasha Obama.

54. Walked in the woods: HIKED

57. Early whirlybird, for short: GIRO. Autogiro, originally a trademark of Cierva Autogiro Co., is also known as gyro, autogyro, gyroplane, gyrocopter, or rotaplane.

59. Coup d'__: ÉTAT

60. Bill of Rights-defending org.: ACLU. (American Civil Liberties Union)

61. Lawn mower holder: SHED

62. Animation still: CEL

63. "Aladdin" prince: ALI

64. Homes on wheels: Abbr.: RVs. (recreational vehicle)

65. Shop __ you drop: 'TIL

67. Discouraging words: NOs

Owen inspired addition.

Argyle

Monday, January 9, 2017 Gail Grabowski and Bruce Venzke

Theme: Limited-time retail offer - Save some moola maybe.

38A. Big sale, where you can find the starts of 18-, 23-, 49- and 60-Across: SHOPPER'S DELIGHT

18A. "Just handle the problem!": DEAL WITH IT

23A. Upstage one's co-stars: STEAL A SCENE

49A. Employ stalling tactics: BUY SOME TIME

60A. Take into account: BARGAIN FOR

Argyle here with GG&BV. Not much to say (except brrr). A nice grid-spanning reveal.

Across:

1. Rides for hire: CABs

5. Rapids transports: RAFTs

10. Toothed tonsorial tool: COMB. Fun alliteration.

14. Treaty partner: ALLY

15. Open courtyards: ATRIA

16. "So that's what you mean": "I SEE"

17. Shakespearean king: LEAR

20. Jam session jammer: MUSICIAN

22. Signs of sadness: TEARS

26. Tavern brew: ALE

27. Some motorcycles and pianos: YAMAHAs. Logo History.

32. Lawn-wrecking pests: MOLEs

36. Sewn edge: HEM

37. __ president: VICE

42. Mongolian desert: GOBI

43. No-frills sleeper: COT

44. Fire pit particles: ASHES

45. '70s-'80s band with a steering wheel on their debut album cover: THE CARS

47. Google success: HIT

55. Pro on camera: ACTOR

59. Like some rays outside the visible spectrum: INFRARED

63. Fill fully: SATE

64. Qatari ruler: EMIR

65. British unit of length: METRE

66. Hall of Famer Musial: STAN.(baseball)

67. Relaxed gait: LOPE

68. Old West search party: POSSE. "Head 'em off at the pass!"

69. Narrow-bodied swimmers: EELs

Down:

1. Brings peace to: CALMS

2. Native Alaskan: ALEUT

3. Having a been-there-done-that attitude: BLASÉ

4. War-torn country since 2011: SYRIA

5. Goodyear offering: RADIAL

6. "Relax, soldier": "AT EASE"

7. Pre-euro Metz money: FRANC

8. Up to, in ads: TIL. Limited-time offer. But if you call in the nexzt five ....

9. Got a look at: SAW

10. Use as a reference: CITE

11. Workplace standards org.: OSHA. (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)

12. Israel's Golda: MEIR

13. Puts money (on): BETS

19. To-do list entry: ITEM

21. Envelope fastener: CLASP

24. Looked at closely: EYED

25. Birth certificate datum: NAME

28. "We Try Harder" car rental chain: AVIS

29. Air conditioner setting: HIGH. My air conditioner setting is in the closet.

30. Suffer from overexertion: ACHE

31. Goes below the horizon: SETS. The latest sunrise is for the next few days.

32. Senior NCO: MSGT. (master sergeant)

33. "Oops!": "OH-OH!"

34. Place for an earring: LOBE

35. Grand-scale poem: EPIC

36. Pres. between FDR and DDE: HST. Franklin Delano Roosevelt / Harry S. Truman / Dwight David Eisenhower

39. Sandy shade: ECRU. Slight misdirection.

40. Flushed, as cheeks: ROSY

41. Down the road: LATER

46. Magician's syllables: ABRA. "Abracadabra!"

47. Pays tribute to: HONORS

48. "My schedule is wide open": "I'M FREE"

50. Works with flour: SIFTS

51. Cup for café or thé: TASSE. Le thé is French for tea. Tasse à café - coffee cup / Tasse à thé - teacup

52. Blowing one's top: IRATE

53. Lead or zinc: METAL

54. Blissful regions: EDENS

55. Cain's victim: ABEL

56. Commando garb: CAMO. (Camouflage)

57. Stumble: TRIP

58. Kiddie lit monster: OGRE

61. Mischief-maker: IMP

62. Modernist's prefix: NEO

Argyle

Monday, December 26, 2016 Gail Grabowski and Bruce Venzke

Theme: No Reveal Monday - Four synonymous words.

20A. Fabric with a slight sheen: POLISHED COTTON

25A. Sophisticated-sounding hair treatment product: SUAVE SHAMPOO

46A. Coffee sweetener: REFINED SUGAR

55A. Plowed ground for crop-raising: CULTIVATED LAND

Argyle here. POLISHED, SUAVE, REFINED, CULTIVATED; so are we all.

Across:

1. Furtive summons: [PSST!]

5. Closes with force: SLAMS

10. See 13-Down: BABA. 13-Down. With 10-Across, "Open sesame" sayer: ALI

14. "It's __ you": "Your call": UP TO

15. Sultan's group: HAREM

16. Carrier to Tel Aviv: EL AL

17. React to a bad pun, perhaps: MOAN

18. BP merger partner: AMOCO

19. Longfellow's "The Bell of __": ATRI. "And this shall make, in every Christian clime, The Bell of Atri famous for all time."

23. Clay pigeon sport: SKEET

24. Tee shots into the hole: ACES

32. Slacks holder-upper: BELT

35. Baker's verb: MIX

36. Like old apples: MEALY

37. "Norma __": RAE

38. Fills with dismay: APPALLS

41. Word in a bride's bio: NÉE

42. The three monkeys' taboos: EVILS. Nikkō Tōshō-gū Shinto shrine.

44. Guernsey greeting: MOO!

45. Completely, after "from": A TO Z

50. Apple or pear: POME

51. "Spider-Man" actor Willem: DAFOE. Green Goblin.

60. Classic clown: BOZO

61. African country whose name is contained in the name of its southern neighbor: NIGER

62. Internet destination: SITE

63. It's a long story: EPIC

64. Porthole view: OCEAN

65. Flair: ELAN

66. Cubicle furnishing: DESK

67. Smells awful: REEKS

68. Once-sacred snakes: ASPs

Down:

1. Tire inflators: PUMPS

2. Frighten, as a horse: SPOOK

3. Like old bread: STALE

4. Most stylish: TONIEST

5. Former Iranian despot: SHAH

6. Unconvincing, excuse-wise: LAME

7. Ex-slugger and Fox Sports analyst, familiarly: A-ROD. (Alex Rodriguez)

8. Major tourist draws: MECCAs

9. Kiss: SMOOCH

10. "I have no clue": "BEATS ME"

11. Voice above tenor: ALTO

12. Rural building with big doors: BARN

21. Early Beatle Sutcliffe: STU

22. Bears and Grizzlies: TEAMS

26. Sound system part: AMP

27. Bigwig: VIP. (very important person)

28. Tests of knowledge: EXAMS

29. Huff and puff: PANT

30. Butterlike spread: OLEO

31. Command from a bailiff: "OYEZ!"

32. Uncle Remus rabbit's title: BR'ER

33. Nesting site, perhaps: EAVE. Nesting site for icicles.

34. Mariner Ericson: LEIF

38. Often ___: about half the time: AS NOT

39. Singer Rawls: LOU

40. Nautical journal: LOG

43. Long kiss: LIP LOCK

45. Shrinking Asian lake: ARAL SEA

47. Key with one sharp: E MINOR

48. Plot mechanism: DEVICE

49. Say further: ADD

52. Totally tanks: FAILS

53. Ready in the keg: ON TAP

54. Blissful regions: EDENS

55. Deal with adversity: COPE

56. Commando weapons: UZIs

57. "A Death in the Family" author James: AGEE

58. Tropical hardwood: TEAK

59. Sea eagles: ERNs

60. Crib or cot: BED

Argyle

Monday, October 24, 2016 Gail Grabowski & Bruce Venzke

Theme: Welcome! Come right in. - What you hope will greet you at a party.

17A. What snowbirds seek in winter: WARM WEATHER

27A. Ready-to-send correspondence: OUTGOING MAIL

49A. Liqueur holder: CORDIAL GLASS

64A. Ideal party thrower described by the first words of 17-, 27- and 49-Across: PERFECT HOST

Argyle here. These are three things a host should be and I'm sure today's hosts, Gail and Bruce, would be. Don't forget to thank them before you leave.

Across:

1. "Handle __ care": WITH

5. Burns with hot liquid: SCALDS

11. Ex-Florida governor Bush: JEB

14. "__ Ben Adhem": ABOU. (may his tribe increase!)

15. Reacts facially to a bad joke, say: WINCES

16. Chopping tool: AXE

19. "Mamma __!": MIA

20. Mecca's peninsula: ARABIA

21. Heat in a microwave: ZAP

22. Indy service areas: PITS. Races have been won and lost in the pits.

23. "Do __ others ... ": UNTO

25. Most doubtful: IFFIEST. Like this C/A?

31. Network with regular pledge drives: NPR. Wait, wait, don't tell me; it's National Public Radio.

32. D-Day French city: ST.-LÔ. 95% destroyed after the 1944 bombardments, known as The Capital of Ruins.

33. Steak orders: T-BONES

37. Calm under pressure: COOL

39. Since Jan. 1, in accounting: YTD. (Year To Date)

41. Folksy account: TALE

42. "Bewitched" witch: ENDORA. (Agnes Moorehead)

45. Buster Brown's dog: TIGE

48. Jamaican music genre: SKA

52. Last word of a verbally cited passage: UNQUOTE

55. "Doctor Zhivago" heroine: LARA. I didn't pick this one last time; now I can.

56. Potpie veggies: PEAs

57. Hydroelectric facility: DAM

59. Quik maker: NESTLÉ. Nestlé Nesquik® No Sugar Added Chocolate Flavor Powder (note the name change. It has been Nesquik since 1999 but Nesquik won't do for a clue.)

63. Dad, to grandpa: SON

66. Cutoff point: END

67. C to C, in music: OCTAVE

68. Richard of "A Summer Place": EGAN. A Summer Place is a 1959 romantic drama film. Richard Egan (1921 - 1987).

69. Org. with a PreCheck Program: TSA. (Transportation Security Administration)

70. Sets free: LOOSES

71. Facts and figures: DATA

Down:

1. Electric guitar effect: WAWA

2. Letter-shaped beam: I-BAR

3. __ Bora: Afghan region: TORA

4. Scrooge's "Nonsense!": "HUMBUG!"

5. Worry about something, slangily: SWEAT IT

6. Cloak-and-dagger org.: CIA. (Central Intelligence Agency)

7. Animated bug film: ANTZ

8. Bar mitzvah toast: L'CHAIM or l'chayim, lechayim, lehayim; literally, to life.

9. What fries are fried in: DEEP FAT. Is DEEP a type of FAT now?

10. Ukr. or Lith., once: SSR. (Ukraine or Lithuania, former Soviet Socialist Republics)

11. Actor Foxx: JAMIE

12. Freeway off-ramps: EXITS

13. Savage sort: BEAST

18. Tipplers: WINOs

22. Cockpit figure: PILOT

24. "I'm __ human": ONLY

26. Little lie: FIB

27. First fairy tale word: ONCE

28. Second fairy tale word: UPON. 18D to 28D, modern fairy tale?

29. Trampled (on): TROD

30. '80s-'90s crime boss John: GOTTI

34. Mission Control org.: NASA. (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)

35. Benevolent fraternal group: ELKS. The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

36. Salty expanses: SEAs

38. Center of power: LOCUS. plural loci.

40. Bygone phone feature: DIAL

43. Pal of Piglet: ROO. Both are pards of Winnie the Pooh.

44. Radio City Music Hall design style: ART DECO

46. Cursory looks: GLANCEs

47. Long-legged wader: EGRET

50. "... near and __ my heart": DEAR TO

51. Assailed verbally, with "out": LASHED

52. Surprise win: UPSET

53. Bright signs: NEONs

54. Press conference format, briefly: Q AND A. (Questions and Answers)

58. Degs. for choreographers: MFAs. (Master of Fine Arts)

60. Old Roman robe: TOGA

61. Future D.A.'s exam: LSAT. (Law School Admission Test)

62. Sicilian volcano: ETNA

64. D.C. big shot: POL

65. Morn's counterpart: EVE

In 2009, at age 92, Dame Vera Lynn became the oldest living artist to make it to No. 1 on the British album chart. She now lives in Sussex, England, with daughter Virginia as her neighbor.

Argyle

Monday, September 5, 2016 Gail Grabowski and Bruce Venzke

Theme: Mystery Monday - No reveal, or is there?

62. Brief film role: CAMEO APPEARANCE. A CAMEO can appear as part of the other three items.

17. Chronological documentation in a court case: CHAIN OF EVIDENCE. Cameo necklace(chain)

27. Point an accusing finger at: PIN THE BLAME ON. Cameo pin(brooch)

48. "Be careful on that icy sidewalk": "WATCH YOUR STEP", Cameo watch (Usually a pocket watch)

Argyle here. Some easy stuff, some easy to overthink them and some that will get your thinking cap working. I think we will have a range of responses today. The grid itself with its two grid spanners and stong corners is solid.

Across:

1. Captain obsessed with a whale: AHAB

5. Baseball great Ruth: BABE

9. Channel covering Capitol Hill: C-SPAN

14. Formal affair: BALL

15. Taken by mouth: ORAL

16. Rome's home: ITALY

20. Prior name of Ho Chi Minh City: SAIGON

21. Spot of acne: ZIT

22. Driver's license prerequisite: TEST

23. Damaging precipitation: HAIL

25. NFL officials: REFs

32. Greek Cupid: EROS

33. Great Lakes' __ Canals: SOO

34. Prom participant: SENIOR

37. Japanese drama: NOH

38. Cry bitterly: SOB

40. Links org.: PGA. (Professional Golfers' Association)

41. Sharpshooters' magnifiers: SCOPES

45. Discouraging answers: NO's

47. Organs that may be pierced: EARS

51. When repeated, a Hawaiian fish: MAHI

52. Shoelace securer: KNOT

53. Offended smack: SLAP

56. New Deal org.: WPA. (Works Progress Administration)

58. More gloomy: DARKER

65. Female reproductive gland: OVARY

66. Any one of the Bahamas: ISLE

67. Geometric art style: DECO

68. Cup, in Calais: TASSE

69. Cartoon screams: EEKs

70. Leaves speechless: AWEs

Down:

1. Elementary lessons: ABCs

2. "You're a riot ... not": "HA-HA"

3. Jai __: ALAI

4. Fatal plant diseases: BLIGHTS. I question "fatal".

5. Outskirts of the outskirts: BOONIES

6. Weimaraner warning: ARF. 31D. Try to bite, puppy-style: NIP AT

7. Joan at Woodstock: BAEZ

8. Horror's "Mistress of the Dark": ELVIRA. Official Site.

9. Spanish hero El __: CID

10. Classic cowboy hat: STETSON

11. Windex target: PANE

12. MLB postseason semifinal: ALCS. (American League Championship Series)

13. Kremlin refusal: NYET

18. Genesis shipbuilder: NOAH. Would we laugh at him today? Or be worried?

19. List listings: ITEMS

24. Wall St. deals: LBOs. (leveraged buyout)

26. Price of admission: FEE

27. Check-signing needs: PENS

28. __-Z: classic Camaro: IROC. (International Race of Champions) In March 2008, IROC auctioned off its tools, equipment, cars, and memorabilia, and went out of business.

29. "Not gonna happen": "NO HOW"

30. Zany: LOONY

35. Kiddie-lit monster: OGRE

36. Sing like Joe Cocker: RASP

39. Best-seller list entry: BOOK

42. Fusses over: PAMPERS

43. LAX listing: ETA

44. The "a" sound in "about" or "around": SCHWA

46. Ice cream treats: SUNDAES

47. Erik of "CHiPs": ESTRADA

49. Flower child, e.g.: HIPPIE

50. Roll in the aisles: ROAR

53. Kilt wearer: SCOT

54. Volcanic flow: LAVA

55. Amo, __, amat: AMAS

57. Vaulted church recess: APSE

59. Had the information: KNEW

60. Behold, to Caesar: ECCE

61. Classic cars: REOs

63. Santana's "__ Como Va": OYE. "Oye como va mi ritmo", meaning "Listen to how my rhythm goes."

64. Lodge logo animal: ELK. The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

Argyle

Sunday, August 7, 2016 Donna S. Levin & Bruce Venzke

Theme: "A Fee for Victory" - V is changed into F, all key words go through spelling changes. 

23A. Municipal tennis court? : COMMUNITY SURFACE. Community service.

38A. Crowded dorm symptom? : A ROOM WITH A FEW. A Room with a View.

66A. Embellishment on Arabic calligraphy? : ALIF GARNISH. Olive garnish. Holy smoke, I pronounced ALIF wrong all these years. I thought A has the schwa sound.

75A. Last log entry? : FINAL RECORD. Vinyl record.

118A Request at the poultry farm? : I'D LIKE TO BUY A FOWL. I'd like to buy a vowel.

99A. Animal always without a home? : PERMANENT WAIF. Permanent wave.

16D. Cause of playtime sadness? : LOSING ONE'S NERF. Lose one's nerve.

51D. Brother-and-sister biathlon training regimen? : SIBLING RIFLERY. Sibling rivalry.

I bet many of you figured out the gimmick by looking at the title alone. I did also. The more I solve/make this type of sound change puzzle, the more I realize how hard it is to find a non-self-evident title that captures the gimmick.

Judging by the byline order, Donna came up with the theme idea, then she and Bruce brainstormed the theme entries together. Then Bruce designed the grid (Intersecting long theme entries is his hallmark). Then maybe Bruce filled the grid and Donna clued the whole grid. Or they each filled half and clued half. 

Loved the theme. Donna and Bruce are total pros. Unless you brainstorm this type of sound change theme yourself, you won't realize how much imagination and skills are involved in coming up with a consistant set.

Across:  

1. "Ring Around the Rosie" word : ASHES. Sigh. Never heard of this nursery rhyme.

6. Belts : SWIGS. Both verb/noun works.

11. Drop : OMIT.

15. Firefly emanation : GLOW

19. Regatta racer : SCULL. Not ROWER.

20. Bacon in a parlor game : KEVIN. Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. I was picturing real bacon.

21. Rare state bird : NENE

22. Apple's apple, e.g. : LOGO

 

26. Nobel Peace Center home : OSLO

27. Jackson ejector : ATM

28. Goes bad : ROTS

29. Father __ Sarducci: "SNL" character : GUIDO

30. "Good __!" : GRIEF. Not GRAVY.

31. Artist Mondrian : PIET

33. Rudely awaken : ROUST

36. Throat trouble? : FROG. Nice clue.

37. __ Tin Tin : RIN

  

 41. Bayer that might cause a headache? : BEAGLE. I don't get this clue. Why "headache"? Also 86. 41-Across, e.g. : BREED

44. Après-ski option : SPA. Not RUM.

45. "Jurassic Park" threat : TREX

46. Cause of a municipal alert : SMOG. Quite serious in my hometown Xi'an last winter.

48. Online ref. since 2000 : OED

49. Radiographer's tests : CT SCANS. We also have 40. The "A" often seen in 49-Across : AXIAL. The latter is unknown to me.

 

53. Guadalajara gal pal : AMIGA

56. WWI French battle site : ARGONNE. Stumped me last time.

58. "La donna è mobile," for one : ARIA. Hey, we have Donna!

59. In a proper manner : DULY

61. Francis of "What's My Line?" : ARLENE

63. Conk : BEAN

64. Massage : RUB

65. Feature of ths clue : TYPO

 

68. Contradict : BELIE

70. Israeli statesman Abba : EBAN

72. Buster? : NARC. Another great clue.

73. Like __: probably : AS NOT

 

78. Otherwise : ELSE

80. Show one's humanity : ERR

81. "Aw, fudge!" : DANG. I had DARN. By the way, Rich does not allow DAMN any more.

82. Potential benefit : UPSIDE

83. Editor's "Let it be" : STET.  And 113. Opposite of 83-Across : DELE

 84. Spy-fi villain in a Nehru jacket : DR NO

85. Quadratic formula course : ALGEBRA. Googled afterward. Knew that formula in Chinese, which gave me headache in high school.

87. "I'm not afraid of __; I just don't want to be there when it happens": Woody Allen : 

DEATH

89. Mucinex relative : SUDAFED. Where did the drug company pick up this name?

91. Neighbor of Leb. : ISR

92. Biryani base : RICE. Never heard of Biryani. You?

94. Senator Bail Organa's adopted daughter : LEIA.  I thought he's a real US Senator.  "Star Wars".

96. Written guffaw : LOL

97. Taken over : SEIZED

 

105. Adversary : FOE

106. Eldest Bennet daughter in "Pride and Prejudice" : JANE

107. __ Soleil: 17th-/18th-century royal : LE ROI. The Sun King.

108. On Vine St., say : IN LA

110. Spaniard's "L'chaim!" : SALUD

112. Chased from the closet : OUTED

114. Ices : OFFs

116. Business card abbr. : TEL

117. Not odd at all : EVEN

 

122. Geeky sort : NERD

123. Wedding cake layer : TIER

124. Detroit's Joe __ Arena : LOUIS

125. Holmes of "The Kennedys" : KATIE. She does look like Jackie Kennedy.

126. Temperance advocates : DRYs

127. Head of France? : TETE

128. DeMille specialties : EPICs

129. Wood that sinks in water : EBONY. Got via crosses.

Down:

 

1. Music rights gp. : ASCAP

2. Old Roman name for Ireland : SCOTIA. Oh, I did not know this. 

3. Large '90s-'00s SUV : HUMMER

4. Boston's Liberty Tree was one : ELM

5. Disparage : SLUR

6. Bunny slope conveyance : SKI TOW

7. Scuba gear : WET SUIT

8. Brown, for one : IVY. Gimme for our regulars.

9. Vets-to-be : GIs

10. Cozy : SNUG

11. Having a heck of a winning streak : ON FIRE

12. Pastures : MEADOWS

13. Disguised, briefly : INCOG. A common topic in old Chinese novels. High officials, including emperors, often go incognito to villages.

14. Driver's aid : TEE. Golf. Does Champions Tour stop in your area, TTP? It's free here. 3M also gives each spectator a bag of goodies: Scotch tape, Post-It notes, etc.  Here is Boomer on Friday.

15. Meathead's wife in '70s TV : GLORIA. No idea. All in the Family,

17. Act like a wolf : OGLE

18. Pound sound : WOOF

24. Rouen's region : NORMANDY

25. Elizabethan neckwear : RUFF. Also a learning moment.

30. One of the Allman Brothers : GREGG. Cher's ex.

32. Scarpia's killer, in a Puccini opera : TOSCA

34. Errant : STRAY

35. Him and her : THEM

39. WWII cost-stabilizing agcy. : OPA. No idea. Office of Price Administration

41. Wood-damaging insect : BORER. Gluey word.

42. "Stormy Weather" singer : LENA HORNE. We don't see her full name often.

43. Place with a serpent problem : EDEN

47. Handcuffs : MANACLES

49. Atkins no-no : CARB

50. Kind of test : TRUE-FALSE. Sparkly.

52. Powerful campaign force : SUPER PAC. Sparkly.

54. Humdrum routine : GRIND

55. Bravo preceder : ALFA

57. Geishas' sashes : OBIs

60. Sections of the brain : LOBES

62. "Snowy" wader : EGRET

65. It may be taken in the afternoon : TEA. Suddenly none of the local grocery stores carries Bigelow Jasmine tea right now. Strange.

66. Battery terminal : ANODE

67. "Sorry, lad" : NAE

69. Kansas-born playwright : INGE

71. H2SO4, e.g. : ACID

74. Stepped : TROD

76. Gruesome : LURID

77. Kingdom : REALM

79. Make a fool of : STULTIFY. New word to me.

81. Place of honor : DAIS

83. Really impress the critics : SHINE

84. __ Lama : DALAI. So much wisdom in Tibetan Buddhism. 

 

88. Color like aqua : TEAL

90. Information company co-founder Charles : DOW. Did not know his given name.

93. Shoulder decoration : EPAULET

95. Good for the heart and lungs : AEROBIC

98. "Gadzooks!" : ZOUNDS

100. Complete : ENTIRE And 103. Completely : IN TOTO

101. Stink : REEK

102. Easy to use, in adspeak : NO FUSS

104. Arrived from above : FLEW IN

106. Best Actress between Cher and Jessica : JODIE (Foster). Got via crosses. Googled and found out that she won Oscar in 1989 for "The Accused". I thought it's for "The Silence of the Lambs".

109. Strike zone? : ALLEY. Nailed it.

110. Transmit : SEND

111. Maintain : AVER

115. Benefit : SAKE. For the sake of.

118. Hairy Addams cousin : ITT

119. Outdo : TOP

120. Avignon agreement : OUI

121. '60s quartet adjective : FAB. Four.

C.C.