Monday, September 11, 2017 ~ Gail Grabowski & Bruce Venzke

Theme: Florida - WATERLOGGED ... prescience?

17A. 24-hour broadcaster that keeps you up-to-date: NEWS CHANNEL

23A. Music from Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey et al.: BIG BAND SOUND

39A. Ship's area for medical assistance: SICK BAY

50A. Singer dubbed "King of Country": GEORGE STRAIT

62A. Saturated like the ends of 17-, 23-, 39- and 50-Across?: WATERLOGGED

Argyle here, high and dry. Wide-open grid. The reveal feels a little off for coastal features usually filled with water all the time anyway. No, I don't have a better idea.

Across:

1. Amount to: COST

5. Evening affair: SOIRÉE

11. Cavern critter: BAT

14. Clarinet cousin: OBOE

15. Many charity golf tournaments: PRO-AMs

16. Wall St. specialist: ARB. (arbitrager)

19. CBS police series with three spin-offs: CSI. (Crime Scene Investigation)

20. Moog, briefly: SYNTH. (synthesizer: electronic musical instrument)

21. Detroit NFLer: LION. Are you ready for some football?

22. Hershey's toffee bar: SKOR. Crossword favorite.

26. Chintzy: CHEAPO

29. Type of waste pump: SUMP. Waterlogged, I'm afraid.

30. Buyer's financing: LOAN

31. Army installation: BASE

35. Last Marx brother, alphabetically: ZEPPO. Herbert Manfred Marx, youngest of the Marx Brothers

38. Well-suited: APT

41. Spy novelist Deighton: LEN

42. Bette's "Divine" nickname: MISS 'M'. (Midler)

44. Bills at bars: TABS

45. Almanac tidbit: FACT

46. Long-running dispute: FEUD

48. Braggart's retort: "I CAN SO!"

55. Doctor Zhivago's love: LARA

56. Island band The __ Men: BAHA. Waterlogged Bahamian band?

57. Garlicky mayo: AIOLI. I like it.

61. Musician's suffix: IST

64. Lawn coating: DEW

65. Exercise pieces: ETUDEs

66. Russian range or river: URAL

67. Symphonic gp. inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017: ELO. (Electric Light Orchestra)

68. Head out: DEPART

69. Start of a choosing rhyme: EENY

Down:

1. Pen occupants: CONS. Incarcerated.

2. Do what's asked: OBEY

3. Scattered, as seeds: SOWN

4. Nuclear restraint topic: TEST BAN

5. Globe shape: Abbr.: SPH. (Sphere)

6. Dental care brand: ORAL-B

7. Ancient Aegean land: IONIA

8. Talked nonstop: RAN ON

9. Removes errors from: EMENDs

10. Bilingual subj.: ESL. (English as a Second Language)

11. "Just in case" strategy: BACK-UP PLAN

12. Fiery crime: ARSON

13. "Fun, Fun, Fun" car in a 1960s song: T-BIRD

18. Greenside golf shot: CHIP

22. "Win __, lose ... ": SOME

24. Mongolian desert: GOBI

25. Postwar supermodel Parker: SUZY

26. Mollusk in a red or white linguine sauce: CLAM

27. Arizona native: HOPI

28. Consumes enough to nourish mother and unborn child: EATS FOR TWO

32. Play a part: ACT

33. Calypso cousin: SKA

34. Recede, as the tide: EBB

36. Lats relatives: PECS. (Latissimi dorsi and pectoralis major muscles)

37. Not fooled by: ON TO

39. Highly self-satisfied: SMUG

40. Singapore's continent: ASIA

43. Blood bank supply: SERA

45. Exhaustion: FATIGUE

47. Candidates' face-off: DEBATE

49. "So long, Paulo!": "CIAO!"

50. Soar without effort: GLIDE

51. Painter's stand: EASEL

52. Stopped slouching: SAT UP

53. Silents star Bara: THEDA

54. Not as prevalent: RARER

58. Kid lit monster: OGRE

59. Low-fat: LEAN

60. In an aimless fashion: IDLY

62. Married: WED

63. WWII carrier: LST. (Landing Ship, Tank)

 Argyle

Note from C.C.:

Happy Birthday to dear Husker Gary, from whom I learned what patience, compassion and creativity are. Thanks for being here for us, Gary!

Gary and Joann, June 25, 2017

Monday, August 14, 2017 ~ Gail Grabowski & Bruce Venzke

Theme: Bookends - Same letters at start and end of theme entries.

65A. Wander aimlessly ... and a hint to a divided word in the answers to starred clues: BUM AROUND

17A. *Half a percussion pair: BONGO DRUM

24A. *Fill-in-the-blanks agreement, e.g.: BUSINESS FORM

34A. *Cake soaked in alcoholic syrup: BABA AU RHUM

44A. *Brand for bubble blowers: BAZOOKA GUM

52A. *Security device that may be silent: BURGLAR ALARM

Argyle here. A lot of entries for a Monday but little trouble. Gotta love a puzzle with FONZARELLI.

Across:

1. Rifle range rounds: AMMO

5. Rainfall measure: INCH. Lately, that should be plural.

9. Transitional state: LIMBO

14. Bread buy: LOAF

15. NYC area above Houston Street: NOHO. Not as famous as SOHO.

16. Hunter constellation: ORION

19. "__ bleu!": SACRÉ

20. From India, say: ASIAN

21. Civil uprising: RIOT

23. Account exec: REP. (representative)

28. Post-WWII feminine flier: WAF. Women in the Air Force (WAF), organized in 1948 and active until 1976.

31. Small swallow: SIP. No, not a bird.

32. __ bubbles: SOAP

33. Bigheadedness: EGO

39. Cake pan trademark: BUNDT

42. Zilch: NIL

43. Africa's Sierra __: LEONE

47. Trivial point: NIT

48. Yet again: ANEW

49. High-arcing tennis shot: LOB

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

57. Opposite of WNW: ESE

58. __ about: roughly: ON OR

59. Soothed: EASED

63. Golf analyst Nick: FALDO

68. Get ready to compete, bodybuilder-style: OIL UP

69. Parting words?: OBIT. (Obituary)

70. Actress Hayworth: RITA

National Screen Heritage Award of the National Film Society (1978)

71. Crisscross frameworks: GRIDS. The answer is right there in front of us!

72. London gallery: TATE

73. __-bitsy: ITSY

Down:

1. Actress Jessica: ALBA

2. Cattle chorus: MOOs

3. Salon service with a pedi: MANI. (pedicure/manicure)

4. Gift __: chattiness: OF GAB

5. Hoosier St.: IND. (Indiana)

6. Here-there link: NOR

7. Butter-making device: CHURN. I found one like this in our horse barn.

8. Bro: HOMIE

9. One in need of spiritual guidance: LOST SOUL

10. Gershwin brother: IRA

11. Emcee's need: MICROPHONE

12. Destructive insect: BORER

13. Hr. after noon: ONE PM

18. Burden: ONUS

22. Mount of Greek myth: OSSA. In Greek mythology, the Aloadaes attempted to pile Mount Pelion on top of Mount Ossa in an attempt to scale Mount Olympus.

25. Bro, to a sis: SIB. (sibling)

26. "Brusha, brusha, brusha" toothpaste: IPANA

27. Cab ride price: FARE

28. Jack of "Dragnet": WEBB

Jack Webb Harry Morgan Dragnet 1968

29. Water, to Juan: AGUA

30. Full last name of a "Happy Days" cool dude: FONZARELLI

35. Gargantuan: BIG

36. __ in the conversation: A LULL

37. Self-storage compartment: UNIT

38. Citi Field team: METS. The New York Mets, National League East division.

40. Doorbell sound: "DONG!" (the DING! is broken.)

41. Figure skating jumps: TOE LOOPS

45. Nine-time U.S. skating champ Michelle: KWAN

46. Extinct emu-like bird: MOA

50. Uncle Remus rabbit's title: BR'ER

52. Confuse: BEFOG

53. TWA competitor: USAIR. Both names are no longer in use.

54. Many a modern assembly-line worker: ROBOT

55. Caribbean resort isle: ARUBA

56. New Zealand settler: MAORI. What they think of us? Pic

60. Hearts or clubs: SUIT

61. Sinus docs: ENTs. (ears, nose, throat)

62. WWII turning point: D-DAY. June 6, 1944.

64. Defective firecracker: DUD

66. Cambridge univ.: MIT. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

67. Munched on: ATE

Argyle

Monday, June 26, 2017 Bruce Venzke & Gail Grabowski

Theme: No Reveal Monday - B(vowel progression)TT

17A. Cellphone revitalizers: BATTERY CHARGERS

23A. Cake mix giant: BETTY CROCKER

36A. Confection not as sweet as the "milk" variety: BITTER CHOCOLATE

48A. Lowest dresser compartment: BOTTOM DRAWER

57A. Affectionate touches with one's lashes: BUTTERFLY KISSES

Argyle here. While the theme may be simple, the execution is not. Three grid spanning entries and two 12's, all in the language, makes it a worthy Monday puzzle.

Across:

1. Cars for stars: LIMOs

6. Vagabond: TRAMP

11. Clock setting for MI and MO: CST. Four counties of the Upper Peninsula in

Michigan and all of Missouri are in Central Standard Time Zone.

14. Go through entirely: USE UP

15. Riveter painted by Rockwell: ROSIE

16. Grazing area: LEA

20. Looker that's usually blue or brown: EYE

21. "Ring around the collar" detergent: WISK

22. Hard-to-resist impulse: URGE

27. Falls back: RECEDES

30. Driver's protest: HONK

31. Japanese soup noodle: UDON

32. Electrical unit: WATT

33. One dressing to be noticed: FOP

41. Muddy barnyard abode: STY

42. Fashion's Chanel: COCO

43. App symbol: ICON

44. Moccasin or loafer: SHOE

45. Tranquilizes: SEDATES

52. New Balance competitor: AVIA

53. USAF truant: AWOL

54. Alien crew in sci-fi films: ETs

62. Right-angle shape: ELL

63. Writer Zora __ Hurston: NEALE

64. Singing sensation Boyle: SUSAN. Where is she now?

65. Take notice of: SEE

66. Lustful deity: SATYR

67. Perot of politics: H. ROSS

1. Job with an oil change: LUBE

2. Dr. Watson outburst: "I SAY!"

3. Parcel (out): METE

4. So last week: OUT

5. Gushed: SPEWED

6. On-the-sly romantic meetings: TRYSTs. With a SATYR?

7. Like much of Maine's coastline: ROCKY

8. Volcanic debris: ASH

9. Actress Farrow: MIA

10. In accordance with: PER

11. Court assistant: CLERK

12. Twilled fabric: SERGE

13. Law enforcement shocker: TASER

18. Ceremonial act: RITE

19. Oozy stuff: GUCK. I wanted GUNK.

23. Flexed: BENT

24. Bush Labor secretary Elaine: CHAO

25. Campus mil. group: ROTC. (Reserve Officers' Training Corps)

26. Aware of, as a scheme: ON TO

27. Barbecue coatings: RUBS

28. Work on a script: EDIT

29. Cosmetics giant: COTY

32. Reporter's question: WHO

33. Fiction's opposite: FACT

34. Oklahoma tribe: OTOE

35. Will-signing needs: PENS

37. Empty hallway sound: ECHO

38. Floor plan division: ROOM

39. Sent a dupe letter to: CCed

40. "You made that up!": LIAR

44. PDQ, in the ICU: STAT

45. Finn's friend: SAWYER

46. Furry "Star Wars" creature: EWOK

47. "Yum!": "DELISH!". A Rachael Ray comment.

48. Innocent sorts: BABES

49. Seed-to-be: OVULE

50. Book name: TITLE

51. Good news on Wall Street: RALLY

54. Canadian gas sign: ESSO

55. Tetley products: TEAs

56. Bank acct. IDs: SSNs. (Social Security number)

58. Chekov's "Star Trek" rank: Abbr.: ENS. (Ensign)

59. Actor Stephen: REA

60. Budgetary excesses: FAT

61. California's Big __: SUR

Argyle

Monday, May 29, 2017 Gail Grabowski & Bruce Venzke

Theme: Parse the Reveal - Parse it correctly and you'll have the theme.

17A. Corporate world meal: POWER LUNCH

31A. Instruction on a Steinway: PIANO LESSON

48A. Political head: PARTY LEADER

65A. "The Maltese Falcon" actor: PETER LORRE

73A. CFO's monetary report, and a hint to this puzzle's four longest answers: P AND L. A profit and loss statement.

Argyle here and a couple of our regular Monday constructors.

Across:

1. Corrosive compounds: ACIDS

6. Dog in "The Thin Man" mysteries: ASTA. 1935 -1947 The movie series. 1957–1959 Two seasons on television.

10. Pork serving: CHOP

14. Heath-covered wastelands: MOORS.

15. Fish tempter: BAIT

16. What the little hand shows: HOUR. Digital kid, "What are hands?"

19. Otherwise: ELSE

20. Guys-only gathering: STAG

21. Lawyer: Abbr.: ATT. (attorney)

22. Artificial: ERSATZ. German Ersatz: a substitute.

24. Took a load off: SAT

26. Helps with the holdup: ABETS

28. Manning of the NFL's Giants: ELI. He was drafted as the first overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers and immediately traded to the Giants. - Wiki.

36. Four times a day, in an Rx: QID. Latin, quater in die.

37. Early Peruvians: INCAS

38. Continental cash: EURO

39. Turn loose: UNLEASH

41. Fry cook's woe: SPATTER

44. Light bulb, in comics: IDEA

45. Motionless: INERT

47. CD-__: ROM. A Compact Disc used as a Read-Only optical Memory.

51. Obstinate beast: ASS

52. Back of the boat: STERN

53. Sky safety org.: FAA. (Federal Aviation Administration)

55. Historic Spanish fleet: ARMADA

58. Eden dweller: EVE

60. Rope source: HEMP

64. Aretha's genre: SOUL

68. Voice below soprano: ALTO

69. Defib specialists: EMTS. Defibrillation/Emergency Medical Technician

70. Disney mermaid: ARIEL

71. Burns or Byron: POET

72. Pair of performers: DUET

Down:

1. Bandstand boosters: AMPS

2. Small water bird: COOT

3. Nebraska neighbor: IOWA

4. Bottom-of-the-barrel stuff: DREGS

5. Ukr. or Lith., once: SSR. (Soviet Socialist Republic)

6. Touch the edge of: ABUT

7. "Oye Como Va" group: SANTANA

8. "__-Tac-Dough": TV game show: TIC

9. Walking obediently, as a dog: AT HEEL

10. 32 pieces and a game board: CHESS SET

11. Havana "Hi!": "¡HOLA!"

12. Force out: OUST

13. Chief exec: PREZ. Shortened forms.

18. Ancient Romans: LATINs

23. FedEx assignment: Abbr.: RTE. (route)

25. Capital of Samoa: APIA

27. Ordered (around): BOSSED

28. Provide with gear: EQUIP

29. Singer Ronstadt: LINDA

30. Thumb twiddler: IDLER

32. More in need of a rubdown: ACHIER

33. Kama __: Hindu love guide: SUTRA

34. Tiered cookies: OREOs

35. Societal expectations: NORMS

40. Reacts to being ravenous: EATS A LOT

42. Like better: PREFER

43. Big name in razors: ATRA

46. "No, No" Broadway gal: NANETTE

49. Since Jan. 1, on pay stubs: YTD. (Year To Date)

50. Jumped: LEAPED

54. Now, in Nogales: AHORA. Mexican state of Sonora or US state of Arizona, they abut.

55. Rush job letters: ASAP. (as soon as possible)

56. Caramel candy brand: ROLO

57. Volume-off button: MUTE

59. Flak jacket, e.g.: VEST

61. Whistle-blowing Brockovich: ERIN. Subject of 2000 film bearing her name.

62. Talking TV palomino: MR. ED. Yes, it is "Mister Ed" but TV is television.

63. __-mell: disorderly: PELL

66. Outback avian: EMU

67. Once around the track: LAP. Or what is formed from 24-Across.

Argyle

Monday, April 24, 2017 Gail Grabowski and Bruce Venzke

Theme: Reveal Monday - And a darn good thing.

17A. Sheet for plotting in math class: GRAPH PAPER. Autograph.

35A. Gridiron pass-defense scheme: ZONE COVERAGE. AutoZone. (car parts store)

42A. TV series starter: PILOT EPISODE. Autopilot.

64A. Market research target: FOCUS GROUP. Autofocus. (camera feature)

50D. Running by itself, and where the first words of 17-, 35-, 42- and 64-Across can be placed: ON AUTO

Argyle here. Textbook Monday. Very enjoyable.

Across:

1. Keebler cracker: ZESTA. Original Saltine Crackers.

6. Hotel employee: MAID

10. Consequently: THUS

14. Reference containing insets: ATLAS

15. Big name in luxury hotels: OMNI

16. What some hogs hog, with "the": ROAD

19. Rich rocks: OREs

20. Added to the collection plate: GAVE

21. Scrutinizes: INSPECTS

23. Menlo Park inventor: EDISON. Thomas Alva Edison, "The Wizard of Menlo Park".

25. Fort Worth sch.: TCU. (Texas Christian University)

26. Prohibition __: ERA

29. Advent mo.: DEC.. Advent, the period beginning four Sundays before Christmas.

30. Silent approvals: NODS

33. Author Capote: TRUMAN

37. Brand for Fido: ALPO

40. Misspell or misspeak: ERR

41. Nibble (on): GNAW

47. Points a finger at: BLAMES. Point a finger at Fido and he may gnaw on it.

48. Decant: POUR

49. Soft slip-on: MOC. (moccasin) Tonto has his mocs on but the Masked Man is John Hart.

52. Traditional Asian sauce base: SOY

53. Seventh Greek letter: ETA

55. One-named Tejano singer: SELENA

57. Eggs __: brunch dish: BENEDICT

61. General Bradley: OMAR

62. Object of adoration: IDOL

66. Door openers: KEYS

67. Provide a fake alibi for, say: ABET

68. Come together: UNITE

69. Minimal effort: EASE

70. Storied loch: NESS

71. Mystic's deck: TAROT

Down:

1. Took a sharp turn: ZAGGED right after zigged.

2. Online financial site: E-TRADE

3. Like Croats and Serbs: SLAVIC

4. Carton sealers: TAPES

5. Volcanic debris: ASH

6. Reaction to a bad pun: MOAN

7. Miami Sound Machine sound machines: AMPS. 44D. "Coming Out of the Dark" singer Gloria: ESTEFAN. Song history. The song(4:06).

8. Klutzy: INEPT

9. Dish Network competitor: DIRECTV

10. Jogger's pace: TROT

11. Member of the Apocalypse quartet: HORSEMAN. All four are horsemen. War, Famine, Pestilence, and Death.

12. Abu Dhabi's fed.: UAE.(United Arab Emirates)

13. Militant '60s campus org.: SDS. (Students for a Democratic Society)

18. Attach, as a name tag: PIN ON

22. Restore to health: CURE

24. Tokyo-born Yoko: ONO

27. Hindu melody: RAGA

28. From the beginning: ANEW

31. Like the diving-board end of the pool: DEEP

32. Rx, for short: SCRIP. No tee.

34. Hard-to-resist impulse: URGE

35. Go like heck: [ZOOM!]

36. Estimate words: OR SO

37. BOLO equivalents: APBs. "Be On the LookOut"/"All Points Bulletin" sent to LEOs, "Law Enforcement Officers"

38. Disney's "__ & Stitch": LILO

39. Don Juans: PLAYBOYS

43. Many a manga fan: TEEN. Manga are comics created in Japan.

45. Expels by force: OUSTS

46. Dr. with Grammys: DRE

49. Life story: MEMOIR

51. "Magic" transport: CARPET

54. Photoshop maker: ADOBE

56. Doone of fiction: LORNA

58. Otherwise: ELSE

59. Puts frosting on: ICES

60. Scissors snips: CUTS

62. Cold War prez: IKE

63. Org. busting dealers: DEA. (Drug Enforcement Administration)

65. __ reaction: instinctive feeling: GUT

Argyle

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