Friday, September 29, 2017, John Lampkin

Title: Roman Numeral switcheroo.

Another happy Friday with another of the good friends of the blog. John is such an accomplished and warm human being, it is hard not to like all of his work  I assume all "got" this theme as soon as the word "Roman" appeared so often. While there are countless words which include the letters which are also the Roman numerals, John limited his selection to the V and the X, with the perfect reveal. My first thought when I saw 1 Across was that all three letters were  Roman numerals. You don't see three letter theme fill often but this all worked for me, with no words longer than 8 letters. Your thoughts on this work are appreciated. Off we go....                                                                                                                                                                     
1A. Roman jet? : DC X. (3) The DC 10 was introduced into service in 1970. This one confused me because D and C are also Roman Numerals.

23A. Roman's advice to prevent an explosion? : COUNT TO X (8). Counting to 10 was a shortcut to meditation.

39A. Roman variety store? (and a hint to 10 other puzzle answers) : V AND X (5). The 5 and 10 was
an American institution, with WOOLWORTH being the epitome.

51A. Roman Shakespearean drama? : V ACT PLAY (8). Shakespeare was dedicated to this STRUCTURE.

70A. Roman graveyard shift hour? : V AM. (3). When I used to work doubles at the rubber factory (2 PM to 6 AM) it was the last hour that was the hardest.

3D. Roman bowler's target? : X PIN (4). A CSO for Boomer!

4D. Roman musical family? : JACKSON V (8). Can you name all five?

26D. Roman bike? : X SPEED (6). Bicycles have become too complex for me.  They sell some for thousands of dollars.

27D. Roman "high" request? : GIMME V (6). These days this is one of the first things parents teach their children.

40D. Roman Scrabble Q-tile, e.g.? : X POINTER (8). Ten points, and all those words that don't need a U.

57D. Roman's long golf hole? : PAR V (4). Another CSO to our golfing contingent, HG, BE, Moe and all of those I left out by accident.

Well, I am worn out just listing the 11 theme fill. So let's explore the rest.

Across:

4. Start of a rhyming Basque game: JAI. Alai. Long the fastest moving ball in SPORTS.

7. Reason to use an inhaler: ASTHMA.

13. Knock: RAP. Oh, I guess I can call it "knock" music.

14. Cry buckets: BAWL. The word had a different meaning in my youth.

15. Unexpected twist: SPRAIN. Amusing.

16. The record longest continuous ride on one is 105.57 miles: UNICYCLE. Who knew? This makes it a TRIBUTE puzzle.

18. Unlikely to ride a 16-Across well: KLUTZY. Too true.

19. Hunted Carroll critter: SNARK. More of his IMAGINATION, beyond Alice.

20. Balm-maker's plants: ALOES.

22. A.L. East team: BOSton.

27. '80s jeans: GITANOS. Still for SALE.

31. SOP part: Abbr. : STD. Standard.

32. "48 __": HRS.  The TV Show.

33. Assistant who didn't exist in Mary Shelley's novel: IGOR. Eegore, or Eyegor?

34. Whiskey order: NEAT. A clear CSO to Tinbeni.

36. "... beneath __ blue sky": Don Henley lyric: A DEEP. Not a sea but sky. LISTEN.

38. Stubborn equine: MULE.

41. Perry's creator: ERLE.

42. Dull finish: MATTE. JL is an avid and successful photographer as well a musician, ornithologist, entomologist and cruciverbalist - the modern Renaissance man.

44. F-__: STOP. Blushing?

45. A hothead has a short one: FUSE.

46. 67.5 deg.: ENE.

47. Item before a door: MAT.

49. Sack out: GO TO BED.

54. Bargain bin abbr.: IRRegular.

55. Bete __: NOIRE.

56. Immature dragonfly: NYMPH. I think of this when I see NYMPH, not THIS. What do you call a woman who is obsessed with immature dragonflies? Answer below....

59. Stereotypically stylish: UPTOWN. Saturday night.

62. Leaves port: SETS SAIL. Even when the ships do not have sails.

65. Facial feature named after an animal: GOATEE.

66. Muscovite's denial: NYET.

67. Whiskey option: RYE. Any Manhattan drinkers in our crowd?

68. They usually leave the park: HOMERS.

69. Key contraction: O'ER. Francis Scott - ramparts.

Down:

1. R and B's __ Hill: DRU. Not in my WHEELHOUSE.

2. Soup aisle array: CANS.

5. Hole-making tool: AWL.

6. Intestinal: ILEAC.

7. Invite on a date: ASK OUT.

8. NutraSweet competitor: SPLENDA. Both sweetener brand names - blue/yellow.

9. Have faith in: TRUST.

10. Noodle topper? : HAT. Noodle as head, not a form of pasta.

11. "Les __" : MIZ. Broadway.

12. At least one: ANY.

14. "... truth is always strange; / Stranger than fiction" poet: BYRON. From his poem, Don Juan.
"' Tis strange - but true; for truth is always strange;
Stranger than fiction; if it could be told,
How much would novels gain by the exchange!
How differently the world would men behold!"

17. "Willkommen" musical: CABARET.

21. Words on a reward poster: LOST DOG.

24. "... there's __!": Hamlet: THE RUB. Our Friday Shakespeare, but not all 5 acts.

25. Intimidating words: OR ELSE.

28. Exotic pet: IGUANA. These are neither exotic nor pets here; they roam freely unless and until a freeze. The past two winters were warm and their population has grown. They are 'affectionately' called "dem sumbitches" by an elderly neighbor woman.

29. Pre-Aztec Mexican: TOLTEC. I do not know much about this CIVILIZATION.

30. Multi-armed ocean critter: SEASTAR. We also discussed this before.  LINK.

35. Bad picnic omen: ANT. Below a JL original, in his words. "This ant is on the head of an Ambush Bug who had just killed and eaten a bee. The ant is enjoying the leftovers while grooming the bug. I actually photographed the whole sequence."

37. Gets bent out of shape: DEFORMS. A pun here if you like the word.

43. Authorize: EMPOWER.

48. Dior designs: A-LINES.

50. Secret hot date: TRYST.

52. Fed. bill: T-NOTE.

53. Simple question type: YES/NO.

58. Casual greeting: HI-YA.

59. "That stinks!" : UGH.

60. Nanki-__: POO. The Mikado.

61. Bagpiper's hat: TAM. I understand the geographic connection, but I see more like...

63. Anatomical orb: EYE.

64. Apollo lander, briefly: LEM. How cool that dear JL ends with a CSO to yours truly.

Yesterday, Harper turned two and today my baby is celebrating his 29th birthday. Tonight we start the fasting for Yom Kippur, which lasts until an hour past sundown Saturday. Party time. Thank you, John and all who read. Gamar Tov. Lemonade out.

Answer: An entomologist!           

Friday, September 22, 2017, Jeffrey Wechsler

Title: The LA Times has gone to the dogs.

JW is back with one of his whimsical puzzles. There is no conventional theme, but a common denominator. The clues all reference noisy dogs. Each in the language phrase has one word changed. The changes are simple and the results fun. If you do not see the humor you will not enjoy the puzzle. Some of the clues are not easily sussed, but this is a Friday puzzle. Also, before excoriating the constructor, bear in mind that a large percentage of clues are changed by the editors. Meanwhile Jeffrey did include the very sparkly fill -BELLY RUB, QUICK SET, RAN AFTER, TOM JONES, I'M NOT READY.  The theme:

21A. Hogwarts chronicler imitating noisy dogs? : J.K. GROWLING (10). Gee, this is the simplest one to grok.

26A. Devices that record data on noisy dogs? : BARKING METERS (13). My favorite change - parking meters - where doggies mark their territory.

47A. Photographer of noisy dogs? : YIPPER SNAPPER (13). I heard the term whipper snapper often as a child.

52A. Paintings depicting noisy dogs? : WORKS OF ARF (10). The ART of the woof woof.

Across: 

1. Hubbub : STIR.

5. Thompson of "Westworld" : TESSA. Not a great start for me as I never have watched that series. She has had a busy CAREER and is pretty.

10. One way to lean : BACK. Not a political comment. Hmm, 19A. Reclined : LAIN.

14. Stephen Hawking subject : TIME. He has persevered in life despite the effects of ALS. READ.

15. Tough tests of knowledge : ORALS.

16. Offer the same opinion as : ECHO. I think they must now pay a royalty to Amazon.

17. Princess Royal of Britain : ANNE.This is a formal title which she received in 1987. LINK.

18. -, at times : MINUS.

20. Setup provider's abbr. : BYOB. Bring Your Own Bottle.

23. Like many deli orders : TO GO.

25. Western peer of Tex and Gene : ROY. Rogers.

32. Part of XL: Abbr. : LGE.

33. Toon cat since the silent era : FELIX. The first animated STAR  with an amazing history.

34. Reacts to bad news, perhaps : SULKS.

37. War-torn land : IRAQ. There are many such lands, sadly.

39. More rational : SANER.

41. All in : BEAT. Not an easy meaning to suss, the poker implications kept invading my thought.

42. St. Anthony's home : PADUA. You can read about this MAN. The first Catholic school in Fort Lauderdale is St. Anthony's.

44. It's not exactly a pick-me-up : DECAF.

46. Airport approx. : ETA.

50. Disney Store collectible : CEL.

51. Semi bar : AXLE. Semi truck.

58. First name in folk : ARLO. Hasn't he faded into oblivion yet?

61. Choppers : AXES.

62. Stop by : VISIT.

63. Printer function : SCAN. Copy, scan, fax and print - an all in one work station.

64. News article intro : LEDE. A total learning moment.  LINK.

65. Gradually weaken : ERODE. Another correct answer but difficult to suss.

66. It can be hard to get out of : MAZE. I like the combination with the clecho....

67. It can be hard to get out : KNOT.

68. Call attention (to) : REFER.

69. Bellicose god : ARES.


Down:

1. Attempt : STAB. C'mon take a chance.

2. Like a mite : TINY.

3. "Give me a few minutes" : I'M NOT READY. How many couples argue over the time it takes to get ready?

4. Adidas subsidiary : REEBOK. I linked the purchase of Reebok before.

5. He beat out Sonny and Cher and Herman's Hermits, among others, for the Best New Artist Grammy : TOM JONES. An interesting LIST. We watched Peter Noone in concert last year and he was great.

6. Christine's phantom admirer : ERIK. The popularity of the play and musical has inspired people to write their own ENDING.

7. Emulated 5-Down : SANG.

8. Nasty comment : SLUR. Comes, I believe, from the slurry left over from coal etc.

9. Categorize : ASSORT. In 2017 we mostly sort, but we still buy assorted cookies etc.

10. Source of much canine delight : BELLY RUB. A bonus doggy fill. And a classic example of a gif. See 24D.

11. Nutritious berry : ACAI.

12. Gym exercise : CHIN. verb 1. draw one's body up so as to bring one's chin level with or above (a horizontal bar) with one's feet off the ground, as an exercise. I always add the "UP."

13. Giant film primate : KONG. The King.

22. Burdens : WOES.

24. Desktop animation image suffix : GIF. HG introduced this handy link style to our blog.

26. Control tower signal : BLIP. On the radar screen.

27. Indian shrine site : AGRA. Taj Mahal anyone? LINK.

28. Forest clearing : GLADE.

29. Member of the underground economy? : MINER. This clue/fill sounds like JW's wit. My favorite in this puzzle.

30. CFOs, e.g. : EXECS.

31. Orient Express feature : SLEEPER CAR. As I mentioned, another movie based on Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot. I do not know why because you cannot beat David Suchet.

35. Shakespeare's shrew : KATE. Very un-pc to talk of taming one's wife now.

36. Vega, for one : STAR. Or a Chevrolet.

38. Cement type for home repairs : QUICK SET. My Uncle Harold was a mason, and taught masonry at the local trade school. He showed me how to use this product on the small jobs, as well as the difference between cement and concrete..

40. Pursued vigorously : RAN AFTER.

43. Homo sapiens relatives : APES. Do you like the re-imagination of the Planet of the Apes movies?

45. 63-Across alternative : FAX.

(space left intentionally blank)


48. Small wading bird : PLOVER.

49. State of matter : PLASMA.

52. Constitutional : WALK.                                                              

53. Strong farm team : OXEN.

54. Overhaul : REDO.

55. Gift from Prometheus : FIRE. Prometheus (/prəˈmiːθiəs/ prə-MEE-thee-əs; Greek: Προμηθεύς [promɛːtʰeús], meaning "forethought") is a Titan in Greek mythology, best known as the deity in Greek mythology who was the creator of mankind and its greatest benefactor, who stole fire from Mount Olympus and gave it to mankind. wiki.

56. Beginning : AS OF.

57. Play polo, say : RIDE.

59. Relax : LAZE.

60. Word that can replace "your" : ONES. I hear that use with "opinions."

 A different offering, with lots of JW's wit on display.  I am curious how those who don't like themes which are hard to grasp will react to this effort. I had fun, hope you all did. I think of crosswords as entertainment. L'shanah tovah -Happy New Year to those who celebrate the coming of year 5778. Lemonade out.

Note from C.C.:

Here is the latest picture of Lemonade's cute grand-kids at the grocery store:

 Harper, Owen and Charlotte

Friday, September 15, 2017, Mark McClain

Title: Am I coming or going?

After more than 7 years of blogging puzzles, I do not often need the reveal to understand the theme. Mark got me, even though I knew the likely theme fill made no sense, I did not get what they had in common until the reveal. Telling us to break 58A into three words gave me DRAW TO WARD, and after a slow brain moment the light bulb went on - DRAW backwards is WARD. GAB becomes BAG and the rest fell into place. To maintain consistency, Mark has the second word reverse in the first two themers and and the first word reverses in the next two. The grid with many three and four letter fill makes this a fair test for Friday even before you deduce the reversal. Also it features many witty clue/fill combinations. Ringing organ? : EAR; Taking something badly? : THEFT - come to mind. That did not leave much room for other sparkle, but Mark did include SAPPORO, SATISFY, DYSTOPIAN and RAISE CAIN.

18A. Chat at the supermarket checkout? : GROCERY GAB (10). Grocery Bag jumped out at me as soon as I had the reveal.
-
24A. Marsh bird with uncontrollable urges? : COMPULSIVE RAIL (14). Compulsive is a word most often seen with Liar and Gambler.

38A. Way into Wayne Manor? : BAT KEYS (7). Tab Keys are very important when typing. The shortest fill, BAT to TAB.

51A. Work of a major opera house villain? : EVIL FROM THE MET (14). I watched this SHOW when it aired Live starting in 1977 trying to appreciate opera.

58A. Attract ... or, as three words, sequence change with a hint about 18-, 24-, 38- and 51-Across : DRAW TOWARD (10). If you suss this as DRAW to WARD, you see that this is a word reversal puzzle.

The rest...

Across:

1. Alan of "Tower Heist" : ALDA. It is amazing how well he has played smarmy bad people in this and other projects. A Stiller connection.

5. Partridge family tree? : PEAR. Not sure which family this refers to, the TV series or the Christmas chant.

9. Eliot's Bede : ADAM. This was the first novel published by George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans). Silas Marner and Middlemarch were her best.

13. He shared the AP Driver of the Century award with Andretti : FOYT. A. J. was a major STAR. when I was growing up.

14. Consumed : EATEN.

16. Con __: tempo marking : MOTO. The word has the same stem as motion but what does it mean in MUSIC?

17. Museum figure : BUST. Tempting...

20. Bigelow offering : TEA.

22. "Utopia" author : MORE. Is this the first fantasy novel? Was his Utopia appealing?  What about 3 Down?

23. Request on "ER" : MRI.

28. Oldest Japanese beer brand : SAPPORO.

29. Discounted by : LESS.

30. Cut out : OMIT.

31. Trivial amount : SOU. Although the French sou as a coin disappeared more than two centuries ago, it is still used to mean of little value. (various).

33. __ science : EARTH. Needed perps.

37. Paella veggie : PEA. Not a dish I cook, but here is a RECIPE.

41. "Eureka!" : AHA. Another made up word, but I guess they all are.

42. Legendary first name in skating : SONJA.  The second name was HENIE. A reminder to some of us of Clear Ayes. 48D. 42-Across' homeland : NORWAY.

44. Northwest Passage explorer : RAE. A true PIONEER.

45. Cinco times dos : DIEZ. Purists would prefer "cinco veces dos."

46. Noodle bar order : UDON.

49. Fulfill : SATISFY.

55. Animal house : DEN.

56. Pertaining to : IN RE.

57. SHO-owned cinematic channel : TMC. The Movie Channel, not TCM or AMC.

62. Not at all tough : EASY.

65. Skye, for one : ISLE.

66. Card worth a fortune? : TAROT.

67. Stir up : RILE.

68. Slender swimmers : EELS.

69. Sweet tubers : YAMS.  Can you pass the QUIZ?

70. Winter coat : SNOW. Another nice one.

Down:

1. Laughlin in Tex., e.g. : AFB. Air Force Base.

2. He often batted after Babe : LOU. Gehrig.

3. Like "The Hunger Games" society : DYSTOPIAN. Should this be included when you have 22A?

4. Tackle : ATTEMPT.

5. Wood fastener : PEG.

6. Ringing organ? : EAR. I like this clue, not the phenomenon.

7. Physics class topic : ATOMS.

8. Cringe : RECOIL.

9. Youngest of the "Little Women" : AMY. Meg. Margaret is the oldest of the March sisters, Jo. Josephine is the second oldest March sister, Beth. Elizabeth is the third eldest sister, Amy. The youngest, Amy is the pet of the family.

10. Article of faith : DOGMA. I liked the movie.

11. Arcade giant : ATARI.

12. Exxon follower? : MOBIL.

15. Guts : NERVE.

19. Giant in little candy : REESES.  Pieces. Phone home.

21. GI's address : APO.

24. Typical Hitchcock role : CAMEO. Stan Lee has taken over as king of the Cameos.

25. Celestial bear : URSA.

26. Take from a job : LOOT. Oh, that kind of job.

27. Johannesburg's land: Abbr. : RSA. Republic of South Africa, home to constructor and blogger Gareth Bain.

28. Finishes (up) the gravy : SOPS.

32. Former SSR : UKRaine.

34. Go ballistic : RAISE CAIN. A THEORY.

35. Taking something badly? : THEFT. Not new but still witty.

36. Unclear : HAZY.

38. Mismatch : BAD FIT.

39. __ Coast : EAST. WEST?

40. Repeated word in the Beatles' "She Loves You" : YEAH. yeah, yeah.

43. National Ice Cream mo. : JULy. Y abbreviate?

45. Aids for romantic evenings : DIMMERS.

47. Hedger's last words : OR NOT. This fill is absolutely correct, or not.

50. Vietnamese holiday : TET.

51. __ Bauer : EDDIE. The STORY.

52. Part of a song : VERSE.

53. Collectively : IN ALL.

54. Anne of comedy : MEARA. Wife of Jerry, mother of Ben; sadly she died in 2015.

59. Director Craven : WES. Unlike  Hitchcock and Stan Lee, Craven (who also died in 2015) often played himself in movies.

60. Danube Delta country: Abbr. : ROMania.

61. Drying-out hurdle : DTS. Delirium Tremens. I had a math teacher, first period, my junior year in high school who brought his coffee to class in a cup and saucer and the sound of his shaking was unnerving before 8 AM.

63. __-mo replay : SLO.

64. Taxus shrub : YEW. They look like junipers but the yew berry has a poisonous seed instead of the base for gin.

I am always curious when we have a theme like this one, as some of our crowd wants only clues and fill and no theme, while others love creativity. Thank you Mark; hope all are well. Lemonade out.

 Note from C.C.: 

Lemonade is safe and sound. His power was finally back last night. He also has a new grandson, who was born on Wednesday Sept 13, 2017. So sweet! You can click here to see more pictures of his beautiful grandkids.

Friday, September 8, 2017, Alex Eaton-Salners

Title: Crazy 8s.  The MEANING? Interestingly, today's date has meaning to some as well. LINK.

Alex is back with a visual rebus puzzle, like the old Concentration game. The number 8 can be presented in a few ways, with the most common being similar to a sideways infinity symbol. However, one can place a "o" on top another "o," and also create an eight. This puzzle has six down fill, including the reveal, where the word 'eight' is replaced with the visual. Since most puzzles have at least some across fill in the theme, it took a while to see the direction Alex had taken. Knowing my audience I expect a mixed bag of reviews, but I liked it when the light bulb came on. Like most visual puzzles, if you understand what is going on, the rest is easy. For me, seeing so many OO words made the theme and solve possible to suss. There are some uncommon fill, UP SOLD, CLOSEUP, SHUTOUT, AS I SEE IT, OVERRODE, RETROFIT and SAO PAULO.  So many almost religious fill....On with the show:

3D. '70s-'80s show about a big family : OO IS ENOUGH (10). Eight is Enough overcame the death of the actress playing the mother (John Travolta's girlfriend)  Diana Hyland in the first season.

7D. Obsolete audio technology : OO TRACK (7). The eight track player did not last long. HISTORY.

9D. Federal housing assistance program : SECTION OO (9). Section 8 was part of the Housing Act of 1937.

30D. Treasure chest coins represented graphically by two consecutive letters in six puzzle answers (including this one) : PIECES OF OO (10). Pieces of eight explained in the introductory link.

32D. 1875 Alcott novel : OO COUSINS (9). Never read it.

40D. Budget motel chain : SUPER OO (7). We have one NEARBY.  But I like this ONE better.


Across:

1. Short pants? : TROUsers. The only time I have ever seen or heard the abbreviation was in the phrase, "Drop trou."

5. "Gloria in Excelsis __" : DEO.

8. Where JFK, Nixon and Carter served : US NAVY. This was harder than it needed to be because 'where' obscured the answer/

14. Brazil's largest city : SAO PAULO. Sao is the Portuguese version of San in Spanish.

16. Military builder : SEABEE. More Navy as the nickname is a heterograph of the first initials "C.B." from the words Construction Battalion.

17. "In my opinion ... " : AS I SEE IT.

18. MLB single-season recordholder for most hits : ICHIRO. The ageless Japanese star is still playing, now for the Marlins.

19. Skier's destination : RESORT.

20. Musical set in Manhattan's East Village : RENT.

22. Shooting marble : TAW. Like Tiddlywinks and the Monopoly iron, unknown to the youth.

23. "Xanadu" gp. : ELO. Electric Light Orchestra. THE SEVENTIES.

24. Youngest Simpson : MAGGIE.

26. O'er there : YOND(er?)- and now a word from our sponsors: "adverb  and adjective archaic
yonder.

28. Somewhat, to Saint-Saëns : POCO. I am confused as S-S was a French composer and musician. 11D. Somewhat : A BIT.

29. Against: Abbr. : OPPosed.

31. Spanish pronoun : ESO.

32. Pen pal's greeting? : OINK. 555!

33. Removes, as a temporary hem : UNPINS.

36. No-hitter, usually : SHUTOUT. But not always.

38. Shot with more detail : CLOSEUP. Cool camera clue.

39. Hogwarts subjects : MAGICS. Time for Potter break?

40. Ford maverick? : SOLO. Han Solo - the lack of capital "M" made this easy. My first new car was a Ford Maverick. I paid $3,000.00 for it. I got $3,150.00 in trade for my next car.

41. Windy City transit initials : CTA. Chicago Transit Authority.

42. Blue Shield offering : HMO.

43. Energy field : AURA.

44. Hardy title teenager : TESS. Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented. 

45. Carpathian Mountains locale : EUROPE. The Carpathian Mountains form a 1,500km-long range in Central and Eastern Europe. They stretch west to east in an arc from the Czech Republic to Romania. Wiki.

47. Do diner work : BUS. All restaurants with servers.

48. Roadie's box : AMP.

51. Product made from fermented rice : SAKE.

52. Game typically with 81 squares : SUDOKU. A favorite of many of our solvers.

55. "Scram!" : BEAT IT. Who can resist this LINK. MORE.

57. Make less vulnerable to earthquakes, say : RETROFIT. Or what Rich does to the puzzles he receives.

59. Straying : ERRANT.

60. Countermanded : OVERRODE.

61. Wee : TEENSY.

62. Muesli bit : OAT.

63. Repairs with turf : SODS.

Down:

1. Russia had one in the 20th century : TSAR. One and only one: Nicholas II.

2. Level, in London : RASE.

4. Induced the purchase of add-ons, say : UPSOLD.

5. "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love," e.g. : DUET. Loved Roberta FLACK.

6. Brother of Peyton : ELI. More Mannings on the way?

8. Employing : USING. Many employees would applaud this honesty.

10. "No thanks" : NAH.

12. Aloe __ : VERA.

13. "That smarts!" : YEOW.

15. Flight-related prefix : AERO.

21. I problem? : EGO.

24. Pyrénées peak : MONT.

25. Mike of "Next Friday" : EPPS. There is internet buzz on another sequel in this franchise.

26. Rural agreement : YES'M.

27. Org. that inspects workplaces : OSHA.

28. Any of 12 popes : PIUS.

33. Uma's role in "The Producers" : ULLA.

34. Squirrel's hoard : NUTS.

35. Escape destinations : SPAS.

37. Fourth dimension : TIME.

38. Essence : CORE.

43. Hunky-dory : A-OK. I believe this was coined by the astronauts.

44. Elizabeth I's line : TUDORS. She was the last of the line.

46. Shabby : RATTY.

47. "Hamilton" role : BURR. Two weeks in a row.

48. Help with a job? : ABET. Oh, that kind of job!

49. "A __ formality" : MERE. Sounds conflicted.

50. Shave : PARE.

52. Editor's mark : STET.

53. Captain hanged for piracy : KIDD. William Kidd may or may not have been a pirate.

54. Pac-12 team : UTES. The University of Utah.

56. Salon offering : TAN.

58. Spacewalk initials : EVA. Extra-vehicular activity.

As we await the imminent landfall of Irma, I hope you enjoyed this puzzle, and while I do not like hurricanes, I pray for all in its path and and that it does not wander toward Texas. Thank you Alex, Lemonade out.

Note from C.C.:

Here are two pictures I snipped from Lemonade's Facebook. He and his wife Oo and their friends went for a short cruise to celebrate his birthday.

 

August 26-29, 2017

Friday, September 1, 2017, Jeffrey Wechsler

Title: B and O, Reading, Pennsylvania and Short Line. LINK. White rabbit, white rabbit.

In this edition of  'Jeffrey stumps the crowd', we have the double letter RR added to known phrases - that simple. Of course rooting out that SOY SAUCE, BUS TICKETS, BAY LEAVES and SQUARE FEET might have a common denominator is where the thought comes in. The reference to Aaron Burr opened the door for me. Unlike many JW creations, we have a reveal - not completely helpful - but it is Friday. 55 theme spaces leaves some room and we get AERATES, ALIGHTS (not yesterday's ALIT?) , NEAREST, YOGA MAT, BARBARIAN and SETS A TASK. The theme:

17A. Really bad béchamel? : SORRY SAUCE (10). Béchamel (a white sauce) and soy sauce could not be any further apart, but I guess if you burn Béchamel it might look like soy sauce.

20A. Unpaid stack for scofflaw Aaron? : BURR'S TICKETS (12). I find Burr to be a very interesting character, especially as portrayed in Gore Vidal's NOVEL.

35A. What happens at the end of a Manilow concert? : BARRY LEAVES (11). This was the hardest because while I got the Barry part - which made me secure in my thinking the RR connection - the concept was too simple for my aging brain.

51A. Furry creature that isn't cool? : SQUARE FERRET (12).  I cannot find any reasonable link for this mental picture.

and the reveal:

56A. Convicted hastily and unfairly ... or, in a way, like the four other longest puzzle answers? : RAILROADED (10). Like the confusing semi-detached house....

On with the show.

Across:

1. Branch : LIMB. First thought was military - I don't know why.

5. Advisory group : BOARD.

10. Big name in luxury retailing : SAKS. Not so big anymore.

14. About 30% of Earth's land area : ASIA. I did not know this.

15. More fitting : APTER.

16. Thing with rings : TREE. Somewhat obscure but witty.

19. Letters facilitating sorting : ATTN.

22. Something to stretch out on : YOGA MAT. This was hard suss.

25. Comedian dubbed "Mr. Television" : BERLE. So easy for those of us over 65.

26. Mitchell protagonist : O'HARA. Frankly Jeffrey, when it comes to Scarlett, I don't give a damn.

27. Bone holders : PAWS. Cute.

30. With 61-Across, "Yer darn tootin'!" : YES. 61A. See 30-Across : SIREE.

31. Seaweed for sushi : NORI.

32. Puts down : ALIGHTS.

38. Most closely related : NEAREST.

39. Educational period : TERM.

42. Letters with Arizona or Maine : USS.

45. Made tracks : FLED.

46. One of composer John Williams' five : OSCAR.

47. Harlem Renaissance writer Zora __ Hurston : NEALE. Thank you high school English for having my sons read her work.

49. Does some lawn maintenance : AERATES. I hate it when I get to the first green...

55. Bee in Mayberry, e.g. : AUNT. Draw your own conclusions.

Internet hoax; the pin-up is Gloria DeHaven. Thanks to Fact Checker.

But we have this: 

I do not fact check images, especially those which have multiple references....I guess I will now.

60. It requires some effort : FEAT.

62. Confucius, by reputation : SAGE. Parsley only to his close friends.

63. See 29-Down : ELSE.  29D. With 63-Across, "Is there more?" : WHAT.

64. Fashionista's concern : TREND.

65. __-how : KNOW.

Down:

1. __ Cruces : LAS. We have been here before.

2. Prefix with metric : ISOmetric.

3. Defunct space station : MIR. Interesting LINK.

4. Conan, for one : BARBARIAN. Arnold...

5. Iraqi port : BASRA. Did you KNOW.

6. Dazzling style : OP ART.

7. Vince Gill's "Look __" : AT US.

8. Certain quadrilateral: Abbr. : RECTangle.

9. Half of sechs : DREI. Six/three - German.

10. Simple sign holder : STAKE. Another witty/tricky.

11. Major thoroughfare : ARTERY. The  traffic arteries...

12. Mother's whistler? : KETTLE. Who else but JW gives us a Whistler's Mother clue.

13. Familiar fivesome : SENSES.

18. City about 150 miles east of San Diego : YUMA. 171 miles.

21. "NCIS" airer : CBS TV.

22. It's other than hither : YON.

23. "So that's your game!" : OHO.

24. Apparel : GARB.

27. Accumulated, with "up" : PILED.

28. Many years : AGES.

32. Decimated sea : ARAL.

33. Erato's instrument : LYRE.

34. Assigns work (for), as students : SETS A TASK. So teachers, what do you think.

36. Cite, with "to" : REFER.

37. Religious subgroup : SECT.

40. "Norma __" : RAE.

41. Union title? : MRS. Funny three letter clue/fill.

42. Risky : UNSAFE.

43. "The Bourne Supremacy," e.g. : SEQUEL.

44. Hot spots : SAUNAS.

46. Dunked snack : OREO. Dunkin' Donuts? No, Starbucks.

48. Barista's offering : LATTE.

49. "Over the Rainbow" composer : ARLEN. The whole HISTORY.

50. Misspoke, say : ERRED. ? EED? Misspoke again.

52. While lead-in : ERSTwhile.

53. Cloudless : FAIR.

54. The Auld Sod : EIRE. Ireland.

57. "SNL" castmate of Gilda and Chevy : DAN. Ackroyd.

58. Swellhead's problem : EGO.

59. Wet blanket : DEW. A strong finish, as the dawn shows us the cover on the morning.

I had a bunch of fun - a bushel and a peck! There are so many devious but gettable clue/fill combinations, it was like looking for Easter eggs. Thank you JW, and each and everyone of you. Lemonade out.

Friday, August 25, 2017 ~ Samuel A. Donaldson

Theme: Crank Up the AC - Add A C to some words starting with C and clue appropriately.

20A. Rudely confront espionage supervisors?: ACCOST CONTROLS. (cost controls)

34A. Agreement on the ratio of innies to outies?: UMBILICAL ACCORD. (umbilical cord)

40A. Ones meekly entering debits and credits?: ACCOUNTING SHEEP. (counting sheep)

51A. High praise at a carousel?: BAGGAGE ACCLAIM. (baggage claim)

Argyle here today. I hope nothing's wrong with Lemonade. update: He is okay.

Across:

1. Song one can't perform?: DUET

5. Walk through puddles: SLOSH

10. Mosul's home: IRAQ

14. On the water: ASEA

15. Princess Toadstool's rescuer: MARIO

16. Run into, maybe: DENT

17. Online gaming tyro: NOOB

18. Salem residents: OREGONIANS

22. OPEC member: UAE

23. Guzzler: SOT

24. Holy verse: PSALM

27. Letters by the shore: SPF

30. __ wave: TIDAL

37. Quote from a goat: MAA

38. Absent: NOT IN

39. "O Sole __": MIO

45. Embezzles: SKIMS

46. Trike rider: TOT

47. Big name in electric cars: TESLA

48. Somerhalder of "The Vampire Diaries": IAN

50. Org. that helps you find a way: AAA

59. Pinpoints: ZEROES IN ON

60. Apple talker: SIRI

61. Seeks: ASKS

62. With no other: ALONE

63. Noodle variety: UDON

64. Upscale: POSH

65. Cut with a beam: LASED

66. Await a decision: PEND

Down:

1. Ultimate Fighting Championship president White: DANA

2. Biennial games org.: USOC

3. Fair-hiring agcy.: EEOC

4. Mediterranean salad: TABOULI. Parsley and bulgur wheat salad.

5. Hit hard: SMOTE

6. Prix de __ de Triomphe: annual horse race: L'ARC

7. Oft-twisted cookie: OREO

8. Leo, for one: SIGN

9. Hilarious sorts: HOOTS

10. More than silly: IDIOTIC

11. Down-to-earth: REAL

12. Coulter and Curry: ANNs

13. Liq. measures: QTs

19. Campus org. for future ensigns: NROTC. Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps.

21. Cousin of Dan'l?: SAM'L

24. Adidas alternatives: PUMAs

25. More than a peck: SMACK

26. Old counters: ABACI. Plural of abacus.

27. Great guy?: SCOTT

28. Chaise place: PATIO

29. Fire starter: FLINT

31. Common state capital features: DOMEs

32. Moon of Uranus: ARIEL

33. Parkinson's drug: L-DOPA

35. Rustic stop: INN

36. "Life of Pi" director Lee: ANG

41. "Wow!": "O MI GOSH!"

42. Grammarian's concern: USAGE

43. Legato's opposite, in mus.: STAC

44. Closes, as a wound: HEALS UP

49. Like some cold symptoms: NASAL

50. Pimply: ACNED

51. Indicación de afecto: BESO

52. Sacred chests: ARKS

53. Arizona river: GILA

54. "The Dukes of Hazzard" deputy: ENOS

55. Top-shelf: AONE

56. Support staff member: AIDE

57. Monopoly token replaced by a cat in 2013: IRON

58. Object to: MIND

59. Nuke: ZAP

Argyle

Friday, August 18, 2017, Jeffrey Wechsler

Title: X marks the spot.

JW is back with another of his intricate visual puzzles, this time presenting 5 different iterations of the word FILES set out in an X pattern indicated by circles. The only strictly theme fill is the reveal:
39A. '90s-'00s sci-fi hit ... or what this puzzle's circles graphically depict : THE X-FILES (9).
The genius comes in when you place the five Xs in the grid so that together they create super X. This is the result of connecting the Xs from NW to SE and SW to NE. But wait - there's more! If the circles in each set are seen as a series, going from left-to-right and top-to-bottom as follows:

                     1        2
                          3
                     4        5

you will notice that the letters in FILES rotate in strict sequence from one set to the next.  That is, in the NW set, F is at position number 1, with the other letters following.  In the NE set, the F has shifted to position 2, and the other letters follow.  In the central set, the F is at position 3, and so on. Thus, the positioning of the letters in FILES is not a random scrambling, but a precise progression. The Z pattern he employed to present his pattern eluded me for a very long time.
Another technical marvel of construction.

We also have some fun fill, like ACCOSTS,  ACETONE,  AT A RACE,  BAD SPOT, DOLEFUL, EATS OUT, PROPMAN, PUFFERS,  UPLIFTS, GRAIN SILO, LEXINGTON but it pales in comparison to the architectural masterpiece.  Another YMMV, I guess, but let's see.

Across:

1. Sound check item : AMP. Amplifiers have been known as amps for some time!

4. Went down : SANK.  Simple, but so many SYNONYMS.

8. Euripides tragedy : MEDEA. Wife of Jason.

13. __ cross : TAU.  LINK.

14. Skewer relative : PRONG. A skewer is single. The better QUESTION.

16. Hipbone-related : ILIAC.  No more please.

17. Woofer's output? : ARF. Not the tweeter.

18. Even less given to emotion : ICIER.

19. Quantum of solace? : SOFT C. This had me almost as confused as the title of the BOND movie. Here it just means the "C" in the word solace.

20. Leave in disarray, probably : RIFLE.

22. Copier room quantity : REAM. 500 sheets.

24. "Taking that as a given ... " : IF SO. Logic terminology.

25. Comfortable (with) : AT EASE.

27. Indisposed : ILL.

29. Dawn goddess : EOS. I had her many times a few years ago - in my puzzles anyway.

30. Bread component : CARB.

31. Toy used on flights : SLINKY. Not airplanes, stairs.

34. Rural road track : RUT.

35. Disney character who sings, "The cold never bothered me anyway" : ELSA.

36. Go Fish request : TENS. Random, could be ace, two, six or ten.

37. Turns red, maybe : RUSTS. Reddish, actually I believe we call it rust color.

42. 2006 demotion : PLUTO. Yes Mickey was mad at him. Oh, the planet!

45. Heracles' beloved : IOLE. The STORY is more complicated. I do like seeing the Greek name for Hercules in keeping with Friday. .

46. Very little : A DAB. A little one will do you.

50. Agent : REP. Another word that is now acceptable as a word not just an abbreviation.

51. 1962 "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" singer : MONROE. There is a longer version on You Tube.

53. Fla. resort : BOCA. This is a bit misleading as Boca is now a city of almost 100,000 permanent residents. LINK.

54. Natural resource : OIL.

55. Physics unit : ERG.

56. Shut off completely, as lights : KILLED.

58. Trident-shaped letters : PSIS. More Greek.

60. Order to Spot : STAY.

63. Sugar source : BEETS.

64. Civilian garb : MUFTI.

66. Pair in the score for Beethoven's Fifth : OBOES. This is not an additional reference to Marilyn.

68. Dandy : FOP. Similar to last week's TOFF.

69. Partner of ciencias : ARTES. Arts and Sciences...pretty inferrable.

70. Forward attitude : NERVE.

71. Pizzeria chain : UNO. They opened three franchises of this Chicago Pizzeria here in late 70s; they are all gone.

72. Stick dwellings : NESTS. I like this simple clue/fill.

73. Holden Caulfield, for one : TEEN. Catcher in the Rye.

74. Court call : LET. Tennis

Down:

1. Visiting Pimlico : AT A RACE. The Preakness.

2. __ counseling : MARITAL.

3. Blowfish : PUFFERS.

4. Furtive sorts : SPIES.

5. Golf chip path : ARC.

6. "The Big Sleep" genre : NOIR.

7. Walk-in joint? : KNEE. I am left with my creaky knees and sore hips.

8. Inaccurate introduction? : MIS. Do?

9. Wells race : ELOI. I thought Yvette Mimieux was beautiful, but enough is enough.

10. Suggests an alternative : DIFFERS.

11. Enjoys a buffet, usually : EATS OUT.

12. Engages with boldness : ACCOSTS.

15. Farm structure : GRAIN SILO.

21. Company that survived Canada's Prohibition : LABATT. Labatt survives Canadian Prohibition by producing full-strength beer for export south of the border and by introducing two "temperance ales" (brews with less than two percent alcohol) for sale in Ontario. When Prohibition was finally repealed in 1927, Labatt was one of the 15 remaining breweries — giving them a strong, fresh start. (Labatt material)

23. Jan. honoree : MLK.

26. Tequila sunrise direction : ESTE. Two days in a row.

28. Old plucked strings : LYRE.

32. Minuteman Statue city : LEXINGTON. There is this ONE. Or this OTHER. You can tell JW is not from New England.

33. About to receive : IN FOR.

38. Not to be wasted : USABLE.

40. Diamond plate : HOME.

41. Garlic relative : LEEK. All you need to know; marry a cook. LINK.

42. Stage employee : PROPMAN.

43. Down time : LEISURE.

44. Makes joyous : UPLIFTS.

47. Joyless : DOLEFUL.

48. Paint thinner solvent : ACETONE.

49. Dicey situation : BAD SPOT.

52. Hosp. areas : ORS.

57. "An Enemy of the People" playwright : IBSEN. If you want to study. LINK.

59. Editor's afterthought : STET.

61. Act as lookout, say : ABET.

62. Time long past : YORE.

65. Orbiting research facility: Abbr. : ISS. International Space Station.

67. "Fairest of creation," in a Milton classic : EVE. Paradise Lost  No Will, either play or poem, but one of my favorites, John Milton.

“O fairest of all creation, last and best
Of all God's works, creature in whom excelled
Whatever can to sight or thought be formed, an enemy of the people
Holy, divine, good, amiable, or sweet!
How art thou lost, how on a sudden lost,
Defaced, deflow'red, and now to death devote?”

Another interesting Friday with most of the cluing fair, but the layers used to create the visual difficult to recognize. I struggled with the pattern. For those who do not like complicated themes, this was intricate but the grid could be filled without circles and without understanding or appreciating the skill needed to build this one. Thank you JW, and thank you all for stopping by. Lemonade out.

Friday, August 11, 2017, Roger and Kathy Wienberg

Title: "It's just a jump to your left, then a step to the right..."LINK

This is the third LAT from this couple, with the others running on Tuesday. They clearly worked hard to create this very challenging effort. I know I am still getting my solving skills back, but this was very difficult to suss the theme.  I was very close to use my 'phone a friend' lifeline, but I was able to get most things filled in.  Because there were no clues for 4 words, I knew I had to work backwards from those fill. I saw the connection "m-odule." Then after pondering the reveal: 65A. Like some baseball pitches ... and a hint to locating the second part of four three-part puzzle answers : SIDEARM, the four un-clued fill and the inexplicable clue/fill: 8D. The Eagle, for one : LUN and the light bulb came on.  Voila- The Eagle was the name of the LUNAR MODULE. It was seeing that you got "three parts" going to the side to get the "ARM." The next to fall was also left, then right, 15D. McDonald's offering for tight budgets : DOLL leading to DOLLAR MENU. Then the lightbulb came all the way on, just as they told us it was ARM that was on the side in all 4 themers! Wonderful! 35D. Post office standard : REGUL quickly led to REGULAR MAIL. Finally we have
 37D. Syrup source : SUG to reveal SUGAR MAPLE. This exposed the brilliance as all are separated between two words one ending in AR on starting with M.

There also some nice 7 letter fill ANDIRON,  ANTONIO, EARLOBE, GESTALT. LUCKY ME, RAW DATA and the unknown to me TANGRAM.  I sense this will be a love it/hate it puzzle, but you will let me know.

8D. The Eagle, for one : LUN...(AR M)...26D. - : ODULE.

15D. McDonald's offering for tight budgets : DOLL...(AR M)...34D. - : ENU.

35D. Post office standard :  REGUL...(AR M)...59D. - :  AIL.

37D. Syrup source :  SUG...(AR M)...51D. - :  APLE.


Across:

1. Welcome site : MAT.

4. One may be nervous : TIC.

7. Best of the best : ALL STAR. Miami Dolphin great Jason Taylor was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame this past week-end. He and brother-in-law Zach Taylor have been all stars both on and off the field.

14. It hasn't been analyzed yet : RAW DATA. We make our information like our vegetables.

16. Lottery winner's comment : LUCKY ME. Would you tell people immediately when you win?

17. Shutterbug : SHOOTER. In our troubled time, nice to see this clue/fill.

18. Fireplace fixture : ANDIRON.

19. Like a vertebral region : LUMBAR. My microdiscechtomy was at L2-L3.

21. Meddle, with "around" : NOSE.

22. Biblical songs : PSALMS.

25. Splotchy garment : SMOCK. How many remember Steve Allen and "Smock, Smock"

28. Calendar abbr. : APRil.

29. Blow : MISDO. A repeat from Tuesday, not a word I use, but it has been around since the 1200's. LINK.

30. Suffix with star or tsar : DOM. Never thought of TSARDOM, but like the anagram clue.

33. Flimsy : LAME. Like most excuses.

35. U.K. fliers : RAF.

36. Bearish? : URSINE.

38. Twists : IRONIES.

40. Couple in the news each December : CLAUSES. Santa (CSO Argyle) and the MRS.

41. Like tennis rackets : STRUNG.

42. Color property : HUE.

43. They go with guys : GALS. Is this now an un-pc term?

44. Stable diet : HAY. Cute.

45. Item from a mill? : RUMOR. Nice misdirection.

47. Singer/songwriter Carly __ Jepsen : RAE. She was popular in x-words for a while.

48. Secure, as a ship's line : BELAY. I was long confused by the two meanings. verb
1.fix (a running rope) around a cleat, pin, rock, or other object, to secure it.
2.nautical slang stop; enough! “Belay that, mister. Man your post.”

49. Rascals : SCAMPS.

52. Hook's right hand : SMEE. Also fun. Which hand was bitten off?

55. Intensify : RAMP UP.

57. Seven-piece Chinese puzzle : TANGRAM. Did not know the name, but they are used as part of many IQ tests.

60. Stud location : EARLOBE.

64. Shakespearean merchant : ANTONIO. Our Friday dose of Will. The MERCHANT of Venice.

66. Unified whole : GESTALT. A gimme for anyone with a degree in Psychology.

67. To some degree : ANY.

68. Upsilon preceder : TAU. Greek - one of many alphabets to memorize.

Down:

1. Dash or Doubtfire : MRS. Salt free or a very salty Robin Williams.

2. Sound of relief : AAH.

3. Number missing, in a way, from "4 = 16" : TWO. This is interesting as 4 to the 2nd power = 16 and 2 to the 4th power = 16.

4. Ryan's daughter : TATUM. She won an Oscar married John McEnroe and disappeared from fame.

5. Chairperson's list : ITEMS.

6. Energy food component : CARBohydrate. Carb loading was big when I was playing sports.

7. Snooze buttons stop them : ALARMS. Stopped using an alarm once I became ill.

9. PC screen type : LCD. Liquid Crystal Display.

10. Lizard that can shed its tail : SKINK. We have lots of them in Florida. I have many friends (ladies) who are terrified by these small creatures.

11. Pro's opposite : TYRO. Beginner.

12. Book after Joel : AMOS. No religion but if you want INFORMATION.

13. Actor Auberjonois : RENE. He has appeared as Father Mulcahy in the M*A*S*H movie, Odo in Star Trek, Deep Space Nine and was in the wonderful Boston Legal.  Do you know his face?

FILMOGRAPHY

20. "Dream on!" : AS IF.

22. Lacking color : PALISH. Not a word I would ever use.

23. Athens rival : SPARTA.

24D. Weapons source : ARMORY.



27. "Downton Abbey" countess : CORA. The all-American Elizabeth McGovern

29. Uno __: Juan's "one more" : MAS. I learned from Roberto Duran.

30. Captivate : DISARM.

31. A quarter mile, maybe : ONE LAP. We had a 440 track built by the Catholic girls high school next to our house.

32. Cans of worms : MESSES.

39. Memo opener : IN RE.

40. Lowlife : CUR.

42. Georgetown cager : HOYA. The HISTORY.

46. Critter in the same family as chipmunks and squirrels : MARMOT. Cute?

48. Conceived : BEGOT. More biblical wording.

49. New World colonizer : SPAIN.

50. Like Miss Muffet's fare : CURDY. Meh.

52. Guys-only : STAG. I love the Farmers AD.

53. Locks in a barn : MANE. One of the NAME anagrams from Monday.

54. Tolkien race : ENTS.

56. Tableland : MESA.

58. Genetic messenger : RNA.

61. Muffin choice : OAT. Usually Oat bran.

62. Top at the shore : BRA. A LINK to make up for last week's thong?

63. Outback runner : EMU. A CSO to our OZ connection - Kazie.

A true work out, but when I understood the concept I was hooked. YMMV. In any case, thank you Roger and Kathy and all who comment and all who read. lemonade 714 out. Also a special thanks to HG for massaging the grid picture to highlight the 'side arms.'