Wednesday, September 14, 2016 Gail Grabowski and Bruce Venzke

Theme: I'M SO ANGRY I COULD JUST  .  .  .  The second word of common two-word phrases is transformed from a plural noun to a singular verb, which is a synonym for displaying anger.  

20. Tailpipe emission : EXHAUST FUMES.  In the industry, we really do call them tail pipe emissions, as per the clue, but do not get angry if someone wants to use alternative terminology.

28. Tug-of-war injuries : FRICTION BURNS.  Abrasions caused by harshly rubbing the skin against some surface, in this case a rope.  Losing the war adds insult to injury, whicj does nothign good for one's disposition.

42. Hair-smoothing hairs : BRUSH BRISTLES.  When, for example, a cat is disturbed, the hairs of it back will stand upright, hence the reference.  I was surprised that there actually are boar BRISTLE hair brushes, and am chagrined that I did not know this.  How cilia me!   

47. Shellfish cookouts : SEAFOOD BOILS.  Here's a recipe.   Of course, the sea creature most likely to be angry is the crab.

Hi gang, JazzBumpa here.  Hope you're all in a good mood, and nothing in this puzzle perturbs you today.

Down

1. Hershey's toffee bar : SKOR.  Sold in the U. S. since 1981, originally as competition for the Heath bar, which Hershey acquired along with the Leaf candy company in 1996.  Both are still available.

5. Res __ loquitur: the thing itself speaks : IPSA.  Latin.  I'll let our legal scholars expound on context.

9. Online shopping mecca : E-MALL.  A web site that displays catalogues for various suppliers and charges a commission for sales.  Seriously - this is a thing?

14. Chip in a chip : ANTE.   This one baffled me for a while, but sticking with the theme concept of noun-verb interchangeability, we see chip presented first as a verb and then as a noun.

15. Seasonal song : NOEL.  Christmas season.

16. Hunky-dory : A-OKAY.  All systems are go.

17. Start of a knitting project : LOOP. Now Gail and Bruce are just needling us.

18. Prefix with space : AERO-.   The complete word refers to technology and industry related to aviation and space flight.

19. Dry Italian wine : SOAVE.  Meaning pleasant or agreeable, this white wine is from the Veneto region around Verona.

23. Hot state : IRE.  More anger, spilling out from the theme.

24. Beatty/Hoffman box office flop : ISHTAR.  A 1987 action comedy about two inept lounge singers who book a gig in Morocco and stumble into a 4-way cold war standoff.   Widely considered to be one of the worst films ever made.

32. Former fillies : MARES.   Now we're just horsing around.  [See what I did there?]

34. Ready for a refill : EMPTY.  Like a beer glass.

35. Freelancer's email attachment: Abbr. : INV.  A freelancer works by the job, rather than for a specific employer, then sends the client an INVoice.  

36. Glider on runners : SLED.  For fun on a snowy hill.

37. Flowing garments : CAPES.  Short, sleeveless cloaks.

Not always appropriate

38. Sonar signal : BLIP.

39. Word in a bride's bio : NEE.  Referring to her maiden name.

40. Went a-courting : WOOED. 

C'mon Frog; I'll buy you a beer.

41. Two-time US Open winner : SELES.   Monica [b 1973] won 8 grand slam singles titles before her 20th birthday, and was the No. 1 player in the world in 1991 and 1992.

45. Library machine : COPIER.

46. "__ the Walrus" : I AM.  

Stunning low fidelity

54. Medicare prescription drug section : PART D.

57. Pre-coll. : EL-HI.  Elementary and High school come before college.

58. Brandy bottle letters : VSOP.   Very Superior Old Pale, refers to a blended cognac that must be aged in oak casks for no fewer than 3 years.  Most houses age longer than the minimum period.

59. Prospero's servant : ARIEL.  A [non-alcoholic] spirit who had been trapped in a tree, now bound to Prospero, who freed him.  Ariel causes the eponymous tempest in act one of Shakespeare's play.

60. Highest sudoku digit : NINE.  Numbers in rows, columns and boxes.

61. Hip bones : ILIA.  The largest and uppermost bone of the pelvis.

62. Free, in France : LIBRE.   Alas, the puzzle is not free of French.

63. Armoire feature : DOOR.   An armoire is a free-standing wardrobe closet.

64. Counting-out word : EENY.  Meeny, miney  .  .  .

Down

1. Cyber Monday event : SALE.  Marketing ploy in the U. S. to get people to shop on line the Monday after Thanksgiving.

2. Fort with lots of bars : KNOX.  Gold bars, not jail cell bars. 

3. "Then again," in tweets : OTOH.  On The Other Hand  .  .  . she had warts.

4. Fixed : REPAIRED.  Corrected an inoperative condition, quite the opposite of 53D.

5. "Be right with you" : IN A SECond.  

6. Pound, but not ounce : POET.  Ezra [1885-1972] Also a noted racist and fascist sympathizer.  Very complex figure.

7. Medieval laborer : SERF.  The lowest level of feudal society and economics.  [Anyone who is interested can find my thoughts on the topic here.  Caution, though- one cannot delve into the history of economic systems without also considering politics.  That's taboo here, but not at the link.  My ideas might put you in the state of today's theme. Caveat lector. You have been warned.]

8. Six-time All-Star Moises : ALOU.   Baseball player, 4 letters, plug in ALOU and move on.  Coincidentally there are 4 of them: Dad Felipe, and bros. Matty and Jesús. Three letters, it's OTT.

9. Slips past : EASES BY.

10. __ pork: Chinese dish served with pancakes : MOO SHU.  Shredded pork with vegetables and seasonings.

11. Letters often after a perp's name : AKA. Also Known As.

12. Loo : LAV.  Personal comfort station.

13. Corrosive substance : LYE.  Sodium hydroxide [NaOH], and that's the truth.

21. "Exodus" author : URIS.  Leon [1924 - 2003]  The book was published in 1958, and made into  major motion picture in 1960.

22. Money makers : MINTS.  Where currency is manufactured

25. Warbles : TRILLS.   Yes, you can do this on the trombone.

Yeah, I can do this, too

26. Musical set in an orphanage : ANNIE.  Based on the comic strip Little Orphan Annie.

27. Replies to an invite, for short : RSVPs.  Abreviated French, meaning please respond.

28. Make available : FREE UP.

29. "__ coffee?" : TEA OR.  Beverage choices.

30. Louvre Pyramid architect : I M PEI.  [b 1917] Designer of many famous projects throughout the world.

31. Pages with views : OP-EDS.  Located OPposite to the EDitorial page.

32. Rachel Maddow's network : MSNBC.  News, politics and opinion and politics.

33. Final Olds made : ALERO.  Maybe it IS your father's Oldsmobile.

37. Charming snake? : COBRA.  A snake just right for charming, if you have the right skill set.

38. 2007 animated film in which Sting voices himself : BEE MOVIE.   Never saw it, but this is brilliant casting.

40. Coax : WHEEDLE.  Using endearments or flattery - a manipulative ploy.

41. Big chunk : SLAB.  

43. Many a bridesmaid : SISTER.  Sadly COUSIN also has 6 letters.  It's all relative, I guess.

44. Less cluttered : TIDIER.   Neatness, peeps!

48. Shift (for oneself) : FEND.   To provide for or defend oneself.  I'm not getting "shift" as a meaning here.

49. Hodgepodge : OLIO.   Melange.  I'm pretty sure I've never seen "OLIO" outside of a puzzle or this website.

50. "How awful!" : OH NO.  Bad news.

51. Cruise stop : ISLE.   Port of call.

52. Pork choice : LOIN.  Well CHOP also has 4 letters.   The LOIN comes from along the top of the RIB cage.  On which, more later.

53. Do a vet's job : SPAY.  Gender neutralization of your pet.  

54. Chum : PAL.  Buddy, bro, homie, peep.

55. NPR journalist Shapiro : ARI.

56. Bone in a cage : RIB.  See, I wasn't Loin - I mean Lyin', nor was I ribbing you about anatomy.  OTOH, I wanted to come up with a picture of a trombone in a cage - 'cuz, of course I would.  Sadly, the best I could do is these guys behind a wrought iron fence.

The other "Sliders"

Well, that wraps it up.  I had my moment of confusion but am not upset.  Hope the rest of your day keeps you on an even keel.

Cool regards!
JzB

Wednesday, August 24, 2016, Gail Grabowski and Bruce Venzke

Theme: WITH APPROPRIATE ACTIONS.  The word WITH is inserted into familiar 2-word phrases, yielding a new 3-word phrase.  In each instance, the first word, originally functioning as a noun, is verberized in a way that is synonymous the verb "tweak" in its respective clue.  "Tweak" means to make some kind of adjustments to something.  As an exercise, the interested reader might want to reimagine yet another set of meanings, in which the first words are reverted back to noun status.  Thus endeth my longest ever theme exposition.

17. Tweak some violin holders? : FIDDLE WITH CASES.  Musical instruments are fragile and have specially designed cases to protect them.  One may tweak them, I suppose.  And violins are FIDDLES, so it's all good.

All kinds of prices

27. Tweak some church chimers? : TINKER WITH BELLS.  So - what does this bring to mind?  TINKER BELL or Quasimodo?  And what does this say about you?  No need to answer.

Attitude

The original

49. Tweak some ski parkas? : MESS WITH JACKETS.  A MESS JACKET is a formal waist coat.  One may tweak it, but the connection to skiing is lost on me.  

63. Tweak some business outfits? : MONKEY WITH SUITS.  Remember dress for success - navy blue suit, white shirt and rep tie?  [Too often worn by human rep-tiels, but that's another story.]  This is known in the vernacular as a MONKEY SUIT.  You can change his coat and alter its pants.

Pin stripes

Well, these are cleverly constructed, and all four theme answers are grid-spanning.  Three of the four make a tight set.  Maybe there's a point to MESS JACKET that I'm missing; but it doesn't seem to quite fit the pattern.

Hi gang - JazzBumpa here.  Let's FIDDLE WITH this puzzle, see if anything rings a BELL, and hope it's not a MESS that makes MONKEYS of us all.

Across

1. Just open : AJAR.   Opened slightly, not recently.

5. Hot under the collar : ANGRY.  Perturbed.

10. Loot from a heist : HAUL.  Slang for a robbery and the stolen goods.

14. Dainty trim : LACE.  Comes in many styles and designs.

15. West Indies volcano : PELEE.   On the Island of Martinique, 4583 foot elevation.

16. Site of Napoleon's first exile : ELBA.   Able was I ere I saw ELBA.

20. Maker of many kitchen rolls : ALCOA.  Aluminum foil, that is, not little bread-like items.

21. Wall St. deal : Leveraged Buy Out.   This is the purchase of a controlling share of a company, by its management or an outside investment firm using borrowed money.

22. Baking soda targets : ODORS.   Keeps your fridge fresh.

23. Like used fireplaces : ASHY.  A word you may well never see again.

25. Tach nos. : RPMs.  Revolutions Per Minute, a measure of the rotational speed of a mechanical component.  In an automobile, the RPMs of the crank shaft are displayed by the tachometer.

34. Brit. record label : EMI.  Originally an acronym for Electronic and Musical Industries.

35. A few bucks? : DEER.  Male animals of the family Cervidae.  Finding this answer did not take a lot of doe.

36. Fuss over : DOTE ON.  Treasure, cherish and be uncritically fond of.

37. Part of a sitcom farewell : NANU.    Poignant clip.

39. Pulled off : DID.  Accomplished

41. Spot for a 48-Across : SOFA.   Not a NAP spot for me.  Puts a crook in my neck.

42. Representatives : AGENTS.   A person who acts on behalf of another.

45. Nintendo rival : SEGA.  They went out of the game console business in 2001, but remain the world's most prolific arcade producer.

48. Short snooze : NAP.  Not for me.  I sack out for at least an hour.

52. __ helmet : PITH.  AKA the sola topi, a light weight cloth covered head covering made originally from the pith of the sola, an Indian swamp plant of the pea family.  Cork-like substances from other plants may also be used

53. Pre-coll. catchall : EL-HI.   Referring to ELementary and HIgh school education, my dear Watson.

54. Torch job : ARSON.  The crime of burning down a bulding.

57. And such: Abbr. : ETC.  And so on, yadda, yadda, yadda.  Abbr. for ET Cetera, from Latin for "and the rest."

59. Trims, as a lawn : EDGES.  Along the walkways, ETC.

66. Arctic formation : FLOE.  A sheet of ice that calves off a glacier.

67. Transparent : SHEER.  Rather like LACE.

Should be found here, but it sheer isn't

68. Scientology guru Hubbard : L. RON.   Famous writer and highly influential charlatan.  Notably, he briefly commanded two ships during WW II, but each time was relieved of this duty because his superiors found him to be incapable.

69. Like most fairways, daily : MOWN.  Short cut grass on a golf course.

70. Some Parliament members : LORDS.   House of Lords and House of Commons.

71. A whole bunch : TONS.  Slang for lots and lots.

Down

1. NATO alphabet starter : ALFA.  This exists so that "critical combinations of letters and numbers can be pronounced and understood by those who exchange voice messages by radio or telephone regardless of language barriers or the quality of the communication channel."   See the whole series here.

2. Monopoly corner : JAIL.  Neither Free Parking, Go, nor the awful Go To Jail square fit.

3. Adapter letters : AC-DC.  Alternating and Direct electrical Current.

4. New Jersey's state tree : RED OAK.   Michigan's is Eastern White Pine.  I'll let you guess Ohio's.

5. Chest thumper : APE.

More romantic than you thought

6. One recently hitched : NEWLYWED.   Successful chest thumper, perhaps.

7. Smooth-talking : GLIB.

8. Parting shot : RETORT.   Not necessarily parting.  Could be any sharp or wittily incisive response.

9. Slangy "Sure" : YEH.  Uh-huh.

10. Hands-free devices : HEADSETS.   Devices that hold earphones and a microphone in place on a user's head.

11. To boot : ALSO.   Originally, something extra thrown into a bargain, from Old English bōt, meaning "advantage" or "remedy."  Ultimately of Germanic origin.

12. Lyft rival : UBER.  Both are app-based ride sharing protocols connecting passengers with available drivers.

13. Scottish miss : LASS.  A young lady,  Not to be confused with Swiss Miss, a chocolate-flavored drink.

18. Performed light surgery on? : LASED.   Performed surgery with a laser.

19. Jazz club performers : COMBO.  Small group of musicians.

24. Eur. power until 1806 : HRE.  I had no idea that the Holy Roman Empire existed that long.  It reached its greatest geographic extent in the 13th century, and had been losing bits and pieces since.

26. Third deg.? : PHD.  After B.S [everyone knows what that stands for;] and MS [more of the same;] comes PHD [Piled Higher and Deeper.]  The cynical view is that one advancing in specific studies gets to know more and more about less and less, until s/he knows everythign about nothing.

27. Midmorning hr. : TEN AM.  Time for a coffee break.

28. Reflection : IMAGE.  What you see in the mirror.  But the mirror sees you!

29. Little League teams : NINES.  For a baseball team at any level, the synecdoche is a NINE.

30. Like Oscar Wilde : IRISH.  Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde [1854-1900] was a playwright, novelist, essayist, and poet.  His most famous works are The Importance of Being Earnest and The picture Of Dorian Gray.  He spent time in prison for being homosexual, a crime at that time. After his release he felt London for Paris, where he died, destitute.

31. Big name in spaghetti westerns : LEONE.  Sergio, [1929 - 1989] an Italian film producer, director, and screen writer, made famous in the mid 60's by his low budget, Italian-made movies about the American old west starring Clint Eastwood.

32. OK for dieters : LO-FAT.  Or lo-cal.  Needed perps to tweak my answer.

33. Breaks like a branch : SNAPS.  As a branch from a tree in high wind.  Or, sometimes, even the trunk.

38. Implied : UNSPOKEN.  Or, at least, not spoken of directly.

40. Down in the dumps : DEJECTED.

43. Shipping department supply : TWINE.  To tie things up.

44. Lab order? : SIT.  Command to a Labrador Retriever.

46. Milk purch. : GALlon.   Note Abrvs. 

47. Feels the pain : ACHES.  Remember when Bill Clinton said, "I ACHE with you?"

50. "My Generation" band : THE WHO.   KIDULTS?

51. Portmanteau for a grown-up who hasn't yet grown up : KIDULT.   Not familiar with this term.  But my motto is,  "What I lack in youth, I make up for with immaturity. " I did grow up once, didn't like it, and I'm never doing it again.  So maybe I qualify.

54. Switch on a boom box : AM FM.  Note that "switch" here is a noun not a verb.  Toggling it actuates either of two different radio frequency bands.

55. Caramel-filled candy : ROLO.  Shaped like an inverted bucket, this candy is chocolate coated caramel.

56. Put one over on : SNOW.  An attempt to fool or mislead somebody.

58. Stadium ticket specification : TIER.   A seat grouping at some range of elevation. 

60. Copter's forerunner : GIRO.  More formally, autogiro or autogyro - a type of aircraft with both a powered propeller, as in a typical airplane, and an unpowered set of rotor blades that rotate in the slip stream to provide lift.   One was first flown in January, 1923.  The first operational helicopter was built in Germany in 1936.

61. David Cameron's alma mater : ETON.  Any hint of a 4-letter British school, plug it in.

62. Three-part figs. : SSNS.  Social Security Numbers, portrayed as 123-45-6789.

64. Monogram on some pricey handbags : YSL.  The initials of Yves Saint Laurent.  I never understood why putting some foreign guy's name or initials on an article could inflate its purchase price by some high multiple.

65. Store door nos. : HRS.  Hours that they are open for business.

That wraps it up.  I had my nits, but this is a fine puzzle, brought to you by two of the best names in the field. Hope you enjoyed it.

Cool regards!
JzB

Tuesday, June 7 2016, Gail Gabrowski & Bruce Venzke

Theme: Full Speed Ahead. The second word of each theme answer is a synonym for speed.

17. Fastener secured in concrete : ANCHOR BOLT

41. "The salt-free flavor statement" brand : MRS. DASH

64. Unpredictably nasty quality : MEAN STREAK

11. Seriously endangered group in Mary Shelley's "The Last Man" : HUMAN RACE

35. '60s-'70s Chrysler compact : DODGE DART

Melissa here. At first I thought the theme would be something about lightning,when I saw  BOLT and STREAK, but that thought was dashed when DASH and STREAK appeared.

Across 

1. Hoopla : ADO

4. Device for a selfie video : WEBCAM. I totally blew this whole section by entering TRIPOD here, which created an impossible mess. This section was the last to fall.

10. Poker pot disk : CHIP

14. Under the __: pressured : GUN

15. Brightly plumed songbird : ORIOLE

16. Subtle glow : AURA

19. "You're not serious!" : C'MON

20. Typical film festival entry : INDIE

21. Chocolate-and-toffee bar : SKOR

22. Loiter, with "out" : HANG

23. Cosa __ : NOSTRA. Literally translates to "Our thing," or "This thing of ours." Term used for the Sicilian Mafia.

25. Wyoming voters since 1869 : WOMEN

27. "Morning Joe" airer : MSNBC

30. Central courtyards : ATRIA

33. Ore-rich vein : LODE

36. Bumbling sort : DOOFUS 

39. __ nouveau : ART. A style of decorative art, architecture, and design prominent in western Europe and the US from about 1890 until World War I and characterized by intricate linear designs and flowing curves based on natural forms. Know Your Arts:
"Art Nouveau is Paris. Art Nouveau is the Moulin Rouge. It’s Absinthe, Can-Can, the Orient. Art Nouveau is decadence."

40. Angst-filled music genre : EMO

42. Iams eater : CAT

43. Football lineman : END

44. Withdraw officially : SECEDE

45. Refuse to confess to, as charges : DENY

46. Severity : RIGOR

48. Tennis tie : DEUCE. Game tied 40-all and any tie thereafter:

50. Kick out of school : EXPEL

53. Sound of little feet : PATTER

57. Murder mystery staple : BODY

59. Oscar winner Sorvino : MIRA

62. __ cotta : TERRA. Unglazed earthenware. Click here if you'll be in Chicago now through January 8, 2017.

63. Digital reading, for short : E-MAG

66. Firestone product : TIRE

67. Involve : ENTAIL

68. Holy mlle. : STE. Sainte = French for holy, or saint.

69. Mail-routing abbr. : ATTN

70. Dangerous tropical fly : TSE-TSE

71. Distress letters : SOS
 
Down

1. From the top : AGAIN

2. "I'm stumped!" : DUNNO

3. How music may be sold : ON CDS

4. Some wine-and-dine sorts : WOOERS

5. Misspell or misspeak : ERR

6. Spatter catchers : BIBS. Tried LIDS first, making more of a mess in that section.

7. Concoct, with "up" : COOK

8. Give the go-ahead : ALLOW

9. L.A. rail and bus service : METRO

10. Official seal : CACHET

12. It's pumped in gyms : IRON

13. Hint of hunger : PANG

18. "Another card, please" : HIT ME

24. Tennis great Agassi : ANDRE

26. Sitcom set in Korea : MASH. Bummed it disappeared from Netflix so quickly.

28. Pear variety : BOSC

29. Like a cryptogram : CODED

31. Pakistan neighbor : IRAN

32. Justice Dept. employee : ATTY

33. Creepy look : LEER

34. Upscale hotel chain : OMNI

37. Lose strength over time : FADE

38. Go through entirely : USE UP

41. Auto ad no. : MSRP

45. Ward off : DETER

47. Space station supply : OXYGEN

49. Dairy farm animals : CATTLE

51. Irish nationalist Robert : EMMET. Unknown to me.  

52. Creditors' claims : LIENS

54. Rapunzel feature : TRESS

55. Muse of poetry : ERATO

56. Furrow-making tools : RAKES

57. Software prototype : BETA

58. Leave off the list : OMIT

60. Rank according to ability, say : RATE

61. Pre-med subj. : ANAT

65. Family nickname : SIS

Monday July 13, 2015 Gail Grabowski & Bruce Venzke

Theme: >      <

20A. Place for a brewski : WATERING HOLE

35A. No longer valid : NULL AND VOID

42A. Imbalance of income distribution : ECONOMIC GAP

59A. Introductory remarks ... and, in a different sense, what the ends of 20-, 35- and 42-Across are : OPENING WORDS. Like many platitudes, there's really nothing there.

Argyle was here.

Across:

1. Crossword hint : CLUE. 78 in this puzzle.

5. Three-sided sails : JIBS

9. Crook : THIEF

14. Home plate crossings : RUNS. And 50. Crosses home plate : SCOREs

15. Middle layer of the eye : UVEA

16. Main blood vessel : AORTA

17. "Put a lid __!" : ON IT

18. Pickle containers : JARS

19. "No bid," in bridge : I PASS

23. Wood decay : DRY ROT

24. Keep in reserve : SAVE

25. Scientist Wernher __ Braun : VON

28. Ms. enclosure : SASE. Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope.

30. Affluent Los Angeles district : ENCINO

32. Bygone intl. carrier : TWA

38. "The __ of the Ancient Mariner" : RIME

40. Linden or Holbrook : HAL

41. Opening for a coin : SLOT

47. "That's __-brainer" : A NO

48. Credit card ID : ACCT NO

49. Feels poorly : AILS

51. Confucian "path" : TAO

52. Northern Nevada county or its seat : ELKO

55. Launched capsule : ROCKET

61. Insurance giant : AETNA

64. Baseball family name : ALOU

65. "The Scarlet Letter" letter : RED 'A'

66. '70s New York congresswoman Bella : ABZUG

67. Ore layer : VEIN

68. Qatari bigwig : EMIR

69. Rough up : ABUSE

70. Plays the wrong golf ball, say : ERRs

71. Witnesses : SEEs

Down:

1. Two : company :: three : __ : CROWD

2. __ Module: moon lander : LUNAR

3. Togetherness : UNITY

4. Fragrant compounds : ESTERS

5. Japanese self-defense method : JUJITSU.  Literally, Soft Technique.

6. Netman Lendl : IVAN

7. Antarctic floaters : BERGs

8. Youngest Obama : SASHA

9. Caboose's place : TAIL END

10. Cross one's fingers : HOPE

11. Golden-yrs. income source : IRA

12. "Mars Attacks!" enemies, for short : ETs

13. Notes before sols : FAs

21. Reddish equine : ROAN

22. Where baguettes bake : OVEN

25. String quartet member : VIOLA

26. Vidalia veggie : ONION

27. Acknowledge with a head gesture : NOD TO

29. Pre-college, for short : EL-HI. Elementary- High.

31. Walgreens rival : CVS

32. Reward for a pet trick : TREAT

33. Modern witch's religion : WICCA

34. BP merger partner : AMOCO

36. Fond du __, Wisconsin : LAC

37. Pond organism : ALGA

39. Tonsillitis-treating MD : ENT

43. Recommended résumé length : ONE PAGE

44. Burrowing animal : MOLE

45. Pellet shooters : AIR GUNS

46. Work the fields : PLOW

53. Jack in a deck : KNAVE

54. Crude carrier : OILER

56. Krispy __: doughnut chain : KREME

57. Actor Redmayne of "The Theory of Everything" : EDDIE

58. Old Russian rulers : TSARs

59. Burden : ONUS

60. Gritty film genre : NOIR

61. Duracell size : AAA

62. Flow back : EBB

63. Shih __: Tibetan dog : TZU

Argyle

Wednesday, May 13, 2015 Gail Grabowski and Bruce Venske

Theme:  ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER.  A catchy ad phrase is reinterpreted as statements that can lead to a continuing conversation.  Do any of you have friends who can ramble on and on? If so, you might dread hearing these words. 

17. "Wait, there's more ... " : COME TO THINK OF IT.  Darn, he thought of something else.

27. "Wait, there's more ... " : BEFORE I FORGET.  Drat, too late.

50. "Wait, there's more ... " : THAT REMINDS ME.  Well, doesn't everything?

65. "Wait, there's more ... " : AND ANOTHER THING.  Uh-oh.  Now he's on a roll.

No unifier, but the common clue fills that function.  And the theme entries really need no explanation.

Today's Theme Song

Hi, Gang -- JazzBumpa here with a nice puzzle by the veteran team of Gail and Bruce.  I'll try not to get carried away with a boring exposition.

Across

1. Windows precursor : MS DOS.  PC operating systems.

6. Hard-to-control groups : MOBS.  Large and disorderly crowds.

10. Forensic investigator's item : SWAB.  An absorbent pad or other item used for collecting samples to be analyzed. 

14. Advil alternative : ALEVE.  Analgesics.  Advil is ibuprofen; ALEVE is naproxen.

15. Pair on a lake : OARS.  In a boat on a lake.

16. Place to slog through : MIRE.  Swamp, bog, fen.

20. Hullabaloo : STIR.  Much ado about something.

21. Barry White genre : SOUL.

22. Dossier cover? : ALIAS.    A dossier is a collection of documents about a particular event, subject, or, in this case, person.  An ALIAS is an alternate name or false identity, which is, in some sense, a cover.  Still, this entry is not working for me.  Am I being dumb?

23. "Boy, am I dumb!" : D'OH.

25. Touch the ground : LAND.   In an aircraft, presumably at an airport.  Vide infra.

33. Airline with the MileagePlus frequent flier prog. : UAL.  Formerly United Airlines.

34. Ole Miss rival : 'BAMA.  Universities on Mississippi and Alabama, respectively.  I think they might have football teams.

35. Customs collection : TARIFF.  An import tax

38. Golf lesson subject : GRIP.  The proper way of holding the club.

There's more than one

40. Charmin layer : PLY.  Tissue layers.

42. Black & Decker rival : SKIL.  Power tools.

43. Dapper : SPRUCE.  I was familiar with the usage as noun and verb, but not adjective.  It is, however, legit.  Neat, smart, or stylish in appearance.

46. Gave up for money : SOLD.  Past tense of the verb "to sell."  Curiously, in Old English, ca. 10th century, this verb meant to give as a gift.

49. Irritated state : IRE.   Having one's dander up.

53. Brainy Simpson : LISA.  Sadly, I could not find a video to verify this concept.

So we'll settle for a still

54. Not within walking distance : FAR.  You might need a lift

55. One needing a lift : SKIER.   Clever.  Besides, neither hitchhiker nor Arthur Dent fit.

58. "__ Girl": 2014 Affleck film : GONE.

Does not look like a lot of fun

61. Battery terminal sign : PLUS.  Indicates the positive terminal.

68. D.C. dealers : POLS.  politicians.

69. Hawaiian coffee district : KONA.   On the western part of the Big Island.

70. Put a cap on : LIMIT.

71. Eye woe : STYE.  A bacterial infection of an oil gland at the edge of the eyelid.

72. Kiddie-lit dog : SPOT.

When I was a kid, the next door neighbors actually had a dog named Spot.

73. Stops bleeding : CLOTS.  Clotting is part of homeostasis.

Down

1. Apple Store array : MACS.  Along with iPads, iPods, and iWatches.   I am blogging from my Macbook Pro with Retina Display.

2. Job opening : SLOT.  A position to be filled.  Derived from the Old French word for bosom cleavage.

3. Prefix with goddess : DEMI.  A lower ranking divine personage.

4. Go to extremes : OVERDO.  As, for example, a speaker exemplifying today's theme.

5. Complete collection : SET.  

6. Con __: briskly, on scores : MOTO.  Literally, with motion, thus, to be performed in a lively manner.   I just do whatever the conductor wants.

7. Iolani Palace site : OAHU.  In Honolulu.

8. Estracell sponge brand : BRILLO.  Soap infused steel wool pad.

9. Phishing fig. : SSN.   Social Security Number.  Phishing is a particular kind of internet scam, where the perp poses as legitimate financial company to extract one's personal data, such as SS number.

10. Does a slow burn : SMOLDERS.  Generates smoke, but no flame.  Figuratively, is experiencing but [more or less] containing anger. 

11. Surfing convenience : WIFI.   For internet surfing.  The term refers to a wireless connection, and is derived from "wireless" plus "fi," an arbitrary second element, thus similar in form to hi-fi.

12. Opera showstopper : ARIA.  Featured vocal solo.

13. Gets in the pool, maybe : BETS.  Makes a wager in a  betting pool.

18. Milo of the movies : O'SHEA.

Passed away two years ago at age 86

19. She adopted Tigger : KANGA.   Friends of a certain silly bear.  I do not Pooh-pooh this kind of trivia.

24. Top of a scepter, perhaps : ORB.   Not every scepter has one.

The good ones are illuminated

26. Part of MoMA : ART.  Museum of Modern ART

27. Perturbs : BUGS.

Like this, perhaps

28. O.K. Corral gunfighter : EARP.  The EARP brothers, Virgil, Morgan and Wyatt along with Doc Holliday were on one side against Billy Claiborn, Ike and Billy Clanton and Tom and Frank McLaury. The combatants were only a few feet apart, and the incident was over in a matter of seconds.  It took place at a narrow vacant lot next to a photographer's shop, not at or adjacent to the eponymous corral. Probably the most famous gunfight in the history of the old west, but it was not well known to the American people until 50 years later.

29. Toy (with), as an idea : FLIRT.   Not the first thing that comes to mind when I consider the word "FLIRT."   I guess this is the point where the idea is playfully suggestive [or suggestively playful] but not yet given serious consideration. 

30. Sitter's challenge : IMP.   In Middle English, a child of a noble family.  Somehow, this morphed into a child of The Devil - sort of a demi-daemon.  Now diluted to mean an unruly child. 

31. Quiz answer : FALSE.  If the question is of the True-FALSE variety.

32. Maori carvings : TIKIS.  Check them out.

36. Unshakable : FIRM.   Literally, to physical objects; figuratively to resolute concepts and those who hold them.

37. Cut and run : FLEE.  Escape

A flea and a fly in a flue

Were imprisoned, so what could they do?

Said the fly, "let us FLEE!"

"Let us fly!" said the flea.

So they flew through a flaw in the flue.

--Ogden Nash

39. "Don't make me laugh!" : PUH-LEASE.  Exaggerated pronunciation of PLEASE, for dramatically dismissive affect.

41. __ Kippur : YOM.  Falling on the 10th day of Tishri, this is among the most important high holidays of the Jewish faith.  It is the day of judgement, remembrance and atonement.  [Help me out here if I didn't get this quite right.]

44. Stone monument : CAIRN.  For millennia, they have been used as landmarks, grave markers, in astronomy, or for other ceremonial purposes.

Source

45. UFO fliers, purportedly : ETS.   Extra-Terrestrials in Unidentified Flying Objects.

47. Career officer : LIFER.

48. Forensic investigator's molecule : DNA.  Deoxyribonucleic Acid.  It's in all your cells, and you leave it everywhere, perhaps to be collected on SWABS.

51. Convertible, in slang : RAGTOP.

Classic

52. Adviser who was a regular "Oprah" guest : DR. PHIL McGraw.

55. Enervates : SAPS.  Depletes of energy.

56. Feature of some paneling : KNOT.

I wood; wood you?

57. In a laid-back manner : IDLY.

59. Words of dismay : OH NO.

60. Straightened up : NEAT.  SPRUCE; or even better -- without ice.  Oh, yes!

62. Wedding rental : LIMO.  Fancy, multi-passenger hired car, complete with driver.

63. Combat group : UNIT.

64. LAPD ranks : SGTS.  Sergeants in the Los Angeles Police Department 

66. Puts one's initials on : OK'S.  Short form seal of approval.

67. Pampering, for short : TLC.  Tender Loving Care - mom's specialty.

There it is, as succinct as I could make it.  'Nuff said?  Hope it gets your seal of approval.

Cool regards!

JzB [my ALIAS]

Note from C.C.:

I'm excited to tell you that Jazzbumpa (Ron) just got his first puzzle accepted by the New York Times. He got a "Yes" on his second submission. Ron is very creative and works extremely hard on all of the puzzles we've collaborated. It's been a extraordinarily fun journey, Ron!