Monday June 25, 2012 Geoffrey Lewis

Theme: An Exercise - XXXXL, four phrases hiding an XL in the middle. First, the unifier.

62A. Size whose letters are hidden in the answers to starred clues : EXTRA LARGE

Then two across and two down.

17A. *Magnifying glass, e.g. : CONVEX LENS

38A. *Benefit of an unsuccessful stock trade, at filing time : TAX LOSS

11D. *From the library of, in Latin : EX LIBRIS

37D. *Construction worker's meal : BOX LUNCH

Argyle here. A sizable exercise for a Monday but very doable. Geoffrey debut was back in February. This grid is more of a pinwheel layout; 10's and 8's w/ a 7 letter center.

Across:

1. Dr. Frankenstein's helper : IGOR. Let's go, indeed.

5. Use a loom : WEAVE

10. Diner handout : MENU

14. Factual : TRUE

15. Big name in kitchen foil : ALCOA

16. Wood choppers : AXES. George Washington did not have wood choppers.

19. Honorary law degs. : LLD's. Doctor of Laws.

20. Ad __ committee : HOC

21. Seamen's agreements : AYEs

22. Bigfoot cousin : YETI

24. Chris who won 18 Grand Slam singles titles : EVERT. Wow! Wooden rackets and no grunts.

26. Not a risky wager : SAFE BET

29. Absolute ruler : DESPOT

31. Parade percussion instrument : BASS DRUM. XL bass drum.

32. Art aficionado's hangout : MUSEUM

34. Filly's father : SIRE

35. Old CIA rival : KGB

41. Michael Douglas, to Kirk : SON. At a black tie affair, Image.

42. Winged archer : EROS

44. Dry red wine : CLARET

46. Cotton, wool, etc. : TEXTILES

49. The Okefenokee and others : SWAMPS. Geography lesson.

53. Popular painkiller : TYLENOL

54. African virus : EBOLA

55. Part of USC: Abbr. : UNIV. University of Southern California.

56. Liquidate : SELL

59. Put the cuffs on : NAB

60. Band of outlaws : GANG

65. Walk to and fro : PACE

66. Paper purchases : REAMS

67. Transfer from pitcher to glass : POUR

68. Humorist Mort : SAHL. Still going, web site.

69. Span. girls : SRTA's. (Señoritas)

70. Golfer's pocketful : TEEs

Down:

1. Made you scratch : ITCHED

2. Phonograph record feature : GROOVE. How many grooves on a record?

3. Pound segments : OUNCES

4. Test, as an engine : REV

5. Like fake fruit : WAXY

6. Glamour rival : ELLE. (magazines)

7. High cards : ACES

8. Otto __ Bismarck : VON. Wiki article.

9. Piece-of-cake school courses : EASY A's

10. Ice-creamy drinks : MALTEDS. Haven't had one in years; I'll take care of that today.

12. Homer's neighbor : NED

13. Navy ship letters : USS

18. Enjoy Red Lobster, say : EAT OUT

23. Abysmal grades : EFs. Is it better to drop a course and get an I(Incomplete) rather than an F?

25. Turning speed: Abbr. : RPM. (revolutions per minute)

26. South Pacific island nation : SAMOA

27. Continental coin : EURO

28. Feds under Ness : T-MEN

30. Airport safety org. : TSA. (transportation security administration)

31. Chicago cagers : BULLS

33. Perform at the top of one's game : EXCEL

35. Etta of old comics : KETT 36. Writer Zane : GREY 40. "Black Beauty" author Anna : SEWELL 43. Manager Casey : STENGEL. A string of old proper names.

39. Next yr.'s alums : SR's

45. Filing aid : TAB

47. Ristorante suffix : INI. Menu offerings ending in INI? Not that many, really.

48. Aficionados : LOVERS. Of an object, not each other.

50. President with a doctrine : MONROE. An attempt to keep the Old World out of the New World.

51. Bubonic __ : PLAGUE

52. Curved swords : SABERS

56. ER doc's "Right away!" : "STAT!"

57. Columnist Bombeck : ERMA

58. Girl : LASS

60. Loc.-finding tool : GPS. (global positioning system)

61. Little battery : AAA

63. Gen-__: boomer's kid, probably : Xer

64. Spot-on : APT

Answer grid.

Looking back over the puzzle now, it seems a little dated.

Argyle

Note from C.C.:

Today is Argyle's 300th LA Times write-up for us. Off the blog, he's my trusted sounding board for theme ideas and always gives me constructive feedback and advice on various issues. Thanks for being there, Santa!

Monday, February 20, 2012 Geoffrey Lewis

Theme: Erin go Bragh - Four entries that end in an Irish county.

17A. *Get really angry : POP ONE'S CORK. PSA (1:25)

25A. *Belfast-born flutist : JAMES GALWAY. Dame Kiri Te Kanawa & James Galway - "Danny Boy" (5:15)

35A. *2004 loser to George Bush : JOHN KERRY. Image.

51A. *Sandwich request : HOLD THE MAYO. How County Mayo got its name.

60A. One of the four that end this puzzle's starred answers : IRISH COUNTY

Argyle here. Thanking everyone in advance for your birthday wishes; now there is no need to waste space on any greetings. ;-)

I was unable to find any other puzzles by our constructor so this could be a debut. A strong start, in any case, with the unusual tri-stack, seven high, in each corner.

Across:

1. Like Eastwood's Harry : DIRTY. Five films, between 1971 and 1988.

6. Aromatic resin : ELEMI

11. Emeril catchword : "BAM!". The celebrity chef.

14. Start of un año : ENERO. Spanish for January, start of the year

15. Add to the mix : PUT IN. and 19A. Cocktail cooler, in Coblenz : EIS. Coblenz is a German city situated on the banks of the Rhine. EIS, we learned yesterday, is ICE (so Tinbeni will never visit Coblenz).

16. Freudian subject : EGO

20. Paris airport : ORLY

21. Having trouble deciding : TORN

22. Hindu social division : CASTE

24. Fish eggs : ROE

27. "For shame!" : "TUT TUT!". Tried "TSK TSK!" first.

29. Sedative : OPIATE

30. Suffix with bed or home : STEAD

31. Arthur of tennis : ASHE

34. Selected on a ballot, with "in" : Xed

39. Source of quick cash, briefly : ATM

42. Operating system since the '60s : UNIX

43. Ball hit over the wall : HOMER. In fair territory, of course.

47. Steals : SWIPES

50. Title street of kids' TV : SESAME

55. Accomplished : DID

56. Islamic deity : ALLAH

57. College head : DEAN

58. Shower affection (on) : DOTE

59. __ tai: cocktail : MAI

63. Rock producer Brian : ENO

64. Stealthy craft : CANOE

65. Zellweger of "Chicago" : RENÉE. Portrayed Roxie Hart.

66. Room with bookcases : DEN

67. Tolerate : STAND

68. Flowers with swordlike leaves, briefly : GLADS

Down:

1. Expels from the country : DEPORTS

2. "Should I deal you a hand?" : "IN OR OUT?". "Ante up if you're in"

3. Abundantly supplied (with) : REPLETE

4. Helen of __ : TROY. Shout out to Irish Miss of Troy.

5. Partner of hither : YON

6. __ salts : EPSOM

7. "Filthy" dough : LUCRE. Dirty money.

8. Preppy collars : ETONs. A broad white collar worn over the lapels of a jacket.

9. Downed Russian space station : MIR

10. Mushroom with a black-edged top : INK-CAP. Toxicity

11. Secretion used in hives : BEESWAX

12. Stir up : AGITATE

13. Strolled, as to the saloon : MOSEYED

18. French state : ÉTAT

23. "Float like a butterfly" boxer : ALI

25. Karate relative : JUDO

26. Habitué : GOER. Habitué - a frequent visitor to a place (churchgoer; moviegoer)

28. __ Mahal : TAJ

31. Landers or Lee : ANN. (Mother Ann Lee, of the Shakers)

32. Enjoy the slopes : SKI

33. Put a spell on : HEX

36. Awed crowd reaction : HUSH

37. Stat start : RHEO

38. Casual hellos : YOs

39. Humiliated : ASHAMED

40. Like many rural roads : TWO LANE

41. Thousand thousand : MILLION

44. "Papa Don't Preach" singer : MADONNA

45. Radiated : EMITTED

46. Flights leaving around midnight, usually : RED EYEs

48. iPhone, e.g., briefly : PDA. (Personal Digital Assistant)

49. Rules of conduct : ETHICS

50. In __: harmonious : SYNC

52. Twin Cities suburb : EDINA, Minnesota.

53. Subatomic particle : MESON. Something to do with quarks and anti-quarks.

54. Oohed and __ : AAHed

58. Face-off with pistols : DUEL

61. Squealer : RAT

62. Nonprofit's URL ending : .ORG

Answer grid.

Argyle

Note from C.C.:

Ha ha, I'm wasting space, but Happy Birthday to dear Argyle, who brings us love, humor and smiles every day. Xie Xie, Santa!