Sunday February 14, 2021 Jake Braun

Theme: "Love Is ... "  -  Famous people who defined what "love" is.

24A. "... the beauty of the soul": SAINT AUGUSTINE.

55A. "... a fruit in season at all times": MOTHER TERESA.

70A. "... an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired": ROBERT FROST.

89A. "... an act of endless forgiveness": PETER USTINOV.

119A. "... eternal, infinite ... equal and pure": HONORE DE BALZAC.

5D. "... a flower, you got to let it grow": JOHN LENNON.

80D. "... the truth more first than sun, more last than star": E E CUMMINGS.

Normally a name theme tends to get "listy", but this one is sweet and fitting. Happy Valentine's Day!  Still remember Jake's  "Cherish the Thought" we had a few years ago?

Low in black squares. Only 68. I always manage to crank up to 78.

Across:

1. Honshu high pt.: MT FUJI. Slight dupe with  48. Oregon's highest point: MOUNT HOOD.

7. King of Maine: STEPHEN. Great clue. The author.

14. Alpine Olympics event: SKIING.

20. Playground denial: ARE NOT.

21. Former SAG president Gilbert: MELISSA. She played Laura Ingalls Wilder.

22. Like many garages: TWO-CAR.

23. Discipline involving slow movement: TAI CHI. Have you heard of Shaolin?

26. Equivalent wd.: SYN. Synonym.

27. 22.5 deg.: NNE.

29. Spam-spreading program: BOT.

30. Games gp. that added a "P" to its initials in 2019: USOC. United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee.

31. Frank behind a bookcase: ANNE.

32. Colosseum warrior: GLADIATOR.

35. Sommer of cinema: ELKE.

37. Literally, the sci. of women: GYN. Gynecology.

38. Origami bird: CRANE.

41. Manhattan, e.g.: Abbr.: ISL.

42. Progress: HEADWAY.

45. Airport not far from the Common: LOGAN. OK, Boston Common.

46. Native ceremonial pipe: CALUMET. New to me. It looks like this.

49. Emphatic type: ITALIC.

53. Forever, with "an": ETERNITY. Been a tough two-week stretch in our area. Temp right now (Sunday morning 5:30am). Wind Chill Warning until lunch hours.

58. Leopardlike cats: OCELOTS.

59. Touch: ABUT.

60. German coal valley: RUHR.

61. Author Rand: AYN.

62. Suffix with salt: INE. Cracker with soup is very American.

63. "Yes!": AMEN.

64. Med. office titles: DRS.

65. WWI Belgian battle site: YPRES. Have not seen this fill for a long time.

67. Very big: HUGE.

74. Inner: Pref.: ENTO.

75. Sky blue: AZURE.

77. Audio units: Abbr.: DBS. Decibels.

78. Word with cut or pin: HAIR.

79. Dripping __: WET.

81. TD scorers: RBS. Running backs,

82. High style: UPDO.

84. Dish put away with a spoon: SOUP. Ha ha, I still use chopsticks.

85. Two-year periods: BIENNIA. Plural of "biennium".

92. Bleachers critiques: CATCALLS.

93. First U.S. space station: SKYLAB.  Launched in 1973.

94. Court conference the jury doesn't hear: SIDEBAR.

96. Bay State sch.: UMASS.

97. Source of emergency light: OIL LAMP.

100. Tats: INK.

101. Used for a tryst: MET AT.

102. AOL, e.g.: ISP.

105. Makes stuff up: LIES.

106. Elite tactical units: SWAT TEAMS. Created by Daryl Gates, the LAPD guy.

110. Congeal: CLOT.

112. Pitch-raising guitar device: CAPO.

114. Payroll service co.: ADP.

115. Agnus __: DEI.

116. Response to overhearing?: TMI. Too Much Information.

123. Hostile advance: INROAD.

125. Bad way to be led: ASTRAY.

126. Oakley skill: RIFLERY.

127. Model railroad scale: O GAUGE.

128. Ideal partner: THE ONE.

129. Swears to: ATTESTS.

130. Password partner: USER ID.

Down:

1. Yoga needs: MATS.

2. Cafeteria convenience: TRAY.

3. Sinn __: FEIN.  Political party in Ireland. Irish for "We Ourselves".

4. Auntie's hubby: UNC. Uncle.

6. Rock memoir: I TINA.

7. Texting format, briefly: SMS.

8. Perforated orb holding leaves: TEA BALL. This one has way too much leaves.

9. "Cats" poet: ELIOT.

10. Spotted horse: PINTO.

11. Post-WWII pres.: HST.

12. Genesis twin: ESAU.

13. Whale-watching woe: NAUSEA. Never went whale-watching.

14. Wouldn't go back on: STUCK WITH.

15. Elec. units: KWS.

16. Greek "i": IOTA.

17. Cake topping: ICING. No icing on Chinese taro or radish cakes, super popular during Spring Festival.

18. Childcare employee: NANNY.

19. Place to putt: GREEN.

25. Top medal: GOLD.

28. Orders from on high: EDICTS.

32. Way more cool: GNARLIER.

33. "By Jove!": I SAY.

34. Bonnie Blue's dad: RHETT. "Gone With the Wind".

36. Place to have a meal: EATERY.  My friend Carmen and her family celebrated the Spring Festival  two days ago. Noticed those red Fu decorations on the wall? Fu means "good fortune".

 

38. Queen of the Nile, familiarly: CLEO. Cleopatra.

39. Campus mil. unit: ROTC.

40. Screenwriter James: AGEE.  "A Death in the Family".

43. Horn of Africa country: Abbr.: ETH. Ethiopia.

44. Pirate's cry: YAR.

47. "Burnt" pigment: UMBER.

50. Absorb in class: LEARN.

51. "... __ to come": IS YET.

52. Kid's assertion: CAN SO.

54. Road to the Forum: ITER.

56. Goof or gaffe: ERROR.

57. Tamblyn of "West Side Story" (1961): RUSS. Saw the movie ages ago. Don't recall him though.

59. Iowa State city: AMES.

63. Monastery VIP: ABBOT.

64. Sign of a slow leak: DRIP.

66. Honey and Sugar: PET NAMES.

67. 80-pound concert instruments: HARPS. Wow, that heavy?

68. Turkic native: UZBEK.

69. Like winds in storms: GUSTY.

71. Gambler's calculation: ODDS.

72. Raoul Dufy, stylistically: FAUVE. Wiki says Raoul Dufy was a French Fauvist painter. Here is his "Le Cavalier blanc".

73. Silly goose: TWIT.

76. Continental travel pass: EURAIL.

83. Limelight: PUBLIC EYE. Another great fill.

84. Salon cuts: SNIPS.

85. Warned one's master, perhaps: BARKED.

86. Line above the equator: Abbr.: N LAT. Latitude.

87. "Sing it, Sam" speaker: ILSA.

88. DA's aide: ASST.

90. "Xanadu" rock gp.: ELO.

91. Suffix with Catholic: ISM.

92. Jargon: CANT.

95. Very small role: BIT PART.

98. Starring role: LEAD.

99. Ad astra per __: Kansas motto: AS PERA.

102. Phased-out Apple messaging tool: ICHAT. Just Messages now.

103. Wade noisily: SLOSH.

104. Florence's __ Vecchio: PONTE.

107. Pixar title robot: WALL-E.

108. Wood shapers: ADZES.

109. Half-serious sequence?: AEIOU. Letters orderly contained in "Half-serious".

111. Spanish bull: TORO.

113. Final notice: OBIT.

116. Sightseeing trip: TOUR.

117. Christmas trio: MAGI.

118. Fingered: ID'ED.

120. Operated: RAN.

121. Back at sea: AFT.

122. Hall of Famer Young et al.: CYS.

124. Issa of "Insecure": RAE.

C.C.

 

Monday April 1, 2019 Jake Braun

Theme: APRIL FOOL (64. Cry for today, and a hint to the starts of 17-, 25-, 37- and 54-Across)

 

17. Unpredictable leg joint problem: TRICK KNEE.

25. Beef named for a bone: RIBEYE STEAK.

37. Sally, to Charlie Brown: KID SISTER.

54. "Love, Simon" co-star: JOSH DUHAMEL.

  

Boomer here. Breaking news!! A heavy accumulation of snow has caused the roof of U.S. Bank stadium to collapse.  The NCAA Final Four has been moved to the new soccer stadium on University Avenue in St. Paul. Many fans are boycotting now because as you know, a bowling center was torn down on the land where the soccer park was built.

Mothers of River City, heed this warning before it's too late.  Watch for the telltale signs of corruption.  Check your sugar bowl for its contents before you scoop two spoonfuls on your cereal.

Across:

1. Half a fluid oz.: TBSP.  Check it first, it could be filled with salt.

5. Ancient Peruvian: INCA.  Dinka Doo  Jimmy Durante.

9. Jalopies: HEAPS.  You call my first car a heap ?  I'll call your Lincoln a dead president.

14. "I'm __ here!": "Adios!": OUT A.  There were few "Outa here" calls at Target Field last weekend.

15. "North by Northwest" actor Grant: CARY. C.C. said he's a favorite of Irish Miss.

16. Grownup: ADULT.

19. Coffee sweetener: SUGAR.  "On a day like today, we'll pass the time away" putting salt in the sugar bowl.

20. Be on the same page: AGREE.  I was never on the same page. Too busy looking at the pictures.

21. Butter square: PAT.  See 19A.  Mr. Pat Boone.

23. Old AT&T rival: MCI.

24. Camera largely replaced by its digital version, for short: SLR. "We have a Nikon Camera, gonna take a photograph.  Mama don't take my Kodachrome away."  Simon and Garfunkel.

30. Golfer's booking: TEE TIME.  Believe it or not, some courses have opened for play in Minnesota.  No carts yet and I still have three weeks of bowling left, so I think I will wait.

32. Diplomatic accord: ENTENTE.

33. Ancient Icelandic text: EDDA.

34. __ McMuffin: EGG.  Be careful today if your spouse tells you it is hard boiled.

36. "The Deep" director Peter: YATES.  From what rumors I have heard about ocean history, I often wonder how much gold bullion is 20,000 leagues under the sea.

41. Poe's one-word bird: RAVEN.  Nevermore

44. Stars are seen in it: SKY.

45. Bars on candy bars, e.g.: Abbr.: UPCS.  These are amazing! You go to the grocery market and the checkout cash register already knows the price of almost everything.  The clerk only had to tell the register the number on the banana sticker.

49. Disparaging word: EPITHET.  I am sure there were a few of them this weekend during the 30 degree windy weather at Target Field.  I watched on TV.  I don't know how many seats are at Target Field but it looked like 50,000 were empty.

52. "Let me say this again ... ": I REPEAT.  Check your sugar bowl!!

56. Lawyer's gp.: ABA.  Don't try to join.  You can get sued.

57. Inventor Whitney: ELI.  I tried some of that cotton gin.  It tastes lousy with tonic.

58. $200 Monopoly props.: RRS. "Railroad crossing look out for the cars.  Can you spell that without any Rs?"  T H A T

59. Fable writer: AESOP.

61. Hooves-on-cobblestone sounds: CLOPS.

67. Lone Ranger's pal: TONTO.  Jay Silverheels.  A very famous Canadian athlete and actor.

68. Con job: SCAM.  Not to be confused with SPAM. A con job by Hormel from Austin Minnesota convincing folks that it's good to eat.  Also half of the email I receive on a daily basis.         

69. Blend by melting: FUSE. Lousy clue. How about a Bussmann product.  Too easy ??

70. Actress Spacek: SISSY.

71. Locking device: HASP.

72. Went really fast: SPED.

Down:

1. How food may be salted: TO TASTE.  Sometimes out of the sugar bowl.

2. Broke into and stole from: BURGLED.  Burgled kind of sounds like you're choking on Pepto Bismol.

3. Mixed with a spoon: STIRRED.  After you put sugar in your coffee.  I hope it wasn't salt.

4. Walk nervously to and fro: PACE.  Also a slow adjective for a golf match or a baseball game.

5. "Eww!": ICK.

6. Indian bread: NAN.  I googled this and found it to be spelled NAAN.  I thought it was the money I left at the Native American Casino last fall.

7. French pancake: CREPE.

8. "Yes, captain": AYE AYE.  I wonder if they really say this on the ship, or only in the movies.

9. Is suffering from, as a cold: HAS. If the cold is pretty bad, then it's "I HAB a Code".

10. College address suffix: EDU.  Never mind if you cannot pass the SAT.  If you have enough money they will pretend you are a great soccer player and let you in. I think you can even pay a smart person to take the tests.

11. Make larger: AUGMENT.  I wish I could augment a few holes on the greens.

12. Appease: PLACATE.

13. Bowling x's: STRIKES.  I won't bother to explain this.

18. "Felicity" star Russell: KERI.

22. Bowling pin count: TEN.  A puzzle with TWO bowling clues??  No I did not rig it.  However can someone tell me why three strikes in a row is called a turkey?  ( I know why a fourbagger is called a hambone.  I don't like it, but I know who Rob Stone is.)

26. Chatted with online, briefly: IM'ED.

27. Pleads: BEGS.

28. Lid inflammation: STYE.  I have heard they are common and painful.  I am lucky to never have had one.

29. Rip to shreds: TEAR UP.

31. Opposite of giveth: TAKETH.  Biblical, but I'll allow.

35. USO show audience: GIS.  Believe it or not, I was in a USO group singing at EM and Top5 clubs at Fort Campbell, KY.  I was bass in "Sherrie" by the Four Seasons.  (Why don't you come out)

38. Broadcast with greater image resolution, as TV shows: IN HD.

39. Fat-free milk: SKIM.  Somehow I never got used to skim.  I prefer 1% - reasonably priced at ALDI

40. Spare in a Brit's boot: TYRE.  I get TYRED of foreign clues and answers.

41. Turns down: REJECTS.

42. Ill-fated 1967 moon mission: APOLLO I.  I remember this well.  A space capsule caught fire with three astronauts inside, and they could not be rescued.  Sad day for space missions.

43. "__ of sugar-plums danced in their heads": Moore: VISIONS.  When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my recliner to see Vhat Da heck vas going on out dere.

46. Green bowlful: PEA SOUP.  Sorry, I cannot eat anything that looks like this.

47. Last train car: CABOOSE. My family had three children.  Barbara, Douglas, and Amy.  When my sister was born, Mom and Dad thought it would be alphabetical to use a name starting with "C".  My father suggested Caboose.  (But mother held out for Constance.)

48. Attached using a Swingline: STAPLED.

50. U.K.'s continent: EUR.

51. Defeat decisively: THRASH.  There was not a lot of Thrashing going on in the NCAA Tournament this weekend.  Most of the games were exciting and close.  I picked Virginia, Gonzaga, Kentucky, and Michigan State.  I was glad to see the Spartans knock off the Blue Devils, because Michigan State represents the Big 10 (+4) and they knocked my Gophers out in Round 2.  Now, if Michigan State wins, I can say the Gophers finished second but had a lousy placement in the bracket. 

53. Airline to Tel Aviv: EL AL. Hope they don't have any Boeing 737 Max planes.

55. Pet adoption org.: ASPCA.  I often wonder where they get the $$$ to buy all those nauseating commercials with half dead dogs in them.

60. Letters before gees: EFFS.  If I spelled it that way I would probably get an "F".

62. Halves of qts.: PTS.

63. Tofu source: SOY.  C.C. really likes this milk substitute.  But it has to be unsweetened, unflavored, and mixed with rum.

65. Dorm VIPs: RAS.

66. Mischief-maker: IMP.

Hope you enjoyed this first day of April, commonly known as April Fool's Day.  In case you did not figure it out, once upon time, many years ago, I filled the sugar bowl on our kitchen table with salt. My dear mother used it as sugar, and "Holy Moley was dreamboat sore". I never pulled that one again.
 

Boomer

Monday May 21, 2018 Jake Braun

Theme: INSIDE JOKE (61. Humor shared by a select few ... and by this puzzle's circles) - Three synonyms of jokes are hidden in three theme entries.

17A. Like #1 hits: TOP RANKING.

29A. Stands for sheets with notes: MUSIC RACKS.

44A. For a full license, it's 17 or 18 in most states: DRIVING AGE.

Boomer here.  

Good morning all.  I am sure you were able to CRACK a GAG while you solved this puzzle.  Much simpler Monday offering than last week. We finally got two new doors on our humble home last week.  Now C.C. can open them with one arm, and I can open them without the colorful language.

 

Across:

1. Pet adoption org.: ASPCA.

6. Sore after exercise: ACHY. Billy Ray Cyrus had a Breaky Heart

10. Landlocked African nation: CHAD. Okay, but my clue would have been Mr. Mitchell of the famous 60s Trio.

14. They're entered in court: PLEAS.

15. One of Pittsburgh's three rivers: OHIO. What is round on the ends and High in the middle?

16. Hawaii County seat: HILO. A song of love is a sad song, Hi Lili, Hi Lili, Hilo.

19. Wide-eyed: AGOG.

20. Buffet fuel: STERNO. This would be a backwoods buffet.  Most casino buffets use steam tables.

21. Sewn medical treatment: STITCHES.

23. 36 inches: YARD.  How many were in Tom Brady's passing stats this year?

25. "So that's your game!": OHO.

26. Auto loan default result: REPO.

35. Key with one sharp: Abbr.: E MIN. I think this was my grade on my first Latin test.

36. Rice field: PADDY. A fixture in Vietnam, but also Paddy O'Furniture is a famous Irish furniture store.  Is Irish furniture always green?

37. Shirt with a slogan: TEE. First time I've seen this word in a puzzle without a golf reference.

38. School basics: ABCS.

39. Pub beer orders: PINTS.

40. Cup of joe: JAVA. How many names can you think of for coffee?

41. Writing desk room, perhaps: DEN.

42. Classic orange soda: FANTA. A Coca Cola Company product - comes in many flavors but I don't see it in stores around Minnesota.

43. Inch or mile, e.g.: UNIT. Also a term for an Army Company.  Add a "wit" and it's what the sergeant called any one of us.

47. Macy's department: MEN'S. - History lesson.  Macy's in Minnesota was once Dayton's, owned by the family of our current Governor, Mark.  Dayton's was very popular years ago.  Macy's is high class but a bit on the pricey side.

48. LeBron, e.g., briefly: CAV. Looks like the Celtics are handling Mr. James pretty well in the playoffs.

49. Nose-in-the-air type: SNOB.

51. Challenging words: I DARE YOU. Sometimes you get "Double Dared"

56. Privy to the scheme: IN ON IT.

60. Sushi seaweed: NORI. This is seaweed that people eat! Not me.

63. Leg joint: KNEE.

64. Litter yippers: PUPS.

65. Sufferer healed by Jesus: LEPER.

66. Apt "ayes" anagram: YEAS. All in favor ?

67. Exxon, formerly: ESSO.

68. Substitutes' squad: B TEAM.  As opposed to the team of George Peppard and Mr. T who called everyone "Sucka", not lollipop. 

Down:

1. Tenants' qtrs.: APTS.

2. Vegas machine: SLOT.  Remember the old machines where you put coins in the slot.  Now they only take paper money.

3. Le Pew of skunkdom: PEPE. A famous skunk created in the 40s.  I think he fell in love with Penelope Pussycat.

4. Bags you don't check: CARRY-ONS.  I really hate it when people carry on bags that my bowling balls would fit into, then stuff them overhead. Two other cross-referenced answers: 31. 4-Down attachments: ID TAGS. 34. 4-Down may be stored under them: SEATS.  Not the bowling ball size though.

5. Yoga position: ASANA.

6. Hunky-dory: A-OK.  NASA talk in Houston I believe.

7. Letters after phis: CHIS. It's Greek to me.

8. Dash, as of a spice: HINT.

9. Quotable Berra: YOGI.  One of my all time favorite Yankees.  "When you get to a fork in the road, Take it."  Finished his career as a Met.

10. "One, two, one-two-three" dance: CHA CHA.

11. Like more efficient gas: HIGH OCTANE. Since Octo is eight in Spanish and ten in Month number, why is high octane 89-92 ? 

12. Botanical balm: ALOE.  Add VERA and we have a plant on our deck.

13. Kennel barkers: DOGS.

18. Usual: NORM. After the movie "Psycho" I think people stopped naming their sons, Norm. (Apologies to any Normans here on the blog today).

22. Whig rival: TORY.  I think people believe that Whigs and Tories became Republicans and Democrats, however after the big wedding Saturday, I think there's a bit of Whig in all of us.

24. Fooling: DUPING.

26. Check, as an invoice: RE-ADD.

27. Fireplace glower: EMBER.

28. Park place with tables: PICNIC AREA.

30. North Pole letter recipient: SANTA. Memories of Argyle here.

32. DJ's assortment: CDS.

33. Actor Costner: KEVIN.  One of my favorites, especially as Crash Davis in "Bull Durham".  I think he bought into a casino in Deadwood, SD but it did not do well.

39. Flying Peter: PAN.

40. 747, e.g.: JUMBO JET. We don't see them much any more.  The 737 seems to be the jet of choice these days.

42. Pentagon side count: FIVE.  Hand slap gimme.

45. Isn't the same for everyone: VARIES.

46. Oklahoma city: ENID.

50. 16 oz.: ONE LB.  Okay - Libra is Latin for scale. That is how "pound" got the "LB" abbreviation.  This is why Latin drove me insanis.

51. Pitch-black: INKY.  I once scored 208,000 on a Pac Man machine at Great America Amusement Park in Northern Illinois.  When I finally lost there were about ten people behind me watching.  Inky was one of the characters in the game.  I think he was the blue one.

52. All finished: DONE. Almost

53. "Jeepers!": YIPE.

54. Heavy burden: ONUS.

55. Govt. mail agency: USPS. - We have 80,000 people in Brooklyn Park.  The mail gets delivered, but not always on time.

57. "Uh-uh": NOPE.

58. Flat-package furniture chain: IKEA. We have a huge IKEA store near the Mall of America. 

59. Senate six years: TERM.  33 seats are up for grabs in 169 days!

62. Prefix with metric: ISO.

Boomer

Monday April 16, 2017 Jake Braun

 Theme: OUT (70A. One of an inning's three, which can follow the first word of 17-, 29-, 47- and 63-Across)

17A. Angling method using hand-tied lures: FLY FISHING. Flyout.

29A. One doing the Electric Slide, e.g.: LINE DANCER. Lineout.

47A. Hamburger meat: GROUND BEEF. Ground out.

63A. Beatles' Shea Stadium performance, e.g.: POP CONCERT. Pop-out.

Boomer here.

Hello from Minnesota, where a blizzard of all blizzards took place on APRIL 14! For all of you crossword lovers, The weather center has named our storm XANTO.  I have no idea what the significance could be, buy the clue will be "Name of the blizzard that plagued Minnesota in April of 2018"  Needless to say there were no Flyouts, Line-outs, Ground outs, or Pop-outs at Target Field.  Major League baseball made a mistake to start scheduling games North this early I'm afraid. 

Across:

1. Sounds showing revelation: AHS. First part of a sneeze

4. Actress Winger: DEBRA. Loved Officer and a Gentleman "Up where we belong".

9. Beer, casually: BREW. I think Milwaukee got part of this storm.  Maybe the shovels were out at Miller Park also.

13. Speedy shark: MAKO.

15. Bars between wheels: AXLES.

16. Travel aimlessly: ROVE.

19. Bar orders: ALES. Maybe, but I never heard anyone in a bar say "Bartender, give me an ale"

20. City recaptured from ISIL by Iraq in 2017: MOSUL.

21. Sincerely: IN EARNEST.

23. Hunk of concrete: SLAB. I would say a slab is bigger than a hunk.

25. Tic-tac-toe diagram: GRID.  Three Os would be three splits in a row, Three X's is a turkey

26. Memorization technique: ROTE. My thought was Kyle Rote,  running back for the NY Giants.  We shared the same birth date, (But he was 20 years older than I)

34. Brian of ambient music: ENO.

35. DDE's WWII command: ETO. I remember President Eisenhower.  I cannot imagine the difficulty or persevering through World War II.

36. Renter's document: LEASE.

37. Stinging comment: BARB. Also the name of my older sister, born on April 14.

39. Complains: CARPS. Could be the plural of a Minnesota rough fish, although fish plural never seems to have an "S".

42. Like the Magi: WISE.  We three kings of Orient are ....

43. What the beverage cart blocks: AISLE. For sure!  Try not to need to use the restroom while the beverages are being served.

45. Sellout letters: SRO.

46. Brit. pilots' squad: RAF.  Seem to be a lot of three letter acronyms (TLAs) in this puzzle.

50. Beach or Backstreet follower, in music: BOYS.  I favor "Beach" "Round, round get around.."

51. At any point: EVER.

52. Subway charge: FARE. The only Subways we have in Minnesota sell sandwiches.

54. Mark McGwire rival: SAMMY SOSA. I was a fan, but these two guys really gave baseball bad reviews with PEDs (a three letter acronym) and corked bats.  Their cheating reduced the value of their baseball cards.

58. IHOP handouts: MENUS.

62. Furthermore: ALSO.

65. Casino card game: FARO. Mostly European, I do not believe the game is available for play in Las Vegas, but I heard they have an old Faro table on display at the Tropicana.

66. Steinbeck migrants: OKIES.  The most famous OKIE I know is Ron Gardenhire, who now manages the pitcherless Tigers of Detroit.

67. Jekyll's alter ego: HYDE.

68. Little League airer: ESPN. I like to watch those Williamsport battles.

69. Nervous: TENSE. 

Down:

1. Bedside toggle switch: AM FM.

2. Angel's overhead circle: HALO.  Also a lighting company that supplied the track lighting in our home.

3. "The __ the limit!": SKY'S. Where do you put the apostrophe in the crossword grid ?

4. Prosecutors: Abbr.: DAS.

5. Prosecutor's first piece of evidence: EXHIBIT A.

6. Russian pancake: BLIN. I think in the US we call these crepes

7. Back out: RENEGE. This used to be a CARDinal sin in a bridge game

8. Home of primary 30-Down gods: ASGARD. 30. Like Odin and Thor: NORSE. Also like Ole and Sven.

9. Fresh from the factory: BRAND NEW.

10. Part in a play: ROLE.

11. Nights before: EVES.

12. __ Virginia: WEST. Adam _____ who played Batman.

14. Handy: OF USE.

18. Down with the flu: ILL.

22. Yemeni money: RIAL.

24. Knighted Guinness: ALEC. I only remember him in "Bridge on the River Kwai".  I think he received an Academy award for that Role.

26. Pack again, as groceries: RE-BAG.

27. "We're live!" studio sign: ON AIR.

28. Human trunk: TORSO.

31. Egypt's capital: CAIRO.

32. Op-ed piece, say: ESSAY.

33. Often submerged shipping dangers: REEFS.

38. Lunar symbol for a very long time: BLUE MOON. Dip da dip da dip

40. Books' opening sections: PREFACES.

41. Couch: SOFA.

44. Green-eyed monster: ENVY. This clue reminds me of the left field wall at Fenway.

48. Absolute ruler: DESPOT.

49. Actress Shields: BROOKE.

50. Tree that sounds like a summer vacation spot: BEECH. I think this tree had nuts that were made into gum.

53. Pres. pardoned by Ford: RMN.

54. Jewelry protector: SAFE.  I think this follows this crossword theme.  "What Rickey Henderson was while stealing?  (And young Twin Byron Buxton).

55. "Sadly ... ": ALAS.

56. Car sticker fig.: MSRP. At least this acronym is four letters.  And with apologies to auto dealers, Why is the MSRP always about $5000 high ?

57. Whirl around: SPIN.

59. "So Sick" R&B artist: NEYO.

60. Pakistani language: URDU.

61. "Cancel that deletion": STET. Add "SON" and you have a hat or cologne

64. Sugar suffix: OSE. I have to watch my GlucOSE daily

Boomer

Notes from C.C.:

1) Husker Gary has been updating the Corner map. Please just bookmark this link. Then click on the map to enlarge. If you have the direct Corner map link marked, just highlight the address in the top URL bar, then hit "Enter", this way the map will be automatically updated.

2) Dear Santa now has a desktop computer installed in his rehab place, so he might pop in the blog Comments section any minute. Welcome back, Santa!

Monday, October 30, 2017 ~ Jake Braun

Theme: Watch Your Back! - Target word added behind the second word of the starred entries.

17A. *Palestine, to many: HOLY LAND. Landfall.

28A. *Slam-dance area: MOSH PIT. Pitfall.

51A. *What "blows no good": ILL WIND. Windfall;.

66A. "Spring forward" partner (a reminder for November 5th) ... and what the last word of each answer to a starred clue can literally have: FALL BACK

11D. *Jam on the brakes: STOP SHORT. Shortfall.

35D. *Regular dinner-and-a-movie evening: DATE NIGHT. Nightfall.

Argyle here. I've got your back. This puzzle has no unique words; that's unique. Diagonal solver's delight.

Across:

1. Press (down), as pipe bowl ash : TAMP

5. Life-saving proc.: CPR. (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation)

8. Collect $200 in Monopoly: PASS GO

14. Top poker pair: ACEs

15. Feel remorse for: RUE

16. Brewpub fixture: ALE TAP

19. Soccer game shout: ¡OLE! ¡OLE!

20. St. plagued by wildfires in 2017: ORE. (Oregon) Just one of many.

21. Leaves out: OMITS

23. Colorado resort: ASPEN. 73-Across. Enjoys 23-Across: SKIs

24. Other side in a fight: ENEMY

26. Monterey County seat: SALINAS

30. Spontaneous notion: WHIM

33. Classic Ford: MODEL T

36. One of eight Eng. kings: EDW. (Edward)

37. Cola, e.g.: SODA

38. Actress Longoria: EVA

39. Vienna's country: Abbr.: AUS. (Austria)ISO code: AUT

41. Gobble up: EAT

43. Do sales work (for): REP. (representative)

44. Baseball glove: MITT. 46-Across. Baseball throw: PEG,. 40-Down. Former MLB commissioner Bud: SELIG

48. Multi-room accommodations: SUITES

50. Praiseful verses: ODEs

53. More geeky: NERDIER

55. V-shaped carving: NOTCH

59. Happy expression: SMILE

61. "Six __ a-laying ... ": GEESE

63. Yokohama yes: HAI

64. Descartes' "I think": COGITO. "Cogito ergo sum" is Latin for "I think; therefore, I am".

68. From boat to beach: ASHORE. (adverb)

69. Island strings: UKE. (ukulele)

70. Pre-deal wager: ANTE

71. Poker player, e.g.: BETTOR

72. '60s hallucinogen: LSD. (Lysergic acid diethylamide)

Down:

1. Nevada border lake: TAHOE

                          Tahoe Keys, who knew?

2. Bit of a squirrel's stash: ACORN. (@1:25)

3. Messy fight: MELEE

4. Future therapist's maj.: PSY. (Psychology)

5. Study at the last minute: CRAM

6. Say "You're grounded" to, say: PUNISH

7. Administrative complications: RED TAPE

8. Kung __ chicken: PAO

9. Edgar __ Poe: ALLAN

10. Up-and-down playground fixtures: SEESAWs. 22-Down. Playground fixture: SLIDE

12. More than a breeze: GALE

13. Ready for customers: OPEN

18. Common Jesuit school name: LOYOLA

25. Sra., on the Seine: MME. (Señora/Madame)

27. Formal "My bad": "IT WAS I"

29. Dumb: STUPID

31. Camille's concept: IDÉE

32. Route providers: MAPS

33. Note to the staff: MEMO

34. Exiled Roman poet: OVID

42. Way under a river: TUNNEL

45. "Cats" poet: TS ELIOT

47. Full of joy: GLEEFUL

49. About-to-be spouse's words: "I DO"

52. Inflicts, as havoc: WREAKS

54. Nostalgically trendy: RETRO

56. Say "Much obliged" to: THANK

57. Desert plants: CACTI

58. Walks with backpacks: HIKES

59. Picket line violator: SCAB

60. Jazzman Allison: MOSE. Died: November 15, 2016.

62. Word with bob or dog: SLED

65. Poetic "above": O'ER

67. Eng. majors' degrees: BAs. (Bachelor of Arts)

Argyle

Monday, May 22, 2017 Jake Braun

Theme: Play Ball! - Choose your team.

69A. Sports org. for the players that begin the answers to starred clues: MLB. Major League Baseball

17A. *Found middle ground: MET HALFWAY. New York Mets.

39A. *Hockey rink divider: RED LINE. Cincinnati Reds.

58A. *Shaft from the sun: RAY OF LIGHT. Tampa Bay Rays.

10D. *"Unforgettable" crooner: NAT KING COLE. Washington Nationals.

25D. *Jimmy Olsen, notably: CUB REPORTER. Chicago Cubs.

26D. *"The Tonight Show" host after Johnny Carson: JAY LENO. Toronto Blue Jays.

Argyle here. Symmetry! Pin wheel with a bullseye. Consistency! All three letter teams. A reveal tucked in the SE corner. Quantity with quality and a couple of learning moments. Yes, I liked this puzzle(Can you tell?).

Across:

1. Task: JOB

4. Suddenly paid attention: SAT UP

9. Take __: snooze: A NAP

13. Wows: AWEs

15. One may drift in from the kitchen: AROMA

16. Scarlett's plantation: TARA

19. Caesar's stunned words: "ET TU!?"

20. Dirt road depressions: RUTS

21. Tots' three-wheelers: TRIKEs

23. __ Wall Street: 2011 protest: OCCUPY

26. Kind of delinquent: JUVENILE

28. Resort island near Venezuela: ARUBA

29. Chart with roads: MAP

30. Rainier or Rushmore: Abbr.: MTN. (mount)

31. Sad sound: SOB

32. "It's my call": "I SAY SO"

35. Eye provocatively: OGLE

38. Corn serving: EAR

41. 102, to Caesar: CII

42. 69-Across list of games, briefly: SKED. MLB

44. Garden-tidying gadget: WEEDER

45. Texter's "Holy cow!": "OMG!". (Oh my God)

46. In favor of: PRO

48. Suffix with chlor-: INE

49. __ Waldo Emerson: RALPH

51. Reach a total of: AMOUNT TO

54. Self-effacing: MODEST

55. Friendliness: WARMTH

56. Temporary calm: LULL

57. FBI employees: AGTs.

64. Fictional pirate often addressed as "Mr.": SMEE. Capt. Hook's bo's'n.

65. Like basic wall switches: ON/OFF

66. Boyfriend: BEAU

67. "B.C." cartoonist Johnny: HART

68. Would like: WANTs

Down:

1. Rush hour tie-up: JAM

2. Have to pay: OWE

3. Racetrack risk: BET

4. Like many pretzels: SALTY

5. Cousins of woofs: ARFs

6. Stranded motorist's need: TOW

7. Actress Thurman: UMA

8. Fee-based home entertainment: PAY TV

9. Eroded, as savings: ATE INTO

11. Soviet cooperative: ARTEL. One of the learning expo's. "The Artel (association) is another term for the collective ownership and operation of industry. It is one of the oldest and most widespread institutions in Russia." ~ Manya Gordon. Even the Wiki page is short.

12. Temporary stop: PAUSE

14. Foundation plant: SHRUB

18. Live-in household helper: AU PAIR

22. Sleep stage: REM. (rapid eye movement)

23. Desert respites: OASES

24. Sound from a lily pad: CROAK

27. Opportunity for growth: UPSIDE

29. Finally arrived: MADE IT

33. Stitch: SEW

34. Winner's number: ONE

36. Uneven gaits: LIMPS

37. Quarterfinal contestants count: EIGHT

40. Jazzman Garner: ERROLL

43. Percussionist's kit: DRUM SET

47. Toronto's prov.: ONT. (Ontario)

50. Actor's unwritten line: AD LIB

51. Flooded: AWASH

52. Igneous rock, once: MAGMA

53. Fielder's assist, e.g.: THROW

54. Bobbles: MUFFs

56. Hit high into the air: LOFT

59. Santa __ winds: ANA

60. Partner of hither: YON

61. Precious stone: GEM

62. Uncooperative "2001" computer: HAL

63. Spot for a bath: TUB

Please excuse my abbreviated version today. I lost my Google Chrome bowser somehow.

Argyle

Monday, February 6, 2017 Jake Braun

Theme: Synonyms

54. Virtually zero, and where the ends of 20-, 32- and 43-Across are literally situated: NEXT TO NOTHING. That means they start with a synonym for zilch.

20. Player who shoots par regularly: SCRATCH GOLFER. Zero handicap.

32. Floppy disk backup device: ZIP DRIVE. Nil.

43. Ballad for a valentine: LOVE SONG. Zero score in tennis.

Argyle here. No complaints.

Across:

1. Most musicals have two: ACTS

5. Start to faceted or purpose: MULTI

10. Modern organizers, for short: PDAs. (personal digital assistant)

14. Countenance: MIEN

15. In front: AHEAD

16. Wine prefix: OENO. Vowel friendly.

17. First chip in the poker pot: ANTE

18. Football with scrums: RUGBY

19. Songwriter Kristofferson: KRIS

23. Malted relative: SHAKE

24. Magnolia State school, familiarly: OLE MISS. University of Mississippi.

27. Baseball misplays: ERRORS

31. Calendar page: MONTH

35. Forest official: RANGER

36. Angsty rock genre: EMO

37. Michelangelo statue: PIETA

39. R&B's __ Hill: DRU. Such costumes!

40. Changes gears: SHIFTS

46. Start of a Poitier film title: TO SIR, WITH LOVE.

47. Seek ambitiously: ASPIRE

48. O. Henry works: STORIES. Easy to overthink this one.

50. Mexican dip: SALSA

58. Slick-talking: GLIB

60. Jokes and such: HUMOR

61. Cupid: AMOR

62. Save for binge-watching, say: TIVO

63. '50s nuclear trial: A-TEST

64. Dressed in: WORE

65. River of Hades: STYX

66. Barcelona babies: NENEs

67. Joint commonly replaced: KNEE

Down:

1. Accumulate, as a fortune: AMASS

2. Easy-peasy task: CINCH. This puzzle?

3. Aquarium fish: TETRA

4. Moved stealthily: SNEAKED

5. Artist Chagall: MARC

6. "Nah": "UH UH"

7. __ Mason: investment giant: LEGG. Founded in 1899 as a brokerage firm in Baltimore, MD.

8. No-nos: TABOOs

9. Poem of rustic life: IDYLL

10. Critters hunted with a hugely popular 2016 mobile app: POKÉMON

11. Heroic exploits: DERRING DO

12. Young Darth's nickname: ANI

13. Distress signal at sea: SOS

21. La. or Dak., once: TERR. (Territories)

22. Disaster relief org.: FEMA. (Federal Emergency Management Agency)

25. Titanic rear end: STERN

26. "So what" shoulder gesture: SHRUG. meh.

28. Fabric flaws: RIPS

29. Egg: Pref.: OVI

30. Fishing line holders: REELS

32. Thin citrus peels: ZESTS

33. Words spoken by a sweater?: "I'M HOT"

34. Plant responsible for much itching: POISON IVY

35. Sitarist Shankar: RAVI

38. High side: TOP

41. Locomotive furnace: FIREBOX

42. Cereal coveted by a silly rabbit: TRIX

44. Former "formerly": ERST

45. Seattle football pro: SEAHAWK

47. Sharp as a tack: ASTUTE

49. Wharton's Frome: ETHAN

51. Chihuahua citrus fruit: LIMÓN. (Spanish for "lemon") Tricky.

52. Boring lecture, for example: SNORE

53. Share the same opinion: AGREE

55. Dark clouds, perhaps: OMEN

56. Aroma detector: NOSE

57. Leftover bits: ORTs

58. Classic sports cars: GTs. No particular make.

59. Set fire to: LIT

Argyle