Saturday, Jun 13th, 2015, Kevin Christian and Jeff Chen

Theme: None

Words: 70 (missing Q,X,Z,)

Blocks: 32

  Well, I am surprised at how easily this one filled in - and there were plenty of proper names and vague clues to make think otherwise at the start.  I have worked Saturday puzzles from both constructors, but not as a duo; strangely, I used the phrase "Plan B" (see 16a.) in the write-up of Mr. Christian's 7/26/14 offering.  A rare grid with three separate climbers and one spanner, and no-so-intimidating corners; 

36. Does some political maneuvering : JOCKEYS FOR POWER

3. Reaction to excessive attention to detail : BUT WHO'S COUNTING~?

7. Unplugs in a big way : LIVES OFF THE GRID

11. Post-washing warning : CAUTION WET FLOOR

underwa[te]rd~!

ACROSS:

1. Card __ : TABLE - ah.  This did not occur to me until I had --BLE

6. "The Hobbit" being : ELF - not ENT - pondered ORC, too

9. Tied accessory : ASCOT - threw it in, and it stayed

14. Cameron Indoor Stadium college hoopster : BLUE DEVIL - an educated WAG from ----EVIL

16. It has a backup : PLAN A

17. Feigns innocence : ACTS NAÏVE

18. Like Zitronen : SAUER - German for lemons, and sour; I gathered it meant "citrus"

19. Inexperienced : RAW

20. Tons : A SLEW

21. First : ON TOP

22. Acidity nos. : pHs

24. Virtue of the 2010 Olympic champion ice dancing team Virtue and Moir : TESSA - I had TE--A, and went with "RR" - Bzzzt~! ( I knew a girl in Florida named Terra )

26. Gershon of "Killer Joe" : GINA - could not think of her name

27. It involves pockets : POOL - Had it, took it out, put it back in.  I like shooting pool, but have not done so in about 6 years - even have my own cues

29. Some crosses : ROODS - went with ANHKS first

31. Alley ending? : OOP - Alley-oop

32. Freelancers' encls. : SAEs - Self-Addressed Envelopes

34. Ross Sea sight : FLOE

35. Captain's dir. : NNE

40. Tokyo-born artist : ONO

41. Lit __ : CRIT - perps - Literary Criticism; the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature.  I am presently reading Nelson DeMille's "The Gate House".  I like his stuff

42. Kennel pickup area : NAPE - ah - where you literally pick up an animal, from the back of the neck

43. Coin first minted in 13th-century France : ECU - Learned doing crosswords; we almost got away with a Frawnche-free puzzle this week

44. Challenging pitch : HIGH C - I had the "C" first, so I was not feeling it

46. Baryshnikov, at birth : LETT

48. What "c" may mean in South Africa : CENT - their "dollar" is the rand, and therefore....

50. "One can say everything best over __": George Eliot : A MEAL

52. Corp. treasurer, perhaps : CFO

53. Playground comeback : AM TOO - are so, is not....couldn't decide at the beginning

55. __ Dei : AGNUS - OK, I was in a "Da Vinci Code" frame of mind, couldn't get past "OPUS"

57. Bodybuilder Ferrigno : LOU - best known for the greener side of the TV series "The Incredible Hulk"

campy

59. Ballerina Shearer : MOIRA - a WAG from M--RA

60. Eccentrics : CRACKPOTS - nailed it

62. Big name in auditing : ERNST - I had a room-mate in college who was destined for the "Ernst & Young" accounting firm

63. Police-search discovery : HIDEY-HOLE

64. Colorful Danish export : LEGOs - not LILIES (didn't fit), and not DELFT, the dishware - because they're Dutch

65. B.C. neighbor : IDA - ah.  IDAHO - I was stuck up in 45d., thinking it was either ALBerta, or SASkatchewan

66. 10th-century English king : EDRED - never heard of this guy

DOWN:       

1. It takes you to the top : T-BAR - skiing

2. Sadie Hawkins creator : AL CAPP

4. "__ Troyens": Berlioz opera : LES - like I said, almost

5. Krabappel of "The Simpsons" : EDNA

Edna Krabappel - The Simpsons Wiki

6. More wicked : EVILER - my one "meh" clue for the day

8. Traveled alone, perhaps : FLEW SOLO - I'm still flying solo  :7(

9. Lhasa __ : APSO

10. Urban Dictionary content : SLANG - there's a lot of funny stuff on the site, but a little on the vulgar side; I found this one to be amusing

12. Game for two : ONE-ON-ONE

13. Roofing material : TAR PAPER - it's but one layer of a roof

15. Bridge column word : EAST - figured it was 50/50 - this or "WEST"

23. Gouge : SOAK

25. Festoon : ADORN

28. Clinging type : LEECH

30. Calyx part : SEPAL

33. Aleppo's land : SYRIA

36. Marlboro Man contemporary : JOE CAMEL - I remember the controversy, and the suble sexual innuendo of the image

37. Again : ONCE MORE

38. Frat founded in 1855 at Ohio's Miami University : SIGMA CHI

39. Gp. that includes Nigeria : OPEC

45. Country with the largest surface area of water : CANADA - I knew this, for some odd reason; probably came up in a crossword clue from the past

47. Amble (along) : TOOTLE - I had -OOT--; didn't think "FOOTED" was right

49. Statue subject : TORSO

51. "__ and His Empire": 1972 Pulitzer-winning biography : LUCE

54. Mare's mouthful : OATS

56. Terrier type : SKYE

58. Like many eBay items : USED

61. One hanging out in a coll. office? : PhD

Splynter

Notes from C.C.:

I was saddened to learn from Patti Varol yesterday that Leslie Billig, editor of Crosswords Club, passed away Wednesday morning. Patti said "Her creativity and wit, as well as her sharp eye for detail, shaped not only Crosswords Club and Uptown, but many publications at Dell Magazines. Leslie's passion for puzzles and her infectious giggle will be sorely missed by everyone who knew and worked with her. I already miss her more than I know how to express."

I never met Leslie in person. Only a few email exchanges regarding a distracting RAMBO in a AM/PM two-way rebus. As Patti said, she had a keen eye for detail. She was very warm & encouraging. She quietly edited my puzzles, corrected my mistakes and spiced up my clues with her wits. She made me look good. Thank you, Leslie!

You can click here for a great interview Leslie did with Puzzle Nation.

Leslie Billig, ACPT, 2004

Sunday March 15, 2015 Debbie Ellerin and Jeff Chen

Theme:  "For the Fun o' It" - The OF in each theme entry is humorously re-interpreted as O' F*, where F is merged with the next word.

24A. Irritating swarm? : PACK O' FLIES. Pack of lies.

26A. Halloween party invoice? : BILL O' FRIGHTS. Bill of Rights.

50A. Complex airline route map display? : THOUSAND POINTS O' FLIGHT.  I had to google "Thousand points of light" afterward. I missed the whole Bush Sr. presidency. It's likely coined by Peggy Noonan, who also wrote Bush's "Read my lips: no new taxes" speech.

62A. Guy who rakes leaves, cleans gutters, etc.? : JACK O' FALL TRADES. Jack of all trades. This is the only theme answer where the word following F does not start with L or R.

83A. What measures one's ability to endure traveling inconvenience? : DEGREE O' FRISK TOLERANCE. Degree of risk tolerance. Boomer did not go through TSA Precheck when we traveled last month, yet his boarding pass had special mark, which allowed him to go through the quick TSA line. Mine did not. Weird.

108A. Blundering physician? : DOCTOR O' FLAWS. Doctor of laws.

112A. Campus phobia? : FEAR O' FRATS. Fear of rats.

We have another new constructor, this is Debbie Ellerin's LAT debut. Congratulations!

I mentioned before, 15-letter entries often make the weekday puzzle easier to grid, but grid-spanning 21's are always challenging (19's and 20's are no better). Suddenly you have lots of letters in place (42 letters for Debbie and Jeff). And you have lots of entries that intersect two theme answers. Hard to make them clean. Today's grid is incredibly clean and smooth.

Across:

1. "The King and I" heroine : ANNA. And 5. "The King and I" (1956) co-star : KERR. We also have YALIE (88. Jodie Foster, e.g.). Jodie Foster also played Anna.

 

5. Lakers' all-time leading scorer, familiarly : KOBE. Why the additional "familiarly"?

9. Predator of ungulates : PUMA

13. Say yes : OPT IN

18. Horse coloring : ROAN

19. Spirits that come in bottles : GENII. Mine was GENIE, of course.

20. Pioneer in car safety : OTIS. Is this the elevator guy?

21. Puget Sound traveler : FERRY. Not person "traveler". Jeff lives in Seattle.

22. Cantata component : ARIA

23. Sumatran swinger : ORANG

29. Get off the leash : RUN LOOSE

30. ... and then __ : SOME

31. Sell : RETAIL

33. iPhones, e.g. : PDAS

34. They have heads : LAGERS

36. Square __ : KNOT. Could be MEAL/MILE. Also  72A. Cake __ : MIX. Could be PAN. Also 68D. Space __ : CADET. Could be OPERA. This type of fill-in-blanks clue is not easy.

38. DHs, as a rule : RBI MEN. We also have 82. Two masked men may be behind it : HOME. Home plate. Umpire and the catcher.

42. Wise guy : SOLON. Not MAGI, for a change.

 43. Razz : TEASE

47. Gecko's grippers : SETAE. New to me.

49. Nagano Olympic flame lighter : ITO (Midori)

54. Johns of Scotland : IANs

55. Missays "say," say : LISPS

56. Weird Al Yankovic song parody : EAT IT. Parody of Michael Jackson's "Beat It".

57. Opponents : THEM. Not FOES.

58. ICU staffers : RNS

59. Torso muscle : PEC

60. Grub : FARE

61. Winner's prize : TITLE. Jeff Chen became a father last October. Here is his beautiful daughter Tess.

68. Watched over, with "for" : CARED. I miss my grandma so much, esp when I'm sick.

71. Upper limb bone : ULNA

73. Belle of the ball : DEB

76. Mariner's heading : ALEE

77. Occupied, in a way : SAT AT

79. Provoke : INCUR

87. Swing __ : ERA

 

89. Titter : TEHEE

90. French bean products? : IDEES. Can't fool veteran solvers.

91. Pre-Aztec native : TOLTEC. Hard to come up with fresh clue for this entry.

93. Poster mailer : TUBE

95. Thus far : TO DATE

97. Tarbell and Lupino : IDAs

99. Beaten on the mat : PINNED

103. Mr. Burns' teddy bear on "The Simpsons" : BOBO. Heard of the bear. But did not know he's in "The Simpsons".

104. Handlebar spot : UPPER LIP. Mustache!

114. Saintly glows : AURAE

115. Scads : A TON

116. Leading : ON TOP

117. Giggly redhead : ELMO. Fun clue.

118. Creator of Dogbert, Catbert and Ratbert : ADAMS (Scott). Googled afterward.  Those are Dilbert's pets.

119. Emergency room supplies : SERA. Tricky non- S answer.

120. Sloughs off : SHEDS

121. Kurt refusal : NEIN. Very curt.

122. Sonic Dash publisher : SEGA

123. Sub : TEMP

Down:

1. __ League : ARAB

2. Sushi wrapper : NORI. The dark toasted seaweed. I also like them in Ramen noodles.

3. Polish sites : NAIL SALONS. Great clue/answer.

4. Akin : ANALOGOUS

 

6. Sign at a studio : ON AIR

7. Spree : BINGE

8. Skating figure : EIGHT. I like this clue also.

9. Stops by : POPS IN

10. Three-time Boston Marathon winner Pippig : UTA. Don't recall this name.

11. Very small: Pref. : MICR

12. Invite from the balcony : ASK UP

13. Not FDA-approved, as a drug treatment : OFF-LABEL

14. First female Speaker of the House : PELOSI

15. Salt-N-Pepa, e.g. : TRIO. I mentioned last time I thought they were a duo.

16. Ticks off : IRES. Wish it were IRKS.

17. Home to MMM and JNJ : NYSE. 3M is based here in MN.

19. Errand runner : GOFER

25. Tapped out? : ON DRAFT. I was thinking of "exhausted".

27. Signs : OMENS

28. "Star Trek" actor with a popular Facebook page : TAKEI. Funny guy. Fun cologne name also.

32. Letter writing, for example : LOST ART

34. "Mean Girls" star : LOHAN (Lindsay). Watched the movie ages ago. Quite a few ex-SNL members.

35. Xmas visitor : ST. NICK

37. Professor, at times : TESTER

39. Strength : MIGHT

40. Fictional landlady : ETHEL. "I Love Lucy".

41. "I'm innocent" : NOT ME

42. __-crazy : STIR

 

44. Mag wheels? : EDS. Magazine big wheels.

45. Smartphone download : APP

46. Nine-tap signal : SOS. Not familiar with "Nine-tap".

48. Parisian pronoun : TOI

51. Frequent "SNL" host Baldwin : ALEC

52. Cassady of the Beat Generation : NEAL.Interesting read.

53. "Honest!" : IT IS!

59. __ Thai : PAD

60. Keys home: Abbr. : FLA. Florida Keys.

61. Everycowboy : TEX

62. Heckle : JEER

63. Something worn : OUTFIT

64. Sudden outburst : FLARE UP

65. Naysayer : ANTI

66. Charm : AMULET. My friend Roberto wears an evil eye.

67. Critical : DIRE

69. Olds model : ALERO. And 70. Buick model : REGAL

73. Executed perfectly : DONE TO A TEE. Nice.

74. Role shared by Fey and Poehler at the last three Golden Globe Awards : EMCEE. They're a great pair.

75. Certain contests : BEES

77. Harbor seal : SEA CALF

78. Letters in many email addresses : AOL

79. Prez after Harry : IKE

80. Highest degree : NTH

81. Amateur golfer Charlie with three top-ten finishes at the Masters : COE. Had no memory of him. I just found out that he died the day I arrived in the US (May 16, 2001).

82. Really enjoyed oneself : HAD A BLAST. Love this fill.

84. They can make your pupils greater : EYE DROPS

85. Dictator's assistant : STENO. Gimme for veteran solvers.

86. No longer burdened by : RID OF

92. Steering system part : TIE ROD

94. Goes for on eBay : BIDS ON. Topps Heritage is just out. It'll take us lots of bidding to complete the Chrome set.

96. Double-reed winds : OBOES

98. Temptation on the rocks : SIREN. Not drinks.

100. Annual coll. tourneys : NCAAs

101. Practice piece : ETUDE

102. Snug headgear : DO-RAG

104. Alleged visitors : UFOs

105. Phnom __ : PENH

106. Hors d'oeuvre spread : PATE. Want some? I just got a big cup of home-made cornichons from Nelson's Meat yesterday.

107. Lacking color : PALE

109. Avatar of Vishnu : RAMA

110. Virus kin : WORM

111. "Darn it!" sound : SNAP

113. Response to an oversharer : TMI (Too Much Information)

C.C.

Monday, December 22, 2014 Roger Wienberg and Jeff Chen

Theme: A Royal Monday - I'll forgo the pictures because some don't like that first one.

17A. Vietnam War chopper : COBRA HELICOPTER. King Cobra

24A. Supernova named for its apparent resemblance to a crustacean : CRAB NEBULA. King Crab

40A. Publisher with an Antarctic bird logo : PENGUIN CLASSICS. King Penguin

50A. Shade similar to coral : SALMON PINK. King Salmon

60A. Lion, and a hint to critters that begin 17-, 24-, 40- and 50-Across : KING OF THE BEASTS

Argyle here. A lot of themeage for a Monday; three grid spanners, wow! Plus, it appears to be a debut for Roger Wienberg.

Across:

1. Address for a Southern belle : MA'AM

5. California wine county : NAPA

9. Chip-in at a doc's office : CO-PAY

14. __ mater : ALMA

15. Preschool basics : ABCs

16. Where to hear high C's : OPERA

20. Measuring stick : RULER

21. Sigh of delight : "AAH!"

22. Atlanta-based news channel : CNN

23. Reverent poem : ODE

29. Caesar's "vidi" : "I SAW". (veni, vidi, vici/I came, I saw, I conquered)

30. Pierre's "Done!" : "FINI!"

31. "Scram, cat!" : "SCAT!". I said, "It can't be SCAT" and yet....

34. Bounty alternative : VIVA. Paper towels.

37. Knife hyped on infomercials : GINSU. No Z.

43. Arrive by corporate jet : FLY IN

44. Sandstorm residue : GRIT

45. Eight, en español : OCHO

46. Pharmaceutical product : DRUG

48. Blessing : BOON

53. "Then what happened?" : "AND?

56. Cunning : SLY

57. Fleur-de-__ : LIS

58. Magazine copy : ISSUE

65. "Too rich for my blood" : "I'M OUT!". Poker, when the bet is too high.

66. Ecstatic review : RAVE

67. Dispense, with "out" : METE

68. Pond critters : NEWTs. The juvenile is called an eft. Both are crossword staples.

69. Was in debt : OWED

70. River of Hades : STYX

Down:

1. Close-up lens : MACRO

2. Not whispered : ALOUD

3. Walk leisurely : AMBLE

4. Mature filly : MARE

5. "Not for me" : "NAH"

6. President in a stovepipe hat, familiarly : ABE

7. Techie training site : PC LAB

8. Himalayan, e.g. : ASIAN

9. Murmur lovingly : COO

10. Like across and down: Abbr. : OPP. (opposite)

11. Place for animal vaccinations : PET CLINIC

12. Competition setting : ARENA

13. Entertaining story : YARN

18. Parts of circles : ARCs

19. "Hell's Kitchen" contestant : CHEF

25. Sitarist Shankar : RAVI

26. Bowling over : AWING

27. Major leagues, in baseball slang : BIGS

28. What singers sing in when they don't harmonize : UNISON

29. Trendsetting socialite : IT GIRL

31. Sunblock letters : SPF. (sun protection factor)

32. Cartoon frame : CEL

33. Words said with impatience : ANY DAY NOW

35. DVD predecessor : VCR

36. Suspect's need : ALIBI

38. Org. with .edu addresses : SCH. (school)

39. Support gp. for troops : USO. (United Service Organizations)

41. E pluribus __ : UNUM

42. Like __ of bricks : ATON

47. Game often involving a cart : GOLF

49. Dust Bowl refugee : OKIE

50. "Ghostbusters" goo : SLIME

51. The "N" in TNT : NITRO

52. "Fiddle-faddle!" : "PSHAW!"

53. Balance sheet item : ASSET

54. Off-the-wall : NUTTY

55. Spay or neuter : DESEX

56. Tattooist's surface : SKIN

59. Wal-Mart warehouse club : SAM'S

61. Belly : GUT

62. Extra-play qtrs. : OTs. (overtime)

63. Time for last-minute Christmas wrapping : EVE. Almost!

64. Stream bottom : BED

Argyle

Note from C.C.:

Today we celebrate the 70th birthday of our sweet Misty! On and off the blog, she's gentle and caring. "Gimme a break" for some unfair clues is the harshest thing she's ever said on this blog.

Misty and her husband Rowland

Saturday, Nov 29th, 2014, Jeff Chen

Theme: None

Words: 64 (missing F,K,Q,Z)

Blocks: 33

I saw Jeff's name, and cringed - I usually suffer an epic fail when he's the constructor, but I am pleased to announce that I was, in fact, able to beat this one, with a mere 3 seconds to spare on my personal time clock.  Yay~!!  I can feel my brain cells tingling.  I loved the look of this puzzle, a true pinwheel of backwards "block C's", connected via four 10-letter fills, though it does make for a low word/high block count.  The longer fill:

24. Superstitious admonition : DON'T JINX IT - Great fill

9. Court groups : LEGAL TEAMS - Because TENNIS teams was too long

39. Undeveloped areas : OPEN SPACES

26. Ones who are retiring : INTROVERTS - I consider myself an introvert, but I am about 20yrs from retiring - har-har~!

OOO  N     N  W             W     A          RRR    DDD      ~!

O   O  NN  N    W   W   W   A  A        R    R  D    D   ~!
O   O  N  NN      W W W   A  A  A     R R     D D     ~!
OOO  N     N       W  W    A             A   R  R   D        ~!

ACROSS:

1. It's a bluff : SCARP - geological jargon

6. Let it all out, perhaps : BAWL

10. "Yeah, what-evs" : "I BET"

14. Kit and kaboodle : TOTAL

15. She plays Jackie on "Nurse Jackie" : EDIE

16. "99 Luftballons" band : NENA

17. Taqueria adjective : ASADA

18. Tongue specialists? : LINGUISTS - I knew where this was going, but "OLE" at 19d was messing me up; the "O" was making me try to get LEXICOLOGIST to fit

20. Six-Day War setting : SINAI - I knew it involved Israel, but it took a moment for this broader geographical area to occur to me

21. Target, say : MEGA-STORE - does anyone else pronounce it "tar - ZHAY" to make it sound more upscale~?

22. Prince Valiant's heir apparent : ARN - knew from doing crosswords

23. Beat on "Survivor" : OUTLASTED - outwit, outplay - outwitted worked, too

27. Laborer on the move : MIGRANT

28. Crushed, as a spice : PESTLED

34. Obliquely : ASLANT and a straight up clecho; 3d. Obliquely : AT AN ANGLE

35. Without serious consideration : AIRILY

36. "Yikes!" : "JEEPERS~!"

38. Considerable : IMMENSE

41. Title bout, say : MAIN EVENT - nailed it, which gave me the first letters of the corresponding DOWNS, and that always helps

46. Reminder of an old flame? : ASH

47. Purity : INNOCENCE

48. First name in rap : TUPAC - Shakur, gunned down in Las Vegas, Nevada

51. "Sleepy Hollow" director : TIM BURTON - nailed it.  Does anyone watch the TV series~?  I am enjoying the new "Constantine" on NBC

52. One of Chekhov's "Three Sisters" : IRINA - I toyed with ELENA, IRENE, and was not too far off

53. Abbr. for the nameless? : et al. - Latin for "and others"

54. Rocky heights : TORS - more geological jargon

55. Small change : CENTS - I tried DIMES first

56. Judicious : SANE

57. Weapon of yore : SNEE

58. "Grumpy Old Men" actor Davis : OSSIE

DOWN: 

1. King's Cross and others: Abbr. : STAs - London train stop

2. Mozart title starter : COSI - fan tutti, an opera by Wolfgang

4. Gun site : RADAR TRAP - Clever; it took a long time for me to tie "gun" to "trap", which I had via perps;  I was trying so hard to get BATTLESHIP to fit, or maybe "---DECK"; what's the name for the ship's armament level, Spitz?

5. Easy-to-miss miss : PLAIN JANE - sometimes, it's the plain Janes that are the most attractive when they dress up, IMHO

6. Last of an annual trio : BELMONT - Dah~!! Took way too long for me to get this; the Triple Crown of horse racing - The Kentucky Derby and The Preakness Stakes are the other two - in the U.S.

7. Ciao relatives : ADIEUX - I was so pleased to put in ADIEUS, but I needed the Frawnche version to be right

8. Certain brogue : WINGTIP - ah, the shoe, not the accent

11. Inebriate : BESOT - the verb, not the noun

12. Between, to Berlioz : ENTRE

13. Extremely shocked? : TASED - yep, that's getting extremely shocked

19. World Cup chant : "USA~!" - and a referential clue at 10d. 19-Down, e.g.: Abbr. : INITs

24. Key of Pachelbel's Canon: Abbr. : D maj - Ah~!  The "A" was there, so I had 75% of this one taken care of

25. River through northern France : OISE

29. Like-minded : SIMPATICO - SYMPATHETIC did not fit; nor did COMPASSIONATE

30. Cherishes : TREASURES

31. Vital components : LINCH PINS - Don't know why I spelled Linch with a "Y", maybe this connection

32. Conditional word : ELSE

33. Turns red, perhaps : DYES

37. Used to buy : SPENT ON - I get it, but the tense/usage doesn't quite jibe with me

38. Pungent, for example : INTENSE

40. Request for more : ENCORE

41. Pittances : MITES - meh.  I think mOtes is a better fit

42. Jazz singer O'Day : ANITA

43. "Cold Mountain" hero : INMAN

44. Lofty : NOBLE

45. Coin first minted under Louis IX : ECU - learned by doing crosswords

49. Against : ANTI

50. Court event : CASE

Splynter

Tuesday, May 20, 2014 Jeff Chen

Theme: Name That Tune - Probably the first song we ever learned.

20A. "Twinkle, twinkle, little star" : ABCDEFG

28A. "How I wonder what you are" : HIJKLMNOP

36A. "Up above the ..." : QRS

41A. "... world so high" : TUV

44. "Like a diamond in the sky" : WXY AND Z

58A. Ditty sharing a melody with "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" : THE ALPHABET SONG

Argyle here. The puzzle has mirror (left to right) symmetry and is a pangram. Plus: the reveal spans the grid.

Across:

1. Gallery exhibitors : ARTISTS

8. NFL great "Boomer" : ESIASON

15. Dada pioneer : JEAN ARP

16. Heavenly : SUBLIME

17. "Hamlet" woman at whose grave Gertrude says "Sweets to the sweet" : OPHELIA

18. Flowing locks : TRESSES

19. Rain-__ Pops: gum-filled candy : BLO

22. LAPD rank : SGT.

23. Polite country assent : YES'M

25. Language suffix : ESE

26. "Divine Secrets of the __ Sisterhood" : YA-YA

31. First of 12 popes : PIUS I

33. Mark or markka replacements : EUROs

37. Rock bottom : NADIR

43. Carrier with a hub at DEN : UAL. Denver is the fourth-largest hub for United Airlines.

46. Brewed drink : TEA

47. Very little, in recipes : A DASH

49. Put the kibosh on : END

50. Agenda listings : ITEMS

52. "Divine Comedy" poet : DANTE

53. Cagey : SLY

54. "Gay" capital of song : PAREE

55. Forest foragers : DEER

57. Finger of smoke : WISP

65. New Year's Eve popper : CORK

66. Gumption : MOXIE

67. Fencing sword : EPEE

68. Untidy situation : MESS

69. Throw money around : SPEND

70. Atty.-to-be's exam : LSAT. (Law School Admission Test)

Down:

1. "This looks like __ for Superman!" : A JOB

2. Email option : REPLY

3. California/Nevada resort lake : TAHOE

4. Suffix with elephant or serpent : INE

5. Deli display : SALAMIs

6. Chicago paper, familiarly : TRIB. Chicago Tribune

7. See 12-Down : SPACEK 12D. With 7-Down, "Coal Miner's Daughter" star : SISSY

8. Hold in high regard : ESTEEM

9. Poke around the Web : SURF

10. Pleading remark : "I BEG YOU"

11. Racing Unsers : ALs

13. Horseshoe-shaped letter : OMEGA

14. Place for a jay : NEST

21. ISP option : DSL. (digital subscriber line)

24. Moo __ pork : SHU

27. Busy mo. for a CPA : APR.

29. Hex : JINX

30. Many a Pi Day celebrant : NERD. Pi Day is March 14 (or 3/14) celebrating the mathematical constant π since 3, 1, and 4 are the first three significant digits of π.

31. Big name in high fashion : PRADA

32. 1980s four-peat Stanley Cup champs : ISLANDERS

34. Frozen fruit-juice treats : OTTER POPS

35. "I was wrong. So what" : "SUE ME!"

36. Campus hangout : QUAD

38. Yeses at sea : AYEs

39. Pioneer Boone, folksily : DAN'L

40. 200-lap race, briefly : INDY. Indianapolis 500.

42. Place for posies : VASE

44. Ferris __ : WHEEL

45. "Shh!" : "ZIP IT!"

48. Chophouse fare : STEAKS

51. Loafer adornment : TASSEL

56. Tach measures: Abbr. : RPMs

57. Invasive plant : WEED 59D. 57-Down killer : HOE

58. Channel for old films : TCM. (Turner Classic Movies)

60. Short flight : HOP

61. Lumberjack's tool : AXE

62. Composting receptacle : BIN

63. PBS supporter : NEA. (National Endowment for the Arts)

64. Understand : GET

Argyle

Thursday February 6, 2014 Jill Denny and Jeff Chen

Theme:  TOP DOG - Different dog starts each theme entry.

2D. Fruit of ancient Persia :POMEGRANATE. Foodies call those pomegranate seeds arils.

8D. Numbskull : CHOWDERHEAD

11D. Daedalus' creation : LABYRINTH

12D. Combativeness : PUGNACITY

Reveal entry:

60A. With 62-Across, a hint to the starts of this puzzle's four longest Down answers : TOP 62A. See 60-Across : DOG.

And FUR (4A. 62-Across coat) & PETS (38A. Strokes a 62-Across). Also TREAT (37A. Biscuit, maybe). For dogs too.

We also have a grid-spanning  LEADER OF THE PACK (50. Big enchilada). Top dog!!

C.C. here, pinch-hitting for Marti, who needs to fix the house next door as the tenants will move in on March 1.

Jill Danny is Jeff Chen's wife, and we all know Jeff, the genius behind so many creative puzzles.

Today's theme approach is a bit different:

1) Theme entries are arranged vertically for visual effect;

2) Left to right symmetry;

3) Only 72 word (themeless word count) &  50 black squares. 

 

Do you see anything out of those black squares arrangement? Argyle told me "Squint at it or like most of us, remove your glasses. If you can only see it as black and white, it looks like a puppy face."

Across:

1. Easter season: Abbr. : SPR

7. Interest fig. : PCT

10. Long, on Molokai : LOA. As in Mauna Loa ("Long Mountain").

11. Experience with enthusiasm : LAP UP

13. Pi follower : RHO

14. "Out" crier : UMP

15. Chic "Bye" : ADIEU. Chic?

16. Charged particle : ION

17. Detox place : REHAB

19. Bridal emanations : GLOWS. Sweet clue.

21. Reminiscent of venison : GAMY. Never had venison. You?

22. Dweeb : NERD

23. Red state? : ARREARS. Oh, now I see why it's red. Debts.

26. Easy gaits : CANTERS

29. Given a hand : DEALT IN

30. Annabella of "The Sopranos" : SCIORRA. Drew a blank. Anon-T might know her. So how do you pronounce her name?

31. Chased (after) : RAN

32. Whirling : IN A SPIN

34. Farm feed : HAY. Hi there Spitzboov!

35. Computer that once came in "flavors" : iMAC. Other than my iPod, I own iNothing.

39. Greek cheese : FETA

40. First name in one-liners : HENNY (Youngman). "Take my wife, please!".

41. Actress Charlotte et al. : RAES

42. Fountain near the Spanish Steps : TREVI

44. Buddy : KIDDO

45. __'acte : ENTR

48. Flute part : STEM

57. Babysitter's handful : IMP

58. New evidence may lead to one : RE-TRIAL

59. Fawn spawner : DOE

61. Slogan sites : T-SHIRTS

Down:

1. Bit of mudslinging : SLUR

3. Vatican Palace painter : RAPHAEL

4. Pet rocks, e.g. :  FAD 

5. News agcy. since 1958 : UPI

6. Regret bitterly : RUE

7. Preceding : PRIOR TO

9. Bunches : TONS

18. Cremona artisan : AMATI. I'm so glad they caught the Strad suspects  yesterday. Art thieves!

20. Red Square honoree : LENIN. My childhood hero.

23. Lacking purpose : ADRIFT

24. Juice extractor : REAMER. I just call mine Juicer.

25. Grab, as a line drive : SNARE

26. D.C. network : C-SPAN. And 33. Fig. on 26-Down : SEN

27. Like most bawdy films : R-RATED. Or RATED R.

28. Lays down the law : SAYS SO

36. Gave in : CAVED

38. Groom with care : PRIMP

43. Unmoving : INERT

44. Hull stabilizers : KEELS

46. "__ bien!" : TRES

47. Big name in IRAs : ROTH

48. Rustle : STIR

49. "Take __!" : THAT

50. Aflame : LIT

51. Angst-filled genre : EMO

52. Killer Birds, e.g. : APP. Is it related to Angry Birds?

53. Calendar abbr. : FRI

54. Recipe instruction : ADD

55. Soft murmur : COO

56. Barrel at a bash : KEG

I have a question for all of you: Which is your go-to site for news? NBCNews went live on Tuesday night (Feb 4, 2014) and I really dislike the new format, which is more suited for mobile devices. I tried CNN and Google News yesterday but liked either.

C.C.

Thursday, December 19, 2013 Mary Lou Guizzo and Jeff Chen

Theme: "You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear…"

(...But Mary and Jeff sure make a smooth as silk puzzle out of one!)

17. Some broadcasting equipment : HAM RADIOS.

30. Political patronage : PORK BARREL.

36. Degrees of separation from actor Kevin, in a parlor game : BACON NUMBER.

41. Dachshunds, familiarly : WIENER DOGS.

And the unifier:

58. Obstinate, and what the other four longest puzzle answers are? : PIGHEADED. The beginnings of the theme answers all are varieties of PIG dishes.  (DH would be in hog heaven with this one!!)

I forgot to check my time when I finished, but I know it was way under 10 minutes. Did you find it easy for a Thursday, or did some of the tricky clues trip you up?  Let's check out where those were.

Across:

1. Lines at the checkout? : UPCs. OK, right off the bat we have a misdirection.

5. Powdery mineral : TALC. Pretty straightforward.

9. Org. for a 4-Down : ASPCA. And 4-Down. Rescued one, hopefully : STRAY. The clue for 9-Across actually let me fill both entries without further ado.

14. It may thicken : PLOT. My mother always used to say, "The thought plickens…"

15. Baseball's Jesus or Moises : ALOU. Ha!  Finally remembered the family name after four perps...

16. "She loves you" followers, in song : YEAHS. "…yeah, yeah, yeah."

19. "Cut the chatter!" : CAN IT!

20. Hoopster Shaquille : O'NEAL.

21. Woman in two Goya works : MAJA. Desnuda and vestida. Her real identity is uncertain.

23. Women's org. based at Constitution Hall : DAR. Daughters of the American Revolution.

24. Brightly colored beetle : LADYBUG.

Brightly colored beetles

27. Lincoln or Ford : CAR.

28. MPG watchdog : EPA.

29. Opposite of sweet : DRY. When referring to wine, that is.

33. Proportion : RATIO.

35. Swim competition : MEET.

39. Common Oscar gown feature : SLIT. Now, this is a slit!

40. Anxious anticipation : DREAD.

44. One involved in a pickup : CAB. Another tricky clue. Did it fool you?

47. __ carte : A LA. Followed by another straightforward clue.

48. Fourth grade? : DEE. Teacher's grading papers: A, B, C, D, F. Did any of you make it past first grade? (I didn't think so!!)

49. iPod accessories : EARBUDS.

52. Sam Spade type : TEC.

53. Eye layer : UVEA.

55. Roman fountain : TREVI.

56. Not cool : UNHIP.

61. Court figure : STENO.

62. Singer Adams : EDIE. I really couldn't find one of her songs. I remember her from the Muriel cigar commercials: (In a Mae West accent) "Why not pick one up and smoke it sometime?"  Maybe CED can help me find a clip.

63. Creepy thing : VINE.

64. "The Master Builder" playwright : IBSEN.

65. Go on and on : RANT.

66. Busy crawlers : ANTS.

Down:

1. Support : UPHOLD.

2. Two-dimensional : PLANAR. Of a plane, as opposed to "cubic" or "spheroid" which would be three-dimensional.

3. Funny business? : COMEDY.

5. Minute amount : TAD.

6. Baba of folklore : ALI.

7. Device with shuttles : LOOM.

8. John who played Nixon in "The Butler" : CUSACK.

9. Bart Simpson catchphrase : AY CARAMBA. Did not know that was his catch phrase, but filled it in with just the "AY…"

10. Salty expanse : SEA.

11. Person who caters to base interests : PANDERER. One who pleases others for their own interests...

12. Watch-Me-Grow fad : CHIA PET. Now they have "Duck Dynasty" chia pets?

13. Celestial : ASTRAL.

18. Priestly garb : ALB.

22. Poke : JAB.

25. Until : UP TO. Short phrases are sometimes tough...

26. Cross the threshold : GO IN. As I said, short phrases are sometimes tough...

31. Sonata movement : RONDO.

32. Swamp thing : REED.

33. Showers, say : RAIN.

34. Followed, as a hunch : ACTED UPON.

36. Laundry room supplies : BLEACHES.

37. Push : URGE.

38. Southwestern formation : MESA.

39. Dumb ending? : SILENT B.

41. '60s dance : WATUSI. Remember The Orlons?? They're still goin' after all these years...

42. Prepare to drag : REV.

43. More profound : DEEPER.

44. Informed : CUED IN.

45. Pre-Christmas period : ADVENT.

46. Backs of singles : B-SIDES. This is kind of an outdated clue/answer, isn't it?  Do mp3 files have b-sides?

50. GPS recommendation : RTE. Route.

51. Cry to a diva : BRAVA. and a slight clecho with 54-D:

54. Classic role for a diva : AIDA.

57. Like the finale of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto : IN E.

59. Bathtub booze : GIN.

60. __ up: angry : HET. Don't get all het up with me…I just report 'em as I see 'em!

That's all for this week, folks!

Marti

Notes from C.C.:

1) George Barany co-constructed today's NY Times. Click here. A special on-line version is provided. Don't forget to click on the Solution and read their notes. Congratulations, George!

2) JD just came back from her trip to Kauai. She and Bob even took a helicopter ride over the Waimea Canyon. Here are a few pictures.