Sunday September 25, 2011 Jeffrey Lease

Theme: It's a Surprise -IT is inserted into each common phrase.

23A. Stakeout? : SITTING OPERATION. Sting operation.

28A. "May I cut in?" speaker? : POLITE DANCER. Pole dancer.

47A. Part of an excavated skeleton? : ARCHAEOLOGICAL DIGIT. Archaeological dig.

62A. Voracious vampire's mantra? : BITE ALL THAT YOU CAN BITE. Be all that you can be. Surprise! Surprise! Fun clue too.

77A. Pot with limited seafood portions? : A FINITE KETTLE OF FISH. A fine kettle of fish.

100A. Unaffected horse movements? : NATURAL GAITS. Natural gas.

106A. One pirating Springsteen CDs? : THE E STREET BANDIT. The E Street Band.

Surprise indeed. I grokked the theme only after BITE ALL THAT YOU CAN BITE. You?

Would you be happy if the puzzle title is just "See 79 Down?"? ("Unhelpful response to "How did you do that?": IT'S MAGIC.)

We don't often see overlapping theme entries on Sundays. They tend to bring out undesirable fill (3-letter abbreviations, prefixes, etc). But terrific result today. Overlapping happens when there are heavy themage to consider, as in many Merl Reagle puzzles. We have 7 entries in this grid, a total 115 squares, 5 of which are very very long. Easier to move around when theme answers are 8, 9, or 10 letters in length.

Across:

1. Jason's ship : ARGO. Nice start to Lemonade.

5. One often found by a king or queen : BISHOP. Oh, chess then.

11. Ventriloquist Dunham : JEFF. Fun clip.

15. Exam with a Writing Skills section, briefly : PSAT

19. Spotted : SEEN

20. Using Wi-Fi : ONLINE. 104. 20-Across letters : EMAILS.

21. Morlock prey : ELOI. From "The Time Machine".

22. __ account: never : ON NO

26. Start over : RE-DO

27. Mad : INSANE

30. Runs slowly (through) : SEEPS

31. Called : PHONED

33. Looked lecherously : LEERED

35. NY subway line past Yankee Stadium : IRT (Interborough Rapid Transit)

36. Laudatory words : PRAISE

38. Letters on some tubes : ADA (American Dental Association). Toothpaste tubes.

41. Justice since 2006 : ALITO (Samuel). Right!

42. Papa Smurf feature : BEARD

43. Cell phone feature : CAMERA

46. Con : ANTI

51. Baker's dozens, maybe : DONUTS. "Sweet ring" for DONUT yesterday.

53. Brand promoted by Michael Jordan : HANES

54. "Mission: Impossible" actress : BAIN (Barbara)

55. Fix, in a way : EDIT

56. Blue Moon maker : COORS. Not familiar with Blue Moon brand. Do you know what's the most popular beer brand in the world?

58. Chihuahua child : NINO

59. Baseball's Bando : SAL. He has 3 World Series rings. With the A's.

68. Four O'Clock is a brand of it : TEA. Again, not familiar with the tea brand. I only drink loose tea.

69. Rail family bird : COOT

70. Cigna competitor : AETNA. Insurance.

71. 62, to Augustus : LXII

72. "I just don't know why they're shooting __": Hawkeye Pierce : AT US

73. __ Park, Calif. : MENLO

75. One-named folk singer : ODETTA. The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement", a la Wiki.

83. Big name in apple products : MOTT. In love with Zestar lately.

84. Spacious accommodations : SUITES

85. Grain holders : SILOS. The restrooms are inside two silos in the flea market we haunt on Sundays.

86. By land __ : OR SEA

88. Sch. group : PTA

89. Community standout : PILLAR

91. Improved partner? : NEW. New and improved.

94. Like many old movies : REMADE. Bill G likes the originals.

96. Prodigy : PHENOM

98. Unaccompanied : ALONE

105. Blow a fuse : RAGE

109. Dubai bigwig : EMIR

110. Singer in a Salinger story : ESME. Salinger's "For Esme – with Love and Squalor"

111. Pestle go-with : MORTAR

112. Ricky portrayer : DESI (Arnaz). Of "I Love Lucy".

113. They're big on bodybuilders : PECs

114. Long bath : SOAK

115. Matador's opponent : EL TORO. The bull.

116. Fill fully : SATE

Down:

1. Birthplace of St. Francis : ASSISI

2. "This is Spinal Tap" director : REINER (Rob).

3. Shout shortly before a race : GET SET. Go!

4. Available : ON TAP

5. Radius, e.g. : BONE

6. Gerund letters : ING

7. Cal Poly's city, initially : SLO (San Luis Obispo). Stumped me.

8. "Hungry Hungry" game critters : HIPPOS

9. Common World Cup score : ONE ONE

10. Hostess Mesta : PERLE. "Call Me Madam."

11. Singer with The Blackhearts : JETT (Joan)

12. Nobelist Wiesel : ELIE

13. Grub : FOOD

14. Grade component : FINAL

15. Doll or vase material : PORCELAIN. Nice entry.

16. Scornful behavior : SNEERING

17. Racing family name : ANDRETTI (Mario). EddyB is nuts about racing.

18. Also : TOO

24. Look over closely : INSPECT. Well, Splynter is going to be a Home Inspector. Not really a surprise!

25. Financial __ : AID

29. Grant gp. : NEA

31. Normal lead-in? : PARA. Paranormal.

32. Pelt : HIDE

34. "I dare you!" : DO IT

37. Stadium cries : RAHS

38. Friends abroad : AMIs. In France/Belgium, e.g.

39. Present time?: Abbr. : DEC. Present = Gift. Sweet clue.

40. Coffee bean variety : ARABICA. I like this answer too.

42. Hulking sort : BRUTE

43. Pi and others : CONSTANTS. 3.1415926 is all I can remember. How many digits can you go?

44. Bartender's concern : AGE

45. Rod Stewart's ex : ALANA

47. "Hotel du Lac" author Brookner : ANITA. No idea. The book won Booker Prize in 1984.

48. "I know! I know!" : OH OH

49. Fictional archaeologist Croft : LARA. No "Moneyball" for me. Loyal Aniston fan.

50. "My Heart Will Go On" singer : DION (Celine).

51. It may lead to bankruptcy : DEBT

52. Garfield foil : ODIE

56. Macro lens shot : CLOSE-UP

57. Polo Grounds legend : OTT (Mel)

58. Sister : NUN

59. Like F or zeta : SIXTH

60. Words after keep or have : AT IT

61. Princess from Alderaan : LEIA. "Star Wars".

63. Play starter : ACT I

64. Dolts : LOUTS

65. Whisper's opposite : YELL

66. Plains native : OTOE

67. Hallow : BLESS

72. Colonial enemies? : ANTEATERS. Very clever clue.

73. Prefix with physics : META

74. Saison avant l'automne : ETE. Saison avant l'automne = Season before autumn.

75. "Man __ Mancha" : OF LA

76. Historical display : DIORAMA. In 3-D.

77. Latin love : AMOR

78. Peter, Paul or Mary : FORENAME. Another good clue.

80. Survival __ : KIT

81. European capital : OSLO

82. Festival entry : FILM

87. Ghanian-born soccer great : ADU (Freddie). Doesn't really live up to the hype.

89. Fuel for a lorry : PETROL

90. Previously missing letter, e.g. : INSERT

91. [Shrug] : NO IDEA

92. Sign up : ENLIST

93. White terrier, informally : WESTIE

95. Some Deco works : ERTEs

96. Dads : PAs

97. Casino request : HIT ME

99. Alights : LANDS

101. Facetious "Of course" : AH SO

102. Champagne Tony of '60s golf : LEMA

103. Nerd : GEEK

104. Spain's longest river : EBRO

105. Agent : REP

107. WWII arena : ETO (European Theater of Operations)

108. La Brea goo : TAR. La Brea Tar Pits.

Answer grid.

C.C.

Monday, February 28, 2011 Jeffrey Lease

Theme: Rank - that goes with the first parts of the answers to starred clues: CAPTAIN.(38A.)

17A. *1968 sci-fi classic remade in 2001: "PLANET OF THE APES". Without going to deep into it, CAPTAIN PLANET is a TV animation with a "green" super-hero.

23A. *Chili competitions: COOK-OFFS. CAPTAIN COOK was an actual British explorer of the Pacific Ocean.

50A. *Reason for rhinoplasty: HOOK NOSE. CAPTAIN HOOK, of course, was from the story of Peter Pan.

58A. *1980 Disney comedy about an all-night puzzle-solving race: "MIDNIGHT MADNESS". CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT was first broadcast as a radio serial from 1938. Captain Midnight was a code name. He wasn't a super-hero but an extremely skilled aviator with an ability to fly almost any aircraft superlatively.

Argyle here and running late. This appears to be our first encounter with this constructor. I liked it and thought the grid layout was pleasing to look at.

Across:

1. One with a degree : GRAD. The first of several words are shortened versions of the parent word but seem to stand alone and aren't considered abbreviations, at least by some.

5. Double reed instrument : OBOE

9. Bit of campaign nastiness : SMEAR

14. Assistant : AIDE

15. Course of action : PLAN

16. Croatian-born physicist Nikola : TESLA. He's back!

20. Jewish : SEMITIC

21. Rotten : BAD

22. Conference including Duke and UNC : ACC. Atlantic Coast Conference.

28. Liver secretion : BILE

30. "What's up, __?" : DOC

31. Clean the floor : SWEEP

32. Was victorious : WON

33. Dissertations : THESES. The plural of THESIS.

36. It can be airtight or waterproof : SEAL

37. Fishing pole : ROD

40. Support garment : BRA

41. Slightly : A BIT

43. Jump (on) suddenly : POUNCE

44. Tennis call : LET

45. Keg party attire : TOGAs. A reference to the movie "Animal House".

47. Band-Aid and Barbie, e.g.: Abbr. : TMs. Trademarks.

48. Like much wine and cheese : AGED

52. Rover's warning : "GRR!"

53. Corn unit : EAR

54. Inexpensive brand : CHEAPIE

63. Overindulge, as kids : SPOIL

64. Wrinkle remover : IRON

65. Fight for air : GASP

66. Wedding dresses : GOWNS

67. Fey of "30 Rock" : TINA

68. School attended by many princes and prime ministers : ETON

Down:

1. Spaces : GAPS

2. Annoy : RILE

3. TV Batman West : ADAM

4. "I did not!" is one : DENIAL

5. __ nerve : OPTIC

6. Voting group : BLOC

7. Palooka : OAF

8. Tolkien's Treebeard, for one : ENT

9. Texas Roadhouse fare : STEAKS

10. Grassy fields : MEADOWS

11. Sixth sense, briefly : ESP

12. Pub pick : ALE

13. Dorm supervisors: Abbr. : RAs. Resident Advisors.

18. "And so on and so forth," for short : "ETC., ETC."

19. "True Blood" airer : HBO

23. Party disguise : COSTUME

24. Indian and Arctic : OCEANS

25. Lacking strength : FEEBLE

26. Dreaded : FEARED

27. Bug-hitting-windshield sound : SPLAT

28. Owie : BOO-BOO

29. Spectrum color between blue and violet : INDIGO

30. Train stations : DEPOTS

32. Ire : WRATH

34. Occurrence : HAP

35. Start of a guard dog command : "SIC"

39. Approached : NEARED

42. Deceived : TAKEN IN

46. Slow mollusks : SNAILS

49. Farm : GRANGE. Word Origin & History - c.1112 (implied in granger ), "granary, barn," from O.Fr. grange, from M.L. granica, from L. granum "grain." Sense evolved to "outlying farm" (late 14c.), then "country house" (1550s). per Online Etymology Dictionary.

51. Nonprofit's URL ending : .ORG

52. The Gold Coast, since 1957 : GHANA

54. "Let's roll!" : "C'MON!"

55. __ moss : PEAT

56. "This __ silly!" : IS SO

57. "Monday Night Football" channel : ESPN

58. Chinese food additive : MSG

59. Wall St. debut : IPO. Initial Public Offering, a chance to get in on the ground floor, assuming the price goes up; not guaranteed.

60. Wall Street index, with "the" : DOW. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA).

61. Smack : HIT

62. Prefix with athlete : TRI

Answer grid.

Argyle. I picked a good day to run late. Phew!