Tuesday, November 18, 2014 Marti DuGuay-Carpenter

Theme: Sinkers - A reference to the weights a fisherman uses on his line, split-shots, and that's what Marti's puzzle has, split-shots.

17. Like a fajita pan : SIZZLING HOT

27. Daisy-plucking words : SHE LOVES ME NOT

43. To the point : SHORT AND SWEET

57. Not a likely chance, and, literally, a hidden feature of 17-, 27- and 43-Across : OUTSIDE SHOT

Argyle here. Marti has a certain "je ne sais quoi", European flair today, mardi. Coincidence? I think not.

Across:

1. Italian scooter : VESPA. I can just see her zipping around Roma on her put-put.

6. Weird : EERIE. and 2D. Weird-sounding lake : ERIE

11. "This is so frustrating!" : "GRR!"

14. Sharon of Israel : ARIEL. Abba Eban yesterday sets up Ariel Sharon today.

15. Old-timey "Yikes!" : "EGADS!"

16. Coventry bathroom : LOO. Now to England...

19. Perrier, to Pierre : EAU. on to France.

20. Casual Friday top : TEE

21. FAO Schwarz specialty : TOYS. Just in time for Christmas.

22. Turn away : AVERT

24. __ vivant : BON. Our constructor.

25. Tiny bit : IOTA

33. Farm or home ending : STEAD

34. Troubles : ILLS

35. "Now __ me down to sleep ..." : I LAY

37. James of "The Godfather" : CAAN

38. Count Chocula wear : CLOAK. The Count is European?

39. Turn on a pivot : SLUE

40. Start of many Internet addresses : HTTP. Adding an S (https) makes it more secure.

41. Actor Thicke : ALAN. Born in Kirkland Lake, Ontario.

42. "I can take __!" : A HINT

46. Bonny girl : LASS. A short hop from Canada to Scotland.

47. Owned : HAD

48. Hangout for some 38-Down : ALLEY. 38D. Some strays : CATS

                                      L.C.

51. Word spoken while pointing : LOOK

53. Short change? : CTs. (cents)

56. Month after avril : MAI

61. Pre-holiday time : EVE

62. Part of USNA : NAVAL. (United States Naval Academy)(pop quiz: another name for navel is __?)

63. "Keen!" : "NEATO!"

64. Twin of Bert Bobbsey : NAN. The Bobbsey Twins was a long-running series of children's novels published from 1904 to 1979, with a separate series of 30 books published from 1987 through 1992.

65. Picket fence parts : SLATS

66. Barbershop band? : STROP. The leather strap used to keep a sharp edge on a straight razor.

Down:

1. Like outer space : VAST

3. Clothing label number : SIZE

4. Candy in a collectible dispenser : PEZ

5. With everything accounted for : ALL TOLD

6. Choosing word : EENY, meeny, miny, moe. CSO

7. Omelet base : EGGS

8. Cheering syllable : "RAH!"

9. Binding words : "I DO"

10. Real __ : ESTATE

11. Delight : GLEE

12. Crowd cacophony : ROAR

13. Defeat decisively : ROUT

18. Prefix with sphere : IONO

23. Disappeared : VANISHED

24. Skinny sort : BEANPOLE

25. Hawaii component : ISLAND

26. Siberian city : OMSK

27. Box score numbers : STATS

28. Moor : HEATH

29. Luxurious homes : VILLAS. Perhaps overlooking the Mediterranean.

30. Online finance company : E-LOAN. Curious? Link

31. Stan's partner : OLLIE. Laurel and Hardy.

32. Gibe : TAUNT

33. UCLA or USC : SCHool

36. To this point : YET

42. Rouses from bed : AWAKENS

44. Synthetic fibers : RAYONS

45. In pumps, say : SHOD. In shoes.

48. "So be it!" : "AMEN!"

49. Volcano output : LAVA

50. Burden for some debtors : LIEN

51. Future atty.'s exam : LSAT. (Law School Admission Test)

52. Many Manets : OILS. Effect of Snow on Petit-Montrouge.

53. Blacken on the grill : CHAR

54. Four-legged Emerald City visitor : TOTO. Not in Kansas.

55. Halt : STOP

58. "Friendly Skies" co. : UAL. (United Airlines)

59. New Deal energy prog. : TVA. (Tennessee Valley Authority)

60. Put in rollers : SET

Argyle

Monday, September 22, 2014 Marti DuGuay-Carpenter

Theme: ¡Three Amigos! - Actually, besides their first names, this trio doesn't have much in common.

18A. Selling point for a house on the coast : OCEAN VIEW. Billy Ocean

25A. Sin forbidden by the Second Commandment : IDOL WORSHIP. Billy Idol

43A. Fortuneteller's tool : CRYSTAL BALL. Billy Crystal

55A. Cop's night stick, and what the beginnings of 18-, 25- and 43-Across could form : BILLY CLUB

Argyle here. A fun Monday from Marti. Fresh cluing and a few edgy words. My personal trouble spot was the cross of 45-Down(recognition) and 47-Across(spelling).

Across:

1. Southwestern plateaus : MESAs

6. "The jig __!" : IS UP

10. Equivalent, in France : EGAL. Liberté! Égalité! Fraternité!

14. Bucking beast : BRONC. He's thrown the 'O' off the back.

15. Brother of Abel and Cain : SETH

16. Prado hangings : ARTE. The Museo del Prado is the Spanish art museum in Madrid.

17. Yoga position : ASANA. My asana position.

20. Amble past : STROLL BY

22. Ranked in the tournament : SEEDED

23. Top bond rating : AAA

24. Red and Yellow : SEAs

30. Auditor of bks. : CPA

33. Crazes : MANIAs

34. Like the Oz woodsman : TIN. and no ice in sight.

35. Avoid like the plague : SHUN

36. Circular gasket : O-RING

37. Meat with eggs : HAM

38. Envelope closers : FLAPS. with ham and eggs.

39. Frozen sheet : FLOE

40. Watch pocket : FOB

41. One taking bets : BOOKIE

42. Aficionado : FAN

45. Crate piece : SLAT

46. Antlered critter : ELK

47. Lounging robe : CAFTAN

 

 

50. Hold a parking lot party : TAILGATE. 'Tis the season.

57. Get-go : ONSET

58. New York canal : ERIE

59. Inner Hebrides isle : IONA. Part of an archipelago off the west coast of mainland Scotland...and still part of the United Kingdom.

60. Appraised : RATED

61. Auctioned auto, often : REPO

62. Pirate's booty : SWAG. Pirates are still hanging around?

63. Jackets named for an English school : ETONS

Down:

1. Some CFOs' degrees : MBAs. (chief financial officer/Master of Business Administration)

2. Once, old-style : ERST

3. Fly like an eagle : SOAR

4. __ Domini : ANNO

5. Scamp : SCALAWAG. Also, scallywag; especially British, scallawag.

6. Weather map line : ISOBAR

7. Cabinet dept. head : SECY. (secretary of __)

8. Sport-__: off-road vehicle : UTE

9. Gradually introduce : PHASE IN

10. Overhangs around the house : EAVES

11. Crossword puzzle component : GRID

12. Suit to __ : A TEE

13. Lascivious : LEWD

19. Minimum-range tide : NEAP

21. Thailand neighbor : LAOS

24. Wedge of wood : SHIM

25. "Later!" : "I'M OFF!"

26. Alfalfa's sweetheart : DARLA

27. Bagel flavor : ONION

28. Connector of two points : LINE

29. Wild guesses : STABS

30. Grammy winner Khan : CHAKA. Chaka Khan "Ain't Nobody"(4:31)

31. School kid : PUPIL

32. Yosemite photographer Adams : ANSEL. Ansel Adams.

35. Untidy type : SLOB

37. "Joy to the World" songwriter Axton : HOYT. Selective list of Hoyt Axton songs, take a look. List

38. Traditional tales : FOLKLORE

40. Saint from Assisi : FRANCIS

41. "__ Ha'i": "South Pacific" song : BALI

43. Sculptor's material : CLAY

44. Lipton unit : TEA BAG

45. Fifth-cen. pope called "The Great" : ST. LEO. What made him great?

47. Driver with a handle : CBer. Citizens Band Radio

48. Suffix with million or billion : AIRE

49. Fix up and resell quickly : FLIP

50. Sashimi staple : TUNA

51. Tiny biting insect : GNAT

52. Regarding : AS TO

53. High schooler : TEEN

54. Scheduled takeoff hrs. : ETDs

56. Almost on "E" : LOW. (gas)

Argyle

Friday, June 27, 2014, Marti Duguay-Carpenter

Theme: I am sorry, but it is necessary to perform an "N"ectomy on the patient.

Look what Blew in this week, marti blogging C.C., and then I get a Friday frolic with the mind of miss m with what was not a difficult extraction. Each of the four (4) theme answers has the letter "N" removed from a 4-letter word to create a new and side-splitting  phrase. For me, all add a letter, take away a letter puzzles depend on the humor of the new phrases and especially the wittiness of the reveal.  To transform BLOWN AWAY, a common phrase, into the evocative, BLOW 'N' AWAY, curls my puzzle solving toes. The 4 are all legitimate and fun (I like LOG DIVISION best). We have BREW for Tin and I,  some Shakespeare, OSLO for our Norwegian contingent, some pretty people and Dr. Seuss. I found it it a quick solve, with oodles of 3 and 4 letter fill to speed the process. Odd that BLOW would be central to two themes this week?

17A. Transport selling wieners? : HOT DOG BUNS, (9) The thought of a hot dog bus of course led to this image

24A. Woodsman's job? : LONG DIVISION.(11) Is there a short division? The LOG/LONG gave me the theme.

41A. Ma and pa's retirement dream? : LIVING OFF THE LAND.(15) makes me think of Todd Marinovich. I wonder if many parents have this thought? Do any of you watch America's Got Talent? Some of those young people are amazing.

51A. Tabloids? : LINE PRINTERS. (11) Are they lies? You mean Beyonce is not really having an alien's baby? and the reveal

66A. Totally amazed ... or, read another way, a hint to 17-, 24-, 41- and 51-Across : BLOW N AWAY.(9)

Across:

1. Bangers side : MASH. I made my non-British version of this favorite for my son and his wife when they came by to drop off their dog last week. With the hot dog clue reference we have a mini-theme of encased meat.

5. DOL division : OSHA. I might run out of red ink, Department of Labor begot Occupational Safety and Health Administration. I know OSHA is an acronym, but does anybody say DOL?

9. Concerns : FEARS.

14. Potpourri : OLIO. A SSO to C.C.

15. Stock answers? : MOOS. marti, so witty, that was a live one.

16. First : ON TOP. Of the standings, for example.

19. Willing : READY and able? Hmm, I am getting old.

20. Author among whose pen names was Theo LeSieg : SEUSS. Cute Friday clue, though marti nit number 1,  does anyone ever not say, "Dr. Seuss?

21. Not suitable : INAPT.

23. Stutz contemporary : REO. Early automobiles.

27. Church official : DEACON. A sub-priest I believe. I had so many links, Richard Deacon, Phil Silvers' brother, Queen bassist John Deacon, Deacon Jones, Wake Forest Demon Deacons.... so I left the linking to you.

31. Racer Fabi : TEO. Formula One and Indy driver. LINK.(1:10)

32. Countertenor's range : ALTO. Do not know music but this seemed easy. Do people say countertenor?

33. Sommer of "The Money Trap" : ELKE.

37. Outline : TRACE.

44. __ question : YES/NO. marti has used this before? yes? no?

45. Broadway opening : ACT I. Nice clue.

46. Buyer's boon : SALE.

47. Repeatedly, quaintly : OFT.

49. Eschews the café : EATS IN. Where you stay home and eschew your food.

57. Growing field?: Abbr. : AGRiculture.

58. "... bombs bursting __" : IN AIR. Name that tune!

59. Nahuatl speaker : AZTEC. Incan Aztec, eh.

64. Danger : PERIL.

68. Round perch : STOOL. Avoiding more breakfast test commentary.

69. 21,730-pg. references : OEDS. Oxford English Dictionaries.

70. Logan of CBS News : LARA. This is the South African newswoman attacked and raped on camera in Egypt. No links. Horrible reality.

71. Pulls in : EARNS.

72. Pub order : BREW. Not likely to get much use in a real pub, as pubs have choices.

73. Mike Tirico's network : ESPN. He is CONTROVERSIAL.

Down:

1. Scratch-resistance scale : MOHS. Mineral hardness scale. Named for a German mineralogist, not one of the Three Stooges.

2. Natural balm : ALOE. In Florida, after too much sun, it is the bomb.

3. In __: as originally placed : SITU. Made famous by TV and CSI type shows.

4. Coal scuttles : HODS. Not hard, except for Bostonians.

5. Texting gasp : OMG.

6. Ferber novel : SO BIG.

7. Harass : HOUND. Game of Thrones?. LINK.

8. Verdi adverb : ASSAI. This could be very hard if you do not know Italian or music.

9. Ruby anniversary : FORTIETH. My son just had his wooden anniversary.

10. Opposite of 67-Down : ENE. Cheesy cross-reference with 67D. Opposite of 10-Down : WSW.

11. Big arcade name : ATARI.

12. Sport based on vaquero skills : RODEO. Vaquero is I believe Spanish for Cowboy; I hear they are riding motorcycles instead of horses now.

13. Keep under surveillance : SPY ON. No politics.

18. Home of the Munch Museum : OSLO. Like his most famous work, the place is surreal.

22. Cpl.'s subordinate : PVT

25. Heist unit : ONE G, I guess you decide how many thousands you get.

26. Most likely to groan : SOREST. Most sore, not so rest.

27. Carson of "The Voice" : DALY.  A TV STAR.

28. Writer Wiesel : ELIE.

29. Rugged rides, for short : ATVS. All Terrain Vehicls.

30. Needing quarters, perhaps : COIN OP. Really?

34. Mauna __ : LOA. It is lower than KEA, which is higher than LOA..

35. Popeyes rival : KFC. Kentucky Fried Chicken.

36. Juvenile salamander : EFT.

38. "__, I am not coop'd here for defence!": "Henry VI, Part 3" : ALAS. Act V, SCENE I.

39. Colombian city : CALI.

40. Early cover-up site? : EDEN. Really cute fig leaf clue.

42. Basic : NO FRILLS. There is no truth to the rumor Spirit Airlines is selling toilet tissue by the square.

43. Bowl level : TIER.

48. London can : TIN. Another Shout out. Maybe Steve can bring us a tin of roe when he travels.

50. Slippery-eel link : AS AN. Is this a partial?

51. Backslide : LAPSE.

52. "__ Kick Out of You" : I GET A. How about some BLUE EYES (3:09)?

53. Flub : ERROR.

54. Big shot : NABOB. Are the nattering?

55. Floor worker : TILER. I wonder why there

56. Undermine : ERODE.

60. Jewelry entrepreneur Morris : ZALE. Did not know this MAN.The Z made it simple.

61. "__ the night ..." : TWAS. An Argyle SSO.

62. Tombstone lawman : EARP.

63. Primary printing color : CYAN.

65. It's always charged : ION.

No charging for me,  I am going to have to pay cash as I had my pocket picked at the gas station, and my wallet and credit cards gone. You think it can't happen but it did and I had no clue. I did however pull myself together to unravel these clues and hope you are all doing well. I blame Mercury.

Lemonade out.

Thursday, May 22, 2014, Marti Duguay-Carpenter

Theme: Put an end to the fight.

Well I (Lemonade) am back, not on Friday, but pinch hitting for the ubiquitous Marti Duguay-Carpenter, who has asked me to explain her latest publication. The theme was readily apparent and seemed appropriate for me who used to be a trial lawyer and presented many closing arguments. The end of the three theme answers describe a minor dispute. I found this fun, though it seemed like a Wednesday with just a few clues toughened up. Or perhaps I just understand the divine miss m's mind...The difficulty for me was in some of the proper names, not all of whom came immediately to mind, but without any long deceptive fill, the puzzle was done in normal time. It features a great triple clecho in the middle, a mental tour of the Italian Alps and marti's wit. Let's see if the glove fits and how I acquit myself.

17A. "The Goodbye Girl" Oscar winner : RICHARD DREYFUSS.(15). You want to WATCH? (1:24) You cannot forget the second S.

29A. Short-muzzled dog breed : BULL MASTIFF (11). They are massive, over 50 kg.

46A. Futuristic car unveiled at the 1933 New York Auto Show : SILVER ARROW (11).

62A. Court wrap-up ... and what's hidden in 17-, 29- and 46-Across? : CLOSING ARGUMENT. I love when a unifier works this well.

ACROSS:

1. Kazantzakis title hero : ZORBA. The author of the Zorba the Greek and the Last Temptation of Christ. I did not recall the name, but what else starts ZORB_?

6. Singer James : ETTA. Supply your own favorite link.

10. Apple variety : iMAC.

14. "Water is life" brand : EVIAN. Interesting STUFF.

15. Bishop's rte. : DIAGonal. The chess piece not Tutu. 

16. Jet Propulsion Lab org. : NASA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

20. Classical theaters : ODEA. The plural of Odeum, from the Latin, which comes from Italy.

21. Private __ : EYE.

22. Has no obligation to : NEEDN'T.

23. Org. with an interlocking rings logo : IOC. International Olympic Committee.

25. Journalist Tarbell et al. : IDAS. The WOMAN was a very admirable journalist even if a bit of a muckraker.

26. CD precursors : LPS. Long Plays. 

35. Shoe box letters : EEE. When in doubt, trot it out.

36. Devoured : ATE UP. This one was a piece of cake.

37. French 101 word : ETRE. To be.

38. West Coast natl. monument since 2012 : FT. ORD. Monument? FT to start a word? This took a while.

40. Disney doe : ENA.

41. Times for action : D-DAYS. They are not just for war. Cute how this follows disney doe

42. Honorable : TRUE.

43. Rear : RAISE. Not where your minds were going?

45. Disappoint, with "down" : LET.

49. "... good witch, __ bad witch?" : OR A. Do you recall this scene (0:30) from Wizard of Oz

50. Part of Q.E.F. : ERAT. By now this should be in everyone's memory banks. More Latin.

51. Tourney pass : BYE. The French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros is coming close with the best getting 1st round byes.

53. Hallowed : SACRED. Just don't have a cow about this clue/fill.

56. __ alai : JAI. J also clued with a game down.

58. City on the Rhône : LYON.  In the Rhone-Alpes region, Very important ever since the Romans conquered Gaul. 

65. Puma rival : AVIA. Latin for a way.

66. Pull down : EARN.

67. Two-masted craft : KETCH.  My oldest brother is the sailor in my family, my only experience with a ketch was ketchup.

68. Stores in a large building? : MALL. Gee, I never thought about it being a single building.

69. Till opener : ROTO. Windhover, do you use one on your farm?

70. Iroquois foes : ERIES. Best know your native tribes.

Down:

1. Shutout score feature : ZERO.

2. "Ars amatoria" poet : OVID.  The Roman take on the Art of Love.  LINK.

3. It might be sticky or dirty : RICE. Interestingly the center of Asian and Mexican cuisine.

4. Religion founded in Persia : Bahá'í. One of the newest Judeo-Christian Muslim fusion religions. I think this is the religion of Vic Damone.

5. Actress Gasteyer : ANA. If you are a die hard SNL fan you will know this performer, or maybe you watch the odd show Suburgatory  which follows Modern Family.

6. Current event : EDDY. Tricky beginning to the triclecho, as eddys appear in water.  7. Current influence : TIDE. Still in the water. and, 8. Current observer : TAR. Our old sailor reappears.

9. Things to do : AGENDA.

10. Pest-ridden : INFESTED.

11. Irish revolutionary __ Gonne MacBride : MAUD. She was not in my memory banks; beyond Michael Collins, I know not much about Irish revolutionaries, especially since Branson wimped out.  READ.

12. NCAA member?: Abbr. : ASSN.

13. Play group : CAST.

18. Saw again : RECUT. That saw!

19. Words said in passing? : YEAS. Legislation for example.

24. O.T. book after Amos : OBADiah is not one of the famous PROPHETS. The history is interesting.
                    
25. Damage : IMPAIR. A  tricky definition.

26. Some jabs : LEFTS.

27. Lab dish inventor : PETRI. Named for the German bacteriologist who invented it.

28. Capital city on the Han River : SEOUL. You know your Korean Geography? 

1. The Han River is a major river in South Korea and the fourth longest river on the Korean peninsula after the Amrok, Tuman, and Nakdong rivers. Wikipedia

30. Ogle : LEER AT. Looking at the Moon?  For SPLYNTER

31. Like some eclipses : LUNAR.

32. Author Calvino : ITALO. I am unfamiliar with this Italian author who was born outside of Havana, Cuba. READ.

33. Fritter maker : FRYER. I wonder if the food is related to the wasting of time.

34. Pisa party : FESTA. More Italian, I guess marti is back in Europe, in her mind.

39. About-face : REVERSAL.

41. Like early morning links : DEWY. HG, I bet you like the dewy morning fairways.

44. Pulitzer-winning Ferber novel : SO BIG. This Novel won the Pulitzer Prize in 1925, and was made into a MOVIE 1:03 in 1932.

47. "... harken __ die": Tennyson : ERE I. From the poem "Œnone" by a poet whose work I have never appreciated. Perhaps our resident rhymer has better things to say.

48. Portrayer of Wawa and Litella : RADNER. Gilda, who died so young. Post your favorite from her SNL days.

52. Film composer Bernstein : ELMER. Not to be confused with Leonard, no relation, Berstein. Elmer did so many wonderful movie scores like  The Magnificent Seven, The Ten Commandments, The Great Escape, To Kill a Mockingbird, Ghostbusters, The Black Cauldron, and The Rookies. He finally won an Oscar for Thoroughly Modern Millie.

53. Phishing lure : SCAM. Internet scamming.

54. Menlo Park middle name : ALVA. Mr. Edison.

55. Slinky, e.g. : COIL. I was unpacking some stuff my boys left behind and was quite distressed to see theirs had rusted.

56. Lawn game projectile : JART. Thanks for the J, miss m, you seem to like the pointedly dangerous game.

57. River under the Ponte Vecchio : ARNO. More Italian, literally the 'Old Bridge' crosses the Arno at its narrowest point and goes back many centuries.

59. Mountain legend : YETI. 

60. Grimm start : ONCE upon a time. Anyone watch that show?

61. Unspecified degrees : NTHS.

63. Agcy. concerned with the federal fiscal outlook : GAO. Government Accountability Office

64. Island strings : UKE.  Not strings of islands, hey to our old Hawaiians. 

Well Maud and Italo and some others slowed me down, but hopefully you did not stumble. the good news is that you have marti's puzzle today and her write up tomorrow.  All that and amazing it is already time for Memorial Day; be safe and do not speed. L714, out. 

Monday, April 28, 2014 Marti DuGuay-Carpenter

Theme: Long Vowel Progression - The first part starts with an S and follows with a long vowel sound that forms a word.

17A. "Waiting for your signal" : "SAY THE WORD"

24A. Be in complete accord : SEE EYE TO EYE

39A. Sound that may be "heaved" in a classroom : SIGH OF BOREDOM

54A. Oath-ending words : "... SO HELP ME GOD"

64A. "Alphabet series" mystery writer (she's up to "X") : SUE GRAFTON

Argyle here, pleased to be doing a Marti puzzle. Nice fill and six packs in the corners. Nice start to the week and the end of the month. Is it safe to say spring is here?

Across:

1. Nile dam : ASWAN

6. Start a card game : DEAL

10. Stone Age dwelling : CAVE

14. "The final frontier," on "Star Trek" : SPACE

15. Fairy tale meanie : OGRE

16. Curved molding : OGEE

19. Forest growth : TREE

20. Coastline concern : EROSION. And canyon former.

21. Garden entrance : GATE. "Out of my window I can see them in the moonlight,

Two silhouettes saying goodnight by the garden gate."

23. R-V link : S-T-U

29. Fill completely : SATE

31. Ex-NBA star Ming : YAO. He retired in 2011 due to injuries to his foot and ankle. He is 7 ft, 6 in.

32. Beginning : ONSET

33. Federal property agcy. : GSA. (General Services Administration)

36. Strikeout king Nolan : RYAN. He ended his career in 1993

38. Airport screening org. : TSA. (Transportation Security Administration)

43. __-dried tomatoes : SUN

44. Potpourri : OLIO

45. Wrath : IRE

46. Nebraska's most populous city : OMAHA

48. Genetic letters : RNA

50. Turn, as a burger : FLIP

58. Dictator Amin : IDI

59. __ Minor: Little Dipper : URSA

60. Continent-spanning landmass : EURASIA

62. Spanish artist Joan : MIRO. ???

67. Needing mending : TORN

68. "Gone With the Wind" plantation : TARA

69. Spanish painter El __ : GRECO. Toledo.

70. Fellows : GUYS

71. Ooze : SEEP

72. PlayStation and Discman : SONYs

Down:

1. Evaluate : ASSESS

2. Ancient Greek city-state : SPARTA

3. Exit door : WAY OUT

4. Behaves : ACTS

5. Classic grape sodas : NEHIs

6. "Iron Man" actor Robert __ Jr. : DOWNEY

7. A star may have a big one : EGO

8. LAX incoming flight datum : ARR. (Arrival)

9. Pigeon's perch : LEDGE

10. Word before boll or Bowl : COTTON

11. Goes along with : AGREES TO

12. Geese formation : VEE

13. Wide shoe spec : EEE

18. Fair-hiring abbr. : EOE. (equal opportunity employment)

22. One making amends : ATONER

25. Hammer or anvil, anatomically : EAR BONE

26. Toy on a string : YO-YO

27. Polite rural reply : "YES'M"

28. Greek "H" : ETA

30. It came before the chicken--or maybe after? : EGG

34. Shallow sea hazards : SHOALS

35. Yahoo! alternative : AOL

37. Tycoon Onassis : ARI

39. Japanese heavyweight sport : SUMO

40. Pressed for time : IN A HURRY

41. Law partnership, e.g. : FIRM

42. Rock's __ Leppard : DEF

43. Scouring pad brand : S.O.S

47. Great blue waders : HERONs

49. May-December wedding issue : AGE GAP

51. Pay attention : LISTEN

52. Foolishness : IDIOCY

53. Steinways, e.g. : PIANOs

55. Personal histories : PASTS

56. "... __ daily bread" : OUR

57. Fast, short auto races : DRAGS

61. Puffy hairdo : AFRO

62. Item on a business sched. : MTG. (meeting)

63. Letters from one who is short? : IOU

65. Persian Gulf fed. : UAE

66. Before, to a bard : ERE

Argyle

Tuesday, April 8, 2014 Jason Chapnick and Marti DuGuay-Carpenter

Theme: President Nixon - Rhyme time for cartoon characters.

17A. High-maintenance Gonzales? : NEEDY SPEEDY

62A. Overeating bird tempting Sylvester? : MEATY TWEETY

11D. Bullwinkle pal who's been working out? : STOCKY ROCKY

25D. Fussy Disney mouse? : PICKY MICKEY

Argyle here...with friends. A nice pinwheel puzzle with a pinch of pizazz.

Across:

1. Parking lot attendant : VALET

6. False friends : USERs

11. Brillo competitor : S.O.S

14. St. Teresa's home : ÁVILA. NW of Madrid.

15. Just beginning to learn : NEW AT

16. Demolition need : TNT

19. Native Nebraskan : OTO. Today the Otoe Tribe is based in Red Rock, OK.

20. Power co. service : ELEC.

21. Pitcher Maglie : SAL

22. Dove call : COO

23. Off-the-cuff stuff : IMPROV. (improvisation)

26. Took a chance on : RISKED

28. Cinque e uno : SEI. Italian. (six, we had seven on Sunday)

29. Naps, say : RESTS

33. Versatile bean : SOY

34. Fond du __, Wisconsin : LAC. (bottom of the lake)(the outlet of the lake)

35. Like a blue moon, in old Rome : RARA

36. Hand-holding group dances : HORAs

39. Sacred synagogue cabinets : ARKs

41. Muse of poetry : ERATO

43. Forum robe : TOGA

44. Rahm Emanuel, vis-à-vis Chicago : MAYOR. When you put it that way, I can remember him.

46. Felipe or Matty of baseball : ALOU

47. Outdated PC monitor : CRT. (cathode ray tube)

48. Curly tormentor : MOE. The Three Stooges.

49. December drop-in : SANTA. Who?

51. __ to the city : KEY

52. Bee bites : STINGS. Sign of spring, the wasps are waking up.

55. One in the game : PLAYER

57. Curved part : ARC

58. Feverish : ILL

60. In need of sharpening : DULL

61. Round-bottomed cooker : WOK

67. Eden outcast : EVE

68. Spooky : EERIE

69. "Sesame Street" roommate : ERNIE and Bert.

70. "L.A. Law" co-star Susan : DEY

71. Sports page data : STATS

72. Sporty sunroofs : T-TOPS

Down:

1. Airport shuttle, often : VAN

2. Many a Monopoly prop. : AVE.

3. More than a fib : LIE. Just semantics?

4. Respected village figure : ELDER

5. President after Polk : TAYLOR. Zachary Taylor was our 12th President. He died sixteen months into his term.

6. Like "stewardess" nowadays, briefly : UN-PC

7. "I __ what you did there" : SEE

8. Meadow moms : EWEs

9. Storm-tracking device : RADAR

10. In vogue : STYLISH

12. En pointe, in ballet : ON TOE

13. Waited in line, say : STOOD

18. Harsh : SEVERE

23. Muslim religion : ISLAM

24. Stiller's partner : MEARA

27. Smudge on 49-Across's suit : SOOT

30. Poet Teasdale et al. : SARAs

31. Refrain syllables : TRA LA

32. Kept under wraps : SAT ON

37. Shake hands (on) : AGREE

38. Mythical man-goat : SATYR

40. "It won't be long" : "SOON". "Are we there yet?"

42. Yield : OUTPUT

45. Periods of power : REGIMEs

50. Way off base : ALL WET

52. Cut, as logs : SAWED

53. Valuable stash : TROVE

54. Driving hazard : SLEET

56. Bright-eyed : ALERT

59. Actress __ Flynn Boyle : LARA

60. Salon supplies : DYES

63. __ for tat : TIT

64. Record producer Brian : ENO

65. Gratuity : TIP

66. "Right!" : "YES!"

Argyle

Note from C.C.: Jason is our Friday blogger Lemonade, who just had his IPO (Initial Puzzle Offering, a la Spitzboov) last Sunday. Marti, our Thursday blogger, used HeartRx in her daily blog Comments. Congratulations, you two, sweet puzzle!

Monday, March 24, 2014 Marti DuGuay-Carpenter

Theme: Ithena - First part has an I, last part has an A.

20. Original Ice Follies slapstick skating duo : FRICK AND FRACK

28. Retaliatory equivalent : TIT FOR TAT

39. Happy heartbeat sound : PIT-A-PAT. How apt.

48. Knickknacky stuff : BRIC-A-BRAC

58. Small, irregular amounts : DRIBS AND DRABS. Origin

Argyle here with a Marti Monday. Neat how the sound of the target vowels match. Nothing forced with any of the entries and they're fun to say, too.

Across:

1. Injury reminder : SCAR

5. Pet adoption gp. : ASPCA. Some people bypass the The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and get their cats off the streets.

10. Environs : AREA

14. Nobel Peace Prize winner Wiesel : ELIE

15. U.S.-Canada defense letters : NORAD. (North American Aerospace Defense Command) More than just tracking Santa on Christmas.

16. Having a hard time deciding : TORN

17. Hard to find, to Caesar : RARA. Latin.

18. __ Gay: WWII bomber : ENOLA

19. Thom __ shoes : MCAN

23. "Just one darn minute!" : "SEE HERE!"

24. Amazed reactions : GASPS

27. Three in a deck : TREY

32. Found really groovy : DUG

34. Bud : PAL

35. Challenge : DARE

36. Part of WW II : WAR

42. Like veggies on a veggie platter : RAW

43. Expected landing hrs. : ETAs

45. Prohibition : BAN

46. Opposite of post- : PRE

51. Bible bk. with a sea crossing : EXOD.us

54. Trite : BANAL

55. Opie Taylor's caretaker : AUNT BEE

62. List-ending abbr. : ET AL.

64. 11th-century Spanish hero : EL CID

65. Give off : EMIT

66. Lo-cal : LITE

67. It divides the Left and Right Banks : SEINE. Ah, Paris!

68. Pal at the barbie : MATE. Are the shrimp ready?

69. Run into : MEET

70. More quirky : ODDER

71. Being, to Ovid : ESSE. More Latin.

Down:

1. Feudal farmers : SERFS

2. Red wine from Bordeaux : CLARET. More French, sorta.

3. Better ventilated : AIRIER

4. Got through to : REACHED

5. Lend __: listen : AN EAR

6. 14-line verse : SONNET

7. Cattle poker : PROD

8. Ranch newborn : CALF. 56D. 8-Down's milk source : UDDER

9. Purim month : ADAR. The sixth month of the Jewish calendar.

10. Use of one requires a PIN : ATM CARD

11. Groupie's idol : ROCK STAR

12. Significant period : ERA

13. Raggedy doll : ANN

21. Make excited : KEY UP. A rock star's appearence will key up the groupies.

22. Gone by : AGO

25. Prefix with legal : PARA

26. Ladled-out meal : STEW

29. Bucky Beaver's toothpaste brand : IPANA

30. Pub spigot : TAP

31. Envelope part : FLAP

33. Bee Gees family name : GIBB. Close to the theme. "Spicks and Specks" by the Bee Gees.

36. "Dragnet" star Jack : WEBB

37. Gillette razor brand : ATRA

38. Bad weather contingency : RAIN DATE

40. Paving goo : TAR

41. Sales manager's concern : TREND

44. Like the "A" in a Hawthorne classic : SCARLET

47. At the outer edges of the normal curve : EXTREME

49. "Sting like a bee" boxer : ALI

50. Bloodhound or boxer : CANINE

52. White House family : OBAMAs

53. Ledger entries : DEBITS. The red ones.

57. Cosmetician Lauder : ESTÈE

59. Spanish kiss : BESO

60. Iditarod transport : SLED. Dallas Seavey came from behind to win the 2014 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Story

61. Battery fluid : ACID

62. Good name for a tree-lined street : ELM

63. Dead heat : TIE

Argyle