Sunday Dec 13, 2015 Matt McKinley

Theme: - "Morning Addition" - AM is added into each theme answer.

23A. Harsh criticism of an old Pontiac? : GRAND AM SLAM. Grand slam. All but this AM addition is part of another word.

27A. Unprincipled operator? : AMORAL SURGEON. Oral surgeon. "Unprincipled operator?" describes Dave's doctor so well. 

57A. Salesperson who doesn't take your offer seriously? : AMUSED CAR DEALER. Used car dealer.

66A. Mexican dish you were warned not to eat? : CAUTIONARY TAMALES. Cautionary tales.

76A. "Missionary squad loses big in softball game"? : APOSTLES CREAMED. Apostles' Creed. The answer cracked me up.

107A. Memoirs of a penitent bookie? : ODDS AND AMENDS. Odds and ends.

117A. Really large items thrown overboard? : JUMBO JETSAM. Jumbo jets.

Funny, I solved the whole puzzle thinking "Morning Edition" is the title. It aptly sums up the gimmick, though not as perfectly as "Morning Addition".

Seven entries with a total 95 theme squares is very manageable amount of theme material. Matt went low on word count, only 138 entries today. I've yet to explore that territory. 144 and I are just so inseparable.

Across:

1. Opinionated assortment : BIASES. Skipped to next entry right away.

7. Biblical shepherd : ABEL. Not Jesus.

11. Polaris Rangers, e.g., briefly : ATVs

15. Asian cookware : WOKs. I've collected a few recipes you guys put on the Comments section occasionally. Click here if you're interested.

19. Start a bulleted list, perhaps : INDENT

20. Forecast : BODE

21. Painful, in a way : TRAUMATIC

 

25. Superman or Spider-Man : TITLE ROLE. We also have 66D. First name in superhero lore : CLARK

26. Unavoidable end : DESTINY. Got via crosses.

29. "__, I'm flying in my taxi": Harry Chapin lyric : AND ME. Never heard of the song.

31. Table salt, in chem class : NACL

32. Pool stroke : MASSÉ

33. Therapists' org. : APA

36. Corporate rule : BY-LAW

39. Something for a fan to support : THE TEAM. And 42. Fan appreciation event : BAT DAY. I like Bobblehead Days.

45. Personal: Pref. : IDIO. I put in IDEO.

47. Pleads not guilty : DENIES IT. Just could not parse my own answer.

51. Soviet cooperative : ARTEL. We had this concept in China also. Not surprising. We copied lots of things from Soviet in those earlier years.

52. Loud salutes : SALVOS

55. Type of cell or cent : RED

56. "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" constable : ODO. Learning moment to me.

61. [Uh-oh!] : GULP. [ ] hints that the answer is a sound.

62. Annual August golf tournaments, familiarly : PGAs

63. Classic theaters : RKOs. Not ODEON.

64. Aiming devices : SCOPES

71. Current king of Spain __ VI : FELIPE. His Australian wife is a fashion icon.

73. Silents star Negri : POLA. Just like TTP, I learned her name from doing crosswords.

74. Time to beware : IDES

75. Truth stretcher : LIAR

83. Rink legend : ORR

84. Tee sizes: Abbr. : SMs. OK, smalls

86. Done like Donne : POETIC. Simple in retrospect.

87. Rancor : SPITE

88. If it's orange, it's really black : PEKOE TEA. Read here. I never heard of Pekoe until I came to the US.

91. Physics unit : DYNE

92. Strengthen : BEEF UP. I'm a kind of Beef.

 

93. Race on the water : REGATTA. Also 114D. Zip (through) : SAIL

96. Kidney-related : RENAL

98. Match in size : FIT

99. Doo-wop band instruments : SAXES

102. After-hours : LATE

104. Hoods : THUGS

112. WWII bond designation : SERIES E. Unknown to me.

116. Carefree : FOOTLOOSE

119. Life partners : TRUE LOVES. Terrific stacks in this corner. I really hope Splynter finds his in 2016.

120. Snack in a stack : OREO

121. Nails the test : ACES IT

122. Doesn't have to ask about : GETS

123. Egg holder : NEST. Lovely clue.

124. Sign of boredom : YAWN

125. Techniques involving falsetto : YODELS

Down:

1. Texas city nickname : BIG D

2. About : IN RE

3. Some govt. lawyers : ADAs

4. "The Flying Dutchman" soprano : SENTA. Foreign to me.

5. Conclude with : END IN. I had END ON first.

6. One awaiting a cancellation : STAND-BY. Great clue.

7. Six-pack set : ABS

8. Two-balled weapon : BOLA

9. European cheese town : EDAM

10. Bar fruit : LEMON. D-Otto (Tom) also lost his brother John earlier this month. I can't picture a life without my brother.  

11. Hook on : ATTACH

12. Warbled : TRILLED

13. Winery fixtures : VATS

14. Course-plotting "Star Trek" crewman : SULU

15. Simulated military exercise : WAR GAME

16. Chiwere speakers : OTOES

17. Bust measurements? : KILOS. Oh, I finally got it. Narc's bust.

18. Not a good thing to make : SCENE

22. Marine myth : MERMAID. Cute, isn't it?

24. "Goodness!" : MY MY

28. Traitor : RAT

30. Woman in a "Paint Your Wagon" song : ELISA. This girl always stumps me.

33. Simple rhyme scheme : ABAA

34. Veal __ : PARM. Never had it.

35. Largest of the Near Islands : ATTU. Gimme for Spitzboov. I drew a blank.

37. Purim month : ADAR

38. Like most zoo animals : WILD

40. La., once : TERR

41. Lincoln-to-Des Moines dir. : ENE

43. Give up : DESPAIR

44. Advantage to get : A LEG UP

46. Like talent, in a Geoff Colvin best-seller : OVER-RATED. Have any of you read the book?

48. Liquid courses : SOUPS

49. Not working : IDLE. Also 65. Monty Python co-founder : CLEESE

50. Beats : TOPS

53. Vanilla-flavored, as wine : OAKY

54. Machine displaying fruit symbols : SLOT. Rigged. You just can't win.

58. Go out with : DATE

59. CBS drama since 2000 : CSI

60. Spanish "that" : ESA. Our Korean vet neighbor Andy moved away to a nursing home. A Spanish-speaking family moved in.

61. Throws a fit : GOES APE

64. Iraq's __ City : SADR

67. W, vis-à-vis E : OPP

68. Don Knotts denial : NOOP

69. Too : ALSO

70. Open __ night : MIC

71. Disaster : FLOP

72. Where the Shannon flows : EIRE

76. Fishing, perhaps : ASEA

77. Interstellar dist. : LTYR (Light-year)

78. Berlin article : EINE

79. Canine attraction : SCENT

80. Annoy : MIFF

81. Decorative sewing case : ETUI. Long time no see!

82. Cabinet part: Abbr. : DEPT.

84. Phrase on a fortuneteller's business card : SEES ALL

85. Office conf. : MTG

89. Son of Agamemnon : ORESTES. Electra's brother.

90. Travelers' references : ATLASES

92. Rogers Centre player : BLUE JAY. Only one Hall-of-Famer in Blue Jay uniform.

94. Least likely to bite : TAMEST

95. Downed : ATE

97. "Sure, I get it" : AH SO. Yellowrocks knows Japanese. In Chinese, we tend to say "Ah, it is because of so" for the "Doh moment".

99. Magic center? : SOFT G. I figured it's G, but did not think of SOFT G.

100. Be gaga over : ADORE

101. Marked for deletion : X'D OUT

103. Relish : ENJOY

105. Artist El __ : GRECO

106. Located : SITED

108. Classic showdown time : NOON. "High Noon".

109. Went off the deep end : DOVE

110. Commercial prefix with "cell" : DURA. Duracell. Gluey entry.

111. Fish-eating duck : SMEW

113. Forum infinitive : ESSE

115. First responders, for short : EMTs

118. __ mot : BON

C.C.

Sunday February 2, 2014 Matt McKinley

Theme: "VW Showroom" - Each two-word theme entry starts with V & W.

23A. Sparkling French refreshment : VICHY WATER

29A. Pre-singing routine : VOCAL WARM-UP

45A. Lively European dance : VIENNESE WALTZ

 72A. Retiree's pursuit, perhaps : VOLUNTEER WORK

97A. "A Room of One's Own" author : VIRGINIA WOOLF

113A. Cellar prize : VINTAGE WINE

125A. Woman of letters : VANNA WHITE

38D. Competes against : VIES WITH

63D. "Okay" : VERY WELL

Simple theme. We've had this VM gimmick before, a more narrowly defined set of women's name only. Love Argyle's title there.

The theme entries 38D and 63D are shorter than a few non-theme entries. This does not happen often with LAT grids. We see longer non-theme answers when all theme entries are placed horizontally.  

I think the constructor chose this approach because he wanted theme intersection. Plus, the gimmick is quite self-evident that solvers won't have trouble locating theme entries.

 

Across:

1. Ottoman title : PASHA. Another Ottoman title we see in xwords is AGHA.

6. Orderly place?: Abbr. : HOSP. Nice clue.

10. Maleficent : BAD

13. __ of hands : A SHOW

18. Used for dinner : ATE ON

19. Within: Pref. : ENTO

20. Tarzan portrayer Ron et al. : ELYs

22. "Paint Your Wagon" composer : LOEWE (Frederick)

25. Small change : CENT

26. Seine tributary : MARNE. Needed crossing help. Quite a few 5-letter French rivers.

27. Dramatic words of accusation : ET TU

28. Thomas __ Edison : ALVA

31. Niagara ambience : MIST

33. Seriously impair : MAIM

35. "Something tells __ goofed" : ME I

36. Prefix meaning "bee" : API

37. Colorado NHL team, in headlines : AVS. Avalanche. Where does the S come from?

40. Unnamed degrees : NTHS

42. Snoopy persona : JOE COOL. Cool entry.

44. Required investment of a kind : ANTE

48. Key of Beethoven's Ninth : D MINOR

50. Word heard in the choosing process : EENY

51. Full of life : SPRY

52. Fading star : HAS-BEEN. Sad to see Justin Bieber in trouble again and again.

55. Maker of the Inspire Food Processor : OSTER

57. Draw a bead on : AIM AT

60. Letter before sigma : RHO

61. Barrel support : STAVE

65. Better informed : WISER

67. Formal promises : OATHS

69. Biased : ONE-SIDED.  And 88. King of hearts feature : TWO EYES

71. Tail fastener, in a party game : PIN. What game?

75. Arg. neighbor : URU

76. Lists : ITEMIZES

78. Migraine omens : AURAE

79. Onion roll : BIALY. How do you pluralize this word? Bialies or Bialys?

81. Daphnis' lover : CHLOE

82. It employs a movable mirror: Abbr. : SLR. Tough clue for me.

84. Buffalo hockey player : SABRE. I think Splynter roots for the Rangers. Or Islanders? I can't remember clearly.

86. Makes less tense : THAWS

91. Martin or swift : BIRD.  Another tricky clue. What came to your mind first?

93. Part of a staircase : STEP

94. "For shame!" : TSK TSK

101. Hurries : HIES

102. Homework shirker's lame excuse : I LOST IT

105. One might be in a pool : GENE. Gene pool.

106. Literary monogram : RLS. Robert Louis Stevenson. And ERB (70D). Tarzan creator's monogram).  Edgar Rice Burroughs. I think one monogram is enough for a grid.

107. Suffix with morph- : EME

108. Convent dweller : NUN

109. Stargazer's focus? : IDOL. Loved the clue.

111. Las Cruces or Las Vegas : CITY

117. Org. that investigated Alger Hiss : HUAC. House Committee on Un-American Activities.

119. Presley's middle name : ARON

123. Intestinal : ILEAC

124. Big fishhook : GAFF. I don't think any fishing term will stump Barry G.

127. Wallop : PASTE

128. Thereabout : OR SO

129. This, to Juanita : ESTA

130. __ society : HONOR

131. Misses overseas: Abbr. : SRTAs. Spanish.

132. Palme __: movie prize : D'OR. French.

133. Leicester lockup : GAOL. British English.

134. Teamed, as oxen : YOKED

Down:

1. Do roadwork : PAVE

2. Bickering : AT IT

3. Split-off group : SECT

4. Blah : HO HUM

5. At least one : ANY

6. Place for refreshment : HEALTH SPA. We have 4 9-letter long Downs. The other three are SERIOUSLY (41D. "You're kidding"),  SHOWERING (53D. Post-game activity) & ERIE CANAL (85D. Waterway engineered by Clinton). DeWitt Clinton.

7. Airing in prime time, say : ON TV

8. Boiling sign : STEAM

9. "__ favor" : POR

10. Turneth into : BECOMETH

11. George Smiley portrayer Guinness : ALEC

12. Live wire : DYNAMO

13. __ mater : ALMA

14. Fly high : SOAR

15. Author Hesse : HERMANN

16. Admit : OWN UP TO

17. Crying more : WEEPIER

21. Florida University named for a pope : ST LEO

24. Fails to recycle : WASTES

29. Six-stringed instrument, usually : VIOL

30. Dorian Gray creator : WILDE

32. Vacation stopover : INN

34. Steely Dan album : AJA. This is Jeannie's favorite album.

37. Chevy subcompact since 2004 : AVEO

39. Watchdog : SENTINEL

43. Industry VIP : CZAR

44. "__ a stinker?": Bugs Bunny line : AIN'T I

46. Bill and Louis : NYES

47. "Johnny Belinda" Oscar winner : WYMAN (Jane). Got me. She was Reagan's first wife.

49. Soldier's set : MESS KIT

54. Pro __ : BONO

56. Entertainment section staples : REVIEWS

58. "__ girl!" : ATTA

59. NATO founding member : THE US

62. Big fan : ADULATOR

64. College URL ending : EDU

66. "Frasier" role : ROZ

68. Some body fluids : SERA

71. Little shot? : PIC. "Little" in the clue suggests a shortened answer.

73. __ majesty: high treason : LESE

74. Temple leader : RABBI

77. "Nutrition that starts with apples" sloganeer : MOTT'S

80. "I see," facetiously : AH SO

83. Short turns? : REVS. Ah so!

87. Tanning nos. : SPFs

89. Authorizing : OKING

90. Replace for now : SIT IN FOR

92. 2008 Indy Japan 300 winner __ Patrick : DANICA

94. 1963 Burton/Taylor film : THE VIPS. Did anyone see this film?

95. Alike : SIMILAR

96. Most zealous : KEENEST

98. Midway attraction : RIDE

99. Classic muscle car : GTO

100. Not just damp : WET

103. Later, to Luis : LUEGO. "Hasta luego."

104. "Let's keep moving!" : ONWARD! Splynter's trademark.

110. Himalayan capital : LHASA. I saw several Free Tibet activiests at the flea market last year. They're selling pretty bracelets to raise money. Of course, I did not buy any since I don't support their cause.

112. Search giant : YAHOO

114. "So long" : TA TA

115. Breezes through : ACES

116. Assumption-to-conclusion segue : IF SO

118. Passé preposition : UNTO

120. Place for checking or saving : RINK. Ha ha, Santa!

121. Early Nebraskan : OTOE

122. Uncool sort : NERD

125. Laze about, with "out" : VEG

126. Wondering word : WHY

C.C.

Monday, August 19, 2013 Matt McKinley

 

Theme: Pinaceae Pinus - Products of a pine tree.

20A. Long-eyed stitching tool : DARNING NEEDLE

33A. Dairy Queen order : ICE CREAM CONE

41A. Proverbial backbreaker : THE LAST STRAW. Link

56A. Maine's nickname, and a hint to the ends of 20-, 33- and 41-Across : PINE TREE STATE

Argyle here. Running late. Puzzle seemed conflicted. Some very easily clued entries, some clued with trickery and a few obscure entries for a Monday. Moving along to what appears to be Matt's debut puzzle.

Across:

1. 33-Across topper : SCOOP. 33. Dairy Queen order : ICE CREAM CONE

6. Points (at) : AIMS

10. Trucker on a radio : CBer

14. Former "Idol" judge Abdul : PAULA

15. Tie in chess : DRAW

16. Cosmo competitor : ELLE. (magazines)

17. Marx Brothers shenanigan : ANTIC

18. Topnotch : A ONE

19. Sugar bowl block : LUMP

23. Student's Web address ending : .EDU

24. One on the other side : FOE

25. Right on time : PROMPT. NOT Cruciverb.

28. Finally registered mentally : SANK IN

30. __ cheese dressing : BLEU

32. Dinghy mover : OAR

36. "The __ Baltimore": Lanford Wilson play : HOT_L. The E in the neon sign didn't work.

39. "__ Wiedersehen" : AUF. Too soon, can't say good bye yet.

40. Picnic spoilers : ANTS

46. Main element in pewter : TIN

47. Dance in a pit : MOSH

48. Soak up : ABSORB

52. Promotional theater display item : POSTER

54. Martini order : DRY

55. Theology subj. : REL.. (religion)

60. Army vehicle : JEEP

62. "I figured it out!" cries : A-HA's

63. Craze : MANIA

64. Gets older : AGES

65. Army status : RANK

66. Rags-to-riches author Horatio : ALGER

67. Murder mystery staple : BODY

68. Russian fighters : MIGs

69. British city on the River Aire : LEEDS

Down:

1. Black suit : SPADES

2. Ottawa's country : CANADA

3. Beat in a race : OUTRUN

4. "thirtysomething" actor Ken : OLIN

5. World's largest ocean : PACIFIC

6. "Time is money," e.g. : ADAGE

7. Golfer's selection : IRON

8. Lion's tresses : MANE

9. Popeye's kid : SWEE' PEA

10. Violin cousin : CELLO

11. Song title words before "You saw me standing alone" : "BLUE MOON"

 

 

12. Horror film street : ELM

13. Workout unit : REP

21. Nada : NONE

22. Beaten instrument : DRUM

26. Breathe after sprinting : PANT

27. Yves's "very" : TRÈS

29. Pass idly, as time : KILL

30. Hair neatener : BRUSH

31. Exited : LEFT

34. Sylvester and Garfield : CATS

35. Cornfield cries : CAWS

36. Internet address opening : HTTP

37. Cincinnati's home : OHIO

38. State-of-the-art 1970s bike : TEN SPEED

42. Church agreement : AMEN

43. Pitcher's problem : SORE ARM

44. Hard to find : RARE

45. Totally dreadful : ABYSMAL

49. Autumn color : ORANGE

50. Tightened, as shoelaces : RETIED

51. Dims with tears, as one's vision : BLEARS

53. A bit too happy at happy hour? : TIPSY

54. Office workplaces : DESKS

57. Spicy cuisine : THAI

58. Jingled : RANG

59. "A __ of Two Cities" : TALE

60. Fighter's punch : JAB

61. Self-regard : EGO

 

Argyle