Monday, February 15, 2016 Robert E. Lee Morris

Theme: Not for the shallow - The first word in the theme answers can be the end of a phrase starting with DEEP.

38. Pool diving area ... and, literally, what the start of each answer to a starred clue can be : DEEP END

17. *The president's annual salary, e.g. : SIX FIGURES. Deep Six, I'm going with the naval use of the term for a measure of six fathoms; a depth suitable for burial at sea.

61. *Prince film featuring "When Doves Cry" : PURPLE RAIN. Deep Purple. It seems unclear what Prince meant by 'Purple Rain'. Deep Purple is a rock band but what I like best is the use in the opening line of this remake of "Star Dust" by Nino Tempo & April Stevens. Deep Purple

11. *"Sweet dreams" : "SLEEP TIGHT". Deep Sleep. 'Sleep tight' may just mean 'sleep soundly'.

29. *Scatterbrain : SPACE CADET. Deep Space, the final frontier.

Argyle here in the deep freeze. At least we didn't get the wind they were predicting. A musical Monday, not theme related though. Standard pinwheel grid, some standard crosswordese and some c/a from recent puzzles. All-in-all, a good day.

Across:

1. Diplomat Henry __ Lodge : CABOT. (1850 - 1924) or (1902–1985)(Jr. or II) He was the grandson of Henry Cabot Lodge.

6. Former Ford division, briefly : MERC. (Mercury, 1938 - 2011)

10. "Kindly let us know," on invites : RSVP. (French: répondez s'il vous plaît). And 10D. English translation of the start of 10-Across : RESPOND

14. Like a noisy stadium : AROAR

15. Length times width : AREA

16. Israeli airline : EL AL

19. Lily that's Utah's state flower : SEGO

20. Mary __ cosmetics : KAY

21. Agree silently : NOD

22. Avoid shipping out? : SHAPE UP. Ultimatum: Shape up or ship out!

24. Electrically connected : WIRED

26. Weds in secret : ELOPES

27. Kind of football kick : ONSIDE. Deliberately kicked short in an attempt to recover the ball.

30. Prairie dog or squirrel : RODENT

32. Brown photo tone : SEPIA

33. Long skirt : MAXI. Not demure when it is see-thru or has a thigh-high slit.

34. Carpe __: seize the day : DIEM

37. Hawaii's Mauna __ : LOA

41. Dean's list fig. : GPA. (grade point average)

42. How some audiobooks are recorded : ON CD

44. Prayer ending : AMEN

45. Autumn shade : OCHER

47. Pencil mark remover : ERASER

49. PC memos : E-NOTES

50. Say yes (to) : ACCEDE

52. Arabian Peninsula country : YEMEN

54. Thick fog metaphor : PEA SOUP

56. Prefix with east or west : MID

57. Comedian Margaret : CHO

60. X-ray units : RADs. (obsolete?)

64. "Understood" : "I SEE"

65. Flanged fastener : T-NUT

66. It's measured in degrees : ANGLE

67. "Why don't we?" : "LET'S"

68. "__-dokey!" : OKEY

69. 1971 Eric Clapton hit : LAYLA

Down:

1. Wine barrel : CASK

2. Operatic solo : ARIA

3. Squarish, as some cars : BOXY

4. Lummox : OAF

5. __ and Tobago: West Indies nation : TRINIDAD

6. "All in the Family" spin-off : "MAUDE"

7. Make a typo, say : ERR

8. "Cheers" actor Roger : REES. (1944 - 2015)

9. Redeemed, as casino chips : CASHED IN

12. Unclear : VAGUE. Purple Rain?

13. Lands heavily : PLOPS

18. 2000 Bush opponent : GORE

23. Pub potable : ALE

24. Nintendo game system : Wii

25. Window treatment : DRAPERY

27. Capital of Norway : OSLO

28. Gas used in signs : NEON

31. Team on the farm : OXEN

33. Viral video, e.g. : MEME

35. Fencing sword : EPEE

36. Fourth planet : MARS

39. Approach cautiously : EASE UP TO

40. Fait accompli : DONE DEAL

43. Puts on clothes : DRESSES

46. "Vaya __ Dios" : CON

48. Commotion : ADO

49. Actor Jannings : EMIL

50. Tax deadline month : APRIL

51. Put an end to : CEASE

53. "E" on a gas gauge : EMPTY

55. Rock genre : PUNK

57. Clever : CAGY

58. Sledding slope : HILL

59. Most fit for military duty : ONE-A

62. Regret : RUE

63. Genetic stuff : RNA

 Argyle

Note from C. C.:

Happy Birthday to Hondo (Skip), whose comments often crack me up, esp the grouchy ones :-). Hope Lucy makes today extra special for you, Hondo!

Left to right: Marti, Dudley, Hondo & Montana (Sept 2013)

 

Thursday, January 28th 2016 Robert E. Lee Morris

Theme: Scrambles, neatly explained by the reveal entry:

35A. 1980 sci-fi thriller, and a hint to this puzzle's circles : ALTERED STATES

17A. Downpour : DRIVING RAIN. Virginia. "Driving Rain" word association? Crossfire Hurricane!

25A. Weasel relative : PINE MARTEN. Maine. They look cute until one invades your soccer game and you try to pick it up. Those teeth are sharp.

49A. 1988 Best Supporting Actress Oscar winner : GEENA DAVIS. Nevada. She won for "The Accidental Tourist", and scored a follow-up mention for "Most Nervous Acceptance Speech".

56A. Christmas, for many : PAID HOLIDAY. Idaho. Home of Hell's Canyon, at 7,900 feet the deepest river gorge in the US. We all knew that, right?


Bonjour! Blogging en Paris ce matin. Straightforward enough theme from Robert; the names of four states are scrambled in each theme entry. I was looking to see if there was any connection between the four, but came up blank. Finding 8-letter VIRGINIA in an 11-letter word was neatly done - I wonder if that was the inspiration for the theme? Let's see what else we've got.

Across:

1. Takes shape : LOOMS. Generally associated with big, scary stuff; I don't think a mouse has ever "loomed" into view.

6. Military installations : BASES

11. Armonk, N.Y.-based tech company : I.B.M. Here's the first PC - two floppy drives, no hard drive and it didn't come with MS-DOS, you had to buy the operating system separately. We got one at the bank I was working at in London and we all stood around looking at it wondering what to do with it.

14. Quarterback with the 2011 autobiography "Through My Eyes" : TEBOW. I think it's fair to describe Tim as an ex-quarterback now. He flamed out pretty quickly.

15. Tell's target : APPLE. Archer William. The name of the apple is lost to history.

16. PBS funder : N.E.A.

19. 40-yr.-old NBC show : S.N.L.

20. Mature insect : IMAGO

21. Singer Vannelli : GINO. I couldn't name you one song of his.

22. Fairy tale word : ONCE

29. Horned Frogs' sch. : T.C.U. Seems that there's a lot of TLA's today (geekspeak for Three-Letter Abbreviations). Texas Christian University.

30. Spot : SEE

31. Forward, in a way : RE-ROUTE. Hmmmm - really? "Could you forward that email to me?" "Could you re-route that email to me?" One isn't really like the other.

32. Ankle bones : TARSI

34. Put up : ERECT

40. Sister of Clio : ERATO. She's popped up 75 times in the LAT puzzle since 2002. Her sister Polyhymnia gets - surprisingly - one mention. I was sure she was going to register zero mentions.

41. Drive respondent : DONOR

43. It's usually taken in twos : ASPIRIN. Not "They're usually taken ..."? The grammar seems a little clunky.

46. Rival : FOE

48. Reason for adolescent angst : ZIT

51. Only : SOLE

52. Mythical arrow shooter : EROS. He just keeps cropping up. You can't keep a good archer down.

53. Key : ISLET

55. 2014 FIFA World Cup champion: Abbr. : GERmany. Many consider their 7-1 demolition of hosts Brazil in the semi-final a few days earlier one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history. I was watching in a bar in Mexico and by the time Germany went 5-0 up after a little more than half an hour the place was stunned into silence.

62. "Wheel of Fortune" buy : AN I

63. "__ Grows in Brooklyn" : A TREE. I should get around to reading this one day. It appears in a lot of "must read" book lists.

64. Carrot family herb : ANISE. Pretty. The seeds are most commonly used in cooking (whereupon anise becomes a spice), the leaves less so.

65. __ jacket : PEA

66. About 17 of them equal a United States dollar : PESOS. This struck me as odd when I was solving - I thought one of the rules of cluing is that the clue must not be dependent on when you do the puzzle. Unless the exchange rate is between the peso and the dollar is fixed, "17" is going to change over time.

67. Toyota's luxury division : LEXUS

Down:

1. Former Ford model : LTD. GTO went in; GTO came out when I remembered it's a Pontiac.

2. Poetic preposition : O'ER. O'er to you, Walt Whitman:

Gliding o'er all, through all,

Through Nature, Time, and Space,

As a ship on the waters advancing,

The voyage of the soul—not life alone,

Death, many deaths I'll sing.

3. Japanese sash : OBI

4. Tinseltown vehicle : MOVIE. Because unless you have a stretch LI-I-MO, it's not long enough.

5. Show off a butterfly, perhaps : SWIM

6. Snack sack : BAGGIE

7. Grilling garment : APRON. If you ever catch me wearing one of these, please take me aside and have a quiet word with me.

8. Place to kick back : SPA

9. Whitney, by birth and by education : ELI

10. D.C. VIP : SEN.

11. As found : IN SITU

12. "Pride and Prejudice" family name : BENNET. I knew the name, I'm not sure I remembered the spelling until I ran out of room - I wanted two "T"s.

13. NBA great Karl : MALONE. For a while, he had an odd habit of referring to himself in the third person during interviews. Hall-of-Famer, Olympic Gold medalist and a host of other awards, but he never played on a championship-winning team.

18. Scruff : NAPE

21. Underground chamber : GROTTO

22. Polo Grounds slugger : OTT. Giants' outfielder Mel back in the New York days.

23. Univ. sports organizer : N.C.A.A.

24. Circular lock : CURL

26. Drops the ball : ERRS. Is all the talk when Mel drops a catch just Ott err?

27. Track competition : MEET

28. Penny __ : ARCADE

30. "The Treasure of the __ Madre": Bogart classic : SIERRA

33. Beer orders : STEINS. Usually at Oktoberfest:

34. Tokyo, long ago : EDO

36. Vice squad tactic : RAID

37. Peak south of Stromboli : ETNA

38. Automaker Ferrari : ENZO. Also the name of the dog in the novel "The Art of Racing in the Rain". Guaranteed to make you bawl your eyes out.

39. Get dirty : SOIL

42. Map abbr. : RTE.

43. Generation-to-generation span : AGE GAP

44. Calm : SERENE

45. Illinois county or its seat : PEORIA

46. Drops a line : FISHES

47. European capital : OSLO. We know lots of factoids about Olso, right? Home to the Ibsen, Munch and Norsk Volke Museums, the Nobel Prizes are awarded there, you can see the Kon Tiki and the Vigeland Sculpture Park and possibly have a beer with King Harald V. Skål!

50. Tape, maybe : VIDEO

51. "Goosebumps" series author : STINE. Thank you, crosses.

54. Ben Gurion carrier : EL AL

56. Drivel : PAP

57. Emptied the feedbag : ATE

58. Govt. collection agency : I.R.S.

59. Twice cinq : DIX. Nailed it! My hotel room is dix trente-quatre this week.

60. Pac-12 sch. : A.S.U. Please step forward, Arizona State University.

61. "Of course" : YES

That just about wraps it up for me. Here's the grid, circles a-plenty.


À bientôt!

Steve

Tuesday, January 11 2016, Robert E. Lee Morris

Theme: It's a wash.


17A. *Alabama team : CRIMSON TIDE

11D. *Raspberry : BRONX CHEER

 24D. *Tinseltown trade : SHOW BIZ

28. *Dieter's concern : WEIGHT GAIN

62. Lengthy litany ... and, literally, what the ends of the answers to starred clues comprise : LAUNDRY LIST

Perfect Tuesday level puzzle. Needed perps to fill in the long acrosses, and a couple initial guesses were wrong but other than that, sailed right through.

Melissa here.

Across       

1. In any way : AT ALL

6. Brief : SHORT

11. Pack the groceries : BAG

14. Actress O'Donnell : ROSIE

15. "Peter, Peter, pumpkin __" : EATER

16. TV brand : RCA


19. Boston Bruin great Bobby : ORR

20. Fisherman's Wharf entrée : SEA BASS

21. Kevin of "Dances With Wolves" : COSTNER

23. Honey makers : BEES

25. Okla. neighbor : TEX

26. Fighting : AT WAR

30. Item inserted through eyelets : SHOE LACE

34. Nappy leather : SUEDE

35. Woodwind instrument : OBOE

36. "Veep" channel : HBO

38. x or y, on graphs : AXIS

39. Dickens' Drood : EDWIN. The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

41. Crystal ball gazer : SEER

42. Cribbage marker : PEG

43. One of 14 in a pro's golf bag : CLUB

44. Like xenon and krypton : INERT

45. Dietary supplement obtained from predatory fish : SHARK OIL

48. Up on a map : NORTH

49. Letter before upsilon : TAU

50. Clearasil targets : ZITS. Tried acne first.

52. Vein in the neck : JUGULAR

56. Actress Wood : NATALIE

61. Eggs : OVA

64. Hawaiian wreath : LEI

65. Cubs Hall of Famer Banks : ERNIE

66. One committed to a military career : LIFER

67. Coppertone user's goal : TAN

68. Lear daughter : REGAN. Unknown to me. Middle child of King Lear, married to the Duke of Cornwall.

69. Cosmetician Lauder : ESTEE

Down

1. Circle segments : ARCS

2. Ripped : TORE

3. Cambodia's continent : ASIA.

 

4. Swing support : LIMB

5. Longtime Buick model : LESABRE

6. Feels : SENSES

7. Boater or bowler : HAT

8. Suffix with psych : OTIC. Psychotic.

9. Decorate again : REDO

10. Railroad bridge support : TRESTLE

12. 43,560 square feet : ACRE

13. Actress Teri : GARR. Impressive career.

18. Sugary ending : OSE

22. Earl Grey, for one : TEA

26. "Now!" in memos : ASAP

27. Monkey suits : TUXES

29. Newspaper revenue source : ADS

31. __-Wan Kenobi : OBI

32. Very long time : EON

33. Longtime partner of Siskel : EBERT

37. Sports MD's specialty : ORTH. Don't remember hearing this shortened version of the word before.

39. Yellowstone grazer : ELK

40. Batman and Robin, e.g. : DUO

41. __-cone: shaved ice dessert : SNO

43. Doughnut with a twist : CRULLER

44. Fashionable : IN STYLE. Trendy didn't fit.

46. Nonpro sports org. : AAU. Amateur Athletic Union.

47. Tree also called basswood : LINDEN

51. La Brea goo : TAR

52. Quite a blow : JOLT

53. Eye layer containing the iris : UVEA

54. Swiss river : AARE

55. Step on a ladder : RUNG

57. Boxers Muhammad and Laila : ALI'S

58. English elevator : LIFT

59. "Gotcha" : I SEE

60. French I infinitive : ETRE

63. Actress Vardalos : NIA. Did not remember her name, but her face is very recognizable, from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding."

Melissa

Note from C.C.:

Yesterday was the first day at pre-school for Lemonade's adorable granddaughter Charlotte.  

 

 This is picture of Charlotte and her Dad Arron and sister Harper. (Correction: Aaron)

Click here for a few more.

Monday, November 16, 2015 Robert E. Lee Morris

Theme: More than a job - Four types of jobs.

61A. Employment opportunity, and a hint to the first word of the answers to starred clues : JOB OPENING

17A. *Malicious prank : DIRTY TRICK. Dirty Job...but somebody's got to do it.

37A. *Winter storm school closing : SNOW DAY. Snow Job. Deceptive flattery.

11D. *Humor among friends : INSIDE JOKE. Inside Job. Most big heists require someone on the inside.

27D. *Employee who does the firing : HATCHET MAN. Hatchet Job. A calculated attempt to ruin someone's reputation.

Argyle here. Good theme but the rest seemed inconsistent. No real stinkers but some clues and answers that weren't Monday friendly. YRMV.

Across:

1. Honolulu "howdy" : "ALOHA" to our friends on the islands.

6. Cozy eatery : CAFÉ

10. Exasperated sound : [SIGH!]

14. Access the Internet : LOG ON

15. Word-of-mouth : ORAL

16. Merely : ONLY

19. Memo writer's "Pronto!" : ASAP. (As Soon As Possible) and it better be PDQ.

20. White Monopoly bills : ONES

21. Church recess : APSE

22. Sarcastic in a mean way : SNIDE

23. Approximately 3.26 light-years : PARSEC

25. One doing simple math : ADDER. One who adds.

26. Written in few words : SHORT. ?

28. Has __ for news : A NOSE

30. Flood : SPATE

31. Trumpeter Alpert : HERB

33. Spanish eyes : OJOs

36. House cat, e.g. : PET

40. Cries of pain : OW!s

41. Part of IRA: Abbr. : ACCT.

43. Corrida cheers : ¡OLÉ!s

44. Like the old bucket of song : OAKEN

46. The __ Boys: fictional detectives : HARDY

48. Moorehead of "Bewitched" : AGNES. CSO to Irish Miss.

49. Last Greek letter : OMEGA

51. Speak sharply to : SNAP AT

54. Fall guy : PATSY

55. Japanese detective Mr. __ : MOTO. There were eight films in the Mr. Moto series.

56. Director Kazan : ELIA. Elia Kazan (1909 – 2003)

60. Bombeck of household humor : ERMA. Erma Bombeck (1927 – 1996)

63. Iranian currency : RIAL

64. Similar (to) : AKIN

65. Govt.-backed investment : T-NOTE. 'Treasury Note'

66. Ill-fated Boleyn : ANNE. (Second wife of King Henry VIII)

67. George Eliot's "Adam __" : BEDE. Published in 1859.

68. Boat with an outrigger : CANOE

Down:

1. Gucci of fashion : ALDO. I'm not on a first name basis with the man.

2. Pork cut : LOIN

3. Storybook meanie : OGRE

4. Trendy club : HOT SPOT

5. " ... have you __ wool?" : ANY. Three bags full.

6. The "C" in USMC : CORPS. Semper Fi!

7. Get up : ARISE

8. Kings, queens and jacks : FACE CARDS

9. Antlered grazer : ELK

10. Son-of-a-gun : SO AND SO

12. Forest clearing : GLADE

13. Really keyed up : HYPER. Hyper-agitated fits the bill.

18. Small fruit pie : TART

22. __ Paulo, Brazil : SÃO. According to Times magazine, São Paulo has the world’s worst daily traffic jams. Who knew?

24. Greek war god : ARES

26. Design detail, briefly : SPEC. Specification this time, not speculation.

29. L.A. Clippers' org. : NBA. (National Basketball Association)

30. Place for a mani-pedi : SPA

31. "Gee whiz!" : "HOLY SMOKE!"

32. Barnyard female : EWE

34. Has obligations : OWEs

35. Govt.-issued ID : SSN. (Social Security number)

38. Drop (off) : NOD. My specialty.

39. Discipline using mats : YOGA

42. Bric-a-brac disposal event : TAG SALE

45. Rabbit ears : ANTENNA

47. Unit of hope or light : RAY

48. Per person : A POP

49. "Aida," for one : OPERA

50. County on San Francisco Bay : MARIN

52. "I pass" : "NO BID". Probably no face cards.

53. Make amends : ATONE

57. Animal Crackers feline : LION

58. Really digging, as a hobby : INTO. Or like archaeology.

59. "A Death in the Family" author James : AGEE. James Agee (1909 – 1955)

61. Quick poke : JAB

62. List-ending abbr. : ETC. (et cetera) "and other things"

Argyle

Note from C.C.:

Happy Birthday to Ergo (Husker Chuck), who was quite active on our blog last year. How's the new job, Chuck?

Thursday, July 2, 2015 Robert E. Lee Morris

Theme: Word Scramble

I probably would have eventually figured out the theme without the reveal, but it was a clever addition:
61-Across. Cocktail garnish, and a hint to letters hidden in the answers to starred clues : LEMON TWIST.

17-Across. *Serious swearing : SOLEMN OATH.

24-Across. *Hunt's rival : DEL MONTE.

37-Across. *Brunch choice : WESTERN OMELET.

51-Across. *Camera attachment : ZOOM LENS.

Bottom's up!

Across

1. "Elementary" network : CBS.

4. Eponymous obstetrician Fernand : LAMAZE. I needed the "Z" before this name popped into my head. His "natural" childbirth method was very popular in the '70s, but I think it has gone out of favor now.

10. "Oh, go on!" : PISH.

14. __ provençale : À LA. Prepared in the style of Provence - usually with olive oil and garlic.

15. Part of the plot : IN ON IT.

16. Gardening tool : RAKE.

19. Banded gemstone : ONYX.

20. Dorm room item : TWIN BED.

21. Really trouble, with "at" : EAT.

23. Help on the way up : RUNG.

29. 31-Down, for one : OPERA. And 31-Down. "Habanera" singer : CARMEN.

31. Former Honda model : CRX. Immediately followed by 32-Across. Honda division : ACURA.

33. Perform for : PLAY TO.

36. Target of some sprays : ODOR.

41. Ref. book : DICT.ionary.

42. Come to light : EMERGE.

43. Not from a bottle : ON TAP.

45. Expected amt. of repairs : EST.imate.

46. It may be blessed : EVENT.

53. Hip bones : ILIA.

54. Modern detective fiction pioneer : POE.

55. Captain's heading : DUE EAST.

58. Shade similar to bright turquoise : AQUA.

64. Managing ed.'s concern : CIRC.

65. List closing : ET ALIA.

66. Burns negative : NAE. Robert Burns.

67. Adjust for space, say : EDIT.

68. Webster's shelfmate : ROGET'S.

69. Come to a conclusion : END.


Down

1. Longtime maker of convertibles : CASTRO. Couches and ottomans provide extra sleeping room for the in-laws. And they are usually uncomfortable enough, so that they don't visit too long.

2. Have a tantrum : BLOW UP. See 48-Down.

3. Solution for contacts : SALINE.

4. Trunk projection : LIMB. Oh my. My first thought was bathing trunks...

5. Actress Heche : ANNE. Probably more noted for her relation with Ellen DeGeneres than any of her supposed acting skills.

6. Attitude : MOOD.

7. Santa __ : ANA.

8. Proactiv target : ZIT.

9. Great-aunt of Drew : ETHEL. The famous Barrymore family.

10. Diplomatic code : PROTOCOL.

11. John, in Scotland : IAN.

12. __ blue : SKY.

13. Bewitch : HEX.

18. MIT grad, often : ENGR.aver?

22. Doctor's org. : AMA. American Medical Association.

24. Sarcastic quality : DRYNESS.

25. Use a threat to get : EXTORT.

26. Like Botticelli's Venus : NUDE. I have seen it at the Uffizi in Florence. Breathtaking.

27. Easy pace : TROT.

28. Place for a plug : EAR.

30. Rental ad abbr. : APT. "Apt to rent"

34. Jeans giant : LEE.

35. "Wow!" in texts : OMG. "Oh My Gosh!"

37. Skid row regular : WINO.

38. Plasm lead-in : ECTO.-plasm.

39. Statute opposed by the Sons of Liberty : STAMP ACT.

40. Wide size : EEE.

41. Dairy dept. quantity : DOZ.en

44. Mideast initials : PLO. Palestine Liberation Organization.

47. Mountaintop allure : VIEW.

48. "Airplane!" heroine : ELAINE. Funny movie.

49. Xterra maker : NISSAN.

50. Covered in ink, with "up" : TATTED.

52. Conger catcher : EELER.

55. Former North Carolina senator Elizabeth : DOLE.

56. Cohesive group : UNIT.

57. Cockpit announcements, briefly : ETAs.

58. Solitaire base card : ACE.

59. Four times a day, in an Rx : QID. Quater In Die.

60. Ocean State sch. : URI. University of Rhode Island.

62. WWII arena : ETO. European Theater of Operations.  I just finished reading the 2015 Pulitzer Prize winner "All the Light We Cannot See," by Anthony Doerr.  I highly recommend it!!

63. GQ, e.g., briefly : MAG.azine. I remember when MAGs referred to these.

Time for LEMONade!
Marti

Speaking of which, Lemonade714 stopped in to visit me last week while he was here for his reunion. Here's a pic of us relaxing on the deck.

Thursday, June 18, 2015 Robert E. Lee Morris

Theme: (I don't even have to wrack my brain for a theme, because it was handed to me by Mr. Morris) 33-Down. Bar freebie, and this puzzle's theme : MIXED NUTS.

24-Across. As hidden in 17-Across, one of this puzzle's 33-Down : CASHEW.
17-Across. 1996 Fox launch : NEWS CHANNEL.

37-Across. As hidden in 57-Across, one of this puzzle's 33-Down : PECAN.
57. Seattle landmark : SPACE NEEDLE.

47-Across. As hidden in 11-Down, one of this puzzle's 33-Down : ALMOND.
11-Down. He and Don Shula share the NFL record of 36 playoff games coached : TOM LANDRY.

24-, 37- and 47-Across were icing on the cake - the puzzle could stand nicely on its own without them.

Across

1. Military decoration : MEDAL. Like many of the answers today, this was my first thought.

6. Supporting structure : TRUSS.

11. Leading : TOP.

14. Solitary : ALONE.

15. Silent brother of comedy : HARPO. Did you know, they got their nicknames in a poker game?

16. Valuable deposit : ORE.

19. NFL players, e.g. : MEN. OK, I know it's Thursday and we have to have vague clues.  But still...

20. Cozy lodge : INN.

21. Fail, in slang : TANK.

22. Only city on California's Catalina Island : AVALON. Just 26 miles across the sea.

26. Netherlands city near the Belgian border : BREDA. Map.

27. Mork's planet : ORK.

28. Italian mathematician who was a contemporary of Euler : LAGRANGE.

31. "Good Will Hunting" actor : DAMON. One of my favorite movies with Matt DAMON and Robin Williams.

34. Flightless birds : EMUS.

35. Small amount : DAB. "Just a little DAB'll do ya!"

36. Landed : ALIT.

39. Rice-shaped pasta : ORZO. I often serve this with a shrimp  & fennel dish that I make. Here's the recipe. (You could also substitute gorgonzola for the feta.)

40. Latin law : LEX.

41. Aloe __ : VERA. Difficulty could have been ramped up for a Thursday by clueing it as Designer Wang.

42. "Breaking Bad" star Cranston : BRYAN.  He's a real baddie.

43. Restaurant freebie : ICE WATER.

45. One of the Pep Boys : MOE. Manny, MOE and Jack are the iconic figures in the logo.

46. Breaks bread : DINES.

51. 1976 Olympics decathlon gold medalist : JENNER. Caitlyn née Bruce.

53. Parched : ARID.

55. Stop working : DIE.

56. __ Claire : EAU. Wisconsin.

60. D.C. clock setting : EST. Eastern Standard Time.

61. Spa offering : SAUNA.

62. Guide : STEER.

63. Legal thing : RES. More Latin.

64. California pro : ANGEL. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Go figure.

65. Not likely to run on : TERSE.


Down

1. Highly excited : MANIC.

2. Justice Kagan : ELENA.

3. Eats : DOWNS.

4. T or F, maybe : ANS.wer.

5. Speaker's stand : LECTERN.

6. "Better late __ ..." : THAN...never.

7. General, e.g. : RANK. Filled it in without even thinking about it.

8. Coffee container : URN.

9. Fishing tool : SPEAR GUN.

10. Crossword enthusiasts : SOLVERS. Gimme for everyone here, right?

12. Creme-filled treat : OREO.

13. Ivy League school : PENN. I already had the P from TOP, so this was a gimme, too.

18. Swooping predator : HAWK.

23. Oral health org. : ADA. American Dental Association.

25. Real card : HOOT.

26. The Crimson Tide : 'BAMA. Gimme. DH's old rivals.

28. Aptly named Renault : LECAR.

29. __ Strip : GAZA.

30. Black, to a bard : EBON.

31. "The Persistence of Memory" artist : DALI. Melty watches. Gimme.

32. Actor Baldwin : ALEC.

37. Broadway flier : PETER PAN. Were you thinking pamphlets and playbills?

38. Cockney toast starter : 'ERES.

39. Utah city : OREM.

41. "Colors of the Wind" singer Williams : VANESSA. Pretty song from Disney's animated film "Pochahontas."

42. Most daring : BOLDEST.

44. Take the checkered flag : WIN.

45. Chief : MAIN.

48. Farther out? : ODDER.

49. Frasier's brother : NILES. He was so good in that show.

50. Big name on the farm : DEERE.

51. Catcall : JEER.

52. Comfort : EASE.

53. Cause of adolescent angst : ACNE.

54. Unfeigned : REAL.

58. Summer mo. : AUG.ust. And we end with a partial clecho:
59. Somme summer : ETE.

Toodles!
Marti

Note from C.C.: 

Kazie and her husband Barry traveled to China last month. They visited all the top traveling stops in China, including my hometown Xi'an. The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda (3rd picture here) is not far from my own home.

Kay said:

"Our general direction was from Beijing to Xi'an, to Guilin, to Shanghai. Also, I need to say everything there was fascinating--such a learning experience for us both. We were in a small group of only 17 people until Shanghai, when there were only 6 of us. The others stayed behind to cruise the Yangtze for several days, the week before the terrible sinking of another boat similar to the one they took!

All in all, I would recommend this trip to anyone! Incidentally, our national guide was also from Xi'an, probably about your age, very nice, and extremely good at explaining everything."

Here are a few pictures. Please click here for more. 

Kay and Barry ride in a rickshaw to the Hutong district in Beijing

Barry and Kay in front of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests at the Temple of Heaven

Kay in front of the Buddhist Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi’an. China has four main religions: Buddhism, Muslim, Christianity and Taoism 

Family outing? We couldn’t believe this!

Tuesday, April 28, 2015 Robert E. Lee Morris

Theme: Hey buddy, can you spare a medi? - The sequence of the letters in the word SPARE have been changed and scrambled inside 17-, 32-, 38-Across and 11-, 29-Down. If you have the circles, that's fine. If you don't, then it's an added challenge.

17A. Airport security indignity : STRIP SEARCH

32A. Flour packaging : PAPER SACK

38A. Diva's big moment : OPERA SOLO

11D. Social gathering at a home : HOUSE PARTY

29D. Region beyond our atmosphere : OUTER SPACE

54A. Pocketful of coins, and what literally occurs in the circled letters in five puzzle answers : SPARE CHANGE

Lyegar here. I found having the circles and knowing the gimmick helped a skosh in the solve. Otherwise, a standard grid with mostly standard fill. Too many proper names?

Across:

1. Tennessee senator Alexander : LAMAR. (Andrew Lamar Alexander, Jr) Unknown to me.

6. Disgusting : GROSS

11. Summary on a timecard: Abbr. : HRs. (hours)

14. Olds model : ALERO

15. Emotionally expressive, as poetry : LYRIC. Dictionary approved.

16. OPEC commodity : OIL

19. Charlottesville sch. : UVA. (University of Virginia)

20. "Mazel __!" : TOV. ("good luck!")

21. Flair : ELAN

22. NFL Network talk show host Rich : EISEN. A journalist who attended the University of Michigan and was NOT an athlete although he was co–sports editor of the school's paper.

24. Father of Cain and Abel : ADAM

25. "The Maltese Falcon" novelist : HAMMETT. (Dashiell Hammett)

27. "That's enough!" : "STOP IT!"

30. Get started, as a grill : FIRE UP. Oh, yeah!

31. One-eighty : U-TURN

35. Bon __: witticism : MOT

36. Animal skins : PELTS

37. __ v. Wade : ROE

41. "Another card, dealer" : "HIT ME". Playing Blackjack.

43. Citizens under Caesar : ROMANS

44. Gorge : CANYON

45. Pure joy : ECSTASY

47. Quaint dagger : DIRK. 'Tis the one ye Scots wear in their hose.

48. Controversial Nixon records : TAPES

49. Blue jay or oriole : BIRD

50. Down in the dumps : SAD

53. Actress Thurman : UMA

58. Mo. with the shortest day of the year : DEC. Day meaning the period of sunlight.

59. Elaborate display : ECLAT

60. The "A" in "CAT scan" : AXIAL. (computed axial tomography) Older and less preferred term. per Wiki.

61. Fair-hiring abbr. : EOE. (Equal Opportunity Employment)

62. Thick-furred dog : SPITZ



Finnish

63. Colorful tank fish : TETRA

Down:

1. "The __ of the Mohicans" : LAST

2. Choir voice : ALTO

3. "Jeopardy!" creator Griffin : MERV

4. The D-backs, on scoreboards : ARI. (Arizona Diamondbacks)

5. Tricked by a scam : ROPED IN

6. Sparkle : GLEAM

7. Meg of "You've Got Mail" : RYAN

8. Bruin legend Bobby : ORR

9. Attack, to Rover : SIC

10. One with a devious plan : SCHEMER

12. Metal fastener : RIVET

13. Bias : SLANT

18. Bed support : SLAT

23. Don of morning radio : IMUS. "Don Imus Leaving Fox Business Network". Didn't know, don't care.

24. Auto financing abbr. : APR. (annual percentage rate)

25. Aware of : HIP TO

26. Greek god of war : ARES

27. Japanese wrestling : SUMO

28. 'Vette roof option : T-TOP. The '68 Corvette coupe was the first U.S.-built car to feature a T-top roof.

30. Niagara __ : FALLS

32. Showy flower : PEONY

33. Crooner Perry : COMO. If it's hip to be square, this dude was.

34. Sharp : KEEN

36. "The more you know" TV ads, e.g. : PSAs. (Public Service Announcement)

39. Repetitive learning : ROTE

40. Builds up : AMASSES

41. Construction site headgear : HARD HAT

42. Bic filler : INK

44. Newspaper sales no. : CIRC. (circulation)

45. Technique-mastering piano piece : ETUDE

46. Short film role : CAMEO

47. "Legion of the Damned" series writer William : DIETZ. What? His website.

49. Naughty kid : BRAT

50. Cranky state : SNIT

51. Biology lab gel : AGAR

52. Fashion's Oscar __ Renta : DE LA

55. Narc's find, briefly : PCP. Angel Dust.

56. Boxing immortal : ALI

57. Firefighter's tool : AXE

Yes, too many names.

Argyle

Note from C.C.:

Kerry S, a long time lurker on our blog, sent me this fun picture yesterday: 1-A: Town in Italy!