Monday July 2, 2018 Roland Huget

Theme: PRICE BREAKS (60. Good retail deals ... and what the three other longest answers literally exhibit). PRICE bookends each theme entry.

17A. Public relations arm: PRESS OFFICE.

11D. Steamed breakfast cereal: PUFFED RICE.

28D. Nectar that's high in fiber: PRUNE JUICE.

 

Boomer here.

You caught me last week.  I suggested that a gallon of gasoline in Minnesota was $1.75.  Of course my fat fingers hit the one instead of the two and it should have been $2.75.  However we do have a HyVee grocery in our area and they offer discounts on gas if you buy certain promotional items or spend a lot of money on food. A few weeks ago I bought gas there for $1.56 per gallon.  They also have a friendly convenience store near the gas pumps where you can buy snacks and lottery tickets.  AND if you want, they have the New York Times for sale for about the same price as a gallon of gas, in case you need to see the latest offering by Mr. Shortz.

Across:

1. Ancient Mexican: AZTEC.  Caused me to remember the Pontiac SUV.  A bit big and ugly but I liked its look.

6. Spirited horses: ARABS.

11. __-per-view: PAY.

14. Ballerina Shearer: MOIRA.

15. '80s-'90s TV legal drama: LA LAW.  I preferred NY "Law & Order".

16. Mod or nod suffix: ULE.

19. Hector, to Achilles: FOE.  I believe Hector kicked Achilles in his heel in the Trojan war and Achilles walked with a limp from then on.

20. First lady before Abigail: MARTHA. Washington.

21. Send-ups: TAKEOFFS. I expect in the movie "Airplane" Captain Over (Peter Graves) may have left in a "sendoff".

23. Grandmaster's game: CHESS.  A legendary game that requires great skill that I do not have.

25. Pearly whites: TEETH.  My teeth are like stars, they come out at night.  Years ago, I used to think Fixodent was an auto body repair shop.

26. Abundant: COPIOUS.

30. Booby or loon: BIRD. "Ahwella everybody's heard, about the bird."  The Minneapolis Trashmen gave us the "Surfin' Bird."

31. One-way marker: ARROW.

32. Smooth transition in conversation: SEGUE.  I always thought this was spelled Segway.

35. Video replay user: REF.  Just a way to allow more commercials in basketball games on TV.

38. Acht und eins: NEUN.  I spent time in Germany in the Army.  I could count to ten but never knew how to spell it.

39. Bricklayer: MASON. Lawyer, Perry.

40. The Emerald Isle: EIRE. So many ways to spell Ireland.

41. L-o-o-n-g time: EON. How long a ref takes looking at a replay.

42. Authority: SAY SO.

43. Foil giant: ALCOA. I don't see this name on foil, but over the years, sold tons of Alcoa Aluminum cable.

44. Building additions: ELLS.

46. Least becoming: UGLIEST.

48. Common movie theater name meaning "jewel": BIJOU.  There's a name out of the past.  Not too many Bijou theatres any more.  Most are now Multiplex.  So what is a "plex" anyhow?

50. Test versions: BETAS.

52. Home for pet fish: AQUARIUM.

54. Arrive in a car: ROLL UP. "Roll up for the mystery tour.  The Magical mystery tour is waiting to take you away."

59. Him, in Le Havre: LUI.

62. [not my mistake]: SIC.

63. Conger catcher: EELER. Odd word. Reminded me of Gopher/Vikings Hall of Fame "Purple People Eater" Defensive end Carl Eller.

64. Venezuela-to-Chile range: ANDES.

65. Tucked away: ATE.  I never heard any one say they tucked away a pizza.  Nor did I heard them say they tucked away some cash and then ate it.

66. Skin care name: ESTEE.  Ms. three E's appears in quite a number of puzzles.

67. Explosive tryout, briefly: NTEST.  A Minneapolis Company.  I think they deal with fiber cables.

Down:

1. Alarm clock toggle: AM PM.  And it plays "I got you Babe" repeatedly.

2. Author __ Neale Hurston: ZORA.

3. Wedding cake section: TIER.  I found it hard to believe that the Supreme Court was called to settle a Wedding cake dispute.

4. Once, quaintly: ERST.

5. Good moneymaker: CASH COW.  I have a cousin-in-law who is a dairy farmer.  I believe he may have a few of these cows.

6. Furry sitcom ET: ALF.  I wonder if Spanky ever called his friend by this nickname.

7. River transports: RAFTS.

8. Nom de plume: ALIAS. "Smith and Jones".  Sort of a sitcom western that lasted about 2 years on TV.

9. Give support to: BACK.

10. Honeybunch: SWEETIE.

12. Up in the air: ALOFT. Result of a "Sendup".

13. "What a pain!": YEESH.  I wish crossword puzzles would display real words.

18. Honolulu's island: OAHU.

22. Anthem contraction: OER. the land of the free and the home of the brave.

24. Long exam answer: ESSAY.

26. Sugar crop: CANE.  Ain't no more cane on the Brazos my boy, they all ground it all in molasses, Oh, Oh, OH.

27. Sandwich cookie: OREO.  A most famous crossword cookie. You seldom see Hydrox or Dagwood's daughter in the squares now.

29. Charged particle: ION.

30. Hot dog holder: BUN.  Remember a fifties" hairdo ?

33. Slalom shape: ESS. Also the direction some of my putts go.

34. Do dinner and a movie, say: GO OUT.

36. Cupid counterpart: EROS.

37. Notable achievement: FEAT.

39. Pas' partners: MAS.

40. New Haven Ivy Leaguer: ELI.  I thought this might be Eli Manning but he played college ball in Mississippi, and now with the Giants.  Nowhere near New Haven.

42. 7-Eleven frozen treat: SLURPEE. Southland pulled out of Minnesota years ago, but I never enjoyed a Slurpee while they were here.  Ice slush gave me a headache.

43. Loser: ALSO-RAN.

45. Mauna __: LOA.

47. Apparel: GARB.

48. Modeling wood: BALSA.  We used to fly airplanes made of balsa wood.

49. Terse resignation: I QUIT.  No! Not yet!  your almost done.

50. Put together from the ground up: BUILT.

51. Roast host: EMCEE. Loved the Dean Martin Roasts! (Except Don Rickles),

53. Riles up: IRES.  Sometimes a crossword clue ires you.

55. Pre-Easter fast: LENT.  Forty days and forty nights.  Not so much fasting anymore.

56. Put in a hold: LADE.

57. Luau strings: UKES. Tiptoe through the tulips with Tiny Tim.

58. Library attention-getter: PSST.

61. Now or long lead-in: ERE.

Boomer

Note from C.C.:

Click here for a few pretty flower pictures from TTP's garden. His beautiful wife Katie is an avid gardener.

Monday Jun 4, 2018 Roland Huget

Theme: MIXMASTER (60. Sunbeam brand ... and a literal hint to the circled letters:) - MASTER is anagrammed in each theme answer.

17A. Wind current that affects weather patterns: JET STREAM.

27A. Pet rodent's exercise gadget: HAMSTER WHEEL.

45A. Good survival skills: STREET SMARTS.

Boomer here.  

Yes the Mixmaster from Sunbeam!  And we had a beaming sun here in Minnesota this week.  I will never be able to understand how the mercury can hit triple digits a mere 6 weeks after we shoveled 18 inches of the white stuff out of our way.

Across:

1. __-as-you-are party: COME.

5. Wedge or pump: SHOE. Wedge, pump or golf.  I'll be wearing mine tomorrow and possibly using a wedge. 

9. Apple's Touch and Nano: IPODS.

14. Help with a robbery, say: ABET. Or -- visit a track and place a bet on Justify.

15. Phone in a purse: CELL.

16. "I kid you not": NO LIE.

19. Barton of the Red Cross: CLARA.  There is a name from the past.  A nurse in our  Civil War, Ms. Barton not only was of the Red Cross, She created it.

20. Purpose: USE.

21. First rainbow color: RED.  Mr. Skelton. aka Clem Kadiddlehopper

22. First Peace Corps director Sargent __: SHRIVER. Now we are in my era.  Mr. Shriver was not a Sergeant, his middle name was Sargent.  He was President Kennedy's brother-in-law, and I believe the President gave him the job of overseeing the newly created Peace Corps.

24. Lipton rival: NESTEA. N-E-S-T-L-E-S - Nestles makes the very best ... Chocolate.

26. Apple mobile platform: IOS. I know it doesn't matter in a crossword, but Apple displays this as iOS.  I think it stands for i Overcharge Society.

34. Concerning: ABOUT. Fight between Muhammad Ali and George Frazier.

37. Held the deed to: OWNED.

38. Mai __: cocktail: TAI. Pronounced My Tie and used to Tie one on.

39. Guns, as an engine: REVS.  In my neighborhood this is done in a 30 year old Chevy with little or no muffler.

40. Nest of chicks: BROOD.

41. Turkey meat preference: DARK.

42. Top worn with jeans: TEE. C'mon.  Everyone knows this is a piece of wood to hold a golf ball before Dustin Johnson whacks it 320 yards.

43. Birth-related: NATAL.  If you natal day happens to be February 29, how old are you.  Gilbert and Sullivan claimed that if you were born 20 years ago you would be "A little boy of five" and that was a paradox.

44. Numbered supermarket section: AISLE.

48. Brit's bathroom: LOO.  I wonder if the composer of "Skip to My Loo" had to go ?

49. Filmdom awards: OSCARS. I know this stands for the Academy Awards but the name actually came from some lady at the Academy who thought the statue looked like her Uncle Oscar.  It reminds me of half of the "Odd Couple" Oscar Madison played by Jack Klugman.  I think Walter Matthau played Oscar in the movie, Neil Simon was nominated for the Oscar for writing the "Odd Couple" but he did not win.

53. Longtime TV fitness guru Jack: LALANNE.  What a guy, lived to a ripe old age of 96.  Famous for the Power Juicer.  You could toss a handful of carrots into the thing and drink them in 2 minutes.

57. Job ad letters: EOE.

58. "The Matrix" hero: NEO.

59. Sumatran ape: ORANG.

63. Miata automaker: MAZDA. The fancy sports car has sneaked its way into the $25K range.

64. Jai __: ALAI. a fancy game like playing tennis against a wall.

65. Latin being: ESSE.

66. Sanctify: BLESS.

67. Clue or Risk: GAME. I think it was done by Cosmo Kramer and Neumann in Seinfeld's living room.

68. Peepers: EYES. Jeepers Creepers, where'd you get that clue?

Down:

1. Bayou cuisine: CAJUN.

2. More than plump: OBESE. - I was watching Lance Lynn pitch for the Twins on Saturday.  If He and Miguel Sano are first in line at the aftergame buffet, I wonder if anyone else gets to eat.

3. Doles (out): METES.

4. UFO pilots, presumably: ETS.

5. Riot, in the funny way: SCREAM. Wasn't this a movie back in the 90s ?

6. Take to heart: HEED.

7. Rio greeting: OLA.  I have a friend from Chile, and when he emails me its Hola. Can Brazilians not pronounce "H"s. ?

8. Shade trees: ELMS.

9. Narrow, exclusive group: IN CROWD. Not too exclusive. I believe there are 400 million Americans who think they are in it.

10. Refined manner: POLISH. or buff your golf shoes.

11. Norwegian royal name: OLAV. Ya Sure.

12. Desperate, as straits: DIRE.

13. Char on a grill: SEAR. Add an S and you have a retail chain that's losing money.

18. Halloween trick alternative: TREAT.

23. Put on the payroll: HIRED. Drank a root beer.

25. In this way: THUS.

28. Alphabetizes, say: SORTS.

29. Time for semiannual clock changes: Abbr.: TWO AM. Our computer and clock radio does it by itself.  We don't get up at 2 am to finish the job.  Next morning works.

30. __ Gay: WWII bomber: ENOLA. A B-29 named after the pilot's mom.  I was born after WWII. However my parents and history teachers taught me enough. I cannot applaud what our government ordered on that day in 1945. 

31. Vowels after zetas: ETAS.

32. British nobleman: EARL. Duke outranks Earl.

33. Facebook thumbs-up: LIKE.

34. Part of MFA: ARTS.

35. Borscht basic: BEET. I like beets, but they can add to your blood sugar.

36. Partner of "done with": OVER. Reminds me of Peter Graves in "Airplane".  The opening scene was filmed at MSP Airport.

40. Relay stick: BATON. Olympics are two short years away!

41. Brake rotor: DISC.

43. Nightlife sign's light source: NEON GAS.

44. On the briny: ATSEA.

46. African antelopes: ELANDS.

47. Dorm pal: ROOMIE.

50. Unable to sit still: ANTSY. Named after the New York Football team the GI ANTS.

51. Baseball Hall of Famer Pee Wee: REESE. And a great broadcaster "Holy Cow"!  Who said this first?  Pee Wee or Harry with the glasses. We had a Halsey here that copied them.

52. Tender spots: SORES.

53. Bausch's partner: LOMB.

54. Asia's vastly diminished __ Sea: ARAL. The Aral Sea is not really a sea but more like a lake.  In fact our own Lake Superior is larger than lake Aral.

55. Lie idly (around): LAZE.

56. Periodical with a URL: E-MAG.  I never saw an E-MAG and I never hope to read one.  But I can tell you anyhow, I'd rather see than be one.

57. Reason to study: EXAM.

61. Dockworkers' org.: ILA.

62. Match, as a bet: SEE. That would be in poker, instead of a raise.

Boomer

Tuesday April 17, 2018, Roland Huget

Americans love pets.   They bring us joy and make us laugh with their silly behaviors and antics.  Today Roland brings us the mixed breed.  They were pretty easy to spot. 

Let's call the theme Mutts and Moggies

17. Welcome wind on a hot day: MILD BREEZE.

42. "Best thing since" invention metaphor: SLICED BREAD.

36. Successful cryptographer: CODE BREAKER.

The reveal:
62. Pet without papers ... or what is literally found in the circled letters: MIXED BREED.

Across:

1. Not at all good: EVIL.  Bad to the bone.

5. Piece-of-cake shape: WEDGE.  I wanted slice.  Both wedge and slice are also golf terms.  If you routinely slice your wedge, it's time to see your local PGA teaching professional.  He or she may correct your grip and swing plane.  That should get you back on track, easy as 1-2-3, piece-of-cake. 

10. Tick off: MIFF.  Peeve.

14. Use a surgical beam: LASE.

15. Toward the back: AREAR.  Aftward on a ship.

16. "What I Am" singer Brickell: EDIE.  Trivia fact: Married to Paul Simon.


19. First-rate: A-ONE. Alternatively written as A1.  We see that as the Audi model or the Kraft Steak Sauce and many Other Uses.

Driving fast on the A1.   There's also the A1 autobahn in Germany.  This driver makes the 90 minute drive from Bremen to Hamburg in 42 minutes.  He's driving a BMW 730d, and after the first 11 minutes or so, he pushes it up to and sustains almost 250 klicks per hour.  That's over 150 MPH ! Watch starting at 11:10 after he gets out of the speed-limit zone.    If you really want to see the scenery fly by, change the video playback options to run at 2X speed.    

20. Grab greedily: SNATCH.

21. Brought back to mind: RECALLED.

23. Migratory flying formations: VEEs.

25. Dance move: STEP.

26. Carrots' partners: PEAS. Some things just go together.  Bacon and eggs.  Hugs and kisses.  Tea and biscuits.  Love and marriage. Spaghetti and meatballs. The moon and the stars.  Turkey and dressing.  Fred and Ginger.  Peanut butter and jelly.  Wine and cheese.  Burger and fries.  Rodgers and Hammerstein.   Your turn. 

29. Dangerous tide: RIP.

31. Airing in the wee hours: ON LATE.  Like that pillow guy. 

35. Dr.'s orders: Rxs.  Prescriptions. 

38. Diner: EATER.

40. Cup handle: EAR.

41. Not reactive, as gases: INERT.

45. Untruth: LIE.

46. Walked with purpose: STRODE.

47. Typical John Grisham subject: LAW.

48. Back talk: SASS.

49. Nervous twitches: TICS.

51. Retail center: MART. 

Managed by Apu

53. Cigarette stimulant: NICOTINE.

57. Staggered: REELED.

61. Neutral shade: ECRU.

64. Drop of sorrow: TEAR.

65. Oscar-winning "Skyfall" singer: ADELE.


66. Family babysitter: NANA.

67. Attaches a patch, say: SEWS.

68. Massenet opera about a Spanish legend: LE CID.    Opera lovers like Hahtoolah probably nailed this.

In the early 1600s, French playwright Pierre Corneille wrote the play Le Cid based on the legend of Spanish medieval hero El Cid.  The play was wildly popular, but Corneille took a lot of flak and created quite the stir because he initially wrote the play as both a tragedy and a comedy. That was a big no-no at the time, at least as far as the French cultural authorities were concerned.

In the late 1800s, French composer Jules Massenet turned the play into an opera: Massenet's Le Cid - Synopsis.  Here's audio of Enrico Caruso singing the aria "O souverain, o juge, o père" from Massenet's Le Cid.

Good thing the perps gave me LE, because I would have had EL.

69. Absolut rival: SKYY.   Vodka brands.   Tinbeni gets options ! 

 

Gentleman's Gazette - The Vodka Guide  

Down:

1. O'Neill's "Desire Under the __": ELMS.

2. Fruitless: VAIN.

3. Cuba, por ejemplo: ISLA.  Spanish in the clue, Spanish in the answer.  Or, if you so prefer, the same in Portuguese.

4. Some HD sets: LED TVs.

5. Medal recipient: WAR HERO. 

6. Poetic preposition before "now" or "long": ERE.

7. Animal on XING signs: DEER.   

8. Long looks: GAZES.

9. __ set: building toy: ERECTOR. Inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame in 1988.  Salem, Oregon born inventor, athlete, magician, toy-maker and businessman Alfred Carlton Gilbert is best known as the inventor of the Erector Set.  He also invented the pole vault box.  As an athlete, he set a world record for consecutive chin ups, and then set a world record in pole vault in 1906 while a student at Yale.  He then won a Gold Medal in pole vault at the 1908 Olympics.   He was dubbed by the press as "The Man Who Saved Christmas" after arguing successfully against a ban on toy production in 1918 during World War I.  Source: Wikipedia and acgilbert.org.

10. College student's dining choice: MEAL PLAN. How Not to Blow Your College Meal Plan

11. Singing competition that returned in 2018, familiarly: IDOL.  American Idol.

12. "Okay by me": FINE.  I can usually gauge the mood of my wife based on tone. 

13. Nourish: FEED.

18. Letters in old dates: BCE.   Wikipedia: "...Before the Common or Current Era (BCE)...   In the later 20th century, the use of CE and BCE was popularized in academic and scientific publications, and more generally by authors and publishers wishing to emphasize secularism or sensitivity to non-Christians, by not explicitly referencing Jesus as "Christ" and Dominus ("Lord") through use of the abbreviation "AD"..."

22. Virgil epic: AENEID. Oh man.  Not my cuppa.  Here goes:  Epic poem of myth and legend written by the ancient Roman poet Virgil.  Lots of supernatural meddling and involvement.  The hero is Aeneas.  Leads other Trojans as they sail to Italy, escaping Troy after the Greeks attacked.  Spartans and Trojans didn't get along at the time.  Perils along the way.  They make it.  Build a city that generations later becomes Rome. Wins battles.  Gets hindered and helped by the gods at many turns.  Sounds like George Lucas and Star Wars to me, but I've never seen that movie either.  How did I do Misty ?  I'll take the D+ and move on.

24. Flip of a 45 record: SIDE B.

26. Defensive basketball tactic: PRESS. Short for pressure.  The team without the ball (the defense) tries to pressure the offense into making a mistake and causing the offense to lose possession of the ball.  The change of (ball) possession is known as a turnover, and is the primary goal of the press. 

27. Praise highly: EXALT.

28. Up and about: ASTIR.

30. Oyster jewel: PEARL.

32. Cub Scout leader: AKELA.  The leader and guide for Cub Scouts on the advancement trail. Borrowed from Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book as a symbol of wisdom, authority and leadership.  scouting.org, cubscouts.org, wikipedia.

33. Hatcher and Garr: TERIs.

34. Some Deco prints: ERTEs.   Russian-born  Romain de Tirtoff was known by the pseudonym "Erté",  from the French pronunciation of his initials.

36. College transcript unit: CREDIT.

37. Silvery freshwater fish: BREAM.

39. Nature excursions: ECOTOURS. Ecological tourism. 

43. Dot between dollars and cents: DECIMAL.

44. Given, as a medal: AWARDED.

48. Rudder locales: STERNS. Aft-most.  Spitzboov would know all these terms, and more !

50. Snarky: SNIDE.

52. Yank's war foe: REB. Yankees and Rebels in the U.S. Civil War.  Generally, northerners and southerners.  How much southern blood does your speech show ?  Take this test.

53. Earns after taxes: NETS.

54. Slushy drink brand: ICEE.  Apu sells a similar product called Squishee at Kwik-E-Mart.

55. Avian crop: CRAW.  Merriam-Webster definitions:

• Avian: of, relating to, or derived from birds
• Crop: a pouched enlargement of the esophagus of many birds that serves as a receptacle for food and for its preliminary maceration; also : an enlargement of the digestive tract of another animal (such as an insect)
• Craw: The crop of a bird or insect.

56. Boardroom VIP: EXEC.

58. Security breach: LEAK.

59. Counting rhyme word: EENY.

60. June 6, 1944: D-DAY.

63. Collegian who roots for the Bulldogs: ELI.

A Yale University student is often called an Eli or a Yalie. The athletic teams of Yale are the Bulldogs.

Handsome Dan is the name of the actual bulldog that  serves as the mascot.
Iteration Number 18 is now serving.

Good boy.



Here's the grid:

See all y'all later n'at !

Friday, March 16, 2018, Roland Huget

Title: Bassackwards.

Roland presents a challenging workout, with a classic theme that I have seen in a few Sunday puzzles, where you generally have a title rather than a reveal. A quick look at the record books shows this PUZZLE from the pre-Will Shortz NY Times. That cluing was much easier. The most impressive thing about this version is that Roland took two single words- SHORTSTOP + OVERHEADS and made them two-word themers and took 2 two word phrases and made them a single word. Then we have the rest of the puzzle. Triple stacks of 7 letter down fill with many of the words very sparkly such as ALANINE, ENTOMBS, HABITAT, JOCKEYS, MORTARS, NAIROBI, ONE COAT, SCABBED, SHYSTER, USER FEE, WALKURE as well as E-TICKETS and ICE SKATE. This took me longer than most Fridays. YMMV.

17A. *Prepares to pass the football: BACKDROPS (9). A quarterback DROPS BACK to pass. LINK.

21A. *Baseball position: STOP SHORT (9). A SHORTSTOP is placed between 2nd and third base. LINK.

38A. *Strokes in tennis: HEADS OVER (9). OVERHEADS are the smash of tennis. LINK.

59A. *Basketball strategy: BREAKFAST (9). The FAST BREAK is where a team gets a rebound and attempts to make it downcourt before the other team can get back to play defense. LINK.

65A. Fair play? ... or the key to understanding the answers to starred clues: TURNABOUT (9). It can be one or two words. The phrase has been in existence since at least 1755.

Okay now on to some very Friday clues/fill.

Across:

1. Fifth pillar of Islam: HAJJ. If you want more information READ.

5. Puts on a patch, say: SEWS. Does anyone patch clothes anymore?

9. Intestinal tract division: ILEUM. This is the third portion of the small intestine, between the jejunum and the cecum.

14. Moises of the 2002-'04 Cubs: ALOU. He was the outfielder in the famous Bartmann Cubs loss to the Marlins and he was a very good PLAYER as well as being related to the Alou brothers- dad Felipe,  uncle Matty and uncle Jesus.

15. Card in a baby straight: TREY. Baby straight:  ace, deuce, trey, four and five.

16. Playground retort: CAN SO. Cannot.

19. Butyl acetate, e.g.: ESTER.  I will let our scientist handle this one. Chemistry.

20. Graphic novel artist: INKER. The page is drawn in pencil, then the lines inked, colored and the talk bubbles lettered. 4 people plus the author and editor.

23. Is connected: TIES IN.

25. Water__: dental brand: PIK.

26. Curator's deg. : MFA. Masters of Fine Arts.

27. Word with idea or luck: ANY. Random.

28. Gaucho's weapon: BOLA. We get this about once a year.

31. Schmoozing sort: GABBER.

33. Hardy heroine: TESS. d'Urbervilles.

35. Sweeping: VAST.

37. Shocks, in a way: TASES.

41. Uppity sort: SNOOT. So - informal: a person who shows contempt for those considered to be of a lower social class.

44. Hospital fluids: SERA.

45. Hair adornments: BOWS.

49. Aerobic regime, familiarly : CARDIO.

51. Many a Black Friday worker: TEMP.

53. Casual negative: NAH.

54. First _ _: AID.

55. Two-timer: CAD.

57. 100 percent: PURELY. Not 99 and 44/100 percent?

63. Big haulers: MACKS. The trucks.  For SALE in Miami.

64. Comedic pianist Victor: BORGE. So entertaining.

67. "Sneak Previews" co-host: EBERT. It started more than 40 years ago. LINK.

68. Niagara Falls source: ERIE. A CSO to Abejo and others.

69. Empty: BARE. This came to mind.
Old Mother Hubbard
Went to the cupboard,
To give the poor dog a bone;
But when she came there
The cupboard was bare,
And so the poor dog had none.

70. Pranks: DIDOS. 1.  a mischievous or capricious act: prank, antic —often used in the phrase cut didoes. Not a word I remember.

71. It may be payable monthly: DEBT.

72. Bodily passage: ITER. Anatomy. 1. a canal or passage.

Down:

1. Natural environment: HABITAT. Also the chosen name for Habitat for Humanity.

2. Amino acid used in protein biosynthesis: ALANINE. More CHEMISTRY that I have forgotten or never knew.

3. Derby VIPs: JOCKEYS. Both in Kentucky and the ORIGINAL race.

4. Diner devices, familiarly: JUKES. Jukeboxes. Did you know restaurants are supposed to pay mechanical rights to the publishers? The LAW.

5. Orch. section: STRing.

6. Piccadilly Circus statue: EROS.

7. Turned on the waterworks: WEPT.

8. Network admin: SYSOP. While it was an abbreviation, it may no longer be one - LINK.

9. One of many seen at the NCAA's Frozen Four: ICESKATE. The hockey version.

10. Mascara target: LASH.

11. Puts to rest: ENTOMBS.

12. Cover charge relative: USER FEE.

13. Pestle partners: MORTARS.

18. Smidgen: DRIB. Dribs and drabs.

22. Barnyard rooter: PIG.

24. Stellar phenomenon: NOVA.

29. Fellows: LADS.

30. Corporate machinery, e.g.: ASSET.

32. Caustic remark: BARB.

34. Like racehorses: SHOD. Clecho with...

36. Went like racehorses: TORE.

39. Modern concert conveniences: E-TICKETS.

40. Mae West persona: VAMP.

41. Crossed a picket line: SCABBED. I do not like this as verb.

42. Capital east of Lake Victoria: NAIROBI. You might want to go, use this TRAVEL GUIDE.

43. Requested at a drive-thru: ORDERED.

46. Primer application: ONE COAT. Not necessarily. READ.

47. Wagner's "Die __": WALKURE. It is pronounced like Valkurey (Valkyrie) a gimme for our German speakers.

48. Lawyer to avoid: SHYSTER. More German: mid 19th century: origin uncertain; perhaps related to German Scheisser ‘worthless person.'

50. Clumsy one: OAF.

52. Big cat: PUMA. We have them in Florida. They are endangered,  they arecommonly known as the cougar, mountain lion, puma, panther, native to the Americas.

56. Old hat: DATED.

58. Religious leader: RABBI.

60. Prefix with industry: AGRO.

61. Unwavering: SURE.

62. Salt Lake daily, familiarly: TRIB. The daily TRIBUNE.

66. Realize: NET. How much profit did you realize?

Well, I profited from another entertaining Friday presentation from Roland and have enjoyed unraveling the theme - easy; the fill - not so much. Hope you all enjoyed and thanks for stopping by. Lemonade out.

Notes from C.C.:

I was not able to talk to Argyle yesterday. He is still out of it due to pain meds, but he's stable.

Several have asked me about where to send the get-well cards to Argyle, here is his home address. 

 
Argyle will be in the hospital for a few days, so Agnes (best wishes to your brother Jack!) helped me get the hospital address:

D. Scott Nichols
Saratoga Hospital

211 Church St.

Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Thank you for your kindness, prayers and thoughts. I just cannot stop sobbing after learning his surgery.

Wednesday, February 7 2018, Roland Huget

Theme: BUY A VOWEL

17. Super-fun experience : BANGUP TIME

24. Certain baby tiger : BENGAL CUB

35. Cramming three seasons into a weekend, say : BINGE WATCHING

48. Salsa percussion instrument : BONGO DRUM

57. Securing strap : BUNGEE CORD

Melissa here. Vowel progression theme, with a few unknowns (for me).

Across:

1. Curve on a slalom, e.g. : ESS

4. Frugal folks : SAVERS. Anyone remember Jeff Smith, The Frugal Gourmet? He always said that frugal did not necessarily mean "cheap," but that you use everything and are careful with your time as well as with your food products. I miss the early cooking shows without all the absurd game-show antics.

10. Sea devastated by irrigation projects : ARAL

14. "Something tells __ should've stayed in bed" : ME I

15. Brunch staple : OMELET

16. Walk worriedly : PACE

19. Tolkien beasts : ORCS

20. Concrete strengtheners : REBARS

21. German auto pioneer : DAIMLER. Unknown for me. Wikipedia.

23. Junior or senior : YEAR

26. Grandmotherly type : OLD DEAR. As a grandmother, I don't love this clue ;).

29. Sarge's superior : LOOIE. Did not know this spelling.

30. Stand behind : ENDORSE

34. Rural stopover : INN

39. A pop : PER

40. Contemptuous one : SNEERER

41. Wolf pack member : U-BOAT

44. Natural night lights : AURORAS

52. Crowe's "A Beautiful Mind" role : NASH. Based on the book by the same name. Died in 2015.

53. Remove field heat from before storage, as crops : PRECOOL. Okay.

54. Japanese faith : SHINTO

56. Like cotton candy : SPUN

59. Owned : HELD

60. Horseshoes score : LEANER

61. Short-lived obsession : FAD

62. Neighborhood : AREA

63. Make certain : ENSURE

64. Trout lure : FLY

Down:

1. Developmental stage : EMBRYO

2. Sargasso wriggler : SEA EEL

3. Nautical stage name of comedian David Adkins : SINBAD

 
4. Lemony cocktail : SOUR

5. Rock concert gear : AMPS

6. Zoo staffer : VET

7. Slur over : ELIDE

8. Hire a new crew for : REMAN

9. "Shrek!" author William : STEIG

10. Historic Harlem theater : APOLLO. Has anyone else rubbed the wood?

11. Treasury collectible : RARE COIN

12. Accumulating, as interest : ACCRUING

13. "__ Miz" : LES

18. Source of tomatoes for homemade sauce : GARDEN

22. Bad beginning? : MAL

24. "Iron Chef Showdown" host Alton : BROWN

25. "Big" London attraction : BEN

27. ESL part: Abbr. : ENG

28. Citrus drinks : ADES

31. "Is This Love" singer Corinne Bailey __ : RAE

32. Power source : STEAM

33. Sandy-colored : ECRU

35. 1940s jazzman : BEBOPPER. Sneaky clue.

36. Totalitarian control : IRON RULE

37. Naval pronoun : HER

38. Having a twist : IRONIC

39. Happy hour site : PUB

42. It may form the outline for a meeting's minutes : AGENDA

43. Front-of-bk. list : TOC

45. Skedaddled : RAN OFF

46. Celestial : ASTRAL

47. Substandard : SHODDY

49. Paso __: two-step dance : DOBLE.

50. City where Joan of Arc died : ROUEN

51. Arm bones : ULNAS

54. Crystal ball reader : SEER

55. Where you are, on a mall map : HERE

56. __ Na Na : SHA

58. Bearded grazer : GNU

Note from C.C.:

Here is a wonderful article about the cause our dear Melissa has been working on tirelessly the past few years. Talk about personal sacrifice. She's just amazing!

Wednesday, January 24, 2018 Roland Huget

Theme: A GOOD CLIP.  Indicating a non-specific, but rapid rate of motion.

21 A. Fast clip around the racetrack : BLISTERING PACE.  A very fast horse.

40 A. Fast clip from the pitcher's mound : DIZZYING VELOCITY.  A 100+ mph fast ball

60 A. Fast clip down the slopes : BREAKNECK SPEED.  Downhill ski race.

Consider this -

Sails at a good CLIP

Or this -

Yankee Clipper

On the other hand  .  .  .

Pro tip: Avoid a bad clip

Here we get the theme continuity from the clues rather than the fill.  Not a common approach, but you'll see it once in a while.  Long theme fill, with a grid spanner in the middle.  Not a lot else to say.  Each two-word entry indicates extremely fast motion in a sports context.

Hi gang, JzB here.  Never known for my speed.  This time I swear to give you today's puzzle, the whole of today's puzzle, and nothing but today's puzzle - or help me, 'cuz I'll need it.  Let's proceed at whatever pace you find comfortable, and see what else we can catch up with.

Across

1. Filet mignon source : LOIN.  A superior cut of beef.

The tenderloin is found along both sides of the spine

5. __ price : ASKING.  What the seller desires.

11. Ran together : BLED.  As of patterns on a dyed cloth.

15. Actress Paquin of Netflix's "Alias Grace" : ANNA.

Bio

16. Tremble : SHIVER.  Quake.

17. Slick : OILY.  Slippery or lubed, literally or figuratively.

18. Team first managed by Casey Stengel : METS.  Casey had previously managed the Yankees for many years. My favorite baseball trivia question: What was Casey Stengel doing in 1927 when Babe Ruth of the Yankees hit 60 home runs?  [Answer at the bottom.]

19. Volcanic archipelago state : HAWAII.  Everybody knows this - right?

20. Eyelid bump : STYE.  A painful bacterial infection of an oil gland in the eyelid.

24. Internet subdivision : DOMAIN.   An identifying web address.

25. Feathered layer : HEN. Of eggs.

26. USPS assignment : RTE.  Route.

29. Eagerly took in : ATE UP.  Literally or figuratively

30. Flutist of Greek myth : PAN.  Half man, half goat, Pan is the god of the wild, fields, fertility and Spring, and companion of the nymphs.   Apollo made better music on his lyre - and that's the truth!

33. Romanov rulers : TSARS.  Russian royalty.

35. Classic shoe polish brand : SHINOLA.   You know from SHINOLA - right?  What you might not know it that the brand name now belongs to a Detroit company that makes high-end watches, bicycles, jewelry, leather goods and accessories.

39. Surmounting : ATOP.  Straddling, perhaps.

45. "Field of Dreams" setting : IOWA.  Regarding a baseball field in a corn field.

46. Lowered the grade of : DERATED.  As in creditworthiness.

47. Take potshots : SNIPE.  With a gun or one's tongue

49. Simple survey answer : YES.  

50. Poetry Muse : ERATO.  Her name comes from the same root as erotic, and indicates beauty and desirability.

55. Own, to Burns : HAE.   I guess this means "have" in highland dialect.

56. Craven of horror : WES. The director who brought us Freddie Krueger of Elm Street fame, The Hills Have Eyes, etc.

59. Mental haze : STUPOR.  Confusion.

65. "Toodles!" : CIAO.  Greeting or parting word from an old Italian root meaning "I am your slave."

67. Evening get-together : SOIREE.  From SOIR, the French word for evening.

68. One-named Deco artist : ERTE.  Romain de Tiroff.  ERTE is the French pronunciation of his initials - and mine.

69. Curved paths : ARCS.  Observable with baseballs, footballs, basketballs, tennis balls, and golf balls.

70. There for the __: easy to get : TAKING.   Come and get it.

71. Plug-in vehicle, briefly : E-CAR.  Electric powered conveyance.

72. Chinese toy : PEKE.  Small dog variety, not a child's plaything.  Take your pick.

73. Comes down hard? : SLEETS.  Frozen rain does this.  Clever clue and an unpleasantly chilly experience.

74. Dines : SUPS.  Eats supper.  Or dinner.  You decide.

Down

1. Greek letter whose lowercase indicates wavelength : LAMBDA.  Uppercase Λ, lowercase λ.

Mandatory nerd joke:  Q: What's 𝛎? A:  C/ λ, same as always. 
[Translated: Q: What's new (nu, frequency)? A: The speed of light / the wave length.]

2. Developer's unit : ONE LOT.  A plot in a plat.

3. Early enough : IN TIME. Or ON TIME.

4. Bahamian capital : NASSAU. Or a town on Long Island.

5. Pale as a ghost : ASHEN.  Wan.

6. __-Pei: wrinkly dog : SHAR.

Iron deficiency?

7. Fuzzy fruit : KIWI.

8. "Ghostbusters" director Reitman : IVAN.

9. Secretariat utterance? : NEIGH.  Secretariat was an American thoroughbred race horse that in 1983 became the first triple crown winner in 25 years.

10. Complaint : GRIPE.  Grouse.

11. Anjou kin : BOSC.  A pair of pears.

12. Intelligentsia : LITERATI.  Specifically those with an interest in literature.

13. English cathedral town : ELY.   This town is about 80 miles north of London.  The church community dates back to the 7th century, with the present building dating from the 11th century.

14. Easter egg dip : DYE.   To color the shells.

22. A bit buzzed : TIPSY.  From imbibing alcohol.

23. Aardvark snack : ANT.  Or termite.

27. Bouncy gait : TROT.  A horse's or person's rapid stride.  Less than a CLIP, though, I'm guessing.

28. Best Game or Best Play : ESPY. Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award, granted by ABC Sports, and previously by ESPN, to recognize outstanding individual and team achievements.

30. Christmas candle scent : PINE.

31. Fit to be tied : ANGRY.  Feeling choler.

32. Super stars? : NOVAE.  A super NOVA is a transient astronomic event in the last stages of a star's evolution that involves catastrophic destruction via a huge explosion.  NOVAE is the plural.  Clever clue.

34. Plant pouch : SAC.  Animals have them, too.

36. Put out of sight : HID.

37. "I'm game" : LET'S do it.




38. Newcastle Brown brew : ALE.  A decent brown ale produced by Heineken.

40. Wolfgang Puck creation : DISH.  As in entree, not a piece of porcelain dinner ware.

41. New Rochelle college : IONA. Affiliated with the Congregation of Christian Brothers, locared 20 miles north of Manhattan in Westchester County.

42. Twice-baked bread : ZWIEBACK.  Here in MI, it's Trenary Toast, from the U. P.

43. Hit with a laser : ZAP.  or warm in a microwave oven.

44. "Awake and Sing!" playwright : ODETS.

48. Farm mom : EWE.

51. "Slumdog Millionaire" money : RUPEES.  Indian currency.

52. Brief summary : APERCU.  It should make an illuminating of amusing point.  From the French verb meaning "to percieve."

53. Line dance step : TOE TAP.

54. Military instructions : ORDERS.

57. Bridge seats : EASTS.  Bridge table locations are indicated North, South, EAST and West.  In a tournament, there are several tables.  The N-S pair stays put, while the E-W pair travel in one direction and the pre--dealt cards travel the other way.

58. Scandinavian toast : SKOAL.  Traces back to an Old Norse word meaning "bowl."   Possibly filled with brown ale.

59. Surfboard stabilizers : SKEGS.  A SKEG is a fin underneath the rear of the board.

61. Got up : ROSE.

62. "Just do it" brand : NIKE.  Athletic shoes.

63. Niagara Falls source : ERIE.  Ohio's great lake.

64. Penny : CENT.  One hundredth of a dollar.

65. Ballplayer's hat : CAP.

66. Choler : IRE. Ill humor.

This was not a speed run for me.  How about you?

In 1927, when Yankee great George Herman [Babe] Ruth hit a record-setting 60 ARCS into the outfield seats, Charles Dillon [Casey] Stengel was in my home town managing the Toledo Mud Hens.  Stengel went on to manage the Yankees from 1949 to 1960.  The following year, when Roger Maris hit 61 home runs, the Yankees manager way Ralph Houk.  Stengel managed the Mets from 1962 to 1965.

In those days I was a Yankee fan.  Forgive me, I was young and didn't know any better.

Cool regards!
JzB