Tuesday, October 24 2017, C.C. Burnikel

Theme: SEEING RED

59. Showing embarrassment ... or what the circles in three puzzle answers are literally doing : TURNING RED

18. Big commotion : HURLY BURLY. RUBY

28. It has only two possible answers : YES OR NO QUESTION. ROSE

46. Start of a teaching moment from grandpa : WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE. WINE

Melissa here. The "TURNING" made me expect an anagram - but after the first two circled answers were filled that was clearly not it. Turns out (see what I did there?), the circled letters, read backwards (turned), spell different shades of RED. So SLY, our C.C.

Across         

1. eBay sale condition : AS IS. Not USED.

5. Nasal spray, e.g. : MIST

9. Guiding values of a group : ETHOS. Not ETHIC.

14. Funnyman Jay : LENO

15. Actress Falco of "Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders" : EDIE

16. Bench-clearing fight : BRAWL

17. Indonesian resort island : BALI

20. Assists with a felony : ABETS

22. River near the Egyptian pyramids : NILE

23. Podcast interruptions : ADS

24. Taxable profit : NET GAIN

26. Julep ingredient : MINT. Traditionally served in a silver cup. History.

33. Enjoy a pizza, say : EAT

34. Summer shades : TANS

35. Hosp. diagnostic chamber : MRI

36. Performs like Drake : RAPS

39. Have a bug : AIL

40. Pedal pushers : FEET. Tripped me up, was thinking clothing.

41. Lifeboat mover : OAR

42. Like cellars, typically : DAMP

44. "The Blacklist" government agcy. : FBI. HUAC didn't fit.

52. Australian isl. state : TASM. Tasmania.

53. Chose from a menu : ORDERED

54. Refuse to share : HOG. Amusing clue.

55. Imitated : APED

58. Hindu sage : SWAMI

62. Not much : A BIT

63. Thorny plant : BRIAR

64. Like eyesores : UGLY.

65. Snippet of poetry : LINE

66. Platform for a play : STAGE

67. Get ready for a selfie : POSE

68. __-back: relaxed : LAID

Down

1. Hudson River capital : ALBANY

2. Naval construction worker : SEABEE

3. Shoreline recesses : INLETS

4. "C'est la vie" : SO IT GOES. Makes me think of Linda Ellerbee, her famous sign-off line - and subsequent best-selling memoir. But also Kurt Vonnegut, and Billy Joel.

5. "I'm not impressed" : MEH

6. "Beats me" : I DUNNO

7. iPad voice-activated app : SIRI

8. Reveal : TELL

9. Fade away : EBB

10. One playing hooky : TRUANT

11. Difficulty, with "a" : HARD TIME. Not HARDSHIP.

12. Birds that can rotate their heads about 270 degrees : OWLS

 
13. Sneaky : SLY

19. Red Sea republic : YEMEN

21. Lee of desserts : SARA

25. QB's flub : INT. Not SAC.

27. Magazine unit: Abbr. : ISS

29. Ear cleaners : Q-TIPS

30. Carrier whose largest hub is O'Hare: Abbr. : UAL. The United Airlines stock exchange symbol is UAL, aka United Continental Holdings.

31. Mine extraction : ORE

32. Petty peeve : NIT

36. Information on a Broadway ticket : ROW

37. Satisfied sigh : AAH

38. University of South Africa city : PRETORIA

39. Org. for docs : AMA. Ohhh, doctors, not documents.

40. Computer network security system : FIREWALL

42. Bad-mouth : DIS

43. "Oh, drat!" : AW MAN

44. Word on a gift tag : FOR

45. Future blossoms : BUDS

47. "Get off my back!" : NAG NAG

48. Alpine songs : YODELS

49. "Lawrence of __" : ARABIA

50. The Twins of the Zodiac : GEMINI

51. Worked on text : EDITED

54. Injured : HURT

56. PC key used for scrolling : PGUP

57. "Logically, ... " : ERGO

59. Channel formerly called "Superstation" : TBS

60. Fury : IRE

61. Just For Men product : DYE

Note from C.C.:

Here is a new picture of  Melissa's beautiful granddaughter Jaelyn.  Those eyes!

Tuesday, October 17, 2017, Agnes Davidson & C.C. Burnikel

Theme: Play Fair

17A. Leg-strengthening exercise : CALF RAISE

35A. Aviator's military branch : AIR FORCE

42A. Altercation broken up by bouncers : BAR FIGHT. Not BAR BRAWL


11D. Big eater's fast-food request, maybe : EXTRA FRIES. One letter short of SUPERSIZE ME.

27D. Get the wood-burning stove going : START A FIRE

63A. Equitable treatment ... and what's literally found in each set of circles : FAIR SHAKE. The word SHAKE indicates an anagram.  Another joint effort by two of our own - congratulations!

Across  
      
1. Theater accessory : PROP

5. Home of the Pac-12's Bruins : UCLA

9. Ejects, as lava : SPEWS

14. Deflect, with "off" : FEND

15. Chunk of bacon : SLAB. Anyone else feeling hungry?

16. Like most income : TAXED

19. Prefix with violet : ULTRA

20. "Austin Powers" genre : SPYFI

21. Bath rug : MAT

22. Retired Yankee Jeter : DEREK

23. Suitcase tie-on : ID TAG

25. Supermodel Banks : TYRA

26. Silent speech syst. : ASL. American Sign Language

28. Pig Latin rejection : IX-NAY

30. Advanced lit. degrees : MFAS

33. Something to blow off or let off : STEAM

37. Actress Peeples : NIA

38. Spearheaded : LED

40. Pat softly : DAB

41. Party host's bucketful : ICE. First thought was apples.

45. More likely to be on Santa's good list : NICER

47. Penny-__: trivial : ANTE

48. In flight : ALOFT

50. Madrid mama bear : OSA

51. Swim __: do one full pool circuit : ALAP

53. Penne or ziti : PASTA. Know your pasta shapes.

55. Rapids runners : RAFTS

57. Nervous mannerism : TIC

58. Golden Arches pork sandwich : McRIB. No thanks. I'll stick with the bacon and what's coming up in 7D.


62. Self-storage rentals : UNITS

65. Creepy : EERIE

66. Like __ of sunshine : A RAY

67. All square : EVEN

68. Cleaned with a broom : SWEPT

69. Country's Lovett : LYLE

70. Pants rear : SEAT

Down

1. USMC one-stripers : PFCS. Private First Class.

2. "As ye sow, so shall ye __" : REAP

3. Sole : ONLY. Not LONE.

4. Email attachment format : PDF FILE

5. Country with an eagle on its Great Seal: Abbr. : USA

6. Story's high point : CLIMAX

7. Layered noodle dish : LASAGNA. More noodles. Should have waited for the perp - entered an E at the end first.

8. Distract the security guards for, say : ABET

9. Book-lined room : STUDY

  
10. Sicily's capital : PALERMO

12. Used to be : WERE

13. Mt. Rushmore's state : SDAK

 
18. Free (of) : RID

24. Interval : TIME GAP

25. Ruthless rulers : TYRANTS

26. From Laos, e.g. : ASIAN

29. Help out : AID

31. Capital of Ghana : ACCRA. Good crossword fill.


32. Observe : SEE

34. Woodcutter Baba : ALI

36. J. Edgar Hoover Building org. : FBI

37. Pro hoops gp. : NBA

39. Global shipping company : DHL

43. Sharpie feature : FELT TIP

44. Horticultural art : TOPIARY

46. Athletic instructors : COACHES

49. Spa beauty treatment : FACIAL

52. Valuable holding : ASSET

54. Many corp. logos : TMS. Trademarks.


55. Regrets : RUES

56. Once again : ANEW

57. Giant in nonstick pans : T-FAL

59. "Don't miss it" review : RAVE

60. Swedish furniture maker : IKEA

61. Like knees when squatting : BENT

64. Manhattan whiskey : RYE

Melissa

Tuesday, October 10, 2017 ~ Samuel A. Donaldson

Theme: Homophones. Five of them; enough for a limerick, eh?

17A. Legendary terror of the deep: SEA MONSTER

36A. Honor roll student's disappointment: C-PLUS

54A. "Doesn't matter to me": "SEE IF I CARE"

11D. "Forget You" singer who was a coach on "The Voice": CEE LO GREEN

27D. "Aye, lass," in Acapulco: "SI, SENORITA"

Argyle here. That last one; I picture Scotty from Star Trek beamed down into Mexico. A nice mix of wheelhouses in a classic pinwheel grid. Several CSO's.

Across:

1. Pet adoption agcy.: SPCA. (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)

5. West Indies tribe for which a sea is named: CARIB. Doubling the ending 'b' of Carib and adding -ean makes it an adjective, Caribbean Sea, as well as a noun.

10. "Rhyme Pays" rapper: ICE-T. This is the intro to his "Rhyme Pays" album, here.(6:30)

14. Boxers Laila and Muhammad: ALIs

15. Carne __: burrito filling: ASADA

16. Benelux country: Abbr.: NETH. (Netherlands) Benelux is the union Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

19. __ blocker: BETA

20. Action hero Jason in three Ludlum novels: BOURNE. The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum

21. Swedish vodka brand: ABSOLUT

23. Material: CLOTH

25. Prefix with space: AERO

26. "__ the Sheriff": Clapton hit: I SHOT. Live(8:28)

28. Under threat: IN DANGER

32. Like most people: ASIAN

33. Comic's perch: STOOL

34. Label for Elvis: RCA

35. "Supervixens" director Meyer: RUSS. Sexploitation films.

37. Fashion line: SEAM. Easy to overthink it.

38. Author's ending?: IZE. (authorize) Good misdirection.

39. Celebrated chef Ducasse: ALAIN. French.

40. Copycats: APERS

41. Lovers of wordplay: PUNSTERS

43. Get big on Twitter: TREND

44. Gumbo pod: OKRA

45. Sierra Nevada lake: TAHOE

47. Ginger's "Gilligan's Island" hutmate: MARY ANN. (Dawn Wells)

50. Repaired, as a fence: MENDED

53. Awesome, nowadays: EPIC

57. Old film dog: ASTA. (Skippy)

58. "Family Matters" misfit: URKEL. (Jaleel White)

59. Mirror shape: OVAL

60. Quantum movement?: LEAP. It was a TV Series (1989–1993).

61. Body of verse: POESY

62. Sunday benches: PEWS

Down:

1. Airline to Oslo: SAS. (Originally an abbreviation of its former name Scandinavian Airlines System or legally Scandinavian Airlines System Denmark–Norway–Sweden)

2. Working-class Roman: PLEB

3. Padua parting: "CIAO"

4. Even though: AS MUCH AS

5. Lacks what it takes to: CANNOT

6. Equipment, in a ledger: ASSET

7. Lab rodent: RAT

8. Brainstorm: IDEA

9. Rihanna's home country: BARBADOS. Rihanna, is a Barbadian singer, songwriter, and actress.

10. Congenital: INBORN. (existing from birth)

12. Caesar's last question: "ET TU?"

13. The one over there: THAT

18. Lightweight synthetic: ORLON

22. Elite Navy fighter: SEAL. ((SEa, Air, and Land))

24. Names given to an assassin: HIT LIST

26. Rodeo automaker: ISUZU

29. Sentence subject, usually: NOUN

30. Birthday greeting opened with a click: E-CARD

31. Ewes' guys: RAMS

32. Give it __: swing hard: A RIP

33. Prep for fight night: SPAR

36. Tidies: CLEANS UP

37. Radar gun user: SPEED COP. Not a term I'm familiar with.

39. Big name in razors: ATRA

40. Rice-__: A-RONI. The San Francisco treat!

42. Airport porter: SKYCAP

43. 1986 horror film in which a man becomes an insect: THE FLY. I liked the 1958 version better.

46. Female French friends: AMIEs

47. Repast: MEAL

48. Church area behind an altar: APSE

49. Detective Wolfe: NERO

51. Roof overhang: EAVE

52. Sketch: DRAW

55. Just get (by): EKE

56. Golf Hall of Famer Ernie: ELS

Argyle

Tuesday, October 3, 2017 ~ Roland Huget

Theme: Let's Make A Deal!

42D. "Agreed!" ... and what can be said about the start of the answers to starred clues: "IT'S A DEAL!"

17A. *Boot camp newbie: RAW RECRUIT. Raw deal.

66A. *Defensible alibi: GOOD EXCUSE. Good deal.

11D. *Grand scheme of things: BIG PICTURE. Big deal.

29D. *It may be rational, in math: REAL NUMBER. Real deal.

Argyle here, dealing from the top of the deck. Roland makes a rare trip to the start of the week. It is a pinwheel but then again, it sort of looks like a Q.

Across:

1. Carpet thickness: PILE

5. Crowbar, basically: LEVER

10. Vanishing ski lift: T-BAR. More accurate than yesterday's clue.

14. Preemptive rescue op: EVAC. (Evacuation) Is the hurricane season over?

15. Wear down: ERODE

16. MasterCard rival: VISA

19. Not fer: AGIN. For and against.

20. Slap in the face: INSULT

21. Play the hand you were dealt: STAND PAT. 36-A. Starts the kitty: ANTEs

23. Smooth engine sound: [HUM]

25. __-Locka, Florida: OPA. Opa-tisha-wocka-locka (Seminole)

                               Historic City Hall.

26. Aetna's bus.: INS. (insurance)

27. Michelin product: CAR TIRE

31. Ancient vase in a museum, say: RELIC

33. Fuel-efficient Chevy: AVEO

34. Physics work unit: ERG. The erg is a unit of energy and work equal to 10−7 joules.

39. Truth stretcher: LIAR directly above 44-A. Untrue: FALSE

40. Nebula Award genre: SCI-FI. Awarded for the best science fiction or fantasy works of the previous calendar year.

43. Undiluted: PURE

46. Acquired: GOT

47. __ Minor: Little Bear: URSA

48. Chinese menu promise: NO MSG. (MonoSodium Glutamate)

51. Company co-founded by J.P. Morgan: US STEEL. Founded: 1901 by Andrew Carnegie, J. P. Morgan, Charles M. Schwab, Elbert Henry Gary.

53. "The Simpsons" disco guy: STU

55. Sport-__: 4 x 4: UTE. A utility vehicle.

56. 90 deg. at the North Pole, e.g.: LAT. (latitude)

57. Overly long and generally unproductive activity: TIME SINK. Related to "fun sponge"?

60. One of Santa's reindeer: DASHER. Time to start getting them back into shape.

65. "SOS" pop group: ABBA

68. Baked desserts: PIEs

69. Latest craze: MANIA

70. Ointment additive: ALOE

71. Tortoise racer: HARE

72. Spiritual guardian: ANGEL

73. Identity hider: MASK

Down:

1. Prefix with scope: PERI

2. Hall of Fame catcher Rodriguez: IVAN. Iván Rodríguez, "Pudge". In his career, he played for the Texas Rangers, Florida Marlins, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Houston Astros and Washington Nationals. Wikipedia

3. Newton's motion trio: LAWS

4. Color of raw silk: ECRU

5. Professors' talks: LECTURES

6. Boot the ball: ERR

7. "Parlez-__ français?": VOUS. "Do you speak French?"

8. Manuscript fixer: EDITOR

9. Make another recording of: RETAPE. This is as dated as the T-bar.

10. Promo on the tube: TV AD

12. From China, say: ASIAN

13. Tirades: RANTS

18. Pre-college, briefly: ELHI. Grades 1 to 12. (ELementary and HIgh-school)

22. Simba's playmate: NALA. I'm not lion.

24. Defunct Ford division, for short: MERC. (Mercury)

27. Baby whale: CALF

28. Sports shoe brand: AVIA

30. Sculptor's subject: TORSO

32. Data to be processed: INPUT

35. Band tour booking: GIG

37. Highland tongue: ERSE

38. Close tightly: SEAL

41. Basketball transgression: FOUL

45. Grounded Aussie birds: EMUs

49. Mark of disgrace: STIGMA

50. Columbus, by birth: GENOAN 

        The Biosphere and the Porto Vecchio in Genoa.

52. Lay's chips-in-a-can brand: STAX. Pringles competition.

53. Dangerous bacterium: STAPH

54. Knee-to-ankle bone: TIBIA

58. Lessen, as pain: EASE

59. Skull Island ape: KONG. (King)

61. Rip-off: SCAM

62. Island dance: HULA

63. Those, in Mexico: ESOS

64. Cause serious nose-wrinkling: REEK

67. Stop working, as an engine: DIE

Argyle

Note from C.C.:

Today dear Santa Argyle wrote his 800th blog post. Day after day, he's here for us. Thank you, Santa.

Tuesday, September 26, 2017 ~ Peter Gordon

Theme: Sing, Sing, Sing! - Three musical numbers from a 1957 Broadway production.

20. Julie Andrews' "The Sound of Music" role: MARIA VON TRAPP

25. Jimmy Fallon hosts it: THE TONIGHT SHOW

43. Avengers member with a patriotic shield: CAPTAIN AMERICA

50. 9/26/1957 Broadway debut featuring the consecutive songs found at the start of 20-Across, the middle of 25-Across and the end of 43-Across: WEST SIDE STORY

Argyle here. The theme was lost on me until I read the full reveal. Clever.

Across:

1. Sales pitch: SPIEL

6. Outback birds: EMUs

10. Sunup: DAWN

14. Café lure: AROMA

15. Clickable webpage word: LINK

16. Home to billions: ASIA

17. Grass shortener: MOWER

18. Apart from that: ELSE

19. Slightly wet: DAMP

23. Risk, e.g.: GAME

24. Healthful berry: ACAI

31. "Homeland" spy org.: CIA. (Central Intelligence Agency) Homeland is a TV series on Showtime and is in its sixth season.

32. Taxi: CAB

33. Nebraska city: OMAHA

34. "Apocalypse Now" setting, familiarly: NAM

35. Gathering for fans of graphic novels, anime, etc.: COMICON. (comic book convention or comic-con)

38. Delivery vehicle: VAN

39. Painting need: BRUSH

41. Microwave: ZAP

42. Valuable rock: ORE

48. Tolstoy's Karenina: ANNA. 864 pages; too late for a summer read.

49. Dutch cheese: EDAM

55. With 50-Down, tightrope walker's place: HIGH. 50-Down. See 55-Across: WIRE

56. Oscar winner Kazan: ELIA. Best Director—"Gentleman's Agreement"(1948) and "On the Waterfront"(1955) Also, Academy Honorary Award—Lifetime Achievement(1999)

57. Aquafina rival: EVIAN. Bottled water products; Aquafina - Pepsi, EVIAN - Danone(French)

59. Craving: URGE

60. Accelerates, with "up": REVS

61. Foolish: DIPPY

62. Military meal: MESS. 63. Cafeteria carrier: TRAY. Good pairing.

64. V-formation fliers: GEESE. They are starting to form up now.

Down:

1. "Casablanca" pianist: SAM

2. Formal school dance: PROM

3. Corn Belt state: IOWA

4. Rise into view: EMERGE

5. Cattleman's rope: LARIAT

6. Late morning hr.: ELEVEN AM

7. Venus de __: MILO

8. Disentangle: UNSNAG

9. Quick drawing: SKETCH

10. Arp's art movement: DADAISM. Dada was not so much a style of art like Cubism or Fauvism; it was more a protest movement with an anti-establishment manifesto.

11. Right away, in a memo: ASAP. (as soon as possible)

12. Namby-pamby person: WIMP

13. Midday snooze: NAP

21. Gas brand that had a torch in its logo: AMOCO

22. Florida's Boca __: RATON

25. Pageant winner's crown: TIARA

26. Exaggerate, as a stage role: HAM UP

27. Spanish island in the Mediterranean: IBIZA

28. Devastation that's wreaked: HAVOC

29. Scarlett of Tara: O'HARA. Gone with the Wind

30. Decrease in intensity: WANE

31. "Closing Bell" channel: CNBC. (Originally, the Consumer News and Business Channel.) The show is named after the bell that is rung to signify the end of a trading session.

35. Repetitive shout at a protest: CHANT

36. Required little effort: CAME EASY

37. Newspaper opinion pieces: OP ED's

40. Secret supplies: STASHES

44. Add to text, as a missing letter: INSERT

45. Carpenter, at times: NAILER

46. Suitable for all ages, filmwise: RATED G

47. Apple software for creating videos: iMOVIE

51. Omelet ingredients: EGGS. Gotta break 'em to make an omelet.

52. Prima donna: DIVA

53. Ready for picking: RIPE

54. Toy dog's barks: YAPS

55. Play a kazoo: HUM

58. TV's "Science Guy": NYE

Argyle

Tuesday, September 19 2017, Matthew Sewell

Theme: Fun Fourplay Featuring F. Each theme answer contains four f's.

17. Extemporaneous, as a speech : OFF THE CUFF

27. Appointed White House overseer : CHIEF OF STAFF. This office was created in 1939 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and is responsible for a variety of critical functions in support of the president's work and agenda. From Wikipedia: Chris Whipple, author of The Gatekeepers: How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency, loosely describes the role of a White House chief of staff through his interview with former President Barack Obama: "During the last days of his presidency, Barack Obama observed: 'One of the things I've learned is that the big breakthroughs are typically the result of a lot of grunt work—just a whole lot of blocking and tackling.' Grunt work is what chiefs of staff do."

49. Laundry service option : FLUFF AND FOLD

64. Beanstalk giant's chant : FEE FI FO FUM

40. Not suitable for military service ... or an apt description of 17-, 27-, 49- and 64-Across : FOUR F 

 Across:     

1. "More or less" suffix : ISH

4. Rose and fell on the waves : BOBBED

10. Tax pros : CPA'S. Certified Public Accountant's.

14. Cohort of Larry and Curly : MOE

15. Not widely understood : ARCANE

16. Boffo review : RAVE. Wasn't sure if Boffo was good or bad, had to wait for the V to fill in. "Boffo: (of a theatrical production or movie, or a review of one) very successful or wholeheartedly commendatory.

19. Theater honor : OBIE

20. "Firework" singer Perry : KATY

21. Near-perfect bridge feat : SMALL SLAM. Cards. Not being a bridge player this was lost on me.

23. Amigo : PAL

26. Liam of "Michael Collins" : NEESON

32. __ Vegas : LAS

33. Peaceful : CALM

34. Dalai Lama's homeland : TIBET. Richard Gere reveals how suporting Tibet turned his career.

38. Planets, in poems : ORBS

43. Thick book : TOME

44. Salami type : GENOA

46. Nevada senator Harry : REID

48. Red wine choice, for short : ZIN

53. '60s dance craze : WATUSI

55. Opus __: "The Da Vinci Code" sect : DEI

56. DJ known for playing novelty tunes : DR DEMENTO

59. Surrealist Salvador : DALI. Scene from Midnight in Paris, with Adrian Brody as Salvador Dali. 

63. Geological age : AEON

67. Unclothed : BARE

68. Like bears : URSINE

69. Alias, on police blotters : AKA

70. List of appts. : SKED. Shortened version of the word "schedule."

71. English writer Edward Bulwer-__ : LYTTON. New to me. A bit obscure for a Tuesday. Born in 1858.

72. "Oedipus __" : REX
 

Down:

1. "Didn't hurt a bit!" : I'M OK

2. Living room seat : SOFA

3. Lift with effort : HEFT

4. Scoff from Scrooge : BAH

5. Calif. neighbor : ORE

6. Covertly sends an email dupe to : BCC'S. Blind Carbon Copy.

7. "The Wizard of Oz" author : BAUM

8. __ terrible: difficult child, in French : ENFANT

9. Rid of parasites, as a dog : DE-FLEA

10. Multi-discipline strength-training program : CROSSFIT. So popular.

11. Painter Picasso : PABLO. More Midnight in Paris.

12. Like many nest-builders : AVIAN

13. Look (like) : SEEM

18. Tap out a text, say : TYPE

22. Departed : LEFT

24. N.Y. Jets' org. : AFC

25. Bread shape : LOAF. Never thought of loaf as a shape, but it makes sense.

27. Bathtub blockage : CLOG

28. Cocksure Aesopian racer : HARE. Like this clue.

29. Library ID : ISBN

30. Mel's Diner waitress : FLO

 
31. Blue toon : SMURF

35. Memorable clown : BOZO

36. Disney's "__ and the Detectives" : EMIL

37. See to : TEND

39. Began to melt : SOFTENED

41. Stephen of "Michael Collins" : REA

42. Locate : FIND

45. Grad : ALUM

47. Pres. before JFK : DDE

50. Beneficial : USEFUL

51. Fancy duds : FINERY. "All the lovely ladies in their finery tonight ..."

"... to every man who answers to the letter of the law, and all the rest in prison by mistake ..."

52. Pal of Rover : FIDO

53. Perpetrate, as havoc : WREAK

54. Love to pieces : ADORE

56. Pats gently : DABS

57. Exam : TEST

58. "Think nothing __" : OF IT

60. Many miles off : AFAR

61. "Use the Force, __" : LUKE

62. Big-screen format : IMAX

65. Masculine Italian suffix with bamb- : INO

66. Marshland : FEN

Note from C.C.:

Melissa's beautiful granddaughter Jaelyn turned one-year-old on August 18, 2017. Here are a few pictures.