Tuesday, April 3, 2018 Evan Mahnken

Enclosed ORBs !

Fooled me with the first two starred clues.  Thought the theme would be Sci-fi related.

18A. *Sci-fi energy ray that grabs ships : TRACTOR BEAM

3D. *Sci-fi classic featuring Robby the Robot : FORBIDDEN PLANET

8D. *Vessels pulling water-skiers : MOTOR BOATS

11D. *Sign outside a new store : OPEN FOR BUSINESS

28D. *Unable to tell red from green, say : COLOR BLIND

Tying the starred clues together, we get a great hint...      

59A. Small, influential group ... and a hint to the word hidden in each answer to a starred clue : INNER CIRCLE

We welcome Evan Mahken on his Los Angeles Times Crossword debut !   Read more about Evan in this article.    Well done young man !

ACROSS:
       
1. Sound from Rover : ARF

4. Quite anxious : ALARMED

11. Canada's most populous prov. : ONTario.  Help me out here Canadian Eh.  According to what I've read on the internet, Ontario has a 2018 population estimate of over 14 million, and half of them are on the 401 at any point in time. 

14. Corporate VIP : CEO. Chief Executive Officer.

15. Pudding choice : TAPIOCA.  "Thanks, but none for me. Thank you for asking."

16. Canada's least populous prov. : PEI.  Prince Edward Island.  Approx. 150,000 people in an area of about 2900 sq. miles, which is slightly larger in land area than Delaware.  Nearby Naperville, IL has a similar population in about 39 sq. miles.  Anonymous T's brother lives in Naperville. Chances are that there are more Crossword Corner followers in Naperville than in P.E.I.

17. Mess up : ERR. ''To err is human, to moo is bovine.''  I'm no Bluehen.   I accidentally doused the chicken breasts with balsamic vinegar last week while playing sous chef and prepping for fajitas.  The bottle is similar is shape, size, and label colors to our extra virgin olive oil.  Blotted the breasts off a bit, put on some olive oil, added the chipotle seasoning and then grilled.  That balsamic vinegar definitely added another layer of flavor.

20. Set of guidelines, as for grading papers : RUBRIC.   I'll humbly defer, and ask the distinguished educators on this blog to submit an explanation of rubric in the comments section. 

22. Big stretch of time : EON

23. Pay to play : ANTE

24. Tattle : SNITCH.  "I'm going to tell on you !" 

25. Cheer on : ROOT FOR.  As Yellowrocks would remind us, our language and usage is fluid. "Who do you root for ?" rolls off the tongue.   It is not nearly as formal and stiff sounding as "For whom do you root ?"

27. __ Moines : DES.  Iowa's largest city.  Went there on business.  Nice clean downtown and the people were all friendly.  I left with a positive impression. 

28. Hailed car : CAB

30. Sign before Virgo : LEO.  The Lion.  July 22nd to August 22nd.  That makes DW a Leo, and I just read that Leo's are compatible with Gemini's (me).  Aha ! The pieces of the puzzle are finally coming together. We fit.

31. "Then what happened?" : AND. 

33. Sang 29-Down : SOLOED. 

35. Tattle : RAT.  Clecho with 24A. 

38. "Joltin'" DiMaggio : JOE. According to author Richard Ben Cramer, "The most propitious of Joe Dimaggio's nicknames was "Joltin Joe."  Another was "DiMag",  as Mark McClain taught some of us in February. 

39. Puts in new film : RELOADS

40. "Dawg!" : BRO.  Randy Jackson explains why he always says "Dawg" as he talks with Oprah Winfrey on an episode of the OWN network's "Where Are They Now ?"

41. Columnist Landers : ANN

42. Sees right through : IS ON TO

43. Salt Lake City athlete : UTE

44. Family cat, e.g. : PET

46. In medias __ : RES. "From the Latin "into the middle of affairs," in medias res refers to a literary technique in which a story begins after the action has already begun and the explanation of plot, character roles, the importance of setting, and so on are left to be revealed via flashback, a character's thoughts or dialogue, or a "reverse chronology" in which the story is told backwards." Chegg.com

47. "Big Brother" channel : CBS

49. Soda can feature : PULL TAB.  After the "church key", and before the "Stay-Tab."  The Wikipedia article says that they were invented ca. 1950 in Thunder Bay, ONT,  but the discussion page calls that claim dubious as Thunder Bay did not exist until 1970. 

52. Yacht spot : MARINA

55. Word of lament for "poor Yorick" : ALAS

56. __-pitch softball : SLO

58. The "U" in "MVEMJSUN" : URANUS.  My very educated mother just served us nachos. A mnemonic for the acronym to remember the planets.  Alas, poor Pluto.  Like Yorick, he was a jester, and had us all fooled into thinking he was a planet.

62. Suffix with ranch : ERO.  As vaquero is to cowboy, ranchero is to ranch hand.  Also the name of the Ford utility vehicle, but then ranch would have been capitalized in the clue. 

63. "Norma __": Sally Field film : RAE.  Sally Field won her first Academy Award, for Best Actress in a Leading Role.   

64. Witty remarks : BON MOTs.  Usually one-liners.  Often humorous. So many witty people here.  Desper-otto makes them all the time.  PK commented that she hadn't previously heard the term off-piste and looked it up.  D-O replied,  "off piste" -- I've usually heard it in reverse -- piste off."

65. ID on a W-9 form : SSN.  Social Security Number for our readers in other countries.  The IRS Form W-9 is a "Request for Taxpayer Identification and Certification."  The most common form of taxpayer identification is the SSN.

66. Concorde, e.g., briefly : SST.  The Concorde Supersonic Transport.  Faster than the speed of sound. Why We Don’t Have an SST

67. Martyred bishop of Paris : ST. DENIS.

68. "Ha! Told ya!" : SEE.  "See, I told ya I was going to tattle on you !"


DOWN:

1. Taiwanese laptops : ACERs

2. Syndicated sitcom, say : RERUN. Friends, MASH, Everybody Loves Raymond, et alii.

4. Top stories : ATTICS. Hot off the press, there's nothing but insulation in my attic.

5. Durable wood : LARCH.  A coniferous tree with deciduous tree habits.  It sheds its needles in the autumn. "...valued for its tough, waterproof and durable qualities. Top quality knot-free timber is in great demand for building yachts and other small boats..."  paraphrased from Wikipedia and Encyclopaedia Britannica.

6. Mental health org. : APA.  American Psychiatric Association.  My wife's cousin's husband is a psychiatrist.  Asks me a lot of leading questions.  Makes me uneasy at times.

7. Beans go-with : RICE. Houston's Treebeards restaurant's red beans and rice recipe.

9. Budget, in product names : ECONO.  EconoLodge motels, with over 830 locations in the U.S. and Canada, was founded in 1969 in Norfolk, VA.  It is the second largest brand for Choice Hotels International, Inc. a hospitality holding corporation based in Rockville, Maryland.

10. Patriotic women's org. : DAR.  Daughters of the American Revolution

12. "That's awesome!" : NEATO

13. Sometimes egg-shaped kitchen gadget : TIMER.  I wonder ?

19. Diminish : BATE.  As many solvers might question, "Wha ?  What happened to the A ?   Shouldn't that be ABATE ?"    Merriam-Webster tells us,  "3 - archaic : to lower especially in amount or estimation."

21. Numbered rd. : RTE.  Road and route abbreviations.

26. Auto pioneer : OLDS. Ransom E. Olds.  Born at Geneva-on-the-Lake, Oh in Ashtabula_County,   just across the state line from Abejo's Erie.  Ashtabula means "always enough (fish) to go around, to be given away."  

29. Without company : ALONE

31. "How to Get Away With Murder" actress __ Naomi King : AJA.  I've never seen the program.

32. "Smoking or __?" : NON

33. French "his" : SES

34. Tokyo, once : EDO

36. Word after op or pop : ART.  Op(tical) art and Pop art.  A brief history of Pop Art  from MoMA

37. Foot part : TOE

39. "Hud" director Martin : RITT.  Melvyn Douglass and Patricia Neal won an Academy Award for their performances in Hud.  Paul Newman and Martin Ritt were nominated.  Ritt also directed Norma Rae.  "...his surest touch was for movies about little people who went up against the system.  "Norma Rae" was probably his most representative film..."  Encyclopaedia Britannica, Roger Ebert, IMDb

45. Ultimatum word : ELSE

47. Tender touch : CARESS

48. Sports __ : BRA.  Note to self:  Do not call it a training bra.

49. Socks from the dryer, hopefully : PAIRS

50. Radii neighbors : ULNAs. Please hover over the figure to get a brief info about the body parts.

51. Fancy neckwear : ASCOT

52. Vitamin prefix : MULTI

53. Rehab center staffer : NURSE.  Argyle, we hope you have attentive nurses to help you progress.  We all miss you !

54. Synchronously : AS ONE

57. "It's her __": relationship ultimatum : OR ME

60. NFL playmakers : RBs. Running Backs.  Penn State's Saquon Barkley is projected to be the first running back picked in the upcoming 2018 NFL draft.  Penn State has had a few first-round RB  busts, but this guy looks like the real deal.  Time will tell.   

61. Cheat : CON.   Tried to cheat on 20A, and con one of the teachers into explaining rubric.  They've seen it all, and assuredly saw through my ruse, but hopefully one or more will offer their thoughts in the comments section.

See all y'all later n'at !

Tuesday, March 27, 2018 Bruce Haight and Loren Smith

Bruce Haight and Loren Smith team up to delight us with a puzzle where each of the theme answers start and stop with a W. 

18. "You think anyone cares about MY opinion?" : WHAT DO I KNOW ?

24. Boatload (of) : WHOLE SLEW

39. "Let's see here ... " : WELL NOW.

52. Overall concept of the universe : WORLD VIEW

58. Eye-of-newt concoction : WITCHES BREW

And the reveal:
49. Crammed (into) ... and, when aptly hyphenated, like 18-, 24-, 39-, 52- and 58-Across : WEDGED.  Aptly hyphenated as W-EDGED.

ACROSS:

1. "__ show time!" : IT'S.    So many movie scene choices.  This supercut that's 3:45 in duration must have taken hours to edit. 

The cited list of films.

4. Get some rays : BASK. Sunbathe.

8. Weak, excuse-wise : FLIMSY. Lame.  If it is important to you, you will find a way.  If not, you will find an excuse.

14. Stanley Cup org. : NHL.  National Hockey League. Things you might not know about the Stanley Cup

15. "See ya" : TATA.  We recently had the initialism TTFN for Ta Ta For Now.  I thought it originated as texting shorthand, but it apparently originated in the '40s.

16. Change from five stars to three, say : RERATE

17. Drink with jam and bread, in song : TEA.  Lyric in the song "Do-Re-Mi", from the movie Sound of Music.

20. Nocturnal birds : OWLS.  See 50D.

22. HBO miniseries "Big Little __" : LIES.  Haven't seen any episodes.  Wikipedia indicates it's a  mystery drama set in Monterey, CA.

23. Easy-to-scam people : SAPS

27. Caramel-filled candy : ROLO

28. "Hold the Hellmann's" : NO MAYO.  Qué ?  Tengo muchas ganas de mayo.  (see Google Translate, as required.)

29. Protein-building acid : AMINO

31. Mother in Calcutta : TERESA

35. "On the Beach" novelist Shute : NEVIL.  Thank you perps.   Found this overview of the author  Editor Eric's Greatlit: Authors and the novel.     Might be a handy site to bookmark.

36. Texter's #1 pal : BFF.   Best Friend Forever.

41. Finish : END

42. "You win" : I LOSE

44. Ophthalmologist's concern : MYOPIA.  Today's co-constructor, Bruce Haight, is "an ophthalmologist in the San Diego area, originally from Wisconsin."

46. Myanmar, once : BURMA

47. Gives the go-ahead : ALLOWS.  Also lets, but not let's.  Punctuation matters.  

51. Scent : ODOR

55. Guthrie of folk : ARLO

56. Manufacture : MAKE

57. Designer Gucci : ALDO

62. Sense of self : EGO

63. "You can say that again!" : AND HOW !   We are all looking forward to Argyle's return. AND HOW !

64. Christmas season : YULE

65. U.S. House member : REPresentative.

66. "You can say that again!" : YES YES

67. City near Tulsa : ENID.  Located about 105 miles WNW of Tulsa,  about 70 miles NNW of Oklahoma City, and about 110 miles SSW of Wichita.    Nicknamed the "Wheat Capital" of Oklahoma and the United States.

68. Radical '60s campus gp. : SDS.  Students for a Democratic Society.

DOWN:

1. Visiting the area : IN TOWN

2. "My Generation" rock band : THE WHO. OK, I could have linked the song in the clue, but decided to link "Love, Reign o'er Me" instead. The songs were ranked #3 and #5 respectively in Rolling Stones magazine's list of the Top 50 Greatest Hits by The Who.

 
3. Zigzag ski event : SLALOM

4. "Before I forget," in texts : BTW. By The Way. 

5. "Say __": doctor's directive : AAH

6. Buy time : STALL

7. Longtime "Today" co-host Couric : KATIE.

8. Some big dos : 'FROS.  Hairdos, Afros.  NBA Hall of Famer Julius Winfield Erving II. More widely known as Dr. J.

 

9. Kauai garland : LEI

10. Exasperating : IRKSOME

11. "Holy smokes!" : MAN ALIVE

12. Drop by, colloquially : STOP ON IN.  Homey. Welcoming.

13. Evergreens shrubs : YEWS

19. Drops on the grass : DEW

21. Wood strip : SLAT

25. Glasses and goggles : EYE WEAR.  Corrective and protective, and sometimes both.  An ophthalmologist, such as Dr, Bruce Haight, might recommend these.

26. Achy : SORE

27. Acted without restraint : RAN WILD

30. Overused, as jokes : OLD

32. Shade tree : ELM

33. Foxy : SLY

34. "I'll take that as __" : A NO

36. Lobster eater's protection : BIB 

37. The "F" element in CFC : FLUORINE. Chlorofluorocarbon.  CFCs are widely used as refrigerants. Not good for the ozone. Many will recognize the DuPont brand name of Freon.  Paraphrased from Wikipedia. 

38. Full-size cars of the 1960s-'80s : FORD LTDs.  A brother-in-law bought a new one in '73 or '74 after getting a significant job promotion.  The car was huge, well-appointed, and had a very comfortable ride, along with a large V-8 gas-guzzling engine that was standard equipment back in the day.

40. Lustrous white gem : OPAL

43. Kissy-kissy : SMOOCHY

45. Thomas __ Edison : ALVA

48. Persian Gulf ships : OILERS

50. Descends suddenly : SWOOPS.  Great Gray Owl swoops in for a rodent. Beautiful photograph.

52. Used to be : WAS

53. "All right, so long" : OK BYE

54. "Friends" episode, now : RERUN

55. Not 1-Down : AWAY

56. Kitty sounds : MEWS. CrossEyedDave links the best kitty cat videos, but I'll give it a shot with mews.

59. Groundbreaking invention? : HOE.  Nice clue. Also, long clue for such a short answer.

60. Quarterback Manning : ELI.  QB of the "N.Y. football Giants."   Two-time Super Bowl MVP. 

61. Marry : WED

See all y'all later n'at ! 

TTP

Tuesday, March 20, 2018 C.C. Burnikel

Title:  Intravenous Therapy

Four down answers hiding IV:

 

3D. Handheld cleaner :   MINI VACUUM.

9D. 2006 cop drama set in Florida :   MIAMI VICE.

31D. Reagan Library site :   SIMI VALLEY.

34D. Like much Norton software :   ANTI-VIRUS.

And the reveal:
24D. Hosp. fluid-administration methods hidden in 3-, 9-, 31- and 34-Down : IV DRIPS.

TTP here after being called up from the minor leagues.  Honored to be asked.  Delighted it's a C.C., but unfortunate timing as I think of our dear friend Argyle.

ACROSS:

1. Affectionate sideline greeting : HI MOM.  The stereotypical shot of the football player waving to the camera and mouthing the words after a big play. You tend to see these in televised coverage of college bowl games. 

6. "I understand now!" : AHA.   Often an exclamation.  I understand now (revelation) the effort and skills required to blog the puzzle.  Plenty of first-time blunders and some AHA moments along the way.  I'm looking forward to Argyle's return. 

 9. Mud bath coverings : MASKS

14. Gal pal, in Genoa : AMICA.  Female friend in Genoa, Italy. 

15. Searchlight used by Gotham police : BAT-SIGNAL.  Police Commissioner Gordon most often used the BatPhone in the ABC TV Series. BAT-SIGNAL   

17. One changing pitches : TUNER.  Piano tuner comes to mind.

18. "Are you declining?" : IS THAT A NO ?   Please clarify your position.

19. "Tell me!" : SPILL IT !   Yes or no !   

21. Response to a tasty treat : YUM.   Yum! Brands was renamed from Tricon Global Restaurants, Inc,  in 2002 to match its NYSE ticker symbol.   It is based in Louisville, Kentucky.  Yum ! sounds better to me. 

22. Understand : GET.  Clecho with 6A, but perhaps without as much excitement.  Are you picking up what I'm putting down ?

23. "Va-va-__!" : VOOM

24. Long Island town : ISLIP

26. Dog-tired : BEAT

28. 605, to Seneca : DCV.   The person, not the people.  Roman philosopher and statesman.  He would have read 605 as DCV in Roman numerals. D = 500, C = 100,  V = 5. 

30. Stop, to swabs : AVAST

33. Circle segment : ARC

34. "Humble" home : ABODE.  Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home.

36. "Why would __?" : I LIE. The question, "Why would I lie ?" was asked eight times in The Tubes 1983 Top 10 hit "She's a Beauty."  The music video became an MTV staple. Not going to link it.   

37. Dealer's query : YOU IN ?   Yes ?  Then ante up. 

39. Class with smocks : ART

40. Punctuation in many lists : COMMA

42. Sign of disuse : DUST

43. Like yoga teachers : LITHE

45. Many a craft beer, for short : IPA - India Pale Ale

46. Online box filler : EMAIL

48. Cough up the cash : PAY.   Lucina, I imagine that ESL students might struggle with idioms.

49. Enterprise rival : AVIS. 

50. KitchenAid appliances : OVENS.  One of many countertop and major appliances bearing the company name.    "I don't care what you call it, but I know it's the best kitchen aid I've ever had!"  That was purportedly the response of the wife of a Hobart Company exec after she received and used a prototype mixer.  Paraphrased from Wikipedia.  

52. __ colada: rum drink : PINA.  The "Pina Colada" song by Rupert Holmes is actually entitled "Escape." 

54. Old vitamin bottle no. : RDA

57. Shiba __ : Japanese dog : INU.   A spitz breed of dog of Japan.  INU is the Japanese word for dog.

  

58. Scored well under par, in golf lingo : WENT LOW.    A PGA Tournament television color commentator's standard, often used in describing the leader's 18 hole score relative to par.  

61. Bart Simpson's "Holy cow!" : AY, CARAMBA! 

64. "Love Me Like You Do" singer Goulding : ELLIE.  Knew neither her nor the song "Love Me Like You Do", but with 1,702,176,952 views (and counting) of the official video,  I decided to listen.

65. Apple Store support station : GENIUS BAR

66. Preps, as potatoes : PEELS.  Peeling potatoes on KP duty probably means using one of these.  50 to 60 pounds peeled in a jiff on the 6460.  Beetle Bailey and Sad Sack would have loved one of these.

Irish Miss, does your sister rent one of those for her St. Patrick's Day gatherings ? 

67. Icon tappers : USERS

68. Bashful : SHY

69. Risky rendezvous : TRYST.   "At a bar called O'Malley's..." in the song "Escape."

DOWN:

1. Fashionable Kentucky Derby array : HATS.   Fashionable hats will also be on display at the upcoming royal wedding. 

2. "My turn to bat" : I'M UP.   Baseball lingo with the "to bat" modifier.

4. Spotted wildcat : OCELOT

5. Thomas of "That Girl" : MARLO

6. Somewhat : A BIT. 

7. Polishes off : HAS.   Food or drink.   Finishes. 

8. Legal dept. staffers : ATTYS.  Attorneys, abbreviated.

10. Star's rep. : AGT.  Representative, Agent.  Probably didn't need clarification.

11. Hose mishap : SNAG.  Hose inconvenience ? Kink ?

12. Welles' "Citizen" : KANE.  Orson Welles, "Citizen Kane."  The classic.  A Viewer's Companion to 'Citizen Kane' by Roger Ebert.

13. Schedule opening : SLOT. 

16. Six-time Super Bowl coach Don : SHULA.  One with the Baltimore Colts.  Five with the Miami Dolphins.  Born near Abejo's lake, but on the Ohio side, near Painesville.

20. Website with film profiles : IMDb.  Internet Movie Database. 

25. __ Alto, Calif. : PALO.  Silicon Valley.

26. Tampa __ Buccaneers : BAY.  I love puzzles.  They can take you from the Silicon Valley to the Gulf Coast of Florida in seconds.

27. Slowly wear away : ERODE

29. West Virginia natural resource : COAL. Just read that as of 2014, twenty-five states produced coal.

32. Allegro, largo, lento, etc. : TEMPI.  The plural of tempo. 

35. Bluesy James : ETTA

38. Japanese golf great Aoki : ISAO.  Isao Aoki with Arnold Palmer.  

He credits watching Arnold Palmer for giving him the inspiration to pursue a golfing career.  "Isao Aoki only plays with golf balls marked with the number 5.  That number is pronounced “Go” in Japanese and it also represents the worst score he wants to make."  He was elected into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2004.  Source - World Golf Hall of Fame.

41. Remote batteries : AAs

44. Promote aggressively : HYPE

47. Dunham and Olin : LENAs.  New York born actress Lena Dunham and Sweden born actress Lena Olin.

49. Buck horn : ANTLER

51. Anesthetizes : NUMBS

53. Bumbling : INEPT

54. Sauce brand with an accent on its last letter : RAGÚ.


55. Salon colorings : DYES

56. OXY 10 target : ACNE

58. Suspicious (of) : WARY

59. Art store buys : OILS

60. Wild or Old area : WEST

62. Balloon filler : AIR.   Hot Air Ballon Rides near Chicago, and other local sightseeing deals,  as seen on Groupon.

63. Scrooge's scoff : BAH

Argyle,  come back soon. 

See all y'all later n'at.

Notes from C.C.:

1) TTP (Took the Plunge) has kindly agreed to take the Tuesday helm while Argyle is recovering from his surgery. TTP has been with the blog since 2012. He quietly helped me navigate many troubled spots, often behind the scenes with various technical issues. Without him, we might still be in the Google Hell. And many of the comments on old blog posts might never see the light of day.

2) Happy 80th birthday to dear Spitzboov (Al), a big milestone! Al has been with our blog for a long time. His posts and emails are often knowledgeable, witty and light-hearted, befitting his rascal avatar.  Al served in the Navy Reserve for over 20 years and retired as Commander. Thanks for being part of our family, Commander Al! Boomer and I are always proud of the flag you gifted me, the best in the neighborhood.  

Argyle and Spitzboov

(August 23, 2014, Washington County Fair)

3) Happy Birthday to John28man as well! How are you doing lately, John?

Tuesday March 13, 2018 Rich Proulx

Theme: The measurement in each theme entry is clued by its metric measurement.

 20A. 113-gram sandwich, more or less : QUARTER POUNDER

 24A. About 1.8 meters deep : SIX FEET UNDER

 46A. 37.9-liter topper, roughly : TEN-GALLON HAT
 
 54A. Proceed another 1.6 kilometers or so : GO THE EXTRA MILE

C.C. here. Argyle is sick. I'm going to just put the skeletal entries here. Will fill in more later.

Back now.

Looks like this is a debut from Rich Proulx. Congratulations! He gave us 72-worder today. It's in the themeless territory.

Across:   

1. Kind of guitar : BASS

5. Foul-smelling : FETID. This word looks dirty too.

10. Bouillabaisse, e.g. : STEW

14. Where the Jazz play : UTAH

15. Dodge : EVADE

16. Weighty book : TOME

17A. Signed up, as to vote : REGISTERED. We also have 60A: Double-checked before cutting: REMEASURED.  Often constructors avoid long Across entries for fear solvers will think they're themers, but today the clues make the theme clear.

19. Military group : UNIT. Tiny clue/answer dupe: 35. Mall unit : STORE. Did you go to the Fashion Show Mall last week,  Big Easy?
 
22. Sleeping woe : APNEA

23. Like Oberlin College since it opened in 1833 : CO-ED

31. Watch pocket : FOB

34. Approaches : NEARS

36. Word after New or teen : AGER

38. Hidden drug supply : STASH

40. Big gulp : SWIG

41. Insurance case : CLAIM

43. TV ex-military group led by Hannibal Smith : A TEAM. Only know Mr. T was in it.

45. Mario Bros. console : NES

49. Fatty liver spread : PATE. Have some!

50. Hybrid pack animals : MULES

59. Christmas tree topper's topper : HALO

61. Congregation's "I agree!" : AMEN

62. Geometry calculations : AREAS

63. Track assignment : LANE

64. Arnaz with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame : DESI. I just learned that Gene Autry had five stars.

65. Toy truck brand : TONKA

66. Old Russian leader : TSAR

Down:

1. Traditional Islamic garment : BURQA

2. Thoroughly delighted in : ATE UP. Nope, Picard, I did nothing special for Chinese Spring Festival. I did treat myself with a bag of Chinese dumplings. As for places in China, I suggest Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Xi'an (my hometown), Hangzhou and Tibet.

3. Cosmologist Carl : SAGAN

4. Counties across the pond : SHIRES

5. Lavish party : FETE

6. At any time : EVER

7. Firewood protector : TARP Also 18. Wood finish : STAIN

8. Logical beginning? : IDEO. Ideological.

9. Subtract : DEDUCT

10. They often have class : STUDENTS

11. Softened, as rhetoric : TONED DOWN

12. Kuwaiti leader : EMIR

13. Rainy : WET
 
21. We, to one who says "oui" : NOUS. Just French "we".

25. Ballot markings : Xes

26. Deadly : FATAL

27. Muse for Shelley : ERATO

28. German industrial city : ESSEN

29. Cleveland's lake : ERIE. How long have you been with Amazon, Abejo?

30. Govt. agency rules : REGS

31. Something known to be true : FACT

32. Eye rudely : OGLE. Also 47. Eye rudely : LEER AT

33. Tall, skinny sorts : BEANPOLES. Great fill.

37. Tubular pasta : RIGATONI

39. "So there!" : HAH

42. Course with squares and cubes : MATH

44. What babies create, and vice versa? : MAMAS. I got via crosses.
 
48. Ruckus : TUMULT

51. Turkish coins : LIRAS

52. Kagan of the Supreme Court : ELENA

53. Meal where the 10 Plagues of Egypt are recalled : SEDER

54. Mario Bros., for one : GAME

55. Architect Saarinen : EERO

56. Magneto's enemies : X-MEN

57. Hardwood prized for outdoor furniture : TEAK

58. Tabula __ : RASA

59. Owned : HAD

Updated at 11:15am:

 

Santa was admitted into the Saratoga hospital last night. His friend Jennifer said he was dangerously sick yesterday. He'll be in the hospital for a few days.

Please send him your positive thoughts. Keep him in your prayers.

Thank you! Get well soon, Santa!

C.C.

Argyle our Santa

Tuesday, March 6, 2018 ~ Bill Zagozewski

Theme: Timely - SPRING is placed ahead of the last word in the theme answers.

20A. Have things finally go one's way: CATCH A BREAK. Spring Break.

36A. Mosquito-borne disease: YELLOW FEVER. Spring Fever.

42A. Engage in hard-nosed negotiations: PLAY CHICKEN. Spring Chicken.

56A. Make an annual clock adjustment ... and what the end of 20-, 36- and 42-Across may literally have: SPRING AHEAD

Argyle here. Bill is averaging a puzzle a year.

Across:

1. Easy thing to do: SNAP

5. Lobster serving: CLAW

9. Great time: BLAST

14. Skin opening: PORE

15. Tra-__: refrain syllables: LA-LA

16. Main artery: AORTA

17. Snapchat co-founder Spiegel: EVAN. Only 27 years old.

18. Cyberzine: eMAG

19. Parakeets' quarters: CAGEs

23. Photo __: media events: OPS

24. Charged particles: IONs

25. Intl. news broadcaster: VOA. (Voice of America)

27. Singer's quavers: TRILLS

30. Recently: AS OF LATE

35. Harry's pal Weasley: RON. Harry Potter books.

38. Penne __ vodka: ALLA. Penne alla vodka is a pasta dish made with vodka and penne pasta, usually made with heavy cream, crushed tomatoes, onions, and sometimes sausage, pancetta or peas. Wikipedia

40. Singer Damone: VIC

41. Trig ratio: SINE

47. "Just a __!": SEC

48. Dress-for-success accessory: POWER TIE

49. New York Giants legend with 511 career home runs: MEL OTT. Cool! Whole name.

51. Used a bench: SAT

52. Location: SITE

53. Sponsors' spots: ADs

62. Georgia state fruit: PEACH. But do you dare eat a peach?

64. Smell: ODOR

65. Gold rush animal: MULE

66. "Orange" tea grade: PEKOE

67. Kind of pittance?: MERE

68. The "A" of NEA: ARTS. (National Endowment for the Arts)

69. Drive too fast: SPEED

70. New England NFLers: PATS

71. Barnes & Noble reader: NOOK

Down:

1. Job detail, for short: SPEC. Specification.

2. Old Chevy: NOVA. Production‎: ‎1961–1979; 1985–1988. The 1985-88 Chevrolet Nova was a joint venture between General Motors and Toyota.

3. "I smell __!": A RAT

4. Crossword solver's choice: PENCIL

5. Remove dirt from: CLEANSE

6. Petting zoo youngsters: LAMBS

7. Bygone apple spray: ALAR

8. Regular pay: WAGE

9. "Not so close!": "BACK OFF!"

10. Extended pd. away from work: LOA. (Leave Of Absence)

11. Golden Fleece ship: ARGO

12. How-to instruction: STEP

13. Soviet news agency: TASS. Founded in 1902, Tass is the fourth largest major news agency.

21. Sanctified: HOLY

22. Declare emphatically: AVOW

26. Drinks in schooners: ALES

27. Maria von __, family singers' matriarch: TRAPP

Trapp Family Lodge, Stowe, Vermont

28. Rich boy in "Nancy" comics: ROLLO

29. Groom's new relative: IN-LAW

30. Author Hoffman: ALICE. Bio.

31. Foot cover: SOCK

32. French dispatch boat: AVISO. An oldie but goodie.

33. Guiding principle: TENET

34. Standing tall: ERECT

37. Heinz varieties count, to Caesar?: LVII. (57)

39. Those in favor: AYEs

43. Failed suddenly, as a laptop: CRASHED

44. URL letters: HTTP. URL yesterday, HyperText Transfer Protocol today.

45. Political fugitives: ÉMIGRÉS

46. __ profit: make money: NET A

50. __ Brothers: defunct financial firm: LEHMAN

52. Equine outburst: SNORT. Play this good and loud; see who comes to find out what is happening.

53. iPhone downloads: APPs

54. __-sea diver: DEEP

55. Drink with sushi: SAKE

57. Frolic in a lively way: ROMP. Too much sake?

58. Thinking output: IDEA

59. Currency named for a continent: EURO

60. Choir voice: ALTO

61. Student's workplace: DESK

63. Runner Sebastian: COE. He ran a sub-4-minute mile. Roger Bannister was the first person to run a mile under 4 minutes. He died Saturday.

Argyle

Tuesday, February 27, 2018 ~ Jake Halperin

Theme: Synonym Toast - The ends of the theme words are loose synonyms for business.

17. Regularly go out (with): KEEP COMPANY

23. Getup for Woody of "Toy Story": COWBOY OUTFIT

38. What "2 + 2 = 4" is an example of: BINARY OPERATION

50. Preferred way of doing things: BEST PRACTICE

61. Front part of a hand tool, say ... and the last word of 17-, 23-, 38- and 50-Across?: BUSINESS END (i.e., the chain on a chain saw is the business end.)

Argyle here with what I thought was one of the toughest Tuesdays we've had in awhile. YMMV

Across:

1. Actress Swenson: INGA. I remember her from Gretchen Kraus, Benson, ABC, 1979-86.

5. Pops out, as a DVD: EJECTS

11. White lie: FIB

14. "Little" Dickens girl: NELL. The Old Curiosity Shop is a Dickens' novel.

15. Golf goof: MISHIT

16. Mined metal: ORE

19. Old horse: NAG

20. Rip off: STEAL

21. URL suffix for charities: .ORG

22. __ time: never: AT NO

27. Like some consonants, as the nasal "n": PALATAL

30. Actress de Matteo: DREA. Andrea Donna "Drea" de Matteo is an American actress, known for her role as Angie Bolen on ABC's "Desperate Housewives".

31. Press into service: USE

32. Invalidate: VOID

35. "The Lion King" lion: SIMBA. Simba was inspired by Disney's "Bambi ".

42. "Say cheese!": "SMILE!"

43. Spreadsheet info: DATA

44. Baton Rouge sch.: LSU. (Louisiana State University)

45. Unlikely to throw dirty clothes on the floor: NEAT. 2-Down. Old hair-removal brand: NEET

47. Word after systems or psycho: ANALYST

54. "__ girl!": ATTA

55. __Kosh B'gosh: OSH. (children's apparel)

56. Listless feeling: ENNUI

60. Old electrical unit: MHO. Reverse of OHM.

64. Emeril exclamation: "BAM!"

65. Tarzan and others: APEMEN

66. Like villains: EVIL

67. Having five sharps, musically: IN B

68. Creates anew, as a password: RESETS

69. Alluring: SEXY

Down:

1. Color printer refills: INKs

3. TV show about a high school choir: "GLEE"

4. Llama-like mammal: ALPACA

Da Ya Think I'm Sexy

5. Expressive punk genre: EMO

6. Good name for a phys ed teacher?: JIM

7. Finland's second-largest city: ESPOO. FYI, West of Finland's largest city, Helsinki.

8. Careful: CHARY

9. Overbearing leader: TIN GOD

10. Messy room: STY

11. Group of related typefaces: FONT FAMILY

12. Tehran native: IRANI

13. Fathered, in the Bible: BEGOT

18. Congeal: CLOT

22. Accepted the loss, financially: ATE IT

24. Like permed hair: WAVY

25. "True __": HBO vampire series: BLOOD. I don't have HBO.

26. Constellation bear: URSA

27. Watering holes: PUBS. 61-Down. Watering hole: BAR Clecho.

28. "Sure __ standing here ... ": AS I'M

29. Shrine in Moscow's Red Square: LENIN'S TOMB

33. Hoppy beer, for short: IPA. (India pale ale)

34. Coup __: D'ÉTAT. Literally meaning a "stroke of state" or "blow against the state".

36. Big cheese: BOSS

37. "Sometimes you feel like __ ... ": classic candy jingle: A NUT

39. "Prince Valiant" queen: ALETA

40. Bring in: REAP

41. Hindu princess: RANI

46. Traveling acting band: TROUPE

48. Half of all blackjacks: ACEs

49. Contact __: LENSES

50. Disney deer: BAMBI

51. Filmmaker Coen: ETHAN

52. Pack animals: ASSES

53. Bell tower sound: CHIME

57. Campbell of "Scream": NEVE. Also of "Mad Men"

58. Windows alternative: UNIX

59. In a lazy way: IDLY

62. Earn after taxes: NET

63. Naval rank: Abbr.: ENS. (Ensign )

I'll leave you with this Queen parable.

Argyle

Tuesday, February 20, 2018 ~ John Lampkin

Theme: ?, ?, ?, ?, and ? - The five things a reporter should report.

17A. *"Never!": "WHEN PIGS FLY!"

37A. *"Not another problem!": "WHAT NOW?!"

58A. *"I don't need a second opinion!": "WHO ASKED YOU?!"

11D. *"Happenin' scene, man!": "WHERE IT'S AT!"

28D. *"Cool your heels!": "WHY THE RUSH?!"

46D. Journalism's traditional set of questions, obliquely addressed by the answers to starred clues: FIVE "W"s

Who? Argyle. When? Tuesday. What? A nifty puzzle. Where? On the Corner. Why? Because YellowRocks wanted a John Lampkin puzzle yesterday.

Across:

1. Hebrew scholar: RABBI. A teacher, sometimes; a scholar, always.

6. Borden spokescow: ELSIE

11. With 25-Across, "Scream" director: WES. 25-Across. See 11-Across: CRAVEN

14. Watery expanse: OCEAN

15. Double-check, as totals: RE ADD

16. Shakespearean prince or Broadway producer Prince: HAL. Prince Hal, later to be King Henry, in Henry IV, Part 1, is portrayed as an irresponsible, fun-loving youth, Prince of Wales. or, Harold Prince, his IMBd.

19. Incoming flight info: ETA

20. Flower parts: SEPALS. Ah! The petals trap.

21. Visit: SEE

22. Fedora feature: BRIM

23. Valley with wine cellars and sellers: NAPA

27. Rock gently: SWAY

29. "Is this a good move for me?": "SHOULD I?"

31. Folk singer Phil: OCHS

32. Steeped beverage: TEA

33. Become a pro at: MASTER

36. After "no," "Not possible!": WAY. (No way!)

39. State: SAY

40. Appetizer follower: ENTRÉE

42. That woman: HER

43. Tortoise racer: HARE

44. Carpenter's cordless cutter: HAND SAW

46. Temper tantrums: FITS

47. Tank type: SEPTIC. If you're a home owner, this might be the first tank you'd think of.

48. Mix: STIR

50. Jelly holders: JARS

51. Turf roll: SOD

53. Olympic segments: EVENTS. Timely.

57. Outback bird: EMU

60. Sit-up targets: ABs. Me? 63A. "Nope": "NAH"

61. Sporty Chevy: VETTE

62. Angler's danglers: WORMS

64. Portfolio part: ASSET

65. Snooty sorts: SNOBS

Down:

1. Lettered theater locations: ROWS

2. Post-workout soreness: ACHE. Me? 63A. "Nope": "NAH"

3. Warning toot: [BEEP!]

4. Fruit that grows in bunches: BANANAs

5. Like catchable foul balls: IN PLAY. Soon.

6. Physicist's work unit: ERG

7. Not so pricey: LESS

8. Seattle's __ Field: SAFECO. Since the Inaugural Game on July 15, 1999, Safeco Field has been the home of the Seattle Mariners.

9. Unsubstantiated bit of gossip: IDLE RUMOR

10. Ice cream maker Joseph: EDY

12. Enjoy home cooking: EAT IN. 32-Down. Things to "do" after you 12-Down: THE DISHES. Me? 63A. "Nope": "NAH"

13. Shut angrily: SLAM

18. Web access co.: ISP. (Internet Service Provider)

22. Brief briefs?: BVDs. Founded in 1876. Wikipedia

24. On the water: ASEA

26. "There oughta be __!": A LAW

27. Read quickly: SCAN

30. Yoga system: HATHA. Moi? 63A. "Nope": "NAH"

31. Be in debt: OWE

34. Glasses holders: EARS

35. Pumpernickel grain: RYE

37. Took one's turn: WENT

38. Latest buzz: NEWS

41. Knocks quickly: RAPS

43. Joined the staff: HIRED ON

45. Skedaddles: SCOOTS

47. Brazilian dance: SAMBA. Not a boot scootin' boogie(3:20)

49. "__War": Shatner novel: TEK

50. Novelist Auel: JEAN

52. Time stamp component: DATE

54. "Stoned Soul Picnic" songwriter Laura: NYRO

55. Archaeological site: TOMB

56. Figure (out): SUSS

58. Harpers Ferry st.: WVA. (West Virginia)

59. Jazz gig unit: SET

Time to scurry and scoot outta here.

Argyle

Note from C.C.:

Happy Birthday to dear Santa Argyle, who turned 73 today. If I recall correctly, Santa's first comment on our blog is "Ahem...."

Santa just wrote his 836 blog post for us this morning. He was a Marine, and he continues to protect us and this blog like a Marine. He never complained, even when he broke his ankle last summer. It was hard for him to walk from his bedroom to the computer desk to check on our blog.
  
Hard to believe that I've been talking with him nearly every day for nearly 10 years. Thanks for being here for me, Santa!

 

  Santa was a fifteen year old and a Freshman (1960)