Tuesday, February 12, 2019 Roland Huget

Standard Operating Procedures 

20. 100-mile-an-hour fastball, often: STRIKE OUT PITCH.

25. Classy neckwear: STRING OF PEARLS.

42. Bike storage bags, e.g.: STRAP ON POUCHES.

47. What a plus sign indicates on a golf match scoreboard: STROKES OVER PAR.

 A reveal hidden in plain sight.  See the answer to 1 Down.   Clever.

I first noticed the STR starts to the answers.  Then saw the O P and thought STROP ? As in a sharpening strop ?   Bzzt. 

Across:

1. Enjoys Breckenridge, say: SKIS.  Breckenridge, Colorado in the Rocky Mountains.  Never been there, but I have skied at Seven Springs in the Laurel Highlands of the Allegheny Mountains.  

5. Cries out loud: SOBS.

9. "If I Had a Hammer" singer Lopez: TRINI.  This Pete Seeger song and covers of it by Peter Paul and Mary, Trini Lopez and others got old after the 3 gazillionth play on the radio.  It was inescapable. "Why didn't he just go to the hardware store and buy a hammer ?"

14. In the past: ONCE.

15. Geometry calculation: AREA.   A surveyor needs to understand geometry.   Calculating Surface Areas Of Irregular Shaped Fields

16. Pay by mail: REMIT.   We probably average a roll a year now, and most of those are at Christmas.

17. Metered work, usually: POEM.

18. Duck that lends its name to a color: TEAL.

19. Word from the wise: ADAGE.   'If you can't take it, don't dish it out."   "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."   OKAY, OKAY, alright already.  I take it back.  If I Had a Hammer is a fine song.

23. Vent opening?: PRE.

24. Stein filler: ALE.

33. Total confusion: CHAOS. 

34. Made public: AIRED.

35. Summer Games org.: IOC.  International Olympic Committee

36. Admission of fault: OOPS.   Mea culpa. 

37. Less clumsy: ABLER.

38. Back up a step, as in an app: UNDO. 

39. "__ is me!": WOE.

40. For all to hear: ALOUD.  

41. Good feature: ASSET.

45. Partner of to: FRO.

46. 22.5 deg.: NNE.

55. Pick up gradually: GLEAN.   Over time I gleaned that arguing with a woman is like reading a software license agreement.   In the end you just click "I Agree"

56. Crafted, as a tale: WOVE.

57. Keep for later: SAVE. 

58. Wonderland cake message: EAT ME.  Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

59. Morales of "NYPD Blue": ESAI.

60. Express line unit: ITEM.   Grammarians note when the sign reads, "10 items or less"  but it doesn't peeve me.    A full shopping cart in that line might.  

61. Jacket material: TWEED.

62. Bakery product: ROLL.

63. Fiddling emperor: NERO.   An awful man on all accounts.    As despicable as he was, he couldn't have played a fiddle because it wasn't invented yet.  Perhaps a lute ?

Down:

1. Soaks (up): SOPS.    

Chicken Paprikash

2. Wood imperfection: KNOT.

3. Cake finisher: ICER. 

4. Part-time players: SEMIPROS.

5. Glossy fabric: SATEEN.

6. Layered Nabisco treat: OREO.

7. Belle's counterpart: BEAU. 

8. Basic food preservative: SALT.

9. Was behind in the match: TRAILED.  Golf, tennis, chess

10. Herbal brew: RED TEA.

11. Apple since 1998: IMAC.   IMAC is also an IT term for Installs, Moves, Adds and Changes.

12. Soon to happen: NIGH.   As quaint as anon. 

13. Suffix with urban: ITE.

21. Songwriter Kristofferson: KRIS.   He's in the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of fame.     The opening lyrics from one of his most famous songs:

Busted flat in Baton Rouge, waiting for a train
When I was feeling nearly faded as my jeans
Bobby thumbed a diesel down, just before it rained
And rode us all the way to New Orleans

22. School research assignment: PAPER.

25. Slap the puck toward the goal: SHOOT.    Patrick Sharp demonstrates.

26. Get to the point?: TAPER.

27. Cameroon neighbor: GABON.  Two of the thirty-seven errors I made on Husker Gary's countries of Africa geography quiz last week. 

28. Prepare for a bodybuilding competition: OIL UP.

29. Middle Corleone brother: FREDO.   Fredo is the younger brother of Sonny, and the older brother of Michael in Mario Puzo's The Godfather, portrayed by John Cazale in the movie.

30. Salon procedure: RINSE.

31. Rich ore deposits: LODES.

32. Many a clan member: SCOT.

33. Farm moms: COWS.  They are heifers until they become moms.

37. "Take __ at this!": A LOOK.  Take a look at this school mural.  That's a real fire extinguisher.

38. Signals the arrival of, as a new era: USHERS IN.

40. Dressed like a chef: APRONED.

41. Embarrassing spots: ACNE.

43. Typical chalet: A-FRAME.

44. Launch, as a new product: UNVEIL.

47. Side with a sandwich: SLAW.

48. Head of Haiti: TETE.    Président Jovenel Moïse since the Nov 2016 elections.    Protestors stoned his house and called for his resignation Saturday.  

49. Vessel with a spout: EWER.

50. Ho-hum: SO SO.

51. Avocado shape: OVAL. 

52. Canapé spread: PATE.

53. Say with certainty: AVER.

54. San __, Italy: REMO. Zoom in, Zoom out


55. "__ it?": "Comprende?": GET.

Note from C.C.:

Happy Birthday to our sweet LaLaLinda. Linda does not post these days, but she still reads our posts and comments every day.   We miss your presence, Linda!

Tuesday, February 5, 2019 Tyler Lian & Jeff Chen

"You're gonna need a bigger boat !"

17. Immigrant's ID: GREEN CARD.   Card shark.  Card sharp to some.  Traditionally, someone skilled in cheating at cards.   The definition has been transitioning to simply mean someone skilled in playing cards. 

27. Tuition-paying aid: STUDENT LOAN.   Loan shark.  A usurer. 

42. Competitive swimming venue: OLYMPIC POOL.   Pool shark.   A pool hustler.   In the vein of Minnesota Fats, Willie Mosconi, et al.

56. Emmy-winning reality series for entrepreneurs ... and a place for the ends of 17-, 27- and 42-Across?: SHARK TANK.    Now in the 10th Season.   Sundays at 10/9c on ABC.

I thought this puzzle had a pretty good bite to it after I got my jaws around it and sunk my teeth in.

I don't recall solving a puzzle by Tyler Lian before.   Plenty of Jeff Chen solves though.   I wonder if Jeff is mentoring Tyler.   Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Let's wade into the depths, and see what else is lurking beneath the surface.

Across:

1. Ring ref's decision: TKO.  Technical Knock Out. 

4. Hindu division: CASTE.

9. Rig up: EQUIP.

14. Hankering: YEN.   Japanese cabbage: Yen.

15. Aquaman's realm: OCEAN.    The DC Comics superhero is King of the Seven Seas.

"A founding member of the Justice League of America, Aquaman has fought alongside Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman and held his own against the biggest threats the universe has ever seen. Despite being misunderstood by many as someone who merely “talks to fish,” Aquaman’s super-strength and fighting prowess alone make him a force to be reckoned with.   His telepathic abilities make him one of the most powerful minds on the planet.   If one chooses to underestimate the sea king, they do so at their own peril."

16. "Grey's Anatomy" staffer: NURSE.

19. Extend the library borrowing term: RENEW.

20. Tries to hit: AIMS FOR.

21. Low singers: BASSES.

22. Blackjack elevens: ACES.   I learned that in Blackjack, the ace card can be used as either for a point value of either one or eleven. 

23. Not fitting: INAPT.

25. Title for Jose or Diego?: SAN.   San Jose and San Diego.  San translates to Saint.  I think.

32. Rude and crude: CRASS.

34. "Begone, feline!": SCAT.

35. Unsubscribes, with "out": OPTS.

36. Jazz trumpeter Al: HIRT.  I must admit that as a youth I confused Al Hirt and Herb Albert.


37. Indian prime minister mentored by Gandhi: NEHRU.

38. Eric Carle's "The __ Hungry Caterpillar": VERY.   No clue at the first reading, but easily guessed.  The picture book has sold 30 million copies and has been translated into 40 languages.   I guess I've been living in a cocoon. I wasn't at all familiar with it.   Here's a quick slideshow of the story. 

39. Viral internet item: MEME.  Remember Grumpy Cat ?

40. Improve text: EDIT.

41. Porto-Novo's land: BENIN.     There's a Portonovo, Spain,  a Portonovo, Italy,  a Porto Novo, Portugal and more.   Porto Novo means new port.  The hyphenated Porto-Novo is the capital of Benin.

BBC News - Country Profile: Benin

45. Cul-de-__: SAC.

46. Sniffling maladies: COLDS.

47. Mother's Day gift holder: VASE.

49. Old phone company nickname: MA BELL.  "Collectively, the family of companies associated with American Telephone & Telegraph, providing telephone service in the United States for many years through 1983."  - Wiktionary.

52. Biblical opening: GENESIS.

55. Food recall culprit: E. coli.  Escherichia coli.   It seems I get this every other week.   Not the bacterial infection.   I get E. coli as an answer or in a clue.  

58. Biblical verb: SHALT.   Used in 80 % of the Ten Commandments. 

59. Fictional Swiss miss: HEIDI.  Translated into 50 languages and over 50 million copies sold.

60. "Excusez-__": MOI.

61. Frankfurt's state: HESSE.   Frankfort's state: Kentucky.    The one in this clue is the major city of Frankfurt am Main, which translates to  Frankfurt on the Main (river).  

62. How ballerinas dance: ON TOE.

63. Sinus doc: ENT.    Otolaryngologists.   Easier to remember Ear, Nose and Throat specialists.

Down:

1. Rapper whose name sounds like an endangered cat: TYGA.  "Micheal Ray Stevenson (born November 19, 1989), known by his stage name Tyga (a backronym for Thank you God always),is an American rapper."   - Wikipedia

2. "The Americans" co-star Russell: KERI.   The Americans was a series on the FX channel.   She and Matthew Rhys played deep cover KGB agents living in Virginia as a married American couple.

3. Many an action film hero: ONE MAN ARMY.  John Rambo comes to mind.

4. Admit: CONFESS.

5. Greet aggressively: ACCOST.

6. Burn a little: SEAR.  Burn a lot: seethe. 

7. Road covering: TAR.

8. Conclude: END.

9. Fascinated: ENRAPT.

10. The Roots' frontman on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon": QUESTLOVE.  - "Ahmir Khalib Thompson, known professionally as Questlove, is an American musician and music journalist.   He is the drummer and joint frontman for the Grammy Award-winning band The Roots.   The Roots have been serving as the in-house band for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon since February 17, 2014."   Wikipedia.

11. Big coffeepots: URNS.

12. "Noted": I SEE.

13. Church rows: PEWS.

18. PC panic key: ESC.

21. African language group: BANTU.   "More than 240 million people speak Bantu languages across Central, East, and Southern Africa but the exact number of languages differs according to who’s counting.   More than 250 Bantu languages exist by the criterion of mutual intelligibility, though some accounts list 535 distinct languages."  -  Moguldom.com

23. Tracking implants, for short: ID CHIPS.  I think first of dogs and cats...

24. A few feet from: NEAR TO.

25. Blockhead: SCHMO.

26. Princess who gives up her voice to be human: ARIEL.

28. Vintage music purchase: USED CD.

29. Magical access words: OPEN SESAME.

30. Glass-roofed lobbies: ATRIA.  The glass-roofed atrium at the Houston Galleria.

31. Timberlake's former band: NSYNC.  A young Justin Timberlake when he was with NSYNC.

33. Biological building blocks: STEM CELLS.

37. Sam of "Peaky Blinders": NEILL.  I am familiar with the actor, but not the BBC television series.

41. Tot's comforter, affectionately: BLANKIE.   Binky too.

43. Not at all 32-Across: POLITE.

44. Work too hard: OVER DO.   My wife says that I over do it.   I over did it cutting a channel through the snow in the ditch line.  We were supposed to get a lot of rain.   Didn't want the culvert to freeze up and cause an upheaval in the blacktop.  Now the forecast isn't bad, so the only thing I got out it was a sore back. 

48. Opposite of rise: SET.

49. Screen door material: MESH.

50. Aleve target: ACHE.

51. Jungle squeezers: BOAS.

52. Canter or gallop: GAIT.  Neither a canter nor a gallop.  Like a ballerina.

53. A party to, as a private joke: IN ON.

54. Classroom acting: SKIT.

56. "Shameless" network, briefly: SHO.  

57. Egg layer: HEN.

Tuesday, January 29, 2019 Frank Virzi

"Paper Cutter"

16. *Killjoy: PARTY POOPER.  A wet blanket.

20. *Face consequences for poor decisions: PAY THE PIPER.  More on that in the review.

34. *Furniture restorer's chemical: PAINT STRIPPER.   I've stripped more furniture than Carter has pills. 

50. *Airborne unit member: PARATROOPER.   All U.S. military paratroopers go to "Jump School" at Ft. Benning, GA. 

55. Stationery supply with a blade ... and a hint to the answers to starred clues: PAPER CUTTER.

BTW,  Frank created one of my favorite puzzles.  It's one that every Chicago Cubs fan should solve and frame for their man cave or diva den. 


Let's slice up today's puzzle and see what we got.

Across:

1. Tricky road curves: ESSES.

6. Too hasty: RASH.   The upshot of making a rash decision might be paying the piper, possibly leading to the following self criticism:
10. "Boy, am I dumb!": DUH.

13. Bowl over: SHOCK.  Technically, pins are inanimate objects, but Boomer shocks them and sends "ten in the pit" quite frequently.

14. Valpolicella wine brand: BOLLA.   Where's Chairman Moe when you need him ?   Selling wine of course.   I'll leave descriptions to the oenophiles.   Please chime in if you've tried this wine.

 A classic Italian Red Wine

15. Suffix with project or percent: ILE.

18. Metro stop: Abbr.: STA.   There are 242 stations served by Metra in the Chicagoland area.

19. State south of Wash.: ORE.   I read the history of the Tucker Sno-Cat.   It is made in Medford,  Oregon.

22. Like Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial: SEATED.

24. Yom Kippur observers: ATONERS.

25. Italian wine hub: ASTI.   Another Italian wine reference from Frank.

26. South African golfer Ernie: ELS.   Nicknamed "The Big Easy" due to his physical size and fluid golf swing.   CSO to our own Big Easy here at the Corner who also loves golf.

28. Make a wool cap, say: KNIT.   Hello Madame !  Here's a link to William Safire's  The Fumbelrules of Grammar.    I had to look it up the other day after you mentioned it.

29. MLB exec Joe who was the Yankees' manager for 12 seasons: TORRE.   Joe Torre bio at MLB.com

32. Wrangler's ropes: LASSOS.

37. Wild cards, maybe: DEUCES.

38. Arrive at: GET TO.

39. "At Last" singer James: ETTA.

40. Charged particle: ION.

41. Recipe amts.: TSPS.  Teaspoons. 

45. Polar expedition vehicles: SNO-CATS.

 "... Sir Vivian Fuchs’s 2,158-mile 1958 Trans-Antarctic expedition, a journey that constituted the first land crossing of Antarctica..."

48. '70s-'80s FBI sting: ABSCAM.   One U.S. Senator, five U.S. House Representatives, and five other state and local politicians paid the piper for accepting bribes in the undercover operation. 

53. Tijuana gold: ORO.

54. "__ little teapot ... ": I'M A.  short and stout.

57. Min. part: SEC.  Minute (short i, stress on the first syllable) or minute (long i, stress on the second syllable) is an example of a heteronym.  ie, same spelling, different pronunciation and meaning.    I think Rich employs heteronyms for misdirection and to amp up the difficulty of clues when editing, especially later in the week.   Do you recall the "Flower in la Seine" clue in C.C.s Sunday puzzle ?    Here's a RECKord of heteronyms to diLIBerATE. 

58. Companionless: ALONE.  Again, naturally.   Remember Biz Markie from the other day ?   The judgement that changed the hip hop recording industry. 

59. Quai d'Orsay's river: SEINE.  Whoa !   Thank you perps.    I learned that it's an area on the left bank of the Seine.   There's a street there with the same name that houses many French government offices.  Consequently,  the French use Quai d'Orsay to refer to the French government, similar to the English referring to Downing Street for English government.    

60. WNW opposite: ESE.

61. Swiss watch brand: RADO.  Nice looking watches.   I'm not a watch wearer and have no idea where they rank.

62. Trial rounds: HEATS.

Down:

1. Señor's wife: ESPOSA.

2. Stock market purchases: SHARES.

3. Furious with: SORE AT.

4. Outer: Pref.: ECT.

5. Video conferencing choice: SKYPE.

6. Carrot or turnip: ROOT. 

7. Dominant dogs: ALPHAS.

8. Wintry pellets: SLEET.

9. Marx brother with a horn: HARPO.


10. Mete out, as PEZ candy: DISPENSE.


11. Hidden, as motives: ULTERIOR.

12. Publishing family: HEARSTS.

14. __ Wonder: Robin: BOY.   The Dynamic Duo superheros Batman (Bruce Wayne) and the Boy Wonder Robin (Dick Grayson) thwart evil villains in Gotham.  

17. Note-taking aid: PAD.

21. Classic '30s-'50s vocal quartet, with "the": INK SPOTS. I don't think I'm familiar with any of their songs. This one was apparently one of the famous ones:


While listening to it, I scanned the comments and came across this remark,    "I remember the first time I heard this song: I was sippin' an egg cream with some doll at some greasy-spoon diner in the Bowery.  Some mug came in and served me more lip than his face could handle.  After a little chin music, I paid my nickel, grabbed the dame and took it on the lam."    Sounds like lines out of a film noir.

23. Lake on the border of Bolivia and Peru: TITICACA.  10 Interesting Facts About Lake Titicaca

26. Critical-care ctrs.: ERs.

27. Release: LET GO.

30. Queen's "Another __ Bites the Dust": ONE.


31. Shares again on Twitter, briefly: RTS.

32. Set a match to: LIT.

33. Befitting: APT.

34. Love handles?: PET NAMES.

35. Grand Prix, e.g.: AUTO RACE.

36. Han and Leia's son Kylo __: REN.   Star Wars stuff.

37. Loathe: DESPISE.

40. 14-legged crustacean: ISOPOD.

42. Nova __: SCOTIA.     One of the Canadian provinces.  Halifax is the capital and the timezone is AST.   Crosswords reinforce some bits of knowledge.

43. Mother or father: PARENT.

44. Gooey campfire treats: SMORES.  The Girl Scouts are selling cookies now.   I don't understand why they sell them in January.   I bought Thin Mints and whatever they call the peanut butter cookies.  Not the S'mores though.    

46. For face value: AT PAR.   Typically used in accounting and finance.  The face (stated) value of  a stock, bond or financial instrument.

47. Song syllables: TRA LA.

48. NRC forerunner: AEC.  Nuclear Regulatory Commission: Atomic Energy Commission.  The AEC was responsible for both promotion and regulation of nuclear energy.   Both critics and supporters of nuclear energy agreed that the regulatory function should be separated.  In 1974, the NRC was created with the passage of the Energy Reorganization Act.  - Paraphrased from NRC.gov-about-history.     

49. Hair salon staple: BRUSH.

51. Winery prefix: OENO.   A wine sub theme today.

52. Opposite of post-: PRE.

56. Shirt with a V-neck, perhaps: TEE.

Tuesday, January 22, 2019 Paul Coulter

"Punctuation Matters"

17. Mortgage check, say: PERIODIC PAYMENT. 

23. Brit's sausage-with-potatoes dish: BANGERS AND MASH.  The only one of the three that might need an explanation.   Bang is another word for the exclamation point in the lexicon of print terminology.   Also know as a screamer  to some printers.  My BIL was one.

49. 42-7, say, in an NFL game: COMMANDING LEAD.  At this point, let's give pause before moving on to the reveal.

58. What ends many a line, and what begins each of the puzzle's three other long answers: PUNCTUATION MARK.

Across:

1. Senegal's capital: DAKAR.  On the west coast of Africa. 

6. Website for techies: CNET.   "CNET tracks all the latest consumer technology breakthroughs and shows you what's new, what matters and how technology can enrich your life. "

10. Talk show runner: HOST.  Run as in manage.  Johnny Carson kept things moving along but frequently had to reschedule guests that were to appear at the end of the program.

14. 2018 romaine lettuce concern: E. coli.  Last time it was a Yuma, Arizona grower.  This time it was linked to a grower in Santa Barbara County, California.   As of January 9, 2019, the FDA continues to investigate, while the CDC reports that the current outbreak appears to be over.

It's not just you: There are more food recalls these days.

15. Drinking glass edges: RIMS.  As shown in this double walled tumbler:

No Coaster Needed

Hey, that gives Tinbeni an idea !  Sans ice, of course.

16. "What's gotten __ you?": INTO.  You have a burr in your britches ?

20. Italian three: TRE.  Uno, due, tre, quattro, cinque, sei, setto, otto (desper-), nove, dieci.

21. Classified ad abbr.: EEO.  The Commission stresses that Equal Employment Opportunity is the law in the U.S.    The law provides for protection from certain discriminations.

22. "How exciting!": OOH. 

30. Benelux locale: Abbr.: EUR.  Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg location: Europe.

31. Furniture chain also known for Swedish meatballs: IKEA.

32. Wash. Nats' div.: NLE. The Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball are in the National League East division.

33. "Encore!": AGAIN.

36. Barbara of TV's "Mission: Impossible": BAIN.

37. Patriarch from Eden: ADAM.

38. Calls on for help: TURNS TO.  Relies on.   Sometimes a family member or trusted friend, sometimes an advisor or subject matter expert.  

40. Stash out of sight: SECRETE.

42. Highland caps: TAMS.  The traditional cap worn by Scottish men.

43. Blockheads: OAFS.

45. "I don't mind eels / Except as meals" poet Nash: OGDEN.

46. __ nutshell: briefly: IN A.  Brief and to the point.  Some are allergic to this concept.  To further elaborate, I can provide a comprehensive and thoroughly detailed explanation that extensively expands on this notion of brevity, from a to z or from top to bottom,  upon request.

47. Had on: WORE.

48. Évian water: EAU.  A natural mineral water drink.

54. Consume: EAT. 

55. Eggy drink: NOG.  I only know it as eggnog. 

56. Key lime __: PIE.  

64. Citizenship recitation: OATH.

65. Bad day for Caesar: IDES.

66. Intrude rudely, with "in": BARGE.  A barge is a somewhat awkward vessel.  Hard to steer and prone to bumping into things.   Like that unyielding fellow that interrupts an exchange of pleasantries to lecture on the "real" reasons for the current weather conditions.   

67. Cancún cash: PESO.

68. Whirling current: EDDY. 

69. Pretended to be: ACTED. 

Down:

1. Cabinet div.: DEPT.   A structure of U.S. government.    "The Cabinet includes the Vice President and the heads of 15 executive departments — the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, as well as the Attorney General." - Whitehouse.gov 

2. Biting: ACERB.  Is Key Lime pie acerbic ?  I've never had it.  Oh wait, the sarcastic and stinging kind of acerbic.  Never mind.

3. South __, 2018 Olympics site: KOREA.

4. Boxing legend: ALI.   "The Greatest" was full of bravado.

5. 2016 Olympics city: RIO.   Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.   The Kia Rio is a model of a car, as some of us learned in Susan Gelfand's crossword last Wednesday. 

6. Colonial news source: CRIER.   The employment outlook for town criers waned as literacy rates improved.  Now pretty much ceremonial. 

7. Capital of Cyprus: NICOSIA.    Thank you perps. 

8. Old Rom. ruler: EMP eror.

9. Airport screening org.: TSA.   Transportation Security Agency.  Created after the Sept 11 attacks. First placed in the Department of Transportation, but moved to the (then) newly created department of Homeland Security in 2003. 

10. Greeting mouthed to a stadium cam: HI MOM.

11. Like home-run-robbing catches: ONE HANDED. Mike Trout demonstrates.

Pitchers and catchers report in about a month.

12. RR stop: STN.

13. Typical Nick Jr. watcher: TOT.  Programs like these:

18. Venison source: DEER.

19. "Patience you must have" Jedi master: YODA.

24. Bundestag nos: NEINS.  The German Bundestag is the equivalent to the U.S. House of Representatives. 

25. Tries hard (for): GUNS.

26. Part of SWAK: A KISS. Sealed With A Kiss.   This song reminds me of a 53. Mournful song: DIRGE.


27. Endangered Hawaiian goose: NENE.

28. Bluish gray: SLATE.

29. Studly dudes: HE MEN. and: 50. Like 29-Down: MACHO.

 He-Man and Battle Cat 

33. Heirloom storage spot: ATTIC.  If your attic exhaust fan is running in the winter in northern climates, it's probably the humidity sensor turning the fan on.  Heat escaping into the attic causes condensate against the cold roof.  Mold ensues.  The fan should turn on at 45 to 50 % relative humidity to exhaust the moist air.   The fix is to eliminate the heat escapes and to better insulate.

If your HVAC fan is running constantly, change the fan switch on the thermostat from the On to the Auto position.     

34. Organic fertilizer: GUANO.

35. Arsenal contents: ARMAMENTS.   The Rock Island Arsenal Museum has an extensive collection of armament.  It's open to citizens of the U.S. with free admission but you must secure a pass at the Moline gate as it is located on an active military installation.  The Rock Island Arsenal is the second oldest military museum in the U.S.


Can you name the five Quad Cities ?

36. Lumber unit: BOARD.

37. Bicker: ARGUE.

39. SpongeBob, e.g.: TOON.

41. What Frosty's eyes are made of: COAL.   His base may be a surprise...



44. Made a misleading move: FEINTED.

47. "W" on a light bulb: WATT.   Ex Wisconsin Badger and current Houston Texan JJ Watt saying "Hi Mom"

48. Thick & Fluffy waffle brand: EGGO. 

51. Clamorous: NOISY.

52. In different places: APART.

57. Barely managed, with "out": EKED.

58. Drop by, with "in": POP.

59. Federation in OPEC: UAE.   Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries : United Arab Emirates.

60. One-eighty: UIE.   How do you spell U-Turn ?  How do you spell food on a skewer K-B-BS ?

61. Do simple math: ADD.

62. Org. with Nets ... and nets: NBA.    Great clue with the "...and nets" added in.   The Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association.

63. Dude: MAC.  We'd barely parked the car, and the eager young salesman was rushing out the door to greet us.  Within minutes, he was guiding us to a round table just off the showroom floor.   I think he wanted to skip the part about showing showing us any vehicles and answering any questions, and  jump right into a purchase agreement.   Urged to "grab a seat" I declined because of my back;   standing sometimes helps.   "Whatever you want dude !" came the response.   My wife still chuckles when I say that phrase. 

Note from C.C.:

Happy 73nd Birthday to our constructor and friend John Lampkin, who always delights us with his superb crosswords and amazing nature photos. Thank you for the joy you've brought to us all these years, John!

Lemonade and John

Tuesday, January 15, 2019 Gary Larson

"Make Certain"

17. Single-digit temps, for most: COLD SPELL.  Spell check  - Worth the read. 

24. 1984 Prince hit: PURPLE RAIN.  Rain check

36. Body of water between Connecticut and southeastern New York: LONG ISLAND SOUND.  Soundcheck.   SRV Soundcheck

52. At close range: POINT BLANK.  Blank check

61. Grandmaster's last word ... and what the last word in 17-, 24-, 36- and 52-Across can be: CHECKMATE.   An indisputable victory.

Across:

1. Half-__: coffee with a little less kick: CAF.

4. Chocolate-making bean: CACAO.

9. Polynesian people: MAORI.

14. Darth, as a youth: ANI.  Star Wars stuff.  The Wookieepedia at Fandom.

15. Suspect's excuse: ALIBI.

16. Muslim religion: ISLAM.

19. Exams for would-be attys.: LSATS.

20. Try to whack: HIT AT.

21. Jazz great Blake: EUBIE.


23. Cabinet dept. concerned with nukes: ENER.

29. Picket line participant: STRIKER.  Or a forward in soccer.

31. Fierce public protest: OUTCRY.

32. Jot down: NOTATE.

35. Napkin's place: LAP.  Napkin Etiquette

42. Skater Midori: ITO.  Master of the triple jump.

43. Muscle injury: STRAIN.

44. Small river: STREAM. 

48. Tribulations: ORDEALS.

55. Bushels: A LOT.  Gobs.

56. Ponzi scheme, e.g.: FRAUD.

57. Ann __, Michigan: ARBOR. The town plat was filed under the name of Annarbour.  Home of the University of Michigan.

58. California/Nevada resort lake: TAHOE.

64. Milky gemstones: OPALS.

65. Breed that's Welsh for "dwarf dog": CORGI. The Cardigan and the Pembroke


66. Fresh: NEW.

67. George of "Cheers": WENDT.  Norm !


68. Trap during a winter storm, say: ICE IN.

69. Dozens of mos.: YRS.

Down:

1. Secret supplies: CACHES.

2. Bless using oil: ANOINT. 

3. Color-altering camera lens accessory: FILTER.

4. Actors in a show: CAST.

5. European mountain: ALP.

6. Paris corp.: CIE.  Company abbr = co.     Compagnie abbr = cie.  

7. More adept: ABLER.

8. Prepare to shine in a bodybuilding contest?: OIL UP.

9. Cultural setting: MILIEU.

10. State with conviction: ASSERT.

11. Suffix with pay: OLA. 

12. Templeton in "Charlotte's Web," e.g.: RAT.

13. Cyberchats, briefly: IMs.   Instant Messages.  Also,  IM is the abbreviation sometimes used here at the corner for our dear and caring Irish Miss, so CSO !  

18. Adventurous: DARING.

22. Rain-__ bubble gum: BLO.    Gobs of bubble gum balls.   The flavor matches the color.

24. Animals at home: PETS.

25. Eurasian border mountains: URALS.

26. Rights advocacy org.: ACLU.

27. "Reading Lolita in Tehran" setting: IRAN.  "Heather Hewett of the Christian Science Monitor notes the book's "passionate defense of literature" that will "resonate with anyone who loves books, or who wants (or needs) to be reminded why books matter." - Wikipedia

28. Big Apple law gp.: NYPD.

30. Japanese carp: KOI.

33. Skin pic: TAT.

34. Noted 2001 bankruptcy: ENRON.  Financially devastating to so many.

36. Talk like Daffy: LISP.

37. Director Preminger: OTTO.  Cruciverbalist Desper- ______

38. More formal "Me neither!": NOR I.

39. Lacking light: DARK.

40. Bully in the "Toy Story" films: SID.  Phillips.  The antagonist. 

41. Like challenging push-ups: ONE ARM.   Strength and balance are required.

45. Surround: ENFOLD.

46. Taking a break: AT REST.

47. Management deg.: MBA.

49. Capital on the Hudson: ALBANY.  "Albany is known for its rich history, commerce, culture, architecture, and institutions of higher education."


50. Thief during a riot: LOOTER.

51. Scatters, as seeds: STREWS.

53. Soap star Susan: LUCCI.

54. For a specific purpose, as a committee: AD HOC.

57. Comparable (to): AKIN.

58. Aid for a disabled auto: TOW.

59. Big lug: APE.

60. Solo of "Star Wars": HAN. More Star Wars.

62. Before, in verse: ERE.

63. Cinematic FX: CGI.  Computer Generated Imagery.  As seen in Star Wars etc.

Note from C.C.:

Another sweet treat for us. Here's a picture from JD's 75th birthday celebration.

Tuesday, January 8, 2019 Mark McClain

A M Words

17. National Portrait Gallery, e.g.: ART MUSEUM.

24. Freebies for tourists: AREA MAPS.

49. Rosary recital: AVE MARIA.

61. Puzzle solver's breakthrough, e.g.: AHA MOMENT.

3. Film often with chase scenes: ACTION MOVIE.

25. Inflatable bed for a guest: AIR MATTRESS.

38. Medium for many talk shows ... and an apt place to discuss six puzzle answers?: AM RADIO.

Mark is back to get some airtime with these A&M words.  The AM in AM RADIO is for Amplitude Modulation.  Talk radio is full of words and fills many of the AM frequencies.

My favorite is Aha Moment. 

Across:

1. Winter warm spell: THAW.

5. Simon & Garfunkel's "El Condor __": PASA.


9. Sneer (at): SCOFF.

14. Texas home of Baylor University: WACO.   In case you missed it, the # 8 Baylor Lady Bears knocked off the # 1 Connecticut Huskies on Jan 3rd in Waco by a score of 68 to 57.  It was the first regular season loss by the Huskies in 4 years and ended a 126 game winning streak.   Hondo Hurricane is a huge fan of the Huskies.  Please be sure to send your condolences. 

15. CPR pros: EMTs.

16. Jazz clarinetist Shaw: ARTIE.   54 Minutes of Swing and Jazz.


19. Ugh-inducing: NASTY.

20. Observes secretly: SPIES ON.

21. 67-Across exile: ADAM.
67. Genesis paradise: EDEN.

23. Dollar bills: ONEs.

28. Soda container: CAN.

30. List-shortening abbr.: ET AL.

31. The Emerald Isle: EIRE.

32. Ideology suffix: ISM.

33. Little fluid holder: VIAL.

35. Altered, as voting districts: REDREW.   Possibly gerrymandered.

37. Merged labor org.: CIO.   Congress of Industrial Organizations.  Created in 1935 under a slightly different name, broke away from and became a rival to the American Federation of Labor in 1938, and rejoined again in 1955 to form the AFL-CIO.

40. "Give __ break": ME A.  of that KitKat bar.

41. Soldiers' support gp. since 1944: AMVETS.  We donate.

43. Sign gas: NEON.

44. "Life of Pi" director Lee: ANG.

45. "How ya __?": DOIN.   Joey on Friends: "How YOU doin'?"

46. Not __ snuff: unsatisfactory: UP TO. 

48. "Cats" poet's monogram: TSE.  The poet, Thomas Stearns Eliot, more commonly as T.S. Eliot.    Also, an abbrv for transmissible spongiform encephalopathy.  One example would be mad cow disease.

51. Conveyer of tears: DUCT.  You say conveyer,  I say conveyor.  

54. Taiwan-based laptop giant: ACER.

55. Spanish island, to locals: MENORCA.  The four largest islands in the Islas Baleras archipelago east of Spain in the western Mediterranean are Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera.   Many minor islands and islets are close to the larger islands, including Cabrera, Dragonera, and S'Espalmador

58. Deep cleft: CHASM.

63. Tickle: AMUSE.

64. Dorothy's dog: TOTO.

Dorothy and Toto:

Also, a group of session musicians that gathered together and recorded prior to having a band name. According to legend, the drummer wrote "Toto" on their demo tapes only to differentiate them from other bands recording in the studio.  They decided to stay with the name. 


65. Tiny fraction of a min.: MSEC.  Millisecond.   One thousandth of a second.  Much much longer than a nanosecond. 

66. Jabs with a finger: POKES.

68. Concerning: AS TO.

Down:

1. First word of "A Visit From St. Nicholas": TWAS.

2. Large plucked instrument: HARP.  Our friend Laura playing one of her harps. 

4. Alumnae, e.g.: WOMEN.

5. Cuban coins: PESOS.

6. Blessing conclusion: AMEN.

7. Good name for a cook: STU.  Homophone of stew.

8. Eritrea's capital: ASMARA.

 Country Profile - BBC News

9. Yemen's capital: SANAA.

 Country Profile - BBC News

10. Hit the books at the last minute: CRAMMED.

11. Extra NBA periods: OTS.  Overtimes.

12. In top form: FIT.

13. "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot" actress Tina: FEY.

18. Put in the game: USE.

22. Texas border city: DEL RIO.  Went to school with a guy from Del Rio.

24. Home of the Braves: ATLANTA.   The Atlanta Braves of MLB.

26. Grooms, bird-style: PREENS. 

27. Municipal waste: SEWAGE.

28. Noisy summer insect: CICADA.

29. "I, Robot" author: ASIMOV. Isaac.

30. Organ with a lobe: EAR.

33. Napa Valley vessel: VAT.

34. "There's no doubt!": I'M SURE.   Lisa: I'm positive.  Vinny: How can you be so sure ? Lisa: Because there is no way that these tire marks were made by a '64 Buick Skylark convertible. These marks were made by a 1963 Pontiac Tempest.

36. Long, long time: EON.

39. "Gloria in Excelsis __": DEO.

42. All together: EN MASSE.   En bloc.   In toto. 

47. Illicit video producer: PIRATE. 

50. High points: ACMES.

51. Evil spirit: DEMON.

52. Card game inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame in 2018: UNO.

53. Pause-causing punctuation: COMMA.  Commas are important people.

55. Hand on deck: MATE.

56. Tech news site: CNET.

57. "I Got You Babe" label: ATCO.

 Link to a video of Sonny and Cher singing it for Big Easy

58. Ballplayer's hat: CAP.  These New Era baseball caps are in order.  Baseball fans will see it.

59. Managed care gp.: HMO.

60. Arctic seabird: AUK.

62. Coal scuttle: HOD.

Note from C.C.:

Happy Birthday to Patti Varol, editor for the Crosswords Club and Daily POP and Rich's assistant at LA Times. Whether a puzzle is accepted or rejected, Patti always gives constructive feedback. She's also a super crossword constructor and solver.