Theme: Opposite Partners - Four common phrases stating diametrical extremes. The verbs are all in third person singular form.
17A. Vacillates : BLOWS HOT AND COLD
25A. Goes out with periodically : DATES OFF AND ON
47A. Acts nervously in the waiting room : PACES TO AND FRO
62A. Searches all over : LOOKS HIGH AND LOW
Argyle here and there. Debut puzzle? A little bland but it has two grid spanners on a Monday, nice. It may have been intentional; some clues are gimmes and some are Thursday. Only eight three-letter words. It doesn't feel like a rookie submission.
Across:
1. Captain after a white whale : AHAB. "Moby Dick or, The Whale" by Herman Melville.
5. Former "Idol" judge Paula : ABDUL. Replaced by Ellen DeGeneres, replaced by J-Lo, replaced by Mariah Carey?
10. Glove compartment items : MAPS
14. Pro __: free, as legal work : BONO
15. Mild cigar : CLARO. Hey, put that out! This is a smoke-free blog.
16. Juan's water : AGUA
20. Gossip spreader : YENTA
21. America's national bird : BALD EAGLE
22. Belief: Suff. : ISM
24. "__ the land of the free ..." : O'ER
32. Make a mistake : ERR
33. "__ be sorry!" : YOU'LL
34. Porcine sniffer : SNOUT. Now, don't be piggy.
37. Name of 12 popes : PIUS
39. Trick alternative : TREAT
41. "The __-bitsy spider ..." : ITSY
42. Florida coastal city : TAMPA
44. "__ at 'em!" : LEMME
46. www connection co. : ISP. (Internet Service Provider)
50. B&O et al. : RR's. (Baltimore and Ohio Railroad)
51. Gun lobby org. : NRA. (National Rifle Association)
52. "A __ Named Desire" : STREETCAR. STELLA!
58. Smells : ODORS
64. Drink buyer's words : ON ME. "I got dozens of friends, and the fun never ends
That is, as long as I'm buying" Too Much Time on My Hands(5:12) By Styx With Lyrics.
65. Use at mealtime, as dishes : EAT ON
66. When tripled, a story shortener : YADA
67. Lay eyes on : ESPY
68. Martini's partner in vermouth : ROSSI.
69. Bakery appliance : OVEN
Down:
1. "Dear" columnist : ABBY
2. Golfer's target : HOLE
3. Soon, to Shakespeare : ANON. It's not what it is to me.
4. Neckwear with a tux : BOW TIE
5. Coblenz complaint : "ACH!". The complaint is "It's spelled with a K". Map.
6. Oozy horror film menace : BLOB (1958)
7. Number-cruncher's input : DATA
8. Russian river : URAL
9. Big Ben's city : LONDON. Boy, is this a gimme or what?
10. Tubes with cheese : MACARONI
11. Eagerly excited : AGOG
12. Yank : PULL
13. One-named Nigerian singer : SADE. Paradise(3:38), filmed in Mexico?
18. Back-talking : SASSY
19. Owners' documents : DEEDS
23. No longer at issue : MOOT
25. Men's or Women's, e.g.: Abbr. : DEPT.
26. Opera highlight : ARIA
27. Noted TV firer : TRUMP. The Donald.
28. Rolls up, as a flag : FURLS
29. Admiral's command : FLEET
30. Car rental giant : ALAMO
31. "__ I have anything to say about it" : NOT IF
35. Cold War country: Abbr. : USSR
36. "Teh" for "The," say : TYPO
38. One may be hidden in a fake rock : SPARE KEY
40. IRS employee : T-MAN
43. Farm size units : ACRES
45. 2000s Houston-based scandal subject : ENRON
48. Bible book named for a woman : ESTHER
49. Bro, to a beatnik : DADDY-O
52. Blackthorn fruit : SLOE
53. Heavy weights : TONS
54. Play friskily : ROMP
55. "So long, signore" : "CIAO!"
56. FBI personnel : AGT's
57. Letters after pis : RHOs
59. Norwegian saint : OLAV
60. Went on horseback : RODE
61. Tchaikovsky's "__ Lake" : SWAN
63. "Star Wars" saga nickname : ANI. From Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace: Anakin (Ani) Skywalker is set on the road to become Darth Vader.
Argyle
From C.C.:
Here is a wonderful photo of the two cottages Jazzbumpa rented for his family lake vacation last week. It's on the west shore of Black Lake. I think they go there every summer.
From C.C.:
Here is a wonderful photo of the two cottages Jazzbumpa rented for his family lake vacation last week. It's on the west shore of Black Lake. I think they go there every summer.
