Sunday, September 11, 2016 Warren Stabler

Theme: "Risk Factor" - Parse RISK as "R is K".  R is changed into K in each theme entry.

22A. Battle of vampire slayers? : STAKING CONTEST. Staring contest.

35A. "'Dash away' yourself, Santa! We're tired!"? : HOLIDAY CHEEK. Holiday cheer.

53A. Band of vipers' rhythm section? : SNAKE DRUMS. Snare drums.

62. With 65-Across, malt shop accountant's calculation? : EARNINGS. And 65. See 62-Across : PER SHAKE. Earnings per share.

76A. Time when all farms used plow-pulling oxen? : DAYS OF YOKE. Days of yore.

 

92A. Angler's slang? : FISHING SPEAK. Fishing spear.

109A. Soda jerk's course of study? : COKE CURRICULUM. Core curriculum.

 

16D. Satirize the screwball? : SEND UP A FLAKE. Not familiar with the phrase "send up a flare".

58D. Portrait of a libertine? : RAKE PAINTING. Rare painting. I feel it's not as solid as
rare coin".

Another great title! It captures the gimmick so perfectly. 

I also like how Warren split up EARNINGS PER SHAKE and intersected PER SHAKE with one more themer. Creative gridding.

 

Across:

     

1. No-trade policy : EMBARGO. Solid start.

8. 1954 Ford debut : T-BIRD

13. Vacillate : SEESAW

19. Brit's beauty shop : PARLOUR. I was thinking of The Body Shop, which is a British company. Alas, they only have one store here in MN. Mall of America of course.

20. Geographical symbol of Middle America : PEORIA

21. Beat the wheat : THRESH

24. Bandleader Tito : PUENTE

25. Eponymous virologist : SALK

26. Eric Cartwright's nickname : HOSS. Never watched "Bonanza".

27. Like some seals : EARED

29. Poor mark : DEE

30. Indefinite period : WHILE.  Always with "a". 

32. Japanese chip maker : NEC. 117 years old now. Much older than Intel.

33. Once around : ORBIT

34. Hair ringlet : CURL

39. Hickok's last hand, so it's said : ACES UP.  Dead man's hand.

41. Yves' yes : OUI

42. Hefty Cinch__ bags : SAK

43. River to the Ohio : WABASH. Wiki says it's the "state river of Indiana".

45. Marathoner's concern : CRAMP

48. Language spoken by Jesus : ARAMAIC

51. Enter again : RE-TYPE

52. Science major's cost : LAB FEE

55. Mom, dad, sibs, etc. : FAM

56. Cholesterol letters : LDL. "Bad" cholesterol.

57. Jason's ship : ARGO. So happy you're out of the woods now, Lemonade.

59. Quebec's __ Peninsula : GASPE. Learning moment for me.

60. Pound foot : PAW. I thought the clue might be some kind of unit.

61. Order from a stool : ALE

68. Ararat lander : ARK

69. Youngster : BOY

70. Boat, or the tool that moves it : SCULL. Nice clue.

73. Tony winner Judith : IVEY. I forgot. We had her before.

74. Dessert option : PIE. Quite a few food references in this grid.  75. Starchy tuber : YAM. 104. Celebrate an anniversary, with "out" : DINE.  23. After-dinner request : CHECK.  38. Devour : EAT UP 54. Like a soufflé : EGGY.  91. Baked potato topping : CHIVES

79. Thrusting blade : RAPIER

81. Used as security, in a way : PAWNED. We passed by the Pawn Stars shop in Vegas a few times. Never went in.

82. Words behind Lincoln? : ONE CENT

86. Bias : SLANT

87. Temple with an upcurved roof : PAGODA. The first one is the famous Wild Goose Pagoda in my hometown Xi'an. The curve in the second pagoda from Japan is more pronounced.

88. Calendar col. : TUE

89. Golf course meas. : YDs

90. Promise qualifier : IF I CAN

96. "Yikes!" : OH NO

98. HDTV part, for short : HI-DEF

100. Texter's "Yikes!" : OMG

101. Barely eats : PICKS

102. Billboard __ 100 : HOT

103. Pastel shade : LILAC

106. Host before and after O'Brien : LENO

107. "Nightfall" story writer : ASIMOV. Got via crosses.

114. Decide not to : RENEGE

115. Square quartet : ANGLES. Easy in retrospect.

116. North African capital : TRIPOLI. Not ALGIERS. Same letter count.

117. Boston College athletes : EAGLES. A la Wiki: The Boston College mascot is Baldwin the Eagle, an American bald eagle whose name is a pun derived from the bald head of the eagle and the word "win."

118. Exxon__ : MOBIL

119. Gets incensed : SEES RED

 

Down:

1. Mini-albums, for short : EPs

2. Shoe-wiping spot : MAT

3. Portuguese-speaking capital : BRASILIA. Here is a list of countries/territories where Portuguese is the official language. Though close to Hong Kong, Macau cuisine is quite different due to the Portuguese influence.

4. Its pH is more than 7 : ALKALI

5. Muddied : ROILED

6. Goop : GUNK

7. Cousin of com : ORG

8. A thousand's hundred : TENs

9. High-tech workers : BOTS. Not people.

10. Steam : IRE

11. It helps some singers see the choir leader : RISER. Got via crosses.

12. Sortable information source : DATABASE

13. Fla. coastal city : ST. PETE

14. Barak who succeeded Netanyahu : EHUD

15. Before, in verse : ERE

17. Autumn bloom : ASTER

18. Stagecoach roller : WHEEL

20. Hound : POOCH

28. Loaded : RICH

30. "Now just a darn minute!" : WHOA

31. Labor bill unit : HOUR. Boomer likes to chat with the repairman. I wonder if they add the chat time into the bill.

32. City near the Tappan Zee Bridge : NYACK. Stranger to me.

33. "No prob" : OK BY ME. Sparkly 6-letter fill.

34. Control : CURB

36. Group with the albums "Aqua" and "Aria" : ASIA

37. Still-life subjects : EWERS

40. Shell game, say : SCAM

44. H.S. VIPs : APs. Assistant Principals?

46. Sampling of songs : MEDLEY

47. Soccer superstar : PELE

49. Cath. church VIP : MSGR. Monsignor. I googled this last time.

50. Presently : ANON

51. Dietary stds. : RDAs

52. Newton trio : LAWS

55. Much : FAR

57. Passé reception aid : AERIAL

60. Ill-gotten gains : PELF. Not LOOT or SWAG.

63. Building beam : I-BAR

64. __ de plume : NOM

65. Proceed tediously : PLOD

66. Travel with a pack : HIKE. Oh, backpack.

67. "__ plaisir!" : AVEC

68. Financing nos. : APRs. APR = Annual Percentage Rate.

70. Prune : SAW OFF

71. Singer Lauper : CYNDI

72. "__ directed" : USE AS

75. Mountain myth : YETI. Just the Himalayan.

76. Former U.N. leader Hammarskjöld : DAG

77. Inexperienced : YOUNG

78. Versatile type in medicine, briefly : O NEG

80. Dope : INFO

81. Zoo observation gadget : PANDA CAM. Melissa and I debuted this fill a few months ago.

83. Brown, often : EYE COLOR. Melissa's surname is Brown.

84. Site of the U.S. continent's geographical midpoint : N DAK

85. Disapproving sounds : TSKs

87. Beach building aid : PAIL

88. Cellphone feature : TIMER

93. Baseball Hall of Famer Wagner : HONUS. Here is the famous T206 card. This might be a reprint, given its pristine condition.

94. Coinage : SPECIE. Not a word I use.

95. Man cave art : PIN-UPS

96. Popular connection point : O'HARE. Tricky clue.

97. Biblical prophet : HOSEA

99. __ Lodge : ECONO

103. Theater section : LOGE

104. Department with a scale : DELI. I sure was not thinking of supermarket.

105. Eur. republic since 1944 : ICEL (Iceland)

106. Old Pisa dough : LIRE

108. B or C of the Spice Girls : MEL

110. Cold War spy gp. : KGB

111. Civil things: Abbr. : RTS (Rights)

112. Small ending : ULE. Not LET.

113. Central beginning : MID

Happy Birthday to dear Husker Gary, our incomparable puzzle sherpa and friend. What's the plan today, Gary? Pick up some fresh pears?

Joann, Granddaughter Elise & Gary

C.C.

Friday, March 25, 2016, Warren Stabler

Theme: We need to get rid of our PR department.

This is our third puzzle from Warren who has two Monday LATs under his belt. It was difficult to parse his re-imagination of PRISM as PR IS M. Words that begin with "PR" are recast with "M" to create new phrases. There are no other PR words in the clues or fill. The triple nines in the NE and SW make this an impressive grid featuring  many lovely words like ARMATURES, PERSONNEL, EXTENDERS, STOMACHED, RAPID FIRE, ANECDOTAL. Let us take a trip through Warren's creation.

17A. Songs without words? : MIME NUMBERS (11). PRime Numbers, a math concept becomes an odd concept of people acting out the music. I started out wanting INSTRUMENTAL which luckily was too long.

27A. Earthquake consequence? : MOVING GROUND (12). PRoving ground I believe started with a term for the place where the military tries out its weapons. This fill gave me the letter(s) switch.

46A. House cat's challenge? : MICE INCREASE (12). PRice increase. 

61A. Money-making fiasco? : MINTING MESS (11). PRinting PRess. A double dose of changing pr to m. Good or bad?

68A. Solid that, when divided into three parts, describes this puzzle's theme : PRISM. For all of the math people who comment here, we are talking geometry not light waves when the clue is a solid. LINK.

Across:

1. "Dancing With the Stars" network : ABC-TV. Quite the interesting new group this year.

6. Early sign of spring : ARIES. The first sign of the Zodiac.

11. Big, uncouth guy : APE. Generally hairy.

14. Flap : HOOHA. With or without the closing "H" this version may come from the Yiddish הו־האַ meaning hullabaloo. In the Urban dictionary, the meaning is very different.

15. Now : TODAY.

16. King of ancient Rome : REX. This took too long as I was trying to think of one of the KINGS.

19. Celebrity known for wearing gold jewelry : MR T.

20. Like : AS IF. We learned this when Winston was pushing their cigarettes as tasting good "Like" a cigarette should. My fellow 10 year old kids loved saying "as if a cigarette should."

21. Check for a poker player? : NO BET. Literal.

22. Corner of a diamond : BASE. Third is the "hot corner."

23. Place name derived from a Koyukon word for "tall" : DENALI. Yukon tipped me to the Alaska connection and Denali filled.  I knew nothing of this language or PEOPLE.

25. Touch : ABUT ON.

31. Span. title : SRA. One lazy Friday I misidentified this abbreviation for Señora.

34. Pasta sauce flavoring : BASIL. Is a spice a flavoring?

35. Jane __, only female Chicago mayor : BYRNE. It is hard to believe Chicago elected this interesting outspoken CANDIDATE.

36. Strong flavor : TANG. I think more of tangy, but this was okay.

38. Dog or fox : CANID. Per wiki any of a family (Canidae) of carnivorous animals that includes the wolves, jackals, foxes, coyote, and the domestic dog.

40. One looking ahead : SEER. The Romans used them as important advisers, called them oracles. Reagan used astrologers. Also a word in C.C.'s Monday.

41. Autobahn autos : OPELS. Cool, now it is here.

43. Dreaded mosquito : AEDES. We have so many diseases spread by mosquitoes. What the CDC says.

45. Mercedes roadsters : SLS. SLS stands for "Sport Leicht Super" (Sport Light Super).

Sorry this is the correct car, I was thinking of an example rather than the plural.









49. Supplements : ADDS TO.

50. Date night destination : CINEMA. No ATM this week.

54. Corporate money mgrs. : CFOS. Chief Financial Officers.

55. Hustler's genre : DISCO. The dance, not the con man or the street person.

59. Dollar alternative : AVIS. Rental cars.

60. Pop __ : HIT.

63. Important time : ERA.

64. Leader of the pack? : SCOUT. Literally the one who goes out first.

65. Main artery : AORTA.

66. __ Taco : DEL. This chain of texmex is not down here but they have locations in Orlando. Never tried it.

67. Manage : GET BY.

Down:

2. Capital on its own river : BOISE. I did not know this geographic fact. Looks pretty.

3. "__ Thro' the Rye": Burns : COMIN.  A snippet...
Comin thro' the rye, poor body,
     Comin thro' the rye,
She draigl't a' her petticoatie
     Comin thro' the rye.
LINK.

4. Kin, informally : THE FAM. I have a cousin who actually says this.

5. Soccer practice transport : VAN.

6. Sphere opening : ATMOsphere.

7. Lynda Bird's married name : ROBB. She married this man. LINK.

8. Auteur's starting point : IDEE. French authors have their ideas in French.

9. Stock-tracking device : EAR TAG. Not your portfolio, but your cows. Nice clue/fill.

10. Part of PBS: Abbr. : SYS.




11. Current-carrying components : ARMATURES. I know nothing  of electricity or electrical engineering but I read in a current events manual that in DC machines, the magnetic poles are stationary, while the armature rotates-- and hence is also called the Rotor. In AC machines, the armature (heavy coil windings) remains stationary (and hence it is called the Stator), while the magnetic poles rotate inside the stator. This gives us LINK.

12. Staff : PERSONNEL.

13. Substances that add protein to meat : EXTENDERS. I did not know this either and you
probably do not want to read this LINK. And more food controversy 61D. Stir-fry additive : MSG.  MonoSodium Glutamate. There is a really great Article about the Chinese Food Syndrome and MSG.

18. Pioneer mainframe : UNIVAC.

22. Depth indicators, at times : BUOYS.

24. Court ploy : LOB.

26. Texter's "Gimme a sec" : BRB. Be Right Back. Also in Monday's puzzle.

28. Son of Abraham : ISAAC.

29. Levi's Stadium player, familiarly : NINER. Pick you seat....

30. Skate : GLIDE.

31. Stood : STOMACHED. I will not make a political comment here.

32. In quick succession : RAPID FIRE. Questions, for example.

33. Like some speech components : ANECDOTAL. The great speakers all are able to insert little stories to make their points. Wonderful word used infrequently in puzzles.

37. "Cagney &  Lacey" co-star : GLESS. Sharon, who reappeared on Burn Notice 

39. Church VIP : DEACON.

42. Rest : SIT.

44. Govt. stipend provider : SSI. Social Security provides Supplemental Security Income

47. "Fat chance" : NO DICE. Another of many multi word fill.

48. Charm : ENAMOR.

51. "If __ Would Leave You" : EVER I. Ah, Camelot...

52. Perfume applications : MISTS. At least the department stores no longer spray when you walk in.

53. State in northeast India : ASSAM. And this too was in Monday's puzzle.

56. How ties may be broken, briefly : IN OT. In overtime.

57. Re-entry need : STUB. Your ticket stub at the game, the concert or the movie.

58. Word in many place names : CITY.

62. Opening : GAP. Why did I think of this...

Well Spring sprung, and Warren tried his skills at a Friday. I was really impressed with the long non-theme fill. I think this could have easily morphed into a themeless. I missed my Friday Shakespeare but Camelot was fun. Thanks Warren and all of you, Lemonade out.

Notes from C.C.:

1) TTP wrote an updated post on "How to Create a Blogger Account. It's now archived under Olio on the blog front page. Thank you so much for taking the time and writing detailed instructions for newbies, TTP!

2) A few years ago Husker Gary created this fantastic Crossword Corner map. For those who want to add their name to the map, please feel free to email Gary (gschlapfer@gmail.com). Please also let him know if you want to drop your name from the map. Gary will publish an update map once he has the updated info.

 

Monday, December 28, 2015 Warren Stabler

Theme: By The Numbers - 40's, 50's, 60's.

20. 19th-century military service revolver : COLT FORTY-FIVE

37. Steak sauce brand : HEINZ FIFTY-SEVEN

53. Highway originally from Chicago to Santa Monica : ROUTE SIXTY-SIX

Argyle here. If there is more to this than ending in double-digit numbers, I don't see it. Not as complex as Warren's Ground Hog Day puzzle last Feb.

Across:

1. "__, poor Yorick!": Hamlet : ALAS. Hamlet: Act 5, Scene 1.

5. Fig. on a new car window : MSRP. (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price)

9. B equivalent, in music : C FLAT

14. Phnom __, Cambodia : PENH. Capital city

Psa Thmei Market

 

15. Prefix meaning "god" : THEO

16. Vivien of "Gone With the Wind" : LEIGH. Katie Scarlett O'Hara Hamilton Kennedy Butler.

17. Jason's ship : ARGO

18. Walt's friend, and enemy, in "Breaking Bad" : HANK. No idea.

19. "L.A. Law" lawyer : ARNIE. No idea.

23. Visine dose : EYE DROP

24. In the thick of : AMIDST

27. Brit. reference : OED. The Oxford English Dictionary originally published in 1884 and there is an interesting story behind it, too.

28. Barbie's guy : KEN

30. Piddling amount : DRIB. Often partnered with DRAB. LINK

31. Famous : KNOWN

34. "__ bet?": "Care to wager?" : WANNA

36. Altar promise : I DO

40. Piercing tool : AWL

41. See 13-Down : YANKS. And 13D. With 41-Across, Bronx ball club, familiarly : THE

42. Slammin' Sammy of the links : SNEAD

43. Catches in the act : NABS

45. Robert E. Lee's org. : CSA. (Confederate States of America)

46. Asian New Year : TET

47. Position in the batter's box : STANCE

49. Luxury apartment feature : TERRACE

56. Under way, to Sherlock : AFOOT

58. Weight loss plan : DIET

59. Karma : FATE

60. Eponymous swindler Charles : PONZI. Quite a schemer.

61. Former student : ALUM

62. Fed. power dept. : ENER.

63. Plagued : BESET

64. Sulk : MOPE

65. From Chicago to Boston : EAST. For those with no wish to head West.

Down:

1. Quickly : APACE

2. "Bad, Bad" Brown of song : LEROY. There is a nice bio about Jim Croce with the clip if you go to YouTube.

3. One of four in a square : ANGLE

4. Debunked : SHOT DOWN

5. Highest peak in Ore. : MT. HOOD

6. Like a honed knife : SHARP

7. Landlord's charge : RENT

8. Slammer : POKY. Jail.

9. Insurance case : CLAIM

10. Marked by intense feeling : FERVID

11. Solid baseball hit : LINE DRIVE. (frozen rope)

12. IRS Form 1040 calculation : AGI. (adjusted gross income)

21. Agitated state : FRENZY

22. Keister : FANNY

25. Album's first half : SIDE A

26. Govt. obligation : T-BOND

28. "The Trial" novelist Franz : KAFKA

29. Tolkien tree giants : ENTs

31. Ruling descendants of Genghis : KHANs

32. Unfamiliar with : NEW AT

33. Some Oklahoma billionaires : OIL BARONS

34. Comes out on top : WINS

35. State as fact : ASSERT

38. Diamond surface : FACET

39. Competitor's payment : ENTRY FEE

44. Clock radio "Shut up!" button : SNOOZE

46. iPhone user's "Keep in touch" : TEXT ME

48. Be effective : CUT IT. Can you cut it?

49. Traffic jam : TIE UP

50. Yoga posture : ASANA. I'm starting to learn it - the word, not the positions.

51. Quotes as a source : CITES

52. Apply, as pressure : EXERT

54. Netherlands cheese : EDAM

55. Farm storage cylinder : SILO. Nit free today, I hope.

56. LAPD alert : APB. (all-points bulletin)

57. Friend's opposite : FOE

Argyle

Monday, February 2, 2015 Warren Stabler

Theme: Today - The end of winter prediction.

41A. What we'll have of 3-Down, according to folklore, if 18-Across 62-Down sees his 50-Down on 65-Across : SIX MORE WEEKS. The most referential clue I think I've seen. I'll list them in order.

3D. Cold season : WINTER

18A. Pennsylvania borough in today's news : PUNXSUTAWNEY

62D. Given name of the critter in today's news : PHIL

50D. Sundial casting : SHADOW

65A. February 2, every year : GROUNDHOG DAY

Argyle and Phil here and a whimsical puzzle from a new constructor. On Groundhog Day(today), if Phil(the groundhog) sees his shadow and returns to his hole, he has predicted six more weeks of winter-like weather. If Phil does not see his shadow, he has predicted an "early spring". If he's smart, he won't poke even his nose out this morning.

Across:

1. Burst into tears : BAWL

5. Wander off the point : RAMBLE

11. Rainy : WET

14. Hodgepodge : OLIO

15. In the plane's cabin, say : ONBOARD

17. New Year's __ : EVE

20. Clinton's instrument : SAX. (saxophone)

21. Ambulance VIP : EMT. (emergency medical technician)

22. '50s nuclear experiments : A-TESTS

23. Founded, on signs : ESTD.(established)

25. Foe : ENEMY

27. Approved, briefly : OK'D

29. Pop singer Diamond : NEIL

31. Henry VIII's sixth wife Catherine : PARR. The last of his wives, she married him on 12 July 1543, and outlived him.

32. Conk out : DIE

35. "Make up your mind!" : "YES OR NO!"

37. Germany's __ Republic, 1919-'33 : WEIMAR. Weimar was the city where the constitutional assembly took place. Wiki

40. Flip-flops : THONGS. Do you know whose these are?

43. Puppies : WHELPS

45. Bahamas capital : NASSAU

46. Thick fog metaphor : PEA SOUP

48. Dirt road groove : RUT

49. Amt. on a new car window : MSRP. (manufacturer's suggested retail price)

53. Venus de __ : MILO

54. Mess of hair : MOP

56. Employee handing out playbills : USHER

57. Stoolie : FINK

59. Workshop grippers : CLAMPS

63. Word after Iron or Stone : AGE

64. Corp. leader : CEO. (chief executive officer) and 7D. Corp. execs' degrees : MBAs. (Master of Business Administration)

68. Coffee hour vessel : URN

69. Asian language in a region famous for tigers : BENGALI. "...if called by a panther,

don't anther."

70. __ vault : POLE

71. Letter before tee : ESS

72. La Brea discovery : FOSSIL

73. Filled with wonder : AWED

Down:

1. Girl who lost her sheep : BO PEEP

Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep,

And doesn't know where to find them;

Leave them alone,

And they'll come home,

Wagging their tails behind them.

2. Barnard graduate : ALUMNA. Barnard College is a private women's liberal arts college in NYC and one of the Seven Sisters. Founded in 1889, it has been affiliated with Columbia University since 1900.

4. Bagel go-with : LOX

5. Landslide victory : ROUT

6. Poker pot starter : ANTE

8. Bend before in reverence : BOW TO

9. Lucky Luciano cohort Meyer __ : LANSKY. Known as the "Mob's Accountant", Lansky was never found guilty of anything more serious than illegal gambling. Which reminds me, how did you do on the big game?

10. Before, in poetry : ERE

11. Cowboy movies : WESTERNS

12. Shirking, as taxes : EVADING

13. LBJ's home state : TEX. (Texas)

16. Salon coloring : DYE

19. Speak : SAY

24. Sweetie pie : SNOOKUMS. In 1904, 'The Newlyweds', a newspaper comic strip, was about an elegant young couple and their baby, Snookums.

26. Dennis the Menace's grumpy neighbor : MR. WILSON

28. Hate : DETEST

30. Part of UCLA : LOS. (University of California, Los Angeles)

32. Chinese appetizer : DIM SUM

33. "I think ...," in texts : IMO. (in my opinion)

34. Make, as money : EARN

36. Mets' old stadium : SHEA

38. Old Montreal baseballer : EXPO

39. Back : REAR

41. Flippered aquarium attractions : SEA LIONS

42. Sch. with a Spokane campus : WSU. (Washington State University)

43. Typist's stat. : WPM. (words per minute)

44. Some young cows : HEIFERS

47. Pennsylvania raceway : POCONO. Known as the Tricky Triangle.

51. Entertain in style : REGALE

52. Victimized, with "on" : PREYED

55. Outlet inserts : PLUGS

56. GI show gp. : USO. (United Service Organizations)

58. USSR secret service : KGB. (komitet gosudarstvennoy bezopasnosti)

60. Santa __: West Coast winds : ANAs

61. 1551, to Caesar : MDLI

64. Billiards stick : CUE

66. NBA official : REF. (referee)

67. Dean's list no. : GPA. (grade point average)

Argyle