Theme: I Don't Do Windows - Four compound nouns and a reveal. The revelation is both parts of the theme entries can work as verbs and all are related to keeping things spic and span.
20A. *4-0 World Series win, e.g. : CLEAN SWEEP
41A. *Broom alternative : DUST MOP
11D. *Scouring aid : SCRUB BRUSH
28D. *Graffiti maker’s medium : SPRAY PAINT
57A. Designed for two functions, and a hint to the answers to starred clues : DOUBLE-DUTY
Argyle here. An easier construct than yesterday but with an extra layer to the solve. Monday and Tuesday make a good start to the week.
My stress test was uneventful and, as usual, I won't get the results for a month. Thank you for your concerns.
Across:
1. Bit of high jinks : ANTIC
6. Eastern European : SLAV. and 6D. Side with a sandwich : SLAW
10. Sounds of disapproval : TSKS. I waited to see if it was TUTS.
14. Team leader : COACH
15. Hang (around) in a hammock, say : LAZE
16. Dos cubed : OCHO. 2³ = 8 (Spanish)
17. Second-largest Indian city : DELHI
18. Play parts : ACTS. and something else we've seen a lot of: 69A. Colony critters : ANTS
19. Say grace, say : PRAY
22. Salad fish : TUNA
23. Make illegal : BAN
24. Spy for Moses : CALEB. Moses appointed a team of twelve men to explore the land, only Caleb and Joshua remembered to "Fear not, neither be discouraged".
26. Bit of schoolyard disagreement : "AM SO!"
29. Gardner of Hollywood : AVA
32. Under the covers : IN BED
35. “The Shield” force, briefly : LAPD
36. Diabolical sorts : FIENDS
39. “Norma __” : RAE
40. Pooling vehicle : CAR
42. www bookmark : URL
43. Org. with many specialists : AMA
44. Online newsgroup system : USENET
45. Nora was his mistress : ASTA. The dog from the Thin Man movies.
46. Justin Timberlake’s former band : *NSYNC
48. Fir feller : AXE. Cute alliteration.
49. Bok __: cabbage : CHOY
50. Nudges : POKES
53. Corrosive stuff : LYE
55. Cashless deal : SWAP
63. Buffalo’s lake : ERIE
64. Not nuts : SANE
65. Run to the window : GO SEE
66. Gave for a while : LENT
67. Malevolent : EVIL
68. Great enthusiasm : GUSTO
70. Riga resident : LETT. (Latvian)
71. Scatter about : STREW
Down:
1. Adapter letters : AC/DC
2. Carolers’ offering : NOEL
3. Shakespeare’s “The Winter’s __” : TALE. Sparknotes
4. Sleepy Hollow schoolteacher Crane : ICHABOD.
"On mounting a rising ground, which brought the figure of his fellow-traveller in relief against the sky, gigantic in height, and muffled in a cloak, Ichabod was horror-struck on perceiving that he was headless!--but his horror was still more increased on observing that the head, which should have rested on his shoulders, was carried before him on the pommel of his saddle!"
- Washington Irving, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"
- Washington Irving, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"
5. Plates for company : CHINA
7. Bridal gown trim : LACE
8. Ancient Mexican : AZTEC
9. Italian scooter : VESPA
10. David Letterman list : TOP TEN
12. Genghis __ : KHAN
13. Tofu source : SOYA
21. Bureaucratic bungles : SNAFUS
25. Speech therapist’s concern : LISP
26. Highway to Fairbanks : ALCAN
27. Sirs’ counterparts : MA'AMS
30. Clamping device : VISE
31. MetLife competitor : AETNA
33. Turn a deaf __ : EAR TO
34. Airport annoyance : DELAY
37. Carlsbad Caverns locale: Abbr. : N. MEX.
38. “I’m listening!” : "DO TELL!"
41. “Watch your head!” : "DUCK!"
45. Prevailed against, slangily : ACED OUT
47. Common rental restriction : [NO PETS]. Cats are an exception, right?
51. Four-wheeled flop : EDSEL. Nobody's first car was an Edsel?
52. Dry Italian wine : SOAVE
54. Safecrackers : YEGGS
55. Ward of “CSI: NY” : SELA. Entered her name without a second thought.
56. Small songbird : WREN
58. Army division : UNIT
59. Shot at the bar : BELT
60. Cold War country: Abbr. : USSR
61. Mal de __: Henri’s headache : TÊTE
62. “That hurts!” : "YEOW!"
Argyle
