Theme: Flippers - Eight, count 'em, eight two word entries that make sense no matter which word comes first.
13A. Borscht vegetable : RED BEET. There are other colored beets with a slightly different taste.
15A. Aromatic hybrid blossom : TEA ROSE. So named for their tea scent.
19A. Original M&M's filling : MILK CHOCOLATE. Now with a variety of fillings, including dark chocolate, crisped rice, mint chocolate, peanuts, almonds, orange chocolate, coconut, pretzel, wild cherry, cinnamon, raspberry, and peanut butter. Get them for Easter.
35A. Product of boiled sap : MAPLE SUGAR. A timely entry.
41A. Tree with brilliant foliage : SUGAR MAPLE
54A. Brown cow product? : CHOCOLATE MILK. Old joke: Where does chocolate milk come from? Brown cows!
63A. Beverage blend using buds : ROSE TEA. I prefer rose hips(or a different bud). Ya' dig?
64A. The color of embarrassment : BEET RED. Beet white never caught on.
Argyle here. If you missed it, check out our young constructor's interview. (side bar) Since it was such an easy solve on the theme(you had two chances to get each one), it's only fair you might find a couple of harder clues in there. A sweet start to the week.
Across:
1. Playtex purchase : BRA
4. Org. with a "Most Wanted" list : FBI
7. Bygone fast flier, briefly : SST. But it will never be gone from crossword memory.
10. Salsa or guacamole : DIP
17. Corroded : ATE INTO. Found this hard to parse, sitting in the grid.
18. Having material that "may not be suitable for children," per the MPAA : RATED PG
21. Very wide shoe size : EEEE
22. Downs' opposites : UPS'
23. Suffix with web or nanny : CAM
26. Considers really cool : DIGS. I'm hip, Daddy-o.
29. South American pack animal : LLAMA
31. Vegas rollers : DICE
38. Monogram component : INITIAL
40. Buffalo nickel or Mercury dime : OLD COIN
43. Feminine ending : ENNE
44. Orange container : CRATE
45. Tickle Me __ : ELMO
47. Above, to Shelley : O'ER
48. "__ had enough!" : I'VE
50. "This is __ test" : NOT A. I'm lucky I've never had to hear this warning.
60. Helter-skelter : CHAOTIC. Might be the scene after hearing the preceding.
62. Surround with troops : BESIEGE
65. Haven't yet paid : OWE
66. Sphere : ORB
67. Mandela's org. : ANC. (African National Congress)
68. Some SAT takers : SR's
Down:
1. Author Stoker : BRAM. His novel? "Dracula"
2. Fix, as shoelaces : RETIE. What Moms do before knot-tying lessons.
3. One-named singer of "Skyfall" : ADELE
4. Used an épée, say : FENCED
5. "Little Women" woman : BETH
6. "Was __ harsh?" : I TOO
7. Razor sharpener : STROP. A flexible strip of leather used to maintain the blade of a straight razor. I better add a picture.
8. Flippered fish eaters : SEALS
9. "Hasta la vista!" : "TA-TA!"
10. Twelve-sided figure : DODECAGON. (doh-dek-uh-gon)
11. Way to the www : ISP
12. ... square __ in a round hole : PEG. or even a dodecagon hole.
14. Mountain wheels : BIKE. Bike riders, what are your wheels?
16. No longer working: Abbr. : RET.
20. Tip of a crescent : CUSP
24. With all one's strength : AMAIN. Does ever crossword puzzle need an 'a'-word?
25. Strategic WWI French river : MARNE. During a quieter time.
27. Muslim official : IMAM
28. Elaborate celebration : GALA
29. '60s psychedelic drug : LSD
30. Fortune magazine founder : LUCE. Henry Luce.
31. Bee Gees genre : DISCO
32. Get used (to) : INURE
33. Holder of Cubans : CIGAR CASE
34. State, to Jacques : ÉTAT
36. Laze : LOLL
37. Grades K-6: Abbr. : ELEM.
39. Wrath : IRE
42. Banana throwaway : PEEL
46. "Be right there!" : "ONE SEC!"
48. More slippery, as roads : ICIER
49. Eng. lesson with synonyms : VOCAB. ulary
51. Neglect to mention : OMIT
52. Wedding cake layers : TIERS
53. Author Horatio : ALGER
55. Tough row to __ : HOE
56. Director Preminger : OTTO
57. "Mamma Mia!" quartet : ABBA. (palindrome section)
58. New driver, typically : TEEN
59. Sneakers brand : KEDS. Taylor Swift wears them.
60. __-Magnon : CRO. did not wear them.
61. By what means : HOW
Argyle
