Theme: AMBER Alert - There are four tots lost amidst the odd-numbered theme entries. Your job is to find them.
17A. Reached an agreement : CAME TO TERMS. Every TOT is in the very middle of each theme entry.
23A. Thoroughly evil : ROTTEN TO THE CORE
34A. Very eager : HOT TO TROT
50A. "My pleasure!" : "NO NEED TO THANK ME!"
57. Sibling who stereotypically feels left out, and a hint to the little one hiding in 17-, 23-, 34- and 50-Across : MIDDLE CHILD
Argyle over here, I'm here! C.C. didn't give me an inkling she had a puzzle today. And a fine puzzle it is. Two grid spanners, seven letter climbers in the corners, and a minimum of dreck. (Lois didn't make the orgy yesterday but today's offering may draw her out.)
"AMBER Alert", Wiki, is a child abduction alert bulletin in several countries throughout the world. It also is used for missing persons, in some cases.
Across:
1. Edged out : BEAT
5. Haka dancers of New Zealand : MAORI
10. NetZero, for one : ISP. (Internet Service Provider)
13. South American chain : ANDES
15. 36-year Senator Hatch of Utah : ORRIN. (age 78)
16. Neither partner : NOR
19. Civil War nickname : ABE
20. Bordeaux buddy : AMI
21. Mothers on a farm : EWEs
22. "I'd like to say something" : "AHEM ..."
28. Laundromat lineup : DRIERS
29. Snug as a bug in a rug : NESTLED
30. Followers: Suf. : ISTs
31. Doesn't enunciate : SLURS
33. Magazine VIPs : EDs. (editor)
38. Atty.'s group : ABA. (American Bar Association)
41. Naval slammers : BRIGS. Somehow, I thought it was a drink at first.
42. Peril : RISK
46. Rainy season : MONSOON
48. Family support group for some rehab patients : AL-ANON
53. Squeezes (out) : EKES
54. "__ Yankees" : DAMN. "Damn Yankees" ran for 1,019 performances in its original 1955 Broadway production.
55. California ball club, in sports crawl lines : LAA. (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim)
56. Census datum : SEX
61. Having four sharps, in music : IN 'E'
62. Bit of broccoli : STALK
63. Singer Tennessee __ Ford : ERNIE. A song for you old farmers out there.
64. Do simple math : ADD
65. Hal Prince's record 21 : TONYS. Broadway producer, Awards and Nominations
66. Quaint oath : EGAD
Down:
1. Rum brand with a cocktail named for it : BACARDI. Made with Bacardi rum, grenadine, and lime juice.
2. Bewitches : ENAMORS
3. "Fess up!" : "ADMIT IT!"
4. Golf bag item : TEE
5. Choral work : MOTET. A polyphonic choral composition used as an anthem in the Roman Catholic service. (IDK, I admit it.)
6. Childish comeback : "ARE SO!"
7. Bruin great Bobby : ORR
8. Part of most eyeglasses : RIM
9. Car owner's pmt. : INS. (insurance) But not every state.
10. Having serious debts : IN A HOLE
11. Got serious : SOBERED
12. Docs-in-training : PRE-MEDS
14. Herd member : STEER
18. Holds : OWNS
22. Make a move : ACT
24. New Ager John : TESH. Here with his wife, Connie Sellecca.
25. Letter-shaped fasteners : T-NUTS
26. Haus husband : HERR
27. Pump name seen in Canada : ESSO. (gas pump)
31. Stretch : STINT
32. Fireplace fuel : LOG
35. Wind in the orchestra : OBOE
36. Walked all over : TROD
37. Air__: Florida-based carrier : TRAN
38. Memory malady : AMNESIA
39. Shelf support : BOOKEND
40. Took over, as territory : ANNEXED
43. Hint : INKLING
44. Horn of Africa country : SOMALIA. Map Looks like a rhino horn.
45. Prepared for baking, as bread dough : KNEADED
47. French possessive : SES. (its, plural)
48. [Sigh!] : "AH, ME!"
49. With 58-Down, judge in '90s news : LANCE. 58-Down. See 49-Down : ITO. Judge presiding at the O. J. Simpson trial.
51. Not in a predictable way : ODDLY
52. Spills the beans : TALKS
57. Rockies hrs. : MST
59. "The __ Patrick Show": sports talk program : DAN. Syndicated radio and television. Plus online and, of course, Twitter.
60. Centuries-long realm dissolved in 1806: Abbr. : HRE. (Holy Roman Empire)
Argyle
Notes from C.C.:
This is my original submitted grid. Rich thought the cheater square in the lower right (The one above 52 HUE) was unnecessary and re-did the section. See, you can't cheat when there are other options.
This is my original submitted grid. Rich thought the cheater square in the lower right (The one above 52 HUE) was unnecessary and re-did the section. See, you can't cheat when there are other options.
