Theme: Pet Food - The theme entries can begin with "I AM" (IAMS is a pet food brand).
17A. Ending from Ali : THE GREATEST. Former boxing champion, Muhammad Ali.
21A. Ending from Nixon : NOT A CROOK. Former President, Richard Nixon.
39A. Ending from the Elephant Man : NOT AN ANIMAL. His real name was Joseph Merrick and died at 27 from his deformities. The quote comes from a movie about him.
57A. Ending from Lennon and McCartney : THE WALRUS. From a 1967 song by the Beatles, goo goo g'joob.
64A. Ending from Beyoncé : SASHA FIERCE. Recording artist Beyoncé Knowles' third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce. Beyoncé says Sasha Fierce is who she becomes when she performs on stage.
71A. Beginning for this puzzle's five endings : I AM
I am Argyle. Where should I begin. What a Monday. Two overlaps of theme entries on a Monday?! I admit I never heard of the last theme entry but it doesn't surprise me; not in my wheelhouse. There are a lot of three letter words (28) but offset by strong fill. Should be many comments.
Across:
1. Clods : OAFS
5. Got a chuckle out of : AMUSED
11. Roulette bet : ODD. I bet on RED and lost.
14. Lawyer's assistant, for short : PARA. (paralegal)
15. Vox __: voice of the people : POPULI. Rare crossword.
16. Architect I.M. : PEI
19. Plumbing pipe initials : PVC. Poly(vinyl chloride), the white, solid pipe.
20. Very long time : EON
23. Civil War soldier : REB. First name, Johnny.
25. Unhittable serve : ACE
27. Proverbial waste maker : HASTE
28. Ship's front : PROW
30. Dilbert creator Scott : ADAMS
34. Poet's "at no time" : NE'ER
35. Abandon on an isle : MAROON
37. Superman and Batman wear them : CAPES
42. Parcels (out) : DOLES
43. Car window adornments : DECALS
46. Atlas pages : MAPS
49. Boss's nervousness-inducing note : [SEE ME]
51. Banjo support of song : KNEE. "Oh Susanna"
52. "It's __!": warning shout : A TRAP
54. Humanities major : ART
56. Archer's wood : YEW
61. Miss. neighbor : ALA. "I come from Alabama with my banjo on my knee."
63. Salt, in Quebec : SEL. (French)
68. One: Pref. : UNI
69. Copenhagen's __ Gardens : TIVOLI
70. Hullabaloos : ADOs
72. Annie, for one : ORPHAN
73. Sibilant "Hey, you!" : [PSST!]
Down:
1. Make a choice : OPT
2. Backrub response : "AAH!"
3. Not a child of bondage : FREEBORN. Rare crossword.(if ever)
4. Pudding starch : SAGO
5. King Kong, e.g. : APE
6. Sounded ghostly : MOANED
7. Until : UPTO
8. Bird feeder filler : SUET
9. Movie lioness : ELSA. "Born Free"
10. Roadside depression : DITCH
11. Go up against : OPPOSE
12. Spend, as time : DEVOTE
13. Haggle : DICKER
18. Genetic letters : RNA
22. Plunder : RANSACK
23. Turntable no. : RPM
24. Time in history : ERA
26. Ear passages : CANALS
29. Carpentry tool : WOOD SAW
31. __ of mistaken identity : A CASE
32. "Oh, brother!" : "...MAN!..."
33. "Itsy bitsy" waterspout climber : SPIDER
Itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout
Down came the rain
And washed the spider out
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain
And the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again.
36. Plains native : OTO
38. Suffix with phon- : EME. PHONEME - "distinctive sound or group of sounds,"
40. Born, in society pages : NÉE
41. Refs' whistle holders : LANYARDS
44. Grant's opponent : LEE
45. Put in stitches : SEW
46. 2009 World Series MVP Hideki : MATSUI. C.C.? (Yankees had a Hideki Matsui Bobblehead Day on July 28 this year to honor his retirement as a Yankee.)
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47. Goddess who advised Odysseus : ATHENA
48. Bout before the main event, briefly : PRELIM. (preliminary)
50. Garam __: Indian spice mixture : MASALA
53. Meal, in Milan : PASTO
55. Mai __: cocktail : TAI
58. Bear's home : LAIR
59. "We'd appreciate your answer," on invitations : RSVP
60. "This is bad!" : "UH OH!"
62. Vault : LEAP
65. Half a sawbuck : FIN $10 / $5
66. Comedian Bill, informally : COS. William Henry "Bill" Cosby Jr.
67. Repair quote: Abbr. : EST.
Argyle
Notes from C.C.:
Crossword LA tournament will be held on October 26, 2013 (Saturday). Please click here for details.
The host Elissa Grossman said "This year's event will include crosswords and puzzle games constructed by Liz Gorski, Jeffrey Harris, Aimee Lucido, Todd McClary, Andrea Carla Michaels, Pete Muller, Trip Payne, John Doppler Schiff, Dave Shukan, Marc Spraragen, David Steinberg and Zoe Wheeler (with development managed by Tyler Hinman). It's likely that Merl Reagle will join us for the event finals. All money raised (over costs) is donated to a great non-profit (Reading to Kids)."
Those are all brilliant constructors. I hope those in Southern California area will participate. You'll have fun! Doug Peterson will there too, and probably our own Steve & Garlic Gal and many other CA area constructors and top solvers.
Notes from C.C.:
Crossword LA tournament will be held on October 26, 2013 (Saturday). Please click here for details.
The host Elissa Grossman said "This year's event will include crosswords and puzzle games constructed by Liz Gorski, Jeffrey Harris, Aimee Lucido, Todd McClary, Andrea Carla Michaels, Pete Muller, Trip Payne, John Doppler Schiff, Dave Shukan, Marc Spraragen, David Steinberg and Zoe Wheeler (with development managed by Tyler Hinman). It's likely that Merl Reagle will join us for the event finals. All money raised (over costs) is donated to a great non-profit (Reading to Kids)."
Those are all brilliant constructors. I hope those in Southern California area will participate. You'll have fun! Doug Peterson will there too, and probably our own Steve & Garlic Gal and many other CA area constructors and top solvers.
