Wednesday, October 12, 2016, C.C. Burnikel

Title: SKATE AND SCORE!

We all know of C.C.'s love of baseball but today she leaves the ball park for the hockey rink to give us a lovely Wednesday puzzle. Each theme answer ends with an item that is associated with this game on ice now played at the NHL level from Edmonton, Alberta to Miami, Florida. A big departure from the original six teams which I'm sure some here could name.

Her reveal is

37. Where to find the ends of 17-, 23-, 50- and 62-Across : ICE RINK - Perhaps the most famous ICE RINK to Americans is the one at Lake Placid in the 1980 Olympics semi-final game where the USA beat the Russians in the Miracle On Ice.

17. Do some browsing : SURF THE NET - I always wonder how anyone could ever get a puck in the NET below with the goalie and all his paraphernalia.

23. Public education leadership groups : SCHOOL BOARDS - Sometimes the BOARDS around the rink can't keep the players on the ice

50. Spago restaurateur : WOLFGANG PUCK - Here you can see that elusive PUCK being blocked first by the goalie's stick and then his glove and falling just short of the red goal line.

62. Breaded seafood option on kids' menus : FISH STICKS - If you want the oldest known hockey stick, it's yours for $4,000,000.

Husker Gary on the job as C.C. has given us her usual array of fun fill on this humpday edition. She again demonstrates her mastery of the form in that she can satisfy criteria for any day of the week and produce a very satisfying product. So, in the word's of M*A*S*H's Dr. Sydney Friedman, 

Across

1. Opposite of bold : TIMID

6. Add a line to the wall chart : GROW

10. Rack holder : OVEN

14. Modify : AMEND

15. Mysterious letter : RUNE - A monument in Sweden written in ancient RUNES

16. Inedible pineapple part : CORE

19. Razor handle? : ATRA

20. Dueling sport : EPEE

21. When Caesar is warned to "Beware the Ides of March" : ACT I

22. Derisive look : SNEER

26. "The Merchant of Venice" heroine : PORTIA - The Bard appears only two clues later with Portia's musing

29. Bavaria-based automaker : AUDI

30. White figure in Snapchat's logo : GHOST - Kids showed me some hilarious Snapchat gimmicks yesterday.

31. Deafening sound : ROAR - Heard by Matthew victims no doubt

34. Include : ADD

36. Santa __ winds : ANA

40. Took control of : LED

42. Like almost all prime numbers : ODD - All but the number 2

44. [see other side] : OVER - Gee, I wonder what it says on the other side?

45. Hal who produced Laurel and Hardy films : ROACH - He briefly formed a company in the 30's with Vittorio Mussolini (RAM for Roach And Mussolini). Yup, it was Il Duce's son seen on the right below with Hal (posing in his father's famous speech making posture).

47. Transition point : CUSP

49. Leave base illegally : GO AWOL

55. Up in the air : ALOFT

56. Remove from power : OUST

57. Swatch options : HUES

61. Shop class tool : VISE

64. Even once : EVER

65. This, to Picasso : ESTA - Él llamó a ESTA pintura Guernica (He called this painting Guernica)

66. Poet Ginsberg : ALLEN

67. Bold lipstick choices : REDS

68. ''Ouch!'' : YEOW

69. Water holder : GLASS


Down

1. Shock into submission : TASE

2. "My turn!" : I'M UP - Be prepared for drama as a sub if every kindergartner doesn't get a turn

3. ''A __ formality'' : MERE

4. Takes over, like bedbugs : INFESTS - Travel with a blacklight (UV lamp) and here's what you might see on your bed at the hotel

5. Banned bug killer : DDT

6. __-Roman wrestling : GRECO - You are forbidden to attack the legs

7. Total, as a bill : RUN TO - It now 13. Closes in on : NEARS $20T. Is what our National Debt RUNS TO even important any more?

8. Newsman Roger : O'NEIL

9. Very recently painted : WET

10. Song before some face-offs : O CANADA - What a beautiful anthem!

11. Legislation affecting polling places : VOTER ID LAW

12. Flubbed a play : ERRED

18. "How funny!" : HA HA - Sarcasm? 

22. Paltry amount : SOU

24. __ Field: home of Mr. Met : CITI

25. Stock holder : BARN

26. Vardon Trophy org. : PGA

27. "This is horrible!" : OH NO - A famous purveyor of that mantra!

28. Sign that may cause U-turns : ROAD CLOSED - No matter the circumstances some idiot will ignore this sign, try to drive through it and have to be rescued

31. Amp (up) : REV

32. Lead source : ORE

33. Hang on a line : AIR

35. Artistic style of Chicago's Merchandise Mart : DECO

38. Lola's nightclub : COPA - "Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl..."

39. McDonald’s founder Ray : KROC - The original McDonalds built in San Bernardino, CA by Dick and Mac McDonald from whom Ray bought the business

41. FedEx rival : DHL

43. Golfers rarely making pars : DUFFERS

46. New York golf course that is a frequent host of major tournaments : OAK HILL

48. Army NCO : SGT

49. Courage : GUTS

50. Be on the fence : WAVER

51. Cooking oil source : OLIVE - Fresh from the tree, OLIVES are VERY bitter. A grower told me that kids hired to pick them soon learn that fact after eating one.

52. Cacophony : NOISE

53. Great energy : GUSTO

54. "Hogwash!" : PSHAW

58. Sch. with the mascot Joe Bruin : UCLA - Huskers beat 'em last year in Levi stadium that hosted Super Bowl 50 a month later (Did you notice my screen name?)

59. __ by: barely manages : EKES

60. Figs. with two hyphens : SSNS

62. Tina who is the youngest Mark Twain Prize winner : FEY - Some critics invoked Twain's sentiments below about her selection

63. Price indicator : TAG - Not so much these days with UPC's

Now that you have iced this puzzle, we look forward to your input:


The Grid

Tuesday, October 11 2016, Janice Lutrell

 Theme: The show must go on.

20. *Artsy Lower Manhattan neighborhood : EAST VILLAGE

58. *Drug bust calculation : STREET VALUE

11. *Panel decision that's not unanimous : SPLIT VOTE

 35. *Became a YouTube sensation : WENT VIRAL

40. Set in a den, slangily ... or, initially, what can be found in each answer to a starred clue : THE TUBE.

Most TV's in use now are LCD or plasma. The old style CRT, or Cathode Ray Tube is a vacuum tube - and that's about all I know about that. Even though the CRT didn't last, the term "The Tube" might just be around forever.

Melissa here. I had to work way too hard for this one, for no particular reason that I can say. Only two total unknowns but I had to work for the tada just the same.

Across

1. __ and flows : EBBS

5. Stepped heavily : TROD

9. __ Rica : COSTA

14. Pitcher's goof : BALK

15. Inflatable mattress prefix with Bed : AERO. Great crossword word, three vowels.

16. Colorado ski mecca : ASPEN

17. Muslim denomination : SHIA. Tried SIKH first, and discovered after looking it up that Sikhs are neither Hindu nor Muslim. Learning moment.

18. Not fatty, as meat : LEAN

19. Lease again : RELET

23. Car owner's premium pmt. : INS

24. American of Japanese descent : NISEI. Unknwown #1.

25. Dieter's catchword : LOFAT. Had to wait for the L to fill in - LOFAT or NOFAT?

27. Sweat unit : BEAD

30. Originates (from) : DERIVES

33. Like morning grass : DEWY

36. Title for Doubtfire or Dash : MRS.

38. Site of Arizona's Red Rock State Park : SEDONA

39. Rocks in bars : ICE

42. Gratuity : TIP

43. Dessert with a cherry : SUNDAE

45. Refreshing retreat : SPA

46. Wines that usually go well with beef : REDS

47. __ seat: advantageous spot : CATBIRD. I don't hear this phrase often, do you?

49. In couch-potato mode : IDLE. Watching the tube, perhaps.

51. France dance : VALSE. Second unknown for me. So sneaky, once I realized that VALSE is the French word for waltz. Oh.

52. Up to one's ears (in) : AWASH

56. Architect I.M. __ : PEI

62. Throat ailment : STREP

64. Modest skirt : MIDI. Tried MAXI first.

65. Writer Jaffe : RONA. Author of "The Best of Everything," made into a movie. Died in 2005.

66. Video game pioneer : ATARI

67. Region : AREA

68. Sullen : DOUR

69. Makeover place : SALON

70. Camera attachment : LENS

71. Bay Area cop gp. : SFPD

Down:

1. "Barnaby Jones" actor Buddy : EBSEN

2. Persian faith : BAHA'I

3. Utter joy : BLISS

4. Glide past on the ice : SKATE BY

5. Anklebones : TALI

6. Movie spool : REEL

7. Verbal : ORAL

8. Name on a Trump card? : DONALD

9. Untroubled : CAREFREE

10. Suffix with fruct- : OSE

12. "The Hunger Games" extra : TEEN

13. Picnic invaders : ANTS

21. "C'est la __!" : VIE

22. Turns sour : GOES BAD

26. Help : AID

28. UMass town : AMHERST

29. Hip-hop Dr. : DRE

31. Oklahoma's "Wheat Capital" : ENID

32. Drains of strength : SAPS

33. Phonograph record : DISC

34. Quito's country: Abbr. : ECUA. Quito is the capital of Ecuador.

37. N.Y. and Calif. : STs

40. Dramatic downturn : TAILSPIN

41. Wire service letters : UPI. United Press International

44. Corporate alias abbr. : DBA. (Doing Business As)

46. Bounty hunters' goals : REWARDS

48. Of the skin : DERMAL

50. Where a Brit may powder her nose : LAV. (Britain, slang) Short for lavatory.

53. Unlikely to get excited : ALOOF

54. Dawn : SUN UP

55. Listened to : HEARD

56. "This is your brain on drugs" ads, briefly : PSAs. Public Service Announcement

57. Singer James : ETTA

59. Irish name for Ireland : EIRE

60. Xanadu : EDEN

61. Spanish aunts : TIAs

63. Suffix with ranch : ERO

Monday, October 10, 2016 Joel Mackerry

Theme: Monday smothered in gravy - Synonyms for money.

62. Down payment ... and what 17-, 25-, 38- and 53-Across have in common (besides being food): CASH UP FRONT

17. Pizza topping veggie: GREEN PEPPER

25. Traditional filled fare of Europe and West Asia: CABBAGE ROLL

38. Salad staples: LETTUCE LEAVES

53. Baked-in-their-shells seafood dish: CLAMS CASINO

Argyle here. Joel's fourth Monday. He certainly could find more synonyms but he has enough for today. I am curious as to what a later in the week offering Joel could provide.

Across:

1. "Stay out of my affairs," briefly: MYOB. (Mind Your Own Business)

5. Briefly, e.g.: ADVERB. Hung me up for awhile.

11. CFO's degree: MBA. (Chief Financial Officer/Master of Business Administration)

14. Window section: PANE

15. Like the sound of tall grass in the breeze: SWISHY. Not the clue I would have come up with.

16. "__ the ramparts ... ": O'ER

19. Dusting cloth: RAG

20. Slugger __ Harper of the Nats: BRYCE. Young fellow, he was 17 when he went in the 2010 MLB Draft.

21. Stylish, clothes-wise: NATTY

23. Remit: PAY

29. Preppy shirt brand: IZOD. See 21-Across.

31. Japanese noodle: SOBA

32. Replaceable joint: KNEE

33. Much-photographed evening event: SUNSET. Red Sunset Over Sedona.

36. Showroom model: DEMO. (demonstration)

43. Unexpected obstacle: SNAG

44. Revealing, as a bikini: SKIMPY

46. Eye care brand: RENU. Take care of those eyes after ogling those bikinis

50. Savings vehicles for later yrs.: IRAs. (Individual Retirement Account)

52. Copied: APED

57. NFL scores: TDs. (football touchdowns)

58. Car body style: COUPE

59. Saltwater candy: TAFFY

61. Covert __: secret missions: OPS. (OPerations)

68. Sara of baking: LEE

69. Band on the road: TROUPE

70. Franc replacement: EURO

71. Oral health org.: ADA. (American Dental Association)

72. Emphasize: STRESS

73. French state: ÉTAT

Down:

1. Fuel efficiency no.: MPG. (miles per gallon)

2. Pirate's cry: "YAR!"

3. Singly: ONE BY ONE

4. Bar pint contents: BEER

5. Pet adoption org.: ASPCA. (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)

6. Nerdy types: DWEEBs

7. BMOC, for one: VIP. (Big Man of Christmas/Very Important Person)

8. Sixth sense, for short: ESP. (ExtraSensory Perception)

9. MLB scoreboard letters: RHE. Runs, Hits, Errors.

10. "In Treatment" star Gabriel __: BYRNE. Irish.

11. Salt brand with an umbrella girl: MORTON

12. Fab Four member: BEATLE

13. Socks pattern: ARGYLE. Thanks for the SO, Joel.

18. Metropolis served by JFK and LGA: NYC. (John F. Kennedy International Airport/LaGuardia Airport/New York City)

22. Noah's project: ARK

23. Circle ratios: PIs. There is more than one?

24. Blue, in Baja: AZUL

26. Spanish groceries: BODEGAs

27. Adam's second son: ABEL

28. Fun and __: GAMES

30. Mar.-to-Nov. hrs.: DST. Daylight Saving Time ends at 2:00 AM on

Sunday, November 6, 2016.

34. UFO pilots, presumably: ETS. (Unidentified Flying Object/Extra-Terrestrial)

35. Belted Forum garment: TUNIC. Because TOGA wouldn't fit.

37. Wine barrel wood: OAK

39. Siena sweetheart: CARA. Italian.

40. Through, in itineraries: VIA

41. Remove everything from, as a fridge: EMPTY OUT

42. Zoomed: SPED

45. NFL gains: YDS. (yards)

46. Coke competitor: RC COLA

47. Snuck out to get hitched: ELOPED

48. Queasy feeling: NAUSEA

49. Strike caller: UMP

51. Abs strengtheners: SIT-UPS

54. Religious factions: SECTS

55. Neck areas brushed by barbers: NAPEs

56. Not working today: OFF

60. At no cost: FREE

63. Museum display: ART

64. Fem. campus group: SOR. (sorority)

65. Shade of color: HUE

66. Org. for marksmen: NRA. (National Rifle Association)

67. Tyke: TOT

Argyle

Sunday October 9, 2016 Matt Skoczen

 Theme: "Big Time" - The first word can follow "Big".

 23A. Breakfast order : CHEESE OMELETTE. Big cheese. I use the OMELET spelling. You?

36A. Fruity pastry shop purchase : APPLE TURNOVER. Big Apple.

51A. Unite : BAND TOGETHER. Big Band.

78A. Wedding acquisition, perhaps? : BROTHER- IN- LAW. Big brother.

95A. Stab : SHOT IN THE DARK. Big shot.

111A. 1949 Crosby film set in Ireland : TOP O' THE MORNING. Big top. Unfamiliar with the film.

17D. Fan of Pat and Vanna, familiarly : WHEEL WATCHER. Big wheel.

60D. Ones not at home on the range : CITY SLICKERS. Big city.

Simple theme. I mentioned before that Rich prefers this type of "words that can follow/precede" theme on weekdays, unless the theme really excites him to warrant a Sunday.

Impressive chunks of white spaces in upper left & lower right corners. Themeless look. This is very hard to pull off with sparkly and clean fill.

Across:

      

1. Suffered a setback : RELAPSED

9. Shared spirit : ETHOS. We also have PATHOS (63. Pity-evoking quality)

14. Bit by bit : SLOWLY

20. Swimwear option : ONE PIECE

21. "High waving heather __ stormy blasts bending": Emily Brontë : 'NEATH

22. Tie up : TETHER

25. Writ word : HABEAS. Habeas corpus.

26. NFL lineman-turned-actor Alex : KARRAS. Is he a gimme to you?

27. Powder first marketed as Hudson's Soap : RINSO

28. Burned in a thurible : CENSED

29. Spanish liqueur : ANIS

30. Rolled __ : OATS. I've been having overnight oats every morning since March 31. Pomegranates are now in season. So good with overnight oats.

32. Garage event : SALE

33. Directed : LED

35. Abbr. for old dates : BCE

41. Twistedly funny : WRY. PK is having problem with her iMac, Irish Miss. Hopefully her computer guy fixes her glitch soon.

42. "Absolutely!" : YES SIREE

44. __ bread : RAISIN. Not BANANA or GARLIC.

45. Still-life subject : VASE. I tried EWER first. It showed up later at  76. Still-life subject : EWER

46. Tabasco, por ejemplo : ESTADO

47. Illusions in an act : MAGIC

49. Foppish neckwear : ASCOT

55. Yokels : HICKS

58. Drag, e.g. : RACE. Got via crosses.

61. Delete : ERASE

62. What X may mean : TEN. Also 88. M, on many forms : MALE

 

64. Bird: Pref. : AVI

65. Bernadette et al.: Abbr. : STES

66. Tammany Hall Tiger artist : NAST (Thomas)

68. U.K. country : ENG

69. Kugel ingredient : POTATO. Never had Kugel before.

71. Middle of Christmas? : ESS

74. Spa feature : SAUNA

76. Part of Q.E.D. : ERAT

77. First name in dance : TWYLA (Tharp). Not ADELE.

81. Work for : SERVE

83. Court tie : DEUCE. Oh, tennis.

84. Trypanosome transmitter : TSETSE. The fly is back.

 

90. Energy output : EFFORT. Did not come to me easily.

92. Concepts : THEORIES

94. 2001 boxing biopic : ALI

98. Richie's dad, to the Fonz : MR. C

99. F1 neighbor on PCs : ESC

100. U. of Maryland player : TERP

101. "No problem" : EASY. And  103. "No problem" : OK BY ME

 

102. Sandra Denton, in a hip-hop trio : PEPA. Salt-N-Pepa. Got me.

105. Rapper __ Shakur : TUPAC

108. Kitchen gadget : PEELER. D-Otto brought his potato peeler to Florida when he visited his sister. His legendary potato dumplings need serious prep work.

110. Louisiana cuisine : CREOLE

114. Set : HARDEN

115. Stirred : AWOKE

116. Scolds severely : RIPS INTO

117. Newspaper ad, commonly : INSERT

118. Baltimore's __ Harbor : INNER. Aleppo moment.

119. Least seasoned : GREENEST. Also 3. Most skeptical : LEERIEST

Down:

1. "__ baby ... " : ROCK-A-BYE. Got via crosses.

2. Adds value to : ENHANCES

 

4. Mimes : APERS. Noun "Mimes".

5. Italian coastal city : PISA

6. Understands : SEES

7. Friendly front? : ECO. Eco-friendly.

8. JFK, e.g. : DEM

9. Sign up : ENLIST

10. Many a senior : TEEN. Also 19. Jr. and sr. : YRS

11. They may be tipped : HATS

12. "The Simpsons" bus driver : OTTO. And our Meals on Wheels driver as well. D-Otto volunteers for several causes.  

13. Byron's "__ Walks in Beauty" : SHE

14. Mount named for a friend of George Vancouver : ST HELENS. I did not know who George Vancouver is. Now I know.

15. Not quite a ringer : LEANER. Drew a blank. Horseshoe score.

16. Wagering places: Abbr. : OTBs

 

18. Band heads : LEADERS

 

24. "Symphony in Black" artist : ERTE

28. Sturgeon delicacy : CAVIAR. This is how I first tried caviar. On sliced baguette.

30. Reveal in a poem? : OPE

31. Taproom quencher : ALE

32. Letters in the sand? : SOS. I like this clue.

34. Easter decorating supply : DYE

36. Opera that premiered in Cairo in 1871 : AIDA

37. Characterized by : PRONE TO

38. Impulse : URGE

39. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee the same year as Clapton and Taylor : RAITT. Got via crosses.

40. Wall recess : NICHE

43. Word from Tonto : SABE. Kemo Sabe.

45. Big name in sporting goods : VOIT. This stumped some last time.

47. Rap sheet routines: Abbr. : MOs. MO = modus operandi.

48. Turn gray, maybe : AGE

50. Rap (with) : CHAT. I did not know "Rap with" means  "Chat with". So I was rapping with Boomer. Told him that pumpkin pie should be called "squash pie". Pumpkin is too stringy. What you get in a can is mostly a mixture of various winter squashes.

52. Rap's Dr. __ : DRE

53. Shock source : TASER

54. Tedium : ENNUI

56. Hawaiian coffee district : KONA

57. U.S. Army E-6 : SSGT

58. Spellbound : RAPT

59. Swear to be true : AVOW

 

63. Hymnal that's often richly illustrated : PSALTER. Learning moment for me. 

65. Rating unit : STAR

67. Massachusetts cape : ANN

70. On the safer side : ALEE

72. "Ditto!" : SO DO I

73. Back on the ocean : STERN

74. Champagne word : SEC

75. "Odds __ ... " : ARE

 78. Sooner than : BEFORE

79. Sluglike "Star Wars" alien : HUTT. I only know Jabba the Hutt.

80. "Dilbert" intern : ASOK. Learned from doing crosswords.

82. Heated : VEHEMENT

85. Facebook feature : TIMELINE

86. Medusa's hair, after Athena got done with it : SERPENTS. Vivid clue.

87. Dish requiring special utensils : ESCARGOT. Had no idea how to eat these when I first tried.

88. Questel who voiced Betty Boop : MAE, Unknown figure to me.

89. Loser : ALSO-RAN

91. Data-uploading letters : FTP.  OK, File Transfer Protocol.

92. 6-pt. scores : TDs

93. Loft filler : HAY

95. Salon appliance : STYLER. Also the name of Sting's wife. I doubt Rich will ever use it though. A bit obscure.

96. Winter warmer : HEATER

97. Apiece : EACH

102. Secure, on a farm : PEN IN

104. Portend : BODE

105. College __ : TOWN

106. Conversant with : UP ON

107. Nose (around) : POKE

108. Vitalian, for one : POPE. Aleppo moment. Did not know Pope Vitalian.

109. Gaelic tongue : ERSE

110. See 111-Down : CHI. And 111. With 110-Down, Eastern discipline : TAI

112. Bit of work : ERG

113. Fallen space station : MIR. Fell to Earth in 2001.

Last Monday I met with Andrea Carla Michaels, the Monday Queen of NYT crosswords. We walked around Lake Harriet where Andrea grew up. She showed me her childhood home, which is gated now. Andrea now lives in San Francisco, but might move back to MN someday. She used to be a standup comedian and has so many interesting stories to tell. Wish you guys were walking along with us. Click here for a few more pictures.