Theme: Lunchbox Classic - The first parts of the theme entries form that basic lunch for kids.
17A. Sources of rowdy criticism: PEANUT GALLERIES
25A. Turkey brand: BUTTERBALL
38A. &: AND SIGN. Shorter than the two 8s and four 9s non-theme fill. Perfectly fine as it's placed right in the middle of the grid. Easily recognized as the theme entry.
49A. Colorful plastic footwear: JELLY SHOES
59A. Hawaii once comprised most of them: SANDWICH ISLANDS
Argyle here with our favorite editor, Lila Cherry, anagram of "Really Rich".
My comments will be brief due to the trouble with Cruciverb. Too bad, there were some good stuff in there, esp the non-theme long entries. As a well constructed Monday, most problems were solved by the perps.
OH yeah, a ton of alliterations. And clechos, too.
Across:
1. Self-confident to a fault : COCKY
6. Dealt with fallen leaves : RAKED. Timely.
11. Donkey : ASS
14. Sneeze sound : AHCOO
15. Vine-covered, as college walls : IVIED
16. ROTC school WSW of Washington, D.C. : VMI. Virginia Military Institute.
20. He-sheep : RAM
21. The Carpenters and Sonny & Cher : DUOs
22. Jazzy Fitzgerald : ELLA
23. Mother of Don Juan : INEZ. Not exactly a Monday word.
29. Turkey-carving machine : SLICER
31. Mine, in Metz : À MOI. Alliteration.
32. Recline, biblically : LIETH
33. Play your poker hand without drawing : STAND PAT
37. Commotion : ADO
41. Computer program suffix : EXE
42. 1997-2003 game show host who put up his own money for prizes : BEN STEIN. Nice full name. This guy.
44. How stop signs are painted : IN RED
46. ABA members : ATTs. Attorneys.
47. Oration : SPEECH
53. "Huh?" : "WHAT?"
55. Nike rival : AVIA. Latin for "fly".
56. Stumble : TRIP
58. Santa __ winds : ANA
64. Poem of praise : ODE
65. Game show host : EMCEE
66. Remus or Sam : UNCLE
67. Actor Beatty : NED
68. Cowpoke's pokers : SPURS
69. Beef source : STEER
Down:
1. Bay of Naples isle : CAPRI. Capri pants are named after this isle.
2. Aptly named California coastal city : OCEANSIDE. South of Camp Pendleton.
3. Lizard that can change colors : CHAMELEON. Lovely entry.
4. __-Tiki : KON
5. "__ be amazed" : YOU'D
6. Severity, in Soho : RIGOUR. That would be the English Soho, to indicate the English spelling.
7. Seagoing "Cease!" : "AVAST!"
8. About .62 mi. : KIL. Kilometer or, more common, Km.
9. Slithery fish : EEL
10. Pres. before JFK : DDE
11. Walled Spanish city : ÁVILA. Central Spain.
12. Use one's nose : SMELL
13. Rope-making fiber : SISAL
18. Boob __: TV : TUBE
19. Opener's next call, in bridge : REBID
24. Pimple : ZIT
26. Actor Jacques : TATI. ? Image. Not a Monday name.
27. Online zine : E-MAG
28. Country music's Milsap : RONNIE
30. Talkative : CHATTY
32. Experiment site : LAB
33. Nine-digit ID : SSN
34. "To sleep, __ to dream": Hamlet : PERCHANCE. Debut entry.
35. Chopping tool grip : AXE HANDLE. Quite a scrabbly grid.
36. CNN founder Turner : TED
39. Circus safety gear : NETS
40. Dinner plate : DISH. And SALAD (43. Dinner course). Dinner clecho. More food reference.
45. Original : NEW
47. Baseball's World __ : SERIES
48. Omega preceders : PSIs
49. Leader of the Argonauts : JASON. Jason and the Argonauts.
50. Deftly escape from : EVADE
51. Like many winter jackets : LINED
52. None of the above : OTHER
54. Stun gun : TASER
57. + : PLUS
60. All-Pro Patriots receiver Welker : WES
61. Pesky kid : IMP
62. Hosp. heart ward : CCU. Coronary Care Unit.
63. Aardvark's tidbit : ANT. Several relevant mentions in this cartoon, and some good jazz, too.
Answer grid.
Argyle
17A. Sources of rowdy criticism: PEANUT GALLERIES
25A. Turkey brand: BUTTERBALL
38A. &: AND SIGN. Shorter than the two 8s and four 9s non-theme fill. Perfectly fine as it's placed right in the middle of the grid. Easily recognized as the theme entry.
49A. Colorful plastic footwear: JELLY SHOES
59A. Hawaii once comprised most of them: SANDWICH ISLANDS
Argyle here with our favorite editor, Lila Cherry, anagram of "Really Rich".
My comments will be brief due to the trouble with Cruciverb. Too bad, there were some good stuff in there, esp the non-theme long entries. As a well constructed Monday, most problems were solved by the perps.
OH yeah, a ton of alliterations. And clechos, too.
Across:
1. Self-confident to a fault : COCKY
6. Dealt with fallen leaves : RAKED. Timely.
11. Donkey : ASS
14. Sneeze sound : AHCOO
15. Vine-covered, as college walls : IVIED
16. ROTC school WSW of Washington, D.C. : VMI. Virginia Military Institute.
20. He-sheep : RAM
21. The Carpenters and Sonny & Cher : DUOs
22. Jazzy Fitzgerald : ELLA
23. Mother of Don Juan : INEZ. Not exactly a Monday word.
29. Turkey-carving machine : SLICER
31. Mine, in Metz : À MOI. Alliteration.
32. Recline, biblically : LIETH
33. Play your poker hand without drawing : STAND PAT
37. Commotion : ADO
41. Computer program suffix : EXE
42. 1997-2003 game show host who put up his own money for prizes : BEN STEIN. Nice full name. This guy.
44. How stop signs are painted : IN RED
46. ABA members : ATTs. Attorneys.
47. Oration : SPEECH
53. "Huh?" : "WHAT?"
55. Nike rival : AVIA. Latin for "fly".
56. Stumble : TRIP
58. Santa __ winds : ANA
64. Poem of praise : ODE
65. Game show host : EMCEE
66. Remus or Sam : UNCLE
67. Actor Beatty : NED
68. Cowpoke's pokers : SPURS
69. Beef source : STEER
Down:
1. Bay of Naples isle : CAPRI. Capri pants are named after this isle.
2. Aptly named California coastal city : OCEANSIDE. South of Camp Pendleton.
3. Lizard that can change colors : CHAMELEON. Lovely entry.
4. __-Tiki : KON
5. "__ be amazed" : YOU'D
6. Severity, in Soho : RIGOUR. That would be the English Soho, to indicate the English spelling.
7. Seagoing "Cease!" : "AVAST!"
8. About .62 mi. : KIL. Kilometer or, more common, Km.
9. Slithery fish : EEL
10. Pres. before JFK : DDE
11. Walled Spanish city : ÁVILA. Central Spain.
12. Use one's nose : SMELL
13. Rope-making fiber : SISAL
18. Boob __: TV : TUBE
19. Opener's next call, in bridge : REBID
24. Pimple : ZIT
26. Actor Jacques : TATI. ? Image. Not a Monday name.
27. Online zine : E-MAG
28. Country music's Milsap : RONNIE
30. Talkative : CHATTY
32. Experiment site : LAB
33. Nine-digit ID : SSN
34. "To sleep, __ to dream": Hamlet : PERCHANCE. Debut entry.
35. Chopping tool grip : AXE HANDLE. Quite a scrabbly grid.
36. CNN founder Turner : TED
39. Circus safety gear : NETS
40. Dinner plate : DISH. And SALAD (43. Dinner course). Dinner clecho. More food reference.
45. Original : NEW
47. Baseball's World __ : SERIES
48. Omega preceders : PSIs
49. Leader of the Argonauts : JASON. Jason and the Argonauts.
50. Deftly escape from : EVADE
51. Like many winter jackets : LINED
52. None of the above : OTHER
54. Stun gun : TASER
57. + : PLUS
60. All-Pro Patriots receiver Welker : WES
61. Pesky kid : IMP
62. Hosp. heart ward : CCU. Coronary Care Unit.
63. Aardvark's tidbit : ANT. Several relevant mentions in this cartoon, and some good jazz, too.
Answer grid.
Argyle