Monday, December 25, 2017 ~ Peter Koetters

Theme: Just another Monday - A non-Christmas theme.

1. Babysitting nightmares ... or relatives of the ends of the four longest puzzle answers: BRATS. Yeah, don't have nightmares about sausages.

20. Piltdown Man, purportedly: THE MISSING LINK

26. Really skimpy, like the polka-dot bikini of song: TEENIE WEENIE

42. Hangover remedy, so they say: HAIR OF THE DOG

50. "Honestly speaking ... ": "TO BE QUITE FRANK ..."

Argyle here. I suppose a lot of people won't get a paper today so they wouldn't have a puzzle to do. Many others may skip today's puzzle so I understand giving us this rather generic piece. It's not a ruiner of your celebrations, I hope.  Ol' Man Keith gets a present today.

Across:

1. "See ya": "BYE"

4. Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey __: OSWALD

10. Mediterranean exile isle: ELBA. The houses look fake.

14. Managed: RAN

15. Rain, to a picnic: RUINER. A bit strong; it's more like: Barbarian. to Rome.

16. Stereotypical techie: NERD. Once uncool sort who's now sort of cool. (Sunday)

17. Play part: ACT

18. Innermost foot digit: BIG TOE

19. New Mexico art community: TAOS. Historic Ledoux Street.

23. Vain gaits: STRUTS

24. Less hospitable: ICIER

31. River rollicker: OTTER

34. Finance guru Suze: ORMAN

35. Bearded Serengeti critter: GNU

36. Word after milk or meter: MAID

37. Confederacy foe: UNION

38. Stock holders?: POTS

39. Biblical craft: ARK

40. Where the heart is: CHEST

41. Dugout craft: CANOE

45. Playwright Chekhov: ANTON. "... considered to be among the greatest writers of short fiction in history." Wiki. quote: "Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass."

46. What drinks like Jolt provide: ENERGY. "All the sugar, twice the caffeine!"

55. Birth announcement word: GIRL

56. Like the bed of someone rushing out: UNMADE. Were you made to make your bed before presents?

57. Cell occupant: CON

58. A single time: ONCE

59. Big app for Apple: iTUNES

60. Angsty rock genre: EMO

61. Amazed sounds: OOHs

62. Deputized bands: POSSEs. They went thataway!

63. Lawn coating: DEW

Down:

2. Luxury boat: YACHT

3. Go in: ENTER

4. Moon, e.g.: ORBITER

5. Credit __: Zurich bank: SUISSE. Yes, I tried a W before changing to a U.

6. Powdered headwear: WIGS

7. Naysayer: ANTI

8. Writer Uris: LEON. "Exodus"

9. Bit of wine sediment: DREG. Usually plural.

10. Lure: ENTICE

11. Using for support: LEANING ON

12. Forcefully entered: BROKE INTO. Santa never did!

13. Website pop-ups: ADs

21. Muffled, as a trumpet: MUTED

22. Bank's claim: LIEN

25. Employ again: REUSE

27. Nine-piece combo: NONET

28. "When __ Eyes Are Smiling": IRISH. CSO to Troy Miss.

29. Overact: EMOTE

30. Pale: WAN

31. Nebraska city: OMAHA

“The Beautiful Old Market Entry to V. Mertz (in back to the right)”

32. "Pulp Fiction" writer/director Quentin: TARANTINO

33. Luau lamp: TIKI TORCH

37. TV dial letters: UHF. (Ultra high frequency), back in the days of tubes.

38. "Your table's ready" signaler: PAGER

40. Ice cream holder: CONE

41. Come clean: CONFESS

43. Paso __: California wine city: ROBLES

44. Political pundit Myers: DEE DEE

47. Sped: RACED

48. Garden-guarding figurine: GNOME

49. Informal "Catch my drift?": Y'KNOW?"

51. Witticism: QUIP

52. Golden rule preposition: UNTO

53. Irreverent radio host Don: IMUS. Still around.

54. Sunbathers' goals: TANs

55. Sticky stuff: GOO

Since the lyricist has a local connection to my area, I'll leave you with this song.

Argyle

C.C.: Here is Argyle Our Dear Santa

Notes from C.C.:
  

Happy Birthday to our Yellowrocks (Kathy), who's celebrating today with her son David and their family in New York. I thought of her every time I see a picture of vichyssoise or sand tarts or hear Butterfly Lovers, the classic Chinese music inspired by a great love story. Sending our best wishes to David as well.

Yellowrocks and son David, Sept 2016

Happy Birthday also to Lorraine (Fermatprime), who's been with the blog since Nov 2009.  Lorraine is an accomplished math professor and does many puzzles every day.

Thanksgiving, 2015

Snipped this great picture from Chairman Moe's Facebook. The Chairman (Chris) is a wine connoisseur.