Theme: Vowel Progression - Orderly vowel (before GGY) change in the first 5-letter word of each two-word common phrase.
17A. Loose-hanging trousers: BAGGY PANTS
25A. 1957 hit for Buddy Holly and the Crickets: "PEGGY SUE"
36A. Coin collector?: PIGGY BANK
53A. Gershwin song set in London, with "A": FOGGY DAY
62A. Carriage outings: BUGGY RIDES
Argyle here. Mundane Monday. PEGGY SUE (Rare footage) and A FOGGY DAY by the Velvet Fog.
Across:
1A. A dog may pull on one during a walk: LEASH
6A. __ Hari: MATA. WWI spy
10A. Engrave with acid: ETCH
14A. Navel type: INNIE. This begs for a picture. Here.
15A. Medical suffix: OSIS. As in halitOSIS - bad breath.
16A. Rise sky-high: SOAR
19A. Soaks (up): SOPS
20A. Coiled hair style: BUN. The famous sidewheel BUNS.
21A. Slanted type style: Abbr.: ITAL
22A. Buddies: PALS
23A. Most sickly: ILLEST
28A. Sharpshooter: DEADEYE
30A. Painting props: EASELS. I did think of stage props for a sec.
31A. Tight as __: A DRUM. See 20A.
32A. Hired thug: GOON
35A. 4:00 London social: TEA
40A. Not prem., as gas: REG.
43A. Chewy Hershey's candy: ROLO. Most of us must recognize this candy by now.
44A. "__ my case": I REST
48A. Beethoven symphony originally dedicated to Napoleon: EROICA. Italian for "heroic" crossed by 41D. Art of a sexual nature: EROTICA which may require "heroics".
51A. Erode gradually, as savings: EAT INTO
56A. Coast Guard operation: RESCUE
57A. Do bar duty: TEND. Making drinks.
58A. Wander: ROAM
60A. Like two peas in a __: POD
61A. Cylindrical pasta: ZITI
65A. Grammy co-winner for the rap song "Back on the Block": ICE-T
66A. Theater award: OBIE
67A. "__ evil ...": SEE NO. SEE NO Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil.
68A. Super Bowl, e.g.: GAME
69A. Avoid flunking: PASS
70A. Admin. aides: ASSTS.
Down:
1D. Ad-__: improvise: LIB
2D. Made possible: ENABLED
3D. Lean and bony: ANGULAR
4D. Enrolled: SIGNED UP
5D. Attention-getter: HEY
6D. Castle protector: MOAT
7D. "Easy!": "A SNAP!"
8D. Lancelot's was "Sir": TITLE
9D. Barnyard brayer: ASS
10D. Some exam answers: ESSAYS
11D. Handyman's must-have: TOOL SET. A nail SET might be part of a tool KIT
12D. Word after time or timed-release: CAPSULE
13D. Time measures: Abbr.: HRS.. Hours.
18D. Feel sorry for: PITY
22D. Links org.: PGA
23D. Snake River st.: IDA.. In the state of Idaho.
24D. Big road rig: SEMI
26D. Actress Rowlands: GENA
27D. That, in Tijuana: ESA. Spanish.
29D. "Leggo my ___!": EGGO
33D. Popeye's Olive: OYL
34D. Woodwind quintet member: OBOE
37D. Alum: GRAD
38D. Evening, commercially: NITE. Adspeak.
39D. Crunchy cereal brand word: KRISPIES
40D. Foul caller: REF Wanted ump.
42D. Rah-rah encouragement: "GO GET 'EM!"
45D. Scrambles to keep secret: ENCODES
46D. Pupil: STUDENT
47D. Corn site: TOE. Corn - a local hardening and thickening of epidermis (as on a toe).
49D. Set ablaze: IGNITE
50D. Charisse of "Singin' in the Rain": CYD. What gams!
52D. Military force: ARMY
54D. Vacation isle near Venezuela: ARUBA
55D. Bear and Berra: YOGIS
59D. Ripens, as cheese: AGES
61D. Sharp turn: ZIG
62D. Jazz style: BOP
63D. Pretoria's nation: Abbr.: RSA. Republic of South Africa. South Africa has three capital cities: Cape Town, the largest of the three, is the legislative capital; Pretoria is the administrative capital; and Bloemfontein is the judicial capital. I wonder why.
64D. "H-E-L-P!": "S-O-S!"
Answer grid.
Happy Anniversary to Kazie, who met her husband 39 years ago today.
Argyle
17A. Loose-hanging trousers: BAGGY PANTS
25A. 1957 hit for Buddy Holly and the Crickets: "PEGGY SUE"
36A. Coin collector?: PIGGY BANK
53A. Gershwin song set in London, with "A": FOGGY DAY
62A. Carriage outings: BUGGY RIDES
Argyle here. Mundane Monday. PEGGY SUE (Rare footage) and A FOGGY DAY by the Velvet Fog.
Across:
1A. A dog may pull on one during a walk: LEASH
6A. __ Hari: MATA. WWI spy
10A. Engrave with acid: ETCH
14A. Navel type: INNIE. This begs for a picture. Here.
15A. Medical suffix: OSIS. As in halitOSIS - bad breath.
16A. Rise sky-high: SOAR
19A. Soaks (up): SOPS
20A. Coiled hair style: BUN. The famous sidewheel BUNS.
21A. Slanted type style: Abbr.: ITAL
22A. Buddies: PALS
23A. Most sickly: ILLEST
28A. Sharpshooter: DEADEYE
30A. Painting props: EASELS. I did think of stage props for a sec.
31A. Tight as __: A DRUM. See 20A.
32A. Hired thug: GOON
35A. 4:00 London social: TEA
40A. Not prem., as gas: REG.
43A. Chewy Hershey's candy: ROLO. Most of us must recognize this candy by now.
44A. "__ my case": I REST
48A. Beethoven symphony originally dedicated to Napoleon: EROICA. Italian for "heroic" crossed by 41D. Art of a sexual nature: EROTICA which may require "heroics".
51A. Erode gradually, as savings: EAT INTO
56A. Coast Guard operation: RESCUE
57A. Do bar duty: TEND. Making drinks.
58A. Wander: ROAM
60A. Like two peas in a __: POD
61A. Cylindrical pasta: ZITI
65A. Grammy co-winner for the rap song "Back on the Block": ICE-T
66A. Theater award: OBIE
67A. "__ evil ...": SEE NO. SEE NO Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil.
68A. Super Bowl, e.g.: GAME
69A. Avoid flunking: PASS
70A. Admin. aides: ASSTS.
Down:
1D. Ad-__: improvise: LIB
2D. Made possible: ENABLED
3D. Lean and bony: ANGULAR
4D. Enrolled: SIGNED UP
5D. Attention-getter: HEY
6D. Castle protector: MOAT
7D. "Easy!": "A SNAP!"
8D. Lancelot's was "Sir": TITLE
9D. Barnyard brayer: ASS
10D. Some exam answers: ESSAYS
11D. Handyman's must-have: TOOL SET. A nail SET might be part of a tool KIT
12D. Word after time or timed-release: CAPSULE
13D. Time measures: Abbr.: HRS.. Hours.
18D. Feel sorry for: PITY
22D. Links org.: PGA
23D. Snake River st.: IDA.. In the state of Idaho.
24D. Big road rig: SEMI
26D. Actress Rowlands: GENA
27D. That, in Tijuana: ESA. Spanish.
29D. "Leggo my ___!": EGGO
33D. Popeye's Olive: OYL
34D. Woodwind quintet member: OBOE
37D. Alum: GRAD
38D. Evening, commercially: NITE. Adspeak.
39D. Crunchy cereal brand word: KRISPIES
40D. Foul caller: REF Wanted ump.
42D. Rah-rah encouragement: "GO GET 'EM!"
45D. Scrambles to keep secret: ENCODES
46D. Pupil: STUDENT
47D. Corn site: TOE. Corn - a local hardening and thickening of epidermis (as on a toe).
49D. Set ablaze: IGNITE
50D. Charisse of "Singin' in the Rain": CYD. What gams!
52D. Military force: ARMY
54D. Vacation isle near Venezuela: ARUBA
55D. Bear and Berra: YOGIS
59D. Ripens, as cheese: AGES
61D. Sharp turn: ZIG
62D. Jazz style: BOP
63D. Pretoria's nation: Abbr.: RSA. Republic of South Africa. South Africa has three capital cities: Cape Town, the largest of the three, is the legislative capital; Pretoria is the administrative capital; and Bloemfontein is the judicial capital. I wonder why.
64D. "H-E-L-P!": "S-O-S!"
Answer grid.
Happy Anniversary to Kazie, who met her husband 39 years ago today.
Argyle
