Theme: Life's a Beach - As the unifier indicates, put BEACH in front of the first word of these four common phrases and you have a connection.
17A. Top banana: HEAD HONCHO. Beachhead - the area that is the first objective of a military force landing on an enemy shore.
23A. Unstable situation, metaphorically: HOUSE OF CARDS. Beach house.
37A. Huge mess: BALL OF CONFUSION. Beach ball.
45A. Gregarious fun lovers: PARTY ANIMALS. Beach party.
58A. Valuable shore property, and a hint to what the first words of 17-, 23-, 37- and 45-Across have in common: BEACH FRONT
Argyle again.
The unifier explains the connection but doesn't really help the solving of the clues. The first three change their meaning when combined with beach but PARTY stays the same. In fact, you can find PARTY ANIMALS at a BEACH PARTY. Toga! Toga!
Across:
1. Briquettes : COALS. A sort of progression: Briquettes - COALS - embers - ash.
6. Zip : ZERO
10. Country music pioneer Ernest : TUBB. When I listen to his I'm Walking the Floor Over You, I can't help but think of Poe's, The Tell-Tale Heart. Dost thou think I am mad?
14. "As a result ..." : AND SO
15. Country on the tip of the Arabian Peninsula : OMAN. Map.
16. Spot in the ocean : ISLE
19. Depilatory brand : NAIR. Or Neet/Veet.
20. '60s-'70s war site, briefly : NAM
21. "Now it makes sense!" : I SEE
22. Cake finish : ICING
26. Workplace inspection org. : OSHA
29. Comportment : MIEN
30. Louise's gal pal : THELMA. From the 1991 movie, "Thelma & Louise".
33. Buzzing swarmers : BEES
34. Performed : DID
40. "Danny and the Dinosaur" author Hoff : SYD. An "I Can Read" book.
41. Court postponement : STAY
42. Ancient Greek military power : SPARTA. They hit the big time with their movie.
43. Blood fluids : SERA
44. Veggies studied by Mendel : PEAS
52. Assumed name : ALIAS
53. Defensive spray : MACE
54. Marx's "__ Kapital" : DAS
57. Thin curl of smoke : WISP
61. Third man : ABEL and 3D. Father of 61-Across : ADAM
62. High-strung : EDGY
63. Sacher treat : TORTE. The Sachertorte was created by pastry chef Franz Sacher (1816-1907) in 1832 for Prince von Metternich, the Austrian State Chancellor. The prince enjoyed trying new dishes and ordered the chef to create a new cake. Orders were sent to the kitchens where it was instant pandemonium. The head chef was sick and the team of cooks in the kitchen had no idea what to prepare. Franz Sacher, a 16-year old apprentice cook, rolled up his sleeves and created this famous chocolate cake with the ingredients that were available. It consisted of chocolate sponge cake cut into three layers, between which apricot jam are thickly spread between the layers and on the top and sides of the cake. The whole cake is then iced with a velvet-like chocolate and served with a side dish of whipped cream. The Sacher Torte and other recipes made him prosperous, and he operated several cafes and restaurants.
64. Goodyear product : TIRE
65. Member's obligation : DUES
66. What matzo lacks : YEAST
Down:
1. "High Hopes" lyricist Sammy : CAHN. "High Hopes" is a popular song, introduced in the 1959 film A Hole In The Head, winning the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1959. The music was written by Jimmy Van Heusen, the lyrics by Sammy Cahn. A Sinatra standard.
2. Top draft status : ONE A
4. '60s "trip" drug : LSD
5. Early gas company based in Cleveland : SOHIO. Standard Oil of Ohio or Sohio was one of the successor companies to Standard Oil after the antitrust breakup in 1911. It merged with British Petroleum, now called BP(Hiss, boo), in 1968.
6. Districts : ZONES
7. Roast host : EMCEE
8. Bleachers cry : RAH
9. John __ Lennon : ONO. Lennon and Yoko Ono were married in Gibraltar on 20 March 1969, and he changed his name by deed poll on 22 April 1969, adding "Ono" as a middle name. Although he used the name John Ono Lennon thereafter, official documents referred to him as John Winston Ono Lennon, since he was not permitted to revoke a name given at birth.
10. Kid's make-believe phone : TIN CAN. Not make believe. This site can tell you how to make one.
11. Carrier that added "ways" to its name in 1997 : USAIR. USAir in 1979, US Airways in 1997. Of local interest, Mohawk Airlines was an early part of what was to become USAir.
12. Duck hunter's cover : BLIND. Not only for ducks, the meaning "anything that obstructs sight" is from 1530s. In this case, the obstruction of the prey's sight of the hunter.
13. Cold-water hazards : BERGS
18. Its flagship sch. is in Stillwater, west of Tulsa : OSU. Oklahoma State University.
22. Freezes over : ICES UP
23. Oates's musical partner : HALL. Daryl Hall and John Oates, Private Eyes.
24. Divine sign : OMEN
25. Feudal domains : FIEFs
26. Gambling parlors, briefly : OTBs. Off-track betting (OTB)
27. One-horse carriage : SHAY. Two wheeled is correct version but four wheeled carriages are often called shays, also.
28. Had in one's hands : HELD
31. Strolls (along) : MOSEYS
32. Performers' union: Abbr. : AFTRA. The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA). AFTA. The After Shave Skin Conditioner.
33. Tarzan's son : BOY
34. Awful : DIRE
35. Letter after theta : IOTA
36. Genetic info carriers : DNAs
38. "Misery" actor James : CAAN. Movie poster
39. Easy targets : SAPS
43. Swingline fastener : STAPLE. Swingline is a brand name for staples and staplers.
45. Touch, cat-style : PAW AT
46. Accused's excuse : ALIBI
47. Choir platform : RISER
48. Likeness : IMAGE
49. "Miracle on 34th Street" setting : MACY'S. One of my favorite movies.
50. Rhine whine? : ACH. Great rhyme.
51. Sandy Koufax or CC Sabathia : LEFTY. Left-handed baseball pitchers(and a mini shout-out to our leader).
54. The first Mrs. Copperfield : DORA. Not the magician. "David Copperfield or The Personal History, Adventures, Experience and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery (which he never meant to publish on any account)" is a novel by Charles Dickens, first published as a novel in 1850. Like most of his works, it originally appeared in serial form a year earlier. David, as an adult, first married naïve Dora Spenlow, but she dies. He eventually marries and finds true happiness with the sensible Agnes, who had secretly always loved him.
55. Insects on farms : ANTS
56. Editor's "leave it in" : STET
58. B&B part : BED. Bed and Breakfast inns, usually a private home. Many couples have bought old homes, thinking becoming a B&B will pay the mortgage; it doesn't, for most of them.
59. College URL ending : EDU. Its name is derived from education, indicating its intended use as a name space for educational institutions.
60. Future fish : ROE. Finally, some alliteration.
Answer grid.
Argyle
17A. Top banana: HEAD HONCHO. Beachhead - the area that is the first objective of a military force landing on an enemy shore.
23A. Unstable situation, metaphorically: HOUSE OF CARDS. Beach house.
37A. Huge mess: BALL OF CONFUSION. Beach ball.
45A. Gregarious fun lovers: PARTY ANIMALS. Beach party.
58A. Valuable shore property, and a hint to what the first words of 17-, 23-, 37- and 45-Across have in common: BEACH FRONT
Argyle again.
The unifier explains the connection but doesn't really help the solving of the clues. The first three change their meaning when combined with beach but PARTY stays the same. In fact, you can find PARTY ANIMALS at a BEACH PARTY. Toga! Toga!
Across:
1. Briquettes : COALS. A sort of progression: Briquettes - COALS - embers - ash.
6. Zip : ZERO
10. Country music pioneer Ernest : TUBB. When I listen to his I'm Walking the Floor Over You, I can't help but think of Poe's, The Tell-Tale Heart. Dost thou think I am mad?
14. "As a result ..." : AND SO
15. Country on the tip of the Arabian Peninsula : OMAN. Map.
16. Spot in the ocean : ISLE
19. Depilatory brand : NAIR. Or Neet/Veet.
20. '60s-'70s war site, briefly : NAM
21. "Now it makes sense!" : I SEE
22. Cake finish : ICING
26. Workplace inspection org. : OSHA
29. Comportment : MIEN
30. Louise's gal pal : THELMA. From the 1991 movie, "Thelma & Louise".
33. Buzzing swarmers : BEES
34. Performed : DID
40. "Danny and the Dinosaur" author Hoff : SYD. An "I Can Read" book.
41. Court postponement : STAY
42. Ancient Greek military power : SPARTA. They hit the big time with their movie.
43. Blood fluids : SERA
44. Veggies studied by Mendel : PEAS
52. Assumed name : ALIAS
53. Defensive spray : MACE
54. Marx's "__ Kapital" : DAS
57. Thin curl of smoke : WISP
61. Third man : ABEL and 3D. Father of 61-Across : ADAM
62. High-strung : EDGY
63. Sacher treat : TORTE. The Sachertorte was created by pastry chef Franz Sacher (1816-1907) in 1832 for Prince von Metternich, the Austrian State Chancellor. The prince enjoyed trying new dishes and ordered the chef to create a new cake. Orders were sent to the kitchens where it was instant pandemonium. The head chef was sick and the team of cooks in the kitchen had no idea what to prepare. Franz Sacher, a 16-year old apprentice cook, rolled up his sleeves and created this famous chocolate cake with the ingredients that were available. It consisted of chocolate sponge cake cut into three layers, between which apricot jam are thickly spread between the layers and on the top and sides of the cake. The whole cake is then iced with a velvet-like chocolate and served with a side dish of whipped cream. The Sacher Torte and other recipes made him prosperous, and he operated several cafes and restaurants.
64. Goodyear product : TIRE
65. Member's obligation : DUES
66. What matzo lacks : YEAST
Down:
1. "High Hopes" lyricist Sammy : CAHN. "High Hopes" is a popular song, introduced in the 1959 film A Hole In The Head, winning the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1959. The music was written by Jimmy Van Heusen, the lyrics by Sammy Cahn. A Sinatra standard.
2. Top draft status : ONE A
4. '60s "trip" drug : LSD
5. Early gas company based in Cleveland : SOHIO. Standard Oil of Ohio or Sohio was one of the successor companies to Standard Oil after the antitrust breakup in 1911. It merged with British Petroleum, now called BP(Hiss, boo), in 1968.
6. Districts : ZONES
7. Roast host : EMCEE
8. Bleachers cry : RAH
9. John __ Lennon : ONO. Lennon and Yoko Ono were married in Gibraltar on 20 March 1969, and he changed his name by deed poll on 22 April 1969, adding "Ono" as a middle name. Although he used the name John Ono Lennon thereafter, official documents referred to him as John Winston Ono Lennon, since he was not permitted to revoke a name given at birth.
10. Kid's make-believe phone : TIN CAN. Not make believe. This site can tell you how to make one.
11. Carrier that added "ways" to its name in 1997 : USAIR. USAir in 1979, US Airways in 1997. Of local interest, Mohawk Airlines was an early part of what was to become USAir.
12. Duck hunter's cover : BLIND. Not only for ducks, the meaning "anything that obstructs sight" is from 1530s. In this case, the obstruction of the prey's sight of the hunter.
13. Cold-water hazards : BERGS
18. Its flagship sch. is in Stillwater, west of Tulsa : OSU. Oklahoma State University.
22. Freezes over : ICES UP
23. Oates's musical partner : HALL. Daryl Hall and John Oates, Private Eyes.
24. Divine sign : OMEN
25. Feudal domains : FIEFs
26. Gambling parlors, briefly : OTBs. Off-track betting (OTB)
27. One-horse carriage : SHAY. Two wheeled is correct version but four wheeled carriages are often called shays, also.
28. Had in one's hands : HELD
31. Strolls (along) : MOSEYS
32. Performers' union: Abbr. : AFTRA. The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA). AFTA. The After Shave Skin Conditioner.
33. Tarzan's son : BOY
34. Awful : DIRE
35. Letter after theta : IOTA
36. Genetic info carriers : DNAs
38. "Misery" actor James : CAAN. Movie poster
39. Easy targets : SAPS
43. Swingline fastener : STAPLE. Swingline is a brand name for staples and staplers.
45. Touch, cat-style : PAW AT
46. Accused's excuse : ALIBI
47. Choir platform : RISER
48. Likeness : IMAGE
49. "Miracle on 34th Street" setting : MACY'S. One of my favorite movies.
50. Rhine whine? : ACH. Great rhyme.
51. Sandy Koufax or CC Sabathia : LEFTY. Left-handed baseball pitchers(and a mini shout-out to our leader).
54. The first Mrs. Copperfield : DORA. Not the magician. "David Copperfield or The Personal History, Adventures, Experience and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery (which he never meant to publish on any account)" is a novel by Charles Dickens, first published as a novel in 1850. Like most of his works, it originally appeared in serial form a year earlier. David, as an adult, first married naïve Dora Spenlow, but she dies. He eventually marries and finds true happiness with the sensible Agnes, who had secretly always loved him.
55. Insects on farms : ANTS
56. Editor's "leave it in" : STET
58. B&B part : BED. Bed and Breakfast inns, usually a private home. Many couples have bought old homes, thinking becoming a B&B will pay the mortgage; it doesn't, for most of them.
59. College URL ending : EDU. Its name is derived from education, indicating its intended use as a name space for educational institutions.
60. Future fish : ROE. Finally, some alliteration.
Answer grid.
Argyle
