Theme: Puzzle of the Moment - Four progressively longer periods of time that end the common phrase theme entries in the pattern of " __ OF THE __".
19A. Restaurant special: SOUP OF THE DAY
27A. '60s ABC boxing show: FIGHT OF THE WEEK
41A. Featured mail-order club offering: BOOK OF THE MONTH
47A. Motor Trend magazine award: CAR OF THE YEAR
Argyle here.
This is one of those rare ones where you can almost fill in the answer without seeing the clue. A neat trick to keep it simple but still fun. Good one, Gareth.
Across:
1. __ Squad: Best Buy service team : GEEK. One heck of a marketing gimmick. VW.
5. Paving surface : TAR
8. Classic orange soda : FANTA. Fanta originated when ingredients for the production of Coca-Cola became difficult to obtain in the company's Germany plant during the build up to World War II. A fascinating write-up in Snopes.
13. Bit of subterfuge : RUSE
14. Naked : BARE
15. Ruthless J.R. on "Dallas" : EWING. TV's famous season ending cliffhanger, "Who Shot JR?".
16. Inland Asian sea : ARAL
17. Write on, as sheet metal : ETCH
18. Mediterranean island country : MALTA. Map. I've heard of Malta but not Gozo.
22. Barrio uncle : TIO
23. MSN rival : AOL
24. Rap's Dr. __ : DRE. It seems he's crossword's Doctor, also.
32. Fillies, as adults : MAREs
33. Singer Chris or actor Stephen : REA. Chris Rea: "Fool (If You Think Is Over)", Stephen Rea: "The Crying Game".
34. Tennis star/anti-apartheid activist Arthur : ASHE
35. Microwave gadget : TIMER
36. Sci-fi escape craft : POD. An escape pod figures importantly at the start of "Star Wars".
37. Geometry calculations : AREAs
38. Minute stake? : ANTE
39. Vienna's land: Abbr. : AUS. Austria.
40. Nasal detections : ODORS
44. B'way "no seats" sign : SRO
45. Contrived : PAT
46. Run in : NAB. Police-speak.
53. Ribs sauce style, briefly : BAR-B-Q
56. Silents actress Theda : BARA
57. Niger neighbor : MALI. Map.
58. French parting : "ADIEU"
59. What avengers get : EVEN. (Must resist urge to post picture of Mrs. Peel!)
60. Study a lot in a short time : CRAM
61. Roger who played Bond : MOORE. Bond, James Bond.
62. Low grade : DEE
63. Cathedral recess : APSE
Down:
1. Mardi __ : GRAS. FYI: Carnival celebration starts on January 6, the Twelfth Night (feast of Epiphany); and picks up speed until Midnight on Mardi Gras(March 8), the day before Ash Wednesday.
2. Continental cash : EURO
3. Biblical twin : ESAU
4. Brown seaweed : KELP
5. Bit of body art : TATTOO
6. Semicircular entrance : ARCH
7. Prepared, as leftovers : REHEATED
8. Doe, for one : FEMALE
9. On holiday, say : AWAY
10. Zero, in soccer : NIL
11. Explosive abbr. : TNT
12. __ Khan : AGA. The divinely ordained head of the Ismaʿili branch of Shiʿism.
14. Suits : BEFITS
20. Catchall category : OTHER
21. Qatar's capital : DOHA, Arab emirate.
24. The Kalahari, for one : DESERT. Map. I'll admit I thought of sushi for a sec.
25. Uninspired new version : REHASH
26. Barely gets by, with "out" : EKES
27. Key of Beethoven's "Appassionata" Sonata : F MINOR
28. "You are not!" rejoinder : "I AM TOO!"
29. Plato's language : GREEK. Does the Geek Squad speak computer Greek? I wonder.
30. First-year student, briefly : FROSH. Freshman.
31. __ Terror: Bush campaign : WAR ON
35. Bills at bars : TABS
36. Finished dealing with : PUT TO BED. Often said of publishing a paper.
37. Hacienda brick : ADOBE
39. "We Three Kings" adverb : AFAR
40. Certain Nebraskan : OMAHAN
42. Opposite of transparent : OPAQUE
43. Main dish : ENTRÉE
47. Trucker with a handle : CBer
48. Top choice, for short : FAVE
49. Song sung with arm motions : YMCA
50. O.K. Corral name : EARP. The Earp brothers, Wyatt, Morgan, and Virgil.
51. Word of sorrow : ALAS
52. "The __ of the Ancient Mariner" : RIME. A poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, in 1798.
53. "Pow!" cousin : "BAM!"
54. Hoo-ha : ADO
55. __ Grande : RIO
So I'm weak! Mrs. Peel
Answer grid.
Argyle
19A. Restaurant special: SOUP OF THE DAY
27A. '60s ABC boxing show: FIGHT OF THE WEEK
41A. Featured mail-order club offering: BOOK OF THE MONTH
47A. Motor Trend magazine award: CAR OF THE YEAR
Argyle here.
This is one of those rare ones where you can almost fill in the answer without seeing the clue. A neat trick to keep it simple but still fun. Good one, Gareth.
Across:
1. __ Squad: Best Buy service team : GEEK. One heck of a marketing gimmick. VW.
5. Paving surface : TAR
8. Classic orange soda : FANTA. Fanta originated when ingredients for the production of Coca-Cola became difficult to obtain in the company's Germany plant during the build up to World War II. A fascinating write-up in Snopes.
13. Bit of subterfuge : RUSE
14. Naked : BARE
15. Ruthless J.R. on "Dallas" : EWING. TV's famous season ending cliffhanger, "Who Shot JR?".
16. Inland Asian sea : ARAL
17. Write on, as sheet metal : ETCH
18. Mediterranean island country : MALTA. Map. I've heard of Malta but not Gozo.
22. Barrio uncle : TIO
23. MSN rival : AOL
24. Rap's Dr. __ : DRE. It seems he's crossword's Doctor, also.
32. Fillies, as adults : MAREs
33. Singer Chris or actor Stephen : REA. Chris Rea: "Fool (If You Think Is Over)", Stephen Rea: "The Crying Game".
34. Tennis star/anti-apartheid activist Arthur : ASHE
35. Microwave gadget : TIMER
36. Sci-fi escape craft : POD. An escape pod figures importantly at the start of "Star Wars".
37. Geometry calculations : AREAs
38. Minute stake? : ANTE
39. Vienna's land: Abbr. : AUS. Austria.
40. Nasal detections : ODORS
44. B'way "no seats" sign : SRO
45. Contrived : PAT
46. Run in : NAB. Police-speak.
53. Ribs sauce style, briefly : BAR-B-Q
56. Silents actress Theda : BARA
57. Niger neighbor : MALI. Map.
58. French parting : "ADIEU"
59. What avengers get : EVEN. (Must resist urge to post picture of Mrs. Peel!)
60. Study a lot in a short time : CRAM
61. Roger who played Bond : MOORE. Bond, James Bond.
62. Low grade : DEE
63. Cathedral recess : APSE
Down:
1. Mardi __ : GRAS. FYI: Carnival celebration starts on January 6, the Twelfth Night (feast of Epiphany); and picks up speed until Midnight on Mardi Gras(March 8), the day before Ash Wednesday.
2. Continental cash : EURO
3. Biblical twin : ESAU
4. Brown seaweed : KELP
5. Bit of body art : TATTOO
6. Semicircular entrance : ARCH
7. Prepared, as leftovers : REHEATED
8. Doe, for one : FEMALE
9. On holiday, say : AWAY
10. Zero, in soccer : NIL
11. Explosive abbr. : TNT
12. __ Khan : AGA. The divinely ordained head of the Ismaʿili branch of Shiʿism.
14. Suits : BEFITS
20. Catchall category : OTHER
21. Qatar's capital : DOHA, Arab emirate.
24. The Kalahari, for one : DESERT. Map. I'll admit I thought of sushi for a sec.
25. Uninspired new version : REHASH
26. Barely gets by, with "out" : EKES
27. Key of Beethoven's "Appassionata" Sonata : F MINOR
28. "You are not!" rejoinder : "I AM TOO!"
29. Plato's language : GREEK. Does the Geek Squad speak computer Greek? I wonder.
30. First-year student, briefly : FROSH. Freshman.
31. __ Terror: Bush campaign : WAR ON
35. Bills at bars : TABS
36. Finished dealing with : PUT TO BED. Often said of publishing a paper.
37. Hacienda brick : ADOBE
39. "We Three Kings" adverb : AFAR
40. Certain Nebraskan : OMAHAN
42. Opposite of transparent : OPAQUE
43. Main dish : ENTRÉE
47. Trucker with a handle : CBer
48. Top choice, for short : FAVE
49. Song sung with arm motions : YMCA
50. O.K. Corral name : EARP. The Earp brothers, Wyatt, Morgan, and Virgil.
51. Word of sorrow : ALAS
52. "The __ of the Ancient Mariner" : RIME. A poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, in 1798.
53. "Pow!" cousin : "BAM!"
54. Hoo-ha : ADO
55. __ Grande : RIO
So I'm weak! Mrs. Peel
Answer grid.
Argyle
