Theme: I'm Not Angry - But all of the theme answers start with a synonym for angry. (What husband hasn't heard, "I'm not angry. Why should I be angry?")
17A. Rhetorical question on a sultry day : "HOT ENOUGH FOR YOU?"
26A. Shellfish order : STEAMED CLAMS. Next Sunday is our family reunion. Steamed clams and BBQ chicken. Um-m-m.
38. Pitcher's malady : SORE ARM
48A. Off one's rocker : MAD AS A HATTER. Hat makers worked with mercury and it caused them to appear mad. Other possible derivations.
63A. What you're solving (in more ways than one, based on the starts of 17-, 26-, 38- and 48-Across) : CROSSWORD PUZZLE
Argyle here. Interesting unifier. The word CROSS is a synonym for angry, the theme words are "CROSS WORDS" and the answer to the clue is "CROSSWORD PUZZLE". Two spanners, two almost(12) and a compact center = happy Monday; good job, Ed.
Across:
1. Cookie quantity : BATCH. The Santa in me wanted a PLATE.
6. Partner of a mani, salon-wise : PEDIcure
10. "Dancing Queen" group : ABBA
14. Hawaiian hi : ALOHA
15. Neural conductor : AXON
16. Area outside the city, briefly : BURB. Shortened form of suburb.
20. Appear to be : SEEM
21. Illness suffix : OSIS. Halitosis(bad breath) being one of the less serious ones.
22. Blood lines : VEINS
23. Enjoy a chaise longue, say : LAZE add 31A. Striped cat : TABBY and you get this.
25. Subtlety : NUANCE
32. __ polloi : HOI
33. Deck swabbers : TARS. Sailors.
37. Cavity fillers' org. : ADA. American Dental Association.
42. Tennis do-over : LET
43. "Sexual Healing" singer Marvin : GAYE
45. Meaning of a wd. : DEFinition.
46. Shrek's love : FIONA
52. Boutonniere spots : LAPELS. Image.
55. Striped fish : BASS
56. Earthy tone : OCHRE
57. Lion's den : LAIR
59. West Point, e.g.: Abbr. : ACAD.. West Point, The United States Military Academy home.
66. Lottery-like game : KENO
67. Look at leeringly : OGLE
68. Italian white wine : SOAVE. Soave is a small comune of the Veneto region in the Province of Verona. Map.
69. Original sin site : EDEN
70. Carpenter's supply : WOOD. Hey, Splynter.
71. U.S.-Canada defense acronym : NORAD. North American Aerospace Defense Command. They're the ones always tracking me in December.
Down:
1. Scroogean outbursts : BAHS. In 'Dickensesque' writings.
2. Natural balm : ALOE
3. Shopping bag : TOTE
4. Class with flasks and beakers : CHEM LAB
5. Solo in "Star Wars" : HAN. In the handy 'take-home size'.
6. Stopped briefly : PAUSED
7. Vet : EX-GI
8. Homer Simpson outbursts : D'OHs
9. Having one flat, musically : IN F. ?
10. How lovers walk : ABREAST
11. Poker tournament entrance fee : BUY IN
12. Rodeo bucker : BRONC
13. Nasty treatment : ABUSE
18. Slimy stuff : OOZE
19. Latin egg : OVUM
24. Writers Lowell and Tan : AMYs
25. Neet rival : NAIR
26. Party without women : STAG
27. Exclamation with a flourish : "TA-DA!"
28. Cybermarketplace : E-BAY
29. Master slicers and dicers : CHEFS
30. Hawaii's Mauna __ : LOA. Volcano.
34. Scads : A LOT
35. Russo of "Get Shorty" : RENE. With Gene Hackman, Danny DeVito, and John Travolta.
36. Marquee luminary : STAR
39. Las Vegas numbers : ODDS
40. "The Crying Game" actor Stephen : REA
41. Advanced degs. for writers : MFAs. A Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of study beyond the bachelor's degree.
44. "Nature" author : EMERSON. Ralph Waldo.
47. "What craziness!" : "IT'S A ZOO!"
49. Brewpub pints : ALES
50. Tolerated : ABIDED
51. Heavenly music maker : HARP
52. "Social contract" philosopher John : LOCKE
53. Like a big landowner : ACRED. It's in the dictionary, but not in common use.
54. Call up : PHONE
57. Nike's Swoosh, e.g. : LOGO. Lego Logo.
58. Folk singer Guthrie : ARLO
60. Drug kingpin : CZAR
61. Edison's middle name : ALVA
62. Ownership document : DEED
64. "Golly!" : "WOW!"
65. Mil. branch with ships : USN. United States Navy.
Answer grid.
Argyle
25. Subtlety : NUANCE
32. __ polloi : HOI
33. Deck swabbers : TARS. Sailors.
37. Cavity fillers' org. : ADA. American Dental Association.
42. Tennis do-over : LET
43. "Sexual Healing" singer Marvin : GAYE
45. Meaning of a wd. : DEFinition.
46. Shrek's love : FIONA
52. Boutonniere spots : LAPELS. Image.
55. Striped fish : BASS
56. Earthy tone : OCHRE
57. Lion's den : LAIR
59. West Point, e.g.: Abbr. : ACAD.. West Point, The United States Military Academy home.
66. Lottery-like game : KENO
67. Look at leeringly : OGLE
68. Italian white wine : SOAVE. Soave is a small comune of the Veneto region in the Province of Verona. Map.
69. Original sin site : EDEN
70. Carpenter's supply : WOOD. Hey, Splynter.
71. U.S.-Canada defense acronym : NORAD. North American Aerospace Defense Command. They're the ones always tracking me in December.
Down:
1. Scroogean outbursts : BAHS. In 'Dickensesque' writings.
2. Natural balm : ALOE
3. Shopping bag : TOTE
4. Class with flasks and beakers : CHEM LAB
5. Solo in "Star Wars" : HAN. In the handy 'take-home size'.
6. Stopped briefly : PAUSED
7. Vet : EX-GI
8. Homer Simpson outbursts : D'OHs
9. Having one flat, musically : IN F. ?
10. How lovers walk : ABREAST
11. Poker tournament entrance fee : BUY IN
12. Rodeo bucker : BRONC
13. Nasty treatment : ABUSE
18. Slimy stuff : OOZE
19. Latin egg : OVUM
24. Writers Lowell and Tan : AMYs
25. Neet rival : NAIR
26. Party without women : STAG
27. Exclamation with a flourish : "TA-DA!"
28. Cybermarketplace : E-BAY
29. Master slicers and dicers : CHEFS
30. Hawaii's Mauna __ : LOA. Volcano.
34. Scads : A LOT
35. Russo of "Get Shorty" : RENE. With Gene Hackman, Danny DeVito, and John Travolta.
36. Marquee luminary : STAR
39. Las Vegas numbers : ODDS
40. "The Crying Game" actor Stephen : REA
41. Advanced degs. for writers : MFAs. A Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of study beyond the bachelor's degree.
44. "Nature" author : EMERSON. Ralph Waldo.
47. "What craziness!" : "IT'S A ZOO!"
49. Brewpub pints : ALES
50. Tolerated : ABIDED
51. Heavenly music maker : HARP
52. "Social contract" philosopher John : LOCKE
53. Like a big landowner : ACRED. It's in the dictionary, but not in common use.
54. Call up : PHONE
57. Nike's Swoosh, e.g. : LOGO. Lego Logo.
58. Folk singer Guthrie : ARLO
60. Drug kingpin : CZAR
61. Edison's middle name : ALVA
62. Ownership document : DEED
64. "Golly!" : "WOW!"
65. Mil. branch with ships : USN. United States Navy.
Answer grid.
Argyle
Here are two more "Hard to Believe" pictures. Tell me who do you think the cool guy is. (Added later: Yes, it's Spitzboov!)
