Theme: Not So Fast - Four phrases that end with a verb that can mean an impediment.
20A. Shareholder's bonus : DIVIDEND CHECK
29A. Kitchen island material : BUTCHER BLOCK
46A. Wrap for leftovers : ALUMINUM FOIL
56A. Laundry convenience : CLOTHES HAMPER
Argyle here. I do like this puzzle but it has some clues I think were lifted from old puzzles and they weren't quite right then. The fact that all of the theme words have a different meaning than what they had in the phrases is nice.
Across:
1. Yawn-inspiring : BANAL
6. "Arabian Nights" birds : ROCS. They could fly off with an elephant.
10. Big name in razors : ATRA
14. Alpaca kin : LLAMA. In case you need to tell them apart. Images
15. Pop singer Brickell : EDIE. Brickell married singer-songwriter Paul Simon on May 30, 1992 and now they have three children - Adrian, Lulu and Gabriel.
16. Washerful : LOAD
17. Word on a French postcard : AVION. PAR AVION - by plane(air mail).
18. Laura of "Jurassic Park" : DERN. She portrayed Dr. Ellie Sattler, a graduate student specializing in paleobotany, which deals with plant fossils and ancient vegetation.
19. Forever, so to speak : EONS
23. Dir. from Memphis to Nashville : ENE
24. Something to grind : AXE
25. Throw easily : LOB
26. Phone bk. info : NOs. To us gearheads, NOS means Nitrous Oxide Systems, the go fast gas.
32. Spinning sound : WHIR
35. "It's a Wonderful Life" studio : RKO. Clip.(0:31)
36. Brief fisticuffs : SET TO
37. It has lots of slots : RENO
38. Invite to one's penthouse : ASK UP
41. Some necklines : VEEs. I like the pattern.
42. Macaroni shape : ELBOW
44. "I could win on my next turn!" : "UNO!". A card game favorite with kids. A player who forgets to say "uno" after his/her second-to-last card touches the discard pile and is caught by another player, they have to draw two cards.
45. Bk. before Job : ESTHer
50. __-Tiki : KON. The raft used by Norwegian explorer and writer Thor Heyerdahl in his 1947 expedition across the Pacific. His book was also so-named.
51. Wimple wearer : NUN. A wimple is a garment worn around the neck and chin, and which usually covers the head.
52. Window units, briefly : ACs. Air Conditioner.
53. Mud bath venue : SPA
60. Empty room sound : ECHO
62. Roll of fabric : BOLT
63. Garlicky sauce : AIOLI
64. In __ of: replacing : LIEU
65. Everyone, to Ernst : ALLE. German.
66. Stops bleeding : CLOTS
67. Sail support : MAST
68. Meg of "Courage Under Fire" : RYAN. "Smile when you say that, pardner". Image. From this interesting blog site, Dorothy Surrenders.
69. Have an inkling : SENSE
Down:
1. Little shaver : BLADE. Should have been clued better.
2. Troublemaking chipmunk : ALVIN. Songs, movies, TV shows.
3. Too trusting : NAIVE
4. Madame's "mine" : A MOI
5. Two-seated carriage : LANDAU
6. Jeff Foxworthy jokes about them : REDNECKS
7. Pigged out (on) : ODed. OD seems a little strong for pig out.
8. Word with sewing or traffic : CIRCLE
9. Lisbon mister : SENHOR. Portuguese
10. Actor Baldwin : ALEC
11. Created a study aid in class : TOOK NOTES
12. Was on the ballot : RAN
13. Program breaks : ADs
21. One in a crowd scene : EXTRA
22. Goes back to sea? : EBBS
27. Large wedding band : OCTET. We have had this before (Dan Naddor 3/2/2011) and it was deceptive then. Octet refers to the number of prongs holding the stone. The finger size of the ring doesn't matter. This clue/answer should be retired. Further study shows it may refer to the band at the reception. I suppose TRIO would be a small wedding band.
28. Smidge : SKOSH. Japanese.
29. Witch craft? : BROOM
30. Balderdash : HOKUM
31. Flat : LEVEL
32. Inflict, as havoc : WREAK
33. Nametag greeting : HELLO
34. How grapes grow : IN BUNCHES
39. Remove the chain from, say : UNFASTEN
40. Doggie : POOCH
43. Skid row regular : WINO
47. Crunchy snack : NUT BAR
48. Not at all sacred : UNHOLY
49. "Compromising Positions" author Susan : ISAACS. She also wrote the screen play for the film, starring Susan Sarandon.
53. Gazpacho eater's need : SPOON. Cold soup.
54. Furrier's stock : PELTS
55. Hop out of bed : ARISE
57. Boorish sort : LOUT
58. Jazzy Fitzgerald : ELLA
59. __ High City: Denver : MILE
60. Shade source : ELM
61. "The Bourne Identity" org. : CIA
Argyle
