Theme: Whatever Argyle would have title - Theme answers are 4-word noun phrases all in the pattern of "*ILL OF THE + noun".
17A. National consensus : WILL OF THE PEOPLE
38A. Deerstalker's excitement : THRILL OF THE HUNT. So literal. For me, it's "Flea market
lover's excitement".
62A. Dark, quiet period : STILL OF THE NIGHT
C.C. here. I hope I did not miss anything on the theme cohesion. No easy job to be Santa. I just could not think of a clever title.
A bit surprised to see ILL (25D. Unwell) due to the pattern of the first theme words. Changing 24A into SPARE would give us an ALL for 25D, which dupes ALL'S in 12D. So, all's good.
Across:
1. Soccer great Mia : HAMM. Bill G meets her at his biking path occasionally.
5. Spider's creations : WEBS
9. "Beat it!" : SCRAM
14. Steinbeck's Tom Joad, e.g. : OKIE
15. Afghanistan's western neighbor : IRAN
16. Fabric with a repeated scenic pattern : TOILE. See here, with a repeated pattern and often in one color.
20. Metal playing marble : STEELIE. Never played it.
21. Sincere : EARNEST
22. Propelled with sculls : OARED
23. Camembert cousin : BRIE. So what's your favorite cheese?
24. Malice : SPITE
27. Cooks on a spit : ROASTS
32. Biol. or chem. : SCI
35. Burn soothers : ALOES. JD grows them. I wonder if Creature does also.
37. Turn on a pivot : SLUE
42. Grows darker : DIMS
43. Clark Kent's birth name : KALEL. On Krypton.
44. Sound of fan support : RAH
45. Garlicky shrimp dish : SCAMPI. Chives on top, right?
48. Ran at an easy pace : LOPED
50. Not taken in by : ONTO
52. Hairdresser Sassoon : VIDAL
56. "The Four Seasons" composer : VIVALDI. Nicknamed "The Red Priest" due to his red hair, and he was a priest.
60. Rock fissure : CREVICE. Look! Nature is amazing.
64. Davis who was married to Ruby Dee : OSSIE
65. Word with pyramid or chain : FOOD. Yes!
66. Cut down on 65-Across : DIET. No. Maybe after Thanksgiving.
67. Hymn of praise : PAEAN
68. Females with pig tails : SOWS. What a funny clue.
69. Means' justifiers : ENDS Down:
1. "In what way?" : HOW SO
2. Japanese canine : AKITA. Dennis' last dog. Couldn't picture him in tears. Hard man.
3. Long-distance runner : MILER
4. Brawls : MELEES
5. Hi-tech airport connection : WI-FI
6. One-named Deco artist : ERTE. 4-letter word starting/ending in vowels, very grid-friendly, hence his frequent appearance.
7. Scroogean exclamation : BAH
8. Derisive look : SNEER
9. More than mono : STEREO
10. Masked critter : COON
11. Ready for picking : RIPE
12. "__ well that ends well" : ALL'S
13. Track competition : MEET
18. Longtime chum : OLD PAL
19. Part of a poker full house : PAIR
23. Bovine hybrid : BEEFALO. Never had it. But have you ever tried SweeTango apples? It's a hybrid between Honeycrisp & Zesta. Oh, man, it tastes so good.
26. Stole : TOOK
28. Volcanic output : ASH
29. Defamatory remark : SLUR
30. Yellowfin or albacore : TUNA
31. Fourth man : SETH. His mom would have loved SweeTango.
32. Norms: Abbr. : STDs
33. Fashionable : CHIC. Blake Lively always looks great, no matter what she wears.
34. Culinary author Rombauer : IRMA
36. WWII Normandy battle site : ST LO
39. Doctrinal suffix : ISM
40. Cool, like a cat : HEP. Our Jazzbumpa is super cool! Raw, natural talent in entertaining.
41. Craps natural : ELEVEN. Never played Craps.
46. Hay fever sufferer's nemesis : POLLEN
47. __-European languages : INDO
49. Split : DIVIDE
51. Petty quarrels : TIFFS
53. "Bon appétit," from mom : DIG IN
54. Was sore after a workout : ACHED
55. Riga natives : LETTS
56. Cognac bottle letters : VSOP. Very Superior Old Pale.
57. "__ Small World" : IT'S A
58. Carpenter's clamp : VISE. So no need to spruce up the room in the past months, Splynter? I don't buy it. The date part.
59. Et __: and others : ALIA
60. Vittles : CHOW
61. Cinncinati team : REDS. Hi there Seen, do you hate or love Marge Schott?
63. Also : TOO
Answer grid.
C.C.
17A. National consensus : WILL OF THE PEOPLE
38A. Deerstalker's excitement : THRILL OF THE HUNT. So literal. For me, it's "Flea market
lover's excitement".
62A. Dark, quiet period : STILL OF THE NIGHT
C.C. here. I hope I did not miss anything on the theme cohesion. No easy job to be Santa. I just could not think of a clever title.
A bit surprised to see ILL (25D. Unwell) due to the pattern of the first theme words. Changing 24A into SPARE would give us an ALL for 25D, which dupes ALL'S in 12D. So, all's good.
Across:
1. Soccer great Mia : HAMM. Bill G meets her at his biking path occasionally.
5. Spider's creations : WEBS
9. "Beat it!" : SCRAM
14. Steinbeck's Tom Joad, e.g. : OKIE
15. Afghanistan's western neighbor : IRAN
16. Fabric with a repeated scenic pattern : TOILE. See here, with a repeated pattern and often in one color.
20. Metal playing marble : STEELIE. Never played it.
21. Sincere : EARNEST
22. Propelled with sculls : OARED
23. Camembert cousin : BRIE. So what's your favorite cheese?
24. Malice : SPITE
27. Cooks on a spit : ROASTS
32. Biol. or chem. : SCI
35. Burn soothers : ALOES. JD grows them. I wonder if Creature does also.
37. Turn on a pivot : SLUE
42. Grows darker : DIMS
43. Clark Kent's birth name : KALEL. On Krypton.
44. Sound of fan support : RAH
45. Garlicky shrimp dish : SCAMPI. Chives on top, right?
48. Ran at an easy pace : LOPED
50. Not taken in by : ONTO
52. Hairdresser Sassoon : VIDAL
56. "The Four Seasons" composer : VIVALDI. Nicknamed "The Red Priest" due to his red hair, and he was a priest.
60. Rock fissure : CREVICE. Look! Nature is amazing.
64. Davis who was married to Ruby Dee : OSSIE
65. Word with pyramid or chain : FOOD. Yes!
66. Cut down on 65-Across : DIET. No. Maybe after Thanksgiving.
67. Hymn of praise : PAEAN
68. Females with pig tails : SOWS. What a funny clue.
69. Means' justifiers : ENDS Down:
1. "In what way?" : HOW SO
2. Japanese canine : AKITA. Dennis' last dog. Couldn't picture him in tears. Hard man.
3. Long-distance runner : MILER
4. Brawls : MELEES
5. Hi-tech airport connection : WI-FI
6. One-named Deco artist : ERTE. 4-letter word starting/ending in vowels, very grid-friendly, hence his frequent appearance.
7. Scroogean exclamation : BAH
8. Derisive look : SNEER
9. More than mono : STEREO
10. Masked critter : COON
11. Ready for picking : RIPE
12. "__ well that ends well" : ALL'S
13. Track competition : MEET
18. Longtime chum : OLD PAL
19. Part of a poker full house : PAIR
23. Bovine hybrid : BEEFALO. Never had it. But have you ever tried SweeTango apples? It's a hybrid between Honeycrisp & Zesta. Oh, man, it tastes so good.
26. Stole : TOOK
28. Volcanic output : ASH
29. Defamatory remark : SLUR
30. Yellowfin or albacore : TUNA
31. Fourth man : SETH. His mom would have loved SweeTango.
32. Norms: Abbr. : STDs
33. Fashionable : CHIC. Blake Lively always looks great, no matter what she wears.
34. Culinary author Rombauer : IRMA
36. WWII Normandy battle site : ST LO
39. Doctrinal suffix : ISM
40. Cool, like a cat : HEP. Our Jazzbumpa is super cool! Raw, natural talent in entertaining.
41. Craps natural : ELEVEN. Never played Craps.
46. Hay fever sufferer's nemesis : POLLEN
47. __-European languages : INDO
49. Split : DIVIDE
51. Petty quarrels : TIFFS
53. "Bon appétit," from mom : DIG IN
54. Was sore after a workout : ACHED
55. Riga natives : LETTS
56. Cognac bottle letters : VSOP. Very Superior Old Pale.
57. "__ Small World" : IT'S A
58. Carpenter's clamp : VISE. So no need to spruce up the room in the past months, Splynter? I don't buy it. The date part.
59. Et __: and others : ALIA
60. Vittles : CHOW
61. Cinncinati team : REDS. Hi there Seen, do you hate or love Marge Schott?
63. Also : TOO
Answer grid.
C.C.
