Theme: "My country, 'tis of thee... Of thee I sing" - The last word of each theme entry is a synonym of "country".
20A. Notable 1900s anti-alcohol demonstrator : CARRIE NATION. I learned her name from doing crossword. Looks very intimidating.
38A. The boondocks : GOD'S COUNTRY
57A. General situation : LAY OF THE LAND
C.C. here. Argyle will back blogging Wednesday & Thursday puzzles this week. Still struggling with a sick computer, but I feel so lucky that I always have Argyle for backup.
Monday puzzles are easy to solve but hard to construct. Themes have to be simple but not boring. Fill have to be familiar words/names but not full of crosswordese like ETUI & OLLA.
Across:
1. Trojan Horse, for example : RUSE. Or VIRUS.
5. Move a muscle : STIR
9. G sharp equivalent : A-FLAT. Jazzbumpa would have given you a witty comment.
14. iPhone downloads : APPS
15. Grab hold of : TAKE
16. Doctrine : CREDO
17. Open-handed hit : SLAP. Ow!
18. Feels sorry about : RUES
19. Intoxicating, as wine : HEADY
23. Try : ATTEMPT
24. Garden hose feature : NOZZLE. Scrabbly.
28. Car dealer's deal : LEASE
29. Rotisserie rod : SPIT
32. "Divine Secrets of the __ Sisterhood" : YA YA. Starring Sandra Bullock.
33. __-mo replay : SLO
35. Leeds lavs : LOOS. All alliteration.
37. Hoopster's target : NET
41. '60s chic : MOD
43. Acted like : APED. Not "Monkeyed".
44. Check out : EYE. For Splynter.
45. Sandler of "Grown Ups" : ADAM
47. Civil rights pioneer Parks : ROSA
49. Novelist Puzo : MARIO. I read almost all of his work.
53. Piglet pal : EEYORE. The gloomy donkey.
55. Final part : TAIL END
60. Ancient Mexican : AZTEC. Another Z in action.
63. Scott of "Charles in Charge" : BAIO
64. Mosque official : IMAM
65. Group helping the sheriff : POSSE
66. "Just doing my best" : I TRY
67. Crumbly cheese : FETA. Often in Bill G's salad.
68. Horn sounds : TOOTS
69. Ball-bearing pegs : TEES
70. Genesis locale : EDEN
Down:
1. Mischief-maker : RASCAL. Hello Spitzboov!
2. Studying into the wee hours, say : UP LATE
3. Ancient Athens rival : SPARTA
4. Trattoria brew : ESPRESSO. Some leftover coffee from yesterday.
5. Throat problem : STREP
6. Razzes : TAUNTS. Are you still there, Razzberry?
7. Furniture chain founded in Sweden : IKEA. Their HQ is in the Netherlands (Delft).
8. Put one's feet up : REST. No rest for Dennis this month.
9. Cold outburst? : ACHOO. Fun clue, though we've seen it a few times before.
10. Extreme agitation : FRENZY
11. Grassy expanse : LEA. Was clue yesterday.
12. Go on to say : ADD
13. Gift under a tree, often : TOY. A new computer is all I need.
21. Marcos who collected shoes : IMELDA
22. Emulate the Gregorians : INTONE
25. Like the Marx Brothers : ZANY
26. Corrosive stuff : LYE
27. Have a bite : EAT. So what did you have for breakfast today?
30. Moves with effort : PLODS
31. Letters of obligation : IOU
34. Fish hawk : OSPREY
36. Totally stump : STYMIE. Originally a golf term, I think.
38. Aussie greeting : G' DAY
39. Corp. bigwig : CEO
40. It's not fiction or fantasy : REAL LIFE. I just want to be a Deep Throat in fantasy land. You?
41. Fannie __ : MAE
42. Emotional verse : ODE
46. Harass : MOLEST. Sensitive fill.
48. Garb : ATTIRE
50. Widened, as a hole : REAMED
51. Present from birth : INNATE
52. Extra one who's "out" : ODD MAN
54. Oft-timed contests : RACES
56. Seagoing attention getters : AHOYS
58. Memorial news item : OBIT
59. Kismet : FATE
60. Suitable : APT
61. Petting place : ZOO
62. Chinese menu general : TSO. General Tso's chicken is a typical Chinese-American dish. I've never heard of it until I came to the US.
Answer grid.
C.C.
20A. Notable 1900s anti-alcohol demonstrator : CARRIE NATION. I learned her name from doing crossword. Looks very intimidating.
38A. The boondocks : GOD'S COUNTRY
57A. General situation : LAY OF THE LAND
C.C. here. Argyle will back blogging Wednesday & Thursday puzzles this week. Still struggling with a sick computer, but I feel so lucky that I always have Argyle for backup.
Monday puzzles are easy to solve but hard to construct. Themes have to be simple but not boring. Fill have to be familiar words/names but not full of crosswordese like ETUI & OLLA.
Across:
1. Trojan Horse, for example : RUSE. Or VIRUS.
5. Move a muscle : STIR
9. G sharp equivalent : A-FLAT. Jazzbumpa would have given you a witty comment.
14. iPhone downloads : APPS
15. Grab hold of : TAKE
16. Doctrine : CREDO
17. Open-handed hit : SLAP. Ow!
18. Feels sorry about : RUES
19. Intoxicating, as wine : HEADY
23. Try : ATTEMPT
24. Garden hose feature : NOZZLE. Scrabbly.
28. Car dealer's deal : LEASE
29. Rotisserie rod : SPIT
32. "Divine Secrets of the __ Sisterhood" : YA YA. Starring Sandra Bullock.
33. __-mo replay : SLO
35. Leeds lavs : LOOS. All alliteration.
37. Hoopster's target : NET
41. '60s chic : MOD
43. Acted like : APED. Not "Monkeyed".
44. Check out : EYE. For Splynter.
45. Sandler of "Grown Ups" : ADAM
47. Civil rights pioneer Parks : ROSA
49. Novelist Puzo : MARIO. I read almost all of his work.
53. Piglet pal : EEYORE. The gloomy donkey.
55. Final part : TAIL END
60. Ancient Mexican : AZTEC. Another Z in action.
63. Scott of "Charles in Charge" : BAIO
64. Mosque official : IMAM
65. Group helping the sheriff : POSSE
66. "Just doing my best" : I TRY
67. Crumbly cheese : FETA. Often in Bill G's salad.
68. Horn sounds : TOOTS
69. Ball-bearing pegs : TEES
70. Genesis locale : EDEN
Down:
1. Mischief-maker : RASCAL. Hello Spitzboov!
2. Studying into the wee hours, say : UP LATE
3. Ancient Athens rival : SPARTA
4. Trattoria brew : ESPRESSO. Some leftover coffee from yesterday.
5. Throat problem : STREP
6. Razzes : TAUNTS. Are you still there, Razzberry?
7. Furniture chain founded in Sweden : IKEA. Their HQ is in the Netherlands (Delft).
8. Put one's feet up : REST. No rest for Dennis this month.
9. Cold outburst? : ACHOO. Fun clue, though we've seen it a few times before.
10. Extreme agitation : FRENZY
11. Grassy expanse : LEA. Was clue yesterday.
12. Go on to say : ADD
13. Gift under a tree, often : TOY. A new computer is all I need.
21. Marcos who collected shoes : IMELDA
22. Emulate the Gregorians : INTONE
25. Like the Marx Brothers : ZANY
26. Corrosive stuff : LYE
27. Have a bite : EAT. So what did you have for breakfast today?
30. Moves with effort : PLODS
31. Letters of obligation : IOU
34. Fish hawk : OSPREY
36. Totally stump : STYMIE. Originally a golf term, I think.
38. Aussie greeting : G' DAY
39. Corp. bigwig : CEO
40. It's not fiction or fantasy : REAL LIFE. I just want to be a Deep Throat in fantasy land. You?
41. Fannie __ : MAE
42. Emotional verse : ODE
46. Harass : MOLEST. Sensitive fill.
48. Garb : ATTIRE
50. Widened, as a hole : REAMED
51. Present from birth : INNATE
52. Extra one who's "out" : ODD MAN
54. Oft-timed contests : RACES
56. Seagoing attention getters : AHOYS
58. Memorial news item : OBIT
59. Kismet : FATE
60. Suitable : APT
61. Petting place : ZOO
62. Chinese menu general : TSO. General Tso's chicken is a typical Chinese-American dish. I've never heard of it until I came to the US.
Answer grid.
C.C.
