Theme: Article 17 of the Geneva Convention - The first words of the theme entries are the three things(split into four parts) that the unifier(in the center) is required to give interrogators.
20A. *Reason consumers purchase certain brands : NAME RECOGNITION
28A. *Bumbling beginner : RANK AMATEUR
39A. Mil. detainee who may reveal only the starts of the answers to starred clues : POW
48A. *Hookups for computer peripherals : SERIAL PORTS
54A. *Financial analysts : NUMBER CRUNCHERS
Argyle, corporal, 2083472. OK, I'll talk. I liked this one better than yesterday's, as one might expect from Bruce and Gail. Tight theme, minimum crosswordese, strong corners, classic grid. Two grid spanners.
Across:
1. Hook or Cook: Abbr. : CAPT. Spelling it Cap'n reflects sailors' pronunciation, as in Cap'n Horatio Magellan Crunch.
5. For the calorie-conscious : LITE
9. Purse handle : STRAP
14. Fairy tale baddie : OGRE
15. Ugandan baddie : AMIN. Idi
16. Remove pencil marks : ERASE
17. Completely destroy : RUIN
18. Rikki-Tikki-__: Kipling critter : TAVI. A story from the Jungle Book describing the mongoose's, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, fight with Nag, the big black cobra.
19. __ Carlo: Grand Prix setting : MONTE. It is part of Monaco, the sovereign city state on the French Riviera.
23. Ankle artwork, briefly : TAT
24. Fathers and grandfathers : MEN
25. Bks.-to-be : MSs. (manuscripts)
35. Historic WWII bomber : ENOLA GAY. Always good to see both names.
37. Threat punctuator : OR ELSE. Yes, punctuator is in the dictionary, as a related noun form.
38. Timber wolf : LOBO
41. Paper purchase : REAM. International standards organizations define the ream as 500 identical sheets.
42. Poll findings : TRENDS
45. Island state of Australia : TASMANIA
50. Dadaist Jean : ARP. When Arp spoke in German he referred to himself as "Hans", and when he spoke in French he referred to himself as "Jean".
51. Wish undone : RUE
52. Opposite of 'neath : O'ER
63. Inventor Howe : ELIAS. American inventor and sewing machine pioneer.
64. Winslet of "Titanic" : KATE. At age 11. Image.
65. "The rest __ to you" : IS UP
66. Insurance giant : AETNA
67. "Did You __ See a Dream Walking?" : EVER. Clip(6:43) but you might want to stop when Ginger Rogers starts singing at 1:03.
68. Int'l alliance : NATO
69. "Our Gang" dog : PETEY
70. Ph.D. hurdle : DISS. (dissertation)
71. Remove from power : OUST
Down:
1. Ear on your plate : CORN
2. Isla surrounder : AGUA. Spanish island/water.
3. Stiffly neat : PRIM
4. Religious belief : TENET
5. Infielder's untimely move : LATE TAG
6. 1998 Apple debut : IMAC
7. DVR pioneer : TIVO. Digital Video Recorder (DVR).
8. Tough nut to crack : ENIGMA
9. Advanced study group : SEMINAR
10. Relaxed pace : TROT
11. Hindu princess : RANI
12. Regarding : AS TO
13. Rounded end of a hammer : PEEN
21. Uncommon, avis-wise : RARA. Latin: rara avis - rare bird
22. Much sought-after clownfish of film : NEMO
25. Gets all gooey : MELTS. Tinbeni doesn't want his avatar gooey so he stays away from ice.
26. Nocturnal noise : SNORE
27. Clearheaded : SOBER
29. Brit : lie-down :: Yank : __ : NAP
30. Former Japanese capital : KYOTO. Some say that Tokyo and Kyoto are simultaneously capitals of Japan. Not me, I only know what I read in Wikipedia.
31. Trillion: Pref. : TERA
32. Kagan of the Supreme Court : ELENA
33. TWA competitor : USAIR
34. Plot a new route : REMAP
36. Actress Anderson : LONI
40. Serious conflict : WAR
43. Assume as probable : DARESAY
44. Disparaging remark : SLUR
46. Habitual pot smokers : STONERS. "Dudes!"
47. Fraction of a min. : MSEC (millisecond)
49. Ate like a bird : PECKED
53. Thick-skinned beast : RHINO
54. Kind of tide : NEAP
55. Fonda's beekeeper : ULEE. From the movie, "Ulee's Gold".(1997)
56. Oven user's accessory : MITT
57. Thorn in one's side : BANE
58. Shankar with a sitar : RAVI. Strangely alliterated clue.
59. Western natives : UTEs
60. Biblical twin : ESAU
61. Grooves in the road : RUTS
62. Carpet cleaner's concern : SPOT
Argyle
