Monday, February 27, 2012 Lila Cherry

Theme: Dale, Jr., at Daytona? - If Junior pulls off a win today at Daytona, in the manner suggested by the words in the front of the first three theme entries, his popularity will surge higher than it ever has before.

17A. Backstage : BEHIND THE SCENES

24A. Got married : TIED THE KNOT

43A. Forefront, as of technology : LEADING EDGE

56A. Returning to popularity, or what you'd have been doing if you followed the sequence formed by the first words of 17-, 24- and 43-Across : MAKING A COMEBACK

Argyle here. If you think today's constructor is Lila Cherry, that's really Rich. A good example of what a Monday puzzle can be, even if there is that shameful plug for the paper. (24-Down. Los Angeles daily : TIMES) If you have any nits, today is the day to lay them on; our editor can take it.

The Daytona 500 was rained out on Sunday, the first time in the history of the race.

Across:

1. Fight-stopping calls, briefly : TKOs. (technical knockout) May be called by the referee, fight doctor, or a fighter's corner.

5. Discourteous : RUDE

9. Ireland patron, for short : ST. PAT

14. 10 million centuries : AEON

15. Soon, to the bard : ANON

16. Chicago airport : O'HARE. It is an important hub for United Airlines.

20. The second story, vis-à-vis the first : UPSTAIRS

21. Tough Japanese dogs : AKITAs. Info.

22. Coll. football's Seminoles : FSU. Florida State University at Tallahassee, FL.

23. Over, to Oskar : ÜBER

29. Wee lie : FIB

32. Forster's "A Passage to __" : INDIA. Trailer. (3:24)

33. Off one's rocker : NUTS

34. Dashboard gadget prefix with meter : ODO

35. Robin's Marian, for one : MAID. Robin Hood. Maid Marian is more complex than I thought, according to Wikipedia.

36. Market express lane units : ITEMS

38. Car : AUTO

39. North Pole helper : ELF. Still on vacation.

40. Muscle pain : ACHE

41. Desi who married 60-Across : ARNAZ and 60-Across. Ball of Hollywood : LUCY

42. Sneaky : SLY. Note it is tied into TIMES. (24D)

46. USA or Mex., e.g. : ABBReviation

47. "Do __ favor ..." : ME A

48. Blood deficiency that causes weakness : ANEMIA. Reduced number of red blood cells.

51. Embodiments : EPITOMEs

58. Informal bridge bid : ONE NO. (one no trump)

59. Activist Parks : ROSA

61. Praise : KUDOS

62. Sheltered valley : GLEN

63. Brown or cream bar orders : ALES. A small misdirection towards popsicles

Down:

1. "Forbidden" cologne brand : TABU. I am a little confused here. TABU is a perfume by Dana, launched by the design house of Dana in 1932. TABU is classified as a luxurious, oriental fragrance and is called "The forbidden fragrance".(If you go to this site, scroll down to read some interesting comments.) "Forbidden" cologne is new and isn't the same fragrance.

2. Hang on to : KEEP

3. Partners of aahs : OOHs

4. Fit of agitation : SNIT

5. Pungent salad veggie : RADISH

6. Fictitious : UNTRUE

7. Cries from Homer Simpson : D'OHs

8. Opposite of WSW : ENE

9. Plugging-in places : SOCKETS

10. "... all snug in __ beds" : THEIR

11. Cool off, dog-style : PANT. Why do dogs pant? Answer, possible TMI.

12. Locale : AREA

13. "__ of the D'Urbervilles" : TESS. A novel by Thomas Hardy, first published in 1891.

18. USA/Mex./Can. pact : NAFTA. (North American Free Trade Agreement)

19. Wooden shoes : SABOTS

23. E pluribus __ : UNUM

25. Counting everything : IN ALL

26. Spiritually enlighten : EDIFY

27. Completed : DID

28. Kicked with a bent leg : KNEED

29. No longer lost : FOUND

30. Luggage attachment : ID TAG

31. Hooch : BOOZE

36. Swelling treatment : ICE BAG. It may be needed after 28-Down.

37. "__ she blows!" : THAR

38. Exist : ARE

40. White whales, e.g. : ALBINOs. "THAR she blows!"

41. Colorful marble : AGATE

44. Levy, as a tax : IMPOSE

45. Upscale retailer __ Marcus : NEIMAN. Headquartered in the Dallas, Texas.

46. __ acid : AMINO

48. Unrestrained way to run : AMOK

49. Half of Mork's sign-off : NANU. Mork's better half, reporting to Orson.(1:57)

50. Barely made, with "out" : EKED

51. Environmental sci. : ECOL.

52. Beatles nonsense syllables : OB-LA-DI, OB-LA-DA, life goes on.

53. Manhandle : MAUL

54. Caesar's "Behold!" : "ECCE!"

55. "The __ the limit!" : SKY'S. Tom Petty's "Into the Great Wide Open" (3:47)

57. Neighbor of Braz. : ARGentina

Answer grid.

Argyle