Theme: Crazy - The four themes are hiding their frailty but it is easily distinguished.
18A. Area’s distinguishing qualities : LOCAL COLOR
29A. Bud Abbott’s partner : LOU COSTELLO
48A. Fly off the handle : LOSE CONTROL
59A. Jurisdiction whose decisions may be appealed : LOWER COURT (From C.C.: In my submission, I used Lemonade's fun clue: Trial setting whose unappealing decisions may be appealed.)
68A. Off one’s rocker, and a hint to what the four longest puzzle answers have in common : LOCO
Argyle here. After the pyrotechnics of last week, it's good to start the week with a puzzle that is more in tune to a laid back summer day. The climbers in the corners are a nice touch.
Across:
1. Norway’s most populous city : OSLO
5. Sonata finales : CODAS
10. Trident-shaped Greek letters : PSIs
14. Sentence subject, usually : NOUN
15. Film critic Roger : EBERT
16. In real time : LIVE
17. Risk or Clue : GAME
20. NW, vis-à-vis SE : OPP. (opposite)
21. Jury member : PEER
22. Phantom’s hangout : OPERA
23. Work like a sponge : ABSORB
25. Flood zone procedure, briefly : EVAC. (evacuation)
28. Little bite : NIP
31. Gym shirt : TEE
32. Marvel superheroes : X-MEN. comic books and now movies.
33. Those, in Cuba : ESAS
34. Porgy’s love : BESS
35. Gelatin made from seaweed : AGAR
37. Fly high : SOAR
39. Stretch across : SPAN
42. Garr of “Tootsie” : TERI
44. Tide type : NEAP
47. Sunbather’s souvenir : TAN
51. Sinusitis-treating MD : ENT. (ear, nose, and throat Doctor)
52. Kindle Fire alternative : iPAD
53. Jot in the margin, say : NOTATE
54. Ritzy Twin Cities suburb : EDINA
56. At it : BUSY
58. Soup cooker : POT
62. Versatile tubers : YAMS
63. Parts of history : ERAs
64. Hägar the Horrible’s wife : HELGA. from the comic strip.
65. Chase, as flies : SHAG
66. Flit : DART
67. Lazybones : IDLER
Down:
1. Like accurate hockey shots : ON GOAL
2. Street performer’s stand : SOAP BOX
3. All at once, as a payment : LUMP SUM
4. Tip jar addition : ONE
5. Star Magazine stars : CELEBs
6. Clarinet cousin : OBOE
7. Formal orders : DECREEs
8. Palindromic constellation : ARA
9. Letters on a Cardinal cap : STL. A baseball cap.
10. Fall heavily : PLOP
11. Last letter in June, e.g. : SILENT E
12. Keys that may be tickled : IVORIES
13. Bright wraps : SERAPES
19. Fashion’s Chanel : COCO. №5 was her biggest fragrance.
21. Fork point : PRONG. No tine this time.
24. Vast body of water : OCEAN
26. Pickle brand with a stork mascot : VLASIC. With a Groucho delivery.
27. To boot : ALSO
30. Revered Mother : TERESA
34. Football’s Favre : BRETT. Maybe retired?
36. At the peak of : ATOP
38. Irritate : ANNOY
38. Irritate : ANNOY
39. Braced (oneself), as for a challenge : STEELED
40. Mythical box opener : PANDORA
41. Like many '60s -'70s protesters : ANTI-WAR
43. Energy drink with a bovine logo : RED BULL
45. Wyoming tribe : ARAPAHO. Close allies of the Cheyenne tribe and loosely aligned with the Sioux. Arapaho is an Algonquian language. (Wiki.)
46. Washington’s river : POTOMAC. Washington threw a dollar across the Potomac but a dollar went a lot farther in those days.
48. Tall-tale teller : LIAR. Too harsh. Let's just say embellisher.
49. GM tracking service : ONSTAR
50. “C’mon already!” : "LET'S GO!"
55. Cheep digs? : NEST. Out on a limb?
57. Yen : URGE
60. Energy, in feng shui : CHI
60. Energy, in feng shui : CHI
61. British ref. work : OED. (Oxford English Dictionary)
62. French designer’s monogram : YSL. (Yves Saint Laurent)
Argyle
