Theme: You don't want me around? - Four in language entries that start with a word you might use rid yourself of some pest. And a reveal of the pest in question.
17A. Marshmallow-and-cookie layered treat : SCOOTER PIE. Image.
27A. Meteor shower phenomena : SHOOTING STARS
45A. Brunch fare : SCRAMBLED EGGS
59A. Small carpet : SCATTER RUG
36D. Stray that might evoke the start of 17-, 27-, 45- or 59-Across : ALLEY CAT
Argyle here and I'm staying. How could I leave? A C.C. yesterday and a Marti today? Life is good. Cattitude is everything (3:44)
Across
1. Butter on the farm? : GOAT. A cute clue.
5. Smart-alecky : SASSY
10. Traditional Indian music : RAGA
14. St. Louis landmark : ARCH
15. Boundary marker : STAKE
16. Nobelist Pavlov : IVAN. I read that as Novelist at first. D'oh!
19. Fly alone : SOLO
20. __ New Guinea : PAPUA. Map.
21. Uncanny ability, for short : ESP. (extrasensory perception)
22. Des Moines native : IOWAN
23. Tests for coll. seniors : GRE's. (Graduate Record Examinations)
25. Reunion attendee : AUNT
32. Big name in lawn care : SCOTT'S. Thanks for the shout out, Marti.
34. Ultimate degree : NTH POWER
35. Sphere, to a poet : ORB
36. Ger. neighbor : AUS. (Germany/Austria)
37. Breakfast grain : OAT
38. Pedicure targets : TOE NAILS
42. Spanish saffron-flavored dish : PAELLA
47. Up for anything : GAME
48. Conclusion lead-in : ERGO
49. Fried chicken piece : THIGH
52. “... the dew of __ high eastward hill”: “Hamlet” : YON. Probable guess.
54. Where to find Bologna : ITALY
58. “Count me out, too” : "NOR I"
61. Mongolia’s __ Bator : ULAN. Google map.
62. Responded to a good massage : AAHed
63. A big fan of : INTO
64. Zingy taste : TANG
65. Pulitzer writer Terkel : STUDS. Louis "Studs" Terkel (May 16, 1912 – October 31, 2008)
66. Look carefully : PEER
Down:
1. Express awe : GASP
2. Killer whale : ORCA
3. “Rent-__”: 1988 crime film : A-COP. IMBd.
4. Musing : THOUGHT
5. Seattle-to-Reno dir. : SSE
6. Like a body in Newton’s first law : AT REST. Well ...: First law: Every object continues in its state of rest, or of uniform motion in a straight line, unless compelled to change that state by external forces acted upon it.
7. Totally drains : SAPS
8. Legwear for the slopes : SKI PANTS
9. “__-haw!” : YEE
10. Ristorante rice dish : RISOTTO
11. Declare frankly : AVOW
12. Opening night after-party : GALA
13. Auth. unknown : ANON
18. Fortuneteller’s deck : TAROT
22. Police dept. rank : INSP. (inspector)
24. Aurora’s Greek counterpart : EOS. Both goddesses of dawn.
26. “That’s yucky!” : "UGH!"
27. Not loaded? : SOBER
28. Rest room sign : IN USE
29. GI truants : AWOL's. ("absent without leave" or "absent without official leave"). The second definition has a more legalese feel to it.
30. Genuine : REAL
31. Mexicali miss: Abbr. : SRTA. (señorita)
32. Ones usually loaded : SOTS
33. Swamp snapper : CROC
39. Like a headache that won’t quit : NAGGING
40. Asian nurse : AMAH
41. “Big Blue” : IBM. (International Business Machines Corporation)
42. According to : PER
43. Longhorn rival : AGGIE
44. Self-indulgent “journey” : EGO TRIP
46. Gave a bad impression to? : DENTED. A cute clue.
49. Letter-shaped fastener : T-NUT. Many different styles, depending on their final use. Google Images.
50. Guatemala greeting : "HOLA"
51. Persia, nowadays : IRAN
53. Hawaii’s “Gathering Place” : OAHU
55. “Rule, Britannia” composer : ARNE. Originating from the poem "Rule, Britannia" by James Thomson and set to music by Thomas Arne in 1740. (Wiki) Link(1:25) Note the ringing of a bell, marking a repeat of the musical phrase.
56. Minstrel’s strings : LUTE
57. Bela’s “Son of Frankenstein” role : YGOR
59. Airline to Stockholm : SAS
60. Goal line crossings: Abbr. : TD's. (touchdowns) Known as a a "try" in rugby.
Argyle
1) Constructor’s note:
We have several stray cats in our back yard, and I was attempting to scare them off one evening by yelling, “shoo, scat, scram, scoot!!” The ALLEY CATs were not intimidated, but it did give me an idea for a theme…
2) Note from C.C.:
Happy Birthday to Don G! Without him, I'd never have created a crossword. Don taught me all I know about crossword and continues to teach me every day. Thank you so much, Don!
