Theme: KEY is the key - The special buttons on your KEYboard finish up the theme entries and the reveal finishes up the grid.
17A. *Keep charging drinks : RUN UP A TAB
24A. *Occasion to say "Whew!" : NARROW ESCAPE
39A. *Annual April paperwork : INCOME TAX RETURN
51A. *Running amok : OUT OF CONTROL
64A. *Overnight work assignment : LATE SHIFT
71A. Each answer to a starred clue ends in one : KEY
Argyle here. If you did the puzzle on your computer, the theme answers were right there in front of you. You might have to dig a little deeper for the fill. The grid spanner makes a good anchor for the rest. All but a 'Q' is in there. Oh, and the RETURN key is the ENTER key on non-Macs.
Across:
1. President after JFK : LBJ
4. Totally absorbed : RAPT
8. Made like a kangaroo : LEAPT
13. Papers promising payment : IOU's, (just like it sounds, I Owe You)
15. "The Andy Griffith Show" tyke : OPIE. Young Ronnie Howard.
16. Bonus : EXTRA
19. Pierces : GORES. No gore before breakfast, please.
20. Rectified, with "for" : ATONED
21. "... __ a lender be" : NOR. Polonius counsel to his son, Laertes. "Neither a Borrower Nor a Lender be", Shakespeare, "Hamlet", Act 1 scene 3.
23. Comic on a roll : RIOT
27. Biblical haircutter : DELILAH. Samson got more than "Just a little off the top". Note: A gentleman named Fred informed me that it wasn't Delilah who actually cut Samson's hair. She called others in to do the deed.
30. Letter between upsilon and chi : PHI. Greek alphabet.
31. Cavity filler's org. : ADA. (American Dental Association)
32. Trait carrier : GENE
35. Actor Milo : O'SHEA. His IMBd page. (not as many today)
43. Greet casually, with "to" : SAY HI
44. Affectedly dainty, to Brits : TWEE. Barry Silk introduced us to TWEE, here, in 2008.
45. Piddling point to pick : NIT
46. Writer's undergrad deg. : BFA. (Bachelor of Fine Arts)
48. Devastates : RAVAGES
56. Not yet eliminated : IN IT
57. PC file suffix : .EXE
58. Bygone Toyotas : SUPRAs
62. Collectible print, briefly : LITHO. (lithograph)
66. Phillies infielder Chase : UTLEY. Chase Utley is the second baseman and bats left-handed but throws right-handed.
67. Chichén __: Mayan ruins : ITZÁ
68. Under sail, say : ASEA
69. Scholarly article reviewers : PEERS
70. Mopey look : POUT
Down:
1. Old Italian coin : LIRA
2. Ring contest : BOUT
3. 2007 title role for Ellen Page : "JUNO". IMDb.
4. Violent reaction to traffic : ROAD RAGE
5. Proper : APT
6. Movers' challenge : PIANO
7. Noted kneeling NFLer : TEBOW. Tim Tebow's role with the NY Jets remains unclear after debut.
8. Turkey helping : LEG
9. Curer of the demon-possessed : EXORCIST
10. Cardiac chambers : ATRIA. Caught myself putting in AORTA.
11. Before surgery, briefly : PRE-OP
12. Stylistic judgment : TASTE
14. Largest division of Islam : SUNNI. The Shi'ites split with the Sunni and are the second largest division.
18. Prolonged ringing : PEAL. If the ringing in just in your ears it's tinnitus.
22. Gym unit : REP. (repetition)
25. Butler of fiction : RHETT. from "Gone With the Wind".
26. Dealer's dispenser : SHOE. Playing cards.
27. Orator's platform : DAIS
28. Outlandish Dame : EDNA
29. Like some nightgowns : LACY
33. "I ain't doin' that!" : "NAW!". Best said with a curled lip.
34. Apply : EXERT
36. Unable to decide, as a jury : HUNG
37. Toledo's lake : ERIE
38. Sugar bowl invaders : ANTS
40. Woeful words from Winnie the Pooh : "OH, BOTHER"
41. Vex : MIFF
42. What shotgun callers shun : REAR SEAT. To call "shotgun" means you claim the front passenger's seat. From the days of the stage coach. Shotgun rules, who knew?
47. Pass and then some : ACE
49. RSVP part : VOUS. (répondez, s'il vous plaît)
50. Top dog : ALPHA
51. Prepare to shine in a bodybuilding contest? : OIL UP
52. Band together : UNITE
53. Champ's holding : TITLE
54. Primrose family plant : OXLIP. Info.
55. "Far out!" : "NEATO!"
59. Chance : RISK
60. For __: not gratis : A FEE. (not free)
61. Time at the inn : STAY
63. Yiddish laments : OYs
65. Shih __: Tibetan dog : TZU
Argyle
Notes from C.C.:
1) I got this email from Parker Lewis, a NY Times constructor. He said: "I've been working with the great crew at Puzzazz and we are excited to announce the launch of our new app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. As a reader of your blog and fellow puzzle enthusiast, I'm sure you and your followers will be interested in what the app has to offer...
The app itself is free to download and acts as a bookshelf where you can look through our collection of puzzle books. So far there are 29 books from 17 different authors. You can browse through every book and solve at least one free puzzle so you can find the puzzle books that best fit your solving tastes.."
2) Happy Birthday to Mom Speaks Out! Hope all's well.
1) I got this email from Parker Lewis, a NY Times constructor. He said: "I've been working with the great crew at Puzzazz and we are excited to announce the launch of our new app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. As a reader of your blog and fellow puzzle enthusiast, I'm sure you and your followers will be interested in what the app has to offer...
The app itself is free to download and acts as a bookshelf where you can look through our collection of puzzle books. So far there are 29 books from 17 different authors. You can browse through every book and solve at least one free puzzle so you can find the puzzle books that best fit your solving tastes.."
2) Happy Birthday to Mom Speaks Out! Hope all's well.
