Theme: Handicap Zone - Take the last word of the reveal and place it before the first word of the three theme entries.
17A. Ice cream headache : BRAIN FREEZE. LAMEBRAIN - To borrow an automotive phrase: someone not firing on all cylinders.
31A. Written permission to skip school : EXCUSE NOTE. LAME EXCUSE - "The dog ate my homework."
47A. Elmer Fudd, at times : DUCK HUNTER. LAME DUCK - Originally, a British term for one not being able to cover one's financial obligations.
63A. "What a dumb idea!" (or what you might say about the beginning of 17-, 31- or 47-Across) : "THAT'S SO LAME!"
Argyle here. Hey, I get to call this a lame puzzle and not be insulting. The fill is a nice step up from a Monday.
Across:
1. Foursome times two : OCTAD
6. "And there you have it!" : "VOILA!". or "ta-da!"
11. Barnyard bleat : [MAA!]. I'll bet windhover is hearing a few BAAs this week. 23A. Woolly mama : EWE. 11D. Sheep prized for its wool : MERINO
14. Supercharged engine, for short : TURBO. Sorry, not the same although they both result in boosting power.
15. Like much bar beer : ON TAP
16. Foul up : ERR
19. Theology subj. : REL. (religion)
20. Of the state, to Sarkozy : D'ÉTAT. Nicolas Sarkozy is a French politician who served as the 23rd President of the French Republic from 16 May 2007 until 15 May 2012.
21. Fur from a weasel : ERMINE
25. Whistle-blower? : STEAM. Train clip.(0:58)
28. Soon, to Shakespeare : ANON
29. Dieter's progress : LOSS
34. Campbell's line : SOUPS
36. Old Russian leaders : TSARS
37. Support, as a cause : ESPOUSE
40. Response provokers : STIMULI. More than one stimulus.
44. Earthy tone : OCHRE
46. Soothes : EASES
52. Old Nair rival : NEET. (depilatories)
53. Concert reed : OBOE. Double reed.
54. Flight school finals : SOLOs
56. "King Kong" studio : RKO
57. Proficient in : GOOD AT
60. Corn Belt resident : IOWAN
62. Google Earth offering : MAP
68. Put away some groceries? : ATE
69. Holy ark contents : TORAH
70. Citizen under Caesar : ROMAN
71. Cold War state: Abbr. : SSR
72. __Sweet: aspartame : NUTRA. (artificial sweetener)
73. Agriculture giant celebrating its 175th anniversary this year : DEERE. Logo.
Down:
1. Gambling letters : OTB. (Off Track Betting)
2. Unfriendly dog : CUR
3. Swaps for a better model : TRADES UP
4. "__ Baby": "Hair" song : ABIE. Abraham Lincoln, not Abbie Hoffman.
5. No-nos : DONT'S
6. Whirlpool : VORTEX. First thought: appliance.
7. Dollar bill : ONE
8. Suburban suffix : ITE
9. Lounge around : LAZE
10. Simon Says player : APER. Players must copy what "Simon" says.
12. "Am too!" retort : "ARE NOT!"
13. "What's My Line?" panelist Francis : ARLENE. Old TV show.
18. Kismet : FATE
22. Macho guy : MAN'S MAN
23. End of a vague threat : ELSE
24. Goes a-courting : WOOs
26. Pretense : ACT
27. Tousle : MUSS
30. Scared, as horses : SPOOKED
32. Warmed the bench : SAT
33. Albany-to-Buffalo canal : ERIE
35. The like : SUCH
38. Moo __ pork : SHU
39. White-tailed shorebirds : ERNS. The loon may be our crossword bird, visually, but the erne/ern gets more use.
41. Login requirement : USER NAME
42. Onion's cousin : LEEK
43. Comparison words : IS TO. Onion is to leek like potato is to __?
45. DDE's command : ETO. (Dwight D. Eisenhower/European Theater of Operations)
47. Articles of faith : DOGMAs
48. German subs : U-BOATS
49. "The Last of the Mohicans" author : COOPER, James Fenimore.
50. Cuthbert of "24" : ELISHA
51. Aussie bounders : ROOs
55. Weapon used with a shield, maybe : SWORD
58. Memo abbr. : ATTN. (attention)
59. What you used to be? : THOU. Cute.
61. Mother Nature's burn balm : ALOE
64. Getty display : ART. The J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center in Los Angeles.
65. Street cover : TAR
66. Deface : MAR
67. U-turn from WSW : ENE
Argyle
Notes from C.C.:
Happy Birthday to our blog treasure CrossEyedDave! Click here for two more pictures of young Dave and his cat PK. He works hard every day to bring us the most entertaining pictures. I propose we all link something funny for him today.
Notes from C.C.:
Happy Birthday to our blog treasure CrossEyedDave! Click here for two more pictures of young Dave and his cat PK. He works hard every day to bring us the most entertaining pictures. I propose we all link something funny for him today.
