Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit
Theme: Happy New Year - The when, where, and how of the December 31 celebration.
17A. When to don a 40-Down or prepare to throw 11-Down : NEW YEAR'S EVE
62A. Ball-dropping site, or what this puzzle's circled letters form? : TIMES SQUARE
11D. See 17-Across : CONFETTI
40D. See 17-Across : PARTY HAT
Then the visual parts (all the words can precede TIME, and they form a square in the middle):
30A. Extra : SPARE. Spare time.
45A. In the area : LOCAL. Local time.
30D. Tee size : SMALL. Small time.
31D. No better, no worse : EQUAL. Equal time.
Argyle here today. How ya' feeling? I hope you are well enough to appreciate this gem. That visual in the middle is what got this published; took it from OK to GREAT. Maybe it should have been on Monday, the actual New Year's Eve and Monday's "Oh Oh" would have been right for Tuesday.
Across:
1. Telescope parts : LENSES
7. On hiatus : IDLE
11. Metered vehicle : CAB
14. Develop gradually : EVOLVE
15. Landing place : QUAY. For boats or Capt. "Sully" Sullenberger.
16. __ Miss : OLE. (University of Mississippi)
19. Lakers' org. : NBA. (National Basketball Association)
20. Former "Grand Ole Opry Live" network : TNN. (The Nashville Network)
21. GPS suggestion : RTE.
22. Phrase on a diet food label : LESS FAT
24. Has the mike : IS ON
26. Big galoot : APE
28. Confident crossword solver's choice : PEN
29. "Parks and Recreation" actor Rob : LOWE
32. Bluesman Redding : OTIS
34. Pinnacles : ACMEs
36. Airline with a kangaroo on its logo : QANTAS
38. Interpret without hearing : LIP-READ
41. Thai or Chinese, e.g. : CUISINE
42. Dental layer : ENAMEL
43. Memorable Texas mission : ALAMO. "Remember the Alamo!"
44. Longfellow's bell town : ATRI. A copy of the poem. Link.
47. Auditioner's goal : ROLE
51. Sci-fi film extras : ET's
52. __ Moines : DES. Iowa.
53. Close with a bang : SLAM
54. Met secretly : TRYSTED
57. Entertainer Zadora : PIA. What ever happened to Pia Zadora? Ask the flying monkey. Strange web site.
60. Add to the soundtrack : DUB
61. Sigh of pleasure : [AAH!]
65. Victrola corp. : RCA
66. Port east of Tangier : ORAN. Map.
67. Thrust forward, as with a sword : LUNGED
68. Baseball great Mel : OTT
69. Hang in the balance : PEND
70. Stands in studios : EASELS
Down:
1. Legume used in the Indian dish dal : LENTIL
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2. Despite all that : EVEN SO
3. "Take it easy!" : "NOW, NOW!"
4. Shrewd : SLY
5. At any time : EVER
6. Ticket specification : SEAT
7. Mensa figs. : IQ's
8. One settling a score, in olden days : DUELER
9. Bathe : LAVE
10. Watches suspiciously : EYES
12. Greek's neighbor : ALBANIAN
13. Wiped out : BEAT
18. Cut with a scythe : REAPED
23. Program interrupters : SPONSORS
25. Close call : NEAR MISS
27. Faux __: blunder : PAS
33. Opposite of NNW : SSE
35. Average average : CEE
37. Prepare to shoot : AIM
38. Country expanse : LEA
39. Work together : INTERACT
41. Purse fasteners : CLASPS
43. Hotshot : ACE
46. Extra one who's "out" : ODD MAN. The square peg in with all the round ones.
48. Golden years : OLD AGE
49. Leafy crown material : LAUREL
50. Sets securely (in) : EMBEDS
54. Polynesian tuber : TARO. Related to oca. Interesting site about root vegetables.
55. Sporty sunroof : T-TOP
56. The Auld Sod : EIRE
58. King Kong's home, e.g. : ISLE. (Skull Island)
59. Turquoise hue : AQUA
63. Close : END
64. Young __: tots, in dialect : 'UNS
Argyle
Notes from C.C.:
1) Don came up with this wonderful theme. Isn't he a genius? The grid went through a few revisions. Below is my favorite skeletal grid. Rich thought it's a bit complex for an early week puzzle, esp the leap from the isolated X to "Times sign" to Times Square.
2) Thanks for the support in 2012. I wish a happy and healthy 2013 to all of you!
1) Don came up with this wonderful theme. Isn't he a genius? The grid went through a few revisions. Below is my favorite skeletal grid. Rich thought it's a bit complex for an early week puzzle, esp the leap from the isolated X to "Times sign" to Times Square.
2) Thanks for the support in 2012. I wish a happy and healthy 2013 to all of you!
