Theme: WANTED: Nursery Rhyme Characters (All Males)
17A. WANTED: Dimwitted loiterer, for pie-tasting without intent to buy : SIMPLE SIMON
23A. WANTED: Boy on the run, for unwanted kissing : GEORGIE PORGIE
35A. WANTED: Delinquent minor, for breaking curfew and inappropriate dress : WEE WILLIE WINKIE
49A. WANTED: Musical shepherd, for sleeping on the job : LITTLE BOY BLUE
58A. WANTED: Merry monarch, for smoke pollution with his pipe : OLD KING COLE
C.C. here, giving Argyle a break. I had thought Cruciverb might experience their monthly no-new puzzle glitch again.
Five theme entries (63 squares) is a lot for a Monday, or any day of the week. But as I mentioned before, filling is trickier for Monday/Tuesday puzzles as constructors can't have difficult words in the grid.
This grid is just perfect.
Across:
1. Rebounding sound : ECHO. Easy start.
5. Early newspaper magnate : HEARST. "Citizen Kane"!
11. "So-o-o cute!" sounds : AWS
14. Vietnam neighbor : LAOS
15. List of printing mistakes : ERRATA
16. Game, __, match : SET
19. __ urchin : SEA
20. Año Nuevo month : ENERO
21. Popular exercise choice : JOGGING
27. Fun and games : PLAY. So I was reading Whitey Bulger's bio earlier. Was surprised that he talked, in the end.
29. Uncle's mate : AUNT
30. Singles : ONES
31. Dart thrower's asset : AIM
32. Turn off, as the lights : KILL. Never used this expression before. Kill time, yes.
33. Crime lab evidence, briefly : DNA
41. Isn't missing : HAS
42. Bump into : MEET. Who's the famous person you've ever met?
43. __ sequitur: illogical conclusion : NON
44. Church recess : APSE
47. Up to the task : ABLE
48. Do bar work : TEND
53. Harrison Ford's "Star Wars" role : HAN SOLO. And 44. "Java" trumpeter : AL HIRT. All full names. They appear often due to their friendly letter combo. Ed Asner is another one. (Thanks for the correction, Misty!)
54. Dispenser of theater programs : USHER
57. Pasta suffix : INI. Like Rotini. Speaking of food, I've never baked those pre-made steamed buns, Pas de Chat. I suppose you could give it a try. As for Jayce's Fish ball yesterday, Irish Miss, I think the key ingredient is Kao Fu (wheat gluten), then they add fish flavor. Mock meat is normally made of either wheat gluten or Tofu.
62. Mythical giant bird : ROC
63. Takes care of : SEES TO
64. Charity donations : ALMS
65. "For shame!" : TSK
66. Came next : ENSUED
67. Digs made of twigs : NEST
Down:
1. Otherwise : ELSE
2. Brother of Abel : CAIN
3. Dodger Stadium contest, to the Dodgers : HOME GAME. Peter must be a Dodgers' fan, like Bill.
4. Fish hawk : OSPREY
5. Half a giggle : HEE
6. "Thinking, thinking ..." sounds : ERs
7. Onassis nickname : ARI. I think Maria Callas really loved him.
8. Type of missile engine : RAMJET
9. Small, raised porch in front of a door : STOOP
10. Dramatic ballroom dance : TANGO
11. Designate, as a seat : ASSIGN
12. Hot dog : WEENIE. I never acquired the taste for hot dogs or sausages.
13. Oater transports : STAGES
18. Lav in Leeds : LOO
22. "Ouch!" relative, in response to a pun : GROAN
24. Train tracks : RAILS
25. Noisy shorebird : GULL
26. Left hanging : IN LIMBO
27. Tiger's foot : PAW
28. Untruth : LIE
32. Sorento automaker : KIA
33. Nerd : DWEEB
34. Picayune point to pick : NIT. Triple alliteration.
36. Sharpens, as a knife : WHETS
37. Wriggly : EELY
38. Space under a desk : KNEEHOLE
39. Electrified particle : ION
40. Finish : END
45. Baby grands, e.g. : PIANOS
46. Jolly old Xmas visitor : ST NICK
47. Homes : ABODES
48. Florence native, for one : TUSCAN. Qli liked "Under the Tuscan Sun".
50. Free from restraint : LOOSE
51. Funny DeGeneres : ELLEN. Love her. So authentic.
52. Haul : LUG
55. Big shade trees : ELMS
56. Break at the office : REST
59. Sunflower St. school : KSU (Kansas State University). The Wildcats. Kent State is also known as KSU, right?
60. Suffix with Israel : ITE
61. Silently assent : NOD
C.C.
