Theme: Quiet! - Each word in these two-word entries admonish us to hush. Sh! Sh!
20A. 12-gauge ammo : SHOTGUN SHELLS
33A. Little consideration : SHORT SHRIFT. Word Origin & History: O.E. scrift "confession to priest, followed by penance and absolution," verbal noun from scrifan "to impose penance" (see shrive). Short shrift was originally the brief time for a condemned criminal to confess before execution (1594); fig. extension to "little or no consideration" is first attested 1814.
40A. Woolgatherer's tool : SHEEP SHEARS. Windhover?
49A. Eye protection for a tot's bath : SHAMPOO SHIELD
"Argyle here", he whispers. "I found this easier than yesterday's but mum's the word."
Across:
1. Pequod captain : AHAB
5. Online diary : BLOG
9. "My stars!" : "EGADS!"
14. Sagan of "Cosmos" : CARL
15. Capital NW of Napoli : ROMA. In Italia.
16. Challenges : DARES
17. Tex-Mex fare : TACO
18. Piece of news : ITEM
19. Flash of starlight : GLINT. It could have been better clued, IMO.
23. Talc-to-diamond hardness scale inventor : MOHS. Friedrich.
24. Tic-tac-toe win : OOO
25. Hush-hush : COVERT. Snuck in a theme related?
28. Baseball family name : ALOU
30. Tiny, to tam wearers : SMA'. I wanted WEE.
35. Harbor vessel : TUG
36. Squares with dinner rolls : PATS. I hate when they're ice hard.
37. NFL fifth periods : OTs. (overtimes)
38. Olin of "Alias" : LENA. A crossword regular but not so much in the TV series, "Alias". She was in 27 out of 105.
39. Lode load : ORE
44. Road crew goo : TAR
45. Sharing pronoun : OURS
46. Janitor's tool : WET MOP
47. Jungle __ : GYM
48. Lip soother : BALM
55. Reason for some food recalls : E. COLI
56. Pro foe : ANTI
57. Turner in a barbecue : SPIT
59. Pin place : LAPEL
60. Genuine : REAL
61. "Contents could cause Dad to make breakfast" brand : EGGO
62. Pat down : FRISK
63. Indian dress : SARI
64. Bridge position : EAST
Down:
1. Play a part : ACT
2. Lukas of "Witness" : HAAS. The little Amish boy who witnesses a murder.
3. Elaborate entrance : ARCH
4. They may be late : BLOOMERS. Show us your bloomers!
5. High beams : BRIGHTS
6. Sacred flower, in Hinduism : LOTUS
7. Prophetic sign : OMEN
8. Looker's legs : GAMS
9. Beat by a nose : EDGE OUT
10. Winemaking giant : GALLO
11. Seed pod : ARIL. Close enough.
12. Man caves, perhaps : DENS
13. Old jet set jet, briefly : SST
21. Legal wrong : TORT. I much prefer a torte.
22. Filly's foot : HOOF
25. 100 smackers : C SPOT. Snuck in a Roman numeral.
26. Butler's bride : O'HARA
27. Election participant : VOTER
28. __ liberales: universidad course : ARTES. (liberal arts)
29. Daffy Duck has one : LISP
30. Iron emission : STEAM
31. Canadian storywriter Alice : MUNRO. Perps. LINK to Wiki.
32. Shocked : AGASP
34. Gardener attacking weeds, say : HOER
38. "Hmm ..." : "LET ME SEE". Yes, what I said after the previous entry.
40. Coffee additive for the lactose intolerant : SOY MILK
41. Camel feature : HUMP
42. One of Kenya's official languages : SWAHILI
43. Prefix with port : HELI
47. Strong winds : GALES
48. Massive, relatively hot luminous body : B STAR
49. Wound reminder : SCAR
50. Pueblo Indian : HOPI
51. Boathouse equipment : OARS
52. Draft category : ONE A
53. Nancy Lopez's org. : LPGA. (Ladies Professional Golf Association)
54. Works on a trench : DIGS
55. Sprite : ELF
58. Little shaver : TOT
Argyle
