Tuesday, November 19, 2013 David Poole

Theme: You're not from around here, are you? - Words that might describe some of your weirdest dates.

20A. State Department's purview : FOREIGN POLICY

26A. Pulp comic that transformed Nick Fury into a super-spy : STRANGE TALES

42A. Entertainer with many fans? : EXOTIC DANCER

50A. "War of the Worlds" attack : ALIEN INVASION

Argyle here. They may have been the most memorable dates, too. The theme isn't particularly as strong as yesterday but the corners are meatier. Bit stronger in the word length, too, but not all that interesting. Acceptable Tuesday.

Across:

1. Trapping device : SNARE

6. Official records : ACTA. Plural noun (often initial capital letter).

10. Got an A on : ACED

14. Restriction at some fitness clubs : [NO MEN]. ARTICLE

15. Mark from a healed wound : SCAR

16. Fancy fabric with metallic threads : LAMÉ

17. Coral ring : ATOLL

18. Metal to melt down : SCRAP IRON. No, you can't have my Troyota.

22. Anxious feeling : UNEASE

23. Olds Cutlass model : CIERA. Model years 1982–1996, Olds Alero was 1999–2004.

31. British noblewomen : DAMES. I'll resist linking "There is Nothing Like a Dame".

34. Soda fountain orders : MALTS

35. Try to win : WOO. Buying her malts at the old canteen won't get it.

                           LINK

36. Happy hour pints : ALES. But a couple of pints might.

37. Sorceress jilted by Jason : MEDEA. He didn't buy her pints or malts so she took it out on their kids.

38. Ireland's Sinn __ : FEIN. Irish republican party seeking to end British rule in Northern Ireland.

39. Dream state letters : REM. (rapid eye movement)

40. Suffix with Beatle : MANIA

41. Theater access : AISLE

45. Cling wrap brand : SARAN

46. "Queen of Soul" Franklin : ARETHA

55. Inning-by-inning runs summary : LINE SCORE. (usually in tabular form)

57. Hedren of "The Birds" : TIPPI. A Hitchcock film.

58. Bldg. annex : ADDN. (addition)

59. Slimmest of margins : HAIR

60. Actress Falco et al. : EDIEs

61. Gravy vessel : BOAT. It's a big Thanksgiving dinner if you have two gravy boats. Yum.

62. Very : OH SO

63. Like some populations : DENSE

Down:

1. Major mix-up : SNAFU. From the military: (situation normal, all f***ed up)

2. "__ your life!" : NOT ON

3. Passion, in Pisa : AMORE

4. Issues : RELEASES

5. Signs up : ENLISTS

6. Part of PGA: Abbr. : ASSN. (Professional Golfers' Association)

7. Letters on a Soviet uniform : CCCP. It is the Russian abbreviation of Союз Советских Социалистических Республик, meaning the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or USSR.

8. Islands tuber : TARO

9. Kazakhstan border sea : ARAL.In the old CCCP.

10. Keys at the keys : ALICIA. CLIP(3:32)

11. Westley portrayer in "The Princess Bride" : CARY ELWES

                            LINK

12. Punk rock subgenre : EMO

13. Bear lair : DEN. Cute clue.

19. Ancient Britons : PICTS. Literally, painted ones.

21. Belg. neighbor : GER. Belgium / Germany

24. Do more work on, as a persistent squeak : RE-OIL

25. In unison : AS ONE

27. Revise : AMEND

28. Gymnast Comaneci : NADIA. OMG, she's 52 now.

29. Collect bit by bit : GLEAN

30. LAX posting : ETA

31. Has the nerve : DARES

32. Billy Joel's musical daughter : ALEXA. Alexa Ray Joel CLIP(4:42).

                        LINK

33. Reminder notes : MEMORANDA

37. Apple computer : MAC

38. Roosevelt's chat spot : FIRESIDE

40. Short-short skirts : MINIs

41. Like soda water : AERATED

43. Natural ability : TALENT

44. Cleveland NBAer : CAV. Cavalier.

47. Easy basketball score : TIP IN. Or not so easy.

                           LINK

48. Aspirations : HOPES

49. Herb that tastes like licorice : ANISE

51. Reverberation : ECHO

52. Ark helmsman : NOAH

53. Spring flower : IRIS

54. Rex Stout's stout sleuth Wolfe : NERO

55. Chocolate dog : LAB

56. Wedding vow words : "I DO"

Argyle

Note from C.C.:

Happy Birthday to dear Creature! Her kindness & warmth shine through in each of her comments here on the blog. Creature has been through some difficult times since she lost her husband 2 years ago today. She doesn't post much these days, but she still reads us every day and cares very much about this blog and our regulars. Dave, please work extra hard and find the sweetest cake for our special Creature.