Theme: Tempus Fugit - Yes, how time flies...all around this grid, landing in front of the first word of the starred answers.
56A. Store posting, and what the first words of the answers to starred clues could literally be doing : CLOSING TIME. The first word can close a "time" phrase.
18A. *Mood : FRAME OF MIND. Time frame - A period of time during which something has taken or will take place.
37A. *Philatelist's prize possession : STAMP COLLECTION. Time stamp - A device for stamping the date and time of day.
3D. *Like a baseball fouled into the seats : OUT OF PLAY. Time out - Suspension of play, sports or kids.
34D. *Solid baseball hit : LINE DRIVE. Time line - A linear representation of important events in the order in which they occurred, like a baseball scorecard.
Argyle here, for the time being. David has been providing us with early week puzzles for some time now. Had a good time with this one. I looked at an early write-up of David and I mentioned my dial-up was giving me trouble. Boy, was that back in the dark ages.
Across:
1. "Little Red Book" chairman : MAO
4. Hardly enough : SCANT. As in scantily clad.
9. Online memo : E NOTE. or like online Cliff Notes.
14. School URL ending : .EDU
15. Like most white bears : POLAR
16. Bedsheet material : LINEN
17. Body art, briefly : TAT
20. Self-images : EGOs. Interesting, following tat.
22. Scornful look : SNEER
23. One of a Valentine's Day dozen : ROSE. CSO, by any other name.
24. Vandalizes : DEFACES. Graffiti.
26. Made amends : ATONED. They were made to scrub off the graffiti.
28. Map that may show land subdivisions : PLAT
29. Longed (for) : PINED
31. Conger catcher : EELER. No conger picture before breakfast.
33. River through Russia : VOLGA. Volga-Matushka (Mother Volga)
34. Auburn rival in the SEC : LSU. Southeastern Conference(SEC)/Louisiana State University(LSU)
40. Salary : PAY
41. Author Joyce Carol __ : OATES. She was born in Lockport, NY and grew up in Millersport, NY. (Looks like that's as close as we'll get to Erie today.)
42. One of India's official languages : HINDI
43. Hang in midair : HOVER
44. Surrender, as territory : CEDE
45. Words that attract shoppers : *ON SALE*
48. Nothing-to-do feeling : BOREDOM. Two weeks after school gets out.
51. Planted : SOWN. Got your gardens sown?
52. Equip with new weapons : REARM
55. Lass of La Mancha: Abbr. : SRTA. (señorita)
59. "__ now or never" : IT'S
60. Put on the radio : AIRED
61. Waited-for show character who never showed : GODOT. Play by Saturday's Irish playwright, Samuel Beckett. A waste of time?
62. Pet doc : VET
63. Angling gear : REELS
64. Signs of things to come : OMENS
65. EMTs' destinations : ERs
Down:
(I hope this takes less time.)
1. Doled (out) : METED
2. Old saw : ADAGE
4. Tanning lotion letters : SPF. (sun protection factor)
5. Constricting garment : CORSET
6. Greenspan and Ladd : ALANs
7. Title : NAME
8. Genealogical chart : TREE. With lots of names on it.
9. Santa subordinate : ELF. Sorry, it isn't pc to call them that. (subordinate)
10. Idiot : NIMROD
11. Bermuda veggie : ONION
12. On edge : TENSE
13. Concluded : ENDED
19. Southern California county : ORANGE
21. Witch trials setting : SALEM
25. Commuting convenience : CAR POOL. Certainly so when they have their own lanes.
27. One working with pupils : TEACHER. Not Lois anymore.
29. Gondola helmsman : POLER. A pole is used to propel the boat.
30. Pandora's boxful : ILLS
31. So-called sixth sense : ESP
32. Letter after zeta : ETA
33. Go to the polls : VOTE
35. Ready-to-go lawn starter : SOD
36. Prefix with cycle : UNI
38. Spot for spelunkers : CAVERN
39. In-and-out ocean phenomena : TIDES
43. Gretel's brother : HANSEL
44. Ordinary : COMMON
45. Actor's prize : OSCAR
46. "I kid you not!" : "NO LIE!"
47. Took an oath : SWORE. Another interesting follow up.
48. Woman often followed by a train : BRIDE
49. Aquatic frolicker : OTTER
50. Sail supports : MASTS
53. Frozen waffle brand : EGGO
54. Quark locale : ATOM. No images of Quark from Deep Space Nine before breakfast either.
57. SSNs, e.g. : IDs
58. UFO crew, supposedly : ETs
Ahh! My time has ended.
Argyle
