Theme: Trombone Component - What makes a trombone special, the slide. All four theme entries use a slide to great effect.
18A. It's in front of a catcher : HOME PLATE. The site of some famous slides.
26A. "CSI" workplace : FORENSIC LAB. Their slides are small pieces of glass.
44A. Instrument used in Hawaiian music : STEEL GUITAR. The slide creates the unique sound of these guitars.
57A. Place to make a splash : WATER PARK. A slide that can break a little boy's heart if he isn't tall enough to go on it.
65A. Wall Street decline, or something that might be associated with 18-, 26-, 44- or 57-Across : SLIDE
Argyle here. A trombonist constructing a puzzle about slides. Well done Sir, and C.C. of course.
Across:
1. Passport endorsement : STAMP
6. Field protector : TARP
10. From __: slight progress : A TO B
14. Dramatic solos : ARIAs
15. Jai __ : ALAI
16. Head, to Henri : TÊTE
17. Job for a CPA : AUDIT
20. Oft-pickled veggie : BEET
21. Excavation hole : PIT
22. Noisy ruckus : CLAMOR
23. Captivated : RAPT
25. Game with checks : CHESS. We need an update on the rook table, Splynter.
30. Clic Stic or InkJoy : PEN
33. Pieces by pundits : OP EDs
34. Old Roman coins : LIRE
35. Worldwide workers' gp. : ILO. (International Labour Organization)
36. Clears (of) : RIDS
37. Nincompoop : IDIOT
39. Unrefined deposits : OREs
40. __-de-sac : CUL
41. Soon, to Pope : ANON
42. Pancakes sometimes served with caviar : BLINI
43. Expressive rock genre : EMO
47. "Psycho" motel : BATES
49. Being aired : ON TV
50. Venus, to Serena : SISTER
52. Duke Univ. conference : ACC. (Atlantic Coast Conference)
53. High-ranking Muslim : EMIR
59. Freak out : GO APE
60. Historical periods : AGES
61. Gawk at : OGLE
62. Traffic cone : PYLON
63. Fortified red wine : PORT
64. Ill-gotten gains : LOOT
Down:
1. Swedish automaker : SAAB. Former maker.
2. "Good point" : "TRUE"
3. Assistant : AIDE
4. Restaurant VIPs : MAÎTRE D's. (maître d'hôtel)
5. L.A. winter hours : PST
6. Island retreat for Gauguin : TAHITI
7. Loads : A LOT
8. Aries symbol : RAM
9. Annual report graphic : PIE CHART
10. Sky-supporting brother of Prometheus : ATLAS
11. Rah-rah feeling : TEAM SPIRIT
12. Preminger of film : OTTO
13. Brewpub order : BEER
19. New cadet : PLEBE
21. Second afterthought, in a ltr. : PPS
24. Q&A part: Abbr. : ANS.
25. Ad award : CLIO
26. Strong-arm : FORCE
27. Poppy extract : OPIUM
28. "Sea Food Differently" chain : RED LOBSTER
29. "Crazy" singer Patsy : CLINE
31. Justice Kagan : ELENA
32. Military denial : "NO SIR!"
37. Worldwide anticrime organization : INTERPOL
38. Deer daughters : DOEs
39. For whom Popeye's eyes popped : OLIVE OYL
41. Fall bloomer : ASTER
42. "On the other hand ..." : "BUT..."
45. Pendant with a picture : LOCKET
46. Health supplements co. : GNC. (General Nutrition Corporation)
48. '50s nuclear experiment : A-TEST
50. Give and take? : SWAP
51. "Othello" antagonist : IAGO
52. Musical Guthrie : ARLO
54. Landlocked African country : MALI
55. Apple player : iPOD
56. Thinker Descartes : RENÉ
58. Before today : AGO
59. Some family docs : GPs. (General Practitioner)
Argyle
Note from C.C:
As Argyle mentioned earlier. Ron Toth is Jazzbumpa, our trombonist. This is his debut puzzle. Congratulations, Ron!
