Theme: FREEZE!
17A. Started to sneeze and cough, say : CAUGHT A COLD
28A. Really worked hard : BUSTED ONE'S CHOPS
44A. Paid for everyone's dinner : PICKED UP THE BILL
58A. Taken away in handcuffs ... and a hint to the starts of 17-, 28- and 44-Across : UNDER ARREST
Argyle here. Don's previous puzzle here. Two grid spanning entries crossed by two long non-themed columns; a page from a C.C. puzzle book. Nicely done.
Across:
1. Beatle Paul's first wife : LINDA. Linda, née Eastman, died from breast cancer in 1998.
6. Second-string squad : B-TEAM
11. Tummy muscles : ABs
14. Lunchbox cookies : OREOs. Too many Oreos can hide those abs.
15. Hardship : RIGOR
16. "Nope" : "NAH"
19. Org. promoting hunter safety : NRA. (National Rifle Association of America)
20. Basil or rosemary : HERB
21. IV monitors : RNs. (registered nurse)
22. Honor __ thieves : AMONG. First of some clues that seem to be truncated. "No honor among thieves" is the phrase I'm familiar with.
24. Musical Apple : iPOD
26. Exposed : BARED
34. Critter that sleeps floating on its back : OTTER. Sea otters do.
35. National Anthem starter : "O, SAY ... "
36. Kitten cry : [MEW!]
37. Gen-__: post-baby boomers : XERs
38. Camera setting : F-STOP. Haven't seen this old crossword favorite in a while.
40. Wait : BIDE. Bide your time and all the old crossword favorites will show up eventually.
41. Small S.A. country : URU. Uruguay is in South America.
42. Red Sox star Big __ : PAPI. David Ortiz.
43. Panama divider : CANAL. What would it cost to swim it now?
48. Exhausted : TIRED
49. Fit for sainthood : HOLY
50. Catcher's position : SQUAT
52. Holiday tree : FIR. Got fir?
53. Rock's Mötley __ : CRÜE
57. Continent north of Afr. : EUR.
62. Aragon aunt : TIA. Aragon is in northeastern Spain.
63. Argue the opposing viewpoint : REBUT
64. Hit half of a record : SIDE A. Usually.
65. Home of the Cardinals: Abbr. : STL. St. Louis.
66. Small and glittering, like eyes : BEADY
67. Terminate the mission : ABORT
Down:
1. Scot's swimming spot : LOCH. Don't harass the monsters. They are national treasures.
2. "Dies __": hymn : IRAE
3. Nerve: Pref. : NEUR
4. Wounds from an aggressive pooch : DOG BITES
5. Silvery gray : ASH
6. Godfather portrayer : BRANDO. Marlon Brando, Jr.
7. Muscle twitches : TICs
8. Self-image : EGO
9. "You've got mail" company : AOL
10. Elizabeth Bennet's suitor in "Pride and Prejudice" : MR. DARCY
11. In the year of the Lord, in dates : ANNO DOMINI
12. Farm building : BARN or shed or silo or ....
13. Layered haircut : SHAG
18. Walked : TROD
23. "Not so great" : "MEH"
25. According to : PER
26. Kiss from Carlos : BESO
27. "Do it yesterday!" on memos : ASAP. (As Soon As Possible)
28. Pack in cartons : BOX UP
29. Wombs : UTERI
30. Like earthquake damage : STRUCTURAL
31. Inept waiter's comeuppance : NO TIP
32. Foot-operated lever : PEDAL
33. "Peachy!" : "SWELL!"
38. Gradually vanish : FADE
39. Tater : SPUD
40. Nursery furniture with bars : BABY CRIB. Behind bars at such a young age!
42. Bother : PERTURB
43. Animation frame : CEL
45. Seoul-based Soul maker : KIA. Cars.
46. Minimum age for a U.S. senator : THIRTY
47. Jewish wedding dance : HORA
50. Tennis divisions : SETS. game, set, match.
51. Give notice : QUIT
52. Animosity spanning decades : FEUD
54. Change the decor of : REDO
55. __-friendly : USER
56. State, in France : ÉTAT
59. Wedding page word : NÉE
60. Corp. alias letters : DBA. "doing business as"
61. Pretoria's land: Abbr. : RSA. Pretoria is one of Republic of South Africa's three capitals.
Argyle
