Theme: [RING!] - You can Ring my Bell(3:30).
17A. *One held above criticism : SACRED COW. cowbell
21A. *Magician's secret exit : TRAPDOOR. doorbell
55A. *Swanson frozen meal : TV DINNER. dinner bell
from the TV show, The Nanny.
59A. *Traditional : OLD SCHOOL. school bell
36A. Day ender on Wall Street ... and, literally, what each answer to a starred clue has : CLOSING BELL
Argyle here with bells on. Our constructor has gone solo today. Interesting grid. Four eight-letter columns as well as two of the theme entries. The other two entries are nine-letter. The unifier is eleven-letter blocked in with black spaces. BELL can easily follow the last part of the theme entries but it is funnier to picture it as part of the whole entry.
Across:
1. Supplier of fake tunnels to Wile E. Coyote : ACME
5. Dictionary entry : WORD
9. Attempt to scam using email : PHISH
14. Small songbird : WREN
15. "Am __ early?" : I TOO
16. Saul Bellow's "The Adventures of __ March" : AUGIE. Unknown to me, published 1953. “the universal eligibility to be noble”
19. Gossip spreader : YENTA
20. What push may come to : SHOVE
23. 1953 Alan Ladd Western : SHANE. Classic.
24. Subject in which Freud is studied, briefly : PSYCH
25. Boring routine : RUT
26. Ballpoint, for one : PEN
27. Goose egg : NIL
29. Popular thesaurus : ROGET'S
31. Most populous continent : ASIA
33. Sign offering freebies : [TAKE ONE]
39. Hyundai sedan : ELANTRA
40. Increase dramatically : SOAR. 5th generation Elantra sales have soared.
43. Bearded spring blooms : IRISES
46. List shortener, for short : ETC. (et cetera)
48. Carry a balance : OWE
49. Lion's lair : DEN
50. Set one's sights on : AIM AT
53. Caught with a lasso : ROPED
57. Closet pests : MOTHS
58. Made public : AIRED
62. Blinding driving hazard : GLARE
63. Dam in a stream : WEIR
64. Giggly Muppet : ELMO
65. "Night Moves" singer Bob : SEGER
66. Ginger cookie : SNAP. I heard from Lois last week; she promised me more ginger snaps for Christmas (and molasses cookies).
67. Rod companion : REEL
Down:
1. Reactions to puppies and kittens : AWs
2. Falls asleep from exhaustion, in slang : CRASHES
3. Pit crew worker : MECHANIC. Different crashes.
4. Scandal-plagued energy company : ENRON
5. Like EEE shoes : WIDE
6. Needing no Rx : OTC. (Over-The-Counter medicine)
7. Carrots and turnips : ROOTS. I haven't had turnips in ages.
8. Bridal estate : DOWRY
9. Obsolescent streetcorner communication device : PAY PHONE
10. Tinted : HUED
11. Give the cold shoulder to : IGNORE
12. Take a break from : SIT OUT
13. Valentine symbols : HEARTS
18. Not odd : EVEN
22. One in a human pyramid : ACROBAT
23. Mud bath site : SPA
24. Ordinary : PLAIN
28. "That's just wrong" : "IT'S A SIN"
30. Takes shape : GELS
32. Tavern orders : ALES
34. Round Table VIP: Abbr. : KNT. (knight)
35. "Snowy" bird : EGRET
37. Poisonous ornamental : OLEANDER
38. Contract ambiguity to exploit : LOOPHOLE
41. More than cool : AWESOME
42. VIP carpet color : RED
43. Dog collar attachments : ID TAGS
44. Malign : REVILE
45. Wearing opposite-sex clothing : IN DRAG. (Usually refers to a man wearing women's clothing.)
47. Gator cousin : CROC
51. Cat calls : MEOWS
52. "Over the Rainbow" composer Harold : ARLEN. Harold Arlen (1905 – 1986)
54. Significant __ : OTHER
56. "Able was __ ...": palindrome start : I ERE..."I saw Elba". palindrome end.
57. Dealership sticker fig. : MSRP. (manufacturer's suggested retail price)
60. Day, in Spain : DIA
61. "u r 2 funny!" : LOL
Argyle
Note from C.C.:
Happy Birthday to Windhover, who was once an active runner, Petraeus-style (sans Broadwell). Hope all is well in your quiet land, Windhover!
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| Windhover & Lucina, July 24, 2015 |
