Monday, January 25, 2016 Mary Lou Guizzo

Theme: Two-Letter Combos - Pick two letters and find two related words that start with said letters.

17A. *Game where one might have an ace in the hole : STUD POKER

36A. *Financial page listing : STOCK PRICE

43A. *Only woman ever elected governor of Alaska : SARAH PALIN. In the news again.

61A. *Stack of unsolicited manuscripts : SLUSH PILE. Previously, this clue/answer were reversed.

11D. *Informal surveys : STRAW POLLS

29D. *Touchy topics : SORE POINTS

68A. "500" Wall St. index ... and a hint to the answers to starred clues : S AND P. (Standard & Poor's)

Argyle here. Mary Lou is very good at this style of early week themes. The perps should get you through the rough spots.

Across:

1. '90s game disc : POG. Tough start unless you had kids in the '90s or you were yourself.

4. Infield fly : POP-UP

9. Invites home for dinner, say : HAS IN. If it's Hannibal, don't go.

14. 007 creator Fleming : IAN

15. Banish : EXILE

16. Unable to sit still : ANTSY

19. Actor __ Elba of "The Wire" : IDRIS. The name "Idris"; Wikipedia.

20. Liability offset : ASSET

21. Settle in a new country : EMIGRATE

23. Young Simpson : BART

26. "Coulda been worse!" : "PHEW!". "That was a close one!"

27. Biblical beast : ASS

30. Least fatty : LEANEST

33. __-12 conference : PAC. (Pacific Coast Conference)

38. "__ creature was stirring ... " : NOT A

39. Team in 40-Across : CARDS

40. Arch city: Abbr. : STL. (St. Louis)

41. Ship carrying fuel : OILER

42. Iowa State city : AMES

45. Very quietly, in music : PPP. (pianississimo)

46. Artist's paint holder : PALETTE

47. Farm pen : STY

48. Gave the nod to : OKed. Anon nit, yes, we know you think it should be OK'D.

50. Payroll IDs : SSNs. (Social Security number)

52. Became partners : PAIRED UP

56. To date : SO FAR

60. Ed with seven Emmys : ASNER

64. "I'll do it" : "LET ME"

65. Gum treatment, briefly : PERIO. (periodontal treatment)

66. Former president of Pakistan : ZIA. Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq (Boy, did I mess this up!)

 



"Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq" by Wikifreund.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

67. Relaxed : EASED

69. Reheat quickly : ZAP

Down:

1. Leaning Tower of __ : PISA

2. Stable diet : OATS

3. Bearded antelopes : GNUs

"What are you looking at?"

4. Coaches' speeches : PEP TALKS

5. Losing tic-tac-toe string : O-X-O

6. Water__: dental brand : PIK

7. Title beekeeper played by Peter Fonda : ULEE. "Ulee's Gold"

8. Make waves? : PERM

9. San Francisco street that crosses Ashbury : HAIGHT. For all you hippies.

10. Netman Agassi : ANDRE. (tennis)

12. "__ just me?" : IS IT

13. Financial page abbr. : NYSE. (New York Stock Exchange) How's your stock price?

18. Budding socialite : DEB

22. __ dixit: assertion without proof : IPSE

24. Sales agent : REP. 18D and 24D don't have indications that they are abbreviations: we know.

25. Like ankle bones : TARSAL

27. Songwriters' org. : ASCAP. (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers)

28. "Put __ here": envelope corner reminder : STAMP

31. Saltpeter, to a Brit : NITRE. (potassium nitrate)

32. Flashy displays : ECLATS

34. Took the loss, financially : ATE IT

35. Sideshow barker : CARNY. Short for carnival worker.

37. Music store buys : CDs

38. Actress Peeples : NIA

41. Workplace where union membership is optional : OPEN SHOP

43. DWI-fighting org. : SADD. (Students Against Destructive Decisions)

44. Growth chart nos. : HTs. (heights)

46. Looked carefully : PEERED

49. Krispy __ doughnuts : KREME

51. Soak (up) : SOP

52. Hardly healthy-looking : PALE

53. Out of port : ASEA

54. Snail-mail delivery org. : USPS. (United States Postal Service)

55. Formal petition : PLEA

57. Antacid jingle word repeated after "plop, plop" : FIZZ, FIZZ.

58. Et __: and others : ALIA

59. Harvest : REAP

62. Barista's vessel : URN

63. Rocker Vicious : SID. Bonus S&P: He was a member of the Sex Pistols.

Argyle