Tuesday, February 9, 2016 Kurt Krauss

Theme: NaCl - Four types of salt.

17. *Oft-minced bulb : GARLIC CLOVE. Garlic salt

24. *Laura Hillenbrand best-seller about a racehorse : SEABISCUIT. Sea salt

38. Recipe direction ... and a literal hint to what you can do to the starts of the answers to starred clues : ADD SALT

50. *Dry-climate landscape option : ROCK GARDEN. Rock salt.

62. *Olympic sport with a hollow ball : TABLE TENNIS. Table salt

Argyle here and I just want to be your salty dog.(2:08) A couple of learning moments plus four long climbers makes this Tuesday fairly easy yet entertaining. Well done.

Across:

1. Campaign display : POSTER

7. Tuber made into poi : TARO

11. Actor Beatty : NED

14. Give in : ACCEDE

15. Out for the night : ABED

16. Australian bird : EMU

19. Came in first : WON

20. Woman in a Beethoven piano title : ELISE

21. Oscar night rides : LIMOs

22. Classic sports cars : GTs

23. Absorbed : RAPT

26. Honest prez : ABE

28. Math comparison : RATIO

29. Sally Ride, e.g. : ASTRONAUT

35. Diarist Frank : ANNE

37. Island wreath : LEI

41. "Dig in!" : "EAT!". "Mangia!"

42. Celebrity : FAME

44. Statues, often : MEMORIALS

46. "Now you __ ... " : SEE IT

49. Fist-up call : OUT

54. Palms-down call : SAFE

58. Photo lab abbr. : ENL. (enlargement)

59. Dubai bigwig : EMEER. Alternate spelling.

60. "MASH" setting : KOREA

61. __ juice: milk : MOO

64. Company abbr. : INC. (incorporated)

65. Sheep's cry : BLAT. I'm more familiar with 'bleat' with sheep and "BLAT" from a horn.

66. Candy heart message : [BE MINE]. How long before this?

67. Shatner's "__War" : TEK

68. Backwoods possessive : YERS. Sorta goes with Salty Dog, don't it?

69. Rains ice pellets : SLEETS

Down:

1. Cell alternative : PAGER

2. Florida horse-breeding city : OCALA

3. Doc's order to a pharmacist : SCRIP

4. Early communications satellite : TELSTAR

5. Falco of "The Sopranos" : EDIE

6. TiVo button : REC

7. Actress Shire : TALIA

8. Manhattan Project creation : A-BOMB

9. "Au __": "Bye, Pierre" : REVOIR

10. Texas or Ukraine city : ODESSA

11. World's second largest island : NEW GUINEA

12. Showing strong feelings : EMOTIONAL

13. Kirsten of "Spider-Man" : DUNST

18. The Browns, on sports tickers : CLE. (Cleveland Browns football team)

24. Pop in the mail : SEND

25. Windy City commuter org. : CTA. Chicago Transit Authority. Chicago could have fit in yesterday.

27. __ constrictor : BOA

29. Landon who ran against FDR : ALF and was defeated soundly. Kansapedia article.

30. Opening set of TV series episodes : SEASON ONE

31. Hourly worker's device : TIME CLOCK

32. Fleet VIP : ADM. (Admiral)

33. Put into operation : USE

34. Scottish cap : TAM

36. Sci-fi staples : ETs. (Extra-Terrestrials)

39. Diving lake bird : LOON. Our crossword bird.

40. Capote nickname : TRU. Author Truman Capote.

43. It's a scream : [EEK!]

45. Picking-up-the-tab words : "IT'S ON ME"

47. Song words before "with a little help from my friends" : I GET BY

48. Husk-wrapped Mexican food : TAMALE

50. Pay : REMIT

51. Concrete-reinforcing rod : REBAR

52. Shoulder muscles, briefly : DELTs

53. Before, before : ERE

55. Golfer with an "army" : ARNIE Palmer.

56. Deceptive move : FEINT

57. Makes more bearable : EASES

60. Capsize, with "over" : KEEL. Since the keel is on the bottom of the boat, to keel over is not good.

63. Superstation initials : TBS. (Turner Broadcasting System)

Argyle

Notes from C.C.:

1) Belated Happy Birthday to dear Bill G! I'm terribly sorry that I missed your milestone on Jan 31 due to travel, Bill. How did you and Barbara celebrate? Cuban food again or what? Tell us about the menu.

Bill G & his grandson Jordan

2) Happy Birthday to our Saturday Stud Splynter, who turns 45 today. Splynter has been blogging for us since March, 2011. He only missed one or two Saturdays when he was sick. His dedication and commitment to the blog speak volumes of his character. Alas, I don't think that Blue Eyed Girl solves crosswords or reads our blog.