Theme: Today. Like the month, the entries end with a synonym for leap.
37A. February 29th ... and, based on the ends of 16-, 24-, 49- and 60-Across, this puzzle's title : LEAP DAY
16A. Mideast protest movement that began in 2010 : ARAB SPRING
24A. Cash cache : BANK VAULT
49A. Morally obliged : DUTY BOUND
60A. TV actor who played the Maytag repairman : GORDON JUMP. (The Big Guy, Mr. Carlson)
Argyle here on a very special day. Maybe you math types can figure it out. I started the month and now I am closing the month. When will this happen again? Oh yeah, the puzzle. I better hop to it.
Across:
1. Frequent-flier no., e.g. : ACCT. I'm no frequent-flier so no number here.
5. Rental agreement : LEASE
10. Many GRE takers : SRs. College seniors going to grad school take the Graduate Record Examination.
13. Big, fancy dinner : GALA
14. Finalize, as a comic strip : INK IN
15. Tiny pest : GNAT
18. Mount St. Helens outflow : LAVA
19. Cloud computing giant : IBM
20. Crotchety oldster : COOT. "Stay off of my lawn!"
21. Postpone : DEFER
22. "Little Broken Hearts" singer Jones : NORAH. She is the daughter of Ravi Shankar and the half-sister of Anoushka Shankar. You can hear the influence in this song but the meaning?...that's something else.
27. Win-win : NO LOSE
29. Tall tale : YARN or perhaps 61D. Flowery poem : ODE
30. Run fast : GALLOP
31. Bond or Bourne : SPY. Bad boys.
32. [Oh, well] : [SIGH]
36. E-tailer's address : URL. Internet address.
40. Cow sound : {MOO!}
41. Sailboat staff : MAST
43. Will Ferrell holiday movie : "ELF"
44. Really into : KEEN ON
46. Makeover : REDO
48. 14-legged crustacean : ISOPOD. They've been around a long time and come in many forms.
53. Dull finish : MATTE
55. Laura's classic "Dick Van Dyke Show" wail : "OH, ROB!"
56. Dubliner's land : EIRE
58. Golfer's double bogey, usually : SIX. The most common length hole is a par 4, ergo, double bogey(two over par) is 6.
59. Put on weight : GAIN
63. Sound-off button : MUTE
64. Headache relief brand : ADVIL
65. Part of town : AREA
66. Ginger __ : ALE
67. Take care of : SEE TO
68. Second to none : BEST. C.C., of course.
Down:
1. "Encore!" : "AGAIN!"
2. Rich pasta dish : CARBONARA. Based on eggs, cheese, bacon, and black pepper.
3. New England shellfish sandwiches : CLAM ROLLS
4. It's picked up in bars : TAB
5. Cosmetic surg. option : LIPO. (liposuction)
6. Dress like Judge Judy : ENROBE
7. Curly-tailed guard dog : AKITA
8. Envy or lust : SIN
9. An official lang. of Hong Kong : ENGlish
10. Big mess : SNAFU
11. "Bolero" composer : RAVEL
12. Set in motion : START
15. Collects bit by bit : GLEANS
17. Where subjects are taught : SCHOOL
21. TiVo, for one : DVR. (digital video recorder)
23. Every bit : ALL
25. "Cagney & Lacey" law-enforcing gp. : NYPD. (New York Police Department)
26. Paddled boats : KAYAKs
28. Swim team swimsuit : SPEEDO. Those crazy boys at Seton Hall.
30. Orbit, e.g. : GUM
31. Sunscreen letters : SPF. (Sun Protection Factor)
33. Uncertain words : I'M NOT SURE
34. Happy days : GOOD TIMES. Both were sitcoms.
35. Sweetie : HON
38. Baseball's Felipe or Moises : ALOU
39. Naval petty officers : YEOMEN
42. "Have a sample" : "TRY ONE"
45. Org. concerned with pesticides : EPA. (Environmental Protection Agency)
47. Tidal retreat : EBB
48. "Ta-da!" : "I DID IT!"
49. Religious doctrine : DOGMA
50. Ryder rival : U-HAUL. Truck rentals.
51. All too familiar : TRITE
52. Timid person's lack : NERVE
54. Yank in China, maybe : EXPAT. Shortened Yankee and expatriate.
57. Chewy caramel candy : ROLO
60. __ station : GAS
62. Quick punch : JAB
Argyle
