Theme: Jumblgram - Playing with the letters of the word, WORD.
53A. Ogden Nash specialty, and a hint to this puzzle's circles : WORDPLAY. WORD
20A. Gradually exhaust : WEAR DOWN. RDOW
37A. Salon task : BLOW DRY. OWRD
11D. Furniture maker, e.g. : WOODWORKER. DWOR
28D. Restaurant reviewer : FOOD WRITER. ODWR
Argyle here. There is no connection between the theme entries other than the word jumble contained in the circles. Having the circles could be of some help in the solve but not necessary. Similar pinwheel to Monday but with the reveal in a different place and the corners are more isolated.
Across:
1. Wife of 25-Down : FRAU partnered with 25D. Husband of 1-Across : HERR
5. Flipping burgers, e.g. : McJOB
10. Victorious shout : "I WON!"
14. Sylvester's speech problem : LISP
15. Now, in Nuevo León : AHORA. The State of Nuevo León is located in Northeastern Mexico. The capital city, Monterrey, is the third largest city in Mexico.
16. Nixed, at NASA : NO-GO
17. Corrosive stuff : ACID
18. Be homesick (for) : YEARN
19. Country legend Tennessee Ernie __ : FORD. "The Ol' Pea-Picker"
22. Helpful staffers : AIDES
23. Amiss : AWRY. Awords.
24. Nag : SHREW
26. Embarrassing slip-ups : GAFFES
29. Bottom-line red ink : NET LOSS
32. "That's all she __" : WROTE. Appropriate after 29-Across. "Turn off the lights, the party's over".
33. Bear shelter : LAIR
35. Infamous vampire, familiarly : DRAC. "Whatever happened to my Transylvania twist?"
36. One's self : EGO
40. Korean carmaker : KIA
41. Like Lady Godiva on horseback : NUDE
43. Author __ Stanley Gardner : ERLE
44. Upright : ON END
46. Darkest lunar phase : NEW MOON
48. Some school uniform parts : SKIRTS
49. Salon task : RINSE
50. Part of a progression : STEP
51. Corned beef solution : BRINE
57. Count for something : RATE
58. Cooper of shock rock : ALICE. A far cry from the Ol' Pea-Picker.
60. Pre-euro Italian money : LIRA
61. Sign of the future : OMEN
62. German thanks : DANKE
63. One of seven for Julia Louis-Dreyfus : EMMY. Seinfeld (one), The New Adventures of Old Christine (one), Veep (five).
64. Skin growth : WART
65. Ice cream helping : SCOOP
66. "Slammin'" slugger Sammy : SOSA
Down:
1. Imperfection : FLAW
2. Grain in some cakes : RICE. Slight misdirection.
3. Where billions live : ASIA
4. Rising air current : UPDRAFT
5. City VIPs : MAYORS
6. Like taffy : CHEWY
7. Cusack or Crawford : JOAN
8. Bobby of the Bruins : ORR
9. Outlaw : BAN
10. Shortstop's realm : INFIELD
12. "Puss in Boots" baddie : OGRE
13. Signaled yeses : NODS
21. Geeky type : DWEEB
22. Singer Garfunkel : ART
24. Derogatory : SNIDE
26. "Miracle on 34th Street" actor Edmund : GWENN. Mr. Kris Kringle.
27. Pick a fight (with) : ARGUE
30. Superdome NFLer : SAINT
31. Tons : SCADS
33. "SNL" producer Michaels : LORNE
34. Piercing tool : AWL
38. 13 popes : LEOs. Is there another 3-letter pope?
39. Teamed, as oxen : YOKED
42. Highly respected : EMINENT
45. Baby bottle parts : NIPPLES
47. __-man band : ONE
48. Meryl of "The Iron Lady" : STREEP. The biographical film based on the life of Margaret Thatcher (1925–2013).
50. Great, in show biz : SOCKO!
51. It may be furrowed : BROW
52. "__ Lama Ding Dong": doo-wop hit : RAMA. Another genre? heard from.
Sorry, no embedding again. Muppet version
53. Sot : WINO
54. Wheels for the well-heeled : LIMO
55. Akimbo limbs : ARMS. Stand with hands on the hips and elbows turned outward.
56. "Divine Secrets of the __ Sisterhood" : YA-YA
58. Magazine fillers : ADs
59. Fond du __, Wisconsin : LAC
Argyle
Notes from C.C.:
1) Happy Birthday to dear PK! So happy and comforted that you're back to the blog. Please don't leave us again. We all adore you! Sorry, Dave, I stole one of your cakes.
2) Our blog reader Robert has a Google Plus account, but he wants to have a Blogger account like most of our regulars. Does any of you know if it's possible for him to create a Blogger profile? I recall helping Misty return to her Blogger profile with this link last time. But Misty already had a Blogger account. Robert doesn't. Thanks for the help.
