Theme: F-F
17. Maximum impact : FULL FORCE
21. Get dizzy : FEEL FAINT
34. Close pal : FAST FRIEND
43. Healthy, with "in" : FINE FETTLE
58. Beach footwear : FLIP FLOPS
66. Achilles' heel : FATAL FLAW
4. Office cabinet document holder : FILE FOLDER
9. British Invasion nickname : FAB FOUR
32. Six for you, six for me, e.g. : FIFTY-FIFTY
44. On the house : FOR FREE
Argyle here. Underwhelmed by the theme but overwhelmed by the execution of said theme. Ten theme entries covering ninety squares.
Across:
1. "Yeah, like that's gonna happen" : "AS IF ..."
5. "That's clear now" : "I SEE"
9. Honored with a big bash : FETED
14. New Jersey or California city : LODI.
 |
| population 24,136 |
15. French champagne maker founded in Germany : MUMM. The French confiscated all of the Mumm's property, although they had lived in Champagne for almost a century before World War I, because they had never become French citizens.
16. Bakery lure : AROMA
19. Olympic racer since 2008 : BMXer. More trouble in Rio.
20. Staggering dizzily : AREEL
23. "__ out!" : FAR
25. Suffix with switch : EROO
26. DJ's stack : CDs
27. Accessory for note-taking : MEMO PAD
31. __ Wiedersehen : AUF. "until we see again"
33. Lang. of Florence : ITAL. (Italian)
40. Slush __ : FUND. Often used to pay for monkey business.
41. JFK overseer : FAA. (Federal Aviation Administration)
42. Food Network's "Beat Bobby __" : FLAY. Is it worth watching?
47. IRS agent : T-MAN
48. Ukr. neighbor : ROM. (Ukraine/Romania)
49. Softball of a question : EASY ONE
51. Little newt : EFT
54. Pokes fun at : RIBS
57. Baseball : ump :: football __ : REF
61. British elevators : LIFTS
65. What the suffix "phile" means : LOVER
68. Stood : AROSE
69. Italian automaker since 1899 : FIAT. Check out the front seat facing backwards!
70. Melt fish : TUNA
71. Tentative bite : TASTE
72. Airing, as a sitcom : ON TV
73. Safecracker : YEGG. Just one of the retro entries.
Down:
1. __ Romeo: sports car : ALFA
2. Like lemons : SOUR
3. Doing nothing : IDLE
5. Texter's "If you ask me" : [IMO]. "in my opinion"
6. Browse websites : SURF
7. Oscars host, e.g. : EMCEE. (master of ceremonies(MC)
8. Mideast VIP : EMEER. One of several spellings.
10. Humorist Bombeck : ERMA
11. Poisonous : TOXIC
12. Correct, as text : EMEND
13. Game that drives home a point? : DARTS. (2:45)
18. Envelope part : FLAP
22. Pumpernickel buy : LOAF
24. U.K. fliers : RAF. (Royal Air Force)
27. Annoy : MIFF
28. Storage case for tiny scissors : ETUI
29. "Death in Venice" author Thomas : MANN. A novella first published in 1912.
30. Senseless : DAFT
35. Posed : SAT
36. Bit of folklore : TALE
37. Giggly Muppet : ELMO
38. Tandoori bread : NAAN
39. Physics unit : DYNE
45. Disney's "__ and the Detectives" : EMIL. From an old German story. Wiki
46. Place for a hoop : EAR
50. Get bought up quickly : SELL
51. Key above D : E FLAT
52. Fauna's partner : FLORA
53. Records for later, in a way : TIVOs
55. Super, at the box office : BOFFO
56. Where rain falls mainly on the plain : SPAIN
59. Bothersome insect : PEST
60. Doc's "Now!" : "STAT!"
62. Santa's access : FLUE. Sure.
63. Zesty flavor : TANG
64. Loot : SWAG
67. Off-road transport, briefly : ATV. (all-terrain vehicle)
Argyle
