Theme: D/J - Phrases starting with D and J.
17A. Hardcover protector : DUST JACKET
25A. Improvisational music style developed in 14-Across : DIXIELAND JAZZ
43A. Local jurist : DISTRICT JUDGE
58A. Maneuver that captures two checkers : DOUBLE JUMP
10D. Guy's breakup letter : DEAR JANE
37D. Clerical office positions : DESK JOBS
47D. Wedding music provider ... and a homophonic hint to six puzzle answers : DEEJAY
Argyle here with Lila Cherry(Really Rich). It seems a simple theme is acceptable if there is enough of it. All the J's are accounted for but there are some free-range D's out there. Tom Joad is a T/J. A nice mix of new and old with even a unique three-letter entry, TCB.
Across:
1. "Pardon me ... " : "AHEM ... "
5. __ Madness: fruity Snapple flavor : MANGO
10. Info that isn't as dumb as it sounds : DOPE
14. Mardi Gras city acronym : NOLA. (New Orleans, Louisiana)
15. University founder Yale : ELIHU
16. Quaint "Yikes!" : "EGAD!"
19. One on your side : ALLY
20. Old show showings : RERUNS
21. Josephine, for one : EMPRESS. Josephine Bonaparte wearing her signature gown.
23. Dictator Amin : IDI. Third President of Uganda, ruling from 1971 to 1979.
24. Noun following a vb., usually : OBJect
32. Cat covering : FUR
33. East, to Eduardo : ESTE
34. Orderly : NEAT plus 7D. Suffix with 34-Across : NIK
36. Apple tablet : iPAD
38. Handled things somehow : COPED
39. Stonestreet of "Modern Family" : ERIC. Cam on the show.
40. Heredity unit : GENE
41. x or y, in plane geometry : AXIS
42. Planet, in verse : ORB
48. Divided Asian country: Abbr. : KORea
49. Miner's objective : ORE
50. "The Grapes of Wrath" protagonist : TOM JOAD
54. Boring tools : AUGERS
57. Small Chevy model : AVEO
61. Low-__ diet : CARB
62. Outie's opposite : INNIE. Belly buttons.
63. Natural skin soother : ALOE
64. Bullfight cheers : OLÉs
65. Brewery kilns : OASTS
66. Thief who doesn't need the combination : YEGG. Safecracker.
Down:
1. Also : AND
2. Time of day : HOUR
3. "Anything __?" : ELSE
4. Dot-__ printer : MATRIX
5. Malicious one : MEANIE
6. Oct. baseball semifinal : ALCS. (American League Championship Series)
8. Indian butter : GHEE
9. No longer in style : OUTMODED
11. Gawk at : OGLE
12. Buddies : PALS
13. "Grand" ice cream brand : EDYS
18. Dame Dench : JUDI
22. Sandwich with Jif and Welch's, for short : PBJ. (peanut butter and jelly)
25. Fooled : DUPED
26. Pakistani neighbor : IRANI
27. Eleventh of 13 popes : LEO XI
28. Savory gelatin : ASPIC
29. H-bomb trial, e.g. : N-TEST
30. Weightlessness cause, briefly : ZERO G
31. Congo, formerly : ZAIRE
32. Newton fruit : FIG
35. Getting it done, initially : TCB. "Taking Care of Business"
38. Music provider on the road : CAR RADIO
44. Also : TOO
45. Units of energy : JOULES. Previous expo, 8-Across
46. Strongly suggest : URGE
50. Mexican snack in a shell : TACO
51. Track shape : OVAL
52. Nothing but : MERE
53. Spanish lady : DONA
54. Not much : A BIT
55. __ of thumb : RULE
56. City skyline obscurer : SMOG
59. Young __: tots, in dialect : 'UNS. Often spelt as one word, young'uns.
60. Tent stake : PEG
Argyle
Note from C.C.:
I finally met with Jeffrey Wechsler yesterday at the Fifth MN Crossword Tournament. As Gary said in a Facebook comment "Fiendish Jeff Wechsler even looks human!" Jeffrey flew in from New Jersey to volunteer for the event. Jeffrey was also a judge for the ACPT the past few years. We managed to talk a little shop while he was busy working for the tournament.
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| David Liben-Nowell, Tom Pepper, Jeffrey Wechsler, David Hanson & C.C. |
It was also fun discussing crosswords with the brilliant local constructors: Tom Pepper (Mr. Minnesota Nice), Marcia Brott (We had her puzzle three months ago), Victor Barocas (our hard-working editor), David Hanson (He used to comment on our blog with the handle Rosebud), Andrew J. Ries (so incredibly talented. Click here to subscribe to his weekly puzzle) & David Liben-Nowell (He has a LAT themeless coming up).
Don Gagliardo, Andrea Carla Michaels & David Steinberg all contributed puzzles but could not make the trip. George Barany was traveling in CA. You were all missed.
Mike Weepie won the tournament. Eric Maddy came in second. Carl Voss third. Below are a few pictures. You can click here for more.
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| David Hanson,Victor Barocas, C.C. & Andrew J. Ries |
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| Victor & Eric Maddy |
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| David Bael, Marcia and Tom |
