Theme: L&N - Ellen(el and en).
16A . Shellfish dish in a cream sauce: LOBSTER NEWBERG
24A . Drivers' ID figures: LICENSE NUMBERS
41A. Chemical used for quick freezing: LIQUID NITROGEN
54A. The Times in Los Angeles, e.g.: LOCAL NEWSPAPER
62A. Popular afternoon talk show, familiarly, and a homophonic hint to this puzzle's four longest answers: ELLEN
Argyle here but instead of Ellen, I'm here with Sarah, plain and tall. To tell the truth, I didn't notice the puzzle was 14 wide and 16 tall until I went to print it out. So all the grid spanners are only 14 letters. Still a fine puzzle despite starting with HAJJI.
Across:
1. Pilgrim to Mecca: HAJJI
6. Give and take: SWAP
10. Bay Area airport letters: SFO. San Francisco International Airport
13. Hang trimmings on: ADORN. When does your tree come down?
14. Folded Mexican fare: TACO
15. Head, slangily: NOB. 1690-1700; perhaps variant of knob.
19. WWII spy gp.: OSS. (Office of Strategic Services)
20. Feature of some sweatshirts: HOOD
21. Poetic tribute: ELEGY
22. Subtle facial signal: WINK
23. Ready for ice skating: FROZEN. The first ice shanties are appearing on the lakes. Some day I intend to take a trip eastward and find the line where an ice shanty becomes a bobhouse.
28. Convention clip-on: ID TAG
29. Genetic material: DNA
30. Fringe benefit: PERK
31. Swiss currency: FRANC
33. Clotheshorse: FOP
36. "My gal" of song: SAL. The nearest we'll get to Erie today.
37. Visibly nervous: QUAKY
38. Exhort: URGE
39. Prefix with cycle: UNI
40. Irritant "in your side": THORN
47. Stores, as ashes: INURNS. Yes, we've had it before.
48. Ark builder: NOAH
49. Rub off the board: ERASE
50. "Will you let me?": "MAY I?"
51. Texter's "Wow!": [OMG]
57. Acorn tree: OAK
58. Moon goddess: LUNA
59. Eastern guru: SWAMI
60. Part of wpm: Abbr.: WDS. (words)
61. Capp of comics: ANDY. You may find him in the snack aisle.
Down:
1. Saintly glow: HALO
2. Big fusses: ADOs
3. Steve who co-founded Apple: JOBS
4. Some sons: Abbr.: JRs
5. Latest fad: IN THING
6. Scoring unit, in golf: STROKE
7. Tool needed at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: WAND
8. Expert: ACE
9. Apple computer discontinued in 2006: POWER MAC
10. Hay fever symptom: SNEEZE
11. Painter of fakes: FORGER
12. MDs that bring out the kid in you?: OBGYNs. (Obstetrician/Gynecologist)
17. Ages: EONS
18. Oozy gunk: BLOB
22. Watered down: WEAK
23. __ bone (no laughing matter, really): FUNNY
24. ChapStick targets: LIPS. Not chop sticks, eh?
25. Creative process output: IDEA
26. PC key: CTRL
27. Minn. neighbor: N. DAK
31. "Slush" moneys: FUNDS
32. Word with drop or fall: RAIN
33. Kissable fairy tale figure: FROG
34. Less kissable fairy tale figure: OGRE. Cute pairing.
35. State founder William: PENN
37. Exacta relative: QUINELLA. A bet in which the first two places in a race must be predicted, but not necessarily in the correct order. The exacta must be predicted in the correct order.
38. "I was afraid of this": "UH OH!"
40. Walk aimlessly: TRAIPSE
41. Stay under the radar: LIE LOW
42. Bit of progress: INROAD
43. Duck calls: QUACKS
44. __ Major: Big Dipper constellation: URSA. The Big Bear.
45. More or less: IN A WAY
46. Mattel specialty: TOYS
50. Fix: MEND
51. October birthstone: OPAL
52. Viral internet phenomenon: MEME. Yes, we've had it before.
53. Put on a happy face: GRIN
55. Religious sister: NUN
56. Leatherwork tool: AWL
Argyle
Notes from C.C.:
1) Here is a great article about our constructor Bruce Haight. Bruce was rejected 38 times in a row and he never gave up. 38 puzzles are the result of hundreds of ideas (often only one puzzle is made after 10 or more idea brainstorming, Cruciverb checking, etc). Now Bruce is one of the top constructors in the business, constantly striving for originality and innovation.
2) Happy Birthday to Dudley, who's been with the blog for over six years. Dudley has his own plane and can fly anywhere on a whim. Dudley started the "Rabbit, Rabbit" tradition on our blog. It's said at the start of each month for good luck. This picture was taken during Montana's visit to Northeast in September, 2013.
1) Here is a great article about our constructor Bruce Haight. Bruce was rejected 38 times in a row and he never gave up. 38 puzzles are the result of hundreds of ideas (often only one puzzle is made after 10 or more idea brainstorming, Cruciverb checking, etc). Now Bruce is one of the top constructors in the business, constantly striving for originality and innovation.
2) Happy Birthday to Dudley, who's been with the blog for over six years. Dudley has his own plane and can fly anywhere on a whim. Dudley started the "Rabbit, Rabbit" tradition on our blog. It's said at the start of each month for good luck. This picture was taken during Montana's visit to Northeast in September, 2013.
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| Left to right: Marti, Dudley, Hondo & Montana |
