Theme: Regal Roosts - five places where various kinds of "Queens" can be found:
17A. Queen's domain : CHESS GAME. White is checkmated by the black queen in two moves, known as "Fool's Mate".
26A. Queen's domain : BEEHIVE. Hopefully not the hairstyle!
36A. Queen's domain : DECK OF CARDS. Four of these in your poker hand wouldn't be too shabby.
51A. Queen's domain : ENGLAND. Here's the splendid Miranda Richardson with a reminder to Lord Melchett from Blackadder II.
60A. Queen's domain : ARENA ROCK. Here's Queen singing about another Queen, which seems appropriate. Not in an arena though, from the BBC's studios at Wood Lane in London.
Nice clecho theme from Kevin. There are four cheater (aka helper) squares padding out the middle theme entry but you can't help that when you're working with one 11-letter phrase across the center.
Across:
1. Bleach container : JUG. I'd never thought of my Clorox container as a jug before, but so it is.
4. Shed door attachments : HASPS
9. Like iceberg lettuce : CRISP. Due to the 96% water content. Food! - almost.
14. Freudian topic : EGO. Went for SEX first, that didn't work.
15. Marginally ahead : ONE UP
16. Relative of bongos : TABLA
19. Cause of a skid, perhaps : SLEET
20. Tom Jones' "__ a Lady" : SHE'S
21. Payroll service co. : ADP
23. __-à-porter: ready-to-wear : PRET. There's a chain of ready-made sandwich stores based in the UK, and now expanding, called Pret A Manger (Ready to Eat) which I think is clever. The sandwiches are great too.
24. Keep from happening : THWART
28. Corporate big shots : SUITS
29. With false modesty : COYLY
31. Bubbly opener? : AER-ated. Popping corks.
32. Hide from a hunter : PELT. Nice.
33. Coppertone's 30, e.g. : SPF
34. Bit of IM mirth : HEE. Went with LOL first. Was wrong.
40. Versailles monarch : ROI. Here's Louis XIV, the "Sun King":
41. West __: high-end furniture retailer : ELM. New to me. Part of the Williams-Sonoma/Pottery Barn group.
42. Related : AKIN
45. Actress Arthur : BEA
48. Slyly disparaging : SNIDE
50. Back of a single : B-SIDE
53. Picked up : SENSED
54. De Matteo of "Sons of Anarchy" : DREA. Crosses all the way.
55. One in favor : YEA
57. Baseball analyst Hershiser : OREL
58. Odyssey on the road : HONDA
64. Of yesteryear : OLDEN
65. Keep down : LIMIT
66. Writer who inspired the Raven Award : POE
67. Pineal or pituitary : GLAND
68. Chef's creation : SAUCE
69. Soufflé need : EGG. That's going to be one small soufflé with one egg.
Down:
1. 39th pres. : JEC. Jimmy Carter. Not one of the most common presidential monograms that we see - rarely appears in crosswords.
2. "Bummer" : UGH
3. Runs amok : GOES WILD. Fresh entry.
4. Uncouth types, in Canadian slang : HOSERS. I'm sure Canadian Eh! can enlighten us, but I understand the origin of the term is unclear, and it has nothing to do with resurfacing hockey rinks, siphoning gasoline or getting drunk.
5. Severe anxiety : ANGST
6. Yellow __ : SEA
7. Adidas rival : PUMA. My first pair of soccer boots were made by Puma. The company's been around for quite some time, evidently.
8. Left in the dust : SPED BY
9. Nos. that are beside the point : CTS. The cents in a price tag after the decimal point.
10. Actor Fiennes : RALPH. The splendidly-monikered Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes to give him is full credit.
11. It's across the Pyrenees from France : IBERIA. The Iberian Peninsula comprising Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar and Andorra. There's also little sliver of France at the southern side of the Pyrenees
12. Tailor's measure : SLEEVE. You need to get this measured correctly to keep your cuffs out of your soup.
13. Auction spiel : PATTER.
CANIGETA10geta10geta10getanow15now1520attheback202020anymore25thankyouinthebalcony30onthe phone30itsonyousireanymoregoingonceat30goingtwiceSOLD.
18. Destroy : SHATTER
22. New York suburb bordering New Rochelle : PELHAM. I only know this from the book/movie "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three".
24. Recipe amt. : TSP.
25. Tinge : HUE
27. Once-over giver : EYER. Really?
29. USCG rank : CPO. Chief Petty Officer.
30. Took out : OFFED. I just saw this when I came to write up the puzzle, crosses filled it in for me.
33. Gossip : SKINNY
35. Santa portrayer in "Elf" : ED ASNER
37. Alguna __: something, in Spain : COSA. New one on me. Thanks you, crosses.
38. Cavs, on a scoreboard : CLE. Cleveland's NBA franchise, the Cavaliers.
39. White way : SKI SLOPE
43. Chem class suffix : -IDE
44. "Game of Thrones" patriarch Stark : NED. Finally remembered this! Yay me!
45. Covers stealer : BED HOG. I don't remember seeing this before - nice phrase.
46. Join the club : ENROLL
47. Guide for a chair : AGENDA. The road-map for a meeting chair.
49. High standards : IDEALS
50. Scold : BERATE
52. Weighted down : LADEN
53. __ boom : SONIC
56. Met delivery : ARIA
59. "Then what happened?" : AND?
61. Critter on the Australian 50-cent coin : EMU
62. Machine part : COG
63. Beer source : KEG. I liked the COG/KEG/POE/EGG corner.
I think I'll go and see if you can make a soufflé with one egg.
Bon appétit and heeeere's the grid!
Steve
17A. Queen's domain : CHESS GAME. White is checkmated by the black queen in two moves, known as "Fool's Mate".
26A. Queen's domain : BEEHIVE. Hopefully not the hairstyle!
36A. Queen's domain : DECK OF CARDS. Four of these in your poker hand wouldn't be too shabby.
51A. Queen's domain : ENGLAND. Here's the splendid Miranda Richardson with a reminder to Lord Melchett from Blackadder II.
60A. Queen's domain : ARENA ROCK. Here's Queen singing about another Queen, which seems appropriate. Not in an arena though, from the BBC's studios at Wood Lane in London.
Nice clecho theme from Kevin. There are four cheater (aka helper) squares padding out the middle theme entry but you can't help that when you're working with one 11-letter phrase across the center.
Across:
1. Bleach container : JUG. I'd never thought of my Clorox container as a jug before, but so it is.
4. Shed door attachments : HASPS
9. Like iceberg lettuce : CRISP. Due to the 96% water content. Food! - almost.
14. Freudian topic : EGO. Went for SEX first, that didn't work.
15. Marginally ahead : ONE UP
16. Relative of bongos : TABLA
19. Cause of a skid, perhaps : SLEET
20. Tom Jones' "__ a Lady" : SHE'S
21. Payroll service co. : ADP
23. __-à-porter: ready-to-wear : PRET. There's a chain of ready-made sandwich stores based in the UK, and now expanding, called Pret A Manger (Ready to Eat) which I think is clever. The sandwiches are great too.
24. Keep from happening : THWART
28. Corporate big shots : SUITS
29. With false modesty : COYLY
31. Bubbly opener? : AER-ated. Popping corks.
32. Hide from a hunter : PELT. Nice.
33. Coppertone's 30, e.g. : SPF
34. Bit of IM mirth : HEE. Went with LOL first. Was wrong.
40. Versailles monarch : ROI. Here's Louis XIV, the "Sun King":
41. West __: high-end furniture retailer : ELM. New to me. Part of the Williams-Sonoma/Pottery Barn group.
42. Related : AKIN
45. Actress Arthur : BEA
48. Slyly disparaging : SNIDE
50. Back of a single : B-SIDE
53. Picked up : SENSED
54. De Matteo of "Sons of Anarchy" : DREA. Crosses all the way.
55. One in favor : YEA
57. Baseball analyst Hershiser : OREL
58. Odyssey on the road : HONDA
64. Of yesteryear : OLDEN
65. Keep down : LIMIT
66. Writer who inspired the Raven Award : POE
67. Pineal or pituitary : GLAND
68. Chef's creation : SAUCE
69. Soufflé need : EGG. That's going to be one small soufflé with one egg.
Down:
1. 39th pres. : JEC. Jimmy Carter. Not one of the most common presidential monograms that we see - rarely appears in crosswords.
2. "Bummer" : UGH
3. Runs amok : GOES WILD. Fresh entry.
4. Uncouth types, in Canadian slang : HOSERS. I'm sure Canadian Eh! can enlighten us, but I understand the origin of the term is unclear, and it has nothing to do with resurfacing hockey rinks, siphoning gasoline or getting drunk.
5. Severe anxiety : ANGST
6. Yellow __ : SEA
7. Adidas rival : PUMA. My first pair of soccer boots were made by Puma. The company's been around for quite some time, evidently.
8. Left in the dust : SPED BY
9. Nos. that are beside the point : CTS. The cents in a price tag after the decimal point.
10. Actor Fiennes : RALPH. The splendidly-monikered Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes to give him is full credit.
11. It's across the Pyrenees from France : IBERIA. The Iberian Peninsula comprising Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar and Andorra. There's also little sliver of France at the southern side of the Pyrenees
12. Tailor's measure : SLEEVE. You need to get this measured correctly to keep your cuffs out of your soup.
13. Auction spiel : PATTER.
CANIGETA10geta10geta10getanow15now1520attheback202020anymore25thankyouinthebalcony30onthe phone30itsonyousireanymoregoingonceat30goingtwiceSOLD.
18. Destroy : SHATTER
22. New York suburb bordering New Rochelle : PELHAM. I only know this from the book/movie "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three".
24. Recipe amt. : TSP.
25. Tinge : HUE
27. Once-over giver : EYER. Really?
29. USCG rank : CPO. Chief Petty Officer.
30. Took out : OFFED. I just saw this when I came to write up the puzzle, crosses filled it in for me.
33. Gossip : SKINNY
35. Santa portrayer in "Elf" : ED ASNER
37. Alguna __: something, in Spain : COSA. New one on me. Thanks you, crosses.
38. Cavs, on a scoreboard : CLE. Cleveland's NBA franchise, the Cavaliers.
39. White way : SKI SLOPE
43. Chem class suffix : -IDE
44. "Game of Thrones" patriarch Stark : NED. Finally remembered this! Yay me!
45. Covers stealer : BED HOG. I don't remember seeing this before - nice phrase.
46. Join the club : ENROLL
47. Guide for a chair : AGENDA. The road-map for a meeting chair.
49. High standards : IDEALS
50. Scold : BERATE
52. Weighted down : LADEN
53. __ boom : SONIC
56. Met delivery : ARIA
59. "Then what happened?" : AND?
61. Critter on the Australian 50-cent coin : EMU
62. Machine part : COG
63. Beer source : KEG. I liked the COG/KEG/POE/EGG corner.
I think I'll go and see if you can make a soufflé with one egg.
Bon appétit and heeeere's the grid!
Steve
