Tuesday April 20, 2010 Kevin Christian

Theme: RIGHT onyms - Three semantic definitions of RIGHT.

20A. RIGHT: SYNONYM FOR JUST. (meaning the same)

38A. RIGHT: HOMONYM FOR WRITE. (sounding the same, meaning different)

50A. RIGHT: ANTONYM FOR LEFT. (meaning the opposite)

RIGHT is capitalized because normally it's an answer. Clue/Answer shift today.

I'm Argyle and I'm back.

First, let me say there are no helper/cheater squares in this puzzle, ok. Second, welcome to a new constructor today, assuming it's not a new anagram of our editor.

A rather easy Tuesday puzzle but quite nice. We have a good start to the week.

Across:

1A. Indian region known for its tea: ASSAM. Map (from a tea blogger.)

6A. Etta of old comics: KETT. Etta Kett was launched as a single panel by Paul Robinson in Dec., 1925, it originally offered tips to teenagers on manners, etiquette and the social graces. Robinson, however, saw a narrative potential, devising a strip of wholesome humor that maintained a readership over five decades. Drawing with a polished, clean-line style, he expanded his teenage characters into a daily strip and Sunday page about energetic Etta Kett, her middle-class family and friends in a suburban setting (and becoming a crossword staple).

10A. Winery vessels: VATS.

14A. "The Lord of the Rings" hero: FRODO. Portrayed by Elijah Wood in the movie even though Frodo is a middle-aged hobbit in the book.

15A. Trendsetting: EDGY.

16A. Words after laugh or whoop: IT UP.

17A. Lisa of "The Cosby Show": BONET. They say Bill Cosby was not happy when she was in the movie, Angel Heart.

18A. Popular depilatory: NAIR. (a hair removal product)

19A. Frozen breakfast brand: EGGO.

23A. Stephen of "The Crying Game": REA.

24A. Charged particle: ION.

25A. Polar bear's domain: ARCTIC.

29A. Nonpaying train rider, perhaps: HOBO.

32A. Balloon-breaking sound: POP.

35A. Irritant "in your side": THORN.

36A. Verdi's title princess: AIDA. Opera.

37A. Brett Favre's number: FOUR. Football quarterback.

41A. Thor's father: ODIN. Thor is the Norse god of thunder. He is a son of Odin and Jord.

42A. Mideast bigwig: EMIR.

43A. __, meenie ...: EENIE.

44A. Anatomical egg holder: SAC. The "egg sac" or ovary.

45A. Maxwell Smart's nemesis: KAOS. The bad guys on the TV spoof of spy shows.

46A. Make plump: FATTEN.

47A. That boat: SHE.

49A. Ending for refuse: NIK.

58A. Comedian Roseanne: BARR. She does have Chutzpah: 64A. NERVE.

59A. "One giant leap for mankind" site: MOON.

60A. Figure of speech: IDIOM.

62A. Colored part of the eye: IRIS.

63A. Feel concern: CARE.

65A. Use a keyboard: TYPE.

66A. Help badly?: ABET. (help illegally)

67A. Prepare to be knighted: KNEEL.

Down:

1D. Langley or Laughlin: Abbr.: AFB. (Air Force Base) Langley AFB is in Hampton, VA, and Laughlin AFB is located near Del Rio, Texas.

2D. Sellout signs: SROS. (Standing Room Only)

3D. PlayStation maker: SONY.

4D. Yemen port: ADEN.

5D. Ramada, for one: MOTOR INN.

6D. Land of Obama's father: KENYA.

7D. Cheese in red wax: EDAM.

8D. "Yay, tomorrow's Saturday!": TGIF.

9D. Neophyte: TYRO.

10D. Mission __, California: VIEJO. A city located in southern Orange County, California in the Saddleback Valley. There is no Spanish mission in Mission Viejo, and the name is an ungrammatical use of a masculine adjective with a feminine noun. The correct Spanish term meaning "old mission" is "misión vieja." Per Wikipedia.

11D. How banks are usually robbed: AT GUNPOINT.

12D. Port pullers: TUGS. Aliteration

13D. Dog in a primer: SPOT. Do they still use, "SEE SPOT RUN. RUN, SPOT, RUN."?

21D. Japanese information technology giant: NEC. NEC Corporation is one of the world's leading providers of Internet, broadband network and enterprise business solutions.

22D. Brazilian hot spot: RIO.

25D. One of the Musketeers: ATHOS

26D. Valerie Harper role: RHODA. A spin off of the Mary Tyler Moore TV show.

27D. "FoxTrot" or "Dilbert": COMIC STRIP.

28D. Suffix with cyclo or jumbo: TRON.

29D. Old sound systems: HI-FIS.

30D. Febreze target: ODOR.

31D. Ingot: BAR.

33D. Bellybutton type: OUTIE.

34D. Fuss over oneself: PREEN.

36D. Bullets and such: AMMO.

37D. Worry: FRET.

39D. Affirmative vote: YEA.

40D. Vulnerable spot in a chain: WEAK LINK.

45D. Barbie's guy: KEN.

46D. Christmas tree choice: FIR.

48D. Trigger, e.g.: HORSE. Let's play match the horse and rider. Roy Roger and Trigger. Dale Evans and ?

49D. Three trios: NONET. A group of nine.

50D. More than 51-Down: A BIT.

51D. Not even 50-Down: NARY. Cute combo.

52D. Village People disco hit: YMCA.

53D. Ancient kingdom near the Dead Sea: MOAB.

54D. "Look out, golfers!": "FORE!".

55D. Snake-and-fruit story setting: EDEN.

56D. Blaze: FIRE.

57D. "Slithy" thing in "Jabberwocky": TOVE.

61D. Filmmaker Gibson: MEL.

Answer grid.

Argyle

Monday April 19, 2010 Mike Peluso

Theme: Fantasy Baseball Players - Common phrases are humorously interpreted and clued as if they were baseball players.

20A. San Francisco players not paying attention?: SLEEPING GIANTS. San Francisco Giants. NL West.

25A. Minnesota players from old Bangkok?: SIAMESE TWINS. Minnesota Twins. AL Central.

49A. Anaheim players tripping over their own feet?: FALLEN ANGELS. Anaheim Angels, or rather Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. So awkward. AL West.

57A. Pittsburgh players from old Algiers?: BARBARY PIRATES. Pittsburgh Pirates. NL Central.

Ha ha, no AL/NL East is represented. Loved the theme. Very creative.

Two more baseball references:

35A. DH's stats: RBIS.

12D. Throws wide of the base, say: ERRS.

Besides my beloved Minnesota Twins, Mike also gave us my hometown XI'AN (18A. Central Chinese tourist city) and ANG (40D. Director Lee). Ang Lee is from Taiwan. Ang is simply spelled as An (meaning "peace") in Mandarin Chinese, just like the An in Xi'An.

Also, An/Ang is spelled as Ahn in Korean, like Philip Ahn, the "Kung Fu" actor, who stumps many solvers every time he appears in our puzzle.

Across:

1A. Anti-fur org.: PETA. They sure hate Anna Wintour.

5A. Ambassador's forte: TACT.

9A. Eggs on: URGES.

14A. Oft-palmed cards: ACES. Ah, this could be clued as baseball related too.

15A. Prefix with cultural: AGRI.

16A. H.H. __: author known as Saki: MUNRO. I only know his alias name Saki, which appears in our puzzle often.

17A. Conks: BOPS.

19A. Tall tale tellers: LIARS. Triple alliteration.

23A. Haberdashery accessory: TIE TAC.

24A. URL ending for 52-Across: EDU. And 52A. Longhorn State sch.: TCU.

32A. Hot time in Alsace: ÉTÉ. Summer in French. We also have IDÉE (22D. __ fixe: obsession).

36A. Artist M.C. known for illusionary work: ESCHER. Here is his "Drawing Hands" again.

37A. Snacks at the bar: NUTS.

39A. Robert E. Lee's org.: CSA.

41A. Classify: SORT.

42A. African with pierced lips: UBANGI. New word to me. Man, Painful to look.

45A. Terminates: ENDS.

48A. iPhone, e.g.: PDA.

53A. Word in an oxymoronic Michael J. Fox movie title: FUTURE. From his film "Back to the Future".

62A. Omega's opposite: ALPHA. Greek alphabet.

63A. Eye, on the Eiffel Tower: OEIL. As in the illusional Trompe L'oeil. French for "trick the eye".

64A. Anchovy containers: TINS. Salty, salty!

65A. Trig function: COSEC.

66A. Double Dutch need: ROPE.

67A. Slurpee alternative: ICEE.

68A. Adjust a little: TWEAK.

69A. Overwhelms: AWES.

70A. Crows' cries: CAWS. CC alliteration.

Down:

1D. Blue Ribbon brewer: PABST.

2D. Bacteria in rare meat: ECOLI. In veggies too. Like the spinach scare a couple of years ago. Terrifying!

3D. Plains dwelling: TEPEE.

4D. Balance sheet heading: ASSETS.

5D. Hack with a meter: TAXI CAB.

6D. Backwoods "anti": AGIN. Opposite "Fer".

7D. Jagged rock: CRAG.

8D. Faint hues: TINGES.

9D. Mötley Crüe duo?: UMLAUTS. The two diacritical dots above Mötley Crüe.

10D. Destroy: RUIN.

11D. Pesky biter: GNAT.

13D. Sailor's "Mayday!": S-O-S.

21D. Duo: PAIR.

26D. Voice amplifier, briefly: MIC.

27D. German steelworks town: ESSEN.

28D. English johns, briefly: WC'S.

29D. Chain restaurant with a blue roof: I-HOP.

30D. Dweeb: NERD.

31D. Mlle., in Barcelona: SRTA.

32D. A sufficient amount, in slang: ENUF. Quite a few abbreviations in this grid.

33D. Oompah brass: TUBA.

34D. List shortener. Abbr.: ET AL..

38D. NBC show where Chase, Belushi, Radner at al, got their big breaks: SNL.

43D. Recoup: GET BACK.

44D. Machu Picchu builder: INCA. Both Sallie & Clear Ayes have been there.

46D. Makes dirty: DEFILES.

47D. Derogatory remark: SLUR.

50D. __ borealis: AURORA.

51D. Radio interference: STATIC.

54D. City on the Erie Canal: UTICA.

55D. Take again, as vows: RENEW.

56D. Mountain curves: ESSES.

57D. Huff and puff: BLOW. Rhyme.

58D. Church section: APSE.

59D. Emu cousin of South America: RHEA. Both flightless.

60D. Cry of pain: "YEOW!".

61D. Sherlock Holmes's smoke: PIPE.

62D. Perform: ACT.

Answer grid.

Argyle & C.C.