Monday May 17, 2010 Jack McInturff

Theme: A Man and his Horse - Celebrity cowboys and their horses.

17A. Cowboy who rode the end of 25-Across: ROY ROGERS. And 25A. Sensitive gun-firing mechanism: HAIR TRIGGER. Trigger was Roy's horse and his dog was Bullet.

31A. Cowboy who rode the end of 41-Across: LONE RANGER. And 41A. Anti-gold standard policy that climaxed in the Bryan-McKinley campaign: FREE SILVER. Some might say that the Lone Ranger wasn't strictly speaking, a cowboy and they'd be right. "FREE SILVER" policy can't be really explained in a few sentences. The gist of it was that it would promote inflation, which would make it easier for the little guy to repay loans and debts. The big financial institutions were against it.

46A. "Good Morning America" weatherman: SAM CHAMPION. And 58A. Cowboy who rode the end of 46-Across: GENE AUTRY. I'm partial to Gene because he sang "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer". I'm not familiar with this weatherman.

Argyle here.

Although I liked the theme (total 60 theme squares), I find many problems with the puzzle on the whole. The Lone Ranger not being a cowboy, I mentioned already. It would have been nice if Champion/Autry order could have matched the first two, the rider then his horse. But of course, the total number of letters of the pair dictates their order symmetrically.

There are obscure people, at least, obscure by Monday's standards. And then there is the glaring (because they are so close together) answer as part of a clue. 6D. Fragrant resin: ELEMI. /37D. Varnish ingredient: RESIN.

An ambitious effort with heavy blocks in two corners but I feel it falls short of a good Monday puzzle.

Across:

1A. Diagnostic procedure: SCAN.

5A. Potatoes' partner: MEAT. (meat and potatoes)

9A. Robert Burns and Sean Connery, e.g.: SCOTS.

14A. Inner Hebrides isle: IONA. Off the western shore of Scotland. Nice echo.

15A. Et __: and others: ALII. (masculine plural)

16A. Seer's card: TAROT. The whole deck is known as tarot, also

19A. Santa __ racetrack: ANITA. Horse racing, appropriately.

20A. Hustlers: CON MEN.

21A. Underage one: MINOR.

22A. Place to wipe your shoes: MAT.

27A. Three, in Tours: TROIS. French

29A. Enero begins it: AÑO. Enero / AÑO, today; año / ENERO, yesterday.

30A. Early bird's victim: WORM.

38A. Pat down, as dirt: TAMP.

39A. Came to: AWOKE.

40A. Flying shore scavenger: ERNE.

43A. Gen-__: post-baby boomers: X-ERs.

44A. One quarter of M: CCL. 1000÷4=250

45A. 10th-century emperor known as "the Great": OTTO I. 912-973 Considered by many historians to be the founder of the Holy Roman Empire.

53A. __ Arbor, Michigan: ANN.

54A. Golf tournament kickoff, often: PRO-AM.

55A. Basketball big man: CENTER. Big means tall; the player closest to the basket where his/her height helps in getting rebounds.

57A. Acrobat software creator: ADOBE. Founded in December 1982 by Charles Geschke and John Warnock, it was named after Adobe Creek which ran behind Warnock’s home in Los Altos, California

62A. Croatian-born physicist Nikola: TESLA. The only Nikola I know.

63A. Always: EVER.

64A. Olin of "Chocolat": LENA. I've never seen this movie. Is it any good?

65A. Legree-like look: SNEER. Another Simon. Simon Legree was a slave owner in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin.

66A. Designer Saarinen: EERO. Son of Eliel, also a Finnish architect and furniture designer.

67A. Test: EXAM.

Down

1D. Knight's title: SIR.

2D. Whisper sweet nothings: COO.

3D. "__ questions?": ANY.

4D. Drug cop: NARC.

5D. __ Carta: MAGNA. Briefly, the first document forced upon an English King to limit his powers by law and protect individual privileges.

7D. Broadcaster: AIRER.

8D. Old-fashioned denial: 'TISN'T.

9D. Endurance: STAMINA.

10D. "My turn?": "CAN I GO NEXT?".

11D. Round sealing gasket: O-RING.

12D. From head __: TO TOE.

13D. Ringo of the Beatles: STARR.

18D. Fireworks cries: OOHs.

22D. Workweek sequence: Abbr.: M T W T F. Tricky.

23D. Like a cheering crowd: AROAR.

24D. Velvet-voiced Mel: TORMÉ.

26D. Harder to find: RARER.

28D. Flawless: IMPECCABLE.

31D. Boxer Ali: LAILA. Muhammad Ali's daughter.

32D. "Wise" bird: OWL.

33D. Turkey mo.: NOV..

34D. __ out a living: EKE.

35D. Reclusive actress Garbo: GRETA.

36D. Bankrupt energy giant: ENRON. ENRON's leaders are reclusive now.

42D. Lay on thick, as cream cheese on a bagel: SCHMEAR. Most reference this as a small amount.

45D. Fit to serve: ONE-A.

46D. Tiffs: SPATS.

47D. Shakespearean forest: ARDEN. The setting for Shakespeare's play "As You Like It".

48D. Maine's state animal: MOOSE.

49D. Fibber or Molly of old radio: McGEE.

50D. "Pet" irritation: PEEVE.

51D. Kind of tube or ear: INNER.

52D. Alamogordo is its county seat: OTERO. In New Mexico. (Map) I think we've had it before but I don't know why!

56D. Occupy the throne: RULE.

59D. Stereotypical cowboy nickname: TEX. A slight echo.

60D. Genetic transmitter: Abbr.: RNA.

61D. Candied veggie: YAM.

Answer grid.

LA Times website does not work. You can download the puzzle here.

Argyle

Sunday May 16, 2010 Bonnie L. Gentry

Theme: Mark Time - Each theme answer contains GPA ( 110D. Scholastic mean, briefly, hidden in this puzzle's seven longest answers).

27A. It's a racket: PING-PONG PADDLE. Indeed. A racket. I am very fond of "it" or "they" containing clues.

41A. S.O.S, for one: SCOURING PAD

64A. "Come again?": BEG PARDON? Would be interested to know what Dennis was thinking.

89A. Group in power: RULING PARTY

101A.State of inaction: HOLDING PATTERN

15D. You might get it in your pajamas: MORNING PAPER. Another "it".

58D. More than a walk-on: SPEAKING PART

All of ING-ending phrases are in-the-language. Not the simple ING progress verb form.

Of all the theme answers, I like BEG PARDON the most.

Quite a few sports references in the grid too:

15A. National League East team: METS. But YANKEE (30A. New Englander) is not clued as baseball related.

40. Bobby Orr, for most of his career: BRUIN. Boston Bruins. Good to see Orr as a clue.

40. Mile High athlete: BRONCO. Denver Broncos. I've never heard of Mile High Stadium. Don't follow football.

80. Baseball Hall of Famer Wilhelm: HOYT. Pitcher. Have no recollection of his name, though I might have one or two of his baseball cards.

Very enjoyable puzzle. As the norm with Sunday puzzle, lots of entertaining clues. MESA (108. Big butte) made me laugh. Precious!

Across:

1. Group of notes: CHORD. Wanted SCALE.

6. Is, in Ixtapa: ESTA. Ixtapa is a beach resort in Mexico. Unknown to me. Alliteration.

10. Prefix with grain: MULTI. Multigrain.

19. Renée's "Chicago" role: ROXIE. Catherine Zeta-Jones played Velma.

20. Milky Way ingredient?: STAR. Sweet clue. I bet many thought of the chocolate bar first.

21. Guesstimate word: ABOUT

22. Speed-skating rink, e.g.: OVAL

23. Invites the public: OPENS

24. You can't go when you're in it: PARK. Another tricky "it".

25. Districts: ZONES. Plunked in AREAS first.

26. Pantheon site: ROME. And GODS (103D.Pantheon figures). Pantheon echo. We also have ITALIA (56. Venezia's land). Venice.

32. Begin to use, as resources: TAP

33. Just so: NEAT. I don't get this clue.

34. Most violent: GORIEST

35. __ de corps: ESPRIT

38. Caravan stopovers: OASES

43. Trevi Fountain coin count?: TRE. And TRI (99. Bi- plus one). I have no objections to words of same roots.

44. Gelling agents: AGARS

48. Having just seen a ghost, maybe: PALE

49. Mechanical connectors, half the time: MALES. Wikipedia says the "female" connector is generally a receptacle that connects to and holds the "male" connector. I've never heard of this term before. Sounds so DF.

50. Jumping contest entrants: FROGS

52. __ du jour: bistro special: PLAT. Sipped on SOUP first.

53. Hundreds of wks.: YRS. I liked the clue.

54. Cavalry blade: SABER. And EPEES (114. Duel-purpose equipment).

58. Feed store?: SILO. Would be a tricky though still valid clue without the question mark.

59. Alpine mont: BLANC. Mont Blanc. Highest mountain in the Alps.

60. Managing: COPING

61. Acts of faith?: LEAPS. Leaps of Faith.

68. Like urban populations: DENSE

69. In __ and out ... : ONE EAR. A 6-letter fill-in-the-blank partial. An exception to the 5-letter limit rule.

71. Pottery ovens: KILNS

72. Frankenstein aide: IGOR. I often confuse him with the "Othello" villain IAGO.

74. Throw a feast for: REGALE

75. Data transfer unit: BAUD. No idea. It's named after the French inventor J.M. E. Baudot.

76. Odessa's home: TEXAS. Ukraine too.

78. "Like that's gonna happen!": HAH

81. "Gymnopédies" composer Satie: ERIK

82. 1936 Olympics champ: OWENS. The only 1936 Olympics champ I can think of.

84. Simple fellow: SIMON. What? I only know Simon as a guy's name.

85. Seat of Hawaii County: HILO

86. Plebe's denial: NO SIR

88. Some hangings: ART

91. Asian menu assurance: NO MSG. Great entry.

93. Musical "don't play": TACET. Literally "Be silent". Same root as "tacit", Jazzbumpa?

94. "Very well": SO BE IT

95. Disconnects: HANGS UP

98. Knot, as of hair: HANK. A hank of hair.

100.Justice of the peace customer: ELOPER. Have never heard of Justice of Peace.

109."Enough already!": I GIVE.

111.Dig find, perhaps: TOOL. Primitive tool.

112.Part of a TV signal: AUDIO

113.Constantly: EVER

115.Command after "Oops!": UNDO. Nice clue.

116.Touches the tarmac: LANDS

117.Brooding place: NEST

118.Soup scoop: LADLE. Alliteration.

119.Thorn in one's side: PEST

120.Cut drastically: SLASH

Down:

1. Harvester's haul: CROP. And OXEN (3. Farmer's helpers).

2. Northern Arizona native: HOPI. They make beautiful ollas. Today's constructor is from Scottsdale, AZ, the same city as our Lucina and Frenchie.

4. Sound right: RING TRUE

5. Lose heart: DESPAIR

6. Armchair QB's channel: ESPN. Nailed it.

7. Men-only affair: STAG. And LONE (12. Sans companions lone)

8. Field shield: TARP. Rhyme.

9. Hot Springs National Park state: ARKANSAS

10. Tribute and Miata: MAZDAS. Had trouble obtaining the answer.

11. It might have a nut at each end: U-BOLT. Another "it".

13. Digital watch abbr.: TUE

14. Dress shop compliment: IT'S YOU

16. Draw forth: EVOKE

17. Emulates a horse whisperer: TAMES. I loved the movie "The Horse Whisperer".

18. Frozen drops: SLEET. And RAINS (46. Gully fillers).

28. Most favorable: OPTIMAL. Nice non-est ending entry.

29. Scout's good work: DEED

31. Mezzo's moment: ARIA

34. Sportscaster Gumbel: GREG. Oh, his mug is very familiar.

35. See from afar: ESPY

36. Wound remnant: SCAR. Scab too.

37. Campaign vets: POLS. And TREND (43. Exit poll indication).

38. Eye impolitely: OGLE

39. One making a good impression?: APER. Indeed. Fun clue.

42. Mover and shaker: NABOB. Learned this phrase from Agnew's "nattering nabobs of negativism". I can see Dennis nodding in agreement.

45. Exhausted: ALL IN

47. Frontier transport: STAGE. Stagecoach.

50. What the dauntless lack: FEARS

51. [Quoted verbatim]: SIC. Only ten 3-letter words in this grid.

54. Rope fiber: SISAL. Can never remember this word.

55. Needing spicing: BLAND

57. Ruckuses: TODOS

59. High 80s, roughly: B PLUS. Oh, good to know. We did not have A, B, C grading when I was college.

61. "Space Cowboys" actor __ Dean: LOREN. Nope. First meeting with this actor.

62. Start of a new año: ENERO. January.

63. Tutelage: AEGIS. Sometimes it's spelled as egis.

65. "La Dolce Vita" actress: EKBERG (Anita). I peeked at the answer sheet.

66. Beanstalk menace: GIANT. From "Jack and the Beanstalk".

67. President who appeared on "Laugh-In": NIXON. "Sock it to me?".

70. '20s-'30s Flying Cloud, e.g.: REO. I think we had this clue before.

73. Rap genre: GANSTA

76. Scrabble piece: TILE.

77. Throw off: EMIT. New meaning of "throw off" to me.

79. Cathedral voices: ALTI. Plural of alto?

83. Slender-bodied stinger: WASP

84. Silently endure difficulty, in slang: SUCK IT UP. Cool fill.

85. Chronic: HABITUAL

87. Greeted the judge: ROSE

89. "Atlas Shrugged" author: RAND (Ayn)

90. Internet gateways: PORTALS

92. Spark in a bookshop: MURIEL. Muriel Spark, Scottish novelist. Unknown figure to me.

93. "Thy Neighbor’s Wife" author: TALESE (Gay). Stumper also.

95. Studly sorts: HE-MEN

96. Naproxen brand: ALEVE

97. Small victory margins: NOSES. Win by a nose.

98. Crude abode: HOVEL

101.Zipped: HIED. And NONE (102.Zip). Zip echo. Different meanings.

104.Conspiracy theorist's subject: PLOT

105."Show Boat" author Ferber: EDNA. Several authors in today's puzzle.

106.Clears (of): RIDS

107.Small snack: NOSH. Alliteration.

Answer grid.

Happy 89th Birthday to Jazzbumpa's mom!

C.C.