Tuesday June 8, 2010 Barry Silk

Theme: Day Starter - The first word of the first three theme entries are synonyms of the first word of the fourth entry.

17A. Program that uses certain Sun Microsystems software: JAVA APPLICATION. Some of the on-line crossword programs use this app.

25A. Messy contest in a pit: MUD WRESTLING. Requires an image, fer sure.

42A. Al Gore's 2000 running mate: JOE LIEBERMAN.

56A. Living room reading that includes this puzzle's theme: COFFEE TABLE BOOK.

Argyle here.

A silky Tuesday (Q away from a pangram). Some obscure words but with doable perps. Today's theme song, Java Jive by The Ink Spots.

Across:

1A. Earth neighbor: MARS.

5A. One of the four chief angels: URIEL. One of four or one of seven or...Google for yourself. Gabriel and Michael are the main two, after that, I got confused.

10A. Crew hands: OARS. The Crew on a crew can be called OARS.

14A. Pulitzer-winning author James: AGEE. His autobiographical novel, A Death in the Family (1957), won him a posthumous Pulitzer Prize.

15A. Nabisco wafer named for its flavor: NILLA. Image.

16A. Super Bowl held in MCMLXXXVIII: XXII. Super Bowl Twenty-two was played on January 31, 1988.

20A. An off-ramp may lead to one: OVERPASS.

21A. Banquet entrées: ROASTS. Or chicken or fish.

22A. Buddhism, e.g.: Abbr.: REL.. Religion.

23A. __ Fáil: Irish coronation stone: LIA. Also known as the Stone of Destiny, it is a stone at the Inauguration Mound on the Hill of Tara in County Meath in Ireland, which served as the coronation stone for the High Kings of Ireland. More at Wikipedia.

24A. Actress Spelling: TORI.

30A. Privileged folks: HAVES. As opposed to the 'have nots'.

33A. Greek peak: OSSA.

34A. Washington Sq. campus: NYU. New York University and a part of Greenwich Village, Manhatten, New York City.

35A. Came to earth: ALIT.

36A. 1971 Sutherland title role: "KLUTE". A small-town detective(Donald Sutherland) searching for a missing man has only one lead: a connection with a New York prostitute(Jane Fonda).

38A. "__ 101": Former Nickelodeon sitcom: ZOEY.

39A. High-speed www hookup: DSL. Well, faster than dial-up.

40A. Letter-shaped fastener: T-NUT. Similar to a wing nut

41A. Dollar fractions: CENTS.

46A. Curved molding: OGEE. A crossword staple.

47A. Popular ISP: AOL. (Internet Service Provider, America On Line)

48A. Classic TV brand: RCA. (Radio Corporation of America)

51A. Soak up: ABSORB.

54A. Mainly: ABOVE ALL.

58A. Wine region near San Francisco: NAPA.

59A. Bucket wheel used for irrigation: NORIA. I'll look for a video later. I found a nice one the last time we had this entry. Update: Different than the last time but if someone(Lucina?) translates what he is saying, that would be nice. Clip. The main point is that it uses the flow of the water to lift up some of the water up to a higher height.

60A. Like one with a full schedule: BUSY.

61A. LAX postings: ETDs. (Los Angeles International Airport, Estimated Time of Departure)

62A. Third dimension: DEPTH. After length and width.

63A. Flexible Flyer, e.g.: SLED.

Down:

1D. Student's focus: MAJOR.

2D. Tequila plant: AGAVE.

3D. Celebrate boisterously: REVEL.

4D. Blacken: SEAR. I thought of char first.

5D. Like a procrastinator's bills: UNPAID.

6D. Carpentry tool that cuts with the grain: RIPSAW. Against the grain would be a crosscut saw.

7D. Maladies: ILLS.

8D. Inventor Whitney: ELI.

9D. Sport with sticks: LACROSSE. La Crosse is a city in Wisconsin.

10D. Beefy soup ingredient: OX TAIL.

11D. The Earth turns on it: AXIS.

12D. Real comedian: RIOT. Or they might be a gas.

13D. Transgresses: SINS.

18D. Top grade: A-PLUS.

19D. Vital body line: AORTA. Artery.

24D. Grade factor: TEST.

25D. Bumped into: MET.

26D. GPS suggestion: ROUTE.

27D. Involved with, as a plot: IN ON.

28D. Da's opposite: NYET. Russian.

29D. Fellows: GUYS.

30D. Muslim pilgrimage: HADJ.

31D. Too: ALSO.

32D. Repulsive: VILE.

36D. Exercise involving squatting: KNEE BEND. For some of us, they're vile.

37D. Garage job: LUBE.

38D. Satori-seeking sect: ZEN.

40D. Panthère relative: TIGRÉ. French

41D. Have a cow: CALVE. When a cow gives birth to a calf, she calves.

43D. Shower sponges: LOOFAS.

44D. White Carroll critter: RABBIT. Sneaky use of the first letter of the clue being capitalized.

45D. Dough: MOOLAH.

48D. Holocaust hero Wallenberg: RAOUL. But the exact circumstances of his death have long been in dispute.

49D. Shut: CLOSE.

50D. Adhesive resin: ALKYD.

51D. High school breakout?: ACNE.

52D. Something to miss or rock: BOAT. (to miss or to rock)

53D. Dirty Harry's org.: SFPD. "Go ahead. Make my day." (San Francisco Police Department)

54D. Lobbying group for seniors: AARP.

55D. Recedes: EBBS.

57D. Little piggy, so to speak: TOE.

Answer grid.

Argyle

Monday June 7, 2010 Gail Grabowski

Theme: No Free Rides - Three phrases that end with a method of access to public transportation.

20A. "Just what we need!": "THAT'S THE TICKET!".

38A. "Thanks, but none for me": "I'LL HAVE TO PASS".

57A. "Furthermore ...": "BY THE SAME TOKEN...".

Argyle here. Tough but fair Monday.

Across:

1A. Rarely read e-mail: SPAM.

5A. Edible pockets: PITAS.

10A. Bottled model: SHIP. A little naval sub-theme. 10A is stacked over 16A. Verne skipper: NEMO.(Jules Verne, Capt. Nemo, "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea") Also, 4D. One of a yawl's pair: MAST. Image. Perhaps one of our sailors can tell us why it's called a yawl.

14A. Contemporary of Ella and Sarah: LENA. Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and Lena Horne, all great singers.

15A. Make up (for): ATONE.

17A. Hardwood trees: OAKS. Hand up for elms first.

18A. "Buzz off!": "SCRAM!".

19A. Extremely dry: ARID.

23A. "Love __ Madly": Doors hit: HER. Clip. From their final album, L.A. Woman.

24A. Caustic substance: LYE.

25A. Stately: REGAL.

27A. Chaotic situation: SNAFU. Acronym meaning Situation Normal: All F****d Up. Started in the military.

29A. Fraidy-cat: SISSY.

33A. Extra NHL periods: OTs. (National Hockey League, overtimes)

34A. Approximate fig.: EST.. (Estimate)

36A. "Uh-uh": "NAH".

37A. Follow the advice of: HEED.

42A. Irksome swarm member: GNAT.

43A. Place to apply gloss: LIP. And 44A. Elephant's floppy feature: EAR. More commonly referred to in the plural form.

45A. Mil. base enforcers: MPs.

46A. Shrubby landscape: HEATH. Ah, the setting for historical romance novels.

48A. Like Dylan Thomas, by birth: WELSH. Richard Burton was Welsh, also.

52A. Sweetie pie: CUTIE.

54A. NAFTA signatory: USA. North American Free Trade Agreement between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. (1994)

56A. "Sands of __ Jima": 1949 film: IWO. Starred John Wayne.

62A. Stein fillers: ALES.

63A. Find the answer to, as an equation: SOLVE. Or as a crossword.

64A. High point: PEAK.

65A. "The King and I" setting: SIAM.

66A. Engaged in, as a trade: PLIED.

67A. Dog of old mysteries: ASTA.

68A. 220-by-198-foot plot, e.g.: ACRE.

69A. Classroom jottings: NOTES.

70A. In need of a map: LOST.

Down:

1D. Slow-moving leaf eaters: SLOTHS. Two or three toed.

2D. Pheasant female: PEAHEN.

3D. Turkish capital: ANKARA.

5D. Pale: PASTY.

6D. Rash reactions?: ITCHES.

7D. Verbally attacked, with "into": TORE.

8D. Medical school subj.: ANAT..

9D. Rig on the road: SEMI. Alliteration clue.

10D. Boa or cobra: SNAKE. Assonance clue.

11. Words before an attempt: "HERE GOES".

12D. Copies: IMITATES.

13D. Pea's place: POD. More alliteration, including the answer.

21D. Partly melted snow: SLUSH.

22D. Have a bawl: CRY. (Have a ball)

26D. Source of a hippie's high, perhaps: LSD.

28D. Sensed: FELT.

30D. All thumbs: INEPT.

31D. Took a load off: SAT.

32D. Pump or clog: SHOE.

35D. Tall story: TALE.

37D. Fabled runner-up: HARE.

38D. For all to see: IN PUBLIC.

39D. During 2009: LAST YEAR.

40D. Itinerary word: VIA.

41D. Play with, kitten-style: PAW AT.

42D. Yukon automaker: GMC. An SUV.

46D. Sly chuckle sound: HEH.

47D. Square-bodied military vehicle: HUMVEE. High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV or Humvee)

49D. In this way: LIKE SO.

50D. Workout wear: SWEATS.

51D. Greet with a beep: HONK AT.

53D. "Who's there?" response: "IT'S ME".

55D. Watermelon discards: SEEDS.

58D. Channel for jocks: ESPN. (Entertainment Sports Programming Network)

59D. New pilot's milestone: SOLO.

60D. Touched down: ALIT. It's very important, after a pilot's first solo flight, that he alights safely. Failure to accomplish this would ruin the euphoria of soloing.

61D. Play-of-color gem: OPAL.

62D. Quick-wink link: AS A.

Answer grid.

Argyle