Tuesday, October 12, 2010 Meredith Ito

Theme: DC COMICS - (60A. "Superman" publisher, and this puzzle's title) - The four comics in the theme have the initials "D C".

17A. "Vicious Circle" stand-up guy: DANE COOK. Dane Cook: Vicious Circle was a live stand-up comedy special performed for HBO written and produced by Dane Cook. Nine minute censored clip from his show. He has also done movies, Good Luck Chuck, and comedy albums.

25A. Stand-up guy who played Tobias Fünke on "Arrested Development": DAVID CROSS. Arrested Development was a sitcom on Fox. A lot of sexual innuendos in this clip.

36A. Stand-up guy with his own sitcom, 1995-2004: DREW CAREY. Full intro clip.

51A. Stand-up guy with multiple "SNL" personas: DANA CARVEY. A clip from the Tonight show.

Argyle here with a new constructor... or is it. We believe Merideth Ito is a new Rich Norris anagram, "I'm the editor". C.C. said the grid with just one break down the sides & columns of triple 7s in each corner is very Rich-like. The theme entries are rather short, which makes those 7s possible.

Whoever's puzzle it is they did good. I just noticed EPIC ROCK under DC COMICS. Cool!

Across:

1. See 4-Across : RIG

4. With 1-Across, fix à la MacGyver : JURY

8. "__ Bovary" : MADAME. Gustave Flaubert's first published novel (1856) and is considered his masterpiece.

14. Suffix with stamp : EDE.

15. "Lonely Boy" singer : ANKA

16. Hypothetical primate : APEMAN. Enough Anka, some Kinks instead. Clip.

19. Explosion sound : "KABOOM!"

20. Spiral-shelled mollusk : WHELK. Image.

21. Uncover, in verse : OPE

23. River inlet : RIA

24. Whit or bit : IOTA

29. Carpenter's fastener : NAIL GUN

31. Regis and Kelly, e.g. : CO-HOSTS. Morning TV.

32. Big initials in nutritional supplements : GNC. General Nutrition Centers or GNC is a Pittsburgh based commercial enterprise focused on the retail sale of health and nutrition related products.

33. Hot day coolers : ADEs

35. Clear the chalkboard : ERASE

39. Horrendous : AWFUL

42. NYSE debuts : IPOs. The New York Stock Exchange(NYSE) and initial public offering(IPO) (when a company, the issuer, offers common stock or shares to the public for the first time.)

43. Enzyme suffix : ASE

46. Predicting a market decline : BEARISH

49. Husky, e.g. : SLEDDOG

53. Start from scratch : REDO. Although you could start from scratch the first time, too.

54. The Trojans of the Pac-10 : USC. The football team of University of Southern California.

55. Luggage-screening gp. : TSA. Transportation Security Administration, part of the Department of Homeland Security.

56. __ Lama : DALAI

57. Platitude : CLICHE

63. Little laugh : TEE-HEE

64. Large-scale work : EPIC

65. Rebellious Turner : NAT. He led a slave rebellion in Virginia on August 21, 1831.

66. Iraqi neighbor : SYRIAN

67. Loser to paper and winner over scissors : ROCK. A hand game is often used as a selection method, similar to coin toss, drawing straws, or throwing dice. Simpson clip.

68. USN rank : ENS. Ensign, a junior rank of commissioned navel officer.

Down:

1. Joe Louis Arena hockey player : RED WING

2. Pocatello resident : IDAHOAN. The county seat and fourth-largest city, largest city of Bannock County, and is in the southeastern part of Idaho.

3. Like some fingerprints : GENETIC

4. Tire-changing aid : JACK

5. Game with Draw Two cards : UNO. Fun for all ages.

6. "King Kong" studio : RKO. RKO (Radio-Keith-Orpheum) Pictures was one of the Big Five studios of Hollywood's Golden Age.

7. Comedian Smirnoff : YAKOV. Catch phrase, "What a country!"

8. Just about manage : MAKE DO

9. Therapists' org. : APA. American Psychiatric Association or American Psychoanalytic Association or American Psychological Association?

10. Society newcomer : DEB

11. Loving, to Luisa : AMOROSA. Luisa is a female name of German origin (from Ludwig) which means "glorious warrior". Luisa is the Italian form of the French "Louise".

12. "Little Red Book" adherents : MAOISTS. Chinese, mostly.

13. How stadium crowds move : EN MASSE

18. Mideast carrier : EL AL. Israeli.

22. Photo : PIC

25. "Bro!" : "DUDE!"

26. From the start : ANEW

27. Word preceding a 22-Down : "CHEESE!"

28. Golfer Sabbatini : RORY. South African professional golfer. His last PGA Tour title was the HP Byron Nelson Championship in May 2009, his fifth tour title. The young Rory McIlroy is probably more well-known.

30. Marinara clove : GARLIC

34. Lab subj. : SCI. Science lab.

36. Commercial battery prefix with "cell" : DURA. Image.

37. Semicircular recess : APSE. To be found in churches.

38. __-poly : ROLY. "Ho, ho, ho!"

39. Kidnaps : ABDUCTS

40. Potter's friend Ron : WEASLEY. Harry Potter.

41. More decorative : FANCIER

43. "Sweet" girl in a barbershop song : ADELINE. Sweet Adeline by The Mills Brothers (1939).

44. Recycled item : SODA CAN

45. Ones with I-strain? : EGOISTS

47. Glossy fabric : SATEEN. A cotton fabric with a luster resembling that of satin.

48. Noon and midnight: Abbr. : HRs.

50. Wee weight : DRAM. A pour, right Tinbeni?

52. Skywalker's nemesis : VADER. Star Wars.

56. Pier : DOCK

58. T'ai __ : CHI. "Supreme ultimate fist", "boundless fist", "great extremes boxing", or simply "the ultimate".

59. "Isn't __ riot?!": "Funny guy!" : HE A. A comment on today's puzzle?

61. Naval noncom: Abbr. : CPO. Chief Petty Officer

62. Pres. title : CIC. Commander in Chief (of the military services).

Answer grid.

Argyle

Monday, October 11, 2010 Kristian House

Theme: Don't Push Me - But they can be pulled. Four in language phrases that end in a smaller version of one of man's greatest inventions, ROPE.

18A. Engages in fanciful storytelling: SPINS A YARN

28A. Bench squad: SECOND STRING. AKA, the B team

46A. Connecting idea: COMMON THREAD

61A. Start acting independently: CUT THE CORD. An allusion to the umbilical cord.

Argyle here with an easy Monday.

Today's constructor is a math teacher in western Massachusetts (Pic, courtesy of the Xword Info) and had a puzzle on Tuesday August 4, 2009.

Across:

1. Payroll tax with Soc. Sec. and Medicare components : FICA. The Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA).

5. Tibet's capital : LHASA

10. Joe in a cup : JAVA. AKA, Coffee.

14. Show that launched Kelly Clarkson's career, familiarly : IDOL. American Idol.

15. Vague emanations : AURAs

16. Actor Wilson : OWEN

17. "Give" or "take," e.g. : VERB. Great clue.

20. Mukluk wearer : ESKIMO

22. Mine access : ADIT. Monday word ONLY to long time solvers.

23. The Beatles' "__ Just Seen a Face" : I'VE. You might not have recognized the title but you will the song, I think.

24. Trap : SNARE

26. Subjects of wills : ESTATES

31. Only defenseman to lead the NHL in scoring : ORR. Bobby Orr spent most of his National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Boston Bruins before joining the Chicago Blackhawks for his final two seasons.

32. Ballpark entrance : GATE

33. Watson of Harry Potter films : EMMA. Oh my, how she's grown. Image. She isn't really a member of 51D. Modern witch's religion : WICCA

37. Middle Corleone brother : FREDO. AKA, Frederico "Fredo" Corleone, brother to Santino "Sonny" Corleone and Michael Corleone, their sister is Constanzia "Connie" Corleone (previously Constanzia Corleone-Rizzi).

39. Band booster : AMP. AMPlifies(or boosts) the sound from a band.

41. Carrier renamed in 1997 : USAIR

42. "... __ forgive those who trespass ..." : AS WE

43. "__ in Boots" : PUSS. I've provided a link to the Wikipedia article because it is an interesting read. Kids today just know him as a character in Shrek movies.

45. Seventh-century date : DCI. 601.

51. "Yee-haw!" : "WHOOPEE!"

54. Prepare to drive : TEE UP

55. K+ or Na+ : ION. K+ = potassium / Na+ = sodium.

56. McDonald's symbol : ARCH. C'mon, we know it should be ARCHES, right?

58. Father to many? : PRIEST

64. Intl. defense gp. : NATO. International defense group.

65. Ornery type : CRAB

66. Seasonal sleigh driver : SANTA. Ho, Ho, Ho! Santa likes alliteration.

67. Micro or macro subj. : ECON.

68. Egyptian vipers : ASPS

69. Disapproved vocally : TSKED. Or if an Egyptian king, TUTTED

70. Damp at dawn : DEWY

Down:

1. Nine-to-__ : FIVE

2. Mid-month time : IDES

3. Wine cellar tool : CORKSCREW

4. White whale, e.g. : ALBINO

5. Hall of Fame manager Tommy : LASORDA. Baseball. Image.

6. Drill sergeant's "one" : "HUP!". I think there was a discussion about HUT or HUP on Thursday September 23, 2010.

7. Diva's moment : ARIA

8. Potential splinter remover : SANDER. It would smooth the wood, eliminating splinters.

9. Saint Francis's home : ASSISI

10. "Ode to __" : JOY. Performed by Beaker, of the Muppets. Video

11. Watch for : AWAIT

12. Zeal : VERVE

13. Authors Rice and Tyler : ANNEs. Rice writes about Vampires, Tyler wrote The Accidental Tourist.

19. Bus. letter directive : ATTN.. I remember it use to be on the lower left corner of the envelope. Is there an email equivalent?

21. Salsa fruit : MANGO

25. Juanita's "this" : ESTA

27. "Middle" period : AGES. Or the Third Age of Middle-Earth. Oops, not on Monday.

28. Family room piece : SOFA

29. Goofs : ERRS

30. Conductor's beat : TEMPO

34. Came to terms (with) : MADE PEACE

35. Flaky mineral : MICA. Used in isinglass.

36. Like the Mojave : ARID

38. 1920s-'40s art style : DECO

40. Usual fourth down play : PUNT

41. Wedding party member : USHER

44. Blended-family parent : STEP-DAD

47. Colorful fish : OPAH

48. Most insignificant : MEREST

49. Tourist draws : MECCAS

50. Unrepairable : RUINED

52. Doctor's time in the office : HOURS

53. Like much pub ale : ON TAP

57. Traffic complaint : HONK

59. Pack away : STOW

60. Cereal spokestiger : TONY. He's GRRREAT!

62. "Very funny" TV station : TBS. TBS is an American cable television channel owned by Time Warner that shows a variety of programming, with a focus on comedy. TBS was originally Turner Broadcasting System.

63. U.S. 1, for one : RTE.

Answer grid.

Argyle