Tuesday, December 21, 2010 Steve Salitan

Theme: How's the Weather? - Four 2-word common terms that end in a word that could describe precipitation (in increasing intensity), plus the unifier at the very end, where it belongs.

17A. Throat soothers: COUGH DROPS

23A. Edible pastry decorations: CAKE SPRINKLES

47A. High-quality bed linen: PERCALE SHEETS. Percale describes the weave of the fabric, not its content.

57A. Wet bar containers: ICE BUCKETS

65A. Phenomenon described by the ends of 17-, 23-, 47- and 57-Across: RAIN

All wet Argyle here.

Boy, did this one rain on my parade. A very Tuesday-like theme but some of the fill....

Across:

1. It has more than 5,000 feet : MILE

5. With 60-Across, noodle product derived from "The San Francisco Treat!" : PASTA; 60. See 5-Across : RONI. My first splash; automatically put RICE-A. Image.

10. Game with trump cards : SKAT

14. Tehran's land : IRAN

15. "A work of __ a confession": Camus : ART IS. Albert Camus (1913-1960) was a representative of non-metropolitan French literature. His origin in Algeria and his experiences there in the thirties were dominating influences in his thought and work.

16. Whittle : PARE

19. Help in a holdup : ABET

20. Raggedy doll : ANN. Image with her brother, Andy.

21. Stackable cookie : OREO

22. Not chronic, as illness : ACUTE. Defined as a disease with an abrupt onset and usually a short course.

27. Hurting the most : ACHIEST

29. Going badly in the mil.? : AWOL

30. Answer : REPLY

31. Stingless male : DRONE BEE. Since DRONE means a bee, the answer is redundant.

35. Org. in Tom Clancy books : CIA

36. Gonzalez in 2000 news : ELIAN

38. Send packing : AXE

39. Ancient Roman language : OLD LATIN. As opposed to new Latin?

42. Exxon competitor : CITGO. Get their gas at the pump.

44. Eve's partner : ADAM

45. Like a costly victory : PYRRHIC. Splash! Two R's, what's up with that? I see he(image) was a king and could spell his name any way he wanted.

51. Dislike and more : ABHOR

52. __ scale: talc-to-diamond : MOHS. Hardness scale.

53. Yokohama yes : HAI. The word for yes in Japanese.

56. SpongeBob, e.g. : TOON

61. Very cold : GELID

62. Saragossa's river : EBRO. Spain Map. Saragossa is Zaragoza in Spanish; no idea why we haven't had that yet!

63. Swedish furniture giant : IKEA

64. Asia's __ Mountains : ALTAI. New to me. Map.

Down:

1. Isinglass : MICA. A mineral that separates readily into thin, tough, often transparent layers.

2. It's pumped in gyms : IRON

3. Liftoff spot : LAUNCHPAD. Over thought it, was looking for a stain remover. LOL

4. Class with vocab. lists : ENG. Or any language class, not just English.

5. West Coast team in the 1998 World Series : PADRES. New York Yankees vs. San Diego Padres. The Yankees swept the Series in four games. No need for a rubber game.

6. Collar, as a thug : ARREST

7. Small porch : STOOP. Not much more than a set of steps; a city thing.

8. Service reward : TIP

9. Beast of burden : ASS

10. Wall hole filler : SPACKLE. A paste-like substance that fills in small holes, cracks and seams that can be sanded smooth to prep a wall before painting.

11. Afghanistan's capital : KABUL

12. Mountain ridge : ARÊTE

13. French noodles? : TÊTEs. Heads.

18. Fake : HOKEY

22. Soon, to the bard : ANON

24. Plague : AIL

25. __ avis : RARA

26. Victorious shout : "I WON!". Finally, not, "I win!".

27. Sacramento's __ Arena : ARCO. Named for another gas company.

28. Provide with a roof : CEIL. To provide with a ceiling.

31. Clamor : DIN

32. King David's wife : BATHSHEBA. From a Hebrew phrase meaning “daughter of the oath”, she was the mother of Solomon.

33. Military vet : EX GI

34. Job rights agcy. : EEOC. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

36. End-of-list abbr. : ET AL.

37. Green wedge in a gimlet : LIME. Vodka or gin avatar.

40. New Hampshire city known for its annual motorcycle week : LACONIA. Big around here but common knowledge?

41. Purim's month : ADAR

42. Getting gradually louder, in mus. : CRESC.. Crescendo. I didn't see the abbreviation of music; rain in my eyes.

43. Subway under B'way : IRT. Interborough Rapid Transit.

45. Irrational fear : PHOBIA

46. Violinist Menuhin : YEHUDI. We had Itzhak Perlman yesterday.

47. Father: Pref. : PATRI. Patriarch

48. Digital novel : E-BOOK

49. River of Lyons : RHONE

50. Refine, as ore : SMELT

54. Longfellow's bell town : ATRI. Poem. CA?

55. "Help __ the way!" : IS ON

57. Supermarket chain with a red-and-white logo : IGA. Independent Grocers Alliance.

58. Animation frame : CEL

59. Plop lead-in : KER

Answer grid.

Argyle

Monday, December 20, 2010 Gary Cee

Theme: Play Time - Each of the words in the theme entries can proceed the word GAME.

17A. Miniature data storage device: MEMORY CARD. A device with many shapes and names(examples). A MEMORY GAME, in its simplest form, is recalling the position of a item to form a pair. CARD GAME doesn't need an explanation.

24A. Teen group sleepover: PAJAMA PARTY. Also known as a slumber party. PAJAMA GAME was a Broadway musical, based on the novel 7½ Cents and made into a film staring Doris Day in 1957. PARTY GAMES, I miss them.

38A. With 40-Across, in an advantageous position (and what both words in 17-, 24-, 47- and 60-Across can be): AHEAD OF.... And 40A. See 38-Across: ...THE GAME

47A. Like an actor who doesn't miss a line: WORD PERFECT. I wonder why the word processing application wasn't used as the clue. The meaning like 2D. To __: precisely : A TEE seems out-dated to me. WORD GAME: Fictionary comes to mind. PERFECT GAME is a baseball game in which no opposing player reaches base or a 300-point game in bowling. C.C.'s husband, Boomer, has several.

60A. Bobby Vee hit with the line "I come bouncing back to you": RUBBER BALL. The song. RUBBER GAME is needed to decide the winner if a series is tied at an even number of wins. The use of the word Rubber to describe a tiebreaker is believed to have originated in the English game bowls(lawn bowling). And that's the BALL GAME.

Argyle here. Gosh, I don't know if I got anything left in me to comment on the rest of this ambitious Monday puzzle but I'll try.

Across:

1. Things to make notes on : PADS

5. Gate clasp : LATCH

10. Woeful word : "ALAS!"

14. Home of the Osmonds : UTAH

15. Impressive display : ARRAY

16. Coke or Pepsi : COLA

19. Like many a movie twin : EVIL

20. Faraway friend who likes to write : PEN PAL

21. Traditional stories : LORE

23. New England hrs. : EST. Eastern Standard Time.

27. Bolivian high points : ANDES The South American mountain range.

31. Above-the-street trains : ELS

32. Second afterthought, in a ltr. : PPS

33. Heckle : JEER

34. Writer's deg. : MFA. Master of Fine Arts (MFA).

35. Itzhak Perlman's instrument : VIOLIN. A virtuoso; feel free to link your favorite piece.

41. Tears to shreds : RIPS UP

42. Seaman's call for assistance : SOS

43. Baseball's Slaughter : ENOS. During a 19-year baseball career, he played from 1938-1942 and 1946-1959 for four different teams, but is noted primarily for his time with the St. Louis Cardinals.

44. Not masc. : FEM.

45. Old Mideast org. : UAR. United Arab Republic.

46. Digs for : SEEKS

51. "Toto, __ a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore" : I'VE

52. Encl. with a manuscript : SASE. Self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE).

53. Gap : HIATUS

58. Require : NEED

62. Ricelike pasta : ORZO

63. Judges hear them : PLEAs

64. Sicilian volcano : ETNA

65. Wine glass part : STEM

66. Occupied, as a desk : SAT AT

67. Hurdle (over) : LEAP

Down:

1. It gives you gas : PUMP. Good one.

3. Rhett's last word : DAMN

4. Hit the mall : SHOP

5. 1971 Clapton classic : "LAYLA"

6. Pop-up path : ARC

7. Song refrain : TRA, LA, LA. A great song with many lyrics. "Tra la la Boome de ay, I lost my mind today, won't miss it any way."

8. Pool shots : CAROMS. Sometimes called the "kiss" shot, the carom shot involves bouncing your ball off another to get it in the pocket.

9. Beast that grew two heads every time it lost one : HYDRA

10. King topper : ACE

11. Where romantic couples park : LOVERS' LANE

12. Crème de la crème : A-LIST

13. Like the sea : SALTY

18. Jay-Z performances : RAPS

22. "Silas Marner" foundling : EPPIE

25. Funny Foxworthy : JEFF

26. Orbital high point : APOGEE

27. Barely open : AJAR

28. Pop your pop might have liked : NEHI

29. Suspended animation : DEEP FREEZE

30. Took off the board : ERASED

34. Floor-washing aid : MOP

35. Videotape format : VHS. The Video Home System is better known by its abbreviation VHS and I was expecting something more technical.

36. Response to "You all right?" : "I'M OK"

37. Storied loch : NESS. In Scotland.

39. Down in the __ : DUMPS

40. Raced : TORE

42. Wager that isn't risky : SAFE BET

45. Bond girl Andress : URSULA. Image.

46. Hullabaloo : STIR

47. Indigent imbibers : WINOs. We haven't seen much alliteration lately.

48. In full view : OVERT. Covert - hidden from view. Whoopi, on the View.

49. Wild West brothers : EARPs. There were six brothers: Newton (from their father's first marriage), James, Virgil, Wyatt, Morgan and Warren. There were also three sisters: Martha, Virgina and Adelia. Web site.

50. Where the toys are : CHEST. How is the latest "Toy Story"?

54. One slain by Cain : ABEL

55. Westminster gallery : TATE

56. Forearm bone : ULNA

57. Open-handed blow : SLAP

59. __ Pérignon : DOM. Champagne.

61. Sheep sound : "BAA!"

Answer grid.

Argyle