Wednesday January 5, 2011 Donna S. Levin

Theme: A Horse is a horse, of course, Of course - An anniversary tribute puzzle.

17A. 63-Across, for one : PALOMINO. Everyone knows Palominos cannot talk.

18A. Start of a quote : TIME TO

27A. More of the quote : HIT THE HAY

46A. More of the quote : OH, I FORGOT

61A. End of the quote : I ATE IT

63A. Speaker of the quote, whose show premiered in syndication 1/5/1961 : Unless of course the name of the horse is the famous MISTER ED. But why would he only talk to Wilbur?

Welcome all. Boomer here.

The sixties had talking cars, talking bears, and a Huckleberry Hound that sang "Clementine", and a famous old nag whose show debuted fifty years ago today.

Across:

1. "Truth in Engineering" automaker : AUDI - If they say so.

5. Low-risk fin. investments : CDS - As far as I know Certificates of Deposit have no risk, and very little return these days.

8. "Casablanca" star : BOGART - A little before my time - his nickname is one over par.

14. Kirk's Enterprise, for one : STARSHIP - There are still many Trekkies out there. Star Trek left a large footprint on the TV World. Larger than the hoof print left by our subject of today.

16. 2009 sci-fi movie that is the highest-grossing film in history : AVATAR - intensely different.

19. Biblical queen's land : SHEBA - Must be in Australia.

20. Enthuse : GUSH

22. Red root veggie : BEET - Best when pickled.

23. __Kosh B'Gosh : OSH - Oshkosh is located in East Central Wisconsin on the shores of Lake Winnebago. Famous for manufacturing the best farm overalls ever made.

25. Swipe : STEAL - Odd how swipe can also mean running a credit card at a gas pump, and oil companies can "swipe" a few bucks from your pocket on every fill-up.

31. More than salty : LEWD

34. Game with Skip cards : UNO - A famous card game I have never played.

35. Actor Gibson : MEL - I liked him best in "Maverick". James Garner starred first in a TV show in the sixties that included a few horses from time to time. None were named Ed.

36. Workman's wheeled cart : BARROW - sounds funny without Wheel in front.

38. Make damp : MOISTEN

41. "William Tell" composer : ROSSINI - Theme song of the "Lone Ranger", starring Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels. Their horses were Silver and Scout. No Eds there either.

42. Load up with, as work : PILE ON

43. Coppertone letters : SPF - I'm not sure what the letters stand for, but the higher the number, the more it costs, and the less burn you receive.

44. Org. with Ducks and Penguins : NHL - Hockey teams of course, but wait commissioner, could they also be Batman enemies?

45. Bit of foliage : LEAF

49. Sip slowly : NURSE - I've nursed a Manhattan now and then, but maybe a better clue would be medical professional.

51. Vein find : ORE - Could also be state south of Wash.

52. Trade : SWAP - Favorite pastime among Baseball card collectors, and MLB team owners.

55. Luminous glow : AURA

57. Dispatch boat : AVISO

65. Bucking beasts : BRONCS - Rodeo favorites. I don't think any are named Ed though.

66. Intimate confidante : ALTER EGO

67. Three sheets to the wind : STINKO

68. Super-secret intelligence gp. : NSA

69. Villagers' tormentor in "Fiddler on the Roof" : TSAR - Now I'll be humming "If I were a Rich Man" for the rest of the day.

Down:

1. Nile slitherers : ASPS - These snakes sure show up in a lot of puzzles. I think they eat Oreos by Lake Erie.

2. Six-sided state : UTAH - Actually, Utah has only four sides, North, East, West, and South. But Wyoming took a little bite out of it.

3. Chip's buddy : DALE - Famous Chipmunks of years past.

4. Asimov classic : I, ROBOT - This sounds like a future Apple product.

5. Scoreboard letters for "Da Bears" : CHI - NFC Central Champs this year. But I always think of Mr. Buttermaker's baseball waifs.

6. Parking lot mishap : DING - I had DENT at first. Had to open the Liquid Paper bottle.

7. __ support: alimony : SPOUSAL

8. Enjoy a soak : BATHE

9. Prefix with duct : OVI

10. Risk takers : GAMBLERS - Not the same people who buy the CDs.

11. Fits to __ : A TEE - I've heard this for years, but I still don't get it. Must be some tailor thing.

12. Distance ÷ time : RATE

13. Harness race pace : TROT - I've been there. I think the horse needs to have a left and right foot on the ground at all times or be disqualified. They go at a very fast trot. None of the trotters are named Ed.

15. Shatter : SMASH

21. Place to wallow : STY - Actually, I thought you needed mud to wallow.

24. Macho guys : HE MEN - Are Macho women then called SHE MEN?

26. "Sorry to say ..." : ALAS

27. A dromedary has one : HUMP - The Metrodome in Minneapolis also had a hump until last month. Now it's a big bowl.

28. Packed like sardines : IN OIL - Okay, but not much tuna, sardines, or anchovies are packed in oil anymore.

29. Patterned fabric : TOILE

30. Cooped-up layer : HEN - Producers of the incredibly edible egg.

32. Clasp tightly in distress, as one's hands : WRING - Hands, yes. No one wrings out laundry anymore.

33. Hawaiian crooner : DON HO - Okay, forget "If I were a Rich Man"; now I am humming "Tiny Bubbles" for the rest of the day.

36. Hugely successful, in Variety : BOFFO - Couldn't be that hugely successful. I've never heard of it. But I admit I don't read Variety.

37. Droop : WILT - Also the name of Mr. Chamberlin, who once scored 100 points in an NBA game.

39. 2008 Harvey Milk portrayer : SEAN PENN - I still liked him best as Jeff Spicoli in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" way back in 1982.

40. Bean curd : TOFU

41. NY campus that's home to the Engineers : RPI (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute)

43. Civil War general who captured Atlanta : SHERMAN - And left a large path of destruction.

46. Buckeyes' sch. : OSU - Ohio State, a respected power in the Big Ten.

47. Emulate Cicero : ORATE - Can also be obtained by Odistance ÷ Otime.

48. Go back : REVERT - Another Oops. I had RETURN. Had to use the Liquid Paper again.

50. Dustin's "Midnight Cowboy" role : RATSO. Still liked Sean Penn as Spicoli better.

52. A boy and his sis : SIBS

53. Witch blemish : WART - For some reason, they always seem to be on the nose.

54. Yours, in Tours : A TOI - I'm still trying to learn English.

56. Troubles : AILS

58. Infuriates : IRES

59. Super Monkey Ball publisher : SEGA - I have not left the PacMan and Final Fantasy era. Super Monkey Ball sounds like something Brunswick or Storm could manufacture for bowlers.

60. Olfactory stimulus : ODOR - This is near the end of the puzzle. maybe they could have just clued Bad Smell.

62. "Ugh" relative : ICK - Maybe I'm getting to Picky, but the clue is a bit Icky.

64. RR depot : STA

Answer grid.

Boomer

Tuesday, January 4, 2011 David W. Cromer

Theme: Imelda's love - Three theme enders that are types of the hint in the unifier...and what Imelda Marcos collected over 2700 pairs of.

20A. How many fall in love: HEAD OVER HEELS

34A. Temperature control devices: HEAT PUMPS. Not comfortable with the clue, although the use of any source of heat could be said to be a temperature control device.

40A. Bonneville Speedway terrain: SALT FLATS. The Bonneville Salt Flats is a densely-packed salt pan in northwestern Utah that is a remnant of the Pleistocene Lake Bonneville.

53A. Abridged maxim about accepting an apt description, and a hint to this puzzle's theme found in 20-, 34- and 40-Across: IF THE SHOE FITS.... "...WEAR IT" was left off the end of the maxim, that's why it is abridged.

Argyle here.

Have to say this feels a little flat after yesterday's puzzle but then, I don't have a shoe fetish. I do think it's funny that some sneakers are pumps now. Image.

Across:

1. Like serious collectors : AVID. Could apply to Imelda!

5. Ristorante staple : PASTA

10. Bristol baby carriage : PRAM. Alliteration and British (and no comments about Palin, please).

14. Fishing need : LINE

15. Turn red, as tomatoes : RIPEN

16. Genesis creator : SEGA. Video games system.

17. It may be enough : ONCE. ONCE is enough. (Doesn't apply to buying shoes.)

18. Keats, e.g. : ODIST

19. Arabian Peninsula port : ADEN

23. Mule's parent : ASS. A palomino mule. Image.

24. __ majesty : LESE. A crime, esp. high treason, committed against the sovereign power.

25. Adjustor's assessment : DAMAGE

28. Sought office : RAN

29. Dent or scratch : MAR

30. Mauna __ : LOA. "Long Mountain" in Hawaiian, it is the largest volcano on Earth in terms of volume. Mauna Kea, a neighbor of Mauna Loa on the same island of Hawaii is the tallest, from the sea floor.

31. Israeli desert : NEGEV. Map.

37. Door-to-door company : AVON

38. Stolen goods dealer : FENCE

39. Went like the wind : TORE

42. Less, in La Paz : MENOS. Either La Paz, Bolivia or La Paz, Mexico, it is still Spanish.

43. Do the math, in a way : ADD

44. Rowing implement : OAR

45. With it : HIP

46. Duds in a lot : LEMONS. The cleverest clue? A car lot.

48. Tiny power source : ATOM

50. Drama featuring a DNA lab : CSI. Crime Scene Investigation.

56. Course list : MENU

58. Spanish folk hero : EL CID. A hero for his fight against the Moors.

59. Mound stats : ERAs. See 56Across from yesterday.

60. Golf rarities : ACEs. A hole in one. Aces are also baseball pitchers, too.

61. River through France : RHONE

62. Earth tone : ECRU

63. Sit for a shooting : POSE

64. Located : SITED

65. Fashionable way to arrive? : LATE

Down:

1. Hilo hello : ALOHA. Hilo is on the Big Island with those two volcanoes. Musical interlude. (3:51)

2. Jungle growth : VINES

3. Pizarro victims : INCAs. Pizarro was a Spanish conquistador.

4. Certain title : DEED

5. No longer in doubt : PROVEN

6. Helpers : AIDES

7. Kremlin feature : SPIRE

8. New Age musician John : TESH

9. Precede : ANTEDATE, A date before the date in question.

10. Biblical hymn : PSALM

11. Fish also called a sockeye : RED SALMON

12. Candle count, on many cakes : AGE

13. Isle of __ : MAN

21. Patron saint of Norway : OLAV

22. Wild West lawman : EARP

26. Give up amateur status : GO PRO

27. Lets up : EASES

28. Tenants' strike leverage : RENT

29. PC alternatives : MACs

31. Twangy : NASAL

32. Get around : EVADE

33. Places with valuable veins : GOLD MINES

34. Catch wind of : HEAR

35. Tolkien tree creature : ENT

36. Lone Star State sch. : UTEP. University of Texas at El Paso.

38. Hazard lights, e.g. : FLASHERS

41. Type specification : FONT

42. Actor with nothing to say : MIME

45. Like some sweatshirts : HOODED. Hoodies, in modern parlance.

47. Helpful : OF USE

48. Fancy tie : ASCOT

49. Biblical possessive : THINE

50. Approximately, in dates : CIRCA

51. Onset : START

52. Debate subject : ISSUE

54. K-12 catchall : ELHI. The catchall we'all hate.

55. Sense : FEEL

56. It may be topographical : MAP

57. "The Name of the Rose" author Umberto : ECO. Finally has become a gimme but only through doing crosswords.

Answer grid.

Note from C.C.:

Today we celebrate the birthday of Dick (flanked by JD & Carol). With Dennis and Dr. Dad, Dick formed the formidable 3-D in the earlier days of this blog.

Argyle