Monday, August 26, 2013 Billie Truitt

Theme: It's all mud after it rains for a week - Various terms for the stuff under our feet...or under our nails.

17A. Home country : NATIVE SOIL

23A. Out of touch with reality : IN LA-LA LAND

37A. Get one's head out of the clouds : COME DOWN TO EARTH

47A. Strike it rich : HIT PAY DIRT

58A. Position of moral superiority : HIGH GROUND

Argyle here with a solid Monday puzzle. In the words of Goldilocks, not too easy, not too hard but just right. All in language phrases, although I had to change 17-Across when 23-Across showed up. I like to see a grid spanner on a Monday, also. Fertile loam for those mash-ups that some of you do so well.

Across:

1. "Pay attention!" : "FOCUS!". "Look here!"

6. Taj Mahal city : AGRA

10. __ of Arc : JOAN

14. Tokyo automaker with a liar named Joe in its old ads : ISUZU

15. Forehead : BROW. The spot for smashing V-8 cans.

16. Neutral shade : ECRU

19. Amble : WALK

20. Add blonde highlights to, say : DYE

21. Whole bunch : SLEW

22. Free-for-all : MELEE

26. Musical with nightclub scenes : CABARET

31. Men of the future? : BOYS

32. Take to the soapbox : ORATE

33. Disco brothers' name : GIBB. The Bee Gees, brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb.

34. Church seat : PEW. 34D. Seek guidance in a 34-Across : PRAY

41. Tooth tender's org. : ADA. (American Dental Association) Cute pun in the clue.

42. Trim, as a photo : CROP

43. Any one of New England's six : STATE

44. Fly alone : SOLO

45. So far : AS OF YET

51. Stave off : AVERT

52. March Madness org. : NCAA. (National Collegiate Athletic Association)

54. Performing pair : DUO

57. Missing : GONE

61. Bear in the sky : URSA

62. Clarinet cousin : OBOE

63. "Rubber Duckie" Muppet : ERNIE

64. Checked out : EYED

65. 911 responders: Abbr. : EMTs. (Emergency Medical Technician)

66. Helps, as a perp : ABETS

Down:

1. Discover : FIND

2. Anthem start : "O, SAY..."

3. Just darling : CUTE

4. Israeli weapon : UZI

5. Honda Pilot and Ford Explorer, briefly : SUVs. (sport utility vehicle)

6. Not there : ABSENT

7. Watchdog's warning : [GROWL]

8. "Vive le __!" : ROI. "Long Live The King!"

9. Piercing tool : AWL

10. Tiara sparklers : JEWELS

11. Central Florida city : OCALA

12. Specter formerly of the Senate : ARLEN. Not usually in a Monday puzzle.

13. Microwaved : NUKED

18. "Night" author Wiesel : ELIE. His vowel rich name shows up on any day of the week.

22. "It's possible" : "MAYBE SO". "Would I lie", J.Isuzu

24. Slightly : A BIT

25. Gray wolf : LOBO

26. __-Cola : COCA

27. Longtime infield partner of Jeter, familiarly : A-ROD. And now known as A-Roid.

28. Ole Miss rival : 'BAMA

29. Downed : ATE

30. Minuteman enemy : REDCOAT

 33. Econ. yardstick : GNP. (Gross National Product)

35. Suffix with sermon : ETTE

36. Sharpen : WHET

38. Air France destination : ORLY. "We'll always have Paris."

39. Lumber : WOOD

40. DOJ division : ATF. (Department of Justice / Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives)

44. Butter or mayo : SPREAD

45. McDonald's golden symbol : ARCHES

46. Without a date : STAG

47. World Court site, with "The" : HAGUE. MAP

48. Old white-key material : IVORY. If it's new, it's illegal.

49. Anxious : TENSE

50. Gold bar : INGOT

53. Geometry calculation : AREA

54. Sandy slope : DUNE

55. Military squad : UNIT

56. Keats works : ODES

58. Whack weeds the old-fashioned way : HOE

59. "Big Blue" : IBM

60. Sphere : ORB

Argyle

Notes from C.C.:

1) Happy Birthday to dear Montana, a retired math & science teacher based in Montana. I'm waiting for some updated pictures. But here is a great one from her Oregon Trail trek last year. Click here for more.

2) To regular commentators: Please email me (crosswordc@gmail.com) if you have pictures to share or your birthday is not in my Blog Birthday List.

Sunday August 25, 2013 Gail Grabowski

(Please click here (LA Times Crossword on-line) or here (Mensa site, no ads) for the Sunday puzzle we blog here. We don't know why LA Times newspaper does not carry this puzzle on Sundays. )



Theme: "Force Field" - CE is added to each theme entry.

23A. Light for lovers? : ROMANCE CANDLE. Roman candle.

39A. Coat with a "V" on it? : PEACE JACKET. Pea jacket.

58A. Op-ed page apology? : HUMBLE PIECE. Humble pie.

84A. Flinch at the drop of a hat? : WINCE EASILY. Win easily.

102A. Astronaut's vacation spot? : SPACE RESORT. Spa resort.

121A. Cruise destination for impulsive sorts? : ISLE OF CAPRICE. Isle of Capri.

16D. Wipe out municipal coffers with a scam? : FLEECE THE CITY. Flee the city.

57D. Satiric video of a backyard gathering? : FARCE FROM HOME. Far from home.

So, two CE are added to the end of the second word, quite consistent.

I don't quite get the title. Argyle explained to me: "All I see is forcing CE into a phrase. For CE field." Just does not sound natural. Anyone else has a better explanation?

Across:

1. "Nope" : NAH

4. Symbol on Vietnam's flag : STAR. It has a single star. China's has 5.

8. Assertive comeback : AM SO

12. Fixed expense : FLAT FEE

19. Denver-to-Chicago dir. : ENE

20. Gutter locale : EAVE

21. In the neighborhood : NEAR

22. Added up : TOTALED

26. Reddish-brown horses : SORRELS

27. "Close enough" : IT'LL DO

28. Agitated : IN A STIR

30. Winslet of "Revolutionary Road" : KATE. Her husband's name is Rocknroll.

31. They're often not seen on the beach : SHOES

32. Alias user : SPY

33. Chef's creation : DISH. And 7D. Food Network offerings : RECIPES

35. Grifter's plan : SCAM

38. Philosophical subgroup : SECT

44. Ranch ending : ERO. Ranchero.

45. Hot Springs National Park locale : ARKANSAS

48. Exist : ARE

49. Add staff : HIRE

50. "OMG, skip the sordid details!" : TMI

51. D.C. regulars : POLs

52. Icky buildup : CRUD

53. It's good when it's fair : WEATHER

55. 2003 holiday film : ELF

62. Kid stuff? : SUEDE. Great clue.

63. MTV's owner : VIACOM. They own Comedy Central as well.

65. Enumerate : LIST

66. Pres. after JAG : CAA. This got me all the time: James Abram Garfield & Chester Alan Arthur.

67. Ltr.-bottom letters : ENC

68. Designer Saarinen : EERO

69. Docking places : SLIPS

71. Dried coconut meat : COPRA. Learned from doing Xwords. Do you guys have Bob's Red Mill product in your local grocery stores? Their Coconut flakes are so good.

73. Kerry's home : EIRE. Kerry Country Ireland.

76. IRA recommender : CPA

78. Memorable 1969 bride : ONO

79. Bit of deceit : WILE

80. Give : BESTOW

82. Musical shortcoming : NO EAR

87. "__-haw!" : YEE

88. 2013, election-wise : OFF-YEAR. Yay, no campaign stuff at our State Fair. But I developed a strange sun rash on my forearms a few weeks ago. Now I can't walk under the sun for too long. Face, neck & legs are all fine. Why my forearms?

90. Unkind comment : BARB

91. Roger of "Cheers" : REES

93. Patriotic org. since 1890 : DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution)

94. Tissue additive : ALOE

96. Soprano Marton : EVA. Another stranger to me.

97. Private quarters? : BARRACKS. Like "Private meal" for MESS. Can't fool me.

101. Earlier : AGO

105. Let off : VENT

106. Sub : TEMP

108. Score notation for two singers : A DUE

109. Actor Tommy __ Jones : LEE

110. Rush participant : MINER

111. Defunct govt. anti-subversive group : HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee). I just read the Wiki article. I used to think it was the one once headed by 

McCarthy.

113. Dispute decider : ARBITER

117. Tootsy cover : BOOTEE

118. Shout during an attempted escape : STOP HIM. Be aware of those iPhone snatchers.

123. Percussion set : TIMPANI. Kettledrums.

124. Give out : EMIT

125. Couple's pronoun : OURS.

126. Protective pad : MAT

127. Victimizes : PREYS ON

128. GPS suggestions : RTEs

129. Picture of health? : X-RAY. Another great clue.

130. Mini-albums, for short : EPs.

Down:

1. Steamer sunk by a U-boat in 1941 : NERISSA. Never heard of it. Spizboov?

2. One way alternative? : ANOTHER. One way or another.

3. Socrates' undoing : HEMLOCK. He drank the poison.

4. Ships : SENDS

5. Folded food : TACO

6. Greeting for Gaius : AVE

8. Kournikova of tennis : ANNA. She's been with Enrique Iglesias for many years. So pretty.

9. Doc's orders : MEDs

10. Curing substance : SALT

11. Potato giant : ORE-IDA

12. NBA stats : FTs (Free Throws)

13. Words of impatience : LOOK HERE. Can you give me a context? I don't associate LOOK HERE with "impatience".

14. Gillette product : ATRA

15. Bakery buys : TARTS

17. Wriggly swimmer : EEL

18. Text tweakers, for short : EDs (Editors)

24. Handle in a pub : ALE TAP

25. "The Cherry Orchard" daughter : ANYA. No idea. Wiki said it's the last play by Anton Chekhov. 

29. Loaded : RICH

32. Jerk : SPASM

34. Goggles and boots, say : SKI WEAR. For Marti, who kayaks as well. And she loves opera.

36. Dangerous partner? : ARMED. Armed and dangerous.

37. Ripply fabric : MOIRE

40. Soft touch : CARESS

41. Blow one's top : ERUPT

42. Sci-fi warriors : JEDI. See, it's always singular.

43. Needle : TEASE

46. NYC neighborhood above Houston Street : NoHo. North of Houston Street.

47. Depressed areas : SLUMs

52. Tie already tied : CLIP ON

54. Airs : TUNEs

55. Night for celebration : EVE

56. Links concern : LIE. Golf course.

59. Pancakes served with sour cream : BLINI. Argyle calls them Blintzes.

60. Environmentalist's test site : ECO LAB

61. Jutting lands : CAPES

64. Patient's obligation : COPAY

70. Underhanded course of action : LOW ROAD. Hard to take high road at times.

71. '80s-'90s Olds models : CIERAs. I have no concept of car models. I thought of ALEROs.

72. More adept : ABLER

74. Shad output : ROE

75. Meadow matriarch : EWE

77. Bailiwicks : AREAs

 

79. Make, as a basket : WEAVE

81. Once-over giver : EYER

82. Signal silently : NOD AT

83. No longer a minor : OF AGE. I feel like I suddenly grew up yesterday due to Boomer's heath scare. He's been protecting me and taking care of me all these years. I've never written a check, paid a bill or even opened a letter from the mailbox. He does everything. Now it's time for me to be an adult. So grateful to have all my blogging team and Misty there giving me prompt information.

85. Radio-active type? : CBer. Saw this clue before. So no stumper today.

86. Enraged : IRATE

89. "Stand Up Guys" co-star : AL PACINO. Never saw the movie.

92. Messiah : SAVIOR

95. Andean country: Abbr. : ECUA (Ecuador)

97. "Song of the South" villain : BR'ER FOX. Is Br'er Bear good then?

98. Franc fraction : CENTIME. French "cent" or "hundred".

99. Football pad beneficiary : KNEE CAP

100. "__ of Philadelphia": Oscar-winning Springsteen song : STREETS. Loved the song. Can't remember much of Philadelphia.

103. More chilling : EERIER

104. Cooking spread : OLEO

107. Lightweight boxer? : PUPPY. Ha ha.

110. Peter Rabbit sibling : MOPSY. Flopsy & Cottontail.

112. Elated exclamations : AHAs

114. Realty ad abbr. : BSMT (Basement)

115. He beat Arthur in the 1972 US Open : ILIE (Nastase)

116. Vietnamese holidays : TETs

117. "Cleopatra" star, 1917 : BARA (Theda)

118. Lucas Oil competitor : STP. Gimme for eddyB. Not me.

119. French shooting match : TIR. No idea. I used Google Dictionary, it says "TIR" is French for "Shooting".

120. Part of an hr. : MIN

122. Contemptible sort : CUR

C.C.