Tuesday, October 8, 2013 Clive Probert

Theme: First, a bit of information - and I'm not trying to steal your identity.

17A. Shows off one's connections : NAME DROPS

21A. Top of the charts : NUMBER ONE

32A. Modernized pre-1949 auto : STREET ROD

45A. Metropolitan distance unit : CITY BLOCK

58A. Aptly named Nevada border community known for its casinos : STATELINE

64A. Lunchbox sandwich protector : ZIPLOC BAG

Argyle here. Clive is working up to do a Monday's; he's done the other weekdays. I'm sure he can do it but may have to cut the number of theme entries.

Across:

1. Big bird of myth : ROC. Big bird of crosswords, too.

4. Spiny desert plants : CACTI

9. Bathysphere's domain : OCEAN. Reminds me of a song by America.

14. Thurman of "Batman & Robin" : UMA

15. Underway : AFOOT

16. Like one in the sulks : POUTY

19. What the truth sometimes does : HURTS

20. When repeated, soothing words : THERE, THERE.

23. Tanning site : SALON

24. Strips off : PEELS

25. "Buzz off!" : "SCAT!"

28. Next-generation relatives : NIECES

37. Hold dear : ADORE

38. Stat for Mariano Rivera : ERA

39. No-no : TABOO

41. Tell a whopper : LIE

42. Mag with relationship quizzes : COSMO

48. Way up or down : STAIRS

50. Do in, as a dragon : SLAY

51. Wild Australian dog : DINGO

54. Pub order : DRAFT

62. Powerful explosive, familiarly : NITRO

63. Three-time Tony winner Uta : HAGEN. WIKI

66. Eyeball-bending pictures : OP ART

67. Somewhat wet : MOIST

68. Physician's org. : AMA

69. Wavy dos : PERMS

70. At exactly the right time : ON CUE

71. Agreeable response : YES

Down:

1. Litters' littlest : RUNTS

2. Nebraska city on the Missouri : OMAHA

3. Caravan beast : CAMEL

4. Rhythmic flow : CADENCE

5. Congo's cont. : AFR. (Africa)

6. Ring-tailed critter, to Crockett : COON. Also, a cap to Dan'l.

7. Refill to the brim : TOP UP

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

9. Hamlet's love : OPHELIA. She died, just like all the rest.

10. Flowed swiftly : COURSED. Death coursed through the last act of "Hamlet".

11. Cyprus currency : EURO

12. "To whom it actually does concern" letters : ATTN. If anyone still writes letters.

13. Wall St. institution : NYSE. New York Stock Exchange

18. Uneven, as a leaf's edge : EROSE

22. "Big" London attraction : BEN. The bell.

26. ABA dues payer : ATT. (attorney)

27. Gillette's __ II razor : TRAC

29. Wyo. neighbor : COLO.

30. Idle of Monty Python : ERIC

31. Hide's partner : SEEK

32. "In a few __" : SECS

33. Equine gait : TROT

34. Tabula __: blank slate : RASA

35. Japanese sash : OBI

36. Two lowercase letters have them : DOTS. (i, j)

40. Olive __ : OYL. Popeye's 'goyl'.

43. Heavily weighted exam : MIDTERM

44. Points in the right direction : ORIENTS

46. It's unpleasant when things end on one : BAD NOTE

47. Like some poetry : LYRIC

49. NBC show that launched many comics' careers : SNL

52. Doodad : GIZMO

53. French __ soup : ONION. Maybe for lunch today.

55. Held in check : AT BAY

56. Picture holder : FRAME

57. Frat party wear : TOGAs

58. Look for bargains : SHOP

59. Weak-ankle support : TAPE

60. Ice cream thickener : AGAR

61. Spectacular : EPIC

65. Baton Rouge sch. : LSU. (Louisiana State University)

Argyle

Note from C.C.:

Man oh man! Today is the birthday of the nice guy who always says "Best wishes to you all" every time he posts. Happy Birthday, dear Jayce! I've met quite a few Americans who speak fluent Chinese, but not many read and understand written Chinese. Jayce does, and he understands my every whimsy thought.

Jayce and his lovely wife on their wedding day

Click here to see two more pictures of Jayce.

Monday, October 7, 2013 Gail Grabowski and Bruce Venzke

Theme: Make Your Bed - You may not want to sleep in these beds, formed by putting the first word of the theme entries at the HEAD of BED.

20A. *Space-saving computer monitor : FLAT SCREEN. Flat bed, I think of trucks.

59A. *Title racehorse in a 2003 film : SEABISCUIT. Sea bed. Seabiscuit is named for his father, Hard Tack, as hardtack or "sea biscuit" is the name for a type of cracker eaten by sailors.

11D. *Start-up capital : SEED MONEY. Seed bed, time to get them ready for winter.

35D. *Jalapeño, for one : HOT PEPPER. Hot bed, a central point of activity but originally a rack where hot metal was placed to cool.
 
Reveal entry:

40A. Untidy waking-up hair condition, and what the first word of the answers to starred clues can be : BED HEAD. Not a problem for the follically challenged.

Sleepyhead Argyle here. [yawn] A nice start to the week today. Notice the scarcity of abbreviations.

Across:

1. A dromedary has one : HUMP. (Camel)

5. Smart guy? : ALECK. Complete with the K at the end.

10. Exec's "I need it now!" : ASAP. (As Soon As Possible)

14. Black-and-white snack : OREO. Food!

15. Military training group : CADRE. Déjà vu.

16. Actress Hatcher : TERI

17. Like a clock reading 5:05 at 5:00 : FAST. Unless it still reads 5:05 at 6:00.

18. "Eat!" : "DIG IN!". Food!

19. Tenant's expense : RENT

22. Fateful March day : IDES

23. Equipment on a balance sheet, e.g. : ASSET

24. Immunity builder : SERUM

26. Cuban dance : RUMBA. I might dance, if I had enough Cuba Libre.

30. Defective cars : LEMONS

33. Devious laughs : HEHs

36. "That stings!" : "OUCH!"

38. Often __: about half the time : AS NOT. Whole different meaning with a different parsing.

39. Foofaraw : ADO. The origin(1930–35) of foofaraw is uncertain but it may be related to visual mish-mash.

42. Historical span : ERA

43. Posh : RITZY

45. Freezer bag feature : SEAL

46. Bluish hue : CYAN. I'd say a bit more than -ish.

47. Go away : DEPART

49. Southern speech feature : DRAWL

51. Turn out to be : END UP

53. Zodiac transition points : CUSPS

57. Arizona Indian : HOPI

63. Mont Blanc, par exemple : ALPE. French

64. Rabbit relatives : HARES

65. Foreign Legion cap : KEPI. Also French.

66. Falsehoods : LIES

67. "Fame" singer Cara : IRENE. Clip(3:55)

68. First family's garden site? : EDEN

69. Oater stronghold : FORT. In the old Westerns.

70. Tickle pink : ELATE

71. Cubicle furnishing : DESK

Down:

1. Labor leader who vanished in 1975 : HOFFA. Jimmy.

2. Range dividing Europe and Asia : URALS

3. Southwestern tablelands : MESAs

4. Kiln users : POTTERS

5. Adaptable, electrically : AC/DC

6. Wilderness home : LAIR

7. Rim : EDGE

8. Reacts to a tearjerker : CRIES

9. Pet's home away from home : KENNEL

10. Some hotel lobbies : ATRIUMS. Or atria.

12. "Rule, Britannia" composer : ARNE. Thomas, Wiki link.

13. Depressing situation, with "the" : PITS. Déjà vu.

21. Early Beatle Sutcliffe : STU

25. Enjoy King and Koontz : READ. (Authors)

27. Cohort of Curly : MOE. (Stooges)

28. Future blossoms : BUDS

29. Felt pain : ACHED

31. Director Ephron : NORA

32. Kenton of jazz : STAN

33. Difficult : HARD

34. Falco of "The Sopranos" : EDIE

37. Listen to : HEAR

40. Polar explorer Richard : BYRD

41. Menu words : À LA

44. Most off-the-wall : ZANIEST

46. Sounded like a chicken : CLUCKED

48. Buttocks, informally : TUSHIE

A bit different from Stan Kenton, eh?

50. Loos, for short : WCs. (water closet)

52. Necklace gem : PEARL

54. Soft leather : SUEDE

55. Plumber's concerns : PIPES

56. Reek : STINK

57. Football game division : HALF

58. Hodgepodge : OLIO

60. Real estate measurement : AREA

61. Curved : BENT

62. "That makes sense" : "I SEE"

Argyle