Wednesday January 12, 2011 Ken Bessette

Theme: CIRCLE THE WAGONS. The circled letters at the beginning and end of each theme answer spell out a four letter word for a type of wagon.

17A. When some suits don't wear suits : DRESS DOWN FRIDAY. Companies often permit casual attire on Fridays. DRAY = a strong cart or wagon without sides. Like this.

23A. The Pawtucket Red Sox, e.g. : TRIPLE-A FARM TEAM. From Wikipedia: Triple-A (or Class AAA) refers to the highest level of play in minor league baseball in the USA. Teams at this level are divided into three leagues: the International League, the Pacific Coast League, and the MLB-independent Mexican League. Each of the 30 Major League Baseball teams has an affiliation with one Triple-A team in the United States. However, Mexican Triple-A teams are not included in the organized farm team system. TRAM = a four-wheeled wagon that runs on tracks in a mine.

52A. Sandals in Jamaica, e.g. : CARIBBEAN RESORT. CART = a two-wheeled wagon, normally pulled by one or a pair of draught animals.

60A. Assume a defensive position (and what we did to highlight this puzzle's theme) : CIRCLE THE WAGONS. On long trips, wagon trains would form a circle with their wagons for protection from enemy attack.

Melissa here.

So many different words for wagon, who knew? I can can think of five-letter paddy and buggy, but there's also conestoga, carriage, and coach. And of course there's the classic 'woody.' Station wagon!

Across

1. The Renault 5, in North America : LE CAR

6. One-named New Ager : ENYA

10. Lake plant : ALGA. Singular. Always makes me think of my favorite book as a kid.

14. Street of San José : CALLE. Spanish word for street.

15. Ending with play or party : GOER. Does she go?

16. Rosemary, for one : HERB.

20. Sound from Simba : ROAR. Hakuna Matata wouldn't fit.

21. Frat "T" : TAU

22. Fords with racing stripes : GT'S

28. Nuclear org. created under HST : AEC. Atomic Energy Commission.

29. __ Grey tea : EARL. Flavored with bergamot.

30. Deep Throat's org. : FBI. Mark Felt revealed his identity in June 2005. I still have the Vanity Fair magazine issue. (He died in December 2008.)

31. Bamboozle : SCAM

33. Christian surname? : DIOR. Christian Dior.

35. How oaths are taken : ALOUD

39. __ de espera: waiting room : SALA. Needed perps, muy poquito Spanish for me.

40. She played Buffy : SARAH. Buffy the Vampire Slayer played by Sarah Michelle Gellar. Never watched it.

42. River to the North Sea : TYNE. In North East England.

43. Derby town : EPSOM

45. Trig ratio : SINE

46. "Sonic the Hedgehog" developer : SEGA. Video game.

47. Shad delicacy : ROE

49. Schoolyard claim : DIBS. Thought it might be AM SO at first.

51. Frame for Roger Rabbit : CEL

57. Sinatra's Gardner : AVA

58. Mideast "son of" : IBN. The Arabic particle بن (English: son of) should be transliterated ibn. I had no idea, had to look that one up.

59. Cheese or its town : EDAM

66. Hard downpour : HAIL. Nice clue.

67. Music biz sensation, perhaps : TEEN

68. "If I Were a Rich Man" singer : TEVYE

69. Feminine suffix : ENNE. As in, comedienne.

70. Mex. miss : SRTA. Senorita.

71. Clear : ERASE. Fooled me, I was thinking adjective, not a verb.

Down

1. Elec. readout : LCD. Liquid crystal display.

2. Field unit : EAR. Corn.

3. Some temps : CLERICALS

4. Journalist Stewart or Joseph : ALSOP. Not familiar with either one.

5. Consignment shop transaction : RESALE

6. Swelled head : EGO

7. Word of urgency : NOW

8. Gossipmonger : YENTA

9. Kennel double talk? : ARF ARF

10. Tuna at a luau : AHI

11. Building shelf : LEDGE

12. Persona non __ : GRATA. Latin, literally meaning "an unwelcome person," indicating a proscription against a person entering the country.

13. Wide gulf : ABYSM

18. Bob Marley feature : DREADS

19. Cuban dance : RUMBA

23. Café cup : TASSE. French. Café = coffe, tasse = cup.

24. Roundup : RECAP

25. Met favorites : ARIAS

26. Where to see a lot of keys : FLORIDA. A few days ago it was valet.

27. Knight games : TILTS. Tilting is jousting.

32. Haka dancers of New Zealand : MAORI. Holy hotwick haka dance, that's a lot of testosterone.

34. Made a quick stop : RAN IN

36. Santana hit also covered by Tito Puente : OYE COMO VA. Original version written by Cachao.

37. Madison's foil : UNGER. Oscar Madison and Felix Unger of The Odd Couple. Funniest. Scene. Ever.

38. Passed out in Vegas? : DEALT

41. Sharon's language : HEBREW

44. Company that uses Pegasus as a symbol : MOBIL

48. Brooklyn's __ Field : EBBETS

50. Get under control, in a way : SEDATE

52. Buried supply : CACHE. Wagon train parties would sometimes cache supplies to lighten their load and ford rivers and streams.

53. Like most cardinals : AVIAN. Most? Okay, not these.

54. __ to go : RARIN'

55. Pencil maze word : ENTER

56. More wise : SAGER

61. Cavs, on scoreboards : CLE. Cleveland Cavaliers. I hear they might have a new announcer.

62. Worked (up) : HET

63. Bambi's aunt : ENA

64. Where Rockefeller was gov. : NYS

65. Match, as a raise : SEE

Answer grid.

Melissa

Tuesday, January 11, 2011 Don Gagliardo

Theme: Knight Moves - There are three consecutive L's in each long them answer and one more L in the adjacent entry. The four L's form a letter-formation of a L-bar, which is then graphically represented by black squares in the same direction. Please read constructor Don G's notes at the bottom.

18A. Passé keyboard key: SCROLL LOCK. What is scroll lock and why is it passé?

9D. Cowardly : YELLOW. These four L's form one set of L-bar.

62A. "I'm afraid this will sound funny": "YOU'LL LAUGH".

47D. Have as a customer : SELL TO. Another set.

3D. Video game difficulty setting: SKILL LEVEL

27A. Was beaten by : FELL TO. Shouldn't be used to describe a squeaker like the Auburn/Oregon game last night! The third set.

31D. Names on it are off-limits to telemarketers: NO CALL LIST

48A. Like some quaint lamps : OIL-LIT. One of the earliest types. Image. Final set.

Unifier:

39A. Angle irons graphically represented by four sets of black squares in this grid, and by letter formations starting in the four longest answers: L-BARs (I have highlighted the 'L' in the appropriate cross word.)

And more:

64D. Ernie of the PGA, to whom this puzzle could be dedicated: ELS

Argyle here.

A puzzle for the books, with the strong visual and layers of meanings.

Across:

1. 17-Across in the neck : PEST. 17. See 1-Across : PAIN.

5. Adventurous : RISKY

10. Domesticated : TAME

14. Chase on stage : ILKA

15. Cat-__-tails : O'NINE

16. Wicked : EVIL

20. Bigger photo: Abbr. : ENL.

21. Extremely, in Essex : BEASTLY. Alliteration, I say, old chap.

22. Horror maven Craven : WES

23. Follower of Mary : LAMB. From the nursery rhyme.

25. Sphere : ORB

29. Midday energizer : POWER NAP

34. K-6 : ELEM.

35. Stroll : WALK

37. Vowel before omicron : IOTA. Omicron is just the Greek O.

38. Bounty rival : VIVA

41. Picket line crosser : SCAB

42. Garden site : EDEN

43. Actor Neeson : LIAM. In many movies.

44. Finishes the road : TARs

45. Got sick again : RELAPSED

50. Fair grade : CEE

51. German GM subsidiary : OPEL. Since 1929.

52. Workshop sprite : ELF. I hope their new-found fame won't go to their heads. That's all I need. Ho, ho, ho.

55A. Crete-born "View of Toledo" painter : EL GRECO. His view.

59. Texas ranch initials : LBJ. President Lyndon Baines Johnson's ranch and now the LBJ National Historical Park.

64. Dublin's land : EIRE

65. Red Muppet : ELMO

66. Trace : TINGE

67. Future atty.'s hurdle : LSAT. The Law School Admission Test (LSAT).

68. Boatload : SLEW. Do we need to say more today?

69. Preminger et al. : OTTOs. He was a famous film director.

70. Eyelid problem : STYE

Down:

1. Lounging jacket wearer's smoke, maybe : PIPE

2. Verve : ELAN

4. Bronze relative : TAN. I was a bit medal mental and had TIN at first.

5. Pasadena arena : ROSE BOWL

6. Andean ancient : INCA. Ancient can mean a person who lived in ancient times.

7. Letter addressees : SIRS

8. Masseuse's challenge : KNOT

10. Business card abbr. : TEL.

11. Speak bluntly : AVOW

12. Cats' quarry : MICE. Plural cat, plural mouse.

13. Benevolent lodgeful : ELKS. The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE; also often known as the Elks Lodge or simply The Elks) is an American fraternal order and social club.

19. Ancient strings : LYRE

21. NYC subway line named for two boroughs : BMT. Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit.

24. Farmers' publication? : ALMANAC

26. Brush component : BRISTLE

27. Hyped-up feeling : FEVER

28. Say "bo's'n," say : ELIDE

29. Scottish pattern : PLAID

30. Gumbo pod : OKRA

32. Big name in video games : ATARI

33. Big name in beer : PABST

36. Up to the task : ABLE

40. Wet ones, so to speak : SMOOCHES

46. Banana discard : PEEL

49. Stock mkt. debut : IPO. Initial Public Offering.

52. Makeup accentuates them : EYES. Painted eyes.

53. Recline lazily : LOLL

54. Do a slow burn : FUME

56. Trot or canter : GAIT

57. Litter's littlest : RUNT

58. Kellogg's toaster brand : EGGO. The Lego Eggo.

60. Donkey's protest : BRAY

61. Ballet leap : JETÉ

63. Sad : LOW

Answer grid.

Constructor's notes:

This puzzle is an example of how a simple idea kept getting more complex. I noticed a phrase where three L’s ran together and thought that was fun. Then I realized that if it ran vertically and another L was added to the side, the four L grouping could look like an L. So I started tinkering with all vertical phrases. It did not work out very well. I don’t know how I made the logical leap, but it seemed that I could have patterns of shaded squares that also look like L’s. When I started arranging them, I saw that they could be displayed symmetrically in a wheel-like configuration. I decided at that point that the L’s in the phrases should mimic the configuration of L’s. So you will notice that the four L pattern always has the same orientation with respect to the shaded square L pattern. I owe many thanks to Rich who came up with the final theme answer (SKILL LEVEL) to keep the pattern intact. As a final observation, I noticed there were appearing a number of EL patterns in the fill. I decided to play with that extra element to see how many I could get into the grid, and have a little bonus secondary theme answer at the southeast corner. I also owe more thanks to Rich who rejected a corner that had a lackluster fill. His suggested correction helped put an exquisite finishing touch on a most enjoyable puzzle constructing experience.

Argyle

Monday, January 10, 2011 Bruce Venzke and Gail Grabowski

Theme: Special Edition - Along with the unifier, the first word from the four longest entries form the cry of the old time paperboy. Statue in Great Barrington, MA.

17A. Do some palmistry: READ ONES FORTUNE

26A. Groundbreaking 1970s sitcom: ALL IN THE FAMILY

47A. Link on a writer's Web site: ABOUT THE AUTHOR

61A. Hillary Clinton bestseller: IT TAKES A VILLAGE

68A. When repeated, start of an old shout that ends with the starts of 17-, 26-, 47- and 61-Across: EXTRA

Argyle here.

Not bad for a Monday, although someone will complain about 2-Down, I suppose. Four long theme entries with some sparkling fill makes this a Special Edition Monday puzzle.

Across:

1. Make mention of : CITE

5. Bamboo lover : PANDA

10. Army NCO : SSGT

14. Eight, in Essen : ACHT. In Germany.

15. Look forward to : AWAIT

16. Tiger or Twin, briefly : ALer. Baseball.

20. Giant legend Mel : OTT. Baseball, again. He batted left-handed but threw right-handed and played right field.

21. Chick's digs : NEST. Cute clue.

22. Fine distinction : NICETY

23. Tavern tussle : MELEE

25. Delaware senator who sponsored IRA legislation : ROTH. The Roth Individual Retirement Account (IRA) is a tax plan that allows a tax reduction on a limited amount of saving for retirement. The principal difference from most other tax advantaged retirement plans is that, rather than granting a tax break for money placed into the plan, the tax break is granted on the money withdrawn from the plan during retirement.

33. Excessively ornate : FLORID

34. Sensitive skin spots : SORES. Alliteration all the way.

35. Not operating : OFF

38. "Midnight Cowboy" hustler Rizzo : RATSO

40. __ Kan: Alpo alternative : KAL. Dog food.

41. Welsh dog : CORGI. Just mention food and a Corgi will show up.

44. Soviet anti-spy group in some James Bond novels : SMERSH. It is an acronym from two Russian words meaning "Death to Spies".

51. "__, old chap!" : I SAY

52. Laura's cry on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" : "OH, ROB!". Laura Petrie, played by Mary Tyler Moore and Rob Petrie , played By Dick Van Dyke.

54. Small gun : PISTOL

57. Western tie : BOLO

60. Stag party attendee : GUY

64. One who might 17-Across : SEER

65. Begat : SIRED

66. Top draft status : ONE A

67. Music boosters : AMPS

69. Cold War initials : USSR

Down:

1. Billiards bounce : CAROM

2. Summer refresher : ICE TEA

3. "__ be the day!" : THAT'LL. Buddy Holly clip.(1:22) I can't help feeling a little sad listening to this clip, given his tragic end.

4. LAX datum : ETD. Estimated Time of Departure.

5. Window section : PANE

6. Leaves speechless : AWEs

7. Condé __ Publications : NAST. Founded by Condé Montrose Nast. Background.

8. "What's the __?" : DIF. Shortened version of DIFFERENCE.

9. Numerous : A TON OF

10. Armstrong's nickname : SATCHMO. That is Louis Armstrong (1901-1971), American jazz musician and not one of these. Wikipedia List.

11. Turn on an axis : SLUE

12. Lady's partner : GENT

13. Low card : TREY

18. NBC correspondent Roger : O'NEIL This guy.

19. Hayworth and Moreno : RITAs. Actresses. R.H. and R.M.

24. Wrapper for Santa : ELF. My unsung heroes.

25. Obstacle for Moses : RED SEA

27. Hide-hair link : NOR

28. In poor taste : TRASHY

29. Blackjack request : "HIT ME". Ask for another card.

30. Aggravate : IRK

31. Grassy expanse : LEA

32. French designer's monogram : YSL. Yves Saint Laurent.

35. Andean stew veggie : OCA. A tuber.

36. Watch chain : FOB

37. To's opposite : FRO

39. Tulsa sch. named for a televangelist : ORU. Oral Roberts University (ORU) in Tulsa, OK.

42. Rock instruments : GUITARS

43. "Not to worry" : "IT'S OK"

45. Seat that often swivels : STOOL

46. 1968 loser to RMN : HHH. Nixon/Hubert H. Humphrey.

48. "Honor Thy Father" author Gay : TALESE

49. Instruments with many pedals : ORGANS

50. Cheek colorers : ROUGES

53. How some learn music : BY EAR

54. Tuscany tower site : PISA. Also, an avatar.

55. Agenda unit : ITEM

56. Twelve-__ program : STEP

57. Homer's son : BART

58. In excess of : OVER

59. "__ Rose": "The Music Man" song : LIDA. Clip.(5:32)

62. Common dinner hour : SIX

63. Comic Costello : LOU

Answer grid.

Argyle

Sunday January 9, 2011 Jack McInturff

Theme: Oui (Ou → I) - Letters OU is changed into I in each familiar phrase.

23A. Herb homily? : SERMON ON THE M(OU)INT

39A. Like a stroller out of breath? : WALKING W(OU)INDED

50A. Golf pro's protection? : GR(OU)IP INSURANCE. We also have another golf reference: 37D. Golf's Slammin' Sammy : SNEAD. He could kick a 7-foot high ceiling in his 70s.

70A. Coffee at church? : HALLOWED GR(OU) IND

81A. Adoptee's goal? : F(OU)INDING FATHER

105A. "Last Comic Standing" winning routine? : CHAMPIONSHIP B(OU)IT

35D. Knighted vintner's nickname? : S(OU)IR GRAPES

46D. Dorm room Christmas tree? : F(OU)IR POSTER

Nice set of theme answers. Some of the clues made me smile. You've got to have a sense of humor when cluing letter string deletion/addition/exchange theme clues, or any punny theme.

Humor doesn't come to me naturally, even in Chinese. Jerome's outside-the-box thinking on certain mundane answers like IRON last time often impresses and amuses me.

A bit of slog for me today. Quite a few unfamiliar names, either in entries or in clues. Jack worked hard in coming up with fresh clues for some names, such as ANTON (26A. Canadian pianist Kuerti). But most of them just stumped me. A simple "Author Checkhov" would have given me a tap-in gimme. Different strokes I suppose. I bet this guy was an easy fill for Jayce or Jazzbumpa.

Across:

1. Language group that includes Swahili : BANTU

6. "Great" swingers : APES. Not the swingers I had in mind.

10. Yaks : GABS

14. "Get out!" : SCRAM

19. Yellow spreads : OLEOS

20. "Gloria" actress Rowlands : GENA. She's in "The Notebook".

21. It will probably keep you in bed : AGUE. I've never used this word in real life.

22. Raccoon kin : COATI

27. It's usually over a door : EXIT SIGN. Good clue/answer.

28. Australia's __ Rock : AYERS. Lovely fill for Kazie. Popular Australian tourist spot. Also known as Uluru.

29. Current concern : EL NINO. Oh, air current. (Correction: It's ocean current. Thanks, Gunghy!)

30. Dismayed cry : OH NO

31. One begins "Rhapsody in Blue" : TRILL

32. Witness to the Transfiguration of Jesus : ST. PETER. Jack always peppers a few Bible references in his puzzles.

33. Mag transformed by Helen Gurley Brown : COSMO. Unknown trivia to me.

36. Van Morrison's singing daughter : SHANA. Complete stranger. I like the color of her tank top.

37. Union leavers : SECEDERS

38. Hawaiian tuna : AHI. Yellowfin tuna. Mouthwatering, JD! What a pity that Dennis doesn't eat any fish.

43. Fallen orbiter : MIR. De-orbed in 2001.

44. Sound relatives : BAYS. And 113. Sound measure : SONE. Different "sound".

45. With no rocks : NEAT

46. Suspect story, maybe : FIB. So is LIE.

49. '90s game disc : POG

55. Nest egg initials : IRA

56. Upgrade to five stars, say : RE-RATE

58. Not rented : OWNED

59. Capers : LARKS

61. "Sherlock Holmes" actress Rachel : MCADAMS. Recognized her face when I googled. She's the mean girl in "Mean Girls".

63. "What __ Is This?" : CHILD

64. Wander : TRAIPSE

66. Attend to loose ends : MOP UP

67. Look uncertainly (for) : GROPE

68. 1972 Oscar refuser : BRANDO. He won for his performance in the "The Godfather".

69. Wrath : IRE

74. Hindu title : SRI

77. Elected ones : INs

78. Former U.K. carrier : BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation). Stumper.

79. Slick trick : RUSE

80. Lincoln progeny : TAD. Lincoln's youngest son.

86. Director's challenge : EGO. Nice clue.

87. Remove with effort : DISLODGE

91. Use the soapbox : ORATE

92. Spanish others : OTRAs

94. Lures : ENTICES

95. Moccasin, e.g. : SNAKE. No idea. The color does look that of the Moccasin slippers.

96. Pelvic bones : ILIA

98. Areas above hooves : SHANKS

99. Pursue : CHASE

100. Torino tongue : ITALIANO. My friend Roberto is from Roma. He makes terrific risotto & salad.

104. Pasta often served alla vodka : PENNE. Have never had this dish.

107. Drive-thru decision : ORDER

108. It has banks in Switzerland : AARE. River banks. Awesome clue.

109. Not a happy fate : DOOM

110. Writer Zora __ Hurston : NEALE. She wrote "Their Eyes Were Watching God".

111. Tries out : TESTS

112. Lulus : PIPS

114. Taunts : GIBES

Down:

1. Speaker of note : BOSE. Was thinking of Tris Speaker.

2. Author Haley : ALEX. "Roots".

3. Michael Corleone's bodyguard Al : NERI. Wow, no idea. The guy on the left.

4. Hand-played drum : TOM-TOM

5. Wartime diversion : USO SHOW

6. To the max, in the disco era : A GOGO

7. Ivy League member : PENN

8. Stud attachment? : ENT. Student. A rather innovative way to clue ENT.

9. Dry and hot : SAHARAN

10. Some wardens' concern : GAME LAW

11. "__ Like You": Young Rascals hit : A GIRL. Here is the clip.

12. Keister : BUNS

13. Place to be quiet : SET. Movie set.

14. Like Super Bowl tickets, perhaps : SCALPED

15. Hustled : CONNED

16. Kiwi or rhea : RATITE

17. Sorry sort : ATONER

18. They may have 84-Down : MINORs. 84. Spy covers : FAKE IDS.

24. One-time partner of novelist Miller : NIN (Anaïs). Henry Miller.

25. Giving the once-over : EYING

29. "Yada, yada, yada ..." : ETC ETC

31. "__ Promise You": *NSYNC hit : THIS I. Liked the song.

32. Family car : SEDAN

33. Summer getaway : CAMP

34. River formed at Pittsburgh : OHIO

36. Internet communications company : SKYPE. Never know how it got the name.

40. Pianist/composer Chasins : ABRAM. Another blind spot for me.

41. Café additions : LAITS. Café au lait.

42. Denoting a loss : IN RED

47. Bugs : IRKS

48. It may be stolen : BASE. Baseball. We also have 52. Steal : SWIPE.

50. Plotting aid : GRAPH

51. Not at all : NO HOW

53. Without direction : UNLED. Spell check doesn't like this word.

54. African antelope : ELAND

57. http://ucla.__ : EDU

60. It may be financial or legal : AID

61. Year of Super Bowl XXXVI : MMII. 2002. Patriots vs. Rams.

62. Muffin grain : CORN

63. Signs of spring : CROCI

64. Former title-winning women's wrestler Stratus : TRISH. No idea. Great body.

65. Saree wearer : RANEE

67. Forest clearing : GLADE

68. Cruel, as force : BRUTE. Brute force.

71. Stomachs : ABIDES

72. Suit sizes : LONGS

73. Irritate : GRATE

75. Shankar music style : RAGA. Norah Jones looks pretty in long hair, don't you think?

76. Nuptial vows : I DOs

81. Bernie, Roz and Greg, in a 2004 film : FOCKERS. Saw "Meet the Fockers". Can't remember the names.

82. They aren't stars : NO NAMEs

83. Understand : GRASP

85. Like white water : ROILING

87. Absolute ruler : DESPOT

88. Beckoning words : IN HERE

89. Score holders : STANDS. Oh, musical score.

90. Small finch : LINNET. Hey, there!

93. Capital city that hosted the 2007 Baseball World Cup : TAIPEI. Amazed baseball is popular there.

95. #, on scores : SHARP

96. "Who's there?" reply : IT'S ME

97. "Well, __-di-dah" : LAH

99. Indian spiced tea : CHAI

100. A party to : IN ON

101. Rhyme scheme of Kipling's "If—" : ABAB. Needed crossing help.

102. Cairo's river : NILE

103. Plural suffix with Capri : OTES. Capriotes.

105. Salary limit : CAP

106. Hugs, on cards : OOO

Answer grid.

C.C.

Saturday January 8, 2011 Harvey Estes

((Note to late visitors: Due to computer error, we lost both the write-up and comments. This version is a recovered one. )

Theme: None

Total words: 68

Total blocks: 33

Only four 3-letter answers in this grid: ERR/PEP/TSE/UTE. Amazing.

Harvey placed triple stacks of 10s in each quadrant of the grid, the layout is quite similar to his last Saturday. Notice his answer for 17A? Ha ha, RADIAL TIRE!

Here are the 10s:

14A. Motel convenience : ICE MACHINE

17A. Quicker picker-uppers? : STIMULANTS

19A. Pigeon : EASY TARGET. So is EASY MARK.

48A. Mixed condiment : GARLIC SALT. Mostly salt.

55A. Cause of senselessness : ANESTHESIA

57A. "Don't waste your time" : IT'S USELESS

10D. Churches with carillons don't need one : BELL RINGER. Wow, really? How do they ring the bells then?

11D. Being supportive : AT YOUR SIDE. Oh, being supportive of me.

12D. Opalescent gems : MOONSTONES

24D. Extreme : INORDINATE

25D. Automotive innovation that improved fuel economy : RADIAL TIRE. We also have 36A. It purrs when it's cared for : ENGINE. And 60A. Trip interruptions : FLATS. Flat tires. Needed Dennis' help.

26D. Front borders : ENEMY LINES. Nailed it.

I had an easier time. The lack of obscure names certainly helped.

Across:

1. Worker with many keys : VALET. Was picturing a hotel maid.

6. Fleece : CLIP. Didn't know clip can mean "swindle".

10. Nick Saban's team, familiarly : 'BAMA. Nick Saban & Bear Bryant are all I know about the Crimson Tide.

16. Thames landmark : ETON

18. City on the Rhône : LYON

20. Actress Anderson : LONI. The "WKRP in Cincinnati" girl.

21. Guilty and more : PLEAS

22. Dodge : RUSE

23. Juice carriers : WIRES. Current "juice". I wanted FRUIT.

28. Go astray : ERR

29. Fountain contemporary : HIRT (Al). Pete Fountain.

30. Foolishness : INANITY

32. Spot remover, at times : SPONSOR. Does "spot" here refer to ads? I don't get the clue.

35. Surfing equipment : MODEMS. Internet surfing.

37. Got ready for a big date : PRIMPED

39. Stepped on it, with "up" : SPEEDED. Spell check wants SPED.

40. Boxes of calendars? : DAYS. Clever clue.

41. Mountain West Conference athlete : UTE

43. Code subject : DRESS. Dress code.

44. Builder's truckload : FILL. Or all the non-theme answers in any crossword.

45. High school math calculations : AREAS

47. One fighting something : ANTI

54. Early exile : CAIN. Into the land of Nod.

56. French 101 verb : ETRE. "To be".

58. Driving aids : TEES. Golf.

59. Biweekly tide : NEAP

Down:

1. Workbench item : VISE

2. Court records : ACTA. Learned from doing Xword.

3. Floral gifts : LEIS

4. Peabody relative : EMMY. Peabody Award.

5. Having no play : TAUT. Is "play" the same as "slack"?

6. Pride of country music : CHARLEY. What's his most famous song?

7. Extend one's stay : LINGER

8. Visibly moved : IN TEARS

9. Raid targets : PESTS

13. Warbucks's charge : ANNIE. Daddy Warbucks.

15. What fans do : CLAP

23. Unlikely hero : WIMP

27. Ninnies : SIMPS

29. Perfected : HONED

31. Japanese financial market inits. : TSE (Tokyo Stock Exchange). Had to post-google.

33. Dash : PEP

34. Film for which Warren Beatty won a Best Director Oscar : REDS

38. Mrs. Calabash's creator : DURANTE (Jimmy). Mrs. Calabash is his wife.

39. Shrink-wraps, e.g. : SEALS UP

42. Mother in Calcutta : TERESA. Mother Teresa.

44. Aspect : FACET

45. Over : AGAIN

46. Is in session : SITS. Congress session?

49. Frequent taster : CHEF. So is COOK.

50. Push, in a way : SELL

51. Cruising : ASEA

52. Where guests may be ticked off? : LIST. Nice clue.

53. Sputnik coverer : TASS. Media cover. I wanted CCCP, which covers Sputnik too.

Answer grid.

Today we celebrate the birthday of JimmyB (most right), a very passionate LA Times crossword solver who has been keeping track of the exact time each puzzle takes him to complete since our switch in 2009. Sheng Ri Kuai Le, Jim!

C.C.

Friday January 7, 2011 Gary Steinmehl

(Note to late visitors: Due to computer error, we lost both the write-up and comments. This version is a recovered one. )

Theme: Vowel Quintet - A, E, I, O & U are orderly added to the start of the first word of each two-word familiar phrase.

20A. Proof of quartz sales? : AGATE RECEIPTS. Gate receipts.

30A. Brewery's best? : ELITE BEER. Lite beer.

38A. "Mad Max" and "Twelve Angry Men"? : IRATE MOVIES. Rated movies might be a better base phrase, but then, irated is not a word.

46A. One of many at a Syracuse University football game? : ORANGE TOP. Range top. Here is their mascot Otto the Orange.

58A. Making a mess at the warehouse? : UPENDING CASES. Pending cases.

C.C. here, pinch-hitting for Lemonade, whose computer is sick.

Great to see Gary Steinmehl's by-line. He's a real pro and always comes up with something unique in his theme approach. Read my interview with him if you haven't heard of him before.

Quite a few clechos in his grid today. As usual, I highlighted them in green colors.

Across:

1. Lip : BRIM. One-word clue is always tricky, esp if the word has various meanings.

5. One usually includes an aria and a recitative : SCENA. I wanted OPERA.

10. Rhode Island's motto : HOPE. Wow, so simple. No Latin/French.

14. Jim-dandy : A ONE

15. Kachina carvers : HOPIS. I've never understood the appeal of Kachina dolls.

16. Clue in a hunt : ODOR. Then 18. "Give me __" : A HINT.

17. Amounting to nothing : NULL

19. Texters do it : TYPE

23. __ moon : NEW

24. Ballot marker : X'ER. Every puzzle needs a few abbreviations to glue things together.

25. "One Good Cop" actress : RUSSO (Rene). I've never seen the movie. Rene Russo is awesome in "Tin Cup".

28. Money in the bank, e.g. : ASSET

34. Is after you? : ARE. As in "You are so hot!". So literally are is "after you".

36. Oscar-winning role for Forest : IDI (Amin). "The Last King of Scotland". Forest Whitaker.

37. However : YET. BUT, anyone?

42. Self-realization sect : ZEN

44. Bill : TAB

45. Sweet ending : OSE. As in glucose.

50. Lit up : AGLOW

54. Resort area near Reno : TAHOE

55. Org. offering jumps : AAA. They give cars a jump in cold weather, a la Argyle.

57. First mate? : EVE. Of Adam.

63. Pure and simple : MERE

65. Law partner : ORDER. Law and order.

66. Some are noble : FIRS. Did you want SIRS?

67. Head line : PART. Then 41D. Head lines? : EEG. Brain scan.

68. City where de Gaulle was born : LILLE. Learned this trivia a while ago.

69. Cameo, maybe : ROLE. 72. Cameo material : ONYX. Not the same "cameo" of course.

70. Fellows : GUYS

71. Like Falstaff : OBESE. Shakespeare's Falstaff.

Down:

1. Yogurt flavor : BANANA. Don't eat dairy.

2. They make you red in the face : ROUGES. ERRORS jumped to my mind first.

3. Wedding creations : IN-LAWS. Nice clue.

4. Get all mushy : MELT

5. Slice : SHARE. I don't get how these two are interchangeable.

6. Hold together : COHERE

7. Work with a wide scope : EPIC. Noun "Work" here.

8. Roger Maris wore it : NINE. Loved the movie "61". It's about Maris and Mantle (#7) trying to break the 60 home run record set by Ruth (#3) in 1961. So good.

9. Wine town near Turin : ASTI

10. Place to chill : HOT TUB

11. Adventures : ODYSSEYS

12. Top 40 genre : POP

13. Before : ERE. 22. Before, before? : PRE.

21. Hollywood "spear carrier" : EXTRA

26. Take in : SEE

27. Scrap : ORT

29. Stirrup site : EAR

31. People bend over backwards for it : LIMBO. Oh, this limbo.

32. Promising words : I DO

33. Save for later viewing : TiVO

35. Feminizing ending : ETTE

38. Rushed : IN A HURRY

39. Put away : EAT

40. Composer Albéniz : ISAAC. Onager guess. Not familiar with this Spanish fellow. He died in 1909.

42. Anteater's sound effect in the comic "B.C." : ZOT. Got the answer via crossings. What does ZOT connote? Like "Bam!"?

43. Chunk of time : ERA

47. Apartment caveat : NO PETS. Not a caveat to me. Never a pet person.

48. "My stars!" : GEE

49. Some judges sit on them : PANELS. Great clue. Not BENCHES.

51. Skin wound : LESION

52. Too : OVERLY

53. Setting for many Thomas Hardy novels : WESSEX. I've only read his "Tess of the d'Urbervilles".

56. Go along : AGREE

59. __ contendere : NOLO

60. Small quantity : DRIB

61. Like doodling : IDLE

62. Full coif : AFRO.

63. Automaker's concern, briefly : MPG

64. Water under le pont : EAU. Pont is French for "bridge". I had thought it's "pond".

Answer grid.

C.C.

Thursday January 6, 2011 Gary J. Whitehead

Theme: You've got a lot of nerve! Revealed in 60A. Part of an axon (and what 17-, 28- and 46-Across each has?): NERVE ENDING. The last words of the three theme answers are all synonyms for Chutzpah.

17A. Marinara, for one: TOMATO SAUCE. Salty or heavily seasoned, saucy. Related: sass.

28A. Pentagon bigwigs: MILITARY BRASS.

46A. Not serious: TONGUE IN CHEEK. If you have cheek, you probably mouth off a bit.

Hi all, Al here.

Good puzzle for a Thursday. Some answers I didn't know, like LODZ, or NERI, but everything eventually fell with the perps for me today, no lookups. I think my favorite word was INEXORABLE; I want to be more like that. Other than a few, I thought all the answers were pretty easy. Some of the clues, though, were not...

ACROSS:

1. Techie talk, e.g.: JARGON. Argot is specifically the jargon of rogues and thieves. Jargon comes from Old French, literally a chattering of birds, unintelligible.

7. They have guards on both sides of them: Abbr.: CTRS. Centers and guards, football players.

11. Roman sun god: SOL.

14. Nine follower?: ONE ONE. 911. The emergency number, spelled out.

15. Menageries: ZOOS. From French ménagerie "housing for domestic animals". Zoo from Greek zoion "animal".

16. Worldwide workers' gp.: ILO. International Labour Organization. A UN agency.

19. Marked, in a way: XED.

20. Winter coat: SNOW. Or blanket. Nice misdirection.

21. Pusher pursuer: NARC.

22. The gamut: A TO Z. Originally the lowest note in the medieval musical scale "gamma ut", it came to mean the whole scale and from there expanded to mean the entire range of anything.

23. __ II, king who founded Borg (now Sarpsborg): OLAF.

25. Moor: HEATH. Swamp.

32. Swindle: CON.

33. Philip __: 16th-century Italian saint: NERI. If you say so...

34. Only just: BARELY.

36. Cheri who played Gail Hailstorm in "Scary Movie": OTERI. SNL alumna, list of characters including Ross Perot...

38. First person in Berlin?: ICH. Es gibt kein Ich im Team. Unless you look closely.

40. Yearned: PINED. Pine from Old English pineon "pain, torture, punishment".

41. Reliant Stadium NFL team: TEXANS. Houston. Unlike the Metrodome, this stadium roof won't collapse under the weight of snow. :-)

43. Latin quarters?: CASA. Spanish is a romance language derived from Latin. The clue may also mean Latin America.

45. French possessive: SES. His or her (things), plural form. Singular would be "son".

49. Artful dodges: RUSES. A clue reference to the artful dodger, who was a pickpocket in the Dickens novel Oliver Twist.

50. Mention with an ulterior motive: DROP.

51. Finish shooting: WRAP. The meaning of ending a filming session only is traced back to 1974...

53. Eldest Younger gang member: COLE. A play on the name Younger. Associated with Jesse James, and the James-Younger gang.

55. Louisville's river: OHIO.

59. Air base?: HUB. Like FedEx, I guess, a central location.

63. Feverish, say: ILL.

64. Natural balm: ALOE.

65. Browbeat: COERCE. Browbeat: to bear down with fierce or arrogant looks.

66. One of a jazz duo?: ZEE. Two letter "Z"s in the word jaZZ

67. It's often seen under a cap: GOWN. Graduation.

68. Swindle: HUSTLE.

DOWN:

1. Scribbles: JOTS.

2. Soon, poetically: ANON.

3. San __: REMO. On the Italian Rivera.

4. Commit a service infraction: GO AWOL. Absent without leave. Attempted misdirection towards a sport that has a central net, like a tennis fault.

5. Toronto's prov.: ONT.ario

6. Nursery arrival: NEONATE. Anyone else put NEWBORN at first?

7. Winter Palace figure: CZAR. The CZ spelling instead of TS for once. It was almost a welcome change.

8. Sensitive: TOUCHY.

9. "One Thousand and One Nights" bird: ROC. Associated with the story of Sinbad the Sailor.

10. GPS heading: SSE. Directional clues have apparently been updated for the digital age.

11. Intuition: SIXTH SENSE.

12. Spread on the table: OLEO.

13. One of Poland's three most populous cities: LODZ.

18. Exotic honeymoon, perhaps: SAFARI. This idea would never have crossed my mind. Heat, bugs, dust, rain, sleeping on cots in tents? Not so romantic to me. I could have the wrong impression, I suppose. Do they have safaris available using air conditioned travel trailers now?

22. Asteroids maker: ATARI. Early arcade video game.

24. Winter coat features: LININGS. Clecho with 20A.

26. Withdraw: EBB.

27. Wyoming tribe: ARAPAHO.

28. Choral piece: MOTET.

29. Unyielding: INEXORABLE. Like the martians in Jeff Wayne's musical War of the Worlds.

30. "Monster" (2003) co-star: RICCI. Christina.

31. Streamlined: SLEEK.

32. No-frills bed: COT.

35. NFL gains: YDS.

37. What the mouse did clockwise?: RAN UP. Hicory Dickory Dock.

39. Radio moniker: HANDLE. CB radio name.

42. Take to court: SUE.

44. Collision preceder: SCREECH. And here I was, trying to think of a prefix. I wonder if this was from the tires or from the passengers?

47. Money set aside: ESCROW. From Old French escroue "scrap, roll of parchment", originally a deed held by a third person until a debt was paid.

48. Lyric poems: EPODES. The third part of an ode, which followed the strophe and the antistrophe, and completed the movement.

51. Crackerjack: WHIZ.

52. Run the show: RULE.

54. Bakery appliance: OVEN.

56. "Cotton Candy" trumpeter: HIRT. A top 10 hit in 1964.

57. Not left out: Abbr.: INCL.uded

58. Curved molding: OGEE.

60. Henpeck: NAG.

61. "Strange Magic" band: ELO. Electric Light Orchestra.

62. __-turn: NO U.

Answer Grid.

Al

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