Wednesday July 13, 2011 Pete Muller

Theme: ALL TOLLED. vowel progression in the last word of each theme answer.

17A. Men's clothing category : BIG AND TALL

22A. 1993 military directive : DON'T ASK DON'T TELL

33A. Bad thing to be caught with at work, with "a" : HAND IN THE TILL

46A. Wears greatly : TAKES A HEAVY TOLL

54A. Rock and roll band whose lead singer often played flute solos : JETHRO TULL

Melissa here.

all fun phrases to see in a puzzle, with two grid-spanners. must have been challenging to come up with them - can you think of any other phrases that end in T*LL and are 9 to 15 letters in length?

Across:

1. Pop singer Jackson : JANET. nipple-gate.

6. Create a cobbler : BAKE. yum.

10. Rubella symptom : RASH

14. Tabriz resident : IRANI. had to look it up.

15. Astonishes : AWES

16. Pelvic bones : ILIA. should be a gimme by now.

19. 53-Across et al: GEM. and 53A. Translucent stone : OPAL

20. Harmonizing groups : CHOIRS. clear ayes & barry g., anyone else?

21. Sushi bar spirits: Var. : SAKIS. usually see sake.

26. Building supporter : JOIST

27. Orbital extreme : APOGEE. the point farthest from a planet or a satellite (as the moon) reached by an object orbiting it. (perigee is the point nearest.) see?

28. Emilio Estevez, to Martin Sheen : SON.

29. Sony portable since 1984 : DISCMAN. dinosaurs now.

38. Seers : ORACLES

39. Large loafer letters : EEE. cute.

41. Droll comic Wright : STEVEN. funny guy.

44. Overfamiliar : BANAL. needed a few perps to get this.

51. Small streams : RILLS. did not know this term.

52. Prized statuettes : OSCARS. gimme. grammys and emmys wouldn't fit.

58. Musical Horne : LENA

59. Snack with a removable top : OREO. new clue for an old friend.

60. Dutch export : TULIP. so pretty. dennis's favorite flower, as i recall.

61. Shuteye aids? : LIDS. hee.

62. Exxon, previously : ESSO

63. Serene spots : EDENS. thought oases first.

Down:

1. Sail at the front : JIB. i know nothing about sailing, but this was still a gimme.

2. Jackie's "O" : ARI. nice clue.

3. Pester : NAG.

4. Passes, as legislation : ENACTS

5. Grunt's helmet : TIN HAT. if he only had a heart.

6. Javanese hand-dyed fabric : BATIK. beautiful.

7. Prize : AWARD

8. Kutcher's "That '70s Show" role : KELSO. have never seen this show, but it's well known trivia.

9. Alien's subj. : ESL

10. Trattoria tubes : RIGATONI. more yum. from the Italian word rigati, which means 'ribbed' or 'lined.'

11. It's tapped in a pub : ALE KEG. was tricky with both words.

12. Black as night, e.g. : SIMILE

13. Bother : HASSLE

18. Lavish parties : DO'S. not sure i've heard it used that way.

21. Mar. honoree : ST. PAT. saint patrick's day - great excuse for a party.

22. Party spinners, briefly : DJ'S. and 57A. 22-Down's vinyls : LP'S

23. "I'm really impressed!" : OOOH

24. Simone of jazz : NINA

25. When repeated, squeals : NAMES. such a tricky clue. 'names names,' as in the huac hearings. several good movies made about the subject: guilty by suspicion with robert de niro, citizen cohn with james woods, and the front, with woody allen (don't click if you're offended by bad language).

29. Beloved princess : DIANA. her absence was sad at prince william's wedding.

30. "Monsters, __" : INC

31. Cardinal letters : STL. is that the official abbreviation on the scoreboard?

32. Friend of Fidel : CHE. fidel castro and ernesto “che” guevara.

34. "Animal Farm" et al. : NOVELLAS. longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel.

35. Work code subject : DRESS. dress code.

36. Letterman rival : LENO.

37. Sharon of "Boston Public" : LEAL. another show i've never seen, have never heard of this actress.

40. Pipe shape : ELL

41. Leisurely walk : STROLL

42. Republic of China capital : TAIPEI

43. Bond girl Britt of "The Man With the Golden Gun" : EKLAND

44. Without thinking : BY ROTE. rote memory.

45. Like some retired racehorses : AT STUD

47. Gardeners, at times : HOERS

48. __ Park, Colorado : ESTES

49. Allergic reaction : ACHOO. bless you.

50. Alt. spelling : VAR. alternate / variant.

54. Java : JOE. coffee.

55. Gran- suffix : ULE. granule.

56. Architect Maya __ : LIN. did not know the name of this woman who, at age 21, designed the vietnam veteran's war memorial.

Answer grid.

Melissa

Tuesday, July 12, 2011 Bill Thompson

Theme: Brew - The last word of the first four theme entries can follow(chase) BEER.

17A. Type of government spending typified by the Bridge to Nowhere : PORK BARREL. Beer barrel.

25A. "Two Tickets to Paradise" singer : EDDIE MONEY. Clip.(3:56) BEER MONEY - Some extra money not needed for essential payments, which is available for spending on luxuries, hobbies, or simply going out for a beer. It is like "pin money".

37A. (At) maximum capacity : FULL BLAST. BEER BLAST - A large, usually boisterous party at which beer is the sole or principal beverage and is consumed in large quantities.

51A. Classic candy bean : JELLY BELLY. Beer belly

62A. Brew after a shot (and, in a way, what the end of 17-, 25-, 37-, or 51-Across can be) : BEER CHASER

Argyle here. Not as impressive as yesterday's but ok. Very similar lay-outs.

Across:

1. Detective Pinkerton : ALLAN. Maybe C.C.has some insight on this gentleman.

6. Bug-eyed with excitement : AGOG

10. Formally give up : CEDE

14. Let, as a flat : LEASE

15. Place for doves, not hawks : COTE. A small shelter for pigeons, sheep, etc

16. x or y line : AXIS

19. Tach measures: Abbr. : RPMs

20. Very old: Abbr. : ANC.ient

21. More furtive : SLIER

22. Disco __ : ERA

23. Unlike Wabash College : CO-ED. One of the few remaining liberal arts colleges for men only. Crawfordsville, IN, northwest of Indianapolis.

29. "Gunsmoke" star James : ARNESS. Here with his brother, Peter Graves.

31. "We're outta here!" : "LET'S GO!". See 25-Across.

32. Doctor's request : SAY, "AH"

33. Studio warning : ON AIR

36. Long, long time : EON

40. "Because I said so!" elicitor : "WHY?"

43. Bad time for a procrastinator : TODAY. "Never do today what you can put off till tomorrow." Then repeat.

44. Planet's path : ORBIT

48. Big honey brand : SUE BEE. Image.

50. Fishing line tangles : SNARLS

55. Michelle of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" : YEOH. Image.

56. 57-Across brand : LEE

57. Casual pants : JEANS

59. Bird: Prefix : AVI

60. Flat-topped rise : MESA

64. Poet Khayyám : OMAR

65. Beige shade : ECRU

66. Absorb a loss, slangily : EAT IT

67. Responsibility : DUTY

68. Eyelid affliction : STYE

69. Spars on board : MASTS. No, not a shipboard donnybrook.

Down:

1. Llama relatives : ALPACAs. "Are you lookin' at me?"

2. "Il Trovatore" soprano : LEONORA. The character's name.

3. Grand or petit crime : LARCENY

4. Look for answers : ASK

5. Birds' bills : NEBS

6. Pungent : ACRID

7. Injured in the bullring : GORED. Film at 11:00, you don't want to see this at breakfast.

8. "SNL" alum Cheri : OTERI. Cheri Oteri Pictures.

9. Hair-holding goo : GEL

10. Metaphorical incentive : CARROT. Image. Maybe a new hat would be a better incentive.

11. Broad area : EXPANSE

12. Lower, as lights : DIM

13. Twisting shape : ESS

18. Quaffs in tankards : ALES

22. Rock music's __, Lake & Palmer : EMERSON

24. Unwilling to listen : DEAF

26. "Splendor in the Grass" director Kazan : ELIA. 1961 film.

27. Self-esteem : EGO

28. Over there, to Milton : YON

30. Sleep, informally : SHUT-EYE

33. Like the hills? : OLDer than the hills.

34. Miami Heat gp. : NBA. Basketball

35. Prince __ Khan : ALY

38. Leopold's co-defendant : LOEB. Killers. Do you notice a dark tone to this puzzle?

39. Butler's carrying aid : TRAY

40. N.Y. financial paper : WSJ. The Wall Street Journal.

41. Color : HUE

42. Bawls out : YELLS AT

45. Chicken choices : BREASTS. This should bring out Dennis and/or Lois.

46. "That's perfect as is!" : "I LOVE IT!"

47. Casual tops : T-SHIRTS

49. Clouded, as vision : BLEARY

50. Harmony : SYNC

52. Unique button in 007's Aston Martin : EJECT. One way to get rid of pesky passengers.

53. Suspicious : LEERY. What you should be if James Bond offers you a ride.

54. Oater star Lash : LARUE. Popular western motion picture star of the 1940s and 1950s. He had exceptional skill with the bullwhip.

58. Noah's firstborn : SHEM

60. Stylish, in the '60s : MOD

61. Outback runner : EMU

62. Teachers' degs. : BEs. Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.)

63. Little battery : AAA

Answer grid.

Argyle

Note from C.C.:

Happy 81st Birthday to dear Sallie!

Monday, July 11, 2011 Ed Sessa

Theme: I'm Not Angry - But all of the theme answers start with a synonym for angry. (What husband hasn't heard, "I'm not angry. Why should I be angry?")

17A. Rhetorical question on a sultry day : "HOT ENOUGH FOR YOU?"

26A. Shellfish order : STEAMED CLAMS. Next Sunday is our family reunion. Steamed clams and BBQ chicken. Um-m-m.

38. Pitcher's malady : SORE ARM

48A. Off one's rocker : MAD AS A HATTER. Hat makers worked with mercury and it caused them to appear mad. Other possible derivations.

63A. What you're solving (in more ways than one, based on the starts of 17-, 26-, 38- and 48-Across) : CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Argyle here. Interesting unifier. The word CROSS is a synonym for angry, the theme words are "CROSS WORDS" and the answer to the clue is "CROSSWORD PUZZLE". Two spanners, two almost(12) and a compact center = happy Monday; good job, Ed.

Across:

1. Cookie quantity : BATCH. The Santa in me wanted a PLATE.

6. Partner of a mani, salon-wise : PEDIcure

10. "Dancing Queen" group : ABBA

14. Hawaiian hi : ALOHA

15. Neural conductor : AXON

16. Area outside the city, briefly : BURB. Shortened form of suburb.

20. Appear to be : SEEM

21. Illness suffix : OSIS. Halitosis(bad breath) being one of the less serious ones.

22. Blood lines : VEINS

23. Enjoy a chaise longue, say : LAZE add 31A. Striped cat : TABBY and you get this.

25. Subtlety : NUANCE

32. __ polloi : HOI

33. Deck swabbers : TARS. Sailors.

37. Cavity fillers' org. : ADA. American Dental Association.

42. Tennis do-over : LET

43. "Sexual Healing" singer Marvin : GAYE

45. Meaning of a wd. : DEFinition.

46. Shrek's love : FIONA

52. Boutonniere spots : LAPELS. Image.

55. Striped fish : BASS

56. Earthy tone : OCHRE

57. Lion's den : LAIR

59. West Point, e.g.: Abbr. : ACAD.. West Point, The United States Military Academy home.

66. Lottery-like game : KENO

67. Look at leeringly : OGLE

68. Italian white wine : SOAVE. Soave is a small comune of the Veneto region in the Province of Verona. Map.

69. Original sin site : EDEN

70. Carpenter's supply : WOOD. Hey, Splynter.

71. U.S.-Canada defense acronym : NORAD. North American Aerospace Defense Command. They're the ones always tracking me in December.

Down:

1. Scroogean outbursts : BAHS. In 'Dickensesque' writings.

2. Natural balm : ALOE

3. Shopping bag : TOTE

4. Class with flasks and beakers : CHEM LAB

5. Solo in "Star Wars" : HAN. In the handy 'take-home size'.

6. Stopped briefly : PAUSED

7. Vet : EX-GI

8. Homer Simpson outbursts : D'OHs

9. Having one flat, musically : IN F. ?

10. How lovers walk : ABREAST

11. Poker tournament entrance fee : BUY IN

12. Rodeo bucker : BRONC

13. Nasty treatment : ABUSE

18. Slimy stuff : OOZE

19. Latin egg : OVUM

24. Writers Lowell and Tan : AMYs

25. Neet rival : NAIR

26. Party without women : STAG

27. Exclamation with a flourish : "TA-DA!"

28. Cybermarketplace : E-BAY

29. Master slicers and dicers : CHEFS

30. Hawaii's Mauna __ : LOA. Volcano.

34. Scads : A LOT

35. Russo of "Get Shorty" : RENE. With Gene Hackman, Danny DeVito, and John Travolta.

36. Marquee luminary : STAR

39. Las Vegas numbers : ODDS

40. "The Crying Game" actor Stephen : REA

41. Advanced degs. for writers : MFAs. A Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of study beyond the bachelor's degree.

44. "Nature" author : EMERSON. Ralph Waldo.

47. "What craziness!" : "IT'S A ZOO!"

49. Brewpub pints : ALES

50. Tolerated : ABIDED

51. Heavenly music maker : HARP

52. "Social contract" philosopher John : LOCKE

53. Like a big landowner : ACRED. It's in the dictionary, but not in common use.

54. Call up : PHONE

57. Nike's Swoosh, e.g. : LOGO. Lego Logo.

58. Folk singer Guthrie : ARLO

60. Drug kingpin : CZAR

61. Edison's middle name : ALVA

62. Ownership document : DEED

64. "Golly!" : "WOW!"

65. Mil. branch with ships : USN. United States Navy.

Answer grid.

Argyle

Note from C.C.:

Here are two more "Hard to Believe" pictures. Tell me who do you think the cool guy is. (Added later: Yes, it's Spitzboov!)

Sunday July 10, 2011 Julian Lim

Theme: 4 x 4 - Each theme entry consists of 4 words, each word consisting of 4 letters.

23A. "We'll find out in due course" : ONLY TIME WILL TELL. This and its symmetrical partner are my favorite pair.

39A. Hotel ad phrase : HOME AWAY FROM HOME

53A. "Stay alert!" : KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN

72A. Act rashly : LEAD WITH ONE'S CHIN

88A. Cry to players in hiding : OLLY OLLY OXEN FREE

106A. Often skeptical words of encouragement : GOOD LUCK WITH THAT. Just excellent.

Again, very long answers, hence only 6 theme entries. It'd be awesome if every word in the theme entries has one syllable. Might be an impossible task. Already tough job for the constructor to ferret out the ones we have today.

Several great long non-theme Down entries:

4D. Swimming and diving, e.g. : OLYMPIC SPORTS. Very seldom do we see a 13-letter non-theme fill.

16D. Petrify : TURN TO STONE. 11s are rare too.

57D. Like hobnobbers : WELL-CONNECTED

63D. It was once described as an "odious column of bolted metal" : EIFFEL TOWER. Lovely.

Also several fill for Dennis:

60A. Brilliant bunch : MENSA. He's the cleverest Dummy I know of.

68A. Japanese canine : AKITA. He owned one.

41D. Watch for the wealthy : ROLEX. He's wearing one.

All in all, a solid grid. Quite a few names, but none obscure.

Across:

1. '50s pin curls style, e.g. : UPDO

5. Sean Combs, on stage : P. DIDDY. So flashy.

11. Things of beauty : GEMs

15. Ratatouille, e.g. : STEW

19. Stick-up stash : HAUL

20. Mumbai garments : SAREES. Or SARIS.

21. Stratford's river : AVON

22. "Reason is ... the slave of the passions" writer : HUME (David). Not familiar with this line.

26. Idle in show biz : ERIC. Eric Idle.

27. 2002 hit for Cam'ron : HEY MA. Well, Avg Joe might know this song. I've got no idea.

28. "Junebug" Oscar nominee Adams : AMY. She is very talented. Pretty too.

29. "That __ fair!" : ISN'T

30. Divine food : MANNA. I wonder what it tastes that.

31. Ramble on : PRATE

33. Thumper's pal : BAMBI. Thumper is a rabbit.

35. Near the end : LATTER.

36. One who harnesses the power of midi-chlorians : JEDI. "Star Wars".

42. Throws out : EVICTS

44. Senate passings : BILLs

45. Fancy moldings : OGEEs.

46. Sunshine __: old detergent : RINSO

47. Bug : GERM

48. Letter-shaped track : T-SLOT. No idea. Carpenter term, Splynter/Jerome?

50. Big initials in comedy syndication : TBS

57. It may be spun : WOOL. Not TALE/YARN.

58. "What a klutz I am!" : OOPS

59. Ricoh competitor : XEROX

61. Applies, as effort : EXERTS

64. Dummkopf : HALF-WIT. Dummkopf is a new word to me. Dumm = Dumb. Koph = Head.

67. Grade of beef : SELECT

69. Cruise, for one : CELEB. Tom Cruise. And SEA (87D. Cruise milieu).

70. "The Baroque Cycle" sci-fi author Stephenson : NEAL. Stranger to me. Has anyone read the clued book?

71. Linesmen's co-workers : REFs

79. Disturbing bank letters : NSF. Disturbing indeed.

80. Far from mega- : MICRO

81. Crafted, as a tale : WOVE

82. French wine valley : LOIRE

83. Town in a Carlo Levi title : EBOLI. "Christ Stopped at Eboli" .

85. "Had __ and couldn't ..." : A WIFE

87. Subject involving subjects : SYNTAX. Oh, sentence.

93. Starling's home : NEST

94. Ragtag : MOTLEY

95. Author Blyton et al. : ENIDs

96. Airbus product : PLANE

98. Treat as taboo : AVOID

99. City near Anaheim : BREA. Spanish for "tar".

100. You might give him the business : SON. Clever clue.

101. Ghana's capital : ACCRA

105. Cut down : HEWN

110. Downwind : ALEE

111. Not loose : SNUG

112. "The Ministry of Fear" author : GREENE (Graham). Here is the book cover. I bet it's a gimme for Lemonade.

113. __ Indies : EAST

114. Some paparazzi gear, briefly : SLRs

115. Carry : TOTE

116. Sunshine cookie : HYDROX. Is it still on the market?

117. Time of reckoning : D-DAY

Down:

1. "Trouble's a-comin'!" : UH OH

2. Stained-glass piece : PANE

3. How some things are noted : DULY. Duly noted.

5. Penultimate Greek letter : PSI

6. 1980s-'90s New York senator : DAMATO (Alfonse)

7. Coming-back words : I REMEMBER. Oh, this coming-back.

8. Like a field at sunrise : DEWY

9. Opus __: "The Da Vinci Code" sect : DEI

10. Pricey handbag inits. : YSL

11. Carraway's Long Island neighbor, in classic fiction : GATSBY. The Great Gatsby.

12. Supposing : EVEN IF

13. Jump out of one's skin? : MOLT. Fun clue.

14. Show with '70s samurai sketches, briefly : SNL

15. Put away, as a dagger : SHEATHE

17. "Love the Way You Lie" rapper : EMINEM. Weird song name.

18. Words of support : WE CARE

24. Driveway option : TAR

25. Beans that are a good source of manganese : LIMAs. Boomer loves lima beans.

30. "Wag the Dog" co-screenwriter : MAMET (David). Drew a blank.

32. Wistful sounds : AHs

33. Mild : BALMY

34. Belt maker's tool : AWL

35. Start using Facebook, say : LOG ON

36. Weightlifting move : JERK

37. Songwriter Sands : EVIE. Stumped me last time.

38. Eat in style : DINE

40. Seamus Heaney's homeland : EIRE. Seamus Heaney won Nobel literature in 1995, a la Wiki.

43. Matrix automaker : TOYOTA

47. Grissom of NASA : GUS. And 89D. Apollo 13 astronaut : LOVELL (Jim)

48. Semicircular moldings : TORI. Plural of torus like this. Think donuts.

49. Concern for Lady Macbeth : SPOT

51. Pear from Europe : BOSC

52. Bedframe part : SLAT

54. Psy-__: military propaganda, etc. : OPs

55. Like Deep Throat : EX-FBI. I'm glad Deep Throat revealed himself in the end.

56. Work on seams : SEW

60. Pitifully small : MEASLY

61. Take home : EARN

62. Vintage Jags : XKEs

64. Get wind of : HEAR

65. Gucci of fashion : ALDO. Did names give you trouble today?

66. "Ben-Hur" author Wallace : LEW

67. Date : SEE

69. Director DeMille : CECIL

70. Richmond-to-D.C. dir. : NNE

72. Evangeline __, who played Kate on "Lost" : LILLY. Looks familiar.

73. Target Field team : TWINS. My poor Twins!

74. "The Tao of Pooh" author : HOFF (Benjamin). I forgot.

75. Prove too strong for : OVERPOWER

76. "Women and Love" author Shere : HITE

77. Income sources for some srs. : IRAs

78. Subsequent : NEXT

80. Acted bullish? : MOOED. You comment, Windhover!

84. Writing credits : BYLINEs

85. Like a saucer's symmetry : AXIAL

86. Tie the knot : WED

88. Nebraska tribe members : OMAHAS

90. Bad news from home? : YER OUT! My favorite clue today.

91. Skittish : ON EDGE

92. Monsoon-affecting phenomenon : EL NINO

97. "I'll pass" : NAH

99. U2's lead vocalist : BONO

100. RR station posting : SKED (Schedule)

102. Niger neighbor : CHAD

103. Tabula __ : RASA

104. Trial fig. : ATTY

106. Clock std. : GST. What does this mean? I wanted GMT.

107. "How icky!" : UGH

108. Break down : CRY

109. Where Odessa is: Abbr. : TEX. Not UKR.

Answer grid.

Happy Birthday to my Lao Shi Don "Hard G"!

C.C.

Saturday, July 9, 2011 Doug Peterson

Theme: None

Words: 70

Blocks: 28

Wow~! - Considering the fine and challenging offers from our "Corner Constructors" of the last two days, I smoked this puzzle, without a single hesitation, and only one quick review to find my one-letter goof. We have seen Doug before on Saturday, his last being the duo with Barry Silk.

A nearly a 'pinwheel' symmetrical puzzle, with triple stacks of 10 in each "arm" - just a black square off in the NE and SW.

Onward~!

Splynter

ACROSS:

1. It may be picked : BASS GUITAR - I actually switched to the DOWNS first, but once I had _SS G_, I pretty much got it - I play, but use a pick more often then the finger or slap technique

11. Revival figs. : EMTs - nice misdirection, human revivers, Emergency Medical Technicians

15. Sly role, as a rule : ACTION HERO - Sylvester "Sly" Stallone, in movies such as Rambo, Cliffhanger, etc. - I still want to see "The Expendables" with "ALL" the action heroes.

16. Fly on the river, perhaps : LURE

17. One who might steal kisses : CHOCOHOLIC - those little Hershey kisses here

18. Protected from buffeting : ALEE - Saturday level cluing for this word

19. Shorten, in a way : HEW

20. Smoking choice : PIPE

21. Big name in test preparation : KAPLAN - Here

23. Certain surfer's power source : KITE - I would rather sail my Hobie Cat than do this

24. Stands in a field? : COPSES

25. Choice cut : T-BONE

28. Dealt with loose ends : MOPPED UP

30. Shadow removers : RAZOR BLADES - "5 o'clock shadow" for the hirsute man

33. Treasure State motto word : ORO

34. Intaglio stone : ONYX - Here

35. Not as refined : RUDER - I had rawer to start

36. Times to get ready : EVES

37. "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." producer : MGM - a WAG with the -G- there

38. Sinuous storytellers : HULA DANCERS - show me your links ~!

40. One of the noble metals : PLATINUM - nailed it; also Gold et. al.

42. Champion, for one : HORSE - I got it, but didn't know who Champion was....

43. Absinthe flavorings : ANISES

44. Chicago's __ House : HULL - Here's the story

46. Out there to the max : ODDEST

47. Tightly : FAST - meh, not sure about this

48. NASCAR no. : RPM

51. Doce halved : SEIS

52. "You Should Be Dancing" group : THE BEE GEES

55. Pre-bar letters : LSAT

56. Trying to get close to : ESTIMATING

57. Extremely : OHSO

58. Cops often take them at crime scenes : STATEMENTS - Huge Law & Order fan, usually this segment comes right after the first commercial break

 DOWN:

1. "Little Organ Book" composer : BACH - Four-letter organ composer?

2. Not quite smart? : ACHE - Loved this, reminds me of this

3. Put away : STOW

4. Disclaimer in a quote : SIC - most often brakceted [sic] like this....

5. More likely to ooze : GOOPIER

6. Like a pitch that's taken, ironically : UNHIT

7. "My wish is ..." : I HOPE

8. Tubby leader? : TELE - Tele-tubbies, those pastel colored things

9. 1968 newlywed, familiarly : ARI - I had LIZ at first, a WAG at Elizabeth Taylor

10. Pink Floyd's "The Wall," e.g. : ROCK OPERA

11. Slip by : ELAPSE

12. Chewed on : MULLED OVER

13. Balancing pros : TREASURERS - well-clued

14. Caught, in a way : SEEN

22. Useful downloads : APPS

23. First U.S. secretary of war (for whom a fort was named) : KNOX

24. Put into bars, say : CODED

25. Defeat badly : TROMP

26. East Pakistan, today : BANGLADESH

27. Sonnet likely inspired by Ramses the Great : OZYMANDIAS - One and the same

28. Chair's title, at times : MADAM

29. Sheriff's outfit : POSSE

31. Gentlemen's second choices? : BRUNETTES - Well, now, they happen to be this gentleman's FIRST choice

32. Corkers : LULUs

36. Sierra Club subj. : ECOL. - Ecology, hear here ~!

38. Sign of an escape? : HISS - as air from a punctured tire

39. Devils, e.g. : NHL TEAM - New Jersey - I will root for them if the NY Rangers aren't on

41. Words with organized crime : TIES TO - Another L&O reference, as in "Biegel has ties to the Masucci family..." ( I had tieD to, my only boo-boo )

44. Order clothes : HABIT - I had ROBES to start here

45. "I'm yours to command" : USE ME - I think of the lyrics here at 0:58

46. Vigeland Sculpture Park city : OSLO - Images

47. Crumbly topping : FETA - cheese, on salads, etc

48. Arabian checker : REIN - Arabian, the horse, but not Champion

49. Shut (up) : PENT

50. In-box queue: Abbr. : MSGS

53. Fair Deal initials : HST - Harry S. Truman

54. Former comm. giant : GTE - I remember these guys

Answer grid.

See ya next time ~!

Splynter

Friday July 8, 2011 Don Gagliardo and C.C. Burnikel

Theme: Twisted NEWS, North, East, West, South describing the DIRECTION of the fill. Each of the ten (10!) theme answers represent a way to read, West to east (left to right); east to west (right to left) ; north to south (top to bottom) and south to north (bottom to top). See a simple diagram here. English for example is East, Hebrew West, Chinese South ,and ancient Korean North. What an wonderfully creative grid, which really makes you shake up your thought process and see things upside down and backwards. All theme answers are connected by the clecho: APT. And the answers flow around the edge of the grid.

Lemonade here, and we have back to back corner denizen puzzles, so let us see what the dynamic duo have wrought.

1A. Aptly, Chinese, e.g.: ASIAN. East Asian. The inscrutable East and an immediate shout out to C.C.'s heritage.

6A. Aptly, Park Avenue area: SIDE. The East Side of Manhattan; everything west of Fifth avenue is West Side, everything east...

10A. Aptly, New Jersey beach phenomenon: WIND. East wind. The wind blowing to the ocean. They even named an airline based in Trenton, EASTWIND AIRLINES.

37A. "Apt" geographical element needed to complete the answers to 10 of this puzzle's clues: DIRECTION. The unifier smack dab in the middle.

67A. Aptly, Israeli-occupied territory: KNAB. The West Bank, written right to left as Israelis and Arabs alike do.

68A. Aptly, Oval Office site: GNIW. The West Wing of the White House and a long running TV show. Also, present occupant accused of moving the country from right to left.

69A. Aptly, Hollywood locale: TSAOC. The West Coast, California here I come.

1D. Aptly, about 5 percent of the Earth's surface: ACIREMA. North America, bottom to top.

13D. Aptly, Pierre's state: DAKOTA. South Dakota, read top to bottom. Pierre is the capital.

45D. Aptly, "Happy Talk" musical: PACIFIC. South Pacific, the Broadway Musical.

46D. Aptly, Pyongyang resident: NAEROK. North Korean form this CITY .

Across:

14. Treinta ÷ seis: CINCO. Thirty divided by six equals five, Spanish lesson 1.

15. Some Neruda works: ODES. CA has given us some of PABLO NERUDA'S work.

16. Conscription category: ONE-A. Draft status.

17. "What else __?": IS NEW. The structure of this puzzle is new.

18. Tour de force: FEAT. A major accomplishment, like have a puzzle published.

19. Terrible: WACK. This is such a cool clue, really current slang meaning awful, slowly derived from wacky, with the "H" removed to distinguish it from whacked, the mob version of killed.

20. Bona fide: REAL. Literally in good faith in Latin.

21. Wall makeup, maybe: STONES. Gee, I thought PINK FLOYD sang this SONG .

23. Intl. commerce group: WTO. World Trade Organization.

24. Anger: ENRAGE. I hope none of you were put off by the extra layer of thought required to solve this puzzle.

26. Main vessel: SEA BOAT. Once again, the bounding main, and a beautiful PAINTING.

28. '60s chic: MOD. MEMORIES?

29. Virgil contemporary: OVID. A Roman poet, who had his own course back when I was studying Latin. Speaking of Latin, 32A. Earth, to 29-Across: TERRA. And, 33A. 29-Across's "__ amatoria": ARS. The Art of Love, which you can read part of translated for you in this LINK. I guess it would be a Friday so I could give a little Latin Lesson.

34. Contradict: BELIE.

36. Pop-ups, perhaps: ADS. Does anyone not have a pop-up blocker?

40. Diamond stat: RBI. Baseball, not gemstone.

42. Assault: STORM. I always associate this usage with a tower.

43. Spot in a poker game: PIP. The little things there are three of on a trey.

46. Isn't far from reaching: NEARS.

48. Like some blog comments: Abbr.: ANON. Another great inside joke from our constructors; I feel like I am watching an episode of the old George Burns and Gracie Allen Show.

49. Peruvian pronoun: ESA. Feminine, ESO, masculine.

50. "So soon?": ALREADY. You are back, oh oh.

53. Kind of acid: NITRIC. A highly corrosive acid; horrible. Want to make SOME?

55. Width measure: EEE. My clue Bigfoot?

56. Relax: GO EASY.

59. European wine area: ASTI.

60. "Shoot!": RATS. This was tricky for me.

62. Relative position: RANK. When I started practicing law in Gainesville many years ago, the old southerners would call me Colonel. Not sure why lawyers were so ranked, but I wanted to get a cigar and go cook some fried chicken.

63. "... __ of Bread ...": A LOAF. " A jug of wine, a loaf of bread and thou." A small piece of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, and a classic example of ARS AMATORIA.

64. "__ take arms against a sea ...": Hamlet: OR TO. I do loves me my Shakespeare.

"To be, or not to be, that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them? To die, to sleep,
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache, and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to: 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep."

65. Prado display: ARTE. Oops we slipped into Spanish again; this is the premier MUSEUM in Madrid.

66. Morels, e.g.: FUNGI. The perfect inside DF reference from our fearless leader, understood by only the corner, but like the PICTURE we all stand fully at attention to salute you in our best Dennis mode.

No rest though, we have more

Down:

2. Latin agreement: SI SENOR. Tricky, not that Latin, the other one. Yes mister!

3. Machine makeup, informally: INNARDS. Guts to me.

4. Amtrak's bullet train: ACELA . Any of you remaining New Englanders ridden it?

5. Word of impatience: NOW. "I want it on my desk...."

6. Lax: SOFT.

7. Prefix with logical: IDEO. IDEOLOGICAL. I wonder why this was not clued Logical head, to lead into....

8. Heads with lists: DEANS. Department heads who put out the List of Honor Students.

9. Big name in compacts: ESTEE. Lauder the make up queen.

10. Eye-popper response: WOW. My favorite, wowee kazowee.

11. Succinctly: IN A WORD. Very succinctly.

12. Bee drawers: NECTARS. No not little bitty knickers but the plant yummies from which bees make their honey.

21. Break off: SEVER. Like diplomatic ties.

22. Warmed the bench: SAT. Yes this (benchwarmer) was my position when I played basketball.

25. "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" setting: GOBI. Chinese: 戈壁, pinyin: Gēbì. Another China reference, and a multi-award winning movie which I found difficult to follow.

27. Certain counter's unit?: BEAN. Bean counter, our euphemism for an accountant.

30. Quebec's Sept-__: ILES. The northernmost seaport in Quebec Province. LINK .

31. Orders: DICTA. From the Latin, I have given you my dicta speech before.

35. Thames landmark: ETON. Crosswordese.

36. Urgent: DIRE. Like STRAITS.

38. It may be dramatic: IRONY. One of many popular literary devices.

39. Luxury hotel: OMNI. They had them in Miami and Atlanta.

40. Freshen one's familiarity with: RELEARN.

41. '70s Robert Blake cop show: BARETTA. Look for his new reality show co-starring Casey Anthony.

43. Public projection: PERSONA. My sarcasm leaves often, non grata.

44. "Are we in?": IS IT A GO. A nice Naddorish misdirection of letters.

47. Slump: SAG.

51. Trendy headgear: DO RAG. I am not sure they are still in.

52. Long: YEARN. I'm burning, yearning for your loving.

54. Foot bone: TALUS. Ankle bone, and the name of Dr. Who's ship?

57. Objector : ANTI. Latin meaning against.

58. Slant, as to a specific audience: SKEW.

61. Graveside sound: SOB. My first thought was why would someone call another an SOB at a graveside.

63. Popeye's behind?: AFT. The sailor man's rear of the ship. Love this clue, what a great laugh to end what for me has been a great ride, with a really creative visual puzzle. Until next time.

Answer grid.

Lemonade

1) Constructors' note:

I thought it would be fun to make a theme taking advantage of directional heading of the edge words in the grid. As is usually the case with collaborating, we (mostly Don) developed a central unifier CLOCKWISE, which was changed to DIRECTION at Rich's suggestion. The number of words that can follow the headings are rather limited. We were lucky to get them to join in the corners. Filling was weird at spots, the bottom and left-edge words can be somewhat disorienting.

2) Here is another Hard to Believe picture. Tell in the Comments section who do you think that sweet boy is.