Wednesday, Nov 9 2011, Mark Bickham

theme: YIN AND YANG- all the theme entries are in the pattern of A B AND C, both "A B" & "B AND C" are common phrases.

16A. Recommendations at the salon : HAIR-DOS AND DON'TS. anyone remember the episode of mary tyler moore with mary's 'hair bump?'

21A. Intricacies of cells : PHONE-INS AND OUTS

34A. Attributes at the links : GOLF-PROS AND CONS

51A. Vicissitudes of cargo space : HOLD-UPS AND DOWNS. a vicissitude is an alternation between opposite or contrasting things.

57A. Miscellany of benevolence? : GOOD-ODDS AND ENDS

melissa here. in buddhism, the four vicissitudes, or 'worldly winds' are praise & blame, gain & loss, pleasure & pain, and fame & disrepute. self-explanatory theme, but the clues were quite tricky. on the other hand (get it?), the non-theme clues seemed a bit on the easy side.

lots of artsy references today (theater, literature, and music), which i've highlighted in blue, just for fun.

across:

1. It may be shown to an usher : STUB

5. Flying Disney critter : DUMBO

10. Semi compartment : CAB. truck.

13. Like a firelit room on a cold night : COZY.

14. 1992-'93 NBA Rookie of the Year : O'NEAL. shaquille.

15. Apollo's org. : NASA

19. Greatly smacked of : OOZED

20. At the right time : ON CUE

26. Gloss target : LIP

27. Collector's goal : SET. c.c. collects baseball memorabilia, any other collectors out there?

28. Roleo roller : LOG. we had this word recently - log rolling competition.

29. Word with weight or worth : NET. many people wish their net weight decreased as much as their net worth.

30. __ Bator : ULAN. capitol and largest city in mongolia.

32. Feverish fits : AGUES. ague - a fever (as malaria) marked by paroxysms of chills, fever, and sweating that recur at regular intervals.

41. Exams for future attys. : LSATS

42. "As __ saying ..." : I WAS

43. Airport safety org. : TSA. transportation security administration.

46. Brit. record label : EMI. electric and musical industries, ltd. one of the 'big four' record companies, along with universal music group, sony music entertainment, and warner music group.

47. Hugs, symbolically : OOO. x's and o's.

50. Crew tool : OAR

55. 11th-century Spanish hero : EL CID. in case you're curious.

56. Jacket material : TWEED

63. Not for : ANTI

64. Levels : TIERS

65. Talk show host Banks : TYRA.

66. LAPD rank : SGT

67. One in a black suit : SPADE. playing cards.

68. Site of Charon's ferry : STYX. river in greek mythology. the band styx was named after this river - vocalist dennis deyoung says it was the only name "that none of us hated."

down:

1. PTA meeting place : SCH. school.

2. __ fault: excessively : TO A

3. Action film weapon : UZI

4. "She Walks in Beauty" poet : BYRON. there's your CUE, clear ayes.

5. Lollapalooza : DOOZIE. also an annual music festival.

6. Like some angry email, wisely : UNSENT

7. Honey beverages : MEADS

8. Shut out : BAN

9. __ Spice aftershave : OLD. the smell makes me think of my dad.

10. Yucatán resort : CANCUN

11. Sharp as a tack : ASTUTE

12. Most abject : BASEST

15. It's verboten : NO-NO

17. Mates for bucks : DOES

18. Didn't exactly answer, as a question : DODGED. most politicians make an art of it.

21. Advertisement : PLUG

22. Hawaii's __ Bay : HILO. who's been there?

23. Birthstone after sapphire : OPAL. september is sapphire, opal is october. any opals here?

24. Pond plant : ALGA. this makes jeannie and me think of sam gribley in 'my side of the mountain,' and his alga experiments.

25. It may be proper : NOUN

31. Org. for Bucs and Jags : NFL

32. Biblical mount : ASS

33. Biol., e.g. : SCI

35. False start? : PSEUDO. nice.

36. Wheelchair access : RAMP

37. Bluesman Redding : OTIS. sittin' at the doc of the bay.

38. "Man, that hurts!" : OW OW

39. Asian bread : NAAN

40. Old red states?: Abbr. : SSR'S. soviet socialist republic.

43. Something to step on while driving : THE GAS

44. "Bye" : SO LONG

45. "Little Women" author : ALCOTT

47. Leader's exhortation : ONWARD

48. Danish seaport : ODENSE

49. Had too much, briefly : OD'ED

52. Gogo's pal, in "Waiting for Godot" : DIDI. samuel beckett play.

53. Sailing, say : AT SEA. yesterday it was clued as 'bewildered.'

54. "Awake and Sing!" playwright : ODETS

58. Souse's syndrome : DT'S. delirium tremens, latin for shaking frenzy.

59. Party bowlful : DIP

60. "All the news that's fit to print" initials : NYT. new york times motto.

61. Prohibitionist : DRY. among other things.

62. Jazz combo horn : SAX. ha, last wednesday we had sacks, sachs, saks and sax.

to finish off, today's perfect 'theme' song: opposites attract.

answer grid.

melissa

Tuesday, November 8, 2011 Donna S. Levin

Theme: Auto Body Basics - Four minor imperfections to your car's finish that can finish your deductible.

17A. Cocktail party mouthful : CHIP AND DIP

25A. 1950s kiddie show hosted by "Miss Frances" : DING DONG SCHOOL

43A. They frequently shoot par or better : SCRATCH GOLFERS

58A. Very last moment : NICK OF TIME

Argyle here. A tight theme but the range of fill, oh my! From "Miss Frances" to an R&B artist. And out of the blue, a pun. All in all, a strange Tuesday but what is your take on it?

Across:

1. Argentine dance : TANGO

6. Move a little : STIR

10. Peak measurement: Abbr. : ELEV. Elevation

14. Abraham nearly sacrificed him : ISAAC

15. Right-hand person : AIDE

16. Curtain material : LACE

19. Unsullied : PURE

20. Woo with a tune : SERENADE

21. Fill, as a moving van : LOAD UP

23. Swallowed : ATE

24. New Mexico art community : TAOS

33. Dundee demurrals : NAEs. The fourth-largest city in Scotland is Dundee.

34. Horror film franchise : SAW. Started with "Saw" (short film)(2003) and now is in "Saw 3-D"(2010).

36. "So Sick" R&B artist : NE-YO. Clip.(3:29)

37. Collect compulsively : HOARD

39. It may begin with "Knock knock" : JOKE

40. Bird that can hold its coffee? : ERN. A homophone for URN. A pun of a sea eagle as a coffee pot leaves me 32A. Bewildered : AT SEA

41. Many Christmas trees : FIRS

42. Steakhouse order : FILET

47. Word often sighed : ALAS

48. Big Band __ : ERA

49. Whacks on the bottom : SPANKS. The Child Protective Services will investigate you nowadays.

52. On cloud nine : ECSTATIC

57. Yale Bowl rooters : ELIs. Students at Yale University.

60. List heading : TO DO

61. Buck suffix : AROO

62. Bunsen burner cousins : ETNAs

63. Did laps, perhaps : SWAM

64. Hair care products : GELS

65. Put into effect : ENACT

Down:

1. Eccentric mannerisms : TICS

2. 1968 U.S. Open champ Arthur : ASHE. Perennial tennis player on the crossword courts.

3. Solution for a hairy situation? : NAIR

4. Show astonishment : GAPE

5. National anthem in Nunavut : "O CANADA". Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999. Wikipedia link.

6. Depress : SADDEN

7. It waits for no man, purportedly : TIDE. I foolishly didn't wait for it and stuck in TIME first.

8. Dictator Amin : IDI

9. Stepped in for : REPLACED

10. Sun Bowl site : EL PASO. Texas.

11. Praise : LAUD

12. Beigelike shade : ECRU. Perennial crossword shade.

13. Prez's next-in-line : VEEP

18. Brussels-based defense gp. : NATO

22. Fireworks reactions : OOHS

24. Title of the first Fabergé egg owner : TSAR. The first Fabergé egg was crafted for Tsar Alexander III in 1885.

25. Copenhagen native : DANE

26. Anatomical canals : ITERS. A passageway that leads from one part of the body to another. Iter is Latin for "a way." As such, this is a later in the week clue and made a nasty "Natick Principal" crossing NE-YO. Oops: "Natick Principle"

27. "Bye Bye Bye" boy band : *NSYNC

28. Prefix with thermal : GEO

29. Grind together, as one's teeth : GNASH

30. "__ Mio" : O SOLE. I'm not familiar with these guys but it's one for the ladies. Clip.(3:37)

31. California hoopster : LAKER

35. Dampens : WETS

37. Run into trouble : HIT A SNAG

38. Warriors in Warcraft games : ORCS

39. The PB in a PB&J, maybe : JIF

41. Columbo portrayer : FALK. Peter.

42. Fixed price : FLAT FEE

44. Kidnapper's demand : RANSOM

45. Long-tailed tropical wall climbers : GECKOs

46. Approximately : OR SO

49. Tennis match parts : SETS

50. Oxen's burden : PLOW. Unless the beast is carrying it on its back, it's not really a burden.

51. Enslaved princess of opera : AIDA. Perennial slave girl.

52. Earth sci. : ECOL. Ecology.

53. Business envelope abbr. : ATTN. Attention.

54. Turner on stage : TINA. On stage with Mick. Live. Japan. Hot. Clip.(4:49)

55. Apple product : I-MAC

56. "__ Magnifique": Porter tune : C'EST. Jazzy clip.(1:23)

59. Anger : IRE

Answer grid.

Argyle

Monday, November 7, 2011 Jeff Chen

Theme: Dear John - Actually, a bit stronger than a Dear John letter. Hit The Road Jack.(2:20) (with The Raelettes.)(Wiki)

16A. Strike gold : HIT PAY DIRT

23A. Mythical Egyptian riddler : THE SPHINX

37A. Lane straddler : ROAD HOG

48A. Guy "nipping at your nose," in a holiday song : JACK FROST

58A. Singer of the 1961 #1 song found in the starts of 16-, 23-, 37- and 48-Across : RAY CHARLES

Argyle here, not on the road. (Note: Yes, it is the Greek SPHINX that asks the riddle but the Egyptian riddler is embedded too deeply in the crossword database to change it now.) Jeff used a diversity clues for this one. People 9, fictional characters 5, animals 10, some foreign words, but no Roman numerals. Your count may vary. How many animals do you consider the SPHINX is? (I included hot dogs as an animal.)

Across:

1. Magician's bird of choice : DOVE

5. Seattle's Best product, slangily : JAVA

9. Fall faller : LEAF. A done deal in my area.

13. Pub picks : ALES

14. Special Forces cap : BERET

15. Fairy tale starter : ONCE

18. Give __ to: approve : A NOD

19. Canadian coin nicknamed for the bird on it : LOONIE

20. Hand-waving or finger-pointing : GESTURE

22. For each : PER

25. Cornfield bird : CROW

27. Smallest prime number : TWO

28. 27-Across plus one, in Italy : TRE

29. Lines of theater seats : ROWS

30. Goes down in the west : SETS. Not what goes down in the west but the very act of so doing.

32. Debatable point : ISSUE

36. Encouragement for a matador : OLÉ

39. LAX hrs. : PST. Pacific Standard Time. When to we get there? 35D. LAX incoming hrs. : ETAs. Finally, a clue that lets you know whether it's an A or a D.

40. Welsh dog : CORGI

42. Screwball : KOOK

43. Dalai __ : LAMA

44. A bit amiss : OFF

46. "Milk" director Van Sant : GUS. This fellow.

47. Oval segments : ARCS

52. Inquire : ASK

53. Rand McNally references : ATLASES

54. Takes home from the pound : ADOPTS

57. Yogi, for one : BEAR

61. Can of worms, e.g. : BAIT

62. "Drat!" : EGADS

63. Brooks's country music partner : DUNN. American Country Countdown is hosted by Kix Brooks without his singing partner, Ronnie Dunn.

64. Sources of immediate cash: Abbr. : ATMs

65. Mends with thread : SEWS

66. FBI personnel : AGTS.

Down:

1. Author Roald : DAHL. James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr Fox....

2. Assortment : OLIO

3. President's weapon : VETO POWER

4. Station with game reports and highlights : ESPNEWS. A portmanteau of ESPN and "news", pronounced "ESPN News".

5. Clampett patriarch : JED. Made his money in oil on TV's Beverly Hillbillies.

6. Onassis patriarch : ARI. Made his money in shipping on the high seas.

7. Brink : VERGE

8. Declare to be true : ATTEST

9. Despises : LOATHES

10. Boredom : ENNUI

11. Piece of the sky, to Chicken Little : ACORN. A fable known as Chicken Little, also as Henny Penny. "The sky is falling."

12. Shipping giant : FEDEX. On land and in the air; on the high seas? not so much.

14. "Sayonara!" : "BYE!"

17. It's roughly 21% oxygen : AIR

21. Unit of parsley : SPRIG

23. Tinker with : TWEAK

24. Franks : HOT DOGS

25. Hook nemesis, for short : CROC. From Peter Pan.

26. Cylindrical caramel candy : ROLO

27. General of Chinese cuisine : TSO

31. Loud call : SHOUT

33. Auto tune-up item : SPARK PLUG

34. Camp Pendleton letters : USMC

37. Jazz licks : RIFFS

38. Approves : OKs

41. Amusement park racers : GO KARTS

43. Longtime Dodger skipper Tommy : LASORDA

45. Brittany brothers : FREREs. French.

48. Sluglike "Star Wars" crime boss : JABBA. No picture, too ugly for breakfast time.

49. Persistently bothered : ATE AT

50. Allegation : CLAIM

51. Missouri river or tribe : OSAGE

52. Cavity filler's org. : ADA. American Dental Association.

54. Blissful sighs : AHs

55. Camping shelter : TENT

56. 9-digit IDs : SSNs

59. Deviate from a course : YAW

60. DJ's stack : CDs

Answer grid.

Argyle

Sunday Nov 6, 2011 Peter Koetters

Theme: "Do or Dye Situation" (Nice title.) - The first word in each theme entry can follow "Hair".

23A. *Dangerously close call : BRUSH WITH DEATH. Hair brush.

33A. *Attachment for a paint gun : SPRAY NOZZLE. Hair spray.

51A. *Interrogator's approach : LINE OF INQUIRY. Hairline.

67A. *"Nothing to it!" : PIECE OF CAKE. Hairpiece.

81A. *Be up to snuff : CUT THE MUSTARD. Haircut.

96A. *Running back, often : BALL CARRIER. Hairball.

17D. *Greenskeeper's concern : PIN PLACEMENT. Hairpin.

61D. *Where a star prepares to shine : DRESSING ROOM. Hair dressing.

110A. Weaves, or what the starts of the starred answers are, in a way : HAIR EXTENSIONS

Had no idea where I was going until I reached 101A and was pleasantly surprised. Great unifier. It hurts to have extensions braided & glued to your own hair. But it sure looks pretty.

I just adored this theme. I bet Melissa too. Secret to thick and shiny hair often lies in your genetic make-up. But good nutrition is certainly important. Sesame seeds help. And the right brand of shampoos & conditioners.

This puzzle is a pangram. As usual, names gave me pauses.

Across:

1. Makes a short putt : TAPS IN. I'd be happy with a bogey.

7. Dabs with a towel : PATS DRY

14. Macedonian birthplace of Mother Teresa : SKOPJE. No idea. Here. Scrabbly name.

20. Fired up : AFLAME

21. Collectibles from faraway lands : EXOTICA. Some could be erotica.

22. Covets : ENVIES

25. 2010 World Series champs : GIANTS. Boomer loved the Pujols' Jack-in-the-Box I got for him.

26. Bar lineup : SHOTS

27. Derby title? : EARL. Oh, title in Derby, England.

28. Like a drumhead : TAUT

30. Fund-raising gp. : PTA

31. Autobahn distances: Abbr. : KMs

36. Do in, as the Jabberwock : SLAY

37. Glosses over : OMITS

40. Recognizes, briefly : IDs

41. DDE's challenger : AES (Adlai E Stevenson)

42. Tax pro : CPA

43. The eleventh hour : HIGH TIME. Oh? I thought it refers to the time when you're feeling high.

46. Jutland resident : DANE

48. Loses one's poker face, say : REACTS

54. Like a rational number's denominator : NON ZERO. And 64. Type of geometry : EUCLIDEAN. I sucked at math.

55. "Rocky __ to Dublin": Irish jig : ROAD

56. Major or Minor constellation : URSA

57. Leave at the altar : JILT

58. Italian possessive pronoun : MIO. "Mine" as in "O Sole Mio".

59. Wrapped up : ENDED

62. United Nations Plaza array : FLAGS

66. Onetime Italian leader Aldo : MORO. Stumper. The Italian prime minister in '60s-'70s. Was kidnapped and then murdered by a terrorist organization. Brutal.

69. "Splendor in the Grass" writer : INGE (William). Quite a heavy topic.

70. Meaty tomato : BEEFSTEAK

72. Singer Rimes : LEANN

73. Add to a database : ENTER

74. George Strait's "All My __ Live in Texas" : EX'S. I wonder why.

75. Beatles album with "Act Naturally" : HELP

76. Wishes otherwise : RUES

77. Fit for duty : ABLE

79. Rummy action : DISCARD

86. Feeling no pain : STINKO. "Feeling no pain" = "Drunk".

87. Blue-ribbon : A-ONE. Jayce's Mandarin is really good.

88. Foggy state : SEDATION

89. Wedding page word : NEE

90. An NFL Manning : ELI

91. Oral health org. : ADA

93. Sealy competitor : SERTA

94. Certain NCO : SSGT

101. Double curve : ESS

102. Cousteau's sea : MER. Still have not grasped the French"R" sound.

103. Scuttlebutt : DIRT

104. Jekyll's alter ego : HYDE

105. "__ I ever!" : WOULD

108. Arctic garment : ANORAK. This one is stylish.

115. Clock radio button : SNOOZE

116. Actress Francis and others : ARLENES. The other I know is "Dahl".

117. Overwhelming amount : DELUGE

118. It hits the nail on the head : HAMMER. I'm picturing Splynter in action.

119. Bridge support : TRESTLE

120. Pericles, famously : ORATOR. So ancient.

Down:

1. Key beside Q : TAB. Computer keyboard.

2. Egypt's cont. : AFR

3. Grade school operator : PLUS SIGN. I like both the clue & answer.

4. Over-the-shoulder accessory : SASH

5. Texter's "Seems to me ..." : IMHO

6. Mudpuppies' kin : NEWTS. Did not know they're related.

7. Snoopy, to Charlie : PET

8. Neolithic dig find : AX HEAD

9. __ special: menu board heading : TODAY'S

10. Uncompromising : STERN

11. Old way to place a collect call : DIAL "O"

12. Sales slip: Abbr. : RCT (Receipt)

13. Jubilant game-player's cry : YAHTZEE. Never played Yahtzee.

14. Slick transition : SEGUE. More "smooth" than "slick". No?

15. Make a string of purls? : KNIT. Great clue.

16. Fertility clinic cells : OVA

18. Popular Volkswagen : JETTA

19. Swift's "A Modest Proposal," e.g. : ESSAY

24. AOL, e.g. : ISP

29. Roker and Gore : ALs

31. German statesman Helmut : KOHL

32. XIX Olympic Winter Games year : MMII. 2002.

34. It means nothing to Sarkozy : RIEN. Same to me.

35. Off-the-wall : ZANY

36. Jack Blum's "Meatballs" character : SPAZ. Another unknown to me.

38. Legal contract adverb : THEREOF

39. Prepared to sing the national anthem : STOOD. Here is China's national anthem.

42. Prefix with grade : CENTI

44. "__ body meet ..." : IF A

45. Area between goals : MIDFIELD

46. Immoral : DISSOLUTE. Crossing 3 theme answers.

47. Notre Dame's Parseghian : ARA

48. Esther of "Good Times" : ROLLE

49. Post-disaster sorting process : TRIAGE

50. Cornhusker rival : SOONER. Hi there Husker Gary & Avg Joe!

52. Snake oil salesman : QUACK

53. Strongly suggest : URGE

54. Beantown, e.g. : NICKNAME

57. Valdez with a burro : JUAN. Here he is.

59. Sticks in the mud : EMBEDS

60. Sartre play with the line "Hell is other people" : NO EXIT. Good to learn the source.

63. Spring : LEAP

64. PayPal funds, e.g. : E-CASH. For Marti.

65. Family meal setting : DINETTE

67. Wing: Prefix : PTERO

68. Podiatry matters : FEET

71. Tremble in fear : SHAKE

73. "__ Dream": Wagner aria : ELSA'S

76. Go on the lam : RUN

78. Future flower : BUD

80. Online tech news site : CNET

81. Electromagnet feature : COIL

82. Actor Morales : ESAI

83. Ventilated : AIRED OUT

84. Turns bad : ROTS

85. Strands of double helices : DNAS

87. Something with a bag of chips? : ALL THAT. Cool! All that and a bag of chips.

90. Tuner's talent : EAR

91. Full of gusto : ARDENT

92. Philadelphia university : DREXEL

94. Really pound : SMASH

95. Yellow-flowered plant often used medicinally : SENNA

96. Hog owner : BIKER. Harley-Davidson.

97. Pablo Neruda's homeland : CHILE

98. Lew of "All Quiet on the Western Front" : AYRES. Difficult name to remember.

99. Farmyard female : EWE

100. Repetitive musical piece : RONDO

103. Foggy state : DAZE

106. Cybercafé patron : USER

107. Oscar winner Kedrova : LILA. For "Zorba the Greek".

109. Data storage acronym : ROM

111. Flight board abbr. : ARR

112. "The Waste Land" monogram : TSE

113. Vietnam's __ Dinh Diem : NGO. OK, you all know Sandra Oh from "Grey's Anatomy", right? Ngo (Vietnamese)= Oh (Korean) = "Wu" (Chinese). Same surname.

114. Sun. delivery : SER

Answer grid.

C.C.