Saturday, July 28th, 2012, Julian Lim

Theme: None

Words: 70

Blocks: 30

A fun solve today from Julian Lim - oh, "F" - just shy of a pangram for a Saturday ( I see OMAN, LEG OF and FESS as a way to squeeze it in; my grid here ). Triple stacks of 9- and 10-letters in a pinwheel fashion, plus two more 9's, including;

20A. Line from one with no match : "GOT A LIGHT?" - Reminds me of two funny things; the first is when someone asks to bum a cigarette, and asks "got a light?" too - the response is "would you like me to smoke it for you?" - and the other you'll have to email me for....

other notables;

1A. Great Basin locale : WESTERN U.S. - Image

12D. Bad copying : PLAGIARISM - great fill

27D. The Fab Five of '80s rock : DURAN DURAN - one of my favorites from these guys (4:23)

63A. Shower needs : UMBRELLAS - I like umbrellas in art, like this, and this

Onward ~!

ACROSS:

10. Shock : APPAL - yep, it's "55A." - from the French to turn pale

15. Angry Birds, originally : iPHONE APP

16. 1972 missile pact : SALT I - had this last week, too, but without the Roman numeral

17. Excoriates : TEARS INTO - my boss at UPS has not had to "excoriate" me in a while....

18. Hospitality giant : HYATT

19. Comic introduction? : SERIO - serio-comic, having a mixture of seriousness and sport

22. Ruminant's chew : CUD - I knew what ruminant meant

24. Like peons : MENIAL

25. Drop (off) : NOD

28. Intercalary event : LEAP DAY - did you make use of your Leap Second a few weeks back?

32. Used (up) : ATE

33. Burden : ONUS

35. Pollo partner : ARROZ - Chicken and Rice, no???

36. Misguesses, e.g. : ERRS - and then you get excoriated

37. Dean's "Lois & Clark" co-star : TERI



38. Lorna of literature : DOONE

39. Vaccine holder : VIAL

40. Kodak film brand : T-MAX - ah, yes, B&W film - took photography in high school; would have been much better with a decent camera

41. Like many a superhero : CAPED - see above for details

42. Barker in early Hollywood : ASTA - D'oh~! barker, as in "to bark"; stuck on Bob Barker, Ma Barker, Clive Barker....more on the dog, here

43. Solo in space : HAN - meet Han Solo, Star Wars

44. Where a belt is almost always required to be worn : CAR SEAT

46. Dues payer: Abbr. : MEMber

47. Final purpose : END-ALL

49. Atlantic City resort, with "The" : TAJ - the Taj Mahal, Donald Trump.

51. 2010 Grammy winner for "Just the Way You Are" : BRUNO MARS - not familiar to me

55. Not shady : LEGIT

59. Continental circulators : EUROS

60. RealPlayer alternative : QUICKTIME - Sorry, I'm a PC

62. Playwright Bernard who created "The Partridge Family" : SLADE

64. Article of faith : TENET

65. Descendants of ancient Mesopotamians : ASSYRIANS - good bottom edge fill with 3 "S's", a "Y", an "R", and an "N"

DOWN:

1. Cards : WITS

2. Event with an attack called a flèche : ÉPÉE - I thought this was the weapon, not the event, but def. #2 says it's also 55A.

3. __-Pei : SHAR - Awww - wrinkly image

4. Like Cheerios : TORIC - its donut-shape, the torus.

5. Fill with spirit : ENSOUL - meh, what can you do....

6. Portuguese royal : REI - we just has this recently, too - king in Portuguese, Rey in Spanish

7. Vietnam's Da __ : NANG - I remember this from the show Magnum, P.I.

8. Plotting : UP TO - hey, what are you up to over there....?

9. Lend, as a fin : SPOT - a fin is a $5 bill

10. "High School Musical" actress Tisdale : ASHLEY

11. Add, as to one's IRA : PAY IN

13. If things continue as they're going : AT THAT RATE - I had 'at THIS rate' to start

14. Bridge coup : LITTLE SLAM - Don't play bridge, but I am familiar with some terms, so I filled in SLAM and waited

21. Floored by : AMAZED AT

23. Sailor's concern : DEAD CALM - no wind, the doldrums, like in Rime of the Ancient Mariner

25. Somewhat lacking : NOT THE BEST

26. Despotism : ONE-MAN RULE

29. Like bowls, at times : AROAR - ah, as in the Superbowl, with the fans a-roar

30. Respect, in slang : PROPS - I have heard this

31. Foundation, perhaps : DONEE - like the Lustgarten, not the concrete one

34. Pack count : SIX

36. Stowe girl : EVA

44. Hanging site : CLOSET - great clue/answer

45. One who runs on : TALKER - I had "SUNNY" for LEGIT, so I had GASSER here

48. Jumping connection : ANODE - Car jumping, that is

50. "The Expendables" (2010) co-star : JET LI - and now there's the sequel, out next month

52. __-Lung : AQUA - diving, here; in music, a Jethro Tull album - not a fan; even less so for getting a Grammy for "Metal" - IMHO

53. Zombie bases : RUMS - ah, the drink, here - Tin, a shout out at sunset? Do one for me, I am off the sauce these days....

54. Sasha and Malia, e.g. : SIBlingS - the daughters of our president - I linked their pic last week

56. River through Yuma County : GILA

57. Model married to David Bowie : IMAN

58. Hardy woman : TESS

61. Call out : CRY

Answer grid.

Splynter

Friday, July 27, 2012, Bruce C. Grieg

Theme: Movies "R" Us.

Each of the five theme answers takes a movie title and adds an "R" to the first word to create a whole new title and mental image. This appears to be another debut puzzle, for our third Bruce and our second who sports a middle initial. (Where are you Bruce S.?) Really filled with movie references, cross references hidden references, but overall the easiest puzzle of the week for me. Like a nice romantic comedy, the puzzle was breezy and fun. Let's get some popcorn, Junior Mints and go to the movies.

17A. The "Iliad" film version for kids? : TROY STORY (9). The movie TOY STORY (3:00) was not about Helen of Troy, not the Trojan War. hard to believe this was 17 years ago.

24A. Coming -of-age film about DNA? : STRAND BY ME.(10). The movie STAND BY ME (2:16) was not about DNA strands. All kinds of stars in this film adaptation of a Steven King story, including Sheldon's pal Wil Wheaton.

36A. Bob Marley prison film? : DREAD MAN WALKING. (15) The MOVIE (2:29) about a death row prisoner that also won awards, which was full of DREAD.

53A. Epic poet-left-behind film? : HOMER ALONE. (10) The Caulkin, Pesci MOVIE (2:11) which left many laughing, but not about the Iliad (see above) or the Odyssey, or even a Simpson.

62A. Shakespearean holiday film? : BARD SANTA.(9). Billy Bob Thornton's Christmas MOVIE (2:59). I do love Will Shakespeare, the Bard. And you sort of unifier...

45D. Like the five films in this puzzle's theme? : R RATED. More like R infused, but let's see what else we have.

Across:

1. Anthony's talk radio partner : OPIE. One of the many shock jocks who followed the lead of Howard Stern, even taking his CBS radio time slot when David Lee Roth failed to replace Howard. I have never listened to THEM.

5. Kindergarten lessons : ABCS. Since today's puzzle is entertainment related how about: "Like taking candy from a baby? "

9. Some carpets : SHAGS. Imagine one word which is a rug, a hairstyle and having sex all in four letters. Shout out to....?

14. Struggle at the finish : FADE. Yes, as often happens to my horse at the 16th pole. Side mini-theme, also a hair style.

15. Combustible material : COAL. A truly dirty four letter word.

16. Put off : TABLE. Used in board meeting, committee meetings, sorry Fred we are going to table your idea.

19. Burgundy capital : DIJON. Wine and mustard, what more do you want from the French? Croissants? Chocolate?

20. Great Society agcy. : OEO. Office of Economic Opportunity administered the government's War on Poverty. Sadly Poverty won.

21. Rio greeting : OLA. Our Hispanic Hello, hey Chickie, Lucina and others. No H suggests the Portuguese version.

23. One of the Spice Girls : GERI. the REUNION (0:29). They also made a movie.

28. Gp. in a '50s labor merger : CIO. The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations merged when I was a kid when labor was king.

29. Anticipate : FORESEE.

30. Online self-image : AVATAR. Another hidden movie reference.

32. Calendar abbr. : TUEsday.

33. Superhuman : BIONIC. Were you a fan of Man or Woman? TV movies?

43. Best Actress winner for "The Queen" : MIRREN. Helen, an another award winning Actress.

44. Sushi topping : ROE. Row, row row your boat and get me some fish eggs.

45. Theme of Grisham's "A Time to Kill" : RACISM. Another book and MOVIE.

48. Arise : EMANATE.

52. First Amendment subj. : RELigion.

56. Composer Khachaturian : ARAM. My learning moment, I knew the last name but not the first. His MUSIC is much used in movies.

58. Pin cushion? : MAT. Wrestling, not stick you in the arm kind.

59. Miami's Marino : DAN. Number 13, a wonderful player and a very philanthropic member of our community.

60. References, often : TOMES.

67. Modern read : EBOOK. Love my Kindle.

68. Blunted blade : EPEE. Fencing sword.

69. Flirt : MINX. Anyone ever read a Phriney (pronounced Frinee) Fisher mystery novel?

70. Town near Bangor, in many King works : DERRY. Another cross referential clue to the earlier King movie SBM.

71. Tend : LEAN. Many of you lean to the left, and many to the right, I have my chair set just in the middle.

72. Kitchen addition? : ETTE. Kitchenette, from the French for little. Dennis if you are ever in Ft. Lauderdale, Kitchenetta (the Italian version) is a fun restaurant on Federal Highway.

Wow, must speed up.

Down:

1. Frequently, to Frost : OFTen.

2. It's something to shoot for : PAR. On the golf course at least.

3. Life-changing promise : I DO. I did, I don't anymore.

4. Fictional donkey : EEYORE. Winnie the Pooh.

5. Broadway opening? : ACT ONE. Not a movie reference but it could have been.

6. Rude welcome at the park : BOO. Like when Pujols goes back to play in St. Louis, not one but a chorus.

7. Chocolate substitute : CAROB. This comes from the seed pod of a tree in the (forgive the expression) pea family.

8. In a feline way : SLYLY. Okay cat lovers, are you going to let him say that about your babies?

9. Not irr. : STD, Standard, no sexually transmitted diseases here; not to be confused with 29D. Org. providing arrangements : FTD.

10. Reagan Cabinet member : HAIG. He thought he was President when Ronnie got shot. Alexander the GREAT syndrome?

11. Utterly hopeless : ABJECT. Yes, his dream to be president was.

12. Reverent hymn : GLORIA. This song? LINK.(2:39) Nah, but it was reverent.

13. Higher in rank : SENIOR.

18. Neptune's realm : SEAS. The Roman Poseidon.

22. 2006 Whirlpool acquisition : AMANA.

24. Whiskey order : SOUR. Been there, and a lady friend did her SoCo sours. Yuck.

25. Diagram with relatives : TREE. Joyce Kilmer anyone?

26. Exclude : DEBAR. Really, what is wrong with BAR?

27. Mean business : EVIL. Anyone call for a DOCTOR? (1:58)

31. Cry of disgust : ACK. Made famous by CATHY.

34. Elephant tail? : INE. Elephantine.

35. Seller, presumably : OWNER. You hope, that is why you hire an attorney and get title insurance.

37. Nice friend : AMI. Ah, the French clue of the day, with the trick that does not trick.

38. Entrée : DISH. main course.

39. 1983 Keaton film : MR MOM. It has our friend TERI GARR.(1:21).

40. Turkey is always next to it : IRAN. Unless it is in the oven, three strikes in a row, or a bad movie.

41. Do, for example : NOTE. Musical note here: Do, Re, Mi, Fa...)

42. "Wow" : GEE.

46. Oxygen-consuming organism : AEROBE. Not a microbe.

47. Hue and cry : CLAMOR. Yes too often, pretty girls become clamor girls.

49. Memorable telestrator user in NFL broadcasts : MADDEN. John, who invented the Turducken, just for the legs. I am so old I remember when he played.

50. Sighed word : ALAS. Alack.

51. Generic : NO NAME. Like the Miami Dolphins defense of the early 70's.

54. Normand of the silents : MABEL. Crossword regular, but a star in the MOVIES.(6:28) She was a little minx.

55. Military camp : ETAPE. This is not an online adhesive.

57. "Is it just ___..." : ME OR is it getting warm in here?

61. Shade of blue : SKY. My favorite is sky blue pink at sunset.

63. Mens ___: criminal intent : REA. As they say "actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea." The act does not make you guilty if the mind is not, See Wiki, black's law dictionary or any other source for more detail.

64. Bit of carping : NIT. For you dear Marti.

65. Big Bang cause : TNT. Not the Big Bang, nor even the Big Bang Theory just Trinitrotoluene, or a TV network which shows movies but not Sheldon.

66. Dump : AXE. A perfect exit line with a song from my favorite almost successful band LINK. Hope you enjoyed the show. Bruce C.G. (hmm is he real or a computer graphic?) welcome, stop by and say hello, we had a lot of fun.

Answer grid.

Thanks all.

Lemonade squeezed all I could, so time to go.

Thursday, July 26, 2012 Don Gagliardo and C.C. Burnikel

Theme: CLIO Awards. 2012 Golden Award winner is Fedex. Wow! I get to blog another one from our Dynamic Duo. Each of the theme entries begins with a word that is a symbol for the iconic entities that they represent. And to make things even more interesting, they have crossed the theme entries with the companies they represent. See Answer Grid here.

20 Across. *Sounds familiar : RINGS A BELL
Crosses with 2 Down. Volkswagon brand : AUDI. These "rings" are very familiar to drivers in Germany. I tried to follow my German partner who was driving one on the autobahn (I was in a little C-Class Mercedes), and I had the pedal to the floor all the way to his house!

59 Across. *Easy place to go downhill : BUNNY SLOPE.
Crosses with 47 Down. Marylin Monroe was its first cover girl : PLAYBOY

10 Down. *Daydreamer : STAR GAZER
Crosses with 19 Across. Thanksgiving Day Parade sponsor : MACY'S. With the famous "star" logo

34 Down. *Easily : HANDS DOWN
Crosses with 52 Across. Auto insurance giant : ALLSTATE
You're in good "hands"...

And finally, 73 Across. What the start of each starred answer is part of, for a company that intersects that answer : LOGO

Brilliant theme, and cleverly executed from our Dynamic Duo.

It's Thursday (where do the weeks fly??), and Marti here to check out what else our Dynamic Duo has served up for us.

Across:

1. Makes the cut, in a way : SAWS. Boom! Right away, we get a devious clue.

5. Soviet news acronym : TASS. Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union, or, in Russian: "Telegrafnoye Agentstvo Sovetskovo Soyuza"

9. Boating stopover : ISLET

14. Century threshold : TURN...of the century.

15. Like many churches: Abbr. : ORTH...odox.

16. Class : STYLE

17. Impression : IDEA

18. Empty-vehicle weight : TARE

23. What's left : REST

24. Show done at 30 Rock : SNL. Saturday Night Live.

25. Beneficiaries of some drives : PLEDGEES. I got my "free" CD for just a $100 pledge on PBS...

27. You-here connector : ARE

30. Tree in some Constable paintings : ELM. John Constable (British romantic artist), painted the elms surrounding his home. His most famous, perhaps, is this one of "Dedham Vale" (1802).

32. FDR's mother : SARA. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, our 32nd president. Why should we know his mother? She was sixth cousin to his father? And why is his name abbr. as a clue for a full-first-name answer?

33. 180-degree lenses : FISHEYES

36. Valentines Day quantities : DOZENS. Yes, I receive dozens of roses on Valentine's Day...(or else!!!)

40. Utah's gemstone : TOPAZ

41. Jar topper : LID

43. 1992 upstart candidate : PEROT

44. Observes Yom Kippur : ATONES. Yom Kippur is the "Day of Atonement", and the holiest day of the year in the Jewish religion.

46. On one's tax return : REPORTED

48. Durante's "that is" : DAT'S

50. Blue___ : certain strike : FLU. A strike staged as a "sick-out" by groups that normally are not allowed to strike, such as police officers. Hence, "Blue", for the color of their uniforms.

51. 2002 British Open champ : ELS. This clue was obviously written before he won the 2012 British Open last weekend. A great champion, and advocate of autism, which has affected his own family. Known as "The Big Easy", there is probably no one on the PGA Tour who doesn't respect and love him.

56. DOJ enforcer : ATF. Department of Justice: Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

58. Favorable : GOOD

64. A noble gas : ARGON

66. Grouse : CRAB. Not me!

67. "I got it!" reactions : AHAS

68. Experiencing reverence : IN AWE

69. First name in fashion : COCO. Do you all have a "little black dress"? (I'm referring to the ladies, Husker Gary!)

70. Country retreats : INNS

71. ___ goat : NANNY

72. One partner? : ONLY. "My One and Only". Have you seen the movie with Renée Zellweger?

Down:

1. Move a bit : STIR

3. Singer of complex songs : WREN. I wish I could sing this well!

4. Impediments : SNAGS

5. "Of course, dude!" : TOTALLY

6. ___ Leagues : ARAB

7. Throat ailment : STREP

8. Natural necklace components : SHELLS

9. Systemic suffix : ISM

11. Baccaluréat awarder : LYCEE. French for secondary education of 15-18 year-olds. We would call it "high school" in the U.S. The accent in baccaluréat indicates the French term.

12. "Family Ties" mom : ELYSE

13. Measures ability in : TESTS

21. Scorn : SNEEZE AT

22. Coveted role : LEAD

26. They don't graduate : DROP OUTS. Surprisingly straightforward clue!

27. Old Spice alternative : AFTA

28. Knee-slapper : RIOT

29. Nickname on the Boston Garden ice : ESPO. Phil Esposito, beloved Boston Bruin. Thanks, C.C. and Don for a home team shout-out!

31. Blanc with voices : MEL. Fun interview including many of our crossword favs with David Letterman. 9:56

35. Isaac Newton, e.g. : SIR

37. One-named Deco artist : ERTE. I definitely associate him with Art Deco.

38. Seasonal song : NOEL

39. Stylebook entries: Abbr. : STDS. Standards

42. HDTV part, briefly : DEF. Hi Def TV.

45. Rough guess : STAB. Like many of my guesses at the entries in this puzzle?

49. Siding plaster : STUCCO

52. "Encore!" : AGAIN. I want an encore from our favorite Dynamic Duo!!

53. Liza's half-sister Luft : LORNA. Liza Minelli, that is.

54. Boston airport : LOGAN. Another Boston shout out!

55. Scandal-plagued energy giant : ENRON. Need I say more?

57. Thrash : FLAIL

60. Salt letters : NACL. NaCl, or Sodium (Na) Chloride (Cl).

61. "Heaven help me!" : OH NO

62. Sudden ache : PANG

63. Canadian gas : ESSO. It's Exxon in the US...

65. Napoleonic marshal : NEY. Dubbed "The Bravest of the Brave" by Napolean, himself.

Answer grid.

And now, I am the tiredest of the tired, so I will bid "adieu" until next Thursday!

Hugs,

Marti

Note from C.C. & Don:

Don came up with this theme while editing a clue I wrote for LOGOs in another puzzle. We wanted the companies to be well-known and the logos iconic. We tried various grids and were quite excited to make one that works.

Wednesday, July 25 2012, Christopher Marston

theme: 

let's break it down.

1a. Hop atop : MOUNT

6a. Shake a leg : RUSH

10a. Second helping, e.g. : MORE

42a. With 48-Across, locale of this puzzle's top line, where you'll find the starts of 17-, 30-, 43- and 57-Across : SOUTH

48a. See 42-Across : DAKOTA

love how mount rush more runs across the top of the puzzle - had to be tricky to create the fill underneath. the remaining theme answers contain the first names of the presidents depicted in the national memorial:

17a. Furry carnival prizes : TEDDY BEARS. theodore roosevelt, 26th president of the united states. roosevelt became president after william mckinley was assassinated (and won his second term in a landslide). the wilderness warrior by david brinkley is a great read.

30a. Firearm also called a "Chicago typewriter" : TOMMY GUN. thomas jefferson, third president of the united states. one of the founding fathers, and the principal author of the declaration of independence.

43a. "Hair" song containing Gettysburg Address phrases : ABIE BABY. song from the musical hair, which references 'massa lincoln, emancipator of the slaves.' abraham lincoln, 16th president, assassinated in april 1865.

57a. 1966 Lynn Redgrave title role : GEORGY GIRL. george washington, one of the founding fathers and the first president of the united states.

(left to right in the actual memorial are washington, jefferson, roosevelt and lincoln.)

melissa here. wow, what a clever, and theme-rich puzzle! having some intermittent trouble with my hot-spot again … forgive the brevity of the post, i'll do my best.

across:

14. Indy 500 family name : UNSER

15. Waters by Buffalo : ERIE

16. PayPal parent company : E-BAY

19. Calamitous : DIRE

20. Old Russian noble : TSAR

21. Hand-y communication syst.? : ASL. cute.

22. Like most pretzels : SALTED

24. Grimm villain : OGRE

26. Barely sufficient : MERE

27. Polynesian New Zealanders : MAORIS. needed perps.

34. Clio nominees : AD MEN. the clios are awards honoring creative advertising in package design, print, radio and television.

35. Sharp-toothed eel : MORAY

36. Bi- minus one : UNI. bi (for two) as in bicycle, un (for one) as in unicycle.

37. __ rock: Gary Glitter's genre : GLAM. glam rock singer/musician, has led a troubled life.

38. Made a meal of : FED ON

39. Self-righteous type : PRIG. funny word, don't hear it much.

40. Diarist Anaïs : NIN. french-cuban author.

41. Poe's middle name : ALLAN. edgar allan poe.

45. English county known for sheep : DORSET

46. Actress Lollobrigida : GINA

47. In __: stuck : A RUT

51. Capote nickname : TRU. truman capote. the book mockingbird: a portrait of harper lee is another good read, and sheds some light on the relationship between lee and capote. it is said that capote was the inspiration for the character of dill, in lee's to kill a mockingbird.

52. Beehive, e.g. : UPDO. anyone who's helped a daughter get ready for prom knows how important (and expensive) the updo is.

56. Jai __ : ALAI

60. Storage containers : BINS

61. The Charles's pet : ASTA. nick and nora from the thin man movies.

62. Palliated : EASED

63. Fruit protrusion : STEM

64. Good finish? : NESS. goodness.

65. Cabbage concoctions : SLAWS

down:

1. Common canine : MUTT

2. Till stack : ONES. till, meaning drawer or compartment for money.

3. Butcher shop letters : USDA. united states department of agriculture.

4. "Air Music" composer : NED ROREM. american composer and author.

5. Severely test, as one's patience : TRY

6. Ebbets Field star : REESE. i smell c.c. here. ebbets field was a baseball park in brooklyn. harold peter "pee wee" reese was a major league all star, shortstop for brooklyn and los angeles dodgers.

7. Eurasian border river : URAL

8. Courteous address : SIR

9. Howard of "Head of the Class" : HESSEMAN. johnny fever.

10. Glee club grouping : MEDLEY

11. Departure notice? : OBIT

12. Not at all well-done : RARE

13. Ogled : EYED

18. Candy purchases : BARS

23. Ground force : ARMY

25. Card game cry : GIN. i love gin.

26. Numskull : MORON. i always thought it was numbskull.

27. Latin word on some diplomas : MAGNA. as in magna cum laude.

28. Surprise during filming : AD LIB

29. Arabian peninsula native : OMANI. oman is an arab state in southwest asia.

30. Now : TODAY

31. Yoga masters : GURUS

32. Join together : UNITE

33. Dark time : NIGHT

35. __ toast : MELBA

38. Father at Boys Town : FLANAGAN. father edward j. flanagan.

39. Vasco da Gama's homeland : PORTUGAL. portuguese explorer.

41. To some degree, but not much : A BIT

42. Trivial amount : SOU. "one of several coins formerly used in france, worth a small amount."

44. Prima donna quality : EGOISM

45. Medical remedy : DRUG

47. Rich tapestry : ARRAS. new to me. a town in france famous for tapestry.

48. Touch-up strokes : DABS

49. Finished parasailing : ALIT. got down, dismounted.

50. Citizen of film : KANE. citizen kane.

51. "Blue's Clues" watchers : TOTS. childrens show on nickelodeon. 

53. Tuscany city : PISA

54. Sketched : DREW

55. Ford contemporary : OLDS. clever.

58. Nationality suffix : ESE

59. Hoped-for proposal answer : YES

Answer grid.

melissa bee

Tuesday, July 24, 2012 Ed Sessa

Theme: Be Fruitful - Multiply by six the number of theme entries that start with a fruit.

17A. Casual dining chain : APPLEBEE'S

21A. Annual Florida football game : ORANGE BOWL

26A. Nice work if you can get it : PLUM POSITION

48A. Truck with a bucket : CHERRY PICKER. Image.

54A. Elongated bike saddle : BANANA SEAT. Image.

63A. Celeb's domain : LIMELIGHT

Argyle here. The theme seems pretty straightforward but if you look hard enough, I'll bet you can find some things that will amuse you.

Across:

1. Nittany Lions' sch. : PSU. Pennsylvania State University, or Penn State.

4. Tara family name : O'HARA

9. Plant-sucking pest : APHID

14. Heavy weight : TON

15. Scots' fishing spots : LOCHS

16. Witchy woman : CRONE

19. Having melody and harmony : TONAL

20. "Get outta here!" : "SHOO!"

23. Bldgs. for mailers : PO's. (post office)

25. Be wild about : ADORE

32. Mark Twain portrayer Holbrook : HAL

33. Health insurance giant : AETNA

34. "In your dreams!" : "NO WAY!"

38. Physicians' gp. : AMA

39. Joe's pal in "Midnight Cowboy" : RATSO Rizzo

41. Prefix with friendly : ECO

42. Contract stipulations : TERMS

45. Pave again : RETOP. I put in RETAR automatically until the perps changed my mind.

47. Outback runner : EMU

51. Half a '60s pop quartet : MAMAS

53. Tom Collins liquor : GIN

59. Small songbirds : TITS

62. D-Day beach : OMAHA

65. 1950s vice president : NIXON

66. Bakery lure : AROMA

67. "Psst!" : "HEY"

68. Actress Davis : GEENA

69. Guys in cuffs, hopefully : PERPS

70. __-Mex cuisine : TEX

Down:

1. Sch. book fair organizers : PTAS

2. Former frosh : SOPH

3. Out of favor : UNPOPULAR

4. Bullfight "Bravo!" : "¡OLÉ!"

5. Freight train stowaway : HOBO

6. Strong server on the court : ACER

7. Perlman of "Cheers" : RHEA. Carla.

8. Part of NBA: Abbr. : ASSN.

9. Followed, as advice : ACTED ON

10. Like some legal services : PRO BONO

11. See 37-Down : HONOR 37D. With 11-Down, court address : YOUR

12. Blown away : IN AWE

13. Computer giant : DELL

18. Weaver's contraption : LOOM

22. Merry, in Metz : GAI. Metz is a city in the northeast of France.

24. Mud wrap venue : SPA

26. Cool, in slang : PHAT

27. Weak, as excuses go : LAME

28. "__ the ramparts ..." : O'ER

29. Comics reporter Brenda : STARR. Frankly, I was amazed Brenda is still around.

30. Put in a sepulcher : INTER

31. "Delish!" : "TASTY!"

35. Working-late time, usually : WEEK NIGHT

36. Wile E. Coyote's supplier : ACME

40. "Alley __" : OOP. As sung by the Hollywood Argyles. Video(2:46)

43. "Heeeere's Johnny!" announcer : McMAHON

44. Doo-woppers in "Grease" : SHANANA

46. Oinker : PIG

49. Mexican "that" : ESA. (feminine) And 64D. Spanish article : LAS. English "the" in Spanish, plural feminine.

50. __ Field: Mets' ballpark : CITI

51. 1950s first lady : MAMIE. I wonder if she and Tricky Dick ever crossed in real life?

52. Have __ to grind : AN AXE

54. Big Ben sound : [BONG!]

55. Offended smack : SLAP

56. Land of leprechauns : EIRE. Ireland.

57. Latin love : AMOR

58. Summer sub : TEMP. (substitute/temporary)

60. Old-fashioned pronoun : THEE

61. River of Hades : STYX. Come Sail Away.(5:50)

Answer grid.

Argyle

A song for Amelia Earhart on her 115th birthday today. Clip.(3:07)

Monday, July 23, 2012 Marti DuGuay-Carpenter

Theme: Ignition! - A countdown to a great Monday. See Answer Grid.

21A. They start with "hip hip" : THREE CHEERS

29A. Closely related duo : TWO OF A KIND

48A. Single file : ONE AT A TIME

56A. Weightless state : ZERO GRAVITY

69A. London lav (Diagonally from square 69 to square 45) What happens after the starts of 21-, 29-, 48- and 56-Across : LOO

Argyle control here. We have lift off. Also, triple-seven's in each corner.

Across:

1. Mournful tune : DIRGE

6. Teacher's favorite : PET

9. Part of A.D. : ANNO

13. How fritters are fried : IN OIL. Yum! County fairs are starting up.

14. Bronx third baseman, to fans : A-ROD. As we learned the other day, upon coming to the Yankees, Alex Rodriguez switched positions from shortstop to third base, because Derek Jeter was already at shortstop. He also had to switch uniform numbers; he had worn 3 his entire career, but that number is retired by the Yankees in honor of Babe Ruth.

16. In __ of: replacing : LIEU

17. Diver's apparatus : SCUBA

18. Cruise ship stop : ISLE

19. Fastener in the catalog a bit above a U-bolt? : T-NUT

20. Cub Scout group : DEN

24. Russian Peace Nobelist Sakharov : ANDREI. 1975 For his work on human rights in Russia.

26. Dawn to dusk : DAY

27. Luau bowlful : POI

28. Words of understanding : "I SEE"

33. Jock's antithesis : NERD

34. Granola grain : OAT

35. In need of a massage, perhaps : TENSE

36. Candor : SINCERITY

40. Did electrical work : WIRED

43. Disencumber (of) : RID

44. Snuffs out, mob-style : OFFS

51. Chilly, in Mexico : FRIO

52. Many times o'er : OFT

53. Sidewalk stand soft drink : ADE

54. Church gathering : SOCIAL

60. Conclusion : END

61. "Dies __": Latin hymn : IRAE

62. "Wild Blue Yonder" mil. group : USAF

63. Vivian of "I Love Lucy" : VANCE

65. City west of Tulsa : ENID

66. Chow __: noodle dish : MEIN

67. Like senior statesmen : ELDER

68. Reagan and son : RONs

70. Words of agreement : YESes

Down:

1. Contempt : DISDAIN

2. Fragrant ceremonial smoke : INCENSE

3. More spherical : ROUNDER. Or the Wikipedia disambiguation page.

4. Brit. territory with a famous rock : GIB. (Gibraltar)

5. Tickle pink : ELATE

6. Duo : PAIR

7. Highland tongue : ERSE

8. City on Lake Erie : TOLEDO

9. Old, in German : ALTE

10. Bowler's back-row target : NINE PIN

11. Nervous system units : NEURONS

12. Alfresco : OUTSIDE

15. Evening coffee choice for many : DECAF

22. Think of, as a solution : HIT ON

23. Big name in hotels : HYATT

25. Obstacle for Moses : RED SEA

30. WWII GI Jane : WAC. Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) was converted into the Women's Army Corps (WAC) in 1943. The story.

31. '90s "SNL" regular Cheri : OTERI. Maybe a puzzle with both names later.

32. It has no sharps or flats, with "the" : KEY OF C

37. Dog collar attachment : ID TAG

38. Backboard attachment : RIM

39. In other words, in Caesar's words : ID EST

40. More dizzy : WOOZIER

41. Hot spot for Dante : INFERNO

42. Teach new job skills to : RETRAIN

45. Facebook connections : FRIENDS

46. Bride-to-be : FIANCÉE

47. Joins metal : SOLDERS

49. Tight as __ : A DRUM

50. Prickly-leaved plant : TEASEL. Also, teazel, teazle, teasle or tea'sle.

55. Yiddish "Yikes!" : "OY VEY!"

57. Ref. works that occupy entire shelves : OED's. The Oxford English Dictionary.

58. Sony laptop brand : VAIO

59. "__ One Will Listen": Kelly Clarkson song : IF NO. Clip(4:00)

64. Pub potable : ALE

Answer grid.

Argyle

Constructor's note:

This is probably the most difficult puzzle I have constructed so far. In addition to the four theme entries, there were six other entries that were restricted by the secret message hidden in the grid. The stacked triple sevens in each corner were also a consequence of the message, resulting in a rather low word count for a Monday. I’ll be curious to hear about your solving experience!

Sunday July 22, 2012 Peter A. Collins

Theme: "Anemic Vérité" - Anemic is anagram of "Cinema", so "Cinéma Vérité". The first word of a well-known movie title is anagrammed. The title in LA Times' website is "Anemic Veriteacute". I suspect the software can't handle acute accent marks, hence "acute" at the end of the title.

23A. Film about the appliance supervisor at Sears? : RANGE MANAGEMENT. "Anger Management".

31A. Film about a small chicken that won't stay away? : BANTAM RETURNS. "Batman Returns".

48A. Film about a sculpture that defies description? : THING AT THE MUSEUM. "Night at the Museum".

63A. Film about a smooth-legged fellow? : NAIR MAN. "Rain Man". "K-mark sucks".

65A. Film about a deli specializing in heros? : SUB STOP. "Bus Stop". So we have two 7's as theme entries. I had thought the minimum letter count for Sunday theme is 8.

82A. Film about following a pack up a mountain? : ASCEND WITH WOLVES. "Dances with Wolves".

97A. Film about fans of confessional rock music who enjoy spicy food? : EMOS LIKE IT HOT. "Some Like It Hot".

110A. Film about a prince's affair with actress Fletcher? : HAMLET AND LOUISE. "Thelma & Louise".

Very tight theme. All popular movies. Not easy to come up with a set of theme entries that make perfect surface sense and entertain.

Love these two long Downs:

5D. Potential powerhouse not to be "awakened" : SLEEPING GIANT. Napoleon called China a "Sleeping giant". It's so true during the Opium Wars. Lots of people just smoked opium & slept and slept.

56D. It may decide an election : CROSSOVER VOTE. Only primary election, right?

Also love these theme "pitch" clechos (clue echos) from Peter/Rich:

29A. Inability to make good pitches? : TIN EAR. Question mark hints that it's not about baseball pitches.

62. Pitcher Jesse with a record 1,252 regular-season appearances : OROSCO. His last MLB appearance was with the Twins in 2003. He was actually drafted by the Twins.

69D. Pitcher's goal : SALES ORDER. I feel a question mark is needed in the clue.

112D. Pitcher's asset : ARM

Across:

1. Abbey denizens : MONKS. I always associate monks with Buddhism.

6. Bar lineup : BREWS

11. Black __: covert missions : OPS

14. Take for a spin? : TWIRL. Nice clue.

19. "The Tempest" spirit : ARIEL

20. Weird Al Yankovic spoof of a Michael Jackson hit : EAT IT. Not a Weird Al fan.

21. With 43-Across, cocktail made with Curaçao : MAI. And 43. See 21-Across : TAI.

22. Asian princess : RANEE. Dennis just mentioned the overwhelming poverty his wife Linda encountered during a private bus ride to Agra. She saw lots of tents, mud huts, etc.

26. Woodard of "Cross Creek" : ALFRE

27. Shelf-clearing sale : CLOSEOUT

28. Baltic capital : RIGA

30. Rover's reward : PAT

34. Milk: Pref. : LACTI

38. Volleys : SALVOES. Thought the plural is just SALVOS.

40. Make __ of: jot down : A NOTE

41. In need of liniment : ACHING

44. Lab medium : AGAR

45. Feature of a two-ltr. monogram : NMI (No Middle Initial). Hence the two word 84D. Still competing : IN IT. Instead of "Monogram ltr." INIT to avoid dupe.

53. Sent the same 97-Down to : CC'ed. And 97. Modern letter : EMAIL

54. Tributes : HOMAGES

55. More learned : WISER

56. "SNL" alum Oteri : CHERI

57. Gravy absorber : SOP

58. "Since __ Eyes on You": Faith Hill song : I LAID. Guessed.

61. It means nothing : ZERO

67. Well-harmonized : IN SYNC

70. La __ Tar Pits : BREA

72. Deli offerings : MEATS

73. Fed. property manager : GSA (General Services Administration). I thought it stands for Girl Scouts of America.

76. Prepare chestnuts : ROAST. I missed the freshly roasted chestnuts in Xi'An.

77. Inclined : ATILT

79. Less respectful : SASSIER

81. Not working : IDLE

86. Salem-to-Reno dir. : SSE

87. Educ. for tots : PRE-K.

88. Lennon collaborator : ONO

89. Olay competitor : AVEENO. Lots of natural oat extract in their products.

90. Prepare in a pan : SAUTE. I stir-fry. In hot oil.

92. Placing in direct competition : PITTING

96. Richard who played the garage attendant in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" : EDSON. A bit obscure for my taste.

100. Over simplified? : O'ER. Love the clue.

102. Christie's Miss : MARPLE

103. Prompter lead-in : TELE

104. Improved, as one's skill level : ELEVATED

109. Bill's "Groundhog Day" co-star : ANDIE (MacDowell)

113. Not moving : INERT

114. AQI monitor : EPA. AQI = Air Quality Index. Thought of Barry G, who no doubt thought of Barry Silk with this clue.

115. Up from Méjico : NORTE (North)

116. Vagabond : TRAMP

117. Early strings : LYRES

118. Urge : YEN

119. Evil spirit : DEMON

120. Assuages : EASES

Down:

1. Cleo's lover : MARC. It's Mark Anthony, no? Marc Anthony is J-Lo's ex.

2. Like some surgery : ORAL

3. Kid in Cádiz : NINO

4. Brewpub supplies : KEGS

6. Humdingers : BEAUTS

7. Lewis Black delivery : RANT

8. Cockpit approx. : ETA

9. Old powdered apparel : WIG

10. Caterer's can : STERNO

11. Pair of horseshoes? : OMEGAS. Because the horseshoes are omega-shaped?

12. Carrier founded in 1927 : PAN AM

13. Watch kids : SIT

14. Arnold, notably : TRAITOR. Benedict Arnold. CHEATER fits too. For California's Arnold.

15. Squirrel's treat : WALNUT

16. Subtle case crackers : INFERENCES

17. Aired again : RE-RAN

18. Looks like a rake : LEERS. Don't leer. Just look!

24. Extinct kiwi cousin : MOA

25. Tiny pest : MITE

29. Hr. some stores open : TEN AM

31. Humdrum : BLAH

32. Miller's "__ From the Bridge" : A VIEW

33. Brand on vermicelli : RAGU

34. Wooden slats : LATHS

35. Sound in an allergist's office : ACHOO

36. Congo River area denizen : CHIMP

37. Brown of publishing : TINA. Editor-in-Chief of Newsweek. She founded "The Daily Beast". She came to the US the same time as Anna Wintour, Editor-in-Chief for Vogue.

39. ABA member : ATT

42. Language that gave us "slogan" : GAELIC. New trivia to me.

44. Oxygen-dependent bacterium : AEROBE. New word for me.

46. Former Ford div. : MERC

47. Peculiar: Pref. : IDIO. Idiosyncrasy.

49. Romanov title : TSAR

50. "Les __" : MIZ

51. Consumes : USES

52. Blood bank supply : SERUM

53. Word with house or shop : CHOP

59. Return remark : I'M BACK

60. Puccini's "Vissi __" : D'ARTE. From the opera "Tosca". New to me also.

62. Ontario's second most populous city : OTTAWA

63. Where "F" means "Ford" : NYSE. I like this clue too.

64. Reprimand to a dachshund? : NEIN

66. Miss America accessory : SASH

67. Bearded flower : IRIS. Hi there, Blue Irish!

68. Some okays : NODS

71. Municipal rep. : ALD

73. Yields : GIVES

74. "I __ reason ..." : SEE NO

75. Bad lighting? : ARSON. Lots of fun clues for ARSON.

78. "... __ tango" : TWO TO

80. Holiday card drawing : SLED

82. Bandleader Shaw : ARTIE

83. Strive for : SEEK

85. Cargo unit : TON

87. Young hens : PULLETS. I used to speak some basic French. Now J'ai tout oublié.

91. Aim (to) : ASPIRE

92. Nursery rhyme merchant : PIEMAN. "Simple Simon met a pieman..."

93. "__ have to do" : IT'LL

94. Words after "ever after" : THE END

95. Parachute color? : GOLDEN. Golden parachute.

98. 12-time All-Star Ramirez : MANNY. Dreaded hair.

99. L'__ du Tour: French cycling event : ETAPE. I prefer this clue to the "Military camp".

101. Slippery swimmer : EEL

104. Opposite of ecto- : ENTO

105. Claimed psychic detection : AURA

106. Reunión attendees : TIAS. Argyle is having a family reunion this weekend.

107. Edward's adoptive mother in the "Twilight" series : ESME

108. Bank acct. additions : DEPS

110. "You, there!" : HEY

111. Water tester : TOE

Answer grid.

C.C.