Saturday, Mar 2nd, 2013, Julian Lim

Theme: None

Words: 68 (missing J,Q)

Blocks: 32

 Julian Lim's Saturday grids usually intimidate me, and this one looked to be no different.  But there were just enough solvable short answers, and I surprised myself with how fast I finished.  Big blocks of white in every corner, triple 8's and 6's, with one grid spanner;

37A. "Whatever" : I DON'T REALLY CARE - You know she's not happy with you if all she has to say is "whatever"....

Also - 10D. "It's hard to tell" : I CAN'T SAY, and 53D. Answer from the unwilling : NOT I

And some other long answers of note;

11. Long-haired pet : PERSIAN CAT - my brother has one, not this cute, named Sherlock

 

27. "Straight Outta Compton" genre : GANGSTA RAP - N.W.A., Ice Cube's original act, so you can pretty much figure out what N.W.A. stands for....here's a link to something less gangsta, but still rap - "ain't outta Compton..." @3:24 - WARNING: strong lyrical content~!

O   N   W   A   R   D   ~   !   !   !

ACROSS:

1. Installment in a modern series : WEBISODE - Episode didn't fit, but once the "W" was there, 'modern' now made sense

9. Thing to be cracked : CIPHER

15. Loge : OPERA BOX

16. Purchase provider : ICE AXE - ah, that kind of purchase; the one with 'grip'

17. Olympic winner : MEDALIST - first long fill for me

18. Hero with a memorable yell : TARZAN - This was my first thought, but I wouldn't necessarily call him a "hero" per se

19. Bird that dines on stingers : BEE-EATER - well, it makes sense, and followed by:

20. Bug : INSECT

21. PC debut of 1981 : MS-DOS

23. Leans : TILTS

24. Truffles, e.g. : FUNGI

28. Unit in una zona residencial : CASA - I am guessing Spanish, for a "house" in the residential zone; I went bar-hopping with the guys tonight (I was the Designated Driver, so my sodas were "free"), and my buddy Bob has the last name Casa

30. Most suitable for service : ONE-A

31. In danger of snapping : UNBALANCED

39. 1959 Cornelius Ryan best-seller about the Normandy invasion, with "The" : LONGEST DAY

41. Keister : SEAT

42. Prepare for a game, as Jenga blocks : STACK

43. They may generate interest: Abbr. : ACCounTS

50. "Hysterical" : HA-HA-HA - HEY~!!! That's MY line~! (OK, HAR-HAR is mine )

52. On balance : ALL IN ALL - great fill

57. God wed to his sister : OSIRIS - a little Egyptian history, for those who care

58. Rather wicked : DIABOLIC - DEMONIC was too short

59. Say : REMARK - UTTER was too short

60. Not barred : ADMITTED - ALLOWED was too short

61. Good guys? : ADEPTS - AD-epts, the noun

62. Many characters on "The L Word" : LESBIANS - I didn't think this word would fit; not sure why.  Never seen the show, but I knew what the "L" stood for

DOWN:

1. Place of development : WOMB

2. It has about a 35-inch blade : EPEE

3. Saint who wrote the earliest history of England : BEDE

4. Requiem Mass hymn word : IRAE

5. Sub base? : SALAMI - Sub, Hero, Hoagie

6. Bye lines? : OBITS - I said "bye" to my dad Jan 12th; we did not publish an obituary

7. Did a nurse's job : DOSED

8. Version's beginning? : EXTRO - In psychology, extroversion is focusing one's attention on things outside the self; I am a Type 5 (with a 4 wing) thinker with INtroversion tendencies

9. One of U.S. banking's Big Four : CITI - Citigroup, along with JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo; they hold 39% of customer deposits in 2009 per Wiki; My money is with Chase, and I have WF stock.

12. Nut-producing tree : HAZEL - PECAN would fit, but I had the "L" from TILTS already

13. Like some change : EXACT - not LOOSE

14. Uses Zipcar, say : RENTS - never heard of them but I have heard of: 40A. Its Nasdaq symbol is CAR : AVIS

22. Milan's La __ : SCALA

24. Keep from happening : FOIL - another word for EPEE, too

25. Wreck : UNDO

26. Light element : NEON

29. She has your back : ALLY

31. __ Major : URSA

32. Modern entertainment : NET TV - I am investing in NETFLIX this weekend, I believe

33. Maleficent : BAD

34. Vena __ : CAVA - : any of the large veins by which in air-breathing vertebrates the blood is returned to the right atrium of the heart; Merriam Webster

35. "Fast Food Nation" author Schlosser : ERIC - had the "C", seemed like a perfectly good Wild-Ass Guess to me

36. Work area : DESK - mine has the back ends of four brown trucks....

38. Top choice : TEE SHIRT - and 46. 38-Down option : V-NECK

42. Apparel for the slopes : SKI BIB - Marti, got one or two?  Do they match the Jimmy Choos?  I like ski bunnies - so cute in their tight little outfits

43. Now, in Nogales : AHORA

44. Checked out badly? : CASED - Like watching the bank before the heist

45. Ring : CHIME

47. Seven-time French Open winner : NADAL - LENDL fit, too, bit I have no clue who has won what in tennis....

48. Fail to say : ELIDE - consonants, that is

49. Simoleons : CLAMS - Had MOOLA to start; money slang

51. Petitions : ASKS

54. Medicine Hat's prov. : ALTA - Map

55. Homeowner's burden : LIEN - Well, so is the LAWN

56. Some TV screens : LCDs - Liquid Crystal Displays

Splynter

Friday, March 1, 2013, Dan Margolis

THEME: Feeling Antsy?

Well at least these ants did not spoil any picnics. Each of the four theme answers take in the language two word phrases, with the second word ending ANCE, and replaces that ending with ANTS, creating a homonym and a very different and visually creative new phrase. I do not recall any prior puzzles by Mr. Margolis, nor did I see him in the NY Times database, so if this is his maiden effort, congratulations; starting on Friday is a challenge. We have a few California references so perhaps he is a rare west coast constructor. Overall, a conventional grid layout and an entertaining exercise.

20A. Valets who get no tips? : POOR ATTENDANTS (13) Perhaps if they came to work more often and did not have poor attendance, they would get more money. Of course Bates would never take a tip anyway.

25A. "Block that kick!" and "Dee-fense!"? : SPORTING CHANTS. (14) If you filled this in, you had a sporting chance to suss the theme.

43A. Masked marathon runners? : SECRET ENTRANTS. (14) Why marathon, for the alliteration? We made a secret panel in our bedroom by taking apart the tongue and groove knotty pine, and then putting it back very carefully, but not skillfully. Well we were three boys and we needed Splynter there to help but it was too many years before he was born.

48A. Temporarily contribute helpers? : LEND ASSISTANTS.(13). The most similar phrase, as the basic meaning is the same.

And now the rest.

Across:

1. Powerful swimmer : MAKO. Wow, another tough start thrown in the Shark Tank.

5. Pipe part : STEM. Who knew there were so many PARTS. Bowl also fits.

9. Distinguished : GREAT. The whole top row is a Friday.

14. "Not a chance!" : AS IF. As if I would get discouraged.

15. Trusted underling : AIDE. Why trusted?

16. Variety : REVUE.

17. Soft mineral : TALC. The softest.

18. Dart : FLIT.

19. Modify : AMEND. We file lots of amended pleadings.

.23. Alliance led by Nasser: Abbr. : UAR. A confusing and short lived alliance. LINK.

24. Overseas assent : OUI. You say non, non but your lips say oui, oui.

33. It may be perfect : TENSE. Or even pluperfect!

34. Pursue : TRAIL. Johnny always trailed behind his big brother.

35. MapQuest request: Abbr. : RTE. Route.

37. City near Presque Isle State Park : ERIE. Here is a YELP.

38. Performed a jeté : LEAPT. A homemade HOW TO (1:54). Have you all seen the poor child who burned her hair with the curling iron?

39. Kind of a drag? : MAIN. Sound familiar?

40. Delt neighbor : PECtoral. The muscle abbreviation.(Deltoid).

41. Hershey's competitor : BOSCO. Chocolate syrup for your milk, very big when I was young.

42. Creature : BEING.

46. Loser to DDE : AES. Adlai E. Stevenson, the divorced egghead of my youth.

47. Poetic period : E'EN. Evening.

56. Sensory stimuli : ODORS. If they are good they are fragrant, if they are not it is my children.

57. "...a Loaf of Bread..." poet : OMAR. Khayyiam. We miss you CA!

"A Book of Verses underneath the Bough,
A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread--and Thou
Beside me singing in the Wilderness--
Oh, Wilderness were Paradise enow!"

58. Got a load of : EYED. Well, it is okay, because if someone says get a load of the bazonkers on that young lady, the person will have eyed, so...

60. Principle : TENET.

61. ___ Valley: Reagan Library site : SIMI. Als the home of his remains.

62. Fix, in a way : SPAY. Talk about your oxymorons, yes we fixed our dog so he can no longer reproduce. Aren't you glad dogs cannot return the favor?

63. Head lock : TRESS. By making it two words, we have the punny clue.

64. Wallet fillers : ONES. I wish you all Benjamins not Georges.

65. Like some losers : SORE. Not me, I am carrying on to the second half.

Down:

1. Welcoming sight? : MAT. Cute visual.

2. "Stat!" cousin : ASAP. As soon as possible.

3. Bust unit : KILO. Not Dennis' kind, but drug busts.

4. "Naturally" : OF COURSE.

5. The Beach Boys' "Surfin' ___" : SAFARI. They are still out there putting on SHOWS.(2:09).

6. Be a little cockeyed, maybe : TILT.

7. Computer menu option : EDIT.

8. Dole : METE.

9. Bit-by-bit : GRADUAL. You might say STEP BY STEP (7:06)

10. Tarry : REMAIN. Really stay longer than you planned.

11. Knotted up, sportswise : EVEN. Tied also fits, and did not help overcome a slow start up top.

12. Em, for one : AUNT. Really tricky for anyone who has solved puzzled for 50 years plus as EMS and ENS, the measures, were big crossword fodder.

13. Kennedy et al. : TEDS. Meh, there are so many Kennedys, and there are so many sheds.

21. Charge with a time component : RATE. I charge $0.00 per for my work here.

22. Like seven Ryan games : NO HIT. Nolan Ryan,  baseball trivia, about the most prolific pitcher to hold the opposition without any hits in a game.

25. Increase, with "up" : STEP. In Probate, if you inherit something of value, you get the stepped up basis, which helps if you ever sell.

26. Netanyahu's predecessor : PERES;  now Israel's PRESIDENT.

27. Cold and ready : ON ICE. Keep the champagne....even Tinman would agree to that ice?

28. Explosive trial : N-TEST. Not the Scopes trial but Nuclear Test.

29. Supper preceder : GRACE. All you wanted to know, and more. LINK.

30. Chef's fowl : CAPON. I put this in without hesitation, but I am still not sure why. We also have, 41D. Fowl options : BREASTS.

31. Commuting option : TRAIN. When I was a kid, it was great thrill to take the train into NYC with all the commuters.

32. Hitch : STINT.

36. Some Caltech grads: Abbr. : ENGS. Engineers like Wolowitz.

38. Fertile soil : LOESS. We have not seen this fill since 2008, LINK.

39. Parsimony : MEANNESS.

42. Spanish tar : BREA. As in the famous ones, La Brea, our third California clue.

44. Inner circles : CADRES.

45. Game designed by Alexey Pajitnov : TETRIS. I bet Sheldon knows this, I did not and will not keep it in my mind.

48. Senate Republican leader before Frist : LOTT. You all remember TRENT.

49. River to the Fulda : EDER. For KAZIE, SB, miss m and all the others.... VERBINDUNG.

50. Inventory extreme : NONE. Yes having none is certainly one end of the inventory spectrum.

51. "Meh" : SO SO. This is too easy...this clue was...oh never mind..

52. "Let's do it" : I'M IN.

53. Word heard before and after old : SAME.

54. Proof goof : TYPO. We love whimsical rhyming clues for easy fill.

55. Scorch : SEAR. Do shop at Scorches?

59. Salon job : DYE. She does color to die for!

Another Month is here, 2 gone already for 2013 and a new constructor to join all of the new people commenting here. Like the daffodils, a sure sign of spring even if we are going to suffer through our wintry 48 degree night this week end. Keep up the good work Dan and newbies and I will be back next week, GWATCDR.

Lemonade out.

Note from C.C.:

 

ACPT (American Crossword Puzzle Tournament) will be held in NY next weekend. Rich Norris will be there, so will our Marti and John Lampkin. For those who attend, I hope you won't miss the Cru Dinner organized by Mike Alpern. The dinner officially kicks off the tournament and is a great opportunity to meet with constructors (esp our Marti!) and fellow solvers.

Rich, Mike & Kim, 2008 ACPT

Thursday, February 28, 2013 Steven J. St. John

Theme: Pickup Lines

7A. With 22-, 37- or 48-Across, familiar line : HEY BABE...

22A. See 7-Across : COME HERE OFTEN?

37A. See 7-Across : YOUR PLACE OR MINE?

48A. See 7-Across : WHAT'S YOUR SIGN?

64A. Probable response to 7-/22-, 7-/37- or 7-/48-Across : GET LOST!!!!! Guffaw!  Great theme wrap-up!

SJ² is probably young enough to be my grandson, but I still loved his pickup lines! There was some other clever stuff in there too, as you will soon see.

Oh, and best pickup line I ever heard? "If I were to ask you out on a date, would your answer be the same as the one to this question?"

Marti here, so let's get crackin'!

Across:

1. Send with an email : ATTACH.

14. It has its charms : VOODOO. To soothe the savage breast, perhaps?

15. Password accompaniment : USER NAME.

17. Mail for King Arthur : ARMOUR. Legendary British king in the clue gives a hint to the British spelling of "armor."

18. "Pull it together" : GET A GRIP. Great fill!

19. Fed. management and support agency : GSA. General Services Administration.

21. Fabric : CLOTH.

29. Ken and Lena of Hollywood : OLINS.

30. Tell-all account : EXPOSÉ. Do tell!

31. Mosquito-borne fever : DENGUE. Also called "breakbone fever." Typically spread by the A. aegypti species of mosquito. (OK, I 'fess: I had to google the mosquito.) (But I did remember breakbone fever!)

33. Islet : AIT.

34. Preschool downtime : NAP.

41. Disapproving sound : SSS.

42. Ballpark fig. : EST.imate.

43. Two-___ : SEATER.

44. Shrill laugh : CACKLE. I got the part of one of the three witches in our school's production of Macbeth, because I could do the cackle so well...hee, heee, heeeee!

47. Bookkeeper's deduction : OUTGO. Anyone else want debit?

50. Literature Nobelist ___ Bashevis Singer : ISAAC. Definitely a Thursday clue.  Monday would be clued with Stern, Asimov or Newton.

52. ___ Lanka : SRI.

53. Words often said with a fist pump : NAILED IT. Nailed it! [Fist pump]

57. Easy pill to swallow : GEL CAP. With a spoonful of sugar, maybe.

62. Where a shopping list may be jotted down : ENVELOPE. Nope, I use "Evernote" on my phone. Goodbye, scraps of paper that I always forget on the kitchen counter, anyway!

63. Word of exasperation : ENOUGH. (...already!)

65. Saved : STORED.


Down:

1. Gardner of "The Killers" : AVA. Based on a short story by Ernest Hemmingway.

2. NYY opponent, on scoreboards : TOR.onto, opponents of the New York Yankees.

3. Cat on the prowl : TOM. "Alley" wouldn't fit.

4. Excitement : ADO.

5. Forks over reluctantly : COUGHS UP.

6. ___ trade : HORSE. This one stayed blank, waiting on perps to help. (Scroll down the right hand menu to "Olio" and click on "Comments Section Abbrs" to see the meaning of commonly used phrases or abbreviations on this blog.)

7. An O may symbolize one : HUG. OOOO !

8. Odessa-to-Austin dir. : ESE.

9. To this point : YET.

10. Leaflike parts : BRACTS. Bracts are different from leaves, and have specialized functions.

11. "Life of Pi" director : ANG LEE. Still have not seen it.

12. Unseen "Red" character in "Peanuts" : BARON. I was thinking of that cute little redhead that Charlie Brown is so fond of.  Then I remembered Snoopy's nemesis.

13. Give off : EMIT.

16. N.T. book : EPH.esians, book in the New Testament. I hear it got good reviews on Amazon, but I think I'll wait for the movie...

20. "All bets ___ off" : ARE.

22. Buffalo Bill and the Wyoming city named for him : CODYS. One way to clue a plural proper name!

23. Kitchen spreads : OLEOS.

24. Frigid forecast word : MINUS. Brrrr...I am ready for spring!

25. Tech sch. grad : ENGR. Engineer.  I have seen this abbr. as egr., eng. and engr.

26. "Bingo!" : EXACTLY. Loved this clue/ans.

27. Andy's TV son : OPIE. Let me get it right this time: from the old "Andy Griffith Show." (Not "Mayberry RFD.")

28. Pics : FOTOS. Slang-y clue deserves equally slang-y answer.

32. To-be, in politics : ELECT. As in "President-elect," before actually taking office.

34. Capone associate : NITTI. I have no nits with this!

35. Words after crack or fry : AN EGG.

36. 1996 role for Madonna or Jonathan Pryce : PERON. They played Eva and Juan Peron in "Evita".

38. Sets a price of : ASKS.

39. Adjust, as to a new situation : REORIENT.

40. Prey for a Hauskatze : MAUS. German clue for "cat" and German answer for "mouse." In written German, all nouns are capitalized, whether they are common nouns or proper nouns.   (I guess they're also capitalized in spoken German, but I never really noticed.)

44. Alpine dwelling : CHALET.

45. Battery not included, perhaps : AA CELL. Great clue!

46. Aurora, to the Greeks : EOS.

48. Refrain from claiming : WAIVE.

49. Prods : URGES.

50. Like Vivaldi's "Spring" : IN E. (Major.) Musical interlude. I know you like this one. 6:05 for Part 1. Click on the "Part 2" video on the right for the rest. 4:26

51. Joined the choir : SANG.

54. Scooby-___ : DOO.

55. Tape speed unit: Abbr. : IPS. Inches Per Second.

56. Hanoi holiday : TET.

58. John of London : LOO. Did the clue fool you?

59. Nasty mutt : CUR.

60. Birthday candle number : AGE. DH decided that discretion was the better part of valor, and put only one candle on my birthday cake this year.  Unfortunately, it was a 4" x 8" pillar candle...

61. Prof's deg. : PHD. "Piled Higher and Deeper."  (^0^)

'Til next week!

OOOO,
Marti

Wednesday, February 27, 2013 Mark Bickham

Theme: All-In Poker Hand

The six (!) theme entries all have four A's and no other vowels. If I was playing poker and I find four Aces in my hand, I'm shoving all my chips into the middle - it's unbeatable!

17A. *Largest port in NW Africa : CASABLANCA. Timely nod to the winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1942

24A. *Warrior's cry : ATTACK! ATTACK! Enough to make me turn and run the other way.

 

32A. *Picnic side dish : PASTA SALAD Food! The best pasta salads never seem to have anything green in them beyond a few basil leaves for garnish and maybe some pesto.

42A. *Knocking sound : RAT-A-TAT-TAT. Nice pairing with 24A - the sound of automatic weaponry or spear on shield. Again, I'm hightailing it.

51A. *Delighted : HAPPY AS A CLAM. My friend Heidi always finishes off this phrase with "..sitting in the sand where no-one's digging". That's one happy clam.

60A. *Island nation in the Indian Ocean : MADAGASCAR. One of the more toe-curling moments in NBC's coverage of the opening ceremony in the 2012 Summer Olympics was Matt Lauer opining that "[Madagascar]" (is) "a location indelibly associated with a couple of recent animated movies", and that was ALL he had to say.

And the unifier:

69A. Incursions ... or, phonetically, what the answers to starred clues contain : FORAYS

Happy Wednesday everyone! Steve here with what I thought was a great offering from Mark Bickham. Six theme entries (plus a unifier) and four 10-letter downs seemed to me a really slick constructing job. I thought the theme was smart and I'll now always know how to spell "Madagascar" without wanting to sneak an "e" in there. Wonderful.

The fill had some good stuff, so let's go see what else is out there.

Across:

1. Not interesting : JEJUNE. I resolve to use this word in conversation tomorrow.

7. Real heel : CAD

10. German exports : BMWs. Because "Bayerische Motoren Werke" won't fit around that little blue and white badge.

14. Beaucoup : A LOT OF. Shouldn't the answer be French? "Un buquetload de" or something?

15. Eight-time Norris Trophy winner : ORR. Bobby, Hockey Hall-of-Famer. The James Norris Memorial Trophy is awarded to the best defensive player in the NHL.

16. Bit attachment : REIN

19. "Black Beauty" author Sewell : ANNA. Well known in the UK - not so well-known here?

20. Metric distances: Abbr. : KMs One kilometer is one ten-thousandth of the distance between the equator and the north pole.

21. Athos, to Porthos : AMI. French day today, mes amis - I mean - my friends.

22. Word with dark or gray : MATTER. Or my hair, which went from one to the other.

27. Hersey novel setting : ADANO. Crosses all the way for this one - totally unknown to me.

30. Rob Roy's refusal : NAE. Scottish horses say this a lot.

31. Four-time Grammy winner Lovett : LYLE

35. 23-Down's div. : N.L.E. This would be the National League East, home of the Atlanta Braves.

37. As found : IN SITU

38. Pupil surrounder : AREOLA. Stop the schoolboy snickering back there, will you?

41. Ft. Worth campus : TCU. Texas Christian University. I don't punctuate college abbreviations with periods, it seems superfluous.

46. Australian six-footers : EMUs. I had ROOs first. They're about 6ft tall too.

49. Punching tool : AWL

50. "SNL" alum Mike : MYERS

54. Animals who like to float on their back : OTTERS

55. Female hare : DOE

56. "Hardly!" : NOT!

59. Violin holder : CHIN. I tried to make "CASE" work at first. Not good.

64. A sweatshirt may have one : HOOD. In which case it's called a "hoodie" nowadays, I believe.

65. Rocker Rose : AXL. Oh Lordy. More schoolboy sniggering at the back. Presenting Axl Rose to a group of anagram-minded folk is not going to get us anywhere G-rated.

66. Sedative : OPIATE

67. Overnight lodging choices : INNS

68. Low grade : DEE

Down:

1. With 2-Down, "Rio Lobo" actor : JACK. Never knew ..

2. See 1-Down : ELAM .. his name

.. until now

3. __ stick: incense : JOSS

4. Hagen often mentioned on "Inside the Actors Studio" : UTA.

5. Head, slangily : NOB. I've never used this outside of a cribbage game.

6. Key of Beethoven's "Emperor" concerto : E FLAT. Major or Minor? I'm sure our erudite musical experts can enlighten me.

7. Funnel-shaped : CONICAL

8. Compass-aided curve : ARC. Ah, the joys of grade school geometry, where they allowed you to carry a sharp implement to stab the person next to you in the kneecap (that hurt the most) before going back to proscribing your arcs. Happy days.

9. Pulitzer category : DRAMA

10. Like a spoiled kid, often : BRATTY. Compass-wielding ones especially.

11. Unwritten reminder : MENTAL NOTE. I lose mental notes, that's why I write 'em down.

12. Cab storage site : WINE CELLAR. Hmmm - has "Cab" attained "not an abbreviation" status? I liked the misdirection here, notwithstanding.

13. Hunted Carroll creature : SNARK. This is a great, fun, nonsense poem that's worth checking out if it's new to you. Wonderful word-invention along the "Jabberwocky" lines.

18. Microwave maker : AMANA

23. Braves, on scoreboards : ATL. Those NL Easters from 35A.

24. Against : ANTI

25. Exactly :  TO A "T"

26. Mauna __ : KEA. I was in Hawaii last week. I climbed a part of Haleakala, but not this volcano.

27. "Whoso diggeth __ shall fall therein": Proverbs : A PIT

28. Fundraiser with steps? : DANCE-A-THON.

29. Thing taken for granted : ASSUMPTION

33. California's Big __ : SUR. I think it's more long than big, but it's a beautiful road trip whichever direction you look at it.

34. Not dis? : DAT. I loved this little gem.

36. Chow : EATS. I looked sideways at this for a little while, and then realized that "eats" is singular, as in "good eats".

39. Avatar of Vishnu : RAMA. I just read "Midnight's Children", so thankful for this as I couldn't get the Mike MYERS entry crossing it.

40. Wd. derivation : ETYM. Etymology, not to be confused with entomology.

43. Some Duracells : AAs

44. Silly talk : TWADDLE

45. Foil maker : ALCOA

47. Capsizes : UPENDS. My boss had his boat capsized by some Australians that borrowed it to race in the America's Cup. It didn't end well.

48. Neighbor of Isr. : SYR. Syria is a friendly old country, it is neighbors with Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan as well as Israel. Keep baking those "welcome to the neighborhood" apple falafels!

51. __ Minh : HO CHI.

52. Comparable to a March hare : AS MAD. Hatters and Hares - what's with those H's to make you crazy?

53. Words with lamb or mutton : LEG OF. Food! My favorite roast.

56. School sports org. : N.C.A.A. You'd think the National Collegiate Athletic Association would try to come up with something shorter by now. Or maybe that's the point - you get a workout just typing the name.

57. Like Cheerios : OATY

58. Half of seis : TRES

61. Fire truck item : AXE. Because "Dalmatian" doesn't fit.

62. G.I.'s mail drop : A.P.O. Army Post Office, not Acute Pulmonary Odema in this context.

63. Paul McCartney, for one : SIR. Macca was knighted for "services in making the Liverpool accent intelligible and cool."

I appear to have run out of space, so I'd better call this a wrap. Have a great day and see you all next time.

Steve

Notes from C.C.:

Do any of you attend ACPT (American Crossword Puzzle Tournament) this year? Rich Norris (editor for the LA Times Daily Crossword) and many constructors (including our own John Lampkin) will be there. If you do, I hope you won't miss the Cru Dinner organized by Mike Alpern. The dinner officially kicks off the tournament and is a great opportunity to meet with constructors and fellow solvers.

Kim (Rich's lovely wife), Mike & Rich, ACPT Cru Dinner 2011

Tuesday, February 26, 2013 Marti DuGuay-Carpenter

Theme: Stay Tuned - We'll Be Right Back - The word, "STATION", is 'broken' into two sections and they are part of the theme entries.

20A. Pittsburgh fan base, collectively : STEELER NATION

27A. Philatelist's pride : STAMP COLLECTION

49A. Annual political speech : STATE OF THE UNION

57A. Commercial interruptions literally found in this puzzle's three other longest answers : STATION BREAKS

Argyle here. Notice the nice progression in the break-up of the word, station, 2-3-4. And even though the sides are broken into three-letter words, there wasn't an overabundance of them. I'm happy; are you?

Across:

1. Leftover bit : SCRAP. Hah! I was already typing ORT before I saw how many letters there were.

6. Kitchen meas. : TBSP. (tablespoon)

10. Highland tongue : ERSE

14. Thrill to pieces : ELATE

15. Commuter's option : RAIL

16. Cuts short : LOPS

17. "Understood!" : "GOT IT!"

18. Egg on : URGE

19. Debt-heavy corp. takeovers : LBO's. (leveraged buyout)

23. A pop : PER. Each.

24. Confirmation or bar mitzvah : RITE

25. Tons of, casually : LOTSA. (a lot of)

31. Pet welfare org. : ASPCA. (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)

32. Tie up loose ends? : SEW

33. Shed a few tears : CRY. Extensive write-up goes with this if you go to YouTube.

34. "Bus Stop" playwright : INGE. William

37. Radar's favorite drink : NEHI. (grape)

40. Butter on the farm? : RAM. 30D. 40-Across mate : EWE

43. Windy City trains : ELs. Elevated trains in Chicago.

45. Solemn promises : OATHS

54. Appeared on TV : AIRED

55. Penlight batteries : AAA's

56. AFL affiliate : CIO. (American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations)

61. Just as you see it : AS IS

62. City near Sacramento : LODI. CCR's take on Lodi(3:08).

63. Young neigh sayers : COLTS. Cute one.

65. Adjust, as strings : TUNE

66. Close : SHUT

67. Slippery as __ : AN EEL

68. Israel's only female prime minister : MEIR. (Golda)

69. Nile threats : ASPS. The crosswords are full of them, too.

70. Toy bear named for a president : TEDDY

Down:

1. Line piece: Abbr. : SEG. (segment)

2. Places to hide skeletons? : CLOSETS

3. Dilapidated dwelling : RAT TRAP

4. End in __: come out even : A TIE

5. He refused to grow up : PETER PAN

6. Faithfully following : TRUE TO

7. Oil units : BARRELS

8. Talk with one's hands : SIGN

9. Earnest request : PLEA

10. Nixon attorney general Richardson : ELLIOT. He resigned rather than obey President Nixon's order to fire special prosecutor Archibald Cox.

11. Like some of Michael Jackson's moves : ROBOTIC. @1:15

12. Advertiser : SPONSOR

13. Twisty curve : ESS

21. DMV certificate : LIC. (license)

22. Dr. Mom's specialty : TLC. (Tender Loving Care)

23. "This is your brain on drugs," e.g. : PSA. (public service announcement)

26. Unspecified quantity : ANY

28. 12th century opener : MCI. 1101

29. Deighton who wrote the "Hook, Line and Sinker" trilogy : LEN. Spy Hook, Spy Line, and Spy Sinker. It is the middle trilogy of a set of three trilogies. Man, that's a lot of reading.

35. Prefix with thermal : GEO. As a prefix: geo- is taken from Greek, meaning "earth", usually in the sense of "ground or land".

36. Santa's helper : ELF

38. Pet on your lap, maybe : HOUSE CAT. And anywhere else they damn please to lie. Check out today's Garfield.

39. Author Fleming : IAN. related, 42D. Bond's is shaken, not stirred : MARTINI

40. Cape Town's country: Abbr. : RSA. (Republic of South Africa)

41. Being debated : AT ISSUE

44. Comedy genre : STAND-UP

46. Got a giggle out of : TICKLED

47. Raised, as a flag : HOISTED

48. Nestlé's __-Caps : SNO

50. Movie trailer, e.g. : TEASER

51. Boston summer hrs. : EDT. (Eastern Daylight Time)

52. Nuns' clothing : HABITS

53. Kernel holder : EAR

58. Rick's love in "Casablanca" : ILSA

59. Fireworks responses : OOHs. Followed by aahs.

60. Top-shelf : A-ONE

61. Way to check your balance, briefly : ATM. Check to see if it was made by NCR.

64. Sneaky : SLY

Argyle

Monday, February 25, 2013 Don Gagliardo and C.C. Burnikel

Theme: A Trip Down Lover's Lane - Follow the three steps found at the end of the first theme entries and you will arrive at the fourth.

17A. Soft hit that barely makes it over the infield : BLOOP SINGLE

28A. Archaeological age-determination process : CARBON DATING

45A. Completely absorbed : FULLY ENGAGED

59A. Sign in a limo that aptly concludes the sequence formed by the last words of 17-, 28- and 45-Across : JUST MARRIED

Argyle here. Straightforward Monday. A little something for everybody. Easy to find cheater squares. An obscure name or two. A bit of crosswordese. If you can't find a nit, you're not trying but you would be hard-pressed to say you couldn't get it done.

Across:

1. Apt. parts, in ads : BR's. (bedrooms)

4. Talking head : PUNDIT. Originally meant "learned Hindu" before sinking down to a talking head.

10. Big name in ATMs : NCR. (National Cash Register)

13. Charged particles : IONs

15. Black-and-blue mark, e.g. : BRUISE

16. Suffix for pay : OLA. Payola/Graft

19. Cranberry-growing area : BOG

20. Africa's Sierra __ : LEONE. On the west coast. Map.

21. Fed. retirement org. : SSA. (Social Security Administration)

22. "T" on a test, usually : TRUE

23. Like dodos and dinosaurs : EXTINCT. But not 'our' Dodo.

26. Foray : INROAD. (encroachment, raid)

31. Texting units: Abbr. : MSG's. (messages)

34. Rowboat mover : OAR

35. Wish granter : GENIE

36. "How was __ know?" : I TO

37. Abrasions : SCRAPES

40. Sinus doc : ENT. (ear, nose, and throat)

41. Not exactly robust : FRAIL

43. Simpsons neighbor Flanders : NED

44. Makes really angry : IREs

49. Lawyer's customer : CLIENT

50. Accessory often carried with a wallet : KEY CASE. So you won't jangle when you walk.

54. Merle Haggard's "__ From Muskogee" : OKIE

55. N.J. neighbor : DEL.

57. Lightened : EASED

58. Libertarian politician Paul : RON. And small-government proponent. (yesterday)

62. Mystery novelist Grafton : SUE. 'S' is for Sue.

63. Houston team : ASTROS

64. Statistician's input : DATA

65. NHL tiebreakers : OT's

66. Tinkers (with) : MESSES

67. Figs. : NO's. (figures/numbers)

Down:

1. The Good Book : BIBLE

2. Pricey watch with a gold crown logo : ROLEX

3. Nose-in-the-air type : SNOOT

4. "Nova" airer : PBS

5. Ocean State sch. : URI. (University of Rhode Island)

6. Convent dwellers : NUNS

7. Starts to eat with gusto : DIGS IN

8. Manhattan is one : ISLAND. The Manhattan I like.

9. Golf ball's perch : TEE

10. Choice you don't have to think about : NO BRAINER

11. Metaphorical state of elation : CLOUD NINE. This site explains (sort of) where the term comes from.

12. Violent anger : RAGE

14. Former (and likely future) Seattle NBA team : SONICS

18. '90s Cabinet member Federico : PENA

22. Lug : TOTE

24. Gator's kin : CROC

25. Skier's way up : T-BAR. Back to our usual.

27. Glad __: party clothes : RAGS

29. Long-armed primate : ORANG. Informally; an orangutan.

30. Comprehends : GETS

31. Tick off : MIFF

32. Went down swinging : STRUCK OUT

33. Touchdowns require crossing them : GOAL LINES

37. Leonard __: Roy Rogers's birth name : SLYE. Trivia.

38. Mountain top : PEAK

39. Advantage : EDGE

42. Nastase of tennis : ILIE

44. Security checkpoint request : ID CARD

46. Ultimate application : END USE

47. Big bomb trials : N-TESTS

48. Binoculars user : EYER

51. Made in China, say : ASIAN

52. Look after : SEE TO

53. Icelandic sagas : EDDAs

54. Estimator's words : OR SO

56. P.O. box inserts : LTR's. (letters)

59. Printer problem : JAM

60. Stooge with bangs : MOE

61. Pack animal : ASS

Argyle

Sunday Feb 24, 2013 Melanie Miller

Theme: "Excess Baggage" - BAG is added to each theme entry.

23A. Self-defense overkill? : HANDBAG GRENADE. Hand grenade. Hottest handbag at the moment.

33A. Red wines aged in autos? : AIRBAG PORTS. Airports.

50A. KEGO on your radio dial? : GASBAG STATION. Gas station. What is KEGO?

70A. Direct route to Loserville? : DIRTBAG ROAD. Dirt road.

90A. Entertaining show in a run-down hotel? : FLEABAG CIRCUS. Flea circus.

104A. Consumer Reports first aid recommendations? : ICE BAG PICKS. Ice picks.

121A. Activist grocery clerk? : PAPER BAG PUSHER. Paper pusher.

Normally puzzle titles do not repeat the key words of the themes. But "Excess Baggage" captures the gimmick so well.

Easier than our normal Sunday, probably because the theme came to me early on.

  

Across:

1. Corn at a picnic : EARS
 

5. Proofer's mark : STET
 

9. Wind surge : GUST
 

13. Protozoa genus : AMOEBA. The spelling Barry G prefers.

19. First Nations tribe : CREE

20. Kitchen aid : CAN OPENER

22. Elephant in the Jungle of Nool : HORTON. Dr. Seuss's "Horton Hears a Who"

25. Because : IN THAT
 

26. Secure : OBTAIN
 

27. Orbital extremes : APOGEES
 

29. The ones right here : THESE
 

30. Shocked, in a way : TASED

35. Water carriers : PIPES

38. Garbage collectors : BINS

41. Rose to great heights : SOARED

42. Dashboard Confessional music genre : EMO. Guessed.

43. Expanding concern? : OBESITY. And 32D. Plan to take off : DIET. Both fun clues.

46. Edible mollusks : ABALONES. I lived in a small city near Tsingtao for half a year. Amazing seafood/beer/government corruption there.
 

54. Get stuck (on), mentally : FIXATE

55. Ocean gathering : SCHOOL
 

56. Thread holder : ETUI
 

57. Series of turns, usually: Abbr. : RTE
 

58. Secret alternative : BAN
 

59. Solar __ : PLEXUS. OK, it's located in your stomach area.

 

63. Foreword, briefly : INTRO
 

65. Takes to the streets : RIOTS
 

67. Part of the Constitution that describes Cong. powers : ARTI. Short for article?

 

73. Stockings : HOSE
 

74. They may have spurs : BOOTS
 

76. Unfamiliar : ALIEN
 

77. How chicken may be served : ON RICE. I'd like some  UNAGI (10D. Eel, at sushi bars)  on my rice.

79. Bugler with horns : ELK
 

80. Chicago-based superstation : WGN. I wonder why Chicago is always so corrupt, TTP/Abejo?
 

82. Growing business : FARM

84. California peak rumored to hide advanced beings called Lemurians : SHASTA. Melissa knows this.
 

88. Giggle : TEE HEE
 

94. Vending machine options : SODA POPS
 

97. After Effects and Final Cut Pro : EDITORS. Both video editors. I googled.
 

98. Mount Rushmore prez : ABE. Did you know he's the most written person after Jesus and Shakespeare?
 

99. Pabst brand : STROHS. Windhover/Abejo is our authority on beers.
 

101. Large green moth : LUNA
 

102. Mythical enchantress : MEDEA. Lemonade's wife, in myth.
 

109. Rear-__ : ENDER

111. Retail benchmark : SALES

112. Close enough : IN RANGE. Made me think of Chris Kyle. Bradley Cooper is going to play him in the movie "American Sniper".

115. "Shortly" : IN A SEC

119. Like some domestic help : LIVE IN

124. "The Human Condition" writer Hannah : ARENDT. Haltoola might know her. Not me.

125. Contraption : APPARATUS
 

126. Italian capital : EURO. Money. Not ROME/ROMA.

127. They're popular in Japanese gardening : MOSSES

 

128. Unusable, as a cellphone : DEAD
 

129. It may be used to walk the dog : YO YO
 

130. Obey a red light : STOP
 

Down:

1. Chamber bouncer : ECHO

2. Many a Yemeni : ARAB

3. Borrow for a price : RENT

4. Unflappable : SEDATE

5. Checks out, as groceries : SCANS

6. Hash attachment : TAG
 

7. H.S. course : ENG

8. __ Bora: Afghan region : TORA
 

9. Italy's largest seaport : GENOA
 

11. Ritual meals : SEDERS
 

12. South American arboreal snake : TREE BOA. So they live in trees?
 

13. Hawaiian tuna : AHI
 

14. Least populous state capital : MONTPELIER. Wiki said "The population was 7,855 at the 2010 census".

15. Traditional : ORTHODOX
 

16. Wild blue yonder : ETHER. I don't understand this clue. Why "Wild"?
 

17. Sing one's own praises : BOAST. So Boomer now has 14 perfect games. Lumpy, one of his friends, has 75. Can you believe it? Lumpy is not tall, nor does he look muscly. He does manage a bowling center.
 

18. Kitty starters : ANTES
 

21. Verve : PEP
 

24. Leaning : BIAS
 

28. Swedish import : SAAB
 

31. Dies down : EBBS
 

34. Payola, e.g. : GRAFT
 

35. Correctly assesses : PEGS
 

36. Apple variety : iMAC
 

37. Elegant : POSH
 

39. Cryptologic govt. org. : NSA
 

40. Something to build on : SITE
 

43. Checked out : OGLED. For our leg-loving Splynter.

44. Hair color immortalized by a Renaissance painter : TITIAN RED. Did you all get this easily?
 

45. In its early stages : YOUNG
 

 47. Jar Jar Binks's home planet : NABOO. Strange land to me.

48. Virginie et Floride : ETATS. States, in French.
 

49. Horse __ : SENSE
 

51. Hasbro reaction game : BOP IT. New to me. Is it played alone?

52. Email letters : AOL
 

53. Short blaster? : NITRO. The N in  TNT.
 

57. Revved engine sound : ROAR
 

60. Capital of Shaanxi province : XI'AN. Yeah, my hometown. Capital of Zhou & Qin Dynasties, hence my Mandarin name Zhouqin. So, when you Google "Xi'An Zhouqin", what's the first image you see?

61. Modern search result : URL
 

62. Strong, drinkwise : STIFF
 

64. Small-government proponent Paul : RON
 

66. "__ the train a-comin'": Johnny Cash lyric : I HEAR.
 

67. Covers for a crook, say : ABETS
 

68. Battle on a log : ROLEO. Learned from doing Xwords.
 

69. Tipped, as a dealer : TOKED
 

71. Bluesy Memphis street : BEALE
 

72. Some are compact : DISCS
 

75. Brushed off : SWEPT ASIDE. Nice answer.
 

78. Vital life force, to acupuncturists : CHI. Literally "breath"/"air". It's different from the Chi in Tai Chi, which means "Grand".

 

81. Storied officer __ Ludwig von Trapp : GEORG. "The Sound of Music".
 

83. Junk __ : MAIL
 

85. Gob : SCAD. Often in plural.
 

86. Den focus, familiarly : TUBE. Not the "Scout den".
 

87. Sailing : ASEA
 

89. Stars no longer shining : HAS-BEENS
 

91. A/C measure : BTU
 

92. Unrivaled : A-ONE
 

93. Nana : GRAN

95. 1969 Arkin/Moreno comedy : POPI. Never heard of it. Alan Arkin/Rita Moreno.
 

 

96. Soccer protection : SHIN PAD
 

100. Minor injury : SCRAPE. I'm amazed by how stubborn my hamstring injury is. Still a  dull pain when I do some leg stretch.
 

102. Options list : MENU. Options is under Tools in my Firefox browser.

 

103. Takes out mistakes : ERASES
 

104. Faith of nearly a quarter of Earth's population : ISLAM
 

105. Where "Aida" premiered : CAIRO
 

106. Rivendell inhabitants : ELVES. Gimme for Marti/Jazzbumpa. Both avid fans of "The Lord of Rings".

 

107. Key letter : KAPPA. This Greek "Key" clue often stumps me.
 

108. "Golf Begins at Forty" author : SNEAD (Sam). Could be HOGAN, judging by the title.
 

110. Souse : DIPSO
 

113. Lab warning : GRR. Dog!
 

114. Cybermarket since 1995 : eBAY
 

116. Latched, say : SHUT
 

117. Designer Saarinen : EERO
 

118. Prune : CROP. Trim.
 

120. Some Windows systems : NTS
 

122. From __ Z : A TO
 

123. Chap : GUY

C.C.