Thursday, July 11th 2019 Paul Coulter

Theme: The Byrds Songs - what better to celebrate a nice punning puzzle with a reminder of Roger McGuinn's 12-string Rickenbacker?

I'm assuming I don't have to explain the puns, they're pretty obvious, so let's call out the theme entries and move on.

17A. Devious nestling's cry?: CHEEP TRICK. Here's Cheap Trick for color (or black and white in this picture, darn).

27A. Early-rising duck's call?: QUACK OF DAWN

46A. Prizeworthy cornfield sounds?: CAWS CÉLÈBRE. Not sure about the definition in the clue here. "Prizeworthy" doesn't ring true. Controversial or unpopular in my dictionary.

62A. Elegant dove's murmur?: COO DE GRÂCE. Filling up my quota of diacriticals here.

I was interested to see that two of the four punning entries had been used before - no knock on Paul´s elegant puzzle, but both had appeared in the NYT, granted 20 years apart, but the most recent was 2017. I like how Paul pulled everything together with the aviarian theme though. Let's see what else we've got:

Across:

1. Red ink list: DEBTS

6. Editor's "never mind": STET

10. Fast one: SCAM

14. Naturally lit courtyards: ATRIA

15. Mex. title: SRTA. Senorita. Not just Mexico, any Spanish-speaking country.

16. Roughly: OR SO

19. Word on diet food packaging: LITE

20. Like a coach after a rough game, maybe: HOARSE

21. Marriott-owned hotel chain: SHERATON. Marriott and Hilton have pretty much acquired every other hotel chain on the planet.

23. Sets, as a price: ASKS

24. Div. won by the Braves 13 times: N.L.E. Atlanta of the National League East.

26. Besmirch: TAR

32. __ Maria: TIA. I tried AVE first, which didn't work so well. A non-religious friend of mine works with some parochial schools, and was reading a hymn sheet. She asked me why "Avenue Maria" was part of a prayer.

35. Big bully: BRUTE

36. Protected at sea: ALEE

37. Counselor: ADVISER

39. Watch for money, usually: BABYSIT

42. Four-time Grammy winners Kings of __: LEON. I decided not to link one of my favorite songs of theirs - it has the s*x word in the title, and I didn't want to upset anyone.

43. Backspace over: ERASE

45. Hosp. areas: O.R.'S My first full-time job out of high school was as a cleaner in the county hospital. I'm not sure how many O.R's and E.R's I cleaned up. That was a good education for a precocious 17-year-old. It certainly taught me a couple of life lessons.

49. Amigo: PAL

50. Letters from the Civil War: CSA

51. Mine bonanza: LODE. Is there a father lode? I know there's a mother one.

55. Skated on thin ice: RAN A RISK

59. Look into again, as a cold case: REOPEN

61. Brought into play: USED

64. Many a retired thoroughbred: SIRE

65. "It __ up to me": ISN'T

66. Catcher's interference, in baseball rules: ERROR

67. Kit Carson House site: TAOS

68. Throw away: TOSS. Nicely proximate to TAOS.

69. Nostalgically fashionable: RETRO

Down:

1. Russian country house: DACHA

2. Cultural spirit: ETHOS

3. Work stoppage?: BREAK

4. Elaborate cake layers: TIERS. I guess "elaborate" because a tier needs to be stacked on something?

5. Easy marks: SAPS

6. Kazakhstan, once: Abbr.: S.S.R. Soviet Socialist Republic.

7. Split into thirds: TRISECT. Quite an uncommon word, but perfectly logical.

8. Inscribe: ETCH

9. Start liking: TAKE TO

10. Astronomical time period: SOLAR DAY. The time it takes for a planet to rotate on its axis so that the sun appears in the same place in the sky. 24 hours on Earth, 24 hours, 39 minutes and 35 seconds on Mars.

11. Lit __: CRIT

12. In the matter of: AS TO

13. Kohler rival: MOEN

18. Academic goal: TENURE

22. Churchill's "so few": Abbr.: R.A.F. The Royal Air Force. "Per Ardua Ad Astra". I'm sure you all know the full quote:

"Never, in the field of human conflict, was so much owed by so many to so few".

25. Bay leaf source: LAUREL

27. Moon and Starr of the NFL: QB'S. Nice clue. Warren Moon and Bart Starr. Bart Starr led the Green Bay Packers to the first two Superbowl wins. He passed away recently, in May.

28. Skewered fare: KEBABS. I wait for crosses, as "KEBOBS" is equally valid. Also "KABOBS/KABABS".

29. "And another thing ... ": ALSO

30. 2003 Masters champ Mike: WEIR. A Canadian leftie, winning the Masters was the highlight of his career.

31. Brings home: NETS

32. Locker room sprinkle: TALC

33. Brain wave: IDEA

34. Admit frankly: AVOW. I had "AVER" first which slowed me down a little.

38. To a great degree: IN SPADES

40. Equally hard to find: AS RARE

41. Contest where participants stand for a spell: BEE. Is the National Spelling Bee done? What, eight joint winners after the organizers ran out of words this year? It seems a little silly now, especially with all the professional coaching that seems to be compulsory to give the kid a chance to compete. Let's just call it a day and move on.

44. Figures: RECKONS

47. Elevator __: CAR

48. Bring out: ELICIT

51. He played Ugarte in "Casablanca": LORRÉ. ¨He goes strolling through the crowd like Peter Lorré, contemplating a crime¨.

52. Eyeball benders: OP ART. I posted an example of this a couple of years ago, and spent the night with my eyes spinning and I couldn't sleep. Google at your own (pleasure) risk.

53. HGTV topic: DECOR

54. Two before marzo: ENERO. Spanish months, January and March.

55. Reddish shade: RUST

56. Where to find Java: ASIA. Also, my kitchen, with a pound of Blue Mountain coffee brought back from Jamaica. I use it sparingly, it's delicious but expensive.

57. Student of Seneca: NERO

58. Just all right: SO-SO

60. Hungarian wine region: EGER. Not one of the most well-known regions, but some nice reds are produced there. You need to be careful, a lot of the wineries load up the wines with a ton of alcohol, not the most subtle approach.

63. Rehab symptom, for short: DT'S. Delirium Tremens, or visions of pink elephants and the shakes, much the same that anyone would experience watching the latest Disney remake of "Dumbo". What were they thinking?


Well, that about wraps up another Thursday from me. Here's the grid and I'll get my coat.

Steve

Wednesday July 10, 2019 Alan Olschwang

 Theme:  DEUCES WILD (58. Card game declaration, and a hint to what can be found in the four other longest answers) - Anagram of "Deuce" are hidden in each theme answer.

 18. *Soft material: SUEDE CLOTH.

 23. *Supply support for a claim: PRODUCE EVIDENCE.

 36. *"Coming Home" and "Nebraska" Oscar nominee: BRUCE DERN.

 50. *Like many new job seekers: COLLEGE-EDUCATED.

Boomer again, filling another blogging gap.

Hello everyone. I can relate to this theme because I really like playing the deuces wild version of draw poker machines at the casinos.  You don't win a lot but also you can play a while without losing much. I did hit a royal flush (no wild cards) for $200, on a five nickel bet at Treasure Island. The one in Minnesota, not the one on the Strip in Vegas.

Boomer, Treasure Island, 2013

Across:

1. Chopped garden clods: HOED.  Easier than pulling weeds, but careful around the tomatoes .

5. Wash: BATHE.

10. Thailand neighbor: LAOS.

14. Basketball Hall of Famer Donovan: ANNE.  We met Lindsey Whalen once.  She was a star Minnesota Gopher and Minnesota Lynx guard.  She now coaches the Gopher women's basketball program and I expect will be elected to the Hall of Fame. She is from Hutchinson, MN, a city 40 miles west of Minneapolis and was founded by my great, great, great grandfather Asa Hutchinson.  Leader of the Hutchinson Family Singers, but no relation to the governor of Arkansas.  (I asked).  

Anne Donovan (November 1, 1961 – June 13, 2018)

15. Dislike to the max: ABHOR.

16. Foot part: INCH. Toe did not have enough letters and heel didn't work either.

17. Rose and ruby: REDS.  Cincinnati baseball team.  I wish they could have taken a game or two from Cleveland last weekend.

20. "Downton Abbey" actor Stevens: DAN.

21. Ph.D. hurdle: DISS. Dissertation.

22. Quarterback Manning: ELI.  Brother of Peyton.  "Nationwide is on your side." 

29. Absolute: UTTER.

30. Cork's land: Abbr.: IRE.

31. "Mazel __!": TOV. Congratulations and best of luck!!

32. Ancient city on the Nile: THEBES.  The Nile River does not get enough credit.  I believe the source is either the Red Sea or the Mediterranean and winds its way through Egypt.  It forms a few lakes south of Cairo, reminds me of the Mississippi in Missouri.

34. "That scared me!": EEK.  Monday we had EKE, now we are treated to EEK.

35. Many a map dot: ISLE.  Reminds me of Lake of the Isles, featured on the intro of many Mary Tyler Moore episodes.

Mary Tyler Moore House, August 16, 2017

39. West Point team: ARMY.  Hup, Sarge.

42. It's never free of charge: ION.

43. E-tailer: DOT COM.

47. Life story, briefly: BIO.

48. Spike TV, once: TNN.

49. Candle emanation: AROMA. That's odd, I never realize an aroma from a candle.  How about "Outhouse emanation"?

55. Filming site: LOT.  It is said his wife was turned to a pillar of salt.

56. Phnom __, Cambodia: PENH.

57. Ancient times, poetically: ELD.

62. Tire swing support: TREE.  Brings back memories.  I have not seen a tire swing for years.

63. "A Beautiful Mind" mathematician: NASH.  I have not seen one of them for years either,  My Mom drove a 1952 sedan.  (Not a Rambler).  I owned a 1975 Pacer before AMC went under.

64. Numbered market section: AISLE.  Home Depot has numbered aisles, and I swear every store employee knows exactly which number everything is in. 

65. Is in session: SITS.

66. Slow-moving boats: ARKS.

67. Old Renault: LE CAR.  Never owned or drove one of these.  Is Renault still in business?

68. 38-Down, e.g.: PEST. 38D. Orkin target: ROACH.

Down:

1. Barely able: HARD PUT.  Add a "T" and you have the Hard putt made on the 18th green by Matt Wolfe at the 3M Open Sunday.

2. The heck: ON EARTH. Peace ON EARTH finally, now that July 4th has passed.

3. Back-of-the-book explanatory comment: END NOTE.

4. Paris' Pont __ Arts: DES. 

5. Like 101 courses: BASIC.

6. Vituperation: ABUSE.

7. This and this: THESE.  Life Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness.

8. Brick carrier: HOD.

9. Prior to, in verse: ERE.

10. De Gaulle's birthplace: LILLE.  Charles De Gaulle was a key ally for the U.S. in World War II and was still President of France when I was in high school in the sixties.

11. Applies holy oil to: ANOINTS. Our sick parishioners receive this monthly in church.

12. U.N. Day month: OCT.  The 27th is my birthday.

13. "Be quiet!": SHH.

19. Relinquish officially: CEDE.  Hairlines must cede twice, because they RECEDE.

21. Engraver Albrecht: DURER.

24. "You Light Up My Life" singer Boone: DEBBY.  I see her on infomercials with Peter Marshall selling old time greats CDs.  Her dad PAT was a legend, now he sells bathtubs.

25. Competed: VIED.

26. Ticked: IRKED. See also 46. Superlatively 26-Down: MADDEST.

27. KFC title: COL.  Good old Colonel Sanders.  We visited the very first KFC in Corbin, KY about 17 years ago on our way to Myrtle Beach, SC.  A great historical stop.

28. Biblical garden denizen: EVE.  Please pass me an apple.

33. Acting litigiously: SUING.

34. Poetic twilight: EEN.  Oh I'm just eightEEN, got a ruptured SplEEN and I always carry a purse, (Draft Dodger Blues.  Chad Mitchell Trio)  

35. IV part: INTRA.

37. Cold Stone Creamery buy: CONE.  Former Mets pitcher David.

39. "The Rookie" network: ABC.  I don't watch ABC too much anymore.  Maybe if they had "Law & Order" reruns.

40. __ Grande: RIO.

41. Oyster or clam: MOLLUSK.

44. Social circle: COTERIE.

45. Brunch buffet station fare: OMELETS.  Great name!  I think it is Latin for three scrambled eggs, grilled flat, then rolled up around ham and cheese.

48. Beret's perch: TETE.

51. Highland waters: LOCHS. Home of the Ness Monster?

52. Protestant denom.: EPISC.

53. Street in a law office: DELLA.  I used to watch Perry Mason all the time.  Now I hardly ever tune in a rerun.

54. Sedated: UNDER.

58. Paternity identifier: DNA.  Had this on Monday.

59. Musical gift: EAR.  I have heard that a person might have a good ear for music.  What do they do with their other ear?

60. "Do the Right Thing" pizzeria owner: SAL.

61. LPGA golfer Michelle: WIE.  She was in Chaska Minnesota at Hazeltine several weeks ago.  However it seems she has injured wrists, and was not able to make the cut.

62. Dose meas.: TSP.

Boomer

Tuesday, July 9, 2019, Gail Grabowski and Bruce Venzke

Man's Best Friend.  The last word of each theme answer can precede the word Dog to give us a new and common phrase.

I'll start with the unifier today.

54-Across. Pretend to be wealthy, in old slang ... and a hint to words that end answers to starred clues: PUT ON THE DOG.

According to a number of sources, the idiom Putting On the Dog is uniquely an American expression.  It was first recorded in print in the early 1870s in a book entitled Four Years at Yale, and it means "to make a flashy display."  It may derive from the popularity of lap dogs during the 1860s and 1870s.  Because a lap dog was considered to be pampered, "putting on the dog" was a way of showing off.

20-Across. *  Hit the roof: BLOW ONES TOP.  As in the Top Dog - Number 1 Best!

38-Across. *  Goes on a winning streak: GETS HOT.  Could also be parsed as Get Shot, but that doesn't fit the theme.  Hot Dog.  Hi, Misty!

11-Down. *  Old Spice rival: RIGHT GUARD.  Both Right Guard and Old Spice are deodorants.    Guard Dog.

29-Down. *  Photogenic evening event: SETTING SUN.  Sun Dog.  Everything you always wanted to known about a Sun Dog, but were afraid to ask.

Across:
1. Tampa NFLers: BUCS.  As in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  Their logo is fierce.  Hi, Tin!

5. Copier powder: TONER.

10. Like much testimony: ORAL.

14. Sundance Film Festival state: UTAH.  This is an annual event that takes place in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah.  Next year the film festival will run from Thursday, January 23, 2020 through Sunday February 2, 2020.  It is a showcase festival for American and foreign independent filmmakers.  Get your tickets now!

15. Virtuosic piece: ÉTUDE.

16. Document with an executor: WILL.  As in your Last Will and Testament.

17. Celeb's wheels: LIMO.  As in a Limousine.

How classy!

18. Angry diner patron's decision: NO TIP.

19. French Toaster Sticks brand: EGGO.  Leggo my Eggo!

23. Barn bale: HAY.  Round or Square?

24. Spring flower: IRIS.  Things you didn't know about Van Gogh's Iris paintings.

25. Turned to compost: ROTTED.

27. Pretend to be: POSE AS.  Can you spot the differences in these pictures?

30. Word with call or ritual: MATING.  As in a Mating Call or a Mating Ritual.

32. Rudder's region: STERN.  Hi, Spitzboov!

33. Religious faction: SECT.

34. Ballet skirt: TUTU.  //  Not to be confused with 42-Across.  Fictional terrier from Kansas: TOTO.

37. Museum display: ART.

41. Satisfied exhalations: AHs!

44. Picture of health?: X-RAY.

45. Kiddie-lit brutes: OGRES.

47. "Famous potatoes" referred to in a license plate slogan: IDAHOS.  My Own Private Idaho.

49. Rubble-lifting machine: LOADER.

50. Movie theater: CINEMA.  Where you go to see a film at the Sundance Film Festival.

52. __ bath: therapeutic soak: SITZ.  Believe me, you don't want to see a picture.

53. Energy unit: ERG.  An Erg is the amount of work done by a force of one dyne exerted for a distance of 1 centimeter.  The word erg comes from the Greek word for work.

60. Arnaz of early TV: DESI.  Desi Arnaz (Mar. 2, 1917 ~ Dec. 2, 1986) was the husband of Lucille Ball and played her husband, Ricky Ricardo, on I Love Lucy.  Sadly, their marriage in real life was not a happy one.

62. Anwar of Egypt: SADAT.  Muhammad Anwar el-Sadat (Dec. 25, 1918 ~ Oct. 6, 1981) was the 3rd President of Egypt.  He worked to make peace with Israel, and in 1978, he shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Israeli Prime Minister, Menacham Began.  Three years later, Sadat was assassinated  by one of his countrymen while celebrating the annual event marking Egypt's crossing of the Suez Canal during the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

63. U2 lead singer: BONO.  His given name is Paul David Hewson (b. May 10, 1960).

64. Sufficient, briefly: ENUF.  Enuf said!

65. Bike for a tyke: TRIKE.

66. Shamu was one: ORCA.

67. Rooms with recliners: DENS.

68. Take the wheel: STEER.  I initially tried Drive, but I guess we were looking for a more bovine answer.

69. RR depot posting: SKED.  As in the schedule.

Down:
1. Daffodil-to-be: BULB.

2. Electric co., e.g.: UTIL.  As in a Utility.

3. Covert ops garb: CAMO.  I was thinking a little more Cloak and Dagger, so initially tried Cape.  (Look closely.)

4. More flamboyant: SHOWIER.

5. Nadal's sport: TENNIS.  Rafael Nadal (b. June 3, 1986) is a professional tennis player.  He has won 18 Grand Slam singles titles.

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal

Roger Federer

6. Great Plains natives: OTOES.

7. Tree-borne allergen sources: NUTS.

8. Tweak, as text: EDIT.

9. Work under, as a manager: REPORT TO.

10. Have bills to pay: OWE.  I owe, I owe, so off to work I go!

12. Pool owner's concern: ALGAE.  It's hard work to keep a pool algae-free.

13. "Airplane!" actor Bridges: LLOYD.  Lloyd Vernet Bridges, Jr. (Jan. 15, 1913 ~ Mar. 10, 1998) was the father of actors Beau and Jeff Bridges.  Airplane! is a very funny movie.

21. Indonesian ape: ORANG.

22. Luau finger food: POI.  When I tried poi, it was more like the consistency of humas, not something that one would eat with one's fingers.

26. Blowup letters: TNT.  As in TriNitoToluene.

27. Natl. Merit Scholarship qualifying exam: PSAT.  The Preliminary SAT is a standardized test administered by the College Board and is co-sponsored by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

28. Other, in Oaxaca: OTRO.  Today's Spanish lesson.  Oaxaca is is a city in central Mexico known for its colorful buildings made from greenish volcanic stone.

30. Western plateaus: MESAS.

31. Like overworked muscles: ACHY.

33. Houston MLBer: 'STRO.  As in the Houston Astros Major League Baseball team.  Note, however, that the official logo doesn't abbreviate the name.

35. You, quaintly: THEE.  I initially tried Thou.

36. Cold War country: Abbr.: USSR.  As in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or in the alphabet used in Russia, the country would have been known as Союз Советских Социалистических Республик.

39. Drains of energy: EXHAUSTS.

40. One in a comb row: TOOTH.

43. Glorifying verse: ODE.  A crossword staple.

46. Open-sided structures also called summerhouses: GAZEBOS.  Do you know the difference between a Gazebo and a Pergola?

48. Sound system part: AMP.

49. Leave a paper trail?: LITTER.  My favorite clue of the puzzle.

50. Formally gave up: CEDED.

51. Goddess of peace: IRENE.  Good night!

52. Slithering reptile: SNAKE.

55. Fruit pastry: TART.  Yummers!

56. Drooling toon canine: ODIE.  Garfield's chum.

57. Nerdy sort: DORK.

58. Back in the day: ONCE.  Once upon a time there was, "a king!", my little readers will instantly exclaim.  No, children, you are mistaken.  Once upon a time there was a piece of wood.  **  To which  children's story are these the opening lines?

59. Egg on: GOAD.

61. "No __, ands or buts": IFs.


And here's the Grid:

I'll leave you with a QOD:  If you haven’t found something strange during the day, it hasn’t been much of a day.  ~  John A. Wheeler (né John Archibald Wheeler; July 9, 1911 ~ Apr. 13, 2008), American theoretical physicist

**  Pinocchio.

Note from C.C.:

Happy Birthday to dear Tony (Anonymous-T), our generous and caring geek friend. Tony wrote a program that eased up our blogging considerably.

At Wit's End near Carmel on Father's Day 2017