Saturday, Apr 11th, 2015, David C. Duncan Dekker

Theme: None

Words: 72 (pangram~!)

Blocks: 27

  I can't believe I finished the whole thing - OK, I looked up two proper names - but I'm claiming victory, considering the clever and vague cluing.  I did not see Mr. Duncan Dekker's name in the blog list, so I have to assume this is his first publication for the LA Times; he maybe a regular for the NYT, but I wouldn't know - I am lucky to have had the time to work last Sunday's crossword in my local paper, Newsday ( BTW, Gail Grabowski).  Anyway, this grid started off very white, with big chunky corners and a staircase of answers up the middle.  Some of the longer fill;

17a. Tiny cylindrical structure : NANOTUBE - I had nanoDUCT, which was not working with my ideas for the crossings

12d. Scaly reproductive organ : PINE CONE - phew~! glad we're not talking about such an organ in the animalia taxonomy

53a. Title I of the Agricultural Act of 1956 : SOIL BANK - The Wiki

31d. Seat of Peru's Constitutional Court : AREQUIPA - Cheat #2 - I punched in "major cities of Peru" and this came up after Lima - and it meshed with my perps

 

 

Adelante~!

ACROSS:

1. Staples Center team : L.A. LAKERS - good start, as I know the LA Kings play there - but not this spring~!!  The Stanley Cup champions are out this year; the NY Rangers take the President's Trophy for the best record in the NHL; usually not a good sign for winning the whole thing

9. Not flat : SLOPED - SHARP was not long enough

15. Minor issue? : AGE LIMIT

16. Brazilian ballroom dance : MAXIXE - new word/dance for me; two "X"s, nice - I got them via the perps

18. Without a key : ATONAL

19. B's 5 and C's 6 : At. NoS - dah - got me this time - I did not think of Atomic Numbers when I read this clue; B = Boron, C = Carbon

20. Home entertainment option : CABLE - I was thinking SONOS

22. Label for the Poison album "Poison'd!" : EMI - WAGed MCA, was 100% wrong

23. Links acronym : IHOP - ah - not a golf links reference, but a sausage links one - International House of Pancakes

24. Crawford of the NBA's Clippers : JAMAL - looked him up; don't know from basketball - makes this clue a "fun sponge"

25. 40% of DX : CCIV - bust out Husker Gary's Roman calculator; 510 * .4 = 204

26. Common doo-wop soloist : SAX - ah, the instrument, not the player

27. Radar screen blip : BOGEY - yeah, PLANE seemed too easy

28. It has a ring to it : PHONE - BA dum tisss~!

29. Shoe attachment? : MAKER - I tried shoeLACES - Bzzzt~!

30. Clubby type : JOINER - dictionary.com says a "clubby" person joins in with members, but not so much outsiders; sounds a bit like me....

31. Works up : AROUSES
 
34. Places to see arrows : QUIVERS

35. Sat for a bit : RESTED - a WAG that lasted

36. Semblance : GUISE

37. Kitchen additions? : ETTES - kitchenETTEs

38. Prepare for winter flight, in a way : DE-ICE

39. Energy Reorg. Act of 1974 creation : NRC - Nuclear Regulatory Commission

42. Pounds : QUID - Oh, I am so disappointed with myself - parents born and raised in England, regular viewer of Top Gear, and I forgot about this definition of pounds - the colloquial name for the currency in Great Britain ( and elsewhere )

43. Elegant : RITZY

44. Krombacher output : BIER - sounded German, WAGed 'beer'

45. Keats' "Sylvan historian" : URN - "Ode on a Grecian" to be exact

46. Farm deliveries : FOALS - I had GRAIN at first - this is the birthing kind of delivery

47. "Taxi" actor : DANZA - Tony, who played Tony

48. "Soon" : IN A FEW

50. "You've got to be kidding me!" : "OH COME ON~!"

52. Debussy's "__ Suite" : PETITE

54. Dug : ADORED

55. Betrays : TWO-TIMES

DOWN:

1. Outdoor sitting areas : LANAIs - Bam~! right off the "L" in 1a.

2. Dame of mystery : AGATHA - Bam~! right off the "A" in 1a.

3. Former heavyweight champ __ Lewis : LENNOX - BAM~!  That's a powerful punch

4. Knock for __ : A LOOP - like, say, being in the ring with Lennox

5. Little beavers : KITS - had kiDs, which slowed me down

6. Cassowary cousin : EMU

7. Trunk structures : RIB CAGES - had it, took it out, put it back in, took it out....do the hokey-pokey....and a semi-clecho with the next;

8. __ trunk : STEAMER - argh~!  I tried STORAGE

9. Insignificant : SMALL

10. How some busy people run : LATE

11. Maker of SteeL kitchen products : OXO - three-letters and kitchen utensils~? Try OXO

13. Free West Coast daily : EXAMINER - pondered a Spanish named paper - but couldn't think of one

14. Gets the job done : DELIVERS

21. Pound sound : BAY - this time, it's the "dog" type of pound

24. Wasn't serious : JOKED

25. Leek relative : CHIVE

27. Sacks of diamonds? : BASES - har-har

28. Presence : POISE

29. Soft : MUTED

30. Risqué : JUICY - minis, yes, Lemonade, fishnets, no - I am strictly pantyhose - but thanks for the images~!

32. Made a comeback? : RETURNED

33. Repeated musical pattern : OSTINATO - the Wiki

34. 1994 film about a scandal : QUIZ SHOW - IMDb

36. Demand to split : "GET LOST" - not D-I-V-O-R-C-E

38. Calendario entry : DIA - I took a Wild-Ass Adivinar

39. Time to flip the sign, perhaps : NINE A.M. - I went with "P.M.", but that was close enough

40. Change in boundaries : RE-ZONE

41. Stimulates, with "up" : CRANKS

43. Like many boats on lakes : ROWED

44. Tale of a whitetail : BAMBI - original way to phrase it

46. Big affair : FÊTE

47. Birdbrain : DOLT - ooops, not DODO, but 50% correct

49. Douglas __ : FIR

51. Labor gp. that initially supported FDR : CIO

Splynter

Notes from today's constructor:

Greetings, Word Nerds!

Firstly, I hope everyone who took the time today to challenge my puzzle enjoyed their solve.

Secondly, there may be some folks out there that may be interested in doing a double-take on this one, as one may or may not have noticed - that, there is also a bit of a mini-theme that has been added to this puzzle...

Did you spot it? ...

If so, just post "Got It", so that others can also try to "Get It" on their own.

Happy puzzling y'all,

David C. Duncan Dekker

Interview with Peg Slay

Peg Slay is our own C6D6 Peg, who has been quietly posting on this blog since May, 2014.

Today's DROPPER is Peg's third puzzle for the LA Times. Her first puzzle was published on May 30, 2013. Click here, you'll see that she loves wordplay and all her puzzles have a distinctive style.

Steve (Peg's husband) & Peg

 

I loved the reveal! How did this theme come to you and what were the other theme answers you also considered but discarded? 

I like to either add or drop something in a phrase to make a fun theme answer.  When DROPPER came to mind, the first theme answer was ONECENTMILK.  I use an on-line dictionary to find other answers that start or end with PER to come up with the others.  I originally had HERMESFUMES (Son of Zeus loses his cool) and BUMMAGNET (One who attracts loafers), but Rich didn’t think enough people were familiar with Hermes Perfumes or Bumper Magnets.  I really wanted two entries to drop the PER at the beginning and two at the end, but finally settled with JALAPENOPOP, which was Rich’s favorite.

I imagined you tried DROPPER at the very right edge intersecting JALAPENO POP or the central 8th row, then you settled down at the current 39-Down spot. Or did you have this current theme entry arrangement from the very start?  

Yes, I had wanted DROPPER at the very right edge, but when trying to complete the fill, had to rearrange the theme answers and grid so I didn’t have fill that started and ended with vowels or unusual consonants. 
 

What problems did you encounter in the filling process? 

It’s really hard for me to come up with 3-letter fill that’s interesting and not the usual crosswordese.  This fill was pretty easy, the hardest being 15D (Starts with an S and ends with an I). 
 

Tell us a bit about yourself. What's your background? And how did you get into crossword construction?

I’ve been retired 4 years after 35 years in the business field.  Originally, I’m from Milwaukee, but now live south of Houston.  I’ve been solving crossword puzzles for as long as I can remember.  My husband and I have been doing the LA Times for over 13 years.  After retirement, I was looking for a hobby to fill some time, and my husband suggested I create a crossword from an old program we had.  The first couple of puzzles were mostly done by hand.  I really like Crossword Compiler, and try to use as much of the help it will give.  

What kind of theme & fill fascinate you and what kind do you try to avoid in your grids?   

I love the play on words theme most, although I really enjoy Saturday’s themeless.  I like a puzzle that will really make me think.  I really try to avoid the crosswordese fill and look for some new words for solvers to learn. 
 

Which part do you enjoy the most in the construction process: theme development, filling or cluing?  

Best part of the process is coming up with the theme development and then the fill.  I think it gives the solver some clue into your personality and mindset.  However, it takes me a long time to come up with a theme that I feel is clever enough, or one that I can develop into at least 4-5 theme answers. 
 

What kind of reference tools do you use for crossword construction & cluing?   

As I said, Crossword Compiler is great, but I also use a lot of on-line dictionaries, Word Search (More Words), Google and other sites.  I also have two books on Phrases and Idioms that I use occasionally. 
 

Besides crosswords, what else do you do for fun? 

My husband and I do a lot of volunteer work.  We love watching movies.  I also play handbells (thus the name C6D6Peg).  We like to go camping in spring and fall and love the time away.

Friday, April 10, 2015 Peg Slay

Theme: "Name Droppers"

The reveal is hidden at 39-Down. Medicine dispenser, and, in another way, a hint to the answers to starred clues : DROPPER. (DROP "PER")

17-Across. *Bargain dairy product? : ONE CENT MILK. One percent milk.  Anyone who was alive during the Great Depression will remember milk selling for a penny a quart.

32-Across. *Nickname for a roller coaster highlight? : THE BIG DIP. The Big Dipper. Much better than "The Big Loo"...

37-Across. *Security workers asleep on the job? : BUM GUARDS. Bumper guards.

52-Across. *Really hot cold drink? : JALAPENO POP. Jalapeno popper. This was my favorite entry.

Just missing the Q for a pangram. Nicely done C6D6 Peg! Let's look at the nuts and bolts in the rest.


Across

1. Roam : GAD. Usually with "about."

4. Got ready for company, perhaps : SWEPT.

9. Norse shape-shifter : LOKI. Also, the evil villain in the 2012 movie "The Avengers."

13. Word often following "further" : ADO.

14. One adopting a puppy, say : NAMER. I might have considered putting NAMEs crossing TsE in this spot.

15. The Tempter : SATAN.

16. Trivial amount : SOU.

19. Go out : EBB. I toyed with "die" (like a fire).

20. Dedicated lines : ODES.

21. Eliminates completely : ERASES.

22. Bar supply : SELTZER.

24. Farm cries : BAAS. In Boston, BAAs are where we mix drinks with seltzer.

25. Vessel with a spout : EWER.

26. Database command : SORT.

27. Spots : ADS. I was on the "vision" line of thinking, so it took way too long to come up with this short name for advertisements.

30. __ of roses : ATTAR. Immediately started filling in "a bed," but ran out of letters before squares.

34. Reclined : LAIN.

35. Easily provoked : FIERY.

36. Soap containing ground pumice : LAVA.

39. Only Dwarf without a beard : DOPEY.

40. Had : ATE.

41. Goes after : SUES.

42. Oath for toondom's Dick Dastardly : DRAT.

43. Provide money for : FUND.

44. It's named for a trapeze artist : LEOTARD. When Leo Tard's accountant asked him what was his net worth, he answered "Every penny!"

47. Turkish tabby : ANGORA.

50. Deaden, as a piano string : DAMP.

51. Reason for an extra period : TIE.

54. Violin ending : IST.

55. Cuckoopints, e.g. : ARUMS. We used to call these flowers "Jack in the Pulpit."

56. Merge : UNITE.

57. "Well now!" : OHO.

58. Bar offerings : RYES.

59. It's a stunner : TASER.

60. Reject : NIX.


Down

1. They may be noble : GASES.

2. __ Reader : ADOBE.

3. Holiday rate, perhaps : DOUBLE TIME.

4. Loser-to-be? : SNOOZER. "You snooze, you lose!"

5. Stray : WANDER. I was on the "Tom cat" track.

6. Arab potentate : EMEER. Var. of "emir."

7. Muscle mag display : PECS.

8. Green Day drummer __ Cool : TRE. This was probably one of his best performances. 0:21

9. Lorenzo of "Renegade" : LAMAS. I remember him from "Falcon Crest."

10. Man with rising aspirations? : OTIS. Haha. The elevator guy.

11. Iron-rich cabbage : KALE. I love sautéed KALE.

12. Signs : INKS.

15. Layered clouds : STRATI.

18. Neighboring : NEARBY.

23. Bluegrass characteristic : TWANG.

24. Transvaal settlers : BOERS.

26. Shakes off : SHEDS. My cats are getting rid of their winter coats. I could make another cat from what they have SHED.

27. 2002 Cage/Streep film : ADAPTATION. I missed that one, but I did see "Being John Malkovich," which is part of the plot.

28. Honky-tonk : DIVE.

29. Fix, in a way : SPAY.

30. Goya's "The Duchess of __" : ALBA. He was supposedly romantically involved with her.

31. Stretched : TAUT.

32. Overused : TIRED.

33. Unsportsmanlike look : GLOAT.

35. Regional animal life : FAUNAE. I don't think I have ever seen this plural outside of scientific journals.

38. Seizes unlawfully : USURPS.

42. Bump at the office, maybe : DEMOTE.

43. Bar heads : FOAMS.

44. Blue gem, briefly : LAPIS.

45. Hindu sage : RISHI.

46. Withdrawal process : DETOX.

47. Open a touch : AJAR.

48. Not : NARY...a clue.

49. Kindergarten staple : GLUE.

50. Spanish lady : DONA.

53. Hardware item : NUT.  Sometimes you feel like a hardware item...sometimes you don't.

T.G.I.F. !

Marti

Thursday, April 9, 2015, Marti Duguay-Carpenter

Theme: Now where did I hide my dope?

Another treat for me as marti and I have switched so I can blog her Thursday effort. It seems particularly timely as I have recently returned from visiting my son who lives in Denver. Denver has now added a new dimension to its nickname of mile high city. As a child of the sixties, it is very strange to walk around and see the marijuana shops. Anyway, on to the puzzle. It involves hiding a word (DOPE) which spans two-word fill. In the first three the break is D OPE, with the last DO PE. Not an expert on Thursday word length, but we do have a less than 5 letter average. Aside from theme answers, the longest fill is 6 letters, featuring DROWSE,  ENGULF,  HOODOO, NOVELS,  OBJECT,  OWED ON,  SEVERE,  SPIRAL,  SPONGE,  TAIPAN,  TENONS and ZEALOT. She was nice enough to include a J. So let us dance....

18A. Genre that often includes a ballet : GRAND OPERA. am familiar with the TERM generally but I am not as high brow as miss m.

23A. TV teaser before the first commercial : COLD OPENING. Another TERM I do not know, but it was easily inferred.

37A. James Bond and others : FIELD OPERATIVES. Wiki prefers the TERM Field Agents.

52A. "Great" 1975 Redford role : WALDO PEPPER. I actually was glancing through the various clues when I saw this one, immediately put in the answer and saw the Theme and went back to fill the rest. This MOVIE character may have been based on a real pilot who died flying in a movie.

And the reveal:

58A. Skinny, so to speak, or what's hidden in 18-, 23-, 37- and 52-Across : INSIDE DOPE (10)  A perfect reveal, as the DOPE is on the inside of the theme answers. An interesting slang word, the SKINNY on skinny.

Now for the skinny on the rest....

Across:

1. "That's terrible!" : OH NO.

5. Like some stockings : MESH. Oh my, Splynter?

Easy for them to say

9. Guck : SLIME. It reminds me of this scene from a slime MOVIE.

14. Windfall : BOON.

15. "The Salt-N-__ Show" : PEPA. The answer was easily inferable as I know the group but never heard of the SHOW.

16. Trojan War figure : PARIS. Now a name for the ladies, but this was a ladies man who stole away Helen from her Greek husband leading to war and the great measure of female beauty- the millihelen.

17. Roman god of the sky : JOVE. By Jove, I knew it was not Jupiter.

20. Utopias : EDENS.

22. Excited, with "up" : WOUND. Picture children with too much candy in them .

26. Côte d'Azur sight : MER. The sea in French. Not to be confused with 12D. Orbiter for 15 years : MIR. It seemed that it lasted longer. LINK.

29. Lean-__ : TOS.

30. Nasser's confed. : UAR. United Arab Republics. marti likes her initialisms.(#1).

31. Harsh : SEVERE. Winter 2014-5 in NE?

33. Swamp : ENGULF. I was thinking like the Everglades, not being swamped.

36. Bone-dry : ARID. I like the clue.

42. Open org. : USGA. United States Golf Association. (#2) See, I told you.

43. Second book in Clavell's "Asian Saga" : TAI-PAN. Not be confused with 61D. One might keep you from seeing the show : PAN. Of the SERIES of Books, I think SHOGUN is the most famous.

44. Fanatic : ZEALOT.Another interesting WORD which is appropriate for the season.

47. One-up : TOP.

48. Time zone word: Abbr. : STD. Standard as opposed to daylight.

51. Buddhist branch : ZEN.

56. Free-for-all : MELEE.A fun word

57. Savanna heavyweight : RHINO.

63. Lined up, with "in" : A ROW.

64. Movers' challenge : PIANO.

65. Degree holder : GRADuate.

66. Without : SANS.

67. Choose to join : OPT IN.

68. Ages and ages : EONS.

69. Choice word : ELSE.


Down:

1. Protest : OBJECT.

2. Jinx : HOODOO. Again? Who cursed me?

3. King output : NOVELS. Probably she means Stephen, not Don or Martin Luther nor Elvis.

4. Upright : ON END.

5. EPA sticker stat : MPG. Miles Per Gallon (#3).

6. Adverb in odes : E'ER.

7. Produce : SPAWN.

8. Capital NE of Vientiane : HANOI.

9. Quick learner : SPONGE.

10. "Dragnet" force, briefly : LAPD. Los Angeles Police Department (#4).

11. Rage : IRE.

13. Spanish "that" : ESA.

19. Pressures for payment : DUNS.

21. Ting or ping : SOUND. Ting?

24. When doubled, a South Pacific capital : PAGO. The capital of American Samoa, PAGO PAGO has nothing to with a volcano in Papua, New Guinea named Pago, which may or may not...

25. Blow : ERUPT.

26. First name in game shows : MERV. Griffin, responsible for both Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy.

27. Iroquoian people : ERIE. Do we have any Native Americans reading this?

28. Cabs and syrahs : REDS. No Cincinnati to commemorate the baseball season? Oops, marti does not like baseball.

32. "You're So ___": 1973 #1 hit : VAIN

33a. Carrier that doesn't fly on the Sabbath : EL AL.

34. Where to hear maas and baas : LEA. Paa!

35. Popular chip : FRITO. Corn chips which led to nacho chips.

37. __ bass : FUZZ. A musical interlude; the effect can be from the amp or a pedal.
xxxx

38. Words of understanding : I SEE.

39. Eddie __, detective involved in the actual "French Connection" : EGAN.His OBITUARY.

40. Each : A POP.

41. Slender candle : TAPER. Finally, the TAPER from BG's April Fool's Day post.

45. Was in debt regarding : OWED ON.

46. Yarn : TALE. You may spin one but it will not make a scarf.

48. Fusilli shape : SPIRAL. A fun pasta.

Twist and shout

49. Mortise partners : TENONS. We have had this debate before.

50. Nod : DROWSE.

53. Pigeon's place : LEDGE.

54. Golden, in Guadalajara : DE ORO.

55. Full moon, e.g. : PHASE.

56. Thigh-high attire : MINI.
More for Splynter?

58. 2010 GM financial event : IPO. Initial Public Offering (#5).

59. Little bite : NIP.

60. Did nothing : SAT.

62. Magazine VIPs : EDS. Editors.

Well Lemonade thanking marti for the chance to explain her work, and  now I'm on my way to create a new recipe to prepare food with matzoh, though the fusilli and Cecile both look yummy.

Wednesday, April 8, 2015 D. Scott Nichols & C.C. Burnikel

Theme - THE WEARIN' O' THE GREEN.  Nope - nothing to do with St. Pat - that was last month. In fact, this puzzle, for reasons that will soon become clear, is much more timely than that.  The theme refers to the iconic item of apparel given to the winner of a sporting event which will be identified shortly.

17 A. Hold banned in amateur wrestling : FULL NELSON.  This hold is more easily pictured than described.

IMPACT!

Byron NELSON was the winner of the subject event in 1937 and 1942, the latter in a playoff with Ben Hogan - before my time.

24 A. Premier League athlete : SOCCER PLAYER.  The English Premier League is where professionals play a sport known as "football" most everyplace except here in the U.S.  Gary PLAYER, from South Africa was the winner in 1961, 1974 and 1978.

40 A. Innocents : BABES IN THE WOODS.  This is the title of a gruesome traditional children's tale, first published in 1595, then passed into every-day speech to indicate any inexperienced or unwary persons thrust into hazardous situations.  Tiger WOODS is perhaps more famous now for his adventurous personal life that his sporting feats; but he once dominated his sport, and won the subject event in 1997, 2001, 2002, and 2005. Looks like he will participate this year.

52. Influential teams : POWER COUPLES.  From the Urban Dictionary: "A couple who seems to have a fairy tale romance. Also, both parties involved in the power couple have tremendous influence over people around them because of their devastating good looks* and seemingly perfect relationship with their significant other. 

*the most common type of power couple is between a male athlete and an actress and/or singer."

Fred COUPLES, the only one-time winner in the puzzle, took the prize in 1992.

It should be obvious by now that the the sport is golf, and the unifier gives us the event.  65A. April golf tournament, four of whose winners appear in 17-, 24-, 40- and 52-Across : THE MASTERS tournament, an event held every April at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, GA.  It is the first of golf's four major championships held in 2015.   Each year the winner is awarded the iconic green blazer.

2013 Winner Adam Scott places the blazer on 2014 (and 2012) winner Bubba Watson

This year's MASTERS starts tomorrow, so the puzzle is right on time. And did you notice the constructors?  Our own fearless leader and prolific puzzle maven C.C. along with Monday-Tuesday blogging stalwart, Santa Baby.  More feathers in the corner cap.   Yay team!

Let's see if our friends have given us a rough time or treated us in a fair way.

Across

1. Victorian : PRIM.  As in prim and proper - what the Victorians would have you believe about their behavior.  I have my doubts.

5. Like much 67-Down : ON TAP.  [patience, we'll get there.]

10. Bay of Bengal setting : ASIA.  Broadly speaking.

14. Extinct pigeon relative : DODO.  Flightless bird native to the island of Mauritius, last seen in 1662.  It was destroyed by sailors, their pets, and invasive species.

15. First name in puppetry : SHARI.  Last name LEWIS.  Real name Sonia Phyllis Hurwitz (January 17, 1933 – August 2, 1998)

When we were young

16. __ jar: lab glass : BELL.  Wikipedia says it is an approximately BELL-shaped vessel used to contain vacuum.  There's something oddly oxymoronic about that concept.  Also, a semi-biographical novel by Sylvia Plath.

19. Take one's leave : EXIT.  Don't let the door hit you.

20. Make sure of : SEE TO.  

21. Stretched to the max : TAUT.  Not necessarily to the max, but without slack.

23. Reggae cousin : SKA.  

A sampler

28. Apply gently : DAB.  What does Miss Piggy DAB onto her sunburn?   Oinkment.

31. CBS-owned cable sta. : SHOwtime.

32. Pond gunk : SCUM.  A type of green algae which could be a leading food source in the future.  Yum!

33. Prefix with footprint : ECO-.  The ECOfootoprint is a standardized measure of human demand on the planet's ecosystem.

34. Pulls down : EARNS, as income.

37. Winter pick-me-up? : T-BAR.  Excellent misdirection.  I was looking for something like a hot toddy, not a ski-lift.

44. Mite-sized : TINY.  Even more wee than bite-sized.

45. "Tut-tut!" : SHAME.  Expressions of disapproval.

46. Actress Tyler : LIV.  Daughter of Aerosmith front man Steven Tyler.

Arwen Undomiel, daughter of Elrond Halfelven

47. Important stretches : ERAS.   Of time, not yoga.   Or so I've been TAUT.

50. Beef cut : RIB.  Roast.   More tasty than algae, I'm guessing.

51. Maple syrup source : SAP.  You have to boil it down.

57. Louisville Slugger wood : ASH.   Not exclusively anymore.  The emerald borer has severely damaged the ash population.  You can still find ash bats, but oak, birch and maple are also being used.

58. Comfy footwear : MOCS.  Moccasins. 

Not this

59. Jewish scholar : RABBI.  I will leave the explanation to those who understand it better.

63. Swindle : SCAM.

68. Movie plantation : TARA.   Abode of the O'Haras from Gone With the Wind.

69. Sea-born jewelry material : CORAL.

70. "Right now!" : ASAP.  As Soon As Possible.

71. Song and dance : ARTS.  Along with painting, sculpture, architcture and literature.

Probably not Elrond

72. Urgency : HASTE.

73. Snoopy : NOSY.

Down

1. Sharable digital docs : PDFs.  Portable Document Format files can be shared across platforms.

2. Libertine : ROUE.  From 19th century French, literally "broken on a wheel" referring to the instrument of torture torture that this one's behavior deserved.  Usage of the word peaked around 1850

3. Onetime Palin collaborator : IDLE.  Eric IDLE and Michael Palin of Monty Python's Flying Circus.  Surely, you weren't mislead? 

4. Feathers one's nest, in a way : MOLTS.   Birds of a feather losing their plumage at home.

5. Full of: Suff. : -OSE.  Examples: grandiose - full of affected grandeur; verbose - full of verbs.

6. Gp. with Sharks and Penguins : NHL.  San Jose and Pittsburgh teams in the National Hockey League.

7. Decorator's asset : TASTE.  More so than for a chef?

8. Cheering like crazy : AROAR.  Was the crowd AROAR at your favorite team's opener?  It was for my Tigers.

9. Hangers in lockers? : PINUPS.  Pictures of models pinned up in lockers and various other places.  The practice started in WW II.   Twentieth Century Fox provided over 5 million copies of this iconic picture of Betty Grable - the No. 1 pin up girl of her [and possibly any] era.

Fox insured her legs for $1 Million each

10. Justice Fortas : ABE.  A Johnson appointee who served on the court form 1965 to 1969.

11. Figures in 9-Down : SEX SYMBOLS.   No explanation needed.

12. "Very nice!" : I LIKE.   Vide supra.

13. A proposal may ultimately lead to one : ALTAR.  Wedding venue, and a clever clue.

18. Lasso loops : NOOSES.  For someone on a wanted poster, no noose was good news.

22. Dr. Mom's forte :  TLC. Tender Loving Care.

25. Spiced tea brewed in milk : CHAI.

26. Toe woes : CORNS.  Painful areas of thickened skin resulting from pressure or abrasion.

27. Mustang, for one : AUTO.  Did anybody else enter FORD and then get perplexed by the perps?

28. Chapter 11 factor : DEBT.  Bankruptcy law.

29. Berry in faddish supplements : ACAI.   About which there is actually nothing special. 

30. Star of a classic sitcom set at a Vermont inn : BOB NEWHART.  Aired from 1982 to 1990, the program was simply called Newhart.

35. Imprecise degree : NTH.   But generally considered to be a very high degree.

36. Like provolone piccante : SHARP.  Piccante means strong or spicy.

38. 1998 Sarah McLachlan ballad : ADIA.  I had this recently and still couldn't remember it.

39. Initial request for an answer? : RSVP.  The initial letters of Répondez S'il Vous Plaît - or, Please Respond - typical request to an invitee.  I have no idea why we do this in French.

41. Brontë heroine : EYRE.  Jane, the governess of Thornfield Hall, and eponym of the Charlotte Brontë novel which describes her life and times.

42. German actor Jannings : EMIL. A little bit of a mini-theme here with 53 D, since Jannings  (23 July 1884 – 2 January 1950) received the first one ever awarded in 1929, as best actor in The Way of All Flesh and The LastCommand.  He later went on to appear in a number of Nazi propaganda films.

43. Some outdoor grills : WEBERS.   Brand name.

48. Slot machine part : ARM.  

Ya pays yer money, ya takes yer chance

49. __ tape : SCOTCH.   Magic mending tape.  Is another clue possible?

52. Macaroni Grill selection : PASTA.  Decent Italian chain restaurant, and partial clecho.

53. Acting honor : OSCAR.  A statue awarded or movies, not stage performance.  

54. Golfer Lorena : OCHOA.   Staying with the golf theme, from Mexico.

She retired in 2010

55. AOLers, e.g. : USERS.

56. "Paradise Lost" figure : SATAN.  The Devil, you say!

60. Spanish smooch : BESO.   Like this.

61. Lingerie catalog buys : BRAS.  Last time I had stockings.

It's all business

62. Car trip game : I SPY.  A game in which players attempt to guess what the spy is spying on.  The spy starts by giving a hint such as the color of the object or the letter it starts with.

64. Some advanced degs. : M.A.'s. Masters of Arts.

66. Floor pad : MAT.

67. Part of IPA : ALE.  India Pale ALE is brewed with an abundance of hops, because that stabilized the product for the long sea voyage from England to India.   The thing ON TAP in 5a. And it provides a fitting ending, because after a hot game of golf, a nice cold beer is just the thing.

That completes this round.  Right on par for a Wednesday, I'd say, with nothing to be teed off about, and not a bogey on the course.

Cool regards!
JzB

Note from C.C.:

As Jazzbumpa mentioned, D. Scott Nichols is Argyle, our dear Santa, who came up with this lovely idea. Here are two recent pictures of our sweet Santa, the real Master.

Tuesday, April 7, 2015 David Poole

Theme: SAT prep - There isn't a unifier so my take is that the last word could describe getting a student ready to take something like the SAT's. You're welcome to post a different slant; please do.

17A. Older name for a passenger bus : MOTOR COACH

24A. Wedding gown follower : BRIDAL TRAIN

34A. Like one resisting innovation : OLD SCHOOL

50A. Pirate Blackbeard's real name : EDWARD TEACH

58A. Hole-making tool : POWER DRILL

Argyle here. Looking over past puzzles from David I see he often doesn't give a unifier. The grid is notable for the strong corners,(we like corners). COACH, TRAIN, SCHOOL, TEACH and DRILL answers are all consistently used as nouns in the theme entries at a different context.

Across:

1. Peru's __ Picchu : MACHU

6. Angle iron : L-BAR

10. Highest point : ACME

14. Kindle download : eBOOK

15. SeaWorld performer : ORCA

16. Ellington's "Take __ Train" : THE 'A'

19. Glass darkener : TINT

20. Responded in court : PLED

21. Cape NNW of Cod : ANN

22. Saguaros, e.g. : CACTI

23. Covered up : HID

27. Place in quarantine : ISOLATE

29. Legal thing : RES

30. Came down with : GOT

31. Kate, before Petruchio's "taming" : SHREW. Shakespeare, "Taming of the Shrew".

32. Bit of legislation : ACT

33. U2 lead singer : BONO

38. Die dots : PIPS

41. Thumbs-up : YES

42. Best man's offering : TOAST

46. Santa __ winds : ANA

47. Fellows : MEN

48. Stir-fry vegetable : SNOW PEA

53. Rank below cpl. : PVT.

54. Believer in the Great Pumpkin : LINUS. from "Peanuts".

55. NYC airport : LGA. LaGuardia Airport (code LGA) in New York City.

56. Narrow opening : SLIT

57. Installed, as carpet : LAID

61. Years, to Nero : ANNI

62. Wows, and how : AWEs

63. Stone marker : STELE

64. Droops over time : SAGS

65. Peel in a cocktail : ZEST

66. Filled with cargo : LADED

Down:

1. Tennessee home of the NBA's Grizzlies : MEMPHIS

2. Do away with : ABOLISH

3. French department that translates to "golden slope" : CÔTE-D'OR

4. Robin __ : HOOD

5. Kiev is its cap. : UKR. (Ukraine)

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

7. Lego or Eggo, for example : BRAND

8. Duke Univ. conference : ACC. (Atlantic Coast Conference)

9. Stadium shout : RAH

10. Rose essence : ATTAR

11. Lake Michigan metropolis : CHICAGO

12. Bring up : MENTION

13. Chip away at : EAT INTO

18. Golfer's ride : CART

22. Dollar divs. : CTs Cents

24. Cry out loud : BAWL

25. Curved foot part : ARCH

26. "Dallas Buyers Club" actor Jared : LETO. IMDb

28. Some summer babies, astrologically : LEOs

32. Summer coolers, for short : ACs. (air condition)

33. What winds do : BLOW

35. Like Easter eggs : DYED

36. Emailed : SENT

37. Texter's "From a different angle ..." : OTOH. (On The Other Hand)

38. Spanish rice dishes : PAELLAs

39. Gary's home : INDIANA

40. Hocking : PAWNING

43. Answered a help-wanted ad, say : APPLIED

44. Whence Rossini's barber : SEVILLE. "The Barber of Seville"

45. Spilled the beans : TATTLED

47. Dalloway's title : MRS. Mrs Dalloway is a novel by Virginia Woolf published in 1925.

48. Most judicious : SAGEST

49. Virg. neighbor : N. CAR

51. German cars : AUDIs

52. Actor Cary : ELWES. The Princess Bride, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Days of Thunder, Bram Stoker's Dracula, ...

56. Latina lass: Abbr. : SRTA. (senorita)

58. Peace, in Acapulco : PAZ

59. Be indebted to : OWE

60. High-speed www option : DSL. (digital subscriber line) not high speed.

Argyle

Monday, April 6, 2015 Bruce Venzke and Gail Grabowski

Theme: Combination of the Two - The first part of the unifier is placed behind the first part of the starred entries to form an unrelated combination.

56A. Process for selecting theatrical performers, and a hint to the first word of the answers to starred clues : CASTING CALL

20A. *Manhattan site of Strawberry Fields : CENTRAL PARK. Central Casting, where all the movie extras come from.

39A. *Prepare for printing : TYPESET. Typecasting, what some actors suffer.

11D. *Untrustworthy, as a business : FLY-BY-NIGHT. Fly Casting, a type of fishing. Clip

29D. *Word processor error finder : SPELL CHECK. Spell Casting, just one of the classes at Hogwarts.

Argyle here. Every letter but the 'J'. Putting the uni-word in the middle of the answer makes it harder to spot. I felt the level of fill was slightly uneven but doable. Some room for cornerites to add their own spin. Have at it.

Across:

1. Halloween costume part : MASK

5. 640 acres: Abbr. : SQ MI. (square mile)

9. Longtime employee : LIFER

14. Death Valley's is the lowest in North Amer. : ELEV. 282 feet below sea level.

15. Mammoth feature : TUSK. Woolly mammoth.

16. China's Zhou __ : ENLAI

17. "Dirty Jobs" host Mike : ROWE. ...but somebody has to do it.

18. County Kerry's isle : EIRE

19. Deep chasm : ABYSS

23. "So long" : "BYE"

24. Young horse : COLT

25. One from Nairobi : KENYAN

27. Ultimate conclusion : UPSHOT. 1530's; originally, the final shot in an archery match, hence the figurative sense of "result, issue, conclusion". ~ Online Etymology Dictionary

30. Made of oak, e.g. : WOODEN

32. Small swallow : SIP

33. Pumps or clogs : SHOES

35. Thin piece of change : DIME

38. __ out a living : EKE

42. Guy's partner : GAL

43. Bank (on) : RELY

45. Glue in a hobbyist's kit : EPOXY

46. "Let me think ... " : "HMM..."

47. Utter madness : LUNACY

50. Michelangelo masterpieces : PIETAs

52. Tallied, with "up" : RACKED

54. Group after boomers : GEN X

55. "How relaxing!" : "AAH!"

62. Bit of luck : BREAK

64. Place for koi : POND

65. Prefix with distant : EQUI

66. Italian ball game : BOCCE

67. Woodworking tool : ADZE

68. Put on a pouty face : SULK

69. Filled (in), as a comic strip : INKED

70. Frog's kiddie-lit friend : TOAD

71. Yard event : SALE

Down:

1. Bygone Ford division, for short : MERC. A 71-year run ended in 2010.

2. Sunburn soother : ALOE

3. Stitched up : SEWN

4. Complain : KVETCH

5. Furtive : STEALTHY

6. Comforter to get comfy in : QUILT

7. Car sticker abbr. : MSRP. (manufacturer's suggested retail price)

8. Swedish furniture chain : IKEA

9. Didn't hold water : LEAKED

10. Having five sharps, musically : IN B

12. Course that's good for one's GPA : EASY 'A'

13. Ascended : RISEN

21. Barnyard perch : ROOST

22. MGM rival : RKO. (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Radio-Keith-Orpheum)

26. Homer's nice neighbor : NED Flanders.

27. Password creator : USER

28. High-speed highway : PIKE

30. Teary-eyed : WEEPY

31. Bone, in Italian : OSSO

34. Oil gp. with 12 member nations : OPEC. (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries)

36. Papa's partner : MAMA

37. Stately shade trees : ELMS

40. Paid out : EXPENDED

41. Making, as a knot : TYING. Tying a fly.

44. Big laugh : YUK

48. Did some smooching : NECKED

49. Aquafresh tube letters : ADA. (American Dental Association)

51. Overabundance : EXCESS

52. Talmud expert : RABBI

53. Brother of Moses : AARON

54. Tokyo shopping district : GINZA

57. Petty quarrel : SPAT

58. Chore list heading : TO DO

59. Greenish-blue : AQUA. A little bigger clue/answer dupe (w/ 49D) than yesterday.

60. Temporary calm : LULL

61. Similar to : LIKE

63. Unreturnable serve : ACE. Tennis.

Argyle