Saturday, Aug 9th, 2014, Mark Bickham

Theme: None

Words: 74 (missing J )

Blocks: 35

   Mr. Bickham has been on a roll - one Saturday puzzle each of the last four months now, but this one beat me up pretty good - had to use red-letters, and went over my personal time limit, too.  However, unlike most Saturday strains that rattle my brains, this one was actually a pretty satisfying solve~!  A relatively simple mid-week-looking grid, with just two 9- and 10-letter climbers, it took several passes before the SW finally gave way, and the NW was last to fall.  Some fill;

17. Darby Conley comic strip : GET FUZZY - I like this comic strip

30. It's never right : ACUTE ANGLE - nor Obtuse, either

 70. What an apostrophe may stand for : NINETEEN- as in "Summer of '69"

Ah-ah-ah-ah-ON-ward~!!! (69a.)

ACROSS:

1. Setting in the musical "Two By Two" : NOAH'S ARK - Dah~!  I had to dodge a whole 6-pack of V-8 cans when this finally dawned on me

9. Brightness measure : IQ TEST - LUMENS fit, and the "E" worked as well

15. Comer : ATTENDEE - I thought this was c-o-r-n-e-r, not c-o-m-e-r

16. Colorful attire : MUUMUU

18. It's just one thing after another : SERIES - yep

19. Marlins' div. : NLE - Baseball; I know they are in Florida, and that helped; National League East

20. Rock fan's subj. : GEOLogy - because "METAL" was too long....oh, that kind of rock

21. "Naughty!" : "TSK TSK~!"

22. Start of an addition : ALSO - so vague....

24. Controvert : NEGATE

26. Dark-eyed subculturists : GOTHS

28. Spot : ESPY

29. Opening at a long lecture? : YAWN - nice

33. Salon, e.g. : E-MAG

35. Move easily : SAIL

37. Cool __ : CAT - my brother's email address, though it's Kool Kat Kev, a moniker my uncle Ray gave him

38. "Candle in the Wind" dedicatee : LADY DI - MONROE fit, too - the song's original subject

40. Stat opposite : NO RUSH

42. Rear-end indicator : AFT - Indicator?  Here's what I have to say

43. Common crossword clue ending : ABBReviation

46. Attack : GO AT

47. 2001 Microsoft debut : XBOX

49. Tired-sounding veggie : BEET - Har-har~!

51. They often include materials : SPECS - Construction plans; here's the progress on my latest project

54. "A Touch of Class" actress Jackson : GLENDA - a WAG with GL--D- in place

56. Druids' sacred hill : TARA - A Saturday alternative to a "Gone With the Wind" reference; more here

57. Bald statement? : NO HAIR - OK, here's one for the ladies

60. Face with hands, maybe : DIAL

63. Composer Rorem : NED

64. Former associates : ALUMNI

65. Liability factor, in contracts : ACT OF GOD - I hope an Act of God strikes me, soon

67. Runs : BLEEDS - like colors in the wash

68. Cindy Lou's hometown, in kiddie lit : WHOVILLE - Nailed it, but that was about it on the first pass - "How The Grinch Stole Christmas"

69. Exhales during a physical? : SAYS "AH"

DOWN:

1. "Enough criticism!" : "NAG, NAG~!"

2. Verdi's penultimate opera : OTELLO

3. Substantiated : ATTESTED TO

4. Publishing nickname : HEFner - a WAG that stayed.  Hugh of Playboy fame

5. Unloose? : SNUG - Cute

6. Cutting tool : ADZE - Toyed with this for a long time, and then the "Z" from GET FUZZY came into play

7. Do a city planner's job : RE-ZONE

8. __ entry : KEYLESS

9. "But you need me!" : "I'M STAYING~!"

10. Pursuit : QUEST

11. Bomb : TURKEY - Not the bowling kind of turkey

12. Broadcast : EMIT

13. Tries to get money from, maybe : SUES

14. Certain canine : TUSK

23. "Goodness!" : "OH MY"~!

25. No. with a decimal : GPA

27. Actress Thompson : SADA

31. Used to be : WAS

32. Vowelless adjective : nth

34. Mumbo jumbo : GIBBERISH - love this scene

36. "Gigi" playwright : LOOS - Perps got me the "L"

38. Loose : LAX

39. Test center at Edwards, Calif., e.g. : AFB - Air Force Base - made me give up on MONROE

41. Hardly daydreaming : RAPT

44. Former Fed chairman Bernanke : BEN

45. 2012 war film remake : RED DAWN - IMDb on the original

48. Competition that includes motocross : X GAMES

50. Stress-reducing discipline : TAI CHI

52. Spicy cuisine : CREOLE

53. Bring down : SADDEN

55. Sarah Connor portrayer Hamilton : LINDA - Terminator 2: Judgement Day - nailed it - IMDb

57. Collars : NABS

58. Ceramic cooker : OLLA

59. Long in old politics : HUEY - all perps

61. Scores : A TON

62. Word with bird or nest : LOVE

66. Working out well? : FIT - I'm fit(ter) - lost 30lbs working two jobs this summer

Splynter

Friday, August 8, 2014, David Poole

Theme: Double your fun,  A?

Each of the 5 theme answers has the last letter of the last word in a phrase doubled and an A is added to create a totally different phrase, clued with wit. With no intention to offend anyone, since I live in a community that is 60% 1st generation Italians, the rhythm of the new word created sounds to me like an Italian speaking English. For me that enhanced the whimsy and enjoyment of the puzzle. David is more than 5 years into his second career in making puzzles, and has made some really great ones; read his INTERVIEW. While I loved the theme, the word count, blocks and fill are mostly a Thursday feel for me. The sparkle was present in ALOMAR,  AMULET,  C-NOTES,  MOGULS, SERENE,  UGANDA,  VOODOO, LIBERIA, COMANECI, and KICKED IN without too many 3/4 letter fill and only a few omnipresent ones like ATE and ANTE.  Let's see how it all sounded to you.


17A. Oversized European import? : JUMBO JETTA (10) We recently had the VW Jetta clued as model since 1979, and we all know Jumbo Jets, pioneered by the 747.

25A. Summer known for kitchen supplies? : TEFLON DONNA (11). He was the TEFLON DON because no charges brought against him would stick.  Like other teflon, it wore out and he died in prison. I wonder if this was the seed answer inspired by GOTTI.  Love to Love You Baby.

37A. Be nostalgic for old Nordic currency? : MISS THE MARKKA (13).  I know nothing of this FINNISH currency but Finns double vowels often, I hope you did not Miss the Mark on this one. .

52A. Poignant game show personality? : MOVING VANNA. (11) Other than a turn as Al's dream girl on Married With Children, I have never seen Vanna White express any emotion, but i love the clue/fill almost as much as I hate moving.

61A. Expert on Icelandic sagas? : MISTER EDDA (10) We have seen Edda so often and Mister Ed, now they are together...well I am cold just reading about Iceland and Finland, let's move on.


Across:

1. Type type : PICA. Once upon a time I knew pica and elite and no more.

5. He was originally called Dippy Dawg : GOOFY.I did not know this but with Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck it was not hard to guess that Walt like double letters.

10. Plastic option : VISA. Good Friday clue/fill.

14. Doofus : BOOB. No one commented on my Thong link last week, so I think this is safe... LINK.

15. Navel observation : INNIE. Loved the simple misdirection.

16. Turow book set at Harvard : ONE-L.

19. Other, in Oaxaca : OTRO. Spanish.

20. Half a sci-fi name : ARTOO. According to WOOKIEEPEDIA.

21. Cash in : REDEEM. Reminds me of the old Sperry and Hutchinson green stamps.

23. "Wow!" : MAN. Really vague, but so are our children.

28. News __ : ITEM.

30. Christmas purchase : FIR. Tree.

31. Campaign target : VOTER.

32. Tamper with : DOCTOR.

35. In development, as software : BETA. By now you all must know about Beta testers, and even constructors use them. (Hey Annette hope you are feeling better).

42. Cath. honorific : MSGR. Monseigneur. From the French. LINK.

43. Running without moving : IDLING. Especially for cars.

45. Pal of Picasso : AMIGO. Spanish.

49. Mannerism : TIC.

51. Classic name in shoes : MCAN.Thom?

56. Sunflower St. school : KSU. This is the third different clue for KSU in the last few weeks. Notice the flower on the flag.

57. Lake Victoria country : UGANDA. There are more than one. This is one of Africa's GREAT LAKES.

58. Tapenade ingredient : OLIVE. If you like olives and capers with a hint of anchovy...any recipes out there?

60. Breather : LUNG. This clue is how you make 4 letter fill Friday hard.

66. "A Shot in the Dark" actress Sommer : ELKE. She is back, and the nude scene with Peter Sellers has been linked enough.

67. Lead in the theater? : USHER. Not the star, but the one who takes you to your seat. I did that at the Candlewood Lake Theater.

68. Knee-slapper : RIOT. Funnnnnnnnnnnny.

69. Winter Palace resident : TSAR.

70. Head lock : TRESS. The space eliminates the wrestling hold.

71. Join the game : ANTE. One that requires betting.

Down:

1. Lunchbox staple, casually : PBJ. My first fill. Peanut Butter & Jelly.

2. Marker : IOU. Another Friday repeat.

3. Gymnast with five Olympic golds : COMANECI. The C from pica gave me this 10 all growed up.

4. E.g., e.g. : ABBReviation.

5. Boy toy : G I JOE. Did you like the movie?

6. Unrepeated event, in England : ONE OFF. David used this 1/18/2013 in a Friday where marti blogged and linked to the expression.

7. Mich. neighbor : ONTario, Canada. I believe David is from Canada, eh? Eh?

8. Qualified : FIT.

9. Long : YEARN. I long for the perfect write-up.

10. Gris-gris wearer's practice : VOODOO. Who do the voodoo like you do? A partial clecho:45D. Gris-gris, for one : AMULET. All you need to know about this TALISMAN.

11. Aim : INTENT.

12. Composed : SERENE.

13. Baseball family name : ALOMAR. Sandy Jr., Roberto a Hall of Famer and Sandy Sr., Nice to see someone other than the Alous.

18. Giant star : OTT. More baseball.

22. Composer Grieg : EDVARD. A Norwegian. We all know Peer Gynt.

23. Season opener? : MID-season form.

24. Tiny bit : ATOM.

26. Country settled by freed American slaves : LIBERIA. This is a HISTORY that was not taught when I was in school.

27. Home of Utah Valley University : OREM.

29. High pts. : MTS. Mounts, or Mountains. 46D. Downhill challenges : MOGULS. A little early skiing CSO for marti.

33. Performing siblings' surname : OSMOND. Donnie and Marie? I met marie in 1979 when this was filmed.

34. ACLU concerns : RTS.

36. __ chi : TAI.

38. "Curb Appeal" network : HGTV. Home and Garden Television.

39. Airline to Amsterdam : KLM. Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V.

40. Began to take effect : KICKED IN. Have the drugs kicked in yet?

41. Santa __: West Coast winds : ANAS.

44. Horned grazer : GNU. Who knew?

47. Fashionista Trump : IVANKA. It is good to be born rich. LINK.

48. Turmeric relative : GINGER.  Want to know ALL?
 
50. Bills featuring Ben : C-NOTES. One Hundred Dollar bills, so nicknamed as Century Notes

53. Full extent : GAMUT. Like Amazon, from A to Z.

54. Cards, e.g. : NLERS, The baseball St. Louis version, not the football Arizona ones.

55. Broadcast : AIR.

59. Designer Wang : VERA.  Some of the Fall Collection.

62. Neighbor of Leb. : ISRael.

63. Dam or madam : SHE. Nope, no safe way to comment.

64. Part of a modern address : DOT. How com you did not know this?

65. Had : ATE. I had grilled salmon, you?

Well I often eat when I am writing this, so it is fitting that I leave you on a food note (sounds like...?) Thanks David. Nice week end all and be sure and stop in and visit with Splynter as he unravels the mystery of the themeless Saturday: lemonade out.

Thursday, August 7, 2014 Johanna Fenimore

Theme: "We're In the Money!" 2:35

I'll start with the reveal:
55-Across. Basics of business, or a hint to the end of the answers to starred clues : DOLLARS AND CENTS. The theme was pretty obvious to me after seeing SCRATCH and DOUGH.  My confidence was a little shaken by JACK, but BREAD nailed it.

17-Across. *Like Grandma's pancakes, say : MADE FROM SCRATCH. This slang is probably based on the fact that you have to scratch out a living to earn money.

24-Across. *It's rolled with a pin and put in a tin : PIE DOUGH. Common slang term in the US, similar to BREAD.

37-Across. *"What a dummy!" : YOU DON'T KNOW JACK. I assume this refers to Jackson on the $20 bill? I don't think I have ever heard this term for money.

46-Across. *Deli supply : RYE BREAD. Based on the analogy of money being a staple of life.

Pretty easy for a Thursday. On a few "huhs" and "duhs" today. So lets spring right in.

Across

1. Spring : JUMP. Epic (and hilarious) JUMP fail. 0:25

5. Goes kaput : DIES.

9. Buckle opener? : SWASH. Can you talk like a pirate?

14. With passion : AMOROUSLY.

16. Chekhov's "__ Sisters" : THREE.

19. Capt.'s heading : SSE. Not sure why "Capt." here.  I wanted something like "aft" based on the clue, but the perps wouldn't allow it. (From C.C.: Capt. hints an abbreviated answer.)

20. Wetland : FEN.

21. Director's headache : HAM.

22. Deli supplies : SLAWS. Are they really "supplies" or just "offerings"?

29. DDE opponent : AES. Adlai Ewing Stevenson.

30. They may be rolled over, briefly : IRAS.

31. Gun lobby org. : NRA. If the NRA rolls over their IRA can they take over IRAN?

32. Barely-there underwear : THONG.

Proof of global warming

35. "Rent-__" : A-COP.

36. "__ Holden": Irving Bacheller novel : EBEN. The book was based in the author's home town of Pierrepont, NY.

40. Solitary : LONE.

41. Alternative to de Gaulle : ORLY.

42. Houston hockey team : AEROS. I don't follow hockey or baseball, so I was thinking "Astro" here.

43. Common Mkt. : EEC. European Economic Community.

44. Actress Falco : EDIE.

45. Hobbit enemy : ORC. Nasty little beasts, they are.

48. Extreme : ULTRA.

51. Bush __ : ERA. Really vague clue that had me scrambling for perps. (Anyone else think "rat"?)

52. Simpson judge : ITO. The (in)famous O.J. Simpson trial.

53. Fury : IRE.

61. "She __ among the untrodden ways": Wordsworth : DWELT. This is one of his "Lucy" poems. No one knows exactly who Lucy was:

     She dwelt among the untrodden ways
            Beside the springs of Dove,
          A Maid whom there were none to praise
            And very few to love:

          A violet by a mossy stone
            Half hidden from the eye!
          --Fair as a star, when only one
            Is shining in the sky.

          She lived unknown, and few could know
            When Lucy ceased to be;                                   
          But she is in her grave, and, oh,
            The difference to me!

62. Begins, as a conversation : STRIKES UP. Or a band.

63. "Ciao!" : SEE YA.

64. Must have : NEED.

65. "Ol' Man River" composer : KERN.


Down:

1. Rough spots : JAMS.

2. Amherst sch. : U-MASS. This was a gimme.

3. Poser : MODEL. Literally, someone who is posing.

4. Start to text? : PRE. Pretext. What a poseur might use.

5. Arm-twisting : DURESS.

6. Takes the stage : IS ON.

7. Stately shader : ELM.

8. Part of CBS: Abbr. : SYS.tem.

9. Valuable violins : STRADS. Stradivarius.

10. Frisbee maker : WHAM-O.

11. Works at an exhibit : ART. The works on the wall, not what the docent does.

12. Champagne word : SEC. French for "dry." Actually, these champagnes are much sweeter than "brut" champagnes.

13. "Clever" : HEH.

15. "Let's hit the road!" : OFF WE GO!

18. Shoddy : CHEAPO. Fun word.

23. "Bates Motel" airer : A AND E. First aired in March of 2013, the TV series is based on the lives of Norman Bates and his mother, of "Psycho" fame.

24. Preserved, in a way : PICKLED.

25. Literary twist : IRONY.

26. Open, as a gate latch : UNBAR.

27. El __ : GRECO. Spanish Renaissance artist.

28. Gump player : HANKS. "Forrest Gump."

32. First president who wasn't elected : TYLER. The tenth president, he assumed the office when Harrison (Tippecanoe) died.

33. Bunk : HOOEY. Another fun word.

34. Gold unit : OUNCE.

35. Some hotel lobbies : ATRIA.

36. Escape on the way down : EJECT.

38. Loving rejection : NO DEAR.  Yes dear. I don't know dear...

39. Dungeons & Dragons role : WARLOCK. Not very nice critters.

44. Listing in a revision, perhaps : ERRATA.

45. Bested : OUTDID.

47. Spare tire : BELLY.

49. Salon job : RINSE.

50. Keyboard contemporary of Vladimir : ARTUR. Rubinstein. Vladimir Horowitz. Just look at those hands! 6:47 (BTW, although he was called ARTUR in his native Polish, he preferred to be known as "Arthur.")

52. Memo header : IN RE.

54. World Cup broadcaster : ESPN.

55. Driller's deg. : DDS. Doctor of Dental Surgery.

56. Postpone paying : OWE.

57. Civil War figure : LEE.

58. Govt.-issued ID : SSN.

59. Absorbed, as a cost : ATE.

60. "A mouse!" : EEK. It just might be what these cats are saying from 0:05 to 0:12.

That wraps it up for this week!
Marti

Wednesday, August 6, 2014 Jeff Stillman

 Theme: OUT OF THIS WORLD.   The unifier says it all.  55 A. What 20-, 33- and 40-Across begin with : NASA PROGRAMS.  Since 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has been responsible for the civilian space program, as well as for aeronautics and aerospace research.

20. Car that replaced the Marquis : MERCURY SABLE.  The Mercury Marquis was produced from 1967 to 1986.  The SABLE ran from 1986 to 2005, then reappeared in the '08 and '09 model years as the rebranded Montego.  NASA's MERCURY program ran from 1959 - 63, playing catch up after the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1 in 1957, and went on to put Yuri Gagarin in orbit in April, 1961, 9 months ahead of John Glenn, thus beating NASA in this leg of the space race.

33. 1981 Moody Blues hit : GEMINI DREAM.

Project GEMINI included 10 manned flights in 1965 and '66, with the goal of developing space travel techniques to be used in the APOLLO program.

40. Rocky Balboa foe who became his friend : APOLLO CREED.  This character is loosely based on Muhammad Ali, fought Rockey in the first two movies, and didn't become his friend until the third.

The APOLLO project ran from 1961 through '72, and included 6 moon landings.  The first of these was APOLLO 11.  On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed in the Sea of Tranquility and walked on the lunar surface, while Michael Collins remained in orbit.  They returned with 47.7 pounds of samples.

This theme demands a theme song -- so, obviously:

Hi gang.  JzB here, flying rather high at the moment.  Let's launch into today's puzzle and see if we can soar.

Across

1. Cropped up : AROSE.  Figurative, not a launch.

6. "Dark Chords on a Big Guitar" folksinger : BAEZ.   Album title, not a song.

10. Alpine transport : T-BAR. Ski lift.  T or J - always need a perp.

14. Tester of Job's faith : SATAN.  That snake!

15. Uma's role in "The Producers" : ULLA.   Ulla Inga Hansen-Bensen-Yanson-Tallen-Hallen-Svaden-Swanson Bloom shows up to audition, long before Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom are ready to start casting.  By the end of the show, she and Leo run off to Rio and marry.

16. Spa amenity : ROBE.  So you needn't be naked.

17. Agreements from the pews : AMENS. 

18. Isl. of Australia : TASMania.   N.B. Abrvs

19. Class struggle? : EXAM.   Clever clue.  School test, not social strife.

23. Approves, in a way : INITIALS.   Brief sign-off on some activity.

24. Like a lummox : OAFISH.   Clumsy blunderer.  Don't be that guy.

28. Six-legged scurrier : ANT.   Not at a picnic today.

29. Moderately slow, in music : ANDANTE.

30. Bit of work : ERG. Mechanical work is the application of a force to move an object of some mass through some distance.  The erg is a tiny unit, one ten millionth of a Joule.  One of my profs jokingly defined it as the work done by one fly doing one push up.

36. Irritate but good : RILE.  When I RILEd my father, it was not good.

38. Guggenheim display : ART.  The museum, of course.

39. Carpal or tarsal starter : META.  METAcarpals are the bones in the hand, METAtarsals are the bones in the foot.

45. Animal house : DEN.   Would you see a movie called "DEN?"

46. Boardwalk locale : SEASIDE.  I was expecting something more specific, but ATLANTIC CITY doesn't fit.

47. Roy G __: rainbow mnemonic : BIV.   Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet.

49. Thing : ENTITY.  Straightforward synonyms.

50. Brown and Green, e.g. : SURNAMES.  True, but MEH!

57. One for the road : AUTO.  Of course, an auto travels on the road, so - for obvious reasons - this is not a libation.   Clever clue.

60. Solo, in a way : STAG.  As in going to an event unescorted.  After a brief episode, perhaps.

61. "Middlemarch" novelist : ELIOT.   Not T. S., but George Eliot, the pen name of Mary Anne Evans, later Marian Evans.  Seems to have had a bit of an identity crisis.

62. Industry big shot : CZAR. More often a government agency big shot, but OK.

63. Fish-eating flier : ERNE.  The venerable sea eagle

64. __-car : RENT-A.  Transportation for hire, that you have to drive.

65. Where the River Liffey flows : EIRE.  Or Erin.  always need perps

66. Shaggy Tibetans : YAKS.  Long-haired central Asian herding bovids. The vast majority are domesticated.  The wild ones are at risk.

67. Herd member : STEER.  A bull calf that has been neutered.  In two to three years it grows to an ox.

Down

1. "Ditto" : AS AM I. Or, colloquially, "ME TOO!"

2. Japanese bowlful : RAMEN.  Noodles

3. Cheri of comedy : OTERI.  Best known perhaps for her time on Saturday Night Live in the late 90's, but also a veteran of many movies.

With her friend, Ginger

4. Inviolable havens : SANCTA.  Plural of SANCTUM, a private or holy place. The Free Dictionary approves of this usage.

5. Sequentially following : ENSUING.  like night and day. 

6. Rubber used in inner tubes : BUTYL. A copolymer of mostly butylene with a small amount of isoprene.  It is impermeable to air, and non-resilient.  It is also the base for most chewing gum. 

7. "There was __, they ca'd her Meg": Burns : A LASS.  Love forlorn, alas.

  There was a lass, they ca'd her Meg,
            And she held o'er the moors to spin;
    There was a lad that follow'd her,
            They ca'd him Duncan Davison.
    The moor was driegh, and Meg was skiegh,
             Her favour Duncan could na win;
    For wi' the roke she wad him knock.
            And ay she shook the temper-pin.

8. Movie lioness : ELSA.  Not Nala.

9. Big name on the ice : ZAMBONI.  The machine that resurfaces the rink between periods of hockey games.

10. Pre-Christmas destination for many : TREE FARM.  For the traditionalists.

11. Jack's hiding place : BOX.   Until you get him cranked up.

12. Court org. :  A B A.  American Bar Association. Law, not tennis

13. "Man on the Moon" band : R E M.  Very apropos selection by the band  from Athens, GA.

21. Give stars to : RATE.  Like restaurants and movies.

22. Cheryl of "Charlie's Angels" : LADD.   This LADD is a LASS.

Impishly Angelic

25. "__ a drink!" : I NEED.  Thirsty.

26. 52-Down, for one : STATE.  Of the Union, and the ENSUING but non-seqential

52.   Kennebunkport locale : MAINE.  City and State

27. Macho dude : HE MAN.   Why is there no corresponding SHE WOMAN?

29. Pre-deal payment : ANTE.  For a poker game, not a business arrangement.  Clever clue.

30. Take off the DVR : ERASE.  Remove from the Digital Video Recorder.

31. Go from green to red, perhaps : RIPEN.  As fruit.  But, in the case of  blackberries, when they're red, they're green. I am not making this up.

32. Rub it in : GLOAT.   Being a bad winner. 

34. Nutmeg spice : MACE. Inside the fruit of the nutmeg tree is the seed, which is partially covered with a lacy red aril.  When dried and  ground, the aril is the spice MACE.  The seed is the spice nutmeg, also usually used in ground form.

35. Like some vbs. : IRRegular.  A verb whose conjugation does not follow the typical patterns of the language is irregular.

37. "Hamlet" castle : ELSINORE.  Helsingør is a real place, on the northeast coast of the island of Zeeland in the east of Denmark.

41. "Kiss Me Deadly" rocker Ford : LITA.  From 1988, her most successful song.  As far as I know, it has nothing to do with the noir movie drama of the same name from 1955.

42. Homeric journey : ODYSSEY.   The epic 10-year-long journey of Odysseus [Ulysses to the Romans] returning home to Ithaca after the Trojan War, attributed to Homer, ca. 8th century B. C.

43. River through Spain : EBRO.  It flows from the north-east to the southwest, and empties into the Mediterranean Sea.

44. Round-trippers : DINGERS.  Baseball slang for home runs.

48. Shakespearean attendant : VARLET.  A man or boy acting as a attendant or servant.  I thought it was the guy who parked your car.

50. Hit the bottom of : SPANK.  A form of corporal punishment in which the buttocks of the penitent are truck, typically with the open hand.

51. Hard-to-ignore impulses : URGES.  If not controlled, can lead to SPANKing.

53. Chew the scenery : EMOTE. Overact, ham it up.

54. Red giant : S STAR.  Stars are categorized by their spectral characteristics.  The S class displays spectral bands from zirconium oxide, among other elements.

56. Gillette brand : ATRA.  Men's razor.

57. Blackjack 11-pointer : ACE.  Can be high for 11 points, or low for 1, at the player's discretion.  Face cards are 10 each.

58. Israeli weapon : UZI.  An open-bolt submachine gun, originally designed by Major Uziel Gal in the late 40's.

59. Pit goo : TAR.  Reference is to the tar pits of La Brea, CA.    I'll stoke some controversy by contending that La Brea Tar Pit is not redundant because La Brea is a place name, while a tar pit is a thing.

It's been a great week so far.  Today, I blogged this out of this world puzzle by Jeff, yesterday we saw my collaboration with C.C, Monday was Gloria's birthday, and on Sunday, I did this.  Not a perfect performance, I warbled a few notes, but I'm pleased with it.

Cool regards!

JzB

Tuesday, August 5, 2014 Ron Toth and C.C. Burnikel

Theme: Trombone Component - What makes a trombone special, the slide. All four theme entries use a slide to great effect.

18A. It's in front of a catcher : HOME PLATE. The site of some famous slides.

26A. "CSI" workplace : FORENSIC LAB. Their slides are small pieces of glass.

44A. Instrument used in Hawaiian music : STEEL GUITAR. The slide creates the unique sound of these guitars.

57A. Place to make a splash : WATER PARK. A slide that can break a little boy's heart if he isn't tall enough to go on it.

65A. Wall Street decline, or something that might be associated with 18-, 26-, 44- or 57-Across : SLIDE

Argyle here. A trombonist constructing a puzzle about slides. Well done Sir, and C.C. of course.

Across:

1. Passport endorsement : STAMP

6. Field protector : TARP

10. From __: slight progress : A TO B

14. Dramatic solos : ARIAs

15. Jai __ : ALAI

16. Head, to Henri : TÊTE

17. Job for a CPA : AUDIT

20. Oft-pickled veggie : BEET

21. Excavation hole : PIT

22. Noisy ruckus : CLAMOR

23. Captivated : RAPT

25. Game with checks : CHESS. We need an update on the rook table, Splynter.

30. Clic Stic or InkJoy : PEN

33. Pieces by pundits : OP EDs

34. Old Roman coins : LIRE

35. Worldwide workers' gp. : ILO. (International Labour Organization)

36. Clears (of) : RIDS

37. Nincompoop : IDIOT

39. Unrefined deposits : OREs

40. __-de-sac : CUL

41. Soon, to Pope : ANON

42. Pancakes sometimes served with caviar : BLINI

43. Expressive rock genre : EMO

47. "Psycho" motel : BATES

49. Being aired : ON TV

50. Venus, to Serena : SISTER

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

53. High-ranking Muslim : EMIR

59. Freak out : GO APE

60. Historical periods : AGES

61. Gawk at : OGLE

62. Traffic cone : PYLON

63. Fortified red wine : PORT

64. Ill-gotten gains : LOOT

Down:

1. Swedish automaker : SAAB. Former maker.

2. "Good point" : "TRUE"

3. Assistant : AIDE

4. Restaurant VIPs : MAÎTRE D's. (maître d'hôtel)

5. L.A. winter hours : PST

6. Island retreat for Gauguin : TAHITI

7. Loads : A LOT

8. Aries symbol : RAM

9. Annual report graphic : PIE CHART

10. Sky-supporting brother of Prometheus : ATLAS

11. Rah-rah feeling : TEAM SPIRIT

12. Preminger of film : OTTO

13. Brewpub order : BEER

19. New cadet : PLEBE

21. Second afterthought, in a ltr. : PPS

24. Q&A part: Abbr. : ANS.

25. Ad award : CLIO

26. Strong-arm : FORCE

27. Poppy extract : OPIUM

28. "Sea Food Differently" chain : RED LOBSTER

29. "Crazy" singer Patsy : CLINE

31. Justice Kagan : ELENA

32. Military denial : "NO SIR!"

37. Worldwide anticrime organization : INTERPOL

38. Deer daughters : DOEs

39. For whom Popeye's eyes popped : OLIVE OYL

41. Fall bloomer : ASTER

42. "On the other hand ..." : "BUT..."

45. Pendant with a picture : LOCKET

46. Health supplements co. : GNC. (General Nutrition Corporation)

48. '50s nuclear experiment : A-TEST

50. Give and take? : SWAP

51. "Othello" antagonist : IAGO

52. Musical Guthrie : ARLO

54. Landlocked African country : MALI

55. Apple player : iPOD

56. Thinker Descartes : RENÉ

58. Before today : AGO

59. Some family docs : GPs. (General Practitioner)

Argyle

Note from C.C:

As Argyle mentioned earlier. Ron Toth is Jazzbumpa, our trombonist. This is his debut puzzle. Congratulations, Ron!

Monday, August 4, 2014 Jeffrey Wechsler

Theme: Yes,Yes,Yes - Three times is enough; don't make me say it again.

17A. Whom "I'm in love with," in a 1953 hit : YOU,YOU,YOU. They also did Rag Mop.

32A. "... and so on and so forth" : YADDA,YADDA,YADDA. I thought it was yada, yada, yada.

40A. 1968 song title words before "I got love in my tummy" : YUMMY,YUMMY,YUMMY. The Ohio Express.

63A. "Won't they ever stop talking?!" : YAK,YAK,YAK. (close) Yakety Sax

Argyle here, just once. Jeff makes a rare Monday visit. (Marti Thursday) (C.C. interview) Two grid spanners. Fun stuff.

Across:

1. Money owed : DEBT

5. Peaks across eight European countries : ALPS

9. Japanese sliding screen : SHŌJI

14. Guthrie of song : ARLO

15. Hard or soft sphere : BALL

16. Jell-O flavor : LEMON

19. Organize in a row : ALIGN

20. Area for experiments : TEST SITE

21. Modeler's purchase : KIT

22. ESE or WNW : DIRection

23. Like the wood in an archer's bow : BENT. Or...

24. Church caretaker : SEXTON

27. Slurpee cousin : ICEE

29. Have some pie : EAT

31. Newspaper VIPs : EDs. (editors)

38. Source unknown, as a quote: Abbr. : ANON

39. See 61-Across : A CAB and 61A. With 39-Across, phones the taxi dispatch : CALLS. "Call me a cab!" "OK, you're a cab." "Oh, wiseguy!" 49A. The Stooges, e.g. : TRIO

47. Road service org. : AAA

48. Oklahoma tribe : OTO. Definitely the crossword Indians.

50. Light-refracting devices : PRISMS

53. Cross to bear : ONUS

57. ISP choice : MSN. Originally The Microsoft Network, it was once the most popular dial-up Internet service provider.

58. Born, in bridal bios : NÉE

59. Percussion instrument membrane : DRUMHEAD. The eZine.

65. Some woodwinds : OBOEs

66. Pulitzer winner James : AGEE. Poet, novelist, journalist, film critic, and social activist. (1909-1955)

67. Pigeon shelter : COTE

68. "Heavens to __!" : BETSY

69. Loch of legend : NESS

70. State between Wash. and Calif. : OREG.

Down:

1. Calendar square : DAY

2. Racy writing : EROTICA

3. Purplish color : BLUE-RED

4. Booty in the Grinch's sack : TOYS

5. Maltreat : ABUSE.

6. Store, as supplies : LAY IN

7. Schemed : PLOTTED

8. Turn on an axis : SLUE

9. Quench : SLAKE. Old Fashioned word.

10. DNA shape : HELIX

11. Left out : OMITTED

12. Easy exercise run : JOG

13. Lodging house : INN

18. Venue for horse players: Abbr. : OTB. (Off-Track Betting)

22. Initials for an amateur handyman : DIY. (Do It Yourself)

24. LPGA star Lewis : STACY

25. Not even : ODD

26. CIA cousin : NSA. (No Such Agency)

28. Cheese in red wrapping : EDAM

30. Eden dweller : ADAM

33. "__ news?" : ANY

34. Toys bouncing on strings : YO-YOs

35. "Sometimes you feel like __ ?" : A NUT

36. "Huzzah!" : "YAY!"

37. Lie next to : ABUT

40. Big mouth, informally : YAP. Yap, Yap, Yap (little dog)

41. Former Egypt-Syr. alliance : UAR. (United Arab Republic)

42. Primary parking facility : MAIN LOT. "Don't forget where you parked your car".

43. Docking payment : MOORAGE. "Don't forget where you moored your boat".

44. City leader, formally: Abbr. : MR. MAYOR. As Batman would say.

45. Write the wrong year on, as a check : MISDATE

46. Hither's partner : YON

51. Monica of tennis : SELES

52. Disorderly : MESSY

54. Zaps in a microwave : NUKES

55. Hesitant agreement : "UM...YES"

56. __ Na Na : SHA

59. Cannon of film : DYAN. Perhaps best known for her trademark curly blond tresses and her faithful appearances at L.A. Lakers basketball games, she is 77 now.

60. Kitchenware brand : EKCO

61. Kernel holder : COB. Corn.

62. President Lincoln : ABE

64. Bar barrel : KEG. "We're not hosting an intergalactic kegger down here."

You got that, Tinbeni?

Argyle

Note from C.C.:

Happy Birthday to Jazzbumpa's beautiful wife Gloria! I hope Ron makes this year extra special for you.

Gloria & Ron