Monday, September 5, 2016 Gail Grabowski and Bruce Venzke

Theme: Mystery Monday - No reveal, or is there?

62. Brief film role: CAMEO APPEARANCE. A CAMEO can appear as part of the other three items.

17. Chronological documentation in a court case: CHAIN OF EVIDENCE. Cameo necklace(chain)

27. Point an accusing finger at: PIN THE BLAME ON. Cameo pin(brooch)

48. "Be careful on that icy sidewalk": "WATCH YOUR STEP", Cameo watch (Usually a pocket watch)

Argyle here. Some easy stuff, some easy to overthink them and some that will get your thinking cap working. I think we will have a range of responses today. The grid itself with its two grid spanners and stong corners is solid.

Across:

1. Captain obsessed with a whale: AHAB

5. Baseball great Ruth: BABE

9. Channel covering Capitol Hill: C-SPAN

14. Formal affair: BALL

15. Taken by mouth: ORAL

16. Rome's home: ITALY

20. Prior name of Ho Chi Minh City: SAIGON

21. Spot of acne: ZIT

22. Driver's license prerequisite: TEST

23. Damaging precipitation: HAIL

25. NFL officials: REFs

32. Greek Cupid: EROS

33. Great Lakes' __ Canals: SOO

34. Prom participant: SENIOR

37. Japanese drama: NOH

38. Cry bitterly: SOB

40. Links org.: PGA. (Professional Golfers' Association)

41. Sharpshooters' magnifiers: SCOPES

45. Discouraging answers: NO's

47. Organs that may be pierced: EARS

51. When repeated, a Hawaiian fish: MAHI

52. Shoelace securer: KNOT

53. Offended smack: SLAP

56. New Deal org.: WPA. (Works Progress Administration)

58. More gloomy: DARKER

65. Female reproductive gland: OVARY

66. Any one of the Bahamas: ISLE

67. Geometric art style: DECO

68. Cup, in Calais: TASSE

69. Cartoon screams: EEKs

70. Leaves speechless: AWEs

Down:

1. Elementary lessons: ABCs

2. "You're a riot ... not": "HA-HA"

3. Jai __: ALAI

4. Fatal plant diseases: BLIGHTS. I question "fatal".

5. Outskirts of the outskirts: BOONIES

6. Weimaraner warning: ARF. 31D. Try to bite, puppy-style: NIP AT

7. Joan at Woodstock: BAEZ

8. Horror's "Mistress of the Dark": ELVIRA. Official Site.

9. Spanish hero El __: CID

10. Classic cowboy hat: STETSON

11. Windex target: PANE

12. MLB postseason semifinal: ALCS. (American League Championship Series)

13. Kremlin refusal: NYET

18. Genesis shipbuilder: NOAH. Would we laugh at him today? Or be worried?

19. List listings: ITEMS

24. Wall St. deals: LBOs. (leveraged buyout)

26. Price of admission: FEE

27. Check-signing needs: PENS

28. __-Z: classic Camaro: IROC. (International Race of Champions) In March 2008, IROC auctioned off its tools, equipment, cars, and memorabilia, and went out of business.

29. "Not gonna happen": "NO HOW"

30. Zany: LOONY

35. Kiddie-lit monster: OGRE

36. Sing like Joe Cocker: RASP

39. Best-seller list entry: BOOK

42. Fusses over: PAMPERS

43. LAX listing: ETA

44. The "a" sound in "about" or "around": SCHWA

46. Ice cream treats: SUNDAES

47. Erik of "CHiPs": ESTRADA

49. Flower child, e.g.: HIPPIE

50. Roll in the aisles: ROAR

53. Kilt wearer: SCOT

54. Volcanic flow: LAVA

55. Amo, __, amat: AMAS

57. Vaulted church recess: APSE

59. Had the information: KNEW

60. Behold, to Caesar: ECCE

61. Classic cars: REOs

63. Santana's "__ Como Va": OYE. "Oye como va mi ritmo", meaning "Listen to how my rhythm goes."

64. Lodge logo animal: ELK. The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

Argyle

Sunday, September 4, 2016 Mark McClain

Theme: "Fitting Jobs" - Each theme entry is punnily clued as if it's a suited job for the person in the clue.

25A. Fitting job for Will? : PROBATE JUDGE. Very fitting.

 

46A. Fitting job for Stu? : HASH HOUSE COOK

67A. Fitting job for Sue? : TRIAL ATTORNEY. The 11-letter TRIAL LAWYER works as a middle entry also.

90A. Fitting job for Roger? : RADIO OPERATOR

113A. Fitting job for Bette? : CASINO DEALER. Because Bette is close to Bet?

3D. Fitting job for Art? : MUSEUM GUIDE

 

70D. Fitting job for Miles? : TRUCK DRIVER. Or * PILOT.

Fun theme! I like this type of theme where in the language phrases are punnily re-interpreted. You need to be really imaginative and come up with plenty of candidates for a workable set.  Often constructors have to discard a perfect entry due to wrong letter count. 

Mark took fully advantage of the low themeage (7 entries/85 squares) and gave us another clean grid with six great 9-letter fill. 

Across:

1. Places for reps : GYMS. Love an easy start.

5. Texter's "Mercy me!" : OMG

8. National park near Bar Harbor : ACADIA. Got via crosses.

14. Make the grade : RATE

18. Été month : AOUT. August. Not a good time to visit Paris. Some shops are closed.

19. By way of : VIA

20. Hard work : LABORS

21. Official order : EDICT

23. Bit of trickery : RUSE. And  84. Bit of physics : ATOM

24. Some urban commuter lines : ELS

27. Would rather : PREFERS TO

30. Pipe piece : ELL

31. Anchor in a race : GO LAST

32. Strange craft : UFOs

33. 2001 Audrey Tautou title role : AMELIE. Lovely movie. She works at a cafe in Montmartre.

35. Warble : TRILL

36. White-coated critter : ERMINE

38. Time lines, perhaps : X-AXES. Also got via crosses.

39. Value of a Benjamin : ONE C

40. "Sesame Street" network : PBS

43. Greyhound, e.g. : DOG. Not BUS.

44. Hasselblad product : SLR Not familiar with Hasselblad. Wiki says it's a Swedish camera maker.

49. "Parlez-__ français?" : VOUS. Third French reference.

51. Whitman's dooryard bloomers : LILACS

53. Makes a choice : OPTS

54. Promising : ROSY

55. Fennel-like herb : ANISE. I call it spice. It's one of the ingredients in Chinese Five-spice powder. Star anise.

57. Birdhouse creation : NEST

58. Stinging remarks : OWs

59. Sign of life : PULSE

60. Create a new look for : RE-DESIGN

62. Georgia, for one : FONT. The default font of our blog.  I was thinking of SSRS.

64. Notable periods : ERAS

66. Darken, say : DYE

 

70. Fed. power agcy. : TVA

73. Spotted : SEEN

74. Gothic cathedral feature : ARCH

75. Not for the masses : ESOTERIC. Sparkly fill.

77. Long accounts : SAGAS. Not TALES.

80. Tournament pass : BYE

81. Seesaw sitter of song : ESAU. Never heard of this. "Esau Wood sawed wood".

83. Beneficial : OF USE

85. Hayride perch : BALE

87. Inveterate critic : SNIPER. New meaning to me.

89. Entom. and geol. : SCIs

 

93. Archaeologist's project : DIG. The dig in my hometown.

95. Colorful pond fish : KOI

96. Supplement, with "to" : ADD

97. Bunch : SLEW

98. Workbench grippers : VISES

100. "You __ worry" : NEEDN'T

102. Eponymous chair maker : EAMES (Charles). Nailed it.

104. University lecturer : DOCENT

105. Dallas Cowboys logo : STAR

106. One with a flat to fix, maybe : LESSOR. Not flat tire. Apartment.

108. Body art, slangily : INK. Not TAT.

109. Is more efficient : SAVES TIME

 

117. Icky stuff : GOO

118. English : John :: Slavic : __ : IVAN

119. Hardly eager anticipation : DREAD

120. Ill-tempered : ORNERY

121. Keebler spokesman : ELF

122. Peter on piano : NERO

123. Phishing targets: Abbr. : SSNs

124. Hockey rink area : CREASE

125. Rapper Mos __ : DEF

126. Became : GREW

Down:

1. Williams title role : GARP. Robin William. "The World According to Garp".

2. The Isley Brothers' "It's __ Thing" : YOUR

 

4. She kept Martina from winning a seventh straight Wimbledon in 1988 : STEFFI

5. Pitch too eagerly : OVERSELL

6. Thickness units : MILs. Got via crosses also.

7. It's paid at pumps : GAS TAX

8. Swiss landscape feature : ALP

9. Negligent : CARELESS

10. Get rid of : ABOLISH

11. Paso __: two-step dance : DOBLE.  Double.

12. George's lyricist : IRA

13. Puerto Rico hrs. : AST

14. "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" verb : REJOICE

15. "Never __ moment!" : A DULL

16. Clam-digging area : TIDAL POOL. Never dug clams before. Looks cold.

17. Ticker tapes, for short? : ECGs. Nice clue.

 22. Vietnamese holiday : TET. Same day as Chinese Spring Festival. Next year it falls on Jan 28.

26. Barnum "attraction" : EGRESS. Googled afterward. Turns out it's just an exit sign.

28. Seemingly forever : EONS

29. Plains people : OMAHAS

34. Common mass transit requirement : EXACT FARE

35. Flanged fastener : T-NUT

36. Composer Grieg : EDVARD

37. TV pundit who wrote "Years of Minutes" : ROONEY. Boomer really liked Andy Rooney.

39. "My bad!" : OOPS

41. Order (around) : BOSS

42. Scottish isle : SKYE

45. Celebrate, as the new year : RING IN

47. Bookstore section : HOW TO. What's the last time you visited a bookstore? We also have 59. Check words : PAY TO

48. French vineyards : CRUs

50. Atlanta-to-Miami dir. : SSE

52. Olin of "Chocolat" : LENA

56. __ Park, Colorado : ESTES

58. Precisely : ON THE NOSE. Another great fill.

61. Wrath : IRE

63. Needing no Rx : OTC

64. Came after : ENSUED

65. Early 20th-century car : REO

68. Atmosphere component : LAYER

69. Bring in : REAP

71. TV component? : VISION. Letter V. Also 106. TV screen type : LCD

72. Does the job perfectly : ACES IT

73. Scandinavian natives : SAMI. Glad it's not LAPP/LAPPS. See here why LAPPS is now regarded as derogatory.

76. Scruffy couple? : EFS

77. First name in desserts : SARA

78. Slightly : A TAD

79. Nike and Demeter : GODDESSES

80. Gusted : BLEW

82. "Odyssey" threats : SIRENs

85. Ravel classic : BOLERO

86. Tarzan's foster family : APES

87. Places for prices : STICKERS. I bought a huge Kobocha at the farmer's market last week for $3. The smaller ones are $1/each. They look ugly, but they're creamy and sweet. Just like acorn squash.

88. Lightly wash : RINSE OFF

91. 1970 self-titled pop album : OSMONDS. Unknown to me. No Marie?

92. "Anne of Green Gables" town : AVONLEA

94. Becomes : GETS

99. Produced : STAGED

101. Having lunch : EATING. My lunch the past few days: Kobocha Udon.

103. Like most people : ASIAN

104. Veteran telejournalist Sawyer : DIANE

107. Corn units : EARS

110. Mouselike critter : VOLE

111. Former filly : MARE

112. "I must not think there are / Evils __ to darken all his goodness": Shak. : ENOW

114. Dopey comrade : DOC. My dad's colleges were all his "comrades". Now people use "Mr." instead. I miss the pre-1989 China. Miss the way we were.

115. Miscalculate : ERR

116. Reuben basic : RYE

 

C.C.

Saturday, Sep 3rd, 2016, Mary Lou Guizzo & Jeff Chen

Theme: None

Words: 70 (missing J,V,X,Z)

Blocks: 26

 Second time this duo has connected on a Saturday (1/9/16), and reviewing the last puzzle, I had my doubts on today's success.  Yet once again there were just enough "I got it" answers to allow me to finish, in good time, and a "ta-DA~!" that came without searching for any bad cells.  Triple 11's in the Across and triple 10's in the Down and a classic pinwheel design with some other chunky fill;

15. "Tristes apprets" from "Castor et Pollux," e.g. : SOPRANO ARIA - I sensed it was going to be "OPERA---" or "---VOCAL" but let it "go to the Downs" before trying something; see the crossing 6d.

13. It has its kinks : GARDEN HOSE - Oh, I so wanted PANTYHOSE to make the puzzle; Lemonade has been spot-on two weeks running now

55. Al Jazeera and Yomiuri Shimbun : NEWS OUTLETS - I know the name Al Jazeera, so I threw in "NEWS---" and waited

25. Betty Crocker brand of instant mashed : POTATO BUDS

HAWKWARD~?

ACROSS:

1. Subject of the 1998 Supreme Court case New Jersey v. New York : ELLIS ISLAND

12. Information __ : AGE

16. Billy's reply? : MAA - dah~!  Sheep go BAA, goats go "MAA"~? - tho we could be talking about a human kid named Billy

17. Group sharing a name with a cranberry cocktail : PINK MARTINI - never heard of the group or the drink

18. Docs' work areas : ERS - "to "E" or not to "E"; that is the question; I went with "O"RS

19. Slip or clip follower : ONS - nice misdirection; needing the plural for a singular clue - slip-ons, clip-ons

20. Rich rocks : ORES - Diamond didn't fit

21. Hot : TRENDY - unsure if this was the "IRATE" or "HIP" definition

23. Satyr's kin : FAUN - one of those "I got it" clues

24. Rear : KEISTER - spelled it wrong; I before E, right~?  wEird....

25. Obvious : PATENT

28. Holiday decor item : PINE CONE - check this out

About $1mil - the site

29. Final announcements : OBITS - eh, could have used an abbr here

30. Comes across : FINDS - dah~! Not MEETS

31. "__ Crossroads": Bone Thugs-n-Harmony song : THA - shoulda known it was not "AT A"

32. Hue : TONE

33. Game with a varying number of cards : BINGO - ah, those cards

34. Like many horses : SHOD

35. __ Nova : ARS - the Wiki

36. Turkestan tents : YURTS - another "I got it"

37. Full moon, e.g. : PHASE - there was a solar eclipse on Thursday, but couldn't see it from my house; the lunar semi-eclipse in two weeks can't be seen from here, either

38. Sports nail-biters : TIE GAMES - OVERTIMES didn't fit

40. Felix __, CIA friend of Bond : LEITER - "I got it" clue - if you get the chance, try this book, a history of the making of the Bond films - great read

41. Siouan tribe : OGLALAS - mostly perps

42. Portrayer of Buddy's father in "Elf" : CAAN - I just can't sit through this seasonal movie; I'm more of "A Christmas Story" buff

43. Acrimonious : BITTER - My high school Latin teacher had this T-shirt;

MELIOR

NON

ACRIOR

44. Prince in "Frozen" : HANS - just saw it on TV; I find most of the CGI animation movies do an excellent job of re-telling classic stories; I'm tired of the endless "superhero" films that have been popular over the last decade

45. Wise chip flavor : BBQ

48. Low número : UNO

49. Actress in "Spy" (2015) : MIRANDA HART - perps and a WAG

52. Wet blanket : DEW - ah.  Not the metaphoric "DUD"

53. "Grown Ups" star : ADAM SANDLER

54. Loan application fig. : SSN

DOWN:

1. 1960s-'70s Orr teammate, to fans : ESPO - Phil Esposito; hockey players on the Boston Bruins - we are almost to the new season~!

2. Prime cut : LOIN

3. OR teammates : LPNs

4. Needle : IRK - Dah~!  Not RIB

5. Apia natives : SAMOANS

6. Suffering from ennui : IN A RUT - reminds me of this song - talk about soprano

Stuck In A Rut

7. "Either/Or" author Kierkegaard : SØREN - another "I know it" clue, as I like to 'dabble' in personality types

8. Muscles strengthened by muscle-ups : LATS - better fit than PECS, which was my other WAG for this clue

9. Shipping nickname : ARI

10. Longtime Seattle Mariners' majority owner : NINTENDO - I did not know this

11. Jersey homes : DAIRIES - clever; cows - not dose guys across the bridge (see 1a.)

Local (NY) humor

12. "Couldn't agree with you more!" : "AMEN TO THAT~!"

14. Basic kids' book : EASY READER

22. Key to backing up? : ESCape - that kind of 'key'

23. Regale : FÊTE

24. Some royals : KINGS

26. Indigenous Tasmanians : ABORIGINES

27. Show biz nickname : TINSELTOWN - ah.  A general name; thought it was going to be a proper name

28. Gelato units : PINTS

30. Kindles : FIRES - TABLETS didn't fit

33. Hitchhike : BUM A RIDE - I know two guys who bummed a ride from the Vogons

 Arthur and Ford from HHGG

34. __ splints : SHIN

36. Every Skull and Bones member, until 1991 : YALE MAN

37. Serf : PEASANT

39. Hood's weapon : GAT - I had the "T", so I knew it was that hood, not Robin Hood, and "BOW"

40. Convertible carriage : LANDAU

42. "I'll show you!" : "CAN SO~!"

44. Acting coach's banes : HAMS

45. Bundle in a field : BALE

46. Maverick on TV : BRET - another "I knew it"

47. Game divs. : QTRs

50. Unembellished : RAW

51. Med. number that's better when it's higher : HDL

Splynter

Friday, September 2, 2016, Mark Feldman

Title: A spoonful of spoonerisms.

Mark Feldman returns to the LAT for his 10th puzzle and first since 2014. He also has 11 NYTs published but has been away there also. Mark gives us a classic puzzle to make you laugh taking two word phrases and reversing their beginnings to be clued with wit. If you are unfamiliar with Spoonerism, wiki says it is  an error in speech or deliberate play on words in which corresponding consonants, vowels, or morphemes are switched (see metathesis) between two words in a phrase. An example is saying "The Lord is a shoving leopard" instead of "The Lord is a loving shepherd." In addition to laughs, Mark includes OCTAVOS,  SKI POLE, LITHELY,  PLIABLE,  ICE BAGS, DISCERN, LIPSYNC, TORTILLAS and NEED A HAND as sparkly fill.

17A. Politically active fowl? : TRUMP DUCK (9). Dump Truck. Made me think of Donald Duck, but we make no political comments.

28A. Clever insect? : CUNNING ROACH (12). Running Coach. Made me thing of my old linguistics teacher but we make no obscene comments.

45A. Embarrassed avian? : BLUSHING CROW (12). Crushing blow. Made me think of Jon Snow, but he is everywhere these days.

59A. Street-wise amphibian? : ROUGH TOAD (9). Tough Road. Made me think of wild ride but on with the show.
And the reveal,
66A. Oxford don associated with slips similar to 17-, 28-, 45-, and 59-Across : SPOONER. The MAN.

Across:

1. Books in which each sheet of paper is folded into eight leaves : OCTAVOS. Latin for 8.

8. Factions : SECTS.

13. See 2-Down : TORTILLAS. 2D. With 13-Across, Mexican restaurant choices : CORN. When I was young and first exposed to Mexican food in New England, corn tortillas were the only choice. They were crunchy and messy- great for a kid.

16. Not likely to miss much : ALERT.

18. Eyelashes : CILIA. The Latin plural of cilium- 1. the eyelids or eyelashes.
2. small, hairlike processes projecting from epithelial cells on the outer surfaces of some cells, aiding metabolism by producing motion, eddies, or current in a fluid. In the lung, cilia wave mucus, pus, and dust upward. In the Fallopian Tube, they are an integral part of getting pregnant.

19. "A Chorus Line" number : ONE. The Finale.

20. Goddess with a throne headdress : ISIS.

22. Become clear : JELL. Thoughts can jell. They also can be discarded. 57A. Get rid of : SCRAP.

23. Flair : ELAN.

26. Easily bent : PLIABLE.  My latest mental picture...

32. Comfortable with : USED TO.

33. Dresden's river : ELBE.

34. Takes in : HAS.

37. Big hit : SMASH. Broadway.

38. Subside, with "down" : DIE.

39. Doozy : BEAUT.

41. Loan fig. : PCT. Percent.

42. "The Little Mermaid" prince : ERIC.

                                                                        The Story

44. The kiwi is the smallest one : RATITE. Any of the mostly large birds with a flat breastbone without a keel, therefore unable to fly, i.e., the ostrich, rhea, emu, cassowary, and kiwi, together with the extinct moa and elephant bird.

47. Fake it, in a way : LIPSYNC. I really like seeing this Friday worthy fill.

50. Pageant accessory : SASH. I have had this and Obi very often this year.

51. Sandy's home : UTAH. I had/have no idea; there is a Sandy City Utah? Not the dog....

52. Puts in place : SETS. Like a dinner table.

54. Achievement of many a CEO : MBA.

63. Birch of "American Beauty" : THORA. Birch was born in Los Angeles, the eldest child of Jack Birch and Carol Connors. Her parents, who have been her business managers throughout her acting career, are former adult film actors; both appeared in the film Deep Throat.

64. Require help : NEED A HAND.

65. Slender woman : SYLPH. Another wonderful word. One would move 24D. In a supple manner : LITHELY. Which is related to pliable; a mini-theme?


Down:

1. Anne Frank's father : OTTO. Somehow I remembered his NAME.

3. Loyal : TRUE. Be true to your love.

4. 20s dispenser : ATM.

5. Bigwig : VIP.

6. Dated : OLD.

7. Swinging about : SLUING. Not high on my list: verb (used with object), slued, sluing. 1. to turn (a mast or other spar) around on its own axis, or without removing it from its place. 2.to swing around.
verb (used without object), slued, sluing. 3. to turn about; swing around.

8. __ fly: productive MLB out : SACrifice.

9. Hebrew prophet : ELIJAH. A most important PROPHET.

10. Star : CELEB.

11. Operatic vocal effect : TRILL. When he retired in 2012, Bass Paul Plishka said, he could not do it any more. "The trill is gone."

12. Dated : STALE. Liker some humor!

14. Coolers, briefly : ACS.

15. Balancing aid on the slopes : SKI POLE. They never helped me to balance, but I was never a great skier like marti.

21. Piece at the butcher shop : SLAB. The sound is almost enough to make one a vegetarian.

23. Goals : ENDS.

25. Mayo is in it : ANO. The old Spanish pun- May is a month in the Year.

27. Swell applications : ICE BAGS. Swell literally, not like Archie.

28. Edge : CUSP.

29. Letters at N.C.'s Camp Lejeune : USMC.

30. Drink order : NEAT. Tinbeni CSO!

31. Clinton's first Labor secretary : REICH. A very interesting MAN, only 4'11."

34. Locks often gray : HAIR.

35. Aries or Taurus : AUTO.The K Car is long gone, but Ford Taurus is back.

36. Brood : STEW.

38. Make out : DISCERN. Simple, but took me a very long time to discern.

40. Make an impression : ETCH. Again, deception with a literal clue.

43. Hose problems : RUNS. Yes, White Sox cannot get enough runs this year, unlike their Boston counterparts. LINK. Or for Splynter

44. Stranded messenger : RNA.

45. C equivalent : B SHARP. I let those who speak music explain, I cannot.

46. Time units : ISSUES. The magazine, silly.

47. Hungers (for) : LUSTS.

48. Raring to go : ITCHY.

49. Given orally, as evidence : PAROL.

53. Golf club part : TOE.

54. Complain : MOAN. Stop your moaning and groaning; I guess more appropriate than any other definition. I have an acquaintance who made a living moaning for  porn movies.

55. Thorn in one's side : BANE.

56. Dely. destination : ADDRess.

58. Half a tuba sound : PAH. really, isn't it 1/3- oom pah pah?

60. Econ. yardstick : GDP. D or N? Domestic or national.

61. One-tenth of a Vietnamese dong, formerly : HAO. A very obscure clue, even with the formerly hint. A Vietnamese currency previously issued by the Vietnam National Bank. The hao, or hào, is one-tenth of a Vietnamese dong and can be subdivided into 10 xu. Neither the xu or the hao are currently in use in Vietnam.

62. E'en if : THO.

A slightly abridged version as I recover from a summer cold. Which is great because all of you can practice making comments on what I left out and linking all kinds of exciting stuff. Welcome back Mark and enjoy September; Lemonade out.