Thursday, February 16, 2017 C.C.Burnikel

Theme: Stock Showdown - who would you back in a race between a Harley, a Ferrari and an Avis rental car?

The reveal sets up what we're looking for in the theme:

66A. Market representative? : TICKER SYMBOL

and indeed we find that the very apt ticker symbol and the company it represents intersect each other in the three theme pairs:

8D. Auto with a prancing horse logo, whose company 66-Across ends 18-Across : FERRARI and
18A. Fitness challenge : OBSTACLE RACE

Here's the 2016 Formula 1 model. Sex on a stick.

49A. Bike whose company 66-Across ends 26-Down : HARLEY and
26D. Unreserved way to go : WHOLE HOG. 

"Hog" was originally the nickname for a Harley dating back to the 20's, and adopted later as an acronym by the Harley Owners' Group.

50A. Name on a shuttle, whose company 66-Across ends 24-Down : AVIS and
24D. Alternative energy vehicle : SOLAR CAR

This car, developed by the University of Sydney, is set to be the first street-legal solar vehicle when it is registered in Australia in 2017.

Before we get into the meat of the theme and the puzzle, let's just get one thing clear regarding 39D. This puzzle was created last year and was accepted for publication in August 2016, so don't try to read anything more into it.

Clever theme from C.C. She told me that it went through quite a lot of back-and-forth with Rich at the concept stage before it was ready to go. Out of the many thousands of companies traded on NASDAQ and the NYSE there are precious few with a punny symbol, and even fewer where it can intersect the name.

Note the consistency in that the ticker symbol is the final word of a two-word phrase - good stuff. Add in some nice crunchy fill and a polished layout (and C.C's "trademark" baseball references) and you can't get much better. Let's see what else jumps out:

Across:

1. Truly wretched : ABJECT. Great start.

7. E equivalent, on scores : F FLAT. Both notes are en-harmonic equivalents, but not regarded as the same note.

12. Bygone space station : MIR

15. Reaction to a comeback : TOUCHÉ! 

16. Contact : REACH

17. Long-necked bird : EMU

20. Metz moniker : NOM. I'm finally getting it that Metz is in France, not Germany. Mon nom est Étienne, en français.

21. Colo. setting : M.S.T. Mountain time for the Colorado folks.

22. See-through : SHEER. Like these curtains, which were the first examples of sheer fabric that sprung to my mind. Honestly, Officer ...

23. Even-odds situation : TOSS-UP

25. Scand. land : SWEden. Cold and dark over there at the moment.

27. Not much : A DAB. I tripped up on this one - I had A TAD first, corrected the T with FREEDOM and then forgot to go back and fix the B.

29. Nosebag fill : OATS. Also used in porridge,as C.C. noted on Sunday. Use rolled oats, not instant.

30. Male pal, in slang : BRAH. This is a Hawai'ian islands expression. The hipster surfer dudes in Southern California have picked up on it, and frankly, it sounds quite wrong coming from an Orange County high schooler.

32. Cold sore relief product : ORAJEL. You can get Zovirax OTC in the UK which blasts a cold sore into extinction within 24 hours if you use it the second you feel that first tingle.

35. Cellist with multiple Grammys : YO YO MA

38. Baseball collectibles : MINI BATS. You can't get much more mini than this:

41. Pure : SINLESS. Pure as the driven snow, like me, hence my admiration for sheer curtains.

43. Stated as fact : AVERRED

45. Sits in a cell : DOES TIME

48. Set up in a glade, say : ENCAMP

51. Lamb sandwich : GYRO. Food! I've waxed lyrical about these before. The Mad Greek, Baker, CA off the I-15.

54. Pamplona kudos : OLÉS

56. Outrage : IRE

57. Mountain predator : COUGAR

60. Trojan War epic : ILIAD

62. Church based in SLC, Utah : L.D.S. Latter Day Saints, the Mormon church in Salt Lake City.

65. Center : HUB

69. Foofaraw : ADO

70. "American Buffalo" playwright : MAMET

71. Erie Canal city : ALBANY

72. Passel : TON. A bunch, a pack, an indeterminate number. I like the word.

73. More than amuses : SLAYS

74. Greenery : PLANTS

Down:

1. Splitting target : ATOM

2. Short cuts : BOBS. Oh - haircuts!

3. Reagan-era slogan : JUST SAY NO

4. Outer: Pref. : ECT-

5. Run after : CHASE

6. __ support : TECH. Shot myself in the foot with ARCH first. This whole top-left corner was nothing but trouble for me, with the exception of the Nancy Reagan slogan.

7. Liberty : FREEDOM

9. Mike Trout's team, on scoreboards : LAA. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, clumsily. I've been to Angel Stadium - it's one of the few sporting venues where they don't completely fleece you for parking, beer and a dog.

10. Check no. : ACCT.

11. "Sons of Anarchy" actor Rossi : THEO. Thank you, crosses.

12. Brainy bunch : MENSA

13. Passing remark? : I'M OUT. See ya! No, wait, I've got some more puzzle to blog.

14. Beef cuts : RUMPS

19. Field : LEA

28. "Hulk" star Eric : BANA. Thank you, crosses. My blecho for today.

30. Fly-__: air passes : BYS. A USAAF formation usually comes over the top of my house on January 1st on the way to and from the Rose Bowl fly-by. One year there was a stealth bomber too, that was an eerie sight.

31. Juicer's juice? : ROID. Steroids. Nice clue.

33. Nonsense : JIVE

34. "__ Holden": Irving Bacheller novel : EBEN. What? Who? Crosses all the way. I discover it was published in 1900 and was a best-seller in 1901 and 1902.Now I don't feel so bad.

36. Cactus League spring training city : MESA, Arizona. I went to a spring training game between the Reds and Giants a few years ago in nearby Scottsdale. Really good fun. The Giants won the World Series that year.

37. Neil deGrasse Tyson subj. : ASTRonomy.

39. Blizzard restriction, perhaps : TRAVEL BAN

40. Final Four matchup : SEMI. Semi-final in a single elimination competition. Four to be winnowed down to two for the final.

42. Rural storehouse : SILO

44. Plays usually involving the SS : DPS. Double plays. Shortstops.

46. "I'm a fan!" : ME LIKEY!

47. Shoelace holders : EYELETS. You thread your aglets through your eyelets when you're putting laces in your shoes.

51. IM option : G-CHAT. Google Chat instant messaging.

52. "Seriously?" : YOU DO?

53. Apply, as sunscreen : RUB ON. I spray mine on, then rub.

55. Respectful word : SIR

56. Pastoral piece : IDYLL

How sweet is the Shepherd's sweet lot

From the morn to the evening he strays;

He shall follow his sheep all the day,

And his tongue shall be filled with praise.

For he hears the lamb's innocent call,

And he hears the ewe's tender reply;

He is watchful while they are in peace,

For they know when their Shepherd is nigh.

"The Shepherd" by William Blake

58. Stop-offs before big dates, maybe : ATM'S

59. Muscat money : RIAL. They don't come out of  ATM's in Oman, they come out of these things: آلة الصراف الآلي

61. Rush job letters : ASAP

63. "Knock it off!" : DON'T!

64. Stallone and Stone : SLYS

67. Nashville awards gp. : C.M.A. Country Music Association.

68. Mgmt. degree : M.B.A. A Master's degree in Business Administration.

I think that should do it from me. Happy Thursday, everyone!

Steve

Wednesday, Ed Sessa, February 15, 2017

TITLE: WAIT THERE'S MORE! or HOMOPHONES RUNNING WILD!

Husker Gary at the humpday helm today and as you can see below in the grid the homonyms for TO, FOUR, WON, SAIL and GOODBYES are employed to make the marketing slogan you see here at the right. How cool is that? Uh, it took me a while to see it. You?

Theme fills

20. *More than is wise : TO (TWO) A FAULT - C'mon that's funny! 

26. *Luxury resort chain : FOUR (FOR) SEASONS - Yeah, this FOUR SEASONS buffet in Singapore seems to qualify as Luxury

36. *Dominated the election : WON (ONE) BY A LANDSLIDE - Attributed to Joe Kennedy when he was backing JFK's presidential race

44. *Complete with ease - SALE (SAIL) THROUGH - She did! 

Reveal: 

54. Farewells ... or, homophonically and read top to bottom, what the first words of the answers to starred clues represent? : GOOD BYES 

BTW, I got this TWO FOR ONE SALE - GOOD BUY last month and they are great:

Watt ells does Ed half four us two day:

Across

1. See 1-Down : FOOD paired with 1. With 1-Across, Whoppers and McRibs, e.g. : FAST for a clever start in the NW corner!

5. Risk taker : DARER

10. Minimally : A TAD

14. He sang about Alice : ARLO - He sang about Alice for over 18 minutes

15. Ooze with : EXUDE

16. Bond's first movie foe : DR NO - You mean someone other than Ursula Andress was in that movie?

17. Word with interest or service : SELF - Marty McFly had to go back to 1955 to see a FULL service station like here

18. Lavin of "Alice" : LINDA

19. Water retainer : DIKE

22. River racers : SCULLS

24. Rose of Guns N' Roses : AXL

25. Poetic pair : COUPLET - How many times have you read these wonderful couplets to a child?

31. "__ to leap tall buildings ... " : ABLE - ...or FROM a tall building

32. "David Copperfield" villain : HEEP

33. Cain, to Abel, informally : SIB(ling)

41. Teachers' org. : NEA

42. Sufficient, to Shakespeare : ENOW - Methinks there are many at this site who know of whom the Bard is speaking when he wrote "I must not think there are evil ENOW to darken all his goodness". I had to look it up.


43. Working hard : AT IT

48. Descends, as a rock wall RAPPELS - I'm not sure I have courage ENOW to give this a go

52. Fluke-to-be : ROE - Baby fluke eggs

53. Worried : UNEASY

59. Fly in the ointment : SNAG

60. Fly-fishing catch : TROUT - A trout going after that fly

62. Tennis score : LOVE - It's means nothin' 

63. Floor piece : TILE

64. "Maybe, just maybe" : I HOPE

65. Big name in furniture : IKEA

66. Clairvoyant : SEER - And now, the great SEER, soothsayer, and sage, Carnac.... the Magnificent. Johnny often called the question to this answer the funniest bit he ever did in this character. That question to this answer is at the bottom of this write-up.

67. Got by : COPED

68. See 58-Down : PENN with 58. With 68-Across, "Milk" Oscar winner : SEAN


Down

2. Embossed cookie : OREO - Another clue for the ubiquitous OREO

3. Southwestern clay pot : OLLA

4. Remove respectfully : DOFF - Dr. Suess had a Hat DOFFING Cat as well as tales of Green Eggs and Ham

5. First-class : DELUXE

6. Armpit : AXILLA - Hey, don't look at me, I didn't know either! :-)

7. Squirt : RUNT

8. Teacher's deg. : EDD - Doctor of Education degree - usually seen as EdD. 

9. Thought (out) : REASONED

10. Make sense : ADD UP

11. Composer's embellishment : TRILL - Do you have any problems with National Antems sang with "Triplets, quintuplets, mordents, TRILLS, turns, six-note slides and grace notes?"

12. Bracelet spot : ANKLE - How Lindsay Lohan disguised hers while under arrest. A fashionable felon?

13. Biblical verb : DOEST - Perhaps thou DOEST but shouldst thou?

21. Toy inserts usually not included : AA'S - Batteries

23. Crescent points : CUSPS

25. Either "The Man Who Wasn't There" director : COEN - My favorite COEN brothers' movie is Fargo

26. Doe's dear : FAWN

27. Wind in a pit : OBOE

28. Arm bone : ULNA - About 12" below your AXILLA

29. Bull Run soldier : REB - Johnny REB showed this would not be a quick war

30. Over-the-shoulder garb : SHAWL

33. In __: as placed : SITU

34. "Understood," in hippie-speak : I DIG

35. "Little Women" sister : BETH

37. Verbal nods : YESES

38. Kind of geometry : ANALYTIC - How far did Yogi have to throw? Piece 'o Pythagorean Cake for our math heads!











39. "The Giver" novelist Lowry : LOIS - What? Ed didn't use Superman's girl friend here?

40. Thai language : LAO - Everyone knows hello is ສະບາຍດີ

45. Entertainers on the road : TROUPE

46. Partner of hollered : HOOTED

47. Wine choice : RED

48. Reddish-brown colors : RUSTS

49. Singer Lennox : ANNIE - One reviewer's list of ANNIE'S Top 10 songs omitted my favorite - Sweet Dreams

50. "Positive thinking" advocate : PEALE

51. "Your table's ready" signaler : PAGER

54. Sticky stuff : GOOP

55. Radar dot : BLIP

56. Team connection : YOKE - A YOKED means of crossing Nebraska before I-80

57. All tied up : EVEN

61. Letter after pi : RHO

Carnac answer/question: The answer is "Sis, Boom, Bah". And the question is "What sound does an exploding sheep make?"

Weed luv four ewe two comment:

Husker Gary
 

Note from C. C.:

Happy Birthday to dear Skip (Hondo on the blog), who is a huge fan of UConn women's Basketball. Skip is also an expert on vintage sports cards & attends shows often on weekends.

Left to right: Marti, Dudley, Hondo & Montana (Sept 2013)

 

Tuesday, February 14, 2017 Mark McClain

Theme: Dunkirk - Anything that would float joined the flotilla used for the evacuation.

17A. Crude early version of a work of art: ROUGH SKETCH

30A. Computer programming glitch: ENDLESS LOOP. I learned this one because of discussions here on the blog.

46A. New York City zoo locale: CENTRAL PARK

61A. Lakeside launching aid ... and, literally, each set of circled letters: BOAT TRAILER. I found the circled letters weren't much help.

Argyle here. Well, maybe an ark wasn't used for the evacuation. I found this to be tough for a Tuesday. The reveal doesn't relate that well to the theme entries. But it was just a 'J' shy of a pangram.

Author:

1. Bindle-toting migrants: HOBOs. Bindle was the bag holding his sundry.

6. "Oliver!" no-goodnik: FAGIN. The mastermind.

11. Bygone intl. carrier: TWA. (Trans World Airlines)

14. Face in the crowd, in film: EXTRA

15. With no help: ALONE

16. A, in Aachen: EIN. Aachen is traditionally known in English and French as Aix-la-Chapelle.

19. Bottom-row PC key: ALT

20. Natural salve additive: ALOE

21. Slightly: A LITTLE

23. Financial claim: LIEN

26. Coin-in-a-fountain thought: WISH

28. Pakistani language: URDU

29. "The Lord of the Rings" beast: ORC

33. What marathoners load up on: CARBS

35. WWII conference site: YALTA

36. Like swimming competitions: AQUATIC

39. Getting by: DOING OK

43. Rants and raves: RAGEs

45. Bold: NERVY

51. Slithery fish: EEL

52. Et __: and others: ALIA

53. Harp constellation: LYRA

54. Daly of "Cagney & Lacey": TYNE

55. Sun protection for kissers?: LIP BALM

58. Former Russian ruler: CZAR

60. "__ no use!": IT'S

66. Pot pie veggie: PEA

67. When Macbeth kills Duncan: ACT II

68. French-speaking Caribbean country: HAITI

69. FDR successor: HST. (Harry S Truman)

70. 2000s TV series set in California: "THE OC". (Orange County, CA)

71. Snooze: SLEEP

Down:

1. Seagoing pronoun: HER

2. Good Grips kitchenware brand: OXO

3. A/C capacity meas.: BTU. (British thermal unit)

4. Church instrument: ORGAN

5. Satirist Mort: SAHL

6. Secret agent's passport, say: FAKE ID

7. Some craft beer: ALE

8. Advanced in one's career: GOT AHEAD

9. At no addl. cost: INCL. (Inclusive: used to say that a price includes everything.)

10. Grape soda brand: NEHI 

11. Italian playhouse: TEATRO

12. "I'm on it, boss": "WILL DO"

13. Pre-poker deal demand: ANTE UP

18. Planted, as seed: SOWN

22. New Orleans university: TULANE

23. "Livin' La Vida __": Ricky Martin hit: LOCA. "like a bullet to your brain"

24. Baghdad's land: IRAQ

25. Beige shade: ECRU

27. Crafty: SLY

30. To be, in Barcelona: ESTAR

31. __-mo replay: SLO

32. Perform miserably: STINK

34. Bill for drinks: BAR TAB

37. "Hometown Proud" supermarket chain: IGA. (Independent Grocers Alliance)

38. Roomie in prison: CELLMATE

40. Earl __ tea: GREY

41. Pizza cooker: OVEN

42. Actor Chandler of "Bloodline": KYLE

44. CIA operative: SPY

46. Muslim bigwig: CALIPH

47. Upper crust groups: ELITEs

48. Attacks, puppy-style: NIPS AT. Ankle biters.

49. Super cold: ARCTIC

50. Motorola phone: RAZR

54. __ by jury: TRIAL

56. Blind as __: A BAT

57. Ness, for one: LOCH

59. Massage reactions: AAHs

62. Padre's brother: TIO. Uncle.

63. Whopper: LIE

64. Summer, in 68-Across: ÉTÉ. French-speaking HAITI.

65. Fabric mishap: RIP

The travelogue is over.

 Argyle
 

Notes from C.C.:

1) Blogger team finally fixed the Comments section Preview glitch yesterday. Now you can Preview & Publish again. Thanks for the various Blogger posts, TTP! I'm sure your analysis helped them.

2) Happy Birthday to dear Marti, who used to guide us on Thursdays. I'm not sure Marti still reads our blog. We miss you, Marti! 

Monday, February 13, 2017 Kurt Kraus

Theme: blank Team - Echo of Sunday. The first word can precede TEAM.

61A. Players on the same side ... and what the starts of the answers to starred clues can be: TEAMMATES

17A. *Track event with batons: RELAY RACE. Relay team, to run the race.

25A. *Romantic outing for four: DOUBLE DATE. Double team, basketball term.

36A. *Romantic ideal: DREAM GIRL. Dream team.

51A. *Machinist's hole maker: DRILL PRESS. Drill team, marching in formations.

Argyle here, part of the blog team. Impressive sides to the puzzle.

Across:

1. Show affection to, as a dog: PET

4. Barton of the Red Cross: CLARA

9. The Congo, formerly: ZAIRE

14. Martinique, par exemple: ILE. I think Kurt wants to go away on vacation. But who doesn't?

15. Archaeological find: RELIC

16. Bother: ANNOY

19. Night, in Naples: NOTTE

20. Congregational "Absolutely!": "AMEN!"

21. "__ beaucoup": MERCI. "Thank you very much"

23. Lab rodent: RAT

24. Schoolbook, or much of its contents: TEXT

27. "Romanian Rhapsodies" composer: ENESCO. George Enescu. Vlad Vizireanu, Romanian conductor.

29. Wears away: ERODES

30. John, Paul and George: Abbr.: STs. (Saints)

31. Under-the-sink fitting: P-TRAP

35. For fear that: LEST

39. Farmland measure: ACRE

42. Steinway or Yamaha: PIANO

43. Crone: HAG

46. Yellow Teletubby: LAA-LAA

49. Meditative music genre: NEW AGE

55. Ache: HURT

56. Announcer Hall: EDD. He was Jay Leno's announcer on The Tonight Show.

57. Use a loom: WEAVE

58. What aces may count as: ONEs or elevens.

59. Black, in Burgundy: NOIRE. France.

64. Hues: TONES

65. The "I" in IV: INTRA

66. High season on the Riviera: ÉTÉ. Busy time on the beach.

67. Grain disease: ERGOT

68. Ruby Dee's husband Davis: OSSIE

69. Period, e.g.: DOT

Down:

1. High seas bandits: PIRATES

2. Periodic table listing: ELEMENT

3. Fax forerunners: TELEXES

4. Bawl: CRY

5. The Once-__: "The Lorax" character: LER

6. Mission to remember: ALAMO

7. Houston sch.: RICE U.

8. Biting, as criticism: ACERB

9. More wacky: ZANIER

10. Period with 365 días: ANO

11. For services rendered instead of cash: IN TRADE. (stop snickering!)

12. Revolves: ROTATES

13. Driver's license requirement: EYE TEST

18. Aardvark fare: ANTS

22. The NFL's Browns, on sports tickers: CLE. (Cleveland Browns)

25. Pour affection (on): DOTE

26. Sweetie pie: DOLL

28. EMT procedure: CPR. Emergency Medical Technician/CardioPulmonary Resuscitation

32. Knock hard: RAP

33. Parisian pal: AMI. Might be your dream girl you'll meet on vacation.

34. Ryder Cup org.: PGA. The Ryder Cup is a biennial men's golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States.

36. Big name in computers: DELL

37. Holiday and Days: INNs

38. Caviar: ROE

39. Firm, as pasta: AL DENTE

40. It's usually locked after parking: CAR DOOR

41. Attacking, as the fridge: RAIDING

43. Full of ghosts: HAUNTED

44. Go along with: AGREE TO

45. Prepares: GETS SET

47. L.A. Angels' division: AL WEST. Baseball.

48. Big galoot: APE

50. Stagecoach driver's "Stop!": "WHOA!"

52. 4:1, e.g.: RATIO

53. Alternative to odds: EVENS

54. Theater chairs: SEATS

60. Classic car: REO

62. CAT scan cousin: MRI. (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

63. Fannie or Ginnie follower: MAE. (Mortgage Association)

Argyle