Tuesday, July 4, 2017 James P. Sharp

Theme: Bumps in the night - or daylight. Some words that can be placed ahead of BUMP.

18A. Vodka brand with flying birds on the bottle: GREY GOOSE. Goosebump.

23A. Racing bike: TEN SPEED. Speed bump. Only ten speeds on a racing bike, how quaint.

35A. One "there on the sand," in a 1974 hit by The First Class: BEACH BABY*. Baby bump, an expression for showing a pregnancy.

49A. Symbol of absolute rule: IRON FIST. Fist bump, handshake for germaphobes?

55A. Disagree ... or, literally, what the last words of 18-, 23-, 35-, and 49-Across can be: BUMP HEADS. The last words can head up a BUMP phrase.

Argyle here with a debut from Mr. Sharp He debuted in NYT in 2002 and has numerous puzzles in compilation books. He has done some punny work in the past but this is a straight forward "word goes with word" puzzle. Sorry, nothing to do with Independence Day.

Across:

1. Crowd noises: ROARS. "Oohs and aahs" could have been fitting crowd noises for tonight's fireworks.

6. "Is that __?": "No kidding?": A FACT

11. Fat meas.: BMI. (Body Mass Index)

14. __ sanctum: INNER

15. Jar Jar Binks' planet: NABOO. from Star Wars.

16. Olive product: OIL

17. __ Park: San Diego Padres' home: PETCO. Pet supplies retailer Petco is based in San Diego.

20. "__-haw!": YEE

21. Link with: TIE TO

22. Dol. parts: CTs. $ & ¢

25. Muse of comedy: THALIA. The eighth-born of the nine Muses.

28. Dodge City's state: KANSAS

29. "Pop goes" critters: WEASELS

30. Man-mouse connector: OR A

31. "Melrose __": PLACE. Seven seasons on Fox.

34. Jason of "How I Met Your Mother": SEGEL. His role was Marshall Eriksen.

37. Groucho's smoke: CIGAR

40. Waste maker, per a proverb: HASTE. "Haste makes waste"

41. Santa __, Calif.: ANA

44. Art exhibition site: GALLERY

46. Learn about: HEAR OF

48. Tristan's beloved: ISOLDE. Extensive Wiki article.

51. Dallas home of the NCAA's Mustangs: SMU. (Southern Methodist University)

52. Second rock from the sun: VENUS

54. Barrister's practice: LAW

57. "Water Lilies" painter Claude: MONET

59. Mrs., to Claude: MME. French abbreviation for Madame.

60. Jazz great Shaw: ARTIE

61. Hawaiian veranda: LANAI

62. Take the plunge, in a way: WED

63. Small plateaus: MESAs

64. Sports data: STATs

Down:

1. "Let 'er __!": "Fire away!": RIP

2. Subscription period: ONE YEAR

3. Cell reception aid: ANTENNA

4. Schoolyard playtime: RECESS

5. "No more seats" Broadway sign: SRO. (standing-room only)

6. Actress Dickinson: ANGIE. Remember her?

7. Managed: FARED

8. Aid in crime: ABET

9. Road Runner's pursuer: COYOTE

10. Dress fancily, with "up": TOG

11. Illegal, like movies on file-sharing sites: BOOTLEG. Odd clue.

12. Rocket, for one: MISSILE

13. Suffix with percent or project: ILE

19. Irish playwright Sean: O'CASEY. 1880 – 1964 (seems obscure)

21. Maker of the first electric sports car: TESLA

23. Fight ender, briefly: TKO.(technical knockout)

24. Covered decoratively, as walls: PAPERED

26. One whose star has faded: HAS BEEN

27. Comm. for the hearing-impaired: ASL. (American Sign Language) Comm. can be an abbreviation of communication.

29. Complex patterns: WEBs

32. "__ Breaky Heart": ACHY. Popular song by Billy Ray Cyrus.

33. Half a dance: CHA

35. Shape, as dough: BALL UP

36. A Musketeer: ATHOS. "D'Artagnan, Athos, Aramis and Porthos"

37. Movie SFX: CGI. (special effects/computer-generated imagery)

38. "It seems to me ... ": "I ASSUME ... "

39. Latched (onto): GLOMMED

41. Journalist Huffington: ARIANNA. She was the co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post, which is now owned by AOL.

42. "Piece of cake": "NO SWEAT"

43. Rearward, on board: AFT

45. Midnight rider Paul: REVERE

47. On the water: AFLOAT

49. Nepal neighbor: INDIA

50. Ploys: RUSES

53. Has a bite: EATS

55. 7 Series automaker: BMW

56. Hawaiian-style pizza topping: HAM

57. L.A. Galaxy's org.: MLS. (Major League Soccer)

58. Apt "it's" anagram: 'TIS

*

Argyle

Monday, July 3, 2017 Brock Wilson

Theme: Got your boarding pass? - Airlines.

17A. Law of the jungle, in the Old West: FRONTIER JUSTICE. Frontier Airlines.

23A. 1867 territorial acquisition dubbed "Seward's Folly": ALASKA PURCHASE. Alaska Airlines.

35A. 1973 Helen Reddy chart-topper: "DELTA DAWN". Delta Air Lines, a legacy airline.

49A. Melted yellow square on a burger: AMERICAN CHEESE. American Airlines.

55A. R. Kelly hit whose last title word is aptly rhymed with "sky" in the lyrics ... and a hint to the starts of the other four longest puzzle answers: I BELIEVE I CAN FLY, from the soundtrack to the 1996 film Space Jam.

Argyle here. My first flight was on a DC-3, Mohawk Airlines. On another note, nice puzzle.

Across:

1. "Hometown Proud" market chain: IGA. (Independent Grocers Alliance) Our town's IGA closed in 1999.

4. First-string squad: A TEAM

9. Actor McGregor: EWAN

13. Election Day mo.: NOVenber

14. "Lord Jim" author Joseph: CONRAD

16. Field-plowing site: FARM

20. Freezer cubes: ICE

21. Top-notch: A ONE

22. Texter's gratitude: THX. (Thanks)

28. Old King Cole was a merry one: OLD SOUL

29. Reason for unbalanced books: ERROR

30. Southeast Asian language: LAO

31. __ hasty retreat: BEAT A

34. Walk-__: bit parts: ONs

38. CBS forensic series: CSI. (Crime Scene Investigation)

40. African virus: EBOLA

41. ID on an auto title: VIN. (vehicle identification number)

44. Causes pain: HURTS

47. Refreshing break: RESPITE

52. "Let me think ... ": "HMM ... "

53. Smell: ODOR. Burning rubber? That's just me thinking.

54. U.S. intelligence org.: NSA. (No Such Agency)

61. Extremely: VERY

62. On __ knee: kneeling: BENDED

63. Suffix with human: OID. (humanoid)

64. Celtic language: ERSE

65. Pulled into piles, as leaves: RAKED

66. Hi-__ graphics: RES. (High-resolution)

Down:

1. With one flat, musically: IN F

2. Largest living primate: GORILLA

3. Guacamole fruit: AVOCADO

4. Perform on stage: ACT

5. You, to Yves: TOI. French.

6. Opposite of WSW: ENE

7. Pianist Claudio: ARRAU

8. College focus: MAJOR

9. Little newt: EFT

10. Serves food to: WAITS ON

11. Bow-and-arrow wielders: ARCHERS

12. Santa Fe's st.: NMEX. (New Mexico)

15. Dummy: DUNCE

18. Monster's loch: NESS

19. 61-Across: Ger.: SEHR

23. "You've Got Mail" ISP: AOL

24. NBA great Bryant: KOBE

25. "The Clan of the Cave Bear" author Jean: AUEL. An old crossword favorite brought out of retirement.

26. Place setting disc: PLATE

27. Elvis __ Presley: ARON. It's what is on the birth certificate, alright? Anons keep away.

32. Bill with cocktails: TAB

33. Decorate: ADORN

35. Like desperate circumstances: DIRE

36. Baldwin of "30 Rock": ALEC

37. Laundry: WASH

38. __ of commerce: CHAMBER

39. Hot seasons: SUMMERS. Now if it were Nice hot seasons ....

41. Competes to get: VIES FOR

42. "That's not true!": "IT'S A LIE!"

43. Bridal bio word: NÉE

45. "Star Trek: T.N.G." counselor: TROI

46. Flip of a hit single: SIDE B

48. Teller's comedy partner: PENN

50. Tarp, e.g.: COVER

51. Hockey venue: ARENA

52. Bee home: HIVE

56. Soapmaking supply: LYE

57. "Beats me," in texts: [IDK]. [I Don't Know]

58. Mediocre grade: CEE

59. Tack on, as tax: ADD

60. Golf hole meas.: YDs. Yards

Argyle

Sunday July 2, 2017 Alan P. Olschwang

Theme:  "Up the River" - Each theme entry has a river going up.

5D. British actor who played Algy Longworth in 1930s Bulldog Drummond movies : REGINALD DENNY. Niger. Never hard of the actor.

7D. Garage job : ALIGNMENT. Gila.

11D. Western actor who taught Harrison Ford how to use a bullwhip : LASH LARUE. Ural.

15D. "Titanic" theme vocalist : CELINE DION. Nile.

61D. Was perfectly tailored : FIT LIKE A GLOVE. Volga. Longest river in Russia.

76D. Memorable line from Berlin's "Cheek to Cheek" : I'M IN HEAVEN. Neva. One more Russian river.

85D. Third James Bond novel : MOON RAKER. Arno.

87D. Samba relative : BOSSA NOVA. Avon.

So nice to see Alan Olschwang back. He made so many puzzles for us during those Wayne R. Williams days.

Some of the rivers span across two words. Some are just fully contained in another word. Not too many choices for Alan.

It seems that Rich has changed his policy and allows circles on Sundays.

Across:      

1. Back biter? : MOLAR. We also have 41. Scary biter : TSETSE. "Biter" clue echoes.

6. They're rarely good dance partners : OAFS. Also 50. Square dance milieu : HOEDOWN. Do you still remember the sweet high school picture Yellowrocks used for her avatar some time ago? Pre-Butterfly.

10. Worry word : ALAS

14. Nut under a tree : ACORN

19. Sherlock's adversary Adler : IRENE

20. Zero-star meal : SLOP.  I had baked walleye & roasted rosemary potatoes last Friday. So good. This is the first year I grow rosemary.

21. Hard finish? : WARE. Hardware.

22. Big fight : MELEE

23. Words on the street? : SLANG. Nice clue.

24. Big Island port : HILO

25. Spanish pronoun : ESTA. Also 73. Span. title : SRA

26. Window treatment : BLIND

27. Cargo unit : TON

28. Lennon classic covered by Pentatonix : IMAGINE

31. Like some riots : HILARIOUS. Great fill.

33. Absurd : INSANE

35. Aborted operation : NO-GO. Tiny two-letter dupe with 51. Turn : GO BAD. The hardest to spot dupe in a grid is EAT/ATE.

36. Something to learn : LESSON. I continue to make dupe errors. Never learn! Thank God Rich/Patti are always there to save me.


37. Willamette University home : SALEM

39. "Enigma Variations" composer : ELGAR

45. Coral Sea sight : ATOLL

48. More hard-up : NEEDIER
  
52. NBC weekend staple : SNL

53. Ancient German : TEUTON

55. Fuming : IRED. Not a word I use.

56. Polishes, as prose : EMENDS

58. Support source : TECH. Our local paper had an disconcerting article on how CenturyLink has been running a Wells Fargo-style scheme.

60. Job listing ltrs. : EEO

61. Bacon and eggs, say : FOODS. I also planted French Tarragon this year. For my scrambled eggs.

62. Puts in order : NEATENS

64. Police protector : VEST

66. Woodworking supply : STAIN. Followed by 68. Workable wood : ASH

69. Firmly affixed : NAILED

71. State with confidence : ASSERT
 
76. Hastings hearth : INGLE. Learned from doing crosswords.

77. Deserve : EARN

79. Tells : RELATES

81. Hostile force : ENEMY

84. Cartesian conclusion : I AM

86. Volvo competitor : SAAB

88. Freshen : AIR OUT

89. Sitarist Shankar : RAVI. Dad of Norah Jones.

90. Like hiss or boom : ECHOIC. Not a word I use.

92. Snappy dresser : FOP

94. Scandinavian capital : KRONE. Currency. We also have 43. Scand. land : SWED

95. Fictional wolf's disguise : GRANDMA

97. Employ to excess : OVERUSE

99. Fisherman with pots : EELER. You can probably find this roasted eel from the Asian aisle in your grocery store. Very tasty.

100. Algonquian chief : SACHEM. Never heard of this word.

101. Govt. issue : T-NOTE

102. Arabian peninsula capital : SANAA

104. Infatuate : ENAMOR

106. Intestine sections : ILEA

108. Plumed birds : EGRETS

112. Dr. Brown's classic : CREAM SODA

115. Ivy in Ithaca : CORNELL. Where Bill G and Santa went,

117. Seek office : RUN

118. Baby bug : LARVA

119. Wedding reception eye-catcher : CAKE

121. Worked up : AGOG

122. Spender of rials : OMANI

124. French 101 infinitive : AIMER. Love. The three characters between Je and t'aime  is Chinese "I Love You". The one under t is Korean.

125. "Power Hits" series record label : K-TEL

126. Went off the deep end : DOVE

127. Picked a ticket, perhaps : VOTED

128. Board : PLANK

129. Lowly worker : SERF

130. Christmas symbol : STAR

131. Lyrical poetic form : EPODE
  

Down:

 1. Peruvian volcano El __ : MISTI. Oh hi.

2. Wrinkle-resistant fiber : ORLON. Unlike RAYON (Viscose), which wrinkles easily.

3. Cants : LEANS

4. "Barbara __": Beach Boys hit : ANN

6. DOL watchdog : OSHA. Department of Labor.

8. Book sheet : FOLIO

9. Freeloaded : SPONGED

10. Stupefied state : AWE

12. More pretentious : ARTIER

13. Waterproofs, perhaps : SEALS

14. Cynical Bierce who defined "sweater" as "Garment worn by child when its mother is feeling
chilly" : AMBROSE
 
16. Broad assortment : OLIO

17. Bausch + Lomb brand : RENU

18. Rorem and Beatty : NEDS. Also 90. Filmdom's Thompson and Watson : EMMAs

29. Qantas hub letters : MEL. OK, Melbourne.

30. Tertiary Period stones : EOLITHS

32. __ Martin: Bond's car : ASTON

34. Like italics : ASLANT

38. Middle of dinner? : ENS. Dinner.

40. Turn right : GEE

42. Capa attacker : TORO. Bull in Spanish.

44. Circle's lack : ENDS. Drew a blank.

45. Gemini rocket stage : AGENA. Have not seen this entry for a long time.

46. Some library volumes : TOMES

47. Caribbean sorcery : OBEAH.  Is it still practiced?

49. Sorbonne student : ELEVE

50. Nocturnal tree dweller : HOOTER

54. Trueheart of the comics : TESS

57. Problem with a line : SNAG. Fishing line.


59. Turn over : CEDE

63. Glass component : SILICA

65. Ancient home of Irish kings : TARA. I think Argyle used this clue in one of our puzzles.

67. Academic specialty : AREA

70. Sister of Rachel : LEAH

72. A lot more than a little mistake : SNAFU

73. It may have a swivel top : STOOL. Oh, like those in the bar.

74. Get together with old classmates, say : REUNE. Do you actually use this verb form?

75. China __: showy bloom : ASTER

78. Religious recluse : ASCETIC

80. Unpaid bill : ARREAR. Often in plural.

81. Energy bits : ERGS

82. Ancient Japanese capital : NARA. Japan's capital between 710 and 794, according to Wiki.

83. Brush fire op : EVAC

91. 1961 Literature Nobelist Andric : IVO. Stranger to me.

93. Plant studied by Mendel : PEA

96. Hamlet's homeland : DENMARK

98. Puts in another roll of film : RELOADS

101. Up till now : TO DATE

103. First word in Dante's "Inferno" : NEL. Forgot. We had this before.

105. Taunts : MOCKS

107. Grain bane : ERGOT

109. Sister of Calliope : ERATO. Same roots as Eros.


110. Not sharp or flat : TUNED

111. Rather nasty : SNIDE

112. Storm harbinger : CLAP

113. Marsh bird : RAIL. Cute.

114. Name on the column "At Wit's End" : ERMA (Bombeck)

116. Hungarian city known for red wine : EGER

120. Seasonal worker? : ELF

123. Swiffer WetJet, e.g. : MOP

C.C.

Saturday, Jul 1, 2017, Greg Johnson

Theme: None

Words: 64 (missing J,Q,W,X,Z)

Blocks: 44~!

Second Saturday in 2017 for Mr. Johnson - and despite a slow start, I ended up breezing through today's offering.  I reviewed his puzzle from March 25th, and also his debut back in 2013, just to see if there was any reference to him being Australian - which has been a topic of his clues/answers these last two constructions.  None that I could see.  Unusual grid design, sort of a backwards "S" ( or is that "Z"~? ), which again strands us in corners and little to work with getting into the others.  Lots of long across answers, which leaves us with nearly 60% more down clues and answers;

14a. Elaborate sci-fi costume component : FULL BODY MAKE-UP - big fan of the show "Face Off" on SyFy, and much as I like making movies, make up was not one of my strong points - but I certainly would like to try

46a. Spicy meatless dish : VEGETABLE CHILI

24a. Australian Stock Horses, perhaps : POLO PONIES - enough downs to figure this out

36a. They may be excuses : SOB STORIES

ONWARD~!

ACROSS:

1. Annual July 1 celebration marking the 1867 signing of the British North America Act : CANADA DAY - the "DAY" part appeared via crossings, and then it was a sensible WAG being that it was North America

10. Some Australian carvings : ABORIGINAL ART - "ART" showed, so I figured this was another sensible WAG

16. Supermarket count : AISLES - ITEMS was too short - and appears at 21d.

17. Old Andorran currency : PESETA

18. Arrive : GET IN - first thought, but hesitated

19. Dickensian denouncement : BAH~!

22. Guided : LED

23. Get out of Dodge : FLEE - in my case, I have to get IN the Dodge to get out of Dodge - my Grand Caravan, that is

28. Annex : ADD - oops, not ELL

29. Yusufislam.com musician : CAT STEVENS

30. Having a short cut : BOB-HAIRED

31. Like home, say : FOUR-LETTER - yes, but it's such a pleasant four letter word

33. Hang (around) : PAL

37. Didn't miss, as a bus : MADE - I didn't miss my putt on the 3rd hole last Wednesday, and as a result, had my first birdie - yay~!

38. "Gr8 joke!" : LOL

39. Unisex nickname : SAM - I tried "PAT"

40. 4/8/74 record breaker : AARON - half perps, half WAG

41. Brie who played Trudy on "Mad Men" : ALISON - half perps, half WAG

45. Home Depot work apparel : APRONS - I used to don one (Don Juan~?) when I was a kitchen designer back in 2002

50. Legacy Hartsfield-Jackson tenant : DELTA AIRLINES - looked like one of those "huh??" clues until I had half the crossings, again

51. Thinking indicator : LONG PAUSE - ah, not LIGHT BULB (which connotes "idea"), not HOUR GLASS (like the Microsoft icon)

DOWN:

1. Beardie, for one : COLLIE

2. Former senator Specter : ARLEN

3. Twizzlers pieces : NIBS

4. Ancient history adjective : AGO

5. Completed : DID

6. This, that or the other : ANY

7. Not soaked yet : DAMP

8. Winglike parts : ALAE - first of a couple 'plural' misdirections (no "S" ending)

9. Centuries-old Asian wool sources : YAKS

or this one~?

10. Off-topic : AFIELD

11. Out of order : BUSTED

12. Catch from the pier : REEL IN

13. Learners, hopefully : TUTEES

15. Shoulder protection : PADS - "singular" clue with a plural answer

16. Imaging company once big in film : AGFA - the Wiki

19. Bugs : BOTHERS

20. Ancient French region : ALSATIA

21. It flies off store shelves : HOT ITEM

24. Artist Picasso : PABLO

25. Netanyahu's predecessor : PERES

26. CBer's punctuation : OVER - always reminds me of the movie "Airplane!"

27. Friend of Homer : NED - Flanders~!

29. "Harold and Maude" co-star Bud : CORT - perps

30. Mover of many : BUS - ah, not "ARK"

31. Misled : FOOLED

32. Do a favor for : OBLIGE

33. Sentence ender : PAROLE - good one - not PERIOD

34. Head turner : ADONIS

35. It helps you focus : LENS - ah, a singular noun with an "S" ending~!

36. Many a Balkan : SLAV

37. Nautical : MARINE

40. Plant-ruining genus : APHIS

42. Make believable : SELL

43. Palindromic fellow : OTTO - and a clecho;

44. Palindromic bread : NAAN

45. Rights org. : ACLU

47. Lunch holder : BAG

48. In most mammals, the upper one has a groove called a philtrum : LIP - ha~! I knew this

49. Memorable time : ERA

Splynter