Wednesday, January 3 2018, Ed Sessa

Theme: 

19. Deliberately damage : VANDALIZE

24. Smoke from Cuba : HAVANA CIGAR

35. Milk : TAKE ADVANTAGE OF 

43. Some Downton Abbey staff : MEN SERVANTS 

52. Starting at 19-Across and ending here, vehicle making its way through five long answers : MOVING VAN

Did you spot the MOVING VAN? Some of those theme answers filled in slow - especially TAKE ADVANTAGE OF and MAN SERVANTS. My favorite Van, below.

Across:

1. Lighthouse emission : BEAM

5. Routine material : JOKES. Now I get it.

10. Mystery novelist Paretsky : SARA

14. "Sesame Street" giggler : ELMO

15. How cut-up raw veggies are often served : ON A PLATTER

17. "Bridge of Spies" spy Rudolf __ : ABEL. Tom Hanks movie. 

18. "Casablanca" actor : PETER LORRE

21. Some running shoes : AVIAS

22. Made oneself scarce : HID

23. Bingo-like game : BEANO. As Johnny Carson would say, I did not know this.

30. Euro pop? : PERE

31. Go from pillar to post : ROAM. New phrase to me.

32. Gaza Strip gp. : PLO

40. Classified postings : ADS

41. Word with hall or house : TOWN

42. __ pricing : UNIT

47. 38th-parallel land : KOREA

 
50. Many millennia : EON

51. Just enough to taste, with "of" : A HINT

58. Expressed with only gestures : PANTOMIMED

60. Greasy : OILY

61. Walk-in emergency center : URGENT CARE. Popular destination this time of year.

62. Mess setting : BASE

63. Zap with a weapon : TASE

64. Like giraffes and horses : MANED.

65. Token receiver : SLOT

Down:

1. Young Cleaver, for short : BEAV

 
2. Idris of "Luther" : ELBA

3. Service call? : AMEN. Great clue.

4. Penicillin source : MOLD

5. She sang about McGee : JOPLIN. Arlo's lead-in to "McGee" from his great Live in Sydney album.

6. Iroquois tribe : ONEIDA

7. Willy or Lenny of Manhattan deli fame : KATZ

8. Pentathlon sword : EPEE

9. 35mm camera type : SLR

10. Russell __ Candies : STOVER

11. Heart chambers : ATRIA. Moving too fast, saw the A and tried AORTA.

12. Played over : RERAN

13. "You __ cool!" : ARE SO

16. Selma's state : ALABAMA

20. "So that's the puzzle theme!" : AHA

24. Torso topper : HEAD

25. Torah chests : ARKS. Jewish Virtual Library.

26. One of a vivacious pair? : VEE

27. Origami bird : CRANE

 

28. Discontinued Saturn model : ION

29. Noir weapon : GAT

30. School support org. : PTA

32. Cooped (up) : PENT

33. Co-worker of Clark : LOIS. Superman.

34. "The good is __ interred with their bones": Antony : OFT. From Shakespeare's Julius Caesar - Act 3, Scene 2.

36. Stuffed one's face : ATE A TON

37. Throw on : DON

38. Jettas, e.g. : VWS

39. Rev : GUN. As an engine.

43. Protégé : MENTEE

44. Midnight rider : REVERE

45. Like a ripped-up check : VOIDED

46. Taylor of fashion : ANN

47. On the blink : KAPUT

48. Maureen of "The Quiet Man" : O'HARA

49. Wedding bands : RINGS. Sneaky.

52. Layered mineral : MICA

53. Arabian Sea sultanate : OMAN. Wiki.

54. Loads : GOBS

55. Vaccine holder : VIAL

56. "Not only that ... " : ALSO

57. Politburo no : NYET. Politiburo = the principal policymaking committee in the former Soviet Union.

59. "Newhart" production co. : MTM

Tuesday, January 2, 2018 ~ John Lampkin

Theme: A Pressing Issue - if you want to look your best.

16A. Celebrate with abandon: LET OFF STEAM

27A. Lift a few weights: PUMP SOME IRON

46A. Sunday NBC public affairs show: "MEET THE PRESS"

60A. Like a shirt condition suggested by the ends of 16-, 27- and 46-Across: WRINKLE-FREE

Argyle here. For some reason, I was surprised to see a Lampkin puzzle. It doesn't appear to be a typical Lampkin puzzle either.

Across:

1. More hot under the collar: MADDER

7. Topper with a tassel: FEZ

10. Managed care gp.: HMO. (Health Maintenance Organization)

13. Repetitive World Cup cheer: OLÉ OLÉ

14. Commuter vehicle: AUTO

15. Alley __: OOP. Basketball play, comic strip, or this by The Hollywood Argyles.

18. Boring routine: RUT

19. Teen sleuth Nancy: DREW

20. Exchange for cash: SELL

21. Deep opera voice: BASSO

23. Razor sharpener: STROP

25. Corn serving: EAR

26. "Uh-huh": ISEE

31. "Wheel of Fortune" purchase: AN 'I'

34. High-priority task: MUST DO

35. __ Jones' locker: DAVY

36. Mob enforcer: HITMAN

38. Girls in the family: NIECES

40. Island off Tuscany: ELBA

41. Arts and __: summer camp activity: CRAFTS

45. Before, poetically: ERE

49. "The Well-Tempered Clavier" composer: BACH. Here is just a taste.

50. Long-armed primate: APE

51. Bit of prevention: OUNCE. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

55. Soak in the tub: BATHE

56. Ignoring, with "to": DEAF

58. Parliament member: LORD

59. Ride for Jesus on Palm Sunday: ASS

63. Edge of a glass: RIM

64. One shaken to seal a deal: HAND

65. Keen judgment: ACUMEN

66. SSW's opposite: NNE

67. Tweeter's "Wow!": OMG!

68. Parable messages: MORALS

Down:

1. Jell-O shapers: MOLDS

2. Warn: ALERT

3. Ward off: DETER

4. "Grease" music genre: DOO-WOP

5. Munchkin kin: ELF

6. Gridiron zebras: REFs

7. Nuclear reactor tube: FUEL ROD

8. H-like Greek vowel: ETA

9. "Shaun of the Dead" creature: ZOMBIE. Title is a riff on "Dawn Of The Dead".

10. Kentucky Derby, e.g.: HORSE RACE

11. Position the cursor without clicking: MOUSE OVER

12. Vision: Pref.: OPTO

14. "About time!": AT LAST!

17. Goes (through) slowly: SEEPS

22. "All kidding __ ... ": ASIDE

24. Saucony rival: PUMA. Athletic shoes.

28. Chew noisily: MUNCH

29. Three-card game: MONTE. A shell game played with three cards.

30. Wall St.'s "Big Board": NYSE. (New York Stock Exchange)The big shell game.

31. "Pardon me": "AHEM"

32. River drainage region that covers 11 African countries: NILE BASIN

33. "I haven't a clue!": "IT BEATS ME!"

37. Fire lighter: MATCH

39. "That __ awesome!": IS SO

42. Poetry performance: READING

43. Add as a supplement: APPEND

44. Flip (out): FREAK

47. "Pinball Wizard" band: THE WHO. From the rock opera "TOMMY".

48. Gunpowder element: SULFUR

52. Bellini opera: NORMA. Norma Synopsis.

53. Angler's basket: CREEL

54. Utopian places: EDENS

55. Place for a Deere, but not deer: BARN

57. Hoax: FLAM. Three-card montge.

61. Crash into: RAM

62. Green prefix: ECO

Argyle

Monday, January 1, 2018 ~ Ross Trudeau

Theme: Party! - That is if you aren't partied out from last night.

17A. 2006 best-selling Elizabeth Gilbert spiritual memoir: "EAT, PRAY, LOVE"

24A. Place to go blond: BEAUTY PARLOR

39A. Breakfast-in-bed surface: LAP TRAY

51A. Carnivorous plant: VENUS FLYTRAP

61A. Political organization founded in 1995 by 35-Down ... and a literal hint to each set of circled letters: REFORM PARTY

And 35D. '90s presidential candidate: ROSS PEROT

Argyle here and RABBIT, RABBIT for a new year. Ross Trudeau makes his debut with us but he has been published in NYT. Okay, I'll be quiet now.

Across:

1. Edible epitomes of redness: BEETS

6. Insurance giant with a spokesduck: AFLAC

11. "No chance!": HAH!

14. Heap praise upon: EXTOL

15. Fortune-telling prefix with "sayer": SOOTH

16. "Dude!": BRO!

19. Texter's "Egads!": OMG!

20. Self-satisfied: SMUG

21. Salon goop: GEL

22. Frozen waffles: EGGOs

28. Capital of Zimbabwe: HARARE

30. Celestial bear: URSA

31. Honda luxury brand: ACURA

32. iPhone assistant: SIRI

34. Dull-colored: DRAB

38. Teen blemish: ZIT

42. Lowest Scrabble tile value: ONE

43. Biblical garden: EDEN

45. One signing the checks: BOSS

46. Ejects: OUSTS

48. Western gas chain: ARCO

50. End-of-day photo op: SUNSET

55. Like environments where you can walk on air?: ZERO G. Cute.

56. Deserved: DUE

57. Unwanted lawn plant: WEED

60. Means justifier: END

65. Key & Peele, e.g.: DUO

66. Modify to fit: ADAPT

67. Remote-controlled flying camera, say: DRONE

68. "Gimme a __": SEC

69. Brass band heavyweights: TUBAs

70. Crumbly cheeses: FETAs

Down:

1. Hive denizens: BEES

2. Oral or final: EXAM

3. Caesar's last question: "ET TU, BRUTE?"

4. Fifth, often, for a manual transmission: TOP GEAR

5. Nikon product, briefly: SLR. (single-lens reflex camera)

6. To this point: AS YET

7. Seward's __: Alaska purchase: FOLLY

8. British john: LOO

9. Off-road transp.: ATV

10. Sitcom title bar: CHEERS

11. Streaming option for "Game of Thrones": HBO GO. Site. New to me.

12. Knight wear: ARMOR

13. Ones who don't share: HOGS

18. Fever and chills: AGUE. Best wishes, C.C.

23. Kitchen bag brand: GLAD

25. Decimated Asian sea: ARAL

26. Runs smoothly, as an engine: PURRS

27. Diva's highlight: ARIA

28. Visibility inhibitor: HAZE

29. Alkali neutralizer: ACID

32. "Spaceballs" or "Scary Movie": SPOOF

33. "__ your turn": IT'S. As in, "Throw in a chip; it's your turn to ante!"

36. First chip, maybe: ANTE

37. Oscar adjective: BEST

40. Kindergarten basics: ABC'S

41. Part of MYOB: YOUR. (Mind Your Own Business)

44. iPod model: NANO

47. In the dark: UNAWARE

49. Nickelodeon toon tot: RUGRAT

50. Champagne flute feature: STEM. Apt.

51. Trial locale: VENUE

52. Triage MD: ER DOC

53. Parkinson's drug: L-DOPA

54. Mongolian tents: YURTS

55. Pizza pieces in London?: ZEDS

58. Sicilian volcano: ETNA

59. Hair-coloring agents: DYES

62. Harvard URL ending: .EDU

63. Terrif: FAB. slang, terrific / fabulous. Have a great year!

64. Adobe file format: PDF. (Portable Document Format)

Argyle

Sunday, Dec 31, 2017 Robert E. Lee Morris

Theme: "Alien Nation" - Last word in each theme entry is an anagram of a country.

23A. *Menace to society : PUBLIC ENEMY. Yemen.

25A. *Old-school letters : SNAIL MAIL. Mali.
 
49A. *Tropical cocktail : MANGO TANGO. Tonga.

68A. *Neckwear for which Mr. T was once famous (but no longer wears) : GOLD CHAIN. China.

89A. *Hobby shop purchase : MODEL PLANE. Nepal.

109A. *Deluge : HEAVY RAIN. Iran.

33D. *Soap, often : DAYTIME SERIAL. Israel.

39D. *Flu symptoms : ACHES AND PAINS. Spain.

113A. Remote region ... and what literally ends each answer to a starred clue : WILD COUNTRY

C.C. here. Down with a flu. A repeat of that awful episode in 2015. Relentless coughing.

Skeletal write-up today. If you have any question, please ask in the Comments section.
 
Across:  

1. Turn in the box : AT BAT

6. Pour out forcefully : SPEW

10. Sailing : ASEA

14. Dip providing potassium, for short : GUAC. Guacamole.

18. Drink with an umbrella : MAI TAI

20. Scat legend, familiarly : ELLA

21. Diamond slip-up : BALK

22. Austen classic : EMMA

27. A or Angel : ALER. American Leaguer.

28. "Immediately, if not sooner!" : ASAP

30. Jeweler's assortment : RINGS

31. Doc's orders : MEDs. Do you guys all get the flu shot? I never had one.

34. Ryan in a 1998 film, e.g.: Abbr. : PVT. Saving Private Ryan.

36. Macho guys : HE-MEN

38. Party animals? : STAGS

42. BWI posting : ETA

43. Word on a wanted poster : ALIAS

45. Canine protection : ENAMEL

47. Prefix with polis : ACRO

48. Kind of milk or sauce : SOY.  I only want cold water and hot jasmine tea.

51. Pledged, in a way : TITHED

53. Common FM radio fare : HIT SONG

55. Hands over : CEDES

56. Sign off on : AGREE TO

57. Bring out : ELICIT

58. "Can I have a __ of your drink?" : SIP

59. "That was close!" : PHEW

60. Coll. term : SEM (Semester)

61. Trial version : DEMO

62. Look forward to : AWAIT

64. Coolly dispassionate : CLINICAL

66. MLB stat : ERA

70. Issue opener? : NON. Non-issue.

71. They're sold as is : USED CARS

73. Choral composition : MOTET

74. Former Laker star Lamar : ODOM. Probably more famous for his marriage to Khloe Kardashian once.

77. Manhattan suffix : ITE

78. Partner : MATE

79. Pine __ : TAR

80. Spot on a horse : DAPPLE

82. Not insist on payment of, as a debt : FORGIVE

84. Weasel-like animal also called a honey badger : RATEL

87. Pirate's ship : CORSAIR

88. Hydrocodone, e.g. : OPIATE

91. "__ Got a Secret": old game show : I'VE

92. Hemsworth of "The Hunger Games" : LIAM. Boyfriend of Miley Cyrus.

93. Justice replaced by Gorsuch : SCALIA

95. Major artery : AORTA

96. Zilch : NIL

97. Broad valleys : DALES

99. Divvy up : ALLOT

100. Part of Q and A: Abbr. : ANS (Answers)

101. "By Jove!" : I SAY

102. "Gone With the Wind" family name : O'HARA

104. Nothing to write home about : SO SO

107. Loads : A TON

118. Wheel connector : AXLE. Also 37. Fancy wheels : MAGS

119. "In that case ... " : IF SO

120. Leg up : EDGE

121. Body shop application : PRIMER

122. Close by : NEAR

123. Legal document : DEED

124. What Jack Sprat's wife couldn't eat : LEAN
 
125. Factions : SECTS
 
Down:
  
1. Power-increasing gadget : AMP

2. 19th Greek letter : TAU

3. Lobster eater's accessory : BIB

4. Aid in planning a trip : ATLAS

5. Follow : TAIL

6. One percent of a D.C. group--or the group itself : SEN. Senator or Senate.

7. Earnest request : PLEA

8. O'Neill's "Desire Under the __" : ELMS

9. Winning by a mile : WAY AHEAD

10. Six-pack set : ABs

11. Italian Riviera resort : SAN REMO

12. Friend of Jerry, George and Cosmo : ELAINE. "Seinfeld".

13. Comparable : AKIN

14. Idaho nickname : GEM STATE

15. Actress Thurman : UMA

16. Brest friend : AMI

17. Silent __: White House nickname : CAL
 
19. Factory with frozen assets : ICE PLANT

24. "Dr." with MVP awards : ERVING. Dr. J.

26. Some smartphones : LGs

29. Rigatoni alternative : PENNE

31. Fit together : MESHED
 
32. French star : ETOILE
 
35. Playground game : TAG
 
40. Storybook sister : GRETEL

41. Doomed biblical city : SODOM

43. Mine, in Metz : A MOI

44. Church gatherings : SOCIALS
 
46. Three-star mil. officer : LT GEN

50. Hardly gung-ho : TEPID

52. "Crocodile Hunter" Steve __ : IRWIN
 
54. Brahms creation : SCORE

56. "Ooh! I know this! Gimme __" : A HINT

58. Promised : SWORE

59. Tradesperson : PLIER

 62. Type type : AGATE

63. Channel for film buffs : TCM

64. Tree with long beanlike pods : CATALPA

65. Houses with layers : COOPS. Lay-ers. Hens.
 
67. Fess up : ADMIT

69. Monopoly piece : HOTEL

71. Word from the Greek for "not a place" : UTOPIA

72. Succumbs to pressure : CAVES

75. Singer Newton-John : OLIVIA

76. Just : MERELY

77. Music to a bluffer's ears : I FOLD

80. "Keep going!" : DON'T STOP

81. Square measurement : AREA

83. Words a pinball wizard hates to see : GAME OVER
 
84. Hot streak : ROLL

85. "So long, José" : ADIOS

 86. Kitchen cloth : TEA TOWEL

87. "The Tonight Show" character with a turban : CARNAC

89. Vague unease : MALAISE

90. Mauna __ : LOA

94. Wine choice : CARAFE
 
98. Short : SHY

101. Navel type : INNIE

103. Extremely dry : ARID

105. Debate team, for example : SIDE

 106. Gymnast Korbut : OLGA

108. Yours and mine : OURS
 
109. Solo in "Star Wars" : HAN

110. PC file suffix : EXE

111. SEC powerhouse : ALA

 112. Drop off : NOD

114. Man cave setting : DEN

115. HBO competitor : TMC

116. Collecting Soc. Sec. : RET

117. What birthday candles represent: Abbr. : YRS

C.C.