Thursday, February 8 2018 Susan Gelfand

Theme: Nova Ova - as the reveal tells you - anagrams of types of eggs:

36A. Breakfast order ... and a hint to the last words of 17-, 26-, 51- and 58-Across : SCRAMBLED EGGS. Food! Time for a "Full English" breakfast!

17A. Aerialists' insurance : SAFETY NETS. NEST Eggs.

26A. Porsche Boxster, e.g. : TWO-SEATER. EASTER Eggs.

51A. Like some pizza ovens : WOOD FIRED. FRIED Eggs.

58A. Conflict in Tennyson's "The Charge of the Light Brigade" : CRIMEAN WAR. RAW Eggs.

“Forward, the Light Brigade!”

Was there a man dismayed?

Not though the soldier knew

   Someone had blundered.

   Theirs not to make reply,

   Theirs not to reason why,

   Theirs but to do and die.

   Into the valley of Death

   Rode the six hundred.

Those of you with long memories might recall the theme title I've re-used today. This was a 2014 puzzle from Gareth Bain which I blogged, and I mentioned I'd been trying to come up with a "scrambled eggs" theme and failed, where Gareth had used "ova" instead and succeeded. Susan comes up with a totally different approach, and anagrams the types of eggs, not the eggs themselves. Very nice indeed.

Nothing really bothersome about the fill, it actually seemed a little easy for a Thursday, but your mileage may vary. Let's see what pops out:

Across:

1. Color changers : DYES

5. Allowing for the uncertainty of the future : SO FAR

10. Fairy tale bear : MAMA

14. Set : JELL

15. Greenland coin : KRONE. I've seen a lot of banknotes, but I'd not seen one of these before:

16. Holiday lead-ins : EVES

19. Days in Durango : DIAS

20. Side by side? : AREA. Nice clue. Multiply the lengths of the sides of a rectangle together and you get the area.

21. Medical priority system : TRIAGE

23. Visually transfixed : AGAZE

29. Mauritania neighbor : MALI. The West African country kerfuffle reminds me of the hubbub of states in the north-east US.

30. Make a big stink : REEK

31. Immobile : INERT

32. Lining fabric : FLEECE

34. Zebra hunter : LION. Lioness, actually. the guys just lay around while the women do all the work. Typical.

41. Loaves that may be seeded : RYES

42. Printing goofs : ERRATA

44. Narrow groove : STRIA

48. Take to heart : HEED

50. "Yikes!" : EGAD!

53. Decorative draperies : SWAGS. I never knew these things had a name. Thank you, crosses.

54. Brand name for the sleep aid zolpidem : AMBIEN.

55. Culture starter? : AGRI-

57. Tropical tuber : TARO

64. Tiny bit : ATOM

65. Broadcaster : AIRER

66. Sticking point : TINE. One of a number on a fork.

67. Many Christmas presents : TOYS

68. Involuntary muscle contraction : SPASM

69. Jet black : ONYX

Down:

1. Wedding reception VIPs : DJ'S

2. Vote for : YEA

3. Cookie baker in the Hollow Tree : ELF. Keebler's enchanted little person.

4. More disreputable : SLEAZIER

5. Terrier breed from Scotland : SKYE. There are quiet a few territory breeds in Scotland. Scottish Terrier, West Highland Terrier, Cairn Terrier, Border Terrier .... it's quite a list.

6. Richly decorated : ORNATE

7. Rival : FOE

8. Colony crawler : ANT

9. Stops working for a while : RESTS

10. Highway divider : MEDIAN

11. Pilot : AVIATE. The verb, not the noun. Thursday-level clue.

12. Scanty : MEAGER

13. State strongly : ASSERT

18. Little Italian number : TRE

22. "Stand By Me" director : REINER. The famous Rob. Stephen King wrote the original book from which the screenplay was developed.

23. Bowling alley initials : AMF. Chain of bowling alley operations and bowling equiment. Boomer would know. I needed crosses.

24. Some square dancers : GALS

25. Baldwin brother : ALEC

27. "Maybe" : WE'LL SEE

28. 1930s migrant to California : OKIE

30. Beverage company __ Cointreau : REMY

33. Coffee server : CARAFE

35. Binged (on) : OD'ED

37. Paint brand sold at Home Depot : BEHR

38. Got big enough for : GREW INTO

39. "Born This Way" Lady : GAGA. She's just announced she has to cancel her last ten UK tour dates due to pain from fibromyalgia. It's sad she's suffering from this debilitating condition.

40. Antlered animal : STAG

43. Program interruptions : ADS

44. Try to hit, as a fly : SWAT AT

45. Minestrone ingredient : TOMATO

46. Drink named for a Scottish hero : ROB ROY. Vermouth, Scotch Whisky and Angostura bitters. First made at the Astoria hotel in New York in honor of the premiere of the operetta.

47. Make a scene and act up : IDIOMS

49. One of a '50s singing quartet : ED AMES. One of the Urick brothers, the others were Vic, Gene and Joe.

52. Ancient empire builders : INCAS

53. Madrid Mrs. : SRA. Senora.

56. Start of an idea : GERM

59. Fabric flaw : RIP

60. Yo La Tengo guitarist Kaplan : IRA. Here's their melodious cover of The Cure's "Friday I'm in Love" with a truly bizarre video to accompany it.

61. Break the tape : WIN

62. Whichever : ANY

63. King of ancient Rome : REX. Oedipus, et al.

That's about it for me, back to LA today after eating copious amounts of curry in the UK.

This was yesterday morning in the middle of London. When I say "in the middle of London" I mean the exact center. I'm standing on a brass plaque marking the geographic center of the city from where all distances to and from the capital are measured. The gentleman over my shoulder is Admiral, Lord Nelson atop his column in Trafalgar Square.

Steve

Wednesday, February 7 2018, Roland Huget

Theme: BUY A VOWEL

17. Super-fun experience : BANGUP TIME

24. Certain baby tiger : BENGAL CUB

35. Cramming three seasons into a weekend, say : BINGE WATCHING

48. Salsa percussion instrument : BONGO DRUM

57. Securing strap : BUNGEE CORD

Melissa here. Vowel progression theme, with a few unknowns (for me).

Across:

1. Curve on a slalom, e.g. : ESS

4. Frugal folks : SAVERS. Anyone remember Jeff Smith, The Frugal Gourmet? He always said that frugal did not necessarily mean "cheap," but that you use everything and are careful with your time as well as with your food products. I miss the early cooking shows without all the absurd game-show antics.

10. Sea devastated by irrigation projects : ARAL

14. "Something tells __ should've stayed in bed" : ME I

15. Brunch staple : OMELET

16. Walk worriedly : PACE

19. Tolkien beasts : ORCS

20. Concrete strengtheners : REBARS

21. German auto pioneer : DAIMLER. Unknown for me. Wikipedia.

23. Junior or senior : YEAR

26. Grandmotherly type : OLD DEAR. As a grandmother, I don't love this clue ;).

29. Sarge's superior : LOOIE. Did not know this spelling.

30. Stand behind : ENDORSE

34. Rural stopover : INN

39. A pop : PER

40. Contemptuous one : SNEERER

41. Wolf pack member : U-BOAT

44. Natural night lights : AURORAS

52. Crowe's "A Beautiful Mind" role : NASH. Based on the book by the same name. Died in 2015.

53. Remove field heat from before storage, as crops : PRECOOL. Okay.

54. Japanese faith : SHINTO

56. Like cotton candy : SPUN

59. Owned : HELD

60. Horseshoes score : LEANER

61. Short-lived obsession : FAD

62. Neighborhood : AREA

63. Make certain : ENSURE

64. Trout lure : FLY

Down:

1. Developmental stage : EMBRYO

2. Sargasso wriggler : SEA EEL

3. Nautical stage name of comedian David Adkins : SINBAD

 
4. Lemony cocktail : SOUR

5. Rock concert gear : AMPS

6. Zoo staffer : VET

7. Slur over : ELIDE

8. Hire a new crew for : REMAN

9. "Shrek!" author William : STEIG

10. Historic Harlem theater : APOLLO. Has anyone else rubbed the wood?

11. Treasury collectible : RARE COIN

12. Accumulating, as interest : ACCRUING

13. "__ Miz" : LES

18. Source of tomatoes for homemade sauce : GARDEN

22. Bad beginning? : MAL

24. "Iron Chef Showdown" host Alton : BROWN

25. "Big" London attraction : BEN

27. ESL part: Abbr. : ENG

28. Citrus drinks : ADES

31. "Is This Love" singer Corinne Bailey __ : RAE

32. Power source : STEAM

33. Sandy-colored : ECRU

35. 1940s jazzman : BEBOPPER. Sneaky clue.

36. Totalitarian control : IRON RULE

37. Naval pronoun : HER

38. Having a twist : IRONIC

39. Happy hour site : PUB

42. It may form the outline for a meeting's minutes : AGENDA

43. Front-of-bk. list : TOC

45. Skedaddled : RAN OFF

46. Celestial : ASTRAL

47. Substandard : SHODDY

49. Paso __: two-step dance : DOBLE.

50. City where Joan of Arc died : ROUEN

51. Arm bones : ULNAS

54. Crystal ball reader : SEER

55. Where you are, on a mall map : HERE

56. __ Na Na : SHA

58. Bearded grazer : GNU

Note from C.C.:

Here is a wonderful article about the cause our dear Melissa has been working on tirelessly the past few years. Talk about personal sacrifice. She's just amazing!

Tuesday, February 6, 2018 ~ C.C. Burnikel

Theme: Wet Borders - Names of border lakes in the circles. The circles are on the borders of the entries.

17A. Cold dish topped with hard-boiled egg: CHEF'S SALAD. Lake Chad, borders Chad, Cameroon, Niger, and Nigeria

25A. Longtime Susan Lucci soap role: ERICA KANE. Lake Erie, borders Canada and the United States.

38A. It clicks on the dance floor: TAP SHOE. Lake Tahoe, border between California and Nevada.

50A. Appear intermittently: COME AND GO. Lake Como, Italy and near the Swiss border.

61A. It may be a boundary between neighboring countries ... or what each set of circles depicts?: BORDER LAKE

Argyle here. Lake Como seems to be the outlier here. It's 5 minutes by train from Como to the Swiss border. So many beautiful pictures, so I didn't choose any.

Across:

1. Jazz singer Simone: NINA. The Animals version was a cover of this Nina Simone original.

5. Colorado ski resort: ASPEN

10. Apple computer with a Magic Keyboard: iMAC. Why Magic?

14. Ambulance-calling situation: Abbr.: EMER.. "911, what is your emergency?"

15. Take off: LEAVE

16. Fizzy drink: COLA. 44A. Fizzy drink: POP

19. Grasp: HOLD

20. Sent to the canvas: KO'd. Knocked out.

21. Japanese beef city: KOBE

22. Wisdom tooth, e.g.: MOLAR. 41A. Crown installer's org.: ADA. (American Dental Association)

23. Having many curves: SNAKY. Better to be SNAKY than snarky.

28. Bully's warning words: OR ELSE

30. A cat may climb one: TREE

31. Beginning: ORIGIN

32. Skater's surface: ICE

33. Tiny amount: DRIB. Partner of drabs.

37. Place for pillow talk: BED

42. Picked out of a lineup, briefly: IDed. (identified)

45. "Here's the deal ... ": "LISTEN ... "

47. Metal in steel: IRON

49. Hire, as a lawyer: RETAIN

54. Nocturnal calls: HOOTS

56. Wonderland visitor: ALICE

57. Simplify: EASE

59. Tiny insect egg: NIT

60. Bread for a gyro: PITA

64. Nights before: EVEs

65. Confess: ADMIT

66. Radar screen spot: BLIP

67. Take a break: REST

68. Medicinal amounts: DOSES

69. Flies on a fast plane: JETS

Down:

1. Mandolin parts: NECKS

2. Bit of gratitude from an award recipient: "I'M HONORED"

3. Driver's invitation: "NEED A RIDE?"

4. [I want a treat!]: [ARF!]

5. As well: ALSO

6. Naval builder: SEABEE

7. Not as tanned: PALER

8. Juan Perón's wife: EVA

9. Homer Simpson's friend Flanders: NED

10. "The pressure was too much for me": "I CHOKED"

11. Greenbacks: MOOLA

12. Hunter Quatermain of "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen": ALLAN. Not the character on the soap opera General Hospital.

13. Close-knit group: CADRE

18. Like greenhouses: SKYLIT

22. West of old films: MAE

24. Brewery container: KEG

26. Rash symptom: ITCH

27. New Orleans cuisine: CREOLE. Just Sunday we had Creole vs Cajun.

29. Attach with a click: SNAP ON. And a lot of moola.

31. Back-tied sash: OBI

32. Co. for Web users: ISP. (Internet service provider)

34. Underlying reason: RATIONALE

35. Police artist's composite pic maker: IDENTI-KIT

36. Blackball: BAN

39. Duck's habitat: POND

40. "Your choice": EITHER

43. Like many metal toys: DIECAST

46. __ Tomé: SÃO. São Tomé is the capital city of São Tomé. Its name is Portuguese for "Saint Thomas".

48. Singer Carly __ Jepsen: RAE

49. Rock band's helper: ROADIE

50. Zany adventure: CAPER

51. Martini fruit: OLIVE

52. Tiny parasites: MITES

53. Causes of illness: GERMS

55. Fitbit units: STEPS. Fitbit: wearable technology.

58. Film backdrops: SETS

61. No longer edible: BAD

62. Prefix with meter: ODO

63. Prez whose library is in Austin: LBJ

Argyle

Monday, February 5, 2018 ~ Jeff Eddings

Theme: Big Game - not really about the game, just words that start with a B and G.

17A. Nonconformist Harley-riding groups: BIKER GANGS

25A. Rose and Orange: BOWL GAMES

38A. Places where critters procreate: BREEDING GROUNDS

46A. Honey Ryder and Mary Goodnight: BOND GIRLS

59A. Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb ... and a hint to 17-, 25-, 38- and 46-Across: THE BEE GEES

Argyle here. A debut from this constructor but there may be more in the near future.

Across:

1. Closest pal, in IM shorthand: BFF. (Best Friend Forever)

4. Fish-eating raptor: OSPREY

10. Wretched: VILE

14. Period of history: ERA

15. Put a new flannel layer in, as a coat: RELINE

16. Fruit punches: ADEs

19. Picky details: NITS

20. Chief Norse god: ODIN

21. "Hulk" director Lee: ANG

22. Photoshop creator: ADOBE

23. Longtime "SNL" announcer Don: PARDO

28. Hoppy brews, for short: IPAs. (India pale ale)

30. Dog command: HEEL

31. Shake, as with fear: QUAVER

34. Demeanor: MIEN

35. "__ on a Grecian Urn": ODE

41. Camera initials: SLR. (single-lens reflex)

42. 35-Across, e.g.: POEM

43. Gulf War reporter Peter: ARNETT

44. Cancún house: CASA

45. Quick cash sources, initially: ATMs. (automated teller machine)

50. "Fantastic!": "SUPER!"

54. Like beer in a cooler: ON ICE

55. Unit of resistance: OHM

57. Lost fish in a Pixar film: NEMO

58. Letter before eta: ZETA

62. Rowing tools: OARS

63. Pine secretions: RESINS

64. Antonym of post-: PRE

65. Gin fizz fruit: SLOE

66. Remove, as a chin strap: UNSNAP

67. The "S" in iOS: Abbr.: SYS. (Internet (i) and operating system)

Down:

1. Jazz style: BEBOP

2. Mexican artist Kahlo: FRIDA. Self-taught painter (1907-1954) Wiki

3. Fire-walking mystic: FAKIR

4. Bruin legend Bobby: ORR

5. Nintendo rival: SEGA

6. Backup strategies: PLAN B's

7. Drummer Starr: RINGO

8. London's land: Abbr.: ENG. (England)

9. "Okay": "YES"

10. Graffiti creator, perhaps: VANDAL

11. Figure of speech: IDIOM

12. Do not disturb: LET BE

13. Letters before tees: ESSES

18. Curly salad green: ENDIVE

22. Child psychologists' benchmarks: AGE NORMS

24. Where to find columns with views: OP-ED PAGE

26. Millard Fillmore, partywise: WHIG

27. Ogle: LEER AT

29. Melodic passages: ARIOSI. Italian

31. NFL play callers: QBs. (quarterback)

32. Internet address: URL. (Uniform Resource Locator)

33. __ Lingus: Irish carrier: AER

34. Roaring-lion studio: MGM. (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)

35. Washington's bill: ONE

36. Banned pesticide: DDT. (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane)

37. Winter hrs. in most of Michigan: EST. (Eastern Standard Time)

39. Not far: NEAR

40. Like heroes deserving more recognition: UNSUNG

44. Jewel box: CD CASE

45. Hearth receptacle: ASH BIN

46. Obnoxious clowns: BOZOS

47. Basketball's Shaq: O'NEAL

48. Part of TNT: NITRO

49. Rich soil: LOESS

51. Pals, in slang: PEEPS

52. Nail-filing board: EMERY

53. Kentucky Derby flowers: ROSES

56. "American Beauty" actress Suvari: MENA

59. __TV: Turner channel: TRU

60. Farm layer: HEN

61. Telepathy, e.g.: ESP. (Extrasensory perception)

Argyle