Thursday August 10th 2017 Mel Rosen

Theme: Foreign Accents - Four Non-English words have their accented letters spelled out "in detail"

17A. Tarragona title, in detail? : SEN-TILDE-OR. Señor. Spanish. Port city in Catalonia. Here's the Roman amphitheater:

29A. Arles animal, in detail? : BE-CIRCUMFLEX-TE Bête. French. Strictly speaking, it should be "circonflexe" if we're speaking French.

48A. Toulouse trace, in detail? : SOUPC-CEDILLA-ON Soupçon. French.

59A. Augsburg above, in detail? : U-UMLAUT-BER Über. German. This was the entry where I saw the theme. There were a lot of blank spaces in the other theme entries until this point.

I'm lurching between "loved the theme" and "mostly liked the theme". I thought the idea was excellent; I conferred with a couple of friends regarding spelling out the accented letters - one thing that bothered me a little was that the "ñ" (en-yay) in Spanish is a distinct letter in the alphabet, it's not an accented "n". My Austrian buddy over in Vienna also told me that you'd spell out "Über" as u-e-b-e-r. Interesting stuff.

Some of the fill seemed a little scrappy - A MAJ to start out with, ABCD, DH'S and others are not on my list of favorites.

Let's see what else we've got to talk about:

Across:

1. Mus. key of "I Am The Walrus" : A MAJ. I was going to try to explain the lyrics, but apparently I haven't taken enough LSD this morning, so I'm stumped.

5. Gulf : CHASM

10. They're underfoot : MATS

14. Shade akin to ecru : BONE

15. Critical vessel : AORTA

16. K-12 : EL-HI

19. Tucked in : A-BED. From Shakespeare's Henry V:

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;

For he to-day that sheds his blood with me

Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,

This day shall gentle his condition;

And gentlemen in England now a-bed

Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,

And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks

That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

20. NBC show that inspired "30 Rock" : SNL

21. It's hidden in some profiles : LEFT EYE. Let'd go for a little Bob Dylan to help things along. This is the "New York Sessions" version of the song.

23. How great minds think : ALIKE

26. Sweet __ : TEA

28. Immature bee nourished by royal jelly : LARVA

32. Amorous murmur : COO

33. Voice mail prompt : TONE. Most people's voicemail greeting is totally redundant - do you really need instructions to tell what you should do?

34. Wow : AWE

35. Rat Pack nickname : DINO

37. Wetland area : MARSH

39. Fire : SACK

43. Sci-fi SFX : CGI. Science fiction special visual effects - computer-generated imagery. That's a mouthful.

45. Take at a concert : GATE. Receipts.

47. Capital of Delaware? : DEE

52. Poundstone of "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!" : PAULA. Who? Thank you, crosses.

53. Like the occasional clean sock : ODD. I've got two of them on my dresser right now. One black dress sock, one white sports sock.

54. Emphatic affirmation : I AM SO!

55. Craftsperson : ARTISAN. Every menu nowadays seems to have to have at least one "artisan" item - bread, cheese, salami, what-have-you.

57. N.L. teams usually don't use them : DH'S Designated Hitters. They can be used in inter-league matches, most notably during the World Series.

58. Bus sched. info : RTES

65. "Foiled again!" : DRAT

66. Brat condiment : KRAUT. The Kraut Dog is a menu item at the West Coast fast food chain Wienerschnitzel. I was a little surprised when I first saw this - in England the word is a derogatory term for a German.

67. Gable neighbor : EAVE

68. Jazz sessions : SETS

69. 37-Across plant : SEDGE

70. CT scan component : X-RAY. A computed tomography scan uses multiple x-rays to build up the image.

Down:

1. They might be ripped : ABS

2. "The Simpsons" tavern owner : MOE

3. Gloucester's cape : ANN

4. Lake craft : JET SKI

5. Word with roll or toll : CALL. Nice clue.

6. Mason's burden : HOD. You carry your bricks in a hod. Usually, the mason is responsible for laying the stones, his assistant, a hod carrier, does the heavy lifting.

7. "__ you coming?" : ARE

8. College in Northfield, Minn. : ST. OLAF. Liberal arts school.

9. Colt producer : MARE

10. Cleavers : MEAT AXES. Not sure I've heard this term before. My meat axe weights in at a hefty three pounds of mean blade. It makes short work of a Jamaican-style jerk chicken.

11. Finney with a recurring role in Jason Bourne films : ALBERT

12. "Look What __ Done to My Song, Ma" : THEY'VE

13. What an LP has that a CD lacks : SIDE A

18. Like helium : INERT

22. Went like mad : FLEW

23. Preschool song opener : ABCD. Yuk.

24. Sainted pontiff called "the Great" : LEO I

25. Revered one : ICON

26. Skipjack or bluefin : TUNA

27. Came to light : EMERGED

30. Stand-up individual? : COMIC

31. "The Blacklist" actress : LAHTI. Thank you, crosses.

36. Eye experts, old-style : OCULISTS. Optometrists and ophthalmologists nowadays.

38. DUI-fighting org. : SADD

40. TV Batman West : ADAM. He passed away last month at his home here in LA. His final performance as Batman in the animated feature Batman vs. Two-Face is slated for release in October.

41. Biz biggies : CEO'S

42. Bingo kin : KENO

44. Dean's list nos. : GPA'S

46. Friend of Job : ELIHU. A mysterious character, apparently.

48. "Nausea" novelist : SARTRE

49. Surpass in a hot dog contest : OUT-EAT. Joey Chestnut retained his "world title" at Nathan's on July 4th, managing to eat (and keep down) 72 dogs and buns in 10 minutes.

50. Small parrot : CONURE. New one on me. Cute things.

51. Yarn that makes fabric stretchy : LASTEX. Another learning moment.

52. Oater colleagues : PARDS. Howdy, Pards.

56. Arctic divers : AUKS

57. Check figure : DATE. I can't remember the last time I wrote a check.

60. Sore : MAD

61. Carry with difficulty : LUG

62. Backdrop for many jokes : BAR. A horse, a crocodile and an anteater are sitting at a bar. The bartender asks them what's wrong - they say "Nothing, why?" "Why all the long faces then?"

63. Actress Longoria : EVA

64. Spanish king : REY. Here's the Marina Del Rey in Los Angeles. I've sailed out of here quite a few times.

And with that, here's the grid. Hasta luego!

Steve

Wednesday, August 9, 2017 Richard Monsaythe and C. C. Burnikel

Theme: CATCH of the day.  The last word of 2 or 3-word theme entries is something that can be CAUGHT.  There are a couple of sports references in the grid, but inexplicably, nothing about baseball.  What's up with that?  But, fortunately, that deficiency is correctable.  Here's an outstanding CATCH from last Friday's excellent game between the Tigers and the Orioles.



All Jonathon Schoop [pronounced "Scope"] could do is smile.  Maybe you'll get a smile or two as we proceed.

17 A. *One may follow the wedding dress : BRIDAL TRAIN.  This is the long back portion of a dress that trails behind the wearer.  One can also CATCH a TRAIN, but that is a different matter, so don't get off track

Everything you need to know

39 A. *Avant-garde : NEW WAVE.  Referring to a new movement or trend in literature music or the visual arts.  I remember the NEW WAVE science fiction of the 1960's, which is now old hat.  To CATCH a WAVE is to latch onto an opportunity.  The source of the phrase should be obvious.



10 D. *Westminster's top canine : BEST IN SHOW.   An award bestowed upon the top dog [so to speak] at the annual competitions presented by the Westminster Kennel Club.  I've already said more than I know about it.  To CATCH a SHOW is to attend a performance, or perhaps watch one on TV. There is an implication of preference, suggesting that you'd rather do this than some other pass time.

29 D. *Harsh and wintry : BITTER COLD.  This is weather that is so COLD that exposure would be unpleasant, or even painful.  But if you bundle up properly, you can revel in it.   Careful, though, so you don't CATCH a COLD; or if you do, keep the tissues handy, drink plenty of fluids and take vitamin C.



63 A. Familiar slogan ... or, based on its last word, what each answer to a starred clue is? : CATCH PHRASE.   A well known phrase, often associated with a particular famous person. Hope you were able to CATCH on to this theme.

Hi Gang, JzB here.  Today we have a puzzle co-constructed by a lady we all know and our Corner companion, Splynter, making his LAT debut.  Congrats to both, and a hat tip to C. C. for her continuing enormous care and generosity. Nice word association theme, and a pinwheel theme entry arrangement, with a central horizontal entry.  Its vertical cross, DRAWS ON, might also have been a theme entry, if you CATCH ON, but it lacked the necessary *.  Also, though CATCH ON is an in-the-language phrase, it doesn't quite fit the pattern, since the other entries are verb - object, and CATCH ON is a verb phrase.  Still, a nice touch.  What other smiles can we CATCH ON to?

Across

1. Heckler's array : JEERS.  Boo and hiss companions.

6. Slender woodwind : OBOE.   It goes like this.



10. Crony : BUD.  Pal.  Homey. Bro.

13. Taxpayer's dread : AUDIT.  An examination of one's tax return by the IRS to assure completeness and accuracy.

14. With 24-Across, Chilean poet with a Nobel Prize : PABLO.

And 24. See 14-Across : NERUDA.  Nobel prize in literature, awarded in 1971 for "for a poetry that with the action of an elemental force brings alive a continent's destiny and dreams".

16. Suffix with Vietnam : -ESE.  Usable with many, though not all nationalities.

19. Total : SUM.  It all adds up.

20. Drunk : SOT. Toper.

21. Pontiac that was Motor Trend's 1968 Car of the Year : GTO.  Gran Turismo Omologato - Grand Touring Homologated.

22. Orchestra overseer : MAESTRO.  The conductor.

26. Places for holsters : HIPS.  On a gun belt.

27. Swedish pop quartet : ABBA.



30. Arnold's crime : TREASON.   Benedict.  He was not a good egg.

33. Stand for a photo? : TRIPOD.  Three-legged camera support.

36. Evaluation for a would-be painter : ART TEST.  Like this.

38. Got together : MET.

41. "The guy over there" : HIM.

43. Makes harmonious : ATTUNES.

45. Frightens : SPOOKS.

47. "Whoa, bro!" : EASY NOW.  Take a deep breath.  Cool your jets.

49. Tiny branch : TWIG.

50. Feudal drudge : SERF.

52. Low-risk govt. securities : T-NOTES are fixed income securities having maturities of 1 to 10 years, backed by the full faith and credit of the U. S Treasury.  Could also have been its companions T-BONDS [20 year] or T-BILLS [52 weeks or less.]  Needed perp help.

55. Strategy : TACTICS.  Well, here is my nit.  These are not equivalent.  A strategy is a large-scale plan, which may involve complex organizational patterns; while a tactic is a short-term, focused measure that might aim to achieve one of a strategy's operational goals.

58. Granola morsel : OAT.

59. 27-Down user's need : PIN. Personal Identification Number.

62. Master : PRO. Ace.

66. Every one : ALL.

67. Poetry Muse : ERATO.  Who is the muse of erotic poetry?

68. __ Hebrides : INNER. An archipelago of 35 inhabited and 44 uninhabited islands off the west coast of Scotland, south of the Outer Hebrides.

Innie, not Outie.

69. Knight who played a newsman : TED.  Ted Baxter on the Mary Tyler Moore show, played by Tadeusz Wladyslaw Konopka.



70. Food-growing prefix : AGRO-.  Sometimes with culture.

71. Checked out before a heist : CASED.

Down

1. Quick punches : JABS.

2. Currency since 1999 : EURO.  In Europe, believe it or not.

3. Cut and paste, e.g. : EDIT.  Word processing activities.

4. Freed (of) : RID.  B-Bye.

5. Put on, as a play : STAGE.

6. Decide not to join : OPT OUT.

7. Trivia night locale : BAR.  Locale for drinking games.

8. The Affordable Care Act became law during it : OBAMA ERA.  Barak OBAMA's presidential term.

9. "On the Waterfront" director Kazan : ELIA.

11. Take by force : USURP.  Or to take without legal right.

12. Floor models : DEMOS.

15. __ of a kind : ONE.  I'm unique - just like everybody else.

18. P.O. box item : LTR.  Letter - a communication on paper, composed of words, which are composed of letters.

23. Horse's hoof protection : SHOE.  I have SHOES to protect my feet, even when I'm not horsing around..

24. Afternoon rest : NAP.

25. Makes use of, as experience : DRAWS ON.

27. Bread box? : ATM. Automatic Teller Machine - a cash dispensing device.

28. La __ Tar Pits : BREA.  Located within metropolitan Los Angeles.

31. Off-rd. transports : ATVS.  All-Terrain Vehicles.

32. Pedometer unit : STEP.  Keeps track of your motion, but not your emotions.

34. Taxing task : ONUS. A daunting chore.

35. Reject as false : DENY.  

37. Luau torch type : TIKI.

Elegant

40. Attended without a partner : WENT STAG.  Attending an event without a companion of the opposite gender, and can be used by or with regard to either gender.

42. Chinese menu abbr. : MSG.  Monosodium glutamate, a flavor enhancer.

44. Heaviest U.S. president : TAFT.  William Howard, the 27th president of the U. S., serving from 1909 to 1913.   His weight peaked at 335 to 340 pounds during this term.  He was also the 10th Chief Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court, serving from 1921 to 1930.   His health was failing as he joined the court, and he undertook a physical fitness campaign that reduced his weight to 244 lbs. in 1929.

46. Extra NBA periods : OTS. Overtimes.  

48. Joyful shout : WOO-HOO.  Yippee!

50. Mar. 17 figure : ST. PAT.  Bring on the shamrocks and Guinness!

51. "Guitar Town" rocker Steve : EARLE.

53. Strike gently : TAP.  Or PAT, depending on which way you are facing.

54. Guiding principle : ETHIC.

56. Zamboni's milieu : ICE.  It's a vehicle used to smooth and freshen the surface in a ice arena.  But riding on one can also be a romantic adventure.

57. "Fame"-ous Irene : CARA.

59. Harsh reviews : PANS.

60. "That makes sense" : I SEE.

61. Stereotypical Geek Squad employee : NERD.

64. WNBA position : CTR.  Center.

65. Genetics lab subject : RNA.  RiboNucleic Acid, a polymeric molecule vital in several intracellular genetic processes.

There you have it.  Hope you were able to catch a grin or two.

Cool regards!

JzB

Note from C.C.: 

As Jazzbumpa mentioned earlier, Richard is our own Splynter, who has been our Saturday Sherpa since March 2011. Congratulations on your debut, Splynter!

Splynter

Tuesday, August 8 2017, Susan Gelfand

Theme: PEN PUSHER

20. *Spider-Man's alter ego : PETER PARKER


 

58. *Striped African equine : PLAINS ZEBRA


11. *Midsize SUV : HONDA PILOT


29. *Hellenic religious symbol : GREEK CROSS


41. Pseudonym ... and what the end of each answer to a starred clue is : PEN NAME


Melissa here. A pseudonym theme after yesterday's NAME CHANGE. Today, each theme answer ends with the brand name of a pen maker. It took all four for the light to come on, as  I was expecting to find actual aliases. Northeast was the last to fall, due to an unknown, and a misread clue. Full of Scrabble-y letters, J, K, X - only  a Q and V short of a pangram.

Across

1. Blue gem, briefly : LAPIS




6. See : ESPY


10. Units of electrical resistance : OHMS


14. "You __ serious": "I don't believe it" : AREN'T




15. When doubled, toy train sound : CHOO


16. Actress Cusack : JOAN


  

17. Bungle : MISDO
. If you say so.

18. Don't have : LACK


19. Number after dix : ONZE
. French ten and eleven.

23. DOJ anti-narcotics arm : DEA
. Not ATF.

24. Gen-__: boomers' kids : XERS


25. Lustrous patterned fabric : DAMASK


27. Rim : EDGE


30. SOS responder : USCG
. Coast Guard.

33. Vain dresser : FOP
. Funny word.

34. Protestant minister : PARSON
. Not PASTOR.

36. Leaving out : OMITTING


40. Mined metal : ORE


43. Texter's guffaw : LOL


44. Like shish kebab : SKEWERED


46. A __: based on deduction rather than experience : PRIORI




48. Family reunion attendees : KIN




49. Be an omen of : BODE


51. __ in the back: betray : STAB


52. Prickly plant : CACTUS


55. Burn soother : ALOE


57. "Ben-__" : HUR




64. Superstar : IDOL


66. BMW competitor : AUDI


67. Studio warning sign : ON AIR




68. Sushi bar soup : MISO




69. Corp. VIP : PRES


70. Bump in the night, say : NOISE




71. Cancún cash : PESO


72. Place for Girl Scout badges : SASH


73. Furry sci-fi creatures : EWOKS

 

 Down
 

1. End table accessory : LAMP


2. Soul singer India.__ : ARIE


3. Irksome one : PEST


4. Reference aids in reference books : INDEXES


5. Sock away : STORE


6. Mercedes line of autos : E CLASS


7. __-Pei: wrinkly dog : SHAR

 

8. Small indentation : POCK
.

 

9. Hitched together, as oxen : YOKED


10. Spanish eye : OJO


12. Perplexing passages : MAZES
. Not literary passages.

13. Tiptoe, say : SNEAK

21. One shaping a rosebush : PRUNER


22. Roof support : RAFTER




26. Witty remark : MOT


27. Long narrative poem : EPOS




28. Chocolate option : DARK
. Not Milk.

31. Apartment type : CONDO
. Not enough letters for STUDIO.

32. Start-the-day ABC talk show, familiarly : GMA


35. "Let me in!" : OPEN UP

37. Drives forward : IMPELS


38. "You've Got Mail" director Ephron : NORA
. She felt bad about her neck.

39. Smooth-talking : GLIB


42. Platte River st. : NEB


45. Punster : WIT




47. "Finally got it" : I SEE NOW


50. From Copenhagen, e.g. : DANISH


52. Zoo primate : CHIMP


53. WWII hero Murphy : AUDIE
. Also an actor and song-writer.

54. Reactions to fresh comments : SLAPS




56. Depleted atmospheric layer : OZONE


59. Luminous glow : AURA


60. Mid-month date : IDES


61. "Charles in Charge" actor Scott : BAIO


62. Take a chance on : RISK


63. Warring son of Zeus and Hera : ARES


65. Lav, in Leeds : LOO

Monday, August 7, 2017 ~ Bruce Haight

Theme: Monday Jumble - The key word letter order is changed and placed in circles.

16A. High-altitude pilot's equipment: OXYGEN MASK

22A. Cellphone setting during flights: AIRPLANE MODE

35A. "Nobody's successful every time": "YOU CAN'T WIN 'EM ALL"

46A. Deli supply: LUNCHEON MEAT

56A. Postnuptial alteration, and a hint to each set of puzzle circles: NAME CHANGE

Argyle here with Bruce on a Monday. I haven't looked but I don't think Bruce does these jumble puzzles much. A nice grid spanner, lower left to upper right slash. Nothing really stood out to me but, all in all, quite pleasant.

Across:

1. "Hogwash!": "PSHAW!"

6. Group selfie: USIE. (us-e)

10. Hanes competitor: BVD. Named after the three founders of the New York City firm Bradley, Voorhees & Day (thus "B.V.D.").

13. Sierra __: Freetown's country: LEONE

14. Lace place: SHOE

15. Take wing: SOAR

18. Injection source, briefly: HYPO. (hypodermic needle)

19. Fundraising school gp.: PTA. (parent-teacher association)

20. Country singer McCoy: NEAL

21. Tub for water: BASIN

25. Like the house in a Hawthorne classic: GABLED. "The House of the Seven Gables", published in April 1851.

28. Elevate a golf ball: TEE UP

29. Eye impertinently: OGLE

30. Beer vessel: STEIN

32. Genre with spoken lyrics: RAP

39. Cake candle count: AGE

40. Hall of Fame pitcher Ryan: NOLAN. The Ryan Express, of the New York Mets (1966, 1968–1971), California Angels (1972–1979), Houston Astros (1980–1988), and Texas Rangers (1989–1993).

41. Facts, for short: INFO

42. Help desk prompt: [ASK ME]

44. "The Wind in the Willows" character with a "Wild Ride" at Disneyland: MR. TOAD

50. Fancy burger beef: ANGUS. The all black bovine.

51. Rowing tools: OARS

52. Baseball topper: CAP. I bet Nolan has a collection.

55. Author Silverstein: SHEL. {insert favorite poem here.}

59. Window ledge: SILL

60. Patron saint of Norway: OLAV

61. Fall zodiac sign: LIBRA

62. Photo __: media events: OPS. (informal term for photo opportunity)

63. Get one's feet wet: WADE

64. Some fitness ctrs.: YMCAs. We're getting some mileage from this old favorite.

Down:

1. Sit (down) unceremoniously: PLOP

2. Send a racy message to: SEXT

3. Georgetown athlete: HOYA

4. "Hulk" director Lee: ANG

5. Dog on a bun: WEENIE. Among other names.

6. Hawaii and Alaska are usually inserts on one: Abbr.: US MAP

7. "__ We Dance?": SHALL

8. iPhone platform: IOS

Ios Island, Greece.

9. "A mouse!": "EEK!"

10. High-voiced choir lad: BOY SOPRANO

11. Dull: VAPID

12. Robotic aerial spy: DRONE

15. SeaWorld orca: SHAMU

17. Square one: NERD

21. Designer Geoffrey: BEENE

22. Knighted actor Guinness: ALEC

23. Enjoyed home cooking: ATE IN

24. Opposite of ja: NEIN. German.

25. "The Naked Maja" artist: GOYA. (Hot stuff for a Monday.)

26. In awe: AGOG

27. Navy/Marines aerobatics squad: BLUE ANGELS

30. Florida univ. named for a canonized pope: ST. LEO. In St. Leo, Florida, 35 miles north of Tampa.

31. Pan Am rival: TWA

33. NATO alphabet word for "A": ALFA

34. Trudge: PLOD

36. Egyptian crosses: ANKHs

37. Alaskan seaport: NOME

38. Catcher's glove: MITT

43. Racing shell: SCULL

44. Cougar automaker, for short: MERC. (Mercury is defunct.)

45. How a poor decision might be made: RASHLY

46. Dogie catcher: LASSO. Dogie definition: a motherless calf on the range.

47. Far from cool: UNHIP

48. Wanderer: NOMAD

49. Novelist Binchy: MAEVE. Maeve Binchy.

52. "Mad Money" network: CNBC

53. Taj Mahal city: AGRA. India.

54. Little veggies in pods: PEAS. Petits pois in French.

56. Right away: NOW

57. In the style of: À LA

58. Objective: AIM. Accomplished.

Argyle

Sunday August 6, 2017 Clive Probert

Theme: "Something's Fishy" - Word/words in each theme entry is replaced by a soundalike fish.

27A. "Me, blab to flatfish? No way!" : I NEVER TOLD A SOLE. I never told a soul.

46A. "Take whichever one you want for your fish and chips"? : PICK A COD ANY COD. Pick a card, any card.

54A. Fish playing on keys? : PIANO TUNA. Piano tuner. Like Don G.

67A. Fish on stage? : PLATFORM EEL. Platform heel.

81A "Stop imitating a pond fish"? : DON'T BE KOI. Don't be coy.

88A. Blue fish, maybe? : EMOTIONAL SHARK. Emotional shock.

106A. Fish duo's routine when something seems fishy? : GOOD CARP BAD CARP. Good cop, bad cop.

We have another smooth grid where the first themer starts in Row 3. I've got to try this setup someday.

I had fun with this puzzle. Cute. I mentioned before I have no grasp of this type of punny theme. Some are total homophones. Some have vowel sound changes. Some has one consonant letter added. Punny theme is just hard.
  
Across:
        
1. Einstein equation word : MASS.  The M in E=mc². 

5. Urges to attack, with "on" : SICs

9. They may be tied around saddle horns : RIATAS. So how does RIATA differ from rope?

15. Lhasa __ : APSO

19. Start of a plan : IDEA

20. Workplace regulator: Abbr. : OSHA

21. Carpet installer's step one : UNROLL

22. Surgeon general under Reagan : KOOP. C. Everett Koop.

23. First name in game shows : MERV. Not ALEX.

24. "__, SpaghettiOs!": Campbell's slogan : UH OH

25. It may call for an R rating : NUDITY

26. __ the finish : IN AT

30. Memo starter : ATTN. Not IN RE.

31. Spelling song : YMCA. Also 33. Relief, spelled out? : ROLAIDS.

"How do you spell relief?"

"R-O-L-A-I-D-S"

32. Hosp. area : EMER

36. Mumbai hrs. : IST. Indian Time Zone. Learning moment for me.

39. NYSE valuation measure : P/E RATIO. Price-Earnings.

42. Oscar __ Renta : DE LA

43. Simile middle : AS A

44. They often affect performance : NERVES. So true. I like the clue/answer.

50. Glasses problem : SMEAR

51. Nonsharing word : MINE

52. Antioxidant food preservative : BHT. Hard to remember.

53. Bus sign word : VIA

56. French four-time Formula One champ Prost : ALAIN. Learning moment for me also.

58. One in a black suit : SPADE

62. Apprentices : INTERNS

63. Mercury's Greek counterpart : HERMES. The messenger.

65. Pool activity : SWIM

66. Louis XIV, par exemple : ROI
 

71. Telepathy, e.g. : ESP

72. More : ELSE

74. Furtive graffiti guy : KILROY

75. Reason for turning on closed captioning : DIALECT. Xi'an dialect is not as strong as Cantonese, which is impossible to understand for non-natives.

78. Property transfer documents : DEEDS

80. Dark crime films : NOIRs

83. Class : ILK

85. Boater, for one : HAT

86. Decree : FIAT

87. Bequeath : LEAVE

93. Sights from the Gateway Arch : BARGES. We went to St. Louis ages ago, but I did not see the Arch. 

94. __ center : REC

95. Petits __: garden peas : POIS. French for "peas".

96. Made more baskets than : OUT-SHOT

98. Food scrap : ORT

99. Bar food? : GRANOLA. Granola bar. Nature Valley gives these bars to golf fans during the 3M Championship every year.

101. Great Smokies st. : TENN

103. Arles articles : UNES

105. Persia, now : IRAN

113. Arguing : AT IT

114. __ Baker, subject of "Thirteen Reasons Why" : HANNAH. Learning moment as well.

115. Pull in : EARN

116. Stagger : REEL

117. Fender problem : DENT

118. Honest with : TRUE TO

119. Rte. 66 state : ARIZ (Arizona)

120. Pakistani language : URDU

121. June 6, 1944 : D-DAY

122. Talks back to : SASSES. Grid bottom edge tends to be S-rich. See also 124. Tree hugger : MOSS

123. Monument Valley feature : MESA
 
Down:

1. "La Bohème" soprano : MIMI

2. Yemen's Gulf of __ : ADEN

3. Dried-up : SERE. Our old crossword pal.

4. Astute : SAVVY

5. They may be anonymous : SOURCES. Leak.


6. Beatty/Hoffman flop : ISHTAR

7. Half a tot's train? : CHOO

8. Humorist Mort : SAHL. Wiki says he's still alive and was friends with Robin Williams.

9. Go wild : RUN AMOK

10. Occupied : IN USE

11. Passion : ARDOR

12. Work hard : TOIL

13. Like a dress back from the tailor : ALTERED. Miss my old  tailor. Took most of my purchases to her place to get the perfect fit. Tailoring is very affordable in China.

14. Crafty : SLY

15. Alphabetically first dog in the AKC's Working Group : AKITA

16. Grand Prix, e.g. : PONTIAC

17. Stinker : SO AND SO. Another nice fill.


18. Choose : OPT

28. __ penguin : EMPEROR

29. Flight maintenance word : DEICE

30. Singer Morissette : ALANIS

34. King Harald's father : OLAV

35. Down : SAD

36. Uplifted : INSPIRED

37. Florida tribe : SEMINOLE. Google shows the name means "wild people" or "runaway."

38. Dissertation : TREATISE

40. Could hear __ drop : A PIN

41. Weymouth of Talking Heads : TINA

42. Serve a sentence : DO TIME. Snazzy 6-letter fill. Also 69. It can come before a sentence : TRIAL

45. Windmill part : VANE

47. More competent : ABLER

48. Third time, proverbially : CHARM

49. Jabbers : YAPS

51. Fabric from Iraq : MUSLIN. MADRAS is from India.      


55. Toll rd. : TNPK

56. Ship-to-ship greetings : AHOYs

57. "You __ bother" : NEEDN'T

59. Last Sunday, this Sunday : A WEEK AGO

60. Credit card introduced by Sears : DISCOVER. I did not know this. We don't shop at Sears or JCPenney. Boomer had bad experiences there.


61. Least meaningful, as compliments : EMPTIEST

64. Skirt feature : SLIT

68. Big Island greetings : ALOHAs

70. Defensive structures : FORTS

73. Word processing menu : EDIT

76. Dissipated : ABLATED. Never heard of this word.

77. Lustful look : LEER

79. Easy to get into : SLIP ON. Putting on socks every morning is a struggle for Boomer.


81. Scuttlebutt : DIRT

82. Kentucky __, event before the Derby : OAKS

84. __-Aid : KOOL

86. Flora partner : FAUNA

88. Work unit : ERG

89. Deserved : MERITED

90. Oval-shaped instrument : OCARINA

91. __ Gorge, near Buffalo : NIAGARA. Are there hiking trails in this area?

92. Big shots : HONCHOS

93. Windfall : BONANZA. Along side another great entry: HUBRIS (97. Arrogance)

100. Stylish in dress : NATTY

101. Gets buff, with "up" : TONES

102. Online social arrangement : E-DATE

104. Rugby formation : SCRUM. Learned from doing crosswords.

107. Burden : ONUS

108. Reprimand, with "out" : REAM

109. Peel : PARE

110. Prefix with dynamic : AERO

111. Great American Ball Park team : REDS

112. Math sign : PLUS. And 113. Use a 112-Down : ADD

114. Cleveland __, OH : HTS

C.C.

Saturday, Aug 5th, 2017, Peter A. Collins

Theme: None

Words: 70 (missing J,Q,Z)

Blocks: 26

  We have not seen a Saturday construction from Mr. Collins since 2013; his most recent LA Times contribution was a Thursday puzzle this past June; that last Saturday grid was in June, as well.  I looked over my review from that one, and wrote that I had trouble with the long answers, but not the proper names.  This time, I breezed through the long answers, but got stuck on the shorter ones.  Imagine that.  The grids, however, are similar, with a non-intimidating look, the long fills on the 'inside', and triple 10-letter corners no so easy to parse in the Down.  Some of the longer fill;

17. Layoff order? : "DON'T START IN ON ME~!" - my attitude at UPS lately

51. Words shouted out an open window : "LEARN HOW TO DRIVE~!" - yes, I am good for this - along with HANG UP THE Fkn PHONE~!!!

Or this one~?

7. Giving up the ball after a fake punt, say, in football lingo : TURN OVER ON DOWNS - timely clue/answer - I saw pre-season football on TV this Thursday~!

On Wed.~!(8/9)

ACROSS:

1. Part of the back forty : ACRE - for some reason I thought "back forty" was related to the states after the original colonies (hence my first thought being UTAH); in a sense, I was right - see here

5. Genghis Khan subject : TATAR - ah, as in a member of the lower class, not "a" class

10. Go after, as flies : SHAG - I had SNAG.  Shag~?  Yeah, baby, yeah~!

14. Words of self-pity : I'M A FAILURE

16. One heading for the cape? : TORO - my first fill was KENT, as in Clark, on his way to becoming Superman

19. Remnant : END

20. Water carriers : MAINS - I tried EWERS; this is a clever clue for the pipes of a city system

21. Rooney and Griffith : ANDYS

22. "Haven't the foggiest" : DUNNO

23. Calligraphy problems : SMEARS - knew what we were looking for, pondered SMUDGE(s)

24. Law school course : ETHICS

27. Area between highlands : VALE

29. Word whose meaning can be the same when read backward : PAT - and the reverse, TAP, which makes a very clever clue

30. Take the wrong way? : POACH - got it, but had STEAL to start

31. ADHD drug : DEXEDRINE - no clue, filled via perps, WAGed the "R" (tho it made sense)

33. Triangle relationship : SINE

34. Removed a cylinder from, maybe : CORED - kept thinking about car engines at first

35. Kurylenko of "Quantum of Solace" : OLGA - I know her well

36. Like throwbacks : OLD SCHOOL

38. Reacted to a call at home, maybe : BOOED - baseball fans

39. Came together : MET

40. Notable feature of Africa : HORN

41. Father's changing room : VESTRY - after the third look at this clue, I realized the father here refers to a priest.  A-ha~!

42. Plug : STOP UP - hah~!  I was looking for a "PITCH" like a sales campaign

44. Like "The Age of Reason" doctrine : DEIST

46. One of Israel's 12 tribes : ASHER

47. Vermouth name : ROSSI

48. Took : WON

54. Go south : TANK

55. Compilation publication since 1984 : UTNE READER

56. Factory regs. : STDs -the factory standard table for the back of an Airstream trailer does not work with reclining chairs, so my landlord's buddy who was in town for two weeks asked me to build him a custom one....

57. 30% of essentials : ESSES - hey, D-Otto, he does math like us~!

58. Proceed : WEND

DOWN:

1. Hamilton, to General Washington : AIDE

2. "What are you waitin' for?' : C'MON

3. Author born Alisa Zinov'yevna Rosenbaum : RAND - first (pseudo) name AYN

4. Baby newt : EFT

5. Cronus and Rhea, e.g. : TITANS

6. Harlem Renaissance writer Locke : ALAIN - filled via perps

8. Word in many degrees : ARTS

9. Outdoor gear giant : REI - seen this one before, so I have gotten used to it

10. Georgia's __ Mountain : STONE

11. Acura MDX relative : HONDA PILOT - my first "long answer" fill, and I was on a roll

12. Elite military member : ARMY RANGER

13. Sees only one person : GOES STEADY

15. To the same degree : AS MUCH - I had AS WELL to start

18. Called : NAMED

22. Does a kitchen job : DICES

23. Dog follower : SLED - oops, not STAR

24. Bath additive : EPSOM SALTS - I have added this to my bath in the past

25. Head rest? : TOILET SEAT - clever, but I got it from --ILE----T

26. Like some combat : HAND-TO-HAND

28. Winter Olympics maneuver : AXEL

31. Word with front or pocket : DOOR - my bathroom has a pocket door, and I just finished helping a friend frame out and trim his new bathroom pocket door

32. Stick in a cage : ROOST - the noun, not the verb

34. Martial arts move : CHOP

37. Agitate : CHURN

38. Not relevant to : BESIDE

41. Shade providers at golf clubs : VISORS - I like the trees that line the courses I play for shade; Cedars has more trees than Sandy Pond.  My golfing buddy Fred just invested $700 in a set of clubs - I was a little more frugal, and spent $42 on a pull cart from eBay.

43. Exec's extras : PERKS - first thought, second guessed; I was thinking we need an abbr. because of exec

45. Competitor of Helena : ESTÉE - got it.  Upon reading both Wiki pages, they had quite a lot in common; Lauder; and Rubenstein

47. Breaks down : ROTS - the answer I was thinking we were looking for at 54a.

48. Off the mark : WIDE - not AWRY

49. Rising spot : OVEN - ah, not EAST

50. Stereotypical techie : NERD

52. Tangerine or peach : HUE - obviously FRUIT was not going to fit, and I had the "E" already

53. Unadulterated : RAW - so why is an "Adult" film considered "RAW", too~?

Splynter

Friday, August 4, 2017, Jeffrey Wechsler

Title: This Jake became a jock!

Jeffrey is back with a 'replace the letters puzzle,' that takes some unraveling. AKES is replaced with OCKS to create new phrases that are clued whimsically. Each change occurs in the last word of a phrase with two changing five letter words and two six letters. A common grid design with 15 letter fill in row 3 and 13. No reveal was needed, so none was included. There are many interesting 7 letter fill like ABOLISH, CARACAS, DORMERS, ERECTED, EVEREST, FESTOON, KNUCKLE, MINERAL, NOVELLA, SAFE BET, STETSON, TED RALL, UNCROSS and VERBOSE. This makes the solver work a bit harder, but it is a Friday. Well, on to the themers.

17A. Why St. Peter owns darning needles? : FOR HEAVEN'S SOCKS (15). I doubt St. Peter would be doing the mending of socks, if there were socks to be worn in heaven.

31A. Museum of Home Security exhibits? : THE GREAT LOCKS (13). I like the Rabson which according to Bernie Rhodenbarr are the best. I wonder if the Museum is near one of the Great Lakes?

37A. What a shepherd sees after a snowstorm? : FROSTED FLOCKS (13). I love the alliteration and the cereal as well.

57A. Consumer reactions to big price hikes for brownies? : CHOCOLATE SHOCKS (15). Like sticker shock. I like chocolate shakes even better.

Across:

1. Enjoy deeply : SAVOR.

6. Verne voyager : NEMO. Captain Nemo to you.

10. Campus hangout : QUAD. the Quadrangle where the worlds all meet.

14. "Things are never quite as scary when you've got __ friend": Bill Watterson : A BEST. If you do not know this MAN, he created the great philosopher Calvin whose best friend was Hobbes.

15. Old Roman poet : OVID. He was my favorite Roman POET.

16. "Once more __ the breach": Shak. : UNTO. JW gets his Shakespeare reference in today, from Henry V, Act III, Scene I.

20. Actor Idris __ : ELBA. Idris has displaced the Napoleon palindrome and may replace Daniel Craig as James Bond.

21. "Take this" : HERE.

22. Naturally lit indoor spaces : ATRIA.

23. CV inclusion : BIO. Curriculum Vitae.

24. Not as good-looking? : PALER. Maybe not looking good...

25. Minimalist beachwear : THONG. Good for the right WOMAN.


26. "Ah, Wilderness!" mother : ESSIE.  Eugene O'Neill play.

28. Future D.A.'s hurdle : LSAT.  Law School Admission Test.

30. Fresno-to-L.A. dir. : SSE.

35. Peanut product : OIL. nearby 44A. Appreciative cry : OLE.

36. Fraser or Douglas : FIR. Christmas trees. Or heavyweight boxing champions.

46. Sol preceder : AERO. Spray can.

47. "Not possible" : I CAN'T.

48. Frigga portrayer in "Thor" : RUSSO. She was in the movie with Idris Elba. CAST.

51. Prefix in makeup product names : DERMA.

53. Feel sorry about : RUE.

54. Perfumer's ingredient : ATTAR. Essence of rose.

55. Red-coated security force: Abbr. : RCMP. Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

56. Diplomacy result : PACT.

60. Pointer's cry : LOOK. Mira!

61. O or Jay : ALER.  Baseball.

62. Author Calvino : ITALO. He appears regularly in puzzles (this is his 7th 2017 appearance). My favorite quotation of his: "Although I am small, ugly and dirty, I am highly ambitious, and at the slightest flattery, I immediately start to strut like a turkey."

63. Coastal raptors : ERNS.

64. Cutlass, e.g. : OLDS.

65. City on the Ruhr : ESSEN.

Down:

1. It's in the bag : SAFE BET. Very few really are.

2. Void : ABOLISH. Are these synonymous?

3. Like a motormouth : VERBOSE.

4. Org. concerned with ladder safety : OSHA. Occupational Safety and Health Administration

5. GPS datum : RTE. Datum signifying a single route.

6. "An ill-defined and disreputable literary banana republic": Stephen King : NOVELLA. One of my favorite novellas is Stephen King's "Rita Haworth and the Shawshank Redemption." LINK.

7. High point of Hillary's career : EVEREST. A fun misdirection based on the "LL" used by both Clinton and Sir Edmund.

8. __ spring : MINERAL.

9. "__ bodkins!": old oath : ODS. JW sneaks in another Shakespeare reference.

10. "The Raven" verb : QUOTH. "Nevermore."

11. Straighten, as one's legs : UNCROSS.

12. Diet doctor : ATKINS. There are many diet doctors in that game now.

13. Pharmacist's concern : DOSAGE. And the patients.

18. "Now it's clear!" : AHA.

19. Didn't rise : SAT.

24. Dental procedure, for short : PERIO.

27. Composer Stravinsky : IGOR. The MAN. The MUSIC.

29. Devonshire dandy : TOFF. I learned of this reading British mysteries.  John Creasey created this as a character. LINK. The Saint, Simon Templar was also a toff, as was James Bond.

32. "Born Free" lioness : ELSA.

33. Paramecium movers : CILIA.

34. McDonald's founder : KROC.

37. Bit of suspended decoration : FESTOON.

38. Controversial political cartoonist : TED RALL. Not as subtle as Calvin and Hobbes.

39. Put up : ERECTED. Next to....

40. Projecting architectural features : DORMERS. We had shed dormers on the house where I grew up. There are many types.

                                                                         LINK.

41. Capital NE of Bogotá : CARACAS. I have been there a couple of times on cruises and it was always depressing as the ride in was through horrible slums and the city was filled pickpockets, drug sellers etc.

42. Get to work, with "down" : KNUCKLE. In 1740, Thomas Dyche and William Pardon published a dictionary which defined knuckle down: "A particular phrase used by lads at a play called taw, wherein they frequently say, Knuckle down to your taw, or fit your hand exactly in the place where your marble lies." various.

43. Big hat : STETSON. It is a brand name and they produce more than cowboy hats. LINK.

44. Ancient prophet : ORACLE.

45. Comics villain since 1940 : LUTHOR. Introduced in issue 23 of Action Comics, he originally had a full head of red hair.

49. Gives the heave-ho : SACKS. I wish this were not in this puzzle.

50. Conquistador's treasure : ORO. Gold.

52. Speed meas. : MPS. Miles per second.

56. "Chopped" array : POTS. Never seen nor heard of this show though it is in season 22.

58. Southeast Asian tongue : LAO. My wife taught me that they do not say Laotian, simply LAO for the language.

59. Move it, quaintly : HIE. I nice variation for a handy three letter fill.

Another Friday and a treat from Jeffrey. This was not his most difficult puzzle but it took concentration and -as always- a sense of humor. Lemonade out from steamy Florida.