Saturday, January 6, 2018, Daniel Nierenberg

THEMELESS SATURDAY

Daniel has offered a real challenge on this first Saturday in '18. I needed a fill to unlock each corner with the NE being the last to fill. This clue immediately below was not in the vocabulary for this science/space guy but... 

13. Plot devices for sci-fi travelers : TIME SLIPS - Spontaneous instances of time travel that Marty McFly discovered at 88 mph

Across

1. Vaudeville show, e.g. : VARIETY ACT - Old vaudevillians who brought their VARIETY ACTS to TV are given credit for selling thousands of sets. 10 point penalty if you don't know these two!

11. Cuban pronoun : ESTA

15. Group formed in Cairo in 1945 : ARAB LEAGUE - The original group of 7 now numbers 22

16. Make muddy : ROIL - A frequent political trick if they do not want to answer the question 


17. Reactionary '60s genre : MINIMAL ART - This piece sold for over $100M





18. Unfeeling : NUMB - Have you seen the weather around the country this week?

19. Identifies : PEGS

20. Just : MERE

21. Great canines? : DANES - My favorite DANE is Victor Borge 

22. Tart fruits : SLOES -And their famous product

24. Is bothered : MINDS - People that mind don't COUNT and people who count don't mind!

25. More or less, informally : SORTA - just about, nearly, kinda... 


29. Brightly plumed songbird : ORIOLE - All of these have graced our yard and the ORIOLE certainly stands out

31. Banned chem. contaminant : PCB

34. Most lascivious : LEWDEST - This is a hard description to obtain these days

36. Mess with : KID

37. Super Bowl MVP after Peyton : ELI - One of Eli's Super Bowl wins was greatly aided by David Tyree's (#85) famous catch that he pinned to the top of his helmet 

38. Final hour? : EXAM DAY - Teachers today soon learn that they had better be teaching to the EXAM

39. Galoot : APE

40. Big automotive initials : REO - Isn't this REO Speedwagon a beauty?

41. Like some observant Jews : HASIDIC - They'd stand out in my 'hood

42. Designing initials : YSL - Yves St. Laurent 

43. Place for porcelain, possibly : MANTEL - Here's a beautiful porcelain MANTEL clock 

45. Stuffed fare : TACOS

47. Zero, to Nero : NIHIL - Latin for nothing and the root for NIHILISM

48. Opposite : POLAR - My loving wife and I are POLAR opposites on some issues but not anything really important to us

52. Come to pass : OCCUR

53. Cryotherapy offerers : SPAS - Exposure to -200F air for a couple minutes is supposed to be a great treatment for pain

57. Give significance to, in a way : NAME - CITI paid $400M over 20 years to NAME this stadium home of the NY Mets

58. Travel in no particular direction : ROAM

59. Trial records : STENO NOTES - I'll bet she did!

61. Niggle : CARP - Niggle seems like a fun little word

62. Collectible, maybe : OUT OF PRINT - A Gutenberg Bible might be a tough find 

63. Charity : ALMS

64. Double helix pair : DNA STRANDS - We share 96% of our DNA with chimps.


Down

1. Improvises : VAMPS - Keep VAMPING, we're trying to get the show headliner sober!

2. King Triton's daughter : ARIEL

3. 2011 title cowboy chameleon : RANGO - RANGO and his "voicer" Johnny Depp

4. Sacred birds : IBISES

5. Stately street adornment : ELM 

6. __ spirit : TEAM 

7. School named for a Welsh merchant : YALE - Some of that merchandise he traded in was slaves but the movement to change the college name is going nowhere 

8. Ingredient in the Japanese jellied dessert yokan : AGAR - AGAR is the "gelatinizing" agent in this lovely dessert

9. Means of correction : CURE

10. Some action in "Full Metal Jacket" took place on it : TET - I  learned the abandoned Beckton Gasworks in East London was where the battle scenes were filmed.

11. 1844 Verdi opera : ERNANI - ERNANI was a bandit in this opera by Giuseppe Verdi (Joe Green according to Victor Borge)

12. Seem reasonable : SOUND OKAY - "Let's attack the center of the line on cemetery ridge at Gettysburg and split the Yankees!"

14. Liturgical dress : ALBS

21. Surprise bad guy : DIRTY COP

23. One who gets it all : SOLE HEIR - She was his SOLE HEIR upon his death

24. Assembled artwork : MOSAIC - We saw fabulous MOSAICS in the Vatican

26. Longtime pharmacy chain : REXALL - The REXALL of my misspent yute kept Playboys and condoms under the counter out of sight

27. Christmas poem opener : TWAS - A great holiday tradition. Now where is my sleep cap?

28. Let in : ADMIT

30. Pulitzer-winning biographer Leon : EDEL - If I feel interested enough, I'll post a picture of him...

31. Wave generator? : PERM - Getting one in 1935 with the Gallia Machine

32. Controversial technology involving carbon capture and storage : CLEAN COAL - It purports to extract CO2 from burning coal exhaust gases and store it securely underground

33. Part of a fictional six-million-dollar repair : BIONIC ARM 

35. Ancient Icelandic text : EDDA

46. Chihuahua neighbor : SONORA - Just south of Tucson 

49. Ipso facto, e.g. : LATIN

50. Fix : AMEND

51. Breaks in scores : RESTS

52. Killer whale : ORCA - I'm sure  54. Org. promoting veganism : PETA is not in favor of having ORCAS do this but might have felt the animal got some measure of justice at the end of this sequence as he 53. Surprise big-time : STUNNED the trainer as he 44. Hits hard : THUMPS her

55. Years in Granada : ANOS - Me? Tengo 71 años de edad

56. __ light : SOFT

59. Land development aid : SOD

60. "On Point" syndicating org. : NPR

A tough but eminently fair test to me. You?

DA GRID:

Friday, January 5, 2018, C.C. Burnikel

Title: Letters rip.

My 2018 begins with a C.C. special in which initial-isms are unwound to create whimsical new clues and fill. I think this is my 4th or 5th Friday from C.C. solo, though she has done some Friday collaborations. It is interesting to watch her growth as a constructor, and the layers of subtlety she now includes in every effort. She makes clues difficult without making them either unfair or the fill obscure. I also think her exposure to other editors and styles of puzzles has helped that growth. Let me know what you think.

ALFREDO, ATE DIRT, KARAOKE, PANACEA, RADIATE, SEDATED and NICE GOING are all fun fill, but TEARSTAIN is wonderful.

The themers:

17A. Attire with a spreadsheet design? : EXCEL SHIRT (10). XL SHIRT gets repurposed.

24A. Disreputable court proceeding? : SEEDY CASE (9) C.D. CASE gets repurposed.

50A. Extracts from Wrigley Field's walls? : IVY FLUIDS (9). I.V. FLUIDS gets repurposed.

61A. Transports for fertilizer? : PEATY BOATS (10). P.T. BOATS gets repurposed.

Across:

1. Fey of "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot": TINA. A spectacularly hidden hint to the type of puzzle.

5. Ready to rock: EAGER. The "E" was my last fill. Sometimes we make the easy hard.

10. Mug shot subject: PERP. C.C. slipped in a Corner word.

14. "I got this!" : ON IT.

15. Wheels since 1986: ACURA. This car was in Monday's first puzzle of the year.

16. Adidas rival: AVIA. I think Nike is a bigger rival.

19. Minor points: NITS. The lifeblood of much puzzle discussion and another C.C.inside joke.

20. Under: SEDATED. Good Friday deception; I can hear the doctor asking, "Is he under yet?"

21. More than tickles: ELATES. I think this is one of C.C.'s favorite words.

23. Liquor in a Singapore sling: GIN. I have had this before - I will always remember Albany.

26. Unskilled in: POOR AT.

29. Hebrides tongue: ERSE. Scottish Gaelic spoken HERE.

30. Arrived, in a way: ALIT.

31. Hardly an original: APER.

34. Office administrations: OATHS. I love this clue/fill; perfect deception. At every level government officials are sworn in; after a while, many are sworn at.

38. Superstation that broadcasts some Cubs games: WGN. TV independent owned by the people who syndicate the LAT.

39. Old Testament prophet: EZEKIEL. I spent way too much time trying to squeeze this into being a theme fill, but "KIEL" just did not fit the pattern of the others.

41. Creature for whose shape Anguilla was named: EEL. Named by COLUMBUS?

42. "Broca's Brain" author: SAGAN.  The entire BOOK.  Or WIKI.

44. Speed away, with "out": PEEL.

45. Syrup brand since 1902: KARO.

46. Cuts (off): LOPS.

48. Sacred crawler: SCARAB. Do you remember this SCENE?

55. Monopoly quartet: Abbr. : RRS.

56. __ network: NEURAL. Good solid Friday clue/fill and a mini-theme with 42A.

57. Emit: RADIATE.

60. Greased auto part: AXLE. I am so not an auto mechanic type.

64. Scholarship consideration: NEED. Sounds counter-intuitive doesn't it?

65. Umbilical variety: INNIE. I was an innie, but now I have an umbilical hernia.

66. Lover's greeting: KISS.

67. Old U.S. pump sign: ESSO.

68. Bluto and Pluto: TOONS. I like the rhyme but it took me a while to see what a sailor from Popeye and a Disney dog had in common.

69. "Echoes in Rain" singer : ENYA.

Down:

1. Ring site: TOE.

2. Sydney band originally called The Farriss Brothers: INXS. If you want to listen- do so HERE.

3. "Good work!" : NICE GOING.

4. Swallowed one's pride: ATE DIRT. Hmm.

5. Needle point? : EAST. Simple, but this took so long as I to get away from sewing.

6. Soreness: ACHES.

7. Museum offering: GUIDE. Another good example of Friday deception in clue/fill.

8. Miss on "Jeopardy!," e.g.: ERR. Pretty much amiss anywhere.

9. Involving nudity, maybe: RATED-R. The rating can be earned by hard language, or tough violence, or nudity within sensual scenes, or drug abuse or other elements, or a combination of some of the above. MPAA.

10. Cure-all: PANACEA. I have always loved this word. Panacea comes from a Greek word meaning "all-healing", and Panacea was the goddess of healing.

11. 1980 Tony winner for Best Musical: EVITA.

12. Bat mitzvahs, e.g.: RITES.

13. So yesterday: PASSE.

18. Superboy's girlfriend: LANA.          Pretty girl. LINK.

22. Disinfectant brand: LYSOL.

25. Like many "Buffy" settings: EERIE.

26. Kittens play with them: PAWS. Again, a small head fake- not toys.

27. Lingerie brand: OLGA.  HISTORY.

28. Whirling toon: TAZ.

32. Drink with a Zero Sugar variety: PEPSI.

33. __ out a meager existence: EKE.

35. Mark on a Dear John letter, perhaps: TEAR STAIN. Fabulous clue/fill.

36. Zeus' jealous wife: HERA. She is back.

37. One who doesn't pick up much: SLOB. Not a dolt, but a messy one.

39. __ Gay: ENOLA. I am tired of this reminder.

40. "The Complete Short Game" author: ELS. How many three-letter named golfers are there?

43. Fettuccine sauce: ALFREDO. I add tuna and peas for a complete meal.

45. Bar attraction: KARAOKE. Kara 空 "empty" and ōkesutora オーケストラ "orchestra"); the same kara as in karate (empty hands).

47. Ministry: PULPIT. Is this a stretch?

49. Bed with enclosed sides: CRIB. I hope no other answer came to mind. They are getting fancy.

50. Absurd: INANE.

51. Annoys: VEXES.

52. Celebrated seasons: YULES.

53. Pipe cleaner: DRANO. Not the one you fill with tobacco.

54. Chemise fabric: SATIN.

58. Salon assortment: DYES. Beauty salon, not parlor.

59. Site for handicrafts: ETSY. Another HISTORY.

62. "Reflection" musician: ENO. Last week it was emo.

63. Issuer of five million-plus IDs annually: SSA. Social Security Administration.

This puzzle was so clean, I really do not have much to say, or maybe I am just tired. Thank you C.C. and my official Happy New Year to you all.

Thursday, January 4th 2018 Robert & Marlea Ellis

Theme: Four by Fore! Golf-related punning.

17A. Duffer's flaw from the tee? : RECKLESS DRIVING. That's me. I've lost count of the times I've walloped my first drive out of bounds and onto the road at my local club.

26A. Duffer's impossible dream? : ACE IN THE HOLE. I've hit the flagstick a couple of times and holed-in-one once on a Par-3 course for my single career ace.

48A. Duffer's cry after botching a putt and settling for par? : BYE BYE BIRDIE. I think I've birdied every hole on my course, just not all in the same round. I've also double-bogeyed or worse every hole, on a bad day all at in the same round.

63A. Duffer's sad 18th-hole reply to "Bogey for you?" ... and 19th-hole request to the bartender? : MAKE MINE A DOUBLE. See above.

Nice enough theme, maybe your mileage may vary depending on your knowledge of the golf game and the lingo. It took me a couple of laps around this one, there were a few unfamiliar proper names and some challenges in other places, but as long as the crosses are solid I can usually figure everything out. Let's see what attracts further attention:

Across:

1. Waldorf __ : SALAD. Does "Astoria" have anything to do with the Astor family? I need to go and look that up.

6. Crawford of the Timberwolves : JAMAL. Tried JALEN for no good reason at all. Wrong last name, wrong team.

11. Rx watchdog : FDA

14. Cast out : EXILE

15. Where glasses may be raised? : OPERA. Technically, it should be "the opera" but I'll let this one slide, I'm feeling charitable today.

16. Standee's lack : LAP. Nice. It's why you can't use a laptop standing up. There's no lap to top.

20. Wingless parasite : FLEA. Two "wingless" clues today.

21. "Cheers" actor Roger : REES. I never associate him with Cheers. I saw him on stage in London in an adaptation of a quite amazing treasure-hunt book called "Masquerade" by writer and artist Kit Willliams. Williams created a bejeweled gold sculpture of a hare and buried it in a ceramic container beyond the reach of metal detectors. The book contained the clues to find it. It went undiscovered for more than three years. Many of the audience went to see the production hoping to get some additional clues.

22. Approximately : CIRCA

23. Speech characteristic of Dustin on "Stranger Things" : LISP

25. "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" newsman : BAXTER

31. Family dinner entrée : ROAST

32. __ de guerre : NOM. An assumed name.

33. It may be sharp : NOTE

37. Pageant VIPs : MCS. Masters of Ceremonies.

38. Handyman's tasks : ODD JOBS

42. Each : PER

43. Bean used in Asian sauces : SOYA

45. Classic auto : R.E.O. 

46. Cutting : ACERB

52. Yelp piece : REVIEW

55. Move, in Realtor lingo : RELOcation

56. They have pHs below 7 : ACIDS

57. "Let It Go" singer in "Frozen" : ELSA. Known from crosswords.

59. Landing : QUAY. Took me a while to see the clue wanted a noun, not a verb. Nice.

66. Miner concern : ORE

67. Make __: rake it in : A MINT

68. Deal with : SEE TO

69. '60s activist gp. : S.D.S. Students for a Democratic Society. I can never seem to remember this. The first S was my last fill, crossing an unknown actress in Sarah Ramos.

70. Help for the graveyard shift, maybe : NO-DOZ

71. Slurpee insert : STRAW

Down:

1. Lowly worker : SERF

2. Winter Olympics jump : AXEL. The Winter Olympics are coming soon. Matt Lauer appeared in almost all of the promo spots that had been produced, NBC spent quite a chunk of change reshooting or editing them.

3. Wingless parasites : LICE

4. They have pHs above 7 : ALKALIS. Very nice job to get ACIDS in the puzzle as well.

5. Second-smallest U.S. state : DELaware. It's quite a bit bigger than Rhode Island, the smallest.

6. Nativity figure : JOSEPH. I tried SERAPH when I had the PH. I'm not quite sure why I sometimes overlook the totally obvious sometimes.

7. Church area : APSE

8. Rx specifications : MEDS. I was looking more for something along the "dosage" lines at first.

9. Itinerary abbr. : ARR.

10. Not of the cloth : LAICAL. Slow to emerge. I was thinking on the right lines, but neither LAIC nor LAITY was working.

11. Toy (with) : FLIRT

12. Hula or hora : DANCE

13. __ score: neonatal measure : APGAR. New one on me. I now learn it is "a method to quickly summarize the health of newborn children. Dr. Virginia Apgar, an anesthesiologist at NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital, developed the score in 1952 in order to quantify the effects of obstetric anesthesia on babies.". Thank you, Wikipedia.

18. Once, quaintly : ERST

19. Kit's mom : VIXEN. A kit is another word for a fox cub. I didn't know that until today. Cute little guys, aren't they?

24. Absorbed by : INTO

25. Fall flat : BOMB

26. Readies for battle : ARMS

27. 2017 Pixar film set in Mexico : COCO. I was looking at "LOCO" first. ALE IN THE HOLE is another thing entirely.

28. Like Sunday morning, in a Commodores title : EASY

29. "Have a nice time!" : ENJOY

30. "Woo-__!" : HOO!

34. Newspaper page : OP-ED

35. Actress Garr : TERI

36. Kathryn of "Law & Order: C.I." : ERBE. Another unknown.

39. Used charcoal pencils, say : DREW

40. Society newcomer : DEB. Debutante, to use the posh term.

41. Glide (through) : SAIL

44. Bear : ABIDE

47. Alice had to play it with flamingos as mallets : CROQUET

49. Sycophant : YES MAN

50. Not authentic : ERSATZ

51. Rosary unit : BEAD

52. "Parenthood" actress Sarah : RAMOS

53. Digital greeting : E-CARD

54. Twin Cities team, familiarly : VIKES. Minnesota's Vikings.

57. Oklahoma city : ENID. Nailed it, due to crosswords past.

58. Carson's successor : LENO

60. Taxi alternative : UBER. No umlaut on the company name.

61. Utah ski resort : ALTA. I always forget this one too, then kick myself when the rather obvious answer emerges.

62. "Ouch!" : YEOW!

64. Texting qualifier : IMO. In My Opinion. My opinion is always humble, therefore IMHO.

65. CIA predecessor : OSS.

Stick a fork in me, I'm done!

Steve

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.