Friday, January 26, 2018, David Poole

Title: Let's look under the water

David makes a quick return with a visual theme. There are 4 seas placed above the letters "LAB." It is a cute theme but wreaked havoc on my mind with YELLOW LAB and IRISH LAB running around in my head. Woof, woof.  The rest seemed like a Friday with many 6 and 7 letter fill. ERNESTO, EXACTOR, LOST ART, PANINIS, SWORE TO and WANNABE all interesting fill.

I have written about many of his puzzles, with this EFFORT being my first Friday write-up here at the Corner.

Hopefully, the grid will make you all smile. Grid first I think today:



17A. First U.S. national park: YELLOWSTONE (11). The YELLOW Sea is clued just above the LAB in 20A in LABEL.

35A. Co-star of the 1955 comedy "How to Be Very, Very Popular": SHEREE NORTH (11). The NORTH Sea is clued just above the LAB in SLABS. The MOVIE was unknown to me.

42A. Subject of a 19th-century famine: IRISH POTATO (11). The IRISH Sea is clued just above the LAB in LABREA.

62A. Aquanaut's workplace ... or a hint to what's graphically represented four times in this puzzle: UNDER SEA LAB (11). This LAB is under the CHINA Sea.

Across:

1. Big sister? : ABBESS. This is a woman who is the head of an abbey of nuns.

7. Way more than a whimper: BAWL.

11. Pixie: ELF.

14. Circus equipment: STILTS. There often is a clown on stilts.

15. Online marketplace: EBAY.

16. Madhouse: ZOO.

19. Syncopated piece: RAG. Ragtime (rag) also spelled rag-time or rag time – is a musical style that enjoyed its peak popularity between 1895 and 1918. Its cardinal trait is its syncopated, or "ragged", rhythm.

20. Calvin Klein or Perry Ellis: LABEL.

21. Caution: WARN.

22. Spilled the beans: SANG. Like modern mobsters.

23. Love personified: AMOR. Cupid's alias.

24. Letter writing, some say: LOST ART.

26. Oenophile's concern: YEAR. CSO to the Chairman and his wares.

28. Bear with a purple bow tie: BOO-BOO. Hannah-Barbera says "Boo-Boo Bear is a cartoon character on The Yogi Bear Show. Boo-Boo is an anthropomorphic bear cub wearing a purple bowtie. Most of the pictures I see online look blue, but.....

32. "Yada yada yada" letters: ETC.

38. Revolutionary murdered in a tub: MARAT.

 The Death of Marat by Jacques-   Louis  David. 

40. Groom's garb: TUX.

41. Generous slices: SLABS.



45. Menu general: TSO. It must be embarrassing to his family that he is known as a chicken.

46. Tar pits site: LA BREA.

47. "Pretty please?" : CAN I? May I never see this clue/fill again?

49. Che's given name: ERNESTO. Guevera.

52. State-spanning rds. : TPKS.

56. Cross by wading: FORD.

59. Digging: INTO.

61. "The Mikado" band? : OBI. The Japanese sash. Not to be confused with 57D. Village Voice award: OBIE. (OB) No longer technically true, they were originally given by The Village Voice newspaper to theatre artists and groups in New York City. In September 2014, the awards were jointly presented and administered along with the American Theatre Wing. As the Tony Awards cover Broadway productions, the Obie Awards cover Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway productions. (various)

64. Dram: NIP. A wee dram at that; right Tin?

65. Thailand, once: SIAM. A nice CSO to my sweet bride.

66. Recess: ALCOVE.

67. Fictional vigilante's mark: ZEE.

68. Ballpark figs. : ESTSimates.

69. Christian of "Mr. Robot": SLATER.

Down:

1. Sanctuaries : ASYLA. Our favorite latin plural.

2. Substitute players: B-TEAM.

3. Frodo inherited his ring: BILBO. The Hobbit.

4. Queen of mystery: ELLERY. Agatha also fits.

5. Small-runway aircraft acronym: STOL. Short Takeoff Or Landing.

6. Spokane-to-Walla Walla dir. : SSW.

7. Software to debug: BETAS. Testing, one two, three.

8. Scrub, at NASA: ABORT.

9. Aspirant: WANNABE.  Geri last week.

10. Drano compound: LYE.

11. Biblical reformer: EZRA. He was BIBLICAL.

12. Library transaction: LOAN. They are known as lending libraries.

13. "Around the World ... " hero: FOGG. Phileas Fogg is the protagonist in the 1873 Jules Verne novel Around the World in Eighty Day (wiki).

18. Affirmed in court: SWORE TO.

22. Happy hour perch: STOOL.

24. __-di-dah: LAH.

25. Lighter brand: RONSON. My mental picture.

27. Bible book read during Purim: ESTHER. More Hebrew bible.

29. Frank's cousin: BRAT. This is one of the wurst clue/fills ever!

30. Gambling parlors, for short: OTBS. Off-track betting shops.

31. Very: OH SO. You all look oh so smart today!





32. Expressionist painter Nolde : EMIL. I did not know Emil Nolde, who was a German-Danish painter and printmaker. He was one of the first Expressionists, a member of Die Brücke, and was one of the first oil painting and watercolor painters of the early 20th century to explore color. (wiki) I like the Matterhorn Smiles.

33. Plantation near Twelve Oaks: TARA. Frankly, I no longer give a damn.

34. Nursery purchase: CRIB. Tree anyone?

36. Rural road feature: RUT.

37. One demanding payment, say: EXACTOR. In law, we often put or/ee at the end of words to make a new word, but this CREATION by David seems imprecise.

39. Comparable to a beet: AS RED.

43. Pressed sandwiches: PANINIS.

44. Confucian ideal: TAO.

48. Cornell's city: ITHACA.

50. Conclude by: END AT.

51. Parts of some flutes: STEMS. My brain went to the instrument b aha moment for the champagne glass.

53. First of a series: PILOT. No Honda this week, but the try out episode of a tv series.

54. __ of Hearts, accused tarts thief: KNAVE. You should know your Alice in Wonderland.
"The Queen of Hearts, she made some tarts,
All on a summer day:
The Knave of Hearts, he stole those tarts,
And took them quite away!"

55. Cavalry sword: SABER.

56. With "the," TV character who first jumped the shark-- literally: FONZ. Did we really watch this
HORRIBLE TV, On the other hand, I really like Winkler in his new show  BETTER LATE THAN NEVER.

58. Harvest-ready: RIPE.

60. Spreadsheet box: CELL.

62. Employ: USE.

63. KLM rival: SAS. The HISTORY of  Scandinavian Airlines System is worth reading.

We have already made it to my last write-up of January. David makes every puzzle different. I enjoyed it and hope you did as well. On to the Super Bowl!!! Lemonade out.

Thursday January 25th 2018 C.C.Burnikel

Theme:

16A. *Tony Hawk legwear : SKATE PANTS. They look like a pair of jeans to me.

36A. *Stick in the snow : SKI POLE. When we used to ski the Courcheval couloirs in the Alps, a fall near the top meant a long, long slide before there was any chance of getting back on your feet. By that time, you had usually strewn both skis, both poles, your sunglasses and your beanie down hundreds of meters of steep slope. We called it "having a yard sale".

56A. *Drawing needs : SKETCH PADS

10D. *Medicated dermal strip : SKIN PATCH. Here's one with some mighty claims:

31D. *Military chaplains : SKY PILOTS. Fun expression.

and the reveal:

41d. Search dogs' target ... and a phonetic hint to the answers to starred clues : ESCAPEE - Ess-Kay-Pee

Third Thursday in a row for C.C. and a nice theme again. I like the across-and-down theme style, with the reveal coming in well towards the end. Solid theme answers too, so a lot to like. Let's see what else jumps out:

Across:

1. Apple Store display : MACS

5. Centipede developer : ATARI. Classic arcade game of the 80's. If you want a walk down memory lane, here's an official Atari Centipede emulator.

10. Farm digs : STY

13. Tennis legend for whom a "Courage Award" is named : ASHE

14. French upper house : SÉNAT. It even has its own logo:

15. Hershey bar : SKOR. Hershey's has the recipe on their website. You can substitute the Hershey's chocolate chips with something that tastes more like real chocolate.

18. Helps out : AIDS

19. Unpretentious : HUMBLE

20. Turned it down : SAID NO

22. Nadal's birthplace : SPAIN. Rafa, the tennis idol.

23. Snatch, as a toy? : DOGNAP. I'd never heard of this term to pinch someone's toy, so I Googled it to get the skinny, and all I could come up with was that genuine dog-theft crime, which leads me to believe the "toy" in the clue must refer to real dogs in the "toy" breeds group. Nicely obscure, if I'm reading this correctly.

24. Composer Franck : CESAR. After a rocky start to his musical career, he became a respected professor at the Paris Conservatoire.

26. Luggage attachments : ID TAGS

29. Soak up the sun : BASK

32. Blue Grotto resort : CAPRI. You can bask on Capri.

34. Boy king : TUT

35. "That's gross!" : ICK!

38. Premier __: wine designation : CRU. For Bordeaux red wines, there are only five wines classified as Premier Crus: Château Lafite, Château Latour, Château Margaux, Château Haut-Brion and Château Mouton Rothschild

39. Word before watch or window : BAY

40. Signs away : CEDES

41. Israeli politician Barak : EHUD. Thank you, crosses.

42. Nurses, as a drink : SIPS ON. Not something I tend to make a habit of. Maybe if it's a Premier Cru Bordeaux.

44. Chills out : RESTS

47. "No harm done" : I'M OKAY

49. Waited nervously, perhaps : PACED

52. Wheat protein : GLUTEN

53. Tree with durable wood : ACACIA

55. Fellas : BROS

59. Inauguration words : OATH

60. Dairy mascot : ELSIE

61. Canal completed in 1825 : ERIE

62. Belly dance muscles : ABS

63. Kennel cries : YELPS

64. "Hairspray" mom : EDNA. I took my daughter to a live performance of Hairspray at the Hollywood Bowl a few years ago. At the intermission she informed me that I was apparently the only heterosexual man in the entire audience. I think she was right.

Down:

1. British side : MASH. Food! This is the traditional dish of pie, mash and liquor - eel pie, mashed potatoes and parsley sauce. Blue-collar chow from east and south-east London.

2. Words on a help desk sign : ASK US

3. Ring leader? : CHAMP

4. Reversal of fortune : SETBACK

5. Trees of the species Populus tremula : ASPENS

6. "Eat Drink Man Woman" drink : TEA. Ang Lee's first critical and box office success released in 1994.

7. Former Texas governor Richards : ANN

8. "Midnight Cowboy" con man : RATSO. I always want "RIZZO" first, then talk myself down.

9. Delivery room cry : IT'S A GIRL!

11. Fuss : TO DO

12. Cen. components : YRS. 100 years in a century.

15. 1978 Peace co-Nobelist : SADAT. Anwar Sadat of Egypt and Israel's Menachim Begin.

17. Tahari of fashion : ELIE

21. Many a low-budget flick : INDIE

23. Decorator's choice : DRAPERY

25. Corrosive liquid : ACID. I think alkalis too?

27. Expert : GURU

28. Drywall support : STUD

29. Spill catchers : BIBS

30. Smoothie berry : ACAI

33. Sit for a snap : POSE

36. Hurry along : SCOOT

37. Creator of Randle McMurphy and Chief Bromden : KEN KESEY. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest".

43. Flatten : SMUSH

45. Garage units : SPACES

46. Dash dial : TACH

48. A high-top hides it : ANKLE

50. Hallmark.com choice : E-CARD

51. Bumped off : DID IN

52. Snatch : GRAB

54. On the Pacific : ASEA

55. Showgirl's accessory : BOA

57. Course for intl. students : E.S.L.

58. Lead : TIP


That about wraps things up from me. Here's the grid:

Steve

Wednesday, January 24, 2018 Roland Huget

Theme: A GOOD CLIP.  Indicating a non-specific, but rapid rate of motion.

21 A. Fast clip around the racetrack : BLISTERING PACE.  A very fast horse.

40 A. Fast clip from the pitcher's mound : DIZZYING VELOCITY.  A 100+ mph fast ball

60 A. Fast clip down the slopes : BREAKNECK SPEED.  Downhill ski race.

Consider this -

Sails at a good CLIP

Or this -

Yankee Clipper

On the other hand  .  .  .

Pro tip: Avoid a bad clip

Here we get the theme continuity from the clues rather than the fill.  Not a common approach, but you'll see it once in a while.  Long theme fill, with a grid spanner in the middle.  Not a lot else to say.  Each two-word entry indicates extremely fast motion in a sports context.

Hi gang, JzB here.  Never known for my speed.  This time I swear to give you today's puzzle, the whole of today's puzzle, and nothing but today's puzzle - or help me, 'cuz I'll need it.  Let's proceed at whatever pace you find comfortable, and see what else we can catch up with.

Across

1. Filet mignon source : LOIN.  A superior cut of beef.

The tenderloin is found along both sides of the spine

5. __ price : ASKING.  What the seller desires.

11. Ran together : BLED.  As of patterns on a dyed cloth.

15. Actress Paquin of Netflix's "Alias Grace" : ANNA.

Bio

16. Tremble : SHIVER.  Quake.

17. Slick : OILY.  Slippery or lubed, literally or figuratively.

18. Team first managed by Casey Stengel : METS.  Casey had previously managed the Yankees for many years. My favorite baseball trivia question: What was Casey Stengel doing in 1927 when Babe Ruth of the Yankees hit 60 home runs?  [Answer at the bottom.]

19. Volcanic archipelago state : HAWAII.  Everybody knows this - right?

20. Eyelid bump : STYE.  A painful bacterial infection of an oil gland in the eyelid.

24. Internet subdivision : DOMAIN.   An identifying web address.

25. Feathered layer : HEN. Of eggs.

26. USPS assignment : RTE.  Route.

29. Eagerly took in : ATE UP.  Literally or figuratively

30. Flutist of Greek myth : PAN.  Half man, half goat, Pan is the god of the wild, fields, fertility and Spring, and companion of the nymphs.   Apollo made better music on his lyre - and that's the truth!

33. Romanov rulers : TSARS.  Russian royalty.

35. Classic shoe polish brand : SHINOLA.   You know from SHINOLA - right?  What you might not know it that the brand name now belongs to a Detroit company that makes high-end watches, bicycles, jewelry, leather goods and accessories.

39. Surmounting : ATOP.  Straddling, perhaps.

45. "Field of Dreams" setting : IOWA.  Regarding a baseball field in a corn field.

46. Lowered the grade of : DERATED.  As in creditworthiness.

47. Take potshots : SNIPE.  With a gun or one's tongue

49. Simple survey answer : YES.  

50. Poetry Muse : ERATO.  Her name comes from the same root as erotic, and indicates beauty and desirability.

55. Own, to Burns : HAE.   I guess this means "have" in highland dialect.

56. Craven of horror : WES. The director who brought us Freddie Krueger of Elm Street fame, The Hills Have Eyes, etc.

59. Mental haze : STUPOR.  Confusion.

65. "Toodles!" : CIAO.  Greeting or parting word from an old Italian root meaning "I am your slave."

67. Evening get-together : SOIREE.  From SOIR, the French word for evening.

68. One-named Deco artist : ERTE.  Romain de Tiroff.  ERTE is the French pronunciation of his initials - and mine.

69. Curved paths : ARCS.  Observable with baseballs, footballs, basketballs, tennis balls, and golf balls.

70. There for the __: easy to get : TAKING.   Come and get it.

71. Plug-in vehicle, briefly : E-CAR.  Electric powered conveyance.

72. Chinese toy : PEKE.  Small dog variety, not a child's plaything.  Take your pick.

73. Comes down hard? : SLEETS.  Frozen rain does this.  Clever clue and an unpleasantly chilly experience.

74. Dines : SUPS.  Eats supper.  Or dinner.  You decide.

Down

1. Greek letter whose lowercase indicates wavelength : LAMBDA.  Uppercase Λ, lowercase λ.

Mandatory nerd joke:  Q: What's 𝛎? A:  C/ λ, same as always. 
[Translated: Q: What's new (nu, frequency)? A: The speed of light / the wave length.]

2. Developer's unit : ONE LOT.  A plot in a plat.

3. Early enough : IN TIME. Or ON TIME.

4. Bahamian capital : NASSAU. Or a town on Long Island.

5. Pale as a ghost : ASHEN.  Wan.

6. __-Pei: wrinkly dog : SHAR.

Iron deficiency?

7. Fuzzy fruit : KIWI.

8. "Ghostbusters" director Reitman : IVAN.

9. Secretariat utterance? : NEIGH.  Secretariat was an American thoroughbred race horse that in 1983 became the first triple crown winner in 25 years.

10. Complaint : GRIPE.  Grouse.

11. Anjou kin : BOSC.  A pair of pears.

12. Intelligentsia : LITERATI.  Specifically those with an interest in literature.

13. English cathedral town : ELY.   This town is about 80 miles north of London.  The church community dates back to the 7th century, with the present building dating from the 11th century.

14. Easter egg dip : DYE.   To color the shells.

22. A bit buzzed : TIPSY.  From imbibing alcohol.

23. Aardvark snack : ANT.  Or termite.

27. Bouncy gait : TROT.  A horse's or person's rapid stride.  Less than a CLIP, though, I'm guessing.

28. Best Game or Best Play : ESPY. Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award, granted by ABC Sports, and previously by ESPN, to recognize outstanding individual and team achievements.

30. Christmas candle scent : PINE.

31. Fit to be tied : ANGRY.  Feeling choler.

32. Super stars? : NOVAE.  A super NOVA is a transient astronomic event in the last stages of a star's evolution that involves catastrophic destruction via a huge explosion.  NOVAE is the plural.  Clever clue.

34. Plant pouch : SAC.  Animals have them, too.

36. Put out of sight : HID.

37. "I'm game" : LET'S do it.




38. Newcastle Brown brew : ALE.  A decent brown ale produced by Heineken.

40. Wolfgang Puck creation : DISH.  As in entree, not a piece of porcelain dinner ware.

41. New Rochelle college : IONA. Affiliated with the Congregation of Christian Brothers, locared 20 miles north of Manhattan in Westchester County.

42. Twice-baked bread : ZWIEBACK.  Here in MI, it's Trenary Toast, from the U. P.

43. Hit with a laser : ZAP.  or warm in a microwave oven.

44. "Awake and Sing!" playwright : ODETS.

48. Farm mom : EWE.

51. "Slumdog Millionaire" money : RUPEES.  Indian currency.

52. Brief summary : APERCU.  It should make an illuminating of amusing point.  From the French verb meaning "to percieve."

53. Line dance step : TOE TAP.

54. Military instructions : ORDERS.

57. Bridge seats : EASTS.  Bridge table locations are indicated North, South, EAST and West.  In a tournament, there are several tables.  The N-S pair stays put, while the E-W pair travel in one direction and the pre--dealt cards travel the other way.

58. Scandinavian toast : SKOAL.  Traces back to an Old Norse word meaning "bowl."   Possibly filled with brown ale.

59. Surfboard stabilizers : SKEGS.  A SKEG is a fin underneath the rear of the board.

61. Got up : ROSE.

62. "Just do it" brand : NIKE.  Athletic shoes.

63. Niagara Falls source : ERIE.  Ohio's great lake.

64. Penny : CENT.  One hundredth of a dollar.

65. Ballplayer's hat : CAP.

66. Choler : IRE. Ill humor.

This was not a speed run for me.  How about you?

In 1927, when Yankee great George Herman [Babe] Ruth hit a record-setting 60 ARCS into the outfield seats, Charles Dillon [Casey] Stengel was in my home town managing the Toledo Mud Hens.  Stengel went on to manage the Yankees from 1949 to 1960.  The following year, when Roger Maris hit 61 home runs, the Yankees manager way Ralph Houk.  Stengel managed the Mets from 1962 to 1965.

In those days I was a Yankee fan.  Forgive me, I was young and didn't know any better.

Cool regards!
JzB

Tuesday, January 23, 2018 ~ Michael Dewey

Theme: If It's Tuesday, This Must Be ... - some European city.

20A. 1666 conflagration that destroyed St. Paul's Cathedral: FIRE OF LONDON. Capital of England.

28A. Raphael fresco depicting Greek philosophers, with "The": SCHOOL OF ATHENS. Capital of Greece

48A. Gypsum used for casts: PLASTER OF PARIS. France's capital.

54A. Pope: BISHOP OF ROME. Italy’s capital.

Argyle here. I say, what a capital idea for a puzzle. Michael hasn't had a puzzle here for over a year. I hope he doesn't stay a stranger.

Across:

1. Daily bread?: WAGE

5. Convenient bag: TOTE

9. Flower that's a Buddhist symbol of purity: LOTUS

14. Unattributed, as a quote: Abbr.: ANON

15. Prof.'s employer: UNIV.

16. Stupefy: AMAZE

17. Checkout line unit: ITEM

18. Actress Russo: RENE

19. Words to live by: MAXIM

23. Military abbr. on a Beatles album: SGT. Pepper.

24. NYC subway line: IRT. (Interborough Rapid Transit)

25. Pup squeak: [YIP!]

33. "__-ching!": CHA

34. Venison source: DEER

35. Sunny feeling: WARMTH

36. Seventh-day activity, in the Bible: REST

38. __ Gone: gunk-cleaning product: GOO

40. Repeated Doris Day song word: SERA. 'Que Sera, Sera'. 'Whatever will be, will be'

41. Gave the slip: ELUDED

44. Indian bread: NAAN

47. At this moment: NOW

51. Subj. for immigrants: ESL. (English as a second language)

52. Color gradation: HUE

53. Coastal inlet: RIA

60. Complete chaos: HAVOC

63. Each: A POP

64. Rapper whose name sounds like a drink: ICE T

65. Plato's marketplace: AGORA

66. Fodder storage tower: SILO

67. Not this: THAT

68. Wooden peg: DOWEL

69. Informal greetings: HEYs

70. "Star Wars" guru: YODA

Down:

1. Many a Dickens child: WAIF and maybe 46D. Innocent soul: NAIF

2. Prefix with social: ANTI

3. Suffix with party: GOER. An antisocial partygoer sounds like a fun sponge.

4. Catch in a net: ENMESH

5. Sports injury on an artificial surface: TURF TOE

6. First-year law student: ONE L

7. Former Yankee slugger Martinez: TINO

8. Should it arise that: EVEN IF

9. De Niro's "Raging Bull" role: LAMOTTA. Giacobbe "Jake" LaMotta, middleweight champion boxer.

10. Arabian Peninsula nation: OMAN. Khasab Fort.

http://www.khalidkharusi.com

11. Payroll deduction: TAX

12. Action film weapon: UZI

13. College yr. division: SEM. (semester)

21. Prayer opener: "O, GOD ... "

22. Sketch: DRAW

25. Native of Sana'a: YEMENI

26. Emcees' duties: INTROs

27. "Horsefeathers!": "PSHAW!"

28. Beachcomber's finds: SHELLS

29. Like some Friday work attire: CASUAL

30. Meet portion, or portion of meat: LEG. One LEG of a relay race at a track meet.

31. Maine college town: ORONO

32. Store posting: Abbr.: HRs. (hours)

33. Parisian pancake: CRÊPE

37. NFL six-pointers: TDs. (touchdowns)

39. Dolt: OAF

42. Virtuous: ETHICAL

43. Latin god: DEUS

45. At just the right time: APROPOS

49. Go over again: REHASH

50. Uncommon thing: RARITY

54. Droning lecture, e.g.: BORE

55. Freckled boy of old TV: OPIE. Little Ronnie Howard.

56. Roly-__: POLY

57. Eight, in Ecuador: OCHO

58. Renaissance faire quaff: MEAD. Fermented honey.

59. Jazzy James: ETTA. Something different.

60. "I've been __!": HAD

61. Back in time: AGO

62. Pledge: VOW

Argyle

Monday, January 22, 2018 ~ Gail Grabowski & Bruce Venzke

Theme: Pedestrian Span - the word FOOT bridges the theme entries.

17A. *Grocery store: FOOD MARKET

28A. *Vessel for a cheesy dip: FONDUE POT

37A. *Ballroom dance that's also a phonetic alphabet "F": FOX TROT

44A. *All-terrain high shoe: FIELD BOOT

56A. Stream crossing for pedestrians ... and what is literally provided by the interior letters in the answers to starred clues: FOOT BRIDGE

Argyle here. There are circles but not really needed.

Across:

1. Cried on cue, say: ACTED

6. Nimble-fingered: DEFT

10. Auntie on Broadway: MAME. Before the musical.

14. Africa's Sierra __: LEONE

15. Butterlike topping: OLEO

16. Beatnik's "Understood": "I DIG"

19. Join the chorus: SING

20. Like the chains in a chain necklace: LINKED

21. Camp beds: BUNKS

22. Swear (to): ATTEST

25. Pair in a dinghy: OARS

27. Employee's reward: RAISE

33. Cone-dropping trees: FIRS

34. Recycling receptacle: BIN

35. Maps within maps: INSETS

36. Therapists' org.: APA. (American Psychological Association)

39. Shatner's "__War": TEK. William Shatner

40. Cash in, as coupons: REDEEM

42. "I __ only kidding": WAS. text JK

43. Shoulder muscle, for short: DELT

46. Sandburg and Sagan: CARLS. The poet and the astronomer.

47. Highest in quality: BEST

48. Gives a thumbs-up: SAYS OK

49. Wrinkle-removing injection: BOTOX

52. Acquires, as debts: INCURS

55. State firmly: AVOW

60. Filet mignon order: RARE

61. World power initials until 1991: USSR. (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics)

62. How contracts are signed: IN INK

63. Iditarod vehicle: SLED

64. Fishing rod partner: REEL

65. Occur as a result: ENSUE

Down:

1. 1980s TV ET: ALF. Gordon Shumway from the planet Melmac.

2. Corporate VIP: CEO. (chief executive officer)

3. Also: TOO

4. Tiresomely long: ENDLESS

5. Downfall: DEMISE

6. Nerdy sort: DORK

7. Sommer of cinema: ELKE. For Splynter.

8. Get nourishment from: FEED ON

9. Trike rider: TOT

10. Applies incorrectly: MISUSES

11. Score after deuce: AD IN. (tennis) The server's advantage.

12. Ermine cousin: MINK

13. They're often scrambled: EGGS

18. Tiny farm denizen: ANT

21. Main impact: BRUNT

22. Repetitive barking: [ARF! ARF!] and on the opposite side of the grid, 32. "You should be ashamed!": "TSK!, TSK!"

23. Taiwan's capital: TAIPEI

24. Rabble-rousing outburst: TIRADE

26. "Hasta la vista": "ADIOS"

28. Predicament: FIX

29. Quarterback's "Snap the ball at the second 'hut'": "ON TWO"

30. Fizzles (out): PETERS

31. Verdi opera with Desdemona: OTELLO

34. Lays an egg on stage: BOMBS

37. UPS alternative: FEDEX

38. Word before or after pack: RAT

41. Nudged sharply: ELBOWED

43. Best Western competitor: DAYS INN

45. Lazy: OTIOSE. Straight from Latin.

46. Underwood who performs the "Sunday Night Football" opening: CARRIE

48. Classroom stand-in: SUB. CSO's

49. Happy hour places: BARS

50. Mirror shape: OVAL

51. Ran like mad: TORE

53. Smoke detector?: NOSE

54. PC corner key: CTRL. (control)

56. Calico coat: FUR

57. Put down: DIS. (disrespect or disparage)

58. Oxlike antelope: GNU

59. Barely manage, with "out": EKE

Argyle

Note from C.C. 

Happy 72nd Birthday to our constructor John Lampkin, the master of crossword construction. John also enhances our solving pleasure by regularly providing us fantastic pictures related to this grid entries. Thank you, John!

Lemonade and John

Sunday Jan 21, 2018 Paul Coulter

Theme: "Bit Parts" - CAMEOS  is orderly added to six movies.

22A. Film about a convict's lame claims of innocence? : JAILHOUSE CROCK. Jailhouse Rock. Elvis movie.

39A. Film about St. Peter's favorite striped stone? : HEAVEN'S AGATE. Heaven's Gate.
 
60A. Film about the last of the old-time schoolteachers? : A FAREWELL TO MARMS. A Farewell to Arms.

70A. Film about dealing with a class of five-year-olds? : KINDERGARTEN COPE. Kindergarten Cop.
 
 91A. Film about yet another complaint? : THE THIRD MOAN. The Third Man.

112A. Film about a devastating blizzard? : APOCALYPSE SNOW. Apocalypse Now (Thanks, Howard!)

I don't get the last one. The key word does not change meaning at all. The S entry is added probably because there are not enough themage. (Updated: I parsed 112A wrong earlier.)

The other five are all nice,  though I did not know COPE can be a noun in 70A. Great selection of movies. Tough job when the movies have to be in order.
  
Across:       

1. Many a reggae musician : RASTA. Their god is JAH.

6. Flavor : SAPOR

11. Involved stories : EPICS. Had SAGAs first.

16. Montezuma's people : AZTECS

18. Books smaller than quartos : OCTAVOS. Two more number-related entries: 15. Sonnet section : SESTET.  6. And 73. The Supreme Court, for one : ENNEAD. 9.

20. Arenas, say : VENUES

24. Play the market : INVEST. Hope you don't own GE.

25. European skyline sight : ALP

26. __ Marbles: historic sculptures : ELGIN

27. Longtime film critic for The New Yorker : KAEL (Pauline)

29. "¿Cómo __ usted?" : ESTA

30. Pays attention to : HEEDS

32. Chow line? : LEASH. Great clue.

35. P&L report column : YTD

36. High hat : MITER

37. "__ was saying ... " : AS I

38. Go public with : AIR

42. Wildebeests : GNUS. Look at his face. It's like having a charcoal face mask on.

44. Barrel-bottom stuff : LEES

45. Cookie baking session output : BATCH. I don't bake cookies. I buy these Daifuku for treat.

46. Put to the test : TRIED

48. K-12 : EL-HI. Sad to see it's back.

49. River to the North Sea : YSER

50. Stage hog : HAM

53. Lady of León : SENORA

55. Duck : EVADE

57. Inherent character : NATURE

59. Back muscle, familiarly : LAT

64. First husband of Bathsheba : URIAH. Her second husband was King David.

67. Bar stock : ICE

68. Aurora's Greek counterpart : EOS

69. Leftover : EXTRA

76. Arles article : LES

77. Form of aphasia involving the inability to name objects : ANOMIA. Oh, I might have it. I just say "that thing in our junk drawer..." to Boomer.

78. Loi maker : SENAT. French "senate".

79. Hot spots : STOVES

82. "Do the Right Thing" pizzeria owner : SAL

83. Disco family name : GIBB

86. Cherbourg cherub : ANGE. French for "angel".

87. It usually involves a getaway car : HEIST

88. Plump Capp critter : SHMOO

89. "Beowulf" beverage : MEAD

90. "Well done!" : GOOD

95. __ Colinas: upscale neighborhood in Irving, Texas : LAS. Unknown to me. Wiki says it's located  between Dallas and Fort Worth. Must your EDINA, D-Otto/AnonT.

96. Diminish : EBB

99. Rival of Paris : ROMEO

100. Marshal at Waterloo : NEY. Our old pal.

101. Cause harm : DO ILL

103. Studied, with "over" : PORED

105. "Sounds like fun to me!" : I'M IN

106. Utah lily : SEGO

107. Metaphor for opportunities : DOORS

109. Pie in the sky? : UFO

110. Jaguar, e.g. : BIG CAT

117. À la King : EERILY. Stephen King.

118. Calmed down : SEDATED. Boomer just got me Vicks Formula 44. The dry cough just won't leave me. Thankfully no more fever/shivering.

119. Stylish filmmaker : AUTEUR. The likes of Hitchcock, Quentin Tarantino, etc.

120. Chill : RELAX

121. Runoff collector : SEWER

122. Commuter's read : DAILY

Down:  

1. Indian prince : RAJAH

2. Georgia's state wildflower : AZALEA. The Masters.

3. Mushroom stems : STIPES. Another learning moment for me.

4. Bus. card info : TEL

5. Yearns : ACHES

6. Extended operatic solo : SCENA

7. PDX tower group : ATC. OK, PDX is the code for Portland International Airport.

8. Most golfers never break it : PAR. For the round, right? Most golfers can make a par on a Par 3.

9. Ab __: from the start : OVO

10. 1990 Stallone flick with the tagline "Go For It" : ROCKY V

11. Bad to the bone : EVIL

12. Stock holder : PEN

13. Protest bitterly (against) : INVEIGH

14. Hill with one steep side : CUESTA. Good to learn.

17. One before la : SOL

18. Basket material : OSIER. See here.

19. Achieve with minimal effort : SKATE BY

21. Impolite look : STARE

23. Hybrid fruits : UGLIs

28. Author Ferber et al. : EDNAs

31. Make a stand : DIG IN. I don't get how these two are equivalents.

33. Put on hold : SHELVE

34. Variety show set in Kornfield Kounty : HEE HAW. We see HEE alone often.


36. Fabric beltmaker's technique : MACRAME

38. Lindley of "Three's Company" : AUDRA. Another stranger to me.

40. Line to the audience : ASIDE

41. Gregg user : STENO

43. "The Matrix" hero : NEO

44. Some wolves : LEERERS

46. Catherine the Great, e.g. : TSARINA

47. Vitamin A form : RETINOL. Important additive in eye creams.

50. Moves speedily : HURTLES

51. One often shared in flight : ARMREST

52. Flat-topped lands : MESAS

54. "I don't give __" : A FIG

56. In : ELECTED

58. Duty : TAX

59. "Witness" actor Haas : LUKAS

61. Obamacare, briefly : ACA. Sure wish I still had my pre-ACA plan. It's 1/3 of what I'm paying now.

62. John, to Ringo : LOO

63. Recipe amts. : TSPs

65. Gen.'s counterpart : ADM

66. Fictional miners' work song : HEIGH HO

71. "Spider-Man" director : RAIMI (Sam)

72. Latin lover's line : TE AMO

74. Where Tara Lipinski won her Olympics gold medal at age 15 : NAGANO

75. Community character : ETHOS

80. War on Poverty agcy. : OEO (Office of Economic Opportunity)

81. Hulu offering : VIDEO

84. Carried : BORNE

85. Spanish convenience stores : BODEGAS. Great fill.

88. Lettering guide : STENCIL

90. Lively country dance : GALOP

91. Extended family : TRIBE. Have any of you tried that those ancestry DNA tests? So glad I don't need one.

92. More cozy : HOMIER

93. Political fugitive : EMIGRE

94. Mr. Magoo et al. : MYOPES

95. Bridges in movies : LLOYD

97. Sultanate on the South China Sea : BRUNEI. Surrounded by Malaysia.

98. Make dirty : BEFOUL

102. One in an airport taxi line, for the most part : IDLER

103. False: Pref. : PSEUD

104. Bridal estate : DOWRY. This looks like my mom's dowry chest. Traditional Chinese dowries often include pretty bed sheets, blankets, new clothing for the bride, etc. My mom later put our rationed sugar in this chest, fearing my brother and I would steal the sugar. The chest was locked of course. The sugar was only used for desserts during Chinese Spring Festival.

106. "Come Sail Away" band : STYX

108. ANC country : RSA

111. Mobile home: Abbr. : ALA

113. "__ to Billie Joe" : ODE

114. Cry near the ears : CAW

115. Broke bread : ATE

116. B&O stop : STA

Happy birthday to dear Madame DeFarge, who turns 70 years old today. She looks young. Hope you guys can have another get-together this year with TTP, the mysterious problem solver of our blog.

Madame DeFarge and Abejo, Nov 15, 2017

Today we also celebrate the 10th birthday of our blog! I'm amazed by the journey we've taken together. A huge "Thank you" to Argyle, Melissa, Ron, Steve, Lemonade and Gary, who tirelessly guide us week in and week out. I'm also grateful for all our regulars, you guys make this blog what it is today.

Thank you!

C.C.