Wednesday, December 21, 2016, Ron Toth & C.C. Burnikel

TITLE: A GOOD BEGINNING.  In Ron's (aka Jazzbumpa) and OUR FAIR LADY C.C.'s fun puzzle the word FAIR can precede each of the words in their fills for starred clues and generate another phrase.

Here's the grid that shows Ron and C.C. had two horizontal fills and three vertical fills.

This device and fun cluing/fill provide some respite on this First Day of Winter or Winter Solstice which has the fewest hours of daylight north of the equator. The North Pole has reached its maximum tilt away from the Sun but remember, from now on the hours of daylight get longer as we march on to Spring from here.

Let's take a look at the fun theme fill and the phrases Ron and C.C. gave us in this more than FAIR exercise:

6. *"I'd like a hand" : DEAL ME IN - FAIR DEAL Truman's post WWII policy that had mixed results

17. *Exchange insults : TRADE BARBS - FAIR TRADE coffee, certified by Fair Trade USA

61. *Come-on for new customers : TRIAL OFFER - FAIR TRIAL - In To Kill A Mockingbird, Tom certainly did not get one

11. *Pretend to be out : PLAY POSSUM - FAIR PLAY - One organization he worked for in earnest

27. *Go-getter : BALL OF FIRE - A call of FAIR BALL after a wonderful jete! 

...and the reveal

39. Open to attack, and based on the starts of the answers to starred clues, what this puzzle is : FAIR GAME - She never said, "I want to be alone". She said, "I want to be left alone."

Now let's use our fewest hours of sunlight wisely and see what else C.C. and Ron have for us.

Across

1. Herbal emanation : AROMA - Does FAIR TRADE coffee have a better AROMA?

6. Small valley : DELL - I know this farmer...

10. Inconsequential quarrel : SPAT

14. Ring unit : CARAT

15. Website with a Collectibles & Art section : E-BAY - $25,000? Really?

16. "Dark Angel" actress Jessica : ALBA 

19. Misses : GALS

20. Long fish : EEL

21. Grief : DOLOR - Produced Doh' ler

22. Biller, eventually : PAYEE

23. Thailand's previous name : SIAM - The Margaret Landon book that inspired the play by Rodgers and Hammerstein 

24. Sounding shocked : AGASP

26. "Tap the app, get a ride" company : UBER - An Omaha UBER driver took a lady to Denver for $877.61 two months ago

28. "¿Cómo __?" : ESTAS - "How are you?" Answer -  "Muy bien. ¿Y tú?" (Very good. And you?)

30. Cockney's wish? : OPE

33. "Get a move on!" : SNAP TO IT

35. Montreal brewery founded in 1786 : MOLSON

37. 1953 Leslie Caron film : LILI

38. Chaotic mess : SNAFU - There are obscene and sanitized versions of this acronym

40. Got mileage out of : USED

41. Words after a long delay : AT LAST - Other versions are just a pale reflection

43. Good news for borrowers : RATE CUTS

45. Former Prizm maker : GEO

46. Cola with emoji bottle labels : PEPSI

48. Holiday tubers : YAMS

49. Indigenous plant life : FLORA

51. Is sorry about : RUES - Red Sox fans RUED the day Boston sold The Babe to the hated Yankees

53. Not suitable : UNFIT

55. Formal wear at the Forum : TOGAS

57. Likely : APT

60. Hurt : PAIN

63. Throw caution to the wind : DARE - We hear his Charlie Brown Christmas music a lot this time of year but this is my favorite Vince Guaraldi song

64. Mixed martial artist Holly : HOLM  If you DARE to fight Holly HOLM, you're APT to feel a lot of PAIN

65. Aptly named novelist : READE

66. Washington bills : ONES - The mint has quit making the $1 coin since the Washington ONES remain much more popular

67. Word in a threat : ELSE

68. Spooky : EERIE


Down

1. Entr'__ : ACTE - Intermission for The Agony And The Ecstasy

2. Ruth's Chris request : RARE

3. Type of exam : ORAL

4. Magazine with Don Martin cartoons : MAD - Where all my paper route money went and where my sarcasm was nurtured.

5. Was humbled : ATE DIRT

7. River of Spain : EBRO

9. Lille lily : LYS

10. Drawn-out tales : SAGAS

12. Up to the task : ABLE

13. Stun, in a way : TASE

18. __ constrictor : BOA and 8. Test rodent : LAB RAT - Dinner for our 12' BOA at school

22. El __, Texas : PASO

23. Old photo tint : SEPIA

25. Entire spectrum : GAMUT - Of Katherine Hepburn, Dorothy Parker wrote, "She delivered a striking performance that ran the GAMUT of emotions, from A to B."

26. Join together : UNITE

29. Marquee listings : STARS - They knew the pecking order

31. Kilmer and Keats : POETS

32. Doesn't continue : ENDS

33. Smelting waste : SLAG

34. Convection oven brand : OSTER

36. Indiana Jones' creator : LUCAS - Amy - "Indiana Jones has no effect on the outcome of the movie, Sheldon. It would have turned out the same with or without him."

42. Stereotypical dog's name : SPOT - SHEP? Not so much.

44. Overgrown lot, e.g. : EYESORE

47. Security group : PATROL

50. Part of 52-Down : LINES and 52. Chi.-based flier : UAL - Yup!

53. French twist, for one : UPDO

54. Leavened flatbread : NAAN

56. Some museum art : OILS

57. Miles off : AFAR

58. Prefix with cure : PEDI - For those of us who do our own:

59. Palm or beech : TREE

61. Article often ignored in alphabetizing : THE

62. Service charge : FEE

Lets now hear your FAIR-MINDED comments:

Tuesday, December 20, 2016 Jacob Stulberg

Theme: It ain't over till it's over - The sharing of the same word by the four longest entries.

17A. Began without hesitation: DOVE RIGHT IN

27A. Was heedless behind the wheel: DROVE RECKLESSLY

43A. Mentioned earlier: ABOVE REFERENCED

57A. Unseemly disclosure of personal details ... as seen in 17-, 27- and 43-Across?: OVERSHARING

Argyle here. I'm afraid I tried to overthink this puzzle. Just the word OVER repeated and somewhat placed over each other. If you see more, please share.

Across:

1. Prepare for a bodybuilding competition: OIL UP. If you missed seeing LATS yesterday, I'll give you oiled-up lats today.

6. Online discussion venue: FORUM

11. Freon or neon: GAS

14. Capital of Bangladesh: DHAKA. More.

15. Maureen known as Hollywood's "Queen of Technicolor": O'HARA. Nice Bio.

16. LP's 33 1/3: RPM. or RsPM, if you care.

19. Copy: APE

20. Place for a massage: SPA

21. Texas A&M athlete: AGGIE. Formerly named The Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (1871–1963), hence the Aggies.

22. Disney's Little Mermaid: ARIEL

24. Take from the top: REDO

26. Without a musical key: ATONAL

32. Seal-hunting swimmers: ORCAs

33. Actor Ving of "Pulp Fiction": RHAMES. Gangster Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames)

34. Scolding sound: {TSK!}

35. Showers or drizzles: RAINS

36. Small amount: DAB

39. Irish playwright Sean: O'CASEY."It's my rule never to lose me temper till it would be detrimental to keep it."

41. Low card: DEUCE and 37D. Card that may be high or low: ACE

47. Unruffled: SERENE

48. Run __: go wild: AMOK

49. Careful types take them: PAINS

50. Bring about: CAUSE

53. Showy accessory: BOA

56. Previous to, to Dickinson: ERE. Emily Dickinson, poet.

60. Inmate: CON

61. Amusement park thrills: RIDES

62. Nick of "Cape Fear": NOLTE. Cape Fear, the psychological thriller film from 1962 was remade in 1991 with Nick Nolte as Sam Bowden, the Gregory Peck role.

63. Explosive letters: TNT

64. Makeup mishap: SMEAR

65. Recital pieces: SOLOs

Down:

1. Gambler's concern: ODDS

2. "Eat up every moment" breakfast chain: IHOP

3. Geological Hawaiian souvenir: LAVA ROCK

+

4. Musical Hawaiian souvenir: UKE

5. Mardi Gras events: PARADES

6. "Around the World ... " hero Phileas: FOGG

7. "Well, howdy": "OH, HI"

8. Mortgage figure: RATE

9. Sch. with a Providence campus: URI. (University of Rhode Island, again) Motto: Think Big. We Do.

10. Sea cow: MANATEE. Marine mammal.

11. Bits of sand: GRAINS. “Like sands through the hourglass...."

12. Losing lawyer's recourse: APPEAL

13. Like Limburger cheese: SMELLY

18. Composer Stravinsky: IGOR, conducting a snippet of "The Firebird".

23. Flag maker Betsy: ROSS

25. A Gabor sister: EVA. Zsa Zsa died Sunday just shy of 100 years old ~ TMZ

26. Gift for the poor: ALMS

27. Web address part: DOT. A tittle, if you will.

28. Cos. with Xings: RRs. Cos. means companies? Wiki says yes.

29. Wipe out: ERASE

30. Tribal leader: CHIEF

31. Rapper West: KANYE. Kanye Omari West

35. Prized by collectors: RARE

36. Platypus feature: DUCKBILL. If you thought the manatee looked odd...

38. Place to retire: BED

39. Baking spot: OVEN

40. Keeps from being blue?: CENSORS. Cute clue.

41. Humbles: DEMEANS

42. Brian of ambient music: ENO

43. Characteristic: ASPECT

44. Affect: BEAR ON

45. Prepare, as new students: ORIENT

46. Like too-quick decisions: RASH

50. Surrender: CEDE

51. Neighborhood: AREA

52. KGB country: USSR

54. Clued in about: ON TO

55. Grows older: AGES

58. Vigor's partner: VIM. Vim and vigor, crudely known as p*ss and vinegar.

59. Outback hopper, for short: ROO. If you watched the video, you know they are related to the platypuses.

Argyle

Monday, December 19, 2016 Mel Rosen

Theme: Holy Holly- Double up the middle consonant to form the second word and clue appropriately.

20. Pilfered German fruit bread?: STOLEN STOLLEN

32. Evidence of Russia's currency collapse?: RUBLE RUBBLE

42. "Mister Ed" dot?: TITLE TITTLE

54. Final course in the Sahara?: DESERT DESSERT

Argyle here. No reveal Monday; not needed. Small nit; tittle is defined as a point or small sign used as a diacritical mark in writing or printing. MISTER ED doesn't use one; MR. ED does. Still fun.

Update: The dot on the lower-case "i" is also a tittle, at least according to some dictionaries.

Across:

1. Cartoonist Addams: "CHAS". Creator of The Addams Family.]

5. Sour substances: ACIDS

10. Parroted: APED

14. ___-poly: ROLY. May refer to: Link.

15. French painter of café scenes: MANET

16. Smallest American coin: DIME. Smallest in physical size.

17. Mil. no-show: AWOL. (Absence Without Leave)

18. "Fear of Flying" author Jong: ERICA. (1973 novel)

19. Herr's home: HAUS

23. Up until now: SO FAR

24. Timeline start: YEAR ONE

27. Play at the highest volume, as a radio: BLAST

31. Bravery award: MEDAL

37. Sch. in Charlottesville: UVA. (University of Virginia)

38. Words said with a nod: "I SEE"

39. Jeweled headpiece: TIARA

40. Stadium ticket designation: SEAT

41. Harbor puller: TUG

44. Bow and __: ARROW

46. Cotton thread: LISLE. A fine, high-twisted and hard-twisted cotton thread, at least two-ply, used for hosiery, gloves, etc.

47. Tortoni's cousin: SPUMONE

50. Pentathlon blades: EPEEs

58. B-movie safecracker: YEGG

60. Cheering noisily: AROAR

61. "Yes __?": ultimatum words: OR NO

62. Length times width: AREA

63. Infamous skater Harding: TONYA

64. Hall of Fame catcher Carlton: FISK. Nicknamed "Pudge" and "The Commander", Wiki Link.

65. Marries: WEDS

66. After-lunch sandwiches: OREOs

67. Lavish bash: FÊTE

Down:

1. Rude and crude: CRASS

2. Genre for do-it-yourselfers: HOW TO

3. Distant and cool: ALOOF

4. One of two in seven: SYLLABLE. The word, seven, is made up of two syllables.

5. Chorus from the pews: "AMEN"

6. Some "Wheel" prizes: CARS. You are better off on "The Price is Right" if you want a car.

7. "What's __ for me?": IN IT

8. Fake drake, say: DECOY

9. Opposite of fresh: STALE

10. Stick (to): ADHERE

11. Keyboard work for two: PIANO DUET

12. Rhea's Aussie relative: EMU

13. Hôtel __ Invalides: Paris landmark: DES

21. Author __ Stanley Gardner: ERLE. "Perry Mason"

22. Like a weak excuse: LAME

25. Part of USNA: NAVAL. (United States Naval Academy)

26. Make more than merry: ELATE

28. Intro-to-painting course: ART I

29. Exec's three-piece: SUIT

30. Little League precursor: T-BALL

32. Hayworth and Rudner: RITAs

33. Seize illegally: USURP

34. Gave reluctantly: BEGRUDGED

35. Matzo __: Jewish egg dish: BREI

36. Back muscles, in the gym: LATs. (lattismus dorsi)

40. Measures by pacing: STEPS OFF

42. Dance floor units: TWOs

43. Sights in la Méditerranée: ILEs. Here's a nice list of the îles de la mer Méditerranée to look over on those cold winter nights. List

45. Pricey watches: OMEGAs

48. "Gee, cool!": "NEATO!"

49. Mistake in the field: ERROR

51. Creepy: EERIE

52. Dadaist Max: ERNST. Road rage?

53. Tend to the flames: STOKE

55. Musical quality: TONE

56. Belafonte classic: DAY-O

57. Gaslight and Big Band: ERAs

58. Deviate from a course: YAW. (of a moving ship or aircraft) twist or oscillate about a vertical axis.

59. Before, in odes: ERE

Argyle

Sunday December 18, 2016 Ed Sessa

Theme:  "Hanging Around in the Dark" - Seven BATs are hanging upside down in a cave where  the down-hanging STALACTITE meets the upward STALAGMITE at E. 

2D. *Lots opposite : NOT A BIT. Crossing 18. Terrible turnout : NO ONE. Tiny dupe.

5D. *Be blessed by Lady Luck : GET A BREAK

13D. *Traveled to Europe, say : WENT ABROAD

38D. *Annual postseason game played in Arizona : FIESTA BOWL. Three *TA B* break pattern.

43D. *Go all in : BET A BUNDLE

73D. *"Sweet Love" R&B singer : ANITA BAKER

81D. *Middle Eastern staple : PITA BREAD

93D. Hangout for the Dark Knight, and for creatures in the answers to starred clues : BAT CAVE Symmetrically placed against 2D.

In the middle, we have:

20D. Rock formations that often meet in dark places, as illustrated here : STALACTITE TIMGALATS. Stalagmite goes upward.

If the middle E is not shared in 20D, the theme entries will be 20-letter long, impossible to be placed in the middle of a 21*21 grid. This is such a brilliant maneuver.

Ed is known for his always creative themes. No words that precede/follow type from him. Most of his puzzles have a unique twist. This one is good example.

Across:    

1. Disguised, for short : INCOG. Common gimmick in old Chinese novels. The emperors or other big shots often traveled incognito.

6. "I see" : AH SO

10. Pipe material : COB

13. Ham's response : WILCO

 

19. Spice holders : RACKS. I bet our Steve makes his own curry powder mixture/paste.

21. Yoko from Tokyo : ONO

22. Often harmful bacteria : E. COLI

23. Auto suspension component : STRUT. This is new to me.

24. Dresses down : CHASTISES

26. Type of air passage : NASAL

27. Like "Et tu, Brute?" : CAESAREAN. I use CESAREAN spelling.

29. Close : ALMOST THERE. What a great entry!

31. NYC dance company : ABT

32. Garden plot : BED

33. Explorer Ponce __ : DE LEON

35. Demagogue, e.g. : RANTER

36. Liquid measures : LITERS

38. Eponymous electrical units : FARADS. Got via crosses.

39. Tease : RIB

40. Decisive parts of some NFL games : OTs

41. Floor in la maison : ETAGE. Just French for "floor".

42. Color named for a flower : LILAC

43. Louts : BOORS

45. Space fillers? : GASSES. Fun clue.

47. Track official : TIMER. We just had "Kitchen counter" yesterday, hence the new clue angle.

50. __ nerve : OPTIC

54. Some audio books : CDs

57. Korean imports : KIAs

58. "Baseball is __ percent mental. The other half is physical": Yogi Berra : NINETY

59. Caribbean destination : ARUBA

60. Lascivious look : LEER. Not OGLE today.

62. '40s Giant manager : OTT

63. __ Sketch : ETCH-A

64. "Mercury" coins : DIMES

65. Where Tibet is : ASIA

66. U.S. global monitor : NSA. This gave me the N in SION (46. "The Da Vinci Code" priory).

67. Fried rice veggie : PEA. My grandma's version is very simple: green onions, egg and cold rice. Everything tastes better with green onions.

68. Hunk's pride : BOD. 79. Lacrosse position : GOALIE. Thought of our own goalie Splynter.

71. Young __: political reformer : TURK

72. Turtle of comics and film : NINJA

74. Mouthy munchkins : BRATS. Alliteration.

76. The Rams of the Atlantic 10 Conf. : URI (University of Rhode Island)

77. Author Wiesel : ELIE

78. Gather bit by bit : GLEAN. Saw this painting in Musée d'Orsay.

80. Half-moon tide : NEAP

82. Skin coloring, briefly? : TAT (Tattoo)

83. Raw fish dish : SUSHI.  I never had raw fish in sushi rolls. SASHIMI is for raw fish.

84. Capriciously, with "on" : A WHIM

85. Aphrodite's love : ADONIS

87. One way to sit : STILL

89. Clothing store section : GIRLS

91. Poitier title role : TIBBS (Mister). Also 86. Title in a Poitier title : SIR. Also  96. Fruit in a Poitier title : RAISIN. Fantastic clue echo.

95. Shapiro of NPR : ARI. "All Things Considered" host.

98. Consumed : ATE

99. "Oh gee" : DEAR ME

101. Big name in gaming : HARRAH. Oh now I see how Harrah's got its name. It's huge.

102. Strauss waltz subject : DANUBE

104. Portraitist Charles and his artist sons : PEALEs

105. Mars or Venus : ORB

106. Residential ending : ITE.  I guess it's like Wisconsinite.

107. Title awarded only once to a New Englander (Connecticut, 1933) : MISS AMERICA. Surprising trivia. See here. Minnesota has 3.

109. Last check, maybe : SEVERANCE. Also got via crosses. I was not in the money direction.

112. "Wicked Game" singer Chris : ISAAK

113. Shoulder neighbor : RIGHT LANE. Nice clue/fill also.

115. Knighted composer : ELGAR Sir Edward Elgar.

116. Hint of color : TINGE. Not TINCT.

117. DDE's VP : RMN. Nixon was/is high respected in China.

118. 122-Across user : SALON. 122. Lock fixers : GELs. Filled in without any hesitation. Advantage of being a constructor who has to clue GEL/GELS all the time.

119. Vibrant : ALIVE

120. Scornful look : SNEER

121. Distress letters : SOS. Look at what these folks went through. Can you imagine living without salt for a day?

123. Alice's workplace : DINER

Down:

1. Like architectural drawings : IN SCALE

3. Big name in civil rights : CORETTA. She'd be sad to see the estate fight.

4. Burden : ONUS

6. Like the flight of a boomerang : ARCED

7. "Very funny" : HA HA

8. Muckrakers' subjects : SCANDALS. Sparkly.

9. Thumbs-ups : OKs

10. "All that is or ever was or ever will be": Sagan : COSMOS

11. Result of a leadoff single : ONE ON

12. Order : BOSS. Oh, as in "Boss around".

14. Former TWA owner : ICAHN. I did not know this.

15. Get fewer votes than : LOSE TO

16. Red choice : CLARET

17. Edmonton skaters : OILERS

 

25. TV classic "__ Three Lives" : I LED

28. Court matter : RES. So glad we did not have Latin in school.

30. Little pigs, e.g. : TRIO

34. Hurler's stat : ERA

37. Future tweeter : EGG. This clue makes me smile.

 

39. 2016 FedExCup winner McIlroy : RORY

42. Trials for aspiring D.A.'s : LSATs

44. Lemon-lime drink : SPRITE

48. To be safe : IN CASE

49. "Doesn't do much for me" : MEH

51. Chaotic situation : TUMULT.  I saw TUMULTS the other day, D-Otto, You can't pluralize TUMULT, can you?

52. Spanish airline : IBERIA

53. Vampire's daybed : CASKET

54. Alarm sounds : CLANGS

55. Arnaz-Ball collaboration : DESILU

56. Fishing nets : SEINES

58. Sherpa, usually : NEPALI. They had a strike last year. Such a dangerous job.

61. Indian dignitaries : RAJAHs

69. Former Uh-Oh! cookies, now called Golden : OREOs. The fillings are different in China. Some has green tea cream.

70. Sigourney's "Gorillas in the Mist" role : DIAN. Guessable.

75. Stadium cheer : RAH

79. Strong wind : GALE

85. Marketing of pieces? : ARMS SALE. This "Piece/Pieces" clue gets me all the time.

88. Tabloid twosome : ITEM

90. Spleen : IRE

92. Earn : BRING IN

 

94. More diaphanous : SHEERER. Diaphanous is a new word to me.

95. Comes clean about : ADMITS

97. Half-baked : INSANE. I sent to Rich plenty of half-baked puzzles. Mostly SANE when I hit the Send button.

99. Condescends : DEIGNS

100. Per person : EACH

101. Charlemagne's domain: Abbr. : HRE

103. Grammar subject : USAGE. RetFizz, you were correct, C.C. stands for Chou Chin, Cantonese spelling of Zhouqin.

 

104. First-class : PRIMO

105. Places to raise dough : OVENS. I've been enjoying almond butter-stuffed apples lately.

108. Does as humans do? : ERRS

110. Carbon compound : ENOL

111. "__ want for Christmas ... " : ALL I.  Our high today is only -8, but warming up next week.

114. Fall behind : LAG

C.C.

Saturday, Dec 17th, 2016, David C. Duncan Dekker

Theme: DCDD

Words: 72 (Pangram~!)

Blocks: 31

  This is the second LA Times contribution from Mr. Dekker, his last being a Saturday grid back in April 2016.  That was also a pangram -  in fact, it was a double pangram, which I did not recognize at the time, but the phenomenon did not occur this time.  It was also April (of this year)  when we last had a pangram puzzle on a Saturday.  I was not hopeful at the start of this construction, but some really healthy WAGs and a few proper names that I knew outright were a big help; the crossings then allowed me to cruise through the second pass in short time.  Pretty pinwheel grid, with nothing longer than 8 letters;

14. Symbol on viola sheet music : ALTO CLEF

11. Quilting technique : APPLIQUE

35. Sleeveless smock : PINAFORE - I know what a pinafore is, since we used to have to wear either a red or blue one when playing team sports in schools and such - but I never really considered one to be a "sleeveless smock".  Then I went looking for an image - I like it, almost as much as a romper

Not the kind I wore

57. Message to a loser : GAME OVER

Help~! I've fallen and can't reach my wallet~!

ON credit W(c)ARD~!

ACROSS:

1. Bud holder : BEER KEG - was not sure which "Bud" we were looking at (see 4d.), but once the "EE" showed up, it became obvious

8. Horrified : AGHAST - threw it right in, and it counted~!

16. One who always finds himself over a barrel? : COOPER - the "avowal" (see 40d.) of one who makes barrels

17. Pessimistic sort : NAYSAYER

18. Take down : TOPPLE

19. Kitchen counter : TIMER

20. Ball : WAD - oops, not "ORB"

22. Guy : FELLA - my first thought, but was not sure if the "slang" was going to fly

23. "The Dukes of Hazzard" deputy : ENOS - I grew up on this show - had to get my weekly dose of the orange Dodge Challenger with the doors welded shut jumping over the inept sheriff's cruiser, or the local ravine with the bridge out, etc.; could have been another "Dukes" reference if 16a. was "COOTER"

24. __ Penh : PHNOM - knew it from reading books, but was not sure of the spelling exactly

26. Disorderly conduct : RIOT

27. Excitable toon canine : REN - I guessed the DOWN crossing ended in "R", and that helped remind me

28. Examines informally : QUIZZES

30. Who, in Quebec : QUI - Frawnche, all perps

31. Product of New Orleans : JAZZ - I was introduced to "rock-fusion jazz" and Mahavishnu Orchestra back when I was 16; here's my favorite song from them - the guitar might be a little harsh for some ears, but the drum intro is awesome....

Vital Transformation

32. Do : EXECUTE - with nothing filled in, "Do" as a clue is extremely vague; "Run" is another one

34. Little squirt : SPRITZ - SHRIMP, no, SPRITE, no SPRITZ - the literal spray of liquid

37. "Sure, why not" : "I GUESS."

38. Parti-colored : PIEBALD

40. Passed perfectly : ACED

41. So-so connection? : AND - so-AND-so

42. Process of elimination : REMOVAL

44. Links org. : PGA

47. Truck parts : CABS

49. "The Martian" star : DAMON

50. Links mounds : TEES - not the little wooden stick kind

51. Option for a return : eFILE - IRS type returns

53. Moses, for one : JEW

54. Reznor of Nine Inch Nails : TRENT - I knew this proper name, which helped

55. Destructive beetles : BORERS

59. Zealous : ARDENT

60. It can help with the healing process : ALOE VERA

61. Concluded one's case : RESTED - dah.  Went with CLOSED

62. Sooner or later : SOMEDAY

DOWN:

1. Kidding : BANTER

2. Seinfeld character who ordered the "big salad" : ELAINE

3. Word origin : ETYMON - doesn't look right, but I knew it was the right word

4. Romantic buds? : ROSES - see~?  Which "bud" is which~?

5. '80s Chrysler : K-CAR - I had one, a Plymouth Reliant, which my dad gave to me when the floor rusted out on my Subaru Brat; I ended up replacing the engine, then the transmission in the thing.  Not good.  Dodge/Chrysler have come a long way since then - I still have my Stratus with 293,640 miles on it, and now the newly purchased Grand Caravan

6. Cambridgeshire cathedral town : ELY

7. "Aw, shucks" : "GEE WHIZ~!"

8. Fake being : ACT - ooh~!  I put this in, and it worked~!  I pondered ETs, or something along the lines of an "alien" being - the noun, not the verb

9. "Oops!" evoker : GOOF

10. Optimistic sort : HOPER - one who "hopes"

12. Smash hits, often : SELLOUTS

13. Pacts : TREATIES

15. __ Ferdinand, whose assassination set off WWI : FRANZ

21. Nod : DOZE

24. At a loss : PUZZLED

25. Salma Hayek, by birth : MEXICAN - did not know this, but the crossings were in place

28. Doha is its capital : QATAR - oops, went with YEMEN - and a shout out to our Doc~!

29. Franklin Mint founder Joseph : SEGEL - only unknown, and the last "L" was an "R" first, so I did not get the 'ta-DA~!' until I reviewed the grid

31. Spinnaker relative : JIB - I knew this was a sail boat reference, but thought a spinnaker was a type of boat; here's a pic of a colorful spinnaker

Learned another new word; TWING

33. Jersey chew : CUD - Jersey as in cow; had the "D" from ACED

34. Elongated key : SPACE BAR 

36. Cards nickname : RED BIRDS - the St Louis Cardinals, if I am not mistaken

39. Key of Beethoven's Violin Concerto: Abbr. : D MAJ - the "A" was already in place, so I went right to "E MAJ", figuring "E" was the most likely of final letters for 38a.

40. Professions : AVOWALS

43. Homer's final character? : OMEGA - Homer the Greek poet, not Mr. Simpson; D'oh~!

44. Mad : PEEVED

45. Family subdivisions : GENERA - Yeah, GENUSI did not seem correct; Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species; can you tell me what I'm thinking of~? It's classified as Animalia/Arthropoda/Insecta/Odonata/ Libellulidae/Pachydiplax/Longipennis - phew~!

46. Off the mark : ASTRAY

48. Hard weather to deal with : SLEET - that would be rain in solid form; definitely 'harder'

50. Cache of cash, perhaps : TROVE - I had TR---, tried TRUST

52. Seaside glider : ERNE

54. Brim : TEEM

56. Norm: Abbr. : STD

58. Stock response? : MOO - More cow humor

Splynter

Friday, December 16, 2016, Gail Grabowski

Title: what's your P/L like?

The ever prolific Gail G. is back with a letter substitution puzzle with an added twist. Two word phrases beginning PO become words which start LO. Limiting her word choice to LO made this a wonderful challenge. How many could come up with 4 such phrases. Looking at a list with 1800 words which begin PO, I could not anything appealing aside from the 4 she chose. It ended up as a very straight forward solve working from corner to corner. Getting the theme early helped. Mileage may vary so let take a stroll together. No standout words but not any clunkers or cheater squares.

17A. "Don't waste your money on that pendant"? : LOCKET VETO (10). Pocket veto, It makes sene but i do not see it a real phrase.

23A. Spinner in a numbers game? : LOTTERY WHEEL (12). Pottery Wheel. Lottery wheel does seem more realistic.

51A. Hammock? : LOLLING PLACE (12). Polling Place. Yes this works too.

64A. Pruning ideology? : LOP CULTURE (10). Pop culture. A stretch.
And the reveal?

71A. Sport that hints at this puzzle's theme : POLO. Now you see it?

Across;

1. Bird that's a national symbol : KIWI. If you ever wondered WHY?

5. "Chasing Pavements" singer : ADELE.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwTMyjTNBM8

10. Party time, casually : B-DAY. Do you all have parties on your birthday?

14. Eddie __, detective involved in the actual "French Connection" : EGAN. Played by Gene Hackman in the movie.













15. Spring bloomer : TULIP.

16. Former constellation that included Vela (the sails) : ARGO. For all you stargazer. LINK.

19. Insulated cable : CORD.

20. Thorough investigation : PROBE.\ Is this real SCIENCE?

21. Opposite of bumpy : EVEN.

22. Pants part : KNEE.

26. Elaborate in design : ROCOCO. How many of you have listened to Firesign Theater's the adventures of Nick Danger and the evil Rocky Rococo?

29. It's heard in a herd : MOO. Cute clue

30. Online service option : CHAT.

31. Daring exploit : GEST. I ususaly see it with the spelling GESTE like Beau Geste..

35. One eschewing leather, perhaps : VEGAN. Love the esCHEWing got a vegan clue.

39. Satisfied sounds : AHS.

40. Pub pick : PALE ALE. IPA more likely.

42. Presidential nickname : ABE.

43. Long bout : SIEGE. a sudden experiencing of a physical or mental disorder
Synonyms access, bout, case, fit, seizure, attack, spell, turn

45. Start of something big? : MAXI. Nicely phrased though for some reason it may think of maxipad.

46. Quiets, in a way : OILS. Ahh, the squeaky part

47. Quirky : ODD.

49. Hills of Rome, e.g. : SEPTET. Seven: The seven hills are:
Aventine Hill (Latin, Aventinus; Italian, Aventino)
Caelian Hill (Cælius, Celio)
Capitoline Hill (Capitolinus, Campidoglio)
Esquiline Hill (Esquilinus, Esquilino)
Palatine Hill (Palatinus, Palatino)
Quirinal Hill (Quirinalis, Quirinale)
Viminal Hill (Viminalis, Viminale)

57. Beginning : AS OF.

58. Square figure : AREA. Cute again.

59. Early or late hr., depending : ONE A.M.

63. Go on : LAST.

66. Pulitzer-winning author James : AGEE. A regular here famous for The African Queen (1951) screen play and The Night of the Hunter (1955). Agee died in New York City on May 16, 1955. Three years later, in 1958, he was posthumously awarded a Pulitzer Prize for his novel A Death in the Family.

67. Sure-footed critters : ASSES.

68. Composer Khachaturian : ARAM. And now for a musical interlude---doe the music sound familiar?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqg3l3r_DRI   LINK

69. "What __ you thinking?" : WERE.

70. Not a hit, usually : B-SIDE.


Down:

1. Vegetation in underwater forests : KELP. The Beatles used this as their anthem when they became vegan. I bet the readers here could do better than THIS.

2. Aviation pioneer Sikorsky : IGOR. He moved to Connecticut and I had the pleasure of meeting him at my uncles house.

3. Chisholm Trail city : WACO.

4. Test pattern : INKBLOT. Another well clued fill.

5. U-verse provider : ATT.

6. Comforter : DUVET. French for DOWN.

7. Sorbonne student : ELEVE. French for student.

8. Large soda bottle label word : LITER. As in 2 or 3 liter size.

9. Henry Ford, e.g. : EPONYM. A fun word:a person after whom a discovery, invention, place, etc., is named or thought to be named: name or noun formed after a person.

10. Excavating aid : BACKHOE.Glad we had the lesson a few weeks ago.

11. Hive member : DRONE.

12. Think alike : AGREE.

13. Mountain air : YODEL. a fun LINK.

18. Fair-hiring agcy. : EEOC.

24. Draped garment : TOGA. Does everyone think of Animal House or the wonderful HBO series ROME, or PBS I, Claudius all well worth watching. You might have know all seven hills.

25. Zigzagged : WOVE.

26. Some TVs : RCAS.

27. Offhand greeting : OH HI.

28. Discounted buy : CASE. I guess he is referring to bulk buying,

32. Split-resistant wood : ELM. Elm wood is valued for its interlocking grain, and consequent resistance to splitting, with significant uses in wagon wheel hubs, chair seats and coffins. The bodies of Japanese Taiko drums are often cut from the wood of old elm trees, as the wood's resistance to splitting is highly desired for nailing the skins to them, and a set of three or more is often cut from the same tree. Wiki.  Oo and I watched the drummers live, they are awesome.

33. See 61-Down : SEA. 61D, With  33-Down, part of it is now a desert : ARAL.

34. Stress : TAX. Don't tax yourself.

36. Trot, say : GAIT.

37. Skilled : ABLE.

38. Source of tweets : NEST.

40. Beginning to cure? : PEDI. Nicely done.

41. When repeated, Cult Jam singer : LISA.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5m8lj5DCtI  LINK.

44. Driver's gadget : GOLF TEE.

46. Source of flowing water : OPEN TAP.

48. "CSI" setting : DNA LAB. It was much more than that.

50. Sci. concerned with biodiversity : ECOLolgy.

51. Multiple Emmy-winning legal drama : LA LAW.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7R6ycC_s1g

52. Missouri river : OSAGE.

53. Usually disappointed one : LOSER.

54. Sales figure : GROSS.

55. Side in a decades-long war : PEPSI. The inside STORY.

56. Tied : LACED. Shoes not sports.

60. Peseta replacer : EURO.

62. Exec's reminder : MEMO.

65. Purpose : USE.

Well there you have a bunch of really fun clues and a tight theme. Only 9 shopping days left and accept all gifts from all religious constructs.  It is fun, Lemonade out. thanks Gail and of you who read, and especially those who write, even the foolish attacking trolls who hide behind anonymity. We have some great people to know if you open up.