Saturday, July 27, 2019, Craig Stowe

Saturday Themeless Puzzle by Craig Stowe

Today celebrates the completion of the first permanent transatlantic cable on July 27, 1866. It connected Valentia Island, Ireland, to Heart's Content, Newfoundland and while it's not a trip to the moon like last week, at the time it was a transformational accomplishment. Communication with Europe was reduced from ten days each way to a matter of minutes.

As fate would have it, today's constructor is a resident of a small Newfoundland town - Craig Stowe. He is a kitchen porter in a rather large hotel and says he solves and constructs crosswords in his spare time. This construction with two sets of triple 10-letter horizontal stacks and two sets of triple 8-letter vertical stacks yields an impressive 99 open squares.

Now in this age of instant communications let's see what Craig has for us:

Across:

1. Ostentatious suburban pads: MCMANSIONS - Nouveau riche? 

11. Dry riverbed: WADI.

15. View from Muscat: ARABIAN SEA - This capital of Oman looks out to where the Gulf of Oman opens to the ARABIAN SEA

16. Benjamin's value: ONE C - $100 or a C-NOTE


17. Prickly plants: ROSE BUSHES - If you have ROSE BUSHES, you know about Japanese Beetles 

18. This, in Taxco: ESTA  - ESTA foto muestra muchos escarabajos (This picture shows a lot of beetles)
19. __-cone: SNO.

20. Schubert vocal compositions: LIEDER - a typically 19th-century German art song characterized by the setting of a poem Gee, I'd love to hear one!

22. Benign cyst: WEN - Google if you must

23. A detective may follow one: HUNCH - What family "knew that it was much more than a HUNCH"

26. Earth __: DAY.

27. Boom box button: EJECT 

29. Mitigate: ASSUAGE - Churchill nearly met with Hitler in 1932 (correction) to ASSUAGE Germany's grievances over the Treaty of Versalles 

31. What inspiration can come in: SPURTS.

32. Make oneself heard clearly: PROJECT - One way to help those that can't PROJECT their voice is shown below. Then she can ask 57. "Was __ loud?": I TOO.

35. Old portico: STOA - This old cwd friend won't score many Scrabble points

36. Advice from a cohort in crime: STICK TO THE STORY - Let's get our lies coordinated 

40. Charlie's fourth wife: OONA - When 18-yr-old OONA married 54-yr-old Charlie Chaplin, OONA's father, playwright Eugene O'Neill, disowned her

41. Basque, e.g.: IBERIAN - The Basque language is spoken on the IBERIAN peninsula and France 

42. Invite with a wave: BECKON - Ah, a universal language

44. They might be gross: INCOMES.

48. Old number?: ETHER - Oh Craig, that silent B didn't get me nor did I bite on 33. Nice (France) when it's hot?: ETE nor 34. Present day?: CHRISTMAS - The noun rather than the adjective 

49. Mil. academy: OCS - Fort Benning, GA produced 7,000 officers annually from its Officer Candidate School during the height of the Vietnam War

51. Hindu title: SWAMI - Put in a penny, ask a yes or no question and pull the red handle

52. Dispute: ROW - Rou not roh

53. Offer unwanted advice: KIBITZ - Anyone else get unwanted advice when parking a car?

56. Formerly: NEE.

59. Spreading throughout: PERMEATING.

62. Usual: NORM.

63. "The Ballad of Reading Gaol" poet: OSCAR WILDE - WILDE was in Gaol (jail) for "gross indecency' and so when he wrote the poem about his horrible time there, he did not use his name at first but rather used C.3.3. (cell block C, level 3, cell three)

64. Beauts: GEMS.

65. Ski resort offering: SEASON PASS.


Down:

1. "'Night, Mother" playwright Norman: MARSHA - The play begins with Jesse calmly telling her mother she is going to kill herself that night.

2. Zeus' father: CRONUS - The family tree

3. Layers of stone: MASONS - The artisans not the course

4. White House nickname: ABE 

5. Bill: NIB.

6. King anointed by Samuel: SAUL - Print it out and color it if you like

7. Traitorous crime: INSIDE JOB - In Goodfellas, the Lufthansa heist was an INSIDE JOB

8. Irish actor Milo: O'SHEA - Milo and Henry Fonda's daughter in Barbarella 

9. Poor: NEEDY.

10. Ed.'s requirement: SASE - When you submit work to an Ed(itor), they want a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope included say they can send you their judgment 

11. Distress: WOE.

12. Work under: ANSWER TO.

13. Smoke __: DETECTOR - Why do smoke DETECTOR with bad batteries usually start beeping at 2 am? 14. "Who knows": I CAN'T SAY.

21. Street cred: REP - If you get dissed and don't retaliate your REP could take a hit

24. Honeybunch: CUPCAKE - Ahhh... 

25. "Listen!": HARK - "HARK, you Guildenstern — and you too (Rosencrantz); at each ear a hearer." In essence, Hamlet is saying, "Listen! Someone is coming!"

28. A moment ago: JUST NOW.

30. Arrived: GOT IN - Granddaughter's plane GOT IN at 11 pm from NYC last night and Papa was there to pick her up! It's a 36. Eliciting thoughtfulness: SOBERING thought that she is now 21

31. Often-ornamental vessel: STEIN  - A perfect one for last Saturday. I'm tempted to order one.

37. In direct confrontation: TOE TO TOE - When these two went TOE-TO-TOE in 45. Capital on Luzon: MANILA, some called it "sanctioned manslaughter" as neither fighter was the same afterwards 

38. Caterpillar also called a looper: INCH WORM - A lovely song from my yut

39. Most bunts, briefly: SACS - Hitters can be called on to bunt to get a runner from 1st to 2nd or 2nd to 3rd when they are put out

43. TV planet: ORK.

46. Fixes, as text: EMENDS - Here ya go on Amend/EMEND

To amend is (1) to change for the better, (2) to put right, or (3) to alter by adding. The word’s corresponding noun is amendment. 

Emend means to improve by editing (especially a text). Its corresponding noun is emendation. Emend is rare because it’s mainly confined to contexts related to professional writing and editing.

47. Lengthy campaigns: SIEGES - After a long SIEGE, the rebels at Vicksburg, MS surrendered to the Grant on July 4, 1863. They did not celebrate Independence Day for many decades afterward

49. Corpulent: OBESE.

50. Uncertain dating word: CIRCA - The oldest remaining residence in our town was built CIRCA 1865

54. Uber and Lyft had them in 2019: IPO'S - Initial Public OfferingS

55. Cipher: ZERO - Nil, Nada, Zip, Naught

58. Mantra chants: OMS.

60. Barley bristle: AWN - Another cwd friend in for a visit

61. Tri-__: TIP - The aptly named cut of beef and from whence it cometh 

How we have progressed! Last year I was able to make a face-to-face call from my house to my granddaughter's house in Grenoble, France any time I wanted to. A long way from ships or a cable. Feel free to use your technology to comment on Craig's Saturday offering. 

Friday, July 26, 2019, Joe Schewe

Title: There is no "I" in "team" or this theme.

Joe is back for his fifth LAT publication, his first Friday and second 2019 publication. The concept is simple - remove the letter "I" from the first word of a two word in the language phrase and then clue the result for maximum humor. The icing on the Friday cake is the puzzle has both the puns created by removing the letter and a punderful reveal - 63A. Minimal red-removing amount ... and a phonetic hint to four long answers: ONE EYE DROP (10). So you drop one "I" to get the theme. The puzzle is a bit of an homage to our dear editor, who penned this Sunday Puzzle back in 2000.

There is some fun fill such as AMHERST, CISTERN, ELECTEE, MANATEE, OPEN-AIR, RENT OUT, SO AND SO, SOCKETS, TEENAGE, and UNDERGO. Nothing else new to the puzzle world, so let's get on with it. (BTW this is my Friday, we do every other- Lemonade).

17A. Airline category for hombres?: SEÑOR CLASS (10). The "I" disappears from the Senior Class which airlines still mention but no longer discount.

25A. Run in prison?: CON OPERATED (11). Here the I in "COIN" leaves.

37A. Sculptor, at times?: NOSE MAKER (9). This missing I made for the most amusing fill for me. Noise to Nose - very cute.

53A. VIP at royal banquets?: CHEF OF STATE (11).

And since I already gave the reveal, on to the rest.

Across:

1. Promotional giveaways: COMPS. COMPlimentaryS. Freebies.

6. Hard-to-sell wheels: HEAP. I believe it signifies a car ready for the scrap HEAP.

10. Muscles in a flex-off: PECS. Pectorals - chests.

14. Illusory pictures: OP-ART. Optical.

15. __ rug: AREA.

16. Mélange: OLIO. A favorite C.C. word.

19. Colorado's __ Verde National Park: MESA. Go see it. The LINK.

20. It's as low as it gets: NADIR. Apogee is the highest point.

21. Handy bag: TOTE.

23. USPS delivery: CTN. An abbreviation for a carton.

24. Fast no more: EAT.

28. Battle (for): VIE.  Old French: to challenge, provoke from the Latin invītāre to entertain, invite.

29. Menlo Park, N.J., notable: TAE. Thomas Alva Edison.

30. Surgical tools: LASERS. I had YAG laser capsulotomy after my cataract surgery.

31. Bellicose god: ARES.  Clearly not an airhead. MYTHOLOGY

33. "__ the night before ... ": TWAS. And all through the blog...

36. Gregg user: STENO. Gregg is a system of shorthand used by many secretaries including all of the ones I employed when I practiced law.  Or a stenographer is a person who makes a written verbatim record using a unique shortened writing style called “steno” on a steno machine.

40. Old Nick: SATAN. Yes, the coach of Alabama football.

43. Massachusetts Bay city: LYNN. Was this a Natick for you?

44. "Little we see in Nature that is __": Wordsworth: OURS.
LINK.

48. Code of silence: OMERTA. Sicilian.



50. Freight weight: TON.

52. Born, in Bordeaux: NEE. Just French that used universally for the birth name of a woman.

56. Chain letters?: DNA. Cute clue; it has been a while since I received a chain letter, though I see many attempts on Facebook.

57. Author Kesey: KEN. And LSD pioneer. He is most famous for ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST. It reminds me of orange sunshine and purple owsleys.

58. Piece of farm equipment: PLOW?

59. Limited message: TWEET. Nope, I am not falling into that trap.

61. Historic periods: ERAS.

66. USAF NCO: TSGT. "TSgt" in informal parlance, is the sixth enlisted rank (pay grade E-6) in the U.S. Air Force, just above staff sergeant and below master sergeant.

67. Gray's subj.: ANATomy.

68. Uninterrupted movement: SEGUE. Seg-way in its Italian root form.

69. Bit of choreography: STEP.

70. Youngster: TYKE. Etymology: 14th Century: from Old Norse tīk meaning bitch. What?

71. Govt. security: T-NOTE.

Down:

1. NYSE listings: COS. Companies.

2. Like outdoor theaters: OPEN AIR.

3. Dugong relative: MANATEE. Both manatees and dugongs, nicknamed "sea cows", are slow-moving herbivorous (mostly) marine mammals that belong to the Sirenian animal order.

4. Encourage: PROD. That is harsh. Probably a parent who is...

5. Rigid: STRICT.

6. Actor Holbrook: HAL. A wonderful actor who is famous for his portrayal of Mark Twain who is still with us as a 94-year-old.

                                                                 LINK

7. Sister of Euterpe: ERATO. The Nine Muses were: Clio, Euterpe, Thalia, Melpomeni, Terpsichore, Erato, Polymnia, Ourania, and Calliope. The word museum also comes from the Greek Muses.

8. Writer with lessons: AESOP. A fabulous answer.

9. Soft shade: PASTEL.

10. Little dog: POMeranian.

11. Winner at the polls: ELECTEE. I do hate the EE words.

12. Water storage tank: CISTERN. A fun word.

13. Blankety-blank type: SO AND SO. A wonderful fill, usually dirty so and so.

18. Certain Slavs: CROATS.

22. Clear: ERASE.

24. Girl rescued by Uncle Tom: EVA. Uncle Tom's Cabin

26. Staircase post: NEWEL.

27. Member of MLB's 2017 champions: ASTRO. Watch the series.

32. 24-Across greedily: SNARF. An odd word. They suggest it either comes from the sound one makes eating quickly, or from its cousin scarf and snack combined.

34. Acker of "The Gifted": AMY. LINK.

35. Nick working at night?: SANTA. A little Nickolodeon reference.

38. Good way to go out: ON TOP.

39. __ pine: KNOTTY. My childhood bedroom was knotty pine panels.

40. Light bulb holders: SOCKETS.

41. UMass town whose third letter isn't pronounced: AMHERST. I know many who say the "H" but they are wrong.

42. Like many new drivers: TEENAGE.

45. Experience: UNDERGO.

46. Charge to occupy: RENT OUT.

47. Red or Black: SEA.

49. Financially sound: AFLOAT.

51. Having collected the least dust: NEWEST. Meh.

54. Corleone brother: SONNY.

55. Fine-tune: TWEAK. Miley Cyrus?

60. Fall locale: EDEN. Wonderful misdirection, fall from grace the garden of Eden.

62. Indy letters: STP.

64. Automne follows it: ETE. En Francais.

65. Protest leader?: PEE. Urine charge of this clue CED.

I hope you all enjoyed your morning Joe. I did and maybe Joe will stop by and say hello and tell us a story. See you all in August. Lemonade out.

Thursday, July 25th, 2019 Paul Coulter

Theme Clean Sweep - all the theme entries are phrases containing the name of a detergent, to wit:

17A. Detergent sold around Yankee Stadium?: BRONX CHEER. Hopefully none aimed at this puzzle.

27A. Jingle for a detergent ad?: SURF MUSIC. What better excuse for a summer blast with the Beach Boys from 1963?

38a. Detergent for fishing equipment?: NET GAIN

47A. Directors in charge of a detergent?: DASHBOARD. The outlier regarding the theme. One word, not two.

63A. Detergent for seasonal cleaning?: SPRING TIDE. Quickly - which tide is higher, the spring or the neap?


So, I have to say I found this a struggle, the center section especially. I stared it down eventually, but it really was a challenge, so kudos to Paul for the assignment. The cluing was tough, but there were a couple of entries which were, to my mind, so obscure to be worthy of my new acronym SNOE (Said No-One, Ever). We'll come to those in due course.

That being said, the theme was fun, and some nice long downs to tie things together. Let's go and explore:

Across:

1. Diet food phrase: NO-FAT. Heavens. What a horrible idea! I look at the fat content of everything I eat, but no fat? No flavor.

6. Puny pencil: STUB

10. __ gin fizz: SLOE. I used to make sloe gin back in the UK. You pick a basket of sloe berries in the winter, prick them all over with a needle (takes a while!) and infuse them with a couple of pints of gin or more. A few weeks later you uncork the bottles and yay! Sloe Gin!

14. Ancient market: AGORA

15. Long Island Iced Tea coloring provider: COLA. I tried COKE first against my better instincts.

16. Double-decker checker: KING. Checkers. Two makes a king. Is it three that makes a queen?

19. Village People megahit: YMCA. I saw them perform at Dodger Stadium on a July 4th after the game. They still had it!

20. Good to go: SET

21. Put up: HOUSE. Soft "S" if you're wondering.

22. Fell off: EBBED

23. Title characters, typically: LEADS. As in actors.

25. Tetris shape: ELL. I've seen Tetris, never played it. I can see how it could get addictive.

26. Chicken __: KIEV. Food! A classic recipe - chicken breast stuffed with parsley, garlic and butter and fried in breadcrumbs. Certainly not NO-FAT. We should be less sniffy about the "old school" food, this one is delicious. Just don't eat it every day.

33. Stuck, with "down": BOGGED

35. Game official: REF

36. Mediterranean tourist site: ETNA. Yay! A clue that doesn't talk about Sicily or "spewer".

37. "Go team!": RAH!

41. Same old routine: RUT

42. __ sax: ALTO

44. Charge: FEE

45. Large sea ducks: EIDERS. Those of the popular "down". I hope we leave them alone now and use synthetic breast feathers. I don't need to be kept warm that badly.

50. Junior prom attendee: TEEN. Isn't a senior prom attendee a teen too? I've never been to a prom, but aren't seniors teens too?

51. G.I. chow: M.R.E. Meals, Ready to Eat. Also "Meals Rarely Enjoyed" or "Meals Rejected by the Enemy".

52. "Snowy" bird: EGRET

54. No-sweat class: EASY "A"

57. Copier of old: MIMEO. I tried XEROX first against all common sense. I circled around this puzzle for quite a while filling in odds and ends here and there. This mis-step didn't help.

59. Member of the fam: SIB. Ling.

62. Quickly down: CHUG

65. Kon-Tiki Museum city: OSLO. I do want to go to Oslo, just so I can visit the crossword museums - the Nobel library, the Kon-Tiki museum, I think there are a couple of other destinations too.

66. Acorn droppers: OAKS

67. Three on a par-five, say: EAGLE. Golf, two under par. Or "Turkey Eagle" if you watch the ads for State Farm Insurance with Ricky Fowler. He's a funny chap, on a par with Peyton Manning in the celebrity commercial actor stakes.

68. Hard on the ears: LOUD

69. Military outpost: BASE

70. Composition for nine: NONET. Playing a nice-piece on a tightrope? No Net.

Down:

1. Bags: NABS

2. Fantasy brute: OGRE

3. Stage illumination: FOOTLIGHTS. This was fun, I noodled around with FLOODLIGHT, SPOTLIGHTS and others before the crosses started to help me out. I was an electrician with an amateur theatre company in London and lit a lot of productions. I blew myself off my stool in the lighting booth once when my cunningly-rigged stage telephone shorted out the lighting board mid-performance (it was a dress rehearsal, so no harm done). My hair was only slightly singed. Don't mess around with 220 volts and 30 amps. I picked myself up off the floor. I only missed one lighting cue as I patted myself on the back. There was a funny smell in the lighting booth for a few days, I think it was my charred hair.

4. Prince Valiant's son: ARN. Why did I think this was HAL?

5. Many an offshore bank account: TAX HAVEN

6. Go downhill fast: SCHUSS. The tuck position. If you're watching the Tour de France, watch tomorrow's stage 19 in the Alps, and watch the riders schuss on the downhills. They are crazy, I've come off a bike at around 25 MPH and it hurts. These guys are doing around 50.

7. __ the line: TOES

8. Film beekeeper: ULEE

9. Keep out: BAR

10. Color named for a natural phenomenon: SKY BLUE

11. Spot for a nest: LIMB. There are sparrows nesting in a street sign outside my door right now. Two chicks have been born. A lot safer inside a steel street sign than perched on a tree branch.

12. A while back: ONCE

13. "Good grief!": EGAD!

18. Atlantic catch: COD. A great fish, now slowly recovering from the over-fishing of the 70's and 80's. The UK and Iceland went to a "soft" war over the fishing grounds in the North Atlantic. A couple of warning shots were fired by British frigates in the so-called "Cod Wars".

22. Stately tree: ELM I had OAK first until 66A put paid to that idea.

24. Brain scan, for short: EEG. I need to consign the difference between EKG, ECG and EEG to memory. That one letter in the middle held me up for a long time

25. __ White, Jennifer Hudson's role in the film "Dreamgirls": EFFIE. Thank you crosses, I saw and enjoyed the movie, but the name escaped me.

26. Fluffy-eared critter: KOALA. I was trying to think of the fluffy guys in the movie who turn nasty (when they get wet?). Then I saw the light. I still can't remember what they were called, and a Google search "movie critters who get wet" doesn't help.

28. Pushy type: URGER. SNOE. First one.

29. "V for Vendetta" actor Stephen: REA

30. It may have an arrow: STREET SIGN

31. Store, as ashes: INURN. Quicky following on from 28D. My second SNOE of the day.

32. Title pets in a Lilian Jackson Braun mystery series: CATS. Have you seen the trailer for the new CATS movie? It's so creepy I had nightmares. Two questions - why does Helen Mirren's character wear a fur coat, when she's got fur underneath? And - why do the female cats have boobs? We should be told.

33. Thin nail: BRAD

34. "Moll Flanders" novelist: DEFOE. A lot of deep digging in the memory banks for this one.

39. Cause of a brewed awakening?: TEA. I get the wordplay here, but I think this is a stretch, even for a tea-drinker like me.

40. Ammonia component: NITROGEN

43. "Heavens!": OH MY GOD!

46. Snider of Twisted Sister: DEE. A great band who became popular in the 1980's. Go search for them on YouTube, you'll find some entertaining videos on there.

48. Sports __: BRA. In my youth I sang a version of "Rawhide" that was amusing to my ears: "Round 'em up, move 'em in, head 'em up, squash 'em down ... Sports Bra!". You have to understand I was young and foolish :)

49. End: DEMISE

53. High-ranking off.: GEN. General. Don't watch the commercials, they are all terrible.

54. Earth Day subj.: ECOL. ogy.

55. "Understood": AH, SO! SNOE, unless they are playing a cod Chinese character in a terrible movie.

56. "Mr." on a sci-fi bridge: SULU. Star Trek chap. I'm pretty sure he never said "Ah, So, Captain". I might be wrong, but somehow I doubt it.

57. Film-rating org.: M.P.A.A. The Motion Picture Association of America. I read an article recently about the British equivalent, and what now informs their ratings. I'd risk upsetting the mild-mannered amongst our Cornerites if I was too detailed, but apparently some "things" no longer consign your movie to the 18+ category as long as they inform the story.

58. Bothers: IRKS

60. Like much chitchat: IDLE. Isn't all chitchat idle? I thought that was the definition.

61. Borscht vegetable: BEET

63. Blubber: SOB

64. Confucian path: TAO

And ... we get to the grid after a long and winding road. Hope you had fun with Paul's puzzle.

Steve

Wednesday, July 24 2019, Howard Barkin & Sam Buchbinder

Theme: BAG OF TRICKS. Circles seem to be dominating the Wednesday puzzles. In this one, the circled letters are unscrambled to reveal a different type of BAG.

17. Target of campaign finance laws: SUPER PAC. PAPER BAG. A Super PAC is a Political Action Committee that may raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions, associations and individuals, then spend unlimited sums to overtly advocate for or against political candidates. As for bags, there seems to be great debate over which is better for the environment, paper or plastic.

22. 19th-century education reformer: HORACE MANN. CAMERA BAG. According to Wikipedia, "A central theme of [Mann's] life was that 'it is the law of our nature to desire happiness.'"

34. Like a momentous event: EARTH SHATTERING. TRASH BAG. Pretty grid-spanner, right in the center.

43. Dawg and bae, e.g.: SLANG TERMS. GARMENT BAG.

54. Some of this, some of that ... and a hint to the circled squares: MIXED BAG.

Melissa here. Sam Buchbinder has appeared twice before at the corner, as a solo effort - this appears to be his first collaboration. Our dear Santa blogged this clever puzzle from Sam back in 2016. So scrabbly with *three* X's, a J, K, and Z, it's an F, Q, and V short of a pangram.

Across:

1. King canine: CUJO. Book about a 200-lb St. Bernard, diseased from a bat bite. Also a movie.

5. "The Good Wife" and "The Good Fight" network: CBS.

8. Isn't honest with: LIES TO.

14. "Moby-Dick" captain: AHAB. Not the same Ahab, but that name always makes me think of the Ray Stevens tune, "And, every evenin', about midnight, he'd jump on his camel named Clyde, and ride." The song reached number 5 on the Billboard top 40 during July 1962. Stevens has said that Clyde the camel was named after rhythm-and-blues singer Clyde McPhatter, formerly the lead singer of The Drifters. There have been a number of covers, as recent as 2007. As Stevens said, the song is more than 50 years old, but that does not mean it goes over well in today's society.

15. 14-Across' yes: AYE. An expression of compliance, especially used by seamen.

16. In a fog: ADDLED.

19. Fast-food toy giveaways, typically: TIE INS.

20. Himalayan of legend: THE YETI. Did not expect the "THE" lead-in - tricky.

21. Jazz dance: STOMP. Fun!

25. Bit of election season ugliness: SMEAR.

28. In order (to): SO AS.

29. Cry bitterly: SOB.

31. Travels like a shark: SWIMS.

32. Chocolate-and-toffee bar: SKOR.

33. __ vera: ALOE.

37. Short holiday?: XMAS. Cute.

38. Bad reviews: PANS.

39. Network connections: NODES.

40. Facial spasm: TIC.

41. Set to the same time, say: SYNC.

42. Hill helpers: AIDES. My first thought was ANTS.

46. "Gilmore Girls" matriarch: EMILY. Memorable character played by actress Kelly Bishop.

47. Spirals: HELIXES.

52. Hampton Inn rival: RAMADA.

55. Flares up: BLAZES.

56. Deux divided by two: UNE. French.

57. TV drama that begins with the crash of Oceanic Flight 815: LOST.

58. Philly team: SIXERS.

59. Deux, across the Pyrenees: DOS. Spanish. "The Pyrenees region encompasses areas from the Kingdom of Spain, the Republic of France and the Principality of Andorra. It is also linguistically heterogeneous. In addition to the official state languages Spanish and French, Basque, Aragonese, Catalan and Occitan are spoken."

60. Callers' links to specific depts.: EXTS. Phone extensions.

Down:

1. Support after a bad break?: CAST.

2. "Nope": UHUH. Depends on how it's parsed, I suppose. U-HUH would be yes, UH-UH would be no.

3. Mocking remark: JAPE. Unusual word.

4. Follow the leader: OBEY.

5. Hostage taker: CAPTOR.

6. Via plane: BY AIR.

7. "Just a __!": SEC.

8. Barista's decoration: LATTE ART.

9. They're not meant literally: IDIOMS.

10. Plant swelling: EDEMA. I did not know that plants could get edema.

11. Wham-O summer lawn toy that needs water: SLIP N SLIDE.

12. Base __: TEN. The decimal system. Because "dec" means 10, it uses the 10 digits from 0 to 9.

13. Pigs out (on), for short: ODS. Overdoses.

18. Go over once more: REHASH.

21. Hurries: SCOOTS.

23. With skepticism: ASKANCE.

24. "It's __ fault": NO ONE'S.

25. Hindu religious leaders: SWAMIS.

26. Medicine man in "The Princess Bride": MIRACLE MAX.

27. CPR providers: EMTS. Emergency Medical Technicians.

30. Asks for a treat, dog-style: BEGS.

31. Risquè message: SEXT.

32. Lean-to relative: SHANTY.

33. J.Lo's fiancè: AROD.

35. Sailor's telescope: SPYGLASS. Another maritime reference.

36. Strand, as in "57-Across": ENISLE.

41. Twisted Sister frontman Dee: SNIDER.

42. Some green cards?: AMEXES.

44. Elicit oohs and aahs: AMAZE.

45. Animal whose full name is from the Greek for "nose-horned": RHINO.

48. Not doing much: IDLE.

49. GameCube rival: XBOX.

50. Dawn direction: EAST.

51. LAPD ranks: SGTS.

52. TD scorers: RBS. Running backs.

53. Boxer Laila: ALI.

54. Sludge: MUD.

Tuesday July 23, 2019 Bruce Haight

 Theme: MADE R E PAIRS (61A. Fixed things ... or, in four parts, what you've done when filling in 18-, 26-, 37- and 52-Across?) - Each theme entry is in the pattern of R* E*.

18. Realm first led by Augustus: ROMAN EMPIRE.

26. Result named for expanding circles from a rock tossed into a pond: RIPPLE EFFECT.

37. Did something a bit shocking: RAISED EYEBROWS. This is a 16*15 grid.

52. Hobnobbed (with): RUBBED ELBOWS.

Boomer here, filling in for Hahtoolah, who's traveling.

If you find you are having trouble with this puzzle just RE do it. Great to be back again. Church is having a garage sale and I was happy to donate some stuff.  Now I can park in my garage without having to worry about whether I can get the van doors open.

Across:

1. Losing streaks: SLUMPS.  Twins have a guy named Sano who is a slump engineer.

7. Payroll dept. IDs: SSNS. I would not give this to anyone.  Last 4 is okay, but now the VA asks once in awhile for the whole thing.  I don't refuse because I need whatever I went there for.  But don't give it to Equifax.

11. "Jay Leno's Garage" airer: CNBC.  I used to like Leno on the Tonight show, but this effort is so so.

15. "Rock the __": hit song for The Clash: CASBAH.

16. "All right, sure": OH OK.

17. Like some company softball teams: CO-ED.

20. Fibber: LIAR.  Pants on fire

21. "How sweet __!": IT IS.  Jackie Gleason made it famous.  He was a terrible bowler though.

22. Carry with effort: HAUL.  Or if you have to do it yourself, rent a U-HAUL. 

23. Take forcibly (from): WREST.  You may end up wrestling.

25. ISP that includes Bing: MSN.  We have MSN but I never saw Mr. Crosby.

29. Litter box visitors: PET CATS.  We have no pets, but judging by TV and Internet ads, selling pet food must be a billion dollar industry.

31. Biblical boat: ARK.  I once played Noah in a play at an all girls school, Regina H.S. in Minneapolis.  There were only two guys in the play. God was from De La Salle.  The play was Noye's Fludde by Benjamin Britten.  Guess he never took spelling.

32. Head across the Atlantic?: LOO.  Skip to my ____.

33. "I wonder ... ": HMM. "And I can't help but wonder where I'm bound, where I'm bound..."  Here is my rendition.

34. Mos. and mos.: YRS.

36. Carton sealer: TAPE. A famous product from 3M in my home state.

42. Price to pay: COST.

43. Put to good __: USE.  Lately, due to lack of strikes, I need to put my plastic spare ball to good USE.

44. Tractor-trailer: RIG.  Careful where you park it in Florida.  Alligators may get you.

45. "Eww!": UGH.

46. Nourished: FED.  Sure is a lot of three letter answers.

48. "Can't argue with that!": NO DOUBT.

56. St. Patrick's Day mo.: MAR.  March 17 to be exact.  Many Irish in St. Paul hit the famous Irish pubs and lift a glass to good old St. Pat.  I was in Chicago once on March 17 and the festivities seemed to equal that of Minnesota.

57. "My Fair Lady" lady: ELIZA. Ms. Doolittle.

58. God with a bow: EROS.  I don't think he was from De La Salle.

59. Nimble: SPRY.

60. "Check it out!": LOOK. Also a famous magazine.  I have not seen one for awhile.

64. Youngest Brontë sibling: ANNE.  Charlotte was the oldest and lived the longest.  Anne died at age 29.

65. Rim: EDGE.  Ford's smaller SUV.  I once had an Explorer, but now it seems that model is trying to compete with a Navigator.  I have been searching the web, but all I get now is a ton of car dealer ads while I play Solitaire.

66. Rue: REGRET.  For a few days we regretted having CenturyLink as our ISP provider.  Things are okay for now.  We are just wondering if we might get a credit on our bill.  Or at least a "WE'RE SORRY"!

67. Garden planting areas: BEDS.  Ours are doing fine in the summer heat.  But the weeds seem to be doing as well as the flowers.

68. Watermelon bit: SEED.  We get seedless from Aldi.  But they do have little tiny seeds that tend to get caught in my dentures.  (Dentures is a new name for false teeth, for those of you who remember years gone by.)

69. Goes over the posted limit: SPEEDS.  Not me!!  It will raise hell with your insurance rates.

Down:

1. Keep to a tight budget: SCRIMP.  Always.  I never pay over $35.00 for a round of golf.

2. Taoism founder: LAO TSE.

3. Govt. moneymaker: US MINT.  I used to love the statehood quarters but now they seem to overwhelm the market with clever coins. I have a few Westward Journey nickels, and some Sacagawea golden dollars.  I also collected silver proof sets from 1999-2008 (Statehood Quarters) but I don't chase coins anymore.  Too Many.   

4. CFOs' degrees: MBAS.  Twins have Max Kepler - Master Batting Average Slugger.

5. Sautéing vessel: PAN.  Also, Peter's last name.

6. Complaint to Mom after a sister's slap: SHE HIT ME.  Then Hit her back !!

7. Absorb: SOP UP.

8. Swindle decoy: SHILL.  Minnesota State Fair Midway is coming soon.  Maybe they are not all shills, but there are some questionable games.

9. Neighbor of Den.: NOR. I have no Danish ancestors, but a few Norwegian, Yah sure.

10. Barbecue rod: SKEWER.

11. Staff symbol in viola music: C CLEF.

12. Ordinance that sets quiet hours: NOISE LAW. We REALLY need this on the 4th of July.  Some people are still setting off noisy stuff.  (I'd like to use a different word, but C.C. won't let me.)

13. Police who may enforce a 12-Down: BEAT COPS.  Interesting.  We live in a suburb of around 80,000 people, but I have not seen a beat cop. They prowl in squad cars.

14. USN officer: CDR.  That's big time I believe, just under Admiral.

19. Travel aids: MAPS.  I used to have a drawer full but now just use Google. 

24. Nats' former stadium, briefly: RFK.  I was serving in Fort Campbell when we heard that Robert Kennedy was shot.  1968 was a terrible year to remember.  First MLK and then RFK.  Recently we celebrated events in July of 1969.  I was in Germany then.  Better times.  Jackie Gleason's wish come true.

26. He sheep: RAMS.  Los Angeles had a great NFL team last season. We have the Vikings. You never know.

27. Make simpler: EASE.

28. Tip of a wing tip: TOE.  A popular dress shoe, years ago.  Have not seen any lately, but I don't look down often.

30. Gambler's IOU: CHIT.  A form of CHAT.

34. "Definitely!": YES.

35. Deli bread: RYE.  Generally have corned beef and sauerkraut on rye around March 17.

36. Deli order: TO GO.  Definitely Pizza.

37. 2016 "Star Wars" prequel: ROGUE ONE.  Enough Star Wars.  Nissan has a small SUV called a ROGUE.

38. Light hair color: ASH BLOND.

39. "My man!": DUDE.  Big Lebowski.  A real DUDE but a lousy bowler. 

40. Web access programs: BROWSERS.  If you wear ugly pants, you may have a browser on your trousers.

41. Frees (of): RIDS.

42. Tough mutt: CUR.

46. Tasseled hat: FEZ.  Zuhrah in Minneapolis.  Shriners do many good things for the community.

47. Mingo portrayer on "Daniel Boone": ED AMES.

48. American-born Jordanian queen: NOOR.

49. Tennis official: UMPIRE. They have a lot hanging around the court.  The one in the chair is the umpire.

50. Like jail cells: BARRED.

51. Steamy get-togethers: TRYSTS.

53. Triathlon rides: BIKES.  Swim about 2 miles, then ride a BIKE 25 miles, then get off and run ten miles.  Big deal - I play 18 holes of golf on a cart.

54. Flowerpot spot: LEDGE.  Our home has no LEDGES large enough to hold a flowerpot.

55. Kennel club classification: BREED.

59. Fragrant herb: SAGE.  Thanksgiving is coming. Load up on SAGE for the stuffing.

60. Science class: LAB.

62. Beverage suffix: ADE.  Lemonade in the Shade, served by an Old Maid.

63. __ Boys: auto parts chain: PEP.  Kellogg's used to sell a PEP cereal, but I have not seen it for a long time.  I get my PEP from Grape-Nuts.

Boomer

Monday, Jul 22, 2019 Mark McClain

Theme: ON END (53. Without a break ... or what each word in 18-, 28-, 46- and 62-Across has) - Each theme entry is in the pattern of *ON *ON.

18. __ line: 18th-century dispute-resolving state border: MASON DIXON.

 

28. Fluffy, citrusy pie: LEMON CHIFFON.

46. Family car largely replaced by the minivan and SUV: STATION WAGON.

 

62. Ordinary-sounding state bird of Minnesota: COMMON LOON.

Boomer here.  

Hello Everyone. We had a glitch in our internet service on Wednesday. C.C. contacted our provider CenturyLink and they went on and on and on regarding the time the internet service would be restored. Finally we got back on and on and on line on Sunday. Happy to be back!!

Across:

1. Like some hygiene: ORAL.  Something you can get your teeth into.

5. Casual greeting: HI YA. Hi back atcha

9. House level accessed with pull-down stairs: ATTIC.  We have an attic but no pull down stairs.  We need to get a ladder but it is not worth going up there.  Just dust and insulation.

14. Folk singer Seeger: PETE.

15. Assist with a heist: ABET.  Casino dealer spins that roulette wheel and you need to make A BET before the little ball hits the middle.

16. Harry Potter nemesis __ Malfoy: DRACO.

17. "Around the Horn" channel: ESPN.  A favorite of many but we now have about 15 sports channels.  (MLB, NBA, NFL, FSN, FS1, GOLF and more.) 

20. "Awesome!": NEATO.  I think Maynard G. Krebs started this.

22. NFL analyst Tony: ROMO.  Used to be a darn good quarterback.

23. German "a": EINE.  We would go downtown to the Gasthaus and EINE BIER was the favorite request.

24. Kite-flying need: STRING.  You also need wind.

26. Puts on the line, as money: RISKS.  I remember when Kramer played RISK with Newman.

33. Lousy grade: DEE.  Better than EFF.

36. USN noncom: CPO.  Mr. Sharkey.

37. Devon delivery vehicle: LORRY.

38. "My mom and dad will kill me!": I'M TOAST.  Generally happens in the tenth frame when my opponent strikes out.

41. '90s prime-time soap "__ Place": MELROSE.  I am more familiar with Melrose Park, a suburb of Chicago.  Graybar had a large sales office there.

43. Less: MINUS.

44. License plate: TAG.  Many of my neighbors and I played this in the yard.

45. Acquired: GOT.

51. Brief movie role: CAMEO.  I liked Donald Sutherland in JFK

52. Sure winner: SHOO IN.  I always thought it was SHOE IN.

56. Too: ALSO.

59. Voices below soprani: ALTI.  Gimme a "D" !  ALDI is a great grocery store.  Really good watermelon.

61. __ Carlo: MONTE.  I never owned one, but I used to like the looks of the Chevrolet Monte Carlo, which hit the streets around 1970.

65. Pols from blue states, usually: DEMS.  Minnesota has been blue for quite some time.

66. Pecans and pistachios: TREES.  Are you sure these are not NUTS.

67. Overnight lodgings: INNS.  Not too fond of the current Trivago commercials.  Maybe I watch too much TV.

68. Tiny biting insect: GNAT.

69. Latin "that is": ID EST.

70. Fair-hiring agcy.: EEOC.

71. Slow Churned ice cream brand: EDY'S.

Down:

1. Bids first: OPENS.  Or bets first.

2. Go back to zero: RESET.  Do not pass go, do not collect $200

3. For the stock issue price: AT PAR.  At Par did not do it in this years British open.  I think Shane Lowry beat par by 15 shots.  I think it would take me 15 shots of something to play a course like that.

Shane Lowry

4. Soup legume: LENTIL.

5. Radio hobbyist: HAM.  One of Noah's sons.

6. Letter-shaped beam: I BAR.  That's where I could go to get those 15 shots.

7. "Decide now!": YES OR NO.  Okay, I pick YES.

8. Word with power or energy: ATOMIC.

9. Toss in: ADD.

10. Attempts to get: TRIES FOR.

11. Roll to a terminal: TAXI.  Danny DeVito was a great dispatcher.  I never watch that Philadelphia show he does now.

12. Clickable image: ICON.

13. Ice cream holder: CONE.  Mets pitcher David.  He was pretty darn good.

19. On-the-run snack: NOSH.

21. Number that's a square of itself: ONE.  Also a good score on any hole.  I know there was at least ONE ONE in the OPEN

25. Acadia and Yukon: GMCS.  We maybe look at an SUV soon, but not these monsters of the midway.

27. Pass idly, as time: KILL.  We had a Gopher Football coach named Jerry Kill.  I think he is on the west coast now.

29. Decide (to): OPT.

30. Kermit, for one: FROG.  Miss Piggy's best friend.

31. Estimate words: OR SO.  Reminds me of the restoration time given us by CenturyLink.

32. Dimitri's denial: NYET.  If they want to emphasize it do they say "NYET WAY !"

33. Switches to low beams: DIMS.

34. Send forth: EMIT.

35. Sicilian volcano: ETNA.

39. Results: OUTCOMES.  I miss the green frequently and OUT COMES the wedge.

40. Himalayan continent: ASIA. Sometimes it's called the Far East, but it's a few thousand miles West of Hawaii.

41. Nanny's bleat: MAA.  I thought it was BAA

42. They're laid in 55-Down: EGGS.  Visited my great uncle Bill's (no longer with us) farm last week on Burnikel Road in Siren Wisconsin. The barn and chicken coop were still there, but not in very good shape.  I did not see any animals but they had corn growing in the field.

Boomer, Burnikel Road, Siren, Wisconsin.

44. Black-and-white, say: TWO-TONE. 

47. Mideast sultanate: OMAN.

48. Journalist Bly: NELLIE.  The scene was in the jailhouse and if curfew rang that night.  Nell's dad in number 13 cell would go out like a light.  She knew her dad was innocent, so plucky little Nell.  She tied her tender torso to the Clapper of the bell.  Hang on the Bell Nellie.  (Chad Mitchell Trio.)

49. Resistance unit: OHM.

50. Annoying person: NOODGE.  I can think of a better name.

54. "__ come as no surprise ... ": IT MAY.

55. 42-Down holders: NESTS.  I remember Bill's hens would lay about 20 eggs per month.  It just happens, they don't even look pregnant.

56. Drama opening: ACT I.

57. Title for an earl: LORD.

58. Hook's cohort: SMEE.  I Haven't seen this name since Peter Pan.

60. Prefix with sphere: IONO.

63. East, in Essen: OST.

64. White House advisory gp.: NSC.  No Stupid Comments???

 

Boomer

Notes from C.C.:

Just want to thank Husker Gary and TTP for saving me again. Gary put up with my numerous calls on Thursday and TTP quickly converted the puzzles and sent the grids to our team members. Thank you so much, guys!

Sunday July 21, 2019 Alex Vratsanos

(Lost our internet since Wednesday afternoon. Some fiber cable cut in our neighborhood. CenturyLink guys have been digging up different parts of the road for days. Only theme summary today. If you have any question regarding fill, please go to Comments section. Thanks for the understanding.)


Theme: "Touchdown" - LAND is directly atop each moon in the seven theme set.

23A. Male reproductive system part: PROSTATE GLAND.

29A. EARTH: LUNA.

30A. Advice pseudonym for 56 years: ANN LANDERS.

34A. MARS: DEIMOS.

51A. Christmas tree decorations: GARLANDS.

56A. JUPITER: EUROPA.

65A. Immiscible combo: OIL AN DWATER.

73A. SATURN: TITAN.

84A. Orally defames: SLANDERS.

89A. URANUS: MIRANDA.

103A. Architect's task: PLAN DESIGN.

109A. NEPTUNE: TRITON.

111A. Arrive as astronauts did 7/20/69 ... and what's literally seen in seven pairs of puzzle answers: LAND ON THE MOON.

116A. PLUTO: CHARON.

Notice all the six LANDs are parts of another words or spanning across two two/three words. None has direct LAND meaning. 111A is the only exception and it does double duty as it's over another MOON.

Alex is fond of the puzzle with rich themage. Very chaleling to design and fill a grid with overlapping theme entries.

Across:

1. One of the Magi: CASPAR.

7. Exotic pet: IGUANA.

13. Bushel quartet: PECKS.

18. Largest of the British Virgin Islands: TORTOLA.

19. Future looie, perhaps: NONCOM.

20. Hot wings did him in: ICARUS.

22. Pass receiver somewhat separated from the offensive line: WIDE OUT.

25. Antique clock molding: OGEE.

26. Brawls: MELEES.

28. Nautica competitor: IZOD.

32. Bouncing baby?: JOEY.

33. Cloth-dyeing craft: BATIK.

35. Venice vessel: GONDOLA.

37. Big name in Scotch: DEWAR.

40. Chuck who wrote "Black Belt Patriotism": NORRIS.

42. Farmwork: TILLAGE.

47. In opposition to: ATHWART.

50. Easily seen sign: NEON.

52. Plainsong singers: CHANTERS.

54. Bat used in practice: FUNGO.

57. Tailor's line: HEM.

58. Afro-Asian land: EGYPT.

60. Grieg's language: NORSK.

62. Bread holder: PAN.

63. Hitchcock's wife and collaborator: ALMA.

68. "Good golly!": MY MY.

71. "__ durn tootin'!": YER.

74. Clog cousin: SABOT.

76. 1972 host to Nixon: MAO.

77. Unsettled one?: DEBTOR.

80. Cosmonaut Vladimir: TITOV.

82. Hunter's quarry: GAME BIRD.

86. Greeting from Kermit: HI HO.

88. Neckwear in some Native American traditions: BOLO TIE.

90. Pain: HASSLE.

92. Devoted: LOYAL.

93. Hammer or stirrup: EAR BONE.

95. What Dorothy did, for most of the "Wizard of Oz" movie: DREAMT.

98. Insurance card amount: CO-PAY.

102. Uber __: food delivery service: EATS.

107. Grace conclusion: AMEN.

108. Started, as a co.: ESTD.

110. Devoted: TRUE.

114. Inundation: TORRENT.

117. Become absorbed: OSMOSE.

118. Longtime host of "The Newlywed Game" Bob: EUBANKS.

119. Lanai hi: ALOHA.

120. Winter Olympics competitor: SKATER.

121. Takes verbal potshots: SNIPES.

Down:

1. __ of vantage: favorable position: COIGN.

2. "I met a fool i' the forest" forest: ARDEN.

3. Post-apocalyptic 1987 Patrick Swayze film: STEEL DAWN.

4. Suffix with malti- and cocka-: POO.

5. Boosters, often: ALUMNI.

6. Like entertainment software with a "17+" restriction: RATED M.

7. Face-to-face: INPERSON.

8. '90s second family: GORES.

9. Juan's "some": UNOS.

10. Rm. coolers: ACS.

11. Whims: NOTIONS.

12. Blew away: AMAZED.

13. Like some horses: PIED.

14. Common ER test: ECG.

15. __ lily: CALLA.

16. Wurst topping: KRAUT.

17. Branch of Islam: SUNNI.

18. Old draft deferment: TWO A.

21. St. with the second-smallest capital: S DAK.

24. Nikkei index giant: TOYOTA.

27. Former secretary of defense Panetta: LEON.

31. Gas up?: AERATE.

32. Icon after "Not a member?": JOIN NOW.

33. Shape, as dough: BALL UP.

35. Source of electrical interference: GROUND NOISE.

36. Old Pisa dough: LIRE.

37. Russian retreat: DACHA.

38. "I Love Lucy" role: ETHEL.

39. Electric guitar vibrato producer: WHAMMY BAR.

41. Ringmaster?: REF.

43. Calif. NFLer: LARAM.

44. Witness protection plan?: ANONYMITY.

45. Econ. measure: GDP.

46. Pueblo pronoun: ESA.

48. __ Park: Queens area: REGO.

49. "Have a taste": TRY IT.

51. Attend by oneself: GO STAG.

53. Leaves: SPLITS.

55. Mardi __: GRAS.

59. Filmmaker Jacques: TATI.

61. Barbecue fare: KEBAB.

64. Big name in insurance: AETNA.

66. "Famous" Coney Island contest sponsor: NATHAN'S.

67. Ex-Cowboy quarterback Tony: ROMO.

69. Renata Tebaldi contemporary Callas: MARIA.

70. Swiss Roll-like snack: YODEL.

72. Comic Dangerfield: RODNEY.

75. "I'm listening": TELLME.

77. Mil. award: DSM.

78. Skull and Bones member: ELI.

79. Prynne's stigma: REDA.

81. Old tape initials: VHS.

83. Metaphorical self-help aid: BOOT STRAP.

85. Most endangered: RAREST.

87. Traditionalist: OLD LINER.

90. Workstation shared by employees on different shifts: HOT DESK.

91. Middle proof word: ERAT.

94. Sentimentalism: BATHOS.

96. Website with study guides: ENOTES.

97. "Meek," in "Blessed are the meek": ADNOUN.

98. Math subj.: CALC.

99. Missouri River city: OMAHA.

100. __ colony: PENAL.

101. Gyneco-'s opposite: ANDRO.

103. Verse alternative: PROSE.

104. Sherlock's adversary Adler: IRENE.

105. Greases (up), as hair: GUNKS.

106. Court pair: NETS.

108. Sicily's only landlocked province: ENNA.

109. Friendly honk: TOOT.

112. "Interesting!": OOH.

113. Combat sport, briefly: MMA.

115. Cody Bellinger stat: RBI.

C.C.