Saturday, Feb 28th, 2015, Barry C. Silk

Theme: Saturday Silkie

Words: 72 (missing F, J, Q)

Blocks: 30

This one just plain gave me a genuine headache - and it's all my fault.  My WAGs were spot on, but my "I know this" answers were completely, utterly wrong, and that made for some really difficult solving.  Oh well.  The NE was a shambles, and it took w-a-a-a-y too long to see some really obvious fills.  Add to that the proper name vagueness, and....Triple 10's in the across corners, and paired 10- and 11-letter climbers on the inside, with a couple of 9's thrown in, to boot;

17a. Correct : ON THE MONEY - can't say I was this today

12d. Metal-bending aid : ANVIL BLOCK - Does anyone else consider this Duran Duran~? That is, redundant~? I proudly filled in PRESS BRAKE - seen here - and just could not get this corner to co-operate.  Guess I'll go stick my head under the "water faucet"

56a. What "D" may mean, monetarily : DENVER MINT - nailed it - rare coins

36a. Square shooter? : BOX CAMERA - once the last "A" popped in, I got the CAMERA part; the rest~?  Nothing.

OW~! DARN~!

ACROSS:

1. Shower alternative : SPONGE BATH - went with ---BATH, but the rest would NOT come to me, even when the "P" showed up

11. Hollow : DALE - Sleepy Hollow, e.g.

15. "The Man Who Knew Too Much" (1934) actor : PETER LORRE - before my time, so semi-vague

16. NASA unit : ONE G - I considered LT YR at first

18. Pigmented layer : UVEA - skin seemed too easy

19. Takeout menu eponym : TSO - The General, of American Chinese food

20. Smartens (up) : WISES - ah, I was in a "primp" & "tidy" frame of mind, not an intellectual one

21. 1954 Detroit Auto Show unveiling : T-BIRD - eh.  I went with EDSEL, knew it was wrong because I read up on it recently; I felt like an "abbr." was needed here

22. Battery, e.g. : TORT - I knew this was a legal term "battery"; Metallica's take

Metallica - Battery

23. Ride and Brown : SALLYS - knew this, filled it in, then 12d. made me change it - and it was all downhill from there ( or is that uphill~? )

24. Maker of Neo soft drinks : RC COLA - Cheated.  Had to Google.

27. Capital NNE of Rome : ZAGREB - Had the "G" and the "B", but took too long to fill in the rest.

29. Prayer opening : O LORD - "please help me find my mistakes~!"

30. Feelers : TENTACLES - I was on the right wavelength with "antennae", but was short a letter

33. Noggin : BEAN

34. Chain with a red cowboy hat logo : ARBY'S

35. __ Raven: Baltimore neighborhood : LOCH - ah, so that's why the football team is the Ravens~?

38. Very small : MICRO

39. Sequoia Park Zoo home : EUREKA - California - link

40. Teaching model : MOCK-UP - meh.  I know very well what mock-up means, but a teaching model~? Ugh.  When I worked at G&K architects, they had to do a mock-up of this structure to get the aluminum framework cuts correct

41. Actress who starred in two Hitchcock films : HEDREN - Tippi~! From MN~! Semi-clecho with;

22d. Hitchcock thriller set in East Germany : TORN CURTAIN  - her IMDb

43. Jerk : YANK - Noun or verb?  Needed the "K" first

44. Garibaldi's wife : ANITA - Ugh.  Who?  Vague.  Her Wiki

45. Tons : SCADS

47. "Criminal Minds" network : CBS

50. Spanish address : DONA

51. Pointer's cry : "LOOK AT THAT~!" - Look at this~! My buddy Mike, the one with the games company, took home a Family Choice Award~!

53. When the ghost of Hamlet's father first appears : ACT I - I like these clues; it's usually "ACT", followed by "I" or "V"

54. Nanny's service : IN-HOME CARE

55. Fund-raising suffix : THON - like tele-thon

DOWN:

1. Tough __ : SPOT - this clue was a "tough spot" for me; "S**T" was a real possibility

2. They may be filled from wells : PENS - took way too long to dawn on me

3. Mort Walker dog : OTTO

4. Bk. about the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls : NEHemiah - I have a link to these

5. Aged : GREW OLD - Dah~!  The verb; I was thinking of wines

6. Where Mark Twain married Olivia Langdon : ELMIRA - Vague

7. Amplify : BOOST

8. "A-Hunting We Will Go" songwriter : ARNE - Ugh, vague.

9. Marne modifier : TRES - Frawnche for "very"

10. "Yo!" : HEY

11. Mouse action : DOUBLE CLICK

13. Distrustful : LEERY

14. "Tarnation!" : EGADS~!

21. Fictional house "built according to no architectural plan whatever" : TARA - seemed like a good fictional house WAG

23. Friday et al.: Abbr. : SGTs

24. Name in Virginia politics : ROBB - more vagueness - Wiki

25. Singer Laine : CLEO - even more vagueness

26. Gently convinced about : COAXED INTO

27. Barking horse relative : ZEBRA - once I finally got the "Z", it was obvious - but I had not heard of a 'barking' horse; I found some interesting reading on zebras

28. "The Cherry Orchard" daughter : ANYA - ugh, ugh, ugh.  Vague

30. Go a long way : TREK - not "LAST"

31. Neutral color : ECRU

32. Look for a good deal : SHOP

34. "Yes!" : AMEN

37. Region : AREA

38. Ginormous : MONSTER - nailed it

40. "___ X" : MADAME - took some perps

41. Charged : HAD AT - DAH~! I had RAN AT, and that makes MUCH more sense

42. Methuselah's father : ENOCH - WAG from the "H"

43. Comedian Smirnoff : YAKOV - Hey~!  I know this one~!

45. Acoustical unit : SONE

46. Columbia Pictures co-founder Harry : COHN - and back to vague.

47. Masala __: Indian beverage : CHAI - perps

48. Building with big doors : BARN - look at how big those...doors are...

49. Proof mark : STET

51. Top : LID

52. "__ Underground": cult film showcase : TCM

Splynter

Friday, February 27, 2015, John Farmer

Theme: Where did I hide that TV show?  I guess I will start at the bottom and work my way up.

Whenever I see a Friday with lots of black squares I know there is a visual aspect to solution, in this case the visual is revealed both by circles (if you do not have them, the 'theme' is virtually impossible to find) and by 55A. Appears ... and the contents of this puzzle's circles? : SHOWS UP (7). Words like BACK, UP and DOWN in a reveal let you know direction. This is a return trip for John, who. spoke with CC in 2012 . This layout has many short words, but quite a bit of longer fill like ATE DIRT, CHOLERA, ESKIMOS, ETHICAL, GULF WAR, NEMESES, PATRONS, PEACHES, PRIOR TO, SHOWS UP, TOO LATE. I am confused as to whether we were supposed to give up using the word Eskimo, but the rest are fun.

I will treat the hiding places for the theme, as the theme answers.

2D. Bit of deception : HOCUS POCUS(10). Which is basically a self-referential clue then. Reading from the bottom up, we see COPS revealed. This show launched Spike TV. Nicely juxtaposed with the Police.

8D. Realization often preceded by "Whew!" : IT WAS ALL A DREAM (14). I would bet this was the seed entry, and Mr. Farmer, while creating one of his more common themeless puzzles, noticed that DALLAS, (4:07) with its most famous episode, was hidden in this fill.

13D. Rodgers and Hart title lyric that precedes "I get no dizzy spells" : THIS CAN'T BE LOVE (14). I tried really hard to find a connection between CSI and these LYRICS but I had no success; did I miss something?

20D. James Brown memoir : I FEEL GOOD (9). Did they ever sing any James Brown on GLEE? EPISODE 21 season 1.

29D. One way to lighten the mood : CRACK A JOKE.(10) Nice fill, with a J! Well Telly Savalas as KOJAK (0:46) with his lollipop was a fun cop show....


Across:
  
1. Fall follower? : THUD. Well this puzzle did not begin with a BLAM.

5. Ophidian menace : ASP. Somewhat obscure, as OPHIS is Greek for snake.

8. Brightness stats : IQS. Paired with, 46A. Hardly bright : DIM.  Some intellectual elitism?

11. Arts supporters : PATRONS.

14. Frat letter : RHO.

15. Son of Akhenaten : TUT. The boy PHARAOH.

16. On the level : ETHICAL.

17. Battle of Khafji conflict : GULF WAR.

19. "Battle it out" quintet : AEIOU. Like facetious, a place to find the vowels in order, I guess.

20. Plasma particle : ION. Okay scientists, explain how plasma is a hot ionized gas consisting of approximately equal numbers of positively charged ions and negatively charged electrons.

21. Loafer's lack : LACE. The shoe, not your lazy neighbor.

22. Some audiobooks : CDS.

23. Pro shop supplies : SHAFTS. Golf clubs are made of many different materials, and having your clubs reshafted is not uncommon.

Now the question becomes is there a genteel way to ask our audience about whether they prefer stiff shafts...

26. Opposite of bids : ASKS. This is from the stock markets, as well as any auction.

27. Kool-Aid alternative : HI-C. Well they are drinks, but one primarily in powder form, one in liquid...

28. "__ Eterno": 2004 sports documentary : PELE.

29. Boorish : CRASS.

30. Detergent with Oxi Booster : ERA. Three letters had to be FAB or...

31. Bone: Pref. : OSTEopath? Osteoarthritis?

32. "Seasons in the Sun" songwriter : BREL. This BELGIAN was popular when I was young.

33. Dot on an MTA map : STN.

34. "Love in the Time of __": García Márquez work : CHOLERA. This winner of the NOBEL PRIZE for Literature. I am afraid was not on my radar. This was a very hard fill, especially as it crosses three (3) of the five theme holding fill. In the end, it was I FEEL GOOD that put me on the right track.

36. ICU staffer : LPN. Licensed Practical Nurses can work in the Intensive Care Unit.

39. "Can't argue with that!" : TRUE.

41. Former car-financing org. : GMAC. General Motors Acceptance Corporation. This became ALLY during the bailout process of 2009.

42. It may come after you : ARE. You are here. Not following you.

43. Court attire : ROBES. Does the 21st century really need the judiciary in robes?

45. Rooting sound : OINK. Certainly true of Arkansas fans, but he meant 'rooting', not 'rooting'. This word has many meaning, and they use pigs to root out truffles; also perhaps KZ can confirm this word means 'shagging' in Oz. Depending on your partner, it may have more meaning.

47. "Agreed!" : AMEN.

48. Title girl in a 1965 #1 hit : RHONDA. I was in high school.

50. Sushi topper : ROE. Bear in mind that fish eggs, are also known as CAVIAR.

51. Mall draw : SALE.

52. Sci-fi suffix : OID. Interesting factoid about androids and humanoids who use steroids and become freakazoids....

53. Signs of dissatisfaction : JEERS.

57. "Missed your chance!" : TOO LATE.

59. Brief facilities? : LAVatories.

60. Zing : PEP.

61. Early Alaskans : ESKIMOS. Help me Rhonda? Opps wrong clue.

62. Memphis-to-Nashville dir. : ENE.

63. Year abroad : ANO.

64. Payroll deduction, perhaps : DUES. In the old days union dues were common deductions.


Down:

1. The Police, most of the time : TRIO. The Police not the police. I am sure if you would get this wrong, it would sting.

3. A, in Argentina : UNA. Can you imagine a puzzle with each of these USA, UMA, UTA, UNA, UPA, UVA, ULA, UCA, UFA, UGA, UBA, UEA as fill?

4. ISP option : DSL. Digital Subscriber Line.

5. Shoptalk : ARGOT. Meh, this is more specific a term meaning a special language.

6. Treats as persona non grata : SHUNS.

7. D.C. figure : POLitician. How cool that this is next to...

9. Charlatans : QUACKS.

10. Hardly gloss over : STRESS.

11. Still-life subject : PEACHES. Really?

12. Swallowed one's pride : ATE DIRT. Dirt is not the only four letter word that fits, but....

18. Roadside warning : FLARE.

24. Inclusive pronoun : HE/SHE. Are there any safe comments?

Now if we shave that Adam's apple, and put on lipstick- maybe.

25. Quartet member : ALTO. I am confused because ALTO is for female voices with baritone, tenor and base for males not to mention soprano, contralto, mezzo-soprano, counter-baritone. So what quartet is this?

32. Word before or after name : BRAND. Brand name = name brand.

35. Key of Dvorák's "New World Symphony": Abbr. : E MINor.

37. Before : PRIOR TO.

38. They can't be beaten : NEMESES. An interesting plural.

40. Get Wired again : RENEW. The capital W lets you know this is referring to the magazine, Wired so it is a subscription that is being renewed.

43. Fight in the sticks : RASSLE.

44. Fred Astaire, by birth : OMAHAN. I am sure a fact known to our Nebraska contingent. HG?

48. President François Hollande's birthplace : ROUEN. Not to speak politics, but do many Americans know much about this socialite SOCIALIST?

49. Whale relative : HIPPO. Isn't SCIENCE grand!?!

54. Bulldog fans : ELIS. The mascot at Yale is the Bulldog, also at UGA.

56. Facial spot : SPA. Ha ha, not a Zit.

57. Brother of Jack and Bobby : TED. All gone now.

58. College Football Playoff champion crowned Jan. 12, 2015 : OSU. The Ohio State University. The third national championship for coach Urban Meyer.


Funny, yesterday we had 72 words and only 29 blocks with today having 74 words, 42 blocks (8 cheater squares), so many ways to build a grid. Anyway, while many of you may not get into this style, I really enjoyed this. It was good to have John back. Here comes March...Spring? Lemonade out

Thursday, February 26, 2015 Mike Buckley

Theme: "The Great Imposter" *

17. It's fraudulent : FORGED CHECK.

27. It's fabricated : TRUMPED UP CHARGE.

46. It's fake : COUNTERFEIT NOTE.

56. Race errors, and what 17-, 27- and 46-Across have : FALSE STARTS.

*Remember the 1961 movie starring Tony Curtis? I thought of it immediately when I saw the theme.

Only 72 words and 29 blocks, with a whopping sixteen 7-letter words. Woo-hoo, Saturday level stuff!  And lots of challenging fill, too. Let's see what I mean...


Across

1. Wrap giant : ALCOA. Ummm..."Saran" also fits.

6. Reliever Orosco with the MLB record for career pitching appearances : JESSE. I nailed it! (...after getting J-E-S-S-* from the perps.)

11. Center of excellence? : ELS. The two "Ls" in the word, not a think tank.

14. Quaking causes : FEARS.

15. Plant pest : APHID. I long for the days of pinching APHIDs off my roses!

16. Rest one's dogs, so to speak : SIT. "Dogs" is a slang word for feet.

19. "Double Fantasy" artist : ONO. How do I clue thee? Let me count the ways...

20. Extras in an env. : ENCS. Enclosures.

21. Squeezed (out) : EKED.

22. Web-footed critter : OTTER. I was looking for some kind of duck.

24. Mustard, for one: Abbr. : COL.onel.

25. Encouraging shouts : OLEs.

26. Shout : SCREAM. Ole!

30. ''Saint Joan'' star Jean : SEBERG. A tragic figure in filmdom.

31. __ Locks: St. Marys River rapids bypass : SOO.

32. Hid the gray in : DYED.

33. Brewers' outfielder Braun : RYAN. Nailed it! (...after getting the R-Y-A-N from perps.)

35. Creator of Della : ERLE. Stanley Gardner - "Perry Mason."

37. Morales of film : ESAI.

40. Part of a foot : TOE.

42. Pompous authority : POOBAH. Great word!

49. Beer with "Since 1775" on its label : STROHS.

50. Big dos :'FROS. Afros.

51. Grazing area : LEA.

52. More of that : THOSE. I think this was my favorite clue.

53. Detective Peter of old TV : GUNN. Played by?

54. Estate attorney's concern : HEIR.

55. __ Lingus : AER.

59. Mrs., in much of the Americas : SRA. Señora.

60. Classic six-couplet poem : TREES. Joyce Kilmer.

61. Has __: can save face : AN OUT.

62. Triumphant cry : YES. [insert fist pump]

63. Dost espy : SEEST.

64. Has a sudden inspiration? : GASPS. My second favorite clue.


Down

1. Gets to : AFFECTS. I don't let most things get to me. Life's too short.

2. Heroine of Beethoven's "Fidelio" : LEONORE. Beethoven's only opera!

3. AAA, for one : CAR CLUB.
and semi-clecho:
4. AAA et al. : ORGS.

5. Enzyme suffix : ASE.

6. Hiked, with "up" : JACKED.

7. "The Comedy of Errors" setting : EPHESUS.

8. Word with wood or water : SHED.

9. Quote qualifier : SIC.

10. Ex-mayor with a cameo in "The Muppets Take Manhattan" : ED KOCH.

11. Abstruse stuff : ESOTERY. OK, but I usually use the word "esoterica." You?

12. Pedigree : LINEAGE.

13. Came (in) dramatically : STORMED.

18. Convention attendees : DELEGATES.

23. Exploit : TRADE ON. "He traded on his good looks to..."

25. "Live at the __": Patsy Cline album : OPRY. Can you tell which line she flubbed on this early recording?

26. Venomous arachnids : SCORPIONS.

28. Sources of fine wool : MERINOS.

29. "... rapping at my chamber door" poet : POE. From "The Raven."

34. Fish-fowl link : NOR. What is neither fish NOR flesh, feathers nor bone, but still has fingers and thumbs of its own? (Answer, below.)

36. Filming sites : LOTS.

37. Heaven on earth : ECSTASY.

38. "Told ya!" : SO THERE.

39. Natural light shows : AURORAS.

41. Pours out : EFFUSES.

43. Short, tailored jackets : BOLEROS. Like this.

44. Really dug something : ATE IT UP.

45. San Simeon family : HEARSTS.

47. Guards may prevent them : THEFTS.

48. Antarctic explorer Shackleton : ERNEST. I have read every book I could find about his ill-fated trip. My favorite was "The Endurance: Shackleton's legendary Antarctic expedition," by Caroline Alexander. This picture almost looks like Boston harbor this week.

53. Pure delight : GLEE.

54. 1985 U.S. Open champ Mandlikova : HANA.

57. Modern art? : ARE. Cute misdirection.

58. Recess game : TAG. Or phone game.

"Your're IT !!"
Marti

Answer to 34-Down: A glove.

Note from C.C.:

Please send positive thoughts (or say a prayer) to Husker Gary, who's having an important operation tomorrow. Please also keep Yellowrocks in your thoughts. She fell on ice last week and broke some of the stitches from her knee surgery. She needs repair surgery soon.

Joann, Granddaughter Elise & Gary
 

Yellowrocks (Kathy)

Wednesday, February 25, 2015 Jeffrey Wechsler

Theme: ROLE PLAYING IN A WELL STAGED PUZZLE.  Common movie or theater roles are humorously recast [so to speak] as belonging to people in appropriately considered occupations.
 
18. Shepherdess' movie role? : LEADING LADY.  The star of the show; and a shepherdess is leading in a different sense.  Ironically, Little Bo Peep didn't have that role.

23. Jeweler's movie role? : CAMEO APPEARANCE.    A CAMEO is an image carved in positive relief [contrast intaglio] against a contrastingly colored background, often in an item of jewelry.  A CAMEO APPEARANCE is a brief and often trivial appearance in a production by someone who is well known for another reason.  The role might echo in some way what that individual is famous for.  See Etch in the vid above.

Appearing here

39. Horse trainer's movie role? : BIT PART.   A BIT is a piece of apparatus used by the trainer. It sits behind the teeth and is used to control the animal.   Since BIT also refers to some small thing, a BIT PART is one filled by an actor who interacts with the main roles,  but has five or fewer lines of dialog.

This BIT of knowledge found here

52. Weightlifter's movie role? : SUPPORTING ACTOR.  This actor fills a role less important that that of the lead, but more filling than the BIT PART.  The importance of this SUPPORT [see image below] is recognized by the separate awards [not pictured] granted in this category.

He does not shrug!

And the unifier ---  58. What 18-, 23-, 39- and 52-Across exemplify? : TYPE CASTING.  This occurs when an actor repeatedly gets relegated to similar roles, and may have difficulty getting other types of roles.   Incredibly, this list omits Sean Bean, always a failed near-hero who meets a violent end.

  

Alas, poor Sean - not for the faint-hearted - and they missed Boromir

Hi gang, it's JazzBumpa cast in the role of usher, to lead you through this theatrical blockbuster.  Just have a seat here and we'll get the roles rolling.

Across

1. Mutinous Kubrick computer : HAL.  A SUPPORTING ROLE in  2001, A Space Odyssey.

4. High-end violin : STRAD.  Short for STRADivarius, any string instrument made by various members of the STRADivarius family, particularly Antonio, during the 17th and 18th centuries.  AMATI also fits.

9. Sextet for Henry VIII : WIVES.  Henry had six wives.  A sextet - oh, my.

14. British verb suffix : ISE.  We Americanize,   They Anglicise [though spell check disagrees.]

15. "Some glory in __ birth ...": Shak. : THEIR.  From Shakespeare's Sonnet 91.

16. Ginsburg associate : ALITO.  Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court.

17. Sprightly dance : JIG.

20. Sharp-wittedness : ACUMEN.   The ability to make quick judgments and good decisions.

22. Gore, once : VEEP.  Al was the Vice President at the end of the previous century.  He was not related to Leslie, who passed away on 2/16/15.  RIP songstress.

29. Met previously : KNEW.   I knew I knew you.

30. "I'm listening ..." : GO ON.   Keep talking

31. Delta deposit : SILT.   Fine granular high silica material suspended in river water then deposited at the river mouth.

32. False flattery : SMARM.   Insincere ingratiating behavior.

34. Robbins' ice cream partner : BASKIN.

Cold and creamy

36. ER personnel : M.D.s.  Medical Doctors in the emergency room.

41. Org. concerned with the AQI : EPA.  Environmental Protection Agency and the Air Quality Index

42. Crankcase component : OIL PAN.   The bottom section of the crankcase acting as a reservoir for the engine oil.

44. Sends out : EMITS.

46. Boyfriend : BEAU.

47. Bearing : MIEN.   A person's physical demeanor, especially as it relates to attitude and personality.

48. Meat pkg. letters : USDA.  U. S. Dept. of Agriculture stamp on meat packaging.

56. Chamber group often including a piano : TRIO.   An ensemble of three instruments.

6 min: 20 sec

57. Under control : IN HAND.   Like a violin.

63. Loafer front : TOE.  Shoe part

64. Madison Square Garden, e.g. : ARENA.  Sports venue.

65. Cookbook verb : SAUTE.   I'm not sure how this differs from frying.

66. Decorative vase : URN.

It's all Greek to me

67. H.S. hurdles : PSATs.  Pre-SATs.  S.A.T. originally stood for Scholastic Aptitude Test, but in 1990, when it became obvious that it was no such thing, the name was changed to SAT, which evidently stands for nothing.   Just one more educational scam?  You decide.

68. Heavy metal cover : ARMOR.   Medieval personal protection gear, not a rerecording of Led Zeppelin Hits. 

Another 6 minutes well spent

Down

1. Take by force : HIJACK.   Usually the thing taken is a vehicle of some sort.

2. "... based on my abilities" : AS I CAN.  Is this an in the language phrase?

3. Peanut, for one : LEGUME.    A dry dehiscent one-celled fruit developed from a simple superior ovary and usually dehiscing into two valves with the seeds attached to the ventral suture.  If that seems a bit obscure, just think about peas and beans.

4. Fifth cen. pope called "The Great" : ST. LEO.   He negotiated with Attila the Hun at the gates of Rome and persuaded the Vandals not to pillage the city, which actually is pretty great.

5. "Come to think of it ..." : THEN AGAIN.

6. Stephen of "Breakfast on Pluto" : REA. 

Never mind he was in The Crying Game

7. Succor : AID.  And comfort.

8. Hungry for success, say : DRIVEN.   Type A personality.

9. Track transaction : WAGER.  You want to bet?  Or are you just horsing around?

10. "No thanks" : I'LL PASS.  Me too.  I'm not a gambler.

11. Google Maps directions word : VIA.   By means of a particular route.

12. Sea-Tac approx. : E.T.D.   Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Estimated Time of Departure.   Yes, this sent me agoogling.

13. Protein-rich bean : SOY.   Another LEGUME.

19. Org. that funds cultural exhibitions : N. E. A.  National Endowment for the Arts.

21. Litter peeps : MEWS.   Kitty litter - no, wait  .  .  .

24. Cruise stop : PORT.  

25. Italian archaeological attraction : POMPEII.  City annihilated by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD.

26. Puma competitor : NIKE.  Athletic shoes.

27. Paper holder : CLIP.

28. Italian tourist attraction : ETNA.  Another Italian volcano.

33. CFO's degree : M.B.A.  Masters in Business Administration.

34. Invite as a member of : BRING INTO.

35. Verizon competitor : A.T.T.  Once upon a time, American Telephone and Telegraph. 

36. Unruly groups : MOBS.

37. The Lord, in Lourdes : DIEU.   French for God.

38. Response to freshness? : SLAP.

Was it worth it?

40. "You got that right!" : AMEN.

43. Campsite sight : PUP TENT.

Is this right?

45. Very : SUCH.  As in "of such importance  .  .  ."   Still, a clumsy fit.

47. Peak near Olympus : MT. OSSA.   Not to be confused with the one in Tasmania.

 Yep - all Greek

49. Lincoln Memorial feature : STATUE.

Also looks Greek

50. Bloodmobile visitors : DONORS.    Not vampires.

51. Zealous : ARDENT.

53. Black-and-white sea predators : ORCAS.  Killer whales

54. Narrow inlet : RIA. A coastal inlet formed by the partial submergence of an unglaciated river valley. It is a drowned river valley that remains open to the sea.

55. __ management : ANGER.  For those with hostility issues.

58. Bug on the line : TAP.   Eavesdropping equipment, not insects.

59. Timeline parts: Abbr. : YRs.  Years.

60. Shooter lead-in : PEA.  A PEA shooter is a blow gun for propelling small objects, such as peas.   By extension, any small bore weapon or trombone.

61. Sealing goo : TAR.  For roads or roofs.

62. Periodic table suffix : IUM. As in helIUM.

69. Del. clock setting : E.S.T. Eastern Standard Time in Delaware.

OK, folks.  That draws the curtain on the final scene.  Among other things, we visited outer space, had mountainous terrain and a number of musical interludes.  I'll give this production two thumbs up.  How about you?

Cool Regards!
JzB

Tuesday, February 24, 2015 C.C. Burnikel

Theme: Food Inside Food - Foodstuff that has been stuffed with more foodstuff.

18A. Single proprietor : SOLE OWNER. Stuffed sole - Crab meat is one popular stuffing.

20A. The Old Spaghetti Factory alternative : OLIVE GARDEN. Stuffed olive - commonly pimento.

38A. Self-defense option : PEPPER SPRAY. Stuffed pepper - Ground beef

57A. Fragrant bloomer with typically pink flowers : CABBAGE ROSE. Stuffed cabbage - Ground beef again but wrapped in a cabbage leaf roll.

61A. Comment after a feast ... or what the first word of 18-, 20-, 38- and 57-Across would sometimes say--if it could talk : I'M STUFFED

Argyle here but it should have been Steve. More food! (Note the vertical stacks on the sides.)

Across:

1. Rosie of "The Jetsons," for one : ROBOT

6. Recede : EBB

9. Downloadable programs : APPs

13. Golden Gloves venue : ARENA

14. Chimney substance : SOOT

16. Toondom's __ E. Coyote : WILE

17. Camp shelters : TENTS

22. Big D hoopster : MAV. (Dallas Mavericks)

23. West Coast sch. with more than 100 NCAA championships : USC. (University of Southern California)

24. Martini order : DRY

25. Gloomy : MOROSE

27. Golf hole starting points : TEEs

29. On the topic of : AS TO

32. Fed. power dept. : ENER.

33. "__ Legend": Will Smith movie : I AM

35. Nook and Kindle : eREADERS

40. Emphatic military reply : "SIR, NO SIR!"

42. Actor McKellen : IAN

43. Japanese soup noodle : UDON

44. Formula for salt : NACL

46. Brewpub lineup : TAPS

50. Mr. Fixit's forte : REPAIR

53. Singer Orbison : ROY

55. Aflame : LIT

56. Chinese chairman : MAO

63. Christmas celebrity : SANTA

64. Future plant : SEED

65. Nonstick cookware brand : T-FAL

66. __ salts : EPSOM

67. Grinds to a halt : ENDS

68. Seek damages from : SUE

69. Poker-faced : STONY

Down:

1. Squeal on : RAT OUT

2. Parental warning words : "OR ELSE!"

3. "No fighting, kids!" : "BE NICE!". These two should be reversed. "BE NICE OR ELSE!"

4. "As seen __": ad phrase : ON TV

5. Used a stun gun on : TASED. This is the "OR ELSE!"

6. College application pieces : ESSAYS

7. Mannerless fellow : BOOR

8. Like headline typefaces : BOLD

9. "So-o adorable!" : "AWW!"

10. Cash for fun : PIN MONEY. This used to be the lady of the house laying by the egg money for herself but for a bowler like Boomer, it may have a different meaning.

11. Crowd __: popular performer : PLEASER

12. Order takers : SERVERS

15. Overflow (with) : TEEM

19. Artist with the website imaginepeace.com : ONO. New clue for Yoko?

21. Pa's pa : GRAMPS

26. Hill-building biter : RED ANT

28. "Burnt" crayon color : SIENNA

30. __ firma : TERRA

burnt sienna terra cotta

31. Surg. sites : ORs. (operating room) 51A. Post-surg. area : ICU. (intensive care unit)

34. Mil. mail address : APO. (Army Post Office)

36. Literary wrap-up : EPILOG

37. Football's Parseghian : ARA. Part of the "Holy Trinity" of Notre Dame head coaches with Knute Rockne and Frank Leahy.

38. Popped the question : PROPOSED

39. Bavarian article : EIN

40. Conjecture : SURMISE

41. Think tank guys : IDEA MEN

45. Baby rocker : CRADLE

47. King in Shakespeare's "The Tempest" : ALONSO

48. Moving engine part : PISTON. Up and down part.

49. Hot and humid : STEAMY

52. Rapids transport : RAFT

54. Go-aheads : YESes

58. Inseparable pals, to texters : BFFs. (Best friends forever)

59. Brummell or Bridges : BEAU

60. Captivated : RAPT

62. NFL scores : TDs. (touchdown)

Argyle

Monday, February 23, 2015 Kurt Krauss

Theme: National Groceries - Foodstuffs and the states that are famous for them.

20A. They're juiced in Jacksonville : FLORIDA ORANGES

33A. They're baked in Boise : IDAHO POTATOES

42A. They're boiled in Bangor : MAINE LOBSTERS

57A. They're shelled in Savannah : GEORGIA PEANUTS

Argyle here. A near pangram. No reveal necessary. Cute alliteration with the cities and preparation methods. A tad tough for any visiting tyros. Fine fun for a Monday.

Across:

1. Thom __: shoe brand : McAN

5. Greek Zs : ZETAs

10. This, in Spain : ESTO. (este (masculine), esta (feminine), esto (neuter))

14. Poi source : TARO

15. Motionless : INERT

16. Like spider webs : SPUN

17. __ the Impaler: model for "Dracula" : VLAD

18. One of a 1492 trio : PINTA

19. Ritual flammable stack : PYRE

23. Anteater's sound in the comic "B.C." : [ZOT!]

24. Mobster's gal : MOLL

25. Hawaiian wreath : LEI

26. Flood-control project : DAM

29. Garbage barge puller : TUG

31. Odorless gas : ETHANE

37. Disaster relief org. : FEMA. (Federal Emergency Management Agency)O(for when the dam fails)

38. Put the kibosh on : NIX

39. Exec's "By yesterday!" : ASAP. (As Soon As Possible)

47. Sets aside for future use : LAYS BY. Are you familiar with this phrase?

49. __ and improved : NEW

50. Barnyard home : STY

51. Suffix with transit : ORY. Transitory - not permanent.

52. "Green __ and Ham" : EGGS

55. Knock sharply : RAP

62. One-liner, e.g. : JOKE

63. Make __: get rich : A MINT

64. Dining table expansion piece : LEAF

66. Degree recipient : ALUM

67. Guts : NERVE

68. Year-end clearance event : SALE

69. Office note : MEMO

70. Deuce toppers : TREYS

71. One-named Art Deco artist : ERTÉ. Two initials. The French pronunciation of the initials of Romain de Tirtoff.

Down:

1. Network that once employed VJs : MTV

2. Muscle prone to cramps : CALF

3. Devastated Asian sea : ARAL

4. Caffeinated pill : NO-DOZ

5. "Be quiet!" : "ZIP IT UP!". [snicker}

6. Oklahoma city : ENID

7. Early brunch hr. : TEN AM

8. "Star Wars" droid, familiarly : AR-TOO

9. Hollywood hopeful : STARLET

10. "College Football Playoff" network : ESPN

11. Crow's-nest telescopes : SPYGLASSES

12. Deep serving bowl : TUREEN

13. Infant's bodysuit : ONESIE

1. __-Rooter : ROTO

22. Voice above tenor : ALTO

26. "What's the __?": "So what?" : DIF

27. Fruity cooler : ADE

28. "Li'l Abner" matriarch : MAMMY YOKUM. You didn't mess with Mammy!

30. Departed : GONE

32. Furnace output : HEAT. Working overtime this winter.

34. Lukas of "Witness" : HAAS. He was the Amish boy. Google pics

35. "Shop __ you drop" : TIL

36. Neural impulse conductor : AXON

40. Museum collection : ART

41. Would-be social worker's maj. : PSY. (Psychology)

43. "__ your pardon" : I BEG

44. NFLer who plays at the Meadowlands--in NJ, ironically : N.Y. GIANT

45. Scolds but good : BERATES

46. Ugly duckling, as it turned out : SWAN

47. Lumber mill blockage : LOGJAM. Out in the river.

                                    A big one.

48. Bump from which cactus spines grow : AREOLE. Oh?

53. Xbox enthusiast : GAMER

54. Cathedral topper : SPIRE

56. Throb : PULSE

58. San __, Italy : REMO

59. Jealous feeling : ENVY

60. Rip : TEAR

61. Word after sea or before Lake : SALT

65. Doctor's charge : FEE

Argyle

Note from C.C.:

Happy 76th Birthday to Keith Fowler!  I'll just copy & paste & make slight changes to what he said last year: 

"My branch of the family is not known for longevity, so it will be an enormous leap for me to reach 76 this coming Sunday--Feb 23 at 7:19 pm PST!  At that day/time I will be three years older than any recorded Fowler (of the Shryvenham to London to NY to CT to TN to CA tribe of Fowlers) ever got to be.

My mom (actually a Hocking) reached 73, and my dad's grandfather hit that number too.  while a great many folk live much longer, it just feels mighty strange to me, like teetering on a very high pole, or maybe soloing for the first time, and very slowly."

 

Keith Fowler!

Interview with Alex Vratsanos

This is our first encounter with constructor Alex Vratsanos, who has had 10 puzzles published by the New York Times alone. Alex hit for the cycle (his puzzles appeared in every day of the week) with his 8th puzzle last June. That's a record!

Alex was also published by the Chronicle of Higher Education (a collaboration with George Barany),  and in Twenty Under Thirty, and he has several additional puzzles that have been accepted by the LAT.

XWord Info Picture

How did this theme come to you and what were the other theme answers you also considered but discarded?

 
This concept of using a decade to indicate a letter count came to me in early summer 2014, though in the form of the '80s. Finding nothing usable with eight E's, I ran through the remaining possibilities and found that '60s was the only one that had a chance of working. I guess I got very lucky to find six theme entries that were the right lengths and could intersect.

  

I don't think I could make a 6-themer work for a 21*21. I would not be so imaginative & daring to start the first theme entry at Row 6 and stack two pairs the way you did. Can you tell us a bit about your grid designing process? What were the trouble spots during the filling?

With the six theme entries in place, I started the fill at those words that crossed three of them. After finding ones that worked, I turned to the areas between TAKIN' IT TO THE STREETS and the other Across theme entries, leaving the areas at the top and bottom of the grid for last. I am very pleased with the changes Rich made, the biggest one being shortening the title (from "Puzzle of the '60s") and in adding the asterisk to it and the theme clues. I also must thank my friend Ned White for the support he gave to this puzzle during its development.

What's your background? And how did you get into crossword construction?

I constructed my first crossword in August 2006, while still in middle school. Over the next few years, I learned the language and rules of crosswords and submitted my first one in February 2009, but it wasn't until June 2011 that I received my first acceptance and publication. I have since had about 20 puzzles accepted by the major outlets, but this is my LA Times debut. Outside of Crossworld, I am currently completing an A.A. in Business Administration at Lehigh Carbon Community College, and plan to begin pursuing a B.S. in Accounting at Kutztown University this fall.

What kind of theme & fill fascinate you and what kind do you try to avoid in your grids?

Being a Scrabble fan, I try to include entries with the less common letters where I can. On the other hand, I try very hard to avoid partials and dupes of short words like IN and ON.

Which part do you enjoy the most in the construction process: theme development, filling or cluing?

Of those three, filling is my favorite and cluing is my least favorite.

What kind of reference tools do you use for crossword construction & cluing?

I use Crossword Compiler for constructing, and I take advantage of all the online and print resources that most constructors use. Once I have a puzzle pretty far along, I run it by George Barany and his team, and they in turn make incisive suggestions on how to improve it.

Besides crosswords, what are your other hobbies?

My other hobbies include chess, a variety of sports and other games, and staying up to date on the stock market. I guess that may not sound like much, but my academic studies and job at Walmart #2145 take up a lot of my time. I am very glad to have had time to answer these questions, though. :-)