Friday, June 17, 2016 James Sajdak

Title:  STAND  what's going on?

           DO YOU

Remember those Wacky Wordies we all have solved over the years like:

Well James has done a masterful job weaving this device into a Friday puzzle. Using the adverb "Literally", he places the first part of an in-the-language phrase literally beneath the second part to induce the preposition UNDER which completes a theme phrase using the same number of letters in both as you can see in the grid below. 

And, oh yeah, having the first word in the phrase appear later in the puzzle and the last word requiring a cross reference adds to the BOTTOMS UP amusement/torment. Fiendish - Today thy name is Sajdak! Very cool! 

Husker Gary here pinch-hitting for Lemon and I give this puzzle  

Now let's see what else is hidden in our puzzle and not

Theme Entries: 

#1 GETS UNDER FOOT

15. See 18-Across : FOOT

18. Literally, forms an obstruction : GETS

FOOT

GETS

Yes, he "Literally" can!!

#2 THROWS UNDER THE BUS

19. See 23-Across : THE BUS

23. Literally, sacrifices to save one's own neck : THROWS

THE BUS

THROWS

With Photoshop, you can do this figuratively, uh, not "Literally"! 

#3 PLACES UNDER ARREST

56. See 61-Across : ARREST

61. Literally, books : PLACES

ARREST

PLACES

The most famous in moviedom?

Didn't Dirty Harry also

COVER

WORK

#4 LIES UNDER OATH

62. See 66-Across : OATH

66. Literally, commits perjury : LIES

OATH

LIES

You ain't foolin' her!

...and the reveal:

36. Toaster's words, and a hint to solving eight puzzle answers : BOTTOMS UP - Meryl probably got an Academy Award Nomination for this line!

Across

1. Liner : SHIP - Some captains don't like it when they are called boats. Spitz?

5. Hope __ : CHEST

10. Shred of evidence? : DNA

13. A, to Bach : EINE - Even a cultural philistine such as I knows EINE kleine Nachtmusik 

14. "I wanna do it" : LEMME

16. Turkish warlord : AGHA

17. Physicist's proposed particle : AXION - Count me as physics teacher who has never heard of this word

21. Camps : ROUGHS IT - Holiday Inn Express is ROUGHING IT for us

24. Pod opener : TRI

25. RV chain : KOA

26. Chou En-__ : LAI

27. Like adobe : EARTHEN

30. Publicity : INK - "Say whatever you want, just spell my name right!"

31. Sundance's love : ETTA - The real ETTA Place and Sundance Kid (Harry Longabaugh)

33. Blackguard : CUR

34. Touch, for example : SENSE - My iMacPro can SENSE how many fingers are on the TOUCHpad

40. Fills : SATES

43. __ grass : OAT

44. World Golf Hall of Famer Aoki : ISAO - He's got a lovely bunch of vowels!

48. Soul seller : KIA - When visiting South Korea, the Pope chose a modest, made-in Korea KIA Soul and admonished clergy who drive big, expensive vehicles

49. 1972 Olympics city : SAPPORO - The last Olympics where wooden skis were used to win a gold medal

53. Beantown landmark, with "the" : PRU - The 52-story PRUdential building's parking is much cheaper, a 20 min. walk to Fenway and easy to find after the game

54. Rile : IRK

55. End of August? : INE

58. Blocks : PREVENTS

63. Tin Pan Alley gp. : ASCAP

65. Mr. Bean's car : MINI - Mr. Bean, his MINI and Teddy!

67. Onetime NPR host Hansen : LIANE

68. Settled : PAID

69. "The Conspiracy Against Childhood" author LeShan : EDA

70. Itzhak Perlman choice : STRAD

71. Tart fruit : SLOE


Down

1. City named for a Duwamish chief : SEATTLE - Wise words from Chief SEATTLE 

2. Snub : HIGH HAT

3. Come into : INHERIT - He that troubles his own house shall INHERIT the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart. Proverbs 11:9

4. R&B singer Bryson : PEABO - Definitely worth a "google"

5. One to admire : CLASS ACT - C.C. is the embodiment of this sentiment 

6. Spell : HEX

7. Mideast monarch : EMIR

8. Like some operators : SMOOTH

9. Academic status : TENURE - A teacher with TENURE is hard to fire

10. Supple leather : DOESKIN

11. Whims : NOTIONS - "The Witt Store." Your place for notions, sundries, gewgaws and baubles Columbus, GA, c. 1953 . Who's says no one ever uses the word gewgaws?

12. On the line : AT STAKE

15. String next to E? : FGH - String of letters in the first song for many of us. I had the fill correct but struggled before I understood it!

20. Former NHL defenseman Krupp : UWE - UWE Von Schamann was a Sooner field goal kicker that never failed against the Huskers

22. Infomercial cutlery brand : GINSU - I never liked that shoe!

28. It's frustrating to be in one : RUT

29. Scout group : TROOP

32. Actor Vigoda : ABE - Barney Miller's Phil Fish and The Godfather's Salvatore Tessio

35. Center opening : EPI

37. Davis of "Do the Right Thing" : OSSIE

38. Tiananmen Square honoree : MAO - Translation of the writings?

39. Lacking, with "for" : STRAPPED

40. Stick on a slope : SKI POLE

41. Blitz : AIR RAID

42. Break on "Downton Abbey" : TAKE TEA - What?? TEA TIME is not right?

45. Reduced-price offering : SPECIAL

46. Hall of "Coming to America" : ARSENIO - 69% on Rotten Tomatoes

47. Unlikely, as a chance : OUTSIDE - or a variation using the theme

50. Historical records : ANNALS

51. Watch a friend's dog, say : PET SIT

52. The NBA's Magic : ORL

57. Cloverleaf branches : RAMPS - The Pregerson Interchange in L.A.

59. Old tape type : VHS

60. Bad mark? : SCAR

64. Santa __, California : ANA

Now it's time for others to comment, so they shouldn't delay and get (yes this is addictive)

Thursday, June 16th 2016 Bruce Venzke and Gail Grabowski

Theme: Eeew! Bug assault!

17A. Bug : LISTENING DEVICE. The glass-against-the-wall ploy doesn't work, despite what you see in the movies.

26A. Bug : PROGRAM FAULT. I've been responsible for a few of these. The very first program I ran at school went into an infinite loop. It was a portent of things to come. Apple have a sense of humor with their street address:

44A. Bug : VIRAL ILLNESS. Just a 24-hour flu, if you're lucky.

57A. Bug : VOLKSWAGEN MODEL. We had a clashing pink purse/yellow VW Bug last week.I'll spare you the repeat imagery.

What a great puzzle from Bruce and Gail. I really take my hat off to a weekday puzzle like this that is nothing but fun, and challenging to get through. I stared down the top-middle before the simplest fill (SOD) finally unlocked it for me. Bravo, guys. Thanks for the workout.

Across:

1. Alpine racing obstacle : GATE. Two poles on the course you have to ski between. Wouldn't it be fun if it was an actual gate that you had to stop and open, or leap over? (Be careful to close it behind you).

5. Whisks : BEATS

10. Thought-provoking : DEEP

14. Arkin of "Argo" : ALAN

15. Prenatal test, for short : AMNIO. -centesis. Tough choices when faced with this one.

16. Former "Fashion Emergency" host : EMME. Who? Crosses for me.

20. Industrial Revolution power source : STEAM

21. Kilt wearer's refusal : NAE. I was expecting "NO UNDERWEAR" and mercifully ran out of space.

22. Destructive insect : BORER

23. Bering Sea port : NOME. As the locals say "There's no place like Nome".

25. Invigorates : ROUSES

31. Cocoon and Posturepedic : SEALYS. Confident "aha!" and "SEELYS: went in. A later correction with a crossing tempered my hubris. Thank you, OARS.

32. Parks in American history : ROSA

33. Cuba libre ingredient : RUM. I loved the RUM, COKE and LIME clechos here. Great mini-theme.

36. Confident : SURE

37. Flags down : HAILS

39. Cuba libre ingredient : COKE. Lovely. See 33A

40. Decorates with Angel Soft, briefly : TPS. Charmin in my house. I don't know exactly how much a roll costs, but I'm not about to throw it around the neighborhood.

41. "Now that you mention it ... " : WELL .... Generally not a good start. Be diplomatic.

42. Places for French lessons : ÉCOLES

46. Backless furniture : STOOLS

49. Pallet piece : SLAT

50. Put up with : ABIDE. A word with two senses - literally "live (with)". In the pejorative sense in this case "I can't abide this person". But also in the hymn of hope sense "Abide with me". This is traditionally sung before the kick-off of the English soccer cup final in London each year. I'm not sure how the tradition started, but it's pretty cool to hear 80,000 people singing the last stanza of each verse.

Abide with me: fast falls the eventide;
the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me

Hold now your Word before my closing eyes.
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven's morning breaks and earth's vain shadows flee;
in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me. 

51. One to hang with : PAL

53. Pro shop set : IRONS. I have Taylor Made irons. I didn't buy them in the Pro shop though - cheaper online! The US Open starts today - I'm in a for-fun pool to pick a team of ten golfers to win the most prize money between them. My ten are: Day, McIlroy, Spieth, Garcia, Fowler, Matsuyama, Snedeker, Reed, Berger and Knox.

60. 4-F's opposite : ONE-A

61. Intense : ACUTE

62. Cuba libre ingredient : LIME. Lovely. See 33A.

63. Part of a wine list : REDS

64. Migratory birds : GEESE

65. It's measured in inches : SNOW. Stop sniggering at the back. Plenty of this in Nome.

Down:

1. Some square dancers : GALS. Guys the other 50%, or so.

2. Settled on a branch : ALIT

3. Zap : TASE

4. Involve in a complicated way : ENTANGLE. Nice!

5. Negative decree : BAN

6. "8 Mile" rapper : EMINEM. An amazing talent. Whether or not hip-hop is your thing, I love this track. Probably rated R for language.

7. "Breaking Bad" Emmy winner Gunn : ANNA. Who?

8. Buster Brown's dog : TIGE. No idea. Contributed to a blank section for quite some time.

9. Ground cover : SOD. This little three-letter "oh!" finally unlocked the whole top-middle section for me. What a great construction key.

10. Deeply religious : DEVOUT

11. Dubai dignitaries : EMIRS

12. Link between speakers : EMCEE. Was vaguely on the right track with SEGUE but vague doesn't cut it. Corrected.

13. Reviewers of academic essays : PEERS.

18. Atlanta university : EMORY

19. Scary name in 2014 news : EBOLA

24. Kitchen gadgets : MASHERS. I have forks. Over the years I've discarded gadgets in favor of simpler and more efficient tools. Herb mincers? Garlic presses? Mashers? Pah. They use up space and are usually troublesome to clean. Big-Assed cleaver! Fork! Now you're talking.

25. Five-time NBA MVP Bill : RUSSELL. Tried WALTON first and was left with an empty square.

26. Wordless summons : PSST!

27. Do another stint : RE-UP

28. Couple in a dinghy : OARS. Corrected my miss-spelt SEELY/SEALY from earlier.

29. Superfluity : FRILL. I flat-out LOVED this clue. How many times have we seen "superfluous" and never given the other forms of the word a passing thought? Fantastic. Made my day.

30. Moviefone parent co. : AOL. Amazing who ends up being owned by whom. No doubt it will be different next year.

(Below were added later: Original write-up from 30-D went missing)

33. Othello or Iago : ROLE. From the play.

34. Hula strings : UKEs

35. Difficult spot : MESS

38. __ carte : À LA

39. Instrument panel array : CONTROLS

41. Cunning : WILES

43. Adjuster's concern : CLAIM

44. Beverages sometimes made from potatoes : VODKAs

45. Archipelago parts : ISLETs

46. Relish : SAVOR

47. Chophouse choice : T-BONE. Nice pairing.

48. Quieted, in a way : OILED

51. Rate : PACE

52. Reason for cold compresses and extra blankets : AGUE

54. Chief god of Asgard : ODIN

55. Literary sea captain : NEMO

56. Large quantity : SLEW

58. Sign of a canine excitement : WAG

59. Bridal bio word : NÉE

I'm in Milwaukee for a couple of days, so just checked the wonderful state of Wisconsin off my bucket list. The weather here is better than back in LA - not often you can say that, I wager.

And .... here's the grid. No circles!

Steve

Wednesday, June 15, 2016 Jeffrey Wechsler

Theme:  Of COURSE I will treat you in a FAIR WAY, and never give you a ROUGH time. Did you suspect a TRAP? You must be GREEN as grass!  Today we have a hidden words theme, which is much easier to spot if you also had the circles.  The hidden words, in reverse chronological order will take us through one short par 4 hole on a golf course.  Each hidden word is the name of a golf shot, and spans two words of a multi-word phrase.   

17. "It's now or never!" : I CAN'T PUT THIS OFF.  This looks over-eager, but it pays to be patient when you are lining up your PUTT.  This is the shot where you roll your ball along the green and hope that it either goes into the hole or hits some solid object behind it.

27. Play the Lute or Grasp the Sparrow's Tail, in martial arts : TAI CHI POSITION.  The CHIP is a short approach shot to the green, generally highly arched.   I know nothing of TAI CHI, but here are some of the positions.

Either way, a sparrow is a bird

47. Folk ballad also known as "Cowboy Love Song" : RED RIVER VALLEY.   The DRIVE is typically the first shot on any par 4 or 5 hole.

59. "Whatchu talkin' 'bout, Willis?" sitcom ... or, literally, occupants of this puzzle's circles : DIFF'RENT STROKES.   Each swing of a golf club counts as one STROKE, and here we have three diff'rent ones.  Missing from this sequence is the fairway iron shot, but if you can get close to the green with your DRIVE, you won't need one.   When I played, it was more accurately descriptive to spell golf backwards.  I have since determined that my quality of life is in direct proportion to my distance from the game.   Maybe Husker Gary should have done this one.

The subject TV show ran from 1978 to 1986, starring Gary Coleman as Arnold and Todd Bridges as his brother Willis, two orphaned African-American boys taken in by a rich white widower for whom their late mother formerly worked.

Hi gang, JazzBumpa here to FLOG this one along.  Let's see if we can avoid hazards and reconnoiter on the 19th hole.

Down

1. Ritzy : POSH.  Ostentatious display of conspicuous consumption.

5. Cockroach, e.g. : PEST.  No need for a link.

9. Puccini classic : TOSCA.  I don't like opera, so no link here either.

14. Acreage : AREA.  As of a golf course or some other plot of land.

15. Comics pooch with a big red tongue : ODIE.

Pest?

16. Islamic analogue of kosher : HALAL.

20. Where to buy EBAY : NASDAQ.  Listing service for stocks not on the New York or American Stock Exchanges.

21. Was in charge of : RAN.

22. Org. for Serena Williams : Woman's Tennis Association.

23. Canine tooth : CUSPID.  A tooth with a single cusp or point.

26. School gps. : Parent Teacher AssocoationS.

32. Dating : WITH.  Sure, you can be WITH someone you're dating, but you can also be WITH your golf group or your dog.  Not fond of this clue.

33. Skin blemish : ZIT.  Acne, the adolescent's bane.

34. Addams family nickname : TISH.   Morticia.

35. Journalist Stewart or Joseph : ALSOP.   Brothers who cowrote the "Matter of Fact" column for the New York Herald Tribune from 1945 to 1958.   They were grand-nephews of Theodor Roosevelt.

37. Use, as resources : TAP.

39. Hardly economical : STEEP.   As in a high price.

42. Novelist Stoker : BRAM.  He gave us Dracula.

44. Logical beginning? : GEO-.  Prefix clue for the science of earth study. 

46. Galley implements : OARS.  Ancient warship propelled by both sails and rowers. 

50. Course elevators : TEES.  Not a teaser clue - little devices that elevate golf balls, and thus relate to the DRIVE portion of the theme.  

51. Scatter : DISPEL.  More commonly, get rid of.  Comes from the Latin, meaning to DRIVE away -  which, I suppose, could be in several directions, if you hook or slice.  

52. Lease alternative : OWN.  We OWN one vehicle and lease the other.

53. Sit in a cellar, say : AGE.  As wine or cheese.

54. Marriott rival : RAMADA.  Hotels

63. Curaçao neighbor : ARUBA.  Tropical islands

64. Something to file : NAIL.  On the finger or toe.  As opposed to paper work.

65. Dump at the altar : JILT.  Heart-breaking moment that probably works out for the best.

66. Jacket fabric : DENIM.  Also used for blue jeans,

How you wear it is up to you

67. First name in advice : ABBY.  Abigail Van Buren, pseudonym for Pauline Esther Phillips [1918-2013] who began her advice column in 1956.  Her twin sister also gave advice as Ann Landers.

68. Cognizant of : ON TO.   Aware of.

Down

1. What acupuncture relieves, for some : PAIN.  I read an article recently by an M.D. stating that all the controlled studies have determined no greater efficacy than a placebo effect.  My sister, who has had significant knee pain for years, got a great deal of relief from acupuncture, and her blood pressure dropped by about 20 points.  Go figure.

2. Killer whale : ORCA.   They are diverse eaters and apex predators - at the top of the food chain, nobody eats them. 

3. Bering and Ross : SEAS.   The Bering Sea is North of the Aleutian Islands between Alaska and Siberia. The Ross Sea is an arm of the Pacific Ocean extending into Antarctica South of New Zealand.

4. Word with deck or dock : HAND.  Either way, a hard working laborer.

5. Classroom surprise : POP QUIZ.  Surprise test - but why no love for mom?

6. Part of a collegiate address : EDU.  Slightly misleading clue, but we all know he means a web address.

7. Kennel command : SIT.

8. Game whose original packaging boasted "From Russia with Fun!" : TETRIS.  You can play it on line here.

9. Like Laurel, but not Hardy : THIN.

Ouch

10. Western treaty gp. : Organization of American States.

11. Frustratingly on the mend : SLOW TO HEAL.  Hand injuries can be that way.

12. Kind of robe : CAFTAN.   Varies in style, design and fabric, often worn as a house coat or overdress.

Varys, in style 

13. Italian racers, familiarly : ALFAS.

Alfa Romeo

18. Dash gauge : TACHometer.  Measures RPM's.

19. __ made: was set for life : HAD IT.   Received a large inheritance, struck oil, made a killing in the market, etc.  A then blew it all on an Alfa.

24. Rotisserie rod : SPIT.  Skewering device that rotates.

25. Thick soups : POTAGES.   From the French for "potted dish."  This type concoction, in which a variety of foodstuffs are boiled together until thick, dates back to medieval northern France.  

26. Oklahoma State mascot __ Pete : PISTOL.

The one and only

27. Former flier : Trans World Airlines - from 1925 to 2001, when it was acquired by AMR, Inc, the parent company of American Airlines. 

28. Feel bad : AIL.

29. "I had a blast!" : ITS BEEN FUN.

30. Basic guitar lesson : CHORDS.

31. Carol opener : 'TIS the season, etc.

36. Line on a scorecard : PAR.   More golf.  PAR is the theoretical number of strokes to be taken on each hole. You then compare your actual number and either laugh or cry.

38. Cop's catch : PERP.   Short for PERPETRATOR, one who has committed a crime, because the cops never, ever catch an innocent person.  In Corner parlance, a PERP is a word PERPendicular to a word you're trying to fill in, which gives you a letter you need to catch your target word.

40. Before, before : ERE.  A relic from Olde English, showing it germanic roots.

41. Future therapist's maj. : PSYchology.

43. Moose's girlfriend, in Archie comics : MIDGE.

Beautiful and deadly

45. In plain view : OVERTLY.  Via Old French from the Latin aperire, to open.

47. Upgrade electrically : REWIRE.  Provide new electrical wiring.

48. Capital on the Danube : VIENNA.  Austria.

49. Banned fruit spray : ALAR.   It was used to prevent premature fruit dropping and improve color, firmness and quality during storage.  It was banned in 1989 due to cancer-causing concerns.  It was most famously used on apples, but also on cherries, peaches, pears, tomatoes and peanuts.

50. Inscription on a June greeting card : TO DAD.   Father's day is coming up this weekend.  My son and fam are coming over, and he's going to grill.

53. Saroyan's "My Name Is __" : ARAM.   A book of short stories first published in 1940 concerning the eponymous boy of Armenian descent living in Fresno, CA.

55. Spell-casting art : MOJO.   Probably of African origin.

56. Similar : AKIN.

57. Bench press beneficiary : DELToid muscle.

So you can shoulder a load

Here's how you do it, ladies

58. Regarding : AS TO.  In re:.

60. "Criminal Minds" agcy. : Federal Bureau of Investigation, featured on yet another TV show I've never watched.

61. It's next to Q on most keyboards : TAB.  The indent key.

62. Unc, to Dad : SIB.  Uncle and Dad are siblings.  But not for my kids, I don't have a brother.

Well, that finishes another round.  Rather odd to see Jeffrey, who I think of as Mr. Friday, show up on a Wednesday, but life is full of surprises, and it's all good.  Hope you were up to par [but not too far over] on this one.

Cool Regards!
JzB

Tuesday, June 14 2016, Agnes Davidson & C.C. Burnikel

Theme: SIX FLAGS 

16. *Where hockey transgressors cool their heels : PENALTY BOX. Penalty Flag.

21. *Future attorney's hurdle : STATE BAR. State Flag.

47. *Polite applause on the tee : GOLF CLAP. Golf Flag.

54. *Vessel for Captain Jack Sparrow : PIRATE SHIP. Pirate Flag.

10. *Colorful sushi creation : RAINBOW ROLL. Rainbow Flag.

23. *"Drove my Chevy to the levee" Don McLean hit : AMERICAN PIE. American Flag.

37. June 14th observance ... and a hint to the first word in the answers to starred clues : FLAG DAY. 

Melissa here, Happy Flag Day, and congratulations to Agnes, our own Irish Miss, on her impressive, theme-heavy, and timely debut puzzle with C.C. Very impressive to see the FLAG DAY theme, on Flag Day, perfectly centered. A fun solve, that took a few turns around the grid. Ran into a little trouble when I entered TDS instead of YDS for 63A NFL gains.

Across

1. Drink-cooling shapes : CUBES

6. Family girl : SIS

9. Neighborhood : AREA

13. Seize : USURP

14. So very uncool : LAME

15. Mascara target : LASH

18. Issue a ticket to : CITE

19. Shout of discovery : EUREKA

20. Draft classification : ONE-A

25. Where sleeping dogs lie : PET BED

27. "Give me a break!" : OH MAN

28. Decide one will : OPT TO

29. Sound confirming a locked car door : BEEP

30. Oil-bearing rocks : SHALES

33. Jimmy Fallon asset : WIT. Fallon's (long but worth it) story about Prince and ping-pong.

36. Go wrong : ERR

38. Sudoku section : ROW

39. Camping gear brand : REI. Recreational Equipment, Inc. Love this store.

40. Winner's wreath : LAUREL

41. Voice quality : TONE

42. Film snippets : CLIPS. Saw this the other day, so bizarre.

 44. TV's "Kate & __" : ALLIE

45. "The ability to fully experience life," per Thoreau : WEALTH

50. "Money __ object" : IS NO

51. Sandy or Roberto of baseball : ALOMAR

53. Catch sight of : ESPY

59. Fired, with "off" : LAID

60. Look carefully : PEER

61. Gravel unit : STONE

62. Colors, as hair : DYES

63. NFL gains : YDS. Who else tried TDS first?

64. Cackling scavenger : HYENA

Down:

1. Many a sports trophy : CUP

2. Function : USE

3. Hot dog holder : BUN

4. Notable time : ERA

5. Organ associated with ill temper : SPLEEN. Vent your spleen.

6. "Light" sci-fi weapon : SABER

7. "Don't worry about me" : I'M OK

8. Physical attractiveness : SEX APPEAL

9. "Little Women" novelist : ALCOTT

11. Perfumer Lauder : ESTEE

12. Down the road : AHEAD

14. Harp constellation : LYRA

17. Shower stall alternative, if it fits : TUB

21. Unloaded? : SOBER. Nice clue.


22. "At last!" : THERE!

24. Water source : TAP

26. Online crafts shop : ETSY

28. Shoppe adjective : OLDE

30. Silly to the extreme : SLAP HAPPY.  Fun phrase.


31. Fräulein's abode : HAUS. German.


32. Farm sci. : AGR. Agriculture - the science and practice of farming.

34. Ancient Greek region : IONIA

35. Follower on Twitter, informally : TWEEP. Not a big twitter user - did not know this term.

37. Fly like a moth : FLIT

 41. Affectionate attention, briefly : TLC. Tender Loving Care.

43. London insurance giant : LLOYD'S

44. From scratch : AFRESH

45. Exercise, as power : WIELD

46. Thoreau work : ESSAY

47. Second family of the 1990s : GORES. Al and Tipper, now separated.

48. "Rubáiyát" poet : OMAR

49. Zero deg. at the equator, say : LAT. Equator = Latitude; Prime Meridian = Longitude.

52. Told tall tales : LIED

 55. Oinker's pen : STY

56. Clod chopper : HOE

57. Ramada __ : INN

58. Green soup base : PEA

 

Note from C.C.:

As Melissa mentioned earlier, this is Irish Miss's LAT debut. Congratulations, Agnes! She's such an observant and fast learner, a caring friend on and off the blog for many of our regulars. Thanks for being here for us, esp for me, Agnes. You're an angel! Thanks for inspiring me with your creative ideas & thoughtful observations.

Eileen (sister of Agnes) & Agnes, Nov 22, 2013

Monday, June 13, 2016 Lila Cherry

Theme: D/J - Phrases starting with D and J.

17A. Hardcover protector : DUST JACKET

25A. Improvisational music style developed in 14-Across : DIXIELAND JAZZ

43A. Local jurist : DISTRICT JUDGE

58A. Maneuver that captures two checkers : DOUBLE JUMP

10D. Guy's breakup letter : DEAR JANE

37D. Clerical office positions : DESK JOBS

47D. Wedding music provider ... and a homophonic hint to six puzzle answers : DEEJAY

Argyle here with Lila Cherry(Really Rich). It seems a simple theme is acceptable if there is enough of it. All the J's are accounted for but there are some free-range D's out there. Tom Joad is a T/J. A nice mix of new and old with even a unique three-letter entry, TCB.

Across:

1. "Pardon me ... " : "AHEM ... "

5. __ Madness: fruity Snapple flavor : MANGO

10. Info that isn't as dumb as it sounds : DOPE

14. Mardi Gras city acronym : NOLA. (New Orleans, Louisiana)

15. University founder Yale : ELIHU

16. Quaint "Yikes!" : "EGAD!"

19. One on your side : ALLY

20. Old show showings : RERUNS

21. Josephine, for one : EMPRESS. Josephine Bonaparte wearing her signature gown.

23. Dictator Amin : IDI. Third President of Uganda, ruling from 1971 to 1979.

24. Noun following a vb., usually : OBJect

32. Cat covering : FUR

33. East, to Eduardo : ESTE

34. Orderly : NEAT plus 7D. Suffix with 34-Across : NIK

36. Apple tablet : iPAD

38. Handled things somehow : COPED

39. Stonestreet of "Modern Family" : ERIC. Cam on the show.

40. Heredity unit : GENE

41. x or y, in plane geometry : AXIS

42. Planet, in verse : ORB

48. Divided Asian country: Abbr. : KORea

49. Miner's objective : ORE

50. "The Grapes of Wrath" protagonist : TOM JOAD

54. Boring tools : AUGERS

57. Small Chevy model : AVEO

61. Low-__ diet : CARB

62. Outie's opposite : INNIE. Belly buttons.

63. Natural skin soother : ALOE

64. Bullfight cheers : OLÉs

65. Brewery kilns : OASTS

66. Thief who doesn't need the combination : YEGG. Safecracker.

Down:

1. Also : AND

2. Time of day : HOUR

3. "Anything __?" : ELSE

4. Dot-__ printer : MATRIX

5. Malicious one : MEANIE

6. Oct. baseball semifinal : ALCS. (American League Championship Series)

8. Indian butter : GHEE

9. No longer in style : OUTMODED

11. Gawk at : OGLE

12. Buddies : PALS

13. "Grand" ice cream brand : EDYS

18. Dame Dench : JUDI

22. Sandwich with Jif and Welch's, for short : PBJ. (peanut butter and jelly)

25. Fooled : DUPED

26. Pakistani neighbor : IRANI

27. Eleventh of 13 popes : LEO XI

28. Savory gelatin : ASPIC

29. H-bomb trial, e.g. : N-TEST

30. Weightlessness cause, briefly : ZERO G

31. Congo, formerly : ZAIRE

32. Newton fruit : FIG

35. Getting it done, initially : TCB. "Taking Care of Business"

 

 

38. Music provider on the road : CAR RADIO

44. Also : TOO

45. Units of energy : JOULES. Previous expo, 8-Across

46. Strongly suggest : URGE

50. Mexican snack in a shell : TACO

51. Track shape : OVAL

52. Nothing but : MERE

53. Spanish lady : DONA

54. Not much : A BIT

55. __ of thumb : RULE

56. City skyline obscurer : SMOG

59. Young __: tots, in dialect : 'UNS. Often spelt as one word, young'uns.

60. Tent stake : PEG

Argyle

Note from C.C.:

I finally met with Jeffrey Wechsler yesterday at the Fifth MN Crossword Tournament. As Gary said  in a Facebook comment "Fiendish Jeff Wechsler even looks human!" Jeffrey flew in from New Jersey to volunteer for the event. Jeffrey was also a judge for the ACPT the past few years. We managed to talk a little shop while he was busy working for the tournament.

David Liben-Nowell, Tom Pepper, Jeffrey Wechsler, David Hanson & C.C. 

It was also fun discussing crosswords with the brilliant local constructors: Tom Pepper (Mr. Minnesota Nice), Marcia Brott (We had her puzzle three months ago), Victor Barocas (our hard-working editor), David Hanson (He used to comment on our blog with the handle Rosebud), Andrew J. Ries (so incredibly talented. Click here to subscribe to his weekly puzzle) & David Liben-Nowell (He has a LAT themeless coming up).

Don Gagliardo, Andrea Carla Michaels & David Steinberg all contributed puzzles but could not make the trip. George Barany was traveling in CA. You were all missed.

Mike Weepie won the tournament. Eric Maddy came in second. Carl Voss third. Below are a few pictures. You can click here for more.

David Hanson,Victor Barocas, C.C. & Andrew J. Ries

 

Victor & Eric Maddy

David Bael, Marcia and Tom