Thursday, January 18 2018 C.C. Burnikel

Theme: Hidden Critters: Some charming little folk nesting in the theme entries:

18A. *Acting like the locals : GOING NATIVE. Gnat. I'm in India this week. I've eaten nothing but curry this week, so I guess I've gone native. I love Indian food.

61A. *Try not to look bored : STIFLE A YAWN. Flea. Many meetings. Yikes, check out this guy!

3D. *Google Code of Conduct motto : DON'T BE EVIL Bee. Some people say that they've gone away from this ideal just a tad.

30D. *"The Imitation Game" subject : ALAN TURING. Ant. A brilliant man and a sad outcome.

Reveal:

54A. Software glitches ... and, in a broad sense, small things hidden in the answers to starred clues : BUGS. Of course, I never introduced a bug into any code I wrote, ever. Well, maybe one or two.

39D. Trial run designed to catch 54-Across : BETA TEST. The net is never fine enough, a bunch always slip through.


Second Thursday in a row for C.C. and a nice-looking grid, especially top and bottom of the across theme entries. Nary a clunker to be found either. Let's see what else we've got:

Across:

1. It doesn't go off : DUD. Happily for someone, I'm sure.

4. Dugong or manatee : SEA COW

10. Friskies sister brand : ALPO

14. "Lookee here!" : OHO!

15. Turkey's second-largest city : ANKARA. I'm not sure if I can think of a third-largest. I know  Galatasaray are Turkish soccer team, but when I looked them up they're in Istanbul, so I'm still stuck.

16. Enjoyed People : READ. Note the capital "P" in "People".

17. Singer Fogelberg : DAN. Now why on earth did I want to put ANN in here?

20. Toughness : GUTS

22. Stage great Hagen : UTA. Thank you, ghosts of crosswords past.

23. White __ : NOISE

24. Site of Napoleon's exile : ELBA. "Able I was, ere I saw Palindrome." No, wait ....? I didn't know until fairly recently the pint-sized Emperor didn't stay exiled on Elba. He had a Bonaparte 2.0 reboot and returned to Paris as head of state, but that didn't work out either and ended up as a prisoner of the British and banished to the island of Saint Helena, his final abode.

25. Accessories for many lawn mowers : GAS CANS

27. Engrave with acid : ETCH

29. Dalai Lama, for one : TIBETAN

32. Sport with clay pigeons : SKEET

34. Canapé spread : PATÉ

35. Husky follower : SLED

37. Part of SASE: Abbr. : ENV.

38. Wartime prez : ABE. Not HST, which is the first guess.

40. Sci-fi aviators : ETS

42. Shapiro of NPR : ARI

43. Exertion : TOIL

45. Suburban trees : ELMS

47. Picker-uppers? : HANDS

49. Hole's starting point for skilled golfers : BLUE TEE. I wanted BLACK TEE, because that's the tee at the very back. I generally play from the blues, and I'm certainly not skilled!

51. Many a college graduate's burden : DEBT

52. Reel : STAGGER

57. Trouble greatly : EAT AT

59. LG competitor : RCA

60. First name at Woodstock : ARLO

64. Lithium-__ battery : ION

65. Pakistani tongue : URDU

66. Scoresheet slashes : SPARES. Bowling. Boomer would have had this filled without a thought. I don't bowl, so waited for some help from the crosses.

67. Find fault to a fault : NAG

68. Mandarin discard : PEEL

69. Siberian expanse : TUNDRA. "The Frozen Tundra" is an affectionate name for the Green Bay Packers field in Wisconsin. You can see why:

70. Some hot rods : GT'S

Down:

1. Sidestep : DODGE

2. Penske rival : U-HAUL. I had U and through UNSER for the motor racing teams, but something made me hesitate.

4. Succumb to gravity : SAG

5. "Cut it out already!" : ENOUGH

6. Curly-tailed dog : AKITA

7. Rummy game played with two decks : CANASTA

8. Suffix for NPR's website : ORG. Two NPR mentions today.

9. "You sure of that?" : WANNA BET?

10. Gallery VIPs : ARTISTS

11. Hawaiian wedding rings : LEIS

12. Tar : PAVE

13. Neruda's "__ to My Socks" : ODE

The moral

of my ode is this:

beauty is twice

beauty

and what is good is doubly

good

when it is a matter of two socks

made of wool

in winter.

19. Top-ranked : A-ONE

21. Make full : SATE

26. Credits as a source : CITES

28. Commuter org. in the Loop : C.T.A. The Chicago Transit Authority, which is how these fellows started out before they decided it was too much of a mouthful:

31. Comic-Con attendee : NERD

32. Ready : SET

33. Door opener : KNOB

34. Pequod co-owner : PELEG

36. Belittle : DIS


41. "__ Walks in Beauty": Byron poem : SHE

44. Satyrlike : LUSTFUL

46. "You've Got Mail" co-star : MEG RYAN

48. "Fernando" pop group : ABBA

50. Letters replacing unlisted items : ET AL

51. Bureau unit : DRAWER

53. Internet greeting : E-CARD

55. Be a bad sport : GLOAT

56. iTunes downloads : SONGS

57. Raison d'__ : ÊTRE. ÊTAT fits nicely in there too, but it's usually clued as COUP DE ___, not RAISON DE ___

58. West Wing staffer : AIDE

61. "How're things?" : 'SUP?

62. "The Simpsons" clerk : APU

63. Fort Meade org. : N.S.A.

As I mentioned, I'm in India this week. I'm taking a break from the Delhi smoke (AQI 188) for the Mumbai smog (158). This is the historic Mahalaxmi Racecourse from the Star TV building, not that you can see much. It's about 500 yards to the cellphone tower in the foreground according to Google Maps:

My lungs think I've smoked a pack of cigarettes a day since I got here. I can't believe in hindsight that I actually did used to smoke a pack a day, thank goodness I kicked that habit.

Have a good day all!
अलविदा

And here's the grid!

Steve

Wednesday, January 17 2018, David Poole

 Theme: DO THE MATH

18. Math teacher's favorite sport? : TIMES TABLE TENNIS

31. Math teacher's favorite brew? : SQUARE ROOT BEER

47. Math teacher's favorite hat? : PIE CHART TOPPER 

62. Math teacher's favorite cut of beef? : PERFECT CUBE STEAK 

 

Melissa here. Two grid-spanners, and a few tricky clues made this a satisfying solve. When I first saw TIMES and SQUARE, I was looking for a theme about New York. Nope.

Across  

      
1. Like most cookies : BAKED

6. Director of the final episode of "M*A*S*H" : ALDA

10. Food inspector's concern : E-COLI
 

15. Jazz singer O'Day : ANITA
 

16. Osso buco meat : VEAL. Italian for "bone with a hole," braised veal shank.

17. Swerved at sea : YAWED

21. Diplomatic bldg. : EMB. Embassy.

22. Flying off the shelves : HOT
 

23. Praise to the heavens : EXALT
 

24. Rock's Grateful __ : DEAD
 

26. Fiat fuel : GAS
 

28. Perspire nervously, say : REACT

36. Arrowhead Stadium NFL team : CHIEFS
 

38. Mark for deletion : X OUT
 

39. Sellout sign letters : SRO
 

40. Very confident : CAN DO
 

41. Chanel competitor : DIOR
 

42. Museum worker : GUARD
 

44. 1869-'77 pres. monogram : USG. Ulysses S. Grant. "I have never advocated war except as a means of peace."
 

45. Place for private dining? : MESS. Great clue - see 6-Across.
 

46. New York hockey team : SABRES

51. Bathtub outlet : DRAIN
 

52. Product prefix suggesting winter : SNO. Or sugar.

 53. Activist Parks : ROSA
 

56. Minds someone else's business : PRIES
 

59. Slice of history : ERA
 

61. Old conductance unit : MHO

67. As scripted : ON CUE
 

68. World Golf Hall of Famer Isao : AOKI
 

69. Cosmic comeuppance : KARMA
 

70. Gives a hand, in a way : DEALS
 

71. Editorial override : STET. Latin for "let it stand."
 

72. Hog caller's call : SOOEY

Down

1. With __ breath : BATED
 

2. Japanese art genre : ANIME
 

3. "L.A. Confidential" Best Supporting Actress Oscar winner : KIM BASINGER

 

4. Bastille Day time : ETE. French Summer.
 

5. Short run : DASH
 

6. Gamer's game face : AVATAR. Another great clue.
 

7. Syr. neighbor : LEB

8. Half a chipmunk team : DALE

9. "Roots" author Haley : ALEX
 

10. Shoelace hole : EYELET
 

11. Cambridge student, informally : CANTAB. Short for Cantabrigian.

 

12. Have title to : OWN
 

13. Luau loop : LEI
 

14. TSA requests : IDS. And shoes.
 

19. Roman robes : TOGAS
 

20. Major Arcana deck : TAROT
 

25. Kicked out of the game, informally : DQED. Disqualified - boxing.
 

27. Gender-specific, to some : SEXIST
 

29. The Joker portrayer on TV : CESAR ROMERO
 

30. __ Haute : TERRE
 

32. Many a tabloid pic : UFO
 

33. Fowl poles? : ROOSTS
 

34. Possessive word : OUR
 

35. Fishing gear : RODS
 

36. Lingerie size : C CUP 

37. Member of a strict Jewish sect : HASID
 

41. Article written by Marx and Engels? : DER
 

42. Break : GAP
 

43. App offering fare estimates : UBER
 

45. Wildly excited : MANIC
 

46. Future fern : SPORE
 

48. Downy amount : CAPFUL
 

49. New faces around the water cooler : HIREES
 

50. In the slightest : ONE BIT
 

54. Disgrace : SHAME
 

55. Fine : A-OKAY
 

57. Flight sked data : ETAS
 

58. Many a bagpiper : SCOT
 

60. Wants to know : ASKS
 

62. Sci-fi escape vehicle : POD. Not UFO.
 

63. St. Louis-to-Indianapolis dir. : ENE
 

64. Label for Elvis : RCA
 

65. Hula strings : UKE
 

66. Lao Tzu ideal : TAO

 

Tuesday, January 16, 2018 ~ Roger & Kathy Wienberg

Theme: Petty Theft - Synonyms.

17. Delayed show of surprise: DOUBLE TAKE

23. "Frumious" beast in "Jabberwocky": BANDERSNATCH

38. Cosmetic surgery that removes bags: EYE LIFT

48. Eight-ball call: CORNER POCKET

60. Indicate willingness to date someone, on Tinder ... and an apt hint to the last part of 17-, 23-, 38- and 48-Across: SWIPE RIGHT. Words on the right are synonyms for SWIPE.

Argyle here and I have an alibi. I don't have a device that can be swiped. Can you swipe with a mouse?

Across:

1. Soaking spots: BATHS

6. Wile E. Coyote's supplier of iron bird seed: ACME. I'm not kidding. The Illustrated Catalog Of ACME Products.

10. Car ad no.: MSRP. (manufacturer's suggested retail price)

14. Cry during a winning streak: "I'M HOT!"

15. Stick in one's __: cause resentment: CRAW. Idiom.

16. Home furnishings giant: IKEA

19. River sediment: SILT

20. "Happy Motoring" company: ESSO

21. Philosopher Descartes: RENÉ

22. "Hamlet" courtier: OSRIC. A young courtier at Claudius's court. Rich and little more, he is affected in his speech and manner.

26. Suave: URBANE

29. Long, wriggly swimmers: EELS

30. "Rock-a-bye Baby" tree limb: BOUGH

31. "From the __ of Montezuma ... ": HALLS. Semper Fi.

34. Q's neighbor, on most keyboards: TAB

37. Tolkien creature: ELF

40. Program file ending: EXE

41. NFL official: REF

42. Graphic showing 50 sts.: US MAP

43. Central Florida city: OCALA

45. To be, to Caesar: ESSE

47. Wound like S-curves: SNAKED

53. Stubble remover: RAZOR

54. Big name in skin care: OLAY

55. Playbill listings: BIOs. SE corner gave me fits.

59. "Am __ early?": I TOO

62. Transmitted: SENT

63. Actress Campbell: NEVE. Quite active on the Corner of late.

64. Word before and after "de la": CRÈME. Best of the best.

65. Quarry: PREY

66. Tram loads: OREs

67. Madison Ave. pro: AD REP. AD MAN slowed me up.

Down:

1. __ one's time: wait: BIDE

2. "Famous" cookie man: AMOS. There is a short bio if you watch it on YouTube.

3. Therefore: THUS

4. Large, bindle-shaped purse: HOBOBAG. For all you bindlestiffs.

5. Abbr. on a Cardinal's cap: STL

6. Performed on stage: ACTED

7. "Whooping" marsh bird: CRANE

8. Manufacturer: MAKER

9. Flock female: EWE

10. Mass book: MISSAL. A missal is a liturgical book containing all instructions and texts necessary for the celebration of Mass throughout the year. - Aug 11, 2010 and Jan 30, 2014 Crossword Corner.

11. Beef often used in stir-fry: SKIRT STEAK

12. Thing of the past: RELIC

13. Pothole repair: PATCH

18. Fish-eating bird: ERNE

22. Brit's 14-pound equivalent: ONE STONE

24. Busch partner in beer: ANHEUSER

25. Starter starter: SELF

26. Lyft competitor: UBER

27. Playbill listing: ROLE

28. Minimal-conflict area: BUFFER ZONE. NOT the spot where you take your car after it has been washed and waxed.

31. Garment border: HEM

32. First state, alphabetically: Abbr.: ALA. Alabama

33. Impudence: LIP

35. Rod between wheels: AXLE

36. Necklace sphere: BEAD

39. River of Flanders: YSER

44. __ seat: advantageous spot: CATBIRD. Idiom.

46. High-and-mighty: SNOOTY

47. Breed of terrier: SKYE

48. Fruity dessert: CRISP

49. Wild West film: OATER

50. Remote button: POWER

51. Fruit that's black when fully ripe: OLIVE. Canned black olives have often been artificially blackened and may contain the chemical ferrous gluconate to improve the appearance. Acme olives?

52. Lighthouse locales: CAPES

56. Disney CEO Robert: IGER

57. "Good heavens!": "OH ME!"

58. Part of a recovery program: STEP

60. __-Caps: candy: SNO

61. Color TV pioneer: RCA

Argyle

Monday, January 15, 2018 ~ John Lampkin

Theme: Quick, the epinephrine - There's a swarm of B's.

16. NAACP co-founder: W. E. B. DUBOIS. William Edward Burghardt Du Bois

22. Pioneer suffragist on some dollar coins: SUSAN B. ANTHONY. Susan Brownell Anthony

36. "Stuart Little" author: E. B. WHITE. Elwyn Brooks White

49. "The Greatest Show on Earth" producer/director: CECIL B. DEMILLE. Cecil Blount DeMille

59. Apiculturist ... and, playfully, what 16-, 22-, 36- or 49-Across is: BEEKEEPER

Argyle here. Full disclosure on names today.

Note from John: My oldest daughter recently became a beekeeper, so what else could a proud papa do? This puzzle is for her, along with a pic of one of her busy bees.

Across:

1. Ear part: LOBE

5. Hamper load: WASH

9. Blow in a dojo: CHOP. Dōjō means "place of the way", and is used to name a hall for learning martial arts.

13. Former Twitter CEO Williams: EVAN. Evan Clark Williams

14. Actress Sommer of "A Shot in the Dark": ELKE. née Elke Baronesse von Schletz

15. Pickle juice: BRINE

18. One who lassoes dogies, say: ROPER. A stray or motherless calf is known as a dogie.

19. Martini order: DRY

20. Sgt. or cpl.: NCO

21. Military zone division: SECTOR

26. Hindu community: ASHRAM

28. Open the faucets onstage, so to speak: EMOTE

29. "Who's Afraid of Virginia __?": WOOLF

30. Rocky peak: TOR

31. Celebratory cry two days after hump day: TGIF

35. Cry at the World Cup: OLE

40. Prefix with cycle: UNI

41. Red ink: LOSS

43. Singer Peggy or comic-book writer Stan: LEE. Norma Deloris Engstrom or Stanley Martin Lieber

44. Winner's gesture: V SIGN

46. Warrior on the court, for short: NBAer. Golden State Warriors

48. Given temporarily: LOANED

53. Bolts and ties the knot?: ELOPES

54. Ltr. holder: ENV.

55. Cleo's killer: ASP

58. Talks like Daffy: LISPS

62. __ Park, Colorado: ESTES

63. Ultimatum close: ELSE

64. Marathon segment: MILE

65. Top of the line: BEST

66. Bound with rope: TIED

67. "This could get __": UGLY

Down:

1. Bawdy: LEWD

2. (See other side): (OVER)

3. Bootees: BABY SHOES

4. Close or complete: END

5. Selfie video device: WEBCAM

6. Crazy as __: A LOON

7. Enjoy the slopes: SKI

8. Guys: HEs

9. Make bootees, perhaps: CROCHET

10. Aware of: HIP TO

11. Situation before a two-run homer: ONE ON

12. Actor Luke or Matthew: PERRY. Coy Luther Perry or Matthew Langford Perry

15. Quarterback Favre: BRETT. Brett Lorenzo Favre

17. Hazardous: UNSAFE

21. Bull's sound: SNORT. Yes, it's hazardous and UNSAFE when you hear a bull snort.

23. Clickable address: URL

24. Start of a party invitation phrase: BE THERE

25. Mine, to Marcel: A MOI

26. GI gone missing: AWOL

27. Piano recital piece, e.g.: SOLO

32. Recipe tester, facetiously: GUINEA PIG

33. "Picnic" playwright: INGE. William Motter Inge

34. Discovery: FIND

37. Says too much: BLABS

38. Lawn intruder: WEED

39. Develop slowly: EVOLVE

42. Bit, as of news: SNIPPET

45. Cantina condiment: SAL. Salt

47. "God __ America": BLESS

48. Like chain rings: LINKED

49. Hollywood VIP: CELEB

50. Beethoven dedicatee: ELISE Bagatelle in A minor (Für Elise)

51. Expenses: COSTS

52. 1980s attorney general Edwin: MEESE. Edwin Meese III

56. Wall Street bear's suggestion: SELL

57. Mice, to owls: PREY

59. One placed in Vegas: BET

60. Yale alum: ELI

61. Grounded Aussie bird: EMU

Argyle

Note from C.C.:

Belated Happy Birthday to dear JD. Hope you had a wonderful celebration yesterday with the grandkids, JD!

JD & Bob

Sunday January 14, 2018 Matt McKinley

Theme: "Plush Material" - Plus H Material.

23A. Tolerate shrubland? : STAND THE HEATH. Stand the heat.

45A. .3 rings? : CIRCUS TENTH. Circus tent.

71A. Texas team's fair exhibit? : COWBOY BOOTH. Cowboy boot.

99A. Loyalty from a farm bird? : TURKEY TROTH. Turkey trot.

123A. Successful religious conversion? : FAITH ACCOMPLI. Fait accompli.

17D. Apparatus that breeds laziness? : SLOTH MACHINE. Slot machine.

65D. Sound from a dying fire? : HEARTH MURMUR. Heart murmur.

Across    

1. "I'm waiting ... " : TAP, TAP

7. "Volunteers?" : ANYONE?

13. Bobbing refuse : FLOTSAM

20. Word with man or dope : INSIDE

21. Like typical laundromats : COIN-OP

22. Affluent San Diego community : LA JOLLA

25. Crowd-drawing bars : IN SPOTS

26. Ancient queen, familiarly : CLEO

27. Pot for paella : OLLA

28. Sicilian six : SEI

29. Sports figure : STAT

30. Sewer needs : PATTERNS

34. Hates : DEPLORES

37. MLB set a season record for them in 2017 : HRs

38. Times to call, in ads : EVES

39. Markers : IOUs

41. Submerged threat : REEF

42. Office supply quantity : REAM

44. Term in wrestling or bowling : PIN

48. Doctor's orders : X-RAYS

51. Receiver of many letters : SANTA

53. Actress Kathryn : ERBE

54. Pocket breads : PITAs

56. BCS org. : NCAA

57. Franklin's 1936 opponent : ALF. Alf Landon

59. Spanish coin : EURO

61. Local pic shower : NABE. desper-otto said the neighborhood movie theater is shortened in slang to the NABE.

62. Distress signal? : OH, MY!

63. One who's learned : SCHOLAR

67. Pres. after USG : RBH. Ulysses S. Grant / Rutherford B. Hayes

68. Langley org. : CIA

69. Online exchange, briefly : IMs

70. Troon turndowns : NAEs

75. Basie's "__'Clock Jump" : ONE O

76. Director DuVernay : AVA

77. Actor Vigoda : ABE

78. Bard's dusk : E'EN

79. Lumber mill workers : SAWYERs

81. BOLO target : PERP

83. It can be hammered out : DENT

85. Runway adornment : SASH

87. "__ me ae spark o' Nature's fire": Burns : GIE

88. London's __ Modern : TATE

89. Some Deco works : ERTÉs

91. Sea, with "the" : DEEP

93. Maestro Georg : SZELL

97. Different : OTHER

102. Overtake in a race, in a way : LAP

103. Grammy winner Jason : MRAZ

105. Schoolmarmish : PRIM

106. One given to forward looks : SEER

107. Similar : AKIN

108. East Lansing sch. : MSU. Michigan State University

110. "How clever of you!" : NEAT IDEA

113. Office supplies, or, minus a letter, a supplier of them : STAPLERS

115. Nashville attraction : OPRY

117. Spanish 116-Down : ANO

118. Howard's wife, to the Fonz : MRS. C

120. Letters before a view : IMHO

121. Half of nothing new? : SAME OLD

128. Peru neighbor : ECUADOR

129. "The Wind in the Willows" croaker : MR. TOAD

130. Shamed : ABASED

131. Saw-toothed : SERRATE. Serrate or serrated can be an adjective meaning having a notched edge or saw-like teeth, especially for cutting.

132. Blouse partners : SKIRTS

133. Already-seen fare : RERUNS

Down:

1. "'__ some visitor,' I muttered ... ": Poe : 'TIS

2. __ farm : ANT

3. TV awareness-raiser : PSA

4. Colors : TINCTs

5. Confuse : ADDLE

6. Teenage Russian emperor (1727-1730) : PETER II

7. Pitching staff leader : ACE

8. Acronymic NYC neighborhood : NOHO

9. Give in : YIELD

10. Ready : ON ALERT

11. "Shh!" : NOT A PEEP

12. N.T. book : EPH.

13. Paper under a wiper : FLIER

14. Man-made Georgia lake : LANIER

15. Screwdriver parts, for short : OJs

16. Best : TOPS

18. Union setting : ALTAR

19. Spinnaker holders : MASTS

24. Writer __ de Balzac : HONORÉ

28. Tortilla treat : SOFT TACO

30. Livens (up) : PEPs

31. Nike competitor : AVIA

32. N.C. neighbor : TENN.

33. Bolivian capital : SUCRE

35. Red Square honoree : LENIN

36. __ roles : SEX

40. Literally, "under city" : SUBURB

43. Ponte Vecchio's river : ARNO

45. See the bet : CALL

46. __-Croatian : SERBO

47. They're hard to break : HABITS

49. Whine : YAMMER

50. Decision makers have them : SAY SOs

52. New Mexico art hub : TAOS

55. Witch enemy of Popeye : SEA HAG

58. False front : FACADE

60. "Without a doubt" : OH, YES

63. Acknowledge the brass : SNAP TO

64. Admonition : CAVEAT

66. Stack seen on-screen : ROBERT

72. Approached : WENT UP TO

73. Small and glittering, like eyes : BEADY

74. Beginnings : ONSETs

75. Court cry : OYEZ

80. Something made on a star? : WISH

82. Jury member : PEER

84. Country singer Gibbs : TERRI

86. Glass-raised word : HERE'S

90. Accident investigation clue : SKID MARK

92. __ license : POETIC

94. Sommer of "The Prize" : ELKE

95. Animal house : LAIR

96. Hosp. personnel : LPNs

98. Headed up : RAN

100. Academic retirees : EMERITI

101. Ore carrier : TRAM CAR

104. Gung-ho type : ZEALOT

107. 10-time Gold Glove winner Roberto : ALOMAR.  He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame as a Blue Jay. - CanadianEh!

108. Early receiver of tablets : MOSES

109. __ bar : SPACE

111. Netman Agassi : ANDRE

112. Fur tycoon : ASTOR

114. Suffix with xeno- : PHOBE

116. English 117-Across : YEAR

119. Series of 69-Across : CHAT

122. "Ghost" psychic __ Mae Brown : ODA

123. Radio settings : FMs

124. Reasons for some sportscast split screens : ADs

125. Big Ten sch. : PSU. Pennsylvania State University

126. Novelist Deighton : LEN

127. Picks out of a mug book : IDs