Friday, October 5, 2012, Bruce Venzke

Theme: Don’t quote me, but it is raining cats and dogs.

Hello from sunny but also often rainy South Florida, where we await our next tropical storm. This is I believe my first “quip” puzzle, as well as my first for this Bruce: (INTERVIEW) the words revealed themselves quickly, which was good because quips can be hard to get going, though many clues seemed perfect for me. Bruce V. is one of many skilled and prolific puzzle makers, who has more collaborative puzzles than anyone else I have seen, many lately with Gail G.. We get many of his themeless.  He is best known for his 15 letter fill, and this puzzle is no exception. Finding a saying which breaks into symmetrical pieces is not easy. I hope all our cat owners enjoy.

In addition to the quip there are so many intertwined thoughts in this puzzle, including some fine long fill, and some other related clues, quite a few 4 letter fill, but it made it doable, so...

Let’s do this

17A. Start of a Quip: A DOG COMES WHEN HE (15)

27A. Quip, part 2: IS CALLED, BUT A (12)

38A. Quip, part 3: CAT WILL (7)

48A. Quip, part 4: TAKE A MESSAGE (12)

62A. End of the quip: AND GET BACK TO YOU (15)

Across:

We begin in my wheelhouse...

1. Seat of Florida's Marion County : OCALA. 28 miles down the road from Gainesville and law school, piece of cake.

6. Airhead : LOON. The official bird of the Corner (and Minnesota).

10. Nonkosher : TREF. Easy for a Jewish boy.

14. Tijuana address : SENOR. Finally, a bit tricky, not a street address, but like the Gettysburg.

15. Cooper's tool : ADZE. I am sure we all know by now the tool of this PROFESSION.

16. Incline : HILL.

20. Berry of "F Troop" : KEN. A Classic SITCOM. (1:16), and 50D. The BBC's "Pinwright's Progress" is reportedly the first TV one : SITCOM. I did not know this FACT.

21. Network with NEA funding : PBS. Public Broadcasting System.

22. Like some pasts : SORDID. Nice new word. (1)

23. Decked out : ADORNED. (2).

26. Contemporary of Dashiell : ERLE. Stanley Gardner creator of Perry Mason and others, who were contemporaries of 57A. "To speak the broken English is an enormous asset" speaker : POIROT.

I love David Suchet's version.

32. Power, slangily : JUICE. used in many different contexts, such as referring to politicians, as well as electricity. A word that is a self pun.

35. Want ad initials : EOE. Equal Opportunity Employer.

36. First name in fashion : YVES St. LAURENT. Odd website design.

37. Lumber tree : ELM. and its mirror, 42A. Lodge member : ELK.

43. Cocktail party irritant : SNOB.

45. Agnus __ : DEI.

46. 80% of them come from South Australia : OPALS. By now all of you, not just Kazie must know this fact, as I seem to have a reference every Friday.

52. Skull and Bones members : ELIS. A Yale secret society for seniors, which brings us to our irritant, 12D. Curriculum range, briefly : ELHI.

53. Emphatic follow-up : I MEAN IT. mini-theme, 34D. "There's nothing wrong with me" : I'M OK. and 55D. "Came up short" : I LOST. But not, 59D. Author's inspiration : IDEA.

60. Pontiac muscle car : GTO. Gran Turismo Omolagato, name stolen from Ferrari.

61. Cautionary road sign : SLO.

66. Stead : LIEU. In stead of, in lieu of, nice law word.

67. Cartesian connection : ERGO. Cogito Ergo Sum, I think therefore I am, the Dualist philosophy of Rene Descartes, in Latin because that it made it Academic, just like Cartesian, a Latin form of the name Descartes  which scholars thought sounded better in those days. Many books were translated into Latin to make them seem more profound. van Gulick for example translated the Pillow Books, from Chinese to Latin, to make them unavailable to the masses. Another story for another time.

68. Surrealism pioneer : ERNST. Max.

69. PDQ, in the ICU : STAT.

70. Pharmacy unit : DRAM.The liquid measure, and a favorite way to order whiskey in Scotland. Like
8D. Liq. measures : OZS. Ounces.

71. The FDIC may insure them : ACCTS. Accounts in banks, an abbreviation because FDIC is an abbreviation, sort of, though really an initialism.

Part II.

Down:

1. Honshu city : OSAKA. While many of the cities have five letters in this PROVINCE of Japan, with the "O" from Ocala, this was easy.

2. Relinquished : CEDED. Not to be confused with putting out stuff for your lawn.

3. Reprimand ending : A NO NO. "That's  ...."

4. Roleo item : LOG. Not a misprint, even if you do not know this poor cousin of Rodeo, this one was as easy as falling of a....

5. Delaware's Twelve-mile Circle, e.g. : ARC. LINK.

6. 11th Greek letter : LAMBDA. probably time to memorize the Greek alphabet.

7. Works of Sappho : ODES. Ancient Greek woman poet who lived on an island, and is the supposed matriarch of the lesbian world. They did not have TMZ in those days, so we will never know. MUSICAL INTERLUDE.(3:26)

9. Fox Movietone piece : NEWSREEL. Not Rupert Murdoch's Fox but this MEMORY.(1:24). They were still around when I was little and first went to the movies.

10. In that connection : THEREBY.(3) and a law word to boot.

11. Outer coating : RIND. Watermelon season is almost over.

13. Escaped : FLED.

18. '70s embargo gp. : OPEC. I was in LA doing music business when the first embargo hit, it was chaos in a place where everyone drives everywhere.

19. Tactic on a mat : HOLD. As someone who began wrestling in eighth grade and continued through college, this was easy. When I started I did not realize the opponents would be boys. Anyway, this should have been easy for everyone because it is followed by, 24D. Wrestler Flair : RIC.  This BIMBA. (0:37)

25. Minute minute pt. : NSEC. A nanosecond. I love it being in the puzzle with 54D. Band that sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" a cappella at the 2000 World Series : 'N SYNC, the copy cat boy band formed after the success of the Backstreet Boys, both put together in Orlando, with Justin Timberlake (who is the name sponsor of this week's PGA event) being the emerging star from "N. Do not know them from the world series. MUSICAL INTERLUDE. (3:24). Some video for the crowd, forgive the ads..

26. Frail sci-fi race : ELOI. Yvette, why do you haunt my Fridays?

28. "Elmer Gantry" novelist : LEWIS. Sinclair, who wrote so many classic novels like Main Street, Babbitt, Arrowhead, and won the Pulitzer Prize for literature. I think he turned it down.

29. Where the iris is : UVEA. One of my favorite eye parts, even though I have hole in mine, but not related to 33D. Humerus neighbor : ULNA. Speaking of which, does anyone watch and find the new ABC series about aliens Neighbors, humorous?

30. Gambler's giveaway : TELL. Does anyone watch the World series of Poker on ESPN? Which oddly fits with, 60D. Lady of pop : GAGA. MUSICAL INTERLUDE.(3:36).

31. Tries to learn : ASKS.

32. Good-natured taunt : JEST. The heart and soul of the Corner, for me.

39. Checked in : ADMITTED. Like to a hospital, nice tricky clue. (4).

40. Driver's needs : TEES. I read the already filled in answer as TESS and was quite puzzled for a while. I finally got in the swing of the clue.

41. Opera house section : LOGE. Must we have this every day?

44. Result of too much suds? : BEER GUT. Not soap; for all my beer loving boys and for me (5).

47. Green shade : PEA. generally not a compliment.

49. Fleshy-leaved plant : ALOE. Also green, but very soothing in the sunburn south.

51. Crazy way to run : AMOK. I love how he slipped this in a puzzle with I'M OK to mess with your head!

56. Pushes : TOUTS. Just think racetrack, where you run into one of your

57. Friends : PALS. Who spoke with the jockey will let you in

58. Handling the problem : ON IT.

63. Icy comment : BRR. Well, we started near the soon to be freezing Minnesota, (C.C, Jeannie and the rest) so maybe it is time for a hot cup of...

64. Leaves in hot water : TEA.

65. Dungeons & Dragons foe : ORC. They are everywhere a good bad guy should be, and I am outta here.

Answer grid.

Thank Mr. V. for our Friday, and I hope you all enjoyed the product of this man's mind. Another week has flown by and the days are getting shorter, and sadly so am I. Thanks for stopping by and say what you want, until next time, I remain.

Lemonade 714

Thursday, October 4, 2012 Donna S. Levin

Theme: Peace!

20A. Game with a windmill, usually : MINIATURE GOLF. It's the creepy clowns that get to me...

31A. Uncle Remus rogue : BR'ER RABBIT

41A. Insect honored on a 1999 U.S. postage stamp : DUNG BEETLE

And the revealer:
53A. Literally meaning "driving enjoyment," slogan once used by the maker of the ends of 20-, 31- and
41-Across : FAHRVERGNUGEN. From the German "fahr" (driving) and "vergnugen" (pleasure). The Volkswagen models in the theme entries are highlighted in red.

Easiest Thursday puzzle in a long time. Donna Levin's puzzles are always so smooth. I suppose "Fahrvergnugen" is not a Monday-friendly word, otherwise this puzzle could easily qualify. The clues seemed all straightforward, with not a lot of misdirection.

Across:

1. They sit at stands : CABS

5. Check out with nefarious intent : CASE. As in, "Case the joint".

9. Gyneco-'s opposite : ANDRO. I am from Venus, and you are from Mars?

14. Really cruel guy : OGRE

15. ABA member : ATTY. America Bar Association.

16. Man-trap : SIREN

17. Grievously wound : MAIM

18. Approach : NEAR

19. Thirteenth Amendment beneficiary : SLAVE

23. "___ takers?" : ANY

24. Big shots : VIPS

25. Requiring an adult escort : R-RATED

28. Big London attraction? : BEN. The bell, not the clock, in "Queen Elizabeth Tower".

29. Handy set : KIT. Remember Handy Andy tool kits?

30. Former despot Amin : IDI

36. Big butte : MESA. (Does this plain make me look fat?)

37. Bootcut Skinny brand : LEVIS. (Do these jeans make me look fat?)

38. PC interconnection : LAN

39. Like proofed dough : RISEN

40. Dueler's choice : EPEE

43. Make a booboo : ERR

44. ___ Lingus : AER.

45. Article in Der Spiegel : EIN

46. Not at all out of the question : DOABLE

48. "Shucks!" : DANG

50. Friend of Francois : AMI

56. Popular household fish : TETRA

58. Princess with an earmuff-like hair style : LEIA (Whatever was she thinking?)

59. Lose color : FADE

60. "If ___ Would leave You" : EVER I. From Camelot. 3:10

61. Sea decimated by Soviet irrigation projects : ARAL

62. Done : OVER

63. Removal of govt. restrictions : DEREG

64. Lucie's dad : DESI. Didn't we just have her?

65. Boarding pass datum : SEAT


Down:

1. "I, Claudius" feature : COMMA. Because "autobiographical novel" wouldn't fit...

2. Piano teacher's command : AGAIN.

3. Like pickle juice : BRINY

4. Big rig : SEMI

5. Ensenada bar : CANTINA

6. Devoured : ATE UP

7. Headlines : STARS

8. Rochester's love : EYRE

9. Categorize : ASSORT

10. Nabisco cookie brand : NILLA

11. Most in need of insulation : DRAFTIEST

12. Gun : REV. Rev the engine.

13. Individual : ONE

21. Declares : AVERS

22. Spunk : GRIT

26. Four-wheeled flop : EDSEL

27. Title name in Mellencamp's "little ditty" : DIANE. Great ditty! 4:31

28. Runny fromage : BRIE. Not exactly "runny", per se. Just really soft.  "Fromage" is French for "cheese."

29. Powerful pair of checkers : KING. "King me!"

31. Run, as colors : BLEED

32. Copy, for short : REPRO

33. Eternally : EVER AFTER

34. Get fuzzy : BLUR. Like things get after a few beers?

35. Prohibition : BAN

36. Appearance : MIEN

39. Run the country : REIGN

41. Antelope playmate : DEER. "Where the deer and the antelope play..."

42. Language of South Asia : BENGALI

44. Secretary of state after Ed Muskie : AL HAIG

47. Support for practicing pliés : BARRE

48. Farmers' John : DEERE. Maker of tractors, not the outhouse.

49. Diva specialties : ARIAS

50. Sonoran succulent : AGAVE

51. Jason's jilted wife : MEDEA. Play by Euripides.

52. Like helium : INERT

54. "Impaler" of Romanian history : VLAD

55. Sci-fi staples : UFOS

56. Rocker Nugent : TED. 

57. Night before : EVE.

Answer grid.

That's all I have for this week!  As I said, straightforward puzzle and clues that didn't really need any help from me.

Hugs,
Marti

Wednesday, Oct 3 2012, Michael Dewey

Theme: knight in shining armor

17A. Endures an onslaught of criticism : RUNS THE GAUNTLET. a gauntlet is a glove worn with medieval armor to protect the hand. or, a double file of men facing each other and armed with clubs or other weapons with which to strike at an individual who is made to run between them - thus, to 'run the gauntlet'

26A. Kind of contact banned by the NFL : HELMET TO HELMET. so dangerous.

46A. Use a sun visor, say : SHIELD ONE'S EYES

60A. Vulnerable spot : CHINK IN THE ARMOR

and to tie it all together ...

37A. Cyclist Armstrong, or what completes the ensemble found in the four long across answers : LANCE

melissa here. a little cloak and dagger for your wednesday morning - with a few enchanting references.

Across

1. Hunger hint : PANG. right about now.

5. Shorn shes : EWES. cute.

9. Indonesian island : JAVA. home of the buddhist monument borobudur.

13. Pinza of "South Pacific" : EZIO. italian opera singer, turned broadway star. died in 1957.

14. Pulsate : THROB

16. Yaks, e.g. : OXEN. noun, not verb.

20. Prognosticator : PROPHET

21. RR terminus : STA. railroad station.

22. Center opening? : EPI. epicenter.

23. Aus. setting : EUR. austria is in europe.

24. Puts the kibosh on : STOPS

32. Golden Bears' school, familiarly : CAL. berkeley.

33. "Joanie Loves Chachi" co-star : BAIO. scott.

34. Like James Bond : SUAVE

35. Carpeting computation : AREA

40. It may be impish : GRIN

41. 24-hr. news source : MSNBC

43. "If __ a nickel ..." : I HAD

45. Category : ILK

50. Currently occupied with : DOING

51. She, in Lisbon : ELA. portuguese.

at 2:47 ...

52. Justice Dept. bureau : ATF. alcohol, tobacco and firearms.

55. Greeting card figure, maybe : AGE. oh, figure. i get it.

56. Pacific Surfliner and Acela : AMTRAKS

63. Muslim pilgrim : HAJI. remember him?

64. Passover month : NISAN

65. Melville South Seas novel : OMOO

66. Candy bar with a cookie center : TWIX

67. More than just hard to find : LOST

68. Stir-fry cookware : WOKS

Down

1. Cop's quarry : PERP. ha!

2. Côte d'__: French resort area : AZUR

3. Padre's boy : NIÑO. spanish.

4. Mass reading : GOSPEL. nice clue.

5. Unworldly : ETHEREAL. i could sit and stare at a tank of jellies for hours.

6. Spark, as an appetite : WHET

7. Unit of energy : ERG

8. Such that one may : SO AS TO. alright.

9. Put (down) on paper : JOT

10. Car bar : AXLE

11. Prez's backup : VEEP

12. Opponent : ANTI

15. "__! that deep romantic chasm ...": Coleridge : BUT OH. from samuel taylor coleridge's poem kubla kahn, or a vision in a dream.

18. Hitchhiker's aid : THUMB

19. Neck parts : NAPES

24. Lining with decorative rock : STONING. tricky.

25. Slimy garden pest : SLUG. ew.

26. Severe : HARSH

27. Nicholas Gage memoir : ELENI

28. Mexican aunt : TIA

29. Antarctica's __ Byrd Land : MARIE. had no idea. 

30. Pandora's boxful : EVILS. greek mythology.

31. Six-mile-plus run, briefly : TEN K

32. Rotating machine parts : CAMS

36. In the sack : ABED. 

38. Activist Guevara : CHE

39. Nonowner's property right : EASEMENT

42. Commonly long garment : CLOAK. makes me think of jane eyre, speaking of ethereal.

44. __ blues: Mississippi genre : DELTA

47. "Eat up!" : DIG IN

48. Frequent final soccer score : ONE-NIL

49. Peter who co-wrote "Puff, the Magic Dragon" : YARROW. how can i not ....

52. Berliner's eight : ACHT. german.

53. Leave out of the freezer : THAW

54. Pacific archipelago : FIJI. wow.

56. Triumphant cries : AHA'S

57. Magazine filler : AMMO

58. Eccentric sort : KOOK

59. B'way hit signs : SRO'S. standing room only.

61. Veto : NIX

62. General linked with chicken : TSO

Answer grid.

melissa

Tuesday, October 2, 2012 Don Gagliardo & C.C. Burnikel

 Theme: Uh O's - The last word in each theme entry ends with ?O. No O ending answer for non-theme fill.

17A. Wagon boss's directive : "WESTWARD, HO!"

39A. Replay type, briefly : SLO-MO

61A. "See?" follower : "I TOLD YOU SO"

11D. "War on Drugs" slogan : "JUST SAY NO"

28D. Nickname in Olympics sprinting : FLO-JO. Florence Griffith-Joyner

34D. "Hold on!" : "DON'T LET GO!". Music video.(4:40)

Argyle here. That is a neat crossing in the middle. No duplication of the letter preceding 'O' either.

Across:

1. Funnylady Rudner : RITA

 

 

5. Pack the groceries again : REBAG

10. Eyes, to Juanita : OJOs. Spanish.

14. Oodles : ALOT

15. Condescend : DEIGN

16. Ivory soap ad word : PURE

19. Suffix with opal : ESCE. Makes it a verb.

20. Arnaz of "Here's Lucy" : LUCIE. Lucie Désirée Arnaz is the daughter of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz

21. "Bewitched" witch : SAMANTHA. With Endora, her mother, and Tabitha, her daughter.

23. PennySaver listing, usually : SMALL AD. Anybody doesn't have a PennySaver in their area?

26. Pitches well? : SELLS

27. Lacking direction : ADRIFT

29. Home of Dolphins and Marlins : MIAMI. Football and baseball teams.

32. Bunch of bills : WAD

35. Potted herb spot : SILL

36. Deep valley : CANYON

37. Winged deity : EROS

41. Cabinet dept. concerned with power : ENER. (energy)

42. Symbolize : DENOTE

44. Cup of joe : JAVA. (battery acid, brew, caffeine, café, café au lait, café noir, cappuccino, decaf, decoction, demitasse, espresso, forty weight, hot stuff, ink, jamocha, java , joe, mocha, mud, perk, varnish remover)

46. Singleton : ONE. For those who would rather use a long word.

47. Failed to act : SAT BY. Usually idly.

48. One of the M's in MoMA : MODERN (Museum of Modern Art)

50. "The Hunger Games" actor Kravitz : LENNY. Actor and so much more. Wiki.

52. Places in a pyramid : ENTOMBS

56. Scrambled alternative : OVER EASY

59. Give a hoot : SHOUT. Like, hootin' and hollerin'.

60. River isles : AITS. British Dialect.

64. Prego rival : RAGU

65. Nixon staffer G. Gordon __ : LIDDY

66. Get ready, as for surgery : PREP

67. Food for hogs : SLOP. Slopping the hogs(0:55)

68. Close call : SCARE

69. Discontinues : ENDS

Down:

1. "Unmistakably Lou" Grammy winner : RAWLS

 

 

2. Intestinal section : ILEUM

3. Puccini classic : TOSCA

4. Head Hun : ATTILA

5. Dietary guideline letters : RDA. (recommended daily allowance)

6. Always, to Pope : E'ER. Alexander Pope (1688 – 1744) English poet.

7. Many eBay clicks : BIDS

8. Filled with horror : AGHAST

9. Pointy-hatted garden character : GNOME. One gnome's story. Link.

10. Talk show caller's opportunity : OPEN LINE

12. Theater sect. : ORCH. (orchestra) "Down in front"

13. "__ penny, pick it up ..." : SEE A. "and all the day you'll have good luck."

18. Uses a blowtorch on : WELDS

22. Soprano Gluck : ALMA.(1884 – 1938) She lives on in crosswords.

24. Give up one's seat, say : ARISE

25. Herb used in borscht : DILL. Not in all borscht recipes; for a simple beet soup, there sure are a lot of variations.

30. Big name in faucets : MOEN

31. Memo starter : IN RE

32. Marries : WEDS

33. Field of study : AREA

36. Witches' assembly : COVEN

38. Recovers from a night on the town : SOBERS UP

40. Whipped up : MADE

43. Actress Daly : TYNE. Still not appearing on TV's "Burn Notice". (Thank you, Irish Miss.)

45. Pretentiously highbrow : ARTSY

48. "__ River": 2003 drama directed by Clint Eastwood : MYSTIC. IMDb.

49. Pessimist's phrase : "NO HOPE"

51. Catches red-handed : NAILS

53. Weep for : MOURN. Don't Cry for Me, Argentina.(5:54) Elaine Page.

54. Cleared tables : BUSED. Just one S because BUSSED as a whole different meaning.

55. Calls it quits : STOPS

56. Rowboat pair : OARS

57. Perfume container : VIAL

58. "Star Wars" philosophizer : YODA. "Do, or do not. There is no 'try'."

62. Pres., for one : LDR. (leader)

63. Hide the gray, maybe : DYE

Answer grid.

Argyle

1) Note from C.C. & Don:

Don came up with this theme. This is our original grid. As you can see, we have more theme entries, but also EGO, USO, ERATO and other O ending non-theme entries. Rich thought the theme is subtle and should not contain any O-ending non-theme fill. So, a total re-do. Twice actually. The grid was challenging to fill without OREO, ONO, ADO, and other small *O words that we depend on so often.

2) Yesterday Boomer and I met the delightful Lucina and her three lovely sisters at Mall of America. Click here to see a few more pictures. Lucina is just as warm and witty as she is on the blog.

 

Monday, October 1, 2012 Gareth Bain

Theme: Vowel Progression - Adding, in order, a vowel to B_LLY and finding an appropriate phrase to begin with it.

16A. Big stink : BALLYHOO

20A. Amateurish dive : BELLY FLOP

37A. Bearded fairy tale trio : BILLY GOATS GRUFF

50A. Mumbai-based film industry : BOLLYWOOD. India

58A. Hired hoodlum : BULLYBOY

(rabbit, rabbit) Argyle here. A grid spanning entry and some overlapping of the other entries, neat. Two ten-letter downs. Decent fill, although the nitwit anon will complain.

Across:

1. Scottish hat : TAM

4. Cries out loud : SOBS

8. Dull sound : THUMP

13. Wharton's "The __ of Innocence" : AGE. Edith Wharton (1862 – 1937).

14. Summer Olympics event venue : POOL

15. Covering for "piggies" : BOOTIE

18. Stored in a database, say : ON FILE

19. Rural storage structure : SILO. Most farms are replacing the iconic tall cylinders for trench silos these days.

 

 

22. Opposite of a big star : NOBODY

25. "__ a trap!" : IT'S

26. "The Ballad of John and __" : YOKO

27. Men : HEs

28. Bearded flower : IRIS. Anyone we know?

 

 

32. Barely get, with "out" : EKE

34. Added a chip to the pot : ANTED

36. Maine college town : ORONO

40. Cartographer's book : ATLAS

41. Oven setting : BROIL

42. Word in most Commandments : NOT

43. Finger-on-hot-stove reaction : [YEOW!]

44. Sinister : BAD

45. Neuter, as a horse : GELD

47. Seasonal potable : NOG. The season approacheth!

48. Stand the test of time : ENDURE

55. Protected inlet : COVE

57. Camden Yards ballplayer : ORIOLE, Will they make it to the World Series?

61. Long-lasting resentment : RANCOR. A word that sounds like what it is. Is there a term for that?

62. Frozen drink brand : ICEE

63. Outlaw Clanton : IKE. He didn't like the Earps.

64. Gather a bit at a time : GLEAN

65. Student's book : TEXT

66. Composer Rorem : NED. He made an opera out of "Our Town". Wiki.

Down:

1. Settings for columned documents : TABS

2. From the top : AGAIN

3. Mountain Dew competitor : MELLO YELLO. 52.5mg of caffeine per 12 ounce can; Mountain Dew, 54mg of caffeine per 12 ounce can. If you were wondering, Tab has 46.5mg of caffeine per 12 ounce can. Source.

4. Undercover agent : SPY

5. "__ la la!" : OOH

6. Word with hatch or prize : BOOBY. Yes, he said, "BOOBY", now settle down.

7. Gin fizz fruit : SLOE

8. Broadway awards : TONYS. If the theater is off of Broadway, then it's the Obies.

9. "The Tao of Pooh" author Benjamin : HOFF. The book.

10. Either of two Monopoly sqs. : UTIL. (utility, either water works or electric company)

11. Venus de __ : MILO

12. Little chirp : PEEP

15. Makes a mad dash : BOLTS

17. Western wolf : LOBO

21. Wasn't honest with : LIED TO

23. Gives a thumbs-up : OKAYS

24. Second of two bell sounds : DONG

27. Caught wind of : HEARD

28. Outlet store abbr. : IRR. (irregular)

29. Tournament in which you play everyone else at least once : ROUND ROBIN

30. Facts, briefly : INFO

31. Tender-hearted : SOFT

32. Site for cyberbidders : eBAY

33. Flier on a string : KITE

35. Trinidad's partner : TOBAGO. The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago lies just off the NE coast of Venezuela.

36. Made goo-goo eyes at : OGLED

38. Murphy's __ : LAW. "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong."

39. Communicate with hand gestures : SIGN

44. Leafy hideaway : BOWER

46. Charlie Brown's tormentor : LUCY

47. Hosiery material : NYLON

48. Draw forth : EDUCE. The Latin root, ducere, means to lead.

49. Bring to mind : EVOKE

50. Tennis great Bjorn : BORG

51. Like some doctorate seekers' exams : ORAL

52. Queue : LINE

53. "Livin' La Vida __": Ricky Martin hit : LOCA. If you don't remember it, far be it for me to remind you.

54. "In memoriam" write-up : OBIT

56. Viewed : EYED

59. Superman nemesis Luthor : LEX

60. Allow : LET

Answer grid.

Argyle

Sunday September 30, 2012 Gail Grabowski

 Theme: "Group Practice" - The last word of each 2-word theme entry all consists of a group of people. And each theme entry is humorously clued, corresponding to the first word.

 25A. Group providing pro bono services? : FREE AGENCY. The original phrase refers to the status of the free agents, of course.

27A. Group overseeing porch furniture? : ROCKER PANEL. Not familiar with "rocker panel".

 45A. Group dealing with hard stuff? : LIQUOR CABINET. We have one above our refrigerator. 

 82A. Group supervising subs? : SANDWICH BOARD

97A. Group testing antipasto tidbits? : OLIVE BRANCH

103A. Group specializing in spinal complaints? : BACK OFFICE

 35D. Group assisting St. Peter? : HEAVENLY BODY

 39. Group handling hand-held phone sales? : CELL DIVISION

I just love Gail's puzzles. Her byline comforts me. I know I have a good chance to solve & enjoy the puzzle (with occasional cheats).

I have no idea how Gail can be so productive and continues to make smooth grids for LA Times, Newsday and CrosSynery on regular basis. She's a marvel. Also a very very modest person.

Constructors often give subtle shout-outs to their local teams. Gail lives in Illinois, hence:

42. Chicago Sky's org. : WNBA. But who are the reigning WNBA champs? Minnesota Lynx!

Across:

1. Find a space : PARK

5. Baking aid : SHEET. Chinese kitchens do not have ovens. We steam everything, including bun (bread). I'm a bun lover, TTP.

10. Surrounded by : AMONG

15. Project leader's selection : TEAM. "Group" too. Bonus entry.

19. Ingredient in some soaps : ALOE

20. Scandinavian wife of comics : HELGA.  In "Hagar the Horrible".

21. Redder inside : RARER

22. Joyful dance : HORA

23. That-say connection : IS TO. That is to say.

24. Under control across the board : ALL OK

30. Land chronicled by Lewis : NARNIA. "The Chronicles of Narnia".

31. Some Little League volunteers : UMPS

32. Punished, in a way : FINED

34. Mazatlán munchie : NACHO

37. Teammate of Pee Wee and Duke : JACKIE ( Robinson). Duke Snider. All Dodgers greats.  Our own Steve once sat beside Duke Snider in a ball game.

40. Hive member : DRONE

42. When many shovels may be seen : WINTERS

44. Meadow matriarch : EWE. Ha ha, matriarch!

49. Santa __ : ANA

50. Blunder : FALSE STEP. Nice entry.

52. Crypts, e.g. : TOMBS

53. ESPN pitch, say : TV AD. Awesome clue. Of course I was thinking of baseball.

54. Record holders : FILES

55. Océan sight : ILE

56. Eyelashes : CILIA. Forgot. Definitely saw this word before.

57. Garbo of "Grand Hotel" : GRETA

58. Jerry Rice's record 208, briefly : TDs. Is Jerry Rice football's Hank Aaron?

59. St.-finding aid : GPS

60. Scary noble gas : RADON

61. Online newsgroup system : USENET

62. "Here we are!" : IT'S US

64. Sensitive spots : SORES. What's your cold sore trigger? Mine is always deadline, PK.

65. CIA briefing info : INTEL (Intelligence)

66. Soldiers' org. formed during WWII : AMVETS (American Veterans)

68. Gaucho gear : RIATA

69. Alarming way to go? : APE. Oh, go ape.

70. One of four in Massachusetts: Abbr. : SYL. Syllables.

72. Prayer object : DEITY

73. Remains unsettled : PENDS

74. The Snake R. runs through it : IDA (Idaho)

75. Morocco's capital : RABAT. I bet they have the best Couscous.

77. Edinburgh girl : LASS

78. Bashes : FETES

79. Island republic near the Malay Peninsula : SINGAPORE. Clean country.

81. Ristorante suffix : INI

85. Pursue, as a deadbeat : DUN. This word always reminds me of a big American company and my first solo undercover work.

86. Risky stock category : BIO-TECH

88. Faculty officials : DEANS

89. "Despite that ..." : AND YET

91. Maternally related : ENATE. "Paternally related" is AGNATE.

92. On the ball : ALERT

94. Radio-active sort? : CB'ER. Great clue.

95. Comedian's sidekick : STOOGE

107. Pension law acronym : ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act. Unfamiliar to me. 

108. Major function : GALA

109. Bailiff's request : RISE "All rise!"

110. Disastrous : FATAL

111. __ system : SOLAR

112. Birthstone before topaz : OPAL

113. Settled down : ALIT

114. Growl relative : SNARL

115. They may be emotional: SCARS. We all have a few.

116. It may get hot under your collar : NAPE. Really?

Down:

1. Two of a kind : PAIR

2. Besides : ALSO

3. Univ. recruiter : ROTC

4. Iowa city named for a Sauk chief : KEOKUK. New to me. What's the city famous for?

5. Wrinkly dogs : SHAR PEIs. Literally "Sand skin" in Cantonese. Shar = Sand. Pei = Skin.

6. Goes to bat for : HELPS

7. "The First Lady of Song" : ELLA

8. Austrian painter Schiele : EGON. Was this guy a gimme for you?

9. Assume to be : TAKE FOR

10. Lab greeting : ARF. Labrador.

11. Seine tributary : MARNE. Man, lots of 5-letter rivers.

12. Mountain nymph : OREAD

13. "Oh, thou did'st then __ love so heartily": Shak. : NE'ER

14. Moms' moms, familiarly : GRANNIES

15. Bad thing to be caught in : THE ACT

16. Quite a stretch : EON

17. Detour, perhaps : ARC. "Perhaps".

18. Kentucky Derby time : MAY

26. Humongous : GIANT

28. Pugilist Griffith et al. : EMILES. + Zola.

29. R.I. governor Chafee : LINC. Lincoln Chafee. Used to be a Senator (R).

33. "Very creative!" : NEAT IDEA!

36. Highly decorative : ORNATE

37. Mutt's mate : JEFF. "Mutt and Jeff".

38. Look forward to : AWAIT

40. Dramatic one-on-ones : DUELS

41. It might be skipped : ROPE. The other day is STONE.

43. Egyptian Peace Nobelist : SADAT. I don't think I'll ever visit Egypt or Middle East.

46. Cotton-on-stick cleaners : Q-TIPS

47. Ties with clasps : BOLOS

48. "Call," in poker : I'M IN

51. Sonnet sections : SESTETS

53. Syrup source : TREE SAP.  I recall Marti's personal idol grew up in a maple tree farm. Bode Miller had a very unconventional childhood.

56. Course rentals : CARTS

57. Prime meridian std. : GST

59. NASA's Grissom : GUS

60. Shoulder location : ROADSIDE. Nice shoulder mislead.

61. A, in Arles : UNE

63. Squalid quarters : STY. Pigs disagree.

64. Tendon : SINEW

65. Old Colgate competitor : IPANA

66. Improvise : AD LIB

67. Nasty sort : MEANIE

68. No longer working: Abbr. : RET'D

69. "Later, amigo" : ADIOS

71. 1983 Golden Boot Award winner Lash : LaRUE. Learned from doing Xword.

73. Phnom __ : PENH. Very random H placements.

74. Library ID : ISBN

75. "It's Always Something" autobiographer : RADNER (Gilda)

76. Shelter near a fire : TENT

78. Open confrontations : FACE-OFFS. Another great fill.

80. Wall-mounted grips : GRAB BARS

82. Brief brawl : SETTO

83. Uno minus uno : CERO. 0 in Spanish.

84. Like ballplayers during the national anthem : HATLESS

87. "A-Tisket, A-__" : TASKET

90. Smaug in "The Hobbit," for one : DRAGON. No idea.

92. Tummy trouble : AGITA

93. Old Renault : LE CAR

94. Composer Franck : CESAR. Unfortunately Chavez is the only CESAR I know.

96. End-era link : OF AN. End of an era.

98. Camaro __-Z : IROC

99. '80s "This Old House" host Bob : VILA

100. Western wine region : NAPA

101. Give the band a hand : CLAP

102. Robust : HALE

103. Uplifting item : BRA. Victoria's Secret is going to open a store at Cowboys Stadium. So now fans have a beautiful place to go when the game gets boring.

104. Have a bug : AIL

105. Drama set in Vegas : CSI

106. Letter opener? : ELL. Clever clue.

Answer grid.

C.C.