Thursday, March 26, 2015 Frank Virzi

Theme: "Home on the Range"


20-Across. *Last president who was a Founding Father : JAMES MONROE.

36-Across. *Limp cause : GAME LEG.

3-Down. *In the low 70s, usually : ROOM TEMPERATURE. This winter, ours has been in the low 60s, usually.

7-Down. *Feature of most cars nowadays : FRONT WHEEL DRIVE. True, but I will stick with my AWD Subaru on these icy New England roads.

11-Down. *On one's own : ALONE IN THE WORLD.

And the reveal:
55-Across. Fixer-upper, perhaps, and a hint to the answers to starred clues : STARTER HOME. Put "home" at the start of the theme entires and you get quite a 12-Down:
"Home, James!" / Home game / Home room / Home front / and "Home Alone," the 1990 Macaulay  Culkin movie.

From a construction standpoint, this was quite an impressive feat: Two grid spanners that each cross one other theme entry, and one grid spanner that crosses three! The two 11-letter entries each cross two other themers. Let's see what else Frank has to offer us.

Across

1. Big name in ATMs : NCR. Formerly National Cash Register.

4. Ten to twenty? : HALF. Nailed it on my first guess! [insert fist pump here]

8. On fire : AFLAME.

14. Worldwide workers' agcy. : ILO. International Labour Organization.

15. On __ with : A PAR.

16. Brooklyn Bridge features : CABLES. Yes, indeed.

17. "The Matrix" hero : NEO. All perps.

18. Utah lily : SEGO.

19. Delivers an old standard, perhaps : CROONS.

23. Not from a Scot : NAE.

24. Fifth-century leader succeeded by his son Ellac : ATTILA. I nailed it on the first WAG.

25. __ Aviv : TEL.

26. Tent holder : PEG.

27. Sportscaster Andrews : ERIN.

28. New Deal org. : WPA. Works Progress Administration.

29. Hustles : HIES.

31. Smith students : WOMEN.

33. "If only __ listened!" : HE'D.

34. Memo words : IN RE.

35. Smartphone buy : APP.

40. Hold 'em tell, maybe : TIC. Keep your poker face on, and keep the other players guessing.

41. Ingredient in Off! : DEET. Common name: diethyltoluamide.

43. Top-row poet on the "Sgt. Pepper" album cover : POE. In the middle, above Marilyn.

44. Remains at the campsite : ASHES.

46. Misses the mark : ERRS.

47. Party person : POL. Political party, that is.

48. Spillane's "__ Jury" : I THE. His 1947 debut novel.

49. Org. that produces the magazines Highroads and Journey : AAA. Intuitive guess.

50. The past, in the past : ELD.

51. Risk being caught off base : GO AWOL.

54. Grisham hero, often: Abbr. : ATT.orney.

57. Only reigning pope to write an autobiography : PIUS II.

59. Tiny bit : IOTA.

60. Gun, as an engine : REV.

61. Most irritated : SOREST.

62. Emptiness : VOID.

63. T size : LGE.

64. Baby's outfit : ONESIE. They are usually sml.

65. Luncheon ender : ETTE.

66. Patriotic gp. since 1890 : DAR. Daughters of the American Revolution.


Down

1. Turtle in a 2014 film : NINJA.

2. Soccer shoe feature : CLEAT. Spike also fits.

4. Bit of sibling rivalry : HASSLING. As the youngest of five, I got a lot of that.

5. Hypothetical primate : APE MAN. No such thing, really.

6. Titicaca, por ejemplo : LAGO. [updated] In South America, Titicaca is a lake (for example.)

8. Honor : ACCOLADE.

9. Charge for a ride : FARE.

10. Wall St. news : LBO. Leveraged Buy Out.

12. Varied mixture : MENAGERIE.

13. To be, to Ovid : ESSE.

21. Cork's location : EIRE.

22. Opposite of attract : REPEL.

26. Chi follows it : PHI.

30. "Just a few __" : SECS.

31. Dwyane of the Miami Heat : WADE. Absolutely no clue. All perps.

32. Mathematical process : OPERATION.

37. Good thing to have before a meal : APPETITE.

38. Dinero : MOOLA.

39. Winning football coach's surprise : GATORADE.

42. Airport screening org. : TSA. Transportation Security Administration.

45. Persian for "king" : SHAH.

48. ''Of course!'' : I GET IT.

52. Greek finale : OMEGA.

53. Piano keyboard component : LEVER.

54. Lhasa __ : APSO.

55. Spanish ayes : SI SI. Cute.

56. Warning sound : TOOT.

58. His, to Henri : SES. Possessive adjectives change, according to the gender of the noun: son, sa or SES are three of the possibilities here.

Marti, out!

Wednesday, March 25, 2015 Carol Lachance

Theme: What makes you think my SPRINGs are dirty?  The theme answers all begin with things used in washing SPRINGS or possibly other things.

16 A. Like some watches : WATER-RESISTANT.  Able to withstand some degree of immersion or soaking, because WATER PROOF is too difficult or expensive to achieve.  WATER - the source of all life, and most cleaning solutions.

It's all wet

22 A. Bath floater : SOAP BUBBLE.   As illustrated.   SOAP is the emulsifier that allows non-polar substances to mix with WATER, so you can CLEAN them up.

Keeping it clean

35. Patchwork plaything : RAG DOLL.  The cloth used for wiping up is often an old tee shirt or some other kind of RAG.  Alternatively, DOLLS can be made from them.

  Find them here

No extra charge for this musical interlude.

Four Seasons includes Spring

47 A. Running a marathon may be on it : BUCKET LIST.  Things to do before your time runs out and the bucket must be kicked. 

It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World  

Running a marathon - or anything else - is not on mine.  A BUCKET can hold all the rest of the theme entries used in the unifier --

53. Project suggested by the starts of 16-, 22-, 35- and 47-Across : SPRING CLEANING.  Annual ritual of brightening up the home after the dreary shut-down months of winter.

It's for cars, too

Or this

Cleaned up here

Hi gang, JazzBumpa here to remind you that the calendar says it's SPRING, no matter what is going on outside your window.   Let's see if this puzzle is well seasoned, and whether we can clean it up.

Across

1. Visits : STOPS AT.  

8. Legal test, familiarly : THE BAR.   Qualifying examination for prospective lawyers.

14. Reporter's needs : SOURCES.  People with information.

15. Punk rock surname : RAMONE.  A pseudonym adopted by all the band members. I never paid much attention.  Here is a rather innocuous example of their style.

California Sun

18. Cost-of-living fig. : CPI.  Consumer Price Index.  A relative measure of the prices paid by typical consumers for retail goods and other items, used to indicate the level of inflation. Denialists claim the the CPI grossly understates real inflation, but the independent Billion Prices Project actually tracks very well with it.

19. Feed in a bag : OATS.  Horse feed and cereal grain for humans.

20. "Am __ the right track?" : I ON.   Inquiry by one who is uncertain about how to proceed.  If you're cleaning, straightening and simplifying, I'd say yes.

26. Gumbo veggie : OKRA.  And crossword staple.

27. Nylons, fishnets, etc. : HOSIERY.  Leg coverings.

Here's a variety

28. Petty squabbles : SPATS.

29. Penny-__ : ANTE.  Low stakes poker game, and by extension anything of little value.

30. "I'll have another" responder : BARKEEP.   Not the bar we spoke of earlier.  Libation provider in a tavern.

34. Neon, or fuel for a Neon : GAS.   Clever clue.  Neon is the GAS, i.e. vapor, in eponymous lamps, and GASoline is the fuel for the Neon, a now defunct Chrysler Corp. vehicle

36. Public image, briefly : REPutation.

39. Freaked out : GONE APE.  Lost it

40. One-eighties : UEYS.  U-turns - sharp turns into the opposite direction.

41. Freak out : SPOOK.  Frighten or startle - I suppose I could be spooked by a freak, but not by this clecho.

44. Shows proof of : EVINCES.  Provides evidence for.

46. Player with a record 14 100-RBI seasons : A-ROD.  He sat out last season, suspended for violating the MLB drug use policy.  Looks like he's back this year.

50. '90s "SNL" regular Meadows : TIM.

I forgot his name

51. "__ Jim" : LORD.  Joseph Conrad novel from 1900.

52. Knack for snappy comebacks : WIT.   Quick and clever.

59. River through Toledo : MAUMEE.  The Muddy MAUMEE.  I've crossed this river thousands of time, twice as recently as Saturday.

View of downtown from across the Maumee

60. Hall who won on "Celebrity Apprentice" in 2012 : ARSENIO.

He trumped the other contestants

61. Linen closet stack : SHEETS.  Bed coverings.

62. Jones with a diary : BRIDGET.  Played in the movie by Renee Zellweger, who, post surgery, no longer resembles herself - thus no picture.  I haz a sad.  

Down

1. Cincinnati-to-Nashville dir. : SSW.

2. Shelley's "__ Skylark" : TO A.  Hail to thee, blithe Spirit! Etc, Etc  .  .  .

Shelly's ride

No extra charge for this musical interlude.

ELLA !

3. Pariahs : OUTCASTS.   Those who are socially shunned.  Derived from the lowest population caste in Southern India.

4. Private school student : PREPPIE.  Prep School attendee.

5. Parchment user : SCRIBE.   Record keeper.  Now it's all electrons.

6. Atmo- kin : AER-.  Prefix that denotes having to do with the air or the atmosphere.  Pretty Literal.

7. "Ash Wednesday" poet's monogram : TSE. Thomas Stearns Eliot [Sep 26, 1888 - Jan 4, 1965] American essayist, playwright, social critic and poet.

Because I do not hope to turn again

Because I do not hope
Because I do not hope to turn

Etc, Etc  .  .  .

8. __ by fire : TRIAL.  An ancient judicial practice to determine guilt or innocence by subjecting the accused to an arduous and dangerous task.  In these more enlightened times, merely the ability to perform well under pressure.

9. Speed : HASTE.  Be quick about it, now.

10. Ambulance VIPs : EMTS.  Emergency Medical Technicians are trained to respond quickly to emergency situations regarding medical issues, traumatic injuries and accident scenes.

11. Fluffy scarf : BOA.

12. Golfer Sorenstam, who was among the first women to become honorary members of St Andrews golf club in February 2015 : ANNIKA.   To the best of my knowledge, she is not related to Luke Skywalker.

She's a Swede, not a Scott

13. Comeback : RETORT.  A witty reply.

17. More than sniffle : SOB.  Degrees of crying.

21. "One Mic" rapper : NAS.    Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones [b Dec 14, 1973]

22. Carpet type : SHAG.  With deep pile.

Back to the 70's

23. The last Mrs. Chaplin : OONA.  [May 14, 1925 - Sep 27, 1991] Charlie's fourth wife, and daughter of Nobel and Pulitzer prize winning playwright Eugene O'Neill.  Her Granddaughter, named for her, is an actress with many film and TV credits, including the part of Talisa Maegyr Stark in HBO's Game of Thrones.

Here she is in 1943

24. __ renewal : URBAN.  Redevelopment in a city, often by removing slums.

25. How some wines are sorted : BY AGE.

26. Facing: Abbr. : OPPosite

28. Pommes frites sprinkling : SEL.   French salt for French fries.

31. Nutritional stat : RDA.  Recommended Dietary Allowance.

32. Coin for Putin : KOPEK.  One one-hundredth of a Ruble.

33. École attendee : ELEVE.  I suppose this is French for student, though I can't get Google translate to admit it.

35. Korean soldier : ROK. For Republic Of Korea.

36. Speaking from memory : RECITING.

37. Spud sprouts : EYES.    These can be cut from the tuber and planted to grow plants that are clones of the parent.  New varieties are grown from seeds.  Why eyes?  I'd know if I were wise.

See them here

38. Furtive attention-getter : PSST.

Can I play, too?

39. Saturn, for one : GOD.  Roman equivalent of the Greek Cronus.  Complex mythology.

40. Like sketchbook paper : UNLINED.  Blank.

41. Collected dust : SAT.  Was idle.

42. Rainbow makers : PRISMS.   They divide light according to wavelength, due to a refractive index difference from air and the angles a which the light enters and exits.

Totally unrelated source

43. Big brass output : OOM-PAH.  Tuba speak

Probably not what you're expecting

45. Formal admission : IT WAS I.  

47. Lisa of "Enemy of the State" : BONET.   Even after all these years, probably still better known as Denise Huxtable, though.

Paean here

48. They can be hard to fight : URGES.   Those things you want to do.

49. Atlanta-based health agcy. : CDC.  Center for Disease Control.

51. Sherbet flavor : LIME.  Citrus fruit.

Potential alternate use

54. Repent : RUE.  

55. Photo __ : LAB. Place where photographic negatives are developed. Rather retro.  These days, it's SHOP.

56. Throw too low, say : ERR.  A mis-played baseball. 

57. Merkel's "never" : NIE.  German.

58. Captured : GOT.  Obtained.

Well, that puts it all away.  Hope you got through it without chapped hands or kicking the BUCKET.  Now I have to go do some tidying up.

Cool regards!
JzB

Tuesday, March 24, 2015 John R. O'Brien

Theme: Masquerade - All set for the masquerade ball.

17A. *One harvesting honey : BEEKEEPER

25A. *One planning a job : BANK ROBBER

40A. *One calling strikes : HOME PLATE UMPIRE

50A. *One working at a low level : SCUBA DIVER

64A. Lone Ranger epithet, or what each answer to a starred clue often is : MASKED MAN

Argyle unmasked. A definite chuckle when I got the unifier. And some other chuckles in there too but your results might vary. It's been a little over a year since John's last visit, I hope the next one is sooner.

Across:

1. Mythical bird : ROC. Off to a roc[k]y start.

4. Spanish hero played by Heston : EL CID

9. Bush successor : OBAMA

14. Oktoberfest gripe : "ACH!"

15. Protest sign word : PEACE

16. Purple Heart, e.g. : MEDAL

19. Freezing cold : GELID

20. Count in music : BASIE. (Count Basie)

21. Nothing, in Normandy : RIEN

23. Floor cleaner scent : PINE

24. MIT part: Abbr. : INST. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

27. Words before grip or life : GET A

29. Pub offering : ALE

30. Mom-and-pop org. : PTA. (parent-teacher association) I was leaning towards IGA.

32. Havens : OASES

36. Exorcism target : DEMON

43. Cara or Castle : IRENE. Irene Cara sang about dancing ("Flashdance") and Irene Castle did it with hubby, Vernon.

44. Pursue : CHASE

45. Pop : DAD Father figure.

46. Westminster show org. : AKC. (American Kennel Club)



Miss P, Westminster's 2015 Best in Show Winner

48. Wraps up : ENDS

56. Dench of "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" : JUDI. Fabulous.

59. Biceps exercise : CURL

60. Genesis brother : CAIN

61. Surround : HEM IN

62. Bird that lays blue eggs : ROBIN. They're back.

66. Muscat resident : OMANI

67. Not as happy : BLUER

68. Yale Bowl rooter : ELI

69. Class-ending sounds : DONGs

70. River to the Rhone : ISERE

71. Fish eggs : ROE

Down:

1. Synagogue official : RABBI

2. It has a floor but no ceiling : OCEAN. Might have some scuba divers.

3. Competition with knights : CHESS GAME

4. Olympian's blade : EPEE

5. Novelist Harper : LEE. Harper Lee has been in the news recently.

6. "It's a Wonderful Life" director : CAPRA. Frank Capra

7. Strand during a blizzard, say : ICE IN

8. Yankee shortstop Jeter : DEREK

9. Online "Wow!" : "OMG!". (Oh My G**)

10. "Hey, the light is green!" : [BEEP!BEEP!]

11. Wing it at the lectern : AD LIB

12. Augusta's home : MAINE. Every golfer knows it's Augusta, Georgia. The Masters will be held there April 9–12.

13. Birch family tree : ALDER

18. Flier usually shorter than its tail : KITE. Old punch line, "She said go fly a kite."

22. Gun lobby gp. : NRA. (National Rifle Association)

25. False idol : BAAL

26. "Grumpy" movie heroes : OLD MEN. Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau.(1993) sequel "Grumpier Old Men" (1995) But Burgess Meredith upstaged them both.

28. Sunflower State capital : TOPEKA, Kansas.

30. __ Beta Kappa : PHI

31. A.L. East team : TOR. (Toronto Blue Jays) Big CSO to CanadianEh!

33. Cul-de-__ : SAC

34. Biblical suffix : ETH

35. 50-Across milieu : SEA. The scuba diver.

37. Season in a Shakespeare title : MIDSUMMER. (A Midsummer Night's Dream)

38. "Chopsticks __ fork?" : OR A

39. "Game of Thrones" patriarch Stark : NED. No idea. Anyone?

41. Making possible : ENABLING

42. __-friendly : USER

47. Epidemic-fighting agcy. : CDC. (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

49. Kept the party hopping, briefly : DJed. What will they be called when all the music has gone digital?

50. Cape Cod catch : SCROD

51. New York governor Andrew : CUOMO

52. Like city folk : URBAN

53. Poetic feet : IAMBI

54. Lab containers : VIALS

55. Follow : ENSUE

57. Way to get info, on retro phones : DIAL 'O'

58. Kind of navel : INNIE

61. "Present!" : "HERE!"

63. Grafton's "__ for Noose" : N IS. Go to this site for the list.

65. Lead-in for plunk or flooey : KER. There, another kerfuffle done.

Argyle

Notes from C.C.:

1) Welcome back, real PK. You had us worried. Belated "Happy Birthday!".

2) Happy Birthday to Ray (Rainman)! So glad you can play tennis again soon after the operation. Any special plan today?

Monday, March 23, 2015 Mary Lou Guizzo

Theme: Motorcycle Club - Six members of this MC.

68A. Roast host, and a hint to the answers to starred clues : EMCEE

17A. *Dots-and-dashes system : MORSE CODE

36A. *Entrée : MAIN COURSE

43A. *Boxy British economy car : MINI COOPER

61A. *Venue for hypothetical legal cases : MOOT COURT

11D. *Wallet alternatives : MONEY CLIPS

29D. *Hannah Montana portrayer : MILEY CYRUS

Argyle here, bro. Easy theme and plentiful. The crossing theme entries and the fill lift this up from being a mediocre Monday.

Across:

1. Gear tooth : COG

4. Scotch whisky brand : J AND B

9. Apples, e.g. : POMES. A botanical name ultimately from Late Latin pomum.

14. Sushi bar tuna : AHI

15. "Inside the NBA" analyst Shaq : O'NEAL. Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal, nicknamed Shaq, is an American retired professional basketball player, former rapper, actor and current analyst on the television program Inside the NBA. Wikipedia

16. Scary bacteria : E COLI

19. Charged toward : RAN AT

20. Long Island airport town : ISLIP. Long Island MacArthur Airport.

21. "Divergent" star Woodley : SHAILENE. "Divergent" is a novel, a film and a sequel already.

23. Robber, to cops : PERP. Short for perpetrator and not our perpendicular.

26. Join the game : PLAY

27. Electrical unit of resistance : OHM

30. Fish market offering : SEA BASS

33. Revolutionary Guevara : CHE

38. Linen fiber source : FLAX

39. Statesman Stevenson : ADLAI

40. Part of UNLV : LAS. (University of Nevada-Las Vegas)

41. Fly like a parasailer : GLIDE

42. Weed-control tools : HOEs

45. "Take your pick" : "ANY"

46. Ironed : PRESSED

47. Grounded fast jet, briefly : SST. (Supersonic transport)

48. Affordable __ Act : CARE

50. "This __ unfair!" : IS SO

52. Car thief on a pleasure spin : JOY RIDER

56. Car wheel shafts : AXLES

60. Offensively pungent : ACRID

64. Stop to think, say : PAUSE

65. Alma __ : MATER

66. Word in itineraries : VIA

67. Tricky road curves : ESSES

69. Wild blue yonder : SKY

Down:

1. Victoria's Secret garment, for short : CAMI. (camisole)

2. Cries of discovery : "O HO!"s

3. "You go, __!" : GIRL

4. "My Cousin Vinny" co-star : JOE PESCI. The favorite scene here on the Corner.

5. Post-apartheid ruling party: Abbr. : ANC, (African National Congress)

6. Prefix with conservative : NEO

7. Father figures : DADS

8. "Ick!" : "BLEH!"

9. Hazards : PERILS

10. Central Florida city : OCALA. "Snakes and gators and bears, oh my Ocala perils!"

12. Zing : ELAN

13. Web browsing destination : SITE

18. Dainty taste : SIP

22. Church recess : APSE

24. Vintage vehicle : REO. REO was founded by Ransom E. Olds.

25. One of Tony Soprano's henchmen : PAULIE

27. Mutual of __ : OMAHA. Make sure your policy is paid up if Paulie is coming to visit.

28. Was wearing : HAD ON

31. Fiber-rich cereals : BRANS

32. St. Francis of __ : ASSISI

34. Greek god of the underworld : HADES

35. Use, as influence : EXERT

37. __ in November : N AS

38. Showman Ziegfeld : FLO

41. Devout term for a churchyard : GOD'S ACRE. Gottesacker. (German)

43. TV "neigh" sayer : "MR. ED"

44. These, in Nice : CES

46. Lion family units : PRIDES

49. Roll out of the sack : ARISE

51. Kitchenware brand : OXO

52. Bit of mockery : JAPE

53. Andean stew tubers : OCAs

54. Buxom one-named supermodel : EMME

55. What the buffalo do, in song : ROAM Go to YouTube for the lyrics.

57. Disposable diapers brand : LUVS

58. "CHiPs" star Estrada : ERIK

59. Time at a motel : STAY

62. Non-Rx : OTC. (Over-the-counter)

63. Golfer's gadget ... or where it's used : TEE...or fashion accessory.

Argyle

Sunday March 22, 2015 C.C. Burnikel

Theme: "Course Catalog" - Golf terms are re-interpreted as non-golf related.

23A. TEE : CASUAL SHIRT. Tees are needed on long holes.

25A. PITCH : SALES TALK. With pitching wedges.

39A. SLICE : PIECE OF PIE. Ball curves to the right. Most men are good at slicing.

71A. EAGLE : SCOUT RANK. Two under par. Never had one.

100A. HOOK : COAT HANGER. The opposite of "slice".

116A. LIE : FISH STORY. Just play where it lies.

119A. GREEN : ECO-FRIENDLY. Where the hole is.

38D. CHIP : DIAMOND FLAW. Chip and putt. Up and down.

43D. ROUGH : ILL-MANNERED. US Open roughs are punishing.

C.C. here.

I originally also had DRAW as a proposed entry. Rich, who has a low handicap (5, I think), was worried that it might be unfamiliar to non-golfers.

I also used question marks in my theme entry clue [Hook?], [Green?], etc. Rich changed them to all caps. But the clue words remain unchanged. A first for me. Amazing :-)

Across:

1. Extra care : PAINS

6. Sits in a cellar, say : AGES

10. Carpentry groove : DADO. Looks like those Mortise & Tenon joints.

14. Creme-filled cake : HO HO. And 51. Creme-filled snacks : OREOS

18. "Over the Rainbow" composer : ARLEN (Harold)

19. Egyptian sky god : HORUS.  His right eye was associated with the sun. Left eye the moon.

21. "Excuse me ..." : AHEM

22. Sharqiya Sands country : OMAN. I used the old "Wahiba Sands". Check the fact, C.C.

27. Kosher deli offering : LATKE

28. Millennium opener : ONE AD

30. Asian soup type : EGG DROP. I mentioned before: Cantonese have slow-cooked soup infused with various healing herbs every day. No egg drop. Too simple. Cantonese girls are very loving and loyal. Cantonese men are different.

31. Territory : REALM

33. Tourney passes : BYES

35. "See you later!" : TA TA!

36. ChooseMyPlate.gov organization : USDA

42. R.E.M. vocalist Michael : STIPE

46. Court attendant : BAILIFF

48. When a classic film gunfight started : AT NOON. "High Noon".

49. Outdated messager : TELEX

50. Weather-sensitive expectation, briefly : ETA

53. Catchall phrase : ET ALIA. The last letter could also be I, but  SGT STAR (26. Goarmy.com virtual guide) makes more sense than Sgt Stir, right?

56. Descartes' law : LOI

57. Italian cheese : ROMANO

59. Muckraker Jacob : RIIS. I had RIAS for this spot. Rich also changed my original A DUB into I DUB (60D. "So __ thee unforgiven": Metallica lyric).

62. Merging places : ON RAMPS

64. Source of a cc : ORIG. Rich's clue makes me smile. I had "HP Envy insert".

65. Put to rest : ENDED

67. __ factor : ICK

68. Co-creator of Mickey : WALT

69. Grammy winner Ronstadt : LINDA

73. Candy shapes : CANES

74. Within: Pref. : ENDO

75. Type : ILK

76. __ cake : BUNDT. More food!

77. Forsaken : LORN

78. Served with a creamy cheese sauce : ALFREDO. Quite a few food items in this puzzle, Steve & D-Otto.

80. Go (over) carefully : PORE

81. "My parents are gonna kill me!" : I'M DEAD

84. Pickles on "Rugrats" : DIL

85. Mark to come back to : DOG-EAR

89. Hot : IRATE

91. Usher's "Looking 4 Myself" label : RCA

92. As a friend, to Hollande : EN AMI. The lady on the left is history. Hollande now has a new girlfriend (right).

94. Everest expert : SHERPA

97. Card message : GET WELL. Our message to Gary! So are they really going to inject cement into your knee, Dave? Or was it just a joke?

99. Not accustomed to : NEW AT

102. Together, in scores : A DUE

103. Neighbor of Ghana : TOGO

105. __ Mawr College : BRYN

106. Range of power : REACH

108. "Beat it!" : AMSCRAY

111. CenturyLink Center city : OMAHA. CenturyLink (Qwest) is our DSL provider.

113. Rubbish : TRIPE

122. Light color : ECRU

123. Bluesy James : ETTA

124. Handle : SEE TO

125. Taunt : TEASE

126. Mud dauber, e.g. : WASP

127. Way to go on the gridiron? : DEEP. Rich's clue as well.

128. NBA part: Abbr. : ASSN

129. City on Germany's A40 : ESSEN. Autobahn A40.

Down:

1. EMILY's List, for one : PAC

2. Polluted Asian sea : ARAL

3. She left Casablanca with Victor : ILSA.  Wouldn't be a beautiful story had she left with Rick.

4. Unaligned : NEUTRAL

5. Untrustworthy sort : SNAKE

6. Contented sounds : AHS

7. "Scram, kid!" : GO HOME

8. Joyce's home : ERIN

9. Shell game, to a con man : SURE BET

10. Hearing VIPs : DAs

11. "Caught ya!" : AHA

12. Remove, in a way : DELETE

13. Movado competitor : OMEGA. Oh, Hello! You look like my next mistake.

14. Much-anticipated appointment : HOT DATE

15. Co-star of Julie in "Doctor Zhivago" : OMAR

16. Ring of light : HALO

17. Like some GIs in a mess : ON KP

20. Extend a visit : STAY ON

24. Spring game? : LEAPFROG

29. Friday's creator : DEFOE

32. Long sentence : LIFE. Prison sentence.

34. __ check : SPOT

36. Super, slangily : UBER

37. 1974 Peace Nobelist : SATO. The most common Japanese surname.

40. Treasure Island, e.g. : CASINO. I passed by but did not visit the one in Vegas. The Treasure Island here in MN hosts the annual tournament that Walter Ray Williams & Pete Weber attend.

41. __ nutshell : IN A

44. "Sexiest Man Alive" magazine : PEOPLE

45. Lives : EXISTS

47. Pythagoras' homeland : IONIA

52. Maker of the SurfaceScrub floor cleaner : ORECK

54. Security item : LOCK

55. Publicity : INK

58. Fervor : ARDOR

61. Scam : SET-UP. And 93. Contest : MATCH UP. Slight UP dupe.

63. Prize : AWARD

66. Film villain with prosthetic hands : DR NO

67. Between: Pref. : INTER

69. Dull gray, as winter skies : LEADEN

70. __ skating : INLINE

71. Tough walk : SLOG

72. 2012 NFL MVP Peterson : ADRIAN. His personal life is a mess.

73. Reindeer name : COMET

75. Hearing promise : I DO

77. Intelligentsia : LITERATI

79. They may reduce sentences : EDITORS. Real sentences here. Nice clue. But it's Rich's also.

 

82. Scopes Trial gp. : ACLU

83. Buttermilk lover Evans : DALE

86. Paul Anka's "__ Beso" : ESO

87. Starbuck's boss : AHAB. Not Howard Schultz.

88. Back in : RETRO

90. First Met to win a Gold Glove : AGEE (Tommie)

95. Poetic works : RHYMES

96. Cure-all : PANACEA

98. Some surfers : WAHINES

100. South Dakota's state animal : COYOTE

101. Surgical procedures : GRAFTS

104. Like some estates : GATED

107. Center of the Minoan civilization : CRETE

108. Not many : A FEW

109. Glittery mineral : MICA

110. Lith. and Ukr., once : SSRS. Feeling sheepish filling this in.

112. Soil-scraping tools : HOES

114. Smartphone ancestors : PDAs

115. Otherwise : ELSE

117. Way to go: Abbr. : RTE

118. Talk foolishly : YAP

120. Pal of Harry : RON. Harry Potter.

121. Japanese cabbage? : YEN. The ? indicates money. By the way, how do you normally prepare coleslaw? Just kitchen knife or do you use a mandoline?

 C.C.

Saturday, Mar 21st, 2015, Barry C. Silk

Theme: Saturday Silkie~!

Words: 72 (missing F,K,Q,Y)

Blocks: 29

  Well, I am feeling better about myself with regard to Saturday puzzles after this one - I needed a successful solve, otherwise, I'd be on a month-long 'fail'.  My first-pass guesses - and quite a few throughout - turned out to be great choices, as my crossings seemed to agree; that doesn't happen very often.  Still, I was stuck on the final bottom three letters, but got my "Ta-DA~!", and breathed a sigh of relief.  Triple 11-letter Across corners, and nearly triple 9s in the Downs:

17a. Factor in cold waves : POLAR VORTEX - ugh - one more time with the white stuff last night....

12d. Like churches, as a rule : TAX EXEMPT - answer #2 with "X".  The "X"s from 'xer' & 'axle' and didn't look promising, until I got to this clue

64a. Outlet worker : ELECTRICIAN - here I thought this first, then said "no, can't be"

Here's one for the DF - warning~!

31. Meaning : SEMANTICS - I like playing 'semantics' with people

ARD~! Snow~!

ACROSS:

1. City on the South Saskatchewan River : MEDICINE HAT - not a clue, but then with some spotty perps, I recalled this odd name - birthplace of hockey player Trevor Linden - now a president with the Vancouver Canucks, and one-time NY Islander

12. It's about 5 mL : TSP

15. Over : ONE MORE TIME - like a mulligan in golf

16. Cut (into) : ATE - think acids

18. Boomer's offspring : X-ER - Generation X - typically, people born in the 60s - 80s - that makes me one

19. Put in : ELECT - didn't have enough letters for INject, and it took a minute for this one to dawn on me

20. Senseless : NUMB

21. Jazz duo? : ZEES - jaZZ - clever

22. Answered back : SASSED

24. Drivetrain component, perhaps : REAR AXLE - complete W.A.G. - and wow, it was correct~!  Go figure

26. Southwestern language : ZUNI

28. Brawn : SINEW

29. Sign of shock : GASP

33. Diamond shape : PEAR - I never considered the "shape" of an engagement ring - is there some rule of thumb
(or finger, as it were)~?

 I like the nail polish color

35. Star movers : LIMOS

37. Runs through : PIERCES - think swords; especially sitting atop 41a.

39. Take time to answer : SLEEP ON - like the song "Paradise by the Dashboard Light"

41. Mail : ARMOR - this one always gets me - trying to think of synonyms for "send"

42. Save for later, in a way : TiVO

44. City southwest of Bayeux : St. LÔ

45. Woodstock performer before Sly : JANIS - For those who were too young to know, here's a list of the performers - there were three acts that I was unaware actually played the show

47. Ecua. rejoined it in 2007 : OPEC - sensible WAG, and an abbr to help

49. Hail Mary : LONG BOMB - I had LONG PASS - and that's 50%

51. Charges for rounds : BAR TAB

56. Newspaper section : ARTS - OK, I went with OPED

57. Goya's "La __ vestida" : MAJA - The "clothed" one; there was also the "La Maja Desnuda"

59. Washington portraitist : PEALE - more art I did not know - his Wiki

60. Star Wars letters : SDI - the "Strategic Defense Initiative", which, I have stated before, is an insult to Star Wars

61. December-to-May fruit : NAVEL ORANGE - I WAGed ALGAE at 54d., and that "G" was enough to get me the Orange part, but I had "TOO" instead of "NEW" at 61d., and that slowed me down

63. RBI producer, perhaps : SACrifice Fly - Baseball tactic

65. Stick-__ : ONS - I was thinking of this instead

66. 1623 Shakespeare work, with "The" : WINTERS TALE - if you don't know it, here's the "38d." on it

DOWN:

1. Blues : MOPES - if it helps, try "The" in front

2. "Waterworld" orphan girl : ENOLA - didn't see the movie; it was a dud.  All perps

3. Strikes out : DELES - this "struck out" my 'ENTER' for 19a.

4. Apple purchases : iMACS - did you hear Apple is coming out with a diet pill~?
It's designated the i8....

5. Mexico's Sea of __ : CORTEZ - nailed it

6. Journalist Kupcinet : IRV - perps

7. Krypton relative : NEON

8. Ancient Italian region : ETRURIA - dredged this up from the depths with '-RUR-' in place

9. Opposite of "stand" : "HIT ME~!" - Blackjack

10. They multiply by dividing : AMEBAS

11. Drive handle : TEX - cattle drive, that is.  Reminds me of this scene

13. Common abrasive : STEEL WOOL

14. Intrinsically : PER SE

21. The Marx Brothers, e.g. : ZANIES

23. Deceive : DUPE

25. Bug but good : RILE

27. Home in the woods : NEST - "home in the tree" would have been too easy for Saturday

29. Meas. of course performance : GPA - Grade Point Average.  Funny, but it was such a big deal when I was in high school - now it's meaningless - until I have kids of my own, I presume....

30. Brand with a Jumpman logo : AIR JORDAN - I knew this was Michael Jordan, but it took a moment; my OPED didn't help

32. Fine points : PRONGS - Har-Har~!

34. Letters sometimes seen before a phone no. : RSVP

36. Nestlé's __-Caps : SNO

38. Cheat : CRIB

40. 1924 co-defendant : LOEB - could not recall if it was loeW or loeB

43. Court complaint : "I OBJECT~!"

46. Horn of Africa native : SOMALI

48. Cousins of clam diggers : CAPRIs

49. Western ring : LASSO - ah, Western as in the movie genre

50. Expert : MAVEN

52. Jerk, say : REACT

53. Patty Hearst alias : TANIA

54. __ bloom: pond vegetation : ALGAL

55. __ Bag: eponymous '70s designer label : BEENE

 

58. Old, in Oldenburg : ALTE - not AULD; I knew that was wrong

61. Additional : NEW

62. Legend on ice : ORR - first clue, NHL; last clue, NHL....I like it, Mr. Silk~!

Splynter