google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner

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Mar 29, 2011

Tuesday, March 29, 2011 Joon Pahk and Andrea Carla Michaels

Theme: Six Packs - The start of each six theme answer can precede "pack".

17A. Completely dark : JET-BLACK. Jet pack.

21A. Getting-to-know-you party activity : ICEBREAKER. Ice pack.

26A. Dirty fighting? : MUD-WRESTLING. Mud pack.

39A. Wearisome routine : RAT RACE. Rat pack.

47A. "Wow, she's good-looking!" sounds : WOLF WHISTLES. Wolf pack.

58A. "Funny Girl" leading role : FANNY BRICE. Fanny pack.

66A. Some sculpted abs ... and what the starts of 17-, 21-, 26-, 39-, 47- and 58-Across are altogether? : SIX PACKS

Argyle here. One of the first things I noticed was that the grid resembled a labyrinth but I didn't get lost. Strong theme. The fill has a strong Middle-Eastern influence with a smattering of foreign words from around the world.

Across:

1. Lea low : "MOO". Cute alliteration.

4. Rocket interceptors, briefly : ABMs. Anti-Ballistic Missile.

8. Doesn't tip : STIFFS. The bane of waitstaffs everywhere.

14. DJ's array : CDs

15. Atahualpa, notably : INCA. He was the last sovereign emperor of the Inca Empire.

16. Sci-fi author __ K. Le Guin : URSULA. She wrote the Earthsea fantasy novels. The Margaret Mead of science-fiction?

19. Took an intersecting road : TURNED. Thought of Robert Frost, did you?

20. It's not butter : OLEO

23. Soft baseball hit : BLOOP

25. Facility : EASE

33. "Weeds" airer, in TV listings : SHO. Showtime, a premium television network.

36. Latvian capital : RIGA. Here.

37. Eastern principle : TAO

38. Liven (up) : PEP

43. Expressive rock genre : EMO. Short for emotional rock music.

44. __ of Good Feelings : ERA. The Era of Good Feelings was the name applied to the period in the United States corresponding with the term of President James Monroe. It lasted approximately from 1816 to 1824.

45. "Zounds!" : "EGAD!"

46. Old boys? : MEN

53. Wrath, in a classic hymn : IRAE. "Dies Irae" ("Day of Wrath").

54. Fat cat : NABOB. Originally, a governor in India under the Mogul Empire. Also called nawab.

64. Quayle's successor : GORE

65. Orbital extreme : APOGEE

68. Mother with a Nobel prize : TERESA. Missionary in Calcutta.

69. Depilatory brand : NAIR

70. AFL partner : CIO. The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations.

71. Turns over, as an engine : STARTS. But they don't start, sometimes!

72. Film pooch in a tornado : TOTO. "The Wizard of Oz".

73. Tolkien tree creature : ENT

Down:

1. Low-paying position : McJOB

2. Nancy who's slated to replace Mary Hart on "Entertainment Tonight" : O'DELL. Image.

3. Bone: Pref. : OSTEO

4. Have a bug : AIL

5. __ B'rith : B'NAI

6. Cornerstone 1300 : MCCC

7. Benefit : SAKE

8. Hindu aphorisms : SUTRAs. An aphorism is a terse saying embodying a general truth, or astute observation.

9. Most loyal : TRUEST

10. Its anthem is "Hatikvah" : ISRAEL. Clip (3:11) with lyrics.

11. Wagnalls's partner : FUNK. They published encyclopedias.

12. Make a run for it : FLEE

13. 1980-81 Iranian president Bani-__ : SADR. Image

18. Bust's opposite : BOOM

22. Spelling contest : BEE

24. Music to a cat lover's ears : PURR

27. Day in Durango : DIA. Down Mexico way.

28. Lb. or oz. : WGT.

29. Filet mignon requests : RAREs

30. Couple in People : ITEM. People Magazine.

31. Tom, Dick or Harry : NAME

32. Continue : GO ON

33. Eject, as lava : SPEW

34. Medal recipient : HERO

35. Stone for many Libras : OPAL

40. Rep. with a cut : AGT.. Agent.

41. Berkeley school, familiarly : CAL. University of California, Berkeley.

42. First lady's home? : EDEN

48. Identify, as a perp : FINGER

49. Most ironic : WRYEST

50. __ corpus : HABEAS

51. Suffix with hotel : IER

52. "Beowulf" or "Star Wars" : SAGA

55. Bologna ball game : BOCCE. Italian origin.

56. Pest control name : ORKIN

57. Stupefy with drink : BESOT

58. Pool legend Minnesota __ : FATS. The pool that requires a cue.

59. In __: peeved : A PET

60. Director Ephron : NORA. Film director, producer, screenwriter, novelist, journalist, author, and blogger. Keeps busy, eh?

61. Fails to be : ISN'T

62. Giovanni's good-bye : CIAO. Italian.

63. Stage direction : EXIT

67. Tour golfer : PRO


Argyle