Friday Jan 4, 2013 Gareth Bain

Theme: GAIN WEIGHT (56A. What 18-, 23-, 37- and 46-Across do to become puns?) - TON is added to the last word of each common phrase.

  

18A. Center of Swiss Oktoberfest celebrations? : BEER CANTON. Beer can.

 23A. Tiny sea thugs? : GANG PLANKTON. Gangplank. One word.

 37. More equitable church official? : THE FAIRER SEXTON. The fairer sex.

 46A. Cigarette buyer's bonus? : BUMPER CARTON. Bumper car.

C.C. here, giving the hard-working Lemonade a break. Blogging once is fun. But blogging every week under time pressure is certainly not an easy job. Somehow Lemonade always achieves a nice balance of seriousness in his theme/entry explanations & whimsy humor in his links and passing remarks.

So, it's Friday, the theme is, more often than not, letter(s) addition/deletion/replacement, mostly "addition", since they produce more colorful and fun phrases (while deletion tends to offer dry and boring phrases). Marti is our expert in this theme type.

Today's reveal, GAIN WEIGHT, elevates the normal Friday for me. It gives a rationale why TON is added. Five theme entries with 59 squares is a lot, but Gareth delivered. He always does. You don't see light theme in his grids. Always meaty.

 Across:

1. RR sched. listings : STAs

5. Hollow stone : GEODE

10. Some Siamese : CATS. Then we also have 54. King Mongkut's domain : SIAM. Slight dupe.

14. Flamingo hue : PINK.  "Gentlemen Prefer Pink"!

15. Memorable number : OLDIE

16. Vibes : AURA

17. Queen, in some Indo-Aryan languages : RANI

20. Like the Baha'i faith, by origin : IRANIAN. Hey, no IRANI today.


22. Kicks out : BOOTS

27. "Phat!" relative : RAD

28. Friend abroad : AMI

29. Punching tool : AWL

32. Filmmaker Coen : ETHAN. Born and raised here in MN.


35. Fed. agent : G-MAN

36. Pre-coll. catchall : EL-HI. It just won't go away.


40. Cover, as with paint : COAT

41. Rail family bird : COOT

42. Ecological community : BIOME

43. Drillmaster's syllable : HUP

44. Tight do : BUN. I like loose buns. This is flawless.

45. Boozer : SOT

52. Totally flummoxed : AT SEA. Does today feel like Friday, Argyle?


55. Erode : EAT AWAY

60. Mange cause : MITE

61. Computer science pioneer Turing : ALAN

62. '90s FBI chief : FREEH (Louis). From September 1993 to June 2001. I have no memory of him. I came to the US in May 2001. Never paid attention to politics or news until Sept 11th.

63. __-à-porter: ready-to-wear : PRET. Also a star-studded fashion movie. Our Xword staple Stephen REA is in it too.

64. 18th-century French winemaker Martin : REMY

65. "La __ Nikita": 1997-2001 TV drama : FEMME. Oh, I loved it. I watched the Cantonese version.

66. Some 35mm cameras : SLRs
        
Down:

1. Hint of mint : SPRIG. A sprig is more than a hint to me.

2. Part of a princess costume : TIARA

3. 2001 Nobel Peace Prize recipient : ANNAN (Kofi). He studied here in MN too. Nice! Minnesota Nice!

4. Plastic surgeon's procedure : SKIN GRAFT. Sounds painful.

5. Become unlocked? : GO BALD. Fun clue. Why do men go bald? We don't.

6. John Paul's Supreme Court successor : ELENA (Kagan)

7. Shelley work : ODE

8. Hollywood VIP : DIR (Director)

9. Continental trade org. : EEC

10. Lexmark rival : CANON. Printer.


11. Prefix with pilot : AUTO

12. Bouncy gait : TROT

13. __ serif : SANS

19. Blood typing system : ABO

21. Hygiene product with a Disney-created mascot : IPANA. Bucky Beaver.

24. "Give me an example!" : NAME ONE. Excellent entry.

25. Craftsman tools seller : KMART

26. Pantry array : TINS

29. __ sax : ALTO

30. It's "no longer current in natural colloquial speech," per the OED : WHOM. Hard clue.

31. Place to wait : LINE

32. Write permanently : ETCH

33. Commandment word : THOU. Thou shalt not steal others' identity on this blog.

34. Car that's seen better days : HEAP

35. Put together : GROUP

36. Cloverleaf components : EXIT RAMPS. Great answer as well.

38. SDI defense target : ICBM

39. WWII torpedo craft : E-BOAT. Or U-BOAT. I don't really know the differences, Spitzboov!

45. Verbally attack : SCATHE

46. Hope contemporary : BENNY (Jack). Bob Hope.

47. Motor City org. : UAW

48. Turn into a mini, as a midi : RE-HEM

49. Spin : TWIRL

50. Wayne feature : OATER. Never liked John Wayne.

51. Politburo objections : NYETs. "No" in Russian.

52. Petri dish gel : AGAR

53. Chaucer chapter : TALE

57. Gee preceder : EFF. Alphabet.


58. Fury : IRE

59. Bit of treasure : GEM

Here is an adorable picture of the cute Charlotte, Lemonade's granddaughter.

Two month ago, she was only a tiny baby:

Click here for more Charlotte pictures.

Thursday, January 3, 2013 Donna S. Levin

Theme: "Critical Reviews"

20. Critic's complaint about the new restaurant "Godot"? : ENDLESS WAITS. Refers to the book titled "Waiting for Godot." No one likes to wait for service.

28. Critic's complaint about the new restaurant "Charley Horse"? : CRAMPED SPACE. Leg cramps are a common football injury. Is the etymology the same as for confined spaces?

43. Critic's complaint about the new restaurant "Moon"? : NO ATMOSPHERE. Well, I guess the restaurant would have to have air, otherwise the soufflé wouldn't puff up! But the atmosphere in a restaurant is the ambiance.

52. Critic's complaint about the new restaurant "Double Fault"? : INEPT SERVICE. I just had a mental picture of a waiter flinging the food orders to the tables using a tennis racket! That would really be inept!

Marti here to clear up, or in some cases - obfuscate - otherwise perfectly reasonable clues and answers!

Across:

1. Old Italian capital : LIRA.

5. "See ya!" : CIAO.

9. Head lights : HALOS. Were you fooled by this clue?

14. Land with a red, white and green flag : IRAN. And a clecho with 16-Across. One whose land has a red, white and green flag : OMANI.

15. Monroe of the NBA : EARL. National Basketball Association's Vernon EARL Monroe, known for his flamboyant dribbling. He scored over 1,000 points in nine of his thirteen professional seasons!

17. King whose true height is the subject of much discussion : KONG. It ranges from 18 to 60 feet, depending on the setting.

18. Urban hazard : SMOG.

19. Watch from hiding : SPY ON.

23. Clooney/Damon film about the oil industry : SYRIANA. No idea. Generally positive reviews, though.

24. Like some German nouns : NEUTER.  Interesting GIF showing the differences among language groups. But, take it with a grain of salt as there seems to be some dispute about its accuracy.

31. Druid or Wiccan : PAGAN.

34. Baseball stats : RBIS. Run Batted In(s).

35. Ad trailer? : HOC. Not a commercial teaser, but a word that comes after ("trails") the word "ad." Ad hoc committees are typically designated for one purpose only. Latin for "to this" (purpose.)  All clear now? Or just obfuscated?

36. Like two, say : EVEN.

37. Biblical queendom : SHEBA.

39. Cuba libre ingredient : COLA. I think the "l" in "libre" should be capitalized in the name of the drink.  But maybe that's just a...

40. Tiny gripe : NIT.

41. Seaman's saint : ELMO. AKA "Saint Erasmus."

42. Censor : BLEEP. I hope C.C. doesn't have to BLEEP anything I have written here!

47. Snare : ENTRAP.

48. The Beatles' Rigby : ELEANOR. Now for a musical interlude. 2:07

55. Buccaneers' home : TAMPA. Josh Freeman is their first 4,000 yard passer, but he is still questionable as next year's QB because of his erratic performance.

58. Univ. drilling gp. : ROTC. Reserve Officers' Training Corps.

59. Pre-deal request : ANTE.

60. Glorify : EXALT.

61. "___ Plenty o' Nuttin": Gershwin song : I GOT. From the American opera "Porgy and Bess." 2:40

62. Nerd : GEEK.

63. Conical abode : TEPEE.

64. Ages : EONS.

65. They aren't exact: Abbr. : ESTS. Estimates.

Down:

1. Approves, on Facebook : LIKES.

2. Swift strength : IRONY. Jonathan Swift's best-known work, "Gulliver's Travels," is more satirical than ironic, IMHO.

3. Time off, briefly : R AND R. Rest and Recreation.

4. The Archbishop of Canterbury, e.g. : ANGLICAN.

5. Big name in small planes : CESSNA. I learned the other day that they are also a big name in jets...

6. First line of a Seuss classic : I AM SAM.

7. "... maids all in ___" : A ROW.

8. Contemporary of Nadia : OLGA. Nadia Comaneci and OLGA Korbut, who won hearts in the '70s with their sparkling gymnastics routines during the summer olympics.

9. Bankrupt baker : HOSTESS. Don't worry, any remaining Twinkies on store shelves will still be good into the next century.

10. Increases a few notches : AMPS UP.

11. Nonexpert : LAY. Not only a religious connotation.  It also refers to anyone who is not schooled in the technicalities of a specific field.

12. 2011 Hiroshima Art Prize winner : ONO. A Thursday-level clue for a Monday-level entry.

13. Go astray : SIN.

21. Work for : EARN.

22. Taj Mahal locale : INDIA. More specifically, Agra.

25. Chevy SUV : TAHOE.

26. Place to learn in Lyons : ECOLE. French for "school."

27. Postgame staple : RECAP. Like putting their kneecaps back on after a rough football game?

29. Prepping place : PRE-OP. For re-capping knees?

30. Wane : EBB.

31. Pasta often served alla vodka : PENNE. Yummm. I could eat pasta every night of the week!

32. Air France fleet member : AVION. French for "aircraft."

33. Imply : GET AT.

37. Incline : SLOPE. I'll be hitting the slopes this weekend!

38. Pinafore opening : HMS. Cute clue for the Gilbert & Sullivan operetta.

39. Décolletage revelation : CLEAVAGE. Ugly dress. Does the cleavage make up for it, guys?

41. Spring (from) : EMANATE.

42. Uncle Remus title : BR'ER. Short for "brother."

44. Rare hit for most catchers : TRIPLE.

45. "Ben-Hur" Oscar winner : HESTON. Charlton. More décolletage, but this time for the ladies.

46. Votes in : ELECTS.

49. Dressing extreme? : NINES. Did everyone dress to the nines for New Year's Eve?

50. Two trios and a duo : OCTET.

51. Stinks : REEKS.

53. ___-dieu : PRIE. French for "Pray [to] God."

54. Ghana's neighbor to the east : TOGO. They have great take-out, I understand...

55. Vietnamese celebration : TET.

56. Tool that's swung : AXE.

57. Navigator's guide : MAP. I rely on Siri to guide me.

See you all next week!

Marti

Wednesday, Jan 2 2013, Robert Cirillo

theme: don't be koi

18A. Shortest way to get there : DIRECT ROUTE

in the name of love she came

this foolish winsome girl

she was all decked out like a rainbow trout

swimming upstream in the world

she said, please, please i've lost my way

the current is too strong

and she gave one flip of her rainbow tip of her tail

and she swam back down

24A. Good Samaritan parable source : GOSPEL OF LUKE. growing up a PK (preacher's kid), i was taught that luke was "the beloved physician", and a close friend of paul. i still find bible history fascinating. wikipedia says flounder is also known as fluke. 

46. Hot-rodder's add-on : SUPER CHARGER. i know nothing about hot rods and superchargers, but perch is a colorful, freshwater fish.

57. Annual Mexican celebration : CINCO DE MAYO. celebration on the 5th of may to commemorate the victory of the mexican militia over the french army in 1862 - and a good excuse to eat tacos and drink cerveza. and who knew there was a whole book about cod?

37. "That's weird!" (or a comment about what's hidden in 18-, 24-, 46- and 57-Across) : SOMETHING'S FISHY

melissa here. quick solve today, but needed the unifier clue to see the theme. 

you don't have to be a brain sturgeon to come up with a fish pun, so i won't carp on it. but what's all this i've been herring about reinventing the whale? i'm floundering. if you can think of more, just let minnow. 

i apologize. cod that was bad. eely bad. now i'm getting a haddock. 

really, really sorry. it wasn't on porpoise.

ok i'm done.

across

1. Bear's place : DEN

4. Mil. awards : DSC'S. distinguished service crosses.

8. Long-eared pooch : BEAGLE. barry manilow had a beagle named bagel. don't ask me why i know that.

14. Stat for Clayton Kershaw : ERA. earned run average - kershaw finished with a  2.53. please don't ask me what that means.

15. "Nope" : UH-UH

16. Rustler, e.g. : OUTLAW

17. Emeril interjection : BAM. emeril lagasse - oh yeah babe.

20. Uintah and Ouray Reservation residents : UTES. reservation in northeast utah.

22. Disney's "__ & Stitch" : LILO. gimme, even though i've never seen it.

23. Key in : ENTER

27. Quash : NIX. kabosh.

28. Sheep's hangout : LEA

29. They could happen : IFS. ands and buts, too.

32. Early gaming name : ATARI

34. Judge's reprieve : STAY. like a stay of execution.

36. Go __ great length : ON AT

40. Tinged : HUED

41. Start the pot : ANTE. is it 4:20 already?

42. Dodge : ELUDE

43. 1776 and 2001, e.g.: Abbr. : YRS

44. Forward pass path : ARC

45. Cousteau's workplace : MER. french for sea.

52. American competitor, as it was once known : US AIR

55. Chewy candy brand : ROLO

56. Memorable golfing Spaniard, familiarly : SEVE. ballesteros.

60. Trivial picking point : NIT. but nobody here.

61. Not exactly social butterflies : LONERS

62. "I don't give __!" : A RAP. not sure i've heard that expression before - it's usually something about a rat.

63. NFL snapper : CTR. center.

64. Jaguar or impala : ANIMAL

65. Tweed's caricaturist : NAST. here.

66. "Hurrah!" : YAY

down

1. Fix, as a computer program : DEBUG

2. Muse with a lyre : ERATO

3. Sings, so to speak : NAMES NAMES. some great movies/documentaries about the hollywood red scare: the front, hollywood on trial, guilty by suspicion, and citizen cohn.

4. Cracker that doesn't crack : DUD. boo.

5. Carnival setup man : SHILL. stooge, plant.

6. Museum piece : CURIO

7. Place for a 6-Down : SHELF

8. Plant sci. : BOT. botany.

9. "I have it!" : EUREKA

10. More than apologize : ATONE

11. Market surplus : GLUT. funny word.

12. After curfew : LATE

13. Decorative water holder : EWER

19. Artistic potpourri : COLLAGE

21. Like many churches : SPIRED

25. Egress : EXIT

26. One-eighties : UEYS. u-turns.

29. Revolt : INSURGENCY

30. Saudi king, 1982-2005 : FAHD. died at 84 in 2005.

31. Eyelid trouble : STYE

32. Like a used fireplace : ASHY

33. Sequence of gigs : TOUR

34. Heartfelt : SINCERE

35. Volatile initials : TNT. trinitrotoluene, used in explosives.

36. Crude tankers : OILERS

38. Instrument that often sits on the floor while played : HARP

39. Tornado response gp. : FEMA. federal emergency management agency. been busy lately.

44. Natural light show : AURORA

46. Order to a boxer : SIC 'EM

47. Like some numerals and noses : ROMAN. 

48. The "It Girl" Bow : CLARA

49. Georgetown hoopsters : HOYAS. college.

50. Musical set in Buenos Aires : EVITA

51. Have another go at : RETRY

52. Kareem's alma mater : UCLA

53. Priory of __: "The Da Vinci Code" secret society : SION. i'm probably one of the only people who have not read this book (or seen the movie). needed perps.

54. Caesarean cal. periods : ANNI. year in latin.

58. www connection option : DSL. wish i had that option.

59. Go (for) : OPT

melissa

Tuesday, January 1, 2013 Don Gagliardo and C.C. Burnikel

Rabbit,    Rabbit,    Rabbit

Theme: Happy New Year - The when, where, and how of the December 31 celebration.

17A. When to don a 40-Down or prepare to throw 11-Down : NEW YEAR'S EVE

62A. Ball-dropping site, or what this puzzle's circled letters form? : TIMES SQUARE

11D. See 17-Across : CONFETTI

40D. See 17-Across : PARTY HAT

Then the visual parts (all the words can precede TIME, and they form a square in the middle):

30A. Extra : SPARE. Spare time.

45A. In the area : LOCAL. Local time.

30D. Tee size : SMALL. Small time.

31D. No better, no worse : EQUAL. Equal time.

Argyle here today. How ya' feeling? I hope you are well enough to appreciate this gem. That visual in the middle is what got this published; took it from OK to GREAT. Maybe it should have been on Monday, the actual New Year's Eve and Monday's "Oh Oh" would have been right for Tuesday.

Across:

1. Telescope parts : LENSES

7. On hiatus : IDLE

11. Metered vehicle : CAB

14. Develop gradually : EVOLVE

15. Landing place : QUAY. For boats or Capt. "Sully" Sullenberger.

16. __ Miss : OLE. (University of Mississippi)

19. Lakers' org. : NBA. (National Basketball Association)

20. Former "Grand Ole Opry Live" network : TNN. (The Nashville Network)

21. GPS suggestion : RTE.

22. Phrase on a diet food label : LESS FAT

24. Has the mike : IS ON

26. Big galoot : APE

28. Confident crossword solver's choice : PEN

29. "Parks and Recreation" actor Rob : LOWE

32. Bluesman Redding : OTIS

34. Pinnacles : ACMEs

36. Airline with a kangaroo on its logo : QANTAS

38. Interpret without hearing : LIP-READ

41. Thai or Chinese, e.g. : CUISINE

42. Dental layer : ENAMEL

43. Memorable Texas mission : ALAMO. "Remember the Alamo!"

44. Longfellow's bell town : ATRI. A copy of the poem. Link.

47. Auditioner's goal : ROLE

51. Sci-fi film extras : ET's

52. __ Moines : DES. Iowa.

53. Close with a bang : SLAM

54. Met secretly : TRYSTED

57. Entertainer Zadora : PIA. What ever happened to Pia Zadora? Ask the flying monkey. Strange web site.

60. Add to the soundtrack : DUB

61. Sigh of pleasure : [AAH!]

65. Victrola corp. : RCA

66. Port east of Tangier : ORAN. Map.

67. Thrust forward, as with a sword : LUNGED

68. Baseball great Mel : OTT

69. Hang in the balance : PEND

70. Stands in studios : EASELS

Down:

1. Legume used in the Indian dish dal : LENTIL

2. Despite all that : EVEN SO

3. "Take it easy!" : "NOW, NOW!"

4. Shrewd : SLY

5. At any time : EVER

6. Ticket specification : SEAT

7. Mensa figs. : IQ's

8. One settling a score, in olden days : DUELER

9. Bathe : LAVE

10. Watches suspiciously : EYES

12. Greek's neighbor : ALBANIAN

13. Wiped out : BEAT

18. Cut with a scythe : REAPED

23. Program interrupters : SPONSORS

25. Close call : NEAR MISS

27. Faux __: blunder : PAS

33. Opposite of NNW : SSE

35. Average average : CEE

37. Prepare to shoot : AIM

38. Country expanse : LEA

39. Work together : INTERACT

41. Purse fasteners : CLASPS

43. Hotshot : ACE

46. Extra one who's "out" : ODD MAN. The square peg in with all the round ones.

48. Golden years : OLD AGE

49. Leafy crown material : LAUREL

50. Sets securely (in) : EMBEDS

54. Polynesian tuber : TARO. Related to oca. Interesting site about root vegetables.

55. Sporty sunroof : T-TOP

56. The Auld Sod : EIRE

58. King Kong's home, e.g. : ISLE. (Skull Island)

59. Turquoise hue : AQUA

63. Close : END

64. Young __: tots, in dialect : 'UNS

Argyle

Notes from C.C.:

1) Don came up with this wonderful theme. Isn't he a genius? The grid went through a few revisions. Below is my favorite skeletal grid. Rich thought it's a bit complex for an early week puzzle, esp the leap from the isolated X to "Times sign" to Times Square.

2) Thanks for the support in 2012. I wish a happy and healthy 2013 to all of you!

Monday Dec 31, 2012 Gail Grabowski and Bruce Venzke

Theme: Oh Oh, No Unifier (Argyle's title) - Each two-word theme  answer start with O* O*.

 17A. Now and then : ON OCCASION

 21A. Quick look : ONCE-OVER

 39A. Lived in by the seller : OWNER OCCUPIED

 58A. Vinaigrette dressing ingredient : OLIVE OIL. I like Balsamic vinaigrette, drizzled over Romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, slices of cucumber & avacodo, pieces of green onions. No cheese!

 

 64A. Presidential workplace : OVAL OFFICE

C.C. here. Dear Santa will be back tomorrow. He worked extra hard last week. I think a rest is needed. It's such a comfort that Argyle is there whenever I'm in trouble. Day or night. He is always there!

I'm also pleased to blog a Gail & Bruce collaboration. I picture this:

1) Gail came up with theme (Her brain is full of wonderful ideas); 

Gail Grabowski

2) Bruce said "Great idea!". Then they worked on the theme set together.

Left to Right: Bruce Venzke, Byron Walden & Rich Silvestri

3) Bruce designed the grid. 5 theme entries are always tricky, esp with a middle 13 (grid-spanning 15 or a shorter 7 are easier to maneuver). Since they had a couple of 8's, relatively short, Bruce decided to overlap the theme entries. This actually made filling easier.

4) Bruce filled the grid. Solid corner work! No cheaters! I have a sense that he did not even want the black squares before (20A IS TO) and after LATE (61A). Because he's Bruce!

5) Bruce sent the filled grid to Gail. Gail liked the result, then she clued the grid. There was also a possibility that Gail "nitpicked" on a few entries in Bruce's first draft and those entries were removed.

6) Today's puzzle was born.

Many of you can solve Monday puzzles under 10 or even 5 minutes. But Monday puzzles are the hardest to make, in my opinion. Of course, Sunday grids are bigger and more work. But a few obscure entries (like yesterday's TCHR) can be slipped in and forgiven.

No such thing on Mondays. Fill has to be common and Monday friendly. Theme has to simple but fresh.

 

Across:

1. Elementary lessons : ABCs

5. When Juliet drinks the potion : ACT IV. Sure happy I know the crossing VINCE (9D. Immortal coach Lombardi).

10. Sailing or whaling : ASEA

14. "Sommersby" actor Richard : GERE. He's a Buddhist.

15. Thérèse's thanks : MERCI. Xie Xie in Chinese. Very scrabbly.

16. Hot streak : ROLL. Have you ever had sweet potato "hot streak"? Delicious.

19. Ye __ Tea Shoppe : OLDE

20. Ratio phrase : IS TO

23. Apt. coolers : ACs

24. Bumped into : MET

27. One of 100 members of Cong. : SEN. They all have amazing egos.

28. Repairman's initial fig. : EST

29. Young socialite : DEB

30. Pre-med subj. : ANAT

32. Game with sharp projectiles : DARTS

34. Siouan speakers : OTOS

36. Dutch Renaissance humanist : ERASMUS. Wiki said he's "generally credited with originating the phrase "Pandora's box".

43. One more : ANOTHER

44. Botch : FLUB

46. Dance movements : STEPS

49. Fly in the ointment : SNAG

51. Eclectic musician Brian : ENO

52. Like the Oz woodsman : TIN. Hi there Tinbeni!

53. Baseball arbiter : UMP

56. "Xanadu" rock gp. : ELO

57. Shares an email with : CCs. My C.C. stands for Chow Chin, Cantonese for Zhouqin, my Mandarin name.

61. After the buzzer : LATE

63. '70s Russian gymnast Korbut : OLGA

68. Emeralds and pearls : GEMS

69. Delaware's capital : DOVER

70. "__ Almighty": Steve Carell film : EVAN

71. Part of Q.E.D. : ERAT

72. Deer dads : STAGS. Fun clue, Gail!

73. Had a good cry : WEPT

      

Down:

1. In the past : AGO

2. Treat with courtesy : BE NICE TO. Are you familiar with "Minnesota Nice"?

3. Medieval arrow shooter : CROSSBOW

4. Religious offshoot : SECT

5. GP's gp. : AMA

6. These, to Thérèse : CES. Plural of "Ce" (m) or "Cette (f).

7. Duo plus one : TRIO

8. Computer symbols : ICONS

10. Buck suffix : AROO

11. Crossword fan : SOLVER. For us.

12. Sibling who usually baby-sits other siblings : ELDEST. I am the oldest. You? I have a younger brother, who still lives in Xi'An.

13. Tips off : ALERTS

18. Unresponsive state : COMA

22. Ultimately become : END UP

23. Big fuss : ADO

25. Juan's January : ENERO. Happy New Year, Juan!

26. Mystic's deck : TAROT

31. RPM gauges : TACHs

33. "I highly doubt that!" : AS IF!

35. Lose one's cool : SNAP.  I bet Jayce doesn't snap easily. He's always so mellow. So are Spitzboov & D-Otto.

37. Play division : SCENE

38. Picture on a ceiling : MURAL. Look here. Surreal!

40. Happen next : ENSUE

41. Course that's not required : ELECTIVE. I wish those Marx/Lenin/Mao/Socoialism stuff were elective in our school. Wasted too much time reciting the principles.

42. Quaint headgear for a class clown : DUNCE CAP

45. Red Sox home: Abbr. : BOS. Did you see "Fever Pitch"? I bet Linda did.

46. Unwitting victim : STOOGE

47. Rudder control : TILLER

48. Puzzle : ENIGMA

50. Game with holes : GOLF. Do you know who started the Pebble Beach Pro-Am?

54. Frames of mind : MOODS. My mood ring is now blue, so I'm happy.

55. Turn on an axis : PIVOT

59. Seemingly endless : VAST

60. Volcanic flow : LAVA

62. Some : A FEW

65. Drumstick, e.g. : LEG. Guess who this girl is.

66. Surg. facilities : ORs

67. Tonsillitis M.D. : ENT

C.C.

Sunday Dec 30, 2012 Pancho Harrison

(If your paper does not carry the puzzle I'm blogging on Sundays, click here to solve on line or print out a copy. We don't know why the LA Times newspaper does not carry this puzzle on Sundays. It's just the way it is.)

Theme: "Missing Piece" - GUN can follow the last word of each theme entry.

23A. Item on a resolution list : STOP SMOKING. Smoking gun.

25A. Wiggly belt? : JELLO SHOT. Shotgun.

47A. Flour or sugar, e.g. : FOOD STAPLE. Staple gun.

 

70A. Classic comedy duo : BOB AND RAY. Raygun.

93A. Sucker that debuted in 1931 : TOOTSIE POP. Popgun.

117A. '60s-'70s compact resurrected in 2012 : DODGE DART. Dart gun.

 

121A. Vigorous effort : ELBOW GREASE. Grease gun. 123. Use 121-Across on : SCOUR

36D. Fixture in many an office hallway : CANDY MACHINE. Machine gun.
 
40D. Tyke : LITTLE SQUIRT. Squirt gun. I just love this picture.

Left to right: Grady (11 months), Truman 3 & Cameron (2 weeks)

120D. Piece that can follow the ends of the nine longest puzzle answers : GUN

Sensitive theme given the Sandy Hook tragedy. But remember Rich arranges his puzzle schedule a month in advance. Pancho created this puzzle months ago.

Pancho is the first LAT constructor we encountered when the Tribune made puzzle change in March 2009, so his name will always be special to me.

Across:

1. Argentine grassland : PAMPA

6. Teacher's request : SEE ME

11. Cell unit: Abbr. : MIN

14. Wise words : ADAGE

19. Oklahoma natives : OTOES

20. Poetry middle name : ALLAN. Edgar Allan Poe.

21. "Double Fantasy" artist : ONO

22. Pageant accessory : TIARA

27. Abate : EASE UP

28. Headliner : STAR

29. Choose to participate : OPT IN

30. Dr. concerned with rhythm : DRE. Rapper.

31. __ tai : MAI

33. Some are inflated : EGOS

35. Stick-to-it-iveness : TENACITY

40. Listed in England? : LEANT. We just LEANED.

42. Those, in Tijuana : ESAS

44. Look askance : GLANCE

45. __ test : ACID

51. High degrees : NTHS

52. Floride, e.g. : ETAT. Floride is French for Florida. I thought it's some kind of chemical product.

53. Desdemona's husband was one : MOOR. Othello.

54. Stage direction : ENTER

55. One may be coed : DORM

56. Words to one taking off : DON'T GO. Won't work. Just let him go.

58. Fictional plantation : TARA

61. "Madness put to good use": Santayana : SANITY

63. Richard's "Stakeout" co-star : EMILIO (Estevez). Richard Dreyfuss. 100A.

64. Blast from the past : OLDIE. So many good Chinese oldies are on YouTube.

66. Marcus's partner : NEIMAN

69. Closet contents, maybe : LINEN

73. Snacks in shells : TACOS

75. Jet-setter's transport, perhaps : CESSNA

77. Dutch painter of "The Cat Family" : STEEN (Jan). Drew a blank.

78. Blessing elicitor : AHCHOO

79. Deal with, as thirst : QUENCH

82. Andean ancient : INCA

83. Trailing : BEHIND

84. Baseball family name : ALOU. 3/4 are vowels, hence its frequent appearances in Xwords.

87. Prefix meaning "vinegar" : ACETO

89. Further : ALSO

91. Supermodel Sastre : INES. She was the Trésor spokemodel. I like Trésor, a lot.

92. Pueblo Revolt tribe : HOPI. Easy guess. Unaware of the Revolt.

96. M.I.T. grad, often : ENGR

97. Opposed : AVERSE

99. Splendor : POMP

100. "I have no idea" : GOT ME

102. It's often between two periods : SENTENCE. D'oh moment!

105. Tiff : SPAT

107. Ready, as a keg : TAP

108. But, to Brutus : SED

111. Brink : VERGE

113. Pablo __ y Picasso : RUIZ. What am I, chopped liver? OK, suspension!

115. Plant with stickers : NETTLE

124. Path to enlightenment : ZEN. The character looks like this in Chinese. I don't think Dave will ever be in a  Zen-like state. His brain is way too active.

125. Notre Dame's river : SEINE. Not the Notre Dame Steve & Irish Miss had in mind.

126. River frolicker : OTTER

127. Wimbledon courts, in essence : LAWNS

128. Cockpit calc. : ETA. I wonder why they call it cockpit.

129. Vampire's undoing : STAKE

130. Oscar winner Witherspoon : REESE. She won Oscar for "Walk the Line". Nice movie.
        

Down:

1. Got set for a shot? : POSED. Instinctive fill for me.

2. Fragrant extract : ATTAR

3. Yellowstone bellower : MOOSE. And 7. Yellowstone buglers : ELKS

4. Latino Muppet prawn : PEPE. 100A.

5. Took over : ASSUMED

6. __ Paulo : SAO

8. A-list : ELITE

9. Got by : MANAGED

10. Captivate : ENGROSS

11. Spell-casting art : MOJO

12. Not up to it : INEPT

13. "Cape Fear" actor : NOLTE (Nick)

14. Really hard to hum along to : ATONAL

15. Bad-mouth : DIS

16. "That's the spot!" : AAH

17. Miracle-__ : GRO. Do you snip the tops of your tomato plants to stop growth? I feel you can get bigger tomatoes this way.

18. Use the feed bag : EAT

24. Assigner of G's and R's : MPAA

26. Teddies and such : LINGERIE. So, how many bras do you think an average American woman own?

32. Data : INFO

34. Fill to the bursting point : SATE

37. Digging : INTO

38. Sch. staffer : TCHR. Oh no!

39. Polite rural affirmative : YES 'M

41. Very affected : TOO TOO

43. Without : SANS

45. __ energy : ATOMIC

46. Fang : CANINE

48. Toothbrush handle? : ORAL B. Great clue.

49. Home-school link: Abbr. : PTA

50. 1974 title role for Dustin : LENNY. RATSO fits as well.

52. Henry James biographer Leon : EDEL. Haven't seen this answer for a long time.

53. Alley Oop's kingdom : MOO

57. Infomercial cutter : GINSU

59. Nutritional stds. : RDAs

60. "__ a stinker?": Bugs Bunny line : AIN'T I

62. Church pledge : TITHE

65. Site of a Biblical plot : EDEN

67. In need of a massage : ACHING

68. Midday event : NOONER

70. Baccarat call : BANCO

71. One may include a walk-off homer : RECAP. Not an easy clue.

72. Like pre-digital recordings : ANALOG

74. Fixes the fairway, say : SODS

76. Made tidy : NEATENED

78. Blood typing letters : ABO

80. Bus. driver? : CEO. Didn't see the .

81. URL opener : HTTP

84. Cries of discovery : AHAs

85. It means nothing at Arthur Ashe Stadium : LOVE. Indeed.

86. Go on first : OPEN

88. Bolivian bears : OSOs

90. Tea serving? : SPOT

94. Dazzle : IMPRESS

95. Scout shirt feature : EPAULET. The shoulder piece. 

96. Largest penguin : EMPEROR

98. Breaks off : SEVERS

101. In-flight beverage? : TANG. Nice clue.

103. It doesn't last : CRAZE. I just don't see the beauty of Boyfriend jeans. The holes are great. But the jeans feel so slouchy.

104. White-plumed wader : EGRET

106. Long bone : TIBIA

108. Condition : STATE

109. "It's nobody __ business" : ELSE'S

110. Caterpillar rival : DEERE

112. Mount near Catania : ETNA. In Sicily.

114. Doze, with "out" : ZONK

116. Head of France? : TETE. Literally, "head", in France.

117. High-speed PC connection : DSL

118. Andean tuber : OCA. Our local grocery stores do not carry these. I wonder if they taste like taros.

119. Daily newspaper index : DOW

122. Pint-size : WEE

C.C.