Saturday, Apr 19th, 2014, Alan Olschwang

Theme: None

Words: 72 (missing J,W,X)

Blocks: 33

   Today's offering was all "try, try again", as most of my first round answers were incorrect; a lot of the others were W.A.G.s.  I checked on Alan's last Sat-LAT puzzle, and it was a similar experience back in Sep '13.  Just two triple 10 corners, with some longer fill inside as well. Lots of multi-word solutions (*), which can be a bear at times.  Alas, Alan, I had to cheat to find out where I went wrong - F%&*n' Frawnche got me, and so did the baseball - C.C. will be so disappointed....

ON -Stanley-WARD~!

ACROSS:

1*. Treat that comes in Mint Oreo and M&M's flavors : DQ BLIZZARD - Phew~!  What a way to start~!  I knew we were looking for some sort of ice cream treat - this is the 'shake' offered at Dairy Queen ( hence, D Q )

11. Emcee's prop : MICrophone

14*. One with a lot to be concerned about : AUTO DEALER - HAR-HAR~!  a CAR lot to be concerned about

15. Ones place : TILL - singles in the register

16*. Attract considerable attention : CAUSE A STIR

17. Contemporary of Dashiell : ERLE - if Alan says so

18. Fitness gurus?: Abbr. : EDs - got me this time; Fitness, the magazine, and its EDitors

19. His, to Jacques : A LUI - ugh, Frawnche

20. Mandela's birth town : UMTATA - all perps

22. Follies name : FLO

23*. It has a bonnet and a boot : MOTOR CAR - I watch the BBC version of Top Gear, so I knew the British words for 'hood' and 'trunk' - that and both my parents were born in England

25. Top : ACME - OK, not APEX

28*. Court tactic : TRASH TALK - gonna see a lot of this on the ice, too, for the next two months.  My buddy Mike took me to Game 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs at Madison Square Garden Thursday night, and the Flyers lost, 4-1~!   Let's Go Rangers~!!!

30. Ruin : DOOM

31. Farrier's tool : RASP - A farrier is a blacksmith, but around here, more a horse(shoe) person

32*. Words from a follower : I SEE

33. Place known for its lines, briefly : DMV - nice misdirection; I don't much need to wait in line at the Dept of Motor Vehicles any more; I just renewed my registration online this week

34. Poe title stowaway : PYM - all perps; the Wiki

35. Churchill's "so few": Abbr. : Royal Air Force

37. Jupiter or Mars : GOD - Planet was a wee bit too long

39. Shoe spec : EEEE - and this is a wee bit too wide

41. Many months : AGES - dah~! Not EONS

43. "A Room With a View" view : ARNO

44*. Time of youthful innocence : SALAD DAYS - learning moment; it's from Shakespeare

46. Pope piece : POEM - Alexander Pope, that is

47. 1930s home for Capone : ALCATRAZ

48. Response to a cape flourish : OLÉ

50. Co-star of Matthew in "The Lincoln Lawyer" : MARISA - McConaughey, and Tomei - IMDb

51. Beautiful people of futuristic fiction : ELOI

53. O's and A's org. : MLB - I mis-read this, and just put in NLE for National League East - which is completely and utterly wrong; and I know this, because I like the Orioles, and they're American League, and the A's are in the West....I repeat, I am a hockey fan

56. Copious amounts : A TON - not LOTS

57*. Work out : GET IN SHAPE

60. Zaire's Mobutu __ Seko : SESE - president of what was then called Congo; see 43d.

61. Inside look? : ULTRA-SOUND

62. Next yr.'s frosh, perhaps : SRs - high school seniors might go on to be college freshmen

63*. You might hear it before you get up : PLEASE RISE

DOWN:

1. Carp family member : DACE

2. College hangout : QUAD - DAH~!! Not DORM, not RATH

3. A/C measure : BTUs

4. LAPD part : LOS

5. Impossible to top : IDEAL

6. Fanatical devotion : ZEALOTRY

7. Pitts of silents : ZASU - all perps

8. Nissan models : ALTIMAs

9. Big name in outdoor gear : REI - Recreational Equipment, Inc.

10. Adviser once described as "a cross between Henry Kissinger and Minnie Mouse" : Dr. RUTH - I can see that

11. Scotts offering : MIRACLE-GRO

 12*. "Sure, let me try it" : I'LL TAKE ONE

13. Forecast word : CLEAR - but chilly, at least for another week - I am in no hurry for the heat and humidity, thank you

15. Brilliant fish : TETRAs

21. Theme : MOTIF

22. Like an executrix: Abbr. : FEMale - the "ix" ending

24. Fish eater : OSPREY

25. Stick in : ADD

26*. Follows : COMES LATER

27*. Traverse : MOVE ACROSS

29. Beach shelter : RAMADA - learning moment; straight up definition -

an open shelter, often having a dome-shaped thatched roof, and installed especially on beaches and picnic grounds.

34. Bog fuels : PEATS

36*. The moment after : AS SOON AS

38. Bubbly title : DOM Perignon

40. Tennyson's "lily maid of Astolat" : ELAINE - again, WAGs and perps

42. Montreal daily : GAZETTE

43. "Congo" attacker : APE - Michael Crichton - read the book, saw the movie

45*. Revive, as a bad memory : DRAG UP

47. Get a load of : AMASS

49. Crinkly gauze : LISSE - according to the dictionary, it's made from silk thread.  From the Frawnche, again

52. Old Vatican coin : LIRA

53. One of Hawaii's five counties : MAUI

54. ICU personnel : LPNs

55. "Ecclesiastical History of the English People" author : BEDE

58. Bulky center? : ELL - b-u-L-k-y

59. Old TV knob : HORizontal - DAH~!!! not UHF or VHF

Splynter

Friday, April 18, 2014, Peter Koetters

Theme: How would you like your puzzle? Over-easy? No I will have it scrambled.

Another Friday where we mix up some letters and get new fill. Peter has done a few puzzles here, I blogged his first LAT back about three years ago, and this is his first for 2014. Really a mostly straightforward Friday with a classic mix up letters theme. There are some difficult proper names; you need to know some mythology, some old-time baseball, some Gilbert & Sullivan, some rock  roll, some history and some literature. A nice bundle, as a Friday should be. So let us see how the letters arrange themselves.


17A. Fish-derived supplement : COD LIVER OIL  This is one of those oddities where a scrambled version of a word can be built from either direction. Having to down a tablespoon of this supplement was one of the fears of childhood in my youth.

24A. Prince Charles' closetful : SAVILE ROW SUITS. The London street where the Tailors toil. Steve any comments?

 

37A. Leaving the jurisdiction, perhaps : PAROLE VIOLATION. The legal system has gone away from Parole to a new type of supervised release.

48A. 1982 Joan Jett & the Blackhearts hit : I LOVE ROCK'N ROLL.

59A. Literary orphan ... and what 17-, 24-, 37- and 48-Across each contains? : OLIVER TWIST,

  

The rest.

Across:

1. Famiglia nickname : MAMMA. Italian for family.

6. Celtic language : WELSH. One of 4 which remain spoken. I wonder why the basketball team was never pronounced the "keltics.'

11. Base enforcers, briefly : MPS. Military Police. Interesting because it is a plural but no place to put the S.

14. Menu listings : ITEMS.

15. Muse with a lyre : ERATO. She appears so often I am no longer amused.

16. Bugler in a forest : ELK.

19. Behold : SEE.

20. Diners Club competitor : AMEX. I think American Express would debate this clue.

21. Binding promise : I DO. And you will.

22. Tool that's not for crosscuts : RIP SAW.  I hope you have SEEN all the types of saws. Maybe Splynter will come by and give more personal information on sawing.

27. Title stuffed bear in a 2012 film : TED.  More from the mind of Seth MacFarlane. TRAILER. (2:07)

28. Valley where Hercules slew a lion : NEMEA. The first of his labors. LINK. More myth, 3D. Vengeful sorceress of myth : MEDEA. A little shout out to me, as she was married to Jason.

29. Site of the Alaska Purchase transfer ceremony : SITKA. Back in 1867 we bought Alaska from the Russians, and the ceremony took place in this southeastern city. With a population of 8,881 in 2010, Sitka is the fourth-largest city by population in Alaska. By land, it is the largest in the United States. (per wiki and others).

33. Blues home: Abbr. : STL. The hockey franchise.

34. Cellular messengers : RNAS.

41. Brest pals : AMIS. I think it works better with milk.

42. Most soldiers : MEN.

43. Hall of Fame umpire Conlan : JOCKO. Those of us who love baseball and study the game know this MAN, but I cannot imagine many here know the name.

44. App writer : CODER. My meh of the day.

46. "... against a __ of troubles": Hamlet : SEA. Take arms...

54. Luxury watch : BULOVA. Luxury?

55. Bailed-out insurance co. : AIG. American International Group, Inc. The STORY.

56. Mislead : FOOL. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.

58. "The Prague Cemetery" novelist : ECO. I think we recently had this PHILOSOPHER , for a different book (Foucault's Pendulum) back in January.

62. It may be fresh or stale : AIR.

63. Milk source : UDDER. Would you drink human milk as an adult?

64. Sculled : OARED. A word I also do not like, also 50D. Underground worker : CAVER.

65. House and Howser : MDS. Medical Doctors.

66. Bygone monarchs : TSARS.

67. Winemaking tool : PRESS.

Down:

1. Mineral found in sheets : MICA.

2. Basic matter : ATOMS.

4. Appomattox bicentennial year : MMLXV. 2065.

5. Faulkner's "__ Lay Dying" : AS I. A novel often regarded as one of the best by an American author. Link.

6. Did lawn work : WEEDED.

7. Proofer's find : ERROR.

8. Thai native : LAO. I find the history of the countries and the designation confusing, so maybe you can READ and explain it to me.

9. Last words in a drink recipe, perhaps : STIR WELL.

10. "Total patient" treatment : HOLISM. Holistic medicine does not mean natural medicine, but the two are intertwined.

11. Like one expected to deliver? : MESSIANIC. I really do not get this fill at all, as my knowledge of the word relates to a Messiah.

12. Fabric fold : PLEAT.

13. Slants : SKEWS.

18. Revolting : VILE.

23. __ Rico : PUERTO.

25. Angled ltrs. : ITALics.

26. Not misled by : ON TO.

29. Where to get wraps and scrubs : SPA.

30. "Are you going?" response : I AM. Insane?

31. French and Italian flags : TRICOLORS. Many nations have three colors on the flag including the US; do you all watch the show on flags?

32. Disputed Balkan republic : KOSOVO.  As with many an interesting story of CONLICT.

33. Vice principle : SIN.

35. Hunky-dory : A-OK. A word coined by our astronauts.

36. __-cone : SNO.

38. Taurus birthstones, perhaps : EMERALDS. Since many born under the sign of the Bull are born in May, they get the gleaming green gem.

39. Florida's __ Beach : VERO. One of the many small beach town along the Atlantic coast.

40. Out of a jamb? : AJAR. har de har har, har.

45. Pious : DEVOUT.

46. They're often on a slippery slope : SKIERS. Hopefully...

47. MIT grad, often : ENGR. Engineer.

48. Construction girder : I-BEAM. The I from the song made this easy.

49. Understandable : LUCID.

51. Sun Tzu's "The Art __" : OF WAR.

52. Longest river in France : LOIRE. A common clue/fill.

53. Gets knocked off : LOSES.

57. Old Fords : LTDS. Limiteds.

60. Gilbert and Sullivan princess : IDA. I know some G & S but not this one.

61. Part of an inning : TOP. When the visitors bat.

Another Friday done, and for those of you observing best wishes for today and Easter. I am off to rest up from the cold weather. Lemonade out.

Note from C.C.:

Here are  a few lovely pictures from the Australia trip Kazie  her husband Barry took a couple of weeks ago. Click here for more. Kay was born and grew up in Australia.

 

  Barry and Kay on Tamborine Mountain, overlooking Brisbane

 

  Another friend laying down the law to some pet llamas

 

Rainbow lorikeets feeding 

Thursday, April 17, 2014 Stu Ockman

Theme: Tribute Puzzle

1. 59-Across role in 27-Across : EGON. Spengler.

17. 1978 film co-written by 59-Across : ANIMAL HOUSE.

27. 1984 film co-written and co-starring 59-Across : GHOSTBUSTERS.

44. 1993 film co-written and directed by 59-Across : GROUND HOG DAY.

59. This puzzle's honoree (1944-2014) : HAROLD RAMIS.

67. 59-Across was its original head writer : SCTV. Second City Television.  Breeding ground of many fine comics.

Although he has had several NY Times puzzles, I believe this is the LA Times debut for Stu Ockman. I had no idea who HAROLD RAMIS was, but the movies all filled in easily. Since he just died in February of this year, the tribute seemed appropriate and timely. Let's see what else is in the cards today.

Across:

5. Yenta : GOSSIP.

11. Sneaky chuckle : HEH.

14. Fish found in a film : NEMO.

15. Finger-shaped dessert : ECLAIR.

16. __ pro nobis : ORA. "Pray for us," Latin.

19. Ross musical, with "The" : WIZ. Diana Ross.

20. Reached, as goals : MET.

21. Zapped : LASED. I had tased at first.

22. Sly : CAGEY.

24. Server's warning : IT'S HOT. When they bring that sizzling, smoking cast iron pan containing your fajita to the table, do you really need to be told, "Careful, it's hot"???

26. 1997 Home Run Derby winner Martinez : TINO. All perps...

33. "__ la vista, baby!" : HASTA. Arnold Schwarzenegger's classic line in "Terminator 2."

36. Stout sleuth, in more ways than one : WOLFE. Is that a stout beer he's drinking?

37. Drench : SOP.

38. Pacers, e.g. : AMCs. Funny looking cars made from 1975-80.

39. "That's enough!" : CAN IT.

40. "Smiling, petite ball of fire," to Philbin : RIPA. Kelly.

41. Not paleo- : NEO.

42. Arrive : GET IN.

43. Assuages to the max : SATES.

47. Skye slope : BRAE. The Scottish Isle of Skye has BRAEs instead of hills.

48. Medicinal syrup : IPECAC.

52. Pastoral poems : IDYLS.

54. 5th Dimension vocalist Marilyn : McCOO. Her classic "Wedding Bell Blues." 3:01

57. Horseplayer's hangout, for short : OTB. Off Track Betting.

58. Turkey : DUD.

62. Funny Philips : EMO. No clue.  But on Thursdays, I guess "Expressive rock genre" would be too easy.

63. "Lost" actress de Ravin : EMILIE. No clue. I never watched the show.

64. Fade : WILT.

65. GI's address : APO. Army Post Office.

66. Bulletin board admins : SYSOPs. SYStem OPerators.


Down:

1. As a friend, to Fifi : EN AMI.

2. "The Balcony" playwright : GENET. Quite a shady character.

3. Neglects to mention : OMITS.

4. 2-Down, par exemple : NOM. French "name."

5. Italian dessert : GELATO. Am I the only person in the world who doesn't like ice cream?

6. Protest singer Phil : OCHS.

7. Gin fizz fruit : SLOE.

8. King Faisal's brother : SAUD.

9. "__ for Innocent": Grafton novel : I IS. I think she is up to "W Is for Wasted."

10. On the nose : PRECISE.

11. "'Sup?" : HOW GOES IT?

12. Scary-sounding lake : ERIE. Eerie.

13. Not clear : HAZY.

18. Don Ho "Yo" : ALOHA.

23. Aardvark snack : ANT.

25. 5'10" and 6'3": Abbr. : HGTS. Heights.

26. Titmouse topper, perhaps : TUFT.

Tweet Tweet

28. Mown strip : SWATH. Will we ever be mowing again? I woke up to snow on the ground yesterday morning!

29. "Pagliacci" clown : TONIO.

30. Showy jewelry : BLING.

31. Clue weapon : ROPE.

32. Cruise ship conveniences : SPAS.

33. Chill out : HANG.

34. AMA member?: Abbr. : AMER.ican Medical Association.

35. "Ruh-roh!" pooch : SCOOBY DOO.

39. Give up : CEDE.

40. Comedic Martha : RAYE.

42. Grinds in anger, maybe : GNASHES.

43. Flavor : SAPOR. Like sweetness or sourness.

45. Modern address : URL.

46. Some are light-emitting : DIODES.

49. "Cathy," for one : COMIC. ACK!

50. Skewed : ATILT.

51. "The Amazing Race" network : CBS TV.

52. Flash, perhaps : IDEA.

53. Get rid of : DUMP.

54. 3-D images : MRIs.Magnetic Resonance Imaging(s).

55. USAF Academy home : COLO.rado.

56. Swindle, in slang : CLIP.

60. March girl : AMY. One of the "Little Women."

61. Baby-viewing responses : AWs. Lemonade's granddaughter induces her share, I'm sure!

Charlotte

That's it from me for now!

Marti

Wednesday, April 16, 2014 Gareth Bain

Theme: Trick Shots. The first word of all the theme answers can precede "SHOT" to create a new phrase.

17A. *Tyke's dinnertime perch : BOOSTER SEAT. Just hearing "booster shot" as a kid was enough to strike fear into my heart. I didn't do well with needles.

25A. *Unfair deception : CHEAP TRICK. Floyd Mayweather notoriouly knocked out Victor Ortiz in 2011 with what was alleged to be a cheap shot. The referee looks as startled as Ortiz! This is a little different from the other theme entries as both words could be paired with "SHOT".

37A. *Insignificant amount : DROP IN THE BUCKET. Roger Federer is the master of the tennis version of the drop shot.

48A. *Numero uno : HEAD HONCHO. I live in the city of the head shot, and those of many an unknown actor adorn the walls of hairdressers and convenience stores.

And the reveal:

59A. Try, or a hint to the first words of the answers to starred clues : GIVE IT A SHOT

Hola, Amigos! Steve here with a nice Gareth Bain outing. Some very fun cluing and a tight theme adds up to a cheerful Wednesday.

Across:

1. Monarchy : REALM

6. Many a class reunion tune : OLDIE

11. "Captain Phillips" actor Hanks : TOM. I saw this movie recently - very intense. I was actually shaking at the end.

14. __ ink : INDIA

15. Fishing spots : PIERS. Hand up for HOLES first.

16. Title heartbreaker in a Three Dog Night song : ELI

19. "I'm not a crook" monogram : RMN. Richard Milhous Nixon, or more appropriately, "Tricky Dicky".

20. Rogue : RASCAL. Nice placement with the previous answer.

21. Plowing measure : ACRES. I wonder why this word escaped the US English spelling reform that transforms meter/metre and liter/litre amongst others.

23. Ad Council ad, briefly : P.S.A. Public Service Announcement. Crosses for me, I didn't know this abbreviation nor the connection with the Ad Council.

28. Energetic : ACTIVE

31. Obvious joy : GLEE

32. "Spider-Man" trilogy director Sam : RAIMI

33. Feel sorry about : RUE

34. Quipster : WIT

42. Weekend TV fare for nearly 40 yrs. : S.N.L.

43. Reading after resetting : OOO. I'm assuming this is referring to a car's mileage trip odometer? If so, what's the protocol for using letters to denote what are really numbers?

44. "Roots" hero __ Kinte : KUNTA

45. Scandinavian port : OSLO

47. Comeback : RETORT

53. Used to be : WAS

54. Lover of Euridice, in a Monteverdi work : ORFEO. I was scratching my head wondering why ORPHEUS wasn't going to fit and began pondering whether Euridice had more than one lover. Then the penny dropped with the reference to the Italian composer.

55. Decide not to ride : HOOF IT

58. Cambridge sch. : MIT

64. Rocks found in bars : ICE. Uh-Oh - don't look, Tinbeni.

65. Software buyers : USERS

66. Kevin of "Cry Freedom" : KLINE

67. Audio receiver : EAR

68. Tag cry : NOT IT

69. Loosened : EASED

Down:

1. Cage component : RIB

2. Ambient music innovator : ENO. Immensely talented gentleman. And for a man with a three-letter last name, he certainly makes up for it with what precedes it - his full name is Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno.

3. Worship : ADORATION

4. Brainy Simpson : LISA

5. Yoga class supply : MATS

6. Onetime rival of Sally Jessy : OPRAH. Sally Who? Before my (USA) time.

7. Stocking thread : LISLE

8. Mark of concern : DEE

9. Roth __ : IRA.

10. Collection of heir pieces? : ESTATE. Another fun clue.

11. Country singer Gibbs : TERRI

12. Ancient Mexican tribe known for carved stone heads : OLMEC

13. Capital WSW of Moscow : MINSK. The capital of Belarus. It looks quite pleasant from a distance.

18. "__ homo" : ECCE

22. Style reportedly named for Ivy League oarsmen : CREW CUT. The Germans call it a bürstenschnitt; I doubt we'll be seeing that in the crossword any time soon.

23. Western chum : PARD

24. Lasting marks : SCARS

26. Hot-and-cold fits : AGUE

27. Working class Roman : PLEB. I thought this was a slangy term for "plebeian" but as it's not clued that way I guess it's a word in itself.

29. Collapse inward : IMPLODE

30. Sundial hour : VII. One of my personal "Hall of Fame" words is "gnomon" - the shadow-caster on the sundial.

33. Greek consonant : RHO

35. "Don't tell me, don't tell me!" : I KNOW THIS. The puzzle-solver's mantra.

36. Neon swimmer : TETRA

38. Court plea, briefly : NOLO. Nolo Contendere, or a plea of "No Contest".

39. Multi-cel creature? : TOON

40. Commonly four-stringed instrument : UKE

41. Bits of ankle art, say : TATS. I'm tattoo-free - more needle-phobia.

46. Former Japanese military ruler : SHOGUN

47. Horseradish, e.g. : ROOT. A lot of the wasabi served in Japanese restaurants outside Japan is likely to be a mixture of horseradish and mustard, dyed green. I've had the genuine stuff freshly grated using a piece of sharkskin and the flavor is more subtle than the substitute.

48. Pal, slangily : HOMIE

49. Novelist Jong : ERICA

50. "... happily ever __" : AFTER

51. Oteri of 42-Across : CHERI

52. Lift : HOIST

56. Knockoff : FAKE

57. Land surrounded by agua : ISLA

60. Prefix with metric : ISO

61. Doc who administers a pet scan? : VET

62. United : ONE

63. English poet Hughes : TED. This Poet Laureate was fond of writing odes to dead things. Charming chap!

I'm in Texas this week - the first time I've actually set foot in the state (I don't count changing planes as visiting a state or a country). I'm hoping to track down some famous barbecue tonight!

As a Texan might say "It's a wrap, and bigger than any wrap you've seen before".

Steve

Tuesday, April 15, 2014 Annemarie Brethauer

Theme: •*¨*♫♥♫¸¸¸.•*¨*♫♥♫¸¸ - Part and parcel to 'reading' music.

17A. Yellow sticky brand : POST-IT NOTE

26A. Caffeination station : COFFEE BAR

40A. Crisis phone service : HOT LINE

55A. Café serving group : WAIT STAFF

65A. Composer's output, and where to find the last words of 17-, 26-, 40- and 55-Across : SHEET MUSIC

Argyle here. Annemarie Brethauer has gone from a Sunday(Mar 23, 2014) to a Tuesday. I think she is ready to tackle a Monday. Makes my heart go pit-a-pat.

Aross:

1. Wire insulator : TAPE

5. Australian gemstone : OPAL

9. Dressed : CLAD

13. They're found in veins : OREs

14. Zany escapade : CAPER

16. Saintly ring : HALO

19. Eric of "Spamalot" : IDLE

20. Color : HUE. Finally, a straight forward clue for HUE.

21. Manicurist's concern : NAIL

22. "Breaking Bad" award : EMMY. "Breaking Bad" ran on AMC from '08 to '13. 43A. "Breaking Bad" law org. : DEA

24. Out of bed : ASTIR

30. Vessel for the Mad Hatter : TEA CUP. "Why is a raven like a writing desk?"

32. Fast-running bird : OSTRICH

33. Kibbutz country : ISRAEL

36. 18th-century composer Thomas : ARNE. British composer best known for Rule, Britannia!.

37. Kenya neighbor: Abbr. : SOM. (Somalia)

44. Journey : TRIP. Go ask Alice.

46. Shed, with "off" : SLOUGH

48. Solar or lunar phenomenon : ECLIPSE

51. Hiss and hum : NOISES

58. Flawless : IDEAL

59. British "Bye-bye" : "TA-TA"

60. Tees off : IREs

62. Electronic eavesdropping org. : NSA. (National Security Agency)

63. Jalopy : HEAP

68. Sicilian volcano : ETNA

69. Golf targets : HOLEs

70. Quick gander : PEEK

71. Light bulb unit : WATT

72. Circular current : EDDY

73. Respectful titles : SIRs

Down:

1. Part of Uncle Sam's outfit : TOP-HAT. It was what the Mad Hatter wore also.

2. Turn on : AROUSE

3. Pre-euro Spanish coin : PESETA

4. Repair shop fig. : EST. (estimate)

5. Penta- plus three : OCTA

6. Lose one's cool : PANIC

7. 2014 Olympics skating analyst Ohno : APOLO

8. Replayed tennis serve : LET

9. Fire-breathing Greek monster : CHIMERA

10. 1960s White House nickname : LADY BIRD. Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Taylor Johnson, First Lady.

11. Every one : ALL

12. Anonymous Jane : DOE

15. Snorkeling areas : REEFS

18. Arrival en masse : INRUSH

23. Bumped into : MET

25. Here, to Henri : ICI. In France.

27. Folded manuscript sheet : FOLIO. (from Latin for leaf)

28. Clearasil target : ACNE

29. Actress Perlman : RHEA

31. Expert : PRO

34. On a cruise, say : AT SEA

35. Angled pipe fitting : ELL

37. Meat-and-potatoes dish : STEW

38. Ocean predator : ORCA

39. Combatively supportive : MILITANT

41. Religious sister : NUN

42. Self-absorption : EGOISM

45. Rain-on-the-roof rhythm : PIT-A-PAT

47. Kept secret : HID

49. Hollywood hrs. : PST. (Pacific Standard Time)

50. Money in the mattress, e.g. : STASH

52. Karate instructor : SENSEI. 先生

53. More like child's play : EASIER

54. Men's Wearhouse items : SLACKS

56. Chase flies or grounders : FIELD

57. Let loose : FREED

61. Online crafts marketplace : ETSY. Official Site

63. Chop with an ax : HEW

64. SFO posting : ETA

66. Gardening tool : HOE

67. Portfolio-increasing market moves : UPs. Not DOWNs, portfolio-decreasing market moves.

Argyle

Monday, April 14, 2014 Sean Dobbin and the CHSVT Cruciverbalism Class

Theme: One for the Guys - Four sets of Double Ds.

17A. Hand Vac maker : DIRT DEVIL

29A. Special "Jeopardy!" square : DAILY DOUBLE. Double dose.

40A. Cavity filler's letters, or, said another way, a hint to 17-, 29-, 49- and 65-Across : DDS. Doctor of Dental Science

49A. A&E reality series featuring the Robertson family : DUCK DYNASTY

65A. Computer component : DISK DRIVE. I'll leave this for CED to discover.

When you solve in Across Lite, click on View, then Notepad, you'll see below (Other on-line websites do not support Notepad):

Sean Dobbin is an English teacher at the Community High School of Vermont (CHSVT) in St. Johnsbury. His cruciverbalism class, for which students earn fractional credit, involves vocabulary, writing, and other areas of English. 12 students worked with Mr. Dobbin on today's puzzle.

Argyle here. The real story is not so much about the puzzle (tho it's a fine puzzle indeed) but about the constructors themselves. I see Mr. Dobbin had a solo puzzle in the NY Times but this, I think, is a first for the Cruciverbalism Class. Click here to read more about Sean Dobbin.

Across:

1. Steady look : GAZE

5. Uneducated guess : STAB. Or WAG, in our argot.

9. Knife and fork separator, in a place setting : PLATE. That must be in the fancy restaurants; in the diner, all three utensils are wrapped up as one in a napkin.

14. Black cat, to some : OMEN

15. Like a guru : WISE

16. Long-eared hoppers : HARES

19. Haloed messenger : ANGEL

20. Nocturnal annoyance : SNORE

21. Once in a while : OFF AND ON. Like my snoring. Honest!

23. Until now : YET

25. Road groove : RUT. Deeper than this.

26. Bermuda hrs. : AST. (Atlantic Standard Time)

36. Stir-fried hodgepodge : CHOP SUEY

38. Ad-lib comedy style : IMPROV. (improvisation)

39. Hailed vehicle : TAXI

42. Comedian Cook : DANE. No clip. YouTube trouble.

43. "The Real Slim Shady" rapper : EMINEM. Same excuse. Honest!

46. Big name in gloves : ISOTONER

51. Arid : DRY

52. Past-tense verb that sounds like a number : ATE

53. EMT technique : CPR

55. Squirrel's discard : NUTSHELL

60. Continental bank notes : EUROs

64. Hauled to the hoosegow : RAN IN

67. Speak one's mind : OPINE

68. Good earth : LOAM

69. Peak : APEX

70. Moisten, as a lawn : WATER

71. Tolkien tree creatures : ENTs

72. Ash Wednesday-to-Easter time : LENT. Almost over.

Down:

1. Zeus and Apollo : GODS

2. Idi of Uganda : AMIN

3. None : ZERO

4. Way in : ENTRY

5. Nor. neighbor : SWE. Norway / Sweden

6. DVR pioneer : TIVO

7. "Not a chance!" : "AS IF!"

8. Steeple section with a ringer : BELFRY. Where my bats are.

9. "The __ of the Opera" : PHANTOM

10. Touch down : LAND

11. Jason's ship : ARGO

12. New driver, often : TEEN

13. Immigrant's subj. : ESL. (English as a second language)

18. Closing documents : DEEDS

22. German automaker : AUDI

24. Cross-shaped Greek letter : TAU

26. Played a part (in) : ACTED

27. SeaWorld orca : SHAMU. In the news lately.

28. Poisonous, as waste : TOXIC

30. Mil. roadside hazard : IED. (improvised explosive device)

31. Winona's "Beetlejuice" role : LYDIA. OK, it's working again. Honest!

32. Prom hairstyle : UPDO

33. Mark with an iron : BRAND

34. Introvert : LONER

35. "__ Breath You Take": Police hit : EVERY. Video(4:13)

37. Internal color of a medium steak : PINK. Anybody give 'sous vide' a try after we had it awhile ago.

41. Puncture sound : [SSS]

44. 1970s Mary Tyler Moore co-star : ED ASNER

45. Folk story : MYTH

47. Non-prescription: Abbr. : OTC. (over-the-counter)

48. Used a keyboard : TYPED

50. Tattoo tool : NEEDLE

54. Not urban : RURAL

55. California wine valley : NAPA

56. Textbook chapter : UNIT

57. Fork prong : TINE

58. Big cat : LION

59. Test for a future atty. : LSAT. (Law School Admission Test)

61. Like a red tomato : RIPE

62. Cookie cooker : OVEN. Cutie cluer.

63. Modern message between trysters, perhaps : SEXT. A sexual text between lovers.

64. Spreadsheet feature : ROW

66. Metric distances: Abbr. : KMs. (kilometers)

Argyle

Sunday April 13, 2014 C.C. Burnikel

Theme: "Breaking Par" - Par bookends each theme entry.

23A. Schoolyard promise : PINKY SWEAR

25A. Engrossing read : PAGE TURNER

 

36A. Molson Golden, e.g. : PALE LAGER

38A. Milwaukee Brewer in the Hall of Fame : PAUL MOLITOR. He grew up here in Minnesota. Graduated from the same school as Joe Mauer. Played his last season with the Twins.

   

66A. Time honoree : PERSON OF THE YEAR

96A. Economical vacation option : PACKAGE TOUR

98A. Arctic denizen : POLAR BEAR

112A. One interpreting lines : PALM READER

114A. Nothing to be afraid of, really : PAPER TIGER

 

Now I see Rich saved this puzzle for the Masters' weekend. It was accepted earlier than the "Home, Sweet Home" puzzle I made with Lemonade.

PAUL MOLITOR was originally PARTY POOPER. As you can see, the first three letters is an intact PAR. This is the kind of mistake I hope I won't make in the future.

You can read my original clues here.

Across:

1. Have a big mouth? : GAPE

5. Power yoga aftermath : ACHE. I don't practice yoga, but a friend does.

9. Proud papa's present : CIGAR

14. Feature of a bad air day : SMOG.  Lots of bad air days in Beijing. Way too many coal & steel plants in areas surrounding Beijing.

18. Together, in scores : A DUE

19. Circular : ROUND

21. City near Kobe : OSAKA

22. Skateboarder Hawk : TONY. I confuse him with Bode Miller.

27. Liberal arts maj. : SOC

28. JFK's UN ambassador : AES (Adlai Ewing Stevenson). "Owen's Law" moment. Bad fill.

29. Skin care giant : MARY KAY

31. Workout portmanteau : TAE BO

32. On display : SHOWN

34. Puzzle-solving asset : LOGIC. And 1D. Flaws in 34-Across : GAPS

35. Dodge __ : CITY

44. In the thick of : AMID

45. Farm expanse : LEA

46. In jeopardy : AT STAKE

47. Tech sch. since 1824 : RPI (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute). Oh, Spitzboov & Splyner this is how much I love you two :-)

48. Pitching stats : WINS

49. Old vitamin label nos. : RDAs. Now replaced by RDI.

52. "Project Runway" topic : STYLE

53. Lancelot's strong suit? : MAIL

54. Scotch datum : AGE

55. Stays under the radar : LIES LOW

58. Celestial altar : ARA

59. Two-time Oscar winner Michael : CAINE

60. Add : TOSS IN

62. Toledo snacks : TAPAS. Steve sent me a picture of the beautiful Aria from his Hilton Elara suite. Don't think he will miss their famous tapas bar.

 

64. Showed serious anticipation : DROOLED

70. File holder : CABINET

73. Auctioned autos, often : REPOs

74. "Am I the only one?" : IS IT ME?

78. Takes it easy : LOLLS

79. Pvt. address : APO. Army Post Office.

82. Beaming : RADIANT

84. Dashed : RAN

85. Stuck in __ : A RUT

86. Surprised jerk : START. Oh, I like this clue. Rich's of course.

88. February Revolution victim : TSAR

89. They're in one year and out the other : FADS

90. Sault __ Marie : STE

91. Some sightings : SAUCERS

93. Dakota, to Elle : SIB. Fanning. Elle towers over her older sister.

95. Chevy subcompact : AVEO

100. Dinner crumbs : ORTs

101. Have leftovers for dinner, e.g. : EAT IN

103. Bridal accessories : VEILS

104. Spread apart : SPLAY

106. Sticks it out : HANGS ON

109. Opening night nightmare : PAN

110. National Pizza Mo. : OCT. We'll celebrate then! Hopefully Dave will be in his pizza making mood.

117. "Dies __" : IRAE

118. Crepes for Putin : BLINI

119. Skyy shelfmate, familiarly : STOLI

120. Dior fragrance : DUNE

121. Alaska, once: Abbr. : TERR

122. Lisa of "Enemy of the State" : BONET

123. Role for Skippy : ASTA

124. Hunt for : SEEK

Down:

2. "Hasta la vista, pal!" : ADIOS AMIGO

3. They make you laugh, hopefully : PUNCH LINES

4. "A mouse!" : EEK

5. Weapons center : ARSENAL

6. Milk sources : COWS

7. Jade or ruby : HUE. Did you want GEM also?

8. Win over : ENAMOR

9. Mimics : COPYCATS

10. "Out of Africa" author Dinesen : ISAK

11. "Do What U Want" Lady : GAGA

12. Play __ role in : A KEY

13. First animal in the Chinese zodiac : RAT. Rich did his research. He always does. See here. Pig is the last. I'm a pig. What are you? Click on the year, let me know if the descriptions fit you.

14. Low-hanging clouds : STRATI

15. Laundering evidence : MONEY TRAIL

16. Seat usually in first class : ONE B

17. Athens street food : GYRO

20. Wet blanket : DRAG

24. Two-master : YAWL

26. Serviceable : UTILE

30. TV morning co-host : RIPA (Kelly)

33. Hefty refs. : OEDs (Oxford English Dictionary)

34. Results in : LEADS TO

35. "Life Begins Here" sloganeer : COKE

36. Probe in a catlike way : PAW AT

37. "Chicago" star : GERE (Richard)

39. Court org. : USTA. Tennis court.

40. "Star Trek" meas. : LT-YR (Light-years)

41. Affliction : MALADY

42. Speak out : OPINE

43. In a lather : RILED

50. Hooper's Store proprietor on "Sesame Street" : ALAN. No idea. Never watched "Sesame Street".

51. Deep sleep : SOPOR

53. One of New Zealand's official languages : MAORI

55. Legal claims : LIENS

56. Concerning, to a dictator? : IN RE. Dictation dictator.

57. Thin cookie : WAFER

59. Vacation destination : COAST

61. In need of mopping up : SPILT

63. Mar. honoree : ST. PAT

65. Silver checker : REIN.  Lone Ranger's horse Silver.

67. Great Sphinx, e.g. : STATUE

68. Mortar carriers : HODS

69. "The NFL Today" analyst : ESIASON (Boomer)

70. Hold tight : CLASP

71. Vital line : AORTA

72. Like Jeff Foxworthy's "Comedy Tour" : BLUE COLLAR. Never saw the show. Rich's clue.

75. Picture-packed presentation : TRAVELOGUE. Thought of Kazie.

76. Acted out publicly : MADE A SCENE

77. Belgian artist James : ENSOR. Learned from doing xwords.

80. Peace talks goal : PACT

81. Snack that's been a kosher food since 1998 : OREO

83. Seed cover : ARIL. Foodies all call pomegranate seeds as arils. This word won't be a crosswordese once the term gains steam, like Umami. Just remember, Uma= Delicious. Mi= Taste.

86. Droops : SAGS

87. John Wayne classic : TRUE GRIT

89. Teo of Formula One fame : FABI. Definitely "Owen's Law" moment. We need a more famous Fabi.

91. Creature seen on some antique wine cups : SATYR

92. Mmes., in La Mancha : SRAs

94. State bordering Austria : BAVARIA

97. "Seinfeld" goofball : KRAMER. Nuts.

98. Party gift holder : PINATA

99. Let : RENT

102. The best, or bests : TOPS

104. Patio cooking aid : SPIT

105. Rid of rind : PARE

106. California baseball cap image : HALO. Angels.

107. Court edge : AD IN

108. Island goose : NENE.  Hawaii's state bird.

109. Hit with hail, say : PELT

111. Slog : TREK

113. Dwindle : EBB

115. +, on a batt. : POS (Positive)

116. Verification docs : IDS

C.C.

Saturday, Apr 12th, 2014, John Lieb

Theme: None

Words: 70 (missing F,Q,X)

Blocks: 27

     This would be a second LAT solo puzzle from Mr. Lieb, who had a Sunday back in 2012, right after C.C.'s B-day.  The last puzzle we saw from John was a duo with David Quarfoot this past Thanksgiving.  Today's offering got done only with a huge number of W.A.G.s on my part, and there was quite a few names dropped, and some 'strange' fill, too.  Triple 9's and 8's in the corners, with two 12-letter spanners;

39a. Emma Frost portrayer in "X-Men: First Class" : JANUARY JONES - and a proper name

31. One of the moveable feasts : EASTER SUNDAY - Timely - and we just had a moveable feasts puzzle

oooooonnnnnnwwwwwaaaarrrrrddd~~~~~!!!!

ACROSS:

1. Extremely lame, in slang : WEAK SAUCE - new phrase to me; my last fills in the grid were the "S" and "U" - starting off with a 'strange' fill....

10. "The Zoo Story" dramatist : ALBEE - and continuing with a proper name

15. One with breaking news : ANCHORMAN

16. Conger cousin : MORAY - Eels

17. African kingdom : SWAZILAND - Africa #1

18. Lite-__: classic Hasbro toy : BRITE - some of these Lite-Brite works of art are over the top; WARNING~!; some racy content

19. 3 part? : ARC - when you write the number '3', it has two arcs

20. Do followers : RE MI - musical D'oh~!, not a hair "do"

21. Ad lib : WING IT

22. Scott who played the lead in 1976's "Bugsy Malone" : BAIO - proper name

24. Maintain the status quo : SIT PAT

26. Cádiz cycle : ANO - one year, and a semi-clecho @ 60a. Month abroad : ENERO - technically, the second "January" in the puzzle

27. Old Colgate competitor : IPANA - 5 letters, and an old toothpaste? 

29. Spam producer : 'BOT - computer spam; Hormel makes the meat kind

30. "Splendor in the Grass" screenwriter : INGE - proper name

35. Mitty creator : THURBER - proper name

38. As you like it : TO TASTE

 

41. Backwoods possessive : HIS'N - and HERS'N~!!?!?

42. Letters before P, perhaps : V.S.O. - found on Cognac, Very Superior Old Pale

43. State tree of Texas : PECAN - leaming moment; nailed it, D-otto?

47. Sch. where chapel service attendance is mandatory : ORU - Oral Roberts Univeristy

48. Silk-spraying movie monster : MOTHRA - ah, used to love those Saturday afternoon monster movies

51. It only makes sense when it's broken : CODE - "It only makes cents when broken" is a dollar

52. Oil sources : OLIVES

54. Wine quality : NOSE

56. Collection to burn : CDs - Dah~!  Fooled me

57. High fliers : KITES

58. Traumatic expression : ACTING OUT

61. Klondike product with a shell : CHOCO-TACO

62. V-shaped fortification : REDAN - The Wiki; I should have known this; I am a huge castle lover - I get a calendar every year....

63. Postgame finger-pointer : SORE LOSER

DOWN:

1. Hot stuff : WASABI - The "I" from IPANA was in the odd, last position here, but then the light bulb shown brightly

2. Swaddle : ENWRAP

3. Mimosa family member : ACACIA

4. AM radio abbr. : kHz - the Frequency at which Amplitude Modulated radio broadcasts (as in your car) is between 535-1605 kilohertz

5. Liszt's "Harmonies du __" : SOIR

6. City on the Rhone : ARLES - anyone else try "ESSEN" first? ( I just checked; it's on the Ruhr )

7. One of the five basic taste sensations : UMAMI - another 'strange' one; the Wiki; from the Japanese, for "delicious taste"

8. "Am I seeing things?" : "CAN IT BE?"

9. Intention : END - Dah~! Not AIM

10. Extent : AMBIT

11. Bereft, old-style : LORN

12. Outlaws : BRIGANDs

13. Causing agita : EATING AT

14. Good way of seeing : EYE-TO-EYE

21. Nicklaus rival : WATSON - Jack and Tom, two respected golfers - and proper names

23. Kind of lead a closer often has to protect : ONE RUN - so baseball has arrived for 2014; I am keyed up for the Stanley Cup playoffs in hockey now

25. __-Novo: Benin's capital : PORTO - Africa #2

28. "Rubáiyát" rhyme scheme : A A B A - more 'strange'

30. "Soon" : "IN A SEC~!"

32. Electronic control mechanisms, briefly : SERVOS

33. Tabloid scoop : TRYST

34. Sun Bowl Stadium coll. team : UTEP - More Texas; University at El Paso

35. '80s Shatner cop show : T. J. HOOKER - never watched it; still think he's "Captain Kirk"

36. Mr. Clean's lack : HAIRLINE - well, I knew it was HAIR something, or something HAIR

37. Not appropriate : UNSUITED

40. He played Harold in "Harold & Kumar" films : JOHN CHO - proper name

44. Winter warmers : COCOAs

45. Cite as proof : ADDUCE

46. Counselor at Troy : NESTOR - proper name

48. Elementary particle : MESON - too complicated when I checked the Wiki

49. Centrifuge component : ROTOR

50. "Cold __": 1977 hit for Foreigner : AS ICE - Run, Tin, Run~!

53. First name in fashion : VERA - Wang, proper name

55. Hydroxyl compound : ENOL

58. Short coolers? : ACs - Air Conditioners; around here, it's mostly "A/C", but I have heard some people call it "AirCon"

59. Pontiac co-designed by John DeLorean : GTO

Splynter