Sunday June 8, 2014 Alan Olschwang

 Theme: "You Too" -U is added to each theme entry

23A. Being on hands and knees? : SCOURING POSITION. Scoring position.

45A. Follow the proverbial crowd? : VENTURE FOURTH. Venture forth. 

  

67A. Soda fountain? : SWEET SPOUT. Sweet spot.

71A. Town boor in a western capital? : SALEM'S LOUT. Salem's Lot.

92A. Auto equipment supplier? : RADIATOR HOUSE. Radiator hose.

117A. Prescription for extremely potent medicine? : OUNCE IN A BLUE MOON. Once in a blue moon.

14D. One hyping the spud industry? : TATER TOUT. Tater tot.

78D. Court case involving a British tennis player and a rake? : ROUE V. WADE. Roe V. Wade. Not familiar with Virginia Wade. Very accomplished career.

Alan Olschwang is the constructor who used to give us a quote/quip puzzle every Thursday in our old Tribune Media Daily days.

Read my interview with him here. He retired 4 years ago.

 Alan Olschwang, ACPT 2005

Across:

     

1. Bar stock : RYES. So many fun bars in Guangzhou/Hong Kong.

5. Work on copy : EDIT. And 46D. Work on copy : REVISE

9. Student of Socrates : PLATO

14. Lemony characteristic : TANG. Also the name of the big Chinese dynasty whose capital was in Xi'An.

18. Carefree walk : AMBLE

20. Cowboy quarterback Tony : ROMO

21. Red River capital : HANOI

22. Botanical cover : ARIL. Interested to see when Rich will clue it as "pomegranate seed".

26. Small monkey : TITI

27. Closet accessory : HANGER

28. Fill fully : SATE

29. Ain't the way it should be? : ISN'T.  Nice clue.

30. Bring home : EARN

 

31. Schooner drivers : SAILS

33. Many an outdoor eatery : CAFE

35. Red in a cellar : MERLOT

37. Story surprise : TWIST. Like the end of "Call Me Maybe". I think only Jayce watched the whole thing when I linked it two years ago.

41. Remains on the shelf : SITS

43. Beginning to exist : NASCENT

48. To such an extent : INSOFAR

52. '70s Israeli prime minister : MEIR. My "Call Me Maybe" guy Daniel Craig is in "Munich" too. Who is your "Call Me Maybe" guy or girl? 

53. Ahead of, in verse : ERE

54. Honey source : BEE

55. Seuss's "The 5000 Fingers of ___" : DR T

56. Indic language : URDU

57. Clear : ABSOLVE

59. Enduring work : CLASSIC

61. "The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas" author : STEIN. Who else could it be? I support some sex marriage!

62. High crime, briefly : DUI

63. Asserted one's innocence, perhaps : PLED

64. Frequent co-star of Sylvester : TALIA (Shire)

66. Bust gp. : DEA

73. __ de mer : MAL

74. Not natural : EERIE

75. Low wetlands : FENS

76. Little, in Lille : PEU. Un peu.

77. Activist Medgar : EVERS. I only learned today that he was assassinated.

79. Place to go when it rains : INDOORS

81. Stomach-related : GASTRIC

85. His show had a "Jaywalking" segment : LENO

86. "Haven't we __?" : MET. Our Splynter is too shy.

87. Family that's not kin : MOB. Great clue as well.

88. Hindu honorific : SRI

89. Lanford Wilson's "The __ Baltimore" : HOT L

90. Emotional wounds : TRAUMAS

95. Like clay pots : EARTHEN

97. "Right away!" : ASAP

98. Cohort of Threepio : ARTOO. 3PO &  R2-D2.

99. Support for the Lone Ranger? : SILVER. His horse.

 102. Finished a flight : ALIT

104. Leaves alone, in a way : STETS

106. Once more : ANEW

107. Pelvic bones : ILIA

109. Pouting grimace : MOUE

111. Butting heads : AT ODDS

116. Dial alternative : LAVA. Dove for me.

120. Toy on a hill : SLED

121. Stuck up? : TREED. Tricky clue.

122. Alike, to Alain : EGAL. Somehow Alain Delon was very popular in China in the late 1980s.

123. American of Japanese descent : NISEI. Ni=Two/Second. ISSEI is First-generation Japanese-American. Is = One/First. SANSEI is third-generation. San = Three/Third. SEI means "birth" literally.

124. Sailor's direction : ALEE

125. "The Gondoliers" lass : TESSA. Total unknown.

126. Idea beginning : GERM

127. __ pilot : TEST

Down:

1. Headlong : RASH

2. 1979 disco hit : YMCA

3. Odist's deep black : EBON

4. Vending machine tricker : SLUG

5. Directional finish : ERN. Like western.

6. Less-than-happy lot : DOG'S LIFE. Oh, I've got to share with you a story of how Jose Armenta, an ex-Marine dog handler, eventually adopted his dog Zenit. Nat Geo has a great article.  Click here.

7. Thickly applied paint : IMPASTO. This is a new word to me.

8. Binge : TOOT

9. Key letter : PHI

10. Queen of rap : LATIFAH. Queen Latifah.

11. Cordial flavorings : ANISES

12. Homer, for one : TOON

13. Topical medication : OINTMENT

15. Sans serif typeface : ARIAL

16. Big bang material : NITRO

17. Flash : GLINT

19. 1974 Top 10 hit whose title means "You are" : ERES TU

24. "The Stepford Wives" novelist Levin : IRA

25. Flash : SEC

32. Rhone feeder : ISERE

34. Gets in on the deal : ANTES

36. Neon borders? : ENS. Neon.

37. "Game of Thrones" rating : TV-MA

38. Super Bowl III coach Ewbank : WEEB. He stumped me last time. Here he was with Joe Namath (1965).

39. "Last one __ a rotten egg!" : IN IS

40. Proceeded confidently : STRODE

42. Lease prohibition : SUBLET

44. Group of friends : CIRCLE

47. Interpret : READ

49. Corleone traitor : FREDO. Michael Corleone's traitor.

50. It may be bid : ADIEU

51. Charge : RUN AT

55. Calls on a retro phone : DIALS

58. Guitar ancestors : LUTES

59. Filled (in) : CLUED

60. Getz and Kenton : STANS

61. Freelancer's supply: Abbr. : SASEs (Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope)

63. Act rudely, maybe : POINT

65. Render less effective : IMPAIR

67. Extract metal from : SMELT

68. Be in doubt : WAVER

69. "Uncle Vanya" woman : ELENA. Has any of you read "Uncle Vanya"?

70. Clerical worker : PRIEST

71. Montenegro neighbor : SERBIA

72. Superman nemesis : LUTHOR (Lex)

75. Meat and potatoes : FOOD

80. Arabian peninsula native : OMANI

81. Feel (for) : GROPE

82. Game ended by the mercy rule : ROUT. I know the concept, not the term "Mercy rule".

83. "Wishing won't make __" : IT SO

84. Old African queen, familiarly : CLEO

86. Residence Inn company : MARRIOTT

88. Attorney regulator : STATE BAR

91. Author Rita __ Brown : MAE

92. Tightens, perhaps : RELACES

93. Take the edge off : ASSUAGE

94. Accelerate : HASTEN

96. Alaska Panhandle city : HAINES. Never heard of it. I don't even know that Alaska has a Panhandle as well.

99. Burrito dressing : SALSA. I love Pace Chunky salsa.

100. As a whole : IN ALL

101. Bad place for a breach : LEVEE

103. "I didn't need to hear that!" : TMI (Too Much Information)

105. Cross shape : TAU

108. End-of-the-line item : LURE. Oh, fishing.

110. Universal donor's type, briefly : O NEG

112. Don't mention : OMIT

113. Capsule contents : DOSE

114. Forest prancers : DOES

115. Agitated state : SNIT

118. Child expert LeShan : EDA

119. Advanced attorney's deg. : LLM. Master of Laws. LLD is Doctorate of Laws. LLB is Bachelor of Laws.

 

C.C. 

Saturday, Jun 7th, 2014, Steven Riley and Charlie & Lauren Pollak

Theme: 2 triple-stacks

Words: 66 (missing J,Q,Y)

Blocks: 21

   I was preoccupied with the authors of today's puzzle, and did not immediately look at the grid - but when I did, I was taken aback by the expanse of white.  Very low word and block count today, with the two triple-stacks top and bottom.  I am unfamiliar with these constructors, but clearly, it's a collaboration.  I found today's cluing to be less of a Saturday level; the only reason this was not a speed run was because I just didn't know what we were looking for, especially in the triple spanners;

1a. Nocturnal desert lizards : WEB-FOOTED GECKOS

16a. Column opening : I NEED SOME ADVICE

17a. Gave everything to : TRIED ONE'S BEST AT

46a. Novel republished to commemorate its
2012 centennial : TARZAN OF THE APES

49a. Text following "@" : EMAIL DOMAIN NAME

50a. Appliance used in orthodontics : PALATAL EXPANDER - argh~! right smack in the middle of this clue....

70yrs Onward from D-Day

ACROSS:

18. Crew members : HANDS

19. Actor Flynn : ERROL - Um, this one was just a little too easy for Saturday

20. Demonstrate one's humanity : ERR - To Err is Human

21. They're subject to inflation : EGOs

22. On-call accessory : PAGER

23. Mid-sixth-century year : DLII - Do you know I actually put D-L-I-I in, and said, "no, I better not WAG this and throw off my downs"~?

24. Bug-eyed cartoon dog : REN

25. "Yes __!" : SIREE

26. Convey : BRING

27. Reactions to throat tickles : AHEMs

28. Carroll's caterpillar smokes one : HOOKAH

29. Restaurant with an owl logo : HOOTERS - revised logo

32. Most like a slasher movie : GORIEST - not my genre

33. They might be twisted : ANKLES

34. Sure competitor : ARRID - Deodorants

35. The Renault 5, in North America : Le CAR

36. Common hymn word : BLESS - I can see this being common

37. Recipe meas. : TSP - Teaspoon

40. Circulate : FLOW

41. Martinique volcano : PELEE - I WAGed the "P"

42. Rachel's sister : LEAH - I put BETH in - and that was 50% correct; not up on my Bible "begats"

43. Nikon D3S, e.g., briefly : SLR - Single-Lens Reflex - 35mm camera style

44. "The Heart of Georgia" : MACON - again, I threw this in, took it out, and then ended up putting it back in

45. New, in Nogales : NUEVA - how do you say "easy" in Spanish~?


DOWN:        


1. Shrivel : WITHER - in the down position, I thought I needed an "H" [ whither, which is a totally different word; 'to what place?' ]

2. Madden : ENRAGE

3. Share knowledge of : BE IN ON - does anyone else feel the clue/answer don't quite agree?  Share knowledge of - LET in on, that makes sense

4. Gratifies : FEEDS - ah, not SATES

5. Betting figures : ODDS

6. Baja bear : OSO

7. Swingers with pickups : TONE ARMS - for those with an extensive vinyl LP collection

8. Comes out : EMERGES

9. "You Gotta Be" soul singer : DES'REE

10. Show biz sisters' surname : GABOR - ah, Eva & Zsa-Zsa

11. Biographer Leon : EDEL - the only true unknown for me; all perps

12. Walgreens rival : CVS

13. Resembling a high flier : KITE-LIKE

14. Egg-shaped wind instruments : OCARINAS

15. Correct : SET RIGHT

22. Docks : PIERS

23. iPhone competitor : DROID - I have had my Droid now for two+ years, and all I need is a new screen-saver, which I ordered this past week; I replaced the battery last year because it got wet

25. Complete : SHEER - Aw, you know me, I can think of a MUCH better way to clue this~!!!

26. Rocky nemesis : BORIS - from the cartoon, not the boxing movie

27. Attorney chaser? : AT-LAW - Ambulance Chaser humor

28. Silver, e.g. : HORSE - nice misdirection that did not get past me

29. Semitone : HALF-STEP - Like from B to C, and E to F in the key of C

30. Nash priest, not beast : ONE-L LAMA

The one-l lama,
 He's a priest.
 The two-l llama,
 He's a beast.
 And I will bet
 A silk pajama
 There isn't any
 Three-l lllama.

31. Tombstone location : OK CORRAL

32. Pollution control assessment : GREEN TAX

34. 2013 John Legend hit : ALL OF ME - OK, so here's another complete unknown

36. "Relax, dude" : BE COOL - I can think of two movies with the line "Be Cool"; Pulp Fiction, and the other is Dusk Til Dawn

37. Frisbee golf starting point : TEE PAD - I have played Frisbee golf, but did not know it was called the tee "pad"

38. Helpless heroine's plea : "SAVE ME~!" - I'm looking for a damsel in distress - "I'll save you~!"

39. Electric guitar effect : PHASER - The sound effect produced by this resembles a wah-wah/chorus mix; I have it built into my guitar stompbox, but prefer the flanger sound; there are numerous Van Halen songs that utilize the sound; it's most effective at the intro of Atomic Punk, but I just don't like the song, so I'll give you Eruption instead

41. It eats shoots and leaves : PANDA - ah, not KOALA

42. Comics daughter of Nancy and Frank DeGroot : LUANN

44. Shake alternative : MALT

45. "99 Luftballons" singer : NENA

 

47. Bhutto's overthrower : ZIA - President of Pakistan; more from Wiki

48. Unlike nerds : HIP

Splynter

Friday, June 6, 2014, Frank Virzi

Theme: Beware of rip currents!

Well after you zipped through yesterday's puzzle and marti's fun write up, we have a more normal Friday with smaller word count, but with a visual theme. The reveal is in the middle of the grid, across, and the three theme answers in the Down clues, This requires the solver to read the hidden word from bottom to top, as TIDE is hidden in each of the three theme answers, and the letters are 'rising.'  We have had bottom to top theme answers before, so I do not expect this to be as polarizing a puzzle as last week, especially as the puzzle has so many 7,8 and 9 letter fill. ANILINE, ARIANNA, ARMADAS, DIETARY, VIRGINS, YES MA'AM, AVOIDING, INNATELY, PILSNERS, REMNANTS, ANNAPOLIS and DANDELION, three of which are new to the LA Times. Comparatively light on proper names, you all should have some fun here. This is Maryland's Frank VIRZI's third LAT, I blogged his first back in 2010, but he is obviously very prolific.

35A. Boat lifters found in this puzzle's three longest answers : RISING TIDES.(11).I like the definition of 'boat lifter' to be the rising tide; Alabama under Nick Satan was a rising tide, now we will see if they will ebb.

4D. Bank offerings : CREDIT LINES.(11). Many years ago these loans were unsecured, not any more. Picture reading from right to left and the TIDE emerges.

7D. Journalism bigwigs : MANAGING EDITORS. (15). I know our learned audience will help me understand the dynamic of the Managing Editor and the Publisher in a working newspaper.

26D. Journeys of discovery : EXPEDITIONS. (11). Another nice definition which required perp help, but as it was down, it was there.

Across:

1. Gush forth, as chimney smoke : BELCH. Really, how PC. As a child we had 24 hour smoke billowing  from the textile mill furnaces, I have read about smoke being belched out, but never seen it.  We lost our factories, the air was better but there were no jobs.

6. Coldplay gear : AMPS. bye bye, Gwyneth.  LISTEN.

10. Fix, in a way : SPAY. Never understood this euphemism; I certainly would not feel fixed, and would...

14. Foil : AVERT. any such plan, as it would ruin my...

15. Pace : GAIT. No desire to be an Unsullied, no thank you.

16. Old Milano moola : LIRE. Personally, being paid in Milano cookies sounds appealing.

17. Shakes, as a tail : LOSES. These days, with drones and tracking devices and gps in your phone, a detective's life sounds easier. It reminds me how with the advent of caller ID, television mysteries had to resort to the 'burner' phones to explain why they did not catch the bad guy when he called.

18. Capital on Chesapeake Bay : ANNAPOLIS, One of the new fill, and odd that no mention of the capital of Maryland, or the home of the Naval Academy ever appeared in a LA Times puzzle. How many love  the Maryland crabs from the bay?

20. Lost traction : SLID.

21. Drug initially studied for use in treating angina : VIAGRA. After hanging their clip boards of data gingerly for a while, it occurred to the Pharma that the other use might be profitable. Is it me, or was pairing with 21D. Vestal __: Roman flame tenders : VIRGINS a Freudian gesture from Mr. Virzi? More virgins? 33A. Carmelite, e.g. : NUN. The mountain from which they were founded. LINK.

22. To whom Ilsa said "I'll hum it for you" : SAM. She was so beautiful. (4:05).

23. Shying away from : AVOIDING.

25. Natural dye : HENNA. I was thinking about getting a Henna tattoo to freak my kids out, what with father's day coming up and all.

27. Advise : MENTOR. A favorite word and a lost art.

28. Nest egg item, for short : IRA. Individual Retirement Account.

31. Spinoff of TV's "Hercules" : XENA. Lucy Lawless, what a great name!

32. Place for a cast : LEG. Not at the end of the movie.

34. Buckingham buggy : PRAM. The benefit of all the British mystery fiction is knowing what Steve grew up learning in person. A new Martha Grimes hit the stands yesterday. Welcome back Richard Jury.

38. Port near the Red Sea : ADEN.

40. Alumni directory word : NEE. Is this fair, or should it have said ALUMNAE directory word?

41. Chap : LAD.

42. Winter coat : RIME. Not related to:

43. Nursery supply : SOD. Not Desitin, or talcum powder.

44. Reply to "No, you couldn't have!" : I DID SO.

48. It was founded in Oxford in 1946 : MENSA. I did not know this, do I have to give up my membership?

50. From the start : INNATELY.

52. One-time connection : AT A. Not a connection that has been lost, but one that connects one and time.

53. White terrier, for short : WESTIE. They look odd. LINK.(2:48).

56. California's Mission Santa __ : INES. Not up on my California Missions but have been to many really old ones in Florida.

57. Aster relative : DANDELION. I did not know this. Wild Flower or WEED?

59. Schubert's "Eine kleine Trauermusik," e.g. : NONET. From the Latin meaning 9, as they require 9 instruments. Otherwise, JzB, please HELP!

60. Martial __ : ARTS.

61. French 101 infinitive : ETRE. être ou ne pas être.

62. Make nasty comments : SNIPE. The kind that hurt people. Clecho: 64A. Make nasty comments : CUSS. The kind where the words are unacceptable, but not necessarily mean.

63. GPS part: Abbr. : SYSTem. Global Positioning System.

65. From Nineveh: Abbr. : ASSYR. Eeeeek. Is this an abbreviation of Assyrian? Am I an Americ?  Assyria is now known as Iraq.

Down:

1. Fragrant fir : BALSAM. A common choice for Christmas TREE.

2. Develop gradually : EVOLVE.Like the various Corner blogging styles.

3. Sore spot : LESION. I like this clue/fill a lot and I am not sure why

5. Abbr. after Cleveland or Brooklyn : HTS. In my schools they came from Shaker Heights.

6. "Come __?" : AGAIN? I did not hear you.

8. Sign of engine trouble, perhaps : PING.

9. One billed higher than the rest : STAR. In my world they are called senior partners.

10. Traffic warning : SLO. Is it really worth removing the 'W?" Two days in  a roW?

11. Pale lagers : PILSNERS. My beer brewing sons would be very unhappy with this clue/fill. All Beer is either Lager (cold bottom fermentation) or Ale (warm top fermentation). Pilsners (named after the city in Czechoslovakia  where the style was created) are a form of lager, though most are golden in color. They are pale compared to the more robust lagers. Your basic Beck's, Heineken and the like are pilsners.

12. Author Huffington : ARIANNA. Her Huffington Post was bought by AOL for $315 Million; if interested you go to this LINK.

13. Polite assent : YES MA'AM. Many women under 35 find this greeting very offensive.

19. Tuba note : PAH. And its friend OOM.

24. Executes : DOES.

29. Track : RUT.

30. Dye-making compound : ANILINE.

35. Leftovers : REMNANTS. Hi honey, let's have some remnants for supper.

36D. Natal opening : NEOnatal.

37. Word from a crib : DADA. Or the now familiar TV staple, "get off my turf, mofo."

38. Seagoing forces : ARMADAS. The tale of the defeat of the SPANISH ARMADA in 1588 was a riveting one when I was in grammar school.

39. Like many supplements : DIETARY.

45. Hall of Fame pitcher Eckersley : DENNIS. Eck who went from being a successful starter to being a great reliever when he was traded to Oakland and manager Tony LaRussa and pitching coach Dave Duncan. STATS. He started with Cleveland but was traded when his wife had an affair with another Cleveland player. He also was traded from the RedSox to the Cubs in the deal that brought Bill Buckner to Boston.

46. Nodding : SLEEPY. Which makes me want to go to bed, but then...

47. Bed denizen : OYSTER. if ever I wake up and find an oyster in my bed I am going to be livid.

49. Leave dumbstruck : AWE.

51. Dressing extreme? : NINES. Origin per askville: "Dressed to the nines, or dressed up to the nines are merely a version of the phrase that is applied to clothing. That is first cited in John C. Hotten's A Dictionary of Modern Slang, Cant, and Vulgar Words, 1859 as: 'DRESSED UP TO THE NINES', in a showy 'recherché' manner."

54. Monthly pmt. : ELECtricity. This is an extruded clue/fill as you do not pay your Elec, you pay the bill.

55. As found, with "in" : SITU. Latin, and familiar to all from the TV CSI type shows.

58. Source of addl. evening light : DST. Daylight Savings Time.

59. Surveillance org. : NSA. National Security Agency  A timely fill that keeps coming up in the puzzles and the news.

June is here, soon it will be summer and the days will start getting shorter again; in the meantime I hope you enjoyed this puzzle and have a pleasant week end. Father's Day is coming

Lemonade out.
  

Notes from C.C.:

1) The third Minnesota Crossword Tournament will be held on June 22, 2014  at The Landmark Center in Saint Paul. Please click here for more information. Now they have a short bio of each constructor.

 

2) JD emailed me these two wonderful pictures. She said:

"Yesterday (June 4 Wednesday) the coven had our yearly trek over to Dodo's, and had a lovely time. Dodo was in good spirits and seeing Lucina makes this trip extra special. We could have spent the whole afternoon, after a delicious lunch, chatting, but unfortunately the drive takes us 2 1/2 hours if we get on the road before the commuters.

BTW, Garlic Gal did a spectacular job of weaving thru the truck traffic and the back seat in her car was most comfortable. Couldn't even tell it was 92 outside with the AC."

L to R: Chickie, Lucina, Garlic Gal, JD, and Dodo.

 Dodo, who will be 89 years old this coming Oct

Thursday, June 5, 2014 C.W. Stewart

Theme: "D.I.Y. Network"

In-the-language terms are transformed into renovation tips from people in the field.

20. Ballplayer's home renovation advice about the bare hallway floor? : PUT A RUNNER OUT.

27. Tech's home renovation advice about a dark basement? : INSTALL WINDOWS.

44. Housekeeper's home renovation advice about a cheap fourposter offer? : TURN DOWN THE BED.

54. Bartender's home renovation advice about the tiny kitchen sink? : MAKE IT A DOUBLE.
My favorite entry. A double drink becomes a double sink!

This was by far the easiest Thursday puzzle I can remember. I think I finished it in under 10 minutes.

Across

1. Email for the spam folder, probably : SCAM. I can't help thinking of this clip every time I hear the word "spam." 3:19

5. Comparable : AKIN.

9. Indy participant : RACER. I had to check perps to be sure we were not looking for a specific one, like "Unser."

14. __ socks : TUBE. Had to leave this one for a couple perps, too.  All I could come up with at first was "Argyle."

15. Fiddling emperor : NERO. The violin wasn't invented until 1500 years after Nero.

16. Drop names, maybe? : ERASE.

17. Flightless flock : EMUS.

18. Swarm member : GNAT.

19. Nodding off at a meeting, say : BORED.

23. Caution to drivers : SLO.

Slo down!

24. Flamenco cheer : OLE.

25. "... but I could be wrong" : OR NOT.

32. Bygone TV control : HOR.izontal. I wonder if NERO used to fiddle with this knob?

33. Reef denizen : EEL.

34. Small drink : NIP.

35. Autumn bloom : ASTER.

38. Nursery rhyme fiddler : CAT. CATs can't really fiddle - they don't have opposable thumbs.

Hey Diddle, Diddle

39. Pleasing to the palate : TASTY. Yumm!

41. Luau bowlful : POI. Yuck!

42. Wheels : CAR.

43. Limit : CAP.

50. Joyous hymn : PAEAN.

51. Lee follower : REB. General Robert E. Lee, and his REBel army.

52. Cold War jet : MiG. Named after the two inventors Mikoyan and Gurevich. The "i" is small because it is the Russian word for "and."

58. Capital on the 30th parallel : CAIRO.

60. Mill site : POND. I would venture to say that the mill was usually sited on a stream. Ponds don't move water wheels very well.

61. Sticky stuff : GLUE.

62. Day one : ONSET.

63. Aquatic predator : ORCA.

64. Catches : GETS. "Catch my drift?" "Get it?"

65. Mild cheese : GOUDA.

66. Bucks, perhaps : DEER.

67. Hook's right hand : SMEE.


Down

1. Mother May I? movements : STEPS. Did any of you play this game as children?

2. Fluffy clouds : CUMULI.

3. Lie alongside : ABUT ON. OK, Grammar Nazis.  Is it proper to say ABUT ON, or just "abut?"

4. Monument Valley sight : MESA.

5. Sharp-cornered : ANGULAR.

6. Boxer's hotel : KENNEL. I had "dog spa" at first, which gave me fits with the first theme entry.

7. Caspian Sea land : IRAN.

8. Sticky writing? : NOTE. We just had "Yellow sticky, often" for NOTE TO SELF last Saturday, so this was a gimme.

9. Energized anew : REBORN.

10. In the vicinity : AROUND.

11. They may be political : CARTOONS. I've linked Daumier before, so this time I'll go with Nast.

Tammany Hall 

12. Chicago-to-D.C. dir. : ESE.

13. Former Riverfront Stadium player : RED. Home of the Cincinnati Reds (baseball), it was later renamed "Cinergy Field" until it was demolished in 2001.

21. Chopper topper : ROTOR.  I was off on a whole different tangent...

22. Provoke : ROIL.

26. Flibbertigibbet : TWIT. Love the word "flibbertigibbet," but I would have had a tough time coming up with the correct spelling. Now I know!

28. Ewe or doe : SHE.

29. Pay attention in class : LEARN.

30. Drizzly : WET.

31. Many a character in TV's "The Americans" : SPY. Never saw the show.

35. Quick on the uptake : APT. As in, "He was an apt student."

36. Opposite of nuts? : SOUP.

37. Italian dessert : TIRAMISU.

38. Raucous call : CAW.

39. Popular exercise regimen : TAE BO. TAE BO  is a portmanteau of tae kwon do and boxing. Total body fitness, really intense. I will stick to t'ai chi, thank you very much.

40. LAPD alert : APB. All points bulletin. It may also be a BOLO: "Be On the Lookout." Or an ATL: "Attempt to locate."

42. Cold Stone Creamery purchase : CONE. Last week we had A&P, which is a local chain in the Northeast, and now we have Cold Stone Creamery, which only has locations in MA, CT and RI.  I guess Häagen-Dazs would be too easy for a Thursday? [Update: Cold Stone Creamery is nationwide.]

43. It may be extra sharp : CHEDDAR. "That's the way (uh-huh, uh-huh) I like it!"

45. Came closer to : NEARED.

46. Territory divided in 1889 : DAKOTA.

47. Spell : TRANCE.

48. Infiniti's infinity symbol, e.g. : EMBLEM. Oh, so that's what it's supposed to be!  I always thought it was an Alp...

Infiniti

49. Weaken : DILUTE. Scotch and soda, anyone?

53. Formation fliers : GEESE.

55. Apple product : iPOD.

56. Zoomed : TORE.

57. Fleece-lined boot brand : UGGS. So named because of their ugliness.

58. Gear tooth : COG.

59. Mayo to mayo : ANO. Spanish May to May, and year.

Hasta la próxima semana!

Marti

Note from C.C.:

1) Happy 20th wedding anniversary to our sweet Misty and her husband Rowland! What's the special planning today, Misty? (Sorry I goofed, Irish Miss.)

Misty & Rowland 2009 (15th Anniversary Party)

2) Happy Birthday to dear TTP (Took The Plunge), the unsung hero of our blog. TTP patiently guided me through each trouble this blog faced the past few years and is always there when I'm in need. He's one of the very few regulars that I've talked on the phone. Don't know if he hooks or slices on the golf course, but he used to be a good bowler until he hurt his back. He served Uncle Sam as well.

Wednesday, June 4th, 2014 Mike Peluso

Theme: Precious Stones - The start of each theme entry can follow "diamond" to create a sparkle-related noun.

Hi gang! Steve here with Mike P's latest.  Pretty smooth sailing; I didn't see the theme until the reveal which gave me that nice "Oh! I see!" moment.

17A. *Computer logic game named for a warship : MINESWEEPER. Diamond Mine. Pre-internet, this was one of the biggest PC-based time-vampires (Solitaire was the other).

24A. *Loose-leaf organizer : RING BINDER. Diamond Ring

37A. *Upscale golfwear brand : CUTTER AND BUCK. Diamond Cutter. The immensely-talented Annika Sorenstam was one of their most famous pitch-people.

46A. *Recruiting specialist : HEADHUNTER. Diamond Head. This seems to be the odd man out of the theme entries as it's the only one not directly related to the gemstone itself - it's a volcanic cone overlooking Waikiki beach in Honolulu.

58A. Phoenix-based ballplayer, and what the start of each answer to a starred clue can be : DIAMONDBACK. Arizona's team. Quick, C.C. - excluding the ambiguous Yankees and Mets, how many other Major League Baseball teams are named for their state, not their city?
(From C.C.: 8? How do you classify the Twins then? It's named after the Twin Cities.)

Tidy enough theme and no trip-ups or gaffes for me, as smooth sailing as a Wednesday could be. What else caught my eye?

Across:

1. Elevators, in Leeds : LIFTS. Gimme, for me. I lived in Leeds when I was a little kid. The city's major department store, Schofield's, had a lift operated by an attendant; thrilling for a 5-year old.

6. Milo of "Ulysses" : O'SHEA.

11. Squelch : GAG

14. Classic soap : IVORY. I was thinking along the "Days of Our Lives" lines first.

15. Complete, for short : THORO

16. Gold, in them thar cerros : ORO. Loved this clue.

19. Novelist Umberto : ECO

20. Place to pick up litter? : PET STORE

21. "__ better to have loved ...": Tennyson : 'TIS

23. Radical '60s gp. : SDS. "Students for a Democratic Society" group. The original was dissolved in 1969; it formed anew in 2006.

29. Electrical measure : OHM. Physics geek joke: Resistance is Futile (if <1 Ω)

31. Formal talk : LECTURE

32. Blue shade : AQUA

34. Fed : G-MAN

36. Elevator innovator : OTIS. I can't recall if he made the Leeds lift; it was a long time ago!

40. Indochina country : LAOS

41. Elevated for driving : TEED

42. "Draft Dodger Rag" singer Phil : OCHS. I knew the singer, didn't know the song.

43. Entertainer : ARTISTE

45. Durable wood : ASH

49. eHarmony.com abbr. : SWM. Single White Male. Seems it should be "caucasian" these days.

52. Leaves at Starbucks? : TEA

53. Like herb gardens : AROMATIC. Herb. Erb. No, I still can't say "erb".

56. Serious hwy. violation : D.U.I. What's the difference between "Driving Under the Influence" and "Driving While Intoxicated"? Some states seem to have one, some the other.

61. NASDAQ debut : I.P.O. Initial Public Offering of stock in a company, aka Get Rich Quick for a few.

62. Like some seals : EARED

63. Minolta competitor : LEICA

64. Mark, as a survey box : X-IN

65. PowerPoint unit : SLIDE

66. WWII surrender celebration : V.E. DAY. Cue street parties and public displays of affection. This coming Friday marks the 70th anniversary of the Normandy landings on D-Day, 1944.

Down:

1. Favors one side : LIMPS. Because "crooked match-fixing referee" doesn't fit.

2. Like some college walls : IVIED

3. Assortment in a formatting menu : FONTS

4. Cuatro menos uno : TRES. Math class en español today.

5. Fed. Reserve, for one : SYST. The banking system in the U.S. There are 12 Federal Reserve banks identified by the letter/number combination on the banknote. A1 is Boston, L12 is San Francisco. I learned them all when I moved here for no good reason.

6. '90s "SNL" regular Cheri : OTERI

7. Polished look : SHEEN

8. Old school dance : HOP

9. Before, to Blake : ERE

10. __ valve: heart part : AORTIC. The other three are the mitral, tricuspid and pulmonary. Quick research shows that "mitral" has appeared once in the LAT crossword back in 2007. The others are still eagerly awaiting their debut. Aortic leads the pack with a mighty ..... two, including today.

11. Splits the tab : GOES DUTCH. Do the Dutch "Go English" and do they have a couple of pre-battle drinks to get "English Courage?".

12. Welding flash : ARC

13. Slime : GOO

18. Fishhook attachment : WORM

22. Communicating regularly : IN TOUCH

25. Endocrinologist's concern : GLAND

26. Give a little : BEND

27. Estrada and Satie : ERIKS. Cue some relaxing piano music from M. Satie.

28. Legal thing : RES

29. Slim, as chances go : OUTSIDE

30. Bowler, e.g. : HAT. When I first started work in an office in London's financial district, the "City gent" uniform was pinstripe suit, furled umbrella, old school tie and a bowler hat. Within about five years, no-one was wearing one anymore.

32. Without __ in the world : A CARE

33. Entry at Bartleby.com : QUOTATION.  “The nice thing about doing a crossword puzzle is, you know there is a solution.” - Stephen Sondheim.


34. There's always a hole in one : GREEN. Pithy play on words with "hole in one".

35. West of Hollywood : MAE

38. Caesarean rebuke : ET TU

39. Fenway team, on scoreboards : BOS. The Red Sox.

40. "Well, __-di-dah!" : LAH

44. Oakleys or Ray-Bans : SHADES. Seems a little odd that there's no "slangily" clue modifier here, but no hesitation with the answer.

45. Elvis' middle name : ARON

47. Under control : TAMED

48. Cut into : ERODE

49. Unemotional : STAID

50. Book of Shadows religion : WICCA. Thank you, crosses.

51. Emmy-winning sportscaster Jim : MCKAY. Funny, I'm a sports nut and I don't think I've heard of this gentleman.

54. 16th-century yr. : MDLV. or 1555 if you prefer. I amused myself mightily a couple of weeks ago by coming up with a 15x15 crossword composed entirely of roman numerals, then C.C. did some digging and found out that it had been done before by Peter Gordon under the heading "The World's Worst Crossword". Dang!

55. Have __ in one's bonnet : A BEE

56. New Jersey fort : DIX. The Romans would call it Fort 509.

57. Press initials : U.P.I. Washington-based news bureau United Press International.

59. Suffix with adverb : IAL. Magisterial, e.g.

60. The 58-Acrosses, on scoreboards : ARI. Cute finish tying into the theme with the final down. Arizona.

Note from C.C.:

Mike's puzzle today was accepted way before my  DIAMOND HEAD was published last Dec. I had been eagerly waiting to see how Mike tackled his grid. We both had 5 entries, but Mike had a tough 13-letter in the middle. I had an easy grid spanner. Noticed how our first three theme entries had the same clue numbers?

Tuesday, June 3, 2014 Greg Johnson

 Theme: Quiet Time - Keep it down low.

17A. "Please let me get my beauty rest" : "I'M TRYING TO SLEEP"

30A. "Too much noise" : "KEEP IT DOWN"

49A. "No one can know" : "IT'S A SECRET"

65A. "Junior needs his nap time" : "DON'T WAKE THE BABY"

41A. Warning that often precedes 17-, 30-, 49- and 65-Across : "SHH!"

Argyle here with our constructor from Zelienople, Pa.(8-13-2013) A fun and unique puzzle today. Eighty words but not that noticeable and two very noticeable grid spanners. The unifier smack in the middle.

Across:

1. A Swiss Army knife has many of them : USEs

5. Halley's __ : COMET. Its next appearance should be in 2061.

10. Crow calls : CAWS

14. Peel in a cocktail : ZEST

15. Stylish : SWANK

16. Nueve preceder : OCHO. Spanish 8, 9

20. Half of a 45 : SIDE A

21. Title for a superior : SIR

22. Loosens, as restrictions : EASES

23. Place for a massage : SPA

25. Hymn finale : AMEN. Sometimes said when the sermon finally ends.

27. Kitchen amts. : TSPs

36. Need to remit : OWE

37. Shopping aid : CART

38. "My __ Amour": Stevie Wonder hit : CHERIE

39. __ toast : MELBA

43. Remove from the board : ERASE

44. Bistro, e.g. : EATERY

46. Ages and ages : EONS

48. Joe and Rose Kennedy's youngest : TED

51. Exceedingly : VERY

52. Burn a lot ... or slightly : CHAR

53. Pink or purple : HUE

55. Wyoming neighbor : IDAHO

58. Altar agreement : "I DO"

61. Make a case : ARGUE

68. Fashion designer Marc : ECKO. Not familiar with him.

69. "Super!" : "NEATO!"

70. U.S. native : AMER. This should generate some comments.

71. Like the ground after a campfire : ASHY

72. Climbing rope material : NYLON

73. Bard's instrument : LYRE

Down:

1. Israeli guns : UZIs

2. Truck stop rig : SEMI

3. Storefront sign abbr. : ESTD. (established)

4. Emotional strain : STRESS

5. Long-running TV crime drama : CSI

6. Possesses : OWNS

7. O. Henry's "The Gift of the __" : MAGI

8. Lure into a crime : ENTRAP. Lure into a corner : rope-a-dope.

9. Ref's decision : TKO. (technical knockout)

10. Lettuce-washing aid : COLANDER

11. Poker "bullets" : ACES

12. Sledding shout : "WHEE!"

13. Soaks (up) : SOPS

18. Run off at the mouth : YAP

19. Does a slow burn : SEETHES

24. Wanted poster initials : AKA. (also known as)

26. Audio jack label : MIC. (microphone)

27. Marisa of "The Wrestler" : TOMEI. She'll always be Mona Lisa Vito to us.

28. Workout output : SWEAT

29. Trapper's goods : PELTS

31. "This can't wait" hosp. areas : ERs

32. Bygone anesthetic : ETHER

33. Speak with pomp : ORATE

34. More sage : WISER

35. Down-and-out : NEEDY

37. Where models stand by models : CAR SHOW

40. Plastic shovel, for one : BEACH TOY

42. Soil chopper : HOE. Is it safe to transplant the tomatoes yet? Maybe.

45. Supporting vote : YEA

47. Ultimate degree : NTH

50. "Holy moly!" : "CRIKEY!". Australian.

51. Spoken : VERBAL

54. Seven-member Mideast fed. : UAE. (United Arab Emirates)

55. Overhead exclamation point, in comics : IDEA

56. HMO staffers : DOCs

57. Egyptian royal cross : ANKH

59. Business agreement : DEAL

60. "Beetle Bailey" bulldog : OTTO

62. Like wild boar meat : GAMY. Who here has had wild boar meat?

63. Over, in Germany : ÜBER

64. Brontë's Jane : EYRE

66. Cape NNW of Cod : ANN

67. Dearie : HON. (presumptuous terms of endearment)

Argyle
 

Notes from C.C.:

1) Here is a pretty picture of Chickie's great-granddaughter Cecelia Rose (nicknamed Cece), who was born on Wednesday May 28, 2014. Cece lives in Tacoma, WA and she's the first great-grandchild for Chickie.

36- hour old Cece

2) Happy birthday to dear Owen! When I talked with him last November, he mentioned he preferred to forget his birthday (not surprising after his poem on Sunday). He also said "... knowing how I tend to lose interests in things, I'll be mildly surprised if I'm still around then. But I get so much positive feedback from our supportive group that this might be an exception."

He's still here, entertaining us every morning with his wits, humor & hard work. Thank you, Owen! Now I don't feel a LAT crossword is complete until it's been Owenized.

Owen & Brenda (Feb 28, 2009)

Monday, June 2, 2014 Bruce Venzke and Gail Grabowski

Theme: What are the odds? - Well?

17A. Baby book milestones : FIRST STEPS

23A. Backup player's backup : THIRD STRINGER

39A. Hershey's chocolate-and-peanut-butter products : FIFTH AVENUE BARS

52A. Bliss : SEVENTH HEAVEN

63A. Penultimate bowling game division : NINTH FRAME

Argyle here. A nice straightforward Monday.

Across:

1. A rather long time : AGES

5. Be of use to : AVAIL

10. Greenside golf shot : CHIP

14. Kauai cookout : LUAU

15. Alabama civil rights city : SELMA

16. Titled nobleman : LORD

19. Baghdad's country : IRAQ

20. Even if, briefly : ALTHO

21. Prepares, as a violin bow : ROSINS

27. Dusk-dawn link : 'TIL

28. Steeped brew : TEA

29. Low mil. rank : PVT.

31. Commotions : ADOs

35. Actor Kilmer : VAL

37. Road Runner chaser __ Coyote : WILE E.

43. Prepare beans, Mexican-style : REFRY

44. Square dance lass : GAL. CSO YR.

45. Island in a computer game : MYST

46. NHL tiebreakers : OTs

47. Zadora of "Hairspray" : PIA. Not her usual blond hair.

50. "Wait a __!" : SEC

58. Fill with bubbles : AERATE

59. Purple flower : LILAC

61. Cold War country: Abbr. : USSR

66. Hired hood : GOON

67. Baseball bobble : ERROR

68. Sport __: family cars : UTEs. (sport-utility vehicle)

69. Sharpen : HONE

70. Steed stoppers : REINS

71. Spanish muralist José María : SERT

Down:

1. __ Romeo: Italian sports car : ALFA

2. Feeling of remorse : GUILT

3. Target in alien-attack films : EARTH

4. Japanese fish dish : SUSHI

5. Long-eared beast : ASS

6. Doggie doc : VET

7. On the ball : ALERT

8. Non-domestic beer, e.g. : IMPORT

9. Film collie : LASSIE

10. Hang on (to) : CLING

11. Boisterous behavior : HORSEPLAY

12. Savings option, briefly : IRA

13. ASAP kin : PDQ. Was your solve PDQ? (pretty damn quick)

18. Lawsuit basis : TORT

22. Amazed : IN AWE

24. Distinguished soprano, say : DIVA

25. Pole or Croat : SLAV

26. Campground users, briefly : RVers. (recreational vehicle)

30. Driver's license prerequisite : TEST

31. Frizzy do : AFRO

32. Loses on purpose? : DIETS

33. Summer, at ski resorts : OFF-SEASON. but not without some excitements.

34. Orchestra sect. : STR. (strings)

36. Chair support : LEG

38. Tech co. known as Big Blue : IBM

40. All keyed up : HYPER

41. Poet Ogden : NASH

42. Peter Fonda title role : ULEE. (Ulee's Gold)

48. More absurd : INANER

49. Clothes : ATTIRE

51. Young cow : CALF

53. Sci-fi pioneer Jules : VERNE

54. Artist Rousseau : HENRI. Bio.

55. Computer invader : VIRUS

56. Tickle pink : ELATE

57. Snitch, when identifying the bad guys : NAMER

60. "__ la vie!" : C'EST

61. "That smells disgusting!" : "UGH!"

62. Jack of "Barney Miller" : SOO

64. Freight measure : TON

65. Baseball round-trippers: Abbr. : HRs. (home run)

Argyle