Wednesday, November 11, 2015, D. Scott Nichols and C.C. Burnikel

First and foremost on this 11th day of the 11th month: 

We honor veterans at our corner and all others who have served.

Title: It's a Mad, Mad World

Congrats to our own Santa and C.C. who have given us a delightful and whimsical exercise today! This puzzle is full of the elements of mathematician Lewis Carroll's (born Charles L. Dodgson) fantasy Alice in Wonderland, all of which are in the graphic above. Four across and three down theme answers make our journey even more fun.

Across theme entries

20. Access to 54-Across : RABBIT HOLE - Alice's port of entry

34. "Mad" social in 54-Across : TEA PARTY - A rather odd conclave

43. 34-Across napper in 54-Across : DORMOUSE - Seen napping between March Hare and Mad Hatter 

54. Setting for a novel originally published 11/11/1865 : WONDERLAND - The theme reveal.

Down theme entries 

11. Critter who kept disappearing in 54-Across : CHESHIRE CAT - The inscrutable lurker. Couldn't resist the animated gif. 

29. Hookah smoker in 54-Across : CATERPILLAR - Gettin' high in Wonderland?

52. Visitor to 54-Across : ALICE - The star of our little adventure. She was named for Alice Liddell, a daughter of Dodgson's friend. She asked him to write down the text of a fanciful tale Charles told her and her sisters on a boat ride. Alice IN Wonderland is visually shown in this 15*16 grid.

If you're not "late, late for a very important date", take time to peruse the answers to this humpday offering from two of our favorite people

Across:     

1. Inaugural ball, e.g. : GALA

5. Calcium source : MILK - What??

9. Open, as toothpaste : UNCAP - Or what Hondo's favorite player did while running the bases

14. Very dry : ARID

15. Down to business : AT IT - I tune in the Super Bowl after they're Down to business

16. Former Cleveland oil company acquired by BP : SOHIO - Standard of Ohio

17. San __, Italy : REMO

18. "Of course" : I SEE

19. Match with bishops : CHESS - She's moving her bishop

23. Catalina, e.g. : ISLE - 26 Miles Across The Sea 

24. Houston-based scandal subject : ENRON -Ken Lay moved this Omaha-based company's headquarters to Houston when he became CEO after promising he wouldn't. Hmmm... 

25. Wood-shaping tools : LATHES - Not used to make these

27. Phone button trio : ABC - Yeah, kids today would know this... 

30. Badminton barrier : NET

31. Short-legged dog : CORGI - Elizabeth II has owned more than 30 during her reign

32. Emotionally out of control : CRAZED

37. Spud : TATER - Also what 25 Across can hit

38. Benefit : BOON - In The Jolly Coachman, The Kingston Trio sang of a maid - "She's a BOON to all mankind"

39. Butte relative : MESA

40. Like 2016 : EVEN 

41. Antacid choice : TUMS

42. Deteriorate : DECAY

45. Remove pieces from? : DISARM

46. Fencing defense : PARRY - Woman on left PARRYS woman on left and then thrusts for a point

47. Keep out : BAN - BAN and ARID in the same puzzle? Hmmm...

48. Mao __-tung : TSE

49. Shortening brand : CRISCO

51. Divided country : KOREA - Wanna guess which city is Seoul and which is Pyongyang

53. Wild West weapon : COLT - Wyatt Earp's .45-Caliber COLT sold for $225,000 in April, 2014

59. Loafs : IDLES - Have you met my nephew?

61. Some intersections : TEES - Not shirts, construction nuts or golf supports this time

62. Slushy treat : ICEE 

63. Approaches : NEARS 

64. Bond girl Kurylenko : OLGA - Bond accessories are always a girl and a gun

65. Facial area under a soul patch : CHIN

66. Prickly shrub : GORSE - Not a clue. The R in CATERPILLAR finished it off for me

67. Corset stiffener : STAY - Hattie McDaniel cinching up Vivien Leigh

68. Fish caught in pots : EELS
 
Down:
 
1. Teri of "Tootsie" : GARR - A favorite movie of mine. Nominated for ten academy awards

2. Neck of the woods : AREA

3. Common perch : LIMB

4. Acrobat creator : ADOBE

5. Restaurant host : MAITRE D' - Short for Maitre d'hotel - Master of the Hotel

6. Soup server's caution : IT'S HOT

7. Use, as a chaise : LIE ON - You could LAY a sweater ON the chaise

8. "As seen on TV" record co. : K-TEL

9. Pac-12 powerhouse : USC

10. Baseball rarities : NO HIT GAMES - Our baseball aficionados will instantly know who made this great catch to save the most famous NO HIT perfect GAME 

12. It may be graded in an auditorium : AISLE -  A sloping grade. 

13. Plays to the camera : POSES

21. Deep-seated : INNER

22. Online money source : E-LOAN 

26. Alsatian dadaist : ARP 

27. Took steps : ACTED

28. "Top Chef" network : BRAVO - This BRAVO show is real?

31. Bus. brass : CEOS - Scumbag CEO Ken Lay died a few months before he was going to get sentenced for 20 - 30 years of prison

33. Highly respected Buddhists : ZEN MASTERS - Or the NBA's Phil Jackson

34. Improvised booster seat for a tot, maybe : TOME

35. Romanov royals : TSARS

36. Self-congratulatory cheer : YAY ME

38. Active : BUSY 

41. "The Burden of Proof" author : TUROW - Also of ONE L Cwd fame

42. Restaurant visitor : DINER

44. Hobbit enemy : ORC

45. Venture to express : DARE SAY 

47. Barrio food store : BODEGA - Bad check displayed in Jerry's BODEGA

49. Keeping in the loop, briefly : CC'ING - Some of what we're doing today

50. Wild West show : RODEO

51. Lowered oneself? : KNELT

55. Plains people : OTOS

56. Overexertion aftermath : ACHE - Hey, check your birth certificate

57. Diamond of music : NEIL - His Sweet Caroline is played before the bottom of the 8th inning at Fenway and is now being used at other athletic venues. "So Good, So Good, So Good!"

58. Man caves, maybe : DENS

60. Nottingham-to-London dir. : SSE - 2 hr. 48 min. by Hwy. M1

Crossword Anthem: 

Alice: "This is impossible!" 

Mad Hatter: "Only if you believe it is!"

Notes from C.C.:

1) Santa came up with this idea. I went for a fun ride. Pure joy to work with him!

Scott (Santa)

2) We'd like to thank Sheila Brown of Lewis Carroll Society and the publisher Macmillian for helping us identify the exact publishing date as Nov 11, 1865. 

3) Big Thanks also to Rich for doubting the Wiki date and making sure we have the correct date. Rich also took time and removed the two black squares we had at the corners.

Tuesday, November 10 2015, Janice Luttrell

 Theme Care to Dance?

 58. *Guffaw from the gut : BELLY LAUGH. Belly Dance.

 

 17. *One of three in a daily diet : SQUARE MEAL. Square Dance.

24. *A roll of two, in craps : SNAKE EYES. Snake Dance.

48. *Opening night "Best of luck!" : BREAK A LEG. Break Dance.

 
35. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, e.g., and, literally, what the first words of the answers to starred clues can be : DANCE PARTNERS

Melissa here. This was smooooth as a soft-shoe dance for me, with only a few question marks that filled in easily with perps. Fun dancing theme, with a center reveal.


Across
 
1. __ Khan: Rita Hayworth's husband : ALY. Right off the bat, no clue. I feel like I should have known Prince Aly Kahn's story.

4. Composure : APLOMB

10. Turkish title of honor : AGHA

14. Life story, briefly : BIO

15. Cigar-smoking George's spouse : GRACIE

16. Swag : LOOT

19. Former Mississippi senator Trent : LOTT

20. Where sailors go : OUT TO SEA

21. Like a disengaged engine : IN IDLE

23. Plant anchor : ROOT. Aerial roots of a curtain fig tree in Australia. 

26. Bring up, as a topic : BROACH

29. Grant permission : LET

30. "Dig in" : EAT

31. Glacial historic period : ICE AGE

34. The Macarena, pet rocks, etc. : FADS

39. One, to Beethoven : EINS. German.

40. Regular practice : RITUAL

41. Quagmire : BOG

42. Fed. assistance program : SSI

44. Key related to D major : B MINOR

52. Pear center : CORE

53. __ powder : TALCUM

54. Unevenly balanced : LOPSIDED

57. Confident "Are you the one for this job?" response : I'M IT

60. Copenhagen native : DANE

61. Abode that's abuzz : APIARY. Tried beehive first - one too many letters.

62. Hawaii's Mauna __ : LOA

63. Those, to José : ESAS

64. Shorthand pros : STENOS

65. Sinusitis-treating MD : ENT

Down

1. Soak up : ABSORB

2. Bar bottle contents : LIQUOR

3. "I'm not the only one?" : YOU, TOO?

4. Farming prefix : AGRO

5. Air Force One VIP : PRES

6. Metal-threaded fabrics : LAMÉS

7. Atlantic or Pacific : OCEAN

8. Soccer star Hamm : MIA

9. Resemble : BE LIKE

10. TV's "Kate & __" : ALLIE

11. Name on a blimp : GOODYEAR

12. Detective's promising clues : HOT LEADS

13. Swears to : ATTESTS

18. Reaches : ATTAINS

22. Trawling gear : NET

25. Red flag : ALERT

27. 300, to Caesar : CCC

28. "__ Haw" : HEE

32. March follower : APRIL

33. Moo goo __ pan : GAI

34. Woman's name from the Latin for "happy" : FELICIA. Felicity didn't fit.

35. Scenes in shoeboxes : DIORAMAS

36. Actress Jolie : ANGELINA

37. Place for a bath : TUB. Yes, please.

38. '60s war zone, briefly : NAM

39. Drop in the sea : EBB TIDE

42. Product identifier similar to UPC : SKU

43. Ballroom dances : SAMBAS. More dancing. Kizomba evolved from Caribbean  zouk, African semba, and Brazilian samba.

45. Little lump : NODULE

46. West Coast state : OREGON

47. Cardinal's headgear : RED HAT

49. Entr'__: play intervals : ACTES

50. "Dallas" Miss : ELLIE

51. __ Heights: disputed Mideast region : GOLAN. Look.

55. Fire: Pref. : PYRO

56. Stone and Stallone : SLYS

59. Able, facetiously : EPT

Melissa

 

Monday, November 9, 2015 Gail Grabowski and Bruce Venzke

Theme: Emergency Belts - Four ways to hold your pants up.

21A. Close to defeat : ON THE ROPES

32A. "Cool duds!" : "NICE THREADS!"

41A. Use one's influence : PULL STRINGS

53A. Membranes that vibrate : VOCAL CORDS

Argyle here. I'll post today's song at the bottom; don't miss it. No unifier needed.

Across:

1. Not at all flexible : STIFF. RIGID fits the bill, too.

6. Long and lean : LANK

10. Declare openly : AVOW

14. Easily tipped boat : CANOE

15. "__ further reflection ..." : UPON

16. Building toy with theme parks : LEGO

17. Western crooner Gene : AUTRY

18. Sanctuary recess : APSE

19. Overly compliant : MEEK

20. Compressed video file format : MPEG. (Moving Picture Experts Group)

23. The brown one is Louisiana's state bird : PELICAN

25. Mae West's "I used to be Snow White, but I drifted" is one : PUN

26. Sonoma Valley vessel : VAT. Wine.

27. Start of an envelope address : MR. AND MRS.

36. Covert org. in "Argo" : CIA. (covert rescue operation)

37. Dashing style : ELAN

38. Granola grain : OAT

39. Citrus drink used by NASA : TANG. In powder form till you mix it.

40. Obstinate critter : ASS

45. Where soldiers go? : LATRINES. So true.

47. Swat : HIT. Don't swat the little things ... well, maybe in the latrine.

48. Manning of the Giants : ELI

49. "Storage Wars" sales event : AUCTION. on A&E.

58. Napoleon's exile isle : ELBA

59. Biz bigwig : EXEC

60. Mishmash : OLIO

61. French-__ potatoes : FRIED

62. No-frills shelter : TENT. unless you're a wizard.

63. Speak abrasively : RASP

64. Apartment rental agreement : LEASE

65. Former trans-Atl. fliers : SSTs. (trans-Atlantic)

66. Kremlin rejection : "NYET!"

67. Milk dispenser : UDDER. It doesn't get any fresher.

Down:

1. Mischief-maker : SCAMP

2. Brownish gray : TAUPE. Natural mole fur hue. Last month we decided they must be French moles.

3. Info from a spy drone : INTEL

4. Pardoned : FORGIVEN

5. "Saturday Night Live" alumna Tina : FEY

6. Blonde comic strip teenager : LUANN

7. Date bk. entry : APPT. (Appointment)

8. Quick bite : NOSH

9. Skateboarder's protective gear : KNEE PAD

10. Energy bar nut : ALMOND

11. Show for which Julia Louis-Dreyfus has won four consecutive acting Emmys : VEEP. I don't have HBO.

12. S-shaped molding : OGEE

13. Bowl-shaped pans : WOKS

21. Sworn statement : OATH

22. Makes tracks : RUNS

24. Jazz aficionado : CAT. Can you dig it?

27. Breakfast and dinner : MEALS

28. "Darn it!" : "RATS!"

29. Shoe brand Thom __ : McAN

30. Line around a tub : RING

31. Droops : SAGS

32. "Hud" Oscar winner Patricia : NEAL 33. "Casablanca" heroine : ILSA A couple of classy dames.

34. Play list : CAST

35. Play part : ROLE

39. Giggled nervously : TITTERED. 1610-20; perhaps Scandinavian; compare Old Norse tittra to quiver, Swedish (dial.) tittra to giggle (Huh, nothing to do about where milk comes from.)

41. Medicinal dose : PILL

42. Mythical horse with a horn : UNICORN

43. In the manner indicated : THUS

44. Rocker Ocasek : RIC. The lead singer of The Cars.

46. Punches back, say : REACTS

49. Bring home from the shelter : ADOPT

50. Homeric epic : ILIAD

51. Like Santa Claus : OBESE. Say WHAT?!

52. "Unsafe at Any Speed" author Ralph : NADER

53. November parade participants : VETS. Honor them on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.

54. Clumsy oafs : OXes

55. Lincoln's coin : CENT. I like his bill better.

56. Big name in skin care : OLAY

57. Get to one's feet : RISE

61. Winter illness : FLU

 

Argyle

Sunday, Nov 8, 2015 Jim Holland

Theme: "Short Changes" - Short E sound is changed into a short A sound, changing spelling when needed. (Added later: Not as tight as I pictured. SHORT E sound is changed into three different sounds. Thanks, everyone!)

23A. Trio in a leather factory? : THE THREE TANNERS. Three Three Tenors.

37A. Riffraff lacking direction? : RABBLE WITHOUT A CAUSE. Rebel Without a Cause.

50A. Place to raise simians? : MONKEY RANCH. Monkey wrench.

70A. "Leave tiny bugs alone!"? : DON'T SWAT THE SMALL STUFF. Don't sweat the small stuff.  SWEAT (64D. Word before pants, shirts or socks) should not have appeared in this puzzle.

92A. Encouragement for a sailing maneuver? : TACK SUPPORT. Tech support.

103A. Swap headgear with the priest? : PUT A FATHER IN YOUR CAP. Put a feather in your cap. The theme answer is a bit stretched for me.  I also pronounce "Father" differently. Not short A.

125A. Moderate building expansion? : LIMITED ADDITION. Limited edition. My "Addition" has a schwa starts.

Sound change theme is always hard for me to grasp. I mentioned on the blog before that the short A and short E are my biggest problem as a foreigner. I call tell the differences when others say BAD and BED, but when I open my mouth, they're the same.

Sigh. But I solved this puzzle without a glitch. I just don't get the RACE clue "130. Election lead-in".  Senate race, presidential race. How can it be "lead-in?"

Across:

  

1. Perennial '90s-'00s presidential candidate : NADER. Thought of PEROT first.

6. Artist van __ : GOGH. These two are mine.

10. Pear type : BOSC

14. Fairylike : ELFIN

19. How two hearts may beat : AS ONE

20. Fencing tool : EPEE

21. Choral part : ALTO

22. Transitional point : VERGE

26. Start of a historic B-29 name : ENOLA

27. Car user, perhaps : LESSEE

28. Techie on "24" : CHLOE. Got via crosses.

29. "You said it!" : AMEN

31. Witticism : MOT

32. Pub. VIPs : EDs. Publication/Editors. I thought of Public first.

34. Tout's territory, initially : OTB

35. Mixes : STIRS. Slight dupe with 126. Cookbook direction : MIX. Software can't catch this kind of dupe. Constructors & editors do try their best to avoid this.

36. Farm sound : MOO

44. Take advantage of, in a way : IMPOSE ON

45. Org. with an online Patriot Index : DAR. New trivia to me.

46. Deli pockets : PITAs. Have you tried Sabich, Steve/Lemonade?

49. Nitwit : BOOB

56. Aria, for one : SOLO

57. Religious faction : SECT

59. Coll. prep test : PSAT

60. Song of praise : PAEAN

62. " ... o'er the dew of __ high eastward hill": Shak. : YON

63. Common batteries : AAs. I finally have a new Timex. My old one has been slowly losing time the past few months, even with the new battery.

65. SEC overseer : NCAA. Not NYSE.

68. Bend at a barre : PLIE

69. Game-winning combination : OOO

77. "Gotcha!" : OHO

78. '90s Saturn maker : SEGA. Got via crosses also.

79. Put-ons : ACTS

80. Biblical verb ending : ETH

81. Slight amount : DAB. Like your eye cream. A little bit will do.

82. Counts' equals : EARLS

84. Former "formerly" : ERST

87. Appear to be : SEEM

 

90. Silver sources : ORES. With O??S, then "Silver", I wanted OATS. Read the full clue, dummy!

96. Fires : AXES

98. Gobs : SALTS

100. Expressions of pleasure : AHS

101. Most sylvan : WOODIEST

109. Loan letters : APR. Annual Percentage Rate. I wanted SBA, which came shortly at 113. Entrepreneur-helping gp.

111. Colorful marble : AGATE

112. Controversial war zone, briefly : NAM. China fought against Vietnam in late 1970s also.

114. DI doubled : MII

115. Succumb to flattery : MELT

116. Word in many music genres : METAL

118. More than concerns : ALARMS

123. Open, in a way : UNZIP. I wanted UNRIP.

128. Engraved pillar : STELE. Have not seen this word or STELA for a long time.

129. Joyce's home : ERIN

  

131. Coal __ : STOVE. Not MINER.

132. Made less harsh : EASED

 

133. Deli call : NEXT

134. Barrie's bosun : SMEE. Also 122. Bygone blade : SNEE

135. Homebound student, perhaps : TUTEE

Down:

 

1. N.L. part: Abbr. : NATL

2. Court icon Arthur : ASHE

3. Bucks' partners : DOES

4. "The Lord of the Rings" race : ENTS

5. Cobbles, in a way : RE-HEELS

6. Whiz start : GEE

7. Cartel acronym : OPEC

8. Really start selling : GET HOT

9. __ insurance : HEALTH. Wish everyone is entitled to the same type of quality medical care, regardless of their income or past history.

10. Undoing : BANE

11. Corrida cheer : OLE

12. Layers : STRATA

 

13. Kind of ray or dust : COSMIC

14. Ties, as a score : EVENS UP

15. Author Deighton : LEN

16. Beatles' title lyric that follows "With love" : FROM ME TO YOU. Again, the answer filled itself.

17. Northern abode : IGLOO

18. "Cool!" : NEATO

24. Exchange for cash : REDEEM

25. Nary a soul : NOBODY

30. Big band, for one : ERA

33. Descend suddenly : SWOOP

35. One may be over your shoulder : STRAP. Nice clue.

37. Kid : RIB

38. Wally of cookie fame : AMOS

39. Org. with antlers on its logo : BPOE

40. Maneuverable tractor brand : BOBCAT

41. Lodging locales : INNS

42. Syr. and Eg., once : UAR. United Arab Republic.

43. Family nickname : SIS

47. Above it all : ALOOF

48. Ibn, in Arabic names : SON OF

51. "Critique of Pure Reason" author : KANT

 

52. Sketch opening : ETCH-A

53. California tourist area near Santa Rosa : NAPA. Do you like Napa cabbage?

54. Block component : CELL

55. Ethiopia's Selassie : HAILE

58. Calais cup : TASSE

61. Fits one inside the other : NESTS

 

66. Former nuclear agcy. : AEC. Nailed it.

67. __ in the right direction : A STEP

70. Extinct birds : DODOS

71. Catherine of "Best in Show" : O'HARA

72. Awards since 1901 : NOBEL PRIZES. Wish Angela Merkel won this year's Nobel Peace.

73. Indian shrine site : AGRA

74. Powder source : TALC

75. New car letters : MSRP

76. Up in __: uncertain : THE AIR

83. Glide along : SKATE

85. Planted : SOWN

86. NFL analyst Aikman et al. : TROYS. I have his rookie card. OK condition. Probably worth two dollars.

88. Corp. VIP : EXEC

89. Colorado's __Verde National Park : MESA

91. Actor Erwin : STU

93. Sound of silence? : SHH

94. Web discussion venue : USENET

95. "Sorry that didn't work out" : TOO BAD

97. Auto performance brand : STP

99. Ended for good, with "out" : STAMPED

102. Believer in a pair of opposed eternal principles : DUALIST. Learning moment to me. Yin and Yang stuff?

104. Mature : AGE

105. Cast out of heaven : FALLEN

106. Getup : ATTIRE

107. Some critics : RATERS

108. Introduction to a madam? : I'M ADAM. Nailed it also.

109. Entertain : AMUSE. Was confused by Splynter's On/Wa/Rd link yesterday until I finished reading his write-up.

110. 1492 vessel : PINTA

116. Hotel pillow topper : MINT. I rarely travel now. Do they still have mints in hotel pillows?

117. Make more potent, in a way : LACE

119. Westernmost Aleutian island : ATTU. No ATKA today.

120. Million laughs : RIOT. Got via crosses.

121. Game play : MOVE

124. __-de-France : ILE

127. Sandra who played Gidget : DEE

 C.C.