Thursday, July 7th 2016 Jeffrey Wechsler

Theme: Snarled up - as the downward-facing reveal explains:

38D. Needing to be bailed out ... or where 20-, 27-, 45- and 51-Across may be found : IN A JAM

The theme entries:

20A. Office supply : PRINTER PAPER. Paper jam. If this happens to my home printer I pretty much have to take the whole thing apart to fix it.

27A. Jaguar, for one : AUTOMOBILE. Traffic jam. A mostly permanent state of affairs for the 101 and 405 freeways in my bailiwick. I try to time my arrivals back at LAX to miss the worst of the parking lot effect.

45A. Malt option : STRAWBERRY. Fruit jam. Jan Hogrewe of Jan's Jam close by in Calabasas makes the best jams and preserves I've ever tasted.

51A. Certain trio member : JAZZ MUSICIAN. Jam session. And a great excuse to link the great Chet Atkins and "Jam Man", brought to a broader audience by a certain insurance company commercial.

Now then, not beating around the bush with this one - I thought the theme entries came across as very uneven. You have a paper in a paper jam, that's fair. but you don't have an automobile jam; you have a traffic jam, and the musical jam session is another step removed from the flow of the theme.

That said, still an entertaining puzzle. I circled right around before coming back to the north west corner to finish. Those three little downs at 1, 2 and 3 make for a tricky trifecta.

 Moving right along, unlike the 405 traffic:

Across:

1. Corner piece : ROOK. Chess. V8 moment after a looooong time. Here's a V8 checkmate:

1. f3 e5

2. g4?? Qh4#

3. Doh!

5. Singer James : ETTA

9. One of more than 21 million Indians : SIKH

13. British nobleman : EARL

14. Composer Janácek : LEOS. Thank you, crosses. Czech composer.

15. Perfect : IDEAL

17. Shot that can't be blocked : FREE THROW. I threw myself for a loop here by happily filling in FOUL THROW.

19. Complaint : PEEVE

22. Elbows, e.g. : PASTA. Food!  A study (of more than 26,000 Italians) widely reported over the last couple of days concluded that those who ate pasta as part of their diet had a lower body mass index. Be warned however - you don't find "unlimited pasta bowl and breadsticks" restaurants in Italy. I use Lidia Bastianich's recipe for marinara sauce. Simple and delicious. Try to get genuine San Marzano tomatoes - the difference in flavor is very apparent.

25. Cause to roll in the aisles : SLAY. Slayed 'em! Knocked 'em dead!

26. Electrolysis particle : ION

30. Queen who succeeded William III : ANNE. Early 1700's baroque architecture in the UK is known as the "Queen Anne style".

31. Ring result : TKO. A Technical Knock-Out in Boxing when the ref stops the fight.

32. Support for many a 29-Down : WIRE. Not an underwire?

33. More degrading : BASER

34. Gucci competitor : PRADA

36. Parade sight : FLOAT

38. "My thoughts are ... " : I'D SAY

40. Economist Smith : ADAM. Author of "The Wealth of Nations". I studied Economics at school and found the whole thing fascinating. You graduated with a BA in Economics, rather than a BSc which I found amusing. It's not an exact science - too many moving parts.

41. Special __ : OPS

44. "The Daily Show" host Trevor __ : NOAH. Thank you, crosses. I haven't watched the show since Jon Stewart left.

48. Queen's subject : ANT. Not Queen Anne.

49. "__ a man who wasn't there" : I MET

"Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn't there.
He wasn't there again today,
I wish, I wish he'd go away..."

From Antigonish by William Hughes Mearns

50. Pug or Peke : BREED

55. Really enjoyed : ATE UP. Food! I made a paella mixta last night which I "ate up". When I see good-looking mussels, shrimp and chicken thighs at my local market, it's time to bust out the rice and saffron and go for broke. It's a sobering thought that a good-looking mussel is a girl with a beard. I also need food photography lessons. Any offers? Food! for instruction.

56. Hard times : LEAN YEARS

60. Haggard of country : MERLE

61. Sets a price of : ASKS. I started pondering whether I'd say "sets the price of" or "sets a price for" before I realized life is too short to waste on such ponderings.

62. Not in the pink : SICK

63. R&B-influenced genre : SOUL

64. Editor's mark : STET.

65. Catering aid : TRAY. "Death Star Canteen", Eddie Izzard, Lego animation. YouTube. Rated R for language.

Down:

1. NBA employee : REF

2. Homonym of 3-Down : OAR

3. Homonym of 2-Down : ORE

4. Habitual booster? : KLEPTO. I guess it's not an abbreviation any more. More properly "kleptomaniac". Fun clue.

5. Pre-coll. : EL-HI

6. Gull relative : TERN

7. Film for which Jessica Lange won her first Oscar : TOOTSIE. Best Supporting Actress for this 1982 movie. Later Best Actress for Blue Sky in 1994.

8. Plus : AS WELL

9. __ cup : SIPPY

10. Inventor's need : IDEA

11. Stock : KEEP IN STORE

12. "Try this" : HAVE ONE

16. "My Fair Lady" lyricist : LERNER

18. People mover : TRAMWAY. There's one in Hartsfield International Airport that amuses me - see 52D below.

21. "Norma __" : RAE. Because "JEAN" doesn't fit.

22. Square on a muffin : PAT. What? Oh! Pat of butter. Or Oleo, if you must.,

23. Relative of a puffin : AUK

24. What many a countdown clock does : STOPS AT ZERO. Or at "007" in James Bond movies. I seem to remember continuity problems in "Goldfinger" when each time the camera cut to the nuclear bomb countdown timer it had moved much more slowly than the time elapsing around it. Probably some physics time-warp weirdness.

28. Suffix denoting resemblance : -OID. Ovoid, spheroid, avoid. No, wait, not that last one.

29. Support garb : BRA

30. Gp. for drivers : AAA

33. Military aircraft hold : BOMB BAY

35. Bit of a cheer : RAH!

36. Org. regulating vaccines : FDA Federal Drug Administration.

37. __ school : LAW

39. Supports a cause : DONATES

40. Most dilettantish : ARTIEST

42. Opposite of post- : PRE- This is one of those clues when you wonder why the grid didn't just come "pre-filled".

43. Qantas hub, in itineraries : SYD. Why no "U" in Qantas? Because it's an acronym of "Queensland And Northern Territories Aerial Services".

45. Site of the George W. Bush presidential library : SMU. Southern Methodist. I hesitate between this and TCU when this clue crops up.

46. Eco-friendly wheels : TESLAS. Not the best news week for Telsa and Elon Musk.

47. Antarctic explorer Shackleton : ERNEST. I just finished reading "Endurance" by Alfred Lansing which tells the amazing story of the Trans-Antarctic expedition which took place 100 years ago. Gripping stuff.

49. Force : IMPEL

52. Pilot's alphabet ender : ZULU. Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo .... At Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport, the concourses are named A thru F. When you're on the people-mover, the stops  are announced "A - Alpha", "B - Bravo", "C - Charlie" ... then "D - David" so as not to confuse the passengers flying on Delta Airlines, whose flights mostly depart from the A and B concourses.

53. Wedding tradition : CAKE

54. MIT center?: Abbr. : INST. Mass. Inst. Tech. as it is never known.

57. __ bubble : AIR

58. Record label for P!nk : RCA Note the stylized "!" in her name.

59. Something to look up to : SKY

And .. here's the grid. With that, my work here is done.


Steve

Wednesday, July 6, 2016 Vasu Saralathan

Theme: OVEREXPOSURE.  The first word of a two-word phrase is synonymous with the unifier, in each case indicating a person's state of total undress.

18 A. Hairless rodent used in lab experiments : NUDE MOUSE.  This poor critter has a genetic mutation resulting in an ineffective immune system.  This makes it an ideal subject for studying the effects of grafted tumors and other tissues, since it has no power to reject them.  It also has no body hair, which is quite remarkable for a rodent - hence it's name.  To me, the word NUDE, in its human context, connotes a kind of innocence that its synonyms lack.

37 A. Basic needs : BARE NECESSITIES.  This phrase implies a condition of having just enough to get by, eking out a sparse existence with nothing to spare.  It's also the name of a retail outlet selling several brands of clothing, lingerie and swim wear, but most famously, this song.

The word BARE feels neutral to me, not implying much of anything about the circumstances nor attitude of the unclothed person.

51 A. Unaided vision : NAKED EYE.  A mode of observing things without the kind of technical assistance that can be provided by lenses, magnifiers, light filters or other devices.  A NAKED person is likely to either have an agenda, or be thrust into an uncomfortable situation by someone who does.  These are my subjective responses.  YMMV, of course. 

Then, the unifier -- 56 A. In a pure and unembellished state, and a hint to the beginnings of 18-, 20-, 37- and 51- Across : AU NATUREL.  As defined in the clue, but also indicating a person in the buff.  Somehow, the phrase makes me think of Brigitte Bardot.   Maybe it's the French connection.

The natural "au naturel," naturally

Hi gang, JazzBumpa here, trying to make sure we all have a decent time. Let's see what we can cover - or, perhaps, uncover.

Down

1. Stock or bond : ASSET.  Financial ASSETS.

6. Hendrix dos : AFROS.   Hair.

Southpaw

11. Gullible one : SAP.  Somebody easily taken advantage of.  

14. Prophet swallowed by a big fish : JONAH.  Biblical story.

15. Party treat : GOODY.  Candy or other sweets.

16. Show on TV : AIR.  Here, show and AIR are both verbs.

17. Just eat up : ADORE.  I suppose, but am not fond of the clue.

20. Muscleman's display : RAW POWER.  Or oiled flesh.   I'm trying to maintain parity, but am having some difficulty with the photo attachments.  You can find examples here, ladies.

22. In the worst way : BADLY.  Positive form equivalent to superlative?  I don't think so.

23. "I don't have all day!" : NOW.  Stat! ASAP!

24. Online trackers : COOKIES.   A server message message stored as a text file by a browser, and sent back to the server at each browser visit.

26. "The Descent of Man" author : DARWIN.  Charles, [1809-1882] an English naturalist, geologist and pioneer in the field of evolution.

30. Chicken or turkey : FOWL.  And after 7 days in the fridge, foul.

31. Panhandle state : IDAHO.  Along with Oklahoma and Florida.  Did I miss any?

32. Hassan Rouhani's country : IRAN.   [b 1948] Lawmaker, academic, diplomat and, since 2013, the 7th president.

33. Maker of HEMNES furniture : IKEA.  Swedish provider of ready-to-assemble furniture, tasty meat balls and lingonberry jam.  They also serve a pretty darn good cheap breakfast.

40. Fish-eating duck : SMEW.   Males are mostly white with some black accents; females are red heads.

41. NERF missile : DART. Could also have been a BALL.

42. Concert sites : HALLS.   I went with ARENAS first, on a bad count.  

43. Unoccupied : IDLE. As a rest room stall.

44. Site of the first "Occupy" protest: Abbr. : WALL ST.   That den of iniquity.

45. Moral : ETHICAL.  Conforming to accepted standards of conduct.

49. Trending : HOT.   Like the latest whatever.

50. Oldest actor to play Bond : MOORE.  Roger. [b. 1927] 

59. "The Easter Parade" author Richard : YATES. [1926-1992] American novelist who achieved critical acclaim, but little commercial success.  In 2008 the movie version of his novel Revolutionary Road earned an Academy Award nomination for Kate Winslet.

60. Fury : IRE.  Anger.

61. Rub off : ERASE. As chalk.

62. Ready to draw : ON TAP. As ale.

63. "Dropped" drug : LSD.  Known as "acid" back in those hippy-dippy days of yore.

64. On pins and needles : ANTSY.  Or on edge, unsettled.

65. Scheme of high interest? : USURY.  Loans at extremely, sometimes illegally, high interest rates. Clever clue.

Down

1. Cracked open : AJAR.  As a door, but, strangely enough, not a jar.

2. Carbonated drink : SODA.  Or pop, in the midwest.   What about where you live?

3. Cause of a school closing : SNOW.  Bad winter weather.

4. Old West marshal : EARP.  Wyatt [1848-1929] of OK Corral fame. 

5. Satirical publication that claims to be "America's Finest News Source" : THE ONION.  It is a-peeling.

6. '60s-'70s veep : AGNEW.  [1918-1996]  No politics!

7. Calling birds count, in song : FOUR.  From the 12 Days of Christmas.

8. Curtain holder : ROD.  And he never gets tired.

9. Wordsworth work : ODE.

There was a time when meadow, grove, and stream,  

The earth, and every common sight,  

To me did seem  

Apparell'd in celestial light . . .

10. It's just one thing instead of another : SYMBOL.  Representation, often by a solid object for something abstract.

11. Medina native : SAUDI.  Site of a man-made disaster this week.

12. Basilica part : AISLE.  Or theater, or arena.

13. Victimizes, with "on" : PREYS.  As one with an ETHICAL deficiency might do to a SAP.

19. Winery wood : OAK.  Used in making aging barrels.

21. Came out on top : WON.  Emerged victorious.

24. Proceed effortlessly : COAST.  Move without using power, as down hill or via momentum.

25. Completely dominates : OWNS.  Or pwns, as in computer games

26. "Mine!" : DIBS.  I called it!

27. Father of Seth : ADAM.  Genesis family.  No religion!

28. Steak order : RARE.  True - I RARELY order steak.

29. "I was nervous there!" : WHEW.  Sigh of relief.

30. "__ Jacques" : FRERE.   Sleepy brother John, in a song.

32. Poker declaration : I CALL.  Indicates matching a bet or raise.

33. Romance lang. : ITALian.

34. While away, as time : KILL.  No mater how much I kill time, it still marches on.

35. Slithery fish : EELS.   Long, slender fish that are members of the order Anguilliformes, and a few other similarly shaped, but unrelated, fish.

36. Deputy: Abbr. : ASST.  Assistant.

38. Historic Icelandic work : EDDA.  Either of two works, known as the Prose EDDA and the Poetic EDDA, set down in the 13th century, containing material going back several hundred more years. They are the main sources of Norse mythology.

39. Cry from a newly grounded teen : I HATE YOU.   The drama unfolds.

43. Lipton offering : ICE TEA.   Will this bring back the ICE vs ICED controversy?

Iced

Ice

44. Stir-fry pan : WOK.  A round bottomed cooking vessel of Chinese origin.

45. Yahoo! service : E-MAIL.  One of many providers

46. Overseas stints : TOURS.  Deployments.

47. Sharpened : HONED. As on a whetstone.

48. 401(k) kin : IRA.  Individual Retirement Account.

49. Claire and Phil's eldest daughter on "Modern Family" : HALEY.  

Played by Sarah Hyland

51. Untouchables leader : NESS.  Eliot, [1903 - 1957] Prohibition agent, during that dark period of American history.

52. Marino and Patrick : DANS.  Former NFL QB Marino [b 1961,] Sportscaster Patrick [b 1956,] long with my oldest grandson [b 1996.]

53. Rebuke from Caesar : ET TU.  "You too, Brutus?!?", to his erstwhile friend and assassination co-conspirator.

54. Class ring datum : YEAR. As of graduation.

55. Best Female Athlete, e.g. : ESPY.  Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award, presented by ABC TV, and formerly by ESPN.   This year's candidates are Breanna Stewart [UConn Basetball,] Elena Delle Donne [Chicago Sky Pro Basketball,] Katey Ledecky [Swimming,] and Simone Biles [Gymnastics.]

57. Java server : URN.  Big pot.

58. Source of a metaphorical smell : RAT.  Indicating that something is not right.

Well, that's it.  Hope you got through without losing your shirt or getting caught with your pants down.  I made it - barely.

Looks as if this might be Vasu's first LAT puzzle.  So - welcome and congrats on your maiden voyage!  This is a fine puzzle and we hope to see more of you [in a manner of speaking.]

Cool regards!
JzB

Tuesday, July 5, 2016 Janice Luttrell

Thene: No Reveal Tuesday - Duties of a prep cook.

10D. Fail to advance to a subsequent round : MISS THE CUT

20A. Martial arts wood-breaking move : KARATE CHOP

29D. Six-faced puzzle : RUBIK'S CUBE

53A. Shady advantage for a craps shooter : LOADED DICE

"Chop" refers to cutting foods into pieces that are not necessarily even, but all about 1/2" in diameter. "Cube" means to cut food into pieces that are even, like a square. "Dice" means to cut food into even, small squares about 1/4" in diameter.

Argyle here with my Ginsu at the ready. I felt this pinwheel was an apt Tuesday.

Across:

1. Like a three-dollar bill : BOGUS. The un-pc word fit also.

6. Schedule opening : SLOT

10. "Welcome" sites : MATS

14. Take over forcibly : USURP

15. Surrounding radiance : AURA

16. One with star power : IDOL

17. __ apso: dog : LHASA

18. Touchpad toucher : USER

19. California's __ Valley : SIMI

22. Plant generator : SEED. How does your garden grow?

23. All-purpose vehicle, for short : UTE

24. Like some angles : OBTUSE. Do NOT call Warden Norton this word~!

26. Marble rye pattern : SWIRLS

30. Rental period : MONTH

32. __ New Guinea : PAPUA. Some difference from Simi Valley.

 

33. Employment agency listing : JOB

34. Barbecue brand : WEBER. So barbecue can mean the grill but if you were wondering....

38. Gulf States native : ARAB. NOT the Gulf of Mexico states.

39. "Wheel of Fortune" purchase : AN I

40. Deep sleep : COMA

41. Newspapers and such : MEDIA

43. "I agree" : "YES"

44. Language of ancient Carthage : PUNIC. Wikipedia

45. Word before Kat or Glue : KRAZY. The Kat came way before the glue.

47. Place to chow down : EATERY

48. Rumormonger's output : GOSSIP

51. Grain bristle : AWN. Wild rye.

52. Price-per-barrel org. : OPEC. (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries)

60. Prego rival : RAGU

61. Gumbo pod : OKRA

62. Burger and fries, e.g. : ORDER

63. Get a good grip on : GRAB

64. Hurt seriously : MAIM

65. King or tsar : RULER

66. To be, in Versailles : ÊTRE

67. Tournament passes : BYEs

68. Bottomless chasm : ABYSS

Down:

1. Cheapest way to buy, with "in" : BULK

2. Workplace watchdog: Abbr. : OSHA. (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)

3. __ gum: thickening agent : GUAR

4. Bear in two constellations : URSA

5. Kitchen flipper : SPATULA

6. Pasta cook's potful : SAUCE

7. Rife with vegetation : LUSH

8. Three-ply cookie : OREO

9. Silvery game fish : TARPON

11. "Farewell, chérie" : "ADIEU"

12. Dictionaries, encyclopedias, and the like : TOMEs

13. Playground feature : SLIDE

21. X-files subjects, briefly : ETs

25. FYI relative : BTW. "for your information"/"By the way"

26. E-junk : SPAM

27. Hard finish? : WARE

28. Tablet with a Smart Keyboard attachment : iPAD

30. Monopoly game need : MONEY

31. Japanese decorative belts : OBIs

33. Hip-hopper who married Beyoncé : JAY Z. Shawn Corey Carter.

35. Dog biscuit shape : BONE

36. Gulf States leader : EMIR

37. Risqué : RACY

42. Jackie O's second : ARI

44. Box opener of myth : PANDORA

46. Poise : APLOMB

47. Woolly female : EWE

48. Narrow canyon : GORGE

49. Eye-fooling pantings : OP-ART

50. Popeye's creator : SEGAR

51. First one-term president : ADAMS. John.

54. Thumbs-up : OKAY

55. R&B vocalist India.__ : ARIE

56. Beat but good : DRUB

57. Without much thought : IDLY

58. So-so grades : CEEs

59. Transposes digits, say : ERRs

Argyle

Monday, July 4, 2016 Bruce Venzke & Gail Grabowski

Theme: No Reveal Monday - No need; straight rhymes. Totally different spellings.

17A. Pre-exam review session : REFRESHER COURSE

27A. Multinational military alliance : COALITION FORCE

49A. Reporter's trustworthy contact : RELIABLE SOURCE

63A. Coin-operated kiddie ride : MECHANICAL HORSE

Argyle here. No tribute puzzle here, nothing to slow you up so you can get out there to watch the parades.

Across:

1. Son of God, in a Bach cantata : JESU

5. Sacred wading bird of ancient Egypt : IBIS

9. English class topic : USAGE

14. Novelist Hunter : EVAN. One of his names. IMBd

15. Outstanding credit : DEBT

16. __ Valley, Calif.: 1960 Winter Olympics site : SQUAW

20. Prepare to propose : KNEEL

21. Figure skating leap : AXEL

22. Satisfied sounds : AAHs

23. Tel __, Israel : AVIV

25. Use an acetylene torch on : WELD

33. PIN requester : ATM

34. In a bit : SOON

35. Words before "Happy New Year!" : ... TWO, ONE ...

37. Explore eBay : SHOP

39. Vintage roadster : REO

41. Pop singer Diamond : NEIL

42. Medal of Honor recipients : HEROES

45. State firmly : AVER

48. Delta rival: Abbr. : UAL. United Airlines

52. "What have I gotten myself __?" : INTO

53. Bring in from the fields : REAP

54. Cries from successful solvers : A-HAs

57. Flu symptom : AGUE

59. Sounds of thunder : CLAPS. I hope it doesn't rain on your parade.

66. Spin docs : PR MEN

67. "If all __ fails ... " : ELSE

68. Out of the wind : ALEE

69. Shabby : SEEDY

70. Puts into words : SAYS

71. Where boats tie up : DOCK

Down:

1. Soda __: fountain worker : JERK. The term Soda Jerk came from the action the fountain attendant made when pulling the soda draft arm. This jerking motion coined the phrase “Soda Jerk.” The origin and date of the phrase are unknown.

2. Tied, as a score : EVEN

3. Out of danger : SAFE

4. Hard to believe : UNREAL

5. Checkpoint requirements: Abbr. : IDs

6. Conduct, in report card comments : BEHAVIOR

7. Curly-horned goat : IBEX

8. Sprinkled widely : STREWN

9. GI show gp. : USO. (United Service Organizations)

10. Detachment of fighter jets : SQUADRON

11. Subtle glow : AURA

12. Nasty cut : GASH

13. Fleecy farm females : EWEs

18. "Don't Be Cruel" singer : ELVIS

19. Chin indentation : CLEFT

24. Simpson trial judge : ITO

26. Weather map "L" : LOW

27. Tens and twenties : CASH

28. "None of the above" choice : OTHER

29. Love, in Rome : AMORE

30. NBA great Shaquille : O'NEAL

31. __ d'Alene, Idaho : COEUR

32. Room-filling computer unveiled in 1946 : ENIAC. (Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer)

36. Magazine you can read forward and backward? : ELLE

38. Like shiny shoes : POLISHED

40. Flipped during frying, as eggs : OVEREASY

43. Austrian "a" : EIN

44. The devil : SATAN

46. Tampa-to-Palm Beach dir. : ESE

47. Pest control target : ROACH

50. Unidentified flying radar blips : BOGIES

51. Transfer, as computer data : UPLOAD

54. Bandstand boosters : AMPs

55. "Present!" : "HERE!"

56. Summit : ACME

58. Golden St. campus : UCLA

60. Folksy Guthrie : ARLO

61. Tiny time meas. : P-SEC. One trillionth of a second, picosecond.

62. Search for : SEEK

64. Vague quantity : ANY

65. "__ Misérables" : LES

Happy Fourth!

Argyle

Sunday, July 3, 2016 Mark McClain

Theme:  "First Cuts"- Saw can follow the first word in each theme answer.

27A. Something to deal with? : COPING STRATEGY. Coping saw. Another puzzle where the first themer starts in Row 4.

42A. Olympic sport since 1988 : TABLE TENNIS. Table saw.

67A. Music in a shell : BAND CONCERT. What's "in a shell"? Band saw. 

96A. Mouse feature : SCROLL WHEEL. Scroll saw. This is new to me. 

115A More than an idea : CONCRETE OBJECT. Concrete saw. New to me also.

14D. Domino effect : CHAIN REACTION. Chainsaw.

56D. Begging the question : CIRCULAR LOGIC. Circular saw.

Reveal:

119. A kind of one appears in this puzzle's seven longest answers : SAW

As I mentioned a few weeks ago that "we don't often see words that precede/follow theme type on Sundays. They're mainly the early week domain.Not easy to get a "Go ahead" from Rich with this type."

I'm not a tool person. When I googled those SAW images, DeWalt keeps showing up. They must be big.

Smooth sailing. The puzzle is solid made and the fill is quite clean. Reminds me of Gail's puzzles.

Across:      

1. "Voilà!" : THERE!

6. Midday refresher : NAP. I wanted TEA.

9. "Monday Night Football" airer : ESPN

13. Note-to-self paper : SCRAP. I have lots of cute notebooks.

18. Dealt with a squeak : OILED

19. Busy as __ : A BEE

21. West Point mascot : MULE

22. ORD, on luggage tags : O'HARE. ORD stands for Orchard Field.

23. Clobbered, old-style : SMOTE. We just had it last Sunday.

24. Wine bottle info : YEAR. And 75. Red options, briefly : CABS. Cabernet.

25. Sticking point? : CRAW. Nice clue.

26. Hard to spot : FAINT. Not VAGUE.

30. Fence crossings : STILES

 

31. "We agree completely!" : AMEN!

32. Brewer's kiln : OAST

33. Pay attention to : HEED

34. Lady lobster : HEN

35. Like granola bars : OATY. Have any of you tried overnight oats? Mine has toasted coconut flakes mixed in, and various berries. So good.

37. Rene of "Nightcrawler" : RUSSO

38. Beyond belief : UNREAL

47. Sickly : WAN. Not ILL.

49. View from Catania : ETNA. Got via crosses.

50. It beat out Madrid as host city for the 2016 Olympics : RIO. Golf is back to the Olympics after many years of absence. Alas, lots of golfers skip it due to Zika. We also have 53. Dream Team org. : USOC

51. Unisex wrap : SARONG

52. Back : FUND

54. Sonoran flora : CACTI

55. Brand that evolved from Standard Oil of Indiana : AMOCO

57. Needles : TEASES

59. Bummed : MOOCHED. Not DEPRESSED.

61. Salon indulgence : MANI-PEDI. Don't think I can paint my big toe like this. Pro work. 

64. Old hand : PRO

65. Tracy Marrow's stage name : ICE-T

66. Road or gang ending : STER

71. Carnival stop : ISLE. Carnival Cruise Line.

77. Organ with a drum : EAR

78. Thought-out : REASONED

80. Misery : ANGUISH

83. Coca-Cola brand : FRESCA. Not in our house. We're loyal to Pepsi.

86. Gale's 40, on the Beaufort scale : KNOTS. Tiny clue/answer dupe with  3D. Tie the knot on the fly : ELOPE.

87. Sam of "Jurassic Park" films : NEILL

88. Breyers shelfmate : EDY'S

90. Not effective : FUTILE

93. MLB line score letters : R H E (Runs, Hits, Errors)

94. Forum attire : TOGA

95. Air pressure meas. : PSI

98. Rudely sarcastic : SNARKY. Tricky for me to catch sarcasm at times. 

100. Some entryways : RAMPS

103. Operate with a beam : LASE

104. Rapper __ Wayne : LIL

105. Falco of "The Sopranos" : EDIE

106. Certain language unit : SIGN. This refer to sign language, correct?

108. Montand of cinema : YVES

112. Make a decision : CHOOSE

118. Ladder units : RUNGS

119. Houston player, to fans : STRO. And 123. 119-Across, since 2013 : ALer (American Leaguer). Glue entry.

120. Penzance pad : FLAT. Got via crosses.

121. Site of Theban ruins : LUXOR. Also a casino in Vegas. Also an ex-Cornerite who liked to attack others. He might be lurking.

122. Paraplegic "Glee" teen : ARTIE.  I think we had this clue a while ago.

124. Dog seller : DELI. Hot dog!

125. Artist with the album "25" : ADELE

126. Voting groups : BLOCS

127. "The Swiss Family Robinson" author : WYSS. I learned this while making a puzzle with Don G.

128. Barfly : SOT

129. "... your laments, / Wherewith you now __ King Henry's hearse": Shak. : BEDEW. This might be Rich's clue.

Down:

1. Puccini heroine : TOSCA

2. Sideline greeting : HI MOM

4. Vitamin A form : RETINOL. Ingredient in eye creams.

5. Steinbeck title place : EDEN. East of Eden.

6. Skeptic : NAYSAYER

7. Provides a false alibi for : ABETS

8. Rush drummer Neil : PEART. Splynter might have linked this picture before.

9. Handles the intros : EMCEES

10. Swells : SURGES

11. Trivialize : PLAY DOWN

12. Dvorák's "__ World Symphony" : NEW

13. Ease : SOFTEN

15. Training guide? : RAIL. Clever clue or a bit far-fetched?

16. "Rule Britannia" composer : ARNE

17. Strokes : PETS

20. Big time : ERA

28. "Ya __ believe!": 1973 Mets catchphrase : GOTTA

29. Like so : THUS

30. Avoid : SHUN

36. "Zeus and the Tortoise" storyteller : AESOP

37. Baltic port : RIGA

39. Permanently mark : ETCH

40. It will get you a hand : ANTE

41. Let go, with "off" : LAID

42. Mine vehicles : TRAMS

43. Point toward : AIM AT

44. Wilderness Road pioneer : BOONE (Daniel). Solving crosswords is how I learn American history.

45. Away : NOT IN

46. Nashville-to-Louisville dir. : NNE

48. Look up to : ADMIRE

52. Maidenhair, e.g. : FERN. I don't know it has a specific name: Maidenhair. Also 58. 52-Down cell : SPORE

54. Cedar Rapids college : COE

60. Numerical prefix : OCTA. Eight.

62. Drops back : EBBS

63. Short races : DASHES

68. Stand up to : DEFY

69. Diner and sleeper : CARS

70. Rhyme writer's Muse : ERATO. She loves our Owen!

72. Sleep soundly? : SNORE. Another great clue.

73. River in Hades : LETHE

74. Ranger of the '50s : EDSEL. I had to ask Boomer for explanation.

76. Suffer : AIL

79. Distorts : SKEWS

80. Hill builders : ANTS

81. Its atomic number is 10 : NEON. Is this a gimme for you? We had a terrifying chemistry teacher and I was scared to attend her class.

82. Prefix with byte : GIGA

84. Army E-7s : SFCs. OK, Sergeant First Class.

85. Despicable character : CUR

89. Forthwith : DIRECTLY.  Do you use "forthwith" in your daily conversation? I just use "straightforward with".

91. Response to a doorbell : I'LL GET IT. Nice fill.

92. West Texas grassy plain : LLANO

95. Pulitzer-winning WWII journalist : PYLE (Ernie)

96. An article may be written on it : SPEC. On spec. Same with crossword puzzles.

97. 1968 #1 hit with a four-minute coda : HEY JUDE

99. Chocolate bites : KISSES. And 101. Loves a bunch : ADORES. Sweet.

102. Many nonvoters : MINORS

106. Nine-time Grand Slam singles champ : SELES

107. Author Calvino : ITALO

109. Nettled : VEXED

110. French school : ECOLE

111. Spread : STREW

112. Chesapeake delicacy : CRAB. If you had a choice, would you rather live near the beach or by the mountain?

113. Attack with, as insults : HURL

114. Not bamboozled by : ONTO

116. Outlying mail rte. : RFD

117. Prove untrustworthy, in a way : BLAB

C.C.

Saturday, Jul 2nd, 2016, Gail Grabowski

Theme: GG

Words: 70 (missing G,J,Q,V,W,Z)

Blocks: 28

 This was a truly enjoyable solve - I was talking to the same customer at each of the restaurants twice this week, as he was attempting to do a crossword in the newspaper.  I mentioned that I blogged the Saturday puzzle for the LA Times; he claimed that he drew the line at Thursday, finding every paper's puzzle to be too difficult on Friday and Saturday.  Today's construction had what felt like a lot of vague cluing, but in the end, with just a few tweaks I got the ta-DA~!   No Google, no red-letter, no cheating; I might have done better for knowing some answers straight up, but in the end, no sponges in this fun~!  Triple 9's all around;

6a. Where many leading males may be seen? : BALLROOMS - my one big gaffe was putting in "ACRES" for "BALES"; which led me to look for ACTOR - something here

54a. Russian Orthodox church feature : ONION DOME - how to build one, here

 

1d. Courses around courses : CART PATHS - misread this on the first pass as "courses AND courses"

31d. Bag lady? : KATE SPADE - I knew where this "?" clue was going, but the only expensive bags I could think of were Prada and Gucci

GonGward~!

(How did GG NOT have any G's in the puzzle~?)

ACROSS:

1. Prepares to strike, in a way : COILS - I have mentioned this before; once had a Ball Python that ate live mice - and it would stealthily coil up before striking; fascinating example of nature

15. Nocturnal problem, usually : APNEA

16. Source of some sauce : APPLE TREE - oh applesauce~! ACRES did me in here, too

17. Lets : RENTS

18. Help : LEND A HAND

19. Chic modifier : TRÉS

20. Advertisers say it sells : SEX - love those classic Hanes ads

21. Mother of Huey, Dewey and Louie : DELLA - all perps and one WAG

22. Service providers : PARSONS - Sunday service, that is

24. Hall of Fame NHL coach Roger : NEILSON - I knew this one, as he was once a NY Rangers coach - just didn't know the correct spelling at the start

26. Small power source : AA CELL

27. Paragon : MODEL - sometimes words I read in books make sense in the context, but stand-alone in a crossword, and I'm stumped; this is one of those words.  I went with MORAL first

28. Took a shot at : TRIED

29. Sticks : BOONDOCKS - ah, to be out in the sticks, which you could say of my present living situation, and I happen to like it - great water view

33. Google goal : HIT

34. "Semper Fidelis" composer : SOUSA - total WAG on my first pass, but it fit

35. "I like that!" : "AAH~!"

36. Encouragement before a shot : "SAY CHEESE~!"

39. Millions can play it at once : LOTTO

41. Frequent Greenstreet co-star : LORRE - Sydney Greenstreet, before my time; it's good to read that he got his start in films at age 62

42. Olympics competitor since 1896 : FENCER - France fit, too; 1896 was the year of the first "modern" Olympic games

43. To the extent that : AS FAR AS

46. Quaint inn room upright : BEDPOST - I went with SPINNET, but was pretty sure I had too many "N"s

47. Adjust one's sights : RE-AIM

48. Get even with : TIE

49. Pic Sans Nom, par exemple : ALPE - ah. "pic" here is Frawnche for "peak", and the translation is "nameless peak"; I considered "ANON", but since the whole clue was foreign....

50. Pet identification aid : MICROCHIP

53. Come up with __ : A PLAN

55. "Christie Johnstone" novelist : READE - again, all perps and one WAG

56. Got back to one's office? : RE-ELECTED

57. Threw wide, say : ERRED

DOWN:

2. Bellini's "Casta diva," for one : OPERA ARIA

3. Metropolitan area : INNER CITY

4. Muser's words : LET'S SEE

5. Nordic carrier : SAS

6. Agricultural units : BALES - dah~! Not ACRES, as I had ---ES to start

7. Culmination : APEX - ACRES led me to try CRUX here, which seemed to make sense

8. MD's employee : LPN

9. George Washington received an honorary one from Harvard U. : LL.D.

10. Prepared : READIED

11. Play that inspired an opera : OTHELLO - and the opera inspired the game~?

12. Grueling grillings : ORALS

13. __ Park, Calif. : MENLO - I spelled Neilson as Neilsen, so I couldn't make this correct answer fit

14. Impala, e.g. : SEDAN - Chevrolet model of a four-door car; still searching for my used silver Dodge Grand Caravan

20. Subj. of some "Bossypants" chapters : SNL - Tina Fey's biography, and Saturday Night Live - great fresh clue for a common crossword answer

23. Like some timers? : OLD

24. Ominous oater symbol : NOOSE

25. "Hairspray" mom : EDNA - I had IRMA to start, and it didn't sound right

27. Logitech product : MOUSE - Nailed it, but then again, my mouse IS  a Logitech

29. Transvaal settlers : BOERS

30. It may have a bell on it : CAT COLLAR

32. Cut : SHORTENED - made me think of editing a film

34. Shot contents : SERA

37. Maker of AgeDefy products : CLAIROL - again, I knew we were looking for some sort of "beauty" company, but it turns out to be hair color - I was close....

38. Insulin, for one : HORMONE - learning moment; most often when I hear insulin, I think 34D. and Diabetes

39. Preceded : LED

40. Theoretically : ON PAPER - I remember there being this 'clever' idea on a Pontiac Gran-Am of the 90s that used the inside of the glove compartment door as a cup holder - and it worked great until you started driving; looked good ON PAPER, I am sure....

42. Lawyer's charge : FEE

43. Defensive covering : ARMOR

44. It flows through Troyes and Melun : SEINE - a sensible Frawnche WAG

45. Prima __: self-evident : FACIE - I hear this all the time on "Law & Order"

46. Ostrich, for example : BIPED - Two feet, though not necessarily two LEFT feet

48. iPhone display : TIME - I had the "T", but hesitated; too easy~?

51. Agcy. concerned with drug-resistant bacteria : CDC

52. In : HOT

53. Equals : ARE - twelve items are/equals a dozen

Splynter