Monday, September 12, 2016 Brock Wilson

Theme: 2 by 6 - Six theme entries that start with the same two letters.

16A. Crustacean catcher: LOBSTER POT

25A. Weapon in Clue: LEAD PIPE

42A. Slip for a tardy student: LATE PASS

55A. Decorator's wall prettifier: LATEX PAINT

10D. Backyard bash: LAWN PARTY

32D. Keats or Byron, e.g.: LYRIC POET

55D. Collectors' albums ... and a hint to six puzzle answers: LP's

Argyle here. Quantity over quality. A simple two letter theme(but six of them) with a grid that is compartmentalized makes this a stiff Monday. This Brock's third puzzle and perhaps his most complex yet. Not very many names which will make some happy. With LP's as the unifier, I should find some album songs to post. Update: I didn't find much.

Across:

1. Is blessed with, as talent: HAS

4. Creator of Finn and Sawyer: TWAIN, Mark.

9. Leave rolling in the aisles: SLAY

13. That, in Spain: ESA

14. "Olde" store: SHOPPE

15. Ring over an angel: HALO

18. Out of town: AWAY

19. Intent: PURPOSE

20. OB/GYN procedure: AMNIO. (amniocentesis)

21. Hiding spot for a cheater's ace: SLEEVE

22. Put off bedtime: STAY UP, but after 4 hours....

27. Brewery product: ALE

30. "Defending our rights" org.: ACLU. (American Civil Liberties Union)

33. Electrified atoms: IONs

34. Scans for injured athletes, briefly: MRIs. (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

35. __ Mawr College: BRYN. Welsh for "big hill".

36. Piece of pizza: SLICE

37. To-do list entry: ITEM

38. Worse-than-one's-bite quality: BARK

39. Online TV giant: HULU. Any users?

40. Since, in a holiday song: SYNE

41. Fifi's friend: AMI

45. Like the Arctic, compared to most of the planet: COLDER

47. Two-base hit: DOUBLE

51. Debate issue: TOPIC

53. Illness characterized by a red rash: MEASLES

54. Soon, to a bard: ANON

58. Subtle look: PEEK

59. Lion groups: PRIDES

60. Former AT&T rival: GTE.  formerly General Telephone & Electric Corporation (1955–1982)

61. Former fast planes: SSTs. formerly SuperSonic Transport

62. Unemotional: STOIC

63. Bladed gardening tool: HOE. Ah, groundbreaking invention.

Down:

1. Makes a difference: HELPS

2. "I won't tell __!": A SOUL

3. Buffalo hockey player: SABRE

4. Title venue for Hemingway's old man: THE SEA. If you meant, like me, to read it, well, here it is. The Old Man and the Sea.

5. Sported: WORE

6. Kindle download: APP

7. Wall St. debut: IPO. (initial public offering (IPO) first time that the stock of a private company is offered to the public)

8. Volleyball barrier: NET

9. SeaWorld star: SHAMU

11. Jai __: ALAI

12. String-around-your-finger toy: YOYO. Toy of the moment.

14. Cooking appliance: STOVE

17. Explore caves: SPELUNK. "cave, cavern," c.1300, from Old French spelonque or directly from Latin spelunca "a cave, cavern, grotto," from Greek spelynx (genitive spelyngos). An adjective, speluncar "of a cave" is recorded from 1855. ~ Online Etymology Dictionary.

20. Sailor's word of obedience: AYE

22. Information that ruins the ending: SPOILER

23. Costner/Russo golf film: TIN CUP. ¡Golfers!

24. Basilica recess: APSE

26. Water down: DILUTE

28. Bank claim: LIEN

29. Salinger's "With Love and Squalor" girl: ESME

30. Palindromic pop group: ABBA.  No links to albums allowed.

31. Study all night: CRAM

34. Pageant title with 51 contestants (the 50 states plus D.C.): MISS USA

36. Roe source: SHAD

42. Partners' legal entity: Abbr.: LLC. (limited liability company)

43. Madison Ave. bigwig: AD EXEC

44. Most TV "operas": SOAPS. Remember this one?

46. Sounds from sties: OINKS

48. "Mutiny on the Bounty" captain: BLIGH

49. Slow movement: LENTO

50. Perfumer Lauder: ESTÉE

51. Four-note lights-out tune: TAPS

52. Singles: ONEs

53. Prefix with care: MEDI

56. Gallery collection: ART

57. Chihuahua uncle: TIO

               Chihuahua City, Chihuahua State, Mexico.

Argyle

Note from C.C.:

Happy Birthday to dear Steve, who's blogged for us from all over the world. Has any of you ever tried his mayo recipe? So simple. So delicious. I halved everything the second time, as I could not use up the amount the first time. How long do you keep yours, Steve? One article I read suggests that home-made mayo is good for 3 days.

Sunday, September 11, 2016 Warren Stabler

Theme: "Risk Factor" - Parse RISK as "R is K".  R is changed into K in each theme entry.

22A. Battle of vampire slayers? : STAKING CONTEST. Staring contest.

35A. "'Dash away' yourself, Santa! We're tired!"? : HOLIDAY CHEEK. Holiday cheer.

53A. Band of vipers' rhythm section? : SNAKE DRUMS. Snare drums.

62. With 65-Across, malt shop accountant's calculation? : EARNINGS. And 65. See 62-Across : PER SHAKE. Earnings per share.

76A. Time when all farms used plow-pulling oxen? : DAYS OF YOKE. Days of yore.

 

92A. Angler's slang? : FISHING SPEAK. Fishing spear.

109A. Soda jerk's course of study? : COKE CURRICULUM. Core curriculum.

 

16D. Satirize the screwball? : SEND UP A FLAKE. Not familiar with the phrase "send up a flare".

58D. Portrait of a libertine? : RAKE PAINTING. Rare painting. I feel it's not as solid as
rare coin".

Another great title! It captures the gimmick so perfectly. 

I also like how Warren split up EARNINGS PER SHAKE and intersected PER SHAKE with one more themer. Creative gridding.

 

Across:

     

1. No-trade policy : EMBARGO. Solid start.

8. 1954 Ford debut : T-BIRD

13. Vacillate : SEESAW

19. Brit's beauty shop : PARLOUR. I was thinking of The Body Shop, which is a British company. Alas, they only have one store here in MN. Mall of America of course.

20. Geographical symbol of Middle America : PEORIA

21. Beat the wheat : THRESH

24. Bandleader Tito : PUENTE

25. Eponymous virologist : SALK

26. Eric Cartwright's nickname : HOSS. Never watched "Bonanza".

27. Like some seals : EARED

29. Poor mark : DEE

30. Indefinite period : WHILE.  Always with "a". 

32. Japanese chip maker : NEC. 117 years old now. Much older than Intel.

33. Once around : ORBIT

34. Hair ringlet : CURL

39. Hickok's last hand, so it's said : ACES UP.  Dead man's hand.

41. Yves' yes : OUI

42. Hefty Cinch__ bags : SAK

43. River to the Ohio : WABASH. Wiki says it's the "state river of Indiana".

45. Marathoner's concern : CRAMP

48. Language spoken by Jesus : ARAMAIC

51. Enter again : RE-TYPE

52. Science major's cost : LAB FEE

55. Mom, dad, sibs, etc. : FAM

56. Cholesterol letters : LDL. "Bad" cholesterol.

57. Jason's ship : ARGO. So happy you're out of the woods now, Lemonade.

59. Quebec's __ Peninsula : GASPE. Learning moment for me.

60. Pound foot : PAW. I thought the clue might be some kind of unit.

61. Order from a stool : ALE

68. Ararat lander : ARK

69. Youngster : BOY

70. Boat, or the tool that moves it : SCULL. Nice clue.

73. Tony winner Judith : IVEY. I forgot. We had her before.

74. Dessert option : PIE. Quite a few food references in this grid.  75. Starchy tuber : YAM. 104. Celebrate an anniversary, with "out" : DINE.  23. After-dinner request : CHECK.  38. Devour : EAT UP 54. Like a soufflé : EGGY.  91. Baked potato topping : CHIVES

79. Thrusting blade : RAPIER

81. Used as security, in a way : PAWNED. We passed by the Pawn Stars shop in Vegas a few times. Never went in.

82. Words behind Lincoln? : ONE CENT

86. Bias : SLANT

87. Temple with an upcurved roof : PAGODA. The first one is the famous Wild Goose Pagoda in my hometown Xi'an. The curve in the second pagoda from Japan is more pronounced.

88. Calendar col. : TUE

89. Golf course meas. : YDs

90. Promise qualifier : IF I CAN

96. "Yikes!" : OH NO

98. HDTV part, for short : HI-DEF

100. Texter's "Yikes!" : OMG

101. Barely eats : PICKS

102. Billboard __ 100 : HOT

103. Pastel shade : LILAC

106. Host before and after O'Brien : LENO

107. "Nightfall" story writer : ASIMOV. Got via crosses.

114. Decide not to : RENEGE

115. Square quartet : ANGLES. Easy in retrospect.

116. North African capital : TRIPOLI. Not ALGIERS. Same letter count.

117. Boston College athletes : EAGLES. A la Wiki: The Boston College mascot is Baldwin the Eagle, an American bald eagle whose name is a pun derived from the bald head of the eagle and the word "win."

118. Exxon__ : MOBIL

119. Gets incensed : SEES RED

 

Down:

1. Mini-albums, for short : EPs

2. Shoe-wiping spot : MAT

3. Portuguese-speaking capital : BRASILIA. Here is a list of countries/territories where Portuguese is the official language. Though close to Hong Kong, Macau cuisine is quite different due to the Portuguese influence.

4. Its pH is more than 7 : ALKALI

5. Muddied : ROILED

6. Goop : GUNK

7. Cousin of com : ORG

8. A thousand's hundred : TENs

9. High-tech workers : BOTS. Not people.

10. Steam : IRE

11. It helps some singers see the choir leader : RISER. Got via crosses.

12. Sortable information source : DATABASE

13. Fla. coastal city : ST. PETE

14. Barak who succeeded Netanyahu : EHUD

15. Before, in verse : ERE

17. Autumn bloom : ASTER

18. Stagecoach roller : WHEEL

20. Hound : POOCH

28. Loaded : RICH

30. "Now just a darn minute!" : WHOA

31. Labor bill unit : HOUR. Boomer likes to chat with the repairman. I wonder if they add the chat time into the bill.

32. City near the Tappan Zee Bridge : NYACK. Stranger to me.

33. "No prob" : OK BY ME. Sparkly 6-letter fill.

34. Control : CURB

36. Group with the albums "Aqua" and "Aria" : ASIA

37. Still-life subjects : EWERS

40. Shell game, say : SCAM

44. H.S. VIPs : APs. Assistant Principals?

46. Sampling of songs : MEDLEY

47. Soccer superstar : PELE

49. Cath. church VIP : MSGR. Monsignor. I googled this last time.

50. Presently : ANON

51. Dietary stds. : RDAs

52. Newton trio : LAWS

55. Much : FAR

57. Passé reception aid : AERIAL

60. Ill-gotten gains : PELF. Not LOOT or SWAG.

63. Building beam : I-BAR

64. __ de plume : NOM

65. Proceed tediously : PLOD

66. Travel with a pack : HIKE. Oh, backpack.

67. "__ plaisir!" : AVEC

68. Financing nos. : APRs. APR = Annual Percentage Rate.

70. Prune : SAW OFF

71. Singer Lauper : CYNDI

72. "__ directed" : USE AS

75. Mountain myth : YETI. Just the Himalayan.

76. Former U.N. leader Hammarskjöld : DAG

77. Inexperienced : YOUNG

78. Versatile type in medicine, briefly : O NEG

80. Dope : INFO

81. Zoo observation gadget : PANDA CAM. Melissa and I debuted this fill a few months ago.

83. Brown, often : EYE COLOR. Melissa's surname is Brown.

84. Site of the U.S. continent's geographical midpoint : N DAK

85. Disapproving sounds : TSKs

87. Beach building aid : PAIL

88. Cellphone feature : TIMER

93. Baseball Hall of Famer Wagner : HONUS. Here is the famous T206 card. This might be a reprint, given its pristine condition.

94. Coinage : SPECIE. Not a word I use.

95. Man cave art : PIN-UPS

96. Popular connection point : O'HARE. Tricky clue.

97. Biblical prophet : HOSEA

99. __ Lodge : ECONO

103. Theater section : LOGE

104. Department with a scale : DELI. I sure was not thinking of supermarket.

105. Eur. republic since 1944 : ICEL (Iceland)

106. Old Pisa dough : LIRE

108. B or C of the Spice Girls : MEL

110. Cold War spy gp. : KGB

111. Civil things: Abbr. : RTS (Rights)

112. Small ending : ULE. Not LET.

113. Central beginning : MID

Happy Birthday to dear Husker Gary, our incomparable puzzle sherpa and friend. What's the plan today, Gary? Pick up some fresh pears?

Joann, Granddaughter Elise & Gary

C.C.

Saturday, Sep 10th, 2016, Debbie Ellerin

Theme: #2~!

Words: 72 (missing J,Q,X,Z)

Blocks: 32

  This is Debbie's second Saturday this year (4/16/16), and a similar solving experience for the second time, too.  A lot of blank space on the first pass, got just enough from WAGs to get a toe-hold in some sections, and even the proper names filled in after the fact.  A non intimidating grid, with just a couple of 10's and paired 9's;

17a. Enjoy all the seasons : BINGE WATCH - I binge watched all the episodes of "The X-Files" on DVD two years ago

48a. Most, with "the" : LION'S SHARE - this I nailed, and was a huge help in the SW

sONgWARD~!

ACROSS:

1. Object of Canaanite worship : BA'AL - the Wiki

5. Green Goblin portrayer in "Spider-Man" : DAFOE - I remembered this character and the actor

10. Bolted down : ATE

13. Voice from a loft : ALTO - lots of clues with singing/voices today; I was curious about voice classification and found this - I was told in music class back in high school that I was "baritone" - but I can do some high stuff during karaoke

14. Filing aid : EMERY

15. Corporate bigwig : SUIT - went with EXEC, which messed me up in the NE

16. Put in stitches : SEWN - ah, nothing to do with humor

19. "This American Life" host : IRA GLASS - mostly perps and WAGs

21. Hapless toon : COYOTE - my first thought, but I hesitated

22. Support providers : CORSETS - as a carpenter, GIRDERS was my first thought; this is a much better image

23. What some pros often do : MAKE PAR - amateur mini-golfers can hit the mark, too

24. Groundbreaking invention : HOE -  I thought a "?" would have been appropriate for misdirection - but then again, it really is a ground-breaking invention....

25. Unbranded? : GENERIC - similar to NO FRILLs, as in 1d.

26. Relay link : BATON

29. Friend of Mozart : HAYDN - man, I thought this was right, but hesitated again

30. Army officers: Abbr. : LTs

32. "As if!" : "I BET~!"

33. Longtime CBS head : PALEY - all perps, WAGed the "L"

34. Catchy melody : HOOK - yeah, I tried TUNE but it didn't seem correct

35. Lon of Cambodia : NOL

36. Disguise : COVER

37. Swab : MATEY - not Q-TIP, which didn't fit

38. Doesn't give up on : RETRIES

40. Former SSR : RUSsia

41. Draws out : SIPHONS

42. Great expectation : HIGH BAR

46. Thunderstruck : AGHAST

47. Right part of a map? : RED STATE - ah.

50. Vocal support : AYES

51. Canadian singer Murray : ANNE - I remembered her

52. School aide : TUTOR

53. Butter from the farm : GOAT - I was well aware this was going to be "BUTT-er", but BULL did not seem right

54. Dead end? : DEE - clever; deaD

55. Eclipses, to some : OMENS - Columbus used one to his advantage

56. Tots : SUMS - ah, not LADS, which I refrained from filling in; British slang "Tot up" for adding together

DOWN:

1. No-frills : BASIC

2. Olds compact : ALERO

3. Doing battle : AT WAR

4. One not likely to succeed : LONG SHOT

5. Forensic competition : DEBATE - I had the "D", and thought it might be "DNA---" - bzzzt

6. Off the mark : AMISS

7. Boston park, with "The" : FENS - makes sense with Fenway Park in Boston, too

8. Address ending : ORG. - website address

9. It'll turn your head : EYE CANDY - you know what turns my head....

so many to choose from.....

10. Unthinking state : AUTOPILOT - my first thought, with the "A" in place, but EXEC did not agree....

11. Game that's hard to lose : TIC-TAC-TOE - hard to win, too, technically - and saves the day in "War Games" - try typing in "shall we play a game" on Google....

12. It's a real knockout : ETHER - har-har

15. "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" singer Leo : SAYER - I didn't know the name of the singer, but I recall the song with the unmistakeable falsetto style

I could do this at karaoke....

18. Gotten up : WOKEN - RISEN~? AWAKE~? argh~!!

20. Spanish province or its capital : LEON

23. Mobster Lansky : MEYER - no clue, all perps

25. Serious blows : GALES - ah, not fists of fury, fits of Fujita; I noticed with the last tropical storm the "F" classification was now "EF" - it's been 'enhanced'

26. Place for a bargain : BIN - bargain bin

27. Early inhabitant : ABORIGINE

28. Game played in whispers : TELEPHONE - a great game where the initial storyteller hears his message retold, often to a humorous end - I found this link

29. Well-to-do types : HAVES - I pondered "ELITE" and "A-LIST"

31. The limit, perhaps : SKY - confirmed my "TUNE" was wrong

33. Indicates : POINTS TO

34. They can also represent pounds : HASH TAGS - the other other use of "#"

36. Vampire repellent : CROSS - pondered STAKE

37. Faces, in slang : MUGS

39. Macbeth, vis-à-vis Glamis : THANE

40. Commuters : RIDERS

41. Mixed dish : SALAD

42. Great blue wader : HERON

a wader wailer

43. "Blue __": 1963 and 1977 hit : BAYOU

44. Starters : A-TEAM

45. Takes ten : RESTS

47. Review : RATE

49. "Rattle and __": U2 album : HUM

Splynter

Friday, September 9, 2016, Patti Varol

Title: Beer today, song tomorrow.

Almost exactly one year ago, I blogged a Friday effort from Patti, who as all the regulars know is Rich Norris' assistant. I did have the thrill again of getting an email from her when the puzzle that JW and I did together was accepted. Anyway, we have something different, a sound-alike where phrases are re-imagined as being related to beer. Since both of my sons and my nephew have all worked in the beer business this was right up my alley. We have some nice fill like SCHOLAR,  MONIKER, RESENTS,  H. G. WELLS, AL PACINO, and  EGG SALAD. Let's see where she leads us.

20A. Beer made in Johannesburg? : STOUT OF AFRICA (13). OUT OF AFRICA is a well received book and movie and used as a clue for Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen).

33A. One who aspires to be the king of beers? : PORTER PRINCE (12). Port-au-Prince is the capital of Haiti.

41A. Sounds from a brewery? : LAGER RHYTHMS (12). Logarithms brings back memories of college and slide rules.

57A. Toast said while hoisting presidential beer? : ALE TO THE CHIEF (13). HAIL TO THE CHIEF  is the official anthem of POTUS.

Across:

1. Crudités enhancers : DIPS. A vegetable tray for you French haters.

5. __ puppet : SOCK. Hand fits as well. Make your OWN.

9. Hot dogs and hams : MEATS. Tried to fool you with the other meaning.

14. With, on la carte : AVEC. Straight French.

15. Tartan wearers : CLAN. How better than with a single malt.

16. Lowest deck on a ship : ORLOP. I hit a rough patch here. This is just a word you need to remember.

17. Gadget that exercises the wrist : YOYO. I also never thought of a yoyo as a gadget.

18. Spydom name : HARI. Hello Mata, Hello Fata.

19. Crisp : NIPPY. New England evenings this time of year.

23. Lorry supply : PETROL. British trucks also run on gasoline.

24. Deck wood : TEAK. But not the orlop.

25. Chi. setting : CDT. Central Daylight Time.

28. Citrus suffix : ADE. Nothing like a shout out to get my attention. Thanks PV.

29. Letter before upsilon : TAU. Tau was derived from the Phoenician letter taw Phoenician taw.svg (𐤕). Letters that arose from tau include Roman T and Cyrillic Te (Т, т).

31. Ranking : SENIOR. Who is the senior office on duty?

36. Run out : FLEE. I was thinking using up something and having no more.

39. Larter of TV's "Heroes" : ALI. My thanks and apologies to Splynter and HG.

40. Tip for a dealer : TOKE.You ask WHY?

46. "Life of Pi" Oscar winner : ANG LEE.

47. Justice dept. heads : AGS. Attorney Generals.

48. Form 1040 fig. : AGI. Ajdjusted Gross Income.

51. Welker of the NFL : WES. The Dolphins had him, traded him and he became Tom Brady's favorite target. CAREER.

52. Highbrow : SNOB.

55. Oil once touted by Florence Henderson : WESSON.

60. Gourd fruit : MELON.

62. Happy __ : MEAL. Mickey D's.

63. Fluency : EASE.

64. Mesmerizing designs : OP ART.

65. Dark cloud : PALL.

66. They may not be quiet on the set : EGOS.

67. Fords a stream : WADES.

68. Gps. with copays : HMOS. Health Maintenance Organizations.

69. Paris' __ Neuf : PONT. The Pont Neuf (French pronunciation: ​[pɔ̃ nœf], "New Bridge") is the oldest standing bridge across the river Seine in Paris, France. Remind you of  Ponte Vecchio?


Down:

1. Place for pampering : DAY SPA.

2. Polling place sticker words : I VOTED.

3. Desert hallucinogen : PEYOTE. You can make a mess of MESCALINE.

4. Use a Brillo pad : SCOUR. Next to...

5. Learned one : SCHOLAR.

6. Evil count of "A Series of Unfortunate Events" : OLAF. Did you watch the Movie?

7. Stone measure : CARAT.

8. Word with bread and butter : KNIFE. My bread and butter response.

9. Sobriquet : MONIKER. So many names for names.

10. Los Angeles mayor Garcetti : ERIC. An impressive sounding MAN.

11. Actor with eight Oscar nominations (and one win) : AL PACINO.
Academy Awards
Year         Film            Category                 Result
1973 The Godfather   Best Supporting Actor Nominated
1974 Serpico           Best Leading Actor Nominated
1975 The Godfather Part II                         Nominated
1976 Dog Day Afternoon                                 Nominated
1980 ...And Justice for All                         Nominated
1991 Dick Tracy Best Supporting Actor Nominated
1993 Glengarry Glen Ross                         Nominated
                Scent of a Woman Best Leading Actor Won

12. Cover : TOP.

13. Many a character in "The Americans" : SPY. The story a a soviet couple in the US as spies for Russia. It  was created by Joe Weisberg, a former CIA officer.

21. Wizard revealer : TOTO. Cannot fool a dog.

22. Coarse file : RASP.

26. Put in : DOCK. Put in port.

27. One on a cartoon desert island : TREE. For those special emails so many get...

30. State with five national parks : UTAH. extra credit id you can name them.

32. Trifles : NITS. The lifeblood of many blogs.

33. Marmalade ingredient : PEEL. Emma, we miss you.

34. Nevada copper town : ELY.  Ely was founded as a stagecoach station along the Pony Express and Central Overland Route. Ely's mining boom came later than the other towns along US 50, with the discovery of copper in 1906. Wiki

35. Beatles girl with a "little white book" : RITA.

36. Weak spot : FLAW.

37. Hatcher's "Lois & Clark" role : LANE.

38. Sandwich spread : EGG SALAD. Spread?

42. Feels sore about : RESENTS.

43. Monopoly deed word : RENT.

44. Sinclair Lewis nominated him for the 1932 Nobel Prize in Literature : H. G. WELLS.

45. Tiny time meas. : M-SEC. Millisecond, 1/1000.

48. Italian cheese : ASIAGO. I like an asiago bagel now and then.

49. Takes the stage : GOES ON. Literally.

50. Overrun : INFEST.

53. Energy : OOMPH. Pah pah?

54. Players riding the pine : B-TEAM. A-team's spin off?

56. Docile sorts : SHEEP.

58. Mythology : LORE.

59. Circle overhead? : HALO. Love the simpleness of this clue.

60. Do the lawn : MOW.

61. AQI monitor : EPA. Air Quality Index : Environmental Protection Agency.

Well, we have done it again and I am mostly recovered from my bronchitis. I hope you all have been safe from the weather and are ready for fall (we have to wait another 2-3 months). Thanks Patti, Lemonade out. NFL is back!

Thursday, September 8th, 2016 Jeffrey Wechsler

Theme. ¿Hablas Español? Seven Spanish-language entries stepping across and down the grid as neatly explained by the grid-spanning reveal.

13A. Common refreshment : AGUA. I knew right away that something was afoot when this had no indication of "in Spanish" in the clue.

14D. "I'm outta here" : ADIOS. I like how "Amigo" is another of the seven themers.

28A. Chef's creation : SALSA. Once I saw this I was off to the races. I've never solved a puzzle diagonally before but the other four theme entries went in one after the other.

30D. Buddy : AMIGO

48A. Not us : OTROS. The others.

50D. Figure of veneration : SANTA. All females. The men are "San". When I can't sleep I sometimes try an alphabet run of place names, one for each San/Santa. I haven't been able to come up with a Santa "Z" yet, but there is a San Zaccaria church in Venice.

68A. Museum contents : ARTE. The Keats-Shelley memorial museum is in the house where Keats lived at the top of the Spanish Steps.

and the reveal:

39A. Roman landmark graphically portrayed by this puzzle's circles : THE SPANISH STEPS. Either "Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti" or "Scalina Spagna" in Italian depending on who you ask. You need to get up early to see them this devoid of people:

Buenos dias amigos y amigas! Steve here with Jeffrey's quick Spanish 101 quiz. A neat theme and a tidy grid with only one entry I wished wasn't there (I'm looking at you, S.F. FAN). There's a lot of unusual or unique fill; the whole puzzle feels very fresh. ¡Bravo!

Right then, let's see what else we've got. Ándale!

Across:

1. The 1% in 1% milk : FAT

4. Court activity : HOOPS

9. Baseball's "Georgia Peach" : COBB. Nailed it! Getting better at baseball icons.

15. TV comic Kovacs : ERNIE. I knew the name, but I never saw the show. He died in a car crash here in Los Angeles when I was three.

16. Campers' gathering place : FIRE. Not SITE as I had first.

17. Bill "Bojangles" Robinson's forte : TAP-DANCING

19. Actress Lena : OLIN. I always forget her. Thank you, crosses!

20. Amazon's biz : E-TAIL

21. Really dug : ATE UP

23. One may be tipped : HAT

24. Translate, in a way : DECODE

26. Landscaper's contraption : SEEDER. This one is not messing around:

31. Heavenly figure : SERAPH. Top of the heap of the celestial hierarchy. That's one boss angel.

33. Cadillac compact : ATS. It's the smallest of the brand's model line.

36. Soup bean : LIMA

38. Cookout spot : PATIO

43. Big fight : MELEE

44. Elegant molding : OGEE. Comes from "Oh gee, that's some nice molding you've got there".

45. Collecting Soc. Sec. : RET. Not RTD, which I tried first.

46. Claim in a tissue ad : SOFTER

51. Brand in a B-52 cocktail : KAHLÚA. Comes from Mexico, appropriately enough for this puzzle's theme. Kahlúa, Baileys Irish Cream and triple sec, layered.

53. Jerks : SPASMS

57. Promise : VOW

58. One rooting for the Niners, briefly : S.F. FAN. Not my favorite.

61. Open, in a way : UNCAP

62. "Iliad" warrior : AJAX. Also a Dutch soccer team. I saw them play in Amsterdam and have a souvenir jersey.

64. Chaucer narrative told by Huberd, with "The" : FRIAR'S TALE. He was mean about a summoner, and so the summoner told a mean tale about a Friar in turn. We read the Canterbury Tales at school, and to the credit of all concerned, our textbook was unexpurgated. It was a lot of fun translating the rude bits.

66. Trim : PARE

67. "__ Doone" : LORNA

69. Produced with effort, with "out" : EKED

70. English assignment : ESSAY

71. Transitory passion : FAD

Down:

1. Destined : FATED

2. Striped stone : AGATE

3. Rapper __ Shakur : TUPAC. A controversial figure; he was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas in 1996, aged 25.

4. Coop occupant : HEN

5. Sea predator : ORCA

6. "Will do!" :  ON IT!

7. Cone makers : PINES. Nicely obscure - I wanted something ice-cream related.

8. Smooth transitions : SEGUES

9. One who might be a CPA : CFO. Because Chief Financial Officer is too long to fit in three squares.

10. Winter warmer : OIL HEATER

11. Holmes accessory : BRIAR PIPE.  He also never said "Elementary, my dear Watson".

12. Like a crowbar : BENT

18. Six-time Emmy winner : ALDA. Five for writing, directing and acting in M*A*S*H and one for Best Supporting Actor in The West Wing. His real name is Alphonso D'Abruzzo.

22. Chums, slangily : PEEPS

25. First name in jazz : ELLA

27. "Well, shoot" : DRAT

29. Chinese: Pref. : SINO-. As in the "Sino-Soviet Split" during the Cold War.

32. Colbert, for one : HOST. Currently with The Late Show on CBS. Funny guy.

33. Devices with security cameras : ATMS

34. TV cop with a Tootsie Pop : THEO KOJAK. Didn't even hesitate with this one. I'm not sure how I knew he was called "Theo" but somehow I did.

35. Mindful of one's own needs : SELF-AWARE

37. As __: grouped together : A SET. I tried A LOT at first. Didn't stay in there long.

40. MacFarlane of "Family Guy" : SETH

41. Juicing discards : PEELS

42. "If she did play false, the fault was __": Shak. : HERS. From King John, Act I scene i in which John converses with a character charmingly called "the Bastard".

47. Dust __ : RUFFLE

49. Work : OPUS

52. Fluffed-up dos : AFROS

54. Winter accessory : SCARF

55. Island near Sicily : MALTA. The British Navy used to have a base close to the capital, Valetta. This street, nicknamed "The Gut" was infamous (or famous, depending on your point of view!)

56. Clip : SPEED

57. Enjoy an e-cig : VAPE. E-cigs are getting to have as bad a name as the real things.

59. Pretensions : AIRS

60. Family nickname : NANA

63. Struck (out) : X'ED

65. Slight manifestation, as of hope : RAY

I think that does it for me. Con rapida ... here's the grid!

Steve

Wednesday, September 7, 2016, Pam Amick Klawitter

Title: RETURN WITH US NOW TO THOSE THRILLING DAYS OF YESTERYEAR!

Pam has a fun Wednesday puzzle for us where her three two-word theme answers end in synonyms for THROW that are appended to the BACK of the first word. Thus we have the reveal:

55. Reversions ... or what 17-, 26- and 43-Across all have? : THROWBACKS. We sports fans see this word and immediately think of the old uniforms athletes don occasionally to celebrate teams of yesteryear! Once a year the Steelers dress out in these THROWBACK "bumble bee" outfits of the 1930's:

17. Cold weather groundswell that can cause pavement damage : FROST HEAVE - Water's quirky property of expanding when it freezes can move mountains and sidewalks

26. Ancient siege weapon : ROMAN CATAPULT - Take that you Visigoths!

43. Manufacturer's coming-out event : PRODUCT LAUNCH - Some genius thought Life Saver Soda would be a good idea. Consumers could not get the past the revulsion of drinking liquid candy.

Now let's peruse the rest of fun Pam has tossed, flung and pitched at us:

Across

1. Bucks in the woods : STAGS

6. Ratted out the bad guys : SANG

10. Dept. store stock : MDSE

14. Condor's condo? : AERIE - The view on the way home to the AERIE

15. Prefix with logical : IDEO

16. Dry as a desert : ARID

19. Go for the worm : BITE

20. Wind down or wind up : END - I imagine some barflies wonder as the night winds down where they will wind up

21. Name in Cold War news : TASS - Telegrafnoye Agentstvo Sovyetskogo Soyuza (Telegraphic Agency of the Soviet Union)

22. Wright who wondered, "What's another word for 'thesaurus'?" : STEVEN

24. Ball catcher : MITT - Evolution

25. Needing wheels : CARLESS

30. "Knock it off!" : ENOUGH

31. Architectural curve : OGEE 

32. L.A. NFLer : RAM - Back in L.A. where they should be

35. Tax-free govt. bond : MUNI

36. Good feller? : AXE - This company in Tauranga, New Zealand have them

37. "One day only!" event : SALE

38. Boomer that no longer booms, briefly : SST

39. __ Valley: Reagan Library locale : SIMI - A beautiful place to visit

41. Warring factions : ARMIES

46. Woofer's partner : TWEETER

48. Landed : ALIT

49. Film boxer Rocky : BALBOA

50. Black, to a bard : EBON

51. Syst. for the deaf : ASL

54. Islamic branch : SHIA

58. Bard : POET

59. Capital of Belgium : EURO

60. Good-sized wedding band : OCTET

61. Kind of spot or loser : SORE

62. Cong. meeting : SESS

63. Lawn spoilers : WEEDS


Down

1. Heist target : SAFE

2. Beach bird : TERN

3. Five-time A.L. home run champ, familiarly : AROD - Now an expensive liability

4. APO mail addressees : GI'S

5. Gem mount : SETTING

6. Midday snooze : SIESTA - Una SIESTA me refresca (A nap refreshes me)

7. Some govt. lawyers : ADA'S - I'm betting most of you know these

8. Calif. neighbor : NEV

9. Loses one's cool : GOES APE

10. Pre-1985 communications nickname : MA BELL

11. Car's engine-to-wheels connector : DRIVE TRAIN

12. Surfers visit them : SITES

13. Paradises : EDENS

18. Sub access : HATCH - A tight fit

23. __-blue : TRUE

24. View from Molokai's south shore : MAUI

25. Lab rat's home : CAGE

26. Radiation units : REMS - Dental X-rays expose you to about 3 milliREMS (.003 REM) but you get about 360 milliREMS/year from everyday sources

27. Taxing task : ONUS

28. New England capital : MONTPELIER - the least populous American capital (7,880)

29. Needing a skull-and-crossbones label : TOXIC

33. Actor Baldwin : ALEC

34. Screen door material : MESH - Our MESH is kitty-proof

36. Russia-China border river : AMUR

37. X-rated stuff : SMUT

39. Explorer Hernando de __ : SOTO

40. Conceptualizes : IDEATES - Do you run in a crowd that uses this word?

41. Permit : ALLOW

42. Post-shower display : RAINBOW

44. Mail-in incentive : REBATE

45. They're off-limits : TABOOS

46. Recipe amts. : TBSPS

47. "Yippee!" : WAHOO

50. Gets an "I'm sorry" from Alex Trebek, say : ERRS - He didn't need Final Jeopardy to win, so Buzzy Cohen didn't ERR but  jabbed Alex a little.

51. Entr'__ : ACTE

52. Short agenda? : SKED

53. Iwo Jima troop carriers: Abbr. : LSTS

56. Tint : HUE

57. Blackjack component : ACE

Now we THROW control BACK to you, our faithful solvers! Comment away! 

The Grid