Tuesday, December 19, 2017 ~ Grant Boroughs

                          Theme: Musical Ascension - 

17A. Music medium that succeeded the cassette tape: COMPACT DISC

24A. Music legend known as the First Lady of Song: ELLA FITZGERALD

38A. Equipment for rock bands: GUITAR AMPLIFIER

48A. Lennon-McCartney collection whose publishing rights were once owned by Michael Jackson: BEATLES' CATALOG

58A. When strung together, musical sequence represented by the initials of 17-, 24-, 38- and 48-Across: C MAJOR SCALE

Argyle here. It's been over a year since Grant's debut, a Monday. Quite a different follow-up, I'd say. Ol' Man Keith has his diagonal solve but from right to left, bottom to top, aptly for this puzzle, eh. It certainly had me wondering until the reveal. The entries are all somewhat musically connected.

Across:

1. Fire remnants: ASHES

6-Across is at the end.

11. Dazzle: AWE

14. Companion of reduce and recycle: REUSE

15. Log dwelling: CABIN

16. Composer Rorem: NED. Amazingly prolific. Selected works

19. Martini liquor: GIN

20. Confer knighthood on: DUB

21. Camping gear retailer: REI. (Recreational Equipment, Inc) We've had it often enough that I remembered the letters if not the exact order.

22. Verdi creation: OPERA. Ned Rorem has a few.

29. Yale grads: ELIs

30. State strongly: AVER

31. Gelatin dish: ASPIC

33. Lucy's old sitcom partner: DESI. Desi Arnaz, Sr.

35. 42-Across doubled: TWO

42. 35-Across halved: ONE

43. Grandson of Adam: ENOS

44. Formally gives up: CEDEs

45. Test for an aspiring atty.: LSAT.(Law School Admission Test)

47. Anti-fur-farming org.: PETA. (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals)

54. South Beach city: MIAMI. Life's a beach.

55. __ Baba: ALI

56. Michelle of the LPGA: WIE

57. Bath's land: Abbr.: ENG. (England)

63. Birthday count: AGE

64. Gold purity unit: KARAT

65. Lives like a nomad: ROVES

66. Partner of neither: NOR

67. Searches for: SEEKS

68. Stockholm native: SWEDE

Down:

1. Paris' __ Triomphe: ARC DE

2. South Korean capital: SEOUL

3. Comeuppance that's "eaten": HUMBLE PIE

4. Seer's claim: ESP. Not 'every single perp' like some claim.

5. Watery expanse: SEA

6. Group of eight: OCTET

7. Spanish port city: CADIZ. And this concludes today's travelogue.

8. __-Wan Kenobi: OBI. Star Wars. Has anybody seen The Last Jedi yet?

9. Prefix with spell: MIS

10. "Play more music!": "ENCORE!"

11-Down is at the end.

12. Really out there: WEIRD. 13. Flamboyant Dame: EDNA. 12-, and 13-Down, now there's a pairing!

18. NFL sportscaster Collinsworth: CRIS

23. Golf course standard: PAR

25. Came down to earth: ALIT

26. Pay stub acronym: FICA. (Federal Insurance Contributions Act)

27. Surprised sounds: GASPS. Kids with their first pay check and discover FICA.

28. Rotten to the core: EVIL

31. Before now: AGO

32. Daylight provider: SUN

33. "Divine Comedy" poet: DANTE

34. Revealing rock genre: EMO

35. Coastal flooding cause: TIDAL WAVE

36. Tiny: WEE

37. Surgery ctrs.: ORs. (operating room)

39. Genuine: REAL

40. "Law & Order: SVU" actor: ICE T

41. Greek cheese: FETA

45. Go on the __: skip town: LAM

46. Hangs (around): STICKS

47. Au __: live-in nanny: PAIR. Originally, French for ‘on equal terms’ but now a young foreign person, typically a girl, who helps with housework or child care in exchange for room and board.

48. "You got it!": "BINGO!"

49. Raring to go: EAGER

50. "Wheel of Fortune" host: SAJAK. Pat.

51. Coagulates: CLOTS

52. Quieted, as noisy hinges: OILED

53. Birds in a gaggle: GEESE

54. Not at all nice: MEAN

59. Sassy West: MAE

60. "Roses __ red": ARE

61. H.S. grads-to-be: SRs. (seniors)

62. Dairy farm animal: COW

6. "__, all ye faithful ... ": O, COME. 11D. Heavenly being: ANGEL

Argyle

Monday, December 18, 2017 ~ Brock Wilson

Theme: This - What we have here is...what we have here.

17A. Shunning public utilities and such: GOING OFF THE GRID

22A. Even-steven: ALL SQUARE

39A. Respond to cries of "Encore!": DO ANOTHER NUMBER

51A. Is totally in the dark: HAS NO CLUE

60A. Where to find the last words of 17-, 22-, 39- and 51-Across: CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Argyle here. Three spanners and a pangram; what a way to start the week. Ya' can't say this isn't in your wheelhouse.

Across:

1. Trains with a view of the street below: ELs

4. Second-string squad: B TEAM

9. Cherokee and Wrangler: JEEPs

14. VCR go-back button: REW. (rewind)

15. 1945 "Big Three" conference city: YALTA. A resort city on the south coast of the Crimean Peninsula surrounded by the Black Sea.

16. "Snowy" bird: EGRET

20. "Blame It __": Caine film: ON RIO

21. Continental coin: EURO

26. Twelfths of yrs.: MOs. (months)

29. "Say what?" responses: "HUH?"s

30. Horror film reaction: SCREAM

33. __ fatso: bit of Archie Bunker language-mangling: IPSO. (ipso facto)

37. World games org.: IOC. (International Olympic Committee)

38. Oktoberfest dance: POLKA

43. Delivery doc: OBGYN. (Obstetrics and gynecology) Don't most people pronounce this by the letters, oh-be-gee-why-en?

44. Prefix with natal: NEO. Neonatal: Pertaining to the newborn.

45. Breathe like a hot dog: PANT

46. "You can't leave this way" sign: [NO EXIT]

48. Soprano superstar: DIVA

50. Notepad file extension: TXT. (text file)

56. Classic 900 automaker: SAAB

                            prototype Saab 92.001

58. No-brainer: CINCH

66. Cry of dismay from Charlie Brown: "AAUGH!"

67. Grape holders: VINES

68. McKellen of "X-Men": IAN

69. Minor, as a complaint: PETTY

70. Online social appointment: eDATE

71. Z's 10, in Scrabble: Abbr.: PTs. (points)

Down:

1. Therefore: ERGO

2. British pop singer Lewis: LEONA. I linked it but couldn't watch it.

3. Ice cream pattern: SWIRL

4. "Golly!": "BY GOSH!"

5. Lao Tzu principle: TAO

6. Helper in Santa's workshop: ELF. Couldn't do it without them (but don't say I said that).

7. Justice Dept. arm: ATF. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

8. Mom in Middlesex: MATER. Steve, help!

9. Sound of bleachers discontent: JEER

10. Toaster waffle choice: EGGO

11. Goof: ERR

12. Architect I.M. __: PEI

13. Par for the course: Abbr.: STD. (standard)

18. Zero, in soccer: NIL

19. Color variations: HUES

23. Storm out of work for good: QUIT

24. "Oops!": "UH-OH!"

25. Climbs: ASCENDS

26. Word before toast or after peach: MELBA

27. Like the old bucket of song: OAKEN. If you watch it on YouTube, the whole poem is listed below it.

28. Intelligent: SMART

31. PC brain: CPU. (central processing unit)

32. Easy victory: ROMP

33. "__ get it": I DON'T

34. Mail dely. compartment: PO BOX

35. Bob of "Fuller House": SAGET

36. Black gem: ONYX

40. Covert maritime org.: ONI. (Office of Naval Intelligence)

41. Equestrian strap: REIN

42. De __: again: NOVO. “from the new.”

47. Melt: THAW

49. Point a finger at: ACCUSE

52. Below's opposite: ABOVE

53. Actress Taylor, familiarly: LIZ. Oh, those eyes!

54. Open, as a ski suit: UNZIP

55. Brilliant display: ECLAT

56. NCO rank: SSGT. (Staff Sergeant)

57. Like used fireplaces: ASHY

59. Coop layers: HENS

60. Baseball hat: CAP

61. Charlotte of "The Facts of Life": RAE. (Mrs Garrett)

62. On a date, say: OUT

63. Unburdened (of): RID

64. "CSI" evidence: DNA

65. Family dog, e.g.: PET

Argyle

Sunday Dec 17, 2017 Jim Holland

Theme: "Two for One"- The first word in each original theme entry is split into homophonic two parts, changing spelling as needed.

23A. Athlete Jackson discusses immunization options? : BO TALKS INJECTIONS. Botox injections. Bo Jackson.

36A. Spring spelling event could face cancellation? : MAY BEE MAYBE NOT. Maybe maybe not.

71A. Seaman's complete canvas expense? : WHOLE SAIL COST. Wholesale cost.

103A. "2 + 2 = 5" problem? : SUM THINGS WRONG. Something's wrong.

122A. Writer anticipates a vacation? : AUTHOR EYES TIME OFF. Authorized time off.
 
16D. Situation when a frat room is empty? : NO BUDDY HOME. Nobody home.

70D. Average salary on a Detroit team? : PAY PER TIGER. Paper tiger.

Did you all grok the theme immediately? I need Santa's help to fully understand the gimmick.

This is the type of theme only a master wordsmith can dream of and execute. I'm in awe.

Across:   

1. "Don't panic" : BE CALM!

7. Lincoln who was the first screen adult Tarzan : ELMO. Silent movies. We also have 75. Tarzan player Ron : ELY. This ELMO is a stranger to me.

11. Adlai's 1956 running mate : ESTES (Kefauver)

16. Japanese theater form : NOH

19. Astronomy Muse : URANIA

20. "King __" : LEAR

21. Lacking company : ALONE

22. "What have we here?!" : OHO

26. Put an end to : BAN

27. Bit of porch furniture, perhaps : SETTEE. TTP/D-Otto/Splynter could build this screened-in porch. Who else are carpenters on our blog?

28. Beauty pageant band : SASH

29. Cruise purpose : PLEASURE. Never been on a cruise. You?

31. Seville : Sra. :: Seattle : __ : MRS. Alliteration in the clues.

33. Wee amount : TAD

35. Quick, as service : SAME DAY

44. __ Sea : DEAD. Not our regular ARAL.

45. Rotting results : ODORS

46. General Bradley : OMAR

47. Writer Bagnold : ENID

49. Places with courts : GYMS. Not judicial.

52. NBA nickname since the '70s : MAGIC. Oh, Magic Johnson.

53. Actress Gaye of "Ali" : NONA. No idea. Daughter of Marvin Gaye.

54. Former Renault : LE CAR

56. "Could be trouble" : UH OH

57. Forgers of a sort : SMITHS. Not art forgers.

59. Roof rack items : SKIS

61. Basic French infinitive : ETRE

62. Greiner of "Shark Tank" : LORI. Another stranger to me.

63. Brief moments : SECs

65. Denver-to-Omaha dir. : ENE

66. What "it takes," at the start of many macho mantras : A REAL MAN. The A makes it a long partial to me.

68. Nile biter : ASP

76. How rural areas are populated : SPARSELY

78. "More than I wanted to know" : TMI

79. Garden invader : WEED

81. Actor Diggs : TAYE. He was married to Idina Menzel for a long time.

82. Rover's turf : MARS

84. Chooses : OPTS

86. Checked (out) : SCOPED

90. Dadaist collection : ARPS. Not ARTS.

91. Clapton et al. : ERICs

93. Offer of help : I CAN

95. Rodeo accessory : REATA

96. Borscht veggie : BEET.  In the huge basket of goodies Agnes sent to me, there's a bag of Veggie Chips. They're actually potato flour with spinach and beet powder. So good.

97. Phobia beginning : ACRO. Acrophobia.

98. Islamic branch : SHIA

99. Bean in Hollywood : ORSON

100. "Friends" friend : ROSS (Geller). Monica's goofy brother.

106. Draw : ATTRACT

109. CEO's credential : MBA

110. LAX inspection org. : TSA

111. Like serious errors : GRIEVOUS

113. Pizazz : ELAN

116. Slowly : ADAGIO

121. Tease : RAG

126. Key for Debussy? : ILE. Last time is "Key for Ravel?".

127. Thin porridge : GRUEL. My grandma always prepared us millet or cornmeal gruel for breakfast. We had it with steamed bread, leftover veggies or pickled veggies. No eggs.

128. Approval indicator : SEAL

129. Aerial mission : SORTIE

130. Two above an eagle : PAR

131. Lamb piece : ESSAY. Nailed it. Charles Lamb.

132. Spot : ESPY

133. Fighting ender : TREATY

Down:

1. Pal : BUB

2. Cupid, to Plato : EROS. And 117. 2-Down, to Cato : AMOR

3. Actress Blanchett : CATE

4. Med school subj. : ANAT

5. Easy rhythm : LILT

6. Arms-folded response : MAKE ME

7. Brother of Peyton : ELI

8. Camera component : LENS

9. Subject of clothed and nude Goya portraits : MAJA

10. Handel opera written in Italian : ORESTE. I only know Orestes.

11. Absorb, as a loss : EAT

12. Unintended revelation : SLIP

13. Kit set : TOOLS

14. Set of nine : ENNEAD

15. Bun choice : SESAME. Always have toasted sesame in our cupboard.

17. Tara surname : O'HARA

18. Darling : HONEY

24. Weekly inspiration for many : SERMON. Nice clue.

25. No. 5 maker : CHANEL

30. Shore squawker : SEAGULL

32. Island birthplace of Pythagoras : SAMOS. See this map. Off the coast of Turkey.

34. Gift recipient : DONEE. Do you actually use this word?

36. Grandmas, earlier : MOMs. OK, earlier.


37. Podcaster Carolla : ADAM. Know him, though I'm not subscribed to his podcast.

38. "Pic-a-nic" basket-seeking toon, familiarly : YOGI

39. The Beatles, e.g. : BRITS

40. Avoids like the plague : ESCHEWS

41. Pinstripes wearer : YANKEE

42. Smarts : BRAINS

43. Certs competitor : TIC TAC

48. 1925 Bryan foe : DARROW (Clarence). Got me. William Jennings Bryan, who was opposed to opposed Darwinism, according to Wiki.

50. Aesopian ending : MORAL

51. Reflective : SHINY

55. Big name in candy : REESE'S. Boomer went to a big Christmas party two weeks ago. He said the beef melted in his mouth, the dessert table was amazing and "I only took a piece of cake and two cookies"

58. Plot : SCHEME

60. Defense gp. dissolved in 1977 : SEATO

64. Toyota Camry model : SOLARA

67. Was humbled : ATE CROW

68. Take __ at : A STAB

69. Success on the second roll : SPARE. Bowling.

72. Ira Gershwin's forte : LYRICS

73. Mischievous : IMPISH. Hi there Spitzboov.

74. Chinese evergreen : LITCHI. My favorite fruit ever. In Guangzhou, you can find them cheap at the fruit stands in June/July. 

77. Bring back to a former state : RESTORE

80. Anthony __, Pulitzer winner for "All the Light We Cannot See" : DOERR. Never heard of the author or the book.

83. Rugby action : SCRUM. Like this.

85. Leslie Charteris hero, with "The" : SAINT. Also an unknown to me.

87. El __, Texas : PASO

88. Harrow competitor : ETON

89. Mild oath : DANG

92. Gloomy : SOMBER

94. Bugs : NAGS AT

101. Brutal : SAVAGE

102. Searches all over : SCOURS

104. "Unto the Sons" memoirist : TALESE (Gay)

105. Word derived from a marquis : SADIST. Marquis de Sade.

106. "Get __!": "Control yourself!" : A GRIP

107. Refrain syllables : TRA LA

108. Ballet outfits : TUTUS

112. Where the Mets played : SHEA. Before Citi Field.

114. Motion passers : AYES

115. Tide type : NEAP

118. "Chicago" star : GERE

119. Meager amount : IOTA

120. "What __?" : OF IT

123. Beer originally brewed near a Northwest capital, briefly : OLY. Googled afterwards: Olympia Beer.

124. Foxy : SLY
 
125. Poehler "Weekend Update" co-host on "SNL" : FEY

Saturday, December 16, 2017, Peter Wentz

Themeless Saturday Puzzle

Hello, my puzzling friends, this is Husker Gary about to 40. Sail : GO TO SEA on the S.S. LA Crossword - Saturday edition. After years of devoted effort, Splynter has retired from the helm and I hope my blog 34. Causes to be : RENDERS a useful service to you in the enjoyment of our weekend challenges.

So let's cast off lines, weigh anchor and shove off. 

We'll miss Splynter's style but to quote my second favorite Sammy Davis Jr. Song, I've Gotta Be Me! 

Let's set sail and... (Hey, enough of the nautical metaphors already!) 

Across

1. Overwhelming place for many country folk : THE BIG CITY

11. Once-a-week mantra : TGIF - Everyday is Friday when you're retired!

15. Early second-millennium style : ROMANESQUE - Architecture characterized by Roman Arches. Ground was broken in 1063 for this fabulous example: The Dumo di Pisa. Hey, isn't the building in the background famous too?

16. Modern-day carpe diem : YOLO - According to Ian Fleming's 007 book and his buddy Roald Dahl's screenplay, You Only Live Twice (not Once)

17. '80s scandal : IRAN CONTRA - Every president seems to have at least one scandal

18. Pro shop purchase : POLO - My golf shirts tend to be "Whatever's on sale at Kohl's"

19. Remove fluff from, perhaps : EDIT - and 22. Dispatch to the cutting room floor : DELETE. He'd be great at it!

20. Blond, in many cases : DYED

21. Moved to another table : RESAT 

24. Easy money, in theory : SURE BETS - Sonny Liston was an 8 - 1 SURE BET against Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) in 1964. Uh, not so  much.

26. Some retirement purchases : RVS - We love to walk through Recreational Vehicles but don't know if our marriage could survive living/traveling in one

27. Pinkberry competitor : TCBY

28. Hardened, as concrete : SET - Like the Hollywood "Walk Of Fame"


29. Layers : PLIES - Baltic Birch plywood in different PLIES

32. Make a mild romantic overture to : ASK IN - Said the spider to the fly

33. Eastern way : TAO

36. Anka hit with a Spanish influence : ESO BESO - "Ooh, THAT KISS!"

38. Iron-__ : ONS

39. Era, perhaps : REIGN - The Victorian Era during the 64-year REIGN of Queen Victoria wasn't a real hoot for most 

41. Place for a pin : LAPEL

42. Opening : GAP - This very famous one through the Appalachians helped open up the West

43. Facts and figures : INFO - Not DATA as it turns out

44. Physical pros : MDS - "Turn your head and cough!" 45. "Right, understood" : OH I GET IT - "I know what you're checking."

47. Fig. at the state's courtroom table : ASST DA - Law And Order had some hot ASSistanT District Attorneys

51. "Odyssey" fruit : LOTUS - When Odyessus' ship got blown off course to the land of the Lotus Eaters, his men partook of the local LOUTS food/narcotic and had to be dragged back to the ships

52. They have small roles : COGS - We are all vital COGS at this blog

54. Unlike narrators, usually : SEEN - Peter Coyote was "heard but not SEEN" narrating six Ken Burns' documentaries 

55. Duty-__ : FREE

56. Could conceivably get : HAS A SHOT AT - Nebraska HAS A SHOT AT yet another VB national championship tonight like this one in 2015 (and five others)

58. Hazzard County deputy : ENOS

59. "Is it safe to talk?" : ARE WE ALONE

60. Calls the game : REFS - Some cheat while calling the game

61. Plot markers : HEADSTONES


Down

1. Strained, e.g. : TRIED - Wonderful Paul Robeson sang: "You an' me, we sweat an' STRAIN, Body all achin'' and' racked wit pain" 

2. Large mass : HORDE - Here's the Khanate of the Golden HORDE below

3. Modern box filler : EMAIL

4. Went back and forth : BANTERED

5. Business issue : INC

6. Natural history museum objects : GEODES - A huge GEODE at the Harvard Museum of Natural History

7. "Ohio" group, initially : CSNY - The initials of the group!

8. Educational placement aids : IQ TESTS 

9. Double-stuffed holiday dish : TURDUCKEN - Yes, it's a TURkey stuffed with a deboned DUCK and a deboned chickEN. Voila, you have this portmanteau 

10. Pro's call : YEA - As opposed to the anti's call of nay 

11. Generally unstressed : TYPE-B - Working for a TYPE-A person can make you 13. Twitchy : ILL AT EASE

12. Stiff-legged stride : GOOSE STEP - Ahhh...

14. Chair accessory : FOOT STOOL

21. Big name in aluminum history : REYNOLDS

23. Pilot's ideal outcome? : TV SERIES - Despite a lousy pilot that simply copied the British version, this show adapted and became a great TV SERIES. Clever clue!

25. MLB stats : RBIS

29. FedExCup seeker : PRO GOLFER

30. Subject of the biography "Stormy Weather" : LENA HORNE - Her biography was named for her signature song

31. Notwithstanding : IN SPITE OF

32. "Big deal" : AS IF I CARE - One must judge if this phrase is bantering or bullying

35. Let out for a time : RENT - My friend LETS out his winter Texas home in the summer

37. Jazz club highlight : BASS SOLO

44. Ordinary people : MASSES - I needed two more letters for HOI POLLI 

46. One may be educated : GUESS

48. Western Wyoming county : TETON


49. Revolutionary diplomat Silas : DEANE - He was a hero for negotiating an armament deal with France and then was disgraced by accusations he profiteered

50. Opening stakes : ANTES

53. "Oh mah __!" : GAWD - A Valley Girl term of amazement

56. "Unlikely!" : HAH

57. Banded Wonderland wear : HAT - The numbers on the Mad Hatter's hat indicated it cost 10 shillings and 6 pence

Ok, lower the gangplank and transfer over to the comment area!

DA GRID