Saturday, February 10, 2018, Michael Wiesenberg

A SURE BET

Today's constructor is a man  from Calgary who wears many hats in the world of games. Michael is not only a masterful puzzle maker, he is also a renowned expert in poker. He made his living playing poker for 10 years before turning to technical writing in the computer field. C.C.'s 2009 interview with Michael

Here are some long fills that are always helpful on a Saturday excursion:

1. Empathetic words : I CAN RELATE

12. Disappointed observation : IT'S NOT HERE - and now a "I CAN RELATE" for my lovely bride

16. Revelation setting : ARMAGEDDON - One of its portents in Rev. 17  is a prostitute riding a seven-headed monster. Yikes!

10. Sitcom sidekick whose wife sometimes calls him by his last name : ED NORTON - You can hear Ralph call him NORTON throughout this all-time funny scene. You won't spend a funnier four minutes today!

11. Bit of bun flavoring : SESAME SEED - C'mon, you all know the words to this ad with SESAME SEED at the end. Go ahead and see how fast you can say/chant it!

Now let's sit in to see what else Michael has dealt us this week:

Across

11. RSVP part : SIL - Répondez S’IL vous plaít. Some say that nowadays no response to this implies you are attending

14. One may run for a week : PERSONAL AD - Yeah, they're lined up around the block!

15. Townshend of The Who : PETE

17. Olympus neighbor : OSSA (alternate name Kissova) - A four-hour drive

18. Put forth : SAY

19. Metro __ : AREA

20. Grounded : ON LAND - Huh?

22. Horoscope heading : SIGN

23. Wish for : DREAM OF

24. Subject for Linnaeus : BOTANY - His classification system works for animals too like our Lily

27. Relocate in, as after one's career : RETIRE TO - We are RETIRED TO where we grew up with no regrets. Dorothy was right.

28. Maternally related : ENATE - My love of crosswords is directly related to the ENATE side of my family 

29. "Dead Souls" novelist : GOGOL - A remorseless satire of imperial Russian venality, vulgarity and pomp. Ok, raise your hand if you have read this and let me get a count...

30. "Billions" network, briefly : SHO - Showtime 

31. Fake out : DEKE - The old "hidden ball" fake out

32. __ legend : URBAN - Nope, an URBAN legend according to Snopes.com 

33. Sugar source : BEET

34. Sugar suffix : OSE

35. Some pretenders : SNOBS - Prius owners? 😊

36. Membre de la famille : FRERE - Did anyone ever find out if Brother John was asleep  (Frère Jacques, Dormez-vous?)

37. Celebration honoring a saint : FEAST DAY - Feb. 10th is the FEAST DAY for St. Scholastica, Virgin

39. Crossed at a shallow spot : FORDED - Juilius Caesar FORDING the Rubicon

40. Rocky of song : RACCOON - A silly Beatle song

41. Munich title : HERR 

42. Home of Canada's Parliament : OTTAWA

43. Secular : LAIC - Acts performed by the laity

44. Phased-out refrigerant compound : CFC - ChloroFluoroCarbon was said to be a danger to the ozone layer

47. "__Language": 1993 comedy best-seller : SEIN - Yeah, that makes sense

8. Pierce portrayer : ALDA - Another sitcom legend

48. Ecstatic : BLISSED OUT - I guess if you can be STRESSED OUT...

51. Amor counterpart : EROS

52. Game with wagering restrictions : LIMIT POKER - Gee I wonder where a POKER reference came from. 😏

53. Three-part fig. : SSN - Mine starts with 507. Yours?

54. Bit of rifle range debris : EMPTY SHELL - Shirt seen on some shooting ranges

Down

1. Draft orders : IPAS - India Pale Ale'S

2. "Juno" actor Michael : CERA - Michael's character Paulie and Juno had a situation to deal with

3. Fighting group : ARMY

4. Govt. employer of mathematicians : NSA

5. Treatment for losing one's head? : ROGAINE - Reviews I read said it works for only a small part of the population

6. Going concern? : ENERGY

7. Like a full hold : LADEN and 35. Put in a hold : STOW- Like here in the Mayflower

9. Eastern way : TAO

13. In danger of being ticketed : LEAD FOOTED - You are busted!

15. Magnetic? : POLAR - Poles on the Moon are not magnetic

21. First name in astronautics : NEIL - His biography I recently read revealed him to be  a much better astronaut than husband or father

22. Stuff : SATE - Maybe I didn't need the large box of popcorn

23. "The Dance Class" painter : DEGAS - Impressionism at its best

24. Easy Street kin : BED OF ROSES - Mena Suvari in American Beauty (repeat from Argyle's Monday's puzzle)

25. Most bicycles : ONE SEATERS - Unless you're dating this girl name Daisy

26. Do something : TAKE ACTION

27. "Forbidden Planet" robot : ROBBY - 98% on Rotten Tomatoes

29. Punster's reward? : GROAN - But, he's a GROAN man!

32. Impossible : UNDOABLE

33. Cold reaction : BRRR - Heard outside the Super Bowl last week!

36. Grasping pair : FORCEPS

38. Input methods : SCANS - Here's a SCANNER I always have with me

39. Full of pluck : FEISTY - FEISTY O's manager Buck Showalter meets an equally FEISTY umpire. Oh yeah, Buck also got tossed out of the game

41. "Rumor __ ... " : HAS IT

43. Favor one side over the other : LIMP - A lot of us here know a) the character below with a LIMP, b) who the other characters are and c) the name of the show

44. Fountain choice : COKE - You might have to ask a jerk for one

45. Drive : FUEL - These can FUEL dreams

46. PC key under Shift : CTRL

49. Airport in Peru's cap. : LIM

50. [Head slap] : DOH

All in, I'll bet that you liked Michael's puzzle. Call? 

DA GRID

Friday, February 9, 2018, Jeffrey Wechsler

Title: Forget the carbs, I am hungry! Call Entenmann's.

For all of you who were wondering where our Friday friend JW has been hiding in 2018, he is back and presents the third visual puzzle that has been constructed for our consternation. We have 13 (!) clues which consist only of a number. Good news though, we get a reveal! Oops, not helpful yet. Must solve and wait for perps. Hmm, three letter fill at 26 and 52 across. 26- nope not there. 52? Ahh- BUN! 41- ROLL! Eureka! Thirteen is a baker's dozen. Ta-dah- bakery items! This was a struggle in places, but I am a big fan of most of the goods here, especially a warm buttery CROISSANT and a moist SCONE. What are your favorites? The rest was in my wheelhouse, with SUK requiring all of the perps. The purists will hate the themers being so short and having non-theme fill longer words, but I enjoyed BELDAME, BOSNIAN, CAT SCAN, DEEPENS, ELOCUTE, QUIETED, BLINDERS, and CITY PLAN as fun but challenging fill. I applaud Jeffrey for finding 13 items that not only fit the theme, but allow him to build a classic grid with complete thematic symmetry. A puzzle that completely depends on perps and the reveal...

I wonder if the grid was inspired by The Cross of Salem, also known as a pontifical cross because it is carried before the Pope. This is  - after all a CROSSword puzzle.

Anyway on to the solve.

1A. #1: MUFFIN (6). RECIPE. opposite 70A. # 10: DANISH (6). RECIPE.

7A. # 2: BRIOCHE (7). RECIPE. opposite 69A. # 9: BISCUIT (7). RECIPE.

24A. # 3: TORTE (5). RECIPE. opposite 53A. # 8: DONUT (5). RECIPE.

26A. #4 : PIE (3). RECIPE. opposite 52A. # 7: BUN (3). RECIPE.

37A. # 5: CAKE (4). RECIPE. opposite 41A. # 6: ROLL (4). RECIPE.

14D. # 11: BAGEL (5). RECIPE. opposite 51D. # 13: SCONE (5). RECIPE.

20D. # 12: CROISSANT (9). RECIPE. the center.

The reveal:
38A. It's a bit more than it sounds, and hints at this puzzle's theme: BAKER'S DOZEN (11). Wal-Mart sells their doughnuts 13 to a box. Let's get cooking with the solve.

Across:

14. Crone: BELDAME.  Finally a clue, but not a gimme fill. This archaic WORD is clearly a Friday Saturday fill. A very hard start.

15. Sarajevo citizen: BOSNIAN. The country is Bosnia and Herzegovina. LINK.

16. Gets to: ATTAINS.

17. Settled down: QUIETED.

18. Merry, in Metz: GAI. Metz is a city in northeast France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, the city forms a central place of the European Greater Region. Wiki. 55A. Pique-nique setting : PARC. French.

19. Prog. formally reinstated at Harvard in 2011: ROTC. Reserve Officer Training Corps programs were another casualty of the Vietnam War. LINK.

21. Hotel experience: STAY.

22. Sturdy trees: ELMS. Dutch elm disease as a problem but the TREE is making a return.

29. Future D.A.'s hurdles: LSATS.

31. Future salmon: ROE. Fish eggs.

32. Troubles: ILLS.

33. Belg. locale: EUR.

35. Travel guide listing: INN.

43. MS-__: DOS. Recently popular fill.

44. Party bowlful: DIP.

45. Goddess usually depicted holding an ankh: ISIS. This EGYPTIAN. And the Symbol which is also a CROSS.

46. "M*A*S*H" rank: Abbr. : MAJ. Random, but better than E-______?

48. Some archaeological sites: TOMBS. King Tut was actually named Tutankhamun. Mini-theme?

56. Karate training site: DOJO. Dōjō (道場) is a Japanese term which literally means "place of the way." My brother created one in the 60s in our hometown.

59. Lose steam: TIRE.

61. __ Speedwagon: REO. Musical interlude, only 1 hour and 20 minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqRpzyWJ5vM

62. Becomes more complex: DEEPENS.

65. High-tech med. procedure: CAT SCAN. What you need to KNOW.

67. Police actions: ARRESTS.

68. Speak well in public: ELOCUTE. Elocution from Latin elocution-, elocutio, from eloqui. Elocute is a back word from elocution.

Down:

1. Most of the periodic table: METALS.

2. __ Thule: distant place in medieval geography: ULTIMA. You want to ARGUE the point?

3. HHS agency: FDA. Health and Human Services.

4. Sunny: FAIR.

5. "You are!"retort: I'M NOT. Are too!

6. Argonaut known for wise counsel: NESTOR. He was a member of Jason's crew before the Trojan War. LINK.

7. Cookout fare, briefly: BBQ.

8. Awaken : ROUSE.

9. "Ya think?" : IS IT? I SIT? Isis' sister?

10. Fit-for-service designation: ONE-A. I have my draft card from the 60's somewhere.

11. Urban design: CITY PLAN. Pompano Beach is working on their PLAN.

12. "Some __ meat and canna eat": start of the Selkirk Grace: HAE. This probably predates Robert Burns. One of my favorite modern detectives is Hamish MacBeth, so I know the word.

13. Conclusion: END.

23. Lifts: STEALS.

25. Have an inclination: TEND.

27. Variety: ILK. I always like this word.

28. Language suffix: ESE.

30. Czech composer Josef, son-in-law of Dvorák: SUK. All perps for this MAN.

32. Frozen treat: ICEPOP. Would you like to read the HISTORY of the Popsicle?

34. Like half of Poland's flag: RED.

36. Silent assent: NOD.

38. Horse racing accessories: BLINDERS. The reason WHY.

39. Ex-quarterback Tony: ROMO. He has done well in his SECOND CAREER.

40. Clearasil target: ZIT.

41. Cookout morsel: RIB. I am not sure a rib is a morsel.

42. Brutus Buckeye is its mascot: Abbr. : OSU. The Ohio State University. Oklahoma State last week, perhaps Oregon State next.

47. Really pumped: JUICED. Not to be confused with juiced by steroids.

49. __ Aurelius, second-century Roman emperor: MARCUS. One of my favorite EMPERORS.

50. What a sprinter might run out of : BREATH.

53. "__ know you?" : DON'T I.

54. Musical nonsense syllables : TRA LA.

57. Intl. energy group: OPEC.

58. Bach's "__, Joy of Man's Desiring" : JESU. I had no idea and it seems counter-intuitive.

60. Hugh Laurie's alma mater: ETON. One of the myriads of foreign-born actors who portray US Americans on television.

62. Unit of hot mustard, for most: DAB. Not for Asians or me.

63. NW Penn. airport: ERI. A CSO to many who comment here.

64. Aircraft in the Smithsonian Inst. collection: SST.

66. Chem., for one : SCI. Abbreviation - abbreviation.

Well JW is back in business. I liked the grid, the theme, and the reveal. A note from C.C. below, which I echo. Lemonade out.

Note from C.C.:

Happy birthday to dear Splynter (Richard), who turns 47 years old today. Splynter was our trusted Saturday guide for a long long time. Hope all's well with your new job and new home, Splynter. Don't forget your friends here at the Corner. Visit us from time to time.

Thursday, February 8 2018 Susan Gelfand

Theme: Nova Ova - as the reveal tells you - anagrams of types of eggs:

36A. Breakfast order ... and a hint to the last words of 17-, 26-, 51- and 58-Across : SCRAMBLED EGGS. Food! Time for a "Full English" breakfast!

17A. Aerialists' insurance : SAFETY NETS. NEST Eggs.

26A. Porsche Boxster, e.g. : TWO-SEATER. EASTER Eggs.

51A. Like some pizza ovens : WOOD FIRED. FRIED Eggs.

58A. Conflict in Tennyson's "The Charge of the Light Brigade" : CRIMEAN WAR. RAW Eggs.

“Forward, the Light Brigade!”

Was there a man dismayed?

Not though the soldier knew

   Someone had blundered.

   Theirs not to make reply,

   Theirs not to reason why,

   Theirs but to do and die.

   Into the valley of Death

   Rode the six hundred.

Those of you with long memories might recall the theme title I've re-used today. This was a 2014 puzzle from Gareth Bain which I blogged, and I mentioned I'd been trying to come up with a "scrambled eggs" theme and failed, where Gareth had used "ova" instead and succeeded. Susan comes up with a totally different approach, and anagrams the types of eggs, not the eggs themselves. Very nice indeed.

Nothing really bothersome about the fill, it actually seemed a little easy for a Thursday, but your mileage may vary. Let's see what pops out:

Across:

1. Color changers : DYES

5. Allowing for the uncertainty of the future : SO FAR

10. Fairy tale bear : MAMA

14. Set : JELL

15. Greenland coin : KRONE. I've seen a lot of banknotes, but I'd not seen one of these before:

16. Holiday lead-ins : EVES

19. Days in Durango : DIAS

20. Side by side? : AREA. Nice clue. Multiply the lengths of the sides of a rectangle together and you get the area.

21. Medical priority system : TRIAGE

23. Visually transfixed : AGAZE

29. Mauritania neighbor : MALI. The West African country kerfuffle reminds me of the hubbub of states in the north-east US.

30. Make a big stink : REEK

31. Immobile : INERT

32. Lining fabric : FLEECE

34. Zebra hunter : LION. Lioness, actually. the guys just lay around while the women do all the work. Typical.

41. Loaves that may be seeded : RYES

42. Printing goofs : ERRATA

44. Narrow groove : STRIA

48. Take to heart : HEED

50. "Yikes!" : EGAD!

53. Decorative draperies : SWAGS. I never knew these things had a name. Thank you, crosses.

54. Brand name for the sleep aid zolpidem : AMBIEN.

55. Culture starter? : AGRI-

57. Tropical tuber : TARO

64. Tiny bit : ATOM

65. Broadcaster : AIRER

66. Sticking point : TINE. One of a number on a fork.

67. Many Christmas presents : TOYS

68. Involuntary muscle contraction : SPASM

69. Jet black : ONYX

Down:

1. Wedding reception VIPs : DJ'S

2. Vote for : YEA

3. Cookie baker in the Hollow Tree : ELF. Keebler's enchanted little person.

4. More disreputable : SLEAZIER

5. Terrier breed from Scotland : SKYE. There are quiet a few territory breeds in Scotland. Scottish Terrier, West Highland Terrier, Cairn Terrier, Border Terrier .... it's quite a list.

6. Richly decorated : ORNATE

7. Rival : FOE

8. Colony crawler : ANT

9. Stops working for a while : RESTS

10. Highway divider : MEDIAN

11. Pilot : AVIATE. The verb, not the noun. Thursday-level clue.

12. Scanty : MEAGER

13. State strongly : ASSERT

18. Little Italian number : TRE

22. "Stand By Me" director : REINER. The famous Rob. Stephen King wrote the original book from which the screenplay was developed.

23. Bowling alley initials : AMF. Chain of bowling alley operations and bowling equiment. Boomer would know. I needed crosses.

24. Some square dancers : GALS

25. Baldwin brother : ALEC

27. "Maybe" : WE'LL SEE

28. 1930s migrant to California : OKIE

30. Beverage company __ Cointreau : REMY

33. Coffee server : CARAFE

35. Binged (on) : OD'ED

37. Paint brand sold at Home Depot : BEHR

38. Got big enough for : GREW INTO

39. "Born This Way" Lady : GAGA. She's just announced she has to cancel her last ten UK tour dates due to pain from fibromyalgia. It's sad she's suffering from this debilitating condition.

40. Antlered animal : STAG

43. Program interruptions : ADS

44. Try to hit, as a fly : SWAT AT

45. Minestrone ingredient : TOMATO

46. Drink named for a Scottish hero : ROB ROY. Vermouth, Scotch Whisky and Angostura bitters. First made at the Astoria hotel in New York in honor of the premiere of the operetta.

47. Make a scene and act up : IDIOMS

49. One of a '50s singing quartet : ED AMES. One of the Urick brothers, the others were Vic, Gene and Joe.

52. Ancient empire builders : INCAS

53. Madrid Mrs. : SRA. Senora.

56. Start of an idea : GERM

59. Fabric flaw : RIP

60. Yo La Tengo guitarist Kaplan : IRA. Here's their melodious cover of The Cure's "Friday I'm in Love" with a truly bizarre video to accompany it.

61. Break the tape : WIN

62. Whichever : ANY

63. King of ancient Rome : REX. Oedipus, et al.

That's about it for me, back to LA today after eating copious amounts of curry in the UK.

This was yesterday morning in the middle of London. When I say "in the middle of London" I mean the exact center. I'm standing on a brass plaque marking the geographic center of the city from where all distances to and from the capital are measured. The gentleman over my shoulder is Admiral, Lord Nelson atop his column in Trafalgar Square.

Steve

Wednesday, February 7 2018, Roland Huget

Theme: BUY A VOWEL

17. Super-fun experience : BANGUP TIME

24. Certain baby tiger : BENGAL CUB

35. Cramming three seasons into a weekend, say : BINGE WATCHING

48. Salsa percussion instrument : BONGO DRUM

57. Securing strap : BUNGEE CORD

Melissa here. Vowel progression theme, with a few unknowns (for me).

Across:

1. Curve on a slalom, e.g. : ESS

4. Frugal folks : SAVERS. Anyone remember Jeff Smith, The Frugal Gourmet? He always said that frugal did not necessarily mean "cheap," but that you use everything and are careful with your time as well as with your food products. I miss the early cooking shows without all the absurd game-show antics.

10. Sea devastated by irrigation projects : ARAL

14. "Something tells __ should've stayed in bed" : ME I

15. Brunch staple : OMELET

16. Walk worriedly : PACE

19. Tolkien beasts : ORCS

20. Concrete strengtheners : REBARS

21. German auto pioneer : DAIMLER. Unknown for me. Wikipedia.

23. Junior or senior : YEAR

26. Grandmotherly type : OLD DEAR. As a grandmother, I don't love this clue ;).

29. Sarge's superior : LOOIE. Did not know this spelling.

30. Stand behind : ENDORSE

34. Rural stopover : INN

39. A pop : PER

40. Contemptuous one : SNEERER

41. Wolf pack member : U-BOAT

44. Natural night lights : AURORAS

52. Crowe's "A Beautiful Mind" role : NASH. Based on the book by the same name. Died in 2015.

53. Remove field heat from before storage, as crops : PRECOOL. Okay.

54. Japanese faith : SHINTO

56. Like cotton candy : SPUN

59. Owned : HELD

60. Horseshoes score : LEANER

61. Short-lived obsession : FAD

62. Neighborhood : AREA

63. Make certain : ENSURE

64. Trout lure : FLY

Down:

1. Developmental stage : EMBRYO

2. Sargasso wriggler : SEA EEL

3. Nautical stage name of comedian David Adkins : SINBAD

 
4. Lemony cocktail : SOUR

5. Rock concert gear : AMPS

6. Zoo staffer : VET

7. Slur over : ELIDE

8. Hire a new crew for : REMAN

9. "Shrek!" author William : STEIG

10. Historic Harlem theater : APOLLO. Has anyone else rubbed the wood?

11. Treasury collectible : RARE COIN

12. Accumulating, as interest : ACCRUING

13. "__ Miz" : LES

18. Source of tomatoes for homemade sauce : GARDEN

22. Bad beginning? : MAL

24. "Iron Chef Showdown" host Alton : BROWN

25. "Big" London attraction : BEN

27. ESL part: Abbr. : ENG

28. Citrus drinks : ADES

31. "Is This Love" singer Corinne Bailey __ : RAE

32. Power source : STEAM

33. Sandy-colored : ECRU

35. 1940s jazzman : BEBOPPER. Sneaky clue.

36. Totalitarian control : IRON RULE

37. Naval pronoun : HER

38. Having a twist : IRONIC

39. Happy hour site : PUB

42. It may form the outline for a meeting's minutes : AGENDA

43. Front-of-bk. list : TOC

45. Skedaddled : RAN OFF

46. Celestial : ASTRAL

47. Substandard : SHODDY

49. Paso __: two-step dance : DOBLE.

50. City where Joan of Arc died : ROUEN

51. Arm bones : ULNAS

54. Crystal ball reader : SEER

55. Where you are, on a mall map : HERE

56. __ Na Na : SHA

58. Bearded grazer : GNU

Note from C.C.:

Here is a wonderful article about the cause our dear Melissa has been working on tirelessly the past few years. Talk about personal sacrifice. She's just amazing!

Tuesday, February 6, 2018 ~ C.C. Burnikel

Theme: Wet Borders - Names of border lakes in the circles. The circles are on the borders of the entries.

17A. Cold dish topped with hard-boiled egg: CHEF'S SALAD. Lake Chad, borders Chad, Cameroon, Niger, and Nigeria

25A. Longtime Susan Lucci soap role: ERICA KANE. Lake Erie, borders Canada and the United States.

38A. It clicks on the dance floor: TAP SHOE. Lake Tahoe, border between California and Nevada.

50A. Appear intermittently: COME AND GO. Lake Como, Italy and near the Swiss border.

61A. It may be a boundary between neighboring countries ... or what each set of circles depicts?: BORDER LAKE

Argyle here. Lake Como seems to be the outlier here. It's 5 minutes by train from Como to the Swiss border. So many beautiful pictures, so I didn't choose any.

Across:

1. Jazz singer Simone: NINA. The Animals version was a cover of this Nina Simone original.

5. Colorado ski resort: ASPEN

10. Apple computer with a Magic Keyboard: iMAC. Why Magic?

14. Ambulance-calling situation: Abbr.: EMER.. "911, what is your emergency?"

15. Take off: LEAVE

16. Fizzy drink: COLA. 44A. Fizzy drink: POP

19. Grasp: HOLD

20. Sent to the canvas: KO'd. Knocked out.

21. Japanese beef city: KOBE

22. Wisdom tooth, e.g.: MOLAR. 41A. Crown installer's org.: ADA. (American Dental Association)

23. Having many curves: SNAKY. Better to be SNAKY than snarky.

28. Bully's warning words: OR ELSE

30. A cat may climb one: TREE

31. Beginning: ORIGIN

32. Skater's surface: ICE

33. Tiny amount: DRIB. Partner of drabs.

37. Place for pillow talk: BED

42. Picked out of a lineup, briefly: IDed. (identified)

45. "Here's the deal ... ": "LISTEN ... "

47. Metal in steel: IRON

49. Hire, as a lawyer: RETAIN

54. Nocturnal calls: HOOTS

56. Wonderland visitor: ALICE

57. Simplify: EASE

59. Tiny insect egg: NIT

60. Bread for a gyro: PITA

64. Nights before: EVEs

65. Confess: ADMIT

66. Radar screen spot: BLIP

67. Take a break: REST

68. Medicinal amounts: DOSES

69. Flies on a fast plane: JETS

Down:

1. Mandolin parts: NECKS

2. Bit of gratitude from an award recipient: "I'M HONORED"

3. Driver's invitation: "NEED A RIDE?"

4. [I want a treat!]: [ARF!]

5. As well: ALSO

6. Naval builder: SEABEE

7. Not as tanned: PALER

8. Juan Perón's wife: EVA

9. Homer Simpson's friend Flanders: NED

10. "The pressure was too much for me": "I CHOKED"

11. Greenbacks: MOOLA

12. Hunter Quatermain of "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen": ALLAN. Not the character on the soap opera General Hospital.

13. Close-knit group: CADRE

18. Like greenhouses: SKYLIT

22. West of old films: MAE

24. Brewery container: KEG

26. Rash symptom: ITCH

27. New Orleans cuisine: CREOLE. Just Sunday we had Creole vs Cajun.

29. Attach with a click: SNAP ON. And a lot of moola.

31. Back-tied sash: OBI

32. Co. for Web users: ISP. (Internet service provider)

34. Underlying reason: RATIONALE

35. Police artist's composite pic maker: IDENTI-KIT

36. Blackball: BAN

39. Duck's habitat: POND

40. "Your choice": EITHER

43. Like many metal toys: DIECAST

46. __ Tomé: SÃO. São Tomé is the capital city of São Tomé. Its name is Portuguese for "Saint Thomas".

48. Singer Carly __ Jepsen: RAE

49. Rock band's helper: ROADIE

50. Zany adventure: CAPER

51. Martini fruit: OLIVE

52. Tiny parasites: MITES

53. Causes of illness: GERMS

55. Fitbit units: STEPS. Fitbit: wearable technology.

58. Film backdrops: SETS

61. No longer edible: BAD

62. Prefix with meter: ODO

63. Prez whose library is in Austin: LBJ

Argyle

Monday, February 5, 2018 ~ Jeff Eddings

Theme: Big Game - not really about the game, just words that start with a B and G.

17A. Nonconformist Harley-riding groups: BIKER GANGS

25A. Rose and Orange: BOWL GAMES

38A. Places where critters procreate: BREEDING GROUNDS

46A. Honey Ryder and Mary Goodnight: BOND GIRLS

59A. Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb ... and a hint to 17-, 25-, 38- and 46-Across: THE BEE GEES

Argyle here. A debut from this constructor but there may be more in the near future.

Across:

1. Closest pal, in IM shorthand: BFF. (Best Friend Forever)

4. Fish-eating raptor: OSPREY

10. Wretched: VILE

14. Period of history: ERA

15. Put a new flannel layer in, as a coat: RELINE

16. Fruit punches: ADEs

19. Picky details: NITS

20. Chief Norse god: ODIN

21. "Hulk" director Lee: ANG

22. Photoshop creator: ADOBE

23. Longtime "SNL" announcer Don: PARDO

28. Hoppy brews, for short: IPAs. (India pale ale)

30. Dog command: HEEL

31. Shake, as with fear: QUAVER

34. Demeanor: MIEN

35. "__ on a Grecian Urn": ODE

41. Camera initials: SLR. (single-lens reflex)

42. 35-Across, e.g.: POEM

43. Gulf War reporter Peter: ARNETT

44. Cancún house: CASA

45. Quick cash sources, initially: ATMs. (automated teller machine)

50. "Fantastic!": "SUPER!"

54. Like beer in a cooler: ON ICE

55. Unit of resistance: OHM

57. Lost fish in a Pixar film: NEMO

58. Letter before eta: ZETA

62. Rowing tools: OARS

63. Pine secretions: RESINS

64. Antonym of post-: PRE

65. Gin fizz fruit: SLOE

66. Remove, as a chin strap: UNSNAP

67. The "S" in iOS: Abbr.: SYS. (Internet (i) and operating system)

Down:

1. Jazz style: BEBOP

2. Mexican artist Kahlo: FRIDA. Self-taught painter (1907-1954) Wiki

3. Fire-walking mystic: FAKIR

4. Bruin legend Bobby: ORR

5. Nintendo rival: SEGA

6. Backup strategies: PLAN B's

7. Drummer Starr: RINGO

8. London's land: Abbr.: ENG. (England)

9. "Okay": "YES"

10. Graffiti creator, perhaps: VANDAL

11. Figure of speech: IDIOM

12. Do not disturb: LET BE

13. Letters before tees: ESSES

18. Curly salad green: ENDIVE

22. Child psychologists' benchmarks: AGE NORMS

24. Where to find columns with views: OP-ED PAGE

26. Millard Fillmore, partywise: WHIG

27. Ogle: LEER AT

29. Melodic passages: ARIOSI. Italian

31. NFL play callers: QBs. (quarterback)

32. Internet address: URL. (Uniform Resource Locator)

33. __ Lingus: Irish carrier: AER

34. Roaring-lion studio: MGM. (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)

35. Washington's bill: ONE

36. Banned pesticide: DDT. (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane)

37. Winter hrs. in most of Michigan: EST. (Eastern Standard Time)

39. Not far: NEAR

40. Like heroes deserving more recognition: UNSUNG

44. Jewel box: CD CASE

45. Hearth receptacle: ASH BIN

46. Obnoxious clowns: BOZOS

47. Basketball's Shaq: O'NEAL

48. Part of TNT: NITRO

49. Rich soil: LOESS

51. Pals, in slang: PEEPS

52. Nail-filing board: EMERY

53. Kentucky Derby flowers: ROSES

56. "American Beauty" actress Suvari: MENA

59. __TV: Turner channel: TRU

60. Farm layer: HEN

61. Telepathy, e.g.: ESP. (Extrasensory perception)

Argyle

Sunday Feb 4, 2018 Lee Taylor

Theme: "Right for the Job" - Each phrase is replaced by a sound-like given name & surname combo, corresponding to the job in each clue. 

27A. Aptly named therapist? : OPHELIA PAINE. I feel your pain.

39A. Aptly named dietitian? : EATON WRIGHT. Eating right. Then we have 112. Had a bite : ATE. Tough to spot this type of dupe.

93A. Aptly named easy chair salesman? : RICK KLEINER. Recliner.

108A. Aptly named gardener? : ALONSO GREENE. A lawn so green.

13D. Aptly named editor? : ADELINE MOORE. Add a line more.

24D. Aptly named sommelier? : MERL O'DALEY. Merlot daily.

59D. Aptly named barber? : LES OFFENBACH. Less off in back.

62D. Aptly named policewoman? : LAURA BIDEN. Law abiding. 

This seems to be Lee's LAT debut. Congratulations!

Did you all get the original phrases? Santa helped me get the set, then D-Otto confirmed Santa's answers.

There are eight theme entries, each Across one intersects a Down one. Very nice. This takes luck and skill. 

Across:      

1. Code __ : RED

4. "Rubáiyát" poet : OMAR

8. Regional UN headquarters since 1946 : GENEVA. The big headquarters is New York City. Wiki says the other two regional headquarters are Vienna & Nairobi.

14. Slather : SMEAR

19. Lead-in for carte or mode : A LA

20. "__ la France!" : VIVE

21. Brought up : RAISED

22. Jobs creation : APPLE. Steve Jobs.

23. Australian island state : TASMANIA. Great fill.

25. Mysterious : ARCANE

26. Capricious notions : WHIMS

29. Misfortunes : ILLS

31. Like many a tree at Christmas : LIT

32. __-friendly : USER. You can ask D-Otto anything except sports, he'll give you a very easy to understand answer.  He always gets into the core of things.

33. Self-described "King of All Media" : STERN (Howard)

34. Largest continent : ASIA

35. Frat party wear : TOGA

36. Electric car brand : TESLA. Hey, our Picard and his wife toured the factory.

38. One of the Gershwins : IRA

42. Capital with a Viking Ship Museum : OSLO. Would be a super exciting Super Bowl had our Vikings beat the Eagles.

44. With no exceptions : BAR NONE

46. Sharp : ACUTE

47. Pull a fast one on : HOODWINK. Another sparkling fill.

51. Small test : QUIZ

52. Mangabeys, e.g. : MONKEYS. I did not know the meaning of Mangabey.

54. Thought of but not shared : UNSAID

55. Goes back to the front, perhaps : RE-UPS. Oh the front line.

57. URL ending : ORG

58. King's domain : REALM

59. Ties off in surgery : LIGATES

61. Cats native to much of the Americas : OCELOTS

66. Unit on the set : TAKE. Movie set.

67. Mexican coin : PESO

68. Prominent Dumbo feature : EARS

70. Mine access : ADIT. Looks like this. I learned from doing crosswords.

71. TV's Buffy and Faith, e.g. : SLAYERS

73. Moral consideration : SCRUPLE. Consonant-rich.

77. Set of furniture : SUITE

78. Startling word : BOO

79. Shade-tolerant garden plant : HOSTA

80. Old schoolmaster's disciplinary tool : FERULE. Do you use Ferule or Ferrule?

81. Avoid trespassing on : STAY OFF

85. Turns sharply : ZIGS

86. Bowed, in Basra : SALAAMED. We kowtowed to elders during Spring Festival. Then we got the red pocket with money in.

88. Chocolate source : CACAO

89. Constitution VIPs : FRAMERS

92. Like hands without mittens, maybe : NUMB. In cold winter.

95. Big time : ERA

97. Works with flour : SIFTS

101. Pub pours : ALES

102. Green state? : ENVY. Gimme for regulars.

103. Puzzle part : PIECE. Boomer has tackled a few jigsaw puzzles this winter.

105. Leak : DRIP

106. Hip : MOD

107. Woodcutter Ali : BABA

111. Thorny plant : BRIAR

113. "MASH" director : ALTMAN (Robert). He also directed the movie "A Prairie Home Companion". Big deal for Minnesotans then. How things have changed in a short time.

115. Scotty on the Enterprise, e.g. : ENGINEER

116. Slowly, in music : LENTO

117. Spicy cuisine : CREOLE. Never had Creole food.

118. Kerfuffles : ADOS

119. Rowboat propeller : OAR

120. Brinks : EDGES

121. Many-sided evils : HYDRAS. Many-headed. Also 53. Monstrous Tolkien creations : ORCS

122. Fail miserably : TANK

123. Cook in a wok : FRY. I loved these fried rice balls. Often filled with sweet red adzuki paste or sesame paste. Most of Chinese/Japanese/Koreans desserts contain adzuki paste and sesame paste/seeds.

Down:

1. Snitch on : RAT OUT

2. Tick away : ELAPSE

3. Short races : DASHES

4. __ Office : OVAL

5. Knee revealers, and then some : MINIS

6. Earhart's art : AVIATION

7. Grim character? : REAPER. We've seen this clue before.

8. Tiny amount : GRAIN

9. Bring home : EARN

10. Word on Santa's checklist : NICE. What a blessing to have a Santa on our blog. He now has a new cat called Moaning Myrtle.

Moaning Myrtle

11. Former NHL forward Tikkanen : ESA. Unknown to me. Wiki says he's Finnish.

12. Hunter's meat : VENISON

14. Makes the cut : SAWS. Great clue.

15. Dashboard letters : MPH

16. Afterword : EPILOGUE

17. Supremely powerful : ALMIGHTY

18. Amends, as corporate earnings : RE-STATES

28. __ Spring : ARAB. Now Arab Winter.

30. USA Patriot Act, e.g. : LAW

34. Including everything : A TO Z

35. Check (off) : TICK

37. Take __: enjoy the pool : A SWIM

39. Lose one's temper : ERUPT

40. Ouzo flavoring : ANISE. I gather it tastes similar to star anise? I was surprised to find out that the five-spice powder made in Taiwan does not include Sichuan peppercorn. They have ginger root. I much prefer ours.

41. Mountain chain : RANGE

43. Pot top : LID

45. Greenish blue : AQUA

47. Elicits an "Ouch!" : HURTS

48. "Inside the NBA" analyst : O"NEAL. Shaq.

49. Japanese port : OSAKA

50. Kardashian matriarch : KRIS

56. They may be inflated : EGOS

60. Labor Day mo. : SEPT. Our flea market season here starts around Memorial Days and ends around Labor Day.

63. Loathing : ODIUM

64. Information on a spine : TITLE. And 72. Kindle download : E-BOOK

65. Spirited mount : STEED

67. TA's boss : PROF

69. Word of regret : ALAS

74. Relative of a knock : CHIME

75. "I copy" : ROGER

76. Gorbachev's land: Abbr. : USSR

77. Lines of clothing : SEAMS

80. Winter malady : FLU. So glad I beat it. Now I can eat pickles & Kimchi (mild) again. Both irritated my throat when I coughed.

81. Prepare, as eggs : SCRAMBLE

82. Fitted : TAILORED

83. Agreeing : ACCEDING

84. Himalayan pack animals : YAKS

85. Wacky : ZANY

87. World's largest snake by weight : ANACONDA. Another great fill.

90. Serious competition : RIVALRY

91. To be, in Bavaria : SEIN. Unknown to me.

94. "Glee" actress __ Michele : LEA

96. Move from window to aisle, say : RE-SEAT. Aisle for Boomer.

98. Done with : FREE OF

99. Tone deafness : TIN EAR

100. Boat shoe brand : SPERRY

103. Corn breads : PONES. These look like corn cookies.

104. Goad : EGG ON

107. Warner or Ringling follower : BROS

108. Don Juan's love : AMOR

109. In __ land : LA LA. Hi there, LaLaLinda!

110. Game of world conquest : RISK

114. Williams in Cooperstown : TED