Saturday, April 14, 2018, Robyn Weintraub

A THEMELESS SATURDAY PUZZLE BY ROBYN WEINTRAUB

The warm temps have finally come to the Great Plains and so it appears that spring is finally here. So let's celebrate with a lovely Saturday puzzle from Robyn Weintraub on National Reach As High As You Can Day. For some of us, a clever Saturday puzzle can be just that.

Robyn's four pinwheel stacks of nine-letter fills were very impressive and helpful. Coupled with new learning and clever cluing made for a fun solve.  Now let's see if we have reached as high as we can today.

Across:

1. Many a tax filer's need: Abbr.: SSN - Most everyone around here has a SSN starting with 507 or 506

4. It's a lock: HASP

8. Half-Blood Prince of fiction: SNAPE and 38. Rickman who played 8-Across: ALAN -  My Harry Potter knowledge is seriously lacking

13. Showed emotion: SHED A TEAR

16. Fifth canonical hour: NONES - Divisions of the day. NONES is about 3 pm when it is said Christ was crucified

17. Try: GIVE IT A GO

18. Rarely a problem for happy-go-lucky types: ANGST

19. Clematis supports: TRELLISES - here's my lovely wife Joann's clematis in our backyard

20. Roger who played the U.K. ambassador on "The West Wing": REES - I mostly remember Roger as the priggish Roger Colcort in Cheers

21. Published in installments: SERIAL - A movie version of this format

22. Impressive dismount: BACK FLIP - Looks like she stuck it!

25. Pacific resort, popularly: CABO - CABO San Lucas

27. "Good heavens!": MY OH MY

28. Typographic measure: PICA - In high school we had mostly manual PICA typewriters and a few with elite type and one, count it, one electric

31. Had in view: EYED

33. Guard attachment?: RAIL - It appears this Guard RAIL did its job

34. Endangered chimpanzees: BONOBOS

36. Potential: PROMISE - Spring training is when teams try to see what players show the most PROMISE

39. Letters at the top of a window: HTTP - Hyper Text Transfer Protocol. HTTP://www.usatoday.com is no longer necessary. usatoday.com or even usatoday will suffice

41. Grenoble green: VERT - This wall hanging is entitled Deux autruches dans une voiture française VERT. Did you suss it out as Two ostriches in a green, French car?

42. Many an Egyptian pharaoh: RAMSES - There were eleven of them from Ramses I in 1292 B.C. to Ramses XI in 1075 B.C.

44. Historic Italian family: ESTE - They gave the world the Hanoverian Kings as well as Ivan VI of Russia among other royalty

46. Menu type: DROP DOWN

48. Spaced: IN A FOG - I experience this sensation less with a CPAP device

53. Bad salt container?: BRIG - I doubt she is bad salt (sailor) but she is in the BRIG

 
54. Medium access?: AFTER LIFE - Mary Todd Lincoln held at least eight seances in the White House trying to contact her dead sons Eddie and Willie 

56. Half a comedy duo: MEARA - Anne MEARA, husband and comedy partner Jerry Stiller, their famous son and his wife

57. Waze forerunner: ROAD ATLAS - I had never heard of this site that supplants a ROAD ATLAS but here it shows my short, daily route to sub where I have to cross the mighty Elkhorn River

58. One might be picky: EATER - My new SIL's boys are the pickiest eaters I have ever known. We load up with mac and cheese for them even on Thanksgiving

59. "Okay, back to work": DUTY CALLS

60. Reunion attendees: GRADS - When I sub, I can see the ones that probably won't be coming back for the reunions

61. Offend, in a way: REEK - Non-verbal offense as some people just seem to have an "air" about them

62. Terse street sign: SLO - They couldn't spring for the W?


Down:

1. Certain NCOs: SSGTS - Our cwd friend MSGT is here also

2. English subdivision: SHIRE - A favorite place on Big Bang

3. When some things will change?: NEVER

4. How to get to Carnegie Hall, perhaps: HAIL A CAB - Yup, I put this SNARKY 8-letter word of advice first

5. Fifth-century Roman Empire enemy: ATTILA

6. Black and Red: SEAS


7. Shoulder-length do: PAGEBOY - Named for the the "porridge bowl" haircuts sported by medieval pages

8. Like a comment that may elicit "Oh, snap!": SNARKY

9. "I'm good, thanks": NONE FOR ME - My very educated friend insisted on saying NONE FOR I. Me didn't never correct that there guy. 😑

10. Bow tie alternative: ANGEL HAIR - Pasta


11. Eeyore, for one: PESSIMIST

12. Contractor's no.: ESTimate

14. Brat's place: DELI

15. Sub or Santa follower: ROSA - SubROSA means done in secret (literally "under the rose") and of course Santa ROSA (St. Rose) is the county seat of Sonoma Co. California

23. Nav. rank: CMDR

24. TV Marine: PYLE - If you look closely you can see that Gomer PYLE's job at Wally's Service Station was right across the street from his Gomer Pyle M.C. barracks on the Desilu backlot

26. With 51-Down, tops: BEST and 51. See 26-Down: OF ALL

28. Focus of some climate change concerns: POLAR BEAR

29. Female lover: INAMORATA

30. Plotted together: CONSPIRED - I'll bet you know this source of this lyric: "Later on we'll CONSPIRE, As we dream by the fire" 

32. "House" actor: EPPS - Omar's first and last name are becoming cwd staples

34. Avon product?: BARD - Shakespeare's birthplace of course

35. Extremely: OH SO

37. Viking accessory: OVEN RACK - Oh yeah, that's those expensive appliances we never consider! Hey, heat's heat!

40. "Got it" on the radio: TEN-FOUR - Chief Dan Matthews made this phrase a national phenomenon on Highway Patrol. 

43. Ellery Queen and Raven awards, e.g.: EDGARS - The clue words are categories of the EDGARS Awards that are judged by the Mystery Writers of America 

45. Camp craft: TIE DYE

47. District: WARD - Chicago WARDS are famous for being for sale

49. Resort near Snowbird: ALTA - They are connected by Sugarloaf Pass

50. Gases (up): FILLS

52. Canvas primer: GESSO - I remembered this word from a Sunday puzzle I blogged a few years ago for C.C. and Hard G

55. Thames gallery: TATE

56. Eldest March sister: MEG - Here she is being played by Trini Alvarado in the 1994 movie. (Third from the left) Do you recognize the famous actress at the left who played the mother?

Feel free to enter your comments. 10 - 4?

DA GRID

Note from C.C.:

Husker Gary has updated our Corner map. Please email Gary gschlapfer@gmail.com if you want to be included or excluded in the map.

Friday, April 13, 2018, David Alfred Bywaters

Title: Better dead than red.

David returns for his third 2018 Friday. and his 5th overall. I still know very little about the man other than he loves obscure Victorian novels and creating crosswords, even though he has stopped by several times. His website DAVID ALFRED BYWATERS has new puzzle and new book every Saturday. Oh, and his great-grandmother loved puzzles and took a good picture. The idea is simple-  the three letter word RED is added to a two part phrase.  There is a sound change for each vowel preceding the RED, but thetheme clues, are  all fun mental pictures.   The reveal is a bit tricky as you have to see the RED infiltrating the words. Most of the fill was in my wheelhouse, but SAHM sounded like the number three in Thai. There really some fun ones, like YO HO HO, BASS CLEF, and IN A PIE. Anyway, on with the show.

24A. State of mind induced by monotonous music?: SONIC BOREDOM (12). SONIC BOOM gets repurposed.

32A. BBQ item with a char?: SEARED DOG (9). SEA DOG becomes burned hot dog.

43A. Object of trout-fishing veneration?: SACRED FLY (9). SAC FLY (the baseball abbreviation for sacrifice fly) gets reeled in as a fisherperson.

49A. Aversion to rodeo performers?: COWBOY HATRED (12). COWBOY HAT get chased away.

And the reveal-
63A. Post-WWII fear of infiltration apparently confirmed by four puzzle answers: RED SCARE (8).

Across:

1. Grooming tool: COMB. 

5. Put two and two together: ADD.

8. Attentive to the schedule: PROMPT.

14. Pentagon measure: AREA. Not the Pentagon, but a pentagon.

15. Basic substance: LYE.

16. Rum accompaniment?: YO HO HO If you have been to Disney World, this was a gimme.

We also have 34D. Three-note refrain: EI EI O. 

17. Staff symbol: BASS CLEF.

19. Handled vessel: TEAPOT.

20. Ease, as thirst: SLAKE. If you drink your tea, you often will say 21A. Cry of one whose thirst is eased: AAH. Contiguous clecho.

23. Artist Magritte: RENE. The Belgian surrealist.

28. Sphere: ORB.

31. Bring into harmony: ATTUNE. Simply AT + TUNE.

35. Left-hand page: VERSO.

40. Croatia neighbor: SERBIA.

41. Toe problem: BUNION. I will refrain from posting any pictures.

42. The Beatles' "All My Loving," e.g.: OLDIE.



46. Where some nursery rhyme baking occurs: IN A PIE.
Four and twenty blackbirds. Baked in a pie. When the pie was opened. The birds began to sing—. Wasn't that a dainty dish. To set before the king? The king was in the counting-house. Counting out his money,. The queen was in the parlor. Eating bread and honey,. The maid was in the garden. Hanging out the clothes.

48. Deceive: FOX. This took a while.

55. Multicolored gem: OPAL. Probabaly the gem that appears most often in CW puzzles, and  CSO to Kazie.

56. Kvbrick opvs?: MMI. If you studied Latin for 6or 7 years, this jumped out as the Roman "v" is our modern "U" making the clue 'Kubrick opus.' MMI = 2001 (a space odessey).

57. Takes a nap, say: RESTS. Some straight forward clue/fill. 68A. Was aware of: KNEW. 71A. Recognizes: SEES.

61. Make over: REVAMP.

66. Get all wet: DRENCH. 67A. Rower: OAR.And 64D. Listener: EAR all mislead with simplicity.

69. Big Apple Theater District restaurant: SARDIS. The food was never that good but the atmosphere was fun and it was always fun after the theater.

70. Cook, in a way: FRY. Can you think of a different three letter alternative?

Down:

1. Wine choices: CABS. Cabarnet.

2. Spoken: ORAL

3. Tableland: MESA. A CSO to Lucy and our other desert contributors.

4. Revels (in), as praise: BASKS in the glory.

5. The lot (of): ALL.

6. Henna, e.g.: DYE.

7. In actuality: DE FACTO. More Latin.

8. Big name in British comedy: PYTHON. Did you ever wonder WHY?

9. Beluga yield: ROE. Fish eggs.

10. United hub: O'HARE.

11. Island vacation ride: MOPED. Last time I drove one in the Bahamas I hit a wall; vision has been an issue for a while.

12. Amplifier switch: PHONO. Tape, CD.

13. Tribal symbol: TOTEM. An Eastern European Navajo, might be known as Totem Pole?

18. Board boss: CEO. Chief Executive Officer.

22. "Snug as __ ... ": A BUG in a rug.

25. Uno menos uno, to Unamuno: NADA. One minus one equal nothing in Spanish. The Friday element is the use of this educator, philosopher, and author, LINK, who I did not know.

26. "__ be a pleasure": IT'D

27. Variety show: REVUE

28. __ buco: OSSO. We recently had a reference to GIADA DE LAURENTIS.

29. Rod attachment: REEL. Sounds fishy to me.

30. Homer, e.g.: BARD. No Friday love for Will?

33. Batter's stat: RBI.  Runs Batted In.

36. Close: END

37. Jazz phrase: RIFF. I know it more from guitars but it is a short repeated phrase in popular music and jazz, typically used as an introduction or refrain in a song.

38. Concerto cadenza, e.g.: SOLO. A cadenza is a virtuoso solo passage inserted into a movement in a concerto or other work, typically near the end.

39D. Banded stone: ONYX

41. Uncle Remus title: BRER

43. Doug of the Sir Douglas Quintet with the hit "She's About a Mover": SAHM
I have never hear of the IMPORTANT singer musician.

44. Two: A PAIR OF.

45. Op. __: CIT. This is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase opere citato, meaning "in the work cited." It is used in an endnote or footnote to refer the reader to a previously cited work, standing in for repetition of the full title of the work

47. Mythological maidens: NYMPHS.

49. Electrical connections: CORDS.

50. Monteverdi work: OPERA. More music. You know HIM?

51. Go back and forth: WAVER.

52. Flavorless: BLAND.

53. Med. treatment areas: ERS. Emergency Rooms.

54. Card groups: DECKS.

58. Sound: SANE.

59. Shoe insert: TREE. Foot fits as well.

60. Follows a pattern, perhaps: SEWS. Another example of a simple but misleading clue.

62. 2006 Verizon acquisition: MCI. A nice fake out as this is not a Roman Numeral.

65. Arid: DRY.

This is a puzzle might have pleased JzB the most as it so full of music. It was fun for me, but I do not have any Monteverdi stories. I guess I cannot get all the way through a Friday the 13th without  any mention of that dubious day. In case anyone wondered, I do not own a hockey mask. Maybe David does. Lemonade out.

Thursday, April 12 2018 Bruce Haight

Theme: Hard Ates. I'm in Las Vegas, so "ates the hard way" was little craps-inspiration. Except there's no such thing. Sometimes when the reveal is so slick naming the theme becomes a challenge. Which I failed. Moving on:

17A. Carnivores: MEAT EATERS. That's me.

24A. Appliance needed for a hot bath: WATER HEATER

38. Latvia and Lithuania, once: SATELLITE STATES. Satellite states of the old Soviet Union.

47A. 2015 NFL controversy involving air pressure: DEFLATEGATE The Watergate cover-up has a lot to answer for, but at least you know that the latest "gate" is a controversy. The equipment manager for the New England Patriots was accused of letting air out of the match balls that QB Tom Brady would throw that game.

58A. It consists of a couple of couples ... and, when divided differently, a hint to something hidden in 17-, 24-, 38- and 47-Across: DOUBLE DATE. When divided differently, we get "DOUBLED ATE" for the very neat reveal.

I think this is a great puzzle from Bruce. The theme entries are snappy and the reveal is genuinely clever. Even with the quite heavy themage, Bruce still finds a way to add eight- and ten-letter entries in the downs.

We bloggers were discussing the quality of the fill in the LA Times, which C.C. describes as "gluey" on occasion, a polite term for "not very good". There's very little glue in the fill today, this is a high-quality puzzle.

Let's see what jumps out:

Across: 

1. Jay-Z output: RAP CD

6. Reach great heights: SOAR

10. Attempt: STAB

14. White house?: IGLOO. Nice clue!

15. Fair: EXPO

16. Bear in the heavens: URSA. Two sizes of bear up there. Bear Major and Bear Minor. Sounds like two brothers at private school (or public school in the UK, which is the very opposite of what you would think it means).

19. Invite abbr.: BYOB. Bring your own B(ottle) or B(ooze). I'm not sure I'd be terribly impressed if I received an invitation that actually told me to bring a bottle. BYOB restaurants are great, you can take a great bottle of wine and not get held hostage by the wine list prices.

20. Job application fig.: S.S.N. Do you put your Social Security Number on a job application? I'm not sure this is a thing.

21. Hang around: STAY

22. "National Velvet" sister: EDWINA. Solid crosses filled this in for me. I saw the movie starring Elizabeth Taylor many moons ago.

26. Got the ball rolling?: PUTTED

30. Smooth-talking: OILY

31. "60 Minutes" regular: STAHL. Moderator Lesley.

32. Improvised jazz part: VAMP

34. Element Prometheus stole from Olympus: FIRE. Didn't go well, I seem to recall.

41. Harbinger of spring: THAW

42. "Beetle Bailey" dog: OTTO

43. 1990s-2000s skating champ Slutskaya: IRINA. I always try IRENA first and have to correct it when the cross doesn't work.

44. Davenport's place: IOWA

46. 1974 hit with Spanish lyrics: ERES TU. "It's you". Great 70's video, lots of camera-staring and men with questionable facial hair. I don't recognize the song, I have to confess.

52. Italy's __ Coast: AMALFI. This has been a regular reference recently, it seems.

53. Like arf and meow: ORAL. Fiendish clue. Very nice.

54. Hallucinogenic letters: LSD. Lysergic acid diethylamide

57. "Pleeease?": CAN I?

61. Writer Shere: HITE. Writer on feminism and women's sexuality.

62. Avant-garde: EDGY

63. Font flourish: SERIF. The default font on the blog is a "serif'ed" one.

64. "Regrettably ... ": ALAS

65. Grasps: SEES

66. Like horror films: SCARY

Down: 

1. What "nothin' but net" shots don't touch: RIMS. No clanging on the basketball hoop. Just a swish as the ball goes through.

2. Periods: AGES
.
3. Not leave things to chance: PLAN

4. Foldable bed: COT

5. Succeeds: DOES WELL

6. Tuned to: SET AT

7. Daisy variety: OX-EYE. Pretty things.

8. Car ad abbr.: APR. Interest rate on the loan. You pay cash, no loan, no APR.

9. Botanical source of vitamin C: ROSE HIPS.

10. Commuter's cost: SUBWAY FARE. Could also be the picnic you eat on a long commute on the subway.

11. "Have a taste": TRY IT!

12. In harmony: AS ONE

13. Kiddie lit elephant: BABAR. The perfect gentleman, always doffed his hat to a lady. Which prompts a question - can you doff anything other than your hat? If you can't, the "his hat" part of the phrase is redundant, you should just "doff". If you can doff other stuff, what does doffing your shoe look like? We should be told.

18. Somewhat: A TAD

23. __ Taco: DEL. Not your first choice of venue for taco dining in Los Angeles

25. Lover of Shakespeare?: ROMEO. Nice cluing.

26. Sibilant "Yo!": PSST!

27. Its motto is "Industry": UTAH. Thanks, crosses.

28. "Cheerio!": TA-TA!

29. Jittery condition: THE WILLIES. Loved this one.

32. Curriculum __: résumé: VITAE. CV is the term in the UK and elsewhere for your job history.

33. Brief writer, briefly: ATT. Attorney. Took me a while to see this one.

35. Words before and after "what": IT IS

36. Dollars for quarters: RENT

37. Biblical twin: ESAU

39. Good times for beachcombing: LOW TIDES

40. Indefatigable: TIRELESS

45. Lummox: OAF

46. Lat. shortener: ET AL. Et alia if you want to be long-winded about it.

47. Russian country house: DACHA

48. Online message: EMAIL

49. Crush rival: FANTA. Fizzy fruit-flavored drinks. Fanta is most often associated with the orange version, but there are more than 100 flavors worldwide.
.
50. Overcharge but good: GOUGE

51. Chain known for roast beef: ARBY'S. "We Have The Meats"

54. Actress __ Flynn Boyle: LARA. Best known for her role in Twin Peaks, she appeared in all the episodes.

55. Show signs of life: STIR. I wasn't sure I'd be showing signs of life this morning. I'm at a convention in Las Vegas and last night was the industry association party at a nightclub. With an open bar. I actually felt rather jaunty.

56. Stand up to: DEFY

59. Laudatory poem: ODE

60. Usual Hanukkah mo.: DEC.

I think that does it for me today. Just need to add the grid and I'm done!

Steve

Wednesday, April 11, 2018 John Guzzetta

Theme: Use Your Noodle.  This one would be pretty close to themeless if it weren't for --

55A. Old family recipe (and see circles): SECRET SAUCE.  

The remaining long fill entries, in a pinwheel array, have nothing obvious to do with each other.  If you didn't get the circles, this SECRET will be a real mystery.  If you did get them, you'll see they are centrally located in the shape of the letter S, which can stand for either SECRET, SAUCE, the word that the circled letters spell, SPAGHETTI, or the letter S occurring twice each in the other long fills.

This is an original theme concept.  At least I don't remember seeing anything quite like it before.  The fill entries with the circled letters also have nothing else in common. Here they are in order.

26A. Filing tool: RASP.  A coarse file used for rough shaping.

30A. Collars: ARRESTS.  Places under legal custody.  When the bandit fell in love with the police woman who captured him, it was cardiac ARREST.

34A. Web unit: PAGE.  An element of internet presence, not typically associated with silken threads.

38A. Skater Sasha or comic Sacha Baron: COHEN.  Alexandra Pauline "Sasha" Cohen is an American figure skater. She is the 2006 Olympic silver medalist, a three-time World Championship medalist, the 2003 Grand Prix Final Champion, and the 2006 U.S. Champion.  Sacha Noam Baron Cohen is an English actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. Baron Cohen is most widely known for creating and portraying four fictional characters: Ali G, Borat Sagdiyev, Brüno Gehard, and Admiral General Aladeen. Both per Wikipedia.  You probably don't confuse them.

A Sasha

Another Sasha

41A. Veggie burger veggies: PEAS.   The PEA pod is actually a fruit, and the PEAS we eat are immature seeds, but are generally though of as vegetables.  I don't associate them with veggie burgers, but I'm an omnivore, so what do I know?.

43A. Struggled to achieve: EKED OUT.  Just barely succeeded at something, like survival, frex., often via excessive effort.

47A. With 31-Down, "Proud Mary" singer: TINA.  Because Creedence Clearwater Revival doesn't fit.

Also -- 17. Phoenix-based hotel chain (and see circles): BEST WESTERN.  The chain operates 2163 hotels in North America, and over 4000 world wide.

11D. Produce served in the fall (and see circles): ACORN SQUASH.  So named because of it's shape.  

Try it for dessert

25. Feature of some penny loafers (and see circles): SADDLE STRAP.  It's not clear to me what these last three have to do with the theme, other than each containing the letter S twice; but since the circles are mentioned, I'll include them here.  Am I missing something?

A penny for your thoughts, loafer

Hi, Gang.  JzB here.  And there is your tasty theme, complete with SAUCE, a veggie burger and even an unusual dessert.  The theme visual can be found in the grid diagram at the bottom of this post.  Now, let's get out of the kitchen and explore the rest of this offering.

Across:

1. Film director's honor: OSCAR.  One of 24 awards issued annually by the Academy of Motion picture Arts and Sciences for artistic or technical merit.

6. Rich, dusty soil: LOESS.  A loosely compacted deposit of windblown sediment.

11. Greeting at a dog park: ARF.  Sound of a dog's friendly bark.

14. 100 kopecks: RUBLE.  Russian money, if you are in a hurry.

15. Common film festival film: INDIE.  Independent - i. e. not associated with a major studio.

16. Loving murmur: COO.  Get a room  .  .  .

19. Mac platform: OSX.  Version 10 of the Apple Macintosh operating system.  I'm using Version 10.10.5 Yosemite.

20. Crankcase reservoir: OIL PAN.   The bottom section of the crankcase where the oil resides.

21. Small bouquet: SPRAY.  

23. "Help!" at sea: SOS.  The Morse Code international distress signal, a continuous sequence of 3 dots, 3 dashes and three dots.  So if you panic and start sending out OSO, it really doesn't matter.

27. Threadbare: WORN.  Thin and tattered with long use.

28. Place for prayer: CHAPEL.  Typically, a small church.

33. __ the hills: OLD AS.  Contrary to popular belief, I am younger than some of the hills.

36. Here, in Spanish: AQUI.  There is Ahi or alli.

Wait for it

37. Agrees quietly: NODS.  

39. Short: CURT.

40. Indianapolis NFLer: COLT.  

Are they out of Luck?

42. Accra is its capital: GHANA.  West African country located on the Gulf of Guinea.

45. Yellowstone attraction: GEYSER.  A hot spring that emits a column of water and steam.

46. Brewski: SUDS.  AKA a cold one.

49. Nine and five, in nine-to-five: Abbr.: HRS.  Typical working hours.

50. Cast a ballot: VOTED.

52. Sources of fragrant wood: CEDARS.  True CEDARS are conifer trees of the family pinaceae. There are many other many other conifers that have similarly colored and scented woods.

54. Make a mistake: ERR.  It's only human.

60. Salty body: SEA.  Of water.

61. "Carmen," e.g.: OPERA.

62. Not yet realized: UNMET.  As needs.

63. Peak: TOP.

64. Ten-time French Open winner: NADAL.  Rafael "Rafa" Nadal Parera is a Spanish professional tennis player, currently ranked world No. 1 in men's singles tennis by the Association of Tennis Professionals.

65. Sounds from a belfry: PEALS.  The loud ringing of bells.

Down:

1. Mercury or Mars: ORB. A celestial sphere - in this case a planet.

2. Alphabet Series novelist Grafton: SUE.

3. "Young Sheldon" network: CBS.

4. Kind of clarinet: ALTO.  The clarinet you typically think of is the soprano version.  This one is larger and pitched a 5th lower in Eb and has a curved metal bell.  Little known factoid - the clarinet was invented by a French musician who named it after his daughters, Claire and Annette.

5. Does some electrical work: REWIRES.  Could be shocking.

6. Speech therapist's concerns: LISPS.  Eathy for you to thay.

7. Ready to pour: ON TAP.  As, frex, SUDS.

8. Genesis garden: EDEN.  Life was simpler back then.

9. Ringo Starr's title: SIR.   Ringo was knighted by Prince William just a few weeks ago.

10. Motion detector, e.g.: SENSOR.

12. Civil rights hero Parks: ROSA.  Rosa Louise McCauley Parks [1913 -2005] refused to move to the back of the bus in Montgomery ALA in 1955.   She was arrested for violating the segregation law, and became an important symbol of the civil rights movement.

13. Sly: FOXY.  Clever and cunning.

18. Airline to Tel Aviv: EL AL.  The flag carrying airline of Israel since 1948.

22. Tediously moralistic: PREACHY.  Often implying an undeserved tone of moral superiority.

23. One carrying a torch?: SCONCE.  A wall mounted fixture, not a person.

24. "Hey, check it out!": OH LOOK.  Get a load of that!

27. Small, chirpy bird: WREN.

29. Incurring late fees: PAST DUE.  As library books or loan payments.

30. Forever: AGES.  

31. See 47-Across: TURNER.  Tina, from the thema.

32. Indian lutes: SITARS.

34. "Always be a __, even in prose": Baudelaire: POET.  

35. Finder's cry: AHA!  Eureka!

38. Computer "brains," briefly: CPUS.  Central Processing Units.

42. Gets ready (for): GEARS UP.

44. Heavily favored: ODDS ON.

45. Pesky flier: GNAT.  Annoying insect.

47. __ cotta: TERRA.  Unglazed, typically red-brown earthenware.

48. Exemplary: IDEAL.  Perfection!

50. Garment for brisk days: VEST.  COAT also fits.

51. Two-toned snack: OREO.  More food, common x-word fare.

52. Sent a dupe to: CCED. Carbon copies are so 1980, but still the abrev persists.

53. Reasonable: SANE.  That's not-crazy talk.

56. Org. that monitors wetlands: EPA.  Environmental Protection Agency.

57. Actress Thurman: UMA.

Various views available

58. Cartoon sheet: CEL.  

Collecter's item

59. Purported UFO crew: ETS.  Extra-Terrestrials, off planet expats.

OK, Kids.  That wraps up another Wednesday. Hope you enjoyed it.

Cool regards!
JzB

Notes from C.C.:

1) Update on Argyle: The old Scott is slowly coming back. He sounded cheerful when I talked to him yesterday. He's doing great at the rehab. He still has not figured out his tablet, but he can read our blog and comments. He's expected to stay at this rehab center for another month.

2) If you have extra time, click here and solve the puzzle by the great Brendan Emmett Quigley (BEQ). He has both Across Lite and PDF file available. Or you can solve at his site. Let me know where you get stumped. (Spoiler: Here is the write-up with answers.)

Tuesday, Apr 10, 2018 Gail Grabowski & Bruce Venzke

Firm Beliefs

18. "This Kiss" country singer: FAITH HILL

26. Swindler's swindle: CONFIDENCE GAME

47. Important percentage to a prosecutor: CONVICTION RATE

61. Heir's financial security: TRUST FUND

"Faith, Confidence, Conviction and Trust."   How beautiful is that ?   It just sounds nice as it rolls off the tongue.   Each of those four words is synonymous with having firm belief.  

ACROSS:

1. Stick a toothpick in: SPEAR

6. Former auto financing co.: GMAC.  GMAC became Ally Financial.  The auto financing arm of GM is now GM Financial. 

10. Get smart with: SASS.   As the kid who was stopped for speeding rolled down his window, the police office said 'I've been waiting for you all day.'  The kid replied, 'Yeah, well I got here as fast as I could.'

14. "The Chew" co-host Hall: CARLA.   "With love, Carla Hall"
 

15. Dinghy steering tools: OARS

16. Award coveted on "Mad Men": CLIO.  Advertising award.  "... annual award program that recognizes innovation and creative excellence in advertising, design and communication."

17. In the sky: ALOFT

20. City near Scottsdale: MESA.  Zoom in, zoom out. 

21. Cookbook maven Rombauer: IRMA.  Joy of Cooking fame.

22. Childish retort: AM TOO. Am not. Am too. Am not. Am too.  Am not. Am too.

23. Freeway division: LANE

25. Go quickly, quaintly: HIE

33. Pain-relieving drug: OPIATE

34. Sailor: TAR  Here's Popeye the Sailor starring in an oater, "Tar With A Star"
 

35. "__ Tide!": Alabama cheer: ROLL ESPN "Roll Tide" Commercial

37. Derby-wearing Addams cousin: ITT.

 38. Soaked in hot water, as a tea bag: STEEPED

41. "Argo" spy gp.: CIA

42. Blaze: FIRE

44. Braying beast: ASS

45. Nautical measure: FATHOM.  As a noun, a unit of measure, equal to 6 feet.  

50. Animation still: CEL

51. First Nations tribe: CREE.   First Nations refers to the indigenous peoples of Canada, south of the Arctic Circle.  Cree Indians are a First Nations tribe.  Today, there are over 135 bands (James Bay Cree, Woodland Cree, Plain Cree Indians, etc.) in Canada alone, and over 200,000 Cree Indians in North America.  Source: Indians.Org and Wikipedia.     

52. Hawke of "Training Day": ETHAN

55. RR station posting: SKED.   Personally noticing this more often as an abbreviation for schedule.

57. Save, with "away": SOCK

63. Scrabble 10-pointer: Z TILE.  The Q tile is another 10-pointer.  QI is the single most played word in Scrabble tournaments according to Merriam-Webster.  We see it as CHI in crossword puzzles.

64. PetSmart purchase: CAGE

65. Environs: AREA

66. Metallic mixture: ALLOY

67. Gps. requiring copays: HMOs. That clue and answer almost ran rife with abbreviations. 

68. Abound (with): TEEM

69. Younger siblings, at times: PESTS

DOWN:

1. Bogus offer: SCAM.   Like a swindler's swindle.

2. Light in color: PALE.  Ashy

3. Arrow shooter of myth: EROS

4. "Our Gang" kid with spiky hair: ALFALFA

5. Chinese zodiac animal: RAT.  The first in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac.  We are currently in the year of the Dog.

 What Does Your Chinese Zodiac Sign Say About Your Personality?

6. Be released: GO FREE

7. Respectful address: MAAM.  Ma'am.  

8. Song often sung in Italian: ARIA

9. Ill. clock setting: CST. We are currently using CDT.

10. Bagel spread: SCHMEAR

11. Touched down: ALIT

12. Where feed can be stored: SILO.  In a different sense,  these can be empirical structures that often hinder organizational growth and business objectives in mid and large-sized corporations.  We called the people that created these de facto silos "Empire builders." 

13. Unaided: SOLO

19. Reagan's first secretary of state: HAIG. Alexander M. Haig.  He was also the Chief of Staff for both Nixon and Ford. 

21. With all the fine points: IN DETAIL

24. River isles: AITs.  

 Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge

25. British cattle breed: HEREFORD. 10 native British cattle breeds and how to recognize them

26. Salon do: COIF

27. __ nerve: OPTIC

28. Explosive liquid, briefly: NITRO

29. Modern mil. treaty violation: N-TEST.  Nuclear testing

30. Keep from going higher: CAP.  A golfing buddy sold electrical supplies to commercial and residential contractors.  He worked untiringly for his customers.  Their success meant his success.  It could become annoying on the golf course when he took calls, but his customers and work came first.  He left the distributor after the owners capped his "going-forward" commission rate following a string of very successful sales years.  In short time, so did many on his customers.  The small business learned that when you sell products that are considered commodities, the difference between failure and success often boils down to the people you hire, the relationships and goodwill developed with customers, and the levels of service provided.    

31. Starbucks flavor: MOCHA

32. "Adam Bede" novelist George: ELIOT

36. Like a weak excuse: LAME

39. Changed-my-mind key: ESCape. 

40. Great __: big dog: DANE. Very large lap dogs. Irish Miss, Misty and Pat are fellow dog lovers.


43. Crates up: ENCASES

46. Railroad bridge framework: TRESTLE

48. Opening for air: VENT

49. Winter river blockage: ICE DAM. 

52. Make a fine impression?: ETCH

53. Monorail transport: TRAM

54. Award for Isaac Asimov: HUGO.  Literary awards "...given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year."   Way back when, I read Asimov, Pohl, Clarke, Heinlein and others.  A brother and sister were avid readers of Sci-fi, and I got hooked for a few years.  Do you remember the vivid cover art on the paperbacks ?   

55. "By all means!": SURE

56. Replaceable joint: KNEE

58. Masseur's supply: OILS

59. Coagulate: CLOT

60. Door openers: KEYS

62. Liposuction target: FAT

63. Heat in a microwave: ZAP

I have Faith, Confidence, Conviction and Trust that Argyle will return to the Corner as soon as he is able.  

See all y'all later n'at !

Monday April 9, 2018 Lila Cherry

Theme: AS A (36D. Words that connect each pair of four-letter words intersecting at a circle).  X as a Y. The X crosses each Y. Both X and Y are four-letter words.

17A. Rich : WELL-HEELED. Crossing 2D. Thoughtful : DEEP.  Deep as a well.

11D. 2000s best-seller involving flying toys, with "The" : KITE RUNNER. Crossing 16. Tipsy : HIGH. High as a kite.

 29D. Protective bar on a flat roof : SAFETY RAIL. Crossing 68A. Skinny : THIN. Thin as a rail.

 66A. Object of the puddy tat's pursuit : TWEETY BIRD. Crossing 63D. Priceless? : FREE. Free as a bird.

Boomer here.  Hello Everyone, I am pinch hitting for our friend Argyle again, and hoping for the best for him.  (Notice I wrote "pinch hitting" as the baseball season is now underway.  But it's tough for the teams to play in Minnesota when the temp does not even reach 30 degrees.)  Well we have a tough Monday puzzle for all of you puzzle masters, the theme is trickier than average Mondays.

Speaking of Masters, there was another game played this weekend.  I was not able to watch much on Saturday and Sunday due to a baseball card show commitment but I enjoy a round of golf, (when the temp gets above 30!).  However I don't think I could break 200 at Augusta.  No problem, I have a green jacket in my hall closet, I just don't have the million and a half dollars to go with it.  But congratulations to the terror of  the 2016 Ryder Cup Hazeltine here in Minnesota, Mr. Patrick Reed for capturing the Master's title, and also a salute to Rickie Fowler and Justin Spieth for making it interesting.  

C.C. says Lila Cherry is an anagram of "Really Rich", alias for Rich Norris the editor.

Rich Norris, XWord Info

Across:

1. Romantic kissing at the mall and such, briefly : PDAS - Public Displays of Affection.  I think it's "People diddling around".

5. Skier's challenge : MOGUL - "Well they called him Super Skier, as he sat around the sundeck, for he swore that he would never take a spill.  When they finally brought him down they had to use three toboggans, to carry all the pieces off the hill."

10. Ref's decisions : TKOS

14. Finnish architect Saarinen : EERO - What's this?  A four letter word with three vowels!

15. Egg-shaped : OVATE - I put oval and left one square blank.

19. To be, in Bordeaux : ETRE

20. English china : SPODE - Costs more than folks can afford.

21. With 61-Across, seriously overweight fictional sleuth : NERO. 61. See 21-Across : WOLFE

22. Chick's cry : PEEP - Did you get some marshmallow ones for Easter ?

23. Tree-toppling tool : AXE - The AWA used to have a Wrestler named Larry Hennig.  He changed his ring name from "Pretty Boy" to the "Axe".

25. "That's cheating!" : NO FAIR! - When I drive the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, there is no fair there either for 350 days.

27. Wine evaluators : TASTERS

31. Get in your face about : FLAUNT

34. Lisbon hello : OLA - I have a friend from Chile and when I email him I write "Hola". 

35. Shankar's instrument : SITAR - I believe this is a Latin word for guitar.

38. Personal, as thoughts : INNER - Or.. A type of belly button.

39. Break in relations : RIFT

41. Lawyer's backlog : CASES

43. "I'm paying for the drinks" : ON ME - Okay, I'll leave the tip.

44. Dined at home : ATE IN  - Okay, no tipping here.

46. Indian breads : NAANS - Sort of looks like a Frisbee.  I suppose it's served at Progressive Field?

48. "A mouse!" : EEK

49. Sound equipment that may pick up a private remark : HOT MIC

51. Prayerful chants : MANTRAS

53. Scold loudly : YELL AT

56. Sticky stuff : GOO - Actually, Goo is not necessarily sticky.  Mud, Slippery Elm, or anything that Bert Blyleven put on a baseball.

57. "Cosmos" author Sagan : CARL

59. Chief Asgard god : ODIN

65. Healthful berry : ACAI - All right, another four letter word with three vowels.  I am addicted.

69. Dominican Republic neighbor : HAITI - News says they are slowly recovering from Hurricane Irma.

70. Triangle calculation : AREA - Tough to do.  You need all three side plus the height from the base to the highest point.  Math majors, correct me if I am wrong.

71. Prefix with -pathic : TELE

72. Max of Dadaism : ERNST

73. Consider : DEEM

  

Down:

  

1. Benches flanking church aisles : PEWS

3. Guthrie at Woodstock : ARLO - Also spent time in "Alice's restaurant", and I think he rode on the "City of New Orleans".  Illinois central, Monday morning rail.

4. Went for in an auction : SOLD AT - Auctions used to be boring, but now there is eBay.

5. Homer's bartender : MOE - What about Larry and Curly? (I don't watch "The Simpsons.")

6. Pizza maker : OVEN - I was a pizza maker in a younger life and no one called me oven.  I think Pizza baker may have been a better clue.

7. Ancient Greek physician : GALEN

8. In __: not yet born : UTERO - Not to be confused with Ichiro, who was born 44 years ago.

9. Batted first : LED OFF -  Speaking of Mr. Suzuki, he used to lead off for the Mariners, but now he bats 7th or 8th.

10. 1993 film with an instrument in its title : THE PIANO

12. Fairy tale meanie : OGRE

13. Herding dog name : SHEP - I was going to mention Larry, Moe and Curly again, but then I realized that guys name was Shemp.

18. Evil spells : HEXES - Stop signs.

24. Guitarist Clapton : ERIC

26. Muhammad in a ring : ALI - I knew him when he was Cassius Clay.

27. Hebrew scroll : TORAH

28. Samuel on the Supreme Court : ALITO - I think his friend call him Sam.  I would call him Mr. Justice.

30. X-Men co-creator Lee : STAN

32. Mythical lion's home : NEMEA

33. Arduous journeys : TREKS - I think 18 holes at Augusta could be a trek.

 

37. Unit at Staples : REAM - Interesting that this is a stack of paper, but you can also use a tool to ream a bigger hole in a piece of metal.  Ain't English great. ?

40. Facebook feature : TIMELINE

42. Stocking tear : SNAG - I think we had this last week.  Do ladies still wear nylon stockings?

45. Zip, in soccer : NIL

47. Wintry and white : SNOWY - Believe it or not, This happens in Minnesota on April 9th!!!

50. Provide apparel for : CLOTHE - You may clothe people with clothes.  If you wash them, hang them on a Clothesline with a clothespin.

52. "Tough!" : TOO BAD!

54. No-holds-barred commercial competition : AD WAR - "Ask your doctor if an Ad War is right for you."

55. Advertising link : TIE IN

57. Suffragist Carrie : CATT

58. Tooth pain : ACHE - Believe it or not, I have not had a tooth ache since 2009!  (That's when I got my dentures.)

60. Brooklyn NBA team : NETS - Strange name for an NBA team.  I would have picked Dodgers.

62. Old Italian cash : LIRE

64. Cheese from the Netherlands : EDAM

67. Tiny songbird : TIT - Also a willow and other stuff.

Boomer

Sunday April 8, 2018 Jeffrey Wechsler

Theme:  "Low Flow" - L is changed into FL in each theme entry. (Thanks for the extra L observation, Lemonade.)
 
22A. Interfaith service attendees? : COMBINATION FLOCK. Combination lock.

28A. Arsonist's alibi? : FLAME EXCUSE. Lame excuse.

56A. Cause of business failure? : CORPORATE FLAW. Corporate law.

62A. Distinguished screwballs? : GREAT FLAKES. Great Lakes.

72A. Uproar over a controversial win? : VICTORY FLAP. Victory lap.

80A. Niche market for airport bookstores? : FLIGHT READING. Light reading.
 
106A. Dumpster hoverers? : PACK OF FLIES. Pack of lies.

117A. Hygiene product for very big teeth? : SUBSTANTIAL FLOSS. Substantial loss.

Five F's are added to the start of last words, three to the first. Quite consistent, key to this type of letter addition/deletion/substitution puzzles.

Jeffrey also gives us a 140-word grid. LAT Sundays are normally 144. Look at the top/bottom edges, they're usually divided into 4 parts. Jeffrey the Master only uses 3. He also places six solid non-theme 9's, two of them are paralleled.



Across:     

1. Humanities degs. : BAs
 
4. Dangerous thing to fall in with : BAD CROWD. Great debut fill.

12. Enhances : ADDS TO

18. Exiled, with "away" : SENT

19. Nonconforming : IRREGULAR

20. Kitchen gadget : PEELER. Here is my favorite. I got it from our local Asian store.

21. Eponymous reader : UTNE. Reader.

24. Conquered after being lost, as territory : RETAKEN

26. Part of it is on L.I. : NYC. We also have 127. Manhattan region : EAST SIDE And 4. Bombers' home? : BRONX

27. __ food : HEALTH

32. __ resources : HUMAN

34. Ornamental shrub : YEW

35. Gurus' retreats : ASHRAMS. So many people are seeking enlightenment, but Buddha achieved his only after he left his wife and kid.

37. Ill-gotten gains : GRIFT

42. Sheep group : FOLD

44. Pre-adulthood stages : PUPAE

46. Venerable retailer : SEARS

49. Even once : EVER

50. Reliable sort : TROUPER. Always thought it's TROOPER.

52. Glitzy rock genre : GLAM

54. Goliath, to David : FOE

55. Levelheaded : SANE. You just can't rattle D-Otto. Last winter when he discovered he had permanent retina damage, he dealt it with humor, carrying on his Meals on Wheels work as usual. Always cool. Always a do-er.

59. State requiring "Stat!" : URGENCY

61. Enterprise bridge figure : SULU

64. More than not : MOST

67. Unrefined : RAW

70. "The Goldbergs" airer : ABC

71. "House" actor Epps : OMAR
  
76. Eponymous salad creator : COBB. Never had it. Some food just don't appeal to me. 

79. "That is my intention" : I MEAN TO

87. Emulate a condor : SOAR

88. Spherical organ : EYE

90. "Star Wars" saga fixture : LEIA. Boomer would have commented on the three vowels.

91. Equanimity : BALANCE

92. First word of "Send in the Clowns" : ISN'T. "Isn't it rich?".

93. WWI battle river : SOMME

95. Stop on the briny : AVAST

97. S.F. commuting system : BART

98. 16th-century Sorrento-born poet : TASSO. We had him before. And 125. 98-Across' lang. : ITAL

100. Cape user : MATADOR

102. SALT subject : ABM

103. Barely bested, with "out" : NOSED

111. Like Stephen King's Pennywise : CREEPY

114. Medium power? : ESP. Nice clue.

116. Golden quality? : SILENCE. No. 1 requirement for being a Ninja.
 
122. Yawn-inducing : DULL

123. One changing lines, perhaps : EDITOR. That's Rich.

124. End of an ultimatum : OR LEAVE IT. Feels like partial-ish to me. YMMV.

126. Yes : ASSENT
 
128. Sardine catcher : NET. Dried sardines are important in Korean cooking. Base of broth.

Down:

1. Stimulating nut : BETEL

2. Women's fashion chain : ANN TAYLOR. For career women.

3. Really angry : STEAMED UP

5. Radius location : ARM

6. Young socialite : DEB

7. Pixar output, briefly : CGI

8. Track competitor : RUNNER

9. Brand including Regenerist products : OLAY.  I still like the Olay original.

10. Defiant reply to a dare : WATCH ME

11. Soft & __: deodorant : DRI

12. Sleep disorder : APNEA

13. Make less dangerous, as a snake : DEFANG. You can find live snakes in many restaurants in Guangzhou. Live fish too.

14. Acer rival : DELL. Also 16. Acer employee : TECH. My screen is Acer.

15. Vending machine opening : SLOT
 
17. TV planet : ORK. Mork & Mindy.

18. Banzai Pipeline feature : SURF. Also  57. Grounds crew concern : TURF

19. Frozen drink brand : ICEE

23. Omega, to a physicist : OHM

25. London's __ Gardens : KEW

29. Ruth wore one : CAP. Baby Ruth. (Correction: I meant Babe Ruth.)

30. What kilowatt hours measure : USAGE

31. Knickknack perch : SHELF

33. Its Space Command has HQ in Colorado : USAF. Hi Bob, are you still reading our blog?

36. Capital of Eritrea : ASMARA

38. Alter, as a tailor might : RE-SEAM

39. First Family name : IVANKA Her kids speak Chinese.

40. Dueling party : FENCER

41. Low cards : TREYS

42. Consumer protection org. : FTC

43. Conquistador's treasure : ORO

44. Pacific Rim nation : PERU

45. Eurasian border river : URAL

47. Opposite of a squeaker : ROUT

48. Lowly worker : SERF

51. Tom of "Newhart" : POSTON. Boomer met him at a charity golf tournament once.

53. Math subj. : ALG

58. Information source, with "the" : WEB

60. All over the world : GLOBAL

63. Bookkeeping no. : ACCT

64. Champagne cocktail : MIMOSA. Do you guys like Kombucha?

65. Hurricanes form over them : OCEANS

66. Embarks : STARTS

68. Furry TV ET : ALF

69. License holder? : WALLET. No hesitation from me.

72. Stop by : VISIT. Tablet will take Argyle a bit longer to figure out. In the meantime, please continue sending cards to below address. He enjoys our cards.

D. Scott Nichols
Room #219
Wesley Health Care Center
131 Lawrence St.
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

73. GPS data : RTES

74. Foolish one : YO-YO

75. Food in a humility metaphor : PIE

77. Spheres : ORBS

78. Vanquish : BEAT

81. Hall of Fame chef De Laurentiis : GIADA. Know her of course. I did not know there's a Culinary Hall of Fame though.

82. Wreaked state : HAVOC

83. Tinkered with : DABBLED IN. Thought of TTP, who will probably still enjoy tinkering with things in his 90s. DIY takes curiosity and talents. 

84. "Soon" : IN A MINUTE

85. ATM giant : NCR

86. Procure : GET

89. Full-figured model born Melissa Miller : EMME. I did not know her original name. That's quite close to Marisa Miller the model below.

94. Archipelago with an eponymous wine : MADEIRA

96. Storied vessel : ARK

99. Big weight : ONE TON

101. Java creation : APPLET

102. Workers' org. formed in 1886 : AFL

104. Vasarely's genre : OP-ART

105. Word for word?: Abbr. : SYN. Another great clue.

107. Actor Davis : OSSIE

108. Raised symbol of resistance : FIST

109. Brilliant display : ECLAT

110. Market : SELL

111. They're chewed in pastures : CUDS. I'm glad I'm not a cow. I can't imagine eating the same food day after day.

112. Wrigley Field stats : RBIs

113. Sunrise dirección : ESTE

115. "Do the Right Thing" pizzeria : SAL'S

117. "Many fresh streams meet in one salt __": Shakespeare : SEA

118. Little piggy : TOE

119. Sol preceders : FAs

120. CXII halved : LVI. 56.

121. 20-volume ref. : OED

Splynter said "Hi". He is now working as an AutoCAD drafter for Westhampton Architectural Glass. I'm happy that he left that winery. I was afraid they would sabotage his hard work with AA.

Yeah, PK, try Dave's suggestion. Google Gmail. You should get your account back.

C.C.