google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner

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Dec 28, 2012

Friday, December 28, 2012, Marti Duguay-Carpenter

Theme: Is it a a Proverb? A saying? Maybe an old saw? No it is an AD. AGE!

The word (?) AGE is added to the final word of an in the language phrase to create a completely new, unrelated phrase, with ensuing visual hilarity. It feels so right to have a C.C. (and company) puzzle on Thursday and then a divine miss m on Friday, and I am the lucky guy to expose her humor. Many original clues like EXPECTED AT, COLADAS and STOPGAP as well as much of the wit we have come to expect. We also get a bit of proper names and a slew of initialisms and of course no "J." I promise ladies, next week's write up will be for you, but this week to honor Dennis and his first puzzle, the links lean to the male side. Meanwhile, let us get to it.

17A. Somnambulist's icebox raid? : SLEEPING PILLAGE. I wanted sleepwalking to start, but once I got a few perps this Pill to Pillage transformation, and the mental picture of someone like Dagwood at the frig in his sleep set me on the theme.

27A. Personalized gauze? : ONE MAN BANDAGE.What a great marketing idea, band aids with your kid's names already there! Much more fun than most one man bands, though I did hire one once for a party. They work hard for their money.

47A. Big problem at KFC? : CHICKEN OUTAGE. I hope you did not back away from this cute clue.

63A. After-hours spa service? : MIDNIGHT MASSAGE. The perfect product to go with Dennis' business, to insure all have happy endings, which is as far away from the religious root as can be imagined. I hope I do not offend here.

Across:

1. Drop : OMIT. So we can see marti was in one of her tricky moods.

5. Watery, perhaps : WEAK.  which contrasts  perfectly with 65D. Strong joe : MUD. One of my favorite characters was Mrs. Slocombe on Are You Being Served who was forever telling her male co-workers, they were weak as water. She also loved her Kitty.

9. Informal eateries : CAFES. A real coffee sub-theme.

14. Volkswagen brand : AUDI. VW bought them in 1966.

15. Staff addition : HIRE.

16. Acid used in soap-making : OLEIC. And so much MORE.

20. Dollhouse plaything : TEA SET. Hmm, here in Miami, we have a different
 PERSPECTIVE on Doll Houses.

21. Neither esta nor esa : OTRA. Our Spanish lesson; Other.

22. King's value, sometimes : TEN. In cribbage, black jack and so many more card games.

23. Hot porridge ingredient : PEA. Another old SAW. Not to be conflicted with 68. Easy-peasy thing : SNAP. Not a snap pea

25. Work requiring oversized shelves, briefly : OED. Oxford English Dictionary.

26. Otto I's realm: Abbr. : HRE. Holy Roman Empire.

33. Like some still-life items : WAXY. Which one is real?

34. Stately tree : ELM.

35. Power problem : SURGE.

38. Channel watched in many a bar : ESPN. Entertainment and Sports Programming Network. Where I learned all about Australian rules football, back in the day.

39. EZ or MT, e.g. : REBUS. Easy or empty; the early form of text talk, also can be pictures.

42. Bridge beam : I-BAR.

43. Bundle : SHEAF.

45. WWII craft : LST.

46. Anderson of "WKRP In Cincinnati" : LONI. Madame Tussaud was going to create a wax image of Loni and Dolly Parton, but they ran out of wax.

51. Derby-wearing Addams : ITT. The dapper hairy one.

53. La-la leader : TRA la la.

54. Likely : APT.

55. Justice Fortas : ABE. One of the more interesting members of the Supreme Court; he was appointed by his good friend LBJ, who convinced Arthur Goldberg to resign his life appointment to become Ambassador to the UN. Abe ended up leaving under a bit of a cloud, but his work on the GIDEON vs. WAINWRIGHT case where the Court acknowledged the right to counsel of all people even the poor, was a world changing opinion.

56. Array in many an NBA game : TATS. Tattoos.

58. Old oddball : GEEZER. Thanks for the shout out marti.

66. Intellectual : BRAIN. Mensa densa.

67. "Me next!" : I'M UP. Baseball reference or late night plea?

69. Airport freebie : ID TAG. The cheap paper kind for your luggage.

70. Airport data, for short : ETDS. Estimated Time of Departures. The senior partner is at the airport with her flight delayed 3 hours, so far.

71. Slippery swimmers : EELS.

Down:

1. Commercial building with a conical roof, traditionally : OAST. The place that makes all brewers hoppy.

2. Backless shoe : MULE. Of course it was from the LATIN.

3. Start of a project : IDEA. Cute.

4. They bind : TIES. The ties that bind, another old saw.

5. Dentist's recommendation : WHITENER.

6. German article : EIN.

7. Golden Fleece vessel : ARGO. Ah, my ship, have not seen this clue in a while. Anyone seen the MOVIE? (2:32).

8. Didn't quit : KEPT ON. You have to keep on keeping on, another old saw.

9. Rum concoctions : COLADAS.  Oh yes, sing along. LINK. (4:12).

10. Have it ___ : ALL.

11. Burlesque accessory : FEATHER BOA. Take it off, take it all OFF.

12. Peak near the Jungfrau : EIGER. I think you use this Alp reference every puzzle miss m. I do not want to make a

13. Public row : SCENE. but really, I am going to have to sanction you if I see Eiger again.

18. Rap's Salt-n-___ : PEPA. This SONG (3:28) sound familiar?

19. Mightily miffed : IRED. Argggh.

24. Qualified : ABLE. Add an "M" and 31D. Take it slow : AMBLE.

27. Is shy, in a way : OWES. Really cute, tricky clue, like when your light in the pot. My father used to tell people I was shy; shy a few brains.

28. Graham ___, co-founder of the Hollies : NASH.Of course we also have Crosby, Stills and  Young out there waiting for their due.

29. Scheduled to go to : EXPECTED AT. When the boss tells you to go to a fund raiser....Nice long, original clue/fill.

30. Winged chatterbox : MYNAH. Cute bird clue.

32. Therapy subject : GUILT. Also what happens to the Psychiatrists portfolios.

36. Bunch of buds : GANG. Six pack just would not fit.

37. Pennsylvania port : ERIE.

40. Md. institution since 1845 : USNA. U.S. Naval Academy, I bet you know what the US stand for in this abbreviation.

41. They're good enough for the time being : STOP GAPS. More nice long crunchy fill.

44. Appropriate : FITTING.

48. Bit of a bluff : CRAG. Very deceptive clue.

49. First name in '80s-'90s morning talk : KATHIE. Do you remember this VERSION? (3:19).

50. All-purpose vehicles : UTES.

51. Literary feet : IAMBI. Not the kind of feet Splynter likes.

52. Classic V-8 : T-BIRD. Fun, Fun, FUN.(2:54)

57. Monthly acct. update : STMT. Statement.

59. Latin 101 verb : ESSE. To be.

60. Billy of "Titanic" : ZANE. The bad boyfriend. I went to high school with Lloyd Zane.

61. Even, to Yves : EGAL. Our French, Liberté, égalité, fraternité,

62. Crunches, e.g. : REPS.

64. Peeples in pictures : NIA. A complete PERFORMER. (4:09).

And it is time for my weekly Friday performance to come to end and to wish you all a very Happy 2013; with health for all, my best to each of you, regulars, lurkers, those who have come and gone and those who are waiting to join. Many of you newbies have been quiet; do not hesitate, jump in the pool and tell us your thoughts. You never know where it will lead us. I especially want to thank C.C., for another year of the joy of the Corner.

L714 out.

Notes from C.C.:

1) My sincere thanks and gratitude to you, Lemonade. Your passion, wits and warmth in blogging are truly unparallelled. Like Rich, you always make me look better.

2) This is from Parker Lewis, a NYT crossword constructor. He said:

"Hope you are enjoying the holidays! Thanks for keeping your blog going strong!

Not sure if you've heard yet but the team at Puzzazz has been busy lately. We're in the midst of a cool Kickstarter campaign to construct a year-long puzzlehunt. We though you might be interested so if you'd like to take a look, you can check out the details here.

We're thrilled at the amount of support so far (73% of our goal and counting!) and are very excited to get started with the production of the puzzlehunt. Feel free to spread the word to anyone else who might be interested.

Happy New Years!"

Dec 27, 2012

Thursday, December 27, 2012 C.C. Burnikel and Dennis Ryall

Theme: Working for a Living - Some matter of employment hidden in the themes.

17A. Rossini's "Cinderella," e.g. : COMIC OPERA (Cop)

23A. Judge's protective ruling : NO-CONTACT ORDER (Actor)

37A. When-all-else-fails act : LAST- DITCH EFFORT (Chef)

48A. Like a good project manager : DETAIL ORIENTED (Tailor)

59A. Employee crimes, and literally, the positions hidden in 17-, 23-, 37- and 48-Across : INSIDE JOBS

Argyle here. I got the reveal first but it didn't help. I wasted my time looking for the word JOB in the answers. Then I looked for crimes, like theft. Didn't find them either. It was TAILOR that set me straight.

So there is some baseball and bra's; just what I would expect from C.C. and Dennis. A solid Thursday offering.

Across:

1. "Steeerike!" is one : CALL


5. Good-sized slices : SLABS

10. U.K. awards : OBE's. (Order of the British Empire)

14. Slobbering comics pooch : ODIE. Garfield's companion.

15. Core group : CADRE. Dennis was in a Corps group.

16. Going around in circles, maybe : LOST

19. See : DATE

20. Pluto, for example : ORB. The planet, or whatever they're calling it now.

21. Administered by spoon : ORAL

22. Self-gratifying outing : SPREE

27. Golfer nicknamed "The Big Easy" : ELS. (Ernie)

28. Shady plot : ARBOR

29. Tantrum in a restaurant, say : SCENE

32. Clip : PACE

34. Docs who deliver : OB's. (Obstetrician)

41. Cooperstown's Mel : OTT. He played right field his entire career for the New York Giants (1926–1947).

42. Tricky rink move : DEKE. A fake, a feint, a juke.

43. Like X, in some cases : ROMAN. It is if it represents the number ten in Latin.

44. Noted Titanic passenger : ASTOR. His wife survived.

47. Groupie : FAN

54. Greek labyrinth island, in myth : CRETE

55. He plays Jack on "30 Rock" : ALEC. (Baldwin)

56. November honoree : VET. Dennis again.

58. Bike basket escapee of film : TOTO. "The Wizard of Oz."

62. Isaac's oldest : ESAU. A little tougher way to clue him.

63. Carved symbol : TOTEM

64. Pod veggie : OKRA

65. At the front of the line : NEXT

66. Subject of a sports deadline : TRADE

67. Rotary Club symbol : GEAR


Down:

1. First name in fashion : COCO. Figuratively: Gabrielle "Coco" Bonheur Chanel.

2. Sew on rickrack, for instance : ADORN

3. State of oblivion : LIMBO

4. Floral garland : LEI

5. Pooh-poohs : SCORNS

6. Splash gently against : LAP AT

7. "A Passage to India" schoolmistress : ADELA. IMDb.

8. "It's too darn cold!" : [BRR!]

9. Mermaid's milieu : SEA

10. Veteran : OLD PRO. Dennis again!

11. Decision-making setting : BOARDROOM

12. First name in skin care : ESTÉE. (Lauder)

13. Pilot : STEER

18. Lost enthusiasm : COOLED

22. Have a good cry : SOB

24. Euro fraction : CENT

25. Hidey-hole : CACHE

26. Apple, for one : TREE. Gave me pause; a plethora of possibilities

29. __-mo : SLO

30. Alley lurker : CAT

31. Subject of IRS Form 706 : ESTATE TAX

32. Prefix meaning "wing" : PTERO

33. "Good grief!" : "ACK!"


35. Two-piece piece : BRA. Nothing to say.

36. RR depot : STN.. (station)

38. Star frequently gazed at : IDOL. Tricky.

39. Coneheads' home, so they said : FRANCE. From a popular Saturday Night Live skit.

40. Type type : FONT. More than alliteration.

45. Warmed the bench : SAT OUT

46. Ascot or cravat : TIE

47. What a baby's cry often means : [FEED ME!]

48. 747 competitor : DC TEN


49. Irregularly notched : EROSE

50. Many a reggae musician : RASTA

51. Fibber's admission : "I LIED"

52. Bring forth : EVOKE

53. Messing of "Smash" : DEBRA

57. Old autocrat : TSAR

59. Addams cousin : ITT

60. Hide-hair link : NOR

61. Nudge : JOG. Not JAB.


Argyle

Notes from C.C.:

1) Marti probably lost electricity last night due to snow. A big "Thank you" to Argyle for blogging at the last minute. I seriously can't live without him!

2) This theme came to me while glancing at an article in our local Star Tribune. Dennis and I searched through a ton of professions and worked out the current four that can be hidden. He came up with the essential COP (one of his buddies is a cop) and its contained phrase. Filling was rather smooth considering the 5 long theme entries (63 theme squares) in place, and I thought we had to add a couple cheater squares. We even put in Dennis' favorite BRA!

Dennis has been my trusted guinea pig. He's a patient and solid sounding board on many of my themes and fill. We talked about making a puzzle together for years, but finally got time to do so after he settled down in Florida last spring. We made 3 puzzles together. This was one. The second one was accepted by the NY Times! The last one was rejected by both editors :-(
 
Dennis, Florida

3)  Happy Birthday to our handsome pilot Dudley!


Dudley and his wife at their Block Island wedding in 2008


Dec 26, 2012

Wednesday, December 26th, 2012 Neville Fogarty

Theme: I-C; U-C-2!

The first word of the starred answers phonetically reveals the ... ummm... reveal! (I always wondered why it was called a reveal, now I know!) You see it, I see it too!

18A. *"The Golden Girls" actress : BEA ARTHUR. Here's her USMC ID headshot. Semper Fi!


 


23A. *Interior designer's forte : EYE FOR DETAIL. Eye for Inflating the Budget also, if we're not careful.

39A. *Traveling : EN ROUTE.  Crying European foul here. I say "en route", you say "en route". Hmm - let's see - I say "On Root", you say "eN Rout".  But wait, you say "Root 66", but the wireless thing in the corner is a Rout-er. Oh well - on a recent trip to England I saw, regarding the actor Sean Bean - "Look, you can be Seen Been or Shawn Borne, you can't have it both ways".

 52A. *"My goodness!" : GEE WILLIKERS! If I was a constructor I'd retire in glory, Hall Of Fame bound, with this answer. Marvelous!

62A. *Head-slapper's cry : OH BROTHER. I prefer "D'oh", but I've got nine empty spaces to fill.

71A. Name spelled out in a canine song, and also by the starts of the answers to starred clues : BINGO. Also, a clue which is so long that I had to scroll to read it.


Happy Boxing Day, everyone! Steve here with a potpourri of a Neville Fogarty puzzle - we've got all kinds of things working here, so let's get to work!

Across:

1. 1978 co-Nobelist from Egypt : SADAT. Former President Anwar Sadat.

6. Bookstore ID : ISBN. The 13-digit International Standard Book Number which uniquely identifies the volume in your hand. It used to be 9 digits, but apparently we were running out.

10. Romantic gift : ROSE. An excuse to post this earworm

14. Rowing teams : CREWS

15. Cpls. and sgts. : N.C.O.'S Those non-commissioned officers still make me wonder how to punctuate and pluralize!

16. In pain : ACHY. Just slightly painful, surely.

17. Monteverdi character seeking to bring Euridice back from Hades : ORFEO. Learning moment for me, I knew Orpheus but ... now I know

20. Chum : PAL

21. Williams-Sonoma purchases : PANS. Don't get me started on the wonderful broiler pan I bought from these guys two weeks ago.

22. Make good (for) : ATONE

27. Advanced math assignment : PROOF. Hmmm - not sure about "advanced" here.

28. __ v. Ferguson: 1896 segregation case : PLESSY

32. Gem of a Hitchcock film? : TOPAZ

34. Gumbo vegetable : OKRA. FOOD! In my experience there are two things you can do with okra - put it in Gumbo or make Bhindi Bhaji with it. The latter has my vote.

37. Playbill listing : ROLE

38. Thurman of "Pulp Fiction" : UMA. This is one of my favorite movies and I'd love to post links to the dialog, but this is a family blog and I'd like to be here next year.

42. Like a limbo bar, late in the game : LOW

43. Fishhook feature : BARB

45. Mideast VIP : EMIR

46. Record's two : SIDES. I'm old enough to remember this, but might be clued shortly as "Retro"?

48. Like chinchillas : ANDEAN. Perps all around. Wanted Llama, Rabbit, Furry Things, all kinds of wrong answers.

50. Beaded counters : ABACI. Yes! I love it! Finally my Latin class at school paid off!

57. Playbill listing : ACTOR

60. Biol. branch : ANAT. Anatomy and Biology? I though they were separate when I was at school learning how to spell 50A!

61. Dirt road feature : RUT.

64. Common herb in Italian cooking : BASIL. You say Bay-sill and I say bah-zil.

66. In proximity : NEAR

67. Oliver's request : MORE

68. River past Geneva : RHONE

69. Biblical reformer : EZRA

70. Small bit : IOTA. I had "MOTE" at first when I had the "OT". Eventually scrubbed and replaced.

Down:

1. Sharpshooter's apparatus : SCOPE. Really a telescopic sight, but "scope" is quicker to say and fits the grid.

2. Matrix, e.g. : ARRAY. MOVIE didn't work, but eventually this did. I've certainly been dragged (kicking and screaming) to High School today.

3. "Pour Some Sugar on Me" rockers : DEF LEPPARD. I could link some music here, but in the spirit of the holidays, I won't do that to you. This is what you're missing:



4. Wonder : AWE

5. Chinese menu general : TSO. Still haven't tried this.

6. Breaking all the rules : IN BAD FORM

7. Act subdivision : SCENE. Quickly - soliloquy association - Shakespeare's Hamlet; Act 3 Scene 1 "To ...."

8. Talk a good game : BOAST

9. Code-breaking org. : N.S.A. The National Security Agency is the United States Cytological Organization, or the USCO - wait, no  - encrypt that - the NSA.

10. Audible snake : RATTLER.

11. Dos y dos y dos y dos : OCHO. I like my math workout in any language. Today's challenge was Spanish - thank goodness I didn't have to say "9,000,245,693.29" or we'd be here until next year.

12. Ostracize : SHUN

13. Brontë's Jane : EYRE

19. Skatepark component : RAIL. I had RA and wanted RAMP, but eventually sanity prevailed. RAIL it is.

21. How some amateurs turn : PRO

24. Monk's title : FRA. I thought Fra. Angelico was an Italian liqueur until I went to Florence:



25. Move viscously : OOZE

26. Give __ on the back : A PAT

29. Continues despite hardship : SOLDIERS ON

30. Plumlike fruit : SLOE. I've eaten plums, and made gin from sloes - they're not really alike, I'm sorry. They're alike in the sense that a domestic kitten and a Bengal Tiger are similar, but you really don't want to confuse one with the other, trust me.

31. Trees with elastic wood : YEWS. The source of the wood to make either longbows or cricket bats. The English would claim either was a tool to subjugate the masses.

32. Bass brass : TUBA

33. Yemen neighbor : OMAN

35. Decorative pond fish : KOI

36. The sticks : RURAL AREA

40. Hawaiian flier : NENE

41. 57-Across Morales : ESAI

44. Galway "Golly!" : BEGORRA. Oh please, if we're going to have a phonetic mis-spelling of Begorrah! can we at least make the alliteration work? How about "Belfast Bollocks!"?

47. "That's nasty!" : ICK

49. Dynamic start? : AERO. Aerodynamic.


51. Brief diner order? : B.L.T.

53. "Hooray!" : WAHOO!

54. Like a noble gas : INERT

55. Wishing one hadn't : RUING. I still want an "E" in here somewhere!

56. Canonized fifth-cen. pope : ST. LEO. Was this LEOI or LEOX or LEOIV or one of the other convenient LEOs? Because you can't be Seen Been or Shawn Born (c.f. 39A)

57. Topnotch : A-ONE

58. French eatery word : CHEZ. Nous, Max, Maman, Steve - oh wait, that's here.

59. Skier's transport : T-BAR. Another "retro" entry? I'm old enough to have fought my way up an Alp on one of these things - trying not both not fall of yourself nor push your co-rider off the precipice either. Not easy. I hope never to see one of these instruments of torture again.

63. Texter's "I've heard plenty, thanks!" : TMI

64. Texter's "I'm away for a moment" : BRB (Be Right Back)


65. Sushi bar tuna : AHI.

And try as I might I couldn't sneak a Boxing Day reference in anywhere!

Steve

Notes from C.C.:

1) Happy Birthday to Andrea!
Back row: Dot (85) and her husband Irv (99). Hope I got the ages right, Dot. Front Row: Kazie and Andrea. Sept 19, 2009
(From Dot: Irv will be 99 in Mar.; I will be 85 in Apr.)

 2) Belated Happy Birthday to SL Zalameh (Zcarguy). Here is a photo of him and his wife Kathy.

Dec 25, 2012

Tuesday, December 25, 2012 John Lampkin

Theme: Ho, Ho, D'oh! - from our constructor: "The puzzle is a reincarnation of a song I composed and recorded in 1996. Mara & Sue, a popular local kid-oriented duo performed the vocals and I myself performed all the instrumental tracks—keyboards, bass, drums and percussion. I recently remastered it to make a fun go-with for your blog write-up. This may be a groundbreaking combination of YouTube and crosswords!

All the best wishes to you and your family, John.

Also, there is a Christmas present for Jason in one of the down entries."

17A. With 26- and 48-Across, unexpected Christmas morning observation : SOMETHING HUGE IS

26A. See 17-Across : CLOGGING UP

48A. See 17-Across : OUR CHIMNEY

61A. Goodies unclaimed as a result of this puzzle's predicament : COOKIES FOR SANTA

Watch it here: Link.

Argyle here. Hey! I resemble that remark. I suppose you could call this a quote puzzle but the quote isn't famous...yet.

Across:

1. Easy mark : PATSY

6. Where X marks the spot : MAP but 57A. Where eggs mark the spot? : NEST

9. British county : SHIRE. Home to Hobbits, too.

14. Marry on the sly : ELOPE

15. Top pilot : ACE

16. __ wave : TIDAL

20. Oompah maker : TUBA. In case you missed Abejo Saturday night, go here, starting @8:25PM.

21. "To a ..." poem : ODE. The title of odes often start with "Ode to a __"

22. Take a breath : INHALE

23. Rocky Balboa skipped it : ROPE

25. Choir recess : APSE where you might find the 40A. Choir voices : ALTOS.

30. Office supplies order : REAM. It may be the electronic age but you still need reams of paper.

34. The Tigers of the NCAA's Southeastern Conference : AUBURN


35. __ about: approximately : ON OR

37. Prez on a penny : ABE

38. Old battle-ax : CRONE

39. Big bang creator : TNT. Not the one created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady.

42. Giggling syllable : HEE

43. __ gin fizz : SLOE

45. Zips along : SPEEDS

46. ExxonMobil trade name : ESSO. Their international trade name.

50. "That's unlikely" : "I BET"

52. Start from scratch : REDO

53. Pitchman's "Don't delay!" : "ACT NOW!". "But wait!..." 5D. "However ..." : "YET ...". "That's not all!"

56. "Sure, skipper!" : "AYE!"

64. Has the guts : DARES

65. Agua, across the Pyrenees : EAU. Spain/France, in the Pyrenees, ur is the Basque word for 'water'.

66. Milk dispenser : UDDER. Going right to the source, the primary producer.

67. Bonnie's partner in crime : CLYDE

68. Paul's partner in song : ART. Simon and Garfunkel.

69. Outdoes : BESTS

Down:

1. Pantry ant, e.g. : PEST

2. Matty or Felipe of baseball : ALOU. "But who's on first?" "I don't know." "Third base!"

3. Mummy's home : TOMB

4. Underwater weapon : SPEAR GUN. 62D. Ocean : SEA. 63D. Ocean traveler : SUB

6. Damsel : MAIDEN

7. Teen's woe : ACNE

8. Place to hang your hat : PEG

9. Astonishes : STUNS

10. More expensive : HIGHER. I wanted DEARER.

11. Item in a writer's notebook : IDEA

12. Commuter's option : RAIL

13. Alternatively : ELSE

18. "Climb aboard!" : "HOP IN!"

19. Safari heavyweight : HIPPO


24. Shrek and his relatives : OGRES

25. Family reunion attendee : AUNT

26. Secret supply : CACHE

27. Angler's boxful : LURES

28. Melodious winds : OBOES

29. Dead duck : GONER. Evocative

31. Unlike leftovers : EATEN

32. Home : ABODE

33. Like many a dorm room : MESSY

36. Fast : RAPID

39. Publicize in a big way : TOUT

41. Sidewalk stand buy : LEMONADE

44. "My Fair Lady" composer Frederick : LOEWE

45. Transparent, as stockings : SHEER

47. Sounded like a pig : OINKED


49. Shout : CRY OUT

51. Northwest capital : BOISE

53. Electrically flexible : AC/DC

54. Naughty child's stocking filler : COAL. Theme related.

55. Revolutionary British sympathizer : TORY. Tens of thousands of Americans opposed the Revolution. They called themselves Loyalists; the Patriots called them Tories. from "Tories, Fighting For the King in America's First Civil War" by Thomas B. Allen. The word Tories was originally used to describe rural bandits in Ireland. Origin: 1640–50; < Irish *tóraighe outlaw, bandit, derivative of tóir chase, pursuit. 56. "Bearing gifts, we traverse __" : AFAR. Theme related.

58. Comes to a stop : ENDS

59. Kill the dele : STET

60. Finishes, as a road : TARS. Stop, kill it, finish...OK, I get the idea.

Argyle


Notes from C.C.:

1) Here is a picture of Argyle, our dear Santa. Merry Christmas!


2) Happy Birthday to Fermatprime (send me a photo if you like) & Yellowrocks (Kathy)!



 This is what Kathy said last time:

 "It is from my second trip to Japan about 5 years ago. Just add a few little streaks of gray and a few pounds and you'll see me today. Embracing Buddha? Or just his statue? LOL"

Dec 24, 2012

Monday, December 24, 2012 Robyn Weintraub

Theme: Adjunct - Taking words starting with ad and parsing them to mean a commercial.

17A. Commercial assignment? : AD MISSION

28A. Commercial style of speaking? : AD DICTION

49A. Commercial undertaking requiring capital? : AD VENTURE

66A. Commercial speech? : AD ORATION

9D. Commercial sun shade? : AD VISOR

45D. Commercial attire? : AD DRESS

Argyle here. I admit my expo may not nail it but I think the idea is clear enough. This is Robyn's second LAT puzzle and it shows strong construction. A little something for everybody.

Across:

1. Like the rides in a kiddie park : TAME. Ah, but not to them.

5. Scrabble play : WORD. Question: Have you ever bluffed a non-word at Scrabble?

9. Rose petal pest : APHID

14. Persian Gulf country : IRAN

15. Nautical "Howdy!" : "AHOY!"

16. Ross of the Supremes : DIANA

19. Tofurky eater at Thanksgiving, perhaps : VEGAN


20. Monarch's tenure : REIGN

21. Giraffe kin : OKAPI. "Do these stripes make my butt look big?"


23. Lend a hand : AID

24. Blood disorder that causes weakness : ANEMIA

26. Words after "Oops!" : "SO SORRY!"

31. Expensive ballpark spot : BOX SEATS

34. Museum artifact : RELIC

38. Street sign abbr. : AVE. A lot are just AV now.

39. Sulks : MOPES

42. It pumps up the band's volume : AMP

43. When tripled, a story shortener : YADDA

46. "Please go first ..." : "AFTER YOU"

52. Cricket cousin : KATYDID. They play the night shift.



55. London chimer : BIG BEN. (in the Elizabeth Tower)

59. LAPD broadcast : APB. (All Points Bulletin)

60. Threw a hissy fit : RAGED

63. Transform for Halloween, as a pumpkin : CARVE

64. Raffle reward : PRIZE

68. Skin openings : PORES

69. Really bug : RILE

70. Make off with : TAKE

71. Chilean mountains : ANDES. The length of South America.

72. Pedometer unit : STEP. You program in the length of your stride. I wonder if they have a integrated GPS model now?

73. Greek god of war : ARES. The astrological sign is Aries.

Down:

1. Wonder Woman's headpiece : TIARA. And not just for keeping her hair in place.Wonder Woman uses her tiara as a boomerang. Link

2. Shakespearean forest : ARDEN. (from "As You Like It")

3. She liked Ike : MAMIE. First Lady Mamie Eisenhower.

4. Real puzzlers : ENIGMAs

5. "Kilroy __ here" : WAS


6. Toledo's state : OHIO

7. Chess piece that can't move diagonally : ROOK

8. Ruler by heredity : DYNAST. I looked it up.

10. Place for 24 blackbirds, in verse : PIE. Wasn't that a dainty dish, To set before the DYNAST? Let them eat Tofurky!

11. Comics Viking : HAGAR

12. "... bombs bursting __" : IN AIR

13. "Yankee Doodle __" : DANDY These two(12&13) make a nice pair.

18. Mean and sarcastic : SNIDE

22. Luau dish : POI

25. West who played Batman : ADAM. He retired and now is Quahog's eccentric mayor on "Family Guy".

27. __ of a kind : ONE

29. Simpson judge : ITO

30. TV from D.C. : C-SPAN

31. Miami's Biscayne __ : BAY

32. Lab eggs : OVA

33. Marked the spot : Xed

35. Hens do it : LAY

36. Texter's "Here's what I think" : IMO. (in my opinion)

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

40. Baby newt : EFT

41. Ticket part you keep : STUB

44. 24 hours : DAY

47. Novelist Jong : ERICA

48. Yachting race : REGATTA

50. By way of : VIA

51. Awards for mystery writers : EDGARs. The Edgar Allan Poe Awards ®

52. Phi Beta __ : KAPPA

53. Cook's cover-up : APRON

54. Car daddy took away, in a Beach Boys song : T-BIRD. Fun fun, fun.

56. Pipe material : BRIAR. Something Sherlock Holmes might smoke.
 
57. Conjure up : EVOKE

58. Babies, in Barcelona : NENEs. Not as simple as it seems; been better off sticking with Hawaiian geese.

61. Make less wordy, as an article : EDIT

62. Ration (out) : DOLE

65. Alphabet ender : ZEE

67. Account exec : REP. Look! A rep leftover from yesterday.
 
 

Argyle

Dec 23, 2012

Sunday Dec 23, 2012 Erik Agard

Theme: "Secret Agent" - REP spans across each common phrase.

 23A. *Scenic souvenirs : PICTURE POSTCARDS. My youngest sister-in-law still sends us postcards wherever she travels.

 36A. *Acupuncturist's target : PRESSURE POINT. Painful to watch, but acupuncture does work, for some.

 59A. *Nonconformist, idiomatically : SQUARE PEG

 67A. *Cookies sent from home, say : CARE PACKAGE. What's your favorite Christmas cookie?

 77. *Repair shop item : SPARE PART

 95A. *Tense subject? : FUTURE PERFECT. Grammar.

 115A. *British Sunday meal staple : YORKSHIRE PUDDING. Yellowrocks' & TTP's Christmas meal. I never had it. They don't look like puddings to me.

 
 15D. *Protected area : NATURE PRESERVE

 51D. *Smokey Bear's bailiwick : FIRE PROTECTION

 125A.  Agents "hiding" in the answers to starred clues: REPS

Nicely designed grid. It takes skills (and luck) to intersect theme entries. At times, intersecting results in compromises in fill. But for theme dense grid, whether weekday or Sunday grid, intersecting actually makes smooth filling possible.
  
I think this is Erik Agard's first Sunday puzzle. Congratulations! He's the young kid in black T-shirt.


Across:

1. To be, to Balzac : ETRE. Balzac sure knew love and cheats.

5. Perfume oil : ATTAR

10. "It __ to me ..." : SEEMS

15. Classic pop favorite? : NEHI

19. Number on le menu : PRIX. Price.

20. "Next week on ..." ad : PROMO

21. It's blocked by sunblock : UV RAY

22. Gives the sack : AXES

26. Slow roller on a baseball diamond? : TARP. What were you picturing?

27. Cuddle, in a way : SPOON

28. Delivered a sermon : PREACHED

29. Little green man? : GUMBY


30. Place for a pin : LAPEL

33. "Eww, more than I need to know!" : TMI

34. Take exception : DEMUR

41. One way or another : SOMEHOW

45. "Malcolm in the Middle" dad : HAL

46. Get rid of : LOSE

47. Egyptian Christians : COPTS. Chickie's son-in-law is one.

49. Prefix with cab : PEDI. That guy over there has no chance.



50. Flips (through) : RIFFLES

53. Oscar-winning foreign language film based on a Fugard novel : TSOTSI. No idea. Oscar 2005.

56. Sap : DRAIN

57. Fesses up to : ADMITS

58. Memorable tumbler : JILL. Jack and Jill.

62. Browns quickly : SEARS

63. To-do list items : DUTIES

65. Aptly named fruits : UGLIS. It's actually quite juicy.

66. Shore flier : ERNE

69. "¿Cómo __ usted?" : ESTA

73. Apt to mope : POUTY. What happened, baby?



75. Sofa cushion concerns : STAINS

76. Legal right : DROIT. Also new to me. Quite similiar to French "right". A droite.

81. Old-style "once" : ERST

82. One just starting : NOVICE

83. Intense passion : ARDOR

84. Van Gogh masterpiece : IRISES. Van Gogh loved yellow.


86. Totals : COMES TO

87. Fall guy : GOAT

88. Three-star mil. officer : LT GEN

90. Wheel with a knife nearby : EDAM. Tricky clue.
 
92. __ de Cologne : EAU
 
93. Seventh-inning ritual : STRETCH

100. Space __ : CADET

102. Zip : NIL

103. "It's the Hard-Knock Life" musical : ANNIE

104. Singer LuPone : PATTI

107. Didn't go along : RESISTED

110. Guitar parts : NECKS. I see the necklace, not the pendant.


114. Et __ : ALII

118. O'Brien predecessor and successor : LENO. Jimmy Fallon is the funniest. Talented too.

119. Video game plumber : MARIO

120. Looks for a vein : MINES

121. Pierre's South Dakota? : ETAT. Awesome clue!

122. Eight-legged team : OXEN. I felt stupid!

123. Rhett's last words : A DAMN

124. Actress MacDowell : ANDIE. Long time L'Oréal spokeperson.
       
 Down:

1. "House" actor : EPPS (Omar)

2. Voyage : TRIP

3. Puerto __ : RICO

4. Lauds : EXTOLS

5. Earth Day mo. : APR

6. Afternoon ora : TRE. Ora = Hour. Italian.

7. Brings down : TOPPLES. I really like Xi Jinping, China's new president. Every time I look at Hu Jintao, I see my old boss, who had me tailed for a week after I left Shanghai. Jerk!

8. Love of Latin : AMOR

9. Faced head-on, as a challenge : ROSE TO

10. To the point : SUCCINCT

11. Cole Porter's "Well, Did You __?" : EVAH

12. Put one's foot in it : ERRED

13. Most miffed : MADDEST

14. Part of MS-DOS: Abbr. : SYs

16. Teacher's handout : EXAM

17. Rosemary, e.g. : HERB

18. "__ with my little eye ..." : I SPY

24. Señor's "some" : UNAS

25. Author Hoag : TAMI. Again, learned from doing Xword.


29. Mess (up) : GUM

31. Whines : PULES. I think I'd have whined too if I were Jordan (Bill's grandson). I sure do not want to play tennis or anything when it's cold and dark.

32. Oldest of the gods, in Plato's "Symposium" : EROS. No idea. I don't believe it.

35. Cal. pages : MOs

36. Put into words : PHRASE

37. Takeover engineer : RAIDER

38. Composer of the "Beetlejuice" score : ELFMAN (Danny). Impressive filmography.

39. Diminutive : PETITE. Don't google. Guess what's the height of average American women?

40. Chuck : TOSS

42. Rattletrap : HEAP

43. Garfield's pal : ODIE

44. Building addition : WING

48. Agreeably sharp-tasting : PIQUANT

52. NYPD ranks : LTs

54. Typos and such : SLIPS

55. Fatty-acid esters : OLEATES. This word looks very unhealthy.

56. Soft & __: Dial product : DRI

58. MacGyver, so to speak : JURY RIG. We had MacGyver discussions long time ago.

60. Trendy fleece-lined boots : UGGs. Not trendy any more.

61. Malt beverage : ALE

63. It's often raw : DATA

64. Goosebump raiser : SCARE

67. Target on the green : CUP. Golf.

68. Mouth : KISSER

70. "Evidently" : SO I SEE

71. "Fresh entertainment" mint : TIC TAC

72. Eschewed cooking : ATE OUT

74. On top of, to poets : O'ER

76. Abbey title : DOM. So is FRA.

77. Yields to gravity : SAGS. Don't you wish the excess fat will only go to your boobs?

78. Bapt. or Meth. : PROT

79. Feast of Esther month : ADAR. Their "June".

80. Nonkosher : TREF. Learned from doing Xword.

82. Certain club restriction : NO MEN. Ladies' club.

85. Together : IN UNISON

86. Cereal box title : CAP'N. Crunch.

88. HDTV feature, often : LCD
 
89. Pulitzer-winning Cormac McCarthy novel : THE ROAD. Was made into a film, starring Viggo Mortensen.


91. Like a McJob : DEAD END

94. Mai __ : TAI

96. Wednesday's mom, to Gomez : TISH. "The Addams Family".

97. Last syllable : ULTIMA. New word to me also.

98. Fruit discard : RIND

99. Thing out on a limb : FEEDER. Bird feeder. Really "on a limb".

101. Caesar's land : TERRA

104. __ Alto : PALO

105. Michael's "Family Ties" role : ALEX. Michael J. Fox.

106. Pea piercer : TINE

108. Milk choice : SKIM

109. Leprechaun's turf : ERIN. I tried to find a simple sterling four-leaf clover pendant in early summer. No luck. What the stores had were all too fancy or pricey for me. I ended up with a pretty butterfly.

111. Mention : CITE

112. Sack opener? : KNAP. Knapsack.

113. Boot camp NCOs : SGTs

115. Soprano Sumac : YMA

116. I.M. with plans : PEI. He was born in Guangzhou, but grew up in Hongkong & Shanghai.

117. Employ : USE

C.C.