Saturday March 4, 2017 Pawel Fludzinski

Theme: None

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

Blocks: 28

Another Saturday struggle from Pawel, but unlike his construction from Jan of this year, I did not succeed without a fair amount of cheating - but then again, I am also in the middle of a lot of projects, so my mind was not entirely focused on the puzzle.  One too many proper names, normal for the author, as well.  Today's grid, somewhat like a snake, is another example of how to make it difficult to work one area with no hope of getting in to another - for me, I could not get anything going in the NW.  Triple 9- and 10-letter corners, the longest answers in the grid;

15. Land across the Baltic from Sweden : LITHUANIA - OK, cheated - I looked at a map of Europe

14. Federal subsidy : GRANT-IN-AID - never heard the term before

53. Crash and burn : HIT BOTTOM

26. Nevada's Area 51, notably : OPEN SECRET

The

Files~!

ACROSS:

1. Picture with a surprise ending? : PHOTO BOMB

10. Cheaply, with "for" : A SONG

16. Organ __ : DONOR 

17. Burden to bear : ALBATROSS - Iron Maiden turned a classic poem into a 13minute song;

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

18. Lead-in for here or nowhere : OUTTA - outta here, outta nowhere

19. Much data: Abbr. : NOs - technically, it's just "two" numbers; 1, and 0

20. River of Tuscany : ARNO

21. Oliver Twist, for one : ORPHAN

22. Architectural molding : OGEE - I have not seen this in a Saturday puzzle for a while

23. Cut twice, perhaps : TRISECT - I was thinking someone measured wrong in the first place....

24. Clear of snow : PLOWED - my "private road" does not get plowed

27. The King's middle name : ARON - Elvis, thank you, thank you very much

28. McBride of "Draft Day" : CHI

29. Metz meal : REPAS - too much Frawnche for me today

30. __ vote : SWING

31. Wi-Fi relative : LAN

32. Eisner's successor at Disney : IGER - filled via perps

33. Org. formed in Manila in 1954 : SEATO - good WAG

34. Pulitzer poet Van Duyn : MONA - filled via perps

35. With 22-Down, immortal 20th-century racer : MAN circumreferential to; 22. See 35-Across : O' WAR - dah~! I was looking for someONE, like Richard Petty, not a horse....

36. British county : SHIRE - generic, not specific

37. Spherical bacteria : COCCI - perps got me --CCI

38. Racing Unsers : ALs

39. Make sound : MEND

40. Quenched : SLAKED

41. Downwind current : LEE TIDE

43. Improvisational style : SCAT

44. Aspects : FACETS

45. Sainted pope called "the Great" : LEO I - LEO (Roman numeral), JOHN or PIUS~? Had to wait

46. Masterpiece : GEM

49. Heron relative : EGRET

50. Product announced but never produced or canceled : VAPORWARE - I finally caved in to peer pressure and bought a vaporizer, so I can hang with the "cool" kids at UPS - they're all half my age anyway, so I find it all amusing.  I do however, think there's a chance I might quit smoking with this thing - I like the ash-less,no-more-stank-in-the-car 'just like smoking candy' aspects of the thing....

52. Coeur d'__ : ALENE

54. Treat again, as leather : RE-TAN - my preferred kind of "tan"

55. Relax : STAY LOOSE

DOWN:

1. Work on one's vacation, say : PLAN - oh, like booking a room and a flight - I am on "vacation" from UPS, but for me, it meant putting in 40+ hours at both restaurants to get them back into shape - one from the fireproofing mess, the other for grand re-opening in two weeks

2. Hawaii's __ Bay : HILO - good WAG

3. Places with indoor windows, briefly : OTBs - ah.  Filled via perps; clever, though

4. Rap article : THA'

5. Storm problems : OUTAGES - SURGES was too short

6. Kept out : BARRED - dah~! Not baNNed

7. Two __: fast-break advantage : ON-ONE - love them in hockey; I finally saw a three-on-three OT game - and I like the fact that a 2-on-1 or breakaway is always imminent

8. Protein-rich paste : MISO - not TOFU

9. Humanities degs. : BAs

10. Like most grandparents : ADORING

11. Stock options? : SOUPS

12. Facing a deadline : ON THE CLOCK

13. "In your dreams!" : NOT A CHANCE

21. College town about 100 miles NE of Portland : ORONO - seen this in enough crosswords

23. Hackneyed : TRITE

24. 1993 William Diehl thriller on which a 1996 film was based : PRIMAL FEAR

25. Formidable court figure : LEGAL EAGLE - also a movie, but it was "eagleS"

27. Agatha or Edgar : AWARD - nailed it, but then again, I had A-A--

30. The Pont Neuf spans it : SEINE - Frawnche

33. Molts : SHEDS

34. Defense that may be all wet : MOAT - my dream home has a moat

36. Gaga : SMITTEN

37. "Does she ... or doesn't she?" brand : CLAIROL

40. Part of a fictional dog name inspired by Sinatra's "Strangers in the Night" : SCOOBY

42. R&B singer __ Marie : TEENA

43. Dividing walls : SEPTA - biology

45. Café supply : LAIT - Frawnche, again

46. León relative : GATO - Frawnche, encore

47. Piccadilly Circus statue : EROS

48. Hand raiser's attention-getter : ME~! ME~!

50. Beta rival : VHS

51. Org. that complements the IMF : WTO - oh.  The International Monetary Fund and World Trade Organization - I was stuck on "Impossible Mission Force....

Splynter

Friday, March 3, 2017, Alex Eaton-Salners

Title: Look up! It's a bird, a plane - Superman!?! No, sorry, not this time.

Alex E-S makes a quick return to Friday with an imaginative "no clue" puzzle.  Each theme fill is a type of flying machine. Thus, each one becomes an Unidentified Flying Object  as they are flying objects not identified in a clue. This approach requires the solver to get the down fill to get at least one of the theme filled. Because of the difficulty of seeing the theme, the puzzle doe have lots of doable, short fill. He did squeeze in OOMPAHS, CARLS JR.,  BUTT PACK and  HER HONOR. The flying machines are diverse, but otherwise I see no other common element.

18A. No Clue : HELICOPTER (10).

23A. No Clue : GOODYEAR BLIMP (13).

38A. No Clue : BIPLANE (7).

53A. No Clue : HOT AIR BALLOON (13).

61A. No Clue : HANG GLIDER (10).

70A. Area 51 phenomena ... or what five puzzle answers are? : UFOS (4). In the purest sense and not relating to aliens. So how did we get the grid filled.....

Across:

1. Outdo : BEST.

5. So far : TO DATE.

11. "Happy Valley" airer : BBC. I never saw or heard of this SHOW which generated such wonderful reviews.

14. Joie de vivre : ELAN. Interesting as this positive sounding approach to life, can lead to one becoming...

15. Ethically indifferent : AMORAL.

16. Spat ending : ULA. Don't flip over this bizarre clue/fill. Spatula.

17. Dart : FLIT.

20. Friction reducer : OIL.

21. Benin neighbor : TOGO. Not to be confused with 64A. When repeated, an "Animal House" chant : TOGA.

22. Most Rwandans : HUTUS. Some of the HISTORY.

27. Snowboard feature : STRAP. No idea; my Colorado son snowboards. I used to ski.

28. Brass band sounds : OOMPAHS. Tuba or not tuba, that is the question.

31. Money in Miyazaki : YEN.

33. Free org. for law students : ABA. They figure if you join in law school, you stay and pay once you are out in the world.

34. Rob Roy, for one : SCOT. I was fixated on the DRINK for a while, then the book and MOVIE until I left it and came back. The LINK.

35. "Whatevs" : MEH. A regular Corner comment.

41. Poet inspired by the Battle of Baltimore : KEY. Francis Scott, and the Star Spangled Banner. When I saw poet, three letter fill and Baltimore, my mind went to Mr. Poe. Or did it?.

42. Trapezoid measure : AREA.

44. Brooklyn pro : NET. The current worst team in Basketball.

45. Droop : SAG.  No chance I will say anything here.

47. Home of the "All-Natural Burger" : CARL'S JR. This West Coast Hamburger CHAIN is famous for its raunchy  COMMERCIALS. 

49. Bobby who lost to Billie Jean in the Battle of the Sexes : RIGGS. Bobby was an aged star who defeated Margaret Court in the first battle of the Tennis Sexes.

57. Riksbank currency : KRONA. The currency of Sweden's central bank.

59. Flower from the Greek for "rainbow" : IRIS.

60. "Lenore" poet : POE.  And guess who appeared! Not a poem I know well.

65. Latin trio word : AMO, amas amat.

66. Epoch when modern mammals emerged : EOCENE. LEARN.

67. Swindle : ROOK.

68. Its debut Apr. 1971 broadcast covered Senate hearings on the Vietnam War : NPR. Imagine, this started in our lifetime.

69. Periods of growth : SPURTS. I am still waiting for mine.


Down:

1. Muddles : BEFOGS.

2. Family name in Jane Austen's "Persuasion" : ELLIOT.  Her final NOVEL. You can read it online for free.

3. Hand : SAILOR.

4. Explosive stuff : TNT.

5. Lake straddling a Western border : TAHOE. One of the most beautiful places on earth.

6. Tag Heuer competitor : OMEGA. Watches.

7. Sorrow : DOLOR.  Latin.

8. "Entourage" agent Gold : ARI. I did not hear much about the MOVIE.

9. Sea follower? : TAC. The airport, Sea-tac. - Seattle Tacoma.

10. Hebrew G-d : ELOHIM. Transliteration is so hard.

11. Infantry equipment carrier : BUTT PACK. LINK.

12. Color on le drapeau français : BLEU. The blue on the flag of France.

13. Animated film primarily set in Radiator Springs : CARS. WATCH.

19. Some heels : PUMPS. Love the clue/fill.

21. Laid-back : TYPE B.

24. V-J __ : DAY.

25. Taiwanese tea drink : BOBA. We are more used to it being called Bubble tea - Taiwanese tea-based drink invented in Taichung in the 1980s. Most bubble tea recipes contain a tea base mixed/shaken with fruit or milk, to which chewy tapioca balls and fruit jelly are often added. It has been embraced by most Asian restaurants.Various sources and personal experience.

26. Quicken product : LOANS. They started out with accounting software, but are major player in the mortgage field.

29. Plot device? : HOE. Getting it reading for planting, not a prostitute movie..

30. Bachelor pad, perhaps : STY.  Men tend to be messy when left alone.

32. Raphael or Leonardo, in fiction : NINJA. Of the hard shelled kind.

33. __-rock music : ALTernative.

35. Cheese go-with : MAC.

36. Dead-ball __: early baseball period : ERA. Before Babe Ruth.

37. Judge's address : HER HONOR.I am sure this caught all the sexists.

39. Prefix with scope : PERI.

40. Sandwich and Salisbury VIPs : EARLS. Or Grantham.

43. As company : ALONG.

46. Jazz pianist Evans : GIL. The letters were easy, but I never knew of this somewhat  TRAGIC man.

48. Play grounds? : STAGES. Very nice misdirection.

50. Disappear : GO POOF. Good thing he added the F.

51. Bit of baby talk : GOO GOO. Ga Ga?

52. Tiptoes, say : SNEAKS.

54. Backseat driver, e.g. : RIDER. meh.

55. Spiner of "Star Trek: T.N.G." : BRENT. He played the android - DATA - and also appears in both Independence Day movies. ODD.

56. Buenos __ : AIRES.

57. Mongol sovereign : KHAN.

58. Increase, with "up" : RAMP.

62. Hack : LOP.

63. "ER" setting : ICU. The TV show often had the doctors and patients in ICU.

64. Play about Capote : TRU. He died young, a month short of his 60th birthday.

Well golly, we are the end already. Too many short fill to be difficult but there are some challenging fill. It was very hard if you did not understand the gimmick. Alex is showing off his versatility and I expect to see him often this year. I also expect you all to let me know your thoughts. I am off to another new doctor. Will catch up with you after that.
Lemonade out.

Thursday, March 2, 2017 Kevin Christian

Theme: Regal Roosts - five places where various kinds of "Queens" can be found:

17A. Queen's domain : CHESS GAME. White is checkmated by the black queen in two moves, known as "Fool's Mate".

26A. Queen's domain : BEEHIVE. Hopefully not the hairstyle!

36A. Queen's domain : DECK OF CARDS. Four of these in your poker hand wouldn't be too shabby.

51A. Queen's domain : ENGLAND. Here's the splendid Miranda Richardson with a reminder to Lord Melchett from Blackadder II.

60A. Queen's domain : ARENA ROCK. Here's Queen singing about another Queen, which seems appropriate. Not in an arena though, from the BBC's studios at Wood Lane in London.

Nice clecho theme from Kevin. There are four cheater (aka helper) squares padding out the middle theme entry but you can't help that when you're working with one 11-letter phrase across the center.

Across:

1. Bleach container : JUG. I'd never thought of my Clorox container as a jug before, but so it is.

4. Shed door attachments : HASPS

9. Like iceberg lettuce : CRISP. Due to the 96% water content. Food! - almost.

14. Freudian topic : EGO. Went for SEX first, that didn't work.

15. Marginally ahead : ONE UP

16. Relative of bongos : TABLA

19. Cause of a skid, perhaps : SLEET

20. Tom Jones' "__ a Lady" : SHE'S

21. Payroll service co. : ADP

23. __-à-porter: ready-to-wear : PRET. There's a chain of ready-made sandwich stores based in the UK, and now expanding, called Pret A Manger (Ready to Eat) which I think is clever. The sandwiches are great too.

24. Keep from happening : THWART

28. Corporate big shots : SUITS

29. With false modesty : COYLY

31. Bubbly opener? : AER-ated. Popping corks.

32. Hide from a hunter : PELT. Nice.

33. Coppertone's 30, e.g. : SPF

34. Bit of IM mirth : HEE. Went with LOL first. Was wrong.

40. Versailles monarch : ROI. Here's Louis XIV, the "Sun King":

41. West __: high-end furniture retailer : ELM. New to me. Part of the Williams-Sonoma/Pottery Barn group.

42. Related : AKIN

45. Actress Arthur : BEA

48. Slyly disparaging : SNIDE

50. Back of a single : B-SIDE

53. Picked up : SENSED

54. De Matteo of "Sons of Anarchy" : DREA. Crosses all the way.

55. One in favor : YEA

57. Baseball analyst Hershiser : OREL

58. Odyssey on the road : HONDA

64. Of yesteryear : OLDEN

65. Keep down : LIMIT

66. Writer who inspired the Raven Award : POE

67. Pineal or pituitary : GLAND

68. Chef's creation : SAUCE

69. Soufflé need : EGG. That's going to be one small soufflé with one egg.

Down:

1. 39th pres. : JEC. Jimmy Carter. Not one of the most common presidential monograms that we see - rarely appears in crosswords.

2. "Bummer" : UGH

3. Runs amok : GOES WILD. Fresh entry.

4. Uncouth types, in Canadian slang : HOSERS. I'm sure Canadian Eh! can enlighten us, but I understand the origin of the term is unclear, and it has nothing to do with resurfacing hockey rinks, siphoning gasoline or getting drunk.

5. Severe anxiety : ANGST

6. Yellow __ : SEA

7. Adidas rival : PUMA. My first pair of soccer boots were made by Puma. The company's been around for quite some time, evidently.

8. Left in the dust : SPED BY

9. Nos. that are beside the point : CTS. The cents in a price tag after the decimal point.

10. Actor Fiennes : RALPH. The splendidly-monikered Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes to give him is full credit.

11. It's across the Pyrenees from France : IBERIA. The Iberian Peninsula comprising Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar and Andorra. There's also little sliver of France at the southern side of the Pyrenees

12. Tailor's measure : SLEEVE. You need to get this measured correctly to keep your cuffs out of your soup.

13. Auction spiel : PATTER.

CANIGETA10geta10geta10getanow15now1520attheback202020anymore25thankyouinthebalcony30onthe phone30itsonyousireanymoregoingonceat30goingtwiceSOLD.

18. Destroy : SHATTER

22. New York suburb bordering New Rochelle : PELHAM. I only know this from the book/movie "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three".

24. Recipe amt. : TSP.

25. Tinge : HUE

27. Once-over giver : EYER. Really?

29. USCG rank : CPO. Chief Petty Officer.

30. Took out : OFFED. I just saw this when I came to write up the puzzle, crosses filled it in for me.

33. Gossip : SKINNY

35. Santa portrayer in "Elf" : ED ASNER

37. Alguna __: something, in Spain : COSA. New one on me. Thanks you, crosses.

38. Cavs, on a scoreboard : CLE. Cleveland's NBA franchise, the Cavaliers.

39. White way : SKI SLOPE

43. Chem class suffix : -IDE

44. "Game of Thrones" patriarch Stark : NED. Finally remembered this! Yay me!

45. Covers stealer : BED HOG.  I don't remember seeing this before - nice phrase.

46. Join the club : ENROLL

47. Guide for a chair : AGENDA. The road-map for a meeting chair.

49. High standards : IDEALS

50. Scold : BERATE

52. Weighted down : LADEN

53. __ boom : SONIC

56. Met delivery : ARIA

59. "Then what happened?" : AND?

61. Critter on the Australian 50-cent coin : EMU

62. Machine part : COG

63. Beer source : KEG. I liked the COG/KEG/POE/EGG corner.

I think I'll go and see if you can make a soufflé with one egg.

Bon appétit and heeeere's the grid!

Steve

Wednesday March 1, 2017 Ed Sessa

Theme: J CREW (53D. Clothing chain ... or what the answers to starred clues comprise?) - All theme entries are well-known people with J ? initials.

17A. *U.S. Steel co-founder : J.P. MORGAN

36A. *"Whiplash" Best Supporting Actor : J. K. SIMMONS. Know him as Dr. Skoda on Law & Order.

59A. *Peter Pan creator : J. M. BARRIE

10D. *"Lost" co-creator : J. J. ABRAMS. So talented.

36D. *Retail chain founder : J. C. PENNEY

C.C. here.

Total six J's in this puzzle. This is tricky to design and fill, as I learned from my own J ? puzzle five years ago (the last one is so inconsistent!). Puzzles involved lots of J's, Q's, X'es and Z's are all challenging.

Ed's reveal is perfect and gives a solid rationale for this puzzle.  His fill is great too. None of the J's are stretched. All real words.

Across:

      

1. Article : ITEM

5. Die down : EBB

8. Military action toys : G I JOEs. We used to own three GI Joe style Jesse Ventura action dolls.

14. Something frowned upon : NO NO. Tiny dupe with  64. "Almost ready" : NOT YET

15. Graphic introduction? : GEO. Geographic.

16. Harm : INJURE

19. Roofer's supply : SLATES

20. "August: __ County": Meryl Streep film : OSAGE

21. Spinal column part : VERTEBRA. I used to confuse this word with VERBENA.

23. Words on a candy heart : KISS ME. Not BE MINE.

25. "CHiPs" co-star Erik : ESTRADA

27. Newspaper VIPs : EDs (Editors)

28. Crèche figure : LAMB

31. Like Parmesan cheese : AGED

32. "Didn't I tell you?" : SEE

33. Peas, for shooters : AMMO

34. Racetrack equipment : TIMERS

38. Wealthy campaign donor : FAT CAT. Thought of Bundler.

41. Picture framing materials : MATS

42. Orch. section : STR, OK, string.

45. "It's not too early to call" : I'M UP. Also got via crosses.

46. Sprain support : TAPE

47. Dove's call : COO

48. New York brewery known for its cream ale : GENESEE. Learning moment for me.

51. College choices : MAJORs

54. Turncoat : RENEGADE. Code name for President Obama.

57. "Pardon me," in Palermo : SCUSI. Or SCUSA.

58. Singer Warwick : DIONNE

61. "Imagine so" : I GUESS

62. Bird on Australia's coat of arms : EMU

63. Some celebs have delicate ones : EGOS

65. Dollop : DAB

66. Took off : WENT

Down:

1. Humor for a select few : IN JOKES. To avoid the IN dupe, INS. is clued as (35. MetLife's business: Abbr.). Insurance.

2. On the open deck : TOPSIDE. Also got via crosses.

3. All together : EN MASSE

4. Classic music synthesizers : MOOGS

5. __ McMuffin : EGG. 86-year-old Warren Buffett goes to McDonald's for breakfast every morning. This lady is 105 years old, and she eats bacon every day. So what's the secret to long life?

6. Cleaver nickname : BEAV

7. Talus or radius : BONE

8. Central points : GISTS

9. Small bay : INLET

11. Serious injustice : OUTRAGE

12. What may be charged for books? : E-READER. Nice clue.

13. French possessive : SES. We also have 29. Bordeaux buddy : AMI

18. Sleep acronym : REM

22. Pickett's Charge soldier : REB (Rebels)

24. Nightmare loc. of film : ELM ST

26. Website pop-ups, e.g. : ADs

30. Matriarchal nickname : MOMMA

33. Wanted poster initials : AKA

34. __ pole : TOTEM

37. AAA handout : MAP

38. Newton fruit : FIG

39. Explorer Vespucci for whom the New World was named : AMERIGO. Chinese characters for United States is below, literally "Beautiful Country".

40. Turn a deaf ear to : TUNE OUT

42. Cause of calamity : SCOURGE. Another great word.

43. Twisting force : TORSION

44. Most cheerful : ROSIEST

46. Twinings product : TEA. Some tea bags can be toxic. Drink loose tea.

49. Sixth __ : SENSE

50. Cast out : EGEST

52. Simile words : AS A

55. Played mixes at mixers, briefly : DJ'ED

56. Jane Austen novel : EMMA

58. Racket : DIN

60. Mac : BUB

Two crossword notes:

1) The 40th American Crossword Puzzle Tournament (March 24-26, 2017) will be held at the Stamford Marriott in Stamford, Connecticut. For those who attend, I hope you won't miss the Cru Dinner organized by the great Mike Alpern. Always makes me smile to see the Crossword Pope.

The Cru Dinner officially kicks off the tournament and is a great opportunity to meet with constructors and fellow solvers. And as a newbie, you'll always get a welcome gift! The space is limited, so be sure to contact with Mike (alpernm@aol.com) as soon as possible.

Not sure if Rich competes this year. He was absent last year.

Rich Norris, Mike & Kim,  ACPT, 2008

2) A few days left to sign up for Peter Gordon's 2017-18 Fireball Newsflash Crosswords. You get 20 puzzles from the master for $7. As I mentioned last year, Fireball Newsflash are mostly of LAT Tuesday level difficulty. Every puzzle features super fresh entries and fun clues.

3) Happy 90-year old birthday to Jean, a long-time crossword solver. Her local paper in Fargo carries LAT crosswords, and she solves it every day.

Tuesday, February 28, 2017 C.C. Burnikel

Theme: Owies - The answers to the starred clues each contain two "OW"s.

18A. *In Hades, euphemistically: DOWN BELOW

30A. *Puffy Chinese dog: CHOW CHOW

49A. *Bovine yogurt brand: BROWN COW

3D. *Auto feature that doesn't need a crank: POWER WINDOW

27D. *Head rest on a sofa: THROW PILLOW

60A. Pained expression, and a hint to two cries hidden in each answer to a starred clue: THAT HURTS

Argyle here. C.C. has given us a neat Tuesday puzzle. The reveal may have not given actual answers but may have disproved an answer already entered.

Across:

1. __ New Guinea: PAPUA

6. Closest buddies, for short: BFFs. (Best Friends Forever)

10. Cleaning cloths: RAGS

14. Three through nine, in many golf club sets: IRONS

15. On the sheltered side, at sea: ALEE

16. Old flames: EXes

17. "The Daily Show" regular Black: LEWIS

20. Back to square __: ONE

21. Ballet skirt: TUTU

23. Every bit: ALL

24. Béarnaise sauce herb: TARRAGON. Edible leaves with a distinctive anise or licorice flavor.

26. Pearly whites: TEETH

29. Escorted by: WITH

33. Where to find a sleeper hit, perhaps: B SIDE

35. Lascivious look: LEER

36. "Good point!": "TRUE!"

37. "Raggedy" doll: ANN

38. 601, to Seneca: DCI

40. Obstinate mount: ASS

42. East, in Essen: OST. Essen, Germany.

43. Fishing poles: RODs

45. Leave out: OMIT

47. Actor Cary __ of "Kiss the Girls": ELWES

51. Part of a process: STEP

52. Adjust just a bit: TWEAK

53. "Way to go, sister!": "ATTA GIRL!"

57. Hook shape: ESS

58. "Very cool!": "NEAT!"

59. Where bovines graze: LEA. Cows, cattle, kine.

64. Makes angry, with "up": RILES

66. German automaker: AUDI

67. Commuter's choice: RAIL

68. Popped up: AROSE

69. Fountain of jazz: PETE

70. Poet St. Vincent Millay: EDNA

71. Poked at, cat-style: PAWED

Down:

1. First sitcom episode: PILOT

2. Hockey venue: ARENA

4. College, to Aussies: UNI. (University)

5. Per what was previously mentioned: AS STATED

6. Mistreating: BAD TO

7. Frilly addition to a skirt: FLOUNCE

8. "A __ Good Men": FEW

9. Capitol Hill lawmakers: SENATORS or 28. Lawmaking body: HOUSE

10. Put back in office: REELECT

11. Rock singer Rose: AXL

12. Prefix with political or logical: GEO

13. NNE opposite: SSW

19. Failed, as a fuse: BLEW

22. "That's awful!": "UGH!"

25. Divested (of): RID

31. Oil or gas follower: HEAT

32. Dampens: WETS

33. Stinging remark: BARB

34. Stifled laugh: [SNORT!]

35. Long ride, for short: LIMO

39. Intolerably confident: COCKSURE. Does the name, Anonymous, come to mind?

41. Put out bait, say: SET A TRAP

44. Beau or boo: SWEETIE

46. "Sign me up!": "I WANT IN!"

48. Relay race part: LEG

50. Trio member with Crosby and Stills: NASH. The lyrics can be found on the YouTube site.

51. Metro stop: Abbr.: STA. (station)

54. Electrical pioneer Nikola: TESLA. Old friend!

55. Dodger Pee Wee: REESE. He made the move from Brooklyn to Los Angeles.

56. Zapped with a beam: LASED

60. Activate, as a phone app: TAP. Beyond my ken.

61. Tint: HUE

62. Home security giant: ADT. Founded in 1874; 143 years ago, as American District Telegraph.

63. "Cool!": "RAD!). My comment about the above entry.

65. Nest egg initials: IRA. (Individual Retirement Account)

Argyle

Monday, February 27, 2017 Gail Grabowski and Bruce Venzke

Theme: Give me some skin, bro - One word that can be patched to the start of the entry phrases.

66A. Medical adhesive strip ... and a hint to what can precede the first word of 17-, 25-, 40- and 52-Across: SKIN PATCH

17A. Filled light pastry: CREAM PUFF. Skin cream.

25A. Gronk's position on football's Patriots: TIGHT END. Skintight.

40A. Magician's hand movement: FLICK OF THE WRIST. Skin flick.

52A. Like some pizzas and apple pies: DEEP DISH. Skin deep.

Argyle here, plus Gail with Bruce today. No "B" in this naughty blue Monday. The pics I could have posted boggles the mind but you already have been boggled enow if you watched the Oscars.

Across:

1. Seaweed wrap resorts: SPAs

5. Peaceful: CALM

9. Dozed: SLEPT

14. Small chess piece: PAWN

15. Baseball's Moises: ALOU

16. Flooring specialist: TILER. A tiler earns his pay putting tiles around pipes and the edges of the room.

19. Like good gossip: JUICY

20. Expand, as a collection: ADD TO

21. San __, California: MATEO

23. Comic Margaret: CHO. "I love drugs, but I hate hangovers, and the hatred of the hangover wins by a landslide every time." - Margaret Cho

30. Spiro ran with him: RICHARD. Late-’60s Maryland governor, Spiro Agnew, served as Vice-President under Richard Nixon.

34. Baby's bodysuit: ONESIE. Standard baby shower present.

35. Comm. system with hand motions: ASL. (American Sign Language)

36. Slowly withdraws: WEANS

39. Tablet downloads: APPs

44. RPM gauge: TACH

45. Unifying idea: THEME

46. Pierced body part: EAR

47. Moral values: ETHICS

50. Mob witness' request: AMNESTY, and entry into the witness protection system.

55. Purported UFO fliers: ETs. (Extra-Terrestrial)

56. Bond portrayer Daniel: CRAIG

58. "__ directed": medication warning: USE AS

62. Magna __: CARTA. Runnymede, 1215. It will be on the quiz.

68. Graceland idol: ELVIS

69. Military medal earner: HERO

70. Ivy League school: YALE and 11D. 70-Across collegian: ELI

71. Hosiery thread: LISLE

72. Hullabaloos: ADOs

73. Upright wall timber: STUD

Down:

1. Pet lovers' org.: SPCA. (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)

2. Western chum: PARD. 1840-50, Americanism; by alteration and shortening of partner.

3. Left dumbstruck: AWED

4. Grab quickly: SNATCH

5. Bottle topper: CAP

6. University supporter, briefly: ALUM. An alumna or alumnus.

7. Lite, dietwise: LO-FAT. Both words are adspeak.

8. Civilian attire: MUFTI. Origin.

9. Virgin Islands isl.: ST. JOHN

10. Lucy of "Elementary": LIU. Holmes and Watson

12. Ab neighbor: PEC. Muscles, abdominals and pectorals.

13. Give it a whirl: TRY

18. Mostly shaved-head style: MOHAWK

22. Bigheadedness: EGO

24. Double Delight cookie: OREO

26. Hazmat suit problem: TEAR

27. Glimpses: ESPIES

28. Tries to bite, puppy-style: NIPS AT

29. "__ Rides Again": 1939 Western: DESTRY

30. Shot the rapids, say: RAFTED

31. Arrives after the bell: IS LATE

32. Overused expression: CLICHÉ

33. Bonkers: DAFT

37. To the __ degree: NTH

38. Mets' old stadium: SHEA

41. Greenside golf shot: CHIP

42. Plus-size supermodel: EMME

43. Ascended: WENT UP

48. Jewel box: CD CASE

49. Title for Connery: SIR

51. Emerson works: ESSAYS. Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 – 1882)

53. Recent White House daughter: SASHA. Malia Ann and Natasha Obama.

54. Walked in the woods: HIKED

57. Early whirlybird, for short: GIRO. Autogiro, originally a trademark of Cierva Autogiro Co., is also known as gyro, autogyro, gyroplane, gyrocopter, or rotaplane.

59. Coup d'__: ÉTAT

60. Bill of Rights-defending org.: ACLU. (American Civil Liberties Union)

61. Lawn mower holder: SHED

62. Animation still: CEL

63. "Aladdin" prince: ALI

64. Homes on wheels: Abbr.: RVs. (recreational vehicle)

65. Shop __ you drop: 'TIL

67. Discouraging words: NOs

Owen inspired addition.

Argyle

Sunday, February 26, 2017 Gail Grabowski

Theme: "The More the Merrier" -  IES is added to each theme entry, which is then clued as the plural form of the newly formed word. 

25A. Trendy tots' footwear? : HIP BOOTIES. Hip boot.

27A. Tipsy tour members? : HIGH ROADIES. High road.

45A. Bakery products made with white chocolate? : LIGHT BROWNIES. Light brown.

83A. Complimentary hotel apparel? : GUEST NIGHTIES. Guest night. New term to me.

98A. "Check out those platters of candy and fudge!"? : LOOK GOODIES. Look good.

104A. Tournament-changing scores? : BIG BIRDIES. Golf tournament. Big Bird.

35D. Snacks Batman can't have? : ROBIN COOKIES. Robin Cook.

40D. Protective tops for cattle drivers? : RANGE HOODIES. Range hood.

Notice how most of the root words change drastically. That's the desired effect in this type of theme. Some changes are less strong.

Gail uses her standard Sunday setup. Two Downs and 6 Across. But she used only 68 black squares and no cheaters this time.

  

Across:    

1. Made a mess of : BLEW. Not a gimme clue.

5. Authorizes : OKAYS

10. Audibly jarred : AGASP. Quite a few AGASP moments for me the past two months. 

 

15. Off the premises : AWAY

19. Coastal South American capital : LIMA

20. Unenthusiastic about, with "for" : NOT UP

21. Hard wear : ARMOR

22. "Good job!" : NICE. My comment to 21A clue.

23. Wistful word : ALAS

24. Words after do or before you : I DARE

30. How Steak Diane is traditionally served : FLAMBE. Never had Steak Diane, Big Easy!

31. Ermine cousin : MINK

32. One may be responsible for rain : DEITY. I remember incense sticks my Grandma burned to make the rain stop. Our roof was leaking in various spots. God did not hear for a week.

34. Came down : POURED

38. Gambler's concern : SPREAD

41. "Dog Whisperer" Millan : CESAR

43. Starting point : STEP ONE

44. Extended time off, briefly : LOA. Leave of Absence. I had to Google to see what it means.

49. HVAC measure : BTU

50. It's near the humerus : ULNA

52. Hard to keep up? : POUTY. Also got via crosses.

53. Musical shortcoming : NO EAR

54. Publication sales fig. : CIRC (Circulation)

55. Diploma word : MAGNA. Magna cum laude. Same letter count as SUMMA.

57. Sit in a cellar, say : AGE

58. Opposite of belt : CROON

59. Co-star of Keanu in "The Whole Truth" : RENEE

60. Isn't serious : PRETENDS

62. Stake-driving tools : MAULS. Only know it as a verb.

63. Many a March birth : PISCES

64. Chef's supply : HERBS. Cilantro is widely used in China. Not others. We also have 83. Bouquet __ : GARNI. Just a bunch of herbs. I don't think it has cilantro.

65. Has to repeat, maybe : FAILS. Oh, courses.

66. Mouthy retort : DID SO

67. Superhuman : BIONIC

69. "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" rapper : DR DRE

70. Pay attention : TAKE NOTE. So blessed to have the two Toms to guide me through this computer crisis.

73. More than apologize : ATONE

74. New York governor Andrew : CUOMO. Vowel-rich, hence its frequent appearance.  Same as 78. University town near Bangor : ORONO

75. Catch a bug, say : AIL

76. Amassed, with "in" : RAKED

77. When tripled, a story shortener : YADA

79. Brilliant display : ECLAT

81. Emphatic assent, in Sonora : SI SI

82. Govt.-issued aid : SSI

86. Changed-my-mind key : ESC

87. Protective film : ACETATE. I forgot. We had this before.

89. Boundaries : EDGES

90. Zeroes in on : AIMS AT

92. Stunning instruments : TASERS

93. "The Picasso of our profession," to Seinfeld : PRYOR.  I tried a few Pryor clips and did not find him to be that funny.

95. Folk first name : ARLO

96. Unabbreviated : ENTIRE

108. Gaucho's turf : LLANO

109. Couture monthly : ELLE

110. Kibbles 'n Bits shelfmate : ALPO

111. Brief concession : I LOSE

112. "Don't care what they do" : LET 'EM

113. Upswing : RISE

114. Elaborate ruse : HOAX

115. Cookware brand : PYREX. Two Srabbly Xes at the bottom.

116. Puts one over on : SNOWS

117. Call for : NEED

Down:

1. Hardly thrilling : BLAH

2. Taylor of "Six Feet Under" : LILI

3. Webby Award candidate : EMAG. E-magazine. Do you use E-mag or E-zine?

4. Words written with an index? : WASH ME. This index refers to Windex, right? (Updated: index finger. Thanks, Anonymous!)

5. Party bowlful : ONION DIP. Slight dip dupe with 13. Noodle sometimes served with a dipping sauce : SOBA. Soba time is coming soon.

6. Longtime photo lab supplier : KODAK

7. Somewhat : A TAD

 

8. Doctor Zhivago : YURI

9. Passes in a blur : SPEEDS BY

10. "How relaxing!" : AAH

11. Ill-gotten gains : GRIFT. Not LUCRE.

12. With room to spare : AMPLY

14. Provider of cues : PROMPTER

15. Get in on the deal : ANTE UP

16. __ Fit: video exercise game : WII

17. Par-four rarity : ACE. I guess it can happen if it's a short Par-four.

18. "No doubt" : YES

26. Penetrating winds : OBOES

28. Capital of Yemen : RIAL. Money. Not Sana'a.

29. Scorch : SEAR

33. Strict control : IRON RULE

36. Primary course : ENTREE. Boomer's standard lunch these day is one pork chop and a bowl of coleslaw. Very good for his blood sugar but he gets hungry around 3:30pm.

37. They may be wild : DEUCES

38. Rough patch : SLUMP

39. Really cold : POLAR. Winter is here again. We had gorgeous spring weather last week.

41. Guzzles : CHUGS

42. Novel conclusion : ETTE

43. Phillips of "I, Claudius" : SIAN. Stranger to me.

46. Incites : GOADS

47. Angora and alpaca : WOOLS. Spell check does not like the plural form.

 

48. Modernists, informally : NEOs

51. Signal receiver : ANTENNA

54. Citation Mustangs, e.g. : CESSNAs. Hi there, Dudley!

56. Cliff dwelling : AERIE

58. Coptic Museum city : CAIRO

59. Bill add-on : RIDER

61. "The Blacklist" network : NBC

62. Contingency funds : MAD MONEY. Learning moment for me. Our new PC was bought with the MAD MONEY then.

63. Water__: dental brand : PIK

65. Illegal laundering operation, say : FRONT

66. __ Lama : DALAI. Twin Cities has a large Tibetan community.

67. Reacts to, as a dog does the moon : BAYS AT

68. Minnesota lake : ITASCA. Gimme for me.

69. OutKast and others : DUOs

70. Is inclined : TILTS

71. "The Gondoliers" bride : TESSA. Learned from doing crosswords.

72. Royal order : EDICT

74. First Nations tribe : CREE

75. Heat rub target : ACHE. Boomer has to use the rub (called Blue Goo in our house) before his bowling night. Both his Monday and Friday leagues are very strong. 300 game happens every week. So does 800 series. One guy has over 80 perfect games.

78. Surpass : OUTSTRIP

79. Deep-fried appetizers : EGG ROLLS

80. Elegant cafés : TEA ROOMS

84. Object of adoration : IDOL

85. Rural structure : SILO

88. Driver's starting point : TEE BOX. Golf season starts soon for TTP and Gary. Gary already played this year.

91. In step with the times : MODERN

93. Earlier offense : PRIOR

94. Singer Della : REESE

95. Late-'60s Maryland governor : AGNEW. Only know him as Nixon's VP.

97. In a laid-back manner : IDLY

99. Author Robert __ Butler : OLEN. Another unknown.

100. Green Hornet sidekick : KATO

101. Netman Nastase : ILIE

102. Apart from this : ELSE

103. Flower child? : SEED. Sweet clue. So eager to start our little garden again. Always dismal veggie yield. But flowers grow well.

104. "What nonsense!" : BAH

105. Worldwide workers' gp. : ILO

106. Scholastic meas. : GPA

107. It sells in advertising : SEX

Here is a sweet picture of Dear Santa Argyle, who celebrated his birthday last week with his sister Laura and cousin Merle.

Merle, Laura & Argyle