Tuesday, July 19, 2011 Don Gagliardo

Theme: Windmills(2:18) - As the unifier states, there is a synonym for CIRCLE hidden within the themes. If your puzzle has the circles(and they're in the right spots, see here), it makes it a little easier.

17A. St. Patrick's day shout : "ERIN GO BRAGH!"

32A. Business that serves smokers : TOBACCO INDUSTRY

39A. With "leave," settle for the existing situation : WELL ENOUGH ALONE

60A. Privileged group, and an aptly highlighted feature of 17-, 32- and 39-Across : INNER CIRCLE

Argyle here. I'm tempted to comment on the wording of 32-Across but I'll take the advice of 39-Across. Hard G has given us an ambitious Tuesday. There are two spanners and the theme makes a nice diagonal stripe down the face of the grid.

Across:

1. "I'm clueless!" : "GOT ME!". A bad situation for a constructor.

6. Half of Ethiopia's capital : ABABA. Addis Ababa Image.

11. Finger-to-lips syllable : "SHH!"

14. 1994 peace prize sharer Yitzhak : RABIN. Actually, there were three: Yasser Arafat, Shimon Peres, and Yitzhak Rabin.

15. C.S. who created Narnia : LEWIS and 52D. Narnia lion : ASLAN. From the fantasy novel, "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe".

16. Chinese word of enlightenment : TAO

19. IV administrators : RNs. But don't call them bag ladies!

20. 0, in Spain : CERO. Spanish for "Zero".

21. Linus awaits the Great Pumpkin in one : PATCH

22. Singer's aid : MIKE. We see MIC quite often these days.

23. Unconventional merchandise quantity : ODD LOT

25. "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" singer Neil : SEDAKA. Skip the clip(2:14) if you want, I'll understand.

27. Lewinsky confidante Linda : TRIPP. No image available.

30. Delinquency word more commonly heard in the plural : ARREAR

36. Fifth in NYC, e.g. : AVE.

37. Contraire � la __: illegal, in Lyons : LOI. French

38. Finished first : WON

46. "M*A*S*H" system : TRIAGE. The process of determining the priority of patients' treatments based on the severity of their condition.

47. Drum major's cap : SHAKO. Take one home today.

48. Heat rub product : BENGAY

50. Oysters-on-the-half-shell seller : RAW BAR

54. Menlo Park middle name : ALVA. TAE - Thomas Alva Edison. Haven't heard from Nikola Tesla lately.

55. Somewhat warm : TEPID

58. Wave radio maker : BOSE

59. Work the soil : HOE

62. Bachelor in personals, briefly : SWM. Single white male.

63. Short explosive? : NITRO

64. It's not an express : LOCAL

65. Half and half : ONE. It adds up.

66. Yarn unit : SKEIN. How many yards of yarn? "a hank of yarn," from O.Fr.

67. Buck of country music : OWENS. Skip the clip(2:16) if you want, I'll understand.

Down:

1. Artist El __ : GRECO. He was a painter, sculptor and architect of the Spanish Renaissance. "El Greco" (The Greek) was a nickname, a reference to his Greek origin, and the artist normally signed his paintings with his full birth name in Greek letters.

2. Rowed : OARED. Or sculled.

3. Classic Ford : T-BIRD

4. Company that merged with Konica : MINOLTA. Not just cameras anymore.

5. Stonehenge loc. : ENGland

6. Actress Jessica : ALBA. Nice hair.

7. Lion player Lahr : BERT. Nice hair.

8. Sky surveillance acronym : AWACS. Airborne Warning and Control System

9. Swollen ego : BIG HEAD

10. Smudge on Santa? : ASH

11. Ump's call : "STRIKE TWO!"

12. "Hammerin'" baseballer : HANK AARON. Two baseball clues.

13. Watering aid : HOSE

18. Fiber-__ : OPTIC

22. Fourth planet : MARS. Um-m-m. We've had a Fifth Avenue and now a Mars Bar.

24. Dungeons & Dragons monster : ORC

26. R&B's __ Hill : DRU. All four original members of were natives of Baltimore, Maryland. Formation.

28. Casual shirt : POLO

29. Reverent : PIOUS

31. Sandberg with nine Gold Gloves : RYNE. More baseball.

32. "I __ I taw a puddy ..." : TAWT

33. Excessive : OVERBLOWN

34. "This is no lie" : "BELIEVE ME"

35. Expected soon : NIGH

40. Turner on screen : LANA. She was a Sweater Girl.

41. Poached fare : EGG

42. Slob's opposite : NEATNIK

43. Either of the first two consonants in "coccyx" : HARD C. Don's signature clue/answer.

44. Wanted poster abbr. : AKA. Also Known As.

45. Unintellectual : LOWBROW

49. Broadway matchmaker : YENTE

51. Italian ball game : BOCCE

53. Fishing gear : REELS

54. Facetious "I see" : "AH SO"

56. Prefix with scope : PERI

57. Crease remover : IRON

60. Access points : INS. So egress points are 'outs', right?

61. UN workers' gp. : ILO. International Labour Organization.

Answer grid.

By the way, yesterday's mystery boy is Barry G.

Argyle

Constructor note:

The phrase �inner circle� was the inspiration for this puzzle. I just had one of those moments where I saw the phrase, and naturally thought that it could be the subject of a puzzle. I knew that I wanted a hidden word to reflect a circle. I decided to go with four-letter words, for some reason. My search yielded three candidates. It was not as easy as I thought to find words that can mean circle that are four letters long. But it did give me a break. I am always trying to make puzzles with five or six theme answers.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011 Bill Thompson

Theme: Brew - The last word of the first four theme entries can follow(chase) BEER.

17A. Type of government spending typified by the Bridge to Nowhere : PORK BARREL. Beer barrel.

25A. "Two Tickets to Paradise" singer : EDDIE MONEY. Clip.(3:56) BEER MONEY - Some extra money not needed for essential payments, which is available for spending on luxuries, hobbies, or simply going out for a beer. It is like "pin money".

37A. (At) maximum capacity : FULL BLAST. BEER BLAST - A large, usually boisterous party at which beer is the sole or principal beverage and is consumed in large quantities.

51A. Classic candy bean : JELLY BELLY. Beer belly

62A. Brew after a shot (and, in a way, what the end of 17-, 25-, 37-, or 51-Across can be) : BEER CHASER

Argyle here. Not as impressive as yesterday's but ok. Very similar lay-outs.

Across:

1. Detective Pinkerton : ALLAN. Maybe C.C.has some insight on this gentleman.

6. Bug-eyed with excitement : AGOG

10. Formally give up : CEDE

14. Let, as a flat : LEASE

15. Place for doves, not hawks : COTE. A small shelter for pigeons, sheep, etc

16. x or y line : AXIS

19. Tach measures: Abbr. : RPMs

20. Very old: Abbr. : ANC.ient

21. More furtive : SLIER

22. Disco __ : ERA

23. Unlike Wabash College : CO-ED. One of the few remaining liberal arts colleges for men only. Crawfordsville, IN, northwest of Indianapolis.

29. "Gunsmoke" star James : ARNESS. Here with his brother, Peter Graves.

31. "We're outta here!" : "LET'S GO!". See 25-Across.

32. Doctor's request : SAY, "AH"

33. Studio warning : ON AIR

36. Long, long time : EON

40. "Because I said so!" elicitor : "WHY?"

43. Bad time for a procrastinator : TODAY. "Never do today what you can put off till tomorrow." Then repeat.

44. Planet's path : ORBIT

48. Big honey brand : SUE BEE. Image.

50. Fishing line tangles : SNARLS

55. Michelle of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" : YEOH. Image.

56. 57-Across brand : LEE

57. Casual pants : JEANS

59. Bird: Prefix : AVI

60. Flat-topped rise : MESA

64. Poet Khayy�m : OMAR

65. Beige shade : ECRU

66. Absorb a loss, slangily : EAT IT

67. Responsibility : DUTY

68. Eyelid affliction : STYE

69. Spars on board : MASTS. No, not a shipboard donnybrook.

Down:

1. Llama relatives : ALPACAs. "Are you lookin' at me?"

2. "Il Trovatore" soprano : LEONORA. The character's name.

3. Grand or petit crime : LARCENY

4. Look for answers : ASK

5. Birds' bills : NEBS

6. Pungent : ACRID

7. Injured in the bullring : GORED. Film at 11:00, you don't want to see this at breakfast.

8. "SNL" alum Cheri : OTERI. Cheri Oteri Pictures.

9. Hair-holding goo : GEL

10. Metaphorical incentive : CARROT. Image. Maybe a new hat would be a better incentive.

11. Broad area : EXPANSE

12. Lower, as lights : DIM

13. Twisting shape : ESS

18. Quaffs in tankards : ALES

22. Rock music's __, Lake & Palmer : EMERSON

24. Unwilling to listen : DEAF

26. "Splendor in the Grass" director Kazan : ELIA. 1961 film.

27. Self-esteem : EGO

28. Over there, to Milton : YON

30. Sleep, informally : SHUT-EYE

33. Like the hills? : OLDer than the hills.

34. Miami Heat gp. : NBA. Basketball

35. Prince __ Khan : ALY

38. Leopold's co-defendant : LOEB. Killers. Do you notice a dark tone to this puzzle?

39. Butler's carrying aid : TRAY

40. N.Y. financial paper : WSJ. The Wall Street Journal.

41. Color : HUE

42. Bawls out : YELLS AT

45. Chicken choices : BREASTS. This should bring out Dennis and/or Lois.

46. "That's perfect as is!" : "I LOVE IT!"

47. Casual tops : T-SHIRTS

49. Clouded, as vision : BLEARY

50. Harmony : SYNC

52. Unique button in 007's Aston Martin : EJECT. One way to get rid of pesky passengers.

53. Suspicious : LEERY. What you should be if James Bond offers you a ride.

54. Oater star Lash : LARUE. Popular western motion picture star of the 1940s and 1950s. He had exceptional skill with the bullwhip.

58. Noah's firstborn : SHEM

60. Stylish, in the '60s : MOD

61. Outback runner : EMU

62. Teachers' degs. : BEs. Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.)

63. Little battery : AAA

Answer grid.

Argyle

Note from C.C.:

Happy 81st Birthday to dear Sallie!

Tuesday, July 5, 2011 Kevin Christian

Theme: Dog Days - Seven dogs and their greeting & food brand. (Click on name for image.)

9A. *Jake LaMotta, e.g. : BOXER

17A. *Mexican neighbor of New Mexico : CHIHUAHUA

24A. *Skiers' patron : SAINT BERNARD

41A. *Like Hammett's falcon : MALTESE

43A. *Piece of advice : POINTER

54. *Labrador was added to its provincial name in 2001 : NEWFOUNDLAND

67A. *Beijing dialect : PEKINGESE

Unifiers:

58D. Steadfast belief (and parent of each answer to a starred clue?) : DOGMA. (DOG MA, get it?)

73A. Greetings from the answers to starred clues : BARKS

Bonus entry:

51A. Brand for a 58-Down : ALPO

Argyle here. Easy theme but a lot of it! It has been over a year since Kevin's last LAT puzzle and a pangram to boot. Welcome back.

Across:

1. Word after boom or Bean : TOWN. BEANTOWN/ Boston.

5. Dickens's Uriah : HEEP. From the novel David Copperfield, the character is notable for his cloying humility, obsequiousness, and insincerity.

14. Aleve target : ACHE

15. Fall birthstone : OPAL

16. "All systems __" : ARE GO

19. Feature of "butte" but not "but" : LONG U. I'm catching on to this gimmick quicker now.

20. Like lava flows : OOZING

21. Austin-to-Dallas dir. : NNE

23. British golfer Poulter : IAN. Colorful.

28. NYC hub : JFK and 68D. Inbound flight posting at 28-Across : ETA

31. Tolerate : BEAR

32. 2008-'09 Japanese prime minister Taro __ : ASO. Image.

33. Sans serif typeface : ARIAL

35. Expansive : VAST

37. Ye __ Tea Shoppe : OLDE

45. Information storage unit : BYTE

46. Choice word : ELSE

48. __-wip: dessert topping : REDDI. Whipped cream in a can.

49. Bear: Sp. : OSO

53. Follow-up film: Abbr. : SEQ.

59. Pie __ mode : � LA

60. Suffix for glob : ULE

61. Home builder's subcontractor : ROOFER

65. Get started : BEGIN

70. Upright : ON END

71. "They're __ again!" : AT IT

72. Desert tableland : MESA

74. Lord's partner : LADY. Can't be clued as Tramp's partner to avoid conflict with the theme.

75. Tiny power source : ATOM

Down:

1. Filled tortilla : TACO

2. Cuatro times dos : OCHO. Spanish 4 X 2 = 8

3. Ace : WHIZ

4. Classic grape sodas : NEHIs

5. Philly's signature sandwich : HOAGIE. What? Not the cheesesteak?

6. N.T. book after Galatians : EPH.. Ephesians. The Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians, often shortened to Ephesians, is the tenth book of the New Testament. Its authorship has traditionally been credited to Paul, but it is considered by some scholars to be "deutero-Pauline," that is, written in Paul's name by a later author strongly influenced by Paul's thought.

7. Seine contents : EAU. French / water.

8. Backup strategy : PLAN B

9. Agricultural cubists? : BALERS. Shout out to WH. Forgot to mention yesterday, I thought of Jeannie when I saw the riddle about the HAIR. I hope she's still afloat.

10. Yellow metal, in Mexico : ORO. Maybe we can get an answer today from yellowrocks about his her name. (Oops)

11. Seat of Greene County, Ohio : XENIA

12. Samantha of "Doctor Dolittle" : EGGAR. Image.

13. Set of drinks for the table : ROUND

18. Lacking capacity : UNABLE

22. "Cool!" : "NEATO!"

25. Umbilical terminus : NAVEL

26. __ la la : TRA

27. Not a soul : NO ONE

28. Doorframe part : JAMB

29. Start to unravel : FRAY

30. Scot's skirt : KILT

34. Dined on, biblically : ATE OF

36. Witch's incantation : SPELL

38. Old Ford models : LTDs

39. "__ Dinah": 1958 Frankie Avalon hit : DEDE. Clip.(2:15) A wailing sax on the bridge.

40. La Salle of "ER" : ERIQ. Image.

42. Asian Olympics city of 1988 : SEOUL

44. Like some patches : IRON ON

47. Blue : SAD

50. Squeaks and creaks : SOUNDS

52. Equivalence : PARITY. Often heard in sports talk.

54. Big wheel : NABOB

55. 2010 Supreme Court appointee Kagan : ELENA. Kagan is the first justice appointed without any prior experience as a judge since William Rehnquist in 1972. (Check out Hahtool's avatar from yesterday.)

56. Staked amount : WAGER

57. Himalayan country : NEPAL

62. Acre's 43,560 square units : FEET

63. Bygone U.S. gas : ESSO

64. 500 sheets : REAM

66. Octopus's defense : INK

69. Joke around with : KID

Answer grid.

Argyle

Notes from C.C.:

1) Look at this adorable boy. Can you guess who he is (from our blog, of course)?

2) Many of us have been receiving free daily Word of the Day mini-crossword from Paul Stynsberg, who always tries his best to provide the most relevant & informative crosswordese of the day. He said in his email yesterday: I'm running a 5K on July 16th to raise money for the fight against ALS. My goal is to get 50 people to kick in a buck or two. If you'd like to be a part of this, please make a check payable to "ALS Fundraiser" and try to get it to me sometime before the race. (I'm sorry, I don't have a way for you to do this on-line.) Mail to:

Paul Stynsberg

705 4th St. NE

Roseau MN 56751

Let's help and motivate Paul to run faster. Thank you!

Tuesday, June 28, 2011 Victor Fleming and Nancy Salomon

Theme: Dyslexic Endings - Four French phrases and a GB QB that end in VRE but are commonly pronounced RVE.

17A. Delight in living : JOIE DE VIVRE. Joy of Living

24A. Paris site of objets d'art : MUS�E DU LOUVRE. Palace of the Louvre

48A. Peppercorn-coated beef entr�e : STEAK AU POIVRE. Steak with Pepper 

56A. Shrimp cocktail, e.g. : HORS D'OEUVRE. Apart from the Main Work

22A. With 50-Across, quarterback who started a record 297 consecutive games : BRETT and 50A. See 22-Across : FAVRE. Quarterback for Green Bay Packers (1992�2007)

Argyle here. That's my take on the theme; if you have a better idea, let's hear it. My French isn't all that good anyway. Couple of clunkers in the fill but overall, pretty good Tuesday.

Across:

1. Sounds of laughter : HAHAs

6. Show off, as one's stuff : STRUT

11. Leaky tire sound : SSS

14. Change with the times : ADAPT

15. West Indian sorcery : OBEAH. A search reveals we have had this word four times before, never on a Tuesday though.

16. Back muscle, for short : LAT. Latissimus Dorsi, usually referred to as LATS.

19. Stretch to remember : ERA

20. Aruba et al.: Abbr. : ISLs.. Clunk!

21. Wine-and-cassis ap�ritif : KIR. A French drink, how apropos.

28. Not for : AGAINST

30. Fading star : HAS-BEEN

31. __-Novo: Benin's capital : PORTO. I wish I could find this kind of map every time. The official language of Benin is French.

32. Peter Rabbit sibling : MOPSY. His sisters are Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail in the children's story by Beatrix Potter.

33. Play (with) : TOY

34. Slate-backing strips : LATHS. Clunk. Lath and plaster, yes.

36. Word with cozy or bag : TEA

39. Apple models : iMACs

41. They may be blown in games : LEADS

43. Hoops shot that misses everything : AIR BALL

46. Hatch, as a scheme : THINK UP

51. The whole shebang : ALL

52. Pre-splat cry : "OOPS!"

55. Saloon order : ALE. Never saw a western where they ordered an ale.

60. Knight's title : SIR

61. Justice Samuel : ALITO. N.Y.Times Magazine article. I'll have to read it later myself.

62. Speedy base runner's strategy : STEAL

63. Thing to run at a bar : TAB

64. Red Sea republic : YEMEN

65. Prefix with frost : PERMA. Frost that never leaves the ground, although the top thaws out for summer. We are probably losing perma-frost to global warming, too.

Down:

1. Pilgrim to Mecca : HAJI. Add another J if you want.

2. Bustles : ADOs

3. Desperation gridiron pass : HAIL MARY. Favre threw a few.

4. Jungle film costume : APE SUIT

5. CST part: Abbr. : STD. Central Standard Time.

6. Like old Russian states : SOVIET

7. Ford in a Beach Boys hit : T-BIRD. Sure, some more Fun, Fun, Fun.(2:21)

8. Give gas to : REV. Rev up that T-Bird.

9. Former Egypt-Syr. alliance : UAR. United Arab Republic.

10. Springsteen, to fans : THE BOSS

11. Place for an ace? : SLEEVE

12. "No Exit" dramatist : SARTRE. "No Exit" is a 1944 existentialist French play by Jean-Paul Sartre.

13. __ Island Ferry : STATEN. New York.

18. __ out: barely gets : EKEs

23. Red gemstone : RUBY

25. __-Cat: winter vehicle : SNO

26. "This could be a problem" : "UH-OH"

27. Swimmer's reps : LAPS

28. On target : APT

29. Bit of baby babble : GOO

32. The Rockies, e.g.: Abbr. : MTs.. I'm surprised they didn't use the Alps.

34. In __ land: loopy : LA LA. La is also a French article, mais oui.

35. First Amdt. defender : ACLU. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

36. Corporate acquisition : TAKEOVER

37. School URL ending : .EDU

38. Fanged serpent : ASP

39. Building beam : I-BAR

40. What some do while the sun shines? : MAKE HAY. Keeping busy, windhover?

41. Ullmann of "Autumn Sonata" : LIV. Image.

42. On the way : EN ROUTE

43. Equally speedy : AS FAST

44. Roma's land : ITALIA. Next to France.

45. Echoic effect : REVERB

46. Snitched about : TOLD ON

47. Port of Hawaii : HILO. Map.

49. Second of a word-processing pair : PASTE. I live by "cut and paste".

53. English carriage : PRAM

54. Ward of "CSI: NY" : SELA

57. Cheer for a toreador : �OL�!

58. Perimeter : RIM

59. Clairvoyance, briefly : ESP

Answer grid.

Argyle

Tuesday, June 21, 2011 Norma Steinberg

Theme: Descriptive Earnings - The theme answers (two across and two down) are common financial terms but are clued as if they were descriptions of income.

21. Honky-tonk owner's income? : JOINT RETURN

56. Actor's income? : PART PAYMENT

3. Trawler's income? : NET PROFIT

36. Librarian's income? : HUSH MONEY

Argyle here. Another unusual grid for early in the week.

Our first LAT encounter with Norma Steinberg, a regular constructor for Newsday. We also had more than 20 offerings from her in our old TMS Daily Crossword.

Across:

1. Pained expression : WINCE. Wince suggests an involuntary contraction of the facial features triggered by pain, embarrassment, or a sense of revulsion: to wince as a needle pierces the skin; to wince at coarse language.

6. City in Peru or Ohio : LIMA

10. Disallow : VETO

14. Standard of excellence : IDEAL

15. Satan's doing : EVIL

16. They can take a yoke : OXEN. Did you hear the one about....

17. __ dish: lab item : PETRI

18. Direction indicator : VANE

19. Legends and such : LORE

20. Cassandra's gift, for short : ESP. Not quite what the Greek Miss myth had but close.

24. Byways : ROADS

26. Sampled : TASTED

27. Dress (in) : CLOTHE

29. Rumple, as hair : MUSS

31. 47-Across handle : HAFT. 47A. Fencing weapon : �P�E. You need the perps to decide if you want HILT or HAFT. Norma has used this before.

32. Numbers for Noah : TWO'S

34. Early anesthetic : ETHER

39. Pierre's significant other : AMIE. French.

40. Cut off : SEVER

42. Govern : RULE

43. Take a mulligan in golf, say : RETRY. I took a mulligan; I had REHIT.

45. Workshop gadget : VISE

46. Altai Mountains' continent : ASIA. The Altai Mountains define where Xinjiang meets with Russia, Mongolia and Kazakhstan, the region is studded with prodigious peaks.

49. Political commentator Maddow : RACHEL. MSNBC

51. Spiral-shelled mollusks : SNAILS

55. Capital between Eugene and Portland : SALEM

59. Org. that advises the president in financial planning : OMB. Office of Management and Budget.

62. "We try harder" sloganeer : AVIS

63. Praise : LAUD

64. "Rubber Duckie" singer : ERNIE. Ernie went solo with this one, left poor Bert behind.

66. Consider : DEEM

67. Marseilles miss: Abbr. : MLLE.. French/Mademoiselle.

68. Oscar winner Witherspoon : REESE

69. Ultimatum ender : ELSE

70. Fortuneteller : SEER

71. Watch surreptitiously : SPY ON

Down:

1. Use a dust rag on : WIPE

2. Bad day for Caesar : IDES

4. Wheels, so to speak : CAR

5. Hebrew prophet mentioned during 55-Downs : ELIJAH. 55D. Passover meal : SEDER. Why is There a Cup of Wine for Elijah at the Passover Seder?

6. Casual brand : LEVIS

7. Tennis great Lendl : IVAN

8. Condition like new : MINT

9. Warns : ALERTS

10. Electrical units : VOLTS

11. Remove from text : EX OUT

12. __ Haute, Indiana : TERRE

13. Without stopping : ON END

22. "Golden Boy" playwright Clifford : ODETS. Big in the Thirties, he avoided being black-listed by giving up names, though he never gave a name the committee didn't already have..

23. Comfort : EASE

25. Aquatic frolicker : OTTER

27. Sear : CHAR

28. Hobbling : LAME

29. Film : MOVIE

30. Functions : USES

33. "__ Only Just Begun": Carpenters hit : WE'VE. So sweet.(3:07)

35. Smidgen : TRACE

37. "Night" author Wiesel : ELIE

38. Tangible : REAL

41. Aired again : RERAN

44. Cry from the litter : YELP

48. Biblical poems written partly by King David : PSALMS

50. Changes : ALTERS

51. Gardening tool : SPADE

52. Bellybutton : NAVEL

53. Sign of spring? : ARIES. The Ram, first astrological sign in the Zodiac.

54. "Who's there?" reply : "IT'S ME"

57. Clinton's alma mater : YALE

58. Stubborn animal : MULE

60. Sushi bar soup : MISO

61. "How've you __?" : BEEN

65. Salesperson, briefly : REP

Answer grid.

Argyle

Tuesday, June 14, 2011 Donna S. Levin

Theme: 1963 Pete Seeger hit - Clip(1:55)

17A. FedEx, for one : SHIPPING SERVICE. It's always fun opening a FedEx box, like a mini-Christmas.

33A. What many a game of Battleship is played on : GRAPH PAPER. What graph paper looks like, in case you are unfamiliar with it.

45A. Stamp seller : POST OFFICE. If it fits, it ships�

65A. Manhattan's Minskoff, e.g. : BROADWAY THEATER. Now Showing, "The Lion King". Ironically, I don't believe the Minskoff has box seats.

71A. Spars in the ring, and features of the four longest puzzle answers : BOXES. Sparring is shorter than a bout so I think that qualifies them as little boxes.

Argyle here. Today we have Donna's delight after Jeff's jewel yesterday. It would have been nice if 17- and 45-Across weren't the same type of boxes but that's a nit. Two grid spanners on a Tuesday makes up for one little nit.

Across:

1. Give in to gravity : SAG. No comment.

4. Louvre Pyramid architect : I. M. PEI. Has anyone been there, in person?

9. Descendant : SCION. Comes from twig, sort of like a chip off the old block.

14. "Born in the __" : USA. Springsteen song.

15. Cleaning crew : MAIDS

16. Fencer's deflection : PARRY

20. Skating great Sonja : HENIE. Olympic Champion from way back.

21. King Abdullah subject : SAUDI

22. Took a load off : SAT

23. Tailor's measurement : INSEAM

25. Pauses that refresh : RESTS

27. Simple bed : COT

29. 1983 Woody Allen title role : "ZELIG". It sounds like an interesting story but it is still Woody Allen, if you know what I mean. I would like to hear from actual viewers though.

40. Trevi Fountain city : ROME. Three Coins in the Fountain(3:09), Connie Francis version.

41. Chaplin's last wife : OONA

42. Planet after Saturno : URANO. Spanish/Italian, Portuguese, too? And 70D. River, to Ricardo : RIO

43. Caspian Sea country : IRAN

44. Proverbial sinking ship deserters : RATS

47. Rainbow maker : PRISM. Image.

49. Schuss, e.g. : SKI

50. "... your cake and __" : EAT IT

54. Fla. coastal city : ST. PETE. Map

59. Response to a doctor : "AAH" / 38D. Drs. eliciting 59-Acrosses : ENTs. (ear, nose, and throat)

62. Prohibited acts : NO-NO's

64. Resignee of 1974 : NIXON. The release of the Pentagon Papers will bring his name in the news again. Which brings up 4D. Accuse of misconduct : IMPEACH

68. Frighten : ALARM

69. Jazzy Armstrong : LOUIS

72. Quick garage jobs : LUBES and 57D. Front-end alignment : TOE IN.

73. Abby's twin : ANN. The Dears.

Down:

1. Fish in a roll, perhaps : SUSHI

2. Wan : ASHEN

3. "Capital" profits : GAINS

5. __ tai : MAI

6. Frat jewelry items : PINS

7. Mystery award : EDGAR. The Edgar Allan Poe Awards (popularly called the Edgars), named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America.

8. Contentious subject : ISSUE

9. Cologne squirt : SPRITZ. From Yiddish, not surprisingly.

10. Cleveland cager, briefly : CAV

11. Bearded flower : IRIS

12. Black-and-white sea giant : ORCA. Welcome back, old friend.

13. "My eye!" in Minsk : "NYET!"

18. Lemon meringue, e.g. : PIE

19. Both Begleys : EDs. Sr. died when Jr. was 20 but I couldn't find a picture of them together.

24. Attend to a spill : MOP UP

26. Calligrapher's flourish : SERIF

28. Tropical tuber : TARO. A lot of alliteration there.

30. Actress Petty : LORI. Don't tell me you missed Tank Girl?

31. Apple computer : i-MAC

32. Biological inheritance : GENE

33. Trail grub : GORP. From "good old raisins and peanuts".

34. Emulate MGM's lion : ROAR

35. Against : ANTI

36. Out of date : PASS�

37. __ de deux : PAS. French for "Step of Two" and is what partnering is called in ballet.

39. Pieces that castle : ROOKS. Chess move.

46. Exercise program goal : FITNESS

48. "Melts in your mouth" candy : M AND M's

51. Pull : TOW

52. Totally : IN ALL

53. "What's it __?" : TO YOU

55. Former NBC anchor Lindstrom : PIA Image. Deceptive clue, she was a news anchorwoman for WNBC-TV Channel 4 News, a local station in NYC.

56. Spare : EXTRA

58. 2000s symbol of corporate financial misconduct : ENRON

59. Simple rhyme scheme : A B A B

60. Woody's son : ARLO

61. Fraud : HOAX

63. Bang, as one's toe : STUB

66. Exist : ARE

67. Move it : HIE. Bye.

Answer grid.

Argyle

Tuesday, June 7, 2011, Don Gagliardo and C.C. Burnikel

Theme: Swee' Pea. The four theme entries all have the word "pea" split between two words in the phrases. A clever, fun theme from our Dynamic Duo, even if you don't like split pea soup.

17A.Ali ring trademark : ROPE-A-DOPE. Made famous in the '74 Foreman match, where Ali laid against the ropes and let Foreman hit him, until Foreman tired and Ali struck the deciding blow.  

23A. Epcot's "giant golf ball" : SPACESHIP EARTH. I think I would have to use at least a 1-wood on that...

37A. Painter of outdoors scenes : LANDSCAPE ARTIST. Like Clear Ayes! 

50A. Rolling over, so to speak : GIVING UP EASILY. I wasn't going to roll over and let this puzzle beat me, no sir!

And the unifier:

62A. Soup ingredients, and a hint to the hidden theme in 17-, 23-, 37- and 50-Across : SPLIT PEAS

Marti here, trying to fill in, but really, honestly, who could ever fill Santa's shoes? Let's hope his computer is out of sick bay soon!  But I am so happy to have the chance to blog another one of Don and C.C.'s puzzles!

So here's the scoop on all the rest:

Across:

1. Ivan the Terrible, e.g. : TSAR. Ivan IV Vasilyevich. Intelligent, devout, but given to rages and irrational fits of temper. His contemporaries called him Ivan Groznyi (Ivan "Redoubtable" or "Severe"), which means more in lines of might and power, rather than terror or cruelty.

5. Deadly snakes : ASPS. In Egypt, the asp was a symbol of royalty, often shown in hieroglyphs on kings' tombs.

9. Simple hoops shot : LAYUP. Sure, simple for Michael Jordan. For me, at 5'4", not so easy.

14. Restrictive membership word : ONLY. "Members only". Also, a brand of clothing.

15. Digital water testers? : TOES. I loved this clue. Do you stick a toe in the water to test how cold it is, or do you dive right in? 

16. Make laugh : AMUSE. I am easy to amuse...

19. Alumnae, e.g. : WOMEN. Not girls!

20. La la lead-in : OOH 

21. Conestoga-made grooves : RUTS. Conestoga wagons were used by pioneers traveling west. And they made lots of ruts.

22. Church-owned Dallas sch. : SMU . Southern Methodist University.

28. Victoria in Africa : LAKE. Not this one.

29. Comics scream : EEK

30. Easter basket delivery gait? : HOP. Like a bunny. Cute imagery.

32. Miracle Mets' stadium : SHEA. OK, it's C.C., so I know we're going to have baseball involved in the clues/answers. The 1969 World Series was between the NY Mets and the Baltimore Orioles with the winning game at Shea Stadium. 

35. Eyelid annoyance : STYE 

36. Stat for Cliff Lee : ERA. Earned Run Average. Cliff Lee is a Major League baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies. The stat is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine. (You should know that I know nothing about baseball!!)

42. Coffee hour vessel : URN. Boy, I could use an urn of coffee right about now...

43. It was often worn over a tunic : TOGA. Who knew? I thought they were only worn at frat parties...

44. Rocks to refine : ORES 

45. Academic address letters : EDU 

46. Carnival resort : RIO. de Janeiro. This looks like fun! 

47. Battling group : ARMY 

56. Fingers for the D.A. : IDS. Identifies, as a perp.

57. Opposite of pre- : POST 

58. Subside, with "down" : DIE . Or "dah", as my southern DH would say...And a nice clecho with 59. Subside : ABATE.  

64. Des Moines resident : IOWAN

65. Slithery fish : EELS. Ah, got me.  "Fish" is plural here. 

66. "Heck!" : DARN.  Drat, dang, damn...

67. Lived : DWELT. Past participle of dwell, or simple past tense. Also, "dwelled".

68. Home run jog : TROT. More baseball !

69. To boot : ALSO .

We have to do the downs, to boot!

Down:

1. Bulls in Argentina : TOROS. My lawnmower is a real bull when it comes to getting the yard done!

2. Poke around : SNOOP. 

3. Pack leader : ALPHA. OK, I just can't resist this one.

4. Corned beef bread : RYE . With a side of slaw, please.

5. Just after sunset : AT DUSK

6. Relieve : SOOTHE

7. "For those who think young" soft drink : PEPSI 

8. Duluth-to-Dubuque dir. : SSE 

9. Member of Congress, say : LAWMAKER 

10. Love in Lille : AMOUR. Splynter, aren't you glad you're not on today? 

11. "Tasty" : YUM.  (I'm still thinking about that corned beef on rye...with a side of slaw.)

12. Exploit : USE. I was thinking of feat . But this is a different USE of the word USE.

13. Con's home : PEN. Short for penitentiary.

18. Vicinity : AREA 

22. "Gotta run!" : SEE YA.  (Not yet...I have to finish the downs.)

24. Dressed : CLAD

25. Red Rose : PETE. Sheez, more baseball.  This is like a foreign language to me, but I am learning! Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds was nicknamed "Charlie Hustle". His gambling on baseball got him into heaps of trouble

26. "A League of __ Own" : THEIR. Aww, c'mon C.C., you're killing me here with the baseball!  (Just kidding: this was actually a wonderful movie about sisters who are professional baseball players during WWII.)

27. Silver in old Westerns : HORSE. Whew, back to something I know about. The Lone Ranger's horse. Hi-Yo Silver, awaaaaay!

31. Loving strokes : PATS . Or, the New England football team.

32. Swing around : SLUE. We had this discussion a while ago, no? 

33. Game start? : HARD G. The word "game" begins with a hard consonant. I have a feeling it was C.C. who came up with this entry...

34. Listless feeling : ENNUI 

35. Hot tub : SPA 

38. Grating : STRIDENT. All I can think of is Edith's voice in "All in the Family".

39. Nickel and dime : COINS.  Great clue.

40. Wide-eyed : AGOG. From the old French "en gogues" meaning in jest, good humor or joyfulness.

41. Kids' stuff : TOYS. r Us

47. 17-mission NASA program : APOLLO. Did not know they had 17, but knew that Apollo went to at least 13.  So I wagged this one.

48. Fight back : RESIST 

49. Damon of "Invictus" : MATT. He is becoming the Pola Negri of modern crosswords, no?  

51. Indispensable : VITAL 

52. Berth place : UPPER. Clever play on "birth place". The UPPER berth is the one you have to use the little ladder for on the overnight train. But it's not so bad, even if you have to share with someone.

53. Perfect : IDEAL 

54. Some storytellers : LIARS. No, really??

55. Like some limited-choice questions : YES/NO 

59. Help : AID 

60. Gift decoration : BOW. I always have trouble tying those things. Thank goodness for the ready-made ones at Hallmark!  

61. Blow away : AWE 

62. Tennis unit : SET 

63. iPhone, e.g. : PDA. Personal digital assistant. It kinda makes me feel important, when you put it like that...

Answer grid.

Say Good Night, Marti.

Note from C.C. & Don:

Preparing Split Pea soup inspired this theme. We originally had HELP EACH OTHER instead of GIVING UP EASILY as 4th theme entry. Rich pointed out the differences between "in the language" and "Ordinary language" phrases and explained how former made for a strong theme entry. The theme idea seemed easy on the surface, but when it came time to matching up phrase lengths, etc., this was a challenging theme to put together. Which is your favorite fill? Mine is 33D of course.