Monday, November 18, 2013 Erik Agard

Theme: D&D - Sorry boys, not Double D. Phrases that start with D's, more like Dungeons and Dragons except in this case, the first two letters of each D word are duplicated.

16A. First two reindeer named in Rudolph's song : DASHER AND DANCER

25A. Use a mouse to move a file between folders, say : DRAG AND DROP

43A. List of behavioral recommendations : DOs AND DON'Ts

55A. 2003 prequel subtitled "When Harry Met Lloyd" : DUMB AND DUMBERER

Argyle here. I don't know if having the first two letters dupe was intentional but it probably was. Still pretty straight forward for an Eric Agard puzzle. No need for a unifier or reveal. Outstanding long Down fill today plus two grid spanners.

Across:

1. Michael who plays Alfred in many Batman movies : CAINE. Alfred "Pennyworth"(an assumed surname)

6. Mess maker : SLOB. Certainly not Alfred.

10. Remote : FAR

13. Lightweight synthetic : ORLON

14. Nothing, in Nicaragua : NADA

15. Scheme in which three of four lines rhyme : AABA

19. Jai __ : ALAI

20. Fury : IRE

21. Baseball legend Mickey : MANTLE. Do you have a rookie card, C.C.? (From C.C.: Nope. Boomer had the whole set of 1952 Topps, but he sold all in the 1980s. He sold his Mantle card (in perfect mint condition) for $900 and has been regretting every day.)

22. It has a trunk but no wheels : TREE

24. Layered cookie : OREO

30. Queue between Q and U : RST. Unique way to clue an alphabet string.

33. Charged, infantry-style : RAN AT

34. The Beatles' "Abbey __" : ROAD. EMI Studios were on Abbey Road.

35. Administer, as justice, with "out" : METE

36. Eden exile : ADAM. 11D. 36-Across' second son : ABEL

37. Thorax organs : LUNGS. Thorax, the part between the neck and the abdomen.

38. Thor's father : ODIN

39. Book part : PAGE

40. Former Atlanta arena : OMNI

41. Lopsided : ATILT. An "A" word.

42. Make a typo : ERR

45. Cry of dismay : "ALAS!"

47. Ten-speed unit : GEAR

48. Prisoner : INMATE

50. "How can __ sure?" : I BE

                             LINK

51. Ring of light : HALO

58. Many Keats poems : ODEs

59. Stunt rider Knievel : EVEL

60. Sprinkles or drizzles : RAINS

61. Was in first : LED

62. "Don't touch that __!" : DIAL

63. Supplement : ADD TO

Down:

1. Sonata ending : CODA

2. Inland Asian sea : ARAL

3. "Casablanca" heroine : ILSA

4. Diamond gem : NO HIT GAME

5. Santa Barbara-to-Las Vegas dir. : E-N-E

6. Marching band percussion instruments : SNARE DRUMS

7. Freeway division : LANE

8. Unusual : ODD

9. Snits : BAD MOODS

10. Accounted for, as during calculations : FACTORED IN

12. Steak request : RARE

15. Diarist Frank : ANNE

17. Nothing, in Nice : RIEN

18. 50-and-over org. : AARP

23. Critter before or after pack : RAT

25. Fall in folds : DRAPE

26. Plane tracker : RADAR

27. Made "talent" from "latent," e.g. : ANAGRAMMED. Got thrown by the double M.

28. Prima __ : DONNA

29. 1980 De Niro film about a boxer : "RAGING BULL". Filmed in black and white.

31. Clown heightener : STILT. Neat trick, standing on one stilt.

32. Camp shelters : TENTS

35. British heavy metal band with the album "Ace of Spades" : MOTÖRHEAD

                               LINK

37. Not as tight as before : LOOSENED

41. Cavity filler's org. : ADA. (American Dental Association)

43. Census gathering : DATA

44. Regard : DEEM

46. Research sites : LABS

48. Revered entertainer : IDOL

49. Naked : NUDE

50. Inventor's spark : IDEA

52. Bone-dry : ARID

53. Gave for a while : LENT

54. Roughly : OR SO

56. 506, in old Rome : DVI

57. Bikini top : BRA. OK, Double D bra link

Argyle

Monday, November 11, 2013 C.C. Burnikel

Theme: Highest Rating - 5-Star

64A. Headliner, or symbol associated with 20-, 28-, 37-, 42- and 50-Across : STAR

20A. Five-time Super Bowl winners : DALLAS COWBOYS

28A. "It's all about the beer" Dutch brewer : HEINEKEN

37A. "Miracle on 34th Street" store : MACY'S

42A. Big name in sneakers : CONVERSE

50A. Standard flown in Ho Chi Minh City : FLAG OF VIETNAM

Argyle here. C.C. on Monday; could that mean Marti on Tuesday? We should be so lucky.

Definitely needed the unifier today to make the connection between the entries.

Across:

1. Dinner for Mister Ed : OATS. Mr. Ed is a horse, of course.

5. On-the-job extras : PERKS. A short form of the word perquisite.

10. Cave feedback : ECHO

14. Snow remover : PLOW

15. Ice show site : ARENA. C'mon, snow and ice! Pushing the season a little.

16. D'back or Met : NLer

17. "East of Eden" director Kazan : ELIA. 1955 film with James Dean in his first major screen role.

18. Popular half of a 45, usually : SIDE A

19. Time division on a map : ZONE

23. Do a librarian's chore : SHELVE. (the books)

24. Last Greek letter : OMEGA

27. Pipeline product : OIL

31. Tweezer targets : BROWS

34. Club for the supersmart : MENSA. I hope Dennis survived yesterday. 60A. 34-Across member : BRAIN

35. Soccer goal : NET

36. Weight training units : REPS

38. Stand up : RISE

39. Make the most of : USE

40. Obama daughter whose Secret Service code name is "Rosebud" : SASHA. and 48D. Obama daughter whose Secret Service code name is "Radiance" : MALIA. Grew up in front of our eyes.

41. Parcels (out) : METES

44. Droop in the middle : SAG

45. Ford flop : EDSEL

46. Insurance filings : CLAIMS

55. Thug's knife : SHIV

57. Snow-block home : IGLOO

58. Prefix with cast : TELE

59. Not contaminated : PURE

61. Soprano's solo : ARIA

62. Shoe inserts : FEET

63. Road curves : BENDS

Down:

1. Opinion pieces : OP-EDs

2. God of Islam : ALLAH

3. Fabric often decorated with pastoral scenes : TOILE

4. Gulps down : SWALLOWS

5. Whole bunch : PASSEL

6. Guitarist Clapton : ERIC

7. Start all over : REDO

8. Felt in one's bones : KNEW

9. Swedish automaker : SAAB. Not exactly Swedish anymore. National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB, abbreviated as NEVS, purchased Saab Automobile's bankruptcy estate. By early 2014, NEVS plans to introduce its first electric vehicle based on the Saab 9-3.

10. Digestive protein : ENZYME

11. Tight, as families : CLOSE-KNIT

12. Lady lobster : HEN. Male lobster is a cock.

13. Find at the mine : ORE

21. "We Try Harder" car rental chain : AVIS

22. Chaplin granddaughter named for her grandmother : OONA

25. V-formation birds : GEESE

26. Gets in the poker game : ANTES

28. Anne of "Donnie Brasco" : HECHE

29. One-named "Orinoco Flow" singer : ENYA. LINK

30. Mag. edition : ISS. (issue)

31. Groundbreaking comic Lenny : BRUCE

32. Put down new grass sections : RESOD

33. Starts to shoot : OPENS FIRE

34. The "m" in E = mc² : MASS. Energy is equal to Mass times the speed of light((c) squared.

37. Make a dent in, say : MAR

38. Rowing races : REGATTAs. Word Origin & History: 1652, name of a boat race among gondoliers held on the Grand Canal in Venice, from It. (Venetian dialect) regatta, lit. "contention for mastery," from regattare "to compete, haggle, sell at retail," possibly from recatare. The general meaning of "boat race, yacht race" is usually considered to have begun with a race on the Thames by that name June 23, 1775 (cf. OED), but there is evidence that it was used as early as 1768.  Per Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

40. Actress Ward : SELA. She has become a crossword staple.

41. Gander or gobbler : MALE. Goose or turkey.

43. Soft-pile fabric : VELVET. Used to paint Elvis on.

44. Offshoots : SCIONS

47. Like neon and xenon : INERT

49. Mascara mishap : SMEAR

51. The Bee Gees' "Gee" : GIBB. Brothers Gibb.

52. Beast of fables : OGRE

53. Spanish dessert : FLAN. But the word isn't derived from Spanish.

54. Partner of null : VOID

55. Coppertone letters : SPF. (sun protection factor)

56. Shade of color : HUE

Argyle

Monday, November 4, 2013 Marti DuGuay-Carpenter

Theme: Don't Lose It - People giving work-related advice to stressed-out individuals.

17A. Mathematician's "Stay cool!"? : "COUNT TO TEN!"

29A. Golfer's "Stay cool!"? : "GET A GRIP!"

36A. Diver's "Stay cool!"? : "TAKE A DEEP BREATH!"

43A. Refrigeration mechanic's "Stay cool!"? : "CHILL OUT!"

58A. Realtor's "Stay cool!"? : "SETTLE DOWN!"

Argyle here. I've had my chill pill and things are firing on all cylinders. Marti has given us a sweet start to the week.

Across:

1. Credit card choice : VISA

5. Woman's address : MADAM

10. Nosegay : POSY. A small bunch of flowers.

14. Blogger's "That's what I think" : IMHO. (in my humble opinion)

15. Like beer in a cooler : ON ICE. A suitable use for ice.

16. Vogue rival : ELLE. Wikipedia has a long list of fashion magazines.

19. Radiant look : GLOW

20. Signed up for, as a contest : ENTERED

21. Bacon hunks : SLABS

22. Corrida cry : ¡OLE!

23. Hors d'oeuvres liver spread : PÂTÉ

25. Waist-tied kitchen protectors : APRONS

33. Pinot __: red wine : NOIR. No surprise to see this here.

34. Remove wool from : SHEAR

35. Half of the word "inning" : ENs. The letter N.

40. "Ewww!" : "ICK!"

41. Whistlestop places : TOWNS. Best I can find is that if you wanted to get off the train at a small town without scheduled stop, the conductor would signal the engineer who would proceed to blow the whistle twice as acknowledgement and to alert the station. It became political. LINK

42. Former Sony brand : AIWA. Aiwa began in the 50's as its own company. It was a Sony company only from 2002 to 2006 then kaput.

45. Take out a loan : BORROW

47. Senior advocacy gp. : AARP

48. Help out : AID

49. Roller coaster segments : LOOPS. Learn more HERE if you've the stomach for it.

52. Bedroom shoe : SLIPPER

57. "If __ a Hammer" : I HAD. The song was written by Pete Seeger and Lee Hays in 1949 and first recorded by The Weavers and then by Peter, Paul and Mary.

                                LINK

61. Arty NYC section : SOHO

62. Last new Olds : ALERO

63. Vicinity : AREA

64. Ruffian : THUG

65. Black __ spider : WIDOW

66. Legis. meeting : SESSion

Down:

1. '80s TV's "Miami __" : VICE

2. "That's my cue!" : "I'M ON!"

3. Closed : SHUT

4. Top-shelf : A-ONE

5. Refuges for overnighters : MOTELS

6. Battery terminal : ANODE

7. Morse code character : [DIT]

8. Stretchy bandage brand : ACE

9. "All the President's __" : MEN

10. Limb for Ahab : PEGLEG. Arrgh, the white whale got the real one.

11. Spanish stewpot : OLLA

12. Dinner's often on him : SLOB

13. Conifers with pliable wood : YEWS. Hence, their use for bows.

18. 1982 Disney sci-fi flick : TRON

21. Drummer Ringo : STARR

23. Chirps from chicks : PEEPS

24. Run __: get credit at the pub : A TAB

25. Bit of foolishness : ANTIC

26. Cook by simmering : POACH

27. Kipling's "__-Tikki-Tavi" : RIKKI. A short story in The Jungle Book about the adventures of a valiant young mongoose.

28. Mined find : ORE

29. Treaty of __: War of 1812 ender : GHENT. A Flemish city now part of Belgium.

30. Show again : RE-AIR

31. Halved : IN TWO

32. "Horsefeathers!" : "PSHAW!"

34. Clinch, as a deal : SEW UP

37. Sky holder of myth : ATLAS

38. "Let's Make a Deal" choice : DOOR. one, two, or three?

 

39. Listening organ : EAR

 

44. What 46-Down totally isn't : LAP DOG. 46D. "Garfield" pooch : ODIE

45. Puff up in the wind, as a sail : BILLOW

48. Houston baseballer : ASTRO

49. Shopper's aid : LIST

50. "This can't be good" : "OH-OH!"

51. Waikiki's island : OAHU

53. High-tech hand-held gadgets, briefly : PDAs. (personal digital assistant)

54. Go (over) in detail : PORE

55. Baaing mas : EWEs

56. Genetic messengers : RNAs

58. Espied : SAW

59. Yalie : ELI

60. Turner of broadcasting : TED

Argyle