Monday, January 1, 2018 ~ Ross Trudeau

Theme: Party! - That is if you aren't partied out from last night.

17A. 2006 best-selling Elizabeth Gilbert spiritual memoir: "EAT, PRAY, LOVE"

24A. Place to go blond: BEAUTY PARLOR

39A. Breakfast-in-bed surface: LAP TRAY

51A. Carnivorous plant: VENUS FLYTRAP

61A. Political organization founded in 1995 by 35-Down ... and a literal hint to each set of circled letters: REFORM PARTY

And 35D. '90s presidential candidate: ROSS PEROT

Argyle here and RABBIT, RABBIT for a new year. Ross Trudeau makes his debut with us but he has been published in NYT. Okay, I'll be quiet now.

Across:

1. Edible epitomes of redness: BEETS

6. Insurance giant with a spokesduck: AFLAC

11. "No chance!": HAH!

14. Heap praise upon: EXTOL

15. Fortune-telling prefix with "sayer": SOOTH

16. "Dude!": BRO!

19. Texter's "Egads!": OMG!

20. Self-satisfied: SMUG

21. Salon goop: GEL

22. Frozen waffles: EGGOs

28. Capital of Zimbabwe: HARARE

30. Celestial bear: URSA

31. Honda luxury brand: ACURA

32. iPhone assistant: SIRI

34. Dull-colored: DRAB

38. Teen blemish: ZIT

42. Lowest Scrabble tile value: ONE

43. Biblical garden: EDEN

45. One signing the checks: BOSS

46. Ejects: OUSTS

48. Western gas chain: ARCO

50. End-of-day photo op: SUNSET

55. Like environments where you can walk on air?: ZERO G. Cute.

56. Deserved: DUE

57. Unwanted lawn plant: WEED

60. Means justifier: END

65. Key & Peele, e.g.: DUO

66. Modify to fit: ADAPT

67. Remote-controlled flying camera, say: DRONE

68. "Gimme a __": SEC

69. Brass band heavyweights: TUBAs

70. Crumbly cheeses: FETAs

Down:

1. Hive denizens: BEES

2. Oral or final: EXAM

3. Caesar's last question: "ET TU, BRUTE?"

4. Fifth, often, for a manual transmission: TOP GEAR

5. Nikon product, briefly: SLR. (single-lens reflex camera)

6. To this point: AS YET

7. Seward's __: Alaska purchase: FOLLY

8. British john: LOO

9. Off-road transp.: ATV

10. Sitcom title bar: CHEERS

11. Streaming option for "Game of Thrones": HBO GO. Site. New to me.

12. Knight wear: ARMOR

13. Ones who don't share: HOGS

18. Fever and chills: AGUE. Best wishes, C.C.

23. Kitchen bag brand: GLAD

25. Decimated Asian sea: ARAL

26. Runs smoothly, as an engine: PURRS

27. Diva's highlight: ARIA

28. Visibility inhibitor: HAZE

29. Alkali neutralizer: ACID

32. "Spaceballs" or "Scary Movie": SPOOF

33. "__ your turn": IT'S. As in, "Throw in a chip; it's your turn to ante!"

36. First chip, maybe: ANTE

37. Oscar adjective: BEST

40. Kindergarten basics: ABC'S

41. Part of MYOB: YOUR. (Mind Your Own Business)

44. iPod model: NANO

47. In the dark: UNAWARE

49. Nickelodeon toon tot: RUGRAT

50. Champagne flute feature: STEM. Apt.

51. Trial locale: VENUE

52. Triage MD: ER DOC

53. Parkinson's drug: L-DOPA

54. Mongolian tents: YURTS

55. Pizza pieces in London?: ZEDS

58. Sicilian volcano: ETNA

59. Hair-coloring agents: DYES

62. Harvard URL ending: .EDU

63. Terrif: FAB. slang, terrific / fabulous. Have a great year!

64. Adobe file format: PDF. (Portable Document Format)

Argyle

Monday, December 25, 2017 ~ Peter Koetters

Theme: Just another Monday - A non-Christmas theme.

1. Babysitting nightmares ... or relatives of the ends of the four longest puzzle answers: BRATS. Yeah, don't have nightmares about sausages.

20. Piltdown Man, purportedly: THE MISSING LINK

26. Really skimpy, like the polka-dot bikini of song: TEENIE WEENIE

42. Hangover remedy, so they say: HAIR OF THE DOG

50. "Honestly speaking ... ": "TO BE QUITE FRANK ..."

Argyle here. I suppose a lot of people won't get a paper today so they wouldn't have a puzzle to do. Many others may skip today's puzzle so I understand giving us this rather generic piece. It's not a ruiner of your celebrations, I hope.  Ol' Man Keith gets a present today.

Across:

1. "See ya": "BYE"

4. Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey __: OSWALD

10. Mediterranean exile isle: ELBA. The houses look fake.

14. Managed: RAN

15. Rain, to a picnic: RUINER. A bit strong; it's more like: Barbarian. to Rome.

16. Stereotypical techie: NERD. Once uncool sort who's now sort of cool. (Sunday)

17. Play part: ACT

18. Innermost foot digit: BIG TOE

19. New Mexico art community: TAOS. Historic Ledoux Street.

23. Vain gaits: STRUTS

24. Less hospitable: ICIER

31. River rollicker: OTTER

34. Finance guru Suze: ORMAN

35. Bearded Serengeti critter: GNU

36. Word after milk or meter: MAID

37. Confederacy foe: UNION

38. Stock holders?: POTS

39. Biblical craft: ARK

40. Where the heart is: CHEST

41. Dugout craft: CANOE

45. Playwright Chekhov: ANTON. "... considered to be among the greatest writers of short fiction in history." Wiki. quote: "Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass."

46. What drinks like Jolt provide: ENERGY. "All the sugar, twice the caffeine!"

55. Birth announcement word: GIRL

56. Like the bed of someone rushing out: UNMADE. Were you made to make your bed before presents?

57. Cell occupant: CON

58. A single time: ONCE

59. Big app for Apple: iTUNES

60. Angsty rock genre: EMO

61. Amazed sounds: OOHs

62. Deputized bands: POSSEs. They went thataway!

63. Lawn coating: DEW

Down:

2. Luxury boat: YACHT

3. Go in: ENTER

4. Moon, e.g.: ORBITER

5. Credit __: Zurich bank: SUISSE. Yes, I tried a W before changing to a U.

6. Powdered headwear: WIGS

7. Naysayer: ANTI

8. Writer Uris: LEON. "Exodus"

9. Bit of wine sediment: DREG. Usually plural.

10. Lure: ENTICE

11. Using for support: LEANING ON

12. Forcefully entered: BROKE INTO. Santa never did!

13. Website pop-ups: ADs

21. Muffled, as a trumpet: MUTED

22. Bank's claim: LIEN

25. Employ again: REUSE

27. Nine-piece combo: NONET

28. "When __ Eyes Are Smiling": IRISH. CSO to Troy Miss.

29. Overact: EMOTE

30. Pale: WAN

31. Nebraska city: OMAHA

“The Beautiful Old Market Entry to V. Mertz (in back to the right)”

32. "Pulp Fiction" writer/director Quentin: TARANTINO

33. Luau lamp: TIKI TORCH

37. TV dial letters: UHF. (Ultra high frequency), back in the days of tubes.

38. "Your table's ready" signaler: PAGER

40. Ice cream holder: CONE

41. Come clean: CONFESS

43. Paso __: California wine city: ROBLES

44. Political pundit Myers: DEE DEE

47. Sped: RACED

48. Garden-guarding figurine: GNOME

49. Informal "Catch my drift?": Y'KNOW?"

51. Witticism: QUIP

52. Golden rule preposition: UNTO

53. Irreverent radio host Don: IMUS. Still around.

54. Sunbathers' goals: TANs

55. Sticky stuff: GOO

Since the lyricist has a local connection to my area, I'll leave you with this song.

Argyle

C.C.: Here is Argyle Our Dear Santa

Notes from C.C.:
  

Happy Birthday to our Yellowrocks (Kathy), who's celebrating today with her son David and their family in New York. I thought of her every time I see a picture of vichyssoise or sand tarts or hear Butterfly Lovers, the classic Chinese music inspired by a great love story. Sending our best wishes to David as well.

Yellowrocks and son David, Sept 2016

Happy Birthday also to Lorraine (Fermatprime), who's been with the blog since Nov 2009.  Lorraine is an accomplished math professor and does many puzzles every day.

Thanksgiving, 2015

Snipped this great picture from Chairman Moe's Facebook. The Chairman (Chris) is a wine connoisseur.

Monday, December 18, 2017 ~ Brock Wilson

Theme: This - What we have here is...what we have here.

17A. Shunning public utilities and such: GOING OFF THE GRID

22A. Even-steven: ALL SQUARE

39A. Respond to cries of "Encore!": DO ANOTHER NUMBER

51A. Is totally in the dark: HAS NO CLUE

60A. Where to find the last words of 17-, 22-, 39- and 51-Across: CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Argyle here. Three spanners and a pangram; what a way to start the week. Ya' can't say this isn't in your wheelhouse.

Across:

1. Trains with a view of the street below: ELs

4. Second-string squad: B TEAM

9. Cherokee and Wrangler: JEEPs

14. VCR go-back button: REW. (rewind)

15. 1945 "Big Three" conference city: YALTA. A resort city on the south coast of the Crimean Peninsula surrounded by the Black Sea.

16. "Snowy" bird: EGRET

20. "Blame It __": Caine film: ON RIO

21. Continental coin: EURO

26. Twelfths of yrs.: MOs. (months)

29. "Say what?" responses: "HUH?"s

30. Horror film reaction: SCREAM

33. __ fatso: bit of Archie Bunker language-mangling: IPSO. (ipso facto)

37. World games org.: IOC. (International Olympic Committee)

38. Oktoberfest dance: POLKA

43. Delivery doc: OBGYN. (Obstetrics and gynecology) Don't most people pronounce this by the letters, oh-be-gee-why-en?

44. Prefix with natal: NEO. Neonatal: Pertaining to the newborn.

45. Breathe like a hot dog: PANT

46. "You can't leave this way" sign: [NO EXIT]

48. Soprano superstar: DIVA

50. Notepad file extension: TXT. (text file)

56. Classic 900 automaker: SAAB

                            prototype Saab 92.001

58. No-brainer: CINCH

66. Cry of dismay from Charlie Brown: "AAUGH!"

67. Grape holders: VINES

68. McKellen of "X-Men": IAN

69. Minor, as a complaint: PETTY

70. Online social appointment: eDATE

71. Z's 10, in Scrabble: Abbr.: PTs. (points)

Down:

1. Therefore: ERGO

2. British pop singer Lewis: LEONA. I linked it but couldn't watch it.

3. Ice cream pattern: SWIRL

4. "Golly!": "BY GOSH!"

5. Lao Tzu principle: TAO

6. Helper in Santa's workshop: ELF. Couldn't do it without them (but don't say I said that).

7. Justice Dept. arm: ATF. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

8. Mom in Middlesex: MATER. Steve, help!

9. Sound of bleachers discontent: JEER

10. Toaster waffle choice: EGGO

11. Goof: ERR

12. Architect I.M. __: PEI

13. Par for the course: Abbr.: STD. (standard)

18. Zero, in soccer: NIL

19. Color variations: HUES

23. Storm out of work for good: QUIT

24. "Oops!": "UH-OH!"

25. Climbs: ASCENDS

26. Word before toast or after peach: MELBA

27. Like the old bucket of song: OAKEN. If you watch it on YouTube, the whole poem is listed below it.

28. Intelligent: SMART

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

32. Easy victory: ROMP

33. "__ get it": I DON'T

34. Mail dely. compartment: PO BOX

35. Bob of "Fuller House": SAGET

36. Black gem: ONYX

40. Covert maritime org.: ONI. (Office of Naval Intelligence)

41. Equestrian strap: REIN

42. De __: again: NOVO. “from the new.”

47. Melt: THAW

49. Point a finger at: ACCUSE

52. Below's opposite: ABOVE

53. Actress Taylor, familiarly: LIZ. Oh, those eyes!

54. Open, as a ski suit: UNZIP

55. Brilliant display: ECLAT

56. NCO rank: SSGT. (Staff Sergeant)

57. Like used fireplaces: ASHY

59. Coop layers: HENS

60. Baseball hat: CAP

61. Charlotte of "The Facts of Life": RAE. (Mrs Garrett)

62. On a date, say: OUT

63. Unburdened (of): RID

64. "CSI" evidence: DNA

65. Family dog, e.g.: PET

Argyle

Monday, December 11, 2017 ~ C.C. Burnikel

Theme: Cover Up - No conspiracy, just items you can wear over your regular clothes, even shorts.

16A. Gift-wrapping need: CLEAR TAPE. CAPE

37A. Hipster: COOL CAT. COAT

56A. Garment fittingly represented by this puzzle's circles: OUTERWEAR

10D. Outdoor lot for cars: PARKING AREA. PARKA

23D. "Blurred Lines" singer: ROBIN THICKE. ROBE (He is a son of actor Alan Thicke)

Argyle here, and C.C. doing back-to-back puzzles.

Across:

1. Cushions for gymnasts: MATS

5. Guard's shout: HALT

9. Rectangular Apple: iPAD

13. Tons: A LOT

14. Student's repetitive cry with a raised hand: "OH! OH!"

15. Sports page news: TRADE

18. Country singer Steve: EARLE

19. Rowdy crowds: MOBS

20. "Mr. November," for Derek Jeter, e.g.: MONIKER

22. Put pen to paper: WRITE

24. Rep.'s campaign rival: DEM.

25. Title for a knight: SIR

26. Home for a pride: LIONS' DEN

28. Genesis paradise: EDEN

30. Exile island for Napoleon: ELBA

31. Dance for which "it takes two": TANGO

33. JPEG relative: GIF. (Graphics Interchange Format)

36. Quotable boxer: ALI. Muhammad Ali

39. Duffer's dream: ACE. Hole-in-one in golf.

40. Air circulator: FAN

41. Capital of Yemen: SANA'A

42. Large First Nations tribe: CREE

43. "__ does it!": THAT

45. Meddling type of "driver" who's not actually driving: BACKSEAT

48. "Never heard of them": "WHO?"

49. Golf great Ernie: ELS

51. "Don't sweat it!": "RELAX!". "Chill!"

52. "Is that really your opinion?": "THINK SO?". Truncated "Ya think so?"

54. Not wavering in the least: SURE

55. TV host Lake: RICKI. I don't believe she has a show currently.

61. Signed in pen: INKED

62. Leisurely gait: TROT

63. Doing nothing: IDLE

64. Bird's snack: SEED

65. Drinks slowly: SIPS

66. Dragged to court: SUED

Down:

1. Apple computer: MAC

2. Every bit: ALL

3. Little piggy: TOE

4. Staying power: STAMINA

5. Place of rapid growth: HOTBED

6. Light-bulb moments: A-HA's

7. Prune, as a branch: LOP

8. Unifying idea: THEME

9. Aggressive poker table words: "I RAISE" but they could be bluffing.

11. "Inferiority complex" coiner Alfred: ADLER. (1870-1937) A bit tough for a Monday.

12. Doe or stag: DEER

15. Half a score: TEN. Didn't fool me; a score is twenty. (Counting on your fingers and toes then making a mark. My thoughts.)

17. Goes bad: ROTS

21. Last Greek letter: OMEGA

22. "O Pioneers!" author Cather: WILLA. Recent visitors here, both the book and the author.

24. Paternity test sites: DNA LABS

26. One of many that fall in the fall: LEAF

27. School near Windsor: ETON

29. Tiny speck: DOT

32. Final Four org.: NCAA. National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball play-offs.

34. Mountaineer's tool: ICE AX. Tinbeni axes the ice.

35. Thirds of a yard: FEET

37. Civil War side: Abbr.: CSA. (Confederate States of America)

38. Hall's pop music partner: OATES. We mentioned this "Sara" song recently.

42. Narnia creator: C.S. LEWIS. He is best known for the seven novels in The Chronicles of Narnia series.

44. Tooted one's horn: HONKED. Misdirected?

46. Salad oil bottles: CRUETS

47. Deborah of "The King and I": KERR. No tango here.

48. Complain with self-pity: WHINE

50. Ransacks: LOOTS

52. "Divergent" films heroine: TRIS. Tris Prior, Wiki "Divergent".

53. Baby goat: KID

54. "Enough!": "STOP!". Nope, four more.

57. School in the smallest U.S. state: URI. (University of Rhode Island)

58. End of a school address: .EDU

59. Malt beverage: ALE

60. Color of most pomegranate seeds: RED

Argyle

Monday, December 4, 2017 ~ Jeff Stillman

Theme: Seeing Double - Heteronyms, the last word and the last syllable of the preceding word are spelled the same but sound different.

17A. Devotee of singer Gloria: ESTEFAN FAN

24A. Precise price: ACCURATE RATE

39A. Mata Hari story, e.g.: FEMME FATALE TALE

51A. Garden purchase from a Lowe's rival: HOME DEPOT POT

63A. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, it's 63 for retirement: AVERAGE AGE

Argyle here. No reveal and five entries yet still an easy Monday.

Across:

1. Knight's "shining" protection: ARMOR

6. Elegant: POSH

10. WWII servicewomen: WACs. (Women's Army Corps)

14. Car body style: COUPE. 45D. Family car: SEDAN

15. Mennen shaving lotion: AFTA

16. Get one's ducks in __: A ROW

19. Heavy book: TOME

20. Buck or doe: DEER

21. Beluga yield: ROE. The Beluga sturgeon, not Beluga whale.

22. Viewed to be: DEEMED

27. Mineral springs: SPA

30. Believer's suffix: IST

31. Five-time Wimbledon champ Bjorn: BORG. "Resistance is futile."

32. Portion out: ALLOT

34. "Westworld" network: HBO. (Home Box Office)

35. Bon Ami alternative: AJAX

43. Simplicity: EASE

44. The "I" in TGIF: IT'S

46. Disney's "__ & Stitch": LILO. (2002)

48. Above-the-street trains: ELs

50. Chapter in history: ERA

56. Truck capacity: ONE TON

57. Coffee order: Abbr.: REG. (regular) Does that mean with cream and sugar to you?

58. Image to click on: ICON

62. Gadget's rank: Abbr.: INSP. (Inspector) Animated TV series.

66. Slugger Sammy: SOSA. Baseball.

67. Earth orbiter: MOON

68. Wafer brand: NILLA by Nabisco.

69. Jacob or Esau: TWIN

70. Choice word: ELSE

71. Not reached, as a goal: UNMET. Like most fund drives, right down to the wire.

Down:

1. Scored 100 on: ACED

2. Went up: ROSE

3. Sound-off button: MUTE

4. Wagner work: OPERA

5. Striped-shirt wearer: REF

6. Happen as expected: PAN OUT

7. Buyer's proposal: OFFER

8. BART stop: STA. (Bay Area Rapid Transit)

9. Hammer or screwdriver: HAND TOOL

10. Nixon Era scandal: WATERGATE

11. Pleasing smell: AROMA

12. Tailed celestial body: COMET

13. 31-Across, by birth: SWEDE. "Resistance is futile."

18. Rainbow shapes: ARCs

23. Poetic "always": E'ER

25. Credit in a footnote: CITE

26. "Dancing Queen" group: ABBA

27. Place for valuables: SAFE

28. Not guilty, for one: PLEA

29. Gift for the poor: ALMS

33. Skillet for folded egg dishes: OMELET PAN

34. Growth chart nos.: HTs. (height)

36. Green stone: JADE

37. Banned apple spray: ALAR

38. TV warrior princess: XENA

40. It's often followed by .pdf: FILE NAME

41. On the summit of: ATOP

42. Old U.S. gas brand: ESSO

47. Swearing-in words: I DO

48. Timeless, in verse: ETERNE

49. Women's links gp.: LPGA.(Ladies Professional Golf Association)

51. Lift up: HOIST

52. Televised as we speak: ON NOW

53. Soccer great Lionel: MESSI. I still haven't learned his name.

54. Black-and-white cookies: OREOs

55. Marketing gimmick: TIE-IN

59. Period "before the storm": CALM

60. Look at lasciviously: OGLE

61. Without ice, at the bar: NEAT

64. TV loud-soft control: Abbr.: VOL. (volume)

65. Bearded antelope: GNU. Available in the gift shop.

Argyle

Monday, November 27, 2017 ~ Mark McClain

Theme: The Three Amigos - synonyms.

20A. Seaside shade provider: BEACH UMBRELLA

37A. Philatelist's volumes: STAMP ALBUMS

44A. Practice that develops a variety of employee skills: JOB ROTATION

59A. Kid's imaginary companions, and what's literally found in this puzzle's circles: SECRET FRIENDS

Argyle here. Bit more secret with out the circles but you should know where to look for them, spanning the two words. Definitely a male slant to the entries but are there feminine equivalents?

Across:

1. The "m" in E = mc²: MASS. This formula states that the equivalent energy (E) can be calculated as the mass (m) multiplied by the speed of light (c) squared.

5. Put into force: ENACT

10. Wood-shaping tool: ADZE

14. Severely damaged sea: ARAL

15. Morning show featuring Al Roker: TODAY

16. Drubbed or whipped: BEAT

17. Calf-length skirt: MIDI

18. Lady's canine love: TRAMP. "Lady and the Tramp" Disney Movie (1955)

19. Omar of "The Mod Squad": EPPS. Popular guy in crossword land.

23. Bone: Pref.: OSTEO

24. Second person: YOU. I am first person.

25. Grammy category: RAP

28. "Don't play" music symbols: RESTS

32. "I'll do that!": "LET ME!"

34. Opposite of pos.: NEG.

40. Soothing succulent: ALOE

42. Inclined: ATILT. 'A' words. 53D. Come to light: ARISE

43. Sitter's nemesis: BRAT

47. Letters after ems: ENS. Alphabetically speaking.

48. "Not __!": "Quiet!": A PEEP

49. Macho guy: HEMAN

51. Not agin: FER

52. Musician's gift: EAR

55. Curriculum __: résumé: VITAE

64. Remove a rind from: PEEL

66. "Ask me if __": I CARE

67. Pigeon banter: COOS

68. Drops the ball: ERRs

69. Country south of Egypt: SUDAN

70. French I verb: ÊTRE. (to be)

71. Path behind a ship: WAKE

72. Poet's muse: ERATO

73. Taken in, as a movie: SEEN

Down:

1. Cuban dance: MAMBO

2. Spring zodiac sign: ARIES

3. '70s-'80s Egyptian president Anwar: SADAT. Ended in assassination.

4. Deli machine: SLICER

5. Caesar's ides-of-March words: "ET TU?"

6. Good name for an average guy: NORM

7. Not much (of): A DAB

8. Top-selling Toyota: CAMRY

9. Blood bank spec: TYPE 'O'

10. Second son: ABEL

11. Act of leaving: DEPARTURE

12. Microwave: ZAP

13. Sci-fi beings: ETs

21. Long-handled garden tools: HOEs

22. Break in the action: LULL

26. Capital of Jordan: AMMAN

27. Annoying types: PESTS

29. "Now!" in the OR: "STAT!"

30. Brit's sign-off: TA-TA

31. Northampton women's college: SMITH. Smith College is in Northampton,MA. Established 1871 (opened 1875).

33. Flow back: EBB

34. City south of Baghdad: NAJAF. Minneapolis and Najaf are Sister Cities since 2009.

35. Wed on the wing: ELOPE

36. Lose it big-time: GO BERSERK

38. Ballet dip: PLIÉ

39. Tiny physics bit: ATOM

41. Poetic palindrome: ERE

45. Oil gp. that includes Iraq: OPEC. (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries)

46. "Avatar" race: NA'VI. The movie.

50. Nephews' sisters: NIECEs

54. Happen multiple times: RECUR

56. Govt. security: T-NOTE

57. Love dearly: ADORE

58. German steel city: ESSEN. "European Green Capital 2017"

60. Beyond that: ELSE

61. "Look what I did!": "TA-DA!"

62. Group with pledges: FRAT. (college fraternity)

63. Nevada gambling city: RENO

64. Church bench: PEW

65. Notable time: ERA

Argyle

Monday, November 20, 2017 ~ Kurt Mengel and Jan-Michele Gianette

Theme: "The wheels on the bus ..." - go like today's theme; round and round.

17A. Hand from the audience: ROUND OF APPLAUSE

27A. Group one likes to hang with: CIRCLE OF FRIENDS

48A. Area in which one has power: SPHERE OF CONTROL

63A . 1970 Temptations hit with the subtitle "That's What the World Is Today": BALL OF CONFUSION

Argyle here. Four grid spanners, impressed?. Consistent middle word; either be all the same or all be different, so long as it's consistent. A couple of old pro constructors, always a duo. Plethora of proper names.

Across:

1. Gospel truth: FACT

5. Previous time of life: PAST

9. Broadway bombs: FLOPS

14. Southwestern stewpot: OLLA

15. Texter's modest "I think ... ": IMHO. (in my humble opinion)

16. Choosing rhyme starter: EENIE

20. Actor __ Ivory Wayans: KEENEN

21. Castle barrier: MOAT

22. Con man's sucker: SAP

23. Robert of "The Sopranos": ILER

25. Is the right size: FITS

34. Prefix with logical: ECO

35. Shrunken Asian sea: ARAL

36. Braid: PLAIT

37. Jump: LEAP

39. Blue cartoon papa: SMURF

42. "Zip-__-Doo-Dah": A-DEE

43. Clear, as an argument: LUCID

45. Holiday trees: FIRS

47. "Hometown Proud" supermarket chain: IGA

"Hometown Sad"

52. Royal sari wearer: RANI

Rani Mukherjee Looks

53. Indian nurse: AMAH

54. Plugs for products: ADS

57. Swallow hard: GULP

59. Frightened, in dialect: AFEARD. "I don't believe in ghosts but I've been AFEARD of them all my life."

66. Sing like Bing: CROON. Bing Crosby.

67. Actress Jessica: ALBA

68. Creative spark: IDEA

69. Frets: STEWS

70. Close at hand: NEAR

71. Droops like an old sofa: SAGs. A more user friendly clue.

Down:

1. Road split: FORK

2. Skin soother: ALOE

3. Game with suspects: CLUE

4. Kind of acid in red wine: TANNIC

5. First settlers: PIONEERS

6. Big initials in bowling: AMF. CSO to Boomer.

7. Bedding accessory: SHAM

8. Fill to the brim: TOP OFF

9. Soft penpoint: FELT TIP

10. Pasture: LEA

11. Responsibility: ONUS

12. Italian tower town: PISA

13. Ooze: SEEP

18. Singer Reese: DELLA. Early Della.

19. Two of a kind: PAIR

24. Wander: ROAM

26. Actress Ward: SELA

27. Basic anatomy units: CELLS

28. Freeze over: ICE-UP

29. Insect trapped in a "motel": ROACH

30. Pillow down, say: FLUFF

31. Low point: NADIR

32. San __ Padres: DIEGO

33. Take illegally: STEAL

38. Jetty: PIER

40. Costa __: RICA

41. How the wise men came: FROM AFAR. Too soon for the song.

44. Fire-breathing beasts: DRAGONS

46. Major mix-up: SNAFU

49. Sufficient, in texts: ENUF. (enough)

50. Tin Man's need: OIL CAN

51. Grad student's paper: THESIS

54. Grade school basics: ABC's

55. Pointed pub flier: DART

56. __ gin fizz: SLOE

58. Flag holder: POLE

60. Verdi title princess: AIDA

61. "Walkabout" director Nicolas: ROEG

62. Genetic carriers: DNAs

64. Weather map "L": LOW

65. Org. with Lakers and Clippers: NBA. (National Basketball Association)

Argyle