Theme: Play Ball! - Choose your team.
69A. Sports org. for the players that begin the answers to starred clues: MLB. Major League Baseball
17A. *Found middle ground: MET HALFWAY. New York Mets.
39A. *Hockey rink divider: RED LINE. Cincinnati Reds.
58A. *Shaft from the sun: RAY OF LIGHT. Tampa Bay Rays.
10D. *"Unforgettable" crooner: NAT KING COLE. Washington Nationals.
25D. *Jimmy Olsen, notably: CUB REPORTER. Chicago Cubs.
26D. *"The Tonight Show" host after Johnny Carson: JAY LENO. Toronto Blue Jays.
Argyle here. Symmetry! Pin wheel with a bullseye. Consistency! All three letter teams. A reveal tucked in the SE corner. Quantity with quality and a couple of learning moments. Yes, I liked this puzzle(Can you tell?).
Across:
1. Task: JOB
4. Suddenly paid attention: SAT UP
9. Take __: snooze: A NAP
13. Wows: AWEs
15. One may drift in from the kitchen: AROMA
16. Scarlett's plantation: TARA
19. Caesar's stunned words: "ET TU!?"
20. Dirt road depressions: RUTS
21. Tots' three-wheelers: TRIKEs
23. __ Wall Street: 2011 protest: OCCUPY
26. Kind of delinquent: JUVENILE
28. Resort island near Venezuela: ARUBA
29. Chart with roads: MAP
30. Rainier or Rushmore: Abbr.: MTN. (mount)
31. Sad sound: SOB
32. "It's my call": "I SAY SO"
35. Eye provocatively: OGLE
38. Corn serving: EAR
41. 102, to Caesar: CII
42. 69-Across list of games, briefly: SKED. MLB
44. Garden-tidying gadget: WEEDER
45. Texter's "Holy cow!": "OMG!". (Oh my God)
46. In favor of: PRO
48. Suffix with chlor-: INE
49. __ Waldo Emerson: RALPH
51. Reach a total of: AMOUNT TO
54. Self-effacing: MODEST
55. Friendliness: WARMTH
56. Temporary calm: LULL
57. FBI employees: AGTs.
64. Fictional pirate often addressed as "Mr.": SMEE. Capt. Hook's bo's'n.
65. Like basic wall switches: ON/OFF
66. Boyfriend: BEAU
67. "B.C." cartoonist Johnny: HART
68. Would like: WANTs
Down:
1. Rush hour tie-up: JAM
2. Have to pay: OWE
3. Racetrack risk: BET
4. Like many pretzels: SALTY
5. Cousins of woofs: ARFs
6. Stranded motorist's need: TOW
7. Actress Thurman: UMA
8. Fee-based home entertainment: PAY TV
9. Eroded, as savings: ATE INTO
11. Soviet cooperative: ARTEL. One of the learning expo's. "The Artel (association) is another term for the collective ownership and operation of industry. It is one of the oldest and most widespread institutions in Russia." ~ Manya Gordon. Even the Wiki page is short.
12. Temporary stop: PAUSE
14. Foundation plant: SHRUB
18. Live-in household helper: AU PAIR
22. Sleep stage: REM. (rapid eye movement)
23. Desert respites: OASES
24. Sound from a lily pad: CROAK
27. Opportunity for growth: UPSIDE
29. Finally arrived: MADE IT
33. Stitch: SEW
34. Winner's number: ONE
36. Uneven gaits: LIMPS
37. Quarterfinal contestants count: EIGHT
40. Jazzman Garner: ERROLL
43. Percussionist's kit: DRUM SET
47. Toronto's prov.: ONT. (Ontario)
50. Actor's unwritten line: AD LIB
51. Flooded: AWASH
52. Igneous rock, once: MAGMA
53. Fielder's assist, e.g.: THROW
54. Bobbles: MUFFs
56. Hit high into the air: LOFT
59. Santa __ winds: ANA
60. Partner of hither: YON
61. Precious stone: GEM
62. Uncooperative "2001" computer: HAL
63. Spot for a bath: TUB
Please excuse my abbreviated version today. I lost my Google Chrome bowser somehow.
Please excuse my abbreviated version today. I lost my Google Chrome bowser somehow.
Argyle
