Wednesday, December 31 – 6:18

There are two things going on in this puzzle.  There are four 15-letter answers which contain some squares with circles in them, and then there is the theme, concealed in those answers plus one other.

17A, Feel like quarreling about something – (H)AVEABO(N)(E)(T)OPICK
23A, No halfway effort – (T)OTAL(C)(O)(M)MITMENT
49A, Basis of a false arrest, perhaps – (T)RUMP(E)(D)(U)PCHARGES
61A, Going past the fourth quarter, say – (P)LAYIN(G)(O)(V)ERTIME

Reading down the first letters of each answer, we get HTTP.  And further in on each answer, we get, in order, NET, COM, EDU, and GOV.  Finally, at 40A, “Letters after two slashes”, we have WWW.

Tuesday, December 30 – 4:56

20A, Incentive aimed at golden agers – SENIORDISCOUNT
31A, Chocolate-coated candy – JUNIORMINTS
40A, 1949 Orson Welles film – THETHIRDMAN
52A, Ivan Turgenev novel … and a hint to 20-, 31- and 40-Across – FATHERSANDSONS 

Monday, December 29 – 5:09

18A, It might include a 10, jack, queen and king of hearts – RUMMYHAND
26A, Yankees/Red Sox matchup, e.g. – BASEBALLGAME
42A, Candidate for a Tony – BROADWAYPLAY
51A, L’eggs product – PANTYHOSE
54D, Something 18-, 26-, 42- or 51-Across might have – RUN

Sunday, December 28 – 24:15

Today’s puzzle by Patrick Berry makes three days in a row with top-notch constructor.  My first thought on seeing the puzzle was “wow, that’s a _lot_ of circles!”.  The theme is “Going Round in Circles”, and the circled squares make four concentric rings, and the uncircled squares make four concentric rings, sandwiched, in which are hidden, counterclockwise, one planet in each ring.

7A, What this puzzle’s eight concentric rings (uncircled and circled) represent – ORBITS
70A, Appropriate center for this puzzle – SUN
124A, One of these can be found reading counterclockwise somewhere in each concentric ring – PLANET

In the rings, moving from the center outward, we have: MERCURY, VENUS, EARTH (and MOON), MARS, JUPITER, SATURN, URANUS, and NEPTUNE. 

And, with this post, I’m caught up for the first time in several weeks.

Edit: and now for some bonus answers:

65A: SELLECCA
61D: ELEVATORMUSIC
49D: SPYCATCHER
77D: ELENI
78D: DEMON

Saturday, December 27 – 30:51

Another tricky, enjoyable puzzle from Karen M. Tracy.  Like Quigley, she can be counted on for quality work.  

1A, Dweller in the Chinese highlands – PANDA
10A, Easy way to the top – TBAR
17A, “Seems likely” – ISUSPECTSO
22A, Pop that’s over 80 years old – NEHI
24A, Party leader – WHIP
28A, Inside shot – SONOGRAM
38A, They’re not enjoyed by everyone – PRIVILEGES
48A, Rudolph Valentino type – LATINLOVER
6D, “Good boy” – JACKHORNER
10D, It comes into play when there’s a deadline – TIMEFACTOR
18D, Piece of lobster or shrimp? – EYESTALK
27D, Track gold medalist in three 1920s Olympics – PAAVONURMI
39D, Deep-blue  alpine flower – GENTIAN

Friday, December 26 – 34:01

No surprise, a very enjoyable puzzle from Brendan Emmett Quigley, with a liberal application of X’s and Z’s, as well as a Q.  

1A, Where to get a good view of a hit and run – BOXSEAT
16A, Lightly and quickly, in music – VOLANTE
20A, Pop superstar’s informal name since 1997 – SIRPAUL
26A, Chapter 13? – XIII
37A, Song standard with the lyric “Can’t you see I’m no good without you?” – ALLOFME
51A, Reference book abbr. – ETSEQ
62A, Uranus’s largest moon – TITANIA
65A, Round parts, perhaps – STANZAS
3D, Love letters? – XOXOXOXO
8D, An anchor often faces it – TVCAMERA
28D, Wong of book and film – SUZIE
38D, Bop alternative – FREEJAZZ
45D, Title transport in a 1941 song – ATRAIN 

Thursday, December 25 – 14:13

Are you ready for some football?

20A, Chestnut-colored mustang offspring? – BROWNBRONCOCOLT
38A, Main dedicatee of an Austin cathedral? – CHIEFTEXANSAINT
55A, Hefty invoice for boots and spurs? – GIANTCOWBOYBILL 

Wednesday, December 24 – 9:23

This one is by Warren Brio – not a name I remember seeing before (not that that means a lot).  

17A, Show interrupter – TVADVERTISEMENT
22A, Copenhagen wad – TOBACCOCHEW
40A, Power connectors, or a way to describe 17-, 22-, 55-, and 61-Across – PLUGS
55A, Old-fashioned tub feature BATHSTOPPER
61A, Expensive alternative to a toupee – HAIRREPLACEMENT 

Tuesday, December 23 – 8:17

A themeless Tuesday, with no answer longer than six letters.  Pretty straightforward, nothing to really comment on.

Monday, December 22 – 5:41

The theme today is given by 38A, “Get going!” – HOPTOIT.

17A, First in a John Updike novel series – RABBITRUN
24A, Batsman at a wicket, say – CRICKETPLAYER
51A, Holder of an unfair trial – KANGAROOCOURT
62A, Umbrellalike fungus – TOADSTOOL