Game Out of Gas

No, no, I'm game, not out of gas! Har! The reference, clued in today's Times puzzle, refers to the card game Mille Bornes ... remember that? I certainly do: it was one of the family games I played as a kid, back in the late '50's - early '60's. Another flashback for me in this puzzle is a reference to tab sets, although I remember setting tab stops not tab sets. I learned to type on a Royal manual typewriter -- had to bottom those keys! -- in that same 50's-60's era. (And, speaking of tabs, who could forget Tab Hunter? But I digress ...) 

After seeing the Y's and the Z's crop up in today's puzzle, I was thinking we had a pangram here, possibly one with 2 of each letter of the alphabet. But, no, there's no X in the puzzle so there went that theory right away. Just as well -- I'm all about lively wordplay over letterscores any day.

I'm still plugging away (ever game!) at the Harper's puzzle, and have a couple more entries to report. Still have no idea what the upgrades might be, although Ellen's comment here lets me know I'm at least on the right track. I'll no doubt still be working on this when the next issue comes out ... and I'm betting I'll be thwacking myself on the forehead when I see the solution next month!