M O N D A Y August 23, 2010 David W. Cromer

Theme: Seeing Eye to Eye — Theme answers are familiar phrases that follow the pattern "[body part] to [same body part]."

[Note: If you're curious about the purple entry, check the FAQ!]

Theme answers:

• 18A: How rivals compete (HEAD TO HEAD).
• 28A: How lovers dance (CHEEK TO CHEEK).
• 49A: How close friends talk (HEART TO HEART).
• 64A: How pistol duelers stand (BACK TO BACK)

Wow. Awesome Monday puzzle today. I'm talking smoooooooth.

The only thing that slowed me down at all was the clue for SOX (48A: White or Red team). PuzzleHusband works for a government contractor and when they're working on a proposal they do several reviews throughout the process. Each one is a color and has a team associated with it. So he talks about "doing the red team" or "having the white team" and I couldn't get my brain to shift gears to anything else. Other than that, it was totally smooth sailing with a few delightful moments thrown in — for example, when I got to CHIRP (41A: Car alarm acknowledgment) and OODLES (60A: Lots and lots). Both of those words look awesome in the grid.

Bullets:

• 24A: Short race, for short (ONE K). I solved the puzzle on paper today and I got this answer right. Then when I was going through to fill out the grid to post here, I typed in "TEN K" and thought to myself "Some people probably don't think that's a terrible short race!"
• 46A: Año starter (ENERO). Spanish! ENERO = January. Año = YEAR. Año without the tilde means … something else.
• 52A: Arrive dressed up like (COME AS). With a different clue, this answer could have really sucked, but this one is perfect.
• 68A: Longtime Hydrox competitor (OREO). Hydrox does not sound like it should be the name of a cookie. It sounds more like it contains poison.
• 72A: "It's somebody __ problem" (ELSE'S). The only clunker in the grid, as far as I'm concerned.
• 5D: Good at sports (ATHLETIC). This is a great word to know, particularly when you're talking about girls. Several years ago I thought about having a t-shirt made that said "I'm not a TOMBOY, I'm an ATHLETE."
• 25D: Okay to consume, as for Passover (KOSHER). Isn't there more to it than that? Pretty sure Passover is the time of year observant Jews do major kitchen cleaning because there are some very specific foods that aren't allowed.
• 31D: Black of country music (CLINT).



• 52D: Explorer Sebastian (CABOT). I swear I didn't know there was another Sebastian CABOT besides the guy who played Mr. French on "Family Affair" until a couple years ago when I learned it in a crossword puzzle. That's pretty sad.
• 59D: Dallas NBA team (MAVS). Should there be a hint in the clue that the answer will be a short form? On a Monday, I would say yes.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 1A: Poet Khayyám (OMAR).
• 17A: Rara __ (AVIS).
• 70A: Actor Morales (ESAI).
• 21D: "Diana" singer Paul (ANKA).
• 30D: Islamic ruler (EMIR).

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Everything Else — 5A: Stroll (AMBLE); 10A: Retail mecca (MALL); 14A: Repetitious learning technique (ROTE); 15A: Eagle's weapon (TALON); 16A: Subject of a court bargain (PLEA); 20A: Deadly (LETHAL); 22A: Icy North Atlantic hazard (BERG); 23A: Exploit (USE); 26A: Upper crust groups (ELITES); 33A: Outer edge (RIM); 34A: Path between supermarket shelves (AISLE); 35A: Transportation station (DEPOT); 39A: "Carmen" highlight (ARIA); 43A: Assistant (AIDE); 44A: What a lenient judge may show (MERCY); 55A: Exiled Roman poet (OVID); 56A: "Eureka!" ("AHA!"); 57A: Fraud (SHAM); 67A: Kappa preceder, alphabetically (IOTA); 69A: Show with varied acts (REVUE); 71A: "Bill & __ Excellent Adventure" (TED'S); 73A: eBay command (SELL); 1D: Like some graduate tests (ORAL); 2D: Find new digs (MOVE); 3D: Working hard (AT IT); 4D: Do a blacksmith's job (RESHOE); 6D: West in old movies (MAE); 7D: Spill the beans (BLAB); 8D: Miner's bonanza (LODE); 9D: Course between salad and dessert (ENTRÉE); 10D: Dashboard abbr. (MPH); 11D: Indigenous Alaskan (ALEUT); 12D: Landlord's contract (LEASE); 13D: Packs in a hold (LADES); 19D: More than glanced at (OGLED); 27D: Swedish furniture retailer (IKEA); 28D: Study feverishly (CRAM); 29D: Add to the staff (HIRE); 32D: Annexed __: attached as part of this document (HERETO); 36D: Leaning tower city (PISA); 37D: Olfactory offense (ODOR); 38D: Manuscript passage (TEXT); 40D: Tylenol target (ACHE); 42D: Tries to get a rise out of (PROVOKES); 45D: Bakers get a rise out of it (YEAST); 47D: West Virginia neighbor (OHIO); 50D: "Michael, Row the Boat __" (ASHORE); 51D: Whirlpools (EDDIES); 53D: Chicago hub (O'HARE); 54D: Sprayed with tear gas (MACED); 58D: Cain's victim (ABEL); 61D: Be defeated (LOSE); 62D: Lat. list ender (ET AL.); 63D: Regatta flapper (SAIL); 65D: WBA stats (KO'S); 66D: Pool tool (CUE).