F R I D A Y September 24, 2010 Kelsey Blakley

Theme: Table Etiquette — Theme answers are two-word phrases, the second word of which can describe a type of knife. The phrase itself is a spoonerism.


Theme answers:

• 17A: Choose deli platter items? (PICK CHEESE). [chick peas]
• 25A: Beef marinated in Jim's bourbon? (BEAM STEAK). [steam bake]
• 34A: Rooster's spread? (COCK'S BUTTER). [box cutter]
• 49A: "Casablanca" nightclub income? (RICK BREAD). [brick red]
• 55A: Ironically, the 58-Acrosses in this puzzle end in types of them (KNIVES).
• 58A: What each of the other four longest answers in this puzzle is (SPOONERISM).

Before we get started, I just want to give a warm welcome to Stephen W. Keys, the blog's 200th follower! Yee-haw! Stephen, I wish I had some kind of prize to send you but … I don't. You'll have to settle for a public declaration of my gratitude. And hey, while I'm at it, thanks to all of you for sticking around and making this blog a fun place to talk about puzzles. I appreciate all of you! Speaking of puzzles ….

We've got ourselves a clever (and complicated!) theme today. Sometimes the theme can be a real help in solving a puzzle, but I didn't find that to be true today. Wait that's not completely true. I could decipher one of the words in the theme phrase based on the clue, so I guess that's something. Actually, more than something. I totally take back what I said about the theme not helping. My brain could probably have come up with the complete phrase but I was sailing through with the crosses so didn't really need to stop and think about it. I guess I just have one question though: Cheese knife? I'm sure it's a thing, but it's not something you'll find in my low-class kitchen. In fact, the cheese we use most often here at the PuzzleHouse already comes in slices.

Misc.:

• 1A: Elián Gonzalez's home (CUBA). I wonder how that kid's doing these days. I hope he's not scarred for life.
• 19A: Jabber? (TINE). Tricky clue. Not "jabber" as in Mr. T's "jibber-jabber" but literally the act of jabbing something.
• 30A: Shooting gadget (SYRINGE). I was trying to think of some sort of firearm attachment. And since I know absolutely nothing about firearms I wasn't having any luck.
• 31A: Oklahoma tribe (KIOWA). This tribe isn't nearly as popular in CrossWorld as the ERIE, CREE, OTO, OTOE, and UTE, but it is one you'll want to remember.
• 53A: Shih __ (TZU). My kids love saying this out loud. They really think they're getting away with something!

• 54A: Light-headed flier? (MOTH). I get it — a flier that's headed toward the light. Clever!
• 1D: "In Cold Blood" author (CAPOTE). I finallyread this book a couple years ago after having it on my list for a loooong time. It's terrifying.
• 6D: It may be blonde or brown (ALE). Yep, firearms and ale. Possibly the two things I know the least about.
• 7D: Volleyball star Gabrielle (REECE). She was in the puzzle not too long ago. Did you remember her?
• 37D: Albania's capital (TIRANE). This particular capital doesn't appear in the puzzle very often. In fact, it's only been in the LA Times puzzle once before and that was in 2003. So don't feel bad if you had to use crosses to get it (like I did).
• 39D: Home of Carefree Highway (ARIZONA). What an awesome name for a road! I know there's a town in Arizona called Carefree and, come to think of it, that's an awesome name for a town too! Do you think everybody who lives there is totally happy?
• 42D: Chip maker (IBM). Couldn't get Intel out of my brain long enough to come up with anything else. I hate it when a wrong answer is stuck there preventing me from coming up with the right one.

• 43D: Detroit suburb __ Pointe (GROSSE). Love the movie "Grosse Pointe Blank." Here's the thing about John Cusack. It's all about his delivery. He says things that really aren't all that funny on their face, but the way he says them makes them hilarious. Love that guy.

Crosswordese 101 Round-Up:

• 8D: Ottoman lords (PASHAS).
• 10D: Baseball's Master Melvin (OTT).
• 47D: Discharges (EGESTS).

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Everything Else — 5A: Legendary brothers in law (EARPS); 10A: Hogwarts messengers (OWLS); 14A: What the connected have (AN IN); 15A: Sole projection (CLEAT); 16A: Unconvincing (THIN); 20A: Opera set on Cyprus (OTELLO); 21A: Spiced 23-Across (CHAI); 23A: See 21-Across (TEA); 24A: Oater camp sight (TEPEE); 27A: Both Begleys (EDS); 28A: Chrysler division (RAM); 33A: Dutch physics Nobelist Simon van der __ (MEER); 38A: Shelled out (PAID); 40A: Rival of 2-Down (USAIR); 41A: Bring charges against (ARRAIGN); 45A: Stumble (ERR); 46A: Sagittarian's mo., probably (DEC.); 51A: Friend of Jesús (AMIGO); 56A: Pack member (WOLF); 60A: Subj. with skeletons in the closet?: Abbr. (ANAT.); 61A: Balm (SALVE); 62A: Within: Pref. (ENTO-); 63A: Place to keep stock? (YARD); 64A: Grammy winner Gormé (EYDIE); 65A: Mtg. (SESS.); 2D: Red Carpet Club flier (UNITED); 3D: Arm & Hammer logo feature (BICEPS); 4D: __ socks (ANKLE); 5D: Pilot's "E" (ECHO); 9D: Hot and heavy (STEAMY); 11D: Bleach (WHITENER); 12D: Roots (LINEAGE); 13D: British : trainer :: American : __ (SNEAKER); 18D: Ayatollah, e.g. (CLERIC); 22D: Camp David Accords signer: Abbr. (ISR.); 25D: Upscale imports (BMW'S); 26D: Source of ticking (TIMER); 29D: Verbal thumbs-up (A-OK); 31D: Maker of the FunSaver disposable camera (KODAK); 32D: __ Dhabi (ABU); 34D: Advertising notice (CIRCULAR); 35D: Recycled (USED); 36D: What many rural roads lack (TAR); 38D: Not completely (PARTWAY); 44D: Take-home (NET PAY); 46D: Like some wisdom (DIVINE); 48D: Carl Sagan PBS series (COSMOS); 50D: Get __ of: locate (A HOLD); 52D: Entangles (MIRES); 55D: Bouncing joint? (KNEE); 57D: Wire svc. involved in many arrangements (FTD); 59D: Egg opening (OVI-).