M O N D A Y September 27, 2010 Betty Keller

Theme: The Three Little Pigs — Theme answers evoke the "Big Bad Wolf."


Theme answers:

• 17A: High rollers (BIG SPENDERS).
• 29A: "Do as I say, not as I do" speakers (BAD EXAMPLES).
• 45A: Shrill "compliment" to a pretty woman (WOLF WHISTLE).
• 61A: Catch your breath, or what the subject of this puzzle (found at the start of 17-, 29- and 45-Across) does (HUFF AND PUFF).
• 39A: Like the house this puzzle's subject couldn't destroy (BRICK).
• 26D: Like a house destroyed by this puzzle's subject (STRAW).

Really nice theme today. Awesome that Betty could work the "extra" theme answers into the puzzle. Nothing particularly flashy about the grid — except maybe TERRARIA (56A: Pet lizards' homes) — but we're not looking for flash on Mondays, so that's perfectly okay. I was only tripped up by LAP ROBE (5D: Carriage passenger's warmer) — that's a thing? — and LORN (48D: Forsaken) — that's a word? Other than that, smooth sailing.

Bullets:

• 1A: Sign up (ENROL). I really don't care for the one-L ENROL, but I've resigned myself to it. You probably should too.
• 50A: One, to Beethoven (EINS). I did notice a little German mini-theme going here. See also 60A: German conjunction (UND) and 39D: German road (BAHN).
• 66A: Nightmare loc. of film (ELM ST.). I like the way this looks in the grid. I was filling it in through crosses and it looked totally wrong until I read the clue.
• 2D: File target (NAIL). When I'm done here I think I'm going to go pay someone to target my NAILs.
• 8D: Boater's pronoun (SHE). I've never understood this.
• 30D: Idle and Clapton (ERICS). Put my iPod on shuffle yesterday and the first song that came up was this:



• 31D: Actress Palmer (LILLI). I feel like I should know who this is.

Crosswordese 101: ELHI, a short form of "ELementary-HIgh school" is used primarily in the publishing business to describe books and software published for that age range. The majority of clues for ELHI will include "K-12" (like today's 41A: K-12 sch. years). Other words to look for in ELHI clues are "education" and "pre-college." If K-12 doesn't appear in the clue, there will be some other indication that the answer is an abbreviation/short form.

Other crosswordese in the puzzle that we've already covered:

• 24A: Morales of "Jericho" (ESAI).
• 36A: Stimpy's partner (REN).

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Everything Else — 6A: "My Cousin Vinny" star Joe (PESCI); 11A: Cooperstown shrine: Abbr. (HOF); 14A: First lady before Michelle (LAURA); 15A: Revolutionary Allen (ETHAN); 16A: Tic-tac-toe loser (OXO); 19A: Pin for hanging (PEG); 20A: Election losers (ALSO-RANS); 21A: Observing (EYING); 23A: Musical scale unit (NOTE); 26A: Duped person (SAP); 34A: Deal in stocks (TRADE); 37A: Actor Brad (PITT); 38A: Thinker Descartes (RENÉ); 42A: On a cruise (ASEA); 43A: "The View" network (ABC); 44A: Dig discovery (RELIC); 49A: "How revolting!" ("ICK!"); 51A: Den or parlor (ROOM); 53A: One in a multiple birth (QUINT); 64A: Swearing-in words (I DO); 65A: Motionless (INERT); 67A: D.C. deal-maker (POL); 68A: Like a catching-up letter (NEWSY); 69A: Some towed vehicles, briefly (REPOS); 1D: Napoleon's exile isle (ELBA); 3D: Carpets (RUGS); 4D: Director Welles (ORSON); 6D: Confined, as pigs (PENNED); 7D: Approx. takeoff hrs. (ETD'S); 9D: Automobile (CAR); 10D: Crotch-to-ankle pants measure (INSEAM); 11D: Native Arizonans (HOPI); 12D: Plow pullers (OXEN); 13D: Verne's circumnavigator Phineas (FOGG); 18D: "I could __ horse!" (EAT A); 22D: "Yahoo!" ("YIPPEE!"); 24D: Biz VIP (EXEC); 25D: Went down like a stone (SANK); 27D: "Am not!" retort ("ARE SO!"); 28D: Group of judges (PANEL); 32D: Code of conduct (ETHIC); 33D: See 26-Down clue (STICK); 35D: Overwhelm with noise (DEAFEN); 40D: MLB scoring stats (RBI'S); 44D: Stock up again (REORDER); 46D: Live __ one's means (WITHIN); 47D: The "T" in NATO (TREATY); 52D: Source of Canada's symbolic leaf (MAPLE); 53D: Comical comment (QUIP); 54D: Cancel (UNDO); 55D: Fan club favorite (IDOL); 56D: Swaps between accts. (TFRS.); 57D: Type of roast (RUMP); 58D: In that event (IF SO); 59D: P.M. periods (AFTS.); 62D: A, to Berlioz (UNE); 63D: Not many (FEW).