Selasa, 07 Desember 2010

T U E S D A Y   December, 7, 2010 Mark Bickham

Theme: Hop to it! — The last word of each theme answer can precede the word "bunny" in a familiar phrase.

Theme answers:
  • 18A: Procter & Gamble laundry product (IVORY SNOW).
  • 27A: Keep America Beautiful concerns (LITTER BUGS).
  • 35A: New England storm (NOR'EASTER).
  • 49A: Space particles (COSMIC DUST).
  • 59A: Beach Boys album with bees and flowers on the cover (WILD HONEY).
  • 68A: Critter that can follow the ends of this puzzle's five longest answers (BUNNY).
Here is a verbatim note I received from Doug Peterson last night: "Is HONEY BUNNY a thing?" Just thought you'd appreciate that glimpse into the glamorous world of crossword blogging. Another smooth puzzle — looks like we're on a roll this week. Theme answers are lively, fill is solid … okay, nobody's ever happy to see SSS (66A: Snake sound) but come on, OOMPH? That's awesome (15A: Get-up-and-go).

Bullets:
  • 11A: 1,150, to Brutus (MCL). I know everybody here loves Random Roman Numerals™, right? I wonder if anybody has any sort of problem, possibly bordering on obsession, with them? Hmmm….
  • 17A: What cats and bats do (RHYME). Very cute and brings to mind the famous 1996 Election Day Puzzle.
  • 42A: Rank below marquis (EARL). There are a lot of videos of doo-wop groups singing "Duke of Earl," but this is one of my faves.
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  • 56A: Kentucky county named for a trailblazer (BOONE). I love it when you read a clue and don't have any idea what the answer could possibly be because it's a fact and you just don't know it. But then you think about it for a second and come up with something that, well, it seems likely, right? Yep, it sure does.
  • 1D: NPR auto show (CAR TALK). I love how these guys crack each other up. I was listening to the show recently and a woman called in whose boyfriend thought she was a bad driver so she basically wanted them to tell her that she wasn't. At one point they put her on hold and called the boyfriend. In the end, everybody agreed that her driving sucked.
  • 2D: Hamlet's love (OPHELIA). Nice to have a different Hamlet character in the grid. I'm more accustomed to seeing IAGO and OSRIC.
  • 6D: Destination in a two-part route (POINT B). Love this answer. How many times have you heard the phrase "go from Point A to Point B" without actually thinking about breaking it up into two parts.
  • 13D: Like anarchy (LAWLESS).
  • 48D: Melon exterior (RIND). I was just listening to a story yesterday about how bees in a certain area of New York turned fluorescent pink because they had been feeding on the runoff from nearby Dell's Maraschino Cherries Company and had taken in a little bit too much Red Dye No. 40. Yikes.
  • 51D: Promise to pay (IOU). Tricky clue. You have to read it as a noun and not a verb.
Crosswordese 101: EROS, the Greek god of love. He has wings and carries a bow and arrows. He is Aphrodite's son and Psyche's lover. In clues, he is sometimes referred to as Cupid's Greek counterpart or as the symbol of love, romance, fertility, desire, or libido.

Other crosswordese in the puzzle that we've already covered:
  • 39A: Bruin legend Bobby (ORR).
  • 8D: Comic Philips (EMO).
  • 29D: Eurasian range (URALS).
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Everything Else — 1A: Prepared for pie, as apples (CORED); 6A: Skirt fold (PLEAT); 14A: Speed skater __ Anton Ohno (APOLO); 16A: Author Levin (IRA); 20A: Earl Grey et al. (TEAS); 21A: "The loneliest number," in a song (ONE); 22A: Nickel or cadmium (METAL); 23A: The works (ALL); 24A: Favorite (PET); 25A: Simian (APE-LIKE); 30A: Lawyers' charges (FEES); 31A: Craft that can be rolled (KAYAK); 32A: "As ye sow, so shall ye __" (REAP); 34A: Country rtes. (RDS.); 43A: Nutritious beans (SOYAS); 47A: Razz (JEER); 52A: Asks to the party (INVITES); 54A: King of France (ROI); 55A: 9-Down adviser (CPA); 57A: It follows Wed. (THU.); 58A: Stride (GAIT); 62A: Beyond the fringe (OUTRE); 63A: Columnist Buchwald (ART); 64A: Alleviated (EASED); 65A: __ mix: hiker's fare (TRAIL); 67A: Wipe out (ERASE); 3D: Writer's payment (ROYALTY); 4D: Shady bunch? (ELMS); 5D: Anonymous John (DOE); 7D: "Many-splendored thing" of song (LOVE); 9D: 30-day mo. (APR.); 10D: Mint family herb (THYME); 11D: Toothpaste comparison word (MINTIER); 12D: Cried like a raven (CROAKED); 19D: Note to __ (SELF); 21D: Across, in verse (O'ER); 24D: "Orange" tea grade (PEKOE); 25D: A long time (AGES); 26D: 130-minute H.S. exam (PSAT); 28D: Beach lover's goal (TAN); 29D: Eurasian range (URALS); 33D: Joe of "GoodFellas" (PESCI); 36D: Senate contest (RACE); 38D: Staff associate? (ROD); 39D: Lake Superior natives (OJIBWAS); 40D: Some Impressionist paintings (RENOIRS); 41D: Sickens (REVOLTS); 44D: Mexican peninsula (YUCATAN); 45D: Bayer product (ASPIRIN); 46D: Majestic (STATELY); 50D: Villainous literary alter ego (MR. HYDE); 53D: Little laugh (TEHEE); 57D: Golfer's pocketful (TEES); 58D: Spiritual guide (GURU); 60D: Stick in the lake? (OAR); 61D: Govt. hush-hush org. (NSA); 62D: Bettor's hangout, briefly (OTB).

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