Selasa, 03 Mei 2011

05.03 Tue

T U E S D A Y
May 3, 2011
Jeff Chen


Theme: Hop On Over — The letter string ROO is circled in a hopping pattern (if that makes any sense) (which I'm sure it doesn't).

Theme answers:

  • 6D: In whatever way possible (BY HOOK OR BY CROOK).
  • 9D: Stereotypical deal-making site (SMOKE-FILLED ROOM).
  • 10D: Was angry to the max (HIT THE ROOF).
  • 30D: 2007 Iraq War strategy (TROOP SURGE).
  • 51D: Sing like Bing (CROON).
  • 60D: Cheer (ROOT).
  • 34D: Little one hopping across today's puzzle (ROO).
I thought this puzzle was pretty cute until I got to the end and the circles on the final ROO were in the wrong place. [Note: I'm hearing that the circles were in the right place in the print version of the puzzle and nonexistent in the applet version. So you may not know what I'm talking about.] (The grid I posted above is correct because over on the Fiend site, Neville took the time to fix his graphic allowing me to swoop right in and grab it from him so I wouldn't have to do the work myself. I'm lazy that way.) I spent a little time trying to figure out how ELO fit in with the theme but then realized it was a mistake. Kind of a bad way to end a puzzle but I'll try to get over it.

As for the sparkle, the long downs containing the ROOs are pretty nice, especially SMOKE-FILLED ROOM. Starting right off at 1A with HOBNOB (1A: Schmooze, as with the rich and famous) is also fun. Quite a bit of crosswordese in the grid, but it is only Tuesday so I can't complain about that too much. Other highlights for me include:
  • 25A: Donkey's bray (HEE-HAW).
  • 48D: Nighttime bash (SOIRÉE).
  • 50D: Acknowledgment of a witty rejoinder (TOUCHÉ).
You know why I like those last two. 'Cuz they're French!

Bullets:
  • 14A: Hooters' hangout (OWLERY). The concept of the Hooters restaurant makes me absolutely sick to my stomach, but this clue made me chuckle.
  • 27A: "Oopsy!" evoker (MISTAKE). "Oopsy" sounds so much more prissy than just a plain old "oops." Like it might be followed up by something like 31A: "How silly OF ME!" instead of "&*^$!"
  • 39A: __ Bell (TACO). Just the other day, PuzzleHusband and I were talking about how fast food restaurants are supposed to be exactly the same everywhere but we always noticed that the TACO Bell in New Mexico was better than the TACO Bells we had been to anywhere else.
  • 40A: Phantom's rival, in "The Phantom of the Opera" (RAOUL). Pieced this one together with the crosses.
  • 47A: Settles the bill (PAYS) and 2D: Hasn't settled yet (OWES). Another nice pair of clues.
  • 54A: Pakistani language (URDU). Pakistan. Hmmm. I have this vague feeling that something is going on over there ….
  • 63A: Cat also known as the dwarf leopard (OCELOT). I didn't know about the "dwarf leopard" thing but I've always thought OCELOTs were pretty awesome.
  • 65A: Crossword constructor/blogger Peterson (DOUG).
  • 8D: "__ and a bottle of rum!" (YO HO HO). Reminds me of the "Sports Night" episode where Dan sings "Happy Birthday" to Casey on the air and the network is fined for violating the song's copyright. Dan spends the rest of the episode coming up with songs in the public domain for everyone else's birthday. He picks some nice ones, but when Isaac gives him a hard time about something his response is: "You know what? 'Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Rum' for you."


  • 36D: Ginger and Mary Ann's home away from home (ISLE). A good "Gilligan's Island" reference always make me happy.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:
  • 18A: Pi follower (RHO).
  • 22A: Feds concerned with counterfeits (T-MEN).
  • 33A: Legendary Bruin (ORR).
  • 42A: Nobel Institute city (OSLO).
  • 46A: Actress Lena (OLIN).
  • 37D: Nobelist Wiesel (ELIE).
  • 59D: North Carolina university (ELON).
  • 64D: WBA decision (TKO).
[Follow PuzzleGirl on Twitter.]

Everything Else 7A: Baseball's Cobb et al. (TYS); 10A: Fabled loser (HARE); 15A: __ Kippur (YOM); 16A: Quite angry (IRED); 17A: Money to burn (WEALTH); 19A: Musical quality (TONE); 20A: Canonized pope known as "The Great" (ST. LEO); 21A: Spoken thumbs-up (AOK); 23A: Top-level URL ender (GOV); 32A: State emphatically (AVER); 35A: Words with a sigh (I TRIED); 43A: Lay to rest (ENTOMB); 45A: NBA's Magic, on scoreboards (ORL); 49A: Fixed charges (SET FEES); 51A: Washington-based warehouse club (COSTCO); 53A: Hubbub (ADO); 55A: Barbecue morsel (RIB); 57A: Less polite (RUDER); 61A: Dark film genre (NOIR); 62A: Nickel source (ORE); 65A: Quarterback Flutie (DOUG); 66A: "__ the land of the free ..." (O'ER); 67A: "Check that out!" ("OH LOOK!"); 68A: Bar buyer's words (ON ME); 69A: Bar barrel (KEG); 70A: Treating maliciously (MEAN TO); 1D: In what way (HOW); 3D: Beginning trumpeter's sound (BLAT); 4D: "Gimme a Break!" star Carter (NELL); 5D: Sandinista Daniel (ORTEGA); 7D: Banks with an Emmy (TYRA); 11D: Odor (AROMA); 12D: Buy more Time, say (RENEW); 13D: Site of a 55-Across removal (EDEN); 24D: Aloe __ (VERA); 26D: 911 respondent (EMT); 27D: Play or room follower (-MATE); 28D: Nobelist Pavlov (IVAN); 29D: Breakaway group (SECT); 38D: Crime bosses (DONS); 41D: Major in astronomy? (URSA); 44D: Yoga student's roll (MAT); 52D: Hatred (ODIUM); 54D: Annul (UNDO); 56D: North Atlantic hazard (BERG); 58D: Oscar __ Renta (DE LA).

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