05.23 Mon

M O N D A Y

May 23, 2011
Victor Barocas

Theme: Colorful Crime Scene - Colored phrases have been smushed with evidence that might point to a murderer.

Theme answers:

• 20A: Evidence against an aristocrat? (BLUE BLOOD STAIN).
• 40A: Evidence against a gardener? (GREEN THUMB PRINT).
• 56A: Evidence against an Oscar attendee? (RED CARPET FIBER).

PuzzleGirl's not feeling well today, so you're dealing with Neville this morning. I find it crazy that this puzzle ran just two days after the DVD of Clue, one of my favorite films, I ordered arrived in mail - many more colors and crime scenes! The best moment of that film, courtesy of Madeline Kahn - spoiler alert!

And I love this puzzle as much as this movie. This is a great Monday puzzle! The theme is clever, yet easily accessible. It's got great fill (one exception - we'll hit that later) and it continues the grand tradition of early week puzzles with only three theme entries. I don't mean that sarcastically - I think there's a lot to be said for a well executed idea with just three entries. Can we please keep this up?

Bullets:

• 14A. Type of seedless orange (NAVEL). Number of times my name has been misspelled this way in the past month: Two. Once on a note to me at work and once yesterday at Starbucks. You know how they ask you your name to put on your drink? I spell my name afterwards so that they can put it on right. I started spelling, but the girl had already written NAVEL and started laughing and showed me. I also didn't get the whipped cream I wanted. Starbucks is always full of disappointments for me.
• 16A. Password enterer (USER).

• 25A. "Private Practice" network (ABC). With the cancellation of "No Ordinary Family," the number of primetime shows I watch on ABC is now reduced to one - and I usually catch "Shark Tank" on Hulu anyway.
• 44A. Singer Diamond (NEIL). There are two kinds of people in this world: Those that shout "So good! So good! So good!" when "Sweet Caroline" is played at a sporting event, and those who don't. Which category do you fall in?
• 64A. Seuss environmentalist (LORAX). The LORAX speaks for the trees, but have you heard what George Takei's been up to? Whether you agree with the politics behind this or not, I think you'll find the idea behind this pretty cute:

• 41D. Where Hercules slew a lion (NEMEA). The Nemean lion was the (nsfw) honey badger of Roman mythology.
• 47D. Q-Tip target (EARWAX). Ewwww! Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, anyone? No?

Crosswordese 101 Not a Real Word Round-up:

• 45A. Pout (MOUE). This isn't a word - Google agrees! This is the sole severe detractor from this puzzle for me. Sure, there are some other entries I don't like on a Monday, but this is utter nonsense. But what really gets me is when I, as an amateur constructor, can easily fix it: VENUS > VENTI (again with the Starbucks?) give us MOTE and MIS, which I find much preferable to MSS (ManuScriptS).
• 25D. Sponsorship (AEGIS). I don't mind this, but new solvers might not be familiar with it. An AEGIS "is a large collar or cape worn in ancient times to display the protection provided by a high religious authority or the holder of a protective shield signifying the same, such as a bag-like garment that contained a shield. Sometimes the garment and the shield are merged, with a small version of the shield appearing on the garment. It originally was derived from the protective shield associated with a religious figure when related in myths and images. The wearing of the aegis and its contents show sponsorship, protection, or authority derived from yet a higher source or deity. The name has been extended to many other entities, and the concept of a protective shield is found in other mythologies, while its form varies across sources." And if you think that I didn't just copy and paste that from Wikipedia, then...

[Why are you still here? Go follow PuzzleGirl on Twitter - then come back and leave a comment!]

Everything Else — 1A: In the heavens (ABOVE); 6A: McCartney's instrument (BASS); 10A: Predecessor of surrealism (DADA); 15A: "There oughta be ___!" (A LAW); 17A: Like the more serious larceny (GRAND); 18A: "All you need," in a Beatles song (LOVE); 19A: Farm structure (SILO); 23A: Immigrant's subj. (ESL); 24A: Guitar neck features (FRETS); 28A: Bluesman Mahal (TAJ); 30A: Resident since birth (NATIVE); 34A: Tombstone lawman (EARP); 36A: Common mixer (SODA); 39A: Styles (MODES); 43A: To whom "I'll see you in my dreams" is sung (IRENE); 45A: Pout (MOUE); 46A: Opening word for Ali Baba (SESAME); 48A: Long sandwich (SUB); 50A: Ed.'s workload items (MS'S); 51A: Smallest (LEAST); 54A: Enemy (FOE); 62A: Black-and-white treat (OREO); 63A: Suffix with soft or flat (-WARE); 66A: Matter topper? (MIND); 67A: Part of NRA: Abbr. (ASSN.); 68A: Hardly hoi polloi (ELITE); 69A: Seeger of the Weavers (PETE); 70A: Marvel Comics heroes (X-MEN); 71A: Hamlet's countrymen (DANES); 1D: Director Lee (ANG); 2D: Harpoon point (BARB); 3D: Racetrack shape (OVAL); 4D: Legal site (VENUE); 5D: Firstborn sibling (ELDEST); 6D: Fun time (BALL); 7D: Distant (ALOOF); 8D: Relish (SAVOR); 9D: "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" setting (SWEDEN); 10D: Wind-related desert event (DUST STORM); 11D: Where Siberia is (ASIA); 12D: Corned beef seller (DELI); 13D: Elvis's middle name (ARON); 21D: Fun time (BLAST); 22D: "Forever" post office product (STAMP); 26D: Ballet rail (BARRE); 27D: Some Saskatchewanians (CREES); 29D: Elton of England (JOHN); 31D: "Eat crow," e.g. (IDIOM); 32D: Evening star (VENUS); 33D: Politician Kefauver (ESTES); 35D: Crime laws, as a unit (PENAL CODE); 37D: Scheduled to arrive (DUE); 38D: French friends (AMIS); 42D: Poker ploy (BLUFF); 49D: Didn't just simmer (BOILED); 52D: Cramp or twitch (SPASM); 53D: Of few words (TERSE); 55D: Deadly virus (EBOLA); 56D: Play boisterously (ROMP); 57D: Toledo's lake (ERIE); 58D: Minor collision damage (DENT); 59D: Nashville's st. (TENN.); 60D: The Auld Sod (ERIN); 61D: Do a film critic's job (RATE); 65D: Crosses (out) (X'ES).