06.26 Sun

S U N D A Y

June 26, 2011 (syndicated)
Mike Torch

[Note: This is the syndicated L.A. Times puzzle. It does not appear in the actual newspaper, but is available for free at cruciverb.com.]

Theme: "Hi Comedy" - Seven phrases change meaning when GH is removed - just like "High Comedy" becomes "Hi Comedy."

Theme answers:

• 23A: Unforgettable louse? (A NIT TO REMEMBER).
• 33A: Waterway for sinners? (STRAIT TO HELL).
• 44A: Uncovers a serious flaw in municipal building plans? (CAN'T FIT CITY HALL).
• 62A: Barely visible English pubs? (BRIT SPOTS ON THE HORIZON).
• 74A: Ohio sweaters? (KNITS OF COLUMBUS).
• 92A: Low cost pay-per-view match? (BOUT FOR A SONG).
• 103A: Where to get a copy of "The Communist Manifesto"? (RED LIT DISTRICT).

Hi, everybody! Neville here, sitting in for Doug, who's in Las Vegas! I don't think we'll hear about his exploits there - you know what they say about what happens in Vegas. Be sure to read to the bottom of today's post for a bonus puzzle!

Some of these I thought were kind of cute - especially that last theme entry. Kind of evokes a "Back in the USSR/Roxanne" mash-up feel. I think STRAIT TO HELL could've been clued nicely as [Styx?], but maybe that've been to tricky and would've confused some looking for an explicit Greek reference. I'll buy it. I did get confused at first - part of me thought it was homophones (like in the latter) and part thought it was long I to short I. Hope things make sense now for you too.

Bullets:

• 5A: Stuff in a box on the street (SNAIL MAIL). Makes it sound like it's just a bunch of junk.
• 22A: ___ Island, N.Y. (STATEN). I took the Staten Island Ferry for the first time yesterday. I had asked my friends what the best thing to do on SI was - the unanimous response was "leave."
• 2D. Immortal wife of Francesco del Giocondo (MONA LISA). I feel like the word here should be "immortalized" - I mean she's dead.
• 11D. 2010 Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton's alma mater (AUBURN). War Eagle? No - ROLL TIDE!

• 54D. Chest (BUREAU). I may have had the wrong sort of chest on my mind - the AU on the end was quite confusing for me!
• 93D. Cry of exasperation (AARGH). Charlie Brown requests a note that this is a variant spelling:

• 98D. Regs. (STDS.). You're thinking it too, but I just have to point it out - this also stands for something that doesn't pass the so-called breakfast test. I won't post a picture of this one.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 26A: Indian lentil stew (DAL). I know this spelled DHAL, so it messed with me, the way Indian food usually does.
• 109A: Sommer of cinema (ELKE)
• 48D: "Mrs. ___ Goes to Paris": 1992 TV film (ARRIS). This is the game where you have to listen for the rhyme without being told to. I was not amused. And I believe that if it debuts on TV, it's a movie and not a film.

Crossword Extra!

So you're holding me to that promise of a bonus crossword? Well, here it is - specially constructed for today! Click here to download this bonus Sunday-sized puzzle. Update: this link has both the pdf and a puz file!

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Everything Else — 1A: Bit of schoolyard disagreement (AM SO); 14A: States as fact (SAYS SO); 20A: 1978 medical thriller (COMA); 21A: Like some items in downloads (NONSECURE); 25A: "Broadway Joe" (NAMATH); 27A: Loses everything (BUSTS); 28A: Juan's ones (UNOS); 30A: Milk: Pref. (LACTO-); 31A: Promote at work (ELEVATE); 36A: Tightwads (MISERS); 37A: Turn down in an ugly way (SPURN); 39A: Tested (ASSAYED); 40A: Has the stage (IS ON); 41A: Expensive outing, probably (SPREE); 42A: Goes on strike, in slang (WALKS); 48A: Seemingly forever (AGES); 52A: Top of the morning? (ONE A.M.); 53A: Clerical vestments (ALBS); 54A: Rodeo ride (BRONC); 55A: Like the larger-eared elephant (AFRICAN); 59A: Sham (FALSE); 61A: Look for help from (TURN TO); 66A: Volcanic rock (BASALT); 67A: Incursions (RAIDS); 68A: "Rad!" (AWESOME); 69A: Talus joint (ANKLE); 70A: Brew (SUDS); 71A: Words with bike or wave (RIDE A); 73A: Grey Goose competitor (SKYY); 81A: Volleyball coup (SPIKE); 83A: Tennyson's Enoch (ARDEN); 84A: Westchester, N.Y., college (IONA); 85A: "Most likely ..." ("ODDS ARE …"); 89A: Reuben essential (SWISS); 90A: Aviation force (THRUST); 95A: Ristorante red (CHIANTI); 96A: Befuddled (AT SEA); 97A: Comic who wrote jokes for JFK (SAHL); 98A: Shoe parts (SOLES); 100A: Covert fed. group (CIA); 101A: Maid concerns (METERS); 107A: Antarctic penguin (ADELIE); 108A: Pennsylvania's state dog (GREAT DANE); 110A: Most convinced (SUREST); 111A: Controls (HARNESSES); 112A: "The Swiss Family Robinson" writer (WYSS); 1D: Hypothetical (ACADEMIC); 3D: Is favorable to (SMILES ON); 4D: Muffin choice (OAT); 5D: Tapir features (SNOUTS); 6D: Longship crewmen (NORSE); 7D: Works without __ (A NET); 8D: Philosophies (ISM'S); 9D: Poe's "Annabel __" (LEE); 10D: Turn-of-the-century year (MCM); 12D: "The Faerie Queene" woman (IRENA); 13D: "Vive __!" (LE ROI); 14D: IRS info (SSN); 15D: Baffled (AT A LOSS); 16D: Steinway competitor (YAMAHA); 17D: Actress Dash of "Clueless" (STACEY); 18D: Come to terms (SETTLE); 19D: Waiting for tech support, often (ON HOLD); 24D: Way to the top (T-BAR); 29D: Delays (STALLS); 32D: Let off steam (VENT); 33D: Mutton fat (SUET); 34D: Small spade (TREY); 35D: "For shame!" ("TSK!"); 37D: Humane Soc. ally (SPCA); 38D: Victorian (PRIM); 41D: Worker with a pad (STENO); 42D: Former 49ers coach Bill (WALSH); 43D: "Seascape" Pulitzer-winning playwright (ALBEE); 45D: Bo's'n's quarters (FO'C'SLE); 46D: Unfitting (INAPT); 47D: Desists (HALTS); 49D: Bananas (GONZO); 50D: Branch of zool. (ENTOM.); 51D: Tea biscuit (SCONE); 55D: Arafat's successor (ABBAS); 56D: Direct (FRANK); 57D: Full of pitfalls (RISKY); 58D: 2006 World Cup winner (ITALY); 59D: Pass off (on) (FOIST); 60D: Plus (AND); 61D: Item on a rack (TOWEL); 63D: Place for a donut (TRUNK); 64D: "Sexy" Beatles woman (SADIE); 65D: Sported (HAD ON); 70D: Sun Valley visitors (SKIERS); 71D: Country mail rtes. (RFD'S); 72D: Summer coolers (ICES); 75D: Cut (SAWN); 76D: Not a dup. (ORIG.); 77D: Oscar winner Sorvino (MIRA); 78D: In an animated way (BOUNCILY); 79D: Opens with effort, as a window (UNSTICKS); 80D: Stuffs (SATIATES); 81D: Wild vacations? (SAFARIS); 82D: For (PRO); 85D: "Dreams From My Father" family (OBAMAS); 86D: College address ending (DOT-EDU); 87D: Long riding coat (DUSTER); 88D: Addison's publishing partner (STEELE); 89D: Plumber's alloy (SOLDER); 90D: Doctors' works (THESES); 91D: H.S. subject (HIST.); 94D: He-Man's twin sister (SHE-RA); 95D: "Crazy" singer (CLINE); 99D: Harem rooms (ODAS); 102D: It precedes 81-Across (SET); 104D: PC linkup (LAN); 105D: Mineral suffix (-ITE); 106D: Remote button (REW).