08.10 Wed

W E D N E S D A Y

August 10, 2011

Julian Lim

Theme: Raining Cats and Dogs — The words "cat" and "dog" are hidden in several of the grid's down answers.



Theme answers:

• 1D: Actress Blanchett (CATE).
• 3D: System for which Super Mario Land was developed (NINTENDO GAMEBOY).
• 9D: "Ego Trippin'" rapper (SNOOP DOGG).
• 11D: Gothic Spanish landmark (TOLEDO CATHEDRAL).
• 33D: Dispersed, as a crowd (SCATTERED).
• 57D: Old Venetian judge (DOGE).
• 7D: Really come down, as illustrated in this puzzle's circles (RAIN CATS AND DOGS).

So the words "cat" and "dog" are raining down from the top of the grid. Cute idea. Vertical themes always seem kind of … off to me. They make me feel kind of unsettled in a strange way. That's not a criticism of the puzzle, though — just an observation about one of my quirks. Today's long theme answers are pretty awesome. Besides NINTENDO GAMEBOY, my favorite entries include:

• 17A: In vain (TO NO AVAIL).
• 59A: 1947 Hope/Crosby film (ROAD TO RIO).
• 26D: Carols at the mall, usually (MUZAK).

Stuff that kinda threw me includes:

• 5A: Danish director von Trier (LARS).
• 25A: Every, in an Rx (OMN).
• 37A: Geologic age meaning "without life" (AZOIC).

When I read each one of those clues I thought "Seriously?" But then when the answers became clear through crosses, they all seemed kind of obvious.



Bullets:

• 20A: Tallinn native (ESTONIAN). Whenever I see any reference to ESTONIA — which isn't often, strangely enough — I think about this old Dilbert comic:



• 21A: 1974 Dolly Parton chart-topper (JOLENE).





• 27A: Pushed to the limit (TAXED). I tried MAXED here at first, which made TOUPEE (27D: Rug with nothing swept under it?) awfully hard to see.

• 31A: Actor Paul and journalist Hughes (RUDDS). I have a vague notion that Paul Rudd is someone I've heard of. Hughes RUDD? Not so much.
• 35A: Frère de la mère (ONCLE). French!
• 52A: Enjoyed Wrigley, e.g. (CHEWED). The gum, not the baseball stadium.
• 25D: Store display suffix (-ORAMA). Try to see if you can add this suffix to any words today just for fun.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 22A: George Orwell's alma mater (ETON).
• 49A: Beekeeper played by Fonda (ULEE).
• 65A: On the safer side (ALEE).
• 18D: Enero to enero, e.g. (AÑO).
• 45D: SFO info (ETD).

Everything — 1A: Six-pack units (CANS); 5A: Danish director von Trier (LARS); 9A: Select the temperature on, as a thermostat (SET AT); 14A: Dictator Idi (AMIN); 15A: Parent company of half.com (EBAY); 16A: Mother Judd (NAOMI); 17A: In vain (TO NO AVAIL); 19A: Had an eye for figures? (OGLED); 20A: Tallinn native (ESTONIAN); 21A: 1974 Dolly Parton chart-topper (JOLENE); 22A: George Orwell's alma mater (ETON); 23A: Penned (up) (COOPED); 25A: Every, in an Rx (OMN); 27A: Pushed to the limit (TAXED); 28A: Text-scanning technology, briefly (OCR); 31A: Actor Paul and journalist Hughes (RUDDS); 34A: Place to play faves (OTB); 35A: Frère de la mère (ONCLE); 37A: Geologic age meaning "without life" (AZOIC); 38A: Club for GIs (USO); 39A: AOL alternative (GMAIL); 40A: Molten rock (MAGMA); 41A: Offer in response to "Shake!" (PAW); 42A: U.S. base in Cuba, in headlines (GITMO); 43A: Rap sheet initials (AKA); 44A: Many 3-Down users (TEENS); 46A: Fathers and sons (HES); 47A: Hard to comb (MATTED); 49A: Beekeeper played by Fonda (ULEE); 52A: Enjoyed Wrigley, e.g. (CHEWED); 54A: Counted (on) (DEPENDED); 58A: Picture book elephant (BABAR); 59A: 1947 Hope/Crosby film (ROAD TO RIO); 60A: Bring to mind (EVOKE); 61A: Farming prefix (AGRO-); 62A: Singer k.d. (LANG); 63A: Like asters (RAYED); 64A: Qtys. of sugar (TSPS.); 65A: On the safer side (ALEE); 1D: Actress Blanchett (CATE); 2D: Hebrew prophet (AMOS); 3D: System for which Super Mario Land was developed (NINTENDO GAMEBOY); 4D: High-and-mighty type (SNOOT); 5D: "Rosemary's Baby" author (LEVIN); 6D: Simple rhyme scheme (ABAA); 7D: Really come down, as illustrated in this puzzle's circles (RAIN CATS AND DOGS); 8D: Word part: Abbr. (SYL.); 9D: "Ego Trippin'" rapper (SNOOP DOGG); 10D: Postal service symbol (EAGLE); 11D: Gothic Spanish landmark (TOLEDO CATHEDRAL); 12D: "I totally agree!" ("AMEN!"); 13D: Oceanic routine (TIDE); 18D: Enero to enero, e.g. (AÑO); 21D: Average guy? (JOE); 24D: U-shaped river bends (OXBOWS); 25D: Store display suffix (-ORAMA); 26D: Carols at the mall, usually (MUZAK); 27D: Rug with nothing swept under it? (TOUPEE); 29D: Weather, in verse (CLIME); 30D: Moves, to a Realtor (RELOS); 32D: Hard to read by, as light (DIM); 33D: Dispersed, as a crowd (SCATTERED); 36D: Abbr. for John Doe, perhaps (NMI); 45D: SFO info (ETD); 48D: Up and about (AWAKE); 49D: French twists, e.g. (UPDOS); 50D: Gave permission (LET); 51D: Name on a celebrated B-29 (ENOLA); 52D: Radio-active one? (CB'ER); 53D: "__ Nagila" (HAVA); 55D: O.K. Corral lawman (EARP); 56D: A, to Albrecht (EINE); 57D: Old Venetian judge (DOGE); 59D: Dock rodent (RAT).