08.25 Thu

T H U R S D A Y

August 25, 2011

David Poole

Theme: Wall Street Puns — Familiar finance-industry phrases are clued as if they're not related to the finance industry.



Theme answers:

• 20A: Chicken, beef, or fish? (STOCK OPTION).
• 58A: Expensive bottle of wine? (LIQUID ASSET).
• 11D: Shop specializing in Winnie the Pooh merchandise? (BEAR MARKET).
• 29D: Money set aside for garden mazes? (HEDGE FUNDS).

Quick write-up today. I was up way too late last night (I was awake for the aftershocks! Crazy!) and have a lot to get to today. I guess I better batten down the hatches around here. I don't really know what that means, but it sounds like what you should do to prepare for a hurricane, right?



Another serviceable puzzle today. Nothing to write home about. I have to wonder if today's climate is a good one for being nonchalant about the stock market. I'm thinking not so much. Plus how fresh and colorful are these theme answers? Answer: Not fresh and/or colorful at all. The sparkle in this puzzle comes from a couple of the non-theme answers: SKELETON, VERONICA, and CORNROW (51A: Word with crew or key / 5D: Archie's heartthrob / 9D: Tight braid).



Bullets:

• 5A: Globetrotter's need (VISA). Me: "Basketball?"
• 48A: Gin maker Whitney (ELI). ELI Whitney. Not that kind of gin!
• 53A: Gridiron call (OFFSIDE). If I ever start feeling cocky, like I know what's going on in one of the PuzzleKids' soccer game, I just have to wait for the next OFFSIDE call because I don't understand that At All.
• 7D: Diamonds, but not emeralds (SUIT). Cute clue.
• 42D: "__ With Morrie": Albom best-seller (TUESDAYS). I read a Mitch Albom book once for a book club. The best thing I can say about it is that it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.
• 52D: German sub? (ERSATZ). It's a German word and it means "sub" (substitute).

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 16A: Curved moldings (OGEES).
• 48A: Gin maker Whitney (ELI).
• 13D: German steel town (ESSEN).
• 38D: Joyce's homeland (ERIN).
• 47D: Hip bones (ILIA).

Everything — 1A: Beatles film (HELP); 5A: Globetrotter's need (VISA); 9A: TV choice (CABLE); 14A: x, y and z, in math (AXES); 15A: Israel's Barak (EHUD); 16A: Curved moldings (OGEES); 17A: Hard to spot (TINY); 18A: Muddy up (ROIL); 19A: Chestnut-hued horses (ROANS); 20A: Chicken, beef, or fish? (STOCK OPTION); 23A: Bar order (RYE); 24A: Sweetie (HON); 25A: Three-time Oscar winner for Best Foreign Language Film (BERGMAN); 27A: Saw (APHORISM); 32A: Membership list (ROTA); 33A: Slangy morning cup (JOE); 34A: Tabloid exclusive (SCOOP); 36A: Inferior (WORSE); 39A: Director of the last episode of "M*A*S*H" (ALDA); 41A: Concerning (ABOUT); 43A: Hershey's toffee bar (SKOR); 44A: First name in daytime TV (REGIS); 46A: World-weariness (ENNUI); 48A: Gin maker Whitney (ELI); 49A: Jazz and swing periods (ERAS); 51A: Word with crew or key (SKELETON); 53A: Gridiron call (OFFSIDE); 56A: Respectful title (SIR); 57A: French vineyard (CRU); 58A: Expensive bottle of wine? (LIQUID ASSET); 64A: River including Livingstone Falls (CONGO); 66A: Major in astronomy? (URSA); 67A: Balm ingredient (ALOE); 68A: Milk dispenser (UDDER); 69A: Hardly handsome (UGLY); 70A: Loads (TONS); 71A: Run for the __: Kentucky Derby (ROSES); 72A: Understands (SEES); 73A: Gusto (ZEST); 1D: Boaters and bowlers (HATS); 2D: Auditorium sign (EXIT); 3D: "Leading With My Chin" author (LENO); 4D: Film with a creepy motel owner (PSYCHO); 5D: Archie's heartthrob (VERONICA); 6D: Denny's competitor (IHOP); 7D: Diamonds, but not emeralds (SUIT); 8D: Robin Williams forte (AD LIB); 9D: Tight braid (CORNROW); 10D: Gone by (AGO); 11D: Shop specializing in Winnie the Pooh merchandise? (BEAR MARKET); 12D: Lotte who played Rosa Klebb in "From Russia With Love" (LENYA); 13D: German steel town (ESSEN); 21D: Fashion designer Michael (KORS); 22D: Anthem contraction (O'ER); 26D: Pontiac muscle cars (GTO'S); 27D: Slightly cracked (AJAR); 28D: Angler's need (POLE); 29D: Money set aside for garden mazes? (HEDGE FUNDS); 30D: Drink brand with a lizard logo (SOBE); 31D: Mars pair (MOONS); 35D: __ rock (PUNK); 37D: Alone (SOLO); 38D: Joyce's homeland (ERIN); 40D: Ostentatious behavior (AIRS); 42D: "__ With Morrie": Albom best-seller (TUESDAYS); 45D: Salts on the ocean (SAILORS); 47D: Hip bones (ILIA); 50D: Star Wars prog. (SDI); 52D: German sub? (ERSATZ); 53D: Present itself, as a thought (OCCUR); 54D: Tolkien ringbearer (FRODO); 55D: 1975 Tony-winning play about a stableboy (EQUUS); 59D: The munchies, e.g. (URGE); 60D: Cruise stop (ISLE); 61D: Dark purple fruit (SLOE); 62D: Eternities, seemingly (EONS); 63D: Midterm or final (TEST); 65D: "Golly!" ("GEE!").