T H U R S D A Y November 4, 2010 Allan E. Parrish

Theme: It's a Lock — Theme answers are all definitions of the word "lock."


Theme answers:

• 20A: See 50-Down (CERTAIN WINNER).
• 32A: See 50-Down (HAIR CLUSTER).
• 39A: See 50-Down (CANAL DEVICE).
• 48A: See 50-Down (WRESTLING HOLD).
• 50D: Clue for 20-, 32-, 39- and 48-Across (LOCK).

I had a pretty hard time getting started on this puzzle. I started right out with NSEC and ROAM instead of PSEC and ROVE (1D: Minute segment of a min. / 2D: Wander), so you can see where I might have had some problems. Also botched the downs right underneath those two. Was pretty sure SHEBA was right (24D: Ancient queendom) but tried ABATE then EBBED before finally getting the correct EASED for (25D: Let up).

As for the theme, well, the first theme answer I got was WRESTLING HOLD which you probably know I liked a lot. I got the reveal before solving any other theme answers, so I knew what I was looking for. I thought, "Well, there's bound to be something about a canal in there somewhere," but I couldn't come up with any other definitions for "lock" off the top of my head. Sure enough CANAL DEVICE came in view shortly thereafter and then …. I'm sorry but HAIR CLUSTER?!? No. No no no. That is not a thing. And because that is not a thing, it does not work as a theme answer. Seriously. Time to go back to the list. (There had to be other possibilities, right?)

Bullets:

• 19A: Grain disease (ERGOT). This really, really feels like something I should know, but I didn't.

• 23A: Battery, bond or baseball club designation (AAA). Very nice clue for a relative ugly entry. (I know sometimes it can't be helped.)
• 37A: Prayer opener (O GOD). Tried LORD here first.
• 38A: Old-fashioned get-together (BEE). Got this one totally through crosses and then felt stupid. Great clue!
• 43A: "Beanz meanz Heinz," e.g. (AD SLOGAN). Again. AD SLOGAN is not a thing. And if you insist on including it, how about using a slogan that people have heard of. Sheesh.
• 56A: "The Dick Van Dyke Show" regular (ROSE MARIE). Dick Van Dyke was awesome on "Wait Wait … Don't Tell Me!" recently.
• 10D: Maker of EverPure shampoo (L'ORÉAL). I'm pretty hip to the various shampoo brands but don't recall ever hearing of this one.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 15A: Ambient music pioneer (ENO).
• 34A: Brit. record co. (EMI).
• 12D: __ dye: chemical coloring (AZO).

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Everything Else — 1A: Home of Brigham Young University (PROVO); 6A: __ Mahal (TAJ); 9A: Fat substitute brand in some potato chips (OLEAN); 14A: Not loaded (SOBER); 16A: Swindler with a scheme named for him (PONZI); 17A: Hemlock, for one (EVERGREEN); 22A: Covet (ENVY); 24A: Belgrade's land (SERBIA); 27A: Libel and slander disputes are part of it (CIVIL LAW); 35A: Spanish pronoun (ESTA); 36A: Restful resort (SPA); 45A: Truck capacity (ONE TON); 46A: AIDS-fighting drug (AZT); 47A: __ dire: juror examination (VOIR); 54A: Foreign (ALIEN); 57A: __ Nast (CONDE); 58A: Winter hazard (ICE); 59A: Family nickname (AUNTY); 60A: Tolerated (STOOD); 61A: Gives the go-ahead (OKS); 62A: Tart fruit (SLOES); 3D: Upper, in Ulm (OBER); 4D: Spinal column component (VERTEBRA); 5D: Like some farming (ORGANIC); 6D: Minute (TEENY); 7D: Fresh way to start (ANEW); 8D: "Help Me" vocalist Mitchell (JONI); 9D: Alfresco (OPEN AIR); 11D: Former Caltech sr., perhaps (ENGR.); 13D: Little thing to pick (NIT); 18D: Competitor (RIVAL); 21D: Basilica section (NAVE); 26D: Customary ceremonies (RITES); 27D: It covers the Hill (C-SPAN); 28D: Da Vinci's lang. (ITAL.); 29D: On the up and up (LEGIT); 30D: It started as Standard Oil of Indiana (AMOCO); 31D: Expand (WIDEN); 33D: John McCain's alma mater: Abbr. (USNA); 37D: Revamp (OVERHAUL); 39D: Hoodwinked (COZENED); 40D: "The X-Files" extras: Abbr. (AGTS.); 41D: Ridd's love, in a Blackmore romance (DOONE); 42D: They're hard to figure out (ENIGMAS); 44D: Rio Grande city (LAREDO); 47D: Workshop gadgets (VISES); 48D: Skid row figure (WINO); 49D: Charlie's Angels, e.g. (TRIO); 51D: "Deal __ Deal" (OR NO); 52D: Lo-cal (LITE); 53D: Bygone Tunisian rulers (DEYS); 54D: Summer coolers, briefly (ACS); 55D: Used car site (LOT).

MONDAY August 2, 2010 Allan E. Parrish

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Theme: Lazy River — Theme answers are familiar two-word phrases where the meaning of the last word can relate to a river.


Theme answers:

• 17A: Soft mattress topper (FEATHER BED).
• 26A: Edison's electrical preference (DIRECT CURRENT).
• 44A: Government-owned financial institutions (NATIONAL BANKS).
• 57A: "Show Boat" classic, and where to find the ends of 17-, 26- and 44-Across (OL' MAN RIVER).

Seems like there are a few entries in this puzzle that are a little surprising for a Monday. Not off-the-charts or anything, and crosses are all good, so I'm not saying their unfair. In fact, I think I'm saying it's nice to see a little something different on Monday. I'm talking, of course, about RADNOR, FABI and, to a certain extent, even SASHAYS (which I wanted to be "struts") (9D: Philadelphia suburb / 52D: Formula One racer Teo __ / 41D: Walks with attitude).

I'm not exactly sure what to make of the theme. I get it that the last words can relate to rivers, but why "Ol' Man River" specifically? I thought maybe BED, CURRENT, and BANKS were actually words in the song, but they're not. And, obviously, BED, CURRENT, and BANKS aren't exclusively to the Mississippi (which is what "Old Man River" generally refers to), so yeah. It's fine. But it's not awesome. We are, however, treated to a little Scrabbliness with NIKITA, CAPSIZE, SHAQ, and MR. X (21A: '50s-'60s USSR leader Khrushchev / 43D: Turn over at sea / 51D: NBAer O'Neal / 59D: Mysterious guy), so we've got that going for us.

Bullets:

• 23A: Grafton's "__ for Corpse" (C IS). Have we talked about these books before? Sue Grafton writes a series of mystery novels that starts with "A Is for Alibi," and goes through the alphabet from there. I don't know how far she's gotten. I listened to an audiobook of one of them several years ago and didn't love it, so I haven't really kept up.
• 31A: Bills with George on them (ONES). See also 8D: Prez on a penny (ABE).
• 33A: "No Strings Attached" pop group ('N SYNC). Justin Timberlake's old group. I just happened to be watching this clip yesterday:



• 48A: Big mouth, in slang (YAP). As in "Shut yer yap!"

• 60A: Scold severely (FLAY). I'm thinking that FLAY has a much more violent meaning than "scold." … Yep: "to strip off the skin or surface of." I'd prefer if "scold" was the first definition that came to my mind instead of the other.
• 45D: Customs levy (IMPOST). I'm pretty sure I've never heard this word before. Is that possible?
• 49D: Big Broadway hit, in slang (BOFF). We talked about BOFFO in CW101 not too long ago. I guess that extra syllable is just too much sometimes.
• 54D: __ Ration: pet food (KEN-L). Is it my imagination or have we been seeing this a lot lately?

Crosswordese 101: When I first started doing crossword puzzles seriously, I kept getting tripped up by UVEA. "Eye part," four letters? Gotta be "iris," right? Wrong. The iris is actually part of the UVEA, which is why UVEA is sometimes clued as "Iris site" or "Iris holder." Other clues you might see are "Eye layer," "Optic layer," or 2D: Eye layer containing the iris. You might also keep in mind that the word UVEA comes from the Latin word for "grape."

Other crosswordese in the puzzle that we've already covered:

• 56A: Workplace protection org. (OSHA).
• 63A: Online help pages, briefly (FAQ'S).
• 53D: Nike competitor (AVIA).

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Everything Else — 1A: Money in Mumbai (RUPEE); 6A: Lose effectiveness, as painkillers, with "off" (WEAR); 10A: Wild or Old region (WEST); 14A: Pole vault, e.g. (EVENT); 15A: Palindromic pop group (ABBA); 16A: Big fair (EXPO); 19A: Eagerly excited (AGOG); 20A: Monterey County seat that's the birthplace of John Steinbeck (SALINAS); 24A: Set aside for later (STORE); 32A: Roman moon goddess (LUNA); 36A: NBA position (CTR.); 37A: Grazing land (PASTURE); 39A: Small taste (SIP); 40A: Composer of marches (SOUSA); 42A: Like most pets (TAME); 43A: Fashion's Chanel (COCO); 47A: Super Bowl XXI MVP Phil (SIMMS); 49A: Diocese leader (BISHOP); 52A: Abandon (FORSAKE); 61A: Croat's neighbor (SERB); 62A: Online read (E-ZINE); 64A: City transport (TAXI); 65A: Real bargains (DEALS); 1D: NFL arbiters (REFS); 3D: Ring loudly (PEAL); 4D: Draws in (ENTICES); 5D: Cultural, as cuisine (ETHNIC); 6D: Major conflicts (WARS); 7D: Flow away, as a tide (EBB); 10D: Loses strength (WEAKENS); 11D: Former soldier (EX-GI); 12D: Dick and Jane's dog (SPOT); 13D: Forum garb (TOGA); 18D: "Born in __": Cheech Marin film (EAST L.A.); 22D: Good-night girl of song (IRENE); 24D: Beach bronzings (SUNTANS); 25D: Psychological shock (TRAUMA); 26D: Medicos (DOCS); 27D: Division word (INTO); 28D: Show over (RERUN); 29D: Standard practice (CUSTOM); 30D: Boxing's "Iron Mike" (TYSON); 34D: Shaver's mishap (NICK); 35D: USN noncoms (CPO'S); 37D: Barbecue site (PATIO); 38D: Trust, as a friend (RELY ON); 46D: Kept out (BARRED); 50D: Land in el mar (ISLA); 55D: "__ Tu": 1974 hit (ERES); 58D: Grazing land (LEA).