09.12 Mon

M O N D A Y
September 12, 2011
James Sajdak

Theme: School Days — Each theme answer is a familiar phrase that starts with a word that can mean a specific year in high school or college.

Theme answers:

• 16A: Newcomer to Capitol Hill (FRESHMAN SENATOR).
• 25A: Promising rookies' doses of reality (SOPHOMORE SLUMPS).
• 41A: Young company supervisor (JUNIOR EXECUTIVE).
• 56A: Breaks for AARP members (SENIOR DISCOUNTS).

Cute, simple theme today. The only thing that's a little disappointing is that in the first two theme answers the school-based word in the resulting phrase means the same thing as it does in the school context. A FRESHMAN SENATOR is a first-year senator, just like a freshman student is a first-year student. And SOPHOMORE SLUMPS refer not necessarily to a second year, but to a second … something. On the other hand, JUNIOR EXECUTIVE doesn't necessarily have anything to do with a third year and SENIOR DISCOUNTS doesn't mean discounts you get on your fourth try (or whatever). Now that I've been doing puzzles for a while, I'm always looking for that alternative meaning in these kinds of themes. And today it just wasn't there. "AH ME" (35A: "Whatever shall I do?").

BIOG. is kind of an ugly abbreviation (15A: Bookstore sect.), but at least it gives me a chance to remind you that when you see an abbreviation in the clue, that means the answer will also be an abbreviation or a short form. Also not thrilled with the gratuitous plurals on ARKS and ALFS (20A: Vessels like Noah's / 1D: TV E.T. and namesakes), although at least they don't cross another plural at the S the way SSN'S and HALOS do (24D: Federal IDs / 34A: Heavenly head covers).

Nice colloquial phrases in today's grid incluce HAS A SHOT and "UP HERE!" (4D: Just might pull it off / 42D: "Psst!" from above). A shout-out to the late great Arthur ASHE is nice here on the last day of this year's U.S. Open. And ADD UP as clued (61A: Make sense, to a detective) made me picture Columbo, which always makes me chuckle. So that's good.

Other than that, I'd say OINK is a great entry (7D: Sound from a snout) and, with college wrestling season just around the corner, I loved seeing PIN in the grid (27D: Wrestler's objective). It also offers me the perfect opportunity to share this video with you. I'm pretty sure none of you will come away from it feeling like you could watch it All Day Long (which is what I did), but if you like country music and/or sports, I think you'll get a kick out of it.



Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 59A: Quod __ demonstrandum (ERAT).
• 63A: Arthur of tennis (ASHE).
• 2D: Former coin of Italy (LIRA).
• 5D: "Bah," in Bavaria ("ACH").
• 38D: Août's season (ÉTÉ).
• 57D: Stephen of "V for Vendetta" (REA).

Everything — 1A: Hawaiian greeting (ALOHA); 6A: Recital highlight (SOLO); 10A: Fr. religious figure (STE.); 13A: Fragrant purple flower (LILAC); 14A: Stadium level (TIER); 15A: Bookstore sect. (BIOG.); 16A: Newcomer to Capitol Hill (FRESHMAN SENATOR); 19A: Long story (SAGA); 20A: Vessels like Noah's (ARKS); 21A: Frère du père (ONCLE); 22A: Massage facility (SPA); 24A: Begin a trip (SET OUT); 25A: Promising rookies' doses of reality (SOPHOMORE SLUMPS); 31A: Nitwit (IDIOT); 32A: They may be locked in battle (HORNS); 33A: Flexed (BENT); 34A: Heavenly head covers (HALOS); 35A: "Whatever shall I do?" ("AH ME"); 39A: Writer Diamond or actor Leto (JARED); 40A: Overfill (BLOAT); 41A: Young company supervisor (JUNIOR EXECUTIVE); 46A: Amerigo Vespucci, vis-à-vis America (EPONYM); 47A: Score-raising stat (RBI); 48A: Whoop (SHOUT); 49A: Home of the Buckeyes (OHIO); 52A: VCR insert (TAPE); 56A: Breaks for AARP members (SENIOR DISCOUNTS); 59A: Quod __ demonstrandum (ERAT); 60A: "The Razor's __": Maugham novel (EDGE); 61A: Make sense, to a detective (ADD UP); 62A: China's Sun Yat-__ (SEN); 63A: Arthur of tennis (ASHE); 64A: Varnish component (RESIN); 1D: TV E.T. and namesakes (ALFS); 2D: Former coin of Italy (LIRA); 3D: Designer Cassini (OLEG); 4D: Just might pull it off (HAS A SHOT); 5D: "Bah," in Bavaria ("ACH"); 6D: Hollywood Walk of Fame feature (STAR); 7D: Sound from a snout (OINK); 8D: A smaller amount (LESS); 9D: Salem is its cap. (ORE); 10D: "Scrubs," for one (SITCOM); 11D: Get ready for production (TOOL UP); 12D: White wading birds (EGRETS); 15D: African language group (BANTU); 17D: Hat-tipping address (MA'AM); 18D: Yuletide carols (NOELS); 23D: Stovetop item (POT); 24D: Federal IDs (SSN'S); 25D: One of the fam (SIB); 26D: Shelley tribute (ODE); 27D: Wrestler's objective (PIN); 28D: Windy City airport (O'HARE); 29D: Pricey timepiece (ROLEX); 30D: Wash away slowly (ERODE); 34D: Injure (HARM); 35D: Cockpit reading (ALTITUDE); 36D: __ polloi (HOI); 37D: Dallas NBAer (MAV); 38D: Août's season (ÉTÉ); 39D: "__ the World" (JOY TO); 40D: Fella (BUB); 41D: James and Owens (JESSES); 42D: "Psst!" from above ("UP HERE!"); 43D: Political columnist Peggy (NOONAN); 44D: Alaskan native (INUIT); 45D: Gator's cousin (CROC); 49D: __ and ends (ODDS); 50D: A bit tipsy (HIGH); 51D: "Makes sense to me" ("I SEE"); 53D: Common conjunctions (ANDS); 54D: Seed-spitter's sound (PTUI); 55D: "Baseball Tonight" channel (ESPN); 57D: Stephen of "V for Vendetta" (REA); 58D: Rowing need (OAR).

08.26 Fri

F R I D A Y

August 26, 2011

James Sajdak

Theme: Sound Substitution — The Z sound is changed to a DS sound in familiar phrases.



Theme answers:

• 20A: Easy-to-use sock drawer organizer? (PEDS DISPENSER).
• 28A: Dog show eye-catchers? (COOL BREEDS).
• 36A: Feline alpha groups? (TOP PRIDES).
• 48A: "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "We Are the Champions"? (QUEEN SIDES).
• 56A: Winter Olympics winner's wall hanging? (BLADES OF GLORY).

Y'all on the East Coast ready for a hurricane? PuzzleHusband is in Texas and PuzzleKids are in Canada, so I'm hunkering down for this one solo. If the power stays on, this might be a great weekend. I have a ton of stuff to do around the house and with the bad weather I won't feel guilty for staying inside. If the power goes out though? Whole different story. Crossing my fingers!



Today we're looking at a simple sound substitution theme. It's a cute idea, but I can't help thinking a bunch of Zs would make the grid more interesting, so it's kind of shame they're being taken out. What I'm really looking for in a theme like this is a theme answer where both the original and resulting phrases are interesting and colorful. Two of the five fit the bill today: COOL BREEDS and BLADES OF GLORY. But look at the others. PEZ DISPENSER is cool, but PEDS DISPENSER? Besides the fact that I don't even think it makes sense (PEDS = socks??), I've gotta believe that if "sock drawer organizer" is the best clue you can come up with for a theme answer, I'd say it's time to look for a better theme answer. QUEEN SIDES is an interesting phrase (and it has a great clue), but it started out as QUEEN-SIZE which is … a type of mattress. TOP PRIDES has the distinction of being a boring answer and based on a boring phrase. Ta-da!



Bullets:

• 1A: Henri's here (ICI). Starting right off at 1-Across with … French!
• 10A: Druid's sacred hill (TARA). There were Druids in "Gone With the Wind"?
• 18A: Bandit feature? (ONE ARM). Cute clue! This is a reference to a slot machine. But you knew that.
• 63A: 36 for nine, often (PAR). Golf.
• 64A: Votes for (AYES). Tricky. "Votes" in the clue is actually a noun, not a verb. E.g., "We've got three votes for and two against."

• 66A: Owner of Abbey Road Studios (EMI). Anyone else try ONO here first?
• 2D: Set pieces? (CAMERAS). Movie set.
• 6D: Appearance announcement (PRESTO). I couldn't tell what this clue was going for, but this is a great entry.
• 29D: No right __ (ON RED). This is embarrassing to admit, but I actually entered OF WAY first. Yes, I realize that's a terrible answer.
• 39D: Subj. of an '80s-'90s financial crisis (S AND L). I had a hard time parsing this. It's Savings & Loan.
• 40D: EPA concern (AQI). Air Quality Index. I think.
• 46D: St. Louis team, familiarly (THE RAMS). I know it's only been, what? fifteen years or so? I just can't think of the RAMS as being in St. Louis.

• 57D: Price or Battle (DIVA). I knew these were both last names of opera singers, but.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 66A: Owner of Abbey Road Studios (EMI).
• 8D: Empty weight (TARE).
• 30D: Jasmine neckwear, perhaps (LEI).
• 58D: Genesis grandson (ENOS).

Everything — 1A: Henri's here (ICI); 4A: Sci-fi psychic (EMPATH); 10A: Druid's sacred hill (TARA); 14A: What Lin's D.C. wall commemorates (NAM); 15A: Craps table tactic (PARLAY); 16A: Like some terrible reviews (ACID); 17A: Wee (SMA); 18A: Bandit feature? (ONE ARM); 19A: Watch lights, briefly (LCD'S); 20A: Easy-to-use sock drawer organizer? (PEDS DISPENSER); 23A: Emphatic words (I REPEAT); 24A: Run-of-the-mill (USUAL); 27A: Track position (RAIL); 28A: Dog show eye-catchers? (COOL BREEDS); 32A: Cornerstone abbr. (ESTAB.); 34A: Just outside of (NEAR); 35A: Rolls in the grass? (SOD); 36A: Feline alpha groups? (TOP PRIDES); 40A: Palm Sunday carrier (ASS); 43A: German battleship Graf __ (SPEE); 44A: 1945 "Big Three" conference site (YALTA); 48A: "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "We Are the Champions"? (QUEEN SIDES); 52A: Slangy negatives (NAHS); 53A: 14th-century Russian prince (IVAN I); 54A: Retro tees (TIE-DYES); 56A: Winter Olympics winner's wall hanging? (BLADES OF GLORY); 60A: Prussian pair (ZWEI); 62A: Stimulate (INCITE); 63A: 36 for nine, often (PAR); 64A: Votes for (AYES); 65A: Semi-sheer fabrics (VOILES); 66A: Owner of Abbey Road Studios (EMI); 67A: Orkin target (PEST); 68A: Speak with conviction (ASSERT); 69A: Decoding org. (NSA); 1D: Fire up (INSPIRE); 2D: Set pieces? (CAMERAS); 3D: Cry from one reaching the top (I MADE IT); 4D: Lyrical poetic form (EPODE); 5D: Zealot-plus (MANIAC); 6D: Appearance announcement (PRESTO); 7D: Gain __: get further ahead in the race (A LAP); 8D: Empty weight (TARE); 9D: Mass music (HYMN); 10D: "Honor Thy Father" author (TALESE); 11D: Grows (ACCRUES); 12D: Purged (RID); 13D: Spots with slogans (ADS); 21D: Egg toss miss indicator (SPLAT); 22D: Light carriage (SURREY); 25D: Flap (ADO); 26D: Dr. Leary's turn-on (LSD); 29D: No right __ (ON RED); 30D: Jasmine neckwear, perhaps (LEI); 31D: Wicked (BAD); 33D: Sarajevo's region (BOSNIA); 37D: Forgetful writer's letters? (P.P.S.); 38D: Louvre Pyramid designer (PEI); 39D: Subj. of an '80s-'90s financial crisis (S AND L); 40D: EPA concern (AQI); 41D: Toyota RAV4, e.g. (SUV); 42D: Navy builders (SEABEES); 45D: Expose (LAY OPEN); 46D: St. Louis team, familiarly (THE RAMS); 47D: Ancient kingdom on the Tigris (ASSYRIA); 49D: Sign on (ENLIST); 50D: Star of France (ÉTOILE); 51D: Bakery utensil (SIFTER); 55D: Discharge (EGEST); 57D: Price or Battle (DIVA); 58D: Genesis grandson (ENOS); 59D: H.S. courses (SCIS); 60D: Cook quickly, in a way (ZAP); 61D: Three-switch railroad track section (WYE).

06.24 Fri

F R I D A Y
June 24, 2011
James Sajdak

Theme: Down on the Farm — Each theme answer is a farm pun where the last word is a two-syllable word ending in DDER(s).

Theme answers:

• 20A: Thoroughbred farm slur? (SO'S YOUR MUDDER).
• 29A: Dairy farm proverb? (BE KIND TO UDDERS).
• 46A: Cattle farm commandment? (HONOR THY FODDER).
• 56A: Clydesdale farm boast? (HEAVY BREEDERS).

Cute theme. Of the theme answers, I got MUDDER first and then BREEDERS so I thought all the puns were going to be about horses. That made UDDERS pretty hard to see. Yes, I know the other clues make it clear that they're not about horses. I'm not saying my thinking process always makes sense.


Bullets:

• 15A: Recitative follower (ARIA). With the A in place, I tried AMEN.

• 18A: "The Case for Public Schools" author (MANN). I was thinking Thomas MANN, but then I remembered that's James Earl Jones's character in "Field of Dreams," which I just watched the other night with the PuzzleKids. This MANN is actually Horace.
• 19A: Nice head (TÊTE). Were you tricked by the word Nice? Remember we talked about that back when we discussed the crosswordese ÉTÉ?
• 23A: Schubert's "The __ King" (ERL). Learned it from crosswords.
• 35A: Tub filler (LARD). Hey! Someone here wanted LARD in their tub the other day, didn't they? Well, here ya go.
• 52A: "Jane Eyre" star Wasikowska (MIA). Wow. No idea.

• 54A: Valuable Ming (YAO). Professional basketball player YAO Ming. Not a vase.
• 5D: Shortwave medium (HAM RADIO). I think this is my favorite entry in the grid.
• 7D: Hora part (MINUTO). I kept think I was looking for part of the hora dance, not the Italian word for "hour."
• 11D: African evergreen whose leaves are chewed as a narcotic (QAT). Great Scrabble word. Always good to have those U-less Q words in your pocket.
• 14D: Muscle-contraction protein (MYOSIN). I feel like I really should have known this one. But I didn't.
• 30D: Man-to-boy address (KIDDO). Random.
• 31D: Former Jerry Marcus comic strip (TRUDY). Huh?
• 47D: Denmark's __ Gardens (TIVOLI). PuzzleParents took PuzzleSister and me to Europe back, like, a hundred years ago, and I remember our day at TIVOLI Gardens has the highlight of the trip.

• 59D: "Cannery Row" restaurant owner __ Flood (DORA). This is the late-week clue for Dora. Cluing DORA as the explorer would have been way too easy for Friday (darn).

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 41A: European capital (OSLO).
• 21D: They articulate with radii (ULNAS).
• 43D: Big name in household humor (ERMA).
• 57D: Winged god (EROS).

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Everything Else — 1A: Drops a fly, say (ERRS); 5A: Web code (HTML); 9A: Patio parties, briefly (BBQ'S); 13A: Fiefdom, e.g. (REALM); 16A: "For sure!" ("YEAH!"); 17A: Test (ASSAY); 24A: '70s radical gp. (SLA); 25A: "Eternally nameless" principle (TAO); 26A: Fancy pond swimmer (KOI); 33A: Words before "Gave proof through the night" (IN AIR); 34A: It has pedals and stops (ORGAN); 38A: Loses interest (SOURS); 42A: Sweat (EXUDE); 44A: Half a "Star Wars" character (DETOO); 51A: Ruling party (INS); 53A: Business __ (END); 60A: Drop a line, in a way (MOOR); 62A: Some tributes (ODES); 63A: Capital at the foot of Mount Vitosha (SOFIA); 64A: Shared currency (EURO); 65A: Time to give up (LENT); 66A: Body (TRUNK); 67A: Things to pick (NITS); 68A: Eating up (INTO); 69A: Part of many a snail's diet (ALGA); 1D: Rub out (ERASE); 2D: Suck up again (RESORB); 3D: Fight in the boonies (RASSLE); 4D: Rub out (SLAY); 5D: Shortwave medium (HAM RADIO); 6D: Car for the pits? (TRAM); 8D: "Ed Wood" Oscar winner (LANDAU); 9D: Memory unit (BYTE); 10D: Microbrewery stock (BEER KEGS); 12D: Pirate's pronoun (SHE); 21D: They articulate with radii (ULNAS); 22D: Doofus (DODO); 27D: Spoken (ORAL); 28D: Money-object connection (IS NO); 32D: Dickens's Edwin (DROOD); 35D: City near Provo (LEHI); 36D: Neural transmitter (AXON); 37D: Not have enough (RUN SHORT); 39D: Mentions (REFERS TO); 40D: One may be skipped (STONE); 45D: Most curious (ODDEST); 48D: SDS co-founder Tom (HAYDEN); 49D: Hottie (EYEFUL); 50D: Ready and eager (RARING); 55D: Yodo River city (OSAKA); 58D: Out of shape? (BENT); 60D: Rooks, for example (MEN); 61D: Overseas agreement (OUI).

06.09 Thu

T H U R S D A Y
June 9, 2011
James Sajdak

Theme: Alternate Endings — Familiar two-word phrases following the pattern [x]ing + [x]er have their suffixes reversed.

Theme answers:

• 20A: Choir members during the sermon? (SINGERS WAITING). [singing waiters]
• 24A: Grocery employee dealing with a shortage of shelf space? (STOCKER STUFFING). [stocking stuffer]
• 47A: Top sellers sealing the deal? (CLOSERS PITCHING). [closing pitchers]
• 53A: News hound's sign-off? (ROVER REPORTING). [roving reporter]

I solved this puzzle last night after I got home from PuzzleSon's middle school band/orchestra concert. The concert lasted more than two hours. And PuzzleSon played in a total of … one song. Which didn't occur until an hour and 50 minutes in. So what I'm saying is, this theme made no sense to me At All while I was solving. Even after I was done it took me a while to figure it out. But I'm pretty sure all that says more about my state of mind than it does about the puzzle. The theme is cute right? I kinda wish all the theme answers had been singular because the S in the middle of three of them seemed like a big part of my confusion while solving.

Not a lot of sparkle in this one. As for the longer answers, PARABOLAS and SNORKELS are awesome (17A: Certain conic sections / 5D: Reef exploration gear), but GUARD RAIL and SET FORTH just kinda sit there (62A: Road safety feature / 40D: Outline, as a plan). Of the fill-in-the-blank clues, not a single one ended up being the first answer that came to my mind. My first thought for [36A: "Do the __"] was HUSTLE, which frankly cracked me up (correct answer: MATH). For [3D: Cape ___], my list went MAY, FEAR, COD, and then finally HORN. And [24D: Poison __] only brought to mind PEN and IVY (not SUMAC). Oh, I did get 52A: Toy magnate F. A. O. Schwartz right off the bat though. Is that well-known outside of New York?

Bullets:

• 1A: Sieben und eins (ACHT). Whoa! German math right out of the gate. Sieben = 7, und = and, eins = 1, ACHT = 8.

• 9A: Finish the doughnuts? (GLAZE). Wanted this to be something about ICING, but GLAZE is better.
• 14A: New York restaurateur (SHOR). I learned about Toots SHOR from crosswords.
• 22A: Reaction to one who's revolting (ICK). Seems like there's been a lot of ICK in the news this week.
• 23A: Palais denizen (ROI). French!
• 33A: Neighbor of Arg. (URU.). Uruguay.
• 8D: "L.A. Law" actor (DYSART). I do not know who this is.

• 10D: Actress Loughlin (LORI). But I know this actor played Becky on "Full House." I guess that show has aged well because PuzzleKids watch all the reruns. They're also into "Everybody Hates Chris" right now. I can't tell you how glad I am we're past the Barney and Dora stage. (Not that there's anything wrong with Barney and Dora — they're awesome.)

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 44A: __ Jackson, Fonda title role (ULEE).
• 51A: Monodrama about Capote (TRU).
• 64A: Once, once (ERST).
• 66A: Indian noble (RANEE).
• 11D: Yemeni port (ADEN).
• 13D: Faline's mother, in Salten's "Bambi" (ENA).
• 39D: Lilly of pharmaceuticals (ELI).
• 53D: Indian noble (RAJA).

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Everything Else — 5A: Roe source (SHAD); 15A: Not, some time back (NARY); 16A: "The Kiss" sculptor (RODIN); 19A: Gladiator's milieu (ARENA); 34A: Evoke gaiety with gags at a gig (SLAY); 35A: He shared the peace prize with Shimon and Yitzhak (YASIR); 38A: Male sovereigns' address (SIRES); 41A: Polynesian pendant (TIKI); 42A: Lent a hand (AIDED); 46A: One of the 10 lowest digits? (TOE); 61A: Anglo-__ (SAXON); 63A: Throw out (EJECT); 65A: Make eyes at (OGLE); 67A: "He __ not sleep": Shelley (DOTH); 68A: Pill bottle instruction (DOSE); 1D: Some cobras (ASPS); 2D: Spiced tea (CHAI); 4D: Disastrous (TRAGIC); 6D: Dutchman who painted "Gypsy Girl" (HALS); 7D: Got __ deal (A RAW); 9D: Please (GRATIFY); 12D: Sock it to (ZING); 18D: Bremen brew (BECK'S); 21D: Pot marker (IOU); 25D: Hiker's route (TRAIL); 26D: Best (OUTDO); 27D: Heyerdahl craft (RA I); 28D: Corn product (SYRUP); 29D: Budgetary waste (FAT); 30D: Last Supper question (IS IT I); 31D: Maker of Coolpix cameras (NIKON); 32D: "Peer Gynt Suite" composer (GRIEG); 37D: Boys and men (HES); 43D: International thaw (DETENTE); 45D: Convenient greeting (E-CARD); 48D: Sch. basics (RRR); 49D: Progressed in waves (SURGED); 50D: Dragster's wheels (HOT ROD); 54D: Paddy team (OXEN); 55D: Viva __ (VOCE); 56D: Cannes cash (EURO); 57D: Tense time? (PAST); 58D: Emilia's husband (IAGO); 59D: Lofgren of the E Street Band (NILS); 60D: TV show about a high school choir (GLEE); 61D: Rev.'s speech (SER.).

03.30 Wed

W E D N E S D A Y
March 30, 2011
James Sajdak

Theme: L.A. Law — Theme answers are familiar two-word phrases where each word begins with the letters LA.

Theme answers:

• 17A: Whip-cracking cowboy of old films (LASH LARUE).
• 21A: Ethel, to Lucy (LAND LADY).
• 35A: Sky blue (LAPIS LAZULI).
• 51A: Wax-filled illumination (LAVA LAMP).
• 56A: Victor's chuckle (LAST LAUGH).
• 29D: '80s-'90s legal drama, and this puzzle's title (L.A. LAW).

Seems like we're off to a good start this week. Today we have another well-executed cute theme that's pretty much exactly the difficulty level it needs to be for the day. I noticed quite a bit of crosswordese in the grid, so let's get that out of the way first. If you click on a link in this list, you'll be transported back in time to the first time we covered that particular crosswordese word. You might find some good information there, so check it out if you're interested.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 20A: Venetian arch shape (OGEE).
• 64A: Prince Valiant's son (ARN).
• 13D: DDE predecessor (HST).
• 33D: To be, to Brutus (ESSE).
• 37D: Pitts of "The Gale Storm Show" (ZASU).
• 52D: Banned orchard spray (ALAR).

My sparkly answers of the day include:

• 23A: Canyon-crossing transport (TRAMWAY).
• 28A: Hong Kong harbor craft (SAMPAN).
• 11D: Persian Gulf emirate (ABU DHABI).

That last one is pretty fun to say. Just say it out loud a couple times. See?

I had one of those days yesterday where it just felt like I was treading water all day and today is looking like it might be a long one too, so let's jump straight to bullets.

Bullets:

• 14A: Vietnam Veterans Memorial architect (LIN). Can't say enough about this awesome memorial. If you're ever in the DC area, it's definitely worth a look. I actually went downtown yesterday to see the cherry blossoms. Here's a picture of the Jefferson Memorial.

• 16A: Local cinemas, colloquially (NABES). I remember this word creating quite a stir over at Rex's place quite a while back. I guess it's a common term for people whose jobs entail film distribution and it might have been more widely used back in the day. Me? I learned it from a crossword puzzle.
• 29A: Field for the fold (LEA). Where, as you know, the animals might say either BAA or MOO.

• 34A: Sign before Scorpio (LIBRA). I think one of my kids might be a LIBRA. No wait, that's October, isn't it? I used to know all that zodiac mumbo-jumbo, but I sure don't any more. Plus I heard they changed it all recently so, honestly, who can keep up? (Not really sure who "they" are, but that's what I heard.)
• 43A: Titan is its largest moon (SATURN). I actually remembered this from all the times TITAN has been in the grid clued as Saturn's largest moon.

• 55A: Artist's topper (BERET).
• 24D: Mud nest builders (WASPS). With the W in place, I first tried WRENS which is … pretty dumb.
• 27D: It surrounds Lesotho: Abbr. (RSA.). Ooh, ouch. We've found our clunker of the day.
• 55D: Setting for many a joke (BAR). Love this. I have a hard time remembering jokes well enough to actually tell them, but even the phrase "So a guy walks into a bar…" makes me giggle.

• 58D: Majors in acting (LEE). PuzzleSon was sitting here a minute ago and asked me what this clue/answer pair meant. I explained it to him and thought this might be my chance to get him hooked on crosswords, but when I offered to teach him more crossword solving tricks he just groaned. Sigh.

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Everything Else — 1A: Beginning for the birds? (AVI-); 4A: Shaq on the court (O'NEAL); 9A: Beat __ to one's door (A PATH); 15A: Ramadi resident (IRAQI); 19A: Weight room sound (GRUNT); 26A: Fridge raider (NOSHER); 31A: Remote power sources? (AAA'S); 32A: Thing to blow off (STEAM); 38A: Postgrad hurdle (ORALS); 40A: "Cosmos" host (SAGAN); 41A: Lotto relative (KENO); 42A: Assure, with "up" (SEW); 48A: Most foxy (SLYEST); 50A: Landmass encompassing the Urals (EURASIA); 54A: Bombast (RANT); 59A: Conductor Previn (ANDRE); 60A: Came up (AROSE); 61A: Sargasso or Coral (SEA); 62A: Parks and others (ROSAS); 63A: Zellweger of "Chicago" (RENEE); 1D: Doles out (ALLOTS); 2D: Cialis competitor (VIAGRA); 3D: Tailor's measure (INSEAM); 4D: Van Gogh work (OIL); 5D: Gun lobby org. (NRA); 6D: Ahead of time (EARLY); 7D: Shade in the Caribbean (AQUA); 8D: Bank holding (LIEN); 9D: Saxon start (ANGLO); 10D: Chute above the beach (PARASAIL); 12D: Like some mortgages (TEN-YEAR); 18D: Rope fiber (HEMP); 22D: Paternity proof, briefly (DNA); 25D: Naysayer (ANTI); 30D: The Daily Beast, e.g. (E-MAG); 34D: Like the Islamic calendar (LUNAR); 35D: Refs' whistle holders (LANYARDS); 36D: Natural burn balm (ALOE VERA); 38D: Signs off on (OK'S); 39D: Chile __: stuffed Mexican dish (RELLENO); 42D: N.L. team managed by Tony La Russa since 1996 (STL); 44D: Scarlett's home (TARA); 45D: World Cup chant (USA USA); 46D: Horseshoes feat (RINGER); 47D: Revolutionary Hale (NATHAN); 49D: Fully fills (SATES); 50D: Hewlett-Packard rival (EPSON); 53D: Full-grown filly (MARE); 57D: Taoist Lao-__ (TSE).

02.11 Fri

F R I D A Y February 11, 2011
James Sajdak

Theme: Hide the Report Card — Familiar phrases have the letter D added to the front of the first word. Wackiness ensues.

Theme answers:

• 17A: Soundly defeat by cheating? (DRUB THE WRONG WAY).
• 25A: Gloomy Cuban? (DOUR MAN IN HAVANA).
• 46A: Discerning pub competitor? (DART CONNOISSEUR).
• 59A: What loving couples exchange? (DEAR-TO-DEAR GRINS).
• 37A: Grade that describes this puzzle's theme (D PLUS).

[I have no idea what this photo means, but it came up in my image search for D+ and I just had to share it with you.]

I had a good overall solving experience with this one. [Cue broken record] I still wish we were offered more of a challenge on Fridays, and I wonder when I'll get used to Friday puzzles having themes.

All of the original phrases are well-known and the resulting phrases, together with their clues, are for the most part clever. For some reason I'm not feeling DEAR-TO-DEAR GRINS. Is it because it's the only one with two Ds added? Or maybe because the visual I got in my head was a couple just standing there smiling at each other (for some reason kinda creepily)? In any case, this one feels off but maybe that's just because the others are so good.

My favorite entries include:

• 15A: "Amazing!" ("OH WOW!").
• 55A: Notable early student of Bela (NADIA). I wouldn't have remembered that NADIA Comaneci's coach was named Bela, but once I had a few letters in place, it came to me. I remember watching NADIA get all those 10s like it was yesterday.

• 9D: Sports logo since 1972 (SWOOSH). When I was in 8th grade, everybody wore white Nike tennis shoes with a red swoosh. Everybody. Then all of a sudden one day Mary Fercho came prancing into class wearing white Nike tennis shoes with a blue swoosh. And the world was never the same.
• 49D: Canine mascot of the National Fire Protection Association (SPARKY). Looks great in the grid and I guess it was a piece of information hanging out in my brain way back there in the cobwebs, because once I got a few crosses in place it jumped out at me.

There's a little bit more French than SethG is comfortable with in today's puzzle. I think of myself as someone who's very comfortable with the French words we see a lot in puzzles. But I didn't know any of these. Had to have a few crosses before I could reason out the rest.

• 20A: Henri's health (SANTE).
• 52A: Martyred first bishop of Paris (ST. DENIS).
• 63A: __ à feu: French gun (ARME).

More stuff to talk about:

• 1A: Part of the deal (HAND). Even after I got this answer through crosses, I was still thinking it had something to do with shaking hands at the end of a business deal or other agreement. But no, it's about dealing cards.
• 24A: Maker of the LX 150 scooter (VESPA). I hope whoever came up with the name VESPA was extremely well-compensated. That's a great name.
• 33A: Birthplace of seven presidents (OHIO). Four letters and it's probably not Utah. (Not that there's anything wrong with Utah. It's just in the wrong part of the country to be considered.)
• 50A: Cheerios (TA-TAS). Were you looking for today's clunker? Here it is. "Cheerio" and "ta-ta" are both ways of saying "good-bye." In the singular, I would have no problem with this clue/answer pair. In the plural … ugh.
• 6D: Scoreboard initials (RHE). Runs Hits Errors.

• 24D: Talking Heads song "Sax and __" (VIOLINS). Does anyone else have trouble piecing together the down answers because it's hard to read them vertically? I swear, I had **OLINS in place and couldn't see the answer. On really hard puzzles, when I have a situation like that, I'll write the answer out horizontally so I can see it better. Today, I just let the crosses take care of it for me, but it was a big D'OH moment when the answer became clear (5D: Head-slapper's cry).
• 56D: Wine partner (DINE). Couldn't get "roses" out of my head, so this took a while.
• 62D: __ Tafari (RAS). Well I definitely learned something today. I knew that Rastafarians worship Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia. But I didn't know that Haile Selassie was once known as RAS Tafari. So there ya go.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 14A: Great Plains tribe (OTOE).
• 41A: Iroquois enemies (ERIES).
• 68A: Sherpa's sighting (YETI).
• 2D: Handle for a little shaver? (ATRA).
• 13D: Eyelid malady (STYE).
• 58D: Piedmont wine region (ASTI).

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Everything Else — 5A: Little pieces, idiomatically (DRABS); 10A: Benevolent group (ELKS); 16A: House leader during Bill's presidency (NEWT); 21A: Critical (DO-OR-DIE); 22A: Lummox (OAF); 32A: Photo finish? (OPS); 34A: Drive off (REPEL); 35A: Ardor (ZEAL); 40A: "James and the Giant Peach" writer (DAHL); 43A: Start of a Durante refrain (INKA); 45A: Olympics participant since 1992, to the IOC (CRO); 51A: Music store section (POP); 64A: Carnival dance (SAMBA); 65A: Unite after a break, in a way (KNIT); 66A: Caring (KIND); 67A: Magazine for horse owners (EQUUS); 1D: Mortar carriers (HODS); 3D: Animal, vegetable or mineral (NOUN); 4D: Unsettled one? (DEBTOR); (D'OH); 7D: "How adorable!" ("AWW!"); 8D: Big name in dairy (BORDEN); 10D: Like cameos (ENGRAVED); 11D: Lascivious (LEWD); 12D: Title river in a 1957 film that won seven Oscars (KWAI); 18D: Latin lover's declaration (TE AMO); 19D: Stock term (NO PAR); 23D: Saudi royal name (FAHD); 25D: Missed out, maybe (DOZED); 26D: Met tragedy, perhaps? (OPERA); 27D: It merged with Piedmont in 1989 (USAIR); 28D: Playful bite (NIP); 29D: Swiftly (APACE); 30D: Jacket style popular with '60s rockers (NEHRU); 31D: Words that lead to nothing? (ALL OR); 36D: Educated (LETTERED); 38D: Game based on crazy eights (UNO); 39D: Card in 38-Down (SKIP); 42D: Meager (SCANT); 44D: Words after play or for (A SONG); 47D: Idle (OTIOSE); 48D: Where GOOG is traded (NASDAQ); 52D: Badlands Natl. Park site (S. DAK.); 53D: Dustin's "Tootsie" costar (TERI); 54D: Denounce (DAMN); 57D: Down but not out (IN IT); 60D: Bird in the bush? (EMU); 61D: __ Dhabi (ABU).

S A T U R D A Y December 18, 2010 James Sajdak

Theme: None

Hey, puzzle fans. Doug here, pinch-hitting for PuzzleGirl. I didn't have much trouble with today's puzzle, even though there were some unfamiliar entries in the grid: YARE, COLEUS, CALX. It's late, so I'm jumping right into the bullets.

Bullets:

• 15A: Paris jilted her for Helen (OENONE). OK, you might not believe it, but this was the first thing I wrote into the grid. Mythology is my #1 favorite thing to see in crosswords, followed by baseball and comic book references. My Achilles' heel is musical theater.
• 20A: Quick to the helm (YARE). This word pops up in crosswords every now and then, and it baffles me every time. It means: "(of a ship) quick to the helm, easily handled or maneuvered." Next time I'm at the marina, I'm going to say, "Dude, that yacht is yare!" and see if anyone knows what I'm talking about.
• 42A: Channeling device? (STEREO). A stereo has left and right channels, but can you really call it a "channeling device"? You make the call.
• 49A: O'Neill title flora: (ELMS). Eugene O'Neill's Desire Under the Elms.
• 57A: Name for lime based on its chemical composition (CALX). That's a mouthful. I had a fruity lime in mind, but that didn't make any sense. It's the kind of lime you get from limestone. Anyway, "calx" is Latin for chalk or limestone.
• 63A: Zayre department stores creation (T.J. MAXX). That's a fun entry to see in the grid. The lower right section was my favorite part of the puzzle.
• 68A: Quakers with deep roots? (ASPENS). Quaking aspens. The ELMS & ASPENS make up a nice "trees" micro-theme.

• 8D: Plant with flamboyant foilage (COLEUS). Never heard of it, but maybe we can add this crazy plant to the "trees" theme. I suspect the YARE/COLEUS crossing stumped a few solvers.
• 10D: Carroll's "slithy" thing (TOVE). Sounds kind of gross. It's from Lewis Carroll's poem "Jabberwocky," which begins "'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves / Did gyre and gimble in the wabe." Carroll might have been on some COCA (1D: Chewable stimulant) when he came up with that line.
• 11D: London hauler? (SLED DOG). Tricky! Think Jack London and The Call of the Wild. I love that book and just about everything London wrote. Awesome clue.
• 24D: Surgeon for whom a mouthwash is named (LISTER). And I guess Scope is named after the guy from the "Monkey Trial."
• 64D: Relative of Chas.? (JOS.). Chas. is short for Charles and Jos. is short for Joseph. I'd go with plain old "Joe" myself.

Everything Else — 1A: Beliefs (CREDOS); 7A: Caber throwers (SCOTSMEN); 16A: Obama's birthplace (HONOLULU); 17A: Jaguar's coat? (CAR WAX); 18A: "Two thumbs way up!" ("I LOVED IT!"); 19A: Simile center (AS AN); 22A: Ancient "Prose" and "Poetic" works (EDDAS); 23A: Autobahn sight (OPEL); 25A: Wipe the floor with, so to speak (DRUB); 27A: "__-mite!": J.J.'s exclamation on "Good Times" (DYNO); 28A: Accused (ON TRIAL); 30A: Nothing to brag about (SO-SO); 32A: "The Social Contract" author (ROUSSEAU); 34A: Product with a secret sauce (BIG MAC); 38A: Rotter (CUR); 39A: Divide, in a way (TRISECT); 41A: Purchase from Sajak (AN I); 44A: Piecemeal? (ALA CARTE); 46A: Poetic peepers (ORBS); 48A: Just about knock down the door (STORM IN); 52A: First name in design (EERO); 54A: Substantial content (MEAT); 55A: Pouts (MOUES); 59A: Fleshy-leaved plant (ALOE); 61A: Nearly die laughing (BUST A GUT); 65A: Qualifying words (AS IT WERE); 66A: Band aide (ROADIE); 67A: Took back (RECANTED); 2D: Deduce (REASON OUT); 3D: Delight beyond measure (ENRAPTURE); 4D: Drags (DOWNERS); 5D: Words before budget or mission (ON A); 6D: Hot (SEXY); 7D: Bake, as eggs (SHIRR); 9D: Plastic __ Band (ONO); 12D: Not clear (MUDDY); 13D: Boy's name seen in 2000 papers (ELIAN); 14D: Wacky (NUTSO); 21D: Dwight's two-time adversary (ADLAI); 26D: Stubby-tailed feline (BOBCAT); 28D: Tolkien meanies (ORCS); 29D: Oxygen-consuming organism (AEROBE); 31D: "Being on a __ stops me from getting Alzheimer's": Jerry Stiller (SITCOM); 33D: Third most populous nation: Abbr. (USA); 35D: Tea tray spread (MARMALADE); 36D: Immunity offerer (ANTITOXIN); 37D: Javier's hundred (CIEN); 40D: East Los Angeles bus line with a sun in its logo (EL SOL); 43D: __ Stone (ROSETTA); 45D: Welcome center freebie (AREA MAP); 47D: Tied down (SECURE); 49D: Put away for a while (EMBAR); 50D: Rotter (LOUSE); 51D: Score sheets? (MUSIC); 53D: Like most movies (RATED); 56D: Cut (SAWN); 58D: More, in adspeak (XTRA); 60D: Zsa Zsa has eight (EXES); 62D: Pick up (GET).

S A T U R D A Y October 9, 2010 James Sajdak

Theme: None


Whoa! I had all kindsa trouble with this puzzle ... but that's a good thing! This one felt like a real workout to me. I had the most trouble up in the northwest corner, so let's talk about that first.

Thank God for ELLA and DR. J — they were the only two that came easily to me up there. Other than that, I was just chipping away letter by letter. SKYJACK was the most troublesome entry for me. Why is there a question mark on that clue? Usually, a question mark means that the clue is an idiom but needs to be taken literally. The way I think about it when I'm solving is: "Okay, what's my first impression of this phrase? Well, that's not what they're getting at today. Which word in the clue do I need to look at from a different angle to get where I need to go?" But my first impression of 17A: Take a plane? was, um ... commandeering an airplane. But that can't be right! The word "plane" must be referring to the tool called a planer, or to the geometric meaning of the word. But that J is just screaming out for the word to end in JACK! But HIJACK doesn't fit! As you can tell from my representation of my thought process at the time, I was a mess.

So I lightly penciled in JACK and with the lightly penciled in S at the end of 1A, plus the last three letters of the word, I was able to see ST. KITTS. Then RICE fell into place and IN ORBIT, and EBAN. I thought the answer for 3D: Pluralis majestatis would end in the letters AE becaue it sounded all Latiny to me and I know sometimes Latin words are pluralized with AE. If I had only heard of TOWN WITHOUT PITY (27A: It lost to "Moon River" for a Best Song Oscar) everything would have gone a lot smoother. Alas, no such luck. I had the WITHOUT PITY part, but couldn't figure out the first word. That W was the last letter I entered into the grid. I'm gonna say that W stands for WICKED. ROYAL WE? That's awesome. Wicked awesome.

Bullets:

• 1A: Avid ones keep Life Lists (BIRDERS). The PuzzleParents are now BIRDERS, since they started spending half the year in Costa Rica. I don't know if they keep Life Lists though.
• 19A: Mom and pop financing gp. (SBA). Small Business Administration.
• 20A: Roger who coached eight NHL teams (NEILSON). I had no chance on this one. Got it totally through crosses. Well, crosses and an educated guess. I had also never heard of 10D: 1984 Swedish speed skating medalist SVEN Gustafson, but SVEN sounded like the right name.

• 23A: Collaborator with a Count and a Duke (ELLA). Ella Fitzgerald has collaborated with Count Basie and Duke Ellington. Cute clue.
• 26A: Peak in Thessaly (OSSA). I don't know where Thessaly is, so I tried ALPE first. Late in the week, sometimes you just have to flat-out guess and hope it leads to something.
• 35A: Dr. Ray Langston's TV team (CSI). Another educated guess. I don't watch the show(s) but it came to mind anyway.
• 39A: Puget Sound port (TACOMA). I always have to consciously think about how to spell TACOMA, Washington, because there's a TAKOMA Park, Maryland nearby. (Hi, Vega!)

• 42A: 1964 Record of the Year Grammy winner, with "The" (GIRL FROM IPANEMA). This one brings back nice memories for me. When I lived in New York back in the mid-80s, I partnered up with a young woman who had (and still has) an unbelievable voice (I played piano). We'd do covers at open mic nights in dive bars around the city and this was one of our songs. Good times.
• 45A: Sub. for omitted names (ET AL.). I actually tried NMIS here first, which is something I learned from crosswords (it stands for No Middle Initial).
• 47A: Library Card Sign-up mo. (SEPT.). Guessed on this one too. I mean, it's when school starts so I think it makes sense!
• 49A: French lover? (AMATEUR). I don't know what this means.
• 59A: Not told (UNAWARE). This was another part-of-speech trip-up for me. No wait, not part of speech ... I'm not sure how to explain it grammatically, but I thought the answer would be a word describing the information that wasn't told, not the person who the information wasn't told ro. (Not a part-of-speech issue because both of those words would be adjectives. Yeah, I still got it.)
• 4D: Court physician? (DR. J). DR. J is the nickname of Julius Erving, former pro basketball player (who played on a basketball court — get it?).
• 12D: Golfer's 2-wood (BRASSIE). I'm sure all you golfers got this one right off. I don't recall hearing this term before.
• 24D: Colonial mound (ANTHILL). Because ants live in a colony.
• 28D: "A Room of One's Own" author (WOOLF). Gimme gimme gimme! Woo-hoo! (finally)

• 38D: Some Iberian inns (POSADAS).
• 40D: Mongoose family member (MEERKAT). Reference to MEERKATs always remind me of Life of Pi. It was MEERKATs on that island, wasn't it?
• 41D: Antique oil holder (AMPHORA). Whatever you say.
• 42D: Magazine whose debut issue featured a cover photo of Cindy Crawford dressed as Washington (GEORGE). I vaguely remember this magazine. I believe it came out in the mid-90s and was started up by ... JFK Jr.? Can that be right? Let me look it up. ... Yep, JFK Jr. and 1995.
• 43D: Comb breaker, perhaps (MAT). Does this mean MATted hair breaks a comb? That's the only way I can make sense of it. And why isn't this a wrestling clue??
• 57D: USN rank (CWO). CWO? WTF? Oh, Chief Warrant Officer. Learn something new Every. Damn. Day.

Crosswordese 101: Eric UTNE was co-founder, with Nina Rothschild, of the Utne Reader, a magazine that is, according to its website, a digest "of independent ideas and alternative culture. Not right, not left, but forward thinking." The word/name/title is typically clued just like today, 51D: Big name in alternative press.

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

• 53A: Frat letter (RHO).
• 9D: River through Aragon (EBRO).
• 11D: Hammett's Spade, e.g. (TEC).

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Everything Else — 8A: Weapons restriction of a sort (TEST BAN); 15A: Circling (IN ORBIT); 16A: Coin's "heads" (OBVERSE); 18A: Formed before delivery, as concrete (PRECAST); 22A: Taste (SIP); 25A: Dance genre (TAP); 32A: View from Jackson Hole (TETONS); 33A: Safe portfolio investments (T-NOTES); 34A: Ad-committee link (HOC); 36A: Come to a head (BOIL UP); 46A: Hammett's Spade (SAM); 48A: Like some painkillers, briefly (OTC); 53A: Frat letter (RHO); 54A: Told (RELATED); 56A: Easily attached (STICK-ON); 58A: Island north of Trinidad (GRENADA); 60A: Sect linked to the Dead Sea Scrolls (ESSENES); 61A: Jai alai balls (PELOTAS); 1D: "Bullitt" co-star (BISSET); 2D: Therapy aid (INK BLOT); 5D: "Personal Witness: Israel Through My Eyes" author (EBAN); 6D: Potatoes alternative (RICE); 7D: Nevis neighbor (ST. KITTS); 8D: Leadership position (TOP SPOT); 9D: River through Aragon (EBRO); 11D: Hammett's Spade, e.g. (TEC); 13D: Rink stats (ASSISTS); 14D: Working capital? (NET PAY); 21D: __-di-dah (LAH); 26D: Sunroof and CD changer, e.g. (OPTIONS); 29D: Arouse, as wrath (INCUR); 30D: Open without a corkscrew (UNCAP); 31D: 1900 Puccini premiere (TOSCA); 36D: Pink Gin ingredient (BITTERS); 37D: Sources of ambiguous answers (ORACLES); 39D: "Pencils down" (TIME'S UP); 44D: Makes up (for) (ATONES); 49D: __ end (AT AN); 50D: Early Iranian (MEDE); 51D: Big name in alternative press (UTNE); 52D: Shiraz spending money (RIAL); 55D: Suffix with oct- (ANE).

W E D N E S D A Y September 22, 2010 James Sajdak

Theme: Har-dee-har-har — Theme answers are props traditionally used in slapstick comedy routines.


Theme answers:

• 17A: *Coconut dessert (CUSTARD PIE).
• 23A: *Facetious name for a fund-raising circuit entrée (RUBBER CHICKEN).
• 46A: *Mixer holder (SELTZER BOTTLE).
• 57A: *Yellow slipper? (BANANA PEEL).
• 36A: Where it's laughable to see the answers to starred clues (SLAPSTICK COMEDY).

I have to admit, I was a little distracted while I was solving this puzzle. I found out that I made a stupid mistake in my job interview and even though I'm likely to get an offer, it probably won't be at the salary I was hoping for. Oh well. Live and learn. In any case, it will be more than I'm making now (which is zero) so if I want to look at the bright side, there definitely is one to look at.

Although there isn't anything super exciting about this theme, it did bring to mind funny scenes of physical comedy that made me chuckle. Whenever I think about this kind of comedy I remember seeing Marlo Thomas on the Letterman show many years ago demonstrating a spit-take (which, of course, her dad was famous for). I've never been able to find the clip though. It was hilarious. This is about the closest thing I could find:



I had a little trouble up in the northeast corner because I misspelled ORECK as "Orick" (11D: Vacuum shown lifting a bowling ball in TV ads). With that I and the two Ns in place, I decided the 19A: State bordering eight others: Abbr. must be MINNesota. Which is a terrible, terrible answer for many reasons including the fact that it's not true. (Of course, the correct answer is TENNessee.)

Bullets:

• 5A: Fall, as home prices (SLUMP). I usually think of SLUMP as a noun ("The housing market is in a slump") but I guess this works too.
• 40A: Old curse word (POX). Okay, I know I say this all the time but seriously: This is an awesome word and we should all use it as often as possible. "A POX on both your houses!"
• 53A: TV channels 2 to 13 (VHF). I can never remember the difference between UHF and VHF.
• 56A: Lisa's title (MONA). Wait, what? MONA is a title? Hold on …. Sure enough! "Mona" is a "polite form of address" that comes from "madonna" which comes from the Italian "ma donna" ("my lady"). The things you learn!

• 3D: "Don't worry about it!" ("JUST RELAX!").
• 8D: Printemps month (MAI). French!
• 10D: Like smart phones, e.g. (HI-TECH). PuzzleHusband recently purchased a Droid phone. It's a very very smart phone. As it happens, way too smart for PuzzleHusband.
• 24D: Sch. near the Rio Grande (UTEP). University of Texas El Paso. Do you think this should go in CW101 someday? I never think of it as crosswordese because I lived near El Paso for several years. But I would imagine for people in the rest of the country it's not a real big-name college.
• 26D: '50s Red Scare gp. (HUAC). House Un-American Activities Committee.
• 32D: Assure victory in, slangily (ICE). I'm pretty sure I've never heard this particular usage.
• 35D: Bridge assents (AYES). This clue refers to the bridge on a ship, not the card game or whatever other kind of bridge you might have been thinking about.
• 39D: Keyboardist Saunders who collaborated with Jerry Garcia (MERL). Wow. Never heard of this guy! Got him totally through crosses.

Crosswordese 101: An AIT is exactly what today's clue says it is — a 4D: River isle. Typical clues for AIT include "Small island," "River islet," "Spot in a river," and "Island in the Thames."

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

• 31A: Kuwaiti currency (DINAR).
• 42A: Canal that Sal worked on, in song (ERIE).
• 62A: Janis's comics mate (ARLO).
• 38D: Container allowance (TARE).
• 48D: Hawaii's Pineapple Island (LANAI).

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Everything Else — 1A: Cabo locale (BAJA); 10A: Havana howdy (HOLA); 14A: Distant start? (EQUI-); 15A: Insured patient's med cost (COPAY); 16A: Mideast nation (IRAN); 20A: Krazy of comics (KAT); 21A: Backsliding event? (LUGE); 22A: Tourist attraction (MECCA); 27A: Some campus sisters (THETAS); 29A: Big repair bill reaction (OUCH); 30A: "Hee Haw" prop (BALE); 33A: Fairy tale legume (PEA); 41A: Overhangs (EAVES); 43A: Stud farm stud (SIRE); 44A: Groundbreakers (FIRSTS); 51A: Mindful (AWARE); 52A: Rankles (IRKS); 60A: "Agreed!" ("OKAY!"); 61A: Put an __: stop (END TO); 63A: Sale caution (AS IS); 64A: County northeast of London (ESSEX); 65A: Oceanic flora (KELP); 1D: Eponymous German brewer Heinrich (BECK); 2D: Caribbean color (AQUA); 5D: Surgical coverage? (SCRUBS); 6D: Raccoon ___, "The Honeymooners" fraternal group (LODGE); 7D: Like some echelons (UPPER); 9D: Joe-__ weed: herbal remedy (PYE); 12D: Tilting pole (LANCE); 13D: 1997-2006 UN leader (ANNAN); 18D: Goya's "Duchess of __" (ALBA); 22D: Prefix with scope (MICRO-); 25D: Bops (CONKS); 27D: Kitchen meas. (TBSP.); 28D: Saintly circle (HALO); 31D: One going down (DIVER); 33D: Gut it out (PERSEVERE); 34D: Cut out, say (EDIT); 37D: Take by force (SEIZE); 43D: Range rovers? (STRAYS); 44D: Loc. with billions in bullion (FT. KNOX); 45D: "__ girl!" (IT'S A); 46D: Island where Robert Louis Stevenson died (SAMOA); 47D: Furry Endor inhabitants (EWOKS); 49D: Pickles (BINDS); 50D: Speak formally (ORATE); 54D: War, to Sherman (HELL); 55D: Hardly a big ticket-seller (FLOP); 57D: Sewing circle (BEE); 58D: T or F, on tests (ANS.); 59D: Karachi's country: Abbr. (PAK.).

M O N D A Y August 30, 2010 James Sajdak

Theme: The Kennedy Boys — Theme answers are familiar phrases that start with the names of the political Kennedy brothers.


Theme answers:

• 20A: Mister Fixit (JACK OF ALL TRADES).
• 30A: Footwear often turned down at the ankle (BOBBY SOCKS).
• 41A: Tots' furry sleeping companions (TEDDY BEARS).
• 54A: Hyannis Port site where the starts of 20-, 30- and 41-Across were often found (KENNEDY COMPOUND).

Simple theme that I haven't seen before, straightforward clues, no clunkers, and a couple of stumbling blocks that didn't take long to work themselves out. Yep, it's an enjoyable Monday puzzle alright.

Bullets:

• 1A: Stringed instrument that may be taller than its player (HARP). Started with BASS.
• 46A: Jazz combo rhythm providers (DRUMS). I don't know why, but that clue cracks me up. I think because it's so specific.
• 60A: Hippo ending (-DROME). Because -POTAMUS wouldn't fit.
• 63A: Loudness units (SONES). I can never remember this word. I always want it to be "decibels" and it never is.
• 1D: Pilgrim to Mecca (HADJI). We've covered HADJ in CW101, so maybe that helped you here.
• 4D: Gdansk dance (POLKA). When I was 15 I danced a rollicking polka with the governor of North Dakota, Art Link. I've never danced a polka since. And I don't need to because that one time was awesome.
• 18D: Hungarian dessert wines (TOKAYS). Never heard of this. Got it totally through crosses.

• 51D: David of the PGA (DUVAL). We haven't heard much from DUVAL in the last several years, but I'm still hoping he gets his mojo back sometime soon.

Crosswordese 101: Mt. ETNA is Europe's largest and highest active volcano. It's in Sicily, near both Taormina and Catania. "Volcano words" you can look for in clues for ETNA include erupter, spewer, smoker, and spouter. Or, the clue might just come right out and say it's a volcano, like today's 6D: Italian volcano.

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

• 15A: Native Nebraskan (OTOE).
• 37A: Qatari chieftains (EMIRS).
• 65A: Israeli airline (EL AL).
• 12D: Fencing sword (ÉPÉE).
• 27D: Bear, to Brutus (URSA).
• 31D: Sharif of "Doctor Zhivago" (OMAR).
• 55D: River through Spain (EBRO).

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Everything Else — 5A: Left the room (WENT); 9A: Defame in print (LIBEL); 14A: Chevy subcompact since 2004 (AVEO); 16A: Slip away to tie the knot (ELOPE); 17A: Phone sounds (DIAL TONES); 19A: "Manhattan" director Woody (ALLEN); 22A: What you eat, to a dietitian (INTAKE); 23A: Canonized person (SAINT); 24A: Gallery fare (ART); 26A: Prefix with intellectual (PSEUDO-); 36A: Vicinity (AREA); 38A: __ kwon do (TAE); 39A: Valued possession (ASSET); 40A: It means nothing to a Nicaraguan (NADA); 43A: Totally soak (DRENCH); 45A: Sun. church delivery (SER.); 49A: Ice cream treat (SUNDAE); 58A: Skyscraper girder (I-BEAM); 59A: Clan members (RELATIVES); 61A: Shave-haircut link (AND A); 62A: Like valuable stamps (RARE); 64A: Appear to be (SEEM); 2D: Birdlike (AVIAN); 3D: Jerk or frown, e.g. (REACT); 5D: Low-frequency speakers (WOOFERS); 7D: Carols (NOELS); 8D: Onetime Edison rival Nikola (TESLA); 9D: Absorbs the lesson (LEARNS); 10D: Anxious (ILL AT EASE); 11D: Like headline typefaces (BOLD); 13D: Camera's focusing device (LENS); 21D: Pointers (TIPS); 25D: Shopper's carryall (TOTE); 28D: Bambi and kin (DEER); 29D: Cheerios grain (OATS); 30D: Give a little (BEND); 32D: Wait (BIDE); 33D: Nongeneric, as a drug (BRAND NAME); 34D: Gentleman's opposite (CAD); 35D: Sneakers since 1916 (KEDS); 39D: Discourteously curt (ABRUPT); 41D: Dull impact sound (THUD); 42D: Polite response to Mother (YES MA'AM); 44D: Heavy liqueurs (CREMES); 47D: Breckinridge and Hess (MYRAS); 48D: Act division (SCENE); 50D: Bête __ (NOIRE); 52D: End of __ (AN ERA); 53D: Memorable '50s lemon (EDSEL); 54D: Jokes with (KIDS); 56D: Strip lighting (NEON); 57D: Quaint shoppe word (OLDE).