07.27 Wed

W E D N E S D A Y
July 27, 2011
Jonathan Black

Theme: Itchy Itchy — The word FLEA is hidden inside familiar phrases.

Theme answers:

• 17A: Woods has often been atop it (GOLF LEADERBOARD).
• 26A: Hold one's nose, perhaps (STIFLE A SNEEZE).
• 42A: They're fun to jump in (PILES OF LEAVES).
• 55A: Pet owner's bane, and a hint to what's hidden in 17-, 26- and 42-Across (FLEA INFESTATION).

Short and sweet today because I'm still not feeling great. So weird — I felt fine on Monday and then all of a sudden yesterday, bam! I'm knocked out again. Going to do some power resting today to see if I can't kick this thing.

Weird theme today. I mean, FLEAs? Ew. And to me, the theme answers seem to be all over the place. STIFLE A SNEEZE is awesome, PILE OF LEAVES is supremely adequate, and GOLF LEADERBOARD is, well, not something people say. And I guess I feel the same about the fill. A couple sparkly entries (FLAMBÉ, SLURP, and for some reason DIDO tickled me today), the rest solid but nothing to write home about. The only entry I really have a problem with is AARGH. I can't stress this enough. Pirates don't say AARGH. Pirates say ARRR. Two totally different things. Totally. Different. Please, for the love of God, try not to make this mistake in your life. Pirates = ARRR. Frustrated people = AARGH. Don't say I never taught you anything.

Bullets:

• 1A: People person (CELEB). In this clue, "People" refers to the magazine.
• 20A: Mass. hours (EST). If you didn't see the period after "Mass" you were probably thinking along the lines of Sunday morning. But no. This clue is about Massachusetts.
• 38A: Go up the creek without a paddle? (SWIM). Cute clue.
• 4D: Will Ferrell holiday comedy (ELF). I couldn't decide which "Talladega Nights" clip to use, so I decided to go with this. Your reaction to this video will undoubtedly fall into one of two categories: (1) You love it; or (2) You think it's the dumbest thing you've ever seen and don't understand why some people think it's funny. Warning: There are some bad words in it.
  
  
  
• 34D: Miami couple? (EMS). There are two (i.e., a couple) letter Ms (i.e., EMS) in the word Miami. If you want to read a little more about this type of clue/answer pair, click on the link down in the CW101 section.
• 58D: Suds source (TAP). "Suds" in this clue is a slang word for "beer."

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 24A: Word on some euros (EIRE).
• 39A: Doggy bag item (ORT).
• 46A: Ben-Gurion airline (EL AL).
• 47A: Toll-road toll unit (AXLE).
• 8D: End of a common list (ZEE).
• 10D: Orbital high point (APOGEE).
• 24D: Biblical birthright seller (ESAU).
• 34D: Miami couple? (EMS).
• 51D: Long, long time (AEON).

Everything — 1A: People person (CELEB); 6A: Throw for a loop (FAZE); 10A: Crew cut's opposite (AFRO); 14A: Good on one's feet (AGILE); 15A: In __ of: as a substitute for (LIEU); 16A: Ring out (PEAL); 17A: Woods has often been atop it (GOLF LEADERBOARD); 20A: Mass. hours (EST); 21A: Food with a Veterinary Formula (IAMS); 22A: Ungentle giants (OGRES); 23A: Cilantro, e.g. (HERB); 24A: Word on some euros (EIRE); 26A: Hold one's nose, perhaps (STIFLE A SNEEZE); 31A: Power strip inserts (PLUGS); 32A: It may be promised (LAND); 33A: Dedicated work (ODE); 35A: Justice appointed after Clarence (RUTH); 36A: Religiously devoted (PIOUS); 38A: Go up the creek without a paddle? (SWIM); 39A: Doggy bag item (ORT); 40A: She had a big hit with "Thank You" in 2001 (DIDO); 41A: Prepares, as a hook (BAITS); 42A: They're fun to jump in (PILES OF LEAVES); 46A: Ben-Gurion airline (EL AL); 47A: Toll-road toll unit (AXLE); 48A: Talk Like a Pirate Day cry (AARGH); 51A: Thrift store stipulation (AS IS); 52A: Counterterrorism org. (FBI); 55A: Pet owner's bane, and a hint to what's hidden in 17-, 26- and 42-Across (FLEA INFESTATION); 59A: Case the joint, say (ABET); 60A: Plant used for first aid (ALOE); 61A: Blair's predecessor (MAJOR); 62A: Tool used to create 42-Across (RAKE); 63A: "__ of Steel": '80s workout video (BUNS); 64A: Sudden increase (SPIKE); 1D: Hamster's home (CAGE); 2D: Prima donnas have big ones (EGOS); 3D: Happy tune (LILT); 4D: Will Ferrell holiday comedy (ELF); 5D: Personal theology elements (BELIEFS); 6D: Burn a dessert on purpose? (FLAMBÉ); 7D: Helps out (AIDS); 8D: End of a common list (ZEE); 9D: It's W of the Urals (EUR.); 10D: Orbital high point (APOGEE); 11D: More than just butterflies (FEAR); 12D: "Still mooing," at a steakhouse (RARE); 13D: Bygone automaker (OLDS); 18D: Banjoist Scruggs (EARL); 19D: Watching the clock, perhaps (BORED); 23D: Above the strike zone (HIGH); 24D: Biblical birthright seller (ESAU); 25D: Getaway spots (INNS); 26D: Suck down (SLURP); 27D: __-frutti (TUTTI); 28D: Hard to get close to (ALOOF); 29D: "Yikes!" ("ZOWIE!"); 30D: Puts in a good word? (EDITS); 31D: Debate side (PRO); 34D: Miami couple? (EMS); 36D: City on the Arno (PISA); 37D: 1-Across, usually (IDOL); 38D: Word processing command (SAVE); 40D: Indian metropolis (DELHI); 41D: Aromatic firs (BALSAMS); 43D: Emissary (LEGATE); 44D: Misses (LASSES); 45D: Escape hatch, e.g. (EXIT); 48D: Way, way off (AFAR); 49D: Jessica of "Fantastic Four" (ALBA); 50D: Stink to high heaven (REEK); 51D: Long, long time (AEON); 52D: Pacific archipelago (FIJI); 53D: Volume (BOOK); 54D: Memo header (IN RE); 56D: Catch red-handed (NAB); 57D: Fever cause (FLU); 58D: Suds source (TAP).

01.16 Sun

S U N D A Y (syndicated)

January 16, 2011
Jonathan Black

[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: "Put Me In, Coach" — The word "ME" is added to familiar phrases and words to create wacky entries.

Theme answers:

• 23A: King of workouts? (HENRY THE FIRMEST).
• 45A: Belittle Short? (DEMEAN MARTIN).
• 96A: Rogaine-induced reverie? (DREAMED LOCKS).
• 119A: Institution for Shrek and Fiona? (HOMELY MATRIMONY).
• 15D: Footballers who draw flags? (DIRTY LINEMEN).
• 48D: Purloined sirloin? (MEAT HEIST)?
• 51D: Zoo area for dromedaries? (CAMEL ZONE).
• 64D: Silent cowboy flick? (MIMED WESTERN).

Hey, folks. It's Sunday, so that means you have to put up with me (Doug) again. Let's get to it.

If I'm not mistaken, this is Jonathan Black's debut puzzle. Congratulations! Considering the title, I'll bet Mr. Black is John Fogerty fan:

Only 29 days until pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training!

Today's theme is straightforward, and the title describes it to a tee. HENRY THE FIRMEST, HOMELY MATRIMONY, and DIRTY LINEMEN are all excellent. But you might have noticed that the two shortest theme entries were more difficult to figure out: MEAT HEIST & CAMEL ZONE. In each case, ME is added to a word, and then that word is split to form two new words. "Atheist" becomes MEAT HEIST and a tasty "calzone" becomes CAMEL ZONE. (Technically, "midwestern" & "dreadlocks" are words too, but it's easier to see the splits in those two.) So what do you think? Do you like those short entries, or are they unfair? "Purloined sirloin?" is a pretty sweet clue, so I'm OK with the MEAT HEIST.

Bullets:

• 19A: Man of La Mancha (SENOR). I'll let imsdave provide the video for this one. He's our resident Broadway expert.
• 63A: Fragrant resin (ELEMI). This is a tough entry that shows up every now and then. I sometimes confuse it with another similar entry. I won't tell you what it is, because you'll get confused too.
• 94A: Hasenpfeffer, e.g. (STEW). Rabbit stew. I learned this word from Bugs Bunny cartoons.

• 125A: "-zoic" things (ERAS). We currently live in the Cenozoic Era.
• 8D: Churchill's "so few": Abbr. (RAF). Short for the Royal Air Force. "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few" is a famous line delivered by Winston Churchill during the Battle of Britain.
• 32D: 1970s-'90s Toyota (TERCEL). They don't make Tercels anymore? I had no idea. I was born without the "car gene" that most guys have. I have no interest in cars, period. I barely know what kind of car I own.
• 74D: Beat (ROUTE). This one confused me at first, because I was thinking the verb "beat" and the answer ROUT. Then I figured out it was the noun "beat," like a cop on the beat.

• 80D: Saroyan's "My Name is ___" (ARAM). Hey, "a ram" is one of the zodiac symbols, and I'm sure most of you have heard that our familiar zodiac signs have all shifted. (How's that for a segue?) And there's a new 13th sign, right? Uh, I'm sure that's fascinating. I know a guy who used to write horoscopes for one of the major syndicated newspaper astrology columns. He turned them out in batches of 300. They'd tell him something like "give us 300 on relationships, 300 on jobs, and 300 on finances." And here's the part that might shock you: they were then assigned randomly to the zodiac signs. The good news is that they won't have to change their system to accommodate the new signs.
• 121D: "Are we there ___?" (YET).

Be sure to come back on Monday. PuzzleGirl has a couple of big surprises in store for us next week, and you're going to love them. See ya next Sunday.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 1A: Toward the ship's rear (ABAFT).
• 20A: Asian nurse (AMAH).
• 55A: Hip bones (ILIA).
• 62A: Commander in Arabic (EMIR).
• 126A: Cork's home (EIRE).
• 129A: Coastal raptors (ERNS).
• 9D: Key letter (PHI).
• 16D: O, in old radio lingo (OBOE).
• 18D: "... ___ he drove out of sight" (ERE).
• 112D: Brio (ELAN).
• 114D: Capone harasser (NESS).
• 120D: "Catch-22" pilot (ORR).

Everything Else—6A: It may be rolled out (TARP); 10A: Sandler of "Big Daddy" (ADAM); 14A: Really dig (ADORE); 21A: Steam (up) (RILE); 22A: River to the Tyrrhenian Sea (TIBER); 26A: Cache (TROVE); 27A: Jam time (SESSION); 28A: Balaam's mount (ASS); 29A: Upscale groups (ELITES); 31A: Swore (ATTESTED); 34A: By far (EASILY); 36A: Seed protector (ARIL); 39A: Isolate, in a way (ENISLE); 41A: Green sides (SALADS); 50A: __ Victor (RCA); 52A: Country where Baha'i was founded (IRAN); 53A: Lab subject (DNA); 54A: Bully (COERCE); 57A: Milky Way phenomenon believed to occur almost weekly (NOVA); 58A: Delay (LAG); 59A: Bullet that leaves a trail (TRACER); 60A: Wordsworth works (POEMS); 65A: "My mama done __ me ...": song lyric (TOL'); 66A: One paying a flat fee (LESSEE); 67A: Earned (MADE); 68A: Creep (INCH); 70A: Good in the 'hood (BAD); 71A: Bowler's assignment (LANE); 73A: Cup part (BRIM); 76A: Parting shot, say (RETORT); 79A: La __ (PAZ); 81A: Chimborazo's range (ANDES); 85A: Bank deposit (LODE); 86A: Beauty pageant prize (TIARA); 87A: Pounds (THROBS); 89A: "__ fallen ..." (I'VE); 90A: Word most often heard around midnight (AULD); 91A: Talk with one's hands (SIGN); 92A: A lot of thinking is done in them (CRANIA); 93A: Truck capacity unit (TON); 95A: Antitrust law enforcer: Abbr. (FTC); 99A: Mezzo Berganza (TERESA); 101A: They have reservations (HOTELS); 103A: Quaker's pronoun (THEE); 104A: Confined (SHUT IN); 106A: Most austere (BLEAKEST); 111A: Compound used to stabilize perfume (KETONE); 113A: Charlotte-to-Raleigh dir. (ENE); 115A: Self-playing instrument (PIANOLA); 118A: Like some floors (TILED); 124A: Bestow (AWARD); 127A: Bistro bill of fare (CARTE); 128A: Fool (NINNY); 130A: Artistic impressions, briefly? (TATS); 131A: See 2-Down (KNEES); 1D: Lenten symbol (ASH); 2D: With 131-Across, greatest thing (BEES); 3D: Writer Tyler (ANNE); 4D: On eBay, e.g. (FOR SALE); 5D: Assignation (TRYST); 6D: California border lake (TAHOE); 7D: Words of agreement (AMENS); 10D: Guns (ARMS); 11D: Semi filler (DIESEL); 12D: Capone and Capp (ALS); 13D: Allots, with "out" (METES); 14D: Fifth-century scourge (ATTILA); 17D: Guns (REVS); 24D: Little bird (TIT); 25D: Pie cuts, essentially (RADII); 30D: Dr. Cuddy on "House" (LISA); 33D: Come in (ENTER); 35D: Mountain homes (AERIES); 36D: Discombobulate (ADDLE); 37D: Kidney-related (RENAL); 38D: Candidate's concern (IMAGE); 40D: Threw barbs (SNIPED); 42D: Pizzeria attraction (AROMA); 43D: Longtime Seinfeld collaborator (DAVID); 44D: Catch (SNARE); 46D: Join the cast of (ACT IN); 47D: "__ any drop to drink": Coleridge (NOR); 49D: "Giovanna d'__": Verdi opera (ARCO); 56D: __ Altos, California (LOS); 61D: Caribbean, e.g. (SEA); 66D: Delt neighbor (LAT); 69D: PC component (CRT); 70D: German chancellor, 1969-'74 (BRANDT); 72D: Like Willie Nelson's voice (NASAL); 73D: Great time (BLAST); 75D: Dynamo's antithesis (IDLER); 77D: Discipline involving slow movement (TAI CHI); 78D: Web address ending (ORG); 79D: "Wheel of Fortune" category (PHRASE); 82D: Abandon (DITCH); 83D: Arouse (EVOKE); 84D: Taste, e.g. (SENSE); 87D: Immune response component (T-CELL); 88D: Nod, maybe (BID); 95D: Man-goat deity (FAUN); 97D: Mutiny (REBEL); 98D: It can help you relax (OTTOMAN); 100D: Poorly made (SHODDY); 102D: Like some bands (ONE-MAN); 105D: Giggle (TEHEE); 107D: Like soldiers and their families, usually (APART); 108D: Toys with tails (KITES); 109D: Ring bearer? (EAR); 110D: Small cut (SNICK); 111D: Smallest ratite bird (KIWI); 116D: Traditional wisdom (LORE); 117D: A chip, maybe (ANTE); 118D: "The Joy Luck Club" author (TAN); 122D: "Mamma __!" (MIA); 123D: "Absolutely!" (YES).