09.07 Wed

W E D N E S D A Y
September 7, 2011
Michael Sharp

Theme answers:

• 17A: Bills and catalogues? (TYPICAL MAIL).
• 29A: Monk's unusual appendage? (THE FRIAR'S TAIL).
• 48A: Where a kid's shovel may be found? (BEYOND THE PAIL).
• 61A: Traditional December spin around the harbor? (YEAR-END SAIL).

Hmmm … Michael Sharp. Michael. Sharp. The name sounds a little familiar…. Oh my gosh, it's Rex Parker! And look what he brought us today: another simple theme executed well, with fill that ranges from solid to sparkly. We're having a pretty great week so far is what I'm saying.

Really like the theme answers and clues in this one. THE FRIAR'S TAIL kind of stands out because it's unrealistic (also, the clue isn't good — I'm sure Michael will be along shortly to tell us about that). But TYPICAL MAIL gave me a chuckle and the clue for BEYOND THE PAIL (48A: Where a kid's shovel may be found?) is awesome. Mix in the two long downs — TRAVELIN' MAN and HEARTBROKEN — and you've got yourself a pretty colorful grid (11D: 1961 Ricky Nelson chart-topper / 25D: Like one just jilted).

This was another smooth solve for me. Only one write-over, when I tried QUAKE where SHAKE was supposed to go (24D: Tremble). And even as I was writing it in, I thought that Q didn't look good for the cross. I noticed a little baseball in the grid, which doesn't surprise me.

• 53A: Yanks' rival (SOX). Michael's beloved SOX and my beloved Yanks right here in the same entry. Just like ebony and ivory side-by-side on my piano keyboard.

• 66A: Top pitcher (ACE).
• 6D: Oriole great Ripken (CAL). I bet this kind of clue makes Billy Ripken feel bad about himself.
• 23D: Plate appearance (AT BAT).

Other quintessentially Rex entries in today's puzzle include APU (19A: "The Simpsons" character who graduated first in his class of seven million at the Calcutta Institute of Technology) and the clue for NNE (54A: Binghamton-to-Utica dir.). The only true clunker in the grid is the ugh-ly partial MAN A (56D: "Every __ Tiger": Clancy book about Operation Desert Storm), but the reference to the first Gulf War in the clue means that anyone complaining about it is an unpatriotic commie pinko, so that was pretty smart.

Bullets:

• 21A: Quick look (ONCE-OVER). Great colloquial phrase here. See also LOOK AT ME (55A: Show-off's shout) and I GUESS (28A: Tentative assent).

• 41A: The blahs (ENNUI). I like to say ENNUI with a super thick French accent. And a sigh.
• 30D: Rapper __ Rida (FLO). When I was a kid, I always thought it was silly how grown-ups would get all freaked out about popular music. Then one day, 10-year-old PuzzleDaughter was walking walking around the house singing Flo Rida's "Right Round," which, based on the chorus, I thought was about oral sex. Taking a closer look, I discovered it's about a stripper though, so whew! that's a relief.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 19A: "The Simpsons" character who graduated first in his class of seven million at the Calcutta Institute of Technology (APU).
• 43A: Vietnamese holiday (TET).
• 57D: "__ go bragh!" (ERIN).
• 62D: Some MIT grads (EE'S).

Everything — 1A: Outlook (VISTA); 6A: Previewed, as a joint (CASED); 11A: Attempt (TRY); 14A: Part of a squirrel's stash (ACORN); 15A: Abundant (AMPLE); 16A: Little hopper (ROO); 17A: Bills and catalogues? (TYPICAL MAIL); 19A: "The Simpsons" character who graduated first in his class of seven million at the Calcutta Institute of Technology (APU); 20A: Advanced deg. (PH.D.); 21A: Quick look (ONCE-OVER); 23A: Remnant in a tray (ASH); 26A: Bygone (OLD); 28A: Tentative assent (I GUESS); 29A: Monk's unusual appendage? (THE FRIAR'S TAIL); 33A: Canaanite deity (BAAL); 34A: Source of light meat (BREAST); 35A: Nev. neighbor (IDA.); 38A: Ohio hometown of LeBron James (AKRON); 40A: It ended Nov. 11, 1918 (WW I); 41A: The blahs (ENNUI); 43A: Vietnamese holiday (TET); 44A: Sci-fi invaders (ALIENS); 47A: Iowa State home (AMES); 48A: Where a kid's shovel may be found? (BEYOND THE PAIL); 51A: Take in (ARREST); 53A: Yanks' rival (SOX); 54A: Binghamton-to-Utica dir. (NNE); 55A: Show-off's shout (LOOK AT ME); 58A: Lyon king (ROI); 60A: "Disgusting!" ("ICK!"); 61A: Traditional December spin around the harbor? (YEAR-END SAIL); 66A: Top pitcher (ACE); 67A: Bert's pal (ERNIE); 68A: Michelob __: light beer brand (ULTRA); 69A: Anderson Cooper, to Gloria Vanderbilt (SON); 70A: "__ Hope": '70s-'80s soap (RYAN'S); 71A: Dinner course (SALAD); 1D: Large container (VAT); 2D: Dangerous, as a winter road (ICY); 3D: Bribe (SOP); 4D: You might do it over your own feet (TRIP); 5D: News show VIP (ANCHOR); 6D: Oriole great Ripken (CAL); 7D: BBs, for example (AMMO); 8D: Cross (SPAN); 9D: Brings out (ELICITS); 10D: Convention representative (DELEGATE); 11D: 1961 Ricky Nelson chart-topper (TRAVELIN' MAN); 12D: Boxing ring borders (ROPES); 13D: Letter sign-off (YOURS); 18D: Go off-script (AD LIB); 22D: French affirmative (OUI); 23D: Plate appearance (AT BAT); 24D: Tremble (SHAKE); 25D: Like one just jilted (HEARTBROKEN); 27D: "On the Origin of Species" author (DARWIN); 30D: Rapper __ Rida (FLO); 31D: Walked down the 37-Down again (REWED); 32D: 2010 Super Bowl champs (SAINTS); 36D: Scheduled to arrive (DUE IN); 37D: Bridal path (AISLE); 39D: Pessimist (NAYSAYER); 42D: Brief sleep (NAP); 45D: Fundraising game (LOTTERY); 46D: Newly wool-less (SHORN); 49D: Rodent-induced cry (EEK); 50D: Genesis follower (EXODUS); 51D: Rap sheet name, maybe (ALIAS); 52D: Golfer Mediate (ROCCO); 56D: "Every __ Tiger": Clancy book about Operation Desert Storm (MAN A); 57D: "__ go bragh!" (ERIN); 59D: One of las Canarias (ISLA); 62D: Some MIT grads (EE'S); 63D: World's busiest airport: Abbr. (ATL); 64D: Nest egg letters (IRA); 65D: Youngster (LAD).

01.19 Wed

W E D N E S D A Y
January 19, 2011
Michael Sharp & Angela Olson Halsted

[Note from PuzzleGirl: This is the one week out of the year where I'm going to just mention that there is a donation button over in the sidebar. Please read my pitch for donations at the beginning of Monday's write-up here. And thanks so much for being here and for all the kind notes I've received in the last couple days.]

Theme: Tank you sir, may I have another? Theme answers are different types of tanks. Today's sub-theme: PuzzleGirl is PublishedGirl!

Theme answers:

• 3D: *"Heads up!" (THINK FAST).
• 8D: *Pioneering Frank King comic strip featuring Walt and Skeezix (GASOLINE ALLEY). Heh, they said Skeezix.
• 17D: *Award-winning author of "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" (SHERMAN ALEXIE). "Award-winning" is in there so you don’t think he’s too obscure. I’d heard of him, but couldn’t have named anything he wrote.
• 33D: *Trendy place for a breather? (OXYGEN BAR).
  
• 24D: Sleeveless summer wear, or what each answer to a starred clue might be said to have (TANK TOP).

Today’s authors, Michael Sharp and Angela Olson Halsted, are none other than Rex Parker and PuzzleGirl! Since Doug’s off puzzle-creatin’ too, that just leaves me to talk about today's puzzle. I’m SethG, and I’ll be your host today.

After I’d finished I went back to find the theme. I was sort of thinking it somewhere between the front and the back of my mind, but I knew I’d seen that one of the clues doubled as a theme revealer while I'd been solving. So I went back through and…I couldn’t find it. I went through again. I verified that only the long downs were starred as theme clues. Finally, I wrote them all down. Well, “SHERMAN’s a tank”, I thought. With GASOLINE in there, that’s two. I looked again, finally saw TANK in the middle, and slapped my forehead. But not hard enough to leave a mark.

Interesting grid shape with the entire theme in the downs. If the theme answers had, as usual, been across clues, "top" would have made less sense as a revealer. And LEFT TANK is not as common a phrase as TANK TOP.

Nice: the tanks are different kinds of tanks. Had the puzzle included four kinds of infantry tanks, or even worse three militaries and one not, it'd have been significantly weaker. Also nice: the fill. Clean in general, super-clean for a debut, with a few sparklers and not much that's bad.

Other possible theme clues include DRUNK AS A SKUNK and TOILET TRAINED, both 13s. DUNKIN' DONUTS is close, but not quite.

Bullets:

• 14A: Like a supportive crowd (AROAR). Ayeuk.
  
• 15A: Come as you __ (ARE).
  
• 29A: UN workers' gp. (ILO). Two UN workers' gps. = one Philippine province and its seaport capital.
  
• 36A: Playwrite Hart (MOSS). One of those is presumably a first name.
  
• 49A: Polite links response (GOLF CLAP). Far and away the best thing in the grid, and an early nominee for Best Fill of the Year. Awesome!
  See also: 16A: China flaw (CHIP). And, sorta, 56A: Drive crazy (DERANGE).
• 60A: Like former admirals (EX-NAVY). Can't decide whether I love it or loathe it. I think it's love.
  
• 62A: Surefooted goat (IBEX). Love this, but probably just because I'm weird. IBEX isn't ideal fill, it's just that I love a clue like [Surefooted goat]. I remember writing similarly before about SMEWS, clued as [Eurasian ducks].
  
• 25D: Climbing lane occupant (SEMI). Yeah, I relied on the crosses for that. Apparently, a climbing lane is that extra lane for trucks they put on steep hills so they can go really slowly without impeding traffic.
  
• 61D: "Go Simpsonic With the Simpsons" composer Clausen (ALF). Tour buses in the Outback stop to visit a crazy guy named Talc Alf. He doesn't bathe much. I met him, we posed for a picture with his arm around me, and I had to take off my shirt and wash it before I could wear it again.
  

Crosswordese 101:

52D: Ed of "Up" (ASNER) is an actor, and he's been in a lot of stuff. There are no other ASNERs you need to remember, and you'll never memorize everything he's done. Aside from Up, his major roles were as Lou Grant on the Mary Tyler Moore Show and a spin-off and Captain Davies in Roots. He frequently plays characters from the Bronx; he's from Kansas City. He was president of the Screen Actor's Guild and won a tankload of Emmys.

Congrats PuzzleGirl (and Rex)! Great job!
[Follow PuzzleGirl on Twitter.]

Everything Else — 1A: They may be indoor or outdoor (PETS).; 5A: Starr with rhythm (RINGO).; 10A: Angel dust, for short (PCP).; 13A: Yearn (for) (ACHE).; 17A: Far from dense (SPARSE).; 18A: Source of rays (SUN).; 19A: "West Side Story" duet (TONIGHT).; 21A: Prepare to seal, as an envelope (MOISTEN).; 23A: Classic Welles role (KANE).; 24A: Whopper (TALLTALE).; 25A: Sunscreen letters (SPF).; 27A: 7-Down's "Casta diva," e.g. (ARIA).; 30A: Fab rival (ERA).; 31A: Agt. under Ness (TMAN).; 32A: Hose (NYLONS).; 38A: Place for a bracelet (ANKLE).; 40A: Suit (EXEC).; 41A: Like some conditional statements (IFTHEN).; 43A: Warty amphibian (TOAD).; 45A: Singer Sumac (YMA).; 46A: Hard-rock link (ASA).; 47A: Eye hungrily (OGLE).; 48A: Hunk (GOB).; 53A: Loll (LAZE).; 55A: Outfit (CLOTHES).; 59A: Back talk (LIP).; 63A: Pre-holiday day (EVE).; 64A: Handle with skill (WIELD).; 65A: Hindu royal (RANI).; 66A: Shriner's cap (FEZ).; 67A: Lowly workers (SERFS).; 68A: Part of Q.E.D. (ERAT).; 1D: Warsaw __ (PACT).; 2D: Bounce (ECHO).; 4D: Dark brown pigment (SEPIA).; 5D: Mesmerized (RAPT).; 6D: George's musical partner (IRA).; 7D: Bellini opera (NORMA).; 9D: 1990s "Inside Edition" host (OREILLY).; 10D: Shells, e.g. (PASTA).; 11D: Unusual companion? (CRUEL).; 12D: 10-Down type (PENNE).; 20D: Tiny biter (GNAT).; 22D: Lifted (STOLE).; 28D: John in Scotland (IAN).; 34D: Hard-to-find clownfish (NEMO).; 35D: Picketer's bane (SCAB).; 37D: Vertical passage (SHAFT).; 39D: Captain Kirk's record (LOG).; 42D: Stays away from (ESCHEWS).; 44D: Pricey (DEAR).; 49D: Staff symbol (GCLEF).; 50D: Drab color (OLIVE).; 51D: 1990s-2000s Braves catcher Javy (LOPEZ).; 54D: Rumble in the Jungle setting (ZAIRE).; 56D: Netflix shipments (DVDS).; 57D: Actress Rowlands (GENA).; 58D: __ poll (EXIT).