07.30 Sat

S A T U R D A Y
July 30, 2011
Neville Fogarty

Theme: None

Looks like we're ending the week with a tough, fun Saturday romp from Neville Longbo… er—Fogarty. As I write about this puzzle I'm going to try to forget that Neville is responsible for the completely irritating song that's stuck in my head right now. You really don't wanna know. Okay, okay, if the suspense is killing you, go ahead and click on this link. I wouldn't recommend it though. You Have Been Warned!

There are some pretty nice stacks in this grid. I think my favorite is LADY GAGA / ALGEBRA I / PIERRE, S.D. (12D: Singer known for unconventional outfits / 13D: Basic math course / 14D: Second-least populous st. capital). Other stand-out entries to me include BANANARAMA (60A: Female pop trio since 1979 — was it really that long ago??) and RV HOOKUP (36D: KOA amenity). That last one was a gimme for me. When I took my epic road-trip across the country mumble-mumble-teen years ago I camped at KOAs along the way and was kind of surprised to learn that there's a whole RV culture out there. I had no idea! Some of the nicest people I've ever met too. They thought this (relatively) young woman traveling alone and sleeping in a tent was a little on the nutty side, but they looked out for me, which was really nice and comforting.

This next part I'm going to write is a little … sensitive. Please select the text here and you can see what I've written. Neville, you should just skip this and go on to the bullets. [TIR? AMOY?? Seriously?? WTF?? Those entries are completely ridiculous! Blech!]

Bullets:

• 1A: Revisiting the past? (TIME TRAVEL). Immediately brings to mind "The Time Traveler's Wife" and "Back to the Future," both of which are awesome.

• 11A: __ shot (SLAP). Who knew how many different kinds of shots could come into a person's head at one time? Bank shot, drop shot, rim shot, etc., etc. Of course this particular shot is from one of the few sports I know nothing about (hockey). Fortunately (?), PuzzleHusband often quotes from the movie "SLAP shot," so the phrase was knocking around in my brain somewhere.
• 15A: "Been there" ("I CAN RELATE"). If you know anything about me, you know I love seeing colloquial phrases in the grid. This one is awesome, as is "AS I SAID …" (<39A: "To reiterate …").
• 34A: Tales you can also read backwards? (SAGAS). You can't actually read the tale itself backwards, but you can read the word SAGAS backwards. Cute!
• 42A: Jenny Fields's son, in a 1978 best-seller (T. S. GARP). Man it must be a hundred years since I read this book and the answer came to me immediately. Now if I could only remember what I came in here for ….

• 58A: Whitman of "Arrested Development" (MAE). I always get this show confused with "Curb Your Enthusiasm" in my head. They're both on my Need To Watch List.
• 65A: Only place on Earth where crocodiles and alligators co-exist (EVERGLADES). Look how this kinda boring answer is dressed up with a cool clue.
• 2D: Mariner from Japan (ICHIRO!).
• 11D: Duck in the Eurasian taiga (SMEW). Duck in the Eurasian what-ga?
• 35D: Shepherd-protecting org. (ASPCA). One of two misleading dog clues in this puzzle. See also CANINE (29A: Like some boxers).
• 38D: Pioneer in side-scrolling video games (NINTENDO). Who knew?
• 50D: One may come with wings (BREAST). Mmmm… chicken.
• 63D: Emulate Sir Mix-A-Lot (RAP).

Everything — 1A: Revisiting the past? (TIME TRAVEL); 11A: __ shot (SLAP); 15A: "Been there" ("I CAN RELATE"); 16A: Country with a green, yellow and red flag (MALI); 17A: Israelites, to many (CHOSEN ONES); 18A: Hone (EDGE); 19A: The sport of shooting, in Soissons (TIR); 20A: Took in (ATE); 21A: Finn's friend (SAWYER); 23A: Sarah McLachlan's record label (ARISTA); 25A: Chinese port also known as Xiamen (AMOY); 27A: 2012 games host country, in Olympics code (GBR); 28A: Come to (COST); 29A: Like some boxers (CANINE); 31A: "Who __ we kidding?" (ARE); 32A: Personification (AVATAR); 34A: Tales you can also read backwards? (SAGAS); 36A: Fakes (RINGERS); 39A: "To reiterate ..." ("AS I SAID …"); 41A: Notable Nixon gesture (V-SIGN); 42A: Jenny Fields's son, in a 1978 best-seller (T. S. GARP); 44A: Luv (HON); 45A: Talked up (TOUTED); 47A: Certain dieter's concern (CARB); 51A: Go (for) (OPT); 52A: Objects (ENDS); 53A: Glassy-eyed one (STARER); 55A: Brand named for two states (ORE-IDA); 57A: __ favor (POR); 58A: Whitman of "Arrested Development" (MAE); 59A: Essex neighbor (KENT); 60A: Female pop trio since 1979 (BANANARAMA); 64A: Go back, in a way (UNDO); 65A: Only place on Earth where crocodiles and alligators co-exist (EVERGLADES); 66A: Lowly worker (PEON); 67A: Pans, and how (TEARS APART); 1D: Popular mint (TIC TAC); 2D: Mariner from Japan (ICHIRO); 3D: "The Piano" extras (MAORIS); 4D: USNA grad (ENS.); 5D: Pay for (TREAT); 6D: Airport offering (RENT-A-CAR); 7D: Succulent genus (ALOE); 8D: Cargo carrier (VAN); 9D: Summer abroad (ÉTÉ); 10D: Good thing to learn (LESSON); 11D: Duck in the Eurasian taiga (SMEW); 12D: Singer known for unconventional outfits (LADY GAGA); 13D: Basic math course (ALGEBRA I); 14D: Second-least populous st. capital (PIERRE, S.D.); 22D: Bridge response (AYE SIR); 24D: Immortal college coach (STAGG); 25D: Santa __ (ANA); 26D: Illusion (MIRAGE); 30D: Ready to father (AT STUD); 33D: Let it all out (VENTED); 35D: Shepherd-protecting org. (ASPCA); 36D: KOA amenity (RV HOOKUP); 37D: Petroleum processing by-product (ISOPRENE); 38D: Pioneer in side-scrolling video games (NINTENDO); 40D: Tearjerkers of a kind (SAD SONGS); 43D: 61-Down crossers: Abbr. (STS.); 46D: How some stunts are done (ON A BET); 48D: Fighting force (ARMADA); 49D: Hole widener (REAMER); 50D: One may come with wings (BREAST); 54D: Refrain from singing? (TRA-LA); 56D: "Bring __!" (IT ON); 57D: Tudor widow (PARR); 61D: See 43-Down (AVE.); 62D: Gp. for teachers (NEA); 63D: Emulate Sir Mix-A-Lot (RAP).

04.21 Thu

T H U R S D A Y
April 21, 2011
Neville L. Fogarty

Theme: OMG! One Masterful Grid — Three-letter "netspeak" abbreviations are used as the inspiration for theme entries that begin with the same three letters.

Theme Entries:

• 17A: Acquire incriminating info (on), as hinted by 19-Across (GET THE GOODS).
• 19A: "I'm heading out," in netspeak (GTG).
• 33A: Lament about a lost opportunity, as hinted by 32-Across (I MISSED OUT).
• 32A: "Here's how I see it," in netspeak (IMO).
• 38A: "Break time's over," as hinted by 41-Across (BACK TO WORK).
• 41A: "Oh, and did I mention ...," in netspeak (BTW).
• 56A: Charity for young alopecia sufferers, as hinted by 55-Across (LOCKS OF LOVE).
• 55A: "That's too funny!" in netspeak (LOL).

(The netspeak abbreviations stand for Got To Go, In My Opinion, By The Way, and Laughing Out Loud.)

Hey, puzzle fans. Doug here today. If you follow the blog, you know that PuzzleGirl and her family are moving this weekend, and she's a little busier than usual. So you're going to have to put up with fill-in bloggers for the next few days. We'll do our best to keep things light and puzzly. (I hope PuzzleGirl's not checking up on me today, because the purple in my grid doesn't go with the blog color scheme. She'll think it clashes. Looks OK to me.)

Fun puzzle from Neville Fogarty. The first thing I noticed was that the pattern of black squares in the grid was unusual. So I suspected that the theme was going to be out of the ordinary. Yep, Neville had to place a three-letter entry next to each of the long theme entries, and that explains the interesting grid design. I like the way it sort of looks like a whirlpool in the center.

As for the theme itself, I liked that too. These new-fangled chat/text abbreviations the kids are using have been a boon for crossword constructors. We love new three-letter entries! I don't know which constructor was the first to put LOL or OMG into a grid, but the floodgates have been opened and there's no going back. Fifty years from now, people are still going to see LOL in their crosswords and they'll wonder what the heck "Texter's titter" means. Anyway, Neville made clever use of four common texting abbreviations today. And I thought the theme answers got better as I moved down the puzzle. GET THE GOODS is a little clunky without "on," but not horrible. I MISSED OUT is good. BACK TO WORK & LOCKS OF LOVE are excellent. I read an article in a local newspaper yesterday about a seven-year old girl who donated her knee-length hair to Locks of Love, so that entry jumped out at me. I'd donate my hair if I had any left.

There's plenty of cool stuff in the rest of the grid, so let's get to it.

Bullets:

• 11A: Is for all? (ARE). "Are" is the plural form of "is." Hmmm, I'm not positive that "plural form" is the correct term, but you get the idea, right?

• 23A: Pearl weights (CARATS). I wasn't sure whether this was going to be CARATS or KARATS. Then I remembered that carats are units of weight, and karats are units of purity (24k gold, e.g.). PuzzleGirl probably has a good mnemonic to help you remember that.
• 25A: Stone's 14: Abbr. (LBS). A stone is equivalent to 14 pounds. They still use that measurement in the UK apparently. I heard that Kate Middleton weighs around eight stone (112 pounds) and she'd like to gain another stone before her big wedding. Sounds painful.
• 62A: Turn right? (ORIENT). Great clue. If you turn someone the right way, you orient them. I have a horrible sense of direction, so I need a lot of orienting.
• 65A: Large TV family (BRADYS). Nine of them, if you count Cousin Oliver.
• 5D: Greets the visitors (JEERS). Clue of the day. My first thought was "Wow, that's rude." Then I figured it out. When you're at the ballpark, how do you greet the visiting team? With boos and hisses and jeers.
• 23D: "Avatar" spec. effects (CGI). Short for computer-generated imagery.
• 41D: Robin's way down (BATPOLE). Holy awesome entry, Neville! I've seen the Batmobile and the Batcave in puzzles before, but never the Batpole. I love it.

• 44D: One taking a lot of notes (TELLER). Bank teller. Another super clue.
• 54D: "Ohio" folk-rock quartet, initially (CSNY). Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. I just noticed that if you put an "I" in the middle, you get the TV show "CSI: NY." Trippy.

• 43D: Bentley of "Ghost Rider" (WES). Ghost Rider might be my second favorite comic book character after Batman. Why? Because he's a flaming skeleton who rides a motorcycle. It doesn't get much cooler than that. I saw the "Ghost Rider" movie, and it....wasn't good. But it had scenes with a flaming skeleton riding a motorcycle, so I feel I got my money's worth. Also, you could pretend that Nicolas Cage was actually on fire, and that was fun. All that said, I have no idea who Wes Bentley is.
• 59A: Soccer mom's need (VAN). You also need one if you're moving. I really wish I lived near PuzzleGirl so I could help her move some furniture. Too bad I'm on the other side of the country. I'm heartbroken.

PG has lined up some talented guest bloggers for Friday and Saturday. I'll see you all on Sunday. TTFN.

04.03 Sun

S U N D A Y
April 3, 2011 (syndicated)
Doug Peterson

[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: "The Play's the Thing" - 8 familiar playthings immortalized together are brought together again in this puzzle.

Theme answers:

• 23A: *They're educational and stakable (ALPHABET BLOCKS).
• 38A: *Construction set invented by Frank Lloyd Wright's son (LINCOLN LOGS).
• 47A: *Street hockey gear (ROLLER SKATES).
• 91A: *Shipping container (CARDBOARD BOX).
• 98A: *Dual-knobbed drawing device (ETCH A SKETCH).
• 119A: *Kindergartner's boxful (CRAYOLA CRAYONS).
• 15D: *Board game with color-coded cards (CANDY LAND).
• 81D: *Cuddly bedmate (TEDDY BEAR).
• 68A: Rochester, N.Y., institution whose inductees include the eight answers to the starred clues (NATIONAL TOY HALL OF FAME).

Hi, everybody! Neville here, sitting in for Doug. Why? Because he wrote this puzzle - you read the byline, didn't you? You might remember me for a few puzzles that I've had in the LA Times. Or not - I'm certainly not as prolific as Doug, who's had nearly 30 puzzles in the LA Times since this blog started up! Wow! Doug is one of my favorite constructors, and I'm pleased to make my debut here as a guest blogger on a Peterson puzzle.

Do you ever get lucky when solving a puzzle? I got lucky this time - I remembered a Sporcle quiz I played a little while back also based on this subject. Go give it a shot (after you finish reading this post, of course!) - you'll have an eight-answer head start. Big ups to Doug for picking out 8 of the stars from that list and cramming them all into this grid.

Bullets:

• 77A: Picnic favorite (BEAN SALAD). I had LEAF SALAD. That didn't work! I find both pasta and potato salads to be better than both of those choices at picnics, but neither of them fit.
• 78A: Tiny bit (TITTLE). When I think tittle, I think the dot over the miniscule i. I wrote in LITTLE instead.
• 82A: Tool used in a bed (HOE). Take it away, Ken Jennings:
  
  
  
• 25D: Scott of "Happy Days" (BAIO). More recently, Scott had a minor role as a lawyer on "Arrested Development". Enjoy some wordplay:



• 52D: Period of sacrifice (LENT). For those keeping score at home, three weeks until Easter!
• 58D: 1988 A.L. MVP (CANSECO). Jose Canseco is now known for having reached that pinnacle of fame that is being a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice.
• 94D: Peninsula north of Martha's Vineyard (CAPE COD). Did you know that Martha's Vineyard is one of only five apostrophes in a US natural feature name. Crazy, huh? Learn more here!
• 83D: NBA's __ Man of the Year Award (SIXTH). Of course, all eyes are on the NCAA tournament at the moment, but I think this is a great clue - I was stumped for a good while. Who's going to take it all - Butler or UConn?
• 100D: Three Stooges family name (HOWARD). Nyuk nyuk nyuk! I don't remember the Stooges being this violent or poorly edited:



• 101D: First non-European literature Nobelist (1913) (TAGORE). Let's learn something together, shall we? Rabindranath Tagore (aka Gurudev) was a Bengali poet/playwright/musician/artist. His best known work was Gitanjali, a collection of English poems. I fell for the double that this person might be American and that I might have heard of them - but I learned something, and that's pretty cool, too.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 5A: Gate approx. (ETD). You've gotta get this D from the crossing - that's always a pain.
• 19A: Airline with a Ben Gurion hub (EL AL)
• 32A: Santa __ winds (ANA).
• 55A: Word between surnames (NÉE).
• 57A: City SSW of Moscow (OREL).
• 67A: Itty-bitty, in Inverness (SMA). I think this is a new one for the blog - maybe PG doesn't think this is Crosswordese, but I do. It's easy to remember this Scottish word for small - just take off the last two letters!
• 97A: '80s missile shield prog. (SDI).
• 4D: Pre-coll. catchall (EL-HI). Who says this? This is my pet peeve bit of crosswordese.
• 78D: Gumshoes (TECS). We've seen the singular here before for sure.
• 89D: Classified letters (EOE). Ah, the dreaded EOE/EEO dilemma. Did you guess correctly?

[I'm not on it yet, but if you are, you should totally follow PuzzleGirl on Twitter.]

Everything else - 1A: Cause for fishing hole excitement (BITE); 8A: Fleshy-snouted mammal (TAPIR); 13A: Fearless Fosdick's creator (AL CAPP); 20A: Book flap feature (BIO); 21A: Ridiculous (INANE); 22A: Comfortable shoe (LOAFER); 26A: Unlearned (INNATE); 27A: Long-tailed songbird (PIPIT); 28A: Shade of green (PEA); 29A: It's done in some circles (SEWING); 31A: Sturdy wagon (DRAY); 33A: Actor Estevez (EMILIO); 36A: "A Taste of Honey" dramatist (DELANEY); 41A: DMV document (LIC.); 42A: Vaquero's plain (LLANO); 46A: Arles affirmatives (OUIS); 50A: Port-du-__: French cheese (SALUT); 53A: Script section (SCENE); 56A: PBS series since 1974 (NOVA); 58A: Breezy good-byes (CIAOS); 60A: QB's try (ATT.); 62A: First name among disrespected comedians? (RODNEY); 64A: Pollution-free power sources (WIND FARMS); 66A: Links highlight (ACE); 75A: Jenny, e.g. (ASS); 76A: "Reliable Sources" airer (CNN); 83A: Swedish imports (SAABS); 84A: Winged goddess (NIKE); 85A: War of 1812 shipbuilding port (ERIE); 86A: Half a dance (CHA); 88A: "Gone With the Wind" Oscar winner (LEIGH); 90A: Dramatist Chekhov (ANTON); 94A: "How __ refuse?" (CAN I); 96A: Hardly posh (SEEDY); 104A: Home of Chichén Itzá (YUCATAN); 107A: Hullabaloo (HOOPLA); 108A: "Bingo!" ("AHA!"); 109A: Crime lab item (SWAB); 112A: Not spontaneous (STAGED); 114A: Come up short (OWE); 115A: "King Lear" daughter (REGAN); 117A: Ripped to pieces (TORE UP); 122A: Mystical secrets (ARCANA); 123A: "True Grit," for one (OATER); 124A: 20th-century composer Harris (ROY); 125A: Logical connector (ERGO); 126A: 1943 Allied conference site (TEHRAN); 127A: Campout treat (S'MORE); 128A: 34th pres. (DDE); 129A: Look to be (SEEM); 1D: "Little help here, bud?" ("BE A PAL"); 2D: "Fighting" team (ILLINI); 3D: __ Zee Bridge (TAPPAN); 5D: Flow's counterpart (EBB); 6D: Ascot fasteners (TIE PINS); 7D: "I'm listening!" ("DO TELL!"); 8D: Up to, in brief (TIL); 9D: "__ Amours": 1984 César Award-winning film (ANOS); 10D: Walked worriedly (PACED); 11D: Bygone writing aid (INKWELL); 12D: Able to overcome adversity (RESILIENT); 13D: Bring into harmony (ALIGN); 14D: Contemporary of Boris (LON); 16D: Where some worship from (AFAR); 17D: Anti-leather gp. (PETA); 18D: Zebras, to lions (PREY); 24D: Did lunch, say (ATE OUT); 30D: Iridescent jewelry material (NACRE); 34D: 1,051, to Hadrian (MLI); 35D: Fiends of fantasy (OGRES); 37D: Buckskin source (ELK); 39D: "What else __ do?" (COULD I); 40D: Elroy, to George Jetson (SON); 43D: Oodles (A TON); 44D: Snow in Milano (NEVE); 45D: Anthem beginning (O SAY); 48D: Percolate (LEACH); 49D: Sunday deliveries (SERMONS); 50D: Planted (SOWN); 51D: "Turandot" highlight (ARIA); 53D: O.T. prophet (SAML.); 54D: Bulk-purchase club (COSTCO); 58D: 1988 A.L. MVP (CANSECO); 59D: Funds for later yrs. (IRA'S); 61D: Leaves home? (TEABAG); 63D: Bozos (OAFS); 65D: Newborn Arabian (FOAL); 66D: Objectivism advocate Rand (AYN); 67D: Healthy portion (SLAB); 69D: Spaghetti pkg. unit (ONE LB.); 70D: Remini of "The King of Queens" (LEAH); 71D: Author Flagg (FANNIE); 72D: Hit the ground (ALIT); 73D: Speedy shark (MAKO); 74D: Idyllic setting (EDEN); 79D: "Dies __" (IRAE); 80D: Flag (TIRE); 82D: Crunchy Mexican munchies (HARD TACOS); 87D: Tackles (HAS AT); 90D: Capital south of the Black Sea (ANKARA); 92D: Mitt Romney's alma mater: Abbr. (BYU); 93D: Family tree, e.g. (DIAGRAM); 95D: Silent communication syst. (ASL); 99D: "Groovy!" ('COOL!"); 100D: Three Stooges family name (HOWARD); 101D: First non-European literature Nobelist (1913) (TAGORE); 102D: Meter feeder's need (CHANGE); 103D: Quaint carriage (HANSOM); 105D: It covers D.C. (C-SPAN); 106D: "Groovy!" ("NEATO!"); 109D: Fan's factoid (STAT); 110D: Modeled (WORE); 111D: Raise, as an eyebrow (ARCH); 113D: Tannery worker (DYER); 116D: Checks out (EYES); 118D: Uruguayan article (UNA); 120D: Stuff in a seam (ORE); 121D: Sourdough alternative (RYE)

M O N D A Y November 8, 2010 Neville Fogarty

Theme: Puzztastic! — Theme answers are familiar phrases whose first word rhymes with "bombastic."


Theme answers:

• 17A: Last resort actions (DRASTIC MEASURES).
• 27A: 2009 Clooney/Streep film based on a Roald Dahl book (FANTASTIC MR. FOX).
• 44A: Scrunchie, e.g. (ELASTIC HAIRTIE).
• 55A: Kitschy lawn ornament (PLASTIC FLAMINGO).

Hey, look who's here. It's Neville again! Remember last week how I posted a picture of Neville Longbottom on the post with Neville Fogarty's puzzle? Well, apparently that prompted him (Neville Fogarty) to change his Facebook profile picture and it's perfect!

So, the puzzle. I felt like I struggled with it, but when I finished it was pretty much exactly the same amount of time I typically spend on Mondays. Maybe it's because there's barely any crosswordese in it (which is awesome on a Monday). The theme is cute. I'm not crazy about ELASTIC HAIRTIE. I mean, sure, that's what it is, but that's not a phrase that trips off the tongue, ya know? And, yes, I understand what is meant by PLASTIC FLAMINGO but I don't think I've ever called it that. Pretty sure I've only called the flamingo yard decoration a "pink flamingo," which does nothing to distinguish it from the actual pink flamingo bird, but hey, that's how I roll. So, I'm gonna do a little sleuthing here. … Turns out "plastic flamingo" and "plastic flamingos" (in the plural) get a total of about 25K Google hits. Obviously, "pink flamingo" isn't going to give us the results we want because, unlike me, Google doesn't automatically distinguish between the lawn ornament and the actual bird. "Plastic pink flamingo," however, gets 250K hits. What does that tell us? Well, nothing, actually. But it was fun, right?

Bullets:

• 16A: Loughlin of "90210" (LORI). Can't say I ever watched this show. Some of the boys on it were pretty cute though. Her name sounds familiar though. Hmmm ... Oh! She played Uncle Jesse's girlfriend-then-wife Becky on "Full House." The PuzzleKids luurrv that show.
• 21A: Icy space streakers (COMETS). If I say "I didn't know COMETS were icy" does that just make me look stupid?
• 22A: "The way I see it," in online shorthand (IMO). In My Opinion.
• 31A: Display ostentatiously (FLAUNT). If you've got it ….

• 35A: Soccer moms' transports (VANS). Just last week I started wondering when I'm going to be able to ditch the mini-van and get myself a nice little car. I think it might be soon.
• 49A: Dali display, say (ART). I entered ART first then thought, "Nah, that's too easy," and changed it to "oil." Then back to ART.
• 61A: Like some gases (INERT). I tried "noble" here first.
• 63A: Glittery rock style typified by David Bowie (GLAM). I've never been much of a Bowie fan, but I do enjoy this song.



• 11D: Rita who shouted "Hey you guys!" on "The Electric Company" (MORENO). Just took a quick look at Rita Moreno's Wikipedia page and wow, she's 78 years old. I loved her on "Electric Company." She's one of only 10 people who have won an Oscar, a Tony, a Grammy, and an Emmy. But you knew that.
• 13D: Actress Spacek (SISSY). I can't picture her without pigs blood all over her. That's unfortunate.
• 22D: Uncertain (IFFY). Ooh, that's a great little colloquial word.
• 41D: Saint Stephen's punishment for blasphemy (STONING). I'm not really up on my Bible, so I had to get this through crosses. (See what I did there?)

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 4D: Condé __ Publications (NAST).
• 8D: Maiden name lead-in (NÉE).
• 53D: Mennen shaving lotion (AFTA).

[Follow PuzzleGirl on Twitter.]

Everything Else — 1A: Like 20 Questions questions (YES-NO); 6A: Put together, as a book (BIND); 10A: Ratchets (up) (AMPS); 14A: Halloween option (TREAT); 15A: Over, in Germany (UBER); 20A: Celery pieces (STALKS); 24A: Sorrow (WOE); 25A: __ moment: sudden realization (AHA); 26A: Vote against (NAY); 32A: Landlord's contract (LEASE); 33A: Holler (YELL); 34A: "__ the season to be jolly ..." ('TIS); 39A: Malia Obama's sister (SASHA); 42A: Gripe and grouse (KVETCH); 47A: "One Day __ Time" (AT A); 48A: Pull a scam on (CON); 50A: Biblical beast (ASS); 51A: Abandon on an island (MAROON); 53A: Giorgio known for snazzy suits (ARMANI); 59A: Peru's capital (LIMA); 60A: Message passed in class (NOTE); 62A: Posing no challenge (EASY); 64A: Lymphatic tissue masses (NODES); 1D: Since Jan. 1, on a financial report (YTD); 2D: Botch something up (ERR); 3D: Like corn and apples (SEASONAL); 5D: From Canada's capital (OTTAWAN); 6D: Water carrier (BUCKET); 7D: PCs from Big Blue (IBMS); 9D: Old Greek coin (DRACHMA); 10D: Former student (ALUM); 12D: Before the state's cut, as income (PRE-TAX); 18D: Words of defeat (I LOST); 19D: Flies in the clouds (SOARS); 23D: Masculine (MALE); 25D: Top poker pair (ACES); 28D: Oklahoma oil city (TULSA); 29D: Hipbone-related (ILIAC); 30D: Flu symptom (FEVER); 34D: Like a fine line (THIN); 36D: Reached, as goals (ATTAINED); 37D: Mark Harmon military TV drama (NCIS); 38D: Women (SHES); 40D: Fancy scarf (ASCOT); 42D: Destiny (KARMA); 43D: A, B, C, D, E, or K (VITAMIN); 44D: And others: Latin (ET ALIA); 45D: '80s-'90s Anaheim Stadium NFL team (L.A. RAMS); 46D: Apollo Theater site (HARLEM); 47D: More than enough (AMPLE); 52D: "The Star-Spangled Banner" start (O SAY); 54D: El __: climate pattern (NIÑO); 56D: KFC's Sanders, e.g. (COL.); 57D: Univ. sr.'s exam (GRE); 58D: NBA tiebreakers (OTS).

S A T U R D A Y October 30, 2010 Neville Fogarty

Theme: None


A very nice Saturday offering today from Neville Fogarty. If I'm not mistaken, this is Neville's debut puzzle. No, wait. He had a puzzle in the Chronicle of Higher Education earlier this month, and I remember enjoying that one too. And I guess while we're spending some time talking about Neville, I should let you know that he has an entertaining blog, if you're interested in that sort of thing.

So, the puzzle. Lots of good stuff! I do just want to say right up front (to get it out of the way), that EXCITERS (3D: They'll get you going) is hideous. But you knew that. COOERS (56A: Doves and loves) is a little better, but not much. But if I start whining too much just give me two words: MONEY SHOT (6A: Angle on the Titanic sinking, to filmmakers). How awesome is that?! Now there's no doubt it would have been clued differently in, say, a BEQ puzzle, but even with this G-rated clue it's a great entry.

Bullets:

• 15A: Gwen's "Chicago" role, 1975 (ROXIE). Well, I knew one of them was named ROXIE. Oh, I just noticed this clue refers to the 1975 musical, not the 2002 movie. Gwen Verdon played ROXIE Hart in the 1975 version. Renée Zellweger was ROXIE in the movie.

• 19A: Vulnerable spot (BLIND SIDE). Speaking of movies, I never did see this one. I really want to read the book first. I heard the book is really good and it was written by Michael Lewis, the same guy who wrote Moneyball, which is one of my favorite books of all time.
• 22A: Takeout throw-in (CATSUP). This is one of those words that makes me cringe. I don't know why, but it really bugs me.
• 36A: Mess up, as power cords (ENSNARL). I am so looking forward to the day when everything is wireless so there won't be any ENSNARLments in my house!
• 54A: Letters seen near a tilde (ESC). The ESCape key is near the tilde key on a typical computer keyboard.
• 61A: TV show set at the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company (THE OFFICE).



• 1D: Traditional food at the Preakness (CRAB CAKE). The Preakness is always run at Pimlico in Maryland, so I guess that makes sense. They do like their CRAB CAKEs in Maryland.

• 4D: Team with a mascot named Roary (LIONS). Rex Parker's favorite team.
• 13D: Dan Aykroyd's birthplace (OTTAWA). I always forget he's Canadian.

Crosswordese 101: The only real crosswordese I see in the puzzle is SNEE, and we've already covered it.

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Everything Else — 1A: Small power source (C CELL); 16A: "Be right there!" ("IN A MINUTE!"); 17A: Big name in wrap (ALCOA); 18A: Out-of-court testifiers (DEPONENTS); 21A: Suggest (GET AT); 23A: 1942 FDR creation (OSS); 25A: Lea lady (EWE); 26A: Golden __ (AGE); 27A: It leads the way (PROW); 29A: Words in an infomercial disclaimer (PAID AD); 32A: Russell of "Felicity" (KERI); 34A: Actually (IN FACT); 39A: Came out with (UTTERED); 43A: Unstable situation (CRISIS); 45A: '70s attire making a comeback (MAXI); 46A: They can be rare (STEAKS); 49A: Charlie Brown never became one (TEEN); 52A: Decks, briefly (KOS); 53A: Many a startup ender, these days (COM); 58A: Make up (for) (ATONE); 63A: Ticketing agent? (METER MAID); 65A: Top level (ATTIC); 66A: Opened (PREMIERED); 67A: Drink garnish (TWIST); 68A: Words you may hear after being hurt (I'M SO SORRY); 69A: Measures of volume (SONES); 2D: Lip enhancer (COLLAGEN); 5D: Help cause, with "to" (LEAD UP); 6D: It's shorter than a 45-Across (MIDI); 7D: Barely losing (ONE DOWN); 8D: Barbers may shave them (NAPES); 9D: Genre of the 1997 album "Nothing Feels Good" (EMO); 10D: Qin dynasty family name (YING); 12D: Tried to trap (HUNTED); 14D: Stuck a toe in (TESTED); 20D: Three-mo. period (SPR.); 24D: Old footwear accessory (SPAT); 28D: Works on canvas (OILS); 30D: Routine (ACT); 31D: It may follow a bullet (ITEM); 33D: Old empire builder (INCA); 35D: Solder, say (FUSE); 37D: Old animal shelter (ARK); 38D: Get ready for a pledge (RISE); 40D: Win big (RAKE IT IN); 41D: Dispossess? (EXORCISE); 42D: Takes apart (DISSECTS); 44D: More fidgety (ITCHIER); 46D: Garlicky entrée (SCAMPI); 47D: Common way to carry a child? (TO TERM); 48D: Works on stage (EMOTES); 50D: Friendly start? (ECO-); 51D: Music to a dieter's ears (NO FATS); 55D: Name on a controversial 1998 report (STARR); 57D: Lesser __ evils (OF TWO); 59D: Marlin's son, in a 2003 film (NEMO); 60D: Greek goddess of discord (ERIS); 62D: Kayaker's obstacle (EDDY); 64D: __ periculo: at my own risk (MEO).