10.07 Fri

F R I D A Y
October 7, 2011
Pete Muller

Theme: G FORCE — The letters CE are replaced by the letter G in familiar phrases (i.e., you need to substitute "G" FOR "CE")

Theme answers:

• 20A: Boast à la Donald Trump? (BRAG FOR IMPACT).
• 26A: "Our overly fussy friend has a point"? (THE PRIG IS RIGHT).
• 43A: Joplin piece about modern weaponry? (NUCLEAR ARMS RAG).
• 50A: Delay from an 18th-century English ruler? (QUEEN ANNE'S LAG).
• 64A: It's zero in free-fall—and, put another way, a hint to how the four longest puzzle answers were formed (G FORCE).

[Quick Jeopardy note: Joon won again last night (yee-haw!), so he'll be on again tonight. Jeopardy doesn't air on the west coast until 10:00pm Eastern. Please don't post any spoilers in the comments before that time. Thanks!]

I had a hard time figuring out this theme from the first two theme answers. I had the end of each phrase, but didn't know what the beginning could possibly be. It finally clicked at NUCLEAR ARMS RAG, awesomely clued as [43A: Joplin piece about modern weaponry?] and then I could go back and piece together the others. Well, that's not entirely true. I couldn't come up with the original phrase "brace for impact," so I still had trouble with that one.

Lots of missteps today:

• 7A: Does away with (OFFS). I tried ENDS first.
• 24A: Malt finish? (-OSE). Wanted -ESE here.
• 34A: Fiber source (OAT BRAN). Stupidly entered OATMEAL.
• 5D: Sicilian resort (ENNA). Tried ETNA. At least I was in the right country.

• 6D: Unaccompanied (STAG). Wasn't sure if this would be SOLO or SOLE. Could have saved myself some time on that argument.
• 10D: Dam up (STEM). Tried STOP.

Bullets:

• 1A: Puts a little too close to the flame (SINGES). Anyone else here ever singe their eyelashes. Yeah, that's embarrassing.
• 18A: August (MAJESTIC). Both clue and answer are great words.
• 40A: "Have some" ("EAT"). This clue could work both with and without the quotation marks, I think. The quotation marks indicate that this something a person would say (duh), so the answer needs to be something else a person would say that means the same thing. But even without the saying part, have some = eat.
• 48A: Emulate Eminem (RAP). I went looking for an Eminem clip to include and came across this ad, which actually gives me goose-bumps at the end.



• 59A: NRC predecessor (AEC). The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is the successor to the Atomec Energy Commission, which, in 1975, changed its name to the Energy Research and Development Administration and, basically, broke apart into several separate agencies including the NRC, the National Nuclear Security Adminsitration, and the Office of Nuclear Energy, Science & Technology. At least that's what Wikipedia says happened.
• 63A: "Right away, Mammy" ("YES'M"). I really don't want to get into a whole thing about this, but I just want to mention that I cringed a little when I read this clue.
• 19D: Water source (SPIGOT). I wanted this to be SPRING, but I already had the I in the "wrong" place. Then I couldn't shift my thinking away from a natural source for water. I needed all the crosses for this one is what I'm saying.
• 21D: Surround with dense mist (FOG IN). With an E where the O was supposed to go, this took a while to fall into place. I thought it might be something like BEFOG, only not BEFOG because I already had the IN.

• 23D: Hirsute pet (CHIA). This doesn't work for me. A CHIA pet isn't really "hirsute," right?
• 28D: Sizzling (IRATE). Lots of "hot" words that work as synonymns for IRATE: hot, steamed, boiling, etc. But "sizzling" to me means sexy, not angry.
• 30D: Under the weather, e.g. (IDIOM). Brilliant. I get tricked by this type of clue pretty much every time. In this case, we're not looking for an example of someone being "under the weather" or "ill" but, instead, need to think about the fact that the phrase "under the weather" is an example of an IDIOM.
• 36D: It's not always easy to get into (SHAPE). I guess that depends on what shape you're going for.

• 37D: "Tootsie" Oscar nominee (TERI GARR). For some reason, I thought it was Jessica Lange who got the nomination for this movie. Oh wait. Both Lange and GARR were nominated, but Lange won. I feel better about myself now. I'm going to include a picture of TERI GARR here, just incase Rex stops by. He has a little thing for her.
• 43D: Sartre work (NAUSEA). This is the first I've heard of it. A novel called NAUSEA? Wow. Can't wait to read it.

Everything — 1A: Puts a little too close to the flame (SINGES); 7A: Does away with (OFFS); 11A: Spirit (PEP); 14A: Set straight (ORIENT); 15A: Narrow space (SLIT); 16A: Pay add-on (-OLA); 17A: Where many changes occur (CABANA); 18A: August (MAJESTIC); 20A: Boast à la Donald Trump? (BRAG FOR IMPACT); 22A: Patriot Act protesters: Abbr. (ACLU); 24A: Malt finish? (-OSE); 25A: Goddess of motherhood (ISIS); 26A: "Our overly fussy friend has a point"? (THE PRIG IS RIGHT); 31A: Wasikowska of "The Kids Are All Right" (MIA); 32A: "Trinity" novelist (URIS); 33A: Union agreement (I DO); 34A: Fiber source (OAT BRAN); 36A: Illegal pitch (SPITTER); 40A: "Have some" ("EAT"); 41A: Kid on "The Cosby Show" (THEO); 42A: Big name in '40s-'50s Argentina (EVA); 43A: Joplin piece about modern weaponry? (NUCLEAR ARMS RAG); 47A: Went under (SANK); 48A: Emulate Eminem (RAP); 49A: Irascibility (BILE); 50A: Delay from an 18th-century English ruler? (QUEEN ANNE'S LAG); 55A: LA and MI, but not DO or RE (U.S. STATES); 56A: Gas up? (AERATE); 59A: NRC predecessor (AEC); 60A: It can get you credit in a store (VISA); 61A: Shrink, in a way (NARROW); 62A: "The __ of Pooh": '80s best-seller (TAO); 63A: "Right away, Mammy" ("YES'M"); 64A: It's zero in free-fall—and, put another way, a hint to how the four longest puzzle answers were formed (G-FORCE); 1D: Religious org., perhaps (SOC.); 2D: George's lyricist (IRA); 3D: Show little interest in, as food (NIBBLE AT); 4D: Get ready for action (GEAR UP); 5D: Sicilian resort (ENNA); 6D: Unaccompanied (STAG); 7D: Biology text topic (OSMOSIS); 8D: Roadside attention getters (FLARES); 9D: Water brand named for its source (FIJI); 10D: Dam up (STEM); 11D: Fertilizer substance (POTASH); 12D: Draw forth (ELICIT); 13D: Treaties (PACTS); 19D: Water source (SPIGOT); 21D: Surround with dense mist (FOG IN); 22D: Spherical opening? (ATMO-); 23D: Hirsute pet (CHIA); 27D: Like the sticks (RURAL); 28D: Sizzling (IRATE); 29D: More fleshy, perhaps (RIPER); 30D: Under the weather, e.g. (IDIOM); 35D: Anouilh play made into a Burton/O'Toole film (BECKET); 36D: It's not always easy to get into (SHAPE); 37D: "Tootsie" Oscar nominee (TERI GARR); 38D: Assessment, for short (EVAL); 39D: Popular trend (RAGE); 41D: Pontiac muscle car (TRANS AM); 43D: Sartre work (NAUSEA); 44D: Paris-based cultural org. (UNESCO); 45D: "Gunsmoke" star (ARNESS); 46D: Popular purveyor of stromboli (SBARRO); 47D: Zippo (SQUAT); 51D: Deep blue (NAVY); 52D: Play to __ (A TIE); 53D: Named names (SANG); 54D: Two pages (LEAF); 57D: Front-of-bk. list (TOC); 58D: Cote girl (EWE).

07.13 Wed

W E D N E S D A Y
July 13, 2011
Pete Muller

Theme: Vowell Progression — Each theme answer is a familiar phrase the last word of which follows the pattern T[x]LL, where x = a vowel.

Theme answers:

• 17A: Men's clothing category (BIG AND TALL).
• 22A: 1993 military directive (DON'T ASK DON'T TELL).
• 33A: Bad thing to be caught with at work, with "a" (HAND IN THE TILL).
• 46A: Wears greatly (TAKES A HEAVY TOLL).
• 54A: Rock and roll band whose lead singer often played flute solos (JETHRO TULL).

I always associate this vowel progression theme with Andrea Carla Michaels (who I get to see in about three weeks! yay!). I don't know if she's the first one to ever use it, but she's used it several times and, of course, used it well. Pete does a great job with it today because the theme answers are all fresh and interesting. And not awkward. Hate it when theme phrases are awkward. I got most of the theme answers without crosses, which made this is a really smooth solve. In fact, the most confusing thing for me was remembering Pete Muller. I always get him confused with Todd McClary because I met them both on the same day (a little over a year ago). I always have to go through this thing in my head where I remind myself that Todd McClary is the one who led one of the games and was wearing a Nike shirt and Pete Muller is the one whose wife was pregnant. There. All better.

Bullets:

• 1A: Pop singer Jackson (JANET). Miss Jackson if you're nasty.
• 10A: Rubella symptom (RASH). Ew.

• 21A: Sushi bar spirits: Var. (SAKIS). Not a fan of this spelling, but I assume it couldn't be helped. You know what makes it worse though? 50D: Alt. spelling (VAR.). Oops!
• 29A: Sony portable since 1984 (DISCMAN). I'm pretty sure mine is here stuck in a box somewhere. Do they still make them?
• 41A: Droll comic Wright (STEVEN). "I'm going to make a life-size map of the United States. It'll say 'One mile = one mile.'"
• 5D: Grunt's helmet (TIN HAT). Pretty sure I learned this from crosswords.

• 37D: Sharon of "Boston Public" (LEAL). Apparently there's a new rule that the grid always has to include a beautiful woman that I've never heard of.
• 54D: Java (JOE). If you did the NYT first today, you probably didn't have any trouble with this one.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 16A: Pelvic bones (ILIA).
• 27A: Orbital extreme (APOGEE).
• 53A: Translucent stone (OPAL).
• 62A: Exxon, previously (ESSO).
• 2D: Jackie's "O" (ARI).
• 48D: __ Park, Colorado (ESTES).

Everything Else — 6A: Create a cobbler (BAKE); 14A: Tabriz resident (IRANI); 15A: Astonishes (AWES); 19A: 53-Across et al. (GEMS); 20A: Harmonizing groups (CHOIRS); 26A: Building supporter (JOIST); 28A: Emilio Estevez, to Martin Sheen (SON); 38A: Seers (ORACLES); 39A: Large loafer letters (EEE); 44A: Overfamiliar (BANAL); 51A: Small streams (RILLS); 52A: Prized statuettes (OSCARS); 58A: Musical Horne (LENA); 59A: Snack with a removable top (OREO); 60A: Dutch export (TULIP); 61A: Shuteye aids? (LIDS); 63A: Serene spots (EDENS); 1D: Sail at the front (JIB); 3D: Pester (NAG); 4D: Passes, as legislation (ENACTS); 6D: Javanese hand-dyed fabric (BATIK); 7D: Prize (AWARD); 8D: Kutcher's "That '70s Show" role (KELSO); 9D: Alien's subj. (ESL); 10D: Trattoria tubes (RIGATONI); 11D: It's tapped in a pub (ALE KEG); 12D: Black as night, e.g. (SIMILE); 13D: Bother (HASSLE); 18D: Lavish parties (DO'S); 21D: Mar. honoree (ST. PAT); 22D: Party spinners, briefly (DJ'S); 23D: "I'm really impressed!" ("OOOH!"); 24D: Simone of jazz (NINA); 25D: When repeated, squeals (NAMES); 29D: Beloved princess (DIANA); 30D: "Monsters, __" (INC.); 31D: Cardinal letters (STL); 32D: Friend of Fidel (CHE); 34D: "Animal Farm" et al. (NOVELLAS); 35D: Work code subject (DRESS); 36D: Letterman rival (LENO); 40D: Pipe shape (ELL); 41D: Leisurely walk (STROLL); 42D: Republic of China capital (TAIPEI); 43D: Bond girl Britt of "The Man With the Golden Gun" (EKLAND); 44D: Without thinking (BY ROTE); 45D: Like some retired racehorses (AT STUD); 47D: Gardeners, at times (HOERS); 48D: __ Park, Colorado (ESTES); 49D: Allergic reaction (ACHOO); 55D: Gran- suffix (ULE); 56D: Architect Maya __ (LIN); 57D: 22-Down's vinyls (LP'S).