04.06 Wed

W E D N E S D A Y
April 6, 2011
Patti Varol

Theme: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs — References to the movie all over the grid!

Theme answers:

• 1A: *"Bohemian Rhapsody" group (QUEEN).
• 6A: *Poet Whitman (WALT).
• 52A: *Cry of surprise (HEIGH-HO).
• 68A: *Frosted flakes (SNOW).
• 69A: *Chess side (WHITE).
• 23A: *Painfully shy (BASHFUL).
• 26A: *Tormented by pollen, say (SNEEZY).
• 31A: *Cross (GRUMPY).
• 40A: *Medico's address (DOC).
• 44A: *Like a quiet town (SLEEPY).
• 13D: *All smiles (HAPPY).
• 48D: *Not very bright (DOPEY).
• 48A: *He won 26 Oscars, including an Academy Honorary Award (consisting of one full-sized and seven miniature statuettes) for the film depicted in this puzzle's starred answers (DISNEY).

Wow. The theme was just everywhere today! Some of it seemed kind of random but once it's all put together — pretty impressive. I love that the theme answers were all clued as something other than a Disney reference (except for DISNEY, of course). I believe this is Patti's debut puzzle so I just want to say, "You nailed it, girl." (I also want to say that I've been told I met Patti at the ACPT last month and … I just don't remember. Sorry! Nothing personal! Next year let's do lunch!!)

With so much theme, I'm a little surprised that I found two entries that really stood out to me as awesome: WAFFLE (6D: Hem and haw) and STAGE MOM (42A: Parent who minds how her kid acts?). Speaking of STAGE MOMs, I think we've talked about "Toddlers & Tiaras" here before, haven't we? Well, the first season is now available on Netflix instant stream (or whatever that's called) and I watched the very first episode and I must say it was completely horrifying. Even more than I thought it would be. Those STAGE MOMs are absolutely nutty. And I certainly don't mean to leave the dads out. They're wacky too.

There were two places in the grid where knowing a little more than I needed to slowed me down. That happens to people who are experts in certain areas. A clue will seem completely obvious to the rest of us, but the expert is going "Well, in the northern hemisphere the blah-blah-blah genus is more prevalent, and it's probably not the blah-blah-blah, because that's found only in a few villages in Pakistan…." My areas of expertise are not quite so lofty as horticulture or medicine, however. Today, in fact, they're John Irving books and country musicians. Yep, I had to think quite a bit before coming up with GARP for the 19A: Irving hero. My first thought was Owen Meany because that's one of my favorite books of all times. Then I considered Charlotte Simmons even though that's not actually John Irving, it's Tom Wolfe, so maybe being an expert wasn't actually my problem here? The other clue that caused me to think a little more than necessary was 54D: Brooks of C&W. I actually thought of Kix Brooks first. That's right, Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn. I mean that's just sad. Not that there's anything wrong with Kix Brooks, but come on. He's not exactly in the same league with GARTH.

Hey, remember how we were talking yesterday about women and sports references? Did you catch the clue for CTR today? CTR is, of course, an abbreviation for CENTER, which is a position in a lot of sports including basketball. The clue in today's puzzle, though, explicitly references women's professional basketball — 47A: WNBA position. I love it when stuff like that happens that makes it seem like I know what I'm talking about.

That's about all I have time for today. So, in conclusion:

• 24D: Stop in Québec? (ARRET). French!

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 10A: Exotic food fish (OPAH).
• 27A: Torino time period (ORA).
• 67A: "Son of Frankenstein" role (YGOR).
• 3D: Hosp. test (EEG).
• 7D: On the safer side (ALEE).

[Follow PuzzleGirl on Twitter.]

Everything Else — 14A: Año Nuevo month (ENERO); 15A: Irish Spring variety (ALOE); 16A: Wife of Zeus (HERA); 17A: Sudoku fill-in (DIGIT); 18A: Fronded plant (FERN); 20A: Starbucks pickup (COFFEE); 22A: Man with morals (AESOP); 28A: Good thinking (REASON); 34A: Overhauls (REBUILDS); 39A: Aladdin's helper (GENIE); 41A: Red simile words (A BEET); 45A: Dojo discipline (KARATE); 55A: Quarterfinals complement, e.g. (OCTAD); 56A: Danube capital (VIENNA); 58A: Like a noted piper (PIED); 59A: Watch (TEND); 60A: Roads scholar? (TRAMP); 64A: Feminine suffix (-ENNE); 65A: Corleone family head (VITO); 66A: "We're out of choices" (OTHER); 1D: Proof abbr. (QED); 2D: Cycle prefix (UNI-); 4D: "Love Story" novelist Segal (ERICH); 5D: __ this world: bizarre (NOT OF); 8D: Passed-down stories (LORE); 9D: Downing Street number (TEN); 10D: "My goodness" ("OH GEE"); 11D: "__ porridge hot ..." (PEASE); 12D: Paella ingrediente (ARROZ); 21D: Faulkner's "The Sound and the __" (FURY); 22D: Like some reports (ANNUAL); 23D: His 3,000th hit was a homer (BOGGS); 25D: Healthful hot spot (SAUNA); 26D: Cry noisily (SOB); 29D: Starbucks pickup (AROMA); 30D: NYSE overseer (SEC); 32D: "Top Gun" foe (MIG); 33D: Didn't wait for Christmas (PEEKED); 35D: "May __ of service?" (I BE); 36D: Hanger-on (LEECH); 37D: Pool statistic (DEPTH); 38D: Start to foam? (STYRO-); 40D: Palme __: Cannes film award (D'OR); 43D: Has the okay (MAY); 44D: Spotted (SEEN); 46D: Market index, familiarly (THE DOW); 49D: Best part of the cake, to some (ICING); 50D: Shorthand pro (STENO); 51D: "Unsafe at Any Speed" author (NADER); 53D: Attached to a trailer hitch (IN TOW); 56D: Vital thin blue line (VEIN); 57D: Passionate about (INTO); 59D: RCA products (TV'S); 61D: Sushi bar tuna (AHI); 62D: Congregated (MET); 63D: Not post- (PRE-).

04.05 Tue

T U E S D A Y
April 5, 2011
Donna S. Levin

Theme: Surf's Up! — Theme answers are phrases that end with a word that can describe moving water.

Theme answers:

• 20A: Chocolate-ribboned ice cream flavor (FUDGE RIPPLE).
• 27A: One setting a new high (RECORD BREAKER).
• 49A: Salon treatment (PERMANENT WAVE).
• 56A: "Nifty, huh?" ("ISN'T IT SWELL?").

I have a few thoughts I could share about this theme and the crosswordese and other general stuff, but I'm honestly too busy laughing at this clue/answer pair:

• 23A: Two-outs-in-a-single-AB stats (DP'S).

Let me explain why this is hilarious. I met Donna Levin at the ACPT last month. I didn't get to talk to her much, but we spent part of our time together participating in a conversation about sports references in crossword puzzles. Here's the thing. Puzzle editors are all men, and it's not uncommon for women to find many sports references obscure. Women constructors also find on occasion that editors question (or reject) entries that are perfectly reasonable but fall outside of what would typically be considered men's knowledge base. Yes, I know these are wild generalizations. There are women right here on this blog that I would consider baseball experts (hi, Hazel!) and my girlfriend who writes for Yahoo Sports can definitely hold her own in football and absolutely knows more than you about MMA, I don't care who you are. But that was the gist of the conversation. One thing I didn't go into much, though, was that sports clues/answers don't usually bother me. I'm a casual sports fan and feel like I know quite a bit about, for example, professional basketball and tennis in the 1980s. So when those clues come up it makes me feel really smart. The other thing I've been thinking about since that conversation with Donna is that the sports world has really opened up for women in the last 40 years or so (thank you, Title IX). It's been a slow process, but it's still creeping along. I won't be a bit surprised over the next few decades to see (a) women becoming more comfortable with sports references and (b) sports references encompassing more women in sports.

Anyway! I say all that to say that seeing DP'S in a Donna Levin puzzle really cracked me up. I couldn't even make sense of the clue while I was solving! And I like baseball! As it turns out, DP means Double Play and AB means At Bat, which now makes total sense to me but I've gotta believe that clue is not Donna's. LOL!

Bullets:

• 14A: Kareem's alma mater, briefly (UCLA). More sports!
• 17A: Custardy Spanish dessert (FLAN). Mmmm, flan.
• 34A: "All By __": Celine Dion hit (MYSELF). I can only hear Paul McCartney singing "All By Myself." Is Celine's hit a remake? I'm not interested enough to actually go look it up.

• 52A: Aptly named boss at the quarry where Fred Flintstone works (MR. SLATE). I've been catching up on some old puzzles and seems like I've seen a lot of MR. SLATE lately.
• 66A: Capone henchman (NITTI). Not Walter Mitty. Totally different guy.
• 68A: Sask. neighbor (N. DAK.). Shout-out to the Fargo girl!
• 26D: Big butte (MESA). Excellent, excellent clue.
• 29D: Tightwad (CHEAPSKATE). Isn't MR. SLATE something of a CHEAPSKATE?
• 31D: Sometime ally of Godzilla (RODAN). I got this totally through crosses. No idea.
• 43D: Dried Ocean Spray treat (CRAISIN). My favorite mistake I ever made in a puzzle was entering CRAISIN where CRAWDAD was supposed to go.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 15A: Airline with famously tight security (EL AL).
• 37A: Spread in a dairy case (OLEO).
• 41A: Inter or et follower (ALIA).
• 67A: Vaulted cathedral part (APSE).
• 70A: Inner Hebrides isle (SKYE).
• 6D: Jai __ (ALAI).
• 27D: P-like Greek letters (RHOS).
• 28D: Perry's creator (ERLE).
• 38D: Turow's Harvard-based story (ONE-L).

[Follow PuzzleGirl on Twitter.]

Everything Else — 1A: Shoppers' aids (BAGS); 5A: Chantilly product (LACE); 9A: Religious subgroups (SECTS); 16A: Hackneyed (TRITE); 18A: O'Hara homestead (TARA); 19A: Nattered away (RAN ON); 24A: Mai __ (TAI); 25A: Asian cat breed (SIAMESE); 32A: Windsor Castle initials (HRH); 33A: Fabled fiddler (NERO); 39A: Spots on a screen? (ADS); 42A: Setting where a medium isn't rare (SEANCE); 45A: Nepal's continent (ASIA); 48A: Pioneered (LED); 54A: Livy's "I love" (AMO); 55A: Mouse spotter's shriek (EEK); 62A: Stockpile (AMASS); 64A: __'acte (ENTR); 65A: Thought (IDEA); 69A: Isaac with a bow (STERN); 71A: "... the slithy toves / Did __ and gimble ...": "Jabberwocky" (GYRE); 1D: Fit and muscular (BUFF); 2D: Bill of Rights-defending org. (ACLU); 3D: Pleased (GLAD); 4D: Serenaded (SANG TO); 5D: Leave on the casino table (LET RIDE); 7D: Kvetch (CARP); 8D: Pass by (ELAPSE); 9D: Like poorly cleaned windows (STREAKY); 10D: Important time (ERA); 11D: Gal with a fairy godmother (CINDERELLA); 12D: Sporty car roofs (T-TOPS); 13D: Good judgment (SENSE); 21D: Merit (EARN); 22D: Jodie's co-star in "Nell" (LIAM); 30D: Bikini part (BRA); 35D: Actor Schreiber (LIEV); 36D: Tire near the finish (FADE); 40D: Atlanta-to-Miami dir. (SSE); 44D: CPR providers (EMT'S); 46D: Where Alice saw the Cheshire cat (IN A TREE); 47D: Bank foyer conveniences, for short (ATM'S); 50D: Virgil's epic hero (AENEAS); 51D: Knocking the socks off (WOWING); 52D: Ways partner (MEANS); 53D: Send payment (REMIT); 57D: Toll rd. (TNPK.); 58D: Part of a spout-climbing spider's description (ITSY); 59D: Whirlpool (EDDY); 60D: Father of Cordelia (LEAR); 61D: Dam site (LAKE); 63D: Orch. section (STR.).

04.04 Mon

M O N D A Y
April 4, 2011
John Lampkin

Theme: Um … rhyming things? — Yeah, rhyming things.

Theme answers:

• 20A: Feeling of uneasiness (HEEBIE JEEBIES).
• 27A: Hand-held two-way communications device (WALKIE TALKIE).
• 47A: Up-tempo jazz piano style (BOOGIE WOOGIE).
• 56A: Symbolic nosegays (TUSSIE MUSSIES).

I was pretty much just floating through this puzzle, admiring how smooth it was, noting the crosswordese but not being bothered by it because it's Monday, wondering if it would turn out to be a pangram, saying the theme answers out loud because they're fun to say and then … Whoa, what? TUSSIE MUSSIE? What the …??? Ne-Ever heard this phrase before. Now, granted, horticulture isn't exactly my forte, but … really? TUSSIE MUSSIE? Now, if there's one thing I've learned since becoming involved with the crossword community through Rex's blog and continuing over here, is that just because I've never heard of something that doesn't necessarily mean it's obscure. (Also, that the things I know aren't necessarily universally known.) But TUSSIE MUSSIE? Can't wait to hear what you all think of this one. Is this something that people know? It might as well have been, I know … SILKY RILKY or NOOTIE TOOTIE or (hey, this is kinda fun) JIGGIE BIGGIE. Or even better, it could have been something more common like NAMBY PAMBY, which isn't the right length, but hey at this point I'm reworking the whole theme anyway and would consider replacing HEEBIE JEEBIES with TINKY WINKY and calling it good. So yeah. That's what I thought of the theme. Pretty fun … to a point.

Highlights for me today include:

• 1A: Cotton swabs originally called Baby Gays (Q-TIPS). This one made me laugh. I mean, first of all it's awesome to start right out with a Q at 1-Across, but also, I'm all, "Hmm, I wonder which cotton swabs this clue could be referring to. Maybe the … waaaait a minute! There's only one kind of cotton swabs!"
• 37A: Reprimander's "reading" (RIOT ACT).

• 3D: Fully informed (IN THE LOOP). Even though I tried IN THE KNOW first.
• 11D: Murphy of "48 HRS." (EDDIE). Love love love this movie. I could probably recite this whole movie to you if, ya know, you wanted me to.
• 45D: Stumble across, as an idea (HIT UPON).
• 50D: Part of wpm: Abbr. (WDS.). Words per minute. I can type a lot of 'em.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 6A: Actor Guinness (ALEC).
• 19A: Poet __ St. Vincent Millay (EDNA).
• 33A: Mashed luau staple (POI).
• 61A: Isaac's eldest (ESAU).
• 5D: Eyelid problem (STYE).
• 60D: Dublin's isle (EIRE).

[Follow PuzzleGirl on Twitter.]

Everything Else — 10A: More than stumbled (FELL); 14A: Basic belief (TENET); 15A: Capital surrounding Vatican City (ROME); 16A: Falco of "The Sopranos" (EDIE); 17A: Shabby (RATTY); 18A: $3 million, 30-sec. Super Bowl feature (TV AD); 23A: Jungle swinger (APE); 25A: Fla. hours (EST); 26A: Cummerbund fold (PLEAT); 32A: Cheering noisily (AROAR); 34A: "M*A*S*H" staff (RN'S); 40A: Leave for a bit (STEP OUT); 43A: Mind reader's skill, briefly (ESP); 44A: "How beautiful!" ("OOH!"); 46A: Oil refinery input (CRUDE); 51A: Ami's good-bye (ADIEU); 54A: Tiny bit (TAD); 55A: His-and-__ towels (HER); 62A: Knucklehead (DOPE); 63A: Close, as a parka (ZIP UP); 66A: Hollywood success (STAR); 67A: Hollywood favorite (IDOL); 68A: College town near Bangor (ORONO); 69A: Nanny's charge (TYKE); 70A: Bills with Hamilton on them (TENS); 71A: Rehab step (DETOX); 1D: Super Bowl div. (QTR.); 2D: Green or black brew (TEA); 4D: Sampras of tennis (PETE); 6D: Manet or Monet (ARTIST); 7D: Affectionate bop (LOVE TAP); 8D: Key with four sharps: Abbr. (E MAJ.); 9D: Give up formally (CEDE); 10D: Weak (FEEBLE); 12D: Top of a form, perhaps (LINE A); 13D: "It's the __ I can do" (LEAST); 21D: Honey maker (BEE); 22D: Prefix with center or cycle (EPI-); 23D: Informed (of) (AWARE); 24D: Capital on the Seine (PARIS); 28D: See 31-Down (KAT); 29D: Lyricist Gershwin (IRA); 30D: __ Angeles (LOS); 31D: With 28-Down, layered chocolate bar (KIT); 34D: Glitch in need of smoothing out (ROUGH SPOT); 35D: Film with nakedness (NUDIE); 36D: Cattle drive critter (STEER); 38D: Pigeon's sound (COO); 39D: Dress (up) (TOG); 41D: Green prefix (ECO-); 42D: Athlete who isn't green? (PRO); 47D: Have no doubt (BE SURE); 48D: "Yes, mon ami" ("OUI"); 49D: Props for Monet and Manet (EASELS); 51D: "This is only __" (A TEST); 52D: Like the trail on a cattle drive (DUSTY); 53D: Singer Chris (ISAAK); 57D: Change text (EDIT); 58D: Pie à la __ (MODE); 59D: Former Lacoste partner (IZOD); 64D: Half of dos (UNO); 65D: Chicken __ (POX).

04.03 Sun (calendar)

S U N D A Y
April 3, 2011 (calendar)
Merl Reagle

[Note: This is the puzzle that appears in the Sunday L.A. Times newspaper. If you don't get the paper, you can find the puzzle here. Scroll down to see today's syndicated puzzle.]

Theme: "Infomercially Yours" — Each theme answer is a portmanteau word — a word created from blending two other words.

Theme answers:

• 13A: War fare? * (SPAM).
• 29A: 2004 Tea Leoni film * (SPANGLISH).
• 31A: "Great!" * (FANTABULOUS).
• 37A: Its rules are "sketchy" * (PICTIONARY).
• 56A: Client-sponsored article * (ADVERTORIAL).
• 60A: A steady increase in prices and unemployment * (STAGFLATION).
• 70A: Radio-and-TV event * (SIMULCAST).
• 73A: Video buy * (CAMCORDER).
• 89A: Middle-of-the-road type? * (REPUBLICRAT).
• 92A: "Sesame Street," e.g. * (EDUTAINMENT).
• 102A: Lover of Godiva * (CHOCOHOLIC).
• 113A: Starbucks offering * (FRAPPUCCINO).
• 117A: Cajun dish involving three types of poultry (and pretty high on the list of "worst food names ever") * (TURDUCKEN).
• 127A: That letdown feeling after the hype * (ANTICIPOINTMENT).
• 135A: EPA concern * (SMOG).
• 22A: Term for each of the 15 asterisked theme answers in this puzzle (PORTMANTEAU WORD).

[Follow PuzzleGirl on Twitter.]

Everything Else — 1A: Cine or cyclo ending (-RAMA); 5A: Final farewell of a sort (OBIT); 9A: Stage-door Johnny? (DEPP); 17A: "___ your side" (I'M ON); 18A: Patna princesses (RANIS); 20A: Venetian arch feature (OGEE); 21A: Famed Memphis street (BEALE); 25A: Butz and Scruggs (EARLS); 26A: Magnetite, e.g. (ORE); 27A: Deli fave (BLT); 28A: Auth. who died in Samoa (RLS); 34A: "Ask ___ ..." (NOT); 35A: Slice of ice (FLOE); 36A: August hrs., in Augusta (EDT); 44A: Premiere (DEBUT); 48A: Astrologer Sydney (OMARR); 50A: "Not guilty," e.g. (PLEA); 51A: Continuing story line (ARC); 54A: Foul-smelling (FETID); 63A: Drop like a roc? (SWOOP); 64A: A crowd, in Cremona? (TRE); 65A: Of punishment (PENAL); 66A: 1950s toothpaste brand (IPANA); 68A: Street activity: abbr. (TRAF.); 78A: High-quality salad topping, in Rachael Ray shorthand (E.V.O.O.); 79A: Silent movie star? (HARPO); 81A: Foursome for a Ford (TIRES); 83A: One of three zanies (MOE); 86A: Secret (INNER); 95A: Loses it (SNAPS); 96A: Bug someone, e.g. (SPY); 97A: ___ avis (RARA); 98A: Asleep, perhaps (IN BED); 100A: One of the senses (TASTE); 106A: Aussie avian (EMU); 108A: ___ carpet (SHAG); 112A: Cone-bearer (FIR); 123A: Lid for a lad (CAP); 124A: In the style of (ALA); 125A: Banned spray (DDT); 126A: "___ the loneliest ..." (ONE IS); 131A: Cocoon contents (PUPAE); 132A: "___ lay me down ..." (NOW I); 133A: Mrs. Helmsley (LEONA); 134A: Bird-filled comic strip created by Jeff MacNelly (SHOE); 136A: Bygone flyers (SST'S); 137A: They're often connected (DOTS); 138A: Opening outfit (GOWN); 1D: Way-overpriced item (RIP-OFF); 2D: Ethically neutral (AMORAL); 3D: Versatile Rita (MORENO); 4D: Lizard's snack (ANT); 5D: Toothbrush brand (ORAL-B); 6D: It includes Zulu (BANTU); 7D: QB's worry: abbr. (INT.); 8D: Steering-system part (TIE ROD); 9D: It precedes Jones (DOW); 10D: Some bruise easily (EGOS); 11D: Cop's collar (PERP); 12D: Dogmatic one (PEDANT); 13D: Close tightly (SEAL); 14D: ___-mutuel betting (PARI); 15D: "___ well that ..." (ALL'S); 16D: Fit together (MESH); 19D: Greeting, to Guido (anagram of L.A.'S OUT) (SALUTO); 21D: "I ___ differ" (BEG TO); 23D: Wharton prize (MBA); 24D: Liner letters (USS); 30D: "___ said!" (mom's warning) (NO I); 32D: Turner of TV channels (TED); 33D: Manners maven Baldrige (LETITIA); 37D: Launch site (PAD); 38D: The car repair shop in 134 Across (IRV'S); 39D: Craft staff (CREW); 40D: Clear Channel alternative (NPR); 41D: Landed (ALIT); 42D: Aft area (REAR); 43D: Clinton's alma mater (YALE); 45D: Noxious vapors (EFFLUVIA); 46D: ___ canto (BEL); 47D: Acting teacher Hagen (UTA); 49D: Herbie of jazz (MANN); 51D: Nile viper (ASP); 52D: Blvds., e.g. (RTES.); 53D: "How ___ help?" (CAN I); 55D: Party platter items (DIPS); 57D: Part of Colin Powell's coll. experience (ROTC); 58D: Riding-mower brand (TORO); 59D: Creator of eye-bending designs (OP ARTIST); 61D: Willing to try it (GAME); 62D: Sacred promise (OATH); 67D: Land unit (ACRE); 69D: Bank-window abbr. (FDIC); 71D: Actress Anderson (LONI); 72D: Loc. of 43 Down (CONN.); 74D: iPad software (APPS); 75D: Hop on a horse (MOUNT UP); 76D: Goes astray (ERRS); 77D: Cut the crop (REAP); 80D: Commedia dell'___ (ARTE); 82D: Hog heaven, perhaps (STY); 83D: Car make, for short (MERC); 84D: Harem room (ODAH); 85D: Peseta replacer (EURO); 87D: Pianist Gilels (EMIL); 88D: Actor Santoni (RENI); 90D: Ovine sound (BAA); 91D: CD preceders (LP'S); 93D: Middle of a game (TAC); 94D: Sarnoff's startup, 1926 (NBC); 99D: Knock off-track (DERAIL); 101D: Keypad key (ESC); 103D: Helpful (OF USE); 104D: Popular juice drink (HI-C); 105D: Beings from Mork's planet (ORKANS); 107D: Charted (MAPPED); 109D: Cab Calloway catchphrase (HI-DE-HO); 110D: Here ___ (AND NOW); 111D: Obtained (GOTTEN); 113D: Org. that once closely monitored Howard Stern (FCC); 114D: Coat material? (PAINT); 115D: Arm bones (ULNAS); 116D: Milk lover (CAT); 117D: Spinning toys (TOPS); 118D: Word on a coin (UNUM); 119D: Seized vehicle (REPO); 120D: How bishops move: abbr. (DIAG.); 121D: Grandson of Adam (ENOS); 122D: Abbr. on a cereal box (NT. WT.); 128D: Sue Grafton's "___ for Innocent" (I IS); 129D: Hugs, in letters (OOO); 130D: Flavor enhancer (MSG).

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)

04.02 Sat

S A T U R D A Y
April 2, 2011
Alan Olschwang

Theme: None

No time for a full write-up today, so talk amongst yourselves. If you have a chance, you should come on back tomorrow though. The Sunday puzzle this week was constructed by our own Doug Peterson, and we have a new guest blogger filling in to chat you up about his puzzle, which I'm sure will be fabulous (both the puzzle and the chat). See you tomorrow!

[Follow PuzzleGirl on Twitter.]

Everything Else — 1A: Island where florins are spent (ARUBA); 6A: Unoccupied (IDLE); 10A: Mental keenness (WITS); 14A: Charged (RAN AT); 15A: Hold (DEEM); 16A: Minimally (A BIT); 17A: Where few people live (MIDDLE OF NOWHERE); 20A: "Is that __?" (A NO); 21A: Entertainer (ARTISTE); 22A: Rural pro (FER); 23A: Having no chapters? (NON-UNION); 25A: Prohibit (ENJOIN); 27A: Hardly handy (INEPT); 28A: Quiet, in a way (OIL); 30A: Mattingly's predecessor (TORRE); 31A: 20-20, e.g. (TIE); 33A: Persian for "crown" (TAJ); 35A: Summer arrivals (LEOS); 36A: Debugging aid? (INSECT REPELLENT); 41A: Bar patron who appears in every "Cheers" episode (NORM); 42A: Bordeaux bottom (CUL); 43A: Clavell's "__-Pan" (TAI); 44A: Marsh bird (SNIPE); 46A: Norse war god (TYR); 48A: Schism outcomes (SECTS); 52A: Jai alai ball (PELOTA); 54A: Float seller (MALT SHOP); 56A: Clark's "Mogambo" co-star (AVA); 57A: Huge (TITANIC); 59A: Solid-rock center? (AS A); 60A: Pick wielder (DENTAL HYGIENIST); 63A: Three-time '80s speed skating gold medalist Karin (ENKE); 64A: Kathryn of "Law & Order: C.I." (ERBE); 65A: Um preceder? (NOSEE-); 66A: Early Sam & Dave record label (STAX); 67A: Club income (DUES); 68A: Head lock (TRESS); 1D: Lawyer's suit? (ARMANI); 2D: Spoil, as a picnic (RAIN ON); 3D: How a knot may come (UNDONE); 4D: Like some judgment (BAD); 5D: Kennebec River outlet, with "the" (ATLANTIC); 6D: "Same here" ('I DO TOO'); 7D: 2008 Adam Brooks romantic comedy (DEFINITELY MAYBE); 8D: Contact, e.g. (LENS); 9D: Show anger, say (EMOTE); 10D: ''Do __ Diddy Diddy'': 1964 hit (WAH); 11D: Start of a rule with numerous exceptions (I BEFORE E); 12D: Trunk item (TIRE IRON); 13D: Most severe (STERNEST); 18D: "__ tu": Verdi aria (ERI); 19D: Sold (for) (WENT); 24D: Bouncy (UPTEMPO); 26D: Kicks (JOLLIES); 29D: Drink from a dish (LAP); 32D: What an ellipsis may mean: Abbr. (ETC.); 34D: Black shade (JET); 36D: Big-time (IN SPADES); 37D: Tempest in a teapot (NON-EVENT); 38D: Colombo's country (SRI LANKA); 39D: Same old same old (RUT); 40D: You'll be busted if you use it (LAST CENT); 45D: Blues singer James (ETTA); 47D: Extents (RANGES); 49D: One in a cruise ship line (CHAISE); 50D: Chucks (TOSSES); 51D: Floods (SPATES); 53D: Had something (AILED); 55D: Full deck in old Rome? (LII); 58D: Drive-__ (THRU); 61D: St. with a panhandle (TEX.); 62D: Easter opening? (NOR-).

04.01 Fri

F R I D A Y
April 1, 2011
Dan Naddor

Theme: Backwords — It's a quote theme with a twist, only it's not a quote and it's more backwards than twisty.

Theme answers:

• 17A: Start of an aptly expressed linguistic observation (CIBARA DNA WERBEH). [HEBREW AND ARABIC]
• 31A: Observation, part 2 (DAER ERA). [ARE READ]
• 45A: End of the observation (TFEL OT THGIR MORF). [FROM RIGHT TO LEFT]

Before we get to the puzzle, I just want to remind everyone that Patrick Blindauer publishes a new free puzzle on his website every month. His April puzzle is available today and it's a doozy. Head on over and check it out if you have the time and the inclination.

I have to admit that even though it's April Fool's Day, I wasn't expecting a tricky puzzle like this from the L.A. Times. The N.Y. Times runs unconventional puzzles like this from time to time. In fact, if you do the puzzle regularly, you know to look out for the trickiness on Thursdays in particular. But the L.A. Times, as far as I know, has always been a more straitlaced puzzle. So, this theme is a little out of the ordinary and I'm sure newspaper editors around the country are receiving whiny letters today.

I had trouble all over the grid until I figured out the trick. Like a lot of you, I'm sure, my confidence was shaken when I entered downs I was sure of but then saw the odd line-up of across letters they created. Let's just say there was lots of erasing until the lightbulb came on.

Stuff I just flat-out didn't know:

• 37A: Like Cologne and vicinity (RHENISH). It's like the Rhine River only an adjective. Who knew?
• 22D: Early Chinese dynasty (HSIA). Someday I'm going to learn all the Chinese dynasties. And the Greek alphabet. And the names of all the baseball stadiums.
• 25D: Canadian young adult fiction author McClintock (NORAH). If you say so!
• 37D: Hall of Fame defensive back Mel (RENFRO). RENFRO played for the University of Oregon before joining the Dallas Cowboys. In 1962, Rice University officials allowed RENFRO's parents to attend the Rice-Oregon game even though the stadium was a "whites-only" facility.

Bullets:

• 11A: XXXV years after the creation of the original Magna Carta (MCCL). That L was the last letter to fall for me. I knew [14D: "The Merry Widow" operettist] was someone we'd covered in CW101 in the past, but I couldn't quite remember the name (it's LEHAR).
• 15A: Apple consumers? (ADAM AND EVE). Ha!
• 23A: Hand (SAILOR). As in "All hands on deck."
• 35A: It's about 325 miles east of Texas's H-Town, with "the" (BIG EASY). Do people really call Houston "H-Town"? I assume that's a reference to Houston anyway. That's a pretty lame city nickname if you ask me.

• 43A: "Bewitched" witch (ENDORA). I'm all, "Samantha, Tabitha, Serena … oh what was her nervous aunt's name? … Clara! …." Totally forgetting about the fabulous ENDORA. D'oh!
• 49A: Abbr. on folk song sheet music (TRAD.). Ooh, I like this one. Most sheet music lists the piece's composer and/or lyricist, but with a lot of folk songs that information is unknown so it just says TRAD. (for TRADitional).
• 4D: Inviting words before "Want to come over?" (I'M ALONE). With the I and the L in place my first thought was IT'S LATE. Don't judge.
• 12D: Plots (CABALS). Interesting. I thought the CABAL was just the group of people plotting, but I guess CABAL can also mean the plotting itself.
• 28D: Numbers in a corner, often (PAGINATES). "Numbers" is a verb here.

• 29D: Texters' amused syllables (HEES). Even though the clue clearly says "syllables," the first thing I thought of when I saw I needed a four-letter answer was LMAO. Pretty sure we're not going to see that in the L.A. Times though.
• 31D: Mexican bread (DINERO). Tried PESETA first. On the right track at least.
• 34D: City WSW of Sacramento (NAPA). I know that even though we think of California as west of Nevada, parts of California are actually east of Nevada, and I thought this clue was trying to be tricky in that way. But it wasn't.
• 39D: "Edda" author __ Sturluson (SNORRI). Love this name! Probably because in my head I always say it as SNORRI McSnorilson which you've gotta admit is pretty funny.
• 40D: Coat opening? (PETTI-). At the junction! Petticoat Junction!

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 16A: River through Lake Brienz (AARE).
• 9D: Mendes of "Hitch" (EVA).
• 14D: "The Merry Widow" operettist (LEHAR).
• 26D: Nice summers (ÉTÉS).
• 47D: __ judicata: decided case (RES).

[Follow PuzzleGirl on Twitter.]

Everything Else — 1A: Lexington and Concord fighters (MILITIAMEN); 19A: Duplicated (CLONED); 20A: Roma road (STRADA); 21A: Word with sharp or trouble (SHOOTER); 24A: Leagues: Abbr. (ASSNS.); 25A: Like performances by the Wallendas (NETLESS); 27A: Place to build (SITE); 28A: Flying need (PHOTO I.D.); 30A: Is down with (HAS); 32A: Source of support (FAN); 36A: "Return of the Jedi" dancer (OOLA); 39A: Condescend (STOOP); 40A: Fowl with a showy mate (PEAHEN); 41A: Herbal drink (MINT TEA); 44A: Place with swinging doors (SALOON); 50A: Listed (ENUMERATED); 51A: They have their pluses and minuses (IONS); 52A: Fabled tortoise's trait (STEADINESS); 1D: Bud (MAC); 2D: First name in tyranny (IDI); 3D: Checkup charges (LAB COSTS); 5D: Mystical decks (TAROTS); 6D: Vacant (INANE); 7D: Dangerous snake (ADDER); 8D: Darn (MEND); 10D: It may be a scoop (NEWS STORY); 11D: Hitched (MARRIED); 13D: Words to live by (CREDOS); 18D: Latin term usually abbreviated (ET ALIA); 21D: Window part (SASH); 32D: What an asterisk may indicate (FOOTNOTE); 33D: Lotion additive (ALOE); 35D: Lays eyes on (BEHOLDS); 36D: Armchair partner (OTTOMAN); 38D: Like hell (HADEAN); 41D: Volcanic fluid (MAGMA); 42D: Perjurer's admission (I LIED); 44D: "Melrose Place" actor (SHUE); 46D: Explosive initials (TNT); 48D: Some alarm respondents: Abbr. (FD'S).