04.12 Tue

T U E S D A Y
April 12, 2011
Jerome Gunderson

Theme: On-Again Off-Again — Each theme answer is a compound word or a two-word phrase where each of the two parts can be preceded by both ON and OFF in familiar phrases.

Theme answers:

• 17A: Where sea meets sand (SHORELINE).
• 25A: Behind-the-scenes worker (STAGEHAND).
• 51A: Distract (SIDETRACK).
• 61A: Sentry's job (GUARD DUTY).
• 37A: Light controller—either of its first two words can precede either part of 17-, 25-, 51- and 61-Across (ON/OFF SWITCH).

Very nice theme for our Tuesday puzzle this week. I thought the reveal clue seemed more convoluted than was probably necessary, but I didn't really spend any time trying to come up with something better, so you can take that criticism with a grain of salt. Theme answers themselves are nice, especially STAGEHAND and SIDETRACK. Nothing super sparkly in the grid, only a little bit of crosswordese, seems like the abbreviations were all kinda bunched there in the middle so by the time I got to ALT. (after DEC. and RTE.) I thought "Okay, enough with the abbreviations already!" and then there weren't any more. Made me feel like I had special powers or something.

Two words in the grid made me chuckle because to me they're just strange words. TATAR (59A: Steppes native) and PITHY (42A: Brief and forceful). To me, TATAR always seems like it should be something else — TARTAR? TARTAN? — or maybe it's like someone trying to say TATER in a hifalutin way. And PITHY, well that just sounds like someone lisping, right? I actually used the word "pissy" in an email this morning. (If you're wondering — and I'm sure you are — I was telling someone in my office that I was in a pissy mood and it kinda seemed like this other person in the office needed to be yelled at so I was volunteering.)

Bullets:

• 5A: Syrup brand (KARO). Mmmm, syrup.
• 9A: Scatter (STREW). Oh here's another one. I know this is a perfectly legitimate word but have you ever heard it actually used? Or have you only heard it as, like, something STREWN about?
• 19A: Like most attics (DUSTY). I tried MUSTY first. I guess the basement is more MUSTY and the attic is more DUSTY.



• 23A: Links elevator? (TEE). Cute. The TEE "elevates" the golfball.
• 56A: Place for a pint (BAR) and Place for a cup (BRA). Cute.

• 10D: Liar's undoing (TRUTH). Oh if only this were true. Sometimes the TRUTH doesn't seem to make any difference. Sigh.
• 39D: Suffix with cord (-ITE). I don't think I know what "cordite" is. Should I look it up? Oh okay, I will. Hold on.
  

  cordite noun: a smokeless powder composed of nitroglycerin, guncotton, and a petroleum substance usually gelatinized by addition of acetone and pressed into cords resembling brown twine.

  Alrighty then.
• 50D: Western dry lakes (PLAYAS). Again, I'm sure this is right, but it doesn't fit with my experience of the word PLAYA. I mean, PLAYA is a beach right? I was tyring to think of ARROYO and, what's the one that starts with W? WADI? Yes, WADI. I think those things are all related, but different.

Crosswordese 101: I don't really know what an ARBitrageur is (except that it is presumably a person who engages in ARBitrage). All I know is that ARBitrage has something to do with Wall Street trading and hedging. Thank goodness that's all I need to know for crossword-puzzle purposes. Clues for ARB will almost always include one word from Group A and one from Group B:

Group A: Wall St., NYSE, market, trading, hedge fund
Group B: hedger, trader, specialist, whiz, figure

See how today's 45D: Wall St. hedger follows the pattern? Well, that's pretty much what you need to know about ARB.

Other crosswordese in the puzzle that we've already covered:

• 24A: Old Great Lakes natives (ERIES).
• 64A: Cold capital? (OSLO).
• 6D: George W.'s first press secretary (ARI).
• 27D: __ Spiegel: German magazine (DER).

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Everything Else — 1A: Poker Flat chronicler Harte (BRET); 14A: Plane opening? (AERO-); 15A: Farsi-speaking republic (IRAN); 16A: Sports venue (ARENA); 20A: Mob enforcer (HITMAN); 21A: Gp. concerned with fluoride safety (ADA); 28A: Christmas mo. (DEC.); 29A: Water temperature gauge? (TOE); 31A: Pro vote (YEA); 32A: USPS carrier's assignment (RTE.); 33A: Words of sympathy (I CARE); 35A: Potato cutter (RICER); 40A: Flora eaters, perhaps (FAUNA); 43A: Pilot's no. (ALT.); 44A: Toothed tool (SAW); 47A: Unused (NEW); 48A: Rock guitarist's aid (AMP); 54A: Spring time (APRIL); 58A: Anatomical ring (AREOLA); 63A: Carrying a lot of weight (OBESE); 65A: Largest continent (ASIA); 66A: Used hip boots (WADED); 67A: Feat (DEED); 68A: Winemaking waste (LEES); 1D: Lambasted (BASHED); 2D: Put to work again (REHIRE); 3D: Titillating (EROTIC); 4D: Singer with the Mel-Tones (TORMÉ); 5D: Brick baker (KILN); 7D: Attacked with clubs and such (RAN AT); 8D: In the future (ONE DAY); 9D: Glum (SAD); 11D: Fact-finding process (RESEARCH); 12D: Understanding between nations (ENTENTE); 13D: Method (WAY); 18D: It stretches from Maine to Florida (EAST COAST); 22D: Make better, as cheddar (AGE); 25D: Lord's laborer (SERF); 26D: Falling object's direction (EARTHWARD); 30D: Stumblebum (OAF); 33D: Roadside rest stop (INN); 34D: Clairvoyance, briefly (ESP); 36D: Like many a slick road (ICY); 37D: Passé (OUTDATED); 38D: Lash flash? (WINK); 40D: Scale fourths (FAS); 41D: Fictional Arabic woodcutter (ALI BABA); 46D: Ares or Mars (WAR GOD); 48D: Stimulate (AROUSE); 49D: Uncle __: Berle nickname (MILTIE); 52D: How to turn something into nothing? (ERASE); 53D: Effect's partner (CAUSE); 55D: Go by bike (PEDAL); 58D: Youngest to reach 500 HRs (A-ROD); 59D: Auto club offering (TOW); 60D: What mad people see? (RED); 62D: Pint contents (ALE).

04.11 Mon

M O N D A Y
April 11, 2011
Gareth Bain

Theme: Signed, Sealed, Delivered — Theme answers begin with words that can be words for the elements of a postal address.

Theme answers:

• 18A: "I'll pay whatever you're asking" (NAME A PRICE).
• 30A: Cost to the customer, as of illicit drugs (STREET VALUE).
• 36A: Smooth urbanite (CITY SLICKER).
• 44A: Subject of a highly classified file (STATE SECRET).
• 59A: "Not another word!" (ZIP YOUR LIP).

Looks like we're starting the week off with a fine Monday offering from Mr. Bain. This is one of those puzzles where the theme was no help to me at all — I didn't actually figure it out until after the grid was completely full — and on a Monday that means my time turns out to be significantly slower than usual. I don't talk a lot about speed here on the blog because I know a lot of people aren't speed-solvers and don't care, but I enjoy the challenge of speed-solving and if I happen to be either particularly slow or particularly fast on a particular puzzle, it's interesting for me to try to determine why. I think of myself as a four-to-four-and-a-half-minute Monday solver, although I think that's actually being kind of conservative these days. Since I started solving puzzles obsessively regularly, my speed has definitely improved. I actually finished today's New York Times puzzle in 2:59, which is wicked fast for me. And this one? 4:45, which is quite a bit slower than usual. Like I said, though, I think the main thing that slowed me down was not getting any help from the theme. And I want to be clear, that's not a complaint, it's just an observation. Did the grid also include some un-Monday-ish entries? Hmm … I'm thinking TO BOOT and PHENOL and LACE-UPS are pretty high end for a Monday. (Ouch though! Just noticed BOOT in the grid and "Hiking boots" in the clues. That's a no-no!) So what do you all think? If you time yourself, were you slowed down today? If you don't time yourself, did it just seem a little harder than usual for a Monday?

I also noticed a lot of names in this grid. Personally, I like seeing names in my puzzles, but I know some people don't. Let's see who we've got lurking around today:

• 33A: Toon storekeeper from India (APU).
• 66A: Moorehead of "Bewitched" (AGNES).
• 11D: "The Guns of Navarone" author MacLean (ALISTAIR).
• 40D: Pres. after GWB (BHO).
• 46D: Director Hitchcock (ALFRED).
• 47D: "Cosby" actress Phylicia (RASHAD).
• 48D: Jerry's female friend, on "Seinfeld" (ELAINE).
• 59D: When doubled, a Gabor (ZSA).

That might be an interesting party.

Just a couple more things to mention and I'll be off to enjoy the rest of my Monday. Hope you do the same.

Bullets:

• 22A: Holy smoke (INCENSE). Nice clue.

• 34A: Problem for Pauline (PERIL). According to Wikipedia: "The Perils of Pauline is a motion picture serial shown in weekly installments featuring Pearl White as the title character. Pauline has often been cited as a famous example of a damsel in distress, although some analyses hold that her character was more resourceful and less helpless than the classic damsel stereotype." So, I hate to ask the obvious question here, but how is PEARL the title character when the character in the title is PAULINE? Just asking.
• 40A: Campus VIP (BMOC). Big Man On Campus.
• 51A: Mustard's rank: Abbr. (COL.). Clue!
• 67A: Chess standoff (DRAW). I thought it was called something else in chess. A stalemate? Oh I guess if you get to a stalemate in chess, then the games ends in a draw.
• 35D: Genealogy abbr. (DESC.). Descendant.

• 41D: Chopping, as garlic (MINCING). Are chopping and mincing the same thing? I mean in anybody's kitchen besides mine.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 17A: Bird sacred to Tut (IBIS).
• 20A: Doves' homes (COTES).
• 24A: Sportage automaker (KIA).
• 33A: Toon storekeeper from India (APU).
• 42A: Double-reed winds (OBOES).
• 68A: Yemen city on its own gulf (ADEN).

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Everything Else — 1A: Dance move (STEP); 5A: Give a free ticket to (COMP); 9A: __-Abyssinian War: 1936 Mussolini triumph (ITALO); 14A: Task list heading (TO-DO); 15A: Foot's curve (ARCH); 16A: Grinding tooth (MOLAR); 23A: "Rock and Roll, Hoochie __": 1974 hit (KOO); 27A: As __ as Methuselah (OLD); 28A: "... three men in a __" (TUB); 35A: Brake component (DISC); 43A: "She Done __ Wrong": Mae West film (HIM); 50A: Small bill (ONE); 52A: Audible dance style (TAP); 53A: Pub purchase (ALE); 54A: Homemade shorts (CUT-OFFS); 57A: Lazy __: revolving tray (SUSAN); 62A: Use UPS (SHIP); 63A: Sound that might accompany 37-Down (SNORT); 64A: French franc successor (EURO); 65A: "The __ Love": Gershwin song (MAN I); 1D: Pick-up __: toy (STICKS); 2D: Also (TO BOOT); 3D: Newspaper bigwig (EDITOR); 4D: Model's stance (POSE); 5D: Is able to (CAN); 6D: "... man __ mouse?" (OR A); 7D: Early 20th-century year (MCMI); 8D: Early antiseptic compound (PHENOL); 9D: Get in the way of (IMPEDE); 10D: In a dilemma (TORN); 12D: Hiking boots, e.g. (LACE-UPS); 13D: Galena or hematite (ORE); 19D: Civil rights gp. (ACLU); 21D: Trapshooting (SKEET); 25D: "Lord knows __!" (I TRY); 26D: Rent-a-car option (AVIS); 29D: Tampa NFLer (BUC); 31D: "Beowulf," e.g. (EPIC); 32D: Dole out (ALLOT); 36D: Discover fortuitously (COME UPON); 37D: Scoffer's words (I BET); 38D: __ Nostra (COSA); 39D: Hangs on to (KEEPS); 44D: Runs fast (SCOOTS); 45D: Vegan staple (TOFU); 49D: Part of a daunting split, in bowling (TEN PIN); 55D: Rugby radial (TYRE); 56D: Cast aspersions on (SLUR); 58D: West Point inits. (USMA); 60D: Savings vehicle for later yrs. (IRA); 61D: Comics punch sound (POW).

04.10 Sun (calendar)

S U N D A Y
April 10, 2011
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: "Sweet Music" — Songs and musicians with names of fruit in their names/titles.

Theme answers:

• 23A: Sweet hit of 1956 (BLUEBERRY HILL).
• 28A: Sweet group that sang "Cruel Summer" (BANANARAMA).
• 30A: Sweet group that sang "Green Tambourine" (THE LEMON PIPERS).
• 53A: Sweet group that did the score for "Risky Business" (TANGERINE DREAM).
• 58A/70A: Sweet hit of 1968 (I HEARD IT / THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE).
• 88A: Sweet hit by Prince (RASPBERRY BERET).
• 110A: Sweet soul duo of the 1960s (PEACHES AND HERB).
• 115A/122A: Sweet hit of 1967 (STRAWBERRY / FIELDS FOREVER).

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Everything Else — 1A: High-tech system on recon planes (AWACS); 6A: St. ___ Girl (PAULI); 11A: Cover some ground? (SOD); 14A: On the ___ (LAM); 17A: Pollute (BEFOUL); 19A: Swallow up (ENGULF); 21A: Bishop, for one (PRELATE); 25A: Now-computerized library feature (CATALOG); 26A: CIA precursor (OSS); 27A: Kin of "scat!" ("SHOO!"); 35A: Jazz job (GIG); 36A: ___ angle (AT AN); 37A: Carousing (ON A TEAR); 39A: Comedian Denis (LEARY); 43A: One-name singer of the 1960s (LULU); 46A: "SNL" alumnus (NEALON); 48A: Maugham's "Cakes and ___" (ALE); 50A: Green veggie (PEA); 51A: The end of ___ (AN ERA); 61A: Appearance (LOOKS); 62A: Inserts (ADDS); 63A: Little spasm (TIC); 64A: Hair color: abbr. (BRN.); 65A: "Judy's smile was ___" (from "Judy's Turn To Cry") (SO MEAN); 68A: Johnny Rivers hit, "Seventh ___" (SON); 76A: Pitching power (ARM); 77A: Music's Gibb and White (BARRYS); 78A: " ... ___ yellow submarine" (IN A); 79A: Controversial ability (ESP); 81A: Judge (DEEM); 84A: Wolfgang Puck's flagship restaurant (SPAGO); 86A: Sweet hit by Floyd Cramer (LAST DATE); 93A: Had lunch (EATEN); 94A: Venomous snake (ASP); 95A: Ear prefix (OTO-); 96A: VW model (PASSAT); 99A: "Cheers" co-star's first name (RHEA); 100A: "Cheers" co-star's last name (WENDT); 102A: McCartney, as a Beatle (BASSIST); 106A: Miami team (HEAT); 108A: Metric opener (ISO-); 119A: Chorus girl? (ALTO); 120A: "Is That All There Is" singer (LEE); 121A: Clipper's target (TOENAIL); 127A: Starts a paragraph (INDENTS); 128A: Slowpokes (SNAILS); 129A: Most innovative (NEWEST); 130A: River, to Rivera (RIO); 131A: Solid/rock insert (AS A); 132A: Bold (GUTSY); 133A: Challenges (DARES); 1D: Monk's main man (ABBOT); 2D: Like Tom Jones, by birth (WELSH); 3D: Blow ___ (flip out) (A FUSE); 4D: Olympic runner Sebastian (COE); 5D: Group within a group (SUBSET); 6D: Two-time Argentine president (PERÓN); 7D: "___ luck?" (ANY); 8D: Kin of "yuck" ("UGH"); 9D: Him, in Nimes (LUI); 10D: Skeptic's comeback (I'LL BET); 11D: Adoption agcy. of a sort (SPCA); 12D: Shaggy simian (ORANG); 13D: Intricate (DETAILED); 14D: In ___-land (LALA); 15D: Energy source (ATOM); 16D: Merger intro (MEGA); 18D: Former finance giant, ___ Brothers (LEHMAN); 20D: Burst of light (FLARE); 22D: Generous (LARGE); 24D: Late TV exec's first name (ROONE); 29D: Covert org. (NSA); 31D: Michelle's D.C. predecessor (LAURA); 32D: Silents star Negri (POLA); 33D: Break ___ (interrupt) (IN ON); 34D: Ache of a sort (PANG); 38D: Soldier's datum (RANK); 40D: Imitated (APED); 41D: Take in the paper (READ); 42D: Thanksgiving treats (YAMS); 43D: Milk, to Mimi (LAIT); 44D: Not struck (UNHIT); 45D: Parasite (LEECH); 47D: Try: abbr. (ATT.); 49D: Diminishes (LESSENS); 52D: Tree-shaded place (ARBOR); 54D: Poem of lament (ELEGY); 55D: Laughs loudly (ROARS); 56D: College in New Rochelle (IONA); 57D: Delhi princess (RANI); 59D: Band buy (DRUM SET); 60D: End to end? (-ING); 65D: Not natural, as theater (STAGY); 66D: Signature plaintive cry from "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (OH ROB); 67D: Sea, to Simone (MER); 69D: Egg-shaped (OVATE); 71D: Freeway access (RAMP); 72D: Girder type (H-BAR); 73D: Ms. Zadora (PIA); 74D: Under, to a poet (NEATH); 75D: First name in cosmetics (ESTEE); 80D: Alejandro or Tony of baseball (PEÑA); 81D: Lure (DRAW); 82D: Alleviate (EASE); 83D: Game network (ESPN); 85D: Math. assignment (PROB); 86D: Some mil. grads (LTS.); 87D: Luke's nemesis (DARTH); 89D: Zimbabwe neighbor (BOTSWANA); 90D: "Gilgamesh," for one (EPIC); 91D: Reckless (RASH); 92D: Cousin of norte (ESTE); 97D: Time and ___ (A HALF); 98D: Like some trucks (TEN-TON); 101D: TV's Sawyer (DIANE); 103D: Time to pay?: abbr. (APR.); 104D: Indentured ones (SERFS); 105D: Adage (SAYING); 107D: Thought the world of (ADORED); 109D: Late news? (OBITS); 111D: Pert (SASSY); 112D: Young eel (ELVER); 113D: Dodgers Hall of Famer (REESE); 114D: Parks and others (BERTS); 115D: Commotion (STIR); 116D: Singer Tennille (TONI); 117D: Design over (REDO); 118D: "Born Free" lion (ELSA); 123D: Evian water? (EAU); 124D: Tipsy (LIT); 125D: Injury rosters, in baseball: abbr. (DL'S); 126D: Aulin who played Candy in "Candy" (EWA).

04.10 Sun

S U N D A Y
April 10, 2011
Susan Miskimins

[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: "Heavy Duty" — Theme entries in which each word can follow the word TAX (115-Down) to make a familiar word or phrase: tax year, tax books, tax service, tax break, etc.

Theme Entries:

• 22A: *Memorabilia at a reunion (YEARBOOKS).
• 33A: *Venus's undoing, perhaps (SERVICE BREAK).
• 41A: *Reason to agree to a pact (TREATY BENEFIT).
• 68A: *Political platform buzzword (PRO-LIFE).
• 89A: *One profiting from bad debts (BILL COLLECTOR).
• 98A: *Frequent health care event (RATE INCREASE).
• 113A: *Contract seeker (FREE AGENT).
• 25D: *Sales promotion component (REBATE FORM). 
• 60D: *Many a bank record (CREDIT FILE). 
• 1D: With 115-Down, make a required contribution (PAY). 
• 115D: See 1-Down, and word that can precede both parts of the answers to the starred clues (TAX).

This is Doug, and I've been working all day (Saturday) on...taxes! Not my own tax return. I haven't even started that yet. I work at a small accounting firm, and we've got way too many returns left to file next week. I didn't need this puzzle to remind me that we're in Tax Season.

Some of the phrases work better than others. SERVICE BREAK leads to "tax service" and "tax break." Those are both fine. But PRO-LIFE gives us "tax pro" (OK) and "tax life" (huh?)

Bullets:

• 21A: Sand's "which" (QUEL). George Sand was a French novelist. "Quel" is French for "which," I assume. Yikes.
• 33A: *Venus's undoing, perhaps (SERVICE BREAK). "Venus" is Venus Williams and a service break is something that happens in tennis. Let me check. OK, it's "a tennis game won on the opponent's service." It seems like that could be a good thing or a bad thing for Venus, depending on whether or not she's serving. I'm confused. Can we get back to the baseball clues?
• 11D: John P. Sousa, e.g. (U.S.M.C. VET). At first I thought this had something to do with McDonalds: U.S McVet. Yeah, I'm tired.
• 16D: Move, as a restaurant patron (RESEAT).



Sorry, that's all I can do tonight. My posts will be longer after April 15th! Actually taxes are due on April 18th this year, but you get the idea.

04.09 Sat

S A T U R D A Y
April 9, 2011
Barry C. Silk

Theme: None — It's Saturday, remember?

Well, this puzzle was sure a nice way to wrap up the week. A little on the easy side for a Saturday, but lots of sparkle and, for the most part, a smooth solve. I'm not entirely convinced this is really a Barry Silk puzzle though. Sure, there's the 15A: 1962 Brenda Lee hit (ALL ALONE AM I), which you would expect. And there are a couple of baseball players in the grid, like 24A: 2003 Cy Young Award-winning reliever Eric (GAGNE) and 2D: 1953 A.L. MVP (AL ROSEN). But, you see, the baseball answers were actually the tip-off. Yes, you expect baseball in a Silk puzzle but … they're not Phillies. HA! You've been unmasked! Who are you and what have you done with Barry Silk?!

Entries worth highlighting include:

• 1A: Site of many a wet bar (BACHELOR PAD).
• 29A: There are 300 feet between them (END ZONES).
• 1D: It's under Wayne Manor (BATCAVE).

There's nothing like the feeling of throwing a long answer in with no crosses, is there? I got that feeling today with EAST LANSING (57A: Home of Spartan Stadium). Sometimes it's awesome to be a Big Ten fan. I've even been to East Lansing once for a sporting event and I must say it's a lovely, lovely town.

As usual for a late-week puzzle, there were a few things that I just flat-out didn't know:

• 16A: __ Fáil: Irish coronation stone (LIA).
• 49A: Hindu "Destroyer" (SIVA).
• 30D: Customizable online avatar (ZWINKY).
• 51D: Den __, Nederland (HAAG).

It really really really seems like ZWINKY is something I should know but … ? Nothin'. I got nothin'.

Bullets:

• 18A: Pres. Obama received an honorary one from Notre Dame (LLD). Some type of law degree.
• 25A: Flight formation (VEE). Please tell me I'm not the only one who misread the clue as "flight INformation."
• 47A: Riskily off base (AWOL). And here's where you end up feeling like a real sucker when you finally get the answer. It's a Barry Silk puzzle. You've already seen a few baseball clues so you reasonably assume this clue is about baseball too. And then BAM! Something completely different.



• 54A: Washington attraction (NATIONAL ZOO). Been there a couple times. It's, well … it's a zoo. I don't love zoos. Except the monkeys. I could watch the monkeys all day.



• 8D: Give another memory jog to (RECUE). I think this is the only thing in the grid that I really didn't like. Maybe it's legit, but it sure doesn't sound like something I would ever say.

• 10D: Double agent Aldrich (AMES). Thank you for not using that other clue for this answer.
• 13D: Chalk feature? (SILENT L). "You cannot trick me with these types of clues any longer! I am much too savvy!" (That's what I hope your reaction was to this one.)
• 14D: Gloom (SADNESS). First I had BAD NEWS, then when I figured out the W had to be an S I tried BADNESS which would be a terrible entry. Thank goodness it wasn't right.

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Everything Else — 12A: Long-eared critter (ASS); 17A: Protected company asset (TRADE SECRET); 19A: Sine's reciprocal, in trig (COSEC); 20A: Petitions (SUES); 21A: Observed (SEEN); 22A: Egyptian hazards (ASPS); 23A: Look (MIEN); 26A: It holds the line (ROD); 27A: Vacation souvenirs (T-SHIRTS); 32A: Bike power sources (PEDALS); 33A: Novelist, e.g. (WORDSMITH); 35A: Nunavut native, formerly (ESKIMO); 38A: Spanish for "little cake" (TORTILLA); 42A: Cockapoo pop, perhaps (SPANIEL); 44A: Asian "path" (TAO); 45A: 39-Down article (EIN); 46A: Early transport (TRIKE); 50A: Like some breezes (EASY); 51A: Frost (HOAR); 52A: Wide zoot suit feature (LAPEL); 53A: View (EYE); 56A: Côte d'Azur view (MER); 58A: Old leftist gp. revived in 2006 (SDS); 59A: Very long time (AGES AND AGES); 3D: Held tight (CLASPED); 4D: It's guarded by the three-headed dog Cerberus (HADES); 5D: Util. bill item (ELEC.); 6D: California's __ Gatos (LOS); 7D: Biased (ONE-SIDED); 9D: Rear (PARENT); 11D: Code sound (DIT); 12D: Hay fever treatment brand (ALLEGRA); 21D: Greeted, with "to" (SAID HI); 23D: Last president to wear a powdered wig (MONROE); 24D: Renewal target (GHETTO); 26D: College cohort (ROOMIE); 28D: Nice pass (SPIRAL); 31D: Bygone flier (SST); 34D: Droid maker (MOTOROLA); 35D: Treasures (ESTEEMS); 36D: Dealt with bugs, in a way (SPRAYED); 37D: German leaders (KAISERS); 39D: Home of the Bach-Archiv (LEIPZIG); 40D: Con man's dream (LIVE ONE); 41D: Parallels (ANALOGS); 43D: Philosopher associated with 44-Across (LAO-TSE); 48D: Serves, with "on" (WAITS); 49D: Lively Cuban dance (SALSA); 52D: Touch down (LAND); 54D: PBS supporter (NEA); 55D: Asian flatbread (NAN).

04.08 Fri

F R I D A Y
April 8, 2011
Scott Atkinson

Theme: Incomplete Countries — Each theme answer is a city/country pair with one letter missing from the country's name, which (obviously) creates much wackiness.

Theme answers:

• 16A: Celtic quaffs? (CARDIFF wALES).
• 30A: Caribbean baby animal? (HAVANA CUBa).
• 38A: Arabian guy? (MUSCAT oMAN).
• 52A: East Asian "pet"? (BEIJING CHInA).
• 11D: Iberian bridge? (MADRID SPAiN).
• 26D: Mesopotamian savings plan? (BAGHDAD IRAn).

I had a hard time with this theme, but it's totally not the theme's fault. I pieced CARDIFF together completely from crosses. I'm sure I've heard of CARDIFF at some point in my life, but I wouldn't have been able to tell you it was in [W]ALES. And I thought CARDIFF ALES sounded like a legitimate thing on its own. (What do I know from ales?) So, that was baffling to me. The next theme answers I got were HAVANA CUB and BAGHDAD IRA, so I'm trying to figure out how to tack an extra letter onto CARDIFF ALES to make it … something. Obviously that didn't work. It wasn't til I got to MUSCAT MAN that I realized the theme answers were missing a letter but not necessarily the last letter. Then I looked back at CARDIFF ALES and still had to think for a minute about what letter to add back into ALES to make a country. Duh. In hindsight, CARDIFF does sound very Welsh, doesn't it? Speaking of Welsh:



Bullets:

• 6A: Disaster response gp. (EVAC). Emergency Volunteer Air Corps. I only know that cuz I looked it up. Totally wanted FEMA here.
• 14A: Conscious (AWARE). I started to write in AWAKE and then realized I better check the cross.

• 26A: Club ingredient (BACON). Mmmm, bacon.
• 34A: Senescent (AGING). Senescent? Definitely my word of the day.
• 40A: Withdrawal concern (DT'S). Delirium tremens. Nasty, nasty stuff there.
• 43A: '70s TV cop played by Robert Blake (BARETTA). I can never remember if it's two Rs or two Ts.
• 46A: Farewells overseas (ADIEUS). French!
• 51A: Lighting brand (BIC). I misread the clue as "Lightning brand" and had no idea what to think about that.
• 2D: "__ (So Far Away)": 1982 hit for A Flock of Seagulls (I RAN). So at first I was all, "Cool clue. Instead of cluing it as the country, IRAN, break it up and clue it as a cheesy 80s song. Awesome." Then I realized that one of the theme answers is based on the IRAN the country and I don't like it so much any more. Unless you can make that same play on all the theme countries, I say don't do it all. [This just in: I've heard from several reliable sources that Baghdad is, in fact, in IRAQ not IRAN. I will continue to investigate this claim and let you know as soon as I have confirmation.]

• 7D: Feb. sentiment (VAL.). Ladies and gentlemen, your clunker of the day.
• 10D: Y for men only? (CHROMOSOME). This is a great clue/answer pair. It threw me not only because it's tricky, but also because I kind of expected this long down to be a theme answer.
• 23D: Complaint while groping (I CAN'T SEE). I guess that depends on what you're groping. Thankyouverymuch I'll be here all week.
• 27D: Earhart et al. (AVIATRICES). Anyone else have that A in place and start writing in A-M-E-L-I…oh crap.
• 32D: Naval acronym (SEALS). Sea Air And Land.
• 41D: And those following, in footnotes (ET SEQQ.). Whoa whoa whoa. Hold it right there, buddy. ET SEQQ? With two Qs? Whoa.
• 55D: Chantilly crower (COQ). I guess this isn't a reference to Chantilly, Virginia.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 23A: Composer Stravinsky (IGOR).
• 49D: Operatic slave (AIDA).

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Everything Else — 1A: Chuck E. Cheese's order (PIZZA); 10A: Eric the Red's birth year, roughly (CML); 13A: Lets go (FREES); 15A: "A likely story!" ("HAH!"); 18A: Old cereal box letters (RDA); 19A: __-Caps (SNO); 20A: Anderson of Jethro Tull (IAN); 21A: Pyle portrayer (NABORS); 25A: Words of affection from Luigi (CARA MIA); 28A: Astronaut Grissom (GUS); 29A: Seed alternative (SOD); 32A: Impudent (SASSY); 35A: Refinery input (ORE); 36A: Escape to Vegas, maybe (ELOPE); 37A: "__ life!" (THAT'S); 41A: 911 response initials (EMS); 42A: Hardly local (ALIEN); 45A: Assorted: Abbr. (MISC.); 47A: Dinghy thingy (OAR); 48A: Electrical sound (ZAP); 56A: "__ you nuts?" (ARE); 57A: Matching (EQUAL); 58A: Agony and ecstasy (MOODS); 59A: Dorm agts. (RA'S); 60A: 640 acres: Abbr. (SQ. MI.); 61A: Opposite of lanky (SQUAT); 1D: Cpl.'s subordinates (PFC'S); 3D: Reset (ZERO); 4D: Letter from London (ZED); 5D: "__ was saying ..." (AS I); 6D: McGregor of "The Men Who Stare at Goats" (EWAN); 8D: Circus sites (ARENAS); 9D: French Oscar (CÉSAR); 12D: Capital ENE of Kathmandu (LHASA); 14D: Way out yonder (AFAR); 17D: Shrek's love (FIONA); 22D: Like much Hawaiian lava (BASALTIC); 24D: Some Chinese restaurant decor (GONGS); 25D: Dice and ice, often (CUBES); 28D: Spiritual leaders (GURUS); 30D: It may be tipped (HAT); 31D: One commonly follows "said" (COMMA); 33D: Japanese dough (YEN); 39D: Stone monument (CAIRN); 43D: King with a trunk (BABAR); 44D: Old TV parts (TUBES); 45D: Knight's protection (MAIL); 47D: Ventura County resort (OJAI); 48D: Contemporary of Mao (ZHOU); 50D: It's behind us (PAST); 53D: Elemental suffix (-IUM); 54D: MLB execs (GM'S).

04.07 Thu

T H U R S D A Y
April 7, 2011
Don Gagliardo

Theme: I say, old chap… — Theme answers are familiar phrases that have had their spelling English-ified

Theme answers:

• 20A: *Not exactly a nightie (FLANNEL PYJAMAS).
• 24A: *Scales are part of it (PIANO PRACTISE).
• 33A: *Reinforced road traveler (STEEL-BELTED TYRE).
• 43A: *Headquarters (CONTROL CENTRE).
• 51A: Spin, as a cue ball, and how to answer each starred clue in this puzzle? (PUT ENGLISH ON IT).

Good morning, everyone, and happy Thursday. I know everybody has stuff to do today, so let's get right to it.

Really, really like this theme and like even more how it sort of slowly dawned on me. I'm sure I'm wasn't alone in entering FLANNEL PAJAMAS at 20-Across and then wondering what the heck a TREA might be. I like that PYJAMAS is the first Anglicized word we see in the grid because if I were going to make a list of possibliities, it's not one that immediately comes to mind. PRACTISE and CENTRE are actually spellings I've seen off and on over the years in real life and TYRE comes up now and again in puzzles. But PYJAMAS is way back there in the cobwebs: I know I've seen it but can't imagine where or when. So, yes, we're looking at a fine, fine theme here. Unfortuanately ….

The rest of the grid just doesn't hold up. Way too many flat-out clunkers in this grid, the most glaring example being TENANTRY (37D: Renters, collectively). I almost want to give it a pass because it sounds a little British. Almost. But not quite. Then there's the first three downs in the northwest corner: SNO, PERF, and A GAL. Any one of those on its own isn't really that terrible, but putting all three of them together like that is just unforgiveable. ANIL, ENARM, DYNEL, P-TRAP. P-TRAP?!? And please don't get me started on all the abbreviations: POS, INT, IND, PERF, A MAJ, BLT, CCH. Okay, I'll give those last two a pass. BLT is almost a word on its own by now, don't you think? And CCH Pounder? She's awesome. But CCH Pounder, ROOMIE, and CAT TOY just don't have the firepower necessary to save this puzzle. Basically, this was a fabulous idea for a puzzle, but the grid should have been redone once it became clear the fill was such a mess.

Bullets:

• 11A: "The Sting" number (RAG). PuzzleDaughter is learning to play the piano right now and her dad keeps requesting "The Entertainer," which she's never heard of. Shouldn't be long now though.
• 18A: Solitude (TIME ALONE). What I wouldn't give.

• 22A: Jack edged him out in the 1980 U.S. Open (ISAO). I like this clue. When I first talked to PuzzleHusband about how ISAO Aoki shows up in puzzles all the time, his response was something like, "Well, he's no slouch. He almost beat Jack Nicklaus at the 1980 U.S. Open, you know." (My response: "Golf nerd.")
• 43D: Yarn or bell, e.g. (CAT TOY). Best entry in the grid.
• 50A: Where parts of the '95 film "Higher Learning" were shot (UCLA). With the L in place, I tried YALE first.
• 65A: Loper leader (INTER-). INTER is a prefix that can be tacked onto the beginning of the word "loper" to create the word "interloper." INTER, therefore, can be said to "lead" that word.
• 8D: Harpsichordist's aid (LAMP). Would someone please splain this to me? It seems awfully random.

• 52D: Soda reportedly named for a bottle size (NEHI). I did not know that.
• 60D: Capitol Hill mover (POL). Does anyone know if our Congresspeople continue to get paid in the event of a government shutdown? Personally, I think their salaries should be the first to go, but maybe that's just me.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 22A: Jack edged him out in the 1980 U.S. Open (ISAO).
• 63A: Sister of Thalia (ERATO).
• 7D: Deep blue (ANIL).
• 52D: Soda reportedly named for a bottle size (NEHI).
• 53D: Fed (G-MAN).

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Everything Else — 1A: Fictional falcon seeker (SPADE); 6A: Fictional falcon source (MALTA); 14A: Much of Israel (NEGEV); 15A: Provide with heat? (ENARM); 16A: Shaft discovery (ORE); 17A: Speak above the crowd? (ORATE); 23A: Jumbo, say (SIZE); 31A: Some time ago (ONCE); 32A: Screwball (LOON); 41A: "__, 'tis true, I have gone here and there": Sonnet 110 (ALAS); 42A: Choice word (EENY); 48A: Pole or Croat (SLAV); 58A: Radical (EXTREMIST); 59A: Bathroom sink fitting (P-TRAP); 61A: Bathroom, across the pond (LOO); 62A: Berry picked for an Emmy (HALLE); 64A: Stab (TRY); 66A: Easily colored synthetic (DYNEL); 1D: Desk globe filler? (SNO); 2D: Line to tear along: Abbr. (PERF.); 3D: "I've Got __ in Kalamazoo" (A GAL); 4D: Suspect, maybe (DETAINEE); 5D: "Given that ..." ("EVEN SO …"); 6D: Sky streaker (METEOR); 9D: It has few pips (TREY); 10D: Key of Beethoven's Sym. No. 7 (A MAJ.); 11D: Frosh assignment (ROOMIE); 12D: Ball partner (ARNAZ); 13D: Sky honkers (GEESE); 19D: Lad's sweetheart (LASS); 21D: Hammock session (NAP); 24D: Batt. terminal (POS.); 25D: NFL drive killer (INT.); 26D: Score very high on (ACE); 27D: "This is __ sudden!" (ALL SO); 28D: Motel extra (COT); 29D: Nail holder (TOE); 30D: Ill. neighbor (IND.); 34D: Data-sharing syst. (LAN); 35D: Lunch initials (BLT); 36D: __ candy (EAR); 38D: Nevertheless (YET); 39D: Time off, in mil. slang (R 'N' R); 40D: __ candy (EYE); 44D: Page-bottom directive (OVER); 45D: Polish goal (LUSTER); 46D: "The Shield" actress __ Pounder (CCH); 47D: Made hasty altar plans (ELOPED); 48D: Broke down, in a way (SPELT); 49D: Pyramid-shaped Vegas hotel (LUXOR); 54D: Happy tune (LILT); 55D: Crow's-nest sighting (ISLE); 56D: Afghanistan neighbor (IRAN); 57D: Thames gallery (TATE).