M O N D A Y August 30, 2010 James Sajdak

Theme: The Kennedy Boys — Theme answers are familiar phrases that start with the names of the political Kennedy brothers.


Theme answers:

• 20A: Mister Fixit (JACK OF ALL TRADES).
• 30A: Footwear often turned down at the ankle (BOBBY SOCKS).
• 41A: Tots' furry sleeping companions (TEDDY BEARS).
• 54A: Hyannis Port site where the starts of 20-, 30- and 41-Across were often found (KENNEDY COMPOUND).

Simple theme that I haven't seen before, straightforward clues, no clunkers, and a couple of stumbling blocks that didn't take long to work themselves out. Yep, it's an enjoyable Monday puzzle alright.

Bullets:

• 1A: Stringed instrument that may be taller than its player (HARP). Started with BASS.
• 46A: Jazz combo rhythm providers (DRUMS). I don't know why, but that clue cracks me up. I think because it's so specific.
• 60A: Hippo ending (-DROME). Because -POTAMUS wouldn't fit.
• 63A: Loudness units (SONES). I can never remember this word. I always want it to be "decibels" and it never is.
• 1D: Pilgrim to Mecca (HADJI). We've covered HADJ in CW101, so maybe that helped you here.
• 4D: Gdansk dance (POLKA). When I was 15 I danced a rollicking polka with the governor of North Dakota, Art Link. I've never danced a polka since. And I don't need to because that one time was awesome.
• 18D: Hungarian dessert wines (TOKAYS). Never heard of this. Got it totally through crosses.

• 51D: David of the PGA (DUVAL). We haven't heard much from DUVAL in the last several years, but I'm still hoping he gets his mojo back sometime soon.

Crosswordese 101: Mt. ETNA is Europe's largest and highest active volcano. It's in Sicily, near both Taormina and Catania. "Volcano words" you can look for in clues for ETNA include erupter, spewer, smoker, and spouter. Or, the clue might just come right out and say it's a volcano, like today's 6D: Italian volcano.

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

• 15A: Native Nebraskan (OTOE).
• 37A: Qatari chieftains (EMIRS).
• 65A: Israeli airline (EL AL).
• 12D: Fencing sword (ÉPÉE).
• 27D: Bear, to Brutus (URSA).
• 31D: Sharif of "Doctor Zhivago" (OMAR).
• 55D: River through Spain (EBRO).

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Everything Else — 5A: Left the room (WENT); 9A: Defame in print (LIBEL); 14A: Chevy subcompact since 2004 (AVEO); 16A: Slip away to tie the knot (ELOPE); 17A: Phone sounds (DIAL TONES); 19A: "Manhattan" director Woody (ALLEN); 22A: What you eat, to a dietitian (INTAKE); 23A: Canonized person (SAINT); 24A: Gallery fare (ART); 26A: Prefix with intellectual (PSEUDO-); 36A: Vicinity (AREA); 38A: __ kwon do (TAE); 39A: Valued possession (ASSET); 40A: It means nothing to a Nicaraguan (NADA); 43A: Totally soak (DRENCH); 45A: Sun. church delivery (SER.); 49A: Ice cream treat (SUNDAE); 58A: Skyscraper girder (I-BEAM); 59A: Clan members (RELATIVES); 61A: Shave-haircut link (AND A); 62A: Like valuable stamps (RARE); 64A: Appear to be (SEEM); 2D: Birdlike (AVIAN); 3D: Jerk or frown, e.g. (REACT); 5D: Low-frequency speakers (WOOFERS); 7D: Carols (NOELS); 8D: Onetime Edison rival Nikola (TESLA); 9D: Absorbs the lesson (LEARNS); 10D: Anxious (ILL AT EASE); 11D: Like headline typefaces (BOLD); 13D: Camera's focusing device (LENS); 21D: Pointers (TIPS); 25D: Shopper's carryall (TOTE); 28D: Bambi and kin (DEER); 29D: Cheerios grain (OATS); 30D: Give a little (BEND); 32D: Wait (BIDE); 33D: Nongeneric, as a drug (BRAND NAME); 34D: Gentleman's opposite (CAD); 35D: Sneakers since 1916 (KEDS); 39D: Discourteously curt (ABRUPT); 41D: Dull impact sound (THUD); 42D: Polite response to Mother (YES MA'AM); 44D: Heavy liqueurs (CREMES); 47D: Breckinridge and Hess (MYRAS); 48D: Act division (SCENE); 50D: Bête __ (NOIRE); 52D: End of __ (AN ERA); 53D: Memorable '50s lemon (EDSEL); 54D: Jokes with (KIDS); 56D: Strip lighting (NEON); 57D: Quaint shoppe word (OLDE).