M O N D A Y November 15, 2010 David W. Cromer

Theme: Leavin' on a Jet Plane — Theme answers are familiar phrases that begin with words that can be used in relation to air travel.

Theme answers:

• 20A: Lose a few pounds (TAKE OFF WEIGHT).
• 37A: Act defiantly toward (FLY IN THE TEETH OF).
• 54A: Find ideal employment (LAND A GREAT JOB).
• 58D: You might be on one if you do the starts of 20-, 37- and 54-Across (JET).

I really hate to do this, especially on a Monday morning and all, but I have an issue with this theme. Never in my life have I heard the phrase "fly in the teeth of." I have to assume it's an actual, legitimate phrase, otherwise it wouldn't be in the puzzle. And yet. Of course I turned to our good friend Mr. Google to see if I was completely off base. The phrase "fly in the teeth of" gets almost 400,000 hits, most of which are definition sites. "Fly in the face of," on the other hand, gets 2.8 million hits, and less than half of the first-page results are definition sites. So I'm just going to say that I'm absolutely right, in that cute little way I do that is clearly joking, but possibly not joking at all.

The only place I had any trouble at all was at 10D: Summer itch cause. I first tried "hayfever," and when the HEA appeared, I tried "head cold," thinking that was a little strange. Luckily, it didn't take long to straighten all that out.

Bullets:

• 5A: It's cut and styled (HAIR). Did I tell you all that PuzzleSon got his hair cut? It's on the drastic side and we're all super happy with it.

• 13A: Kathmandu's country (NEPAL).

• 29A: They're exchanged at the altar (I DOS). Oh, I did have a misstep here where I first tried "vows."
• 21D: Deceptive moves (FEINTS). The funny thing here is that the first word that came to my mind was "dekes," which is a hockey term I learned from crosswords.

• 57D: Bank takeaway (REPO). Do you all watch "Chuck"? We were watching an episode recently where Chuck's friend Morgan gets his car repossessed and Harry Dean Stanton shows up as the Repo Man. Awesome.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 28A: Legal thing (RES).
• 66A: Norway's capital (OSLO).
• 4D: Wild West movie (OATER).
• 31D: "SNL" alum Cheri (OTERI).

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Everything Else — 1A: Estimator's words (OR SO); 9A: "Of __ I Sing" (THEE); 15A: Part of A.D. (ANNO); 16A: Sniggler's prey (EELS); 17A: Maliciousness (SPITE); 18A: Not so much (LESS); 19A: Bivouac (CAMP); 23A: Opposed (to) (AVERSE); 24A: Pekoe, e.g. (TEA); 25A: "Far out!" ("RAD!"); 32A: Make fun of (TEASE); 34A: Sweet snack with coffee (DONUT); 36A: Northern California peak (SHASTA); 41A: __ Pieces: candy brand (REESE'S); 42A: Brings up (REARS); 43A: Make into law (ENACT); 44A: Bank claim (LIEN); 45A: Fashion that doesn't last (FAD); 48A: Canadian A.L. team, on scoreboards (TOR); 49A: Crude in a tanker (OIL); 51A: Invent (CREATE); 58A: Monopoly square with bars (JAIL); 60A: Yves's girlfriend (AMIE); 61A: Country with a wall (CHINA); 62A: Poet __ St. Vincent Millay (EDNA); 63A: Heavenly music maker (HARP); 64A: Kids' flying toys (KITES); 65A: Clothes (TOGS); 67A: Open-and-shut __ (CASE); 1D: GM navigation system (ONSTAR); 2D: Fix potholes in (REPAVE); 3D: Volleyball smashes (SPIKES); 5D: One of two equal portions (HALF); 6D: From the beginning (ANEW); 7D: Maps within maps (INSETS); 8D: Talk radio host O'Donnell (ROSIE); 9D: PC support pro (TECH); 11D: Stately tree (ELM); 12D: Psychic's claim (ESP); 14D: Some summer babies, astrologically (LEOS); 22D: Collect (GATHER); 26D: Regarding (AS TO); 27D: Unable to hear (DEAF); 30D: "Of course I knew that!" ("DUH!"); 33D: Food, on a diner sign (EATS); 34D: Computer insert (DISC); 35D: Common pickup capacity (ONE TON); 36D: Afterworld communication meeting (SEANCE); 37D: Get all worked up (FRET); 38D: Letterman rival (LENO); 39D: Horse that isn't two yet (YEARLING); 40D: Golfer's gadget (TEE); 44D: Alpaca cousins (LLAMAS); 45D: Tex-Mex serving (FAJITA); 46D: Makes reparations (for) (ATONES); 47D: Lower in rank (DEBASE); 50D: Wyoming neighbor (IDAHO); 52D: __ of lamb (RACK); 53D: Value system (ETHIC); 55D: "Woe is me!" (ALAS); 56D: "__, Interrupted" (GIRL); 59D: Bustle (ADO).