10.09 Sun

S U N D A Y
October 9, 2011
John Lampkin

[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: "Seas the Day" — Nautical wordplay.

Theme Entries:

• 24A: Course for sailors? (ANCHOR MANAGEMENT).
• 40A: Measures to ensure restful sleep on-board? (BERTH CONTROL).
• 64A: The Red Baron, belowdecks? (ACE IN THE HULL).
• 72A: Results of eating French fries at the ship's wheel? (SLIPPERY HELM).
• 97A: Irrational weeping over a broken spar? (MAST HYSTERIA).
• 116A: Philosophical shrug about channel markers? (BUOYS WILL BE BUOYS).
• 3D: Positive report from a deck hand? (THE JIB IS UP).
• 77D: Bit of gear for a nuclear-powered dinghy? (URANIUM OAR).

Hey, crossword fans. Doug here on Sunday. Hope you're all enjoying your weekend.

A shipshape collection of seaworthy puns from John Lampkin today! I like this group better than last week's wine puns. And now I want to rewatch Master and Commander. Love that movie.

I'd single out ANCHOR MANAGEMENT and BUOYS WILL BE BUOYS as my favorite theme entries, but none of them made me wince. If I have one complaint, it's that ACE IN THE HOLD sounds better to me than ACE IN THE HULL, and the clue makes sense either way. In fact, I liked HOLD so much, that I had a bit of trouble finishing up that section of the puzzle.

Bullets:

• 1A: Sax object? (ALTO). I don't really understand this clue. An "alto" isn't an object. Maybe the object of an alto sax is to make an alto sound. Any theories?
• 22A: South, in a north wind (ALEE). Another nautical reference. I wonder if John tried to come up an ALEE theme entry. "Poet Frost on the safe side?"
• 29A: "When I Take My Sugar to ___": 1931 hit (TEA). I was curious about this song, and I found an original 1931 recording on YouTube. Interesting and kinda catchy, but I thought it would sound more like Def Leppard's "Pour Some Sugar on Me."

• 45A: "I'd like to buy ___" (AN I). I wonder how Joon would do on Wheel of Fortune. He wouldn't make much money, because he'd solve every puzzle before any letters were guessed.

• 54A: Five-O booking agent (DANO). "Book 'em, Dano!" There was some discussion among crossword constructors a while back about whether the name is spelled "Dano" or "Danno." Apparently the Hawaii Five-O writers weren't consistent with the spelling. So you'll see "Danno" in a puzzle every now and then.
• 115A: How many nightclubs are lit (DIMLY). My first thought: "All of them."

• 127A: Lane associate (OLSEN). Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen. Remember that time Superman made him marry an ape?
• 25D: Classical guitar family name (ROMERO). New to me. From Wikipedia: "Los Romeros is a guitar quartet, sometimes known as 'The Royal Family of the Guitar.' Their personnel consists entirely of members of the Romero family."
• 41D: Home, metonymically (HEARTH). Metonymy is a figure of speech in which a thing or concept is not called by its own name, but by the name of something intimately associated with it. For example, "Hollywood" is used as a metonym for the movie industry, and "The White House" is a metonym for the Presidency.

• 72D: Toondom's Princess of Power (SHE-RA). He-Man's twin sister. Shouldn't she be called She-Woman? And which one do you think has the prettier hairstyle?
• 118D: Intoxicating letters? (BYO). As in BYOB, Bring Your Own Booze/Bottle. When I throw a party, I tell people to "BYO" food, booze, chairs, and entertainment. Why should I do all the work?

I'm sure that some of you don't have to work on Columbus Day, so enjoy the three-day weekend. But don't forgot to watch Joon on Jeopardy! on Monday. He's a juggernaut.

Everything — 1A: Sax object? (ALTO); 5A: Passing fancies (WHIMS); 10A: Hospital delivery (BIRTH); 15A: Dandelion's home, often (LAWN); 19A: Wonka's creator (DAHL); 20A: Like much floor tile (VINYL); 21A: In __: awaiting delivery (UTERO); 22A: South, in a north wind (ALEE); 23A: Suit to __ (A TEE); 24A: Course for sailors? (ANCHOR MANAGEMENT); 27A: Taking drive-thru orders, e.g. (MCJOB); 29A: "When I Take My Sugar to __": 1931 hit (TEA); 30A: Leaves out (OMITS); 31A: Outdoes (BESTS); 32A: Ones in concert with con artists (SHILLS); 34A: Pollen-bearing organ (STAMEN); 36A: Insurance gps. (HMO'S); 38A: Moistens overnight, perhaps (BEDEWS); 40A: Measures to ensure restful sleep on-board? (BERTH CONTROL); 45A: "I'd like to buy __" (AN I); 47A: Corny jokes (GROANERS); 49A: Corny picks (EARS); 50A: Audit trailer? (-ORY); 51A: Plane front (NOSE); 53A: 19th-century Mexican president Juárez (BENITO); 54A: Five-O booking agent (DANO); 55A: Sleeper's choice (TWIN); 56A: Suit that beats the other three (TRUMP); 58A: Addams family cousin (ITT); 59A: Dastard (CUR); 60A: Bug barrier (SCREEN); 62A: Bug killers (ZAPPERS); 64A: The Red Baron, belowdecks? (ACE IN THE HULL); 68A: Beat badly (TROMP); 70A: English sÌ, at sea (AYE); 71A: Noodle rings? (HALOS); 72A: Result of eating French fries at the ship's wheel? (SLIPPERY HELM); 76A: Sweats (GYM SUIT); 80A: Word spoken before a shot (CHEESE); 81A: Suffix with Caesar (-EAN); 82A: H.S. math course (ALG.); 84A: Political housecleaning (PURGE); 85A: Flag throwers (REFS); 86A: "Ring around the collar" detergent (WISK); 88A: Pesto herbs (BASILS); 91A: Try to find on the road, say (PAGE); 92A: Some busts (ART); 93A: Stable upstairs? (SANE); 94A: Stout, for one (DARK BEER); 96A: Citi Field team, on scoreboards (NYM); 97A: Irrational weeping over a broken spar? (MAST HYSTERIA); 100A: St. Clare's town (ASSISI); 102A: Drain stain (RUST); 103A: Barbizon School artist (MILLET); 105A: "Uncle!" ("ENOUGH!"); 108A: Sock synthetic (ORLON); 111A: Yeshiva leader (REBBE); 113A: Four times daily, in an Rx (QID); 115A: How many nightclubs are lit (DIMLY); 116A: Philosophical shrug about channel markers? (BUOYS WILL BE BUOYS); 120A: Gad about (ROAM); 121A: French fashion mag (ELLE); 122A: Quintessential flop (EDSEL); 123A: "__ in Words": New Ager's memoir (YANNI); 124A: Deservedly get (EARN); 125A: Copyright datum (YEAR); 126A: 1970s Big Apple mayor (BEAME); 127A: Lane associate (OLSEN); 128A: "__ Tu": 1974 hit (ERES); 1D: John in the White House (ADAMS); 2D: Closing mechanism (LATCH); 3D: Positive report from a deck hand? (THE JIB IS UP); 4D: Fútbol cheer (OLÉ OLÉ); 5D: Wheeling's st. (W. VA.); 6D: Clue or cue (HINT); 7D: Like the ocean's roar (INCESSANT); 8D: What I might eat in defeat? (MY HAT); 9D: __-mo (SLO); 10D: Downers (BUMMERS); 11D: "If __ broke ..." (IT AIN'T); 12D: Musical based on Puccini's "La Bohème" (RENT); 13D: Raccoon attractor (TRASHCAN); 14D: Refuse to share (HOG); 15D: Least believable (LAMEST); 16D: Stout alternatives (ALES); 17D: Headed out (WENT); 18D: Butterfly catchers (NETS); 25D: Classical guitar family name (ROMERO); 26D: Poetic blacks (EBONS); 28D: Campus unit: Abbr. (BLDG.); 33D: Balkan native (SERB); 35D: Be an accessory to (ABET); 37D: In a moody way (MOROSELY); 39D: "Alas!" ("WOE IS ME""); 41D: Home, metonymically (HEARTH); 42D: Wheel on a spur (ROWEL); 43D: Bay window (ORIEL); 44D: Singer Loretta (LYNN); 45D: Bug film in which Gene Hackman voices General Mandible (ANTZ); 46D: Ibsen's "doll" (NORA); 48D: Silents star Naldi (NITA); 52D: Frat bash refuse (EMPTIES); 54D: Bug for payment (DUN); 55D: Bind tightly (TRUSS UP); 57D: Heist participants, to cops (PERPS); 59D: Sky over Paris (CIEL); 61D: Bite (CHOMP); 63D: Ravine-crossing hauling systems (ROPEWAYS); 65D: "All the Way" lyricist (CAHN); 66D: See (EYE); 67D: Dickers (HAGGLES); 69D: Out-of-the-box feature (PRESET); 72D: Toondom's Princess of Power (SHE-RA); 73D: Johansson's jabs (LEFTS); 74D: Chew the fat (YAK); 75D: False front (MASK); 77D: Bit of gear for a nuclear-powered dinghy? (URANIUM OAR); 78D: Punk star __ Pop (IGGY); 79D: Be crawling (with) (TEEM); 80D: Jam-pack (CRAM); 83D: Celebratory drinks (LIBATIONS); 87D: Good way to take things (IN STRIDE); 88D: Security holder, in law (BAILEE); 89D: Asian sea (ARAL); 90D: Zairian dictator Mobutu __ Seko (SESE); 93D: Eschews (SHUNS); 94D: Court action (DRIBBLE); 95D: Coat to peel off (RIND); 98D: Verne __, Mini-Me portrayer in Austin Powers films (TROYER); 99D: Symbol (EMBLEM); 101D: Evening musicale (SOIREE); 104D: Tantamount (EQUAL); 106D: A polarizing filter reduces it (GLARE); 107D: Choral offerings (HYMNS); 108D: Follow (OBEY); 109D: Thing to follow (RULE); 110D: She gets what she wants (LOLA); 112D: "Lohengrin" heroine (ELSA); 114D: Force unit (DYNE); 117D: Bug catcher (WEB); 118D: Intoxicating letters? (BYO); 119D: Biblical no-no (SIN).

09.20 Tue

T U E S D A Y
September 20, 2011
John Lampkin

Theme: Gimme an I! Gimme an O! Gimme … an A? Wait, what about the W?? — Each theme answer is a three-word phrase where each word has three of the same letters and the fourth letter alternates I to O to A. If that makes any sense.

Theme answers:

• 20A: Hullabaloo over a sudden policy reversal? (FLIP FLOP FLAP).
• 33A: Sign of table tennis tendonitis? (PING PONG PANG).
• 42A: Bit of applause for an equestrian event? (CLIP CLOP CLAP).
• 58A: Cry of frustration about a Hostess cake? (DING DONG DANG).

Super cute theme today. I like it when the theme answers are fun to say. Modifying the word dang seems like a stretch, but whatever! DING DONG DANG. It's fun to say so who cares?

Bullets:

• 14A: Coif makeup (HAIR). A coif is made up of HAIR.

• 25A: Legendary Chicago cow owner (O'LEARY). I seem to recall some question about this entry last time we saw it. Mrs. O'LEARY is supposedly the owner of the cow that started the Great Chicago Fire of whatever year that was. I believe there is at least one song about it.
• 29A: Attack from above (STRAFE). I tried STRIKE first, thinking of the phrase "air strike."
• 32A: Co. bigwig (CEO). The abbreviation in the clue indicates that the answer will also be an abbreviation.
• 40A: Half of a double play (OUT). Did y'all see the baseball news yesterday? Mariano Rivera broke the career saves record with his 602nd save. He's so awesome. The New York Times had a picture of him smiling, which isn't really typical.
• 64A: Snug ... bug in ___ (A RUG). Now this right here? This is an ugh-ly clue. The clue couldn't use all the words in the first part of the phrase because they include the word "a," which is also in the answer. To get around that, someone thought it was a good idea to use an ellipses. Ouch!

• 70A: Iowa State's city (AMES). Sigh.
• 4D: Make ready, briefly (PREP). The clue doesn't mean that you would briefly make something ready, it means that the answer is going to be a brief (i.e., shortened) form of the word.
• 7D: Velcro alternatives (SNAPS). I tried LACES first. I guess when I think "velcro," I think "shoes."
• 39D: Yummy but fattening (RICH). I actually read this clue as "Yummy butt fattening." HAha!

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 57A: Inventor Whitney (ELI).
• 65A: "Exodus" author (URIS).
• 13D: Composer Rorem (NED).
• 27D: Actress Russo (RENE).
• 30D: For each one (A POP).
• 37D: High point (ACME).

Everything — 1A: Word on a red octagon (STOP); 5A: Tree trunk greenery (MOSS); 9A: Channel covering Capitol Hill (C-SPAN); 14A: Coif makeup (HAIR); 15A: Queen Boleyn (ANNE); 16A: Partner of well (ALIVE); 17A: Partner of willing (ABLE); 18A: Like tilted ltrs. (ITAL.); 19A: Moderated, with "down" (TONED); 20A: Hullabaloo over a sudden policy reversal? (FLIP FLOP FLAP); 23A: Ball supporter (TEE); 24A: Little mischief-makers (IMPS); 25A: Legendary Chicago cow owner (O'LEARY); 29A: Attack from above (STRAFE); 31A: __ Grande (RIO); 32A: Co. bigwig (CEO); 33A: Sign of table tennis tendonitis? (PING PONG PANG); 37A: Bushy coif (AFRO); 40A: Half of a double play (OUT); 41A: Inventor's germ (IDEA); 42A: Bit of applause for an equestrian event? (CLIP CLOP CLAP); 47A: Big thing at McDonalds? (MAC); 48A: Samaritan's offer (AID); 49A: Game one (OPENER); 53A: Meditation instruction (EXHALE); 55A: Crossword hint (CLUE); 57A: Inventor Whitney (ELI); 58A: Cry of frustration about a Hostess cake? (DING DONG DANG); 61A: Montezuma, e.g. (AZTEC); 64A: Snug ... bug in ___ (A RUG); 65A: "Exodus" author (URIS); 66A: Musical pace (TEMPO); 67A: Easy pace (LOPE); 68A: Waiter's handout (MENU); 69A: Cuts and pastes, say (EDITS); 70A: Iowa State's city (AMES); 71A: Stage accessory (PROP); 1D: Great Pyramid passages (SHAFTS); 2D: One of two Commandments holders (TABLET); 3D: More greasy (OILIER); 4D: Make ready, briefly (PREP); 5D: Letter carriers (MAILMEN); 6D: Winning (ON TOP); 7D: Velcro alternatives (SNAPS); 8D: Note to __ (SELF); 9D: Book of available products (CATALOG); 10D: Hillside (SLOPE); 11D: Exemplar of neatness (PIN); 12D: Hail, to Maria (AVE); 13D: Composer Rorem (NED); 21D: Fido's poodle amie (FIFI); 22D: Pork cut (LOIN); 26D: Military sch. (ACAD.); 27D: Actress Russo (RENE); 28D: Class using mats (YOGA); 30D: For each one (A POP); 31D: Campus military gp. (ROTC); 34D: __ Samaritan (GOOD); 35D: Little Lab (PUP); 36D: Organ whistle (PIPE); 37D: High point (ACME); 38D: Source of linen (FLAX); 39D: Yummy but fattening (RICH); 43D: Parti-colored cats (CALICOS); 44D: Bank's claim (LIEN); 45D: Sprawls, as by the pool (LOUNGES); 46D: Take down __: humble (A PEG); 50D: Less remote (NEARER); 51D: Cause of odd weather (EL NIÑO); 52D: Equips for use (RIGS UP); 54D: Highly capable (ADEPT); 55D: PC data disk (CD-ROM); 56D: Gem grader's aid (LOUPE); 59D: Festive event (GALA); 60D: Trash destination (DUMP); 61D: Ended a fast (ATE); 62D: Alphabet ender in England (ZED); 63D: 1979 Pa. meltdown site (TMI).

06.05 Sun

S U N D A Y
June 5, 2011
John Lampkin

[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: "Low and Behold" — Bovine puns that are a cud above the rest.

Theme Entries:

• 27A: Farm vet's reference? (GRAZE ANATOMY).
• 51A: Milkmaid? (THE UDDER WOMAN).
• 89A: Calf's folks (MA AND PA CATTLE).
• 112A: Where orphans go while their adoptive moms give milk? (DOGIE DAY CARE).
• 14D: Santa's backup bovines? (SLEIGH BULLS).
• 16D: Expensive cuts? (HIGH STEAKS).
• 67D: Bovine hitmen? (COWS OF DEATH).
• 73D: Easy listening in the pasture? (MOOED MUSIC).

Hey, crossword fans. Doug here. Fun puzzle today from John Lampkin. I enjoy a good punny theme on a Sunday. A couple to make you laugh, a couple to make you groan. Good stuff. THE UDDER WOMAN & COWS OF DEATH were my favorites. Plenty of cool entries in the rest of the grid too. I especially liked the pair of 8-letter entries in the middle: YOU DA MAN & THWACKED. Let's see what else is in there.

Bullets:

• 1A: Bovine milieu (RANCH). Hey, 1-Across fits the theme. Cool.
• 6A: Pasture units (ACRES). Wow, the next answer also goes with the theme.
• 11A: Terrible twos types (TOTS). Reminds me of tater tots, and potatoes grow on farms. And cows live on farms, right? OK, maybe this one has nothing to do with the theme.

• 20A: The Pemaquid Point Light is on its state quarter (MAINE). John provided a photograph to accompany this entry. He took the picture last Labor Day weekend. He was either in Maine or he has an excellent telescopic lens. That photo would make a great jigsaw puzzle.
• 25A: Tribe affiliated with the Missouria (OTOE). Here's an informative Crosswordese 101 write-up by PuzzleGirl on the OTOE (sometimes spelled OTO). Bonus: if you go to that post & scroll down a little, you'll see a sexy picture of Leif Garrett.
• 30A: Wings choice (SPICY HOT). Love this entry.
• 54A: Fish alternative? (CUT BAIT). Fish or cut bait. Something you say to someone when you want them to make up their freaking mind.
• 84A: "The Way We ___" (WERE) / 85A: The way we word (SYNTAX). Now that's a cute pair of clues.
• 94A: Avis output (OVA). Avis is Latin for bird. Ova is Latin for eggs.
• 104A: "___ House": 1970 CSNY hit (OUR). I don't know this CSNY song. The only "Our House" I know is in the middle of our street.

• 1D: "Lethal Weapon" cop (RIGGS). I can't remember if that was the Mel Gibson character or the Danny Glover character. That movie series hasn't aged well, has it?

• 47D: Curly poker (MOE). I've seen this clue before, but it's worth seeing again.
• 49D: Godot's god (DIEU). Never actually seen or read this play. But I've watched Moe poke Curly hundreds of times.
• 93D: Browning gadget (TOASTER). When there are a lot of tricky clues in a puzzle, sometimes I start to overthink. For example, on this one I wondered what kind of gadget poet Robert Browning would use. A Rhymemaster 2000?

• 103D: Job that doesn't pay? (CRIME). Crossword constructor wouldn't fit.
• 111D: :, in analogies (IS TO). They dropped the analogies section from the SAT a few years ago. That's too bad. It was my favorite part. Here's one that PuzzleGirl will enjoy. Dan Gable : Wrestling :: Michael Jordan : Basketball. See how the colon stands for "is to"?

OK, it's a beautiful day, so I'm outta here. See you all next week.

Everything Else — 15A: Crack in a lip (CHAP); 19A: Fine Japanese porcelain (IMARI); 21A: Throw (HURL); 22A: 1953 Original Music Score Oscar-winning film (LILI); 23A: Alluded to (GOTAT); 24A: Skirt (EVADE); 26A: Long look at a looker (OGLE); 32A: Elite (SELECT); 33A: Perp chaser, with "the" (LAW); 34A: New York city or county (OSWEGO); 36A: Where the bucket slops? (STY); 37A: Pueblo people (HOPIS); 39A: __ Brasi, "The Godfather" hatchet man (LUCA); 40A: Offend (HURT); 42A: Type (SORT); 46A: Casino roller (DIE); 47A: Berlin's "Call Me __" (MADAM); 48A: Procreates (BREEDS); 55A: Fine fiddles (AMATIS); 56A: Sheet purchase (REAM); 57A: Email letters (AOL); 58A: Arcade game starter (SKEE); 59A: Guitar string choice (NYLON); 60A: Uni- + uni- + uni- (TRI); 62A: Log processor (SAWMILL); 65A: Logical conclusion? (SUM); 66A: Loser's demand (RECOUNT); 69A: Ratings name (NIELSEN); 71A: Father of the bride's offering (ARM); 74A: Exactly correct (SO RIGHT); 76A: Pharm. receipts (RXS); 77A: Crier of Greek myth (NIOBE); 81A: B&B offering (ROOM); 83A: Colorless (WAN); 86A: The way we word (SYNTAX); 87A: Imprudent (FOOLISH); 92A: Nautical patron (ST. ELMO); 93A: Nautical maneuvers (TACKS); 95A: Nautical storage (HOLD); 96A: Like heedless ears (DEAF); 97A: Stately trees (OAKS); 98A: Pang of conscience (QUALM); 100A: Improvise with the band (JAM); 102A: Jewel box (CD CASE); 105A: Like feet of no concern to a podiatrist? (IAMBIC); 110A: Squad cars (CRUISERS); 115A: Revolutionary sewer (ROSS); 116A: River islets (AITS); 118A: Assertion of faith (CREDO); 119A: Filmmaker Welles (ORSON); 120A: Exude (EMIT); 121A: Tax evasion investigators (T-MEN); 122A: Jackson Hole's county (TETON); 123A: Wet season events (RAINS); 124A: City on the Brazos (WACO); 125A: Rescuer, e.g. (HERO); 126A: AARP and NAACP (ASSNS.); 127A: Meaning (SENSE); 2D: Sardinian passion (AMORE); 3D: Birth-related (NATAL); 4D: Fad (CRAZE); 5D: Like "CSI" procedures (HITECH); 6D: Call from the flock (AMEN); 7D: Supercilious (CAVALIER); 8D: Vaqueros' ropes (RIATAS); 9D: Provide with funding (ENDOW); 10D: Appear (SEEM); 11D: Small but (THO); 12D: Beat in an individual medley (OUTSWAM); 13D: Figure of speech (TROPE); 15D: Overdo the sweetness (CLOY); 17D: Distribute (ALLOT); 18D: Religious devotion (PIETY); 28D: Disagreeing like bookies? (ATODDS); 29D: "Way to go, bro!" ("YOU DA MAN!"); 31D: Place to press a suit? (COURT); 35D: Scrutinize (SCAN); 38D: Graphic symbol (PIE); 39D: Asian teachers (LAMAS); 41D: CSA soldiers (REBS); 42D: Baseball's Musial (STAN); 43D: "Heavens to Betsy!" ("OH MY!"); 44D: Down-to-earth (REAL); 45D: Aid for a struggling student (TUTOR); 50D: Watch projection (STEM); 52D: Sups (DINES); 53D: Twist and squeeze (WRING); 54D: Helices (COILS); 57D: Green-card maker (AMEX); 60D: Numbers is part of it (TORAH); 61D: Trash (RUIN); 63D: Sent a message to, old-style (WIRED); 64D: "The Threepenny Opera" star (LENYA); 68D: Rapped with something flat (THWACKED); 70D: Climactic inning, often (NINTH); 71D: Barking sounds (ARFS); 72D: Tree anchor (ROOT); 75D: Hardwood trees (TEAKS); 78D: German aviation pioneer Lilienthal (OTTO); 79D: Black eight, e.g. (BALL); 80D: Struck (out) (EXED); 82D: Fr. miss (MLLE.); 85D: Some OR staffers (RN'S); 86D: Longest-serving current Supreme Court justice (SCALIA); 88D: Desktop models (IMACS); 89D: Serpico's biographer (MAAS); 90D: Covered with liberally, as a liquid (POURED ON); 91D: "The Barefoot Contessa" star Gardner (AVA); 98D: Calms (QUIETS); 99D: City chiefs (MAYORS); 100D: Polo competitor (J CREW); 101D: Scent (AROMA); 104D: Shrek and Fiona (OGRES); 106D: Bluesy Carmen (MCRAE); 107D: "__ Street Blues": Dixieland classic (BASIN); 108D: Fairway choices (IRONS); 109D: Burn sandalwood, say (CENSE); 113D: Tetra- + tetra- (OCTA-); 114D: Family heads (DONS); 117D: Cone head? (SNO).

04.19 Tue

T U E S D A Y
April 19, 2011
John Lampkin

Theme: All About Animals — Each theme answer is an animal commonly known by its habitat.

Theme answers:

• 18A: Grassland burrower (PRAIRIE DOG).
• 23A: Mojave lizard (DESERT IGUANA).
• 37A: Flippered ocean critter (SEA LION).
• 51A: Sure-footed Rockies denizen (MOUNTAIN GOAT).
• 60A: Playful swimmer (RIVER OTTER).

I received a lovely note from John Lampkin last night with some background about this puzzle:

This puzzle is a direct response to Scott Atkinson's fun LAT offering of Monday, 6/28/2010 where he used a "double animal name" theme with TIGER SHARK, ELEPHANT SEAL, SPIDER MONKEY, and TURTLE DOVE. After saluting Scott and kicking myself for not thinking of it first, I realized I could raise the stakes a notch by getting three layers in there: a critter, its habitat, and its characteristic behavior. Some fun!

We've got a lot of what we expect from John in this grid: primarily nature and classical music. I don't recall thinking that John is particularly fond of foreign languages, but there's a little Spanish, a little German, and some French:

• 5A: Comme ci, comme ça (SO-SO).
• 8D: "Yes, yes, Fifi" ("OUI OUI").
• 11D: Earth, in Germany (ERDE).
• 12D: 60-Across habitats, to José (RIOS).
• 21D: Cinq moins deux (TROIS).
• 61D: That, in Toledo (ESO).

41A: Jack Horner's last words (AM I) might also have been clued as French, but wasn't. Is there such a thing as too much French? Maybe the grid had already fulfilled its quota.

By far my favorite entry in the grid is GEEZERS (4D: Old coots). Fun to say (both clue and answer). I also love seeing one of my favorite movies of all time in the grid: 52D: "Paper Moon" Oscar winner O'Neal (TATUM). She really was fantastic in that movie.

The only head-scratcher for me today is 62D: Fast-spinning meas. (RPS). No idea what this means and a quick Google search doesn't help.

As I mentioned yesterday, I'm moving this weekend, so write-ups will be relatively short this week. So far, everything going pretty smoothly — thanks for all the good wishes. We're only moving about two miles away from where we are now, which I think is going to make this easier than our last move (from Iowa to Virginia). I guess we'll see.

And with that, I'll leave you with one last note from John Lampkin:

Oddly, I've never photographed any of these species, but I do have a nice image of a pair of mating MONARCHS. For those of you contemplating trying this at home, do not, I repeat, do not attempt this in a hammock.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 16A: Hawk's home (AERIE).
• 24D: Container weight (TARE).
• 30D: "Boola Boola" singers (ELIS).

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Everything Else — 1A: Chase, as a fly (SHAG); 9A: Whaler's rear end (STERN); 14A: "__ Fly With Me": Sinatra standard (COME); 15A: Swan's "Swan Lake" wear (TUTU); 17A: Boo-boo, in tot talk (OWIE); 20A: "Hungarian Rhapsodies" composer Franz (LISZT); 22A: "My __!" (GOODNESS); 26A: Boulevard, e.g. (ROAD); 27A: Comical Coca (IMOGENE); 31A: "You betcha!" ("YESSIREE!"); 35A: Bad doings (EVIL); 36A: Soft drink suffix (-ADE); 42A: Zoom or macro (LENS); 44A: Orange-and-black-winged butterflies (MONARCHS); 46A: Dangles a carrot in front of (ENTICES); 50A: Jay with jokes (LENO); 56A: Prayer set to music by Schubert and Gounod (AVE MARIA); 59A: 1945 conference site (YALTA); 63A: Object of worship (IDOL); 64A: Some '80s Chryslers (K-CARS); 65A: Crescent's tip (CUSP); 66A: It flows through Egypt (NILE); 67A: Feel intuitively (SENSE); 68A: AMA concerns (HMO'S); 69A: Slippery fish (EELS); 1D: Chew out (SCOLD); 2D: Canadian comic Mandel (HOWIE); 3D: Not quite right (AMISS); 5D: "The Racer's Edge" (STP); 6D: "... __ daily bread" (OUR); 7D: College football immortal Amos Alonzo __ (STAGG); 9D: Verbally refused (SAID NO); 10D: Like most adolescents (TEENAGE); 13D: Strips in a photo lab (NEGS.); 19D: Wander (ROAM); 25D: Gray matter creation (IDEA); 28D: Flood emergency op (EVAC); 29D: Gp. that funds psychiatric drug testing (NIMH); 31D: "Boola Boola" university (YALE); 32D: Paradise (EDEN); 33D: Email status (SENT); 34D: "Slippery" tree (ELM); 38D: Kansas city (IOLA); 39D: R.E.M.'s "The __ Love" (ONE I); 40D: Au pair (NANNY); 43D: Almost boils (SIMMERS); 45D: Hair-raising product? (ROGAINE); 47D: Like some sandpaper (COARSE); 48D: Continental coin (EURO); 49D: Tattletale (SNITCH); 53D: Nostalgic record (OLDIE); 54D: Ring-shaped reef (ATOLL); 55D: Fairy stories (TALES); 56D: Torah holders (ARKS); 57D: Smoking or drinking, some say (VICE); 58D: "__ Almighty": 2007 film (EVAN).

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).

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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).

03.25 Fri

F R I D A Y
March 25, 2011
John Lampkin

Theme: Half-Baked Ideas — Theme answers are familiar phrases that begin with a repeated first word, but the repeated word is only used once.

Theme answers:

• 17A: 61-Across Asian appetizer? (PU PLATTER).
• 21A: 61-Across cheer? (HIP HOORAY).
• 37A: 61-Across musical? (BYE BIRDIE).
• 55A: 61-Across gag? (KNOCK JOKE).
• 61A: Not well thought out (HALF-BAKED).

Wow. Really, really enjoyed this puzzle! Great theme, tricky cluing, lively fill — this puzzle has it all. I had trouble in two areas. In the southwest corner I wouldn't let go of DER for 50A: Hamburger's article, but the correct answer is EIN. I think I was just excited about the opportunity to post a picture of Kevin Der again, which is what I do every time the word DER appears in the puzzle. In fact, just last weekend at the ACPT I told Kevin about how I do that. He doesn't read the blog so he didn't know. Ha! Well now that I've talked about him for so long, I'll go ahead and use his picture. Should I use the same one I've been using all along from two years ago or should I update to the one I just took this past weekend? Decisions, decision!

Anyway, the other place I had trouble was in the Texas area because I had MANTA where SKATE was supposed to go (53D: Ray in the sea), leading me to believe the reveal answer would be ONE-something, which seemed totally reasonable. I also had MONITER for MONIKER (43D: Handle) even though it kinda seemed like it was spelled wrong. I figured it all out eventually and must say I enjoyed the challenge.

PuzzleSon was "helping" me with this puzzle and when he saw KNOCK JOKE he goes, "But those aren't even funny." Ha! Unfortunately, I spent a lot of time last night on my ACPT recap (scroll down to the next post to read it) so I'm pretty much out of time. I'll just hit the highlights real quick and then I'm off to work.

Bullets:

• 19A: Class figs. (PROFS.). Wanted this to be something to do with numbers, like GPA or something.

• 29A: Select, in a way (SCREEN). Remember back in the old days when you SCREENed your calls by listening to the answering machine? Or waaaay back when SCREENing your calls wasn't even possible?!
• 36A: Ballet __ (RUSSE). I don't believe I've ever heard this phrase and I don't know what it means.
• 67A: Fishhook connector (SNELL). Don't know this one either.
• 69A: Highland tongue (ERSE). We've covered ERSE in Crosswordese 101 in the past.

• 5D: Square on the table? (PAT). Not the proverbial square meal, but the literal square PAT of butter.
• 9D: Chow chow (ALPO). Food (sometimes called chow) for a dog (which might be the type of dog known as a chow).
• 31D: Nice street (RUE). The first word of this clue refers to the French city of Nice. And the French word for "street" is RUE. We talked about this cluing trick back in the Crosswordese 101 entry for ÉTÉ.
• 40D: Title savant in a 1988 Oscar-winning film (RAINMAN). I'm an excellent driver.
• 63D: Danish capital? (DEE). Another tricky clue that we've covered in Crosswordese 101.

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Everything Else — 1A: Work on a batter (STIR); 5A: Grandly appointed (POSH); 9A: Stand for (ABIDE); 14A: Strong-spined volume (TOME); 15A: Forte (AREA); 16A: "I __ Piano": Irving Berlin hit (LOVE A); 20A: Bleak (GRIM); 23A: Spine movement? (SHIVER); 25A: Code-cracking gp. (NSA); 26A: Chatspeak qualifier (IMO); 27A: Batter's supply (PINE TAR); 32A: "Then again ..." ("YET …"); 33A: Doglike carnivore (HYENA); 39A: Ashes, e.g. (TREES); 42A: Geometry basic (AXIOM); 43A: Animal's gullet (MAW); 46A: Personally give (HAND TO); 48A: Meadow bloomer in the buttercup family (ANEMONE); 51A: A.L. rival of N.Y. (BOS); 54A: Flashes (GLINTS); 59A: Seed coating (ARIL); 60A: Inspire profoundly (IMBUE); 64A: Great Lakes explorer La __ (SALLE); 65A: Convenient abbr. (ET AL.); 66A: "Pretty Woman" actor (GERE); 68A: Disallow (DENY); 1D: Letters at Indy (STP); 2D: Head-scratcher (TOUGHIE); 3D: Fossil indentation (IMPRINT); 4D: Be haunted by, perhaps (RELIVE); 6D: Sports MD's specialty (ORTH.); 7D: Greet warmly (SEE IN); 8D: Dwells incessantly (on) (HARPS); 10D: Town name ending (BORO); 11D: They don't laugh when they're tickled (IVORIES); 12D: Discredits (DEFAMES); 13D: Hardly a head-scratcher (EASY ONE); 18D: Purple hue (AMETHYST); 22D: Eats (HAS); 23D: Code user (SPY); 24D: Comedic actress Martha (RAYE); 28D: 1988 self-titled C&W album (REBA); 30D: FBI facility since 1932 (CRIME LAB); 34D: Disallow (NIX); 35D: Diva's moment (ARIA); 37D: Daffodils' digs (BED); 38D: Bell sound (DONG); 39D: 1889 work of art deemed unsuitable for general display at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair (THE KISS); 41D: Dignify (ENNOBLE); 44D: Pair in a rack (ANTLERS); 45D: Horror filmmaker Craven (WES); 47D: Gram. case (OBJ.); 49D: Illusion (MIRAGE); 52D: Gasped in delight (OOHED); 56D: Select (CULL); 57D: Sailing stabilizer (KEEL); 58D: Vigorous style (ELAN); 62D: Annoying buzzer (FLY).

03.16 Wed

W E D N E S D A Y
March 16, 2011
John Lampkin

Theme: Thinking Happy Thoughts — Theme answers are words that follows the word "positive" in familiar phrases.

Theme answers:

• 17A: *Survey response (FEEDBACK).
• 21A: *Trying to remember (THINKING).
• 26A: *Prospects (OUTLOOK).
• 48A: *Disposition (MINDSET).
• 55A: *Cocky manner (ATTITUDE).
• 63A: Word (suggested by the black shape in this grid's center) that can precede the answers to starred clues (POSITIVE).

I didn't catch onto the theme while I was solving, because I didn't get to the reveal until the end. Then I thought, "Okay, that's good." Then later when I was looking it over to do this write-up it occurred to me that POSITIVE THINKING, POSITIVE OUTLOOK, POSITIVE MINDSET, and POSITIVE ATTITUDE are all pretty closely related while POSITIVE FEEDBACK … isn't. But, you know what? I'm just going to stay POSITIVE today so I guess the puzzle rubbed off on me.

[Hey, that's Mr. Noodle!]
You know what you can expect from a John Lampkin puzzle? Music and nature, that's what. I had to piece together the first two musical entries, but didn't have any trouble with the staccato music notation:

• 53A: Beethoven's only opera (FIDELIO).
• 30D: 19th-century Italian violin virtuoso (PAGANINI).
• 49D: Like staccato notes (DOTTED).

And, as for nature, it's all for the birds today:

• 16A: Bird that hangs its nest from a branch (ORIOLE).
• 60D: Brutus' bird (AVIS).
• 61D: Eat like a bird (PECK).

As you may know, in addition to puzzles, John is interested in music and nature photography. In fact, that oriole over there? Yeah, John sent me that picture to use with the blog. If he hadn't sent it, you probably would have gotten Cal Ripken, so everybody say "Thank you, John!" (Not that there's anything wrong with Cal Ripken. Oh what the hell, here's Cal anyway.)

Bullets:

• 20A: Juliet's volatile cousin (TYBALT). You'd think this would be easy for me, being that I majored in English and all. Well, you'd be wrong. I misspelled it TYBALD. D'oh!
• 34A: Know-it-all (SMARTIE). Great word. When I got the SMART part in there, I wondered for a minute if we might be headed in a different — less appropriate — direction.
• 40A: Push-up sound, perhaps (GRUNT). See also 46A: Push-up garment (BRA). Two totally different kinds of push-ups.
• 5D: "Not to worry" ("THAT'S OK"). I'm a fan of the colloquial phrase!
• 6D: Cristal maker (BIC). For some reason I thought this was alcohol-related. But I guess a "Cristal" is a type of pen. Huh.
• 8D: Best-seller (HOT ITEM). Another sparkly entry.
• 9D: Age opening? (IRON). The word IRON "opens" for the word "Age" in the phrase "IRON Age."

• 11D: Like a rock (SOLID). Okay, the first song I thought of was Ashford & Simpson's "Solid as a Rock," but that song is, well, I liked it in the 80s but it doesn't seem to have aged very well. Then there's Bob Seger's "Like a Rock," but that got all commercialized a while back. So I just happened to come across an awesome cover of Paul Simon's "Loves Me Like a Rock" on YouTube that I've never seen before, but it's not embeddable. Here's a link if you want to head over to YouTube to see it. It's pretty funky.
• 18D: "SportsCenter's Not Top Plays" videos, e.g. (BLOOPERS). Oh man. So hard to decide which BLOOPER to include. I think I'll have to go with a classic.

Crosswordese 101: There's not too much you need to know about ELENI for crossword puzzles. It's always clued as a Nicholas Gage book/memoir/best seller or as a 1985 John Malkovich/Kate Nelligan movie directed by Peter Yates.

Other crosswordese in today's grid that we've already covered:

• 24D: Pre-op test (EKG).
• 26D: Play-of-color gem (OPAL).
• 27D: Forearm bone (ULNA).
• 37D: Pierre's state (ÉTAT).

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Everything Else — 1A: Inedible Swiss cheese part? (HOLE); 5A: Sched. uncertainty letters (TBA); 8A: Greets the bad guy (HISSES); 14A: Bard's black (EBON); 15A: "__ Latest Flame": Presley hit (HIS); 19A: Rang (TOLLED); 23A: Suffer defeat (LOSE OUT); 25A: Cubic roller (DIE); 29A: Cartoon skunk Le Pew (PEPÉ); 32A: Mideast political gp. (PLO); 33A: UPS delivery (PKG.); 38A: "Tomorrow" musical (ANNIE); 41A: Longtime Dodgers manager (LASORDA); 44A: Org. with shrinks (APA); 47A: Software buyer (USER); 50A: Chinese menu general (TSO); 58A: Draw into wrongdoing (ENTRAP); 62A: __ Tomatoes: film review website (ROTTEN); 65A: "Wait!" ("ONE SEC!"); 66A: Calendar col. (THU.); 67A: Weighty production (EPIC); 68A: Oppressive boss (TYRANT); 69A: Short flight (HOP); 70A: Cubicle furnishing (DESK); 1D: Test the weight of (HEFT); 2D: Carry out (OBEY); 3D: Leopold's co-defendant (LOEB); 4D: Ultimate goal (END-ALL); 7D: Mail an invitation for, as a wedding (ASK TO); 10D: Hairlike corn feature (SILK); 12D: Nicholas Gage memoir (ELENI); 13D: Rushlike plant (SEDGE); 22D: Marching syllables (HUPS); 28D: Lots (TONS); 31D: Commit 18-Down (ERR); 35D: Old boats (TUBS); 36D: Memo "apropos of" (IN RE); 39D: Paper in a pot (IOU); 42D: Gone (DEFUNCT); 43D: Bone-dry (ARID); 44D: Pierre's soul (AME); 45D: More than fills the inbox (PILES UP); 50D: Medium's medium (TAROT); 51D: Expressionless (STONY); 52D: Playful swimmer (OTTER); 54D: Diver's concern (DEPTH); 56D: "__ girl!" (IT'S A); 57D: Former girls' magazine (TEEN); 59D: Ready to eat (RIPE); 64D: "Now I get it!" ("OHO!").

03.06

S U N D A Y
March 6, 2011
John Lampkin

[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: "Adducational TV" — Extra letters are added to the titles of TV shows, yielding wacky results.

Theme Entries:

• 25A: Documentary about a Ravi Shankar concert? (SITAR TREK).
• 27A: Sitcom about an endearing dimwit? (LOVE THAT BOOB).
• 43A: Show about a nonsensical grain grinder? (BLARNEY MILLER).
• 70A: Drama about an opinionated military? (JUDGING ARMY).
• 100A: Talk show about words like "zeppelin" and "dirigible"? (THE FLYING NOUN).
• 119A: Sitcom about a team of aromatherapists? (THE MOOD SQUAD).
• 122A: Financial show about the fermented honey market? (MEAD MONEY).
• 39D: Drama about an Asian virus? (KUNG FLU).
• 63D: Drama about an obnoxious superhero? (BRATMAN).

Hey, everybody. Doug here, back in the Sunday saddle. I hope you enjoyed last week's fantastic Oscar-themed write-up by Brad Wilber. Thanks again, Brad! Today's constructor John Lampkin keeps the Hollywood vibe going with a nice television-based theme. Which of these shows would you be most likely to watch? I'd probably catch a few episodes of THE FLYING NOUN. And maybe BLARNEY MILLER. Who could resist the antics of a nonsensical grain grinder? Wasn't that an actual show? I think it was a "Perfect Strangers" spin-off starring Balki's zany uncle from the old country.

Bullets:

• 19A: Bellow's "The Adventures of ___ March" (AUGIE). I'm more familiar with Augie Doggie than Augie March. That might explain why I flamed out during February's "Literary Month" at Matt Gaffney's Weekly Crossword Contest.

• 27A: Sitcom about an endearing dimwit? (LOVE THAT BOOB). How many of you know or remember the show "Love That Bob"? Not me. Wikipedia tells me that "Love That Bob" was an alternate title for "The Bob Cummings Show," which ran from 1955 to 1959. Coulda fooled me. Bob Cummings later starred in a show called "My Living Doll" with Julie Newmar (best Catwoman ever!) who played a life-like android named Rhoda. Where do I get the DVDs?

• 64A: Symbol on the film poster for Eastwood's "Hang 'Em High" (NOOSE). I love this clue. Ordinarily NOOSE isn't the most pleasant word to see in the grid. Props to John & Rich for finding a way to make nooses interesting and non-gruesome.
• 92A: "Mayor" author (KOCH). If I remember correctly, PuzzleGirl used to live in the same apartment building as Ed Koch. And I know for sure that Jerry Orbach lived there too. So cool! I live in Southern California, but I don't run into too many celebrities. I once saw Lou Diamond Phillips at a Wienerschnitzel. Does that count?
• 111A: Attending USC, e.g. (IN L.A.) One of my least favorite recurring crossword entries. It used to be clued exclusively as part of the title of the 1985 movie "To Live and Die in L.A." Not a great entry, but acceptable. For some reason it's migrated away from the movie title to become a standalone entry. Wouldn't you wince at seeing INSF ("Riding the BART, say") or INNYC ("Watching a game at MSG, e.g.")? To me, those two are no worse than INLA.

• 1D: "Straight Up" singer Abdul (PAULA). Her career peaked when she did that fabulous duet with MC Skat Kat. It's been all downhill ever since.
• 16D: Inner tube shapes (TORI). Yeah, I suppose Tori Spelling looks a little bit like an inner tube.
• 53D: Old-timey words of emphasis (BY CRACKY). Awesome entry! And so much fun to say. "That was a dang fine puzzle in the paper today, by cracky."
• 74D: Last Olds made (ALERO). The last ALERO rolled off the assembly line in 2004, but it'll drive on in crossword grids forever.
• 91D: Gossip (SCHMOOZE). Another super entry. I wonder if anyone's ever used SCHMOOZE & BY CRACKY in the same sentence.
• 93D: Longtime New Yorker cartoonist Roz (CHAST). Ms. Chast will be appearing at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament in Brooklyn in a couple of weeks. She's going to be handing out trophies at the awards banquet and doing a few impromptu sketches of Dan Feyer, Tyler Hinman, etc. (I made up that last part.) I'll be at the ACPT and so will PuzzleGirl. In fact, you can rub elbows with many of your favorite crossword luminaries there. And they're all super-nice. Seriously. So I'll see you there!

02.22 Tue

T U E S D A Y
February 22, 2011
John Lampkin

Theme: Fooded Things — Verbs based on words that can be words for food are used to describe random things. In the past tense. (What am I missing?)

Theme answers:

• 20A: Arborist's handiwork (PRUNED TREE).
• 26A: Windshield nuisance (SQUASHED BUGS).
• 44A: Result of an errant brushback pitch (BEANED BATTER).
• 55A: Deli sandwich filler (CORNED BEEF).

Can't say this theme did anything for me except cause me to ask a lot of questions. For example, why? And what? Also huh? Yes, I get it. The first word of each theme answer is a word that can be a type of food. But the phrase itself is just … random. Except for the last one. Yes, trees can be pruned; that doesn't mean that PRUNED TREE is a good phrase. Yes, bugs can be (and frequently are) squashed. Is SQUASHED BUGS a phrase people use? I suppose it might be. A batter might get beaned by an "errant brushback pitch" but in what circumstance would someone ever use the phrase BEANED BATTER? Then there's CORNED BEEF. Perfectly legitimate phrase all on its own. I've never really thought about what the CORNED part means — turns out it has to do with salt curing — so to me this answer also stood apart from the rest because I couldn't picture corning the way I can picture pruning, squashing, and beaning. So. Yeah. That's what I think of the theme.

I always feel bad when I start out negative like that. You know what I'm gonna need to turn this write-up around? A really, really awesome entry. Like … maybe, HIFAULTIN?! Yes that should do it! What a great word. Love seeing it in the puzzle. Other highlights for me include:

• 35A: Older woman's young lover, facetiously (BOY TOY).
• 8D: "Jeez Louise!" ("SHEESH!").
• 42D: Hack's service (CAB RIDE).
• 45D: One taking bets (BOOKIE).

Bullets:

• 5A: Go badly together (CLASH). Great clue.
• 18A: Time __ time: repeatedly (AFTER).



• 42A: Monopoly token (CAR). I think we've over this before here at LACC. Or maybe it was over at Rex's. It's not a CAR, it's a racecar. Similarly, there is not HAT token, it's a tophat. Says PuzzleGirl.
• 48A: Out of use, as words: Abbr. (OBS.). OBSolete.

• 53A: World dodo population (ZERO). I don't know if it was the "dodo" or the Z or what, but this one made me laugh.
• 59A: Pier gp. (ILWU). International Longshore and Warehouse Union.
• 7D: Helen Hunt or Holly Hunter, e.g. (ACTRESS WITH THE INITIALS HH).
• 21D: ABA member's title (ESQ.). Members of the American Bar Association are attorneys, who for some reasons are allowed to put "Esq." after their names.

• 50D: Yo-Yo Ma's instrument (CELLO). A friend from my childhood randomly posted on Facebook this picture of me playing the cello in 5th grade. For me, it's a cool picture in and of itself, but the really crazy part is that several people that know me literally thought this was a picture of PuzzleDaughter and not me.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 25A: Shocking swimmer (EEL).
• 47A: HDTV brand (RCA).
• 60A: Religious recess (APSE).
• 32D: Siouan tribe (OTOE).

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Everything Else — 1A: Raise, as produce (GROW); 10A: Stylish (CHIC); 14A: Instant, in product names (REDI); 15A: Madre's milk (LECHE); 16A: Bride's ride (LIMO); 17A: Busy, busy, busy (AT IT); 19A: "The Wizard __": comic strip (OF ID); 22A: All there (SANE); 23A: Development developments (HOMES); 24A: Jazz guitarist Montgomery (WES); 31A: Average guys (JOES); 34A: H.S. elite (SRS.); 36A: Place to make deposits, briefly (ATM); 37A: Bouquet delivery letters (FTD); 38A: Dream letters (REM); 39A: Novelist Fleming (IAN); 40A: Alabama's only seaport (MOBILE); 43A: Chip in a pot, maybe (ANTE); 49A: Chip in a bowl (NACHO); 57A: Blue book filler (EXAM); 58A: Dust Bowl refugees (OKIES); 61A: Center (MIDST); 62A: Amber brews (ALES); 63A: Dieter's goal (LOSS); 64A: Care for (SEE TO); 65A: Branching point (NODE); 1D: Boardroom diagram (GRAPH); 2D: Fashionably dated (RETRO); 3D: Intense dislike (ODIUM); 4D: One sitting on the stand (WITNESS); 5D: Attired (CLAD); 6D: How liberals lean (LEFTWARD); 9D: Not there (HERE); 10D: Quite near (CLOSE BY); 11D: Pretentious, informally (HIFALUTIN); 12D: Chip-tossing declaration (I'M IN); 13D: Programmers' writing (CODE); 25D: Ancient kingdom near the Dead Sea (EDOM); 27D: You, in Yucatán (USTED); 28D: Longtime "At the Movies" co-host Roger (EBERT); 29D: Capricorn's animal (GOAT); 30D: Holiday song closer (SYNE); 31D: Doorway side (JAMB); 33D: Humiliate (EMBARRASS); 37D: Pet pest (FLEA); 38D: Disorderly place (RAT'S NEST); 41D: Salaries, wages, etc. (INCOMES); 43D: Graceful steed (ARABIAN); 46D: Conclusion (END); 51D: Hacked (HEWED); 52D: Worth having (OF USE); 53D: Zest (ZEAL); 54D: Trade show (EXPO); 55D: Dot-__: e-businesses (COMS); 56D: This, to Pablo (ESTO).