02.20 Sun

S U N D A Y February 20, 2011
Peter Wentz

[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: "Find Out" — F in, D out. The letter F replaces the letter D in familiar phrases, yielding wacky theme answers.

Theme Entries:

• 23A: Flight attendant's reminder when serving alcohol? (THIS IS NOT A FRILL).
• 32A: Equine exhibition with poor visibility? (FOG AND PONY SHOW).
• 45A: Stick around for sautéing? (HANG OUT TO FRY).
• 64A: Energizing bluegrass instruments? (FUELING BANJOS).
• 75A: Craze for some moms? (STAY-AT-HOME FAD).
• 95A: Pixie dust? (FAIRY PRODUCT).
• 104A: Written warning about gangster Gotti? (FEAR JOHN LETTER).
• 119A: Imposing monetary penalties with a nice Chianti? (WINING AND FINING).

Nice puzzle today! Did you figure out how the title works? F in, D out. Very clever. I assume that Mr. Wentz came up with the title first and then brainstormed theme entries to fit the pattern. (I usually save the title for last and end up struggling to think of a half-decent one.) FEAR JOHN LETTER was a highlight for me, and I appreciated the elegance of the "Pixie dust?" clue for FAIRY PRODUCT. Lots of fun in the rest of the grid too. You've got HOT COCOA, YULE LOG, THE FLASH, CBS SPORTS, LOUDMOUTH. Good stuff.

You should take a few minutes to read Brendan Emmett Quigley's interview with Peter Wentz here. (You'll also be able to download of his of his gnarly themeless puzzles.) Among other things, you'll learn that he's not the rock star Pete Wentz who used to be married to Ashlee Simpson & named his son Bronx Mowgli Wentz. That's a relief.

Bullets:

• 20A: Anthem with line "The True North strong and free!" (O CANADA). Great clue, eh?
• 26A: Fixed, as a pump (SOLED). When you see "pump" in a crossword clue, nine times out of ten it's referring to a shoe.
• 28A: Hip-hopper's adjective (LIL). Li'l Abner was a hip-hopper? That's phat.
• 58A: '70s-'80s NHLer known as "Lucky Pierre" (LAROUCHE). I'm not a hockey fan, but this one was easy enough to get from the crossing entries. I can understand why Peter & Rich wanted to avoid a reference to Lyndon Larouche and his political insanity.

• 92A: Baseball's Matsui (HIDEKI). Great player. He was the 2009 World Series MVP for the Yankees. Not to be confused with their $12.8 million dollar pitcher, Hideki "Fat Toad" Irabu. (His picture keeps making me yawn.)
• 102A: BART stop (STN). Bay Area Rapid Transit.
• 10D: Excellent, in slang (DEF). As in Def Leppard.
• 34D: Like some bks. for kids (ABR). An abridged version of "abridged."
• 71D: Oldest active NBAer (SHAQ). Interesting that we have an "NHLer" clue and an "NBAer" clue today. I don't mind those two words, and I'm fine with NFLer too. But I can't stand ALer and NLer.

• 84D: Speedy superhero (THE FLASH). I love this entry! He's literally "The Fastest Man Alive." One of the mainstays of the DC Comics universe, just a notch below Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. There are Green Lantern, Thor, and Captain America movies coming out this summer, so you've got to think a Flash movie is in the works. Sorry to geek out on you. Let's move along...
• 86D: Thought process (IDEATION). This was the ugliest entry in the grid, but its appearance allowed THE FLASH and HIDEKI to fit into that same corner, so I'm good with it. Go ahead and ideate all you want!
• 89D: Clip joints? (ARSENALS). Nice clue. Clips of ammunition can be found in arsenals.
• 113D: "Grand" brand of ice cream (EDY'S). We don't have this brand in the western U.S., so it always bugs me to see it in a puzzle, especially a Los Angeles-based puzzle
• 115D: Epitome of smoothness (SILK). Shout-out to Barry C. Silk.
• 123D: Good times (FUN). Apt entry to finish up on. Very enjoyable puzzle today.

Be sure to come back on Monday. We've got a guest blogger coming in, and you're going to love the puzzle.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 69A: U.K. medal (OBE).
• 108A: Auburn's conf (SEC).

02.19 Sat

S A T U R D A Y February 19, 2011
Bruce Venzke

Theme: None

I'm having a really hard time focusing on the blog tonight, but I feel like I have a lot to say about this puzzle, so I'm going to do the best I can. Overall, I would have to say I liked this puzzle. It felt kind of uneven to me — really hard spots right next to super super easy spots, some awesome 15-letter entries and some really really bad shorter stuff …. Let me just get this out of the way and then we'll move on to the good stuff. Ed SNEED has no business being in a puzzle. I'm sorry, but he just doesn't. I mean, look at that clue! [33D: Ed __, runner-up in the first Masters sudden death playoff.] I might have — might have — cut some slack here if the man had actually won the first Masters sudden death playoff but no. He was the runner-up. You know what that means, right? He lost. Do you want to know who he lost to? Cuz that guy I bet you've heard of: Fuzzy Zoeller. I'm sure that Ed SNEED is a very nice man and I congratulate him for all his success, but I'm not budging from this position. He has no business in being in the puzzle. Said PuzzleGirl.

And it's not that I'm one of those people who thinks anything I hven't heard of myself personally must be obscure. There were several other entries in today's puzzle that I didn't know but that I would classify as perfect legitimate. For example:

• 27A: Velvet's older sister in "National Velvet" (EDWINA).
• 29D: Peter's "Easy Rider" role (WYATT).

Oh, and it's also not that I have something against difficult golf clues. I don't mind [59D: Golfer IAN Woosnam] at all. I didn't know his first name right off the top of my head, but I know that he's a current golfer who has had some success over the last couple of decades.

Okay, one last thing. I promise this will be my last gripe about the puzzle. ASSY.?!?!? I'm sorry, but put that next to 53D: Butt end (ASH) and it looks like we have a mini-theme going here that's completely inappropriate.

Good stuff? Yes! There's good stuff!:

• 1A: Set off, as an alarm (TRIPPED). I like this clue because it tricked me. "Set" is one of those verbs that can be both present and past tense and in crossword clues I always read it as present tense and then can't figure out why the answer has so many letters.
• 15A: TV host's segue (BE BACK IN A MINUTE). This is a little clunky but I think it's just because of the clue. The answer itself is pretty good.
• 17A: Sources of track reports (STARTERS' PISTOLS). Again, very tricky! I was thinking more along the lines of the Daily Racing Form. But in this case "report" refers to the sound a gun makes.
• 20A: Egyptian fertility deity (ISIS). I had to laugh at myself here. I had both Ss in place and saw the word "Egypt" in the clue so I immediately entered ASPS without even thinking about it.
• 34A: Lonely guy in old 60-Down [ads] (MAYTAG REPAIRMAN). I had the REPAIRMAN part but couldn't remember what company he worked for. I'm all, "Whirlpool? Amana? …." Anyway, I love this entry.

• 58A: Creed foe, with "The" (ITALIAN STALLION). And I love this entry even more! Got it with absolutely no crosses in place.
• 63A: Maneuver through a tight opening (THREAD THE NEEDLE). Funny, I was sewing patches on PuzzleDaughter's Girl Scout sash yesterday and thinking to myself about how I've never been much of a seamstress, but that these days the most frustrating part is threading the needle.
• 10D: As far as the eye can see: Abbr. (VIS.). VISibility? Yikes.
• 16D: Secretive org. (NSA). I tried CIA here first.
• 25D: Very little money (PEANUTS). This is an excellent, excellent clue.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 8A: Elko native (NEVADAN).
• 52A: Defense gp. formed in Bogotá (OAS).
• 6D: Just make, with "out" (EKE).
• 9D: Former Radiohead label (EMI).
• 55D: Musical with the song "Radames' Letter" (AIDA).

[Follow PuzzleGirl on Twitter.]

Everything Else — 18A: Certain border, to a philatelist (PERF); 19A: Menlo Park wizard, initially (TAE); 21A: It might be req. for some new furniture (ASSY.); 24A: Eject (SPEW); 30A: Sends, in a way (EMAILS); 38A: Author Levin (IRA); 39A: Kind of blouse (PEASANT); 40A: Shade (HUE); 41A: Fighting words (LET'S STEP OUTSIDE); 44A: Impressive property (ESTATE); 45A: Filled in (TEMPED); 46A: Travel about (ROAM); 48A: Fed. inspection group (USDA); 49A: Letter on a sweater (ZETA); 52A: Defense gp. formed in Bogotá (OAS); 54A: Shortfall (LACK); 64A: High-powered (INTENSE); 65A: Lower (DEGRADE); 1D: Medicinal amt. (TBSP.); 2D: Anatomical network (RETE); 3D: Support beam (I-BAR); 4D: Layered dessert (PARFAIT); 5D: Election night fig. (PCT.); 6D: Just make, with "out" (EKE); 7D: Bad way to play (DIRTY); 8D: Collars can hide them (NAPES); 9D: Former Radiohead label (EMI); 11D: Dovelike (ANTIWAR); 12D: Batman and Robin et al. (DUOS); 13D: King of the Huns, in Norse myth (ATLI); 14D: Loch seen from Urquhart Castle (NESS); 22D: Shapes up (SNAPS TO); 23D: Smart-sounding brew (SAGE TEA); 26D: Gave off (EMITTED); 27D: '60s boxing champ Griffith (EMILE); 28D: Braves (DARES); 31D: "You dig?" response (I'M HIP); 32D: Cum __ (LAUDE); 35D: "The Facts of Life" actress (RAE); 36D: Debatable "ability" (ESP); 37D: Kung __ chicken (PAO); 42D: Illinois-based food giant (SARA LEE); 43D: Compressed (SMALLER); 47D: __ Cristo: fried sandwich (MONTE); 48D: Peruvian pronoun (USTED); 49D: Rigatoni relative (ZITI); 50D: Race: Pref. (ETHN-); 51D: Sharp (TART); 55D: Musical with the song "Radames' Letter" (AIDA); 56D: Under 20, to most (COLD); 57D: Joint for guitarists? (KNEE); 60D: Some pitches (ADS); 61D: Chemical suffix (-ANE); 62D: It may be pulled (LEG).

02.18 Fri

F R I D A Y February 18, 2011
Dan Naddor

Theme: Happy President's Day! I got you some puns! — Theme answers are puns on U.S. Presidents' names.

Theme answers:

• 18A: Presidential putdown? (GRANT SLAM). [grand slam]
• 23A: Presidential advisers? (MADISON CABINET). [medicine cabinet]
• 32A: Presidential ATM sign? (FORD DEPOSIT ONLY). [for deposit only]
• 48A: Presidential university? (COOLIDGE CAMPUS). [college campus]
• 53A: Presidential belt-tightening? (NIXON CUTS). [nicks and cuts]

I started this puzzle, as I'm wont to do, at 1 Across. I glanced at the clue (1A: Timeworn observation), thought to myself "ADAGE," checked 1 Down to see if it would work and … ugh. AGA. Remember how yesterday I said even the crosswordese seemed more on the high end of the scale? AGA is not on that particular end. I'm making a mental note right now for any puzzles I construct in the future: "Do not use tired old crosswordese at 1A or 1D." It really just turned me off immediately. But, ya know what? Sometimes I'll start off with a negative thought like "oh my God, this puzzle is going to be full of crosswordese" and then the puzzle redeems itself by proving me wrong. Not so in this case, unfortunately.

I guess the puns are okay if you like puns. The only one that really gave me a chuckle was COOLIDGE CAMPUS, but I'm not a big pun fan in general. The fill? Lots of abbreviations, suffixes, and other three-letter words. Nothing particularly sparkly except maybe GOOD DEEDS, BONIER, and I'M OKAY and the Sparkle-Meter isn't exactly jumping for joy with those. All in all a puzzle that's way too easy for a Friday with an okay theme that wasn't a complete waste of time to solve.

Bullets:

• 6A: "Pronto!" (ASAP). Ran into a little trouble here because with ***EN in place, I tried yesterday's VIXEN for 7D: Femme fatale, but it needed to be SIREN. That V did not help at all. Obviously.

• 20A: 1926 channel swimmer (EDERLE). When I first started solving puzzles compulsi– on a regular basis, Gertrude EDERLE showed up in the puzzle a lot. It's been a while though, so I needed some crosses today.
• 30A: People person? (CELEB). The question mark gives you a hint something fishy is going on. In this case, the word "People" is a reference to the magazine. I caught onto the trick right away, but wanted the answer to be EDITOR. Which it wasn't.
• 52A: Title subject of a G.B. Shaw play (ST. JOAN). I clicked on over to Wikipedia to find out the title of this play so I could share it with you and guess what. The title is "St. Joan." Huh.

• 59A: Prefix with "Language" in a 1993 comedy best-seller (SEIN-).
• 60A: Gaston's god (DIEU). The name used in the clue is French, which hints at the fact that the answer will also be French. French!
• 63A: U. of Maryland athlete (TERP). Fear the Turtle! Maryland's mascot is the terrapin. The abbreviation "U." in the clue is a hint that the answer will also be a shortened form.
• 10D: Mubarak of Egypt (HOSNI). Timely. I would have needed crosses for this one a month ago.
• 19D: Typewriter feature (TAB SET).



• 36D: Like some workers in an open shop (NON-UNION). Also timely, given the events in Wisconsin this week.
• 49D: Interpol headquarters (LYONS). I did not know that.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 27A: Trains on supports (ELS).
• 28A: "Discreet Music" composer (ENO).
• 29A: Movie beekeeper (ULEE).
• 62A: Scraps (ORTS).
• 64A: Streisand title role (YENTL).
• 1D: Turkish honorific (AGA).
• 24D: Psychic couple? (CEES).
• 50D: Glyceride, e.g. (ESTER).

I'll be back tomorrow, you'll see Doug on Sunday, and then on Monday we've got a guest blogger lined up for the holiday. Hope you'll all come on back and see what he has to say.[Follow PuzzleGirl on Twitter.]

Everything Else — 10A: Party person (HOST); 14A: Paganini's birthplace (GENOA); 15A: One of an historic seagoing trio (NIÑA); 16A: Not deceived by (ONTO); 17A: Los __: city near San Jose (ALTOS); 22A: Bernardo's girl in "West Side Story" (ANITA); 26A: Trademark cousins (PATENTS); 39A: "Contact" author (SAGAN); 40A: "Uh-uh" ("NOPE"); 41A: Ex-Saudi ruler __ Saud (IBN); 44A: Managed (RAN); 45A: Onetime California gubernatorial candidate Huffington (ARIANNA); 51A: Biblical words before and after "for" (AN EYE); 56A: Blitz attachment (-KRIEG); 61A: Perform penance (ATONE); 2D: Wilmington's st. (DEL.); 3D: Lover of armies? (ANTEATER); 4D: Acts of kindness (GOOD DEEDS); 5D: Enter cautiously (EASE IN); 6D: Americans in Paris, e.g. (ANGLOS); 8D: Book collector's suffix (-ANA); 9D: Put down in writing? (PAN); 11D: Surfing without a board, maybe (ONLINE); 12D: New York's __ Island (STATEN); 13D: T in a sandwich (TOMATO); 21D: Queue after Q (R-S-T); 23D: Opposite of bueno (MALO); 25D: "That's __ ask" (ALL I); 26D: Sta-__: fabric softener (PUF); 30D: Hoodwink (CON); 31D: Ruling family name in 19th-century Europe (BONAPARTE); 33D: Connecticut coastal town near Stamford (DARIEN); 34D: "Yikes!" ("EGAD!"); 35D: Qualm (PANG); 37D: HMO employees (LPN'S); 38D: Thumbs-up vote (YEA); 41D: Response to a doubting Thomas (I CAN SO); 42D: More scrawny (BONIER); 43D: Prohibitive door sign (NO EXIT); 45D: Misbehaves (ACTS UP); 46D: British rule in India (RAJ); 47D: Post-fall reassurance (I'M OKAY); 54D: Setting on the Mississippi: Abbr. (CDT); 55D: A lost driver may hang one, briefly (UIE); 57D: M.D.'s specialty (ENT); 58D: Styling stuff (GEL).

02.17 Thu

T H U R S D A Y February 17, 2011
Elizabeth A. Long

Theme: Making Ends Meet — In six places in the grid, the letter string END intersects with another letter string END.

Theme answers:

• 20A: Fancy greens dish (ENDIVE SALAD).
• 1D: Supplementary items (ADDENDA).


• 32A: #1 tennis player for much of the '80s (IVAN LENDL).
• 26D: Binge (BENDER).
• 38A: In reverse position (END FOR END).
• 31D: Corrects, as text (EMENDS).
• 50A: Feminist's concern (GENDER GAP).


• 49D: Hanging (PENDENT).
• 58A: Bit of modern folklore (URBAN LEGEND).


• 71A/72A/73A: What this puzzle does literally at six different intersections (MAKES / ENDS / MEET).

Very ambitious theme today with slight points deducted because I've never heard the phrase "END FOR END." END TO END? Yes. END OVER END? Yes. END FOR END? Not so much. It sounds like it might be a regional thing like … well I can't think of an example now. I'll try to come up with one by the end of the write-up. (See what I did there?) Other than that, though, the theme answers are all interesting and the fill definitely shows some sparkle here and there. (Here = NINJA. There = VIXEN.) Even the crosswordese is more of the high-end variety. If that makes any sense. AGAVE and NACRE? Seems classier than ERN and ATRA somehow. Yes, I'm evaluating the classiness of crosswordese. Maybe I've been at this too long ….

Bullets:

• 14A: Merrill in movies (DINA). So you heard I went to the John Mellencamp concert last night, right? Well let me tell you something. That audience was full of Old People. Then it occurred to me that I fit right in. Yikes! Luckily, today I did this puzzle and realized I've only just vaguely heard of DINA Merrill. Whew!

• 16A: "__ Smith and Jones": 1970s TV Western (ALIAS). I'm not familiar with this particular show. Is ALIAS a person's first name here? Or are there two people and they go by the ALIASes "Smith" and "Jones"? Or is it just one person who uses both "Smith" and "Jones"? I don't know anything about this show except that it's very confusing.
• 35A: "I can help" ("ASK ME"). I tried LET ME first, which seems more like something I would actually say in place of "I can help." I wasn't thinking about those ASK ME buttons that people wear. Now that I think about it, though, where have I seen those? Department stores?

• 36A: 2012 Ryder Cup captain Davis Love __ (III). I've never understood why he's always listed as "Love III" on the leaderboard. I mean, unless his dad is playing too, I don't think we're going to get him confused with "Love II." But the point is, this is a great clue for an entry that we might otherwise think of as sub-par. (Thank you very much. I'll be here all week.)
• 53A: __ myrtle: tree or shrub in the loosestrife family (CRAPE). With the CR in place, the word finally came to me but it was spelled wrong. CREPE =/= CRAPE apparently.
• 2D: He plays Lord Voldemort in Harry Potter films (FIENNES). Do Ralph Fiennes and Liam Neeson look alike at all? Because in my head they do.
• 3D: Where the teacher might casually sit (ON A DESK). Random!
• 10D: Clay, today (ALI). Cassius Clay changed his name to Muhammad ALI in 1964.
• 27D: A quarter of cuatro (UNO). Spanish!

• 33D: Instrument in Schubert's "Trout Quintet" (VIOLA). So yeah, about the Mellencamp concert. You know the violin plays a prominent part in his band, right? I guess he would probably call it a fiddle. Well PuzzleDaughter started playing violin this year but wants to quit because it causes her to miss art class every week and she loves art. I was thinking that I would let her quit because she's not really enjoying it and I don't feel like pushing her. But then at the concert last night the violin player was so awesome that I could barely keep my eyes off her and I thought "That could be PuzzleDaughter!" I mean, if you think about it, touring with John Mellencamp is a pretty good gig for a violin player. (P.S. Yes I know that the violin and the VIOLA are different instruments.)

• 39D: Provocative sort (DARER). If you were looking for a clunker in this grid, you've found your winner. You thought it might be ON A DESK, didn't you? Maybe it's a tie.
• 44D: "Jeopardy!" ques., really (ANS.). The puzzle community has been all abuzz this week about "Watson," the Jeopardy-playing computer. I, on the other hand, have forgotten to set my DVR and have completely missed it. So far. Things could change tonight. But don't count on it.
• 62D: Bit of Lagasse lingo (BAM). I glanced at this clue the first time through, decided I had no idea what it meant, moved on, and then must have finished it up through crosses because it even took me a minute as I was preparing for this write-up to figure out what the heck it means. It's a reference to Emeril Lagasse, the TV chef.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 68A: Tequila plant (AGAVE).
• 4D: Rajah's wife (RANI).
• 41D: Mother-of-pearl (NACRE).
• 63D: Turkish title (AGA).

[Follow PuzzleGirl on Twitter.]

Everything Else — 1A: __ effort (A FOR); 5A: Without restraint (AMOK); 9A: "__ luego" (HASTA); 15A: Microwave (NUKE); 17A: List maker (DEAN); 18A: Swank's "Amelia" co-star (GERE); 19A: Stealthy Easterner (NINJA); 23A: Storm hdg. (NNE); 24A: Out of sorts (ILL); 25A: Cloud in Orion (NEBULA); 30A: Spay or neuter (DESEX); 37A: News organ? (NOSE); 42A: Cross over (SPAN); 45A: Be less than healthy (AIL); 46A: Greek with lessons (AESOP); 54A: Skirmish (TUSSLE); 55A: Where Eth. is (AFR.); 57A: Chess pieces (MEN); 62A: Howled (BAYED); 66A: Upscale hotel chain (OMNI); 67A: Without thinking, with "by" (ROTE); 69A: It often involves steady losses (DIET); 70A: Privy to (IN ON); 5D: Guardian, maybe (ANGEL); 6D: Vegan's morning meal (MUESLI); 7D: Cajun staple (OKRA); 8D: Stabilizing part (KEEL); 9D: "Water Music" composer (HANDEL); 11D: Offense (SIN); 12D: Atlantic City casino, with "The" (TAJ); 13D: "__ matter of fact ..." (AS A); 21D: Sly female (VIXEN); 22D: Musical based on a comic strip (ANNIE); 28D: Mormons, initially (LDS); 29D: Bar option (ALE); 34D: __ conditioning (AIR); 40D: __ leaf (FIG); 42D: Certain NCO (SGT.); 43D: Little, in Lille (PEU); 47D: Identical item (SAME ONE); 48D: Summer shoe style (OPEN-TOE); 51D: Gets by (ELUDES); 52D: Gave one star, say (PANNED); 56D: Moves like a moth (FLITS); 59D: Portend (BODE); 60D: Exiled African tyrant (AMIN); 61D: Dreadful (GRIM); 64D: Asian ox (YAK); 65D: First lady? (EVE).

02.16 Wed

W E D N E S D A Y February 16, 2011
Donna S. Levin


Theme: Executive Animals — A quartet of well-known White House pets.

Theme answers:

• 17A: Game played on a six-pointed star (CHINESE CHECKERS).
• 25A: 1964 Beatles hit (AND I LOVE HER).
• 37A: Trendy aerobics regimen (TAE BO).
• 44A: Diamond-patterned attire (ARGYLE SOCKS).
• 57A: Companion at the end of 17-, 25-, 37- and 44-Across (PRESIDENTIAL PET).

PuzzleGirl is at a John Cougar Mellencamp concert tonight, so this is Doug, holding down the puzzle fort. Wait, I should say she's at a John Mellencamp concert. I think he dropped the "Cougar" part, but I haven't kept up with his career. I remember when he was plain old John Cougar. And if my name was as cool as John Cougar, I wouldn't change it. It's like The Rock wanting people to call him Dwayne Johnson. What's up with that?

"No comment."

Fun theme today from Donna Levin. Did you recognize all the pets? Checkers was Nixon's cocker spaniel, immortalized in the "Checkers Speech." Her was one of LBJ's beagles. The other was named Him. Bo is Obama's Portuguese Water Dog. And Socks was Clinton's cat. At first, I didn't notice BO hiding at the end of the "trendy" TAE BO, so that was a nice post-solve bonus. If you want to read more about the various White House pets, you should pay a visit to the Presidential Pet Museum. The sorriest "pets" belonged to Andrew Johnson. He took care of a family of mice he found living in his bedroom. He placed fresh water next to the fireplace and kept a basket of flour on the floor for them. And he referred to the mice as his "little fellows." I refer to mice as "cat food."

Bullets:

• 5A: Antony listener (ROMAN). The Romans lent Antony their ears.
• 21A: Smart club (MENSA). One of my favorite Columbo episodes, "The Bye-Bye Sky High IQ Murder Case," features a Mensa-like group called the Sigma Society. I have no idea what made me think of that.
• 34A: Peddle (VEND). And who hasn't gotten their hand stuck inside a vending machine?

• 6D: 1991 movie sequel subtitled "The Awakening" (OMEN IV). I don't remember this movie (I tried "Omen II" initially), but it was easy enough to figure out. There's a reason I, and probably you, don't remember it. "Omen IV: The Awakening" was a made-for-TV movie starring...some actors you've never heard of. "Omen V: Hitting Satan's Snooze Button" was a much better film.
• 23D: Coors malt beverage (ZIMA). They stopped selling this stuff in the U.S. in 2008. The wimpy drink mantle has been passed to Smirnoff Ice.

• 31D: "Old" chip producer? (BLOCK). A chip off the old block. Clever.
• 46D: Twinkler in a Paris sky (ÉTOILE). French word for star. And when I say it, it rhymes with "foil."
• 59D: 33 1/3 rpm spinners (LPS). I'm old enough to have owned LPs, and I even remember seeing some old 8-tracks in our garage. But now I've officially joined the 21st century. One of my favorite groups released an album yesterday, and I didn't buy the physical CD. I downloaded it from iTunes. *gasp* I've bought a couple of songs on iTunes in the past, but this was my first full CD. The excitement never stops at my house.

Thanks to Donna for a fun solve and to PuzzleGirl for letting me play in her sandbox. She'll be back tomorrow. I hope she's not too tired after a long night of R.O.C.K.ing in the U.S.A.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 24A: She played WKRP's Jennifer (LONI).
• 60A: Jai __ (ALAI).
• 8D: Turkish honorific (AGHA).
• 9D: At birth (NÉE).
• 51D: He sang about Alice (ARLO).

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Everything Else -- 1A: Classifies, in a way (PEGS); 10A: Envelope abbr. (ATTN); 14A: Beige-like shade (ECRU); 15A: Representation (IMAGE); 16A: Dealer's dispenser (SHOE); 20A: Keystone lawman (KOP); 22A: Cry to strike up the band (HIT IT); 23A: Penne relative (ZITI); 24A: She played WKRP's Jennifer (LONI); 30A: Time Warner "Superstation" (TBS); 33A: Capacious (ROOMY); 35A: The tan in a Black and Tan (ALE); 36A: One of five states in which same-sex marriage is legal (IOWA); 39A: Fort with many bars (KNOX); 40A: Apparel retailer Taylor (ANN); 41A: Legatee (HEIR); 42A: In abeyance (ON ICE); 43A: La + la, in Lille (LES); 47A: Volunteer st. (TENN.); 49A: "Let's leave __ that" (IT AT); 50A: Producer Ponti (CARLO); 52A: "My Name Is Asher Lev" author Chaim (POTOK); 54A: Restorative place (SPA); 60A: Jai __ (ALAI); 61A: Pentium producer (INTEL); 62A: Brand with a pony in its logo (POLO); 63A: A few (SOME); 64A: Seacoast (SHORE); 65A: Stern's counterpart (STEM); 1D: Chaste kiss (PECK); 2D: Reverberate (ECHO); 3D: Stagehand (GRIP); 4D: Heliocentric universe center (SUN); 5D: __ the occasion (RISE TO); 7D: Apple products (MACS); 8D: Turkish honorific (AGHA); 9D: At birth (NEE); 10D: Be hospitable to (ASK IN); 11D: White Star Line's ill-fated steamer (THE TITANIC); 12D: Actress Spelling (TORI); 13D: Place to brood (NEST); 18D: Agent Prentiss on "Criminal Minds" (EMILY); 19D: Bit of guitar music (CHORD); 24D: His show has a "Jaywalking" segment (LENO); 25D: Serif-free font (ARIAL); 26D: Nary a soul (NO ONE); 27D: How things flow (DOWNSTREAM); 28D: Each partner (EVERY); 29D: Right-to-left lang. (HEB.); 32D: Proverbial battlers (SEXES); 37D: Gull relative (TERN); 38D: 2008 govt. bailout recipient (AIG); 39D: Granny, for one (KNOT); 41D: Red River capital (HANOI); 42D: Honshu metropolis (OSAKA); 45D: Roadside trash (LITTER); 48D: Borden's spokescow (ELSIE); 50D: Pros who work on schedules, for short (CPA'S); 51D: He sang about Alice (ARLO); 52D: Phnom __ (PENH); 53D: Suspicious of (ONTO); 54D: Catch a glimpse of (SPOT); 55D: Soccer great (PELE); 56D: Elemental unit (ATOM); 58D: Put down, slangily (DIS).

02.15 Tue

T U E S D A Y February 15, 2011
Jack McInturff

Theme: Next to Last — The first word of each theme answer can come after (i.e., next to) the word "last" in a familiar phrase.

Theme answers:

• 18A: Knock off (CALL IT A DAY).
• 23A: Doomed fairy tale abode (STRAW HOUSE).
• 40A: Stick to formalities (STAND ON CEREMONY).
• 51A: Fast-cook grain product (MINUTE RICE).
• 59A: Penultimate, and where you might see the first words of 18-, 23-, 40- and 51-Across (NEXT TO LAST).

This is the kind of early-week theme I like. It's easy but there's a purpose to it. You're not just making random phrases for no reason, you're putting the word next to the word "last" because there's this phrase "NEXT TO LAST" that we've all heard and used a million times and this puzzle is, like, taking it literally. Now I'm not saying that this theme would be totally stupid without the cool twist to it. I kinda think that there are only so many theme ideas out there and they're not all going to be awesome. So on a Monday or Tuesday? That's okay. Any later in the week though, I want some cleverness there. And this week, we got the cleverness early. Huzzah!

Bullets:

• 17A: Diamond team (NINE). That would be a baseball diamond. There are NINE positions on a baseball field.
• 33A: Satisfied sound (AAH). I'd never really taken the time to think about it until now, but I've just decided that I do not like the entries AAH, OOH, and SHH. On the other hand, I do not mind BRR and AWW. I can't really explain it and really, you'd probably just as soon I didn't.
• 36A: Drink away, as sorrows (DROWN).



• 39A: Largest of the Philippines (LUZON). Lots of random islands in the grid today. See also PALAU (7D: 2005 "Survivor" island) and ELLIS (8D: __ Island, former immigration center).

• 45A: Place for buoys and gulls (SEA). I didn't see this clue as I was solving. I can't decide if I love it or hate it. I think I kinda of love it.
• 46A: Gibson of tennis (ALTHEA). She was the first African-American woman to play on the world tennis tour and the first to win one of the Grand Slam tournaments (the French Open in 1956).
• 71A: Wall St. market (NYSE). New York Stock Exchange.
• 37D: Loos, briefly (WC'S). Can we ever really get enough of the British bathroom words?
• 38D: Big name in Indian politics (NEHRU). Okay, look. I don't really know anything about this guy but it seems like he's been in the puzzle every day for at least a week and I'm tired of him. Him and his jacket.
• 41D: Okinawa's capital (NAHA). Whoa. I didn't see this clue either. NAHA? That's awesome.
• 62D: Jilted lover's need, briefly (TLC). Heh.

Crosswordese 101: O'SHEA is almost always clued like today's 44A: Milo of "Ulysses." Milo O'SHEA is an Irish-born actor whose other films include "Romeo and Juliet," "Barbarella," and "The Verdict." The only other O'SHEAs you're likely to see are the Welsh, Tony-winning actress Tessie O'SHEA and the rapper Ice Cube. "Ice Cube?" you ask? Yes, apparently Ice Cube's real name is O'SHEA Jackson. You're welcome.
Other Crosswordese in the puzzle that we've already covered:

• 14A: Old apple spray (ALAR).
• 30A: Max of "The Beverly Hillbillies" (BAER).
• 66A: Writer __ Rogers St. Johns (ADELA).
• 5D: Legendary bird (ROC).
• 60D: Tokyo, once (EDO).

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Everything Else — 1A: Rope material (HEMP); 5A: Ready for the picking (RIPE); 9A: Staff symbol (C CLEF); 15A: Like some vaccines (ORAL); 16A: "The Magic Flute," for one (OPERA); 20A: Screwups (GOOFS); 22A: Capitol worker (AIDE); 26A: Overcharge, in slang (SOAK); 31A: Point a finger at (ACCUSE); 43A: Reef material (CORAL); 48A: Let us know, in an invite (RSVP); 50A: __ bargaining (PLEA); 57A: Meat pkg. letters (USDA); 58A: It has banks and a mouth (RIVER); 65A: Ice cream drink (SODA); 67A: Cavern sound (ECHO); 68A: Metal sources (ORES); 69A: Veranda (PORCH); 70A: Gush (SPEW); 1D: Associates (with), slangily (HANGS); 2D: "The Naming of Cats" poet (ELIOT); 3D: Lord's estate (MANOR); 4D: Ready-made home (PREFAB); 6D: Songwriter Gershwin (IRA); 9D: Coop (COTE); 10D: No.-crunching pro (CPA); 11D: Guided (LED); 12D: Big Band __ (ERA); 13D: Wray of "King Kong" (FAY); 19D: It may be half-baked (IDEA); 21D: Wrap, as an infant (SWADDLE); 24D: Saver of the day (HERO); 25D: Maine college town (ORONO); 26D: Pond problem (SCUM); 27D: Greek liqueurs (OUZOS); 28D: What "two shall be" after the I do's, in song (AS ONE); 29D: Land of Obama's father (KENYA); 32D: Butcher's tool (CLEAVER); 33D: Musicians' org. (ASCAP); 34D: Lagoon border (ATOLL); 35D: Poker Flat creator (HARTE); 42D: Musical silence (REST); 47D: Playground retort (AM SO); 49D: Place up the 58-Across? (PRISON); 52D: Sits at a light, say (IDLES); 53D: Anti-racism gp. since 1909 (NAACP); 54D: Classic Procter & Gamble soap brand (IVORY); 55D: Formally gives up (CEDES); 56D: Wipe off the board (ERASE); 57D: Colorado neighbor (UTAH); 59D: Short sleep (NAP); 61D: Signer, at times (X'ER); 63D: Miss identification (SHE); 64D: Stranded motorist's need (TOW).

02.14 Mon

M O N D A Y February 14, 2011
Ian Livengood

Theme: Happy Valentine's Day — Last words of the theme answers make the phrase HEAD OVER HEELS.

Theme answers:

• 20A: Bounty, to the hunted (PRICE ON ONE'S HEAD).
• 38A: Examine quickly (GIVE THE ONCE OVER).
• 53A: Frolic vigorously (KICK UP ONE'S HEELS).
• 69A: With "in," what can follow the phrase formed by the ends of 20-, 38- and 53-Across (LOVE).

Cute theme for Valentine's Day with three fifteen-letter phrases. Aside from the Scrabbliness, I don't see much to get excited about with the fill. Craig STADLER seems a little harsh for a Monday (46A: Golfer Craig known as "the Walrus"). I mean, I needed a couple crosses in place to remember his name and I even know who the guy is. Seeing TA-TA right above TALLY-HO (23A: "Cheerio!" / 28A: Fox-sighting cry) did make me chuckle. My favorite entries in the grid have to be FIASCO (9D: Total flop) and ZEVON ("Werewolves of London" singer Warren __). The only place I ran into trouble was down in the southwest where I tried SPINS before SKEWS (50D: Depicts unfairly, as data), but that didn't take long to sort out.

Bullets:

• 1A: Hearts, e.g. (GAME). A little non-theme bonus answer for our V-Day.
• 18A: Kind of nut (KOLA). I saw a tweet the other day from someone who mistyped KOALA as KOLA. It ended up making the tweet pretty funny but it would be totally inappropriate for me to share it with you here. Sorry.

• 24A: 2011 Rose Bowl champs: Abbr. (TCU). Texas Christian University. Their mascot is the horned frog. And I thought being a terrapin was lame.
• 50A: Disco __ of "The Simpsons" (STU). Not being a Simpsons fan, I used to have a hard time remembering this. It helped for me to learn a little something about the context, so I'm going to pass it along to you in hopes that it will help you as well. Now I'm sure I don't have all the details but apparently there was a jacket that was being customized for Homer that was supposed to say "DISCO STUD" on the back. But they ran out of room and it ended up saying "DISCO STU." So now you know. (If you didn't already.)
• 7D: Western necktie (BOLO). I have to say that I really do miss living in a place where you see men wearing bolo ties and/or cowboy hats as just a normal everyday thing.

• 29D: Architect Frank __ Wright (LLOYD). Weren't we just talking about him yesterday?
• 47D: Stay out of sight (LIE LOW). I know this is grammatically correct, but I'm pretty sure I've heard people use the incorrect "lay low" more often.
• 54D: Robert of "The Sopranos" (ILER). Runner-up for today's Crosswordese 101 entry.
• 57D: Nick Charles's wife (NORA). Pop quiz for anyone who's just starting out on crossword puzzles. What's the name of Nick and Nora's dog?
• 60D: "For Pete's __!" (SAKE). This is funny but I can't tell you why yet.

Crosswordese 101: There are two ELIHUs you need to know for crossword puzzles. ELIHU Root is described as a statesman, Secretary of State and Nobel Peace Prize winner. You might also see the words "law" and "government" in clues for ELIHU Root. ELIHU Yale, on the other hand, was a philanthropist and the founder of Yale University. For both Root and Yale, you will almost always see their last names in the clue, so they're pretty easy to spot.

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

• 36A: Hawaiian neckwear (LEI).
• 44A: Skating jumps (AXELS).
• 49A: Once called, in wedding notices (NÉE).
• 62A: Silents actress Negri (POLA).
• 58D: Sailor's patron saint (ELMO).

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Everything Else — 5A: Soft pats (DABS); 9A: Physicist Enrico (FERMI); 14A: Sink cleaner (AJAX); 15A: Straddling (ATOP); 16A: Hipbone-related (ILIAC); 17A: It's quite a story (SAGA); 19A: Bridal path (AISLE); 25A: From A __ (TO Z); 31A: Dallas hoopster, for short (MAV); 34A: "Tosca" or "Pagliacci" (OPERA); 37A: Gradually lose color (FADE); 42A: Strong as __ (AN OX); 43A: Wall climber (IVY); 45A: One of a D.C. 100 (SEN.); 51A: Followers: Suf. (-ISTS); 61A: Being not from 41-Down (ALIEN); 63A: Appeal (PLEA); 64A: Meas. of the cereal without the box (NET WT.); 65A: Helen of __ (TROY); 66A: Run __: go wild (AMOK); 67A: Lock of hair (TRESS); 68A: Cuts, as logs (SAWS); 1D: [Heavens!] (GASP); 2D: Cracked open (AJAR); 3D: Nativity trio (MAGI); 4D: Right on the money (EXACT); 5D: Former territory where Mount Rushmore is (DAKOTA); 6D: Lacking a musical key (ATONAL); 8D: Time period (SPAN); 10D: College benefactor Yale (ELIHU); 11D: Greet the judge (RISE); 12D: __ fide: in bad faith (MALA); 13D: Topped a cupcake (ICED); 21D: Really bug (EAT AT); 22D: Set of moral principles (ETHIC); 25D: Colosseum garments (TOGAS); 26D: Think aloud (OPINE); 30D: Itch (YEN); 31D: Expert (MAVEN); 32D: Fred's dancing sister (ADELE); 33D: Limericks and such (VERSE); 35D: Stout of whodunits (REX); 37D: Sly critter (FOX); 39D: Asked boldly, as for money (HIT UP); 40D: Actress Longoria (EVA); 41D: Planet nearest Mars, usually (EARTH); 46D: Daring feats (STUNTS); 48D: Blue book exams (ESSAYS); 52D: Flower leaf (SEPAL); 53D: "Critique of Pure Reason" writer (KANT); 55D: Refer to (CITE); 56D: Chooses (to) (OPTS); 58D: Sailor's patron saint (ELMO); 59D: Pope before Sergius III (LEO V).