TUESDAY, January 26, 2010 — Dan Naddor

Theme: California Cities — The first word of each theme answer follows the word San in the name of a California city.

Theme answers:

• 16A: *Big name in tequila (JOSÉ CUERVO).
• 20A: *Mexican muralist (DIEGO RIVERA).
• 33A: *Spanish painter (1746-1828) (FRANCISCO GOYA).
• 50A: *Roger Federer rival (RAFAEL NADAL).
• 56A: Home to this puzzle's theme (CALIFORNIA).
• 61A: Word that forms a city when combined with the first names in answers to starred clues (SAN).

Okay theme. Not super impressed with the fill. Too many abbreviations and ... EEEE? Seriously? And CDEF?? Ugh. I noticed a few strange words (names) that I learned from puzzles but I don't think they show up often enough to categorize them as crosswordese:

• 13A: Holly genus (ILEX).
• 15A: Pitcher Hideo (NOMO).
• 7D: Puppeteer Tony (SARG).

Did you have trouble with these?

Misc.:

• 10A: Jack's inferior (TEN). Tricky. I'm all "Jack who? Jack Bauer? Jack Bauer's inferior? Um ... that would be pretty much everybody."
• 29A: Short film role (CAMEO). I love it when I see a cameo in a movie and know who it is and why it's cool. But it makes me wonder how many times I see cameos that I totally don't recognize or understand.
• 58A: Fight-ending calls, briefly (TKOS). I've had this song in my head since earlier this month when Teddy Pendergrass died.

• 12D: "Skip the sandwich dressing" (NO MAYO). For some reason I find this hilarious.
• 23D: Corn Belt state (IOWA). Go, Hawks!
• 40D: Topeka natives (KANSANS). Just got an email from a friend ranting about how much she hates Kansas. I'm pretty sure she just means the basketball team though.

Crosswordese 101: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a federation of seven emirates (states) in the Middle East. The two emirates that commonly show up in clues for UAE are Abu Dhabi (its capital) and Dubai. In later-week puzzles, you might also see reference to Sharjah or Ajman. Other words that should point you in the direction of UAE: oil-rich and OPEC member.

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Everything Else — 1A: "I did it!" ("TA-DA!"); 5A: Outplays (BESTS); 14A: Draw a better bead on (RE-AIM); 18A: Gossip tidbit (ITEM); 19A: Abu Dhabi's federation: Abbr. (UAE); 22A: Actor Brody of "The Pianist" (ADRIEN); 24A: Pep (ENERGY); 25A: __ one mind: disagreeing (NOT OF); 26A: Fri. preceder (THU.); 30A: Some (A FEW); 31A: On the double (PRONTO); 38A: For all to see (OPENLY); 39A: Submissive (MEEK); 41A: Gas brand with a landmark sign outside Fenway Park (CITGO); 45A: Vegas cube (DIE); 46A: Iraqi seaport (BASRA); 47A: Opposed (to) (AVERSE); 49A: "The Picture of __ Gray" (DORIAN); 54A: Gold units: Abbr. (KTS.); 55A: Big pictures: Abbr. (ENLS.); 59A: Insect stage (IMAGO); 60A: Animal whose fur was used for Crockett's cap (COON); 62A: Slow to catch on (DENSE); 63A: Barley beards (AWNS); 1D: Baja border city (TIJUANA); 2D: What you "take" when you sit down (A LOAD OFF); 3D: Military no-show (DESERTER); 4D: Lumberjack's tool (AXE); 5D: UCLA player (BRUIN); 6D: Extra wide, on a shoebox (EEEE); 8D: VCR successor (TIVO); 9D: Campfire treat (S'MORE); 10D: For the full length of a pregnancy (TO TERM); 11D: Come to light (EMERGE); 15D: Skin care brand (NIVEA); 17D: B-G link (CDEF); 21D: Working undercover, for short (INCOG); 26D: Gave it a shot (TRIED); 27D: Mubarak of Egypt (HOSNI); 28D: "I give up!" ("UNCLE!"); 31D: Angel dust, briefly (PCP); 32D: Happy Meal extra (TOY); 34D: Lariat loop (NOOSE); 35D: Poet Khayyám (OMAR); 36D: "That's not news to me" ("YES I KNOW"); 37D: Soda-making process (AERATION); 41D: Insertion marks (CARETS); 42D: The Donald's daughter (IVANKA); 43D: Nonstick coating (TEFLON); 44D: Lawn makeup (GRASS); 46D: Western tie (BOLO); 48D: Spanish hero played by Heston (EL CID); 49D: Willem of "Spider-Man" (DAFOE); 51D: Appoint (NAME); 52D: Actor Alda (ALAN); 53D: Uses a spade (DIGS); 57D: Color TV pioneer (RCA).