03.09 Wed

W E D N E S D A Y
March 9, 2011
Gareth Bain

Theme: Awesome Back-up Band — Theme answers are all people with the initials M.G.

Theme answers:

• 17A: *Moscow park eponym (MAXIM GORKY).
• 61A: *"What's Going On" singer (MARVIN GAYE).
• 10D: *20th-century cartoonist who wrote "He Done Her Wrong," a 300-page pantomime tale (MILT GROSS).
• 32D: *"Mad Max" star (MEL GIBSON).
• 48D: Leader of the band with the 1962 hit "Green Onions" (BOOKER T).
• 61D: With "the," 48-Down's band (which sounds as if it could have included the answers to starred clues) (MG'S).

Don't you totally want to see Booker T performing in front of a Pip-ified MAXIM GORKY, MARVIN GAYE, MEL GIBSON, and MILT GROSS? That's one funny-looking back-up band. I don't believe I've ever heard of MILT GROSS and I would never have been able to come up with GORKY's first name on my own, but this puzzle just seemed like fun to me. I think the thing I appreciated the most was the quirky cluing. Especially:

• 10A: Hi sign nicknames (MOMS). It's not unusual for a televised crowd shot of a sporting event to catch someone with a sign that says "Hi, Mom." So I guess you could call those "Hi signs" (a play on the phrase "high signs").
• 24A: Upside-down frown (SMILE). Who hasn't heard the phrase "Turn that frown upside-down"?

• 65A: Kindergarten staple (GLUE). The use of the word "staple" in the clue really tickles me. It's meant in the sense of a supply that's constantly needed, but the word can also refer to something that attaches things together — just like GLUE!

Highlight entries for me today include:

• 2D: Shortest book in the Hebrew Bible (OBADIAH). I would like to see a resurgence of this name. Unfortunately, I'm past my child-bearing years so it's up to one of you young women out there.
• 34D: East African language (SWAHILI). I know it's not an uncommon entry, but I just love the way it sounds. The word, not the language. I don't actually know how the language sounds.
• 41D: Burst (RUPTURE).
• 44D: Vicks ointment (VAPORUB). As soon as you entered the word could you smell it?

Bullets:

• 1A: Doughnut shape (TORUS). This is a word I learned from crosswords. I assume it's a word I learned back in a math class somewhere too, but I relearned it in the last couple years from crosswords.
• 36A: Animals who often bear twins (EWES). Get out! Who knew? And don't tell me you did, because you didn't.
• 43A: It's not known for MPG efficiency (SUV). Using MPG in the clue is a clever way of including a hint that the answer will be an abbreviation.
• 51A: One of Chekhov's "Three Sisters" (MASHA). The other two are … just a minute …. Olya and Irina. Just so ya know.

• 57A: Option for Hamlet (TO BE). Another good clue.
• 66A: Courtroom demand (ORDER).
• 69A: Burden bearer (BEAST). You know what's coming.



• 5D: Mozart's "Jupiter," e.g.: Abbr. (SYM.). I actually entered SON. first thinking it was a sonata, but that's pretty dumb because (a) it's a horrible abbreviation that I'm sure is never used and (b) if the entry was actually SON, it wouldn't be clued that way (see (a)).
• 6D: Noted composer of Études (CHOPIN). I remember being so shocked when I learned Chopin was Polish. I always assumed he was French.

• 8D: Mork's planet (ORK). I'm seriously going to start a count of "Mork and Mindy" references.
• 42D: Actor Banderas (ANTONIO). Sigh.
• 50D: Impeccable service (ACE). Tennis!

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 35A: Hops-drying oven (OAST).
• 40A: Asian sea (ARAL).
• 67A: Quite a long time (AEON).
• 13D: Old JFK arrival (SST).
• 25D: Sicilian mount (ETNA).

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Everything Else — 6A: Doofus (CLOD); 14A: Furniture wood (EBONY); 15A: Circle dance (HORA); 16A: Does a bakery job (ICES); 19A: "__ we forget" (LEST); 20A: Palm Treos, e.g., briefly (PDA'S); 21A: Tailless primate (APE); 22A: School orgs. (PTA'S); 23A: Article for Adenauer (EIN); 26A: __ Dei (AGNUS); 28A: __ Andreas Fault (SAN); 29A: Bit of dogma (TENET); 30A: Poppycock (TRIPE); 31A: Opera setting, for short (THE MET); 33A: Outs partners (INS); 38A: Evokes wonder in (AWES); 45A: Soak up (ABSORB); 49A: Din in the library? (GUNGA); 53A: Big suit, briefly (CEO); 54A: About the eye (OPTIC); 55A: Elect to take part (OPT IN); 56A: Hoo-ha (ADO); 58A: Exxon Valdez cargo (OIL); 59A: Short run, for short (ONE K); 60A: Wimple wearers (NUNS); 64A: Élan (BRIO); 68A: Pair in bunk beds, perhaps (SIBS); 1D: Violent storm (TEMPEST); 3D: Steve Martin film based on "Cyrano de Bergerac" (ROXANNE); 4D: Colleges, to Aussies (UNIS); 7D: Rhine siren (LORELEI); 9D: "And God called the light __": Genesis (DAY); 11D: "1984" setting (OCEANIA); 12D: Goofs (MESS-UPS); 18D: Spermatozoa, e.g. (GAMETES); 22D: Frisk, with "down" (PAT); 24D: Crock-Pot potful (STEW); 27D: Collector's goal (SET); 37D: Sport for heavyweights (SUMO); 39D: Israeli diplomat Abba (EBAN); 40D: In days past (AGO); 46D: Anthem for "eh" sayers (O CANADA); 47D: Overnight flights (RED-EYES); 52D: "As I was going to __ ..." (ST. IVES); 59D: Fairy tale baddie (OGRE); 60D: Hoops org. (NBA); 62D: Poetic boxer (ALI); 63D: San Francisco's __ Hill (NOB).

01.29 Sat

S A T U R D A Y January 29, 2011
Gareth Bain

Theme: None

It was a little difficult for me to concentrate on this puzzle because I solved it right after what might be the last of a really long string of Iowa Hawkeye wrestling victories. Their win against Northwestern tonight brings the Hawks' unbeaten streak to 72 but it's not at all unlikely that they might lose on Sunday to top-ranked Penn State. The suspense is killing me. And I'm sure you'll forgive me for needing almost every cross for LANES (2D: Pins may be at the ends of them) because all I could think was "a wrestling match against a Hawkeye." No chance of getting away from that one. But let's get to the puzzle because I know you didn't come here to read about Iowa wrestling.

I really hope YES THERE IS A GOD was the seed entry for this puzzle because it's an awesome phrase to build a puzzle around. In fact, both of the 14-letter entries in this grid are spectacular:

• 20A: Ecstatic cry (YES THERE IS A GOD).
• 45A: Go from 10 to 8, say (DROP A DRESS SIZE).

The two 15s don't really sparkle for me, but it's kinda cool that they're related:

• 17A: "West Side Story" duet (ONE HAND ONE HEART).
• 50A: Angel's concern (BROADWAY MUSICAL).

Stuff I just flat-out didn't know:

• 9A: Russian city to host the 2014 Olympics (SOCHI).

• 35A: __ Squalor, Count Olaf's girlfriend in "A Series of Unfortunate Events" (ESME). I would have gotten this if it had been a Twilight clue.
• 37A: Billy Dee's "The Empire Strikes Back" role (LANDO).
• 45D: "The Sopranos" Emmy winner De Matteo (DREA). She also played Joey's sister Gina on "Friends."
• 48D: 2006 N.L. MVP __ Howard (RYAN). He plays first base for the Phillies.

What else can we talk about?

• 1A: Edmonton's prov. (ALTA.). Learned this from crosswords. It really seems like there should be a B in there somewhere.
• 24A: Fish you don't want to be biting (PIRANHAS). Today I learned that I don't really know how to spell PIRANHA. After the PIR, I needed help from the crosses.

• 31A: One-footer, e.g. (TAP-IN). Golf!
• 43A: Tab competitor (DIET R.C.). I tried FRESCA here first.
• 55A: Dustin's "The Graduate" co-star (ANNE). I can never remember that it was ANNE Bancroft who played Mrs. Robinson. I do know the song very well though. In fact, I recall a period of time when PuzzleSister and I were in, oh I don't know, fourth and fifth grade probably? Where she played the song over and over and over again in an apparent plot to drive the rest of the family into madness. But it didn't work!



• 3D: End-of-day destination for many (THE SUBURBS). I'm so glad that both my job and my home are in THE SUBURBS. On good days my commute is like 12 minutes. Oh and this is another very cool entry.

• 25D: __ jure: by the law itself (IPSO). Oh good. Another IPSO phrase for me to get confused with Lhasa Apso.
• 37D: Traditionally, when women were allowed to propose marriage (LEAP DAY). Ya know what? I think it's probably best not to get me started on this particular tradition.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 5A: North __ Sea, Syr Darya River outlet (ARAL).
• 8D: Anderson of "WKRP in Cincinnati" (LONI).
• 38D: Windblown soil (LOESS).
• 44D: Industry overseers (CZARS).
• 46D: Elephants' predators, in myth (ROCS).

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Everything Else — 14A: Sounds of triumph (HAHS); 15A: Move, in real estate (RELO); 16A: Some soli (ARIAS); 21A: Loan guarantor (SURETY); 22A: Whiz (PRO); 23A: Stir vigorously (BEAT); 29A: Attached, in a way (GLUED); 32A: Peke output (YIP); 33A: They fit in locks (OARS); 34A: Deli suffix (-WURST); 36A: Overalls part (BIB); 38A: Glove material (LATEX); 39A: How much radio is broadcast (IN STEREO); 41A: Pharmacist's datum (DOSE); 42A: Had a life (WAS); 51A: Site of a sacred building called the Kaaba (MECCA); 52A: Resort NE of Los Alamos (TAOS); 53A: Swarthy (DARK); 54A: Far from swarthy (PASTY); 56A: Word of consequence (ELSE); 1D: Bridge call? (AHOY); 4D: Hardwood sources (ASH TREES); 5D: CNN Gulf War reporter (ARNETT); 6D: Towel off again (RE-DRY); 7D: Shrub with tubular flowers (ALOE); 9D: Arid (SAHARAN); 10D: Ducks' home (OREGON); 11D: "Bye!" ("CIAO!"); 12D: Like some copies and courts (HARD); 13D: Social end (-IST); 18D: Winning (AHEAD); 19D: Lively wit (ESPRIT); 24D: 1960s-'70s "Jeopardy!" announcer (PARDO); 26D: Riotous (HYSTERICAL); 27D: Parisian lover's word (AIME); 28D: Eyewear, commercially (SPEX); 29D: Home to many Bactrian camels (GOBI); 30D: Rested (LAIN); 31D: Some find it hard to carry (TUNE); 34D: 1955 treaty city (WARSAW); 35D: Manhattan's FDR Drive is on it (EAST SIDE); 40D: With an intermission (TWO-ACT); 41D: Neglect (DISUSE); 43D: Familiar, perhaps (DEMON); 47D: It may be described in gigs (DATA); 49D: Sommer of "The Prize" (ELKE); 50D: Image file letters (BMP).

01.18 Tue

T U E S D A Y

January 18, 2011
Gareth Bain

[This is the one week out of the year where I'm going to just mention that there is a donation button over in the sidebar. Please read my pitch for donations at the beginning of yesterday's write-up here. And thanks so much for being here!]

Theme: Awesome, awesome music groups — Theme answers are bands made up of brothers.

Theme answers:

• 20A: Group with the #1 hit "ABC" (THE JACKSON FIVE).
• 32A: Group with the #1 hit "One Bad Apple" (THE OSMONDS).
• 41A: Group with the #1 hit "Jive Talkin'" (THE BEE GEES).
• 51A: 2001 Spielberg WWII miniseries, and what 20-, 32- or 41-Across is (BAND OF BROTHERS).

Love this theme. I mean I love this theme. This is one of those themes where if you've ever constructed a crossword puzzle in your life you're all "Why the hell didn't I think of this theme?!" It's got great wordplay, awesome memories for those of us of a certain age, and it's still simple enough for a Tuesday. Bravo! The only problem I'm having with the write-up is that I've featured all three of these bands really recently here on the blog. I think the Bee Gees were just last week, right? And the Osmonds weren't too long ago. And I know I've posted Jackson Five videos here several times. Why? Because they're awesome. So for today, I'll give you something a little different that kinda of goes with the theme. But not really.

Bullets:

• 1A: Lin or Angelou (MAYA). MAYA Lin is the artist who designed the Viet Nam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. If you haven't seen it, you should definitely take a wander over there if you're ever in the neighborhood.
• 16A: Do-re-mi (MOOLA). I'm pretty sure I've never heard anyone refer to money as "do-re-mi" except maybe ironically, but probably not even then. It does kinda sound like something Huggy Bear might have said back on "Starsky & Hutch," so maybe that's where I've heard it.
• 28A: Control tower devices (RADARS). Not a fan of the plural here.
• 36A: Lena who played Glinda in the movie version of "The Wiz" (HORNE). I stopped reading after the first few words of this clue, which was a pretty dumb thing to do. I just assumed the answer would be the actress who played Glinda in "The Wizard of Oz" and I have no idea what her name is, so I figured I'd just wait for crosses. When I discovered it was "The Wiz" instead, I realized my mistake.
• 40A: Faulkner's "__ Lay Dying" (AS I). Worth another read, I think. I haven't read it since college and that was like a hundred years ago.
• 61A: Present moment (NONCE). Sounds like quite the lah-dee-dah word, doesn't it?
• 65A: Eponymous logical diagram creator (VENN). So many good ones out there. How to choose … How to choose ….


• 11D: Doughnut shapes (TORI). Pretty sure I learned this word from SethG, who I believe will be here blogging tomorrow's puzzle, so come and back and see what other cool stuff he talks about.

• 21D: Wrestler Ventura (JESSE). It's so hard to be a fan of real wrestling when there's all that fake wrestling out there. Sigh.
• 29D: What double-checked totals should do (AGREE). With the A in place, I kinda wanted this to be ADD UP. But it wasn't.
• 31D: Jeanne d'Arc et al.: Abbr. (STES.). The French spelling in the clue is your hint that the answer will also be French.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 5A: Terrier type (SKYE).
• 37A: Epi center? (PEE).
• 59A: Really long time (AEON).
• 63A: Arp's movement (DADA).
• 33D: Michelle Obama __ Robinson (NÉE).
• 53D: Hawaii's state bird (NENE).

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Everything Else — 9A: Performed on stage (ACTED); 14A: Contest with seconds (DUEL); 15A: Gillette's __ II (TRAC); 17A: Catch, as one's sleeve (SNAG); 18A: "Mazes and Monsters" author Jaffe (RONA); 19A: Ventilated, with "out" (AIRED); 23A: Emeritus, e.g.: Abbr. (RET.); 24A: Some garden plants need it (SHADE); 25A: Official count (CENSUS); 35A: Western-style "Scram!" ("GIT!"); 38A: Nez __, Native Americans who breed their own horses (PERCE); 43A: Garden tool (WEEDER); 46A: Snorkel et al., familiarly (SARGES); 47A: Put in a seat (ELECT); 50A: MIT or UCLA (SCH.); 57A: Believed without question (ATE UP); 58A: Cosecant's reciprocal (SINE); 62A: Ski resort lift (T-BAR); 64A: Exceed the limit (SPEED); 66A: Online annoyance (SPAM); 1D: Docs (MD'S); 2D: Godmother, often (AUNT); 3D: Slangy okay (YEAH); 4D: "Flowers for __": story from which the film "Charly" was adapted (ALGERNON); 5D: Layer (STRATUM); 6D: Big cheese associated with Big Macs? (KROC); 7D: Americans, to Brits (YANKS); 8D: PayPal funds (E-CASH); 9D: Actress Peet or Plummer (AMANDA); 10D: Styled in the salon (COIFED); 12D: Mtn. road sign stat (ELEV.); 13D: Miami-__ County (DADE); 22D: Rowing crew (OARS); 25D: Selected (CHOSE); 26D: Spine-tingling (EERIE); 27D: Next year's junior (SOPH); 30D: Runs through a sieve (RICES); 32D: Defrost (THAW); 34D: Ball girls (DEBS); 38D: Birdcage feature (PERCH); 39D: Highbrows (EGGHEADS); 41D: Not kosher (TREF); 42D: New York's time zone (EASTERN); 44D: Figure out (DEDUCE); 45D: Married in secret (ELOPED); 48D: Network with an eye logo (CBS TV); 49D: "Survivor" faction (TRIBE); 51D: Outlaws (BANS); 52D: Resting on (ATOP); 54D: __ errand: out (ON AN); 55D: Harvest (REAP); 56D: Fizzy drink (SODA); 60D: "The Deer Hunter" war zone, for short (NAM).

12.31 Fri

F R I D A Y

December 31, 2010
Gareth Bain


Theme: Who Dat? — Theme answers are familiar phrases with ST (the abbreviation for "saint") removed from the beginning of the first word.

Theme answers:

• 17A: Conger's protection? (EEL HELMET).
• 26A: Tracker of bauxite thieves? (ORE DETECTIVE).
• 43A: Roadie, after a gig? (AMP COLLECTOR).
• 58A: Diamond oration? (UMP SPEECH).
• 41D: Hardly a model of perfection, and a hint to how this puzzle's theme puns are derived (NO SAINT).

Add-a-letter/drop-a-letter themes are never gonna be flashy, but if they're executed well, you can at least say they're solid. This one I think qualifies as solid. I mean EEL HELMET? The visual I get with that is pretty funny. I also liked AMP COLLECTOR because it reminded me of good ol' Dana, a roadie for Aerosmith back in the day. Wonder what he's up to? Also liked UMP SPEECH. I can totally picture an umpire standing on the pitcher's mound with a microphone doing, like, a Jimmy Swaggart kinda thing. HAha! So yeah, a few chuckles, and that's a good deal. (And, no, that's not Dana in the picture.)

Have I mentioned that I can't get used to seeing themes in the Friday puzzle? I have? A couple times? Okay. How about how the late-week puzzles still aren't really hard enough for my taste? Yes? I've talked about that already too? Huh.

I jumped around quite a bit on this one, instead of just smoothly making my way from one section to another. I ended up in the northeast corner, where ZAPS (11D: Sci-fi effects) was not showing itself and the crosses weren't helping. DOPED = 19A: Figured (out), slangily? That was a total mystery to me. I thought KAZUO (9A: "The Remains of the Day" author __ Ishiguro) might be Karuo or Kaluo, but I finally made it to Z. I vaguely remember seeing the movie "The Remains of the Day" but the only book of his I've read is "Never Let Me Go," which, if I recall correctly, is excellent.

Bullets:

• 14A: Sweeping story (EPIC). My first thought? Cinderella.
• 21A: '60s quartet member (MAMA). The Mamas and the Papas.
• 35A: "X-ing" one (PED). Cute clue. This is a reference to those PED XING traffic signs that encourage you to avoid mowing down the PEDestrians who are just trying to X the street and really aren't causing any trouble, after all.
• 37A: Seriously impairs (MAIMS). Here's the thing I don't like about starting a new job. When you sit down to talk about benefits, they always want to let you know about the Accidental Death & Dismemberment insurance. I really don't want to be sitting there thinking about, much less talking about, the possibility of dismemberment. I just don't.
• 39A: Loud, ringing sound (BONG). Or whatever.
• 4D: Univ., e.g. (SCH.). I don't like this abbreviation for "school" but I think we're going to have to just get used to it.
• 9D: "Devil Without a Cause" musician (KID ROCK). Now we're talkin'.



• 27D: Beethoven dedicatee (ELISE). I can never remember if this particular ELISE is spelled with an I or a Y. It's the mom on "Family Ties" that's spelled with a Y. Just in case you were wondering. And I know you were.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 61A: Hook's mate (SMEE).
• 63A: Hägar's dog (SNERT).
• 12D: Fonda title role (ULEE).
• 18D: Mideast bigwigs (EMIRS).
• 49D: Blunted swords (ÉPÉES).
• 54D: Name on some neutral WWII ships (EIRE).

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Everything Else — 1A: Blows (BOPS); 5A: Open some (AJAR); 15A: Like some walls (BARE); 16A: Collectively (IN ALL); 20A: __-Magnon man (CRO); 22A: Times for cool heads (CRISES); 23A: 6 7/8, e.g. (HAT SIZE); 25A: __ Age (IRON); 31A: Latin Quarter site (PARIS); 34A: Soup vegetable (LEEK); 36A: Space-saving abbr. (ET AL.); 40A: Barnyard male (TOM); 41A: Lofgren of the E Street Band (NILS); 42A: Flooded field (PADDY); 47A: Sailing, say (ASEA); 48A: Alluring tops (HALTERS); 52A: Sign with an arrow (ONE WAY); 55A: Like falling off a log (EASY); 56A: Snap (PIC); 57A: Alp-öhi's granddaughter in an 1880 novel (HEIDI); 60A: Dum-dum (MORON); 62A: Appear (SEEM); 64A: Event with gowns (BALL); 65A: __ buco (OSSO); 1D: Tree with edible nuts (BEECH); 2D: "What's __, Doc?": Classic "Looney Tunes" short (OPERA); 3D: Joystick user (PILOT); 5D: Burning (ABLAZE); 6D: Improvised, in a way (JAMMED); 7D: Zone (AREA); 8D: Soak flax (RET); 10D: Baptize with oil (ANOINT); 13D: Cutlass maker (OLDS); 22D: First Nations members (CREES); 24D: Muddy (SOIL); 25D: News __ (ITEM); 28D: Product with earbuds (IPOD); 29D: Push, so to speak (VEND); 30D: Avant-garde (EDGY); 31D: Org. where fur doesn't fly? (PETA); 32D: Splitting it releases energy (ATOM); 33D: Modeling milieu (RAMP); 37D: Cyrus who plays Hannah Montana (MILEY); 38D: __ breve (ALLA); 39D: One of TV's Mavericks (BART); 42D: Sea anemone, e.g. (POLYP); 44D: Macbeth's thanedom before he became king (CAWDOR); 45D: Vegas drive-through (CHAPEL); 46D: Fez feature (TASSEL); 50D: Prepares potatoes, in a way (RICES); 51D: Jerk (SCHMO); 52D: Resistance units (OHMS); 53D: Its atomic number is 10 (NEON); 55D: Jane Austen opus (EMMA); 58D: PC port for a flash drive (USB); 59D: Spanish pronoun (ESO).

M O N D A Y December 13, 2010 Gareth Bain

Theme: Puzzle of the Decade — Theme answers are familiar phrases that follow the pattern "[noun] of the [time period]."

Theme answers:

• 19A: Restaurant special (SOUP OF THE DAY).
• 27A: '60s ABC boxing show (FIGHT OF THE WEEK).
• 41A: Featured mail-order club offering (BOOK OF THE MONTH).
• 47A: Motor Trend magazine award (CAR OF THE YEAR).

Happy Monday, everyone. Hope you had a great weekend and are ready for another fun week of puzzling. Today's theme is very cute. I'd be surprised if it hasn't been done before, but I'm not going to look it up because it just doesn't matter. I solved this one pretty much from top to bottom, so the theme was clear right away. The only small slip-up I had is that "FIGHT OF THE" ends in "century" in my brain. Obviously that wasn't going to work, and the correct answer wasn't too tough to figure out. Ya know what makes this theme really work? That the time periods start short and get longer as you progress through the grid. That's one of those things that new solvers might (a) take for granted or (b) not even notice, but I'm here to tell you that it's no accident. If Gareth had submitted the puzzle with the entries in a different order, Rich would have probably told him it was a nice theme but he needed to redo it to make it right. (That is, of course, completely hypothetical — Gareth would never do that because he knows better.)

There's quite a bit of crosswordese in the fill, but it is Monday after all. And there are a couple of interesting and/or Scrabbly words in the grid like OPAQUE, KELP and REHASH. I had some trouble in the Oklahoma/Texas area where my frequent inability to parse long down answers showed itself. It's just something about reading on the vertical that gives me trouble. Sometimes I end up writing the word out horizontally just so I can see it properly and get my head-slap moment. Reading PUT*TO*ED from top to bottom was just not going anywhere and the crosses of PAT and BARA were not helping. I mean, come on, BARA?! The only "silents" actresses I've ever needed to know are Zasu Pitts and Nita Naldi. Expanding that particular list to three seems a little excessive, doesn't it??

Bullets:

• 1A: __ Squad: Best Buy service team (GEEK). Actually had to think about this one. My brain didn't want to move away from the Buy More "Nerd Herd" on the TV show "Chuck."
• 32A: Fillies, as adults (MARES). Look like we've got a little female animal subtheme going here. See also 8D: Doe, for one (FEMALE).
• 33A: Singer Chris or actor Stephen (REA). Do I know who Chris REA is? ... Nope, I sure don't. But wow. He's got a great voice.
  
• 38A: Minute stake? (ANTE). Well sometimes it's not very minute, but we get the point.
• 58A: French parting (ADIEU). I'm all "The French had something to do with parting the Red Sea?!" So weird the associations we make.

• 61A: Roger who played Bond (MOORE). Like this one. Roger? I went right to Daltrey. (Okay, first I went to my uncle Roger, but that probably doesn't mean anything to you.) I don't think either one of those Rogers would have made a credible James Bond.
• 21D: Qatar's capital (DOHA). Is this the capital city or the country's currency? … It's the city. Qatar's currency is the riyal.
• 48D: Top choice, for short (FAVE). With F*VE in place I thought, well sure "five" is the top choice on a scale of one to five but … what the heck is "five" short for? Ohhhh, I get it now.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 16A: Inland Asian sea (ARAL).
• 24A: Rap's Dr. __ (DRE).
• 33A: Singer Chris or actor Stephen (REA).
• 34A: Tennis star/anti-apartheid activist Arthur (ASHE).
• 44A: B'way "no seats" sign (SRO).
• 63A: Cathedral recess (APSE).
• 3D: Biblical twin (ESAU).
• 12D: __ Khan (AGA).

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Everything Else — 5A: Paving surface (TAR); 8A: Classic orange soda (FANTA); 13A: Bit of subterfuge (RUSE); 14A: Naked (BARE); 15A: Ruthless J.R. on "Dallas" (EWING); 17A: Write on, as sheet metal (ETCH); 18A: Mediterranean island country (MALTA); 22A: Barrio uncle (TIO); 23A: MSN rival (AOL); 35A: Microwave gadget (TIMER); 36A: Sci-fi escape craft (POD); 37A: Geometry calculations (AREAS); 39A: Vienna's land: Abbr. (AUS.); 40A: Nasal detections (ODORS); 45A: Contrived (PAT); 46A: Run in (NAB); 53A: Ribs sauce style, briefly (BAR-B-Q); 56A: Silents actress Theda (BARA); 57A: Niger neighbor (MALI); 59A: What avengers get (EVEN); 60A: Study a lot in a short time (CRAM); 62A: Low grade (DEE); 1D: Mardi __ (GRAS); 2D: Continental cash (EURO); 4D: Brown seaweed (KELP); 5D: Bit of body art (TATTOO); 6D: Semicircular entrance (ARCH); 7D: Prepared, as leftovers (REHEATED); 9D: On holiday, say (AWAY); 10D: Zero, in soccer (NIL); 11D: Explosive abbr. (TNT); 14D: Suits (BEFITS); 20D: Catchall category (OTHER); 24D: The Kalahari, for one (DESERT); 25D: Uninspired new version (REHASH); 26D: Barely gets by, with "out" (EKES); 27D: Key of Beethoven's "Appassionata" Sonata (F MINOR); 28D: "You are not!" rejoinder ("I AM TOO!"); 29D: Plato's language (GREEK); 30D: First-year student, briefly (FROSH); 31D: __ Terror: Bush campaign (WAR ON); 35D: Bills at bars (TABS); 36D: Finished dealing with (PUT TO BED); 37D: Hacienda brick (ADOBE); 39D: "We Three Kings" adverb (AFAR); 40D: Certain Nebraskan (OMAHAN); 42D: Opposite of transparent (OPAQUE); 43D: Main dish (ENTREE); 47D: Trucker with a handle (CB'ER); 49D: Song sung with arm motions (YMCA); 50D: O.K. Corral name (EARP); 51D: Word of sorrow (ALAS); 52D: "The __ of the Ancient Mariner" (RIME); 53D: "Pow!" cousin ("BAM!"); 54D: Hoo-ha (ADO); 55D: __ Grande (RIO).

W E D N E S D A Y November 24, 2010 Gareth Bain

Theme: Book 'em, Danno — Theme answers end with words that can be synonyms for "jail."

Theme answers:

• 17A: Song involving body parts (HOKEY POKEY).
• 25A: Driveshaft component (UNIVERSAL JOINT).
• 41A: Gulped-down Mexican cocktail (TEQUILA SLAMMER).
• 55A: Marker (FELT-TIP PEN).
• 48D: Synonym for the ends of 17-, 25-, 41- and 55-Across (JAIL).

I wish there were more themes that could be built around HOKEY POKEY. That's one fabulous grid entry.

Bullets:

• 6A: Blue (GLUM). I was thinking more along the lines of R-rated than sad.
• 22A: Particular (FUSSY). Wednesday is when the cluing starts to get a little tricky. One-word clues can be so misleading!
• 31A: McQueen or Martin (STEVE). I've been following Steve Martin on Twitter lately. He's pretty funny (obviously). And I really was just thinking about this SNL skit this morning:
   
• 35A: __ light: moviemaker's tool (KLIEG). I don't know why I have such a hard time remembering that it's I-before-E. For some reason I always think this word is an exception.
• 37A: Hardy's "obscure" stonemason (JUDE). Whoa. No idea. Probably from a book I should have read.

• 3D: Golfer's need, at times (RAKE). And sometimes the golfer himself is a RAKE! Thank you very much, I'll be here all week, don't forget to tip your waitress.
• 24D: Standard (FLAG). I'm not sure how this works. I think I had it figured out yesterday while I was solving, but now I can't remember.
• 26D: Avoiding off-topic posting, say (NETIQUETTE). What a concept.
• 53D: Breakfast tip components, usually (ONES). I thought I was looking for some type of food here. Wednesday is when I start overthinking the clues.

Crosswordese 101: 47D: "Show Boat" author EDNA Ferber shows up quite a bit in puzzles. She's almost always clued as a novelist, author, or writer. Other than "Show Boat," the title you're most likely likely to see in a clue is "Giant." Here are the other EDNAs you need to know for crosswords.

• Dame EDNA Everage, a Barry Humphries character. Words to look out for: flamboyant, cross-dressing, and down under.
  
• Actress EDNA Best. Look for the words movies, author, and theater.
  
• Poet EDNA St. Vincent Millay.
  
• EDNA Turnblad. She's the mom in "Hairspray." In the recent remake of the movie, she was played by John Travolta.
  
• EDNA Krabappel is a teacher on "The Simpsons."
  
• Mystery author EDNA Buchanan.
  
• EDNA Garrett. That's Mrs. Garrett on "The Facts of Life" (who knew she had a first name??).

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

• 16A: Actress Perlman (RHEA).
• 40A: "Gymnopédies" composer (SATIE).
• 46A: Spoonbill's kin (IBIS).
• 60A: Sheltered, on a ship (ALEE).
• 4D: Poetic preposition (ERE).
• 50D: "The Good Earth" heroine (O-LAN).

[Follow PuzzleGirl on Twitter.] Everything Else — 1A: Lots of plots (ACRES); 10A: Memo abbr. (ATTN.); 14A: Lewis's partner (CLARK); 15A: "Mona __ Smile": 2003 film (LISA); 19A: One of two on some wedding cakes (TIER); 20A: View (EYE); 21A: English Channel port (DOVER); 23A: Staff addition (HIRE); 24A: Business (FIRM); 32A: "The Bridge on the River __": 1957 Best Picture (KWAI); 33A: "Rather not!" ("NAH!"); 34A: Quote (CITE); 38A: Husband of Fatima (ALI); 39A: Mottled (PIED); 45A: "For __ us a child is born" (UNTO); 47A: Leave the cockpit suddenly (EJECT); 49A: Fawlty Towers, for one (HOTEL); 51A: Tabloid craft, briefly (UFO); 54A: Sports page info, e.g. (DATA); 57A: Quibbles (NITS); 58A: Like some hygiene (ORAL); 59A: Lasso feature (NOOSE); 61A: Hereditary unit (GENE); 62A: Ladies' men (GENTS); 1D: Dull pain (ACHE); 2D: Be overly sweet (CLOY); 5D: Execute a high jump? (SKYDIVE); 6D: "Lethal Weapon" co-star (GLOVER); 7D: Valley girl word (LIKE); 8D: Microsoft customer (USER); 9D: Kentucky Derby time (MAY); 10D: Maestro Toscanini (ARTURO); 11D: "Now!" ("THIS MINUTE!"); 12D: Pro shop bagful (TEES); 13D: __ a soul (NARY); 18D: Small opening (PORE); 22D: Island country since 1970 (FIJI); 23D: Swarm's home (HIVE); 25D: Functional (UTILE); 27D: Path to ruin, with "the" (SKIDS); 28D: Dazzle (AWE); 29D: Low point (NADIR); 30D: You, in a classic E.B. Browning poem (THEE); 31D: Sing like Satchmo (SCAT); 35D: Metric weight, for short (KILO); 36D: Grazing field (LEA); 37D: Jazz sessions (JAMS); 39D: Aniston's ex (PITT); 40D: Like the Cheshire Cat (SMILING); 42D: Remove from its box (UNCASE); 43D: Chicken __ (LITTLE); 44D: Help to perpetrate (ABET); 49D: __ and now (HERE); 51D: Shortly following (UPON); 52D: Suffix with slug (-FEST); 55D: Brit's pea-souper (FOG); 56D: "Lenore" poet (POE).

W E D N E S D A Y November 3, 2010 Gareth Bain

Theme: Chicken — Theme answers are familiar phrases that begin with a word that can be an edible part of a chicken.


Theme answers:

• 17A: Commonly upholstered seat (WING CHAIR).
• 28A: Real scream (THIGH SLAPPER).
• 45A: Crawl alternative (BREAST STROKE).
• 62A: '80s fashion fad inspired by dance films (LEG WARMER).
• 40A: "Finger lickin' good" sloganeer, and a hint to this puzzle's theme (KFC).

So just this past weekend I happened to see a bag with the Colonel's picture on it, but it said KGC instead of KFC. I was all WTF? So just now I did a quick Google search, and all the results that came up were more than a year old. What did I miss?

Bullets:

• 20A: Some littermates (KITTIES). Tried KITTENS first and was mildly annoyed that there wasn't some kind of hint in the clue that we were looking for a diminutive, but now I realize that was pretty silly. In fact, I got over it as soon as I got to 29D: Call to 20-Across (HERE), cuz that's a really awesome cross-reference clue. "Here kitty, kitty, kitty …."
• 23A: Gary's st. (IND.).



• 48A: British philosopher who wrote "Language, Truth and Logic" (A.J. AYER). No idea.
• 51A: Enjoy the Appalachian Trail (HIKE). Heh.

• 55A: Like a persistent headache (NAGGING).
• 60A: O'Connor's successor (ALITO). When I see O'Connor in a clue, I always think it's referring to Cardinal John Joseph O'Connor, who was appointed Archbishop of New York in 1984. I lived in New York at that time, so I'm sure that's why it sticks with me.
• 11D: Like some pride (CIVIC). Hope you all had a jolt of that CIVIC pride yesterday when you voted. I know I did.
• 32D: Ripple near the nipple (PEC). I would prefer not to see nipples in my puzzle. That is all.
• 57D: Go-getter's response to "Do you know of such a person?" (I'M IT). Hmmm. Questionable.

• 63D: Stat for CC Sabathia (ERA). Or, to be a little more timely, Tim Lincecum.

Crosswordese 101: We talked about YGOR late last year. Today we'll cover the various IGORs-with-an-I you should know. IGOR is most often clued in relation to (1) "Prince IGOR," the opera by Alexander Borodin, (2) the composer IGOR Stravinsky, perhaps most famous for his 1910 ballet "The Firebird," or (3) Dr. Frankenstein's humpbacked lab assistant (a role played by Marty Feldman in the movie "Young Frankenstein"). Then there's today's 30D: Inventory Sikorsky. Typically, you'll see some reference to aviation in a clue for IGOR Sikorsky … but not today.

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

• 39A: Wildly cheering (AROAR).
• 2D: Et __: and others (ALII).
• 7D: Actor Wallach (ELI).
• 40D: Korean automaker (KIA).
• 54D: Carrier to Tel Aviv (EL AL).

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Everything Else — 1A: Hippocratic oath no-no (HARM); 5A: Astounds (AWES); 9A: Unspoken, but implied (TACIT); 14A: Pints at the bar (ALES); 15A: TV part? (TELE); 16A: Like merinos (OVINE); 19A: Prolific psalmist (DAVID); 21A: "To continue ..." ("AND …"); 24A: Bakery array (PIES); 26A: Smart-__: cocksure and conceited (ALECKY); 33A: Rue (REGRET); 34A: Pint-size (WEE); 35A: Frenzied (AMOK); 41A: Honshu port (OSAKA); 42A: Balkan native (SERB); 43A: Nintendo game console (WII); 44A: We-alone link (ARE NOT); 52A: Prom rental (TUX); 53A: Maker of tiny combs (BEE); 64A: The QE2, e.g. (LINER); 65A: An acre's 43,560 square feet (AREA); 66A: Je t'__: Pierre's "I love you" (AIME); 67A: Canada's highest mountain (LOGAN); 68A: Tramp's love (LADY); 69A: Put in the overhead (STOW); 1D: Aggressive sort (HAWK); 3D: Monopoly payment (RENT); 4D: Bilko's mil. rank (MSGT); 5D: Believer's antithesis (ATHEIST); 6D: Otter's kin (WEASEL); 8D: Word repeated in a Doris Day song (SERA); 9D: More than crawl (TODDLE); 10D: Palindromic girl's name that ranked among the 10 most popular in each of the past five years (AVA); 12D: How contracts are usually signed (IN INK); 13D: Garment including a chemise (TEDDY); 18D: Written code (CIPHER); 22D: Golfer's sunburn spot (NAPE); 25D: Swimmer with a bladelike snout (SAWFISH); 27D: Pencil tip (ERASER); 28D: Refrain syllables (TRAS); 31D: Like takers (GRABBY); 36D: Hombre's hand (MANO); 37D: "I get it, I get it!" ("OK OK!"); 38D: British rock star Bush (KATE); 41D: Former Nicaraguan leader (ORTEGA); 43D: "The Way We __" (WERE); 44D: "Shoot" ("ASK AWAY"); 46D: With new life (REBORN); 47D: Lightly shaded (TINGED); 48D: To any extent (AT ALL); 49D: Crooner Iglesias (JULIO); 50D: Firing (AXING); 56D: Mardi __ (GRAS); 58D: Nautilus skipper (NEMO); 59D: Expanded (GREW); 61D: Texas __: oil (TEA).

MONDAY, July 19, 2010 - Gareth Bain

Hello everybody. This is Jeffrey, filling in for PuzzleGirl, who is off, I'm guessing, on some secret spy mission. You do know daily crossword blogger is just a cover for spy, right?

{Note - if you don't see the "Post a Comment" button, click on the title "MONDAY, July 19, 2010 - Gareth Bain" above and you should get a window with today's post along with comments}

Theme: Happy Birthday, David Segui!


Theme answers:
18A. [Sure thing] - CAKE WALK
23A. [Official political philosophy] - PARTY LINE
36A. [Now, with "the"] - PRESENT MOMENT
52A. [Deck marker, maybe] - CARD SHARP
58A. [Event for the first parts of 18-, 23-, 36- and 52-Across] - BIRTHDAY

David Segui, born July 19, 1966, is a former Major League Baseball player who played for eight teams, including the Montreal Expos and Toronto Blue Jays. He was on the Hall of Fame ballot this year and just missed being elected, falling only 404 votes shy of the 405 required. (Note - Gareth may deny that he has ever heard of David Segui. It's just part of the whole hush-hush secret spy stuff.)

Other stuff:
11A. [Taylor Swift received its 2009 Entertainer of the Yr. award] - CMA

15A. [Emmy winner Falco] - EDIE. Crosswordese. Also Adams, Brickell, Gorme and Amin.
45A. [Use Listerine, e.g.] - GARGLE. I like the word gargle. Please use it in conversation today.
1D. [Its yolk is used in mayonnaise] - EGG. You had me at yolk.
6D. [Third-Sunday-in-June honoree] - DAD/34D. [Busy co. on Mother's Day] - FTD. So who is busy on Father's Day?
12D. ["I approve," Tarzan-style] - ME LIKE. Me don't like.
26A. [Donald Duck, e.g.] - DRAKE. There are those who would claim that Donald Duck is merely a cartoon character. They are wrong. I know. I've met Donald Duck in person.


46D. [Composer __ Lloyd Webber] - ANDREW



56D. [Dame who's a man] - EDNA


(I used to live by the Cavendish Mall)

This puzzle has a lot of A's:

41A. [Energizer size] - AAA
60A. [Peace, in Arabic] - SALAAM
37D. [Galsworthy's "The Forsyte __"] - SAGA

A worthy Monday effort. I'll be back tomorrow.

Everything else:

1A. [Corrected, as text] - EDITED
7A. [Hunger symptom] - PANG
14A. [Swiss convention city] - GENEVA
16A. [Stimpy's pal] - REN
17A. [Won a game without knocking] - GINNED
20A. [Slim fish] - EEL
21A. [Salary] - WAGE
22A. [Devil's work] - EVIL
27A. [Blackjack need] - ACE
28A. [Mute assent] - NOD
29A. [Jeanne d'Arc, par exemple] - SAINTE
31A. [__-purpose: serving two functions] - DUAL
33A. [Penalty caller] - REF
35A. ["__, humbug!"] - BAH
42A. [1988 film noir remake] - DOA
43A. [Civil rights icon Parks] - ROSA
48A. [Nest egg initials] - IRA
50A. [Highland hat] - TAM
51A. [Skater Henie] - SONJA
55A. [Ye __ Shoppe] - OLDE
56A. [Site of Napoleon's exile] - ELBA
57A. [Give in to gravity] - SAG
63A. [Night before] - EVE
64A. [Les Etats-__] - UNIS
65A. [Lubricating] - OILING
66A. [Tape deck button letters] - REW
67A. [Red planet] - MARS
68A. [Mixes smoothly] - BLENDS
2D. [Agnus __] - DEI
3D. [Cochlea location] - INNER EAR
4D. [Church doctrine] - TENET
5D. [Author Waugh] - EVELYN
7D. [Pie nut] - PECAN
8D. [Old saws] - ADAGES
9D. [Reebok rival] - NIKE
10D. ["__ whiz!"] - GEE
11D. [Necktie] - CRAVAT
13D. [Often twisted body part] - ANKLE
19D. [Rocket scientist Von Braun] - WERNHER
21D. [Add lanes to] - WIDEN
23D. [Note taker's need] - PAD
24D. ["We'll tak __ o' kindness yet": Burns] - A CUP
25D. [French cosmetics giant] - L'OREAL
26D. [Circle meas.] - DIAM
30D. [On deck] - ABOARD
32D. [VIP's aircraft] - LEAR JET
38D. [Ballerina Shearer] - MOIRA
39D. ["Why does this keep happening to me?!"] - NOT AGAIN
40D. [Winter Palace ruler] - TSAR
44D. [Load for a roadie] - AMP
45D. [Start using a successfully tested system] - GO LIVE
47D. [Cream-filled treat] - ECLAIR
49D. [Lay into] - ASSAIL
51D. [Like a teetotaler] - SOBER
53D. [Deep chasm] - ABYSS
54D. [Oscar winner Berry] - HALLE
59D. [Sing with one's mouth shut] - HUM
60D. [Cry out loud] - SOB
61D. ["Then what?"] - AND
62D. [Classic Brit. sports cars] - MGS

WEDNESDAY, July 7, 2010 — Gareth Bain

Theme: If at first you don't succeed …. — Theme answers all begin with words that are synonyms for try.


Theme answers:

• 17A: *Prepare to drink, as a can of beer (CRACK OPEN).
• 21A: *Say goodbye, quaintly (BID ADIEU).
• 26A: *Betrayal (STAB IN THE BACK).
• 44A: *Do what others prefer (GO WITH THE FLOW).
• 49A: *Nixed (SHOT DOWN).
• 59A: *It involves a lot of writing (ESSAY TEST).
• 61D: Synonym for the starts of the answers to starred clues (TRY).

Before we get started, I just want to mention that I created a FAQ for this blog. There are only a few questions there now, but I'll add to it as more come up. The link is up there on top of the page. I also added some links over on the sidebar to help you find other crossword puzzles if you're interested. One other thing I was thinking about. Would you all be interested in knowing which clues people are Googling for? I probably wouldn't be able to update you on that daily, but maybe weekly. The most Googled clues of the week? Let me know what you think about that. Now, the puzzle ....

I flew through this puzzle like a hot knife through butter. I didn't even see a lot of the clues because I got all the crosses before I needed them. The only thing that slowed me down at all was STRAIT (24D: The Dardanelles, e.g.). All you intelligent people probably know that The Dardanelles is a STRAIT in northwest Turkey. I, on the other hand, thought it might be the name of a Girl Group from the 1960s and wanted the answer to be quartet or quintet or … something like that. But no. I wouldn't have had any problem if STRAIT had only been clued a little more like this:

Since I was solving so quickly, I didn't catch the theme until I was done. I'm pretty sure I didn't know ESSAY was another way of saying TRY. So that's two big D'oh Moments™ for me today. And it's only Wednesday! Yikes!

Let's talk about …

• 9A: Hekzebiah Hawkins's daughter (SADIE). This is one of the clues I didn't see. I would have gotten it, though, even though I didn't know the guy's first name was … whatever the Hekzebiah that is.

• 23A: Affirmative answer (YES). Can't really ask for a clue that's more straightforward than that!
• 35A: GP's soc. (AMA). The American Medical Association is a society for General Practitioners.
• 41A: When doubled, a number puzzle (KEN). If you were at the ACPT in 2009, you can't help laughing when you see a reference to Ken-Ken.
• 42A: "__ Swear": 1959 Skyliners hit (THIS I). Part of the reason I slowed down on STRAIT is because I don't know this song. I'm sure it's lovely.
• 48A: "__-haw!" (YEE). Thankfully, I already the Y in place here so I didn't have to wait for it (never know if it's going to be YEE or HEE).
• 65A: Ziti cousin (PENNE). I had some wonderful Penne Amatriciana the other night at a local restaurant. Thank goodness you don't have to be able to pronounce a dish to enjoy it.
• 1D: Start of a learning song (ABC).

[If you can listen to this without dancing even a little bit, there's something wrong with you!]

• 5D: Two-time U.S. Open winner Retief (GOOSEN). I even knew this! Occasionally, PuzzleHusband's golf obsession helps me out.
• 11D: Spanish surrealist (DALI). Weren't we just talking about him yesterday in CW101?

• 26D: Billet-doux letters (SWAK). A billet-doux is a love letter, which might be Sealed With A Kiss.
• 29D: 1972 Michael Jackson hit (BEN). I'm glad I already picked a Michael Jackson clip for this post because I am so not a fan of this song.
• 43D: Touchy-__ (FEELY). Awesome colloquial phrase. I don't even mind that it's a partial.
• 50D: __ to: halted, nautically (HOVE). I do not know what this means.

Crosswordese 101 Round-Up:

• 15A: Melville novel (OMOO).
• 13D: Birthright-for-pottage trader (ESAU).
• 51D: Asian sultanate (OMAN).
• 57D: Ivan IV, for one (TSAR).

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Everything Else — 1A: Perching on (ATOP); 5A: Coated with a precious metal (GILT); 14A: Cotton field sight (BALE); 16A: Phillips et al.: Abbr. (ACADS.); 19A: Revolutionary Pancho (VILLA); 20A: Moppets (TYKES); 25A: Priest in I Samuel (ELI); 33A: They lack Y chromosomes (WOMEN); 34A: Agitated speeches (RANTS); 38A: Like "Beowulf," e.g.: Abbr. (ANON.); 39A: Shire horses' burdens (CARTS); 40A: Israeli statesman Abba (EBAN); 43A: Lucky shot (FLUKE); 47A: Recycle receptacle (BIN); 54A: Caught a few z's (SLEPT); 58A: Itinerant (NOMAD); 62A: Be of use (AVAIL); 63A: Moore of "G.I. Jane" (DEMI); 64A: Intro for John? (DEAR); 66A: Scoot along, as clouds (SCUD); 67A: Showing no sign of slowing down (SPRY); 2D: Sharp-tasting (TART); 3D: Skin care brand (OLAY); 4D: Eat like a bird (PECK); 6D: Little devil (IMP); 7D: 1924 co-defendant (LOEB); 8D: Singer Braxton (TONI); 9D: Telly on the telly (SAVALAS); 10D: Like orange juice (ACIDIC); 12D: Just hanging, so to speak (IDLE); 18D: Enter, as data (KEY IN); 22D: Obligations (DEBTS); 27D: Work on, as abs (TONE); 28D: In the thick of (AMONG); 30D: Draconian (HARSH); 31D: Thing (ENTITY); 32D: Capital WNW of Islamabad (KABUL); 36D: Powerful shark (MAKO); 37D: Freshly (ANEW); 39D: Twilled pants material (CHINO); 40D: Little trickster (ELF); 42D: Move about absently, as one's thumbs (TWIDDLE); 45D: Get hold of (OBTAIN); 46D: One half of a tiff (HE SAID); 49D: Clicking fastener (SNAP); 52D: Gets hitched (WEDS); 53D: Infinitesimal time period: Abbr. (NSEC); 55D: Data on airport skeds (ETD'S); 56D: Bo follower? (PEEP); 60D: Dallas sch. (SMU).

MONDAY, June 21, 2010 — Gareth Bain

Theme: Laundry Day — Theme answers are familiar phrases that start with a word that can mean a laundry day mishap.


Theme answers:

• 17A: *Losing ground quickly (FADING FAST).
• 25A: *Seeking a municipal office (RUNNING FOR MAYOR).
• 46A: *Extreme introvert (SHRINKING VIOLET).
• 59A: When the accidents at the starts of the answers to starred clues are apt to occur (LAUNDRY DAY).

Pretty good Monday puzzle, right? Simple theme with sparkly theme answers, fill ranges from adequate to interesting, good cluing — this puzzle's got what I'm looking for on Monday. PA KETTLE is an awesome entry that took me every cross to get (19A: Farmer in a '40s-'50s film series). With the PAK in place, I thought it was going to be an Asian name that I'd never heard before. Definite "D'oh!" moment there.

I liked the tricky OSLO / RIAL one-two punch down in the southeast corner (56D: Norwegian capital / 57D: Iranian capital). Have you seen "capital" used in clues to mean "money/currency" enough that you weren't fooled? Speaking of geography-based trickery, I had no idea Dalmatia was a place (65A: Dalmatian, e.g. (SLAV)). I mean, it makes perfect sense, but it has Never occurred to me.

Your mission is to use both "blockhead" and "bumpkin" in everyday conversation today. (15A: Blockhead (FOOL) / 29D: Bumpkin (YOKEL).)

Stuff:

• 16A: Jagger of the Stones (MICK). Oh thaaat Jagger.
• 32A: Disney toon who traded her voice for legs (ARIEL). Don't know my toons all that well, but this one wasn't too difficulty to figure out. (She's a mermaid.)

• 34A: TV's kid explorer (DORA). Heart-breaking parental moment: in the pediatricians office, three-year-old PuzzleSon is informed by another child that Dora is "for girls." ::sigh::
• 41A: Poker "bullets" (ACES). ACES are "bullets" and kings are "cowboys." I like to call queens "the girls," but I don't think it's actually caught on.
• 68A: Inedible doughnut part? (HOLE). Mmmm … doughnuts.
• 20D: Coloratura's vocal effect (TRILL). Seems like "coloratura" should mean something related to painting, but no.
• 26D: Robert of "Spenser: For Hire" (URICH). Ya know how sometimes famous people change their names? I think if my name sounded a lot like "urine," I would consider it.
• 37D: "(You're) Having My Baby" songwriter (ANKA). Soooo many things wrong with this song. Probably best not to get me started.

• 42D: "Happy Days" catchphrase (SIT ON IT). Was this phrase primarily directed at Potsy? In my head, I always hear it as "Sit on it, Potsy."
• 55D: Pierre's home: Abbr. (S. DAK.). Not a French person's name in this case, but the capital of South Dakota.
• 58D: "I'm sorry, __": "2001: A Space Odyssey" line (DAVE). Awesome, awesome clue.

Crosswordese 101: The word COSÌ is Italian for "so" or "thus." According to Wikipedia, "COSì fan tutte," literally means "Thus do all [women]" but it is often simplified to "Women are like that." It is the title of an Italian comedic opera by Mozart. And that's pretty much the only way the word is ever clued in crossword puzzles.

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

• 9A: Attacker of seals (ORCA).
• 24D: Seaside flier (ERNE).
• 25D: Indian princes (RAJAS).
• 37D: "(You're) Having My Baby" songwriter (ANKA).
• 56D: Norwegian capital (OSLO).
• 61D: Singer Sumac (YMA).

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Everything Else — 1A: Lost in a good book, say (RAPT); 5A: __ prof. (ASST.); 13A: Length times width (AREA); 14A: In the freezer (ON ICE); 21A: Golfer Els (ERNIE); 22A: Nabisco cookie (OREO); 23A: None (ZERO); 33A: Astronomical time span (EON); 35A: "The __ is up!" (JIG); 36A: Southern Calif. daily (L.A. TIMES); 40A: The Sunflower St. (KAN.); 43A: Hearty holiday quaff (NOG); 44A: Letter before iota (THETA); 50A: Color akin to aqua (TEAL); 51A: "Auld __ Syne" (LANG); 52A: Knock out (FLOOR); 55A: Notified (SENT WORD); 62A: Atlas section (ASIA); 63A: __-skid brakes (ANTI); 64A: Whirlpool brand (AMANA); 66A: Gone by (PAST); 67A: Shaggy Tibetan beasts (YAKS); 1D: Knievel prop (RAMP); 2D: Diva's solo (ARIA); 3D: Chaste kiss (PECK); 4D: Offer from a flier distributor (TAKE ONE); 5D: Like old television signals (ANALOG); 6D: Fries, e.g. (SIDE); 7D: __-fi (SCI); 8D: Hamilton is on it (TEN); 9D: Designed for rough terrain (OFF-ROAD); 10D: Palomino's stablemate, perhaps (ROAN); 14D: Time and again (OFTEN); 18D: Idea's start (GERM); 23D: Camera function (ZOOM); 27D: African river or country (NIGER); 28D: Pretend (FEIGN); 30D: Spout speeches (ORATE); 31D: Charged (RAN AT); 38D: Hard work (TOIL); 39D: Time in the Army, e.g. (STINT); 45D: Bunk (HOGWASH); 47D: Jock's antithesis (NERD); 48D: Learns bit by bit (GLEANS); 49D: Chekhov title uncle (VANYA); 52D: Exercise, as wings (FLAP); 53D: Turner of "Ziegfeld Girl" (LANA); 54D: Exposes (OUTS); 60D: Flat fish (RAY).