THURSDAY, February 18, 2010 — Damon J. Gulczynski

Theme: "Line Up" — Both parts of each theme answer can precede the words the line in a familiar phrase.

Theme answers:

• 22A: *In the netherworld (DOWN BELOW).
• 34A: *Use bank "protection" (OVERDRAW).
• 53A: *Place where a driver may be required to stop (CROSSWALK).
• 3D: *Climber's support (TOEHOLD).
• 42D: Bettor's concern, which can follow each half of the answers to starred clues (THE LINE).

I love this theme. I generally love this type of theme, so that's no surprise. Remember last time we had this type of theme I didn't even realize it? Yeah, that's the danger of writing publicly about crossword puzzles. But I keep doing it! And I do it for you!!! Anyway. As I was saying. Great theme. The only resulting phrase I'm not sure I've really hard is "below the line." Is that really a common phrase? I'm sure it's something totally obvious that I'm missing here, so let me know in the comments.

I got a little distracted by trying to figure out if all the resulting phrases were song titles. Aerosmith's "Draw the Line" and Johnny Cash's "Walk the Line" obviously came to mind right away. So I went to YouTube and ended up looking at Johnny Cash videos and here's the one I'm going to share with you. It's very weird and doesn't have anything to do with the puzzle, but I love it and, hey! I can post whatever I want.



I almost don't want to really talk about the rest of the puzzle. The theme is so good and then … not so much.

With both ECO- and ACRO- (13A: Green opening / 56A: Bat head?), RECOLOR and REHEEL (18A: Dye, usually / 20A: Do a cobbler's work), SMILER and MODELER and PAYER (55A: Cheshire Cat, notably / 15D: Builder of tiny cities / 25D: One treating) a s**t-load of three-letter entries (I count 16), and a slew of crosswordese — let's just say this is not my favorite puzzle of the year. If I were building it, I think I would have gutted it and started over. But did I mention that I really like the theme?!

Bullets:

• 14A: Pained expression (GRIMACE). Best word in the grid.
• 27A: Ginormous (COLOSSAL). This one's right up there too. Actually both ginormous and colossal are awesome.

• 33A: Lions, on a scoreboard (DET). That would be football.
• 40A: Coll. dorm overseers (RAS). In my first year of college, my R.A.'s name was Andy Hoover. There was also another guy in the same dorm who wasn't the R.A. but was also named Andy Hoover. They were referred to as Andy Hoover and The Other Andy Hoover, but it depended on who you were talking to which one was which. (Have I told that story before? It feels like I have.)
• 5D: Songwriter Jacques (BREL). I hear he's alive and well and living in Paris.
• 35D: More lit (DRUNKER). Ha!

• 36D: Lynx family members (BOBCATS). Tried ocelots at first. Are ocelots and lynxes related?
• 46D: Street boss? (MASON). I didn't get this until I was looking through the clues and answers one more time in preparation for blogging. Perry Mason is Della Street's boss. Veerrrry clever!
• 55D: Explorer Hernando de __ (SOTO). Every time de Soto shows up in a puzzle I go looking for the Seinfeld clip where they're sitting around the coffee shop comparing favorite explorers. I can never find the stupid clip! But here are the lines:
  

  George Costanza: I like DeSoto.
  Jerry: DeSoto? What did he do?
  George Costanza: He discovered Mississippi.
  Jerry: Yeah, like they wouldn't have found that anyway.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 7A: Old jet set jet, briefly (SST).
• 16A: Trac II successor (ATRA).
• 32A: Eggs, to Agrippa (OVA).
• 41A: 1944 invasion city (ST.-LÔ).
• 34D: Australian exports (OPALS).

Everything Else — 1A: One might read "Mom," for short (TAT); 4A: Core training muscles (ABS); 10A: "Cheers" bartender (SAM); 16A: Trac II successor (ATRA); 17A: H-1 in HI, e.g.: Abbr. (RTE.); 19A: Docile (TAME); 24A: Think the world of (ADORE); 25A: Pocket protector contents (PENS); 26A: Clinton was one (YALIE); 29A: Lets out, maybe (ALTERS); 30A: Some defensive linemen (ENDS); 31A: Storm part (EYE); 36A: Hist. majors' degrees (BAS); 39A: Allotment word (PER); 41A: 1944 invasion city (ST.-LÔ); 45A: Like some bands (ONE-MAN); 47A: Super trendy (ULTRA-HIP); 49A: Hackneyed (BANAL); 50A: Lairs (DENS); 52A: Sharp-crested ridge (ARETE); 57A: Wrap up (ENVELOP); 59A: Savings plan for later yrs. (IRA); 60A: Larger-life link (THAN); 61A: Do over (ITERATE); 62A: Indian bread (NAN); 63A: Part of CBS: Abbr. (SYS.); 64A: Hi-__ graphics (RES); 65A: Bean holder (POD); 66A: Antiquity, once (ELD); 1D: Cookout site (TERRACE); 2D: Responded to, as a stoolie's tip (ACTED ON); 4D: Concurs (AGREES); 6D: Incite to pounce (on) (SIC); 7D: Bun-making site (SALON); 8D: Tugs' burdens (SCOWS); 9D: Shore flier (TERN); 10D: Delayed (STALLED); 11D: Large wardrobe (ARMOIRE); 12D: Star of "I'm No Angel" (1933) (MAE WEST); 16D: Persistently bothered (ATE AT); 21D: Love personified (EROS); 23D: Corporate rule (BY-LAW); 28D: Number of Sinbad's voyages (SEVEN); 29D: Nautical "Hold it!" ("AVAST!"); 32D: Advanced exams (ORALS); 37D: Lawlessness (ANARCHY); 38D: Ladies of Spain (SEÑORAS); 41D: Indian garb (SARI); 43D: Word-for-word (LITERAL); 44D: Either 2 in 2 + 2 = 4, in math (OPERAND); 48D: Like wheelchair-accessible entrances (RAMPED); 50D: "Inferno" author (DANTE); 51D: Reindeer caretakers, traditionally (ELVES); 54D: River dam (WEIR); 58D: Thighs, at times (LAP).