TUESDAY, February 9, 2010 — Julian Lim

Theme: A and E — Theme answers are two-word phrases with the initials A.E.

Theme answers:

• 17A: Using a treadmill, e.g. (AEROBIC EXERCISE).
• 26A: Regional air travel brand since 1984 (AMERICAN EAGLE).
• 43A: Aviator who said "the lure of flying is the lure of beauty" (AMELIA EARHART).
• 56A: Movie DVD special feature, perhaps (ALTERNATE ENDING).
• 61A: "Dog the Bounty Hunter" network, and a hint to the theme in this puzzle's four longest answers (A AND E).

Perfectly serviceable Tuesday puzzle. Theme not anything to write home about, but clunker fill is at a minimum and I would say some of the fill is actually pretty lively. Like ARCANA (6D: Major or Minor tarot card group), POINSETTIA (11D: Leaves for the holidays?), and EXTRA EXTRA (28D: Old-time breaking news cry). ARSENAL (42D: Munitions center) is kinda interesting too.

Just a couple things:

• 21A: The Beatles' "__ Loser" (I'M A). When I was in high school we had this joke that anytime someone called someone else a "loser," what they were really saying was "sex goddess." Now, why we were joking around with phrases like "sex goddess" is an interesting question. Completely inappropriate!
• 32A: Round-buyer's words (ON ME). Had no idea what this clue was going for. I was thinking along the lines of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat."
• 37A: "I don't think so!" ("NO WAY!"). PuzzleHusband's response to my text message that there was an actual snow plow on our street this evening.

• 53A: Former Pakistani president (ZIA). I know ZIA as the sun symbol of the Zia Indians, but it's rarely clued that way.
• 63A: Game with six colorful characters (CLUE). Have you seen the new version? Players send text messages to each other. Or something. It's very high-tech.
• 64A: Google alternative (LYCOS). Raise your hand if you tried YAHOO first.
• 4D: "I've got you now!" ("OHO!"). Can we just stop using this particular exclamation in the puzzles? Who's with me?

• 24D: Kids' outdoor winter project (SNOWMAN). The picture is my neighbor with her awesome snowman from last week.
• 30D: Actress Adams of "Enchanted" (AMY). Coincidentally, Adams played AMELIA EARHEART in "Night at the Museum II." I also believe one of my co-bloggers has a little crush on her.

Crosswordese 101: Well, we've already talked about OLIO, but somehow got this far without addressing OLEO (2D: Land O'Lakes product). OLIO-with-an-I is a mishmash, a hodgepodge, a mixed bag. OLEO-with-an-E, on the other hand, is … margarine. Clues for OLEO are toughened up by referring to specific brands of margarine (e.g., Promise and Blue Bonnet) or by using words like roll ("on a roll"), spread ("spread out"), and clarified in a tricky way. So keep an eye out for those.

Everything Else — 1A: Part of DMV (MOTOR); 6A: Need a backrub, say (ACHE); 10A: "__-daisy!" (UPSA); 14A: Nobel Peace Prize winner Root (ELIHU); 15A: Walk like a drunk (REEL); 16A: Entre __ (between us) (NOUS); 20A: 29-Down, for one (DOE); 22A: Relating to flight technology (AVIONIC); 23A: Laurel and Getz (STANS); 25A: Medicine amount to take (DOSE); 31A: Either Bush, e.g. (TEXAN); 33A: Baker's meas. (TSP.); 36A: Leftover bits (ORTS); 39A: "__ boy!" (ATTA); 40A: On the authority of (PER); 41A: Friend (CHUM); 42A: Vietnamese, e.g. (ASIAN); 47A: Corp. heads (CEOS); 48A: Hospital staffer (NURSE); 49A: Beer unit (SIX-PACK); 52A: Former telecom giant (GTE); 59A: Encircle (GIRD); 60A: Fiber-rich food (BRAN); 62A: Many MP-3 player batteries (AAAS); 1D: Honeyed liquor (MEAD); 3D: Run out of gas (TIRE); 5D: Add insult to injury (RUB IT IN); 7D: So-so mark (CEE); 8D: Penta- plus one (HEXA-); 9D: Mt. Fuji statistic (ELEV.); 10D: Dweebish (UNCOOL); 12D: Sleeping girl in an Everly Brothers hit (SUSIE); 13D: "Hang on __" (A SEC); 18D: All-in-one Apple computer (IMAC); 19D: Crest (RIDGE); 23D: Mmes., in Madrid (SRAS.); 26D: Resting on (ATOP); 27D: Trifling (MERE); 29D: Bambi's aunt (ENA); 34D: Marquee name (STAR); 35D: Gasp (PANT); 37D: Org. with Senators and Capitals (NHL); 38D: Québécois's approval (OUI); 39D: Queens tennis stadium (ASHE); 41D: Civil rights activist Chávez (CÉSAR); 44D: Bermuda rentals (MOPEDS); 45D: University of Oregon city (EUGENE); 46D: Museo hangings (ARTE); 47D: Eyelashes (CILIA); 49D: The Star Wars films, e.g. (SAGA); 50D: "Squawk Box" network (CNBC); 51D: Bush advisor Rove (KARL); 53D: Brass component (ZINC); 54D: Prefix with China (INDO-); 55D: Awfully long time (AGES); 57D: Fraternity letter (TAU); 58D: Word before break or care (DAY).