MONDAY, Apr. 12, 2010 — John Lampkin

THEME: "-GGY, Your Hair Smells Terrific" — five theme answers whose first answers end -AGGY, -EGGY, -IGGY, -OGGY, and -UGGY, respectively


I don't think this type of puzzle (vowel shift) works as well when the first consonants change / have no rhyme or reason. Weird to have two Bs two Ps, and an F. But all that jigginess gives the puzzle a lively, shimmying quality, and the vowel progression from A to U gives the theme enough tightness to be passable. This was my second-slowest LAT Monday on record this year — still fast at 3:35, but almost a minute off my fastest time. Open corners can make for slightly slower-than-avg time, but my problems today were really all of my own making. Lots and lots of false starts and missteps.

• HOC for LIB (1D: Ad-___: improvise) — sometimes it pays to look at the clue closely
• RAINY DAY for FOGGY DAY — sometimes it pays to know the theme
• VEE (!?!?!) for ZIG (61D: Sharp turn) — don't ask, because I have no idea
• EAT AWAY for EAT INTO (51A: Erode gradually, as savings)

I also can never, ever get used to South Africa's being represented as RSA (63D: Pretoria's nation: Abbr.)— it's an abbr. I just don't like, as I never see it anywhere aside from crosswords (I'm not questioning its legitimacy, but come on, it's no USA, USSR, or even CSA). I also can never remember how Ms. Charisse spelled her name. I always waiver between SYD and CYD (50D: Charisse of "Singin' in the Rain"). SYD Hoff is an illustrator and cartoonist whose work I saw this past weekend at the MoCCA (Museum of Comics and Cartoon Art) in NYC. The comic on display had the the word NERTS! in it, swear to god.



Theme answers:

• 17A: Loose-hanging trousers (BAGGY PANTS)
• 25A: 1957 hit for Buddy Holly and the Crickets ("PEGGY SUE")
• 36A: Coin collector? (PIGGY BANK)
• 53A: Gershwin song set in London, with "A" ("FOGGY DAY")
• 62A: Carriage outings (BUGGY RIDES)

Crosswordese 101: EROICA (48A: Beethoven symphony originally dedicated to Napoleon) — I started paying attention to classical music right around the time I started blogging about crosswords, so I learned to identify EROICA as both a word and a symphony at about the same time. Coincidentally, EROICA was one of the first pieces of classical music I heard live, as an adult. Just happened to be on the program of the Binghamton Philharmonic when I first looked into the possibility of seeing live classical music in these parts. Saw it on a program with some Mozart Serenade and R. Strauss's "Metamorphosen" (which contains elements of the funeral march in the second movement of "EROICA")

What else?

• 65A: Grammy co-winner for the rap song "Back on the Block" (ICE-T) – to see the world's weirdest, and briefest, Twitter flame war (involving ICE-T), go here.

[Profanity ahead — enter at your own risk]

• 39D: Crunchy cereal brand word (KRISPIES) — again, slowed down, even with the "K" in place; brain had to process what exactly "brand word" meant.
• 42D: Rah-rah encouragement ("GO GET 'EM") — probably my favorite answer in this grid.

Just noticed EROICA crossing EROTICA (41D: Art of a sexual nature). Do not like. Too much sameness.

See you Friday,

~RP

[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter]

Everything Else — 1A: A dog may pull on one during a walk (LEASH); 6A: __ Hari (MATA); 10A: Engrave with acid (ETCH); 14A: Navel type (INNIE); 15A: Medical suffix (-OSIS); 16A: Rise sky-high (SOAR); 17A: Loose-hanging trousers (BAGGY PANTS); 19A: Soaks (up) (SOPS); 20A: Coiled hair style (BUN); 21A: Slanted type style: Abbr. (ITAL.); 22A: Buddies (PALS); 23A: Most sickly (ILLEST); 25A: 1957 hit for Buddy Holly and the Crickets (PEGGY SUE); 28A: Sharpshooter (DEADEYE); 30A: Painting props (EASELS); 31A: Tight as __ (A DRUM); 32A: Hired thug (GOON); 35A: 4:00 London social (TEA); 36A: Coin collector? (PIGGY BANK); 40A: Not prem., as gas (REG.); 43A: Chewy Hershey's candy (ROLO); 44A: "__ my case" (I REST); 48A: Beethoven symphony originally dedicated to Napoleon (EROICA); 51A: Erode gradually, as savings (EAT INTO); 53A: Gershwin song set in London, with "A" (FOGGY DAY); 56A: Coast Guard operation (RESCUE); 57A: Do bar duty (TEND); 58A: Wander (ROAM); 60A: Like two peas in a __ (POD); 61A: Cylindrical pasta (ZITI); 62A: Carriage outings (BUGGY RIDES); 65A: Grammy co-winner for the rap song "Back on the Block" (ICE-T); 66A: Theater award (OBIE); 67A: "__ evil ..." (SEE NO); 68A: Super Bowl, e.g. (GAME); 69A: Avoid flunking (PASS); 70A: Admin. aides (ASSTS.); 1D: Ad-__: improvise (LIB); 2D: Made possible (ENABLED); 3D: Lean and bony (ANGULAR); 4D: Enrolled (SIGNED UP); 5D: Attention-getter (HEY); 6D: Castle protector (MOAT); 7D: "Easy!" ("A SNAP!"); 8D: Lancelot's was "Sir" (TITLE); 9D: Barnyard brayer (ASS); 10D: Some exam answers (ESSAYS); 11D: Handyman's must-have (TOOL SET); 12D: Word after time or timed-release (CAPSULE); 13D: Time measures: Abbr. (HRS.); 18D: Feel sorry for (PITY); 22D: Links org. (PGA); 23D: Snake River st. (IDA); 24D: Big road rig (SEMI); 26D: Actress Rowlands (GENA); 27D: That, in Tijuana (ESA); 29D: "Leggo my ___!" (EGGO); 33D: Popeye's Olive (OYL); 34D: Woodwind quintet member (OBOE); 37D: Alum (GRAD); 38D: Evening, commercially (NITE); 39D: Crunchy cereal brand word (KRISPIES); 40D: Foul caller (REF); 41D: Art of a sexual nature (EROTICA); 42D: Rah-rah encouragement (GO GET 'EM); 45D: Scrambles to keep secret (ENCODES); 46D: Pupil (STUDENT); 47D: Corn site (TOE); 49D: Set ablaze (IGNITE); 50D: Charisse of "Singin' in the Rain" (CYD); 52D: Military force (ARMY); 54D: Vacation isle near Venezuela (ARUBA); 55D: Bear and Berra (YOGIS); 59D: Ripens, as cheese (AGES); 61D: Sharp turn (ZIG); 62D: Jazz style (BOP); 63D: Pretoriaís nation: Abbr. (RSA); 64D: "H-E-L-P!" (SOS).