Theme: Shoot 'Em Up — Theme answers all end with words you can "shoot" in a familiar phrase.
Theme answers:
- 18A: *Second most populous city in Michigan (GRAND RAPIDS).
- 24A: *1980 biopic about boxer Jake La Motta (RAGING BULL).
- 35A: *Beachgoer's relief, perhaps (OCEAN BREEZE).
- 48A: *Studio co-founded by Spielberg (DREAMWORKS).
- 54A: *Phenomenon near the autumnal equinox (HARVEST MOON).
- 50D: What you can do to the last words of the answers to starred clues, with "the" (SHOOT).
I don't have a lot to say about this puzzle. I'm not familiar with "shooting [the?] rapids" or "shooting [the?] works," so the theme didn't thrill me. [Edit: Oh, I see that "Shoot the Rapids" is a waterpark ride. That's cool.] I did laugh when I got to GRAND RAPIDS. I have a friend who once moved to another town in Michigan called Big Rapids. Apparently the rapids there aren't grand, they're just big.There were two clues I really liked a lot:
There were, however, a couple things I very much didn't like. Nobody likes to see a "word" like OBJ. in the grid, especially with an ugly abbreviation in the clue (33D: Vb. target). Yuck. I also think 46D: Thumbs-up is a terrible clue for OK SIGN. To "give something a thumbs-up" is certainly to "signal that it's ok," but it's not an "ok sign." Of course now that I typed that all out, I can see where, linguistically, you could argue it the other way. But I still don't like it. Thumbs-up and OK SIGN are two different things. Said PuzzleGirl.
I don't recall ever seeing the word CAIMANS before (39D: Alligator relatives) and am not entirely sure what they are, besides, ya know, alligator relatives. And I had a heckuva time seeing OCULI for 38A: Eyes. (Nothing inherently wrong with either answer; now I'm in the "this part was hard for me" section of the blog, not the "this is the part I didn't like" section.)
Only a couple other things:
Crosswordese 101: I have never seen the word TEC (short for detective) outside of crossword puzzles. I have a feeling it's used in crime novels that would be described as "hard-boiled," but I've only read, let's see … one of those, so I'm definitely not an expert. But clues for TEC often refer to Sam Spade or use the word gumshoe, which I also associate with that genre. Otherwise, you're pretty much going to see clues like today's 14A: P.I.
Other crosswordese in the puzzle that we've already covered:
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Everything Else — 9A: Bowler's challenge (SPLIT); 14A: P.I. (TEC); 15A: Refrain from singing about a farm? (E-I-E-I-O); 16A: Low-budget prefix (ECONO-); 17A: Draft pick (ALE); 20A: Not follow a fixed route (ROAM); 22A: Consider (DEEM); 23A: Bro counterpart (SIS); 28A: Storm sound (CLAP); 29A: Wreck, in a way (DERAIL); 30A: Callas, for one (SOPRANO); 32A: Prenatal test, for short (AMNIO); 34A: Stampeded toward (RAN AT); 40A: Kid's sandwich staple (JELLY); 41A: Baseman's misplay, maybe (LATE TAG); 44A: Deliberately ignoring (DEAF TO); 47A: Rights (DIBS); 51A: Laura Bush's alma mater: Abbr. (SMU); 52A: Hoodwink (FOOL); 53A: Ill-considered (RASH); 59A: AFL partner (CIO); 60A: Beginning (ONSET); 61A: "Fiddler on the Roof" dairyman (TEVYE); 62A: "Where did __ wrong?" (I GO); 64A: Floss brand (ORAL-B); 3D: More than just a cold snap (ICE AGE); 4D: Beer holder (KEG); 5D: Broadcast (AIR); 6D: Earl Grey, e.g. (TEA); 7D: Caste member (HINDU); 8D: Peak calls? (YODELS); 9D: Line of pants? (SEAM); 10D: Angel dust, for short (PCP); 12D: Notre Dame's locale (INDIANA); 19D: Move, in Realtor-speak (RELO); 21D: The virgin birth and others (MIRACLES); 25D: "Your call" ("NAME IT"); 26D: Actress Lollobrigida (GINA); 27D: Crêpe-like Russian food (BLIN); 28D: Gaga over (CRAZY FOR); 31D: Future attorney's study (PRELAW); 36D: Mark of Prynne's sin (RED A); 37D: Preteens' sch. (ELEM.); 38D: Part of a comfort simile (OLD SHOE); 42D: Hoo-has (ADOS); 43D: Cave (GROTTO); 49D: Whom Bugs bugs (ELMER); 52D: Gala (FETE); 56D: In vitro cells (OVA); 57D: Very thin Olive (OYL); 58D: Colo. neighbor (NEB.).
- 11D: Frequently imperiled reporter (LOIS LANE). I thought it might have something to do with a war correspondent!
- 35D: Courtroom interruption (OUTBURST). I've got to believe that courtroom outbursts don't happen in real life as often as they do on TV and that outbursts happen other places as well. But, the clue was still perfect. The answer popped right into my head.
There were, however, a couple things I very much didn't like. Nobody likes to see a "word" like OBJ. in the grid, especially with an ugly abbreviation in the clue (33D: Vb. target). Yuck. I also think 46D: Thumbs-up is a terrible clue for OK SIGN. To "give something a thumbs-up" is certainly to "signal that it's ok," but it's not an "ok sign." Of course now that I typed that all out, I can see where, linguistically, you could argue it the other way. But I still don't like it. Thumbs-up and OK SIGN are two different things. Said PuzzleGirl.I don't recall ever seeing the word CAIMANS before (39D: Alligator relatives) and am not entirely sure what they are, besides, ya know, alligator relatives. And I had a heckuva time seeing OCULI for 38A: Eyes. (Nothing inherently wrong with either answer; now I'm in the "this part was hard for me" section of the blog, not the "this is the part I didn't like" section.)
Only a couple other things:
- 4A: "My Life on the D-List" comic Griffin (KATHY). Love. Her. I actually checked her website the other day to see if she's playing anywhere around here soon but she's not. Guess I'll have to go to Vegas. Quite a sacrifice, I know.
- 65A: QB's stat (INT.). For the sports-challenged: QB = quarterback, INT = interception.
- 1D: Whitewater figure (STARR). Well this is kind of a bummer. Yesterday was Ringo Starr's birthday! Would like to have seen him in this clue!
- 2D: Prepare for more pictures (RELOAD). I actually wrote in repose and thought to myself "that sure is a crappy clue, especially because repose is a perfectly legitimate word on its own" (i.e., other than sticking RE on the front of POSE, which is … less than optimal).
- 13D: Hooch hound (TOSSPOT). Hooch = alcohol; hound = fanatic; TOSSPOT = someone who's fanatic about alcohol.
- 45D: Gillette razor brand (TRAC II). I admit it's nice to see something other than ATRA on occasion.
- 55D: A quarter of five? (VEE). One quarter of the four letters in the word five is the letter V. Terrible note to end on. Sorry.
Crosswordese 101: I have never seen the word TEC (short for detective) outside of crossword puzzles. I have a feeling it's used in crime novels that would be described as "hard-boiled," but I've only read, let's see … one of those, so I'm definitely not an expert. But clues for TEC often refer to Sam Spade or use the word gumshoe, which I also associate with that genre. Otherwise, you're pretty much going to see clues like today's 14A: P.I.Other crosswordese in the puzzle that we've already covered:
[Follow PuzzleGirl on Twitter.]
Everything Else — 9A: Bowler's challenge (SPLIT); 14A: P.I. (TEC); 15A: Refrain from singing about a farm? (E-I-E-I-O); 16A: Low-budget prefix (ECONO-); 17A: Draft pick (ALE); 20A: Not follow a fixed route (ROAM); 22A: Consider (DEEM); 23A: Bro counterpart (SIS); 28A: Storm sound (CLAP); 29A: Wreck, in a way (DERAIL); 30A: Callas, for one (SOPRANO); 32A: Prenatal test, for short (AMNIO); 34A: Stampeded toward (RAN AT); 40A: Kid's sandwich staple (JELLY); 41A: Baseman's misplay, maybe (LATE TAG); 44A: Deliberately ignoring (DEAF TO); 47A: Rights (DIBS); 51A: Laura Bush's alma mater: Abbr. (SMU); 52A: Hoodwink (FOOL); 53A: Ill-considered (RASH); 59A: AFL partner (CIO); 60A: Beginning (ONSET); 61A: "Fiddler on the Roof" dairyman (TEVYE); 62A: "Where did __ wrong?" (I GO); 64A: Floss brand (ORAL-B); 3D: More than just a cold snap (ICE AGE); 4D: Beer holder (KEG); 5D: Broadcast (AIR); 6D: Earl Grey, e.g. (TEA); 7D: Caste member (HINDU); 8D: Peak calls? (YODELS); 9D: Line of pants? (SEAM); 10D: Angel dust, for short (PCP); 12D: Notre Dame's locale (INDIANA); 19D: Move, in Realtor-speak (RELO); 21D: The virgin birth and others (MIRACLES); 25D: "Your call" ("NAME IT"); 26D: Actress Lollobrigida (GINA); 27D: Crêpe-like Russian food (BLIN); 28D: Gaga over (CRAZY FOR); 31D: Future attorney's study (PRELAW); 36D: Mark of Prynne's sin (RED A); 37D: Preteens' sch. (ELEM.); 38D: Part of a comfort simile (OLD SHOE); 42D: Hoo-has (ADOS); 43D: Cave (GROTTO); 49D: Whom Bugs bugs (ELMER); 52D: Gala (FETE); 56D: In vitro cells (OVA); 57D: Very thin Olive (OYL); 58D: Colo. neighbor (NEB.).
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