04.01 Fri

F R I D A Y
April 1, 2011
Dan Naddor

Theme: Backwords — It's a quote theme with a twist, only it's not a quote and it's more backwards than twisty.

Theme answers:

• 17A: Start of an aptly expressed linguistic observation (CIBARA DNA WERBEH). [HEBREW AND ARABIC]
• 31A: Observation, part 2 (DAER ERA). [ARE READ]
• 45A: End of the observation (TFEL OT THGIR MORF). [FROM RIGHT TO LEFT]

Before we get to the puzzle, I just want to remind everyone that Patrick Blindauer publishes a new free puzzle on his website every month. His April puzzle is available today and it's a doozy. Head on over and check it out if you have the time and the inclination.

I have to admit that even though it's April Fool's Day, I wasn't expecting a tricky puzzle like this from the L.A. Times. The N.Y. Times runs unconventional puzzles like this from time to time. In fact, if you do the puzzle regularly, you know to look out for the trickiness on Thursdays in particular. But the L.A. Times, as far as I know, has always been a more straitlaced puzzle. So, this theme is a little out of the ordinary and I'm sure newspaper editors around the country are receiving whiny letters today.

I had trouble all over the grid until I figured out the trick. Like a lot of you, I'm sure, my confidence was shaken when I entered downs I was sure of but then saw the odd line-up of across letters they created. Let's just say there was lots of erasing until the lightbulb came on.

Stuff I just flat-out didn't know:

• 37A: Like Cologne and vicinity (RHENISH). It's like the Rhine River only an adjective. Who knew?
• 22D: Early Chinese dynasty (HSIA). Someday I'm going to learn all the Chinese dynasties. And the Greek alphabet. And the names of all the baseball stadiums.
• 25D: Canadian young adult fiction author McClintock (NORAH). If you say so!
• 37D: Hall of Fame defensive back Mel (RENFRO). RENFRO played for the University of Oregon before joining the Dallas Cowboys. In 1962, Rice University officials allowed RENFRO's parents to attend the Rice-Oregon game even though the stadium was a "whites-only" facility.

Bullets:

• 11A: XXXV years after the creation of the original Magna Carta (MCCL). That L was the last letter to fall for me. I knew [14D: "The Merry Widow" operettist] was someone we'd covered in CW101 in the past, but I couldn't quite remember the name (it's LEHAR).
• 15A: Apple consumers? (ADAM AND EVE). Ha!
• 23A: Hand (SAILOR). As in "All hands on deck."
• 35A: It's about 325 miles east of Texas's H-Town, with "the" (BIG EASY). Do people really call Houston "H-Town"? I assume that's a reference to Houston anyway. That's a pretty lame city nickname if you ask me.

• 43A: "Bewitched" witch (ENDORA). I'm all, "Samantha, Tabitha, Serena … oh what was her nervous aunt's name? … Clara! …." Totally forgetting about the fabulous ENDORA. D'oh!
• 49A: Abbr. on folk song sheet music (TRAD.). Ooh, I like this one. Most sheet music lists the piece's composer and/or lyricist, but with a lot of folk songs that information is unknown so it just says TRAD. (for TRADitional).
• 4D: Inviting words before "Want to come over?" (I'M ALONE). With the I and the L in place my first thought was IT'S LATE. Don't judge.
• 12D: Plots (CABALS). Interesting. I thought the CABAL was just the group of people plotting, but I guess CABAL can also mean the plotting itself.
• 28D: Numbers in a corner, often (PAGINATES). "Numbers" is a verb here.

• 29D: Texters' amused syllables (HEES). Even though the clue clearly says "syllables," the first thing I thought of when I saw I needed a four-letter answer was LMAO. Pretty sure we're not going to see that in the L.A. Times though.
• 31D: Mexican bread (DINERO). Tried PESETA first. On the right track at least.
• 34D: City WSW of Sacramento (NAPA). I know that even though we think of California as west of Nevada, parts of California are actually east of Nevada, and I thought this clue was trying to be tricky in that way. But it wasn't.
• 39D: "Edda" author __ Sturluson (SNORRI). Love this name! Probably because in my head I always say it as SNORRI McSnorilson which you've gotta admit is pretty funny.
• 40D: Coat opening? (PETTI-). At the junction! Petticoat Junction!

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 16A: River through Lake Brienz (AARE).
• 9D: Mendes of "Hitch" (EVA).
• 14D: "The Merry Widow" operettist (LEHAR).
• 26D: Nice summers (ÉTÉS).
• 47D: __ judicata: decided case (RES).

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Everything Else — 1A: Lexington and Concord fighters (MILITIAMEN); 19A: Duplicated (CLONED); 20A: Roma road (STRADA); 21A: Word with sharp or trouble (SHOOTER); 24A: Leagues: Abbr. (ASSNS.); 25A: Like performances by the Wallendas (NETLESS); 27A: Place to build (SITE); 28A: Flying need (PHOTO I.D.); 30A: Is down with (HAS); 32A: Source of support (FAN); 36A: "Return of the Jedi" dancer (OOLA); 39A: Condescend (STOOP); 40A: Fowl with a showy mate (PEAHEN); 41A: Herbal drink (MINT TEA); 44A: Place with swinging doors (SALOON); 50A: Listed (ENUMERATED); 51A: They have their pluses and minuses (IONS); 52A: Fabled tortoise's trait (STEADINESS); 1D: Bud (MAC); 2D: First name in tyranny (IDI); 3D: Checkup charges (LAB COSTS); 5D: Mystical decks (TAROTS); 6D: Vacant (INANE); 7D: Dangerous snake (ADDER); 8D: Darn (MEND); 10D: It may be a scoop (NEWS STORY); 11D: Hitched (MARRIED); 13D: Words to live by (CREDOS); 18D: Latin term usually abbreviated (ET ALIA); 21D: Window part (SASH); 32D: What an asterisk may indicate (FOOTNOTE); 33D: Lotion additive (ALOE); 35D: Lays eyes on (BEHOLDS); 36D: Armchair partner (OTTOMAN); 38D: Like hell (HADEAN); 41D: Volcanic fluid (MAGMA); 42D: Perjurer's admission (I LIED); 44D: "Melrose Place" actor (SHUE); 46D: Explosive initials (TNT); 48D: Some alarm respondents: Abbr. (FD'S).

03.25 Fri

F R I D A Y
March 25, 2011
John Lampkin

Theme: Half-Baked Ideas — Theme answers are familiar phrases that begin with a repeated first word, but the repeated word is only used once.

Theme answers:

• 17A: 61-Across Asian appetizer? (PU PLATTER).
• 21A: 61-Across cheer? (HIP HOORAY).
• 37A: 61-Across musical? (BYE BIRDIE).
• 55A: 61-Across gag? (KNOCK JOKE).
• 61A: Not well thought out (HALF-BAKED).

Wow. Really, really enjoyed this puzzle! Great theme, tricky cluing, lively fill — this puzzle has it all. I had trouble in two areas. In the southwest corner I wouldn't let go of DER for 50A: Hamburger's article, but the correct answer is EIN. I think I was just excited about the opportunity to post a picture of Kevin Der again, which is what I do every time the word DER appears in the puzzle. In fact, just last weekend at the ACPT I told Kevin about how I do that. He doesn't read the blog so he didn't know. Ha! Well now that I've talked about him for so long, I'll go ahead and use his picture. Should I use the same one I've been using all along from two years ago or should I update to the one I just took this past weekend? Decisions, decision!

Anyway, the other place I had trouble was in the Texas area because I had MANTA where SKATE was supposed to go (53D: Ray in the sea), leading me to believe the reveal answer would be ONE-something, which seemed totally reasonable. I also had MONITER for MONIKER (43D: Handle) even though it kinda seemed like it was spelled wrong. I figured it all out eventually and must say I enjoyed the challenge.

PuzzleSon was "helping" me with this puzzle and when he saw KNOCK JOKE he goes, "But those aren't even funny." Ha! Unfortunately, I spent a lot of time last night on my ACPT recap (scroll down to the next post to read it) so I'm pretty much out of time. I'll just hit the highlights real quick and then I'm off to work.

Bullets:

• 19A: Class figs. (PROFS.). Wanted this to be something to do with numbers, like GPA or something.

• 29A: Select, in a way (SCREEN). Remember back in the old days when you SCREENed your calls by listening to the answering machine? Or waaaay back when SCREENing your calls wasn't even possible?!
• 36A: Ballet __ (RUSSE). I don't believe I've ever heard this phrase and I don't know what it means.
• 67A: Fishhook connector (SNELL). Don't know this one either.
• 69A: Highland tongue (ERSE). We've covered ERSE in Crosswordese 101 in the past.

• 5D: Square on the table? (PAT). Not the proverbial square meal, but the literal square PAT of butter.
• 9D: Chow chow (ALPO). Food (sometimes called chow) for a dog (which might be the type of dog known as a chow).
• 31D: Nice street (RUE). The first word of this clue refers to the French city of Nice. And the French word for "street" is RUE. We talked about this cluing trick back in the Crosswordese 101 entry for ÉTÉ.
• 40D: Title savant in a 1988 Oscar-winning film (RAINMAN). I'm an excellent driver.
• 63D: Danish capital? (DEE). Another tricky clue that we've covered in Crosswordese 101.

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Everything Else — 1A: Work on a batter (STIR); 5A: Grandly appointed (POSH); 9A: Stand for (ABIDE); 14A: Strong-spined volume (TOME); 15A: Forte (AREA); 16A: "I __ Piano": Irving Berlin hit (LOVE A); 20A: Bleak (GRIM); 23A: Spine movement? (SHIVER); 25A: Code-cracking gp. (NSA); 26A: Chatspeak qualifier (IMO); 27A: Batter's supply (PINE TAR); 32A: "Then again ..." ("YET …"); 33A: Doglike carnivore (HYENA); 39A: Ashes, e.g. (TREES); 42A: Geometry basic (AXIOM); 43A: Animal's gullet (MAW); 46A: Personally give (HAND TO); 48A: Meadow bloomer in the buttercup family (ANEMONE); 51A: A.L. rival of N.Y. (BOS); 54A: Flashes (GLINTS); 59A: Seed coating (ARIL); 60A: Inspire profoundly (IMBUE); 64A: Great Lakes explorer La __ (SALLE); 65A: Convenient abbr. (ET AL.); 66A: "Pretty Woman" actor (GERE); 68A: Disallow (DENY); 1D: Letters at Indy (STP); 2D: Head-scratcher (TOUGHIE); 3D: Fossil indentation (IMPRINT); 4D: Be haunted by, perhaps (RELIVE); 6D: Sports MD's specialty (ORTH.); 7D: Greet warmly (SEE IN); 8D: Dwells incessantly (on) (HARPS); 10D: Town name ending (BORO); 11D: They don't laugh when they're tickled (IVORIES); 12D: Discredits (DEFAMES); 13D: Hardly a head-scratcher (EASY ONE); 18D: Purple hue (AMETHYST); 22D: Eats (HAS); 23D: Code user (SPY); 24D: Comedic actress Martha (RAYE); 28D: 1988 self-titled C&W album (REBA); 30D: FBI facility since 1932 (CRIME LAB); 34D: Disallow (NIX); 35D: Diva's moment (ARIA); 37D: Daffodils' digs (BED); 38D: Bell sound (DONG); 39D: 1889 work of art deemed unsuitable for general display at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair (THE KISS); 41D: Dignify (ENNOBLE); 44D: Pair in a rack (ANTLERS); 45D: Horror filmmaker Craven (WES); 47D: Gram. case (OBJ.); 49D: Illusion (MIRAGE); 52D: Gasped in delight (OOHED); 56D: Select (CULL); 57D: Sailing stabilizer (KEEL); 58D: Vigorous style (ELAN); 62D: Annoying buzzer (FLY).

03.18 Fri

F R I D A Y
March 18, 2011
Dan Naddor

Theme: Outing — Theme answers are familiar phrases with the letterstring ING removed (i.e., taken "out").

Theme answers:

• 17A: Lodging surplus? (EXTRA INNS).
• 20A: Versace creation? (ITALIAN DRESS).
• 37A: Misplaced Yogi and Smokey? (LOST ONE'S BEARS).
• 58A: Plant at Sotheby's? (BRITISH SHILL).
• 62A: Investment in fine fabric? (SILK STOCK).
• 48D: Pleasure trip, and a hint to this puzzle's theme (OUTING).

Still at the ACPT. Talk amongst yourselves.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 31A: Penn et al.: Abbr. (STNS.).
• 67A: "Night" author Wiesel (ELIE).
• 3D: Tonsillitis M.D. (ENT).

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Everything Else — 1A: Hardly a walk in the park (TREK); 5A: "American __" (IDOL); 9A: Provoke (ROIL); 13A: Russo of "Tin Cup" (RENE); 14A: Heavyweight fight? (SUMO); 15A: Snoring cause, perhaps (APNEA); 19A: Settles in (NESTS); 22A: Blotter letters (AKA); 25A: However, contracted (THO); 26A: Bygone Chrysler (LEBARON); 27A: Target of a military press (DELT); 29A: Animal rights org. (PETA); 31A: Penn et al.: Abbr. (STNS.); 32A: Backed up, in a way (ON DISC); 35A: Quad building (DORM); 42A: Limo occasion (PROM); 43A: Maker of pianos and bikes (YAMAHA); 45A: Pacific salmon (COHO); 49A: Scholarship drive donor (GRAD); 51A: Carnival starting point? (PIER); 52A: Blood specification (ONE UNIT); 54A: "Gotcha!" ("AHA!"); 57A: Hydroelectric structure (DAM); 61A: Busted (RAN IN); 66A: __ acid (AMINO); 67A: "Night" author Wiesel (ELIE); 68A: Way-back-when time (YORE); 69A: Coatrack items (PEGS); 70A: Just slightly (A TAD); 71A: Classic theater name (ROXY); 1D: What's a little past due? (TRE); 2D: Name fit for a king? (REX); 3D: Tonsillitis M.D. (ENT); 4D: "Felicity" star Russell (KERI); 5D: Thomas of the NBA (ISIAH); 6D: Maker of tires and tennis balls (DUNLOP); 7D: Present opening? (OMNI-); 8D: Silicon Valley city (LOS ALTOS); 9D: Grammy category (R AND B); 10D: Met expectations? (OPERAS); 11D: Supplement (INSERT); 12D: Reveals (LETS ON); 16D: Clubs: Abbr. (ASSNS.); 18D: One of two authorized U.S. iPhone carriers (ATT); 21D: Close at hand (NEARBY); 22D: Flap (ADO); 23D: __ Ration (KEN-L); 24D: Designer Gucci (ALDO); 28D: "My country __ ..." ('TIS); 30D: Swelling (EDEMA); 33D: Additive sold at Pep Boys (STP); 34D: Pembroke or Cardigan dogs (CORGIS); 36D: Start of an apology (MEA); 38D: View from Edinburgh (NORTH SEA); 39D: Band aid? (AMP); 40D: Bust (RAID); 41D: 2000 World Series stadium (SHEA); 44D: Ready for battle (ARM); 45D: Army attack helicopter (COBRA); 46D: Cloverleaf component (ON RAMP); 47D: Duff (HEINIE); 50D: Flowering plant used for food by the Aztecs (DAHLIA); 53D: Yucatán youngsters (NIÑOS); 55D: Hoofed it (HIKED); 56D: Roker and Rosen (ALS); 59D: Bank deposit? (SILT); 60D: About 10 trillion kil. (LT. YR.); 63D: Valentine symbols (OOO); 64D: '80s-'90s Honda model (CRX); 65D: Critical (KEY).

03.11 Fri

F R I D A Y
March 11, 2011
Donna S. Levin

Theme: Game show puns — Puns based on the titles of old game shows

Theme answers:

• 17A: Game show about bribery at a checkpoint? (SALE OF THE SENTRY).
• 27A: Game show about an Algerian governor's search for his spouse? (QUEEN FOR A DEY).
• 48A: Game show in which "Stuttering pig" might be a clue? (NAME THAT TOON).
• 63A: Game show in which couples confess indiscretions? (TWO TELL THE TRUTH).

A couple quick announcements before we get to the puzzle. First, a puzzle Rex Parker and I constructed is available today over at Brendan Emmett Quigley's excellent blog. BEQ also interviewed us, so I'm really eager to see if he was able to edit my part down enough to make me sound interesting. Head on over there and find out for yourself!

Second, will I be seeing you in Brooklyn next week? It's not too late to sign up for the big puzzle tournament, you know. It's also pretty much the perfect time to sign up for the other big puzzle tournament, in L.A. on May 1. Oh man, I just realized we're moving that weekend. I hope I can get away. We had a blast at the L.A. tournament last year!

And finally, I've received quite a few personal messages over the last several weeks and I have been unbelievably rude by not responding to them yet. Please know that I appreciate hearing from you (so much!) and I will definitely get back to you in the next couple days. It's just been crazy over here at the PuzzleHouse lately.

Okay, today's puzzle. I like this theme. The game shows are all pretty old, but I think they're well-known enough that you shouldn't have had any trouble coming up with them. SALE OF THE CENTURY and QUEEN FOR A DAY were both before my time. I do remember watching NAME THAT TUNE and TO TELL THE TRUTH as a child. I'll be interested to hear from some younger people though: Are you familiar with these shows? As far as the puns go … well, they're puns. I like that they're all clued as if they're still game shows. My least favorite is QUEEN FOR A DEY. I had QUEEN FOR A in place but wasn't sure what an "Algerian governor" might be called. Maybe that's common knowledge, but it wasn't for me. Wasn't there an actual show where "couples confessed indiscretions"? I remember seeing ads for it and being completely nauseated. I can't imagine it lasted very long, but it's hard to keep up with all the stupid shows out there these days, so maybe it's still around.

So. Okay. That's the theme. As for the fill, it seemed really uneven to me. First of all, there was just a ton of crosswordese:

• 16A: Turow memoir (ONE-L).
• 31A: Muse who inspires poets (ERATO).
• 42A: "Exodus" hero (ARI).
• 67A: Slobbering canine (ODIE).
• 24D: Slaughter on a diamond (ENOS).
• 35D: Woodstock singer before Joan (ARLO).
• 39D: "__ la Douce" (IRMA).
• 51D: Church area (APSE).
• 61D: Italian volcano (ETNA).

[Note: Each word in the above list is a link to the post where we first covered it in our Crosswordese 101 feature.]

To me, that seems like it would be an awful lot of crosswordese even for a Monday, much less for a Friday. On the opposite side of the spectrum, this puzzle also contains some super obtuse cluing. So it felt weird to swing back and forth between entries like ODIE and clues like "Out."

Then there was the stuff I just flat-out didn't know (which I'm not complaining about — that's what I expect on a Friday):

• 33A: One-time neighbor of French Indochina (SIAM).
• 68A: Mobile one of song (DONNA). I like how DONNA snuck her name into the grid! (Even though I don't get the song reference. I mean I get that there's a song where a girl named DONNA either gets around or, I don't know, travels a lot or something. But I don't know the song.)
• 5D: "In __ Speramus": Brown U. motto (DEO).
• 44D: Napoleon vessel? (SNIFTER). I don't know what this means.

Looking at the grid as a whole, well, it definitely has some sparkle (e.g., FINESSE, DELILAH, TREE FARM), and I think if it wasn't for the crosswordese I might have really enjoyed the challenge. But the unevenness just made the whole solving experience feel awkward to me. I'll be interested to hear your thoughts.

Bullets:

• 1A: Equipped with 6-Across (ARMED) and 6A: See 1-Across (GATS). Whenever we have a pair of answers clued like this someone complains about it, and I think that complaint is totally valid. But late in the week, I don't think this kind of challenge is necessarily unfair. It's called a crossword after all. Sometimes (often!) it's the crossing part that's key.
• 14A: Permission (LEAVE). One-word clues are inherently tricky and this one is no exception. I like the aura of formality around this answer: "By your leave …."
• 22A: Elite octet (IVIES). We were just talking about the NCAA basketball tournament "Elite Eight" yesterday, but today the "Elite octet" refers to the eight Ivy League schools.
• 59A: Stage group (CREW). I tried CAST first.
• 71A: Worry about (SWEAT). My favorite clue in the puzzle. "Dont' sweat it!"
• 53D: His Super Bowl MVP performance was his last NFL game (ELWAY). Not a huge football fan so I didn't know this bit of trivia, but am glad to know it now.

• 52D: Out (DATED) and 54D: Out (LOOSE). As I mentioned earlier, one-word clues are inherently tricky. And even more so when you have a particular definition in your head and need to come up with another one! (I like this kind of trickiness.)
• 62D: Comedy routine infielder ... (WHAT) 64D: ... and Bud's partner in the routine (LOU). A reference to the famous "Who's On First?" comedy skit. But you knew that.

Crosswordese 101: In German, the word for the article "a" is EINE. Sometimes EINE will be clued simply as "German article." Other times, the word "article" will appear in the clue, but there will only be a hint that the answer you need is German (e.g., "Aachen article," "Berlin article," "Article in Der Spiegel.") EINE is most often clued using Mozart's well-known piece "EINE kleine Nachtmusik," but today — probably because it's Friday — we get the less-well-known 19D: Strauss's "EINE Nacht in Venedig."

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Everything Else — 10A: May or Ann (CAPE); 15A: Natural shade (ECRU); 20A: Warning (OMEN); 21A: Understanding words (I SEE); 23A: Paragon of redness (BEET); 25A: Maneuver (FINESSE); 32A: 1,000-yr. realm (HRE); 37A: Arabic is one of its two official langs. (ISR.); 38A: Surfer's guide (SITE MAP); 43A: Suffix with grammar (-IANS); 45A: Nonsense (ROT); 46A: Links coup (EAGLE); 52A: Biblical betrayer (DELILAH); 55A: __ dixit (IPSE); 56A: Up in the air (ALOFT); 57A: They may be wild (OATS); 66A: Relax (EASE); 69A: Batik artist (DYER); 70A: Tech support caller (USER); 1D: As well (ALSO); 2D: Chew (out) (REAM); 3D: Gander, e.g. (MALE); 4D: It's as likely as not (EVEN BET); 6D: Bothers (GETS TO); 7D: Dull discomfort (ACHE); 8D: Timber producer (TREE FARM); 9D: Pension start? (SUS-); 10D: Transmits (CONVEYS); 11D: They're not pros (ANTIS); 12D: Famille members (P`ERES); 13D: "Family Ties" mom (ELYSE); 18D: Feudal holding (FIEF); 26D: Notion (IDEA); 27D: Former Cunard fleet member, for short (Q.E. II); 28D: Starry-eyed bear? (URSA); 29D: Make (EARN); 30D: Bonnie Blue's daddy (RHETT); 34D: "I hate the Moor" speaker (IAGO); 36D: Manner (MIEN); 40D: Points of initial progress (TOEHOLDS); 41D: Some motel guests (PETS); 47D: Recanted in embarrassment (ATE CROW); 49D: Der __: Adenauer epithet (ALTE); 50D: "That sly come __ stare": "Witchcraft" lyric (HITHER); 58D: Play to __ (A TIE); 60D: Cryptic character (RUNE); 65D: QB's scores (TD'S).

03.04 Fri

F R I D A Y
March 4, 2011
Matt Matera

Theme: Breakfast Puns — That's right, breakfast puns.

Theme answers:

• 20A: Halloween breakfast pastry? (CREEPY CRULLER).
• 33A: Lone breakfast pastry? (CRUMPET SOLO).
• 42A: Cherished breakfast pastry? (THE BUN I LOVE).
• 56A: Ones hooked on breakfast pastry? (THE SCONEHEADS).

Now this puzzle right here? This is what I'm talking about. I enjoyed this puzzle from start to finish. Part of that felt very personal to me — several entries brought to mind private jokes and nice or humorous memories — so I'll be interested to hear what you all think.

The puns are … puns. Nothing really notable there. They're not horrible and they're not fantastic (although, now that I think about it, "fantastic pun" might be an oxymoron). But the cluing is really, really good and the grid is full of sparkly entries like:

• 8A: Like some Disneyland passes (TWO-DAY).
• 11D: Gallantry (DERRING-DO).
• 35D: In one piece (UNSCATHED).
• 44D: Endangered great apes (BONOBOS).

Derring-do! How awesome is that?!

Oh, I also wanted to mention that I met Matt Matera at last year's awesome Lollapuzzoola tournament. The only problem is that I also met Matt Besse and I'm not sure which of them is which. So I asked our good friend Doug P. about it and it turns out he has the same problem. Our conversation went kinda like this.

Doug: He's a Ryan and Brian guy. I might have met him last year.
Me: Yeah, me too. I think I follow him on Twitter.
Doug: Red Sox cap, right?
Me: Yeah.
Doug: Wait, I think that's Matt Besse. Matt Matera is joon's friend, I'm almost positive.
Me: So Red Sox cap guy isn't Matera?
Doug: Well, he might be.

The problem was only compounded when I did a Google image search for Matt Matera and one of the images that popped up was … Matt Gaffney, a puzzle constructor extraordinaire who also works with Matt Jones. At that same moment, a message arrived in my inbox from the Cruciverb.com mailing list from … Matt Ginsberg. All these Matts around, of course, can only mean one thing: Big Ten Wrestling Championships this weekend! (HAha. Like you care.)

In conclusion, DERRING-DO!

Bullets:

• 1A: The word? (MUM). My first thought? GREASE.
• 15A: __ bene (NOTA). I had a little trouble here. It's the same trouble I always have, confusing "NOTA bene" with "nolo contendre." Two entirely different things, by the way.

• 16A: It may involve an exaggerated age (FAKE I.D.). This one was really hard for me because I've never really heard of FAKE I.D.s. Oh my gosh, I see they're used by underage kids to gain access to bars. Why, that's illegal and those kids must be awful. Glad I never did that. (Hi, Mom.)
• 39A: Igloos and yurts (ABODES). "Yurts" is fun to say.
• 60A: Type of sauce served with falafel (TAHINI). As if "falafel."
• 63A: Homework amount? (TON). Love this clue. Who hasn't said, "Oh my God, I have a TON of homework tonight"?
• 64A: Puck's king (OBERON). From Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.
• 65A: "Dulce et Decorum est" poet Wilfred __ (OWEN). That O was the last letter I entered into the grid. The poem's title? The author's name? No brain cells firing at all on this one.

• 5D: Michael's nemesis on "The Office" (TOBY). Ha! I haven't watched "The Office" in a while due to DVR issues. I'm still mad that we got rid of TiVo and the new DVR makes me so irritated that I can't get it to work right. Anyway. I had to think through a few characters — JIM? ANDY? — before I got to TOBY.
• 9D: Half a city (WALLA). WALLA WALLA was a theme entry in the first puzzle I ever created and submitted to Will Shortz. With that rejection, as PuzzleMom reminded me, I joined a very big club.
• 26D: Prelate's title: Abbr. (RT. REV.). See, if you're gonna have an abbreviation in the grid, it should be an awesome abbreviation like this one.

• 30D: Actors Rogen and Green (SETHS). Hi, Seth!
• 34D: Clinton Treasury secretary (RUBIN). I confidently entered REICH here. Was he a Treasury secretary too? Nope, he was Clinton's Secretary of Labor. But he is an economist, so I think I'm forgiven for the mistsake.
• 47D: Baseball star who reportedly said, "I think there's a sexiness in infield hits" (ICHIRO). Personally, I think the 6-4-3 double play is the sexiest play in baseball.
• 55D: Rachel Maddow's station (MSNBC). Speaking of sexy. Love her! Here's a great clip from a recent show of hers. It's not political at all, so it shouldn't be offensive to anyone.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 12D: River island (AIT).
• 36D: Award with a Sustained Achievement category (OBIE).

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Everything Else — 4A: You might need to watch yours (STEP); 14A: Downed (ATE); 17A: With 19-Across, serious warnings (RED); 18A: Not much (A BIT); 19A: See 17-Across (ALERTS); 23A: 1938 "The War of the Worlds" broadcast, for one (HOAX); 24A: Keystone enforcer (KOP); 25A: Blazing (AFIRE); 28A: Go-aheads (ASSENTS); 32A: __'acte (ENTR); 37A: Garden product word (GRO); 38A: Attacks (RUNS AT); 41A: Sch. attendance notation (ABS.); 46A: End of a boast (VICI); 48A: Got for nothing (SPONGED); 49A: Make official (ENACT); 51A: Newspaper supply (INK); 52A: Islamic leader (IMAM); 62A: Gaucho's weapon (BOLA); 66A: Flow out (EBB); 67A: Henry VIII et al. (TUDORS); 68A: Hitch (SNAG); 69A: Wall St. monitor (SEC); 1D: Orderly movement (MARCH); 2D: Nirvana #1 album "In __" (UTERO); 3D: Scorned lover of Jason (MEDEA); 4D: Lose it (SNAP); 6D: Boarding pass generator (E-TICKET); 7D: Sponsors (PATRONS); 8D: Brand of nonstick cookware (T-FAL); 10D: Michael of "Caddyshack" (O'KEEFE); 13D: NFL stat (YDS.); 21D: Show-what-you-know chances (EXAMS); 22D: Machinating (UP TO); 27D: Unevenly worn (EROSE); 29D: Cross words (SPAT); 31D: Big gun or big cheese (SLANG); 33D: Desire and then some (CRAVE); 40D: "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini," for one (OLDIE); 43D: Broad (EPIC); 45D: x, at times (UNKNOWN); 50D: Caruso, for one (TENOR); 53D: A couple (MATES); 54D: Acrobat developer (ADOBE); 57D: Serious lapses (SINS); 58D: Zeno's home (ELEA); 59D: Dangle (HANG); 60D: Tater __ (TOT); 61D: __ Simbel, site of Ramses II temples (ABU).

02.25 Fri

F R I D A Y
February 25, 2011
Annemarie Brethauer

Theme: Add LA — The letters LA are added to familiar phrases, creating wacky new phrases.

Theme answers:

• 16A: Move from Crystal to Caesar's? (CHANGE OF PALACE).
• 28A: Antelope of questionable virtue? (LOOSE ELAND).
• 33A: "Another regulation, sorry to say"? ("ALAS, A RULE").
• 43A: Greengrocer's grab bags? (SALAD SACKS).
• 53A: 1997 Kevin Spacey film, and a hint to this puzzle's theme (L.A. CONFIDENTIAL).

I have very mixed feelings about this theme. As add-a-letter(s) puzzles go, the theme answers are funny and well clued (LOOSE ELAND made me LOL). Also, I'm not sure you noticed, but this blog's name is a play on the movie title "L.A. Confidential," so it's fun to see a theme based on that movie. Except … um, how exactly does the movie fit in again? We're adding the letters LA to familiar phrases (which, of course, creates wackiness). But but but … what does confidential have to do with anything? A better movie title for this theme would be something like "L.A. Is Everywhere" or "Forever L.A." or "Have You Seen L.A.?" Sure, those titles suck and the movies would probably be terrible, but you get my point. Also? Wait for it. … Too easy for a Friday.

Highlights for me today include:

• 36A: Gait between walk and canter (AMBLE).
• 52A: Repartee (BANTER).
• 37D: Jackson dubbed "Queen of Gospel" (MAHALIA).

It seems like some of the clues were toughened up a little in an attempt to make this more Friday-ish. Like:

• 5A: Curve of a cabriole leg (KNEE). I don't know what a "cabriole" is.
• 7D: "The Silmarillion" being (ELF). I don't know what "The Silmarillion" is."
• 25D: Jennifer Crusie's genre (ROMANCE). I don't know who Jennifer Crusie is.

See? A bunch of stuff I don't know. But the answers were easy enough to figure out through crosses.

Bullets:

• 27A: Cliff, Carlos and Derrek of baseball (LEES). Phillies pitcher, Astros left-fielder, and Orioles first-baseman.

• 30A: Mag wheels? (EDS.). This is one of those clues you've seen before if you do crosswords regularly, but if you're new to solving you have no idea what's going on. The clue is basically pointing you toward toward important people (i.e., "big wheels") at "magazines": EDitorS.
• 49A: "Cheers" waitress (CARLA). Do you think the "Cheers" creators gave both the waitresses five-letter names just to confound future crossword puzzle solvers? Yeah, I do too.
• 50A: Sixth rock from the sun: Abbr. (SAT.). Cute clue; terrible abbreviation.
• 11D: French president Sarkozy (NICOLAS). His last name has never sounded particularly French to me.

• 29D: 2004 Anne Hathaway title role (ELLA). I know the name of the movie is "Ella Enchanted," but in my head I was actually picturing the Amy Adams movie "Enchanted." I've not seen the former, but the latter is actually pretty interesting. For a princess movie.
• 35D: Adds to (UPS). Like in the phrase "ups the ante" — something 19A: Danish poker star Gus HANSEN might do. Actually, no. The players don't determine the ante. But you'll forgive me for tying these two answers together. Because you're good like that.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 14A: Anago and unagi (EELS).
• 58A: "Exodus" novelist (URIS).
• 10D: Gardner of "Mayerling" (AVA).
• 28D: Mauna __ (LOA).

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Everything Else — 1A: Rigged support (MAST); 9A: Sheet of stamps (PANE); 13A: "So that's how it's going to be" ("I SEE"); 15A: An amulet may ward it off, purportedly (EVIL); 20A: Curling surface (ICE); 21A: Texter's "Heavens!" (OMG); 23A: Oscar night figure (EMCEE); 24A: Small, vocal bird (WREN); 26A: __ market (FLEA); 31A: Pound output (POEM); 32A: Has a powerful desire (for) (LUSTS); 39A: Wine Train valley (NAPA); 40A: MoveOn.org, e.g.: Abbr. (PAC); 46A: Hole maker (MOTH); 47A: Mongol sovereign (KHAN); 48A: Trap, in a way (TREE); 51A: Rye go-with (HAM); 57A: Lowdown (INFO); 59A: Compass __ (ROSE); 60A: Riding (ATOP); 61A: Took off (LEFT); 62A: Dot and Flik, in "A Bug's Life" (ANTS); 1D: "Glee" star Lea __ (MICHELE); 2D: Embarrassed (ASHAMED); 3D: Medium settings (SEANCES); 4D: Time indicators of a sort (TENSES); 5D: Gung-ho (KEEN); 6D: Rebirth prefix (NEO-); 8D: Uses binoculars, say (ESPIES); 9D: Athlete dubbed "O Rei do Futebol" (PELE); 12D: Gold or silver (ELEMENT); 17D: "Hmm ..." ("GEE …"); 18D: Embarrassing marks (ACNE); 22D: Roams (GADS); 24D: Troubles (WOES); 26D: Obstacle for Santa? (FLUE); 31D: Responded in court (PLED); 33D: King of comedy (ALAN); 34D: Shed tool (RAKE); 36D: Sets a price (ASKS); 38D: Sticking out (BLATANT); 40D: Helping (PORTION); 41D: In any case (AT LEAST); 42D: River to Boston Harbor (CHARLES); 44D: Seven-time N.L. batting champ Musial (STAN); 45D: Two or three bags of groceries, say (ARMFUL); 46D: Transforming syllable (MANTRA); 49D: Lockup (CAN); 51D: Stud alternative (HOOP); 52D: As good as it gets (BEST); 54D: Corp. exec (CFO); 55D: Fury (IRE); 56D: "What's the __?" (DIF).

02.18 Fri

F R I D A Y February 18, 2011
Dan Naddor

Theme: Happy President's Day! I got you some puns! — Theme answers are puns on U.S. Presidents' names.

Theme answers:

• 18A: Presidential putdown? (GRANT SLAM). [grand slam]
• 23A: Presidential advisers? (MADISON CABINET). [medicine cabinet]
• 32A: Presidential ATM sign? (FORD DEPOSIT ONLY). [for deposit only]
• 48A: Presidential university? (COOLIDGE CAMPUS). [college campus]
• 53A: Presidential belt-tightening? (NIXON CUTS). [nicks and cuts]

I started this puzzle, as I'm wont to do, at 1 Across. I glanced at the clue (1A: Timeworn observation), thought to myself "ADAGE," checked 1 Down to see if it would work and … ugh. AGA. Remember how yesterday I said even the crosswordese seemed more on the high end of the scale? AGA is not on that particular end. I'm making a mental note right now for any puzzles I construct in the future: "Do not use tired old crosswordese at 1A or 1D." It really just turned me off immediately. But, ya know what? Sometimes I'll start off with a negative thought like "oh my God, this puzzle is going to be full of crosswordese" and then the puzzle redeems itself by proving me wrong. Not so in this case, unfortunately.

I guess the puns are okay if you like puns. The only one that really gave me a chuckle was COOLIDGE CAMPUS, but I'm not a big pun fan in general. The fill? Lots of abbreviations, suffixes, and other three-letter words. Nothing particularly sparkly except maybe GOOD DEEDS, BONIER, and I'M OKAY and the Sparkle-Meter isn't exactly jumping for joy with those. All in all a puzzle that's way too easy for a Friday with an okay theme that wasn't a complete waste of time to solve.

Bullets:

• 6A: "Pronto!" (ASAP). Ran into a little trouble here because with ***EN in place, I tried yesterday's VIXEN for 7D: Femme fatale, but it needed to be SIREN. That V did not help at all. Obviously.

• 20A: 1926 channel swimmer (EDERLE). When I first started solving puzzles compulsi– on a regular basis, Gertrude EDERLE showed up in the puzzle a lot. It's been a while though, so I needed some crosses today.
• 30A: People person? (CELEB). The question mark gives you a hint something fishy is going on. In this case, the word "People" is a reference to the magazine. I caught onto the trick right away, but wanted the answer to be EDITOR. Which it wasn't.
• 52A: Title subject of a G.B. Shaw play (ST. JOAN). I clicked on over to Wikipedia to find out the title of this play so I could share it with you and guess what. The title is "St. Joan." Huh.

• 59A: Prefix with "Language" in a 1993 comedy best-seller (SEIN-).
• 60A: Gaston's god (DIEU). The name used in the clue is French, which hints at the fact that the answer will also be French. French!
• 63A: U. of Maryland athlete (TERP). Fear the Turtle! Maryland's mascot is the terrapin. The abbreviation "U." in the clue is a hint that the answer will also be a shortened form.
• 10D: Mubarak of Egypt (HOSNI). Timely. I would have needed crosses for this one a month ago.
• 19D: Typewriter feature (TAB SET).



• 36D: Like some workers in an open shop (NON-UNION). Also timely, given the events in Wisconsin this week.
• 49D: Interpol headquarters (LYONS). I did not know that.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 27A: Trains on supports (ELS).
• 28A: "Discreet Music" composer (ENO).
• 29A: Movie beekeeper (ULEE).
• 62A: Scraps (ORTS).
• 64A: Streisand title role (YENTL).
• 1D: Turkish honorific (AGA).
• 24D: Psychic couple? (CEES).
• 50D: Glyceride, e.g. (ESTER).

I'll be back tomorrow, you'll see Doug on Sunday, and then on Monday we've got a guest blogger lined up for the holiday. Hope you'll all come on back and see what he has to say.[Follow PuzzleGirl on Twitter.]

Everything Else — 10A: Party person (HOST); 14A: Paganini's birthplace (GENOA); 15A: One of an historic seagoing trio (NIÑA); 16A: Not deceived by (ONTO); 17A: Los __: city near San Jose (ALTOS); 22A: Bernardo's girl in "West Side Story" (ANITA); 26A: Trademark cousins (PATENTS); 39A: "Contact" author (SAGAN); 40A: "Uh-uh" ("NOPE"); 41A: Ex-Saudi ruler __ Saud (IBN); 44A: Managed (RAN); 45A: Onetime California gubernatorial candidate Huffington (ARIANNA); 51A: Biblical words before and after "for" (AN EYE); 56A: Blitz attachment (-KRIEG); 61A: Perform penance (ATONE); 2D: Wilmington's st. (DEL.); 3D: Lover of armies? (ANTEATER); 4D: Acts of kindness (GOOD DEEDS); 5D: Enter cautiously (EASE IN); 6D: Americans in Paris, e.g. (ANGLOS); 8D: Book collector's suffix (-ANA); 9D: Put down in writing? (PAN); 11D: Surfing without a board, maybe (ONLINE); 12D: New York's __ Island (STATEN); 13D: T in a sandwich (TOMATO); 21D: Queue after Q (R-S-T); 23D: Opposite of bueno (MALO); 25D: "That's __ ask" (ALL I); 26D: Sta-__: fabric softener (PUF); 30D: Hoodwink (CON); 31D: Ruling family name in 19th-century Europe (BONAPARTE); 33D: Connecticut coastal town near Stamford (DARIEN); 34D: "Yikes!" ("EGAD!"); 35D: Qualm (PANG); 37D: HMO employees (LPN'S); 38D: Thumbs-up vote (YEA); 41D: Response to a doubting Thomas (I CAN SO); 42D: More scrawny (BONIER); 43D: Prohibitive door sign (NO EXIT); 45D: Misbehaves (ACTS UP); 46D: British rule in India (RAJ); 47D: Post-fall reassurance (I'M OKAY); 54D: Setting on the Mississippi: Abbr. (CDT); 55D: A lost driver may hang one, briefly (UIE); 57D: M.D.'s specialty (ENT); 58D: Styling stuff (GEL).

02.11 Fri

F R I D A Y February 11, 2011
James Sajdak

Theme: Hide the Report Card — Familiar phrases have the letter D added to the front of the first word. Wackiness ensues.

Theme answers:

• 17A: Soundly defeat by cheating? (DRUB THE WRONG WAY).
• 25A: Gloomy Cuban? (DOUR MAN IN HAVANA).
• 46A: Discerning pub competitor? (DART CONNOISSEUR).
• 59A: What loving couples exchange? (DEAR-TO-DEAR GRINS).
• 37A: Grade that describes this puzzle's theme (D PLUS).

[I have no idea what this photo means, but it came up in my image search for D+ and I just had to share it with you.]

I had a good overall solving experience with this one. [Cue broken record] I still wish we were offered more of a challenge on Fridays, and I wonder when I'll get used to Friday puzzles having themes.

All of the original phrases are well-known and the resulting phrases, together with their clues, are for the most part clever. For some reason I'm not feeling DEAR-TO-DEAR GRINS. Is it because it's the only one with two Ds added? Or maybe because the visual I got in my head was a couple just standing there smiling at each other (for some reason kinda creepily)? In any case, this one feels off but maybe that's just because the others are so good.

My favorite entries include:

• 15A: "Amazing!" ("OH WOW!").
• 55A: Notable early student of Bela (NADIA). I wouldn't have remembered that NADIA Comaneci's coach was named Bela, but once I had a few letters in place, it came to me. I remember watching NADIA get all those 10s like it was yesterday.

• 9D: Sports logo since 1972 (SWOOSH). When I was in 8th grade, everybody wore white Nike tennis shoes with a red swoosh. Everybody. Then all of a sudden one day Mary Fercho came prancing into class wearing white Nike tennis shoes with a blue swoosh. And the world was never the same.
• 49D: Canine mascot of the National Fire Protection Association (SPARKY). Looks great in the grid and I guess it was a piece of information hanging out in my brain way back there in the cobwebs, because once I got a few crosses in place it jumped out at me.

There's a little bit more French than SethG is comfortable with in today's puzzle. I think of myself as someone who's very comfortable with the French words we see a lot in puzzles. But I didn't know any of these. Had to have a few crosses before I could reason out the rest.

• 20A: Henri's health (SANTE).
• 52A: Martyred first bishop of Paris (ST. DENIS).
• 63A: __ à feu: French gun (ARME).

More stuff to talk about:

• 1A: Part of the deal (HAND). Even after I got this answer through crosses, I was still thinking it had something to do with shaking hands at the end of a business deal or other agreement. But no, it's about dealing cards.
• 24A: Maker of the LX 150 scooter (VESPA). I hope whoever came up with the name VESPA was extremely well-compensated. That's a great name.
• 33A: Birthplace of seven presidents (OHIO). Four letters and it's probably not Utah. (Not that there's anything wrong with Utah. It's just in the wrong part of the country to be considered.)
• 50A: Cheerios (TA-TAS). Were you looking for today's clunker? Here it is. "Cheerio" and "ta-ta" are both ways of saying "good-bye." In the singular, I would have no problem with this clue/answer pair. In the plural … ugh.
• 6D: Scoreboard initials (RHE). Runs Hits Errors.

• 24D: Talking Heads song "Sax and __" (VIOLINS). Does anyone else have trouble piecing together the down answers because it's hard to read them vertically? I swear, I had **OLINS in place and couldn't see the answer. On really hard puzzles, when I have a situation like that, I'll write the answer out horizontally so I can see it better. Today, I just let the crosses take care of it for me, but it was a big D'OH moment when the answer became clear (5D: Head-slapper's cry).
• 56D: Wine partner (DINE). Couldn't get "roses" out of my head, so this took a while.
• 62D: __ Tafari (RAS). Well I definitely learned something today. I knew that Rastafarians worship Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia. But I didn't know that Haile Selassie was once known as RAS Tafari. So there ya go.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 14A: Great Plains tribe (OTOE).
• 41A: Iroquois enemies (ERIES).
• 68A: Sherpa's sighting (YETI).
• 2D: Handle for a little shaver? (ATRA).
• 13D: Eyelid malady (STYE).
• 58D: Piedmont wine region (ASTI).

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Everything Else — 5A: Little pieces, idiomatically (DRABS); 10A: Benevolent group (ELKS); 16A: House leader during Bill's presidency (NEWT); 21A: Critical (DO-OR-DIE); 22A: Lummox (OAF); 32A: Photo finish? (OPS); 34A: Drive off (REPEL); 35A: Ardor (ZEAL); 40A: "James and the Giant Peach" writer (DAHL); 43A: Start of a Durante refrain (INKA); 45A: Olympics participant since 1992, to the IOC (CRO); 51A: Music store section (POP); 64A: Carnival dance (SAMBA); 65A: Unite after a break, in a way (KNIT); 66A: Caring (KIND); 67A: Magazine for horse owners (EQUUS); 1D: Mortar carriers (HODS); 3D: Animal, vegetable or mineral (NOUN); 4D: Unsettled one? (DEBTOR); (D'OH); 7D: "How adorable!" ("AWW!"); 8D: Big name in dairy (BORDEN); 10D: Like cameos (ENGRAVED); 11D: Lascivious (LEWD); 12D: Title river in a 1957 film that won seven Oscars (KWAI); 18D: Latin lover's declaration (TE AMO); 19D: Stock term (NO PAR); 23D: Saudi royal name (FAHD); 25D: Missed out, maybe (DOZED); 26D: Met tragedy, perhaps? (OPERA); 27D: It merged with Piedmont in 1989 (USAIR); 28D: Playful bite (NIP); 29D: Swiftly (APACE); 30D: Jacket style popular with '60s rockers (NEHRU); 31D: Words that lead to nothing? (ALL OR); 36D: Educated (LETTERED); 38D: Game based on crazy eights (UNO); 39D: Card in 38-Down (SKIP); 42D: Meager (SCANT); 44D: Words after play or for (A SONG); 47D: Idle (OTIOSE); 48D: Where GOOG is traded (NASDAQ); 52D: Badlands Natl. Park site (S. DAK.); 53D: Dustin's "Tootsie" costar (TERI); 54D: Denounce (DAMN); 57D: Down but not out (IN IT); 60D: Bird in the bush? (EMU); 61D: __ Dhabi (ABU).

02.04 Fri

F R I D A Y February 4, 2011
Ed Sessa

Theme: A Spot of T — The letter T is added as the second letter to words and phrases that begin with the letter S.

Theme answers:

• 17A: "Oklahoma!" prop? (STAGE BRUSH).
• 21A: Time off spent with Rover? (STICK DAY).
• 34A: Undercover operations where agents can bring guests? (STING-ALONGS).
• 42A: Dance for louses? (STINKER BALL).
• 52A: Taser switch? (STUN DIAL).
• 61A: Fancy shoes for the campaign trail? (STUMP PUMPS).

Can't say this puzzle really moved me one way or the other. Didn't love it. Didn't hate it. The theme answers don't seem particularly amusing or clever, but I had fun trying to figure them out once I understood the theme. And there were an awful lot of them, which is always kind of impressive in a grid, like this one, that doesn't rely on a lot of crosswordese and clunky fill. It's a shame that all the crosswordese is right up at the top of the grid. Seeing ETON, AGORA, and GAR right off the bat made me think we were in for a real CW-fest, but the rest of the grid thankfully steered clear.

My favorite grid entries include:

• 10A: Bloke (CHAP).
• 20A: Subject of a 2009 national tournament cheating scandal (SUDOKU). Great clue.
• 11D: Not easily topped (HARD TO BEAT).
• 45D: Mighty Dump Trucks, e.g. (TONKAS).

Bullets:

• 16A: Symbolic ring (HALO). Also an extremely violent video game.
• 28A: Fingers (ID'S). Tricky clue, in that I don't usually think of "fingers" as a verb.
• 56A: Mickey's "The Wrestler" co-star (MARISA). I haven't seen this movie, but I've heard it's good. I loved MARISA Tomei in "In the Bedroom" and, of course, "My Cousin Vinny."

• 65A: Lollipop, for one (SHIP). Wikipedia tells me that the "ship" in "On the Good Ship Lollipop" is actually an airplane. I did not know that.
• 1D: "Summertime" singer (BESS). From the Gershwin opera "Porgy and Bess."
• 5D: Rock collection? (ALBUM). Are ALBUMs still called ALBUMs today even though they're not really ALBUMs any more? I know I still call them ALBUMs but I wonder if that's just an oldster thing or if it held up the same way "dialing a phone" or "rolling up the car window" did.
• 27D: Penguins' home (PITTSBURGH). I believe there's another team in PITTSBURGH that's doing pretty well this year.
• 40D: Clear as mud (ABSTRUSE). I don't think I've ever used the word "abstruse," but I have occasionally explained things to the point where they are "clear as mud." Right here on this blog even!

• 53D: Hip Charlie, in ads (TUNA). I forgot that Charlie the TUNA was supposed to be hip. But he does where that rakish beret. And if a rakish beret isn't hip, then I don't know what is.
• 55D: "Kick, Push" rapper __ Fiasco (LUPE). Never heard of this guy, but that is one fantastic name.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 5A: Ancient meeting place (AGORA).
• 14A: School since 1440 (ETON).
• 46A: Head of government? (GEE).
• 6D: Needle-nosed fish (GAR).

[Follow PuzzleGirl on Twitter.]

Everything Else — 1A: In development, as software (BETA); 15A: Really enjoy (LAP UP); 19A: Heavenly bodies (ORBS); 23A: Star car (LIMO); 25A: Downsizing event? (DIET); 26A: Extend across (SPAN); 31A: Fumble (for) (GROPE); 37A: Tampa NFLer (BUC); 38A: Jobs, idiomatically (HATS); 39A: Tesla, by birth (CROAT); 40A: Sol lead-in (AERO-); 41A: Creative output (ART); 44A: "Beau __": Gary Cooper film (GESTE); 47A: Body shop figs. (ESTS.); 48A: Close connection (BOND); 50A: Water carrier (DUCT); 60A: "Young" reformer (TURK); 63A: "Young Frankenstein" lab assistant (INGA); 64A: Small thicket (COPSE); 66A: Cheers (RAHS); 67A: Exhaust (SPEND); 68A: A long, long time (EONS); 2D: Caesarean rebuke (ET TU); 3D: Warty hopper (TOAD); 4D: Luanda natives (ANGOLANS); 7D: Numbered piece (OPUS); 8D: Sign of age (RUST); 9D: Garden pest (APHID); 10D: Round jewelry item (CHOKER); 12D: Jessica of "Sin City" (ALBA); 13D: Bridal accessory (POSY); 18D: Scratching (out) (EKING); 22D: Butts (CIGS); 24D: Deepwater Horizon, for one (OIL RIG); 26D: Disconcerting look (STARE); 29D: Blackmore heiress (DOONE); 30D: Took a sinuous path (SNAKED); 32D: Knitting stitches (PURLS); 33D: Sci. concerned with biodiversity (ECOL.); 34D: Thick carpet (SHAG); 35D: Behave (ACT); 36D: Co. that merged into Verizon (GTE); 42D: Texting button (SEND); 43D: Newscast segment (RECAP); 49D: Saucers and such (DISCS); 51D: Made lots of calls, in a way (UMPED); 52D: Mix (STIR); 54D: At the peak of (ATOP); 57D: "As I see it," online (IMHO); 58D: Go a few rounds? (SPIN); 59D: Slithery threats (ASPS); 62D: Co. with a butterfly logo (MSN).