03.29 Tue

T U E S D A Y
March 29, 2011
Joon Pahk & Andrea Carla Michaels

Theme: Pack It In — The first word of each theme answer can be a type of "pack." And there are six of them! Get it? Six-pack!

Theme answers:

• 17A: Completely dark (JET BLACK).
• 21A: Getting-to-know-you party activity (ICE BREAKER).
• 26A: Dirty fighting? (MUD WRESTLING).
• 39A: Wearisome routine (RAT RACE).
• 47A: "Wow, she's good-looking!" sounds (WOLF WHISTLES).
• 58A: "Funny Girl" leading role (FANNY BRICE).
• 66A: Some sculpted abs ... and what the starts of 17-, 21-, 26-, 39-, 47- and 58-Across are altogether? (SIX PACKS).

I had heard Joon and Andrea had a puzzle coming out and must admit my expectations were pretty high. Thank goodness they didn't disappoint! Seven theme answers. That's incredible! You'd think with that many theme answers they would have to resort to a funny-looking grid. Oh wait, it is a funny-looking grid. But that's okay. There's actually nothing wrong with a funny-looking grid. What you really hate to see is when high theme density necessitates crap fill. And while I can't say the grid is completely crap-free, it's pretty darn clean considering. In fact, the only entries that really jumped out at me as clunkers were RARES (29D: Filet mignon requests) and the Random Roman Numeral MCCC (6D: Cornerstone 1300). Other than that, I dare say Joon and Andrea were able to sneak in several entries that are a little on the hard side for a Tuesday, but because they have solid crosses I'm definitely not going to complain. All in all, a great Tuesday puzzle.

It's fun to solve a puzzle by someone you know and see their personality in it. These are the entries that screamed ANDREA at me:

• 10D: Its anthem is "Hatikvah" (ISRAEL).
• 24D: Music to a cat lover's ears (PURR).
• 62D: Giovanni's good-bye (CIAO).

As for Joon, well, I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that BLOOP (23A: Soft baseball hit) is all his.

Bullets:

• 1A: Lea low (MOO). I got off to a horrible start right here at 1-Across where I plopped in BAA without even thinking. Oops!
• 16A: Sci-fi author __ K. Le Guin (URSULA). Ya know how I've told you about how writing this blog sometimes throws me off onto tangents sometimes for hours? Usually it's YouTube that does it, but this time I went off on a search for a former college professor who got me interested in women's literature, including URUSLA K. Le Guin.
• 33A: "Weeds" airer, in TV listings (SHO). Weren't we just talking about this show? It's awesome. And the woman who played the school guidance counselor in some of the earlier episodes is a friend of Andrea's. I can't remember her name and I can't find her on imbd. I want to say her name is Amy, but I'm having no luck confirming.
• 45A: "Zounds!" ("EGAD!"). Does this make anyone else think of Scooby-Doo?

• 65A: Orbital extreme (APOGEE). I came across this word last week reading about the whole Super Moon thing, which I don't really understand, but I think it's just because I didn't really focus while I was reading.
• 2D: Nancy who's slated to replace Mary Hart on "Entertainment Tonight" (O'DELL). O'DELL said she is "honored to be the one to fill a TV legend's seat." I'm going to refrain from saying something mean here.
• 11D: Wagnalls's partner (FUNK). I knew these two names went together, but I had to look them up just now to remember that Funk & Wagnalls is a publisher of reference books.
• 13D: 1980-81 Iranian president Bani-__ (SADR). Um … what?

• 41D: Berkeley school, familiarly (CAL). We often see references to college nicknames that are just so wrong. It's nice to see a good one today.
• 50D: __ corpus (HABEAS). Had a little spelling issue here.
• 55D: Bologna ball game (BOCCE). Raise your hand if you pictured lunchmeat being batted into the air.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 20A: It's not butter (OLEO).
• 43A: Expressive rock genre (EMO).
• 53A: Wrath, in a classic hymn (IRAE).
• 69A: Depilatory brand (NAIR).
• 73A: Tolkien tree creature (ENT).
• 35D: Stone for many Libras (OPAL).

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Everything Else — 4A: Rocket interceptors, briefly (ABM'S); 8A: Doesn't tip (STIFFS); 14A: DJ's array (CD'S); 15A: Atahualpa, notably (INCA); 19A: Took an intersecting road (TURNED); 25A: Facility (EASE); 36A: Latvian capital (RIGA); 37A: Eastern principle (TAO); 38A: Liven (up) (PEP); 44A: __ of Good Feelings (ERA); 46A: Old boys? (MEN); 54A: Fat cat (NABOB); 64A: Quayle's successor (GORE); 68A: Mother with a Nobel prize (TERESA); 70A: AFL partner (CIO); 71A: Turns over, as an engine (STARTS); 72A: Film pooch in a tornado (TOTO); 1D: Low-paying position (MCJOB); 3D: Bone: Pref. (OSTEO-); 4D: Have a bug (AIL); 5D: __ B'rith (B'NAI); 7D: Benefit (SAKE); 8D: Hindu aphorisms (SUTRAS); 9D: Most loyal (TRUEST); 12D: Make a run for it (FLEE); 18D: Bust's opposite (BOOM); 22D: Spelling contest (BEE); 27D: Day in Durango (DIA); 28D: Lb. or oz. (WGT.); 30D: Couple in People (ITEM); 31D: Tom, Dick or Harry (NAME); 32D: Continue (GO ON); 33D: Eject, as lava (SPEW); 34D: Medal recipient (HERO); 40D: Rep. with a cut (AGT.); 42D: First lady's home? (EDEN); 48D: Identify, as a perp (FINGER); 49D: Most ironic (WRYEST); 51D: Suffix with hotel (-IER); 52D: "Beowulf" or "Star Wars" (SAGA); 56D: Pest control name (ORKIN); 57D: Stupefy with drink (BESOT); 58D: Pool legend Minnesota __ (FATS); 59D: In __: peeved (A PET); 60D: Director Ephron (NORA); 61D: Fails to be (ISN'T); 63D: Stage direction (EXIT); 67D: Tour golfer (PRO).

03.22 Tue

T U E S D A Y
March 22, 2011
Kurt Mengel and Jan-Michele Gianette

Theme: State Mash-Up — Each theme answer is a familiar phrase where the last word of the phrase is the beginning of a U.S. state name.

Theme answers:

• 17A: Having a sense of the Prairie State? (FEELING ILLINOIS).
• 27A: Webster's impression of the Natural State? (NOAH'S ARKANSAS).
• 44A: Watch the Evergreen State? (EYE WASHINGTON).
• 59A: Close to the Magnolia State? (NEAR MISSISSIPPI).

Good morning, everyone! I'm not quite back to my usual awake and cheerful self, but I'm definitely getting closer. Sleeping for, say, eight hours all in a row really does make a difference. I had So Much Fun at the tournament over the weekend. I'll try to write up a summary later today before it gets to be old news. In the meantime, let's talk a little bit about this puzzle and then I need to be off to work where, with any luck, I'll be a little more focused than I was yesterday.

Solid, early-week theme here. Base phrases NOAH'S ARK and NEAR MISS are quite a bit better than FEELING ILL and EYE WASH, but overall, yes, fine. Not a lot of sparkle in the fill, but again it's only Tuesday so okay. Highlights for me include:

• 67A: Things to solve for, in some equations (X AND Y).
• 2D: West Point rookie (PLEBE). (I tried CADET first.)
• 45D: Nut (WEIRDO).

Not a fan of the partials CUT A and IT'S A, but there was enough solid fill overall that they didn't bother me too much.


Bullets:

• 15A: The Big Easy, briefly (NOLA).
• 4D: Beethoven's fifths? (SOLS). We talked about solfege not too long ago. I think solfege is Italian for "sight singing system that results in strong opinions." I played piano (and other instruments) for many, many years and never saw SOL written as SO until I saw it in a crossword puzzle. Other people have apparently never seen it written SOL, which I find really strange because it's, ya know, different than my experience. If you really feel strongly about something like that, though (and really, who doesn't?), I recommend a quick Google or two.
• 6D: Latino's white American buddies (ANGLOS). I had the G in place and wanted the answer to be GRINGOS.
• 7D: Sorbonne silk (SOIE). This is pretty high-end French for a Tuesday.
• 8D: What it takes, in an inclusive idiom (ALL SORTS). I wanted ALL KINDS, but already had some crosses in place that forced me to rethink it.
• 10D: Toe inflammation (BUNION). Ew.

• 19D: __ Canarias (ISLAS). The Spanish spelling in the clue is hinting that the answer will also have a Spanish spelling.
• 29D: Very, in music (ASSAI). My first thought was MOLTO, which also means "very" but, in this case, isn't the correct answer.
• 34D: Feeling sluggish (LOGY). I was going to complain about this "word" until I remembered that Doug and I put it in a puzzle once. No, I'll complain about it anyway. And you should all feel free to complain about it if you ever see it in a grid of mine. That's just a terrible word.
• 46D: More snoopy (NOSIER).
• 52D: Most popular baby girl's name, 1996-2007 (EMILY). Got it with no crosses. No idea how.
• 54D: The Mediterranean, to Hans (MEER). I guess this is German for "sea." According to cruciverb.com data base, MEER has never been clued this way before. Again, like SOIE, seems pretty high-end for a Tuesday foreign language clue.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 23A: "V for Vendetta" actor Stephen (REA).
• 25A: Scandinavian capital (OSLO).
• 48A: One-named Deco designer (ERTÉ).
• 63A: Sooner State tribe (OTOE).
• 24D: Its cap. is Abu Dhabi (UAE).
• 33D: Architect's S-curve (OGEE).
• 43D: Lyon summer (ÉTÉ).
• 58D: Old Italian dough (LIRA).

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Everything Else — 1A: Crick in the neck, e.g. (SPASM); 6A: Exec's "I want it now!" (ASAP); 10A: Sci. class (BIOL.); 14A: Foil maker (ALCOA); 16A: Golden rule word (UNTO); 20A: Retreats (EBBS); 21A: Pub quaffs (ALES); 22A: Between then and now (SINCE); 24A: Mil. morale booster (USO); 33A: '50s song, e.g. (OLDIE); 35A: Fr. holy women (STES.); 36A: Not con (PRO); 37A: Soccer score (GOAL); 38A: En __: all together (MASSE); 40A: Like the Reaper (GRIM); 41A: Breakfast food (EGG); 42A: __ rug: dance (CUT A); 43A: Skip over (ELIDE); 49A: Mine output (ORE); 50A: Verizon forerunner (GTE); 53A: Test during pregnancy, briefly (AMNIO); 56A: Start of a birth announcement (IT'S A); 58A: Potting soil (LOAM); 62A: Have to have (NEED); 64A: Staggering (AREEL); 65A: Estimate words (OR SO); 66A: Political org. until 1991 (USSR); 1D: Not so dangerous (SAFER); 3D: Injury treatment brand (ACE BANDAGE); 5D: Spring month in Paris (MAI); 9D: Buddy (PAL); 11D: Aware of (IN ON); 12D: Suffix with narc (-OTIC); 13D: Misplace (LOSE); 18D: Poet Ogden (NASH); 26D: __-Ball: arcade game (SKEE); 28D: Olive or peanut product (OIL); 30D: Emulate a jack-in-the-box (SPRING OPEN); 31D: Saharan (ARID); 32D: Vague number (SOME); 38D: Has to (MUST); 39D: Nonbelievers (ATHEISTS); 40D: Mop & __: floor cleaner (GLO); 42D: Pool shot (CAROM); 47D: Mardi __ (GRAS); 51D: Recorded, in a way (TAPED); 53D: A.D. part (ANNO); 55D: Scot's turndowns (NAES); 57D: General __ chicken (TSO'S); 60D: Debt acknowledgment (IOU); 61D: Clinton played one (SAX).

03.15 Tue

T U E S D A Y
March 15, 2011
Gary Steinmehl

Theme: Hitting the Gym — The last word of each theme answer is (arguably) something you would do REPS of while exercising.

Theme answers:

• 20A: Last leg of a race (HOME STRETCH).
• 27A: Chocolate bar with crisped rice (NESTLÉ CRUNCH).
• 49A: Overseas news-gatherers (FOREIGN PRESS).
• 59A: Very little, in slang (DIDDLY SQUAT).
• 57D: PR specialists, and a word associated with the ends of 20-, 27-, 49- and 59-Across (REPS).

I have mixed feelings about this theme. The theme answers themselves are all colorful and the theme hangs together very well until … you get to the reveal. REPS? Do you really do REPS of STRETCHes? Um, no. No, you don't. You just STRETCH. And then (if you're motivated and you're at, say, a gym) you do the rest of the things mentioned. So, to me, THE GYM would have been a much better reveal. If I had seen that, I would have been all "Oh, right! These are all things you do at a gym!" With STRETCH as the first entry, I might have even thought they were in some kind of logical order. It all would have been very pleasant and right now I would be talking some more about how sparkly the theme entries are. Instead, though, right now I'm going: REPS? Really?!

If you're not a fan of foreign words in your puzzle, you were probably troubled by all the French in this grid:

• 16A: Author Zola (ÉMILE). Which reminds me, if you haven't seen "Wordplay," you really should.
• 23A: Nice season? (ÉTÉ). We've covered this in Crosswordese 101 — both the answer and the way it's clued.
• 46A: Paris's __ la Paix (RUE DE). This one is not only French, it's also an ugly partial. Twofer!
• 10D: Porthos, to Athos (AMI). French for "friend" (and previously covered in CW101).
• 13D: Place for a beret (TÊTE). French for "head."
• 35D: D-Day target city (ST.-LÔ). Another CW 101 alum.

You also might be able to include BEAU (15A: Steady fellow) in this list without getting into too much trouble. Speaking of CW 101, here are the other grid entries that we've already covered. Each answer word below is a link to the post where you'll find more details.

• 18A: Elongated fish (EELS).
• 39A: Sheltered Greek walkway (STOA).
• 43A: IRS agent (T-MAN).
• 66A: Cleveland's lake (ERIE).

So, what else? Well there are some nice Scrabbly entries in ZAGAT, ZEPHYRS, and SEQUIN (9A: Big name in restaurant guides / 9D: Gentle winds / 51D: Fashion sparkler). SEQUIN was actually hard for me to come up with because I had RHINESTONE in my head and couldn't shake it.

Bullets:

• 19A: Turning point (PIVOT).



• 52A: Run or ruin (DASH). Great clue. Think "50-yard DASH" or having your hopes DASHed.
• 67A: DDE's alma mater (USMA). Dwight D. Eisenhower's alma mater is the U.S. Military Academy.

• 69A: Ole Miss rival (BAMA). When I was a kid, I thought Duke and Marquette were the coolest college names. I still think they're awesome, but I love BAMA too (even though it's obviously not the school's official name). I always hoped I'd graduate from a college with a cool name. But instead I ended up at … Maryland.
• 11D: Abraham, to Lincoln (GIVEN NAME). I tried FIRST NAME first.
• 26D: Bee or Em (AUNT). I think of Em as AUNTIE, but I see that's what she's called in the film but not in the books. AUNT Bee is from "The Andy Griffith Show" and, yes, that is how her name is spelled.
• 28D: Fa follower (SOL). Do re mi fa SOL la ti do.
• 34D: DoD fliers (USAF). The U.S. Air Force flies for the Department of Defense.
• 50D: Letters under a 4 (G-H-I). Today's random letter string is clued in relation to the telephone keypad.

• 55D: Cass and Michelle, famously (MAMAS). Cass Elliot and Michelle Phillips were the MAMAS of the 1960s group, "The MAMAS and the Papas."
• 62D: Bean town? (LIMA). Get it? 'Cuz the name of the town is also a type of bean. (Ugh.)

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Everything Else — 1A: Cote bleats (BAAS); 5A: Further (ALSO); 14A: Flattop opposite (AFRO); 17A: Plane or sander (TOOL); 24A: Snail mail need (STAMP); 25A: Color in the four-color process (CYAN); 34A: Plug-and-play PC port (USB); 37A: Borat creator Sacha Baron __ (COHEN); 38A: Trapper's gear (SNARE); 41A: Number-guessing fund-raiser (LOTTO); 44A: False __ (ALARM); 48A: Ambulance initials (EMS); 53A: Times spent in prison or in office (TERMS); 57A: Dusting aid (RAG); 64A: Remove from the videotape (ERASE); 68A: Argentine grassland (PAMPA); 70A: Modern Roman, e.g.: Abbr. (ITAL.); 71A: Take badly? (STEAL); 72A: Disappearing slope apparatus (T-BAR); 73A: Big Board letters (NYSE); 1D: They're drawn in tubs (BATHS); 2D: In progress (AFOOT); 3D: Bakery quality (AROMA); 4D: Serious (SOLEMN); 5D: Aid's partner (ABET); 6D: Look that may be accompanied by a smirk (LEER); 7D: Shopping news (SALE); 8D: Bounce, as from a bar (OUST); 12D: Oodles (A LOT); 21D: Risky business, briefly (SPEC); 22D: Brutus' 300 (CCC); 29D: Rose feature (THORN); 30D: Rain more gently (LET UP); 31D: Rectangular computer key (ENTER); 32D: Stuff (into) (CRAM); 33D: Lady birds (HENS); 36D: Monopoly, for one (BOARD GAME); 40D: House painter's calculation (AREA); 42D: Dedicated verse (ODE); 45D: Card player's goof (MISDEAL); 47D: Ballpark figs. (ESTS.); 54D: Out of practice (RUSTY); 56D: Old hat (STALE); 58D: "I smell __!" (A RAT); 60D: Unpaid loan, e.g. (DEBT); 61D: Not bright at all (DRAB); 63D: Wine taster's guesstimate (YEAR); 65D: Healthful resort (SPA).

03.08 Tue

T U E S D A Y
March 8, 2011
Robert Fisher

Theme: Head Start — The word "head" can follow the last word of each theme answer in a familiar put-down.

Theme answers:

• 17A: Not-so-humorous humerus spot (FUNNY BONE).
• 23A: Exam taker's dread (MENTAL BLOCK).

• 39A: Daydreams (CASTLES IN THE AIR).
• 49A: Devoid of niceties, as some politics (BARE KNUCKLE).
• 61A: Racer's edge, or the ends of 17-, 23-, 39- and 49-Across, unflatteringly (HEAD START).

I got through this one without too much trouble. Fun theme. I got to the third theme answer before I had caught on and entered CASTLES IN THE SKY, which I think is how I've heard it before. But CASTLES IN THE AIR sounds good too, and the phrases result in about the same number of Google hits, so I assume they're equally common. Along the same lines, I thought our [9D: 41st president, affectionately] was POPPY BUSH, not PAPA BUSH, but it looks like both variations of this nickname are legit.

Other than that, there were only a few spots that gave me a frowny-face. Tacking an "S" onto the end of a famous person's name always bothers me unless the family itself is well-known. So, yeah, for ORR there's "Hockey legend Bobby," but not so much with the "et al." (Examples of plural famous names that would not bother me a bit: EWINGS ("Dallas"), O'NEALS (Ryan and Tatum), and OSMONDS (Osmonds). But mostly, this was just a smooth solve that felt pretty much perfect for a Tuesday.

Bullets:

• 9A: Trees along tropical beaches (PALMS). Or possibly in Wisconsin, depending on which cable news channel you're watching.

• 25A: Grubs and maggots (LARVAE). Eww. I seriously do not want to be thinking about grubs and maggots when I'm solving a crossword puzzle. Again, eww.
• 34A: Annual parade celeb (ST. PAT). When I lived in New York, St. Patrick's Day seemed like a great day to just stay inside. Lots of drunk people everywhere is what I'm saying.
• 42A: Joe Cocker's "You __ Beautiful" (ARE SO). My favorite Joe Cocker clip, with captions in case you don't understand what the heck he's singing.



• 45A: Slangy "No reason" ('CUZ). I do like seeing the slang in my puzzle.
• 47A: "Amen to that!" ("I'LL SAY!"). Also the colloquial phrase.
• 67A: 1/30 of abril (DIA). "Abril" is the Spanish word for "April," which has 30 days. "DIA" is the Spanish word for "day." So a DIA is 1/30 of abril (in Spanish, the names of months aren't capitalized).
• 8D: Tropical cyclone center (EYE). Which, as some of us recently learned, is surrounded by an EYEWALL.
• 25D: Crazy, in a Ricky Martin song (LOCA). I will now have "Livin' the Vida Loca" stuck in my head all day. Would you like to join me?



• 38D: Projector's slide holder (TRAY). For all you youngsters out there, "slides" used to be actual physical objects, not just computer-generated components of a PowerPoint presentation.
• 40D: Rigidly inflexible process (LOCKSTEP). My favorite entry.

• 50D: Lincoln Center's __ Fisher Hall (AVERY). Clever how Mr. Fisher got his name in the clue.
• 62D: Casual top (TEE). I created one this morning just for fun. I know Rex Parker wants one.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 21A: Hockey legend Bobby et al. (ORRS).
• 30A: "Garfield" pooch (ODIE).
• 63A: Mountain ridge (ARETE).
• 3D: It's near the 17-Across (ULNA).
• 26D: Month after Shevat (ADAR).
• 37D: Verdi opera (AIDA).
• 49D: Rum-soaked cakes (BABAS).

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Everything Else — 1A: Pert (SAUCY); 6A: Top grade, in slang (ACE); 14A: Aptly named cooler brand (IGLOO); 15A: Small island (CAY); 16A: Perpendicular to the keel (ABEAM); 19A: Tri- plus bi- (PENTA-); 20A: Drink from leaves (TEA); 21A: Hockey legend Bobby et al. (ORRS); 22A: Sea north of Poland (BALTIC); 29A: Manhattan sch. (NYU); 31A: Fan mag (ZINE); 43A: Formal coiffure (UPDO); 44A: Alan of "The Aviator" (ALDA); 55A: Disinclined (AVERSE); 56A: Works a tough row? (HOES); 57A: "The Amazing Race" airer (CBS); 60A: Prove apt for (BEFIT); 64A: www address (URL); 65A: Otherworldly (EERIE); 66A: IHOP condiment (SYRUP); 68A: Seed anew (RESOW); 1D: Sort through, as for clues (SIFT); 2D: Fit of fever (AGUE); 4D: Put one over on (CON); 5D: Cellist with 16 Grammys (YO-YO MA); 6D: Item in a fall stash (ACORN); 7D: Art able to (CANST); 10D: Clear as __ (A BELL); 11D: Slowly, in music (LENTO); 12D: "It slices! It dices!" gadget Veg-O-__ (MATIC); 13D: Wallop (SMACK); 18D: Zephyr (BREEZE); 22D: Journalist Nellie (BLY); 24D: What all good things come to (AN END); 27D: Increase (RISE); 28D: November honorees (VETS); 32D: Liar Joe in old TV car ads (ISUZU); 33D: Hip flask quickie (NIP); 35D: Greenish blue (TEAL); 36D: Sidekicks (PALS); 41D: Worked arduously (TOILED); 46D: Arles article (UNE); 48D: Like the preferable evil (LESSER); 51D: Allude (to) (REFER); 52D: Verdi aria that means "It was you" (ERITU); 53D: Strasbourg sweetheart (CHERI); 54D: Eucalyptus muncher (KOALA); 57D: Jaguar and Impala (CARS); 58D: Verve (BRIO); 59D: Hearty entrée (STEW); 61D: 1963 Paul Newman film (HUD).

03.01 Tue

T U E S D A Y
March 1, 2011
Donna S. Levin

Theme: Incognito — The first word of each theme answer is a synonym for "unidentified."

Theme answers:

• 20A: Cop's often-unreliable lead (ANONYMOUS TIP).
• 28A: Retailer's private label (NO-NAME BRAND).
• 50A: Facetious name for a school cafeteria staple (MYSTERY MEAT).
• 56A: "The Gong Show" regular with a paper bag on his head, with "the" (UNKNOWN COMIC).

Happy March, everybody. Seems like there's been a streak of puzzles that — despite their good points — didn't really sit well with me for one reason or another. Thank goodness Donna's here! This was a very smooth puzzle to me. The theme answers are all (every single one of them!) lively and they hang together well as a theme. There's some crosswordese and some fill that's kinda blah, but that's okay on Tuesday, especially if they're offset by sparkly entries like:

• 52A: Checkers demand (KING ME).
• 5D: West Coast ocean concern (TSUNAMI).
• 6D: Mingle (with) (HOBNOB).

All that with the added bonus of a grammar/punctuation lesson — 23A: Apostropheless possessive (ITS) — and I can consider this a solid puzzle all the way around.

Bullets:

• 10A: The man's partner, in a Shaw title (ARMS). The play is called "Arms and the Man." Personally, I've never heard of it. All I could think of was THE SEA. Okay, I admit it. My first thought was actually CHICO.
• 16A: "Trés __!" (BIEN). French!
• 17A: Screw-up (SNAFU). Seems like every time this shows up, someone has never heard of it. It stands for Situation Normal All Fouled Up. There is at least one other F-word that can be used in place of "Fouled."

• 42A: Martial arts-influenced workout (TAE BO). Yep, I bought the videotapes. Pretty sure they're stuffed back in a corner in the basement right now.
• 60A: March Madness org. (NCAA). March Madness refers, of course, to the annual college basketball championship tournaments. As Joon mentioned in the comments yesterday, the phrase "Midnight Madness" also has a connection to college basketball.
• 67A: Row of waiters (LINE). Did you picture a row of aloof-looking, bow-tied men, each with a cloth napkin draped over one forearm? I know I did.
• 68A: Dweebish (NERDY). I resemble that remark!
• 4D: Davenport, e.g. (SOFA). Because TOWN IN IOWA didn't fit.
• 9D: Jane Eyre, e.g. (HEROINE). Struggled mightily to put my finger on the word GOVERNESS, only to find it didn't fit.
• 22D: Reverse (UNDO). Do any of you remember a TV ad from a while back (I think it was for IBM) where a bunch of co-workers are huddled around a computer laughing because they're composing some kind of smart-ass email to their boss (or maybe a client)? The email ends up getting sent, even though that wasn't the intention, and they're all "Unsend! Unsend!" That's the catchphrase we use in the PuzzleHouse whenever we need a do-over.

• 35D: Performed in an aquacade (SWAM). I do not believe I've ever come across the word "aquacade" before, but it was pretty easy to piece together what the answer might be.
• 44D: Cyclone's most dangerous part (EYEWALL). I also don't believe I've ever heard of EYEWALL before. Then again, I've always thought tornados and cyclones were the same thing. (They're not!)
59D: "Moonstruck" Oscar winner (CHER). Oh good. An opportunity to post one of my favorite video clips.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 36A: Clerical robes (ALBS).
• 47A: RR stop (STA.).
• 70A: WWII carriers (LST'S).

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Everything Else — 1A: Rollicking good time (BLAST); 6A: "Pipe down!" ("HUSH!"); 14A: Western neckwear (BOLOS); 15A: Leer at (OGLE); 18A: Fuzzy image (BLUR); 19A: Jedi guru (YODA); 26A: Start of a Latin I conjugation (AMO); 27A: Snack for a gecko (INSECT); 32A: Milne hopper (ROO); 33A: Caroline Kennedy, to Maria Shriver (COUSIN); 34A: Three-layer snacks (OREOS); 37A: "The Bachelor" network (ABC); 38A: Laundry (WASH); 45A: Chewed like a beaver (GNAWED); 47A: RR stop (STA.); 54A: Glutton (PIG); 55A: Lic.-issuing bureau (DMV); 61A: Passed with flying colors (ACED); 62A: Up front (AHEAD); 66A: Former U.N. leader Waldheim (KURT); 69A: Evian et al. (SPAS); 71A: Swap (TRADE); 1D: Air gun pellets (BB'S); 2D: Chaney of horror (LON); 3D: Chicken-king link (ALA); 7D: Like an extremely unpleasant situation (UGLY); 8D: Inner city blight (SLUM); 10D: Deep fissure (ABYSS); 11D: Tear gas target (RIOTER); 12D: Sawbones (MEDICO); 13D: Shape up (SNAP TO); 21D: Harbinger (OMEN); 23D: Machu Picchu architect (INCA); 24D: Home Depot buy (TOOL); 25D: Cold shoulder (SNUB); 29D: Right hand: Abbr. (ASST.); 30D: Mechanical worker (ROBOT); 31D: Circumference part (ARC); 37D: "Washboard" muscles (ABS); 39D: Astounded (AWED); 40D: Fabric joint (SEAM); 41D: Rec room centerpiece (HD TV); 43D: 1-Down, e.g. (AMMO); 44D: Cyclone's most dangerous part (EYEWALL); 45D: Harsh (GRIM); 46D: NFLer who used to play in Yankee Stadium (N.Y. GIANT); 47D: Striped stinkers (SKUNKS); 48D: Costner/Russo golf flick (TIN CUP); 49D: Anatolian Peninsula capital (ANKARA); 51D: Some Horace poems (EPODES); 53D: Pesky fliers (GNATS); 57D: "JAG" spin-off (NCIS); 58D: Penny (CENT); 63D: Memorable time (ERA); 64D: Total (ADD); 65D: Color, in a way (DYE).

02.22 Tue

T U E S D A Y
February 22, 2011
John Lampkin

Theme: Fooded Things — Verbs based on words that can be words for food are used to describe random things. In the past tense. (What am I missing?)

Theme answers:

• 20A: Arborist's handiwork (PRUNED TREE).
• 26A: Windshield nuisance (SQUASHED BUGS).
• 44A: Result of an errant brushback pitch (BEANED BATTER).
• 55A: Deli sandwich filler (CORNED BEEF).

Can't say this theme did anything for me except cause me to ask a lot of questions. For example, why? And what? Also huh? Yes, I get it. The first word of each theme answer is a word that can be a type of food. But the phrase itself is just … random. Except for the last one. Yes, trees can be pruned; that doesn't mean that PRUNED TREE is a good phrase. Yes, bugs can be (and frequently are) squashed. Is SQUASHED BUGS a phrase people use? I suppose it might be. A batter might get beaned by an "errant brushback pitch" but in what circumstance would someone ever use the phrase BEANED BATTER? Then there's CORNED BEEF. Perfectly legitimate phrase all on its own. I've never really thought about what the CORNED part means — turns out it has to do with salt curing — so to me this answer also stood apart from the rest because I couldn't picture corning the way I can picture pruning, squashing, and beaning. So. Yeah. That's what I think of the theme.

I always feel bad when I start out negative like that. You know what I'm gonna need to turn this write-up around? A really, really awesome entry. Like … maybe, HIFAULTIN?! Yes that should do it! What a great word. Love seeing it in the puzzle. Other highlights for me include:

• 35A: Older woman's young lover, facetiously (BOY TOY).
• 8D: "Jeez Louise!" ("SHEESH!").
• 42D: Hack's service (CAB RIDE).
• 45D: One taking bets (BOOKIE).

Bullets:

• 5A: Go badly together (CLASH). Great clue.
• 18A: Time __ time: repeatedly (AFTER).



• 42A: Monopoly token (CAR). I think we've over this before here at LACC. Or maybe it was over at Rex's. It's not a CAR, it's a racecar. Similarly, there is not HAT token, it's a tophat. Says PuzzleGirl.
• 48A: Out of use, as words: Abbr. (OBS.). OBSolete.

• 53A: World dodo population (ZERO). I don't know if it was the "dodo" or the Z or what, but this one made me laugh.
• 59A: Pier gp. (ILWU). International Longshore and Warehouse Union.
• 7D: Helen Hunt or Holly Hunter, e.g. (ACTRESS WITH THE INITIALS HH).
• 21D: ABA member's title (ESQ.). Members of the American Bar Association are attorneys, who for some reasons are allowed to put "Esq." after their names.

• 50D: Yo-Yo Ma's instrument (CELLO). A friend from my childhood randomly posted on Facebook this picture of me playing the cello in 5th grade. For me, it's a cool picture in and of itself, but the really crazy part is that several people that know me literally thought this was a picture of PuzzleDaughter and not me.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 25A: Shocking swimmer (EEL).
• 47A: HDTV brand (RCA).
• 60A: Religious recess (APSE).
• 32D: Siouan tribe (OTOE).

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Everything Else — 1A: Raise, as produce (GROW); 10A: Stylish (CHIC); 14A: Instant, in product names (REDI); 15A: Madre's milk (LECHE); 16A: Bride's ride (LIMO); 17A: Busy, busy, busy (AT IT); 19A: "The Wizard __": comic strip (OF ID); 22A: All there (SANE); 23A: Development developments (HOMES); 24A: Jazz guitarist Montgomery (WES); 31A: Average guys (JOES); 34A: H.S. elite (SRS.); 36A: Place to make deposits, briefly (ATM); 37A: Bouquet delivery letters (FTD); 38A: Dream letters (REM); 39A: Novelist Fleming (IAN); 40A: Alabama's only seaport (MOBILE); 43A: Chip in a pot, maybe (ANTE); 49A: Chip in a bowl (NACHO); 57A: Blue book filler (EXAM); 58A: Dust Bowl refugees (OKIES); 61A: Center (MIDST); 62A: Amber brews (ALES); 63A: Dieter's goal (LOSS); 64A: Care for (SEE TO); 65A: Branching point (NODE); 1D: Boardroom diagram (GRAPH); 2D: Fashionably dated (RETRO); 3D: Intense dislike (ODIUM); 4D: One sitting on the stand (WITNESS); 5D: Attired (CLAD); 6D: How liberals lean (LEFTWARD); 9D: Not there (HERE); 10D: Quite near (CLOSE BY); 11D: Pretentious, informally (HIFALUTIN); 12D: Chip-tossing declaration (I'M IN); 13D: Programmers' writing (CODE); 25D: Ancient kingdom near the Dead Sea (EDOM); 27D: You, in Yucatán (USTED); 28D: Longtime "At the Movies" co-host Roger (EBERT); 29D: Capricorn's animal (GOAT); 30D: Holiday song closer (SYNE); 31D: Doorway side (JAMB); 33D: Humiliate (EMBARRASS); 37D: Pet pest (FLEA); 38D: Disorderly place (RAT'S NEST); 41D: Salaries, wages, etc. (INCOMES); 43D: Graceful steed (ARABIAN); 46D: Conclusion (END); 51D: Hacked (HEWED); 52D: Worth having (OF USE); 53D: Zest (ZEAL); 54D: Trade show (EXPO); 55D: Dot-__: e-businesses (COMS); 56D: This, to Pablo (ESTO).

02.15 Tue

T U E S D A Y February 15, 2011
Jack McInturff

Theme: Next to Last — The first word of each theme answer can come after (i.e., next to) the word "last" in a familiar phrase.

Theme answers:

• 18A: Knock off (CALL IT A DAY).
• 23A: Doomed fairy tale abode (STRAW HOUSE).
• 40A: Stick to formalities (STAND ON CEREMONY).
• 51A: Fast-cook grain product (MINUTE RICE).
• 59A: Penultimate, and where you might see the first words of 18-, 23-, 40- and 51-Across (NEXT TO LAST).

This is the kind of early-week theme I like. It's easy but there's a purpose to it. You're not just making random phrases for no reason, you're putting the word next to the word "last" because there's this phrase "NEXT TO LAST" that we've all heard and used a million times and this puzzle is, like, taking it literally. Now I'm not saying that this theme would be totally stupid without the cool twist to it. I kinda think that there are only so many theme ideas out there and they're not all going to be awesome. So on a Monday or Tuesday? That's okay. Any later in the week though, I want some cleverness there. And this week, we got the cleverness early. Huzzah!

Bullets:

• 17A: Diamond team (NINE). That would be a baseball diamond. There are NINE positions on a baseball field.
• 33A: Satisfied sound (AAH). I'd never really taken the time to think about it until now, but I've just decided that I do not like the entries AAH, OOH, and SHH. On the other hand, I do not mind BRR and AWW. I can't really explain it and really, you'd probably just as soon I didn't.
• 36A: Drink away, as sorrows (DROWN).



• 39A: Largest of the Philippines (LUZON). Lots of random islands in the grid today. See also PALAU (7D: 2005 "Survivor" island) and ELLIS (8D: __ Island, former immigration center).

• 45A: Place for buoys and gulls (SEA). I didn't see this clue as I was solving. I can't decide if I love it or hate it. I think I kinda of love it.
• 46A: Gibson of tennis (ALTHEA). She was the first African-American woman to play on the world tennis tour and the first to win one of the Grand Slam tournaments (the French Open in 1956).
• 71A: Wall St. market (NYSE). New York Stock Exchange.
• 37D: Loos, briefly (WC'S). Can we ever really get enough of the British bathroom words?
• 38D: Big name in Indian politics (NEHRU). Okay, look. I don't really know anything about this guy but it seems like he's been in the puzzle every day for at least a week and I'm tired of him. Him and his jacket.
• 41D: Okinawa's capital (NAHA). Whoa. I didn't see this clue either. NAHA? That's awesome.
• 62D: Jilted lover's need, briefly (TLC). Heh.

Crosswordese 101: O'SHEA is almost always clued like today's 44A: Milo of "Ulysses." Milo O'SHEA is an Irish-born actor whose other films include "Romeo and Juliet," "Barbarella," and "The Verdict." The only other O'SHEAs you're likely to see are the Welsh, Tony-winning actress Tessie O'SHEA and the rapper Ice Cube. "Ice Cube?" you ask? Yes, apparently Ice Cube's real name is O'SHEA Jackson. You're welcome.
Other Crosswordese in the puzzle that we've already covered:

• 14A: Old apple spray (ALAR).
• 30A: Max of "The Beverly Hillbillies" (BAER).
• 66A: Writer __ Rogers St. Johns (ADELA).
• 5D: Legendary bird (ROC).
• 60D: Tokyo, once (EDO).

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Everything Else — 1A: Rope material (HEMP); 5A: Ready for the picking (RIPE); 9A: Staff symbol (C CLEF); 15A: Like some vaccines (ORAL); 16A: "The Magic Flute," for one (OPERA); 20A: Screwups (GOOFS); 22A: Capitol worker (AIDE); 26A: Overcharge, in slang (SOAK); 31A: Point a finger at (ACCUSE); 43A: Reef material (CORAL); 48A: Let us know, in an invite (RSVP); 50A: __ bargaining (PLEA); 57A: Meat pkg. letters (USDA); 58A: It has banks and a mouth (RIVER); 65A: Ice cream drink (SODA); 67A: Cavern sound (ECHO); 68A: Metal sources (ORES); 69A: Veranda (PORCH); 70A: Gush (SPEW); 1D: Associates (with), slangily (HANGS); 2D: "The Naming of Cats" poet (ELIOT); 3D: Lord's estate (MANOR); 4D: Ready-made home (PREFAB); 6D: Songwriter Gershwin (IRA); 9D: Coop (COTE); 10D: No.-crunching pro (CPA); 11D: Guided (LED); 12D: Big Band __ (ERA); 13D: Wray of "King Kong" (FAY); 19D: It may be half-baked (IDEA); 21D: Wrap, as an infant (SWADDLE); 24D: Saver of the day (HERO); 25D: Maine college town (ORONO); 26D: Pond problem (SCUM); 27D: Greek liqueurs (OUZOS); 28D: What "two shall be" after the I do's, in song (AS ONE); 29D: Land of Obama's father (KENYA); 32D: Butcher's tool (CLEAVER); 33D: Musicians' org. (ASCAP); 34D: Lagoon border (ATOLL); 35D: Poker Flat creator (HARTE); 42D: Musical silence (REST); 47D: Playground retort (AM SO); 49D: Place up the 58-Across? (PRISON); 52D: Sits at a light, say (IDLES); 53D: Anti-racism gp. since 1909 (NAACP); 54D: Classic Procter & Gamble soap brand (IVORY); 55D: Formally gives up (CEDES); 56D: Wipe off the board (ERASE); 57D: Colorado neighbor (UTAH); 59D: Short sleep (NAP); 61D: Signer, at times (X'ER); 63D: Miss identification (SHE); 64D: Stranded motorist's need (TOW).

02.08 Tue

T U E S D A Y Date, 2011
John Lampkin

Theme: John Lampkin Likes Butts — The end of each theme answer is a word that can be a synonym for "butt."

Theme answers:

• 17A: Side-to-side skid (FISHTAIL).
• 24A: Have no place to go but up (HIT ROCK BOTTOM).
• 50A: Bus driver's request (STEP TO THE REAR).
• 62A: Idler at the shore (BEACH BUM).
• 39A: Pistol handle, and what 17-, 24-, 50- and 62-Across each have (BUTT END).

Cute theme. About halfway through I'm all, "Wait a minute, the theme is butts? Awesome." Nothing particularly sparkly about the long downs: MASTHEADS, REROOTED, CAMERA BAG, BELTLINE(??). They're long but that's about all I can really say for them. I also noticed quite a bit of that "themed cluing," which I really enjoy in small doses but find a little annoying after a while. What do I mean? Check these out:

• 16A: Cosmetics giant founded in 1932 (REVLON).
• 20A: Cosmetics giant Lauder (ESTÉE).
• 64A: Nonsupporter's political sign words (VOTE NO).
• 54D: Supporter's political sign word (ELECT).
• 6D: Chum in Chihuahua (AMIGO).
• 28D: Chihuahua greeting (HOLA).
• 47D: Chihuahua, e.g. (TOY DOG).

I also noticed a little thread of violence weaving its way through this grid. Did you see that?

• 14A: Rat-__ (A-TAT).
• 55A: Point, as a pistol (AIM).
• 32D: Big bomb blasts (N-TESTS).
• 50D: Round of gunfire (SALVO).

Did I mention the theme is butts?

Bullets:

• 5A: Big Apple line (MAC). I was taken in by the "Big Apple" trick. My first thought was "Circle Line," which is a tourist boat ride around Manhattan. (Not sure if it actually goes all the way around Manhattan, but anyway.) Of course, if Circle Line was the answer, the word "line" wouldn't be in the clue. D'oh!
• 8A: Buster who played Flash Gordon (CRABBE). Buster CRABBE is a cool name. I know a few people I wouldn't mind calling Buster CRABBE.
• 21A: Doodad (GISMO). I prefer to spell this word with a Z, and I did that first.
• 65A: U.N. Day mo. (OCT.). Whenever I see one of these clues for a particular month I always think it's April. I don't know why.
• 1D: Hard Rock __ (CAFE). A little unusual that the word "rock" is in this clue and in the grid (at 24A).
• 2D: Bluesman Redding (OTIS).
• 7D: What drives a baby buggy? (COLIC). That's a cute clue. So grateful the PuzzleKids didn't suffer from COLIC.
• 61D: "__ Blu Dipinto Di Blu": 1958 hit (NEL). No idea.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 20A: Cosmetics giant Lauder (ESTÉE).
• 44A: To be, in Bordeaux (ÊTRE).
• 45A: FBI guy (G-MAN).
• 36D: Morales of "NYPD Blue" (ESAI).

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Everything Else — 1A: Unconscious state (COMA); 15A: Texter's "I think ..." (IMO); 19A: Top-priority (URGENT); 23A: In the past (AGO); 27A: Old man's domain, in a Hemingway work (THE SEA); 29A: "¿Cómo __ usted?" (ESTÁ); 30A: With perfection (TO A T); 31A: Bite like a rat (GNAW); 34A: Get all A's (EXCEL); 38A: From the past (OLD); 41A: Gentle-lamb connector (AS A); 42A: Wallpaper goo (PASTE); 46A: Mtn. stats (ALTS.); 48A: Virgil epic (AENEID); 56A: Disinfectant brand (LYSOL); 57A: Port near Kobe (OSAKA); 60A: Ex-Soviet leader Brezhnev (LEONID); 66A: Wild West's Wyatt (EARP); 67A: Monopod feature (ONE LEG); 68A: Mo. town (STL); 69A: Some NCOs (SGTS.); 3D: Newspapers' staff lists (MASTHEADS); 4D: Nonbeliever (ATHEIST); 5D: Athletes for Hope co-founder Hamm (MIA); 8D: Cookie jar morsels (CRUMBS); 9D: Transplanted successfully (REROOTED); 10D: Batting no. (AVG.); 11D: Lamb's greeting (BLEAT); 12D: Salsa drum (BONGO); 13D: Bug sci. (ENTOM.); 18D: Head, to Henri (TÊTE); 22D: Cookout holder (SKEWER); 25D: Maker of Mama's Special Garden Sauce (RAGU); 26D: Invoice add-on (TAX); 27D: Sports car option (T-TOP); 33D: Courtroom VIP (ATT.); 35D: Photographer's tote (CAMERA BAG); 37D: Arrive, in a way (LAND); 39D: Spare tire site? (BELT LINE); 40D: About to arrive (NEAR); 43D: Light hit (TAP); 45D: Grinds, as teeth (GNASHES); 49D: Fair-hiring org. (EEOC); 51D: Attach, as to a hitching post (TIE ON); 52D: Ham it up (EMOTE); 53D: Vagabonds (HOBOS); 58D: Super Bowl XXXIV MVP Warner (KURT); 59D: Gig gear (AMPS); 63D: Eur.-North America divider (ATL.).

02.01 Tue

T U E S D A Y February 1, 2011
Bruce Venzke and Gail Grabowski

Theme: Everybody Out of the Pool! — The first word of each theme answer can be related to pool (billiards).

Theme answers:

• 17A: Coach's pregame lecture (CHALK TALK).
• 24A: Home seller-and-buyer's short-term loan (BRIDGE FINANCING).
• 41A: 1929 women's air race, as dubbed by Will Rogers (POWDER PUFF DERBY).
• 51A: Production number director's cry (CUE THE ORCHESTRA).
• 65A: Summer shindig, and a hint to the starts of 17-, 24-, 41- and 51-Across (POOL PARTY).

The theme didn't help me on this one at all. I assumed the first words of the theme answers were related, but I didn't see how until I got the reveal. And then … okay. I guess I've never been a good enough pool player to need POWDER. Is it for the players' hands? I know the CHALK is for the tip of the CUE and a BRIDGE is that cheater thing that's supposed to help you aim or keep the cue steady or something. I assume any self-respecting pool player would never be caught dead with one, but I've used one plenty of times myself personally.

The theme answers themselves are fairly colorful, I will say that. CHALK TALK is awesome. And even though BRIDGE FINANCING is a fairly boring concept, the words themselves are cool. POWDER PUFF DERBY? Never heard of it, but am happy to learn about it. Love how the nickname is just dripping with condescension. "Well, hello, little ladies. I understand you have learned how to fly a plane in direct contradiction to societal norms as well as, no doubt, the wishes of your families. That's really quite an amazing achievement, girls! Now make sure you don't mess up your pretty little cheeks on your way across the country!" And then there's CUE THE ORCHESTRA. I can imagine someone saying that, but for me it really doesn't work as a stand-alone phrase worthy of inclusion in a theme.

I started out strong throwing BOSS in for [1A: One in charge] right away, but then ran into trouble. I tried BY BUS where BY CAB was supposed to go (1D: How many city folks travel). I'm not proud to say that I knew right away [2D: Fireworks watcher] would be OOHER. That's one cringe-worthy entry there. And I can never remember how to spell 3D: Puppeteer Lewis's first name. It's SHARI. After that, though, I was pretty much off to the races.

Highlights in this grid for me include:

• 9D: Pampered (SPOON-FED).
• 58D: Joe's "Midnight Cowboy" pal (RATSO). I remember seeing the character's full name — RATSO RIZZO — in a Barry Silk puzzle sometime in the last year and since then he seems to be turning up quite frequently.
• 35D: Instinctive, as a feeling (GUT). Like the clue.

Bullets:

• 9A: Resell at a major markup (SCALP). Probably not a good idea to get me started on SCALPing. It makes me completely insane. Remember when it used to be possible to see a concert without taking out a second mortgage? Ah, the good old days.

• 28A: TV revue since '75 (SNL). I remember watching the "Samurai" sketch on the very first episode of "Saturday Night Live" and thinking "This is the dumbest thing I've ever seen in my life. No way this show survives." Of course I was only 10.
• 60A: Gambling letters (OTB). Off-Track Betting.
• 61A: Gambling city (RENO). It's the biggest little city in the world, you know.
• 63A: Absolut rival, for short (STOLI). Vodka!
• 36D: Company with a web-footed spokescritter (AFLAC). And there's that stupid duck again.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 20A: Raptor's roost (AERIE).
• 23A: Diarist Anaïs (NIN).
• 45A: 1944 invasion city (ST.-LÔ).
• 49A: Oktoberfest cry (ACH).
• 6D: Harem room (ODA).
• 66D: Andean tuber (OCA).

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Everything Else — 5A: Ticketless rail rider (HOBO); 14A: Pirate's syllables (YO HO); 15A: Bean product? (IDEA); 16A: More virtuous (PURER); 19A: University of Maine town (ORONO); 21A: Late-night Jay (LENO); 29A: Acting instructor's deg., perhaps (MFA); 30A: Start to knock? (ANTI-); 34A: Pop music's Lady __ (GAGA); 37A: Surround securely (EMBED); 44A: Rail rider (TRAIN); 46A: Spot for a hoop (LOBE); 47A: WWII espionage gp. (OSS); 62A: Assumed identity (ALIAS); 68A: Fruit served in balls (MELON); 69A: Way to store pix (ON CD); 70A: Prepare for a shot (POSE); 71A: Speak at length (ORATE); 72A: Soup veggies (PEAS); 73A: Job opening (SLOT); 4D: Three-dimensional (SOLID); 5D: Wallop (HIT); 7D: Attorney Melvin (BELLI); 8D: Like wine barrels (OAKEN); 10D: Mangy mongrel (CUR); 11D: Rice-__ (A-RONI); 12D: Bolshevik leader (LENIN); 13D: Plug projection (PRONG); 18D: Tapped barrels (KEGS); 22D: '60s-'70s service site, briefly (NAM); 25D: Certain Caltech grad: Abbr. (ENGR.); 26D: Envelope parts (FLAPS); 27D: Desert mount (CAMEL); 30D: Well-chosen (APT); 31D: Fish-fowl connection (NOR); 32D: Bygone intl. carrier (TWA); 33D: Jerk (IDIOT); 38D: Short relative? (BRO); 39D: Recede (EBB); 40D: Change, as one's locks? (DYE); 42D: Elect to a Hall of Fame, say (ENSHRINE); 43D: Nina of "Spartacus" (FOCH); 48D: "What did I tell you?" ("SEE?"); 50D: Disorderly mound (HEAP); 51D: Women's mag (COSMO); 52D: Put into words (UTTER); 53D: African virus (EBOLA); 54D: "Hop __": Dr. Seuss book (ON POP); 55D: ABC's Arledge (ROONE); 56D: High-fives, e.g. (SLAPS); 57D: Divided Austrian state (TIROL); 59D: Up to this point (AS YET); 64D: Subdivision unit (LOT); 67D: Mormons' gp. (LDS).