05.29 Sun

S U N D A Y
May 29, 2011
Matt Skoczen

[Note: This is the syndicated L.A. Times puzzle. It does not appear in the actual newspaper, but is available for free at cruciverb.com.]

Theme: "For the Record" — Two word phrases that start with the letters LP.

Theme Entries:

• 27A: George Bush in late 1992, say (LAME-DUCK PRESIDENT).
• 43A: Delivery lead-in (LABOR PAINS).
• 72A: Make-believe intro (LET'S PRETEND).
• 97A: Heads-up discovery (LUCKY PENNY).
• 118A: Danube School artists (LANDSCAPE PAINTERS).
• 16D: Edward Lear output (LIMERICK POETRY).
• 52D: Kaufman play based on the Matthew Shepard incident, with "The" (LARAMIE PROJECT).

Hey, crossword fans. Doug here on Sunday, as usual. Hope you're all having a nice Memorial Day weekend. And if you're from Canada or one of those other places, I hope you're having a nice regular weekend.

Did you figure out the theme today? The "Record" mentioned in the title is an LP, and all seven theme answers are also LPs. The constructor could have put LPS into the grid somewhere as a hint, but I like that he made us figure it out.

I'm old enough to have bought LPs as a kid, and I still have a few of them in a box somewhere. I haven't owned a record player in over twenty years, so it's probably safe to get rid of those albums now.

Bullets:

• 37A: "It Ain't All About the Cookin'" memoirist Deen (PAULA). I never watch cooking shows, but I've heard of Paula Deen. I had no idea she wrote a memoir. Check out this recipe for English Peas. Is that for real? (I can't remember for sure where I first saw this amazing recipe, but I believe it was a link from Deb Amlen, crossword constructor and humor writer extraordinaire.)

• 53A: Wine bottle word (CRU). Apparently it's French for vineyard. Something like that. The wine people will know. And they can also tell us which wine goes best with English Peas. Maybe a nice bottle of Thunderbird.
• 54A: Requiem Mass hymn word (IRAE). The hymn "Dies Irae" which translates as Day of Wrath.
• 56A: 60 minuti (ORA). 60 minutes = 1 hour, Italian-style.
• 114A: Hi's spouse, in comics (LOIS). Did you know Lois is Beetle Bailey's sister? True story. She's lucky their parents didn't name her Ladybug or Cricket.

• 1D: Places to study anglais, perhaps (ECOLES). French schools.
• 2D: Endearing words from Étienne (MON AMI). More French!
• 3D: Friend of Athos (ARAMIS). French Musketeers! Sacre bleu, this corner is busting at the seams with Frenchitude.
• 9D: Roman road of yore (ITER). OK, at least it's not French. But it's a tough one, so please read this Crosswordese 101 entry: ITER. It's from a old LACC post written by Rex Parker, and he somehow found a way to work in a picture of Teri Garr in her underwear.
• 35D: Back for a buck? (AROO). Buckaroo. Not my favorite entry.
• 59D: It produces lieuts. (OCS). Short for Officer Candidate School.
• 7D: Launches may originate from one (TASKBAR). I've covered a lot of the tougher, more obscure entries in the grid, and I wanted to highlight some of the fun stuff too. In technical terms, the taskbar is the thingie at the bottom of your computer screen. I like the entry and the tricky clue.

• 77A: Twenty somethings? (ATMS). My winner for Clue of the Day. Excellent!
• 8D: Concludes (WRAPS UP). Good one to go out on. See you next week.

Everything Else —1A: Modern letters (EMAILS); 7A: Surprise at the end (TWIST); 12A: Hot air (GAS); 15A: Sight from Salzburg (ALPS); 19A: Trumpet relative (CORNET); 20A: Bandleader Shaw (ARTIE); 21A: Job: Abbr. (OCC); 22A: Dismiss (FIRE); 23A: Even (with) (ON A PAR); 24A: Composer Saint-__ (SAENS); 25A: Like some bandits (ONE-ARMED); 30A: Green gp. (EPA); 31A: Persian Gulf prince (EMIR); 32A: Unruly crowds (MOBS); 33A: In-flight no. (ALT.); 34A: Rip into (TEAR AT); 36A: Oaxaca "Of course!" ("S´I" SÍ!"); 40A: Cut off (LOP); 42A: Houston school (RICE); 47A: Bolts again (RELOCKS); 50A: Animation frame (CEL); 55A: Nook download (EBOOK); 57A: Souped-up wheels (HOT ROD); 60A: "Psst!" "HEY YOU!"); 62A: How a player may turn (PRO); 65A: "Have __!" (MERCY); 67A: Missed __ (A CUE); 69A: It's charged (ION); 70A: Either 2007 Best Director (COEN); 71A: H.S. freshmen may take it (PSAT); 76A: Webster's entries: Abbr. (DEFS.); 78A: Poet's preposition (ERE); 79A: Prehistorical author Jean (AUEL); 80A: "Understand?" ("GET IT?"); 81A: Who, in Quebec (QUI); 82A: "Soap" actor Robert (MANDAN); 85A: Phone button (REDIAL); 88A: Code carrier (RNA); 89A: Take away (ERASE); 91A: Noggin (DOME); 93A: "Ciao!" ("BYE!"); 94A: "__ Blues": Beatles "White Album" song (YER); 95A: Facets (ASPECTS); 101A: Field shield (TARP); 102A: Numerical prefix (TRI-); 104A: He replaced Gumbel on "Today" (LAUER); 105A: Old U.S. gas (ESSO); 109A: Soldiers (TROOPS); 112A: Baby docs (OB'S); 116A: At what point (WHEN); 117A: Old rule in India (RAJ); 123A: Pub (ALEHOUSE); 125A: Worst or best conclusion? (OF ALL); 126A: Like olde England (MERRIE); 127A: Winans of gospel (CECE); 128A: Former Giants closer Robb __ (NEN); 129A: __ Islands: autonomous Danish province (FAROE); 130A: Eye slyly (PEEP AT); 131A: French bean? (TˆETE); 132A: One may have several scenes (ACT); 133A: Some grenades, briefly (FRAGS); 134A: Lifts (STEALS); 4D: At risk (IN PERIL); 5D: Heavy metal (LEAD); 6D: Pick alternative (STRUM); 10D: Trig ratio (SINE); 11D: "Veronica Mars" actress Thompson (TESSA); 12D: Treating nicely (GOOD TO); 13D: Proactiv target (ACNE); 14D: Essence (SCENT); 15D: Liberia's cont. (AFR.); 17D: Assortment for sale as a unit (PREPACK); 18D: Gets ready for surgery (SEDATES); 26D: Dined (ATE); 28D: Quit (on) (COP OUT); 29D: "Maybe" ("I'LL SEE"); 38D: Home in bed, perhaps (LAID UP); 39D: Word with ball or guitar (AIR); 41D: Exploit (PREY ON); 44D: Sore (ACHY); 45D: Monastic title: Abbr. (BRO.); 46D: "Uh-uh" ("NAH"); 48D: WWII issue (E BOND); 49D: Actor __ Diamond Phillips (LOU); 50D: 2002 Hewlett-Packard acquisition (COMPAQ); 51D: Title words repeated after "Como una promesa," in a 1974 song (ERES TU); 58D: Gave two stars, say (RATED); 61D: Return (YIELD); 63D: Purify (REFINE); 64D: GM tracking system (ONSTAR); 66D: Dol. parts (CTS.); 68D: Generation (ERA); 70D: B-F span (C-D-E); 72D: Not under, with "at" (LEAST); 73D: One of the Gallos (ERNEST); 74D: "Aha!" ("EUREKA!"); 75D: Casual shirt (TEE); 80D: Secluded valley (GLEN); 82D: Big __ (MAC); 83D: They're extemporaneous (AD LIBS); 84D: __-TURN (NO U); 86D: Spanish airline (IBERIA); 87D: Author Rand (AYN); 90D: Bank seizure, for short (REPO); 92D: 12th-century date (MCL); 95D: Engage (ATTRACT); 96D: Hillshire Farm parent company (SARA LEE); 98D: Holiday warmer (YULE LOG); 99D: Community inhabitants (PEOPLES); 100D: Longbow wood source (YEW TREE); 103D: Porcupine, e.g. (RODENT); 106D: Himalayan leader (SHERPA); 107D: Soap, e.g. (SERIAL); 108D: Starts (ONSETS); 110D: Mideast org. since 1964 (PLO); 111D: Gym plus (SAUNA); 113D: Sneer (at) (SCOFF); 115D: Ninnies (SIMPS); 119D: Tiny amt. of time (NSEC.); 120D: At a distance (AFAR); 121D: Chute opener? (PARA-); 122D: Old Nair rival (NEET); 124D: Bit of a laugh (HEE).