6.19.2011

06.19 Sun

S U N D A Y
June 19, 2011
Pamela Amick Klawitter


[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: "Broadway Showstoppers" — Phrases that end with a Broadway show.

Theme Entries:
  • 23A: Airport pickup spot (BAGGAGE CAROUSEL).
  • 39A: Norman landmark (UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA!).
  • 56A: Troublemaker's credo? (NO REST FOR THE WICKED).
  • 82A: One might prompt a curtain call (BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE).
  • 99A: Fleeting celebrity (FIFTEEN MINUTES OF FAME).
  • 120A: Relax (LET DOWN ONE'S HAIR).
Hey, crossword fans. Doug here on Sunday. Today's theme, Broadway musicals, isn't my area of expertise. Not even close. I'm not going to hold that against the puzzle though, because lots of my crossword friends are Broadway professionals and/or fans. Maybe I'm the ideal person to review this one, because if the shows are familiar to me, they're going to be familiar to everyone. Ms. Klawitter did a nice job. The only one I've never heard of is APPLAUSE. Wikipedia tells me that it was based on the movie "All About Eve" and won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 1970. Works for me. The long phrases containing the show names were solid, especially NO REST FOR THE WICKED and FIFTEEN MINUTES OF FAME.

Bullets:
  • 5A: Like pro football players (MALE). I don't think we're ever going to see a female playing in the NFL. As far as I know, the closest that women have come to breaking into one of the big four leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL) was in 1992. Goalie Manon Rhéaume played in an exhibition game for the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning. But who knows. Maybe we'll be watching Debbie Jeter play shortstop for the Yankees on Opening Day in 2035.
  • 47A: Captain Hook's last words are its motto (ETON). I had to look this one up. Hook's last words in the play "Peter Pan" are "Floreat Etona" which translates to "Let Eton Flourish." Is this while he's being eaten by a crocodile? My "Peter Pan" knowledge is a little hazy.
  • 54A: Alas., once (TERR). Does anyone actually abbreviate Alaska as "Alas."? You've already written 2/3 of the name, so suck it up and add the "-ka" on the end!
  • 74A: 2000 Gere title role (DR. T). Which movie was seen by more people: "Dr. T. & the Women" or "Ulee's Gold"? I've seen neither.
  • 8D: And others, to Cicero (ET ALII). Sometimes this is ET ALIA and sometimes it's ET ALII. If you want to the know the difference, click here. (It's boring.)
  • 43D: Took off (FLEW). I had the first couple of letters, so when I read the clue, I confidently filled in FLED. That left me with an interesting answer for 56-Across.
  • 44D: "Hamlet" courtier (OSRIC) / 45D: Olympic volleyball medalist ___ Kiraly (KARCH) / 55D: Seuss, actually (GEISEL) / 60D: "The Jungle Book" python (KAA). Wow, lots of wicked tough names in this section, and they all cross WICKED.
  • 46D: Big name in traitors (ARNOLD). Benedict Arnold. But he's not the biggest name in traitors. That would be Vidkun Quisling. He was the politician who assisted Nazi Germany as it conquered Norway, his home country, so that he'd be put in charge of the collaborationist Norwegian government. He was such a bad guy that now the word "quisling" is synonymous with traitor, particularly one who collaborates with enemies. Worst eponym ever.
  • 71D: '30s-'40s actress D'Orsay (FIFI). That was back when people, not poodles, were named Fifi.
  • 93D: Angel Clare's love, in an 1891 novel (TESS). "Tess of the d'Urbervilles."
  • 94D: Lochinvars (SUITORS). OK, here's your vocabulary word for the day. Lochinvar. Apparently the word derives from "young Lochinvar," the hero of Sir Walter Scott's 1808 poem "Marmion."
  • 122D: People people, briefly (EDS). Editors at People magazine. Clues about editors and editing are often tricky.
I won't be here next Sunday, so I'm asking PuzzleGirl to call upon one of her many minions to fill in for me. You'll be in good hands. See you in July.

Everything Else1A: Cotton-picking handful (BOLL); 9A: Libreville is its capital (GABON); 14A: Seasonal crew? (ELVES); 19A: Moises of baseball (ALOU); 20A: One often thickens on stage (PLOT); 21A: Word with soap (OPERA); 22A: Corporate reward (RAISE); 26A: Ballet __ (RUSSE); 27A: "__ and his money ..." (A FOOL); 28A: Toledo toast (SALUD); 29A: Certain Honshu resident (OSAKAN); 31A: __ Sauer: handgun (SIG); 33A: Library ID (ISBN); 35A: Urges (ITCHES); 46A: Prop- suffix (ANE); 48A: Gives an earful (YELLS AT); 49A: Frat characters? (PSIS); 50A: Some HDTVs (RCA'S); 52A: Sunscreen additive (ALOE); 55A: Iona College athletes (GAELS); 61A: British miler Steve (OVETT); 62A: One in a pool (STENO); 63A: Trendy tea (CHAI); 64A: Some NFL linemen (RT'S); 67A: Class unit (LESSON); 69A: Assistants and such (STAFF); 72A: Like a wake (ASTERN); 75A: It may be fenced (LOOT); 78A: Mrs. Gorbachev (RAISA); 81A: Relative of -ish (-ESQUE); 86A: Dressing target (SALAD); 89A: "Let __!" (IT GO); 90A: Inventor Sikorsky (IGOR); 91A: Cheese holder (RITZ); 92A: Nutmeg covering (ARIL); 93A: Like most sandals (TOELESS); 96A: Fictional futuristic race (ELOI); 98A: Big foot letters (EEE); 103A: Some kitchens (EAT-INS); 104A: Gossip (DIRT); 105A: Moral slip (SIN); 106A: Cellist awarded a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Grammy in 1989 (CASALS); 110A: Second-deepest U.S. lake (TAHOE); 113A: Convertible alternatives (T-TOPS); 117A: Burst of activity (SPASM); 123A: Come to terms (AGREE); 124A: Many a chat room visitor (AOL'ER); 125A: __ Center: N.J. arena (IZOD); 126A: Italian hot spot (ETNA); 127A: Like some bulls (PAPAL); 128A: Hoity-toity types (SNOBS); 129A: British tax (CESS); 130A: Voicemail accumulation: Abbr. (MSGS.); 1D: Radner's Wawa (BABA); 2D: Minnesota's St. __ College (OLAF); 3D: Company symbol (LOGO); 4D: 1931 count portrayer (LUGOSI); 5D: SUV stat (MPG); 6D: Some draft picks (ALES); 7D: Like "la vida" in a Ricky Martin hit (LOCA); 9D: Splitting word? (GOODBYE); 10D: Springfield storekeeper (APU); 11D: Carlos's kiss (BESO); 12D: Mined finds (ORES); 13D: "The Lion King" lioness (NALA); 14D: Slips (ERRATA); 15D: Takeoff place (LAUNCHPAD); 16D: Before and after "à," compared with (VIS); 17D: Safe opener? (ESS); 18D: Have a look (SEE); 24D: Better way to be wanted? (ALIVE); 25D: Needing practice (RUSTY); 30D: Clan attire (KILT); 32D: Gain access to (GET AT); 34D: "Peaceful Warrior" actor (NOLTE); 36D: Flimflam (HOSE); 37D: Silents star Jannings (EMIL); 38D: Sign of freshness (SASS); 39D: Find out (UNCOVER); 40D: Most handy (NEAREST); 41D: Massages deeply (ROLFS); 42D: Hoity-toity type (SNOOT); 51D: Match parts (SETS); 53D: Part of a Spanish 101 conjugation (ERES); 57D: Not easily excited (STOLID); 58D: "The Closer" channel (TNT); 59D: Stock and then some (HOARD); 64D: Passing notes? (REQUIEM); 65D: Chairman of the board, for one (TRUSTEE); 66D: Blessed event? (SNEEZE); 68D: Fireside quaff (NOG); 70D: __ Schwarz: 5th Avenue toy store (F.A.O.); 73D: Former despot (TSAR); 76D: Hunter of the stars (ORION); 77D: Carved pole (TOTEM); 79D: Prudent advisers (SAGES); 80D: Skating gold medalist __ Anton Ohno (APOLO); 82D: Latvia-Sweden separator (BALTIC SEA); 83D: Grapefruit relative (UGLI); 84D: Eternally (NO END); 85D: Faculty mems. (PROFS.); 86D: Heist target (SAFE); 87D: La Scala highlight (ARIA); 88D: Garage apparatus (LIFT); 95D: Turkey's place, in song (STRAW); 97D: "__ Lovin' That You Want": Rihanna hit (IFITS); 100D: Crown cover (ENAMEL); 101D: Like some restaurants (ETHNIC); 102D: Game opener (ANTHEM); 107D: It might precede bad news (ALAS); 108D: 2009-'11 CIA director Panetta (LEON); 109D: City of NW France (ST.-LÔ); 111D: Slow flow (OOZE); 112D: "The Dukes of Hazzard" deputy (ENOS); 114D: Porridge base (OATS); 115D: Ball game opener? (PING); 116D: Ladies of Sp. (SRAS.); 117D: It's tapped for syrup (SAP); 118D: FedEx Cup org. (PGA); 119D: Ernst collaborator (ARP); 121D: Belle of the ball (DEB).

7 comments:

hazel said...

I can't see ROLF without thinking of ralphing - my brain seems to equate the two. Not a Broadway musical person, but found this an enjoyable puzzle.

theme fill did not jump out at me so relied on crosses for getting much-needed footholds. More familiar with "No rest for the "weary" than the "wicked" but i think a show called Weary might not be very successful.

@dougp - according to boxofficemojo.com, Dr. T has outgrossed Ulee $13M to $9M in the US market although Ulee was much more well received critically. I liked Ulee's Gold alot. Might check out Dr. T too since its an Altman film.

Gene said...

I thought this was a difficult Sunday puzzle. Started at breakfast, finished at lunch. Brain hurts thanks to "ovett" and "eton".

Dave in Bend, Oregon said...

No love for this puzzle at all. Too many names just made the solving experience blah. The east alone with OSRIC, KARCH, EMIL, GEISEL and throw in the (obscure) cluing for GAELS and it was a real mess. The plays part of it did not throw me (but, same as Doug,, DNK APPLAUSE). I did like the cluing for LUGOSI and PAPAL but as a whole, it just felt like a clunky way to include a bunch of plays in the long answers. Oh well off to see if there are better pastures at the NYT.

Dave in Bend, Oregon said...

Oh yeah, one more kvetch. My experience has always been that theme answers are either "clever" (? clues) or not....But the NORESTFORTHEWICKED one was out of place with the others. Maybe I am wrong.

Dave in Bend, Oregon said...

Egg on face. Today's NYT has the same thing - where one of the theme answered is ? clued and all the others aren't. I guess I was wrong after all? Hoping that Rory does not melt down in the US Open today but I bet NBC is secretly hoping that he does.

CoffeeLvr said...

I chewed on this puzzle for quite a while, and eventually beat it, but not without some struggle.

I do love a good Sunday, but this one didn't do it for me. All of the phrases were in the language though, my mother used to say "No rest for the wicked."

Quibbles: 17D is clued as "safe opener" and 86D is SAFE. AOLER is as ugly as it gets.

I didn't see the period after Alas., and was looking for something like an archaic Oh Me. Didn't know CESS, but it was clued as British, and is. I knew enough of the obscure names to get through the "WICKED" crossings, but the second A in KAA was my last letter into the grid. What I still can't figure out is how PING is a "ball game opener," unless it means Ping Pong is played with a ball.

Happy Father's Day to any Dads here.

Dave in Bend, Oregon said...

@coffee....Obviosuly it is indeed the opening word to Ping Pong but when it comes to "ball game" I tend to agree with you. It seems to me a ball game is a team sport (fotball, baseball even soccer, etc.) but ping pong, although played with a ball does not strike me as a "ball game", just like golf, tennis, etc. so I see what you are saying.