08.16 Tue

T U E S D A Y
August 15, 2011
Alex Boisvert

Theme: Why That Blankity-Blank … — Each theme answer is a made-up two-word phrase where they first word ends in a long E sound, and the second is the same word but with the long E sound dropped.

Theme answers:

• 17A: Meat used in place of a puck? (HOCKEY HOCK).
• 39A: Surcharge for a cab ride? (TAXI TAX).
• 61A: Davy Jones at an abbey? (MONKEE MONK).
• 11D: Intimidator on the bovine playground? (BULLY BULL).
• 35D: Short-term Arizona State employee? (TEMPE TEMP).

I really enjoyed this puzzle, which isn't a surprise given that I'm madly in love with Alex Boisvert. But I digress. Cute theme, lots of solid (and Scrabbly!) fill, a little bit of crosswordese to help you get a foothold here and there (it's Tuesday after all!). Pretty much perfect. Lots of theme in this grid, and it's going both across and down, which doesn't leave much room for any super flashy long entries. AQUAMAN is clearly the best of the bunch.

I started right off with a mistake at 1-Across, misspelling HAWG as HOGG (1A: Big Harley, in slang). D'oh! Other than that, I didn't really have any trouble. It was smooth going from start to finish. Great clues today include:

• 20A: John Williams quintet? (OSCARS). I don't know if this is right, but in my head John Williams is the guy who did the music for the Star Wars movies. To Wikipedia! …. Woo-hoo! Love it when I'm right about stuff like that. Or about anything really.
• 51A: Comfortably rewarding (CUSHY).
• 50D: Skating maneuver (CAMEL). A little on the tough side for Tuesday, but I like it.
• 56D: Where most people live (ASIA). I love it when the puzzle forces us out of our little American view of the world.

I think my favorite thing about this puzzle is that it gives me a chance to post a TIM Conway clip (40D: Comical Conway). I'm very tempted to use the "Elephant Story" clip, but I think I've used that a couple times before, so instead, ladies and gentlemen, today I give you the World's Oldest Fireman. Enjoy!



Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 57A: D-backs, on scoreboards (ARI).
• 27D: Dutch cheese (EDAM).
• 31D: 14-Across's Great Lake (ERIE).

Everything — 1A: Big Harley, in slang (HAWG); 5A: "Marching Along" autobiographer (SOUSA); 10A: "Mamma Mia!" group (ABBA); 14A: Soap Box Derby state (OHIO); 15A: Hearth debris (ASHES); 16A: Off-peak period (LULL); 17A: Meat used in place of a puck? (HOCKEY HOCK); 19A: Untidy type (SLOB); 20A: John Williams quintet? (OSCARS); 21A: Fridge sound (HUM); 22A: '70s Olympics name (OLGA); 23A: Fab Four member (STARR); 24A: Prepare beans, Mexican-style (REFRY); 26A: Scary fly (TSE-TSE); 30A: Place for care instructions (LABEL); 33A: Mouse catchers (CATS); 36A: Expected (DUE); 37A: Professor's goal (TENURE); 38A: Corrida cry (OLÉ); 39A: Surcharge for a cab ride? (TAXI TAX); 41A: English __ (LIT); 42A: Drum heard in Westerns (TOMTOM); 44A: Actress Basinger (KIM); 45A: Bar brews (ALES); 46A: Mar. parade celeb (ST. PAT); 47A: Presario PC brand (COMPAQ); 49A: Significant period (EPOCH); 51A: Comfortably rewarding (CUSHY); 55A: Dinner and a movie, say (DATE); 57A: D-backs, on scoreboards (ARI); 59A: Gillette razor named for its blade count (TRAC II); 60A: One with a password (USER); 61A: Davy Jones at an abbey? (MONKEE MONK); 63A: Gimlet garnish (LIME); 64A: Game show host (EMCEE); 65A: Throw in a chip (ANTE); 66A: SoCal force (LAPD); 67A: Country singer Rimes (LEANN); 68A: Tabloid loch (NESS); 1D: Hostess snack cakes (HO-HOS); 2D: "__ of golden daffodils": Wordsworth (A HOST); 3D: Neopagan religion (WICCA); 4D: Some Soap Box Derby entrants (GO-KARTS); 5D: Articulates (SAYS); 6D: __Kosh B'Gosh (OSH); 7D: "Rats!" ("UH-OH!"); 8D: Out of harm's way (SECURE); 9D: Invitation on a rep's button (ASK ME); 10D: Losing candidate (ALSO-RAN); 11D: Intimidator on the bovine playground? (BULLY BULL); 12D: Online journal (BLOG); 13D: Jessica of "Sin City" (ALBA); 18D: Slips up (ERRS); 25D: Show off one's muscles (FLEX); 27D: Dutch cheese (EDAM); 28D: Prom duds (TUX); 29D: Bulova competitor (SEIKO); 31D: 14-Across's Great Lake (ERIE); 32D: Tennis net grazers (LETS); 33D: Summer cabin beds (COTS); 34D: Boatloads (A LOT); 35D: Short-term Arizona State employee? (TEMPE TEMP); 37D: Pack (down) (TAMP); 39D: Four-legged Oz visitor (TOTO); 40D: Comical Conway (TIM); 43D: Like a pencil point (TAPERED); 45D: Sea-dwelling superhero (AQUAMAN); 47D: Car trim (CHROME); 48D: Farmland division (ACRE); 50D: Skating maneuver (CAMEL); 52D: Teatime snack (SCONE); 53D: Help for the clueless (HINTS); 54D: "Omigosh!" ("YIKES!"); 55D: Boring (DULL); 56D: Where most people live (ASIA); 58D: Bygone Peruvian (INCA); 59D: Not-so-little kid (TEEN); 62D: Barbie's guy (KEN).

THURSDAY, April 1, 2010 — Alex Boisvert

Theme: "Thrill-Seeker's Mantra" — A pithy saying attributed to a thrill-seeker can be read clockwise around the edges of the grid.

Theme answers: I'm not going to list them because they look like gobbledy-gook. But reading clockwise from 1-Across (inserting spaces where needed and ignoring black squares) is the phrase "IF YOU ARE NOT LIVING ON THE EDGE, YOU'RE TAKING UP TOO MUCH ROOM."

Wow. Just wow. I really like this theme a lot. And I'm not just saying that because I'm madly in love with Alex Boisvert. Why, you might ask, am I madly in love with Alex Boisvert? Well, it's because of a little program he's made available to crossword geeks that has streamlined my life to a degree far too embarrassing to talk about except with, ya know, you guys. Let's just say it gives me more time to concentrate on my spreadsheet.

Anyhoo! I really like this theme because (a) it's just quirky enough to qualify as an April Fool's Day puzzle and (b) the phrase talks about living "on the edge" and it's read along the edge of the grid. Genius, I'm telling you! Remember how the other day we were talking about how a glut of three-letter words can really dampen the solving experience? Well, this puzzle has quite a few, but if the payoff is a theme this awesome, I'm willing to let it slide.

Good stuff:

• 16A: European car company with a prancing horse logo (FERRARI). This reminded me of a Sporcle quiz I once took, so I went over to the Sporcle site to find it and now … it's like two hours later. (Caution: Don't Click On That Link If You Have Anything Else To Do Today!)
• 24A: Poet who won the 1923 Nobel Prize for Literature (YEATS). I plopped YEATS right in and then second-guessed myself because it could just as well have been KEATS. I mean, it couldn't because KEATS did not in fact win the 1923 Nobel Prize for Literature, but in my mind it could have been because they're both sitting there together back in that far corner of my brain.

• 30A: Giant (TITAN). I have a feeling "Clash of the Titans" will be on the PuzzleFamily's agenda this weekend.
• 34A: 2007-'08 NBA Rookie of the Year Kevin (DURANT). My first thought? MCHALE. Yeah, about 20 years too late.
• 37A: Letter opening (SIRS). Raise your hand if you entered DEAR without thinking. Seriously. If you're opening your letter with "Sirs," you should really think about joining us here in the 21st century.
  

• 58A: Bandleader Puente (TITO).
• 3D: "Whatever you say, honey" ("YES, DEAR"). Now that's what I like to hear.
• 12D: "Raging Bull" boxer (LAMOTTA). With some of the letters in place, all I could think of was D'AMATO, but that's obviously a totally different guy.
• 31D: Collection agcy.? (IRS). Including the IRS in an April puzzle? That's not nice at all.
• 53D: Actress Hayek (SALMA). Raise your hand if you always want her name to be SELMA.

• 60D: German article (DER).

Everything Else — 1A: Start of a thrill-seeker's mantra (IFYOUAR); 8A: More of the mantra (ENOTLIV); 15A: Conductor's nickname (MAESTRO); 17A: Government heave-hos (OUSTERS); 18A: "Million Dollar Baby" Oscar winner (FREEMAN); 19A: Shoppe sign adjective (OLDE); 20A: Set one's sights on, with "at" (AIMED); 22A: Big ape (KONG); 23A: Artery: Abbr. (RTE.); 25A: Juan's uncle (TIO); 26A: Piles (HEAPS); 29A: Reuben bread (RYE); 32A: Percentage on a bank sign (CD RATE); 35A: Trig, e.g. (MATH); 38A: Sounds of hesitation (UHS); 41A: Demure (SHY); 42A: Rotate, as a camera (PAN); 43A: Casual "I'll pass" ("NAH"); 46A: Floor exercise surface (MAT); 47A: "For __ a jolly ..." (HE'S); 48A: "Star Wars" saga nickname (ANI); 49A: Corrida shout (OLÉ); 50A: At the ready (ON ALERT); 52A: Tablet alternative (CAPSULE); 54A: Dungeons & Dragons creatures (OGRES); 55A: Farmyard female (EWE); 57A: Kept (SAVED); 58A: Bandleader Puente (TITO); 59A: Step (TREAD); 61A: __ Mason: asset management giant (LEGG); 62A: Nabokov's title professor (PNIN); 63A: Scorch slightly (SINGE); 64A: Farmyard female (MARE); 65A: More of the mantra (UGNI); 66A: More of the mantra (KATER); 67A: More of the mantra (AUOY); 1D: More of the mantra (IMOORHC); 2D: Blamed (FAULTED); 4D: Bone: Pref. (OSTE-); 5D: Mountain West Conference athlete (UTE); 6D: Deck out (ARRAY); 7D: More optimistic (ROSIER); 8D: Decadent (EFFETE); 9D: Unlikely class presidents (NERDS); 10D: Mine find (ORE); 11D: Hike (TREK); 13D: Shiraz resident (IRANIAN); 14D: More of the mantra (VINGONT); 21D: Might (MAY); 27D: Kitchen spray (PAM); 28D: Hoards (STASHES); 30D: Root vegetables (TURNIPS); 33D: Bygone anesthetic (ETHER); 34D: Roman goddess of the hunt (DIANA); 36D: Mass reaction, perhaps (HYSTERIA); 37D: Era that began in 1957 (SPACE AGE); 38D: More of the mantra (UMOOTPU); 39D: Like some drying clothes (HANGING); 40D: Commence (START IN); 43D: __ riche (NOUVEAU); 44D: Fast, to a 15-Across (ALLEGRO); 45D: More of the mantra (HEEDGEY); 51D: Téa of "Ghost Town" (LEONI); 56D: Left (WENT); 59D: Sound of disapproval (TSK).

MONDAY, Aug. 17, 2009 — Alex Boisvert

THEME: OOK x 2 — three theme answers feature two "-OOK" words apiece

Very loose but reasonably enjoyable theme. Sometimes, similar sounds (esp. kOOKy ones) are enough to hold a puzzle together. All three theme answers are grid-spanning fifteens — would have been nice to have a little more 'zazz in the grid, given how little the theme restricts non-theme fill here, but it is Monday, after all, so perhaps there's only so much fancy stuff one can do before the puzzle starts to drift into mid-week difficulty territory. My only complaint about the puzzle is the utterly substandard spelling of AHCHOO (44A: "Bless you!" elicitor). According to the cruciverb.com database:

• ACHOO — 94 grid appearances
• AHCHOO — 7

Now, that's not terribly surprising given that there's going to be far less call for 7-letter words generally, let alone ones that require the "HCH" combo. But still, I have a revulsion to all fill that can be spelled multiple ways. See the dreaded "ball game" ONE O CAT / ONE A CAT, and then all Latin plurals, e.g. NOVAE (22D: Exploding stars). The Latin plural thing is an acceptable nuisance, actually; much less grating than the arbitrary adding of an "H" to a word that isn't really a "word" to begin with, but an onomatopoeic spelling of a bodily sound.

"K" is my favorite letter of the alphabet, by far, and so I was happy to see a clue for BOND (48A: Agent 007) in a puzzle the theme of which was "OOK." I think "OOK" will be my handle when I become an INTL spy (17A: Like flights from the USA to Eur., e.g.), hanging out with CHIC ladies (7D: In fashion), playing KENO (8D: Popular bar game) and drinking OUZO (40A: Anise-flavored liqueur), while hunting down the criminal mastermind at the heart of the illegal ORCHID trade (25A: Corsage flower).

Theme answers:

• 20A: Gave additional consideration (TOOK a second LOOK)
• 36A: Falsifying accounting records (COOKING the BOOKS)
• 49A: In any way possible (By HOOK or by CROOK)

Crosswordese 101: EKGS (34D: Heart tests: Abbr.) — electrocardiograms. Why is there a "K" in there? Who knows? Apparently this test is sometimes abbreviated "ECG," but I rarely if ever see that abbrev. In puzzles, it's "EKG" (almost) all the way. "K" is just @#$#ing hard to resist (hence my future spy moniker). The main thing to remember with EKGS is that they are not EEGS. EEG = electroencephalography. In short, EKGS measure the electrical activity of your heart, EEGS measure the electrical activity of your brain.

What else?

• 31A: '70s-'80s consumer electronics giant (AIWA) — first of all, I never knew they were a "giant." I don't think they were a "giant" in this country. Second of all, it's only recently that I learned that they are officially a bygone giant. I was sure they were still around in the '90s. Aha, scant research tells me that AIWA was bought by Sony, but only fairly recently (2002) ceased being a separate company. Here's the very sad last line of the Wikipedia entry on AIWA: "As of 2009, the Aiwa website still exists for some territories/regions, but it contains some broken links and blank pages. In other regions, such as Europe, it redirects to a page on the Sony site stating that the Aiwa website has closed down"
• 1D: Slightly (A BIT) — I had A TAD. Like the ACME / APEX dilemma, you get the first letter and now you've got yourself a dilemma... I also initially tanked AIR DRY, entering AIR OUT instead (9D: Hang on a clothesline).
• 37D: Prohibited (NOT OK) — ... hmmm. I think this answer (or clue) is NOT OK. Answer is too slangy for the clue.
• 4D: Ice cream treat (MILKSHAKE) — mmm, good. Can't / don't drink them anymore, as keeping fatness at bay is a priority as I enter middle age. But they are good. Shakes at my college's main eatery were legendary. So thick you had to eat them with a spoon.

~RP

[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter]

Everything Else — 1A: Sandler of "Funny People" (ADAM); 5A: Do a pre-vacation chore (PACK); 9A: Musicians' org. (ASCAP); 14A: Island tourist destination in Indonesia (BALI); 15A: 1975 Wimbledon champ Arthur (ASHE); 16A: Words of compassion (I CARE); 17A: Like flights from the USA to Eur., e.g. (INTL.); 18A: "Birthday suit" (SKIN); 19A: Vacation time, for short (R AND R); 20A: Gave additional consideration (TOOK A SECOND LOOK); 23A: Winter toy (SLED); 24A: Bosses (around) (ORDERS); 25A: Corsage flower (ORCHID); 28A: __ Jones's locker (DAVY); 30A: Detox locale (REHAB); 31A: '70s-'80s consumer electronics giant (AIWA); 32A: Sharp cheese (BLEU); 36A: Falsifying accounting records (COOKING THE BOOKS); 39A: "Even __ speak ..." (AS WE); 40A: Anise-flavored liqueur (OUZO); 41A: More than medium (LARGE); 42A: Days at an inn (STAY); 43A: Loving touch (CARESS); 44A: "Bless you!" elicitor (AHCHOO); 48A: Agent 007 (BOND); 49A: In any way possible (BY HOOK OR BY CROOK); 55A: Pine (for) (YEARN); 56A: __ stick: bouncing toy (POGO); 57A: Dust Bowl migrant (OKIE); 58A: Slyly derogatory (SNIDE); 59A: Letter-shaped fastener (T-NUT); 60A: Paris-__ Airport (ORLY); 61A: Less loony (SANER); 62A: Trig ratio (SINE); 63A: Catholic service (MASS); 1D: Slightly (A BIT); 2D: "Book 'em, __!": "Hawaii Five-O" catchphrase (DANO); 3D: Type of sax (ALTO); 4D: Ice cream treat (MILKSHAKE); 5D: Didn't flunk (PASSED); 6D: Made an inquiry (ASKED); 7D: In fashion (CHIC); 8D: Popular bar game (KENO); 9D: Hang on a clothesline (AIR DRY); 10D: Burn badly (SCALD); 11D: Tippy craft (CANOE); 12D: Intense passion (ARDOR); 13D: Company car, expense account, etc. (PERKS); 21D: Suspect's "I was home all night," e.g. (ALIBI); 22D: Exploding stars (NOVAE); 25D: Shamu, for one (ORCA); 26D: Vintage cars (REOS); 27D: Chuck wagon fare (CHOW); 28D: Scatterbrained (DITZY); 29D: Dr. Seuss's "Horton Hears __" (A WHO); 31D: Water in Juárez (AGUA); 32D: Conference table site (BOARD ROOM); 33D: Handed-down stories (LORE); 34D: Heart tests: Abbr. (EKGS); 35D: Puts to work (USES); 37D: Prohibited (NOT OK); 38D: Mel who voiced Foghorn Leghorn (BLANC); 42D: Oklahoma athlete (SOONER); 43D: Toon Wile E., e.g. (COYOTE); 44D: Bottomless depth (ABYSS); 45D: "Laughing" critter (HYENA); 46D: IHOP or Borders (CHAIN); 47D: Nomadic tribe (HORDE); 48D: Shooter with small shot (BB GUN); 50D: Elects (OPTS); 51D: Rice-A-__ (RONI); 52D: Gumbo veggie (OKRA); 53D: Cook's array (OILS); 54D: Florida islets (KEYS).