10.07 Fri

F R I D A Y
October 7, 2011
Pete Muller

Theme: G FORCE — The letters CE are replaced by the letter G in familiar phrases (i.e., you need to substitute "G" FOR "CE")

Theme answers:

• 20A: Boast à la Donald Trump? (BRAG FOR IMPACT).
• 26A: "Our overly fussy friend has a point"? (THE PRIG IS RIGHT).
• 43A: Joplin piece about modern weaponry? (NUCLEAR ARMS RAG).
• 50A: Delay from an 18th-century English ruler? (QUEEN ANNE'S LAG).
• 64A: It's zero in free-fall—and, put another way, a hint to how the four longest puzzle answers were formed (G FORCE).

[Quick Jeopardy note: Joon won again last night (yee-haw!), so he'll be on again tonight. Jeopardy doesn't air on the west coast until 10:00pm Eastern. Please don't post any spoilers in the comments before that time. Thanks!]

I had a hard time figuring out this theme from the first two theme answers. I had the end of each phrase, but didn't know what the beginning could possibly be. It finally clicked at NUCLEAR ARMS RAG, awesomely clued as [43A: Joplin piece about modern weaponry?] and then I could go back and piece together the others. Well, that's not entirely true. I couldn't come up with the original phrase "brace for impact," so I still had trouble with that one.

Lots of missteps today:

• 7A: Does away with (OFFS). I tried ENDS first.
• 24A: Malt finish? (-OSE). Wanted -ESE here.
• 34A: Fiber source (OAT BRAN). Stupidly entered OATMEAL.
• 5D: Sicilian resort (ENNA). Tried ETNA. At least I was in the right country.

• 6D: Unaccompanied (STAG). Wasn't sure if this would be SOLO or SOLE. Could have saved myself some time on that argument.
• 10D: Dam up (STEM). Tried STOP.

Bullets:

• 1A: Puts a little too close to the flame (SINGES). Anyone else here ever singe their eyelashes. Yeah, that's embarrassing.
• 18A: August (MAJESTIC). Both clue and answer are great words.
• 40A: "Have some" ("EAT"). This clue could work both with and without the quotation marks, I think. The quotation marks indicate that this something a person would say (duh), so the answer needs to be something else a person would say that means the same thing. But even without the saying part, have some = eat.
• 48A: Emulate Eminem (RAP). I went looking for an Eminem clip to include and came across this ad, which actually gives me goose-bumps at the end.



• 59A: NRC predecessor (AEC). The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is the successor to the Atomec Energy Commission, which, in 1975, changed its name to the Energy Research and Development Administration and, basically, broke apart into several separate agencies including the NRC, the National Nuclear Security Adminsitration, and the Office of Nuclear Energy, Science & Technology. At least that's what Wikipedia says happened.
• 63A: "Right away, Mammy" ("YES'M"). I really don't want to get into a whole thing about this, but I just want to mention that I cringed a little when I read this clue.
• 19D: Water source (SPIGOT). I wanted this to be SPRING, but I already had the I in the "wrong" place. Then I couldn't shift my thinking away from a natural source for water. I needed all the crosses for this one is what I'm saying.
• 21D: Surround with dense mist (FOG IN). With an E where the O was supposed to go, this took a while to fall into place. I thought it might be something like BEFOG, only not BEFOG because I already had the IN.

• 23D: Hirsute pet (CHIA). This doesn't work for me. A CHIA pet isn't really "hirsute," right?
• 28D: Sizzling (IRATE). Lots of "hot" words that work as synonymns for IRATE: hot, steamed, boiling, etc. But "sizzling" to me means sexy, not angry.
• 30D: Under the weather, e.g. (IDIOM). Brilliant. I get tricked by this type of clue pretty much every time. In this case, we're not looking for an example of someone being "under the weather" or "ill" but, instead, need to think about the fact that the phrase "under the weather" is an example of an IDIOM.
• 36D: It's not always easy to get into (SHAPE). I guess that depends on what shape you're going for.

• 37D: "Tootsie" Oscar nominee (TERI GARR). For some reason, I thought it was Jessica Lange who got the nomination for this movie. Oh wait. Both Lange and GARR were nominated, but Lange won. I feel better about myself now. I'm going to include a picture of TERI GARR here, just incase Rex stops by. He has a little thing for her.
• 43D: Sartre work (NAUSEA). This is the first I've heard of it. A novel called NAUSEA? Wow. Can't wait to read it.

Everything — 1A: Puts a little too close to the flame (SINGES); 7A: Does away with (OFFS); 11A: Spirit (PEP); 14A: Set straight (ORIENT); 15A: Narrow space (SLIT); 16A: Pay add-on (-OLA); 17A: Where many changes occur (CABANA); 18A: August (MAJESTIC); 20A: Boast à la Donald Trump? (BRAG FOR IMPACT); 22A: Patriot Act protesters: Abbr. (ACLU); 24A: Malt finish? (-OSE); 25A: Goddess of motherhood (ISIS); 26A: "Our overly fussy friend has a point"? (THE PRIG IS RIGHT); 31A: Wasikowska of "The Kids Are All Right" (MIA); 32A: "Trinity" novelist (URIS); 33A: Union agreement (I DO); 34A: Fiber source (OAT BRAN); 36A: Illegal pitch (SPITTER); 40A: "Have some" ("EAT"); 41A: Kid on "The Cosby Show" (THEO); 42A: Big name in '40s-'50s Argentina (EVA); 43A: Joplin piece about modern weaponry? (NUCLEAR ARMS RAG); 47A: Went under (SANK); 48A: Emulate Eminem (RAP); 49A: Irascibility (BILE); 50A: Delay from an 18th-century English ruler? (QUEEN ANNE'S LAG); 55A: LA and MI, but not DO or RE (U.S. STATES); 56A: Gas up? (AERATE); 59A: NRC predecessor (AEC); 60A: It can get you credit in a store (VISA); 61A: Shrink, in a way (NARROW); 62A: "The __ of Pooh": '80s best-seller (TAO); 63A: "Right away, Mammy" ("YES'M"); 64A: It's zero in free-fall—and, put another way, a hint to how the four longest puzzle answers were formed (G-FORCE); 1D: Religious org., perhaps (SOC.); 2D: George's lyricist (IRA); 3D: Show little interest in, as food (NIBBLE AT); 4D: Get ready for action (GEAR UP); 5D: Sicilian resort (ENNA); 6D: Unaccompanied (STAG); 7D: Biology text topic (OSMOSIS); 8D: Roadside attention getters (FLARES); 9D: Water brand named for its source (FIJI); 10D: Dam up (STEM); 11D: Fertilizer substance (POTASH); 12D: Draw forth (ELICIT); 13D: Treaties (PACTS); 19D: Water source (SPIGOT); 21D: Surround with dense mist (FOG IN); 22D: Spherical opening? (ATMO-); 23D: Hirsute pet (CHIA); 27D: Like the sticks (RURAL); 28D: Sizzling (IRATE); 29D: More fleshy, perhaps (RIPER); 30D: Under the weather, e.g. (IDIOM); 35D: Anouilh play made into a Burton/O'Toole film (BECKET); 36D: It's not always easy to get into (SHAPE); 37D: "Tootsie" Oscar nominee (TERI GARR); 38D: Assessment, for short (EVAL); 39D: Popular trend (RAGE); 41D: Pontiac muscle car (TRANS AM); 43D: Sartre work (NAUSEA); 44D: Paris-based cultural org. (UNESCO); 45D: "Gunsmoke" star (ARNESS); 46D: Popular purveyor of stromboli (SBARRO); 47D: Zippo (SQUAT); 51D: Deep blue (NAVY); 52D: Play to __ (A TIE); 53D: Named names (SANG); 54D: Two pages (LEAF); 57D: Front-of-bk. list (TOC); 58D: Cote girl (EWE).

09.30 Fri

F R I D A Y
September 30, 2011
David Poole

Theme: Left to Right — Familiar phrases change an L to an R.

Theme answers:

• 17A: Halloween tricksters' route? (FRIGHT PATH).
• 23A: Best place to watch "Animal House"? (FRAT SCREEN TV).
• 45A: Feathers? (FROCK OF BIRDS).
• 56A: Work the late shift at the diner? (FRY BY NIGHT).
• 35A: How most reading is done, and this puzzle's title (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT).

Excuse me, but how the hell did it get to be September 30 already? Man! Time really does fly. Even when you're not having fun.

Closing out the month with a tough one. I had trouble here and there throughout the grid, but it ultimately felt more like a romp than a struggle. The theme is pretty cool. I wondered if the initial F on each theme answer was significant somehow, but didn't come up with a good answer. FRY BY NIGHT is clearly the marquee entry. Can't you just picture it?

I had the most trouble in Northern California where I plopped in AC/DC where AM/FM was supposed to go (25D: Like some switches). Many other factors contributed to the confusion there. First, I've never heard of this Kate person (29A: Kate of "Ironclad" (MARA)). Never heard of the movie either. Second, the clue for ACTRESS (25A: Close, for instance) was so deliciously deceptive that I had No Idea what was going on there. Even with the A in place, I was at a loss. I also thought MADEIRAS (39A: Sherry alternatives) might be CASSIRES (sp?) … something like that? … anyone? It was a big mess is what I'm saying.

Only one other place that really made me tear my hair out and that was at the cross of MACERATE and MTS. (30A: Soften by soaking /
30D: Summer escapes: Abbr.). I must have run the alphabet three times. I guess using an L in that square would have been too obvious.

Bullets:

• 14A: "The Wolf and the Crane" author (AESOP). With the SO in place, I thought the name would be something-SON, but then it just clicked somehow that the title sounded like a fable.
• 20A: Roy Halladay stat (ERA). Halladay is a pitcher for … the Phillies? … Yes, the Phillies.
• 40A: Albany's father-in-law (LEAR). This is another one that just clicked in from nowhere. As you continue to solve puzzles, that will start happening more and more.
• 58A: "__ no kick from Champagne": song lyric (I GET). Sure, we could listen to Frank Sinatra right here, but this lyric reminded me of a Keb' Mo' song, so let's listen to that instead. It'll be funkier, I promise.



• 4D: Dress finely, with "out" (TOG). This word comes up occasionally in puzzles and I'm just about to the point where I can just accept it without wincing first.

• 26D: Word spoken with amore (CARA).
• 27D: Put one's foot down (TROD). In this clue, the word "put" is in the past tense. You always have to be looking out for that.
• 49D: Two-time loser to McKinley (BRYAN). Could have been just about anybody here as far as I knew.

Crosswordese 101: There are a couple of ERNOs worth knowing for crossword purposes. There's a pianist/composer named Dohnanyi, a cosmetics maker named Laszlo and an architect named Goldfinger. By far the most popular ERNO in CrossWorld, though, is [37D: Cube creator Rubik]. And the clue for this particular ERNO is likely to include the words "Rubik" and "cube," so he should be pretty easy to spot.

Other crosswordese in the puzzle that we've already covered:

• 6A: 1940s-'50s Israeli UN ambassador (EBAN).
• 21A: Sister of Calliope (ERATO).
• 51A: Noted Beethoven interpreter (ARRAU).
• 32D: "The African Queen" co-screenwriter (AGEE).
• 34D: Raison d'__ (ÊTRE).

Everything — 1A: Shoots the breeze (CHATS); 6A: 1940s-'50s Israeli UN ambassador (EBAN); 10A: Game __ (PLAN); 14A: "The Wolf and the Crane" author (AESOP); 15A: Cross off (X OUT); 16A: Piece of one's mind? (LOBE); 17A: Halloween tricksters' route? (FRIGHT PATH); 19A: Awestruck (AGOG); 20A: Roy Halladay stat (ERA); 21A: Sister of Calliope (ERATO); 22A: It may be icy (STARE); 23A: Best place to watch "Animal House"? (FRAT SCREEN TV); 25A: Close, for instance (ACTRESS); 28A: Unburden (RID); 29A: Kate of "Ironclad" (MARA); 30A: Soften by soaking (MACERATE); 35A: How most reading is done, and this puzzle's title (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT); 39A: Sherry alternatives (MADEIRAS); 40A: Albany's father-in-law (LEAR); 41A: "Piers Morgan Tonight" channel (CNN); 42A: Eisenhower library site (ABILENE); 45A: Feathers? (FROCK OF BIRDS); 50A: Nigerian seaport (LAGOS); 51A: Noted Beethoven interpreter (ARRAU); 52A: CIA's ancestor (OSS); 55A: Cancel (UNDO); 56A: Work the late shift at the diner? (FRY BY NIGHT); 58A: "__ no kick from Champagne": song lyric (I GET); 59A: Steady (BEAU); 60A: Response to a skeptic (NO LIE); 61A: Gets into (DONS); 62A: Employee IDs (SSN'S); 63A: Third shift hr. (ONE A.M.); 1D: Champs …lysées feature (CAFE); 2D: Bach title? (HERR); 3D: Land east of the Urals (ASIA); 4D: Dress finely, with "out" (TOG); 5D: Field of influence (SPHERE); 6D: Americans in Paris, maybe (EXPATS); 7D: Tug and junk (BOATS); 8D: Overlord (AUTOCRAT); 9D: Ultimate (NTH); 10D: Home at the park? (PLATE); 11D: Airport whose code is BOS (LOGAN); 12D: Decide not to finish (ABORT); 13D: Desert bordering the Sinai Peninsula (NEGEV); 18D: Choral syllables (TRAS); 22D: Feast in the month of Nisan (SEDER); 23D: Position in a viewfinder (FRAME); 24D: Moneyed, in Monterrey (RICO); 25D: Like some switches (AM/FM); 26D: Word spoken with amore (CARA); 27D: Put one's foot down (TROD); 30D: Summer escapes: Abbr. (MTS.); 31D: Little streams (RILLS); 32D: "The African Queen" co-screenwriter (AGEE); 33D: Instead of (THAN); 34D: Raison d'__ (ÊTRE); 36D: Trounces (LICKS); 37D: Cube creator Rubik (ERNO); 38D: Royal introductions (FANFARES); 42D: France-based jet maker (AIRBUS); 43D: Sound from Eeyore (BRAY); 44D: "Beats me!" ("I DUNNO!"); 45D: Not fixed (FLUID); 46D: Title chameleon voiced by Johnny Depp in a 2011 animated film (RANGO); 47D: Osmonds' hometown (OGDEN); 48D: Codgers (COOTS); 49D: Two-time loser to McKinley (BRYAN); 52D: Look like a creep? (OGLE); 53D: Branch of Islam (SHIA); 54D: Check (STEM); 56D: NFL ball carriers (FB'S); 57D: Fluoride, for one (ION).

09.23 Fri

F R I D A Y
September 23, 2011
Daniel Finan

Theme: Numb3rs — For the theme answers, clue numbers are part of the clue.

Theme answers:

• 20: questions (FUN GUESSING GAME).
• 36: hours (ONE AND A HALF DAYS).
• 49: ers (FOOTBALL PLAYERS).

Super clever theme today. Really enjoyed it. If you're still confused by it, look at the way I posted the theme answers at the top of this write-up. (Usually I include an A (across) or a D (down) after the clue number, but I took the As out today so there would be a better visual presentation of the trick clues.) The answers themselves aren't really stand-alone phrases that are "in the language" (as they say). They are, instead, definitions, not unlike the type of theme we see from time to time where the theme answers all have the same one-word clue and each answer is a different definition of that word. Some people love those themes, some people get really bent out of shape that the theme answers aren't "really" theme answers. I like to see it every once in a while for a change of pace. And in this case, as I said, the theme is really clever so it's okay with me.

I definitely had several WTF moments throughout the solve, though.

• 18A: Blanche __, pseudonymous author of the 1983 best-seller "Truly Tasteless Jokes" (KNOTT). Wait, really?
• 22D: Swindler, in slang (GANEF). Ne-Ever heard this term. Oh, I see it's Yiddish slang. That pretty much explains it.
• 44D: Walk bouncily (LOLLOP). Again with the ????

Clues that were definitely amped up for Friday include:

• 14A: San __ (REMO). Geez Louise! Could be anything!
• 45A: Seat of Colorado's Pitkin County (ASPEN). Very familiar Colorado place name, but difficult to see with that clue.
• 7D: Where kip are spent (LAOS). Same here.
• 53D: Hunted (PREY). The clue here is not a verb. That's what makes it tricky.

My write-overs:

• 5D: Dug, so to speak (LIKED). Tried LOVED first.
• 9D: Party pooper (WET NOODLE). Totally wanted this to be WET BLANKET. I was actually writing it in, and then … ran out of boxes.
• 56D: Urban miasma (SMOG). Apparently, I don't know what "miasma" means because my first guess was SLUM.

Bullets:

• 5A: Dey job? (L.A. LAW). The clue refers to Susan Dey who starred on the TV show "L.A. LAW." I don't know about you, but I have a hard time thinking of Susan Dey as anybody other than Laurie Partridge. ("Hello world, there's a song that we're singin' ….")
• 24A: Annual sign of bad behavior? (COAL). It took me way too long to get that this clue refers to the "lump of coal" some people get in their stockings at Christmastime.

• 35A: High point of an Alaskan trip? (DENALI). I used to call DENALI its other name until I met my husband, who climbs mountains for fun. Now I can't even remember its other name. Is it Mt. McKinley? Wikipedia says … yes.
• 62A: Its state bird is the cardinal (OHIO). I had to think for a minute about Iowa's state bird here. I was pretty sure it wasn't the cardinal (it's the golfinch), but Iowa is always a possibility when you're looking for a four-letter state.
• 6D: Heart lead singer Wilson et al. (ANNS). The PuzzleKids were watching "X Factor" last night and it appears that several people who have no business whatsoever singing "Barracuda" were attempting to sing "Barracuda."

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 16A: Adidas alternative (AVIA).
• 57A: Frankfurt's river (ODER).
• 58A: Phils, e.g. (NL'ERS).
• 60A: '70s pinup name (LONI).
• 11D: Where the iris is (UVEA).
• 51D: Sommelier's prefix (OENO-).
• 54D: Pre-coll. catchall (EL-HI).

Everything — 1A: Dollar bill weight, roughly (GRAM); 5A: Dey job? (L.A. LAW); 10A: __ Stream (GULF); 14A: San __ (REMO); 15A: Silly (INANE); 16A: Adidas alternative (AVIA); 17A: From the top (ANEW); 18A: Blanche __, pseudonymous author of the 1983 best-seller "Truly Tasteless Jokes" (KNOTT); 19A: "No ice, please" (NEAT); 20A: questions (FUN GUESSING GAME); 23A: Terhune collie (LAD); 24A: Annual sign of bad behavior? (COAL); 25A: "Alice" singer Lavigne (AVRIL); 28A: Orator's vocal quality (RESONANCE); 33A: Sacramento daily (BEE); 34A: Sched. B item on a 1040 (INT.); 35A: High point of an Alaskan trip? (DENALI); 36A: hours (ONE AND A HALF DAYS); 40A: Seven-time N.L. batting champ (MUSIAL); 41A: Storm dir. (ENE); 42A: They lead to an F (C-D-E); 43A: Six-pack abs? (BEER BELLY); 45A: Seat of Colorado's Pitkin County (ASPEN); 47A: TriBeCa neighbor (SOHO); 48A: Blueprint subject, perhaps (ELL); 49A: ers (FOOTBALL PLAYERS); 57A: Frankfurt's river (ODER); 58A: Phils, e.g. (NL'ERS); 59A: Deception (FLAM); 60A: '70s pinup name (LONI); 61A: Beneficiary (DONEE); 62A: Its state bird is the cardinal (OHIO); 63A: 2-Down unit (DROP); 64A: Fixes (SPAYS); 65A: Place to cross, on signs (X-ING); 1D: Seles rival (GRAF); 2D: Eye care brand (RENU); 3D: Flock response (AMEN); 4D: "The Jungle Book" boy (MOWGLI); 5D: Dug, so to speak (LIKED); 6D: Heart lead singer Wilson et al. (ANNS); 7D: Where kip are spent (LAOS); 8D: Silliness (ANTICS); 9D: Party pooper (WET NOODLE); 10D: Underworld (GANGLAND); 11D: Where the iris is (UVEA); 12D: Neeson who voiced Aslan in the "Narnia" movies (LIAM); 13D: You may have a brush with it (FATE); 21D: It merged with Continental in 2010: Abbr. (UAL); 22D: Swindler, in slang (GANEF); 25D: Trinity test subject (A-BOMB); 26D: Locale (VENUE); 27D: Maker of pieces? (REESE); 28D: Genetic letters (RNA); 29D: One of the convicted Rosenberg spies (ETHEL); 30D: Image Awards org. (NAACP); 31D: 1930s public enemy (CLYDE); 32D: NFL Network sportscaster Rich (EISEN); 34D: Devil's tools, metaphorically (IDLE HANDS); 37D: Touchdown site (AIRSTRIP); 38D: Big shot (NABOB); 39D: More than zero (ANY); 44D: Walk bouncily (LOLLOP); 45D: Modeled after (À LA); 46D: Sneaky devil (SLY FOX); 48D: "It's nobody __ business" (ELSE'S); 49D: Go out (FOLD); 50D: Nose wrinkler (ODOR); 51D: Sommelier's prefix (OENO-); 52D: Singer Horne (LENA); 53D: Hunted (PREY); 54D: Pre-coll. catchall (EL-HI); 55D: Shower in public? (RAIN); 56D: Urban miasma (SMOG).

09.16 Fri

F R I D A Y
September 16, 2011
Donna S. Levin

Theme: Yes, please! Foreign words meaning "yes" replace homonymic English ones, and the resulting phrases are clued "?" style.

Theme answers:

• 20A: Approval from a Càdiz resident (MEDITERRANEAN SI [SEA]).
• 29A: Approval from Louis XIV (THE ROYAL OUI [WE]).
• 40A: Approval from a shocked Scot (ELECTRIC AYE [EYE]).
• 50A: Approval from a sushi chef at the lunch counter?(TWELVE O'CLOCK HAI [HIGH]).

Gareth here filling in for our prodigal blogger, PG. By the time you read this, I'll probably be kicking back with my nephew in Johannesburg for the weekend. You'd think the impending final veterinary exams would be stressing me but no...

Today's puzzle is a Donna S. Levin. The last time I blogged here I also blogged one of her puzzles. That's not TOO surprising, she's one of the most prolific constructors for the LA Times! With good reason! She comes up with some really great creative puzzles like this one! I'll bet I wasn't the only constructor solving this thinking "What a neat idea! I wish I thought of that!"

In general we are more familiar with foreign European languages than other foreign languages, and this is borne out by the fact three entries are drawn from these; the final entry is Japanese, so there is some balance: thank you!

Not too sure Scottish is in fact a separate language like the others, but it does have its own Wikipedia, so there's that!

Lastly, I had no idea of the base phrase of TWELVE O'CLOCK HAI; I wasn't even sure if it was originally HI or HIGH. I googled to find it's the latter spelling, and that the base phrase is in fact the title of a 1949 film, a 1950's radio series, and a 1960's TV series. Shrug. Sure you old-timers will weigh in here to tell me how much of a classic it was!

Bullets:

• 1A: Last of three Catherines (PARR). Who else thought Russian tsars before wives of Henry VIII? The other two are "of Aragon" and "Howard."
• 18A: Word of thanks (MERCI). More French.
• 27A: Admission req. for 24-Across (GMAT), 28D: Sierra Club's first president (MUIR), 32D: Corp.-partnership hybrid (LLC) (Limited Liability Company?), 37A: Jack's UN ambassador (ADLAI). This was the last section of the puzzle to fall for me. My first guess for AD_A_ was ADDAM, but changed to ADLAI, a guess based on his being roughly in the right timeframe. ADDAM is... nobody! With ?UIR the only plausible letter was M but didn't know either of those two answers. Those US test thingies ending in __AT are always "wait for crossers" answers. I Don't know even know what the "Sierra Club" is either... Wikipedia sez he and the organization he founded were instrumental in starting the early National Parks like Yosemite, amongst other things. You can read more here. Interesting addition to my knowledge, thank you Donna S. Levin/Rich Norris!
  
• 42A: "Fake is as old as the __ tree": Welles (EDEN). Liked the clue for this oft-repeated entry. (Didn't know it).
  
• 56A: Indira's son (RAJIV). Indian PM from 1984-89, crossing 47D: Dead end, workwise (MC JOB) and 49D: Rootless sort (ROVER) makes for a cool little section even with 51D: Aforetime (ERST).
• 58A: Concerning (ASTO). Crosswording dilemma! Is it this or INRE?
• 4D: Sugar plant (REFINERY). Simple, elegant misdirection, but quite transparent with a couple of letters in place.
• 21D: "Africa" band (TOTO). Notable, for being written/sung by a band who've never been to Africa on instruments none of which originate from Africa. Rather listen to this:
• 26D: Rough waters (CHOP). Didn't know this meaning of CHOP, though I recognize it in the adjective CHOPPY.
• 38D: Support for a Salchow (ICE SKATE) Salchow??? Google says it's a figure-skating jump. It gets less crossword attention than the AXEL or the CAMEL!
  
• 46D: Chansons de __: medieval French poems (GESTE). Yet more French!

Crosswordese 101

There were several candidates for this feature, but I settled on two:

37A: Jack's UN ambassador (ADLAI), which caught me out today. I hadn't heard of him bc (before crosswords.) Possibly he's more familiar to people a generation or two older and also to those from the USA as opposed to foreigners like myself. He's been tangentially referred to in two previous episodes wherein his initials AES were discussed and here where his running mate ESTES Kefauver is given the spotlight. Apart from today's factoid you mostly need to know he ran against DDE (twice, but they liked Ike!) in the 50's. His grandfather had the same name and initials, and was Grover Cleveland's veep.

8D: Conquistador's chest (ARCA). Creaaak! That's an old-time crossword answer that doesn't crop up as often any more, like ERS the bitter vetch! Keywords are Medieval/Spanish/Treasure chest/box - variations on that theme. There's not too much more to it than that! I'll try and find a picture of one: Here ya go: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Arca_santa_de_Oviedo.JPG! (Having problems embedding the sucker...)

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 1A: Last of three Catherines (PARR).
• 15A: Last of the Oldsmobiles (ALERO).
• 16A: Old Persian poet (OMAR).
• 63A: Squeezed (out) (EKE).
• 2D: Like the northern Lesser Antilles, vis-à-vis the Windward Islands (ALEE)
• 31D: Yemen's chief port (ADEN).
• 42D: Sniggling gear (EELPOT).
• 51D: Aforetime (ERST).

Everything else — 5A: Plot (CABAL); 10A: Pathfinder org. (NASA); 14A: Natural balm (ALOE); 17A: Folio part (LEAF); 19A: Corn detritus (SILK); 23A: High-and-mighty (SNOOTY); 24A: Cambridge business school (SLOAN); 25A: Pair of barbershop groups (OCTET); 33A: Code on some NYC-bound luggage tags (OCTET); 36A: Cambridge Conservative (TORY); 38A: Markers (IOUs); 39A: They're sometimes special (OPS); 43A: It has some smart Alecs (MENSA); 44A: "Full House" co-star (SAGET). 47A: Place to get bogged down (MORASS); 55A: Rough talk (RASP). 57A: 50-and-up group (AARP). 59A: Encourage none too gently. 60A: Nursery rhyme tub assembly, e.g. (TRIO). 61A: Sharpen (WHET). 62A: Rutabaga, for one (TUBER). 1D: Chiromancer's reading material (PALM). 3D: Sporty two-seaters (ROADSTERS). 5D: Carved sardonyx (CAMEO). 6D: Bright-eyed (ALERT). 7D: Smoothie ingredient (BERRY). 9D: Tender cut (LOIN). 10D: Margarita choice (NO SALT). 11D: __ acid (AMINO). 12D: It might be caliente (SALSA). 13D: "Catch-22" actor (ARKIN). 22D: Morales in movies (ESAI). 25D: Name of four Holy Roman emperors (OTTO). 27D: Source of milk for chèvre (GOAT). 30D: Third-oldest U.S. university (YALE). 33D: One garnering lots of interest (LOANSHARK). 34D: Chaps (GUYS). 35D: Cruising (ASEA). 40D: Ron Howard send-up of reality shows (ED TV). 41D: Apple on a desk (IMAC). 44D: Frozen margarita insert (STRAW). 45D: Teeming (with) (AWASH). 48D: Drab color (OLIVE). 52D: Mount Ka'ala is its highest peak (OAHU). 53D: R&B singer India.__ (ARIE). 54D: Touch or shuffle (IPOD).

09.09 Fri

F R I D A Y
September 9, 2011
Bruce Sutphin

Theme: "Losers" — Familiar phrases have the letters RS removed (they "lose" RS, get it?) to create new wacky phrases.

Theme answers:

• 17A: Village with very little gardening equipment? (ONE-HOrsE TOWN).
• 27A: Entrance purchases for a conditioning program? (FIrsT-CLASS TICKETS).
• 44A: What Ruth forgot to bring to pool night? (CUrsE OF THE BAMBINO).
• 57A: Like calls between drudges? (PErsON-TO-PErsON).
• 66A: Failures (and in another way, a hint to 17-, 27-, 44- and 57-Across) (LOSERS).

Happy Friday, everyone! I sincerely hope it's not raining where you are. I feel like we haven't seen the sun in years and it's pretty depressing. Luckily, we have a little diversion today ….

I really enjoyed this theme. I like that it wasn't super simple to figure out each theme answer, but that it was possible with some brain work. If ONE-HOE TOWN wasn't the seed entry for this puzzle, I'll eat my hat. (Remember how we had BREAST and then BOOB in successive puzzles this week and I asked what was next? Well, this is what was next!)

I had two write-overs today. I tried ALUM where AUNT was supposed to go (11D: Reunion attendee) and SLS for SLA (25D: Radical '70s group). SLS is … something, right? Other than that, my problems were mostly brain lapses. For example, with the SQUA in place for [10D: Gripe], the only word I could think of was SQUALL and I knew that wasn't right. Couldn't get SQUAWK to appear for what seemed like forever. Also had trouble with MARCO (36A: Pool game call). That's an awesome clue. I didn't understand that we were talking about a swimming pool (and not billiards) until every single letter had been filled in through crosses. D'oh!

Sparkliest entry in today's puzzle? CUTIE PIE (39D: Honey). It's been used in the L.A. Times puzzle a few times, but the most recent appearance was more than three years ago, so I declare it fresh and sparkly.

Bullets:

• 24A: Jacket label letters (ISBN). Book jacket, that is.
• 42A: "__ it Art?": Kipling (BUT IS). Hey, even the ugly partial gets a fun clue today!
• 47A: Morgan Freeman won its 2011 Life Achievement Award: Abbr. (AFI). I'm gonna guess this stands for American Film Institute, but I don't feel like looking it up.

• 6D: Pistons' place (THE NBA). I used to pay a lot of attention to pro basketball back in the 80s, so the Pistons are definitely not on my list of favorite teams. Isiah Thomas, Bill Laimbeer, Coach Chuck Daly … ? Not much to like there.
• 31D: Nice compliment (TRES BIEN). Okay, I admit it. This clue tricked me. "Nice" in this case refers to the city of Nice. Which is in France. Where they speak French. (French!) Putting Nice at the beginning of the clue where it's automatically capitalized is a common trick and I was pretty sure I was at the point where I could spot it a mile away. But no.
• 33D: Happy Meals toy, e.g. (TIE-IN). Because CRAP wouldn't fit.

• 42D: Ones who've got your back, in Internet shorthand (BFF'S). Just yesterday, PuzzleDaughter said to me (try to imagine this in a 10-year-old girl bossy voice), "I don't get BFF's. I mean, BFF means Best Friends Forever. But BFF's? That's like saying Best Friends Forevers. That doesn't make sense." That's my girl.
• 50D: Food in a memorable "Seinfeld" episode (SOUP). The thing that cracks me up about the Soup Nazi is that the character was based on a real person and I had heard about the real guy before the character ever appeared on the show. PuzzleDad used to go to the soup place for lunch and he mentioned more than once how weird it was. He's like "Some days you get bread. Some days, you don't. Once in a while, I'll get back to my office and there's a banana in the bag. You just don't ever really know what you're going to get with this guy."
• 58D: Lascivious leader? (ELL). The word "lascivious" begins with the letter L, which would be spelled out as ELL (if anyone ever really spelled out letters).

Everything — 1A: Gung-ho response (I'M ON IT); 7A: Delay (LAG); 10A: Evans of country (SARA); 14A: Buff (POLISH); 15A: Farm female (EWE); 16A: Left (QUIT); 17A: Village with very little gardening equipment? (ONE-HOE TOWN); 19A: The NCAA's Runnin' Rebels (UNLV); 20A: Lab, for one (DOG); 21A: Reject (NIX); 22A: Sends (ELATES); 24A: Jacket label letters (ISBN); 26A: Get off the shoulder, say (TOW); 27A: Entrance purchases for a conditioning program? (FIT-CLASS TICKETS); 35A: Actor Milo (O'SHEA); 36A: Pool game call (MARCO); 37A: Tiny beef (NIT); 38A: Fly on a line (LURE); 39A: Gives credit where credit is due (CITES); 40A: On the safer side (ALEE); 41A: Rational ending? (-IZE); 42A: "__ it Art?": Kipling (BUT IS); 43A: 1955 UN joiner (SPAIN); 44A: What Ruth forgot to bring to pool night? (CUE OF THE BAMBINO); 47A: Morgan Freeman won its 2011 Life Achievement Award: Abbr. (AFI); 48A: Morning talker (IMUS); 49A: Fly over the equator? (TSE-TSE); 52A: Pleased cry (YES); 53A: Droid, e.g. (PDA); 56A: Slip through the cracks? (OOZE); 57A: Like calls between drudges? (PEON-TO-PEON); 61A: Run well (PURR); 62A: Unsound (ILL); 63A: Like Napoleon (EXILED); 64A: Relaxing locales (SPAS); 65A: The Hartford logo (ELK); 66A: Failures (and in another way, a hint to 17-, 27-, 44- and 57-Across) (LOSERS); 1D: Tune carrier (IPOD); 2D: One-track (MONO); 3D: Couturier Cassini (OLEG); 4D: Med. research agency (NIH); 5D: Bar opening? (ISO-); 6D: Pistons' place (THE NBA); 7D: Last non-priest to be named pope (LEO X); 8D: "Isn't that cute?" ("AWW"); 9D: It involves mapping (GENETICS); 10D: Gripe (SQUAWK); 11D: Reunion attendee (AUNT); 12D: Stir up (RILE); 13D: Off-rd. rides (ATV'S); 18D: Worker with light metal (TINSMITH); 23D: Bonkers (LOCO); 24D: Slush Puppie maker (ICEE); 25D: Radical '70s group (SLA); 27D: __ acid: vitamin B9 (FOLIC); 28D: Amigo on the road (ISUZU); 29D: Crowd starter? (THREE); 30D: "Socrate" composer (SATIE); 31D: Nice compliment (TRES BIEN); 32D: Zhou __ (EN-LAI); 33D: Happy Meals toy, e.g. (TIE-IN); 34D: Writer of short letters (STENO); 39D: Honey (CUTIE PIE); 40D: NYPD notices (APB'S); 42D: Ones who've got your back, in Internet shorthand (BFF'S); 43D: Future George W. Bush Presidential Library site (SMU); 45D: "Hondo" et al. (OATERS); 46D: Dutch brewery (AMSTEL); 49D: A-one (TOPS); 50D: Food in a memorable "Seinfeld" episode (SOUP); 51D: Pound of verse (EZRA); 52D: White partner (YOLK); 53D: "__ Eterno": 2004 sports documentary (PELE); 54D: Active sort (DOER); 55D: Addenda (ANDS); 58D: Lascivious leader? (ELL); 59D: Big name in kitchenware (OXO); 60D: Tecs (PIS).

09.02 Fri

F R I D A Y
September 2, 2011
Pancho Harrison

Theme answers:

• 17A: Sign some new sluggers? (HIRE POWER).
• 24A: Henna and such? (DYER NEEDS).
• 40A: Stand-up gig for Richard? (PRYOR ENGAGEMENT).
• 50A: Instrument in need of cleaning? (DIRTY LYRE).
• 64A: Augustine, for one? (DEEP FRIAR).

I had a lot of fun with this theme. I figured it out right away at HIRE POWER and was able to use that knowledge for the rest of the theme answers. I was thrown off a little when I got down to DIRTY LYRE and found the change in the second word instead of the first. Having the changed words consistently at the beginning or end would make this puzzle more elegant, but it didn't bother me too too much. After solving, I did a quick run through the alphabet to see if I could come up with any other phrases that would work as theme answers. There are plenty of words that can be changed in this way, but I didn't find any that fit into a well-known phrase. And some of the words I came up with were just hideous (like SIGHER). I also just noticed that the resulting spelling change in each of the theme answers is unique: IRE, YER, YOR, YRE, IAR. Nice.

Stuff I just flat-out didn't know today:

• 14A: Aquatic bird (COOT). I will be impressed if any of you say you've actually heard of this.
• 26D: Peak in an Eastwood film (EIGER). I've heard of the mountain, but not the movie. Apparently, it's a 1975 release called "The Eiger Sanction."
• 34D: Blake title feline (TYGER). Feels like maybe something I should know but … not so much.

Bullets:

• 21A: Like some nests (EMPTY). I had a taste of the EMPTY nest these last couple of weeks while the PuzzleKids were off on adventures with the PuzzleParents. I've always assumed I'd be more relieved than anything when the kids finally leave (parenting is hard!), but having them gone made me realize that sending them off to college is just around the corner and I have to admit I'm panicking a little.
• 44A: Original Speed Stick maker (MENNEN). I'm at just the right age where I can hear the end of the old Speed Stick ads in my head. ("Byyyyyyy MENnen.")

• 54A: Sci-fi character whose first name, Nyota, was first revealed in film in 2009 (UHURA). Nerd alert!
• 66A: Best Actress nominee for "Ordinary People" (MOORE). I know Demi Moore is a lot older than her husband, but I didn't think she was old enough to be in this movie. (For those of you who don't know me very well, this is a contest.)
• 12D: Ink spots, briefly? (TAT). "Ink spots in the 'hood, briefly?" There, I fixed it.
• 27D: Chin Ho co-worker, in a TV cop show (DANNO). Don't recall ever hearing of Chin Ho, but with a cross or two in place, the Hawaii Five-O reference became clear.

Everything — 1A: Some rentals, in ads (APTS.); 5A: "Gimme just __" (A SEC); 9A: Chew the scenery (EMOTE); 14A: Aquatic bird (COOT); 15A: Rowlands of "Gloria" (GENA); 16A: Deteriorate (DECAY); 17A: Sign some new sluggers? (HIRE POWER); 19A: Word with time and space (WASTE); 20A: __ nous (ENTRE'); 21A: Like some nests (EMPTY); 23A: Wartime submachine guns (STENS); 24A: Henna and such? (DYER NEEDS); 29A: Giant legend (OTT); 31A: Nagpur native (INDIAN); 32A: Granola grain (OAT); 35A: 1805 Vienna premiere (EROICA); 39A: Lambs: Lat. (AGNI); 40A: Stand-up gig for Richard? (PRYOR ENGAGEMENT); 43A: Old wrap (TOGA); 44A: Original Speed Stick maker (MENNEN); 45A: Children's author Asquith (ROS); 46A: Composer/violinist who taught Menuhin (ENESCO); 48A: U.S. Army E-5 (SGT.); 50A: Instrument in need of cleaning? (DIRTY LYRE); 54A: Sci-fi character whose first name, Nyota, was first revealed in film in 2009 (UHURA); 58A: Did a little courting (COOED); 59A: Like some denim jackets (LINED); 60A: Flop with fins (EDSEL); 64A: Augustine, for one? (DEEP FRIAR); 66A: Best Actress nominee for "Ordinary People" (MOORE); 67A: Miss Megley's charge, in a Salinger story (ESME); 68A: Lavish affection (DOTE); 69A: 1830s revolution site (TEXAS); 70A: Grand jeté, e.g. (LEAP); 71A: Go bananas (SNAP); 1D: More than twinges (ACHES); 2D: Salient feature (POINT); 3D: High-calorie cake (TORTE); 4D: Jellied fuel (STERNO); 5D: Past word (AGO); 6D: Hemmed but didn't haw (SEWED); 7D: Ones not with you (ENEMY); 8D: __ diem (CARPE); 9D: He voiced Disney's Mad Hatter (ED WYNN); 10D: Drop-line link (ME A); 11D: Mil. training site (OC'S); 12D: Ink spots, briefly? (TAT); 13D: Center (EYE); 18D: Bedevil (PESTER); 22D: "M*A*S*H" procedures (TRIAGES); 25D: Queso relleno cheese (EDAM); 26D: Peak in an Eastwood film (EIGER); 27D: Chin Ho co-worker, in a TV cop show (DANNO); 28D: Miffed states (SNITS); 30D: Vibrating effect (TREMOLO); 32D: Made a choice (OPTED); 33D: Product suffix created in San Francisco in 1958 (-ARONI); 34D: Blake title feline (TYGER); 36D: "A Chorus Line" song (ONE); 37D: Starter: Abbr. (IGN.); 38D: Axe (CAN); 41D: Hops drier (OAST); 42D: Swallow up (ENGULF); 47D: Economic series (CYCLES); 49D: Bs in the key of G, e.g. (THIRDS); 51D: Sing "The Lonely Goatherd," say (YODEL); 52D: Entrepreneur inspired by Hershey (REESE); 53D: Fluid buildup (EDEMA); 55D: U.S.S.R. part (UNION); 56D: Gaucho's rope (REATA); 57D: One concerned with the spot market? (AD REP); 60D: 911 respondent (EMT); 61D: Female rabbit (DOE); 62D: Chi-Town team (SOX); 63D: Historical span (ERA); 65D: __ rally (PEP).

08.26 Fri

F R I D A Y
August 26, 2011
James Sajdak

Theme: Sound Substitution — The Z sound is changed to a DS sound in familiar phrases.

Theme answers:

• 20A: Easy-to-use sock drawer organizer? (PEDS DISPENSER).
• 28A: Dog show eye-catchers? (COOL BREEDS).
• 36A: Feline alpha groups? (TOP PRIDES).
• 48A: "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "We Are the Champions"? (QUEEN SIDES).
• 56A: Winter Olympics winner's wall hanging? (BLADES OF GLORY).

Y'all on the East Coast ready for a hurricane? PuzzleHusband is in Texas and PuzzleKids are in Canada, so I'm hunkering down for this one solo. If the power stays on, this might be a great weekend. I have a ton of stuff to do around the house and with the bad weather I won't feel guilty for staying inside. If the power goes out though? Whole different story. Crossing my fingers!

Today we're looking at a simple sound substitution theme. It's a cute idea, but I can't help thinking a bunch of Zs would make the grid more interesting, so it's kind of shame they're being taken out. What I'm really looking for in a theme like this is a theme answer where both the original and resulting phrases are interesting and colorful. Two of the five fit the bill today: COOL BREEDS and BLADES OF GLORY. But look at the others. PEZ DISPENSER is cool, but PEDS DISPENSER? Besides the fact that I don't even think it makes sense (PEDS = socks??), I've gotta believe that if "sock drawer organizer" is the best clue you can come up with for a theme answer, I'd say it's time to look for a better theme answer. QUEEN SIDES is an interesting phrase (and it has a great clue), but it started out as QUEEN-SIZE which is … a type of mattress. TOP PRIDES has the distinction of being a boring answer and based on a boring phrase. Ta-da!

Bullets:

• 1A: Henri's here (ICI). Starting right off at 1-Across with … French!
• 10A: Druid's sacred hill (TARA). There were Druids in "Gone With the Wind"?
• 18A: Bandit feature? (ONE ARM). Cute clue! This is a reference to a slot machine. But you knew that.
• 63A: 36 for nine, often (PAR). Golf.
• 64A: Votes for (AYES). Tricky. "Votes" in the clue is actually a noun, not a verb. E.g., "We've got three votes for and two against."

• 66A: Owner of Abbey Road Studios (EMI). Anyone else try ONO here first?
• 2D: Set pieces? (CAMERAS). Movie set.
• 6D: Appearance announcement (PRESTO). I couldn't tell what this clue was going for, but this is a great entry.
• 29D: No right __ (ON RED). This is embarrassing to admit, but I actually entered OF WAY first. Yes, I realize that's a terrible answer.
• 39D: Subj. of an '80s-'90s financial crisis (S AND L). I had a hard time parsing this. It's Savings & Loan.
• 40D: EPA concern (AQI). Air Quality Index. I think.
• 46D: St. Louis team, familiarly (THE RAMS). I know it's only been, what? fifteen years or so? I just can't think of the RAMS as being in St. Louis.

• 57D: Price or Battle (DIVA). I knew these were both last names of opera singers, but.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 66A: Owner of Abbey Road Studios (EMI).
• 8D: Empty weight (TARE).
• 30D: Jasmine neckwear, perhaps (LEI).
• 58D: Genesis grandson (ENOS).

Everything — 1A: Henri's here (ICI); 4A: Sci-fi psychic (EMPATH); 10A: Druid's sacred hill (TARA); 14A: What Lin's D.C. wall commemorates (NAM); 15A: Craps table tactic (PARLAY); 16A: Like some terrible reviews (ACID); 17A: Wee (SMA); 18A: Bandit feature? (ONE ARM); 19A: Watch lights, briefly (LCD'S); 20A: Easy-to-use sock drawer organizer? (PEDS DISPENSER); 23A: Emphatic words (I REPEAT); 24A: Run-of-the-mill (USUAL); 27A: Track position (RAIL); 28A: Dog show eye-catchers? (COOL BREEDS); 32A: Cornerstone abbr. (ESTAB.); 34A: Just outside of (NEAR); 35A: Rolls in the grass? (SOD); 36A: Feline alpha groups? (TOP PRIDES); 40A: Palm Sunday carrier (ASS); 43A: German battleship Graf __ (SPEE); 44A: 1945 "Big Three" conference site (YALTA); 48A: "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "We Are the Champions"? (QUEEN SIDES); 52A: Slangy negatives (NAHS); 53A: 14th-century Russian prince (IVAN I); 54A: Retro tees (TIE-DYES); 56A: Winter Olympics winner's wall hanging? (BLADES OF GLORY); 60A: Prussian pair (ZWEI); 62A: Stimulate (INCITE); 63A: 36 for nine, often (PAR); 64A: Votes for (AYES); 65A: Semi-sheer fabrics (VOILES); 66A: Owner of Abbey Road Studios (EMI); 67A: Orkin target (PEST); 68A: Speak with conviction (ASSERT); 69A: Decoding org. (NSA); 1D: Fire up (INSPIRE); 2D: Set pieces? (CAMERAS); 3D: Cry from one reaching the top (I MADE IT); 4D: Lyrical poetic form (EPODE); 5D: Zealot-plus (MANIAC); 6D: Appearance announcement (PRESTO); 7D: Gain __: get further ahead in the race (A LAP); 8D: Empty weight (TARE); 9D: Mass music (HYMN); 10D: "Honor Thy Father" author (TALESE); 11D: Grows (ACCRUES); 12D: Purged (RID); 13D: Spots with slogans (ADS); 21D: Egg toss miss indicator (SPLAT); 22D: Light carriage (SURREY); 25D: Flap (ADO); 26D: Dr. Leary's turn-on (LSD); 29D: No right __ (ON RED); 30D: Jasmine neckwear, perhaps (LEI); 31D: Wicked (BAD); 33D: Sarajevo's region (BOSNIA); 37D: Forgetful writer's letters? (P.P.S.); 38D: Louvre Pyramid designer (PEI); 39D: Subj. of an '80s-'90s financial crisis (S AND L); 40D: EPA concern (AQI); 41D: Toyota RAV4, e.g. (SUV); 42D: Navy builders (SEABEES); 45D: Expose (LAY OPEN); 46D: St. Louis team, familiarly (THE RAMS); 47D: Ancient kingdom on the Tigris (ASSYRIA); 49D: Sign on (ENLIST); 50D: Star of France (ÉTOILE); 51D: Bakery utensil (SIFTER); 55D: Discharge (EGEST); 57D: Price or Battle (DIVA); 58D: Genesis grandson (ENOS); 59D: H.S. courses (SCIS); 60D: Cook quickly, in a way (ZAP); 61D: Three-switch railroad track section (WYE).

08.19 Fri

F R I D A Y
August 19, 2011
Jeff Louie

Theme: Crazy Cuisine — Hard G sounds are changed to hard C sounds in familiar foods, creating a madcap menu of outrageous edibles.

Theme Entries:

• 16A: Dairy food for a haunted house? (CREAK YOGURT).
• 23A: Boxed Brie? (CRATED CHEESE).
• 38A/41A: Pancake-flavored drink? (CREPE JUICE).
• 50A: Snacks for an all-nighter? (CRAM CRACKERS).
• 62A: Dinner dish decorated for a king? (CROWNED BEEF).

Hey, puzzle fans. Doug here, filling in on a Friday. PuzzleGirl is away on important business. She called me last night from an undisclosed location. There was a lot of loud music and laughter in the background, so I didn't catch everything she said. Sounded pretty important though. OK, let's get to the puzzle.

Unless I'm mistaken, this is Jeff Louie's debut puzzle. Congratulations! This is an ambitious theme. You could come up with a decent theme by finding a bunch of phrases that start with GR & then changing the G sound to a C sound. But Mr. Louie kicked it up a notch by only using food-related phrases. Nice work.

I like CREPE JUICE the best, because it sounds kinda gross, in a good way. It reminds me of some of the strange sodas that Jones Soda puts out around the holidays. Sodas with flavors like Turkey & Gravy, Dinner Roll, Christmas Tree, Green Bean Casserole, and Herb Stuffing. When I'm invited to Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, I always bring the Jones Soda. The kids love it! I get out the fancy glasses, and we all have a sample of each flavor. (And yes, I'm always assigned to sit at the kids' table for some reason.) I remember the Turkey & Gravy soda was especially vile. It was like licking an ashtray. And Christmas Tree tasted like Windex. Best flavor: Pumpkin Pie.

Bullets:

• 1A: Espresso concoction (LATTE). Aren't espresso and latte two different things? I'm not a coffee drinker, so I may be completely off-base. That's right. I don't drink coffee, but I occasionally drink Mashed Potatoes & Butter soda.
• 10A/13A: Coming-out phrase? (IT'S A GIRL). Because the baby girl's "coming out" of the mother. Moving on...

• 14A: Surprisingly, the Rays don't play there (TAMPA). The Tampa Bay Rays play in St. Petersburg, Florida. The New York Giants and New York Jets play in New Jersey. And the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim? You can figure that one out.
• 16A: Dairy food for a haunted house? (CREAK YOGURT). I wasn't familiar with Greek yogurt. Wikipedia tells me that it's "yogurt which has been strained in a cloth or paper bag or filter to remove the whey, giving a consistency between that of yogurt and cheese, while preserving yogurt's distinctive sour taste." Uh, that almost sounds worse than the crepe juice.
• 34A: Sask. neighbor (N. DAK.). If PuzzleGirl was here, I'm sure she'd have something interesting to say about North Dakota. Let's see... It's the birthplace of Roger Maris. That's all I've got.

• 40A: Priest's vestment (ALB). That's a vintage Crosswordese 101 entry. Check it out here: ALB.
• 9D: Weather forecast word (PATCHY). This is one of my favorite clues today. Rather than giving us a boring synonym, the constructor came up with a clever way to make us think of "patchy." The only place I ever hear that word is in weather forecasts. Patchy fog, patchy clouds, etc.
• 10D: Sundance entry, usually (INDIE). Independent films at the Sundance Film Festival.
• 22D: Name that means "cool breeze" in Hawaiian (KEANU). That's the most interesting thing I've ever read about Keanu Reeves. My name in Hawaiian is Kouka. I learned that from a keychain in a Hawaiian gift shop.

PuzzleGirl will be back tomorrow, bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and ready to blog. Or you'll be stuck with me again. Enjoy the rest of your Friday.

08.12 Fri

F R I D A Y
August 12, 2011
Robert H. Wolfe

Theme: Do I Need to Spell It Out for You? — Each theme answer is a familiar phrase beginning with a word that is a homophone of a letter of the alphabet.

Theme answers:

• 17A: Urban area set aside for pekoe purveyors? (TEA SQUARE).
• 25A: New Zealand lamb-exporting method? (EWE BOAT).
• 28A: End of the line? (QUEUE TIP).
• 47A: "The Look of Love" and "Suddenly I See," e.g.? (EYE TUNES).
• 49A: Pitch notation for Debussy's "La Mer"? (SEA CLEF).
• 58A: Island allotment? (CAY RATION).

Busy day today, so I'll just say that I think this theme is really cute and then we'll jump straight to the bullets.

Bullets:

• 1A: Brother of Ham (SHEM). One day I'll do a CW101 on all the Bible names/terms you should know for crosswords.
• 9A: Performance lead-in (INTRO). I had the NTR in place and was thinking "ENTRE," but that's the "lead in" to an intermission, not the performance intself.

• 16A: Aired, as "Hogan's Heroes," say (RERAN). Oh those wacky POW camps.
• 20A: Cross (SULLEN). Gotta love the one-word clues on Friday. Have you ever thought about how many different meanings the word "cross" can have? Well today you did.
• 21A: Half of MXIV (DVII). Ouch. The dreaded Random Roman Numeral.
• 31A: Swimmer who channeled her energy? (EDERLE). In 1926, Gertrude EDERLE became the first woman to swim across the English channel.

• 51A: Revered Mother (TERESA). So weird. Just yesterday I drafted a letter to someone named "Reverend Mother Thérèse."
• 53A: Team playing in The Big A (ANGELS). Pretty sure I've never seen the nickname "The Big A" for Anaheim (or any other city for that matter). At first I thought it might be Austin (playing off of Dallas's nickname "The Big D") but couldn't think of a pro team in Austin. (Is there one?)
• 63A: Needing darning (TORN). I tried WORN first.

• 65A: What wavy lines may represent (ODORS).
• 66A: It's about a foot (SHOE). "About" in this case means "around."
• 27D: Mad VIPs (EDS.). EDitorS of Mad Magazine.
• 42D: Commemorative pillar (STELA). We covered STELE in CW101 a while back. Turns out it can also be spelled STELA. So now you know.
• 54D: Sodium hydroxide, in lab shorthand (NAOH). That looks like jibberish to me but I'm sure you science-y people out there knew it right off.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 56A: Icelandic literary treasures (EDDAS).

Everything — 1A: Brother of Ham (SHEM); 5A: Finishes (up) the gravy (SOPS); 9A: Performance lead-in (INTRO); 14A: Mystique (AURA); 15A: Aussie water hazard (CROC); 16A: Aired, as "Hogan's Heroes," say (RERAN); 17A: Urban area set aside for pekoe purveyors? (TEA SQUARE); 19A: Symphony section (REEDS); 20A: Cross (SULLEN); 21A: Half of MXIV (DVII); 22A: "Julie & Julia" co-star (STREEP); 25A: New Zealand lamb-exporting method? (EWE BOAT); 28A: End of the line? (QUEUE TIP); 31A: Swimmer who channeled her energy? (EDERLE); 32A: Store, as ashes (INURN); 33A: Contests ending in draws? (DUELS); 35A: Drifts off (NAPS); 36A: Pinkish yellow (CORAL); 37A: Hoax (FLAM); 41A: Low lands (DALES); 42A: Wine made from the Garganega grape (SOAVE); 43A: Have a one-track mind (OBSESS); 47A: "The Look of Love" and "Suddenly I See," e.g.? (EYE TUNES); 49A: Pitch notation for Debussy's "La Mer"? (SEA CLEF); 51A: Revered Mother (TERESA); 52A: Keen (WAIL); 53A: Team playing in The Big A (ANGELS); 56A: Icelandic literary treasures (EDDAS); 58A: Island allotment? (CAY RATION); 62A: Rubbed-out spirits (GENII); 63A: Needing darning (TORN); 64A: Polis starter (ACRO-); 65A: What wavy lines may represent (ODORS); 66A: It's about a foot (SHOE); 67A: Regretted (RUED); 1D: Wasn't used (SAT); 2D: Shade (HUE); 3D: Stat for CC Sabathia (ERA); 4D: People who knead people (MASSEURS); 5D: Work with clay, say (SCULPT); 6D: Lacking a paper trail (ORAL); 7D: Skin feature (PORE); 8D: Dramatic division (SCENE); 9D: Bargain basement abbr. (IRR.); 10D: As required, after "if" (NEED BE); 11D: "Felicia's Journey" writer William (TREVOR); 12D: Like some saws and tires (RADIAL); 13D: Not remote (ONSITE); 18D: Versatile game piece (QUEEN); 22D: Magazine ad meas. (SQ. IN.); 23D: __ melt (TUNA); 24D: Do another stint (RE-UP); 26D: "Let me think ..." ("WELL …"); 27D: Mad VIPs (EDS.); 29D: Hot star (IDOL); 30D: Turn to mush (PUREE); 34D: "Calm down!" ("EASY!"); 36D: Winery buy (CASE); 37D: Like expensive restaurants, hopefully (FOUR-STAR); 38D: Meet assignment (LANE); 39D: Madison et al.: Abbr. (AVES.); 40D: Cubs' spring training city (MESA); 41D: PC dial-up upgrade (DSL); 42D: Commemorative pillar (STELA); 43D: Lake Ontario port (OSWEGO); 44D: Like some women's evening bags (BEADED); 45D: Refused (SAID NO); 46D: Filled pastry (ECLAIR); 48D: Unlimited, in verse (ETERNE); 50D: Almanac offerings (FACTS); 54D: Sodium hydroxide, in lab shorthand (NAOH); 55D: Sandwich with tzatziki sauce (GYRO); 57D: Family girl (SIS); 59D: Post-op stop (ICU); 60D: Unrefined metal (ORE); 61D: Quiet bid (NOD).