Theme: "Big Finish" — First words of the theme answers can follow the word grand in familiar two-word phrases.
Theme answers:
17A: *Sam in "Casablanca," e.g. (PIANO PLAYER).
36A: *Fast-paced (SLAM-BANG).
42A: *Collapsible headgear (OPERA HAT).
11D: *Hank Aaron's 6,856 is the career record (TOTAL BASES).
29D: *1962 Gene Chandler hit (DUKE OF EARL).
61A: Big finish, and what the first words of the answers to starred clues can be (GRAND FINALE).
Hi, everyone. Back from beautiful downtown Omaha (*cough*) and my brain's pretty well fried. It takes a good big of energy to watch three loooong days of college wrestling. But when the Hawkeyes come out on top, it's all worth it! I had an awesome time, but I'm pretty much ready for my life to get back to normal so I'll have more time to obsess about puzzles. Until next season, of course.
This puzzle was … fine. I'm tired. I solved it without any real problems. The theme didn't help me as I solved, but in retrospect, I like it. GRAND OPERA is not something I'm familiar with. Come to think of it, neither is OPERA HAT. So I would have been fine without that particular entry. But overall, nicely done.
Quick hits:
1A: "The __ Kid": early TV Western (CISCO). Here. This will get "Duke of Earl" out of your head.
16A: Cal. neighbor (ORE.). Tried Nev. first.
19A: Spinner (TOP).
45A: Sun, to Esteban (SOL). Spanish!
5D: Disney toon panda, "Special Agent __" (OSO). I've seen quite a lot of Disney over the last few years, but I don't recognize this one.
13D: Back-to-school mo. (SEPT.). In a lot of places anyway.
28D: Fails to grasp (DROPS). Cute. I would not have been disappointed to see a question mark at the end of this clue. It's tricky enough to have one, I think.
38D: Elation (GLEE). Do you watch that show? I haven't seen it, but hear it's pretty awesome.
40D: Base melody (TAPS). Gives me the goosebumps every time I hear it.
Everything Else — 6A: Suit parts (VESTS); 11A: "__ the season ..." ('TIS); 14A: Choir members (ALTOS); 15A: Even if, for short (ALTHO); 20A: Squealed, so to speak (SANG); 21A: Be under the weather (AIL); 22A: Formally unsay (RECANT); 24A: Cutlass or 88 (OLDS); 26A: She plays Julia in "Julie & Julia" (MERYL); 27A: Tack on (ADD); 30A: Standards of excellence (IDEALS); 32A: CEO's degree (MBA); 34A: Dirty (GRUBBY); 39A: "Wake Up With Al" weatherman (ROKER); 40A: China's Mao __-tung (TSE); 41A: Studio stand (EASEL); 44A: "Honor Thy Father" author Gay (TALESE); 46A: Outcome (UPSHOT); 48A: Canonized 26-Down (STE.); 49A: Festival showings, perhaps (FILMS); 51A: Quartz variety (ONYX); 53A: Began the betting (OPENED); 55A: UN anti-child-labor agcy. (ILO); 56A: Old oath (EGAD); 60A: Menu phrase (ALA); 64A: Roofing material (TAR); 65A: Part of a pound (OUNCE); 66A: Best-seller list entry (NOVEL); 67A: NBC fixture for nearly 35 yrs. (SNL); 68A: Dirty campaign tactic (SMEAR); 69A: Show reverence, in a way (KNEEL); 1D: Limits (CAPS); 2D: Hip bones (ILIA); 3D: Ollie's partner (STAN); 4D: Zaire, today (CONGO); 6D: Travel bag (VALISE); 7D: Airline to Tel Aviv (EL AL); 8D: Farm home (STY); 9D: "Spider-Man 3" actress Russell (THERESA); 10D: More ticked off (SORER); 12D: Heavy metal (IRON); 18D: Rice source (PADDY); 23D: One of a drum set pair (CYMBAL); 25D: Scales of the zodiac (LIBRA); 26D: Swiss miss, maybe: Abbr. (MLLE.); 27D: Soil-related prefix (AGRO-); 31D: Helpers: Abbr. (ASSTS.); 33D: "__ of robins ...": Kilmer (A NEST); 35D: Capital east of the Elbe River (BERLIN); 37D: Substantial (MEATY); 43D: Boring (HUMDRUM); 44D: Like a __ bricks (TON OF); 47D: Obama attorney general Eric (HOLDER); 50D: Tyke's blocks (LEGOS); 52D: Arc lamp gas (XENON); 53D: Granola ingredient (OATS); 54D: Word after flight or floor (PLAN); 55D: Ancient Peruvian (INCA); 57D: Contributed (GAVE); 58D: Away from the wind (ALEE); 59D: Farmer's place, in song (DELL); 62D: "Wheel of Fortune" buy (AN E); 63D: Printer need (INK).
Theme: "Roger Wilco!" — Theme answers are all synonyms of "Affirmative!"
Theme answers:
17A: "Affirmative!" ("POSITIVELY!").
27A: "Affirmative!" ("OF COURSE!").
46A: "Affirmative!" ("YESSIREE!").
59A: "Affirmative!" ("BY ALL MEANS!").
11D: "Affirmative!" ("OKEY DOKEY!").
34D: "Affirmative!" ("SURE THING!").
Fun puzzle, cute theme, not a lot of crosswordese, some fun fill ... plus with all that positive exclaiming going on — well, I'd rate this puzzle a win. Anything else to talk about? ...
"Why, yes!":
1A: Coffee, slangily (JAVA).
15A: Explorer Sebastian (CABOT). Hey, wait. I thought that was the guy who played Mr. French on "Family Affair." Oh, okay. He had the same name.
24A: Mountain climber's return (DESCENT). It's always good when a mountain climber has one of those.
35A: Poses (SITS). I had acts at first.
36A: Singer __ Rock (KID). Okay, I know what you're saying. "Kid Rock is not a singer! He does that awful rap stuff that some people call music." Well, I hate to break this to you, but the kid can actually sing.
37A: Hair style for Marie Antoinette (POUF). Really? This is a real hairstyle? I love it.
50A: Place for an Eggo (TOASTER). Me: "Um ... my stomach?"
1D: Made fun of (JAPED). This word was obviously included to teach me a lesson. (Long story.)
39D: Actresses Clarke and West (MAES). I've never heard of Mae Clarke, but I assume some of you have.
Crosswordese 101: U THANT is more like Crosswordese 301, but we've already covered the all the other CW101 I found in the puzzle (namely, ERE,ETD,ORAN and ORO). As today's clue says, U THANT was a 54A: '60s United Nations secretary general. He succeeded Dag Hammarskjöld in that position, which he held from 1961 to 1971. The U in this case is a Burmese honorific meaning, basically, "Mr." THANT was actually his only name. Kinda like Cher, Madonna, and Prince, only not quite as famous. I also don't know if he could sing.
THEME: IXNAY! (60A: Slangy turndown and a hint to how 17-, 22-, 32-, 47- and 51-Across are formed) — take familiar phrases, say "NAY" to (i.e take out) the "IX," and get new wacky phrases; clue said phrases "?"-style; lather rinse repeat; stir
I feel like there should be a massive balloon drop to celebrate the return of (some) difficulty to late-week LAT puzzles! OK, so I can't really call a puzzle that took me 5+ minutes to do "difficult," but it's a Hell of a lot better than the softballs we've been getting the last few months. I actually had to think. A lot. Yay thinking! This is a really snazzy and well-executed puzzle, with a great theme-revealing word — IXNAY — that serves as a really effective exclamation point for the whole thing. Got the theme (or so I believed) at DON QUOTE, but then when I had some trouble getting into MISTER FIT, I thought maybe the removed letters weren't going to be the same in every case. Like ... maybe all kinds of different Roman numerals were going to get yanked out of theme answers, like VI and CL and what not. But no. Just the IXs.
Theme answers:
17A: Health nut? (MISTER FIT) — from "Mr. Fix-It"
22A: "Make him an offer he can't refuse," e.g.? (DON QUOTE) — from "Don Quixote"
32A: Where hogs go hog-wild? (SWINGING STIES) — from "Swinging Sixties" (idea of swinger pigs = highly amusing)
47A: DVDs? (NON-TAPES) — from "Nixon tapes"
51A: Cocktails at an exotic resort club? (MED DRINKS) — from "mixed drinks"; this one felt iffiest. It's "Club MED" and only ever "Club MED"; been to several, never heard anyone use "MED" independently.
Crosswordese 101: EVAN Hunter (18A: Author Hunter) — If you know him at all, you probably know him better as Ed McBain, the name under which he had a prolific and successful crime fiction-writing career. One of the very first vintage paperbacks in my now enormous collection was a first edition 50s paperback edition of "The Mugger." Super fantastic (book on right is from my collection as well). EVAN could show up as the name of any number of people, but Hunter is a favorite way to clue it. Look also for baseball's EVAN Longoria, 2008 All-Star and American League Rookie of the Year. Then try not to get him confused with EVA Longoria (39A: Longoria of "Desperate Housewives").
What else?
26A: Eightfold (OCTUPLE) — really wanted the (made-up?) adverb OCTUPLY.
36A: Satirist Mort (SAHL) — see also the far less common [Satirist Freberg] => STAN.
40A: Source of 20s, for short (ATM) — I could not, for the life of me, figure out what "20s" was supposed to mean until I got the answer from crosses. D'oh! Did you know it's AUTOMATED Teller Machine and not AUTOMATIC. I found this out the hard way while doing Frank Longo's extremely awesome and brutally difficult "Vowelless Crosswords," which everyone who likes challenging puzzles really must own. Hours and hours of solving fun/torture for an obscenely low price (66 puzzles, 8 bucks).
57A: Stiller's comedy partner (MEARA) — love her. As many of you know, one of the highlights of my blogging career was getting an email from her correcting some mistake I made in a write-up.
2D: California city near Vandenberg Air Force Base (LOMPOC) — yikes. Pulled this, eventually, from god knows where. This must be an answer designed to give the puzzle a certain California flavor (NYT does similar provincial stuff from time to time).
6D: Reproductive cell (GAMETE) — I had ZYGOTE ...
10D: "I don't get it" (GO FIGURE) — I didn't get it either, not until I had nearly every cross. "GOTIGURE? GOMIGURE?"
25D: Two-wheeled artillery wagons (CAISSONS) — they go rolling along in that song about war that I half-way know.
30D: Notable 1969 bride (ONO) — The notable 1970 death of the Beatles followed shortly thereafter.
33D: Battered repeatedly, in slang (WHALED ON) — always want to spell this "WAILED ON." Correct spelling brings to mind images of one man flogging another with a sea mammal.
43D: Biological divisions (GENERA) — Latin plural of "GENUS."
Everything Else — 1A: Angle (SLANT); 6A: Like disco dancers (GO-GO); 10A: "Wow" (GEE); 13A: Explorer __ de León (PONCE); 14A: Structural sci. (ANAT.); 15A: Nightclub in a Manilow song (COPA); 16A: Atlanta university (EMORY); 17A: Health nut? (MISTER FIT); 19A: Prefix with dermal (EPI-); 20A: PC support person (TECH); 21A: Village paper? (VOICE); 22A: "Make him an offer he can't refuse," e.g.? (DON QUOTE); 25A: Toy in a holster (CAP GUN); 26A: Eightfold (OCTUPLE); 27A: Winter mo. (JAN.); 28A: Arg. neighbor (URU); 29A: IM provider (AOL); 30A: Arles assent (OUI); 31A: Get ready, briefly (PREP); 32A: Where hogs go hog-wild? (SWINGING STIES); 36A: Satirist Mort (SAHL); 37A: Blood classification letters (ABO); 38A: "__ who?" (SEZ); 39A: Longoria of "Desperate Housewives" (EVA); 40A: Source of 20s, for short (ATM); 41A: Spokane university (GONZAGA); 45A: Comfort for a griever (SOLACE); 47A: DVDs? (NONTAPES); 48A: Concert venue (ARENA); 49A: Takes to court (SUES); 50A: Tolkien tree creature (ENT); 51A: Cocktails at an exotic resort club? (MED DRINKS); 53A: Bugs chaser (ELMER); 55A: Greek love god (EROS); 56A: Lighten up? (DIET); 57A: Stiller's comedy partner (MEARA); 58A: Form 1040 ID (SSN); 59A: Lhasa __ (APSO); 60A: Slangy turndown, and a hint to how 17-, 22-, 32-, 47- and 51-Across are formed (IXNAY); 1D: Swimwear brand (SPEEDO); 2D: California city near Vandenberg Air Force Base (LOMPOC); 3D: Consecrate using oil (ANOINT); 4D: Big name in 40-Acrosses (NCR); 5D: Mystery writer Josephine (TEY); 6D: Reproductive cell (GAMETE); 7D: In the cooler (ON ICE); 8D: Deep wound (GASH); 9D: Polo Grounds hero (OTT); 10D: "I don't get it" ("GO FIGURE"); 11D: Gastronomes (EPICURES); 12D: Gone from the plate (EATEN UP); 15D: Photoshop command (CROP); 18D: Author Hunter (EVAN); 20D: Turnpike collection spot (TOLL GATE); 23D: Small game bird (QUAIL); 24D: Resting atop (UPON); 25D: Two-wheeled artillery wagons (CAISSONS); 27D: "A __ of Wine, a Loaf of Bread ..." (JUG); 30D: Notable 1969 bride (ONO); 31D: Food in a flat box (PIZZA); 32D: 11-Down, e.g. (SAVORERS); 33D: Battered repeatedly, in slang (WHALED ON); 34D: ThinkPad maker (IBM); 35D: Camp shelter (TENT); 36D: Bun seeds (SESAMES); 40D: Rent-__ (A-CAR); 41D: Attends (GOES TO); 42D: Tarzan, e.g. (APEMAN); 43D: Biological divisions (GENERA); 44D: Down a sinful path (ASTRAY); 46D: Additions (ANDS); 47D: Zaps in a microwave (NUKES); 49D: Salon sound (SNIP); 52D: Pocatello's state: Abbr. (IDA); 53D: Brit. record label (EMI); 54D: Latin law (LEX).
THEME: No theme today—Just a themeless Saturday puzzle
Well, this one was a little harder than last Saturday's but still easier than the Saturday L.A. Times crossword was six months ago. The New York Times Saturday puzzle may take 50% to 100% longer than this one, but hey, at least the tougher one's out there for those who want it, and those who are cutting their teeth on the themeless format have a more pliable puzzle to contend with here.
The word count (the total number of answers in the puzzle) is rather low: 64. The maximum for a themeless puzzle is customarily 72, and it becomes increasingly difficult to get interlocking fill to work out the lower the word count goes. If you're an all-star constructing deity like Patrick Berry, you crank out 64-worders without any compromises in the fill, but mere mortals usually have some uninspiring answers in such puzzles.
What do I mean? Well, look at the mini-theme (a mini-theme is a symmetric pair of related answers in a themeless puzzle). The 27D: Oscar winners' winnings are STATUETTES—that's eminently reasonable. But its partner is PRESENTEES (6D: Oscar winners, e.g.). Wha...? There are presenters, but does anyone ever call the award recipients PRESENTEES? This is ringing zero bells for me. There's an ugly abbreviation, SURG. (46A: OR activity). 35D: Royal office clues KINGSHIP, which is not a -ship word we see often (though it is indeed an inflected form listed under king in my dictionary).
A 64-worder tends to have less aggressive sparkle than 70- or 72-worders do. Nothing really zippy like a BAZOOKA JOE here, but the livelier answers include:
20A: Like expensive fight seats (RINGSIDE). I do not like the hitting-people sports, personally, but RINGSIDE is a cool answer.
40A: Winter Olympics contestants (SKI JUMPERS). Both the K and J are Scrabbly letters.
54A: Small and unimportant, as a town (ONE-HORSE). The more modern equivalent is the one-stoplight town, but "one-horse" is here to stay.
7D: Have a wild time (GO CRAZY).
36D: Magic charm (MOJO). Mojo!
Crosswordese 101: There's a new twist on the seldom-welcome 32D: Playground retort, this time DOES SO. While each individual "playground retort" phrase doesn't exactly meet the usual loose criteria for what constitutes crosswordese, there are so many of them, and their primary purpose is to help a constructor finish up a section of the grid. From the Cruciverb.com database (database function available only to gold members), I gathered a partial list of the other "playground retorts" that have appeared in crosswords. You never know which one it's gonna be, so you have to work through the crossings to see if it's AM NOT, AM SO, ARE TOO, CAN SO, DID TOO, I DO TOO, IS NOT, or IS TOO—among others. What they all have in common is that they're two or three short words and the last word is NOT, SO, or TOO. Are you tired of these answers? If not, have no fear! You will be soon enough.
Everything Else — 1A: Speaker booster (PREAMP); 7A: Overcharged illegally (GOUGED); 13A: Western evergreen named for its eventual bark color (RED FIR); 14A: Theoretical, as profits (ON PAPER); 16A: Unending, in poetry (ETERNE); 17A: Based on medical observation instead of theory (CLINICAL); 19A: White sale items (LINENS); 21A: Bearded blossom (IRIS); 22A: Enthusiasm (ELAN); 24A: Chief Valhalla god (ODIN); 25A: Makes automatic (MECHANIZES); 28A: God, in Guadalajara (DIOS); 29A: "Don't move, Fido" (STAY); 30A: Adjective for a yellow bikini, in a 1960 #1 hit (TEENIE); 32A: More shadowy, as evening (DUSKIER); 36A: Slanders (MALIGNS); 37A: Punctual (ON TIME); 38A: Carry (TOTE); 39A: Eddie __, New York cop involved in the actual "French Connection" (EGAN); 47A: It might save your skin (ALOE); 48A: Mariner's heading (ALEE); 49A: Shoves off (SETS SAIL); 52A: Again and again? (THRICE); 55A: __ powder (TALCUM); 56A: Garden tool (TRIMMER); 57A: Plaza Hotel sprite (ELOISE); 58A: Divers' fishing implements (SPEARS); 59A: Classified (SORTED); 1D: It's before the main event, briefly (PRELIM); 2D: Hang it up, so to speak (RETIRE); 3D: Blissful (EDENIC); 4D: Anew (AFRESH); 5D: State where the Mississippi R. originates (MINN.); 8D: Modern way to shop (ONLINE); 9D: __ arms (UP IN); 10D: Turf controller (GANG); 11D: TV series opener (EPISODE I); 12D: Tough job for a beauty contest judge (DECIDING); 15D: Contact the harbor master from one's ship (RADIO IN); 18D: Camera parts (LENSES); 23D: Inventive sort? (LIAR); 26D: "Sure __ standing ..." (AS I'M); 31D: Na or Cl, e.g. (ELEM.); 33D: Salve (UNGUENT); 34D: Appetizers (STARTERS); 38D: Tractor attachments (TILLERS); 41D: Wilhelm's title in WWI Germany (KAISER); 42D: Sitting room (PARLOR); 43D: Draw out (ELICIT); 44D: Disqualify (oneself), as a judge (RECUSE); 45D: Appeared to be (SEEMED); 50D: A few (SOME); 51D: Weapons, in Latin (ARMA); 53D: Head light? (HALO).
Theme: "Big Finish" — First words of the theme answers can follow the word grand in familiar two-word phrases.
Hi, everyone. Back from beautiful downtown Omaha (*cough*) and my brain's pretty well fried. It takes a good big of energy to watch three loooong days of college wrestling. But when the Hawkeyes come out on top, it's all worth it! I had an awesome time, but I'm pretty much ready for my life to get back to normal so I'll have more time to obsess about puzzles. Until next season, of course.
This puzzle was … fine. I'm tired. I solved it without any real problems. The theme didn't help me as I solved, but in retrospect, I like it. GRAND OPERA is not something I'm familiar with. Come to think of it, neither is OPERA HAT. So I would have been fine without that particular entry. But overall, nicely done.
