SUNDAY, January 17, 2010 — Don Gagliardo

Theme: "Hybrids" — Theme answers are two-word phrases created by combining the names of two car models and clued wackily.

[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 answers:

• 23A: Chutzpah? (Chevy/Saturn) (CAVALIER OUTLOOK).
• 29A: Duffer's trip through Scotland? (Volkswagen/Honda) (GOLF ODYSSEY).
• 36A: Memorable forest caretaker? (Ford/Acura) (RANGER LEGEND).
• 50A: Speeding, e.g.? (Chevy/Ford) (CITATION FOCUS).
• 69A: The feel of Manhattan? (Honda/Saturn) (CIVIC AURA).
• 87A: Columbus gone wild? (Nissan/Ford) (ROGUE EXPLORER).
• 100A: Beethoven's 32 for piano, say? (Hyundai/Subaru) (SONATA LEGACY).
• 108A: Feature of the queen's English? (Buick/Hyundai) (REGAL ACCENT).
• 117A: Nice plot? (Buick/Oldsmobile) (RIVIERA INTRIGUE).

Great theme! I really enjoyed this one. For most of the theme answers, I could get one of the car names quickly but kind of had a work for the other one. I imagine that some of you would have been happier without the car makes in the clue, but I also think there are an awful lot of people out there who don't really pay much attention to car names, so even with the hints it was difficult enough to be fun. Obviously, this is all pure speculation on my part. What was your experience?

As I always say on Sunday, of course there have to be a few clunkers in a puzzle this big. In this case, I put AB TONER (62A: Bit of exercise room equipment) and MINTAGE (72D: Coin-making) in that category. I also didn't like CAPON (97A: Tender cockerel) but I'm sure it's just because I have no idea what it is or what the clue even means.

I ran into all kinds of trouble when I plopped in ENID and STAT at 1D and 2D where WACO and ASAP were supposed to go (1D: Chisholm Trail city / 2D: "I need it fast!"). For some reason I didn't fight with it too long though. I just decided to abandon it and come back to it later, which worked out great for me.

More:

• 10A: Concentration amt. (PPM). I'm sure this stands for [something] PER [something], but that's about as close as i can get.
• 21A: Altar constellation (ARA). Remember back to the second day of this blog? You don't? Well, go check it out. We talked about ARA in that day's CW101 lesson.
• 28A: Year's record (ANNAL). I don't like this word. It looks too much like another word.

• 33A: Capa waver (TORERO). We just talked about this word capa the other day, didn't we? I said something stupid about it and then someone much smarter than me explained the real thing in the comments. I love when that happens. You guys rock.
• 59A: Ancient Egyptian deity (AMEN-RA). If this is something you haven't seen in a puzzle before, take another look at it. Stare at it for a little while. You'll need to know it again. I guarantee it.
• 76A: First step toward nirvana (SATORI). Never heard of this before. Seems like I should have a Nirvana clip here, but the word reminds me of this instead ....

• 83A: Local movie venue, in Variety slang (NABE). Way back, like, a year and a half ago, Rex used to do a weekly wrap-up over at his blog. It was a pretty fun little bonus post but, sadly, it didn't last long. Anyway. The very first one he ever did prominently featured NABE.

• 120A: Hall of Fame Vikings lineman Carl (ELLER). I entered Ellis at first. Close but ....
• 123A: Peasant's meal (GRUEL). At one of my jobs many years ago, I used to eat instant oatmeal at my desk every morning and my boss would always accuse me of eating GRUEL.
• 124A: Silt deposit (LOESS). Learned it from crosswords.
• 30D: "Inka Dinka Doo" composer (DURANTE). Oh alright.

• 37D: Shrub yielding a blue dye (ANIL). Another early CW101 lesson.
• 96D: Germ-free (STERILE). See also 100D: __-Flush (SANI).
• 102D: Fontanne's theater partner (LUNT). Learned it from crosswords.

Crosswordese 101: EDA LeShan was an author of books about child-rearing including "The Conspiracy Against Childhood," "When Your Child Drives You Crazy," and "Grandparenting in a Changing World." Of course my children are perfect angels so I have never had occasion to consult such books.

Everything Else — 1A: Bet (WAGER); 6A: Ancient sorcerer (MAGE); 13A: 130-minute H.S. tests (PSATS); 18A: Notwithstanding (ASIDE); 19A: Model (IDEAL); 22A: Find a new home for, as a plant (REPOT); 26A: Singer Bryant (ANITA); 27A: Cockney aspiration? ('OPE); 31A: Pilot lead-in (AUTO-); 35A: Donny and Marie, by birth (UTAHNS); 39A: Deck used for readings (TAROT); 41A: Continue until (END AT); 42A: Vast spice trade region of yore (ASIA); 43A: Miniseries, often (SAGA); 44A: Hebrides isle (IONA); 48A: Formally exit (SIGN OUT); 54A: Proceed tediously (PLOD); 55A: Kickoff aid (TEE); 57A: 2000s sitcom single mom (REBA); 58A: Hues (TINCTS); 65A: Consumed (ATE); 66A: Microwave brand (AMANA); 71A: Awards since 1949 (EMMYS); 73A: Confine, with "in" (HEM); 74A: Choose paper over plastic? (PAY CASH); 78A: Off the beaten path (AFIELD); 80A: Residents: Suff. (-ITES); 82A: Singing syllables (LAS); 91A: "No prob!" ("SUITS ME!"); 93A: Let slide (DROP); 94A: Minus (LESS); 95A: Enjoy Doritos, say (NOSH); 98A: Like Itt (HAIRY); 103A: Styx ferryman (CHARON); 106A: Movie set structure (FACADE); 107A: Mensch lead-in (UBER-); 111A: Dill pickler (BRINE); 113A: Like any theme ans. in this puzzle (ACR.); 116A: Typewriter type size (ELITE); 121A: With 125-Across, words before customer (ONE); 122A: Radio pioneer (TESLA); 125A: See 121-Across (PER); 126A: Metrical units (FEET); 127A: Fresh (SASSY); 3D: Basketball maneuver (GIVE AND GO); 4D: "Grandparenting in a Changing World" author LeShan (EDA); 5D: Empathize with (RELATE TO); 6D: Look (MIEN); 7D: Fees charged to sponsors (AD RATES); 8D: Like some historical time scales (GEOLOGIC); 9D: Mer contents (EAU); 10D: Italian soccer great Rossi (PAOLO); 11D: TA's boss (PROF.); 12D: Speedy shark (MAKO); 13D: Seek divine intervention from (PRAY TO); 14D: Hit (SENSATION); 15D: Imitative (APISH); 16D: Count from one __ (TO TEN); 17D: Visits (STAYS); 20D: Three-star rank: Abbr. (LT. GEN.); 24D: "Are you __ out?" (IN OR); 25D: Grace starter (LORD); 32D: Amin subject (UGANDAN); 34D: Show again (REAIR); 36D: Survey taker: Abbr. (RESP.); 38D: Dormant state (LATENCY); 39D: __ chi (TAI); 40D: "A long time __ in a galaxy far, far away ..." (AGO); 43D: Single or separated, e.g. (STATUS); 45D: William of __, for whom a logical "razor" was named (OCCAM); 46D: Screwy (NUTTY); 47D: Carrying team (ASSES); 49D: Salt Lake City college athlete (UTE); 51D: Sub, perhaps (TEACHER); 52D: Palindromic pop group (ABBA); 53D: Pottery worker (FIRER); 56D: Red explorer? (ERIC); 60D: Syrup source (MAPLE); 61D: Is of use (AVAILS); 63D: __-B: dental care brand (ORAL); 64D: Pop singer Bedingfield (NATASHA); 66D: "__ Day's Night" (A HARD); 67D: "What do you take __?!" (ME FOR); 68D: Barcelona buddy (AMIGO); 70D: Comparison words (IS TO); 75D: 19th century soprano __ Patti (ADELINA); 77D: Columbus sch. (OSU); 79D: River to the Tigris (EUPHRATES); 81D: Medicinal plant (SENNA); 84D: Shoots for dinner (ASPARAGUS); 85D: Ivied halls swaggerer, briefly (BMOC); 86D: "__ ... moe" (EENY); 88D: Gen-__ (XER); 89D: Study of Freud, etc., in a coll. catalog (PSY.); 90D: Asphalt layer, perhaps (ROAD BASE); 92D: Mostly submerged hazards (ICEBERGS); 99D: Many CBS Radio listeners (AOLERS); 101D: Original Crayola pack, e.g. (OCTET); 103D: Fishing trap (CREEL); 104D: Greeting (HELLO); 105D: Physically flexible (AGILE); 106D: Abnormal temperature (FEVER); 109D: Field yield (CROP); 110D: Theater (CINE); 112D: __ the finish (IN AT); 114D: Sticks with leather tips (CUES); 115D: Count (on) (RELY); 118D: Two-minute warning giver (REF); 119D: George's songwriting partner (IRA).