Theme: "The Nickname Game" — Puns on famous people's names[Note: This is the puzzle that appears in the Sunday L.A. Times newspaper. If you don't get the paper, you can find the puzzle here. Scroll down to see the write-up of today's syndicated puzzle.]
Theme answers:- 23A: ___ "___" ___ (great actor but not-so-great golfer?) (CHRIS DUFFER WALKEN).
- 33A: ___ "___" ___ (writer of a popular food column?) (WILL YUM SAFIRE).
- 46A: ___ "___" ___ (author with a really smooth writing style?) (ALEX SANDER DUMAS).
- 63A: ___ "___" ___ (actor who doesn't work cheap?) (MAX A MILLION SCHELL).
- 80A: ___ "___" ___ (film star-turned-hairstylist?) (MAL COMB MCDOWELL).
- 93A: ___ "___" ___ (first guy to say, "I don't like your type face"?) (AL FONTS CAPONE).
- 105A: ___ "___" ___ (author of the first hip-hop almanac?) (BEN JAMMIN' FRANKLIN).
Everything Else — 1A: Rattler's need (SABER); 6A: Duster's target (CROP); 10A: Fair one in fairy tales (DAMSEL); 16A: Dandy (FOP); 19A: Finding ___ (research goal) (A CURE); 20A: King with three daughters (LEAR); 21A: Mrs. of cow renown (O'LEARY); 22A: Profit add-on (-EER); 26A: Herb you may regret buying? (RUE); 27A: Some pipes (CORNCOBS); 28A: Took action against (SUED); 29A: Split (up), as proceeds (DIVVY); 31A: Card hugs (OOO); 32A: Increases (UPS); 37A: Bank add-on (FEE); 38A: Presidential ___ (AIDE); 39A: Like some victories (LOP-SIDED); 40A: Style of a room (DECOR); 43A: Concerning (IN RE); 44A: She played Shirley on TV (CINDY); 49A: Spoil (GO BAD); 54A: VIP's introduction (VERY); 55A: Law symbol (BAR); 56A: Fathers (SIRES); 57A: Fleece source (ALPACA); 58A: Space walk, to NASA (EVA); 59A: Chick on the piano (COREA); 61A: Ms. Zadora (PIA); 62A: Bomber technology (STEALTH); 67A: Potions (ELIXIRS); 69A: Where Lawrence is: abbr. (KAN.); 70A: Wee hour (TWO AM); 71A: Kramden's sound effect (POW); 74A: Geometry giant (EUCLID); 75A: Devilfish (MANTA); 77A: Abby's twin (ANN); 78A: "Wizard of Oz" farmhand (ZEKE); 79A: Some Japanese-Americans (NISEI); 83A: Country singer Fricke (JANIE); 84A: Young Taylor (OPIE); 85A: Of prisons (PENAL); 86A: Actress who wed David Duchovny (TEA LEONI); 91A: Minimal teams (DUOS); 92A: Island adornment (LEI); 96A: Slammer (PEN); 97A: Lit. monogram (GBS); 100A: Tony winner Moore (MELBA); 101A: Tony and Gina's "Trapeze" co-star (BURT); 102A: Only okay (MEDIOCRE); 104A: An ex of Mickey (AVA); 110A: "Solaris" author (LEM); 111A: 1950s crooner famously fired on live TV (LAROSA); 112A: Buster? (NARC); 113A: Artist El ___ (GRECO); 114A: Compass pt. (ENE); 115A: Rights slogan on bumper stickers, ca. 1980 (ERA YES); 116A: Spew like oil (GUSH); 117A: Less risky (SAFER); 1D: 1921 defendant (SACCO); 2D: "Bless you" preceder (ACHOO); 3D: Pack animal (BURRO); 4D: Julia's Oscar role (ERIN); 5D: Firefighters, often (RESCUERS); 6D: A suit (CLUBS); 7D: Field marshals? (REFS); 8D: Clumsy one (OAF); 9D: Panel hosts, e.g. (PRESIDERS); 10D: Wooden pin (DOWEL); 11D: Tom Jones hit, "She's ___" (A LADY); 12D: Tweety's voice (MEL); 13D: Bag, in brand names (SAK); 14D: Long introduction? (ERE); 15D: Actress Carter and an LBJ daughter (LYNDAS); 16D: Passionate (FERVID); 17D: Body of work (OEUVRE); 18D: ___ on (victimized) (PREYED); 24D: Numskull (DOPE); 25D: Decide officially (RULE); 30D: "Danged ___ know" (IF I); 33D: Undercover device (WIRE); 34D: Arm bones (ULNAS); 35D: Hip '60s types (MODS); 36D: Use binoculars, perhaps (SPY); 37D: Very alluring (FOXY); 38D: Physicist Sakharov (ANDREI); 40D: HAL's deactivator (DAVE); 41D: Ht. (ELEV.); 42D: Baked artwork (CERAMICS); 43D: Up ___ (indignant) (IN ARMS); 44D: Quaint souvenir (CURIO); 45D: "And ___ every word!" (I MEANT); 47D: On the bus (ABOARD); 48D: Take a little bit from (DIP INTO); 49D: Crest rival (GLEEM); 50D: Aussie gem (OPAL); 51D: Hammer type (BALL PEEN); 52D: Do studio work (ACT); 53D: Morse bit (DAH); 57D: Just around the corner (AT HAND); 59D: 20 per cent of DLXV (CXIII); 60D: Acid neutralizer (ALKALI); 62D: Candle holder (SCONCE); 64D: Hot-rod rod (AXLE); 65D: Knight's weapon (LANCE); 66D: Cousins of gurus (SWAMIS); 67D: Bard's nightfall (E'EN); 68D: Parisian pronoun (LUI); 72D: 69 Across neighbor (OKLA.); 73D: Feeling fine (WELL); 75D: Frenzied (MANIC); 76D: Adding up (to) (AMOUNTING); 78D: Teuton's two (ZWEI); 80D: Malraux's "___ Fate" (MANS); 81D: Elks' org. (BPOE); 82D: Premieres (OPENINGS); 83D: Write quickly (JOT); 86D: Husky treat? (TAMALE); 87D: Ace's value, sometimes (ELEVEN); 88D: Burning (AFLAME); 89D: Slow throw (LOB); 90D: Allow (ENABLE); 91D: Where to live and learn? (DORM); 92D: Castor and Pollux's mom (LEDA); 94D: Humiliate (ABASE); 95D: Mountain cats (PUMAS); 96D: Fowl pole? (PERCH); 97D: Staff symbol (G CLEF); 98D: Funny Fanny (BRICE); 99D: Man of La Mancha (SEÑOR); 102D: The 3M Co. et al. (MFRS.); 103D: Soup veggie (OKRA); 106D: Musical sensitivity (EAR); 107D: Rod squad?: abbr. (NRA); 108D: Delight (JOY); 109D: Flagstaff sch. (NAU).
5 comments:
LA Times doesn't have the puzzle on their web site. They still have last week's puzzle. (Don't they everl look at their own web page)
At least I can verify my solution with you, but I don't get the friendly chime when I get it right on LA Times site.
This goes back to the punny types of puzzles that I dislike. A real slog trying to figure out where the puns would be through so-so fill.
I can't believe people actually waste their time with rubbish like this! Crossword puzzles should be a test of knowledge of the English language, not cutesy puns and inane trivia. I love copying the answers then looking at the crap put as clues. If you spend time figuring out this drivel, you really have no life!
Dear Merl: One of your loyal fans, me, was a little put off by this one, although it had its fun parts, like BENJAMMINFRANKLIN, I had some trouble with the NE corner, with maiden instead of DAMSEL and trying to work in Elsie for OLEARY, as well as the FOP and clue for RUE??? There was some fun in the farce, tho, with the groaners.
And thanks again, PG!
In a word (or two) - it sucks!
Post a Comment