06.19 Sun

S U N D A Y
June 19, 2011
Pamela Amick Klawitter

[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: "Broadway Showstoppers" — Phrases that end with a Broadway show.

Theme Entries:

• 23A: Airport pickup spot (BAGGAGE CAROUSEL).
• 39A: Norman landmark (UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA!).
• 56A: Troublemaker's credo? (NO REST FOR THE WICKED).
• 82A: One might prompt a curtain call (BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE).
• 99A: Fleeting celebrity (FIFTEEN MINUTES OF FAME).
• 120A: Relax (LET DOWN ONE'S HAIR).

Hey, crossword fans. Doug here on Sunday. Today's theme, Broadway musicals, isn't my area of expertise. Not even close. I'm not going to hold that against the puzzle though, because lots of my crossword friends are Broadway professionals and/or fans. Maybe I'm the ideal person to review this one, because if the shows are familiar to me, they're going to be familiar to everyone. Ms. Klawitter did a nice job. The only one I've never heard of is APPLAUSE. Wikipedia tells me that it was based on the movie "All About Eve" and won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 1970. Works for me. The long phrases containing the show names were solid, especially NO REST FOR THE WICKED and FIFTEEN MINUTES OF FAME.

Bullets:

• 5A: Like pro football players (MALE). I don't think we're ever going to see a female playing in the NFL. As far as I know, the closest that women have come to breaking into one of the big four leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL) was in 1992. Goalie Manon Rhéaume played in an exhibition game for the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning. But who knows. Maybe we'll be watching Debbie Jeter play shortstop for the Yankees on Opening Day in 2035.
• 47A: Captain Hook's last words are its motto (ETON). I had to look this one up. Hook's last words in the play "Peter Pan" are "Floreat Etona" which translates to "Let Eton Flourish." Is this while he's being eaten by a crocodile? My "Peter Pan" knowledge is a little hazy.
• 54A: Alas., once (TERR). Does anyone actually abbreviate Alaska as "Alas."? You've already written 2/3 of the name, so suck it up and add the "-ka" on the end!

• 74A: 2000 Gere title role (DR. T). Which movie was seen by more people: "Dr. T. & the Women" or "Ulee's Gold"? I've seen neither.
• 8D: And others, to Cicero (ET ALII). Sometimes this is ET ALIA and sometimes it's ET ALII. If you want to the know the difference, click here. (It's boring.)
• 43D: Took off (FLEW). I had the first couple of letters, so when I read the clue, I confidently filled in FLED. That left me with an interesting answer for 56-Across.
• 44D: "Hamlet" courtier (OSRIC) / 45D: Olympic volleyball medalist ___ Kiraly (KARCH) / 55D: Seuss, actually (GEISEL) / 60D: "The Jungle Book" python (KAA). Wow, lots of wicked tough names in this section, and they all cross WICKED.
• 46D: Big name in traitors (ARNOLD). Benedict Arnold. But he's not the biggest name in traitors. That would be Vidkun Quisling. He was the politician who assisted Nazi Germany as it conquered Norway, his home country, so that he'd be put in charge of the collaborationist Norwegian government. He was such a bad guy that now the word "quisling" is synonymous with traitor, particularly one who collaborates with enemies. Worst eponym ever.

• 71D: '30s-'40s actress D'Orsay (FIFI). That was back when people, not poodles, were named Fifi.
• 93D: Angel Clare's love, in an 1891 novel (TESS). "Tess of the d'Urbervilles."
• 94D: Lochinvars (SUITORS). OK, here's your vocabulary word for the day. Lochinvar. Apparently the word derives from "young Lochinvar," the hero of Sir Walter Scott's 1808 poem "Marmion."
• 122D: People people, briefly (EDS). Editors at People magazine. Clues about editors and editing are often tricky.

I won't be here next Sunday, so I'm asking PuzzleGirl to call upon one of her many minions to fill in for me. You'll be in good hands. See you in July.

Everything Else —1A: Cotton-picking handful (BOLL); 9A: Libreville is its capital (GABON); 14A: Seasonal crew? (ELVES); 19A: Moises of baseball (ALOU); 20A: One often thickens on stage (PLOT); 21A: Word with soap (OPERA); 22A: Corporate reward (RAISE); 26A: Ballet __ (RUSSE); 27A: "__ and his money ..." (A FOOL); 28A: Toledo toast (SALUD); 29A: Certain Honshu resident (OSAKAN); 31A: __ Sauer: handgun (SIG); 33A: Library ID (ISBN); 35A: Urges (ITCHES); 46A: Prop- suffix (ANE); 48A: Gives an earful (YELLS AT); 49A: Frat characters? (PSIS); 50A: Some HDTVs (RCA'S); 52A: Sunscreen additive (ALOE); 55A: Iona College athletes (GAELS); 61A: British miler Steve (OVETT); 62A: One in a pool (STENO); 63A: Trendy tea (CHAI); 64A: Some NFL linemen (RT'S); 67A: Class unit (LESSON); 69A: Assistants and such (STAFF); 72A: Like a wake (ASTERN); 75A: It may be fenced (LOOT); 78A: Mrs. Gorbachev (RAISA); 81A: Relative of -ish (-ESQUE); 86A: Dressing target (SALAD); 89A: "Let __!" (IT GO); 90A: Inventor Sikorsky (IGOR); 91A: Cheese holder (RITZ); 92A: Nutmeg covering (ARIL); 93A: Like most sandals (TOELESS); 96A: Fictional futuristic race (ELOI); 98A: Big foot letters (EEE); 103A: Some kitchens (EAT-INS); 104A: Gossip (DIRT); 105A: Moral slip (SIN); 106A: Cellist awarded a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Grammy in 1989 (CASALS); 110A: Second-deepest U.S. lake (TAHOE); 113A: Convertible alternatives (T-TOPS); 117A: Burst of activity (SPASM); 123A: Come to terms (AGREE); 124A: Many a chat room visitor (AOL'ER); 125A: __ Center: N.J. arena (IZOD); 126A: Italian hot spot (ETNA); 127A: Like some bulls (PAPAL); 128A: Hoity-toity types (SNOBS); 129A: British tax (CESS); 130A: Voicemail accumulation: Abbr. (MSGS.); 1D: Radner's Wawa (BABA); 2D: Minnesota's St. __ College (OLAF); 3D: Company symbol (LOGO); 4D: 1931 count portrayer (LUGOSI); 5D: SUV stat (MPG); 6D: Some draft picks (ALES); 7D: Like "la vida" in a Ricky Martin hit (LOCA); 9D: Splitting word? (GOODBYE); 10D: Springfield storekeeper (APU); 11D: Carlos's kiss (BESO); 12D: Mined finds (ORES); 13D: "The Lion King" lioness (NALA); 14D: Slips (ERRATA); 15D: Takeoff place (LAUNCHPAD); 16D: Before and after "à," compared with (VIS); 17D: Safe opener? (ESS); 18D: Have a look (SEE); 24D: Better way to be wanted? (ALIVE); 25D: Needing practice (RUSTY); 30D: Clan attire (KILT); 32D: Gain access to (GET AT); 34D: "Peaceful Warrior" actor (NOLTE); 36D: Flimflam (HOSE); 37D: Silents star Jannings (EMIL); 38D: Sign of freshness (SASS); 39D: Find out (UNCOVER); 40D: Most handy (NEAREST); 41D: Massages deeply (ROLFS); 42D: Hoity-toity type (SNOOT); 51D: Match parts (SETS); 53D: Part of a Spanish 101 conjugation (ERES); 57D: Not easily excited (STOLID); 58D: "The Closer" channel (TNT); 59D: Stock and then some (HOARD); 64D: Passing notes? (REQUIEM); 65D: Chairman of the board, for one (TRUSTEE); 66D: Blessed event? (SNEEZE); 68D: Fireside quaff (NOG); 70D: __ Schwarz: 5th Avenue toy store (F.A.O.); 73D: Former despot (TSAR); 76D: Hunter of the stars (ORION); 77D: Carved pole (TOTEM); 79D: Prudent advisers (SAGES); 80D: Skating gold medalist __ Anton Ohno (APOLO); 82D: Latvia-Sweden separator (BALTIC SEA); 83D: Grapefruit relative (UGLI); 84D: Eternally (NO END); 85D: Faculty mems. (PROFS.); 86D: Heist target (SAFE); 87D: La Scala highlight (ARIA); 88D: Garage apparatus (LIFT); 95D: Turkey's place, in song (STRAW); 97D: "__ Lovin' That You Want": Rihanna hit (IFITS); 100D: Crown cover (ENAMEL); 101D: Like some restaurants (ETHNIC); 102D: Game opener (ANTHEM); 107D: It might precede bad news (ALAS); 108D: 2009-'11 CIA director Panetta (LEON); 109D: City of NW France (ST.-LÔ); 111D: Slow flow (OOZE); 112D: "The Dukes of Hazzard" deputy (ENOS); 114D: Porridge base (OATS); 115D: Ball game opener? (PING); 116D: Ladies of Sp. (SRAS.); 117D: It's tapped for syrup (SAP); 118D: FedEx Cup org. (PGA); 119D: Ernst collaborator (ARP); 121D: Belle of the ball (DEB).