August 9, 2011
Mike Peluso
Theme: Money Money Money — The last word of each theme answer can follow the word "cash" in a familiar phrase.
Theme answers:
- 18A: *Duplicator in an office (COPY MACHINE).
- 24A: *Great Chicago Fire scapegoat (MRS. O'LEARY'S COW).
- 39A: *Classic chocolate treat (MARS BAR).
- 49A: *Take a path of least resistance (GO WITH THE FLOW).
- 60A: Seller's assurance of payment, and a hint to what the last words of the answers to starred clues can have in common (CASH UP FRONT).
Good morning, everybody! I'm back from my adventures and I'm really excited to tell you all about them, but that will, unfortunately, have to wait. I need to try to get back into my regular groove today and that includes … work. Ugh. That whole job thing can really be a time suck, don't you think? So I'm going to say a couple things about today's puzzle and then I'll be back later (probably much later) to let you know about all the fun you missed over the weekend.
I wasn't purposely trying to zip through this grid, but it was very smooth so I kind of did anyway. I didn't take the time to figure out the theme while I was solving, but I'm not sure I would have been able to see it anyway. These kinds of themes don't tend to jump out at me. I do like it though. Very clever. Theme answers seem lively enough. Well, COPY MACHINE is kinda boring, but maybe I think that because I work in an office and use one every day.
I saw the name ARSENE (37A: Thief-turned-sleuth Lupin) in a puzzle I was solving recently (don't remember which one), but obviously didn't pay enough attention to it because I couldn't remember it today. Maybe I will next time. The fill, overall, was really solid and clued perfectly for a Tuesday. I did notice an awful lot of plurals, which I don't care for, but that's really the only negative thing I can say about this grid. Nice job, Mike!
Crosswordese 101 Round-up:
- 47A: Aptly named fruit (UGLI).
- 25D: Old Norse works (EDDAS).
- 26D: Biochemist's gel (AGAR).
- 63D: Originally called (NÉE).
Everything — 1A: The NFL's Montana and Favre, e.g. (QB'S); 4A: __-wip: "real cream" brand (REDDI); 9A: Rap's __ Rhymes (BUSTA); 14A: Suffix with script (-URE); 15A: Apply, as pressure (EXERT); 16A: Not cool, man (UNHIP); 17A: Marksman's skill (AIM); 18A: *Duplicator in an office (COPY MACHINE); 20A: Former boxer Ali (LAILA); 22A: Musician's gift (EAR); 23A: Makes a decision (OPTS); 24A: *Great Chicago Fire scapegoat (MRS. O'LEARY'S COW); 28A: Apt. complex unit (BLDG.); 29A: Ohio rubber city (AKRON); 32A: Canonized Fr. women (STES.); 35A: Grand Coulee, for one (DAM); 37A: Thief-turned-sleuth Lupin (ARSENE); 38A: Nonpro sports org. (AAU); 39A: *Classic chocolate treat (MARS BAR); 41A: "Proud Mary" pop gp. (CCR); 42A: Throbs (PULSES); 44A: Watchdog's warning (GRR); 45A: Prog. listing (SKED); 46A: Spot on TV (PROMO); 47A: Aptly named fruit (UGLI); 49A: *Take a path of least resistance (GO WITH THE FLOW); 56A: Narrow cut (SLIT); 58A: Filmdom's Farrow (MIA); 59A: Short vodka order (STOLI); 60A: Seller's assurance of payment, and a hint to what the last words of the answers to starred clues can have in common (CASH UP FRONT); 64A: Sewing kit item (PIN); 65A: Starts the pot (ANTES); 66A: Army base near Petersburg, Va. (FT. LEE); 67A: 12/24 or 12/31 (EVE); 68A: Iraq's main port (BASRA); 69A: Ritual celebrating the Jews' liberation from Egyptian slavery (SEDER); 70A: __ Moines (DES); 1D: Uneasy feeling (QUALM); 2D: Prickly bush (BRIAR); 3D: 18-wheelers (SEMIS); 4D: Automaker's bane (RECALL); 5D: Lead-in for skeleton (EXO-); 6D: Bank statement abbr. (DEP.); 7D: Laundry appliance (DRYER); 8D: "Be that as __ ..." (IT MAY); 9D: Tampa Bay athlete, briefly (BUC); 10D: Opens, as a gate (UNHOOKS); 11D: Marine salvage crew's job (SHIPWRECK); 12D: Glass darkener (TINT); 13D: Big galoots (APES); 19D: Latin art (ARS); 21D: Throws softly (LOBS); 25D: Old Norse works (EDDAS); 26D: Biochemist's gel (AGAR); 27D: Singer Vikki (CARR); 30D: "... __ and for all!" (ONCE); 31D: Bookish type (NERD); 32D: '90s-'00s NFL Pro Bowler Warren (SAPP); 33D: Bull: Pref. (TAUR); 34D: Speakers at memorial services (EULOGISTS); 36D: Chow mein additive (MSG); 37D: "I can't believe this!" ("AARGH!"); 39D: "Feed me," in Siamese? (MEOW); 40D: Champagne word (BRUT); 43D: Cover completely (SMOTHER); 45D: Prepare, as flour (SIFT); 48D: Red Sox pitcher Jon (LESTER); 50D: Brat (IMP); 51D: Little fights (TIFFS); 52D: Bret who wrote gold rush stories (HARTE); 53D: Ran with ease (LOPED); 54D: Fruit yielding oil (OLIVE); 55D: Some cellar contents (WINES); 56D: Union underminer (SCAB); 57D: Head-turning Turner (LANA); 61D: Mex. neighbor (USA); 62D: Trite (OLD); 63D: Originally called (NÉE).
23 comments:
Why do I always forget that olives are fruit? (54D) Otherwise, pretty smooth.
Welcome back, @PG.
This one took me a while, for a Tues.
Mainly due to some fills of totally blank answers that I just knew had to be correct, but weren't. Had Pixel for PROMO and then Tori for TAUR. Took a while to sort, but did.
Liked the theme, but never saw while solving either.
Though I had to think a bit, did remember OLIVES as fruit, @Mari, but couldn't remember the Iraqi port of BASRA and needed lots of crosses for it. And needed every cross for EDDAS. Scan Lit isn't a forte.
MRS OLEARY'S COW and GO WITH THE FLOW were big helps.
Zipped through this one pretty well. Had "Moon" for 32D, until I realized that I was really dating myself (that, and I'm not sure Warren Moon was ever a pro-bowler). Also did not see the theme until I got to 60A. Still, pretty clever.
Liked the theme revealer! Considering Rich Norris is scaling back on this theme type, you have to do something to pique his interest!
AARGH! GRR!
I was going to complain about the false plural of EDDAS, but looked it up first only to find that in fact there are two EDDAs.
I will complain about the clue for SHIPWRECK, as I can't equate that with a job. It's like saying church is a job for stone masons. I also don't thing of gates as being the prototypical things that are UNHOOKed.
Good for a Tuesday. Lots of sports references: LESTER, QBS, AAU, LEILA (ALI), SAPP. Head turner could have been TINA too. favorite answer: EULOGISTS. AARGH to ARSENE.
Do they still sell MARSBARS??? Haven't seen them in LA for some time.
Had TiNA for too long. So, she's not a head-turner?
Misread Marine as Maine, and wanted some kind of SnoW REmoval.
But got a DNF because of one Natick: SAPP crosses AAU. 2 sports clues crossing. Unfair to NERD indoorsmen. As a matter of fact, 5 sports clues are too many on a Tues., Peluso.
Gripe about MSG not clued as an abbreviation, I had soy in there first.
Not sure about brat/IMP - the latter is more an affectionate term for a mischievous kid in my lexicon, a brat is just a brat.
Agree @Pete about SHIPWRECK and UNHOOKS. If I was word-associating a noun associated with unhooking it would be an item of ladies' underwear, I have to confess.
I don't have a problem with the number of "same" kinds of clues/answers on any given day (@Sfingi re sports) - I tend to struggle when there's a lot of pop culture references, but that's just the way it is sometimes.
Put LANA in right away, but can see now the tiNA alternative would have been tempting.
Liked the theme as it emerged.
Oh, and welcome back @PG
Found this pretty smooth, but got stuck on two things I still don't understand. How does 'former boxer Ali' become 'Laila'? And, although I've heard of 'Proud Mary,' who or what is 'CCR'? The Natick of 'Sapp' and 'AAU' would have stumped me but I guessed something like 'amateur athletic association'? Is that right?
Anyway, welcome back PG, and can't wait to hear about your adventures!
MN
Credence Clearwater Revival was the band that sang "Proud Mary" and many others.'
Laila Ali is Muhammed Ali's daughter, and a professional boxer, though apparently retired as of now.
Good puzzle.
@Anon 9:29:
Laila Ali is Mohammed Ali's daughter and was a professional women's boxer for a number of years. A little tricksy, but a legit clue.
Proud Mary was originally performed by Credence Clearwater Revival (lead singer was John Fogarty), which fans often shorthand to CCR.
And apparently, I didn't type fast enough ...
I wonder if LAILA should be designated Crosswordese now - it's come up a couple of times over the last few months and always attracts the same "who? what?" reaction. The last time I remember it clued was something like "Muhammad's daughter", and it generated a lot of speculation that Laila was some obscure Islamic reference.
I did mean to say something about AARGH, GRR and MEOW, which could all be just as easily spelt ARGH,GRRR and MEIOW. I have a very minor grump about these kinds of fills where you can repeat/insert/omit letters to suit your needs. You can GRRRRRR for as many R's as you like, and AAARRGH'ing for as long as you need.
@Steve - you have some excellent points. My son was bratty as an imp, but many aren't. I knew enough to keep him home until he matured socially. CWs use it this way all the time, though.
Laila, the doaughter has appeared in Canastota, near Utica.
And, Layla is a song by Eric Clapton.
@CP: I was curious about MARSBARs so found this info on wiki -- In the U.S., Marsbar was relaunched in 2010 after being discontinued in 2002. It is now being sold exclusively at Wal-Mart stores. There are different versions of the candy bar sold in Canada, the U.K. and elsewhere throughout the world. So there you go!
Enjoyed the puzzle. Had a moment where I thought it was Mrs. O'Malley's cow. And can one have just one QUALM? Can't recall seeing this in the singular very often, if at all. But singular is OK in the dictionary.
I loved entering MRS OLEARYS COW into the grid.
I was hung up with Tor? at 33D for far too long, and I am a TAURus!
I always find SKED to look so ugly, but I am not arguing against it.
Good Tuesday level puzzle. Thanks to all (Mr. Peluso, Mr. Norris and Ms. PG!)
Ahh
Just found out Wikipedia, under the wiki Crosswordese has 16 pages of such. Pages 8-12 are sports.
@Sfingi - wow, that's a cool wiki - thanks for the link. Re our conversation last week, it looks like you've just found your "simple" list of sports terms :)
The foreign words list is woefully short though - any LAT Xword solver can add at least 100 to that list without thinking too hard about it - I'm sure @PG can brain-dump 50 french(!) words in 60 seconds.
Nice puzzle. MRSOLEARYSCOW looks impressive!
Nice to see Arsene again.
Continuing in my tradition this week of finding things tougher than usual.
All the sports did not help, although I know LAILA, being an Ali fan. SAPP, not so much.
For some reason I had sOny MACHINE instead of COPY MACHINE, partly because I had REsALe instead of RECALL. Finally got down to the clue for BLDG and got that mess fixed up.
I too had never heard of Arsene and agree with @Steve about annoyance on the words that can be arbitrarily extended.
Huge CCR fan here, so no problems there. I've loved them since I discovered them in high school in the mid-80s, after they had already broke up.
Going to study the sports list and try to find Lupin in the library - seems his "nemesis and lover" (?) was the daughter of the Palermitan swindler and forger Cagliostro (Balsamo). Of course, he was real and she was fictional. I generally like European mysteries, anyway.
@shrub5
Thanks for the info on MARSBARs. Next time I'm at Wal-Mart (checking out the customer's various outfits) I'll buy some.
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