03.19 Sat

S A T U R D A Y
March 19, 2011
Frederick J. Healy

Theme: None

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 32A: "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" screenwriter (URIS).
• 38A: Mauna __ (LOA).

[Follow PuzzleGirl on Twitter.]

Everything Else — 1A: Jags of the past (XKE'S); 5A: 32 ounces at Long John Silver's, e.g. (MEDIUM SIZE); 15A: Actress Thompson (SADA); 16A: Good time for criticism? (OPEN SEASON); 17A: "__ of beauty outvalues all the utilities of the world": Emerson (A RAY); 18A: Brains (MASTERMIND); 19A: Merrimack River city (NASHUA); 21A: __-Z: Camaro model (IROC); 22A: Ref's ruling (TKO); 23A: "Singin' in the Rain" co-director (DONEN); 24A: Caspian country (IRAN); 25A: Refuge (LAIR); 26A: "Works for me" ("OKEY-DOKEY"); 28A: They may be held up by fans (SIGNS); 29A: Wkly. message (SER.); 30A: Lea ladies (EWES); 31A: Easy mark (STOOGE); 32A: "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" screenwriter (URIS); 33A: Kinkajou cousin (COON); 34A: Color on the Irish flag (ORANGE); 37A: Group that offers free memberships to spouses (AARP); 38A: Mauna __ (LOA); 41A: Baccarat call (BANCO); 42A: Trying to be quiet (TIPTOEING); 44A: Dominates (OWNS); 45A: Villain named Julius (DR. NO); 46A: Bubblegum pioneer (FLEER); 47A: Chemical ending (-IDE); 48A: San Francisco's __ Tower (COIT); 49A: Eminent (OF NOTE); 50A: Starts an operation (SETS UP SHOP); 53A: Jazz singer Anderson (IVIE); 54A: One who gives things away (TATTLE-TALE); 55A: Marlinís lost son (NEMO); 56A: Half-awake (SLEEPY-EYED); 57A: Opera conductor Daniel (OREN); 1D: Romantic writing? (X'S AND O'S); 2D: Bar staple (KARAOKE); 3D: He won comedy and drama Emmys for the same role (ED ASNER); 4D: Nickname for an athletic "kid" (SAY HEY); 5D: Home of A. Warhol's "Campbell's Soup Cans" (MOMA); 6D: 1972 DDT banner (EPA); 7D: They may be fond (DESIRES); 8D: Work basket (IN-TRAY); 9D: Apply to (USE ON); 10D: Cougar, e.g., for short (MERC); 11D: Rickís pianist (SAM); 12D: "Did we get the nod?" ("IS IT A GO?"); 13D: Nodding, with "out" (ZONKING); 14D: Give the nod (ENDORSE); 20D: Have (UNDERGO); 24D: Clanton and a "South Park" sibling (IKES); 25D: Royal Arms of England symbol (LION); 27D: Scrape, to a tot (OWIE); 28D: Rest, as at an inn (STOP OFF); 31D: Database command (SORT); 32D: Family nicknames (UNCS); 33D: Pitching device? (CAPO); 34D: Some winds (OBOISTS); 35D: Unfair treatment (RAW DEAL); 36D: Warren's "Bugsy" co-star (ANNETTE); 37D: Bears no resemblance to peanuts? (AIN'T HAY); 38D: Be postponed (LIE OVER); 39D: Previous (ONE-TIME); 40D: Get together about (AGREE ON); 42D: Sad, on the Seine (TRISTE); 43D: Current event around Christmas? (EL NIÑO); 45D: Stupid (DOPEY); 48D: Star of TV's "Trackdown" (CULP); 49D: Personal column? (OP-ED); 51D: Abbr. in Québec place names (STE.); 52D: Triumphant cry (OLÉ).

SATURDAY, January 16, 2010—Frederick J. Healy

THEME: No theme today—Just a themeless/freestyle puzzle that may be a notch or two harder than most Saturday L.A. Times puzzles

What have we got here? Let's take a peek.

• 1A: Nut (WHACK JOB). Hey! Who are you calling a whack job? This is how you kick off a puzzle, folks—with a knockout answer at 1-Across.
• 15A: Dolts (AIRHEADS). Hey! Who are you calling airheads? Mom! This puzzle is calling us names.
• 19A: Texas-Louisiana border river (SABINE). Whoa. This...is not common fill. The 4-letter rivers, sure. But not so much the 6-letter ones. Not a very familiar river, is it? This could also have been clued in relation to the ancient Oscan-speaking people of the central Apennines in Italy. Which clue is easier for you? I call it a tie.
• 25A: 1951 Emmy winner Imogene (COCA). She did a show with Sid Caesar. This might also have been clued as the coca leaf. Which has more of an L.A. vibe: Imogene Coca or the extract of the coca leaf?
• 27A: Title burglar played by Bruce Willis in a 1991 film (HUDSON HAWK). Uh, 1991 called. It wants its outdated pop-culture reference back. I never saw the movie, but I read the clue to my husband just now and he got it immediately. "You know that?" I exclaimed. "Doesn't everyone?" he replied.
• 35A: 1992 Grammy winner for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance (K.D. LANG). She has got some pipes, I tell you.

• Ancient crosswordese with a long but maybe not so distinguished pedigree! 38A: Old shipping allowance (TRET) and 7D: Concubine's room (ODA).
• 42A: Stock mover (CATTLE PROD). Ow! I was nervous that the Zap with a beam below this was going to be TASE, but it was merely LASE.
  
• 46A: Crab's sensor (PALP). I just like that word.
• 57A: Loll (SPRAWL). And I like these words too.
• 59A: Mr. Right (THE ONE). Terrific answer—"the one" is solidly in the vernacular as a two-word entity.
• 4D: Former "SNL" regular Farley (CHRIS). If you were a Chris Farley fan like I was, I recommend the book The Chris Farley Show, sort of an oral history and remembrance of him by those who loved him. Sad story. Apparently he was also incredibly sweet and generous in his private life.

• Odd jobs! We've got 21D: Warehouse workers (STOCKERS) and 24D: Some new parents (ADOPTERS). They're a little stilted as crossword entries go...but the latter reminds me of a blog post I just read about Haitian orphans awaiting placement with an adoptive family in the U.S. The kids at the BRESMA orphanage had already been matched with American parents, but now they are stuck without transportation out of Haiti. The post has a link for donating to that group.
• 36D: Model of excellence (NONESUCH). Is that what that word means? I gotta start working that one into my conversation. "That Tyler Hinman is a nonesuch when it comes to solving crosswords."

Crosswordese 101: If you were not familiar with the following answers, read their Crosswordese 101 write-ups and add them to your crossword vocabulary.

• ODA
• TRET
• ENO
• YSER

Everything Else — 1A: Nut (WHACK JOB); 9A: Apollo, musically (LYRIST); 15A: Dolts (AIRHEADS); 16A: Knows about (IS ONTO); 17A: Rubbernecked (STARED AT); 18A: Car lot array (SEDANS); 19A: Texas-Louisiana border river (SABINE); 20A: Sagan's subj. (ASTR.); 22A: Wrestler Flair (RIC); 23A: The way you see it (AS IS); 24A: Works in una galleria (ARTE); 25A: 1951 Emmy winner Imogene (COCA); 26A: Feminine name ending (-INA); 27A: Title burglar played by Bruce Willis in a 1991 film (HUDSON HAWK); 30A: Telecom setup (LAN); 31A: Brian who produced some U2 albums (ENO); 32A: Firm heads, for short (CEOS); 33A: Note in an E major scale (G SHARP); 35A: 1992 Grammy winner for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance (K.D. LANG); 38A: Old shipping allowance (TRET); 39A: Nice season? (ÉTÉ); 40A: Gut reaction? (OOF); 42A: Stock mover (CATTLE PROD); 45A: A funder of PBS's "American Masters" (NEA); 46A: Crab's sensor (PALP); 47A: Some flawed mdse. (IRRS.); 48A: Get-up-and-go (ZEST); 49A: Barbary Coast land: Abbr. (ALG.); 50A: Zap with a beam (LASE); 51A: Succeeds completely (ACES IT); 53A: Place to learn about cells, briefly (BIO LAB); 55A: Improve in small ways (FINE-TUNE); 57A: Loll (SPRAWL); 58A: Beckons (ATTRACTS); 59A: Mr. Right (THE ONE); 60A: It's the most likely to succeed (BEST SHOT); 1D: Holiday toast (WASSAIL); 2D: Ran into trouble (HIT A SNAG); 3D: High-spirited horses (ARABIANS); 4D: Former "SNL" regular Farley (CHRIS); 5D: Insightful (KEEN); 6D: Green hue (JADE); 7D: Concubine's room (ODA); 8D: Pleiades components (B STARS); 9D: Minded (LISTENED TO); 10D: Important river in WWI (YSER); 11D: Wand (ROD); 12D: One after another (IN A ROW); 13D: Gift giver, informally (ST. NICK); 14D: "Vissi d'arte" singer (TOSCA); 21D: Warehouse workers (STOCKERS); 24D: Some new parents (ADOPTERS); 25D: Havana home (CASA); 27D: Spirit (HEART); 28D: Fly-by-night (UNRELIABLE); 29D: Rolled into a cup (HOLED); 34D: www letters (HTTP); 36D: Model of excellence (NONESUCH); 37D: Discusses (GOES INTO); 41D: Most profitable, as a business contract (FATTEST); 42D: Islamic leader (CALIPH); 43D: 1980s-'90s Tennessee senator (AL GORE); 44D: Ready-made (PREFAB); 46D: Brewer Frederick (PABST); 48D: Sorority letters (ZETAS); 50D: Egg-rolling site (LAWN); 51D: Colony workers (ANTS); 52D: Like some U.S. mail (CERT.); 54D: Thai native (LAO); 56D: Ore suffix (-ITE).

SATURDAY, November 14, 2009—Frederick J. Healy

THEME: No theme today—This is a themeless Saturday puzzle

This one's back down to the easier level we've seen in recent months. I like to be expected to work hard on a Saturday puzzle—harder than I have to work on Wednesdays. Ah, well.

I was disappointed to find the first person singular pronoun lurking in five answers:

• 15A: "Land sakes alive!" ("I DO DECLARE!").
  
• 22A: "__ no idea!" (I HAD).
  
• 23A: Cooperative after-dinner offer (I'LL DRY).
  
• 29A: Player's lament (I LOST).
  
• 41D: "Out of the question" ("I CAN'T").
  

I can overlook a second use, but not a third, fourth, and fifth. Too much!

Highlights:

• 30A: Voice of Mr. Magoo (JIM BACKUS). Also the millionaire Thurston Howell III on Gilligan's Island.
• 36A: French capital? (DES MOINES). Friend visiting from out of town works in Des Moines a lot. Like the answer, but frowned at the clue.

• 50A: "High Voltage" rock band (AC/DC). Can't embed the video, but you can watch it here. I only know "Dirty Deeds in a Dundle Jeep," as my best friend in 7th grade called it.
• 54A: Shaq, 15 times (NBA ALLSTAR). That's one more time than Michael Jordan, who interrupted his hoops career with his baseball interlude.
• 22D: Revival meeting shout (IT'S A MIRACLE). Dang it, the offical Culture Club video of the song by that name cannot be embedded. But Fantasia Barrino's Idol performance of Barry Manilow's "It's a Miracle" can be.

Crosswordese 101: DADO, is clued as 18A: Woodworking groove but one dictionary also defines it as the lower part of a room's wall, if your wall's two-toned; a groove cut into the face of a board, into which another board's edge is inserted (this is how it's clued today, basically); or the part of a pedestal between the base and the cornice. Top DADO clue key words to remember: pedestal part; and woodworker or carpenter's groove or slot.

Everything Else — 1A: Hide (KEEP SECRET); 11A: Video CD file format (MPEG); 15A: "Land sakes alive!" ("I DO DECLARE!"); 16A: Hipbone prefix (ILIO-); 17A: Overdid it (WENT TOO FAR); 18A: Woodworking groove (DADO); 19A: Helpful contacts (INS); 20A: Hares' tails (SCUTS); 21A: Brickell and Falco (EDIES); 22A: "__ no idea!" (I HAD); 23A: Cooperative after-dinner offer (I'LL DRY); 24A: One in a hole (DEBTOR); 27A: Does over, as an ascot (RETIES); 29A: Player's lament (I LOST); 30A: Voice of Mr. Magoo (JIM BACKUS); 33A: Island off the Tuscany coast (ELBA); 34A: Artificial movie background (MATTE); 35A: Old Italian capital (LIRE); 36A: French capital? (DES MOINES); 38A: Jeep in the movie "Cars" (SARGE); 39A: Department store section (LINENS); 40A: Fit one within another (NESTED); 41A: Rapid river thaw (ICE RUN); 43A: Lukas of "Witness" (HAAS); 44A: Score settlers? (CODAS); 45A: Like a cool fall morning (BRISK); 47A: Rx amt. (TSP.); 50A: "High Voltage" rock band (AC/DC); 51A: West Coast racing venue (SANTA ANITA); 53A: Carolers' offering (NOEL); 54A: Shaq, 15 times (NBA ALLSTAR); 55A: Shipping deduction (TARE); 56A: Like Hail Mary passes (LAST SECOND); 1D: Flightless bird (KIWI); 2D: Steinbeck title site (EDEN); 3D: Hundreds of centuries (EONS); 4D: Nevada summer hrs. (PDT); 5D: Basketball two-hander (SET SHOT); 6D: Green vehicle (ECOCAR); 7D: Sun screen? (CLOUD); 8D: Pond floater (RAFT); 9D: Diamond stats (ERAS); 10D: Rx specification (TER); 11D: Large group with upper and lower segments (MIDDLE CLASS); 12D: Many a kilt, essentially (PLAID SKIRT); 13D: Down source (EIDER); 14D: Foolish (GOOSY); 21D: "Popular Fallacies" essayist (ELIA); 22D: Revival meeting shout (IT'S A MIRACLE); 23D: "Never let __ said ..." (IT BE); 24D: Stopped running (DIED); 25D: That femme (ELLE); 26D: Winter Olympics competitor (BOB SLEDDER); 27D: Church practices (RITES); 28D: 9-1-1 respondents, briefly (EMTS); 30D: Rolling Stone co-founder Wenner (JANN); 31D: Push for (URGE); 32D: Nutmeg or sesame (SEED); 34D: Bearing (MIEN); 37D: Unpleasant duty (ONUS); 38D: Coastal plant with collard-like leaves (SEA KALE); 40D: French "gn" sounds, e.g. (NASALS); 41D: "Out of the question" ("I CAN'T"); 42D: Warming drink (COCOA); 43D: Try to strike (HIT AT); 45D: Cake with a kick (BABA); 46D: Protein-building polymers (RNAS); 47D: Longtime Yugoslav president (TITO); 48D: Laurel in films (STAN); 49D: Ranch chum (PARD); 51D: NBC show that began its 35th season in Sep. 2009 (SNL); 52D: Defense advisory gp. (NSC).