08.23 Tue

T U E S D A Y
August 23, 2011
Marti DuGuay-Carpenter

Theme: Four Little Hogs — Each theme answer is the definition of a phrase that includes the word "hog."

Theme answers:

• 17A: Road hog (DANGEROUS DRIVER).
• 27A: Hog heaven (ABSOLUTE BLISS).
• 44A: Hog wild (OVERLY EXCITED).
• 56A: Whole hog (WITH NO RESTRAINT).

Another cute theme — looks like we're on a roll this week. I'm a big fan of the "definition" theme. As long as we don't see it every day, I think it's fun to have a little something different. I think we usually see this theme using a single word for each clue, so seeing phrases looks like a fresh idea to me. Now that I think about it, Tuesday is a great day for the "definition" theme. I hereby declare Tuesday the Ultimate Perfect Day for Definition Themes. So there's that.

I'm not going to dwell on this, because I really like this puzzle overall and I hate to be negative (You: "Since when?"), but there sure are an awful lot of plurals in this grid. There are even two places (IOU'S / IV'S and RBI'S / ELIS) where the plurals cross at the S, which is a pet peeve of mine. Now that I've mentioned it, maybe it will start bugging you too. Maybe if you start reading this blog often enough, you'll eventually become so irritated at every little thing that you'll be a miserable, hollow person like me. You're welcome!

My favorite clue/answer pairs in this grid are:

• 6D: Kowtow (GROVEL), and
• 38D: Stew (FRET).

I am taking it as my personal challenge to use all four of those excellent words today in normal conversation.

Bullets:

• 15A: Colosseo city (ROMA). Did you notice the Italian spelling of "Colosseum" in the clue? That should have told you that the answer would also be an Italian spelling.
• 22A: Arm-twisting (DURESS). It took me a while to piece this together, but this is a great clue/answer pair.
• 34A: Diddly, in Durango (NADA). I've never been a fan of the word "diddly." It sounds nasty to me.

• 37A: Truth-in-advertising agcy. (BBB). The Better Business Bureau.
• 39A: Candy with collectible dispensers (PEZ). Did you all get this one this time? I seem to recall last time it showed up several of you said you had never heard of PEZ.
• 40A: Flying start? (AERO-). The prefix AERO- can be used to "start" a word that relates to "flying."
• 42A: I-beam, e.g. (GIRDER). With the two Rs in place, I tried CURSOR here first. Sometimes it does look like a little I-beam, right? I'm not just making that up?
• 2D: "A watched pot never boils" is one (ADAGE).



• 11D: Auel's "The Clan of the __ Bear" (CAVE). We've been seeing a lot of Ms. Auel lately, haven't we? She's usually the answer, though, not the clue.

• 13D: Viking's landing place (MARS). Had a conversation recently with the PuzzleKids where we told them they had Viking blood, which made them very tough and growly, so I couldn't think of any other type of Viking.
• 19D: Cuban dance (RUMBA). RUMBA, SAMBA, SALSA — I always have to wait for crosses. I can already see the comments: "Um … you do know, PuzzleGirl, that SAMBA and SALSA are not Cuban, right?" Well, in my brain, they're all stored in the same place. (By the way, I have no idea if they're Cuban or not.)
• 42D: Beanstalk threat (GIANT). So be careful if you're out in the garden today!

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 35A: Nietzsche's "never" (NIE).
• 36A: Bush's undergraduate classmates (ELIS).
• 47A: River in central Germany (EDER).
• 43D: Hairy TV cousin (ITT).
• 54D: Hairy Himalayan legend (YETI).
• 58D: Legal thing (RES).

Everything — 1A: Close-up lens (MACRO); 6A: Jazz jobs (GIGS); 10A: Con game (SCAM); 14A: The American dream, e.g. (IDEAL); 15A: Colosseo city (ROMA); 16A: "__, Can You Hear Me?": song from "Yentl" (PAPA); 17A: Road hog (DANGEROUS DRIVER); 20A: Pvt. driller (SGT.); 21A: Drips in the ER (IV'S); 22A: Arm-twisting (DURESS); 23A: Ritzy apartment feature (TERRACE); 26A: __ mater (ALMA); 27A: Hog heaven (ABSOLUTE BLISS); 32A: Frank topper (RELISH); 34A: Diddly, in Durango (NADA); 35A: Nietzsche's "never" (NIE); 36A: Bush's undergraduate classmates (ELIS); 37A: Truth-in-advertising agcy. (BBB); 38A: Disconcert (FAZE); 39A: Candy with collectible dispensers (PEZ); 40A: Flying start? (AERO-); 42A: I-beam, e.g. (GIRDER); 44A: Hog wild (OVERLY EXCITED); 47A: River in central Germany (EDER); 48A: Diamond-patterned structure, as a trellis (LATTICE); 51A: Black suit (SPADES); 54A: Hither's partner (YON); 55A: Beach shade (TAN); 56A: Whole hog (WITH NO RESTRAINT); 60A: GI's supply (AMMO); 61A: Mindless learning (ROTE); 62A: Shrink in increments (ERODE); 63A: It's history (PAST); 64A: Rephrase, say (EDIT); 65A: South-of-the-border sir (SEÑOR); 1D: Center (MIDST); 2D: "A watched pot never boils" is one (ADAGE); 3D: Bring under a single control (CENTRALIZE); 4D: Dusting aid (RAG); 5D: __ Miss (OLE); 6D: Kowtow (GROVEL); 7D: Chits in the pot (IOU'S); 8D: Baseball VIPs (GM'S); 9D: Got ready to ride (SADDLED); 10D: Slinky shape (SPIRAL); 11D: Auel's "The Clan of the __ Bear" (CAVE); 12D: King Kong's kin (APES); 13D: Viking's landing place (MARS); 18D: Big name in copiers (RICOH); 19D: Cuban dance (RUMBA); 24D: Baseball scoring stats (RBI'S); 25D: Shrek's sidekick Donkey, e.g. (ASS); 26D: Run __: postpone the bar bill (A TAB); 28D: Take out of the carton (UNBOX); 29D: Also (IN ADDITION); 30D: Fitting description? (SIZE); 31D: Nostradamus, for one (SEER); 32D: Auto taken back, briefly (REPO); 33D: Topog. map stat (ELEV.); 37D: Uncle Remus appellation (BR'ER); 38D: Stew (FRET); 40D: First Mayflower passenger to set foot on Plymouth Rock, so it's said (ALDEN); 41D: Neighborhood improvement target (EYESORE); 42D: Beanstalk threat (GIANT); 43D: Hairy TV cousin (ITT); 45D: Sizzling (RED-HOT); 46D: Room for a broom (CLOSET); 49D: "No prob!" ("CAN DO!"); 50D: Sign up to compete (ENTER); 51D: Trade (SWAP); 52D: Arizona tribe (PIMA); 53D: Bread machines, for short? (ATM'S); 54D: Hairy Himalayan legend (YETI); 57D: Valance holder (ROD); 58D: Legal thing (RES); 59D: "__ you serious?" (ARE).

07.25 Mon

M O N D A Y
July 25, 2011
Marti DuGuay-Carpenter

Theme: I'm Melting! — The first word of each theme answer describes size; from top to bottom, the sizes move from biggest to smallest.

Theme answers:

• 17A: Winter Olympics event with gates (GIANT SLALOM RACE).
• 23A: One stalking lions or tigers (BIG-GAME HUNTER).
• 38A: T-bone with a warm, red center (MEDIUM-RARE STEAK).
• 48A: Lass awed by the big city, maybe (SMALL-TOWN GIRL).
• 58A: He "runs through the town ... in his nightgown" (WEE WILLIE WINKIE).

Looks like we're starting off the week with a theme-heavy Monday offering! Three 15-letter theme entries seems like quite a lot, especially for an early-week puzzle. But the theme phrases are mostly solid; the only one I might have rethought a little is MEDIUM-RARE STEAK. That just doesn't seem like an in-the-language phrase all on its own to me. And the funny thing is, the theme would have worked fine without it — I don't think the MEDIUM really adds anything to the progression. But the rest of the theme answers are good. My favorite is SMALL-TOWN GIRL, which is something I have definitely been accused of being and to which I reply, "Are you kidding me? Fargo's the biggest town in the state!" So there.


There's usually not a lot to talk about on Mondays, but I see a couple things it might be worth going over. First, I want you to look at the abbreviations in the grid:

• 20A: Invoice fig. (AMT.).
• 28A: It.'s continent (EUR.).
• 56A: IM offerer (AOL).
• 30D: Sch. in Big D (SMU).

If you're new to puzzles and trying to improve your skills, these entries illustrate a basic concept you need to be familiar with. Clues with abbreviations in them generally are giving you a hint that the answer will be an abbreviation as well. Notice "fig.," "It.'s," and "IM" in the clues above. And in the last one, you even get two hints: "Sch.," and "Big D." There's one other abbreviated entry, but its clue isn't another abbreviation: ID'S is clued as "61D: Credit card users may be asked for them, briefly." In this case, it isn't that the credit card users are only being asked "briefly" for their ID'S, but that the entry is a "brief" way of stating the answer. In a late-week puzzle, you might not even get that hint for the answer ID'S — some abbreviations are so commonly used that it's almost like they're not abbreviations any more. I think ID'S falls into that category.

The other thing we'll look at today are the question-mark clues:

• 13D: Flames that have cooled? (EXES).
• 47D: Chilly powder? (SNOW).
• 50D: Newspaper bye lines? (OBITS).
• 59D: India Inc.? (LTD.).

These are relatively easy as question-mark clues go. In three of the four clues, the wordplay pretty much jumps out at you because of spelling changes: chilly-chili, bye-by, inc.-ink. Then there's the odd man out, "Flames that have cooled?" That's a play on the "beau" meaning of the word "flame." Later in the week, you'll see more wordplay like this, that isn't quite so obvious.

The last thing you'll want to do to build up your crossword skills, is check out today's Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 15A: Woody Guthrie's son (ARLO).
• 1D: Nintendo competitor (SEGA).
• 53D: Orléans's river (LOIRE).
• 62D: Society page word (NÉE).

These are words that come up again and again (and again and again ...) in crossword puzzles and if you just know them, they can really help you get a foothold in a tough puzzle. Click on the word above and you'll be magically transported to a post where you can learn more about this bit of crosswordese that — with any luck — will help you recognize it in the future.



Everything — 1A: Burn badly (SCALD); 6A: The lightning bolt on Harry Potter's forehead, e.g. (SCAR); 10A: Squirrel away (SAVE); 14A: "__ World": ticklish Muppet's "Sesame Street" segment (ELMO'S); 15A: Woody Guthrie's son (ARLO); 16A: Candy that comes in twos (TWIX); 17A: Winter Olympics event with gates (GIANT SLALOM RACE); 20A: Invoice fig. (AMT.); 21A: Place for inks or oinks (PEN); 22A: Subtle vibes (AURAS); 23A: One stalking lions or tigers (BIG-GAME HUNTER); 28A: It.'s continent (EUR.); 29A: Raw rocks (ORES); 30A: "Octopus's Garden" singer Ringo (STARR); 33A: Talk show guest's blatant promotion (PLUG); 35A: Swelled head (EGO); 38A: T-bone with a warm, red center (MEDIUM-RARE STEAK); 42A: Colorful card game (UNO); 43A: Lends a hand to (AIDS); 44A: Lecture rooms (HALLS); 45A: Abel's assassin (CAIN); 47A: Jazzy horn (SAX); 48A: Lass awed by the big city, maybe (SMALL-TOWN GIRL); 54A: Bright (SMART); 55A: Sis's sib (BRO); 56A: IM offerer (AOL); 58A: He "runs through the town ... in his nightgown" (WEE WILLIE WINKIE); 63A: Thomas __ Edison (ALVA); 64A: Tater __: Ore-Ida product (TOTS); 65A: Big tractor name (DEERE); 66A: Movie house suffix (-PLEX); 67A: Allergy trigger, often (DUST); 68A: Passover dinner (SEDER); 1D: Nintendo competitor (SEGA); 2D: Start up the mountain (CLIMB); 3D: Italian violin maker (AMATI); 4D: Chaney of horror (LON); 5D: "Spring ahead" hrs. (DST); 6D: Witch trials town (SALEM); 7D: Whooping bird (CRANE); 8D: Entirely (ALL); 9D: Kanga's kid (ROO); 10D: Vain walks (STRUTS); 11D: In the loop (AWARE); 12D: Anglican parish priest (VICAR); 13D: Flames that have cooled? (EXES); 18D: Box for practice (SPAR); 19D: Horse's hair (MANE); 24D: Spice Girl Halliwell (GERI); 25D: Ashram authority (GURU); 26D: Store posting (HOURS); 27D: Craving (URGE); 30D: Sch. in Big D (SMU); 31D: Commandment count (TEN); 32D: Hubbub (ADO); 33D: Painting reproduction (PRINT); 34D: Schoolboy (LAD); 35D: Slippery fish (EEL); 36D: "For Me and My __" (GAL); 37D: Gives the nod (OKS); 39D: Postal sackful (MAIL); 40D: Layered haircut (SHAG); 41D: Crosstown bus alternative (TAXI); 45D: Auto finish protection (CAR WAX); 46D: Height: Pref. (ALTI-); 47D: Chilly powder? (SNOW); 48D: What the nose knows (SMELL); 49D: "Circle of Friends" writer Binchy (MAEVE); 50D: Newspaper bye lines? (OBITS); 51D: Seize (from) (WREST); 52D: Gathered, as fallen leaves (RAKED); 53D: Orléans's river (LOIRE); 54D: Exchange (SWAP); 57D: Ogle (LEER); 59D: India Inc.? (LTD.); 60D: Gehrig who played with Ruth (LOU); 61D: Credit card users may be asked for them, briefly (ID'S); 62D: Society page word (NÉE).

07.07 Thu

T H U R S D A Y
July 7, 2011
Marti DuGuay-Carpenter

Theme: Legal puns? — Puns on familiar phrases that have something to do with law? (Is that right?)

Theme answers:

• 17A: Fine print in Yogi's contract? (BEAR CLAUSE).
• 25A: Court allegations requiring consideration? (ATTENTION PLEAS).
• 42A: Product liability problems for Willy Wonka? (CHOCOLATE TORTS).
• 57A: Vague religious law? (LOOSE CANON).

I have to admit, this theme confused me a little. I wasn't entirely sure what was holding it together as I was solving and now that I'm done, I don't feel like I'm much closer to understanding. Is it just that the resulting phrases have something to do with law? One is about contracts, the second is about a criminal trial, next is a reference to product liability, and the last one refers to religious law. And wait a minute, what is the clue for ATTENTION PLEAS? "Court allegations requiring consideration"? Is a PLEA a "court allegation"? Hey, I've seen every single episode of Law & Order and I'm pretty sure a PLEA and an allegation are two totally different things. CANON was the hardest one for me to get, partly because I didn't really understand what was going on and partly because the definition of CANON that I'm most familiar with is "a sanctioned or accepted group or body of related works." I'm not blaming the puzzle for that one, because that little glitch was just a result of my life experience, not anything wrong with the clue. And yet.

Come to think of it, there seemed to be quite a bit of strange cluing in this one. Between the ugh-ily-pluraled INS (8D: Good tennis returns) and NILS (33A: A lot of nothing), the unwieldy partial IN AT (53D: __ the finish), and the for-some-reason-suffixized -ION (22A: Exempt attachment?) … well that's a lot of awkward cluing and at least half of it could have been easily avoided (NILS Lofgren, anyone?).

To be fair, there were several clues that I really liked too. I'm sure I'm not the only one whose first thought was CLINTON instead of TAFT at [1A: President known as "Big Bill"]. And [1D: Big band wind] is all kindsa tricky. First of all, I don't think most people think of a TUBA as a wind instrument (I know I don't) and, again, I can't be the only one who thought "Wait, big bands don't have TUBAs, do they?" not realizing that the "big" modified TUBA and not "band." Let's see … what else can we talk about?

Bullets:

• 5A: Beat it (SPLIT). I love the phrase "Beat it." In my head it's said with an old-timey gangster movie sound to it: "Beat it, kid."
• 20A: Body in a belt (ASTEROID). Another good, tricky clue.
• 23A: Tab, for one (COLA). I get a little bit nauseous just thinking about it.
• 56A: America's first spy (HALE). Apparently this is one of the few things PuzzleDaughter's Virginia history book got right, because I remembered it from a recent study session.
• 60A: Sat rocking, say (IDLED). Hmm. I don't think I like this one. Is there a definition of "rocking" I'm not thinking of? I mean if you're rocking (like in a rocking chair), your … rocking, not IDLing.

• 7D: More than just eye-catching, clotheswise (LOUD). I think I'm getting old because a lot of clothes I see these days seem pretty LOUD. I saw a magazine article recently that purported to explain how to mix and match different colors and patterns. I looked at what those models were wearing and all I could think was "Really?"
• 28D: Firth or fjord (INLET). Yes, as a matter of fact I did enter COLIN before actually reading the whole clue. You wanna make something of it?

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 14A: Jamaican tangelo (UGLI).
• 16A: Wheelset piece (AXLE).
• 5D: Oater joint (SALOON).
• 25D: Silly (APISH).
• 55D: City west of Tulsa (ENID).

Everything Else — 10A: Shady growth (MOSS); 15A: Stag (ALONE); 19A: "Swell!" ("NEAT!"); 21A: Abby and Martha, to Mortimer, in "Arsenic and Old Lace" (AUNTS); 32A: Clip (SPEED); 34A: Many a '50s-'60s pop act (DUO); 35A: Fine cotton (PIMA); 36A: Moving aid (DOLLY); 38A: Douglas and Fraser (FIRS); 39A: Medium power? (ESP); 40A: Show enthusiasm (RAVE); 41A: Hershey's raw material (CACAO); 46A: Biblical middle child (ABEL); 47A: Jamaican spirits (RUM); 48A: Thin (SPARE); 51A: Get the most out of (MAXIMIZE); 59A: Elects (OPTS); 61A: Ivory Coast neighbor (MALI); 62A: New Mexico resort (TAOS); 63A: Spanish filmmaker Almodóvar (PEDRO); 64A: Hardly at all (A TAD); 2D: Gets along in years (AGES); 3D: Place to take 27-Down (FLAT); 4D: Turnpike roller (TIRE); 6D: Lament (PLAINT); 9D: Where to start playing a round (TEE); 10D: Guide (MANUAL); 11D: Team with a lot of pull? (OXEN); 12D: Blind section (SLAT); 13D: Directors' milieus (SETS); 18D: Exclaimed (CRIED); 21D: Range in seven countries (ALPS); 23D: DNA shape (COIL); 24D: Singular (ONLY); 26D: A conductor sets it (TEMPO); 27D: See 3-Down (TEA); 29D: Proclamation (EDICT); 30D: Subtle qualities (AURAS); 31D: Not too hot (SO-SO); 32D: What houses may be built on (SPEC); 36D: Valley (DALE); 37D: Like the lenses on some granny glasses (OVAL); 38D: Considerably (FAR); 40D: Courtroom cover-up (ROBE); 41D: Book with drawings (COMIC); 43D: Tender touch (CARESS); 44D: Test-taking tip? (ERASER); 45D: Prom dress (TUXEDO); 48D: Tavern measure (SHOT); 49D: Senior Smurf (PAPA); 50D: Chorus line (ALTO); 51D: Bread concern (MOLD); 52D: 49-Down's partner (MAMA); 54D: "J'accuse" author (ZOLA); 57D: Sass (LIP); 58D: Writing on an urn (ODE).

06.10 Fri

F R I D A Y
June 10, 2011
Marti Duguay-Carpenter

Theme: Story Story Night — Theme answers are puns in which the first word is a synonym for "story."

Theme answers:

• 20A: Mount Olympus and environs? (MYTH UNIVERSE).
• 34A: Thinking like Aesop? (FABLE-MINDED).
• 40A: One majoring in traditional knowledge? (LORE STUDENT).
• 54A: Quills for Chaucer? (TALE FEATHERS).

This was a tough theme for me to crack. I had the ends of three theme answers (which I had pieced together through crosses and guesses based on the clues) before I ever had the beginning of any of them. So I wasn't sure exactly what I was looking for. Even after I got the FABLE part of FABLE-MINDED, all I thought was "pun." I still didn't know how all the first words were related. I thought maybe an EE to AY sound change? The second theme answer I uncovered was LORE STUDENT and then I was completely lost. LORE STUDENT? What could the original phrase possible be? LAIR? LEER? LIAR? LURE? It wasn't until after I had solved the entire puzzle, figured out the theme, set the puzzle down, and picked it up again a few minutes later that LAW STUDENT popped into my mind. That's not a great pun is what I'm saying. The others are very clear. Two use a simple sound change, one is just a homophone, and then the last one is a sound change … plus some other stuff. I guess if I'm going to be totally honestly, I have to admit that I've probably heard a New Yorker put an R on the end of the word LAW at some point in my life. But I still don't think the pun works. I'm just stubborn that way.

The last two letters I entered into the grid were the B in DRIB and then the I. [1A: Small amount] had to be either DRIB, DRAB, or DRAM right? MASH IN wasn't going to work for [4D: Knock down during a raid] so that answered the B question. But then I couldn't make sense of [3D: Some OKs] with only A and I as my options, so I thought that B might have been wrong and there was a "small amount" that I'd never heard of. After a slight struggle, I decided that INITS. must mean INITIALS and since OK in the sense I was thinking of it (OKAY) wasn't an initialism, O.K. must stand for something else that I just wasn't coming up with. I know I'm probably missing something obvious here. Anyone?

Bullets:

• 9A: Rare score note (C FLAT). I wasn't sure if this clue meant that the answer was (1) a rare note or (2) a note in a rare score. Like maybe there are some music pieces out there from long, long ago that have … different notes? I know. It doesn't make sense sometimes the stuff that goes through my head.

• 15A: Songdom showgirl (LOLA). Her name was LOLA. She was a showgirl. But that was 30 years ago when they used to have a show. Hope you enjoy that the rest of the day.
• 18A: Some govt. lawyers (ADA'S). Assistant District Attorneys.
• 27A: Eighth-century Japanese capital (NARA). No idea.
• 50A: Sinus-clearing condiment (WASABI). WASABI is fun to say.
• 61A: Early Macy's Day Parade balloon designer (SARG). I think Tony SARG is typically clued as a puppeteer. I remember looking him up once for a blog post and reading about how he was involved with early Macy's Day Parades.

• 9D: Kennedy designer (CASSINI). We're much more likely to see CASSINI's first name, OLEG, in the grid.
• 10D: Small distinction (FINE LINE). This is a great clue.
• 11D: Where to go in London? (LOO). Oh good, bathroom humor.
• 12D: Eastern N.Y. airport (ALB). I honestly didn't know ALBany was in Eastern New York. I just looked at a map of New York and found that Buffalo isn't really where I thought it was either. Some days it seems as though the depth of my ignorance is truly astounding.
• 55D: Jazz venue? (ESPN). I knew this clue was referring to the basketball team, so I tried UTAH first. Very tricky!

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 14A: Spanish actress Chaplin (Charlie's granddaughter) (OONA).
• 39A: First name in architecture (EERO).
• 67A: Card, e.g. (NL'ER).
• 32D: Chiwere speakers (OTOES).
• 51D: Isolated nest (AERIE).
• 57D: City north of Pittsburgh (ERIE).

[Follow PuzzleGirl on Twitter.]

Everything Else — 5A: Otherwise (ELSE); 16A: French garlic sauce (AIOLI); 17A: Sauvignon __ (GRIS); 19A: They don't mix with just anybody (SNOBS); 23A: Court statistic (ASSIST); 24A: Get ready for a competition, bodybuilder-style (OIL UP); 29A: Met (RAN INTO); 31A: Levels (KO'S); 36A: Simple step (A TO B); 38A: Nuke (ZAP); 45A: Howard of Hollywood (RON); 46A: It may be tapped (BEER KEG); 47A: Sainted pope called "the Great" (LEO I); 49A: Escargot (SNAIL); 58A: Up and about (ASTIR); 62A: Highchair component (TRAY); 63A: One of the Allman Brothers (DUANE); 64A: "Grand" or "demi" ballet move (PLIE); 65A: Auxiliary (AIDE); 66A: Game with blocks (JENGA); 68A: Break (REST); 1D: Matter of faith (DOGMA); 2D: Golfer Sabbatini and actor Calhoun (RORYS); 5D: Hyundai sedan (ELANTRA); 6D: California's self-proclaimed "Zinfandel Capital of the World" (LODI); 7D: Pole, for one (SLAV); 8D: Facility (EASE); 13D: "Angela's Ashes" sequel ('TIS); 21D: Govt. jet set? (USAF); 22D: Go nowhere special (ROAM); 25D: Fail, after "go" (UNDER); 26D: Wing: Prefix (PTERO-); 28D: '70s congresswoman known as "Battling Bella" (ABZUG); 29D: Ward off (REPEL); 30D: Eat to excess (O.D. ON); 31D: De__, Illinois (KALB); 33D: Philosopher Kierkegaard (SOREN); 35D: Boy (LAD); 37D: Dressing down (BERATING); 41D: Mountain destination (SKI AREA); 42D: Spill (TELL); 43D: Yanni fan, maybe (NEW AGER); 44D: Exactly (TO A T); 48D: 1987 Beatty/Hoffman flop (ISHTAR); 52D: Finishing nails (BRADS); 53D: "The best __ to be": Browning (IS YET); 56D: Spill (FALL); 58D: Trans. or intrans. (ADJ.); 59D: Go after, in a way (SUE); 60D: Avoid burning, perhaps (TAN).

05.09 Mon

M O N D A Y
May 9, 2011
Marti DuGuay-Carpenter

Theme: What's new? — Each theme answer is a familiar phrase that begins with a synonym for "new."

Theme answers:

• 20A: Good reason to reopen a closed case (FRESH EVIDENCE).
• 25A: Broad genre that began in Van Gogh's time (MODERN ART).
• 49A: Original thought (NOVEL IDEA).
• 54A: Title of Obama's 2009 Cairo speech, and what 20-, 25- and 49-Across have in common (A NEW BEGINNING).

Simple — very simple — theme, straightforward clues, nothing too flashy … Yep, it's definitely Monday, folks. Here's the thing about the theme. It's kinda boring. Each of the theme answers starts with a synonym for "new," right? This particular theme would be more elegant if that synonym for "new" meant something else entirely in the context of the theme answer. That's what we typically see in the A-list puzzles and there's a reason for that. It's more interesting that way.

For example, instead of using FRESH in a phrase where "fresh" means "new" — FRESH EVIDENCE (which, to me anyway, is kind of a clunker of a theme answer; my first thought was "new evidence") — a better choice would have been a phrase where the word FRESH means "sassy." Now I can't think of a phrase like that. I also can't think of phrases where MODERN and NOVEL have different meanings. So if I were working on this theme, at this point I would add it to my list of ideas waiting to happen and hold out until better theme entries presented themselves.

I can see, though, where the fill was spiced up a little, possibly to make up for the lackluster theme. Highlights in the fill for me include TWEET, POSEUR, BRAHMA and, of course, the best answer in the grid by far: THWACK (14A: Twitter message / 10D: One who puts on airs / 6D: Rodeo bull / 48D: Hitting sound).

I actually had two write-overs. I tried SERB where SLAV was supposed to go (8D: Pole or Czech) (I can never remember the difference between those two), and I had RANTED for VENTED (50D: Blew off steam). Other than that, smooth solve all the way around.

I'll leave you with a picture from my wedding that demonstrates why my first thought for 31A — Important purchase for a bride — was not DRESS, but rather BIRKS.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 16A: Shimmery sushi fish (OPAH).
• 35A: "__ Fideles": Christmas carol (ADESTE).
• 53A: Joule fraction (ERG).
• 71A: Eyelid woes (STYES).
• 59D: Hair removal brand (NEET).
• 65D: Letters after els (EMS).

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Everything Else — 1A: Edible bow ties (PASTA); 6A: Largemouth fish (BASS); 10A: Places (PUTS); 15A: Provoke (RILE); 17A: God of Islam (ALLAH); 18A: "Happy Gilmore" actor Sandler (ADAM); 19A: Song sung alone (SOLO); 23A: Intent (AIM); 24A: Former franc fraction (SOU); 36A: Miami University state (OHIO); 38A: "Figured it out!" ("AHA!"); 39A: Emeralds and diamonds (GEMS); 40A: Enlarge, as a road (WIDEN); 42A: Elvis __ Presley (ARON); 43A: "Who am __ judge?" (I TO); 44A: Unit of force (DYNE); 45A: Natural ability (TALENT); 51A: LAX or JFK, for American Airlines (HUB); 61A: Festive party (GALA); 62A: Tree house? (NEST); 63A: Spine-chilling (EERIE); 66A: Like Homer's "Iliad" (EPIC); 67A: Hudson Bay native (CREE); 68A: Furnish with more weapons (REARM); 69A: Eraser crumb site (DESK); 70A: Pay attention to (HEED); 2D: Hole-making tool (AWL); 3D: Ego (SELF); 4D: Rip (TEAR); 5D: Deep down inside (AT HEART); 7D: White House staffer (AIDE); 9D: Big rigs (SEMIS); 11D: Atop (UPON); 12D: Soft rock (TALC); 13D: Horse's footwear (SHOE); 21D: Muscular (SINEWY); 22D: Birdbrain, or extinct bird (DODO); 25D: Hocus-pocus (MAGIC); 26D: Words that start many Keats titles (ODE TO); 27D: Band samples (DEMOS); 28D: Twisty road curve (ESS); 29D: Beverly Hills's __ Drive (RODEO); 30D: Alexander-Great link (THE); 32D: Like some seals (EARED); 33D: Glistened (SHONE); 34D: Rudolph's boss (SANTA); 37D: Apprentice (INTERN); 41D: B&B (INN); 42D: Baba who tangled with thieves (ALI); 44D: Slap on, as paint (DAUB); 46D: Casbah city (ALGIERS); 52D: Where second stringers sit (BENCH); 54D: Like fine wine (AGED); 55D: Scruff (NAPE); 56D: Yale alumni (ELIS); 57D: Richard of "Chicago" (GERE); 58D: Words of understanding (I SEE); 64D: Anger (IRE).

01.25 Tue

T U E S D A Y

January 25, 2011
Marti DuGuay-Carpenter

Theme: Only Ifs and Buts — Theme answers are familiar three-word phrases where the middle word (AND) is removed. Then … wackiness.

Theme answers:

• 17A: *Worm change? (BAIT SWITCH).
• 37A: *Relocation company's cocktail mixers? (MOVERS' SHAKERS).
• 60A: *Court mistake? (TRIAL ERROR).
• 68A: Word usually found in the answers to starred clues (AND).

Happy Tuesday, everybody. What a fun little theme for us today. I kinda wish there was more of it! And I really mean that. I mean, three theme answers is plenty, but this one is really cute and there must be more phrases that would work. No, as a matter of fact, I can't think of any right now, but I'm sure there are some!

Highlights of this puzzle for me include:

• 26A: Hardly a tough decision (NO-BRAINER).
• 2D: "C'mon sport, help me out" ("BE A PAL!").
• 18D: Coordinated fan effort at a stadium (THE WAVE).

I once wrote an English paper about THE WAVE. Yep, got away with it too.

Unfortunately, PuzzleDaughter is BarfyDaughter tonight, so I'm gonna try to finish this up and get to bed since I doubt I'll have the opportunity to sleep all the way through the night. Ugh.

Bullets:

• 4A: Slopeside structure (CHALET). This answer can only remind me of one thing today: Girl Scout cookies. Yes, that's right, I'm the Cookie Mom this year. Pretty sure I had some sort of brain damage the day I signed up for that. One of the types of cookies we have here in the DC area (not all Girl Scout troops across the country have all the same cookies — weird, right?) is Lemon Swiss Chalet Cremes. I actually need to get the troop's cookie order in tomorrow so I've been "WGSC: All Girl Scout Cookies All The Time" the last couple days. God help me.
• 15A: Dugouts, e.g. (CANOES). I could not not think about baseball here.

• 24A: Lender's product (BAGEL). I'm not sure I've ever eaten a Lender's bagel, but I've heard of the brand. For some reason, I have in my mind that they're not very good. Of course, once you have an H&H bagel, you're ruined for life.
• 29A: Decelerate (SLOW UP). Who else went "SLOW DO…Hey! It won't fit!" I'm more likely to say "slow down" or "hold up," but SLOW UP strikes me as legit.
• 33A: Words before "Here's to," perhaps (A TOAST). We sure do have a lot of toasting going on around here these days. Skoal! Salud! Here's to, I don't know … SAM (23D: One of the Warner Brothers). (Who knew?)

• 55A: "How Do I Live" singer LeAnn (RIMES). We've talked about this song here before, haven't we? It has my vote for Sappiest Co-Dependent Song of All Time. She's not even singing about having lost her man. She's singing about how bad she would feel if he did leave. Which he hasn't. Drama Queen much?
• 5D: Hesitating sounds (HAWS). Couldn't get past ER and UM in my head, so this one came through crosses. I guess this is like "hemming and HAWing"?
• 9D: Top at the beach (T-SHIRT). I'm fairly confident that I'm not the only one who tried BIKINI here first.

• 10D: St. __ Girl beer (PAULI). You never forget your first girl.
• 39D: Biblical mount (ASS). I literally laughed out loud at this one. My brain was so focused on trying to think of a mountain's name that even with the first two letters in place this didn't come to me immediately. My D'oh moment of the day.
• 40D: Foreign Legion cap (KEPI). Here's the weird thing. I was fairly certain it started with a K, but even now that I see the whole word it doesn't look familiar to me at all. I'm tucking this one away in my brain though. Looks like it might come in handy.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 14A: DDE opponent (AES).
• 20A: Shimmery sushi fish (OPAH).
• 43A: Nice vacation time? (ÉTÉ).
• 58A: Architect Saarinen (EERO).
• 65A: Canapé topper, perhaps (ROE).
• 52D: Wickerwork willow (OSIER).
• 57D: On the sheltered side (ALEE).

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Everything Else — 1A: Utah Jazz's gp. (NBA); 10A: Sodas (POPS); 16A: Frizzy do (AFRO); 19A: Sci-fi saucers (UFO'S); 21A: Lush (SOT); 22A: Speck in the sea (ISLET); 31A: Dough dispenser, briefly (ATM); 32A: Craps cube (DIE); 36A: Remain unsettled (PEND); 41A: Without accomplices (LONE); 42A: Didn't run the ball (PASSED); 44A: Old word of annoyance (FIE); 46A: Twitches (SPASMS); 50A: Kentucky's state flower (GOLDENROD); 54A: Sacro- ending (ILIAC); 56A: One of a salty seven (SEA); 59A: Start of a coconut cocktail name (PIÑA); 63A: Former Israeli president Weizman (EZER); 64A: Shoelace holder (EYELET); 66A: Corporate freebie (PERK); 67A: Breaks down in English class? (PARSES); 1D: Pooh-bahs (NABOBS); 3D: Cheese from Italy's Veneto region (ASIAGO); 4D: IV amounts (CC'S); 6D: Negatively charged atom (ANION); 7D: Game with scratching (LOTTO); 8D: Treaty of Rome org. (EEC); 11D: Lawbreaker (OFFENDER); 12D: Dietary needs found in beef (PROTEINS); 13D: Titanic signal (SOS); 25D: Bard's instrument (LUTE); 27D: Bubbly soothers (BATHS); 28D: Wine choice (RED); 30D: __ favor: señor's "please" (POR); 34D: According to (AS PER); 35D: Retirement org. (SSA); 36D: One on a bike (PEDALER); 37D: Add an engine to (MOTORIZE); 38D: Quick joke (ONE-LINER); 41D: Hose filler? (LEG); 44D: Giant's first word (FEE); 45D: Arched foot part (INSTEP); 47D: __ Nevada mountain range (SIERRA); 48D: Strand on a 22-Across (MAROON); 49D: Made a basket, say (SCORED); 51D: Old German money, for short (D-MARK); 53D: Antes precede them (DEALS); 59D: Vim (PEP); 61D: Shaggy Scandinavian rug (RYA); 62D: Sci-fi invaders, for short (ET'S).