S U N D A Y December 5, 2010 Nora Pearlstone (syndicated)

Theme: "CD Changers" — An initial letter "C" is changed to a "D" in each of nine familiar phrases, creating new zany entries.

[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 answers: 

• 23A: Athlete's illegal plan? (DOPING STRATEGY).
• 44A: Inevitably short story of a track event? (DASH ACCOUNT).
• 68A: Derrières? (FRENCH DUFFS).
• 96A: Contented furnace part? (HAPPY DAMPER).
• 119A: Pass receiver's nightmare? (DREAM OF THE DROP).
• 13D: Dangerous links game? (GOLF DARTS).
• 41D: Where authors exhibit unedited work? (DRAFTS FAIR).
• 44D: Designated area for Southern dialogue? (DRAWL SPACE).
• 83D: City employee who helps with the dishes? (TOWN DRIER).

This is your regular Sunday host, Doug P, back with another helping of cruciverbial goodies. Today's puzzle is by Nora Pearlstone, a very talented and experienced constructor. When I saw the byline, I knew it was going to be a quality puzzle. The only theme entry that caused me to raise an eyebrow was HAPPY DAMPER, because it's hard to visualize a "contented furnace part." Maybe he's friends with the Brave Little Toaster.

My favorite theme entry was DREAM OF THE DROP. It's quite clever, and the double "CD change" is a nice way to finish off the puzzle. And there's a reason that DREAM OF THE DROP is the last across entry: the constructor didn't want solvers to think that every theme entry would involve a double letter change. If DREAM OF THE DROP was up top at 23-Across, then we'd all be wondering "Why don't the rest of them change two C's to D's?" By placing DREAM OF THE DROP at the end of the puzzle, solvers should recognize it as a bonus. Of course, some people might start solving the puzzle in the lower right corner, but they're probably weirdos.

Bullets:

• 1A: Post-commencement fliers? (CAPS). A tough one to start with at 1-Across. Think about graduates throwing their mortarboards into the air. I don't remember doing that, but it's been a long time since I was in school.

• 19A: Snack with several eating options (OREO). All of the options work for me.
• 49A: Hopping desert rodent (JERBOA). I was going to include a picture of a jerboa, but it basically looked like a rat, and who wants to look at a rat? 
• 6D: Some NFL blockers (RGS). Short for right guards. And sometimes you'll see LGS for left guards. There are also RTS (right tackles) and LTS (left tackles), but those are usually clued as abbreviations for "rights" and "lieutenants," respectively.
• 9D: 20th-century Canadian composer André (MATHIEU). Wow, André Mathieu is one of the Frenchiest names I've ever seen. Never heard of him, but that doesn't mean much. Composers aren't my forte. Here's a snippet from Wikipedia: "Mathieu began composing at the age of 4. At age 6, Mathieu gave his first recital of his own composition at the Ritz Carleton Hotel in Montreal." OK, well I'm sure I was doing important stuff at age 6 too. Let's move on.
• 12D: Seth of "SNL" (MEYERS). This was a mystery to me. I haven't watched "Saturday Night Live" in years. 

• 42D: Overused word at the nursery (CUTE). My first thought was a nursery where they sell plants, and I couldn't imagine what word would be "overused." Topsoil? Trowel? Mulch?
• 48D: Classified charge (ADFEE). It won't be long before "classified ads" are something that only old people remember. And I guess I'll be one of the old people. 
• 62D: One weber per square meter (TESLA). A physics unit for measuring magnetic fields, named after the great Nikola Tesla. He also inspired the name of a rockin' band. (There are some bad words in this song, so don't click on the video if you have sensitive ears.)

• 111D: Prefix with -aholic (CHOC). Do chocaholics like Oreos? Because everyone knows that the chocolate wafers are the worst part of the cookie.

If anything else caught your eye, feel free to mention it in the comments. See you next week.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 65A: Asian celebration (TET).
• 100A: Children's author Blyton (ENID).
• 56D: Chariot ending (EER).

Everything Else —  5A: Skirmish (FRAY); 9A: Polite address (MAAM); 13A: Freedom of speech inhibitor (GAGLAW); 20A: Grimm bad guy (OGRE); 21A: Adolescent woe (ACNE); 22A: Shopping with a mouse, say (ONLINE); 26A: Check up (on) (LOOKIN); 27A: Put to work (EMPLOY); 28A: Whom a physician should heal? (THYSELF); 30A: TV Batman Adam (WEST); 31A: Dost speak (SAYST); 32A: Kenyan tribe (MASAI); 35A: Businesses (TRADES); 37A: Credits (to) (ASCRIBES); 40A: It's nearly bisected by the Missouri R. (SDAK); 41A: Caesar's 601 (DCI); 47A: It's not wall-to-wall (AREARUG); 51A: Cross-country need, perhaps (SKI); 52A: Put on the tube (AIR); 54A: Until now (TODATE); 55A: Sign of a slip (ERASURE); 57A: "SNL" producer Michaels (LORNE); 59A: Endure (SUFFER); 60A: Handful (FEW); 61A: Deceive (LIETO); 64A: Winans of gospel (CECE); 66A: Leave no room in (FILL); 72A: This, in Spain (ESTO); 75A: Distress letters (SOS); 77A: Restaurateur Toots (SHOR); 78A: Exams for sophs or jrs. (PSATS); 80A: Warm lining (FUR); 81A: Influence (IMPACT); 84A: Publishing crime (LIBEL); 86A: Place (SITUATE); 88A: Milan's __ alla Scala (TEATRO); 89A: Dept. in charge of rural development (AGR); 90A: Author Tarbell (IDA); 93A: Brain (GENIUS); 94A: Does without (ESCHEWS); 99A: Dogpatch's Daisy __ (MAE); 102A: Cutting tool handy in tight crevices (SABERSAW); 103A: Football play also called a sweep (ENDRUN); 105A: __ man (LADYS); 106A: Rumor starter? (IHEAR); 111A: General Mills brand (CHEX); 114A: Do some home improvement (REMODEL); 116A: Film set at the Bates Motel (PSYCHO); 117A: Island state (HAWAII); 123A: Delphic medium (ORACLE); 124A: Failed '80s gridiron org. (USFL); 125A: Go (toward) (HEAD); 126A: What kings and courts do (RULE); 127A: Civic or rec follower (CENTER); 128A: Allot, with "out" (METE); 129A: Line on a horse (ODDS); 130A: "__ Death": "Peer Gynt Suite No. 1" movement (ASES); 1D: Sets of regulations (CODES); 2D: Olfactory lure (AROMA); 3D: Energized (PEPPY); 4D: Dirties (SOILS); 5D: Stick-in-the-mud (FOGY); 7D: Gallery display (ART); 8D: "__ durn tootin'!" (YER); 10D: __-deucy (ACEY); 11D: Therapy subject (ANGST); 14D: 365 días (ANO); 15D: Shines (GLOWS);16D: Take a shine to (LIKE); 17D: Spanish liqueur (ANIS); 18D: Took off (WENT); 24D: Nobody at all (NOTASOUL); 25D: Steaming mad (ATABOIL); 29D: Russian auto (LADA); 32D: Longtime Olivia Newton-John label (MCA); 33D: Rainbow paths (ARCS); 34D: Tired partner? (SICK); 36D: Barely make, as a living (EKEOUT); 38D: Bridge star Omar (SHARIF); 39D: Caught in a net (SNARED); 43D: Disney president Robert (IGER); 45D: Tummy muscles (ABS); 46D: Costner links film (TINCUP); 49D: Bridges of "Starman" (JEFF); 50D: "... __ saw Elba" (EREI); 53D: Coral phenomena (REEFS); 58D: Earthy tone (OCHRE); 63D: Above (ONHIGH); 67D: Reluctant (LOATH); 69D: Charmed snakes? (COBRAS); 70D: Notes after mis (FAS); 71D: Mark of disgrace (STIGMA); 73D: "Swan Lake" outfit (TUTU); 74D: Tram car fillers (ORES); 76D: Conceal (SCREEN); 79D: How AA members complete their program (STEPWISE); 81D: News bit (ITEM); 82D: City east of Tempe (MESA); 85D: ChapStick, e.g. (LIPBALM); 87D: A, to Fauré (UNE); 91D: Changed the locks? (DYED); 92D: "He was white and shaken, like __ martini": Wodehouse (ADRY); 95D: Filly's father (SIRE); 97D: Lager alternative (PALEALE); 98D: Barnyard brayer (ASS); 101D: Jerk (DUMDUM); 103D: Right-on (EXACT); 104D: Swedes' neighbors (NORSE); 107D: Victim of Hercules (HYDRA); 108D: Tan shades (ECRUS); 109D: Financially struggling, with "in" (AHOLE); 110D: Boxing ring borders (ROPES); 112D: Wonderland tea party attendee (HARE); 113D: McGregor of "Big Fish" (EWAN); 115D: Skillful (DEFT); 116D: Some profs (PHDS); 118D: Mer land (ILE); 120D: Discoverer's shout (OHO); 121D: Miffed, with "up" (FED); 122D: Tiny amount (TAD).

SUNDAY, July 25, 2010Nora Pearlstone (syndicated)

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Theme: "Tee for Two" — A T is added to the second word of a familiar two-word phrase, creating a new wacky phrase clued "?"-style.

[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 answers:

• 23A: Monster affected by a moon phase? (CRESCENT TROLL).
• 37A: Levy on butchers? (MEAT TAX).
• 69A: Warren weeping? (RABBIT TEARS).
• 76A: Japanese chicken snacks? (EAST TENDERS).
• 106A: Can for old smokes? (BUTT TIN).
• 124A: Attacker's fruity treat? (ASSAULT TRIFLE).
• 17D: Small pie à la Pollock? (ABSTRACT TART).
• 41D: Stuff that sticks for years? (GREAT TAPE).
• 49D: Taunting from the Miami bench? (HEAT TRASH).
• 65D: Bakery supply for wrapping cake boxes? (DESSERT TWINE).

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 35A: Yeats's homeland (ERIN).
• 71A: U.K. award (OBE).
• 80A: Asian holiday (TET).
• 4D: While opening (ERST-).
• 8D: Caesar's closer (ET TU).
• 32D: To be, in Quebec (ÊTRE).
• 61D: Historic canal (ERIE).

Everything Else — 1A: Get at (ACCESS); 7A: Like lambs (GENTLE); 13A: 1983 invasion site (GRENADA); 20A: President Ahmadinejad's capital (TEHRAN); 21A: Pioneer Day celebrant (UTAHAN); 22A: Dressed (ENROBED); 25A: Chips Ahoy! maker (NABISCO); 26A: Filet mignon, e.g. (ENTRÉE); 27A: Black Sea country (UKRAINE); 29A: Diglyceride, for one (ESTER); 30A: Performance rights org. (BMI); 31A: Craving (URGE); 33A: Give a hand (ASSIST); 36A: Response to an e-mail wisecrack (LOL); 40A: "Here's the __ ..." (THING); 42A: Many a Monopoly sq. (AVE.); 43A: Sole (ONLY); 45A: Abbot's address: Abbr. (RT. REV.); 46A: Spiffed (up) (SPRUCED); 48A: Illustrator N.C. (WYETH); 50A: The younger Saarinen (EERO); 51A: Boo follower (HOO); 54A: Toon flapper Etta (KETT); 55A: __ Plaines, Illinois (DES); 57A: 1980s South African pres. (PW BOTHA); 60A: Starts the kitty (ANTES); 63A: Mouse site (PAD); 66A: College fund-raising targets (ALUMS); 72A: Newbie (TYRO); 73A: Everycowboy (TEX); 74A: Skip (OMIT); 75A: Hook (up) (RIG); 79A: Carrion eater (HYENA); 81A: '90s N.Y. Philharmonic conductor Kurt (MASUR); 82A: Westernmost of the Sunda Islands (SUMATRA); 84A: Mean at a univ. (GPA); 86A: South Dakota, to Pierre (ETAT); 88A: Word before and after "vs." in a Mad feature (SPY); 89A: Italian vineyard region (ASTI); 92A: Culture: Pref. (ETHNO-); 96A: Read (PERUSED); 99A: Scrawny (GAUNT); 101A: Good earth (LOAM); 102A: Co. that spun off the Baby Bells (ATT); 103A: Wasteland (HEATH); 108A: Luau instrument (UKE); 109A: 19th Amendment proponent (CATT); 111A: Tough spot (SCRAPE); 113A: Saltimbocca herb (SAGE); 114A: Seat holder: Abbr. (SEN.); 115A: Flightless New Zealanders (KIWIS); 117A: Ruthless leaders (TYRANTS); 120A: Rubbed the wrong way (CHAFED); 122A: Split payment? (ALIMONY); 127A: Time keeping action? (RENEWAL); 128A: Treads heavily (STOMPS); 129A: List shortener (ET ALIA); 130A: Women's department array (DRESSES); 131A: Most balanced (SANEST); 132A: "Have patience" ("NOT YET"); 1D: LAX tower service (ATC); 2D: What a stickler may stand on? (CEREMONY); 3D: Bedspread fabric (CHENILLE); 5D: Pelvic bone (SACRUM); 6D: Scornful type (SNEERER); 7D: Like some instinctive reactions (GUT); 9D: Sussex stoolie (NARK); 10D: Chest (THORAX); 11D: Singers' refrains (LA LAS); 12D: Join up (ENLIST); 13D: Beginning (GENESIS); 14D: Protein-building polymer (RNA); 15D: Kathryn of "Law & Order: C.I." (ERBE); 16D: Uproar (NOISE); 18D: Trick (DECEIVE); 19D: Decorated (ADORNED); 24D: Deny the truth of (NEGATE); 28D: Med. research org. (NIH); 30D: Lose, as a big lead (BLOW); 34D: I-90 in Mass., e.g. (TNPK.); 38D: U. of Maryland team (TERPS); 39D: Declare (AVOW); 44D: Financial report hdg. (YTD); 47D: __ Reader: alternative media anthology (UTNE); 51D: Sting, for instance (HOAX); 52D: Tout's hangout, for short (OTB); 53D: "Yahoo!" ("OH BOY!"); 56D: Roy Rogers's birth name (SLYE); 58D: Brittany seaport (BREST); 59D: Je t'__: French "I love you" (AIME); 62D: U.S. Army E-6 (SSGT); 63D: Pope creation (POEM); 64D: Four-line rhyme scheme (ABAA); 67D: Coffee holders (URNS); 68D: __ vivendi: lifestyle (MODUS); 70D: Small bell sound (TING); 73D: Room service convenience (TRAY); 77D: Layered skirt (TUTU); 78D: Old Roman ldr. (EMP.); 79D: Goes after (HAS AT); 83D: Product with "Robusto!" flavors (RAGU); 85D: View from Martha's Vineyard, Mass. (ATL.); 87D: Golf shop bagful (TEES); 90D: "Tsk" relatives (TUTS); 91D: Whole (INTACT); 93D: Indoor buzzer? (HOUSEFLY); 94D: Blunt fiction (NAKED LIE); 95D: Rainbow, to some (OMEN); 96D: Early luxury auto (PACKARD); 97D: 24/7 business (ETAILER); 98D: Three-syllable feet (DACTYLS); 100D: Secure, in a way (TIGHTEN); 104D: Give it a go (TRY); 105D: Bother no end (HARASS); 106D: Former Mormon leader Ezra Taft __ (BENSON); 107D: Almost touching (NEAR TO); 110D: Airport postings (TIMES); 112D: Fusilli, e.g. (PASTA); 116D: Females with pig tails (SOWS); 118D: Easy to manage (TAME); 119D: Has dinner (SUPS); 121D: Royal decree (FIAT); 123D: Tam wearer's turndown (NAE); 125D: D-Day craft (LST); 126D: Dinner exhortation (EAT).

SUNDAY, January 10, 2010 — Nora Pearlstone (syndicated)

Theme: "Just Do It" — Theme answers are familiar phrases with the letter string DO inserted into them to, creating wacky phrases which are clued "?"-style.

[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 answers:

• 23A: Unlikely bar snack? (BEER DONUTS).
• 25A: Hair stylist's blunder? (GOOFED UPDO).
• 95A: Paid athletes with upscale apartments? (PROS AND CONDOS).
• 48A: Place marker in "The Compleat Angler"? (FISHING DOGEAR).
• 120A: Tennis great's swimwear? (GRAF SPEEDO).
• 124A: Typical dog's motto? (SEMPER FIDO).
• 36D: "What a jerk!" ("HE'S ONE DOOFUS!").
• 41D: Bringin' up a crime boss portrayer? (RAISIN' BRANDO).

Cute theme from our esteemed editor today. (Nora Pearlstone is one of Rich Norris's pseudonyms — it's an anagram of "not a real person.") I thought all of the theme answers were interesting, and a couple of them are awesome. For some reason, PROS AND CONDOS tickled me. The clue is kind of blah (not that I could come up with a better one), but the answer is fun to say. SEMPER FIDO totally cracked me up. And — seriously — who among us wasn't intrigued by the idea of BEER DONUTS?

My WTFs:

• 20A: Arabian peninsula capital (SANA'A). I'm sure I've seen this in a puzzle before, but I was totally relying on crosses today. SANA'S is the capital of Yemen.

• 57A: Soprano Lily (PONS). Never heard of her. Her last performance was in 1960.
• 94A: British golfer Poulter (IAN). His name is vaguely familiar.... Oh, he placed second in the British Open in 2008.
• 49D: Horizontal bar dismount (HECHT). Um ... what?
• 79D: Orphan boy of old comics (DONDI). Ne-Ever heard of him.

Misc.:

• 22A: Southern New Mexico county (OTERO). This is not hard for me to remember because I lived in the next county over for a few years in the 1990s. White Sands is in Otero County.

• 66A: Snack brand sold in twists and puffs (CHEETOS). Mmmm, Cheetos.
• 75A: Talky get-together (GABFEST). I have most of my gabfests these days by email.
• 78A: Like eagles (TALONED). Anybody see Alvin & the Chipmunks 2: The Squeakquel? A scarily taloned eagle figures prominently in the story.
• 82A: Alley wanderer (STRAY CAT).

• 86A: Lower Manhattan neighborhood (NOHO). You can never be sure whether this will be NoHo or SoHo, so wait for the cross.

• 88A: Jazz home (UTAH). The Utah Jazz of the NBA.
• 89A: Legend creator (ACURA). Plopped Aesop in without even thinking.
• 110A: Scale's fifth (SOL). Sometimes referred to as so, which drives me nuts.
• 133A: Mothers' groups? (DENS). Moms who help out with Cub Scouts are referred to as "den mothers."
• 11D: Vocational course (WOODSHOP). Back in 8th grade, we had the choice of taking home ec or shop. I chose shop just to be different and now that I'm a stay-at-home mom I wonder if home ec would have been more useful to me.

• 37D: Medical stat? (AT ONCE). If you ever watched "ER," you knew this one.
• 57D: Like a good waiter (PATIENT). This is just a strange clue. I can think of about ten characteristics I'd like to see in my waiter before I get to patient.
• 73D: Mullally of "Will & Grace" (MEGAN). Love her. I'd go look for a clip to include, but I'd get sucked into watching YouTube videos for God knows how long and I just can't do that today!
• 83D: Keister (TUSH). This one should be easy to find though ....

• 117D: Apt company for this puzzle? (NIKE). It will be interesting to see how Nike recovers from the Tiger Woods scandal. Considering the nature of the scandal and the company's slogan — "Just Do It" — it seems like they may be in for some serious mocking.
• 120D: Boxer's warning (GRR). This clue made me picture Barbara Boxer growling at her colleagues.

Crosswordese 101 Roundup:

• 55A: Copycats (APES).
• 116A: Arm bones (ULNAS).
• 128A: They're usually made of African Blackwood (OBOES).
• 129A: Barely managed, with "out" (EKED).
• 5D: British mil. award (DSO).
• 12D: Baseball's Matty (ALOU).
• 26D: LAX info (ETA).
• 118D: Port of Yemen (ADEN).
• 121D: Classic wheels (REO).

[Follow PuzzleGirl on Twitter.]

Everything Else — 1A: Apply crudely (DAUB); 5A: Practice exercise (DRILL); 10A: Man __: 1920 Horse of the Year (O' WAR); 14A: Interface developed for the Intel x86 family of microprocessors (MS-DOS); 19A: Juanita's "this" (ESTA); 21A: Part (ROLE); 27A: Try (TASTE); 28A: South side? (GRITS); 30A: Quarrel (DUSTUP); 31A: Don't just sit there (ACT); 33A: Provides with funds (ENDOWS); 35A: Hilo exchanges (ALOHAS); 39A: Santa __ (BARBARA); 43A: A single bounce, in baseball (ONE HOP); 46A: Glacial ridge (ARETE); 47A: Sch. founded by Jefferson (UVA); 52A: Beaver, to Ward (SON); 53A: Churn (ROIL); 55A: Copycats (APES); 56A: Paint spill sound (SPLAT); 58A: Ligurian Sea city (PISA); 59A: Kitchen tools (DICERS); 62A: Class (ELEGANCE); 64A: Beatles girl with a "little white book" (RITA); 69A: Pan-fried (SAUTEED); 70A: Singer with The Velvet Underground in the '60s (NICO); 72A: Nice piece of change (TIDY SUM); 74A: Household servant (MAID); 80A: 82-Across cry (MEOW); 84A: Equiangular geometric figure (ISOGON); 92A: Sugar source (CANE); 93A: Maker of nonstick cookware (T-FAL); 99A: Kin of -kin (-ULE); 100A: Like some waves (TIDAL); 102A: Eye shadow? (SHINER); 103A: Cuts into (INCISES); 105A: Kept a partner up, maybe (SNORED); 107A: Rather modern (NEWISH); 111A: Primarily (MAINLY); 114A: Jewish community orgs. (YMHAS); 116A: Arm bones (ULNAS); 126A: Vaudeville show (REVUE); 127A: Race (TEAR); 128A: They're usually made of African Blackwood (OBOES); 129A: Barely managed, with "out" (EKED); 130A: Explorer Amundsen (ROALD); 131A: Vodka in a blue bottle (SKYY); 132A: '30s veep John __ Garner (NANCE); 1D: Charging result (DEBT); 2D: On the Aegean (ASEA); 3D: Old Navajo enemies (UTES); 4D: It may be picked up at a pub (BAR TAB); 5D: British mil. award (DSO); 6D: Made a jingle (RANG); 7D: Accustom (INURE); 8D: "Aeneid" language (LATIN); 9D: Puzo novel, with "The" (LAST DON); 10D: Dot follower, perhaps (ORG); 12D: Baseball's Matty (ALOU); 13D: Calls the game (REFS); 14D: Sectional home (MODULAR); 15D: Daze of wine and rosés? (STUPOR); 16D: Security pmt. (DEP.); 17D: Diner req. (ORD.); 18D: Great Lakes' __ Canals (SOO); 24D: Java choice (DECAF); 26D: LAX info (ETA); 29D: Album track (SONG); 32D: Three-tone chord (TRIAD); 34D: Ties the knot (WEDS); 38D: Detected (SENSED); 39D: Newborn's achievement? (BURP); 40D: To have, to Henri (AVOIR); 42D: Gelatin garnish (ASPIC); 44D: Eye blatantly (OGLE); 45D: Bell sounds (PEALS); 50D: Op art viewer's cry, maybe (I SEE IT); 51D: Elite unit (A TEAM); 54D: Queen with a Grammy (LATIFAH); 60D: Prynne's stigma (RED A); 61D: Pens and needles (STYLI); 63D: Micronesia's largest island (GUAM); 65D: __-deucy (ACEY); 67D: Baja bears (OSOS); 68D: Shell alternative (SUNOCO); 71D: Actor's dream (OSCAR); 75D: Astronauts' wear (G SUITS); 76D: Accomplish (ATTAIN); 77D: Food in shells (TACOS); 81D: Jonah's problem (WHALE); 85D: Bright signs (NEONS); 87D: Pamplona chorus (OLÉS); 90D: Future time of need, metaphorically (RAINY DAY); 91D: Writer Tyler (ANNE); 95D: Smiling, probably (PLEASED); 96D: Damp at daybreak (DEWY); 97D: Ivy League color (CRIMSON); 98D: Search all over (SCOUR); 101D: As much as you can carry (ARMFUL); 104D: Undernourished (ILL-FED); 106D: Onion __ (DIP); 108D: Biblical queendom (SHEBA); 109D: Rye lead-in (HAM ON); 112D: Bottom lines (NETS); 113D: Vichyssoise veggie (LEEK); 115D: Design detail, briefly (SPEC); 118D: Port of Yemen (ADEN); 119D: Lays down the lawn (SODS); 121D: Classic wheels (REO); 122D: Actress Gardner (AVA); 123D: Transit end? (-ORY); 125D: L.A.-to-Tucson dir. (ESE).

SUNDAY, July 26, 2009 — Nora Pearlstone

Theme: "Midafternoons" — The abbreviation for afternoon, P.M., is found in the middle of the theme answers. (132D: Times of day hidden in eight puz. answers (PMS)).


[Note: This is the syndicated L.A. Times puzzle. It does not appear in the actual newspaper, but is available for free at the cruciverb.com website.]

Theme answers:

• 23A: Temporary solution (STOPGAP MEASURE).
  
• 54A: Controversial excavation method (STRIP MINING).
  
• 94A: Key equivalent to B-flat (A-SHARP MAJOR).
  
• 130A: It can help you organize windows and wallpaper (DESKTOP MANAGER).
  
• 17D: Startling Stories, e.g. (PULP MAGAZINE).
  
• 29D: One making a large withdrawal? (HOLDUP MAN).
  
• 66D: Maker of Marlboro (PHILIP MORRIS).
  
• 68D: Laptop power saver (SLEEP MODE).
  

Crosswordese 101: The problem you face when you see a clue like 86D: "__ girl!," is that you don't know if the answer will be IT'S A or ATTA. It's more likely to be ATTA, because IT'S A can be clued several other ways (e.g., "___ Wonderful Life," "___ shame," and "___ miracle"), but ATTA is almost always clued as "___ girl!" or "___ boy!"

Not a super ambitious theme today, but once I understood what was going on, it did help me figure out the rest of the theme answers, all of which I thought were pretty decent theme entries except for HOLDUP MAN, which just doesn't do a thing for me. The whole puzzle went down pretty smooth except for Northern California where, if I had done the downs first I'm pretty sure I would have come up with SALINE, but I had a few wrong acrosses in there already which made it invisible to me. I didn't know NAHUATL (73A: Uto-Aztecan tongue) or EILAT (85A: Israeli port city). To add to the confusion I had HIP TO instead of HEP TO for 99A: Aware of. So you can see why I had some trouble there.

I would have appreciated the golf mini-theme more if I had heard of more than one of the three answers: LATROBE (26A: Arnold Palmer's Pennsylvania birthplace — who knew?), HOSEL (31A: Golf iron socket — huh?), and MASTERS (137A: Annual Georgia tournament, with "The" — okay, got that one).

As you might know, I'm in Costa Rica right now vacationing for 12 days (but who's counting?) with my kids and parents. Actually, now that I think about it when a stay-at-home mom takes a trip with her kids, can that really be considered a vacation? Yeah, I didn't think so. Anyway. We come down here at least once a year and we spend most of our time reading books and eating really good food. Except for the kids, who also spend a lot of time swimming, surfing, and boogie-boarding. I'm reading a book right now that I'm dying to get back to, so I might shortchange you a little bit today. Hope you understand. I mean, this book is just sitting right here and it's so good it's about killing me not to be reading it. Also, it's 562 pages, so I really do need to stay after it.

Quick hits:

• 14A: Charts with axes (GRAPHS). Axes in this case is the plural of axis, not the chopping tool.
  
• 34A: W, vis-à-vis E (OPP). W(est) and E(ast) are OPP(osites).
  

• 36A: Money pile?: Abbr. (MSS). Money is the name of a magazine; MSs is an abbreviation for manuscripts. So, the magazine probably has piles of manuscripts lying around. Someone correct me if I got that completely wrong, but that's how I understood it.
  
• 39A: Govt. division (DOJ). Wanted something more generic here.
  
• 44A: Year in Augustus' reign (ONE BC). Thought this was going to be our RRN (Random Roman Numeral) of the day, but it sure looked like too many letters for a year that had to have been a long time ago! Never fear though, our RRN shows up at 79A: CCX x V + I (MLI), where I initially had MCI because (a) apparently I'm not very good at math, and (b) it didn't occur to me that MCI wouldn't be clued as an RRN.
  
• 47A: Political payoff (SOP). I do not know what this means.
  
• 51A: Goneril's victim (REGAN). Sure it sounds like an STD and a former president, but no, it's Shakespeare! (Specifically, King Lear!)
  

• 60A: Half of Bennifer (J-LO). At first, I entered BEN. Yes, I did. Yes, I can see how dumb that is. I realized it almost immediately.
  
• 64A: Old Boston Garden nickname (ESPO). Since it wasn't "Basketball Jesus," I knew it must be a hockey player and "The Great One" is the only one I could come up with for a while. ESPO is, of course, Hockey Hall-of-Famer Phil Esposito.
  
• 82A: Nautical ladder rung (RATLINE). Whatever you say.
  
• 93A: Kung __ chicken (PAO). Not a fan of the General Tso's, so I'm happy to see Kung Pao get a little love today.
  
• 106A: French military cap (KEPI). That might be a French cap, but it sure doesn't look like a French word.
  
• 2D: B.C. neighbor (ALTA.). Learned this abbreviation for crosswords. It looks totally wrong to me. There really needs to be a B in there somewhere.
  
• 8D: Actress Tatum (O'NEAL). One of my favorite movie scenes of all time.



• 16D: Phrase indicating small progress (A TO B). Parsing!
  
• 45D: Exquisite gem (BIJOU). Sounds like a movie theater to me.
  
• 53D: Headlands (NESSES). Again, I do not know what this means.
  
• 83D: Classic toothpaste (IPANA). Learned it from "Grease."
  
• 88D: Parents (FOLKS). Was only thinking of parents as a verb here, so it took a while to come into focus.
  

• 110D: State of Grace? (MONACO). As in Grace Kelly.
  
• 121D: Korean border river (YALU). I'm hopeless with the European rivers, so you can bet a lot of money I'm not going to know any in Korea.
  

Okay, back to my book! Oh, I almost forgot! My very favorite clue in the puzzle. This one is a classic. 109A: Vegas contraption offering the best odds? (ATM). Ain't that the truth.

Pura Vida, PuzzleGirl

[Follow PuzzleGirl on Twitter.]

Everything Else — 1A: Mollusk shell materials (NACRES); 7A: "Piece of cake" ("NO SWEAT"); 20A: Maintain (ALLEGE); 21A: What a stalwart won't give? (ONE INCH); 22A: Liturgy (RITUAL); 25A: Harlem theater (APOLLO); 27A: "Lemme __!" (AT 'EM); 28A: Physicist with a law (OHM); 30A: Fraternal org. (BPOE); 32A: Do not disturb (LET BE); 37A: With 81-Down, game played on a three-walled court (JAI); 41A: Hardly an idler (DOER); 42A: Title woman about whom Clapton sings "You've got me on my knees" (LAYLA); 49A: Felt contrite about (RUED); 58A: Not sing. (PLU.); 59A: Bit of folk wisdom (ADAGE); 61A: Erotic god (AMOR); 62A: Recipe meas. (TSP.); 63A: Pencil puzzles (MAZES); 67A: Like horseshoes (U-SHAPED); 70A: Both: Pref. (AMBI-); 72A: Connections (INS); 75A: Capital of Yemen (SANAA); 77A: Not too soft (AL DENTE); 80A: Long-necked runner (RHEA); 84A: Court period: Abbr. (SESS.); 87A: Fantasy sprite (ELF); 89A: "Sleepy Hollow" actor (DEPP); 90A: "Say what?" sounds (EHS); 92A: Piques (SNITS); 100A: In the 60s, say (MILD); 102A: Chemical suffix (-ANE); 103A: Shortsighted one (MYOPE); 104A: Snapple's __ Madness (MANGO); 111A: Whammy (HEX); 112A: USCG rank (CPO); 114A: Jupiter, e.g. (GOD); 115A: East German secret police (STASI); 117A: Violinist's aid (ROSIN); 120A: Not stifling (AIRY); 122A: 109-Across charge (FEE); 124A: Emerald Isle (ERIN); 125A: Woozy (IN A DAZE); 128A: Low-level clouds (STRATI); 133A: Puts on ice (CHILLS); 134A: Best (OPTIMUM); 135A: It's fixed by a bank (CD RATE); 136A: Per se (AS SUCH); 138A: La Scala offerings (OPERAS); 1D: Pelé's org. (NASL); 3D: One concerned with duds? (CLOTHIER); 4D: Printer's proof (REPRO); 5D: Toaster waffles (EGGOS); 6D: Lobster habitat (SEABED); 7D: __ de plume (NOM); 9D: Not off one's rocker? (SEATED); 10D: Not tricked by (WISE TO); 11D: Digital food additive code used in Europe (E-NUMBER); 12D: Horiz. (ACR.); 13D: Kojak, to friends (THEO); 14D: Family nickname (GRAMPA); 15D: Pants problem (RIP); 18D: Saintly rings (HALOS); 19D: Tart fruit (SLOES); 24D: Speaker since 2007 (PELOSI); 33D: Blow one's stack (ERUPT); 35D: Giza attraction (PYRAMID); 37D: "__ Boys": Alcott novel (JO'S); 38D: Colony resident (ANT); 40D: Whale of a guy? (JONAH); 43D: Yeats's "__ and the Swan" (LEDA); 46D: Rank above Pfc. (CPL.); 48D: Early Arizona natives (PIMAS); 50D: Joy Adamson lioness (ELSA); 52D: Bond and others (AGENTS); 55D: Sass, with "off" (MOUTH); 56D: Stock phrase (NO PAR); 57D: Caribbean nation (GRENADA); 64D: Tangle up (ENMESH); 65D: Intravenous solution (SALINE); 69D: Goes out with (DATES); 71D: Censor's insert (BLEEP); 74D: Schubert vocal work (ART SONG); 76D: First in a series (ALPHA); 78D: Think piece (ESSAY); 81D: See 37-Across (ALAI); 91D: "I wonder ..." ("HMM..."); 95D: Spruce up again, as a hedge (RETRIM); 96D: "Sands of Iwo Jima" costar (JOHN AGAR); 97D: Unveil, in poems (OPE); 98D: T. __ (REX); 101D: Can't abide (DETESTS); 105D: Simple card game (GO FISH); 107D: "Sit!" ("PARK IT!"); 108D: "Am I the only one?" ("IS IT ME?"); 112D: First to stab Caesar (CASCA); 113D: Cores (PITHS); 116D: "__ Time": Hemingway work (IN OUR); 118D: Wall St. "500" (S AND P); 119D: "Do __ to eat a peach?": Eliot (I DARE); 123D: Ancient Dead Sea land (EDOM); 126D: Sixth Greek letter (ZETA); 127D: "__ Tu": 1974 hit (ERES); 129D: Tot's need, often (TLC); 131D: Govt. emissions watchdog (EPA).

FRIDAY, April 10, 2009 — Nora Pearlstone

Theme: R to RK — familiar words and phrases have a "K" added following an "R," creating wacky phrases, which are clued "?"-style


I think this may be the toughest LAT puzzle of the past few weeks, certainly the toughest since the old TMS puzzle died and newspapers nationwide switched to the LAT (this won't mean anything to those who have always solved the LAT, but to solvers around the country, the shift was kind of a big deal). For whatever reason, many of the theme answers today were not self-evident, and there were enough places around the grid where the cluing was deliberately skewed hard that the puzzle proved a worthy late-week challenge. You can see in my picture of the completely grid that there are black triangles in three squares in the SE corner. This is an object lesson in stupidity. A grid full of legitimate toughness, all of which I tamed successfully, only to blow the whole thing by making the stupid mistake of Not Checking My Crosses in the SE. Threw down EXILE for 56D: Political outcast (EX-PAT) and didn't even notice what a mess that made of all the Acrosses. Sloppy.

As for the theme — it's a bit awkward, in places, in that the "K" is sometimes added to the end of a word, sometimes shoved into the middle of a word. At least it's always added to the first syllable — that's an admirable consistency. The wacky phrases are pretty amusing, and the fact that the added letter is my favorite letter means that it's hard for me to stay mad at it. I would have clued STARK-GAZING as [Staring at Iron Man?] — if you are at the Steppes, are you really gazing at STARK? The others make more sense. I think my favorite of the lot is BARK CODES. I've been trying to interpret my own dog's BARF CODES for the past week, and we may be zeroing in on a culprit. It's not really barf — it's a disgustingly productive cough that is probably the result of something called "aspirational pneumonia." I saw the images from her upper G.I. series yesterday, and one of her lungs is "a little too busy," as the vet said. Radiologist is looking at images today and we go from there. She seems very healthy and normal otherwise, and she'll be starting antibiotics today, so ... fingers crossed. Sorry to regale you with dog vomit stories on this lovely morning, but it's on my mind (not to mention my floor ... OK, I'm done)

Theme answers:

• 18A: Sightseeing at the Steppes? (STARK-GAZING)
• 24A: Dogs' communication systems? (BARK CODES)
• 39A: Creative executive compensation techniques? (PERK-FORMING ARTS)
• 51A: Price of the village green? (PARK VALUE)
• 62A: Ones who never know what to use for their salad? (FORK DUMMIES)
  

Crosswordese 101: Presidential monogram edition. Today's example: AES (38A: '50s campaign monogram), as in Adlai Ewing (I did not know that) Stevenson, two-time loser to DDE (another common puzzle monogram). As far as I know, AES is the only crossworthy monogram for someone who ran but was never elected president. You are not apt to see HRP, for instance, though Perot also ran and lost twice. AES are just such sweet, common letters that they demanded to be used, and thus that monogram has been a crossword staple for as long as I've been solving (and probably a lot longer). What's weird to me is how there is a mid-century boom in monogrammatic presidents, and then ... nothing. LBJ is officially the last one. Actually, RMN appears from time to time, I think, but JEC, no. RWR, GHWB, WJC, GWB, BHO, all no's, though ... that last one would be cool. But don't hold your breath. Before FDR ... not much. Maybe you get a HCH, but I doubt it. Does anyone really remember his middle initial, let alone what it stands for (Clark, btw)? Your big presidential mongrams are FDR, HST, DDE, and AES. JFK and LBJ are there too, but because of their very Scrabbly letters, they are harder to get in the grid, and thus less common than the others.

What else?

• 15A: "L.A. Law" co-creator (BOCHCO) — I believe he is also responsible for "Cop Rock." "L.A. Law" was a huge hit when I was in college.
• 27A: Wall St. trader (ARB.) — short for "arbitrageur" — Learned it from crosswords.
• 36A: Cádiz cat (GATO) — With the foreign words in particular, editors Love the alliterative clue. Can't resist.
• 49A: Crooner's asset (EAR) — Good asset for any musician.
• 60A: Certain presentee (DEB) — Makes sense, but "presentee" hurts, as a word.
  

["... laser rays ..."]

• 68A: Windy City "L" runner (CTA) — Chicago Transit Authority — More things I learned from crosswords.
• 1D: Witticism (SQUIB) — Did Not know this. I think of a SQUIB as little explosive. Or a non-magical person born to at least one magical parent.
• 6D: American Greetings "mailing" (e-CARD) — Thus it doesn't go through the "mail."
• 19D: Literary miscellanea (ANAS) — Old school crosswordese. I wanted OLIO here ... and a few answers later, I got my wish. This is a phenomenon that got dubbed a "malapop" over at my NYT site. It's when you want a word that ends up being wrong in one place but shows up as the correct word elsewhere in the grid.
• 32D: Swedish actress Persson (ESSY) — Never seen her or heard of her before, ever.
• 40D: "I _____ you liked your drink, 'sez Gunga Din" ('OPE) — He spoke like Eliza Doolittle? One of the central settings in "Watchmen" (the book) is the Gunga Diner.
• 52D: Pitch specialists? (AD MEN) — Be on the lookout for ad-related answers that use the word "pitch" in the clues. Very, very common. AD MEN is a dated term, but still has much grid cred.
• 58D: Castel Gandolfo resident (POPE) — No idea. None. Had to guess that second "P," as that OPIE guy was unknown to me too (66A: Swing era bandleader Cates). That's two OPIES in two days, neither of which I knew (the other was in the NYT — the English painter John OPIE).
• 64D: MS. enclosure (SAE) — Self-addressed envelope. More commonly SASE (second "S" standing for "stamped").
  

I'm out of here for a week or so. Orange, PuzzleGirl and who knows who else have you covered in the meantime.

All the best
~Rex Parker

Everything Else — 1A: What's up? (SKY); 4A: It may be split at lunch (THETAB); 10A: Big name in shoes (MCAN); 14A: Sine __ non (QUA); 15A: "L.A. Law" co-creator (BOCHCO); 16A: Mishmash (OLIO); 17A: Young __ (UNS); 18A: Sightseeing at The Steppes? (STARKGAZING); 20A: Medical suffix (ITIS); 22A: Paid player (PRO); 23A: Stand at attention (SNAPTO); 24A: Dogs' communication systems? (BARKCODES); 27A: Wall St. trader (ARB); 28A: Final: Abbr. (ULT); 29A: Close-at-hand (INSTORE); 33A: Point of view (ANGLE); 36A: C·diz cat (GATO); 38A: '50s campaign monogram (AES); 39A: Creative executive compensation techniques? (PERKFORMINGARTS); 43A: Stowe girl (EVA); 44A: Hurt (PAIN); 45A: Healthy-looking (RUDDY); 46A: Cow country sights (RANCHES); 49A: Crooner's asset (EAR); 50A: Soft & __: deodorant (DRI); 51A: Price of the village green? (PARKVALUE); 57A: Increasing (UPPING); 60A: Certain presentee (DEB); 61A: Old Mercury model (LYNX); 62A: Ones who never know what to use for their salad? (FORKDUMMIES); 65A: Cool air feature (NIP); 66A: Swing era bandleader Cates (OPIE); 67A: Egyptian god (AMENRA); 68A: Windy City "L" runner (CTA); 69A: Steamy (SEXY); 70A: __ ‡ trois (MENAGE); 71A: Angry, with "up" (HET); 1D: Witticism (SQUIB); 2D: "Roots" hero (KUNTA); 3D: Co-Nobelist Arafat (YASIR); 4D: "Very funny" station (TBS); 5D: Family-style Asian dish (HOTPOT); 6D: American Greetings "mailing" (ECARD); 7D: Severe pang (THROE); 8D: Disgusted cry (ACK); 9D: Soft spots (BOGS); 10D: Haydn contemporary (MOZART); 11D: Medical office accessory (CLIPBOARD); 12D: Isn't wrong? (AINT); 13D: Canceled (NOGO); 19D: Literary miscellanea (ANAS); 21D: Move stealthily (SKULK); 25D: Pitch indicator (CLEF); 26D: Nonviolent protest (SITIN); 30D: Nice way to beg off? (NON); 31D: Like Gen. Schwarzkopf (RETD); 32D: Swedish actress Persson (ESSY); 33D: Imitator (APER); 34D: St. Petersburg's river (NEVA); 35D: Formula One race (GRANDPRIX); 36D: Get (GRASP); 37D: Chartres chum (AMI); 40D: "'I __ you liked your drink,' sez Gunga Din" (OPE); 41D: Attractive force: Abbr. (GRAV); 42D: Kind of comprehension (AURAL); 47D: "Holy cow!" (CRIKEY); 48D: Rear (HIND); 49D: "La Dolce Vita" actress (EKBERG); 52D: Pitch specialists? (ADMEN); 53D: Madrid monarch (REINA); 54D: "Mulholland Drive" director (LYNCH); 55D: Get together (UNITE); 56D: Political outcast (EXPAT); 57D: Sci-fi hoverers (UFOS); 58D: Castel Gandolfo resident (POPE); 59D: Largest of the Marianas (GUAM); 63D: Fr. title (MME); 64D: MS. enclosure (SAE).