10.07 Fri

F R I D A Y
October 7, 2011
Pete Muller

Theme: G FORCE — The letters CE are replaced by the letter G in familiar phrases (i.e., you need to substitute "G" FOR "CE")

Theme answers:

• 20A: Boast à la Donald Trump? (BRAG FOR IMPACT).
• 26A: "Our overly fussy friend has a point"? (THE PRIG IS RIGHT).
• 43A: Joplin piece about modern weaponry? (NUCLEAR ARMS RAG).
• 50A: Delay from an 18th-century English ruler? (QUEEN ANNE'S LAG).
• 64A: It's zero in free-fall—and, put another way, a hint to how the four longest puzzle answers were formed (G FORCE).

[Quick Jeopardy note: Joon won again last night (yee-haw!), so he'll be on again tonight. Jeopardy doesn't air on the west coast until 10:00pm Eastern. Please don't post any spoilers in the comments before that time. Thanks!]

I had a hard time figuring out this theme from the first two theme answers. I had the end of each phrase, but didn't know what the beginning could possibly be. It finally clicked at NUCLEAR ARMS RAG, awesomely clued as [43A: Joplin piece about modern weaponry?] and then I could go back and piece together the others. Well, that's not entirely true. I couldn't come up with the original phrase "brace for impact," so I still had trouble with that one.

Lots of missteps today:

• 7A: Does away with (OFFS). I tried ENDS first.
• 24A: Malt finish? (-OSE). Wanted -ESE here.
• 34A: Fiber source (OAT BRAN). Stupidly entered OATMEAL.
• 5D: Sicilian resort (ENNA). Tried ETNA. At least I was in the right country.

• 6D: Unaccompanied (STAG). Wasn't sure if this would be SOLO or SOLE. Could have saved myself some time on that argument.
• 10D: Dam up (STEM). Tried STOP.

Bullets:

• 1A: Puts a little too close to the flame (SINGES). Anyone else here ever singe their eyelashes. Yeah, that's embarrassing.
• 18A: August (MAJESTIC). Both clue and answer are great words.
• 40A: "Have some" ("EAT"). This clue could work both with and without the quotation marks, I think. The quotation marks indicate that this something a person would say (duh), so the answer needs to be something else a person would say that means the same thing. But even without the saying part, have some = eat.
• 48A: Emulate Eminem (RAP). I went looking for an Eminem clip to include and came across this ad, which actually gives me goose-bumps at the end.



• 59A: NRC predecessor (AEC). The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is the successor to the Atomec Energy Commission, which, in 1975, changed its name to the Energy Research and Development Administration and, basically, broke apart into several separate agencies including the NRC, the National Nuclear Security Adminsitration, and the Office of Nuclear Energy, Science & Technology. At least that's what Wikipedia says happened.
• 63A: "Right away, Mammy" ("YES'M"). I really don't want to get into a whole thing about this, but I just want to mention that I cringed a little when I read this clue.
• 19D: Water source (SPIGOT). I wanted this to be SPRING, but I already had the I in the "wrong" place. Then I couldn't shift my thinking away from a natural source for water. I needed all the crosses for this one is what I'm saying.
• 21D: Surround with dense mist (FOG IN). With an E where the O was supposed to go, this took a while to fall into place. I thought it might be something like BEFOG, only not BEFOG because I already had the IN.

• 23D: Hirsute pet (CHIA). This doesn't work for me. A CHIA pet isn't really "hirsute," right?
• 28D: Sizzling (IRATE). Lots of "hot" words that work as synonymns for IRATE: hot, steamed, boiling, etc. But "sizzling" to me means sexy, not angry.
• 30D: Under the weather, e.g. (IDIOM). Brilliant. I get tricked by this type of clue pretty much every time. In this case, we're not looking for an example of someone being "under the weather" or "ill" but, instead, need to think about the fact that the phrase "under the weather" is an example of an IDIOM.
• 36D: It's not always easy to get into (SHAPE). I guess that depends on what shape you're going for.

• 37D: "Tootsie" Oscar nominee (TERI GARR). For some reason, I thought it was Jessica Lange who got the nomination for this movie. Oh wait. Both Lange and GARR were nominated, but Lange won. I feel better about myself now. I'm going to include a picture of TERI GARR here, just incase Rex stops by. He has a little thing for her.
• 43D: Sartre work (NAUSEA). This is the first I've heard of it. A novel called NAUSEA? Wow. Can't wait to read it.

Everything — 1A: Puts a little too close to the flame (SINGES); 7A: Does away with (OFFS); 11A: Spirit (PEP); 14A: Set straight (ORIENT); 15A: Narrow space (SLIT); 16A: Pay add-on (-OLA); 17A: Where many changes occur (CABANA); 18A: August (MAJESTIC); 20A: Boast à la Donald Trump? (BRAG FOR IMPACT); 22A: Patriot Act protesters: Abbr. (ACLU); 24A: Malt finish? (-OSE); 25A: Goddess of motherhood (ISIS); 26A: "Our overly fussy friend has a point"? (THE PRIG IS RIGHT); 31A: Wasikowska of "The Kids Are All Right" (MIA); 32A: "Trinity" novelist (URIS); 33A: Union agreement (I DO); 34A: Fiber source (OAT BRAN); 36A: Illegal pitch (SPITTER); 40A: "Have some" ("EAT"); 41A: Kid on "The Cosby Show" (THEO); 42A: Big name in '40s-'50s Argentina (EVA); 43A: Joplin piece about modern weaponry? (NUCLEAR ARMS RAG); 47A: Went under (SANK); 48A: Emulate Eminem (RAP); 49A: Irascibility (BILE); 50A: Delay from an 18th-century English ruler? (QUEEN ANNE'S LAG); 55A: LA and MI, but not DO or RE (U.S. STATES); 56A: Gas up? (AERATE); 59A: NRC predecessor (AEC); 60A: It can get you credit in a store (VISA); 61A: Shrink, in a way (NARROW); 62A: "The __ of Pooh": '80s best-seller (TAO); 63A: "Right away, Mammy" ("YES'M"); 64A: It's zero in free-fall—and, put another way, a hint to how the four longest puzzle answers were formed (G-FORCE); 1D: Religious org., perhaps (SOC.); 2D: George's lyricist (IRA); 3D: Show little interest in, as food (NIBBLE AT); 4D: Get ready for action (GEAR UP); 5D: Sicilian resort (ENNA); 6D: Unaccompanied (STAG); 7D: Biology text topic (OSMOSIS); 8D: Roadside attention getters (FLARES); 9D: Water brand named for its source (FIJI); 10D: Dam up (STEM); 11D: Fertilizer substance (POTASH); 12D: Draw forth (ELICIT); 13D: Treaties (PACTS); 19D: Water source (SPIGOT); 21D: Surround with dense mist (FOG IN); 22D: Spherical opening? (ATMO-); 23D: Hirsute pet (CHIA); 27D: Like the sticks (RURAL); 28D: Sizzling (IRATE); 29D: More fleshy, perhaps (RIPER); 30D: Under the weather, e.g. (IDIOM); 35D: Anouilh play made into a Burton/O'Toole film (BECKET); 36D: It's not always easy to get into (SHAPE); 37D: "Tootsie" Oscar nominee (TERI GARR); 38D: Assessment, for short (EVAL); 39D: Popular trend (RAGE); 41D: Pontiac muscle car (TRANS AM); 43D: Sartre work (NAUSEA); 44D: Paris-based cultural org. (UNESCO); 45D: "Gunsmoke" star (ARNESS); 46D: Popular purveyor of stromboli (SBARRO); 47D: Zippo (SQUAT); 51D: Deep blue (NAVY); 52D: Play to __ (A TIE); 53D: Named names (SANG); 54D: Two pages (LEAF); 57D: Front-of-bk. list (TOC); 58D: Cote girl (EWE).

07.13 Wed

W E D N E S D A Y
July 13, 2011
Pete Muller

Theme: Vowell Progression — Each theme answer is a familiar phrase the last word of which follows the pattern T[x]LL, where x = a vowel.

Theme answers:

• 17A: Men's clothing category (BIG AND TALL).
• 22A: 1993 military directive (DON'T ASK DON'T TELL).
• 33A: Bad thing to be caught with at work, with "a" (HAND IN THE TILL).
• 46A: Wears greatly (TAKES A HEAVY TOLL).
• 54A: Rock and roll band whose lead singer often played flute solos (JETHRO TULL).

I always associate this vowel progression theme with Andrea Carla Michaels (who I get to see in about three weeks! yay!). I don't know if she's the first one to ever use it, but she's used it several times and, of course, used it well. Pete does a great job with it today because the theme answers are all fresh and interesting. And not awkward. Hate it when theme phrases are awkward. I got most of the theme answers without crosses, which made this is a really smooth solve. In fact, the most confusing thing for me was remembering Pete Muller. I always get him confused with Todd McClary because I met them both on the same day (a little over a year ago). I always have to go through this thing in my head where I remind myself that Todd McClary is the one who led one of the games and was wearing a Nike shirt and Pete Muller is the one whose wife was pregnant. There. All better.

Bullets:

• 1A: Pop singer Jackson (JANET). Miss Jackson if you're nasty.
• 10A: Rubella symptom (RASH). Ew.

• 21A: Sushi bar spirits: Var. (SAKIS). Not a fan of this spelling, but I assume it couldn't be helped. You know what makes it worse though? 50D: Alt. spelling (VAR.). Oops!
• 29A: Sony portable since 1984 (DISCMAN). I'm pretty sure mine is here stuck in a box somewhere. Do they still make them?
• 41A: Droll comic Wright (STEVEN). "I'm going to make a life-size map of the United States. It'll say 'One mile = one mile.'"
• 5D: Grunt's helmet (TIN HAT). Pretty sure I learned this from crosswords.

• 37D: Sharon of "Boston Public" (LEAL). Apparently there's a new rule that the grid always has to include a beautiful woman that I've never heard of.
• 54D: Java (JOE). If you did the NYT first today, you probably didn't have any trouble with this one.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 16A: Pelvic bones (ILIA).
• 27A: Orbital extreme (APOGEE).
• 53A: Translucent stone (OPAL).
• 62A: Exxon, previously (ESSO).
• 2D: Jackie's "O" (ARI).
• 48D: __ Park, Colorado (ESTES).

Everything Else — 6A: Create a cobbler (BAKE); 14A: Tabriz resident (IRANI); 15A: Astonishes (AWES); 19A: 53-Across et al. (GEMS); 20A: Harmonizing groups (CHOIRS); 26A: Building supporter (JOIST); 28A: Emilio Estevez, to Martin Sheen (SON); 38A: Seers (ORACLES); 39A: Large loafer letters (EEE); 44A: Overfamiliar (BANAL); 51A: Small streams (RILLS); 52A: Prized statuettes (OSCARS); 58A: Musical Horne (LENA); 59A: Snack with a removable top (OREO); 60A: Dutch export (TULIP); 61A: Shuteye aids? (LIDS); 63A: Serene spots (EDENS); 1D: Sail at the front (JIB); 3D: Pester (NAG); 4D: Passes, as legislation (ENACTS); 6D: Javanese hand-dyed fabric (BATIK); 7D: Prize (AWARD); 8D: Kutcher's "That '70s Show" role (KELSO); 9D: Alien's subj. (ESL); 10D: Trattoria tubes (RIGATONI); 11D: It's tapped in a pub (ALE KEG); 12D: Black as night, e.g. (SIMILE); 13D: Bother (HASSLE); 18D: Lavish parties (DO'S); 21D: Mar. honoree (ST. PAT); 22D: Party spinners, briefly (DJ'S); 23D: "I'm really impressed!" ("OOOH!"); 24D: Simone of jazz (NINA); 25D: When repeated, squeals (NAMES); 29D: Beloved princess (DIANA); 30D: "Monsters, __" (INC.); 31D: Cardinal letters (STL); 32D: Friend of Fidel (CHE); 34D: "Animal Farm" et al. (NOVELLAS); 35D: Work code subject (DRESS); 36D: Letterman rival (LENO); 40D: Pipe shape (ELL); 41D: Leisurely walk (STROLL); 42D: Republic of China capital (TAIPEI); 43D: Bond girl Britt of "The Man With the Golden Gun" (EKLAND); 44D: Without thinking (BY ROTE); 45D: Like some retired racehorses (AT STUD); 47D: Gardeners, at times (HOERS); 48D: __ Park, Colorado (ESTES); 49D: Allergic reaction (ACHOO); 55D: Gran- suffix (ULE); 56D: Architect Maya __ (LIN); 57D: 22-Down's vinyls (LP'S).

THURSDAY, July 22, 2010Pete Muller

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Theme: Paper or Plastic — Theme answers are familiar phrases with the letters of the word PLASTIC hidden in them consecutively.


Theme answers:

• 17A: State of the Union, say (POLITICAL SPEECH).
• 25A: Military tradition (HOSPITAL CORNERS).
• 46A: Looney Tunes genre (SLAPSTICK COMEDY).
• 60A: Useful waste, what's literally hidden in 17-, 25- and 46-Across (RECYCLED PLASTIC).

Wow. This puzzle took me a good bit of time. The reveal answer was the last thing I was able to piece together, so the theme didn't help me a bit. Not sure if it would have anyway. I'll be interested to hear if the theme helped you guys at all. I had the most trouble in the Northern California area where the HUFFS / ORIEL / SIDRA collision took a while to sort out (25D: Blows / 26D: Cantilevered window / 27D: Libya's Gulf of __). I couldn't come up with ORIEL to save my life. I knew it was crosswordese but all I could think of was oxeye. And that's not a cantilevered window, in case you didn't know. Also it made the middle letter of the 33A: Sch. with a Narragansett Bay campus an X and I was pretty sure that wasn't right.

As I mentioned, the southeast corner also gave me some trouble. I had the RECYCLED part, but took a while to get PLASTIC. I had the poor Scots vacationing on the brae instead of the LOCH (64A: Scot's vacation site). Do Scots really vacation on LOCHs? Wade? You out there? I also had trouble with LIAISE which is just a horrible, horrible word (56A: Make a connection (with)). I don't have any problem with it showing up in the puzzle because it's a word that people actually use but honestly … they just shouldn't. Because did I mention it's horrible?

I had the opportunity to meet Pete Muller at the Crosswords L.A. tournament a couple months ago. He constructed one of the tournament puzzles and it was really fun. Also, his wife was super pregnant, so I'm guessing they have a bigger family at this point. So congratulations to the Mullers and thanks, Pete, for a tough puzzle today!

Other:

• 10A: '60s-'70s pitcher nicknamed Blue Moon (ODOM). Learned about him from crosswords.
• 34A: Odin's group (AESIR). This too.
• 36A: Word with mala or bona (FIDE). Not sure I've ever heard of mala FIDE before, but it means pretty much what you would think it means.
• 51A: Japanese golfer in the World Golf Hall of Fame (ISAO AOKI). He's crosswordese, but it's fun to see his whole name in the grid for a change.

• 67A: Sean's mom (YOKO). Me: "Should I know Sean Penn's mom?"
• 2D: Info (POOP). Heh heh. You said POOP.
• 4D: Alpine wear (SKI CAP). Tried ski hat at first.
• 7D: Jobs creation? (IMAC). I like this clue. "Jobs creation" is a phrase we're hearing a lot these days so the misdirection works well. (In this clue, Jobs refers to Steve Jobs.)
• 9D: Easy-Bake Oven maker (HASBRO). I remember my Easy-Bake Oven. I'm pretty sure I got it for my birthday the same year I got a Mrs. Beasley doll.
• 13D: Mineralogist Friedrich (MOHS). I was a little distressed that I needed to know a mineralogist, but I've actually heard of this guy. Or, at least I've heard of his scale.
• 19D: Standard partner (POORS). Something to do with the financial industry. Do they rate bonds? Something like that.
• 30D: Bivouac (ETAPE). As far as I'm concerned there's no excuse for this word to show up without it being clued in relation to the Tour de France. And I mean that in general, not just today. But especially today!

• 37D: Strike target (EMPLOYER). Again, with all the war talk we hear these days the misdirection on this clue totally worked on me.
• 48D: Like five per cent, to a server (MEASLY). I can't say as I've ever left a 5% tip, but I would if the service was measly.

Crosswordese 101: TALIA Shire (18D: Two-time Oscar nominee Shire) is an actress who played Connie in the "Godfather" movies and Adrian in the "Rocky" movies. Clues for TALIA will always include one of the following words: actress, co-star, Shire, Sylvester, Sly, Rocky, or Godfather.

Other crosswordese in the puzzle that we've already covered:

• 5A: Silly (APISH).
• 33A: Sch. with a Narragansett Bay campus (URI).
• 51A: Japanese golfer in the World Golf Hall of Fame (ISAO AOKI).
• 26D: Cantilevered window (ORIEL).

[Follow PuzzleGirl on Twitter.]

Everything Else — 1A: NASDAQ debuts (IPO'S); 14A: Attic-dweller of '70s-'80s TV (MORK); 15A: Home of a mythical lion (NEMEA); 16A: Admonition to Nanette? (NO NO); 20A: Miniature surveillance gadget (SPY CAM); 21A: Rear ends of a sort (CABOOSES); 22A: What there oughta be (A LAW); 24A: Skirmish (ROW); 35A: Tuned to (SET AT); 38A: Works in a Catalonian museum (DALIS); 40A: Classico competitor (RAGU); 41A: Element 100 eponym (FERMI); 43A: Betty Crocker salad topping (BACOS); 45A: Crosswalk sign word (PED); 49A: Eastern tongue (LAO); 50A: It might be a close call (SAFE); 62A: Leafy veggie (KALE); 63A: Merge (UNITE); 65A: Insult (SLUR); 66A: Try to persuade, with "with" (PLEAD); 1D: Troublemakers (IMPS); 3D: French touchdown site (ORLY); 5D: Like many short films (ANIMATED); 6D: Workout target (PEC); 8D: "The Fugitive" actress Ward (SELA); 10D: Used car selling point (ONE OWNER); 11D: Performs (DOES); 12D: Singly (ONCE); 23D: Horseradish relative (WASABI); 28D: Not a deep purple (LILAC); 29D: Pains in the neck (CRICKS); 31D: Wreaked havoc, as a battle (RAGED); 32D: Prepare, in a way (STUDY); 39D: Of questionable repute (SO-CALLED); 42D: First name in sci-fi (ISAAC); 44D: Balkan capital (SOFIA); 47D: Install needed equipment (TOOL UP); 51D: Nettles (IRKS); 52D: Sea World clapper (SEAL); 53D: First Amendment advocacy gp. (ACLU); 54D: __ Ration (KEN-L); 55D: Romeo's last words (I DIE); 57D: "Am __ late?" (I TOO); 58D: Twisted (SICK); 59D: Comeback (ECHO); 61D: Harper Valley org. (PTA).

FRIDAY, May 14, 2010 — Matt Ginsberg & Peter Muller

THEME: ON END (50D: Upright, and what's been removed to form this puzzle's theme answers) — familiar phrases that end in "-ON" have that "-ON" removed, creating wacky phrases, clued "?"-style


Did this in five flat, with most of the trouble coming early on (getting started, getting the theme) and very late (trying to finish up in the rough SW). I think the revealer here is a little clunky. I like that it's specific — addressing the "ON" and the fact that it comes at the end — but I would say the phrases have "-ON" endings. I might have gone with NOON as the revealer. Or ON/OFF (like some switches, or...). The grid is snazzy — lots of Scrabbly stuff. The theme yields some interesting, if mixed, results. Since when are JOHNS a word for underwear? LONG JOHNS, sure, but I've never seen JOHNS stand alone. Not saying it's never been done before, just that it's not familiar to me At All. Those JOHNS should have been bathrooms or the clientele of hookers (much, much funnier and more in-the-language). MEDIA BAR(ON) is only vaguely familiar to me as a phrase, though I can infer who might fit this category (Turner, Murdoch, etc.). All in all, good work. Wouldn't have crossed BAR and BARRE (which means "BAR"), but that's just me. Oh, and I-BAR is mocking that crossing from on high there in the north.

Theme answers:

• 18A: Underwear that never needs washing? (MAGIC JOHNS)
• 20A: Attack of Tolkien's Ents? (TREE SURGE)
• 32A: Press watering hole? (MEDIA BAR)
• 44A: English horn? (ANGLO SAX)
• 56A: Chest bump cousin? (BELLY BUTT)
• 61A: Fido's greeting? (WELCOME WAG) — cute.

[Magic Newton-John!]

As you are reading this, I am either flying across the country or have already arrived in Idaho and am enjoying the company of my extended family at my grandma's 90th birthday celebration (which officially takes place on Saturday). I'm taking my voice recorder and camera — there will be crossword-related activities. My grandma's the first person I ever saw work a crossword. Idaho! With the exception of having to get up at 4:00 am tomorrow (i.e. today), I'm terribly psyched.

Crosswordese 101: Zhou (Chou) EN-LAI (51D: 1972 host to Nixon) — first premier of China, serving from '49-'76. You will see ZHOU and CHOU in puzzles. I don't think "EN-LAI" has alternate spellings. I needed this answer today, as I had KNOT for 64A: Bump on a log (KNAR), and ACT I for 55D: Plot part, perhaps (ACRE). EDIE was only barely familiar to me (67A: Peter Gunn's girlfriend), and I had no memory of Ethan HAWKE's being in Fast Food Nation, so I needed the help of EN-LAI a lot today.

See you Monday,

~RP

[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter]

TUESDAY, April 27, 2010 — Pete Muller and Sue Keefer

Theme: Rhyme Time — Theme answers are familiar two-part phrases where the two parts rhyme.


Theme answers:

• 20A: Blondness (FAIR HAIR).
• 22A: There may not be one "in the house" during a tearjerker (DRY EYE).
• 32A: Cat's pajamas (BEE'S KNEES).
• 37A: Like some stockings (THIGH-HIGH).
• 47A: Captain Ahab feature (PEG LEG).
• 50A: Fan of Jerry Garcia's band (DEADHEAD).
• 3D: Flight of scientists to another nation, e.g. (BRAIN DRAIN).
• 27D: "The original gourmet" candy bean (JELLY BELLY).

I really, really enjoyed this puzzle … up until the very last box I filled in. But I'll get to that later. For now, let's just talk about all the awesomeness. The theme is fun. All kinds of different lengths, acrosses and downs, encompassing old-timey phrases, pirates, the Grateful Dead and hosiery — what's not to love?

Lots of snappy fill including the colloquial POP IN, "I'M EASY" and "NO RUSH" (9A: Stop by unexpectedly / 5D: "No argument from me" / 33D: "You can get it to me later").



Rex mentioned the K-CAR (7D: 1980s Chrysler product) over at his blog this weekend: "If a car is going to be named after a letter, that is the letter to name it after, I say." Agreed! And finally, I love seeing PET ROCK in the grid (9D: Faddish '70s toy that came in a box with air holes), but it sure does make you think about how gullible we all were back then. Kids these days still have those dumb "pets" but now they're electronic. Does that make it better or worse? I'm really not sure.

So, okay. The one box I didn't like? That would be the W in WHANG (35D: Cymbal sound). WHANG? Really? CHING maybe. CLANG okay. WHANG? Not so much. Go ahead and explain to me in the comments why it's totally acceptable, it's in a dictionary, anybody who knows anything about music, blah, blah, blah. It just sounds wrong to me and I don't like it. Also, I wasn't completely sure of 35D: Houdini's family name (WEISS). Of course, W seems like the most likely letter there, but with a name it could be almost anything. The good news, though, is that the puzzle totally redeemed itself in a very tricky way that I completely love. Did you notice that both constructors' names are in the grid? Yes they are! Nice job, Pete and Sue! (47D: Tennis's Sampras (PETE); 52A: "What are you gonna do about it?!" ("SUE ME!").)

Everything Else — 1A: Subway alternative (CAB); 4A: Floppy storage media (DISKS); 15A: Apples since 1998 (IMACS); 16A: Ivory neighbor? (EBONY); 17A: "Michael Collins" org. (IRA); 18A: Honda Accord, for one (SEDAN); 19A: Has a proclivity (to) (TENDS); 23A: Neural impulse junction (SYNAPSE); 24A: Big hairdos, for short (FROS); 25A: Cart for heavy loads (DRAY); 26A: Coalition (BLOC); 27A: Boeing product (JET); 30A: County on San Francisco Bay (MARIN); 34A: "__ See for Miles": The Who hit (I CAN); 35A: Houdini's family name (WEISS); 40A: Word with Big or top (TEN); 41A: "Great" dog (DANE); 42A: "It's __!": bargain hunter's words (A BUY); 43A: Coffee holders (URNS); 44A: "Flying" toy (FRISBEE); 51A: Author Jong (ERICA); 53A: Shirt size: Abbr. (LGE.); 54A: Laid vinyl on, as a floor (TILED); 55A: Speak off the cuff (AD LIB); 56A: Quarterback Dawson (LEN); 57A: Ingress (ENTRY); 58A: Befitting a slob (MESSY); 59A: Soph and jr. (YRS.); 1D: Elaborate dos (COIFS); 2D: Striking spread (ARRAY); 4D: Old-style kitchen washing receptacle (DISHPAN); 6D: __ Hawkins Day (SADIE); 8D: Tax form ID (SSN); 10D: Does as told (OBEYS); 11D: Fried Dixie bread (PONE); 12D: __ 500 (INDY); 13D: Big Board letters (NYSE); 21D: __ to go: psyched (RARING); 22D: Metallic refuse (DROSS); 24D: Shylock's pound (FLESH); 26D: Light brown (BEIGE); 28D: Very wide, shoewise (EEEE); 29D: General __ chicken: Chinese dish (TSO'S); 30D: Catcher's glove (MITT); 31D: Throb (ACHE); 32D: Some '60s war protests (BE-INS); 35D: Cymbal sound (WHANG); 38D: Like many large-screen TVs (HD READY); 39D: Follow, as rules (ABIDE BY); 42D: A Musketeer (ARAMIS); 43D: Stomach woe (ULCER); 44D: Senses (FEELS); 45D: Ready for action (EAGER); 46D: Paradises (EDENS); 48D: Common name for an Irish lass (ERIN); 49D: Gold-plated (GILT); 50D: Bro (DUDE); 52D: Uncle on a poster (SAM).

THURSDAY, July 2, 2009 — Pete Muller

Theme: INNER EAR (38D: Balance organ that's literally found in the answers to starred clues) — theme answers have the word EAR hidden in them.

Theme answers:

• 20A: *1979 Sister Sledge hit (WE ARE FAMILY).
  
• 30A: *Look for clues (NOSE AROUND).
  
• 46A: *"Fatal Attraction" costar (ANNE ARCHER).
  
• 57A: *Military treatise written by Sun Tzu (THE ART OF WAR).
  
• 11D: *Decorators' suggestions (AREA RUGS).
  

"Balance organ" is kind of a weird description, but I knew immediately what it meant, so I guess it's okay.

Crosswordese 101: The most important thing to remember about ARAL is that it's a sea — hence today's clue (64A: Inland Asian sea). That way you won't get it confused with URAL, which is a river (also a mountain range, but it's the river you're more likely to get confused with the sea). Other things to remember about ARAL: it's landlocked, it's shrinking, it's near the Caspian, and it's on the border of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

This is going to be super quick today. I've had a couple really long days and I'm exhausted. Seems like all I do is drive my kids back and forth — it must be summer! I will say, though, that spending time with my kids during this summer break has been pretty fun so far, and I really didn't expect that. I expected it to feel more like no breaks from the child-rearing drudgery but, as it turns out, my kids are pretty fun to hang out with. Or maybe it's just my new meds. Whatever it is, I'm madly in love with my kids today and am looking forward to the rest of the summer. Check back with me again in August. I might have changed my tune by then.

The puzzle! Let's talk about the puzzle! Pretty easy, only a couple things slowed me down. For example, the random (and completely unfamiliar to me) geographical clues. I got both PORTO ALEGRE (14A/26A: City in southern Brazil) and ASSAM (33A: Indian state bordering Bhutan) entirely from crosses. And I've never heard of Jon CRYER (66A: Jon of "Two and a Half Men"). I originally went with an S at the end of TIBIAE (8D: Leg bones) — both plural versions are used in crossword puzzles. The last letter I filled in was the P at the cross of TYPEE (44A: Melville's first novel) and PRAT (45D: Rear end). I just couldn't remember the Melville title, although I'm sure I've seen it in a puzzle or two. And PRAT? Who knew? I always thought the PRAT in PRATfall meant "fake" or "deceptive" or something like that. In fact, it just means, well, "rear end."

What else?

• 10A: Shakes indicating affection, perhaps (WAGS). Saw this bumper sticker just today: "Wag more, bark less."
  
• 19A: Longtime pageant host Parks (BERT). Wasn't sure of Parks was Bert-with-an-e or Burt-with-a-u.
  
• 36A: Clue on a weapon (PRINT). Sometimes I'm just too detailed for my own good. I read the clue, looked at the grid and thought "Darn! Fingerprint won't fit!"
  
• 65A: "__ Rock": 1966 hit (I AM A).
  



• 2D: Shredded (TORE UP). I was tricked by this one. Thought "shredded" was an adjective so entered torn up. But it's a verb.
  
• 6D: Tries (HAS A GO AT). Anyone parse this as "has a goat"?
  
• 13D: Retd. Air France fliers (SSTS). Ladies and gentlemen, Exhibit B A for why you need to pay attention to the Crosswordese 101 lessons! We just talked about this one two days ago!
  

Sorry to blog and run but I think I'll have time to check in on the comments tomorrow so maybe you'll hear more from me there.

Everything Else — 1A: Lieu (STEAD); 6A: Start of a 10-Down address (HTTP); 15A: Operatic number (ARIA); 16A: Diamond stats (ERAS); 17A: Robin's weapon (ARROW); 18A: Kemo __ (SABE); 23A: Trailers, e.g. (ADS); 24A: Fanatic (NUT); 25A: Delay (LAG); 28A: Hormel product (SPAM); 35A: Cheap cigar (STOGIE); 39A: Bellicose Norse god (TYR); 41A: Actress Kudrow et al. (LISAS); 42A: Justice replaced by Samuel in 2006 (SANDRA); 48A: "Gosh darn it!" (RATS); 52A: Toyota until 2006 (CELICA); 53A: Come to the plate (BAT); 55A: Pasture (LEA); 56A: Wall St. purchase (SHR); 60A: React to sad news (WEEP); 62A: 1975 Wimbledon winner (ASHE); 63A: Meat in the oven (ROAST); 66A: (CRYER); 67A: Thatcher, politically (TORY); 68A: Street asset, briefly (CRED); 69A: Wiesbaden's state (HESSE); 1D: Gives rise to (SPAWNS); 3D: Problms in ths clue (ERRATA); 4D: Origin suffix (-ATOR); 5D: Wooden connector (DOWEL); 7D: Lode carrier (TRAM); 9D: Spanish stews (PAELLAS); 10D: Blogger's milieu (WEB); 12D: Fragrant flower (GARDENIA); 21D: They may be diehards (FANS); 22D: Seuss's king of the pond (YERTLE); 27D: More like a well-made s'more (GOOIER); 29D: "Deal or No Deal" host (MANDEL); 31D: Rocker Patty who married John McEnroe (SMYTH); 32D: __ Moines (DES); 34D: The Bosporus, e.g. (STRAIT); 36D: Non-commercial TV ad (PSA); 37D: South American spread owner (RANCHERO); 40D: Reuben holder (RYE BREAD); 43D: Antiquated (ARCHAIC); 47D: Roman emperor (CAESAR); 49D: Unfailingly (ALWAYS); 50D: Flirts with (TEASES); 51D: 1964 Nobel Prize decliner (SARTRE); 54D: Spelunker's aid (TORCH); 56D: Hit hard (SWAT); 58D: Sighed line (AH ME); 59D: Warning to the gallery (FORE); 61D: Practice (PLY).