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).

M O N D A Y October 4, 2010—Lila Cherry

Today's puzzle was not available online by the time I had to leave for work this morning. I'll post it later this evening when I get home. Sorry!
=============

Okay, now that Angela has left for work, we can play. Amy here with a copy of my Diary of a Crossword Fiend post.



THEME: "Gooey Sammich"—Five theme entries begin with the words PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY SANDWICH
The theme is a gooey PB&J sammich:

• 17a. [Sources of rowdy criticism] are PEANUT GALLERIES. Does that really take a plural? Singular feels much more familiar.
• 25a. BUTTERBALL is a [Turkey brand].
• 38a. The ampersand, or [&], may be informally called the AND SIGN.
• 49a. [Colorful plastic footwear] is JELLYSHOES. Don’t eat ‘em, folks.
• 59a. [Hawaii once comprised most of them] clues the SANDWICH ISLANDS.

I love some of the longer fill—STAND PAT, BEN STEIN the game show EMCEE, CHAMELEON, and PERCHANCE are terrific entries. Some of the short answers gave me more trouble, which I wasn’t expecting on a Monday (but then, it was before 7 a.m. when I was doing the puzzle, pre-breakfast and pre-caffeine):

• 1a. COCKY means [Self-confident to a fault]. Clear enough, but I drew a blank on it and skipped the upper right corner until later.
• 16a. [ROTC school WSW of Washington, D.C.] is VMI, or Virginia Military Institute. Voo Much Information!
• 32a. [Recline, biblically] clues LIETH. These biblical verb answers are a category of fill that I don’t care for.
• 2d. [Aptly named California coastal city] is indeed aptly named: OCEANSIDE. Too bad Oceanside is pretty much unknown to me.
• 6d. [Severity, in Soho] clues RIGOUR with the British “U” spelling (there’s a Soho in London as well as in New York City).
• 8d. This one was a gimme, but it troubled me. KIL. as [About .62 mi.] is awkward because km is the more widely accepted abbreviation for kilometer.
• 19d. [Opener's next call, in bridge] is REBID. My kid was asking about bridge the other day. My husband told him it was a game for very old people. I said “Hey! Brendan Quigley plays bridge.” My husband said he was an exception. So you see that we are not a bridge-embracing household. Nautical, poker, bridge, and biblical verbs—among my least favorite categories of fill.
• 48d. [Omega preceders], P*IS…is it PHIS or PSIS? I usually have to check the crossing to figure it out. It’s PSIS.
• 60d. [All-Pro Patriots receiver Welker] is named WES…but I’ve never heard of him, I don’t think. Current player, or player of yore?
• 62d. The CCU [Hosp. heart ward] doesn’t get much play in crosswords. It may stand for coronary care unit or cardiac care unit. Other *CUs besides the ICU include the SICU (surgical), MICU (medical), NICU (neonatal or neurological), and PICU (pediatric), none of which you are likely to encounter in crosswords.

Your assignment today is threefold, pupils. It's Blog-It-Yourself Day!

1. Head to YouTube and watch a video that today's puzzle evokes.
2. Do a Google image search on a word like JELLY or BUTTERBALL and find a goofy picture. No, better yet, find a hilarious picture to accompany the word REBID.
3. Nominate your own Crosswordese 101 entry from today's puzzle and see if it's already been covered here. If it hasn't, make up lies about the word.

P.S. Constructor "Lila Cherry" is one of editor Rich Norris's noms de plume.

P.P.S. Sorry about the font madness!

M O N D A Y September 20, 2010 Samantha Wine

Theme: Hiding Out — First words of theme answers describe something/someone that's not here.


Theme answers:

• 20A: Daydreaming (LOST IN THOUGHT).
• 36A: Failing to grasp a key element (MISSING THE POINT).
• 52A: Not expected back at work until tomorrow (GONE FOR THE DAY).

Nice, simple theme for this lovely Monday morning. Looks like we're just going to ease on into the week, which is fine by me. I finished this puzzle in 3:15 which means there was really no resistance anywhere. I can never remember of the ARTHRO- part of ARTHROscopic (12D: Prefix with -scopic) ends in an O or an A, so I just left that square blank until I came back around to it with the cross. Same with 63A: Mauna LOA. As always, it could very well have been KEA, so I just left that one alone and it filled itself in later.

Misc.:

• 18A: On the __: broken (FRITZ). My dad had an uncle named FRITZ. I think that's an awesome name.
• 26A: Funny Costello (LOU). Elvis Costello is pretty funny too, isn't he? No? Okay.

• 43A: What ballerinas dance on (TIPTOE). There's something just a little off about this clue for me. When people are described as walking on tiptoe, they're not actually walking on the tips of their toes. But when ballerinas dance, they really are. Or maybe they're not because of the blocks in the toes of their shoes. I don't know. It just seems a little fuzzy.
• 1D: Trade name abbr. (DBA). Doing Business As.
• 11D: Store to "fall into," in old ads (THE GAP). I have no memory of this slogan. I guess I wasn't paying attention to The Gap in the early 80s.
• 13D: "Scram!" ("BEAT IT!"). Oh sure, why not?



• 45D: Letter-writing friend (PENPAL). Do they still have those?

Crosswordese 101: Syngman RHEE was 35D: South Korea's first president. He served in that position from 1948 until his resignation in 1960. As far as crossword puzzles are concerned, that's all you need to know about him!

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

• 19A: Approx. landing hr. (ETA).
• 42A: IRS agent (T-MAN).
• 49A: Utah city near Provo (OREM).
• 63A: Mauna __ (LOA).
• 62D: Prior to (ERE).

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Everything Else — 1A: Persian Gulf emirate (DUBAI); 6A: Aptly named novelist (READE); 11A: Check for drinks (TAB); 14A: Rocket scientist Wernher von __ (BRAUN); 15A: Use for dinner, as dishes (EAT ON); 16A: Realm from 800-1806: Abbr. (HRE); 17A: Jazzy O'Day (ANITA); 23A: More intimate (CLOSER); 25A: __-mutuel: type of betting (PARI); 27A: Abel's slayer (CAIN); 30A: Tsar or emperor (DESPOT); 32A: It follows the overture (ACT I); 34A: Pressed for time (IN A RUSH); 41A: Conceived of (IDEATED); 46A: Slangy agreement (YEAH); 48A: HVAC measure (BTU); 50A: Uproar (TUMULT); 58A: Econ. yardstick (GNP); 59A: Nebraska city (OMAHA); 60A: Tee shot (DRIVE); 64A: Lees competitor (LEVIS); 65A: Ocean ship (LINER); 66A: Bigger picture: Abbr. (ENL.); 67A: Kosher deli offering (KNISH); 68A: Sharp-eyed bird (EAGLE); 2D: Caterer's vessel (URN); 3D: Controversial financial rescues (BAILOUTS); 4D: Cars (AUTOS); 5D: "Be right there!" ("IN A SEC!"); 6D: Get a better int. rate, probably (REFI); 7D: Make on the job (EARN); 8D: Working busily (AT IT); 9D: "The lady __ protest too much": "Hamlet" (DOTH); 10D: Automaker Ferrari (ENZO); 21D: New employee (TRAINEE); 22D: End result (UPSHOT); 23D: Littleneck, e.g. (CLAM); 24D: Centers of activity (LOCI); 28D: Actress Swenson (INGA); 29D: Smartly dressed (NATTY); 30D: Obstetrician's calculation (DUE DATE); 31D: Psychic's asset, for short (ESP); 33D: "Surely I'm not the only one?!" ("IS IT ME?!"); 37D: Altar promise (I DO); 38D: "Drinks are on yours truly" ("I'M BUYING"); 39D: MLB league (NATL.); 40D: Letter-shaped fastener (T-NUT); 43D: Flip back and forth, as an on-off switch (TOGGLE); 44D: Like some denim patches (IRON-ON); 47D: Circular gridiron gathering (HUDDLE); 51D: "West Side Story" heroine (MARIA); 53D: Music genre that experienced a '50s-'60s revival (FOLK); 54D: Sign of the future (OMEN); 55D: Sitarist Shankar (RAVI); 56D: That's partner (THIS); 57D: Corned beef dish (HASH); 61D: Commercial prefix with -cro (VEL-).

M O N D A Y September 6, 2010 Lila Cherry

Theme: What's black and white and read less and less frequently every day? — Theme answers end with words that can describe parts of a newspaper.


Theme answers:

• 18A: Watch or clock (TIMEPIECE).
• 20A: Second floor of a home, say (UPPER STORY).
• 33A/35A: Real McCoy (GENUINE / ARTICLE).
• 52A: Where to begin adding numbers (ONES COLUMN).
• 54A: Daily publication where you'd read the ends of 18-, 20-, 33/35- and 52-Across (NEWSPAPER).

I'm still a little freaked about learning that the contrusctor of today's New York Times puzzle is also a college wrestling referee. I was pretty sure there weren't any puzzle/wrestling people besides, ya know, me. I can't imagine talking to someone about both puzzles and wrestling. With most people, I can't really talk about either subject. Without them looking at me like I have three heads. Anyway, this is a very cool bit of news. I'm going to have to think about how I can take advantage of it in my quest to take over the world. I'm sure there's a way.

But hey — let's talk about this puzzle. I didn't time myself, but it felt like I blew through it pretty quickly, which is what I expect on Monday of course. The theme is solid, though not incredibly interesting — GENUINE ARTICLE is a nice entry and ONES COLUMN made me chuckle. TIMEPIECE and UPPER STORY don't do much for me, but they're fine. Well, now that I think about, UPPER STORY sounds a little awkward. I would be more likely to say "upper floor" or "second story." But that very well might just be me.

The interesting thing about this puzzle, though, is that it doesn't have much crosswordese at all. We'll talk about ESTER later and we've mentioned AGAPE (17A: Open-mouthed) before, but that's pretty much it.

Bullets:

• 1A: Moved on all fours (CREPT). I kinda wanted "sneek" for this but CREPT is so much better.

• 9A: Action film high point (CHASE). Do people really enjoy the chase scenes? They always bore me.
• 24A: QVC competitor (HSN). I don't know what QVC stands for (if anything), but HSN is Home Shopping Network.
• 29A: Brighton buddy (MATEY). PuzzleDaughter has this new thing where she talks in either a British or Australian accent when we're out in public. When we get out of an elevator, she'll say to the other passengers "g'day, mate" or "cheerio." It's pretty funny.
• 32A: Amt. still owed (BAL.). An amount still owed is a BALance.
• 45A: Bump off (DO IN). I had a heckuva time parsing this one. "DOIN? Shouldn't there be another letter in there somewhere?"

• 51A: Actress Gardner (AVA). I can never remember whether her name is Eva or AVA. And I could swear I just saw her in a puzzle with the E spelling. If I had been paying attention today, of course, I would have noticed EVA PERÓN (3D: Argentine leader played by Madonna) at another spot in the puzzle and realized they couldn't both be spelled the same way.
• 59A: Perrier, to Pierre (EAU). French!
• 60A: Cybercommerce (ETAIL). I can think of another thing ETAIL might mean, but it's completely inappropriate.
• 1D: Civil War org. (CSA). Confederate States of America.
• 13D: Pizazz (ENERGY). I've said it before and I'll say it again. I want four Zs in my PIZZAZZ.
• 36D: Dungeness delicacy (CRAB MEAT). I don't eat seafood so this answer made me hold my nose. And then 37D: Tart dessert (LEMON PIE) made me hurl.
• 53D: Nikki Sixx/Tommy Lee group Mötley __ (CRÜE).

Crosswordese 101: I don't really know what ESTER is, but I know how to recognize an early-week clue for it. Late in the week, clues for ESTER are often examples of ESTER like diglyceride, butyl acetate, banana oil, phosphate, or other science-y sounding things that I can never keep in my brain. Early in the week though? An ESTER is basically a "Perfumer's compound," "fragrant compound" or 63A: Aromatic compound.

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Everything Else — 6A: "Snow" veggie (PEA); 14A: Break off completely (SEVER); 15A: Select, with "for" (OPT); 16A: Like Cheerios (OATEN); 22A: Your and my (OUR); 23A: John who played Basil Fawlty (CLEESE); 25A: Town, informally (BURG); 26A: Animal fat (LARD); 27A: Keats or Yeats (POET); 30A: Ear: Pref. (OTO-); 31A: Ernie's Muppet pal (BERT); 39A: Got ready for a lap dog (SAT); 40A: Ink stain (BLOT); 41A: Accelerate, with "up" (REV); 42A: Gets nosy (PRIES); 46A: Arrived (CAME); 47A: Swedish soprano Jenny (LIND); 48A: Tyrannosaurus __ (REX); 49A: Element used in dating rocks (CARBON); 56A: Microwave alerts (BEEPS); 58A: Speechify (ORATE); 61A: Justin Timberlake's boy band ('N SYNC); 62A: AAA suggestion (RTE.); 2D: Control, as temperature (REGULATE); 4D: Livened (up) (PEPPED); 5D: Ancestral diagrams (TREES); 6D: Pans partner (POTS); 7D: Nickname (EPITHET); 8D: Maximally (AT MOST); 9D: Xerox (COPY); 10D: See 25-Down (HAI); 11D: Enjoyed a diner (ATE OUT); 12D: Tie tightly (SECURE); 19D: Directional suffix (-ERN); 21D: Regret one's sins (REPENT); 23D: Drain obstruction (CLOG); 25D: With 10-Down, "South Pacific" song (BALI); 28D: Calif. neighbor (ORE.); 29D: Damon of "Good Will Hunting" (MATT); 31D: Skewed view (BIAS); 32D: "Bucking" horse (BRONCO); 34D: Secondhand (USED); 35D: Baba who stole from thieves (ALI); 38D: All square (EVEN); 40D: Costlier ballpark spot (BOX SEAT); 42D: Expect to happen (PLAN ON); 43D: Funny Joan (RIVERS); 44D: Sort of (IN A WAY); 45D: Farther below the water's surface (DEEPER); 46D: Salad oil bottles (CRUETS); 48D: Cell "messenger," briefly (RNA); 50D: "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" playwright (ALBEE); 52D: Oil cartel acronym (OPEC); 55D: RR depot (STN.); 57D: 35mm camera type (SLR).

S U N D A Y August 15, 2010 — Gia Christian (syndicated)

Theme: "Knock 'Em Dead" — Theme answers are familiar phrases with an M omitted, creating new wacky phrases 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: What would trouble Trixie if the Kramdens moved away? (ABSENCE OF ALICE).
• 51A: Parallel world? (OTHER EARTH).
• 69A: Badly burned British dish? (BANGERS AND ASH).
• 85A: Pint-drinking buddies' experience? (ALE BONDING).
• 117A: 19th-century queen's tough tests? (VICTORIAN ORALS).
• 14D: "Wiggly dessert stale, kemosabe" (JELLO OLD).
• 17D: Religious dissenters? (PRAYING ANTIS).
• 61D: Type that regularly visits Willy Wonka's factory? (CHOCOLATE ILK).
• 83D: Mischievous long-eared critter? (ARCH HARE).

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 57A: Cars over the road (ELS).
• 62A: Mauna __ (LOA).
• 91A: Jazz immortal (ELLA).
• 4D: Automne preceder (ÉTÉ).
• 13D: Dairy case item (OLEO).
• 18D: Bean measures? (EEG'S).
• 34D: Middle East VIP (EMIR).
• 47D: Notre Dame's Parseghian (ARA).
• 116D: Drink stand buy (ADE).

Everything Else — 1A: Citrus source (LIME TREE); 9A: __-Turkish War (ITALO); 14A: Quartz variety (JASPER); 20A: Boss's okays, often (INITIALS); 21A: Twangy (NASAL); 22A: Duck à l'orange, e.g. (ENTRÉE); 25A: "Gil Blas" novelist (LESAGE); 26A: __-jongg (MAH); 27A: Half a dance (CHA); 28A: Daily opinion page, briefly (OP-ED); 29A: Van Gogh works (OILS); 31A: Designer monogram (YSL); 32A: Whacked, biblically (SMOTE); 34A: Key of Brahms's Symphony No. 4 (E MINOR); 36A: Notorious '80s-'90s crime boss (GOTTI); 38A: Three-handed card game (SKAT); 39A: Regret deeply (LAMENT); 41A: Maker of Nutri-Grain Waffles (EGGO); 43A: Cell messengers (RNA'S); 46A: Roman holiday (FESTA); 48A: "The Mod Squad" role (LINC); 49A: Record material (VINYL); 50A: Fairy tale baddie (OGRE); 53A: Onetime Burmese statesman (U NU); 54A: Go (DEPART); 56A: Picnic spoiler (RAIN); 58A: Rocking Turner (TINA); 59A: Sonoma and Safari (GMC'S); 64A: Computer acronym (ASCII); 66A: Customer file ID (ACCT. NO.); 68A: Fed. medical org. (NIH); 72A: Red-and-white supermarket logo (IGA); 73A: Bottom line, ideally (PROFIT); 75A: When gluttons eat (OFTEN); 76A: Tick off (IRK); 77A: Rehab admission (USER); 78A: Hail __ (A CAB); 79A: Get to work again (FIX); 80A: "Take __ from me" (A TIP); 82A: Nova __ (SCOTIA); 84A: Bentley of "American Beauty" (WES); 92A: Do a double take, say (REACT); 94A: Wool: Pref. (LANI-); 95A: Addition symbol (CARET); 96A: Fanaticism (ZEAL); 97A: Golfer's option (CART); 98A: From the heart? (AORTAL); 100A: "Soap" family name (TATE); 101A: PC troubleshooters (TECHS); 103A: Courses at bars (SALADS); 105A: Idyllic spots (EDENS); 107A: Own, to a Glaswegian (HAE); 109A: "Excuse me ..." ("AHEM …"); 111A: Store of ore (LODE); 112A: Cheerleader's word (RAH); 113A: Space (GAP); 115A: Richards of "Jurassic Park" (ARIANA); 121A: Not as chilly (MILDER); 122A: Prosecutor's burden (PROOF); 123A: Perturbs (AGITATES); 124A: Bully's dare (MAKE ME); 125A: Personnel (STAFF); 126A: Ship's cargo list (MANIFEST); 1D: Neeson of "The A-Team" (LIAM); 2D: To-do pile site (IN-BASKET); 3D: Hodgepodge (MISH-MASH); 5D: Touch of color (TINCT); 6D: "The Sea Around Us" author Carson (RACHEL); 7D: Zeno's home (ELEA); 8D: That, in Tijuana (ESO); 9D: If nothing else works (IN A PINCH); 10D: Scout's discovery (TALENT); 11D: "... say, and not __" (AS I DO); 12D: Europe's __ de Genève (LAC); 15D: "__ of robins ..." (A NEST); 16D: OK and others (STS.); 19D: Virginia __ (REEL); 24D: Instigate (FOMENT); 30D: Pop of rock (IGGY); 33D: Aquatic frolickers (OTTERS); 35D: Restrains (REINS IN); 37D: Torrid Zone boundary (TROPIC); 38D: Bay Area hub: Abbr. (SFO); 40D: Friends-and-family support group (AL-ANON); 42D: Safari sighting (GNU); 44D: Adapt musically (ARRANGE); 45D: Jazz group? (SET); 49D: Spock, partly (VULCAN); 52D: Israeli port city (EILAT); 55D: Inscribe (ETCH); 57D: Southend-on-Sea's county (ESSEX); 59D: Econ. measure (GNP); 60D: Word with drug or mile (MIRACLE); 63D: Previously (AGO); 64D: Museum exhibitor (ARTIST); 65D: Uganda's Amin (IDI); 66D: Invite as one's date for (ASK TO); 67D: Wake maker (OAR); 69D: Netanyahu of Israel, familiarly (BIBI); 70D: Results (EFFECTS); 71D: Lawrence's land (ARABIA); 74D: Femme __ (FATALE); 77D: Keep current (UPDATE); 81D: Business mag (INC.); 82D: Speaks in slang? (SEZ); 84D: Simple card game (WAR); 85D: What you might take if you're tired? (A LOAD OFF); 86D: Food storage area (LARDER); 87D: Sinus specialists, briefly (ENT'S); 88D: Reagan-era scandal (IRAN-GATE); 89D: Proprietor's calculation (NET SALES); 90D: Onetime AT&T rival (GTE); 93D: Relax (EASE); 98D: Many (A LOT OF); 99D: Get closer, as to hear better (LEAN IN); 102D: Cave __: beware of the dog (CANEM); 104D: Foil maker (ALCOA); 106D: Hindu loincloth (DHOTI); 107D: "Go for the Goal" autobiographer (HAMM); 108D: Operatic highlight (ARIA); 110D: MLB honorees (MVP'S); 112D: Hindu music style (RAGA); 114D: It ain't quite "Hey!" ("PSST!"); 118D: NYC subway (IRT); 119D: "__ Sam": "Green Eggs and Ham" opening (I AM); 120D: U.K. defense arm (RAF).

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).

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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).

THURSDAY, November 26, 2009Lila Cherry

Theme: Happy Thanksgiving! — Theme answers are various definitions of turkey.

Theme answers:

• 17A: Turkey (BIRD THAT GOBBLES).
• 27A: Turkey (FRANK WAY TO TALK).
• 48A: Turkey (THEATRICAL FLOP).
• 63A: Turkey? (FRIDAY'S SANDWICH).

Happy Turkey Day, everyone. This will be quick because ... I have a few things to do. I assume you do too! But first, let me thank you for dropping in today and for hanging out with us these last several months. This blog has been a lot of fun for me and I'm truly grateful for your participation and support. I also want to give a quick shout-out to the Birthday Boy, Rex Parker, and my Soul Sister, Orange, who have been so so awesome to "work" with! I am truly grateful that you two are in my life. And, of course, thank you to Rich Norris ad all the underpaid but I-hope-not-quite-so-underappreciated-any-more crossword artists out there who create these masterpieces for us to enjoy and obsess over. Wow. Before this gets way too cheesy, how about if we go ahead and talk about the puzzle.

Cute theme, appropriate for the day (obviously). I know some people don't like this type of theme because — like quotation themes — the answers tend not to be in-the-language phrases. But I think it's a nice way to mix things up once in a while. I agree that the answers are sometimes excessively tortured in order to force them into the grid, but I don't think that's the case today. I particularly like FRIDAY'S SANDWICH. I'm sure I'm not alone in loving the leftover turkey sandwiches about as much as the Thanksgiving dinner itself! If I were going to complain though (and you can bet on it!), I would say there's a tad too much crosswordese for my taste today. I count nine crosswordese words that we've already covered here, and it's possible I didn't catch all of them. That's a lot!

• 1A: First name in folk (ARLO).
• 15A: Moira's "Chaplin" role (OONA).
• 37A: Sacred bird of old Egypt (IBIS).
• 52A: Lake surrounding Canada's southernmost point (ERIE).
• 68A: China's __ Enlai (ZHOU).
• 3D: Turkish currency (LIRA).
• 46D: African antelope (ELAND).
• 55D: __ lily: calla (ARUM).
• 64D: Altar in the sky (ARA).

What else can we talk about before we go stuff ourselves?

• 22A: Closed sac (CYST). Eewww.
• 23A: Neo, for one: Abbr. (ANAG.). Took me a while to figure this one out, so I assume some of you had trouble with it too. The word neo is an ANAGram of the word one. That is one ugly abbreviation! Also, the word ONES appears in the grid as well (12D: Tip jar fillers, mostly). Oops!
• 53A: Dodge Aries, e.g. (K-CAR). I don't really know what this means. Also ZipCar and SmartCar. I see them around and I see signs that mention them, but I don't really understand their function. I've just got my little minivan and I'm good.
• 10D: "Hogan's Heroes" star (BOB CRANE). Loved that show when I was a kid. Now, of course, I look back on it in horror. But I do like seeing Bob Crane's full name in the grid.
• 26D: '60s song car with "three deuces and a four-speed and a 389" (GTO). I assumed this was the Beach Boys, but it's actually Ronnie and the Daytonas.
• 27D: Toss (FLIP).

• 31D: Three-time U.S. Open winner (LENDL). Never sure if a U.S. Open clue is referring to tennis or golf. I'm good at the old-timey tennis and the more recent golf.
• 44D: "Babi __": Yevtushenko poem (YAR). Whatever you say!

Crosswordese 101: I learned the word ECCE from crosswordes. Today's clue — 67A: Caesar's "Behold!" — is typical. You'll almost always see the word behold in the clue along with a Roman name like Caesar, Pilate, Brutus, Cicero, or Livy. "ECCE homo" is a phrase that means "Behold the man" and, according to Wikipedia, are "the Latin words used by Pontius Pilate in the Vulgate translation of the John 19:5, when he presented a scourged Jesus Christ, bound and crowned with thorns, to a hostile crowd shortly before his Crucifixion." Sometimes ECCE will be clued simply as "___ homo."

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Bonus Puzzles: There are a couple bonus puzzles today that I hope you'll check out. In the post below this one, you can read all about Rex's puzzle in support of breast cancer research inspired by Christina Applegate. Also, you should head over to Orange's Crossword Fiend forum for a puzzle constructed by Doug Peterson and Andrea Carla Michaels in honor of Rex's 40th birthday, which is today. If you don't participate over at Rex's blog, you won't understand all the references in the puzzle, but you'll likely still enjoy it considering it was made by two of the very best constructors out there today!

Everything Else — 5A: Kick (out) (DRUM); 9A: Loathe (ABHOR); 14A: Judge's determination (BAIL); 16A: TV exec Arledge (ROONE); 20A: Santa Anna siege site (ALAMO); 21A: Cooked (DONE); 25A: M.I.T. grad, often (ENGR.); 33A: NASA transport (LEM); 34A: __ mater (ALMA); 35A: Shaq of the NBA (O'NEAL); 39A: Savvy (SENSE); 42A: "La Gioconda" tenor role (ENZO); 43A: Aggressive (PUSHY); 45A: Central church area (NAVE); 47A: Scooby-__ (DOO); 54A: Many of its members are boomers (AARP); 57A: Precious (DEAR); 59A: Like seven Nolan Ryan games (NO-HIT); 66A: Fast traveler, at times (RUMOR); 69A: Last in a series (OMEGA); 70A: Take off (SHED); 71A: Shakespearean "over there" (YOND); 1D: "Mamma Mia!" band (ABBA); 2D: Travel option (RAIL); 4D: Pop (OLD MAN); 5D: "Stupid me!" ("D'OH!"); 6D: It can't be played at home (ROAD GAME); 7D: Golden rule preposition (UNTO); 8D: Sticker? (MAGNET); 9D: Wall St. figure who capitalizes on price imbalances (ARB); 11D: Devout (HOLY); 13D: Take five (REST); 18D: Toy truck maker (TONKA); 19D: Napa prefix (OENO-); 24D: Belt maker's tools (AWLS); 28D: Disprove (REBUT); 29D: "Witness" sect (AMISH); 30D: Greek New Age keyboardist (YANNI); 32D: Musical buzzer (KAZOO); 36D: Air show stunt (LOOP); 38D: What Bo Peep could have used? (SHEEPDOG); 40D: Awkward-looking picnic contest (SACK RACE); 41D: Rescue op (EVAC); 49D: Orderly (TIDY); 50D: NutRageous bar maker (REESE'S); 51D: Slovenly (FROWZY); 54D: Hendrix hairdo (AFRO); 56D: Coleridge work (RIME); 58D: Author Sholem (ASCH); 60D: Sunshine cracker (HI-HO); 61D: Screen image (ICON); 62D: Sound of an ungraceful landing (THUD); 65D: Actor Beatty (NED).

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).