04.17 Sun

S U N D A Y
April 17, 2011
Dan Naddor

[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: "Audiovisual Aids" — The letters "AV" are added to familiar phrases to make wacky entries
.

Theme Entries:

• 24A: Salon tool for recalcitrant customers? (STYLING GAVEL).
• 30A: Not the best purple flower? (SUB-PRIME LAVENDER).
• 45A: Where the experts hang out? (MAVENS' ROOM).
• 64A: Colorado brewer's rodent mascot? (COORS BEAVER).
• 77A: Culinary product of a French-Italian region? (SAVOY SAUCE).
• 97A: Group that ruins commercials? (AD HAVOC COMMITTEE).
• 104A: Bad news about a tooth? (TWIN CAVITIES).
• 15D: Prefer Hitchcock's Bodega Bay classic to his other films? (FAVOR THE BIRDS). 
• 52D: Cryptologist's rant? (DECODER RAVING).

Hey, puzzle fans. Doug here. Today's puzzle is by Dan Naddor, and it's a winner. Solid theme and lots of fun entries throughout the grid. I enjoyed solving it, but I found myself slowing down as I neared the end, savoring the last few answers. This is Dan's final puzzle for the L.A. Times. For those of you who don't know the story, Dan passed away in December 2009 from complications related to cancer. He was an amazingly prolific constructor, and it's wonderful that his puzzles continued to run, bringing humor and joy to his many fans. Rich Norris published over 150 of Dan's puzzles, and it seemed like they'd go on forever. He leaves behind a legacy of creativity and craftsmanship that few can match. Next time you're in a bookstore, pick up an L.A. Times Crossword collection. I can guarantee it'll be jam-packed with Dan's puzzles. They're worth solving again.

Bullets:

• 1A: "This ___ fine mess you've gotten us into, Ollie!" (IS A). ISA isn't a great entry, but the clue is genius. You read the clue, think of Laurel and Hardy, and forget all about the awkwardness of the entry.
• 18A: Three-time all-star closer Robb (NEN). One of those weird names that non-baseball people must hate.

• 22A: Hunter attachment? (GATHERER). Hunter-gatherer.
• 24A: Salon tool for recalcitrant customers? (STYLING GAVEL). So the hairdresser bonks someone on the head with a gavel, accompanied by a Three Stooges-style empty-coconut sound effect. I love it.
• 34A: Statistical hypothesis trial (T-TEST). I vaguely remember this from Statistics class. If I look it up and try to explain it, I'm going to give myself a headache.
• 61A: Boss's address? (E STREET). Bruce Springsteen ("The Boss") and his E Street Band. Awesome clue!
• 82A: Semicircular antenna housing (RADOME). I had to get this one from the crossing entries, and I wasn't sure whether it was a "radome" or an "R.A. dome." Turns out it's "radome," short for "radar dome." OK, I think we can all remember that the next time it shows up in a grid.
• 13D: USAF E-6 (TSGT). Short for Technical Sergeant. Do you have to pass a T-test to become a T-Sergeant?
• 41D: Wrestling holds (NELSONS). For this entry, I couldn't decide whether to use an Iowa Hawkeyes (real) wrestling video, or a "Rowdy" Roddy Piper (fake) wrestling video. So I found a pair of Nelsons that everyone will enjoy.

• 70A: Recently discontinued retro Chrysler (PT CRUISER). Very cool entry. For those of you who like mini-themes, today we have PT Cruiser, V-chip, A sharp, t-test, E Street, TSgt, MLife, and N-Go.
• 96A: Abba of Israel (EBAN). If you're not familiar with crossword mainstay Abba Eban, you might wonder how you're supposed to know the name of an Israeli Abba tribute band.

• 99A: MGM Resorts loyalty program (MLIFE). Tough answer, but easy to get from crossers. I always sign up for a players' club card when I'm in Vegas, but I never redeem the points. I also usually lose the card in about five minutes. 
• 105A: "Stop-___": UGK hit (N-GO). The song "Stop-N-Go" by the rap group Underground Kingz (UGK). Never heard of any of that. Maybe the Israeli Abba band will do a cover version. The album that features "Stop-N-Go" was produced by "AVEREXX, Below, DJ Paul & Juicy J, Jazze Pha, Joe Traxx, John Bido, Lil Jon, Marley Marl, MoMo, N.O. Joe, Pimp C, Swizz Beatz, DJ B-Do Scarface, and Yung Fyngas." That's a sweet list of rappy names.

I hope you all enjoyed the puzzle. Thanks, Dan!

04.16 Sat

S A T U R D A Y
April 16, 2011
Brad Wilber

Theme: None — It's Saturday!

This puzzle is pretty much exactly what I expected when I saw that it was constructed by Brad Wilber: Tough but fair. Okay, fair for the most part. OPPUGN? Who says that? I tried IMPUGN first. I don't really know what IMPUGN means, but (a) [2D: Call into question] seems like a reasonable guess and (b) it's a word I've actually heard of. I had all kindsa trouble in that northwest corner. At first I had WENT BAD for GONE BAD (1A: Turned to a life of crime) and DYE for DOT (7D: Bespeckle). My very first thought for [18A: Grant, for one] was LOU, but I was all "Nah. It couldn't be." But it was! It all came together eventually, but it was a struggle.

Before we get to the bullets, let me just mention that tomorrow's puzzle will be the final Dan Naddor puzzle. For those of you who don't know about Dan, he was a prolific constructor who I think just really had a gift for it. I don't know when he first started publishing puzzles in the L.A. Times, but the first of his puzzles that we blogged here at LACC was on the blog's second day of existence in March 2009. What a lot of people didn't know at that time was that Dan was constructing his puzzles at the same time he was going through a rough battle with cancer. Dan died in December 2009 leaving Rich Norris 37 (by my count) accepted/publishable puzzles. We have been treated to Dan's work a couple times per month since his death and tomorrow's puzzle will be his last. Doug will be here with the write-up and I hope you'll join us here.

As for today's puzzle:

As usual on a Saturday, there were some things I just flat-out didn't know:

• 26D: "A Tiger Walks" star (SABU). Pretty sure I've seen this name in a puzzle before, but it meant nothing to me then and means nothing to me today. Sorry, SABU, whoever you are.
• 50D: 2009 U.S. Open champ Glover (LUCAS). Not even sure which sport this is, though I suspect it's golf.
• 53D: Eva Marie's "On the Waterfront" role (EDIE). Notice how the actress's first name is used in the clue to hint that the answer will be the character's first name.

Highlights of the grid for me today include:

• 35A: Summertime response to a wave? (HOT ENOUGH FOR YOU?). Such a dorky thing to say.
• 61A: "Viaducts Break Ranks" painter (PAUL KLEE). I like it when both first and last names are used.
• 63A: 6-Down, nowadays (USED CAR).
• 5D: Puts up gates, say (BABYPROOFS).
• 30D: Menacingly complex, as a bureaucracy (KAFKAESQUE).

Bullets:

• 14A: Eugene O'Neill character? (CAPITAL O). We talked about these "literal letter" clues a while back in CW101.
• 17A: NFL coach with the most career postseason wins (LANDRY). PuzzleHusband is always eager to help me with puzzles although most of the time he's pretty useless (nothing personal, honey!). So when I see a clue that I think he might know, I'll shout it out. He didn't know this one for sure, but LANDRY was his first guess and when I checked the crosses, it looked like it would work. That should hold him for a while.

• 23A: Not flush (POOR). Did you want PALE here? I know I did.
• 40A: Searched, in a way (FRISKED). Sent the PuzzleKids off to visit their grandma yesterday and went through one of those newfangled airport scanners for the first time. I didn't see the actual scan. That's probably a good thing.
• 41A: Six-time Sugar Bowl victors, briefly (LSU). Louisiana State University Tigers.
• 49A: Guernsey, for one (ISLE). To me, Guernsey is an office supplies store, so I had to shift gears for this one.
• 54A: "Royal Pains" network (USA). I don't even know what "Royal Pains" is but it could probably be the title of a reality show right about … now.
• 60A: Cocktail flavored with orgeat syrup (MAI TAI). Mmm, orgeat syrup. (Just kidding. I have no idea what that is.)
• 12D: Harem (SERAGLIO). There's some high-end vocab in this puzzle, dontcha think? See also 33D: Murky (TURBID).

• 20D: Big name in candy corn (BRACH'S). I'm all, "There's a big name in candy corn?"
• 55D: Word heard after a countdown (AULD). After the countdown to midnight on New Year's Eve, there's usually a rousing rendition of "Auld Lang Syne." Or something.
• 57D: Nice address: Abbr. (MME.). We've talked about the tricky "Nice" clues before. In this clue, "Nice" refers to the french city.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 21A: Physics units (ERGS).
• 4D: Itinerary nos. (ETA'S).
• 6D: Olds introduced in '98 (ALERO).
• 8D: City with the newspaper Aftenposten (OSLO).
• 34D: Frequent producer for Eminem (DR. DRE).
• 58D: "The Simpsons" Squishee seller (APU).

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Everything Else — 8A: Become absorbed (OSMOSE); 15A: Scorched (SEARED); 16A: Order in a preschool classroom (ALPHABET); 19A: Half of the UAR (SYR.); 20A: Surname of 15th/16th-century Pope Alexander VI (BORGIA); 25A: Is wistful (for) (LONGS); 27A: 1959 winner of a record 11 Oscars (BEN HUR); 29A: Debauchee (RAKE); 31A: In imitation of (ALA); 32A: Kinsey Institute Library collection (EROTICA); 34A: Negligible amount (DRIB); 39A: Skeptic's retort (I BET); 42A: Literary ID (ISBN); 43A: Lineups (ARRAYS); 47A: Preeminent industrialist (TITAN); 51A: Citation space-saver (ET AL.); 52A: Sidestepped (DODGED); 56A: It had a hub at JFK (TWA); 57A: Took umbrage at (MINDED); 58A: Familiarize (ACQUAINT); 62A: Extra number (ENCORE); 1D: In abundance (GALORE); 3D: Biomedical research agcy. (NIH); 9D: Ambien maker (SEARLE); 10D: Chutney fruit (MANGO); 11D: Prosaic (ORDINARY); 13D: Joseph of ice cream fame (EDY); 14D: Canaan infiltrator (CALEB); 22D: Word with cake or metal (SHEET); 24D: Sources (ORIGINS); 28D: Catering dispenser (URN); 35D: Highest degree (HILT); 36D: Volcanic glass (OBSIDIAN); 37D: Frankfurter adjective (TEUTONIC); 38D: "Not stepping __ the bounds of modesty": Juliet (O'ER); 42D: Ready to roll (IN GEAR); 44D: Fifth-century invader of Gaul (ATTILA); 45D: Hardly a moving picture? (YAWNER); 46D: Group of candidates (SLATE); 48D: Augment (ADD TO); 59D: Pedigree-tracking org. (AKC).

04.15 Fri

F R I D A Y
April 15, 2011
Matt Matera

Theme: A Different Kind of Add-a-Letter Theme — Each theme answer is the name of a person who is commonly known by two initials and last name. A third letter is added to the first two initials to create a well-known initialism. And then the clue is, of course, wacky.

Theme answers:

• 1A: Fantasy author and forensic pathologist? (C.S.I. LEWIS).
• 22A: Behaviorist and teen confidant? (B.F.F. SKINNER).
• 33A: Huckster and school supporter? (P.T.A. BARNUM).
• 49A: British novelist and medic? (E.M.T. FORSTER).
• 63A: Children's author and roadside helper? (A.A.A. MILNE).

Again with the awesome theme! Really, really enjoyed this one. In fact, it was only after I had the whole puzzle solved and was going back through the entries in preparation for this write-up that I noticed all the little crappy fill. It honestly didn't bother me while I was solving because I was so intent on figuring out the theme answers, which I thought were really clever and amusing. The only answer that really made me scratch my head during the solve was PILAR, which apparently means [20A: Hairy]. Who knew? Well, I bet Gayle Dean knew. Dean used this clue/answer combo in a Sunday L.A. Times puzzle in August 2004. Since that time, according to the data base at cruciverb.com, it's been used three times in Sunday New York Times puzzles (2005, 2008, and 2010) and once in a Friday Wall Street Journal (2009). So. If the past is any predictor, chances are you won't see this word for another 6–7 years if you only solve the LAT. And I think that's a good thing. As for the rest of the three-letter fill in this grid, you'll be seeing all those entries a lot more often but, with any luck, not all in the same grid.

Did I mention how much I enjoyed this theme?

Highlights in the grid for me include:

• 57A: University of Cincinnati team (BEARCATS).
• 60A: Gangster's gun, in old-timey slang (ROSCOE).
• 42D: Hoops embarrassment (AIRBALL).

Bullets:

• 15A: Reason for a pass (LATENESS). I was thinking sports here, but this is about being late for school and needing a "late pass" from the office.
• 19A: It merged with Kmart in 2005 (SEARS). I had a thing at work yesterday that involved Kmart and SEARS and a lot of anxiety. Not Fun to see this in the grid today!
• 32A: Indeed (YEA). I think this clue needs a "slangily."
• 41A: Inspiration for the Frisbee (PIE PLATE). HAha! "Here's the last piece of pie, honey. Hmm… Look at this pie plate. Doesn't it look like it would be fun to fling it across the room? Let's see if Fido will catch it!"
• 62A: Most people (ASIANS). I've seen this clue before and I Love it.

• 12D: Maura of "ER" (TIERNEY). She also played Lisa on "Newsradio," which I was just talking about yesterday!
• 22D: Theda of silents (BARA). Theda BARA, Zasu Pitts … I think there's one more silent film star you need to know for puzzles. Anyone?
• 24D: Run-down theater (FLEA PIT). Is this, like, lingo in the biz?
• 40D: Fraternity founded at New York University in 1847 (ZETA PSI). Could have clued this as "Two random Greek letters" and I would have gotten it just as easily.

• 53D: Boater's edge (BRIM). The boater in this clue is a hat.
• 54D: When Tony sings "Maria" (ACT I). "West Side Story"? That's my guess.
• 55D: Time often named (ERA). As in: The Steroid Era, The Big Band Era, The Crossword Blog Era. (Hey, a girl can dream.)
• 58D: Spain's Queen Victoria Eugenia, familiarly (ENA). I was going to include this in the CW101 round-up, but it turns out when I originally talked about ENA, I only mentioned the "Bambi's aunt" clue, which is what you'll see 99% of the time. The other 1%, you'll see a Spanish queen clue like this one.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 5D: Tolkien's Skinbark and Leaflock, e.g. (ENTS).
• 14D: Paris possessive (SES).
• 25D: Before, in verse (ERE).
• 29D: Babbling Addams character (ITT).
• 48D: Brit. military award (DSO).

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Everything Else — 9A: Jah worshipers (RASTAS); 16A: Strike caller (UMPIRE); 17A: German shepherd (ALSATIAN); 18A: Some special forces headgear (BERETS); 21A: High sch. VIPs (SRS.); 27A: At first blush (INITIALLY); 30A: Teen follower? (-AGERS); 31A: Infer (CONSTRUE); 38A: Toon dynamo, familiarly (TAZ); 45A: Lieu (STEAD); 48A: Time, for one (DIMENSION); 51A: CD-__ (ROM); 52A: Droid in every "Star Wars" film (ARTOO); 53A: Sweet cake that's an Easter tradition in Eastern Europe (BABKA); 55A: Spots (ESPIES); 61A: Permits (ENTITLES); 1D: Thing that endures (CLASSIC); 2D: Port of SW Italy (SALERNO); 3D: "That's just wrong" ("IT'S A SIN"); 4D: "That way madness lies" speaker (LEAR); 6D: China's Northern __ Dynasty, 386-534 AD (WEI); 7D: First of the Maj. Prophets (ISA.); 8D: Three-part fig. (SSN); 9D: Creator of a popular six-color puzzle (RUBIK); 10D: First name in aviation (AMELIA); 11D: Paid (for) (SPRANG); 13D: Lost __ (ART); 14D: Paris possessive (SES); 20D: Adler's subj. (PSY.); 23D: Bungle (FLUB); 26D: Where Mandela was pres. (RSA); 28D: Dosage abbr. (TSP.); 34D: Coleridge work (RIME); 35D: __-do-well (NE'ER); 36D: Network that merged with The WB (UPN); 37D: David Beckham's org. (MLS); 38D: Half a fly (TSE); 39D: Withdrawal aid, briefly (ATM); 43D: Caught one's breath (TOOK TEN); 44D: As one (EN MASSE); 46D: Lesotho's home (AFRICA); 47D: Spoil rotten (DOTE ON); 50D: Lover's gift (ROSES); 56D: Under-the-sink brand (SOS); 57D: Arthur of "All in the Family" (BEA); 59D: __ snail's pace (AT A).

04.14 Thu

T H U R S D A Y
April 14, 2011
Daniel A. Finan

Theme: Embedded Answers — The clue to each theme answer is a word hidden within the first word of the answer itself. And the answer phrase can be said to describe the clue word. Capiche?

Theme answers:

• 20A: Pan? (COMPANION PIECE). The word PAN can be found hidden in the word COMPANION. Therefore, you might say PAN is a PIECE of COMPANION: a COMPANION PIECE.
• 33A/44A: Ten? (SENTENCE FRAGMENT). The word TEN is hidden in the word SENTENCE, so it's a FRAGMENT of the word SENTENCE: a SENTENCE FRAGMENT.
• 54A: Kin? (SMOKING SECTION). You're getting it now, right? The word KIN is hidden in the word SMOKING. It's a SECTION of the word SMOKING: a SMOKING SECTION.

Super cool theme today. Tricky to catch onto and topped off with a very nice aha moment. Nicely done!

My favorite entries:

• 4D: Emulate Cyrano (WAX POETIC). Because it looks cool in the grid.
• 5D: It may be reckless (ABANDON). Because that's an awesome clue.
• 11D: Afro-sporting "Mod Squad" character (LINC). Because I always loved LINC.

Bullets:

• 9A: Hyphenated dessert name (JELL-O). I probably wouldn't have remembered to put the hyphen in this answer if it had been clued differently.

• 15A: Liner danger (BERG). Ha! Again!
• 23A: Relative of -like (-OID). I remember reading an article about how people have begun using the suffix -OID to mean "little" instead of "like." Especially with the word FACTOID. So what FACTOID really means is something that's not a fact but is, instead, fact-like. But usually when people say the word FACTOID, they mean, like, a piece of trivia that's true. I can tell you're fascinated.
• 30A: Moo chew? (CUD). Ew.
• 48A: Birling roller (LOG). Pretty sure I learned what "birling" is when it appeared in a grid a couple years ago. Couldn't exactly pull it from the cobwebs though. Had to get this one through crosses.
• 63A: Veal piccata ingredient (LEMON). Me: "Um … veal?"

• 65A: N.L. East squad (NATS). I think I mentioned that my new boss is a huge Washington Nationals fan. I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to become something of a fan just so I can have intelligent conversations with him during baseball season. I'll let you know how that goes. And when the hell will Strassburg be back in the line-up?
• 66A: Country sound (TWANG).



• 1D: Very smart (CHIC). I love this definition of "smart." It's never the first one I think of. I tried WISE first.

• 12D: Vacation location (LAKE). Did I ever tell you about the time we took a PuzzleFamily vacation at Platte River State Park? PuzzleHusband thought we should "rent a cabin" or something so I got us all lined up at the Platte River State Park which is just outside of Omaha. Turns out he meant, like, a cabin on one of the Great Lakes or something. He has never let me live it down that I planned a family vacation in Omaha. We had a great time though. He doesn't like to admit that part.
• 30D: Actor's day job? (CAMEO). Okay, this one took me a minute. Does this mean that an actor with a CAMEO part probably only has to be on the set for one day? That's how I made sense of it. Let me know what you think.
• 31D: SEC school that retired Peyton Manning's number (U. TENN.). Any Tennesseans here? I'm gonna need a ruling on whether U. TENN. is an acceptable abbreviation for the University of Tennessee.

• 45D: Hall of fame (ARSENIO). Do the kids even remember ARSENIO Hall? His 15 minutes didn't seem to last very long.
• 56D: Did some selling out (SANG). Here's another one that I didn't understand right away. I think this refers to, like, an informant. Right?

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 37A: Former lover of Riker on "Star Trek: T.N.G." (TROI).
• 38A: Pontiff's wear (ALB).
• 53A: Airline to Copenhagen (SAS).
• 60A: Centipede maker (ATARI).
• 61A: Spice (ELAN).
• 67A: Golden Fleece vessel (ARGO).
• 10D: Some native New Yorkers (ERIES).

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Everything Else — 1A: Flying group (CREW); 5A: Comic Johnson (ARTE); 14A: Half dodeca- (HEXA-); 16A: Hater of David, in Dickens (URIAH); 17A: Theater giant? (IMAX); 18A: In __: confused (A FOG); 19A: High humor? (JINKS); 24A: Wine bar offerings (PORTS); 25A: Moshe Dayan's "oxygen of the soul" (FREEDOM); 29A: Guff (GAS); 35A: Change genetically (MUTATE); 40A: Foreshadowing (OMEN); 41A: Service station vessel (OIL CAN); 47A: Org. whose members are concerned with lies (PGA); 50A: Radius, e.g. (ARM BONE); 51A: San __: San Francisco Bay city (MATEO); 61A: Spice (ELAN); 62A: Yes-__ question (OR-NO); 64A: Part of Caesar's boast (VENI); 68A: Sin in the film "Se7en" (ENVY); 2D: San __ (REMO); 3D: Student's stressor (EXAM); 6D: Update mtge. terms (REFI); 7D: Band (TROOP); 8D: Quaff garnished with nutmeg (EGG NOG); 9D: Technique of ancient samurai (JUJITSU); 13D: Cries of understanding (OHS); 21D: Hill worker (AIDE); 22D: Buggy relative (PRAM); 25D: Depth-of-field setting (F-STOP); 26D: Outfit again (RERIG); 27D: __ Gay (ENOLA); 28D: George Strait label (MCA); 32D: Pasta al __ (DENTE); 34D: Santa's 21-Down (ELF); 36D: O.K. Corral town (TOMBSTONE); 39D: It's usually uplifting (BRA); 42D: Diced and served in a mushroom cream sauce (ALA KING); 43D: "Don't look at me!" "NOT I!"); 46D: Ally Financial Inc., formerly (GMAC); 49D: City on the Rhone (GENEVA); 51D: Jerk (MORON); 52D: Stare master? (OGLER); 54D: Ratatouille, for one (STEW); 55D: Doll's word (MAMA); 57D: Mashhad is its second-largest city (IRAN); 58D: Airing (ON TV); 59D: Intrusive (NOSY); 60D: PC key (ALT).

04.13 Wed

W E D N E S D A Y
April 13, 2011
Michael Blake

Theme: Check, please! — The beginning of each theme answer can be a synonym for "check" (the kind you get in a restaurant).

Theme answers:

• 20A: Unable to reach a human, no matter which buttons one presses (IN VOICEMAIL JAIL).
• 25A: Word processor setting (TAB ALIGNMENT).
• 42A: 1791 legislation (BILL OF RIGHTS).
• 48A: Verify ahead of time, and a hint to what 20-, 25- and 42-Across have in common (CHECK BEFOREHAND).

Please tell me I'm not the only one who confidently entered IN VOICEMAIL HELL for the first theme answer. Except for that one mistake, this was a smooth, smooth puzzle. I started in the northwest and made my way around the grid counter-clockwise with maybe a hiccup or two along the way, but nothing major. Until I got back up to the northeast corner. The funny thing is that I literally thought to myself, "It's so funny how I can never remember which spelling of ALTAR/ALTER is the one I need," before plopping in ALTER. Which was, ya know, wrong. But with ALTER and SCOLD in place (which sure seemed right for 13D: Bawl out), the rest of that corner might as well have been Japanese (I learned back in college that's how Greek people describe something incomprehensible to them -- true story!). Good old ST.-LÔ seemed like a reasonable answer for 19A: "Battle for __": Peter Yates WWII book, it being a WWII battle site and all. That left me with *ELLE for 12D: Prove false and *ASHET for 10D: Stove nozzle. With the letters I had in place, 10A: Blabbers could have been JAWS, YAPS, and probably a few other things (GABS, maybe?). It occurred to me that 10D: Stove nozzle might be GASKET (what the hell do I know?) and that was my first inkling that I had the theme answer wrong. Erased HELL, saw my spelling mistake, finally saw BELIE and then we were in business. Whew! Tought little corner there for me today!

Bullets:

• 5A: Political channel (C-SPAN). Ever watch "Newsradio"? I remember an episode where Lisa was talking about not having a TV because TV is so stupid, etc., and then she learned about C-SPAN and was completely rapt. Yay, nerd girl!

• 17A: Titanic bane (BERG). See, this is why blogging sometime takes so long. I thought I might include a picture of the actor/director Peter BERG here. I went to college with him one year — I wasn't great friends with him or anything, but since I did know him I'm always kind of interested when I hear about his career. Anyway. I thought to myself, "Hm, I wonder if he's on Facebook. Probably not." So I went to look and found a fan page for him, spent a little time wandering around there and then saw where people had posted pictures of themselves with Peter. Of course, a few people posted pictures from college and, this is pretty funny: One of the pictures includes one of the Greek guys that taught me the whole "it's Japanese to me" thing. But my point is, the whole time I was doing that I should have been writing. And now I'm behind schedule. Oh the trials and tribulations of a crossword blogger.
• 41A: Bed that can be stored during the day (FUTON). Or not.
• 61A: Without (SANS). This is French (French!), but I guess it's used widely enough in English that the clue doesn't need to hint at its Frenchness.

• 63A: White man's makeup? (SNOW). Ooh. I was once pejoratively referred to as a "snow person." Not like when I was a kid and people called me Casper because I was really really blonde and really really light-skinned. In this case it was just because I'm white. That was the first and last time I ever heard the term "snow person" used like that so I'm not saying this clue/answer pair is offensive, I'm just saying it triggered an icky memory for me.
• 3D: Wonderful, in slang (MARV). Who says this?

• 5D: Affectedly elegant (CHICHI).
• 7D: Fellow suspect of Mustard (PLUM). Clue!
• 8D: 1998 Sarah McLachlan hit (ADIA). The way I remember the Sarah McLachlan song is that I know it's like AIDA only different.
• 33D: Sister of Meg, Jo and Amy (BETH). Little Women.
• 45D: Birch of "American Beauty" (THORA). The only THORA I've ever heard of is the grandma on that PBS Kids show, "Arthur." It seems like an awesome name for a grandma, um, what is Arthur again? Some type of rodent. I don't remember. Anyway, it's a good name for a rodent grandma. Not so much for a beautiful young starlet. Just my opinion.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 14A: Actor Sharif (OMAR).
• 16A: Brother of Daniel, William and Stephen (ALEC).
• 19A: "Battle for __": Peter Yates WWII book (ST.-LÔ).
• 55A: Skye of film (IONE).
• 49D: Galway's land (EIRE).
• 51D: Bassoon kin (OBOE).
• 52D: Server's edge, in tennis (AD IN).

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Everything Else — 1A: Explorer Vasco da __ (GAMA); 15A: Broom rider of comics (HILDA); 18A: Alaskan native (INUIT); 23A: Highest ordinal number? (NTH); 24A: Changed course (VEERED); 31A: Ryder rival (U-HAUL); 32A: Screech owls don't make them (HOOTS); 33A: 'Hood pal (BRO); 36A: It may be put in a washer (BOLT); 37A: Bingo relative (LOTTO); 38A: Pet plaint (MEOW); 39A: Observe (EYE); 40A: First of 12 popes (PIUS I); 44A: Prison in 1971 headlines (ATTICA); 47A: Some pop-ups (ADS); 56A: Mythical weeper (NIOBE); 57A: Baking soda target (ODOR); 58A: Let go (DROP); 59A: Swashbuckling Flynn (ERROL); 60A: Mosaic piece (TILE); 62A: Type in again (REKEY); 1D: Mongolian desert (GOBI); 2D: Congregational yes (AMEN); 4D: Mythical sailor (ARGONAUT); 6D: Trig function (SINE); 9D: Hailing from (NATIVE TO); 11D: Hitching post? (ALTAR); 21D: "__ have to do" (IT'LL); 22D: Camera eye (LENS); 25D: Poster mailer (TUBE); 26D: Greeting from a deck (AHOY); 27D: Hayride seat (BALE); 28D: Grave robber (GHOUL); 29D: False (NOT SO); 30D: Theme (MOTIF); 34D: Carrot or cassava (ROOT); 35D: Has title to (OWNS); 37D: Tiny Yokum's big brother (LI'L ABNER); 38D: Pictures of perps (MUGSHOTS); 40D: Elect (PICK); 41D: Bona __ (FIDE); 42D: Curl beneficiary (BICEPS); 43D: Hardly ever (RARELY); 44D: Etching supplies (ACIDS); 46D: Mortise's mate (TENON); 50D: Driver's decision point (FORK); 53D: Court plea, for short (NOLO); 54D: Depicted (DREW).

04.12 Tue

T U E S D A Y
April 12, 2011
Jerome Gunderson

Theme: On-Again Off-Again — Each theme answer is a compound word or a two-word phrase where each of the two parts can be preceded by both ON and OFF in familiar phrases.

Theme answers:

• 17A: Where sea meets sand (SHORELINE).
• 25A: Behind-the-scenes worker (STAGEHAND).
• 51A: Distract (SIDETRACK).
• 61A: Sentry's job (GUARD DUTY).
• 37A: Light controller—either of its first two words can precede either part of 17-, 25-, 51- and 61-Across (ON/OFF SWITCH).

Very nice theme for our Tuesday puzzle this week. I thought the reveal clue seemed more convoluted than was probably necessary, but I didn't really spend any time trying to come up with something better, so you can take that criticism with a grain of salt. Theme answers themselves are nice, especially STAGEHAND and SIDETRACK. Nothing super sparkly in the grid, only a little bit of crosswordese, seems like the abbreviations were all kinda bunched there in the middle so by the time I got to ALT. (after DEC. and RTE.) I thought "Okay, enough with the abbreviations already!" and then there weren't any more. Made me feel like I had special powers or something.

Two words in the grid made me chuckle because to me they're just strange words. TATAR (59A: Steppes native) and PITHY (42A: Brief and forceful). To me, TATAR always seems like it should be something else — TARTAR? TARTAN? — or maybe it's like someone trying to say TATER in a hifalutin way. And PITHY, well that just sounds like someone lisping, right? I actually used the word "pissy" in an email this morning. (If you're wondering — and I'm sure you are — I was telling someone in my office that I was in a pissy mood and it kinda seemed like this other person in the office needed to be yelled at so I was volunteering.)

Bullets:

• 5A: Syrup brand (KARO). Mmmm, syrup.
• 9A: Scatter (STREW). Oh here's another one. I know this is a perfectly legitimate word but have you ever heard it actually used? Or have you only heard it as, like, something STREWN about?
• 19A: Like most attics (DUSTY). I tried MUSTY first. I guess the basement is more MUSTY and the attic is more DUSTY.



• 23A: Links elevator? (TEE). Cute. The TEE "elevates" the golfball.
• 56A: Place for a pint (BAR) and Place for a cup (BRA). Cute.

• 10D: Liar's undoing (TRUTH). Oh if only this were true. Sometimes the TRUTH doesn't seem to make any difference. Sigh.
• 39D: Suffix with cord (-ITE). I don't think I know what "cordite" is. Should I look it up? Oh okay, I will. Hold on.
  

  cordite noun: a smokeless powder composed of nitroglycerin, guncotton, and a petroleum substance usually gelatinized by addition of acetone and pressed into cords resembling brown twine.

  Alrighty then.
• 50D: Western dry lakes (PLAYAS). Again, I'm sure this is right, but it doesn't fit with my experience of the word PLAYA. I mean, PLAYA is a beach right? I was tyring to think of ARROYO and, what's the one that starts with W? WADI? Yes, WADI. I think those things are all related, but different.

Crosswordese 101: I don't really know what an ARBitrageur is (except that it is presumably a person who engages in ARBitrage). All I know is that ARBitrage has something to do with Wall Street trading and hedging. Thank goodness that's all I need to know for crossword-puzzle purposes. Clues for ARB will almost always include one word from Group A and one from Group B:

Group A: Wall St., NYSE, market, trading, hedge fund
Group B: hedger, trader, specialist, whiz, figure

See how today's 45D: Wall St. hedger follows the pattern? Well, that's pretty much what you need to know about ARB.

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

• 24A: Old Great Lakes natives (ERIES).
• 64A: Cold capital? (OSLO).
• 6D: George W.'s first press secretary (ARI).
• 27D: __ Spiegel: German magazine (DER).

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Everything Else — 1A: Poker Flat chronicler Harte (BRET); 14A: Plane opening? (AERO-); 15A: Farsi-speaking republic (IRAN); 16A: Sports venue (ARENA); 20A: Mob enforcer (HITMAN); 21A: Gp. concerned with fluoride safety (ADA); 28A: Christmas mo. (DEC.); 29A: Water temperature gauge? (TOE); 31A: Pro vote (YEA); 32A: USPS carrier's assignment (RTE.); 33A: Words of sympathy (I CARE); 35A: Potato cutter (RICER); 40A: Flora eaters, perhaps (FAUNA); 43A: Pilot's no. (ALT.); 44A: Toothed tool (SAW); 47A: Unused (NEW); 48A: Rock guitarist's aid (AMP); 54A: Spring time (APRIL); 58A: Anatomical ring (AREOLA); 63A: Carrying a lot of weight (OBESE); 65A: Largest continent (ASIA); 66A: Used hip boots (WADED); 67A: Feat (DEED); 68A: Winemaking waste (LEES); 1D: Lambasted (BASHED); 2D: Put to work again (REHIRE); 3D: Titillating (EROTIC); 4D: Singer with the Mel-Tones (TORMÉ); 5D: Brick baker (KILN); 7D: Attacked with clubs and such (RAN AT); 8D: In the future (ONE DAY); 9D: Glum (SAD); 11D: Fact-finding process (RESEARCH); 12D: Understanding between nations (ENTENTE); 13D: Method (WAY); 18D: It stretches from Maine to Florida (EAST COAST); 22D: Make better, as cheddar (AGE); 25D: Lord's laborer (SERF); 26D: Falling object's direction (EARTHWARD); 30D: Stumblebum (OAF); 33D: Roadside rest stop (INN); 34D: Clairvoyance, briefly (ESP); 36D: Like many a slick road (ICY); 37D: Passé (OUTDATED); 38D: Lash flash? (WINK); 40D: Scale fourths (FAS); 41D: Fictional Arabic woodcutter (ALI BABA); 46D: Ares or Mars (WAR GOD); 48D: Stimulate (AROUSE); 49D: Uncle __: Berle nickname (MILTIE); 52D: How to turn something into nothing? (ERASE); 53D: Effect's partner (CAUSE); 55D: Go by bike (PEDAL); 58D: Youngest to reach 500 HRs (A-ROD); 59D: Auto club offering (TOW); 60D: What mad people see? (RED); 62D: Pint contents (ALE).

04.11 Mon

M O N D A Y
April 11, 2011
Gareth Bain

Theme: Signed, Sealed, Delivered — Theme answers begin with words that can be words for the elements of a postal address.

Theme answers:

• 18A: "I'll pay whatever you're asking" (NAME A PRICE).
• 30A: Cost to the customer, as of illicit drugs (STREET VALUE).
• 36A: Smooth urbanite (CITY SLICKER).
• 44A: Subject of a highly classified file (STATE SECRET).
• 59A: "Not another word!" (ZIP YOUR LIP).

Looks like we're starting the week off with a fine Monday offering from Mr. Bain. This is one of those puzzles where the theme was no help to me at all — I didn't actually figure it out until after the grid was completely full — and on a Monday that means my time turns out to be significantly slower than usual. I don't talk a lot about speed here on the blog because I know a lot of people aren't speed-solvers and don't care, but I enjoy the challenge of speed-solving and if I happen to be either particularly slow or particularly fast on a particular puzzle, it's interesting for me to try to determine why. I think of myself as a four-to-four-and-a-half-minute Monday solver, although I think that's actually being kind of conservative these days. Since I started solving puzzles obsessively regularly, my speed has definitely improved. I actually finished today's New York Times puzzle in 2:59, which is wicked fast for me. And this one? 4:45, which is quite a bit slower than usual. Like I said, though, I think the main thing that slowed me down was not getting any help from the theme. And I want to be clear, that's not a complaint, it's just an observation. Did the grid also include some un-Monday-ish entries? Hmm … I'm thinking TO BOOT and PHENOL and LACE-UPS are pretty high end for a Monday. (Ouch though! Just noticed BOOT in the grid and "Hiking boots" in the clues. That's a no-no!) So what do you all think? If you time yourself, were you slowed down today? If you don't time yourself, did it just seem a little harder than usual for a Monday?

I also noticed a lot of names in this grid. Personally, I like seeing names in my puzzles, but I know some people don't. Let's see who we've got lurking around today:

• 33A: Toon storekeeper from India (APU).
• 66A: Moorehead of "Bewitched" (AGNES).
• 11D: "The Guns of Navarone" author MacLean (ALISTAIR).
• 40D: Pres. after GWB (BHO).
• 46D: Director Hitchcock (ALFRED).
• 47D: "Cosby" actress Phylicia (RASHAD).
• 48D: Jerry's female friend, on "Seinfeld" (ELAINE).
• 59D: When doubled, a Gabor (ZSA).

That might be an interesting party.

Just a couple more things to mention and I'll be off to enjoy the rest of my Monday. Hope you do the same.

Bullets:

• 22A: Holy smoke (INCENSE). Nice clue.

• 34A: Problem for Pauline (PERIL). According to Wikipedia: "The Perils of Pauline is a motion picture serial shown in weekly installments featuring Pearl White as the title character. Pauline has often been cited as a famous example of a damsel in distress, although some analyses hold that her character was more resourceful and less helpless than the classic damsel stereotype." So, I hate to ask the obvious question here, but how is PEARL the title character when the character in the title is PAULINE? Just asking.
• 40A: Campus VIP (BMOC). Big Man On Campus.
• 51A: Mustard's rank: Abbr. (COL.). Clue!
• 67A: Chess standoff (DRAW). I thought it was called something else in chess. A stalemate? Oh I guess if you get to a stalemate in chess, then the games ends in a draw.
• 35D: Genealogy abbr. (DESC.). Descendant.

• 41D: Chopping, as garlic (MINCING). Are chopping and mincing the same thing? I mean in anybody's kitchen besides mine.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 17A: Bird sacred to Tut (IBIS).
• 20A: Doves' homes (COTES).
• 24A: Sportage automaker (KIA).
• 33A: Toon storekeeper from India (APU).
• 42A: Double-reed winds (OBOES).
• 68A: Yemen city on its own gulf (ADEN).

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Everything Else — 1A: Dance move (STEP); 5A: Give a free ticket to (COMP); 9A: __-Abyssinian War: 1936 Mussolini triumph (ITALO); 14A: Task list heading (TO-DO); 15A: Foot's curve (ARCH); 16A: Grinding tooth (MOLAR); 23A: "Rock and Roll, Hoochie __": 1974 hit (KOO); 27A: As __ as Methuselah (OLD); 28A: "... three men in a __" (TUB); 35A: Brake component (DISC); 43A: "She Done __ Wrong": Mae West film (HIM); 50A: Small bill (ONE); 52A: Audible dance style (TAP); 53A: Pub purchase (ALE); 54A: Homemade shorts (CUT-OFFS); 57A: Lazy __: revolving tray (SUSAN); 62A: Use UPS (SHIP); 63A: Sound that might accompany 37-Down (SNORT); 64A: French franc successor (EURO); 65A: "The __ Love": Gershwin song (MAN I); 1D: Pick-up __: toy (STICKS); 2D: Also (TO BOOT); 3D: Newspaper bigwig (EDITOR); 4D: Model's stance (POSE); 5D: Is able to (CAN); 6D: "... man __ mouse?" (OR A); 7D: Early 20th-century year (MCMI); 8D: Early antiseptic compound (PHENOL); 9D: Get in the way of (IMPEDE); 10D: In a dilemma (TORN); 12D: Hiking boots, e.g. (LACE-UPS); 13D: Galena or hematite (ORE); 19D: Civil rights gp. (ACLU); 21D: Trapshooting (SKEET); 25D: "Lord knows __!" (I TRY); 26D: Rent-a-car option (AVIS); 29D: Tampa NFLer (BUC); 31D: "Beowulf," e.g. (EPIC); 32D: Dole out (ALLOT); 36D: Discover fortuitously (COME UPON); 37D: Scoffer's words (I BET); 38D: __ Nostra (COSA); 39D: Hangs on to (KEEPS); 44D: Runs fast (SCOOTS); 45D: Vegan staple (TOFU); 49D: Part of a daunting split, in bowling (TEN PIN); 55D: Rugby radial (TYRE); 56D: Cast aspersions on (SLUR); 58D: West Point inits. (USMA); 60D: Savings vehicle for later yrs. (IRA); 61D: Comics punch sound (POW).

04.10 Sun (calendar)

S U N D A Y
April 10, 2011
Merl Reagle

[Note: This is the puzzle that appears in the Sunday L.A. Times newspaper. If you don't get the paper, you can find the puzzle here. Scroll down to see today's syndicated puzzle.]

Theme: "Sweet Music" — Songs and musicians with names of fruit in their names/titles.

Theme answers:

• 23A: Sweet hit of 1956 (BLUEBERRY HILL).
• 28A: Sweet group that sang "Cruel Summer" (BANANARAMA).
• 30A: Sweet group that sang "Green Tambourine" (THE LEMON PIPERS).
• 53A: Sweet group that did the score for "Risky Business" (TANGERINE DREAM).
• 58A/70A: Sweet hit of 1968 (I HEARD IT / THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE).
• 88A: Sweet hit by Prince (RASPBERRY BERET).
• 110A: Sweet soul duo of the 1960s (PEACHES AND HERB).
• 115A/122A: Sweet hit of 1967 (STRAWBERRY / FIELDS FOREVER).

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Everything Else — 1A: High-tech system on recon planes (AWACS); 6A: St. ___ Girl (PAULI); 11A: Cover some ground? (SOD); 14A: On the ___ (LAM); 17A: Pollute (BEFOUL); 19A: Swallow up (ENGULF); 21A: Bishop, for one (PRELATE); 25A: Now-computerized library feature (CATALOG); 26A: CIA precursor (OSS); 27A: Kin of "scat!" ("SHOO!"); 35A: Jazz job (GIG); 36A: ___ angle (AT AN); 37A: Carousing (ON A TEAR); 39A: Comedian Denis (LEARY); 43A: One-name singer of the 1960s (LULU); 46A: "SNL" alumnus (NEALON); 48A: Maugham's "Cakes and ___" (ALE); 50A: Green veggie (PEA); 51A: The end of ___ (AN ERA); 61A: Appearance (LOOKS); 62A: Inserts (ADDS); 63A: Little spasm (TIC); 64A: Hair color: abbr. (BRN.); 65A: "Judy's smile was ___" (from "Judy's Turn To Cry") (SO MEAN); 68A: Johnny Rivers hit, "Seventh ___" (SON); 76A: Pitching power (ARM); 77A: Music's Gibb and White (BARRYS); 78A: " ... ___ yellow submarine" (IN A); 79A: Controversial ability (ESP); 81A: Judge (DEEM); 84A: Wolfgang Puck's flagship restaurant (SPAGO); 86A: Sweet hit by Floyd Cramer (LAST DATE); 93A: Had lunch (EATEN); 94A: Venomous snake (ASP); 95A: Ear prefix (OTO-); 96A: VW model (PASSAT); 99A: "Cheers" co-star's first name (RHEA); 100A: "Cheers" co-star's last name (WENDT); 102A: McCartney, as a Beatle (BASSIST); 106A: Miami team (HEAT); 108A: Metric opener (ISO-); 119A: Chorus girl? (ALTO); 120A: "Is That All There Is" singer (LEE); 121A: Clipper's target (TOENAIL); 127A: Starts a paragraph (INDENTS); 128A: Slowpokes (SNAILS); 129A: Most innovative (NEWEST); 130A: River, to Rivera (RIO); 131A: Solid/rock insert (AS A); 132A: Bold (GUTSY); 133A: Challenges (DARES); 1D: Monk's main man (ABBOT); 2D: Like Tom Jones, by birth (WELSH); 3D: Blow ___ (flip out) (A FUSE); 4D: Olympic runner Sebastian (COE); 5D: Group within a group (SUBSET); 6D: Two-time Argentine president (PERÓN); 7D: "___ luck?" (ANY); 8D: Kin of "yuck" ("UGH"); 9D: Him, in Nimes (LUI); 10D: Skeptic's comeback (I'LL BET); 11D: Adoption agcy. of a sort (SPCA); 12D: Shaggy simian (ORANG); 13D: Intricate (DETAILED); 14D: In ___-land (LALA); 15D: Energy source (ATOM); 16D: Merger intro (MEGA); 18D: Former finance giant, ___ Brothers (LEHMAN); 20D: Burst of light (FLARE); 22D: Generous (LARGE); 24D: Late TV exec's first name (ROONE); 29D: Covert org. (NSA); 31D: Michelle's D.C. predecessor (LAURA); 32D: Silents star Negri (POLA); 33D: Break ___ (interrupt) (IN ON); 34D: Ache of a sort (PANG); 38D: Soldier's datum (RANK); 40D: Imitated (APED); 41D: Take in the paper (READ); 42D: Thanksgiving treats (YAMS); 43D: Milk, to Mimi (LAIT); 44D: Not struck (UNHIT); 45D: Parasite (LEECH); 47D: Try: abbr. (ATT.); 49D: Diminishes (LESSENS); 52D: Tree-shaded place (ARBOR); 54D: Poem of lament (ELEGY); 55D: Laughs loudly (ROARS); 56D: College in New Rochelle (IONA); 57D: Delhi princess (RANI); 59D: Band buy (DRUM SET); 60D: End to end? (-ING); 65D: Not natural, as theater (STAGY); 66D: Signature plaintive cry from "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (OH ROB); 67D: Sea, to Simone (MER); 69D: Egg-shaped (OVATE); 71D: Freeway access (RAMP); 72D: Girder type (H-BAR); 73D: Ms. Zadora (PIA); 74D: Under, to a poet (NEATH); 75D: First name in cosmetics (ESTEE); 80D: Alejandro or Tony of baseball (PEÑA); 81D: Lure (DRAW); 82D: Alleviate (EASE); 83D: Game network (ESPN); 85D: Math. assignment (PROB); 86D: Some mil. grads (LTS.); 87D: Luke's nemesis (DARTH); 89D: Zimbabwe neighbor (BOTSWANA); 90D: "Gilgamesh," for one (EPIC); 91D: Reckless (RASH); 92D: Cousin of norte (ESTE); 97D: Time and ___ (A HALF); 98D: Like some trucks (TEN-TON); 101D: TV's Sawyer (DIANE); 103D: Time to pay?: abbr. (APR.); 104D: Indentured ones (SERFS); 105D: Adage (SAYING); 107D: Thought the world of (ADORED); 109D: Late news? (OBITS); 111D: Pert (SASSY); 112D: Young eel (ELVER); 113D: Dodgers Hall of Famer (REESE); 114D: Parks and others (BERTS); 115D: Commotion (STIR); 116D: Singer Tennille (TONI); 117D: Design over (REDO); 118D: "Born Free" lion (ELSA); 123D: Evian water? (EAU); 124D: Tipsy (LIT); 125D: Injury rosters, in baseball: abbr. (DL'S); 126D: Aulin who played Candy in "Candy" (EWA).

04.10 Sun

S U N D A Y
April 10, 2011
Susan Miskimins

[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: "Heavy Duty" — Theme entries in which each word can follow the word TAX (115-Down) to make a familiar word or phrase: tax year, tax books, tax service, tax break, etc.

Theme Entries:

• 22A: *Memorabilia at a reunion (YEARBOOKS).
• 33A: *Venus's undoing, perhaps (SERVICE BREAK).
• 41A: *Reason to agree to a pact (TREATY BENEFIT).
• 68A: *Political platform buzzword (PRO-LIFE).
• 89A: *One profiting from bad debts (BILL COLLECTOR).
• 98A: *Frequent health care event (RATE INCREASE).
• 113A: *Contract seeker (FREE AGENT).
• 25D: *Sales promotion component (REBATE FORM). 
• 60D: *Many a bank record (CREDIT FILE). 
• 1D: With 115-Down, make a required contribution (PAY). 
• 115D: See 1-Down, and word that can precede both parts of the answers to the starred clues (TAX).

This is Doug, and I've been working all day (Saturday) on...taxes! Not my own tax return. I haven't even started that yet. I work at a small accounting firm, and we've got way too many returns left to file next week. I didn't need this puzzle to remind me that we're in Tax Season.

Some of the phrases work better than others. SERVICE BREAK leads to "tax service" and "tax break." Those are both fine. But PRO-LIFE gives us "tax pro" (OK) and "tax life" (huh?)

Bullets:

• 21A: Sand's "which" (QUEL). George Sand was a French novelist. "Quel" is French for "which," I assume. Yikes.
• 33A: *Venus's undoing, perhaps (SERVICE BREAK). "Venus" is Venus Williams and a service break is something that happens in tennis. Let me check. OK, it's "a tennis game won on the opponent's service." It seems like that could be a good thing or a bad thing for Venus, depending on whether or not she's serving. I'm confused. Can we get back to the baseball clues?
• 11D: John P. Sousa, e.g. (U.S.M.C. VET). At first I thought this had something to do with McDonalds: U.S McVet. Yeah, I'm tired.
• 16D: Move, as a restaurant patron (RESEAT).



Sorry, that's all I can do tonight. My posts will be longer after April 15th! Actually taxes are due on April 18th this year, but you get the idea.