S A T U R D A Y August 21, 2010 Robert H. Wolfe

Theme: None?


As you know, our Saturday puzzles are typically themeless. I don't think the 15s in this grid are coherent enough to be a theme, but they are certainly related and they are definitely cool:

• 17A: "I'll do it" ("LET ME HANDLE THIS").
• 38A: Words of disbelief (YOU'RE NOT SERIOUS).
• 58A: Words after thanks (I APPRECIATE THAT).

I had to fight this one pretty hard, but I did end up victorious. The bottom fell first, but I struggled a lot with the top. With the entire northwest corner empty, I just decided to start throwing in some down answers that were complete and total guesses. And they turned out to be right. Love when that happens! There were a few answers that meant nothing to me at all, so I think I'll look them up for you.

• 45A: Telepathy term (PSI). Okay, I thought this was P.S.I. and couldn't figure out what it might stand for. Turns out it's the Greek letter PSI and is simply a term from parapsychology. From a quick skim of the Wikipedia page, it seems the term can mean several different things, but they're all related. That's about as much interest as I can muster for this clue/answer.
• 8D: Biblical grazers (KINE). An archaic plural for cow.
• 60D: Some corp. officers (TRS). Can't figure this one out from first few pages of Google results. Anyone?

Other:

• 20A: WWII soldier in Africa (DESERT RAT). When PuzzleHusband and I lived in New Mexico, we used desertrats as a username on most thing. I do love the desert. Had never heard the term in relation to soldiers though (but I guess it makes sense).

• 21A: Application datum (SEX). Thought this might just as well be "SSN" or "age" so had to wait for the crosses (which didn't come particularly quickly).
• 24A: Chem class abbr. (AT. WT.). Atomic Weight. We've talked about it in CW101.
• 27A: Gave (out) (METED). Here's another one where it could just as easily have been "doled," so I'm looking at the crosses again.
• 31A: Half a laugh (HEH). I tried "hee" here first, but it worked itself out pretty easily. I actually use just the one HEH quite often. But that's really more of a snicker than a laugh.
• 40A: Hall of Fame Vikings lineman Carl (ELLER). He happened to be an active player around the time I used to pay attention to football, so I was thankful for the gimme.

• 61A: Early MTV staple (VIDEO). Remember way back in the old days when MTV played VIDEOs?
• 1D: Longest note? (SOL). This clue refers to solfège — you know: do, re, mi, etc. All of the notes in solfège are two letters long, except for SOL, which makes it the "longest note." Ouch.
• 10D: Howard (STERN). Just kidding. The clue isn't really "Howard," it's "Hard," but it could've been "Howard"!
• 12D: Actor who was born a Leo, as it happens (LAHR). Very tricky (and interesting!) clue on Bert LAHR, who played the Cowardly Lion in "The Wizard of Oz." Get it? Lion? … Leo?
• 37D: Crash and burn (HIT BOTTOM). You all know the definition of hitting bottom, right? It's when your world is falling apart faster than you can lower your standards.

• 45D: Pepper picker (PIPER). Tried "Peter" first.
• 48D: Caroline, to Bobby (NIECE). Kennedys.
• 54D: H.S. reasoning exam, formerly (SAT I). I think maybe there used to be two parts to the SAT. Yep, SAT I (reasoning) and SAT II (writing). But now it's just one big honkin' test.

Crosswordese 101: There are three EDDS-with-two-Ds that you need to know for crosswords and two of them are in today's clue, 9D: Actor Byrnes and baseball Hall of Famer Roush (the other is "Former 'Tonight Show' announcer Hall"). The baseball player will almost always be clued as a baseball player, hall-of-famer and/or outfielder. The actor is clued with reference to "77 Sunset Strip" or "Grease."

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Everything Else — 1A: "Banded" arid-area reptile (SAND SNAKE); 10A: Hitting sound (SPLAT); 15A: Body fat compound (OLEIC ACID); 16A: Bait (TEASE); 19A: Joan of "The Last Emperor" (CHEN); 23A: At least one (ANY); 34A: Film with a lot of reports (SHOOT 'EM UP); 36A: Coast (SHORE); 41A: Acted (TOOK STEPS); 42A: Former British Poet Laureate Hughes (TED); 43A: Fogg's creator (VERNE); 44A: Computer unit (BYTE); 47A: Cone lead-in (SNO-); 49A: Healthful desserts (FRUIT CUPS); 55A: "Let's call __ evening" (IT AN); 62A: Fashionable partygoer? (LATE COMER); 63A: Poet's superlative (ENORM); 64A: 1986 Blake Edwards comedy flop (aptly named, as it turned out) (A FINE MESS); 2D: Smart one? (ALEC); 3D: 2010 FIFA World Cup finalist (NETH.); 4D: See 49-Down (DIME STORE); 5D: View (SCENE); 6D: "Forget it" ("NAH"); 7D: USMA part: Abbr. (ACAD.); 11D: Narrow (PETTY); 13D: Large land mass (ASIA); 14D: Check (TEST); 18D: Chair, say (LEAD); 22D: Cyclops and Beast, e.g. (X-MEN); 24D: So far (AS YET); 25D: Oar fulcrum (THOLE); 26D: If only (WOULD); 28D: Hardly be stoical (EMOTE); 29D: Oxford employee (TUTOR); 30D: Printing pioneer (EPSON); 31D: Rot (HOOEY); 32D: Blow (ERUPT); 33D: "Demian" author (HESSE); 35D: Dutch painter Gerard __ Borch (TER); 36D: H.S. VIPs (SRS.); 39D: Gets by, with "out" (EKES); 43D: Annual resolution target (VICE); 46D: Lindsey's predecessor in the Senate (STROM); 49D: With "and" and 59-Down, 4-Down (FIVE); 50D: Noah's concern (RAIN); 51D: Style with pins (UPDO); 52D: 2010 College World Series runner-up (UCLA); 53D: "La Vie en Rose" singer (PIAF); 56D: "Alas!" ("AH ME!"); 57D: Nairn negatives (NAES); 59D: See 49-Down (TEN).

FRIDAY, August 20, 2010—Donna S. Levin

THEME: Fancy house puns

• 17a. [Faithful caretaker of a religious residence?] is a MANSE BEST FRIEND. This plays on "man's best friend."
• 26a. [Stately home for debate team practice?] is a MANOR OF SPEECH, playing on "manner of speech," which sounds off-kilter to me. Aren't "in a manner of speaking" and "speech mannerism" a good bit more familiar than "manner of speech"? It Googles up OK, but…. (At my high school, the speech team and the debate team were entirely different activities, but the clue still works because the debaters make speeches.)
• 45a. ESTATE OF GRACE, playing on "state of grace" and Princess Grace, is a [Former European princess's elaborate dwelling?]. With the ACE at the end, I tried something-PALACE too.
• 58a. [French castle built with misgivings?] is a CHATEAU OF A DOUBT, punning on "shadow of a doubt." A redoubt is a fort, so I was messed up here.

Amy here, filling in for an under-the-weather PuzzleGirl. I have sent her to bed so she can awake restored to good health, so with any luck you'll have her back in time for the Saturday puzzle.

As for the Friday crossword—hoo-whee, this one knocked me on my tuchis. The first theme entries I filled in were 17a and 45a, so I can be excused for thinking this was an add-an-E theme (MANSE, ESTATE). The pun business threw me for a loop, and it took me 5:19 to finish—basically 25% longer than a typical Saturday L.A. Times crossword. Was it a bloodbath out there for everyone, or did you cotton on to the pun theme without a struggle?

What I liked best:

• 10a. [Bar assistant?] is a PARA, as in a paralegal assisting the lawyers who've been admitted to the bar.
• 14a. ALEE gets a fresh tropical clue: [Like the northern Antilles Islands vis-à-vis the southern ones]. Antigua and St. Kitts are two of the Leeward Islands, sheltered from the prevailing winds. Windward Islands like Martinique and Barbados bear the brunt of the winds. I suspect one group is rainier than the other, but couldn't tell you which is which.
• 16a. ENID, Oklahoma, is a [City named for a Tennyson heroine]. Never knew that trivia tie-in.

• 20a. Clues like this trip up a lot of solvers. [Choose to reject, say?] is an ANTONYM, in that the word "choose" is an opposite of "reject." Dastardly!
• 34a. Sure, AHEAD is a regular word, but Donna splits it into A HEAD, or [Per person]. As in "the benefit costs a hundred bucks a head."
• 41a. We all know the KAZOO, sure, but its synonym, [Vocaphone]? Not so much. I learned something here. I don't know the heavy metal song "Enter Sandman" by Metallica, but this fella's multi-tracked himself playing it on kazoo:





• 51a. [It's used at Gallaudet U.] clues ASL, or American Sign Language. My family and I just started an ASL class. I keep forgetting how to fingerspell the letters F, G, K, Q, and X. Clearly I will need to learn the sign for the F-word because spelling it out will be too tough for me.
• 66a. Clark KENT is a Perry [White underling].
• 3d. Hidden past tense: [Hit the road] clues WENT.
• 4d. Did you know the [FireDome and Fireflite] were DESOTOS, old cars? I did not.
• 5d. [Short nightie] clues BABY-DOLL. Great entry.
• 11d. [Operating room number?] means "stuff that numbs you in the OR": ANESTHESIA.
• 13d. Another obscured past tense: [Put two and two together] clues ADDED.
• 28d. NEW ZEALAND is the [Home of the flightless kakapo] as well as the bloodthirsty KEA, which can fly and will probably swoop in and terrify you. But do not discount the ability of the kakapo to get in some blows! This randy kakapo drew blood from a photographer:





• 29d. FAUST is your literary answer of the day, a [Legendary soul seller].

Crosswordese 101: SCREE is one of those words I learned from crosswords. They use it in geology and up in the mountains, sure, but you can be excused if you didn't know this one. This 30d: [Cliffside litter] is the rocky debris that slides down the mountain slope.

Over and out. Happy Friday, folks!

T H U R S D A Y August 19, 2010 Gene Newman

Theme: Topsy-Turvy — Prepositions at the beginning of familiar phrases are replaced with their opposites.


Theme answers:

• 17A: Dishonest? (BELOW BOARD).
• 26A: Happy? (UP IN THE MOUTH).
• 42A: Sick? (OUT OF THE PINK).
• 56A: Incompetent? (OFF THE BALL).

To me, today looks like a clever, fun theme surrounded by a pretty tough grid. How about you? Lots of tough cluing too, right? I kept overthinking a lot of them. Like, I thought 14D: Eagles' attacks would be something about football, but it's about birds (SWOOPS). And I didn't think the 40A: War ender would be something easy like PACT — I thought it would be a suffix, although I couldn't think of one. But then some answers just came right to me like Annie OAKLEY for 43D: "Little Sure Shot." I don't ever recall hearing her referred to by this nickname, but she popped right into my mind. Well, there's a lot to talk about in this little gem of a puzzle so …

Let's get right to it:

• 1A: Boot's meal (MESS). No idea what this was going for. I always think it's bizarre how tiny bits of faint knowledge come floating slowly to the surface of my brain as I solve a puzzle. Boot = soldier? Sure! That sounds right!

• 15A: Machu Picchu's land (PERU). Then again, I can Never remember where Machu Picchu is. And it's really not that hard.
• 16A: Jewish youth org. (YMHA). Young Men's Hebrew Association.
• 19A: Baseball Triple Crown component (RBI'S). The fact that there even is a Triple Crown in baseball is something I learned from crosswords. I thought Triple Crown was only a horse-racing thing but, in fact, a baseball player is said to have achieved a Triple Crown when he leads his league in home runs, RBIs, and batting average (or, for pitchers, wins, strikeouts, and ERA).
• 24A: Specialty, informally (THING). Love this.



• 38A: MLB All-Star Game day (TUES.). Unless the All-Star Game is, like, this week, this clue is amazingly random.
• 41A: Serious borders? (ESSES). Ooh, ouch. Two letter Ss "border" the word "serious."
• 1D: Gas brand with a red "o" in its logo (MOBIL). I tried Amoco first. Because I'm an idiot. See also the part where I entered "Cicero" for CYRANO (9D: Rostand's long-nosed lover). **headdesk**

• 11D: Punxsutawney predictor (PHIL). The rodent fortune teller. I'm a little surprised this one ever picked up any traction.
• 30D: Adman's award (CLIO). Because all the people who work in the advertising business are men.
• 32D: Welder's need (ACETYLENE). If you say so.
• 37D: Sieben follower (ACHT). German!
• 54D: Reading by a night light, perhaps (ABED). Where I should be right now … good-night, folks!

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 23A: Galeón booty (ORO).
• 48A: Asian title of respect (SRI).
• 55A: Russian city on the Oka (OREL).
• 63A: U.S. Army decorations (DSC'S).
• 54D: Reading by a night light, perhaps (ABED).

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Everything Else — 5A: What houses may be built on (SPEC); 9A: Li'l Abner's creator (CAPP); 13A: Some finals (ORALS); 20A: Winter sailcraft (ICE BOATS); 21A: Locks up (JAILS); 22A: Sgts.' superiors (LTS.); 30A: Coach in the air? (CLASS); 33A: Tries to sink, perhaps (RAMS); 34A: "Now I get it!" ("OHO!"); 35A: Journalist Clare Boothe __ (LUCE); 36A: Teases maliciously (BAITS); 39A: ___-de-France (ILE); 46A: America's Cup entry (YACHT); 47A: Bank book no. (INT.); 51A: Illegal pickoff moves, e.g. (BALKS); 53A: Out of the box (UNCRATED); 58A: First name in Old West fiction (ZANE); 59A: "Go away!" ("SHOO!"); 60A: Like Serling stories (EERIE); 61A: Be compliant (OBEY); 62A: Get wise with (SASS); 2D: Upright (ERECT); 3D: Rep's work (SALES); 4D: Schulz's Pig-Pen, e.g. (SLOB); 5D: Exact, to a Brit (SPOT ON); 6D: Porridge morsels (PEAS); 7D: Goof (ERR); 8D: Ruminant's mouthful (CUD); 10D: Equivocal (AMBIGUOUS); 12D: Coquette's wink, say (PASS); 18D: Adriatic port (BARI); 21D: Slim __: snack items (JIMS); 24D: One of those things (THAT); 25D: Bottom lines? (HEMS); 26D: Take habitually (USE); 27D: Like overused crossword clues (TRITE); 28D: Biblical pronoun (THEE); 29D: Ponderosa heavyweight (HOSS); 31D: Beaut (LULU); 36D: British spa town (BATH); 38D: Sound made with a head shake (TSK); 40D: U.S. Army E-3s (PFC'S); 41D: Early bird special item (ENTRÉE); 44D: Mottled horses (PINTOS); 45D: Move furtively (INCH); 48D: Oscar Night assembly (STARS); 49D: Dig find (RELIC); 50D: What a slacker does (IDLES); 51D: Oaf (BOZO); 52D: Certain Semite (ARAB); 53D: Area 51 sightings (UFO'S); 56D: WWII spy org. (OSS); 57D: Govt. loan insurer (FHA).

W E D N E S D A Y August 18, 2010 Dan Naddor

[I'm having some technical difficulties this morning. This is all I can do for now. Will try to get an actual write-up posted later this afternoon.]


Theme answers:

• 16A: Some den boxes (CABLE CONVERTERS).
• 22A: Hookups to many electronic devices (POWER ADAPTORS).
• 35A: Jacob Riis et al. (SOCIAL REFORMERS).
• 44A: Currency pros (MONEY CHANGERS).
• 55A: Insurance investigators (CLAIMS ADJUSTERS).

Crosswordese 101: I know we've talked briefly about OBIES before, but today I want to give this word its day in the CW101 sun. OBIES, or Off-Broadway Theater Awards, are presented annually by the Village Voice, a New York weekly newspaper that I always think of as "alternative," though I'm not entirely sure what that means. OBIES are generally clued as "Village Voice awards," "Theater awards," "Tony's cousins," or 45D: Big Apple awards.

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

• 19A: Mimi's "mine" (À MOI).
• 52D: Airline to Tel Aviv (EL AL).

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T U E S D A Y August 17, 2010 Steve Salitan

Theme: Presidents' Day — Theme answers are famous singers each of whose last name is also the name of a U.S. president.


Theme answers:

• 17A: "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?" singer (BRYAN ADAMS).
• 29A: "How Glad I Am" Grammy winner, 1964 (NANCY WILSON).
• 45A: "Total Eclipse of the Heart" singer (BONNIE TYLER).
• 61A: 1971 Oscar winner for "Theme from 'Shaft'" (ISAAC HAYES).
• 12D/36D: Patriotic song that's a hint to this puzzle's theme (HAIL TO / THE CHIEF).

I know I promised to give you details about Lollapuzzoola 3 and, believe me, I will. But for now I just want to tell you one little part of the day that relates to this puzzle. At the lunch break, a bunch of us decided to walk a couple blocks over to a little coffee shop type place. It was me and, like, six other people. Not to be a name-dropper but it was Rex Parker, Brendan Emmett Quigley, Patrick Blindauer, Tony Orbach, Ashish Vengsarkar and … (to get to the point) Steve Salitan! I met Steve at last year's ACPT. Super, super nice guy. Kinda shy but definitely managing to fit right in. So at lunch, Steve was like super attentive to me. He was opening doors for me, pulling out my chair, making sure I had a menu … he even asked the restaurant manager to turn down the air when I mentioned I was cold. And when the waitress brought me the wrong sandwich (no bacon?!?), Steve took care of it for me. Kind of weird how sweet he was being. Not really sure what that was about. So, anyway, awesome puzzle, right? Waaait a minute .… Do you think he was buttering me up so that I'd give him a rave review? That scoundrel!*

So the theme is pretty cool. Impressive that he was able to fit the reveal in the way he did — did you notice THE CHIEF crosses two theme answers? I'm not gonna lie, I'm a little bothered by NANCY WILSON. My first thought was the Nancy Wilson in Heart (who is awesome), but 1964 seemed a little early for her (just looked it up, she would have been 10 years old that year). So I decided it must be one of the Supremes, although I thought 1964 was early for her to have done anything solo that would have earned her a Grammy. Plus, as it turns out, her name is Mary Wilson, so all of the other wrongness doesn't really matter anyway. I'm gonna say if you know just a tiny bit more about jazz than the average person, you probably know Nancy Wilson. I know quite a few jazz musicians' names, but Nancy Wilson doesn't make my list. I'm pretty sure that says more about me than it does about her. Just perusing her Wikipedia entry makes me feel a little stupid for not knowing her. There's really only so much room in my brain though. You know what I think I'll do? I'm going to kick David Sanborn out and give his spot to Nancy Wilson. Done and done.

The only other thing I'm going to say about the theme answers is this.



As for the fill, it's really nice for a Tuesday. For some reason, TATTLE and PILSNERS (22A: Be a snitch / 40D: Pale lagers) jumped out at me as awesome. No one likes to see AGIN' (23D: Opposed to, in dialect), but I'm going to assume it couldn't be helped and not overthink it.

Misc.:

• 14A: Preminger and Klemperer (OTTOS). I know OTTO Preminger is a director … or something. Right? But whenever I see OTTO Klemperer's name I think of Col. Klink.
• 24A: Shower wall growth (MILDEW). It's not a coincidence that MILDEW ends in EW.
• 36A: Tuckered out (TIRED).
• 52A: Tuber also known as a New Zealand yam (OCA). Just a reminder of how much you can learn here at LACC!
• 57A: 12/24 or 12/31 (EVE). That would be December 24 (Christmas Eve) and December 31 (New Year's Eve).
• 64A: One of the HOMES lakes (ERIE). HOMES is a mnemonic for remembering the names of the five Great Lakes: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior.

• 11D: Main arteries (AORTAS). I left the last letter off this answer until I could confirm it with crosses. Sometimes those medical terms that come from Latin (?) take an E for their plurals.
• 46D: In flames (ON FIRE). This answer (like a lot of things) reminds me of a scene on the tragically canceled "Sports Night." Unfortumately, YouTube won't let me embed the video but here's the dialogue. (They're in the newsroom. Casey has just invited Jeremy to join them at a local bar called El Perro Fumando.)
  

  Jeremy: El Perro Fumando?
  Dana: The flaming dog.
  Casey: The smoking dog.
  Dana: Not the flaming dog?
  Casey: The dog's not gay.
  Dana: I wasn't suggesting the dog was gay, I was suggesting the dog was on fire.
  Casey: He's not smoking on fire, he's smoking a cigarette.
  Elliott: He's smoking a pipe.
  Kim: He's smoking a cigar.
  Dan: I say he's gay.

That's it for me for today. Very nice debut, Steve. Looking forward to seeing more from you!

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* Note: All of this is a joke. Steve did none of these things.

P.S. Today's New York Times puzzle is a debut by our own Rex Parker. I hope you'll solve it and comment over at his blog.

Everything Else — 1A: Jib supports (MASTS); 6A: Apparel (GARB); 10A: Waikiki's island (OAHU); 15A: Skinned knee, to a tot (OWIE); 16A: Pained sound (MOAN); 19A: Where the pupil is (IRIS); 20A: School cheer (YELL); 21A: Tofu source (SOY); 26A: Fireplace fuel (LOG); 27A: Broke fast (ATE); 28A: TV network with an eye logo (CBS); 32A: Prefix with violet (ULTRA-); 34A: Gladiators' venue (ARENA); 35A: Mexican money (PESO); 38A: Gym iterations (REPS); 42A: Dislike big-time (ABHOR); 44A: Fess up (ADMIT); 50A: Tissue layer (PLY); 51A: Beatle bride Yoko (ONO); 53A: Does spectacularly (EXCELS); 55A: From the beginning (AFRESH); 58A: Ice cream holder (CONE); 60A: In apple-pie order (TIDY); 65A: Be deserving of (EARN); 66A: Techie's clients (USERS); 67A: In-basket stamp: Abbr. (RECD.); 68A: Pool table cloth (FELT); 69A: "One of __ days, Alice ...": Ralph Kramden (THESE); 1D: Melville's "__-Dick" (MOBY); 2D: Quaking (ATREMBLE); 3D: Hair salon staffers (STYLISTS); 4D: "... and __ a good-night" (TO ALL); 5D: Fig. in an identity theft case (SSN); 6D: Decrease in value (GO DOWN); 7D: On vacation, say (AWAY); 8D: Backboard attachment (RIM); 9D: Presented, as an honor, with "upon" (BESTOWED); 10D: Forget to include (OMIT); 13D: Not visible (UNSEEN); 18D: On the bounding main (ASEA); 25D: Evidence in paternity suits (DNA); 26D: Orpheus' instrument (LYRE); 28D: Sugar borrower's amount (CUP); 30D: Haul in one's arms (CARRY); 31D: Fat in the pantry (LARD); 33D: Horse coloring (ROAN); 37D: Greek "i" (IOTA); 39D: One on the payroll (EMPLOYEE); 41D: Porker's pad (STY); 43D: Life stories, for short (BIOS); 44D: Rainbow shape (ARC); 45D: Yachtsman, e.g. (BOATER); 47D: From Scandinavia (NORDIC); 48D: Pianist/actor Oscar (LEVANT); 49D: Corp. bigwig (EXEC.); 54D: Online shopping outlay (E-CASH); 56D: Watched warily (EYED); 57D: __ of Sandwich (EARL); 59D: Latin "to be" (ESSE); 62D: MS. enclosure (SAE); 63D: Crude abode (HUT).

M O N D A Y August 16, 2010 John Lampkin

Theme: Get Up, Stand Up — First words of theme answers follow the progression LIE, SIT, STAND, WALK.


Theme answers:

• 17A: Be inactive, like a volcano (LIE DORMANT).
• 26A: Be in a favorable position (SIT PRETTY).
• 42A: Don't give in (STAND FIRM).
• 55A: Proceed very cautiously (WALK ON EGGS).

Hi, gang. Arrived home from Lollapuzzoola 3 late last night. As you might know, I went straight from the PuzzleFamily Summer Vacation in Colorado to New York for the tournament. So I have a lot to catch up on around here to get back into my life. I'll tell you all about the tournament later (hint: it was fabulous), but for now let's get this Monday puzzle out of the way.

This is a fine Monday theme. Phrases are all gettable, even though I would quibble with WALK ON EGGS, which I've always heard as WALK ON EGGSHELLS. I see a couple words in the grid that seem pretty flashy even though they're clued completely straightforwardly (since it's Monday and all):

• 20A: Showing profound knowledge (ERUDITE).
• 48A: Satisfy by offering concessions (APPEASE).
• 10D: Puff the Magic Dragon's land (HONALEE).
• 13D: Warm and cozy (TOASTY).

And there are a couple things that I wouldn't mourn the loss of if they were never to appear in a puzzle again, but that's not likely to happen. We just have to resign ourselves to 14A: Professor 'ENRY 'iggins of "My Fair Lady"/Pygmalion. And even though nobody ever actually says IN A PET (11D: Acting peevishly), the phrase is here to stay. Alas.

Bullets:

• 29A: Tony of "Some Like It Hot" (CURTIS). This is one of those classic movies that everybody should see. The only difference between this one and the most of the rest of them is that I've actually seen it.
• 34A: TV surfer's selection (CHANNEL). Later in the week, to provide some misdirection/trickiness, we wouldn't get the "TV" part of this clue.

• 54A: Make a sharp turn (VEER). Here's one of those words that I hear misused all. the. time. A guy at a rental car place was giving me directions one time: "Take a right, then at the gas station you'll want to veer left …" I'm all, "Okay, so at the gas station I bear left?" Him: "Yes, veer left at the gas station." Sigh.
• 61A: Egyptian Christian (COPT). No idea. Got it totally from crosses.
• 1D: Singer Tormé (MEL). The Velvet Fog.
• 5D: Vitamin intake std. (US RDA). "Recommended Daily Allowance," also referred to as "Reference Daily Intake."
• 41D: "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack singers (BEE GEES).



• 43D: Holy Ohio city? (TOLEDO). From the familiar phase "Holy Toledo!"
• 50D: Wrestler's victory (PIN). I miss wrestling season.

Crosswordese 101: FARO is an old-timey card game that's usually clued as "Game enjoyed by Wyatt Earp," "Game named for a king," "Game with a dealing box," "Baccarat alternative," or 52D: Casino card game.

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

• 5A: Range dividing Europe and Asia (URALS).
• 46A: Dublin's land (EIRE).
• 23D: Revolve on an axis (SLUE).
• 53D: Nondairy spread (OLEO).

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Everything Else — 1A: Trig or algebra, e.g. (MATH); 10A: "Java" trumpeter Al (HIRT); 15A: Brown-toned old photo (SEPIA); 16A: Basie's "__'Clock Jump" (ONE O); 19A: Johnson Space Center org. (NASA); 21A: Red bullring props (CAPES); 22A: To the extent that (AS FAR AS); 24A: Like many old movies (SILENT); 25A: Highlands family (CLAN); 32A: Brother's daughter (NIECE); 33A: Pro __: for now (TEM); 36A: __ chi: martial art (TAI); 39A: Bobby of the Black Panthers (SEALE); 40A: Remains of a wreck (DEBRIS); 47A: Go berserk (LOSE IT); 51A: '50s "The Tonight Show" host Steve (ALLEN); 52A: From abroad (FOREIGN); 58A: Crossword constructor's germ (IDEA); 59A: Spruce oneself up (PREEN); 60A: St. __'s fire (ELMO); 62A: Given to pouting (MOODY); 63A: Splinter group (SECT); 2D: Singer DiFranco (ANI); 3D: Supplier of firs (TREE FARM); 4D: Firefighter's water source (HYDRANT); 6D: Neglectful (REMISS); 7D: Give __ on the back (A PAT); 8D: "Come here often?" is one (LINE); 9D: H.S. senior's exam (SAT); 12D: Take offense at (RESENT); 18D: Lord's Prayer starter (OUR); 21D: Geometry shape (CIRCLE); 22D: Bank statement no. (ACCT.); 24D: Radar gun reading (SPEED); 27D: Word before self or sanctum (INNER); 28D: Oz Woodman's makeup (TIN); 30D: Stranded in winter, perhaps (ICED IN); 31D: Mine passage (SHAFT); 35D: Self-proclaimed "Greatest" boxer (ALI); 36D: Pool rack shape (TRIANGLE); 37D: Runs on TV (AIRS); 38D: "Understood" ("I SEE"); 39D: Show disdain for (SNEER AT); 42D: Like Serbs and Croats (SLAVIC); 44D: Catching z's (ASLEEP); 45D: Like cards in a crooked deck (MARKED); 49D: Showy perennial (PEONY); 55D: Typing test fig. (WPM); 56D: Maker of Terrain and Acadia SUVs (GMC); 57D: Boozehound (SOT).

S U N D A Y August 15, 2010Merl Reagle (calendar)

Theme: "S-capade" — Theme answers are familiar phrases with an S added to them, creating new wacky phrases, clued "?"-style.

[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 answers:

• 22A: Q: "How did you know I was a tea connoisseur?" A: "___" (BY YOUR LEAVES).
• 28A: Glasses for really, really sensitive eyes? (NIGHT SHADES).
• 31A: Raft? (RAPIDS TRANSIT).
• 45A: What the preacher's kid likes to play? (JACKS IN THE PULPIT).
• 66A: Punch actor George? (BELT SANDERS).
• 69A: "If you cut your hair that way, Alice, you're goin' straight to the moon!" ("BANGS ZOOM!").
• 75A: The real thing at southern diners? (TRUE GRITS).
• 79A: Tool with many uses? (MULTIPLIERS).
• 96A: What Dad the fisherman is tired of getting every Christmas? (THE PELICAN BRIEFS).
• 109A: Whence rock 'n' roll came? (OUT OF THE BLUES).
• 115A: Cookie Monster's usual newspaper request in N.Y.? (GIVE ME TIMES).
• 124A: Filmin' Jeremy? (SHOOTIN' IRONS).

Everything Else — 1A: Popular ocean liner name (EMPRESS); 8A: Vietnam's ___ Dinh Diem (NGO); 11A: Word before go or "go!" (LET'S); 15A: Canadian prov. (QUE.); 18A: Artist's community (BOHEMIA); 19A: First Dog of the 1940s (FALA); 20A: Suggestion (IDEA); 21A: Coffee container (URN); 24A: Wins at cards, perhaps (GINS); 25A: In the past (AGO); 26A: Choice: abbr. (SEL.); 27A: Mac's intro (TAR); 36A: Drum site (EAR); 37A: Carte opener (ALA); 38A: Swiss river (AAR); 39A: Capek play (RUR); 41A: Meditation techniques (YOGAS); 52A: Birds and snakes do it (MOLT); 53A: Mugful for Muggeridge (ALE); 54A: School near PHX (ASU); 55A: Monorail relatives (ELS); 56A: Harry who does many voices on "The Simpsons" (SHEARER); 58A: Type of spy (MOLE); 60A: Polite refusal (NO MA'AM); 64A: Loaf end (HEEL); 65A: Actress Joanne (DRU); 71A: One way to turn? (RED); 72A: Wapiti (ELK); 73A: Courtroom VIPs (DA'S); 74A: Reset setting (OOO); 84A: "Alley ___" (OOP); 85A: Ages and ages (EONS); 86A: One on a quest (SEEKER); 87A: Drain pain (CLOG); 88A: Take a chance (GO FOR IT); 90A: "Mystery solved!" ("AHA!"); 91A: Driver's club (AAA); 94A: Boozehound (SOT); 95A: English school (ETON); 102A: Newbies (TYROS); 104A: Building wing (ELL); 105A: Calendar pgs. (MOS.); 106A: Grafton's "___ for Alibi" (A IS); 107A: Arrest (NAB); 119A: Great weight (TON); 120A: Grad topper (CAP); 122A: Kimono closer (OBI); 123A: Furthermore (PLUS); 129A: "You rang?" ("YES?"); 130A: Wolf describer (LONE); 131A: High schooler (TEEN); 132A: "Happy Days" malt shop (ARNOLD'S); 133A: Feller's tool (AXE); 134A: Some merinos (EWES); 135A: Tearful (SAD); 136A: Most cunning (CAGIEST); 1D: Recedes, as the tide (EBBS); 2D: Pitcher Jamie (MOYER); 3D: Animal kingdom divisions (PHYLA); 4D: Speedwagon maker (REO); 5D: Flightless bird (EMU); 6D: Knight's title (SIR); 7D: Epsom product (SALTS); 8D: Part of sonar: abbr. (NAV.); 9D: Early orbiter (GLENN); 10D: Camel stop (OASIS); 11D: Start to smoke (LIGHT UP); 12D: Shorten a sentence? (EDIT); 13D: In need of a massage (TENSE); 14D: Walk in a showy way (SASHAY); 15D: University square (QUAD); 16D: Implore (URGE); 17D: Slugger Slaughter (ENOS); 19D: Co-star with Kate and Jaclyn (FARRAH); 23D: Really bother (EAT AT); 29D: Ladies, first (GIRLS); 30D: Cafe emanation (AROMA); 32D: Golfer Se Ri ___ (PAK); 33D: Casablanca visitor (ILSA); 34D: Roasting platform? (DAIS); 35D: Art, nowadays? (ARE); 40D: Gone up (RISEN); 42D: Astronaut Cooper's nickname (GORDO); 43D: Last Oldsmobile model (ALERO); 44D: Play the uke (STRUM); 45D: Door feature (JAMB); 46D: Medicinal herb (ALOE); 47D: Room on the block? (CELL); 48D: Ex-senator Sam (NUNN); 49D: Potpie morsels (PEAS); 50D: Einstein's birthplace (ULM); 51D: Republicans (THE GOP); 57D: It shines on Mejico (E LSOL); 59D: Raison d'___ (ÊTRE); 61D: "Golden Boy" penner (ODETS); 62D: TV diner (MEL'S); 63D: Floater on the Flood (ARK); 64D: Impulsiveness (HASTE); 67D: "Like a Rock" singer (SEGER); 68D: Skillful (ADROIT); 69D: Pitching error (BALK); 70D: Meso finish (-ZOIC); 73D: Expected (DUE); 75D: Hard ___ (rare) (TO GET); 76D: Like turnip fields (ROOTY); 77D: Ready to face (UP FOR); 78D: ___ pink (IN THE); 79D: Corn-coction? (MEAL); 80D: Where Yazd is (IRAN); 81D: Other than this (ELSE); 82D: It's on the house (ROOF); 83D: Some noncoms (SGTS.); 86D: Elle, over here (SHE); 89D: Hiking cue, often (ON ONE); 90D: "... and pulled out ___" (A PLUM); 92D: Rhyme scheme (ABAB); 93D: Seed covering (ARIL); 97D: Plaza waif et al. (ELOISES); 98D: World finance org. (IMF); 99D: T-shirt material (COTTON); 100D: ___ in the dark (A SHOT); 101D: Terre Haute sch. (ISU); 103D: Taste (SAMPLE); 108D: Downstairs, at sea (BELOW); 110D: Lab work (TESTS); 111D: Entertainer Tessie (O'SHEA); 112D: Early computer (ENIAC); 113D: French school (ÉCOLE); 114D: Smooths, in a way (SANDS); 115D: Spanish painter (GOYA); 116D: Wild goat (IBEX); 117D: Workshop squeezer (VISE); 118D: Adjust, as a lute (TUNE); 121D: ("Hey you ...") ("PSST …"); 125D: Big ref. (OED); 126D: Org. under FDR (NRA); 127D: End for end? (-ING); 128D: Louis XIV, par exemple (ROI).

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).

S A T U R D A Y August 14, 2010 Barry C. Silk

Theme: None


Remember how PuzzleGirl was traveling yesterday? That was to finish her Colorado vacation and get to her New York one. It's time for Lollapuzzoola, Ryan and Brian's annual crossword tournament, and all your favorite crossword bloggers (PuzzleGirl, Orange, Rex Parker, Ryan and Brian) will be there. So you're left with a non-favorite, me, SethG.

We got off to a promising start with 1A: Year in Pope Innocent III's reign (MCC). And I ended with 43A: Under the decks (ALOW), which I dislike far more. I'd say (and have said) that everyone should stop using the a- prefix, but no one uses the a- prefix. The one that means "on", or "in"—a- for "not, without" is fine, of course. Aperiodic or asexual yes, but alow and abed, no. Unless you want to start allowing acar or abicycle. Finally, you can say ahunting, but only if "Heigh ho, the dairy-o" follows soon thereafter.

I say promising because no constructor wants to start off that way, so I could only assume it was there to support some fantastic stuff I was about to uncover. That stuff? 1D: Sanskrit for "great soul" (MAHATMA), 2D: Work with hooks (CROCHET), and 3D: Main (CENTRAL). Turns out, fine, but not exactly fantastic.

The best part of the puzzle were the NE and SW stacks of 11s. Six answers, all solid, and with solid crosses. Er, mostly solid. Some were just okay, and 11D: Dull ending? (-ARD) is brutal. Still, I mostly liked the puzzle.

Some stuff linked to other stuff:

• Space stuff. 18A: Eagle, notably (LUNAR MODULE) crossed 13D: Surpass (ECLIPSE), and 48A: Salyut successor (MIR) was looking on from, well, afar. Let the eagle soar.
• Ocean stuff. 30A: It covers about 20% of the Earth's surface (ATLANTIC) with the cross-linked 57A: Region of the North 30-Across (SARGASSO SEA). The "It" calls out for a noun, but without a definite article or an "Ocean" ATLANTIC feels like an adjective.

Stuff I've never heard of that I entered immediately:

• 15A: "Memories __ Made Of This": 1956 chart-topper (ARE).
• 27A: "Sex and Temperament in Three Primitive Societies" author (MEAD).
• 54A: Toon, familiarly, who debuted in "Devil May Hare" (1954) (TAZ).

Stuff people will have questions about:

• 12D: Ad follower (NAUSEAM). Latin for "to nauseam".
  
• 24A: Bean named for the Italian word for "bean" (FAVA). You know FAVA beans, you just weren't sure that it's from the Italian word for a bean you eat or from the Italian word for head. It's the seed kind, and is unrelated to CAPO.
• 55A: Error result, often (UNEARNED RUN). It's a baseball thing. If you know it you knew that, and if you didn't you don't care. 32D: Ballpark chorus (BOOS) is also baseball, and 31D: Prudential Center team (NETS) is basketball.
• 25D: Portmanteau drink (ALCOPOP). It's got some dictionary support, and some Urban Dictionary support, but no one in the beverage industry calls it that. Smirnoff Ice is an ALCOPOP.
• 47A: Wall St. hedger (ARB). And arbitrageur purchases securities in one market for immediate resale in another in the hope of profiting from the price differential.
  
• 45D: Espoo natives (FINNS). Espoo is the second largest city in Finland. I learned that playing ultimate frisbee in western Australia.
  
• 53D: Where to see some sleepers: Abbr. (RR'S). The sleepers are sleeper cars. Note that I was completely unbothered by the R being in the same puzzle as 26D: It might be a drag (ROAD RACE).

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 58A: German article (DER). I think PuzzleGirl's got a crush. And why shouldn't she?
  

Everything Else — 4A: Versatile crafts item (PIPE CLEANER); 16A: Decisive stroke (COUP DE GRÂCE); 17A: Sweetie (HON); 19A: Fills in for (ACTS AS); 21A: Much cybercommunication, briefly (IM'S); 22A: One of the fam (SIB); 23A: Beat (THROB); 26A: Default consequence, for short (REPO); 28A: See 51-Down (SALE); 29A: "Find out" ("GO ASK"); 32A: 1970s New York mayor (BEAME); 33A: Dessert shaper (JELLO MOLD); 35A: Have an outstanding loan from (OWE TO); 37A: Lengthen (PROTRACT); 41A: Damage indications (SCARS); 42A: They aren't behind you (FOES); 44A: "Listen!" ("HARK!"); 45A: Swell and dandy (FOPS); 46A: Not a good thing to make in a restaurant (SCENE); 49A: Vehement (FIERCE); 50A: "Mr. Television" (MILTON BERLE); 56A: Threshold (EVE); 4D: Techie training site (PC LAB); 5D: Markers (IOU'S); 6D: "I'd like to study philosophy, but I just Kant," e.g. (PUN); 7D: AQI calculator (EPA); 8D: Windows disk designation (C DRIVE); 9D: Auxiliary proposition (LEMMA); 10D: Strong ones may clash (EGOS); 14D: Adidas subsidiary (REEBOK); 20D: Counterworker? (SODA JERK); 24D: Tank (FAIL); 28D: Battleground of 1944 (ST. LÔ); 29D: Moolah (GELT); 34D: G.I. fare (MRE'S); 35D: Tin whistle relative (OCARINA); 36D: Canary, at times (WARBLER); 38D: Tipped off (ALERTED); 39D: Like band shells (CONCAVE); 40D: Grooming tool (TWEEZER); 41D: Detective, in slang (SHAMUS); 42D: Business issue since 1917 (FORBES); 46D: City S of Florence (SIENA); 48D: New Mexico county or its seat (MORA); 49D: Drawing device (FLUE); 51D: With 28-Across, bargain hunters' mecca (TAG); 52D: Shogun's capital (EDO).

F R I D A Y August 13, 2010 Julian Lim

Theme: Film Farm — Farm~ish animals discuss which movie to rent. Had I been able to find a copy of the Far Side "Mating Calls" strip, you know the one, with "Hey bay-bee! Hey bay-bee!", I'd have gone with "Dating Calls" or something.



Theme answers:

• 17A: The animals were bored, and the cows suggested a (MOOVIE NIGHT).
• 20A: "Great idea!" said the goats. "Let's watch (MAAS ATTACKS)."
• 35A: "How lowbrow!" said the cats. "We much prefer (THE COLOR PURRPLE)."
• 50A: "Too serious!" said the pigeons. "Why don't we go with (COO HAND LUKE)?"
  
• 55A: But in the end, the sheep had their way, and they all watched (BAABAARELLA).

PuzzleFamily is in Colorado, which you know if you've been following along. PuzzleGirl's gonna have a hellish travel day, which I know because she told me. "SethG," she said, "we're going to have what is shaping up to be a hellish travel day." I'm SethG.

She also sent me what turned out to be a completed copy of the puzzle, which I noticed before I actually focused enough on the grid to see any of the answers. I did note what I presume to be her completion time, which turned out to be faster than mine. We never compare times, but I think she's generally a bit faster than me, especially on the early-week puzzles, and I have maybe a slight advantage over her in completing some of the harder, end-of-the-week puzzles. As for today's slower time, I blame puns.

Somehow I got MAAS ATTACKS with I think no crosses. I've seen it, but it's maybe not as famous as the others. My fondest memory:

Slim Whitman YODELing (65A: Produce some cliff notes?) makes their heads explode!

If I'd been in the barnyard I'd have been pulleting for COO HAND LUKE, but BAABAARELLA is a noble choice. I'm gonna assume the sheep were male.

Some stuff:

• 15A: "But I don't want to go among mad people" speaker (ALICE). Another movie, though I didn't like the new one so much. I'm a big fan of the books, though.
• 22A: One may have an undulating floor (FUNHOUSE). Because seasick is fun.
  
• 32A: Software for creating bibliographies (ENDNOTE). Didn't know it, but it makes sense. Like 63A: L'École __ Roches: French private school (DES) or 48D: Events where the dessert haupia is served (LUAUS). You don't need to know an answer to enter it from a few crosses. Logical inference!
• 45A: Supreme Court nominee Kagan (ELENA) has been Associate Justice Kagan for almost a week now.
• 61A: "Bye!" ("ADIEU!") and 62A: Say "Hi!" to (GREET) form a nice pair.
• 8D: Inverse of nano- (GIGA-). They're both nonally magnituded. As opposed to 9D: Eight, in Aachen (ACHT).
• Not a big fan of 43D: Lunchbox snack (COOKIE) crossing the COO theme answer at the COO. I am a big fan of Cookie Monster, though.
  
  
• 52D: Bupkis, in Barcelona (NADA). Bupkis is one of my absolute favorite words. Those are more favorite than just my favorite words.
  

Crosswordese 101: CIE. I have no idea what this actually means. Because it's in French. But constructors seem to like it, and it turns out you don't need to know exactly. It's a French business abbreviation. If you see anything about a Boulogne business abbr., (16A: Co. in Cannes), Ltd. in Lyon, Inc. overseas, etc., it's CIE.

[Follow PuzzleGirl on Twitter.]

Everything Else — 1A: Weenie (TWERP); 6A: Certain alien (LEGAL); 11A: With 58-Down, "Taking Woodstock" director (ANG); 14A: Many an IM user (AOL'ER); 19A: False pretense (ACT); 26A: Viti Levu is its largest island (FIJI); 27A: Salt's salutations (AHOYS); 28A: Nouveau riche (UPSTART); 31A: Piece conclusion (CODA); 40A: Check for flaws (INSPECT); 41A: Give __ up: assist (A LEG); 42A: Cry at a faith healing (I CAN SEE); 46A: Abolitionist Lucretia (MOTT); 47A: 1949 Gatsby portrayer (ALAN LADD); 54A: Sanctioned (OK'D); 60A: Jar head (LID); 64A: Support pieces (BASES); 1D: Highlander's cap (TAM); 2D: Seek support from (WOO); 3D: Jeff Lynne's band (ELO); 4D: MLK's title (REV.); 5D: Piano duet parts (PRIMOS); 6D: Turner and Wood (LANAS); 7D: Beethoven title name (ELISE); 10D: Lithuanian's neighbor (LETT); 11D: Whistling thorn, e.g. (ACACIA); 12D: Channel for little kids (NICK JR.); 13D: Laughs at a joke (GETS IT); 18D: Perrier, e.g. (EAU); 21D: Nevertheless (AFTER ALL); 22D: Trivia buff's fodder (FACT); 23D: "Here comes trouble!" ("UH-OH!"); 24D: Anatomical knot (NODE); 25D: Plant with colorful flower clusters (HYACINTH); 28D: Gender-biased, briefly (UN-PC); 29D: Sulk (POUT); 30D: Violas' sect. (STR.); 32D: More (ELSE); 33D: Informal turndown (NOPE); 34D: "Forgot About __": hip-hop hit (DRE); 36D: Walk-__: bit parts (ONS); 37D: Fervent request (PLEA); 38D: Give conditionally (LEND); 39D: Quaint "Yowza!" ("EGAD!"); 42D: "Turn up the heat!" ("I'M COLD!"); 44D: Like bitter rivals (AT ODDS); 45D: Verve (ENERGY); 47D: "The Zoo Story" playwright (ALBEE); 49D: Dossier abbr. (AKA); 51D: Rhyme scheme in many sonnets (ABAB); 53D: Address site (DAIS); 56D: Ranch closing? (-ERO); 57D: Spearheaded (LED); 58D: See 11-Across (LEE); 59D: Part of NATO: Abbr. (ATL.).

T H U R S D A Y August 12, 2010 Bruce Venzke

Theme: It's All About Me — The word "ego" is hidden within familiar phrases.

Theme answers:

• 17A: "Good job!" ("NICE GOING!").
• 24A: Hughes Aircraft prototype (SPRUCE GOOSE).
• 40A: Sermonize (PREACH THE GOSPEL).
• 52A: Game with discs and baskets (FRISBEE GOLF).
• 65A: A synonym for it is hidden in 17-, 24-, 40- and 52-Across (INNER SELF).

We just had another glorious day here in Estes Park, Colorado. I've actually never been an outdoors person at all, but I have completely fallen in love with this part of the country. Today we took a relatively easy hike (a little less than three miles round-trip, +~400 vertical feet) to the old Eugenia Mine site. Not a lot to see once you get to the site, but the hike was beautiful and it was a lot of fun watching the PuzzleKids looking for gold in the really really freaking cold water. (Surprisingly, there was none to be found!)

We're also having a pretty good week of puzzles here at the LAT, aren't we?! I couldn't figure out the theme from the first three theme answers, but I thought the theme answer phrases were all lively and the the fill was very smooth. I really enjoyed solving this one.

Bullets:

• 1A: Eponymous salad creator (COBB). I guess I didn't realize this salad was named by/after a person. Robert Howard Cobb (first cousin of Ty Cobb) owned the Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant where the salad was invented in the 1930s. Thanks to Mr. Cobb and everyone at the Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant! You invented one yummy salad!
• 5A: "Man Plus" author Frederik (POHL). I can't say that I've ever heard of him — I'm not a big science fiction fan and only know a few sci-fi writers off the top of my head — but I looked him up online and I'm already a fan. He's 90 years old and he has a blog! How cool is that?
• 14A: Its juice is sometimes used to treat heartburn (ALOE). Whoa. I had no idea.
• 15A: Award for "Rent" (OBIE). The OBIEs are Off-Broadway theater awards presented annually by The Village Voice.
• 23A: Gymnast Mary __ Retton (LOU). The first woman to grace the cover of a Wheaties box. You go girl!

• 44A: Judge of many 36-Across (PAULA). I miss Paula. You just never knew how she was going to be on any given night, you know?
• 68A: Wrap (STOLE). It's déjà-vu all over again!
• 5D: Nanki-__, son of the Mikado (POO). Learned it from crosswords. As an aside, the PuzzleFamily and I went out to a Mexican restaurant for lunch and one of the appetizers listed on the menu was a "Mexican Poo Poo Platter." Now I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure that's not how you wanna be spelling "pu pu" on a menu.
• 9D: Title setting for a Mozart abduction (SERAGLIO). "Die Entführung aus dem Serail" ("The Abduction from the Seraglio") is a Mozart opera that premiered in July 1782.

• 35D: Movie station letters (SHO). Cable television's SHOwtime.
• 41D: Musket relatives (CARBINES). These are … weapons of some sort?
• 53D: __-Wreck (RENT-A). Oh yeah, great. Thanks for bringing it up. I had almost forgotten the fact that I had a fender bender in a rental vehicle yesterday that was totally my fault. (Nobody hurt, just embarrassing and expensive.)
• 60D: A jet or a king (LEAR). Nice clue!
• 67D: Big game animal (ELK).

[Photo by PuzzleSon two days ago out our back door.]

Crosswordese 101: LEDA (38D: Castor's mother) is sometimes clued as "Mythical queen of Sparta," "Moon of Jupiter," "Swan lover of myth," or "Yeats's '___and the Swan.'" But mostly you need to know that she's the mother of Helen of Troy and the twins Castor and Pollux. Don't get her confused with LETO, who is the mother of Artemis and Apollo! I think I'll try to remember that the one that doesn't end in A is the one whose children's names begin with A. We'll see if that works.

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

• 47A: "At Wit's End" author Bombeck (ERMA).
• 69A: Inland Asian sea (ARAL).
• 2D: "Chocolat" actress (OLIN).

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Everything Else — 9A: Moral fiber (SPINE); 16A: John of Middlesex (ELTON); 19A: Colorful stable residents (ROANS); 20A: Major malfunction (SNAFU); 21A: Certain analyst's input (DATA); 28A: Moscow ballet theater (BOLSHOI); 32A: Cheerleader's offering (YELL); 33A: Psych finish (-OTIC); 34A: Kin of a 911 call (SOS); 36A: Objects of look-ups? (IDOLS); 45A: Bauxite, e.g. (ORE); 46A: BMW competitor (AUDI); 50A: Persistently chews on (GNAWS AT); 56A: Roulette choice (RED); 57A: Legal letter phrase (IN RE); 58A: Travel guide (ATLAS); 63A: Veggie bin staple (ONION); 70A: Response to a shock (GASP); 71A: Abominations (HATES); 72A: Kin of 63-Across (LEEK); 73A: Walked heavily (TROD); 1D: Preserves, in a way (CANS); 3D: City near West Palm (BOCA); 4D: Gripe (BEEF); 6D: "The Mikado" accessory (OBI); 7D: Veda devotee (HINDU); 8D: Bequest (LEGACY); 10D: West Bank initials (PLO); 11D: "Mr. Palomar" writer Calvino (ITALO); 12D: Things to avoid (NO-NOS); 13D: Occur next (ENSUE); 18D: Flow copiously (GUSH); 22D: Place to start a round (TEE); 25D: Ritzy (POSH); 26D: Very funny person (RIOT); 27D: "Too many cooks ...," e.g. (OLD SAW); 28D: 1995 comet spotter Thomas (BOPP); 29D: Other, in Madrid (OTRA); 30D: Substitution word (LIEU); 31D: Fish features (SCALES); 37D: "Mr. Holland's __" (OPUS); 39D: Letter opening? (SLIT); 42D: "This being the case ..." ("ERGO …"); 43D: DDE, for one (GENL.); 48D: Chess pieces (MEN); 49D: Passé reception aid (AERIAL); 51D: Not at hand, to say the least (AFAR); 52D: College newbie (FROSH); 54D: Fool (IDIOT); 55D: Category (GENRE); 59D: USAF noncom (TSGT); 61D: "Wait, there's more ..." ("ALSO …"); 62D: Calif. group with a seven-point badge (SFPD); 64D: Flamenco cheer (OLÉ); 66D: "In your dreams!" in Dundee (NAE).

W E D N E S D A Y August 11, 2010Don Gagliardo

Theme: Ohhhh, I see! — Every letter C in the grid is pronounced as a hard C in its across entry and as a soft C in its down entry (59D: They're hard in across answers and soft in down ones (CEES)).


Theme answers (too many to list, but here are some examples):

• 8A: Strip in the paper (COMIC).
• 8D: Makes reference to (CITES).
• 12D: Disney Store sales (CELS).


• 54A: Sway on a curve (CAREEN).
• 54D: Give up (CEDE).

I originally thought the theme was MIDDLE C (34D: Piano benchmark, and a feature of 16-, 22-, 51- and 61-Across) but noticed that each of those answers also begins with a C and thought that couldn't be a coincidence but couldn't figure out how it related to the MIDDLE C theme. Anyway, here are the answers with the MIDDLE Cs:

• 16A: French Open surface (CLAY COURT).
• 22A: Cramming session (CRASH COURSE).
• 51A: Joker on the line (CRANK CALLER).
• 61A: Just fall short (COME CLOSE).

This is the kind of theme I really appreciate. Clever, interesting, and (I've gotta believe) difficult to construct. Two of the MIDDLE C entries are only so-so, but the other two, CRASH COURSE and CRANK CALLER, are awesome. The rest of the fill is solid with a sparkle here and there. There seem to be a lot of three-letter words, but none of them are abbreviations and only one, KER-, is a prefix (37D: Flooey lead-in). That's pretty impressive.

Bullets:

• 1A: Self-titled 2000s sitcom (REBA). Early in the week, you get a hint that we're not talking about Lucille Ball. Later in the week, you'll see a clue like "Television redhead" and will probably be tempted to enter LUCY. Not that that's ever happened to me.
• 18A: Innsbruck is its capital (TYROL). It's an Austrian state. I know that because I just looked it up.

• 20A: "There __ 'I' in 'team'" (IS NO). But, as I have been reminded, there are three Us in "Shut the F**k Up."
• 21A: Odessa natives (TEXANS). I admit it, I fell for it. I was only thinking about the Ukrainian Odessa.
• 31A: 1944 Normandy battle site (CAEN). If you entered St.-Lô without even thinking about it, you've been paying attention to CW101. Unfortunately, it didn't really help you today.
• 42A: Makizushi wrapper (NORI). I assume this is sushi.
• 47A: Francesca of "Collateral Damage" (NERI). No idea. She is primarily famous for her work in Italy, but she also co-starred in "Hannibal" and (as the clue tells us) "Collateral Damage" in the early 2000s.
• 1D: It's sold in cakes (RICE). I tried "soap" first.

• 10D: Wellington __, New York Giants co-owner for 45+ years (MARA). Ne-ever heard of this guy. Wikipedia says he was "one of the most influential and iconic figures in the history of the National Football League." If you say so.
• 30D: Make an honest man of, so to speak (WED). I appreciate the attempt at making this non-sexist but honestly, "make an honest man of" is not a phrase. Yes, it's been said and you can even Google it, but I've gotta believe it's mostly used in a joking way that's actually meant to emasculate the man referred to in some way. I should probably just leave it at that.
• 48D: Old cold-block bringers (ICEMEN). Bringers?

Crosswordese 101: SEVE Ballesteros is a professional golfer from Spain. He won the British Open three times and the Masters twice. His first Masters win came a year after Fuzzy Zoeller won the tournament (for some reason that shows up in puzzles every once in a while). You really don't need to know anything else about him for crossword puzzle purposes. The clue will almost always include his last name and a hint about his profession (i.e., the word "golf," "links," or "PGA").

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

• 26A: Disbelieving dying words (ET TU).
• 45A: Legendary Greek vessel (ARGO).

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Everything Else — 5A: Missal site (PEW); 13A: Part of, as a surprise party plan (IN ON); 14A: Mitchell of music (JONI); 15A: Blown away (IN AWE); 19A: Knock off a sub? (EAT); 25A: China is in it, with "the" (EAST); 27A: Coat on the slopes (SNOW); 33A: Look (SEEM); 35A: Lamb's mom (EWE); 36A: Sot's milieu (SKID ROW); 39A: Fixed income (STIPEND); 41A: Letter writer? (PEN); 44A: Took much more than one should have (OD'ED); 49A: Meat source (DELI); 58A: Actor Cage, casually (NIC); 60A: Where to learn une leçon (ECOLE); 63A: Prehistoric beasts, briefly (DINOS); 64A: Urgent care abbr. (EMER.); 65A: "It's crystal clear" ("I SEE"); 66A: Online social appointment (E-DATE); 67A: Craving (YEN); 68A: Catfish Row opera heroine (BESS); 2D: Interweave (ENLACE); 3D: Regatta action (BOAT RACING); 4D: Some (ANY); 5D: Prey (on), cat-style (POUNCE); 6D: Implants deeply (ENROOTS); 7D: Amusing quality (WIT); 9D: Colorful quartz varieties (ONYXES); 11D: Arms-up declaration (I WON); 14D: Kid around (JOSH); 17D: Rain storage reservoir (CISTERN).

21D: Faithfully following (TRUE TO); 23D: "Sing __ Song": Merle Haggard hit (A SAD); 24D: Salt Lake City university team (UTES); 28D: Like some pliers (NEEDLE-NOSE); 29D: Hold title to (OWN); 32D: Reagan biographer Peggy (NOONAN); 36D: Place to get naked, perhaps (SPA); 38D: Birdhouse bird (WREN); 40D: Zest in a cocktail (PEEL); 43D: Dander-raising (IRKSOME); 46D: Domestic-looking wildcat (OCELOT); 50D: Showy spring bloomers (IRISES); 52D: Baseball's Pee Wee (REESE); 53D: Affirm confidently (AVER); 55D: Sharp (ACID); 56D: TV tabloid pioneer Barrett (RONA); 61D: '70s-'80s Dodger third baseman Ron (CEY); 62D: Women's __ (LIB).