Monday, June 16, 2008

Title: Sayings of the Times
Author: Alex Boisvert
Theme: Famous catch phrases from five decades of television.

• 17a: Catchphrase of '60s TV (SOCK IT TO ME). From "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In"


• 25a: Catchphrase of '70s TV (BOOK 'EM DANNO). From "Hawaii Five-O"


• 37a: Catchphrase of '80s TV (ISN'T THAT SPECIAL). From "Saturday Night Live"


• 47a: Catchphrase of '90s TV (HELLO NEWMAN). From "Seinfeld"


• 57a: Catchphrase of '00s TV (YOU'RE FIRED). From "The Apprentice"

Ok, this is going to be short post as I had a high-school graduation and party this weekend, plus a baseball game, Father's Day, watching the U.S. Open (Go Tiger!) and watching the NBA Finals (Go Celtics!). I'll let you guys pick up the slack in the comments.

I like the theme. Nice, easy concept, but with colorful, evocative phrases that bring you back to times in your life that you watched the shows in question.

Sunny Spots:

Not too much really jumped out at me in this one. The most interesting fill is probably:

• 53a: Its ingredients may include cocoa, confectioners' sugar, and vanillin (EXLAX). It may not pass the "breakfast test", but it's a cool word and has two Xs.

Sundries:

• 6a: Exam with maximum score of 45T (MCAT). I was not familiar with the scoring system of the MCAT, but there aren't that many exams that show up in puzzles: SAT, ACT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT. That's about it.


• 10a: "Up and ___!" (Radioactive Man's battle cry) (ATOM).


• 14a: Hot house of sorts (SAUNA). Not too deceptive.


• 15a: Lake that contains Canada's southernmost point (ERIE). Easy.


• 16a: Man-to-man alternative (ZONE). Topical with the NBA finals going on.


• 31a: Hit song's place (SIDE A). For whatever reason, SIDE B seems to show up more in puzzles.


• 43a: Sporty auto, for short ('VETTE).


• 45a: Is steamed (SEES RED). Does this phrase originate from bull fighting (like the bull getting angry from seeing the red cape)? Or something else?


• 65a: Airline that doesn't schedule flights on Shabbat (EL AL).


• 66a: Bollix (up) (MESS). I like the clue for this one.


• 67a: Allowed, for short (LEGIT).



• 3d: Jean-___ Picard ("Star Trek" captain) (LUC).


• 4d: "Puppy Love" singer Paul (ANKA). I don't know why I know this.


• 5d: Vessel moved by the wind (SAILBOAT). Dull, as sailing clues go, but still a sailing clue.


• 7d: Kick the bucket (CROAK). "Kick the bucket" is one of the all-time great euphemisms. Croak? Well, not so much.


• 11d: Venom, e.g. (TOXIN).


• 12d: ___ rings (fried side) (ONION). Mmm. Food.


• 21d: ___ Bach ("Fanfare for the Common Cold" composer) (PDQ). Funny stuff.


• 34d: Explosive liquid, briefly (NITRO).


• 35d: Dinger (TATER). Slang for home run, in baseball.


• 38d: Word with French or English (HORN).


• 40d: Not at all dull (EVENTFUL).


• 44d: Hottie (FOX).


• 47d: Pronoun with a slash (HE/SHE).


• 48d: Sing the praises of (EXTOL).


• 49d: Cousin of an alpaca (LLAMA).


• 51d: Defeats handily (WHUPS). Something seems wrong with this spelling, but I'm not sure what.


• 59d: Scott Joplin creation (RAG). Love Scott Joplin. Good stuff.

Suns of Bitches:

• 28a: Jeremy Piven's role on "Entourage" (ARI GOLD). Huh?


• 10d: Hyundai sedan (AZERA). Never heard of this one, either.

Luckily, both were easily determined from the crossings.

Lots of Xs for a Monday puzzle. Nice theme. Average fill. Overall, a decent Monday.

Thanks for listening.

- Pete M.