Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Title: Cold Storage
Author: Doug Peterson
Theme: Add the "Br" sound to phrases.

• Heart's ease => HEARTS BREEZE (20a: Simple task for a ticker?).


• All for one => BRAWL FOR ONE (28a: Bout of self-flagellation?).



• Anne Frank => BRAN FRANK (35a: High-fiber ballpark food item?). Ewww.


• Bass ale => BASS BRAILLE (49a: Raised writing on a largemouth?). Despite the fact that it derives from a beer, and not a bad one at that, this is by far the weakest and weirdest of the theme entries. Bass braille? Sorry. Doesn't work for me.


• Oohs and ahhs => BREWS AND BRAS (56a: Subtitle for a "Girls Gone Wild" video?). This one's almost as bad.

Not too much to say today, which is just as well since it wouldn't mostly be good, so let's get to it.

Sunny Spots:

Kudos for the Boston area references:

• 43a: "Bringing Down the House" sch. (MIT).


• 44a: 2004 and 2007 World Series champs (BOSOX).


• 8d: His #4 hangs from the ceiling of TD Banknorth Garden (BOBBY ORR).

Sundries:

• 14a: Disappearing sea (ARAL). Crossword staple.



• 15a: Los Angeles cap symbol (HALO).


• 16a: Marisa of "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" (TOMEI).


• 26a: Singer's tongue (YIDDISH). Isaac Bashevis Singer was a Nobel-winning author, and leader of the Yiddish literary movement, according to Wikipedia. I never heard of him, but that didn't mean it was hard to figure out the answer.


• 31a: Role for Keanu (NEO). Of "The Matrix".


• 34a: "You don't say!" (GEE) and 52a: "Holy cow!" (OMIGOSH). Two nice in-the-language entries.


• 66a: God head? (DEMI). Cryptic prefix.


• 69a: "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" costar (CRUZ). Penelope I assume, but I'm too lazy to look it up.


• 1d: With 18-Across, bought shots on credit (RAN A TAB).


• 3d: Place where you won't find free spirits? (CASHBAR). These two are enough to warrant a booze tag, don't you think?



• 4d: Bauhaus artist Paul (KLEE).


• 5d: Che Guevara portrayer in 1969 (Omar SHARIF).


• 9d: "The Father of English History" (ST BEDE).


• 12d: River through Rochester (GENESEE).


• 13d: TV's "Science Kid" (SID).


• 38d: Hawk or Raptor, e.g. (NBAER).



• 39d: Pond swimmer (KOI).


• 41d: Snoopy often drove one (ZAMBONI).


• 49d: Spot alternative (BOWSER). Dogs' names.


• 50d: Pandemonium (BEDLAM).


• 51d: "Star Wars" good guys (REBELS).


• 53d: Garage door opener company (GENIE).


• 59d: Math game with matchsticks (NIM). I vaguely remember this from years ago.



• 62d: Ratite on a ranch (EMU). If you knew that a ratite was a flightless bird, you'd be all over this one.


• 63d: Virtuoso (WIZ).

Suns of Bitches:

• 33a: Son of Prince Valiant (ARN).


• 22d: Actress Lisa (RINNA).

Forty lashes with a wet noodle for crossing ARN and RINNA. What are you thinking?

• 2d: "Colección de ___" (2002 Shakira album) (ORO).


• 37d: Iranian city that's the birthplace of Omar Khayyám (NISHAPUR). Say what?


• 57d: "Stoned Soul Picnic" songwriter (NYRO). Never heard of him/her.

I must say I really didn't care too much for this puzzle. The theme felt lame and there too many fills I didn't like, including the ARN/RINNA cross which is just hideous. Maybe I'm just in a bad mood. You guys can decide.

Thanks for listening.

- Pete M.