Friday, February 27, 2009

Title: Think Twice
Author: Mark Diehl
Theme: Double edged -- all squares around the perimeter contain two letters each.

• 17a: Fuzz busters? (RaZORBLADES). A nice clue here, evoking the slang for a radar detector.



• 40a: Excalibur and Glamdring (BROADSWORDS). Glamdring was the name of the sword found in the troll lair in "The Hobbit" and wielded by Gandalf throughout the rest of that book and through the "Lord of the Rings". That single reference warrants a geek tag like no other reference I've ever seen. Awesome!


• 64a: Like 17- and 40-Across (and this puzzle) (DOUBLE-EDGEd).


I love this theme. I really do. I knew there was something funky going on (not in the 39d: Funk (ODOR) sense of the word) when so few words were fitting where I thought they should go. The one that confirmed there was something up was HALTER, which I knew had to be right. Then I got the theme clue and it all fell into place beautifully. Not to say it wasn't still a challenge, because it was. Perfect for a Friday.

Here are the rest of the edge clues:



• 1a: Arctic game (CaRiBoUs). This one threw me a bit, even after I knew the theme, because I've always thought the plural of caribou was caribou (like moose and deer). I've never heard it pluralized in this fashion, though the dictionary backs it as an option. Caribou is also the name of an alcoholic concoction commonly drank in unseemly quantities at Quebec Winter Carnival. If you've been to Quebec in the winter, you'll understand the appeal.


• 5a: 2001 Robert De Niro film (ThE sCoRe). Great film, also starring Edward Norton and featuring Marlon Brando.


• 9a: Oscar-winning song from "Captain Carey, U.S.A." (MoNa LiSa). This classic, sung by Nat King Cole, was the first "Best Song" Oscar from a non-musical drama. Here, I hope, is a link to it. (My company has blocked my access to youtube, so I can't verify it. If it's wrong, I apologize.)


• 13a: Derby distance (MeTRE). Derby is a city in England, hence the spelling. Not the distance of a particular race or of a hat of any kind. I confidently put MILE here before I knew what was going on.


• 16a: "Little House on the Prairie" tribe (OSAGe).


• 19a: Miranda Cosgrove TV character surnamed Shay (CARLy). Didn't know this at all. You might remember her as Summer, the cocky girl who becomes the band manager in "School of Rock".



• 23a: Garner (JeNN). Just kidding. It's ReAP.


• 27a: Slush fund purchase? (SNOWTIRe). Ouch.


• 31a: Traverse (CoURSE).


• 35a: Ballpark figures (ERAs).


• 36a: "A Journal of the Plague Year" author (DeFOE). I couldn't have named a single thing he wrote other than Robinson Crusoe. I suspect I'm not alone here.


• 38a: Affixes, in a way (IRONS On).


• 43a: To such an extent (as) (InSOFAR).



• 46a: Word with space or rock (OPERa). I assume that's opera space, not space opera? Maybe I'm wrong. Has "Star Wars" been made into a musical yet?


• 49a: Nana (GrAN).


• 52a: Injustices (WRONGs).


• 53a: "Count me in!" (I'd LOVE TO). Great fill.


• 57a: Drawn figure (TOOn).


• 61a: Draw back (CoWER).


• 69a: Certain furbearer (StOAT). Furbearer is a weird word. Are we skinbearers? Are fish scalebearers?


• 71a: Con game (BUNKo).



• 72a: Party mix ingredient (CoRn ChEx). Mmmmm. Party mix.


• 73a: Cause (EnGeNdEr).


• 74a: Military unit insignia (ArM pAtCh).


• 1d: Shooter's device (CaMeRa).


• 2d: It's scalloped (RiTZ). I couldn't figure out where this clue was going to save my life. Then I got it from crossings and went "Doh!".


• 3d: Jersey municipality (BoRO).


• 4d: They're not clean (UsERS). Drug reference.


• 5d: Calliope kin (ThALIA). Muses. Usually, it's Erato.


• 6d: Conveyance in an emergency (EsCAPE POD). Love it.


• 7d: Mixed (CoED). Sensitively clued as the adjective, not the more-politically-incorrect noun.


• 8d: Make available (ReLEASE). As DVDs, CDs, games, etc.


• 9d: Kid's farm sighting (MoO-COW). As opposed to all those baa-cows and neigh-cows out there. This felt like a bit of a stretch, but I can accept it. I guess.


• 10d: Columbia org. (NaSA). The space shuttle Columbia, not the city or the school.


• 11d: Trust buster? (LiAR).


• 12d: With prudence (SaGeLy).


• 23d: Change, as a computer program (ReCoDe). Well, sort of. Recode typically implies that you're starting from scratch, not modifying an existing program. So, if you start from scratch to create something that does basically the same thing, is it the same computer program anymore? Maybe it depends on whether you name it the same thing.



• 30d: Think in a logical manner (ReAsOn). "Logic is little tweeting bird chirping in meadow."


• 42d: Citizen part (WATCHBANd).


• 43d: Anastasia portrayer (InGrId). Bergman, of course.


• 48d: Teases (RaGs On).


• 51d: Ran a successful pass pattern (GOT OPEn). I like this fill a lot.


• 54d: Top (VERTEx).


• 56d: Kind of top (HALTEr).


• 60d: Keep out (DEBAr).


• 61d: Place to buy Kirkland Signature products (CoStCo). Never shopped there; never heard of Kirkland Signature products.


• 62d: Spent (WORn).


• 63d: Not together (EACh).


• 65d: Lean on (URGe).


• 66d: Sell off rapidly (DUMp).


• 67d: Black fly (GNAt).


• 68d: Successor to Joseph Wapner (Ed KoCh).

Sundries:

• 58a: Polish phrases, say (EDIT). Very cute clue.


• 70a: Presumably thin guy of rhyme (SPRAT). Jack Sprat could eat no fat, his wife could eat no lean.


• 18d: Animated TV dog (BLUE). I don't know what this references.


• 22d: Start of a saying about forgiveness (TO ERR).



• 28d: Hamilton (TENSPOT). I've never called a 10-dollar bill a "Hamilton", but then again I've never called it a tenspot either. I do know that Alexander Hamilton is on the ten, though, so it's not a reach.


• 37d: Pulsating pair (CAROTIDS).


• 47d: Spoon drummer Jim (ENO). Is he related to Brian?


• 52d: Osso buco ingredient (WINE). First guess VEAL; second guess BONE; finally figured it out.

This was a really beautiful puzzle, and a great send-off (hopefully not forever) for the Sun puzzle series.

I've had a great time blogging and want to thank everyone who came to read and/or post along the way, and to all those who have supported me, openly and behind the scenes. You know who you are.


Special thanks to Peter Gordon who, if you ask me, shouldn't have to pay for a single drink this whole weekend. If you see this guy, show your love.

Well, in the words of one Bilbo Baggins...

I regret to announce, this is the end.
I'm going now - I bid you all a very fond farewell.

Good-bye 

Thanks for listening.

- Pete M.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Title: Themeless Thursday
Author: Tony Orbach
Theme: NA

Here it is, the penultimate Sun puzzle, and a typically excellent one. But the sun (the real sun) is out and I want to go outside and play, so comments will be sparse and brief.

1a: Cruel inquisitor (TORQUEMADA).

11a: Posse members (PALS). I grew up watching western movies with my dad. Posse to me will always involve horses and cowboys.

15a: Did a 180 (ABOUTFACED).

16a: Davis-drawn dog (ODIE). That's Jim Davis of Garfield fame, of course.

17a: Hide (CAMOUFLAGE).

18a: Bubkes (NONE).

19a: Piece of praise (ODE).

20a: Ways (ROADS).

21a: Turkic tongue (UZBEK).

22a: How ham might be ordered (ONRYE).

23a: Electrolyte particles (ANIONS). How might ham be ordered by a physicist? With anions.

24a: Dominatrix, for example (SADIST).

27a: Many pound inhabitants (MUTTS).

29a: Robbie's dad (EVEL).

30a: Sufi beliefs, e.g. (MYSTICISM).

34a: Social goodie (TEACAKE).

37a: Ghost costume cutout (EYEHOLE).

38a: It's made without yeast (SODABREAD). It's made without soda too.

40a: Brésil division (ETAT).

41a: Small recesses (NOOKS).

42a: Adds streets to, say (REMAPS).

44a: Vanilla, e.g. (ORCHID).

47a: French river (SAONE).

49a: Scrupulous (MORAL).

50a: "Fuego del Ande" singer (SUMAC).

51a: Brand of energy drink (AMP).

54a: Continuously (EVER).

55a: "Synkronized" band (JAMIROQUAI). Never heard of them. Very Scrabbly.

57a: Get ready, with "up" (GEAR).

58a: "Theodora Goes Wild" star (IRENEDUNNE).

59a: Throng (ARMY).

60a: Done wrong (MISTREATED).

1d: Soft shell grab? (TACO).

2d: One-chapter O.T. book (OBAD).

3d: Where "Tosca" takes place (ROME).

4d: Status follower (QUO).

5d: One-way street no-nos (UTURNS).

6d: Endeavor (EFFORT).

7d: Language of Singapore (MALAY).

8d: Part of AMPAS (ACADEMY). The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awarded the Oscar to the only one of the five best picture nominees I saw "Slumdog Millionaire." Great movie.

9d: There are nine in F. for every five in C. (DEGS).

10d: Orange additive? (ADE).

11d: Bernard Madoff offering (PONZISCHEME).

12d: Spicy Mexican marinade (ADOBO).

13d: It often stays in the closet (LINEN).

14d: Personal ad word (SEEKS).

21d: Loose (UNTIE).

22d: "Mighty Mouse" villain (OILCANHARRY). I vaguely remember this meanie, although if you'd asked me to name somebody named Oil Can I'd've gone with Boston Red Sox pitcher Oil Can Boyd.

23d: Case worker: Abbr. (ATTY).

24d: Prepares for a spike (SETS).

25d: Subcompact from Chevrolet (AVEO).

26d: Word with heat or meat (DEAD).

28d: Put into service (USED).

30d: Pigeon-hearted (MEEK).

31d: Grain (IOTA).

32d: Rough the passer? (SLAP).

33d: "Kiner's Korner" interviewees (METS).

35d: In a tumultuous state (ABOIL).

36d: Nickname of Mariano Rivera's crosstown rival (KROD). If you wonder how Francisco Rodriguez got the nickname K-Rod and not F-Rod, you should know that in baseball notation a strikeout is symbolized by the letter K. Rodriguez strikes out a lot of batters.

39d: Postulates (ASSUMES).

42d: Lion, at times (ROARER).

43d: Protect from the enemy, in a way (ENCODE).

44d: "The ___ Man" (1971 Charlton Heston film) (OMEGA). One of my favorites, recently redone with Will Smith and a new title (which escapes me.)

45d: Name on a bone-shaped ID tag, perhaps (ROVER).

46d: Beat by a lot (CREAM).

48d: Make ___ (strike it rich) (AMINT).

50d: Draped dress (SARI).

51d: Jessica Simpson, to Bronx Mowgli Wentz (AUNT).

52d: Locks in a paddock? (MANE).

53d: Foot, in French (PIED).

55d: "Broken Flowers" director Jarmusch (JIM).

56d: As (QUA).

Good luck at the ACPT.

Norrin

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Title: That's Unreal!
Author: Peter A. Collins
Theme: Imaginary numbers (in math)

• 25a: See 73-Across (THE SQUARE ROOT).


• 53a: See 73-Across (OF NEGATIVE ONE).


• 71a: Hurricane centers (EYES). "i" homophone.


• 73a: What to do to all the letters in this puzzle's grid hinted at by 71-Across to create the symbol described by 25- and 53-Across (SHADE).

Here's a puzzle for the math geeks. In math, an integer is any non-fraction (i.e., ..., -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, ... ). A rational number is any number that can be represented as the simple quotient of two integers (i.e., a/b, where a and b are integers). Then you have irrational numbers, like "e" and pi, that cannot be so simplified. Combine the rationals and irrationals to get the set of "real" numbers. But that's not enough to solve all the equations that need solving. That's why we need "imaginary" numbers, defined as a product of a real number and "i" -- defined, as noted in this puzzle -- as the square root of -1 (so, i x i = -1). Armed with this new definition, we can define "complex" numbers, which have both a real and non-real component (e.g., 3 + 2i). Suffice it to say that this opens up new doors in mathematical analysis.

As a former math major, this puzzle tickled my fancy. But I can't help wondering how accessible this phenomenon is to the average crossword-solving crowd. Still, it's a nice execution, with the shaded "i"s forming another "i" in the grid.

Sundries:

• 1a: Aria man, maybe (BASSO). Did you try TENOR first? Who could blame you?


• 15a: Gabonese president Bongo (OMAR). See? Epps and Sharif aren't the only Omars out there if you look. And we know Peter Gordon looks.


• 17a: Obfuscate (CLOUD). Obfuscate is a great word. It generally implied intentional clouding, to make something more difficult to understand for someone else. Why would one want to that, you ask. Well, I first became aware of it when programming in Java some years back. It was a relatively straightforward procedure to "decompile" someone's program, thus gaining access to the original source code and logic therein -- something that might want to be protected by the author to avoid pirating. Obfuscation was a routine that garbled the source code so that it was difficult to read by humans, but would still compile to function in the same way as the original.



• 22a: Thing that can be very sticky? (DAM). Sticky, as in made of sticks. Ugh.


• 24a: With 28-Across, 1935 nominee for Best Picture (TOP/HAT). With Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.


• 35a: Blowhard (GASBAG). Is this one word or two? I'm not sure.


• 41a: Morse morsel? (DAH). Morse code is refered to as dots and dashes when written, but dits and dahs when heard. So, a morse code morsel in three letters could easily be DIT, DOT, or DAH. Put in the D and wait for the crossings.



• 43a: Denis of "The Ref" (LEARY). I love Denis Leary. This was a pretty silly film, but has its amusing moments for sure.


• 49a: Led (RAN). It took me a while to find the synonym here. Ran, as in ran a company, say.


• 52a: Former Manhattan punk music club, familiarly (CBS). Some might find that CBGBs is enough of a stretch without resorting to a "familiar" shortcut. I got it easily enough, but there are better clues for CBS.


• 58a: Where monkeys go bar-hopping? (ZOO). Ugh.


• 60a: Signs up (ENROLLS). I'm more used to seeing this with one L, but both are legitimate.


• 67a: Deuce follower, sometimes (AD OUT). Tennis scoring.


• 68a: 2008 All-Star center fielder McLouth (NATE). Must be an NLer, as I've never heard of him.


• 69a: Son of Solomon Levy in an Anne Nichols play (ABIE).



• 70a: Word on Pooh's pot (HUNNY).


• 72a: "___ on Entebbe" (1977 TV movie) (RAID). I remember this like it was yesterday. I was in my teens, a formative period.


• 3d: Cargo measures (SHORT TONS).


• 4d: Part of NSW (SOUTH). New South Wales, Australia.


• 5d: Gobs (OODLES).


• 6d: 1999 Claire Danes film, with "The" (MOD SQUAD). Could have easily been used to clue OMAR Epps, above.


• 12d: Easy-to-play instrument (KAZOO).


• 26d: Pope during the Great Schism (URBAN VI). I'm not crazy about Pope clues, but they're not usually that hard to figure out.


• 29d: "The African Queen" co-screenwriter (AGEE). I think I must have seen this a few times in puzzles, because it came to me much quicker than I would have thought it might.


• 38d: Court buildings? (GYMS). Basketball courts, particularly.


• 42d: Did some work as a char (HOOVERED). I didn't know fish did housework. Apparently, there's another meaning of char I was not familiar with.



• 56d: Olympic skiing gold medalist Alberto (TOMBA). Some athletes have personae that last well beyond their limited Olympics exposures. Tomba is one of these unforgettables.


• 57d: "Well, obviously!" (NO DUH).


• 61d: Bergman's "Casablanca" role (Ilsa LUND).

Thanks for listening.

- Pete M.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Title: Puzzle of the Week
Author: Ogden Porter (Peter Gordon)
Theme: Real and fictional people named for days of the week

• 17a: Author of "My Secret Garden" (NANCY FRIDAY).


• 23a: Identical twin character in "There Will Be Blood" (PAUL SUNDAY).


• 30a: Protagonist of several Jasper Fforde novels (THURSDAY NEXT).


• 39a: Christina Ricci film role (WEDNESDAY ADDAMS).


• 47a: All-Pro center for the Indianapolis Colts (JEFF SATURDAY).


• 55a: Cubs player who prevented two protesters from igniting an American flag on the outfield grass during a 1976 game at Dodger Stadium (RICK MONDAY).


• 67a: "Looking for Mr. Goodbar" actress (TUESDAY WELD).

where to begin? first of all, this was a cool theme, very simple but well-done. seven long theme answers is a lot for a 15x15 puzzle... which is why peter had to super-size the puzzle to 17x15 to fit them in. (yes, most people in puzzles would call it 15x17, but i've decided i've got to be my own man, so i'm going to call it rows x columns, which is what everybody else in the world does anyway.) i can honestly say i've never done a 17x15 puzzle, so it was a new experience, but not an unpleasant one. the theme would have been even cooler if the entries had been in logical order, but the lengths didn't match up well enough for that despite the convenience of wednesday as the only 15.

second: i have never heard of most of these people. the two pro athletes, yes, although they are bordering on non-famous. saturday is an all-pro, but he's also an offensive lineman, and most offensive linemen are totally anonymous to all but the most hard-core NFL fans. monday is a player whose name i know, but he's definitely from before my time, and while he was a good player, he wasn't a great one. and i know who wednesday is, even though i've never watched the addams family TV show or movie(s?).

but the other four... yikes. i'd never heard of tuesday until WELD showed up in the december 24 NYT puzzle with the clue [Tuesday in Hollywood]. friday—no idea who that is, although i have heard of dragnet's sgt friday. and sunday... well, didn't see that movie. and thursday? that's a totally improbable name for a person. i didn't even know who jasper fforde was until KMT made him the marquee entry in a NYT themeless in november.

Sunny Spots:

• 43d: Harvard Yard building (DORM). right down the street. the building in the picture is thayer, where i lived as a freshman.

Sundries:

• 7a: Scratch the surface of, maybe (ETCH). nice clue, with the literal sense not being the first to come to mind.


• 14a: Nonprincipled (AMORAL). immoral = evil, as an act; AMORAL = lacking morals, as a person; nonmoral = not related to morality, as an issue. however, i don't know the difference between unprincipled (the word i would have used for this clue) and nonprincipled, which my dictionary doesn't recognize.


• 19a: With 35-Across, musical inability (TIN/EAR). i've seen this in crosswords surprisingly often, but the most memorable was in a jonesin' theme with COPPERHEAD, NICKELBACK, LEAD FOOT, IRON LUNG, GOLD TEETH, and BRASS BALLS.


• 25a: ___ Alex (2005 Preakness and Belmont winner) (AFLEET). why do i remember this? i have zero interest in racing. i guess it's just such an unusual name.


• 46a: Seth of "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" (ROGEN). he's an okay actor, but i like the movies he's written. the clue also goes nicely with 64d: Pornographic (BLUE).


• 51a: Evil demon (GHOUL). as opposed to all those good demons.


• 60a: Hard-to-make point in craps (FOUR). i'll take your word for it, i guess.


• 74a: Sweats might be worn during it (PHYS ED). this clue struck me as odd. usually, when a clue refers to the answer with a pronoun, it's a tricky clue involving some sort of attempt to conceal the category of the answer. this clue, however, is pretty straightforward. why not [Class in which you might wear sweats?]


• 11d: Like "Wall-E" (RATED G). they say that the oscars were yesterday (two days ago, by the time anyone reads this). it turns out that wall-e was one of two movies i saw in 2008. (the other one, indiana jones and the kingdom of the crystal skull, was not nominated for any oscars.) it was pretty good, and definitely better than crystal skull, so i'll give it the joon for best picture of 2008.


• 12d: Alec's "Star Wars" role (OBI WAN). genuine class.


• 13d: Restaurant with Moons Over My Hammy (DENNY'S). i used to eat there pretty often when i lived in palo alto and there was nothing else open after 11 pm. it was sad. i don't actually like their food, but anything is better than nothing.


• 36d: Sister of Zsa Zsa (MAGDA). definitely the third-best gabor sister in crossworld.


• 47d: ___ joint (place to eat, drink, and dance) (JUKE). is tihs 1950s slang, or does it just feel that old?


• 62d: "When the cat's ___ ..." (AWAY). when i took french 1 back in 8th grade, i made a point of memorizing lots of french proverbs, just for fun. one of them was, "quand le chat est parti, les souris dansent." there was another one about cats, too: "nous avons beaucoup de chats à fouetter" (we have a lot of cats to whip). what is the deal with cats and gruesome adages? i guess after we whip our cats we can think of more than one way to skin them.


• 65d: Did too many lines of blow, say (ODED). drug reference.

Suns of Bitches:

• 54a: Photographer William who's known for his pictures of Weimaraners (WEGMAN). until i googled this, i assumed he took pictures of people from weimar, like goethe and schiller. apparently, weimaraners are dogs.


• 18d: "Giant" ranch (REATA). what does this even mean? i know what a REATA is. it's not a ranch of any size.


• 25d: Iraqi politician Chalabi (AHMED). never heard of this guy, but it's a common arabic name.


• 38d: "Teach Your Children" group, for short (CSNY). this must be some new york thing that i'm not in on. i know "CSI: NY," but not CSNY.


• 57d: Extremely (NO END). this wasn't hard, of course, but i just wanted to put it here because i'm feeling ornery. NO END has no right to be an adverb, does it?

i guess that's all for me. i'll miss the sun puzzles dearly. here's hoping the sun will rise again some day. in the meantime, thanks to peter for his tireless efforts over the last 7-8 years, even though i've only been around to enjoy the fruits of those efforts for the last 12 months.

joon

Monday, February 23, 2009

Title: Pinstripers in the Hall
Author: Michael T. Williams
Theme: Nicknames of Hall-of-Fame Yankees players

• 18a: Bronx Bomber in Cooperstown (JOLTIN' JOE). Joe DiMaggio.


• 24a: Bronx Bomber in Cooperstown (OLD PROFESSOR). Casey Stengel.


• 38a: Bronx Bomber in Cooperstown (THE SULTAN OF SWAT). Babe Ruth.


• 52a: Bronx Bomber in Cooperstown (THE IRON HORSE). Lou Gehrig.


• 62a: Bronx Bomber in Cooperstown (MR. OCTOBER). Reggie Jackson.

Okay, first things first. It's no secret that I'm a die-hard Red Sox fan, so there's only so much love I can give to a Yankees puzzle. But it's a cool theme, and I knew all but the Casey Stengel one (which I know I've heard, but I couldn't place without looking it up). Minor quibble that two start with THE, which is kind of undesirable in a crossword, but not a huge flaw.

Sundries:

• 17a: Sound of a wet impact (SPLAT). Which might leave a 28a: Irregularly shaped stain (SPLOTCH). I've always been a fan of the onomatopoetic words.


• 37a: 50th state greeting (ALOHA). This is the gimme that corrected my one false step at 10d, where I had CONTAINS for 10d: Holds in check (CONTROLS).


• 45a: Holy Frenchwoman: Abbr. (STE).


• 46a: London cathedral (ST PAULS). Unusual to have two "saint" clues, especially so close together.


• 66a: Arctic coat (PARKA). RIME, my first instinct, didn't fit.



• 1d: Pasta sauce (PESTO). I love PESTO. The only thing we grow consistently in our pitiful garden is basil, so summertime is pesto time. Man, you can almost smell that picture, can't you?


• 5d: Straight (HETERO).


• 8d: Word left behind by the Lorax (UNLESS). I need to go back and read this again, as it seems to get more puzzle action than most Seuss stories.


• 9d: Actor Mahershalalhashbaz ___ of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (ALI). This is oddly guessable. I still haven't seen the film. I think I'll wait for it to show up on Netflix.


• 11d: Ramada alternative, informally (HOJO).


• 21d: Factotum (DO ALL). I never heard of a factotum, which is a servant hired to do a wide variety of jobs. I think I need one.


• 26d: Norwegian saint (OLAF). I never know whether this is going to be OLAF or OLAV. I've seen it both ways, and I'm not sure there's a pattern.


• 34d: University of Maryland player, for short (TERP). The Terps get more crossword ink than most college mascots, that's for sure. Although the Georgetown Hoyas get their due as well.


• 39d: Full of electrical interference (STATICKY). Wow, that just looks wrong, doesn't it?



• 41d: Animated clownfish voiced by Alexander Gould (NEMO). You had me at animated fish.


• 48d: One-named comedian in "Jingle All the Way" (SINBAD).


• 59d: David Copperfield's first wife (DORA). Didn't know this, but never saw the clue. This is usually clued via "Dora the Explorer".

Countdown to ACPT. Can't wait! If you're one of the three people who have followed this blog, be sure to introduce yourself and say hello. I'll probably be in the bar. :)

Thanks for listening.

- Pete M.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Title: Oscar-winning Roles
Author: Jeremy Horwitz
Theme: Fictional roles that won "Oscars" in their fictional universe

• 1a: With 69-Across, Oscar-winning star of "Queen of the Night" in 1992's "The Bodyguard" (RACHEL / MARRON).



• 20a: Oscar-winning star of "Tropic Blunder: The True Story Behind the Making of the Most Expensive Fake True War Story Ever" in 2008's "Tropic Thunder" (TUGG SPEEDMAN).


• 38a: Oscar-winning star of "A World for Two" in 1954's "A Star Is Born" (VICKI LESTER).


• 55a: Oscar-winning star of "To Serve and Protect" in 1997's "In & Out" (CAMERON DRAKE).

Wow, what a way to round out Oscar week. I have to say that, despite the fact that only TUGG SPEEDMAN even sounded familiar, I really like this concept a lot. I found all the other names to be plausible enough, and none of the crossings were that nasty, so it was quite the nice Friday puzzle.

Sundries:

• 11a: Laurence Fishburne series (CSI). Name a series in three letters...


• 14a: One of the Andrews Sisters (MAXENE). I had the MAX and went with MAXINE, but it was soon clear from the crossing that this was not the correct spelling.


• 15a: Fictional spy Rider (ALEX). I'm not familiar with this series of spy novels by Anthony Horowitz.


• 17a: Learned scholar (SAVANT). I always thought a SAVANT was a natural talent more than a scholar, but I guess that's the idiot savant.


• 19a: Unit replaced by the siemens (MHO). 23a: 100 nanojoules (ERG). Our physics fix of the day.


• 27a: Italian composer Antonio (SALIERI). If you've seen "Amadeus", you'll remember this name.



• 33a: The Enforcer's boss (SCARFACE). Is this from the movie "Scarface", or is this some comic I am not aware of? When I see "The Enforcer", I think Dirty Harry movie.


• 36a: Tropical beach garment (SARONG).


• 40a: Coca-Cola offering (FRESCA). Does anyone drink this stuff? I think it's the worst tasting soda I've ever tried. Even worse than Tab.


• 45a: Flat fee (RENT). Very nice clue.


• 48a: "Did it start without me?" (AM I LATE).


• 54a: It gets bigger when stroked or massaged (EGO). Sexual innuendo tag.


• 66a: Balletic opposite of en l'air (A TERRE). If you're not in the air, you're on the ground.


• 7d: Misses at a rodeo (GALS). Another very nice clue.


• 9d: Site of Hercules's first labor (NEMEA). For some reason, my first instinct was NIMES.


• 13d: Decreasing? (IRONING). Very cute.


• 21d: Balenciaga parent company (GUCCI). I've never heard of Balenciaga, but somehow I knew this answer instinctively.


• 23d: Staggered start? (ESS). Cryptic letter clue.


• 25d: Idol (GRAVEN IMAGE). Nice fill.


• 29d: Get angry and defensive (BRISTLE).


• 39d: "Enigma Variations" composer (ELGAR). Elgar is probably most known for his "Pomp and Circumstance" march, played at most graduation processions.



• 40d: Geometric term coined by Benoît Mandelbrot (FRACTAL). Excellent. Get some math geekiness in here. I'm not going to explain them, go here or here for more info.


• 41d: Go back into the ring? (REMARRY). Okay, that's pushing it a bit much. There's often a fine line between clever and over-the-top. It's hard to define, but this one stepped over.


• 46d: Brand of chewing gum (MENTOS). Mentos makes gum? Who knew?Does it do the same thing that the mints do when you add them to Diet Coke?


• 49d: Moises of "Hannah Montana" (ARIAS). This is didn't know, but I didn't need to. And I prefer it over some obscure Italian opera reference.


• 50d: Where the pa'anga is spent (TONGA). Obscure clue, but with T___A, it was easy to guess.


• 52d: Cathouse cheese (MADAM). There's something unsettling about this clue. The use of the word "cheese" in the context of a cathouse sends my mind to places I'd just as soon it not go. "Whorehouse head" would be more suggestive, but at the same time would feel... I don't know... cleaner?


• 53d: Honshu seaport (AKITA). I went with OSAKA first, as I expect we were meant to.


• 62d: Full house sign (SRO). Standing Room Only. I never knew this before doing crosswords. New Hampshire doesn't have a lot of standing room only shows, I guess.

Only one more week of Sun puzzles. This is a mixed blessing for me, as I will miss the quality puzzles terribly. But I'm not sure I'm going to miss blogging them. Don't get me wrong, it's been fun, but it can also be a chore. Without the help of Joon and Norrin2, I'd have bailed long ago. It will be nice to have a break.

Thanks for listening.

- Pete M.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Title: It's an Honor to be Nominated . . . Again
Author: John Farmer
Theme: Actors nominated twice for Academy Awards for the same role.

If you had asked me to name somebody nominated twice for an Academy Award for the same role, I could have told you about Paul Newman (17A: 1961 and 1986 nominated role for Paul Newman (only five times has the same actor been nominated for the same role in two films) (FAST EDDIE FELSON ) and that's only because it seems so weird to me that of all the great roles Newman played he won his only Academy Award for "The Color of Money" and he was great in it, of course, but it wasn't a great movie and anybody can look good playing opposite Tom Cruise.

If I'd racked my brain I probably could have got 47A: 1972 and 1974 Oscar-nominated role for Al Pacino (MICHAEL CORLEONE) even though I haven't seen any of the Godfather movies -- or the Sopranos or any other gangster-related shows. Just have zero interest in gangsters, I guess. (Pacino didn't win an Oscar until "Scent of a Woman" which was not one of his best roles either, if you ask me. )

And maybe if you had a gun to my head I could have come up with 26A: 1944 and 1945 Oscar-nominated role for Bing Crosby (FATHER O'MALLEY) only because it seems Bing was always playing either a priest or a guy on the run with Bob Hope, crooning to Dorothy Lamour.

But I did not know 33A: 1964 and 1968 Oscar-nominated role for Peter O'Toole (KING HENRY II) or 56A: 1998 and 2007 Oscar-nominated role for Cate Blanchett (QUEEN ELIZABETH I). I don't know, maybe movies about ROYALTY (16A: Payment to an author, perhaps) appeal to me as movies about gangsters. O'Toole by the way played King Henry in Becket and The Lion in Winter. Blanchett played Queen Elizabeth in Elizabeth and Elizabeth: the Golden Age. The same year she was nominated for that latter Liz, she was also nominated for playing the role of Bob Dylan in I'm Not There.

Only other Oscar winner I see in this puzzle is at 29D: Charles portayer (LOY) . That's Myrna Loy, who did not win an Oscar for her role as Nora Charles in the Thin Man movie series or any specific role. Instead she won a lifetime achievement award shortly before she died in 1993.

A couple of other entries that caught my eye:

68A: Part of "ST:DS9" (TREK) That's Star Trek: Deep Space 9 for those of you who don't geek out in a trekward direction.

12D: Former province of France (ALSACE) Never heard of it, but geography is my weakness.

49D: Heir to the throne of Thule, in the comics (ARN) Son of Prince Valiant.

33D: Brass rings, maybe (KNOCKERS) Don't know why I like that one as much as I do. But I do.

Be here next week when we bid a tearful to the Thursday Sun puzzle.

Norrin

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Title: Screenwriting Can Be a Drag
Author: Andrea Carla Michaels and Patrick Blindauer
Theme: Oscar-winning screenplays that feature crossdressing.

• 4d: 1992 Best Original Screenplay Oscar winner featuring cross-dressing (THE CRYING GAME).



• 14d: 1982 Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar nominee featuring cross-dressing (VICTOR VICTORIA).


• 23d: 1959 Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar nominee featuring cross-dressing (SOME LIKE IT HOT).

Well, it must be Oscar week. This is the third puzzle in a row that features Oscar winners past (and also the third 15x16 grid). Today we get films featuring men dressed as women (or in one case, a woman pretending to be a man dressed as a woman). It seems a fairly straight-(no pun intended)-forward theme, which always has me wondering what I missed when I see Patrick Blindauer's name involved. Well, if there is something, I can't see it right now.

The rest:

• 7a: It runs in the woods (SAP). It's almost maple syrup season around here. Yummm.



• 15a: Word with gun or dog (TOP). Here's to Lt. Pete Mitchell.


• 17a: Cruise stopover (ISLE). My first instinct was PORT, but I should have know ISLE was more likely. Nothing to do with Tom Cruise this time.


• 27a: "Peter and the Wolf" duck (OBOE). This is a classic by Prokofiev, where each instrument plays the theme of a different character.


• 30a: 1990s computer hit with teleporting books (MYST). This was a groundbreaking puzzle game, and one of the first to appeal to women as much as men.


• 36a: Rockies manager Hurdle (CLINT). Who? Luckily I had _LINT by the time I came back to this one, which narrowed the choice considerably.



• 43a: Result of puppy love? (NIP). Cute.


• 44a: Old Olds (CIERA). You wanted ALERO here, I know you did. But have no fear, it shows up at 58d: Old Olds (ALERO).


• 45a: City with the burial site of a noted Indian (AGRA). That's Indian from India, not Native American. Agra is the site of the Taj Mahal.



• 49a: "Jaws" craft (ORCA). Some movie trivia is easier to recall than others. This one I'll never forget. A classic.


• 51a: Yellow spots' spots (RETINAE). I didn't get this. I guess yellow spots are a vision thing.


• 55a: "The Mystery of ___ Vep" (IRMA). Didn't know it.


• 59a: Part of a mean mien? (SNEER).


• 64a: Race in the library? (ELOI). Common crossword fare. Remember it.


• 68a: Mix-a-Lot's title (SIR). Don't know that much about rap, but I know this name.


• 70a: Part of the inn crowd? (ROOMER).


• 6d: All together (EN MASSE).


• 10d: Detailed, as instructions (STEP BY STEP).


• 11d: Lotharios (ROMEOS).


• 26d: Salt shaker? (SEA). A salt is an old sailor.


• 31d: Five-ninths of MLXXXIX (DCV). Didn't bother with the math on this one; just filled it in based on crossings.


• 33d: Plant food brand (MIRACLE GRO). Nice fill.



• 48d: Givens on "Jeopardy!" (ANSWERS). Robin Givens was on "Jeopardy!"? Well, not that I know of, but anything's possible. I know Robin Quivers has been. Either way, we're not talking proper names here, but the answers which are given such that the contestants can ask the appropriate question.


• 50d: Signaled on "Jeopardy!" (RANG IN). Continuing the "Jeopardy!" theme.


• 56d: Calls outside of one's calling area (ROAMS). Fair warning for you US Cellular users out there... your unlimited nights, weekends, and incoming calls don't count if you go to Canada. My wife's been working there for a few weeks and just got dinged with a $400+ cellular bill. Yikes!

Not too easy, but nothing too hard. Just what the doctor ordered for a Wednesday.

Thanks for listening.

- Pete M.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Title: International Film Festival
Author: Jerzy Whitmore
Theme: Best Picture winners whose title begins with a nationality

• 4d: Best Picture of 1996, with "The" (ENGLISH PATIENT). based on the novel by michael ondaatje, which i'm told is quite good.


• 7d: Best Picture of 1971, with "The" (FRENCH CONNECTION). the french lieutenant's woman wouldn't fit, it's from the wrong year, and it didn't win best picture.


• 19d: Best Picture of 1999 (AMERICAN BEAUTY). i've actually seen this one, which is saying something. (i don't normally watch movies.) not only that, i loved it. it's my second-favorite movie ever. so a big thumbs-up here.

a nice, tight, little theme. this is the second consecutive oscar-themed puzzle, and i read yesterday (on a crossword blog—where else would i have heard it?) that it's oscar week. does that mean we're in for a whole week of these? i hope not, but it's not nearly as depressing as the thought that we only have another week and a half's worth of sun puzzles at all.

it's also the second consecutive 15x16 puzzle, to accommodate the 16-letter FRENCH CONNECTION. but this one was symmetric.

Sunny Spots:

• 21d: Poles on the equator, maybe? (EXPATS). this clue made me smile. just brilliant! indeed, the equator does not pass through poland.

Sundries:

• 16a: Hollywood agent Emanuel whose brother Rahm is the White House chief of staff (ARI). somebody told me this factoid a few months ago. i can no longer remember who. but this might have beaten the ENC clue from last week for the "largest clue length/answer length ratio" record.


• 17a: Goes on a bender (BINGES). booze tag, i guess.


• 18a: One who makes fancy invitations, maybe (ENGRAVER). i wouldn't have minded an albrecht dürer clue here.


• 26a: Title for some dignitaries (EXCELLENCY). i think if you're good enough at whatever it is you do, you should get to be called "your EXCELLENCY." peter gordon, for instance, should have this title.


• 28a: "Exodus" novelist (URIS). neither this clue, nor 34d: Contemporary of Moses (KAREEM), has anything to do with the old testament.


• 31a: With 50-Across, investor's option (ROTH/IRA). nice to see the whole thing in here. it's almost always just IRA.


• 33a: Punches up, as punch (SPIKES). good clue. booze tag x2.


• 42a: Order from a bar regular, with "the" (USUAL). souse it up! i'm going to be three sheets to the wind by the time i'm done blogging this puzzle.


• 44a: "Hardcore troubadour" Steve (EARLE). learned this name from crosswords. he's some kind of country rocker. i prefer baseball hall-of-famer EARLE combs myself.


• 53a: Host of the 1980 Winter Olympics (LAKE PLACID). also some kind of 3rd-rate horror movie from the recent past, i think.


• 59a: Mathematical minima and maxima (EXTREMA). this was a very X-ful puzzle.


• 63a: Device for making grooves in wood (ROUTER). this clue is so last millennium.


• 70a: Hoover or Roosevelt, e.g. (DAM). i had DEM here for a second, even though i've seen this exact clue somewhere else in the past week.


• 2d: News agcy. owned by the Unification Church (UPI). i did not know that. is this common knowledge?


• 3d: Hall of Fame quarterback Dawson (LEN). i've been seeing this guy's name a lot recently, for no really good reason. he was the MVP of super bowl IV, just in case you ever find yourself doing this sporcle quiz.


• 5d: Copped thing (PLEA). i so wanted this to be FEEL.


• 8d: Strong-legged Armstrong (LANCE). okay, cute clue, though i bet his arms are also a lot stronger than mine.


• 24d: Fire up (AROUSE). such restraint shown in the cluing here. no sexual innuendo to be found.


• 40d: Snake-oil salesman's offering (ELIXIR). good word, fun clue.


• 46d: Sierra Nevada offering (PALE ALE). good grief. i'm cutting you off, mister!



• 48d: "10" star (BO DEREK). this was not a best picture winner.


• 54d: Viking rival (AMANA). apparently viking makes appliances. i was definitely looking for a football team here.


• 56d: Members of a firing squad? (AXMEN). i don't think i've heard this term used to describe wielders of metaphorical axes, only literal ones.

Suns of Bitches:

none, surprisingly. this was my fastest tuesday solve in quite some time.

overall, a nice puzzle and a very smooth grid. i don't recognize the constructor's name. if this is a debut, then congratulations to jerzy whitmore. (edited to add: it's not a debut. jerzy whitmore is actually experienced constructor jeremy horwitz in anagrammatic disguise. thanks to orange for the tip-off.)

see you next week.

joon

Monday, February 16, 2009

Title: All the Presidents' Best Actors and Actresses
Author: Ogden Porter (Peter Gordon)
Theme: Oscar winners who share last names with U.S. Presidents

• 28a: Best Actress of 1960 and 1966 (ELIZABETH TAYLOR).


• 35a: Best Actor of 1964 (REX HARRISON).


• 57a: Best Actress of 1931 (HELEN HAYES).


• 4d: Best Actress of 1970 and 1973 (GLENDA JACKSON).


• 11d: Best Actor of 2001 (DENZEL WASHINGTON).

Breakin' the rules. Breakin' the rules. Here we have a 15x16 that is non-symmetrical with non-symmetrical theme answers. Did it bother you? Did it affect your enjoyment of the puzzle? This is one of those oft-debated issues among constructors. Are the rules of symmetry there for a reason, or are they just some snobbish clinging to an obscure set of rules for no apparent reason. I won't get into that too deeply here. Personally, I like the symmetry of crosswords. It pleases my mathematical sense of order. But I can honestly say I wasn't bothered by the lack of order during this fairly-easy Monday solve.

The rest is going to be quick, as I'm tired and want to go to bed.

Sundries:

• 4a: Potential petter's discouragement (GRR). This feels weird to me, as it's the pettee that is doing the discouraging.


• 17a: Like the Empire State Building (ART DECO).



• 23a: Sound from the anteater in "B.C." (ZOT). Don't recall this one.


• 24a: Broke (TAMED).


• 42a: Mexican state on the Gulf of Tehuantepec (OAXACA).



• 46a: Star-Belly and Plain-Belly Seuss creatures (SNEETCHES). Very nice.


• 63a: Puts an end to (ERADICATES).


• 65a: Vitality (ZING).



• 3d: Woven mat of Japan (TATAMI).


• 6d: Dad's product (ROOT BEER). I've been fooled by a Dad's clue before, so I was onto it this time. As I recall, it was "Dad's rival", which was AANDW (a nasty sequence of letters).


• 9d: Be taught incorrectly (MISLEARN).


• 31d: Missouri county (OSAGE).


• 38d: Is in the lead by a little (HAS AN EDGE).


• 46d: Former president of Indonesia (SUHARTO). I remember this from "The Year of Living Dangerously".



• 47d: Rum ___ Tugger ("Cats" cat) (TUM).


• 54d: Umenyiora of the New York Giants (OSI). Never saw the clue. Which is good, since I wouldn't have known this at all.


• 56d: Tips of skis? (ESSES). Cryptic letter clue.

That's all for tonight.

Thanks for listening.

- Pete M.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Title: Wacky Weekend Warrior
Author: Trip Payne
Theme: None, in the traditional manner of speaking.

The Wacky Weekend Warrior is a Trip Payne specialty that comes around every once in a while. Some people might find it off-putting, as the vast majority of fill are not real words or common phrases. In fact, most of it is quite contrived or totally fabricated. But does that make it unfair? I suppose it could easily be, for what are the rules and standards of a puzzle that, by definition, is breaking the rules and standards? I'm not sure that there's a definitive answer to that question. Perhaps it totally a judgement call. But I can tell you this: I found absolutely nothing unfair in this puzzle. In fact, I thought it was surprisingly easy -- much moreso than I expected based on the recollection of my last experience with a WWW. The reason it wasn't too hard, I think, is because most of the wacky phrases are combinations of two words that are common enough, but just aren't typically used together. And the clues to each half, at least in this puzzle, were pretty straightforward. So, just let your mind go and trust your instincts, and things fall apart nicely. It may be an advantage if you're one of those people, as I am, who tend to coin their own words via the application of standard English patterns where they don't necessarily belong. So for me, for example, MAZERS was an immediate gimme.

And let's look at the obvious benefits of this wackiruleiositude: a wide-open, 52-word themeless, with only 22 black squares. No 3-letter words! Only four 4-letter words! Trust me, that's hard to do using a standard dictionary. And it's beautifully solvable, and entertaining to boot. And isn't that what puzzles are all about?

I won't be blogging any of the "normal" fill(and there wasn't much). We'll take a purely wackiscenic approach.

Sunny Spots:

• 19a: It might read "Home: Who cares; Away: Whatever" (BORED SCOREBOARD). I just love this clue.


• 23a: Remove all the males from (DE-MAN). I'm thankful this was clued without reference to surgery of any kind.



• 26a: Garden Ornaments "R" Us customer, sometimes (GNOME PICKER).


• 28a: What cheerleaders clean their equipment with (POM-POM BRUSHES).


• 44a: The scourge of one-celled supervillains everywhere (ALGAEMAN). This is by far my favorite fill! "Algaeman away!"


• 6d: What the word "powwwwoww" needs (LESS W). There's something beautifully elegant about this one (all politics aside). Love it.


• 7d: Craze that led to the infamous Guacamole Riots (AVOCADO MANIA). I'm not sure if this should be all one word or not. I guess it doesn't much matter, since nobody will ever use it again.

Sundries:

• 1a: Flabbergasts the Hollywood community (STUNS L.A.). Also, what the Celtics team does (again) this next playoff season.


• 8a: Labyrinth creators (MAZERS). As I said above, this was the first entry I put in. What else could it be?


• 14a: How clothier Strauss ended his letters (LOVE, LEVI).


• 16a: Topnotch ring of flowers (ACE LEI).



• 17a: Where armor eyeholes are located (ON A VISOR).


• 18a: Former flame of basketball player Malone (KARL EX).


• 21a: Old video game company dwindles down (ATARI WANES).


• 24a: David's golf cart, perhaps (DUVAL RIDE). This took me longer than it should have because I wasn't expecting the two halves to relate. In other words, I wasn't thinking of golfers named David; I figured it was some reference to the Biblical David.


• 31a: Atticus to Scout, or Sarabi to Simba (MOVIE PARENT).


• 32a: What corkscrews do (OPEN WINES).


• 39a: What you might expect in a mixed drink called a White Jamaican (MILK AND RUM).


• 41a: Running mate of Nia "C.C." McCain? (SARAH PALINDROME). You have to notice that Nia "C.C." McCain is a palindrome to get this.


• 43a: What a two-letter Romance-language translation of "the" might be (IL OR EL).


• 45a: Steal diamonds, slangily (NAB ICE).



• 46a: Auction offer from actor Pickens (SLIM'S BID). "What we've got here is... failure to communicate!"


• 48a: Notice a soft drink (SEE SODA).


• 1d: Commercial aimed at the untidy (SLOB AD).


• 2d: Jot down, infinitively (TO NOTE).


• 3d: Charlottesville school's sheep, for short (U.V.A. RAM).


• 5d: Problem after the nave was waxed (SLIDING PEW).


• 8d: Says "I tried needlepoint twice, but I was only so-so," for example (MAKES A PUN).


• 10d: Hyphenated word meaning "completely flat" (ZERO-ARCH).


• 11d: Capable of scatting to a jazz orchestra, e.g. (ELLA-LIKE).


• 12d: Wears away further (RE-ERODES).


• 13d: More than five bucks (SIX DEER).


• 15d: Rain protectors that would be very likely to rust (IRON UMBRELLAS). Another one I got right away.



• 20d: Silversmithing, reading lantern code, etc. (REVERE SKILLS).


• 25d: "Please pay attention to me, madam," à la Mike Hammer (LISTEN, DAME).


• 27d: Feature of a clear complexion (NO PIMPLES).


• 28d: Economist Greenspan, after succeeding Benedict (POPE ALAN). There's some definite amusement factor here.


• 29d: Put on too many terry cloth garments at once (OVERROBE).


• 30d: Operatic solo about a fur coat (MINK ARIA).


• 31d: What cleaning tools bring up in confessionals (MOP SINS).


• 35d: Brass instrument at 25% off? (TROMBO). This is almost a cryptic, removing 25% (two) of the eight letters in TROMBONE.


• 36d: Charity concert for ornamental flowers (MUM AID). Very nice.

The Downsides:
There are a few clunker fills. Mostly partials, which in a "normal" puzzle don't typically exceed five letters.

• 4d: "___ dull moment!" (NEVER A).


• 9d: It might be hailed (A CAB).



• 34d: Wear ___ (something Uncle Miltie used to do) (A DRESS).


• 37d: ___ text (do some editing) (EMEND A).

What more can I say? I enjoyed this puzzle thoroughly.

Thanks for listening.

- Pete M.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Title: Happy Birthday
Author: Ogden Porter
Theme: The bicentennial of the birth of Darwin and Lincoln.

It's an interesting coincidence that Lincoln and Darwin were born on the same day and the same year. For our purposes it's somewhat unfortunate that their birthday is on a Thursday this year since it makes for a pretty easy-for-a-Thursday puzzle, though Mister Gordon -- excuse me, Mister Porter -- does make it interesting. Use use of numbers means this puzzle is not strictly by the numbers.

I think even if I hadn't just read an article about Darwin and Lincoln in Smithsonian magazine I would have remembered that they shared a birthday. All I had to do was slide Abe into the 14-letter slot (16A: He was born on 56-Across: ABRAHAM LINCOLN) and Charlie into the 13-letter slot (37A: He was born on 56-Across: CHARLES DARWIN) and then slip their birthday into the aforementioned 56-Across -- only FEBRUARY TWELFTH wouldn't fit, FEBRUARY TWELVE was iffy-sounding. A couple of scratch-outs later and I realized we had numbers in our crossword puzzle. 56A: See 16- and 37-Across 12FEBRUARY1809.

Cool. And it led to 6 more crossing down entries with numerals.

56D: When SNL ends: 1AM

57D: Jr. alternative: 2ND

55D: Air Force stealth jet: F117

58D: Part of many toll-free numbers: 800

59D: Bond: 007

60D: When Clinton was prez: 90S

and a couple more acrosses too:

63A: M: 1000

66A: Pioneering Boeing planes: 707S

By the way also born on February 12th (though not in 1809) are Boston Celtic Bill Russell and Doobie Brother Michael McDonald

So you probably figure guys born 2 days before Valentines Day all have beards.

Well then how do you explain Salem Witch Trials instigator Cotton Mather (born February 12th, 1663)?

Easy, he decided to grow his Darwinesque beard on top of his head.

Other cool entries include 53A: Satisfactory UPTOSNUFF

22D: Aviation editor of Cosmopolitan in the 1920s EARHART I mean, who knew Cosmo ever had any interest in aviation other than articles about joining the mile-high club.

I was less impressed by 5D: Cyberjunk SPAM MAIL just because I've never heard it called that. It's usually either "spam" or "junk e-mail." I do like the word cyberjunk though, conjuring up images as it does of "Sanford and Son" as written by William Gibson.

That's all for me. Happy birthday, Abe, Bill, Cotton, Charles and Mike.

See ya next Thursday.

Norrin

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Title: Showing Some Muscle
Author: Tom Heilman
Theme: Adding short names of muscles to phrases.

• Geologic + LAT = GELATO LOGIC (18a: Reason for having a preference for Italian ice cream?).



• Boondocks + AB = BABOON DOCKS (24a: Primate piers?).


• Moats + DELT = MODEL TATS (36a: Display body art?).


• Restroom + PEC = RESPECT ROOM (54a: Where dissing isn't allowed?).


• Warrant + QUAD = WAR QUADRANT (59a: Combat division?).

This is kind of a cool Wednesday theme. Gelato Logic reminds me of the old Steely Dan album, "Pretzel Logic". And no, I'm not sure what that means either.

Sunny Spots:

Kudos for the nice variety of food references with scrabbly letters:

• 12d: Street vendor snacks (KNISHES).


• 25d: Pasta that resembles rice (ORZO).


• 45d: Butter pear (AVOCADO).

Sundries:

• 15a: Color also called meadowlark (ACORN). I never really thought of ACORN as a color. They are actually several colors throughout their life, ranging from green to brown to black.


• 29a: Where Tigrinya is spoken (ERITREA). Find a country name that fits. Once it ends in _EA, there aren't a lot of options.


• 30a: Spray of paint, e.g. (SPATTER).



• 32a: Interrobang part (DOT). I knew that a "bang" was an exclamation point, so it wasn't hard to figure that this was some other punctuation mark. Albeit, one I've never seen nor heard of.


• 33a: Part of ZPG (ZERO). Zero population growth.


• 47a: Sister of Iphigenia (ELECTRA). Daughters of Agamemnon in Greek legend/history.


• 51a: Mothball (RESERVE).


• 53a: Accessory for a lepidopterist (NET). Butterfly collector.


• 56a: Member of the first family (EVE). You'll see this clue again, so keep it in mind.


• 66a: Volatile solvent (ETHER). My favorite ETHER clue is "Number of people?"


• 67a: Close of an engagement? (I DO).


• 68a: Outfielder Ricky who won two World Series rings with the Yankees (LEDEE). HENDERSON didn't fit. And he won his rings with Oakland and Toronto.


• 69a: Questionable (SHADY). I had SHAKY to start, but NEK didn't sound much like a name to me.



• 2d: Plant on the back of Arizona's state quarter (SAGUARO).


• 9d: Eponym of Gdansk's airport (WALESA). Pretty easy guess once I had the W.


• 11d: Cowes Week event (REGATTA).


• 19d: Slicing spuds, perhaps (ON KP).


• 36d: Casual slip-on (MOC). Short for moccasin.


• 37d: Went like mad (TORE). Tried SPED first, which didn't help me any.


• 39d: Battery component (TEST). As in a battery of tests, not part of a Duracell.


• 44d: It's called Hrvatska by natives (CROATIA).


• 46d: Prescription pain reliever (DEMEROL). Drug reference tag? Nah, not for legal prescriptions...


• 55d: "The Fair Maid of ___" (Sir Walter Scott novel) (PERTH).


• 60d: The St. Lawrence R. flows through it (QUE). Quebec.


• 61d: Clicking sound? (AHA). Cute clue.

Suns of Bitches:

As always, first names are my bane.

• 6d: Gretchen of "Rounders" (MOL).


• 38d: "Vertigo" co-screenwriter Coppel (ALEC).


• 62d: Main character in "Pushing Daisies" (NED).

All in all, a fine Wednesday, with none of the SOBs crossing anything particularly difficult.

Thanks for listening.

- Pete M.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Title: Coming of Age
Author: Patrick Blindauer
Theme: Wordplay theme in which AGE gets inserted to various phrases

• 17a: Beauty contests on the equator? (HOT PAGEANTS).


• 28a: Pelt with rocks in a wise manner? (SAGELY STONE). you probably know who sly stone is, but i didn't. some kind of '60s-'70s funk musician.


• 44a: Saws about infield flies? (POP-UP ADAGES). "an out in the hand is worth two in the bush."


• 60a: Psychologist Jean calls it quits? (PIAGET STOPS). swiss developmental psychologist jean piaget, you've officially made it. congratulations!

i have high expectations for a patrick blindauer theme, and this one fell somewhat short. there's nothing wrong with this theme, exactly, but other that POP-UP ADAGES, i wasn't wild about any of the four theme answers or their base phrases.

Sunny Spots:

• 51d: Chiba ___ Marines (Japanese team managed by Bobby Valentine) (LOTTE). any reference to nippon professional baseball gets an automatic sunny spot.


• 52a: 1 followed by 100 zeros (GOOGOL). this is just a cool word for a cool idea. certainly google thought so. it also reminds me of the brilliant russian author nikolai gogol.


• 18d: The earth, when viewed as a self-regulating organism (GAIA). fun factoid: the GAIA hypothesis was proposed by james lovelock, but named by his next-door neighboor, novelist william golding (of lord of the flies fame).

Sundries:

• 1a: Something to play for (KEEPS). nice clue at 1a.


• 6a: Green shoe (CLEAT). the shoe you wear on the golf green. the CLEAT itself is usually white.


• 19a: Pitch (TAR).


• 20a: Night crawlers, maybe (LIVE BAIT). eww. i'll spare you the picture.


• 33a: Lock (TRESS). it's always TRESS. but for once, this word isn't on the bottom row or rightmost column.


• 35a: Maxwell rival (REO). i'm not familiar with maxwell automobiles, which were manufactured from 1904-25. should i be?


• 40a: "Diary of a Genius" author (DALI). this is my favorite DALI: the sacrament of the last supper, from the national gallery of art in washington.


• 42a: Letter abbr. that tells the reader there's something else in the envelope (ENC). what's the record for highest clue length/answer length ratio?


• 43a: Turning points? (AXLES). this clue maybe doesn't even merit a ?.


• 59a: Up chuck? (LOB). this one does, but i wasn't wild about the clue.


• 64a: Shout when a show starts ("IT'S ON!"). i'd like to see this clued as ["You're going down!"]


• 2d: "My God," to Jesus (ELOI). now here's a clue i can get behind. seems a bit tough for a tuesday, though.


• 4d: Peck of pickled peppers picker Peter (PIPER). cute.


• 5d: Popular food fish (SEA BASS). yeah, lots of fishing words meet up here.


• 6d: Feeding a line to (CUEING). but not this one.


• 9d: Door holder's phrase ("AFTER YOU"). "i insist, my dear alphonse." "no, i insist, my dear gaston."


• 10d: Tries (TASTES). with _AS___ in place, i slapped HAS A GO down here. whoops.


• 22d: Way inappropriate for children (RATED X). like, waaaaay.


• 25d: "Sweeney Todd" prop (STROP). well, he is the demon barber of fleet street.


• 26d: Home to many works by El Greco (PRADO). spanish art having its say in this puzzle. but the DALI museum is in ... st petersburg, florida. why? i have no idea.


• 32d: Bagatelle dedicatee of the early 19th century (ELISE).

• 34d: Released (SPRUNG). i like this answer.


• 39d: Common bonds? (ANDS). nice clue for a slightly awkward answer.


• 43d: Germfree state (ASEPSIS). whoo, the vocab is getting kinda technical.


• 47d: Part of QED (ERAT). once, i saw this clue used for QUOD. someday i'd like to see it used for QUANTUM. or on a really good day, ELECTRODYNAMICS.


• 54d: Dead beat writer's piece? (OBIT). is there really a "beat" for OBIT writers?


• 55d: "Permit Me Voyage" poet (james AGEE). i didn't know he wrote poetry.

Suns of Bitches:

• 55a: City near BrasÌlia (ANAPOLIS). whoa. i'm way out of my depth here. rio, sao paolo, brasilia, recife... that's all the brazilian cities i know. the maryland home of the naval academy has two Ns.


• 8d: Progeny of Eternity and Infinity, in Marvel Comics (EON). obscure, but guessable.


• 24d: "Truth or Dare" director Keshishian (ALEK). no clue.

see you next time.

joon

Monday, February 9, 2009

Title: Zipped In
Author: Peter Muller
Theme: Beverly Hills 90210

• 20a: Symbolically destroy at a public rally (BURN IN EFFIGY).


• 27a: Kelly Ripa, notably (CO-HOST).


• 35a: Mistress, sometimes (KEPT WOMAN).


• 40a: 1986 Louis Gossett Jr. film with three sequels (IRON EAGLE).


• 45a: Yogi Berra pitched it (YOO-HOO).


• 49a: Location with an associated number hidden in 20-, 27-, 35-, 40-, and 45-Across (BEVERLY HILLS).

Okay, let's get the obvious out of the way first. It's weird to have 6-letter theme entries alongside 9-letter non-theme entries when they all run across. It's just not normally done. If the theme weren't explicitly spelled out, solvers would be pulling their hair out trying to figure out how MELODRAMA and MAXISKIRT fit the theme. Other than that, I thought this theme was fine. Of course, I never noticed what was going on until the puzzle was finished, so it wasn't any help. But none was needed. Such is often the way with Monday puzzles.

Sorry, no pix today. In a hurry.

The rest:

• 1a: Portrayer of Felix in the movie "The Odd Couple," or Oscar in the TV series "The Odd Couple" (JACK). Jack Lemmon and Jack Klugman.


• 5a: Hall of Fame catcher Carlton (FISK). Worthy of a Red Sox tag.


• 15a: "Midnight in the Garden of Good and ___" (EVIL). I own this movie and I started watching it twice and still haven't gotten through it. One of these days...


• 16a: South American capital (SUCRE). Sucre is the constitutional capital of Bolivia; La Paz is the administrative capital.


• 17a: Soap, frequently (MELODRAMA).


• 29a: South American capital (PESO).


• 31a: Name that's an alphabetic trigram (STU).


• 39a: Omar's role in "The Mod Squad" (LINC).


• 42a: Terminate (LET GO). Not a phrase we want to see in this economy, thanks.


• 55a: "Orange Sky" singer Murdoch (ALEXI).


• 56a: Bad garment choice for a Rockette (MAXISKIRT).


• 60a: "Broca's Brain" author Carl (SAGAN).


• 62a: Lake surrounding Mohawk Island (ERIE). Erie rule.


• 3d: Jazz vibraphonist Tjader (CAL). Didn't know it, but didn't see it.


• 4d: Etch A Sketch control (KNOB).


• 5d: Drive (out) (FERRET).


• 6d: "___ Young Man" (Trump reality special) (IVANA).


• 18d: Kirsten of the "Spider-Man" movies (DUNST).


• 21d: Some bridge hands (EASTS). Yeah for bridge clues.


• 24d: Whiz (PHENOM).


• 29d: Socialite Mesta (PERLE). Who? Didn't see this clue either.


• 38d: ___ infallibility (Roman Catholic dogma) (PAPAL).


• 57d: George's brother and collaborator (IRA). Gershwin.

Suns of Bitches:
None.

Thanks for listening.

- Pete M.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Title: Transmutation
Author: Joon Pahk
Theme: Chemical symbol rebus, with PB (lead) in the across answers becoming AU (gold) in the down answers.

Pretransmutation answers:


• 
  17a: Expressions of contempt (RASPBERRIES). That's the noise, also called a Bronx cheer, not the fruit.


• 25a: Raising support? (PUSH-UP BRA). A very perky theme answer.


• 51a: Chief (TOP BANANA).


• 60a: #1 hit of February 2003 (BUMP BUMP BUMP). By B2K, with P. Diddy.
  

  I love the way you teasin me 
  But u gotta start pleasin me


The transmutation indicator:


• 36a: Theme of this puzzle (ALCHEMY).

Posttransmutation answers:


• 11d: Place to find lifeless celebs (TUSSAUDS). Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum, that is.


• 18d: Difficult and unpleasant (AUGEAN). Like cleaning a horse stable that hasn't been cleaned in 30 years. Literally. This was one of Hercules's tasks.


• 40d: Someone with whom you might share a spine (CO-AUTHOR). Great clue.


• 43d: Gastineau Channel city (JUNEAU).


• 57d: Lugs (HAULS).

A very nice Friday theme from our own Joon Pahk. I struggled to get going on this one, and rightly suspected some rebus action early on. But it wasn't until I figured out PUSH-UP BRA that it all clicked.

Sunny Spots:

• 12d: Be a willing participant? (INHERIT). I really liked this clue, even though I knew what they were getting at. I wanted WITNESS at first.



• 26d: "Reply ___, try again" (Magic 8 Ball message) (HAZY). Knew this right away, but love the Magic 8 Ball clue.


• 34d: Copper quarry? (PERP). PERP was actually my first instinct, but it was a while before I could get it to work.


• 44d: Down (IN A FUNK). Great phrase.


• 46d: Sank to the bottom? (SAT). Love this clue. Had me fooled until I finally parsed it as "Sank to one's bottom".

Sundries:

• 4a: Lava, sometimes (EJECTA). Cool word.


• 10a: The clink (STIR). Jail. Prison. The farm.


• 15a: Russian retreats (DACHAS).


• 16a: Squid eater (TUNA). I guessed ORCA first, which slowed this section down a bit.


• 21a: The munchies, for example (URGE). Indirect drug reference, as the urge is typically associated with smoking marijuana.


• 30a: Restaurant in Manhattan's theater district famous for the caricatures on its walls (SARDI'S). Never been, but I know of it.


• 32a: Lambeau ___ (Packers celebration) (LEAP).


• 35a: Citrus preparations (ZESTS). Doesn't take much preparation to make zest. You just scrape it off the rind.


• 42a: Brand of corn syrup (KARO). One of the first gimmes I found.


• 47a: 2004 film with the tagline "One man saw it coming" (I ROBOT).



• 49a: Aunt of Harry Potter (PETUNIA). I couldn't remember it until I got the P, then it clicked.


• 54a: Letter (TENANT). One who lets (leases) an apartment.


• 58a: Banking option, briefly (REFI). Refinancing.


• 59a: Repeated phrase in Kurt Vonnegut's "Slapstick" (HIHO).


• 65a: Not only that but also (NAY).


• 66a: "___ Christianity" (C.S. Lewis work) (MERE).


• 68a: Carrier to Schiphol (KLM). I knew was going to be either KLM or SAS.


• 4d: Utopian (EDENIC). Of Eden. Weird word, though.


• 5d: Be out of harmony (JAR).


• 6d: Like some hosiery (ECRU). The first gimme of the puzzle.


• 23d: West Coast baseball team's scoreboard abbr. (LAA). The Los Angeles Angles of Anaheim.


• 29d: Collection of suits? (DECK). Of playing cards.


• 33d: Epiphany follower (AHA). No church season here. Great clue.



• 38d: Drupe throwaway (PIT). Drupes are fleshy fruits like peaches.


• 39d: Wearing (EROSIVE). Went ERODING to EROSION to EROSIVE.


• 41d: Kelp eater (ABALONE).


• 48d: Character in "Henry VI, Part I" (TALBOT).


• 52d: Introduction to science? (NEURO). Cryptic prefix.


• 59d: West ___ United (English soccer team) (HAM). I don't watch soccer at all, but I knew this right away. I think it must be from old Monty Python's Flying Circus skits.


• 62d: Title character in a Poe novel (PYM). Shows up often enough, I should remember it more readily that I do.

Suns of Bitches:
Lot's of stuff I didn't know, but everything was gettable from crossings. Here are the complete unknowns for me:

• 22a: Cashmere clothing brand (TSE).


• 8d: City in South Korea near Pusan (TAEGU).

Nice theme and challenge from Joon. Didn't fall terribly quickly, but it broke open steadily and didn't seem unfair at any point. Just right for a Friday.

Thanks for listening.

- Pete M.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Title: Themeless Thursday
Author: Will Nediger
Theme: NA

Happy Thursday, y'all, the Green Genius here. I've only got one hour to blog this puzzle so we'll be hitting the high spots only. I kinda hate to give this puzzle short shrift cuz it's a good one, especially if you like long answers. How could you not like a puzzle that has SLACK JAWED YOKEL crossing TEENAGE WEREWOLF.

But if that's not enough, Will Nediger bought us all several rounds of drinks, maybe ONE TOO MANY (3d: Drinker's excess). Too many alcoholic beverages can have the same effect as NEPENTHES (16a: Forgetfulness potions). We got to listen to WU TANG CLAN (2d: Ghostface Killah's group) on our CAR RADIOS 52a: (Sources of moving music.) When I reviewed the puzzle after I finished it, I saw CAR RADIOS as CARR ADIOS, which I would clue as "Farewell to singer Vikki"

I learned something about basketball: 55a: "The Big ______ (nickname for Shaquille O'Neal) ARISTOTLE. According to Wikipedia, Mr. O'neal is also known as "Shaq," "The Diesel," "Shaq Fu," "The Big Daddy," "Superman," "The Big Agave," "The Big Cactus," "The Big Shaqtus," "The Big Galactus," "Wilt Chamberneezy," "The Big Baryshnikov," "The Real Deal," "Dr. Shaq" (after earning his MBA), and, most recently, "Shaqovic." So if your favorite player doesn't have a nickname now you know, Shaq took more than his share.

I got to see one of my favorite mascots 54a: Mascot with a letter (MR ZIP) who seems to be more or less retired these days.

Speaking of retired, the man with the most home runs as a catcher made an appearance in this puzzle 28d: 1993 rookie of the year (MIKE PIAZZA).

That's all I've got time for this week. If there's a word you missed, you'll find it here:

1a: Gave a damn? (SWORE).
6a: "Who's there?" response (ITSJUSTME).
15a: Capital city in northern Africa (TUNIS).
16a: Forgetfulness potions (NEPENTHES).
17a: Mushroom producer (ATEST).
18a: Ties (DEADHEATS).
19a: Walsh of "Private Practice" (KATE).
20a: Four gills (PINT).
21a: Ant-B-Gon maker (ORTHO).
22a: Producer of Coldplay's "Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends" (ENO).
23a: Two-times (CHEATSON).
25a: Sour (GOBAD).
27a: Jock's tutor, maybe (GEEK).
28a: Umami taste trigger (MSG).
31a: Vertexes (ACMES).
32a: City with a Paul Klee museum (BERN).
33a: Good vitamin C source (KIWI).
34a: Cletus of "The Simpsons," for one (SLACKJAWEDYOKEL).
37a: Take a nosedive (TANK).
38a: Green-lit (OKED).
39a: Fall fall, sometimes (SLEET).
40a: "___ Time at All" (Beatles song) (ANY).
41a: One-named Emmy, Grammy, and Oscar winner (CHER).
42a: Did a jeté (LEAPT).
43a: One who caters basely (PANDERER).
45a: "Think" sloganeer (IBM).
47a: Supernumerary's holding (SPEAR).
50a: 40% of fünf (ZWEI).
51a: Actress of "Fame" fame (CARA).
52a: Sources of moving music? (CARRADIOS).
54a: Mascot with a letter (MRZIP).
55a: "The Big ___" (nickname for Shaquille O'Neal) (ARISTOTLE).
56a: Gem holder (BEZEL).
57a: Stopgap (MAKESHIFT).
58a: Plugged-in (AWARE).
1d: Item in a camper's backpack (STAKE).
2d: Ghostface Killah's group (WUTANGCLAN).
3d: Drinker's excess (ONETOOMANY).
4d: Be upwardly mobile? (RISE).
5d: Biblical suffix (EST).
6d: Not from a major studio (INDIE).
7d: Michael Landon played one in 1957 (TEENAGEWEREWOLF).
8d: Like blood at some crime scenes (SPATTERED).
9d: President Bartlet's first name on "The West Wing" (JED).
10d: Remove, as a clip-on bow tie (UNHOOK).
11d: Back in the water? (STERN).
12d: "Imagine ___!" (THAT).
13d: ___ mouth (dental problem for some drug addicts) (METH).
14d: One of the Seven Sisters of the petroleum industry (ESSO).
20d: Advanced degree (PHD).
23d: Vineyard container (CASK).
24d: Fax machine button (SEND).
26d: Call's companion (BECK).
28d: 1993 N.L. Rookie of the Year (MIKEPIAZZA).
29d: Rose with pink flowers (SWEETBRIER).
30d: Having an expensive coat? (GILT).
31d: Film role for Skippy (ASTA).
32d: Italian casserole (BAKEDZITI).
33d: Caffeine source (KOLA).
35d: Mr. Big's first name on "Sex and the City" (JOHN).
36d: Flemish river (YSER).
41d: Gemologist's units (CARATS).
42d: Gift from a wahine (LEI).
43d: Diagram, as a sentence (PARSE).
44d: Zeroed out (RESET).
46d: Bowling pin material (MAPLE).
47d: Hustle (SCAM).
48d: Legal prefix (PARA).
49d: Actor Palladino (ERIK).
51d: Cox's sport (CREW).
53d: Cry a channel surfer might hear a few minutes after the final ticks of "60 Minutes" (DOH).
54d: Dubya's degree (MBA). Boy, that's hard to believe, considering every business he turned his hand to tanked,

Have a great Thursday. Norrin

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Title: Vowel Movement
Author: Patrick Blindauer
Theme: Two-part phrases where the second part mirrors the first part except that the vowels progress (A=>E, E=>I, I=>O, O=>U).

• 3d: NASA doctor’s collection? (SPACEMAN SPECIMEN).


• 5d: Glittering lymphoid mass? (TINSEL TONSIL). Ewww.


• 8d: With 51-Down, jelly thickener for "The Conference of Champions"? (PAC-TEN/PECTIN).


• 11d: Fad collection of actor Dempsey? (PATRICK'S PET ROCKS). It would be too egocentric to self-reference here, I guess. Eh, Patrick?


• 26d: Breath fresheners for a certain prayer? (MANTIS MENTOS). That's prayer as in "one who prays" -- a praying mantis.

Well, we have give a "potty humor" tag just for the title, don't we? I've seen a theme like this before, though I don't recall the exact details. I don't believe it dealt with double phrases like this one -- I think it was just phrases that were modified by the vowel progression. The 16-letter theme entries force the 15x16 design with theme clues running down. Plenty of theme fill here, and a remarkably smooth fill -- not unexpected from recent Constructor of the Year Oryx winner Patrick Blindauer.

Sunny Spots:

• 27a: Square that might have two sides? (MEAL). I'm certain I've seen this clue before, and it still caught me. Very clever, a square meal including sides. But why two? Why not three?


• 36a: "Play with us" channel (NICK JR). I love this because the CKJR letter combination seems so unplausible during the solve.


• 6d: Sparks could be seen on it in '07 (IDOL). Jordan Sparks and "American Idol". Very nice clue.

Sundries:

• 1a: Medicinal meas. (TBSP). An abbreviation at 1a is not ideal, but we'll forgive this minor indiscretion.



• 5a: Alfred directed her in "The Birds" (TIPPI Hedren).


• 10a: Tail of a Tibetan terrier? (APSO). Cryptic half-of-dog_name: Lhasa apso.


• 19a: The whole kit and caboodle (A TO Z).


• 20a: In "Penny Lane," what the banker never wears in the pouring rain (MAC). Beatles clues are always welcome here.


• 21a: Minor key? (ISLET). Cute clue.


• 22a: Bruno of "City Slickers" (KIRBY).


• 23a: Capital near the Oahe Dam (PIERRE). South Dakota.


• 25a: One with an abode in Aden (YEMENI). Usually it's ADEN in the puzzle, not the clue.


• 28a: Lie-down, to a Yank (NAP). Why to a Yank? Southerners don't nap?


• 29a: Private sleeping arrangement? (COT). Military reference.


• 38a: Australian Open champ before Steffi's three-year winning streak (HANA Mandlikova).


• 39a: Foot massager? (ODIST). Okay, that's pushing it.


• 43a: ___-Poo (character in "The Mikado") (NANKI).


• 44a: 1974 film starring Elliott Gould and Donald Sutherland (SPYS). I was so certain this was going to be MASH. If TRYSTS weren't such a gimme I might have had a real problem here.


• 47a: Most in need of Beano, maybe (GASSIEST). This ices the potty humor tag.


• 50a: Torn up on the screen (RIP). Rip Torn. But you knew that. You've seen this clue before.


• 52a: It borders Sask. (MONT). Montana.


• 65a: Economize (STINT). I wanted SKIMP in the worst way here, but I couldn't make it fit. STINT, to me, means a length of time.


• 68a: Number of pesetas in un duro (CINCO). Pick a Spanish number that begins with C.


• 69a: Chain with chairs (IKEA).



• 70a: Chachi's cousin, with "the" (FONZ). From "Happy Days", of course.


• 1d: Disney mutt (TRAMP). "Lady and the Tramp" is one of my favorite Disney films.


• 2d: Religion seeking world peace (BAHAI). You'd think all religions would seek world peace, wouldn't you? If only.


• 7d: "Our Gang" dog (PETEY).


• 13d: Black Sabbath vocalist's first name (OZZY). Easy, but nice to get that double-Z in there.


• 22d: Military cap with a flat top (KEPI). This is a word I learned from crosswords.


• 34d: Mathematician Lovelace (ADA). Linda didn't fit. And counting to twelve doesn't make one a mathematician... ;)


• 37d: –1, for 180° (COSINE). Speaking of math...


• 46d: Mortarboard tosser (GRAD). That's those funky hats they make you wear.


• 48d: Jolt, e.g. (SODA). "All the sugar and twice the caffeine."



• 59d: Toque wearer (CHEF). Hey, "Hell's Kitchen" has started again. But they don't wear toques. This is the time of year when Fox dominates the airwaves... "House", "Idol", "24", "Hell's Kitchen", ...

Suns of Bitches:

• 16a: Webkinz company (GANZ). Never heard of it. I've heard of Gas-X (in puzzles), but that didn't fit.


• 56a: Subject of the song "Tell Me, Trudy, Who Is Going to Be the Lucky One?" (EDERLE). I'm too lazy to look this up. It's only vaguely familiar.

Another nice puzzle from PB2, as we've come to expect.

Thanks for listening.

- Pete M.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Title: "I Can't Remember If I Cried..."
Author: Ogden Porter (Peter Gordon)
Theme: Commemoration of a historical event of 50 years ago today, as immortalized in song by Don McLean

• 3d: With 10-Down, February 3, 1959 (THE DAY THE/MUSIC DIED).


• 5d: With 8-Down, singer in a fatal plane crash on February 3, 1959 (THE BIG/BOPPER). his real name was jp chesterton.


• 39a: With 66-Across, singer in a fatal plane crash on February 3, 1959 (BUDDY/HOLLY). also a great song by weezer.


• 58a: Singer in a fatal plane crash on February 3, 1959 (RITCHIE VALENS).


• 49a: Song referencing February 3, 1959 (AMERICAN PIE).

this is a nice theme and a fitting commemoration to a major event in american cultural history. the lengths don't work out for a 15x15 crossword with standard rotational symmetry, so instead we have a 15x16 grid with mirror (left-right) symmetry. works for me.

there's no "official" video of this song, of course, since it predates the MTV era by quite a bit. and i didn't love any of the live versions i found on youtube. so instead, here's a somewhat goofy version with the original recording and odd still pictures interspersed. but at least you can click on play and then listen to the song while you read the rest of the blog.

Sunny Spots:

• 30a: Google your own name, e.g. (EGOSURF). that's one of the great neologisms of modern times. here's me. there's some weird stuff floating around in there, but it looks like it's all me (as opposed to some other joon pahk) in the top 50 hits.


• 9d: Painter Georgia (O'KEEFFE). this always looks like a typo. there's something existentially unnerving about the way the Es and Fs pile up.

Sundries:

• 10a: War room fixture (MAP). "gentlemen, you can't fight in here! this is the war room!"


• 14a: Norwegian pop trio (A-HA). i feel like i've seen this clue very recently. anyway, they're the one-hit wonders who gave us "take on me."


• 19a: Urich TV role (SPENSER). robert urich, of "spenser: for hire."


• 22a: Roz portrayer on "Frasier" (PERI gilpin). crossword celebrities: learn them, love them.


• 23a: Like the night sky (STARLIT). this is an appropriate fill word in an "american pie"-themed puzzle, because don mclean's "other" (much lesser) hit song was "vincent (starry starry night)." not a bad song, but nowhere near as iconic as "american pie."


• 26a: Actual (DE FACTO). usually it's IN ESSE, but DE FACTO is much more common outside of crosswords.


• 29a: Third baseman Ron who started three 1970s All-Star Games (CEY). approximate ranking of baseball players in crossworld: 1. ott 2. alou (various family members) 3. a-rod 4. cey 15. minoso 42. zito. what's a guy like mark teixeira to do? (get the yankees to pay him $180 million, that's what.)


• 33a: Prepare for takeoff? (UNTIE). cute.


• 38a: Planck contemporary (BOHR). i appreciate a good physics reference, even if it's to quantum mechanics. my best friend from grad school declared that he "didn't believe" in quantum. this was a bit of a problem, because he was in theoretical particle physics.


• 48a: With 68-Across, star of "Sextette" (MAE/WEST). never heard of the movie, but she's certainly famous enough.


• 65a: Like the score for the first play of a Scrabble game (EVEN). that's because the first player has to play through the pink double word score in the center of the board.


• 4d: Endust company (SARA LEE). what's endust? is that a ... dust product?


• 7d: Antepenultimate word of "Casey at the Bat" (HAS). i love the word antepenultimate, meaning third-to-last. "mighty case has struck out" is how it ends.


• 31d: Lachrymose (SAD). tough clue for an easy word, unless you've, say, sung mozart's requiem.


• 37d: O. neighbor (WVA). not sure i understand this clue. is it supposed to be "Oh. neighbor"?


• 43d: The first century started when it ended (ONE BC). there was no year zero, of course.


• 47d: Sex drives (LIBIDOS). i can't give this the "sexual innuendo" tag, because there's no innuendo.


• 50d: Part of "TMNT" (MUTANT). teenage mutant ninja turtles, teenage mutant ninja turtles, teenage mutant ninja turtles, heroes in a half-shell. turtle power!


• 61d: Drops on the lawn (DEW). i've seen this clue too many times for it to trick me again.

Suns of Bitches:

• 44a: Eel-and-rice dish (UNADON). i know UDON. i know UNAGI. this is neither, but it sounds like it might be both.


• 26d: Couple (DUAD). DUO, yes. DYAD, okay. but DUAD? really?


• 57d: Former E! anchor Jules (ASNER).

one of the things i'm going to miss about the sun puzzle is peter's willingness to take risks and break some rules if a theme warrants it. this puzzle is a good example. i wouldn't have known it was the anniversary of the famous plane crash if not for the puzzle, and solving it has enriched my day.

see you next time.

joon

Monday, February 2, 2009

Title: Cross Sections
Author: Lee Glickstein
Theme: Phrases that end in newspaper sections

• 20a: 1988 comedy with Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin (BIG BUSINESS).


• 37a: Monthly fashion magazine (IN STYLE).


• 52a: College knowledge (LIBERAL ARTS).


• 11d: They can take a joke (GOOD SPORTS).


• 27d: "Back to the Future" theme (TIME TRAVEL).

Straightforward Monday theme, covering five sections of the local newspaper.

Sunny Spots:

• 31a: Convertible (SLEEP SOFA).


• 44a: Like some partners (SAME SEX).


• 33d: Result of reading the fine print, maybe (EYE STRAIN).

Sundries:

• 17a: Established principle (AXIOM).


• 18a: Knowledgeable person (MAVEN).


• 25a: Sweet bread spread (NUTELLA). I've never had this.


• 30a: "National Velvet" novelist Bagnold (ENID).


• 40a: WWI song by George M. Cohan (OVER THERE).


• 60a: Season starter? (PRE). Less than two weeks before pitchers and catchers report!


• 3d: Sasha Baron Cohen title character on an HBO show (ALI G).


• 4d: Splotched (BLOBBED). Is this really a word? Really?


• 5d: English diarist Pepys (SAMUEL).


• 6d: Small cup for coffee (DEMI-TASSE).



• 7d: Roll player (PIANO). A player piano plays rolls. Your average everyday piano does not. Or is roll here meant as some style of music (as in rock and roll)?


• 24d: Dumb cluck (ASS).


• 34d: Warren's "Bonnie and Clyde" costar (FAYE).


• 48d: The E of EGBDF (EVERY). Every good boy deserves fudge (or does fine). There was a puzzle recently with this very theme.


• 52d: Rickey flavor (LIME). Booze tag.


• 54d: "Forbidden Games" director Clément (RENE). Didn't see the clue. But it's a common French name.


• 55d: Baseball Hall of Famer Speaker (TRIS).

Suns of Bitches:
None.

Not much to say. Typical Monday.

Thanks for listening.

- Pete M.