Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Title: You've Got Male
Author: Donna S. Levin
Theme: Phrases that end in a nickname for a male animal

• 17a: Voyeur (PEEPING TOM). A TOM is a male cat or turkey.


• 23a: Bitten ear (CORN ON THE COB). A COB is a male swan.


• 29a: Shift responsibility to someone else (PASS THE BUCK).


• 44a: "Check it out" (TAKE A GANDER). Male goose.



• 49a: Device used by police at the start of a raid (BATTERING RAM). In "The Lord of the Rings", they even name their battering rams. This one's "Grond".


• 61a: It lost out to "Ordinary People" for Best Picture (RAGING BULL). I love De Niro and I own this film, but I've got to say it's just not one of my favorites.

The rest:

• 6a: General Bradley (OMAR). I'm not big on first names at all, but I knew this one right off the top, so it must be pretty easy.


• 14a: Tennis court part (ALLEY). The part that's in in doubles, but not singles.


• 15a: Singer with the 2008 album "New Amerykah Part One (4th World War)" (Erykah BADU).




• 20a: Word in two American League team names (SOX). Red and White. I don't want to talk about it right now, thanks.


• 21a: ___ and terminer (high criminal court) (OYER). I had no idea what this was. It's from the French for "to hear and determine".


• 33a: Some men's mags (GQS). Is there more than one? Is this like multiple issues, as in "I've got several GQs on the coffee table"? I suppose, but it sounds a little forced.


• 39a: Rented property (LEASE HOLD).


• 42a: Charles Lamb's pseudonym (ELIA). Classic crossword fare. If you didn't know it off the top, remember it. It will show up again (and again).


• 47a: Yellowfin tuna (AHI). Common sushi ingredient.


• 55a: Title boy in a Menotti opera (AMAHL).



• 57a: "To Wong ___, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar" (FOO). A movie that features Wesley Snipes and Patrick Swayze crossdressing. What else is there to say?


• 64a: "Street Signs" host Burnett (ERIN). Didn't know this one.


• 66a: Radiated, as charm (OOZED). Great word, though usually it's more negative, as in oozing sleaziness.


• 68a: ___ croisés (French crossword) (MOTS). Well, it's French for words, so it makes sense.


• 69a: Chuckleheads (BOZOS). Both great words.



• 2d: Poodle in "Clifford" books (CLEO). Cleo has shown up before, fairly recently.


• 3d: Detective Cross in James Patterson novels (ALEX).


• 6d: Doc specializing in womb service? (OB-GYN). Womb service is so bad it's good. How can you not laugh?


• 9d: Cuba libre ingredient (RUM).


• 10d: Peeved (IN A PET). Kind of a bestialic expression, but it does seem to be a favorite fill in crosswords.


• 12d: Sister of Polyhymnia (ERATO). Both muses.


• 13d: Relaxed and easygoing (TYPE B).


• 27d: SAT component (ESSAY). This is fairly recent, as SATs never used to involve essays.



• 30d: Furry creature in "Return of the Jedi" (EWOK). Gimme.


• 40d: Aunt of John-John (ETHEL). Kennedy trivia.


• 41d: "Frank Mills" musical (HAIR).


• 45d: Bridge contemporary of Sheinwold (GOREN). Kudos for the bridge clue. I'm continually surprised that there isn't more crossover between crossword puzzles and bridge. I love them both.


• 46d: Computer language named after Lord Byron's daughter (ADA). I knew this right off. After all, there aren't that many 3-letter computer languages. But I'm guessing many will be baffled by this.


• 51d: She played Adrian in the "Rocky" films (TALIA Shire).


• 52d: Where Sarah Palin was born (IDAHO).


• 53d: Persistently trouble (NAG AT).


• 54d: Southern side (GRITS). Cute clue.



• 57d: Ziggy's dog (FUZZ). Didn't know this, but it's a reasonable answer. There seems to be a comic dog mini-theme running here.


• 58d: ___ strut (landing gear shock absorber) (OLEO). I've never heard of an oleo strut. This strikes me as deliberately obscure.


• 63d: Hiccup-stopping shout, maybe (BOO). Supposedly, a scare will cure hiccups. For me, it's drinking a glass of water with both ears firmly plugged, which requires either a straw or someone to help.

All in all, I thought this was very pleasant Wednesday. Not too difficult, and not many real sizzler entries, but a decent six-theme-entry puzzle and not too much chaff in a solid 15x16 puzzle.

Thanks for listening.

- Pete M.

Monday, October 6, 2008

Title: Orange Zest
Author: Donna S. Levin
Theme: Phrases with types of oranges in them.

• 18a: Hematologist's test (BLOOD COUNT).


• 25a: Rossini opera, with "The" (BARBER OF SEVILLE).


• 42a: Features of Dr. Evil's apparel (MANDARIN COLLARS).


• 55a: Peachy cocktail (FUZZY NAVEL).

Cute, simple Monday theme. I'm running late, so I'll keep it short.

Sunny Spots:

• 20a: Boy toys? (KEN DOLLS). I'm assuming this clue is trying to be cute with it's use of "boy toy" to reference a doll that is actually a boy. However, I've heard the term "Ken doll" used in the "boy toy" sense, as in "That women's got herself a real Ken doll to keep her happy", so I'm not sure the question mark is necessary. Either way, I love the clue and fill.


• 6d: Emphatic denial (HELL NO). I was pleasantly surprised by this answer.


• 4d: Some business write-offs (BAD DEBTS).


• 9d: Trendy weight-loss plans (FAD DIETS). I like the balance of these two fills.

Sundries:

• 1a: Oscar Madison, e.g. (SLOB). From "The Odd Couple" of film and/or TV.


• 10a: Stanch (STEM). Good clue for stem, as in stemming the flow of blood.


• 14a: It has counties named Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Jackson, Van Buren, and Harrison (IOWA). Name a four-letter state that fits.


• 15a: Jason's vengeful wife in Greek mythology (MEDEA). I vaguely remember this from high school.


• 16a: State on Lake Erie (OHIO). Name a four-letter state that fits.


• 17a: Street ___ (urban acceptability) (CRED).


• 22a: Scottish seaport (DUNDEE).


• 36a: Feudal domains (FIEFS).


• 39a: The square of the square of i (ONE). "i", in math, is an "imaginary number" that stands for the square root of -1. No, I'm not getting to a dissertation on imaginary numbers. Just know that they exist.


• 48a: Chachi's last name on "Happy Days" (ARCOLA). I loved "Happy Days", but I couldn't come up with this one off the top.


• 51a: Roman Catholic prayer (AVE MARIA).



• 58a: Actor Morales of "Rapa Nui" (ESAI). Morales = ESAI, whether it's "NYPD Blue", "La Bamba", or anything else.


• 59a: Ninnies (TWITS).


• 61a: "Those ___ the Days" (WERE). Theme song to "All in the Family".


• 62a: Online magazine since 1996 (SLATE). I've never read it, and am only aware of it's existence because it shows up so often as a clue in puzzles.


• 63a: "Mr. Roboto" rock band (STYX). I'll spare you the link. This is not the song you want in your head all day. Of course, if you know the song well, it's probably too late for that.


• 5d: "Journey Into Fear" author Eric (AMBLER). Needed some crossings to get this one.


• 10d: Woody's wife (SOON YI). I'm leaving this one alone.


• 11d: Kerplunk's kin (THUD). My first instinct was PLOP, but THUD is good too.



• 25d: "___ Buddies" (Tom Hanks TV series) (BOSOM). I'm going to guess that Tom Hanks will never look back on this as a high point in his career.


• 30d: Like the Muslim calendar (LUNAR). Not hard to figure.


• 36d: Stinging insects (FIRE ANTS).


• 38d: Containers for odds and ends (HOLD-ALLS). This is not a term I'm familiar with. Feels a little forced.


• 41d: Steal, in slang (GLOM). GLOM is a cool word.


• 43d: Lulu (DOOZIE). So is DOOZIE


• 53d: '60s TV series made into a 2002 film (I SPY).


• 54d: Summit (APEX). Guessed right the first time between APEX and ACME.

Suns of Bitches:

• 38a: Tennis great Mandlikova (HANA). I had _ANA and figured maybe DANA; needed the cross to get HANA.

Nice puzzle. Took me a little longer than average for a Monday, but no major sticking spots.

Thanks for listening.

- Pete M.