Monday, December 8, 2008

Title: The Measure of a Man
Author: Caleb Madison
Theme: Names with units of measure embedded in them.

• 18a: Director of "Caddyshack" [0.75 teaspoons] (HAROLD RAMIS).


• 33a: "Sledgehammer" singer [0.0000001 joules] (PETER GABRIEL). A much better song off the same album, in my opinion, is "Mercy Street". Just beautiful music.


• 41a: Cofounder of Atlantic Records who was chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame [39 47/127 inches] (AHMET ERTEGÜN).


• 61a: His statue is on top of Philadelphia City Hall [1 coulomb per second] (WILLIAM PENN).

Okay, let's get this out of the way. Ahmet Ertegün?? On a Monday? Are you kidding me? I consider myself a fan of music in general and rock and roll in particular. I've been to the Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. And when I filled in (completely from the crossings) AHMETERTEGUN, I was certain I had a mistaken crossing. After dutifully checking and rechecking and finding no errors, I decided I had to Google the name, but I honestly didn't even know where the first name ended and the second began. So I entered the whole name and let Google suggest the proper alternative. Which, by the way, got 222,000 hits. This is not a large amount in Google space.

Besides that, Pete, how'd you like the theme? Well, I actually liked it fine. The title is inspired, and the concept is great, with each unit spanning the first and last names of the (some more) famous (than others) people.

Sunny Spots:

• 37a: Bible book with the line "For unto us a child is born" (ISAIAH). I just got back from a live performance of "Messiah". The Christmas season can start now.




• 59a: Quick trip to buy a six-pack (BEER RUN).


• 68a: Brand owned by Pabst (STROHS).


• 48d: Pub-crawl (BAR HOP). Enough for a booze tag.

Sundries:

• 1a: Like Leroy Brown (BAD). I would have preferred "BAD BAD", but that's okay.




• 10a: "Funny Girl" actor Sharif (OMAR). Also a fine bridge player.


• 15a: Steven of "Under Siege" (SEAGAL).


• 17a: Coral reef (CAY).


• 22a: Welcome place to wipe one's feet? (DOORMAT). Why the question mark? Seems like a pretty straight-ahead definition to me.



• 23a: Game played both on land and in water (POLO). Well. They're both called polo, but they're not exactly the same game.


• 24a: Oaxacan affirmative (SI SI).


• 29a: Man in a suit? (KING). Reference to playing cards.


• 31a: 1997 sci-fi blockbuster, informally (MIB). "Men in Black".


• 40a: Home of the Braves (NL EAST). Cute clue.


• 51a: 2002 A.L. Rookie of the Year Hinske who struck out to end the 2008 World Series (ERIC).


• 63a: Leon Uris bestseller, with "The" (HAJ).


• 67a: Radiohead lead singer Yorke (THOM). I have a couple of Radiohead CDs, but I didn't pay attention to the singer's name until I heard the following tune from P.J. Harvey, which is worth a listen.




• 3d: Fluorescent pigment brand (DAYGLO).



• 9d: "We're No Angels" actor ___ Ray (ALDO).


• 11d: "Dancing Queen" musical (MAMMA MIA).


• 21d: Beef patty? (COWPIE). Does this count as toilet humor?


• 25d: "Yes" man? (SIR). Someone you say "yes" to? I'm not quite sure I get where this clue is going.



• 34d: Subway and bus system of Boston, familiarly (THE T). Do people outside New England know this?


• 38d: Ill-tempered and scolding (SHREWISH).


• 39d: Seat of Texas's Potter County (AMARILLO).


• 44d: 1962 Paul Anka hit (ESO BESO). Both halves of this show up often enough that you should know it instinctively.


• 50d: Gentile (NON-JEW). This would seem more normal the other way around (i.e., Non-Jew cluing GENTILE). Non-Jew just doesn't feel like a legitimate word.


• 57d: Houlihan portrayer on "M*A*S*H" (SWIT).

Suns of Bitches:

• 41a: Cofounder of Atlantic Records who was chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame [39 47/127 inches] (AHMET ERTEGÜN).

In conclusion: Ahmet Ertegün? On a Monday?

Thanks for listening.

- Pete M.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Title: Water World
Author: Caleb Madison
Theme: Movies with a type of body of water in their title

• 17a: 1999 Bill Pullman movie (LAKE PLACID).


• 25a: 2003 Sean Penn movie (MYSTIC RIVER).


• 35a: 1992 Harvey Keitel movie (RESERVOIR DOGS).


• 48a: 2001 Ben Affleck movie (PEARL HARBOR).


• 58a: 2003 Tobey Maguire movie (SEABISCUIT).

Nice Monday theme, aptly titled via the reference to another water movie starring Kevin Costner. My only tiny quibble might be that "Lake Placid" isn't really in the same league as the others in terms of film quality, but that would be judgemental wouldn't it? Okay you got me, "Pearl Harbor" was pretty bad too.

Let's make this quick so I can watch the Red Sox:

• 5a: Cardio-boxing regimen developed by Billy Blanks (TAE BO). You had me at cardio boxing, though I do recognize the name Billy Blanks -- it shows up in puzzle clues all the time.
  
• 10a: Occasion for many senior moments? (PROM). Hmm... subtle sexual innuendo? What "moments" are we talking about here?


• 20a: Canada-based merger partner of Coors (MOLSON). Mmmm... beer.


• 21a: "I Fall to Pieces" singer Patsy (Patsy CLINE).




• 22a: "The Bronx ___" (1979 Sparky Lyle book about the Yankees) (ZOO). I just saw the fill-in-the-blank; didn't even read the whole clue.


• 30a: Franz Liebkind is a retired one in "The Producers" (NAZI). Even if you've never seen this play, which I haven't, you need to know it's about Nazis.


• 43a: Spicy Filipino dishes (ADOBOS).


• 47a: He announced Biden as his running mate with a text message (OBAMA). As a puzzle constructor, I have to laugh at those who think that the fact that OBAMA shows up in puzzles more than MCCAIN is some left-wing plot to give OBAMA more publicity. It's about the vowels people! OBAMAs and ALITOs will always outnumber MCCAINs and KENNEDYs. Get over it.


• 55a: Farming machine (REAPER). Don't fear it.


• 63a: Like Atahualpa's subjects (INCAN).



• 64a: Rainbow Man had a colorful one (AFRO).


• 66a: 1984 skiing gold medalist Phil (MAHRE).


• 7d: Future World setting (EPCOT). I'll be there next week. Can't wait.


• 8d: Shrovetide pancakes (BLINI).


• 13d: Influential folks (MOVERS). Shakers, too, I guess.


• 18d: Pear, e.g. (POME).


• 23d: Baseballer Vizquel who holds the record for most games played at shortstop (OMAR). That's a piece of trivia that I didn't know, but I didn't read that part of the clue anyway. ___ Vizquel would have been enough.


• 36d: Virus in "The Hot Zone" (EBOLA). Ick.


• 38d: Pashmina source (GOAT). It's a fabric made from goat wool.


• 39d: "___ Guys Have All the Luck" (Rod Stewart hit) (SOME).




• 43d: Army attack helicopter (APACHE).


• 46d: Big name in armored cars (BRINKS).



• 51d: Elephant in Jean de Brunhoff books (BABAR).


• 60d: Kaplan of Yo La Tengo (IRA). I've listened to Yo La Tengo, but I couldn't have named any members. Luckily, it's a common first name. Here's a taste.

Nice, easy puzzle. That's all I've got to say.

Go Sox!!

Thanks for listening.

- Pete M.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Title: Radiohead
Author: Caleb Madison
Theme: Rock bands with names that include facial features.

• 20a: "She Don't Use Jelly" band (THE FLAMING LIPS). Not my favorite song by these guys, but here it is in case you missed it. I much prefer "Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell" off the "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" album.




• 34a: "All Star" band (SMASH MOUTH). Big radio hit here, but again I think the rest of the album was better. Judge for yourself. Compare it to, say, this.


• 42a: "Lua" band (BRIGHT EYES). This one I didn't know off the top, but I've heard of the band. Even if I hadn't, it's a reasonable enough name to figure out.


• 53a: Confronting unpleasant consequences of one's actions (and a hint to this puzzle's theme) (FACING THE MUSIC).

This is nice, modern theme by 15-year-old Caleb Madison, who made his constructing debut with the New York Times this past May. I like that the title is also the name of a band.

Sunny Spots:

• 25a: With 6-Down, figure on a controversial New Yorker cover of July 2008 (BARACK / OBAMA). I'm not going to reprint the picture here. If you haven't seen it, it's easy enough to find. In order to be effective, satire has to be unmistakeable. Cut a little too close to people's actual perceptions and you walk a dangerous path.


• 1d: Hit video game set on an island (MYST). This was a such a unique game, with no shooting and no hype. A real groundbreaker.


• 9d: Painter of "The Starry Night" (VAN GOGH). I will always be reminded of the gorgeous Don McLean song when I think of Van Gogh.





• 25d: Ian's role in "The Fellowship of the Ring" and "The Return of the King" (BILBO). This is a little tricky in that the Ian with the most prominent role was Ian McKellen, who played Gandalf. Ian Holm played Bilbo Baggins. Still, I love all things Tolkein, so it's fine by me.

Sundries:

• 1a: 1968 massacre site (MY LAI). Kind of brutal to start off at 1-across with a massacre, but we'll let it slide.


• 6a: One of five Norwegian kings (OLAV). Sometimes it's OLAF, so you have to check the crossing.


• 16a: Iolani Palace's island (OAHU).


• 17a: "Coming of Age in ___" (Margaret Mead book) (SAMOA).


• 23a: Sistan and Baluchestan is its largest province (IRAN).


• 24a: Gut reaction? (OOF). Cute. Goes well with 37d: Reaction to a slap on the wrist, maybe (OUCH).


• 33a: Beatnik's "Gotcha" (I DIG).


• 41a: Less tentative (SURER). Blatant filler. Nobody says they were surer about something.



• 45a: Poodle pal of Clifford the Big Red Dog (CLEO).


• 46a: Subj. of the book "The Meaning of Everything" (OED). Oxford English Dictionary. Of course, as a crossword fanatic you knew that.


• 47a: Onetime singing partner of Paul (ART). Reference to Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel.




• 48a: Title character in a Robert Louis Stevenson book (MR HYDE).


• 51a: Posthumous Pulitzer winner James (AGEE). People whose last names contain 70% vowels live forever in puzzles. Get to know them.


• 60a: 2002 A.L. Cy Young Award winner Barry (ZITO).


• 5d: Bold alternative (ITALIC). Nice clue.


• 7d: "Rosemary's Baby" author Ira (LEVIN).


• 10d: Artistic theme (MOTIF).


• 21d: Torah containers (ARKS). If you don't know this from the Bible, you should know it from "Raiders of the Lost Ark".


• 32d: Paroxysm (THROE). Love both words, the clue and the answer.


• 36d: Sedaris of "Strangers With Candy" (AMY). The name sounds vaguely familiar. Maybe.


• 39d: Puppeteer Lewis (SHARI).


• 43d: "Smokey and the Bandit" ride (TRANS AM).


• 44d: Hand for Hook (SMEE). I played Smee in a middle school production of "Peter Pan", back in the mid-70s.



• 51d: Muscleman Charles (ATLAS). Hero of comic-book-reading nerds and geeks everywhere.


• 53d: Paul Bunyan's dog (FIDO). Logical, even if you didn't know it.


• 54d: The whole shebang (A TO Z).


• 55d: County in east-central Arizona (GILA). It's a river and a monster, it might as well be a county as well.


• 58d: Character who said "You used to be a much better liar, Sam" (ILSA). Of "Casablanca".

Suns of Bitches:

None, for the second day in a row. This is probably a record.

I really liked this puzzle, mostly because I'm big into music and this puzzle was full of direct and indirect references to some phenomenal tunes. Not much else that hasn't already been said. Would that all Tuesday's were this enjoyable.

Thanks for listening.

- Pete M.