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

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

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Title: Themeless Thursday

Author: Mark Feldman
Theme: N/A

Yesterday was my birthday, but this puzzle seemed about as easy as most of the Thursdays have been lately. So I guess I haven't totally lost my crosswording skills at the ripe old age of 51.

Sunny Spot:
36d: King's title (REVEREND). A MLK reference certainly seems appropriate this week.

50a: Fresh start (NEWLEASEONLIFE). This seems particularly appropriate this week as well.

23a: Seductive glance (COMEHITHERLOOK). A sexy look with a sexy name. I mean doesn't "come hither" sound much more erotic than "come here"?

Sundries:

1a: Wrap around a fatty Japanese roll? (OBI). Why does it have to be "fatty"? Can't a skinny geisha wear an obi?

4a: Princess in "The Tale of Despereaux" (PEA). Didn't see (or read?) the story in question. Is there actually a princess named Pea, not just tossing and turning trying to get to sleep on one.

7a: Decorative works (MOSAICS).

14a: Show that can be downloaded to an MP3 player (PODCAST). Best crossword podcast that I have found: Ryan and Brian Do Crosswords.

16a: Chaos (ANARCHY). Not necessarily. Anarchy is the absence of government or law. It doesn't necessarily follow that we will descend into chaos. We might just learn to get along.

17a: Italian province (TRIESTE).

18a: Water holder (CANTEEN).

19a: Polo rival (IZOD).

20a: Honeydew source (APHID). Wait a minute. You mean aphids make those melons?

22a: XX x XXXV (DCC). As Roman multiplication goes, this equation is pretty easy.

27a: Family nickname (SIS).

28a: Ocean menace, once (UBOAT).

29a: "Sorrows" poet (OVID). Perhaps he wouldn't be so sorrowful if he knew he was still relevant today. Bob Dylan borrowed some lines from Ovid's Poems of Exile on his album Modern Times.

31a: Meager (LENTEN).

33a: Paradoxical figure? (ZENO).

38a: Spring (EMERGE).

40a: Mad River ___ (Vermont ski area) (GLEN).

41a: 16th- and 17th-century entertainment in England (MASQUE).

45a: Go crazy (RAVE). Or a 20th and 21st century entertainment in England.

46a: "Seabiscuit" author Hillenbrand (LAURA).

47a: Unit used in measuring wire diameters (MIL).

54a: Mess up (ERR).

55a: "12 Angry Men" director (LUMET).

56a: Son of Seth (ENOS).

57a: Meat from a crossbreed (BEEFALO).

59a: Homemade pistols (ZIPGUNS).

62a: Given a new title (RENAMED).

63a: John, e.g. (APOSTLE).

64a: "Most likely ..." (ODDSARE).

65a: Fortune (LOT).

66a: View finder? (EYE).

1d: Light study (OPTICS).

2d: Russian wolfhound (BORZOI).

3d: Translator's challenges (IDIOMS).

4d: Certain step (PAS).

5d: Werner Erhard program (EST). This was huge in the 70's. Everybody was into EST. Valerie Harper and John Denver were prominent participants.

6d: Gorged oneself (ATEATON).

7d: Jungle slasher (MACHETE).

8d: Televising (ONAIR).

9d: Financial inst. (SANDL).

10d: Skill (ART).

11d: Froze up (ICEDOVER).

12d: Depositor's account choice (CHECKING).

13d: Put in phase (SYNC).

15d: Yield (CEDE).

21d: Baby ___ (urban fashion line) (PHAT).

24d: Clumsy ship (HULK).

25d: Rooftop bar? (IBEAM).

26d: Sludge (OOZE).

30d: Kid nurser (DOE).

32d: Logical beginning? (NEURO).

34d: Bus. driver? (MGR).

35d: Voicer of Fred Flintstone (ALANREED).

37d: Understood (KNEW).

39d: Statistics class calculation (MEAN).

42d: Fashionable (ALAMODE). Hmmm, I thought it meant "with ice cream."

43d: Invitation encl. (SASE).

47d: Up-to-the-___ (MINUTE).

48d: "I wish!" (IFONLY).

49d: Apartment dweller, often (LESSEE).

51d: Alpaca's mate, sometimes (LLAMA).

53d: Pins, so to speak (LEGS). The only instance I can think of where legs are termed "pins" is in the somewhat old-fashioned expression "wobbly on ones pins."

54d: Battle of the ___ (Spanish Civil War event) (EBRO).

58d: Sol-___ (does some practice singing) (FAS).

60d: NASDAQ debut (IPO).

61d: Joint stuff (POT).

Suns of Bitches:
34a: Former Finnish currency (MARKKA). I sure miss the franc and the lira, the last foreign currencies I knew anything about.

44d: Guatemala's national bird and currency unit (QUETZAL). Never heard of them. They're pretty colorful though:

52d: Goldbach contemporary (EULER). Never heard of either of them. Evidently they're mathemeticians.

Have a nice Thursday, Norrin.

Thursday, January 8th, 2009

Title: Themeless Thursday
Author: Mike Nothnagel
Theme: None

When I first got interested in crosswords Mike Nothnagel was one of the first constructors whose name I learned to look for. His puzzles were always great -- tough but doable. Or maybe I was just on his wavelength. Whatever the reason I still get a smile of anticipation when I see his byline.

Sunny Spots:
41A: Ones who have too many white belts (WINOS) Recently on Brendan Emmett Quigley's blog, he was talking about how much he hates puns, and I don't think he's alone. A lot of solvers and constructors don't like them even though they are an integral part of crosswords. I love 'em, thye more groanworthy the better. This one gave me a laugh because of course I was thinking of either a 60's go-go girl or a beginning karate class.

15D: "How many of each animal did Moses take on the ark?" is one (TRICK QUESTION) It's a trick question of course because Moses didn't build an ark, Noah did. But it's still a tricky (if not trick) question when you use Noah himself. Despite what they may have taught you in Sunday School, Noah since he took two of every unclean animal and seven of every clean animal. The Bible does not explain how to tell the difference, and I'm guessing by the end of a 40-day ark ride, all the animals -- not to mention Noah and his family -- were all pretty unclean.

(Now that I think about it, though, Moses did have an ark -- the Ark of the Covenant. But you couldn't put animals in it. It was covered in pure gold, and besides it was only two two cubits long.)

52A: Colorado Avalanche, formerly (QUEBEC NORDIQUES) A perfect example of why I like Mike Nothnagel. I know next to diddly squat about hockey, certainly not where the Colorado team used to play, but once I get a few letters filled in, my brain pulls something from a dusty back corner. I have seen the name Quebec Nordiques before. Where I do not know. Nor do I know what a Nordique is, but I don't have to know what it means, do I? just how to spell it. But, judging from their logo, a Nordique is some kind of headless elephant.

Suns of Bitches:

8D: Centerpiece of a successful line (TAC) I know without a doubt that there's something simple I'm missing here and I'll be embarrassed when someone explains it, but I don't get this.

36A: 1978 role for Richard Pryor, with "The" (WIZ) Not reallly an SOB, I don't guess, but I did miss it. Three-letter Richard Pryor movie must be The TOY and that's what I put down. Speaking of missed movies, I didn't fill it in (mainly because it didn't have enough letters, but my first thought when I saw 16A: 1989 Matt Dillon Film was BEAUTIFUL GIRLS not DRUGSTORE COWBOY. I haven't seen "Drugstore Cowboy" or "The Wiz", but "Beautiful Girls" is a great movie. ("The Toy" not so much.)

Sundries:

1A: Crusty entrée (POTPIE).

7a: Seat of the Bishop of London (STPAULS).

14a: Sources of ornamental feathers (EGRETS).

15a: Pendant shape (TEARDROP).

18a: Academic year div. (SEM).

19a: Cross of "Arrested Development" (DAVID). I didn't discover this show until after it was off the air (Thanks, Hulu!) but it's hilarious. Supposedly they're making a movie. David Cross played psychiatrist slash actor slash Blue Man Group member Tobias Funke.

20a: Becomes legally guaranteed (VESTS).

21a: Pertaining to light (PHOTIC).

23a: Thou (GEE).

24a: Courage (SPINE).

25a: Literally, "divine wind" (KAMIKAZE).

30a: Sham (FALSE).

31a: Sit on one's haunches (SQUAT).

32a: Lay down the lawn? (SOD). Another pun, and a good one.

33a: Sounds of light bulbs going on? (AHAS).

34a: Slow down the growth of (STUNT).

35a: Sister company of Louis Vuitton (DKNY).

37a: Mattress cover (SHEET).

38a: Apportions (METES).

39a: Kings and others (NBATEAMS). Could have been NHL TEAMS too. In fact I think I had that at first when I thought 24d: Indian term of respect (SAHIB) might be RAJAH.

42a: Like some coll. courses (REQ).

43a: Hooks up with (TIESTO).

45a: Newsman who wrote "Flashbacks: On Returning to Vietnam" (SAFER).

48a: Racing form data (SIRES).

49a: Three-time award for A-Rod (MVP).

55a: "Wheel of Fortune" bonus (FREESPIN).

56a: Gives a seat to (ELECTS).

57a: Lectures (TALKSAT).

58a: Dog (REDHOT).

1d: Those hoofing it, for short (PEDS).

2d: Damsel maltreater (OGRE). I wouldn't put it past an ogre to mistreat a damsel, even though that's usually a dragon's job.

3d: Atlantic City landmark since 1984 (TRUMPPLAZA).

4d: Brit's clothespin (PEG).

5d: Finish line (ITSDONE).

6d: Word with tax or sale (ESTATE).

7d: "Space ___" ("Star Trek" episode featuring Khan) (SEED).

9d: "I don't believe you" follower (PROVEIT).

10d: Madison Avenue trade journal (ADWEEK).

11d: Sticks' antitheses (URBS).

12d: Proceeds from a smashing success? (LOOT).

13d: 1974 spoof with the tagline "Would you buy a used secret from these men?" (SPYS). Starred Elliot Gould and Donald Sutherland -- both fresh off the movie "M*A*S*H" -- but this film was not nearly as successful. Maybe they should have spelled it "S*P*Y*S."

17d: Prefix with sac (OVI).

22d: Sound of disapproval (HISS).

23d: Wharton applicant's exam: Abbr. (GMAT).

26d: Clara on "Bewitched," for one (AUNT). Clara on "Bewitched" for one (AUNT) This one just jumped out at me. Isn't it odd how so much of the bad television you watched as a kid stays with you forever?

27d: Push it, in a way (ASKTOOMUCH).

28d: Regions (ZONES).

29d: Maker of Mint Karaoke Cookie ice cream (EDYS). I don't eat much ice cream -- or sweets at all. I have no idea what a karaoke cookie is.

30d: Hall of fame (FAWN). Fawn Hall was secretary to Colonel Oliver North, who evidently kept her busy shredding evidence.

31d: Originate (STEM).

34d: ___ Fu (1994 fighting video game) (SHAQ).

35d: Bit of progress (DENT).

37d: Divine miss? (SEERESS).

38d: Silo contents (MISSILE).

40d: Frequent Ferrell "SNL" role (TREBEK).

41d: Gardening tool (WEEDER).

44d: Like seconds: Abbr. (IRR).

45d: House painter's meas. (SQFT).

46d: Vibe (AURA).

47d: Vibe (FEEL).

48d: Foul mood (SNIT).

50d: Bill kill (VETO).

51d: "Over here!" (PSST).

53d: One for the books? (CPA).

54d: Calculus class letters (QED). Never got to calculus class. Does it mean "quod erat demonstrandum" there too?

Have a nice Thursday. Norrin.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Title: Themeless Thursday
Author: Karen M. Tracey
Theme: None

Happy new year, everybody. Hope 09 treats y'all fine. Norrin2 here and my new years resolution is to not complain about how easy the Thursday Sun puzzles are these days, and it looks like Karen Tracey is helping me keep that resolution. This was a tough one. Tough but fair with several entries that I should have got a lot quicker than I did.

24D: Explore among stalagmites and stalactites (SPELUNK) was my ticket into the puzzle. I knew this one,
even though I also knew that most people who do explores among the stalactites prefer the verb "to cave". Too bad because "spelunk" is a great word. From there I utilized my knowledge of 70's TV to get 44D: Barbarino of TV's Sweathogs (VINNIE)



And that together with 47D: Pie nut (PECAN) allowed me to get 47A: Novel with the character Serjeant Buzfuz, with "The" (PICKWICK PAPERS) I didn't specifically remember the name Buzfuz but I recognize a Dickensian name when I see one. And from there I figured I was off to the races and indeed the lower lefthand corner fell in pretty short order. Since I was already thinking of caves and spelunking I wasn't thrown off the by 55A's the looks-like-a-gerund-but-is- actually-an- adjective Yawning (CAVERNOUS).

But after that things slowed down considerably. I struggled mightily with 23A: Woodstock artist. I was racking my brain to recall who painted that famous picture of the bird on the guitar neck, or maybe she meant musical artist, so I tried to remember some of the more obscure acts at that event. It turns out the clue refers to Snoopy's buddy, who maybe should have been there:



I hate it when I have one in my wheelhouse (I'm a big comic strip fan) and I can't quite mentally expand enough to grab it. No, actually I don't hate it, but it's a tad embarrassing to fess up to.
And speaking of comic strips I had to cheat and look up 60A: 1954 Janet Leigh portrayal (ALETA). I never even knew there was a Prince Valiant movie. It must be pretty bad, even though now that I think about it Janet Leigh seems the perfect choice to play that part.



I'm also a big baseball fan and I definitely should have got 1A:Ballplayer Roy in "The Natural" (HOBBS) but I was sure it was spelled HOBBES like the philosopher (and Calvin's tiger). Plus I never expect to get One Across in a Karen Tracey puzzle, so I successfully psyched myself out.

I have a couple of minor musical quibbles, starting with 45A: Name in the only hit by Dexys Midnight Runners (EILEEN). It's true that "Come on Eileen" was their only hit in the United States, they had several more hits in their native England including a number one "Geno." (Also, shouldn't "Come on Eileen" have a comma in there?) 51D: Like vinyl records (PASSE) CD sales fell for the umpteenth year in a row in 2008, but LP sales are up as are sales of turntables, and you now see albums in places like Best Buy. So I'd say the LP is not passé just yet.

Here, with a minimum of interruption from yours truly, the rest of the first Sun puzzle of 2009:

1a: Ballplayer Roy in "The Natural" (HOBBS).

6a: They're not street-legal in many places (ATVS).

10a: Swift stroke (LASH). I tried to make this harder than it was, thinking it must refer to satirist Jonathan Swift.

14a: Lit (AFIRE).

15a: Sound of alarm? (BEEP).

16a: Service designation (ONEA).

17a: Flonase alternative (AFRIN).

18a: The Plow (URSAMAJOR). This one took a while too. I couldn't stop thinking it referred to hatha yoga asana "The Plow."

20a: "Must See TV" lineup (SITCOMS).

22a: Present (TROTOUT).

23a: Woodstock artist (CHARLESMSCHULZ).

25a: GRE component (VERBAL).

26a: Furtive glance (PEEK).

27a: 2008 hurricane (OMAR). Already forgotten the 08 hurricanes.

28a: Unspoiled locale (EDEN).

30a: Online lad mag (STUFF). Granted, I don't pay much attention to lad mags, but is Stuff online only these days?

35a: Leave-taking word (TATA).

36a: Chokes up, in a way (SILTS).

38a: Anent (INRE).

39a: Suits (EXECS).

41a: Sign of disuse (RUST).

42a: Ness and others (TMEN).

43a: Having no fractional parts (EVEN).

45a: Name in the only hit by Dexys Midnight Runners (EILEEN).

47a: Novel with the character Serjeant Buzfuz, with "The" (PICKWICKPAPERS).

52a: August (EMINENT).

53a: Posthumously published Franz Kafka novel (AMERIKA).

55a: Yawning (CAVERNOUS).

57a: Trig function (COTAN).

58a: Children's book author Jon (AGEE).

59a: Ticks off (IRKS).

60a: 1954 Janet Leigh portrayal (ALETA).

61a: Earns (NETS).

62a: Plain Jane (EYRE).

63a: Signs over (CEDES).

1d: Berkeley business school (HAAS).

2d: Staples rival (OFFICEMAX).

3d: Baby figure? (BIRTHRATE).

4d: Whatnot contents (BRICABRAC).

5d: Lady abroad (SENORA).

6d: Revile (ABUSE).

7d: Long jumper Igor ___-Ovanesyan (recordholder before Bob Beamon) (TER).

8d: Attire (VESTMENTS).

9d: Thin (SPARSE).

10d: Indisposed (LOATH).

11d: Historical region of western France (ANJOU).

12d: Where Samsung is headquartered (SEOUL).

13d: Big name in pet products (HARTZ).

19d: Dummies (up) (MOCKS). Tricky. I thought she meant dummy up as in "be quiet."

21d: Grasse lasses: Abbr. (MLLES).

24d: Explore among stalagmites and stalactites (SPELUNK).

25d: Tribal Council highlight (VOTE).

29d: Lobby list (DIRECTORY).

31d: Monk, e.g. (TITLEROLE).

32d: Not deserved (UNMERITED).

33d: Long program (FREESKATE).

34d: "Twin Peaks" actress (FENN).

37d: Anger (STEAM).

40d: Runoff conduit (SEWER).

44d: Barbarino of TV's Sweathogs (VINNIE).

46d: Dried root from a plant of the madder family (IPECAC).

47d: Pie nut (PECAN).

48d: TIFF part (IMAGE).

49d: Palm cat, e.g. (CIVET).

50d: Delivers a low blow to (KNEES).

51d: Like vinyl records (PASSE).

54d: Santa ___ (New Mexico Indians) (ANAS).

56d: Hung. neighbor (UKR).

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Title: Themeless Thursday
Author: Patrick Berry
Theme: N/A

Another themeless Thursday, that makes two in a row. This one was a little tougher than last week's. At least it was for me. I do my puzzles the old-fashioned way -- in ink, and there are quite a few scratch-outs and carets in my grid today.

Let's start of by looking at what I missed and why.

52a: Reconsidered (TOOKASECONDLOOK). I was on the right track, but I had TOOK ANOTHER LOOK, so that messed me up at -- among others -- 53d: Bill's partner (COO). I thought this three letter word started with a T, so I put in TED as the answer here, as in "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure," probably my favorite dumb movie of all time.





I immediately knew that was wasn't right because I was sure that Jeremy IRONS was the answer to 55a: Scar voicer in "The Lion King" (You'd be sure too if your kids made you watch "The Lion King" as many times as mine did.) and I was equally sure Jeremy didn't spell his last name IRENS.


What else did I miss?

18d: Girlfriend whose name Jerry thinks is Mulva, in a "Seinfeld" episode (DOLORES). I knew the answer -- this is the one where Jerry can't remember the girl's name, only that it rhymes with a part of the female anatomy, but I misspelled it DELORES.

And I missed 28a: Weapon in the game Clue (BAT) It's been a long time since I played Clue. I had GUN. (Which brings me to something that's always bothered me about this game. How hard is it to figure out the murder weapon. Can't you tell whether a guy's been hung with a rope or bludgeoned with a candlestick?) And no wonder I didn't get this one -- they didn't have a bat when I played they had a lead pipe. According to NPR the game's been updated. And I was misremembering Classic Clue anyway -- there was no GUN per se, there was a REVOLVER.

The only other thing I missed was 24d: They're full of hot air (STEAMROOMS). I had STEAM IRONS (probably still thinking about Scar and Jeremy.)

The rest of the puzzle:

1a: TV show with the character Zelmo Zale (MASH). He was the 4077th's supply sergeant. I couldn't find any video of him. Youtube keeps wanting to show me Zale's Jewelers commercials.

"M*A*S*H: For Want of a Boot (#2.17)" (1974)

Zale: Look, we made a deal. He didn't come through.

Hawkeye: Do you know what I did? How I degraded myself? How I groveled, how I humbled, how I cheapened myself? All for a pair of miserable, lousy, army boots? I swear to you, as dedicated as I am to the sanctity and preservation of human life, if I had a gun at this moment, I would send my head across the tent!

Zale: A gun takes six weeks. There's a terrific waiting list.

5a: He has a small staff (SANTA). Sounds like the requisite sexual reference, but it's actually a bit of seasonal humor.

10a: Hogshead (CASK).

14a: Member of the dynasty founded by Manco Cápac (INCA).

15a: "The roof of the World" (TIBET).

16a: Tony's counterpart (OBIE).

17a: Observe all the formalities (STANDONCEREMONY).

20a: Say for all to hear (SINGOUT).

21a: Reasons (MOTIVES).

22a: High, on a score (ALT).

23a: Work off restless energy, in a way (PACE).

24a: ___-Blo (brand of fuse) (SLO).

25a: Cut glass (ETCH).

31a: Book learning? (LITERARYHISTORY).

36a: Albert Alligator's home (OKEFENOKEESWAMP). This might be why I had such a relatively easy time with this puzzle. This 15-letter center entry I knew right away. Albert Alligator lived in the swamp with Pogo Possum and Howland Owl and Porky Pine and many others in Waly Kelly's masterpiece of a comic strip. My three favorite comic strips are "Krazy Kat" "Pogo" and "Calvin and Hobbes" although the exact order varies day-to-day. Today my favorite is definitely Pogo.

37a: Argues an issue that's already settled (BEATSADEADHORSE).

38a: Scott's "Quantum Leap" role (SAM). Man, I miss that show. If you're wondering what to get your favorite part-time crossword blogger for Christmas, season one of "Quantum Leap" on DVD would be an excellent choice.

39a: "___ I should be old-fashioned, I'll put a trinket on": Emily Dickinson (LEST).

40a: Attach (ADD).

41a: Last word of the first verse of "America" (RING). Oh, I forgot -- I messed this one up initially too. (Maybe I didn't have that easy a time with this puzzle.) I had the right song, wrong verse. I had SING as in "Of thee, I. . . " which is the last word of the second verse.

44a: SFC's USN counterpart (CPO).

45a: Trees whose wood doesn't float (EBONIES).

48a: Winding path's opposite (BEELINE).

54a: Volume (TOME)

56a: Portrayer of Jane in "Becoming Jane" (ANNE).

57a: Boycotter of the L.A. Games (USSR).

58a: Place to hang one's hat (ABODE).

59a: Bagpipes, e.g. (REED).

1d: Air ball, e.g. (MISS).

2d: Prefix with body (ANTI).

3d: Work as a checkout clerk (SCAN).

4d: Direction to change from north to west? (HANGALEFT).

5d: Malty drink (STOUT). What I miss most about my fitness regimen? Guinness.

By the way, when I was searching for that picture I found this -- the cake for my next birthday.

6d: ___ It Cool News (film website) (AINT).

7d: "Must See TV" network (NBC).

8d: Overbrim (TEEM).

9d: Affected by underuse (ATROPHIED).

10d: Funny (COMIC).

11d: In open sight (ABOVEBOARD).

12d: Opposite over hypotenuse, for a right triangle (SINE).

13d: Drop-box inserts, often (KEYS).

19d: Flight deck guess (ETA)

25d: Become more rounded, maybe (ERODE).

26d: Playground players (TYKES).

27d: Look around for some answers? (CHEAT).Made me laugh. Thanks, Patrick.

29d: "___ and the Man" (Shaw play) (ARMS).

30d: Variety (TYPE).

31d: High returns (LOBS).

32d: It acquired Stør in 1992 (IKEA).

33d: Inability to feel pain (ANALGESIA).

34d: Curvy, in a way (SSHAPED).

35d: Like many racetrack bets (TWODOLLAR). I have never been to the racetrack. Do they still let you make two dollar bets? Seems like a throwback to the 30's.

42d: Graphic novelist, at times (INKER).

43d: Fifth principle of Kwanzaa (NIA).

44d: Perfume, in a way (CENSE).

45d: Senate censure (ETTU). A very specific censure. Julius Caesar to Brutus after he was stabbed by his BFF.

46d: Raspberry relatives (BOOS).

47d: Vojvodina native (SERB).

48d: Become good friends, say (BOND).

49d: Donovan's daughter (IONE). Ione Skye, who played Diane Court in the classic John Cusack movie "Say Anything."

50d: "___ but the Brave" (1965 Frank Sinatra film) (NONE).

51d: Barely made, with "out" (EKED).

See you next Thursday.

Norrin

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Title: Themeless Thursday

Author: Martin Ashwood-Smith
Theme: None

A nice not-too hard themeless Thursday, just what we need when we're all logy from the tryptophan in out leftover turkey. Only one answer gave me any trouble and it didn;t give me much.

1a: "Evan Almighty" role for Morgan Freeman (GOD). He played the same role in "Bruce Almighty."

4a: Punk pioneer Smith (PATTI). Her album "Horses" changed my life or at least my musical horizons. "Free Money" is still on my Ipod.

9a: Graceful bend (PLIE).

13a: Fascist of note (BENITOMUSSOLINI). When I saw this I thought we might have a sub-theme like last week's "Guys whose names end in vowels" but no, Benito was the only one.

16a: Shpilkes (ANTSINONESPANTS). Yiddish, and not easy to pronounce.

17a: Pickle (STICKYSITUATION).

18a: Finger food of Hawaii (POI).

19a: Navigation dir. (SSE).

20a: Feminizing suffix (ENNE). I had E__E and didn't know if it was ENNE or ETTE.

21a: Braille bits (DOTS).

23a: Cracker topper (BRIE).

25a: "Lester's Luck" author (ALGER). Horatio Alger wrote a couple hundred of these "Hard-working poor boy makes good" type novels -- like "Jed, the Poor House Boy" and "Ned Newton, or The Fortunes of a New York Bootblack". They're sometimes referred to "rags to riches" stories but more properly they should be called "Rags to respectability" since none of his protagonists became wealthy; they just got to where they had a job and could take care of themselves.

26a: Sweater letter (RHO).

27a: Frontline target (FLEA).

28a: "¿Por ___?" ("Why?" in Spanish) (QUE).

29a: Brown dog alias (JOECOOL). I had this one all the way filled in before I figured out that the clue referred to Charlie Brown, I guess because although I know that Charlie Brown feeds Snoopy it's never seemed as if Snoopy belonged to anybody.

31a: Dock (CURTAIL).

35a: Mason's profession (LAW). Perry Mason, of course.

36a: Pet name? (CHIA). Actually now that the fad is past, chia is gaining a whole new life as a superfood. It's rich in Omega-3's, antioxidants, fiber and phosphurus.

37a: Dust jacket write-up (BIO).

38a: Son of Henry (EDSEL).

41a: Illustrator for Charles Dickens (PHIZ). His real anme was Hablot Knight Browne, but he adopted the nickname Phiz to go with Dickens's pseudonym Boz.

42a: Grand finale? (PRIX).

43a: Mlle. relative (SRTA).

44a: Itinerary word (VIA).

45a: "Summer Moved On" band (AHA). Usually if it's a three letter band it's ELO. Sometimes it's REM. On rare occasions it's AHA.

46a: Response to an offer (COUNTERPROPOSAL).

52a: Very rare (ONCEINALIFETIME).

53a: Party places (RECREATIONROOMS).

54a: General ___ chicken (TSOS). There was a real General Tso during the Qing Dynasty but he never tasted the chicken that bears his name as it's an American invention.

55a: How to play a dirge (LENTO).

56a: Cold-weather commercial prefix (SNO). as in "Sno-cone."

1d: Mannerly guy (GENT).

2d: Stealthily (ONTIPTOE). I had ON THE SLY

3d: They usually have big balls (DISCOS). The requisite sexual-reference

4d: Express mail carrier? (PONY).

5d: Hosea contemporary (AMOS).

6d: Neighbor of Libya (TUNISIA).

7d: Nagana carrier (TSETSE).

8d: Time unit (ISSUE). The magazine, of course

9d: Blood component (PLATELET).

10d: Jacket part (LINING).

11d: Cantillate (INTONE).

12d: Exec who ran a company that had the same internal letters as his last name (EISNER). Wow, that's an interesting clue. Michael eISNEr did run dISNEy.

13d: Some degs. (BAS).

14d: Former Giants teammate of Plaxico (TIKI). Tiki Barber, now a sportscaster and correspondent for NBC's Today Show. And an author. Tiki's a nickname by the way. His real name is Attiim Kiambu, which means “Fiery-Tempered King.”

15d: ___-Locka (suburb of Miami) (OPA).

21d: Hoops legend, familiarly (DRJ).

22d: Cry of discovery (OHO).

23d: Coke (BLOW).

24d: Electrical unit (REL).

25d: Mystique (AURA). Apropos of nothing, but I am reminded of Curt Schilling's comment before the 2001 World Series. When asked if his Arizona Diamondbacks were intimidated going up against the aura and mystique of the New York Yankees, Schilling said, "Mystique and Aura? Those are dancers at a nightclub." The Diamondbacks won it in 7, by the way, in one of the most exciting World Series ever. My daughter will never forget it because I woke her up with all my hollering and hooraying.

27d: Young zebra (FOAL). I was on the right track with COLT

28d: "___ Show" (1994 Best Picture nominee) (QUIZ).

30d: Business with pressing concerns? (CLEANERS).

31d: X lookalike (CHI).

32d: Scrape (ABRASION).

33d: Number on a sundial (III). You know it has to be III, VII or XII. So even if you have no crossing letters you can fill in the II.

34d: Common serving at a Yom Kippur break fast (LOX).

36d: 1992 film in which Dan Aykroyd played Mack Sennett (CHAPLIN). Sennett, the great slapstick director also discovered W.C. Fields, the Keystone Kops as well as Bing Crosby and Gloria Swanson

38d: Attendant (ESCORT).

39d: Humming sounds (DRONES).

40d: Wall treatment (STUCCO).

41d: Illegally reproduce, as software (PIRATE).

42d: Pix (PHOTOS).

44d: Mercenary (VENAL).

45d: Monkey, at times (APER). If a monkey apes a babboon, what kind of primate is he?

47d: Formal requirement (TIE).

48d: Cause of a lockdown (RIOT).

49d: ___ concern (unimportant) (OFNO).

50d: Bandoleer contents (AMMO).

51d: ___ Eyzies, France (LES).

See you next Thursday,
Norrin2

Thursday, November 13th 2008

Title: Themeless Thursday
Author: Frederick J. Healy
Theme: None

Sunny Spots:
Pitcher LaLoosh's nickname in "Bull Durham" (NUKE) What else would they call you if your last name is LaLoosh and you can bring the heat? "Bull Durham" is one of the greatest movies ever ,and it has even helped me with my crossword solving. Whenever I get stuck or I'm unsure about a crossing, I just take a couple deep breaths -- through my eyelids, of course.

11D: It's almost never found in cheesecake (DOUBLE CHIN) Not the stuff with Graham cracker crusts, but old-time pinups. I am a connoisseur of the art form. Here's one from the Master Gil Elvgren


Judging from these last two pictures, it looks like I'm making my own theme for this puzzle and the theme is garters.

Sundries:
17A: Brazilian beach in the title of a 1964 hit song (IPANEMA) If you can't remember this song, don't worry about it; it's better that way. This is one of those songs that once you get it in your head you can't get it out.

40A: Flauta wrapper (TORTILLA) The difference between Tuesday and Thursday: On Tuesday, this clue reads "Burrito wrapper." A flauta by the way is like a taquito only made with a flour tortilla instead of corn, and is named for its resemblance to a flute.

49A: Singer with the album "Whiplash Smile" (IDOL) Speaking of Billy Idol, he was known for his SNEER (43A: Villain's look) If only he was famous for wearing garters, then we would have had our theme for sure.

50A: 1970 Paul Newman movie (WUSA) This is what I wrote on my Green Genius blog after Paul Newman's passing: They just don't come any cooler than Paul Newman -- a hella handsome guy who refused to play pretty boy roles, preferring to challenge himself with roles of oddballs, loners, losers and criminals. A guy who started selling his homemade salad dressing as a joke and ended up with a food corporation that gave 250 million dollars to charity. A guy who stayed married to the same woman for 50 years (the lovely Joanne Woodward) and who was such a staunch liberal that he made President Nixon's fabled Enemies List. (Newman always said this was his proudest achievement. ) When I asked him to sign a bookplate for the book he wrote with A.E. Hotchner about Newman's Own Foods "Shameless Exploitation in Pursuit of the Common Good" he graciously acceded.
WUSA, by the way, is one of his more obscure films, but way underrated in my opinion. Definitely worth seeking out.

47D: Girl in "Our Gang" (DARLA) Darla Hood is by far the most famous of the female Little Rascals (Rascalettes?) but by no means the only -- there was also Mary Kornman, Jean Darling, Dorothy DeBorba and Janet Burston. The reason you don't know them is because most of them were from the less-seen Little Rascals silent shorts.

16A: Footstool (OTTOMAN) Does anybody know how the former empire (which at one time spanned three continents) came to lend its once-feared name to a footstool?

Suns of Bitches:
Old dominion: Abbr. (HRE) This one threw me for a minute cuz I grew up in the state of Virginia AKA The Old Dominion, but the fact that the d in dominion was not capitalized let me know the answer was not VIR but the Holy Roman Empire.

52A: Boomer born in 1961 (ESIASON) I'm not a football fan so this one gave me some trouble. With those vowels and S's it's surprising his name doesn't come up more often in crossword puzzles.

8D: Hydras, e.g. (POLYPS) Polyps? I may have heard this before but when I hear the word "hydra" I think of the giant nine-headed snake that Hercules had to kill for his second labor -- not an easy thing to do since every time you cut off one of its heads two more would take its place. Well, either that or the terrorist organization in Marvel Comics.

Thanks for listening.

Norrin2

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Title: Themeless Thursday
Author: Will Nediger
Theme: N/A

Hmmm, this themeless Thursday puzzle actually seems to be themeless. That's unusual. Maybe I'm missing something.

Hey, maybe it's a pangram.

Nope, unless I screwed up somewhere (always a possibility) it lacks a Q.

Sunny Spots:

64A: Did the Wright thing? (FLEW) Well, DESIGNED A BUILDING won't fit, so you know he's talking about Orville and Wilbur and not Frank Lloyd.

48A: Chase scenes were often seen during its broadcasts (SNL) I was kinda torn on this one as to whether it belonged here or in the Suns of Bitches category. I like the clue, but shouldn't it have a question mark after it or at least some indication that the answer is an abbreviation?

59A: Certain toy, for short (PEKE) I mean, if they're going to let us know the dog's name has been shortened, shouldn't they do the same with "Saturday Night Live"?

58D: Novel idea? (PLOT) By the way, next month is National Novel Writing Month, and I intend to participate. If you think you might to write a novel in November (no pressure, it doesn't have to be a good one, as it says on their website "Valuing enthusiasm and perseverance over painstaking craft, NaNoWriMo is a novel-writing program for everyone who has thought fleetingly about writing a novel but has been scared away by the time and effort involved") you can get more information here.

Sundries:

24D: Cranny (NOOK) If these words mean the same thing, why do we always say "nook and cranny" instead of "nook" or "cranny"?

55D: Movie character who says "The, uh, stuff that dreams are made of." (SPADE) Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade in "The Maltese Falcon." As far as hardboiled detectives go, I was always more of a Chandler than a Hammett man, but this is a great movie and a great line -- changing only letter from Prospero in Shakespeare's "The Tempest": "We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep." Carly Simon later had a hit song with the same title as Mr. Spade's famous line (minus the "uh").

(By the way you can win a few bar bets by challenging your fellow imbibers to quote the last line of "The Maltese Falcon". Most people think the "dreams" line is it, but the last line is actually from the guy Spade makes his poetic pronouncement to. He says, "Huh?" and that's the last lien of the movie.)

62D: Producer of Coldplay's "Viva la Vida" album (ENO) Musical reference, three letters, it's got to be ENO. It's interesting though that he's associated with this short musical name as his real full name is Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno.

45D: Like some marriages (SAME SEX) I try to keep politics out of my crossword commentary. I don't always succeed but I do try. I can't help wondering though why the party that prides itself on staying out of people's personal lives is the same party that wants to tell you who you can and cannot marry.

67A: Doctor's words (TRY TO RELAX) The only time a doctor has ever said this to me was during a procedure where it is impossible to relax.

42A: Circles (ENGIRDLES) When I was a kid, "girdle" was the punch line of every other dirty joke. I still remember this little ditty from second grade:

"Yankee Doodle went to town a riding on a turtle, turned a corner just in time to see a lady's girdle."

I wasn't too sure exactly what a girdle was but I knew it was both dirty and hilarious.

Suns of Bitches:

50A: Pussy thing on a puss (ZIT) Not too difficult to figure out once you get your "u" sounds all straightened out. But still -- Yuck! I doubt you'll ever see the word "pussy" in a New York Times clue.

See you next Thursday.

Norrin

Thursday, October 9th 2008

Hello everybody, it's Robert Loy AKA Norrin2 AKA Green Genius, adding another alias; from now on I'm also the Man Who is Thursday. That is to say, I'll be blogging the Thursday Sun puzzles here until Pete M. comes to his senses and fires me.

Let's get to it, shall we?

Title: Themeless Thursday

Author: Mark Feldman
Theme: None -- well, like most themeless puzzles, there is at least one mini-theme. Here I guess it's rough weather:

20A: 1973 Burt Reynolds movie (WHITE LIGHTNING)

55A: 1977 Tommy Lee Jones movie (ROLLING THUNDER)

Or maybe the theme is "1970's movies named after rough weather." I never saw "Rolling Thunder" (and when I hear the words "Rolling Thunder" I think of Bob Dylan not Tommy Lee Jones) but "White Lightning" was awful. (I confess it's possible that I'm confusing it with some of the other movies Reynolds made around the same time -- "Gator" "Hooper" "W.W. and the Dixie Dance Kings" but it doesn't matter; they were all awful. Comedian Robert Wuhl said that "Burt Reynolds made so many bad movies, when someone else makes a bad movie Burt gets a royalty. My favorite "At Long Last Love" was so horrendous that writer/director Peter Bogdanivich took out a letter of apology in newspapers across the country. ")

In just a couple of days one of the biggest days at the Green Genius household will be upon us -- the great annual Public Library Book Sale. I still need to get in there and update my have it-want it list, but I'm going to try to give this puzzle the attention it deserves. Which, I gotta tell you, is not a lot. I was underwhelmed by this too-easy-for-a-Thursday-Sun puzzle. I only messed up two words. For 54D: Wharves I had PIERS (and then DOCKS) instead of QUAYS, which messed me up on 61A: Glimpse where I had PEEK (when I thought it crossed with DOCKS) instead of ESPY.

Sunny Spots: Honestly, not a lot, as I said. When I look over a puzzle and see, like this one, not one single clue with a question mark (which, of course, indicates wordplay of one kind or another) I know it's not going to be my cup of oolong. That said, there were some mildly clever clues.

1A: Pool need (CUE)

1D: Moves slowly (CRAWLS) not a great clue or answer, but part of another mini-theme as this same clue could refer to CREEPS at 63A (Feeling of disgust, with "the")

58D: Parenthesis, e.g. (ARC) at least an attempt to clue the ubiquitout ARC differently.

Sundries:

22A: Not sharp, briefly (LORES). Yeah, I guess LO-RES is not that sharp, and I must confess I've become something of an HD snob since we got our new TV, but it bugs me now when I download a TV show on I-Tunes I'm forced to download both the HD and the Lo-res versions even though the HD version won't play on my Ipod.

27A: Chopsticks, e.g. (WALTZ) Technically it does have the three beats to the measure, accent on the first beat that makes a waltz, but most people think of a waltz as more elegant than "Chopsticks". Burt Reynolds and Cybil Shepard waltzed in "At Long Last Love" but you'll have to take my word for it since it's never been released on home video in any format. (Bad movie, yall, really.)

57D:Give a shot to (HYPO) Here's another example of why I didn't care much for this puzzle. If they had just left it at "Give a shot" it might be momentarily misleading, sugestive of a stab or an attempt. But "Give a shot to" (4 letters) what else could it be?

38D: Copacati Worshipper (INCAN) Copacati was the goddess of Lake Titicaca and, perhaps because she was sick and tired of people making fun of her lake's name, she was foul-tempered and violent and liked nothing more than razing other gods' temples to the ground.

Speaking of mini-themes, how about this boxing one: 28D: "Rumble in the Jungle" setting (ZAIRE) and 31D: One-two's one (JAB)

7D: Very large numbers (GOOGOLS) That's how you spell the number that is represented by a 1 followed by 100 zeroes. Yes, the web search people spelled it wrong.

Suns of Bitches:
39A: Digestive enzymes (LIPASES) Somehow I've managed to live a half century without ever coming across this ugly word that looks like two body parts that should never meet.

That's really alll I see noteworthy. Wish me luck at the book sale.

Thanks for listening.

Robert

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Title: Themeless Thursday
Author: Jeffrey Harris
Theme: None

Sunny Spots:

• 1a: Go-go gadget? (DISCO BALL). A great clue and awesome fill at 1-Across.


• 17a: Pu pu platter portion (SPARE RIBS). Mmmm... spare ribs.


• 43a: "14 Shades of Grey" group (STAIND). I saw these guys live a few years back. Very good. Here's the song you'll know, if you've heard them before. Or the following, which is my favorite:




• 8d: Drives in the back seat of a car? (LIBIDOS). This was hands down my favorite clue/answer pair in the puzzle. Inspired!


• 35d: Song with the repeated lyric "Mr. Mojo risin'" (L.A. WOMAN). I like the Doors. Always have. Plus, for you puzzlers out there, "Mr. Mojo Risin'" is an anagram of "Jim Morrison".

Sundries:

• 18a: Hotel founder Ritz (CESAR). I didn't know this, but thankfully it's a normal-enough name.


• 19a: Signal to start speaking, perhaps (TONE). At the tone, please leave a message...


• 20a: Wryly incredulous query (IS THAT SO?).


• 22a: Woodworking tools (AWLS). I generally think of awls more in terms of leatherworking, but I guess they're used for wood as well.



• 25a: Murrelet relative (AUK). I had the _UK before I even read this clue, so it wasn't a big stretch to figure out.


• 26a: Two points, maybe (FEE). Points here as in percentages, as when closing a mortgage.


• 27a: Gambol (CAVORT). Both excellent words.


• 29a: After-dinner mints, e.g. (FREEBIES).


• 31a: Go off the edge of the page (BLEED). Thank you for choosing a clue that passes the "breakfast test".



• 32a: British logician famous for his diagrams (VENN). Gimme for a former math major. Venn diagrams are those overlapping circles that describe the unions and intersections of sets.


• 35a: Swain (LOVER). Classic old-style fill.


• 38a: Taiwan's setting (CHINA SEA). Gimme.


• 45a: Farceur (WAG).



• 46a: Runner-up to Sorenstam at the 2005 LPGA Championship (Michelle WIE). I didn't even see this clue, but it's a name you should know. At 18 years of age, she's already been a pro for three years and is absolutely phenomenal. Her attempts to compete with the men have not been particularly successful to date, but I wouldn't bet against her in the long run. She's a superstar.


• 47a: Mnemonic of film (JOHNNY). Keanu Reeves film, a few years before the much more successful "Matrix" series.


• 48a: Green Al (GORE). Bet you don't often think of Al Gore and Al Green at the same time, do you? I know I don't.


• 49a: Precisely (ON THE DOT).



• 52a: Painter of "The Absinthe Drinker" (MANET). I put in M_NET and waited for the crossing. Never can keep those two straight.


• 53a: Neighbor of Greece (MACEDONIA).


• 58a: 2007 film with the tagline "You can only imagine the truth" (ATONEMENT). I still haven't seen this. Need to.


• 59a: New pet owner, perhaps (NAMER). This is such a horrendous fill, and yet I knew immediately - with no crossings - what the answer was going to be. I'm not proud.


• 60a: Woods's chipper (SAND WEDGE). I've bitched about the difference between chipping and pitching before. I reiterate my stand.


• 1d: Attachment on a spinning wheel (DISTAFF).


• 2d: Like current heads of state (IN POWER).


• 3d: He was credited as Man Dodging Debris in "Spider-Man 2" (STAN LEE). The original creator of Spiderman. Cool trivia.


• 4d: The asteroid belt's largest body (CERES). I must have heard this recently, because I knew it right away.



• 6d: Word after "Don't pass" and "Don't come" on a craps table (BAR).


• 7d: Slugger from Louisville (ALI). Cute, but easy.


• 21d: C-4 alternative (TNT).


• 27d: "Convoy" narrator, e.g. (CBER). You wanted to forget this C.W. McCall song forever, didn't you? Well then, don't click on this link then.


• 28d: Dancer Koklova who was Pablo Picasso's first wife (OLGA). I had the OL__ before I even saw this clue, so it was pretty obvious.


• 30d: Like all known perfect numbers (EVEN). If you don't know what these are, you probably don't care. But here's a link just in case. Warning: It's mathy. But you knew that.


• 31d: Asia, e.g. (BAND). Speaking of songs you'd just as soon forget, how about "Heat of the Moment"?



• 33d: Body part protected by a greave (SHIN).


• 36d: The largest of the Ryukyu Islands (OKINAWA).


• 37d: Setting for part of "Forrest Gump" (VIETNAM).


• 38d: Bach specialty (CANTATA).



• 40d: "Girl With a Pearl ___" (Vermeer painting) (EARRING).


• 41d: Contemporary (AGEMATE). I've never heard of this word, but it made complete sense once I filled in the missing G.


• 48d: Pink flamingo alternative (GNOME). If you like tacky garden accessories, why settle for alternatives? Go for both, and add a color ball as well.


• 50d: First word of the theme song to "The Monkees" (HERE). "Here we come!"

Suns of Bitches:

• 9d: "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" star (LASSER). Not a name I recognize.

I thought this puzzle had pretty nice fill, but I must admit I found it a bit easier than expected for a Themeless Thursday. Still, it evoked many pictures and links, which is a plus for blogging. So, we'll give it a general thumbs up.

Thanks for listening.

- Pete M.