Sunday Feb 23, 2014 Gail Grabowski

Theme:  "Age Isn't Everything" - AGE is removed from each familiar phrase.

25A. Plight when the caterer cancels? : HOST CRISIS. Hostage crisis.

27A. Kit with a parachute? : BAILOUT PACK. Bailout package.

45A. River project evaluation? : DAM ASSESSMENT. Damage assessment.

82A. Psychiatrist who falls asleep during sessions? : SHRINK PROBLEM. Shrinkage problem.

97A. Pedicured tootsy on a video-sharing website? : YOUTUBE FOOT. YouTube footage.

103A. Course for new cattle farmers? : STEER CLASS. Steerage class.

35D. Scenes of Oscar Madison's room? : RECORDED MESS. Recorded message.

40D. Cleaning out a clothes closet? : GARB DISPOSAL. Garbage disposal.

I normally don't touch letter addition/deletion/altercation theme type as I'm awful making sense of those wacky phrases. I do know, however, it's harder to delete than to add.

Have you all read this article about our 100-year-old constructor Bernice Gordon? Very nicely written. 

Scroll down a bit: "...Bernice's themes and puzzles are almost always straightforward, not at all gimmicky or tricky," said Rich Norris, puzzle editor at the Los Angeles Times. "Yet there's an elegance in her simplicity. She finds relationships among words that are so obvious when you first see them that you wonder why you've never seen this before."

I thought of Gail when I read Rich's comment. She's not going to shock and awe you, but there's an elegance & beauty in Gail's simplicity, often the result of hard work.

 

Across:

1. Reach across : SPAN

5. Scraps : SPATS

10. Resort city along the Roaring Fork River : ASPEN

15. Harbor vessel : SCOW

19. Hokkaido native : AINU. Here they're in their traditional Ainu dress.

20. Words to a hopeful traveler : HOP IN

21. Make a point : SCORE. Nice clue.

22. Asian beef center : KOBE

23. Current designation : AC/DC

24. Down East university town : ORONO. University of Maine.

30. One who shouldn't be looking : PEEKER

31. Fangorn Forest denizens : ENTs

32. Publicized : AIRED

34. Words on jackets : BLURBS. So I read "What Falls Away". I guess we all have a cross to bear.

38. Strays on the range : DOGIES

41. Western formation : BUTTE

43. Most conceited : VAINEST

44. Spat end : ULA. Spatula. And 75A. Front end? : IER. Frontier. 63D. Super finish? : IOR. Superior. Necessary evils. 

49. Round fig. : CIR. OK, circle.

50. Multipurpose : VERSATILE

52. Boss of Tammany Hall : TWEED. Was he as important as this book suggests?

53. Programmer's output : CODE

54. Held in check : AT BAY

55. Rare indication?: RED. Meat.

56. Appears to be : SEEMS

57. Crowd, supposedly : THREE

58. Woman's title : LADY

59. "Doctor Who" creatures : ETs

60. Rickman role in Harry Potter films : SNAPE. He was in "Love Actually" also.

61. Surrounded by : AMIDST

62. "If only!" : I WISH

64. "Ocean's Eleven" job : HEIST

65. Recurring sequence : CYCLE

66. Tapered-top piece : BISHOP. I don't get this clue. What is "Tapered-top"?

68. Exhilarating : HEADY

69. Contemporary of Bela and Boris : LON (Chaney)

70. Gathering dust : IDLE

73. Stock phrase : AT PAR

74. Shooting Starr : BELLE. I only know Annie Oakley.

76. Tutorial features : DEMOS

77. Soak up : BLOT

78. Folksy accounts : TALES

79. Broadway designer's jobs : STAGE SETS. Nice fill.

81. They, in Calais : ILS

85. Sault-Marie link : STE

86. Santa portrayer in "Elf" : ED ASNER. Super crossword-friendly name.

88. Woman "in my dreams," in song : IRENE. Oh, "Goodnight, Irene".

89. Commonly sculpted figures : TORSOS

91. Went wild on the drums, maybe : SOLOED

92. Diminishes : WANES

94. Nora was his mistress : ASTA

95. Get the factory going again : RE-OPEN

107. Spin-off starring Valerie Harper : RHODA

108. Arctic sight : FLOE

109. Stroked tools : OARS

110. Arena for MacArthur : KOREA. Korea War is heavily covered in Chinese history books.

111. Doughnut-shaped : TORIC

112. Do nothing : LAZE

113. Kindergarten handful : BRAT

114. Manner : STYLE

115. Tried to wake, in a way : SHOOK

116. Seeing things : EYES. Indeed, eyes see things. Great clue.

Down:

1. 9-3 automaker : SAAB

2. Type type : PICA

3. "__ quote:" : AND I

4. Cell centers : NUCLEI

5. Gives an earful : SHOUTS AT

6. New York and Los Angeles : PORTS. Where the Saturday Stud & Monarch Steve I of Studio City live. 

7. Per : A POP

8. Turner on stage : TINA

9. Treaded transports : SNO-CATS

10. Grate refuse : ASH

11. Sharpshooter's tool : SCOPE

12. Sat : POSED

13. "Symphony in Black" artist : ERTE

14. Strip around a collar : NECKBAND. Never wore one.

15. Downhill course : SKI RUN

16. NYSE listings : COs

17. It's a cinch in Sapporo : OBI

18. Jazz guitarist Montgomery : WES

26. Kindled anew : RE-LIT

28. Eventually : ONE DAY

29. Popular beach toy : KITE

33. Quit worrying : REST EASY.  Sometimes you just can't.

36. They're rarely hits : B SIDES

37. Bourbon __ : STREET

38. 2001 British Open winner David : DUVAL. His only major. He always seems so distant. Probably the sunglasses.

39. Jazz singer Adams who collaborated with Tears for Fears : OLETA. Nope. No memory of her.

41. Barn dance seating : BALES

42. Like many auction items : USED. Argyle likes to visit those auction events.

43. Winning signs : VEEs

46. Gaiety : MIRTH

47. Won every game : SWEPT

48. Internet __: fast-spreading item : MEME. I don't find those Ryan Gosling "Hey Girl" meme funny. You?

51. "Come again?" : SAY WHAT

53. Spicy pods : CHILIES. I imagine Lucina puts chiles in everything she cooks. How about you, spicy or mild?

56. Cutting : SNIDE

57. HBO competitor : TMC

59. Mentalist's claim : ESP

60. Mukluk material : SEALSKIN. See here.

61. Author Rand : AYN

64. Hunt of "Cast Away" : HELEN

65. Pinkish shade : CORAL

66. Treats carefully : BABIES

67. "I suppose that's okay" : IT'LL DO. Very good.

68. Prefix with pad : HELI

69. Leave alone : LET BE

71. Game rarely won : LOTTO

72. Fussy twosome? : ESSES. Two letter S in "Fussy".

74. Mystery writer Nevada : BARR. Needed crossing help.

75. "Help __ the way" : IS ON

76. Reduce in rank : DEMOTE
 

78. Waterfront area : THE DOCKS. Pricey area.

80. Recoups : GETS BACK

82. Villainous look : SNEER

83. Victimize, with "on" : PREY

84. Honeymoon destinations : RESORTS

87. Most angry : SOREST

90. Fund-raising event : RAFFLE

92. Worn down : WEARY

93. First name in nature photography : ANSEL (Adams). Or John (Lampkin).

94. Speaker's output : AUDIO

96. Conspiracy : PLOT

98. "Could be a problem" : UH OH

99. Mower maker : TORO

100. Big name in skin care : OLAY. Discovered Simple last year. Love their toner.

101. Trickle : OOZE

102. Driving aids : TEES

103. Blubber : SOB

104. Car wash challenge : TAR

105. Notable time : ERA

106. MS. enclosure : SAE (Self-Addressed Envelope)

Happy 75th Birthday to dear Keith Fowler! You can read more about Keith here. He even lived in Stratford-upon-Avon for sometime. Keith said:

"My branch of the family is not known for longevity, so it will be an enormous leap for me to reach 75 this coming Sunday--Feb 23 at 7:19 pm PST!  At that day/time I will be two years older than any recorded Fowler (of the Shryvenham to London to NY to CT to TN to CA tribe of Fowlers) ever got to be.

My mom (actually a Hocking) reached 73, and my dad's grandfather hit that number too.  while a great many folk live much longer, it just feels mighty strange to me, like teetering on a very high pole, or maybe soloing for the first time, and very slowly."

 

Keith Fowler

Also, if you are going to New York for the ACPT (American Crossword Puzzle Tournament), say hello to George Barany, who will be there competing. Maybe Rich Norris and Patti Varol will be there too, both are fast solvers. (Added later: George will be judging!)

Also, don't miss the Friday night Cru Dinner. Marti can tell you how friendly Mike Alpern is.

C.C.

Sunday Feb 16, 2014 Mike Peluso

Theme: "Kidding Pool" - Y in each familiar phrase is changed into ING.

22A. Taking inventory at the Tropicana plant? : ORANGE COUNTING. Orange County.

39A. Miniature golf with clowns and windmills? : SILLY PUTTING.  Fun clue image. Silly putty.

57A. Boxer catching flies? : SHAGGING DOG. Shaggy dog. Fly balls.

81A. Making bad wagers? : UGLY BETTING. "Ugly Betty" is produced by the beautiful Salma Hayek.

98A. Part of a supermarket uniform? : BAGGING PANTS. Baggy pants. Despite the extreme cold weather here, some kids still drop their baggy pants. Drives me crazy.

119A. Nocturnal animal in a hammock? : ROCKING RACCOON. "Rocky Raccoon". Beatles song.

 

30D. Putting Tonka Trucks in the attic? : TOY STORING. "Toy Story". Woody!

53D. Gently tossing rifles? : GUN LOBBING. Gun lobby. 

Five changes occur in the second word, 3 in the first word. No odd man out. 

There are a few straying Y's in the theme entries. We would not have got the fun phrases had Mike excluded them from his choices.

Very smooth fill. Love those 6's (28) and 7's (14).  Stacked 6's are not easy to fill cleanly, esp if they're quad-stacked & crossed by more stacked 6's and 7's, like Mike's upper right & lower left corners.

Across:

       

1. Two-time '90s US Open champ : EDBERG (Stefan). 1991 & 1992.

7. Red-hot sauce : TABASCO. Sure a hot entry.

14. Studio sign : ON AIR

19. __ Patri: hymn : GLORIA

20. Bunker portrayer : O'CONNOR (Carroll)

21. Frolic : PRANCE

24. Tattered : RAGGED

25. Name on a tablet : BAYER. Aspirin.

26. OR hookups : IVs

27. Most thick, as fog : DENSEST

28. Rogers contemporary : AUTRY (Gene)

32. Laser pointer battery : AAAA

34. Mark successors : EUROS. Oh, German mark.

36. Inter __ : ALIA

37. "This might not be good" : UH OH. So, Don in PA, what did you do when you lost the electricity and internet connection for so long? Read lots of books?

38. Electees : INs

42. Like thrift store bread : DAY OLD. Thrift stores have bread? I go there for sports memorabilia mainly.

44. '60s-'70s Mets coach Eddie : YOST. No relation to Ned.

46. Gp. that funds psychiatric drug testing : NIMH. Stumper. National Institute of Mental Health. 

47. Black or white drink : RUSSIAN. Nice clue.

49. Seriously harms : MAIMS

52. __ Tamid: synagogue lamp : NER. Saw this before. Forgot.

53. Indian state : GOA. Wiki said it's India's smallest & richest state.

56. In-flight stat : ALT

60. Fly off the handle : ERUPT

62. Traveling with the band : ON TOUR

64. Manet's "__ at the Folies-Bergère" : A BAR. The picture looks familiar, not the name though.

65. Score : TWENTY

66. Iberian river : EBRO

68. Listing : ATILT

71. Equipment for 74-Across : SKATE. And 74. Lake Placid Olympics star Eric : HEIDEN

73. Role for Ingrid : ILSA. "Casablanca".

76. "I could __ horse!" : EAT A

78. Emphatic rebuke : NO NO NO

80. Bedding : LINEN

84. ASCAP alternative : BMI. Broadcast Music, Inc

87. H.S. subject : ENG

88. Bandleader Brown : LES

90. Vega of "Spy Kids" : ALEXA. Stranger to me also. She looks sweet.

91. Late riser : LIE-ABED

93. Jai __ : ALAI

95. Hamburger's one : EINS. Not the burger. People from Hamburg.

97. In a scary way : EERILY

104. Brief afterthoughts : PSS

106. Law school tyro : ONE L

107. Gallic phone greeting : ALLO. It's just "Wei" in Chinese.

108. Sunset dirección : OESTE. Is it pronounced the same as "West"?

109. Old draft deferment : TWO A

111. Rims : EDGES

112. Panama relatives : BOATERS. Hats.

114. __ polloi : HOI

116. Alphabetical list : INDEX

118. Tab function : INDENT

125. __ sale : ESTATE. I just love this lower left corner. So clean!

126. Tiny dividers : AMOEBAE. Or AMOEBAS.

127. Sailor's omen : RED SKY

128. Ruins : DOOMS

129. Lessees : TENANTS. Hope Marti's tenants treasure her hard work.

130. Braves' div. : NL EAST

 

Down:

1. __ trip : EGO

2. MSRP poster : DLR. OK, Dealer.

3. Flowing scarf : BOA

4. Coastal raptor : ERN

5. Cathy who played Pan : RIGBY. Drew a blank. Peter Pan.

6. Earth goddess : GAEA

7. No challenge at all : TOO EASY

8. Upscale Honda : ACURA

9. Rocker __ Jovi : BON

10. Debate side : ANTI

11. Whine : SNIVEL

12. Roman Republic official : CONSUL

13. Dot follower : ORG

14. Setting for "The Plague" : ORAN

15. Badgers : NAGS AT

16. Seraphim and cherubim, to Giovanni : ANGELI. Plural of Angelo, right?

17. Strands at Chamonix, perhaps : ICES IN

18. Sale indicator : RED TAG

21. Suppose : PRESUME

23. Photo lab color : CYAN

27. Armstrong's admission : DOPING. I was so disappointed in Lance, Jayce.

28. Actress Lindley : AUDRA. Was she a gimme to you?

29. Ryder competitor : U-HAUL

31. Frat letters : RHOS

33. Very, in scores : ASSAI

35. Rembrandt van __ : RYN

38. Pocatello native : IDAHOAN

40. Autobiography featuring Ike : I, TINA

41. Tossed : THREW

43. Lean : LIST

45. Texter's "Yikes!" : OMG. I bet Steve passed by this sign a few times. I had an "OMG, can they say that?" moment when I saw it. Those Chinese characters just mean "Happy Ending". So blatant.

48. Astro ending : NAUT

50. Old British roadsters : MGBs

51. Pierre's home: Abbr. : S DAK

54. Declines, with "out" : OPTS

55. "Back __!" : AT YA

58. "Peer Gynt Suite" composer : GRIEG (Edvard)

59. Praying figure : ORANT. Learned from doing Xwords.

61. Corral, with "in" : REIN

63. Connection point : NODE

65. Converses, e.g., slangily : TENNIES. What's your favorite sneaker brand?

66. Actress Jennifer : EHLE. Crazy spelling. I guess Zhouqin looks crazy to you too.

67. '60s counterculture event : BE IN

69. Like an unreal land? : LA LA. Hi there, LaLaLinda! Creature, too. So glad both of you are back.

70. "Until next time," in IMs : TTYL (Talk to You Later)

72. Slave : TOIL

75. Zhou __ : ENLAI. Loved him. No one compares to him.

 77. Red as __ : A BEET

79. Fancy molding : OGEE

81. Grammarians' concerns : USAGES

82. Live : EXIST

83. Bronze shade : TAN

85. Brawl : MELEE

86. Poems describing rustic life : IDYLS

89. The United States, in Nuevo Laredo : EL NORTE. The north.

92. Controversial infielder : A-ROD. Drafted by the Mariners, Mike's team.

94. Tape speed unit: Abbr. : IPS. Inches per Second.

96. Eager learners, metaphorically : SPONGES

98. Coddled : BABIED

99. King in "The Tempest" : ALONSO

100. "My pleasure!" : GLAD TO

101. Cheerleaders' cheer : GO TEAM

102. Where batters are seen : AT HOME

103. Recent rightist : NEOCON. Oh, I just told you last Sunday that I liked Washington Post. I did not know that they have a paywall. I was informed earlier this week that I used up my free Feb articles already.  Stupid NBC. Now Bill G and I can't bond.

105. __ City, Iraq : SADR

110. Be victorious in : WIN AT

111. Office component : EXCEL

113. Rhinitis docs : ENTs

115. Company name that begins with its founder's initials : IKEA

117. Merit : EARN

119. Singer? : RAT. Very clever clue. Sing-er.

120. Arabic "son of" : IBN

121. Start of a beginner's piano scale : C D E

122. Spanish she-bear : OSA

123. Signs off on : OKs

124. Big Apple news initials : NYT

I think Marti is going to attend this year's ACPT (American Crossword Puzzle Tournament). Anyone else on our blog? Don't miss the Friday night Cru Dinner organized by the super nice Mike Alpern. You'll meet lots of constructors & fellow solvers. Click here for more photos & the buffet dinner menu. Jicama in the salad, Hahtoola!

C.C.

Sunday February 9, 2014 Pawel Fludzinski

 Theme:  "Universal Truth" -  Theme answers are all related to 42. See here for rationale.

 

23A. His number 95-Across is now permanently retired : JACKIE ROBINSON. Mariano Rivera is the last one to wear #42. 

36A. It's roughly 95-Across kilometers : MARATHON

55A. President number 95-Across : BILL CLINTON

80A. It contains 95-Across crude gallons : BARREL OF OIL

112A. Its first printing had 95-Across lines on most pages : GUTENBERG BIBLE. Unknown trivia to me.

9D. It has 95-Across spots : PAIR OF DICE

16D. King who died at 95-Across : ELVIS PRESLEY

59D. 95-Across appears on street signs near this Big Apple landmark : GRAND CENTRAL

 

74D. Its atomic number is 95-Across : MOLYBDENUM. New word to me. I had a terrifying chemistry teacher in high school.

Reveal entry:

95A. Douglas Adams' facetious answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything : FORTY- TWO. 

  

This puzzle is for Barry G, who has mentioned Douglas Adams & "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" several times on the blog.

Only 138 words in this grid (our norm is 144). Dr. Fludzinski's grids always have low-word count. But quite a few partials (7). Rich normally allows for 4 on Sundays.

Pawel Fludzinski

 Across:

1. Gene splicer's field : BIOTECH. Nice start.

8. They have strings attached : APRONS

14. In __: sort of : A SENSE. A rare 6-letter partial.

20. Astronaut Fisher, the first mother in space : ANNA LEE. Unfamiliar figure to me. Was her name mentioned in Chris Hadfield's book, CanadianEh?

21. He played House : LAURIE (Hugh)

22. Spreads out : SPLAYS

25. Scholar : SAVANT

26. Fit to __ : A TEE

27. Habituate : ENURE. Or INURE.

28. Move up and down : BOB. Hi there Buckeye "Move up and down"!

30. Piece of cake : CINCH

31. Peruvian coin : CÉNTIMO. I thought it's unit of Peseta, Wrong. 

34. Makes bubbly : AERATES

39. Busy co. on Valentine's Day : FTD. A few days away.

41. Short-lived 1765 statute : STAMP ACT

45. Hardly virtuous : AMORAL. And 92A. Vulgar : INDECENT

46. Classical theater : ODEON

48. Effervesce : SPARKLE

49. Avoids detection : HIDES

50. Pacific archipelago : MARIANAS

53. In __ and out ... : ONE EAR. And 90A. Biblical words before and after "for" : AN EYE

54. Singer DiFranco : ANI

57. Gracile : SLIM. Gracile is a new word to me.

58. Dog's age : LONGTIME

61. Op-ed pieces : ESSAYS.  I tried every news source you all mentioned last Thursday and liked Washington Post the most. Loved Sally Jenkins' article last week.

62. Bridge coups : SLAMS

63. Tiller opening? : ROTO. Just roto-tiller.

64. "Understood" : I SEE

66. Bochco series : L.A. LAW. Steven Bochco created NYPD Blue as well.

69. Gambler's strategy : SYSTEM

75. Pedicab, e.g. : TRICYCLE

79. Persian Gulf land : IRAN

82. Wine: Pref. : OEN. Or OENO. As in Oenophile, wine lover.

83. Sean Combs stage name : P. DIDDY

85. Like some wine glasses : STEMLESS

86. Hosiery hue : TAUPE

88. Degree of interest? : PERCENT. Nice clue.

91. Bearing : MANNER

94. Tarzan creator's monogram : ERB. Here he is again. Edgar Rice Burroughs.

97. Arctic blast : NORTHER. Never used this word before.

99. Phil Collins gear : DRUM SET

101. Like some landings: Abbr. : INSTR. Instrument landing. Dudley knows. Not me.

104. But, to Brutus : SED. Learned from doing Xwords.

105. Verdun's river : MEUSE. I don't even know where Verdun is.

106. Den __, Nederland : HAAG. In Dutch.

110. Aquarium favorites : TETRAS

116. Hatch, as a plot : CREATE

117. Increase gradually : ACCRUE

118. Kind of watch or warning : TORNADO

119. Funny blunder : HOWLER

120. Quakes : SEISMS

121. Cheaters, to teachers : ANAGRAM. Nailed it.

Down:

1. Tijuana locale : BAJA

2. Take __ the waist: alter : IN AT

3. Back in the day : ONCE

4. Parting wish : TAKE CARE. EddyB always closed his comment with "Take care".

5. Yale student : ELI

6. Checkered start? : CEE. The first letter.

7. Legalese adverb : HERETO

8. Philatelist's item : ALBUM

10. Mysterious character : RUNE

11. Hosp. areas : ORs

12. Mournful mother of myth : NIOBE. She appeared often in the old Tribute Daily puzzle. So glad we shifted to LA Times.

13. Spanish titles : SENORS

14. Stubborn one : ASS

15. Distant traveler : SPACEMAN

17. Bread brushed with ghee : NAAN

18. Harmonize : SYNC

19. O.T. book : ESTH. Needed crossing help.

24. Getting __ years : ON IN

29. Night fliers : BATS

32. LAX postings : ETAs

33. Columbus Blue Jackets' org. : NHL

34. Aphrodite's love : ADONIS

35. Hit lightly : TAP ON

36. Taj __ : MAHAL

37. Protein-building acid : AMINO

38. "The Gates of Hell" sculptor : RODIN

40. Pond ducks : TEALS

42. "The Jungle Book" pack leader : AKELA

43. Lien, say : CLAIM

44. Contract stipulations : TERMS

46. Magic, on scoreboards : ORL (Orlando)

47. Grandma : NANA

50. Brunch cocktail : MIMOSA

51. Draft choice : ALE

52. Farm abode : STY

55. Bridle part : BIT

56. Egyptian god of the dead : OSIRIS. Brother & Husband of Isis.

60. Pull : TOW

62. NYSE overseer : SEC. Guess who was SEC's first chairman?

65. Part of RSVP : SIL

66. Painter Fra Filippo __ : LIPPI

67. Makeup mogul Elizabeth : ARDEN

68. Scottish landowner : LAIRD

70. Revolutions, perhaps: Abbr. : YRS. I liked this clue also.

71. Arg. miss : SRTA

72. High schooler : TEENER. What's wrong with TEEN?

73. Iconic bull : ELMER

75. Lean-__: sheds : TOS

76. Jazz title : COUNT

77. Cartoon stinker : LE PEW

78. Part of un año : ENERO

80. Impressionist John : BYNER. Another unknown to me. Please link in the Comments section his most famous work.

81. Honorarium : FEE

84. Adorn : DECORATE

86. London gallery : TATE

87. Sometime it goes : ANYTHING. Oh, anything goes.

89. Explosive compounds : TNTs

91. __ Butterworth : MRS

93. Brake neighbor, informally : THE GAS

95. Melt together : FUSE

96. Mobster's code of silence : OMERTA. Also Mario Puzo's book.  I also read "The Last Don".

98. Elicit : EDUCE

100. Hayseeds : RUBES

101. Longing : ITCH

102. First-century emperor : NERO

103. Cassoulet, e.g. : STEW. Never had Cassoulet. But D-Otto, Lucina and TTP might. They're serious foodies.

105. Cousteau's milieux : MERs

107. "This guy walks into __ ..." : A BAR

108. "M*A*S*H" star : ALDA

109. Subj. for Euclid : GEOM

111. Sun. delivery : SER

113. Cable co. that merged with AT&T : TCI

114. Poly- ending : GON. Polygon.

115. Uplifting wear : BRA

Happy 43rd Birthday to dear Splynter, our talented and hard-working Saturday Stud, who  always gives me solid feedback on my theme entry selection & other life issues. Thanks for being here, Splynter!

C.C.

Sunday February 2, 2014 Matt McKinley

Theme: "VW Showroom" - Each two-word theme entry starts with V & W.

23A. Sparkling French refreshment : VICHY WATER

29A. Pre-singing routine : VOCAL WARM-UP

45A. Lively European dance : VIENNESE WALTZ

 72A. Retiree's pursuit, perhaps : VOLUNTEER WORK

97A. "A Room of One's Own" author : VIRGINIA WOOLF

113A. Cellar prize : VINTAGE WINE

125A. Woman of letters : VANNA WHITE

38D. Competes against : VIES WITH

63D. "Okay" : VERY WELL

Simple theme. We've had this VM gimmick before, a more narrowly defined set of women's name only. Love Argyle's title there.

The theme entries 38D and 63D are shorter than a few non-theme entries. This does not happen often with LAT grids. We see longer non-theme answers when all theme entries are placed horizontally.  

I think the constructor chose this approach because he wanted theme intersection. Plus, the gimmick is quite self-evident that solvers won't have trouble locating theme entries.

 

Across:

1. Ottoman title : PASHA. Another Ottoman title we see in xwords is AGHA.

6. Orderly place?: Abbr. : HOSP. Nice clue.

10. Maleficent : BAD

13. __ of hands : A SHOW

18. Used for dinner : ATE ON

19. Within: Pref. : ENTO

20. Tarzan portrayer Ron et al. : ELYs

22. "Paint Your Wagon" composer : LOEWE (Frederick)

25. Small change : CENT

26. Seine tributary : MARNE. Needed crossing help. Quite a few 5-letter French rivers.

27. Dramatic words of accusation : ET TU

28. Thomas __ Edison : ALVA

31. Niagara ambience : MIST

33. Seriously impair : MAIM

35. "Something tells __ goofed" : ME I

36. Prefix meaning "bee" : API

37. Colorado NHL team, in headlines : AVS. Avalanche. Where does the S come from?

40. Unnamed degrees : NTHS

42. Snoopy persona : JOE COOL. Cool entry.

44. Required investment of a kind : ANTE

48. Key of Beethoven's Ninth : D MINOR

50. Word heard in the choosing process : EENY

51. Full of life : SPRY

52. Fading star : HAS-BEEN. Sad to see Justin Bieber in trouble again and again.

55. Maker of the Inspire Food Processor : OSTER

57. Draw a bead on : AIM AT

60. Letter before sigma : RHO

61. Barrel support : STAVE

65. Better informed : WISER

67. Formal promises : OATHS

69. Biased : ONE-SIDED.  And 88. King of hearts feature : TWO EYES

71. Tail fastener, in a party game : PIN. What game?

75. Arg. neighbor : URU

76. Lists : ITEMIZES

78. Migraine omens : AURAE

79. Onion roll : BIALY. How do you pluralize this word? Bialies or Bialys?

81. Daphnis' lover : CHLOE

82. It employs a movable mirror: Abbr. : SLR. Tough clue for me.

84. Buffalo hockey player : SABRE. I think Splynter roots for the Rangers. Or Islanders? I can't remember clearly.

86. Makes less tense : THAWS

91. Martin or swift : BIRD.  Another tricky clue. What came to your mind first?

93. Part of a staircase : STEP

94. "For shame!" : TSK TSK

101. Hurries : HIES

102. Homework shirker's lame excuse : I LOST IT

105. One might be in a pool : GENE. Gene pool.

106. Literary monogram : RLS. Robert Louis Stevenson. And ERB (70D). Tarzan creator's monogram).  Edgar Rice Burroughs. I think one monogram is enough for a grid.

107. Suffix with morph- : EME

108. Convent dweller : NUN

109. Stargazer's focus? : IDOL. Loved the clue.

111. Las Cruces or Las Vegas : CITY

117. Org. that investigated Alger Hiss : HUAC. House Committee on Un-American Activities.

119. Presley's middle name : ARON

123. Intestinal : ILEAC

124. Big fishhook : GAFF. I don't think any fishing term will stump Barry G.

127. Wallop : PASTE

128. Thereabout : OR SO

129. This, to Juanita : ESTA

130. __ society : HONOR

131. Misses overseas: Abbr. : SRTAs. Spanish.

132. Palme __: movie prize : D'OR. French.

133. Leicester lockup : GAOL. British English.

134. Teamed, as oxen : YOKED

Down:

1. Do roadwork : PAVE

2. Bickering : AT IT

3. Split-off group : SECT

4. Blah : HO HUM

5. At least one : ANY

6. Place for refreshment : HEALTH SPA. We have 4 9-letter long Downs. The other three are SERIOUSLY (41D. "You're kidding"),  SHOWERING (53D. Post-game activity) & ERIE CANAL (85D. Waterway engineered by Clinton). DeWitt Clinton.

7. Airing in prime time, say : ON TV

8. Boiling sign : STEAM

9. "__ favor" : POR

10. Turneth into : BECOMETH

11. George Smiley portrayer Guinness : ALEC

12. Live wire : DYNAMO

13. __ mater : ALMA

14. Fly high : SOAR

15. Author Hesse : HERMANN

16. Admit : OWN UP TO

17. Crying more : WEEPIER

21. Florida University named for a pope : ST LEO

24. Fails to recycle : WASTES

29. Six-stringed instrument, usually : VIOL

30. Dorian Gray creator : WILDE

32. Vacation stopover : INN

34. Steely Dan album : AJA. This is Jeannie's favorite album.

37. Chevy subcompact since 2004 : AVEO

39. Watchdog : SENTINEL

43. Industry VIP : CZAR

44. "__ a stinker?": Bugs Bunny line : AIN'T I

46. Bill and Louis : NYES

47. "Johnny Belinda" Oscar winner : WYMAN (Jane). Got me. She was Reagan's first wife.

49. Soldier's set : MESS KIT

54. Pro __ : BONO

56. Entertainment section staples : REVIEWS

58. "__ girl!" : ATTA

59. NATO founding member : THE US

62. Big fan : ADULATOR

64. College URL ending : EDU

66. "Frasier" role : ROZ

68. Some body fluids : SERA

71. Little shot? : PIC. "Little" in the clue suggests a shortened answer.

73. __ majesty: high treason : LESE

74. Temple leader : RABBI

77. "Nutrition that starts with apples" sloganeer : MOTT'S

80. "I see," facetiously : AH SO

83. Short turns? : REVS. Ah so!

87. Tanning nos. : SPFs

89. Authorizing : OKING

90. Replace for now : SIT IN FOR

92. 2008 Indy Japan 300 winner __ Patrick : DANICA

94. 1963 Burton/Taylor film : THE VIPS. Did anyone see this film?

95. Alike : SIMILAR

96. Most zealous : KEENEST

98. Midway attraction : RIDE

99. Classic muscle car : GTO

100. Not just damp : WET

103. Later, to Luis : LUEGO. "Hasta luego."

104. "Let's keep moving!" : ONWARD! Splynter's trademark.

110. Himalayan capital : LHASA. I saw several Free Tibet activiests at the flea market last year. They're selling pretty bracelets to raise money. Of course, I did not buy any since I don't support their cause.

112. Search giant : YAHOO

114. "So long" : TA TA

115. Breezes through : ACES

116. Assumption-to-conclusion segue : IF SO

118. Passé preposition : UNTO

120. Place for checking or saving : RINK. Ha ha, Santa!

121. Early Nebraskan : OTOE

122. Uncool sort : NERD

125. Laze about, with "out" : VEG

126. Wondering word : WHY

C.C.

Sunday January 26, 2014 Mark Feldman

Theme:  "Just Say No" - No is inserted into each common phrase.

24A. Congressman lacking influence? : LEGISLATIVE NOBODY. Legislative body.

31A. Inexperienced company leader? : NOVICE PRESIDENT. Vice president.

53A. Conquer one's Pachelbel addiction? : KICK THE CANON. Kick the can. Click here. Jayce probably needs to conquer his Pachelbel addiction. I'm not familiar with the guy or his Canon.

69A. Flight getting in at 12:00? : NOONTIME ARRIVAL. On-time arrival.

85A. Chamber group income? : NONET REVENUE. Net revenue.

103A. Promo line for an open wine bar? : BOTTOMLESS PINOT. Bottomless pit.

116A. Unimportant orbiter? : MINOR SPACE STATION. Mir Space Station.

Last Sunday we had "Oh, No!", today we have "Just Say No". Eager to see what's the gimmick for next Sunday's LAT.

Three NO's are attached to the beginning of the first word, one attached to the start of the second word, three are inserted inside the word. This multiple approach in letter insertion does not happen often with LAT.

Across:

1. Paddle : OAR

4. Peter who produced James Taylor's debut album : ASHER. Unknown figure to me.

9. Stash : STORE

14. Old Dodge : ARIES

19. Pair : DUO

20. Now, in Spain : AHORA. Vowel-rich, like most foreign words in Xwords.

21. Yam, e.g. : TUBER

22. Time-share unit, often : CONDO

23. Investment adviser's suggestion, for short : IRA. Are you still thinking of retiring, TTP?

27. Where you might see "Hello" : NAME TAG. Hello, my name is ...

29. Take on : HIRE

30. O. Henry device : IRONY

36. Wit : CARD

39. Those, in Spain : ESOS

40. Myth ending : ICAL. Mythical.

41. __ room : REC. And 46. __ room : HOTEL.

44. Really enjoyed : ATE UP

49. 1987 Costner role : NESS (Eliot)

50. Slightly, to Salieri : POCO. Italian.

51. Cheerleader's accessory : POM-POM

56. Doe in "Bambi" : ENA

57. Becoming fond of : TAKING TO

61. Rib : NEEDLE

62. "Smokey and the Bandit" city : TEXARKANA. Tex-Ark-ana. Sort of portmanteau word.

64. Scout group : TROOP

68. Tart fruits : SLOES

72. Santa ___ : MARIA

75. "Oklahoma!" aunt : ELLER

76. Gashed : LACERATED

80. Ukrainian port : ODESSA

82. Teacher's concern : ABSENTEE. Me in college. I bet Yellowrocks seldom missed her classes. Great news about your shoulder.

84. Altar vow : I DO

89. Bland stuff : PABLUM

91. Significant periods : ERAS. Cultural Revolution is certainly the most important period in my life. Been through quite a bit of the nightmares in my life.

92. Angry : IRED. Spell check does not like this word.

93. Scrawny : GAUNT

97. Family member : NIECE

98. __ Aviv : TEL

99. FDR's mother : SARA. Oh, I did not know this.

100. They're expected : PARS. For the pros.

102. Keats creations : ODES

109. Slow movement : LARGO

111. "You really think that's true?" : IS IT

112. At : TOWARDS.  I often struggle with one-word clues.

121. See 122-Across : OUT. And 122. With 121-Across, force from hiding : SMOKE

123. Persona : IMAGE

124. First-aid kit item : GAUZE

125. Half and half : ONE. Simple & effective clue.

126. Some are dominant : GENES

127. Colorado resort : ASPEN

128. Bugs' nemesis : ELMER

129. Not many : FEW

Down:

 1. Thor's father : ODIN

2. Ghostly glow : AURA

3. Gad about : ROAM

4. Finnish architect Alvar __ : AALTO. Splynter might have heard of this guy. Not me. What's his most famous work?

5. Bundle, as wheat : SHEAVE

6. Greedy : HOGGISH. Not a word I use.

7. "___ tu": Verdi aria : ERI

8. Most daring : RASHEST

9. Oldest Beatle : STARR. My former boss is named Ringo because he liked Ringo Starr. Most people in Hong Kong have a Chinese name & an English name.

10. One in a class by himself? : TUTEE. Nice clue for a blah fill.

11. Kimono sash : OBI

12. Gun : REV

13. Before, in poems : ERE

14. __ squash : ACORN.  This looks yummy & perfect for D-Otto who just went through a yankage. Never had cranberries before. I bet raisins work as well.

15. Automaton : ROBOT

16. Part of, plotwise : IN ON

17. Whirlpool : EDDY

18. Tofu base : SOY. Have any of you tried fermented Tofu? It's definitely an acquired taste. Sort of like Blue cheese.

25. Sass : LIP

26. Ratings giver : NIELSEN

28. Eventually become : END UP

32. Gentle sound : COO

33. Ruin : SINK

34. "New Jack City" actor : ICE-T

35. Short run : DASH

36. 10th century French king : CAPET. Hugh Capet. Stranger to me.

37. Make amends : ATONE

38. Big name in real estate : RE/MAX

41. Sonata section : RONDO

42. Pierre's school : ECOLE

43. Scoop holders : CONES

45. Hearty entrée : POT ROAST. I just can't seem to like beef.

47. Hosp. test : EKG

48. One who more than just trash-talks? : LITTERBUG. Ha ha.

50. Spanish dish : PAELLA

52. Deadly shark : MAKO

54. Mrs. Dithers in "Blondie" : CORA

55. Special delivery? : CESAREAN. Nice clue also.

58. Classic Welles role : KANE

59. Part of IBM: Abbr. : INTL

60. Clinch : NAIL

63. Liqueur flavorings : ANISES

65. Heraldic border : ORLE

66. Setting for Camus' "The Plague" : ORAN. Gimme!

67. Ancient Celt : PICT

70. Average : MEAN

71. Nixon, in the '50s : VEEP. To Ike.

72. "Haystacks" series painter : MONET. Monet, Manet dilemma.

73. Be gaga over : ADORE

74. Kind of artery : RENAL

77. Did floor work : TILED.  And 113. It may be 77-Down : ROOF

78. Draw out : EDUCE

79. Field protectors : DOMES

81. British bluebloods, informally : ARISTOS

83. Vast amount : SEA

86. Part of Q.E.D. : ERAT

87. ___ Beach, Fla. : VERO

88. Wax-wrapped cheese : EDAM

90. Regional life : BIOTA

94. Steal the spotlight from : UPSTAGE

95. Drop off : NAP. And 101. Drop off : SNOOZE

96. Isotope of hydrogen : TRITIUM. Learning moment to me also.

103. Penniless : BROKE

104. Fairy tale baddies : OGRES

105. Feudal lord : LIEGE

106. City near Düsseldorf : ESSEN

107. Pose : SIT

108. One with a title : OWNER

109. Green shade : LIME

110. Before long : ANON

114. Buggy site : DUNE

115. Brood : STEW

116. Stir-fry additive : MSG. Not in my stir-fry. Nor do I use any cornstarch.

117. Actress Zadora : PIA

118. Morning hrs. : AMs

119. Cover : CAP

120. Singer Bachman : TAL. Canadian singer. Also an unknown figure to me.

C.C.