Friday, February 14, 2014, Xan Vongsathorn

Theme: U anagram U! Ryder truck rental competition.

The first & second letter of a familiar phrase is reversed to form a new word beginning with the letter "U" and clued whimsically. I guess since Valentine's Day is all about 'you', this all fits. Our second anagram based theme in a row.  So we have another variation of an anagram theme to add to the Friday fun, with a little teeny reveal. The constructor has been absent from the LAT for quite a while having had only one previous puzzle published back in 2009, though he does have 7 NYTs under his belt. Like Michael Sharp (a/k/a Rex Parker) he is from Pomona College. XAN. With two grid spanning answers we have 60 letters in the theme. This leads to a really high 3 and 4 letter word count for a Friday. There were a few fun longer fill, ADAM'S RIB, ASTEROID, I-POD NANO , SCREWED UP,  UP FOR SALE, but I leave the verdict up to you the jury, I am merely the court reporter.

17A. Vessel storing a cash stash? : URN FOR ONE'S MONEY (15). (RUN for one's money). I thought maybe we were also going to get some homonym action (EARN:URN).

25A. Layered computer connections? : USB SANDWICH (11). (SUB sandwich).

44A. Pet named for writer Sinclair? : UPTON THE DOG.(11). (PUT on the dog).  I think of it as Putting on the RITZ, (2:03) not the Dog.

58A. Tantrum that devolves into hysterical gibberish? : UNCLEAR MELTDOWN (15) NUCLEAR meltdown).

and the hint...

62A. "Lead the way!", and a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme : YOU FIRST (8) (U first).

Across:

1. Hedge row : SHRUBS. I admit shrubbery always make me think of this LINK. (2:06)

7. Fox's "X-Files" partner : DANA. Fox Mulder and Dana Scully?

11. Rite Aid rival : CVS. A New England success story, a small local retail store Consumer Value Store started in the 60s in Woonsocket, RI, where my uncle Richard lived, eventually got in the pharmacy business and now has more stores than anyone.

14. Cozy spot? : TEAPOT. Really cute, as you put the cozy over the teapot to keep the tea warm.

15. Tiny tunes player : I-POD NANO. Another cute clue/fill.

19. Earlier : AGO.

20. Strong adhesive : EPOXY. Back when I played lacrosse we used epoxy and fiberglass tape to strengthen our wooden sticks. Now they are all some compound. "Today’s players use sticks with heads made of plastic; shafts made of aluminum, graphite, titanium, Kevlar®, or alloys of aluminum, magnesium, scandium, and zinc; pockets made of nylon mesh..." The Encyclopedia of Earth.

21. Some poker tells : TICS.

22. "Lady Jane Grey" playwright : ROWE. This play apparently was not a success, but we have seen the writer before. He put out some editions of Shakespeare's works. For fun you can read a 2008 C.C. blog.

24. Farm cry : OINK.

31. Bundle : SHEAF. A biblical word? Next to a pseudo-biblical clue?

32. Tracy/Hepburn battle-of-the-sexes film : ADAM' S RIB.

37. "You're on!" : DEAL.

38. Impact sound : SPLAT. Good comic book word.

40. Stoic philosopher : CATO.  He was of course the YOUNGER.

41. Telescope sighting : ASTEROID. Do you have a telescope Tin? This could be a reason for a quick belt. Speaking of belts...

43. Hunter of myth : ORION. Another star-crossed lover who ended in the sky.

47. Sudden blow : GUST.

50. Lined up, with "in" : A ROW.

51. Part of one's inheritance : GENE. Yes, my luck, I ended up with Rayburn.

52. Tend : SEE TO.

55. Oft-bruised item : EGO.

63. Actor Hugh : LAURIE. A really fine comedian, he was always very popular in my brother the medical researcher's house.

64. Gathered dust : SAT. For three letters, this took a while.

65. 2012 N.L. East champs : NATS. Nationals, success did not seem to suit them.

66. Had dinner : SUPPED. Wouldn't it be DINED and the other supper?

Down:

1. Handle for a chef? : STU. I fought against this what I guess is just a pun, but once the USB revealed the U, and I already had the S and T...

2. Juno, to Homer : HERA. Roman is to Greek as...

3. Chimed : RANG.

4. On the market : UP FOR SALE. Another U turn for me.

5. Discontented cry : BOO. Hoo thought of this first? I did not? Bah!

6. Scattered : STREWN.

7. T. Rex, e.g. : DINO. Flintstones?

8. Summit : APEX. The old Acme Apex challenge.

9. Getting into the wrong business? : NOSY. Stick your nose where it does not belong...

10. Nav. bigwig : ADMiral.

11. "Emperor of the Air" novelist : CANIN. I thought this was particularly obscure, and I would never have gotten this answer but for it being filled before I saw the clue. I have seen the movie Emperor's Club, and being a prep school product I knew a little about his work, but not his name. ETHAN. The film was also filmed at Emma Willard (from yesterday's comment by IM about Scent of a Woman).

12. Certain tee : V-NECK.

13. Sauces for sushi : SOYS. Are there more than one soy sauce for sushi? Did you remember sushi means rice?

16. Denier's words : NOT I.

18. Column with a slant : OP ED. I will not OP EN that argument door.

23. Big galoot : OAF.

24. Electrician's unit : OHM. Yes, my nephew is a master electrician, who wires lots of kitchens; their anthem is Ohm Ohm on the Range.

25. Rib-eye rating gp. : USDA. United States Department of Agriculture.

26. Witches, but not warlocks : SHES. Simple, but tricky.

27. Knocked out : BEAT. Nope, do not see these as synonymous unless you know you are fighting.

28. Character found in kids' books : WALDO. I would have loved the clue to be 'sometimes found'  but I applaud the concept.

29. Peak of Crete : IDA. Interesting HISTORY in mythology, but I think of CHARLEY WEAVER. And the odd coincidence that Emma Willard School is on Mount Ida overlooking Troy, NY.

30. Victim of curiosity : CAT. Killed no less!

33. Made a mess of : SCREWED UP.

34. Surprise strike : RAID.

35. "__, Sing America": Hughes : I TOO. The poem by Langston Hughes, the ORIGINAL. (1:09).

36. Low bell sound : BONG. I wonder if this was the author's clue...

38. Dip, as in gravy : SOP.

39. Nectarine core : PIT.

42. Symbol of boredom : RUT. Are we in an anagram rut?

43. "Well, looky here!" : OHO. Meh.

45. "Six Feet Under" son : NATE. Never watched this SHOW.(4:28).

46. High-tech troublemakers : TROLLS. How funny, a shout out to my Friday fans.

47. Italian port on its own gulf : GENOA.

48. In its original form : UNCUT. Are they talking circumcision here?

49. Help beneficiary, at times : SELF. Libraries and book stores are overflowing with self help books, but if you buy them is it really self help?

51. Blokes : GUYS. It was nice to NICE CUPPA.

52. First name in the freezer section : SARA. Nobody does not like Sara Lee.

53. Once, in days past : ERST. Did it take you a while to get this one?

54. CPR specialists : EMTS. Emergency Medical Ttechnicians.

56. Hiker's supply : GORP.

57. Boo-boo : OWIE.

59. A, in Stuttgart : EIN.

60. St. Anthony's Cross shape : TAU. Greek to me.

61. Nancy Drew's guy : NED.

Well I want to wish our dear friend, constructor, blogger, poster, ski bum, wine connoisseur and house renovator the happiest of birthdays and perhaps an early spring. Thank you marti for all you have done for me and the Corner. For the rest of you I hope you enjoyed our visit and the puzzle, until next time Lemonade out.

Note from C.C.:

Lemonade said it all. Thank you, dear Marti, for being there for me and the Corner. Happy Birthday!

Marti & her husband Allen

Thursday November 5, 2009 Xan Vongsathorn

Theme: SILENCE IS GOLDEN (57A. Apt adage for this puzzle ) - Common phrases signaling "mum's the word" (I'll be quiet and say nothing). "Non-speaking line" means "saying a line about not speaking".

17A. Non-speaking line?: MY LIPS ARE SEALED

22A. Non-speaking line?: I'M ALL EARS

34A. Non-speaking line?: WORDS ESCAPE ME

50A. Non-speaking line?: NO COMMENT

Today's constructor Xan Vongsathorn is a student in Pomona College, CA. Xan is pronounced as “Chawn”.

This puzzle reminds me the quote "Don't talk unless you can improve the silence" Dennis or Hahtool brought to the blog a while ago.

As usual, I jumped around. Got MY LIPS ARE SEALED very quickly and filled in SILENCE IS GOLDEN immediately. Then I thought the theme is about keeping secret.

Across:

1. Thumper's buddy: BAMBI. Thumper is a young rabbit in "Bambi". Unknown to me. We often see ENA clued as "Bambi's aunt".

6. La Scala production: OPERA. And AISLED (45D. Like theaters)

11. Cap seen on a brae: TAM. Scottish cap. Brae is Scottish hillside.

15. Ad target: BUYER. Sigh! I hardly use my Jack Lalanne juicer. The TV ad was just so appealing.

16. "If you ask me," in chat room shorthand: IMO

21. Spill the beans: TATTLE. A contract to "Silence is Golden".

27. State of rest: REPOSE

28. Little women: PETITES. Good play on the novel "Little Women". And LARGE (56A. Soda size).

31. Aurora's Greek counterpart: EOS. Gimme, correct? I've been mentioning Aurora every time EOS shows up.

32. Romantic hopeful: SUITOR. Silly, but I struggled with the answer. I like to be romanced.

40. Vital anatomical passage: AIRWAY. No idea. It's a passage by which air passes from the nose or mouth to the air sacs of the lungs.

41. George Gershwin's brother: IRA. The clue is a full name, the answer is only a given name. "George's songwriter brother" is much better.

43. Blankety-blank type: SO AND SO

46. Jaime Sommers, TV's "__ Woman": BIONIC. Bionic stands for Bio(logy) + (electro)nic.

49. The Phantom of the Opera: ERIK. Oh, thought it's ERIC.

53. Magnetic inductivity units: TESLAS. Named after physicist Nikola Tesla.

63. Too trusting: NAIVE

64. Prefix with surgery: NEURO. Neurosurgery. Neuro = nerve.

66. "Li'l" guy: ABNER. Li'l Abner.

67. Bygone anesthetic: ETHER

Down:

1. Mooch, as a ride: BUM

3. Start to practice?: MAL. Malpractice. Great clue.

4. Under-the-sink brand: BRILLO. Latin for "bright". I am using the S.O.S. pad.

5. Gets moving: IMPELS

6. President with a Grammy: OBAMA. Two Grammys, for the spoken word books of "Dreams from My Father" and "The Audacity of Hope".

11. Attack à la Don Quixote: TILT AT. He tilts at the windmills (fights against an imaginary enemy). Tilt here means "joust", using a lance.

12. 2001 French film starring Audrey Tautou: AMELIE. Ah, Embien liked this film. So did I. Just lovely.

13. Cover girls, e.g.: MODELS. CoverGirl is a cosmetics brand.

18. Hook's right hand: SMEE. In "Peter Pan".

19. Worn things: ATTIRE. Might have got it quickly if the clue were "Things to wear".

23. Cat call: MEOW. Not the rude catcall. Several nicely worded clues in today's puzzle.

24. Lhasa __: Tibetan dog: APSO. Literally "bearded" in Tibetan language.

25. Like much Thai cuisine: SPICY. That's why they use coconut often, to balance out the spiciness.

29. Greek "H": ETA. See the shape.

30. High point: TOP

32. Attach, as a patch: SEW ON

33. Country where Häagen-Dazs H.Q. is: USA. Man, somehow I always thought Häagen-Dazs is based somewhere in Europe.

35. Continue to irritate: RANKLE

37. Some coll. students: SRS. Xan Vongsathorn is a senior in college. Very unusual name.

38. Diamond source: MINE. No more baseball diamond. Damned Yankees. What Lola wants, Lola finally gets! I kind of like Andy Pettitte though. Very honest handling of his steroid use. Congratulations, Danabw and Democrat in a Red State.

39. Celtic land: ERIN. Or EIRE. Hibernia is Latin for Ireland.

43. Goes after: SETS AT

44. Tater Tots maker: ORE-IDA. Portmanteau of Ore(gon) = Ida(ho).

46. Five-time Wimbledon champ: BORG (Björn)

47. "Later, bro": I'M GONE

48. Brunch staple: OMELET. I like plain one. No cheese, or meat or vegetables.

51. Source of edible oil: OLIVE

52. Crime planner: CASER. Case is a slang for "to check out a bank/house in planning of a crime".

54. "Happy tune" whistler of Broadway: ANNA. No idea. The song "I Whistle a Happy Tune", from the musical "The King and I".

55. Picketer's bane: SCAB

58. "Ich bin __ Berliner!": EIN. JFK line.

59. "How could I miss that?!": D'UH. No difference from D'OH, correct?

Answer grid.

Thanks for the newspaper information yesterday. I am so sorry some of you lost LAT puzzle. Do go to LA Times' website and join us for discussions when you have time.

C.C.