Saturday, July 28th, 2012, Julian Lim

Theme: None

Words: 70

Blocks: 30

A fun solve today from Julian Lim - oh, "F" - just shy of a pangram for a Saturday ( I see OMAN, LEG OF and FESS as a way to squeeze it in; my grid here ). Triple stacks of 9- and 10-letters in a pinwheel fashion, plus two more 9's, including;

20A. Line from one with no match : "GOT A LIGHT?" - Reminds me of two funny things; the first is when someone asks to bum a cigarette, and asks "got a light?" too - the response is "would you like me to smoke it for you?" - and the other you'll have to email me for....

other notables;

1A. Great Basin locale : WESTERN U.S. - Image

12D. Bad copying : PLAGIARISM - great fill

27D. The Fab Five of '80s rock : DURAN DURAN - one of my favorites from these guys (4:23)

63A. Shower needs : UMBRELLAS - I like umbrellas in art, like this, and this

Onward ~!

ACROSS:

10. Shock : APPAL - yep, it's "55A." - from the French to turn pale

15. Angry Birds, originally : iPHONE APP

16. 1972 missile pact : SALT I - had this last week, too, but without the Roman numeral

17. Excoriates : TEARS INTO - my boss at UPS has not had to "excoriate" me in a while....

18. Hospitality giant : HYATT

19. Comic introduction? : SERIO - serio-comic, having a mixture of seriousness and sport

22. Ruminant's chew : CUD - I knew what ruminant meant

24. Like peons : MENIAL

25. Drop (off) : NOD

28. Intercalary event : LEAP DAY - did you make use of your Leap Second a few weeks back?

32. Used (up) : ATE

33. Burden : ONUS

35. Pollo partner : ARROZ - Chicken and Rice, no???

36. Misguesses, e.g. : ERRS - and then you get excoriated

37. Dean's "Lois & Clark" co-star : TERI



38. Lorna of literature : DOONE

39. Vaccine holder : VIAL

40. Kodak film brand : T-MAX - ah, yes, B&W film - took photography in high school; would have been much better with a decent camera

41. Like many a superhero : CAPED - see above for details

42. Barker in early Hollywood : ASTA - D'oh~! barker, as in "to bark"; stuck on Bob Barker, Ma Barker, Clive Barker....more on the dog, here

43. Solo in space : HAN - meet Han Solo, Star Wars

44. Where a belt is almost always required to be worn : CAR SEAT

46. Dues payer: Abbr. : MEMber

47. Final purpose : END-ALL

49. Atlantic City resort, with "The" : TAJ - the Taj Mahal, Donald Trump.

51. 2010 Grammy winner for "Just the Way You Are" : BRUNO MARS - not familiar to me

55. Not shady : LEGIT

59. Continental circulators : EUROS

60. RealPlayer alternative : QUICKTIME - Sorry, I'm a PC

62. Playwright Bernard who created "The Partridge Family" : SLADE

64. Article of faith : TENET

65. Descendants of ancient Mesopotamians : ASSYRIANS - good bottom edge fill with 3 "S's", a "Y", an "R", and an "N"

DOWN:

1. Cards : WITS

2. Event with an attack called a flèche : ÉPÉE - I thought this was the weapon, not the event, but def. #2 says it's also 55A.

3. __-Pei : SHAR - Awww - wrinkly image

4. Like Cheerios : TORIC - its donut-shape, the torus.

5. Fill with spirit : ENSOUL - meh, what can you do....

6. Portuguese royal : REI - we just has this recently, too - king in Portuguese, Rey in Spanish

7. Vietnam's Da __ : NANG - I remember this from the show Magnum, P.I.

8. Plotting : UP TO - hey, what are you up to over there....?

9. Lend, as a fin : SPOT - a fin is a $5 bill

10. "High School Musical" actress Tisdale : ASHLEY

11. Add, as to one's IRA : PAY IN

13. If things continue as they're going : AT THAT RATE - I had 'at THIS rate' to start

14. Bridge coup : LITTLE SLAM - Don't play bridge, but I am familiar with some terms, so I filled in SLAM and waited

21. Floored by : AMAZED AT

23. Sailor's concern : DEAD CALM - no wind, the doldrums, like in Rime of the Ancient Mariner

25. Somewhat lacking : NOT THE BEST

26. Despotism : ONE-MAN RULE

29. Like bowls, at times : AROAR - ah, as in the Superbowl, with the fans a-roar

30. Respect, in slang : PROPS - I have heard this

31. Foundation, perhaps : DONEE - like the Lustgarten, not the concrete one

34. Pack count : SIX

36. Stowe girl : EVA

44. Hanging site : CLOSET - great clue/answer

45. One who runs on : TALKER - I had "SUNNY" for LEGIT, so I had GASSER here

48. Jumping connection : ANODE - Car jumping, that is

50. "The Expendables" (2010) co-star : JET LI - and now there's the sequel, out next month

52. __-Lung : AQUA - diving, here; in music, a Jethro Tull album - not a fan; even less so for getting a Grammy for "Metal" - IMHO

53. Zombie bases : RUMS - ah, the drink, here - Tin, a shout out at sunset? Do one for me, I am off the sauce these days....

54. Sasha and Malia, e.g. : SIBlingS - the daughters of our president - I linked their pic last week

56. River through Yuma County : GILA

57. Model married to David Bowie : IMAN

58. Hardy woman : TESS

61. Call out : CRY

Answer grid.

Splynter

Friday, July 27, 2012, Bruce C. Grieg

Theme: Movies "R" Us.

Each of the five theme answers takes a movie title and adds an "R" to the first word to create a whole new title and mental image. This appears to be another debut puzzle, for our third Bruce and our second who sports a middle initial. (Where are you Bruce S.?) Really filled with movie references, cross references hidden references, but overall the easiest puzzle of the week for me. Like a nice romantic comedy, the puzzle was breezy and fun. Let's get some popcorn, Junior Mints and go to the movies.

17A. The "Iliad" film version for kids? : TROY STORY (9). The movie TOY STORY (3:00) was not about Helen of Troy, not the Trojan War. hard to believe this was 17 years ago.

24A. Coming -of-age film about DNA? : STRAND BY ME.(10). The movie STAND BY ME (2:16) was not about DNA strands. All kinds of stars in this film adaptation of a Steven King story, including Sheldon's pal Wil Wheaton.

36A. Bob Marley prison film? : DREAD MAN WALKING. (15) The MOVIE (2:29) about a death row prisoner that also won awards, which was full of DREAD.

53A. Epic poet-left-behind film? : HOMER ALONE. (10) The Caulkin, Pesci MOVIE (2:11) which left many laughing, but not about the Iliad (see above) or the Odyssey, or even a Simpson.

62A. Shakespearean holiday film? : BARD SANTA.(9). Billy Bob Thornton's Christmas MOVIE (2:59). I do love Will Shakespeare, the Bard. And you sort of unifier...

45D. Like the five films in this puzzle's theme? : R RATED. More like R infused, but let's see what else we have.

Across:

1. Anthony's talk radio partner : OPIE. One of the many shock jocks who followed the lead of Howard Stern, even taking his CBS radio time slot when David Lee Roth failed to replace Howard. I have never listened to THEM.

5. Kindergarten lessons : ABCS. Since today's puzzle is entertainment related how about: "Like taking candy from a baby? "

9. Some carpets : SHAGS. Imagine one word which is a rug, a hairstyle and having sex all in four letters. Shout out to....?

14. Struggle at the finish : FADE. Yes, as often happens to my horse at the 16th pole. Side mini-theme, also a hair style.

15. Combustible material : COAL. A truly dirty four letter word.

16. Put off : TABLE. Used in board meeting, committee meetings, sorry Fred we are going to table your idea.

19. Burgundy capital : DIJON. Wine and mustard, what more do you want from the French? Croissants? Chocolate?

20. Great Society agcy. : OEO. Office of Economic Opportunity administered the government's War on Poverty. Sadly Poverty won.

21. Rio greeting : OLA. Our Hispanic Hello, hey Chickie, Lucina and others. No H suggests the Portuguese version.

23. One of the Spice Girls : GERI. the REUNION (0:29). They also made a movie.

28. Gp. in a '50s labor merger : CIO. The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations merged when I was a kid when labor was king.

29. Anticipate : FORESEE.

30. Online self-image : AVATAR. Another hidden movie reference.

32. Calendar abbr. : TUEsday.

33. Superhuman : BIONIC. Were you a fan of Man or Woman? TV movies?

43. Best Actress winner for "The Queen" : MIRREN. Helen, an another award winning Actress.

44. Sushi topping : ROE. Row, row row your boat and get me some fish eggs.

45. Theme of Grisham's "A Time to Kill" : RACISM. Another book and MOVIE.

48. Arise : EMANATE.

52. First Amendment subj. : RELigion.

56. Composer Khachaturian : ARAM. My learning moment, I knew the last name but not the first. His MUSIC is much used in movies.

58. Pin cushion? : MAT. Wrestling, not stick you in the arm kind.

59. Miami's Marino : DAN. Number 13, a wonderful player and a very philanthropic member of our community.

60. References, often : TOMES.

67. Modern read : EBOOK. Love my Kindle.

68. Blunted blade : EPEE. Fencing sword.

69. Flirt : MINX. Anyone ever read a Phriney (pronounced Frinee) Fisher mystery novel?

70. Town near Bangor, in many King works : DERRY. Another cross referential clue to the earlier King movie SBM.

71. Tend : LEAN. Many of you lean to the left, and many to the right, I have my chair set just in the middle.

72. Kitchen addition? : ETTE. Kitchenette, from the French for little. Dennis if you are ever in Ft. Lauderdale, Kitchenetta (the Italian version) is a fun restaurant on Federal Highway.

Wow, must speed up.

Down:

1. Frequently, to Frost : OFTen.

2. It's something to shoot for : PAR. On the golf course at least.

3. Life-changing promise : I DO. I did, I don't anymore.

4. Fictional donkey : EEYORE. Winnie the Pooh.

5. Broadway opening? : ACT ONE. Not a movie reference but it could have been.

6. Rude welcome at the park : BOO. Like when Pujols goes back to play in St. Louis, not one but a chorus.

7. Chocolate substitute : CAROB. This comes from the seed pod of a tree in the (forgive the expression) pea family.

8. In a feline way : SLYLY. Okay cat lovers, are you going to let him say that about your babies?

9. Not irr. : STD, Standard, no sexually transmitted diseases here; not to be confused with 29D. Org. providing arrangements : FTD.

10. Reagan Cabinet member : HAIG. He thought he was President when Ronnie got shot. Alexander the GREAT syndrome?

11. Utterly hopeless : ABJECT. Yes, his dream to be president was.

12. Reverent hymn : GLORIA. This song? LINK.(2:39) Nah, but it was reverent.

13. Higher in rank : SENIOR.

18. Neptune's realm : SEAS. The Roman Poseidon.

22. 2006 Whirlpool acquisition : AMANA.

24. Whiskey order : SOUR. Been there, and a lady friend did her SoCo sours. Yuck.

25. Diagram with relatives : TREE. Joyce Kilmer anyone?

26. Exclude : DEBAR. Really, what is wrong with BAR?

27. Mean business : EVIL. Anyone call for a DOCTOR? (1:58)

31. Cry of disgust : ACK. Made famous by CATHY.

34. Elephant tail? : INE. Elephantine.

35. Seller, presumably : OWNER. You hope, that is why you hire an attorney and get title insurance.

37. Nice friend : AMI. Ah, the French clue of the day, with the trick that does not trick.

38. Entrée : DISH. main course.

39. 1983 Keaton film : MR MOM. It has our friend TERI GARR.(1:21).

40. Turkey is always next to it : IRAN. Unless it is in the oven, three strikes in a row, or a bad movie.

41. Do, for example : NOTE. Musical note here: Do, Re, Mi, Fa...)

42. "Wow" : GEE.

46. Oxygen-consuming organism : AEROBE. Not a microbe.

47. Hue and cry : CLAMOR. Yes too often, pretty girls become clamor girls.

49. Memorable telestrator user in NFL broadcasts : MADDEN. John, who invented the Turducken, just for the legs. I am so old I remember when he played.

50. Sighed word : ALAS. Alack.

51. Generic : NO NAME. Like the Miami Dolphins defense of the early 70's.

54. Normand of the silents : MABEL. Crossword regular, but a star in the MOVIES.(6:28) She was a little minx.

55. Military camp : ETAPE. This is not an online adhesive.

57. "Is it just ___..." : ME OR is it getting warm in here?

61. Shade of blue : SKY. My favorite is sky blue pink at sunset.

63. Mens ___: criminal intent : REA. As they say "actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea." The act does not make you guilty if the mind is not, See Wiki, black's law dictionary or any other source for more detail.

64. Bit of carping : NIT. For you dear Marti.

65. Big Bang cause : TNT. Not the Big Bang, nor even the Big Bang Theory just Trinitrotoluene, or a TV network which shows movies but not Sheldon.

66. Dump : AXE. A perfect exit line with a song from my favorite almost successful band LINK. Hope you enjoyed the show. Bruce C.G. (hmm is he real or a computer graphic?) welcome, stop by and say hello, we had a lot of fun.

Answer grid.

Thanks all.

Lemonade squeezed all I could, so time to go.