google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner

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Apr 15, 2010

Thursday April 15, 2010 Nancy Salomon

Theme: FILLING IN (65A. Subbing, and taxpayer's responsibility vis-à-vis the ends of 17-, 29- and 49-Across) - The end of each common phrase can be filled in.

17A. Doing what's just not done: IN BAD FORM. Fill in the form.

29A. You can't go back from it: POINT OF NO RETURN. Fill in the return. Excellent entry. Great clue too.

49A. Early: AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. Fill in the schedule. Another nice grid-spanner.

Rich saves this particular puzzle for the Tax Day. Perfect!

Jerome understands Nancy's style better than I do. But I feel that Nancy is not into heavy themage. She likes to use three or four phrases for a very focused and pointed theme.

Lots of entertaining clues in this puzzle. My favorite is DENT (18D Unwelcome impression). But after Annette's "Accidentally on Purpose" crossword & sex revelation last night, this FILLING IN suddenly takes a different meaning.

Across:

1. NYPD alerts: APBS. APB = All-Points Bulletin.

5. Disdainful upperclassman?: SNOB. Got me. Great clue.

9. Greeting often requiring lip-reading: HI MOM

14. Jacob's first wife: LEAH. Sister of Rachel, Jacob's second wife. Here is Chickie again. Our Leah.

15. Numerical prefix: OCTA. Prefix for "eight".

16. Hersey's bell town: ADANO. Hersey's "A Bell for Adano".

19. Sank in a cup: HOLED. Golf hole is also called cup. Another golf reference is TEE (43D. Links launching point).

20. Citi Field NLer: NY MET

21. Crunch targets: ABS

23. 26-Across supply: ICE. And OPEN BAR (26. Place where liquor flows freely?)

24. Cupid's master?: SANTA. Was thinking of the love Cupid rather than Santa's reindeer. I am a dummy, Argyle!

32. Museum pieces: ART

33. Paid player: PRO. Alliteration.

34. Elastic wood: YEW

35. Not for neatniks: MESSY. Sometimes I just can't tell what part of speech the clue is asking for.

38. Sphere: ORB

40. March honoree, briefly: ST PAT

44. Many a lap dog: TOY

46. Stereo jack letters: MIC

48. Fish story: LIE

55. Way back when: LONG AGO

56. Vincent's successor as baseball commissioner: SELIG. Bud Selig is the only commissioner I know of.

57. Dickens pen name: BOZ. I forgot.

58. Tattoo site: ARM

60. Part of MO: MODUS. MO = Modus Operandi.

62. Tennyson work: IDYLL

68. Where Hercules slew a lion: NEMEA. No idea. Ancient Greek city.

69. Former VOA overseer: USIA (United States Information Agency).

70. Spicy Spanish stew: OLLA. Triple alliteration.

71. "Awake and Sing!" playwright: ODETS (Clifford). Also the playwright for "Waiting for Lefty".

72. Crash site investigator: Abbr.: NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board)

Down:

1. Three-time '60s-'70s heavyweight champ: ALI

2. Quakers of the Ivy League: PENN. Did not know Penn's sports team is called Quakers. Is there a SHAKERS also?

3. Watches for money: BABYSITS. Did not come to me immediately. We also have TYKE (73A. Little shaver).

4. Medicine man: SHAMAN

5. Convertible type: SOFT TOP

6. Cpl. or sgt.: NCO

7. __ vez: again, to Alonso: OTRA. I am used to the "other" clue.

8. Shoots in a forest?: BAMBOO. Nailed it.

9. "Gotcha!": HAH

10. Marriage agreement: I DO

11. Pricey Southern California beachfront city: MALIBU

12. Like some garages: ONE CAR

13. Contemporary: MODERN

22. Agile: SPRY

25. High style: AFRO. Can't keep HAUTE out of my mind.

27. Wide shoe markings: EEES

28. Cereal box abbr.: NT WT

29. Dawber who played Mindy: PAM

30. Miner's matter: ORE. Alliteration.

31. Benchmarks: NORMS

36. Unaccompanied: STAG. Wanted LONE.

37. "Ready are you? What know you of ready?" speaker: YODA. He lives to be 900 years old, right?

39. Popular pens: BICS. I am using Paper Mate. You?

41. Thug: PLUG-UGLY. New word to me.

42. Affect adversely: AIL. Alliteration.

45. Tranquil discipline: YOGA. Made me think of Lucina.

47. Site of many a student experiment: CHEM LAB

49. Lacking pigment: ALBINO

50. Like some sweatshirts: HOODED

51. Digestion aid: ENZYME. Al is an expert on this stuff. I just know that if you eat plenty of raw veggies/fruits, you won't need any enzyme supplement.

52. On a lark: FOR FUN

53. "The Time Machine" race: ELOI

54. Terse childish denial: DID NOT. We also have NAE (67. Scottish refusal).

59. Niagara Falls feature: MIST

61. Epitome of smoothness: SILK. Oh, Barry!

63. Certain do-over: LET. Tennis.

64. Scale syllables: LAS

66. Fleur-de-__: LIS. Literally "lily flower".

Answer grid.

C.C.