Theme: "White House Counsel" - Clue/Answer reversal style puzzle. Six presidential pet names act as clues (hence all caps) and the sound they make are interpreted as "Advice" and are are placed as Down entries.
23A. BILLY : COOLIDGE'S HIPPOPOTAMUS. 80D. Advice from 23-Across? : SNORT. Did Coolidge keep the hippo at the White House?
41A. OLD WHISKERS : HARRISON'S GOAT. 77D. Advice from 41-Across? : BAA
57A. FIDO : LINCOLN'S DOG. 52D. Advice from 57-Across? : ARF. From the constructor: “Fido” in clues represents the generic pet pooch. Since I’ve never ever met a real dog named Fido I wondered how he got to be so famous. “Spot” we can assume achieved recognition from “See Spot run” primers yesterday, but who the heck was Fido? The net unleashed (ha ha) the answer and inspired this puzzle. Fido was Abe Lincoln’s dog. Who knew? Historians sometimes wonder why some presidents have made questionable judgments. This puzzle makes clear the answer—they got advice from their pets!
82A. SOCKS : CLINTON'S CAT. 3D. Advice from 82-Across? : MEOW. No Buddy. Can't have two dogs.
96A. MAUDE : ROOSEVELT'S PIG. 111D. Advice from 96-Across? : OINK
114A. DICK : JEFFERSON'S MOCKINGBIRD. 39D. Advice from 114-Across? : CHEEP. Odd name for a bird.
Clue/answer reversal is generally not my favorite theme type. I get bored quickly. This one held my interest since Socks was the only familiar one to me and I was intrigued by what kind of pet the others were.
Construction-wise, this puzzle was not easy. Hence no pangram, unlike John's other Sunday effort. Full spanning 15's as first and last theme entry sometimes make gridding easier for a week-day puzzle, a spanning 21's tend to make things tough. Plus, John challenged himself by limiting his options and putting all the animal sound in Down.
Clues are vintage Lampkin, fun and creative. Clechos (clue echos) abound, as shown by the green highlight in my write-up. Several pairs are consecutive. BZ (Brava Zulu), to steal a line from Spitzboov!
Across:
1. Freeway entrances : RAMPS
6. High flier : JET
9. Sour : GO BAD
14. Unexpected victory : UPSET. Linsanity. Are you feeling it? Me neither.
19. "__ the news today, oh boy": Beatles lyric : I READ. And 104D. "Not again" : OH BOY
20. Percent add-on : ILE. Percentile.
21. Give it a shot : TRY TO. And 89D. Beckon from afar : CALL TO.
22. Vertical : PLUMB
27. Hockey Hall of Famer Gordie : HOWE. "Mr. Hockey".
28. Banded quartz : AGATE
29. Where the Piper piped : HAMELIN. Rats!
30. Comical Martha : RAYE
32. Pockets picked at a deli? : PITAS. Delicious clue.
34. Gathers bit by bit : GLEANS
38. Play a part : ACT
45. "Hmm ..." : GEE. And 105A. "Hmm ..." : I WONDER
46. Certain Tibetan : LHASAN. I'm often confused about where to place the H. In Mandarin, the capital is just spelled as Lasa.
48. Choir section : ALTOS. 60. Choir section : APSE
49. L.A.'s Getty Center, e.g. : MUS. Oh, museum.
50. Whimper : MEWL
51. Action film heroes are often in it : PERIL. So was Anthony Shadid, in real life, simply the best of his breed. He was only 43. Dear God, why?
52. "It's __ Unusual Day": 1948 song : A MOST
53. Posed : SAT
54. "__ a stinker?": Bugs Bunny line : AIN'T I
55. Impetuously : HEADFIRST
61. Design deg. : MFA
62. Designer Saarinen : EERO
63. Speak against : NAY-SAY
64. Place to hear a cowbell : LEA. 84F. Flower toxic to cows, ironically : BUTTERCUP. New trivia to me. Ironic indeed then.
66. Fashion monogram : YSL. So Jason Wu for Target sold out in hours.
68. Lat neighbors : ABS
70. Poor writing : PAP. New meaning to me.
71. Fox sci-fi series : FRINGE. Knew the name only because I had to clue ABRAMS at one time.
74. Word in an ultimatum : ELSE
76. Strikers' org.? : PBA. Nailed it.
78. Sister of Lustica in "Born Free" : ELSA. Lustica means nothing to me. But "Born Free" is sufficient to get the answer.
84. Two-event events : BIATHLONS
86. Puts away cargo : LADES
87. Put away dishes? : EAT
88. Legend automaker : ACURA
90. "Good Eats" series creator __ Brown : ALTON. The Nutty Professor of Food Network.
91. Many MIT grads : ENGs. Engineers.
92. Address for a bride, often : MRS
93. Address the throng : ORATE
94. Leave no doubt about : ENSURE
95. Historical period : AGE
99. Orch. section : STR
100. On a streak : RED HOT
102. Longtime sportscaster Harmon : MERLE. Did he stymie you?
103. __ buco : OSSO
108. Air conditioner brand that's "hard to stop" : TRANE
110. Table d'__: fixed menu : 'HOTE. Literally "host's table". Prix fixe.
119. Once more : AGAIN
120. Came to a close : ENDED
121. One-eighty : UIE. Or UEY.
122. Mint product : MONEY. US Mint.
123. "Blame It on the __ Nova": 1963 hit : BOSSA
124. Docket load : CASES
125. Some govt. heads : PMs (Prime Ministers)
126. Small fry : TYKES
Down:
1. Too amusing for words : RICH. I don't get the clue.
2. Suffix for stink : AROO
4. Less ruddy : PALER
5. Star Wars letters : SDI
6. Shot glass : JIGGER
7. Home of Zeno : ELEA. Zeno of Elea. This answer often stumps solvers.
8. Neil Armstrong, e.g., before becoming an astronaut : TEST PILOT. Dangerous job.
9. Sporty VW : GTI.
10. "Oliver!" chorus members : ORPHANS
11. Go around : BYPASS
12. Physics subject : ATOM
13. Chucklehead : DOPE
14. Angle toward the sky : UPTILT
15. Shaver : PLANE. For Splynter/Jerome.
16. Bottom line amount : SUM
17. It'll never fly : EMU
18. USA rival : TBS
24. Six-Day War hero : DAYAN (Moshe)
25. Bank jobs : HEISTS
26. Korbut and others : OLGAS
31. Time and __ : A HALF
33. Play the fife : TOOTLE
35. It may be hidden : AGENDA
36. Gift to play with : NEW TOY
37. Baseball commissioner since the '90s : SELIG (Bud). He's not retiring after all.
38. A, as in Athens : ALPHA
40. "__ Bulba": Gogol novel : TARA'S
42. "Kitchen Nightmares" host Gordon : RAMSAY. He has quite a temper.
43. Auto financing org. : GMAC
44. __ a limb : OUT ON. Quite a few partials in this grid. Four I think. Maximum allowed.
47. Whence some moms are greeted : SIDELINES
50. Writes poorly? : MISSPELLS
53. Hoity-toity sort : SNOB
54. Novelist Seton : ANYA
56. Insect stage : IMAGO. From John again: Here is my photo of a mayfly imago, trapped in a spider web. For you romantics, mayflies mate for life! However, since they live for only a few hours it’s no big deal.
58. "Dies __" : IRAE
59. Caress, wave-style : LAP AT
62. First name in scat : ELLA (Fitzgerald)
65. Forest friends of Frodo : ENTS
67. Chip off the old flock? : SECT. Another fun clue. And 72. Like some chips : RIDGED. Potato chips.
69. Cathedral toppers : SPIRES
71. Pipe collar : FLANGE
73. Calendario start : ENERO
75. Glassy-eyed one : STARER
79. Yoga position : LOTUS. Lotus root is delicious.
81. Longtime Moore co-star : ASNER
82. Like one's conscience, hopefully : CLEAR. Ask yourself!
83. Get fresh with : SASS
85. Suspends : HANGS
92. Small engine : MOTOR
93. Command : OVERSEE
94. Innsbruck iron : EISEN. New word to me also. Looks so wrong.
96. Ivanhoe's beloved : ROWENA. I can never remember this name.
97. Edits : EMENDS
98. Racehorses : PONIES
101. Vintage stereos : HI-FIs
106. Minute minute pt. : NSEC. Nice clue too.
107. Portuguese lady : DONA
109. Tamiroff of "Touch of Evil" : AKIM. Learned from doing Xword.
112. Genealogist's handiwork : TREE. Family tree.
113. Slow Churned ice cream : EDY'S
114. Fast punch : JAB
115. Big head : EGO
116. Scale fourths : FAs
117. OR figures : MDs
118. Prime meridian hrs. : GMT
Answer grid.
Those who solve John’s puzzles regularly know that he is a Nature lover. He has just self-published a book, “Bugged Beyond Belief” which is a collection of the 40 best of his 10,000 macro-photos of insects. Amusing yet factual commentary peppers the pages. $20 Contact John for more info at JohnLampkin@JohnLampkin.com.
C.C.
23A. BILLY : COOLIDGE'S HIPPOPOTAMUS. 80D. Advice from 23-Across? : SNORT. Did Coolidge keep the hippo at the White House?
41A. OLD WHISKERS : HARRISON'S GOAT. 77D. Advice from 41-Across? : BAA
57A. FIDO : LINCOLN'S DOG. 52D. Advice from 57-Across? : ARF. From the constructor: “Fido” in clues represents the generic pet pooch. Since I’ve never ever met a real dog named Fido I wondered how he got to be so famous. “Spot” we can assume achieved recognition from “See Spot run” primers yesterday, but who the heck was Fido? The net unleashed (ha ha) the answer and inspired this puzzle. Fido was Abe Lincoln’s dog. Who knew? Historians sometimes wonder why some presidents have made questionable judgments. This puzzle makes clear the answer—they got advice from their pets!
82A. SOCKS : CLINTON'S CAT. 3D. Advice from 82-Across? : MEOW. No Buddy. Can't have two dogs.
96A. MAUDE : ROOSEVELT'S PIG. 111D. Advice from 96-Across? : OINK
114A. DICK : JEFFERSON'S MOCKINGBIRD. 39D. Advice from 114-Across? : CHEEP. Odd name for a bird.
Clue/answer reversal is generally not my favorite theme type. I get bored quickly. This one held my interest since Socks was the only familiar one to me and I was intrigued by what kind of pet the others were.
Construction-wise, this puzzle was not easy. Hence no pangram, unlike John's other Sunday effort. Full spanning 15's as first and last theme entry sometimes make gridding easier for a week-day puzzle, a spanning 21's tend to make things tough. Plus, John challenged himself by limiting his options and putting all the animal sound in Down.
Clues are vintage Lampkin, fun and creative. Clechos (clue echos) abound, as shown by the green highlight in my write-up. Several pairs are consecutive. BZ (Brava Zulu), to steal a line from Spitzboov!
Across:
1. Freeway entrances : RAMPS
6. High flier : JET
9. Sour : GO BAD
14. Unexpected victory : UPSET. Linsanity. Are you feeling it? Me neither.
19. "__ the news today, oh boy": Beatles lyric : I READ. And 104D. "Not again" : OH BOY
20. Percent add-on : ILE. Percentile.
21. Give it a shot : TRY TO. And 89D. Beckon from afar : CALL TO.
22. Vertical : PLUMB
27. Hockey Hall of Famer Gordie : HOWE. "Mr. Hockey".
28. Banded quartz : AGATE
29. Where the Piper piped : HAMELIN. Rats!
30. Comical Martha : RAYE
32. Pockets picked at a deli? : PITAS. Delicious clue.
34. Gathers bit by bit : GLEANS
38. Play a part : ACT
45. "Hmm ..." : GEE. And 105A. "Hmm ..." : I WONDER
46. Certain Tibetan : LHASAN. I'm often confused about where to place the H. In Mandarin, the capital is just spelled as Lasa.
48. Choir section : ALTOS. 60. Choir section : APSE
49. L.A.'s Getty Center, e.g. : MUS. Oh, museum.
50. Whimper : MEWL
51. Action film heroes are often in it : PERIL. So was Anthony Shadid, in real life, simply the best of his breed. He was only 43. Dear God, why?
52. "It's __ Unusual Day": 1948 song : A MOST
53. Posed : SAT
54. "__ a stinker?": Bugs Bunny line : AIN'T I
55. Impetuously : HEADFIRST
61. Design deg. : MFA
62. Designer Saarinen : EERO
63. Speak against : NAY-SAY
64. Place to hear a cowbell : LEA. 84F. Flower toxic to cows, ironically : BUTTERCUP. New trivia to me. Ironic indeed then.
66. Fashion monogram : YSL. So Jason Wu for Target sold out in hours.
68. Lat neighbors : ABS
70. Poor writing : PAP. New meaning to me.
71. Fox sci-fi series : FRINGE. Knew the name only because I had to clue ABRAMS at one time.
74. Word in an ultimatum : ELSE
76. Strikers' org.? : PBA. Nailed it.
78. Sister of Lustica in "Born Free" : ELSA. Lustica means nothing to me. But "Born Free" is sufficient to get the answer.
84. Two-event events : BIATHLONS
86. Puts away cargo : LADES
87. Put away dishes? : EAT
88. Legend automaker : ACURA
90. "Good Eats" series creator __ Brown : ALTON. The Nutty Professor of Food Network.
91. Many MIT grads : ENGs. Engineers.
92. Address for a bride, often : MRS
93. Address the throng : ORATE
94. Leave no doubt about : ENSURE
95. Historical period : AGE
99. Orch. section : STR
100. On a streak : RED HOT
102. Longtime sportscaster Harmon : MERLE. Did he stymie you?
103. __ buco : OSSO
108. Air conditioner brand that's "hard to stop" : TRANE
110. Table d'__: fixed menu : 'HOTE. Literally "host's table". Prix fixe.
119. Once more : AGAIN
120. Came to a close : ENDED
121. One-eighty : UIE. Or UEY.
122. Mint product : MONEY. US Mint.
123. "Blame It on the __ Nova": 1963 hit : BOSSA
124. Docket load : CASES
125. Some govt. heads : PMs (Prime Ministers)
126. Small fry : TYKES
Down:
1. Too amusing for words : RICH. I don't get the clue.
2. Suffix for stink : AROO
4. Less ruddy : PALER
5. Star Wars letters : SDI
6. Shot glass : JIGGER
7. Home of Zeno : ELEA. Zeno of Elea. This answer often stumps solvers.
8. Neil Armstrong, e.g., before becoming an astronaut : TEST PILOT. Dangerous job.
9. Sporty VW : GTI.
10. "Oliver!" chorus members : ORPHANS
11. Go around : BYPASS
12. Physics subject : ATOM
13. Chucklehead : DOPE
14. Angle toward the sky : UPTILT
15. Shaver : PLANE. For Splynter/Jerome.
16. Bottom line amount : SUM
17. It'll never fly : EMU
18. USA rival : TBS
24. Six-Day War hero : DAYAN (Moshe)
25. Bank jobs : HEISTS
26. Korbut and others : OLGAS
31. Time and __ : A HALF
33. Play the fife : TOOTLE
35. It may be hidden : AGENDA
36. Gift to play with : NEW TOY
37. Baseball commissioner since the '90s : SELIG (Bud). He's not retiring after all.
38. A, as in Athens : ALPHA
40. "__ Bulba": Gogol novel : TARA'S
42. "Kitchen Nightmares" host Gordon : RAMSAY. He has quite a temper.
43. Auto financing org. : GMAC
44. __ a limb : OUT ON. Quite a few partials in this grid. Four I think. Maximum allowed.
47. Whence some moms are greeted : SIDELINES
50. Writes poorly? : MISSPELLS
53. Hoity-toity sort : SNOB
54. Novelist Seton : ANYA
56. Insect stage : IMAGO. From John again: Here is my photo of a mayfly imago, trapped in a spider web. For you romantics, mayflies mate for life! However, since they live for only a few hours it’s no big deal.
58. "Dies __" : IRAE
59. Caress, wave-style : LAP AT
62. First name in scat : ELLA (Fitzgerald)
65. Forest friends of Frodo : ENTS
67. Chip off the old flock? : SECT. Another fun clue. And 72. Like some chips : RIDGED. Potato chips.
69. Cathedral toppers : SPIRES
71. Pipe collar : FLANGE
73. Calendario start : ENERO
75. Glassy-eyed one : STARER
79. Yoga position : LOTUS. Lotus root is delicious.
81. Longtime Moore co-star : ASNER
82. Like one's conscience, hopefully : CLEAR. Ask yourself!
83. Get fresh with : SASS
85. Suspends : HANGS
92. Small engine : MOTOR
93. Command : OVERSEE
94. Innsbruck iron : EISEN. New word to me also. Looks so wrong.
96. Ivanhoe's beloved : ROWENA. I can never remember this name.
97. Edits : EMENDS
98. Racehorses : PONIES
101. Vintage stereos : HI-FIs
106. Minute minute pt. : NSEC. Nice clue too.
107. Portuguese lady : DONA
109. Tamiroff of "Touch of Evil" : AKIM. Learned from doing Xword.
112. Genealogist's handiwork : TREE. Family tree.
113. Slow Churned ice cream : EDY'S
114. Fast punch : JAB
115. Big head : EGO
116. Scale fourths : FAs
117. OR figures : MDs
118. Prime meridian hrs. : GMT
Answer grid.
Those who solve John’s puzzles regularly know that he is a Nature lover. He has just self-published a book, “Bugged Beyond Belief” which is a collection of the 40 best of his 10,000 macro-photos of insects. Amusing yet factual commentary peppers the pages. $20 Contact John for more info at JohnLampkin@JohnLampkin.com.
C.C.
