A return to a variation of the definition puzzle, where one phrase is used as the clue for all theme answers and evokes varied fill but a punny second half is added to each clue to get the same fill but with different meaning. Each fill is a two word description of work on a house which might be on a blueprint, as well as a phrase clued with wit. The really challenging part of the theme is the resulting different meanings of the words in the fill. I will let Splynter, our resident builder, discuss the various work involved in each construction creation. Once again, beyond the entertaining theme, the fill is mostly 3,4 or 5 letter words, leaving a non-Friday feel to the puzzle. We do have NEGATED, PARAGON, STIRRED, DES MOINES, SERENADER to ponder on and much fun misdirection to ratchet the difficulty to a Friday level, so let us see what you all think of the latest from Jeff, adding to my string of Jeff(rey) puzzles to blog. JS has been appearing every month this summer. Very music intensive day, I hope there is something for everyone.
17A. Blueprint spec ... or, allowable hours for hound sounds? : BAY WINDOWS (10). The window of opportunity for the doggies to howl at the moon.
1. Short pants? : GASPS. I like a Friday starting with misdirection as long as it is not too obscure. This one popped immediately for me.
6. Boston or Chicago : BAND. Sure CITY may fit, but it is Friday; which do you like better?
BOSTON. (4:18) CHICAGO. (7:24).
10. Sound of relief : PHEW. Finally, a direct clue.
14. Mendelssohn's Opus 20, e.g. : OCTET. This was written when he was 16! Be warned this is a 35 minute concert.
15. One-on-one sport : EPEE. Is Epee the sport or an event of the sport of fencing?
16. Con artist, for one : LIAR. Whatever happened to Jim Carrey and his career?
19. Naysayer : ANTI.
20. LeBron's Miami uniform number : SIX. This was how many championships he promised the city.
21. Mr. __!: old whodunit game : REE. I never played this one, only Clue, but the name of this one is fun. LINK.
22. Initial : MAIDEN. Tricky, but fair; we had a Maiden solo publication this week for constructor Steve, so awesome. My favorite MAIDEN. 4:22.
27. The __, Netherlands : HAGUE. I just drafted a contract with a provision for dispute resolution by this BODY.
30. Regular TV show : SERIES.
31. Bestows : AWARDS.
33. __ splicing : GENE. Wire fits also.
34. "Top Gear" airer : BBC. British Broadcasting Corporation.
37. Gets ready for lunch, maybe : ZAPS. Ah, the handy microwave. My Thai friend calls it the 'wave.'
38. Scrub : ERASE. This was not an easy one for me, I needed perps to see where it was going.
40. "__ We Are": Estefan hit : HERE.
41. Look over : EYE.
42. "How now? __?": Hamlet, before mistakenly slaying Polonius : A RAT.
43. __ column : SPINAL. Doric and Ionic and Corinthian did not work.
45. Used a plane on : EVENED. Smoothed?
47. Useful quality : ASSET.
52. Tater Tots maker : ORE-IDA. Last week it was the ONEIDA tribe; you can see the choices constructors must make.
53. __ fault : TO A. A partial?
54. Words of agreement : I AM. A partial?
57. Improvisational style : SCAT. Listen to one of the BEST.(3:54).
62. Manuscript encl. : SASE. Self Addressed Stamped Envelope.
63. Shell competitor : ESSO. Standard Oil, now I remember.
64. Soul singer Adams : OLETA. More MUSIC. (3:53).
65. Begun: Abbr. : ESTD. Established.
66. Study, say : ROOM. The noun, not the verb.
67. Name on a Yorba Linda library : NIXON. Some HISTORY. I am looking forward to the PBS series about the Roosevelts.
Down:
1. Slew : GOBS. We are not killing, but have lots of them.
2. Berry rich in antioxidants : ACAI. They have gobs of anti-oxidants.
3. "Come Sail Away" band : STYX.
4. Service station? : PEW. Alliteration and misdirection, what makes Fridays so much fun.
5. Inflamed : STIRRED. 50 shades of grey? Gaga's current hair color?
6. Moistens, in a way : BEDEWS. Sounds like a word from a romance novel.
7. GI's mail drop : APO. Army Post Office.
8. Unfamiliar : NEW.
9. "State Fair" setting : DES MOINES. Filmed at least 4 times, this is from 1962. (1:33).
10. Crisscross patterns : PLAIDS.
11. Rajah's tongue : HINDI.
12. Downed : EATEN. Hmm, mine are more often drunk.
13. Twist and compress : WRING.
18. Revival prefix : NEO.
23. Sheltered, nautically : ALEE.
24. Contemptible ones : CURS. Good alliteration, but why?
25. Ruled out : NEGATED.
26. GI chow : MRES. Meals Ready to Eat. Another non-existent plural.
27. Cloud : HAZE. Makes sense if you think of your brain.
28. Out of town : AWAY.
29. Yawn : GAPE.
32. One who might play under a balcony : SERENADER. Romeo, wherefore art thou?
34. Uncle __ : BEN'S. I used to use their 90 second jasmine rice all the time.
35. "Up hill, down __ ...": Burns : BRAE. Not familiar with the POEM.
36. Bird was one, briefly : CELT. The briefly here is especially tricky because it suggests an abbreviation, and Larry was a Celtic fro many years.
39. Took its toll? : RANG. Last week knelled, this week tolled. Fun Friday cluing.
40. Kettle emission : HISS.
42. Ardent : AVID.
44. Ideal : PARAGON. Of virtue, of course.
45. Ready to be printed : EDITED.
46. Many a late '90s startup : DOT COM.
48. "Pippin" Tony winner : FOSSE. SING and DANCE. (7:26)
49. Ocean predators : ORCAS.
50. Numerical extreme : LEAST.
51. Circus sound : OOH.Ahh, I guessed correctly.
54. Goat with Iberian and Siberian species : IBEX.
56. Inconsequential : MEAN. Not familiar with that meaning of mean. I know it can signify cheap...
59. GI show gp. : USO. United Service Organizations Inc.
60. General on a takeout menu : TSO.
61. Will Smith title role : ALI. Muhammad Ali. Fine movie, interesting man. Ali appeared in a puzzle Jeff did last year where I AM was part of the theme.
Well, here we are again, finished with another Friday work out. A nice tight theme and some expert cluing left me happy, now if I could only sing. I guess I am music intensive because, if you are in Denver tonight you can hear my son sing at Tennyson's Tap with the band Hangman's Hymnal. Lemonade out, but first- once again great job Steve.
Note from C.C.:
Happy Birthday to our Steve, who's traveling on the road. Might be in Dearborn now. When was this photo taken, Steve? Did Herbalife sponsor your run or something?
