Friday July 22, 2011 David Poole

Theme: "Oh, S**T !" The S and T in common phrases are swapped, to make whacky phrases with funny new meanings.

18A. Scene in "The Hustler"? : FATS BREAKS. I wonder if this was the seed entry, as the movie is about "FaST Eddie" wanting to beat Minnesota "FaTS". The "break" is the first shot at the rack of balls in billiards. A "fast break" is an offensive strategy in basketball, where the offensive team rushes up the court, leaving the defense no time to arrange their positions.

23A. Adam's apples? : EATS OF EDEN. Ok, this one made me chuckle, too. I hope Adam knew what he was getting into! The movie "East of Eden", starring James Dean, was one of his most brilliant performances, IMO.

38A. Tubby tabbies? : BROAD CATS. And LOL at this one, as my two tubby tabbies are sitting at my feet. Of course, many of us listen to a daily "broadcast" of news, weather, etc. This entry was my one "meh", as "broadcast" is one word, while the theme entry breaks it into two. (O.K. Lemonade, I KNOW I am nit-picking, but that's what a critic does...)

52A. Visitors to the Winter Palace? : TSAR GAZERS. The first paparazzi? "Star gazers" would be our own Spitzboov and Bill G., if I am not mistaken?

58A. Tusk warmers? : IVORY COATS. So, why would an elephant in Africa need a coat? With the temps in the 90s and above, I would think they'd need air conditioning! (Like most of us, this week.) The "Ivory Coast"(or, Côte d'Ivoire, for all you Francophiles) is our one geography lesson for today...

Marti here, with a really fun Friday puzzle, with some great stuff. So, let's get to it!

Across:

1. Penicillin source : MOLD. Eeewww...Alexander Fleming, get that old bread out to the trash, this instant!

5. Wee bit : ATOM

9. "The Maltese Falcon" actress : ASTOR. Mary Astor was Humphrey Bogart's femme fatale in the 1941 version. But does anyone remember the 1931 version with Bebe Daniels in that role? (Didn't think so...)

14. Say it's so : AVER. Does anyone else pause and think "Is it aver...or avow?"

15. 1970 N.L. batting champ Carty : RICO. O.K., C.C., take it awaaaay...

16. Gather : GLEAN. I gather you all got this one, right?

17. Debussy's dream : REVE. Wonderful clue, as Debussy was French, and "Reve" (which means "dream", in French) was one of his important piano solo compositions. Beautiful, but I prefer La Mer...(and, since I am blogging, that is what you are going to get!)

20. Not wilted : CRISP. My gardens are not looking very "crisp" right now, with all the heat. (Then again, neither am I...)

22. In the future : AHEAD

26. Duchamp genre : DADA. OK, if Marcel Duchamp can take a urinal and make it into art, then LA DA DA for him!!

30. Orlon, for one : ACRYLIC. "Orlon, rayon, nylon...wait for the perps..." Ooops! this one clues the synthetic polymer fiber! Why didn't he just go with "Fake nails"???

31. Hot and humid : TROPIC. So, do they need COATS there?

33. "A Challenge for the Actor" author Hagen : UTA. Does anyone remember her role in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf"?

34. Grover's veep : ADLAI. Stevenson.

37. Correspond : AGREE.

40. Faith symbolized by a nine-pointed star : BAHÁ' Í . Did not know this - relied on perps.

43. Blemish : TAINT. ("T'aint necessarily so...")

44. Off-rd. transport : ATV. All Terrain Vehicle.

47. "The Tempest" king : ALONSO. Shakespeare 101...

49. Canal problem : EARACHE. Ear canal, not the Suez...

51. Even : TIED

55. Gives off : EMITS

57. Provide with lodging : PUT UP. (Or shut up!)

63. Sommelier's selection : ROSÉ . I was the sommeliere at a local restaurant for years, and never once suggested a rose!

64. Plum tomatoes : ROMAS. Yummm...

65. Lima's home : OHIO.

66. Start of an intermission? : ENTR' acte. French for "between the acts".

67. Apprehension : ANGST. I have a lot of angst when I blog...something about that debacle when the site went down as I was doing my first blog...

68. Mr. Potato Head piece : LIPS. Oh yeeessss!!! I've waited to use this video...

69. Mtg. : SESS. (Session)

DOWN:

1. His clown alter ego was Bip : MARCEAU. Marcel, the great mime.

2. Be heavy-handed, in a way : OVERACT. Hmmm, heavy handed?

3. Viagra competitor : LEVITRA. OK, I know nothing about these two pharmaceuticals. Anyone have experience? Anyone?...

4. Stylish : DRESSY.

5. Response from 24-Down : ARF. Or 38A, "Meow!!"

6. Familia member : TIA. Italian. "Aunt" (as in, "Tia Maria")

7. The planets, e.g. : OCTAD. OK, we have had "Holst" with his "septad" movement suite, and the old "nonad", (which included Pluto)...so now we are at octad???

8. Arens of Israel : MOSHE

9. Pearl Mosque setting : AGRA. a.k.a the "Taj Mahal"

10. Northerners with a lot of pull? : SLED DOGS. Fun clue. But, the problem with riding in the sled, is that you always have the same view...

11. Mad Hatter's offering : TEA

12. Iowa's state tree : OAK. Duh, three letters - oak, or elm??

13. Hosp. workers : RNS.

19. Proclivity : BENT. Is this common? "I have a bent for sarcasm..."

21. Part of the Little Dipper's handle : POLARIS. Spitzboov, Bill G. ? Help me out here?

24. Rover's pal : FIDO.

25. Fanfare : ÉCLAT.

27. Abbr. in car ads : APR. Annual Percentage Rate.

28. Gaming cube : DIE. Singular of "dice".

29. Roy Halladay or the Red Baron : ACE. Roy Halladay pitched the 20th perfect game in MLB history. The Red Baron was a different, "flying" ace.

32. Fleabag : RAT TRAP. Ever stay at a rat-trap hotel?

35. Nabokov novel : ADA

36. More unfriendly : ICIER. I could do with someone icier tonight - IT's HOT!!!

38. Voice of Puss in Boots in "Shrek" sequels : BANDERAS. Antonio.

39. Cheaters, to teachers: Abbr. : ANAG. "Cheaters" is an anagram of "Teachers".

40. It may be held by one on deck : BAT

41. Thrilla in Manila winner : ALI. Muhammed Ali...who could forget that fight with Joe Frazier?

42. Gardening aid : HOE

44. Nail polish remover ingredient : ACETONE. For those fake acrylic nails...

45. Fencing moves : THRUSTS. Ooooh, I could get DF with this one...

46. Evening service : VESPERS. ...but this one brought me back to my Catholic upbringing.

48. Suffix with psych : OTIC. Narc-, acid-, er-....

50. Common blues : AZURES

53. Bar goer's option : STOOL. I don't even want to mention what I thought when I filled this in...

54. Popular Japanese beer : ASAHI

56. Games magazine's 1994 Game of the Year : MYST. I spent many hours with that game. Anyone else?

58. Author Levin : IRA

59. Word in many German names : VON

60. Online "Yikes!" : OMG. Has anyone seen the billboard with the cracked glass and blood stains, with the title "OMG - Get the message. Texting while driving is a deadly distraction"?

61. Thing that comes to those who wait : TIP. I really chuckled at this one - waiters and waitresses just WAIT for those tips!

62. "Mamma Mia!" song : SOS. Sorry, I have to leave you with Abba singing this one...

Answer grid.

Hugs to all from Marti!

Note from C.C.:

1) Yesterday's mystery boy is Bill G. Email me crosswordc@gmail.com if you have any "Hard to Believe" pictures to share.

2) Lemonade will be back blogging next Friday.