Wednesday September 10, 2008 Stanley B. Whitten

Theme: Location, Location, Location

17A: College, maybe: HIGHER EDUCATION

39A: Empty-nester's weight problem: MIDDLE AGE SPREAD

62A: Alaska not included: LOWER FORTY- EIGHT

I've never heard of "MIDDLE SPREAD". Why does "Empty-nester" have such weight problem? Do they tend to overindulge on their SECOND HONEYMOON (clued as "Empty-nesters' vacation last time) or what? (Addendum: My mistake on 39A: "AGE" escaped me earlier.)

This puzzle structure reminded me of Barry Silk's "Re Location" puzzle we had on May 27. His theme answers are:

UPPER CRUST
LOWER TEXAS
INNER HARBOR
OUTER LIMITS

But I think I like this one more. I am very fond of run-through 15-letter theme answers. They look beautiful to me.

I got the theme very earlier on, but still struggled a bit. Was stumped by a few new words. Had to google.

Across:

1A: Fuji flow: LAVA. Ah, the real "Hot flower". I like this kind misleading flow-er=river (a thing that flows) wordplay.

5A: Sportscaster Rashad: AHMAD. I forgot. He appeared in our puzzle not long ago. See this Pop Secret commerical.

10A: Guidance fin: VANE. "fin"? I always associate "fin" with fish.

15A: Upper deck, briefly: FO'C'LE (Forecastle). I've never heard of this word before.

16A: Stravinsky or Sikorsky: IGOR. Know the composer Stravinsky. Have totally forgot about the aviation pioneer Sikorsky.

21A: Eye-opening experiences?: DILATIONS. I like this clue.

22A: Candidate Landon: ALF. He was defeated by FDR in the 1936 presidential election.

24A: Utah ski resort: ALTA. Where are his legs?

31A: Becomes entrenched: SETS IN

36A: Longtime Cleveland Orchestra director: SZELL (George). Total stranger to me. Here is some more Mozart for Barb B. How to pronounce SZELL?

45A: Actor Wesley: SNIPES. He is Willie Mayes Hayes in "Major League", one of my favorite baseball movies. I like "Field of Dream" the most.

43A: Illumination: LIGHT. Thoreau said "Let nothing come between YOU and the LIGHT". I don't quite get it. Who is the LIGHT & Why?

47A: E. O'Brien film: D.O.A. Was stumped again! Here is the poster. I hated the clue.

52A: Imposing personalities: PRESENCES. Are you OK with this clue?

65A: Family of Indy winner: UNSER. Would not have got this one and LOESS (68A: Fertile loam) without the down clues.

Down:

1D: Bert the Cowardly Lion: LAHR. Here is a good clip... "If I Only Had the Nerve..."

3D: Lyra's brightest star: VEGA

4D: Guru's community: ASHRAM. Would not have got this one without the across clues.

8D: "Be-Bop- ___": ALULA. This is the song. New to me. I've never heard of Gene Vincent.

10D: Debaser: VITIATOR. Another new word to me. VITIATE is the verb.

11D: Exchange fee: AGIO. Ha, I did remember this strange money exchange term.

19D: Try: ATTEMPT

23D: Shake up: FAZE. Still remember Tom Pruce's "Discombobulate" puzzle?

25D: Synagogue platforms: BEMAS

27D: Arboreal lemur: INDRI. It's clued as "Madagascar primate" last time. He does not seem to have a tail, does he?

30D: Chilly: ALGID. Another new word to me.

33DL Writer Calvino: ITALO. Or the Aviator Balbo.

34D: Simpleton: NODDY. New word to me also. I wrote down NINNY first.

36D: Dark horse: SLEEPER

40D: Overthrowers: DEPOSERS. I've been brainwashed by this crossword editor to think of "Usurp" and "Usurper"first.

46D: Wicked: SINFUL. I don't think it's SINFUL to openly discuss morel issue, do you?

53D: Pudding fruit: PLUM. Hmmm, sweet and juicy!

54D: Diva Ponselle: ROSA. I got her with no trouble this time.

C.C.

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C.C.

1) Added on Jan 23, 2013

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