Friday October 3, 2008 Barry Silk

Theme: EDU (Email address ending in 18A, 23A, 40A, 53A and 62A)

18A: Two-rope jumping: DOUBLE DUTCH

23A: Goods tax: EXCISE DUTY

40A: Manhattan Project's oralloy: ENRICHED URANIUM

53A: Stipulatory: AGREED UPON

62A: Waste land?: GARBAGE DUMP

Neat puzzle. But I messed up the upper left corner, trying so hard to cram in MORSE instead of HARD C for 3D: First letter sound in code?

It seems that our editor is now obsessed with ENYA (19D: "A Day without Rain" singer). She appears in our puzzle so often, always as the answer though. I suppose he can clue MAY (66D: Just might) as "Enya song "MAY It Be"" next time.

If you were the constructor, how would you clue NURSE? I don't like "RN word".

Did you notice that most of our weekday puzzles have 38 blocks?

Across:

14A: Nutritionist's abbr.: RDA. And NO FAT (69A: Like Jack Sprat's diet). The Zone diet probably has the most sensible combination (40% carb, 30% protein and 30% fat). The most effective way to lose weight is to fall in love. Your mind will be AWHIRL (31A: Spinning) with everything but food.

15A: Pele's first name: EDSON. I did not know this before. Wikipedia says "While his birth certificate shows his first name as Edison (after the American inventor), he prefers to call himself EDSON". See this autographed EDSON =Pelé ball.

20A: Chinese vine: KUDZU. If not for ZIP (21D: P. O. code), I would not have got this vine. It sounds so Japanese.

22A: 1940's computer: ENIAC. How to pronounce ENIAC?

34A: Bear greeting?: HUG. Such a tender loving hug.

37A: Yemeni seaport: ADEN. Shouldn't Somali explore its Gulf of EDEN coast for oil? Why is it so poor?

39A: Drum type: BONGO. They are handmade, aren't they? I am surprised that some of the vintage Ludwig snare drums are worth thousands of dollars. I don't understand "Let There Be drums."

47A: Right-angle degrees: NINETY And CIR (70A: Geometric fig.).

52A: Brit's omega: ZED. I like this clue.

58A: Lustrous finish for velvet: PANNE. New word to me. I like her outfit.

67A: Japanese drama: NOH. Or Nogaku. The Japanese opera. Funny NOH/Kabuki clip.

71A: __ sense (keen intuition): SIXTH. Have you seen Bruce Willis's "The SIXTH Sense"? Sounds scary.

72A: Salty calls: AHOYS

Down:

2D: For two: A DEUX. Dinner A DEUX, are you ready?

4D: One Gorgon: MEDUSA. She really looks awful. The other two are Stheno and Euryale.

11D: Walk-in veterinarian: PET CLINIC

24D: Porter's "Well, Did You __?": EVAH. Why EVAH? I wanted EVER. I actually saw "High Society", but I don't remember this song.

25D: Fiddle follower?: DE-DEE. New to me also. Maybe I've heard people say it, I just never pay attention to it.

29D: Video effect: SLO-MO

34D: Big name in pickle packing: HEINZ. My first thought was Vlasic.

36D: Intl. road race: GRAND PRIX

54D: Davis of "Hero": GEENA. I've never seen "Hero". I like her "Thelma & Louise" & "A League of Their Own".

55D: Old pound parts: PENCE. Mark, is it old? How old?

60D: Writer Ogden: NASH. Ha, gimme. Have to thank Clear Ayes/Ken for their "Candy is dandy" posts. But why "Writer" instead of "poet"?

C.C.

Thursday October 2, 2008 Alan P. Olschwang

Theme: Miller's Law (Olin Miller Quip)

20A: Start of quip: EXCEPTIONS PROVE

36A: Part 2 of quip: THE RULE AND BREAK

49A: End of quip: THE FAMILY BUDGET

Well, the original quote is "Exceptions prove the rule - and wreck the budget."

I think I understand "Exceptions prove the rule", but why "break the family budget"? Who is Olin Miller anyway? All I could find is that he also said "A man who will not lie to a woman has very little consideration for her feelings.”

Lots of 4-letter words in this puzzle, maybe due to three 15-letter theme entries? I just learned yesterday that if there is an odd number of theme answers, then the middle one has to be structured in the very center of the grid - Row #8 for a 15*15. And it has to have an odd number of blanks. I've never paid attention to this before.

Also, not every quote/quip can be worked into a puzzle. It has to have the right number of words for constructors to break them down sensibly and symmetrically.

I disliked the clue for SOBERS (45D: Gets serious). It needs an "up". And "One" is not needed for STAIR (61A: One step). "Step" alone is sufficient. And cluing ISLE (33A: Tiny landmass) is really a third degree felony. Can't you see the huge LANDMASS (38D: Pangaea, for example)?

The clue for LANCE (41A: Calvary weapon) is fine, but wouldn't it be nice if it's LANCE Armstrong related? Esp since we have 54D: __ d'Italia (bicycle race): GIRO. I think LANCE Armstrong is going to ride in the next GIRO d'Italia (the 100th anniversary).

I also thought "Comet, for one" would be a better clue for REINDEER (39D: Santa's team), since we have AJAX (2D: Comet competition).

Across:

17A: Brace: PAIR. Span means PAIR too. As in a brace/span of oxen.

24A: Abu Dhabi loc.: UAE. Dubai is more populated than Abu Dhabi.

25A: In conclusion: LASTLY

28A: Singer Vikki: CARR. She is not the original singer for "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You", is she?

30A: Sweat shop?: GYM. I like this clue. "Body shop?" is great too.

34A: Impressionist painter: MONET. I have a "Water Lily Pond" bookmark too.

43A: Tennis twosome?: ENS. Two letter N's in "Tennis".

44A: Bolt holder: T NUT. I rather like these T * fills: T-BAR, T-BONE, T-MEN & T-SHIRT.

45A: Is frugal: STINTS

47A: Former California Fort: ORD. I had no idea that Fort ORD was closed (1994).

62A: Sal's canal: ERIE. Here is Bruce Springsteen's "ERIE Canal".

65A: Mythical bird of prey: ROCS

Down:

1D: Stair stupidly: GAPE. I penned in GAWK first.

4D: Police officer, at times: ARRESTER

5D: Turnover, e.g.: PASTRY. I want this apple turnover for breakfast.

9D: Rebuked officially: CENSURED. So close to CENSORED.

22D: 2nd section: PART B

28D: Do together: COACT. New word to me.

31D: What Matzo's missing: YEAST. Hilarious "20 Things to do with Matzoh".

37D: Radical: ULTRA. That's TRES & TRES (49D: Very at Versailles).

46D: Greek cross: TAU

48D: Tattoed lady of song: LYDIA. Here is Groucho's "Tattooed Lady". New to me.

55D: Sevareid or Roberts: ERIC. Do you like ERIC Bana? He is so good in "Munich".

C.C.