Saturday February 27, 2010 Brad Wilber

Theme: None

Total blocks: 31

Total words: 70

Brad Wilber mentioned in his interview that "As far as the "hurray for themeless" side of the coin, I like the potential for more multiword entries and the challenge of trying to engineer the first appearance of a word or phrase". In today's puzzle, he packed 17 multiword entries, including the stacked 11s in the top and bottom of the grid.

Interesting to learn that his seed entry is TRICK CANDLE (17A. It won't go out). I had guessed SPRUCE GOOSE (15A). Brad's original clue is "It's wind-resistant?". Which one do you like better?

I struggled again. It's really a Herculean task to complete a Brad Wilber puzzle.

Across:

1. Game with a hollow ball: TABLE TENNIS. We just call it Ping-Pong in China.

12. Pink Floyd guitarist Barrett: SYD

15. Unexpected nickname of a Hughes Aircraft plane built mostly of birch: SPRUCE GOOSE. Should be a gimme for those regulars who follow this blog. Carol & Dick's "Spruce Goose" photo was featured in our "Picture of the Day" last August.

16. Iberian land, in Olympic shorthand: POR (Portugal)

18. 2008-'09 Japanese prime minister Taro __: ASO. I confused this dude with Shinzō Abe, another Japanese prime minister.

19. Hitchhiker's need: RIDE

20. 1960s "New Left" org.: SDS (Students for a Democratic Society). Was unaware of the "New Left" moniker.

21. Hypothetical links: APE-MEN. The evolutionary hypothetical links. I was in the "IFS" direction.

24. Annual event won five times by Fred Couples: SKINS GAME. Was thinking of a regular PGA tournament. SKINS GAME is held each Nov/Dec after the PGA season. Fred Couples was nicknamed "Mr. Skins" due to his incredible dominance in this event.

26. False: Pref.: PSEUDO. As in pseudo-intellectual.

30. Announcer Hall: EDD. Announcer for "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno".

31. Slick, in a way: GLIB. In talking.

32. "Car Talk" airer: NPR. "Car Talk" has a tremendous podcast followers as well.

33. Worthless thing, in slang: DOG. New slang to me then.

34. Table d'__: HOTE. Literally "Host's Table". Same as "prix fixe".

35. Trees in giraffe diets: ACACIAS. Oh, I did not know this. Wikipedia says giraffes have a tough tongue that can withstand the thorns of acacias.

39. Upset winner at the 1992 Kentucky Derby: LIL E. TEE. No idea. What does E stand for?

41. "Dream Along With Me" singer: COMO (Perry). Here is the clip.

42. Teachers' gp.: NEA (National Education Association). I am used to the National Endowment of Arts abbr.

44. "Citizen X" actor: REA (Stephen). I've never seen "Citizen X".

45. Brand of daminozide, a growth regulator: ALAR. It's always clued as "Banned apple spray".

46. Predatory fish: GAR. The needlefish, having long jaws with needlelike teeth.

47. Men's periodical, in British slang: LAD MAG. Have never heard of this slang. Makes sense though.

51. Fixture near a playground, perhaps: PARK BENCH

54. "Yo, Hadrian!": AVE. Latin for "Yo". Hadrian is the Roman emperor from 117 to 138, total stranger to me.

55. Information technology giant: UNISYS

56. Hawk's cause: WAR

58. __ to the city: A KEY. Got the answer from Down entries. Not fond of this partial.

59. Med. checkup initials: LDL. The bad cholesterol.

60. Treasured correspondence: LOVE LETTERS. Ah, my sweet high school days!

63. Hanna-Barbera collectible: CEL

64. Ibsen classic: A DOLL'S HOUSE. Awesome entry.

65. Metal precioso: ORO. Precioso is Spanish for "precious".

66. 1975 Robert Redford title role: WALDO PEPPER. My first encounter with "The Great Waldo Pepper".

Down:

1. Instep coverer, at times: T- STRAP

2. Blooming times: APRILS. Fell into the trap and misread the clue as "Booming times".

3. Show indignation: BRIDLE

4. Time management expert?: LUCE (Henry). The founder of Time magazine. Great clue.

5. Johann __, 16th-century defender of Catholicism: ECK. Simply forgot. He argued against Martin Luther.

6. Film-noir heroes: TECS (Detectives)

7. "By Jove!": EGADS

8. Demand-based, briefly, as charter plane services: NONSKED. Nonscheduled. Got me.

9. Tacit approval: NOD

10. 1975 Elton John chart-topper: ISLAND GIRL. Didn't come to me readily.

11. Runs very slowly: SEEPS

12. Musical that parodies Arthurian legend: SPAMALOT

13. El Capitan's locale: YOSEMITE. Was ignorant of the rock formation El Capitan (The Captain) and its location.

14. One in service to the queen?: DRONE BEE. Was too slow to connect "queen" with "queen bee".

22. Anti-intellectual epithet: EGGHEAD

25. Loved one: IDOL

27. Pops open: UNCORKS. Wine.

28. Printer resolution meas.: DPI (Dots Per Inch)

29. Sunkist offering: ORANGE SODA. I've never developed a taste for soft drinks.

35. Cliff-diving mecca: ACAPULCO. JFK honeymooned here.

36. Holey vessel: COLANDER. I was picturing a leaking ship "vessel" rather than the kitchen utensil.

37. Texas Panhandle city: AMARILLO. Literally "yellow" in Spanish. All of the triple 8s in this corner are one-word entry.

38. Hannity of punditry: SEAN. He drives me nuts.

40. Rustic expanse: LEA

43. Fuse, in a way: ARC WELD. New phrase to me.

48. Reconcile: MAKE UP

49. Disinclined: AVERSE. It needs "with "to"', no?

50. Natural steam source: GEYSER

52. Constitution part, perhaps: BY LAW

53. Fox hunt cry: HALLO

57. Opp. of a petitioner, in court: RESP (Respondent)

58. Perched on: ATOP

61. 3-D stat: VOL (Volume). Why? I don't understand the rationale for this clue.

62. Handy article: THE. Definite article. "Handy" indeed.

Answer grid.

C.C.

Friday February 26, 2010 Doug Peterson

Theme: (In)CH In - CH is attached to the end of the second word of a common phrase.

20A. Taking pictures of potatoes and pasta?: SHOOTING STAR(CH). From "shooting stars." Watch your carbs.

30A. Trapdoor in an Old West saloon?: COWBOY HAT(CH). From "cowboy hat." Ten gallon capacity.

40A. Group of show-offs?: HOT DOG BUN(CH). From "hot dog buns."

54A. Spiel from a maestro?: ORCHESTRA PIT(CH). From "orchestra pit".

HI THERE gang. I've been in a few orchestra pits, and occasionally have trouble with pitch, so I can relate.

It's JazzBumpa, your KEMOSABE trombonist. Do you think they're GROANERS? I loved them all! I had all kinds of trouble, and went for red letters all over the place.

Across:

1. Predatory group: PACK, as in wolves.

5. Grifter's ploy: SCAM. Swindle, defraud, gyp. Definitely not NICE.

9. Jerk: SCHMO. A stupid or obnoxious person, so I guess it fits.

14. Stadium near Citi Field: ASHE. Named for the late tennis star Arthur ASHE.

15. Pear, for one: POME. According to Wikipedia, "A pome is an accessory fruit composed of one or more carpels surrounded by accessory tissue. The accessory tissue is interpreted by some specialists as an extension of the receptacle and is then referred to as "fruit cortex", and by others as a fused hypanthium or "torus"; it is the most edible part of this fruit." There will be a quiz.

16. From the other side: THEIR. I'm thinking over THERE, but THEY'RE in position in THEIR place over THERE. So THERE!

17. Topical treatment: BALM. Salve, me!

18. Bring down: RUIN. I had RAZE, which caused more problems.

19. Has coming: EARNS. Paycheck, punishment, revenge, etc.

23. Has a connection with: TIES INTO. This is OK, but I could not TIE INTO it.

24. Diamond brothers' surname: ALOU. NEIL has a brother named ALOU? NOPE, they are Matty, Felipe and Jesus Alou. Not your average ball players.

25. DJIA part: Abbr.: AVG. Dow Jones Industrial Average. Huge gap down yesterday, before scrambling back, but still ended off for the day.

26. PC key under Z: ALT. On my desk top and lap top, it's a Windows flag symbol. ALT is under X. Tsk, tsk.

27. Circuit: LAP. Once around the track. Or this.

35. "Baudolino" novelist: ECO. Italian novelist Umberto ECO. Didn't know this one. I did read "Foucault's Pendulum." Weird ending, but still better than anything by that hack Dan Brown.

36. Massage target: ACHE. Melissa - I have this knot under my left shoulder blade . . .

37. Lee who founded the Shakers: ANN. From Wikipedia. "The Shakers were originally located in England in 1747, in the home of Mother Ann Lee. Both Quaker and Shaker groups believe that everybody could find God within him or herself, rather than through clergy or rituals, but the Shakers tended to be more emotional and demonstrative in their worship. Shakers also believed that their lives should be dedicated to pursuing perfection and continuously confessing their sins and attempting a cessation of sinning." So, why aren't there more of them?

38. Ink holders: PADS

39. Sixers, on a scoreboard: PHI. The City of Brotherly Love. Not my experience. Perhaps Dennis can fill me in.

44. "Kidding!": NOT. Well, are you kidding or NOT?

45. Project's conclusion?: ILE. No comment. (ILE is the end of "Projectile")

46. Meat seasoning: RUB: "Aye, there's the RUB!

For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,

When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,

Must give us pause: there's the respect

That makes calamity of so long life;"

- Piglet, or Hamlet, or one of those guys from the PEN.

47. Chiseled abbr.: ESTD (Established). Chiseled into the cornerstone of a building.

49. Like radon: ODORLESS. I shall smell no evil. It seeps out of the earth in some places. Here is more than you want to know about it.

56. Talia of "The Godfather": SHIRE. My favorite actress of Hobbit heritage.

57. Harrow rival: ETON. Totally cricket.

58. Sound after ah: CHOO. This one, I get. Ahchoo. I'm considering buying stock in Kimberly-Clark.

59. Less brusque: NICER. Rude and Curt. If my name were "Curt" I would find this repugnant.

60. Kevin's "Tin Cup" co-star: RENE (Russo). And Kevin Costner. Though the cups might be optional.

61. In a bit, poetically: ANON. Back at ya, later B'RER.

62. "Brigadoon" composer: LOEWE. Alan Lerner and Frederick Loewe's musical about a strangely magical Scottish town. I spent a century there one night, but the Whiskey was HERCULEAN.

63. Sibling, in dialect: B'RER. A brother of Remus's niece.

64. Casual dissent: NOPE. Ain't gonna do it. Wouldn't be prudent.

Down:

1. Brewer Frederick: PABST. What'll you have? Pabst Blue Ribbon! Alas, I put in Coors.

2. Leading Japanese brewery: ASAHI. Leading glass company too. True story. Some visitors came from Asahi Glass. Their business cards were in Japanese on one side, and English on the other. On the English side, they said: Asahi Grass Company. I am not making this up.

3. Lover of Daphnis: CHLOE. Ravel knew them when they were young.

4. Friend in old Westerns?: KEMOSABE. Don't care for the clue. Not just any old westerns!

5. Elastic: SPRINGY. And Boingy.

6. Matter: COUNT. If it matters, I'll count it. Or, I'll let the COUNT decide.

7. Plácido's pal: AMIGO. Mi amigos, I was expecting a specific person, not a generality.

8. Retail store department: MEN'S. Where guys might go to slack off.

9. Tiger's asset: STEALTH. Well . . .

10. "Cuchi-cuchi" entertainer: CHARO. She is well known for being famous.

11. Requiring superhuman effort: HERCULEAN. But just right, if you have the right dad.

12. Ho Chi __ City: MINH. Named for the National hero of Viet Nam.

13. Hosp. areas: ORS. Operating rooms. Or ERS, emergency rooms. Of course, I guessed wrong.

21. Record, in a way: TIVO. New, hi-tech crosswordese.

22. Powder source: TALC. A mineral, if you're playing 20 questions. AKA, H₄Mg₃Si₄O₁₀(OH₎₂

26. "... __ additional cost to you!": AT NO. But wait, there's more ...

28. Elec. designation: AC/DC. Alternating current / Direct current. Not one of my favorite groups, and not so current. I do like seeing it cross "circuit."

29. Ritzy: POSH. And possibly spicy.

30. Crunch's rank: CAP'N. Cute. It got me. Daws Butler did the voice. I thought it was Jim Bacus.

31. Cuatro doubled: OCHO. I ate this one up.

32. Jambalaya basic: WHITE RICE. Really wanted something more spicy. (See 29D.)

33. Find repugnant: HATE. I love the way this crosses ILE.

34. So-so center?: AND. Center of the expression "so-and-so." A so-and-so is someone who is not NICE.

38. Tavern keeper: PUBLICAN. I did not know that. From public house, perhaps? Is that where PUB comes from? So, if someone is a tavern keeper, then does something else, then become a tavern keeper again, is he a - Hold on. No politics!

40. "Howdy!": HI, THERE. Hola mi amigas y mi amigos.

41. Shoppe modifier: OLDE. As in curiosity, maybe?

42. Pun, often: GROANER. Well, I'd say that depends on who you ask.

43. Tupperware sound: BURP. Excuse me, but nobody has ever called me "Tupperware" before. Maybe I associate with too many PUBLICANS.

48. Thread site: SCREW. Machine screw. But you knew that. Didn't you?

49. Weasel relative: OTTER. Playful as an OTTER works for me. Playful as a weasel just doesn't seem right.

50. Mindless worker: DRONE. You just never know what The Google will reveal.

51. Prefix with centric: ETHNO. ETHNOcentric. My group is better than your group. I had HELIO, which caused no end of problems.

52. Exclusive story: SCOOP. I always like exclusive stories about ice cream.

53. Performed superbly: SHONE. Like the recently completed lady's skating programs. Nothing short of HERCULEAN!

54. Wheeling's river: OHIO. What is the greatest feat of strength on the map? Wheeling West Virginia on the Ohio River. I can't remember important stuff, but dumb jokes stay with me forever.

55. Balkan native: SERB. Serbians and Croatians have the same (or very close) spoken language, but different written languages.

56. Show with a "Weekend Update" segment, briefly: SNL. Saturday Night Live. Crossward stalward. Pick a skit.

Answer grid.

Pretty good puzzle, and fun to blog. That's all, folks.

Cheers!

JzB