Sunday January 9, 2011 Jack McInturff

Theme: Oui (Ou → I) - Letters OU is changed into I in each familiar phrase.

23A. Herb homily? : SERMON ON THE M(OU)INT

39A. Like a stroller out of breath? : WALKING W(OU)INDED

50A. Golf pro's protection? : GR(OU)IP INSURANCE. We also have another golf reference: 37D. Golf's Slammin' Sammy : SNEAD. He could kick a 7-foot high ceiling in his 70s.

70A. Coffee at church? : HALLOWED GR(OU) IND

81A. Adoptee's goal? : F(OU)INDING FATHER

105A. "Last Comic Standing" winning routine? : CHAMPIONSHIP B(OU)IT

35D. Knighted vintner's nickname? : S(OU)IR GRAPES

46D. Dorm room Christmas tree? : F(OU)IR POSTER

Nice set of theme answers. Some of the clues made me smile. You've got to have a sense of humor when cluing letter string deletion/addition/exchange theme clues, or any punny theme.

Humor doesn't come to me naturally, even in Chinese. Jerome's outside-the-box thinking on certain mundane answers like IRON last time often impresses and amuses me.

A bit of slog for me today. Quite a few unfamiliar names, either in entries or in clues. Jack worked hard in coming up with fresh clues for some names, such as ANTON (26A. Canadian pianist Kuerti). But most of them just stumped me. A simple "Author Checkhov" would have given me a tap-in gimme. Different strokes I suppose. I bet this guy was an easy fill for Jayce or Jazzbumpa.

Across:

1. Language group that includes Swahili : BANTU

6. "Great" swingers : APES. Not the swingers I had in mind.

10. Yaks : GABS

14. "Get out!" : SCRAM

19. Yellow spreads : OLEOS

20. "Gloria" actress Rowlands : GENA. She's in "The Notebook".

21. It will probably keep you in bed : AGUE. I've never used this word in real life.

22. Raccoon kin : COATI

27. It's usually over a door : EXIT SIGN. Good clue/answer.

28. Australia's __ Rock : AYERS. Lovely fill for Kazie. Popular Australian tourist spot. Also known as Uluru.

29. Current concern : EL NINO. Oh, air current. (Correction: It's ocean current. Thanks, Gunghy!)

30. Dismayed cry : OH NO

31. One begins "Rhapsody in Blue" : TRILL

32. Witness to the Transfiguration of Jesus : ST. PETER. Jack always peppers a few Bible references in his puzzles.

33. Mag transformed by Helen Gurley Brown : COSMO. Unknown trivia to me.

36. Van Morrison's singing daughter : SHANA. Complete stranger. I like the color of her tank top.

37. Union leavers : SECEDERS

38. Hawaiian tuna : AHI. Yellowfin tuna. Mouthwatering, JD! What a pity that Dennis doesn't eat any fish.

43. Fallen orbiter : MIR. De-orbed in 2001.

44. Sound relatives : BAYS. And 113. Sound measure : SONE. Different "sound".

45. With no rocks : NEAT

46. Suspect story, maybe : FIB. So is LIE.

49. '90s game disc : POG

55. Nest egg initials : IRA

56. Upgrade to five stars, say : RE-RATE

58. Not rented : OWNED

59. Capers : LARKS

61. "Sherlock Holmes" actress Rachel : MCADAMS. Recognized her face when I googled. She's the mean girl in "Mean Girls".

63. "What __ Is This?" : CHILD

64. Wander : TRAIPSE

66. Attend to loose ends : MOP UP

67. Look uncertainly (for) : GROPE

68. 1972 Oscar refuser : BRANDO. He won for his performance in the "The Godfather".

69. Wrath : IRE

74. Hindu title : SRI

77. Elected ones : INs

78. Former U.K. carrier : BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation). Stumper.

79. Slick trick : RUSE

80. Lincoln progeny : TAD. Lincoln's youngest son.

86. Director's challenge : EGO. Nice clue.

87. Remove with effort : DISLODGE

91. Use the soapbox : ORATE

92. Spanish others : OTRAs

94. Lures : ENTICES

95. Moccasin, e.g. : SNAKE. No idea. The color does look that of the Moccasin slippers.

96. Pelvic bones : ILIA

98. Areas above hooves : SHANKS

99. Pursue : CHASE

100. Torino tongue : ITALIANO. My friend Roberto is from Roma. He makes terrific risotto & salad.

104. Pasta often served alla vodka : PENNE. Have never had this dish.

107. Drive-thru decision : ORDER

108. It has banks in Switzerland : AARE. River banks. Awesome clue.

109. Not a happy fate : DOOM

110. Writer Zora __ Hurston : NEALE. She wrote "Their Eyes Were Watching God".

111. Tries out : TESTS

112. Lulus : PIPS

114. Taunts : GIBES

Down:

1. Speaker of note : BOSE. Was thinking of Tris Speaker.

2. Author Haley : ALEX. "Roots".

3. Michael Corleone's bodyguard Al : NERI. Wow, no idea. The guy on the left.

4. Hand-played drum : TOM-TOM

5. Wartime diversion : USO SHOW

6. To the max, in the disco era : A GOGO

7. Ivy League member : PENN

8. Stud attachment? : ENT. Student. A rather innovative way to clue ENT.

9. Dry and hot : SAHARAN

10. Some wardens' concern : GAME LAW

11. "__ Like You": Young Rascals hit : A GIRL. Here is the clip.

12. Keister : BUNS

13. Place to be quiet : SET. Movie set.

14. Like Super Bowl tickets, perhaps : SCALPED

15. Hustled : CONNED

16. Kiwi or rhea : RATITE

17. Sorry sort : ATONER

18. They may have 84-Down : MINORs. 84. Spy covers : FAKE IDS.

24. One-time partner of novelist Miller : NIN (Anaïs). Henry Miller.

25. Giving the once-over : EYING

29. "Yada, yada, yada ..." : ETC ETC

31. "__ Promise You": *NSYNC hit : THIS I. Liked the song.

32. Family car : SEDAN

33. Summer getaway : CAMP

34. River formed at Pittsburgh : OHIO

36. Internet communications company : SKYPE. Never know how it got the name.

40. Pianist/composer Chasins : ABRAM. Another blind spot for me.

41. Café additions : LAITS. Café au lait.

42. Denoting a loss : IN RED

47. Bugs : IRKS

48. It may be stolen : BASE. Baseball. We also have 52. Steal : SWIPE.

50. Plotting aid : GRAPH

51. Not at all : NO HOW

53. Without direction : UNLED. Spell check doesn't like this word.

54. African antelope : ELAND

57. http://ucla.__ : EDU

60. It may be financial or legal : AID

61. Year of Super Bowl XXXVI : MMII. 2002. Patriots vs. Rams.

62. Muffin grain : CORN

63. Signs of spring : CROCI

64. Former title-winning women's wrestler Stratus : TRISH. No idea. Great body.

65. Saree wearer : RANEE

67. Forest clearing : GLADE

68. Cruel, as force : BRUTE. Brute force.

71. Stomachs : ABIDES

72. Suit sizes : LONGS

73. Irritate : GRATE

75. Shankar music style : RAGA. Norah Jones looks pretty in long hair, don't you think?

76. Nuptial vows : I DOs

81. Bernie, Roz and Greg, in a 2004 film : FOCKERS. Saw "Meet the Fockers". Can't remember the names.

82. They aren't stars : NO NAMEs

83. Understand : GRASP

85. Like white water : ROILING

87. Absolute ruler : DESPOT

88. Beckoning words : IN HERE

89. Score holders : STANDS. Oh, musical score.

90. Small finch : LINNET. Hey, there!

93. Capital city that hosted the 2007 Baseball World Cup : TAIPEI. Amazed baseball is popular there.

95. #, on scores : SHARP

96. "Who's there?" reply : IT'S ME

97. "Well, __-di-dah" : LAH

99. Indian spiced tea : CHAI

100. A party to : IN ON

101. Rhyme scheme of Kipling's "If—" : ABAB. Needed crossing help.

102. Cairo's river : NILE

103. Plural suffix with Capri : OTES. Capriotes.

105. Salary limit : CAP

106. Hugs, on cards : OOO

Answer grid.

C.C.

Saturday January 8, 2011 Harvey Estes

((Note to late visitors: Due to computer error, we lost both the write-up and comments. This version is a recovered one. )

Theme: None

Total words: 68

Total blocks: 33

Only four 3-letter answers in this grid: ERR/PEP/TSE/UTE. Amazing.

Harvey placed triple stacks of 10s in each quadrant of the grid, the layout is quite similar to his last Saturday. Notice his answer for 17A? Ha ha, RADIAL TIRE!

Here are the 10s:

14A. Motel convenience : ICE MACHINE

17A. Quicker picker-uppers? : STIMULANTS

19A. Pigeon : EASY TARGET. So is EASY MARK.

48A. Mixed condiment : GARLIC SALT. Mostly salt.

55A. Cause of senselessness : ANESTHESIA

57A. "Don't waste your time" : IT'S USELESS

10D. Churches with carillons don't need one : BELL RINGER. Wow, really? How do they ring the bells then?

11D. Being supportive : AT YOUR SIDE. Oh, being supportive of me.

12D. Opalescent gems : MOONSTONES

24D. Extreme : INORDINATE

25D. Automotive innovation that improved fuel economy : RADIAL TIRE. We also have 36A. It purrs when it's cared for : ENGINE. And 60A. Trip interruptions : FLATS. Flat tires. Needed Dennis' help.

26D. Front borders : ENEMY LINES. Nailed it.

I had an easier time. The lack of obscure names certainly helped.

Across:

1. Worker with many keys : VALET. Was picturing a hotel maid.

6. Fleece : CLIP. Didn't know clip can mean "swindle".

10. Nick Saban's team, familiarly : 'BAMA. Nick Saban & Bear Bryant are all I know about the Crimson Tide.

16. Thames landmark : ETON

18. City on the Rhône : LYON

20. Actress Anderson : LONI. The "WKRP in Cincinnati" girl.

21. Guilty and more : PLEAS

22. Dodge : RUSE

23. Juice carriers : WIRES. Current "juice". I wanted FRUIT.

28. Go astray : ERR

29. Fountain contemporary : HIRT (Al). Pete Fountain.

30. Foolishness : INANITY

32. Spot remover, at times : SPONSOR. Does "spot" here refer to ads? I don't get the clue.

35. Surfing equipment : MODEMS. Internet surfing.

37. Got ready for a big date : PRIMPED

39. Stepped on it, with "up" : SPEEDED. Spell check wants SPED.

40. Boxes of calendars? : DAYS. Clever clue.

41. Mountain West Conference athlete : UTE

43. Code subject : DRESS. Dress code.

44. Builder's truckload : FILL. Or all the non-theme answers in any crossword.

45. High school math calculations : AREAS

47. One fighting something : ANTI

54. Early exile : CAIN. Into the land of Nod.

56. French 101 verb : ETRE. "To be".

58. Driving aids : TEES. Golf.

59. Biweekly tide : NEAP

Down:

1. Workbench item : VISE

2. Court records : ACTA. Learned from doing Xword.

3. Floral gifts : LEIS

4. Peabody relative : EMMY. Peabody Award.

5. Having no play : TAUT. Is "play" the same as "slack"?

6. Pride of country music : CHARLEY. What's his most famous song?

7. Extend one's stay : LINGER

8. Visibly moved : IN TEARS

9. Raid targets : PESTS

13. Warbucks's charge : ANNIE. Daddy Warbucks.

15. What fans do : CLAP

23. Unlikely hero : WIMP

27. Ninnies : SIMPS

29. Perfected : HONED

31. Japanese financial market inits. : TSE (Tokyo Stock Exchange). Had to post-google.

33. Dash : PEP

34. Film for which Warren Beatty won a Best Director Oscar : REDS

38. Mrs. Calabash's creator : DURANTE (Jimmy). Mrs. Calabash is his wife.

39. Shrink-wraps, e.g. : SEALS UP

42. Mother in Calcutta : TERESA. Mother Teresa.

44. Aspect : FACET

45. Over : AGAIN

46. Is in session : SITS. Congress session?

49. Frequent taster : CHEF. So is COOK.

50. Push, in a way : SELL

51. Cruising : ASEA

52. Where guests may be ticked off? : LIST. Nice clue.

53. Sputnik coverer : TASS. Media cover. I wanted CCCP, which covers Sputnik too.

Answer grid.

Today we celebrate the birthday of JimmyB (most right), a very passionate LA Times crossword solver who has been keeping track of the exact time each puzzle takes him to complete since our switch in 2009. Sheng Ri Kuai Le, Jim!

C.C.