Sunday March 6, 2011 John Lampkin

Theme: Adductional TV - An extra letter is added to one word of each familiar TV show and the resulting phrase is accordingly clued. (Added later: John just pointed out that "the added letter is always the second letter of one of the words".)

25A. Documentary about a Ravi Shankar concert tour? : SITAR TREK. "Star Trek".

27A. Sitcom about an endearing dimwit? : LOVE THAT BOOB. "Love That Bob". Unknown to me. Fun new phrase. I bet Dennis wants a different clue.

43A. Show about a nonsensical grain grinder? : BLARNEY MILLER. 'Barney Miller".

70A. Drama about an opinionated military? : JUDGING ARMY. "Judging Amy".

100A. Talk show about words like "zeppelin" and "dirigible"? : THE FLYING NOUN. "The Flying Nun".

119A. Sitcom about a team of aromatherapists? : THE MOOD SQUAD. "The Mod Squad".

122A. Financial show about the fermented honey market? : MEAD MONEY. Mad Money.

39D. Drama about an Asian virus? : KUNG FLU. "Kung Fu"

63D. Drama about an obnoxious superhero? : BRAT MAN. "Batman".

I don't quite get the title, John. Does "Adducational" (in place of "Educational") simply signal a letter addition? I wish the added letters I, O, L, R, O, O, E, I & R amount to "ucational". That would be a perfect title.

I like the varieties of the shows, also the way the 9 theme answers are arranged in the grid, giving solvers a piece to bite in every section.

Normally we don't see non-theme answers like URBAN MYTH (6D. Modern folklore) & ARISTOTLE longer than theme answers, as they might befuddle solvers. But all the question marks & "show"/"drama" indications in today's theme clues avoid any confusion. Plus, those two words just look pretty in the grid.

Also a pangram, all 26 letters are used at least once. No helper squares. Clean grid. Moderate amount of clechos today.

Across:

1. Shrimp kin : PRAWN. So, why the plural for prawn is prawns, but the plural for shrimp remains the same?

6. Eclipse shadow : UMBRA

11. Grain layer : BRAN. Fiber-rich.

15. Pennsylvanie, e.g. : ETAT. French spelling: Pennsylvanie.

19. Bellow's "The Adventures of __ March" : AUGIE. No idea. It's a Saul Bellow novel.

20. "Air Music" Pulitzer winner, 1976 : ROREM (Ned)

21. Like Hubbard's cupboard : BARE

22. Very attractive : FOXY. Do you think Megan Fox is foxy?

23. Amherst sch. : U MASS

24. Bowlers have them : BRIMS. Bowler hats. Of course I was thinking of strikes/spares.

30. Reserved : SET ASIDE. Oh, I was thinking of "shy" reserved.

31. Geometry figure : AREA

32. On __-to-know basis : A NEED

33. Hypothetical primates : APEMEN

35. Not at all excited : CALM

37. Entered gradually : EASED IN

39. Waste, as time : KILL

48. Giant in the woods : SEQUOIA. Giant sequoia. Not some giant animal.

50. "Great taste" beers, familiarly : LITEs. Miller Lite.

51. Summer goal, maybe : TAN

52. "No __!" : PROB

54. Pressed for payment : DUNNED. Caused problem for some solvers last time. My brother knows very limited English, dun is one of them.

55. "__ all in your mind" : IT'S

56. Moral principles : ETHICS

59. Lincoln Ctr. site : NYC

61. Prolonged pain : AGONY

62. Hopi home : PUEBLO

64. Symbol on the film poster for Eastwood's "Hang 'Em High" : NOOSE

67. Mt. Shasta's state : CALIF

69. Box for practice : SPAR

73. Sheep's kin : LAMB. Lambkin. Lampkin.

77. In concert : AS ONE

79. Natural sponge : LOOFA

80. Telescope eyepiece : OCULAR

82. Brooks of country : GARTH. Garth Brooks. Country music.

85. Boston Coll. conference since 2005 : ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference)

87. Confident comeback : SO CAN I

89. JFK posting : ETA

90. Ill will : ANIMUS. Anima is "Jung's feminine side".

92. "Mayor" author : KOCH (Ed)

95. Former USSR member : UKR (Ukraine)

96. Ankle bones : TARSI

98. Early stage : INFANCY

103. Many a texting whiz : TEEN

104. 10,000 square meters : HECTARE. New word to me. Hect denotes 100. I don't know how 10,000 comes from.

106. Lampblack : SOOT

107. Sioux enemies : OMAHAS

108. Starbucks size : VENTI. Italian for "twenty". Hence 20 ounces.

111. Attending USC, e.g. : IN LA

115. Like some drilling : OFFSHORE

124. Straight up : ERECT. And 1D. "Straight Up" singer Abdul : PAULA

125. Bizarre : OUTRE

126. Procter & Gamble razor : ATRA

127. Cowardly Lion's farmhand alter ego : ZEKE. And then BRAIN (76. Scarecrow's lack).

128. Of the kidneys : RENAL

129. Got together : MET UP

130. Really smell : REEK

131. Ice cream brand : EDY'S. Crossword constructor's favorite ice cream brand. Super friendly grid edge word.

132. Nonplus : ADDLE

133. Until now : AS YET

Down:

2. Bit of tongue-wagging : RUMOR

3. Mescal source : AGAVE

4. Joker : WISEACRE

5. Twitter source : NEST. Bird. Not the Twitter Charlie Sheen has been exploiting. Just a publicity stunt. He's not insane. Really.

7. "Le __ d'Arthur" : MORTE. The Death of Arthur.

8. Payoff : BRIBE

9. Do over, as a kitchen : REMODEL

10. "Are not!" comeback : AM SO

11. Hardly big shots? : BBs. Nice clue.

12. Like a bump on a log : RAISED

13. Goddess of the hunt : ARTEMIS. Apollo's twin sister.

14. Straightened up : NEATENED. OK, a bit of an echo to the "Straight up" earlier.

15. New newts : EFTs.

16. Inner tube shapes : TORI. Plural of torus. Don't confuse it with TORII the Japanese gateway. Or Angels' Torri Hunter.

17. Hewed : AXED

18. Little shaver : TYKE. Shaver = Small boy.

26. Tried to get a seat : RAN

28. "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country" speaker : HALE (Nathan)

29. More despicable : BASER

34. 1955 Argentine coup victim : PERON. Which one, Eva or Juan?

36. First name in nature photography : ANSEL (Adams)

38. Chalet backdrop : ALP

40. Sphere opening : IONO. Ionosphere. Ha Ha, this is the word Jayce wanted on Saturday. Dictionary says it means "ionized".

41. Property claim : LIEN

42. Feminine title : LADY

43. Air traffic images : BLIPS

44. Like the sky during fireworks : LIT-UP

45. On a liner, say : AT SEA

46. Liner's primary section : MAIN DECK. I've never boarded a liner.

47. Disguised, briefly : INCOG (Incognito)

49. Wharf on the Seine : QUAI. Quai d'Orsay. Nice area.

53. Old-timey words of emphasis : BY CRACKY. Have yet to see anyone uses it in our blog.

57. WWII Axis general : TOJO. The Japanese general. Responsible for Pearl Harbor attack.

58. Earthworm environs : SOIL

60. Short film maker? : CAM. Awesome clue.

65. Cone head? : SNO. Sno-cone.

66. Big heads : EGOS. Consecutive "head".

68. Rhône city : LYON

71. Juanita's "a" : UNA

72. Entangled : AFOUL. Run afoul of.

74. Last Olds made : ALERO

75. Quemoy neighbor : MATSU. Matsu Island. Gave me trouble, as we call it "Mazu Island" in China. Quemoy also has a different name: Kinmen (or Jinmen). See this map? Only Kinmen.

78. Eschew : SHUN

81. BP competitor : CITGO

82. Pace : GAIT

83. Only daughter of Elizabeth II : ANNE

84. Abundant : RIFE

86. Terra __ : COTTA

88. Rembrandt's contemplative subject : ARISTOTLE. With a bust of Homer. See here.

91. Gossip : SCHMOOZE. Fun word.

93. Longtime New Yorker cartoonist Roz : CHAST. Saw ROZ clued as "Cartoonist Chast" before.

94. "I Saw __ Again": 1966 hit : HER

97. Appraised items on a PBS "Roadshow" : ANTIQUES. Loved "Antiques Roadshow".

99. Had a hankering : YEARNED

101. Frantic : FEVERED

102. Villain to "avoid" in 1980s Domino's Pizza ads, with "the" : NOID. Here is a clip. Off my radar.

105. Insolent : CHEEKY

107. Resistance unit : OHM

109. Edit : EMEND

110. Dieter-friendly : NO-CAL. No calorie. And 117. Diet : FARE.

112. Like fruitcakes : NUTTY

113. Oater actor Lash : LARUE. Do you know why westerns are called oaters?

114. Like crackerjacks : ADEPT

115. General Bradley : OMAR

116. Grand affair : FETE

118. Black Hills st. : S DAK

120. Zeus' spouse : HERA

121. "Brave New World" drug : SOMA

123. Puzzle finisher's cry : YES. I like how it ends today's Down answers.

Answer grid.

Here are two pictures from WM's "Almost Edible" gallery show. Click on each one for clearer definition.

C.C.

Saturday March 5th, 2011 Barry Silk

Theme: None

Total words: 72

Total blocks: 31

Hi There ~! A Saturday Silk, and one with a "standard" looking grid, with three entries across the top, which might have been misleading.... put me in a good mood to start, despite the series of blanks I had to begin with, and even when I hit -

4D. It's radioactive : UNSTABLE ISOTOPE

and

10D. "Seriously" : NO KIDDING AROUND

the two 15-letter grid climbers ( they don't quite "span" the grid ).

I was able to finish this one, compared to last Saturday's brutal offering.

It is an honor for me to appear as a guest blogger today, so I hope you enjoy ~!

Thanks to C.C., who may have been a little concerned I was not able to access the puzzle -

"It's all good"

Splynter

And away we GO ~!

ACROSS:

1. Org. distributing a "Close Guantánamo" handbook : ACLU - Not that I got this to start, but a four-letter opening made me feel confident. American Civil Liberties Union - crossword friendly.

5. Cloud : BEFOG - the verb, not Stratus, etc.

10. Stupefied : NUMB - My first music link, I am sure you know this one; I do it for karaoke all the time.

14. Geographical border : COUNTY LINE

16. Native Nebraskan : OTOE - also crossword friendly.

17. Five-time All-Star second baseman : CHASE UTLEY - With Phillies. Barry Silk is an avid Phillies fan. Was feeling very sure this was Ozzie Smith, since it fit, and the "Zs" seemed Saturday-like - I am sure C.C. knew I was wrong....

18. Item used in Wright Brothers experiments : KITE

19. Advertises : TOUTS

20. Salt : OLD SAILOR

22. How writers often work : ALONE

24. Honeysuckle shrubs : ELDERS - "And you father smells of....Elderberrys ~!"

25. Algerian quarter : CASBAH - Some one else can link The Clash....

28. Dragging : TIRED - As in "man, I'm tired"

30. Historical Russian region : URAL

31. 1987 Costner role : NESS - From "The Untouchable". Had Robin HOOD first.

33. Climber's observation : VISTA - I had SCENE to start.

37. Classic diner feature : JUKEBOX - Nailed it, with a "J" and "X", figured we were on our way to a pangram - but my Ozzie was wrong...

39. "Private Benjamin" Oscar nominee Eileen : BRENNAN - Had to wait for perps to remember her last name.

41. First African-American major-league coach Buck : O'NEIL. With the Cubs in 1962. Long time Negro League player/manager. Died of very old age. 94.

42. Clinton Transportation secretary : PENA (Federico)

44. Encircle : GIRD

45. Suppressed : SAT ON

47. Way to make it? : SNAPPY - Make it snappy. Made me think of this "TOUTING"

49. In : AT HOME

52. Rhino relative : TAPIR

54. Very much : QUITE A LOT - Here's the "Q"; oh yeah, now we got it....

56. Land rover : NOMAD

60. Sphere lead-in : ATMO - WAG-ed HEMI to start.

61. Gibberish : MUMBO JUMBO - Nailed it.

63. Toon modeled after Clara Bow : BOOP - Betty Boop? Really?

64. One-sided : UNBALANCED - Makes me think of microphones.

65. Nice weapon : ARME - Nice the City in France. Only "foreign" word today, I think.

66. Edit menu command : PASTE - I cheated, and pulled the menu down to look...

67. Prank : DIDO - Had to use Dictionary to find this, otherwise, you get her ; I know her voice from "Here With Me", with Thievery Corporation

DOWN:

1. Credit Union holding: Abbr. : ACCT - Would you get this with Credit abbr as Cr.?

2. Fish also called a blue jack : COHO - Salmon

3. Tiki torch setting : LUAU

5. Sch. associated with the LDS Business College : BYU - Brigham Young University, a half WAG that I surmised from Latter-Day Saints. This puzzle only has two 3-letter answers.

6. John of England : ELTON. Elton John. Not toilet.

7. Some bass pieces : FILLETS

8. Linear, for short : ONE-D (One-Dimensional). Got me at first, and I am a CAD drafter; must be too early....

9. Jet creator : GEYSER - oh, a generic "jet", not the guy who came up with the engine....

11. Functional : UTILE

12. Drive : MOTOR - As in taking the car for a spin.

13. Cold drafts : BEERS - Not for six years; we have some friends here that will toast with a few beers and such....

15. Magnetic induction unit : TESLA - Science lesson, seen before.

21. Pain relief brand : ALEVE - Had ADVIL to start; is this a drug company thing, matching letters and alliteration?

23. "This can't be!" : OH NO ~!

25. Rabid dog of Castle Rock : CUJO - of Stephen King's novel of the same name; Maine is a very horrible place when you get to know Steve...

26. Make __ for it : A RUN

27. Interest : SAKE - For the "sake" of....

29. Amazon.com ID : ISBN - Book IDs, I think

32. Fair : EXPO - Loved the Home Depot Expo, their high-end stuff, before they closed their doors.

34. Prune : SNIP

35. You might see one on a woodpile : TARP - Also diamonds in baseball.

36. Singer Williams : ANDY

38. Rap : BLAME - "I ain't gonna take the..."

40. Abrasive sound : RASP

43. Lays away : ENTOMBS - Nice clue; very "visual" - awesome album cover

46. Ally : TEAM UP - The verb, not the noun.

48. Common video game fighter : NINJA

49. Jordan's only port : AQABA - Geography rocks; top right of the map

50. Personally train : TUTOR

51. Bleachers sign : HI MOM ~! - My mom broke her ankle Thursday. She's OK, considering.

53. Up : AT BAT - Another baseball answer, and a clecho to 58. Not up : ABED

55. Moon goddess : LUNA - And a Harry Potter character I like; she sees dead horses, too....

57. XC years from now : MMCI. 90 + 2011 = 2101. I had MMMI to start, a little too far ahead

59. Extinct pigeon relative : DODO

62. "__ Buttermilk Sky": 1946 song : OLE - uh, a little before my time; some one may want link this one, too.

Answer grid.

Thanks for letting me share your Saturday ~!

Splynter

Note from C.C.:

I'm very pleased to announce that Splynter (Richie) has accepted my invitation to become a member of our blogging team. He'll cover 1-2 puzzles per month.