Eric Williams, Wednesday Feb 20, 2013

theme: woody's winners

15d. With 16-Across, 1986 film in which Dianne Wiest says, "But you have to remember, while you read and you're cursing my name, that this is my first script." : HANNAH AND

16a. See 15-Down : HER SISTERS. it was during the filming of this movie that the mia/woody/soon-yi scandal broke. much of the movie was filmed in mia farrow's new york apartment, and some of her children appear as extras. she writes about it in her book 'what falls away.' 

37a. 2011 film in which Owen Wilson says, "Wonderful but forgettable. That sounds like a picture I've seen. I probably wrote it." : MIDNIGHT IN PARIS. brilliant movie, imho.

26d. 1977 film in which 59-Across says, "Awards! They do nothing but give out awards!" : ANNIE HALL

59a. Winner of screenwriting Oscars for the three quoted films : WOODY ALLEN

melissa here.

c.c's puzzle yesterday's was more of a struggle for me than today's - maybe because i got today's theme quickly. the rest almost filled itself in.

had to have taken some serious effort to work all those titles into a puzzle. the grid-spanning midnight in paris is right in the middle, with two theme answers crossing it. beautiful. for those of you taking notes about cheater squares, there are two in today's puzzle. to the left of the M in 10a, and to the right of the T in 64a.

allen has received four oscars, two for annie hall (best director, best original screenplay), one for hannah and her sisters, and one for midnight in paris. 

i don't want to achieve immortality through my work. I want to achieve it by not dying - woody allen.

bonus, non-theme answer:

11d. 1998 animated film released the month before "A Bug's Life" : ANTZ

across

1. When Romeo meets Juliet : ACT I

5. Crummy : LOUSY

10. His mausoleum is in Tiananmen Square : MAO

13. Close-Up, e.g. : TOOTHPASTE

15. Posterior : HIND

17. Pro foe : ANTI

18. Ready to pour : ON TAP

19. Paint as wicked : DEMONIZE

21. Peoria-to-Decatur dir. : SSE

22. TD's six : PTS

25. Question eliciting "Let's!" : WANNA?

26. Vital vessel : AORTA

28. Tidy up : NEATEN

31. Stratford's river : AVON

34. Holm and McKellen : IANS

36. "Star Trek" role : UHURA

40. No __ sight : END IN

41. Letterman rival : LENO

42. "99 Luftballons" singer : NENA. had to look this one up. german protest song, translated 99 air balloons. nena is the name of a german pop-rock band.

43. Thaw once more : REMELT

45. Give a good talking-to : SCOLD

47. In the lead : AHEAD

49. U2 producer or, backwards, U2 hit : ENO

50. Aswan landmark : DAM. on the nile.

53. Gift of a sort : DONATION

56. Simoleons : MOOLA

58. Justin Bieber or the golden calf : IDOL. snort. i admit i've never heard a bieber tune.

62. Stax Records genre : SOUL

63. "Titus __": 16th-century play : ANDRONICUS

64. Pre-LCD screen : CRT

65. Makes a home : NESTS. yesterday we had nestled.

66. Time in ads : NITE

down

1. Oldest musketeer : ATHOS

2. Directing brothers : COENS. welcome back.

3. Rich cake : TORTE

4. "__ small world" : IT'S A

5. 12-in. albums : LP'S

6. Cereal grain : OAT

7. Previously owned : USED

8. Scatter, like petals : STREW

9. Sycophant : YES MAN

10. Lionel train, say : MINIATURE

anyone know, without googling, what these lyrics are from?

and when you put her to use,

observe, when you put her to use

that you don't find the name lionel 

on her caboose

12. Jim Davis dog : ODIE. big tongued dog. where is dennis, anyway?

14. "Fantasia" tutu wearer : HIPPO

20. Outmaneuver : ONE UP

23. Calc prereq : TRIG

24. Lesley of "60 Minutes" : STAHL

27. Starts the pot : ANTES

29. Consumer advocate Brockovich : ERIN

30. Mercury Seven org. : NASA

31. From the U.S. : AMER

32. Hollywood crosser : VINE. los angeles streets.

33. Fifth wheel : ODD MAN OUT. aka third wheel.

35. From then on : SINCE

38. Fjord, for one : INLET

39. High time? : NOON

44. Formosa, now : TAIWAN

46. Willy, Biff or Happy of drama : LOMAN. death of a salesman.

48. Blackmore heroine : DOONE

50. Sweets, in Naples : DOLCI. italian confectionary.

51. Native Alaskan : ALEUT

52. Minister's house : MANSE. a house inhabited by a minister. i've lived in one or two.

53. Oft-burned object : DISC. homemade cd.

54. Stench : ODOR

55. Approves quietly : NODS

57. Lena of "Chocolat" : OLIN

60. Seuss's "The 5000 Fingers of __" : DR. T. t for terwilliger. bizarre movie.

61. Rocky hellos : YOS. yo adrian!

melissa

Notes from C.C.:

1) Here is a picture of Melissa's beautiful daughter working a recent San Jose Shark's game. Melissa said "A friend of her snapped a pic when he saw her face on TV. It looks like he's in the stairwell behind her, but it's his reflection on the TV."

2) Our California Coven (JD, Chickie & Garlic) meet monthly for coffee. Yesterday, Jill joined them. Great to "See" you, Jill! Below are 2 beautiful pictures.

JD said "While we dined, unbeknownst to us,  snow was falling in the beautiful foothills close by... a rare event in our valley. We drove to a local market to buy some excellent olive oil, recommended by Garlic Gal."

L to R: JD, Garlic Gal, Chickie & Jill

L to R: Jill, Garlic Gal, Chickie and JD

3) Happy 68th Birthday to dear Argyle, our sweet Santa, who has tirelessly guided us through 366 puzzles. Argyle is the first person I go to whenever I'm in trouble on or off the blog. He's always there and always provides me with prompt and solid feedback and advice.

15-Year Old, Freshman. 1960 Class of '63.

I wish I could make you this birthday Seafood Udon!

Tuesday, February 19, 2013 C.C. Burnikel

Theme: AMBER Alert - There are four tots lost amidst the odd-numbered theme entries. Your job is to find them.

17A. Reached an agreement : CAME TO TERMS. Every TOT is in the very middle of each theme entry.

23A. Thoroughly evil : ROTTEN TO THE CORE

34A. Very eager : HOT TO TROT

50A. "My pleasure!" : "NO NEED TO THANK ME!"

57. Sibling who stereotypically feels left out, and a hint to the little one hiding in 17-, 23-, 34- and 50-Across : MIDDLE CHILD

Argyle over here, I'm here! C.C. didn't give me an inkling she had a puzzle today. And a fine puzzle it is. Two grid spanners, seven letter climbers in the corners, and a minimum of dreck. (Lois didn't make the orgy yesterday but today's offering may draw her out.)

"AMBER Alert", Wiki, is a child abduction alert bulletin in several countries throughout the world. It also is used for missing persons, in some cases.

Across:

1. Edged out : BEAT

5. Haka dancers of New Zealand : MAORI

10. NetZero, for one : ISP. (Internet Service Provider)

13. South American chain : ANDES

15. 36-year Senator Hatch of Utah : ORRIN. (age 78)

16. Neither partner : NOR

19. Civil War nickname : ABE

20. Bordeaux buddy : AMI

21. Mothers on a farm : EWEs

22. "I'd like to say something" : "AHEM ..."

28. Laundromat lineup : DRIERS

29. Snug as a bug in a rug : NESTLED

30. Followers: Suf. : ISTs

31. Doesn't enunciate : SLURS

33. Magazine VIPs : EDs. (editor)

38. Atty.'s group : ABA. (American Bar Association)

41. Naval slammers : BRIGS. Somehow, I thought it was a drink at first.

42. Peril : RISK

46. Rainy season : MONSOON

48. Family support group for some rehab patients : AL-ANON

53. Squeezes (out) : EKES

54. "__ Yankees" : DAMN. "Damn Yankees" ran for 1,019 performances in its original 1955 Broadway production.

55. California ball club, in sports crawl lines : LAA. (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim)

56. Census datum : SEX

61. Having four sharps, in music : IN 'E'

62. Bit of broccoli : STALK

63. Singer Tennessee __ Ford : ERNIE. A song for you old farmers out there.

64. Do simple math : ADD

65. Hal Prince's record 21 : TONYS. Broadway producer, Awards and Nominations

66. Quaint oath : EGAD

Down:

1. Rum brand with a cocktail named for it : BACARDI. Made with Bacardi rum, grenadine, and lime juice.

2. Bewitches : ENAMORS

3. "Fess up!" : "ADMIT IT!"

4. Golf bag item : TEE

5. Choral work : MOTET. A polyphonic choral composition used as an anthem in the Roman Catholic service. (IDK, I admit it.)

6. Childish comeback : "ARE SO!"

7. Bruin great Bobby : ORR

8. Part of most eyeglasses : RIM

9. Car owner's pmt. : INS. (insurance) But not every state.

10. Having serious debts : IN A HOLE

11. Got serious : SOBERED

12. Docs-in-training : PRE-MEDS

14. Herd member : STEER

18. Holds : OWNS

22. Make a move : ACT

24. New Ager John : TESH. Here with his wife, Connie Sellecca.

25. Letter-shaped fasteners : T-NUTS

26. Haus husband : HERR

27. Pump name seen in Canada : ESSO. (gas pump)

31. Stretch : STINT

32. Fireplace fuel : LOG

35. Wind in the orchestra : OBOE

36. Walked all over : TROD

37. Air__: Florida-based carrier : TRAN

38. Memory malady : AMNESIA

39. Shelf support : BOOKEND

40. Took over, as territory : ANNEXED

43. Hint : INKLING

44. Horn of Africa country : SOMALIA. Map Looks like a rhino horn.

45. Prepared for baking, as bread dough : KNEADED

47. French possessive : SES. (its, plural)

48. [Sigh!] : "AH, ME!"

49. With 58-Down, judge in '90s news : LANCE. 58-Down. See 49-Down : ITO. Judge presiding at the O. J. Simpson trial.

51. Not in a predictable way : ODDLY

52. Spills the beans : TALKS

57. Rockies hrs. : MST

59. "The __ Patrick Show": sports talk program : DAN. Syndicated radio and television. Plus online and, of course, Twitter.

60. Centuries-long realm dissolved in 1806: Abbr. : HRE. (Holy Roman Empire)

Argyle

Notes from C.C.:

This is my original submitted grid. Rich thought the cheater square in the lower right (The one above 52 HUE) was unnecessary and re-did the section. See, you can't cheat when there are other options.