Saturday, October 1, 2011 Barry C. Silk

Theme: None

Words: 70

Blocks: 28

October starts "ORFF" (32D) with a Saturday Silk - and started rough, but ended up-

20A. Not so tough : EASIER

At least for me; lots of 9's, 8's, & 7's, two 12-letter climbers, and two 10's;

35A. Space-saving display : FLATSCREEN - which we had (mostly) yesterday, it's counterpart being;

30A. They fall in war films : PARATROOPS;

which altered my original "SHOOT OUT GOAL" to-

20D. Hockey game clincher : EMPTY NET GOAL - such a huge sigh of relief in a tightly played 3-2 game; it's counterpart being;

5D. Carnegie Deli offering : KOSHER PICKLE - I was thinking pastrami something....never been, but really need to - living 60mi from "the city"

Onward~!

ACROSS:

1. Party leader : HOST - semi-misdirection, but I wasn't fooled

5. ___ Sea, off Siberia : KARA - map

9. Short-necked European fruit : ANJOU - Pear didn't fit, but the "U" from USER IDs made the "brand name" obvious

14. Neutralizer of a sort : ANTI-TOXIN - without this, you'll be sucking the poison out

16. Theater name : LOEWS

17. Ben Franklin, e.g. : STATESMAN

18. City on the Aar : BERNE - Switzerland

19. Solutions for unfair situations? : GALOSHES - We are still in unfair, "not fair" weather conditions here, but I like rainy days

21. Modern address : URL - Uniform Resource Locator

22. "1-2-3" singer Barry : LEN - I had this clue not too long ago

23. Tracker or Canyon : GMC - the automobiles, that is

24. Fifth-century date : CDI - years 401-500, in Roman Numbers; C=100, D=500

25. Haberdashery item : TIEBAR

27. Brand for which Garfield was once spokescat : ALPO

28. Patricia Neal's Oscar film : HUD

29. Fountain output : SODA

33. One may go over your head : HAIRDRYER

38. Brothers : FRAS - the 'order of' type brothers, in Italian

42. Lucy of "Kill Bill" : LIU - her

43. Body protector : SKIN - had S-u-I-t, which helped

44. Worn out : EFFETE

46. Gives a thumbs-up : OKs

47. Antiquity, quaintly : ELD

48. Old televangelism letters : PTL

49. Burden : TAX

50. Adjust at the garage, perhaps : RE-TUNE

52. Composer for whom an annual violin competition is named : PAGANINI - the "rock N roll" start of his time; quote here

54. Nonreactive : INERT

55. Deadpan features : MONOTONES - Steven Wright, e.g.

56. Suit material : SERGE

57. Woman in a tree? : GREAT-AUNT - not fooled, talkin' family tree....

58. Suit material : TWEED

59. Give away : TELL

60. Tablets from docs : MEDS

DOWN:

1. Shows nerve : HAS GUTS

2. London's setting : ONTARIO - map, middle

3. Conked out : STALLED

4. One of the Jacksons : TITO

6. Dismissive sorts? : AXMEN

7. Narrow inlets : RIAS

8. "Barbara __": Beach Boys hit : ANN - I'll leave the links to the commentors

9. White meat source : ALBACORE - Tuna

10. Rejections : NOES

11. Bible's City of Palm Trees : JERICHO - my mother is a teacher-aide at Jericho Elementary School

12. Confessed : OWNED UP

13. They get you in : USER IDs

15. Magnetic induction unit : TESLA

23. Driving problem : GLARE

26. Currency with King Mongkut on the fifty : BAHT - Siam, and the king in "The King and I"

27. "As You Like It" forest : ARDEN - Shakespeare

31. Secret rival : ARRID - Secret and Arrid, two brand-name deodorants

32. "O Fortuna" composer : ORFF - more here

34. Agreed : ASSENTED

35. Wedding arranger? : FLORIST

36. Perfectly restored : LIKE NEW

37. Stark : AUSTERE

39. Attendants : RETINUE

40. Done : AT AN END

41. Many Suffragette opponents : SEXISTS - "what's wrong with being sexy?" -IST

45. Half a legendary bluegrass duo : FLATT - & Scruggs - here

48. Advisory group : PANEL

51. Press : URGE

52. Minute opening : PORE

53. First name in linguistics : NOAM - Chomsky

55. Co. heads : MGT - ManaG"E"menT

Answer grid.

That's how you start the month with Silk and Splynter ~!!!

Splynter

Interview with David Poole

We've covered 7 of David Poole's puzzles on this blog. From H dropping A, E, I, O, U starting cockney gimmick to the humorous re-interpretation of Wall Street phrases last month, all of his grids have a different theme type with a distinctive flavor. He is another constructor who constantly strives for originality and entertainment.

I had lots of fun with his NY Times' ACRONYM puzzle: URL is spelled out as YOU ARE ELLE? ("Supermodel Macpherson, I presume?"). KGB becomes CAGEY BEE! ("Sly insect!"). Awe-inspiring!

David only started constructing in 2008, but he has already had 11 puzzles by the LA Times and NY Times. Amazing record. I asked David a few questions, and was so pleased that he took time answering them.

What's the inspiration for this puzzle and what were the other theme entries you considered but failed to make the cut?

The seed for this puzzle actually failed to make the cut. It was FRAGRANT FOUL clued as [Wearing perfume in a scent-free workplace, e.g.?], which I like a lot. Unfortunately, the trailing L fails to be converted into an R, which makes it inconsistent with the theme. So, as is often the case, a lesser entry was needed - in this case, FRAT SCREEN TV. C’est la vie!

Tell us a bit about your background. How did you get into crossword construction?

I’m a mathematician and, like most mathematicians, I enjoy puzzles and anything that involves lateral thinking. However, I don’t have a strong background in any of the other sciences. I think of myself as a humanist dressed up as a scientist. My other interests are art history, film, sports, and pop culture, all of which inform my crosswords.

I have solved crosswords since I was a teenager but only got serious about them a few years ago. People frequently gave me crossword compilations as presents but, after receiving an NYT book for Christmas in 2008, my wife suggested that I try constructing puzzles. After pooh-poohing the idea, I realized that she was right (as is usually the case): Why not try constructing?

My first few submissions were to to Peter Gordon at the New York Sun (just before it folded). Unfortunately, he rejected all of them, doing little to help my self-esteem as a constructor. (Looking back on those puzzles, I would now reject them too, with one exception.) My first accepted puzzle was by Rich Norris at the LAT. He was looking for a Monday-level puzzle and he liked one I had submitted. It appeared on June 8, 2009, within a month of acceptance! Since then I’ve had nine other puzzles appear, four more in the LAT and four in the NYT. More are in the pipeline. Both Rich and Will are fantastic editors and have been a joy to work with.

I have benefited immensely from Nancy Salomon’s advice. In the early days, I routinely ran puzzles by Nancy and she was unselfish and unflinching with her comments. Along with many others, I owe her an immense debt of gratitude. I still seek her advice – although less often – but she is always willing to help. The cruciverb-l listserve is also an incredible source of support. Thanks, Kevin, for setting it up and thanks to the wonderful community that inhabits that list.

How would you describe your style? Wordplay and puns seem to be featured prominently in your grids. Loved your YOU ARE ELLE? puzzle.

Thanks for the love on my YOU ARE ELLE puzzle. That’s one of my favorites. I do like wordplay and always have. I remember that when I was a kid - probably about 10 years old - my local newspaper ran a contest in which place names were hidden in a cartoon, cryptic style. For example, a cartoon showing a factory supervisor (BOSS) and a 2000 lb. weight (TON) might clue BOSTON. Today, I would have major problems with the way the answers were clued but, as a kid, I loved it! So much so that I decided to devise my own versions of contest entries, just for fun. Of course, my immediate family members were the main victims beneficiaries of my efforts.

Puns are fun too but I use them sparingly as theme entries. I’m quite happy to let Merl Reagle look after that! I’m not fond of quote themes either (unless they are really sparkly) or “word that can precede/follow the starts/ends of ...” themes. I imagine that at some point I will do one of these but I’m in no rush. I love rebus puzzles and would love to create an acceptable one some day but, thus far, none of my efforts in this direction have panned out. I also enjoy themeless puzzles but I haven’t tried constructing one yet.

Which part do you normally spend the most time on in the construction process: theme brainstorming, gridding or cluing?

I’d have to say that my time is spent in decreasing order on the three items you list. I love coming up with (hopefully) interesting themes. I also try to take time to get a good grid with solid secondary fill. As for the clues, that’s my least favorite part of the process but I strive to get at least 20% of my clues to be fresh. Of course, many clues get changed in the editing process but I’m always happy when the editor leaves my clues alone.

What is the most memorable puzzle you've made and why is it special to you?

My favorite puzzle is my “cockney-themed” LAT puzzle (May 28, 2010). It was challenging to construct but the theme is the tightest I’ve ever done: The phrases that result from dropping an H begin with A, E, I, O, U, in order in the grid - that was very nice! Rich Norris, as always, was very helpful in suggesting improvements to my original submission. The YOU ARE ELLE puzzle mentioned above is also special as it was one of the first NYT submissions of mine that Will Shortz accepted. Both of these puzzles are especially satisfying since, as far as I know, the themes are unique.

What puzzles do you solve every day and which constructors consistently inspire you?

I do the NYT, LAT, and CrosSynergy puzzles every day, along with the cryptic crossword in my local paper, the Toronto Globe & Mail – especially the Saturday cryptic by the estimable Fraser Simpson.

Otherwise, I love Matt Gaffney’s puzzles and, when I see his byline, I know I’m in for a treat. In addition to his syndicated puzzles, he has his weekly crossword contest which is a constant source of enjoyment/torture. I honestly don’t know how he does it, week after week. Liz Gorski’s Sunday rebus puzzles are classics! I enjoy the playfulness that she exhibits in everything she does. For fresh and fun clues, no one does it better than Bob Klahn. If you want to learn up-to-the-minute pop culture, start doing Brendan Emmett Quigley’s puzzles. He’s taught me about bands that I never knew existed and jargon that I’d never heard before (much of which doesn’t pass the “breakfast test,” but who cares?). He’s also a master of incorporating lively phrases into a puzzle. Among other constructors that I admire are Nancy Salomon, Patrick Berry, Tony Orbach, joon pahk, and the late Dan Naddor.

I know I’m overlooking many others but there are so many outstanding constructors out there it’s hard to acknowledge them all individually. All I can say is, “You are all a constant source of inspiration to me. Thanks!”

Besides crosswords, what are your other interests?

I enjoy reading, hiking, gourmet cooking, and I’m an avid film buff. In my professional life, I’ve written a math textbook and I’d like to think that some of my cruciverbalist interests have crept into it. For example, it includes notes on the etymology of technical terms, historical notes, and quotations - items that many math books eschew.

Friday September 30, 2011 David Poole

Theme: FROM LEFT TO RIGHT (35A. How most reading is done, and this puzzle's title) - Letter L (after F) in the first word of each common phrase is changed into R.

17A. Halloween tricksters' route? : FRIGHT PATH. Flight path.

23A. Best place to watch "Animal House"? : FRAT SCREEN TV. Flat screen TV.

45A. Feathers? : FROCK OF BIRDS. Flock of birds.

56A. Work the late shift at the diner? : FRY BY NIGHT. Fly by night.

C.C. here, pinch-hitting for Lemonade.

No BLAND TASTE/DIET to BRAND TASTE/DIET change. I like the extra layer of letter F in front of the L. It tightens up the theme.

Also, letter L and R are all common letters, very easy to overlook a straying letter in the conversion process, as David mentioned in his interview. He had to give up his seed entry. A bit tougher than it looks to come up with a set of consistent theme answers.

Favorite clue today is ACTRESS (25. Close, for instance). Took me a minute to realize he's talking about Glenn Close.

Across:

1. Shoots the breeze : CHATS

6. 1940s-'50s Israeli UN ambassador : EBAN (Abba)

10. Game __ : PLAN

14. "The Wolf and the Crane" author : AESOP. Very crossword-friendly name.

15. Cross off : X'OUT

16. Piece of one's mind? : LOBE. Plays on "peace of mind".

19. Awestruck : AGOG

20. Roy Halladay stat : ERA. With the Phillies. He's got one perfect game. Cliff Lee has low ERA too.

21. Sister of Calliope : ERATO

22. It may be icy : STARE. Icy stare. Tiger's stare used to be icy and intimidating. Not any more.

28. Unburden : RID

29. Kate of "Ironclad" : MARA. Good actress. I've never seen the movie though.

30. Soften by soaking : MACERATE. New word to me. So close to lacerate.

39. Sherry alternatives : MADEIRAS. Portuguese wines.

40. Albany's father-in-law : LEAR. Had no idea that Albany is Goneril's husband.

41. "Piers Morgan Tonight" channel : CNN

42. Eisenhower library site : ABILENE. Kansas.

50. Nigerian seaport : LAGOS. Nigerian's former capital. Current capital is Abuja.

51. Noted Beethoven interpreter : ARRAU (Claudio). From Chile. Rich plays piano, nuts about baseball, has a handicap of 6, so he won't overlook any clue mistake in those areas.

52. CIA's ancestor : OSS

55. Cancel : UNDO

58. "__ no kick from Champagne": song lyric : I GET. What song?

59. Steady : BEAU. Oh, "steady" is a noun here.

60. Response to a skeptic : NO LIE

61. Gets into : DONs

62. Employee IDs : SSNS

63. Third shift hr. : ONE AM. How are shift divided?

Down:

1. Champs Élysées feature : CAFE. Lots of. "Give me a reason to love you..". Sophie Marceau is so pretty.

2. Bach title? : HERR. German "Mister".

3. Land east of the Urals : ASIA

4. Dress finely, with "out" : TOG

5. Field of influence : SPHERE

6. Americans in Paris, maybe : EXPATS. Nice clue. I liked "An American in Paris".

7. Tug and junk : BOATS

8. Overlord : AUTOCRAT. Great answer.

9. Ultimate : NTH

10. Home at the park? : PLATE. Home plate at a ball park.

11. Airport whose code is BOS : LOGAN

12. Decide not to finish : ABORT

13. Desert bordering the Sinai Peninsula : NEGEV. What does this word mean?

18. Choral syllables : TRAs

22. Feast in the month of Nisan : SEDER

23. Position in a viewfinder : FRAME

24. Moneyed, in Monterrey : RICO. "Rich". Meet Carlos Slim, the rico-est man in Mexico, in the world too.

25. Like some switches : AM/FM

26. Word spoken with amore : CARA. Italian for "Dear". Roberto used to call me "Bella". I thought he liked me.

27. Put one's foot down : TROD

30. Summer escapes: Abbr. : MTs

31. Little streams : RILLS. Learned from doing Xword.

32. "The African Queen" co-screenwriter : AGEE (James)

33. Instead of : THAN

34. Raison d'__ : ETRE

36. Trounces : LICKS. So many colorful sports phrases for "routs".

37. Cube creator Rubik : ERNO

38. Royal introductions : FANFARES. Another great answer.

42. France-based jet maker : AIRBUS. Their Boeing.

43. Sound from Eeyore : BRAY

44. "Beats me!" : I DUNNO

45. Not fixed : FLUID

46. Title chameleon voiced by Johnny Depp in a 2011 animated film : RANGO. No idea. Here is a poster. Not a Johnny Depp fan either.

47. Osmonds' hometown : OGDEN. Somewhere in Utah.

48. Codgers : COOTS

49. Two-time loser to McKinley : BRYAN. Stumper. William Jennings Bryan.

52. Look like a creep? : OGLE. Oh, don't ogle then!

53. Branch of Islam : SHIA

54. Check : STEM

56. NFL ball carriers : FBs (Fullbacks)

57. Fluoride, for one : ION. Good to know.

Answer grid.

C.C.