Friday September 25, 2009 Kurt Mueller

Theme: Kinship - KIN is inserted into a familiar phrase.

17A. Gear up for Halloween?: PRIME THE PUMP(KIN). Dictionary defines "prime the pump" as "to increase government expenditure in an effort to stimulate the economy". So the current economic stimulus package is pump-priming, correct?

38A. Yokel resting in the woods?: BUMP(KIN) ON A LOG. "Like a bump on a log" = unmoving/inactive. New idiom to me.

60A. Steals the dinner cloth from Garfield's lap?: TAKES A CAT NAP(KIN). Take a catnap. Garfield is a cat in comic strip "Garfield".

How I wish the last theme answer started with KIN*! It would be very balanced.

We seem to follow the old TMS Daily mode now. Monday and Tuesday puzzles get a bit tougher than normal and the late week puzzles are considerably easier.

How do feel about this trend? Happy? Unhappy? Come to the Comments section and let me know your opinion.

Across:

1. Held (on) by stitches: SEWN. It's clued as "Attached with thread" the other day. Rich mentioned he tries not to repeat the same clue for at least 2 months.

5. Cavalry weapon: LANCE. Oh, still no Armstrong reference? "It's Not about Bike" is a great read.

10. Farm females: EWES. Tell us more about EWE or you, Windhover. What are you going to bring to the Farmer's Market tomorrow?

15. Starting unit: A-TEAM

20. Heart-to-heart talk: TETE-A-TETE. Just mentioned this phrase the other day. Literally "head to head".

21. Hurricane feature: EYE

22. Maui strings: UKE. Waiting for Al for some G string education.

23. Pin near the gutter: TEN. Or SEVEN.

24. Per se: AS SUCH

27. "Frankenstein" author Shelley: MARY. Poet Shelley's wife.

29. Swings around: SLUES

32. Mahmoud Abbas's gp.: PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization). Abbas looks like a person of reason. Arafat was hopeless.

36. How ballerinas dance: ON TIPTOE

41. Split up: SEPARATE

43. Withdrawal site, for short: ATM. Ha ha, money. I was picturing a REHAB center.

44. Arcade games trailblazer: ATARI

46. Univ. sports organizer: NCAA

50. Any one of Cinderella's stepfamily, e.g.: MEANIE. JD has over 60 versions of Cinderella.

52. Expert on IRS forms: CPA. This answer pops up way too often.

55. Fest mo.: OCT. Octoberfest.

56. Wood of the Rolling Stones: RON

57. Enter stealthily: SNEAK INTO. There is a KIN inside this phrase.

63. Rink jump: AXEL

65. Ballesteros of the PGA: SEVE. He'll be at the British Open next year. No Tom Watson miracle I am afraid.

66. Queens team: METS. Sigh! Tigers won again, Jazzbumpa/Fred.

Down:

1. Facial wall that may be deviated: SEPTUM. New word to me. The clue means nothing to me.

2. "Bingo!": EUREKA. Ah, California!

3. Columnist, e.g.: WRITER. "Blogger, e.g." too.

4. Alaskan gold-rush town: NOME. Gold-rush around 1899, when NOME was the most populated city in Alaska.

5. Cappuccino cousin: LATTE

6. Capital north of the Sea of Crete: ATHENS

7. Big name in hair-removal cream: NEET. Rival of NAIR.

9. Big bird: EMU. Big and flightless. I like the two "Big" clue echo.

10. Annual sports awards: ESPYS. ESPY Awards = Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards.

11. Be roused from sleep by, as music: WAKE UP TO

12. Yale Blue wearer: ELI. "Boola Boola" is Yale's fight song.

18. Put away: EAT. Got the answer from Across fill. Not a familiar definition to me.

19. Handel oratorio: MESSIAH. Handel's most famous work.

24. Health insurance giant: AETNA. Named after the volcano ETNA. AETNA might have start ed as fire insurance company.

25. Roto-Rooter target: CLOG

26. Weeding tool: HOE. I am going to grow zucchini next year. Sounds fun.

28. Arizona city on the Colorado River: YUMA

30. Soloist?: LONER. Reminds me of the single bullet theory. Who do you think killed JFK?

31. Game with Skip cards: UNO

34. Wrist twists, e.g.: SPRAINS. I've sprained my left ankle three times.

35. Boot with a blade: SKATE

38. __ noire: bane: BETE. Literally beast. BETE noire = black beast.

39. High-end, as merchandise: UPMARKET. New word to me.

41. Friend of Frodo: SAM. Easy guess. Have never read "The Lord of the Rings".

45. Summer drink with a lemon twist, maybe: ICE TEA. Or ICED TEA. The latter is more common. I only drink hot tea.

47. Bopped on the bean: CONKED

48. On the go: ACTIVE

53. Cultivated violet: PANSY. Delicate yet hardy.

54. Rap sheet letters: AKA

58. Part of N.L.: Abbr.: NATL

59. __ facto: IPSO. Literally itself. facto= fact. IPSO facto = by the fact itself.

60. Skye cap: TAM. Skye is an island in Scotland. The clue plays on skycap the airport porter.

61. Dismiss, informally: AXE

62. Pal of Pierre: AMI. Boring clue, isn't it? Alliteration won't help.

Answer grid.

When you have time, read this crossword article Dennis linked yesterday. The constructor Bernice Gorden is 95 years old and still at it.

Come back tomorrow to celebrate the birthday and the guest-blogging debut of a regular commenter.

C.C.

Thursday September 24, 2009 Jack Sargeant

Theme: RUNNER (48D. Ball carrier, and clue for 20-, 40- and 59-Across)

20A. See 48-Down: ICE SKATE BLADE. Figure skating is beautiful to watch.

40A. See 48-Down: TRACK COMPETITOR. Ah, the Lightning Bolt (Usain), probably the most famous Jamaican after Bob Marley.

59A. See 48-Down: LONG NARROW RUG. Now I want a Navajo runner rug, with a purposely woven flaw.

Normally I am not fond of same clue for different theme answer puzzles. This one is rather unique, with the defining RUNNER structured in the grid.

Not familiar with this constructor Jack Sargeant. Could be his debut. If so, congratulations!

JimmyB, one of our regular commenter, wrote a very informative post yesterday:

"Today marks the 6-month anniversary of switching to the LA Times crosswords. In that period Rich Norris has presented us with 159 puzzles (only counting Monday's through Saturday's) submitted by 67 different "constructors". Five of those constructors were actually Rich himself. Most often used by far is Dan Naddor with 22 puzzles. Next most popular are David W. Cromer, Don Gagliardo, and Donna S. Levin with 7 apiece. Doug Peterson and Jack McInturff are close behind with 6. Thirty-six constructors have been used only once."

I forwarded the information to Rich Norris. Rich responded: "Thanks to Jimmy for the update. I haven't kept count since March, but I do keep track on an annual basis. Through October 31st, I will have published 95 different constructors in 2009, not including me."

Across:

4. Strokes on a green: PUTTS. The other golf reference is SAM (21D. Golf legend Snead). I think Rich Norris likes Ben Hogan more. Hogan had the most efficient swing.

14. What the Mad Hatter served: TEA. Mad Hatter is a fictional character in "Alice in Wonderland".

15. Apple's instant messaging software: ICHAT. Guessed. I am using a PC.

16. No longer tied up: LOOSE. Adjective here.

18. Barton of the Red Cross: CLARA. The Red Cross founder.

19. Divided country: KOREA. Divided at the 38th parallel. Since 1948.

23. Piano part: PEDAL

24. Bando of baseball: SAL. Got his name from Down fill. Don't know much about the old Oakland A's. Did pull a Catfish Hunter autograph out of a blaster box once.

25. Airport waiter: CAB. And SEMIS (31D. Big rigs).

28. Sheds feathers: MOLTS

32. Stereotypical eye patch wearer: PIRATE. "Aaarrr!"

34. Start of an order to an attack dog: SIC. "SIC 'em!"

37A. Partner of woes: CARES. Why? I am at a total loss.

39. Fed. org. concerned with workplace woes: OSHA. I like the consecutive "woes" weaving.

44. Ill-advised: RASH

45. Pageant topper: TIARA

46. Old draft org.: SSS (Selective Service System)

47. Clothes: ATTIRE. And TAILORED (43. Fitted, as a suit).

50. Slow mover: SNAIL. Edible snail would be ESCARGOT.

52. Canada's smallest prov.: P.E.I. (Prince Edward Island). No idea. It's on the right coast. Just learned that there are ten provinces and three territories in Canada. How are those territories differ from provinces?

53. Fashionable boot brand: UGG. OK, they all wear UGG boots. From left to right, Kate Moss, Eva Longoria and Jennifer Aniston.

55. Starbucks offering: LATTE

64. Descendant: SCION. Chinese often call ourselves as "Descendants of Dragon".

66. Walking __: euphoric: ON AIR

68. Fill with wonder: AMAZE

69. Three-card scam: MONTE. No idea. Have no knowledge on card games.

70. Cocktail party bowlful: DIP

71. Chair craftsperson: CANER. Alliteration again.

73. Va. clock setting: EST

Down:

1. Vegas attraction, with "the": STRIP. Sitting above STRAP (34D. Subway rider's aid).

3. Went off course, at sea: YAWED

4. Burglar: PICKLOCK. New word to me.

5. Golden State sch.: UCLA. The Bruins.

7. Empty truck's weight: TARE. The "Waste allowance" is TRET.

9. Acid neutralizer: ALKALI. It turns red litmus paper blue.

11. Weather Channel offerings: FORECASTS. Still summer here, but my morning glory suddenly stopped blooming yesterday.

13. Grazing site: LEA

22. Once around the track: LAP. Would prefer a different clue as TRACK is part of the theme answers.

26. Pal of Aramis: ATHOS. And Porthos. Dumas' "The Three Musketeers".

27. Nursery rhyme trio: BEARS. "Goldilocks and the Three BEARS".

29. Fond du __, Wisconsin: LAC. Any fellow solvers there? I know we have quite a few from the Madison area.

30. Horse's gait: TROT

33. Louis XIV, to his subjects: ROI. Louis XIV is known as "le ROI Soleil (the Sun King). Haute couture originated in his reign.

35. Hot under the collar: IRATE

36. Spanish dialect that's now standard: CASTILIAN (ka-STIL-yuhn). No idea. Only know Catalan.

38. Period of time: SPAN

41. Greek X: CHI. The "Greek T" is TAU.

42. Paleozoic __: ERA

49. "Which came first?" item: EGG. Or chicken.

51. Judge's concern: LAW

54. Travelocity mascot: GNOME. I liked this new clue.

56. Stock market transaction: TRADE

57. North African capital: TUNIS. Nice parallel with EGYPT (58D. Exodus locale). TUNIS is the capital of Tunisia. I wonder if anyone fell into the CAIRO for the capital trap.

60. Seep: OOZE

61. Any minute now, to a bard: ANON

62. "The Fountainhead" author: RAND (Ayn). Waiting for Windhover to comment on her philosophy.

63. Baptism or bar mitzvah, e.g.: RITE

64. Anatomical pouch: SAC

65. Nashville awards gp.: CMA (Country Music Association). Started in 1967. Tell me what Jessica Simpson & Carrie Underwood have in common.

Answer grid.

Picture of the Day: Here is a photo our fellow solver Bill and his wonderful wife Nancy at his sister's wedding a week ago. Both Bill and Nancy love solving Xword. Bill often makes me laugh with his witty and grumpy comments. Ask him if you have any question on computer or bluegrass.

C.C.

Wednesday September 23, 2009 Bruce Venzke and Stella Daily

Theme: In Fine Fettle - Phrases/name that start with a word indicating good health.

17A. Hydration from underground: WELL WATER. We used well water until I was about 10. Public well. Quite a way from our house. Tough on winter days.

29A. Thunder on a radio show, e.g.: SOUND EFFECT. Music recordings are never referred to as sound effects.

45A. In a rage: FIT TO BE TIED. Extremely angry.

61A. House majority leader of the early 1970s: HALE BOGGS. Unknown figure to me. Wikipedia says he was one of the seven members of the Warren Commission and he dissented from the single bullet theory. It also says he disappeared in 1972 while flying over a remote section in Alaska.

Also a bit of baseball undertone:

66A. Baseball Hall of Famer Speaker: TRIS. Inducted in 1937, same year as Cy Young. The first class (1936) includes Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb & Honus Wagner.

69A. Not tagged in time: SAFE. Twins won again! So did the Tigers though. We are still 2 1/2 games behind.

18D. "__ on first?": WHO'S. The classic Abbott and Costello sketch.

Very straightforward puzzle. Quite a few simple multiple-word answers.

Across:

5. Get ready for surgery: PREP

9. Beethoven's "Für ____": ELISE. Her true identity remains a mystery.

15. Victoria or Geneva: LAKE. Lake Victoria is Africa's largest lake. LPGA holds its annual Evian Masters on the shore of Lake Geneva. It's played one week before British Open.

20. Horseshoer's workshop: SMITHY

21. "All set!": I'M READY

23. Excuse designed to elicit sniffles: SOB STORY. Asians tend to bottle up their personal woes.

26. Busy pro in Apr.: CPA. His days are numbered!

37. Bird on a dollar: EAGLE. I'd like to be a bird in my next life, chasing autumn all over the world.

40. Undiversified, as a farm: ONE CROP. Waiting for Windhover to comment.

42. Old French money: FRANC. Or ECU/SOU for three letter answers.

44. Head of France?: TETE. Tête-à-tête (tet-ah-tet) = head to head.

49. "The Waste Land" poet's monogram: TSE. Ah, our old days' of "Half a fly"! I bet Wayne R Williams still uses the same clue in his current self-syndicated puzzles.

50. Made a mess of: LOUSED UP

52. Mouth the lyrics: LIP SYNC

56. White Rabbit's cry: I'M LATE. Easy guess. Have never read "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland".

64. "Uncle Tom's Cabin" author: STOWE

Down:

1. Dog's dogs?: PAWS. Dogs is slang for feet. Got me. I wanted PUPS.

2. Utah city: OREM. See this map. So glad that I was not the only one who was perplexed by SLC (Salt Lake City) abbreviation yesterday.

5. Hedonistic fellows: PLAYBOYS. Hugh Hefner even owns a crypt next to Marilyn Monroe.

6. Maze scurrier: RAT

9. Payment from a contestant: ENTRY FEE

11. It sells a lot of build-it-yourself furniture: IKEA. I wonder why IKEA has not gone public, neither has Cargill.

22. Desert Storm ration, for short: MRE (Meal Ready to Eat)

24. Mutton fat: SUET. Beef fat too. LARD is pork fat.

25. Explosive compound: TNT

26. Grain husks separated in threshing: CHAFF. Used to confuse CHAFF with CHAFE.

27. Lab dish inventor: PETRI

28. G sharp's equivalent: A-FLAT. Oh, by the way, why does major key sound happy and minor key sound sad?

30. It's not fiction: FACT. Could be stranger than fiction.

31. "Snowy" wader: EGRET

33. Conical residence: TEPEE. And TENT (35D: Shelter for roughing it).

39. Altar attendants: ACOLYTES. Love fresh fill.

40. Aunt Bee's grandnephew: OPIE. I bet we can find Ron Howard reference in a puzzle on any given day.

43. Tie settlers, for short. OTS (Overtimes)

47. Game often played with a 24-card deck: EUCHRE. Got the answer from Across fills. Wikipedia says EUCHRE, invented around 1860, is responsible for introducing the Jack (Joker) into modern packs.

51. Novelists' creations: PLOTS

55. Attached with thread: SEWN

57. Taj Mahal city: AGRA. "Slumdog Millionaire" was shot in AGRA and Mumbai.

58. "Woohoo, the weekend!": TGIF

59. Being, to Caesar: ESSE. Sum is a first person singular of ESSE, as in "Cogito, Ergo Sum".

62. "La Cage __ Folles": AUX. Ah, one of Lemonade's favorite plays. I like the remake "The Birdcage" starring Robin Williams.

63. Wahine's gift: LEI. What kind of flowers are they wearing?

Answer grid.

A special "Thank you" to Al for the technical help lately.

C.C.

PS: Nice sausage links yesterday, esp Jazzbumpa's "since" and "yikes!". Some exotic ingredients from Kazie. Fun to read. Missed Lois's playful word weaving essay.

Tuesday September 22, 2009 Dan Naddor

Theme: Quite a Tussle - a pair of homophones rhyming with tussle/hustle.

19A: "A Beautiful Mind" star: RUSSELL CROWE. Also starring Jennifer Connelly, who won an Oscar for her role in "A Beautiful Mind", directed by Ron Howard.

29A: Certain mollusk's protection: MUSSEL SHELL. Hmm, steamed mussels with white wine, yum!

43A: Marathoner's bane: MUSCLE CRAMP. Drink Quinine Water.

50A: Steal a herd: RUSTLE CATTLE. The old west story.

Argyle here. Hope I got the theme right.

Today's Dan Naddor Index (total non-theme entries with 6 or more letters) is 14, slightly below average. Nice stacks of 6's on the left and right edges of the grid.

I find this puzzle is like Dan (and Rich) loaded up the old blunderbuss with various leftover clues and fired it at a grid. They seem rather simple, even for a Tuesday.

Across:

1A: Bergen's dummy Mortimer: SNERD. Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, plus Mortimer Snerd and Effie Klinker. Candice Bergen is Edgar Bergen's daughter.

6A: Letter after pi: RHO.

9A: Preschool lessons: ABC'S.

13A: George who played Sulu on "Star Trek": TAKEI. Lt. Sulu was the helmsman on the USS Enterprise. George Takei is still working at age 72.

14A: Castle protection: MOAT.

15A: Finish second: LOSE. Wish SHOW (39A: Broadway event) were clued as "Third place". Would be a nice weaving.

16A: Halo wearer: ANGEL.

17A: Quarreling once more: AT IT AGAIN. That's right, "AT IT" AGAIN.

21A: Give off: EMIT.

22A: Elegant tapestry : ARRAS. Tapestry was called ARRAS from where it was made, Arras, in Artois, France. When rooms were hung with tapestry it was a common thing for persons to hide behind it, especially the arras curtain before the door. Hubert concealed the two villains who were to put out Arthur's eyes behind the arras. Polonius was slain by Hamlet while concealed behind the arras.

26A: __ Lanka: SRI. Known as Ceylon before 1972.

33A: Colorful aquarium fish: TETRA.

35A: Tough-guy trait: MACHISMO.

36A: "__ Only Have Love": Jacques Brel song: IF WE. Jacques Brel, d 1978, was a Belgian singer-songwriter. Brel composed and recorded his songs almost exclusively in French. Sung by Johnny Mathis.

37A: Pretentious one : PSEUD. Nobody liked this word the last time we had it.

40A: Bloom with sword-shaped leaves: GLADIOLA. Tough to find a picture of just the leaves.

42A: With a single voice: AS ONE.

46A: Onetime Leno announcer Hall: EDD. "Edd Hall and Jay Leno" did not produce any images, Do we have anybody that knows the story behind that?

47A: The "A" in "CAT scan": AXIAL. c(omputerized) a(xial) t(omography)

48A: Philbin's sidekick: RIPA.

57A: Gambling metaphor for a risky venture: CRAPSHOOT. A roll of the dice.

60A: Harold of "Ghostbusters": RAMIS. On the right.

61A: Gigantic: HUGE.

62A: Storybook monster: OGRE.

63A: Standing upright: ERECT.

64A: "Yeah, sure!": I BET.

65A: Steno's need: PAD.

66A: Sausage servings: LINKS. What is a sausage sentence? It's a meaningful string of words whose beginning and ending letters match. For example, notice how the blue letters match in the following sentence: Every yellow warbler rested during Gideon's skillfully yodeled ditty. (I wouldn't say that was all that 'meaningful'.)

Down:

1D: Night twinkler: STAR.

2D: Half of Mork's signoff: NANU. The other half was NANU

3D: Cardiologist's tests, for short: EKGS. Electrocardiogram.

4D: Pee Wee of the '40s-'50s Dodgers: REESE. Card.

5D: Catch-22: DILEMMA.

6D: Univ. military org.: ROTC. Univ. - University

7D: Barber's concern: HAIR.

8D: Conductor Klemperer: OTTO.

9D: Suspected Soviet spy of the McCarthy era: ALGER HISS. He wasn't tried for his alleged espionage because the statute of limitations had expired. After a mistrial due to a hung jury, Hiss was tried a second time for two counts of perjury and received two concurrent five-year sentences,

10D: __ constrictor: BOA.

11D: TV forensic drama: CSI. Crime Scene Investigation

12D: Obama, before he became pres.: SEN.

14D: Blended ice cream drinks: MALTS.

18D: Inundated: AWASH.

20D: Lucy of "Kill Bill": LIU. Can't pass up an opportunity to show Lucy Liu.

23D: Do a smith's job: RESHOE.

24D: __ Joy: candy bar: ALMOND. Yum...if you feel like a nut.

25D: Lost speed: SLOWED.

26D: Scarlet letter, e.g.: STIGMA. A mark of disgrace or infamy. Scarlet letter “A,” worn by one convicted of adultery.

27D: Stomach acid problem: REFLUX.

28D: Formal words of confession: IT WAS I.

30D: Bit of mudslinging: SMEAR.

31D: Water, in Cannes: EAU.

32D: Watch display, for short: LCD. Liquid Crystal Display. It replaced LED( Light-Emitting Diode).

34D: It's rolled out for celebs: RED CARPET. Great fill. Who's that on the RED CARPET?

37D: "The Raven" writer: POE.

38D: Utah's capital: Abbr.: SLC. Salt Lake City.

41D: Like bks. with pictures: ILLUS. Illustrated.

42D: Clothes: APPAREL.

44D: Rugged ridge: ARETE. Often clued as "Mountain ridge".

45D: Speaker's amplifying aid, briefly: MIC.

49D: Video game pioneer: ATARI.

51D: Boutique: SHOP.

52D: Old Roman attire: TOGA.

53D: British title: LORD.

54D: Feds under Ness: T-MEN.

55D: Moisten, as a stamp: LICK. Dennis, do you have Legends of Baseball stamps? Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb & Cy Young are all honored in the set, so is our crossword stalwart TRIS Speaker.

56D: Body shop nos.: ESTS. Usually some big numbers(nos.) for estimates(ests) on fixing even a minor ding.

57D: Cubs, on scoreboards: CHI. Worms for anybody that doesn't know CHI (Chicago).

58D: Massage: RUB.

59D: Get older: AGE.

Answer grid.

Argyle

Interview with Rich Norris (Sequel)

It's almost been 6 months since we switched to LA Times. Rich Norris has been entertaining us every day with his witty wordplay and superb editorship.

As several of our crossword constructors pointed out in their interviews or comments, Rich makes them look smarter. He often changes 1/3 to 1/2 of the clues, not simply adjusting the difficulty level or avoiding the repeat, but injecting playfulness to the clues as well. I often have fun guessing which clues are his.

I feel a follow-up interview with Rich is needed in order to clear up some of the questions I've been curious about. Hope this will address some of points you've been discussing at the blog Comments section as well.

What is the latest status with the eased-up puzzle situation? How much longer will this phase last?

The easier clues will continue as we monitor feedback from solvers and local papers. Recent input suggests that the end-of-the-week puzzles are too hard for too many people. We'll be trying to find a level that brings more solvers into the mix on Friday and Saturday, yet still sufficiently challenges the more experienced solvers.

Why is there no puzzle title for LA/NY Times Monday to Saturday puzzle? How does it influence the theme answer selection or other aspects of puzzle construction?

When I took over at LAT in 1999, titles had never been used before. I considered instituting them, but I recalled Will Shortz telling me that one reason he decided not to start using titles when he became NYT editor was, simply, tradition (in my head I'm suddenly hearing strains from the "Fiddler on the Roof" song!). I felt the same way. LA Times puzzles had always been self-revealing, which is to say that themes were either inherently obvious or revealed by an answer in the puzzle itself. As a solver, I always preferred figuring out the theme without any title hints (except on Sunday), so I decided to keep it that way in my editing.

Can you give us a behind-the-scenes look at your editing process? How does a puzzle go from the constructor's hand to the local newspaper? What are the responsibilities of the test solvers and the final fact-checker Bob Klahn?

Once I've accepted a puzzle, I file it according to the day of the week on which I think it will be the most appropriate. Each day has its own backlog, and I pretty much publish puzzles in the order I accept them (except for special event puzzles). When the puzzle comes up for scheduling, I edit primarily for avoidance of repeat clues, for difficulty, and for accuracy. The first two of these are the most common reasons for clues being changed. I try not to repeat a clue for at least two months.

Once a week's puzzles are edited, they go to two testers, both former editors themselves. The testers comment on overall puzzle difficulty and clues they think aren't quite accurate or fair. They look for typos. Occasionally they pick up factual errors, but that's not their primary responsibility.

After I make changes based on testers' comments, I send the puzzles to my editor at Tribune. His main job is to check facts, but he also sometimes comments on difficulty. After we review his comments and agree on changes, I send the work to Bob, who's the final fact checker and all-around accuracy verifier.

How has your workload changed since the TMS puzzle switch? Are you able to make more puzzles yourself?

My workload has increased quite a bit, primarily as a result of increased submissions. Before the changeover I was receiving between 40 and 50 submissions a week. That number is now between 50 and 60, sometimes more. I do all my own correspondence. It takes between one and two full work days each week to keep up with it.

I only make puzzles when I absolutely have to. I'm making fewer puzzles now, but since I'm receiving more, I don't need to make as many, so it works out.

What is a perfect puzzle to you? What kind of themes/grids do you like the most?

If I publish a theme, it means I like it. It's hard for me to say which ones are favorites. I like puzzles with a lot of theme, as long as the volume of theme squares doesn't compromise the non-theme fill. I also particularly like themes that explore new territory without becoming overly complex about it. Don Gagliardo's money puzzle in August is a good example of that. The puzzle had a symmetry "error" which was tied to the theme. That was a truly creative concept, yet it wasn't an overly hard puzzle.

Asking me to define the perfect puzzle is like asking Ben Hogan what the perfect round of golf is! He said "18." The perfect puzzle is one without any black squares--15 rows and columns of valid 15-letter words and phrases. It's about as possible as shooting an 18 in golf. Yes, I'm being facetious, but what it all boils down to is that I don't think there is a perfect puzzle. There are many excellent puzzles, and those are the ones I publish daily.

Monday September 21, 2009 Mel Rosen

Theme: Superman Rides in a Balloon

21A: Capable of doing a job: UP TO THE TASK

37A: Next in line to advance at work: UP FOR A PROMOTION

48A: Jackie Gleason catchphrase: AND AWAY WE GO

Nice pangram, all 26 letters have been used at least once.

The constructor Mel Rosen succeeded Will Weng (former NY Times crossword editor) as puzzle editor of The Crosswords Club and is also author of the Random House Puzzlemaker's Handbook

Superman and the Fifth Dimension might well be singing, "UP, UP, AND AWAY" at next weekend's Adirondack Hot Air Balloon Festival .

Argyle here, and if this puzzle is an example, we may be in for an interesting week.

Across:

1A: Skills-sharpening piano piece: ETUDE. Here is Chopin's "Sunrise", for Mary, Lois and Barb B.

6A: El __, Texas: PASO. Spanish for "step". I hear they have a university there.

10A: SoCal cop force: LAPD.

14A: Bolshevik leader: LENIN.

15A: "Baseball Tonight" station: ESPN.

16A: Prefix meaning "same": EQUI. As in equilateral. ISO is "Prefix meaning "same"" too.

17A: Elementary: BASIC.

18A: Bit of sports info: STAT. Usually we see this as a plural, STATistics.

19A: To-do: FUSS. Let's get it on! 34A: Group fight: MELEE. 8D: Minor quarrel: SPAT.

24A: "To whom __ concern": IT MAY.

26A: Tarzan actor Ron: ELY.

27A: Improvises lines: AD-LIBS.

29A: Solidify: JELL. JELL is a verb only while gel can be a noun or a verb.

31A: La __, Bolivia: PAZ. 22D: Daddies: PAS. PAS in La PAZ are padres.

35A: Pervasive quality: AURA.

36A: Yard event: SALE. Clever clue. Yes, Linda?

40A: Astound: STUN.

41A: Corp. leaders: CEOS.

42A: Acted boldly: DARED.

43A: Subj. for some immigrants: ESL. English as a Second Language.

44A: Berlin "Mister": HERR. Berlin "Mrs." would be FRAU.

45A: Mother with a Nobel prize: TERESA. Mother TERESA (Albanian) was awarded Nobel Peace in 1979.

46A: More than damp: WET. As many of you will discover today.

47A: With __ breath: tensely anticipatory: BATED.

53A: Sorrow: WOE.

56A: Sweet-talk: COAX.

57A: Dabbling duck: TEAL. Falcated teal falcated: curved like a scythe or sickle. Long sickle-shaped tertials hanging off its back give this species its name. Tertials: The third row of flight feathers on the basal section of a bird's wing. That's it. I'm done with this bird! Oh, it's a greenish-blue color too, same as AQUA (11D: Greenish-blue).

58A: Puts behind bars: JAILS.

61A: Northern Nevada town: ELKO. Here. It hosts the annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, Lois.

62A: Pop music's Hall & __: OATES. Six #1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100: "Rich Girl", "Kiss on My List", "Private Eyes", "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)", "Maneater", and "Out of Touch".

63A: Lose, as skin: SHED.

64A: Eject, geyser-style: SPEW.

65A: Internet giant with an exclamation point in its name: YAHOO. Very descriptive clue.

Down:

1D: Napoleon's exile isle: ELBA. He was then back to France for 100 days before Waterloo.

2D: Oolong and pekoe: TEAS.

3D: Not practiced: UNSKILLFUL.And someone you don't want 31D: Assigned as the partner of, as in dance class: PAIRED WITH.

4D: 502, to Nero: DII.

5D: Burden: ENCUMBER.

6D: Annoying, like a kid brother: PESTY. My first choice was PESKY.

7D: Concerning: AS TO.

9D: Like an escapee: ON THE LAM. We finally get the whole phrase.

10D: Southpaw's nickname: LEFTY. Does anybody besides pitcher gets called LEFTY? OK, Phil Mickelson.

12D: Kitty or kisser: PUSS. Feline or face (or both).

13D: Floppy with data: DISK.

25D: Attach with rope: TIE ON.

28D: U.S. Cabinet divisions: DEPTS. Departments.

29D: Foreman in court, e.g.: JUROR. If the former boxer was on the jury, he could be the Foreman foreman.

30D: Bow-toting god: EROS. Think Cupid.

33D: "The Prisoner of __": 1937 Fairbanks film: ZENDA. Poster.

38D: Plastic overlays for artwork: ACETATES.

39D: Poem used in Beethoven's "Choral Symphony": ODE TO JOY. Official anthem for European Union.

46D: Applied Simoniz to: WAXED. Remember from Karate Kid, "Wax on, wax off"?

48D: Unreturnable serves: ACES. Tennis.

50D: Pianist Brubeck: DAVE.

55D: Exxon, once: ESSO. Derived from the initials of the pre-1911 Standard Oil (S O).

59D: Small battery: AAA.

Answer grid.

Picture of the Day: Today is the 60th wedding anniversary of our fellow solver T. Frank and his wife Jean. Congratulations! They celebrated the occasion over the August 28, 2009 weekend before the school started. Left to right: Jean, Frank, Carl, Lee and Paul (Frank's sons and daughter, who live in New York State and Florida).

Argyle

Sunday, September 20, 2009 Bonnie L. Gentry and Victor Fleming

Theme: Signs of Burnout - ASH (80A: Sign of burnout hidden in eight puzzle answers)

23A: Dramatic device about which Hamlet says "The play's the thing...": SHOW WITHIN A SHOW. Hamlet exclaimed: "the play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the King." He tried to prove that his uncle the new King murdered his father by staging a play which mimiced the way he imagined his father was killed.

37A: Kindness simile: SWEET AS HONEY. Hmm, as SWEET AS HONEY, as powerful as love.

53A: Rare key in which a section of Chopin's "Polonaise Fantasie" is written: A-SHARP MINOR. Got the answer with Down fill help. Wikipedia says the scale for "Polonaise Fantasie" is A-flat major.

72A: World Series of Poker Main Event game: TEXAS HOLD'EM. The most popular card game in America.

87A: California's first lady: MARIA SHRIVER. She sure has the Kennedy look.

105A: Open one's law office, say: HANG OUT A SHINGLE. The constructor Vic Fleming is a judge in Little Rock, Arkansas. Bonnie L. Gentry is a Merril Lynch financial adviser based in Scottsdale, Arizona.

17D: Easily become angered: HAVE A SHORT FUSE. Like Donald Rumsfeld.

46D: 2000 Martin Lawrence/Nia Long comedy: BIG MOMMA'S HOUSE. Unknown to me. This poster does not catch my fancy.

Strange to see the ASH in embedded in the beginning of A-SHARP MINOR while all the others are hidden in the middle of the theme entries. The spreads are quite consistent though, all spanning two words.

A bit of golf undercurrent:

95A: Ready to be driven: TEED UP. The golf ball is TEED UP and ready to be driven either by a driver or a long iron.

24D: Green targets: HOLES. Or PINS when you are far away from the greens.

101D: Annual major golf tournaments played in August, familiarly: PGA. The PGA Championship. The last of the four majors: Masters (Augusta, Georgia, April), US Open (June), the British Open (July) and the PGA Championship (August).

Smooth solving today. MARIA SHRIVER tipped me off the theme and I was then able to fill in all the ASH'es.

Across:

1A: Deferred payment at the bar: RAN A TAB

8A: Flies over Africa?: TSETSES. I like the question mark, it makes the clue interesting.

15A: Alternative to Twinkies: HOHOS. From Hostess.

22A: Pocatello's state: IDAHO. And UTAH (68D: Bonneville Flats state).

26A: Type sizes: PICAS

29A: Star responsible for eclipsing Venus?: SERENA. The Williams sister. I was not surprised by her outburst at U.S. Open at all.

30A: North Carolina university: ELON. And UTEP (68A: Sch. near the Rio Grande) - University of Texas, El Paso.

40A:".... so long __ both shall live?": AS YE. Is this a Bible quote? I guessed AS WE.

43A: Regal initials: HRH. His/Her Royal Highness.

44A: Ed who wrote "87th Precinct" novels: MCBAIN. No idea. Alias name for Evan Hunter. Lemonade or someone else mentioned this on the blog when we had EVAN last time. NOVEL is the answer for 25A: Work of fiction.

47A: Loving: Prefix: PHILO. As in philosophy. PHILE is suffix for "lover", as in Francophile.

57A: Grammar school basics, briefly: RRR. Reading, Writing and Arithmetic.

58A: Kelly's co-host: REGIS (Philbin). He bores me.

59A: H-bomb trial, e.g.: N-TEST

62A: Broadway auntie: MAME. "Autie MAME".

63A: Concerning: ANENT

66A: Big name in nonstick cookware: T-FAL. Big indeed.

67A: It starts with enero: ANO. And DIAS (96A:"Buenos __").

71A: Suffix with real: ISM. Realism.

75A: Get licked: LOSES. Twins won again! Sorry, Fred/Jazzbumpa and all Detroit Tigers fans.

76A: Put down: DEMEAN

78A: Prefix meaning "spiral": HELIC. No idea. Helix is Greek for "spiral". Its adjective is helical.

79A: Fizzles (out): PETERS

81A: "__fired!": YOU'RE. Donald Trump's catchphrase.

83A: Vaughan of jazz: SARAH. Unknown to me. Here is a clip of her "The Sassy One".

85A: Siberian metropolis: OMSK. See this map. Quite close to Kazakhstan. I tend to confuse it with ORSK (on the Ural River), also bordering Kazakhstan.

90A: Letters before a trade name: DBA (Doing Business As)

94A: "The Mod Squad" role: LINC (Hayes). I forgot.

97A: Dangerous compound in Agent Orange: DIOXIN. New word to me. Sounds toxic.

99A: General Arnold of WWII: HAP

102A: PC key below shift: CTRL. Had to check my keyboard.

103A: Frenzied: MANIC. Our fellow solver Chip is from Maine, hence Mainaic. I saw some of you call him MANIC.

104A: Vertical: PLUMB. Perpendicular.

108A: Chorus platform: RISER

109A: Instrument shaker at the end of minstrel troupe: MR. TAMBO. No idea. Dictionary says it's "the end man in a minstrel troupe who plays the tambourine".

110A: Made of clay: EARTHEN

111A: Bridge bid, briefly: ONE NO. Does No. stand for north? I know nothing about bridge.

112A: Black Sea port dweller: ODESSAN. Ukrainians.

113A: Unemotional: DRY-EYED

Down:

1D: Spoke like Don Corleone: RASPED. I've read most of the books by Mario Puzo, "Godfather" is definitely the best.

2D: Not long, timewise: AWHILE

3D: Recent rightist: NEOCON. I actually like Bill Kristol (founder of "The Weekly Standard"). Can't stand Richard Perle.

4D: Nile dam site: ASWAN

8D: Hot-dish holder: TRIVET. Three-legged.

9D: Iroquois Confederacy member: SENECA

12D: Trendy London area: SOHO. I don't why it's a trendy area. London's main Gay Village is located there. SOHO is a NY area too.

15D: Jazzman known as "Fatha": HINES (Earl)

16D: Febreze target: ODOR. P&G brand.

18D: Short story writer known for irony: O HENRY

19D: Comforting words: SOLACE

31D: Ballet bird: SWAN. "SWAN Lake"

34D: 1862 Bull Run victor: LEE (Robert. E)

39D: Blue Moon of '60s-'70s baseball: ODOM. Holy moley. Have never heard of this pitcher. "Blue Moon" is a great nickname. I want to be called "Deep Throat".

40D: Subject of Indiana Jones's quest: ARK. Nice to see ARK and ARC (35A: Missile's path) in one grid.

41D: ""Gymnopédies" composer: SATIE (Erik). French composer.

44D: Disney's Ariel, e.g.: MERMAID

45D: Make pure: CLEANSE. Thought of the terrifying ethnic cleansing in some parts of Iraq.

48D: Dost possess: HAST. Archaic for "have". "Dost" = "do".

50D: One staying afloat in place: TREADER. Made-up word.

53D: Building addition: ANNEX

54D: First instruction: STEP A. I like fills like STEP A & EPISODE I. The I & One substitute does not bother me at all.

55D: Words before black or red: IN THE

56D: Book after Micah: NAHUM. Had to look at my Bible book list again.

63D: " .. two fives for __?": A TEN

64D: Island east of Java: BALI. TIMOR too.

65D: Elec. letters: AC/DC

66D: Marriage promise: TROTH. Oh, that's how we got betroth I presume.

69D: Harass: MOLEST

70D: Fair, in forecasts: CLEAR. Beautiful weather here in Minnesota. Summer's final fling.

73D: Feng __: SHUI. Literally "water". Feng is "wind".

74D: Wife of Zeus: HERA. Sister of Zeus as well.

77D: Alas. native: ESK (Eskimo). I forgot which one is un-PC, Inuit or Eskimo?

79D: Scrub up, say: PREP. In Operation Room.

81D: PBS chef Martin: YAN. "YAN Can Cook".

83D: Libya's Gulf of __: SIDRA (SID-rah). No idea. Here is the map. The Mediterranean gulf.

84D: Torn off forcibly: AVULSED. New word to me. I only know convulse.

85D: Veteran: OLD PRO. Newbie would be TYRO.

88D: Queen of Troy: HECUBA (HEK-yoo-buh). Hard to remember her name. She's the mother of Paris/Hector/Cassandra. Wife of Priam (PRAHY-uhm).

89D: Gymnast Mary Lou of Olympics fame: RETTON. No idea, though she looks very familiar.

90D: Lake fisherman's boat: DINGHY

91D: Receiver of property, in law: BAILEE. Wow, it's a real word.

92D: Climb: ASCEND

94D: Book, in Bologna: LIBRO. Unknown to me. It's Spanish for "book" also.

96D: Beatrice's admirer: DANTE. Got the answer from Across fills. Was his love unrequited?

98D: Mutant superhero group of comics: X-MEN. Marvel Comics.

106D: Mantric sounds: OMS. Om is also spelled as aum. Dictionary defines it as "The supreme and most sacred syllable, consisting in Sanskrit of the three sounds (a), (u), and (m), representing various fundamental triads and believed to be the spoken essence of the universe. It is uttered as a mantra and in affirmations and blessings."

107D: Guffaw syllable: HAR. Sarcastic guffaw, isn't it?

Answer grid.

C.C.

Saturday September 19, 2009 Merle Baker

Theme: None

Total blocks: 33

Total words: 64

Wow, this puzzle has no 3-letter word at all. Very low word count, only 64, our lowest since the switch.

PRESENTEES (6D: Oscar winners, e.g) and STATUETTES (27D: Oscar winners' winnings) are great anchors for the grid.

Besides the above "Oscar winners" echo, the below clues also have the "word association" Bob Klahn mentioned in his interview:

14A: Theoretical, as profits: ON PAPER

17A: Based on medical observation instead of theory: CLINICAL

24A: Chief Valhalla god: ODIN. The Norse Zeus. Dad of Thor & Tyr.

28A: God, in Guadalajara: DIOS. The Italian God is DIO, without the S.

A harder puzzle than last Saturday's. I had to look at my cheat sheet several times.

I asked Rich Norris (LA Times Crossword Editor) about the recent eased-up phase. He answered: "The easier clues will continue as we monitor feedback from solvers and local papers. Recent input suggests that the end-of-the-week puzzles are too hard for too many people. We'll be trying to find a level that brings more solvers into the mix on Friday and Saturday, yet still sufficiently challenges the more experienced solvers".

I asked Rich the question last month when I first sensed the ease, he answered immediately. I should have shared with you sooner.

Across:

1A: Speaker booster: PRE-AMP. No idea. Short for preamplifier.

2A: Overcharged illegally: GOUGED

13A: Western evergreen named for its eventual bark color: RED FIR. Oh, I was unaware of this fact.

16A: Unending, in poetry: ETERNE (i-TURN)

19A: White sale items: LINENS

20A: Like expensive fight seats: RINGSIDE. Boxing/wresting. The area immediately surrounding the ring.

21A: Bearded blossom: IRIS. See the white beard?

22A: Enthusiasm: ELAN

25A: Makes automatic: MECHANIZES

29A: "Don't move, Fido": STAY. Reminds me of the Steven Wright line Dennis quoted the other day: "I bought a dog the other day...I named him Stay. It's fun to call him...'Come here, Stay! Come here, Stay!' He went insane."

30A: Adjective for a yellow bikini, in a 1960 #1 hit: TEENIE. "Itsy Bitsy TEENIE Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini".

32A: More shadowy, as evening: DUSKIER

36A: Slanders: MALIGNS

37A: Punctual: ON TIME

39A: Eddie __, New York cop involved in the actual "French Connection": EGAN. Unknown to me. I had difficulty focusing on the plot while watching "The French Connection".

40A: Winter Olympics contestants: SKI JUMPERS. Got the answer with the Down fill help.

46A: OR activity: SURG. Surgery I suppose.

47A: It might save your skin: ALOE. From sunburn.

48A: Mariner's heading: ALEE. Opposed to aweather.

49A: Shoves off: SETS SAIL. "Shove off" is a new phrase to me. I only know "Shove it". Teresa John Kerry is a very colorful character.

52A: Again and again?: THRICE. Great clue.

54A: Small and unimportant, as a town: ONE-HORSE. Learned this from John Kerry's presidential campaign also.

55A: __ powder: TALCUM. GARLIC, anyone?

56A: Garden tool: TRIMMER. Did not come to me readily.

57A: Plaza Hotel sprite: ELOISE. Learned from doing Xword. Have never read "ELOISE at the Plaza".

58A: Divers' fishing implements: SPEARS. I don't associate "divers" with fishing.

59A: Classified: SORTED. Was in ad direction.

Down:

1D: It's before the main event, briefly: PRELIM (Preliminary). My initial reaction is PRO-AM, thinking of golf tournament.

2D: Hang it up, so to speak: RETIRE

3D: Blissful: EDENIC. What's your idea of heaven?

4D: Anew: AFRESH

5D: State where the Mississippi R. originates: MINN. Gimme for me. Twins won! Twins won again last night!

7D: Have a wild time: GO CRAZY

8D: Modern way to shop: ON LINE

9D: __ arms: UP IN. Angry. A new idiom to me. I wanted OPEN.

10D: Turf controller: GANG. We've got Hmong GANG here in Minnesota.

11D: TV Series opener: EPISODE I

12D: Tough job for a beauty contest judge: DECIDING. Ellen Degeneres is a perfect pick for "American Idol".

15D: Contact the harbor master from one's ship: RADIO IN

23D: Inventive sort?: LIAR. Nailed it. By the way, look at the funny "Loose Parts" Dennis linked yesterday. Notice there are two number 1's in a grid? Impossible! "You lie!".

26D: "Sure __ standing ...": AS I'M

31D: Na or Cl, e.g.: ELEM (Element). Again, got the answer with Across help.

32D: Playground retort: DOES SO

33D: Salve: UNGUENT. Was this a gimme to you?

34D: Appetizers: STARTERS. Look at these Korean food STARTERS. Mostly fermented veggies. Hot and spicy!

35D: Royal office: KINGSHIP. Wow, have never heard of this word before.

36D: Magic charm: MOJO. Has Obama lost his MOJO?

38D: Tractor attachment: TILLER. Farming machine again. Hey, Windhover.

41D: Wilhelm's title in WWI Germany: KAISER. All German emperors are called KAISERS, correct?

42D: Sitting room: PARLOR

43D: Draw out: ELICIT

44D: Disqualify (oneself), as a judge: RECUSE. Used to love "Law & Order".

51D: Weapons, in Latin: ARMA. New to me. I suppose that's how we get arms.

53D: Head light?: HALO. My favorite clue today. Just heavenly.

Answer grid.

Picture of the Day: Here is a great photo of Wisconsin gang. From left to right: Kazie looks beautiful in aqua; Dot (81-year-old) is just what I've pictured in my mind, an elegant lady; Her husband Irv is 95 years old if I recall correctly. They do crossword together after dinner. And our radiant Andrea who owns Brasserie V on Monroe Street in Madison.

C.C.

Friday September 18, 2009 Jack McInturff

Theme: L-adder (Letter L is inserted at the beginning of familiar words/names)

18A: Hope of one placing a personal ad? (L)OVER MATCH. Overmatch, a contest in which one opponent is distinctly superior.

26A: Peruvian worshiper?: (L)IMA BELIEVER. "I'm a Believer". The Monkees 1966 hit. Composed by Neil Diamond. Lima is the capital of Peru.

42A: Knock a motorcycle daredevil flat?: (L)EVEL KNIVEL. Evil Knievel, the stunt performer.

54A: Kid going nuts with building blocks? (L)EGO MANIAC. Egomaniac, obsessively preoccupied with oneself, like the former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich.

Thought of Scott Turow's "One L" after I was done with the puzzle.

I wonder what's the main seed entry for the theme. Probably LIMA BELIEVER. The constructor also clued NEIL (31A) as "Sweet Caroline" singer Diamond. He is probably a Neil Diamond fan. "Sweet Caroline" was inspired by Caroline Kennedy.

Across:

1A: 1988 tennis Grand Slam winner: GRAF (Steffi). She's married to Agassi.

5A: Partner of alas: ALACK. Alas and ALACK! Woe is me!

10A: "City of Seven Hills": ROME. The Eternal City. I think girls are shapely there because it's is so hilly. Also REMO (2D: San __, Italy), the Riviera resort (bottom left).

14A: Sitcom named for its country star: REBA (McEntire)

16A: French state: ETAT. Louis XIV once famously claimed "L'ETAT, c'est moi" (I am the state). Putin has the same attitude.

17A: Cupid: AMOR. Ah, "Omnia vincit AMOR ("Love conquers all"). It took courage to go to Argentina for a hike. True love!

20A: Camera bag accessory: ZOOM LENS

22A: "Carmen", e.g.: OPERA. By Bizet.

36A: Former Alaska Territory capital: SITKA. The largest city in the US by area. Alaska's first capital. Oh, you can definitely see Russia from there.

39A: Collector's goal: SET. It took over $250 to collect a Topps Chrome Heritage Baseball Card SET. Too expensive for me.

40A: Il __: Mussolini: DUCE (DOO-chey). Literally "leader". Rooted in Latin dux ("leader"), so is "duke".

41A: Talk show host Gibbons: LEEZA. Learned her name from doing Xword. Have never watched or listened to any of her shows.

45A: One you don't find in a foxhole?: ATHEIST. Not familiar with the aphorism "There are no ATHEIST in foxholes". Wikipedia explains that it's used to argue that "in times of extreme stress or fear, such as when participating in warfare, all people will believe in or hope for a higher power." Make sense. Nice crossing with DEISM (40D: Belief in a non-intervening God), belief in God through reason, a type of theism.

48A: Prepares to shoot: AIM. Not fond of the clue due to PREPARED (50A: Ready).

57A: Insolvent S&L company: WAMU (Washington Mutual). Biggest bank failure in U.S. history.

58A: Roman road: ITER (IT-air). Root for itinerary.

60A: Novelist Hunter: EVAN. Oh, it's he who wrote the screenplay for "The Birds". Unknown to me.

63A: Archaeology projects: DIGS

Down:

1D: Austria's second largest city: GRAZ (Gräts). No idea. Vienna is the largest city obviously. Arnold Schwarzenegger was born and raised in a farming village 2km from GRAZ. Don't wait. He won't be back.

4D: Agricultural worker: FARM HAND

5D: State without proof: ALLEGE

6D: Train maker in the National Toy Hall of Fame: LIONEL. Did not know there is a Toy Hall of Fame.

7D: Dirt bike relatives, briefly: ATVS (All-Terrain Vehicles)

8D Friend of Fidel: CHE (Guevara)

11D: Playful swimmer: OTTER

12D: Computer shortcut: MACRO. What is MACRO? I strung the answer together from Across fills.

13D: Revolutionary Allen: ETHAN. American Revolutionary War patriot.

25D: New Balance rival: AVIA. Latin for "fly".

28D: Barrier at a zoo: MOAT

29D: Big name in chips: INTEL. Dummy, I thought of potato chips again.

32D: Chicken __: deep fried dish: KIEV. Have never tried Chicken KIEV.

33D: Wood-shaping tool: ADZE. Or ADZ.

36D: Navigators and Explorers: SUVS. By Ford. Good clue.

37D: "Cool" rap artist?: ICE-T. Good clue too.

38D: Couldn't make up one's mind: SEESAWED. Like Hamlet. "To be, or not to be".

42D: Poe's "rare and radiant maiden": LENORE. From "The Raven".

43D: Self-defense method: KARATE. 空手. Literally "empty hand". Kara = empty. Te = hand.

44D: Family reunion attendees: NIECES

45D: Chalmers' business partner: ALLIS. ALLIS-Chalmers, the farming equipment manufacturer. Windhover mentioned this brand before. But I forgot.

47D: Philosopher who was a pioneer of German idealism: HEGEL. He certainly influenced Karl Marx's and later on Chairman Mao's philosophy. And yours as well, Windhover?

52D: Cyberzine: EMAG

53D: Pressures for payment: DUNS. Learned this word while working for Pinkerton. Fraud & due diligence investigation is hard and not fun.

55D: Battery buys: AAS

56D: Cavs' and Mavs' org.: NBA. Nice rhyme. Shaq is now with the Cavs, hopefully he will "win a ring for the King".

Answer grid.

C.C.