Sunday June 6, 2010 Jim Page

Theme: Taketh Away - TH is dropped (taken away) from common phrases.

27A. Reason for a burglar to take aspirin?: (TH)ROBBING HEADACHE. Throbbing Headache. Fun clue/answer.

35A. Display a casual shirt?: SHOW ONE'S TEE (TH). Show One's Teeth.

53A. One who sings during meals?: MUSICAL (TH)EATER. Musical Theater. The answer feels a bit strained to me.

60A. Where to buy "Splitting Up For Dummies"?: (TH) RIFT STORE. Thrift Store.

74A. Reaction to a New Year's Day birth?: JANUARY (TH) AW. January Thaw.

85A. Salamander coverage?: (TH) EFT INSURANCE. Theft Insurance. Very unexpected TH drop. Loved the answer.

97A. Defy a parent?: CROSS ONE'S PA (TH). Cross One's Path. I don't know cross can mean "defy". Not fond of two ONE'S in the theme answers (see 35A).

109A. Corn that may or may not be eaten?: EAR (TH) IN THE BALANCE. Does the base phrase refer to Al Gore's "Earth in the Balance"?

Some TH are dropped from the beginning of the phrase, some from the end, some from the middle (though still the beginning/end of a word). Good variety. Nice puzzle title too.

Must be a bear to construct a Sunday puzzle. 144 words (362 letters) are a lot to grid. Our average weekday puzzles normally have no more than 78 words.

Favorite clue today is COAT (113D. You might wear it out). Brilliant. Did the puzzle wear you out?

Across:

1. GM line until 2004: OLDS

5. "You're making __ mistake!": A BIG. Several partials today.

9. Coming-out parties: DEBS

13. Value: ESTEEM. The answer is never REGARD, which has the same number of letters.

19. Mariner or Mountaineer, briefly: MERC. Mercury SUVs. Stumper.

20. Moon over Milano: LUNA. Italian for "moon". Luna = Roman moon goddess. Alliteration.

21. Jazz giant, familiarly: ELLA (Fitzgerald). Not Utah Jazz.

22. Annoyingly small: MEASLY

23. Lago filler: AGUA. Spanish for water.

24. Animated bug film: ANTZ. 1998 move. This has become a gimme to me.

25. Cyberseller's site: EBAY

26. Like some champagne glasses: FLUTED. Cheers!

31. Joe Louis, e.g.: ARENA. Home of the Detroit Red Wings (NHL). Unknown to me. I could only think of BOXER.

32. "Gigi" author: COLETTE. Dennis quoted her a few times.

33. Cassis cocktail: KIR. Named after the Canon Felix Kir, the guy who created the drink.

34. "Bummer": SO SAD

39. Checkup responses: AHS

41. What Forum addresses were in: LATIN. The ancient Forum in Rome.

42. Mr. __!: old detective game: REE. No idea. Some Ebay seller claims it's a board game that inspired Clue.

43. Log opening.: EPI. Epilog. The spelling checks wants epilogue.

46. Prepare pupils for an exam?: DILATE. Without the question mark, the clue works fine too.

51. Israeli arms: UZIS

52. Mama bear: Span.: OSA. Would prefer "Spanish". "Span." suggested an abbreviated answer.

56. "Me, __ & Irene": 2000 film: MYSELF

58. Noshed: SNACKED

59. "Take __ face value": IT AT

63. Legal precedent: TEST CASE. A joyful fill for Hahtool & Lemonade.

66. Texter's "Lordy!": OMG

69. Cagney's "Yankee Doodle Dandy" role: COHAN. The movie is about George M. Cohan.

70. '60s activist Bobby: SEALE. Black Panthers co-founder.

71. Hi-__ graphics: RES

72. Trip acquisition: SOUVENIR

78. "Assuming that ..." IF SO

79. Net income earner?: ETAILER. Internet. Nice clue.

81. With hands on hips: AKIMBO. Like her posture.

88. OED entries: WDS. Words.

90. Arrow groove: NOCK. No idea. It refers to the top notch at the end of the arrow.

91. Got a little hoarse at the race, maybe: ROOTED. True!

92. Seaside bird: ERN

93. Moo goo __ pan: GAI. Gai = Chicken in Chinese. Wild Gai is slang for prostitute.

94. Take place: OCCUR

95. Buckeyes' sch.: OSU. Hello Buckeye!

100.Seat belt, e.g. : STRAP

104.Shakespeare contemporary: KYD (Thomas). No idea. Maybe Clear Ayes knows this guy.

107.Funny DVD feature: OUTTAKE

108."Love Story" author Segal: ERICH. I did not know that Al Gore inspired "Love Story" until his recent break-up with his wife.

115.Sailor with "muskles": POPEYE. Yeah, why didn't he say "I sweet potato what I sweet potato"?

117.Jay's home: NEST. The real bird. Thought it might refer to Toronto Blue Jays.

118.__ to one's neck: IN UP

119.Textile machine: LOOM

120.Fends off: AVERTS

121.Disney lioness: NALA. In "The Lion King".

122."__ fan tutte": COSI. Mozart opera. Literally "Thus do all (women"). "Women are like that".

123.Coventry carriage: PRAM. British for baby stroller. Coventry is a city in England. Unknown to me.

124.Microscope parts: LENSES

125.Computer since 1998: IMAC

126.Some Fr. martyrs: STES. Saintes.

127.Like some feed: OATY. Not enough space for VIDEO/AUDIO.

Down:

1. Actor Epps: OMAR

2. Versatile block: LEGO

3. Clobber: DRUB

4. Healing sign: SCAB. No SCAB/SCAR hesitation today.

5. Family support group: AL-ANON. What does AL stand for?

6. They botch jobs: BUNGLERS. Ah, OK.

7. Where there are too many fish, as per a 1964 hit: IN THE SEA. "Too Many Fish in the Sea" by The Marvelettes. Not in my radar. Here is the clip.

8. Newspaper name: GAZETTE

9. One of The Ramones: DEE DEE. Nailed it.

10. Island off Tuscany: ELBA

11. __ belt: BLACK

12. Acknowledge a passerby: SAY HI

13. "Unbelievable" band: EMF. Indie band from the UK. Another stranger to me.

14. Ethiopian messiah: SELASSIE. Haile Selassie.

15. Bullish start?: TAURO. Prefix for "bull". Rooted in Taurus.

16. __ Park, Colorado: ESTES

17. "The Mask of Zorro" heroine: ELENA. Nope. Maybe Bill G knows. He loves Catherine Zeta-Jones.

18. 1962 Paul Petersen hit: MY DAD. Here is the song. I was clueless.

28. Screen picture: ICON

29. Scarfed down: ATE

30. Horse and buggy __ : ERA. Refers to the 19th and early 20th centuries. Before the advent of the automobile.

35. Run-down area: SLUM

36. Lacking clarity: HAZY

37. Bluesman Redding: OTIS. Hello Otis the Bear!

38. More erudite: WISER

40. "Good" cholesterol, briefly: HDL

43. Opal finish?: ESCE. Opalesce. Verb. I only know opalescent.

44. Water__: dental gadget: PIK. Not a familiar gadget to me.

45. Picnic pitcherful: ICE TEA. Alas, another D-less Iced Tea.

47. Nonclerical: LAIC

48. Floral perfume: ATTAR. Rose oil.

49. Pull one's leg: TEASE

50. Some Deco works: ERTES

52. Go __ a tangent: OFF ON

53. 6 on a handset: MNO

54. Former Mideast org.: UAR (United Arab Republic). Old Egypt-Syr. alliance (1958-1961).

55. "Be __ ...": A DEAR

57. Tiny parasites: LICE

58. D.C.'s Union, e.g.: STN

61. Exiled South Vietnamese president: THIEU (Tyoo). I can never remember his name.

62. ''Nausea'' novelist: SARTRE

64. __ a fox: SLY AS

65. Weather-resistant wood: TEAK

66. Basketmaking branch: OSIER. Here are some red osier.

67. Diva Anna: MOFFO. Nope. Have never heard of this lady. Strange name.

68. Keen enjoyment: GUSTO

70. California's Big __: SUR

73. Soccer ball brand: VOIT. No idea. Named after the founder William J Voit.

74. Islamic spirit: JINN. Quite a few variant spellings of this spirit.

75. Still product: Abbr. : ALC. Gee, alcohol.

76. Bridal page word: NEE

77. React to a shot, say: WINCE

80. Swiss river: AAR

82. Soft shoes: MOCS

83. Victoria's Secret spec: B-CUP. I am sure Dennis wants D-CUP. How about you, Argyle?

84. Cajun staple: OKRA

86. One starting out: NEOPHYTE. Awesome fill.

87. Radical campus gp.: SDS (Students for a Democratic Society)

88. Start of an adage about economy: WASTE NOT. Want not. I like the answer.

89. Rid, as of false ideas: DISABUSE

93. Some Hawthorne works: GOTHICS

94. Like the lama, but not the llama, in a Nash poem: ONE L

96. Lei wearer's strings: UKE. Not the string I have in mind

97. Cold relief caplet: CONTAC. Not enough space for DayQuil.

98. Bad place to be stuck: RUT

99. Giraffe cousins: OKAPIS. Barb B used to like this picture.

100.Usually green flower part: SEPAL

101.Treasure hoard: TROVE

102.Go from green to red, often: RIPEN. Lovely clue. Echo the "green" in 100D.

103.Their service is impeccable: ACERS. Tennis.

105.One-named Greek singer: YANNI

106.Hope: DREAM

110.Mallorca, for one: ISLA. Not familiar with Majorca (Mallorca in Spanish), the largest island of Spain.

111.Kal Kan rival: ALPO

112.Director Ephron: NORA. I liked her "Sleepless in Seattle".

114.Award for Tina Fey: EMMY

116.Basic center?: ESS. The center S in the word Basic.

Answer grid.

C.C.

Saturday June 5, 2010 Robert H. Wolfe

Theme: None

Total words: 72

Total blocks: 34

Quintessential Robert Wolfe themeless, with three 15-letter grid spanners and all of them "common enough phrases in daily speech but rarely used in puzzles":

17A. Daydreams: CASTLES IN THE AIR. Awe-inspiring fill.

38A. Reaction to a coincidental entrance: SPEAK OF THE DEVIL. My favorite answer today.

58A. Declaration that's from hunger: I COULD EAT A HORSE. Then we also have ATE (6D. Took in). Tiny flaw. Two forms of the same word (EAT/ATE) should not be allowed in the same grid.

Besides the three grid-spanners, Bob also gives us ten 9-letter entries. He is fond of multi-word answers, so we have plenty today. His playfulness & humor are also in full display. Rafts of misleading clues. My favorite is INFRA (28D. Red head?). Infrared.

Across:

1. "Something's Got a Hold on Me" singer, 1962: ETTA JAMES. Was stumped immediately. Great to see her full name.

10. Bar at the bar: ESTOP. The first bar is verb, "prohibit", the second bar is noun, "the court". We often see it just clued as "Legally prevent".

15. It "ain't what it used to be": Yogi Berra: THE FUTURE. Makes sense.

16. Birch of "Alaska": THORA. Actress Thora Birch. I thought the clue was asking for a particular birch tree in the Alaska. Completely overlooked the quotation mark. Having never heard of the movie "Alaska" did not help.

19. Cry of exhilaration: WHEE

20. Like an irritated person's teeth?: SET ON EDGE. Awesome clue/answer.

21. What U can follow: RST. Alphabetically.

23. White House nickname: RON. Reagan. I wanted IKE.

24. Musician nicknamed "Sugar Lips": HIRT (Al).

27. Try to jab: HIT AT

31. Dose people?: DEM. "Those people" = Them. NY slang I presume. Dis and Dat, Dem and Dose.

34. Like the Indian rhino: ONE-HORNED. Man, it's true. This guy only has one horn.

36. Uncle equal?: I GIVE. V-8 moment for me.

40. Upholstery adornments: TUFTS

41. Plant grafting component: ROOTSTOCK. New word to me.

42. Hampshire's home: STY. Hampshire the breed of pig, characterized by erect ears and a black body with a whitish band around the middle, covering the front legs, according to Wikipedia. I thought it's kind of sheep or goat, Windhover.

43. 1966-67 AFL rushing leader Jim: NANCE. No idea. I bet Barry G/ Mainiac knows. Did not even know England patriots was called Boston Patriots before.

44. DOJ employee: ATTY. DOJ = Depart of Justice.

45. 'Enry's abode: 'OME. Home. The sound H is dropped in the clue/answer. Cockney accent.

47. Ink __: octopus defense: SAC

49. Alfalfa locales: HAYFIELDS. Windhover would love this puzzle.

55. "Verily, thou __ God that hidest thyself" (Isaiah): ART A. Easy guess.

61. It may be metered: VERSE. Fantastic clue.

62. Above: AFORESAID

63. Glacial ridge: ESKER. Simply forgot. We had this fill before.

64. Doesn't draw: STANDS PAT. I don't get the meaning of "draw" here.

Down:

1. Inclusive abbr. : ETC

2. Cold war abatement: THAW

3. Radio host John: TESH. New Ager.

4. Then: AFTER THAT

5. First name in sci-fi: JULES (Verne). "Around the World in Eighty Days".

7. Tousle: MUSS

8. Ohio tribe: ERIE. We also have TETON (29. Dakota dialect). Indian tribes are part of our citizenship test also. There are more than 500 federally recognized tribes in the US. But you only need to know one.

9. Directed: SENT

10. Centric leader: ETHNO. Prefix for "culture".

11. Polish: SHEEN. Noun "Polish". I wanted SHINE.

12. Loathsome sort: TOAD

13. Copier insert: Abbr.: ORIG

14. Skin: PARE. Verb "skin". So tricky.

18. Actionable offense: TORT

22. During, old-style: THRO. How can "through" mean "During"? "Via" to me.

24. Armies: HOSTS. Armies/hosts of.

25. Data, often: INPUT. Not the "Star Trek" guy Data.

26. Like atolls: REEFY. A real word.

30. For this purpose: AD HOC

31. Displacement from a club: DIVOT. D'oh, golf club! Divot is the piece of turf torn up when you strike the ball with an iron.

32. Force out: EVICT. Nice sequential "out" tone to 31D.

33. Braves outfielder Cabrera: MELKY. The Melky Way. He's with the Yankees before. Might be stranger Jayce.

35. Blesses: OKS

36. They may be checked at the door: IDS

37. Be convincing about: GET ACROSS

39. Soissons seasons: ETES. Alliteration. Soissons is city northeast of Paris. Unknown to me. So close in spelling to French fish "poisson".

43. Requirement: NEED

45. Not worthless: OF USE

46. Sebastian Coe, e.g. : MILER

48. Sounded amazed: AAHED. Oohed too.

49. Swarming spot: HIVE. Alliteration

50. They can be high or low: ACES. Don't know cards. TIDE does not fit. Several tricky "they" or "it" in today's puzzle.

51. Walled English city: YORK. No idea. My hometown Xi'An is walled too.

52. Where cows chow down: LEAS. Loved the three "ow"s.

53. Bats: DAFT. Of course I was thinking of baseball bats/HITS.

54. Acropolis sight: STOA. The Greek portico.

56. Under-the-sink item: TRAP. What trap?

57. Land of plenty?: ASIA. Plenty of people. Natural resources too.

59. Hal Foster prince: ARN. I am used to the "Prince Valiant's son" clue. Was ignorant of the creator of the strip.

60. Summer hrs. at MIT: EDT (Eastern Daylight-saving Time)

Answer grid.

C.C.