google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner

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Mar 2, 2012

Friday, March 2, 2012, Frank Virzi

Theme: HAM ON RYE, this puzzle cuts the mustard. Click here to see the gimmick. For all of you who do not like cross referential cluing, this puzzle was not kosher, as the letters HAM are hidden in each of three theme answers, and RYE are hidden in three answers physically directly below. The reveal hint coming so early made all the difference for me, as I had no clue until I saw the first two long answers and went back and forth looking for a common element and the HAM popped pot. Then I realized looking for the Catcher in the RYE. Like last week, our theme answers come in pairs. This was my third straight puzzle from a constructor we have not seen for a year, and coincidentally the one who create the previous TV show TITLE PUZZLE; let us begin. Another combination of words and pictures

17A. Source of mints, at times: CHAMBER MAID. This is really cute and I had to wait until the down were down.
20A. 7-Across destination, eventually: DRYER. What if you like to hang the laundry outside in the fresh air?

They line up, so the HAM is on the RYE.

39A. It prohibits illegal search and seizure: FOURTH AMENDMENT. This was a gimme for me, and gave me the theme, as the run on word is a staple in crostic such as those featured in the Sunday London Times, and some Sunday NY Times Magazines.
41A. The recent past: YESTERYEAR. Am I the only one who thinks of the Lone Ranger?

60A. Subject of a 1922 archaeological discovery: TUTANKHAMUN.
64A. Some chickens: FRYERS. I wonder if they know when they are growing up what they are?

19A. With "on" and 59-Across, a hint to the theme hidden in three places in this puzzle: HAM. 59A. See 19-Across: RYE.

Notice HAM and RYE are symmetrically placed?

On to the show:

ACROSS:

1. Stands: ABIDES. Many of you do not abide by these type of puzzles.

7. Load in a basket: WASH. Some of you may be more familiar with the term laundry.

11. Label: TAG.

14. Busts: BOSOMS. Well okay, let us get right to the heart of the matter. Dennis, for your examination...NIPPLEGATE (1:05)
15. Potent introduction?: OMNIpotent. A powerful clue.

16. Nabokov novel : ADA. An interesting but shocking BOOK, from the author of dear LO-li-ta
(hello) Jeannie, written when he was almost 70.

21. New York City's __ River: EAST. The rivers are why Manhattan is an island; can you name them all?

22. Chowderhead: DOPE. I think Mr. V. is from Massachusetts, so we get some chow-dah.

23. They often accompany stretches: YAWNS. I was looking for something tricky to do with jail time.

25. "I Loves You, Porgy" and others: DUETS. There are so many versions, but none netter than BILLIE (2:46). You like the cross with 25D. Pair: DUAD. Okay a Friday word, never heard of it. Also from Greek, meaning two, just like DUET.

26. House on TV, e.g.: DOCTOR. One of last weeks TV shows.

30. Poker star Hansen: GUS. Scandinavian star of the World Poker Tour.

31. River from the Cantabrian Mountains: EBRO. Didn't we just see this Spanish FLOWER?

32. Invasion leaders of the '60s: THE BEATLES. What is your favorite song? I think of them as...

42. Huit + trois: ONZE. 8 + 3 in French, our lesson of the day.

43. __-Aztecan languages: UTO. We studied the HOPI in sociology when I was in college.

44. Buyer, in legal usage: EMPTOR. CAVEAT EMPTOR, buyer beware. Literal translation from Latin. Unlike SEMPER UBI, SUB UBI.

46. Love: ADORE. Je t'aime, je t'adore.

49. Roundup need: LASSO. Lariat is longer.

52. Zoom: RACE. The verb.

53. Sub: HERO. The grinder, the elongated sandwich (or should I say shrewsbury?)

54. Once and again: TWICE. Again a cute clue.

62. Santa __ winds: ANA. Saint Anne.

63. One who often doesn't pick up?: SLOB. Oscar Madison.

65. Craving: YEN. I want lots of Japanese currency.

66. Show closers, perhaps: PANS. Bad reviews often spell the demise of shows.

67. Balmoral attraction: CASTLE. One of the Queen's places in Scotland.


DOWN:

1. Start of a tots' song: ABCD. A less offensive letter string clue?

2. 1922 physics Nobelist: BOHR. Proving knowledge is where you find it, I learned about this man from reading Martha Grimes' mysteries and watching The Big Bang Theory.

3. "__, old chap!": I SAY. A nice shout out to Nice Cuppa and our newbie Steve.

4. Taj Mahal topper: DOME. Which erection do you like better, Balmoral or:

5. Developmental stage : EMBRYO. An anagram of MY EBRO.

6. Prescott-to-Tempe dir.: SSE. Arizona cities.

7. Smith attendee: WOMAN. One of only seven remaining all women COLLEGES. Another hint Mr. V. is from Massachusetts.

8. Round up: AMASS. See, what did I tell you! Don't have a ...

9. Hissy fit: SNIT. Just because I am silly. It is a trait I never...

10. Went underground: HID.

11. Attraction near U.S. 395: TAHOE. The city, the lake? One of my favorite places in the US.

12. Go with the flow: ADAPT.

13. Jenga and jacks: GAMES. I have never played either.

18. Remote letters: REWind. Letters on your remote control.

22. Broom alternative: DUST MOP. Not to be confused with RAGG MOPP (2:31) from a few weeks ago.

24. Prefix with -pod: ARTHRO. From the Greek meaning joint, the pods are the insects, arachnids etc of the universe. We all know the prefix from Arthritis, which means inflamed joint.

26. Challenge: DEFY.

27. Clarinet cousin: OBOE. Gee, and I saw them kissing.

28. French vineyards: CRUS. Oops, more French, from the word croître; also can be used to show a good vintage, e.g. premier cru.

29. Agony: TORTURE. Are we having fun, or are we in agony?

30. Blues and others: GENRES. Maybe some JAZZ? (1:48).

33. It's cut and dried: HAY. Hey, Windhover.

34. Morph ending: EME. I wants me my shot of MORPHEME? No, THIS. All of our English teachers happy?

35. Emmy-winning Arthur: BEA. A Golden Girl Maude.

36. Provided temporarily: LENT. What did our Catholic friends give up this year?

37. Auto designer Ferrari: ENZO. Should be a gimme by now.

38. Prank ending: STER. Oh Frank you prankster.

40. Head of Québec: TETE. More French, he must be from near Worcester or Southbridge where so many Canadians live.

45. Lepidopterous opponent of Godzilla: MOTHRA. When I was 10 I used to go to my Uncle's house to watch these movies while he slept.



46. Orderly grouping: ARRAY. Man, I thought it said orderly groping, and I was figuring it must be how the Amish make out, or what Nurses do in the hallway. Hearti?

47. "Tell It to My Heart" singer Taylor: DAYNE. A LINK for everyone. (3:44).

48. Expanse with crests: OCEAN. My bathroom did not fit.

49. Reveal: LET ON.

50. Most Syrians: ARABS.

51. Cain was the first: SON. Murderer also did not fit.

53. Dance with flowing gestures: HULA. Two weeks in a row, you coming back to visit K-man?

55. Distance: WAYS. Well we have have come quite a ways, until...

56. "__ a man with seven wives": I MET. An old nursery rhyme riddle. I miss CA.


As I was going to St Ives
I met a man with seven wives
Every wife had seven sacks
Every sack had seven cats
Every cat had seven kits
Kits, cats, sacks, wives
How many were going to St Ives.


57. Forearm exercise: CURL. Eh, more for the biceps.

58. Start of Massachusetts's motto: ENSE. My final piece of evidence your honor for my case that Mr. Virzi if from the Commonwealth. We had the clue recently: "Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem." (Latin) By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty.

60. Medicine amt.: TSP. of sugar makes the medicine go down.

61. "Original, crispy or grilled?" co.: KFC. Kentucky Fried Chicken. My only one of the day; not Kentucky's Fat Colonel. I love their coleslaw, and delivered for them many moons ago.

Answer grid.

Wowee kazowie: Another Friday puzzle in the record books; mostly pretty easy, but then when I blog I do not time myself as I stop and get links as I solve, so who really knows. Enjoy the week end all, and I hope Hank is okay Mainiac, and you as well Creature and all the rest of the wounded warriors in our troop. Lemonade, over and out see you all laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaatttttter.