Saturday, Apr 14th, 2012, Mark Bickham

Theme: None (Egypt~?)

Words: 70

Blocks: 28

This is my first blogging of Mr. Bickham, and it may be Mark's first LAT Saturday (indeed anywhere, since I don't follow any other crossword blogs), and his last appearances here were a Wednesday in March with "Body Types", and the "hidden trees" puzzle from Sunday, Feb 5th. Lots of blank boxes after my first pass, but with a few minor changes and re-fill, I was able to get on his wavelength. Two spanners, and one climber;

34A. Start-up processes : INITIALIZATIONS

41A. 1991 film in which both lead actresses got Oscar nominations (neither of them won) : THELMA AND LOUISE - did not see the movie; actresses Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis lost to Jodie Foster for her role in "Silence of the Lambs"; I do know that Brad Pitt got his 'break' here - he was paid $6000 for the role.

8D. View opposed by the intelligent design movement : DARWINIAN THEORY - I am not going to start a religious debate; Darwin's Theory is that of natural selection in evolution - and leave it at that....

And ON WARD ~!

ACROSS:

1. Campy dance gesture : JAZZ HANDS - never heard this "move" called as such- Image

10. Puts up : HANGS

15. Like capybaras and piranhas : AMAZONIAN

16. Exercise output : SWEAT

17. Caution to one who overlooks you? : DON'T STARE

18. Button material : NACRE

19. Tom, Dick or Harry : ANYONE

20. Twisted, as a grin : WRY - ah, not SLY

22. "Get a __!" : GRIP - ah, not "Life"

23. Wall map insert : PIN - ah, not "KEY"

24. "Like __ not ..." : IT OR - hey, this one was right the first time ~!

26. CIA progenitor : O.S.S. - "53A", I had OAS - the Wiki

27. __-to : HOW - ah, not "SET"

30. One of the Poor Clares : NUN

32. Oracle city : DELPHI - "53A", I goofed trying to fit "Adelphi" (University here on LI)

38. Minute groove : STRIA

39. Highland turndown : NAE

40. Fill again, as a flat : RE-LET - I was really, really hoping this was not going to be "Re-Air", as in filling a "flat" tire.....

44. Lab verification : RE-TEST

45. "Four Quartets" poet's monogram : TSE - This guy

46. Abbr. on old maps : SSR - Soviet Socialist Republic

47. Stevedores' org. : ILA - International Longshoreman's Assoc.

48. Promise : OATH

50. Friend of Pepé Le Pew : AMI

53. "My bad!" : OOPS

55. Directly : DUE - as in "due North"

56. Classic theater name : PALACE

60. Something often intended? : NO PUN

62. Semimonthly period, roughly : FORTNIGHT - Two weeks - I know this because both my parents are British, and used this phrase often

64. Grenoble's river : ISERE

65. U.S. official whose office has been vacant for more than nine of the last 50 years : TREASURER - I did not know that; I can think of some "other" offices that seem to be "vacant", too....

66. Gives up : CEDES

67. Bring order to : SYSTEMIZE

DOWN:

1. "Ali" actress __ Pinkett Smith : JADA - Wife of Will Smith, whose MIB³ comes out next month

2. Main Theban deity : AMON - various spellings, but basically, Egyptian

3. Buffoon : ZANY

4. "Afterburner" band : ZZ TOP - The follow-up to "Eliminator", with all their pop hits, I love this one from Afterburner

5. Egypt's Mubarak : HOSNI -more Egypt

6. WiFi necessity : ANTENNA - usually built-in

7. Actress Vardalos : NIA



9. Kvack's housemate : SNERT - ah, Hägar the Horrible

10. TV mall, basically : HSN - Home Shopping Network

11. Like tongues in a gabfest : AWAG - Did not need a "WAG" to get this one (but it did change my "life" to grip")

12. Giza attraction including the Great Pyramids : NECROPOLIS - literally, "death city" - more Egypt

13. Flash : GARISHNESS

14. Folk tale meany : STEP-SISTER

21. "Judge me by my size, do you?" speaker : YODA

25. Back in : RETRO

27. Melodramatic : HISTRIONIC

28. Running amok : ON THE LOOSE

29. Bugged : WIRE-TAPPED

31. Wrist-to-elbow bone : ULNA

33. Substitute word : LIEU

35. Cedar shake alternative : TILE

36. Insistent retort : I AM SO

37. Puzzle pieces, in Sydney? : ZEDS - "Zee" tiles in Scrabble; I watch the UK version of Top Gear; they use Zed, too, and the word coupé - with the "E" pronounced; makes a slick car like the "280ZX" sound awkward.... (Added later: There are two Z's in Puzzle.

42. Not very much : A TAD

43. Really went for : LEAPT AT

49. Massachusetts university : TUFTS - hey - it's an .edu site~!

51. Parsonage : MANSE

52. Largest pelvic bone : ILIUM

54. Guaranteed : SURE

57. Business head? : AGRI -business

58. Bistro awning word : CHEZ

59. Peut-__: French "maybe" : ETRE

61. Video game letters : NES - Nintendo Entertainment System

63. Hi-__ graphics : RES - no Hi-Res graphics on your NES; but they were for its time

Answer grid.

Splynter

Notes from C.C.:

1) Today's constructor Mark Bickham is Placematfan on the blog.

2) I got this email from Norma Rosenfield of Marbles: The Brain Store

CROSSWORD TOURNAMENT NEWS

What: Marbles: The Brain Store’s Fourth Annual Crossword Tournament featuring unpublished NYT crosswords by Will Shortz

Who: Marbles: The Brain Store – www.marblesthebrainstore.com

When: Saturday, April 28, 2012

Where: FOUR LOCATIONS

• Mall of America in Bloomington, MN
• Mall in Columbia, MD
• Philadelphia/King of Prussia Mall
• Downtown Chicago, IL at 55 East Grand Ave.
  

Complete details here: http://www.marblesthebrainstore.com/crossword-tournament-2012/

Friday April 13, 2012, Gareth Bain

Theme: ELVIS is in the house! What a fun theme for those of us who love anagrams, as each of the four central theme answers begin or end with an anagram of ELVIS. Perhaps on this Friday the 13th, the mystery of the true end of Elvis inspired the most competent and prolific Mr. Bain , who does lots of blogging and comments himself in addition to entertaining us with his work. Is it not fascinating how this all fit together, albeit in a 16 x 15 grid to allow the wonderful central theme answer and the unifier which brings back memories of the horror which was expressed when I was a child and Elvis first shook those hips. The first two have the anagram first, the last two at the end. Well be careful, here we go....

19A. *Casual-wear brand since 1873 (10) : LEVI'S JEANS.

25A. *Enters a witness protection program, say (11) : LIVES IN FEAR. Nice clue.

42A. *Compromised choice (16) : LESSER OF TWO EVILS. Like I said a sixteen letter answer which led to the grid.

58A. *Wedding shop array (11) : BRIDAL VEILS. Is it true women wear them to hide the inevitable zit in the middle of the forehead on the wedding day?

64A. Song that first topped the charts on 4/13/1957...or how its singer's name appears in the answers to starred clue (10) : ALL SHOOK UP. (1:51). Not many recordings of his early work.

Let us see where we go today.

Across:

1. In tears, say (5) : MOVED. Like Masters champ, BUBBA. Tricky start.

6. NPR's Totenberg (4) : NINA. The journalist most associated with the Supreme Court. During her long career she broke the Clarence Thomas/Anita Hill story. Also a tough beginning.

10. Pasta grain (5) : WHEAT. The base ingredient of of flour, even in Matzo.

15. Greenish shade (5) : OLIVE. Military uniforms, for example.

16. Hemoglobin material (4) : IRON. The same one found in the ground.

17. Like healthy soil (5) : WORMY. True but really an obscure fact.

18. Pie nut (5) : PECAN. Really nice clue, not the one who loves it, the one in it.

21. Work on film (4) : EDIT. So many choices beyond just movies,

23. Betwixt (4) : AMID. Mother used to say betwixt and between.

24. Familia member (3) : TIO. Spanish for Uncle.

29. Maine ___ cat (4) : COON. For all our kitty lovers (yes I know) LINK the first breed to win the cat show. A black one cross our paths? Oh oh.

30. Unbeatable service (3) : ACE. Pete Sampras' specialty.

31. Morlock prey (4) : ELOI. H.G. Wells will live forever in puzzles. As will 53D. Hollywood's Mimieux (6) : YVETTE.

32. Sister of Rachael (4) : LEAH. Both married to Jacob.

34. More than serious (4) : DIRE. Often associated with STRAITS. (9:47) It is long but but the anthem for this puzzle, fer sure!

36. Presaging times (4) : EVES. I guess this means passing from day to night.

38. Skin-care brand with a "For Men" line (5) : NIVEA.

46. Take off the TiVo (5) : ERASE. My cousin came to visit and while I was working she watched a movie I had recorded, when I came home I was rather shocked to learn she had erased the movie. What do you think?

47. Encrust, in a way (4) : SEAR. You can pan sear tuna in a crushed cashew crust. Yum.

48. Goddess of discord (4) : ERIS. This ONE, it is easier in Latin where she is Discordia and her opposite in Concordia.

49. Obi-Wan player (4) : ALEC. Not Baldwin, but Guiness, a great ACTOR.

52. On the road (4) : AWAY. Not this week.

54. "Imagine that!" (3) : GEE. Gosh.

55. Wyoming city near Yellowstone (4) : CODY. It is named for Buffalo Bill.

61. Distortion, perhaps (3) : LIE. That distortion Bubba had on the second hole of the playoff was wicked.

62. Little songbird (4) : WREN. Like THIS.

63. City on the Aare (4) : BERN. It should Bern you up if you forget this Swiss city.

68. Blink of an eye (5) : TRICE. Word has been around for centuries.

71. Bench clearer (5) : MELEE. From the French, and cousin to medley.

72. Pickup schtick (4) : LINE. I had a friend who used to ask girls if they liked cheese, but that was a long time ago.

73. "L'chaim!" is one (5) : TOAST. לחיים. Remember, Hebrew is read from right to left; it means to life, and so much more.

74. Seafood serving (5) : PRAWN. The shrimp was just a prawn in his game.

75. Author Blyton (4) : ENID. This WRITER was said to be more liked than JK Rowling, Jane Austen and, dare I say Shakespeare!

76. Els of the PGA (5) : ERNIE. The big easy. Along with Gary Player, this South African is a national hero who has a golf school which produced close friends Charl Scwartzel and Louie Oosthuizen. A bit of pride from our constructor.

Down:

1. Unruly do (3) : MOP. Hairdo that is.

2. Cry after Real Madrid scores (3) : OLE. Really, I thought it was Goal, Goal, Goal. We also have another 'football' reference from our South African constructor, 6D. Zero, in Real Madrid scores (3) : NIL.

3. With the order switched (9) : VICE VERSA. I'll take the vice, you can have the versa.

4. Give the slip (5) : EVADE. It seemed like so many "V"s in this puzzle.

5. 1990 Robert Frost Medal recipient Levertov (6) : DENISE. This British born but American POET is worth reading. CA, you out there? Poetry was one of my passions in college.

7. Fuming state (3) : IRE.

8. Super stars? (5) : NOVAE. Cute clue, misleading as the stars are exploding. Interestingly, we also have 27D. De ___: from square one (4) : NOVO. A standard for judges when reviewing lower court opinions, literally from of new. Are the words related?

9. Twisted balloon shape, often (6) : ANIMAL. So many long skinny dogs...

10. Christian bracelet letters (4) : WWJD. At last What Would Jesus Do.

11. Weed whacker (3) : HOE. The old fashioned way, no strings attached.

12. Muse for Yeats (5) : ERATO. I do not know the life story of this major POET but Erato was a muse by profession, it is what she did. I wonder if Yeats fascination with mysticism was the inspiration for his inclusion in this Friday the 13th offering.

13. OB/GYN test (5) : AMNIOcentesis. When the men see the needle, they are very glad they are men.

14. Boxer with a cameo in "The Hangover" (5) : TYSON. Watch the CLIP.

20. Produce offspring (4) : SIRE. Not to be confused with DIRE.

22. Floor installer (5) : TILER. very literal.

25. Tureen utensil (5) : LADLE. You pretty much need to know what a tureen is.

26. Less chummy (5) : ICIER. Another ICE QUEEN?(4:24)

28. Feudal estates (5) : FIEFS.

29. Onion kin (5) : CHIVE. I thought I heard singing in refrigerator, but it was just Chive Talkin'

33. Suffix with oct- (3) : ANE. Good gas clue.

35. History test section, often (5) : ESSAY. Tee?

37. Start to fast? (5) : STEADfast.

39. Zachary Taylor, by birth (9) : VIRGINIAN. So many presidents were.

40. The senior Saarinen (5) : ELIEL Not as frequent as son Eero.

41. Beasts of burden (5) : ASSES. Man, we are really hauling here.

43. Sargasso Sea denizen (3) : EEL. I will always love alliteration.

44. Trumpet effect (4) : WAWA. Wow wow Wah Wah. (5:23) JzB?

45. Toothbrush choice (5) : ORAL-B. Brush.

50. The Aragón is a tributary of it (4) : EBRO. We have had this Iberian RIVER many times.

51. Southern language (6) : CREOLE. A shout out to Hahtoolah, our bayou babe.

55. Holding device (5) : CLAMP.

56. Refueling ship (5) : OILER. One of a few "er" words in this effort.

57. Street of many mysteries (5) : DELLA. Barbara Hale. Very nice clue.

59. Finalize, as a cartoon (5) : INK IN.

60. Program problem (5) : ERROR.

62. Timely question (4) : WHEN. Nice misdirection.

65. Patch, say (3) : SEW.

66. Prefix with corn (3) : UNIcorn.

67. "Xing" one (3) : PEDestrian.

69. Popular CBS procedural (3) : CSI. Crime Scene Investigation.

70. Parisian season (3) : ETE. For once, not a Nice clue.

Answer grid.

Well, it is time for me to take my lemons and go until next week. Thank you GB for a very tough across puzzle made doable with a gentle down fill.

Thursday April 12, 2012 Bill Thompson

Theme: "Before and After". No, not those weight-reducing ads...

17A. *Place for after-dinner courses : NIGHT SCHOOL. Night cap. I need one right now...I'll never make it to trade school at this rate!

25A. *Repress : BOTTLE UP. Bottle cap...yes, pop one open for me, please! On second thought, I want to trade up to something like Remy Martin!

51A. *Skating exhibitions : ICE SHOWS. Ice cap. No thanks, Tinbeni would be horrified if I added ice!! Anyway, I can't drink while I am doing trade shows...

64A. *Delta's aptly named monthly : SKY MAGAZINE. Sky cap. Uh, I think he needs one. Maybe he should read about proper behavior for coaches in a trade magazine?

And the unifiers:

40A. See 33-Down, and word that can precede the end of the answers to starred clues : TRADE

33D. With "and" and 40-Across, emissions-reducing method whose first word (this answer) can follow the start of the answers to the starred clues : CAP. "Cap and Trade" is an environmental policy tool for delivering positive results with a mandatory cap on emissions...you have heard of your "carbon footprint", right?

Whew! This was a really convoluted theme reveal for the simple word "cap", that can follow the first words of the theme entries, and "trade", that can precede the second word. I hope the colors that I used will help you to "see" this theme. It certainly took me a few minutes before I realized the elegance of it! I blogged the last Bill Thompson LAT offering, and there was plenty of good stuff there, as well!!

Marti here, to explore the other beauties in this one.

Across:

1. Loathe : ABHOR

6. Poke into : PROBE

11. "Blue Hawaii" prop : UKE. OK, so we go back in time a bit for this one.

14. Rear : RAISE

15. Houston hockey team : AEROS

16. Frat letters : NUs. and 71A. Sorority letters : ZETAS

19. Banned pesticide : DDT

20. Magic show reaction : OOH

21. Lots : OCEANS. Tons, oodles, a whole bunch...

22. "Omertà" author : PUZO. Mario Puzo. Have you read it, Mari or Irish Miss?

23. Mystery writer John Dickson ___ : CARR.

27. Double-___: puzzle type : CROSTIC

30. German pronoun : SIE. Formal "you". Informal you is "du". But, be very careful that you never use the informal (familiar) form, until you are invited to do so!

31. When many Lyon Lions are born : AOUT. In August, in French.

32. Brownish purple : PUCE. Eeeww...that just conjures up bad images.

35. Certain commuter's aid : STRAP. On the bus. I've spent many hours hanging onto them!

39. Utter : PURE. Sheer, pure terror (like when facing an audience for the first time?)

42. Grinder : HERO. Sub, Po' Boy, Hoagie, Zep, Muffalata, Panini...What's yours?

43. Uncredited actor : EXTRA

45. Yani Tseng's org. : LPGA. Currently ranked # 1 in women's golf.

46. Home of Miami University : OHIO. Ha! Didn't fool me at all.

47. Neighbor of Leb. : ISR.ael

49. Neverending : ETERNAL

56. Fertile crescent land : IRAQ

57. Musty : DANK

58. Butter sources : CHURNS. Not nowadays, though.

60. American rival: Abbr. : UAL. United Air Lines.

63. "___ Fine Day": 1963 hit : ONE. The Chiffons, 1963. Oldie but goodie. (Ugh, I hate those YouTube ads!!)

66. Fly the coop : LAM. Usually, we hear "on the lam", but the actual meaning of "lam" is to break away, or escape.

67. Stud : HE-MAN. Like yesterday's "Ken" doll?

68. Assays : TESTS

69. Like some looks : SLY

70. Put up : ERECT. OK, I will leave this one alone...

Down:

1. River of Tuscany : ARNO. Obligatory geography lesson for the day. (Just above Florence.)

2. "Joanie Loves Chachi" co-star : BAIO. Scott. This "kid". My guess, is that Joanie is the one on the left?

3. Hearer of final appeals : HIGH COURT. Lemon and Hahtoolah can expand...

4. ___ Kosh B'Gosh : OSH. I never liked this clue/ans. "Kosh" and "Gosh" contain the entire thing, don't they??

5. Comeback : RETORT

6. Go to and fro : PACE

7. Post-op program : REHAB

8. Maine campus town : ORONO. Mainiac, where've you been?

9. Promotes : BOOSTS

10. Immigrant's subj. : ESL. English as a Second Language.

11. Excessive : UNDUE

12. Invasive Japanese vine : KUDZU

13. Prevent legally : ESTOP. (See comment on 3D)

18. What ad libbers ignore : SCRIPT. Great clue! And best show with ad libbers I have ever seen.

22. Overabundance : PLETHORA

24. Star : ASTERISK. *******

26. "My country, ___ ..." : TIS of thee...

27. Horn, for one : CAPE. Another geography lesson...

28. Gravy thickener : ROUX

29. Ringlet : CURL

34. Sidle : EDGE. Edge through the crowd, to the front of the line?

36. Burger follower : REHNQUIST. William, 16th Chief Justice of the US.

37. "Nessun dorma", e.g. : ARIA. Oh boy, I get to link an aria from Puccini's Turandot!! The aria is Italian for "None shall sleep". It's a long story, but basically the cold-blooded princess has to guess, before dawn, the name of the one who has won her hand (by correctly answering three riddles). She is repulsed at the thought of marrying him, and demands that no one shall sleep that night until his name is figured out. If the name is revealed, she is freed from the marriage demand. Kind of Rumpelstiltskin-esque, don't you think?

38. Combine, as assets : POOL

41. Using (up) : EATING

44. Fireplace powder : ASH

48. Chair on a porch : ROCKER. Cracker Barrel, anyone?

50. Fake : ERSATZ. Love that word!

51. Fan club focuses : IDOLS

52. Towpath locale : CANAL. They used to be used by donkeys towing barges through the canals. Now, it's mostly Sunday joggers.

53. She's not for you : ENEMY. Why "she"?

54. "What did I do to deserve this?" : WHY ME. ...why me?

55. "Poison" plant : SUMAC. Poison oak is much more allergenic.

59. Harangue : RANT.

61. Architectural pier : ANTA. Post or pillar on the sides of Greek temple entrances.

62. More, to a minimalist : LESS. "Less is more..."

64. Elle, across the Atlantic : SHE. HaHa, a reversal of the usual clue we see.

65. Bit of a snore? : ZEE. So now I have gone full circle from 71A ZETAS to ZEE tonight, so I'll say "Zo long".

Answer grid.

Hugs,
Marti

From C.C.:

Last Sunday Wisconsin State Journal published a thought-provoking letter Kazie wrote regarding student and teacher evaluation here in the US.

Below is the letter. (Thanks for the alert, Marge!)

"Having taught high school more than three decades, in four countries on three continents, I feel uniquely qualified to comment on education here. In Australia, I grew up and taught in a system where most student assessment relied on massive three-hour tests twice yearly--not the best way to foretell future success. However, I am also appalled that here, most testing consists of multiple-choice, fill-in-the-bubble guesses, very quickly gradable by computer, as opposed to subjective tests demanding active recall. The main concern at the end of the year, if teachers need more than 24 hours to get tests graded and results out, is how to entertain students after exams are done.

In contrast, French and German schools encourage daily, graded, student discussions of material they’ve studied, as well as long essay assignments throughout the year. Students can’t hide behind objective test guessing. Teachers there don’t just “lecture” in class, as is common here. Students participate actively in all their classes, resulting in more thorough comprehension and commitment to learning. The fault here is with the system itself. Changing student expectations, not just evaluation of teachers, will result in improved student performance, and that is the ultimate goal."

Wednesday, April 11 2012, Jack McInturff

theme: death and TAXES - TAXES is spelled out by the starting letters of all the theme answers.

benjamin franklin: "in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." very timely. hopefully most of us are done with this annual nightma-- ... er, chore, for another year.

18A. Porterhouse relatives : T-BONE STEAKS. ribeye for me, please.

24A. Hannibal Smith underling : A-TEAM MEMBER. george peppard portrayed this character in the tv series.

36A. Any of five Wolverine films : X-MEN MOVIE. based on marvel comic's fictional character. had to look it up, i've never seen any of them.

54A. Some online shoppers : E-BAY BIDDERS. anyone here not an e-bayer?

59A. Pot holder, perhaps : S-SHAPED HOOK. like this.

32A. Org. concerned with the word spelled by the starts of 18-, 24-, 36-, 54- and 59-Across : IRS. internal revenue service.

melissa here. since april 15th falls on a sunday this year, we have some extra time to file. if you haven't filed yet, you really shouldn't be here. go do your taxes. we'll wait.

Across:

1. Great, in slang : BAD. she's built, she's stacked.

4. Take as one's own : ADOPT

9. Scenic view : VISTA

14. Fifth in NYC, e.g. : AVE. major thoroughfare in midtown manhattan, "most expensive street in the world."

15. Indian prince : RAJAH

16. Indian, e.g. : OCEAN. world's third largest ocean.

17. [Quoted verbatim] : SIC. notation that indicates words are transcribed exactly as spelled from the original source, complete with any mistakes.

20. Trading center : MART

22. Without __: pro bono : A FEE. "professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment or at a reduced fee as a public service." then there's these pro bonos.

23. Chop : HEW. to cut, as with an axe.

28. Dined : ATE. a belated easter funny ...

29. Polish place : TOENAIL

30. MetLife, for one : INSURER

33. Muslim leader : IMAM

35. Popular dolls : KENS. how you doin'?

40. Jeer : GIBE

43. Geraint's lady : ENID. here is the wikipedia page.

44. Cookbook abbr. : TSP. teaspoon.

47. Elite athlete : ALL-STAR

51. Urban skyline standout : EDIFICE. a building of imposing appearance or size.

53. Actress Peeples : NIA

56. Receive : GET

57. Talker on a perch : MYNA. talking myna bird.

58. Aid companion : ABET

64. Reason for gaping : AWE

65. Immunity agent : T-CELL. lymphocytes.

66. Porter's "__ the Top" : YOU'RE. cole porter tune from the 1934 musical 'anything goes.'

67. Dastard : CUR. new to me, but both are synonyms for coward.

68. Halos : AURAE

69. Board game with an exclamation point in its name : SORRY! and 55d. Internet giant with an exclamation point in its name : YAHOO!

70. Mil. spud duties : KP'S. kitchen patrols.

down:

1. Long-grained Asian rice : BASMATI

2. One skilled in plane talk : AVIATOR

3. Fiats : DECREES

4. Legal hangings? : ART. haha.

6. Pancho's peeper : OJO. spanish for eye.

7. Jet age 2011-'12 TV drama : PAN AM. abc series.

8. Hoover led it for 37 yrs. : THE FBI

9. Political pollsters' targets : VOTERS

10. Winter glaze : ICE

11. Mollusk named for its pair of long earlike appendages : SEA HARE. pretty.

12. Rest : TAKE TEN. also, paul desmond's sequel to his monster hit 'take five,' that he wrote for the dave brubeck quartet.

13. Responds : ANSWERS

19. Espied : SEEN

21. Catch some rays : TAN. soon!

25. Injure severely : MAIM. ow.

26. Marceau, notably : MIME. marcel marceau.

27. Verve : ELAN

31. Don Ho's instrument : UKE. ukulele.

34. Sra.'s French counterpart : MME. madam.

36. Crosses (out) : X'ES

37. A student's GPA blemish : ONE B. alright.

38. Caesar's "I saw" : VIDI. latin.

39. "__ it my way" : I DID. frank sinatra's signature song.

40. Kind of rap : GANGSTA. from wikipedia: "a subgenre of hip hop music that evolved from hardcore hip hop and purports to reflect urban crime and the violent lifestyles of inner-city youths."

41. Former Romanian president : ILIESCU. President of Romania from 1990 until 1996, and from 2000 until 2004. a bit obscure.

42. Utter nonsense : BLATHER

44. Secure behind one's head, as long hair : TIE BACK

45. Make a mess of : SCREW UP

46. Really bugs : PESTERS

48. Synagogue : TEMPLE

49. "Rock-__ Baby" : A-BYE

50. Actor Quaid and pitcher Johnson : RANDYS

52. Pharm. watchdog : FDA. food and drug administration. also known as the f-duh.

60. According to : A LA. or, 'in the manner of.'

61. "__ Song": #1 country hit for Taylor Swift : OUR

62. Hockey great : ORR. bobby.

63. Opener on a ring : KEY

Answer grid.

melissa

Interview with David Steinberg

David Steinberg made his NY Times debut last June when he was only 14 years old, making him the second youngest constructor of the Will Shortz era, according to Jim Horne's wonderful Xword Info. He looks so sweet!

Today is only our second puzzle by David. But with his "picky" attitude, I'm sure we'll be entertained and challenged by many quality puzzles from him in the future.

First of all, thanks for putting HARMON (46D) in the grid. I'm curious, is "Long time Tiger Woods coach Butch __" your original clue? Harmon Killebrew is my all-time favorite.

You're welcome--in fact, I wasn't sure whether HARMON was famous enough when I originally decided to use it as an entry in my puzzle, since CRUCIVERB.com showed that it had only appeared three times in previous crosswords. So I asked my dad, who's a big sports fan and avid TV watcher, and he assured me that both Harmon Killebrew and Mark Harmon were very well-known. So, to answer your question, my original clue was "'NCIS' star Mark," because it seemed more contemporary. But I think Rich Norris made the clue better, more original, and a bit more Tuesday-ish.

How did this ABC embed idea come to you? What were the other theme entries you also considered?

I don't remember exactly how the idea came to me--I often think of crossword ideas at random times (at the dinner table, on the way home from school, etc.). The original version of this puzzle had the entry STAB CAESAR in it. Rich Norris initially rejected the puzzle--he liked the theme but thought STAB CAESAR was too contrived. So I wrote him back and suggested a few replacements, including CAB COMPANY, TAB CONTROL, TAB COLLARS, and DRAB COLORS. He liked CAB COMPANY and said he'd be interested in seeing a revision. I had to redo the whole grid because I couldn't come up with a good entry for ??Y?B. And that's how this puzzle came to be!

You're only 15 years old and already had 5 puzzles published by the NY Times and 2 by the LA Times. What prompted you to make your first puzzle?

I decided to try my hand at constructing crosswords after watching Merl Reagle make the process seem so amazingly simple in the documentary Wordplay. I figured that if Merl Reagle could make a puzzle so quickly, I might be able to make one too (though obviously a lot more slowly!). I made my first 10 crosswords by hand on graph paper when I was 12 and 13 because I thought using computer software was cheating. I then transferred them into grids I'd made in Microsoft Excel. It was a really complicated system, especially when I had to make changes. And putting the numbers in the Excel squares was really hard. Eventually I realized that most other constructors used computer software and that that wasn't cheating, so I bought Crossword Compiler. Looking back on my hand-constructed puzzles, I now realize they had a lot of flaws, which Will Shortz helpfully pointed out. After I switched to Crossword Compiler, I found the whole construction process a lot easier and more accessible. The hand construction did help me learn how to build my own grids, though, which I think is very valuable. All of this is how I eventually ended up where I am now!

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

I definitely spend the most time filling the grids--I'm very picky about what I put into my fills. I've gotten a lot pickier over time as I've seen more puzzles and read the critiques on the blogs, which make pretty clear what solvers like and what they don't. Because I am so picky, filling can take me several hours. But I think it's worth it--entries like TOM THUMB and SNOBBERY are more interesting than ones like ESNE and ANOA. As for cluing, I spend a lot of time trying to make my clues as original and clever as possible while sticking to the day of the week I'm aiming for.

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

I solve the New York Times crossword every day, often the minute it's up online; the Los Angeles Times crossword in the newspaper, which we get every day (and the Sunday Los Angeles Times puzzle online or printed out); Merl Reagle's puzzle every Sunday; and the Newsday crossword in a local paper we get here. In addition, I recently subscribed to Fireball and try to solve those puzzles (often unsuccessfully--they're really hard!) every week. One constructor who constantly inspires me is Merl Reagle--it amazes me how he puts out a top-quality Sunday crossword every week! I also really admire the themeless puzzles by Barry Silk, Joe Krozel, and David Quarfoot. Kevin Der's rebuses are amazing, and Andrea Carla Michaels's early-week puzzles are always fun too.

Besides crosswords, what are your other interests?

Crosswords take up most of my life outside of school! But I'm also interested in computer science and table tennis. When I'm not working on crosswords for submission or doing homework for school, I run a custom crossword business www.customcrossword.com. I've also donated custom crosswords to help good causes.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012 David Steinberg

Theme: Jackson Five hit song(1970) Clip (3:31) - ABC spans each theme answer.

17A. It arranges pickups : CAB COMPANY

25A. Emir : ARAB CHIEF

36A. Simple ... or a hint to the hidden puzzle theme in 17-, 25-, 50- and 59-Across : AS EASY AS ABC

50A. Maryland seafood fare : CRAB CAKES

59A. Sit-up relatives : AB CRUNCHES

Argyle One here. David provided us with a test of general knowledge today with entries gleaned from all over the place and all ages.

Across:

1. Dark, to a poet : EBON

5. Tony who played a sitcom 17-Across employee : DANZA. He was in "Taxi".

10. Sitters' charges : TOTS

14. Lee with frozen desserts : SARA

15. Barkley who served under 41-Across : ALBEN. Served as Vice-President to 41A. FDR's successor : HST. Harry Truman. We've had him before but you can be forgiven if you don't remember him.

16. "... thunder, lightning, __ rain?": "Macbeth" : OR IN. Act 1, Scene 1 "When shall we three meet again? In ..." "When the hurly-burly’s done, When the battle’s lost and won."

19. Modest dress : MIDI

20. Like a crowd in awe : HUSHED

21. End-of-week exclamation : "TGIF!"

22. Vagrants : HOBOs

28. Mocedades hit whose title means "you are" : "ERES TU"

30. Golf units : ROUNDS

31. Slippery swimmer : EEL

32. How Dennis Eckersley pitched : SIDEARM. No, he didn't pitch wearing a side arm.

40. Desexes : NEUTERS

44. Outbursts that provoke blessings : ACHOOs

47. Harley alternative : YAMAHA

54. The Lusitania, e.g. : LINER. On May 7, 1915, the Lusitania, the British passenger ship, was sunk by a German U-boat off the Irish coast.

55. Sidewalk border : CURB

56. Guitarist, slangily : AXEMAN

58. Carlisle's wife in "Twilight" : ESME. Portrayed by Elizabeth Reaser. The loving couple.

63. It may be barred or bolted : DOOR. It may be barred by Katy.

64. Songs for two : DUETS

65. English aristocrat : EARL

66. __, meeny ... : EENY

67. Muslim god : ALLAH

68. June 6, 1944 : D-DAY

Down:

1. Key to the left of F1 : ESC

2. Sheepish reply? : "BAA". Shout out to WH? Or would that be a "bleat out"?

3. Heavenly body : ORB

4. Cheese-topped snacks : NACHOS

5. Electricity generators : DAMS. Oh please, the dams don't do anything except hold back water. It's like saying dams sawed wood or ground grain.

6. ___-Bits: cereal : ALPHA. Cereal for cruciverbalists.

7. Pro hoopster : NBAer

8. "The Prisoner of __" : ZENDA. An adventure novel by Anthony Hope, published in 1894.

9. Vague quantity : ANY

10. Tiny fairy tale hero : TOM THUMB. OK, give us another Tom Thumb but not one that's already been given. I'll start.

11. Starting point : ORIGIN

12. Cleaned (up) : TIDIED

13. Searches like a detection dog : SNIFFS

18. Give the boot : OUST

22. Donkey syllable : HEE - haw.

23. Cinnabar or magnetite : ORE

24. Lugosi of "Dracula" : BELA

26. Having a lot of nerve : BRASSY

27. Chef Cat __ : CORA. She is featured as an "Iron Chef" on the Food Network.

29. Patriotic Olympics chant : "USA!, USA!"

33. Believer's suffix : IST

34. Gray hair disguiser : DYE

35. Place for a ring : EAR

37. Elitism : SNOBBERY

38. Fed. anti-discrimination org. : EEOC. (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)

39. Biggers's detective : CHAN. Earl Derr Biggers (1884 – 1933)

42. 54-Across pronoun : SHE

43. Pit goo : TAR. Most famous are the Rancho La Brea Tar Pits in the heart of Los Angeles.

44. Acquiesce : ACCEDE

45. Defoe title surname : CRUSOE. (Robinson)

46. Longtime Tiger Woods coach Butch __ : HARMON. Master's tie-in?

48. Astronaut Shepard : ALAN

49. Chopped, as garlic : MINCED

51. Afghan capital : KABUL. Today's geography lesson. Map.

52. Stand out in a field : EXCEL

53. Mattress giant : SERTA

57. Sled dog command : MUSH

59. Drillers' org. : ADA. (American Dental Association)

60. "I've been __!" : HAD

61. Important time : ERA

62. Surreptitious : SLY

Answer grid.

Argyle

Monday, April 9, 2012 Gerry Wildenberg

Theme: Hidden Gun Emplacements - Your mission is to locate the camouflaged anti-aircraft guns(ACK-ACKs) in the four longest entries. Good luck.

17A. Donald Duck's title adventures, in a '90s Disney series : QUACK ATTACK. Donald's Quack Attack was a television series on the Disney Channel (later rerun on Toon Disney) which ran from 1992 to 1994, and featured Disney animated short films, especially those with Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy. Each episode lasted about 28 minutes, leaving about 2 minutes for commercials. Per Wiki

31A. Retrace one's steps : BACKTRACK

44A. Lunch box pudding brand : SNACK PACK

57A. Expert : CRACKERJACK. This term dates back to the late 1800's, and means "superb" or "excellent". In 1896 the name was trademarked (as CRACKER JACK) for the caramel popcorn product. In 1908 Jack Norworth wrote the lyrics for Take Me Out to the Ballgame, which mentioned the name of the candy propelling it to fame. This song is now sung during seventh inning stretches at baseball games. Wiki article here.

Argyle here. This appears to be a debut puzzle from Gerry. While I liked the theme there were 26 three-letter entries, some crosswordese and some entries that for those just starting out may not get.

Across:

1. Info in a folder : FILE

5. Mystical secrets : ARCANA

11. Polynesian paste : POI

14. Prayer ender : AMEN

15. Mazda roadsters : MIATAs

16. Landers with advice : ANN

19. Vigor : PEP

20. Ten Commandments verb : SHALT

21. The house, to José : LA CASA

23. __ pig: experiment subject : GUINEA

27. Hallway : FOYER

28. West Coast capital : SALEM. (Oregon)

33. Lament for Yorick : "ALAS". Hamlet, Act 5, Scene 1: "Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio: a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy"

34. Pan-cooked in oil, say : SAUTEED

35. Reach one's limit on, as a credit card, with "out" : MAX

36. Heavy wts. : TN's. Now that is just being silly, you don't need to abbreviate TON.

37. Pres. or gov. : LDR. (leader)

38. Fell with an axe : HEW

41. Luau cocktails : MAI TAIs

43. Galileo launcher: Abbr. : NASA

47. Emcees : HOSTS

48. "Dog the Bounty Hunter" channel : A AND E

49. __ Pieces : REESE'S

51. H.S. class with microscopes : BIO LAB

53. Jenna, to Jeb : NIECE. Bush. Family pic.

56. Ancient : OLD

62. Casual shirt : TEE

63. Like some Coast Guard rescues : AIR/SEA

64. Native Nebraskan : OTOE. Indians.

65. Disruptive '60s campus gp. : SDS. (Students for a Democratic Society)

66. "__: rewind": VCR rental reminder : BE KIND

67. Skinny : BONY. Bony Maronie.(3:07)

Down:

1. Website info source : FAQ

2. Don of talk radio : IMUS. Now in syndication through Citadel Broadcasting after being fired by CBS.

3. Jacob's first wife : LEAH

4. Confines, as a pet bird : ENCAGES

5. Violin maker Nicolò : AMATI. Italian luthier (1596 – 1684)

6. Slowing, in mus. : RIT. (ritardando) Italian terms for change in tempo.

7. Siamese or Burmese : CAT

8. __ loss for words : AT A

9. Most common food additive, to a chemist : NaCL. (salt)

10. Inquire about : ASK AFTER

11. Tropical fruit : PAPAYA

12. "Almost ready!" : "ONE SEC!". not "in a sec"

13. Garaged for the night, gearwise : IN PARK

18. Heidi of "Project Runway" : KLUM. Television series on Lifetime Television, previously on the Bravo network. Heidi

22. Light rope : CORD

24. Jeremy Lin or Kobe Bryant, e.g. : NBA STAR

25. __ de Cologne : EAU

26. Imitate : ACT LIKE

28. "Casablanca" pianist : SAM

29. Chicken __ king : À LA

30. Southern Cal. airport : LAX. (L.A. International Airport)

32. Popular sneakers : KEDS

34. Barbershop sound : SNIP

36. Eschew the subway and bus : TAKE A CAB

38. Owns : HAS

39. N.Y. clock setting : EST. but not at this time.

40. Used to be : WAS

41. 1450, in old Rome : MCDL. Hey! That's what I have; motorcycle and commercial driver license.

42. Get an "A" on : ACE

43. Rhinoplasty : NOSE JOB. We had rhinitis yesterday. [from Greek rhis, rhin: indicating the nose or nasal]

44. Wooden shoes : SABOTS. Wha...??

45. Got an "A" on : NAILED

46. Battery terminals : ANODEs

47. Estate beneficiary : HEIR

50. Three-time Masters winner Sam : SNEAD. Yesterday's finish wasn't great but the potential for greatness kept me glued to the set.

52. Soft French cheese : BRIE

54. "Elder" or "Younger" Roman statesman : CATO

55. Financial subj. : ECON. (economy)

58. Noah's refuge : ARK

59. CBS forensic series : CSI

60. Barbie's boyfriend : KEN

61. Phi Beta Kappa symbol : KEY

Answer grid.

Argyle