08.20 Sat

S A T U R D A Y

August 20, 2011

Doug Peterson

Theme: None — Cuz, ya know, it's Saturday



So yesterday was really not my favorite day so far. First, I dropped the PuzzleKids off at camp and went to work. Then I figured out how to get my van home from the shop even though PuzzleHusband is out of town. So far so good, right? Yeah. At the end of the day, I grab the kids and race home to meet the landlord who's coming over to fix the air conditioning. Poor PuzzleSon is kind of staggering around — he didn't sleep well because he has swimmer's ear and it hurts. I make some small talk with the landlord and finally get him out of here so I can address PuzzleDaughter's lice issue. We're a couple minutes into applying the lice shampoo aaaand … the power goes out. Did I mention that I haven't made dinner yet and it's almost 8:00? So, yeah, not the best day really. The power did eventually come back on in the middle of the night, but I had given up and gone to bed. Oh, and I"m supposed to leave this morning at 8:00 to shuttle the kids to the PuzzleParents with whom they're going to spend the next couple of weeks. (I guess that's a good news. Did I just say that out loud?) All that to say that I don't have much time this morning. And I just spent a bunch of it whining. Hey, that's how I roll. (P.S. Sorry if your head is itching now.)



Super hard puzzle this morning, right? I ended up with a DNF because I've never heard of TANGANYIKA (12D: It merged with Zanzibar in 1964). I guessed an E where that second N was supposed to go. If I had run the alphabet I might have figured out that N worked with the cross and was a better choice, but I just didn't have time.



Not too much other stuff that I just flat-out didn't know:

• 15A: Muse of sacred music (POLYHYMNIA). Although after it's in it looks kinda appropriate.
• 53A: __ Bacon: "East of Eden" character (ABRA). Who knew?
• 46D: Wedding announcement (BANNS). I have no idea what this means.

There was a lot that was fun to SUSS out (20A: Puzzle (out)):

• 17A: Does a bit of informal polling (ASKS AROUND). Awesome colloquial phrase with a great clue.
• 21A: Model born Lesley Hornby (TWIGGY). I didn't know her name, but the TW gave it away.

• 33A: Texas Rangers CEO (NOLAN RYAN). When I saw "Rangers," I immediately thought "hockey" and knew there was no way I would know this answer. With a couple crosses in place, I realized we were talking about baseball. Whew!
• 36A: Story writer/poet Grace who studied with Auden (PALEY). Story writer? That makes her seem kinda lightweight (which she's not).
• 38A: Honey Ryder and Xenia Onatopp, e.g. (BOND GIRLS). Those Bond Girls have the stupidest names.
• 26D: Dow 30 company (EXXON MOBIL). Got the two Xs in place pretty early, so this one basically wrote itself in.

Wish I could hang out longer, but we need to get this show on the road. I know there's a ton of stuff to talk about today. Have fun in the comments!







Everything — 1A: They're dirty pool (CHEAP SHOTS); 11A: WNBA positions (CTRS.); 15A: Muse of sacred music (POLYHYMNIA); 16A: Brest milk (LAIT); 17A: Does a bit of informal polling (ASKS AROUND); 18A: Paquin of "True Blood" (ANNA); 19A: Note (SEE); 20A: Puzzle (out) (SUSS); 21A: Model born Lesley Hornby (TWIGGY); 23A: Equinox mo. (SEP.); 24A: Accepted (NORMAL); 25A: "GoodFellas" Oscar winner (PESCI); 28A: Reckon, in the boonies (S'POSE); 30A: OR abbr. (NEG.); 32A: One who's done stretches? (EX-CON); 33A: Texas Rangers CEO (NOLAN RYAN); 35A: Leap on blades (AXEL); 36A: Story writer/poet Grace who studied with Auden (PALEY); 37A: Classic Leontyne Price role (AIDA); 38A: Honey Ryder and Xenia Onatopp, e.g. (BOND GIRLS); 40A: Out of line (ASKEW); 41A: Inseparable (ONE); 42A: Some rectangular bars (OLEOS); 43A: Feinting spells? (SPARS); 44A: Ore.'s highest point (MT. HOOD); 46A: Broker's advice (BUY); 47A: Any regular on "The View" (COHOST); 48A: Numbers for closers (ERAS); 50A: Cone head? (SNO-); 53A: __ Bacon: "East of Eden" character (ABRA); 54A: Got at (INSINUATED); 57A: Structure on piles (PIER); 58A: "When pigs fly!" ("NOT ON A DARE!"); 59A: More than asked (PLED); 60A: Safari sights (GRASSLANDS); 1D: They're no. experts (CPA'S); 2D: It may wind up around the house (HOSE); 3D: Paul's "The Prize" co-star (ELKE); 4D: Bard's interjections (AYS); 5D: Introduce by degrees (PHASE IN); 6D: Stack sweetener (SYRUP); 7D: GP gps. (HMO'S); 8D: Weight (ONUS); 9D: Can across the pond (TIN); 10D: "I'm afraid the news is not good ..." ("SAD TO SAY …"); 11D: One may be filed (CLAIM); 12D: It merged with Zanzibar in 1964 (TANGANYIKA); 13D: Gangbuster's target (RING LEADER); 14D: Inn time (STAY); 22D: Singer of complex songs (WREN); 23D: Baste (SCOLD); 24D: Phrase of emphasis (NO LESS); 25D: R&B singer Bryson (PEABO); 26D: Dow 30 company (EXXON MOBIL); 27D: When, in Act Two of "Macbeth," the Porter knocks at the gate (SCENE THREE); 28D: Caught (SNARED); 29D: Taquería meat (POLLO); 31D: Irritates, with "at" (GNAWS); 34D: Far from mellifluous (RASPY); 36D: At the helm of (PILOTING); 39D: Nursery sounds (GOOS); 40D: Like much business? (AS USUAL); 45D: Put away (HOARD); 46D: Wedding announcement (BANNS); 47D: Stupefyin' Jones creator (CAPP); 48D: First-year Spanish verb (ESTÁ); 49D: Mexican waterways (RIOS); 50D: Persian for "place of" (STAN); 51D: One needing social work? (NERD); 52D: Confucius's "Book of __" (ODES); 55D: Bergen's home: Abbr. (NOR.); 56D: Org. working on bridges (ADA).

07.09 Sat

S A T U R D A Y
July 9, 2011
Doug Peterson

Theme: None

Good Saturday morning, everyone! PuzzleHusband was out of town on business all week and just got back last night. I'm posting a little late today because I decided when he got home that I would pay some attention to him instead of writing the blog. I hope that doesn't hurt your feelings. Fun puzzle today, right? ….

This is a super solid themeless from the inimitable Doug Peterson (a/k/a my Fake Crossword Boyfriend, so don't expect a lot of griping today). Two corners of this grid are really outstanding. Who's not gonna love a triple stack of 10s that looks like BASS GUITAR / ACTION HERO / CHOCOHOLIC (1A: It may be picked / 15A: Sly role, as a rule / 17A: One who might steal kisses). I'm picturing a Rambo-lookin' dude with his ax in one hand and a brownie in the other. I guess he's ready to, I don't know, play a wedding reception? Hey, you never know. I can totally picture an action movie wedding reception scene with guys in tuxes mowing everyone down with machine guns. Luckily, Rambo Bassman has some grenades stashed in his amp. Or something. So, yeah, that's the first awesome corner. The other one is the double 10s in the southeast of BANGLADESH and OZYMANDIAS (26D: East Pakistan, today / 27D: Sonnet likely inspired by Ramses the Great). I've heard the word OZYMANDIAS before but had no idea what it meant. Apparently, it's another name for Ramses the Great who is featured in a sonnet by Percy Shelley that is actually kind of depressing, being about the inevitable decline of empires and all.

The parts of the grid that correspond symmetrically to those awesome corners are just okay. THE BEE GEES (52A: "You Should Be Dancing" group) is a fun entry and looks wild with all those Es, but ESTIMATING and STATEMENTS just kind of sit there (56A: Trying to get close to / 58A: Cops often take them at crime scenes). The two 11s going across the middle of the grid — RAZOR BLADES (30A: Shadow removers) and HULA DANCERS (38A: Sinuous storytellers) — are pretty sparkly, though. Just as an aside, "sinuous" is a weird word, isn't it?

Bullets:

• 23A: Certain surfer's power source (KITE). I admit it. I do not know what this means.
• 40A: One of the noble metals (PLATINUM). So when you come across some PLATINUM don't forget to curtsy.

• 42A: Champion, for one (HORSE). Hmmmm. Whose horse is Champion? I'm gonna guess Roy Rogers. To the Internet! … Oh man, Gene Autry. So close!
• 43A: Absinthe flavorings (ANISES). This is an ugly plural. Especially because it crosses with the another ugly plural: LULUS (32D: Corkers). Sorry, Doug. I calls 'em as I sees 'em.
• 5D: More likely to ooze (GOOPIER). Now this, on the other hand, is all kindsa awesome. GOOPIER was the first word that came to my mind when I read this clue.
• 6D: Like a pitch that's taken, ironically (UNHIT). Great clue. When a batter "takes a pitch," it means he purposely doesn't swing at it. It's a strategic move that's used for a couple different reasons. I think the most common one is to give an on-base runner a chance to steal.

• 8D: Tubby leader? (TELE-). So funny. I was thinking the answer would be the name of one of the TELEtubbies. And, yes, it only took me about two seconds to run through all their names and realize none of them would fit. Pretty sad.
• 10D: Pink Floyd's "The Wall," e.g. (ROCK OPERA). Quick, what other ROCK OPERAs can you name? I can think of … one. There must be more though.
• 12D: Chewed on (MULLED OVER). I am a big fan of MULLing stuff OVER. I really hate making quick decisions. And, honestly, I think I started seeing the benefit of MULLing from doing lots of crossword puzzles. You know how you get to a point where the puzzle looks impossible but when you put it down and come back to it later it practically fills itself in? I figure that has something to do with how the brain works, so I like to give my brain a chance to do that same kind of work on other kinds of problems. And this concludes the life coaching section of the blog today.
• 45D: "I'm yours to command" ("USE ME"). Doug thought I would use a BEE GEES clip in today's post, but that would be a little too obvious, wouldn't it? Let's enjoy this awesome jam instead. If you have something against the funky, for God's sake don't click the play button.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 18A: Protected from buffeting (ALEE).
• 33A: Treasure State motto word (ORO).
• 9D: 1968 newlywed, familiarly (ARI).
• 46D: Vigeland Sculpture Park city (OSLO).
• 53D: Fair Deal initials (HST).

Everything Else — 11A: Revival figs. (EMT'S); 16A: Fly on the river, perhaps (LURE); 19A: Shorten, in a way (HEW); 20A: Smoking choice (PIPE); 21A: Big name in test preparation (KAPLAN); 24A: Stands in a field? (COPSES); 25A: Choice cut (T-BONE); 28A: Dealt with loose ends (MOPPED UP); 34A: Intaglio stone (ONYX); 35A: Not as refined (RUDER); 36A: Times to get ready (EVES); 37A: "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." producer (MGM); 44A: Chicago's __ House (HULL); 46A: Out there to the max (ODDEST); 47A: Tightly (FAST); 48A: NASCAR no. (RPM); 51A: Doce halved (SEIS); 55A: Pre-bar letters (LSAT); 57A: Extremely (OH SO); 1D: "Little Organ Book" composer (BACH); 2D: Not quite smart? (ACHE); 3D: Put away (STOW); 4D: Disclaimer in a quote (SIC); 7D: "My wish is ..." ("I HOPE …"); 11D: Slip by (ELAPSE); 13D: Balancing pros (TREASURERS); 14D: Caught, in a way (SEEN); 22D: Useful downloads (APPS); 23D: First U.S. secretary of war (for whom a fort was named) (KNOX); 24D: Put into bars, say (CODED); 25D: Defeat badly (TROMP); 28D: Chair's title, at times (MADAM); 29D: Sheriff's outfit (POSSE); 31D: Gentlemen's second choices? (BRUNETTES); 36D: Sierra Club subj. (ECOL.); 38D: Sign of an escape? (HISS); 39D: Devils, e.g. (NHL TEAM); 41D: Words with organized crime (TIES TO); 44D: Order clothes (HABIT); 47D: Crumbly topping (FETA); 48D: Arabian checker (REIN); 49D: Shut (up) (PENT); 50D: In-box queue: Abbr. (MSGS.); 54D: Former comm. giant (GTE).

06.11 Sat

S A T U R D A Y
June 11, 2011
Doug Peterson & Barry C. Silk

Theme: None — Saturdays are traditionally themeless.

This one fell together for me exactly the way I like it to on a Saturday. (Except I kinda wish it was a little harder. Sorry!) I started reading through the across clues and didn't seem to know anything, but I picked away at it here and there until it was all filled in. Surprisingly, my first break came with what I think has to be the worst clue in the whole puzzle — 26A: Non-coml. interruption (PSA). For some reason, I didn't just breeze right past it like I usually do when it doesn't come to me right away. Instead, I sat there for a few seconds trying to figure out what the heck "coml." could possibly mean. I was actually making words up in my head: "Non-comeril? Non-comestible? Non-comlition?" Oh, "non-commercial." Big ugh to that. But it did give me some traction in a tough puzzle, so I guess I can't be too hard on it.

I had the most trouble in the northeast corner. Had I only known that OPHELIA was the 16A: Daughter of Polonius, I'm sure it all would have fallen into place easily but … I didn't. I also tried GET BACK for BACK OFF (8A: "That's too close!") and AMT for APR (9D: Loan letters). Who knew KEVIN Bacon was from Philly? (Oh yeah, Barry Silk did. Duh.) I put him in, took him out, put him back in. I thought, "No it couldn't be KEVIN Bacon. There must be some Founding Father named Bacon that I'm just not remembering…." Once I got BACK OFF into place, I tried OWEN for OLEN (12D: Author Robert __ Butler), so yeah, it was just a big mess up there for quite a while.

There wasn't much that I just flat-out didn't know: Both TRU and SUE were mysteries to me (41A: "__ Calling": 2003-'05 supernatural drama / 42A: Will's "Glee" adversary), but everything else was gettable. Other missteps for me included PULLS ON for YANKS ON (61A: Jerks, as a bell rope) and … I think that was about it. Oh wait, I misspelled MAGUIRE (22D: 1996 Cruise title role) at first, giving me TCT where TAT was supposed to be (29A: Body image, briefly). Awesome clue, by the way, and I don't think people will try to argue that TAT refers to making lace in this instance, although you never really know.

Bullets:

• 1A: Chia Pet, perhaps (GAG GIFT). I don't think I've ever seen an actual Chia Pet in real life. I guess maybe that's not a bad thing.
• 21A: Handles abroad (NOMS). NOMS is French (French!) for "names." Speaking of French (French!), we don't only have Normal French (Normal French!) in today's puzzle, we also have Science French (Science French!): 6D: Tableau Périodique #26 (FER).
• 38A: "Right on!" ("NOW YOU'RE TALKING!"). I say this all the time. You: "We have time to take a nap before dinner." Me: "Now you're talking!" You: "Let add some more butter to that." Me: "Now you're talking!"
• 44A: Word in some school names (PREP). This answer reminded me to check on the fate of a kids' show I like: "Tower PREP." Turns out it's not coming back. Suck.
• 5D: Song sung by Pinocchio (I'VE GOT NO STRINGS). Fun, fresh entry.

• 8D: Dizzy music? (BOP). I knew this clue was referring to Dizzy Gillespie but it was hard for me to go from the general JAZZ to the specific BOP.
• 10D: Lab synthesis substance (CHEMICAL REAGENT). This could have been anything and I wouldn't have gotten it. Anything.
• 11D: Bacon from Philadelphia (KEVIN). He was on "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me" last weekend. Pretty funny. I met Paul Newman once. And he was in "Mr. and Mrs. Bridge" with Kyra Sedgwick. And she's married to KEVIN Bacon. So there: three degrees.
• 25D: Decorator's suggestion (AREA RUG). This tripped me up a little bit. I had the second AR in place so I thought the answer was going to be something-AREA. Took me a minute to flip that back around.

• 53D: Netherworld flower (STYX). I am so embarrassed to admit this to you, but this clue totally tricked me. Argh! I've seen this so many times! Damn you Doug and Barry! (For the uninitiated, you have to pronounce "flower" as in "something that flows.")

I'm off to New York to see StepPuzzleNiece in a play. Very excited to finally see her on stage. I hear she's spectacular. Of course, I hear that from her dad, but I'm pretty sure it's still true. And so I will leave you with my favorite row in this grid:

LYING TO HANNITY

(59A: Deceiving / 60A: Conservative commentator who wrote "Let Freedom Ring").

Doug will be with you tomorrow. I'll see you back here Monday.

[Follow PuzzleGirl on Twitter.]

Everything Else — 15A: Stop flowing, in a way (ICE OVER); 17A: Drawing room? (GALLERY); 18A: Foil (PREVENT); 19A: Security item (I.D. TAG); 20A: Fancy wraps (MINKS); 24A: Key (MAIN); 30A: __ lamp (ARC); 31A: American leader? (ALL-); 34A: Copyright, e.g. (INTANGIBLE ASSET); 39A: It can help you carry a tune (TRANSISTOR RADIO); 40A: Anthem elision (O'ER); 43A: Bill holder: Abbr. (ENV.); 45A: Quaint interjection (EGAD); 47A: "Romeo Must Die" star (JET LI); 50A: Power systems (GRIDS); 54A: Shake up (UNHINGE); 57A: Curse (SWEAR AT); 62A: Wind in a combo (ALTO SAX); 1D: 1958 film with the song "The Parisians" (GIGI); 2D: Sch. (ACAD.); 3D: Yiddish dough (GELT); 4D: __ Heights: disputed Mideast territory (GOLAN); 7D: Effort (TRY); 13D: Rat (FINK); 14D: Nuts are rich in them (FATS); 23D: Provokes (STIRS UP); 24D: Brewery sugar (MALTOSE); 26D: Mottled horse (PINTO); 27D: "Boring" (SNORE); 28D: Not just squabbling (AT WAR); 31D: Out of the way (ASIDE); 32D: Red head (LENIN); 33D: Statehouse official: Abbr. (LT. GOV.); 35D: First name in objectivism (AYN); 36D: It's made by one who doesn't go out (BET); 37D: Jamaican genre (SKA); 44D: Xylophone sound (PLINK); 46D: Liquid lye brand (DRANO); 47D: Pioneer Day month, in Utah (JULY); 48D: "Watermark" musician (ENYA); 49D: Watery (THIN); 51D: Romance novelist Johansen (IRIS); 52D: Excel fodder (DATA); 55D: Song from the same era as "Little Deuce Coupe" (GTO); 56D: Quite a stretch (EON); 57D: Oldie syllable (SHA); 58D: Retail store opening? (WAL-).