09.21 Tue

W E D N E S D A Y
September 21, 2011
Julian Lim

Theme: Clubbin' — The first word of each theme answer can be a type of "club."

Theme answers:

• 17A: *Title role in the 2009 Tony winner for Best Musical (BILLY ELLIOT).
• 24A: *Advantage of some military goggles (NIGHT VISION).
• 45A: *Freetown is its capital (SIERRA LEONE).
• 11D: *Unauthorized stories written by devotees (FAN FICTION).
• 28D: *Pro shop freebie (GOLF PENCIL).
• 55A: "That's exactly how I feel" ... or what each starred clue's first word can do? (JOIN THE CLUB).

Nice theme today. All of the theme answers are interesting (except for GOLF PENCIL) and they're unified by an interesting reveal phrase that also has a pretty good clue. One thing I've noticed lately is that some of the reveal clues are super awkward. You know what I mean? They're super long and kind of hard to follow and once you know what they mean, sure, they make sense, but …. Well, this isn't one of those. This one just offers the straight clue and then gives a concise explanation of how it works with the theme answers. Very nice.

And would you look at all this awesome fill? Hard to pick a favorite, but I'm gonna go with FULL TILT, especially clued to the online poker site. The only problem, of course, is that the FBI has shut the site down. I even had a few dollars in an account with them. It looks like I should be able to get it back, but I don't know. When the FBI shuts down an illegal gambling operation, I'm not sure it's a good idea to just stroll back in and ask for your money back.

Other fun fill includes TETRIS (love me some TETRIS!), FILCH, and the Scrabblicious I.Q. TEST, LOGJAMS, JITTERS and IDIOT BOX.

Bullets:

• 30A: Not hard to grasp (BASIC). Love this clue.
• 36A: SkyMiles airline (DELTA). I spent some time in airports last weekend, so this came easily.

• 38A: Ethiopia's Selassie (HAILE). This is some pretty high-end crosswordese. If you've never heard of him, you might want to peruse his Wikipedia page just to help solidify his name in your brain.
• 40A: Creepy-crawly (BUG). Another great clue.
• 58A: Stat for Ryan Howard (RBI). For some reason, I had an inkling that Howard was a pitcher, but I didn't write in ERA right away because I just wasn't sure. Crosses showed me RBI, so it was a good move to wait.
• 13D: Confine again, as swine (RE-PEN). Clunk!
• 41D: Stormy weather gear (PONCHOS).



• 45D: Give the creeps (SCARE). This clue doesn't exactly work for me. Someone can "give me the creeps" without "scaring" me. But it's a fine distinction and likely just personal.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 31A: Plaza Hotel imp (ELOISE).
• 50A: Actor Morales (ESAI).
• 4D: Gardner of mysteries (ERLE).
• 27D: Bar from a dairy case (OLEO).
• 46D: Sonnet line fivesome (IAMBS).
• 47D: Maritime birds (ERNES).

Everything — 1A: Its median score is 100 (I.Q. TEST); 7A: Weapon for Tyson (FIST); 11A: Christmas choice (FIR); 14A: Former drug giant (SEARLE); 15A: Sans employment (IDLE); 16A: Enjoyed hors d'oeuvres, say (ATE); 17A: *Title role in the 2009 Tony winner for Best Musical (BILLY ELLIOT); 19A: Drop off briefly (NAP); 20A: Shoe with a swoosh logo (NIKE); 21A: Tex-Mex snack (TACO); 22A: M-16, e.g. (RIFLE); 24A: *Advantage of some military goggles (NIGHT VISION); 26A: Bottlenecks (LOGJAMS); 30A: Not hard to grasp (BASIC); 31A: Plaza Hotel imp (ELOISE); 32A: Write quickly (JOT); 33A: Sports car roof option (T-TOP); 36A: SkyMiles airline (DELTA); 37A: Make, as a sandwich (FIX); 38A: Ethiopia's Selassie (HAILE); 39A: Like flannel and fleece (SOFT); 40A: Creepy-crawly (BUG); 41A: Tiered Asian temple (PAGODA); 42A: Butterfly's perch (PETAL); 44A: Noble headpiece (CORONET); 45A: *Freetown is its capital (SIERRA LEONE); 48A: Response to a dare (CAN SO); 49A: __ II razor (TRAC); 50A: Actor Morales (ESAI); 54A: Film buff's channel (AMC); 55A: "That's exactly how I feel" ... or what each starred clue's first word can do? (JOIN THE CLUB); 58A: Stat for Ryan Howard (RBI); 59A: Having the knack (ABLE); 60A: Tough leather (OXHIDE); 61A: Subj. that helps people assimilate (ESL); 62A: Niggling things (NITS); 63A: "Enough already!" ("STOP IT!"); 1D: Publisher's ID (ISBN); 2D: Royally named liner, briefly (Q.E. II); 3D: Heart-to-heart (TALK); 4D: Gardner of mysteries (ERLE); 5D: Shrewd (SLY); 6D: When strokes begin to count (TEE TIME); 7D: Rip off (FILCH); 8D: Couch potato's fixation (IDIOT BOX); 9D: Pavement warning (SLO); 10D: Game with tumbling blocks (TETRIS); 11D: *Unauthorized stories written by devotees (FAN FICTION); 12D: Author Calvino (ITALO); 13D: Confine again, as swine (RE-PEN); 18D: Trails (LAGS); 23D: "Did we get the bid?" ("IS IT A GO?"); 24D: Orion Mars mission gp. (NASA); 25D: Acid container (VAT); 26D: Some arena displays, briefly (LED'S); 27D: Bar from a dairy case (OLEO); 28D: *Pro shop freebie (GOLF PENCIL); 29D: Pre-speech obstacle (JITTERS); 32D: St. Patrick's Day dance (JIG); 34D: Ye __ Shoppe (OLDE); 35D: Bog fuel (PEAT); 37D: Big name in online poker (FULL TILT); 38D: March __: Carroll character (HARE); 40D: Sound at a shearing (BAA); 41D: Stormy weather gear (PONCHOS); 43D: USC athlete (TROJAN); 44D: Cold weather wear (COAT); 45D: Give the creeps (SCARE); 46D: Sonnet line fivesome (IAMBS); 47D: Maritime birds (ERNES); 50D: Footsteps-in-an-empty-hallway sound (ECHO); 51D: Blunder (SLIP); 52D: BMW rival (AUDI); 53D: "Yeah, sure!" ("I BET!"); 56D: Shizuoka sash (OBI); 57D: Phone no. addition (EXT.).

08.10 Wed

W E D N E S D A Y

August 10, 2011

Julian Lim

Theme: Raining Cats and Dogs — The words "cat" and "dog" are hidden in several of the grid's down answers.



Theme answers:

• 1D: Actress Blanchett (CATE).
• 3D: System for which Super Mario Land was developed (NINTENDO GAMEBOY).
• 9D: "Ego Trippin'" rapper (SNOOP DOGG).
• 11D: Gothic Spanish landmark (TOLEDO CATHEDRAL).
• 33D: Dispersed, as a crowd (SCATTERED).
• 57D: Old Venetian judge (DOGE).
• 7D: Really come down, as illustrated in this puzzle's circles (RAIN CATS AND DOGS).

So the words "cat" and "dog" are raining down from the top of the grid. Cute idea. Vertical themes always seem kind of … off to me. They make me feel kind of unsettled in a strange way. That's not a criticism of the puzzle, though — just an observation about one of my quirks. Today's long theme answers are pretty awesome. Besides NINTENDO GAMEBOY, my favorite entries include:

• 17A: In vain (TO NO AVAIL).
• 59A: 1947 Hope/Crosby film (ROAD TO RIO).
• 26D: Carols at the mall, usually (MUZAK).

Stuff that kinda threw me includes:

• 5A: Danish director von Trier (LARS).
• 25A: Every, in an Rx (OMN).
• 37A: Geologic age meaning "without life" (AZOIC).

When I read each one of those clues I thought "Seriously?" But then when the answers became clear through crosses, they all seemed kind of obvious.



Bullets:

• 20A: Tallinn native (ESTONIAN). Whenever I see any reference to ESTONIA — which isn't often, strangely enough — I think about this old Dilbert comic:



• 21A: 1974 Dolly Parton chart-topper (JOLENE).





• 27A: Pushed to the limit (TAXED). I tried MAXED here at first, which made TOUPEE (27D: Rug with nothing swept under it?) awfully hard to see.

• 31A: Actor Paul and journalist Hughes (RUDDS). I have a vague notion that Paul Rudd is someone I've heard of. Hughes RUDD? Not so much.
• 35A: Frère de la mère (ONCLE). French!
• 52A: Enjoyed Wrigley, e.g. (CHEWED). The gum, not the baseball stadium.
• 25D: Store display suffix (-ORAMA). Try to see if you can add this suffix to any words today just for fun.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 22A: George Orwell's alma mater (ETON).
• 49A: Beekeeper played by Fonda (ULEE).
• 65A: On the safer side (ALEE).
• 18D: Enero to enero, e.g. (AÑO).
• 45D: SFO info (ETD).

Everything — 1A: Six-pack units (CANS); 5A: Danish director von Trier (LARS); 9A: Select the temperature on, as a thermostat (SET AT); 14A: Dictator Idi (AMIN); 15A: Parent company of half.com (EBAY); 16A: Mother Judd (NAOMI); 17A: In vain (TO NO AVAIL); 19A: Had an eye for figures? (OGLED); 20A: Tallinn native (ESTONIAN); 21A: 1974 Dolly Parton chart-topper (JOLENE); 22A: George Orwell's alma mater (ETON); 23A: Penned (up) (COOPED); 25A: Every, in an Rx (OMN); 27A: Pushed to the limit (TAXED); 28A: Text-scanning technology, briefly (OCR); 31A: Actor Paul and journalist Hughes (RUDDS); 34A: Place to play faves (OTB); 35A: Frère de la mère (ONCLE); 37A: Geologic age meaning "without life" (AZOIC); 38A: Club for GIs (USO); 39A: AOL alternative (GMAIL); 40A: Molten rock (MAGMA); 41A: Offer in response to "Shake!" (PAW); 42A: U.S. base in Cuba, in headlines (GITMO); 43A: Rap sheet initials (AKA); 44A: Many 3-Down users (TEENS); 46A: Fathers and sons (HES); 47A: Hard to comb (MATTED); 49A: Beekeeper played by Fonda (ULEE); 52A: Enjoyed Wrigley, e.g. (CHEWED); 54A: Counted (on) (DEPENDED); 58A: Picture book elephant (BABAR); 59A: 1947 Hope/Crosby film (ROAD TO RIO); 60A: Bring to mind (EVOKE); 61A: Farming prefix (AGRO-); 62A: Singer k.d. (LANG); 63A: Like asters (RAYED); 64A: Qtys. of sugar (TSPS.); 65A: On the safer side (ALEE); 1D: Actress Blanchett (CATE); 2D: Hebrew prophet (AMOS); 3D: System for which Super Mario Land was developed (NINTENDO GAMEBOY); 4D: High-and-mighty type (SNOOT); 5D: "Rosemary's Baby" author (LEVIN); 6D: Simple rhyme scheme (ABAA); 7D: Really come down, as illustrated in this puzzle's circles (RAIN CATS AND DOGS); 8D: Word part: Abbr. (SYL.); 9D: "Ego Trippin'" rapper (SNOOP DOGG); 10D: Postal service symbol (EAGLE); 11D: Gothic Spanish landmark (TOLEDO CATHEDRAL); 12D: "I totally agree!" ("AMEN!"); 13D: Oceanic routine (TIDE); 18D: Enero to enero, e.g. (AÑO); 21D: Average guy? (JOE); 24D: U-shaped river bends (OXBOWS); 25D: Store display suffix (-ORAMA); 26D: Carols at the mall, usually (MUZAK); 27D: Rug with nothing swept under it? (TOUPEE); 29D: Weather, in verse (CLIME); 30D: Moves, to a Realtor (RELOS); 32D: Hard to read by, as light (DIM); 33D: Dispersed, as a crowd (SCATTERED); 36D: Abbr. for John Doe, perhaps (NMI); 45D: SFO info (ETD); 48D: Up and about (AWAKE); 49D: French twists, e.g. (UPDOS); 50D: Gave permission (LET); 51D: Name on a celebrated B-29 (ENOLA); 52D: Radio-active one? (CB'ER); 53D: "__ Nagila" (HAVA); 55D: O.K. Corral lawman (EARP); 56D: A, to Albrecht (EINE); 57D: Old Venetian judge (DOGE); 59D: Dock rodent (RAT).