07.21 Thu

T H U R S D A Y
July 21, 2011
Claiborne Thompson

Theme: Drinkin' in the Kitchen — Quip from a smashed chef. *Hic*

Theme answers:

• 17A: Start of a quip (I LIKE TO COOK).
• 25A: Quip, part 2 (WITH WINE).
• 32A: Quip, part 3 (SOMETIMES).
• 46A: Quip, part 4 (I EVEN PUT).
• 52A: End of quip (IT IN THE FOOD).

Hey, folks. This is Doug, pinch-hitting for PuzzleGirl. She had a busy Wednesday night and is anticipating an even busier Thursday, so I got the call. All members of the PuzzleGirl Blog Team have red phones that connect directly to PGBT HQ. When the phone rings, you'd better be ready to blog.

We got ourselves a quip puzzle today, and I thought the joke was pretty good. Some solvers hate quote/quip puzzles, but I don't mind seeing one every now and then. I'd say there are at most 1 or 2 quote puzzles a year in the L.A. Times, so they certainly aren't overdoing them.

The timing of today's quip is perfect, because I recently discovered a hilarious video series on YouTube called "My Drunk Kitchen." This episode will teach you how to make pancakes. There's adult language (swearing) and adult beverages (champagne) in the clip, so don't watch it around children, etc.

Bullets:

• 21A: Spanish possessive (NUESTRO) / 50A: You are, in Yucatán (ESTÁS) / 37D: Italian horse (CAVALLO). I know Spanish pretty well, so I had no trouble with these. Horse in Spanish is caballo, by the way.

• 28A: "them" author (OATES). A novel about giant ants? Cool!
• 31A: Word in a current account (AMPERE). Ampere is a measure of electric current. We're learning a lot of physics this week.
• 6D: Reading pen? (GAOL). Reading is a city in England, and a pen is a jail. And for some reason those crazy Brits spell it "gaol."
• 11D: Member of an ancient Asia Minor empire (HITTITE). You know, there are some tough answers in this puzzle.
• 33D: Forest safety concern (OPEN FIRE). Usually this is clued as "Start shooting." Today's clue makes me think of chestnuts.
• 39D: Inventing family (EDISONS). Were there other inventors in the family besides Thomas? Let's check Wikipedia... Yep, his son Theodore Edison registered over 80 patents. And his other kids were probably inventors too. Even the pets were inventing stuff over at Edison's house. Didn't Edison's cat invent the self-cleaning litter box?

OK, hope you enjoyed today's puzzle. And if you're tipsy, let someone else do the cooking. (I'm just saying that so we don't get sued.) PG will be back tomorrow. Bon appétit!

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 39A: River wriggler (EEL).
• 48A: Hawks' homes (AERIES).
• 59A: Ike's WWII domain (ETO).
• 7D: Fabled flier (ROC).
• 40D: Prior to (ERE).
• 50D: French 101 verb (ÊTRE).

Everything Else — 1A: Grafton's "A" (ALIBI); 6A: Mill fill (GRIST); 11A: Witchy woman (HAG); 14A: Aristotle forte (LOGIC); 15A: Major outlet (AORTA); 16A: Chemical ending (-IDE); 19A: Lot (TON); 20A: First name in hair products (VIDAL); 23A: Like the 4-Down in a 1960 chart-topper (TEENIE); 26A: Bear (BRUIN); 27A: Champagne designation (SEC); 29A: Payoff (SOP); 30A: Acquire (GET); 35A: Take willingly (ACCEPT); 38A: Dreyer's partner in ice cream (EDY); 39A: River wriggler (EEL); 42A: Don't just want (CRAVE); 43A: Top-secret org. (NSA); 44A: PETCO Park player (PADRE); 48A: Hawks' homes (AERIES); 49A: Outclassed by a large margin, as competitors (DWARFED); 51A: Mid-seventh-century date (DCL); 56A: Deborah's "The King and I" costar (YUL); 57A: Thumbs-up person, perhaps (RATER); 58A: "Amazing" magician (RANDI); 59A: Ike's WWII domain (ETO); 60A: Alex's mom on "Family Ties" (ELYSE); 61A: Words of reassurance (IT'S OK); 1D: Poetic pugilist (ALI); 2D: Online chuckle (LOL); 3D: "Tell me already" (I GIVE UP); 4D: See 23-Across (BIKINI); 5D: Stranded in winter, perhaps (ICED IN); 6D: Reading pen? (GAOL); 7D: Fabled flier (ROC); 8D: Like many "Twilight Zone" episodes (IRONIC); 9D: Pub choice (STOUT); 10D: Pay after taxes (TAKE-HOME); 12D: Beautifier (ADORNER); 13D: Columbus, by birth (GENOESE); 18D: __ Bo (TAE); 22D: Exchanges (SWAPS); 23D: "Conan" channel (TBS); 24D: Handel cantata "__ e Leandro" (ERO); 25D: Least arid (WETTEST); 27D: Go out with (SEE); 30D: It's eight hours later than PST (GMT); 31D: Singer Grant (AMY); 32D: Cut (SEVER); 34D: Actress Lupino (IDA); 35D: Wool-coloring agent (ACID DYE); 36D: Close-cropped hair style (CREW CUT); 40D: Prior to (ERE); 41D: French article (LES); 43D: Feature of one who is barely sleeping? (NUDITY); 44D: "Great" czar (PETER I); 45D: Former PLO leader (ARAFAT); 47D: Corolla part (PETAL); 48D: Pompeii burier (ASH); 50D: French 101 verb (ÊTRE); 53D: Nintendo's Super __ (NES); 54D: Meter lead-in (ODO-); 55D: Hägar creator Browne (DIK).