07.26 Tue

T U E S D A Y
July 26, 2011
Jeff McDermott

Theme: PB&J, Hold the PB — Each theme answer is a familiar phrase that either begins or ends with a word for a fruity spread.

Theme answers:

• 17A: Filled to capacity (JAM-PACKED).
• 27A: Certain wildlife refuge (STATE PRESERVE).
• 47A: Hit from the "Moulin Rouge!" soundtrack (LADY MARMALADE).
• 62A: Spineless one (JELLYFISH).

Random Thoughts:

• 9A: Drink in a Dixie cup? (JULEP). The question mark hints that the clue doesn't refer to an actual "Dixie cup," as you would normally think of it. But rather a cup that's in the south. Where they apparently drink JULEPs. I used to know an old guy who was, I think, from Arkansas. He had a real low, gravelly voice and he used to say "I didn't get this accent from drinkin' outta Dixie cups." I was never really sure what that meant, but I laughed anyway.
• 15A: ___ breve: 2/2 time (ALLA). This is a reference to a time signature in music. I was going to explain it to you but, as it turns out, I don't really understand it myself. I was going to say it means two beats to a measure with a half note equalling one beat. But I can't really get that to make sense in my head. It's been a while ….

• 34A: Annoying kid at the pool (SPLASHER). I believe this is one of those entries Rex would call an "odd job," which basically just means it's a plain old word with ER tacked on the end. Yes, there is such a thing as a SPLASH and yes, it's something people do. But SPLASHER isn't really a word you hear very often. See also LADLER (8D: Soup kitchen volunteer).
• 59A: Summer pitcherful (ICE TEA). Yes, yes, I know, I know ….
• 66A: Collette of "United States of Tara" (TONI). I'd never heard of this show before. Sounds like a bizarre premise — Tara is a suburban housewife who suffers from dissociative identity disorder — but Ms. Collette won several Emmys, so I guess she figured out how to make it work.

• 68A: White House maiden name (TODD). Struggled to remember Michelle Obama's maiden name, just to find it didn't fit anyway. (It's Robinson.)
• 22D: Words before "of rules" (A SET). Weak sauce.
• 55D: "See you," in poker (I'M IN). I can't decide if I like this or not. It's awfully cute. Not sure if it's too cute. When a poker player "sees" another person's hand, they're "in" and might even say "I'm in." In that situation, though, the player wouldn't actually say "see you," so I don't think this really works. There you go. My mind is made up.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 65A: Latin 101 infinitive (ESSE).
• 7D: Guinness of "Star Wars" (ALEC).
• 11D: Pre-euro Italian currency (LIRA).
• 12D: Harrow rival (ETON).
• 33D: Oklahoma city (ENID).
• 57D: Hot times in the cité (ÉTÉS).
• 58D: Anka's "Eso __" (BESO).
• 60D: Young newts (EFTS).

Everything — 1A: Aaron of Cooperstown (HANK); 5A: Fast ender (MEAL); 9A: Drink in a Dixie cup? (JULEP); 14A: Lotion additive (ALOE); 15A: ___ breve: 2/2 time (ALLA); 16A: Get under one umbrella, so to speak (UNITE); 17A: Filled to capacity (JAM-PACKED); 19A: Panel member (JUROR); 20A: Soaking and relaxed (IN A TUB); 21A: One seeking repayment (CLAIMANT); 23A: Form W-4 fig. (SSN); 24A: NFL mike wearer (REF); 26A: Ballpark fig. (EST.); 27A: Certain wildlife refuge (STATE PRESERVE); 34A: Annoying kid at the pool (SPLASHER); 36A: Catch, as a podcast (TUNE IN); 37A: Panache (ELAN); 38A: What a fluid oz. measures (LIQ.); 40A: Half of MCDII (DCCI); 41A: Geometry measure (LENGTH); 44A: Was in pain (SUFFERED); 47A: Hit from the "Moulin Rouge!" soundtrack (LADY MARMALADE); 49A: Ending with Cray (-OLA); 50A: CBS's Rather (DAN); 51A: Shakespearean exclamations (AYS); 54A: Ticking danger (TIME BOMB); 59A: Summer pitcherful (ICE TEA); 61A: Stradivari's tutor (AMATI); 62A: Spineless one (JELLYFISH); 64A: Star in the same constellation as Betelgeuse (RIGEL); 65A: Latin 101 infinitive (ESSE); 66A: Collette of "United States of Tara" (TONI); 67A: Ouzo flavoring (ANISE); 68A: White House maiden name (TODD); 69A: Name-dropper, often (SNOB); 1D: Pilgrims to Mecca (HAJIS); 2D: Greenspan and Turing (ALANS); 3D: Area of uncertainty (NO-MANS LAND); 4D: Held on to (KEPT); 5D: Shakespeare's shortest tragedy (MACBETH); 6D: Yellowstone grazer (ELK); 7D: Guinness of "Star Wars" (ALEC); 8D: Soup kitchen volunteer (LADLER); 9D: Martial art emphasizing throws (JUJITSU); 10D: Word on a dime (UNUM); 11D: Pre-euro Italian currency (LIRA); 12D: Harrow rival (ETON); 13D: Cheeky (PERT); 18D: New Age-y emanations (AURAS); 22D: Words before "of rules" (A SET); 25D: Have a hunch (FEEL); 28D: Like some barbecue sauce (TANGY); 29D: Periscope part (PRISM); 30D: Wrapped up (ENDED); 31D: Hiking or biking (RECREATION); 32D: Nasty habit (VICE); 33D: Oklahoma city (ENID); 34D: Broker's order (SELL); 35D: Entreaty (PLEA); 39D: Four-sided campus space (QUAD); 42D: BlackBerry network choice (T-MOBILE); 43D: Saintly ring (HALO); 45D: Made things harder for the lifeguard (FLAILED); 46D: Ornate (FANCY); 48D: Engine for missiles (RAMJET); 52D: Like some easy questions (YES/NO); 53D: Indian honorific (SAHIB); 54D: O'Hara plantation (TARA); 55D: "See you," in poker (I'M IN); 56D: Star-struck trio? (MAGI); 57D: Hot times in the cité (ÉTÉS); 58D: Anka's "Eso __" (BESO); 60D: Young newts (EFTS); 63D: Source of some '60s trips (LSD).