09.06 Tue

T U E S D A Y
September 6, 2011
Peter Koetters

Theme: Pigtails — The first word of each theme answer can follow the word "pig" in a familiar phrase.

Theme answers:

• 18A: *Typical Valentino roles (LATIN LOVERS).
• 59A: *Cold War symbol (IRON CURTAIN).
• 3D: *Quaint means of communication? (PEN AND PAPER).
• 5D: *Was in charge of (HEADED UP).
• 26D: *To whom "Howdy, stranger" is often said (OUT-OF-TOWNER).
• 40D: Girlish hairstyle (and what the starts of the answers to starred clues are?) (PIGTAILS).

Another smooth offering today. We seem to be on a roll this week. Cute theme! The "word-before/word-after" themes are hard for me to see while solving because I just don't take the time, but it's fun to look at them afterwards. It's a bonus when all the theme answers are fun/colorful/interesting phrases. Unfortunately, today's theme answers don't really qualify, except for LATIN LOVERS which is awesome. But the fill was "like butta" — no write-overs! — so no complaints from me today. In fact, the only two entries that made me think at all were SOLEMN (4D: Like vows), where I had SACRED in my head and couldn't get rid of it, and TUTTE (37A: Mozart's "Così fan __"), which I always think might be spelled TUTTI, so I have to check the crosses.

Oh wait, I also paused at [39A: Cheesecake on a wall]. My mind went completely blank on this one. "Why the hell would anyone have cheesecake on a wall? Is it a painting of cheesecake? Was somebody angry?" No, cheesecake in this case refers to, well … I'm not sure exactly what it refers to, but it has to do with a picture of a sexy person pinned up on your wall, also known as a PIN-UP.

Several cute "?" clues today. My favorites:

• 63A: Org. for piece lovers? (NRA).
• 28D: What keeps bloomers up? (STEMS).
• 60D: Microsturgeons? (ROE).

The clue for BBC (51A: English channel, briefly) might also have taken a question mark. I'm sure there's a distinction there that I'm missing, but whatever. It's still a clever clue.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 15A: Grape grower's prefix (OENO-).
• 26A: Western treaty gp. (OAS).
• 35A: __ Mountains: Eurasian border range (URAL).
• 37A: Mozart's "Così fan __" (TUTTE).
• 65A: Wheel attachment (AXLE).
• 66A: Aussie runner (EMU).
• 12D: Suffix with musket (-EER).
• 60D: Microsturgeons? (ROE).

Everything — 1A: Tuck's partner (NIP); 4A: Carpet type (SHAG); 8A: Summer brew (ICE TEA); 14A: Stuff to be smelted (ORE); 15A: Grape grower's prefix (OENO-); 16A: "It's unnecessary" ("NO NEED"); 17A: Word with marked or masked (MAN); 18A: *Typical Valentino roles (LATIN LOVERS); 20A: Declared (STATED); 22A: Itch scratchers (NAILS); 23A: Full sets of chromosomes (GENOMES); 25A: Potpie piece from a pod (PEA); 26A: Western treaty gp. (OAS); 29A: It's up when you're angry (DANDER); 31A: Safe and sound (UNHURT); 33A: Race circuits (LAPS); 35A: __ Mountains: Eurasian border range (URAL); 37A: Mozart's "Così fan __" (TUTTE); 38A: Med school subj. (ANAT.); 39A: Cheesecake on a wall (PIN-UP); 41A: Crane component (BOOM); 42A: Conveyed, as water through a main (PIPED); 44A: Centers of attention (FOCI); 45A: Corp. money VIPs (CFO'S); 46A: Audiophile's setup (STEREO); 48A: Bothers persistently (NAGS AT); 50A: Musical ability (EAR); 51A: English channel, briefly (BBC); 53A: Swing by for a visit (STOP OFF); 56A: Former CBS News anchor Couric (KATIE); 58A: Response (ANSWER); 59A: *Cold War symbol (IRON CURTAIN); 63A: Org. for piece lovers? (NRA); 64A: Poses (for) (MODELS); 65A: Wheel attachment (AXLE); 66A: Aussie runner (EMU); 67A: Pint-size (PEE-WEE); 68A: For fear that (LEST); 69A: Free (of) (RID); 1D: Chinese menu assurance (NO M.S.G.); 2D: Hopping mad (IRATE); 3D: *Quaint means of communication? (PEN AND PAPER); 4D: Like vows (SOLEMN); 5D: *Was in charge of (HEADED UP); 6D: Picnic crasher (ANT); 7D: Enter (GO IN); 8D: Taking the place (of) (IN LIEU); 9D: Car radiator need (COOLANT); 10D: They may be self-sealing: Abbr. (ENVS.); 11D: Kickoff aid (TEE); 12D: Suffix with musket (-EER); 13D: Spots on TV (ADS); 19D: Cat's pause? (NAP); 21D: Place for Pop-Tarts (TOASTER); 24D: Letter flourish (SERIF); 26D: *To whom "Howdy, stranger" is often said (OUT-OF-TOWNER); 27D: Threepio's buddy (ARTOO); 28D: What keeps bloomers up? (STEMS); 30D: Talked a blue streak (RAN ON); 32D: Wheel covers (HUBCAPS); 33D: Run out, as a subscription (LAPSE); 34D: Santa __ racetrack (ANITA); 36D: "Star Wars" mastermind (LUCAS); 40D: Girlish hairstyle (and what the starts of the answers to starred clues are?) (PIGTAILS); 43D: Fiasco (DEBACLE); 47D: More than right, in triangles (OBTUSE); 49D: Shakespearean verse (SONNET); 52D: Columbus in N.Y.C. or DuPont in D.C. (CIR.); 54D: Nuclear pioneer Enrico (FERMI); 55D: Hoax (FRAUD); 56D: Was aware (KNEW); 57D: List-ending abbr. (ET AL.); 59D: Little devil (IMP); 60D: Microsturgeons? (ROE); 61D: Poem of praise (ODE); 62D: Logger's tool (AXE).