09.13 Tue

T U E S D A Y
September 13, 2011
Gail Grabowski & Bruce Venzke

Theme: Not so fast! — The last word of each theme answer is a synonym for "hinder."

Theme answers:

• 20A: Shareholder's bonus (DIVIDEND CHECK).
• 29A: Kitchen island material (BUTCHER BLOCK).
• 46A: Wrap for leftovers (ALUMINUM FOIL).
• 56A: Laundry convenience (CLOTHES HAMPER).

Solid Tuesday offering today. After I got the first two theme answers, I thought the other two might also be sports related, but they weren't. Not a complaint; just an observation. Remember how I was saying yesterday that with this type of theme it's more elegant if the operative word in each entry has a different meaning in the theme phrase than the synonym? Well, this is what I'm talking about. The "check" in DIVIDEND CHECK is an actual thing that's not related at all to hindering. Same with the "block" in BUTCHER BLOCK and the other two entries as well. Good stuff.

I'm always a little nervous when I see two crosswordese entries right at the top of my grid (ROCS / ATRA), but, fortunately, the puzzle wasn't particularly crosswordese heavy. Obviously a few crosswordese entries, but that's to be expected in early-week puzzles.

We've got a foreign language vibe going with these French, German and Portuguese entries:

• 17A: Word on a French postcard (AVION).
• 65A: Everyone, to Ernst (ALLE).
• 9D: Lisbon mister (SENHOR).

And some flat-out fun words in both clues and answers here:

• 36A: Brief fisticuffs (SET-TO).
• 28D: Smidge (SKOSH).
• 30D: Balderdash (HOKUM).

Bullets:

• 25A: Throw easily (LOB). One last remnant of the U.S. Open. Did you see Serena on Sunday? She was LOBbing insults at the chair like nobody's business. I always laugh when stuff like that happens and John McEnroe is up in the booth going "Um, ah … er …." I mean, he can't really say anything, can he?
• 44A: "I could win on my next turn!" ("UNO!"). I think they should rename the game "I could win on my next turn!"
• 63A: Garlicky sauce (AIOLI). Mmmm, AIOLI.
• 5D: Two-seated carriage (LANDAU). Did Mercury once make a car called a Landau. Pretty sure my grandma drove one.
• 6D: Jeff Foxworthy jokes about them (REDNECKS). This one gets my vote for sparkliest entry in the grid. Which seems weird, because I don't generally think of REDNECKS as particularly sparkly.

• 8D: Word with sewing or traffic (CIRCLE). PuzzleKids always beg me to go all the way around traffic circles. Sometimes I act like that's the most ridiculous request in the world and then I do it anyway. Cracks them up.
• 11D: Created a study aid in class (TOOK NOTES). That makes it sound a little … deliberate, doesn't it?
• 27D: Large wedding band (OCTET). Nice play on the word "band" here. Not the ring, but the musical entertainment.

• 33D: Nametag greeting (HELLO).
• 47D: Crunchy snack (NUT BAR). [Insert your own Michele Bachmann joke here.]

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 6A: "Arabian Nights" birds (ROCS).
• 10A: Big name in razors (ATRA).
• 4D: Madame's "mine" (À MOI).
• 10D: Actor Baldwin (ALEC).
• 58D: Jazzy Fitzgerald (ELLA).

Everything — 1A: Yawn-inspiring (BANAL); 6A: "Arabian Nights" birds (ROCS); 10A: Big name in razors (ATRA); 14A: Alpaca kin (LLAMA); 15A: Pop singer Brickell (EDIE); 16A: Washerful (LOAD); 17A: Word on a French postcard (AVION); 18A: Laura of "Jurassic Park" (DERN); 19A: Forever, so to speak (EONS); 20A: Shareholder's bonus (DIVIDEND CHECK); 23A: Dir. from Memphis to Nashville (ENE); 24A: Something to grind (AXE); 25A: Throw easily (LOB); 26A: Phone bk. info (NOS.); 29A: Kitchen island material (BUTCHER BLOCK); 32A: Spinning sound (WHIR); 35A: "It's a Wonderful Life" studio (RKO); 36A: Brief fisticuffs (SET-TO); 37A: It has lots of slots (RENO); 38A: Invite to one's penthouse (ASK UP); 41A: Some necklines (VEES); 42A: Macaroni shape (ELBOW); 44A: "I could win on my next turn!" ("UNO!"); 45A: Bk. before Job (ESTH.); 46A: Wrap for leftovers (ALUMINUM FOIL); 50A: __-Tiki (KON); 51A: Wimple wearer (NUN); 52A: Window units, briefly (AC'S); 53A: Mud bath venue (SPA); 56A: Laundry convenience (CLOTHES HAMPER); 60A: Empty room sound (ECHO); 62A: Roll of fabric (BOLT); 63A: Garlicky sauce (AIOLI); 64A: In __ of: replacing (LIEU); 65A: Everyone, to Ernst (ALLE); 66A: Stops bleeding (CLOTS); 67A: Sail support (MAST); 68A: Meg of "Courage Under Fire" (RYAN); 69A: Have an inkling (SENSE); 1D: Little shaver (BLADE); 2D: Troublemaking chipmunk (ALVIN); 3D: Too trusting (NAIVE); 4D: Madame's "mine" (À MOI); 5D: Two-seated carriage (LANDAU); 6D: Jeff Foxworthy jokes about them (REDNECKS); 7D: Pigged out (on) (OD'ED); 8D: Word with sewing or traffic (CIRCLE); 9D: Lisbon mister (SENHOR); 10D: Actor Baldwin (ALEC); 11D: Created a study aid in class (TOOK NOTES); 12D: Was on the ballot (RAN); 13D: Program breaks (ADS); 21D: One in a crowd scene (EXTRA); 22D: Goes back to sea? (EBBS); 27D: Large wedding band (OCTET); 28D: Smidge (SKOSH); 29D: Witch craft? (BROOM); 30D: Balderdash (HOKUM); 31D: Flat (LEVEL); 32D: Inflict, as havoc (WREAK); 33D: Nametag greeting (HELLO); 34D: How grapes grow (IN BUNCHES); 39D: Remove the chain from, say (UNFASTEN); 40D: Doggie (POOCH); 43D: Skid row regular (WINO); 47D: Crunchy snack (NUT BAR); 48D: Not at all sacred (UNHOLY); 49D: "Compromising Positions" author Susan (ISAACS); 53D: Gazpacho eater's need (SPOON); 54D: Furrier's stock (PELTS); 55D: Hop out of bed (ARISE); 57D: Boorish sort (LOUT); 58D: Jazzy Fitzgerald (ELLA); 59D: __ High City: Denver (MILE); 60D: Shade source (ELM); 61D: "The Bourne Identity" org. (CIA).