09.14 Wed

W E D N E S D A Y
September 14, 2011
Don Gagliardo & C.C. Burnikel

Theme: Wheel of Fortune — Theme answers end with an article plus a vowel, like the way a contestant on Wheel of Fortune would say, "I'd like to buy AN A," e.g.

Theme answers:

• 17A: *"The Music Man" number (GARY INDIANA).
• 21A: *Sweet stocking stuffer (CANDY CANE).
• 34A: *Lead singer in No Doubt's hit "Don't Speak" (GWEN STEFANI).
• 42A: *Instrument using rolls (PLAYER PIANO).
• 52A: *Seven-time Grammy-winning jazz singer (AL JARREAU).
• 62A: Words in a classic game show that can be followed by the ends of the answers to starred clues (I'D LIKE TO BUY).

I'm not gonna spend a lot of time on this puzzle because, frankly, I don't think very much of it. The theme is extremely thin, the crosswordese is rampant, and the fill is pretty sketchy in that it includes:

• several prefix/suffix entries (-ISH, API-, PERI-);
• a Random Roman Numeral (DCC);
• an awkward plural (TEMPI);
• half of a Gabor sister (ZSA); and
• ISIAH Thomas.

I actually do like both AL JARREAU and GWEN STEFANI (although GWEN's clue was oddly specific), but there's just not enough theme here. Three letters at the end of four entries and only two at the end of the fifth. Add to that the awkward reveal clue and, well … I'm just not feeling it.

I have now made a puzzle constructing rule for myself. If I ever find that a grid needs to contain both SOU and ÉCU, I will scrap it and start over. I don't even think having both of those words in the grid can be counter-balanced by a phenomenal theme (which, unfortunately, isn't even a consideration in this particular case).

If you all found anything redeeming in this puzzle, I'd love to hear about it in the comments. Telling me that HOBO is awesome doesn't count, though, because that's just obvious.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 20A: Early computer (ENIAC).
• 41A: Ernst contemporary (ARP).
• 65A: Geological time division (AEON).
• 24D: Vietnamese holiday marking the arrival of spring (TET).
• 26D: Ottoman big shots (AGHAS).
• 51D: Arctic diver (AUK).
• 55D: "The Time Machine" race (ELOI).

Everything — 1A: Wasn't renewed (LAPSED); 7A: Fiend's tail? (-ISH); 10A: Biographical datum (AGE); 13A: World Cup chant (OLÉ OLÉ); 14A: They're "high" but not dry (SEAS); 16A: Little shaver (LAD); 17A: *"The Music Man" number (GARY INDIANA); 19A: Ginormous (BIG); 20A: Early computer (ENIAC); 21A: *Sweet stocking stuffer (CANDY CANE); 23A: Not quite a compulsion (ITCH); 25A: W-2 info: Abbr. (SSN); 26A: Perceptive (ASTUTE); 30A: Predecessor of 33-Down (JOHNSON); 34A: *Lead singer in No Doubt's hit "Don't Speak" (GWEN STEFANI); 37A: Bee fore? (API-); 38A: Plate in a park (HOME); 39A: Took by the hand (LED); 40A: Aptly named movie channel (FLIX); 41A: Ernst contemporary (ARP); 42A: *Instrument using rolls (PLAYER PIANO); 46A: Grab ahold of, as an idea (SEIZE ON); 48A: Cross to bear (BURDEN); 49A: Trivial amount (SOU); 50A: Sandbox sight (PAIL); 52A: *Seven-time Grammy-winning jazz singer (AL JARREAU); 56A: Tibetan capital (LHASA); 61A: Showy wrap (BOA); 62A: Words in a classic game show that can be followed by the ends of the answers to starred clues (I'D LIKE TO BUY); 64A: Lumber tree (ELM); 65A: Geological time division (AEON); 66A: Fare-minded one? (CABBIE); 67A: Family pooch (LAB); 68A: Command to a 67-Across (SIT); 69A: WWII fleet (U-BOATS); 1D: Prime seating (LOGE); 2D: Rickman of Harry Potter films (ALAN); 3D: Prefix with meter (PERI-); 4D: Miso bean (SOYA); 5D: Extracts (ELICITS); 6D: Place to relax (DEN); 7D: Hoops legend Thomas (ISIAH); 8D: Penn of "Milk" (SEAN); 9D: Like computer lab learning (HANDS-ON); 10D: Goya's "Duchess of __" (ALBA); 11D: Put on a spare tire? (GAIN); 12D: Upper hand (EDGE); 15D: Greets someone with more than a nod (SAYS HI); 18D: LXX x X (DCC); 22D: MSNBC rival (CNN); 24D: Vietnamese holiday marking the arrival of spring (TET); 26D: Ottoman big shots (AGHAS); 27D: Talked a blue streak? (SWORE); 28D: Musical speeds (TEMPI); 29D: French article (UNE); 30D: Shade of green (JADE); 31D: Leaves for lunch? (SALAD); 32D: Speak one's mind (OPINE); 33D: Successor to 30-Across (NIXON); 35D: Pizazz (ELAN); 36D: Tina of "30 Rock" (FEY); 40D: Tree often brought into the house (FIR); 42D: Illinois River port (PEORIA); 43D: French pilgrimage site (LOURDES); 44D: DH's stat (RBI); 45D: Can opener (PULL TAB); 47D: When doubled, sister of Eva (ZSA); 50D: A stripper takes it off (PAINT); 51D: Arctic diver (AUK); 52D: Genesis shepherd (ABEL); 53D: 1970 Kinks classic (LOLA); 54D: It's perpendicular to a threshold (JAMB); 55D: "The Time Machine" race (ELOI); 57D: Vagabond (HOBO); 58D: "Take a Chance on Me" quartet (ABBA); 59D: Dressy duds (SUIT); 60D: Thumbs-up votes (AYES); 63D: Former French coin (ÉCU).