Things That Help You Get By

This has been my first week back at work. It's been tough leaving Jen at home, but she's had people around her all the time to keep her company. Settling back into work has had its ups and downs.

Given that it's been a fairly rough week, I felt it'd be nice to start the weekend by talking about things that friends and loved ones do for us that just make us feel loved and help give us that little bit of a boost to get through the day.

• Friends showing up with food 
• My parents and sister cleaning the house and stocking up our kitchen while we weren't there
• A friend finding out we hadn't any plans and offering to come over, just to keep us company
• A very close friend's dad being there at Conor's funeral because she couldn't
• Someone turning to us and saying how proud they are of us, or how they look up to us for how strong we're being and how we seem to be coping
• Friends just being there to chat online, about anything and everything
• An old friend coming back into contact
• A stranger commenting on a blog post about how they're thinking of us
• Friends coming over, without any plans for what to do, and letting us just have a great night of fun and food, without any expectations

 I've noticed things like these so much more recently. How much they matter, and how blessed Jen and I are to have so many people who care so much about it. It's these things, these people, who give us the strength to carry on. I am glad to say that I have never felt more loved than I do right now, thanks to these people.

So let's get this rolling. What things, big or small, have people done that make you feel loved, or helped pick you up when you needed it?

08.04 Thu

T H U R S D A Y
August 4, 2011
Don Gagliardo & C.C. Burnikel

Theme: Left-Right — Each theme answer is a two-word phrase, the first word of which is typed completely with the left hand. The second word is typed completely with the right hand.

Theme answers:

• 17A: *Informal survey (STRAW POLL).
• 29A: *Young starlet's driver (STAGE MOM).
• 45A: *Jeweled fashion accessory (DRESS PIN).
• 4D: *Ominous salutation (DEAR JOHN).
• 11D: *Fresh dairy product (SWEET MILK).
• 22D: *Garage lubricant (GEAR OIL).
• 28D: *Retro '80s British indie rock genre (TWEE POP).
• 35D: *Be of one mind about (AGREE UPON).
• 41D: *Astral wildflower (STAR LILY).
• 62A: Repeated words in a drill sergeant's marching order, and a hint to how the first and second word, in turn, of each starred answer would be touch-typed (LEFT RIGHT).

Oh man, I have so much to do today. I still have to get ready for my trip to New York for Lollapuzzoola 4, plus I have to make sure the PuzzleKids are all ready for sleep-away camp before I go. And then there's that pesky job which is gonna eat up a bunch of my day. Hate that! So I'll just say first of all that's a lot of dang theme in that there puzzle! Whoa! Also, I've seen this type (ha!) of theme before and I had the same feeling about it today as I've had in the past: I wish I had solved the puzzle on the computer. I think I probably would have had a nice aha moment if I was actually typing the words, but writing them in? They just seemed random. How did you all solve today? On computer or on paper?

I just have a couple quick comments and then you guys can hash out the rest of the grid.

Bullets:

• 14A: Strike zone? (LANE). Cute clue. This is a reference to bowling.
• 24A: Legendary Henie (SONJA). Is she a skier? Skater? I know it's some kind of winter Olympic sport. I only know her from crosswords.
• 67A: New York's __ Island (CONEY). Here's what went through my head: LONG, STATEN, ROOSEVELT, ARGH!
• 52D: Taj __ (MAHAL). I guess the least I can do is leave you with some music today.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 42A: Rocket tail? (-EER).
• 44A: WBA stats (TKO'S).
• 47A: Mauna __ (LOA).
• 68A: German auto (OPEL).
• 1D: Lund of "Casablanca" and others (ILSAS).
• 31D: Medley (OLIO).

Everything — 1A: Chatted via AOL (IM'ED); 5A: "Legend of the Guardians" birds (OWLS); 9A: Product prefix with -matic (INSTA); 14A: Strike zone? (LANE); 15A: State with a five-sided flag (OHIO); 16A: Staircase post (NEWEL); 17A: *Informal survey (STRAW POLL); 19A: Lose no games (SWEEP); 20A: São Miguel's islands (AZORES); 21A: Get dolled (up) (TOG); 23A: Kings and queens (BEDS); 24A: Legendary Henie (SONJA); 25A: Discharge (EMIT); 27A: Great Lakes prov. (ONT.); 29A: *Young starlet's driver (STAGEMOM); 33A: Six-sided state (UTAH); 36A: Tends the lawn (WATERS); 38A: Key for Debussy? (ILE); 39A: + or -, e.g. (SIGN); 40A: It's not chilly in Chile (ENERO); 41A: Buttonhole, e.g. (SLIT); 42A: Rocket tail? (-EER); 43A: Russian leader, 1682-1725 (PETER I); 44A: WBA stats (TKO'S); 45A: *Jeweled fashion accessory (DRESS PIN); 47A: Mauna __ (LOA); 49A: Prefix with -morphic (ECTO); 50A: Albee offering (DRAMA); 54A: "Out of the question!" ("UH-UH!"); 56A: Bud (PAL); 59A: Haul in (COLLAR); 60A: Slangy denials (NOPES); 62A: Repeated words in a drill sergeant's marching order, and a hint to how the first and second word, in turn, of each starred answer would be touch-typed (LEFT RIGHT); 64A: Ad (PROMO); 65A: Brace (PAIR); 66A: Pastures (LEAS); 67A: New York's __ Island (CONEY); 68A: German auto (OPEL); 69A: Every 12 mos. (YRLY.); 1D: Lund of "Casablanca" and others (ILSAS); 2D: Seder staple (MATZO); 3D: "The Smartest Guys in the Room" company (ENRON); 4D: *Ominous salutation (DEAR JOHN); 5D: "My bad!" ("OOPS!"); 6D: Question from 5-Across? (WHO); 7D: Jaunty tune (LILT); 8D: New pilot's milestone (SOLO); 9D: Connections (INS); 10D: Online novice (NEWBIE); 11D: *Fresh dairy product (SWEET MILK); 12D: Ready to drive (TEED); 13D: Salzburg vista (ALPS); 18D: Withdraw by degrees (WEAN); 22D: *Garage lubricant (GEAR OIL); 26D: U.K. sports cars (MG'S); 28D: *Retro '80s British indie rock genre (TWEE POP); 29D: 17th-century Dutch painter (STEEN); 30D: Okla., once (TERR.); 31D: Medley (OLIO); 32D: Citi Field team (METS); 33D: Pre-owned (USED); 34D: Theater section (TIER); 35D: *Be of one mind about (AGREE UPON); 37D: Naysayer (ANTI); 41D: *Astral wildflower (STAR LILY); 43D: LAX setting (PST); 46D: Work on a plot (SCHEME); 48D: Renuzit target (ODOR); 51D: Rags-to-riches author (ALGER); 52D: Taj __ (MAHAL); 53D: Pretentious (ARTSY); 54D: Like sexist jokes, for short (UN-P.C.); 55D: Scope starter (HORO-); 57D: Best friend's meal? (ALPO); 58D: Ballet move (LEAP); 59D: Key used in combinations (CTRL); 61D: Tempeh base (SOY); 63D: "For shame!" ("FIE!").

08.03 Wed

W E D N E S D A Y
August 3, 2011
Kurt Krauss

Theme: On a Roller Coaster — Hard to explain. Just look at the theme answers. You'll get it.

Theme answers:

• 17A: What older baseball pitchers might do? (WIND DOWN WINDUPS).
• 23A: Fetch Halloween costumes from the attic? (GET DOWN GETUPS).
• 53A: Post snide comments on a blog? (PUT UP PUTDOWNS).
• 64A: Join the high school wrestling team? (TAKE UP TAKEDOWNS).

This might be one of my favorite themes ever. And I swear it's not only because it references wrestling. The word play in this theme is just really fun. The answers are totally consistent and, as a bonus, they're also fun to say!

I noticed a lot of clues in quotation marks today, so I thought we should talk about that. When a clue is in quotation marks it's — obviously — meant to be something a person might say. So the answer will always be something else a person might say to convey the same idea.

• 39A: "Can I get a word in?" ("AHEM"). Someone saying "Can I get a word in?" is probably impatient, but IMPATIENT won't work as an answer here because it's just totally the wrong part of speech. Instead, think of something else a person might say who's trying to break in to a conversation. Tada! "AHEM."

• 73A: "Go for it!" ("YES!"). When you see "Go for it!" you probably think of encouragement, but EGG ON (although it's a phrase frequently seen in crosswords) doesn't work here. Instead, what is something else a person might say who's been asked "Should I do it?"
• 32D: "Ew!" ("ICK!"). Again, two things a person might say that convey the same meaning.
• 7D: "Don't remind me" ("I KNOW"). You're totally getting the hang of this by now, right?

Bullets:

• 9A: Latish wake-up time (TEN A.M.). We talked recently about how if the answer is (or contains) an abbreviation, the clue will typically give you a hint about that by containing an abbreviation itself. But remember that we also talked about exceptions to that "rule." This is one of them. A.M. is, indeed, an abbreviation, but it's so commonly used that it's more like its own word and, therefore, doesn't need an abbreviation cue in the clue.

• 27A: Mice and lice (VERMIN). "Ew!" ("ICK!").
• 3D: Scratch (LONG GREEN). I assume these are both slang terms for money, although I don't think I've ever heard the term LONG GREEN. Unless this is something totally different. Help me out here.
• 5D: HTC smartphone (EVO). This is the phone featured in the hilarious, strange, and wildly inappropriate video that went viral about a year ago. [Warning: Don't click the link if you are offended by bad language. Seriously! F-bombs everywhere!]
• 11D: Tiny Pacific republic (NAURU). This island makes an appearance in puzzles fairly regularly, but that didn't help me today. Needed all the crosses.

• 33D: Mary Bobbsey's older daughter (NAN). What's the other Bobbsey twin's name? I never read the books, and I only know NAN from puzzles.
• 36D: Keeps at it (PLUGS AWAY). Awesome colloquial phrase here.
• 45D: Its largest moon is Triton (NEPTUNE). HAha! I only knew this one because TRITON is so often in the grid clued as "Neptune's largest moon."
• 57D: Pageant trophy (TIARA). I'm a little bummed that I'll miss "Toddlers & Tiaras" tonight, but I'm picking up a friend at Dulles — not REAGAN (51A: Dulles alternative), but actually Dulles. Which reminds me, I'm off to Lollapuzzoola 4 this weekend, so please don't expect much from the weekend write-ups. I may just post grids and themes and let you all have at it in the comments. And if you're anywhere near New York, please join us for the tournament. I've been to this super fun event every year and it just keeps getting better!

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 4A: Nostalgic soft drinks (NEHIS).
• 14A: Object of a conquistador's quest (ORO).
• 4D: Composer Rorem (NED).
• 28D: K-12 (ELHI).
• 34D: Poetic preposition (ERE).
• 42D: Casino game (FARO).
• 50D: Each (A POP).
• 63D: Droop-nosed fliers (SST'S).
• 66D: "Small Craft on a Milk Sea" musician (ENO).

Everything — 1A: Kilmer of "Batman Forever" (VAL); 4A: Nostalgic soft drinks (NEHIS); 9A: Latish wake-up time (TEN A.M.); 14A: Object of a conquistador's quest (ORO); 15A: Conjure up (EVOKE); 16A: As a friend, to Fran&cced;ois (EN AMI); 17A: What older baseball pitchers might do? (WIND DOWN WIND-UPS); 20A: "Scarborough Fair" herb (SAGE); 21A: Huey, Dewey and Louie, e.g. (TOONS); 22A: Dull routine (RUT); 23A: Fetch Halloween costumes from the attic? (GET DOWN GETUPS); 27A: Mice and lice (VERMIN); 29A: Quick-flash link (AS A); 30A: French land mass (ILE); 31A: Early pamphleteer (PAINE); 35A: Big name in baseball cards (TOPPS); 39A: "Can I get a word in?" ("AHEM"); 41A: Muffler (SCARF); 43A: Intimate apparel purchase (SLIP); 44A: Wrinkle-prone fabric (LINEN); 46A: Work with one's hands (KNEAD); 48A: NATO founding member (USA); 49A: Classy org.? (NEA); 51A: Dulles alternative (REAGAN); 53A: Post snide comments on a blog? (PUT UP PUTDOWNS); 59A: Italian diminutive suffix (-INO); 60A: "Pagliacci" clown (TONIO); 61A: Dundee denials (NAES); 64A: Join the high school wrestling team? (TAKE UP TAKEDOWNS); 68A: Early Indo-European (ARYAN); 69A: Actress Dunne (IRENE); 70A: Volstead __: Prohibition enabler (ACT); 71A: Campfire treat (S'MORE); 72A: Enjoyed, as a beach blanket (LAY ON); 73A: "Go for it!" ("YES!"); 1D: Swears (VOWS); 2D: Certain stage solo (ARIA); 3D: Scratch (LONG GREEN); 4D: Composer Rorem (NED); 5D: HTC smartphone (EVO); 6D: Mr. Fixit's genre (HOW-TO); 7D: "Don't remind me" ("I KNOW"); 8D: Attach, in a way (SEW ON); 9D: Most likely to crack (TENSEST); 10D: Bring down the curtain (END); 11D: Tiny Pacific republic (NAURU); 12D: Rally, as a crowd (AMP UP); 13D: Thin sprays (MISTS); 18D: Think (DEEM); 19D: Actress Swenson (INGA); 24D: Fall (over) (TIP); 25D: Geneticist's concerns (DNA'S); 26D: Art colony town (TAOS); 27D: Medicine chest item (VIAL); 28D: K-12 (EL-HI); 32D: "Ew!" ("ICK!"); 33D: Mary Bobbsey's older daughter (NAN); 34D: Poetic preposition (ERE); 36D: Keeps at it (PLUGS AWAY); 37D: Galileo Galilei Airport city (PISA); 38D: Attention __ (SPAN); 40D: Choice reading? (MENU); 42D: Casino game (FARO); 45D: Its largest moon is Triton (NEPTUNE); 47D: Drops on a blade? (DEW); 50D: Each (A POP); 52D: Monument word (ANNO); 53D: Gyro essentials (PITAS); 54D: Render weaponless (UNARM); 55D: Godzilla's stomping ground (TOKYO); 56D: "Wait __ Dark": 1967 film (UNTIL); 57D: Pageant trophy (TIARA); 58D: "Okey-__!" (DOKEY); 62D: Verb-to-noun suffix (-ENCE); 63D: Droop-nosed fliers (SST'S); 65D: Mr. Potato Head piece (EAR); 66D: "Small Craft on a Milk Sea" musician (ENO); 67D: Home viewing room (DEN).

Musical Inspiration

Anyone who knows me knows my love of music. Any time a new movie comes out that I like, I buy the film score as soon as possible. I think my music collection currently clocks in at over 25 weeks' of playing time.

Music is such an integral part of cultures across the world. We use it to celebrate and to grieve. It allows us to mark happy times, cope with sad ones, and hope for better ones. From tribal dances, to nightclub anthems, to driving rock ballads and sweeping orchestras, music fills every part of human life.

Many writers, myself included, have playlists of music to listen to while writing. I find it helps draw me into the world and characters I'm building. I can feel the story become more real. With the right music playing, I can feel such exhilleration and enthusiasm that I feel like if I don't write I'll need to start running and jumping just to release the energy. It doesn't matter if the music is orchestral or has lyrics; if it fits with the story and the scene I'm writing, it's like it turns the dial up to eleven on me.

Even when not writing, I find that just listening to music can help provide me with the inspiration I need to plan out my story, pinpointing the significant emotional points, both for the characters and for the reader.

To the writers out there, what role does music play in your work?

To everyone else, how else does music add to your day to day life? Or to your own work, whatever that may be?

Tue 08.01

T U E S D A Y
August 2, 2011
Patti Varol

Theme: Time After Time — Each half of each theme answer is also the first half of a word or phrase ending in "time."

Theme answers:

• 18A: *Delayed reaction (DOUBLE TAKE).
• 20A: *Radioactive decay measure (HALF LIFE).
• 44A: *Military hobbyist's pastime (WAR GAME).
• 58A: *Prom time, to prom-goers (BIG NIGHT).
• 60A: *Modern (PRESENT-DAY).
• 37A: Repeatedly ... and a hint to the answers to starred clues (TIME AFTER TIME).

I really enjoyed this theme. If you're gonna do a word-before or word-after theme, at least jazz it up a little and use both parts of the theme answers, right? All the resulting "time" phrases are solid. The weakest in the bunch is TAKE TIME, but it's not really bad, and DOUBLE TAKE is an awesome entry. Apart from the theme, the fill is very smooth. There aren't any particularly long entries, which is where I look when I'm trying to find some sparkle, but there are some fun shorter entries like BAD HOP, NO GOOD, and BJORK (1D: Tough play for Derek Jeter / 49D: Call after a missed field goal / 33A: Reykjavik-born one-named singer). I always like to say the word BJORK as if it's a cartoon sound effect, but maybe that's just me.

Bullets:

• 42A: Beret perch (TÊTE). French!
• 52A: "Little Women" sister (AMY); 39D: "Little Women" sister (MEG). Love this pair. The other two sisters are JO and BETH.
• 53A: Alimentary route (CANAL). M-W.com tell me the "alimentary canal" is "the tubular passage that extends from mouth to anus and functions in digestion and absorption of food and elimination of residual waste." Ew.
• 4D: Put the kibosh on (STIFLE). Is it possible to see this word without thinking of Archie Bunker?
• 5D: Salon foot treatment, briefly (PEDI). I'll be getting one of these after work today.
• 8D: Diamond org. (MLB); 37D: Nine of diamonds? (TEAM). Two "diamond" clues today, both referring to baseball. MLB = Major League Baseball, and a baseball TEAM consists of nine players. Well, nine positions, with more players in the dugout. But you get the idea.

• 9D: Stout maker (BREWER). This could have been clued in reference to baseball too.
• 10D: Bat mitzvah, e.g. (RITE). PuzzleDaughter asked me the other day when we were going to have her bat mitzvah. Liiitle problem ….
• 11D: "Come __ My House": Rosemary Clooney hit (ON-A). I've never heard this song, so I went to YouTube to find it. You all should definitely go listen to Rosemary Clooney sing it, but I think you'll all understand that when I found a version of the song sung by Eartha Kitt in Japanese — well, I had my video clip for the day.

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 15A: Airline with blue-striped jets (EL AL).
• 30D: Double-platinum Steely Dan album (AJA).
• 40D: Mythical big bird (ROC).
• 57D: Grounded fleet: Abbr. (SST'S).
• 62D: Actor Wallach (ELI).

Everything — 1A: Programmer's banes (BUGS); 5A: Hollywood tree (PALM); 9A: Soup base (BROTH); 14A: Subj. to bone up on? (ANAT.); 15A: Airline with blue-striped jets (EL AL); 16A: Washer cycle (RINSE); 17A: Poor boy seller (DELI); 18A: *Delayed reaction (DOUBLE TAKE); 20A: *Radioactive decay measure (HALF LIFE); 22A: Baa nana? (EWE); 23A: "__ Mio": classic Italian song (O SOLE); 24A: Treasure-__ (TROVE); 26A: Question of identity (WHO); 29A: Pre-euro Spanish coin (PESETA); 31A: *Aviation display (AIR SHOW); 33A: Reykjavik-born one-named singer (BJORK); 36A: Iron-rich green veggie (KALE); 37A: Repeatedly ... and a hint to the answers to starred clues (TIME AFTER TIME); 42A: Beret perch (TÊTE); 43A: Choir part (TENOR); 44A: *Military hobbyist's pastime (WAR GAME); 47A: It makes Tom frisky (CATNIP); 52A: "Little Women" sister (AMY); 53A: Alimentary route (CANAL); 56A: "Seinfeld" specialty (IRONY); 57A: __-fi (SCI); 58A: *Prom time, to prom-goers (BIG NIGHT); 60A: *Modern (PRESENT-DAY); 64A: Fireworks reaction (OOOH); 65A: Knocks for a loop (JOLTS); 66A: 1804 duelist (BURR); 67A: "__ arigato": Japanese "thank you very much" (DOMO); 68A: Provolone alternative (SWISS); 69A: Part of a.k.a. (ALSO); 70A: Paradise (EDEN); 1D: Tough play for Derek Jeter (BAD HOP); 2D: The heebie-jeebies (UNEASE); 3D: Winemakers Ernest and Julio (GALLOS); 4D: Put the kibosh on (STIFLE); 5D: Salon foot treatment, briefly (PEDI); 6D: High, as a kite (ALOFT); 7D: "Today" co-host (LAUER); 8D: Diamond org. (MLB); 9D: Stout maker (BREWER); 10D: Bat mitzvah, e.g. (RITE); 11D: "Come __ My House": Rosemary Clooney hit (ON A); 12D: "Have you no shame?" (TSK); 13D: Laugh syllable (HEE); 19D: First name in jeans (LEVI); 21D: Leave alone (LET BE); 25D: Like bourbon barrels (OAKEN); 26D: "Kapow!" cousin (WHAM); 27D: Links target (HOLE); 28D: Run a tab, say (OWE); 30D: Double-platinum Steely Dan album (AJA); 32D: Deal with moguls? (SKI); 34D: Quite a lot (OFTEN); 35D: 66, notably: Abbr. (RTE.); 37D: Nine of diamonds? (TEAM); 38D: "Just doing my job" ("I TRY"); 39D: "Little Women" sister (MEG); 40D: Mythical big bird (ROC); 41D: Get fit (TRAIN); 42D: "Up, up and away" carrier (TWA); 45D: The "A" in RAM (ACCESS); 46D: Principal (MAIN); 48D: Vacuum tube type (TRIODE); 49D: Call after a missed field goal (NO GOOD); 50D: Like some health care (IN-HOME); 51D: Slithering squeezer (PYTHON); 54D: Kareem __-Jabbar (ABDUL); 55D: Perjurers (LIARS); 57D: Grounded fleet: Abbr. (SST'S); 59D: Pita sandwich (GYRO); 60D: Jammies (PJ'S); 61D: Obey the coxswain (ROW); 62D: Actor Wallach (ELI); 63D: Sched. question mark (TBA).

08.01 Mon

M O N D A Y
August 1, 2011
Andrew Bannem

Theme: Ice Ice Baby — The last word of each theme answer can be a form of ice.

Theme answers:

• 20A: Microprocessor (COMPUTER CHIP).
• 39A: Substance in a visual display unit (LIQUID CRYSTAL).
• 56A: Broth-making aid (BOUILLON CUBE).
• 65D: The ends of 20-, 39- and 56-Across are forms of it (ICE).
• 30D: 65-Down, in a cocktail (ROCKS).

Remember last week when I complained about the 1-Across clue "See 69-Across"? Now, right here today? This is how it's done. FIZZ at 1-Across (1A: Effervescence). That's what I'm talkin' about. I tell you what, this theme didn't excite me much, but the fill in this grid is definitely above average for a Monday. The thing about Mondays is that they have to be easy. But easy doesn't mean the fill has to be boring. The easy part can be accomplished with straightforward cluing of lively entries (like we have today). My favorites include L.L. BEAN, MOOG, DOG IT, and YELL UP TO (48A: Maine mail order giant / 33A: Synthesizer pioneer / 12D: Loaf on the job / 41D: Shout at from below). I mean, that's pretty flashy for a Monday, right?

Bullets:

• 15A: Where dos are done (SALON). PuzzleDaughter is really into doing nails right now so she's opened a "salon" right here at the PuzzleHouse. She even has a Club Card so that once you've visited the salon ten times you get … a surprise. She's got kind of a strange business model though. The first four times you visit the salon it's free, but after that you have to start paying. Her marketing skills might need a little work is what I'm saying.

• 23A: Hard tattoo to misspell (MOM).
• 50A: Halfback's maneuver (END RUN). This is funny. I don't recall hearing this phrase in relation to football. It's pretty obviously a football term, but I've heard it mostly in its metaphircal sense.
• 67A: Modern kind of phone (SMART). This is a type of clue/answer pair that Amy taught me to find irritating. (And good thing too! I don't have enough things to be irritated about!) You see, a SMART isn't a type of phone. A SMART PHONE is a type of phone. This is one of those irritants that I just live with. You should either join me in being irritated or … decide that you're not going to be bothered by this kind of stuff. Probably best to choose the latter.
• 1D: Beatles adjective (FAB). For you young'uns out there, the Beatles were known as the FAB Four.

• 2D: Chat room "I think ..." (IMO). For you older people out there, it stands for In My Opinion.
• 5D: Forensic TV spin-off (CSI: MIAMI). I've never watched any of the CSI shows. I also never watched any of the Law & Order spin-offs, although I watched every single episode of the original. I'm not really sure why. I think I just got busy. It's not that I'm opposed to spin-offs. I watched "Rhoda" after all.
• 8D: Track tipster (TOUT). This is probably the toughest clue in the grid. Somewhere way back in the cobwebs I knew this definition of TOUT, but it sure didn't come easy.
• 25D: What they call the wind, in a 1951 song (MARIA). I'm not familiar with this song, but it brought to mind this one:

Crosswordese 101 Round-up:

• 14A: Mine, in Marseille (À MOI).
• 7D: Baseball's Felipe or Matty (ALOU).
• 63D: Gardner on screen (AVA).

Everything — 1A: Effervescence (FIZZ); 5A: Orange container (CRATE); 10A: Afterthoughts (ANDS); 14A: Mine, in Marseille (À MOI); 15A: Where dos are done (SALON); 16A: Chimney buildup (SOOT); 17A: Blessing (BOON); 18A: Words spoken while tossing in cards (I'M OUT); 19A: One may be dog-eared (PAGE); 20A: Microprocessor (COMPUTER CHIP); 23A: Hard tattoo to misspell (MOM); 26A: Grafton's "__ for Burglar" (B IS); 27A: Sunday dinners (ROASTS); 28A: Qatar's peninsula (ARABIA); 30A: Grating sound (RASP); 32A: Load (up), as energy food (CARB); 33A: Synthesizer pioneer (MOOG); 35A: Juanita's "this" (ESTA); 39A: Substance in a visual display unit (LIQUID CRYSTAL); 42A: Scout uniform accessory (SASH); 43A: Depression era migrant (OKIE); 44A: Graph line (AXIS); 46A: Snobbish mannerisms (AIRS); 48A: Maine mail order giant (L.L. BEAN); 50A: Halfback's maneuver (END RUN); 54A: __-mo replay (SLO); 55A: High-speed PC option (DSL); 56A: Broth-making aid (BOUILLON CUBE); 60A: Two-tone treat (OREO); 61A: Oodles (A HEAP); 62A: Long skirt (MAXI); 66A: Leave out (OMIT); 67A: Modern kind of phone (SMART); 68A: Voltaire's "with" (AVEC); 69A: Topeka's st. (KANS.); 70A: Versatile blood donor (TYPE O); 71A: Green stone (JADE); 1D: Beatles adjective (FAB); 2D: Chat room "I think ..." (IMO); 3D: Bronx attraction (ZOO); 4D: Metal in pennies (ZINC); 5D: Forensic TV spin-off (CSI: MIAMI); 6D: Highway exits (RAMPS); 7D: Baseball's Felipe or Matty (ALOU); 8D: Track tipster (TOUT); 9D: Goes in (ENTERS); 10D: Pet-protecting org. (ASPCA); 11D: __ Ark (NOAH'S); 12D: Loaf on the job (DOG IT); 13D: Staircase units (STEPS); 21D: Japanese wraparound (OBI); 22D: Double Dutch needs (ROPES); 23D: Fella (MAC); 24D: Postgraduate grillings (ORALS); 25D: What they call the wind, in a 1951 song (MARIA); 29D: Backyard cookouts, briefly (BBQ'S); 30D: 65-Down, in a cocktail (ROCKS); 31D: Prefix with culture (AGRI-); 34D: Skunk's defense (ODOR); 36D: Take a __ at: try (STAB); 37D: Put a levy on (TAXED); 38D: Assumed name (ALIAS); 40D: Ryder competitor (UHAUL); 41D: Shout at from below (YELL UP TO); 45D: NBC show with Baba Wawa skits, briefly (SNL); 47D: At the bottom of the standings (IN LAST); 49D: Soft shot (LOB); 50D: Kindle download (E-BOOK); 51D: "__ Rae" (NORMA); 52D: Expected at the terminal (DUE IN); 53D: Mob outbreaks (RIOTS); 54D: Alarming situation (SCARE); 57D: "That's a surprise!" ("OH MY!"); 58D: Twice-monthly tide (NEAP); 59D: Key of Bruckner's Symphony No. 7 (E MAJ.); 63D: Gardner on screen (AVA); 64D: Crossed (out) (X'ED); 65D: The ends of 20-, 39- and 56-Across are forms of it (ICE).

Book Length

The length of books has been on my mind a lot the last few days. I got little to nothing done over last Thurday, Friday and Saturday. It's been a rough few days; a family friend's mum passed away on Thursday. The funeral was Saturday, and my wife and I collected Conor's ashes on the same day as she was also cremated. 

I made up for that lack of work by writing two chapters yesterday. I feel better about that this morning than I did yesterday, believe me.

From my point of view as an author, I wonder a lot about the length of my books. At this stage, Silent Oath* is looking at being around 70,000 words. Locked Within* was longer than that by over 4,000 words when I completed the first draft. Of course it has lost a lot in editing so far. I'm very conscious that I don't want to pad out my books with chaff, but am I letting myself down by not using a more detailed author voice, or providing more plot points and challenges to my characters? Or should I just accept that my own writing style is relatively concise and straightforward?

As a reader, I find I get frustrated if I think the author is dragging a chapter out and not getting to the point. Of course, this could also just be from empathising so much with the characters that I want to find out what happens next, so therefore a mark of the book's quality. But on the other hand, I can feel a little cheated if I read a book too quickly. Like I've let myself down and spoiled it. I like a book to last a while, which may be why I read so infrequently. I keep asking myself, would I enjoy my own books if I knew nothing about them beforehand? 

What about you? Would you rather a longer, drawn-out book that takes several sessions to read? Or would you still get the same satisfaction from a shorter novel, one which could be read in a day or two?

*Working title only