Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Wednesday, May 16 - Patrick Blindauer

Patrick Blindauer gives us an entertaining puzzle, with a tic-tac-toe grid at dead center, made up of three across clues...

32A: It merged with Mobil (Exxon)
38A: Part of a coach's chalk-talk diagram (OXX)
42A: "...like a __ chocolates" (box of)

...combined with three downs:

33D: Kiss and hugs, in a love letter (XOO)
34D: Adults-only (XXX)
35D: Big name in kitchen gadgets (OXO)

But that's only part of it! The theme is revealed at 60A: "Piece of cake!" (and a hint to the starts of 17-Across and 11- and 27-Down) (Childs Play). The three theme answers are:

17A: Thrill (tickle pink)
11D: Part of a dash (tachometer)
27D: Do what is expected (toe the line)

In addition to the theme clues, there's lively fill throughout the puzzle.

20A: Close communication (tête-à-tête).

28A: Heartless one? (Tin Man), along with 31A: Companion of 28-Across (lion). We had Jack Haley last week, so the Tin Man was fresh in my mind. Initially had his companion as Toto.

54A: Flo Ziegfeld's specialty (stage acts).

8D: Breathing problem (apnea). A serious breathing problem...

10D: Huffington who wrote "Fanatics & Fools" (Arianna).

43D: June 14 (Flag Day). That's very close to my birthday, which I'll share with Rex Parker and Green Genius, among others.

44D: Medical setback (relapse).

Very happy to see that 22A: (Couple) was dyad, rather than last week's duad. That just looked and sounded so wrong.

Enjoyed seeing back-to-back clues (Breakfast spot, briefly) for both HoJo (at 52D) and IHOP (at 53D).

Didn't care for the cluing at 47A: Eye passionately (leer at). If someone is leering at me, I'm thinking disgusting, not passionate. My Webster's New World agrees with me: "A sly, sidelong look showing salaciousness."

6D: Imbibed (toped). A pretty archaic word, but it added interest.

7D: One who watches the telly (Brit). Very nice.

I interpreted 3D: Group of prayers (sect) as the things they say, not as the group of people who pray.

Lots of travel opportunities. 1A: Birthplace of Galileo (Pisa), 37A: Seaport of New Guinea (Lae), 45A: Bernstein's "Trouble in __" (Tahiti) and 59A: Athens's setting (Ohio).

John continues with the guest blogging duties at Diary of a Crossword Fiend. Be sure to check out his commentary.

Good night.

Linda G

6 comments:

DONALD said...

Nicely done!

I would like to have seen the German beer, OXX, as the clue for 38A.

Great little puzzle!

Rex Parker said...

You'll share *what* with me now? I wasn't sure what you were getting at with your Flag Day comment.

rp

Linda G said...

Flag Day is close to my birthday, which falls on Father's Day this year, so I'll share my day with you and Robert. I know for sure that the two of you are fathers.

barrywep said...

Good job Linda. Did you mean that G and Rex have the same birthday as you or that they're flying to Colorado to party with you. Either way we should bake a big cybercake.

Norrin2 said...

Happy Birth- Flag- Father's Day! Can't wait for that party. Thanks for sharing.
Usually on Father's Day my oldest son will take me to see the Braves play in Atlanta. Money's a little tight around these parts however, and this year we might be watching our local minor league team, the Charleston Riverdogs.

Linda G said...

Barry, a chocolate cybercake would be very nice. You can be in charge ; )