Loved it, loved it, loved it!
The theme...something like "You're in the Army Now." In case you've ever wondered (I have), here are the lyrics to the song.
The theme answers are:
21A: Film showing for V.I.P.'s, in the army? (PVT SCREENING).
41A: Big studio release, in the army? (MAJ MOTION PICTURE).
59A: Common ticket category, in the army? (GEN ADMISSION).
I got hung up in the northwest. Couldn't get 1A: Harsh criticism (flak) or its cross at 1D: Lays an egg (flops) for the longest time. Couldn't remember where Bob Dole was born...Kansas, making 4D Kansan, or the name of the dentist in Little Shop of Horrors (Orin, at 18A). Didn't know 3D: Cordial quality (amity)...in fact, still am not getting that one. Thought that 2D: Maggot, e.g. was larva...without the theme, though, it made no sense that the second letter would be V once I had screening in place.
Fortunately, I didn't struggle much with the rest of the puzzle.
Loved the long nontheme answers. 19A: Consumer Reports offering (buyer's guide), 64A: Means of visual communication (smoke signals), 12D: Postponed, in a way (rained out), and 37D: Bouncers' tasks (ejections)...that was the first answer that came to mind. Again, not knowing the theme, I couldn't figure out how that J would fit into 41-Across, so I didn't write it in right away.
Other noteworth clues and/or answers:
10A: Active vocabulary? (verbs). Don't know why that immediately popped into my head, but it did...making the northeast corner a piece of cake.
15A: Priest in an Ogden Nash verse (Lama). I wasn't familiar with that one, but here it is in its entirety...very cute.
The one-L lama, he's a priest
The two-L llama, he's a beast
And I would bet a silk pyjama
There isn't any three-L lllama
Pyjamas...that's the Victoria's Secret spelling. Sorry, no link. You can imagine the unwanted hits I'd get.
45A: Gary's home (Indiana). I learned this from The Music Man...little Ron Howard singing about Gary, Indiana. Clever clue.
49A: Like many oaths (solemn).
53A: Oktoberfest music (polka). Scrabbly word...love it, as well as its cross at 55D: "Bear" that's not a bear (koala).
70A: Quaint denial (tisn't).
5D: E.g., e.g. (abbr.)
22D: __ Canyon (Pueblo cultural area) (Chaco). That's the name of one of the streets in our subdivision, along with Banff, Shenandoah, McKinley, Rushmore...and a few others.
28D: Shows with lower-priced seats, usually (matinees). I remember them being $1.50, maybe even less. I think I paid at least $7.00 for the last one.
A couple of things I didn't know...not to be confused with the things I couldn't remember, covered above.
5A: Presidential middle name (Abram)...who middle name is it?
36D: Sari-clad royal (Rani).
54D: Feudal lord (liege).
60D: Indian tourist city (Agra).
And that's it for tonight. Here's the grid...
...and I'll see you tomorrow.
Linda G
10 comments:
Yes, Linda, another really nice puzzle for this week. Had the same trouble you did with Kansan, but I finally got it from finishing everything else. That's James Abram Garfied. It would have been nice to have one more theme answer. But the long two-worders were good, as well as matinees. I don't know about DNAs. I've never heard that referred to in plural form like that. Verbs popped out for me, too, as did Indiana, Raye, and fore. I love it when that happens. I'm also bugged by ogle for "come-hither look." Doesn't fit for me. Otherwise, a breeze.
Rikki...I agree with you about ogle and the fact that another theme answer would have been nice...say CPTCHAIR...it was a fun puzzle
Linda...a very Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family...you too Rikki!
Bob
Oh that OGLE. The last time Will let this slide, I was pretty critical of its cluing, and I reiterate. Anyone ogling me is going to get a reaction of contempt, not me 'coming hither.' But to each his own. To me, OGLE means leer at.
Interesting reference to The Music Man, which I have sitting here from netflix. One of my friends said it was a favorite movie of hers, so I'll probably watch it over the long weekend.
Glad to know Ludd's first name, particularly since another friend called me a Luddite because I refuse to replace my 17 year old television until it croaks. Apparently having a screen the size of mine isn't de rigeur. It's just fine with me! I can still hook up a dvd player to it ... although a DVR might be too much for it.
Very nice puzzle and I suppose it's too easy for a Wednesday because I did it so quickly? MAJ MOTION PICTURE was my first theme answer although at first I did try to fit in the entire spelling of Major.
My first answer, because I do the early week puzzles down first, was KANSAN. Just one of those pieces of political trivia my brain collects.
Favorite answer: SAY AH
I can't believe I let OGLE slide! I had just started a rant response when Wendy's came through...almost verbatim, so I deleted mine. I ranted in that same previous post, Wendy. OGLE = leer, and it won't get my attention.
The only errant clue in an otherwise great puzzle.
Definitions (from Merriam Webster online dictionary) found for:
cordial-warmly and genially affable
AMITY(3D)-friendship
so amity could be a quality of being cordial.
I found the NW corner a problem too Linda-had to google a few there but the rest of the puzzle fell pretty easily for me.
Hope you and your family have a nice Thanksgiving as well as all your readers!
Fun puzzle. Got briefly stuck in the NW because I couldn't remember
the dentist from Little Shop or where Bob Dole came from, and I'd never heard the Nash poem. Thanks for posting it, Linda.
I agree, an ogle is a leer, and it gets no hither coming from me.
I think DNAS is pretty iffy. Have never seen it as a plural.
Wendy, I think you're going to enjoy The Music Man. It's a wonderful fim with lots of great music.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Annielee,
I didn't like DNAs either, but I googled it after the fact and saw it referenced that way, so I clammed up. I think we're right about ogle though, and my dictionary concurs.
Warm turkey and gravy to all!
Wendy,
Gary Indiana, Gary Indiana, Gary Indiana, Gary! Indiana!
...and that rhymes with pool!
76 trombones in the great parade...!
Marrrrrrion, the librarrrrrian...!
I hope you love it.
Now I'll have to watch The Music Man again...all of those great songs are going through my mind.
Goodnight, my someone...
Yeah, OGLE is a pretty creepy word. Guess it depends on your definition and context of 'come-hither look'. Eithery way, OGLE's a fairly inocuous word on its own, and yet it still makes you feel like taking a shower after - it's pretty unpleasant. Too bad it's got such crosswordy letters.
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