Madness...Crossword and Otherwise

THE END

2008-06-26T20:24:00.004-06:00

It's time to move on to other things...which means the blog has to go.

I'll still be solving (multiple puzzles daily, rather than just the one), but now I'll have time to visit my favorite blogs.

Hope to see you there!

Linda G

Tuesday, June 24 - Barry C. Silk

2008-06-23T22:05:00.001-06:00

Is it my imagination...or are Barry Silk's puzzles becoming more frequent? One thing I know for sure...he's become one of my favorites.

The theme was revealed at 67A: Something you can do to the starts of 17-, 21-, 37-, 53- and 60-Across (draw)...and the theme answers are:

17A: Hotel offering (bath towel).

21A: Bow-taking occasion (curtain call).

37A: Poker face (blank expression).

53A: Cinema offering (picture show).

60A: Flintlock need (gun powder).

I drew four of the five today...it's probably fairly easy to guess which one wasn't part of the day's activity.

I didn't have to resort to Google, but there were a couple of answers I wouldn't have gotten but for crosses...9A: Valuable violin (Amati), 16A: French-speaking African nation (Gabon), 46A: Grier of "Jackie Brown" (Pam), 34D: __ City (Baghdad district) (Sadr), and 38D: Home of Mammoth Cave (Kentucky).

My favorite clue...or, more precisely, clues...64A: With "and" and 47-Down, Lawrence Welk's intro (a-one). The second answer, of course, is a-two.

Other favorites include 27A: Blown away by (amazed at), 42A: Novelist Zola (Émile), 49A: Dress store section (petites), 59A: Like some committees (ad hoc), 62A: Actress Aimée (Anouk), 1D: Internet-on-the-tube company, formerly (Web TV), 8D: Syllables before "di" or "da" in a Beatles song (obla), 9D: Has a tough time deciding (agonizes), 10D: Friend of Peppermint Patty (Marcie), 32D: Patio parties, briefly (BBQs), 35D: Leaf-to-branch angle (axil), and 50D: Henry VIII's house (Tudor).

That's all for tonight. Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Monday, June 23 - Andrea Carla Michaels and Patrick Blindauer

2008-06-22T21:00:00.004-06:00

Monday's puzzle is a joint effort by two constructors who definitely aren't strangers to the New York Times...but I'm pretty sure it's a first for them as a duo.

The theme answers are all things that one might say to those who didn't come in first.

17A: Words to a fourth runner-up (Win some, lose some).

26A: Words to a third runner-up (You did your best).

43A: Words to a second runner-up (We still love you).

58A: Words to a first runner-up (Close but no cigar).

I'm always impressed by answers that span (or nearly span) the grid, so these were no exception...although I can't imagine saying the first or the last to anyone.

Favorite answers include 16A: Radar sign (blip), 22A: "Casablanca" star, informally (Bogie), 35A: Push out of bed (roust), 37A: Swiss artist Paul (Klee), 38A: Height's companion (width), 39A: Jack who pioneered late-night talk (Paar), 42A: Alice's cake instruction (eat me), 4D: Science lab glassware (test tube), 10D: What paper towels do (absorb), 11D: What paper towels do to a toilet (clog), 12D: "La Bohème" soprano (Mimi), 29D: Call in the Alps (yodel), 32D: Killer whale that does tricks (Shamu), 34D: Distort, as data (skew), 39D: Salary indicators (pay slips), 44D: Cups, saucers, sugar bowl, etc. (tea set), and 56D: "Peter Pan" dog (Nana).

That's all for tonight. Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Sunday, June 22 - Pamela Amick Klawitter

2008-06-22T08:06:00.007-06:00

Chain Reaction, today's puzzle by Pamela Amick Klawitter, has one of those themes that's fun to solve. Blogging it, however, can be difficult...and I'm not sure I've figured out the best way to explain it.

If you had a tough time discerning the theme, you weren't alone. I had a couple of the theme answers...and it still wasn't making much sense to me. Then I had the aha moment...and the puzzle became a joy to solve.

The theme answers:

23A: FOOD COURT __ CIRCUIT BOARD (case closed). I'll explain the chain on this one...even if you hadn't figured it out, it should all mesh. Food court, court case, case closed, closed circuit, circuit board. Pretty brilliant...especially since she picked up the chain with the next theme clue.

25A: CIRCUIT BOARD __ ROOM SERVICE (foot locker).

43A: ROOM SERVICE __ LIGHT TOUCH (road hazard).

55A: LIGHT TOUCH __ BELL PEPPER (screen door).

73A: BELL PEPPER __ BRUSH FIRE (spray paint). This one caused me all kinds of problems. Because of some errors in the downs, I was sure that pepper steak was part of the chain...but steak paint certainly made no sense. The errors...63D: Calyx part (sepal)...why did I have petal?, 64D: They were seen at Black Power meetings (afros)...I don't even want to admit what I had there, but it's a word often seen in crosswords, and 74D: Ball in a basket (yarn)...because I was sure it was steak, I had Keno. Aren't there balls in Keno? Mightn't they go in a basket to mix them? I was getting tired at that point.

82A: BRUSH FIRE __ SMART CAR (Wall Street). Keno threw that one for a bit...as did 83D: Write on a BlackBerry, maybe (text)...not edit, which somehow ended up there.

104A: SMART CAR __ PIANO BAR (pool player).

105A: PIANO BAR __ TRAILHEAD (graph paper)...the first answer to fall, although I didn't understand it for some time.

36D: TRAILHEAD __ COUNTERTOP (Mastercard).

46D: COUNTERTOP __ POST OFFICE (dollar sign). This chain just became obvious to me. I wasn't mentally splitting the compound words in this or the previous two answers. Countertop dollar made no sense, but top dollar does.

I was thrown off briefly by some simple words, clued (appropriately) for Sunday. Among them...1A: Third Crusade siege site (Acre), 34A: Life's partner (times)...not death, 60A: Sylvia Plath poem that begins "I know the bottom, she says. I know it with my great tap root" (Elm) and 71A: Long-armed Sumatrans (orangs)...nothing to do with the long arm of the law.

Other difficult areas included 5A: Citadel trainer (plebe)...not cadet, 57A: Pet animal of Salvador Dali (ocelot), 65A: Fabric border (selvage)...I think of that as an end rather than a border, 88A: Bore (caliber)...wrong kind of bore, 9D: Work of prose or poetry (Edda), 15D: Gulf of Guinea capital (Accra), 65D: Like Iran's Ahmadinejad (Shiite), and 70D: Bull or Buck, e.g. (cager).

I was thankful for answers I knew or figured out with a letter or two in place. 22A: Great Lakes salmon (Coho), 30A: Like some sacrifices (supreme), 52A: Cause someone's insomnia, maybe (snore), 58A: Sponge (freeload), 62A: Impassioned (fervent), 84A: Songwriter Carol Bayer __ (Sager), 95A: Tale of a trip to Ithaca (Odyssey), 100A: Julia who starred in "Sabrina," 1995 (Ormond), 110A: Tennessee teammate (Titan)...I'm becoming less sports-impaired, 114A: Some seconds (Veeps), 8D: Mugful (beer), 16D: Alternatives to RCs (Cokes), 34D: Give insider info (tip off), 41D: Vikki who sang "It Must Be Him" (Carr), 47D: Oaxaca gold (oro), 48D: Hanoi holiday (Tet), 75D: "Syriana" actress Amanda (Peet), 98D: Buffalo's county (Erie), and 101D: Button next to a * (Oper).

For some reason, I had Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" going through my head yesterday. I had finally gotten rid of it...then came to 55D: Heavy hitter (sledge). For those of you who want to sing it all day, here it is.

Several French words today...that will irritate some solvers. I didn't take French but could figure out most of them. 37A: __-midi (French time of day) (après), 86A: French word before deux or nous (entre), 115A: Too: Fr. (trop), 93D: Garçon's handout (carte).

Elaine spent yesterday submitting resumes and job applications. Since she no longer has a car (some of you remember that fiasco), I drove her around. But we had some fun...a little bit of shopping, as well as a coffee shop break. We're looking forward to spending a day at home...which includes checking out the Sunday classifieds. As soon as she gets a job, we'll find another car...then she'll be apartment hunting. I know she's anxious to be totally independent...that never happens as quickly as a young adult would like.

Here's the (unchecked) grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Saturday, June 21 - Tyler Lewis Hinman

2008-06-21T08:20:00.003-06:00

For this puzzle, it was important to add Tyler's middle name to the byline. He designed the grid to include his initials...a bold H in the center, the T and L symmetrically based at the top and bottom.

I usually cringe when I see a Hinman puzzle. Even with outside help, I don't think I've ever finished one. Until this one...albeit with a little bit of help from Google.

I was totally unsure of one crossing...the final letter of 31A: Planet system in several "Star Trek" episodes (Rigel) and its cross at 33D: Iberia : Spain :: __ : Chile (Lan). I checked my grid against Harris's for confirmation, although I don't get the down cross. Maybe someone will explain it.

I've actually come to enjoy puzzles that at first seem impossible...you know, two or three answers after you've read through all of the clues. I was so thankful for 14A: "__ having fun yet?" (Are we), 26A: John Lelnnon's adopted middle name (Ono), 58A: "Bill & __ Bogus Journey," 1991 comedy (Ted's), and 28D: Delta Tau __ ("Animal House" house) (Chi)...sadly, the only gimmes I had.

I am in absolute and total awe of the four answers spanning the grid...two horizontally and two vertically. 22A: One may have many runners (primary election) and 44A: Something given at a meeting (first impression), 3D: Fourth-quarter strategies (two-minute drills) and 9D: Front-of-magazine pieces (leading articles).

Other favorites...18A: Six-Day War battleground (Gaza), 19A: "The nerve!" (Some people), 28A: Filler for a gun (caulk), 36A: Girl who's the "you" in the lyric "I'll see you in my dreams" (Irene), 42A: Cartoon character who fathered octuplets (Apu)...should have guessed it referred to The Simpsons, 51A: Not make it (miss the cut), 52A: Pioneering agriculturist Jethro (Tull)...I hope someone else out there didn't know the origin of the rock band's name, 55A: __ Oder (German river) (Alte), 57A: Psychologist Havelock (Ellis), 4D: Washes (arroyos), 7D: Actress O'Connor of TV's "Xena" (Renee), 10D: Buzz producer (kazoo), 13D: Moles go behind them (enemy lines), 37D: Title role for Greta Garbo (Camille), 38D: Swedish home of Scandinavia's oldest university (Uppsala) and 44D: Crash pad? (futon).

My favorite clue...24D: Can opener? (toilet seat). I was on his wavelength for that one, but I needed a few letters before it all came together.

Good one, Tyler. I am way impressed!

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Friday, June 20 - Mike Nothnagel

2008-06-19T22:35:00.001-06:00

If you're a regular reader, you know that Mike Nothnagel is my favorite constructor. So...I really hate it when I'm not on his wavelength.

And I wasn't tonight.

I've been working at this puzzle for an hour (albeit with many interruptions from a daughter in distress)...and I've finished the right side of the puzzle. The left side...mostly empty.

I don't know how long it took Harris to solve this, but you can check his completed grid here. I just checked a couple of answers, so maybe I'll finish this off after work tomorrow.

Feel free to discuss the puzzle...what you liked, what made you crazy.

I still love your puzzles, Mike!

***

It's Friday afternoon, and I just wrapped up this puzzle. When all was said and done, I loved it...I just couldn't pull it together last night. Thanks again to Harris for 36D: Teens' escapades (joy rides) and 1A: Flurries (bursts)...just enough to get me going.

Favorite clues include 7A: How you might meet someone (halfway), 14A: Head of an alley? (one pin), 15A: 1.0 (D average)...see Dave Rage's comment and Harris's reply, 25A: Short cut? (loin), 54A: One might be in a cast (limb), 56A: Course for the dead? (Styx) and 65A: Craft often utilizing rubber bands (tie dye).

Favorite answers...17A: Without warning (unawares), 19A: Old-time comic Ed (Wynn)...because I loved him when I was a little girl, 27A: City of the Trans-Canada Highway (Medicine Hat)...never heard of it, 32A: Carter's second secretary of state (Muskie)...but I can't remember the first one, 34A: Like dirty rice (Cajun), 42A: Two-time gold medal skier of the 1998 Olympics (Maier), 45A: 1990 Grammy winner for her album "Days of Open Hand" (Suzanne Vega), 52A: State bordering Lower Saxony (Hesse), 60A: Like (akin to), 62A: Comic's creation (one liner)...thinking comic strip threw me on that one, 7D: Title role in a 1986 Woody Allen film (Hannah)...one of only a few gimmes, 11D: A 15-Down might have control over them (warlocks) and the associated Dungeon Master, 33D: Be in the can (serve time) and 49D: Put side by side (appose).

4D: "I haven't got all day!" (speed it up) made me laugh. I'm not prone to road rage, but I do get impatient, especially when it's hot. Today I sat through four changes of a light...for a total of twelve minutes...and it was at least 95 degrees. Fortunately, I had an iced coffee with me and was able to chill...figuratively and literally.

It's my night to cook, so I'd better get something going for dinner...the Saturday puzzle will be up in just over an hour.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Thursday, June 19 - Joe Krozel

2008-06-18T21:45:00.003-06:00

As soon as I printed out the grid, I knew I would love this puzzle...but I underestimated how crazy it would make me.

Joe Krozel revealed his pack of lies (the black squares in the grid provided a hint) at 56A: Number of clues in this puzzle that contain factual inaccuracies (ten).

It took me some time to figure out the tenth inaccuracy. I was surprised to get the two sports-related lies.

The lies...

14A: Chemical element with the symbol Fe (neon). I know very few of them, but iron is one of them...so that was my first answer.

19A: Former pharmaceutical giant (GTE). I'm not a very good liar, I guess. I had GAF for this one.

24A: Father of Jacob (Esau).

57A: Dwarf planet larger than Pluto (Eris). [UPDATE: Oops! This one wasn't a lie! Thanks to KarmaSartre for pointing that out. The tenth lie was at 1A: France's __ von Bismarck (Otto). If I'd blogged about that answer, I probably would have paid more attention to the clue and realized that von Bismarck isn't a French name!]

8D: Golf great Andre (Agassi). I thought it was quite odd that his name would fit with the letters I already had in place. I really hadn't caught on to the lying bit...having somehow missed the clue at 56-Across.

9D: Standard office-closing time (nine a.m.). Of course, I had five p.m., until none of the crosses would work.

28D: It's more than 90 degrees (acute angle).

47D: Tennis champ Ernie (Els).

49D: Currency of China (yen).

50D: Summer hrs. in N.Y.C. (EST).

I can't even imagine how difficult this one would be to construct. I just loved the long vertical answers spanning the right side of the grid:

11D: One who exhibits pack mentality? (cigarette smoker).

12D: Who quipped "God tells me how the music should sound, but you stand in the way" (Arturo Toscanini).

13D: Job seeker's fashion advice (dress for success).

Other favorites include 18A: Terrible one? (enfant), 26A: Spot (catch a glimpse of), 36A: Crane, e.g. (erector)...I had origami, 39A: Possible name for the first decade of the century (oughts)...the last answer to fall, 42A: Former Romanian leader Ion __ (Iliescu)...[I just saw the LIES in his name], 44A: Nickname on the Houston Rockets starting in 2004 (T-Mac)...for all I knew, that was a lie, 45A: Kind of dog (seeing eye), 52A: Road access regulaators (toll gates), 54A: Always bouncing back (resilient), 5D: Silverstein who wrote and illustrated "The Giving Tree" (Shel)...a favorite, 27D: Bolt (high-tail it), 29D: "Nope, still not right" (guess again) and 30D: Writing that's hard to read (secret code).

Some of the three-letter answers had me stumped...among them 34D: Park of E.E.C.: Abbr. (Eur.). I had read it as E.E.O.C. so had Emp...which caused all kinds of problems in that area.

The entire time I was solving this, I kept thinking about "lies, damn lies and statistics." If you're not familiar with that, you can read about it here.

That's it for tonight. Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Birthday Girl

2008-06-17T21:35:00.003-06:00

The celebration continues...so no blog tonight. See you tomorrow night with Thursday's puzzle.

Linda G

Tuesday, June 17 - Steven Ginzburg

2008-06-16T21:35:00.003-06:00

Thanks to Steven Ginzburg for a straightforward theme and an enjoyable solving experience for my birthday puzzle.

Three theme answers...

18A: Furniture within easy walking distance of the kitchen (dinner table)

10D: Popular Sony product (Play Station)

24D: Spy who lives dangerously (double agent)

...join with with 65A: Invitation info...or two alternate endings for the starts of the answers to 18-Across, 10-Down and 24-Down (date and time).

In case you're confused by that...dinner date, dinner time...and so on.

The puzzle had its share of standard crossword fill, including 9A: Sudden influx (spate), 15A: Express one's point of view (opine), 22A: Jabbers (yaks), 51A: Throb (ache), 64A: Consumed (ate), 70A: Feedbag bit (oat), 5D: Early Ron Howard role (Opie), 36D: Brand of blocks (Lego), 38D: Done without due consideration (rash), 42D: Island garland (lei) and 58D: Trio in a Christmas story (Magi)...

...but there were at least as many good ones...20A: Actor Mos __ (Def), 31A: Show of lowbrow taste (kitsch), 39A: Chevy S.U.V. (Tahoe), 40A: Pimpernel or prairie clover (herb)...that's scarlet pimpernel on the right, 41A: __ colony (penal), 46A: Headed straight down (nosedived), 50A: African heavyweight, for short (rhino), 53A: Perennial teenage feeling (angst), 69A: Paradise for the parched (oasis), 71A: Some tartan garments (kilts), 1D: Union general at Gettysburg (Meade), 2D: Geneva-based watchmaker (Rolex), 3D: Major muddle (snafu), 4D: Much-needed help (godsend), 32D: Weapon in a gang fight (shiv) and 47D: Procedure in a paternity suit (DNA test).

Several of my high school friends (and their children) would be distressed if I didn't point out 54D: University of Florida mascot (Gator).

One of our favorite family vacation spots made it to the puzzle...57D: Mt. Rushmore's locale: Abbr. (S. Dak.).

I haven't completely recovered from working such long hours the past two weeks, so I'm still trying for a minimum of eight hours of sleep each night. I don't know how long it takes to completely undo the effects of sleep deprivation, but I plan to keep this up until I feel totally rested in the morning.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Monday, June 16 - Ronald J. and Nancy J. Byron

2008-06-15T21:35:00.002-06:00

An unfamiliar duo, Ronald and Nancy Byron, turn small talk about the weather into a theme for today's puzzle.

The three theme answers are all clued in relation to a song from the sixties:

20A: 1960s weather song by Peter, Paul and Mary (Blowin' in the Wind).

36A: 1960s weather song by the Beatles (Here Comes the Sun)...from Abbey Road, one of my all-time favorite albums.

51A: 1960s weather song by the Cascades (Rhythm of the Rain). This one was less familiar to me, and I needed a couple of downs to get it. The RH beginning had me thinking something was wrong with my down answers.

Favorite clues and answers include 23A: Sacagawea dollar and others (coins), 25A: Secret matters (arcana), 44A: Animals with brown summer fur (stoats)...pictured at left, 46A: Clear jelly used as a garnish (aspic), 49A: "__ Gavotte," "My Fair Lady" tune (Ascot), 58A: Prospero's servant in "The Tempest" (Ariel), 59A: Mallorca or Menorca, por ejemplo (isla), 61A: New Orleans's Vieux __ (Carré)...more commonly known as the French Quarter, 9D: Egyptian symbol of life (ankh), 10D: Lamebrain (nitwit), 39D: Self-aggrandizing acts (ego trips), 43D: Some '60s protests (sit-ins), 44D: Carry, slangily (schlep) and 48D: Combustible funeral structures (pyres).

I read the clue for 17A: Voice below soprano (alto) but totally missed the similar cluing at 28D: Voice below baritone (bass).

The clue for 18A [Follow persistently, as a celebrity] was a bit too mild for the answer. Stalk implies some sort of perversion or sickness...often heading toward the criminal side.

46D: Criminal burning (arson) was a sad reminder that the arsonist was released last week, pending further investigation. I'm sure there is an eye on his every move...fortunately, there haven't been any more fires.

That's it for tonight. I'm off to join Don...working the puzzle in the living room. He's not enjoying it as much as I had hoped. That's okay...he enjoys running a lot more than I do.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Sunday, June 15 - Jeremy Newton

2008-06-15T09:40:00.001-06:00

Did you get the memo? It's Father's Day...so be sure to lavish a bit of attention on all of the father figures in your life. And a Happy Father's Day to all out there to whom the greeting applies.

Did you get the memo? It's also a clever title for a clever puzzle by Jeremy Newton. I thought I'd have time to blog this morning while Don slept in, but he's up and about. I'll be back after we share a cup of coffee and some morning chat.

***

That was longer than I expected, but I need to make this brief so we can get on with Father's Day as Don wants to celebrate it...a walk along the river trail, followed by a leisurely coffee break at his favorite spot.

I don't recognize Jeremy Newton's name, but I sure enjoyed his puzzle. The seven (UPDATE: Oops! There are eight) theme answers are all in-the-language phrases, clued to be the subject line of a memo:

23A: Memo about Stephen King's "Christine"? (repossessed auto).

32A: Memo about an inveterate perjurer? (relying on instinct).

48A: Memo about a dating guide? (repair manual).

64A: Memo about where tariffs are imposed on incoming ships? (report for duty).

71A: Memo about stores for animal appendages? (retail outlet).

82A: Memo about a religious outpost for prisoners? (recon mission).

101A: Memo about why to buy an air purifier? (remote possibility)...it was hard to choose a favorite, but I think I'll go with this one.

114A: Memo about a lyricist? (reverse engineer). This was inadvertently left out of the original post.

Looking over the grid, I discovered some interesting crosses and placement. In the northwest, 26A: Drop from the invitation list, say (snub) and 4D: Hoity-toity type (snob). In the northeast, the delicious junk-food cross of 22A: Alternatives to Yodels (Ho-Hos) and 16D: Candy bar whose name is an exclamation (Oh Henry!). The southwest has the four-legged side-by-side 93A: Bearded beast (gnu) and 94A: Source of wool (llama). Not particularly in the southeast, but over on that side...67D: HDTV maker (RCA) with its rival 86D: Discman maker (Sony) right below it.

Favorite clues (including some of the more difficult) and answers...55A: Board (meals)...that took forever to see, 61A: Loon (nutcase)...not a bird, 70A: Apple gadget (corer)...nothing electronic, 74A: Falls on the border (Niagara), 112A: Ready to roll?...or not ready to roll? (tired)...the best clue, 8D: Inflexible, as some rules (cast iron)...I could only think of cast in stone, which wouldn't fit, 17D: It may be used for banking (pool cue), 21D: 1958 hit whose B-side was "La Bamba" (Donna)...a favorite of mine back then, 33D: All of a crowd, maybe (extras), 36D: Whaling adverb (thar), 85D: How a ringtone may be set (on silent)...I'm doing that more often these days, 88D: Like many non-animated Disney films (PG rated), and 100D: Filet type (mignon)...yum.

Things I didn't know and needed crosses to get...38A: BBC : Britain : : __ : Italy (RAI), 11D: __ Malfoy, Harry Potter antagonist (Draco) and 66D: Grand __, setting for "Evangeline" (Pre). I took a wild guess at 50D: LeBlanc of "Joey" (Matt). I haven't been much of a sitcom fan for the last fifteen or so years.

The last answer to fall for me was 109A: Lightly moisten (bedew)...a word that I've never used in my life. My geographical impairment didn't help much with 95D: Isr. neighbor (Leb)...and AcrossLite just wouldn't accept redew. I finally looked at a map and saw that...sure enough!...Lebanon was right there by Israel.
Thanks again for your encouraging emails this past week and a half. It was a very satisfying project to complete, but like building our own house...something I wouldn't want to do a second time.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

A short break

2008-06-15T03:00:00.000-06:00

For those of you who are solving the syndicated puzzle...

A huge work project kept me from blogging for a week or so...and this puzzle was one that I missed.

The project is complete, everything was perfect...and now life (and blogging) will go on.

See you soon!

Linda G

Saturday, June 14 - Brendan Emmett Quigley

2008-06-14T11:22:00.004-06:00

Did I say probably? I meant probably not...or I would have meant that had I known the constructor of the Saturday puzzle.

Once again, the esteemed Brendan Emmett Quigley kicked my butt. The lower left quadrant of the puzzle remains fairly blank...with only three answers. I'm at a total loss and ready to declare the puzzle finished.

A blog on the Sunday puzzle? Definitely!

See you then.

Linda G

Thursday, June 12

2008-06-12T22:03:00.003-06:00

The dedication went off without a hitch...the new residents of St. Benedict Place are safe in their new homes...

and all's right with the world.

I only had four hours of sleep last night...so even though I solved Patrick Berry's delightful Friday the 13th puzzle, there won't be a post tonight.

Tomorrow? Probably.

Don and I have been working the puzzles side-by-side this week, and we've both enjoyed it. Keep your fingers crossed that he'll be hooked before long...he's beginning to understand my obsession.

I'm off to try for eight hours tonight...

Linda G

Tuesday, June 10

2008-06-10T22:16:00.002-06:00

We're just about ready for the dedication of the new apartment complex. At this writing we have 20 very excited men and women who will be moving into their own homes on Thursday. Two more are still completing the final paperwork.

I have never been so exhausted in my life...while at the same time so deliriously happy. This project is a dream come true for many...and it gives hope to many more.

The furniture has been in place a few days...today we started moving in the furnishings. Everything is provided...pots and pans, dishes, glasses, silverware, sheets, towels, blankets, lamps...and we haven't gone into debt one penny. This community is so generous.

I've continued to do the puzzles...in fact, Don has done the last three with me. He may be getting hooked.

Thanks for all of your encouraging emails and your good wishes. I'll be back to blogging soon...give me a little time to rest after the dust settles ; )

Linda G

Sunday, June 8

2008-06-08T07:19:00.002-06:00

A quick update...we're still working madly to get all of the furniture and furnishings in place. One of my projects has been buying (no, don't make me shop!) everything except the major appliances and furniture. Buying for 23 units without duplicating so much as a bedspread or shower curtain...while staying within a budget...has been a challenge. Elaine is still here, putting together furniture. She got a big, fat paycheck yesterday, but is happy to be taking today off. I'm not that lucky, although I can work from home today...in addition to last-minute shopping.

Feel free to post a puzzle problem, question or comment. I enjoy the fact that you're always there for one another...I don't want that to end just because I'm not blogging the day's puzzle.

Linda G

Thursday, June 5 - James Sajdak

2008-06-04T21:46:00.002-06:00

James Sajdak isn't a familiar name...that always makes me think it's a debut. Doesn't matter...it was an enjoyable Thursday puzzle. I wasn't up for a rebus tonight...bone tired again...so a theme just added to my enjoyment factor.

The theme was revealed at 57A: Where things are freely bought and sold...and what the starts of 17-, 23-, 36- and 46-Across do (open market). This is Pike Place Market in Seattle...the very best open market I've seen. When we were there a few years ago, we bought...among other things...all kinds of seafood, including giant crabs, and shipped them home. It was heavenly.

The theme answers:

17A: Tiny sideshow attraction (flea circus).

23A: Old weather forecaster (Farmers Almanac).

36A: When a big game is caught (Super Bowl Sunday). Sweetly deceptive clue.

46A: Roosevelt group (Bullmoose Party).

Most of the theme answers came readily. I have no idea how I could be on anyone's wavelength tonight...I can barely keep my eyes open.

Favorite clues and/or answers include 5A: Clothing retailer on the New York Stock Exchange since 2006 (J Crew), 15A: "A Dog of Flanders" novelist, 1972 (Ouida), 16A: Rapper with the gold-record album "O.G. Original Gangster" (Ice T), 21A: Short race, for short (one K), 29A: Israel's Olmert (Ehud), 32A: Citynicknamed Gateway to the West (Winnipeg), 40A: Remove, as a mustache (shave off), 41A: Title film role for Robin Williams (Garp), 52A: Guiding beliefs (ethos), 62A: First name in horror (Bela), 1D: Daily trippers? (oafs), 2D: Sign of treble? (G clef), 3D: Radio host Gibbons (Leeza), 10D: Do anything to help (lift a finger), 24D: Like land in urban renewal (redeveloped), 43D: "Wouldn't It Be Loverly" lyricist (Lerner), 44D: Missing links? (apemen), 46D: Arty topper (beret) and 48D: Disputed holy city (Lhasa).

This next week is going to be nonstop...delivering furnishings to the apartments, having documents signed by the residents, getting things together for the dedication. If you're interested in guestblogging, drop me an email and I'll get things set up. Otherwise, I may be in and out for the next week or so.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you soon.

Linda G

Wednesday, June 4 - Billie Truitt

2008-06-03T22:20:00.006-06:00

Billie Truitt's New York Times debut was just a couple of weeks ago...May 20...and we already have another puzzle by this talented constructor. [UPDATE: While I was neutral as to the constructor's gender with this post, I wasn't with the debut. I received an email from Billie Truitt today...who pointed out that she is a she. I had questioned the spelling but took my cue from Cruciverb...referring to Billie and another debuting constructor in May as "guys."]

My work day started at 8:00, and I didn't get home until 9:15. Fortunately, enough of my brain was working that I was able to solve this in a reasonable amount of time...but a Q & D (quick and dirty...according to my favorite professor) is about all I've got left in me. I'm worn out.

It's a shame, really...maybe you'll talk up the puzzle among yourselves.

The theme is revealed at 33A: What 17-, 24-, 48- and 57-Across are (things that break)...and the four theme answers are:

17A: Tricky, unexpected questions (curveballs).

24A: Vampire's undoing (daylight). This was the first theme answer I got, and I tried to go somewhere with the time zones...until I remembered that daylight isn't a time zone. Did I mention that I was beat?

48A: Stairway hazards, in some homes (kids' toys). Oh, do they ever break!

57A: View from the shore (ocean waves). My favorite...mostly because it reminds me of Hawaii. This was taken on Kauai during our trip last September.

I absolutely loved that the puzzle featured both 63A: Numbered work (opus) and 2D: Cross to bear (onus).

Also liked the connected cluing at 4D: 12-Down hardware (anvils) and 12D: Place with a forge (smithy).

There were only a couple of answers I didn't know, but the crosses were easy enough...29A: "Hurlyburly" Tony winner Judith (Ivey), 41A: "Man's the __, the Wealth the vine, / Stanch and strong the tendrils twine": Emerson (elm), and 10D: 1948 John Wayne western (Red River).

Favorites include 20A: It's a relief (aspirin), 1D: Pay stub abbr. (FICA), 6D: New York cardinal (Egan)...because I remembered it somehow, 9D: "Mighty" one who struck out (Casey), 11D: Make as a claim (allege), 13D: Use a block and tackle on (hoist), 34D: Bulletin-creating department (news desk), 44D: Slowly, on a score (adagio) and 49D: Maine college town (Orono)...because I remembered it from a fairly recent puzzle.

I have another day that will start at 8:00 and will probably be another 10-hour day. Today I had the privilege of notifying the men and women who were accepted into the new housing program. The flip side...having to tell the bad news to those who weren't. That's always so tough...and there aren't many options for some of them. I'm probably as emotionally exhausted as I am physically.

That's it for tonight. Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Tuesday, June 3 - Pete Muller

2008-06-02T22:36:00.002-06:00

Unless one of Pete Muller's puzzles appeared during my sabbatical, it's been almost a year since we've seen one by him.

I just loved the theme of today's puzzle...revealed in two answers. 35A: Question posed by a 1987 children's best seller (Where's Waldo)...and 43A: This puzzle's answer to 35-Across (spelled out four times) (in the corner).

And there he is...diagonally in all four corners of the puzzle. You can earn bonus points by finding him in this picture.

Excellent fill throughout the puzzle added to the enjoyment factor. Favorites include 15A: "The Tempest" king (Alonso), 17A: Like many planetary orbits (elliptical), 29A: Airer of Congressional proceedings (C-SPAN), 48A: Composer Camille Saint-__ (Saens), 49A: Indian oven (tandoor)...one of those answers that came to me from who-knows-where, 61A: Building seen on a nickel (Monticello), 64A: Moselle tributary (Saar), 65A: French satellite launcher (Ariane), 6D: Light perfume (toilet water), 10D: Maine's __ National Park (Acadia)...one of the streets in our subdivision, all named after national parks, 11D: 1990s-2000s sitcom shrink (Niles Crane), 26D: Material used in casting (molten metal), 31D: Purchase of one who's looking for love (personal ad) and 57D: Wings: Lat. (alae).

My favorite clue...46D: Jersey parts? (udders). I was thinking of jersey...as in a knitted shirt.

I like the intersection of 1A: Sci-fi's "Doctor __" (Who) and 1D: "That was close!" (whew). Elaine was sitting with me as I Googled for pictures...she is so into sci-fi. I'm not and didn't know who (no pun intended) he was...I had heard of him but couldn't have picked him out of a lineup. Well, maybe I'd be able to now.

The new apartments are almost finished, and Elaine is here for the week to help assemble furniture and install closet shelving. It's a good chance for her to make some extra money, and it will be nice to have some one-on-one time with her.

Good news and bad news at work. The bad...my friend and co-worker on this project broke her tibia last night. The good news is really good news. The serial arsonist who has been terrorizing the city since the first of the year (and struck another co-worker's house five times since then) was arrested last night and is behind bars. The investigation took some time, but they had to wait until they had enough evidence. What a relief for everyone who lives in that area of town.

That's it for tonight. Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Monday, June 2 - Barry Boone

2008-06-01T21:15:00.003-06:00

Barry Boone's Monday puzzle may very well be his New York Times debut. I spent a good ten minutes Googling him and didn't find anything.

The theme...more than entertaining enough for a Monday...was revealed at 7D: What the starts of 22-, 36-, 41- and 50-Across comprise (the four elements).

Theme answers:

22A: Heater or repeater (firearm).

36A: Revolutionary pattern of the moon (earth orbit).

41A: Non-oil painting method (watercolor).

50A: TV Guide info (air date).

Some pretty snappy fill rounded out the puzzle, including 10A: Evil organization in "Get Smart" (KAOS)...here's Siegfried, a/k/a Doc from Love Boat, 20A: Church bell ringer (sexton), 24A: Japanese maker of watches and calculators (Casio), 39A: Sex researcher Hite (Shere)...not Sheri, 43A: Fashion's __ Saint Laurent (Yves), 46A: Treaty of __-Litovsk, 1918 (Brest), 57A: Olympic sport from Japan (judo), 4D: The Civil War, for the Confederacy (lost cause), 10D: Telly Savalas role (Kojak) and 36D: Lazy person's stairs? (escalator).

I drew a complete blank at 9D: Predecessor of Katie Couric. Because I had a wrong answer at 5A: Group of eight (octet, rather than the correct octad), I couldn't think of a name that started with T. I finally had enough letters to realize that it was Dan Rather.

An interesting double blast from the TV past...58A: Lone Ranger's companion (Tonto) and 37D: Trigger man? (Roy Rogers).

I was totally clueless on 15A: Conductor Zubin (Mehta). It didn't help at all that I didn't know 6D: 1970s Dodgers All-Star Ron (Cey). Also didn't know 8D: Yours: Fr. (atoi). I can tell you...it was pretty humbling to have to Google on a Monday puzzle.

We got quite a bit of yard work done on our no-driving weekend. Don worked on the flagstone patio today, while I worked on the steps. Sadly, I neglected to take my own advice about sunscreen (I did have it on my face, though), and my back and shoulders got pretty burned. Jeez! [19A: "Man, oh, man!"]

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Sunday, June 1 - Patrick Berry

2008-06-01T11:03:00.003-06:00

Those of us who love Patrick Berry's puzzles are fortunate in that we don't have to wait very long in between them.

The title of Sunday's puzzle, "Extra Syll-uh-bles," gave us enough information to know that we were in for some puns...in this case, some really good ones.

The eight theme answers are all well-known phrases (or people)...with an extra "uh" added to them, creating new phrases which are then clued.

22A: Waistband sold in stores? (buyable belt)...the very last one to fall.

27A: Wiser from an ethical perspective? (morally safer).

32A: Fighting force trained by Pavlov? (the salivation army)...the funniest of the bunch.

56A: Freelance autopsist? (coroner on the market).

63A: Catchy song parts heard on "Name That Tune"? (hummable beginnings). I'd have to say that was my favorite.

81A: Stones and brickbats? (rioting implements).

92A: Store that peddles political influence? (rent a senator).

99A: Boiled lobster's feature? (red skeleton). I'm sure we weren't the only kids who thought that was his real name.

Lots of good trivia in this one...people, places and things to remember for future puzzles:

1A: Diane of "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" (Ladd).

21A: World capital formerly a pirate stronghold (Rabat).

39A: Auto superseded by the Rambler (Nash)...we had one in the early sixties and loved the song about it. This clip of "Beep Beep" includes pictures of a 1959 Rambler...a classic.

40A: Actress Susan of "L.A. Law" (Dey). That was one of my all-time favorite television shows. Here's Grace with Michael, the love of her life. Susan was also Laurie Partridge and a Breck girl, among other things.

49A: City just west of Silver Springs (Ocala). Growing up in south Florida, we spent a lot of long weekends...so much to see.

59A: Renaissance painter Uccello (Paolo).

61A: Lady Bird Johnson's given birth name (Claudia). I knew that once but forgot it...needed crosses to remind me.

66A: Country with a camel on its coat of arms (Eritrea).

68A: Captain Hook's mate in "Peter Pan" (Smee)...appearing frequently in crossword grids.

90A: Attorney general during Reagan's second term (Meese)...and the only attorney general other than Janet Reno that I can always remember.

105A: Barrett of gossip (Rona).

108A: Only beardless one of the Seven Dwarfs (Dopey)...and the cutest, by far.

9D: "__ the Wanderer" (1820 gothic novel) (Melmoth). According to this article, it was "widely acknowledged by critics as the last great Gothic novel." I'm ashamed to admit that I'd never heard of it and only got it from crosses.

10D: Composer Pachelbel (Johann). Here's my favorite. If the music isn't enough to take you away, the pictures in this clip...from sunrise to sunset...are stunning.

19D: Premium vodka brand, for short (Stoli). It's my brand of choice...both times that I drink vodka in any year.

21D: N.F.L. star Grier (Rosey). I haven't yet committed his spelling to memory, and I always write Rosie first.

30D: Buchanan's secretary of state (Cass).

34D: Architect Jones (Inigo). I remember the name only because it's been in the puzzle at least once.

37D: Actress Witherspoon (Reese).

43D: "Tattered Tom" author (Alger).

48D: John of "The Addams Family" (Astin).

49D: Self-descriptive fruit (orange). I love the clue...but an orange isn't just a thing. It's also a person we all know and love...even if she did this puzzle in just over nine minutes.

58D: Founding member of the Dadaists (Hans Arp).

84D: Ohm of Ohm's law (Georg)...love the name.

85D: Queen of mystery (Ellery)...a brilliant clue.

86D: 2005 Best Picture winner (Crash). It was a good film...very intense...but it didn't get my vote. Not that the Academy cared.

87D: __ Sorrel (woman in a love triangle in "Adam Bede") (Hetty).

94D: __ Roberts, first inductee into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame (Nora).

My favorite clues...13A: They may be big fellers (saws), 30A: Two points? (colon) and 79D: Think that might is right? (misread)...the best one of all.

59D: Place to keep Mace (purse). I'll use this as an opportunity to show off my new purse from 1154 Lill Studio. Even if you don't buy a purse, it's fun to go to their site and design one...or two...or three. It takes about four weeks for them to make your custom-ordered purse...mine has already shipped and should arrive midweek. In addition to choosing the fabrics for the outside, I was able to choose fabric for the lining and the inside pocket. This is my second Lill purse, and it won't be my last. Orange also has a couple of them...one is seen in "Wordplay."

I've been at this far too long, and I have much to do today. Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Saturday, May 31 - Robert H. Wolfe

2008-05-31T08:13:00.004-06:00

If you weren't afraid of the big bad Wolfe before, you may be now. Robert H. Wolfe delivers another killer Saturday puzzle. Here's the first blog I did on one of his previous puzzles.

I finished the bottom half last night but couldn't keep my eyes open another minute...and I'd already spent a good half hour on it. I tackled it again this morning (with coffee in hand) and some answers just jumped out at me. I filled in a few across, a few in down, a few more across...and it was finished. I wasn't sure my grid was correct, but I just checked with JimH...and our answers agree.

I had a few parts of answers (shown in red)...it was just trial and error to fill in the rest...12D: Tool for sewing canvas (sail needle), 26D: Between seating sections (in the aisle) and 27D: Attic, often (third floor). I also had a couple of good guesses that turned out to be right...10A: Socs. (assns), 17A: Where habits are picked up? (nunneries), 61A: "Sure looks that way" (so it seems), and 39D: Cot spot (tents). The only gimmes I had were 37A: Tennis star Petrova (Nadia)...we had a cat with the same name, 58A: Jenny Craig testimonial starter (I Lost), 23D: "Amarantine" Grammy winner (Enya)...I have the CD, and 51D: "The washday miracle" sloganeer, once (Tide)...because I'm old enough to remember that one.

Not much to go on. I Googled to get 16A: "The Wreck of the Mary __" (1959 film) (Deare), 25A: First Earl of Chatham (Pitt) and 3D: 1956 Olympic skiing sensation __ Sailer (Toni)...that opened things up a bit.

Favorite multiword answers include 15A: "Whatever" (I don't care), 20A: "That's good enough" (It'll do), 29A: Proceeding (going ahead), 38A: Like some adult hippos (three ton), 59A: Read the riot act (bawled out) and 22D: Day when courts are not in session (dies non)..read about it here.

There were some answers that were so hard to suss out...once I got them, though, they made perfect sense...19A: Seat (keister), 21A: Get down (sadden), 34A: Exchange for something very valuable (eye teeth), 40A: Product with a rotating ball (roll-on), 56A: Not too much of a stretch (plausible), 5D: Retaining instructions (stets), 7D: Top arrangement? (hairdo), 11D: Bears do it (sell), and 14D: Tick source (second hand)...the best.

Other noteworthy answers...45A: Lyric stand-in, perhaps (na-na-na), 60A: Heavenly discovery of 1801 (Ceres), 13D: Certain atomic X-ray emission (N-radiation), 25D: After the Pentateuchal period (post-Mosaic), 40D: One of three French auto-making brothers (Renault) and 42D: Chichewa and English are its two official languages (Malawi).

That's it for this one. Don and the birds are waiting. Earlier this morning, there were two baby birds on the patio table. Mama (or Papa) Bird was getting seed from the feeder, then flying to the babies to put the seed in their waiting mouths. It was too cute.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Friday, May 30 - Natan Last

2008-05-29T23:40:00.002-06:00

I knew exactly four answers after my first run through Natan Last's Friday puzzle...38A: Four-legged film star of the '30s (Asta), 44A: Bouncing off the walls (hyper), 10D: Follower of Sha Na Na at Woodstock (Jimi Hendrix) and 35D: She had a 1993 hit with "No Ordinary Love" (Sade).

After that I guessed a few and Googled a few more. Google got me 21A: "The Big Lebowski" director (Coen), 54A: "The Fog of War" director Morris (Errol) and 5D: Peter who wrote "The Last Testament of Oscar Wilde" (Ackroyd). That led to more good guesses, some of which panned out.

Among my favorites (always!) are the multiword answers at 14A: Soapmaking compound (oleic acid), 16A: Living end (bee's knees)...is it one bee or multiple bees?, 24A: Occupies (stays at), 27A: Not view innocently (leer at), 37A: "Without __" (Grateful Dead album) (a Net), 55A: Old comedian known for his unique piano-playing style (Chico Marx), 58A: "Oh well" (c'est la vie)...a very good guess with only one letter in place, 60A: "My parents are gonna kill me!" (I am so dead), 21D: Question while eying someone else's plate (can I try some)...Elaine would very quietly say, "I wonder what that tastes like"...it was too cute, 25D: Be a whipping boy (take the rap), 26D: "__ Forget" (Harbach/Kern tune) (Try to), and 39D: Eschew aid (fly solo).

I'm curious to know (but at 11:30, it's too late to spend the time to find out) if we have debuts with 1A: Elaborate procedure (rigmarole) and/or 11D: Clears (exonerates). I'll have to hope that JimH covered that in his blog.

My favorite clue was also my very best guess...49A: Keys (isles).

For some reason, I was exhausted after solving the puzzle and took a two-hour nap on the couch. I was startled awake by Dooley's furious barking. In the wake of seventeen arson fires in the last couple of months (five of them at a co-worker's home, one at the home of a former member of our board, and one at the new apartment complex we're building for the chronically homeless), you can bet we checked things out. All seems well now, and Dooley is resting comfortably.

It'll be midnight before I get into bed, so I'd better wrap this one up. Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Thursday, May 29 - John Farmer

2008-05-28T22:07:00.003-06:00

Gettin' DOWN with John Farmer...what a way to spend a Wednesday evening!

While I managed to figure out that I was dealing with a rebus, I originally didn't limit it to DOWN...had ACROSS in a couple of the squares. When I couldn't make sense of some of the crosses, I finally got it straightened out.

[UPDATE: I didn't really get it straightened out. See JimH's blog for an explanation...and read the right words into the blathering that follows!]

The theme answers...all good ones:

1A: First clue (one D[own]). This was the site of one of my ACROSS mistakes...since I always read 1A before 1D. Its cross at 4D: Jazz/blues monthly (D[own] Beat) was one that didn't make any sense with ACROSS in place.

18A: Spans, as a river (stretches D[own]). Again, stretches ACROSS made perfect sense, although 13D: Hit the skids didn't...until I changed go ACROSS hill to go D[own]hill.

35A: Relocate from one side to the other (move D[own]town). Another ACROSS mistake here...made obvious by 26D: Master (get D[own] pat).

[Well, hell...no wonder ACROSS made sense in so many of the answers!]

58A: Facing one's house from a short distance away, say (D[own] the street), crossing at 39D: Scorn (look D[own] on).

68A: Transect (cut D[own]), with 45D: Inverted (upside D[own]).

I definitely need to brush up on my political facts...couldn't remember 10A: Secretary of state after Muskie (Haig) until I had a few letters in place. In fact, I didn't even remember that Muskie had been a Secretary of State...in Jimmy Carter's cabinet.

I had a minor mix-up with tonight's featured connected cluing...27A: With 22-Across, order at a tiki bar (Mai / Tai). I had them switched, so the crosses were a bit difficult. Once I realized the error, I got 8D: Celt of NW France (Breton) and 11D: Handy guide for a walking tour (area map).

I spent years attending an Episcopal church, so I immediately knew 2D: Church vestibule (narthex)...it looks so good in the puzzle. I also nailed 1D: Faux fat (Olestra). Western Colorado was part of the test market for Lay's fat-free chips made with Olestra. They caused serious gastric distress in some people...I had no problem, though, and thought they were pretty tasty.

I really liked the clue at 21D: A Baldwin. Nope, not Alec or any of his brothers. In fact, it's the only Baldwin I'd want in my house...a gorgeous Baldwin piano.

Other favorites:

25A: Ancient square (Agora).

29A: "Coming to America" co-star (Arsenio Hall). I didn't know that but managed to get it with a couple of letters in place.

33A: __ Scamander, pseudonym of J. K. Rowling (Newt). Didn't know that.

39A: Title girl in a 2002 Disney film (Lilo). This was about the time the girls thought they were too old for Disney, so I didn't see it.

52A: Quarterback Rodney (Peete)...only because of crosses.

57A: St. Clare's birthplace (Assisi). We've had this more than once...St. Francis is more well known, but St. Clare holds her own in the New York Times.

63A: City on the Oka (Orel).

64A: Non __ (not so much, in music) (tanto).

7D: Sci-fi debut of 1921 (R.U.R.)...only because I've seen it in a puzzle.

9D: Doha dweller (Qatari).

40D: Like some fertility lab techniques (in vitro)...interesting cross at 51A: Some modern donations (ova).

41D: Hide in a closet? (leather)...probably my favorite clue.

49D: Stab in the back (betray). Eveb when I had BETR*Y, it still took some time to see it.

57D: "This is not __" (warning label) (a toy)...although it should have read "This bag is not __"...

Good one, John. I'm frequently frustrated by rebus puzzles, but I thoroughly enjoyed solving this one.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Wednesday, May 28 - C. W. Stewart

2008-05-27T21:15:00.007-06:00

Nice Wednesday puzzle from C. W. Stewart...good theme answers, some out-of-the-ordinary fill.

The theme is revealed at 38A: Word that can follow the starts of 17-, 21-, 58- and 64-Across and 3- and 40-Down (balls).

The theme answers:

17A: Fund-raiser wear, perhaps (black tie).

21A: Yellow flower (buttercup).

58A: Artist's smudge remover (gum eraser).

64A: 1952 Gary Cooper western (High Noon). If you missed KarmaSartre's "Don't Forsake Me, Darlin' Blogger," be sure to check it out here. He gets much of the credit (the blame?) for the swift end to my sabbatical.

3D: "All in the Family" nickname (Meathead).

40D: Cajole (soft soap). This was the last theme answer to come to me. I was sure I had something wrong in that southeast corner. The cross at 60A: Goes for (costs) and 51A: Aqualung, e.g., in the 1971 Jethro Tull album (lecher) just wasn't coming together.

Some of my favorites:

14A: Chief Hun, in Scandinavian legend (Atli).

15A: Bygone political council (Soviet).

19A: Superlawyer Gerry (Spence).

25A: Metric volume measure (stere).

33A: Lacking subtlety (blatant).

63A: Cure-all (elixir)...crossing at the X with 53D: Either President Bush (Texan). I could think of several appropriate answers...but I had trouble coming up with one that had five letters.

6D: Out (alibi). That seems like a much-tougher-than-Tuesday clue. I just realized that this is Wednesday...so I changed the first sentence of the post. These three-day weekends can be confusing.

30D: Iraqi port (Basra)...finally remembered that from previous puzzles.

34D: Breaks in concentration (lapses). I've had a few of those since I started this post. My computer wasn't cooperating, and I had to reboot in the middle of posting. That's one of my pet peeves...another is that I'm so impatient when I have to reboot. What are we talking? Five minutes or less...

47D: Repeller of evil (amulet).

48D: Pizza box logo (domino). The next time you get a Domino's pizza, be sure to read everything on the box...including (especially!) the bottom.

I caught some improper parsing as I was reading over the grid. 44D: Arranging in rows (tiering)...not tie ring.

Time to wrap up for tonight. These early morning meetings may be an indication of what's in store as my job morphs into a new shape.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Tuesday, May 27 - Adam G. Perl

2008-05-26T22:45:00.002-06:00

Adam Perl's Tuesday puzzle was a real gem. I caught on to the theme rather quickly, but I wasn't sure how he was going to wrap it up.

The three theme answers span the grid horizontally. In-the-language phrases have ID removed...the new phrases are then cleverly clued.

17A: E.S.L. class, perhaps? (scene of an acc*ent).

36A: Seedy hangout across the Atlantic? (continental div*e)...the funniest of the bunch.

56A: Hip-hop critics? (rap* response team).

The theme is revealed at 52D: Reason to be barred from a bar...or the theme of this puzzle (no ID).

I'd love to know how Adam (or any constructor) comes up with an idea for a theme like this. To find three phrases that are originally 17 letters, each containing ID...then to be able to craft a pun to clue it...it just amazes me.

How many of you noticed that he managed to work his name into the puzzle...in the first and last across answers? 1A: "Fall" guy (Adam) and 65A: 1995 Physics Nobelist Martin L. __ (Perl). That's just too good.

Good connected cluing at 34A: With 44-Down, "Wuthering Heights" actress (Merle / Oberon). Here she is as Cathy, with Laurence Olivier as Heathcliff. I should add this to the list of classics I want to see.

Favorite clues in the puzzle:

5A: Three, it's said (crowd).

15A: Slot machine fruit (lemon). I really thought it should be cherry...the only fruit I could remember...but I couldn't make it fit.

47A: Makes verboten (bans).

61A: Get off one's behind (arise).

23D: Kid you might feel like smacking (brat).

25D: First name in scat (Ella).

54D: "Aquarius" musical (Hair).

Favorite answers include 16A: Enterprise alternative (Avis), 22A: Main line (aorta), 23A: Harris's __ Rabbit (Br'er), 29A: Save for a rainy day (salt away), 64A: Meal with readings (Seder), 7D: Actor Epps (Omar) and 10D: Puget Sound city (Tacoma).

Elaine and Jesse came over tonight with fresh rainbow trout...he wrapped them in foil and cooked them on the grill. Delicious! So I was late getting to the puzzle and blog, and now it's almost 11:00...and time to wrap it up.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Monday, May 26 - Mark Sherwood

2008-05-25T19:03:00.002-06:00

Mark Sherwood's Memorial Day puzzle was a real treat...a clever enough theme and fill that's not generally found on Monday.

The theme is revealed at 29A: Experts with the ends of 17- and 55-Across and 10- and 24-Down (dentists). Theme answers:

17A: Strap-on leg supports (knee braces).

55A: Mincemeat, e.g. (pie filling).

10D: It sets things off (blasting cap).

24D: Feat for Secretariat (Triple Crown)...a beautiful horse.

Favorite answers include 14A: Old Big Apple restaurateur (Sardi), 42A: Rifle and revolver (firearms), 44A: Poisonous atmosphere (miasma), 47A: Football refs (zebras)...never heard them called that, 50A: Mitchell who sang "Big Yellow Taxi" (Joni), 5D: Chest protector (rib cage), 9D: Decreased (lessened), 12D: Western writer Grey (Zane), 13D: Baseball's Hershiser (Orel), 18D: Rakish short (roué)...I like the word, not people like that, 32D: "Come Back, Little __" (Sheba)...a major tearjerker, 34D: __ d'Or (Cannes award) (Palme), 37D: Appearing and disappearing feature on Jupiter (dark spot), 41D: "Fresh as a daisy" and others (simile) and 50D: Bach's "__, Joy of Man's Desiring" (Jesu).

A nice blast from the past to see 10A: Classic clown (Bozo)...although the hair is a little scary.

And I was delighted to see some old favorites in connected clues...22A: Film critic Gene (Siskel) and 60A: 22-Across's longtime partner (Ebert).

To be expected...some crosswordese to fill in the gaps. 25A: Lady's partner (gent), 33A: Eagle's nest (aerie), 40A: Away from the storm (alee), 58A: Gullet (craw), 59A: Bones: Lat. (ossa), 3D: "Jurassic Park" giant, informally (T-Rex), 6D: Some psychedelic designs (op art), 48D: Longest Spanish river (Ebro) and 53D: Some noncoms: Abbr. (sgts.).

It looks as though we'll have a quiet Memorial Day at home...just the two of us. The weather is supposed to be nicer, though...no more wind...so we'll probably go for a bike ride or a long walk. However you spend your day, be safe.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Sunday, May 25 - Elizabeth C. Gorski

2008-05-24T21:15:00.002-06:00

Another delightful Sunday puzzle by one of the masters. To my knowledge, Elizabeth Gorski has never done a puzzle that wasn't top quality.

The title of the puzzle, Spy Glass, didn't give me much of a clue as to the theme. I managed to nail the across answers in the northwest corner, though...and I couldn't help but see the answer to 3D: *1962-67, 1971 (Sean Connery). It was easy enough to guess that we'd find all of the James Bond portrayers in the puzzle, along with his signature 39A: [See instructions in Notepad] (martini)...pictured when you connect the circled letters, in accordance with those instructions.

I don't think I've seen a James Bond movie with any of the other 007 actors, but I somehow knew all of them.

23A: *1969 (George Lazenby).

48A: *1973-85 (Roger Moore).

68A: *1987-89 (Timothy Dalton).

115A: *1995-2002 (Pierce Brosnan). If I could ever let go of the Sean Connery image of my impressionable teen years, Pierce Brosnan would probably get my vote.

71D: *2006- (Daniel Craig).

Elizabeth wrapped things up with 72D: Bond common to the answers to the six starred clues (James). For good measure, she added 90A: Writer born May 28, 1908 (Ian Fleming) and 33D: Title for 48-Across and 3-Down (Sir).

It's good that I knew so many of the long answers, because there were a few things that were complete unknowns...or otherwise escaped me.

13A: Ottoman V.I.P.'s (Aghas). I'm sure I wasn't alone in thinking of the other kind of ottoman.

110A: 2003 best-selling fantasy novel by teen author Christopher Paolini (Eragon).

123A: Artist Watteau (Antoine)...one of those that escaped me until I had a few letters in place.

14D: Like some wrestling (Greco-Roman). I know as much about wrestling as I do any other sport, so I looked it up. Here's everything you ever wanted to know about Greco-Roman wrestling...in case you decide to take it up. I think I'll pass...my lifting skills wouldn't cut it.

15D: Tennis star Mandlikova (Hana).

53D: March 25, in the Christian calendar (Lady Day)...not in any calendar I've ever seen.

I have so many favorite answers. Some of the best:

1A: How architects' models are built (to scale).

61A: "Smooth Operator" singer (Sade). I haven't heard this in forever. I also like "The Sweetest Taboo."

77A: Semitic deity (Baal).

80A: Gut course (easy A). No such thing...if it's so easy, how come some people get a C or D in it?

88A: Ventured (forth) (sallied). I learned this in a puzzle in recent months and just love the expression.

102A: Mexican beer (Corona). One of my favorites...right up there with Sunshine Wheat and Fat Tire.

119A: New Jersey city, county or river (Passaic). My high school best friend was from Passaic, so it was a gimme.

4D: Attire with supersized pockets (cargo pants).

38D: "The Allegory of Love" writer, 1936 (C.S. Lewis).

66D: In song, "Once you pass its borders, you can ne'er return again" (Toyland).

68D: Fights (tussles).

77D: Rock guitarist once married to Goldie Hawn (Bill Hudson). Thank you, Kate...that's the only way I remembered his last name.

87D: Night lights (auroras).

Favorite clues include 50A: Moles' production (tunnels), 82A: Alexander Hamilton's last act (duel), 97A: Offering from St. Joseph (aspirin), 99A: Willy Wonka's creator (Dahl), 105A: "Lost" filming locale (Oahu), 121A: Name-drop, maybe? (erase), 8D: Chairman's supporter? (Maoist), 51D: Butterfly experts, perhaps (swim team) and 74D: It's full of holes (golf course).

We spent the better part of the day cutting up a tree that snapped during some high winds...fortunately missing the house. A long soak in the hot tub is just what the doctor ordered.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Saturday, May 24 - Charles Barasch

2008-05-24T08:58:00.001-06:00

I'm not sure if Charles Barasch's Saturday puzzle was extremely tough...or if I was just extremely tired. I know that I was exhausted by the end of the day, and I could have crawled into bed at 7:00 without guilt. In retrospect, I probably should have.

I dozed off while trying to work the puzzle and some areas just weren't making any sense. I finally set it aside at 9:30 and went to bed. This morning I tackled it again...with new (or at least better-rested) eyes, and the northeast corner (which had been fairly empty) started to come together. I still questioned a couple of the answers, but I just checked the grid against Donald's, and that wrong-looking cross turned out to be right...15A: Mideast royal name (Faisal) and 10D: Repeated musical phrase (ostinato). Faisal worked in my head, but I've never heard of ostinato. It actually comes from the same word as obstinate...hence the meaning.

I do enjoy the appearance of identical clues, and I got more than one today. [One taking a shot] at 1A and 1D proved to be one of my areas of undoing. I wanted heckler and hitman and wouldn't give them up easily...but eventually yielded to guesser and gunman. At least I wasn't far off on one of them. The other...[Split] at 7D and 8D resulting in rend and dashed away, respectively.

One pair was close to identical...54A: Went (off) and 56A: Went off...with veered and erred as the answers.

In that wicked northeast corner, I so wanted 12D: Horror movie character to be monster. I should have remembered slasher from previous puzzles...we're talking a real horror movie. The clue at 17A: Second in court?: Abbr. forced me to choose between a tennis court and a courtroom. I chose tennis...which was wrong...even though I couldn't come up with an answer for it. Had I chosen courtroom, Asst DA would have come to mind more readily. 8A: Worthless stuff was dross (not trash), and 9D: Gamble was referring to a noun...not a verb...risk.

Before I go on, I should add that I enjoyed the puzzle, despite all of the above. The fill was fresh, with some good long answers. I was just...bone tired.

Favorites include 16A: What some patches provide (nicotine), 18A: Like a family man (married with kids), 21A: "To you, Antonio, __ the most": Shak. (I owe), 34A: One of the Blues Brothers (Elwood), 37A: Counterpart of "pls" (thx), 38A: What most couples try to have together (quality time)...because quantity just doesn't happen, 43A: Slow runner in the woods (sap), 45A: '60s theater ('Nam), 46A: Be like Clark Kent (lead a double life), 57A: Girl with a future? (seeress)...I had heiress at first, 15D: It's stuffed with dough (fat wallet), 26D: In a daze (astounded)...I had awestruck but finally let it go when nothing was working, 32D: Beer brand since 1842 (Schaefer), 33D: One with a duty (taxpayer), 35D: Song from Bernstein's "Wonderful Town" (It's Love), 41D: They have family units (Mafias), and 51D: "There was an old man..." poet (Lear).

Awards for the best clue and answer go to 23A: Pitch between columns (newspaper ad) and 25D: Area of interest to Archimedes (pi r squared).

A long weekend is upon us, and we have thunderstorms (rare) and cooler weather in the forecast for today and tomorrow. It looks as though our quality time will be spent indoors...at least until Monday.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Friday, May 23 - Patrick John Duggan

2008-05-22T23:25:00.006-06:00

We went to see "The Wizard of Oz" at our local dinner theater and didn't get home until after 10:30. I have a 7:30 meeting tomorrow...poor planning on my part...so I'll have to make this short.

I managed to work through most of Patrick John Duggan's Friday puzzle. Several good guesses panned out, which led to other good guesses. I ended up Googling for two answers...35A: Literally, "art of softness" (Ju-Jitsu) and 51A: Philosopher who coined the phrase "the best of all possible worlds" (Leibniz). The cross at 52D: Man-to-man alternative (zone) doesn't make any sense to me, though.

Good guesses that panned out include 7A: Dr. Seuss story setting (Whoville), 17A: Fop in "The Wind in the Willows (Mr. Toad), 40A: Popular teen hangout, once (soda shop), 46A: Fifth state to ratify the Constitution: Abbr. (Conn.)...it's not just The Nutmeg State, 54A: 1989 film set in an inner-city high school (Lean on Me), 58A: Like some airport purchases (duty free), 1D: It was shipwrecked in 1964 somewhere in the South Pacific (S.S. Minnow), 9D: Constellation with the star Betelgeuse (Orion), 21D: Doctor often seen on writers' bookshelves (Roget), and 35D: Title girl in a 1958 hit by the Playmates (Jo-Ann)...I believe they also did Beep-Beep, the song about the little Nash Rambler.

The best of the best...16A: Parting words (au revoir), 20A: One of a French literary trio (Porthos), 25A: Like a wet blanket (no fun), 31A: "If you shoot at mimes, should you use a silencer?," e.g. (one liner), 8D: "Quiet!" (hush up), and 38D: Popular boxing venue (UPS Store).

I don't watch violent movies and/or television shows, but I liked the similar clues at 2D: Crime family name (Corleone) and 37D: Crime family (Sopranos). One of the pictures I found had a bunch of dead bodies with the cast of "The Sopranos"...were those supposed to be people they had killed during the season?

It's getting close to 11:30...and time to hit the sack. [UPDATE Friday morning: I was just reminded by JimH via his blog...this is another debut by a young constructor. Eighteen-year-old Patrick John Duggan has a real gift for constructing. How many debut puzzles are Friday quality? I'm looking forward to more from this talented young man...and I'm certain we'll see it.]

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Thursday, May 22 - Richard Silvestri

2008-05-21T21:42:00.004-06:00

If I could read and write, I'd probably have an easier time with crossword puzzles. I don't know what it is lately, but I've had a problem with both...more about that after the theme.

Richard Silvestri's puzzle really wasn't very Thursday-ish. I had two problem areas...both caused by operator error. Otherwise, I might have almost breezed through this one.

The theme is revealed at 38D: Sign...or a description of the answers to the six starred cues? (omen).

And the six O-men are:

17A: *Five-time Wimbledon winner (Björn Borg)...the best-looking one of the bunch. This was my writing error. While saying it correctly in my head, I wrote Bjorg Born...making for a bit of a mess in that area.

24A: *"Numb3rs" star (Rob Morrow). I've never seen it...or even heard of it...but he's actually not bad looking.

51A: *Harpers Ferry raider (John Brown).

64A: *"Newhart" actor (Tom Poston).

3D: *Famed restaurateur (Toots Shor). Here he is with Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe...some time in the fifties.

36D: *Co-star of "The Andy Griffith Show" (Don Knotts). Did anyone else have Ron Howard at first? He's another O-man.

Favorite clues in this one include 22A: Start court proceedings? (serve), 30A: Fire proof? (ash), 31A: "Son of" story (sequel), 47A: Howard in shorts (Moe)...two days in a row, 69A: Catfish Row denizen (Bess), 4D: Perfect pitch (strike), 10D: Vesta, Pallas or Hygiea (asteroid)...a good guess with only two letters in place, 27D: Orly : Paris :: Gardermoen : __ (Oslo), 40D: Athletes on horses (gymnasts)...clever, and 56D: Yclept (named)...that's a new one for me.

My reading problem was at 68A: Classic spy plane. I couldn't for the life of me figure out how UTWO could be correct. I checked and rechecked every answer in that corner until it finally registered...U2. Is it time to turn in my Pentel?

A few more noteworthy answers before I wrap it up. 1A: Lively group? (arts), 5A: Volkswagen route (Bahn), 41A: "The Last Supper," e.g. (mural), 44A: Be deceitful (palter), 57A: 252-gallon unit (tun)...who knew?, 63A: Parsonage (manse)...I'm sure we've had it before, but I needed crosses to get it tonight, 2D: Red, as a Spanish wine (roja), 7D: Silent film star (Harpo), and 28D: " __ paratus" (motto of the U.S. Coast Guard) (Semper)...I think that's Latin for "Always Keep the Boat Afloat." Not really...it's Always Ready.

Skating queen Sonja Henie appears at 53D: "Sun Valley Serenade" star, 1941. Way before my time, but I remember hearing about her when I was a kid. She won her first gold medal at the age of fifteen. You can read more about her here.

That's it for tonight. Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Wednesday, May 21 - Dave Mackey

2008-05-20T22:42:00.005-06:00

Dave Mackey's Wednesday puzzle has a bit of a wicked twist...then again, that may be his usual style. I had a lot of blanks staring back at me for some time, and I was beginning to think I was dealing with a rebus.

There were only a few answers that were Google-able, so it boiled down to trial and error...heavy on the latter.

The long answers were all good...and I just this minute saw their connection.

17A: Solitaire card game (Rouge Et Noir)...if I ever played it, I called it something else.

24A: Pugs in gyms, at times (shadow boxers).

37A: Good thing to build on (solid foundation).

50A: Initially (at first blush).

59A: Cunard fleet member (luxury liner).

I'm struggling to stay awake...actually dozed on and off while I was solving. That does take away from the enjoyment level somewhat...but the end result in this case was more than worth it.

Favorite answers include 1A: Birdbrain (nitwit), 15A: Norse epic (Edda), 28A: Forcefully, in music (furioso), 44A: Gentle opening? (soft G)...one of just a few gimmes, 53A: 1983 Keaton comedy (Mr. Mom)...I had the wrong Keaton in mind, 6D: Certain sorority members (Thetas), 7D: Slowly, on a score (lento), 10D: "American Graffiti" extra (carhop), 11D: Item from a registry, perhaps (shower gift), 30D: They show altitude (relief maps), 36D: "A Loss of Roses" playwright (Inge), 41D: Peter of reggae (Tosh), and 49D: "Guys and Dolls" is based on his writing (Runyon).

The connected clues/answers were fairly easy, considering my struggle with much of the puzzle...48A: 52-Down part (bristle) and 52D: Toiletry kit item (brush).

Favorite clues...7A: Of the flock (laic), 45A: Québec's southern neighbors (Etats), 65A: Greasy spoon sign (Eats), 67A: Saucer contents, in brief? (ETs), 1D: "Quo Vadis" role (Nero), 5D: It's never in a neat order (ice)...I'm quite proud of that gimme, 18D: List-starting words (to do), 48D: Astigmatic's view (blur), 41D: Red hair or freckles (trait), 55D: Social workers? (ants), and 63D: Liked leader? (Ike).

Although he's a favorite from way back, I didn't get 32A: 1972 Bill Withers hit (Use Me) until I had some crosses. I wanted it to be "Lean on Me," which is one of the main reasons I thought we had a rebus.

It's late and I'm 56D: Ready for the sack (beat). Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Tuesday, May 20 - Billie Truitt

2008-05-19T21:20:00.003-06:00

According to cruciverb.com, Billie Truitt made his New York Sun debut last month. It's probably safe to assume that this is his debut with the New York Times. Way to go, Billie!

This was definitely an enjoyable puzzle. The theme featured two-word expressions, with the spelling of the last word changed to become an animal. The new expression was then cleverly clued.

20A: Antlered salon employee? (styling moose).

31A: Lost bobcat? (missing lynx).

45A: Wildebeest who doesn't spare the rod? (spanking gnu)...my favorite of the clues.

52A: Unwelcome porcine party attendee? (crashing boar)...although that one was pretty good.

Favorite clues include:

25A: Curly poker (Moe)...nyuk, nyuk, nyuk.

28A: Make darts, say (sew). Raise your hand if you were thinking the other kind of darts.

62A: Continental divide? (ocean).

38D: Something to slide on (banister). Those were the good old days...sliding down the banister at my grandmother's house.

54D: What wavy lines signify in the comics (odor). I couldn't for the life of me picture that and needed crosses to get it.

Favorite answers include 23A: Woodworker's groove (dado), 36A: Grab some Z's (take a nap), 43A: Passé (old hat), 50A: Broadway musical with the song "Will I?" (Rent)...an easy guess, 57A: Crawfish's home (bayou), 5D: Mrs. Bumstead (Blondie)...nee Boopadoop, 6D: Slow movements in music (largos), 8D: Showy blooms (begonias), 9D: Prom accessory (corsage), 26D: Even (with) (on a par), 30D: Li'l fellow (wee lad), 41D: Vail trails (ski runs), and 46D: It's between the headlights (grille).

Since I love birds and everything having to with them, it follows that I would like 25D: Chatty avians (mynahs). They're not just chatty...they're downright resourceful.

That's it for tonight. Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Monday, May 19 - Mike Nothnagel

2008-05-18T20:10:00.003-06:00

If Mike Nothnagel ever had a Monday puzzle, it had to have been many years ago. I can only recall Friday, Saturday and Sunday puzzles for the last year and a half that I've been solving.

What a welcome relief, though, after he kicked my butt on Saturday!

The only VOID in the puzzle was in the theme answers...each begins with a synonym (appearing at 5D: Roget's listing) for that word.

16A: Place not generating rent (vacant apartment).

24A: Guarantees that mean nothing (empty promises). My favorite, for reasons I can't explain.

42A: Win that brings little actual gain (hollow victory). This one ran a close second.

57A: Contents of guns used in training exercises (blank cartridges).

I'd venture a guess that Mike whipped this one up in short order...relative to one of his Friday or Saturday offerings.

There was some good fill in this one, and very little compromised to put it all together.

Favorite clues and/or answers:

1A: The pyramids, for pharaohs (tombs).

13A: "The Cat and the Curmudgeon" author Cleveland __ (Amory).

19A: Feeling tied up, as a stomach (in knots).

20A: Rock band follower (groupie).

49A: Brandy cocktail (sidecar).

63A: Baby boomers' kids, informally (Gen-X).

1D: Rikki-Tikki-__ (Tavi)...a childhood favorite by Rudyard Kipling.

6D: "Star Trek" weapon (phaser).

10D: Portrayer of Frank Sinatra on "Saturday Night Live" (Joe Piscopo). The only thing I love more than multiword answers is having both first and last name.

26D: 1998 Robin Williams title role (Patch Adams)...a real tearjerker, which is probably obvious from this picture.

41D: A pair of deuces beats it (Ace high).

44D: Whirlpool or tornado (vortex).

Often the multiword answers, especially the short ones, tend to confuse me when I look over the finished grid. What in the world is GOAS? Nothing...the answer to 38A: Pretend to be, as at a Halloween party is go as. Similarly, 41A: Increase (amp up) looks very much like AM PUP. Who/what are you? I am pup. My favorite one tonight is ISPY...it looks as though it would rhyme with wispy. Actually, 34D [1960s Bill Cosby TV series] is I Spy...also starring Robert Culp.

Other quick mentions before I wrap up...10A: PBS newsman Lehrer (Jim), 14A: Inventor Elias (Howe), 36A: Euphoric (giddy), 39A: Without a prescription: Abbr. (OTC), 40A: Pal for Spot or Rover (Fido)...right next to AM PUP, 46A: Avis competitor (Alamo)...originally had Hertz, 2D: Neighbor of Yemen (Oman), 15D: Stubborn as __ (a mule)...another one that's easy to mis-parse, 22D: Scuttlebutt (lowdown), 40D: Group watched by Little Bo Peep (flock) and 47D: Eli __ and Company (Lilly)...maker of Prozac.

So...where's Mike? He commented from sunny Florida on Saturday...perhaps vacationing? If so, where's Mike on Monday?

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Sunday, May 18 - Brendan Emmett Quigley

2008-05-18T09:30:00.002-06:00

Brendan Emmett Quigley (often referred to as BEQ) usually gives me a run for my money, and this Sunday puzzle was more of the same. Generally, though, the theme gives me a leg up...with Pinball Wizard as the title of this one, I knew that help was not forthcoming.

Since I'm only familiar with the very basics of pinball, I may very well miss a theme answer...or include one that shouldn't have been. I trust that someone will let me/us know.

22A: Fight imaginary foes (tilt at windmills).

115A: Former L.A. Ram who holds the N.F.L. record for most receiving yards in a game (336) (Flipper Anderson).

5D: Test extras (bonus questions).

15D: Opening track of "The Beatles' Second Album" (Roll Over Beethoven). I'm sure of the answer...not sure how roll over relates to pinball.

30D: Einstein subject (special relativity). Again...special?

33D: Push for more business orders (ramp up sales).

46D: Good farming results (bumper crops).

53D: Awarding of huge settlements to plaintiffs, in modern lingo (jackpot justice).

What about 39D: Sloping surfaces next to sinks (drainboards)? Does drain have something to do with pinball?

Favorites (clues and/or answers) include 6A: Ancient pueblo dwellers (Anasazi), 18A: Muse with a wreath of myrtle and roses (Erato), 19A: Together (in unison)...same clue recently for as a team, 27A: Sylph in Pope's "The Rape of the Lock" (Ariel)...a mermaid wouldn't have been a Sunday clue, 32A: "Sixteen Tons" singer, 1955 (Ernie Ford), 45A: Italian restaurant chain (Sbarro)...thanks to Don for that one, 49A: "Alice in Wonderland" sister (Lacie), 53A: "Lawrence of Arabia" composer Maurice (Jarre), 63A: How headings are often typed (in caps), 75A: Certain T-shirt design (iron-on), 83A: "Pearly Shells" singer (Don Ho), 107A: Starts, as rehab (checks into), 110A: Upper __ (Volta), 128A: Post with a column (Emily), 1D: Missal location (pew), 8D: Aardvark (ant bear), 9D: __ Phillips, who played Livia in "I, Claudius" (Siân)...pictured at right, 29D: Peripatetic sort (nomad), 34D: House of Lancaster symbol (red rose), 67D: Marathoner Alberto (Salazar)...check out his time on the clock, 82D: "Were that so!" (I wish), 93D: "Bambi" author (Salten) and 96D: Sovereign's representative (Viceroy).

It was interesting to see both of my childhood homes in the puzzle...64D: The Nutmeg State: Abbr. (Conn.) and 115D: Fourth-most populous state, just after N.Y. (Fla.). I was born in the first...raised in the second. Since I can no longer tolerate humidity, I'm very happy to be in Colorado rather than either of those places.

In order to breeze through this one (have I mentioned that I didn't?), you had to be up on television, literature, music...

13A: Norm of "This Old House" (Abram). We've had it before, and I still didn't remember it.

21A: Bill formerly of the Rolling Stones (Wyman).

24A: Richard __, 2002 Pulitzer winner for Fiction (Russo).

99D: "Deadwood" figure (Earp).

10D: Old film pooch (Asta)...the first crosswordese I committed to memory.

20D: Oscar-winning Brody (Adrien). I don't know how I've missed seeing this guy in a single movie, but I have.

48D: Klinger portrayer on "M*A*S*H" (Farr).

74D: Actor James (Caan).

Most favorite clue in the puzzle...20A: Tell things? (arrows). I was on the right track, except that I had apples.

Other crosswordese appearances...for which I was extremely grateful...include 26A: __ B'rith (B'nai), 41A: Nails (aces), 51A: Each (a pop), 68A: "Survivor" setting, often (isle), 59D: Early anti-Communist (tsar), 62D: Mix (olio), 91D: Edsel driver's gas choice (Esso) and 112D: Month in which Moses is said to have been born and died (Adar)...the only Hebrew month I know.

Time to wrap this up. I'm looking forward to spending what will be a beautiful sunny day in the yard...planting my herb garden and tomatoes, doing a bit of pruning, maybe some weeding.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Saturday, May 17 - Mike Nothnagel

2008-05-17T10:38:00.003-06:00

I don't think I've ever been this late getting to the blog...certainly not when it was one of Mike Nothnagel's puzzles. I solved it last night...with a bit of outside help...but I figured I'd blog this morning while Don and the boys slept in. They surprised me by all getting up at 7:00...my usual weekend blog time. After coffee, we took the boys for a walk. Now it's 10:00 and I'm just starting.

In many ways I was on Mike's wavelength...with answers like 8A: Helper after a crash (techie), 14A: Big syrup maker (Hershey), 16A: Together (as a team), 21A: Jacket locals: Abbr. (bks), 28A: Newsman Roger (O'Neil), 30A: Turning point? (dime), 36A: Star of the 1970s detective drama "Harry O" (Janssen)...the star formerly known as The Fugitive, 41A: One of the Bobbsey tw ins (Nan)...her twin is Bert, the other twins are Freddie and Flossie, 55A: Caused to disappear over time (ate away), 56A: Grateful person's reply (I owe you), 1D: Swindlers, in slang (sharks), 2D: One of two sides of a story? (he said), 4D: Popular perfume (Estee), 11D: Distant stars? (has-beens), 12D: Motto of a 1950s grass-roots movement (I Like Ike), and 34D: Terrifying thing to be thrown into (lion's den).

But in so many ways, I wasn't...

1A: Places such as Anatevka in "Fiddler on the Roof" (shtetls). I have a feeling we've had this before, but that combination of letters just looked so wrong.

32A: Moves briskly and easily (waltzes). I had every other possible word in there...the only one I remember now is breezes, which worked with 5D: 1979 novel, 1983 film and 2002-07 TV series (The Dead Zone). I needed a lot of crosses to get that...haven't read, seen or even heard of it.

38A: __ hold on (put a). I had just for entirely too long.

50A: Cardinals' wear (red hats). I thought this might have been about birds, but no. Their hats are more like beanies, though, so I had red caps. That was to be my downfall.

53A: Elegant fabric (brocade). Again, I had several wrong answers here, although I can only remember taffeta. When I finally realized that 41D: Dieter's request, perhaps was no mayo, I knew where to go with the fabric.

58A: Jumper's cables? (tendons). What a great clue. I was thinking along the lines of cables in a knitted item, although I don't recall ever seeing a knitted jumper.

7D: Signs (symptoms). I had the SYM, but I really thought it was some strange plural of symbol. Symbolae?

36D: Not much at all (just a bit). I was actually on the right track, but I had just a tad at first...which is why I wanted taffeta at 53A.

My favorite of the long answers was 22A: Dreaded victimizer of Charlie Brown (kite eating tree)...poor Charlie Brown. Others were 44A: Torch song subject (unrequited love) and 24D: Of a university's relationship with its surroundings (town and gown).

Other favorites include 31A: Smart (swanky), 37A: __ Hargreaves, first woman to complete a solo climb of Everest, 1995 (Alison), 48A: Site of a much-visited mausoleum (Agra), 57A: Want to know (wonder), 13D: "We'll give a long cheer for __ men" ("Down the Field" lyric) (Eli's), 23D: Not natural (alien)...wanted something to do with music notes, 31D: "Relâche" composer (Satie), 33D: Intimate (allude to)...woe to those who didn't read the clue with a long A sound, 38D: Four and four, say (pair), 40D: Crime syndicate sobriquet (Bugsy), 42D: Photographer who was the inspiration for "Funny Face" (Avedon), 43D: Shape-shifting Greek god (Nereus)...one of many, and 45D: Land of Wahhabis (Qatar).

One more...mostly for the picture. 15A: Designer of a stained-glass window in the U.N. building (Chagall). It's just stunning...I wish I could say that I've seen it. Be sure to click on it so that you can see the detail.

Well, Mike, you beat me on this one. I couldn't have finished without Googling two or three things, and I still ended up with something wrong...because of red caps. That made 51D: Bamboozled cad instead of the correct had...and Qatar (which I didn't know) became Qapar. Harris at water and waves came to my rescue. It was comforting to know that he also needed outside help.

I hope you all have an enjoyable day. I have a busy one ahead of me...postponing my no-drive day until tomorrow, when we plan to take a long bike ride. I hope my legs (and other parts of me) will survive it. I haven't been on a bicycle since I hurt my shoulder...a year and a half ago.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Friday, May 16 - Kevin G. Der

2008-05-15T23:15:00.002-06:00

Several readers had a cow over a recent puzzle by Kevin Der...a rebus that had cows hidden all over the grid. I enjoyed that puzzle...

...but I loved this one!

I went to a public forum tonight on homelessness and didn't get home until almost 10:00. I thought I'd start solving the puzzle...maybe get up early to finish it and blog a short blurb. But I started getting into solving and couldn't quit.

I should add that I didn't think I would enjoy this puzzle one iota. I ran through the across clues and have a total of three answers...47A: Places to develop one's chops? (dojos)...thanks to Elaine's years of karate, 51A: Tasty triangles (Doritos), and 59A: Merchant whose customers click (e-tailers).

I wasn't sure about 1D: Elated person after Super Bowl III...but I knew it was probably a fan, and I couldn't think of too many teams that had only four letters. Jets fan...which had also appeared last Sunday...was correct. A good guess at 3D: Santiago skipper (capitán) led me to 1A: Steam room alternative (jacuzzi). The double Z...to the identically clued [Flies] at 5D (zips) and 6D (zooms). Before long, the northwest corner was complete.

The southwest followed, with a good guess panning out at 24D: Typography measure (em space)...so called because it's roughly the size of the letter M. From there 36A: Noisy complaint (squawk) led to 36D: Crush holder that's crushable (soda can). With the N in place, I was sure that 60A: Blogger, e.g. had to be nut case. It fits this particular blogger...who at almost 11:00 p.m. is still at it, knowing I need to be up in just a few hours.

I couldn't remember if 44D: "The Mickey Mouse Club" regular __ Tracey was Noreen or Doreen. Once I had 35D: Parts of some Bach suites (gavottes), 44A: Military grp. became div...which meant that our Mousketeer was Doreen.

And that's how the rest of the puzzle went...until every single square was filled. The last to fall was 60A...not nut case, but netizen...confirmed by 51D: She co-starred in "Gangs of New York," 2002 (Diaz) and 55D: Designer born in Guangzhou, China (Pei). Here's one of his designs...the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

Favorites not already mentioned include 16A: His last novel was "Chloe Marr," 1946 (A. A. Milne), 26A: Jazzman Saunders (Merl), 27A: He called the U. S. vice presidency a "most insignificant office" (Adams), 33A: Read syntactically (parsed), 39A: Alternative to Friendster or MySpace (Facebook), 26D: Chocolate treat (Mars Bar), 30D: Transport over sand? (camel), 37D: Visionary (Quixote), 38D: Not neat (unkempt), 39D: Island that Truman wants to go to in "The Truman Show (Fiji), 42D: Big fish, maybe (keepers) and 48D: Truth from long ago? (sooth).

One last favorite...because I really want to include the picture...25A: "The West Wing" actor (Smits). I've raved about other actors in the past...and I do have several favorites...but Jimmy Smits is by far the one I think is the hottest.

One important thing that I forgot to mention. I believe that this is the first Friday puzzle I've finished without Googling a single clue. If several of you comment that it was an easy puzzle, I guess I won't be quite as proud...but for now, I am.

Time to wrap this up and get to bed. Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Thursday, May 15 - Elizabeth C. Gorski

2008-05-14T22:05:00.002-06:00

Elizabeth Gorski's puzzles are always entertaining. Today's featured a word ladder, which just added to the enjoyment factor...as well as the ease factor. Once I got one of the theme answers, it was easy enough to work forward...then back...to complete the ladder.

1A: *Beginning (dawn)

18A: *"Rats!" (darn)

22A: *Makeshift hangar (barn)

33A: *__ center (burn)

41A: *Right face, e.g. (turn)...that's the one that paved the way for all the others.

53A: *Relative of an Azerbaijani (Turk)

59A: *Narwhal feature (tusk)

66A: *End (dusk)

The theme is wrapped up at 36A: Classic Broadway show tune, or a hint to the word ladder revealed by the answers to the eight starred clues (Sunrise, Sunset).

Favorite clues include 16A: Eats at a bar (tapas), 17A: Major money maker (Mint), 38D: Swiss nationals, historically (neutrals), 42A: Apple picker? (Mac user), 64A: Leaves in a salad (cress), and 39D: Throws out (suggests).

Favorite answers:

29A: Going postal (in a rage)...with apologies to all postal employees, their friends and family members. My sister (a recently-retired postmaster) never liked the expression...but I do like how the answer looks in the grid.

31A: Sight from Lake Victoria (Entebbe)...didn't have a clue, but it fit.

44A: Shimmer (glisten). I had trouble in that corner because I wouldn't let go of glimmer soon enough...even though I knew it couldn't be right.

52A: Lobster claw (chela). I really thought this had to do with the clasp on a necklace.

61A: Attorney with the autobiography "My Life on Trial" (Belli).

1D: Mater __ (Mary, in Latin prayers) (Domini)...a Roman Catholic upbringing paid off again.

2D: "Familiar Spirits" author Lurie (Alison).

3D: Angelina's "Girl, Interrupted" co-star (Winona). I like one of them. The other...not.

5D: Film producer __ Al-Fayed (Dodi). I didn't know that about him...but I admired Princess Diana and was saddened by their deaths.

8D: Cold-shoulder (ignore)...like the clue as well.

10D: Portion of a trick-or-treater's haul (caramels). If you're not putting chocolate into my Halloween bag, you don't need to put in anything.

12D: Follow-up to "Oh, yeah?" (wanna bet). One of the funniest retort answers ever.

30D: Pretexts (guises).

36D: Heaviest member of the weasel family (sea otter). I don't think of weasels as cute in the least, but this little guy...way cute.

43D: Not homogeneous (ragtag).

48D: Title subject of a 1922 documentary in the National Film Registry (Nanook). It's not just a documentary...according to this article, it's "Widely considered the first full-length document of ALL-TIME!" Didn't know that.

I didn't have a clue about 25A: Home of novelist Mario Vargas Llosa, but I thought his name sounded as though he'd be from Peru...and it was right. I love when that happens.

Time to call it a night. I didn't check answers, so let me know if you spot any errors. Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Wednesday, May 14 - Doug Peterson

2008-05-13T22:22:00.002-06:00

I finished Doug Peterson's Wednesday puzzle a half hour ago...but I just now caught on to the theme.

Although it was revealed at 71A: Football linemen, for short, caught in 17-, 28-, 47- and 63-Across? (RTs). I'm getting to know names of teams, and some well-known players...but this one escapes me. Why are football linemen called RTs?

Whatever...the four theme answers are in-the-language phrases that have the addition of RT somewhere in the answer. The new words are then cleverly clued. I tried to find RTS in the answers...so I didn't catch on to the theme for a while.

The theme answers are:

17A: Singles bar habitué (FREQUENT FLIRTER).

28A: Do some barhopping? (PARTY AS YOU GO).

47A: Dirndls? (ALPINE SKIRTS). This was the first theme answer I got, and it had RTS...so that added to my confusion.

63A: "Wild and crazy guy" on the old "S.N.L."? (MARTIN CHARACTER). I haven't thought of those two in years.

Lots of fresh fill in this one...before I get to that, though, there's one answer that threw me. 66A: Put up with (brook). I have never heard that definition of the word and thought I might have something wrong...but a 41A: Quick peek (glimpse) at water and waves confirmed that it's correct. I wonder if I'm the only one out there who was clueless on that one.

Favorite answers and/or clues:

4A: Polo name (Marco). That sure brings back memories of summers spent at the pool.

16A: Physics Nobelist Wolfgang (Pauli).

25A: H (eta)...much better clue than the usual Estimated Time of Arrival.

34A: Bogart role (Queeg).

39A: Stooped shoulders, e.g. (posture).

44A: Ryan with 5,714 strikeouts (Nolan). I know very little about baseball, but I do know Nolan Ryan...not personally.

55A: Lye, e.g. (alkali).

1D: The "Judy" of Punch and Judy (wife).

3D: This answer intersects it (one across)...probably my favorite clue/answer.

24D: Vicks brand (NyQuil). NyQuil gives me strange dreams...like seeing this guy on the beach. I rest better if I don't take it.

29D: Baseball's Felipe or Moises (Alou). This has appeared enough times...and it's about time I remembered it.

32D: "A Life for the Tsar" composer (Glinka).

40D: Death personified, in ancient Greece (Thanatos).

45D: For the heck of it (on a whim).

50D: Feet in a meter (iambs).

51D: St. __ of Assisi (Clare)...Francis is better known.

52D: Goodyear's home (Akron). I hope reader/fellow blogger Wendy finds this clue more acceptable than the one that appeared the last time.

58D: Eric of "Munich" (Bana)...just because I like him.

The weather has turned rainy and a bit cooler...just two days after packing away my winter clothes. That means I have no choice but to wear capris and open-toed shoes. That's not a problem for me, but I'm sure I'll hear about it from some of my co-workers.

That's it for this one. Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Tuesday, May 13 - Caleb Madison

2008-05-12T22:55:00.002-06:00

Tuesday's puzzle comes with some exciting news. Fifteen-year-old Caleb Madison makes his debut in the New York Times. Will Shortz had this to say via the New York Times Forum: "[Caleb] contributes puzzles to his school paper and stopped by this year's ACPT. He'll be interning for me this summer. He's the youngest person I've ever published in the Times."

There was one younger constructor, but 14-year-old Mike Miller was published in December 1976...before Will's time as editor.

Congratulations, Caleb...a fun theme and quite a bit of sparkling fill. I think we'll be seeing a lot of this young man. Who knows...maybe he'll follow in Will's footsteps.

The theme was revealed at 39A: Classic film company...or a description of 17-, 32-, 46- and 65-Across? (UNITED ARTISTS). The theme answers "unite" two recording artists, whose combined names are in-the-language words and/or phrases.

17A: Singers Clint + Patti (BLACKSMITH).

32A: Singers Tom + Johnny (PETTY CASH).

46A: Singers Neil + Courtney (YOUNG LOVE).

65A: Singers James + Sly (BROWNSTONE).

Some were easier than others...there's only one Clint, Courtney and Sly...but the puzzle came together nicely.

Favorite answers include 13A: Wispy clouds (cirri), 20A: Ache reliever (masseur), 29A: Pulitzer-winning biographer Leon (Edel), 44A: Show subtitled "The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical" (Hair), 67A: Blue, in Bogotá (azul), 69A: Poet Federico Garcia __ (Lorca), 1D: Cold war weaponry (ICBMs)...intercontinental ballistic missiles, 6D: Accused's bad break (bum rap), 10D: 1960s sitcom with the catchphrase "Sorry about that, Chief" (Get Smart), 22D: Heavenly (Elysian), 31D: John of "3rd Rock From the Sun" (Lithgow), 40D: Vessel in "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" (Nautilus) and 48D: Q-Tip target (ear wax).

Favorite clues...26A: As high as you can possibly go (limit), 35A: Where Kofi Annan earned his master's deg. (MIT), 63A: Like Yul Brynner, famously (bald), 70A: Prominent part of a Groucho disguise (nose), 47D: Brain, slangily (noodle), and 56A: "An invasion of armies can be resisted; an invasion of __ cannot be resisted": Hugo (ideas).

I wasn't sure about 64D: __ dye (azo). A quick check of JimH's grid confirmed it, so I looked it up in the dictionary..."pertaining to or containing the divalent radical N:N". I have no idea what that means.

I'm not familiar with 52A: "__ Deep (1999 Omar Epps film) (In Too), but it was easy enough to guess.

I didn't get home until 9:45, so I was late getting to the puzzle...and late getting to the blog. I have a 7:30 meeting tomorrow, so I'd better wrap things up.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Monday, May 12 - Randall J. Hartman

2008-05-11T21:10:00.002-06:00

An enjoyable Mother's Day was followed by an enjoyable Monday puzzle. Randall Hartman's clue to the theme was at 58A: Youth groups...with a hint to 17-, 28- and 44-Across (Four H Clubs).

Theme answers:

17A: Anglican body (high church).

28A: Question when you can't tell two things apart (which is which). I don't know why I loved that one, but I did. Although at this point, I still didn't catch on to the theme.

44A: Jewish high holy day (Rosh Hashanah). Embarrassing to admit...I still hadn't noticed it by this one.

We spent the day leisurely...enjoying coffee at our favorite coffee shop, buying paint for the bathroom and laundry room, and picking up plants at the nursery. While Don got the swamp cooler up and running (we usually get three days of spring...then it's summer), I planted a couple of color pots, as well as flowers in the front. Don, Leslie, Candy and I all worked on pruning the rose bushes...nasty work, that. [Just noticed that was an answer...at 43A: Not just mean.] We enjoyed a cookout on the patio...the weather was perfect, and not a bug in sight. The only thing that could have made it better was if Elaine had been here, although she called a couple of times.

But I guess you came here to read about the puzzle...

I'm always proud when I get a sports clue as a gimme...tonight's was 5A: Home of the N.F.L.'s Buccaneers (Tampa).

I pretty much worked this one left to right, top to bottom...not my usual method, but this was pretty easy. I had to go back and read all of the down clues and answers...I didn't see many of them.

I only had one mistake in the puzzle, but it was a good one...at 56A: Whisper sweet nothings. For some reason, I thought it was woo. When I got to 50D: Less than 90 degrees, I had awute...WTF? That's when I realized that you coo...and acute makes much more sense.

Favorite clues include 15A: Criminal's "a k a" name (alias), 22A: Hornswoggled (duped), 37A: Shot in the arm (boost) and 48A: Top secret? (toupee). This little one is going for the Donald Trump look.

A few favorite answers:

49A: The "I" of Canada's P.E.I. (Island). In my former life, we had a friend who lived on Prince Edward Island...never made it up there.

11D: September birthstones (sapphires). Beautiful stones...although my favorite is still a ruby. Well, and diamonds, of course.

26D: Something beaten at a party in Mexico (piñata ).

40D: Roald who wrote "James and the Giant Peach" (Dahl). The girls enjoyed his books...especially the one about the giant.

45D: Fanfare (hoopla).

55D: "Rule, Britannia" composer (Arne).

60D: Geller with a psychic act (Uri).

Probably my very favorite is 33D: Tramp (hobo)...because I just learned the origin of the word...homeward bound. Stick around...you never know what you'll learn here at Madness.

I remember running into this in the past, but it still looks wrong. 29A: __ longue (chaise). Chaise looks just fine...but longue looks as though it should rhyme with tongue. I prefer lounge.

Time to wrap it up...dessert is served.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Sunday, May 11 - Tony Orbach and Patrick Blindauer

2008-05-11T08:15:00.002-06:00

The title of this puzzle...Done With Ease...was definitely not an indication of how quickly the theme would reveal itself. It took me entirely too long to get on the theme wavelength, although the theme answers flowed once I did.

The theme answers are in-the-language phrases (or, in one case, the name of someone I should have known but didn't) that contain a short I sound...for the theme answers, they convert to a long E, and are then clued appropriately.

23A: State of a bottle-fed baby? (no-wean situation).

38A: A platform in front of Elsinore, in "Hamlet"? (original scene).

51A: Massage therapist's office? (feeling station).

67A: Group of yo-yo experts? (Team Duncan). I'm not familiar with Tim Duncan. Not surprising...basketball is not one of my strong suits.

70A: One willing to take a bullet for Martin or Charlie? (Sheen guard). This is the first answer I got...Martin Sheen is one of my favorite actors, and his son's name is well-known...easy to figure out.

91A: Little Bo-Peep's charges? (abandoned sheep). This is the second answer I got. For a time, though, I thought all of them would have EE...and I wondered if Team Duncan was wrong.

99A: Musicians at a marsh? (peat orchestra).

120A: St. Paul sixth graders? (Minnesota Tweens). This was the last to fall. In addition to problems in the southeast corner, I was thinking of St. Paul...as in the saint...not the city.

The theme wraps up with a hint at 93D: Stretch...or a hint to this puzzle's theme? (elongate).

I had to call in the troops to finish the southeast corner. I left the puzzle in Don's hands and he was able to fill in some of the blanks...118A: "Same here!" (so do I), 127A: Brewing needs (tea bags) and 130A: __ Row (Embassy). From there I was able to get 104D: Slide presentation? (amoeba), then 103A: Numerical prefix (octa).

The very last square to fall was the U at the cross of 97A: Turn on an axis (slue) and 87D: Extracted chemical (educt)...both are unfamiliar words that I'm sure I won't ever remember.

Another that I always struggle to recall is 15A: Superman, to his father (Kal-El). I remember that it sounds like a dog food (Kal-Kan)...maybe seeing a picture will help cement it in my mind. Here's the happy family. What a cute baby.

A few of my favorite crosses...28A: Bleacher (peroxide) and 15D: Buzzers (kazoos), 79A: Shade on the French Riviera (azur) and 73D: Like some pyramids (Aztec), 65A: Rouge roulette number (cinq), 66D: Subdue (quash) and 55A: Like a Rolek watch (ersatz) and 43D: Automaker Ferrari (Enzo).

TV and/or film appearances include 25A: Woody Allen title role (Zelig), 87A: Urban area in a Cheech Marin film (East L.A.), 117A: "Road" picture partner for Bob (Bing), 3D: "The Love Boat" actress Lauren (Tewes), 17D: Leslie Caron title role (Lili), 92D: Addie's husband in "As I Lay Dying" (Anse) and 101D: Director Mark of "Earthquake" (Robson).

Literary and other arts are featured in 44A: Contemporary of Duchamp (Arp), 47A: "Doctor Faustus" novelist (Mann), 49A: Jazz virtuoso Garner (Erroll), 57A: Fashion designer Bartley (Luella), 62A: "Puppy Love" singer, 1960 (Anka), 83A: Actor Alain (Delon), 8D: Cuban-born jazz great Sandoval (Arturo), 37D: German biographer __ Ludwig (Emil), 44D: Key of Elgar's Symphony No. 1 (A flat), 48D: "Bye Bye Bye" band, 2000 ('N Sync), 78D: "Luncheon on the Grass" and others (Manets), and 88D: __ of Six" (Joseph Conrad story collection) (A Set). I've never seen this painting before...I can't remember the last time I had a picnic in the nude with two fully-clothed men.

I didn't know the significance of Meadowlands in the clue at 1A: Rooter at the Meadowlands (Jets fan)...once I did, I was pretty impressed with the answer. The J crosses at 1D: with __ Kádár, 1950s-'80s Hungarian leader (Janos).

Until I saw it in print, I never knew the spelling of the clue at 30A: Comme ci, comme ça (so-so). So much more elegant than I was seeing it in my head.

Other clues I liked...58A: Brown alternative (Yale), 63A: Jawaharial Nehru's daughter (Indira)...definitely a Sunday clue, 95A: 87 or 93 (octane), 4D: Squash, squish or squelch (step on), and 32D: The less you see of this person the better (dieter).

Time to get on with the daily festivities....coffee in the big chair with the boys, watching the birds. Leslie and Candy will be here for dinner...Elaine and Jesse, her new boyfriend, will stop by again on their way back home.

Happy Mother's Day...remember to do something nice for yourself.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Saturday, May 10 - Karen M. Tracey

2008-05-10T09:20:00.002-06:00

It's always a treat to see Karen Tracey's name on the byline. I know it will be a challenging puzzle...but a supremely enjoyable one. Her long answers (and most of the fill, for that matter) are exceptional...her cluing often on the edge.

I'm willing to bet that some of my favorite answers are making their debut in a New York Times puzzle.

14A: Suspensions (moratoria). My first strike was putting in an S for the plural.

17A: Antarctic environmental concern (ozone hole).

22A: It's hit with a pinky (enter key)...I especially love the clue.

36A: Preferred seating, for many (exit row)...not my choice.

39A: Decongestant brand (Sinex). Always good to have X in the puzzle...twice in this one. That makes me 36D: More than happy (exultant).

43A: Source of some big waves (seaquakes). I don't recall having heard the term, but it was easy enough to guess. The Q helped me get 40D: It's just north of Nauru (equator).

48A: Gulf states (Emirates).

53A: Kept charging shots, say (ran a tab).

55A: Back together, for now (on again). The clue is almost comical...I wonder if it struck anyone else that way. We've all known those relationships...either our own or someone else's.

57A: Indie rock band whose name is Spanish for "I have it" (Yo La Tengo). I have no knowledge of the band, but I knew enough Spanish to guess Yo Lo Tengo. When I got 37D: Stock (ordinary)...one of her edgier clues...I changed it to La.

60A: Bump in the road? (rear ender). I know that's appeared as an answer before, but the clue was so good...delightfully deceptive.

63A: Spare in a boot (tyre). Again, this has appeared in a puzzle before...the only reason I got it. I just love British expressions and spellings.

4D: Citrus tree (tangelo).

5D: 16th-century founder of Scottish Presbyterianism (John Knox). I always enjoy seeing both first and last names in an answer.

9D: Bit of securing hardware (set screw).

11D: 1980s TV s how or 2006 film (Miami Vice).

12D: In the raw (bare naked)...like the Ladies.

23D: Classic game with 13 categories (Yahtzee). I can't for the life of me remember that it had categories. All I recall is rolling dice from a cup. But what a great word...I didn't appreciate it enough at the time I was playing the game.

30D: Work on it began in Rome in 1817 (Erie Canal). Again, one of the edgy clues...was that Karen or Will? Raise your hand if you immediately thought of Italy rather than New York.

31D: Hebrew or Phoenician (Canaanite). Of course, I thought I had something wrong when I saw AA. I was sure about 47A: Stop up, in a way (caulk), so I hung in there. Funny (although not at the time) caulk story...Don loves the stuff, and any space lurking in our house is in danger when he has a caulk gun in hand. Leslie took note of this. On a sunny day, maybe in early April, I went to get my spring clothes out of the closet in the garage...but I couldn't get the door to open. It didn't have a doorknob at the time...just a hole...so I knew it wasn't locked. When things like that happened in the house, we immediately thought of Leslie...the ever curious child. She calmly told me she had caulked it. We all laugh now about some of the things she did...and we're all thankful that her curiosity only involved inanimate objects.

There were a few names in the puzzle...some of them unknown...but I was able to get them from crosses.

5A: Painter Fouquet (Jean).

19A: Family in 1980s news (Reagans).

25A: Nixon adviser Nofziger (Lyn). I counted three Republican clues/answers in this puzzle...the third at 32A: Nixon creation of 1970: Abbr. (OSHA).

34A: "The Cosby Show" actress Alexander (Erika).

35A: Rudy's coach in the 1993 football film "Rudy" (Ara)...Parseghian, I'm sure. Didn't see the movie.

45A: John __ (Doe). We all know him...and his wife, Jane.

56A: "The Red Tent" author Diamant (Anita). I bought the book years ago and it still sits unread on the shelf. Maybe some day.

54D: Longtime West Virginia senator (Byrd).

Other good clues...26A: Blessing (approval), 42A: Oenological category (reds), 59A: Finger (rat on), 61A: Not nodding (alert), 1D: Venetian balladeer's topic (amore), 3D: Dalmatian, e.g. (Croat), 10D: One whose idea may be taking off (aviator), 21D: "Israfel" writer's monogram (EAP)...Edgar Allen Poe, 33D: Really warped (sick), 44D: Booking letters (a/k/a), 49D: Meat grinder (molar) and 51D: Peak southeast of Bern (Eiger).

There's probably more to say about this one, but I'll leave that to the rest of you...via the Comments section.

I stayed home from work yesterday so I could keep taking my wonderful cough syrup with codeine. I managed to do the puzzle last night on a half dose, but I didn't think I could pull off posting...so took the other half and went to bed. It's so nice to sleep at night...something I hadn't done for more than a week. I have a few errands to run today, so that means no more cough syrup until bedtime.

Elaine came for a short visit yesterday and brought me a dozen white roses. They are just beautiful...and she was just beaming when she gave them to me. If all goes well, Leslie and Candy will be here tomorrow. Either way, Don will cook dinner or take me out. Any bets?

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Friday, May 9 - Jim Page

2008-05-08T21:20:00.003-06:00

Jim Page's Friday puzzle has nine long answers...stacks of three in each corner...and pretty spicy fill all around.

I'm not operating at full capacity this evening...turns out it wasn't just allergies bothering me this week. I'm on a hefty dose of antibiotics, as well as some delightful cough syrup with codeine...two teaspoons and I slept for three hours. I took a half dose two hours ago, but I'm a real lightweight and I'm pretty groggy.

That said, I'm truly amazed that I finished this. I came to a standstill at one point and Googled for one answer...5D: "Doonesbury" journalist Hedley (Roland). Part of my confusion in the northwest was 10D: Actress Morelli of "The Leopard," 1963 (Rina). I read it as Moreno and filled in Rita.

Long theme answers in the northwest:

1A: Terrifying tales (hair raisers).

15A: One might have a stunt double (action movie)...filled in action right off the bat but I was trying to fit in something like actor.

17A: Bit of ballistic evidence (shell casing).

In the northeast 12D: Predawn period (small hours)...I prefer wee, 13D: Potential reputation ruiner (dark secret)...love that one and 14D: Secondary arrangements (subsystems).

The southwest corner was the easiest for me, with 25D: Yellowish-orange spread (apricot jam), 26D: Rummage (root around) and 27D: It tells you where else to look (cross reference). Nice connected clue at 43D: Word in a 27-Down (see).

And in the southeast...58A: It often includes surround sound (home theater), 61A: One who may do a wire transfer (electrician) and 63A: Chips and such (party snacks).

I liked the similarity between 40A: Builder of a hanging nest (oriole) and 46A: Projecting bit of architecture (oriel). I'm not sure what the latter looks like, but I'm pretty partial to the former...and all birds.

I just dozed off while uploading that picture...[UPDATE Friday morning: Thanks for your kindness in ignoring the typos in that last paragraph. I've corrected them and am now heading back to la-la land.]

The standard crossword fare didn't take away in the least from the rest of the good fill...19A: Weber per square meter (Tesla), 21A: Organization originally called the Jolly Corks (Elks)...nice Friday clue for that one, 60A: Suffix of some cyclic coumpounds (ane), 3D: Plural suffix for urban (ites), 21D: Fill up on (eat), 28D: One passing notes? (ATM), 34D: Certain character sketch (cel) and 56D: Flying piscivores (erns). That, by the way, is the best clue we've ever had for erns.

15A: Egyptian __ (cat breed) (Mau). I'm not up on my cat breeds, but that good guess panned out. They're awfully cute little guys.

And I keep finding myself dozing off, so I'd better wrap things up...take a full dose and get a good night's sleep.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Thursday, May 8 - Harvey Estes

2008-05-07T21:40:00.002-06:00

This is one of the easiest Thursday puzzles I can remember...at least in terms of figuring out the theme.

Sitting short and sweet in the center of the puzzle...34D: Handheld computer, or holding hands (PDA)...setting the stage for the two long theme answers.

3D: With 6-Down, 34-Down / 6D: See 3-Down (public display of / affection)

11D: With 35-Down, 34-Down / 35D: See 11-Down (personal digital / assistant)

That was some feat of construction! I'll be the first to admit that I groaned when I saw those clues. I just ache all over from coughing so much, and I'm feeling on the grumpy side...and I just didn't want to deal with clues I couldn't figure out. So I skipped them and just started working what I could...adding a few letters here and there...until it became apparent.

Other good long answers...21A: They really get steamed (espressos), 23A: Red River area (Indochina), 54A: What a solid yellow line may indicate (no passing), and 58A: "Be right there!" (in a moment). Two of them were gimmes, one took a couple of letters to guess...the third eluded me for far too long. I'll leave it to you to guess which was which.

Spicy fill and/or cluing at 14A: Take over (usurp), 17A: Free, in France (libre), 20A: Michael of "Monty Python" (Palin), 36A: Red Sea's Gulf of __ (Aqaba), 42A: Dutch beauty (tulip)...mine are up and looking gorgeous, 43A: "Hungaria" composer (Liszt), 44A: Graham of rock (Nash)...a favorite of mine in the seventies, 47A: Round end (peen), 68A: "It Don't Come Easy" was his first solo hit (Starr)...had Ringo at first, 13D: Chasers in a saloon, perhaps (posse)...clever cluing, 37D: Place for a body to repose (bier)...in the summer, my body frequently reposes in a beer, 48D: Polite turndown (no ma'am)...the older I get, the more I dislike being called ma'am, 50D: Unwelcome end, with "the" (kibosh), and 61D: "Shall We Dance?" star, 2004 (Gere).

38D: Place for some icons (apse) is the best clue I've seen for a word that appears with some frequency.

66A: Zodiac symbol (lion)...both that and Leo are fairly common crossword fare, but I'm sure that fellow blogger Donald will be happy to see it nonetheless.

63A: "Paint the Sky With Stars: The Best of __" (1997 album) (Enya). She has the right combination of letters to make it into the grid fairly often. I haven't heard this one, but I just love the back of this CD.

Spend enough time doing crossword puzzles and you'll never stumble on 10A: Per (a pop), 64A: Met highlight (aria), 65A: Western (oater) or 26D: Uzbek sea name (Aral).

I liked seeing 49A: Put out (irk) and 51A: W. Eur. country that does not belong to NATO (Ire) side by side...even if they didn't have similar meanings in this case.

Don, the lover of all things ketchup, will like the clue at 32A: Move like ketchup (ooze). As a lover of Z, I like the answer.

That's it for tonight. Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Wednesday, May 7 - Richard Silvestri

2008-05-06T22:10:00.004-06:00

Richard Silvestri delivers a fun Wednesday puzzle...right on the heels of his Sunday puzzle, Poplar Music.

I enjoyed this theme far more than Sunday's...four in-the-language phrases, clued in relation to baseball teams.

17A: Musial's 6 and Gibson's 45? (Cardinal numbers).

27A: Pregame practice in Cincinnati? (Red pepper).

48A: AT&T Park standout? (Giant star).

62A: Prospects for a New York pennant? (Met expectations).

We had dinner tonight with a friend, so I was late getting to the puzzle and blog. My goal is to be finished by 10:00...which means I have ten minutes.

I was impressed with much of the fill. My favorites, either because of the clue or the answer:

5A: Big jerk (spasm).

10A: Author O'Flaherty (Liam). I think I remember this from just a couple of days ago...or am I making that up?

15A: White house (igloo). This one is made out of milk jugs.

21A: Grabs some shut-eye (snoozes).

42A: Ledger entry (debit)...twice in one week. Don couldn't believe it.

43A: Coffeehouse order (latte). My regular is a soy latte, occasionally with one shot of regular and one of decaf...you know, so I don't get overly wired.

53A: Adak native (Aleut).

54A: With "El," British victory site of 1942 (Alamein).

58A: Wild (feral). The friend we had dinner with is very active in the feral cat project here in town. They trap the cats and have them neutered...then they're returned to the same place they were found. Five or six of them continue to live in her back yard. Even after neutering, they're still a bit jumpy when she comes outside with food.

68A: Part of N.B. (nota). Nota bene...Latin for note well.

4D: Snatch (kidnap).

5D: Sloth, for one (sin)...I'll bet that faked out a few who were thinking of the animal.

10D: Inspiration for "Rent" (La Bohème).

11D: Don Juan's mother (Inez).

24D: Closing passage (epilog).

25D: City in central Missouri (Sedalia).

34D: Man of Principle? (Peter). Some of these just made me giggle. I must be tired.

40D: Adjective for a 1-Down (TexMex), referring to taco [Snack in a shell]. How can you not love a word that has more than one X in it? Also liked its cross at 47A: Earl in the court of Elizabeth I (Essex).

I managed to get 2D: One of TV's "Two and a Half Men" (Alan), but I have no idea who it refers to. It's too late for me to Google it, so I hope someone out there knows.

That's it for tonight. Not bad...it's only 10:15.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Tuesday, May 6 - Gary J. Whitehead

2008-05-05T21:20:00.002-06:00

Maybe it's because I'm not feeling quite up to par, but some of these answers didn't seem very Tuesday-ish...maybe more like a Wednesday puzzle.

But it had circles...so you know I enjoyed it.

The theme was revealed at 70A: Capital suggested by the circled letters (which spelled out DIAMOND STATE) and by the starts of 17- and 63-Across and 11- and 29-Down (Dover).

17A: Special Operations group (Delta Force).

63A: Highly pleasing (delightful)...aptly describes this puzzle.

11D: TV angel portrayer (Della Reese).

29D: Overdue (delinquent).

Favorite clues in this one include 20A: Makings of a hero, perhaps (salami), 4D: Dance (cut a rug)...I was trying for the name of a particular dance, 24D: "Alas, poor Yorick!," e.g. (lament), 31D: Beat in a Nathan's hot dog contest, e.g. (overate), Cuban export (sugar)...not cigar, and 55D: Heavenly circle (halo), which tied in nicely with the clue for Ms. Reese.

So what did this guy win for eating so many hot dogs? Whatever it was, it wasn't worth it.

Favorite answers:

14A: Baseball's Matty or Felipe (Alou)...and one of these days I'm going to remember it without relying on crosses.

15A: First string (A team)...because I've finally caught on to that tactic.

21A: Food giant that owns Ball Park Franks and Hillshire Farm (Sara Lee). She owns everything...no wonder nobody doesn't like her. I wonder if there's ever been a puzzle that had rival hot dogs listed in the clues. Jim?

32A: Welsh breed (Corgi).

50A: Nun, in Nanterre (soeur).

53A: "The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing" author (Aesop).

55A: Takes to the police station (hauls in)...just too funny for some reason.

58A: New Jersey college until 1995 (Upsala). I've never heard of it, but it's sad nonetheless.

67A: Brooke's longtime rival on "All My Children" (Erica). This is a soap opera that I have never seen, but even I know that Erica Kane (the witch) was played to perfection by Susan Lucci for more than thirty years.

68A: "Rule, Britannia" composer (Arne). Okay, why did I think it was Elgar?

13D: Jazzman Allison (Mose).

49D: Batik artists, e.g. (dyers). It's not that the answer is great, but the clue for it is so much better than we generally get for answers like that. Plus (19A, clued as [And]), I found a picture that's not just of a beautiful piece of batik...it includes the dyer.

Two more thoughts...

35A: Universal donor blood type, for short (O neg). Doesn't that just seem so unselfish? I feel very greedy being O positive...the universal recipient.

46D: Britney Spears, for one (pop star). It makes one wonder...how long ago was this clue written? I don't think of her as a star any more, and I can think of several other answers for this clue...none of which would fit in the number of spaces in the grid. Can't we just forget about her...and Paris...and Lindsay? Our kids need real role models.

That's it for today. Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Monday, May 5 - Stella Daily and Bruce Venzke

2008-05-04T19:05:00.003-06:00

Stella Daily and Bruce Venzke team up again for today's puzzle. Unless they had one during my short-lived sabbatical, their last joint venture was the soap puzzle a few months ago.

Today's theme answers all end with words that rhyme:

20A: Tourism bureau's offering (welcome packet).

28A: It's swung at Wimbledon (tennis racket).

48A: Pesky wasp (yellow jacket).

58A: It helps determine how much tax you owe the I.R.S. (income bracket).

In addition to theme answers, there were a couple of good long ones...11D: Become acquainted with (get to know) and 34D: Noted performing arts school (Juilliard). In a recent post, Harris at water and waves mentioned a book called "The Soloist: A Lost Dream, an Unlikely Friendship, and the Redemptive Power of Music" by Steve Lopez. It's a story about a former Juilliard student who ends up homeless because of mental illness...definitely at the top of my must-read-soon list.

Other favorites:

1A: Meat featured in a Monty Python musical title (SPAM).

9: Popeye's creator E. C. __ (Segar).

16A: Singer Cara (Irene).

17A: Difficult burden (onus).

36A: 1983 Barbra Streisand title role (Yentl)...it's appearing often enough that it should be a gimme for most.

37A: Notes in a poker pot (IOUs).

54A: Clears an Etch A Sketch, e.g. (erases)...had shakes at first.

64A: Venus de __ (Milo).

66A: Airs, in Latin (aurae).

1D: Vermont ski town (Stowe).

4D: Yale's bulldog, e.g. (mascot).

5D: Small amount of cash saved for an emergency (mad money). My mad money stash is only used for emergencies...you know, when I'm badly in need of a pedicure or other pampering.

9D: Time off from work with pay (sick day). I hope I don't have to take one tomorrow. I've spent the day in bed, sleeping on the couch, and reading in the big chair...I don't feel as achy but I'm still coughing.

27D: Canonized fifth-century pope (St. Leo). If we're looking at a canonized pope, it has to start with ST...and I don't know of any other three-letter popes.

41D: Become established (take root).

44D: Targets of Raid (roaches). Not a favorite word at all...I don't know why I feel compelled to include it. Definitely not an answer that gets a picture. Ick.

51D: Bit of strategy (tactic).

55D: Smidgen (skosh)...I've always liked both words.

61D: Unidentifiable mass (blob)...brings to memory the old Steve McQueen film of the same name. Now that was some good acting.

I just read through some down clues that I completely missed. 22D: Mercury or Saturn, but not Venus (car), 30D: Classic toothpaste brand (Ipana), 38D: "My gal" of song (Sal) and 60D: Country whose name is an anagram of 10-Down (Eire / Erie).

That's it for today. Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Sunday, May 4 - Richard Silvestri

2008-05-04T08:40:00.001-06:00

Some time during the night, a nasty little bug crept up and hit me...or maybe it hadn't been allergies these past few days. Whatever the cause, I feel like crud (also appearing at 20A: "Darn it!").

It's true that I love a pun more than most, but I wasn't enamored with this theme. In order to get the theme answers...takes on once-popular (poplar) songs, as they relate to trees...you had to know the song before you could figure out the pun.

24A: 1977 Dolly Parton song for tree fanciers? (Here You Gum Again). "Here You Come Again" was a catchy tune and certainly fit a relationship I was in at the time. The only problem I had with it was the use of "filling up my senses" in the lyrics. That line belongs to "Annie's Song" by John Denver...and it always will.

33A: 1965 Yardbirds song for tree fanciers? (Fir Your Love). It took me forever to remember "For Your Love" but only a second to guess how that one would be punned.

50A: 1957 Jerry Lee Lewis song for tree fanciers? (Great Balsa Fire). In this case, I knew the song, but couldn't think of a tree that would fit. Funny...I think of balsa as wood (remember the old airplanes?) but for some reason don't associate it with a tree.

61A: 1964 Bobby Goldsboro song for tree fanciers? (Cedar Funny Little Clown). I could only remember "Honey," so I had to get a good bit of crosses before this one revealed itself. It would help tremendously if I could remember how to spell 47D: Musical Rimes (LeAnn). It looks so easy.

79A: 1982 Joan Jett and the Blackhearts song for tree fanciers? (Olive Rock 'n Roll). I don't know where I was in 1982, but I don't remember "I Love Rock 'n Roll"...I'll head to YouTube after I finish this post to jog my memory.

90A: 1959 Chuck Berry song for tree fanciers? (Elmost Grown). Don't recall "Almost Grown" either.

107A: 1978 Linda Ronstadt song for tree fanciers? (Pawpaw Pitiful Me). This one holds special memories. When Leslie would start with one of her (then quite frequent) pity parties, one or another member of the family would break into the first line of the song "Well, I laid my head on the railroad tracks waitin' on the Double E." That's about as much as it took to get Leslie laughing, and she'd join in on the song. As time went on, she would often start it herself...and to use it on others of us who deserved it. I'll be sure to tell her it was in today's puzzle, and that she was featured in the blog.

I put much more effort into the theme answers than I had planned...coughing all the while...and now I'm exhausted. But much of the non-theme fill was so good, and I can't leave out my favorites.

1A: Craving, slangily (Jones).

21A: Mountain chain (cordillera). I was trying to think of a particular chain that began with C.

26A: Bridal collection (trousseau). One of only a few gimmes of any real substance.

29A: Nominal promotion of a military officer (brevet). I didn't know that...got it from crosses, then Don confirmed it.

32A: Inner circles (cadres)...I've always loved the look and sound of that word.

41A: Nirvana seeker (Yogi).

42A: World capital, founded in 1538, formerly known as Chuquisaca (Sucre).

44A: Suffix with myth (ical)...just because it looked so funny every time I saw it later in the grid.

89A: Flight formation (vee). I read the clue as flight information, so I entered ET*. The cross at 72D: Chick on the piano (Corea)...great clue...fixed that one.

110A: Palate part (uvula).

2D: "A Jug of Wine..." poet (Omar). This was the site of another stupid mistake. I had the O and the R and knew the answer, but what I wrote ended up as OMRR. Try to find the answer to 23A: Nick name? (Santa) with R as the second letter...another very clever clue.

6D: Key fort? (McHenry).

8D: Ashram leader (Guru). Ashram appears again...yesterday it was an answer.

14D: Tito Puente played them (timbales). When I'm hungry, that looks like it should be something to eat.

51D: Place for an easel (atelier).

63D: Ledger entry (debit). Don loved this answer...I don't think that debits and credits make it to the New York Times all that often.

65D: __-Poo of "The Mikado" (Nanki).

66D: 1970s-'80s baseball All-Star Manny (Trillo).

78D: Laura of "Blue Velvet" (Dern). That was one of the movies I was forced to sit through during a World's Greatest Films class. I'm sure it was only included because that particular professor liked something about it...it's certainly not a classic, and I didn't see anything great about it.

96D: Words before bed or rest (put to). I had everything except the first letter and was sure I had something wrong. I did...I was trying to read it as one word.

I'm failing fast, so I need to wrap this up. A couple of favorite clues:

30A: Sugar substitute? (hon).

68A: It's spotted in the wild (ocelot).

72A: Tippy transport (canoe).

74A: Bank deposit? (silt).

101A: Do police work (keep order).

111A: Sing "Bye Bye Birdie," e.g. (alliterate).

116A: Red army? (ants).

43D: Nut holder (U-bolt).

52D: One way to be taken (aback).

73D: Rough condition to face? (acne).

105D: Salmon tail? (ella).

Don is off doing a 50K bike ride to raise money for our local equivalent of the Ronald McDonald house. For many reasons, I'm glad I didn't sign up for it...but I don't think I'll get much done while he's gone.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Saturday, May 3 - Patrick Berry

2008-05-03T09:35:00.002-06:00

I don't recall many Saturday themes or gimmicks (admittedly, my memory for puzzles isn't the best)...but now I can say that they happen with certain-T! Patrick Berry's puzzle was clever...and a lot of fun to solve once you figured out what he was doing.

The theme answers:

16A: Nectar collectors (honey Bs).

17A: Soup vegetables (split Ps).

33A: Cunning in a practical way (streetYs)...my favorite theme answer.

38A: Recuperative drinks (herbal Ts). That one took me forever to see. I think of Pedialyte or Gatorade as recuperative. Herbal teas...relaxing...although I guess relaxing is recuperative.

58A: Two, in a way (snake Is). I love the clue.

60A: "Mutiny on the Bounty" locale (South Cs). This was the ahha moment...when I knew something was up.

After my initial run-through of clues, I had more than a few answers. Among them:

14A: Interestingly folded sheet (origami).

15A: Guru residences (ashrams). I'm currently reading "Eat Pray Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert...an enjoyable read about her year of travel to Italy, India and Indochina. The very first sentence of the introduction has the word ashram in it.

28A: Film with the Oscar-nominated song "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" (Yentl).

42A: Right-leaning, you might say (italic). That's been used several times recently.

63A: Painter tutored by Titian (El Greco)...although only because I had 44D: "Where Have All the Leaders Gone?" author (Iacocca).

29D: Half-human "Star Trek: T.N.G." character (Troi). She must have been in the puzzle a few times...otherwise I wouldn't have known her.

39D: Henry II's wife (Eleanor)...of Aquitaine. Played so beautifully by Katharine Hepburn in "The Lion in Winter."

40D: "Fa la la la la la la la la," e.g. (refrain).

...along with old crossword standbys 35A: Some Ivy Leaguers (Elis), 52A: American __ (Southwest plant) (aloe), 54A: Virtuoso (ace), 4D: Arch type (ogee), 11D: Gatling gun sound (rat-a-tat), 34D: Conseil d' __ (etat), 53D: __ Gay (Enola) and 57D: First razor with a pivoting head (Atra).

At this point, I still had no clue about the theme, and my next step was to Google a couple of names...8A: Painter __ del Sarto (Andrea) 50A: Morgan __ (King Arthur's half-sister) (leFay). That opened things up enough to finish the puzzle...almost.

Favorites include 62A: Heads (toilets)...who cares about the breakfast test when it was so unexpected, 64A: Ill-tempered (ornery), 1D: Fashion world exclamation (ooh-la-la), 24D: Tips (alerts), 26D: __ Classical Library, 500+ volume series begun in 1911 (Loeb), 27D: Amount expressed in K (salary), 36D: "Wine, Women and Song" composer (Strauss), 45D: Where William (the Refrigerator) Perry played college football (Clemson), 48D: Cat burglars' no-nos (noises) and 56D: "__ makes suffering contagious": Nietzsche (Pity).

I also liked the similar answers in the northeast...13D: Maintains (asserts) and 15D: Knuckles under (assents).

When all was said and done, I still no answer for 23A: Storm...just *A*E...and nothing would come to me. I was clueless about 6D: Hinder, and absolutely nothing punny would come to me with 20D: Passes the time?. It was getting late...so I gave up and check with Harris at Water and Waves...and could have slapped myself! Storm = rage, hinder = embar, and passes the time? = ages. Good Lord! In my defense, my allergies have been wicked (despite the Kenalog) and I coughed like a two-pack-a-day smoker all day...so I was exhausted.

Date night was postponed...again...and I need to get ready for our morning date, so time to wrap it up.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Friday, May 2 - Barry C. Silk

2008-05-01T22:05:00.002-06:00

This is the first Friday puzzle I've finished sans Google in a long time. I was definitely on Barry Silk's wavelength tonight. With his last puzzle, Barry was inching his way up the list of my favorite constructors. Now he's right up there...in good company with Mike Nothnagel and Matt Ginsberg.

I absolutely loved this puzzle...but before I get on with it...

Yesterday we had sunny skies, with highs in the low eighties. This morning snow was falling...huge flakes swirling around. Don and I sat with our coffee watching the birds...and saw five male Lazuli Buntings at our ground feeders. According to a friend (who's also the owner of the local Wild Birds Unlimited), they're heading back north and may be around for a few days. What a treat! We've seen more varieties of birds the last few months than ever before. By the way, this isn't the actual bird. I couldn't bring myself to leave the window long enough to get the camera...but it's sitting there now, just in case they return tomorrow.

On with the puzzle. Barry has a knack for stacking long answers in the four corners...in this case, they're good ones all around.

In the northwest...1A: Contest with many missions (space race), 15A: Cousin of a Rob Roy (Manhattan) and 17A: Heads (overseers). In the northeast...12D: "Sheesh!," south of the border (ay, caramba), 13D: One whose work may be catchy (sloganeer) and 14D: "What's My Line?" participant (panelist).

In the southwest...28D: Kraft brand (Cheez Whiz), 29D: Great Seal image (bald eagle) and 33D: Paper parts (sections). The southeast corner...41A: Declare "I will go no further than this" (draw a line), 54A: Became a participant (entered in) and 56A: Unrevivable (stone dead).

Favorites include:

16A: 1972 top 10 hit that's seven minutes long (Layla), 20A: Charge (tutelage), 25A: Beach Boys title girl (Rhonda), 33A: Couple seen in a restaurant (shakers)...salt and pepper, in case you're not tracking with that, 42A: Capital just south of the Equator (Quito), 47A: Famous finger-pointer's declaration (I want you), 1D: Gooey goody (s'more), 21D: Bronchoscopist's view (trachea), 26D: City where Chocolate Avenue crosses Cocoa Avenue (Hershey) and 32D: Kazan Cathedral locale (Red Square).

The award for best clue in the puzzle goes to 36A: Sonata that might not sound good (used car).

A good sign that I was one with Barry tonight...4D: Rock on a stage (Chris). I didn't even think twice...I knew where that one was going.

There were several things I didn't know but got from the crosses...22A: Jagged (erose), 24A: 1960s Elvis-style singer __ Donner (Ral)...have never heard of him, nor has Don..., 28A: "See It Now" producer of 1950s TV (CBS News), 55A: George __, longtime Cleveland Orchestra conductor (Szell), 11D: Iona College athlete (Gael), 30D: "I Wish" rapper __-Lo (Skee), 45D: "Lost" actress Raymonde (Tania) and 49D: "Jubilee Trail" novelist Bristow (Gwen).

Best guess...with only the L in place...10D: Tree with catkins (alder).

Life is so peaceful now that tax season is over. Don and the boys are sitting with me in my office as I write this...Don is reading, and the boys are napping after a hard day of guarding the homestead.

I have an early morning meeting, so I'd better wrap this up. Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Thursday, May 1 - Jim Leeds

2008-04-30T22:00:00.005-06:00

In yesterday's puzzle, Henry Hook gave us permission to use Google for crossword solving. Yep...it was right there as an answer. But even without his okay, I'd have felt okay Googling to finish today's puzzle.

We haven't seen a New York Times puzzle by Jim Leeds since December 27, 2007...and we haven't had a rebus in some time. It was fairly easy for me to guess that that's what we were dealing with...I just knew that 4D [Boonies] had to be sticks, but it wasn't going to fit.

The theme was revealed at 38A: "That's repulsive!"...or a hint to this puzzle's theme (gross). At that point, though, I thought it would have something to do with a quantity...you know, twelve dozen.

Instead, we have ick hidden in the grid...a total of nine times. Four of the entries give us a double shot of it.

17A: Club founder and president in an 1836 Dickens novel (Mr. P[ick]w[ick]).

18D: Field goal attempter, once (drop k[ick]er).

36A: Handle (mon[ick]er). I think there should have been some indication of an alternative spelling. Moniker is seen more often.

41A: 5th Avenue alternative (Sn[ick]ers). This was another argument for a rebus...I was pretty sure of this answer my first time through.

53A: Century, e.g. (Bu[ick]). [UPDATE: This appears incorrectly in the grid...see Bob's comment and my reply.]

59A: Crispy appetizer (breadst[ick]). I spent too much time trying to think of something deepfried.

61A: Easy winner in bridge (qu[ick] tr[ick]). I know nothing about bridge. I'm not even sure if that's one word or two.

And the downs that crossed them...

4D: Boonies (st[ick]s).

6D: __ and snee (sn[ick]). I'm not familiar with that one.

11D: Hysterical hen of fable (Ch[ick]en L[ick]en). I've heard of Chicken Little and the Little Red Hen. I thought Chicken Licken was a fast-food chain.

35D: Awkward situations, informally (st[ick]y w[ick]ets).

52D: Quiz show gizmo (cl[ick]er). I went to Catholic school for seven years. The word clicker brings up images of Sister Anybody with her little clicker. Sit up straight...get rid of the gum...stop talking and start reading.

56D: Amusement park purchase (t[ick]et).

58D: Eat without enthusiasm (p[ick] at). That's definitely not a problem for me. I really enjoy food...and am lucky that I don't weigh twice what I do.

There were a few answers I wasn't sure about. Some I got from crosses, others from Google.

14A: Ex-Dodger manager Walter (Alston).

47A: Sir Thomas who introduced the sonnet to England (Wyatt). I sort of knew it, but it was more of a guess...confirmed by crosses.

32D: Beaux-__ (Arts). Describing it as ornate would be an understatement.

39D: Opinionated Hannity and others (Seans).

48D: Former CBS chief Laurence (Tisch).

54D: 1934 Chemistry Nobelist Harold (Urey).

Then there was the answer I couldn't get at all...until I checked out Harris's posted grid at Water and Waves. 7A: U.S. Army award: Abbr. (DSC). I checked with Don...it stands for Distinguished Service Cross. I didn't have a clue, and I wasn't getting anywhere with whatever I'd originally had. The crosses weren't much help, either. 7D: Pedestal part (dado), 8D: Parade walks (struts) and 9D: Draper's offering (cloth). It's late, and I'm tired. That's my story, and I'm sticking with it.

Favorite or otherwise noteworthy clues and/or answers...1A: Unicorns and griffins (beasts), 26A: Cause of a sore spot (thorn), 33A: Tiniest bit at the bottom of a coffee cup (last drop), 43A: Grapefruit units (segments)...not sections, 45A: According to __ (Hoyle)...don't get that at all, 46A: Free __ (1850s abolitionist) (Stater), 55A: Waist removal regimens? (diets), 64A: Brown and simmer (braise), 2D: The Jetson boy (Elroy), 44D: Dram or gram (measure) and 46D: Chest: Prefix (stetho).

Time to call it a night. Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Wednesday, April 30 - Henry Hook

2008-04-29T22:00:00.002-06:00

I know someone who's very happy to see a Henry Hook puzzle today. The sad news...I can't remember who it is.

Henry did with this puzzle what he manages to do with every other one...messes with my mind. Only this time he did it literally...with three musical theme answers.

20A: 1968 Glen Campbell hit (Gentle On My Mind). That was always a favorite...and listening to it now I realize I still love it. Here's a duet with the song's writer, John Hartford.

34A: 1960 Ray Charles hit (Georgia On My Mind).

53A: 1982 Willie Nelson hit (Always On My Mind). Another favorite.

My favorite answer...hands down...is 1D: Solver's online recourse (Googling). I've been saying for more than a year that it's okay...and now it's been legitimized in the New York Times puzzle.

Other good fill:

13A: Sans deferment (one A). Took me forever to see it, though.

25A: Mouse who's always throwing bricks at Krazy Kat (Ignatz). I haven't a clue who either of those characters are...that was either before my time or way after. But they made it to a postage stamp.

40A: Peace-and-quiet venue (Arcadia).

44A: Little fingers or toes (minimi). Okay, I like the looks of it...but I've never heard it. And it's not in my Webster's New World College Dictionary, Fourth Edition.

47A: He wrote "If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him" (Voltaire). That was a good guess...based on another good guess at 42D: Burial place of King Arthur (Avalon).

57A: False deity (Baal).

58A: "Gilmore Girls" daughter (Rory).

61A: 1961 "spacechimp" (Enos). He's appeared a few times...so it was a gimme.

4D: Title locale in a Cheech Marin flick (East LA).

5D: Actor Billy of "Titanic" (Zane)...and the cross at 5A: Slalomer's moves (zags).

7D: Adorned, in the kitchen (garni). I so wanted something that would end in ED, especially before I figured out the theme...and remembered the name of the Glen Campbell song.

Digression...today I won lunch at the Honeybaked Ham Cafe, courtesy of our local oldies station. The disc jockey read five words from a song, and I called in and identified the song and the artist. Here are the lyrics...misty memories of days gone. The answer appears at the end of the post.

9D: What demonstrators demonstrate (activism).

11D: Longtime Cowboys coach Tom (Landry). I don't know why I know this, but I do.

36D: Van Susteren of Fox News (Greta). While searching for a picture to post, I discovered the hoopla about her plastic surgery...about which I had been blissfully unaware. I wasn't sure if I should do a pre- or post-surgery photo, so I decided to skip it altogether.

I like the three consecutive answers in the southeast...37D: Begin (initiate), 38D: Put up (nominate) and 39D: Approached zero (dwindled).

43D: Ravel work (Bolero). Capital R...accent on the second syllable.

I wasn't wild about the multiword answers in the northwest...2D: Allied (with) (in league) and 3D: Enjoyed doing (been into). Similarly, 24A: Cut into parts (dissever)...if sever means to cut apart, shouldn't dissever mean to put it back together? I mean...think about it.

Struggled with 23A: Daughter of Muhammad Ali (Laila). I know her name, but I can never remember how to spell it...relying (again) on the crosses.

Favorite clue in the puzzle...35D: Things people are trained in? (railways).

This is the song that won lunch...the video doesn't appear to work.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Tuesday, April 29 - Will Nediger

2008-04-28T22:29:00.006-06:00

I didn't get home from quilting group until after 9:30...and the mother of all early-week puzzles was waiting to be solved.

I don't remember the last time I needed Google to finish a Tuesday puzzle. I'll be interested to see if the rest of you found it as difficult.

There must be a word to describe this theme...but I don't have a clue what it would be. The five theme answers all begin with A and end in Z:

17A: Semiautobiographical Bob Fosse film (All That Jazz).

38A: A.L. M.V.P. in 2003, 2005 and 2007 (Alex Rodriguez).

60A: 1970s joint U.S./Soviet space project (Apollo-Soyuz).

12D: Namesake of a branch of Judaism (Ashkenaz).

38D: The Rock (Alcatraz). I guess if you were to escape, there really wouldn't be anywhere to go.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I had never heard of one of them...and barely remembered another.
When all was said and done, though, how could you not love this puzzle? Exceptional fill included:

22A: Creature from the forest moon of Endor (Ewok).

43A: New Jersey's __ Air Force Base (McGuire).

50A: Arizona birthplace of Cesar Chavez (Yuma). Good guess...what else would have started with Y? Thanks to 32D: Hang on the line (air dry).

1D: Daisy developed by Luther Burbank (Shasta). We used to have several in the yard, but they've just died away over the last twenty years...go figure. I think I'll plant a few more this year.

8D: Resident of Japan's "second city" (Osakan).

11D: Supporter of the House of Stuart (Jacobite).

23D: The Beatles' "I Am the __" (Walrus).

25D: Only son of Czar Nicholas II (Alexei).

39D: Georgia city or college (LaGrange).

40D: Drag performer with a wax likeness in New York's Madame Russauds (RuPaul).

46D: Alignment of the sun, earth and moon, e.g. (syzygy).

And that's barely the tip of the iceberg.

But it's almost 11:00, and my head is pounding. I just noticed I missed a letter in the grid...the T at the cross of 56A: Decisive defeat (rout) and 57D: Hitler : German :: __ : Japan (Tojo).

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Monday, April 28 - Gary Disch

2008-04-27T22:30:00.002-06:00

Gary Disch is no stranger to crossword construction, but this may be his first New York Times puzzle.

I enjoyed this one...a pretty fine Monday puzzle, with some out-of-the-ordinary fill.

The theme is revealed at 41A: Making out...or a hint to this puzzle's four hidden articles of clothing (necking). The theme answers:

17A: Boardinghouse sign (ROOMS TO LET).

64A: Halifax's home (NOVA SCOTIA).

11D: Favoring common folk (ANTI ELITE).

34D: Daytona 500 enthusiast (NASCAR FAN).

I don't understand the inclusion of a note in AcrossLite...17- and 64-Across and 11- and 34-Down each conceals an article of clothing. It seemed pretty easy to figure out the theme without it. Maybe because it's a Monday puzzle?

Best fill in the puzzle includes:

5A: Mafia bosses (capos).

15A: Japanese cartoons (Anime).

23A: Katmandu resident (Nepali).

25A: Snarled mess (tangle). I think this would qualify as a pretty nasty one.

46A: Perfectly clear (lucid).

54A: Slave (thrall). That doesn't seem like a Monday word, but it was a nice addition to the puzzle.

62A: Eskimo home (igloo).

67A: El __, Spanish artist (Greco).

70A: Church council (synod).

71A: God of war (Ares). That's definitely one to remember...it shows up fairly often.

4D: Church songbooks (hymnals).

10D: Snoopy, for one (beagle).

31D: Lennon/Ono's "Happy __ (War is Over)" (Xmas). We wish. Here they are, along with some beautiful children singing the background.

33D: Language of Lahore (Urdu).

45D: Shaded passageway (pergola)...a great word.

56D: Valley known for its chateaux (Loire). If you didn't know this, and you didn't know the cross at the L (thrall), you could have been in deep trouble.

Favorite clues include 1A: "Miss America" might be printed on one (sash)...although the thought gags me...and 32A: Many conundrums have them (puns).

Elaine and Jesse were here for dinner, so I got a very late start blogging. I had done the puzzle as soon as it was available online...probably should have just done the blog then. Now it's late, and I'd better call it a night.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Sunday, April 27 - Oliver Hill

2008-04-26T22:05:00.003-06:00

OOPS! is right. I don't know about the rest of you, but I had a tough time spelling all of the theme answers incorrectly. And I'm willing to bet this will be a tough post to write. I may end up spelling them correctly...that is, wrong.

Oliver Hill is one of the young crossword wonders...and also Will's neighbor. This is his third New York Times puzzle...and I believe his second Sunday. This young man definitely has a future in this business...probably another one as well.

The theme is revealed at 65A: Like the answers to the 10 asterisked clues, more often than any other English words, according to a 1999 study (improperly spelled).

26A: * Long, long time (millenium).

32A: * Stick with a needle, maybe (innoculate).

34A: * Absence at a nudist colony? (embarassment).

44A: * Bugs (harrasses).

51A: * Wee (miniscule). This one looks the most right...in fact, I had to look it up to see that it's minuscule. That looks as wrong.

82A: * Conspicuous (noticable).

87A: * Supplant (supercede).

94A: * Doggedness (perseverence).

97A: * Oblige (accomodate).

107A: * Event (occurence).

Just as I suspected...I wanted to spell them correctly.

Steppe reappears in the grid...just four days after its last appearance. Today it's at 122A, clued as [Plain]. On Wednesday, it was [Part of the Kazakhstan landscape].

Favorite answers in the puzzle include:

14A: Casual attire (Levis). I had jeans at first...because I wanted the cross at 16D [It's bowed] to be arrow, rather than the correct viola. That answer always makes me think of Ultra Vi, a frequent past visitor...at Madness and other crossword blogs. It really stinks when real life has to take precedence over reading blogs.

23A: Turn away (alienate). I was hung up in that corner and had to walk away for an hour before I began to see the light. 1D: Symbol of happiness (clam) finally revealed itself, and that began to open things up.

42A: Stuck (in a jam).

50A: Jazzy Jones (Norah).

55A: X-ray __ (Spex). That was the last answer to fall...that is, the S was the last letter I filled in. Don confirmed it...but denied having ordered a pair. While Googling for a picture, I discovered a group by the same name...haven't a clue who they are or what they've done.

58A: Whatchamacallit (gizmo). Love the clue...love the answer.

71A: __ choy (Chinese vegetable) (bok). After our morning at the spa, TOL and I went to the new Mongolian grill in town...it was the best! I have finally learned how to fill the bowl to overflowing so that it cooks down to a reasonable amount of food. Bok choy was only one of the many vegetables I piled in. I'll be going back there soon...and often.

77A: Spicy cuisine (Thai). They also have a separate Thai menu...that will have to wait for another time.

113A: Root used in perfumery (orris). I had no idea that was an iris. That's odd...because when I pick irises and bring them into the house, they smell kind of rotten.

117A: Attempts (has a go at). I love it because it's four words...and because I kept seeing it as has a goat.

120A: Like some pens (erasable). Doesn't that look like it should be a misspelled answer?

2D: Long-haired sheepdog (Puli). I can't believe this is really what they look like. I'm in no way advocating cruelty to animals, but this guy looks like a moving dustmop. Some of the pictures I found were of stuffed animals, but I think this one is real. At least, the tongue looks real.

14D: 1950s Braves All-Star pitcher Burdette (Lew). This is the other corner that caused a few problems...mostly because of the aforementioned jeans/Levis dilemma, but also because I didn't know this guy.

18D: Cubic meter (stere). This word was a complete unknown to me. I just checked in the dictionary...that's the definition...verbatim.

34D: Karl Marx's one (eins). How clever is that!

37D: Product with TV's first advertising jingle, 1948 (Ajax)...in the United States anyway. According to Wikipedia it was "You'll stop paying the elbow tax, when you start cleaning with Ajax." I guess that was considered pretty catchy at the time.

51D: Orator's no-no (monotone).

85D: __ profundo (basso).

88D: Rare imports, maybe (exotica).

112D: Somme times (etes). I have finally caught on to this one.

Last night's date night was rescheduled...and will now be Sunday brunch. There's a fairly new (three years or less) golf course in town, and I just heard they have the best Sunday brunch, so we're going to try it out. The food sounded good...but what sold me was that they don't just include champagne with brunch. I do love a good Bloody Mary, and I haven't had one in years.

That's it for this one. Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Saturday, April 26 - Brad Wilber

2008-04-26T08:10:00.002-06:00

A quick run through my mini-database shows that this is Brad Wilber's fifth puzzle since I started blogging...and every one of them has been a Saturday puzzle.

Last night should have been date night, but Don and I were both exhausted. I managed to solve the puzzle...with a little help from Google...before crashing at ten. This morning I'm celebrating my longtime friend's 50th birthday with a day at the spa...we'll both get a manicure, pedicure and facial. It's tough, I know...but I'd do just about anything for TOL (The Other Linda).

I thought it was a good sign that I had a nine-letter gimme on the first clue I read...1D: Techie's drawing (schematic). I expect fellow blogger/techie JimH to get that easily, but I was delighted that I did.

Unfortunately, it didn't turn out to be much of a sign. Brad's now-famous stacks in the corners were pretty challenging...I managed to get a few of them with only a few letters in place, but most of them were a struggle.

Along with schematic, in the northwest...2D: Cell's lack (phone line) and 3D: Indicators of intelligence? (code names). Both were problematic...I was thinking of a plant cell and wanted something beginning with photo.

The northeast...5A: Play for which Julie Harris won the 1952 Tony for Best Actress (I am a Camera), 16A: Title housewife in an Oscar-winning film (Mrs. Miniver)...I got that with only the S in place, and 18A: Something damned with faint praise, in British lingo (curate's egg). I hope someone can explain that...I think I've parsed it correctly.

The southwest...51A: Like King Kong in New York City (on a rampage)...like the clue, 56A: Its currency unit is the ariary (Madagascar), and 58A: O. Henry specialty (plot twists). I had the O and foolishly thought it was something as simple as short story.

And in the southeast...31D: Some airplane runners (tailskids), 32D: Douglas is its capital (Isle of Man)...it helps that I know all the US capitals and could rule that out immediately. I managed to get that with the I and A. The best clue in the puzzle is at 33D: High-occupancy vehicles? (clown cars).

Two very nice expressions in the center of the puzzle...30A: Rhapsodize (wax poetic) was easy to get because of 24D: Replacer of the Humble brand in the early 1970s (Exxon), and 37A: Song title followed by the lyric "Lovers say that in France" (C'est si bon). I have no clue what that means, but I'm sure someone out there does and will share.

Other favorites:

40A: Gunsmith Remington (Philo).

43A: Cousin of the sandpiper (curlew).

44A: Titular author of two books of the Bible (St. Peter). I used to be fooled by answers that began with a title...no more. Well, not today.

47A: Swedish soprano noted for her Wagnerian roles (Nilsson).

11D: "Lose" at the office (misfile)...love the clue.

12D: Winner of six U.S. Opens (Evert)...tennis this time, not golf.

30D: Max who wrote "Politics as a Vocation" (Weber)...a few things from Sociology have stuck with me.

46D: Home of "The Garden of Earthly Delights" (Prado).

KFC appeared as an answer again today...at 50A, clued as [Crispy Twister sandwich offerer]. I loved yesterday's clue...[Its logo is a goateed man in an apron].

47A: Time of Ta'anit Esther (Adar)...if it's a four-letter Hebrew month they want, I'm guessing Adar every time.

The award for today's [Married woman abroad] goes to Germany...frau appears at 21A.

There were a few unfamiliar answers...or I've heard the word but didn't recall its meaning. 17A: Burdens on some shoulders (hods), 27A: Old-style call to arms (alarum), 6D: Green dragon and skunk cabbage (arums) and 40D: Whimper (pule). That's skunk cabbage at Mount Rainier...prettier than it sounds.

Better wrap this up...time's getting short.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Friday, April 25 - Mike Nothnagel

2008-04-24T23:05:00.003-06:00

Wouldn't you know...the night I think I'll blow off the puzzle it turns out to be one of Mike Nothnagel's...no way in hell I can do that!

I didn't get home from the volunteer appreciation dinner until almost 10:00. Fortunately, I was really on Mike's wavelength and solved much faster than I normally do a Friday puzzle.

My very favorite was the two-part answer at 30A: With 36-Across, shortsighted (pennywise and pound foolish). That was one of my mother's favorite expressions, and it has affected many of the decisions I've made...not just those relating to spending...all my life. I was able to get it with the I and A in 30A and the P and I in 36A. To say I was proud of that would be an understatement.

The other long answer that came easily was 21D: Fictional secret agent (Maxwell Smart). Really...who else could it have been? Especially since I had (correctly) guessed 28A: Dr. Seuss book, with "The" (Lorax).

Nice that my four years of Spanish came in handy tonight. 15A: Hombre-to-be (muchacho) was a nice answer to have in the northwest corner...especially since some of the others weren't coming very easily. It took me forever to see that 1D: No Oscar contender was B movie.

Similarly, I didn't get 57A: Some natural history museum attractions (T-Rexes), even after I had the correct letters in place.

So maybe I wasn't totally on Mike's wavelength, but there were several other gimmes.

33A: Disappear, in a way (go AWOL).

43A: Piece of cake in school (easy A). I thought several of my classes fit that category...but how do you explain that more than half of the class got C or lower?

7D: Long-running Art and Chip Sansom comic strip (The Born Loser).

12D: Some are sweetened (iced teas). I can't tell you how happy I am to see it written that way. One of my pet peeves is seeing it written as ice teas. The tea is iced...hence, the name. I'm probably preaching to the choir here.

These weren't exactly gimmes, but I was able to suss them out with very few letters in place.

17A: Accurate (on target).

53A: Landmark on the Chicago shoreline (Navy Pier). We went there with the girls to visit Don's mother and brother. I wish I could find the picture of Leslie at the top of the ferris wheel with her Uncle Brian. It was priceless...you know, when kids have that look of absolute wonder.

55A: Fill up with gas (aerate).

58A: Its dome was designed by Michelangelo (St. Peters).

13D: Mountain, e.g. (time zone). Mine. Well, I share it with a lot of other people.

14D: Inflammation reducer (steroid). I just got a shot of Kenalog for my allergies this week. I'm guessing that it's a steroid. All I know is that two days later, I am about 99% better than I've been in over a month. Pollen and wind are not a good combination...but Kenalog is a miracle drug.

The one answer I changed multiple times...36D: Views through a keyhole. First I had peeps at...changed it to peers at. Finally figured out that 47A: Its logo is a goateed man in an apron referred to Colonel Sanders. KFC changed my answer once and for all to peeks at.

I've never heard of 46A: "T.J. Hooker" actor Adrian (Zmed)...but isn't that some last name.

Geographical things I didn't know and will probably never remember...5D: __ Sea (arm of the Arctic Ocean) (Kara) and 30D: Iloilo's island (Panay)...unless they're in the puzzle again in the next week or so.

Also didn't know 18A: Simple inflorescence, as in a lily of the valley (raceme)...which incorrectly (funnily) parses as race me. Again, I don't hold out much hope for remembering it.

It's after 11:00, and I still need to make frosting and frost a cake...so I'd better wrap this up.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Thursday, April 24 - Michael Langwald

2008-04-23T22:15:00.003-06:00

Michael Langwald's New York Times debut was just last month...and here he is with a late-week puzzle his second time around.

Four good theme answers which make up a rebus...minus the pictures.

18A: Summer arctic phenomenon (midnight SUN).

24A: 1890 battle site that's now a memorial (Wounded KNEE).

37A: Grandmother of Jesus (Saint ANNE).

56A: Measure of a company's dominance (market SHARE).

The theme is revealed at 62A: 1965 hit by the performers suggested phonetically by the ends of 18-, 24-, 37- and 56-Across (I Got You Babe).

In addition to a cleverly executed theme, there's the added treat of some really good fill.

4A: Former New York governor (Cuomo). I only know three of them, and the other two wouldn't fit.

15A: Big name in pest control (Orkin). The older I get, the more I freak out over bugs. Orkin (or someone like them) came and sprayed at work...now things are coming out to die. At least once a day, some large thing crawls into my office, causing me to shriek (quietly) and find someone to dispatch it. I honestly don't understand why they bother me...I'm still okay with spiders. Go figure.

16A: __ Bowl (Aloha). My favorite of all. Guess why?

28A: Mayo can be found in it (año). How very clever is that? My first answer was BLT, although I skip the mayo on them.

41A: Hamilton who wrote "Mythology" (Edith). Never heard of it...or her. It was a good guess once I had the TH in place.

53A: "Ghostbusters" director Ivan (Reitman). Well, at least I've heard of the movie. I probably even saw it twice.

4D: Field for Fields (comedy). Totie Fields has been in the puzzle at least once since I've been blogging...maybe twice. This is one of her quotes. She was a class act...and one very funny lady.

11D: Proportionately (to scale).

12D: Condiment made with a mortar and pestle (chutney).

13D: Two-wheeled carriages (hansoms). I know we've had that before, but it continues to trip me up.

36D: Mother of Charlemagne (Bertha). What...it's not enough that we have to know the grandmother of Jesus.

43D: Tied up (in knots). Have you noticed that many of the two-word answers can be parsed incorrectly and still make two words...ink nots, in this case. 54D: "Honest!" (I swear) is another one...is wear. They don't make any sense, but that's how I saw them when I looked back over the grid. Toscale (see above) could be the name of a city in Italy.

46D: Hobbyist (amateur).

48D: Israeli parliament (Knesset).

51D: War preceder (man o')...Raise your hand if you tripped over that one.

52D: Actress Andress (Ursula). She was a Bond girl...and absolutely gorgeous.

It's been a busy night. I came home and baked a big batch of my now-famous layered mint brownies for our volunteer appreciation dinner which is tomorrow night. Things have come together nicely for the event. We have about 400 volunteers, so this is a pretty big deal. I also baked a birthday cake for our director. She bakes a birthday cake for every employee...in addition to what we have at work on our birthday. Before I came along, no one attempted to bake one for her...they all said they were a bit intimidated. I was up for the challenge...and last year I made a German chocolate cake. This year I made a yellow butter cake, frosted with French Silk.

So I was late getting to the puzzle, and now it's 10:15...past my bedtime.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Wednesday, April 23 - Stephen Edward Anderson

2008-04-22T21:40:00.007-06:00

According to cruciverb.com, Stephen Edward Anderson had his first New York Times puzzle published on Thursday, March 20, 2008. He didn't come up in a search of my blog., though...I guess that was during my short-lived sabbatical.

I found this pretty tough for a Wednesday...maybe it's just that I'm tired. It will be interesting to hear what others have to say.

A quick diversion before I go on with the puzzle. Since I posted an email address in the sidebar earlier in the week, several readers have chosen that option over posting a comment. It's always nice to hear from you...however it happens...but other readers can only interact with you via the comments section. You can be as anonymous as you'd like to be with your comments...no one knows who you are, including me. If you'd like to be a little less anonymous, you can post anonymously but include your first name.

On to the puzzle...

Nice work on Stephen's part. Good long answers and several multiword, along with some not-often-seen fill.

The long answers...17A: Mercury (quick silver), 60A: Easily set off, as a temper (hair trigger), 11D: #1 on the Hot 100 (chart topper) and 25D: Discoverer of stars? (talent scout). [Update: Oh, hello! Those are also theme answers. Look at the last word of each...a famous TV western horse is lurking.]

Multiword answers include 21A: Where to spend time with moguls? (ski run), 23A: What French fries are fried in (hot oil), 29A: All riled up (in a stir)...I had in a snit for a while, 31A: Working the desk, say (on duty), 38A: Ate, but not much (had a bit), 5D: Try to get by through bluffing (fake it), 9D: Strands after a blizzard (ices in), 46D: Nice enough fellow (okay guy)...who would want to be described that way...and 50D: "I ain't buyin it!" (no dice).

If I'm not mistaken, the two-part answer [30D: With 27-Down, western cry] (ride 'em / cowboy) was in a puzzle not that long ago.

I'll bet that many of you got sidetracked by one of my favorite answers...1A: Low pitch symbol (F clef). I know I did. I was tickled to remember 2D: Premier __ (wine designation) (cru) from a recent puzzle...and I was sure that 1D: Help page rubric was FAQ...so I was pretty sure I had a wrong answer. What could possibly start with FCL?

Other favorites include 47A: Part of the Kazakhstan landscape (steppe), 49A: Neil Simon's "Lost in __" (Yonkers), 55A: And so on and so forth (etc etc), 66A: "I'm so bored" feeling (ennui), 12D: Prognostication (augury) and 51D: It has a test of brightness (Mensa).

How many of you recognized 44D: "La Belle et la __" (Bête ) as Beauty and the Beast? Here it is in French.

Favorite clues...6A: Prepare for a physical exam (strip), 8D: Gun in the garage? (rev)...and the very best...47D: Soap alternative (sitcom).

It looks as though Obama is still in the running. Here it is...almost the end of April...and we don't yet know who the Democratic candidate will be. Has this happened in my lifetime? I'm thinkin' it hasn't.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Tuesday, April 22 - Nancy Salomon

2008-04-21T21:55:00.004-06:00

Nancy Salomon has co-authored a couple of puzzles in the past few months, but I haven't seen her name appear solo on a byline since June 7, 2007. [UPDATE: Thanks to JimH for letting me know that Nancy also authored the December 25 puzzle...I solved it but didn't blog it, so it didn't show up in my search.] Nancy's puzzles usually involve puns of some sort, and this Tuesday doesn't stray too far from her MO.

The theme answers are all investment terms...very appropriate in light of the stimulus payments that many of us will be receiving soon...with puns appearing as the very literal clues.

17A: Fishing trawler's haul? (net earnings).

28A: Seat of government's acquisitions? (capital gains).

44A: Publisher's windfall? (paper profits).

59A: Salary for selling insects as food? (gross income)...the funniest of them all.

It's always a pleasure to see fresh fill in an early week puzzle. Some of my favorites:

1A: What a gal has that a gent doesn't? (hard G)...I didn't get it immediately, but it wasn't too far off.

6A: Elephant of children's literature (Babar). How can you not love an elephant in a suit?

15A: Muscat resident (Omani).

25A: Lukas of "Witness" (Haas).

53A: Getting slick during winter (icing up). Did anyone else read that as "getting sick" at first?

64A: Ryder rival (U-Haul).

66A: Fakes out with fancy footwork (dekes). Okay, I checked this grid and it's right...but this word doesn't appear in my dictionary. It's a favorite because it still looks good in the grid...with the K and all.

67A: By itself (per se). According to this article, it's also a restaurant in New York City.

2D: Mideast pooh-bah (Ameer)...one of several ways to spell that. It's a good idea to know the others as well...Amir, Emir, Aamir.

6D: Dwarf tree (Bonsai). Bedtime for Bonsai...wasn't that a movie about a man who covered up his dwarf tree at night?

11D: Works out with weights (pumps iron). This is why squirrels don't pump iron.

26D: "American Idol" quest (stardom). Several of them have made it...for my money, though, Kelly Clarkson is the best.

34D: Throws in the trash (deep sixes)...I also like its cross at 58A: Jazz instrument (sax). Here's a fellow crossword fan who also plays the sax. If you haven't already seen Wordplay, he also makes an appearance in it...but he doesn't play the sax.

39D: Add some meat to the bones (fatten up). My goal for the spring and summer is to avoid doing that.

42D: Go off a diet big-time (splurge)...because I did that today. It's volunteer appreciation week, and someone brought in homemade chocolate chip pecan cookies for our staff and volunteers. I think I had seven or eight of them...but they were kind of small.

51D: Twin of Romulus (Remus). I always get this story confused with Uncle Remus. Not really. Romulus and Remus were twins who were left in a basket on the river. They were found by a she-wolf who nursed them. You can read the rest of the story here. It doesn't have a happy ending...but it's not believed to be a true story.

55D: "The other white meat" (pork). That deserves a mention...just because.

It's getting close to the witching hour (10:00...my bedtime), so that's it for tonight.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Monday, April 21 - Janet R. Bender

2008-04-20T21:15:00.001-06:00

Janet Bender hasn't had a New York Times puzzle since I started solving, but I discovered one of hers from February 9, 1999. According to this site, that puzzle holds the record for the most E's in a New York Times puzzle...78 of them.

Overall, this was an average Monday puzzle with an average Monday theme, but there were a couple of answers that had me wondering if I had an error.

32A: Fugard's "A Lesson From __" (Aloes). The cross at 27D: Baseball's Felipe or Jesus (Alou) wasn't much help. I think I should have known that, at least from a previous puzzle...but I didn't.

50A: Hasty glance (aperçu). I can honestly say I have never heard this word used in my life...or seen it in print.

The theme was housework...the first word of each theme answer was a household chore.

18A: Symbol of a new start (clean slate).

20A: Low-growing tree found typically in rocky soil (scrub oak).

33A: It indicates the seconds on a clock face (sweep hand).

40A: Small whirlwind (dust devil).

52A: Stock transaction done at a loss for tax purposes (wash sale).

57A: Old radio part (vacuum tube).

There must have been something subliminal about the theme. After solving the puzzle, I spent the next three hours cleaning out my office...and I made great progress.

The most noteworthy answer in the puzzle is 49D: Local theaters, in slang (nabes). We had it just a few days ago, and it baffled a lot of us...every blog had comments about it. I found it very exciting that it appeared again before I had a chance to forget it.

Other answers were gimmes because of previous puzzles...some more recent than others...3D: Banned spray on apple trees (alar), 24D: Actor Tom of "The Girl Can't Help It" (Ewell), 29D: Legendary Washington hostess Perle __ (Mesta), 34D: Asia's __ Sea (Aral) and 46D: Sudden outpouring (spate).

Favorites include 16A: Actor Murphy of old westerns (Audie), 26A: Dangerous cargo (hazmat), 43A: "As You Like It" forest (Arden), 59A: "Stronger than dirt" sloganeer (Ajax), 64A: "Hey!" (psst), 9D: Old-fashioned light (gas lamp), 30D: Lover (swain), 41D: Bram Stoker novel (Dracula), 42D: Central part (pith), 51D: Go to rack and __ (ruin)...love the clue...and 52D: Pantywaist (wuss).

The most newsworthy answer in the puzzle is 11D: Red who fought oil well fires (Adair). I remember him from the awesome film "Fires of Kuwait," which we saw on an IMAX screen. Red Adair was truly an amazing man...read more about him and his firefighting career here. R.I.P., Red.

I'm exhausted and ready to call it a night. Thanks, Janet...it was a fun puzzle...and my office needed a good cleaning.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Sunday, April 20 - John Farmer

2008-04-19T21:45:00.007-06:00

Although he's kicked my butt on more than one occasion, I've always enjoyed John Farmer's puzzles...but he won my heart with this one.

I can't explain it...but as soon as I see circles in the grid, I get almost giddy.

Today's circles spelled out the names of the eight planets within the theme answers...and what excellent theme answers they were.

24A: 1941 Henry Luce article that coined a name for an era (THE AMERICAN CENTURY).

34A: Closeout come-on (EVERYTHING MUST GO).

52A: Novel that ends "Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody" (THE CATCHER IN THE RYE).

75A: Artful deception (SMOKE AND MIRRORS).

82A: 1972 Harry Nilsson hit (JUMP INTO THE FIRE).

107A: Prime eatery (FIVE STAR RESTAURANT). This was the answer that revealed the theme...or at least part of it.

125A: Stanley Cup finalists of 1982 and 1994 (VANCOUVER CANUCKS).

138A: Head of a special government inquiry (INDEPENDENT COUNSEL).

But there's more. 9D: Center of many revolutions (whose first letter starts a bonus phrase reading clockwise around the shaded squares). The first letter of the answer...sun...starts us around the grid to form SOLAR SYSTEM. I've highlighted the letters in the grid at the end of the post.

John even found a way to include Pluto...at 131D: 2006 neologism meaning "to demote."

Most difficult answers:

29A: Tevye creator __ Aleichem (Sholom).

33A: Celine Dion's "I'm Your Angel" duet partner (R. Kelly).

45A: Truncated cones, in math (frusta).

1D: "Number 10" Abstract Expressionist (Rothko). I believe I could paint something like that.

7D: Money (lucre). Haven't heard the word, but I'm guessing that lucrative comes from the same root.

8D: Botanist Gray (Asa).

15D: Spanish sherry (Amontillado)...although I'm sure I read Poe's story, "The Cask of Amontillado."

51D: Hills of Yorkshire (Wolds).

84D: Nick Nolte movie based on a Kurt Vonnegut novel (Mother Night). I'm a big Nick Nolte fan, but I'd never heard of this.

116D: Sting's last name (Sumner). I never stopped to think that he had one.

125D: Singh on the links (Vijay). I can never remember how to spell his name...or maybe it's that I don't ever remember it.

Favorites include 4A: 1960s-'80s Red Sox legend, informally (Yaz)...along with its cross at 6D: Closed (in on) (zeroed), 67A: First principles (axioms), 97A: 1984 Heisman winner (Flutie), 101A: Laughing gas and water, chemically (oxides), 104A: Lover in "The Merchant of Venice" (Portia), 134A: He played Krupa in "The Gene Krupa Story" (Mineo), 149A: Charles de Gaulle alternative (Orly), 48D: Royal Navy foe of 1588 (Armada), 59D: Bleeth of "Baywatch" (Yasmine), 102D: __ Zagora, Bulgaria (Stara), 121D: "Into the Wild" actor Emile (Hirsch) and 122D: Home of Gannon Univ. (Erie, PA).

The best clues in the puzzle are 1A: Thing in a case (res)...think Latin, 22A: King of comedy (Alan), 23A: Going rate?: Abbr. (mph), 70A: "I'm king of the world!," e.g. (boast), 113A: You can't take it with you (estate), 2D: Made a comeback? (echoed), 76D: Like some twins (evil)...can you spot the evil twin in the picture?, 124D: Past records? (LPs) and 130D: Jaded figure (cynic).

AcrossLite wouldn't accept my solution, and I couldn't find an error to save my life. I finally checked it against Harris's posted solution...and discovered it at 114A: Upstate N.Y. sch. I had RBI (wondering why they didn't clue it in relation to baseball), giving me pab (short for pablum?) for 104D: Infant's food. The correct answer for the school is RPI (I should have known that)...but how is pap a baby food? I hope someone knows and will share.

There was just so much to love about John's puzzle, and I barely scratched the surface. Did I miss your favorite?

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Saturday, April 19 - Bob Klahn

2008-04-18T21:45:00.006-06:00

This was one tough puzzle. I had to walk away from it a few times...and had to Google a few things.

Many of my answers were nothing more than guesses that panned out...including:

16A: Compulsive shopper (oniomaniac). I didn't know there was a word for it...although I should. I'm a recovering oniomaniac. It's been more than a year since I found bags of clothes bearing their tags on the closet floor.

18A: 20th-century scandal (Teapot Dome). I must have heard it at one time in my life...or maybe nothing else would fit.

26A: Birthplace of Sert and Miró (Barcelona).

29A: "A Clockwork Orange" instrument (moog).

36A: Dawn observance (matins)...couldn't remember if it had an I or an E.

38A: Folds (plies). The ballet move would have been an easier clue, but it is Saturday.

39A: Giant perissodactyls (rhinoceri). That's probably never been in a NYT puzzle.

50A: Mixture (salmagundi). I was clueless and only got it from crosses...but still thought it must be wrong.

2D: "The Last Don" sequel (Omerta). I thought it was "The Last Don II."

8D: City whose name is Siouan for "a good place to grow potatoes" (Topeka). I didn't know that's what it meant, but with the K in place, it was a very good guess. I'm thankful I knew 24A: Product once advertised as "Ice-cold sunshine" (Coke). Sometimes it pays to be old.

13D: Flattering courtier who changed places with the tyrant Dionysius, in Greek legend (Damocles).

32D: Defensive structure (palisade).

33D: Person not easily budged (stickler). Love the word...maybe because I am one at times.

There was so much I didn't know in this one. The crosses helped me get 5A: "L'Orfeo" composer (Monteverdi), 30A: "La Bohème" setting (garret), 31A: "Casablanca" screenwriter Julius or Philip (Epstein), 55A: Lassie creator Knight (Eric), 4D: Boxing-related (fistic), 7D: "Love Jones" actress, 1997 (Nia Long), 12D: Western Sahara region (Rio de Oro), 20D: Only starting pitcher since 1971 to win a league M.V.P. award (Clemens), 27D: "Such Good Friends" novelist Gould (Lois), 28D: Writer of the story upon which "All About Eve" is based (Mary Orr), and 30D: "Treasurer Island" character (Gunn).

Favorite clues include 1A: Lock combination? (coif), 15A: It means everything (omni), 17A: Seeks change? (begs), 21A: Court calls (lets), 25A: Bicycle pack (deck)...one of just a few gimmes, 46A: Like M, L or XL (Roman), 56A: Windy? (serpentine)...a long I sound when I was thinking short I, 57A: Check for letters (rent), 1D: Network seen in many homes, and not proudly (cobweb), 9D: Engage in cabotinage (emote), 14D: Blade holder (ice skate), and 31D: What "!" provides (emphasis)...another gimme.

There are a few answers that I can't make any sense of. I just checked Harris's grid at Water and Waves, and the answers are right. They still make no sense. Can anyone explain 25D: Hamlet (dorp), 37D: It could end up in a fiasco (chianti) and/or 51D: Relief provider, maybe (map). It seems as though there are more, but I'm having trouble keeping my eyes open any longer.

With that, I'm calling it quits for this one. Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Friday, April 18 - Joe DiPietro

2008-04-18T08:30:00.009-06:00

Last night was the after-tax-season dinner for Don's employees. Everything was excellent...the company, the food (bacon-wrapped filet...yum) and just the right amount of wine. To top it off, Joe DiPietro's puzzle was one of the most enjoyable Friday puzzles I can remember. I got hung up a bit in the northwest, but the rest of it came together so nicely.

The long stacks were all multiword. As much as I love them, I don't always get them...but several of these were gimmes. I may have just been on his wavelength...but is it possible that meat is brain food for me?

6A: "This is how it's really done..." (step aside). Not quite a gimme, but I got it with only the TE.

16A: Tried to buy (put a bid on).

18A: Improving (on the mend)...one of the gimmes.

57A: Site of Mackinac Island (Lake Huron). Come to think of it, I struggled a bit here. A wrong answer at 45D: "You __ kidding!" threw me...I had must be, rather than the correct weren't. Once I had some of the downs, though, I worked through it.

62A: Begins to attack (opens fire).

64A: Retired (went to bed). At first, I was thinking of retired in the normal sense.

1D: Certain rental arrangements (net leases). I was befuddled by the cross at 1A: Films are shown in them (nabes). I just looked it up...it's slang for neighborhood theater. We never said that in my neighborhood.

2D: Spirits (aqua vitae)...Latin for "water of life."

3D: Quit meddling (butted out). We had that not too long ago, and I was happy to remember it.

34D: Americana symbols (apple pies). Happily, one of the gimmes.

35D: Takeover (coup d'etat)...with a few letters, it couldn't have been anything else.

36D: Bygone Montreal event (Expos game). The cross at 40A: Curse (pox) always reminds me of the scene in "It's a Wonderful Life" when George Bailey says, "A pox upon me for a clumsy lout."

Other favorite answers or clues:

17A: It's all for the Italians (tutto).

28A: "About Last Night..." co-star, 1986 (Rob Lowe). Either I didn't see it or I don't remember it...or I don't want to remember it...but it was based on David Mamet's award-winning play "Sexual Perversity in Chicago."

38A: Florida island (Sanibel). It pays to have grown up in south Florida.

47A: Rival rival (Alpo). I was thinking of the Rival that makes appliances...but a clever clue.

51A: Exam takers now, exam givers later (premeds).

7D: Main ingredient in tekka maki (tuna).

13D: "Holy Sonnets" poet (Donne).

25D: "Indeed!" (to be sure).

26D: "The Seven Year Itch" co-star (Ewell). I only knew that Marilyn Monroe was it, but the crosses put it together.

29D: Ocean blue (briny). I was thinking of a color at first.

49D: Freak out (go ape). This was too good to pass up...and funny even if you happen to like Bush.

I took the day off so that Don and I can do something fun, and it's nice to be able to blog leisurely with a cup of coffee. He and the boys are still asleep, so I think I'll go watch the birds.

Some of the comments are getting through...others still aren't. Blogger doesn't really have a way to contact them...you "join" their support group and post your question or problem. If you're lucky, someone sees it and responds. Basically, there's no support...but I don't pay them for the Blog, so what's to complain about?

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Thursday, April 17 - Byron Walden

2008-04-16T21:35:00.002-06:00

I don't remember the last time I finished a late-week Byron Walden puzzle without Googling. It's entirely possible that I've never been able to do that. I just zoomed through this one...which could mean one of two things. It wasn't one of Byron's tougher puzzles...or I just know 17A: With 18-Across, "In the Arena autobiographer" (Charlton / Heston) and his movies.

To be truthful, I wasn't aware of his autobiography, and I initially thought the puzzle was about a boxer. I started with the Downs, though, and it was pretty easy to suss it out from there.

Other theme answers:

27A: 1956 movie starring 17- and 18-Across, with "The" (Ten Commandments).

39A: 1961 movie starring 17- and 18-Across (El Cid).

44A: 1968 movie starring 17- and 18-Across (Planet of the Apes).

58A: 1959 movie starring 17- and 18-Across (Ben Hur).

60A: 1971 movie starring 17- and 18-Across (Omega Man).

I've only seen one of them ("Omega Man"), but I'd heard about the others. "Soylent Green" is one of Don's favorite old movies. He'll be disappointed that it wasn't in the puzzle.

I haven't mentioned multiword answers lately...should get back to that, since I still like them.

1A: Run-of-the-mill computer, in tech slang (beige box). I can't believe I've never heard this expression, but it was very guessable.

15A: Not have an accomplice (act alone).

65A: Jarringly unfamiliar (too new).

7D: __ about (on or)...used extensively in legal documents.

27D: Prepare to drive (tee up)...I like the clue.

29D: __ soul (no one) (nary a).

39D: Like sushi fish, typically (eaten raw).

45D: Make a snack of (nosh on). I snack all the time, but I never say that I'm noshing...such a funny word.

Favorite answers include 9A: Part of a dirndl (bodice), 43A: Alternative nickname for the Gloved One (Jacko)...sounds like a variation of jackass, but I like that it has a J and a K, 64A: Throw the flag on, so to speak (penalize), 66A: Textbook offerings (examples), 9D: Like Sydney Carton at the end of "A Tale of Two Cities" (beheaded)...gross, to be sure, but I'll bet it doesn't show up in the New York Times puzzle often, 31D: Grading gamut (ABCDF), 46D: State capital originally called Crabtown (Helena)...so thankful that we played the capitals game for years and 55D: Czech runner Zátopek (Emil).

I liked the clues for 20A: Copy over? (trace), 42A: Home fronts? (yards), 49A: Transnational cooperation (axis), 63A: Tabitha's grandmother on "Bewitched" (Endora)...that makes her seem so sweet...I don't recall ever thinking of her as grandmotherly, 2D: Second (echo), 3D: Tilting type: Abbr. (ital), 12D: They believe (ists), 33D: Little shaver's conveyance (trike), 53D: Ring of the Fisherman wearer (Pope), 57D: Georges (ones) and 61D: Bit of cheesecake (gam).

I do like the similar answers at 8D: TV princess (Xena) and 50D: Prefix with phobia (xeno). What's not to love about X words?

I absolutely loved this puzzle...I don't think it's just because I was able to finish it without outside help. So many good words, so many good clues.

Although it certainly didn't hurt that I felt as though I was on Byron's wavelength for the first time in my life.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Wednesday, April 16 - Edward Sessa

2008-04-15T21:45:00.003-06:00

When I first saw the clues for the theme answers, I was flummoxed. I managed to get the first three, but I still didn't understand the theme...until I had a few letters of the last one.

In a word...clever.

17A: INK (cephalopod spray). This is probably the first crossword puzzle in history that has that as an answer. Maybe JimH will have something to say about that.

25A: IN (social advantage).

43A: I (personal pronoun).

57A: - (disappearing ink).

I told you it was clever.

But Edward Sessa didn't stop with that. Some of his nontheme answers are pretty fine...10A: In a frenzy (amok), 15A: Vacuous (inane), 21A: Vetoes (nixes), 23A: River in a 1957 hit film (Kwai), 42A: Shot with lots of English (massé )...that has to do with billiards, 5D: Of a son or daughter (filial), 6D: It may cause a coma (anoxia)...literally, without oxygen, 10D: Herb of A & M Records (Alpert), 30D: Dispatch boat (aviso), 41D: Coral producer (polyp)...this kind, not the tissue growth, 45D: Ptolemy's lighthouse locale (Pharos), and 56D: Show unfairly (skew).

I was happy to see 37A: Marshmallow candies in Easter baskets (Peeps). I spent the last ten minutes searching for my favorite video of Peeps in the microwave, but I can't find a really good one. For real fun, do it yourself. Put a Peep (the chicken works best...but don't include the chocolate egg) on a plate, microwave on high for 10 seconds. Don't blink or you might miss the best part. I was going to add that they're not really edible after that...but there are some who think they could never be called that. I happen to like Peeps...in moderation. Like maybe one every three years.

Jean Arp appears frequently as an answer in the grid. Today's variation is 1A: Movement branded as "anti-art" (Dada).

Favorite clues...14A: They can be inflated (egos), 61A: Finger, in a way (rat on), 3D: Bonehead (dope), 13D: Drop for the count (Kayo), 26D: Nostalgic number (oldie) and 42D: No-brainer? (moron).

I'm happy to say that Don survived yet another tax season...his most grueling ever. We went out to our favorite Italian restaurant...after a good meal and a couple of glasses of vino, he's sound asleep in the big chair with Barnabas. He'll take the rest of this week off...hopefully most of next week as well. If you know someone who is interested in buying a successful accounting practice in western Colorado, let me know.

[Update: Something is definitely wrong between Blogger and Madness. I've received emails that comments are just disappearing (funny with ink...not with comments) when they're sent to publish. Some get through...others don't. I need to get this straightened out.]

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Tuesday, April 15 - Ken Bessette

2008-04-14T22:25:00.001-06:00

Ken Bessette gets bonus points for this puzzle. Not just a cleverly executed theme...but the letter Z appears twice in one word. 26A: Victoria Falls river (Zambezi). That's even better than Zamboni.

The theme is revealed at 40A: Kind of exam, with a hint to the answers to the four starred clues (midterm). Each of the theme answers has term hidden in the middle of it.

17A: *Myopic cartoon fellow (Mister Magoo).

65A: *Popular tune around Halloween (Monster Mash).

11D: *Plan hatcher (mastermind).

30D: *Some ticket issuers (metermaids)...I'd have clued it [Like lovely Rita and others].

Tonight was quilting group, so I got a very late start on this. I have a 7:30 meeting tomorrow morning, so that means this will be a Q & D.

Favorite answers include 1A: Like a cold fish (aloof), 47A: Former Disney chief Michael (Eisner), pictured at left...with the same clue at 12D: for Michael Ovitz, 49A: Home of the Scarlet Knights (Rutgers), 53A: Soft, colorful candy (gumdrop), 55A: "__ Flux" (Charlize Theron film) (Aeon), 58A: __ de vie (brandies) (eaux), 34D: Dog from Down Under (dingo), 38D: "Show Boat" composer (Kern),and 53D: Crystal-lined rock (geode).

The very best clue in the puzzle...36A: One way to run (amok).

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Monday, April 14 - Christina Houlihan Kelly

2008-04-13T20:15:00.002-06:00

It's Monday...so that means we're back on Easy Street. I wonder how long before the puzzles turn challenging again.

Maybe it's just that my brain has failed me, but the last two weeks have really seemed more difficult than usual.

Christina Houlihan Kelly serves up an entertaining theme today...four theme answers, all ordinary phrases, but with clues that could literally stop you in your tracks.

20A: Bidding impediment? (auction block).

33A: Outdoor meal deterrent? (picnic hamper).

44A: Truth obstruction? (reality check).

58A: Metallic element's obstacle? (aluminum foil).

I had a hard time picking a favorite...they were all good...but I think aluminum foil wins, followed by picnic hamper.

I love it when I actually remember things from previous puzzles, and that happened a few times with this one.

17A: From __ (completely) (A to Z)...that used to stump me fairly often.

18A: Cheri formerly of "S.N.L." (Oteri). She wasn't on when I watched the show, and I only know her from a previous puzzle.

10D: Napoleon, on Elba or St. Helena (exile). Okay, I knew this, but it's been cemented by frequent appearances.

24D: Les États-__ (Unis).

45D: Grades 1 to 12, briefly (elhi)..had never heard that expression used before I started doing the New York Times.

Favorite answers in the grid:

16A: Lucy Lawless TV role (Xena).

27A: Steisand film about a Jewish girl masquerading as a boy (Yentl).

38A: Gas brand with the slogan "Put a tiger in your tank" (Esso). That takes me back many years.

39A: Book after Daniel (Hosea).

6D: Crime boss known as the Teflon Don (Gotti). I thought the reason might be something disgusting...thankfully that wasn't the case.

11D: "The Two Gentlemen of __" (Verona).

13D: Annoy (rankle). Such a good word.

46D: Mozart's "__ Fan Tutte" (Cosi).

48D: Dahl or Francis (Arlene). I know both names, but I seem to remember Arlene Dahl from the television game shows of my youth.

Just one more late night for Don after tonight...I know he's so ready for this tax season to be over. I saw his secretary today...she's worked for him for five years and doesn't recall it ever being as crazy as it was this year. On Friday, he still had thirty returns to do. The really crazy thing is that he'll get them all done. He's looking forward to spending the rest of this week and all of next week at home...puttering around the yard, walking with the dogs, just enjoying seeing the place in daylight.

Here's the grid...

...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G