Sunday, May 25 - Elizabeth C. Gorski

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

Thursday, May 15 - Elizabeth C. Gorski

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, February 13 - Elizabeth C. Gorski

Elizabeth Gorski never constructs an ordinary puzzle...there's always some clever twist or gimmick involved.

For today's puzzle, she's constructed a word ladder [62A: Kind of ladder exemplified by the answers to the seven starred clues]...and the theme answers are:

1A: Salad partner (soup)

16A: Takeover (coup)

21A: Pen (coop)

25A: Cote calls (coos)

48A: Sleep lab purchases (cots)

56A: Salon styles (cuts)

67A: Fanatics (nuts).

The theme is all wrapped up at 38A: From 1- to 67-Across (the whole shebang)...another way to say soup to nuts.

I had the first two theme answers...the only answers I had at that point...and it became immediately clear what I'd be doing with the starred answers. It made it just slightly easier to get the others...although some of the clues were fairly ambiguous.

Nice multiword answers to round things out:

18A: Violin, viola and cello (string trio).

59A: Aida and Norma, notably (opera roles).

4D: Buzzer on "This Old House" (power saw).

11D: Summer side dish (corn salad).

24D: Joe Jackson's "__ Really Going Out With Him?" (Is She).

34D: Hotel front person (desk clerk).

Other answers that just plain look good in the grid:

15A: Graff of stage and screen (Ilene).

20A: Hitchcock thriller (Rope)...don't know why I haven't heard of this one.

23A: Mail at contest central (entries).

42A: Jong who wrote "Sappho's Leap" (Erica). I couldn't remember if she was Erica or Erika...27D: Dandruff bit wasn't much help, since it could have been flake (but it wasn't) or fleck (the correct answer).

44A: Many a turban wearer (Sikh).

64A: Astronomy's __ cloud (oort).

1D: Paris's __-Coeur Basilica (Sacré).

5D: Last sign (Pisces).

36D: Storm drain, e.g. (sewer).

40D: Particle accelerator (betatron).

47D: James and Jackson (Jesses).

Make a mental note of these often-repeated answers...10A: Dreaded prom night sight (acne), 14A: River of Tuscany (Arno), 29A: Place brushed by a barber (nape), 50D: Event in 1940s-'50s headlines (A-test), 57D: __ Bator (Ulan) and 52D: Eye-popping canvases (op art).

I got to bed very late last night and was up very early this morning...I'm shooting for in bed and sound asleep by 10:15.

Here's the grid...



...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Thursday, January 10 - Elizabeth Gorski

This may be Elizabeth Gorski's toughest puzzle. It was fun, though, and completely do-able. I just had to keep plodding away...and check with Dogpile a couple of times.

The theme was great, although I haven't heard of the book...revealed at 37A: Theme of this puzzle, as hinted at by 17-, 23-, 45- and 59-Across (Le Carré book). The four theme answers are:

17A: Constructing things (Tinker Toys). The most clever theme clue.

23A: Custom (tailor-made).

45A: 1962 #1 hit by the Shirelles (Soldier Boy).

59A: Means of remote monitoring (spy camera).

The only theme answer to come easily was Soldier Boy, although I was able to get the others with the help of crosses. Even so, I wasn't sure where I was going with the theme. Once I said the first words a couple of times, it began to sound like the name of a book...which made it easy to fill in the blanks in 37A.

Just a few multiword answers...other than theme answers...but they were good ones.

20A: Couples cruise vessel? (Noah's ark). I managed to get it with just the N in place...that was in place only because 1D: Mailing label abbr. (Attn) was a good guess.

52A: It's made up of columns (op ed page).

22D: Burglarized (broke in).

53D: Key of Pachelbel's Canon: Abbr. (D Maj). That song is the reason I took piano lessons in the first place, although I still haven't been able to play a decent version of it.

There were a few unfamiliar answers...some came from crosses, others from Dogpile.

31A: Annoyance, in British slang (aggro).

3D: Director Wertmuller (Lina).

27D: Turkish title (Agha). Aargh...

33D: Choreographer Lubovitch (Lar).

35D: Actress Skye (Ione).

55D: Actress Meyers and others (Aris).

57D: City near Padua (Este).

Favorite clues include 25A: Some flames (beaus), 40A: Hard-rock filler (as a), 58A: Part of a camp schedule (mess), 13D: Like some calls (close), 50D: House call? (yea) and 60D: Anti anti (pro).

Favorite answers...10A: Jeanne (D'Arc), 14A: Father, Son and Holy Ghost (trine), 16A: Even, to Yves (egal), 21A: '50s two-seaters (Tbirds), 4D: Old cross (ankh), 6D: Prefix with fluoride (tetra), 7D: Edible mushroom (enoki), 11D: Outdoor market (agora), 12D: Corp. budget item (R and D)...research and development, for those of you who were lost, 25D: Californian's vacation destination, maybe (Baja)...good guess there, 43D: Subject of a 1940 biopic starring Spencer Tracy (Edison), 45D: It was split into two parts by the 1899 Treaty of Berlin (Samoa) and 48D: Charles __, "Gaslight" star, 1944 (Boyer).

Took some time to get 9D: Museum specialist (restorer) and 29D: Lobby (solicit)...but for some reason 38D: Departures (egresses) came to me with only the G in place. That meant that 43A: Hosiery hue was ecru, rather than nude...which actually would have been funny since it was followed by 44A: Stripped (naked).

I was initially stumped by the connected cluing at 66A: With 46-Down, Ohio State's __ Memorial Stadium. With J as the first letter, though, the name Jesse/Owens immediately came to mind. I have no idea why...or where it came from.

I'm guessing the roads will be bad in the morning, which means I'll need to get an early start. It snowed for about six hours today...very rare in this part of Colorado. If we'd gotten the giant flakes that sometimes fall, we'd have been buried. As it was, we got about six inches. Some of the streets are rutted...and freezing tonight. If we get more snow tonight, it will be that much more difficult to get around.

Better wrap this up then. Here's the grid...



...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Sunday, December 30 - Elizabeth C. Gorski

I was doing a few puzzles earlier this week in one of my NYT books...Will Shortz's Favorites...and he mentioned a constructor whose puzzles were always fun. Now I can't put my finger on the book, but I'm fairly certain he was talking about Elizabeth Gorski. Today's puzzle, Winter Figure, was no exception.

It was almost too easy, but that was a welcome relief following yesterday's disaster.

As soon as I saw the grid on the screen, I recognized the cute little snowman, complete with top hat. A note at the top reads: The 16 circled letters, starting in square #34 and proceeding roughly counterclockwise, ending at #38, will spell the opening lyric of a popular song. I neglected to read the note (damn small print) and came up with Frosty the Snowman on my own. Initially, though, I had the letters going left to right from top to bottom. When some of the gimmes wouldn't fit, I erased them and let the circled letters fall into place.

Maybe this wasn't so easy for those who don't know all the lyrics. The other theme answers, in song order, are:

3D: Lyric, part 2, after "Was a" (jolly happy soul)

135A: Lyric, part 3, after "With a" (corncob pipe)

16D: Lyric, part 4 (and a button nose)

114A: Lyric, part 5 (and two eyes made out of coal).

Also tied in is 107A: Provider of an old silk hat, e.g. (as depicted at the top of this puzzle) (haberdasher).

What this puzzle lacked in difficulty level, it more than made up for in brilliance of construction. I can't imagine what it took to get the left/right symmetry, the snowman outline, the lyrics, the song title (still keeping the symmetry)...and some fine answers to boot.

The stacks that made up Frosty's forehead, and their lower counterparts, were all good...32A: Pull (influence), 42A: Class in factories (proletariat) and 47A: Avalons, e.g. (Toyotas).

Some favorites:

21A: "Dancing With the Stars" winner __ Ohno (Apolo). Never saw the show, but I remember him from the Olympics.

29A: Deli offering (pastrami). When I had the I from 18D: Kind of kick (inside) [NOTE: Oops...that's ONSIDE...thanks, profphil and others), I wanted salami. Couldn't think what two letters could precede it, though. As you may guess, I'm not a pastrami fan. Actually, I don't eat salami, either.

31A: Artificial heat? (toy gun). Good clue.

45A: Photographer Adams (Ansel). Love his work...it's impossible to choose a favorite.

75A: 13 (bakers dozen). Couldn't for the life of me figure where this one was going, until I had a few letters in place.

78A: Dec. holiday plans? (R and R)...always a favorite.

80A: Pump room? (shoe store). Love it, love it, love it. I think I'm just giddy after yesterday.

83A: A wee hour (one o'clock).

90A: Lord's worker (vassal). Identical clue at 144A (serf). I really wanted apostle or disciple before I saw the number of spaces...

138A: Kind of track (tenure). Another clever one.

141A: Herbal tea (tisane). Can't believe I've never heard the word before. Ever.

1D: Holiday party (fiesta), and the related 118D: Holidayish (festive) and 145A: New Year's Eve parties, e.g. (events). None of those describe the holiday gatherings we have or attend.

2D: Homes that may have tunnel entrances (igloos). Very fitting with the subzero temperatures we're having in Colorado.

6D: Luxuriousness (ritz), crossing at the Z with 27A: Shed some light on? (solarize). Odd word, to be sure...but it has a Z!

7D: One who can't have everything? (co-heir). I had everything except the H...must have gone through the alphabet three times before I figured it out. That was the only letter also missing from its cross at 24A: Playwright Fugard (Athol), a name unfamiliar to me.

15D: Snarl unsnarler (hairbrush). Don bathed Dooley and Barnabas earlier today. I unsnarled them, then trimmed their little beards and around their eyes. So much better.

42D: Part of many a test (placebo).

50D: Favorers of the young (ageists). Had this just a week or so ago, so I remembered.

51A: Dish with stir-fried rice noodles (Pad Thai). Great answer, but that's very similar to what I ate when I had food poisoning. Ick.

57D: Accord of 1985? (used car). What a clever clue! I had everything but the E and couldn't figure it out for the longest time.

62D: Bully (strongarm). One word or two?

63D: It may be fit for a king (bedspread). Another clever one. This puzzle is just full of them.

81D: Banks on a runway (Tyra)...fresh from yesterday's puzzle, where she was clued as Banks of note. I like this one better...plus it was a gimme.

104D: Feel one's way around? (palpate).

106D: Timid words (I dare not). I guess I've never been timid, since I've never spoken those words.

109D: 1986 Gene Hackman film (Hoosiers). How could that have been more than twenty years ago?

Three good ones in a row...111D: Not narrow (tolerant), 112D: Tramps (vagrants) and 113D: 1/2 and 1/3 parts (slashes)...took way too long to figure out where that was going. I tried to think of something along the line of slices...with a couple more letters.

Things I didn't know but got from crosses include 19A: Borodin's "Prince __" (Igor), 20A: N.F.L. team for which Barry Sanders played (Lions), 56A: Poker great Ungar and others (Stus), 63A: Rain forests and grasslands, e.g. (biomes), 100A: Cole Porter's "You Don't Know __" (Paree), 123A: "The Oath" author Frank (Peretti)...have heard of him but didn't know that particular work, 149A: "Endymion" poet (Keats)...poetry is a somewhat weak area for me, but nowhere near sports, 35D: Writer Willy who popularized spaceflight (Ley), 53D: "Passion" director (Godard), 55D: French treaty city of 1802 (Amiens), 67D: Long Island Rail Road station (Roslyn), 77D: "The __ Cat" (Tom and Jerry short) (Zoot)...can't say that I remember that one, 89D: Kyle __, "The Terminator" hero (Reese) and 135D: Dr. Octavius, Spider-Man foe (Otto). Note: I haven't checked the grid, so it's very possible that one or more of those is wrong.

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



...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Thursday, November 29 - Elizabeth C. Gorski

When I can't make sense of several answers in the puzzle, I should immediately think it's a rebus...or a cram-a-lot according to a favorite blogger friend.

I definitely should have thought something was up when the four corners just wouldn't come together.

And I can't believe I didn't get it even when I was sure the answer to 1D ["You sure said it!"] was AMEN to that...but I didn't fill that in. It wasn't until I had ***TOTHAT that it finally hit me.

The word AMEN is in the outermost corners of the puzzle, and it's all wrapped up with 55A: It ends with something found four times in this puzzle (prayer).

In addition to 1-Down, the other seven AMEN answers are:

1A: Parts of churches appropriate to this puzzle (AMEN corners). I've never heard the expression...maybe they weren't in Catholic or Episcopal churches.

9A: TV news crew (camerA MEN), crossing with 14D: Adds to or subtracts from (AMENds). I had been content with camera, even though that gave me add for 14D...which didn't make sense.

65A: Factor in a hotel rating (AMENities), crossing with 60D: Filament holder (stAMEN). Again, I actually thought of amenities, but it wouldn't fit...or so I thought.

66A: Egyptian royal (TuthankhAMEN), crossing with 46D: Citizen soldiers (militiAMEN). Again, I was satisfied with militia, and I couldn't remember King Tut's full name...so it looked fine.

In addition to the mighty fine theme, this was chock (9D: Wood block for holding an object steady)...okay, wrong definition...full of great fill, including my favorites...multiword answers: 17A: Really bizarre (out there), 36A: Consequence (end result), 61A: Graphic in a business report (pie chart), 44D: D, for one (low mark), and...my personal favorite...45D: Where "Thy will" will be done, in part (on earth).

A few things I didn't know and had to rely on crosses to get: 18A: Loads (onuses)...still doesn't sound right, 30A: Italian leaders (duces), 5D: It meant nothing to Nero (nihil), 25D: Imitative (mimetic)...not familiar with the word, but it seems to make sense, 29D: Mahler's "Das Lied von der __" (Erde)...which means The Song of the Earth, 50D: Tony winner for "Sweeney Todd," 1979 (Cariou)...I want to see Johnny Depp's performance, and 53D: Edvard __, Czech president and patriot (Benes).

I never saw Gilmore Girls, so had no idea about 56D: Setting for many episodes of TV's "Gilmore Girls" (Yale). To make things worse, I was picturing "The Golden Girls" in my mind...and Miami Beach wouldn't fit.

Once I realized that, and with *AL* in place, I confidently entered mall...it seemed to work. I guess Gilmore Girls must have been a little older than middle schoolers. Who knew?

Favorite clues include 19A: Angular opening? (tri), 21A: Ones with cool jobs? (icemen), 31A: Quick change artist? (teller), 63A: Rare play (triple), 7D: Like favorite books, often (reread) and 37D: Buzz (rumor). The jury's still out of 34D: Sitting spot (tush)...seems kind of iffy for the New York Times, but I kind of liked it.

I'm often confused by identical clues appearing in a puzzle...and today it happens twice. At 11D: Roomy dress is muumuu...great Hawaiian word, to tie in with 38D: Hawaiian root (taro)...and at 58D it's tent. I actually remember tent dresses being popular when I was in junior high. I don't remember that they were all that roomy. Then again, I was tiny, so there wasn't much fabric. The second set of clues...Trattoria order...appears at 40D (Campari) and 48D (scampi).

Other answers I liked include 15A: Decks (topsides), 22A: Veronica of "Hill Street Blues" (Hamel), 43A: Winter Olympics event (slalom), 47: "Midnight Cowboy" role (Ratso)...although I had Rizzo at first, 60A: Writer Rushdie (Salman), 3D: Best (optimal) and 12D: Perfume (essence).

I had planned to make this a short post, but the puzzle was just too good. I had a second cortisone shot in my shoulder today and will start a second round of physical therapy next week. If that doesn't do it, then we're looking at surgery. I officially feel old...high cholesterol that continued to climb (despite a healthy lowfat diet) plus a coronary scan that showed mild atherosclerosis = Lipitor...now a part of my daily routine. After three weeks on blood pressure meds, I'm happy to say that it's working...I was 120/80 for the first time in forever.

The good part of being old is that today was senior day at Kohl's, so I got an additional 15% off everything I bought...a tow truck and Thomas the Train flannel pajamas for grandson Franklin, both already at 50% off. Some days they have to pay me to take stuff out of the store.

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



...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Sunday, October 14 - Elizabeth C. Gorski

The other day I said (although not for the first time) that Mike Nothnagel was my favorite constructor. I later started thinking about some other favorites, and today we have another. Elizabeth Gorski's last NYT puzzle was one of my favorites...buried treasure, another great Sunday puzzle.

I'm tempted to say that today's puzzle was fairly easy, but maybe I was just on Elizabeth's wavelength. There was only one theme answer that I struggled to get.

The theme is revealed at 65A: Robert Redford film...and a hint to what occurs at 23-, 28-, 54-, 77-, 111- and 116-Across (A River Runs Through It). I wracked my brain to picture him in it...I kept seeing Tom Skerritt...then realized that Redford had directed it, and that Tom Skerritt had in fact played Rev. Maclean. This site refers to keywords bare butt and male nudity. What am I forgetting?

Anyway, the theme answers are:

23A: Base for many French fries (Idaho potato).

28A: 1987 Nicolas Cage/Holly Hunter film (Raising Arizona). That's one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. I love Nicolas Cage...always have and always will. And Holly Hunter is nothing short of incredible. She was on the cover of the July issue of More magazine, looking absolutely ravishing in the BEST red dress I've ever seen.

54A: 1950 #1 hit for Patti Page (Tennessee Waltz).

77A: Lead-in to "Show me!" (I'm from Missouri). I worked in Kansas City for a couple of years, and I don't think I ever heard anyone use the expression.

111A: 1915 song that popularized the phrase "Hail! Hail! The gang's all here" (Alabama Jubilee). That was the one I didn't know. Of course, I wasn't around then.

116A: Ice cream treat (Baked Alaska). As a kid, I was always amazed that you could put ice cream in the oven and it wouldn't melt. As an adult, I realized it's only in long enough to brown the meringue. I've never made it, but on the last night of an Alaskan cruise, that's what they served for dinner. It was to die for.

The six rivers flow vertically through the puzzle, each intersecting its home state:

3D: Gem State stream (Snake), crossing Idaho.

26D: Grand Canyon State stream (Gila), flowing through Arizona.

36D: Volunteer State and Show Me State stream (Mississippi), crossing both Tennessee and Missouri.

97D: Heart of Dixie stream (Mobile), which flows through Alabama.

109D: The Last Frontier stream (Yukon), crossing Alaska. As much as I was on Elizabeth's wavelength on this, I didn't realize the extent of the theme until I got this one.

Other water-related answers include 80D: Body of water seen in Munch's "The Scream" (Oslo Fjord) and 91D: Supermodel on the cover of Sports Illustrated's 1982 swimsuit issue (Carol Alt).

Was anyone else tickled by the crossing of 106D: Orange __ (Pekoe) and 124A: Soaks in water (steeps)?

Clever cluing at 102A: She was wild about Harry (Leona), 115A: Party people? (politicos), 15D: Like some assets and smiles (frozen), 35D: Composed (serene), 63D: Treat as a villain (hiss at), and 112D: Opposite of blew (aced).

I absolutely love getting the first clue I read, and 1A was from one of my favorite movies: Film character who says "Play it once, Sam, for old times' sake" (Ilsa). My all-time favorite line from Casablanca..."If that plane leaves the ground and you're not with him, you'll regret it. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life."

Other favorite clues and/or answers:

5A: Clear furniture material (Lucite).

20A: Choirs may sing in it (unison).

25A: "Are we finished?" (May I go now?).

31A: One of two school colors (along with heliotrope) of New York's Purchase College (puce). Heliotrope appeared in Mike Nothnagel's puzzle last Friday.

4D: Follow (adhere to).

5D: 1966 hit "Little Latin __ Lu" (Lupe). As kids, we sang it as Latin Loop-de-loop.

12D: They get props for their work on Broadway (stage crew).

24D: Having no sequel (one shot)...the very best kind of movies.

Things I had seen before and remembered for this puzzle include 38A: "Nearer the Moon" author Nin (Anais), 96A: Toscanini's birthplace (Parma), 59D: Soprano __ Te Kanawa (Kiri), and 13D: 1998 French Open winner Carlos (Moya).

Things I didn't know:

119A: "Bee Season" star, 2005 (Gere). I've never even heard of it.

17D: Al Bundy player (Ed O'Neill). I never saw the show Married With Children so had to get this from the crosses.

64D: Political writer Shelby __ (Steele).

101D: Author of "The Third Man," 1949 (Greene).

I enjoyed seeing 37D: Dance accompanied by a gourd drum (hula). For those who may be wondering, we did see some hula dancing when we were in Hawaii, but we didn't do any.

It's after midnight and I'd better wrap this up. Here's the grid...



...and I'll see you tomorrow.

Linda G

Sunday, August 19 - Elizabeth C. Gorski

The theme of Elizabeth Gorski's Sunday puzzle is BURIED TREASURE, with gold (AU) hidden in the puzzle.

The theme is revealed at 26A: With 113-Across, 1972 song lyric hinting at this puzzle's theme: I'VE BEEN A MINER FOR A/ HEART OF GOLD, with theme tie-ins at 64D: Like 113-Across (BY NEIL YOUNG) and 68D: Atomic number of the special parts of this puzzle which, when connected, form a 113-Across (SEVENTY-NINE).

The buried treasure is found in ten squares:

33A: Scene (TABLEAU), crossing with 27D: Lover boy (BEAU).

36A: Victorians, e.g. (AUSSIES)...with 28D: Overseas Mrs. (FRAU).

39A: Outdoor shindigs (LUAUS)...with 34D: Letters from Greece (TAUS).

41A: "Your mother wears army boots!," e.g. (TAUNT)...with 35D: Mideast's House of __ (SAUD).

58A: "Homage to Clio" poet (AUDEN)...with 58D: Author who wrote "One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other" (AUSTEN). An exceptional literary cross.

59A: Some shavers (BRAUNS)...with 54D: Extol (LAUD).

61A: Pianist Claudio (ARRAU)...with 62D: Independent examinations (AUDITS).

77A: Child-care provider (AU PAIR)...with 77D: Sound (AUDIO).

79A: Capital city about an hour by plane from Miami (NASSAU)...with 80D: Carpentry tool (AUGER).

97A: European air hub (DeGAULLE)...with 100D: Park Avenue, for one (AUTO).

This was just plain fun. Once you got the gist of this theme, you pretty much knew that buried treasure would be in the symmetrically opposite square...well, except for one. Those nine squares in the center were the absolute last to fall for me...for that very reason.

A puzzle like this has to have left/right symmetry, similar to Tyler Hinman's a couple of weeks ago. It made it a little harder for me to figure out which square was the opposite, symmetrically speaking, but that didn't diminish from the overall pleasantness of the puzzle.

Clever cluing all over the place...

6A: Strands in a diner (spaghetti). A gimme.

21A: One who keeps a beat? (patrolman).

25A: Just above average (C plus). These typically trip me up, but not today.

83A: Music unlikely to be played at a party (dirge).

106A: It's often "proud" (sponsor).

119A: Jalapeño feature (tilde).

3D: Tropical cave dwellers (fruit bats).

16D: Locked up (in prison).

70D: Kind of platter (pupu).

Several things were unknown to me. I got most of them from the crosses, but had to Google to confirm a letter when the crosses were equally unknown.

45A: Classic Atari game (Asteroids). Not something I ever played.

52A: "Typee" sequel (Omoo). Knew of Omoo, knew that Melville wrote it...just didn't know it was a sequel.

10D: Bill who created the comic strip "Smokey Stover" (Holman). Sorry, I've never heard of Bill Holman or his comic strip.

11D: Missy __ with the 2002 hit "Work It" (Elliott). Easy enough to guess that one, but I had no clue.

17D: Deep black garnets (melanites). Have never heard of them.

66D: 1954 Jean Simmons movie (Desiree).

There's so much more good stuff in this puzzle. How about commenting on one or two of your favorites.

Here's the grid. I'm happy that the heart of gold shows.

And I'm off to bed. See you tomorrow.

Linda G

Thursday, July 5 - Elizabeth C. Gorski

The fireworks are almost over. In an effort to keep Dooley calm, we watched a movie tonight, so I didn't even start on the puzzle until 10:15. He's still under the effects of a tranquilizer, so he's happily snoozing as I write.

The puzzle's theme is revealed at 45A: Cable channel...with a hint to the answers to the five starred clues (TBS). The five theme answers--all TBs--are:

20A: Undersized bats and gloves, e.g. (T-ball equipment)

30A: Chophouse order (T-bone)

37A: Founder of Mesa Petroleum (T. Boone Pickens)

42A: Alternatives to rope tows (T-bars)

55A: Caucasus capital (Tbilisi, Georgia). This is my favorite answer of the bunch, and I got it with only two letters in place...the second G and the A. A few days ago I didn't know the place, but yesterday I had a reader from Tbilisi on this blog. It's such a kick to know that readers come from all over the world, and we all have the New York Times puzzle in common.

After an initial read-through of the clues, I had very little in place. I had a partial answer for 10D: Like Romulus and Remus (twin born). I originally had twin boys, then erased everything except twin. Another incorrect answer up in the NE at 16A: Like one leg of a triathlon (swum). I had swim, but that wasn't getting me an answer for 11D: Southern Methodist team, with "the" (Mustangs). That corner finally fell into place.

For some reason, though, the SE came together rather quickly. 45D: Turn on and off (toggle) was a gimme (or a good guess), as was 47D: Didn't split (stayed). Those were the two letters that gave me the long theme answer at 55-Down. I initially struggled with 53A: J.F.K.'s command (PT boat)...I was looking for something like "ask not." I know it wasn't a command, but it was a pretty strong suggestion.

62A: Serving from a grill (kabob) is my preferred spelling. I remember seeing it as kebab a few weeks ago. That just looks wrong.

When I see a clue like 14A: April Fools' Day baby and think astrological sign, it usually means I've been doing more puzzles than usual. It paid off this time...Aries.

Liked the cross of 23A: Accountant's advice (tax tip) and 3D: Mountaineering aid (ice axe).

Was very relieved to see that 23A: Accident letters was EMS, rather than my first thought...the very morbid DOA.

Some fill that you don't see every day:

41A: Dirty campaigner (smearer). Ick...it's such an ugly word.

5D: Strategies (game plans).

7D: Lubricate (oil up).

35D: Makes a very modest living (scrapes by).

37D: Stretchy attire (tube tops). I wanted something with lycra or spandex, but no dice. This works.

56D: Logical start? (ideo).

Did not know 63A: Relative of a plum (sloe). I know the word, and it's been clued several other ways...didn't know it was related to a plum.

Didn't recognize the quote in 18A: "A fly can't bird, but a bird can fly." It's from a poem called Cottleston Pie, by A. A. Milne. That's news to me.

Way past my bedtime, so I'll wrap it up. See you tomorrow.

Linda G