This is an abbreviated form of my usual blog, as I am currently on vacation with limited internet access. Normal service will be resumed shortly.
Solving time: 8 mins (solo, no solving aids) Clue of the puzz: 34d kite {Toy you might enjoy while running}
Theme
Four phrase starting with synonyms of "strike":
20a Punch and Judy {Slapstick puppet show} 33a sock it to me {"I'm ready for anything!"} 44a hit the sack {Go get some shuteye} 57a Deck the Halls {Yuletide tune}
1a altar {Place for an oath}; 6a taps {It's bugled on a base}; 10a hgts. {Elevs.}; 14a diode {Electron tube with two elements}; 15a a lot {Loads}; 16a Aral {Asia's shrunken ___ Sea}; 17a ZZ Top {"Sharp Dressed Man" band}; 18a Lola {1970 Kinks song}; 19a Dora {TV explorer of note}; 23a left be {Didn't bother}; 26a Arlo {Guthrie at Woodstock}; 27a Cys {Baseball's Young and others}; 28a I'm A {The Monkees' "___ Believer"}; 29a lee {Kind of tide}; 31a etch {Impress permanently}; 37a foci {Centers of circles}; 40a attic {Room at the top of stairs}; 41a UAE {Mideast fed.}; 42a Roman {Tacitus or Tiberius}; 43a sect {Not a mainstream religion}; 46a heli- {Prefix with pad}; 48a sea {Mermaid's realm}; 49a rte. {Mail carrier's assignment: Abbr.}; 50a awe {State of shock}; 52a eggs {Custard ingredients}; 55a elixir {Drink said to prolong life}; 60a make {Mercury or Saturn}; 61a in on {Wise to}; 62a iambs {da-DUM, da-DUM, da-DUM}; 66a even {Tied}; 67a quoi {Je ne sais ___}; 68a fiery {Like redheads' tempers, supposedly}; 69a Nero {Villain in 2009's "Star Trek"}; 70a SSTs {Bygone barrier breakers}; 71a Edgar {Mystery writer's award}.
1d adz {Carpenter's tool with a curved blade}; 2d Liz {Eight-times-married Taylor}; 3d tot {Tyke}; 4d adopt {Take on}; 5d republic {Form of government Plato wrote about}; 6d talc {Baby powder ingredient}; 7d aloha {Lei giver's greeting}; 8d polar {___ opposites}; 9d Stan Lee {Co-creator of the Fantastic Four}; 10d hadj {Journey to Mecca}; 11d Groucho Marx {He said "Here's to our wives and girlfriends ... may they never meet!"}; 12d tardy {Arriving after the bell, say}; 13d slays {Wows at a comedy club}; 21d Neet {Classic brand of hair remover}; 22d dot {E, in Morse code}; 23d Lisas {Simpson and Kudrow}; 24d emote {Ham it up}; 25d fact checker {Magazine staffer}; 30d étui {It has many needles}; 32d CFOs {Bus. honchos}; 34d kite {Toy you might enjoy while running}; 35d oat {Basis for a Quaker cereal}; 36d Mets {Citi Field team}; 38d cacti {They have many needles}; 39d inker {Worker on a comic book}; 42d real life {Actuality}; 44d high IQs {140 and up, say}; 45d heel {Cad}; 47d let {Tennis umpire's cry}; 50d ad-men {Some Madison Ave. workers}; 51d weave {Drive drunkenly, perhaps}; 53d genus {The "Homo" in "Homo sapiens"}; 54d shoot {"Tell me"}; 56d I said {"In case you didn't hear me the first time ..."}; 58d Keno {Casino game with Ping-Pong-like balls}; 59d anis {Spanish liqueur}; 63d meg {Computer unit, informally}; 64d bra {Cup holder?}; 65d Syr. {Leb. neighbor}.
A reader reminded me today that I've been adding "no cheating" to my solving times without explanation. What's more, I realize now that "cheating" is a loaded term, which I should have avoided. So here's how I'm solving the New York Times crosswords to give you some context for the times.
I normally download the "Across Lite" version of the puzzle from the New York Times site and print it out to solve with a pencil (and eraser). I try to do the whole thing on my own without resorting to reference books or internet searches. Essentially these are the same conditions as enforced in the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament and I'll describe it as "solo, no solving aids".
This often means I'm stuck for minutes on end, sometimes being roadblocked by clues that are a gimme to an American. Or I might have to guess letters at intersections where I'm ignorant of both crossing answers. If I've been solving for over an hour, or otherwise feel that I stand no chance, I ask my wife Magdalen to collaborate and we've invariably been able to finish even the most difficult puzzles that way.
Why do I solve in this painstaking way? Because I feel that it's the best way for me to learn the idioms used in American crosswords and the cultural knowledge that goes into them. I can tell from my solving times that I've made big improvements since I began blogging at the start of 2009. I love the challenge that these crosswords pose and, as is often pointed out, exercising the brain is a great way to keep mental fitness in old age.
Do I think that everyone should solve in this way? Absolutely not! You should solve in whatever way gives you the most satisfaction. I would positively recommend less experienced solvers to use reference books and/or resources such as this blog, as that speeds the learning process and allows you to progress further into the solving week, towards the delights of the wackier themes and clues that come with the end-of-week puzzles.
I should add that there are some exceptions to my usual routine for NYT puzzles: Magdalen and I normally solve the jumbo Sunday puzzle together; and we solve the weekday puzzles together any time we are away from home. In addition, we do a huge amount of collaborative solving outside of the NYT puzzles: we solve the Listener Crossword each week, any other cryptic crosswords we can get our hands on, acrostics, the NPR puzzle etc etc.
This was a very gentle introduction to the week, and I came close to breaking the 5 minute barrier. If I could just train myself to write as fast as I think ...
My first thought on seeing SISIS at the start of 17-Across was that we might have a 12121 alternation of letters at the start of phrases as the theme. 26-Across scotched that idea and showed we had a normal soundalike theme to contend with.
I had a quick look with TEA for other phrases like si, si Señor and I'm not encouraged to think you could find sufficient long entries with the 12121* pattern: go-go girls is a great nine-letter entry, but I can't get excited about the limited other options such as ororotund and papaphobist.
17a si, si Señor {Emphatic south-of-the-border assent} 26a C major scale {Beginning piano student's exercise} 45a see you later {Parting words} 62a sea-breeze {Wind that cools a beach}
68a Allen {Woody or Gracie}. Woody I know well, but Gracie I've only heard of and never seen in action. Time to check out Burns and Allen, who started off in vaudeville, moving to films, radio and TV.
32d Enos {Outfielder Slaughter in the Baseball Hall of Fame}. Any surname that can be confused with a dictionary word is really worth remembering, so I'd better try my hardest with Enos Slaughter (1916-2002). Enos, nicknamed "Country", was number 9 for the St. Louis Cardinals, a number they retired in his honor in 1996. Country brings us neatly to ...
33d She's {Kenny Rogers's "___ a Mystery"}. I tried It is to start with ... the blank was certainly a mystery to me. She's a Mystery is from the 1979 album Kenny by the country music star. Can't find that song, so here's a different one from the same album, You Decorated My Life.
40d feud {Hatfield/McCoy affair}. The rivalry between the Hatfield and McCoy families from 1878 to 1891 may be ingrained in American culture, but this was the first I'd heard of it. The two clans were among the pioneer settlers in the valley of the Tug Fork River and came to blows after fighting on opposite sides in the American Civil War. A section of the floodwall along the river depicts the feuding families.
Noteworthy
49a nettle {Prickly plant}. I wondered about the definition, because the nettles I'm used to aren't prickly as such - they just have stinging hairs. Some of my dictionaries widen the definition to include spiny plants, but they're not what I think of as nettles.
64a Wiley {Aviator ___ Post}. I remembered the name of Wiley Post (1898–1935), who was referenced in a puzzle earlier this month. He was the first pilot to fly solo around the world, which he did in 1933 with the help of an early autopilot device - the feat took nearly eight days. His plane, the Winnie Mae, can be seen at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.
5d ice jam {Winter river obstruction}. Without 21-Across, the answer could equally well be ice dam. This is also the term used for ice build-up on a roof, sufficient to cause meltwater to back up inside the house; we knew we had one last winter when mysterious new stains appeared in the ceiling - something we need to get resolved before the snows start up again.
11d Evan {"___ Almighty" (2007 movie)}. Remembering this was a flood story, I had Noah as the answer to begin with. Evan Almighty was originally written as a vehicle for Jim Carrey, being a sequel to Bruce Almighty (2003) - Steve Carell got the role when Jim turned it down.
28d Julia {Roberts of "Erin Brockovich"}. I recall seeing Erin Brockovich back in the UK, and it must have made an impression on me, because I can still visualize Julia Roberts in the role for which she won her Oscar (not to mention Albert Finney doing a credible American accent).
The Rest
1a ape {King Kong, e.g.}; 4a hitch {Trailer's connection to a car}; 9a adept {Highly skilled}; 14a ERs {Where IVs may be administered}; 15a Acura {Japanese automaker}; 16a revue {Theatrical medley}; 19a abate {Lessen}; 20a omen {Comet, say, to the impressionable}; 21a jape {Mocking remark}; 22a mints {After-dinner candies}; 23a Panama {Central American canal locale}; 25a fit {In great shape}; 33a slops {Feeds, as pigs}; 37a tune {Thing to hum or whistle}; 38a axon {Neural transmitter}; 39a hobo {Vagrant}; 40a false {Test answer you have a 50/50 chance of guessing right}; 41a Reno {Nevada gambling mecca}; 42a evil {Demon's doing}; 43a Elie {Nobelist Wiesel}; 44a idles {Just sits around}; 48a end {Finish}; 54a passé {No longer fashionable}; 57a orca {Killer whale}; 60a Arab {United ___ Emirates}; 61a elite {A-list}; 65a hello {Word said upon answering a phone}; 66a e'er {Suffix with rocket or racket}; 67a store {Shop}; 69a DDT {Banned bug spray}.
1d Aesop {See 8-Down}; 2d prima {___ donna (vain sort)}; 3d Essen {Ruhr Valley city}; 4d has {Contains}; 6d tuna {Bluefin, for one}; 7d crop {Wheat or soybeans}; 8d hare {Loser to a tortoise, in a fable by 1-Down}; 9d Aramis {Fragrance named for a Musketeer}; 10d debit card {Quick, cashless way to pay for things}; 12d putt {Miniature golf shot}; 13d tees {Gadgets not needed in miniature golf}; 18d in a {"___ pig's eye!"}; 24d MCs {Roast hosts, for short}; 25d free {Costing nothing}; 29d onset {Beginning}; 30d axel {Rink leap}; 31d Lone {The ___ Ranger}; 34d love {Zero, in tennis}; 35d Obie {Village Voice award}; 36d polyester {Leisure suit fabric}; 44d ire {Ill temper}; 46d one eye {Cyclops feature}; 47d enable {Give power to}; 50d tae {___ kwon do}; 51d treed {Cornered}; 52d lazed {Vegged out}; 53d Ebert {Roger with a thumbs-up or thumbs-down}; 54d pews {Sunday seats}; 55d alit {Touched down}; 56d silo {Storage for forage}; 57d OSHA {Workplace watchdog org.}; 58d reel {Irish dance}; 59d call {Do some telemarketing}; 63d Ron {"Apollo 13" director Howard}.
Before I comment on last week's answer, let's get started on this week's puzzle:
Name a well-known TV personality with five-letter first and last names. Each name contains exactly 14 straight lines and no curves. Who is this?
We know the answer, although it was not a straightforward process, and software was involved. {Basically, take out all the curved capital letters, then build a new alphabet out of the straight line letters, select the dictionary that will give you personal names, and ask for all five-letter names. Go through that list looking for names with the right mix of letters that will add up to 14 lines, and then think of celebrities... Easy-peasy.} It would not be hard at all to give some hints as to this person's identity, but here's the only one I'm going to share: My English husband had to ask me who this was, even after he figured out the name from a process of elimination. So this is not an internationally well-known TV personality.
And now, what about last week's puzzle? How does TENSION/STRESS or TENSION/STRAIN not get alternate answer status, or at least an honorable mention? Particularly as I don't think TEMPEST/STORM is a very good equivalence, as not all storms are tempests. (Blizzard, anyone?) I'm not upset enough to write to NPR's ombudsman, but I am just a bit disappointed with Will this week. (Sorry, Will, but I am.)
Okay, enough kvetching. Let's have some new puzzly stuff to chew on. Will had the on-air contestant building on four-letter words. Here's some five letter words that can all take the same three letters in front:
Magdalen and I made a slow start to this jumbo New York Times crossword, but soon got into the swing of things. We eventually solved the whole puzzle in what may be a record time for us.
I have mixed feelings about the theme, because I think there was only one quote that either of us recognized - Oscar Wilde's - and even that I knew in a different version. So, with the theme entries, it was just a case of recognizing the famous name - admittedly there was some fun in look at the quote after the clue was solved, as it was often apposite and/or amusing.
My favorite is the one from Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa, although those present to hear his last words don't seem to have obliged him by inventing a better quote - something that presumably happened in the majority of cases.
Solving time: 35 mins (no cheating, collaborative effort) Clue of the puzz: 112a Ross {Supreme leader?}
Theme
"Famous last words": famous people are clued by their dying words.
1a Oscar, 13a Wilde {"My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One or the other of us has to go"} 27a Groucho Marx {"Die, my dear? Why, that's the last thing I'll do!"} 32a Lou Costello {"That was the best ice cream soda I ever tasted"} 53a Salvador Dali {"Where is my clock?"} 71a Conrad Hilton {"Leave the shower curtain on the inside of the tub"} 87a Dylan Thomas {"I've had 18 straight whiskies. I think that's the record"} 94a Pancho Villa {"Don't let it end like this. Tell them I said something"} 110a Errol, 113a Flynn {"I've had a hell of a lot of fun and I've enjoyed every minute of it"} 20d Marco Polo {"I have not told half of what I saw"} 46d Caligula {"I live!"} 48d Eva Peron {"Eva is leaving"} 68d Bo Diddley {"I'm going to heaven!"}
10a ham {Cutup}. I didn't know quite what to make of the one-word "cutup", but Magdalen happily did. The sense used here is actually in my British dictionary of choice - Chambers - but with a hyphen:
cut-upn (orig US) a person who makes jokes or plays tricks From The Chambers Dictionary
65a Rogers {Mild-mannered Mister}. Magdalen said I'd be able to find a nice clip of the TV show under consideration, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. I gather the show was the Sesame Street of its day and was "characterized by its quiet simplicity and gentleness" (hence the clue wording, presumably).
8d ATM {Green machine?}. "Green" as slang for money was new to me, although I'd heard of greenbacks before.
11d Attu {U.S. island occupied by Japan during W.W. II}. It seems there is an endless supply of four-letter islands, ports, etc involved in World War II fighting in the Pacific. Attu is in the Aleutian Islands and notable as the site of the only World War II land battle fought on US soil. The Japanese occupied the island in October 1942 and had it wrested from them in May 1943.
21d Brodie {1970 N.F.L. M.V.P. John}. John Brodie was a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. After retiring from that, he enjoyed a second career as a professional golfer on the Senior PGA Tour.
51d Gant {Eugene ___, hero of "Look Homeward, Angel"}. The clue meant nothing, nil, zilch, zippo, nada, diddly-squat to me. It seems Look Homeward, Angel is a novel by Thomas Wolfe (1900–1938), not to be confused with Tom Wolfe. Like many first novels, it is a highly autobiographical coming-of-age story, with Eugene Gant representing the author.
Noteworthy
84a ate {Took sides?}. An awesome example of the art of deception in cluing. (The sides in question being side dishes, in case anyone still hasn't got it.)
85a SRO {Packed, in brief}. Standing-room only - I've seen SRO clued so many times I got this one instantly.
104a illegals {Raid targets}. I'd just finished a puzzle in which Raid at the start of the clue was the insecticide; so I unfortunately jumped to the wrong conclusion with this double bluff.
106a Randi {The Amazing ___ (magician)}; 45d -ini {Magician's name suffix}. Funny that these two contradict each other. Did the popularity of the -ini suffix start with Harry Houdini (1874–1926) or even earlier? I remember seeing something of The Amazing Randi on British TV - and not just magic acts, as he's a well-known skeptic about claims made by psychics.
112a Ross {Supreme leader?}. At last, the recognition I deserve? Well, you might think that, but it could be the constructors had my namesake in mind.
4d Arabic {Like 1, not I}. We thought this clue a clever one: 1 the Arabic numeral is the same as I the Roman numeral.
75d noes {Con man's responses?}. Theory 1: "noes" are what your responses to a con man should be. Sounds good, but here's theory 2: someone who is a con (not pro) to an idea will say "no" to it. I like theory 2 better.
The Rest
6a wham {"Pow!"}; 18a Maori {Kapa haka dancer}; 19a automata {"I, Robot" extras}; 21a beseem {Fit, once}; 22a islas {Cuba y Puerto Rico}; 23a remnants {Carpet store bargain bin}; 24a rile up {Get angry}; 25a the bends {Concern coming up?}; 29a -ite {Mineral suffix}; 30a foci {Pair in an ellipse}; 31a Edam {Red ball?}; 37a stair {Way up}; 39a Uma {Actress Thurman}; 42a AKC {Huskies' org.}; 43a sofa {Cushion site}; 44a Pierre {Mathematician ___ de Fermat}; 46a CPUs {PC cores}; 47a braes {Scottish hillsides}; 50a doggone it {Words of disappointment}; 52a casts {Character sets?}; 55a be polite {Adolescent admonishment}; 57a Aris {Fleischer and Onassis}; 58a Ono {Vocalist Yoko}; 59a penalizes {Puts in a box, maybe}; 60a despot {Kim Jong-il, e.g.}; 63a NWT {Yellowknife is its cap.}; 64a Jas. {Madison or Monroe: Abbr.}; 66a extension {Taxpayer request}; 68a Buy {___ American}; 69a ecru {Hose color}; 70a Peer Gynt {Ibsen title character}; 76a otros {Others, in Andalusia}; 77a fire doors {Building safety features}; 79a narco {Pot grabber}; 80a teen {Wii user, maybe}; 81a Yemeni {Rial spender}; 82a Leos {Ones sharing Durocher's astrological sign}; 86a mores {Communal customs}; 91a iron {Press}; 92a ades {Some pitcherfuls}; 93a e'en {Dark time, for short}; 98a papacies {Vatican rules}; 103a I am too! {"You are not!" response}; 107a Daewoo {Korean carmaker}; 108a played up {Magnified}; 109a olden {Yore-ic?}; 111a SSN {Nine-digit ID}.
1d omit {Strike out}; 2d sash {Tiara go-with}; 3d Cole {Porter, for one}; 5d rise to {Meet}; 6d ward {Voting area}; 7d hues {Apricot and tangerine}; 9d mongol {Invader of Europe in 1241}; 10d Hanoi {McCain residence for 5 1/2 years}; 12d masc. {Not fem.}; 13d Weimar {___ Republic, toppled in 1933}; 14d Islam {Its literal translation is "submission"}; 15d leer {Look like a wolf}; 16d deux {French pair}; 17d emp. {Nero, e.g.: Abbr.}; 26d Ness {Capone's nemesis}; 28d hearten {Cheer}; 30d flag down {Hail}; 32d labs {Bell ___}; 33d okra {New Orleans staple}; 34d U Cal {It has 10 branches: Abbr.}; 35d to-dos {Minor errands}; 36d E for {___ effort}; 37d see {Date}; 38d tribes {Chief concerns?}; 39d upsize {Enlarge}; 40d mutter {[Grumble, grumble, grumble]}; 41d assess {Weigh}; 49d sarongs {Some beachwear}; 52d color in {Fill with a crayon}; 54d ditsy {Clueless}; 56d parch {Exsiccate}; 59d pay-rolls {Employers must meet them}; 60d depots {Points on some lines}; 61d Exeter {Academy town}; 62d stereo {Two-channel}; 63d no time! {"I'm late!"}; 67d inferno {Ball of fire}; 69d Edson {Pelé's real first name}; 71d cen. {About 877,000 hrs.}; 72d area {Info in a real estate ad}; 73d tram {Disneyland sight}; 74d octa- {Eight: Prefix}; 78d res {Hi-___}; 81d yoo-hoo {"Hello-o-o!"}; 83d step {Part of a program}; 86d Mr Cool {Hipster's persona}; 88d Yeager {First supersonic human}; 89d hear of {Learn by word of mouth}; 90d on call {Like many hospital doctors}; 91d in two {Cloven}; 92d Allan {Detective Pinkerton}; 94d Paar {Carson's predecessor}; 95d Amer. {Part of O.A.S.: Abbr.}; 96d VIPs {Stars}; 97d ills {Contents of Pandora's box, except for hope}; 98d plus {Anode indicator}; 99d asps {Phobia of 100-Down}; 100d Indy {Ford role, familiarly}; 101d Eden {Xanadu}; 102d Sinn {___ Fein}; 103d -ide {Chemical suffix}; 105d ado {Kerfuffle}.
My experiences with this Saturday New York Times crossword were similar to yesterday's: it took a long time to find a portal (way in) to the grid, though looking at the completed result, it's hard to see how some things didn't come immediately. For example, one look at 14-Across and I should have written in Roger Ebert - he's the only US film critic I know!
For me the crux of the puzzle was the intersection of Yaz and Zuni and I just had to guess the shared letter in the end, probably helped by vague memories of the tribe from somewhere. I also know that uncommon letters like Z are not unheard of in situations like this.
An update on Cranium-Crushing Crosswords, which are as tough as the title suggests - there's quite a bit of variation, but the average difficulty is about the same as a Friday NYT puzzle. I've got as far as puzzle 22 and I'd like to say that the practice is making me faster - unfortunately, there's no good evidence for that, but that's not going to stop me trying.
Solving time: 43 mins (no cheating) Clue of the puzz: 62a taco {It's folded before dinner}
37a Zuni {Kachina doll makers}. Kachina dolls rang vague bells from somewhere and I thought they were probably associated with one of the American tribes. Since I didn't know 29d Yaz, I struggled to come up with the tribal name, but somehow dredged up Zuni from somewhere. Kachinas are the ancestral spirits in the mythology of the Pueblo Indians; dolls representing them (which can be up to 20 inches high) are carved as gifts to children of the tribe.
6d Le Mat {Paul who won a Golden Globe for "American Graffiti"}. Paul Le Mat plays John Milner in the 1973 comedy American Graffiti. This is the movie that makes me want to track down one of the few remaining carhop diners with waitresses on roller skates.
23d Keith {Country star Urban}. I was surprised to find Keith Urban is an Australian - he achieved some success in his native land before moving to the USA in 1992. Here he is performing his recent single Kiss a Girl:
27d Ft. Riley {Kansas mil. reservation with the U.S. Cavalry Museum}. Abbreviating fort is a bit of a mean trick, as no one expects an answer to start FTR. Fort Riley was long associated with the cavalry and became the site of the United States Cavalry School in 1887. It is sometimes identified as ground zero for the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, which soldiers are supposed to have spread worldwide.
45d T.C. Boyle {"Drop City" novelist, 2003}. Another answer that starts in a completely unexpected way. T. Coraghessan Boyle is an American writer specializing in novels about the baby boomer generation; he's been compared with Mark Twain for his mixture of humor and social exploration. Drop City concerns a counterculture commune in the 1970s, not unlike the first rural hippy community in Drop City, CO.
Noteworthy
14a Roger Ebert {Writer on pictures}. This was something of a gift for me, as he's the only American film critic I've heard of: with a bit more knowledge I might have hesitated for choice of what to put in. Unfortunately, it took several readings of the clue before I realized a film critic was called for in the first place. Incidentally, the British equivalent of Roger is Barry Norman, who had the catchphrase "... and why not?" thrust upon him by the satirical show Spitting Image.
17a Anglomania {Going bonkers for the British?}. Funny to see this answer, which certainly wasn't a gimme for this Brit. Do people really have Anglomania, or is it just a marketing ploy?
22a Asok {"Dilbert" character who was reincarnated as his own clone}. When I had an office job, Dilbert strips often seemed to get pinned to noticeboards to keep pointy-haired bosses on their toes. I just about remembered Asok, the naive and gullible young programmer.
54a Loeb {1924 co-defendant}. I learned about the Leopold and Loeb case at the end of last month, so it wasn't difficult to recall the answer and the connection with Hitchcock's Rope.
55a merry-andrew {Clown}. Knowing merry-andrew from cryptic crosswords was another lucky break for me. The antiquarian Thomas Hearne claimed the term came from the physician to Henry VIII, Andrew Boorde, who "to his vast learning added great eccentricity". But in the absence of supporting evidence, no one believes this. What we know with more certainty is that there's a movie called Merry Andrew in which Danny Kaye plays a circus clown called Andrew.
58a Tso {General in the Taiping Rebellion}. Looks like the chicken has been a little overdone, so we're resorting to a biographical reference to the dish's inspiration Zuǒ Zōngtáng (1812-1885). The Taiping Rebellion (1850-1864) was the world's largest civil war - casualties are estimated at around 20 million people.
64a Heep {Blackmailer in an 1850 novel}. Lovely way to clue a familiar fictional character. I'm an ardent Dickensian, so this reference was right in my ballpark ... but could I get it right away? No, it wasn't till I'd got all the crossings, that I saw David Copperfield's arch-enemy appear.
9d Eris {Solar system discovery of 2003}. I first learned of the dwarf planet Eris in a Sunday puzzle in April and its orbit has taken Eris into another NYT puzzle today. With such friendly letters, it's clearly going to outshine all the other planets in crosswords. How do we know it's a dwarf planet? Because it only satisfies the first two of the three requirements for a planet:
is it in orbit around the Sun? [yes]
has it sufficient mass to assume a nearly round shape [yes, good job Eris]
has it "cleared the neighbourhood" around its orbit [no - sorry Eris, you're a dwarf]
The Rest
1a diet plate {Reduced fare?}; 10a a bit {Not much}; 16a tori {Bagels, essentially}; 18a aloe {Eczema treater}; 19a Yer {"___ Blues" (track on the Beatles' "White Album")}; 20a was I snoring? {Response to being elbowed, maybe}; 24a tee {Driver's helper}; 25a trivia {Kind of question}; 26a G-clef {Indicator of high-level staff?}; 28a dryad {Companion for Pan}; 30a -ism {Suffix with 49-Across}; 31a eolith {Prehistoric stone tool}; 33a salivate {Show great anticipation}; 35a tree {Home for a 28-Across}; 38a machismo {Bruiser's display}; 42a sanest {Maximally balanced}; 46a AMA {Professional grp. with its own insurance agency}; 47a lit up {Visibly elated}; 49a lyric {Part of a number}; 50a moppet {Tyke}; 52a tos {Set-___}; 59a Obie {Dramatic honor}; 60a neutrality {Beige attribute}; 62a taco {It's folded before dinner}; 63a theatrical {Staged}; 65a ill at ease {Restive}.
1d drayage {Certain hauling fee}; 2d Ionesco {"The Bald Soprano" playwright, 1950}; 3d egg roll {It's stuffed in a restaurant}; 4d tel. {Letterhead abbr.}; 5d prow {Ship part}; 7d abased {Brought down}; 8d Teniers {Surname of three generations of Flemish old masters}; 10d Atari {Maker of the Lynx and Jaguar systems}; 11d Bolivia {Where Quechua is spoken}; 12d ironist {Writer whose words are twisted?}; 13d tie game {Outcome disallowed by the N.H.L. in 2005}; 15d Tantalus {Victim of terrible teasing}; 21d ordinal {Second, e.g.}; 32d hesitant {Waffling}; 34d vinyl {Part of some audiophiles' collections}; 36d EMT {One making a journey with a gurney}; 38d mammoth {Bigger than big}; 39d amoebae {Shape shifters?}; 40d caprice {Fancy}; 41d outduel {Best in a one-on-one}; 43d erotica {Body art?}; 44d siestas {Followers of some meals}; 48d portal {Way in}; 51d preop {Before making the cut?}; 53d Serta {Option at Sleepy's}; 56d Nehi {Orange, peach or strawberry product}; 57d wart {Imperfection}; 61d lie {Interrogator's red-flag raiser}.
This Friday New York Times crossword turned out to be a real nightmare. I was hoping to break the 30 minute barrier soon, but no way was it going to be with this one: in the end, I was just glad to finish at all, because at times I thought I'd need outside help.
Every part of the grid had its challenges, but the SE corner was my nemesis, with all three long acrosses offering no hope of solution. For a long time, I just had the help of one down answer - Roys - and was grateful for that; I think it was tenable that finally unlocked things for me, but a clue like "Sound" doesn't offer much to go on, so it took a while ...
Solving time: 50 mins (no cheating) Clue of the puzz: 59d lap {Provider of PC support}
15a Isak Dinesen {"Babette's Feast" author, 1950}. Isak Dinesen was the pen name of Danish authoress Karen Blixen (1885–1962). Perhaps better known for Out of Africa (1985), her earlier book Babette's Feast was also made into a movie, which won the Best Foreign Film Oscar in 1987.
29a Jason {Husband of a sorceress, in myth}. It didn't surprise me when Jason turned up as the answer, although I couldn't recall who he was married to. Researches confirm Medea was the bride and there are some great pre-Raphaelite paintings of the pair, such as this one by John William Waterhouse.
43a Ellen {First name of two first ladies}. Ellen ... hmm ... now who could they be? Prizes for anyone knowing Ellen Arthur (1837–1880) and Ellen Louise Wilson (1860–1914).
48a James Dean {Actor who said "Only the gentle are ever really strong"}. I suspected this would be a quote from one of James Dean's movies, but I gather these are his own words. Only problem is I can't find out the context in which he said them. If you know, please tell me!
57a All About Eve {1950 movie on which the musical "Applause" is based}. All About Eve is a well-known movie title and I think I saw this recently with Magdalen. However, I didn't know that it was the inspiration for Applause (which opened in 1970) and that's what counted here. All this made the SE corner a bit of a nightmare for me.
61a nei {Verdi's "___ giardin del bello"}. I had much the same problem as in the previous clue: I know the opera Don Carlos fairly well, but couldn't reel off the arias in it. In Nei giardin del bello aka The Veil Song, Princess Eboli sings about a king with the seven-year itch who courts a mysterious veiled lady who, when the veil is lifted, turns out to be his wife. Here's the lovely Elīna Garanča to sing it.
24d Lyin' Eyes {What "you can't hide" per a 1975 Eagles hit}. Lyin' Eyes was the second single from the One of These Nights album and was the only country music hit for the Eagles till How Long in 2007-2008.
44d Lamarr {Strange woman player in "The Strange Woman," 1946}. The Strange Woman (1946) is too obscure to have a Wikipedia page, so here we are linking to IMDB. It's a vehicle for its star Hedy Lamarr, who portrays a scheming woman that plays with the lives of three men in Bangor, ME. I can't see Hedy Lamarr now without thinking of Hedley Lamarr from Blazing Saddles.
46d Mineta {2001-06 secretary of transportation}. Asian American Norman Mineta is unusual in being the only Democrat to serve in George W. Bush's cabinet.
Noteworthy
1a hasta mañana {South-of-the-border sign-off}. I knew hasta mañana (until tomorrow) from somewhere and found it very helpful in breaking open the NW corner. I have vague recollections of an ABBA number.
28a Tey {"Miss Pym Disposes" mystery novelist}. Elizabeth Mackintosh (1896–1952) was wise in her choice of pseudonym, if appearing in crosswords was the aim: she comes up two or three times a year in the NYT. The one book I've read of hers is The Franchise Affair based on a historical case of Elizabeth Canning, who pretended to have been kidnapped.
31a Imus {Big name in radio}. I came across Don Imus in a previous puzzle and was glad to remember the surname: it's not one you'd have thought existed. His current show Imus in the Morning started in 1971 and appears to have courted controversy.
14d grossest {Least refined}. I wrongly guessed crassest to begin with, which proved a major stumbling block in the NE corner.
37d Eva Marie {Saint of acting}. The one role I can remember Eva Marie Saint playing, and it's a great one, is Eve Kendall in North by Northwest.
50d slugs {Not-always-taken tokens}. I had to ask Magdalen's opinion on this one: our conclusion is this refers to cheating slot machines of various kinds by using "slugs" - fake coins or tokens - that may or may not fool the technology inside.
59d lap {Provider of PC support}. A great clue which held me up for ages. Again, it might have been better with a question mark at the end, since not all PCs are laptops ... and not all laptops are supported on a lap. I still haven't quite got my head around the definition-by-example idiom in American puzzles - when is it OK to leave out the question mark and when not??
The Rest
12a mpg {Consumption meas.}; 16a err {Cause an interception, e.g.}; 17a rant and rave {Carry on}; 18a zoo {Where the wild things are?}; 19a est {Round number, maybe: Abbr.}; 20a mere {Piddling}; 21a gluts {Market surpluses}; 23a reels {Cassette components}; 25a eulogizes {Speaks about gravely?}; 30a page {Calendar unit}; 33a slashes {They may go forward or backward}; 35a open it {Present day demand?}; 38a outset {Origin}; 39a lived to {Reached the age of}; 41a taxi {See 56-Across}; 42a dray {Horse-pulled vehicle}; 45a cmd. {Mil. authority}; 50a skirt {Get around}; 52a Ecash {Direct deposits, e.g.}; 53a marl {Earthy deposit}; 55a NIH {Fed. agency with an annual almanac}; 56a air {With 41-Across, it makes short hops}; 62a Pearly Gates {Setting of many New Yorker cartoons}; 63a SSE {Jacksonville-to-Daytona Beach dir.}; 64a express lane {Something to pass in}.
1d hirer {Engaging sort}; 2d as a set {How dishes are often sold}; 3d Santee {South Carolina river to the Atlantic}; 4d tkt {Conductor's request: Abbr.}; 5d Adams {___ apple}; 6d mine {Elevator locale}; 7d Andreas {Two-time Greek P.M. Papandreou}; 8d Nereus {Mythical Aegean Sea dweller}; 10d Nev. {Home of the Black Rock Desert: Abbr.}; 11d an egg {Lay ___}; 12d mezuzahs {Jewish parchment scrolls put on doorposts}; 13d protégée {She has a personal trainer}; 22d lipstick {Contents of a cylindrical case}; 26d Los {L.A.P.D. division?}; 27d on loan {Out, in a way}; 29d jutted {Stuck (out)}; 32d mid {Morning or night lead-in}; 34d aux {Dumas's "La Dame ___ Camélias"}; 35d old jeans {They may be patched}; 36d piracies {Crimes on the high seas}; 40d olé {Shout to someone in danger of getting stuck}; 41d tenable {Sound}; 47d driven {Motivated}; 49d shape {Straighten (up)}; 51d These {1995 Bon Jovi album "___ Days"}; 54d Roys {Artist Lichtenstein and others}; 58d Lex {Big Apple ave.}; 60d tal {"Qué ___?" (José's "How's it going?")}.
Think of one word that starts with "te" and another word that starts with "st" — and they're synonyms. Hint: The "te" word has two syllables; the "st" word has one.
Well, which of the following (arguably) right answers did you pick?
STRESS & TENSION
STRAIN & TENSION
STORM & TEMPEST
My suspicion is that Stress & Tension is the "right" answer, but that Strain & Tension will be accepted. I predict Will will dismiss Storm & Tempest on the grounds that a tempest is a specific sort of storm, so they are not synonymous. I also sent in Stamp & Tender -- Ross gave it to me, so complain to him -- and I'm assured that they share the meaning of . . .
{cue the crickets}
Well, folks, I guess we struck out on that one -- I had assumed it had some Spenserian meaning that was connected with the reason bank notes are "legal tender." But when asked for a more precise meaning, our very own Crosswordman admitted defeat. I did warn him I'd rag on him, but only because he's normally very very precise about such things.
Here are the answers to the value-added puzzle for this week: Think of two-word phrases where the first word starts with MA and the second word starts RE. Here are the definitions:
Polling the customers Market Research
Prepare Make Ready
Technology used in brain scans Magnetic Resonance
What a UPC is Machine Readable
What an Isabel Allende novel is likely to contain Magical Realism
Laid off staff, in England Made redundant
What a couples counselor might talk about Marital relations
What identical twins might have Marked resemblance
What a ratio is Mathematical relationship
And, in light of the theme of this week (stress? tension? strife?), I've entitled this post accordingly. See you Sunday!
After a fairly easy start to the week, things got a lot tougher with this Thursday New York Times crossword. I normally start in the NW corner, but didn't get enough answers there to pin down the theme. delivery data helped establish what was going on, reinforced by Rubik's Cuba.
I thought there was some great cluing, though when the constructor pushes the envelope a bit, there are usually one or two clues where the wording gets a little too strained in the attempt to beguile, mislead or entertain. I thought that happened here with the étude clue, because there's no reason to assume a pianist will use a bench as opposed to a stool or ordinary chair.
Solving time: 14 mins (no cheating) Clue of the puzz: 58d rob {Take the wrong way?}
Theme
Phrases with a final E turned into an A, making a pun:
17a Nurse's Aida {Hospital employee's role as an opera girl?} ... Aide 26a Name That Tuna {What Starkist decided to do for "Charlie"?} ... Tune 43a delivery data {A girl, born 8:48 a.m., weighing 6 pounds 13 ounces, e.g.?} ... date 58a Rubik's Cuba {Where a Hungarian toy inventor vacations in the Caribbean?} ... Cube
15a oboe {Cousin of a heckelphone}. What the heck is a heckelphone? Turns out to be a supersized oboe, the baritone of the reed section. It's about four feet long and heavy, so rests on the floor. Wilhelm Heckel and sons introduced it in 1904, and heckelphones were used sporadically by composers such as Richard Strauss (it is called for his early operas Salome and Elektra).
35a sis {Boom preceder}. A reference to a cheer never heard in the UK: "sis boom bah". This apparently started out as the "Locomotive" cheer at a Princeton game in the 1880s, simulating a steam engine getting under way:
60a Thom {McAn of footwear}. Thom McAn seemingly was a major shoe retailer throughout the USA, but its stores were gradually closed in the 1990s and it is now just a shoe brand sold at Kmart. The brand was originally named for a Scottish golfer Thomas McCann, about whom I can find out very little. This all makes me wonder if there aren't better Thoms to reference, in light of the retailer's contraction.
64a Beth {1976 top 10 hit for Kiss}. Beth, originally released on their 1976 album Destroyer, is the highest-charting single for Kiss.
65a Liddy {Talk radio's G. Gordon __}. The name rang a bell for reasons other than talk radio and it seems the G. Gordon Liddy that served time for his role in the Watergate break-ins is indeed now one of the offerings on our XM Satellite Radio (specifically channel 166, if you want to know what to avoid).
3d Aaron {Singer Neville}. I couldn't have told you if this was Neville Aaron or Aaron Neville. The latter it seems - Aaron is a soul and R&B man who debuted in 1966 with "Tell It Like It Is".
49d Gould {Creator of "Dick Tracy"}. Dick Tracy started out as a comic strip created by cartoonist Chester Gould in 1931. Gould produced the strip until 1977, but the character lives on in other media. The latest movie starred Warren Beatty in 1990.
52d Pete {Black ___, archnemesis of Mickey Mouse}. I'd doubtless seen Black Pete many times, but didn't remember the name. In fact, Disney used various appellations for the character, including Mighty Pete, Peg-Leg Pete, Bad Pete, Big Pete, Big Bad Pete, Black Pete and Peter Pete. Here he is as Peg-Leg Pete in 1929:
Noteworthy
16a Mira {Oscar winner Sorvino}. As a Woody Allen fan, I naturally think of Mira Sorvino as Linda Ash in Mighty Aphrodite (1995), for which she won her Best Supporting Actress Oscar.
36a amen {Grace period?}. amen appears a lot as an answer, but fortunately has plenty of scope for variety in cluing.
47a umps {You might be safe with them}. I'm starting to get wise to these baseball references now.
56a obi {Band from Japan}. Neat clue, misleading you into thinking of musicians or maybe Samurai. This band is a waist band.
1d ranis {Indian royalty}. A bit of a mean clue, because you can't tell if the answer's in the singular or plural. I had rajah, then ranee until finally seeing what the answer must be.
2d étude {Exercise performed on a bench}. If I've understood the clue right, I'm not too happy with it: bench misleads you into thinking of gymnastics, but in reality is a piano bench. That would be OK, but piano players don't necessarily have a bench - they might have a stool. The clue could have done with a question mark at the end? Anyway, here's a young player who definitely does perform on a bench:
11d piecrusts {Cobbler bottoms}. It was easy to get as far as piec____ with this and think it had to start piece___. Based on my dictionaries, cobblers have a thick crust covering the fruit as well as (or even instead of) forming a base.
55d abet {Support when one shouldn't}; 58d rob {Take the wrong way?}. These two wonderful clues sit together nicely, both referring to criminal activities.
The Rest
1a reads {Examines a passage}; 6a cays {Low islands}; 10a IPOs {Some Morgan Stanley announcements, for short}; 14a Atari {Maker of Gauntlet and Area 51}; 19a peer {Lord, e.g.}; 20a I do {Swear words?}; 21a Serta {Mattress brand}; 22a cocoa {Tiramisu topper}; 23a senates {Locales for some orators}; 25a Barr {Attorney general before Reno}; 31a halos {Circles overhead?}; 34a ions {Carbonium and others}; 37a tapes {Hard-to-refute evidence in court}; 39a stns. {Boarding zones: Abbr.}; 40a nix {Veto}; 41a mops {Does some floor work}; 42a upset {In turmoil}; 48a emerged {Came out}; 52a paths {Trajectories}; 54a salon {Where some dye for a living}; 57a echo {Hollow response}; 61a ores {Valuable deposits}; 62a idler {Goof-off}; 63a Eyre {Orphan of literature}.
4d Drs. {Vets, e.g.: Abbr.}; 5d siestas {Shop-closing occasions}; 6d coarse {Not cultured}; 7d a bit {Slightly}; 8d Yoda {His planet of exile is Dagobah}; 9d sea {Last word of "America the Beautiful"}; 10d import {BMW, e.g.}; 12d Oreo {Three-layer snack}; 18d seem {"... bad as they ___"}; 22d cats {Burmese and others}; 24d anon {Not long from now}; 25d bans {Most of the Ten Commandments, basically}; 27d tipsy {A little stiff?}; 28d hoe {Furrow maker}; 30d asst. {Number two: Abbr.}; 31d hand {Full house, e.g.}; 32d amie {Gérard's girlfriend}; 37d toes {Pirouette points}; 38d Apr. {Shower time: Abbr.}; 39d spar {Train in a ring}; 41d MVPs {Court stars, maybe, in brief}; 42d utensil {Knife, e.g.}; 44d I'm home! {Returnee's "hello!"}; 45d delish! {"Yum!"}; 46d amok {Every which way}; 50d ebbed {Fell back}; 51d diary {Holder of secrets, often}; 53d achy {Sore}; 54d sure {"You betcha!"}; 59d CDI {Year Saint Innocent I became pope}.
