NYT Thursday 8/19/10 Kristian House - Solution

Here is the solution for the New York Times crossword puzzle dated Thursday August 19, 2010.. This is an abbreviated post, as I am currently in holiday mode while family visit from the UK. Full commentaries will resume on August 22.

Solving time: 12 mins (solo, no solving aids)
Clue of the puzz: 48a net loss {Figure in red}

Solution

Grid art by Sympathy [about the grid colors]

Theme

Two-part phrases in which each part can be preceded by head, as indicated by 33a headfirst {Impetuously ... or what can go on each part of the answer to each starred clue?}.

16a game hunter {*One on safari}cf head game, headhunter
20a set piece {*Part of stage scenery}cf headset, headpiece
26a phone line {*What a cell doesn't need}cf headphone, headline
43a stone-cold {*Absolutely}cf headstone, head cold
49a landlock {*Cut off from water}cf headland, headlock
54a bandmaster {*Person with a baton}cf headband, headmaster

Crucimetrics [about Crucimetrics]

Compilers	Kristian House / Will Shortz
Grid	15x15 with 38 (16.9%) black squares
Answers	72 (average length 5.19)
Theme squares	65 (34.8%)
Scrabble points	301 (average 1.61)
Letters used	ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
Feature	Pangrammatic

Other Clues

1a taco {Dish that might come with mole sauce}; 5a straw {Item sometimes having an elbow}; 10a toi {"L'Amour avec ___" (French love song)}; 13a on an {___ open road}; 14a Viola {Lover of Orsino in "Twelfth Night"}; 15a Eriq {Actor La Salle}; 18a melt {Alternative to a B.L.T.}; 19a Remy {Rat in "Ratatouille"}; 22a scraped {Just got (by)}; 25a Santas {Staples of holiday displays}; 29a leant {Inclined}; 30a Ayn {Objectivist Rand}; 31a mood {Kind of lighting}; 32a engs. {Some R.P.I. grads}; 36a Ajax {Popular cleanser}; 38a easy {"Calm down, big fella"}; 39a rue {Want to take back, say}; 42a stent {Surgical tube}; 46a Eragon {2003 Christopher Paolini fantasy best seller}; 48a net loss {Figure in red}; 52a Taft {Chief justice before Hughes}; 53a Dino {Rat Pack nickname}; 58a one g {Force felt on earth, for short}; 59a enemy {The Joker, to Batman}; 60a sort {Common computer instruction}; 61a mss. {Things read by 41-Down}; 62a Leeza {Host Gibbons of "Hollywood Confidential"}; 63a apse {Recess}.

1d tog {Dress (up)}; 2d anarchy {"___ is the only slight glimmer of hope": Mick Jagger}; 3d Cameron {Best Director of 1997, and Best Director nominee of 2009}; 4d one-man {Kind of army or show}; 5d SVU {"Law & Order: ___"}; 6d tin {Part of bronze}; 7d rots {Spoils}; 8d alee {How the helm might be put}; 9d warts {Targets of salicylic acid}; 10d tree tag {Arboreal marker}; 11d oilcans {Garage refuse}; 12d IQ test {Measure of brainpower}; 15d eminent {Renowned}; 17d hype {Ballyhoo}; 21d pales {Hardly measures up}; 22d spa {Hydrotherapy spot}; 23d Elma {Town outside of Buffalo}; 24d diodes {Circuit components}; 27d no-fat {Words on some diet food labels}; 28d Edison {"___, the Man," 1940 biopic starring Spencer Tracy}; 33d hangdog {Abject}; 34d extol {Laud}; 35d Ryne {Hall-of-Famer Sandberg}; 36d A trains {Carriers from northern Manhattan to Far Rockaway}; 37d Jeannes {Actresses Crain and Tripplehorn}; 39d roof-top {Like the last Beatles concert, 1969}; 40d ulsters {Heavy overcoats}; 41d eds. {Those who read 61-Across}; 42d seldom {Scarcely}; 44d Etta {"At Last" singer James}; 45d class A {Topnotch}; 47d Nobel {Prize won by Einstein and Yeats}; 50d cane {Prop for Winston Churchill}; 51d knee {Banjo site?}; 55d DMZ {No man's land, briefly}; 56d Mýa {One-named singer of the 1998 hit "It's All About Me"}; 57d rte. {Hwy.}.