May 26, 2011

Crossword fans, please excuse this short entry. I have to post something with the code TCFHCV3AXRE9 in order to claim my blog on Technorati.com.

See you Sunday.

Kathy

New York Times crossword April 24 / Constructed by Caleb Madison and J.A.S.A. Crossword Class

The title pretty much gave it away today: The theme answers are common phrases tweaked by either adding or subtracting the word “IT.”

Clues that use IT: BIG APPLE CIRCUITS (“Electrical paths in New York City?” 23 Across); LOSE ONE’S MOJITO (“Spill a Cuban drink?” 33 Across); POLITE DANCER (“One who says ‘Beg your pardon’ after stepping on your toes?” 41 Across); and PULPIT FICTION (“Preachers’ lies?” 63 Across).

Clues that lose IT: CENTER OF GRAVY (“What a mashed potato serving may have?” 73 Across); LEARNER’S PERM (“Hairdresser’s first do?” 94 Across); CLASH OF THE TANS (“Author Amy’s family squabble?” 102 Across); and SMOKEY AND THE BAND (“The Miracles?” 117 Across).

CSI: Brentwood Dept.: The clue for 89 Across (“‘___ Did It’ [2007 memoir]“) omitted reference to the book’s tarnished author: O.J. Simpson.

Social Networking Dept.: I never would have known the answer to “Facebook co-founder Saverin” — EDUARDO (38 Down) — had I not seen the stunningly well-crafted film “The Social Network.” Speaking of which, two other characters from the movie (and real life) recently lost a bid to reopen their settlement with Facebook’s other co-founder, Mark Zuckerberg, stemming from their claim that Zuckerberg stole their idea for the site. The Winklevoss twins are appealing.

Cartooning Around Dept.: The wholesome Peanuts and cynical Simpsons were included in the puzzle. “Comics character who said ‘Big sisters are the crab grass in the lawn of life’” is LINUS (82 Down) and “__ Szyslak of ‘The Simpsons’” is MOE (118 Down).

Tone Deaf Dept.: Maybe I’m missing something, but SRO is not an appropriate answer for “Housing for the homeless: Abbr.” (39 Across). And I’m not sure I like the word “homey” in 123 Across, “Homey’s rep” (STREET CRED).

Extra Word Dept.: I think the clue for 83 Across mistakenly contained an extra “of”: “Abbr. unlikely to start of a sentence.” (The answer is ETC.)

Who Knew? Dept.: “Cookie first baked in Manhattan’s Chelsea district” is an OREO (90 Across).

About the Author(s) Dept.: So what exactly is this “J.A.S.A. Crossword Class” sharing credit with constructor Caleb Madison? The NYT crossword blog Wordplay explains that Madison is a young grid whiz who teaches a crossword class called “Get A Clue!” at the Jewish Association of Services for the Aged.

Questions or comments? Leave them here, visit my Facebook page or tweet me @crosswordkathy.

New York Times crossword April 17 / Constructed by Matt Ginsberg

Rim shot, please. Today’s puzzle could have been titled “Real Stand-Up Guys,” since the theme answers are all punch lines to comedians’ jokes. (Actually, that might be stretching it since one of the witticisms is from Stephen King — the horror novelist who has played music clubs with The Rock Bottom Remainders but not comedy clubs, to my knowledge.)

So for those who never thought the NYT crossword could be Comedy Central, here goes:

“I used to do drugs. I STILL DO. BUT I USED TO, TOO.” — Mitch Hedberg (23 Across).

“The car stopped on a dime. Unfortunately, the dime was IN A PEDESTRIAN’S POCKET.” — Anonymous (36 Across).

“I don’t want to achieve immortality through my work. I want to achieve it THROUGH NOT DYING.” — Woody Allen (58 Across). (Just saw a trailer yesterday for his upcoming movie “Midnight in Paris.” Looks like he has ceded his traditional role as the romantic lead to Owen Wilson.)

“Whoever named it necking was A POOR JUDGE OF ANATOMY.” — Groucho Marx (68 Across).

“You know what I hate? Indian givers. NO, I TAKE THAT BACK.” — Emo Philips (79 Across).

“I don’t mean to sound bitter, cold or cruel, but I am, SO THAT’S HOW IT COMES OUT.” — Bill Hicks (101 Across).

And from the aforementioned author macabre: “I have the heart of a small boy. It IS IN A GLASS JAR ON MY DESK.” — Stephen King (120 Across).

I was a little embarrassed to not recognize the names Mitch Hedberg and Bill Hicks. After doing some research, I realized perhaps that was because the end of the line came too soon for them: Hedberg, 37, died in 2005 of “multiple drug toxicity” while Hicks, 32, died of pancreatic cancer in 1994. A 2009 documentary tells his story.

Not Barry Manilow Dept.: The usual clue about a showgirl at the Copa — yielding LOLA — was cleverly replaced with “Bugs Bunny’s girlfriend” (64 Down). Have to admit she was one Looney Tune that I had forgotten.

Habla Espanol? Dept.: “Mayo container?” (131 Across) has nothing to do with condiments but everything to do with the Spanish calendar. It’s ANO. (Imagine a tilde above the N.)

Swanky Bubbles Dept.: “Vintner Claude” (91 Down) is MOET, often shorthand for champagne swilled by the jet set. It never occurred to me it was someone’s name.

Vinyl Dinosaurs Dept.: How long until crossword solvers have no idea that a “Record stat” (78 Down)  is RPM?

Yummy Lunch Dept.: It was funny that NAAN (“Asian flatbread,” 52 Across) crossed with NOON (“Palindromic time, 54 Down).

Questions or comments? Leave them here, visit my Facebook page or tweet me @crosswordkathy.

New York Times crossword April 10 / Constructed by Paula Gamache

Sports fans, beware: This puzzle is not for you. It has NARY (“Not,” 55 Across) a single thing to do with athletics, except for a couple of baseball clues and a golf answer, which I’ll get to later. No, this puzzle is for, well, the word “for” — a synonym of the prefix “pro.”

Constructor Paula Gamache puts a twist on common phrases by inserting the word “for,” such as FORGO COLD TURKEY (“Skip Thanksgiving leftovers?” 23 Across). Others: DO ONE’S FORBIDDING (“Say ‘No,’ ‘Never’ and ‘Uh-uh’?” 30 Across); FORGIVE US THIS DAY (“Plea for immediate absolution?” 47 Across); FORAGE APPROPRIATE (“Like food that’s acceptable to cattle?” 63 Across); PLAY HARD TO FORGET (“Memorable theatrical performance?” 79 Across); GRIN AND FORBEAR IT (“Abstain happily?” 93 Across); and CARRIES A FORTUNE (“Is well-endowed?” 108 Across).

Overall, not a bad theme but kind of … meh. The non-theme clues — especially in the upper-right and lower left corners — gave me the biggest headaches. Took me much longer than it should have.

Disappointed Sports Fans Dept.: The aforementioned baseball clues are 37 Across, “Chacon of the 1960s Mets” — ELIO — and 76 Down, “Giant of old” — OTT, as in Mel. “Driver’s target” is the CUP (41 Down), as any watcher of this weekend’s Masters Tournament can tell you.

Magic Dust Dept.: This puzzle featured both “Kin of fairies” — IMPS (54 Across) — and a plain old “Fairy” — ELF (99 Across). I think the exquisitely delicate and attractive Tinker Bell would take exception to being linked with a homely creature like Dobby the House Elf from Harry Potter.

One Letter Off Dept.: “Kebab go-with” is PILAF (62 Down) while “La Mome ___ (The Little Sparrow)” is PIAF (91 Down), as in French chanteuse Edith.

Thanks for the Laugh Dept.: “Mr. Burns’ teddy bear on ‘The Simpsons’” is BOBO (39 Down), which is a much funnier clue than the only other Bobo reference I know — NYT columnist David Brooks’ book “Bobos in Paradise.”

Getting Old Dept.: When a pop song that I’ve never heard of graces the grid of a Times puzzle, I feel compelled to at least listen to a snippet of it on iTunes. Such was the case with TIK TOK (“2010 chart-topper for Ke$ha,” 12 Down). Didn’t grab me. Maybe it takes more than one listen.

Friendly Reminder Dept.: Taxes are due to the IRS (“Filing org.,” 109 Down) on Friday.

Questions or comments? Leave them here, visit my Facebook page or tweet me @crosswordkathy. (Back on Twitter after two weeks of technical problems!)

New York Times crossword April 3 / Constructed by Oliver Hill and Eliza Bagg

Despite the title and corresponding start of baseball season, this puzzle is not about a former Giants star whose federal trial continues this week in San Francisco. No, today’s crossword is like that “Before & After” category on “Jeopardy” where contestants have to come up with a phrase in which the middle word goes with what comes before and after it. So if the clue from Alex was “Phillies field jewelry,” the question would be a “What is a baseball diamond ring?” (Baseball diamond, diamond ring.)

This crossword puzzle takes the concept a step further by linking the first and last words as well. The example above doesn’t really work (what’s a baseball ring?) but the theme answers in this grid are pretty clever. “Chinese restaurant offering/Wonderland affair/Group on the left?” (23 Across) is a GREEN TEA PARTY: the restaurant offering is green tea; the Wonderland affair (as in “Alice in Wonderland”) is a tea party; and the left-leaning group is the green party.

Others: CRAB CAKE WALK (“Baltimore specialty/Effortless task/Move on all fours with the belly up,” 27 Across); LOW CUT CLASS (“Plunging/Play hooky/Vulgar,” 43 Across); AIR CANADA DRY (“Northern flier/Mixer maker/Put on the line,” 52 Across); DIRTY BLONDE JOKE (“Yellowish brown/Bit of ‘dumb’ humor/Many a forwarded e-mail,” 67 Across); HEAD COLD CASE (“Cause of congestion/Detective’s challenge/Loony,” 87 Across); HONEY POT PIE (“Winnie-the-Pooh possession/Baked entree/Sweetie,” 94 Across); CAT FOOD FIGHT (“Fancy Feast product/Cafeteria outburst/’Mean Girls’ event,” 106 Across); and BLUE STATE BIRD (“Democratic territory/Cardinal, e.g./’Over the Rainbow’ flier,” 119 Across).

Lessons on Philly Dept.: BON JOVI (“‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ band,” 21 Across) is mostly known for that 1980s anthem, big hair and proud Jersey roots. But lead singer Jon Bon Jovi has adopted Philly as a second hometown, with his part-ownership of the Philadelphia Soul arena football team and now its offshoot charitable foundation, which works to build affordable housing and eradicate homelessness.

More Lessons on Philly Dept.: A “Hero” (102 Across) is not a HOAGY, as the grid would have you believe, but a HOAGIE. Anyone from Philadelphia will tell you that. It is HOAGIES, plural, and HOAGIE, singular. Deal with it. (Philly bonus: Blue-eyed soul duo Hall & OATES (“Hall’s partner,” 103 Across) met at Temple University here.)

Looking Back Dept.: I had a few empty squares in last week’s puzzle. Turns out I missed one step of the BALL’s journey toward the split. My update is at the bottom of the post.

Questions or comments? Leave them here or visit my Facebook page.