Jan. 8

Deepest apologies, but I’m on vacation at a place that does not carry the NYT. There are, however, a lot of lizards. Crossword clue might be: “Island where Papiamento is spoken” (5 letters).

See you next week, when I’ll post on both the Jan. 8 and Jan, 15 puzzles. Happy solving!

New York Times crossword Jan. 1 / Constructed by Patrick Berry

Happy New Year!

Hmmmmmm. I suspect today’s fairly easy puzzle was designed for solvers with wicked hangovers. Each theme answer took a common phrase but added a phonetic “um” syllable to the end _ a literal interpretation of the “add-end-um” title.

So a “Pool ball’s ‘Watch this!’ comment?” is SEE IF I CAROM (18 Across), and a “High-mounted window you can’t stop looking at?” is a HYPNOTIC TRANSOM (23 Across).

Others: STEM TO STERNUM (“Part of a watch touching the breastbone?” 32 Across); OFFICE MAXIM (“‘You don’t have to be busy to look bust,’ e.g.?” 46 Across); SILICON VALIUM (“Pill that relieves computer related anxiety?” 59 Across); BRUTE FOURSOME (“Inhuman group of golfers?” 71 Across); HEAD OF HAREM (“Sultan’s wife, perhaps?” 81 Across); THE LION’S DENIM (“Jungle king’s jeans and overalls?” 99 Across); PARTICLE BOREDOM (“Ennui among quantum physicists?” 110 Across); and PIE A LA MODEM (“Dessert delivered over the Internet?” 116 Across).

Need more Ms? How about 17 Down, “Candy eaten in handfuls”? Answer: M AND M’S.

Mummers Parade, New Year's Day 2012, Philadelphia

Common Answer, Uncommon Clue Dept.: “Best-selling author who wrote ‘I did not write it. God wrote it. I merely did his dictation’” is Harriet Beecher STOWE (29 Down), who penned “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.”

Auld Lang Syne Dept.: Hope you indulged in a sip of MUMM (“Big name in Champagne,” 83 Down) to ring in the New Year! Or maybe you caught Justin Bieber covering the Beatles (oy vey!) on “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” to see if the ball was “About ready to drop” (BEAT, 94 Down). Hope you had a “Great time” (EON, 113 Down) and not a “Bad experience” (BUMMER, 94 Across) on New Year’s Eve.

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

New York Times crossword Dec. 25 / Constructed by Elizabeth C. Gorski

UPDATE: Hello again, this time from my kitchen table in Philadelphia. We’ve had two Christmases so far  – here and in Boston — and have been lucky enough to be invited for a fabulous dinner across the street, so I’ll keep this brief.

Today’s theme was a Christmas two-fer: A sweet theme topped by a connect-the-dots. The key was figuring out 91 Across, “With 100-Across, image revealed by connecting the circled letters alphabetically.” The answer: GINGERBREAD MAN.

The spicy treat was central to several other clues: “16th-century monarch credited with presenting 91-/100-Acrosses to guests” is ELIZABETH (105 Down); “‘The 91-/100-Across,’ for one” is a FAIRY TALE (110 Down); “Aid for making a 91-/100-Across” is a COOKIE CUTTER (16 Down); “91-/100-Across, often” is a TREE ORNAMENT  (4 Down); “Decoration on a 91-/100-Across” is ICING (76 Across); and a “2001 film in which 91-/100-Across is a character” is SHREK. (Although there actually is a movie called “The Gingerbread Man” with Kenneth Branagh, a thriller definitely not associated with the classic children’s tale of the same name. And neither is to be confused with “The Gingerdead Man” starring Gary Busey: “Evil never tasted so good.” Oy vey.)

There were many other Christmas-themed answers. “‘Scrooged’ actor Robert” is MITCHUM (13 Across), though I’m sure that’s probably not the movie he’d prefer to be remembered for; “Arthur Honegger’s ‘A Christmas ____’” is CANTATA (1 Across); “‘Unto us ___ is given’” is A SON (58 Across); “Prepare, as eggnog” is STIR (132 Across); “Partridge’s preferred tree” is a PEAR (133 Across); “Elves, to Santa: Abbr.” are ASSTS (32 Down); “Relaxer for Santa” is HOT MILK (117 Down); “‘Miracle on 34th Street,’ e.g.” is MOVIE (96 Across); “‘Santa Baby’ singer” is KITT (42 Down); “How Santa’s reindeer are harnessed” is IN PAIRS (83 Down); and “Plopped down on Santa’s lap, e.g.” is SAT (114 Down).

Hanukkah Shout-Out: For those who are celebrating the Festival of Lights, all I can offer is 94 Down, “___ B’rith” — BNAI.

Philly Shout-Out: “Approach like an eagle” is SWOOP IN (26 Across), which I’m sure wasn’t written to refer to the Philadelphia Eagles, but I’m feeling charitable. They beat Dallas on the road yesterday, which is always nice, but it was all for naught: They were eliminated from the playoffs with a Giants win. The season was pretty much a disaster, though to their credit they didn’t throw in the towel after a miserable start; they may yet make .500 when it once looked like they’d be lucky to hit .300.

Happy Holidays Dept.: Hope you enjoyed the puzzle, my post and your holiday season! In other words, hope you are like the Gingerbread Man in today’s puzzle: ALL SMILES (“Clearly happy, 26 Across).

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

EARLIER: Merry Christmas from Logan airport in Boston! Solved today’s puzzle in the waiting area but am only posting a photo for now. It’s too hard to blog from my iPhone, so I’ll write a full post once we’re back in Philly.

New York Times crossword Dec. 18 / Constructed by Patrick Merrell

Mobile blogging today from somewhere between Philadelphia and Lancaster, Pa., where we (finally!) redeemed a gift card for a Bed & Breakfast that a generous friend gave us as a wedding present … two years ago. It was worth the wait. If you’re ever out in Amish country, check out the Silverstone Inn & Suites.

In keeping with my Amish weekend, today’s puzzle had a plain and simple theme: Add an “A” to a common phrase and turn it into something different. So “Dislike of the son of Mary, Queen of Scots?” is a KING JAMES AVERSION (22 Across), while “Catwalk no-show?” is a RUNAWAY MODEL (31 Across).

Others: GENTLE AMEN (“Soft-spoken prayer ending?” 45 Across); AMASS MEDIA (“Build a publishing empire?” 48 Across); PEPPER ACORN (“Practical joke used on squirrels?” 66 Across); AROUND ROBINS (“Where worms don’t last long?” 103 Across); and ANABOLIC ASTEROIDS (“What black holes swallow to bulk up?” 116 Across).

The theme also included a reference to my favorite rib place when I was a kid, though I haven’t seen one in ages: TONY AROMAS (“What sweaty dancers create at an annual awards show?” 87 Across). And in a fun coincidence, I was at a coffee shop at the Strasburg Railroad – and across the street from the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania – when I solved 90 Across: “Rush to get on the train?”: DART ABOARD.

"Rush to get on the train?" is DART ABOARD (90 Across). Photo by Jim MacMillan at the Strasburg Railroad.

The puzzle title was a stealth theme answer: “Again?” is really “‘A’ Gain,” because the theme answers “gain” an “A.”

Philly Shout-Outs Dept.: “Catholic university in Philly” is ST. JOE’S (78 Across). Now La Salle is jealous! Not to mention Villanova, though technically it’s in the ‘burbs. Also, everyone here knows that WAWA (“Drink for a toddler,” 32 Down) is the granddaddy of all convenience stores.

Four-Legged Friends (Or Not) Dept.: “Shoe named for a cat” is PUMA (67 Down), while “One who works with canines” is a DENTIST (93 Down).

For Fun Dept.: “They’re often sold by the dozen” are RED ROSES (91 Down); “Geoffrey the Giraffe’s store” is TOYS R US (72 Down); and a “Brit’s bumbershoot” is a BROLLY (17 Down). Translation: an umbrella.

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

New York Times crossword Dec. 11 / Constructed by Timothy Polin

Is that music I hear? Today’s puzzle is another reason to thank my mom for making me take piano lessons when I was young. A basic knowledge of sheet music made me realize that various squares in the grid contain symbols pertaining to musical notes: sharps, flats and naturals. That’s how constructor Timothy Polin squeezed PENCIL (SHARP)ENERS into 26 Across (“Little shavers at school?”), crossing it with JEW(S HARP) (“Instrument played in the mouth,” 6 Down).

I found the crossword enjoyably challenging, but I wonder if the theme was too esoteric for those with tin ears or no formal music lessons. Even the title tested my memory of music terminology: a “half-step” from a natural G note would be G flat or G sharp. (I wish I could explain it better, but my last sustained exposure to music was playing the clarinet in 8th grade Beginning Winds.) And, to be honest, while I could picture the notations for sharps and flats, I couldn’t for the life of me remember the symbol for a natural note. So I just drew a box as a placeholder.

Other SHARPS: RAZOR (SHARP) (“Like trenchant wit,” 39 Across), crossing with (SHARP) SET (“Fixed at an acute angle,” 44 Down); KEEP A (SHARP) LOOKOUT (“Play sentinel,” 59 Across), crossing with (SHARP)EIS (“Wrinkly-faced dogs,” 60 Down); CARD (SHARP)S (“Bottom dealers, perhaps,” 70 Down), crossing with (SHARP)IE (“Trademarked marker,” 93 Across); and (SHARP) OBJECTS (“Dangers for children and klutzes,” 106 Across), crossing with (SHARP)TON (“Al who sought the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination,” 106 Down).

FLATS: (FLAT)WARE (“Knives, forks and spoons, 1 Across), crossing with (FLAT) TOP (“Aircraft carrier, 1 Down); O(F LAT)E (“Just recently,” 32 Across), crossing with (FLAT)TERER (“Sycophant,” 33 Down); HYPER-IN(FLAT)ION (“Economic woe,” 65 Across), crossing with (FLAT)LY (“Way to refuse,” 68 Down); (FLAT) EARTH SOCIETY (“Group that doesn’t believe in revolution?” 76 Across), crossing with (FLAT) CAR (“Part of a freight train,” 76 Down); and (FLAT) FEE (“Fixed price,” 86 Across), crossing with (FLAT)TED NOTE (“F major has just one,” 86 Down).

NATURALS: (NATURAL) HABITAT (“Where a plant or animal thrives,” 12 Across), crossing with (NATURAL) CAUSES (“There’s no foul play when one passes by these,” 12 Down); ALL (NATURAL) (“Organic food label,” 36 Down), crossing with PRETER(NATURAL) (“Extraordinary and unexplainable,” 57 Across); (NATURAL) LAKE (“Body of water in a volcanic crater, for example,” 75 Across), crossing with (NATURAL) SELECTION (“‘The Origin of Species’ concept,” 75 Down); and (NATURAL) BORN CITIZEN (“Immigrant’s opposite,” 111 Across), crossing with (NATURAL) GAS (“Piped fuel,” 111 Down).

Where In The World? Dept.: I knew almost immediately that 95 Down, “It’s found near the toe of a boot,” referred to SICILY. But my geographic knowledge failed me with 88 Across, “Walled city of Spain,” and the crossing clue at 78 Down was no help: “Samoan port.” I guessed AVILA and APIA, respectively, and they turned out to be right.

New Knowledge Dept.: I was not familiar with the terms LABILE (“Apt to change,” 97 Down) and crossing word ALETTE (“Doorway jamb,” 120 Across).

Double Dose Dept.: “Potpourri” is both a HASH (48 Across) and an OLIO (42 Down).

Short Stacks Dept.: “Links chain” is IHOP (38 Down) — the International House of Pancakes, which serves sausage links.

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