October 4, 2011
Ed Sessa
Theme: Kinky sex … oh wait, no …. — The last word of each theme answer is a type of prop used by Harry Houdini.
Theme answers:
- 20A: Understand how things are done (KNOW THE ROPES).
- 36A: Places to see links (FRENCH CUFFS).
- 42A: Simple floral garlands (DAISY CHAINS).
- 58A: Stage name of Ehrich Weiss, for whom the ends of 20-, 36- and 42-Across were props (HARRY HOUDINI).
Did you all see Joon on Jeopardy last night? Pretty exciting! The good news for anyone who missed it is that he'll be back on tonight. (I guess that's pretty good news for Joon himself too.) Those of you who did see the show last night might have chuckled, like I did, at 1-Across. Joon missed the first of his three Daily Doubles the correct answer to which was LAMB (1A: Its "fleece was white as snow"). In his defense, the reference on the show wasn't quite as simple as a nursery rhyme. But it was about someone named Mary. Weird how stuff like that happens.But now let's turn our attention to Dr. Sessa. Nice solid Tuesday puzzle with a interesting theme and a wholly inappropriate sub-theme. I'm sorry. I don't usually highlight all the double entendre–type entries in a grid, because I don't like to get all nasty, but I really can't help it today.
I mean, come on … we've got ROPES, CUFFS, and CHAINS in the theme. There's no way I'm not going to raise an eyebrow at KAMA (Sutra), SLID, SLIT, T-BONED, LICKS, BLEW IT, PUSH and NOT ONCE. No way around it, guys; sorry for the stumble into the gutter.I had the most trouble over on the eastern seaboard where I entered SIMPLE where SIMILE was supposed to go (31A: As plain as day, e.g.). I can't be the only one who did that. That P caused all kinds of problems, but it eventually worked itself out.
Bullets:
- 18A: Got one's uniform dirty, maybe (SLID). For some reason I was picturing a nurse's uniform here and couldn't make sense of this. Duh. It's baseball. By the way, PuzzleSon played his first baseball game in several years last weekend and hit a stand-up, RBI double. He felt pretty good about himself.
- 54A: Broadsided (T-BONED). I had actually never heard this term used in this way until PuzzleHusband was involved in a car accident earlier this year in which his car was T-BONED. (Lots of damage to the car; no damage to the husband.)
- 65A: "__ Three Lives": TV oldie (I LED). Since I had no idea, I wanted this answer to end in an S, like "[Somebody's] Three Lives."
- 1D: The home team gets the last ones (LICKS). I do not know what this means.
- 2D: Hersey's "A Bell For __" (ADANO). A little high-end crosswordese to add to your repertoire. We've talked about it here on the blog before. I Ne-Ever remember this one until I have a couple crosses in place.
- 5D: Former Asian state known for goat wool (KASHMIR). Oh yeah. You know what's coming.
- 27D: Pasta topper (PESTO). Mmm, pesto ….
- 43D: Steinway alternatives (YAMAHAS). Okay, I have wondered this for probably 40 years now. Is the YAMAHA that makes pianos the same YAMAHA that makes motorcycles? I literally think of that question every time I see a reference to either the pianos or the motorcycles and I've never bothered to look it up. Well, that ends today. Let's see … what does Wikipedia have to say? …. Okay, interesting. Yes, it's the same company. Kind of. Yamaha Corporation is the parent company and Yamaha Motor Company is part of that conglomerate. Yamaha Corporation began as a manufacturer of pianos and organs and — get this! — their logo is made up of three tuning forks. That's awesome. Who knew?
- 47A: Fair-hiring initials (EEO).
- 64A: Long, long time (AEON).
- 67A: Pear variety (BOSC).
- 2D: Hersey's "A Bell For __" (ADANO).
- 6D: Wheel holder (AXLE).
- 30D: Pioneering computer (ENIAC).
Everything — 1A: Its "fleece was white as snow" (LAMB); 5A: __ Sutra (KAMA); 9A: Go with the flow (ADAPT); 14A: Pastoral verse (IDYL); 15A: Pink-slipped (AXED); 16A: Ladies' man (ROMEO); 17A: Nicolas of "Adaptation" (CAGE); 18A: Got one's uniform dirty, maybe (SLID); 19A: Mississippi, e.g. (STATE); 20A: Understand how things are done (KNOW THE ROPES); 23A: Many frozen dinners are high in it (SODIUM); 24A: Taker of vows (NUN); 25A: Def Jam genre (RAP); 28A: Native American group (TRIBE); 31A: As plain as day, e.g. (SIMILE); 33A: Tax pro (CPA); 36A: Places to see links (FRENCH CUFFS); 38A: Friend (ALLY); 40A: Cancún uncle (TIO); 41A: 36-Across opening (SLIT); 42A: Simple floral garlands (DAISY CHAINS); 47A: Fair-hiring initials (EEO); 48A: Forensic facility (DNA LAB); 49A: Spy wear (CLOAK); 51A: Sí or oui (YES); 52A: Do-favor link (ME A); 54A: Broadsided (T-BONED); 58A: Stage name of Ehrich Weiss, for whom the ends of 20-, 36- and 42-Across were props (HARRY HOUDINI); 61A: Wife of Abraham (SARAH); 64A: Long, long time (AEON); 65A: "__ Three Lives": TV oldie (I LED); 66A: Michelangelo work (PIETÀ); 67A: Pear variety (BOSC); 68A: Charity (ALMS); 69A: Suisse peaks (ALPES); 70A: Like an animated Pea? (SWEE'); 71A: Cold-cock (KAYO); 1D: The home team gets the last ones (LICKS); 2D: Hersey's "A Bell For __" (ADANO); 3D: "Nearer, __, to Thee" (MY GOD); 4D: Messed up (BLEW IT); 5D: Former Asian state known for goat wool (KASHMIR); 6D: Wheel holder (AXLE); 7D: Golda of Israel (MEIR); 8D: Supplement (ADD ON); 9D: Poison in some whodunits (ARSENIC); 10D: Kids' book connectables (DOTS); 11D: GP's gp. (AMA); 12D: Gently stroke (PET); 13D: Place for a ring (TOE); 21D: Racetrack surface (TURF); 22D: Door sign (PUSH); 25D: Go through energetically, as drawers (RIFLE); 26D: 1966 Michael Caine title role (ALFIE); 27D: Pasta topper (PESTO); 29D: "Little Women" woman (BETH); 30D: Pioneering computer (ENIAC); 32D: Letters before nus (MUS); 33D: Tea leaves holder (CADDY); 34D: Wood shaver (PLANE); 35D: Fake name (ALIAS); 37D: Slinky's shape (COIL); 39D: Fashion monogram (YSL); 43D: Steinway alternatives (YAMAHAS); 44D: Trucker with a handle (CB'ER); 45D: Never (NOT ONCE); 46D: "Elephant Boy" actor (SABU); 50D: Alaskan brown bear (KODIAK); 53D: Iraqis, usually (ARABS); 55D: Nabisco brand named for its flavor (NILLA); 56D: The Penguin, to Batman (ENEMY); 57D: Playground retort (DID SO); 58D: Can't stand (HATE); 59D: "Ouch!" ("YEOW!"); 60D: Fire truck item (HOSE); 61D: Mineral spring (SPA); 62D: Feel sick (AIL); 63D: Workout unit (REP).