Friday, January 30 – 22:33

Very enjoyable themeless Friday from Brendan Emmett Quigley.

1A, Woolly bear, eventually – MOTH
5A, City at the foot of Mount Entoto – ADDISABABA
19A, Early 20th-century New York City mayor -SETHLOW
22A, Rule that ended in 1947 – RAJ
34A, It may be mined – DATA
35A, Warnings, to Juan – AVISOS
47A, Cry when you don’t think you’ll make it – WEREDOOMED
52A, Gardener or landscaper – OUTSIDEMAN
59A, Asian lang. – PERS
1D, Noxious vapors – MIASMAS
4D, It has made many people lose their heads – HIGHTREASON
5D, Person in an apron – ACTOR
25D, Briar locale – TOBACCOSHOP
34D, Computer-savvy crowd – DIGERATI
35D, Salamander variety – AXOLOTL
44D, “Phoenissae” playwright – SENECA

Thursday, January 29 – 9:51

Not too hard for a Thursday.  Everything revolves around 66A, but what is it?

17A, See 66-Across – LEGALPROFESSION
25A, See 66-Across – BANISHBYDECREE
35A, See 66-Across – TAPROOM
45A, See 66-Across – UNITOFPRESSURE
58A, See 66-Across – MUSICALNOTATION
66A, Word defined by 17-, 25-, 35-, 45- and 58A – BAR
60D, 66-Across topic – LAW

Tuesday, January 27 – ??:??

Theme answers:

17A, Game with “Out of Gas” cards – MILLEBORNES (hey, Mille Bornes, I used to play that when I was a kid!)
58A, Robert Ludlum protagonist – JASONBOURNE
11D, Heir to a throne, typically – FIRSTBORN
33D, Like the dust in a dust storm – WINDBORNE 

Wednesday, January 28 – 9:59

Oops, closed this one before I logged it, no timing on this one.

17A, Robin Hood’s love – MAIDMARIAN
24A, One at the front desk, perhaps – INNKEEPER
38A, Nail-biter, perhaps – TIEGAMES
49A, Leader deposed in 1955 – JUANPERON

What do these theme answers have in common?  This clue tells us:

60A,  Bearers of a phrase suggested by saying the starts of 17-, 24-, 38- and 49-Across – CHILDSTOYS

So that’s MAID, INN, TIE, JUAN.  Or Made in Taiwan.

Monday, January 26 – 6:05

The three theme answere all have the same clue, “Bad idea!”:

20A, LETSNOTGOTHERE
38A, YOUMUSTBEJOKING
52A, IDIDNTHEARTHAT 

Sunday, January 25 – 19:11

Today’s puzzle is named “Fiddle Dee Dee”, and it means that each theme answer has had a TT sequence changed to DD, making a new punny phrase.

22A, Dairy frivolity – UDDERNONSENSE
40A, Creamy dessert atop a cracker, informally? – PUDDINONTHERITZ
56A, Advice for golfers? – CADDYREMARKS
61A, Measure of reaction to horror? – SHUDDERSPEED
80A, Guardians of a house painters’ celebration? – LADDERDAYSAINTS
102A, Linens purchased through a Web site? – ONLINEBEDDING
2D, Why the eBay user was laid up? – BIDDERCOLD
69D, Trendy lab hazards? – FADDYACIDS

Saturday, January 24 – 10:54

An easier-than-usual Saturday:

1A, Brand for preparation on a stovetop – JIFFYPOP
9A, Like some misguided remarks – RACIST
20A, Call for – ENTAIL
25A, Bakery container – LOAFPAN
35A, Lines for liners – SEAROUTES
38A, Moccasin sound – HISS
42A, Workout reminders – ACHES
49A, Hanger-on – WANNABE
55A, Loose overcoat – ULSTER
64A, Weightlifting move – SNATCH
65A, Indy, for one – SPEEDWAY
1D, Early hominid – JAVAMAN
7D, “Look, bonehead!” – OPENYOUREYES
9D, Ham’s rig – RADIOSET
21D, Dressed to the nines – ALLGUSSIEDUP
36D, Nominee for Best Supporting Actress in “Mildred Pierce”, 1945 – ANNBLYTH
38D, “_______ End” – HOWARDS
43D, Girlish accessory – HAIRBOW
56D, Needlework, for short? – TATS 

Friday, January 23 – 19:52

A good,  hard, fair puzzle from Barry Silk.  As expected.

1A, Creek Confederacy tribe – ALABAMA
8A, “The Appeal” novelist – GRISHAM
17A, Film with the line “By the authority [...]” – THEAFRICANQUEEN
26A, Not be generous – SKIMP
30A, King of Naples in “The Tempest” – ALONSO
46A, Opening for an anchor – TOPSTORY
48A, Toy store inits – FAO
56A, Fantastic flight – MAGICCARPETRIDE
1D, Childish comeback – AMTOO
8D, Inclination – GRADIENT
11D, Frank request – SAUERKRAUT
25D, Lifter – SNEAKTHIEF
34D, Web connection means – HYPERTEXT
51D, Switch letters – AMFM 

The ACPT is almost here!

The American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, an annual event for 32 years, is fast approaching.  It is going on February 27 to March 1, and it looks like there are some fun thing on opening night, including a panel discussion about crossword blogging with some of my fellow puzzle solvers.

Alas, I’m sad to say I won’t be at the tournament this year.  My wife is due to give birth to our second child on the 25th, so I’ll be busy not getting any sleep by the time the tournament arrives.  Or if the baby’s late, I would surely meet a horrible fate if my wife learned I went off to the tournament.

Anyway, if you’ve never been to the ACPT and you like solving puzzles (or want to see Will Shortz in person), it’s a great time.  It doesn’t matter what your level of solving skill is, since people of all abilities attend.  If you’re not sure, quick, see the documentary Wordplay, which is about the tournament and gives a good idea of what it’s like (and is very entertaining as well).

Thursday, January 22 – 15:52

Three wrong letters today.  Two of them were inexcusable, but the other I forgive myself.

So, the theme was a rebus, indicated in 37A, “Primitive trophies … or a hind to this puzzle’s theme” – SHRUNKENHEADS.  There are a number of squares which contain HEAD.

10A, Walking encyclopedia – EGG(HEAD)
20A, Split – (HEAD)FORTHEHILLS
33A, All over – (HEAD)TOTOE
43A, Alternative rock band with four platinum albums – RADIO(HEAD)
54A, Traffic sign that indicates a temporary road closure – DRAWBRIDGEA(HEAD)
66A, Front – (HEAD)END
1D, Macrocephalic –  BIG(HEAD)ED
9D, Egoist – SWELL(HEAD)
13D, One way to meet – (HEAD)ON
45D, Nut jobs – (HEAD)CASES
49D, Lady Jane Grey’s fate – BE(HEAD)ING
58D, Chopping part of a chopper – AX(HEAD)