dannmann's NYT crossword puzzle ramblings

SUNDAY, january 27, 2008
mike nothnagel / will shortz
i need my space
ny times online premium crossword puzzle
















difficulty factor: i stumbled... i picked myself up and brushed myself off... i stumbled... i picked myself up...


theme: a common expression is left slightly askew with the addition of a little "room"

24A AFRAID OF THE DARK ROOM
39A BRINGS HOME ROOM THE BACON
53A POWDER ROOM KEG
72A THE BALL'S IN YOUR COURT ROOM
92A GREEN ROOM PARTY
107A NO REST ROOM FOR THE WICKED
125A DAVY JONES' LOCKER ROOM

and there was plenty o' room left for me t' screw up time and again as well!


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in the "notes of record" category
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mike, i thought we were headed to the world of cyber networking when i first saw the title... wrong!

oh, and i was in danger of hating this puzzle... til the theme revealed itself... and... in the end, i liked it a lot!


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in the "most googled" category
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maybe 49D host of public radio's "this american life" IRA GLASS... i dunno... maybe 100D "le misanthrope" playwright MOLIERE... 89D dict. listings SYNS. [dictionary... synonyms]...


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in the "cool mutiple word answer" category
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6A. succeeded in WON AT
31A. imported by plane FLOWN IN
82A. give _____ of hope A RAY
84A. 1977 george burns film OH GOD!
117A. short-hop plane AIR TAXI
131A. handily defeated ACED OUT
3D. laredo or nuevo laredo BORDER TOWN
10D. 1976 horror film whose score won an oscar THE OMEN
18D. seldom-used golf club ONE IRON
19D. over AT AN END
39D. offer to buy at auction BID ON
49D. host of public radio's "this american life" IRA GLASS
50D. cubs' protector DEN MOTHER
58D. attempt to trick PUT-UP JOB
60D. analogy part ...IS TO...
67D. rap enthusiast, in slang B-BOY
85D. "right place wrong time" singer, 1973 DR. JOHN
99D. prescription phrase ...ONE A DAY...
101D. place for an elbow ARM REST
105D. singer with the #1 country album "80's ladies" K.T. OSLIN
110D. "this one's _____!" ON ME
112D. "now it's clear!" I SEE!


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in the "abbreviations, truncations, etc." category
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23A. suffix with absorb -ENT
36A. wally's tv brother, with "the" BEAV (from the tv show... 'leave it to beaver')
44A. part of a. a. r. p.: abbr. ASSN. (the organization was originally named "american association of retired persons", but to reflect that its focus has become broader than retirees - which is no longer a requirement- in 1999 it officially changed its name to just "AARP" [pronounced one letter at a time, "a-a-r-p"])
45A. first word of "jabberwocky" 'TWAS... (it was...)
57A. extremely inept person, slangily SPAZ (colloqi=uialism for 'spastic')
69A. it may charge you a fee A.T.M. (automated teller machine)
79A. esq. ATTY. (attorney)
87A. letter addenda, for short P.S.S. (post-script script)
90A. band with the 1989 hit "stand" R.E.M.
104A. ring stats T.K.O.'S (technical knock-outs)
11D. talks from a rev. SERS. (sermons)
12D. toll hwy. TPK. (turnpike)
36D. jaguar alternatives BMW'S (as in... vehicles from the bavarian motor works)
65D. kind of hall REC (recreation)
67D. rap enthusiast, in slang B-BOY (it this a stutter sound... or something worse?!)
75D. "_____ my fault!" IT'S... (it is...)
83D. turnaround, slangily U-EY (as in... a "u"-turn)
89D. dict. listings SYNS.
91D. brothers FRAS.
105D. singer with the #1 country album "80's ladies" K.T. OSLIN
126D. gridiron units: abbr. YDS. (football... yards)


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in the "other" category
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in the "damn-brand-new-t'-me" category
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in the "your mileage may vary" category
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132A church support TITHE... i liked this one!



keep on keepin' on...

dann
all elements of the puzzle (grid layout, clues, and answers), NYT, NY Times, and The New York Times logo are ©2008 The New York Times
i. literary elephant 6. succeeded in 11. hot17. drag show accessory20. _ stadium, home of the university of hawaii warriors21. baseball hall-of-famer edd22. admonish23. suffix with absorb24. like a useless photo lab employee?27. stephen of "breakfast on pluto"28. dejected29. trespasses30. lineage31. imported by plane 33. tv oil baron35. "let's go, miguel!"36. wally's tv brother, with "the"38. take on39. offers breakfast to students before first period?43. marriage _44. part of a. a. r. p.: abbr.45. first word of "jabberwocky"46. put a rider on, e.g.47. it may be false48. game stopper 50. place for a panel52. director anderson53. beer sources for genteel guests? 57. extremely inept person, slangily 59. sharp turn62. _ arbor63. through64. cartoonist bil65. sauce thickener66. name in a hymn67. worthless talk, in slang69. it may charge you a fee70. casino surface71. mattress brand72. reminder to a forgetful judge on bowling night?78. early invader of britain79. esq.80. sette minus quattro81. utter82. give _ of hope83. functions84. 1977 george burns film86. fix87. letter addenda, for short90. band with the 1989 hit "stand"91. own (up)92. what talk show guests have before the broadcast?95. yowl96. playboy's look97. sloops' headsails98. sported99. poker game with four hole cards 102. see26-down 104. ring stats106. guest beds, often107. sign outside a church lavatory?113. stately trees114. work units115. satirical paper, with "the"116. they may be scattered117. short-hop plane119. potential hangar buildup120. on the safe side121. music with jazzlike riffs124. ruby _125. where a monkee changes after a game?130. "_ poetica"131. handily defeated132. church support133. 1964 quinn role134. still135. tasty bit136. pc key137. beginning1. barnyard calls2. _-romeo3. laredo or nuevo laredo4. "now it's clear!"5. cereal topping6. torts7. responses to punches8. crackpot9. religious retreats10. 1976 horror film whose score won an oscar11. talks from a rev.12. toll hwy.13. sports legend whose #4 was retired14. day spa accessories15. unfold16. "finding _,"2003 film17. eccentric friend on "designing women"18. seldom-used golf club19. over22. 1969 oscar-nominated film role25. little job for a body shop26. with 102-across, dashboard warning light 32. loud hits34. exert, as influence35. _ 1, yuri gagarin's spacecraft36. jaguar alternatives37. seventh-brightest star in a constellation39. offer to buy at auction40. meteorological effect41. steam shovel inventor william42. guthrie's follower at woodstock43. tv host kelly48. diva's effect49. host of public radio's "this american life"50. cubs' protector51. survey info52. increase, in away54. poland spring competitor55. owen _, john irving character56. "a maid with hair of gold," in an old song57. goes it alone58. attempt to trick59. "beetle bailey" soldier60. analogy part61. u.s. possession since 189865. kind of hall66. schmo67. rap enthusiast, in slang68. rob of'melrose place"70. damager of the ozone layer71. pouting person's action72. bygone leader73. fabled race loser74. reason for an office visit75. "_ my fault!"76. impulse77. paper purchases83. turnaround, slangily84. bauxite, e.g.85. "right place wrong time" singer, 197387. seminar leaders88. expensive strings 89. dict. listings 91. brothers92. beginning, as of an idea93. seine tributary94. stirred up, as memories95. blanket holder96. golden triangle country99. prescription phrase100. "le misanthrope" playwright101. place for an elbow102. one pulling in103. road bend104. italian province or its capital105. singer with the #1 country album "80's ladies"106. playful movement108. company with a star logo109. source110. "this one's _!"111. physical therapy equipment112. "now it's clear!"118. the first prophet of god, in islam119. awful120. feel compassion122. kind of beef123. part of a latin 101 conjugation126. gridiron units: abbr.127. java128. giant born in louisiana129. 1989 gold glove winner darling