dannmann's NYT crossword puzzle ramblings

tuesday, january 15, 2008
stella daily & bruce venzke / will shortz
ny times online premium crossword puzzle
















difficulty factor: this was tuesday-ish all the way



theme: as stated in 71A this puzzle's theme SOAPS...

17A ZEST FOR LIFE 63A TONE OF VOICEIVORY TOWER 29D COAST GUARD

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in the "notes of record" category
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the tag team of stella and bruce appears twice in three days... with another nice puzzle! mmm... lotsa oft-neglected consonants: "v's" an' "z's," an "x," a "k"... great!

i like starting in the lower right corner... first clue and i knew the theme... well, i thought i did... i thought it was gonna be the "other" soaps... soap operas... oh, well...


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in the "most googled" category
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i don't have a guess here...


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in the "cool mutiple word answer" category
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31A speed-happy driver LEAD FOOT

47A fantastically wonderful TO DIE FOR

57A diner sign filler NEON GAS

24D didnt stay on CAME OFF (not "fell off"... what an unnecessary mess that was!)

45D 90210, for beverly hills ZIP CODE

49D significant OF NOTE

60D rent-_ (security person for hire) A-COP

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in the "abbreviations, truncations, etc." category
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11A org. with a code I.R.S. (internal revenue service)

16A old _____, london theater VIC (the theatre was founded in 1818 and named "the royal coburg theatre." in 1833, it was renamed the "royal victorian theatre" after the heir to the throne princess victoria. in 1880, it became "the royal victoria hall and coffee tavern"... but for many years it was already affectionately known as the "old vic")

43A "_____ a tramp" ("lady and the tramp" tune) HE'S

4D prefix with matter ANTI- (not, or against)

8D cbs forensic drama C.S.I. (crime scene investigation)

22D bout decision T.K.O. (technical knock-out)

27D part of m.i.t.: abbr. TECH. (massachusetts institute of technology)

30D some e.r. cases O.D.'S (over-doses)

42D first drug approved to treat aids A.Z.T. (AZidoThymidine is an anti-retroviral drug, the first approved for treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (h.i.v.) which is a retrovirus that can lead to Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), a condition in humans in which the immune system begins to fail, leading to life-threatening opportunistic infections)

65D prefix with dermis EPI- (which can mean: on, upon... over, above... around, close to, near... besides... or... after)

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in the "other" category
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14A singer davis with the 1998 hit "32 flavors" ALANA (it is erroneously credited to alexis davis here, but it the right version... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmPZbrZpRuY&feature=related)

26A "south park" kid KYLE (kyle broflovski)

27A preceder of bell or shell TACO
35A castle protector MOAT

43A "_____ a tramp" ("lady and the tramp" tune) HE'S (see/hear: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ769enS62M)

44A singer pinza EZIO (ezio pinza was one of the outstanding an italian bass opera singers of the first half of the 20th century. he spent twenty-two seasons at new york's metropolitan opera, appearing in more than 750 performances of fifty operas. herte he is singing "some envchanted evening" with mary martin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1qpQb11YWc)

46A popular setting for a wedding GAZEBO

50A snare TRAP
53A arctic bird PUFFIN
55A newswoman katie COURIC
69A newsman koppel TED
70A fix, as laces RETIE (the absolute fastest, best way to tie a shoelace knot... the "ian knot": http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/ianknot.htm)

1D _____ strip (much-fought-over area) GAZA

2D british p.m. _ douglas-home ALEC (the 14th earl of home (pronounced "HOOM"), alexander frederick douglas-home, better known as sir alec douglas-home, was, in 1963, named prime minister by queen elizabeth II, after the unexpected resignation of harold macmillan. for the first time in over sixty years, a sitting prime minister was a member of the house of lords rather than of the house of commons. he was the only prime minister to renounce his peerage to leave the house of lords and contest a by-election to enter the house of commons)
10D famous virginia family LEES (as in ... the robert e. lee's)

12D pepsi vis-a-vis coke RIVAL
37D singer mcentire REBA
52D peter of "m" LORRE (m... nero-films, 1931, directed by fritz lang, with peter lorre as "hans beckert", the child-murderer)

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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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23A prank player RASCAL... and... 9D "our gang" kid ALFALFA... splendid cross!


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
1. some charity fund-raisers 6. outspoken 11. org. with a code 14. singer davis with the 1998 hit "32 flavors" 15. airplane seat choice 16. old _, london theater 17. joie de vivre 19. lab eggs 20. accomplish 21. star-related 23. prank player 26. "south park" kid 27. precederofbell or shell 31. speed-happy driver 33. book in which the first passover occurred 35. castle protector 36. middle-earth meanie 39. teacher's charge 40. paris's _ invalides 41. colder and windier 43. "_ a tramp" ("lady and the tramp" tune) 44. singer pinza 46. popular setting for a wedding 47. fantastically wonderful 50. snare 51. daughter of czar nicholas I or II 53. arctic bird 55. newswoman katie 57. diner sign filler 62. _-la-la 63. speaking manner 66. go wrong 67. proficient 68. o.k. 69. newsman koppel 70. fix, as laces 71. this puzzle's theme 1. _ strip (much-fought-over area) 2. british p.m. _ douglas-home 3. whip 4. prefix with matter 5. like wearing a seat belt, e.g. 6. lombardy province or its capital 7. de-squeak 8. cbs forensic drama 9. "our gang" kid 10. famous virginia family 11. lofty place for an academic 12. pepsi vis-a-vis coke 13. symbol of justice 18. racetracks 22. bout decision 24. didnt stay on 25. kerfuffles 27. part of m.i.t.: abbr. 28. highway toll unit 29. its academy is in new london, conn. 30. some e.r. cases 32. _ vez (again, in spanish) 34. preowned 37. singer mcentire 38. wheat, barley or beans 40. in _ of 42. first drug approved to treat aids 45. 90210, for beverly hills 46. feeling of loss 48. person obeying a coxswain 49. significant 51. four duos 52. peter of "m" 54. super stars 56. _-tass news agency 58. court plea, informally 59. tributary of the colorado 60. rent-_ (security person for hire) 61. wraps (up) 64. snare 65. prefix with dermis