Performer with self-titled HBO special 2006 / TUE 8-2-11 / ABC 1996 / Comedy Central 2003 2006 / PBS 1977 1982 / Manny of 1970s-80s baseball

Constructor: Albert R. Picallo

Relative difficulty: Medium-Challenging

THEME: D.C. COMICS (60A: "Captain Marvel" publisher ... and a hint to 17-, 25-, 37- and 50-Across) — theme answers are "comics" whose initials are "D.C."


Word of the Day: ALLUVIAL (11D: Like soil in a delta) —

ALLUVIUM n., pl., -vi·ums, or -vi·a (-vē-ə).
Sediment deposited by flowing water, as in a riverbed, flood plain, or delta. Also called alluvion.

[Medieval Latin, flood, from neuter of Latin alluvius, alluvial, from alluere, to wash against. See alluvion.]

Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/alluvium#ixzz1TpzPzfva

• • •

I feel bad for this constructor: this exact theme was published last fall in the LAT, and I'm guessing today's constructor conceived of the theme completely independently and submitted it to the NYT well before that LAT puzzle ever came out. Oh well, many of you won't have seen last year's puzzle, in which case—helluva a theme, right? (My friend Angela's not sure "DICK CAVETT" really counts as a "comic," but he's certainly known as "comical," so close enough for me) What's most interesting about the theme duplication is that the two puzzles share only two comics. The LAT had DREW CAREY and DAVID CROSS instead of DICK CAVETT and DAVE CHAPPELLE. Who knew there were so many "DC" comics in the world (all American too). I'm somehow not at all impressed by the "self-titled" element of all the theme clues. Means that the clues aren't as interesting or illustrative or apt as they might be. Clue for DANE COOK (17A: Performer with a self-titled HBO special in 2006), for instance, could really be anybody. No need to add that element to the clues. D.C. COMICS is great all on its own as a theme unifier and revealer.

I had a lot of trouble with this one (for a Tuesday). Time in the low 4s, which is significantly higher than my usual. Could not (easily) get DAVE CHAPPELLE from the clue and D'ARC + ANTH (wow, really ugly pair) were not helping. COACT and ACCENT and ALLUVIAL all took some prodding to come to light. So, it's a typical Tuesday, except (in my case) for everything from the center to the NE. I say that as someone who knew XTC and TRILLO cold (I know not all of you did) (31A: "Senses Working Overtime" band + 16A: Manny of 1970s-'80s baseball). Embarrassing to take so long with FLORENCE. I teach Dante all the time; you'd think I'd have that Arno/FLORENCE thing figured out by now.



Theme answers:

• 17A: Performer with a self-titled HBO special in 2006 (DANE COOK)
  
• 25A: Performer with a self-titled ABC series in 1996 (DANA CARVEY)
  
• 37A: Performer with a self-titled Comedy Central series from 2003 to 2006 (DAVE CHAPPELLE)
  
• 50A: Performer with a self-titled PBS series from 1977 to 1982 (DICK CAVETT)
  

Outside the theme, I enjoyed BAD BOY, but wish it had been tied to the record company (63A: Recipient of coal for Christmas). Why didn't the BAD GIRL get the coal? Never a big fan of gender specific answers with gender neutral clues. I love the word "straphanger" because in my head the "ph" and the word sounds roughly like "scavenger." Next time you're on a crowded subway, turn to your companion and say "would you look at all these straphangers," only use my pronunciation. Won't be any weirder than a lot of stuff you might see on the subway (7D: Straphanger's buy, once). The idea of returning to OLD FORM certainly makes sense, but somehow my slumper wanted to return to TOP FORM. Well, first it was GOOD or TRUE or some such nonsense, but that wouldn't fit. I did not know that REVLON was the [Fire & Ice cosmetics company]. They should've gotten Pat Benatar to be pitchwoman.



Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld

Jazz trombonist Kid / TUE 3-22-11 / English theologian Watts / Emu's extinct cousin / Greg's sitcom mate / Considered good by Moody's

Constructor: Albert R. Picallo

Relative difficulty: Easy-Medium

THEME: TWIST OF FATE (35A: Unexpected development ... or what the answer to each starred clue contains?) — eight different arrangements of the letters F, E, A, and T appear in symmetrical answers in the grid.


Word of the Day: Kid ORY (42A: Jazz trombonist Kid ___) —

Edward "Kid" Ory (December 25, 1886 – January 23, 1973) was a jazz trombonist and bandleader.[...] Ory was a banjo player during his youth and it is said that his ability to play the banjo helped him develop "tailgate," a particular style of playing the trombone. In "tailgate" style the trombone plays a rhythmic line underneath the trumpets and cornets. // He had one of the best-known bands in New Orleans in the 1910s, hiring many of the great jazz musicians of the city, including, cornetists Joe "King" Oliver, Mutt Carey, and Louis Armstrong; and clarinetists Johnny Dodds and Jimmie Noone. [...] The Ory band was an important force in reviving interest in New Orleans jazz, making popular radio broadcasts—among them a number of slots on the Orson Welles Almanac broadcast and a jazz history series sponsored by Standard Oil—as well as by making recordings. Ory retired from music in 1966 and spent his last years in Hawaii ... (wikipedia)

• • •

First reaction: FEAT? Just ... different letter arrangements? Why? Then I went to type in all the standard info (above), such as Constructor, Difficulty Level, and Theme. What should I call it? I know: TWIST OF FATE ... wait. That really, really should have been this puzzle's title. WAIT! It's the answer smack in the middle of the grid! Wow, way to not pay attention, Rex. Anyway, TWIST OF FATE makes all the damned circles and random letter arrangements somewhat more tolerable. Annoyed at the doubling up of theme clues about musicals, as it detracts / distracts from the actual theme (also, musicals schmusicals). Also annoyed at ORY, a terrible bit of crosswordese, as well as ITRY, which is somewhat less terrible, but somehow still irksome to me (32D: Modest response to praise). Rest of the grid seems pretty solid—impressive for a puzzle with such theme density. Hmmm, on second look, there is a little more not-so-nice stuff than I like to see in an easy puzzle: OST, OID, EXEL, MVI, ORY, EEC, EFOR = none of it great. Nice modern clue on SLIDER (47D: Small burger) (at least I assume it's modern, as I'd never heard of a SLIDER in my life until I started seeing them appear on menus about 3-5 years ago).


[One of the 80s-est videos / songs you'll ever see]
Theme answers:

• 4D: *Song from "No, No, Nanette" ("TEA FOR TWO")

• 18A: *Dining area (CAFETERIA)
  
• 21A: *Result of collapsed arches (FLAT FEET)
  
• 21D: *Daredevils' doings (FEATS)
  
• 36D: *Kind of position (FETAL)
  
• 34D: *"It Might as Well Be Spring" musical ("STATE FAIR")
  
• 53A: *Nevertheless (AFTER ALL)
  
• 56A: *Didn't disturb (LEFT ALONE)
  

NW and SE corners went down Very fast — except for the musicals clues, which required some crosses — and the rest felt like an ordinary Tuesday, with the ORY-ish middle being probably the most trying part of the grid.

Bullets:

• 27A: Greg's sitcom mate (DHARMA) — Mmm, bygone sitcom characters. I guess a literal (or Kerouac) clue for DHARMA wouldn't be as Tuesdayey.
  
• 31A: Period following homework completion, perhaps (TV TIME) — sounds original, though originality credit belongs to a 2003 Liz Gorski puzzle (the only other puzzle to use this answer)
  
• 40A: Considered good by Moody's (RATED A) — they rate bonds. Speaking of which, the trial of Barry Bonds began today. No idea what Moody's would rate him.
  
• 7D: English theologian Watts (ISAAC) — weird. Don't think I've even heard of this guy. Wikipedia say he was "recognized as the "Father of English Hymnody"" ... yep, sounds like something I wouldn't know.
  
• 51D: Bob Cratchit, for one (CLERK) — ugh, slowed way down here because I was thinking Scrooge, not Cratchit.
  
• 48A: Dee Dee, Tommy, Joey or Johnny of punk (RAMONE) — now there's an answer I can get behind.

Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld

P.S. here are a handful of photos from this past weekend's ACPT ...

[From right, commenters Bob Kerfuffle, Mac, and imsdave]

[Me, gazing intently at ... I have no idea]

[Me, Andrea Michaels, and Patrick Blindauer]

[Sandy—patiently explaining to me how a "camera" works]

[Constructors Caleb Madison, Tony Orbach, and Brendan Emmett Quigley, solving Tony's CrosSynergy "Sunday Challenge" puzzle—I think Brendan has just spotted ITUNE (singular) ...]

[Me, Caleb, and, a trophy that, as my sister put it, makes me look like I "took 5th at a regional speech & debate tournament."]

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