Ryan and Brian Do Crosswords

Sorry, friends… Ryan gets the night off once in a while, and I’m forced to step in. Actually, I was almost accosted in the BeMoreSmarter offices today for having contributed nothing to this blog in over a week — they almost took away my ID badge! Don’t they know who I am? Apparently, they don’t…

Anyway, here we are at Thursday. It’s already been a long day for me, and I don’t have much brain power left. But I was able to complete this Bill Zais puzzle in a decent amount of time for me (about ten minutes). Like many Thursdays, this puzzle was themed in a rather unclear way. See — on Mondays and Tuesdays, there’s usually a clue that says something like, “…or a hint to this puzzle’s theme.” As the week progresses, the theme might be slightly less blatant, but perhaps a collection of clever turns of phrase (like in Corey Rubin’s puzzle yesterday).

Today, it’s a whole new theme clarification. Mr. Zais gives us a handful of down answers (yes, the down clues have the theme this time) in which the clue begins with a curious arrow:  <—

What is that about? Strange graphics… Ah, but there’s method to his madness. The five theme answers are terms that begin with numbers — yes, the number of their respective clues! So we have:

• 3D. <— Plastered : SHEETS TO THE WIND. Did you know the origin of this phrase is from boats? Maybe you did. I first heard it when I was a kid (no, I don’t know why, with two parents who didn’t drink much, if at all), and for whatever reason always imagined bedsheets. Rather, it’s that a boat with three sails flapping loose in the breeze will rock somewhat “drunkenly.”
• 5D. <— Gambling game : CARD STUD. Not my favorite form of poker. I like Texas Hold ‘em, but I think I like some of the other seven-card games better. There seems to be more card-related strategy, whereas 5-card stud is almost entirely betting-related strategy. I prefer playing cards to playing chips. Maybe our friend Sammy the Dentist has some insight on the various card games of the world. Sammy — do you read the blog? Or just listen to the podcast?
• 7D. <— Sherlock Holmes novel, with “The” : PERCENT SOLUTION. Never read it. There’s a movie version with Alan Arkin, Laurence Olivier, Robert Duvall and Vanessa Redgrave. And there’s a Stephen Sondheim song featured in the movie as well: “I Never Do Anything Twice.” Cute song. Weird song. Good song.
• 20D. <— One starting a career, perhaps : SOMETHING. Can a thirty-something start a new career? I want to start over again, and I worry that I’m too old. Am I too old?
• 40D. <— Work period : HOUR WEEK. This is why I want to start over again. I am currently working 65-70 hour weeks. At least, that’s what it feels like. I’m out of the house for 70 hours or more each week. What job can I maximize my earnings while doing the least amount of work possible? I’ve just started playing The Sims 3, and in that game, you can have a career in various industries including music, science, literature, and slacking. Yes, slacking. That’s the career path I would like to begin.

This concept reminded me of a Jim Page puzzle from 1995 (I found it in the Wordplay book). Here’s the solution. In Mr. Page’s puzzle, the clue numbers were the clues. For example, 76D. was the answer TROMBONES. Very clever.

I was less thrilled with some of the smaller fill in the grid. OED and ORD (14D. 20-vol. work and 4D. JFK : New York :: ___ : Chicago, respectively), HOO/HEE/VEE, OTB/OTS, AAA, SSS, CPI, NNE, STA/STE… Three-letter words are tough, but most of those used in this grid seemed to skirt around language in favor of crossword-y things that don’t really exist anywhere else.

My favorite clue: 45A. Either of two emcees (COHOST) — obviously, this clue is in reference to me and Ryan, and the fact that we’ll be co-hosting Lollapuzzoola 2 in just under two months. If you haven’t signed up yet, please do. It’s going to be awesome.

As many know, the New York Times did not run the second Sunday puzzle in last weekend’s Sunday paper. While there are certainly many sensible and valid reasons why they chose this route, there are also many members of the puzzle community who are frustrated, and want to help show their support of the paper and pledge their interest in reinstating the second Sunday puzzle. To that end, Ryan has set up an online petition. If you feel like signing, please visit this link. And be assured, you do NOT have to sign up for anything in addition to this petition. There may be some pre-checked checkboxes for other offers, but you are welcome to opt out of anything.

I suck at including pictures in my blog posts. I leave that art form to Ryan. The rest of you can jump into the comment world. Talk about anything you like. Ryan and I have a lot more fun with the blog when you all start chattering and we get to join in.

See you Friday!