Saturday, July 16, 2011 - Potpourri

Introduction

I did not discern any particular theme to today's puzzle from Cox and Rathvon. It seems to be merely a collection of odds and ends, with no obvious linkages between them (although I don't discount a sharp-eyed reader spotting a theme). The puzzle does, however, have a rather unique grid.



Solution to Today's Puzzle

Legend:	"*" anagram; "~" sounds like; "<" letters reversed
	"( )" letters inserted; "_" letters deleted

Across

1a   COAST|AL - COAST (cruise) + (with) AL ([American actor Al] Pacino)

5a   ERICSSON* - anagram (resolved) of NO CRISES

Ericsson - Swedish cellphone manufacturer

10a   REPHRASE* - anagram (shifts) of HER SPARE

In Canadian schools, a spare is a class period during which no formal instruction is scheduled, available to the student for self-study, completing assignments or goofing off. It could also be interpreted as a spare tire (or spare tyre in Britain).

11a   S(CH)OONER_ - CH (first pair of [letters in] CHests) contained in (aboard) SOONER (earlier)

12a   GOR(DIM)ER - GORER (sticker) containing (bearing) DIM (dull)

Nadine Gordimer - South African novelist

13a   NE_|PEN|THE - NE {NEW (novel) unfinished; i.e., with the final letter deleted) + (by) PEN (writer) + THE

14a   {MONA LISA}* - anagram (touched up) of SOMALIAN

18a   BELT|RAN - RAN (took to the bases) following (after) BELT (slam)

Carlos Beltrán - Major League Baseball outfielder with the New York Mets.

19a   THE(RAP)Y - RAP (discussion) contained in (held by) THEY (those guys)

23a   GR(EAT) APE - EAT (have dinner) contained in (dividing) GRAPE (fruit)

25a   OUTSCORE* - anagram (changing) of COURSE TO

26a   ASPIRIN|G - ASPIRIN (headache pill) + G (good)

27a   _NOM|IN|A|TE_ -  hidden (has) in veNOM IN A TEst

28a   {EAST SIDE}* - anagram (awfully) of IS TEASED

29a   PAR|ODIST - PAR (average) + ODIST (poet)

Alexander Pope wrote parodies and John Keats composed odes.

30a   S(INKS) IN - SIN (grave error) containing (involving) INKS (writing materials)

Down

1d   CARD GAME - Spoonerism for GUARD (ward) + CAME (arrived)

ward - verb 2 archaic guard; protect: it was his duty to ward the king

2d   A|PP|ARENT - A + PP (PolyP's front and back [letters])

3d   TORT|ILL|A - TORT (court case) + ILL (complaint) + (connected to) A

4d   LESSENS~ - sounds like (oral) LESSONS (exercises)

6d   RECREATE - double definition; "impart fresh life to" & "play"

recreate (pronounced rec·re·ate) - [American Heritage Dictionary] transitive verb To impart fresh life to; refresh mentally or physically. intransitive verb To take recreation.

7d   CLO(SE)-SET or CLOSE-(SE)T- SE (half SEen) contained in (in) CLOSET (dark room)

8d   S(AND) TRAP - AND (also) contained in (skirted by) STRAP (band)

9d   NURSERY* - anagram (out) of RYE RUNS

15d   {OLD-TIMER}* - anagram (loose) of DORM I LET

16d   ARACHNID* - anagram (transported) of HANDCAR I

17d   IN|GRATES - IN + GRATES (scrapes)

18d   BLOWN UP - double definition; "enlarged for clarity" & "smashed to bits"

20d   H(AM)ILTON - AM (in the morning) contained in (skirted by) HILTON ([American] hotelier [Conrad Hilton])

21d   RAT(IF|I)ES - RATES (prices) containing (binding) {IF (provided) + I (one)}

22d   PE(A GREE)N - AGREE (go together) contained in (wearing) PEN (prison)

24d   RESEATS~ - sounds like (pronounced) RECEIPTS (proofs of purchase)

Signing off for today - Falcon