Simple bit of plankton / WED 7-28-10 / MGM motto ender / Speaking machine developer / Beatlesque dos / Flying Cloud automaker

Constructor: Howard Baker

Relative difficulty: Medium-Challenging

THEME: MR. IGGINS AND MISS / DOOLITTLE / ATTEMPT TO / SOLVE A CROSSWORD (17A: With 27-, 49- and 63-Across, the story behind 5-, 36-, 39- and 70-Across) — four answers have clues for answers that appear in the grid without their initial "H"s, per Eliza Doolitle's famous pre-transformation H-dropping (hence, for instance, 'IGGINS)


Word of the Day: DIATOM (52A: Simple bit of plankton) —

Diatoms are a major group of algae, and are one of the most common types of phytoplankton. Most diatoms are unicellular, although they can exist as colonies in the shape of filaments or ribbons (e.g. Fragillaria), fans (e.g. Meridion), zigzags (e.g. Tabellaria), or stellate colonies (e.g. Asterionella). Diatoms are producers within the food chain. A characteristic feature of diatom cells is that they are encased within a unique cell wall made of silica (hydrated silicon dioxide) called a frustule. These frustules show a wide diversity in form, but usually consist of two asymmetrical sides with a split between them, hence the group name. Fossil evidence suggests that they originated during, or before, the early Jurassic Period. Diatom communities are a popular tool for monitoring environmental conditions, past and present, and are commonly used in studies of water quality. (wikipedia)

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Weird, whimsical puzzle. Not sure why "H" is dropped in the long, explanatory answer (i.e. at 'IGGINS), as that answer does not appear to be in Eliza's voice, but I guess it's a sly visual tip as to what's going on with the four other theme answers. This puzzle took me longer than normal not so much because it's difficult, but because it has so much cross-reference, and theme cluing that takes some getting used to. Didn't love everything about this, but liked it overall. Ambition and originality earn a puzzle a lot of leeway with me. What's weird to me about this puzzle is how much the built-in title DOMINATES the grid, so that the wordplay game becomes a sort of marginal sideshow instead of a crucial structural element. The four affected answers are arbitrary, and a bit odd in two cases—I mean, HOSIER and HEWER are Terrible words (well, the first is just not great, the second is terrible). Something more plausible as the base answers would have been better, I think. Or maybe if all four of the answers had ended up as solid crosswordese (as EWER and OSIER certainly are), that would have given the theme greater unity as well. But as I say, it's an ambitious idea, and a cute one. And that—in addition to the awesome yin / yang of WEE LASS (34A: Bonny young girl) and CARRION (43A: Buzzard's fare) splashed across the middle of the grid—is good enough for me.



Theme answers:

• 5A: Professor says "Stocking stocker," pupil suggests ... (OSIER)
  
• 36A: Professor says "Qualifying races," pupil suggests ... (EATS)
  
• 39A: Professor says "Ax wielder," pupil suggests ... (EWER)
  
• 70A: Professor says "Equine restraint," pupil suggests ... (ALTER)
  

Biggest trouble today came from DIATOM, which frankly looked and felt wrong. First thing I did upon completion was look it up. Also was not at all sure about 23A: Ramirez of "Spamalot" (SARA)—figured that with such a non-mainstream clue (sorry, Broadway buffs, but Tony Shmony), the name would be fancier / weirder (like GERI, for instance). But no, just SARA. Wrote in PEPSI without ever seeing the clue (took a quick glance at it to make sure PEPSI was a plausible answer, and it was—Never heard of the slogan in question: 60A: "Twice as much for a nickel" sloganeer, once). That SE corner is kind of ugly, with suffix crossing Sp. abbrev. crossing Sp. plural pronoun, but PEEWEE is nice (51D: Tiny) and WET SPOTS ... well, that just made me laugh. Nice, reasonably family-friendly clue on that one (40D: Signs of leaks) ("family-friendly" depends on what you imagine is leaking, I guess).



Bullets:

• 21A: Like much Vegas stagewear (GAUDY) — great word. Was just discussing tonight how I've never, ever been to a casino. Conversation precipitated by wife's recent trip to Atlantic City for a karate tournament.
• 38A: MGM motto ender (ARTIS) — "Ars Gratia ARTIS" ("Art for art's sake" — I thought it came from Horace, but apparently its origins are a good deal more recent—popularized as a slogan by Théophile Gautier in the 19th c.)
• 2D: Parisian picnic spot (PARC) — where you might sit on a BANC (another recurring Fr. 4-ltr word)
• 41D: Jocular suffix with "best" (-EST) — did not understand the clue at all at first, as I was thinking "... how is that suffix jocular?" I was thinking the suffix signified something that was the "best," not that it was supposed to be attached (jocularly!) to the word BEST. Aha. BestEST. Yes, that is a jocular word.

• 46D: "Speaking machine" developer (EDISON) — took me way longer than it should have, I suppose. I had no idea what a "speaking machine" could be. Turns out it's the damned phonograph.
• 47D: Paris's "The Simple Life" co-star (NICOLE) — this clue already feels sooooo dated to me.
• 50D: Beatlesque dos (MOPS) — Really like this clue. It just looks great—simultaneously French- and Spanish-looking, and yet entirely English. Good stuff.
• 59D: Pentagonal plate (HOME) — Site of many collisions and injuries. Detroit Tigers star slugger Magglio Ordoñez (please put him in a puzzle) broke his ankle just the other day sliding awkwardly into home—out four-six weeks.
• 65D: Onetime U.A.R. member (SYR.) — United Arab Republic = short-lived union between Egypt and SYR (1958-61). You'll often (or at least sometimes) see "UAR" as fill. I still get it confused with "UAE" (United Arab Emirates, which still exists).

Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld

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