Thursday Jan 5, 2012 Victor Barocas

Dumas's guys hiding amid the clutter
seAporTHOStess
seaPORTHOStess
bARbarAMISsive
Spectacular! The theme required another trip through the puzzle and coupled with the fun clues, it made for a great experience.


Across
1. The "u" sound in "circus" : SCHWA. ә
6. Even if, for short : THO
9. Ladle cousin : SPOON. You shouldn't spoon with your cousin
14. "Yond Cassius has __ and hungry look" : ALEAN. Maybe Cassius is on Nutri System
15. Water in Côte d'Ivoire : EAU.
16. Dispute : ARGUE
17. Spicy Indian dish : CURRY. Not for me even in Chicken Marsala below

18. One side of the GW Bridge : NYC
19. Preserves, in a way : SALTS. Lincoln, NE had salt deposits that drew Oregon Trailers off the path
20. Rotterdam, for one : SEAPORT. You can a lot of things in Rotterdam.
22. Party person : HOSTESS. Perle Mesta the most famous?
24. Schnozzola : SNOOT. Not SNOUT
26. Tell it like it isn't : LIE. Political season is here.
27. TV's Dr. House, e.g. : LIMPER.

30. Enjoy a kiddie pool : WADE. Staple at our house for years!
32. Many a GI : PVT.
35. Plains native : OTOE. All over our plains here.
36. "... from my snow-white pen the __-coloured ink": Shak. : EBON
38. Bender : SPREE. My wife's spree is of hte spending variety
40. With "The," classic novel, each of whose major characters is hiding in a row of this puzzle : THREEMUSKETEERS. Also my fav childhood candy bar.
43. Thrift, briefly : SANDL. George Bailey's was the most famous!

44. Crack : STAB. I'm taking a stab at this bloggin
45. Snug retreat : NEST. They stand out now that the leaves are gone.
46. Super Bowl highlights, for many : ADS. Me too sometimes!
47. Luncheon follower? : ETTE
49. Takes a position : OPINES. Me too sometimes!
51. Eggs, biologically : OVA
52. Biden's 2008 counterpart : PALIN. Quite the odd couple.
54. Boxer from California : BARBARA.
58. Letter : MISSIVE
62. __ a time : ONEAT. Ooo, Ooo, pick me!
63. One in an unhappy chorus : BOO
65. Shroud city : TURIN. Face of Christ?

66. Wind: Pref. : ANEMO
67. Coffee holder : URN.
68. '30s Chan portrayer : OLAND
69. Control tower tracker : RADAR. Radar on Oahu in 1941 saw the Zero's coming
70. Game for it? : TAG. Loved the clue
71. Some iPods : NANOS. My iPhone replaced this

Down
1. Pouches : SACS
2. This is one : CLUE. Another winner
3. A sister of Demeter : HERA
4. "Star Trek" measure : WARPSPEED. Hit it, Mr. Sulu!

5. Whomever : ANYONE
6. Nearing the hour : TENTO
7. Farm gathering : HAY. We bale or stack it.
8. Pained interjection : OUCH. That's gonna leave a mark.
9. As fresh as they come : SASSIEST
10. Chatter : PRATE. I have pattled but don't remember prating.
11. Seriously check out : OGLE. Hard not to do at Y
12. Inning enders : OUTS. Also have them in straight pool
13. Largest Scottish loch by volume : NESS. Is this Nessie?

21. Composer of the 2005 opera "Our Town" : ROREM. No way for me.
23. Word with man or maid : OLD. I'm one of those.
25. Texas dance : TWOSTEP. Yee hah!
27. Many, informally : LOTSA
28. "__ to Be You" : ITHAD. Billie Holliday, the best!
29. E'ens' counterparts : MORNS
31. "Puppy Love" singer : ANKA. Donny Osmond too!
32. Get ready for the prom, say : PREEN
33. Frost product : VERSE. Robert inverse is TSORF.
34. Medical battery : TESTS. Daughter had a bunch of them yesterday.
37. Exceed 21, in a way : BUST. What, you hit 17?
39. The Crimea, e.g. : PENINSULA

41. Car in a shaft : ELEVATOR. You got the elevator, we got the shaft.
42. Where Christ stopped, in a Carlo Levi title : EBOLI
48. La Brea goo : TAR. Been there, smelled that!
50. One of six in a V-6 engine : PISTON
51. "Dreams From My Father" memoirist : OBAMA
53. Surrounded by : AMONG. You're among friends here!
54. Tusked mammal : BOAR. Porcine drudge = Boar boor.
55. Alexei Karenin's wife : ANNA. She got the title of the book.
56. English horn, for one : REED
57. Lie alongside : ABUT
59. Caspian Sea country : IRAN
60. Rosso o bianco : VINO. Marti's wheelhouse.
61. Closes : ENDS
64. Tuscan time period : ORA. Ten to ora?