I’ve got a Sunday-sized crossword here I intend to sell to The Crosswords Club.
(Aside: I wasn’t that insulted when, in a recent survey of Crosswords Club subscribers, not a single respondent named me as a favorite constructor. After all, at the time the survey went out, I hadn’t been contributing to the Club for all that long. This would be an easier pill to swallow, however, if several constructors hadn’t received votes despite never contributing to the Crosswords Club. Indeed, several people received votes even though they are dead. Freakin’ Eugene Maleska got votes. If you’re a Crosswords Club subscriber, believe me, you’re not going to be solving a new Maleska puzzle any time soon.)
Anyway! The theme of this puzzle is simple enough: Phrases in which one word has been spelled backwards, making a new, silly phrase. In fact, here are the clues for seven of the eight theme entries. (If you’re a subscriber, you should probably skip this entire post. Is it too late to say that?) Feel free to post answers in the comments section, one clue per solver. (Update: I’ve added the total number of letters in each answer.)
Record-setting wagon? (14)
Armed exterminator’s job? (12)
Unwanted e-mail that leads to riches? (12)
End of a midwest news report? (12)
Othello, no longer in a chair? (12)
Purpose of a tiny whip? (13)
“Follow that wild dog!”? (13)
I’ve got one other theme answer here: FROM SOUP TO STUN. What I don’t have is a clue for this theme answer. (The one I thought I’d be using has the word “from” in it — duh.) Any suggestions?
17 Comments
Setting change on the Gumbo Taser?
Do you just want clue suggestions for yours, or possible new ones? Fourteen letters only? I do like the gumbo taser idea. Maybe more like: Setting change on the chicken noodle phaser.
I’ll take one:
standing Moor only
“Gumbo Taser” really made me laugh. I was in a whole other mental rut, in which I was trying to evoke eating soup and then getting stunned. That just wasn’t working out for me.
I don’t need any new theme entries, Amy. The grid, in fact, is totally done — hence my panic about suddenly not having a clue for one of the entries.
Right, Toon, except I didn’t use “only.” Maybe I should add word lengths to my blog post…
I like the theme. “A chef’s beauty makeover” could be another clue for you–though I readily admit it needs editing.
First one is THE LONGEST DRAY.
“Recalibration for Kirk’s phaser after cooking”?
Treasure Spam. Are the results of this survey posted anywhere on the web?
Nope, Jangler, nor will it be — it’s just a company inquiring into the satisfaction of its customers.
Heading on Vol XXII of an encyclopedia
I’ll take one.
Armed exterminator’s job? (12)
SHOOTING RATS
Well as long as people are giving answers, the last one is GO WITH THE WOLF.
Unwanted e-mail that leads to riches?
would be
TREASURE SPAM, eh?
FROM SOUP TO STUN might be something like
Bouillabaisse after adding electric eel?
Tiny whip–MINIATURE FLOG.
Unusable clue for FROM SOUP TO STUN: {Arbitrary laddergram challenge}
Was doing the crossword (titled “Reverse English”) in the Aug. 13 Sunday Chicago Tribune Book Section and came across the clue “Range of settings on the Gumbo Phaser?” Had no idea so I Googled “Gumbo Phaser” and there was the answer! Thanks
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