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Relating to songbirds / TUE 2-21-17 / Explanatory Latin phrase / Physicist...
Constructor:Timothy PolinRelative difficulty:EasyTHEME: AP TEST (69A: Exam for an ambitious H.S. student ... or what this puzzle has been?)— eight theme answers are all two-word phrases where first...
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Actress form mixed martial arts champion Carano / WED 2-22-27 / Puccini title...
Constructor:Kyle DolanRelative difficulty:MediumTHEME: familiar phrases clued as word ladders— clues are "rungs" on a word ladder leading from first word in themer TO final word in themer:Theme...
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Actor Turner of Hobbit / THU 2-23-17 / rose English heraldic emblem / Cohen...
Constructor:Jeff ChenRelative difficulty:EeeeeeeasyTHEME: Number madness— asterisked clues have answers that don't seem right—they're actual phrases, but the first word (a number in every case) is...
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Title mankini wearer in 2006 film / FRI 2-24-17 / It is never too late to...
Constructor:Andrew ZhouRelative difficulty:EasyTHEME: none Word of the Day:Charles READE(16A: "It Is Never Too Late to Mend" novelist, 1856) — Charles Reade (8 June 1814 – 11 April 1884) was an...
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Sport similar to paintball / SAT 2-25-17 / Corrupt in British slang / Number...
Constructor:Mark DiehlRelative difficulty:MediumTHEME: none Word of the Day:AIRSOFT(26D: Sport similar to paintball) — Airsoftis a sport in which participants eliminate opponents by hitting each other...
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Flower named for Swedish botanist / SUN 2-26-17 / One-named singer once...
Constructor:Josh KnappRelative difficulty:Medium-ChallengingTHEME:"Mixed Feelings"— wacky theme answers created by anagramming (or "mixing") a "feeling" in a familiar phrase:Theme answers:TINY AXE...
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2016 Dsiney film set in Polynesia / MON 2-27-16 / Understand slangily / Jean...
Constructor:Zhouqin BurnikelRelative difficulty:Normal / MediumTHEME:two-word answers and reversals— Four 2-part answers, and then four more answers where each of those three answers has their 2 parts...
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Two-masted vessel / TUE 2-28-17 / Infamous prison featured in 1969 best...
Constructor:Jacob StulbergRelative difficulty:Medium-Challenging (for Tuesday—time just over 4)THEME: STAND-UP GUYS (28D: Honest sorts ... or what the circled squares contain?)— circled squares...
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Al Capp diminutive / WED 3-1-17 / Unlawful behavior in strict Muslim...
Constructor:David PhillipsRelative difficulty:EasyTHEME: two-word phrases where second word starts A- imagined as three-word phrases where "A" is a stand-alone word. It's wacky, trust me— Theme...
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Idaho motto word / THU 3-2-17 / Winger of "Shadowlands" / Muslim minority /...
Constructor: Peter GordonRelative difficulty: Relatively easy, with something extra in the cluesTHEME: Question and Answer — 20A: WHAT FAMOUS POET; 25A: HAS A NAME THAT'S; 43A: A DOUBLE DACTYL? 52A:...
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Heady stuff / FRI 3-3-17 / Mortal sister of the immortal Stheno and Euryale /...
Constructor:Patrick BerryRelative difficulty:An averagely challenging themeless to finish out the weekTHEME: ThemelessWord of the Day:DEVO(15A: Jumpsuit-wearing music group) — Devo (/ˈdiːvoʊ/,...
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Noted Civil War signature / SAT 3-4-17 / Longtime Cotton Bowl home informally...
Constructor:Mary Lou GuizzoRelative difficulty:EasyTHEME: none Word of the Day:Manuel NEUER(57A: Manuel ___, German soccer star called a "sweeper-keeper") — Manuel Peter Neuer (German...
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Seaman's chapel / SUN 3-5-17 / Sea serpent of old cartoons / Yogurt-based...
Constructor:Timothy PolinRelative difficulty:MediumTHEME:"It's Elementary"— themers have circled letters representing "elements" that also appear in the clue (as "circled letters" ... so you kind of...
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Awards in the ad biz / MON 3-6-17 / Panache / __ Harbour, Fla. / Inlets / Lee...
Did you know that March is National Celery Month? And today is the first Monday in it? And that celery is kind of gross but it has a good texture? Anyway, it's me, Annabel!Constructor: SUSAN...
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Millionths of meter / TUE 3-7-17 / Foreign Legion hat / Agave fiber used in...
Constructor:Freddie ChengRelative difficulty:Medium-Challenging (not sure why, played harder than normal)THEME:STALE and its anagrams Theme answers:"CANTERBURY TALES" (17A: Famously unfinished...
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Celebrity chef Matsuhisa / WED 3-8-17 / Sin City forensic drama / Roman...
Constructor:Paula GamacheRelative difficulty:Medium, maybe slightly north (I had software issues)THEME: TREASURE M.P.— Familiar phrases ending in a three-letter word where that word's central letter...
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Naturally in Britspeak / THU 3-9-17 / Challenge in demanding job /...
Constructor:Jeremy NewtonRelative difficulty:Medium[in the above rendering, the first "WORK" square is represented by a file folder, while the first "LIFE" square is represented by a house]THEME:...
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Theorbos eg / FRI 3-10-17 / Covent Garden architect Jones / Shia who's not...
Constructor:Pawel FludzinskiRelative difficulty:MediumTHEME: none Word of the Day:LABEOUF(11D: Shia who's not a Muslim) — Shia Saide LaBeouf (i/ˈʃaɪ.ələˈbʌf/; born June 11, 1986) is an American actor,...
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Sci-fi natives of planet Kashyyyk / SAT 3-11-17 / Genre akin to indie rock /...
Constructor:Natan LastRelative difficulty:Easy (beyond easy—I set a new personal Saturday record: 4:36)THEME: none Word of the Day:"ADVENTURE TIME"(53A: Award-winning Cartoon Network series with Finn...
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1943 conference site / SUN 3-12-17 / Turnaround too tempting to pass up /...
Constructor:Alan ArbesfeldRelative difficulty:EasyTHEME:"Taking the Fifth"— the sound of the *fifth* letter ("E") is added to the end of familiar phrases, creating wacky phrasesTheme answers:"TABLE...
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