Constructor: Gareth Bain and David Poole
Relative difficulty: Medium
THEME: -A to -ER — wacky phrases that are homophones of normal phrases if you are British (I think)
Theme answers:
- CONGER LINES (17A: Libretto for "Eel Trovatore"?)
- FRANK ZAPPER (24A: Microwave for hot dogs?)
- CHARLIE THE TUNER (37A: Actor Sheen after starting a new career in piano maintenance?)
- SALES QUOTER (50A: One who knows the earnings report by heart?)
- TUBER PLAYER (60A: Actor in a Mr. Potato Head costume?)
Word of the Day: FTC (
11A: Do Not Call Registry org.) —
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act. Its principal mission is the promotion of consumer protection and the elimination and prevention of anticompetitive business practices, such as coercive monopoly. The Federal Trade Commission Act was one of President Woodrow Wilson's major acts againsttrusts. Trusts and trust-busting were significant political concerns during the Progressive Era. Since its inception, the FTC has enforced the provisions of the Clayton Act, a key antitrust statute, as well as the provisions of the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. § 41 et seq. Over time, the FTC has been delegated the enforcement of additional business regulation statutes and has promulgated a number of regulations (codified in Title 16 of the Code of Federal Regulations). (wikipedia)
• • •
Cornball puns really aren't my thing. The clues on the first couple are pretty funny, but the "humor" here kind of went over, or beside, or in some relation to my head other than the intended one. Plus QUOTER's not really a word. I mean, it is, but it isn't, so that answer really clunks. Also, I did not like the last themer,
TUBER PLAYER, at all, because of its inclusion of a -ER word that did *not* conform to the theme … unless the guy on "tuba" is in fact a "playa," in which case, good for him. Seems like this theme might have been as funny, if not funnier, in reverse: -ERs to -As. (Like someone who refuses to root for the
Lightning under any conditions?) =>
TAMPA RESISTANT. Huh? Huh? Well, maybe, maybe not. Maybe that's been done. But this didn't amuse me enough to make the mostly uninteresting trip through the rest of the puzzle seem worth it. Fill was overly common and somewhat tiresome to work through, though the long Downs (
FOAM PEANUT WHAT A LAUGH) are pretty charming (
11D: Bit of packaging detritus 29D: "That is SO stupid!").