11D: In this puzzle, “Screwdrivers, e.g.” are not TOOLS, they are HARD DRINKS, because they contain vodka and orange juice. Does anyone know how the screwdriver got its name? Legend has it that decades ago, American oil workers in the Persian Gulf discreetly added vodka to their orange juice, because who wouldn’t if you had the chance? Unfortunately, their rigs neglected to pack cocktail spoons, and they had to stir the drink, so (stop reading now if you are easily nauseated) they stirred their libations with their screwdrivers.

29D: I so wanted “Like some terriers” to be HARD HEADED. It turns out that the answer is WIRE-HAIRED, but take it from me: Do not bring a terrier into your home unless you are prepared to live with an animal that thinks faster than you do. And has a rudimentary knowledge of tools and how to use them. And likes to keep busy, no matter what the dog decides that means. I think they are a hoot, but if you are looking for a doorstop with fur, think about rescuing a retired greyhound instead.

33D: Wordplay would like to welcome the Swiss town of GSTAAD back to the New York Times Crossword after a hiatus of 35 years.

47D: Hi, kids! I have a fun project for you. No, it’s not homework. Find an older woman — it could be a relative, a family friend or a teacher, as long as she is over 50 — and just say the name “Donny OSMOND” to her. Observe her as, even all these years later, she closes her eyes, sighs and melts into her chair. There might even be squealing.

Today’s Theme

Mr. White offers us a set of five common “X in the Y” idioms, such as “Bird in the hand?” and some of the squares in each theme entry contain circles. Those circles, when read from left to right, spell out a type of “X,” and the entire theme entry is a synonym for Y, so that the “X” is in the “Y.”



For example, the answer to 17A’s “Bird in the hand?” is HIRED PERSON. That makes very little sense, but take a closer look at the circles: They spell “HERON.” A HERON is a type of bird, and HIRED PERSON is a synonym for “hand,” as in a ranch hand.

Similarly, at 24A, the answer to the clue “Snake in the grass?” is CATTLE FODDER. The circled letters spell ADDER, a type of snake. “Grass” is CATTLE FODDER.

Need one more example? O.K., but I’m hiding this one behind a link. See if you can get it without my help, but if you’re stuck, click the link to see the answer: