Sun., 1/25 C.C. Burnikel

[magus]

THEME:   phrases containing four G's
   
GOOD ONES:    
Title: "4-G Network"   
Alley pickups   SPARES [not the seedy]   
Train station waiters   CABS [I thought people, not cars]   
Hair removal brand   ATRA [I thought creams, not razors]   
Dupe   REPRO [I thought fool, not duplicate]   
   
BTW:   
Extremely hot   ALL THE RAGE [I'd leave of "extremely" and reserve it for the sexual --- unless I were Jimmy Fallon]   
   
Locker room problem   EGO [I've played on teams and chatted in faculty lounges, and ego is a far bigger problem in the latter.]   

Wonder if Barbara called her husband GORGEOUS GEORGE.
   
Must've been fun, and difficult, to find the theme phrases.   

At last night's (Saturday) dinner party a Microsoft engineer used the term Big Data (used in yesterday's puzzle), not in the sense of its being difficult to handle but as a new computing concept.  So the entry wasn't as bad as I made it sound. 
   
RATING:   
Three grins = Loved it; Two grins = Enjoyed it; One grin = A bit bland for my taste; One teardrop = Not much fun   

[Thomps2525]

G'day, mates! Merl Reagle's puzzle in today's Los Angeles Times is titled "Accent on Australia." The theme answers are phrases spoken with an Australian accent which sound similar to familiar American expressions:

Twin Aussie babies? DOUBLETYKES
Scornful feeling among Aussies? SOURGRIPES
What Aussies use to order holiday desserts? PIEPHONE
Query to Mr. & Mrs. Pig after an Aussie vacation? HOWWASYOURSTY
Rare occurrences in Aussie courtrooms? HAPPYTRIALS

The New York Times crossword is titled "Changelings." Those are the word games in which you have to change one word to another by changing one letter at a time. Example: Change LOOK to EYES in seven moves. Answer: LOOK, hook, hood, hoed, hoes, does, dyes, EYES. Among the "changelings" in today's puzzle:

Children show their affection for modelKate above all others:
KIDSKISSMISSMOSSMOST
Friends who have never been to the beach don't walk by the girl so often:
PALEPALSPASSLASSLESS

Both of today's crosswords are very clever! Once again, I is impressed!