Sun., 10/12 Skoczen & Varol

[magus]

THEME:   Despite the "Twelve Step Puzzle" title I don't know the theme --- I'm sure it's clever, but I lack the patience to figure it out. 
   
GOOD ONES:    
Zesty start, in London?   ZED [Z is first letter of "zesty"]   
When two hands meet?   AT NOON   
Short side?   SLAW ["side" dish of cole "slaw"]   
Household cleaner   RAG [not a product for purchase]   
Gamer's game face   AVATAR [not his expression]   
Peek or bug ending    A-BOO [not the end of snooping]   
   
BTW:   
IRIS-IN is an effect we no longer see in movies --- I suspect it's distracting, except maybe in comedies.   
   
I'd accept quatre and sept, but not ONZE because the French 4 and 7 are found in words we see and their roots are deciferable; not so of the French 11.   
   
O.K., I felt bad about the theme so I spent some time on it.  The last word of phrases can precede "STEP."   
   
RATING:     
Three grins = Loved it; Two grins = Enjoyed it; One grin = A bit bland for my taste; One teardrop = Not much fun   

[Thomps2525]

Today's Los Angeles Times crossword by Merl Reagle is titled "Uncommon People." The last part of each theme answer is a title of nobility, such as DUKE, EARL, COUNT, LORD, LADY and QUEEN. Another answer is ENDTITLES, which describes movie credits and is also the idea behind the puzzle's theme. Very clever!

Today's puzzle is the fifth in a month to include SSTS, this time clued with "Mach-1 breakers." INTERLOCKING was the answer for "Like crossword words." Crossword words intersect. Crossword words criss-cross. Crossword words don't really "interlock." And Reagle used one clue that is one of the most horrible puns ever made: "Sound of ju-bull-ation?" The answer is OLE, which appears in a lot of puzzles. At least Reagle came up with a clue that is different than the usual "Bullfight cheer." I give him a D- for the pun but I give him an A for effort.

[pattybee]

Thanks for clarifying the theme.

[Thomps2525]

I subscribe to a lot of puzzle magazines. One recent issue contained crosswords with no themes. The editor explained that themeless puzzles are harder to fill in because the longer answers have no similarities with each other. I don't know if that's true...but themeless puzzles certainly aren't imaginative. With the thousands of puzzles that appear every year, I'm surprised that the creators can continue to come up with clever themes without repeating themselves (or each other).