Ray Hamel must have drawn inspiration from the 1980 Police song De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da. His Los Angeles Times crossword today includes TURKEYDAY, RUBYDEE, LOADEDDIE ("Crooked craps cube"), JOHNDOE and SCOOBYDOO. Foreign words in the puzzle: ALDENTE, CASA, ETE, HERR.
The Daily News crossword by Todd Gross and Andrea Carla included WEBCRAWLER, ALICEWALKER, BLADERUNNER and RADIOFLYER ("Classic red wagon"). There was a set of Roman numerals (XCI), two foreign words (CIAO, TROMPE) and the over-used words ELI, ERA, LEA, LEI and ODE.
The 13x13 NEA crossword included EEL, ERGO, ICON, IRE, ODE, ORAL, OREO, ORO, OSLO, SET and STY and, as usual, no theme and no long words. The Universal crossword included DIAMONDBACK, HAMMERSHOME, LETTERDROPS and AIRFORCEONE. The theme is obviously.....ummm.....uhh.......