Week 746: We Err The World


China: In Toys We Lead
A couple of years back, we invited you to come up with
new mottoes for the 50 states. Loser-275-Times-Over
Kevin Dopart, having seen a"Canada-- in six words or
less" challenge in Our Northern Neighbor's National
Post, suggests that we expand that contest to include all
the countries. The Empress has her reservations about
this contest, but invites you to cancel them: This
week: Give us a motto or short slogan for any
country in the world.

Winner gets the Inker, the official Style Invitational
trophy. First runner-up gets acan of Possum Ding
Dongs, made with real possum, sent to us by Drew
Bennett of West Plains, Mo. Drewwants us to know,
however, that "we are much too cosmopolitan in the
Ozarks for Possum Ding Dongs,"and that he acquired
this item in Alabama.

Other runners-up win their choice of a coveted Style Invitational Loser T-shirt or
yearned-for Loser Mug. Honorable Mentions (or whatever they're called that week)
get one of the lusted-after Style Invitational Magnets. One prize per entrant per week.
Send your entries by e-mail to losers@washpost.com or by fax to 202-334-4312.
Deadline is Monday,Jan. 7. Put "Week 746" in the subject line of your e-mail, or it
risks being ignored as spam. Include your name, postal address and phone number
with your entry. Contests are judged on the basis of humor and originality. All entries
become the property of The Washington Post. Entries may be edited for taste or
content. Results will be published Jan. 26. No purchase required for entry. Employees
of The Washington Post, and their immediate relatives, are not eligible for prizes.
Pseudonymous entries will be disqualified. The revised title for next week's contest is
by Dave Prevar.

Report From Week 742, in which we sought more out-there clues for a crossword that ran in The Post this past
May.

The puzzle's actual author, the renowned Paula Gamache, got to help with the
final judging. She did not, at least to us, declare her creation "violated." Because so
many entrants of ered something for almost every clue, we ended up with a lot of
duplication, but sometimes the funniest answer just happened to be sent in by 32
people. On the other hand, there were a few words for which no one managed anything
thrilling. We'll spare you those. (We've included the winner and runners-up below,
rather than show them out of order.)

ACROSS

1. AVEC: U-Deux song "__ ou Sans Vous" (Randy Lee, Burke)
5. OWES: Calling Mr. Unseld! (David McEwan, Ellicott City)
9. SLIDE: Arule that's out of date (Fred Dawson, Beltsville)
What Kucinich's poll numbers can't do (Russell Beland, Springfield)
14. LILA: Girl Simon & Garfunkel sang about in "The Boxer" (Barbara Turner,


15. ARLO: Woody offshoot (Chris Doyle, Ponder, Tex.; Kevin Dopart, Washington)

Jennifer Lopez's sister Arlene (J. Larry Schott, Gainesville, Fla.)

In "Alice's Restaurant," he played Arlo (Randy Lee)

16. PETRO: The oilmighty dollar (Chris Doyle)

Toy craze that followed the mood ri (Roy Ashley, Washington)

17. PRESSKILT: A sure-fire way to beam up Scotty (Jay Shuck, Minneapolis)

19. LOHAN: Future star of "The Parent Tramp" (Kevin Dopart)

20. SUNHATS: GOP global warming solution (J.F. Martin, Naples, Fla.; Drew Bennett, West Plains, Mo.)

21. SPINETS: White House press office interns (Mike Dailey, Centreville)

Roswell PR task (Maria Rowan, Kensington)

23. SABBATH: What you take every Sab, whether you need it or not (many entries)

25. ATEE: Tiger starts with this (Kevin Dopart)

26. AUG: What Barbara Walters says on Talk Like a Pirate Day (Dave Zarrow, Herndon)

27. ACNE: Redskin problem that's treatable (Brendan Beary, Great Mills)

29. WIG: Parton's third-most-impressive feature (Russ Taylor, Vienna)

35. the winner of the Inker: ARLEN: What Texans call my country (John O'Byrne, Dublin)

36. EDU: Usually followed with "idiot," in my experience (Ed Conti, Raleigh, N.C.)

37. NAH: But isn't torture wrong, Mr. Rumsfeld? (Drew Bennett)

38. TOOBALD: Britney's problem from top to bottom (many entries)

The only thing that kept Terry Bradshaw from scoring (Maria Rowan)

41. IDO: Two really big words (Warren Tanabe, Annapolis)

42. RUNON: A cruel but not unusual sentence (Elwood Fitzner, Valley City, N.D.)

A very anxious actor in a very small role (Ari Unikoski, Tel Aviv)

43. EDAM: Cheese that's made backward (many entries)

44. TAR: Mississippi Michelin (Cy Gardner, Arlington)

45. ITER: Place to resuscitate sick PCs (Randy Lee; Peter Boice, Rockville)

One who neuters. (Russell Beland)

46. MSG: Gloria Steinem, to her protegees (Randy Lee)

What we USED to worry about in Chinese products. (Tom Witte, Montgomery Village)

48. TUBE: The Hamlet Channel (John O'Byrne)

50. STOPGAP: What Nixon told Rose Mary Woods after 18 1/2 minutes (Peter Metrinko, Chantilly)

57. ACCEDES: Lets spouse control the thermostat (Kevin Dopart)

59. INUIT: I wz rt (Chris Parkin, Silver Spring)

60. POLKADOLT: Nasty bumper sticker from the 1844 presidential race (many entries)

Second runner-up: Someone who plays air accordion (Lawrence McGuire, Waldorf)

62. ROLLE : With 12 Down, questionable sushi (Kevin Dopart)

63. ERIE: Lake by the Mistake (Kevin d'Eustachio, Lynchburg, Va.)

67. NEAR: How much corn y'git with supper (Michael Reinemer, Annandale)

DOWN

1. ALPS: Assists Eliza Doolittle (J. Larry Schott)

2. VIRUS: ___ bag, scientific term for child in day care (Kelly Esposito, Frederick)

Gates crasher (Jim Ward, Manassas)

4. CASHBAR: No woman ever said, "Take me to the . . ." (Chris Parkin)

6. WRIST: Only place where it's a relief to get slapped (Beverley Sharp, Washington)

7. ELL: New metrosexual fashion magazine (Sue Lin Chong, Baltimore)

8. SOTS: Fraternity admission tests (Ira Allen, Bethesda)

9. SPLITEND: Thong's purpose, briefly (Phyllis Reinhard, East Fallowfield, Pa.)

10. LEONE: Monsieur Right (Michael Turniansky, Pikesville, Md.)

11. ITHEEWELD: Third runner-up: What the knight said to his bride before leaving on the crusade (Marleen May, Rockville)

12. DRAT: Dan Rather's gangsta name (Andrew Hoenig, Rockville)


22. PANEL: Superman's cousin the movie critic (Horace LaBadie, Dunellon, Fla.)

28. CLAN: What a kilt SHOULD reveal (Brendan Beary)

30. IDEA: The Swedish light bulb store (many entries)

32. UNIT: Lousy put-down (Dave Prevar, Annapolis)

International Geek Squad (Christopher Lamora, Arlington)

34. SHORTCULT: First runner-up, winner of the Over the Hill gag bra: Twig Davidians (Steve Fahey, Kensington)

38. TRIBUTES: What bibutes aspire to be (Cy Gardner)

39. OUTER: More obviously gay (Russell Beland)

The second-most-interesting part of a thigh (Dan Ramish, Vienna)

43. EGGEDON: Dinosaur made extinct by poachers (Cy Gardner)

46. MOCKED: What Jackie Mason STILL does to Sullivan (Andrew Hoenig)

47. SPCA: Line dance at dog weddings (Tom Murphy, Bowie)

49. UTILE: What you want when you have a Q on your rack (J. Larry Schott)

51. TALIA: NOT Jenna Bush's middle name! (Brendan Beary)

52. ADOBE: A joint in Taos (Chris Parkin)

53. PELLA: Stanley Kowalski's cry of pane (Maria Rowan; Larry Yungk, Arlington)

Your specimen, please, Miss Fitzgerald (Paula Gamache, Rye, N.Y.)

Next Week: Picture This, or Captions Outrageous