google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Thursday, April 18, 2013 Erik Agard

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Apr 18, 2013

Thursday, April 18, 2013 Erik Agard

Theme: "Get the point?"

20-Across. *Web page index : SITE MAP.

22-Across. *Keep in touch! : WRITE ME.

47-Across. *Comics supervillain whose real name is Charles Brown : KITE MAN. An homage to the kite-flying Charlie Brown of "Peanuts."

4-Down. *Vampire victim's souvenir : BITE MARKS.

10-Down. *Chicken choice : WHITE MEAT.

And the unifier:

70. With 71-Across, what the answers to starred clues contain? : HIDDEN and 71. See 70-Across : AGENDA.

The theme entries had to have the asterisk, since there was 7, 8 and 9-letter non-theme fill in the grid. So as I was filling in answers, I couldn't help but notice the first words all ended in ITE, and the second words all started with M...(hmmm, I wonder where this is going?)

Unusual grid design with left-to-right symmetry, but not top-to-bottom. And we have a pangram! C.C. just did an interview with this young man on April 3rd.

Let's see what else Erik has dished out for us.

Across:

1. Invitation reminder letters : BYOB. "Bring your own bottle." Anything you say, Erik!  Where's the party?

5. Tape player button : EJECT.

10. '80s pop duo with an exclamation point in its name : WHAM! Ah yes, the disco era...3:21

14. Renaissance painter Guido : RENI. Baroque master.

15. Indian city : DELHI. Five letters, so at least I could eliminate Agra!

16. Sharpen : HONE.

17. #2: Abbr. : ASST. Whaaa??  All I could think of was a #2 pencil.  (Comes from doing too many crosswords, I guess.)

18. Like some checking accounts : NO FEE.

19. Cry after being tagged : I'M IT!

24. Start of a boast : I CAME...I saw, I conquered.

25. "Middle of Nowhere" director DuVernay : AVA. She won Best Director at the Sundance film festival for it.

27. Prohibit : DEBAR. Hands up for "estop?"

28. Restaurant survey creator : ZAGAT.

29. Tease : RIB.

30. Smacked, biblically : SMOTE.

31. Steven Chu's Cabinet dept. : ENER.gy

32. Mononymous "Rumor Has It" singer : ADELE. You know I have to link it! 3:43

34. Used peepers on : EYED.

35. "Firework" singer Perry : KATY. Anyone else fill in "Como" without thinking?  DUH! It's the 21st century, people. Here's the song. 3:54

37. Exile isle : ELBA.

39. Debacle : FIASCO. Great word!

42. Soda buys : LITERS.

46. Mac interface : OSX. "Operating System 10."  I wonder how many PC users would know that?

51. Start to push? : PEE.  No, it's not bathroom humor. We are simply looking for the first letter of "push" here.

52. Clarified butter : GHEE.

54. "___ Believer":'60s hit : I'M A. Ear worm from the sixties. 2:35

55. Retailer T.J. ___ : MAXX.

56. Knock out of contention : ELIMINATE.

61. Personal partner? : UP CLOSE. "Up close and personal."

64. It goes around the world : EQUATOR.

68. Flat container : SHOE BOX. Great clue!  "Flats" are a type of ladies shoe.

69. Ice cream treats : SUNDAES.

Down:

1. Lingerie spec : BRA SIZE. The gents would tar and feather me if I didn't link one of these.

2. "Absolutely!" : YES I CAN.

3. Treading the boards : ON STAGE.

5. Flamboyant Dame : EDNA. Oh, I dunno. She looks pretty normal to me.

6. Where to find a lot of answers? : JEOPARDY. Another nice clue.

7. Impish sort : ELF.

8. Like some vitamins : CHEWABLE.

9. Cake level : TIER.

11. Inner city buddy : HOME BOY. Anyone else want "main man?"

12. Produce, as cartoons : ANIMATE.

13. Like most cabs : METERED.

21. Was introduced to : MET.

23. Passports, e.g. : IDs.

26. Contend : VIE.

32. Yours, in Tours : A TOI.

33. Big name in scat : ELLA. Another era heard from. I believe this is # 5 for today.

36. Cry from Cathy of comics :

38. Trash repository : BIN.

39. Weather for low beams : FOG.

40. Moderating suffix : ISH. "I'm fifty-ish..." (OK, that might be stretching it, rather than moderating it.)

41. Terminate : AXE.

43. Green org. : EPAEnvironmental Protection Agency.

I liked the progression of the next three answers:

44. T. ___ : REX.
45. What F or M may denote : SEX.
48. "It takes a licking..." watch : TIMEX.

49. U.K. record label : EMIElectric and Musical Industries. Probably best known as the record label of The Beatles, but they had a couple other notable names under their belt, as well.   ;-)

50. Leonine neck features : MANES.

53. Sought morays : EELED. Nothing about sniggling?

55. Gettysburg general : MEADE.

57. Brain part : LOBE.

58. "And the race ___!" : IS ON.

59. Blue hue : AQUA.

60. Mao Tse-___ : TUNG.

61. Seat, in slang : USH. Change the "s" to a "g" for me.

62. NYG NFL rival : PHI.ladelphia and the New York Giants of the National Football League.

63. Fish-and-chips fish : COD. I like haddock in my fish-and-chips!

65. Basking goal : TAN.

66. Where age always goes before beauty, briefly : OED. Alphabetically, that is. Oxford English Dictionary.

67. The ANC's country : RSA. African National Congress, Republic of South Africa.

'Til next week!

Hugs,
Marti

94 comments:

Barry G. said...

Morning, all!

Started out with RSVP at 1A and finally removed it when I realized that 1D was CUP SIZE. Of course, that didn't help things at all until I finally went back at the end and changed it to BYOB and BRA SIZE.

RENI, AVA, KITEMAN, OSX, PEE... ACK! Not exactly a FIASCO, since I managed to get the job done, but if this were JEOPARDY the category would be "Things I don't know."

[itsivvo?] Nope, didn't think so.
[egamessa]

Lemonade714 said...

So good to have Marti back on Thursday.
This had its Friday moments with SIX and Guido RENI, and I agree about ESTOP, but with ITEM showing itself early, the rest was smooth.
Thanks Erik and miss m

Anonymous said...

If you're number one, then I think #2 is your assistant?

TTP said...

WHAM ! If my best isn't good enough, then how could it be good enough for two ? I can't work any harder than I do. Everything She Wants

Thank you Erik and thank you Marti. My best almost wasn't good enough, but perseverance paid off albeit in just over 39 minutes.

Hand up for Como.

Stopped at the Czech Stop in West, Texas for kolache and strudels many times through the years.

Hope everyone has a great day.

Dudley said...

Hello Puzzlers -

Hand up for starting with RSVP, which started to look suspicious rather quickly. Only a few unknowns, such as Katy Perry, but quite a few mis-remembered things. Ghee, for some reason, keeps turning up as Ghan in my memory. Dunno why.

"Ush" is a fun word! It reminds me of the Jeeves & Wooster episode in which Bertie Wooster lends his valet, Jeeves, to a friend in temporary need of a butler, saying "he can buttle with the best of them!".

Morning Marti, nice to have your wit to keep us company today!

Cheers all

HeartRx said...

Barry, I did exactly the same thing at 1-Across! So it didn't seem like a very good start, but the rest was pretty smooth sailing.

Dudley, I am whelmed by the word "Ush," (and as a matter of fact, spell check insists on changing it to "usb!") But I think I have to add "buttle" to my word list. (^0^)

desper-otto said...

Good morning, group!

No ESTOP for me. The "D" was already in place. No MAIN MAN, either. But a big hand up for RSVP!

Marti, those car bras are cruel and unusual punishment. Such links should be verboten. Over here the Beatles records came out on Capitol. And no, this PC (often non-PC) guy had no idea what OSX was, but the A_E perps demanded an "X".

Cold front and brief but heavy rain expected later today. Need to get my 3-mile march in early.

Middletown Bomber said...

Nice write up Marti and great puzzle from Erik. This puzzle had me stumped at the beginning 5 minutes in and only the not even the first 3rd done. Then the clues all fell into place. and finished the rest of the puzzle barely missing out on what I consider a speed run for a thursday. Dope slapped on BYOB like Barry I wanted rsvp and then when I realized bra size I wanted BYOD (d is for Date) Bite marks made me see the light. Not being an Apple fan the perps gave me OSX. Well happy thursday all today is a long one for me as my son has a 745pm start baseball game to play. I think I am a robot today
(RSMalit) but we shall see.

desper-otto said...

Dudley and Marti, Buttle made it to AWAD a couple of years ago. If you subscribe (it's free), you'll get a daily email plus a weekend compendium of comments about the words during the previous week. If you like crosswords, I think you'd like AWAD. (Commercial over.)

Dennis said...

Good morning, gang - this was definitely a fun solve; great cluing, as Marti pointed out, and a well-hidden theme (at least for me). (Nice misdirection on 1D, Marti - got me, dammit).

Like others, I started with RSVP before realizing that I was looking at either BRA or CUP SIZE (which isn't a bad thing). My second mistake was putting MYRA for 'Flamboyant Dame' for no apparent reason, so there was that too. The rest of the puzzle went ok, except for a pause at the KATY/COMO decision (what?? she sings too??), and reflexively putting ANIL whenever I see 'Blue' in a clue with a four-letter answer.

I always cringe when I hear the word FIASCO -- back in the day when I was running the IT division for my company, whenever we had a serious problem, my boss would invariably say, "You've got to fix this fiasco quickly". Ah, the good old days of working for the man...

Nicely done by Erik, and Marti, great write-up as always.

Have a fun day.

61Rampy said...

Had no problem today with anything, except OSX and ISH. Never heard of GHEE. Highly disappointed in Marti's link to car BRAs!
Started in the center and worked my way around today.
I kept misreading the clue number and thought the theme was SUNDAES AGENDA. ???
Not too bad for a Thursday!

Spitzboov said...

Good morning everyone.

Except for the A in KATY, I got everything else. First I thought it would be a FIASCO, when I filled in very little in the north, but starting from the south, it all came home. Fair use of X's today: MAXX, BOX, OSX, Felt like a pangram; Marti confirmed it. I didn't bother to suss out the theme this time. Good job, Erik.

Off to play some bridge.

Have a good day.

kazie said...

Hand up for RSVP at first.

Several filled themselves today (eg. OSX, an unknown) but I had trouble with ON STAGE because I was sure it would end in -ING, of course the RSVP didn't help, and I didn't know RENI, so that corner was last to fall. I also didn't know ACK (guessed ICK and thought: "strange spelling for Kitty").

Good Thursday challenge.

Sfingi said...

Having rsvp and never getting BYOB (this would indicate to me to stay home), I dnf.

Never heard of USH, DuVerney, OSX,ACK, KITEMAN.
Have to remember, it's not always Perry COMO, but sometime's KATY Perry, who's pretty good, and very pretty.

Didn't get the theme, and disappointed when I saw it here.

GHEE is produced by heating up butter and skimming off the solids, which look white. The result is transparent yellow, and not as solid at room temperature. Also, lower cholesterol. It's an East Indian thing. Spices may be added.

LaLaLinda said...

Hi All ~~

I really enjoyed this puzzle ~ thanks Erik Agard. There were many great clues/answers that I don't recall seeing before, or at least not recently.

~ I started with 'Cupsize' but ONSTAGE gave me BYOB, which changed 1D to BRA SIZE - loved your link, Marti - so typical of your humor! :-)

~ I, too, saw the ITE pattern in the starred answers and thought I was on to something until the unifier. I then went back and saw the ITEMS that were HIDDEN - so clever!

~ Although I got through this quite easily, I did have a couple of pauses - I was thinking of Prohibit as 'Bar' so DEBAR seemed like "unbar'' but it all fit. OSX was an unknown but perps came through. I was looking at 6D beginning with JEO- and couldn't imagine a word starting with those letters. Duh.

~ As always, a wonderful write-up Marti. I enjoyed listening to ADELE as I worked. Thanks for the explanation of 'Flat container'/SHOEBOX. I got it, but didn't get it - I wasn't thinking of the shoe - great misdirection!

~ Thoughts are still with the people of Boston and now with those in West, Texas affected by that horrible explosion.

Off to the vet for kitty #1's two-week check-up. Was there last week with kitty #2 and next week it will be kitty #3. The place is becoming like my second home.

Yellowrocks said...

Every Thursday I look forward to your witty write-ups, Marti..This had an unusual placement of theme answers and unusual symmetry. Seeing ITEM early on helped a lot. I was going for THIGH MEAT, until ITEM brought me WHITE MEAT.
I had OS right away, and added X from AXE.
I had RSVP for a short time. BITE MARK led to BYOB on then to ON STAGE, making that corner easier.
I liked the comic, Kathy, and her ACK. Our paper no longer carries it.
My 23A read “Keep in ouch.” I figured it must be touch.
I have often wondered about the difference between GHEE and clarified butter. Here it is:
Clarified butter and ghee are not the same. Ghee is clarified butter that has been cooked longer to remove all the moisture, and the milk solids are browned (caramelized) in the fat and then strained out. This gives a rich nutty taste. Ghee has a longer shelf life, both refrigerated and at room temperature. It is traditionally used in Indian cuisine.

TTP said...

Getting a little rain in Chicago.

Sinkholes happen here too. This happened this morning.

Sinkhole Swallows Cars

Lemonade714 said...

When I think of #2, I do not think of pnecils. When I get my mind out of the bathroom, I think of HIM .

Robert Wagner, not Mike Myers

Husker Gary said...

Musings
-I’ve found that women are better at unearthing HIDDEN AGENDAS
-Machines with an EJECT button don’t get any use around here any more
-Live from New DELHI
-Me too on #2 and COMO but you got the wrong BRAS, Marti!
-At some point, RIBbing turns into bullying
-Arrested/Not Arrested info from Boston turned into a FIASCO yesterday
-My butter is not clarified and so is it ambiguous?
-Did you ever ANIMATE with flip cards as a ute?
-My golf score is 40 ISH
-The new PHI NFL coach was at Oregon U last year and it looks like he left just ahead of the posse

AnnieB8491 said...

Good morning all - Great puzzle today Erik - thanks for a fun workout. Great write-up Marti - loved all of your links. For some reason, Adele always looks older to me than she really is. I think it's her hairstyle. A few of the pics in your link show her with straight or pulled back hair and she does look younger that way.
My only fill-in in the NW corner on first pass was SITEMAP and RSVP. I fell into wanting an ING ending for 'Treading the boards', so filled in EMOTING which removed the rsvp. Eventually filled in CUPSIZE, but that still left me with lots of blanks. Had to look-up to get RENI and ZAGAT, which led to BRASIZE, then BYOB and ONSTAGE. This was the last corner to fall, so that helped me get my completion.
I did think of KATY first as I had the ...Y
Wanted END before AXE, but knew OSX as we are a MAC family, so that fixed 41D and gave me FIASCO with the F from FOG.. Did not know GHEE, but eventually perps gave it to me.
Managed to see the HIDDEN ITEMS which gave me AGENDA (had AGENTS at first, but OET and RSS didn't make sense).

All in all an enjoyable puzzle. Keep on keepin' on Husker Gary. Always look forward to your 'Musings'. :)

Have a great day everyone!

QCDowin

Misty said...

Sometimes I seem to be just too dumb for words. I got everything this morning, all the answers, the resolve, but then thought what the heck is ITE? Never saw the M to make it ITEM. How silly is that? But besides that it was lovely, smooth sailing this morning, so thanks for a delightful puzzle, Erik. And Marti, thanks for the "Cathy" pic. I miss her!

Ah, "Jeopardy"--what would we do without it. And what will we do when they replace Alex Trebek?

Have a good Thursday, everybody!

Unknown said...

Fun puzzle, but I failed!
And nice write-up, but still have no idea of USH, no meaning to me.
Thought CHI good fill for 62D, shows how much I know about NFL.
And that blew the SW corner for me.
So close...

Jazzbumpa said...

Hi gang -

Huge DNF for me, top left anf middle. Off on the wrong track with CUPSIZE and never recovered. EJECT eluded me. Got KATY but not ADELE. Who the hell is EDNA?

ELF for impish sort? I don't this can be justified.

Overall, a FIASCO.

I do appreciate the clever theme and the unusual grid.

Cheers!
JzB

Anonymous said...

What? No A-word today!!

Yellowrocks said...

As a college student I worked summers at a resort. I USHed at the Little Theater and saw all the plays for free. We said USH, although I have never seen it in books or heard any adult, including me,say it.
USH appears in some, but not all dictionaries as slang for usher, the verb.
Link ush
Thesauarus.com has these synonyms for IMP:
brat, demon, devil, deviling, devilkin, ELF, fiend, gamin, gnome, gremlin, hellion, minx, pixie, puck, rascal, rogue, scamp, sprite, troll, tyke, urchin, villain

Lemonade714 said...

If you missed him/her
DAME EDNA

Unknown said...

ACK! Slang for to seat. OK, it is early.

Husker Gary said...

Professional sports in our country do not interest some people and the players and organizations can be greedy and callous with their product that is essentially very highly paid athletes playing silly games. However, in the wake of tragedy these teams can rise above their pettiness and serve as a focal point of what is good in America. Here are two powerful examples:

Rene Rancourt traditionally sings the National Anthem alone at Boston Bruin games and he became so emotional last night that he knew he could not finish and so he invited the crowd to sing with him and the result was this amazing, emotional moment during the National Anthem in Boston last night

The Boston Red Sox fans have a tradition of singing Sweet Caroline at Fenway Park but on Tuesday the fans of the hated New York Yankees sang that despised song IN Yankee Stadium in tribute to Boston. It would be like hearing The Eyes of Texas Are Upon You being played and sung at a football game in Norman, Oklahoma. Sweet Caroline at Yankee Stadium.

We shall overcome.

Irish Miss said...

Good morning:

Like Misty, I finished, got the TADA but, for the life of me, did not see "item" in the theme answers. Talk about dense! Anyway, thanks, Erik, for a fun challenge and thanks, Marti, for your sparkling expo.

Our weather is still a roller coaster: Spring-like for a day or two, then back to chilly or cold. It'll warm up sooner or later, I guess.

Happy Thursday.

Tinbeni said...

Marti: Wonderful write-up and musical links. Thank you for the tunes!

Caught on to the HIDDEN AGENDA (ITEM) theme early with bITE Marks.

No problem here at Villa Incognito knowing that 'invitations' often have a BYOB.
Bring Your Own Bottle/Booze or Broad!

Lemon: I thought you would have more to say about 27-a, Prohibit, DEBAR.
But that's OK, I'm just now getting over yesterday's DEICE ....

GHEE, I wish I remembered the answer for "Clarified butter."

A "toast" to ALL at Sunset.
Cheers!!!

Lucina said...

Greetings, puzzlers. You always amuse me, Marti, with your wry sense of humor.

Yowza! I thought this was a Tuesday level puzzle although could not start at the NW but the center filled in nicely. Had to erase ERASE then EJECT appeared and the entire Atlantic coast flooded in quickly.

GHEE and ZAGAT have been learned purely from crosswords so when I returned to the NW it also filled easily once ZAGAT was in place but I did start with CUP SIZE then realized the error.

No PERRY Como as the Y from JEOPARDY! was there.

Ah, Marti, you comedian, you, torturing the men with car BRAs! I suppose you would show a hunk of red meat for us ladies.

Yesterday all the newscasts showed the various homages paid to Boston including the songs Gary linked.

Have a really great Thursday, everyone!

Jayce said...

First of all, perhaps "I came" could be considered a boast in certain circumstances.

And on that note I'll read your comments now.

Lemonade714 said...

Tinbeni, I am unfamiliar with the word DEBAR and wonder why you would think I would know the word. It has no relevance to DISBAR, which relates to the revocation of a state license to practice. If your intention was to bring up the word DISBAR, I have done so for you, but question to what end?

Jayce said...

Hello everybody. I liked this puzzle today, which I felt was easier than I expected on a Thursday. I overthought 8D and put in CHELATED, which messed me up there for a little while. Like LaLaLinda I couldn't think what could begin with JEO, but EJECT was solid. Hand up for RSVP, then CUP SIZE, then BRA SIZE. KATY came easily (be good, Jayce) because I already had ATOI from ADELE.

I'm getting the feeling there will be no calling, maybe.

Wanted ICETRAY before figuring out SHOEBOX.

Overall a really nifty puzzle; thank you Erik Agard.

Irish Miss, yep, I sure do remember you and I complaining about gimmicky NYT puzzles. Best wishes to you all.

[purpday]

Tinbeni said...

Lemon:
You always like to make comments regarding legal terms.
Marti commented that her first thought was ESTOP.
I thought you were going to elucidate on the legal term DEBAR.

If I had meant to use the word DISBAR, I would have done so.

CrossEyedDave said...

Ha! You did not get me 1A=rsvp (because I decided not to fill it in& wait.) However, the next "item" 5A vexed me to the end...

Why I had to go red letter:

5A tape button = erase
17A #2 abr = poop
30A smacked biblically (actually I did not fill it in, I am just reminding myself to come back to it as there must be some hilarious links for it out there...)
34A used peepers on = espy
35A fireworks singer Perry (Goddamnit,como is the only one i know!!!)
57D brain part = stem
59D blue hue = Azul (I did not know it was a foreign language till now.)
62D NYG NFL Rival = NYJ (Hey, here in NJ it would have been the right answer...)

So that was my across & down leading to total chaos. But my AARRGH moment was coming to the Blog & finding out 68A, flat container = shoebox. (No fair! I know less about shoes than I do about sports...) & 27A prohibit = debar? (No, I don't like it. Don;t like it at all.)

So, I am looking for item in the theme & discover the dang puzzle grid is not symmetrical. IS THAT LEGAL??? (I spent a lot of time trying to find some "item" shape in the grid pattern*&%$#@)


Also, 51A start to push = pee (I guess the Editor did not like #1 abbr as a clue...)

& finallly 1D,,,
(Marti, after 1-1/2 years I thought I knew you,,, & now you show this mean side?)

Anonymous said...

I think this was easy for Thursday, but I'm not complaining. Thank you, Erik Agard. Marti, I love your links (espeiallly 1D) and the write-up.

For Couples Euchre it's BYOB and an appetizer, so for 1A I immediately put in RSVP! Duh!

I had most of the issues others have had. Had a DNF, but finished more than usual on Thursday, so it's all good.

Our weather today is windy, sunny, 82*. Tomorrow will be rain and 52*. Yep, it's spring.

Have a great day!

Pat

lextble

Zhouqin (C.C.) Burnikel said...

Tinbeni,
I'm asking you to leave this blog. Don't come back anonymously or in another name.

Zhouqin (C.C.) Burnikel said...

As for the post length, sometime last year Blogger changed the Comments section format. The Preview button does not truthfully reflect the posted lines any more. That's why I put "20 lines in Preview mode". So, please split your post into two if it's over the limit when you hit the Preview button. Thanks for the understanding.

PK said...

Hi Y'all! Anyone who didn't RSVP? This was one where I had to fill in the lower part then shimmy back into the NW. Enjoyable though, Erik! I did find ITEM.

Dance party ala Marti! Lotsa good music and comments. But dear, don't disappoint these guys, that titillation may be the only cardio they get for the day.

Never heard of WHAM! or RENI. I knew "Firework" by Katy because I saw it "premiered" on Oprah years ago. I have IMac OSX.

Wanted Elver/EELED and HOMEy-HOMie-Oh, BOY!

Heavy rain yesterday. Flushed my downspouts for sure. Is drouth broken?

What does it say about a person whose up-to-the minute news comes from here? Now will go see what explosion in West Texas...

BillG, re: Matt Lauer last night: I don't dislike Lauer, I just don't think he's right for JEOPARDY.

john28man said...

Thank you Erik and Marti.

Thursdays are right on my limit most of the time. I might have finished if I didn't get hung up in the Far West.GHEE wasn't the problem, FIASCO was.

Abejo said...

Good afternoon, folks. Thank you, Erik Agard, for a swell puzzle. Thank you, Marti, for the great write-up.

I, as well, am a little confused on the grid pattern of the puzzle. I know that occasionally the pattern is different than the norm. Just wondered if there are hard and fast rules or if the constructor can do it any way he or she wants. This made no difference ton this puzzle. It was enjoyable. I am just curious.

To the puzzle. I thought of entering RSVP for 1A, but held off because of the clue. To me, RSVP is not a reminder, but a directive. BYOB appeared with YES I CAN.

Marti, you caught me. Dirty trick at 1D.

Did not know AVA, RENI, WHAM, or KATY. Perped them.

Never caught the theme until I was done. Very good job!

Had FANG MARKS for a while at 4D. Fixed that to BITE MSRKS.

Well, I am sitting in Buffalo, NY, heading to Chicago. I guess I will see what happened in West, TX. I have no TV in Pennsylvania so I am a little behind. I saw some of the Boston coverage while at the Elks Lodge.

See you tomorrow.

Abejo

(chbarc)

Bill G. said...

That was a very pleasant puzzle. Wednesdays and Thursdays are right in my wheelhouse. Thanks Erik and Marti.

PK, apparently a lot of people don't like Matt Lauer 'cause he was number six on a list of most disliked celebrities. I don't see why.

Marti, I couldn't tell from your comment if you knew Dame Edna is really an Australian guy. Thanks for the link Lemon. I think Dame Edna is super funny.

One circle, many lines:
Start with a circle. It is undivided and contains one region. If you draw a straight line somewhere through the circle, it is now divided into two regions. If you draw another line, the circle is now divided into either three or four regions, depending on where you drew the line (the lines do not have to cross or go through the center of the circle). What is the maximum number of regions you can divide the circle into with three lines? (Seven, that’s how many.) Four lines? Five lines? Can you come up with a rule for the maximum number of regions using n lines?

HeartRx said...

Oh for goodness sake, here's the BRA SIZE link. It has everything you always wanted to know about how to size your bra. Or, you could just use Dennis' services...

HeartRx said...

Bill G., yes I had to look up Dame EDNA last time she appeared in the puzzle, and was not all that surprised that she is played by a man called Barry Humphries. He's described as a "dadaist" performer. Would you believe, "she" has been around for more than fifty years?

Abejo said...

Marti:

You got us twice!

Abejo

(ddrawma)

Pookie said...

C.C. I didn't have a chance to congratulate you on another great puzzle. I had a lot of fun with it.
There a not many who can do what you and the other constructors do, and to think we just have fun solving the puzzles.
Hard to get started today, but finished. WEES about ITE, huh? :)
BTW, I don't understand the sniping at Lemonade, or how anyone knows of his business. I don't really WANT to know.
This is such a nice group of solvers and friends. Why anyone wants to ruin it is beyond me.
I guess some people just have small lives and even smaller minds.
IMHO.

HeartRx said...

Abejo @ 3:31, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." (But, do you think her's is too small?)

Ree said...

A fun Thursday puzzle , got hung up in the southwest corner for a short time , but overall enjoyable! Loved the playing of Sweet Caroline by the Yankees! A heartfelt gesture & the joint team logo was so nice to see ! Peace to all !

TTP said...

Abejo, perhaps you've seen it by now, but there was an explosion at a fertilizer plant. It appears to have been an industrial accident. Quite a few pictures and videos of it captured here:

Fertilizer Plant Explosion In West, Texas

You are coming home to LOTSA flooding around here with some areas getting well over 8 inches of rain in the last 48 hours and more to come. Most of the rivers have set high water marks or overflowed their banks. The city reversed the flow of the loop to release water into Lake Michigan.

It's a pretty big flood. Hope you aren't coming home to a mess.

kazie said...

mmedHearti @ 3:30,
Yes, Bazza has been around for as long as I can remember. Although best known as Dame Edna, he is also known for other satirical characters including the "priapic and inebriated cultural attaché" Sir Les Patterson, who has "continued to bring worldwide discredit upon Australian arts and culture, while contributing as much to the Australian vernacular as he has borrowed from it", gentle, grandfatherly "returned gentleman" Sandy Stone, iconoclastic 1960s underground film-maker Martin Agrippa, Paddington socialist academic Neil Singleton, sleazy trade union official Lance Boyle, high-pressure art salesman Morrie O'Connor and failed tycoon Owen Steele. (As per Wiki) Most of these other than Barry Humphries were unknown to me, but then I've been here since 1974.

JD said...

Marti, I don't know which I enjoy more, your clever fun puzzles, or your entertaining write-ups.Even if I can't, or don't have time to do the puzzle, I always check in to read your "stuff". Thanks!

and Mr. Agard, I loved your hidden agenda..couldn't find it.

ghee- no Little Black Sambo fans?

for all cat lovers

kazie said...

Hearti,
Sorry about the mmed--it was my first attempt to prove my non robotic nature while not looking at where it was going.

Dennis said...

DAMMIT, Marti, you got me again! But thanks for the plug (and the follow-up link.

What the hell did Tin do? Was it already deleted?

desper-otto said...

HeartRx@4:00 -- all is forgiven.

HeartRx said...

JD @ 4:23, I wish I could hear what that cat is thinking. Maybe something like:
@ 0:20 "Oooh, yeah - right behind that ear..."
@ 0:40 "Huh? Why'd ya stop?"
@ 2:02, "OK, this is getting to be a bit much..."
@ 2:25, "Really? Do I have to put up with...ooohh, yeah, that feels soooo good!"
@ 3:15 "Ouch, not the eye!!"
@ 3:27, "Wait, what are you doing with my belly???"..."Oh, OK..."
@ 3:48 "Snark! Enough already!"
@ 4:00 "...maybe if I pretend I'm asleep, he'll go away"

kazie said...

One more addendum: I meant to say Barry McKenzie, not Humphries, in my 4:22: (Most of these other than Barry Humphries were unknown to me)

But then I just noticed I left that part out anyway, about a comic strip character epitomizing the worst in all Aussie blokes. I actually have a copy of the "graphic novel" book featuring McKenzie.

HeartRx said...

Kazie, I think the Aussies have a very distinctive sense of humor...sort of British, but a bit more raw around the edges, no?

CrossEyedDave said...

HeartRx: what desper-otto said @4:36

I went looking for some funny hidden item pics, & came across this. Why hasn't somebody thought of this before??? (also, J shaped shoe holders,,, here is another view.)

JD@4:23 pls give some warning when you post X-rated links! :)
(also, I must show it to DW,,, maybe she can pick up some tips...)

And, Did CC's Blueness get hacked? I don't understand. I reread every one of Tin's posts & I do not see anything offensive. CC, Pls explain or I will be afraid to post "anything."

CrossEyedDave said...

OK, I may be risking getting kicked off the Blog here, but here goes...

Debar: Reminds me of that little guy on Fantasy Island who was always yelling "DePlane," "DePlane." But a little known fact was he was afraid to fly, so before he went anywhere, to get some liquid courage, he could be heard yelling,, "DeBar," "DeBar."

Argyle said...

Yeah, that could do it. [groan]

fermatprime said...

Great puzzle, Erik! Very fast for a Thursday. Swell answer sheet, Marti!

About 15 phone calls between 1 and 2 PM. I did not swim (for the first time in 2 weeks) and was hiding in bed with a headache. (Might as well have been swimming.) Have to visit rheumatologist shortly but Harv has not shown up! Very strange day so far.

YR: thanks for clarifying the butter issue!

Cheers!

Chickie said...

Hola Everyone, Hands up for the RSVP trap. I couldn't get anywhere with that so I moved on and did the puzzle clockwise. Everything filled in for me until I hit that NW corner again. Zagat, Reni, and Site Map were unknowns. I had to Google those, and then the rest was history.

I didn't see the theme until I read Marti's great writeup. I guess parties still have a BYOB part to them. Usually when we go somewhere we take a bottle of wine as a host/hostess gift. It can be served at the party, or saved for later. That is up to the party givers.

My favorite clue today was Flat container/Shoe Box. For some reason that was the first answer that popped into my head.

I'm with Marti--Ush should be Ugh. I don't Ush anyone, but I might sush them if they talk through a play.

Have a great day everyone.

Manac said...

CED, DeStewardess (I Think you may be slipping a little:) )

HeartRx said...

Does anyone recognize these two guys?



Avg Joe said...

Hmm??

I've been out of town all day protesting social injustice by foreign corporations, but in catching up here I have to wonder WTF?

I came here as a refugee from the old confidential site after JonhsNeverHome had been thrown off the island, Sfingi had been thrown under the bus and Tin had been chastised into silence. To say the least, today has been interesting.

I've been said to be a few bricks short of a pallet more than once, but I see nothing insufficient in the explanation provided by Mr Tin. Makes perfect sense to me. That said, I'm not at all convinced that the sentence fits the crime.

kazie said...

Marti,
Yes, I guess you could say that. I know when I first came here, I didn't think any of the American comedians were funny at all. There are still a few I can't stand. But I've gotten to appreciate most.

Zhouqin (C.C.) Burnikel said...

I made my decision based on weeks and months of anti-Lemonade snarky comments from Tinbeni. I thought our email changes in Feb would have solved his obsession. Nope. He just would not give Lemonade peace.

Lemonade made mistakes in the past. He paid his prices. He has worked so hard for this blog the past 3 years, week after week, through health crisis and bad eye. He deserves our respect.

But Tinbeni just would not leave Lemonade alone. His constant dripping sarcasm is too much.

I enjoyed most of Tinbeni's comments over the years and I wish him the best.

CrossEyedDave said...

30 incredible once in a lifetime shots.

& for Manac, this should really bust your chops! (LMAO, hope u r 2...) & P.S.,, I have seen airplane many times, & somehow always missed the little guys cameo! (Hmm, must have been on a bathroom break.) but P.P.S., I am not slipping!!! I am on a pun strike! I will keep posting terrible puns until I get an explanation of Tinbeni's exile! Even if I have to go over 5 posts...

So, the little guy was braver than we thought, even though he was afraid to fly, in bad weather, he never once was heard to yell "DeIce," "DeIce."

(posted as a tribute to Tinbeni)
P.P.S. What does Lemonade have to say??? Pls?

HeartRx said...

I think C.C. would have taken the same action with someone who made anti-Tinbeni snarky comments. It's just the way she is. Let's discuss the crossword puzzle, have fun, be a little D.F., but please - no personal attacks.

e.a. said...

thank you for solving (and marti for the writeup).

do check out 25-across's "middle of nowhere" if you can. poignant and groundbreaking film.

Unknown said...

Great blogging, Marti!
I have been absent for awhile due to family and travel, but y'all have been close to my heart all the time!
How is everyone?
The drama between Tin and Lemonade must have escalated during my absence. That is a shame! We have all made mistakes in the past and continue to do so. No one is perfect. That is my story and I am sticking to it!
This blog should be a fun one and most of the time it is.
Peace to all!

Yellowrocks said...

Avg Joe, my email to you bounced back with the message that your Yahoo acct. can't be found. Please email me. Thanks.

Manac said...

Dang it Dave! I was saving that one for you when I thought the time was right! You beat me to it. And please,
don't call me Shirley! ;)

Pookie said...

Has anyone heard from Sallie lately?
I hope she's recovering and feeling better.
What I can't figure out is why anyone knows Lemon's private business.
(If he blogged about it, or if someone knows his real name and googled it and found something)
All I know is that he is a fine contributor to this blog and is obviously proud of his family.
I too got tired of the snipes against him and was confused every time.
I thought "no personal attacks" was a rule.
Is every one of us here perfect?
Not I.

Sfingi said...

@HuskerG - for the first time, I think I'm going to buy the product in a YouTube ad! That dog breath thing sounds great!

@Tinbeni - GHEE has a hard G. Love ya!

CrossEyedDave said...

CC, Sorry, I was writing as you posted. Tx for the (incomplete) explanation. Obviously you are privy to more info than us mere Bloggers, & if you had inside info that Tinbeni was perhaps an Anon, attacking anyone, then I would wholeheartedly agree with your response. But I do not see anyone attacking anybody???

Pls note that I have utmost respect for anyone brave enough to go Blue & state their opinions, & while many Anons have info of value, I have no respect for a coward that would attack someone from behind anonymity. But I just do not see any animosity here... What am i missing?

P.S. Lemony,,, I have been a fan of yours ever since our "world pea's" banter, & feel you are my mentor ever since you said "I reminded you of a younger me." (I may forget what I ate for breakfast, but I remember my friends.) & that is what has me so troubled,,, I always thought of Tinbeni as a friend, & I defend my friends as innocent, until proven guilty...

chefwen said...

desper-otto - Thanks for the A.W.A.D. commercial, I just signed up.

CED - Fabulous pictures.

Abejo said...

TTP:

After I logged off I went to a news site and saw the fertilizer plant in Texas that had exploded. Probably and industrial accident. Thanks for feeding me the info.

Abejo

(heigulm)

Argyle said...

The plant was burning pretty good before the explosion. Unfortunately, that meant firemen were close to it.

Pookie said...

After reading Avg Joe's comments
@6:20 I looked up L.A. Times Crossword Confidential and saw the good-bye post.
I'm sure that this blog is a lot of fun for people like me, especially when we're stumped.
That's when the tireless bloggers go through and explain clues and post wonderful links.
I want to thank
Argyle,Melissa,Ron,Steve,Marti,Al,
Lemonade, Splynter and especially
C.C. for your hard work and faithfulness in keeping watch and getting up at all hours to entertain and inform us.
I'm sure C.C. went through a lot of gut-wrenching today, but I saw the DEBAR and DISBAR comment and thought, "Here we go AGAIN"
For those of you who think there was no snarking, it's just more of the same-old same-old.

Bill G. said...

JD, that sloth/cat video was great! I've never seen a sloth interacting with any other animal before. When it was scratching the cat, it was moving faster than sloths usually move. Lots of fun!

I love that 'Talking dog' video. It's just as good as the original. Great stuff!

CED, 30 great photos for sure!

I don't recognize the two dudes in the Boston video but I sure hope someone does...

HeartRx said...

Bill G., so do I...

fermatprime said...

CED: Really enjoyed the photos! Am going to forward them. (Read ALL of the comments afterward. Much discord there!)

CrossEyedDave said...

Hmm, I am starting to get a piece of the whole picture from friends who have been kind enough to email me. BUT as you all know, I AM NOT VERY GOOD AT PUZZLES. (Caps were a typo, but they seem to make sense in this scenario so I am not correcting them.)

Anonymous said...

Good grief! Is that really you C.C. telling Tinbeni to leave and not come back in any form? I find it hard to believe. If it is about DEBAR and disbar, much worse has been said. I truly hope that if it was you, you will reconsider. I enjoy Tinbeni's comments every day.

Anonymous said...

PS: Pas de chat, Thanks for the shout out. I am hanging in there, as they say. Will find out more next Wednesday.
I am walking and getting around. DH takes very good care of me and feeds me well even though I have no appetite. (And don't eat much of what he so nicely prepares.)

Cheers, especially to Tinbeni.

Bill G. said...

Sallie, it's good to hear from you. I hope all is going as well as possible for you. Stay in touch.

No takers on the earlier geometry puzzle?

JD was nice to alert me to Sofia Vergara's appearance on Dr. Oz today. She was enjoyable to look at and listen to as I expected. She had to have a cancerous thyroid removed 10 years ago. She also mentioned that when she was first getting her foot in the door in Hollywood, a bunch of different people advised her to lose weight and get breast reduction surgery. She made an intelligent decision to leave well enough alone but began to eat healthier and get more exercise. Good for her. Worked out well I'd say.

PK said...

C.C.: I don't think you were overreacting. I was disturbed by Tin's comments on several occasions too.

Pookie said...

Sallie! Thank you for checking in.
Was concerned about your health.
Will keep you in my prayers.

TTP said...

I turned on the news about 30 minutes ago. Lock down in Watertown. Hope they find the remaining suspect soon. And, hope they take him alive. They need to find out if they were acting alone or have an affiliation with a terrorist group. If the latter, I would want that they gather enough intel to eradicate them.

Unknown said...

What a romp! Whew, glad this one is over. I had several dkf moments! Where is the V8 can?
Night all

Unknown said...

What a romp! Whew, glad this one is over. I had several dkf moments! Where is the V8 can?
Night all

Anonymous said...

Ya know, wise guys, cosa nostra or mafioso are very nice, helpful and loyal to their friends but are heartless, brutal bastards to their victims.

So I can see where a young, naive C.C. is so taken by Lemomade/Jason. It is sad that she knows not what he is truly all about.

But after reading all the articles in the newspapers that clearly show what he is capable of doing, why does she still ignore the facts?

No excuse really. Thieves and con men are only one step below murderers and terrorists!!