Gifts for Girls and Boys!
When the girls were little, they'd get to OPEN one present from us on Christmas Eve. On Christmas morning, they'd see what Santa brought (mostly unwrapped and built the night before).
In this Christmas Eve offering, Taylor gives us gifts that a trained eye will spot at the beginning of four answers. Let's see what they are:
17a. Asset of a highly skilled individual: TRAINED EYE.
25a. Lizard with a misleading name: HORNY TOAD.
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| Cute little fella |
47a. "The Nutcracker" performer: BALLERINA. Both Girls took ballet. For years, we schlepped -- at least one girl -- to four performances in December.
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| Source: Houston Ballet |
61a. List of cheap eats: DOLLAR MENU.
And the reveal:
38a. Christmas morning activity, and what 17-, 25-, 47-, and 61-Across all have?: OPENING PRESENTS.
Each themer Opens with a Present! Let's unwrap the rest of Taylor's gifts...
Across:
1. Casino ratios that favor the house: ODDS. The house always wins.5. Button alternatives: SNAPS.
10. Sir equivalent: DAME. Sir Elton John [Colbert 18+m]; DAME Judi Dench. [Tracey Ullman 2:25]
14. Schnitzel meat option: PORK.
15. Holy scroll of Judaism: TORAH.
16. Gulf nation bordering Yemen: OMAN.
17. [See: theme]
19. Orange skin: RIND. I had peel 'cuz that's what I zest ;-)
20. Bend under pressure: SAG.
21. Provide a welcome distraction: AMUSE. I wonder if Dame Judi was AMUSEd by Tracey's sketch.
22. Door joint: HINGE.
23. Key NFL players: QBS. QuarterbackS
25. [See: theme]
27. Personal energy fields: AURAS.
29. Early investor's opportunity, briefly: IPO. Initial Public Offering.
30. Urgent entreaty: PLEA.
31. Home of the University of Oregon: EUGENE.
35. Settle on a chair: SIT.
38. [See: theme]
41. Large amount: TON.
42. Half step down from D natural: C SHARP.
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| Both Java and C# are programming languages (yes, I am a nerd) |
43. Twilight time: DUSK.
44. Nat __: documentary channel: GEO.
45. Sticky, as the weather: MUGGY.
47. [See: theme]
53. Implore: BEG.
54. Opera soliloquies: ARIAS.
55. Like Thor and Odin: NORSE. Thems NORSE gods.
57. Tupperware topper: LID. Mom was a Tupperware lady for a while. I learned how to burp the lid at parties :-).
Mom was no Brownie Wise
60. Mercedes-__: BENZ. Janis Joplin* sang about this German auto maker.
61. [See: theme]
63. Olympic blade: EPEE.
64. Bit of inside info: INTEL.
65. Adorable: CUTE.
66. Shore thing?: SAND.
67. Gaggle members: GEESE.
68. Television ad: SPOT.
Down:
1. Votes (for): OPTS.2. Cartoon explorer with a talking backpack: DORA. The Girls loved Dora cartoons.
3. Adore Delano or Plastique Tiara: DRAG QUEEN. Perps half filled this before it became obvi.
4. Traverse a black diamond slope, say: SKI.
Movie: Better Off Dead
5. Thorny rose part: STEM.
6. "Obviously!": NO DUH. Obvi.
7. "You __ welcome!": ARE SO.
8. Venmo user, maybe: PAYER. Venmo is an app to pay folks. My paper deliver put her Venmo on her tip request insert.
9. Pronoun option: SHE.
10. Cool Ranch chip: DORITO.
11. __ acid: AMINO.
12. Japanese comic style: MANGA.
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L337 Translation: Panel 1: "The Pain!" Panel 2: "I need help!" and "I need you to get the doctor. I got some bad pain in my chest. I need my pills." Panel 3: Does anyone here speak "eleet"? Panel 4: "Yes" //told you I was a nerd ;-) |
13. Stopped: ENDED.
18. Mars rover org.: NASA. The history of NASA's logos.
22. Amps (up): HYPES.
24. Muffin fiber: BRAN.
R.I.P. Phil Hartman
26. Prime-time hour: NINE PM. The SNL Players were not ready for Prime-time.
27. Pet aisle brand: ALPO.
28. Motion detector, e.g.: SENSOR.
30. Planter: POT.
32. Groaning sound: UGH.
33. College application fig.: GPA. Grade Point Average.
34. Go off course: ERR.
35. Get cozy together: SNUGGLE UP.
36. Teeny: ITSY.
37. "How naughty!": TSK.
39. Some slushies: ICEES.
40. Rim: EDGE.
44. Sticky, as a doughnut: GLAZED.
46. Cab alternative: UBER.
47. "__ in Toyland": Christmas classic: BABES.
48. Venezuelan snack: AREPA.
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| Yummers! |
49. Summery material: LINEN.
50. Hole-__: golf feat: IN ONE.
51. Nick of "Affliction": NOLTE.
52. French city in many van Gogh paintings: ARLES.
56. Garage event: SALE.
58. "__ the Woods": Sondheim musical: INTO.
59. Couple's karaoke request: DUET.
61. Use a spade: DIG.
62. Hosts, for short: MCS. Emcees.
The Grid:
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| The Grid |
Taylor gifted us a nice Tuesday puzzle fit for the holidays, Oui?
The skinny: WO: peel -> RIND
ESPs: N/A
Fav: A Mercedes-BENZ for Janis.*
Merry Christmas & Happy (start of) Hanukkah!
//If that's not your thing... Happy Festivus!
Cheers!, -T
*Story: Last New Year's, we visited DW's aunt in Tiburon, CA. We, however stayed in nearby Sausalito.
DW found this wonderful Air B&B. During our stay, we learned that it was a house Janis Joplin had lived in.
One afternoon for lunch, we met up with DW's cousin (who lives in LA, CA) at The Trident (opened by the Kingston Trio!) that had a few pictures of Janis (and her car) on the walls... We even got to sit at Janis' regular table. How cool is that?
27 comments:
Once again, Tuesday’s puzzle seems to be easier than Monday’s. I had very little trouble with this extremely topical puzzle. FIR, so I’m happy. And Merry Christmas to you all! (Although perhaps I should have “held that” until tomorrow).
Good morning!
Yay, d-o unwrapped all the gifts, and it's not even Christmas. No Wite-Out need apply. There was quite a litany of brand names today: BENZ, UBER, INTEL, ALPO, DORITO (and I probably missed a few). Thanx, Taylor and Dash-T. [ I'm familiar with C and C++, but not C# as a computer language. Is that new (ie: post-2000)?]
FIR, but peel->RIND, a babe->BABES, liner->LINEN, and anime->MANGA. But it's always anime!
When I lived in Phoenix, I frequented a restaurant / brewery called The Horny Toad in nearby Cave Creek (or maybe Carefree. I could never keep them straight in my mind.) Just up the road was a competitor called The Satisfied Frog. My favorite beer at The Horny Toad was their Frog Light. I was amazed to find it in bottles in Red Bank, NJ.
Nat GEO Wild is home to vets Pol, Oakley, and the Critter Fixers. Great TV for animal lovers.
Three amateur golfers got their first hole-IN-ONEs this weekend at the PNC Championship, a PGA/LPGA family event. Charlie Woods, Tiger's cub, was one of them.
Thanks to Taylor for the fun puzzle, and to Bayou Tony for another successful pinch hit appearance. I especially liked the Janis tune.
Tuesday puzzle/Christmas Eve Day. NE stubborn, last to fall. Apt theme for Nice listees.
Greet the Holidays.
Thanks -T, and Taylor and a safe and joyous week for all.
BTW, Charlie Woods is 15 years old. Look out, PGA Tour!
Took 4:13 today to unwrap this one.
Easy Peasy Lemonade714 squeezy.
Merry Christmas, everyone.
FIR. Took a while for me to get the theme which did not impress. Yes I know it's day appropriate, but still.
And unlike others I found some clues a little tougher than a Tuesday expectation. If not for perps how would I know the drag queens? That's not exactly everyone's fare.
So overall, meh!
Good Morning:
Well, this was easier than yesterday’s offering and timely, to boot. After filling in the first two themers, the reveal was a snap to guess. This particular grid layout unveils the theme way too early, IMO. My only w/o was Anime/Janga/Manga and there were no unknowns. Nice CSO to HG at NASA.
Thanks, Taylor, for a fun solve on Christmas Eve and thanks, Anon T, for the fitting review and commentary. Loved the Gag-gle of Geese!
Have a great day.
Good morning. Thank you, Taylor, and thank you, Anonymous T.
CUTE puzzle, and seasonally appropriate.
Just a couple of unknowns, but they were easily perped and I learned a little.
Tracey Ullman is such a good impressionist. She does DAME Judi so well, among so many others.
I also enjoyed Colbert's interview of Elton John.
The Ducks from EUGENE have a date with the Buckeyes from Columbus, one week from today in "The Granddaddy of Them All". The play of the QBS may loom large in the outcome. The ODDS makers have Ohio State as a slight favorite over Oregon.
Curmedgeon here. This puzzle struck me as a rather curious and disappointing Holiday Eve puzzle. The solving was fairly straightforward, but not especially rewarding in the end. I felt the theme was unimpressive, and drag queens seemed out of place here.
So overall I guess I'd give it an Ebenezer Scrooge: Bah! Humbug!
Where is your impressive theme?
Out of place? How so?
I made á huge mess of the NE. For one I was so sure Sir equivalent was MAAM that i didn’t budge. Then I entered ANIME for MANGA. Then for icing on the cake I had JAMBS for HINGE, totally wrong.
The rest went smoothly. I got the theme pretty quickly. I always like timely themes.
In some regions summery wear might be LINEN, but not in MUGGY Louisiana.
Thanks Á-T. Fun Janis Joplin connections.
Merry Xmas eve! Here's a few last minute present ideas:
there are actually one or two useful ones if you scroll far enough...
Presents on Christmas Eve! And Hanukkah Eve as well this year. As kids we opened everything Xmas morning, but later in life got to open our pick of one before midnight mass.
The presents in today's puzzle seem to be from another era - a TRAIN set and a HORN? These themers would be at home under a tree in a Currier & Ives print.
Much more str8forward than yesterday. FIR with a brief hiccup in the SW: “summery” was the season and not addition. So once I filled LINEN everything fell into place.
Inkover: DRAG names/QUEEN, maam, lady,/DAME, anime/MANGA, natch/NODUH (seriously?)
ODDS favor the casino? Hooks or SNAPS. Today it’s MC not the usual emcee
I thought it said “Cool ranch dip 🫣.
Anon T I never stop laughing at that bit. Tracey Ullman deserves the title of DAME. First time I saw the sketch I thought for the first few moments it actually was DAME Judy. I like the one where she’s shoplifting in a liquor store.
With “binging”, 📺…prime time is whenever youdecide 🙂↔️
”_____ disrespect” ….. AMINO.
The “explorer’s” little cousin … DORITO
“Choices” that may be covert or black : OPTS
Restored Paris Cathedral ….. NODUH DAME.
Remember no pouting😠 , crying😭 , or shouting 😤 tonight!
Hola! A Mercedes BENZ? Now that would be a great PRESENT! Thanks to Taylor Johnson and to Tony for a fun Tuesday. I have a feeling you have fun wherever you are, but how cool was that experience!
The puzzle was a quick solve and that's good because I have lots to do including a drive to take my friend, Kathy's, PRESENT. It was hard to think of something for her but while shopping at Kohl's I had a revelation.
Usually those smart people at NASA spot a flying object around midnight on Christmas Eve and they trace it as it stops from house to house. Or so they say.
I'm not sure if the HORNY TOAD is still open in Carefree.
Well, the SANDs of time keep moving and so must I. Have a wonderful day, everyone!
Referring to musical scale, I suspect
Musings
-A lovely, timely puzzle
-If you play blackjack perfectly, the house still has .5% favorable ODDS
-Talk about ODDS, an injured QB can cause wild swings in betting
-My DW’s array of arranging Tupperware and LIDS remain a mystery to me
-Trying to HYPE a game like last night’s between New Orleans and Green Bay is a fool’s errand but network shills take it as "all in a day's work"
-Not only did Tiger give his son Charlie a huge hug for his hole-in-one, later on he also exchanged hugs with his estranged wife (Charlie’s mother). Tis the season!
-Always a unique write-up Tony!
I LOVE this CW for the dearth of names, only 8, and only 1 DNK, DRAGQUEENS. As others, I had maam, lady, DAME, but looked at the perps before filling, so no W/Os. Schnitzel meat, geez, veal? Or PORK. Again, no W/O. Also, although some have kvetched about the theme, I liked it, and found it clever. FIR in 10, better than yesterday. Thanx TJ for this enjoyable, fun CW. Thanx too to Anon-T for the terrific write-up. I was gonna comment that Hahtooah didn't put as many cartoons as usual, then saw why: it's not Susan doing the review! I did like the comics that ARE there, thanx for that, too, Anon-T. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Kwanzaa, and Festivus. I still like getting paper cards. Sent 28, got six. Some friends just text, "Merry Xmas!" Kinda makes me think of an antithesis of Hallmark's motto, this one being, "When you care enough to send the very least!" Oh well. If not getting Christmas cards was the worst thing in my life, I'd be living a pretty good life in my old age. ;-)
Interesting Tuesday puzzle, many thanks, Taylor. And thanks for your helpful and enjoyable commentary, Tony--appreciated that too.
I've never had a DORITO, but when I saw PORK I figured we'd be getting a bit of a food theme. But there was effectively none except for that muffin fiber BRAN and some ICEES. I suppose if you put all these together it does amount to a meal of sorts, but more like a DOLLAR MENU than a real dinner. So it's best to just be delighted by several entertainment references: the BALLERINA'S performance in "The Nutcracker," and the song in Sondheim's musical "Into the Woods". And we did also get those ARIAS that turn out to be opera "soliloquies." Oh, and there is also the musical film "BABES in Toyland." Well, that give us a fair amount of entertainment to enjoy after that DOLLAR MENU, doesn't it?
Have a lovely Christmas Eve, everybody, and Happy Holidays!
Missed that hug with Elin. Tiger also gave Charlie a fatherly shove in the back before they left the tee box. Two other "kids" made holes-in-one as well.
And Tiger's daughter caddied for him.
I thought this puzzle was a lovely holiday gift! Thank you, Taylor! I'm sorry I didn't get anything for you, but -T gave you a fine review.
Jinx, you'll be glad to know "The Horny Toad" is still hopping in Cave Creek, but "The Satisfied Frog" is no more. My favorite place to eat in Cave Creek is "Local Jonny's." All you Arizonans should check it out if you're in the neighborhood.
I would love to get back to Maricopa County and have a Frog Light (put a one-meal hold on my sobriety,) maybe bum a ride on a racing sailboat on Lake Plesant. There was also a steakhouse on Pinnacle Peak out in the middle of nowhere that cut neckties off guys who refused to remove them, then stapled the ties to the wall. It was pretty touristy, and the steaks weren't the best I've ever had, but it was a fun place to go (especially if a vendor was picking up the check.) If you know the joint I'm talking about, do you know if is still there?
Hi All!
Busy day. Turkey is in the brine, Girls & I have been baking cookies (pizzelles, oatmeal & raisin, peanut butter, shortbread, oatmeal & apricot, and chocolate chip) and now we're almost ready to trim the tree.
D-O: C# was invented at Microsoft in 2000 to compete with Java.
CED: LOL present ideas!
The Dame Judi Dench shoplifting sketch Ray-O mentioned.
Errata: The Megatokyo image I posted is Anime; Manga, is a full story.
Cheers, -T
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