google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Thursday, Feb 14, 2008 Alan P. Olschwang

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Feb 14, 2008

Thursday, Feb 14, 2008 Alan P. Olschwang

Theme: Quip

23A:Start of a quip: If at first you
37A: Part 2 of quip: Do not recede, diet
48A: End of quip: And diet again

I don't quite get this quip. I guess I don't understand the meaning of "recede" here. Tide recedes, your heart-broken memories recede. What the heck does Mr. Olschwang try to say here? (Update: This is a Evan Esar quote, see here).

I see no hints of love in this Valentine's Day puzzle, do you? The crossword editor only wants us to diet, and diet again. And I will, from today. On our kitchen table, right now, besides a beautiful "Rose Are Red..." card, are ten apples styled in the shape of a heart and one sweet gold pineapple. My sweet husband!

My only hiccup today is the lower middle corner. I had no idea who Eric the magazine founder is (UTNE, 60A). I did not know who wrote "Jane Shore" (57D: ROWE). I put ATOM rather than IOTA for 49D: Tiny bits. And I was thinking of silver lining for 46D: Like some linings.

Across Entry:

1A: Vegas quote: ODDS

9A Prepared to take notice: SAT UP

14A: Tabby's comment: MEOW

15A:Sister/Wife of Zeus: HERA. Greek mythology. Daughter of Rhea.

16A: Try to get one's goat: TEASE. I nailed this one. This clue appeared on Jan 29's puzzle.

17A: Stridex target: ACNE

19A: Duck down: EIDER

20A: Zola novel: NANA (Huge failure for Anna Sten)

26A: Founded: abbr.: EST (Established)

27A: Jogged: RAN

28A: Above, to a poet: O'ER

31A: Theatrical comment: ASIDE

35A: Poetic contraction: 'EER

36A: Ray of "Battle Cry": ALDO

42A: Vichy water: EAU

43A: Rhone tributary: SAONE. Most of the river names bother me. Are river names acceptable in Scrabble?

44A: "__ Soffel": MRS. Never saw it. Mel Gibson and Diane Keaton starred in this movie.

45A: Shell propeller: OAR

46A: Fast flier's letters: SST (Supersonic Transport)

54A: Fen: MARSH

57A: "Jane Shore" dramatist: ROWE (Nicholas). The complete name is "The Tragedy of Jane Shore".

58A: Parasites on people: LICE

60A: Magazine founder Eric: UTNE. Never read Utne Reader. Never heard of this guy. Just found out that he actually lives here in MN.

61A: Garfield's pal: ODIE (the comic strip)

64A: Oregon city: BEND. Your primary is too late.

65A: Prevailing tide: TREND

66A: ID info: SSNS. Driver's License does not have SSN on it.

67A: Tense: EDGY

Down entry:

1D: Man from Muscat: OMANI

2D: Low-boost coffee?: DECAF. Why question mark on the clue?

3D: Prima __: DONNA

5D: Proposition maintained by argument: THESIS

8D: Date producer: PALM TREE. In Middle East, yes. In Far East, No. Dates are smaller and they grown in normal fruit trees.

9D: Trample: STEP ON

10D: Kindergarten quintet: AEIOU (A E I O U, all vowels)

13D: Dijon dad: PERE (French for Dad)

24D: Leg ends: FEET

28D: Highly spiced stew: OLIO. Sometimes it's OLLA.

30D: Memorizing process: ROTE

31D: First of billions: ADAM. I like this clue.

32D: Go off, as milk: SOUR

34D: E-mail address symbol: DOT

35D: Old French coin: ECU. Sometimes it's Sou.

36D: Oklahoma town: ADA

38D: Study: READ

39D: Sound sensors: EARDRUMS

40D: Como ___ Usted?: ESTA

45D: Postponed: ON HOLD

46D: Like some linings: SEWN IN

47D: Proud mounts: STEEDS

48D: Pale: ASHEN

49D: Tiny bits: IOTAS

50D: Spherical map: GLOBE

53D: Indigent: NEEDY

54D: Money maker?: MINT. Again, why question mark?

55D: Hebrew month: ADAR. This is the only Jewish month I know.

56D: Speak incoherently: RAVE

Have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

C. C.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think "recede is a play on "succeed". I just found your blog a couple days ago. Love it.

Ruth

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

Hi Ruth,

Thanks for the comment.

I initially thought it's a play on word, but I could not reason it out. I heard of receding hairlines, receding prices.

Does "recede" have a meaning of losing weight? Can I say "I need to recede"?

C.C.

Anonymous said...

You had written:

35A: Ray of "Battle Cry": ALDO

It is actually 36 A:

35A: poetic contraction

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

Sorry, my bad. It's corrected now. Thank you.

C. C.

Anonymous said...

You ruin my Crossword Puzzle everyday with your answers!

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

Anonymous at 8:55am,

But why did you come here?

C. C.

Anonymous said...

I've heard of 'receding waistlines' as well; probably what they intended.
I agree with the two question marked clues - question marks weren't appropriate there.

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

I heard of "receding waistline" too. This makes sense.

By the way, I just found out that this is a Evan Esar quote.

C.C.

Dennis said...

I can believe it; if you only did crossword puzzles in your life, you'd think Evan Esar said everything, at least once...

Anonymous said...

Anonymous at 8:55am:

I was googling the answers and stumbled on your blog three days ago. Each day I came across your blog, I cant help but sneak a peek.

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

Hi guys,

Thanks for the comments.

I also found out that this crossword constructor Alan P. Olschwang likes to quote Evan Esar in his puzzles, a lot.

Maybe you already knew it.

C.C.