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:

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

    Ruth

    ReplyDelete
  2. 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.

    ReplyDelete
  3. You had written:

    35A: Ray of "Battle Cry": ALDO

    It is actually 36 A:

    35A: poetic contraction

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

    C. C.

    ReplyDelete
  5. You ruin my Crossword Puzzle everyday with your answers!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous at 8:55am,

    But why did you come here?

    C. C.

    ReplyDelete
  7. 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.

    ReplyDelete
  8. 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.

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

    ReplyDelete
  10. 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.

    ReplyDelete
  11. 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.

    ReplyDelete

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