Theme: CARS
18A: Canadian body of water: HUDSON BAY
24A: Historic D. C. spot: FORD'S THEATRE (sorry about the mistake earlier)
53A: Mayflower landing: PLYMOUTH ROCK
64A: "Gunsmoke" setting: DODGE CITY
Thank you FORD, without your surprise profit yesterday, the stock market would've plunged! Alan Mulally has finally seen the view from the mountaintop: Hey, look at me Boeing, still happy with your McNerney choice?
I've never heard of HUDSON car, nor have I known LEK, KIROV, SELMA, ASHLAR and BEMA. Tough puzzle today, esp the northwest region.
I filled in SCABS, BLONDE and STAFF with a brio, then my nightmare started. I did not know that "SEND UP" means "lampoon", so naturally I fell into the S trap and penned in S at the intersection of 5D and 35A. I did not know "Ragged Dick" author ALGER. Would've probably got ARGON if it were clued as "Inert gas". And the FIENDS, I could not even get the FIENDS! Sorry Orange!
Had to flirt with Mr. Google, and he quickly gave me what I wanted without making any OUTRÉ demand. Excellent!
ACROSS:
1A: Wound crusts: SCABS. No need to wobble between SCAR and SCAB due to clue 4D.
6A: Synagogue platform: BEMA. Unknown to me. It originated from Greek word "bēma" "meaning step or platform. Dictionary also says that BEMA is "the enclosed space surrounding the altar" in Eastern Orthodox Church, or "an open space between the end of the nave arcade and the apse" in a Christian basilica.
10A: Software platform: TECH
14A: Very fine netting: TULLE. Oh, isn't she beautiful in her satin and tulle mermaid wedding gown? TULLE is named after the French city where it's made.
15A: Firefighters' tools: AXES
17A: About 1% of the atmosphere: ARGON. AT NO. #18. Inert gas.
20A: Maniacs: FIENDS
23A: Begley and McMahon: EDS. Oh, McMahon, the "Heeeeere's Johnny" guy. It would make me happy if Bradley rather than Begley were clued.
28A: Haves of thirds: SIXTHS
35A: Bell ringers' performance: PEALS
38A: Japanese-American: NISEI. The root word SEI means birth, Ni means second. So NISEI means second generation. ISSEI is first generation (IS means first). SANSEI is third generation (SAN means third), don't confuse it with SENSEI (Judo/Karate teacher). Oh, KIBEI is a person of Japanese descent, born in the U.S. but educated in Japan (KI is to return, BEI is America). Have some SAKE with George Clooney if this explanation make you headache!
41A: Small birds: WRENS. Is that cactus you are perching upon?
43A: Skater Lipinski: TARA. She "won Olympic gold medal in figure skating at 1998 Winter Olympics, and remains the youngest gold medalist in the history of the Olympic Winter Games", according to Wikipedia.
44A: Russian city: KIROV. Have never heard of it. It's "a city in the E Russian Federation in Europe". Kirov is known as the "city of twins" for the unusually high number of multiple births there.
46A: Singer Ross: DIANA. Didn't she receive the Kennedy Center Honor last year?
48A: Diamond and others: SELMAS. No idea.
62A: Two-toed sloth: UNAU. Oh, the ugly UNAU is back. AIS is a 3-toed sloth.
63A: Loafer, e.g. : SLIP-ON
69A: Poet pound: EZRA. This is one incorrigible repeat offender.
70A: Hindu queen: var.: RANEE (RANI)
73A: Flexible Flyers: SLEDS. Totally unknown to me, I strung it together from the down clues. Here is a picture.
DOWN:
2D: Antique shop item: CURIO (from curiosity). I always thought CURIO refers to the "CURIO Box". Or do you call any of those old rusty stuff at the antique shop as CURIO?
3D: "Ragged Dick" author: ALGER (Horatio). Unknown to me. Boy, he sure was prolific. 18A: Canadian body of water: HUDSON BAY
24A: Historic D. C. spot: FORD'S THEATRE (sorry about the mistake earlier)
53A: Mayflower landing: PLYMOUTH ROCK
64A: "Gunsmoke" setting: DODGE CITY
Thank you FORD, without your surprise profit yesterday, the stock market would've plunged! Alan Mulally has finally seen the view from the mountaintop: Hey, look at me Boeing, still happy with your McNerney choice?
I've never heard of HUDSON car, nor have I known LEK, KIROV, SELMA, ASHLAR and BEMA. Tough puzzle today, esp the northwest region.
I filled in SCABS, BLONDE and STAFF with a brio, then my nightmare started. I did not know that "SEND UP" means "lampoon", so naturally I fell into the S trap and penned in S at the intersection of 5D and 35A. I did not know "Ragged Dick" author ALGER. Would've probably got ARGON if it were clued as "Inert gas". And the FIENDS, I could not even get the FIENDS! Sorry Orange!
Had to flirt with Mr. Google, and he quickly gave me what I wanted without making any OUTRÉ demand. Excellent!
ACROSS:
1A: Wound crusts: SCABS. No need to wobble between SCAR and SCAB due to clue 4D.
6A: Synagogue platform: BEMA. Unknown to me. It originated from Greek word "bēma" "meaning step or platform. Dictionary also says that BEMA is "the enclosed space surrounding the altar" in Eastern Orthodox Church, or "an open space between the end of the nave arcade and the apse" in a Christian basilica.
10A: Software platform: TECH
14A: Very fine netting: TULLE. Oh, isn't she beautiful in her satin and tulle mermaid wedding gown? TULLE is named after the French city where it's made.
15A: Firefighters' tools: AXES
17A: About 1% of the atmosphere: ARGON. AT NO. #18. Inert gas.
20A: Maniacs: FIENDS
23A: Begley and McMahon: EDS. Oh, McMahon, the "Heeeeere's Johnny" guy. It would make me happy if Bradley rather than Begley were clued.
28A: Haves of thirds: SIXTHS
35A: Bell ringers' performance: PEALS
38A: Japanese-American: NISEI. The root word SEI means birth, Ni means second. So NISEI means second generation. ISSEI is first generation (IS means first). SANSEI is third generation (SAN means third), don't confuse it with SENSEI (Judo/Karate teacher). Oh, KIBEI is a person of Japanese descent, born in the U.S. but educated in Japan (KI is to return, BEI is America). Have some SAKE with George Clooney if this explanation make you headache!
41A: Small birds: WRENS. Is that cactus you are perching upon?
43A: Skater Lipinski: TARA. She "won Olympic gold medal in figure skating at 1998 Winter Olympics, and remains the youngest gold medalist in the history of the Olympic Winter Games", according to Wikipedia.
44A: Russian city: KIROV. Have never heard of it. It's "a city in the E Russian Federation in Europe". Kirov is known as the "city of twins" for the unusually high number of multiple births there.
46A: Singer Ross: DIANA. Didn't she receive the Kennedy Center Honor last year?
48A: Diamond and others: SELMAS. No idea.
62A: Two-toed sloth: UNAU. Oh, the ugly UNAU is back. AIS is a 3-toed sloth.
63A: Loafer, e.g. : SLIP-ON
69A: Poet pound: EZRA. This is one incorrigible repeat offender.
70A: Hindu queen: var.: RANEE (RANI)
73A: Flexible Flyers: SLEDS. Totally unknown to me, I strung it together from the down clues. Here is a picture.
DOWN:
2D: Antique shop item: CURIO (from curiosity). I always thought CURIO refers to the "CURIO Box". Or do you call any of those old rusty stuff at the antique shop as CURIO?
5D: Lampoons: SENDS UP. New phrase to me.
7D: Ooze forth: EXUDE
8D: Euripides drama: MEDEA. Saw this clue before, then I promptly forgot. MEDEA is also the wife of "Jason the Argonaut".
9D: Holdings: ASSETS
11D: River of Hamburg: ELBE. Here is the map.
12D: Enclothed: CLAD. (Nelly said) It's gettin hot in here, so......
13D: "Airplane" star Robert: HAYS. Got his name from across clues. But I think I saw this clue before.
19D: Senator Hatch: ORRIN. Gimme Gimme. Utah Senator (R).
21D: Scatter: STREW
25D: Collection of artifacts: HOARD. Doesn't HOARD have a negative overtone? This clue does not feel smooth to me.
30D: Sub: Hero. "My heroes have always been the cowboys". How about yours?
32D: Birds' display areas: LEKS. Totally unknown to me. It's "a traditional place where males assemble during the mating season and engage in competitive displays that attract females". Courtship display then. Hmm, this clue is definitely more colorful than "Money unit of Alabama"
33D: Mayberry lad: OPIE. Learned his name from doing crossword. I know nothing about "The Andy Griffith Show."
37D: Military muddle: SNAFU (Situation Normal, All Fouled UP). Were you thinking of Dennis when you saw this clue? I was. Still remember how stunned I was when he first explained the sanitized version of SNAFU. When will FUBAR appear then?
40D: Freebie: COMP
47D: Masonry stones: ASHLARS. OK, ASHLAR is "a squared block of building stone", like this. This word is easily gettable though.
50D: Matched up: SYNCED. Never know that SYNC can be a verb.
52D: Clannish: TRIBAL. Not SEPT -ish something?
54D: Indian corn: MAIZE
55D: Bizarre: OUTRÉ. Past participle of French word OUTRER (to push beyond the bound).
56D: Voice a thought: OPINE
61D: Biblical paradise: EDEN & 65D: Figure of worship: GOD. Great parallel.
C.C.
45 comments:
Good morning cc. Guess we are the only ones out of bed this early. I breezed through this one until I hit the middle left. That's when I hit the wall. The remainder of the puzzle was easy but I just could not get the left middle. I did not know LEK 32D nor did I know KIROV 44A and 49A looks familiar now that I got the answer from your site. I'm going golfing so you have a great day and I will see you Sunday.
cc I also never heard of sendsup for lampooneds. This is very strange to me. Hope someone can explain it to me.
cc When growing up as a kid every it was the ultimate to have a Flexible Flyer sled. They were the best and the fastest or so we thought.
Good morning Dick,
The online dictionary explains "SEND UP" as "to expose the flaws or foibles of through parody, burlesque, caricature, lampoon, or other forms of satire".
Hi gang - a sub-seven minute puzzle this morning, thanks to cousins. Had not heard of 'ashlars' or 'leks'.
C.C., I never thought of 'hoard' as having a negative connotation, but also don't think a hoard is confined to artifacts; people hoard all kinds of things.
Hope it's an outstanding weekend for everyone.
Good morning everyone! Up early myself today. It's raining here in Mi. I really wanted 22A to be "elks". I had a hard time with the upper left corner. I even missed "blonde" and I am a hairdresser. Yikes! I agree with you CC on 25D. I think of "hoard" as more of a negative thing. That was a gorgeous tulle dress. You find the best pictures. I love the song "My Hero's Have Always Been Cowboys". I like the Waylon Jennings version best, but that was a good one. Great song. I also loved your explanation of Japanese Americans. I don't think I will remember that though. I'll have some sake with "George" any day. I don't think Keith will mind, LOL. I never heard of UNAU....sure is uggggly! I never knew a flexible flyer was a sled. I rememeber them, but never heard of them being called that. And finally, I NEVER heard of LEKS for a birds display area. Have a good day everyone.
Katherine, as Dick said, those of us who are old enough to remember always aspired to own a Flexible Flyer as kids. It was the Rolls-Royce of sleds. I think mine is still lodged in a tree trunk.
By the way, today is Arbor Day - have fun, plant a seed.
Good Morning!!
Not quite as good as yesterday but I'll take it.
SYNCED as a verb? Why not, Bill Gates company has made anything possible.
LEKS, KIROV UNAU No idea till I spoke to Mr. Google.
Dick, by knowing a FLEXIBLE FLYER personally, you're giving away your age. I, too, knew them well!!
CYA
Only 17 minutes today. Looking up a few answers after the fact - like leks, outre, nisei.
Selma Diamond was the raspy voiced bailiff on "Night Court." Thank the stars I knwe her and Kirov or would never have gotten 32D. Hoard is stuff that is stashed away but also has the archaelogical meaning of "collection of artifacts."
Hero sandwiches in Rhode Island are "grindas." Thanks for the education on nisei, et.al. I did think of Dennis' explanation for snafu. And that two-toed sloth is back. Maybe they live in Siam which is back as well (LOL). I wonder how many will say they had the "R" and "E" switched at first for the end of 24A.
Happy Arbor Day (it is today in most states - some celebrate it on a different Friday) and - - -
Happy Zucchini Bread Day.
Wait until you see what Saturday and Sunday are (especially Sunday).
I guess some of us are just plain old (or getting there) because I had a Flexible Flyer as well. Like Dick and Dennis said the fastest and best - the Rolls Royce of sleds!!
Bill I am 69 healthy and know that this is much better than the alternate. I am happy to be alive and well and I too survived some near misses with the old Flexible Flyer.
Dennis,
Does CURIO here is shortened form of CURIO Box or it can be any all those mossy stuff at the Antique shop?
Katherine,
I love Willie Nelson's version.
Most of those Japanese NISEI,SANSEI,ISSEI words came from old Chinese. So, it's easier for me to grasp.
Sake is intoxicating, esp with sashimi or grilled unagi! You should definitely drink it with Keith!
Bill,
See here for UNAU Puzzle Page (Sloth2toed). It's edited by one of our TMS crossword constructor John Underwood, though he said that he had not done much for the past 2-3 years.
Drdad,
Thanks for the "Hoard" explanation.
And thanks also for the "Happy Zucchini Bread Day". Do people really eat that? I must say you totally confused me with your "Pigs in a Blanket Day" yesterday.
I look forward to your Happy ___Day tomorrow.
C.C., a curio is typically an unusual or rare item; curio shops typically have a melange of different odds and ends. Not sure what you meant by 'mossy', though.
I drank sake ONE time, my first night in Japan. Hours later, I woke up in an alley after hallucinating/dreaming about dragons.
Yeah! I drank sake one time too. Never again. WOW!! Wish I remembered something. Even a hallucination would've been good. Totally comatose until sometime the next day. The headache was incredible.
I was short by one letter on a lot of clues... LEKS, KIROV, ASHLARS, UNAU, to name a few. Nice puzzle though. Count me in on the FLEXIBLE FLYER... I can still remember my brother hopping aboard one and sliding down a hill with great glee until he ran into the back of a parked car... lost his front teeth on that one.... OUCH !!! I too drank SAKE once.... only once.... at my daughter's ASU graduation... I got talked into a drinking competition involving SAKE BOMBERS.... Last I remember I won... Imagine out drinking college kids... It is not an advisable thing to do.
If anyone cares, I added a comment to yesterday's comment section on that infernal pigs versus a pig in a blanket.
CC, Nope, That's our lead vocalist, Larry. That man could start today and sing till the middle of next week and never repeat a tune. All of us are country oriented and mix country and bluegrass at our shows.
DrDad,
The image of someone wrapping pigs (even babys) is hilarious.
I still chuckle when I think about it.
What a great puzzle and the links are awesome!!! Thank you CC. It ran the gamut today from George Clooney to the Unau with Willie and those great cowboys somewhere in the middle there. Can't believe Selma is still being clued. Think 50D "synced" is weird. And Freq Flyers were fun, fast, and controllable. Happy memories for me too!
I'm going to go listen to Willie again. Great day!
Hope you all enjoy it!
zipped through this one--what, our culture club has never heard of the eponymously famous Russian ballet? I must say leks was way outre (Fr pronunciation plz) for me but crosses always help. Yes, these days everything is turned into verbs (or nouns or whatever.) Why the last time a friend got back from the Island State she was asked most curiously "Did you get lei'd?" I think I'll go plant a tree now for Arbre Day!
For shame, Lois! They are FLEXIBLE Flyers. Maybe you used FREQUENT Flyer mileage when you were on your sled but when I was on one I don't think frequent flyer mileage had been invented yet.
It started off rocky in the upper right but I was able to sail through most of the rest. I did finally get the upper right but had to turn to Google for 6A and 8D. For 44A I had Girov and for 32D I had Legs - sort of makes sense that birds display on their legs and Girov *sounds* like a Russian city...Anyway, not bad for a Friday.
Thomas - that "lei" comment was hilarious, at least to me.
Dennis, forget Florida. According to Thomas, we need to go to Hawaii.
Egad, there's that dyslexia again. I meant it was rocky in the upper left. I think I'll start using compass directions like CC - the NorthWest corner.
Oh, that's funny, drdad. That's what I get for multitasking. I prefer the freq flyers these days. Thanks for setting it straight.
And yes, I'll use my freq flyers to go to Hawaii too! That is hilarious!
Good morning everyone! C.C., I wondered about the Flexible Flyer clue -- every kid in the neighborhood had one when I was growing up in the 50s. I have "Software support person" as the clue for 10A. Got KIROV from their ballet troupe. Being called to the BEMA to read is a great honor in the synagogue. Selma Diamond was totally unknown, so the center left was a struggle. HUDSON automobiles were absorbed by NASH, which is also a long gone brand. My hero since about the sixth grade has been Amelia Earhart -- she was adventurous and her own woman. Quite an interesting person. C.C., the amount of time you put in to find all of these links and explanations is truly appreciated. As others have said before, I always learn something from this blog. Thank you.
Dennis,
MOSSY is old, older than liquids as you often say. I think MOSSY was clued as "Antiquated" on a TMS puzzle several weeks ago, and I hated it.
Drdad,
Thanks for clearing up this "Pigs in a Blanket" thing. I was a in heavy fog yesterday.
C. C, et al:
No Flexible Flyer for this guy. Grew up in west Texas (an old car hood worked on the rare occasion of measurable snowfall.
Here is a different cowboy song ->
Paula Cole.
I vote for Hawaii but no sake or else a SNAFU would occur when I got lei'd and would end up FUBAR
All have a great weekend and remember to Hug An Australian tomorrow! ;~p
Only finished 2/3 today. The guy missed the boat. Could have also clued:
Green Bay Stoppers- Packar defense
Tearful Tale - Saab Story
Herd Movement - Caddill Action
US Traveller - Rambler American
Warn the batter - Cry slurve!
Maybe I should write instead of solve. Oh Well, rain turning to snow tonight. Seems like whether the groundhog sees his shadow or not, we northern lutefisk munchers always have 6 more MONTHS of winter. Wednesday - 80 degrees, Friday - snow. Go figure.
24A, FORDS THEATRE gave me a fit until I realized via 19 & 26D that he was using the English spelling. Even the spell checker on the blog just flagged THEATRE. Had a rough time in the NW cornet until I looked up 3D and then I cruised except for LEX and KIROV.
I don't know which I enjoy more - - doing the Xword or reading the comments in your blog.
P.S. I was surprised that no one mentioned the English spelling of theater.
Jim,
Re: THEATRE
See Drdad's 6:23am comment. He noticed the English spelling as well.
Our crossword Editor Mr. William was very influenced by his Grandfather who was born in England. This is not the first time THEATRE appears in the our puzzle without any "VAR" hint.
Dennis,
Could have used fogy, instead of mossy...
Ah yes, Flexible Flyer. Remember like it was yesterday. My brother and I each got one for Christmas. The first Christmas that we had no snow! Unheard of for Ohio!
I spelled Fords Theater but 26 D is exit with an r. Is it me am I the only one who has a problem with this?
Anonymous @ 2:27 p.m. - spell it "Theatre" and everything works - exit and Orrin. See my comment at 6:23 a.m. and jimhllrn's at 12:04 p.m.
By the way, the correct theatre is the correct spelling for Ford's.
From the website
http://www.fordstheatre.org/ the correct spelling is 'theatre'.
I must confess that I did not get 'leks' or 'kirov'. I am highly embarrassed.
The only problem I had with 'lampoons' was deciding whether it was a verb ('sends up') or a noun ('send-ups').
Sorry about my link. Maybe this will work better: Ford's Theatre
Razberry, I loved the Paula Cole song/video.
Good evening everyone!
Sheesh what a puzzle! I had every single problem that everyone mentioned here today! Also had a flexable flyer too! And, got into problems with it lol.
C.C. you were hilarious today keep up the great work.
Drdad re. last post of yesterday. I decided to take your advice and not go back to the farm this weekend to try.
T/C everyone
The Whoo
Well all my sleeping aficionados you will be visited by Josiah Breward tomorrow and be ready for the return of an old four letter French ami. I won't give any further details to spoil things but I'm so far west that you'll all have figgered out the details and puns before I'm back. This one goes very fast and won't bring on any fits of exhaustedness (you'll see what I mean!) Good to see a Dane in the mix for once too.
Thomas,
Are we working on the same puzzle? Our author is Ed Voile!
But SOREN the Dane is indeed in the puzzle, and ETUI does make a comeback today.
I look forward to hearing your explanation later.
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