Theme: RE LOCATION
18A: Baltimore attraction: INNER HARBOR
60A: Sci-fi TV series, with "The": OUTER LIMITS
3D: Elite: UPPER CRUST
30D: Politician's promise: LOWER TAXES
Am I dreaming? Didn't we just solve a location themed puzzle several weeks' ago? Wait...OK, here it is: INNER, OUTER, UPPER & LOWER. Wow, so similar a grid structure! And UPPER CRUST & OUTER LIMITS remain unchanged. Look at the clue for 3D: Elite, exactly the same, unbelievable! This constructor Barry Silk may not be aware of it, but Mr. Williams certainly is, or should be. What a sloppy job he has been doing!
Quite a few abbreviations today: GOP, AWOL, STRS, NCAR, NACL (47D: Salt), IRA (9D: Portfolio letters?), SSGT (32D: Army NCO). Solving this puzzle this morning feels like watching a MOVIE (29D: Film version), lots of emotional ups and downs, full of SPIRIT (4D: Verve). The grid is blanketed with emotional words:
20A: Gloomy, poetically: DREAR
39A: Courage: BRAVERY. Parallel with AWOL (35A: Mil. no-show).
45A: Sassy: PERT
68A: Peevish: TESTY
49D: Swank: CLASSY
53D: Hazardous: RISKY
Plus SLY, though it's clued as "Stallone, to pals". And add LOOMS (37A: Is imminent), PAST (45D: Gone by), ALONE (64A: Lacking a partner), and of course MIRACLES (29A: Divine intervention). And we have Car (AUDI, REO), BOAT and plane (LEAR). With ABBA singing along, what a great MOVIE! But where can you find (such) AREEL (57D: Tottering)?
I had to flirt with Google to finish this puzzle. I was overly excited seeing TWINS in the puzzle that I could not think clearly.
ACROSS:
4A: One-time Alaskan capital: SITKA. Did not know this. Dictionary says "It's founded by Aleksandr Baranov in 1799, it was the capital of Russian America and later the capital of Alaska from 1867 to 1906". This word reminds me of the tough SIKA (Japanese deer) clue awhile ago.
14A: Republicans: GOP (Grand Old Party). Hmm, looks like Mr. Williams has adopted a "Fair & Balanced" attitude. Good, I yawn with ENNUI at every DEM(S) fill. But who buys LOWER TAXES promise anyway?
15A: Corsican patriot: PAOLI. Pasquale di PAOLI. Not a familiar name to me. I've barely heard of Corsica (Napoléon's birthplace). Wikipedia cited a 1768 NY Journal quote saying PAOLI was "the greatest man on earth". He must be very influential during 18th century then.
24A: Word with crescent or imagination: FERTILE. FERTILE crescent is new to me. It's "A region of the Middle East arching across the northern part of the Syrian Desert and extending from the Nile Valley to the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The civilizations of Egypt, Phoenicia, Assyria, and Babylonia developed in this area, which was also the site of numerous migrations and invasions."
26A: Quattro automaker: AUDI. I am waiting 4 QUATTRO to be clued someday.
33A: Long-lasting do: PERM. And 41A: Sham locks: WIG
42A: Calf catcher: LASSO
44A: Ordered: TIDY
46A: Small amount: PITTANCE. And 21D: ATOM, though it's clued as Nuclear energy source.
51A: Early satellite: TELSTAR. I did not know this before. What does it stand for? Television Star or what? Wikipedia says a segment of Phillies vs Cubs game was broadcast live via the first TELSTAR TV signal relay on June 23, 1962. Then JFK gave his first live transatlantic press conference via TELSTAR.
54A: Mr. Mertz: FRED. Unknown to me. I've only watched a few clips of I LOVE LUCY.
59A: Video game pioneer: ATARI
DOWN:
1D: Lines on a staff: EGBDF. What's your favorite treble clef mnemonic?
2D: Sculptor Henry: MOORE. Nope, noo familiar with his name. Rae probably knows him well. Wikipedia says he is "best known for his abstract monumental bronzes" and his subject is nearly always a woman. See this Three Pieces Recling Figure.
6D: British weight: TONNE. Hmm, Mortise's Partner anagrammed. Interesting.
7D: Swiss artist Paul: KLEE. The only Swiss painter I know of. His works are too surreal for me. What can see from this The Twittering Machine? Those birds just look so weird. Are they twittering?
8D: Posted by plane: AIRMAILED
0D: Roofed walkway: PORTICO. Look at this PORTICO of Pantheon in Rome.
11D: "Waterloo" pop group: ABBA. They won Eurovision 1974 for this song. But I like Dancing Queen.
3D: Ocean passages: abbr. STRS (STRAITS). First time I saw this abbreviation.
25D: Small jet maker: LEAR (Bill). Have never heard of his name or LEARjet. Only know King LEAR.
33D: Insect's feeler: PALP. Another new word for me. Could also be PALPUS (PALPI is plural form)
36D: Index of flagged terrorists: WATCH LIST. DECK of CARDS came to my mind first.
43D: Pupil: STUDENT. Lots of people were perplexed by yesterday's ÉLÈVES (55A: French classful) clue. In French, ÉLÈVES simply means pupils (in École, Collèges and Lycées). But more often you see them ÉTUDIANTS (m) or ÉTUDIANTES (f) in French universities. ÉLÈVE is actually a very broad term. It can refer to anyone, whether enfant, adolescent or adult, full time or part time.
56D: School since 1440: ETON. Good to know. HARROW was founded in 1571.
C.C.
18A: Baltimore attraction: INNER HARBOR
60A: Sci-fi TV series, with "The": OUTER LIMITS
3D: Elite: UPPER CRUST
30D: Politician's promise: LOWER TAXES
Am I dreaming? Didn't we just solve a location themed puzzle several weeks' ago? Wait...OK, here it is: INNER, OUTER, UPPER & LOWER. Wow, so similar a grid structure! And UPPER CRUST & OUTER LIMITS remain unchanged. Look at the clue for 3D: Elite, exactly the same, unbelievable! This constructor Barry Silk may not be aware of it, but Mr. Williams certainly is, or should be. What a sloppy job he has been doing!
Quite a few abbreviations today: GOP, AWOL, STRS, NCAR, NACL (47D: Salt), IRA (9D: Portfolio letters?), SSGT (32D: Army NCO). Solving this puzzle this morning feels like watching a MOVIE (29D: Film version), lots of emotional ups and downs, full of SPIRIT (4D: Verve). The grid is blanketed with emotional words:
20A: Gloomy, poetically: DREAR
39A: Courage: BRAVERY. Parallel with AWOL (35A: Mil. no-show).
45A: Sassy: PERT
68A: Peevish: TESTY
49D: Swank: CLASSY
53D: Hazardous: RISKY
Plus SLY, though it's clued as "Stallone, to pals". And add LOOMS (37A: Is imminent), PAST (45D: Gone by), ALONE (64A: Lacking a partner), and of course MIRACLES (29A: Divine intervention). And we have Car (AUDI, REO), BOAT and plane (LEAR). With ABBA singing along, what a great MOVIE! But where can you find (such) AREEL (57D: Tottering)?
I had to flirt with Google to finish this puzzle. I was overly excited seeing TWINS in the puzzle that I could not think clearly.
ACROSS:
4A: One-time Alaskan capital: SITKA. Did not know this. Dictionary says "It's founded by Aleksandr Baranov in 1799, it was the capital of Russian America and later the capital of Alaska from 1867 to 1906". This word reminds me of the tough SIKA (Japanese deer) clue awhile ago.
14A: Republicans: GOP (Grand Old Party). Hmm, looks like Mr. Williams has adopted a "Fair & Balanced" attitude. Good, I yawn with ENNUI at every DEM(S) fill. But who buys LOWER TAXES promise anyway?
15A: Corsican patriot: PAOLI. Pasquale di PAOLI. Not a familiar name to me. I've barely heard of Corsica (Napoléon's birthplace). Wikipedia cited a 1768 NY Journal quote saying PAOLI was "the greatest man on earth". He must be very influential during 18th century then.
24A: Word with crescent or imagination: FERTILE. FERTILE crescent is new to me. It's "A region of the Middle East arching across the northern part of the Syrian Desert and extending from the Nile Valley to the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The civilizations of Egypt, Phoenicia, Assyria, and Babylonia developed in this area, which was also the site of numerous migrations and invasions."
26A: Quattro automaker: AUDI. I am waiting 4 QUATTRO to be clued someday.
33A: Long-lasting do: PERM. And 41A: Sham locks: WIG
42A: Calf catcher: LASSO
44A: Ordered: TIDY
46A: Small amount: PITTANCE. And 21D: ATOM, though it's clued as Nuclear energy source.
51A: Early satellite: TELSTAR. I did not know this before. What does it stand for? Television Star or what? Wikipedia says a segment of Phillies vs Cubs game was broadcast live via the first TELSTAR TV signal relay on June 23, 1962. Then JFK gave his first live transatlantic press conference via TELSTAR.
54A: Mr. Mertz: FRED. Unknown to me. I've only watched a few clips of I LOVE LUCY.
59A: Video game pioneer: ATARI
DOWN:
1D: Lines on a staff: EGBDF. What's your favorite treble clef mnemonic?
2D: Sculptor Henry: MOORE. Nope, noo familiar with his name. Rae probably knows him well. Wikipedia says he is "best known for his abstract monumental bronzes" and his subject is nearly always a woman. See this Three Pieces Recling Figure.
6D: British weight: TONNE. Hmm, Mortise's Partner anagrammed. Interesting.
7D: Swiss artist Paul: KLEE. The only Swiss painter I know of. His works are too surreal for me. What can see from this The Twittering Machine? Those birds just look so weird. Are they twittering?
8D: Posted by plane: AIRMAILED
0D: Roofed walkway: PORTICO. Look at this PORTICO of Pantheon in Rome.
11D: "Waterloo" pop group: ABBA. They won Eurovision 1974 for this song. But I like Dancing Queen.
3D: Ocean passages: abbr. STRS (STRAITS). First time I saw this abbreviation.
25D: Small jet maker: LEAR (Bill). Have never heard of his name or LEARjet. Only know King LEAR.
33D: Insect's feeler: PALP. Another new word for me. Could also be PALPUS (PALPI is plural form)
36D: Index of flagged terrorists: WATCH LIST. DECK of CARDS came to my mind first.
43D: Pupil: STUDENT. Lots of people were perplexed by yesterday's ÉLÈVES (55A: French classful) clue. In French, ÉLÈVES simply means pupils (in École, Collèges and Lycées). But more often you see them ÉTUDIANTS (m) or ÉTUDIANTES (f) in French universities. ÉLÈVE is actually a very broad term. It can refer to anyone, whether enfant, adolescent or adult, full time or part time.
56D: School since 1440: ETON. Good to know. HARROW was founded in 1571.
C.C.
47 comments:
Good morning cc and all. Good too be back and returning to and easy one today. I struggled with 44A and it took some perps to finally realize that tidy was a good answer. I did not particularly like 52D Areel but I guess it is OK. Got to run this am but will check in later today.
cc I liked your picture of Lois on the horse last Sunday.
Good morning, C.C. and fellow DFs -
C.C., you're right, lots and lots of repeats today. This editor sucks, to put it mildly.
Got through this one ok, but kept trying to force 'bade' for 'ordered', which slowed things down a bit. Hangover doesn't help things any.
Rainy, gray here today; hope it's a great day where you are.
I am anonymous from 5:52, 5:55 & 6:48 from Monday - I'm not a blogger (actually yours is the first site I've ever posted a comment on).
Chris
Dick,
I kind of like the clever "Ordered" clue for TIDY.
Dennis,
What? Is it because RYNE Sandberg's BB cards are priced so low that you don't even pay attention to his name spelling?
C.C., no, Ryno's clue was the one that made me realize 'bade' wasn't gonna cut it.
Good morning! I bombed on this one.
Dick your comment was funny about Lois on the horse! haha
I don't have too much time this am.
Have a good one! More later....
STRS = STRAITS ?? OK, if you say so. I think it's a far reach. But, all in all it wasn't bad. AREEL is a new word for me but having had my share of alcohol I'm guessing that I was AREEL a lot!!
Tried til the very end to make 19d FOUR because that is, in fact, one of TWO and FOUR. What a dimwit! I couldn't figure out what the h*** an INNERfARBOR was. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that 24 meant hours..
Not to bad yesterday but I didn't get to post. Another trip to the local hospital for Mom.
CYA all Later
Morning, folks!
Today's puzzle started out horribly, picked up dramatically once I figured out EGBDF ("Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge") for 1D, and then sailed along smoothly before eventually crashing and burning in a couple of places.
I erroneously put COOP instead of COTE for 28A and left it there until the bitter end. I'd never heard of 15A, but guessed correctly on the P in PAOLI. However COOP left me with SPIRIO instead of SPIRIT for 4D and I just left it there, thinking that it was somehow related to "brio" or something.
And then I made the same mistake others made and put BADE for 44A. Unlike others, however, I never corrected it. I had no idea who "Sandberg of baseball" was and, since CARL wouldn't fit, I figured RENE made sense. Of course, that left me with WABCHLIST for 36D, but my sleep-deprived stupor had me thinking that WABCH must be an acronym of something or another. The only part that really seemed wrong to me was MOVAE for 29D. My first instinct was that it had to be MOVIE, but that would make 44A BIDE instead of BADE, and that didn't make any sense! Besides, if 29D was supposed to be MOVIE, wouldn't the clue simply be "film" instead of "film version"? Finally, the light went on -- the "version" must indicate it was a variant spelling of MOVIE!
Dang. And here I was feeling all superior for knowing who Fred Mertz was and remembering Sitka from a NY Times puzzle I recently did...
Good morning CC and company,
Hope everyone had a good long weekend!
Not a bad start to the week as I didn't struggle too much today. Some issues with 15A and 44A (wasn't thinking about "ordered" in the manner the puzzle was asking for). And, though I know I'd seen 40D many times before, it still eluded me until the very end.
Hope everyone has a fantastic day!
Good morning all!!
Didn't like 63A. Had coop for 28A for awhile but that didn't work for 4D. Tidy was no problem because Ryne was back. And I agree with STRS is a stretch. While reel means, among other things, to cause to stagger (as a verb) or a staggering gait (as a noun), I cannot find areel in any dictionary. Can anyone?
All I can find on TELSTAR is that it is a trademarked name for the communication satellites (there were two of them originally). TELSTAR I is still in orbit but no longer works.
EGBDF and FACE.
It's Sun Screen Day. Please think about using it especially if you are into nude sunbathing. Also, Cellophane Tape Day.
It's Sun Screen Day. Please think about using it especially if you are into nude sunbathing. Also, Cellophane Tape Day.
Great. Now I've got an image of somebody nude sunbathing while wrapped head to two in cellophane tape stuck indelibly in my head. Thanks. ^_^
Berry the vision that came to my mind in reading drdads post at 7:01 was the scene out of "There's Something About Mary".
Oh -- and that should have been "head to toe" and not "head to two".
Who's Berry?
Well I got Upper Crust and Lower Taxes, but it didn't occur to me to look east or west for an outer or inner. I know some of the authors and editors read this blog and see all you 10 minutes or less folks complaining about how easy the puzzles are, so they have geared up to take you on and leave me in the dust, even on what used to be easy Tuesday. So what else can I do but go play golf. Fore!
** LIFE IN THE 1500'S ***
Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or the upper crust.
Good morning CC et al, It's just a remedial measure to build confidence today. Besides those weak ones 13D, 52D already mentioned, I enjoyed this one. Of course I also like getting my fingernails ripped off and body hairs plucked one by one. But that's me. Every time I see 'sly', I'm going to think of yesterday's 'asse' and wonder what or who he's hearing coming now!
Dick: thank you for noticing me on that horse...my large, gorgeous, white steed! It was fun until somebody behind me said, "Look at the two fine asses on that horse" and I had to get down and look. That ended the ride. The next time my hair will be longer.
Enjoy this gorgeous day. sorry about your luck, dennis. Our luck changes over tonight.
In which dictionary can you find AREEL?
I went to the inner harbor of the outer limits and had a seance with Marie Antoinette. She said that while the affluent indeed got the upper crust of the bread, the peasants ate cake.
The only place I could find areel was online at Crosskit.com. I also wanted four for 19D and for some reason Pigeon's Place to be a Pigeon Hole.
An easy Ace... but some the clues... those already mentioned were weak or a stretch at best. ... others like 44A TIDY and 45A Pittance.... were good ones. I have been to Sitka.... if the cruise ships did not stop there it would not exist anymore.
I thought it was a pretty cleaver job, esp. 13D - STRS. I first thought of steamers and not straits. One can book passage on a steamer and the steamer can gain passage via straits. Is either wrong?
No outside help needed for this one
BTW You can find AREEL in the same dictionary that you will find ALOP, ASTIR, & ATILT. Its also the one that was created by puzzle makers
jimhlrn: that adictionary is awritten with awords that are not areasonable.
Good morning C.C. and all you D.F.'s, this was a fun one for me, but I did have trouble with the upper middle area: did not know 15A and could not figure 4D (brain cramp).. I mentioned that I could not think of a word for verve that ended it "it", and my husband said "spirit" !!! The man has never done a crossword in his life :)I felt so stupid!!
I didn't know the Telstar was still in orbit, wow..hope it stays there! I remember the record (instrumental) released in 1962 by The Tornados (few weeks after Telstar was launched).Loved the sound!
I really liked the clue for 41A :)
Hope you all have a great day!
My 1969 edition of the American Heritage Dictionary includes the words astir and atilt. It also gives several uses for using A as a prefix to words, such as: in the direction of, in the act of, on or in. It comes from old English and was still in use when I was in college sixty years ago.
Calef
My 1969 edition of the American Heritage Dictionary includes the words astir and atilt. It also gives several uses for using A as a prefix to words, such as: in the direction of, in the act of, on or in. It comes from old English and was still in use when I was in college sixty years ago.
Calef
Wow, anon calef: I aneed anew adictionary. I am areeling. Who'd athunk it! EEK!
Carol: 41A was cute! Wonder what sham rocks would be referring to! Blanks?
aLois - athat ais aso afunny!!!!
anough already ! !
Although I may make up words when I soving a puzzle, I don't think they should make them up when creating a puzzle. Areel is areek.
Today I had right answers that didn't work, like elite - upperclass and British weight - stone. Wouldn't give them up until Mr. Google said I had to.
Good morning everyone. Didn't have time to get back to the board yesterday, but I made it today. Stumbled on 13D, but smooth sailing otherwise. C.C., as always, excellent analysis and fun links. My clef note mnemonic was "Every Good Boy Does Fine." Barry, isn't it amazing how we can rationalize our incorrect answers? Not today, but on Monday and Saturday, just being stubborn and inventing new words, LOL! Drdad, 63A bugged me too! You are a font of information (UPPER CRUST). I wonder if AREEL was in the Official Scrabble Players Dictionary? Carol, sometimes divine intervention will give an answer to a non-believer. Supposed to be mid 70s today!
I was always taught it was "every good breast deserves fondling."
Maybe that's why I never forgot it.
Crockett: Your EGBDF is the same one I'm most familiar with, but also there is Every Good Bird Does Fly, Elvis' Guitar Broke Down Friday, and Empty Garbage Before Dad Flips. Whatever aworks!
JRF says
AREEL adj - reeling
Websters International Dictionary of the English Language copyright 1957
I just wanted to put everyones mind at ease - it is a "reel" word lol
JRF
Dennis: That's hilarious! Did I mention I teach adults music?
hello hello, not in the least bit thrown athwart by this one...it all comes easier when you don't try to hard (or keep your eyes closed--no, that's for finding EGBDF on the Ondes Martenot)--by the way, connect eleves to elevator and you'll always remember...
Dennis: My method is pretty much 'hands on'....gives a whole new dimension to tickling the ivories.
Lois, "shamrocks/blanks" I loved it!!
LOL (they wouldn't be too "testy" either!
Crockett - Nothing like cloudy and in the mid-70's, it had better clear up soon or the forecasters blow another one!
Lois, tickling the ivories??? ooooohhh. As to:EGBDF, why not Each Girl Brings Double Fun?
How can tonne be a britishweight? Ton yes, tonne no. Tonne is a metric ton and we dont do metric -
also fooled a little bit at first with harbor, american english so not harbour - didnt Churchill say something like "divided by a common language?"
Stillits all good fun.
Mark, Buenos Aires
mark--it's the english kickback effect...tonne in HK becomes widespread among the masses...lots of crazy incidences of this...for example handsfree in Swedish is what we called Walkman (remember those) in the US...can anyone figure out babylift?
Thomas: a babylift? Is it a car seat/carrier of sorts? If not, I 'forgive' up, as my kids used to say.
lois--you're right...it's a type of baby carrier that can also turn into whatever its called in English...like a backpack to carry the infants in...although I used to wear it on my stomach...
I stand corrected on the word "areel". I did find it used twice on Google, outside of crossword blogs and proper names.
I had used the OneLook® search engine, which claims 12,821,741 words in 1048 dictionaries and glossaries indexed.
They couldn't find it.
C.C., Great links. I didn't need google for this one. I called my paper to see where the Sunday puzzle originates; they didn't know. I'll check further tomorrow. They at least referred me to another source to check.
Lois, I am areeling with laughter! You're ahoot and aholler, girl.
C.C., I learned Every Good Boy Does Fine in early music education, but I like most of the ones from the DF's better, especially the one from naughty boy Dennis.
Dennis, couldn't it also be Every Good Boy Deserves Fondling?
Have a great Wednesday, everyone.
Kit
Barry,
As Drdad stated in his comment, RYNE has appeared several times in our puzzle.
JRF,
Thank you for confirming this "REEL" "AREEL".
Kit,
Let's see what is Dennis' answer to your question!
47A I knew this one from Irving Berlin's "Easter Parade".
'On the Avenue
Fifth Avenue
The photographers will snap us
And you'll find that you're
In the rotogravure
Oh, I could write a sonnet about your Easter bonnet
And of the girl I'm taking to the Easter parade'
Der Katze,
I've copied and pasted your comment to Wednesday.
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