Theme: Rip Off
17A: "A Few Good Men" director: ROB REINER
64A: Exit furtively: STEAL AWAY
10D: Common Florida tree: THATCH PALM
31D: Pool table position: SIDE POCKET
So close to a pangram (J & Q missing)! Lots of K words today:
5A: Champagne musicmaker: WELK (Lawrence). Unknown to me. Sewed together his name from down clues. Wikipedia says he loved playing golf, and he was a regular at Bob Hope Desert Classics. His autobiography is titled "Wunnerful, Wunnerful!"
26A: Razz: HECKLE. Even the clue is very scrabbly, isn't it? Wunnerful!
42A: Army vehicles: TANKS
57A: Pop choice: COKE. Pepsi please, for those who think young!
61A: Spirit of a screwdriver: VODKA. "Spirit of Black Russian" too.
8D: Mini race car: KART
27D: Pottery oven: KILN
28D: Plumbing woe: LEAK
31D: Pool table position: SIDE POCKET
44D: Difficult journey: TREK
This is my favorite Monday puzzle after John Underwood's "Chess Mate" in April. Can you feel that the quality of our puzzles is getting better lately? I don't seem to groan and gripe as much as I did before. And no clue makes me cringe today. I like it. I like the direction where we are heading.
ACROSS:
1A: Knight's aide: PAGE. BethPAGE Black will host US Open next year. This sign makes me laugh.
9A: NJ military post: FT DIX. Unfamiliar to me. The abbreviation of FT (FORT) always tricked me.
14A: Latin I word: AMAT. I like how it intersects ETRE (4D: French 101 verb).
16A: Windy City airport: O'HARE
19A: Goes ballistic: RAGES. And 50D: Angry rant: TIRADE. This reminds me of Chris Matthews and his frequent tongue-lashing. He was noticeably absent in "Meet the Press" special tribute to Tim Russert yesterday though.
20A: Opts for: SELECTS
21A: Negotiator's need: TACT. Love "The Negotiator". Speaking of "Negotiate", this "Battle Royale" between Rocco MEDIATE and Tiger Woods today brings to my mind 2000 PGA Valhalla. The result might be the same too.
23A: U.K. honor: OBE (Order of the British Empire). J. K. Rowling was awarded OBE in 2000.
24A: Catherine __-Jones: ZETA. This is the sexiest Greek letter clue I've seen in TMS puzzle.
30A: Former Egyptian leader: NASSER. I am truly tired of this clue though. Here is another beautiful picture of Lake NASSER.
32A: Wall St. debut: IPO (Initial Public Offering). No need for Cargill to go public, obviously.
34A: Tore out: HIED. I've never used this word "HIED" before.
35A: Brenda Lee hit: I'M SORRY. Not familiar with this song.
37A: Broadway presentation: PLAY
38A: Miata maker: MAZDA. It's headquartered in Hiroshima.
41A: Day-__ paint: GLO. I wish J. Lo. would name her perfume G.LO.
43A: "Dies ___": IRAE
44A: Petty: TRIVIAL
46A: Bygone cosmonaut's insignia: CCCP. Russian (Cyrillic alphabet) for USSR. New to me.
48A: P. Lorre character: MR. MOTO. Unknown to me. Only knew he was in Casablanca.
52A: On land: ASHORE
54A: Speaker of Cooperstown: TRIS. Boring clue. Try something else to excite me, like OMEGA diamond watch, "Tris of Diamond"?
59A: Display piece: ÉTAGÈRE. This corner ÉTAGÈRE looks neat.
66A: Against a thing, in law: IN REM. Unknown to me. Only knew "REM" is thing in Latin. (Update: I was wrong. RES is thing in Latin)
67A: Part of MVP: MOST. And 61D: B. M. O. C.: VIP. B.M.O.C. is Big Man on Campus.
68A: Whipped up: MADE
69A: Hangs one's lip: POUTS. No wonder, I need to learn how to hang my lip.
71A: Observed: EYED
DOWN:
1D: Minister: PARSON
3D: Some roof ends: GABLES. Saw this clue before. Forgot promptly. Here are GABLES. Here is the GABLE that I am familiar with.
6D: Surrealist Max: ERNST This is his famous "The Elephant Celebes".
9D: Strong-arm: FORCE
11D: Diplomat Hammarskjold: DAG. This is probably the only good news we've heard from the UN chief lately.
13D: Marks on ballots: XES
18D: Itchy skin condition: ECZEMA. Would not have got it without the across clues. I can never seem to remember this word.
22D: Mariner's greeting: AHOY. Hmmm, Chips AHOY.
25D: 1948-1949 flights to Berlin: AIR LIFT
29D: Ice cream brand: EDY'S. I don't believe there is any EDY'S in China, Häagen-Dazs yes.
33D: B. C. or P. E. I.: PROV. O Canada.
38D: Isinglass: MICA
40D: Braff of "Scrubs": ZACH. Unknown to me. Only know ZACH Johnson, who regrettably missed the cut on Friday.
42D: Ankle-related: TARSAL
45D: Act just like: IMITATE
49D: Type of street: ONE WAY. Or Another.
51D: Did as told to: OBEYED
58D: Salinger lass: ESME
63D: "Red River" co-star Joanne: DRU. Foreign to me. Got her name from across clues.
65D: Lid: TOP. Why not clue it as "Zenith" to make the puzzle more scrabbly? Here is Take My Breath Away from the "TOP Gun". Enjoy!
C.C.
17A: "A Few Good Men" director: ROB REINER
64A: Exit furtively: STEAL AWAY
10D: Common Florida tree: THATCH PALM
31D: Pool table position: SIDE POCKET
So close to a pangram (J & Q missing)! Lots of K words today:
5A: Champagne musicmaker: WELK (Lawrence). Unknown to me. Sewed together his name from down clues. Wikipedia says he loved playing golf, and he was a regular at Bob Hope Desert Classics. His autobiography is titled "Wunnerful, Wunnerful!"
26A: Razz: HECKLE. Even the clue is very scrabbly, isn't it? Wunnerful!
42A: Army vehicles: TANKS
57A: Pop choice: COKE. Pepsi please, for those who think young!
61A: Spirit of a screwdriver: VODKA. "Spirit of Black Russian" too.
8D: Mini race car: KART
27D: Pottery oven: KILN
28D: Plumbing woe: LEAK
31D: Pool table position: SIDE POCKET
44D: Difficult journey: TREK
This is my favorite Monday puzzle after John Underwood's "Chess Mate" in April. Can you feel that the quality of our puzzles is getting better lately? I don't seem to groan and gripe as much as I did before. And no clue makes me cringe today. I like it. I like the direction where we are heading.
ACROSS:
1A: Knight's aide: PAGE. BethPAGE Black will host US Open next year. This sign makes me laugh.
9A: NJ military post: FT DIX. Unfamiliar to me. The abbreviation of FT (FORT) always tricked me.
14A: Latin I word: AMAT. I like how it intersects ETRE (4D: French 101 verb).
16A: Windy City airport: O'HARE
19A: Goes ballistic: RAGES. And 50D: Angry rant: TIRADE. This reminds me of Chris Matthews and his frequent tongue-lashing. He was noticeably absent in "Meet the Press" special tribute to Tim Russert yesterday though.
20A: Opts for: SELECTS
21A: Negotiator's need: TACT. Love "The Negotiator". Speaking of "Negotiate", this "Battle Royale" between Rocco MEDIATE and Tiger Woods today brings to my mind 2000 PGA Valhalla. The result might be the same too.
23A: U.K. honor: OBE (Order of the British Empire). J. K. Rowling was awarded OBE in 2000.
24A: Catherine __-Jones: ZETA. This is the sexiest Greek letter clue I've seen in TMS puzzle.
30A: Former Egyptian leader: NASSER. I am truly tired of this clue though. Here is another beautiful picture of Lake NASSER.
32A: Wall St. debut: IPO (Initial Public Offering). No need for Cargill to go public, obviously.
34A: Tore out: HIED. I've never used this word "HIED" before.
35A: Brenda Lee hit: I'M SORRY. Not familiar with this song.
37A: Broadway presentation: PLAY
38A: Miata maker: MAZDA. It's headquartered in Hiroshima.
41A: Day-__ paint: GLO. I wish J. Lo. would name her perfume G.LO.
43A: "Dies ___": IRAE
44A: Petty: TRIVIAL
46A: Bygone cosmonaut's insignia: CCCP. Russian (Cyrillic alphabet) for USSR. New to me.
48A: P. Lorre character: MR. MOTO. Unknown to me. Only knew he was in Casablanca.
52A: On land: ASHORE
54A: Speaker of Cooperstown: TRIS. Boring clue. Try something else to excite me, like OMEGA diamond watch, "Tris of Diamond"?
59A: Display piece: ÉTAGÈRE. This corner ÉTAGÈRE looks neat.
66A: Against a thing, in law: IN REM. Unknown to me. Only knew "REM" is thing in Latin. (Update: I was wrong. RES is thing in Latin)
67A: Part of MVP: MOST. And 61D: B. M. O. C.: VIP. B.M.O.C. is Big Man on Campus.
68A: Whipped up: MADE
69A: Hangs one's lip: POUTS. No wonder, I need to learn how to hang my lip.
71A: Observed: EYED
DOWN:
1D: Minister: PARSON
3D: Some roof ends: GABLES. Saw this clue before. Forgot promptly. Here are GABLES. Here is the GABLE that I am familiar with.
6D: Surrealist Max: ERNST This is his famous "The Elephant Celebes".
9D: Strong-arm: FORCE
11D: Diplomat Hammarskjold: DAG. This is probably the only good news we've heard from the UN chief lately.
13D: Marks on ballots: XES
18D: Itchy skin condition: ECZEMA. Would not have got it without the across clues. I can never seem to remember this word.
22D: Mariner's greeting: AHOY. Hmmm, Chips AHOY.
25D: 1948-1949 flights to Berlin: AIR LIFT
29D: Ice cream brand: EDY'S. I don't believe there is any EDY'S in China, Häagen-Dazs yes.
33D: B. C. or P. E. I.: PROV. O Canada.
38D: Isinglass: MICA
40D: Braff of "Scrubs": ZACH. Unknown to me. Only know ZACH Johnson, who regrettably missed the cut on Friday.
42D: Ankle-related: TARSAL
45D: Act just like: IMITATE
49D: Type of street: ONE WAY. Or Another.
51D: Did as told to: OBEYED
58D: Salinger lass: ESME
63D: "Red River" co-star Joanne: DRU. Foreign to me. Got her name from across clues.
65D: Lid: TOP. Why not clue it as "Zenith" to make the puzzle more scrabbly? Here is Take My Breath Away from the "TOP Gun". Enjoy!
C.C.
39 comments:
Good morning, C.C. and gang - just great to be back in gray NJ.
Again, the advantage of age helped with this one; both the Brenda Lee and Peter Lorre clues came easily from memory. I really enjoyed the puzzle, and especially your links, C.C., with one of my favorite women (CZJ), and one of my all-time favorit movies (Top Gun).
Off to the gym; hope it's an outstanding Monday (yes, an oxymoron) for everyone.
Good morning Cc and DFs. Was giving the ego a boost with this one until I hit the SW corner. Just could not get 61A Vodka and that is one of my favorite drinks. I also tried to force Mopes for 69A. Over all the SW corner brought me back to earth.
Cc I liked your links and share Dennis' love of (CZJ).
Liked the finish to the US Open yesterday. I was pulling for Rocco as he is a local and also getting to be a senior player. You have got to like his mentality and humor during the match.
Easy puzzle today - 6 minutes. Never heard of etagere but got it from the perps.
Had to watch Lawrence Welk with my parents back when I was a little kid (sigh). Myron Floren (accordianist) and Norma Zimmer (vocalist). They were great in their day.
Spirit of a "Sex on the Beach" and "Sea Breeze" as well.
I wouldn't mind being Michael Douglas with a Zeta like that.
Now THIS is an example of someone who's hanging their lip.
Remember your funeral director - today is Mortician's Day.
Also, it is Commonwealth Pharmacy Day (remind your pharmacist of their stewardship for medicines). Best I could do this morning.
Have a great day.
That link is not working - taking you to my blog spot.
Try THIS ONE.
CC & all,
I had very little trouble with this one, but those damn baseball clues kill me. Can you explain the Tris clue to me?
I hope everyone enjoys their Monday!
Kim,
TRIS Speaker is in Baseball Hall of Fame (Cooperstown, NY).
There is only one "N" in REINER.
Kim: His full name was Tristram E. Speaker, but they nicknamed him "Tris".
Ted,
I've corrected the REINER mistake, thank you.
Dr.Dad,
That's an awful POUT. Something wrong with her right ear too.
Morning, folks!
Good mental exercise for a Monday morning. No big surprises, although it took me awhile to figure out FTDIX for 9A. At one point I had _MS_R_Y for 35A and really, really wanted it to be AMSCRAY for some reason. Ah well, maybe some other time.
Oh, and in my paper the clue for 57A is "Pop choice" and not "Coca-cola". Do you like that one better, C.C.?
Barry,
I like "AM SCARY". You are right, the syndication is "Pop choice", definitely better than C.C.
Morning all,
No googling this a.m. just some extra time to figure out the perps. Started reading Ken Follett's "The Pillars of the Earth", all 970+ pages. Hope I have time for crosswords. Have a good day all.
I have a feeling Lois is cutting a swath through OK that puts those tornadoes to shame....we should have tipped off the National Guard out there. Oh wait -- she was probably in touch with them already...
Good morning all. Good day today - got hung up on SE corner for a few, but made a screwdriver and all came clear.
I want to root for Rocco (I'm a sucker for the underdog - hey, I root for the Saints) but I think Tiger probably has it in the bag, as it were.
Hope all have a great day!
Thanks for the info CC & Ted! My mind was going for an announcer (Speaker) type, not a ball player.
Dennis low blow in you 7:58 post. Ahh but it is true I am afraid.
Good morning CC & DF's, Thank you CC for the info. I will find the TMS somewhere. Our Chicago contingent comes in today as well as Las Vegas & TX. The buffalo and the longhorn cattle out here had better hide is all I can say. The party is on and the bull will be flying. It won't be sheep we're knee deep in today.
Oh, what a beautiful morning... bet that would make a good song. And it's sooo true! Enjoy your day.
Slow morning with only 16 comments at 7AM PDT. Anyway, I got most of this one with the exception of the INREM and DRU intersection. CC, you said you got both of these from the intersecting clues - did you guess at the R or did you recognize one or the other? I didn't recognize either. The theme was a little subtle for me. I got ROB and STEAL but didn't see the others. Nice weather out here in N.Cal. Happy belated Father's Day to all you papas out there.
"Oh, what a beautiful morning! Oh, what a beautiful day! I've got a wonderful feeling! Everything's going my way!"
Sung by Gordon MacRae in Oscar and Hammerstein's 1943 film, Oklahoma!!
Also, "OOOO - - - klahoma!!! Where the wind comes sweeping down the plains. Where the waving wheat can sure smell sweet when the wind comes right behind the rain!"
Here's some wind.
Lois is probably sweeping crost' the plains and getting wonderful feelings in more ways than one.
drdad: great pix! That #6 was what we were checking out last night. OK is my favorite musical and you KNOW that 'wonderful feeling' is 'coming' my way' all the time out here. It's a trip!
Dennis & Dick: The Nat'l Guard and I are like this 'x'. Ft. Sill, the Army's artillary school, is here. I've got them in my sights for later this wk. Oh yeah! We'll put a whole new dimension to "Be all that you can be"! Fun times!
Finally a puz from my vintage. Didn't quite get it all, but up to 98% or so. I spent a day or two in Ft. Dix, on my way to and from Hardheim, Germany. I remember Brenda Lee, even though I didn't care for her stuff, I'm Sorry, Brenda. And who can forget North Dakota's own Lawrence Welk, and the luffly Lennon sisters. A Wunnerful, Wunnerful!. I Wunner why Elvis or Bob Dylan never appeared on his show. Heck they were good enough for Ed Sullivan.
Lois - artillery school, huh? I'm sure you'll be checking the size of those cannons.
Supposedly, you can hear the discharge all the way to Lawton...
From Richard
Got it all today. As a kid we always called CCCP "Charlie's cold chicken pie" Lawrence Welk was the epitome of squareness, thus the joke about the hippie who was so square that when he took LSD he saw Lawrence Welk.
Our place is dusted in ash from forest fires, but weather is nice.
Hi C.C. and all, difficult for me today - could not get 9A or 10D for the longest time and had trouble with other small areas so nothing came together for awhile. After I finally figured out 9A and 10D it was much better.
Dick, the US Open was fun & agonizing to watch yesterday - we were rooting for Rocco too..looking forward to the play off today.
drdad: Yuk !!!! on the pout!!
also, great pictures..remind me never to travel anywhere near the Great Plains!
mh: 10D refers to "palm" as in palming something you have stolen..same goes for 31D: "pocketing" something stolen.
Hope that makes sense.
Lois: be careful with those "big guns" at the school, they might have "hair triggers" :)
MH,
I just realized that I had made a mistake regarding 66A: IN REM after reading your comment. RES is "thing" in Latin, not REM. But my mistake helped with that "R" in DRU anyway.
Richard @ 10:19am,
Thank you for Charlie's Cold Chicken Pie, great way to remember CCCP.
good morning c.c. and all,
i liked this puzzle. had to guess at the R crossing of dru/inrem, and i spelled 8D Cart so didn't understand why 5A was welC. i expected c.c. to grumble about the clue 'mini race CAR' and answer CART, until she sorted me out. i used to enjoy watching my great aunts watch lawrence welk on saturday nights .. they thought he was HOT.
c.c. you don't mind the plural clue for 25D?
the rip off theme was cute, but as usual i saw something else. star-crossed lovers are FORCEd to LIE (I'M SORRY), after a parental TIRADE, and STEAL AWAY to an island where they go ASHORE under a THATCH PALM. the PARSON tells the groom to OBEY, who gets the ring from his SIDE POCKET .. commence 61A. AHOY!
perhaps i need a date. lois can you spare a guardsman or two?
@dennis: welcome home.
@crockett: smooth sailing?
Mark, Buenos Aires
I see the clue 101 word often but I have never understood the meaning. Can anybody help?
have a good day to each and all of you.
Mark, I think "101" refers to a freshman course.
melissa bee - thanks. And that's quite the imagination you got there.
Dennis: You are hilarious! And so right! You can hear the discharge of those cannons way past Lawton on a good night. I intend to compete w/ a sonic boom and rattle more than just windows.
Drdad great pictures and again I am glad I do not live in that area of this great country.
Lois youa re not going to break wind out thee are you?? How else will you rattle windows.
By the way hope those artillery men are shooting blanks.
Melissa,
Love your GE style "Imagination At Work". I bet you can find some great dates around Lake NASSER. The PALM (Date) trees looks so inviting. As for 25D, no, it does not bother me at all as it refers specifically to the Berlin AIRLIFT.
Dennis et al,
What's your view on 25D?
Lois,
Try this tomorrow. You've got to solve the puzzle. I miss your distortions on the clues/answers.
C.C., no problem with 25D. The flights to Berlin, as a whole, were called "The Berlin Airlift",
CC: Thank you. I'll try it.
Dick: I think even Dennis would find the wind out here a formidable opponent. The windows will rattle b/c I will create a seismic disturbance off the Richter scale and have the boys singing 'I feel the earth move under my feet'...Blanks don't matter, just straight shooting!
Melissa, You should have been a creator of short stories!! That's great.
No big problems except for 1d. I just knew it was PASTOR, but now what do I do with 14, 17 and 20a???
After beating myself up for a while I finally decided to go with obvius answers for the cross clues and discovered my error. The problem was< NO AM COFFEE. Had blood work this AM and had to fast.
Why do they call it "fast"? It's really very time consuming when you're up @ 4:30 and can't get in till 8:00. That's a really long time with no caffeine!!
Bill thats a great question as it is not fast.
Lois I am sure you create a seismic disturbance no matter where you go. Are your sisters with you?
aye .. vivid imagination is helpful for a single girl ...
Carol: Oh, I'll be careful when getting close to the triggers for sure! Don't want any going off prematurely.
Melissa: I've found a 'few good men' that I'm sure would love to be with you. I'll send 'em on. They've passed my class, so you'll be in good hands. No thanks necessary. My pleasure!!!!
Dick: Of course the sisters are w/me. I do take them out on occasion and every day is an occasion somewhere! They actually lead the way most of the time, except when I'm reversing the approach or behind in my work.
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