google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Sunday June 22, 2008 Annabel Michaels

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Jun 22, 2008

Sunday June 22, 2008 Annabel Michaels

Theme: EXED OUT

24A: Underground publisher, perhaps: MIDNIGHT (EX)PRESS

50A: Receive wine from France?: IMPORT (EX)PORT

70A: U.N.'s stance?: INTERNATIONAL (EX)POSITION

88A: Hamming it up?: OVER (EX) POSING

118A: Grinding power of molars?: TOOTH (EX)TRACTION

6D: Flippantly cocky point of view: (EX)PERT OPINION

73D: Keep a supply of coins?: STOCK (EX)CHANGE

The answer for 6D stands out as the only one with the head EXED. As an adjective, PERT is difficult to be clued as the second part of the phrase than a noun or verb I suppose. I thought of "COMPUTER (EX)PERT" and "ESCAPE (EX)PERT", but both have different amount of letters than "(EX)PERT OPINION". That would have screwed up the whole upper left corner.

But for a shock and awe effect, I would have clued 29A: METERS (Taxi device) as "Coin takers", so the letter X would be completely axed out of the answers and the clues.

I really like today's theme concept, but the puzzle is made more difficult than it should be due to the rigidly constrained theme answers. I experienced nightmares at several crucial intersections: SENNET and CONNATET, PESETA and SCUP. And these fishes really gave me headache today:

79A: Pogy: MENHADEN. Absolutely no idea. Dictionary says "Pogy" is short for "Poghaden", which is explained as MENHADEN, a herring like fish. See this picture.

113D: Type of Porgy: SCUP. Completely foreign to me. It's spelled out as a "Porgy of the northern Atlantic coastal waters, important commercially as a food fish." Look at his SCUP.

I did get GRILSE (101D: Young salmon) by crossing clues, but it's definitely a stranger to me. Dictionary said it originated from Middle English "grills/grilles". Obviously I don't know anything about fish or fishing. I also pieced together DAP (15D: Fly-fishing action) with the across references. It's a new word to me. I've never fly-fished before, have you?

It looks like our editor quit Roman numerals cold-turkey after the "Numerous Movies" binge on June 8. Great! Several major flaws in today's puzzle though:

39A: Mach + jets: SSTS. And 87A: Mach + plane: SST. This is simply unacceptable!

115A: Reach across: SPAN. And 1D: Spanning: ACROSS. Unbelievable! What can I say? Nuts! You either change SPAN's clue to "Time period" or reword ACROSS clue to "Down's opposite".

127A: Compositions: ESSAYS. Needs to add "Literary" to the clue.

51D: U. of Maine town: ORONO. The clue U. should NOT be abbreviated. Barry Silk has explained it clearly in his last BYU construction: "Generally, when a clue is abbreviated, the answer is also abbreviated."

90D: Green-eyed?: ENVIOUS. Why question mark? "Green-eyed" is "jealous", isn't it? If you want to be cutesy and loves to ask, try "Green?"

Alright, enough whining, let's go!

ACROSS:

1A: King Herold's last name: AGRIPPA. Stumped immediately. Hard to get A GRIP on his name. He defeated Mark Antony and Cleopatra at the "Battle of Actium".

14A: "___ Fideles": ADESTE. One more Latin: 30A: In ___ (in position): SITU

20A: Loop thread with a hooked needle: CROCHET

21A: Hit the big time: ARRIVE

22A: Lurch and swerve: CAREEN. "Lurch" or "Swerve", one word clue is enough. Why waste ink?

23A: Correct maps: RECHART

27A: Collar fastener: STUD. Stunning STUD fee for Big Brown, isn't it? See also 77A: Fastens: TIES.

33A: Branding tool: IRON. I don't understand this clue or the answer. Why? It's not the Callaway or TaylorMade IRON brand, is it?

40A: Foot: pref.: PEDI. Pedicure.

45A: Straighten up: NEATEN

47A: City in southern France: AVIGNON. Here is the map. See it? It's on the Rhone River, very close to Marseille. This is the Papal palace in AVIGNON.

52A: Grad. deg.: SCD (Scientiae Doctor, Latin). Doctor of Science.

59A: Richard Attenborough film: CHAPLIN. I've never seen the movie, have you? I like this tag line: "Everyone has a wild side. Even a legend."

62A: Living on the street: HOMELESS

66A: Shout for attention: HALLOO. And 119D: Attention getter: HEY

75A: Man from Aberdeen: SCOT. This word has become our editor's new obsession lately. And 93D: Possess like a Scotsman: HAE. Scottish for "Have". Interesting Robert Burns' Some Hae Meat and Cannae Eat poem.

76A: Dance in France: BAL. BAL Masqué (costume party) for example.

78A: Adopted: TOOK ON

86A: Centering points: FOCI

83A: Like fluids trapped in rocks: CONNATE. Is this a familiar geology term to you? I don't think I even know the Chinese word for it.

92A: Sitarist Ravi: SHANKAR. Good to see SHANKAR clued as an answer.

99A: Links grp: USGA (United States Golf Association). Have to applaud them for their fair course setup during the last US Open.

112A: Old money of Madrid: PESETA. Toughie for me, as I had no idea about the intersecting SCUP.

122A: Authorize: ENTITLE

124A: Solicited orders: TOUTED. And 128A: Sales pitches: SPIELS

125A: Hawaii dress: MUUMUU. She looks pretty in her blue MUUMUU.

126A: Eternal: AGELESS. Helen Mirren, her beauty is AGELESS!

129A: Demonstrates connections: RELATES

DOWN:

2D: Legendary ones: GREATS. Here are two examples: 106A: Pitcher Hershiser: OREL. He won Cy Young in 1988. And HOFer "STAN the Man" (67D: Musial of baseball).

3D: Missile: ROCKET. Do you think "The ROCKET" Roger Clemens will make HOF someday?

4D: German pronoun: ICH. ICH Liebe Dich (我爱你 in Chinese). Say it!

5D: Distinct stage: PHASE

7D: Aleutian island: ATTU. The U from the crossing STUD prevented me from considering ADAK or ATKA.

9D: The best!: PRIMO

11D: Effort: DINT. I only know this word being used in the phrase "By DINT of". Found out today that DINT can also be a verb.

10D: Zealous: ARDENT

12D: Actress Arden, casually: EVIE. "Any Way That You Want Me" by EVIE Sands.

13D: Get back into formation: REGROUP. Does this clue sound OK to you? I always think of REGROUP as "Restart".

17D: Pursue an inquiry: SEE INTO

19D: Consequent: ENSUANT. Unknown to me. I got it from the down clue. Only knew ENSUE.

28D: Failed to: DIDN'T

32D: Mandela's nat.: RSA (Republic of South Africa). His party is ANC (African National Congress).

34D: Roberto's river: RIO. Are we talking about Spanish or Portuguese river here? I think Roberto is also a very popular Italian name.

36D: Against a thing: IN REM. No problem today.

37D: Bristles: SETAE Singular form is SETA.

41D: Richard of "A Summer Place": EGAN. I wanted GERE. I didn't know Richard EGAN. Learned from doing Xword that the "First governor of Alaska" was named EGAN (Willam A.)

43D: Hastens: HIES

46D: Wisconsin city: APPLETON. I can not recall anything special about this city. I only remember its Mini Golf course.

52D: Division into sects: SCHISM

57D: Capital on the Delaware: TRENTON. The Delaware River.

60D: Overabundance: PLETHORA. Did not know that PLETHORA is also a medical term for "excess of body fluid". Dictionary says it's from the Greek plethore (fullness).

62D: Pelvic projections: HIPS. Great Clip on Shakira's "HIPS Don't Lie" Dubai Concert.

64D: Noses: SNOOTS

65D: Elizabethan fanfare: SENNET. Or SENNIT. From French "Signe" (sign). Completely unknown to me. Had great difficulty getting 83A: CONNATE. Here is the definition: "A call on a trumpet or cornet signaling the ceremonial exits and entrances of actors in Elizabethan drama."

74D: Greek colony: IONIA. I simply forgot. A total SNAFU in this CONNATE, IONIA and SENNET area.

80D: Plentifully: AMPLY

81D: Semiconductor: DIODE. I am just so used to the "Electron tube" clue.

88D: Saxophonist Coleman: ORNETTE. Vaguely remember his name from the Jazz Image. I don't think I would have got it without the crossing references. His album 'Sound Grammar" won 2007 Pulitzer for music.

89D: West Indian witchcrafts: VOODOOS

91D: Tailor's measure: INSEAM

94D: K. Capek play: R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots). The debut of the word Robot (1921).

97D: Wink of an eye: NO TIME

100D: Group of seven: SEPTET. Heptad also means "Group of seven".

105D: "Car Talk" broadcaster: NPR. Do you like NPR's "The Splendid Table"?

107D: Dufy or Walsh: RAOUL. I don't know either of them. Is it a gimme to you?

109D: Chip maker: INTEL. Hope you don't own INTEL stock.

116D: Partridge's tree: PEAR. Lovely PEAR blossom.

121D: Greek letters: NUS, followed by XIS.

121D: 6-pointers: TDS (Touchdowns). T.D.S. in prescription means "Ter Die Sumendum" (to be taken three times a day.

123D: Dockers grp.: ILA ( International Longshoremen's Association).

C.C.

28 comments:

Dr. Dad said...

Not a bad puzzle but a couple of really bad spots. 39A & 87D are both SST's and then there are two "span's" at clue for 1D and answer for 115A. Then two fish almost spelled the same way - pogy and porgy.
Etui made it back after eons of absence.
C.C. - do you look as good in a muumuu?
We had a nice discussion about "Ich liebe dich" awhile back.
Remembered that "in rem" today as well. Also "adeste fideles."

Today is "Stupid Guy Thing Day" so us guys can do all those stupid things we are known to do at times and not get blamed for it.

Have a great Sunday.

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed the crosword due to the new words(sennet, muumuu,scup,and grilse). it took awhile toget the main theme. My Suncay mornng traition is totry to work the crossword by 9:00.

Jeanne said...

Morning all,
Since my brother is visiting, I photocopied the puzzle and we did it together racing to the finish. I lost! And not because I was being a gracious hostess. He's used to doing the NYT Sunday puzzle, so I had no hope. Some areas were easy and others, not so much. Showed him this blog so maybe he will join us from VA. Have a great day.

Anonymous said...

Good morning cc etal

Longer than unsual this morning. I, too, had trouble center-east - wanted snouts instead of snoots, don't know sennet, wanted international politics instead of position, don't know connate - arrrgh! Finally gave in there and figured it out, but was very stubborn for a while.

Had to google the fishing stuff - even though I live in "The Sportsman's Paradise", I loath fishing - bad experience with boredom as a kid, I guess.

CC: Chaplin is a pretty good movie, you should rent.

I thought "SSTS" & "SST" was lame. Also didn't like "neato" & "neaten" or 2 greek letters (nus & pis) - struck me as lazy.

Can someone tell me what an "SCD" degree is?

Anonymous said...

my mom and i were bonding over today's puzzle -- filing in some of the more STUMPIERER ones by googling for some answers (we were searching out an answer for the the 'flyfishing' clue when we stumbled across your cite) -- thanks for the help. go twins!

lois said...

Jeanne: where in VA is your bro from? Just wonder if he's a neighbor....uh oh, poor guy!

KittyB said...

Help!!! Usually I click on my link to the Chicago Tribune to do the puzzle, but the link isn't taking me to the one by Annabel Michaels. c.c., or dfs, could one of you please send me a link, or tell me where to find the puzzle for today?

Thanks!

Argyle said...

Branding - ranchers burned a symbol for their ranch on the rumps of their cattle so they could be identify them when the cows were grazing on the open plains. The tools were made of iron and would be placed in the fire until the ends with their symbol were red hot and then they press it against the hide. Horses were often branded, too. Ear tags and tatoos have lessened the practice but now some people are getting it done to themselves.

Lois, how do you brand your cowboys?

melissa bee said...

@kittyb: i don't think the chicago tribune publishes the sunday puzzle online.

KittyB said...

Thanks, Melissa bee. I'll go copy the one from the paper and give it a try.

Dick said...

Hello all, not a bad one today but again I had problems with the center west area. Did not know 52A and kept trying to force MBA or PHD. I aagree with you Chris what is SCD?

Cc I do not have a problem with regroup as I have heard that term for years. Often after a break from a meeting you would use the term to restart the meeting as in lets regroup and finish the agenda. Nailed 36D (inrem) this time.

125A (Muumuu) gave me as I kept misspelling the word and had all tyes of crazy words in that area. Once I got the spelling correct the rest filled in OK.

Cc and Dennis "Ich liebe dich" is correct. Ouch!

Guess I like otheres did not like SSTS and SST in same Xword.

Jeanne be very careful about giving Lois information on any guy especially your family.

Argyle I think Lois brands each one differently but usually it involves a bruise someplace.

Jeanne said...

Lois,
My brother lives in the Williamsburg are since his retirement. Lived in the Reston area for many years.
Dick, did I keep it general enough?

Dick said...

Jeanne, Lois will track him down on that much info. More general info would have been better like maybe in the western hemisphere or something like that.

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

Chris & Dick,
SCD is Doctor of Science (Latin: Scientiae Doctor).

Dick said...

Thanks Cc. I was sure D was for doctor but I could not figure out the other two. Cc you are my hero.

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

Dr.Dad,
I am NOT a MUUMUU girl!

Chris,
I missed my chance to complain about NEATO & NEATEN. But the appearances of NUS & PIS in the same grid did not bother me at all. The cluing is indeed lazy though.

Argyle,
Thank you for the explanation. I was thinking of the golf club brand. I think your paper carries TMS "Sunday Crossword", which is different than "TMS Daily Crossword"(the one we are solving here.)

Kittyb,
Melissa is right. The Sunday puzzle is not available on line.

Anonymous @9:27am,
Thanks for leaving a comment. Hope to see you again soon.

MWW et al,
119D.

KittyB said...

Thanks to melissa bee, I found the puzzle, and like jeanne, I photocopied it, so that my mother could work on the original. I got a great deal of the puzzle, but finally had to Google the fish. I've never heard of Menhaden, pogy or scup.

Connate and sennet left me in the dust, and I wanted "etudes" in place of essays until I realized it didn't fit.

I think chris in la and I had about the same reaction to this puzzle.

Lois....I have this live-in step-son.....

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

Dr.Dad et al,
Regarding RIO (34D: Roberto's river", what language is it? Spanish or Portugese?

lois said...

Dick: you are hilarious! You nailed me yet again! Did I bruise you?

Jeanne: Your bro is about 15 mins from me. Maybe he ought to get a safe room aka storm cellar. Or maybe I need to.

Argyle: You are a funny guy! Like Dick said, I don't brand in the traditional sense. My cowboys usually are easily identified by the wobbly walk, dazed look, lop-sided hat, rolled stoagie smashed in his face, and permanent smile of satisfaction plastered on their faces. They are also the only men on this planet who will quickly stop and ask for directions. I call that 'the boomerang effect' (coming back for more).

Kitty: how old is your step-son?

KittyB said...

Lois, he's coming up on 41 in a week.

Dick said...

Sorry but my 12:32 post should have been to Cc and drdad.

Dick said...

Kitty you just made a major mistake. Please call your son now and tell him to flee. Like Chicken Little and the sky Lois is coming Lois is coming... uhm!!

LIZ said...

Hi everyone,

This one wasn't so bad. Finished it all except Herod's last name without help. I'de known what it was a few years ago..but not today. Otherwise I agree with everyone about the repeats - oh, I forgot pogy and porgy. Had to find those. Only Porgy I know was in "Porgy and Bess". And HE wasn't a fish!!

KittyB said...

dick, that was a little psychology on my part. I've been trying to find a way to encourage this last chick to fledge. Now he may have a reason! *G*

WOW, liz....that's pretty spectacular....all but three finished. I'm in amazing company here.

lois said...

Kitty: 41? Has he ever been on a horse?

Dick: That's not a bad thing and is usually a great experience for everyone involved.

Mr. Corcoran said...

hey c.c. just had a look at sunday's comments: rio is used in both languages: rio grande, rio de janeiro

Anonymous said...

Hi comrades...have been reading this blog since i bumped into it few weeks back..great to meet so many fellow xword solvers...(i am not alone breaking my head ..and heart sometimes )

i am from Mumbai, India and sadly, the TOI grid is almost 3 months behind yours..so i kinda am spying on what you wrote on the blog 3 months back :) ...and am always thinking how couldi catch up with you ..and as cc says "add to the chime" :)

nevertheless, am madly in love with this mindsport and having you all in company..makes it all the more better...

By any chance..any one from India here ..or emigrated from India..

Cheers
Mangesh

Anonymous said...

Sc.D. or Doctor of Science - doctoral degree: senior to the Ph.D. in the UK and Commonwealth; equivalent to Ph.D. in the USA and German-speaking nations