google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Tuesday June 10, 2008 Doug Peterson

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Jun 10, 2008

Tuesday June 10, 2008 Doug Peterson

Theme: PICTURE POSTCARD (57A: Image of the first word of 17A, 26A and 43A)

17A: 1950 Billy Wilder film: SUNSET BOULEVARD

26A: Eagles hit: HOTEL CALIFORNIA

43A: Olympic sport since '96: BEACH VOLLEY BALL

Not sure if the TALC clue (18D: Powder base) is Doug Peterson's original submission. I just hate it, as BASE is the answer for 1D: Ignoble.

With ALOU (60A: Baseball's Matty or Moises), RBI (58D: Slugger's stat), you would think the constructor would reclue SUBS (39D: Hogies) as "Non starters" and BASE as "Diamond Corner" to form a nice baseball sub-theme.

I am really tired of this sluggish "Slugger's stat"clue for RBI. Can't you pay some tribute to Griffey's 600th HR milestone? Or you couldn't see it coming?

I also dislike the clue 'ENRY for 34A: Professor 'iggins, to Eliza. It should be either "Professor 'iggins" or simply "Professor Higgins, to Eliza". I do like the H BOMB (26D: One WMD) and SPAY (49D: Keep from littering?) clues though, very refreshing!

ACROSS:

1A: "Carmen" composer: BIZET (Georges). "Carmen" is the only BIZET piece that I know.

6A: Small flute: FIFE. Those who love golfing might be aware that St. Andrews Golf Course is on the east of FIFE, Scotland. The 2010 British Open will be held there again.

10A: Warrior princess of TV: XENA

14A: "Witness" sect: AMISH. Do you like Viggo Mortensen? "Witness" is his film debut. Love his "A Perfect Murder".

16A: Cut down: AXED

33A: React to Bright light: BLINK. Can never seem to find time to read this widely popular BLINK.

36A: Oil of ___: OLAY. I really like their "Total Effects Daily Moisturizer".

37A: Chutney choice: MANGO. I've never had MANGO chutney before. Just had a perfectly ripe MANGO earlier for breakfast.

39A: Rentals at Vail: SKIS. Hi there Der Katze.

40A: Soviet orbiter: MIR. I am glad it's not "Russian orbiter"(MIR was de-orbed in 2001). "Bygone Russian orbiter" should be fine.

41A: Prom-night safety org.: SADD. And don't forget MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving).

42A: Craftiness: GUILE

49A: Water vapor: STEAM

52A: Fiji's neighbor: TONGA. It's in east of Fiji. See this map. "The Friendly Islands".

62A: Vixen on "All My Children": ERICA. I had no idea. Got it from the down clues. Should you have time, please read ERICA Jong's Morals To Be Drawn from Spitzer's Case, and learn, esp moral #2.

63A: Bark excitedly: YELP. Hmm, "excitedly".

65A: Like a tell-all bio: DISHY. Barbara Walters will probably fill in this 5-letter blank without reading the clue.

DOWN:

2D: Don of talk radio: IMUS

3D: Silvery metal: ZINC. Element #30.

5D: Bruce Banner's alter ego: THE HULK. Completely unknown to me. Pieced the answer together from the across clues.

6D: Leg bone: FIBULA

8D: Arthur Ashe Stadium location: FLUSHING. Nope, not familiar to me. Gettable though.

10D: Bandleader Cugat: XAVIER. I simply forgot. Realized that I had searched him before when I googled his name earlier.

19D: George Jetson's boy: ELROY. ASTRO was clued as ELROY Jetson's dog on an April TMS puzzle.

27D: Stan's comic partner: OLLIE

29D: Tennis great Ivan: LENDL

30D: Big name in cell phone: NOKIA

32D: Photographer Adams: ANSEL. This is his iconic Moon Rise . One rare print fetched a cool $600,000 at a Sotheby's auction in 2006. This photograph greets every morning when I wake up.

37D: Dallas B-ballers: MAVS (Mavericks)

38D: Emigrants from orphanages: ADOPTEES. Interesting clue.

41D: SeaWorld attraction: SHAMU. SeaWorld, don't screw with us!

42D: Spun around: GYRATED

44D: Flirt with: CHAT UP. What's the best chat up lines you've heard?

45D: "The Raven" maiden: LENORE. I know nothing about "The Raven" except "Nevermore".

50D: Bit of flooring: TILE. Do you play Scrabble?

54D: Lectern stand: DAIS

55D: Roguish: ARCH. Hi there 1D!

56D: Yrly. event: B'DAY. You don't like Beyoncé B'DAY album?

59D: Dernier ___ (latest fashion): CRI. C'est le dernier CRI in Japan.

Here is the Eagles's HOTEL CALIFORNIA. Enjoy!

C.C.

55 comments:

Jeanne said...

Morning all,
Much better today than yesterday. I am not familiar with the 55D, arch, as the answer for roguish. Need help on that one. Love Ansel Adams photography since my older son is a great photographer and I have several prints of his that look similar to Adams work. Another hot one again today.

Dick said...

Hello Cc and DFs. Good one today. I got it in about ten minutes except for 65A and 56D. Damn I just could not see BDAY or DISHY. Hate missing and ace by two words.

Lois I think you need to get Erica Jong's Morals To Be Drawn from Spitzer's Case. I think there would be some good advise there for you and Dennis and Drdad and maybe even me.

Bill said...

C.C., Your crossword was certainly clued differently from mine.

6a- Small Flute
33a- React to bright light
49a- Water vapor
52a- Fiji's neighbor
8d- Ashe Stadium location
27a- Stan's comic partner
38d Emigrants from orphanages
50d- Bit of flooring

How strange. Answers the same so maybe we have a local editor. Who knows...

Kim said...

Morning!

I did it!!!!

Only problem was 1A, any other I got from the acc/down clues!

CC, good stuff as usual!

I'll trade heat for rain if anyone has any extra! Have a wonderful day!

Kim said...

Bill,

I had the same clues that you had...

CC, what did you think of Idol and Idle crossing?

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

Bill,
I did the Chicago Tribune online version this morning to compare my time with Dennis'. Wow, heavy editing for the syndication paper then, I wonder why.

NYTanonimo,
I know you often solve TMS puzzle on line, are you aware of this clue difference before?

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

Kim,
This IDOL/IDLE intersection kind of reminds me of Taylor Hicks. Who is your favorite IDOL?

Anonymous said...

Good morning CC and company,

It's nice to have my newspaper delivered on time so that I can join in on the fun. Got this one in just over 10 minutes. I didn't understand "hasp" for 47D and "yelp" to me is not to bark excitedly (63A). I would think that to be "yap". Ah well. When I saw "fife" for 6A, I thought of Barney Fife, the character from "The Andy Griffith Show." :o)

Kim - you can so take the heat that we're getting here in Philly. Ugh. It is totally unbearable. I will gladly take some rain, which we'll hopefully get tonight.

Hope everyone has a great one!

Katherine said...

Good morning all. Not a bad puzzle today. I didn't have much time to work on it. Had to get some of the answers from your post CC. I loved the Ansel Adams picture, and Viggo Mortensen. And always LOVE the Eagles.
Have a good day everyone.

Dr. Dad said...

C.C. - Your puzzle is clued different than mine. Example - For 27D the clue in my paper is "Stan's comic parnter" though I have heard of Kukla, Fran, and Ollie. There are more.
From the Trailer - This Friday, June 13th, "our only hope is something INCREDIBLE."
Susan Lucci was nominated almost every year for the Daytime Emmy and finally won in 1999 for her portrayal of Erica Kane on "All My Children." Soap operas - how I loathe them!!
In the "Morals" I liked #10. French politics might be tough, though.
Never heard of SADD until today.
Liked Viggo Mortenson as Aragorn - all that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost (same thing quoted in comments yesterday).
Had some alphonso mango in India. It is really sweet and delicious. Not like some of the stuff you get in the U.S. It was banned in the U.S. for 18 years until April, 2007 but I don't know why.
Damn! 11 minutes today.
Father's Day is coming up but today is . . . .
Write To Your Fathers Day."

Dennis said...

Good morning, gang, and a belated welcome, John - if you're into crosswords, you're certainly gonna love what C.C.'s created here.

C.C., my time was 5:22 if you're comparing; I tried doing all the 'downs' first, then filling in the 'acrosses' where necessary; still find it cumbersome, and it obviously takes me longer.

Thanks for the latest fashion pics from Japan; people must feel like they're in a hospital. And it also reminded me I have the dreaded colonoscopy visit the end of the month. Lois, thanks for the "Dave Barry's colonoscopy" link; priceless.

Melissa Bee, congratulations on your daughter's graduation - very pretty girl; the apple obviously didn't fall far from the tree...

Supposed to be a rainy one here today - could be one of those Barnes & Noble days.

Hope it's an outstanding day for everyone.

Dr. Dad said...

I wonder if Dick and Lois will stutter again today. Also, how long will it take before we fall into the well of sin again?

Dr. Dad said...

OMG, Dennis. A colonoscopy??!!! Get up on the table and put your knee to your jaw.

Dennis said...

drdad, I've used that same line! Not in the same setting, though...

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

Dr. Dad,
I think the Trib's online version is better clued than the syndication. I like moral #10 too. Enjoyed your yesterday's "Not all those who wander are lost" quote. Thank you so much. I've never heard of "alphonso mango" before.

Dennis,
Those skirts are faux-see through.

Anonymous said...

Good morning CC & DFs: Fun puzzle. Great links, CC. Thank you. Fife & Drum corps in Wmsbg is legendary. Baby boys are registered at birth to get in by age 12. Laughed w/ 49D. And I don't get 55D and 65A either, altho 55D might be kind of fun to pursue.
CC: You cracked me up. Crossing state lines is exactly what I intend to do in 5 days. West of the Mississippi will definately heat up.
Dick: How funny you are! What do you mean 'and MAYBE even me', there buckaroo! I'll see your one 'morel' and raise you two
virtues. We just won't cross state lines.

Kim said...

CC,

I have 2 favorite idols. Kelly Pickler and this year's David Cook. Picked him from the onset! Kept telling my daughter he was taking it all and she just wouldn't believe me! Momma right again! Even though I'm getting close to 50, I'm still a rocker!

Barry G. said...

Morning, folks!

Overall a pretty easy puzzle for me. My only two false starts were 6D (I misread the clue as plural and put TIBIAS instead of FIBULA) and 44D (I had CHANCE instead of CHATUP, thinking that to "flirt with" danger meant taking a "chance"). Ah well, once those resolved themselves the rest was smooth sailing. But this is why I always do my puzzles in pencil.

Anybody else feel that "brief test" was a weak clue for 11D (EXAM)? I've taken plenty of exams in my life, including mid-terms and finals, and none of them were what I'd call "brief". Now, if we were talking about a quiz here, maybe...

Dr. Dad said...

Lois, don't forget your latest Japanese fashions when you cross the line.

Dr. Dad said...

I'm feeling gregarious this morning. Barry, I'm sure Dennis is hoping that his upcoming EXAM is only a "brief test."

Jeanne said...

C.C. and Kim,

Favorite idol has to be David Cook. Didn't see all the shows but he got me on "Hello" by Lionel Richie. I'm old, not dead--that one made me a cougar.

Dick said...

Cc and drdad here is a link to buy the "alpuonso mango" if you are interested.http://www.1-800-organicfruitofthemonthclub.com/alphonsomango

Bill said...

Barry, I think "Brief' Test means EXAM instead of the longer EXAMINATION...

Bill said...

And, I don't get the connection on
55d: roguish and arch???

Dennis said...

Bill, I didn't either, but if you read the definitions, they're virtually synonymous.

Dick said...

drdad I am afraid that if Lois showed up wearing those Japanese dresses that would be "crossing the line".

I guess Dennis will have a brief exam without the briefs.

Barry G. said...

Barry, I think "Brief' Test means EXAM instead of the longer EXAMINATION...

Oooooh.... that actually makes sense! Thanks.

As for 55D, arch can be an adjective as well as a noun and one of definitions is "playfully roguish or mischievous."

Bill said...

Drdad, I think that Dennis' test will go BEYOND the briefs and seek deeper channels. As a matter of fact, when they did mine they took my breifs. There just doesn't seem to be any to preserve your dignity when they get you on the table!!!

Bill said...

Dennis, I thought about that when I looked it up. I've heard the term ARCH enemy or ARCH rival so I guess it makes sense in a
left-handed kind of way.
(my apologies to all you right minded people)

Dick said...

Cc this may be a stretch but could the sub theme be California since all of the answers to the long acrosses are relative to California except 57A but why not that one also. Even beach volley ball started in California, I think.

Anonymous said...

Good morning all - wow, you're all up early this morning. Cruised until I got to the southern section - "arch" was tough, as was "dishy" (I wanted it to be "diary" for a while). Had to google "flushing" & "erica", but best success I've had in the 4 months I've been doing crosswords. I enjoy you all every morning & hope everyone has a great day - you up north should enjoy the heat & humidity as best you can because you don't have to shovel 12" of humidity out of your driveway in the morning ;)

I grew up in Cleveland & Columbus, so I know.

Anonymous said...

drdad: Oh, I won't forget. When I cross the line, I may need help with 'getting it on'. I'll make sure I'll bring my book of 'morels' as a guide. I will have to disregard jong's #2 however.

Dennis: Have you ever had a colonoscopy before? I found them to be really painless...no surprise for me, I guess. Where there's no sense, there's no feeling. However, a word of warning; I ended up w/something else...the dreaded "anal glaucoma"... yeah,affected my vision...I just couldn't see my ass going to work.

I hope it goes better for you.

Anonymous said...

Lois - "anal glaucoma" was great - thanks for the laugh!

Bill said...

Chris, AMEN to the 12' of humidity.
We live west of Lake Ontario and really understand LAKE EFFECT!!

Bill said...

Yeah, WEST! I'll be OK as soon as I get my compass out! EAST of the aforementioned Lake.
The heat has apparently affected my left brain!!

Barry G. said...

Oh -- and with regard to colonoscopies, I've had two of them now. I found the prep to be extremely annoying and tedious and unpleasant (fasting for 24 hours and plenty of laxatives is not my idea of a fun time), but the actual procedure was a complete breeze each time. In fact, the second time I slept right through it.

Anonymous said...

Colonoscopies & snow - not much of a "picturepostcard".

Anonymous said...

C.C., don't get to the paper until night, but wanted you to know I just saw that DAVID COOK will sing the National Anthem tonight, Game 3 of the NBA finals in Los Angeles, Lakers/Celtics. Hoo-rah! I'm not peeking at the comments so as not to influence my puzzle-solving later.

Have a great day, all.

Kit

Razz said...

Lois...if you are crossing state lines then I suggest this ;~p

For the MISTRESS

Dennis said...

Lois, this will be my first. Yes, I'm a virgin. I'm a little leery of proctologists; I have this fear of going to one, saying "where do I put my clothes?", and him saying "right on top of mine"...

Razz said...

Dennis - good luck with your "short test".

There is another that will bring tears to your eyes and that is a Cystoscopy. That one isn't fun even if the mistress were doing it!

If we could have had JQ we would have had all 26

Superfrey said...

Nice puzzle... lots of good clues.

Dennis, I predict that your slowest Crossword time could be on the morning before your colonoscopy... you know with all of the running to the bathroom.... but then again I guess you could just stay there and zip right through it. Actually the exciting part of the procedure is the ride over there... constantly wondering what you do if you get that unstoppable urge along the way. Enjoy !!!!

Superfrey said...

Dennis,

Seriously, I hope all goes well for you.... it is not really that bad.

Anonymous said...

jeanne please send some of your heat our way,Oregon there is snow about three miles from my house and the plants I set out yesterday are dead!! Must be a conspiracy!

melissa bee said...

good morning c.c. and all,

so busy here this morning, not much to add to all these delightful comments. late night for me last night due to graduation activities, but managed to get through this one pretty easily. c.c., loved the jong piece.

don't forget DAMM, drunks against mad mothers.

@dennis .. smooch.

Anonymous said...

Razzberry: Thank you for that great link. Gge and i have the same drinking buddies! Maybe I'll expand my circle of friends when I cross the line. Always open for new experiences.

Dennis: Your fear is justified. Just check the marital status of the doctor and ask to see a pic of his wife. If she doesn't have a beard and big guns, I'm sure you'll feel a lot safer. Plus, you'll get a cool set of pictures of your colon. Yours I'm sure would give a whole new meaning to and even rival Ansel Adam's 'MOON
Rise'. Ought to make a very interesting Christmas card this year too. And just think of all the songs that could be sung to accompany your Cmas card...like: It Came upon the midnight Clear (finally); A way in the man...ger, no polyps in the babe; or Jingle Balls...oh what fun it is to ride on the OR cart todaaaayyyyy. You could LAUNCH a wHOLE new caREER. Oh the possibilities!

Hydration time! Good luck. Hope everything 'comes out' ok. I'm sure you'll be glad to get it 'behind you'. Somebody stop me!!! I GOTTA GO!

Crockett1947 said...

Good morning, everyone! Not sure of my SE corner today. Had SMOG for ECOL, MADD for SADD, had to correct 4D to ESS from ELL, and had FIBULA starting with a T (TIFE?). Interesting that THE HULK is in this puzzle just before the movie comes out (June 13 release). I also don't understand ARCH for Roguish. C.C., I realized the skirts were faux see-through, but my wife thought they were the real thing and got incensed over them, LOL! Bill, I think your EXAM explanation is right on. Melissa bee, that is a hoot! Thanks for all the laughs this morning!!

carol said...

Hi gang,
Not as hard as yesterday but there were some areas (55D and 65A) that I did not get until C.C. came to the rescue.
I liked 49d and yes, I would 63A (yelp) if that happened to me!

Kim, you can have all our rain and please forward some (not all) of your heat to Portland.

melissa bee, loved "DAMM" LOL

Lois, you are waaaaaay toooo funny and we all love it!!

Dennis, Good luck on your "brief/exam" - as was mentioned, the prep is the worst of it...I'm sure you will be "boweled" over by the neat colon pics you get. You can share if you want..I can just imagine what the gang will do with those, can't you??!!

Have a great day all

Bill said...

Funny you should mention GEO Thoro.
He's going to appear here this week. "Turning Stone Casino" Cheap cigs, gambling and all such mischief.
Lois, here's your chance.!!??

Dennis said...

Jeez, I didn't know I was opening a 'can' of worms with the mention of my, uh, probe. Guess I better not talk about the next prostate exam...

lois said...

Dennis: Ahh, go ahead! Let it all hang out! What are friends for?

lois said...

Bill: If I weren't flying out Sun, I'd be all over it! GEO Thoro is MY kind of guy!!!! I'll be watching out for him from now on!

MH said...

I had a late go at this one. Since I'm traveling I had to do it online which seems easier for some reason. Washington DC is hot, hot, hot - like 98. I was in Miami yesterday and it was hot too. Nice easy puzzle but I didn't get ARCH or DISHY and had to guess at the H.

Anonymous said...

C.C., loved the links. Couldn't get dishy, arch, or erica; otherwise, very fast. Don't do soap operas; don't know who that is. Never heard arch used this way. Liked the comment on Barbara Walters.

Did you see Cook tonight? He seemed very nervous, understandably. Nice to see and hear him again.

By the way, Big Brown's trainer is now blaming the jockey. Going to get dirty, I think.

Kit

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

Kit,
RE: Big Brown: Pulitzer is calling! I missed Cook's performance. Hope to catch it on YouTube soon.