google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Friday July 25, 2008 Norma Steinberg

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Jul 25, 2008

Friday July 25, 2008 Norma Steinberg

Theme: “Clothing Closures"

17A: Kind of cookie: GINGER SNAP

61A: Michale J. Fox sitcom: FAMILY TIES

10D: Navel: BELLY BUTTON

24D: Peter Pan's arch enemy: CAPTAIN HOOK

Yawner, yawner, yawner! Too many crosswordese, hard for me to get excited about.

TLC (63D: Gentle treatment) needs a "Briefly" in the clue. And ERAS (29D: Important periods) needs to be changed to "Pitchers' stats" or something else because of the answer PERIOD (46A: Full stop).

Not a bad theme idea, but why TIES (61A) is in plural form while the other theme answers are all in singular form? Where is the consistency?

Across:

10A: Huffed and puffed: BLEW. "Boy you really BLEW my mind..., I think I'm in love with you. I been doin' silly things when it comes to you..." Lovely lyrics. Do you like Jessica Simpson? My favorite Jessica song is "I Wanna Love You Forever".

14A: Likeness: IMAGE. "Behavior is a mirror in which every one displays his IMAGE", so true.

24A: Today's OSS: CIA. Have you seen Robert De Niro/Matt Damon's "The Good Shepherd"? It's indeed "The Godfather of CIA movies".

25A: Gardner's Mason: PERRY. ERLE Stanley Gardner.

26A: Truth, vis-a-vis fiction?: STRANGER. Good clue. Truth is STRANGER than fiction. Only learned this morning that this saying comes from Byron's poem "Don Juan".

35A: "East of Eden" twin: ARON. No idea. I got it from down fills.

37A: Actress Irene: DUNNE. Learned from doing Xword. I've never seen any of her movies.

41A: Ensnare: TRAP. And 5D: Catch by persistence: REEL IN

48A: Offered sympathy to: CONSOLED. I penned in CONDOLED first.

53A: You go girl!: RIGHT ON. Are they really interchangeable?

57A: AKA's commerce cousin: DBA (Doing Business As). No, I've never heard of it. Where will you see this acronym?

67A: Unassuming: MEEK. I don't think they are synonyms, do you?

Down:

1D: Way up: HIGH. Hmm, does this clue/answer bring to your mind U2's Mysterious Way: "...If you want to kiss the sky. Better learn how to kneel. On your knees boy..."

9D: Documents: PAPERS. PAPER CLIP would be a great theme answer too.

23D: 2005 MVP: AROD. Ah, Madonna, Lenny Kratz, what a SNAFU (51D: Major glitch).

26D: Throw out: SCRAP. Saw it clued as "Deep-Six" before. Six is a very interesting number, esp in Swedish & Latin languages.

25D: Grocery section: PRODUCE. The precious MOREL is placed at the PRODUCE section in our local grocery store.

43D: Lampblack: SOOT. Thought of Santa and his chimney.

47D: Clumsy clod: DOOFUS

49D: Accept a proposal: SAY YES. Why not?

56D: Yearn to see again: MISS. "How can I MISS you if you don't go away?"

58D: ___ around the block: BEEN. I've never heard of this idiom before.

C.C.

120 comments:

Dick said...

Good morning Cc etal. Finally I finished one in "Dennis" time with no outside help. Any problems were quickly filled by the crosses.

Hope you all have a grear weekend.

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

Dick,
Where can you find DBA (57A)?

Dick said...

I would sure like to raise the flag on Jessiica!

Dick said...

Cc I dont know. I am not even sure what the clue is asking. That one filled froom the crosses.

Dick said...

The only thing I know DBA to stand for would be Doctor of Business Administration.

Dick said...

Cc I just found that if you Google definitions that come up.there are several

Dick said...

Sorry I wanted to say Google DBA and several definitions come up.

Argyle said...

Guardians of a new clear dawn, Let the crosswords be drawn. (apologies to ELP)

/DBA Doing Business As - used when the owner's name isn't the same as the business name.

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

Argyle,
"Guardians of a new clear dawn, Let the crosswords be drawn. (apologies to ELP)". What does it mean? What's so special about this line?

Argyle said...

It's apropo of nothing, c.c.. Just a beautiful morning here and the line stuck in my head. It is a line from their albumn "Brain Salad Surgery", except it is "let the maps of war be drawn".

Argyle said...

Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Karn Evil 9 - 3rd Impression

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJaEYIQzm30&feature=related

Katherine said...

Good morning.
I got this whole puzzle, so I am sure everyone else will too. If it was easy for me, then I KNOW everyone else ace it.
CC, I like Jessica's new country song, have you heard it?
I also have never heard of DBA.
I did not think of meek and unassuming as being synonyms either.
I loved the U2 video.
Have a great day everyone.

Katherine said...

oops, another typo, meant to say everyone "else" will ace it.

Dick said...

Cc one more comment before I leave and that references meek. I think that after looking at definitions and synonyms for meek the clue here is OK.

KittyB said...

Wow...TEN comments, and not one from Dennis!

Good morning, C.C. and all.

This was a cinch. DBA is used on tax forms, C.C., and I suppose other legal forms. For instance, it might read:

C.C.
DBA Star Tribune Crossword Corner

Does that help?

I don't think I've ever seen DOOFUS in a xword before.

Thanks for the Byron quote.

Irene Dunne was a beautiful actress with a lovely manner. She may be best known for "I Remember Mama," or for "Anna and the King of Siam." One of my favorites was "My Favorite Wife." She was particularly good in humorous movies, and her career spanned 1930 - 1962. Worth Netflixing.

I hope you have a "grear" weekend. (Echoing dick @ 5:35) *G*

Dr. Dad said...

Happy Friday! I have a new record. 4 1/2 minutes. Knew them all and wrote really fast.

I have filled out papers for a club that I belong to for, e.g., liquor license, retail permits, etc. and there is a line on the application after the name of the club that states DBA. In some cases, the applicant may be a person who owns a business, thus the need for the "doing business as" because the permit is issued to the business, not the person. Hope that makes sense.

Oslo, oleo, ufo, snafu, iota, isle, glee, to name a few, are all back.
Maybe they had to use "ties" (plural) to make it fit.
TLC is abbreviated so the clue should reflect that.
I'm partial to Irene Ryan (Granny of The Beverly Hillbillies). Granny's real name was Daisy Mae Moses.

Today is System Administrator Day and Thread the Needle Day. That should leave me in stitches!

Have a great day!

Argyle said...

I was /DBA Argyle Gargoyle when I ran a Mobil station. Gargoyle was an old line of motor oils they used to make. Even had a little gargoyle on the oil bottles, but that's going back aways.

KittyB said...

er....rather, thanks for the information on "Truth is stranger than fiction." I had no idea that it came from "Don Juan."

And...do you suppose "they" could create a crossword with NO SPORTS REFERENCES??? AROD fell into place through the crosses, but I usually find sports questions harder to answer than any other category of clue.

Enjoy the weekend!

Barry G. said...

Morning, folks!

Yep, an easy one today. The only word I didn't know right off the bat was ARON, but that came easily via the perps. I had one minor misstep when I initially put MRS instead of MOM for 62D, but that didn't last long.

And I'm afraid I'm not much of a Jessica Simpson fan. Not that I don't like her music, mind you -- I've just never heard it. I always thought she was cute, though, in a dumb blonde sort of way....

Chris in LA said...

Good morning CC etal,
One of the easiest times I've had in a couple of weeks - held out & gott Aron & Dunne on the perps, but everytning else fell in preetty quickly.
You'll also see DBA in the fine print of new business listings in the local business journals & newspapers - it is a fairly common legal term, ala AKA, so I think it was perfectly clued.
Didn't really get "areas" as quarters - thought it was kind of a stretch.
"The meek shall inherit the earth".
I think "Esso" is starting to get as old as "era" & "isle" clues - there's gotts be somethiing more clever.
TGIF to everyone!

Kim said...

CC & gang,

As usual, I'm in agreement with Katherine, if I think a puzzle is easy, you all must yawn all the way through!

I guess after years in the insurance biz, DBA is a gimme for me, but this one was just way too easy. I'm getting tired of the same ole clues and wish they'd come up with some new ones. Don't know why the authors don't pay attention to the posters here, they could get some good ones!

Have a great day everyone and enjoy your weekend! It's wonderful to be home again!

Chris in LA said...

CC,
Beacause I anticipate you'll ask, some alternative clues for my gripe this morning:
"era" - "Women's Rights?", "Tide competitor", "Time for silent films?", "New _ baseball caps", "Real Estate Co."

"isle" - "_ of Capri casino", "Here on Gilligan's _", "Home of the Hand Grenade, Tropical _ in FQ NOLA", "Grand _, LA", "Emarald _, NC"

"esso" - "Standard Oil, orig.?", "So?"

Just a few thoughts, I'm sure others will have more, but maybe a constructor will visit and surprise us with some creativity?

Dennis said...

Good morning, C.C. and gang - had to pick up a buddy at the airport at 6 this morning, so I'm a bit late.
This one was a real breeze, 3:46 total. Maybe I should always wait a bit before I do the puzzle.

The one clue/answer I don't agree with is 'reel in' for 'catch by persistence'; I don't think persistence has anything to do with reeling in.

C.C., thanks for the pic of Jessica Simpson - had me standing at attention.

Going to the same buddy's mountain house for a long weekend; fishing, boating, water skiing, hiking, etc. -- and no comms, so I won't be checking in tomorrow. Hope everyone has a spectacular weekend.

Katherine said...

Kim, I think we are on the same page.
I bet it is nice to be back home, even though it is hard to leave the new grandbaby.

flyingears said...

My first choice with 57A was SBA (Small Business Administration).

With 63D TLC's clue should be an abbreviation...

Dr. Dad said...

Dang it, Dennis! I just can't catch you! Beat me by 45 seconds!!! You must write awfully fast.

That patriotic bikini belongs on an long flagpole.

JOJO said...

ONCE YOU TURN 50 YEARS OLD, ITS ASSUMED THAT YOU HAVE BEEN AROUND THE BLOCK!!!

Dr. Dad said...

cokato-if you visit here today, and I hope you do, don't go away. You fit in just fine. The directions the blog comments take us often go off on tangents never expected. Then all of us DF's jump on the wagon and go along for the ride and have fun with the next theme. It was mentioned that we ended up going to food after all the wrestling yesterday. I can never be sure what direction we will end up going but alot of the time, I end up laughing so hard I almost - - - well, you know.

If you leave now, the place will not be the same.

Dr. Dad

melissa bee said...

good morning c.c. and all,

wow, a fast one today, not particularly inspiring, i thought the dba clue was clever, once i figured it out. seeing van morrison made me smile.

@dennis: also didn't love catch by persistance for reel in. i assume it's referring to fishing .. in which case i suppose it fits.

@mh: think 'french quarter,' in LA, etc.

@c.c.: your 56d quote reminded me of a sign i saw at girls weekend. 'i'm so miserable without you, it's almost like having you here.'

@kim: welcome home.

hm .. thread the needle day. shall we, girls? (say yes)

Dr. Dad said...

melissa bee - if the girls are going to thread the needle, can I be the needle?

Dennis said...

cokato - I just read the comments from late last night. Don't even think of leaving. Where it might take the average newbie a couple weeks to assimilate, you've fit in from your first post. Your leaving would be like taking an organ out of the body that is this blog.
Hmmmm....let's all discuss what organ we would be. I've got mine picked, but I can't use the name, as today's first poster already has it...

lois said...

Dennis: you are so funny. I think we can stand two of those organs....there are enough 'evil sisters' (as you call us) to have even more. We like to ride up and down the Styx...the more the merrier.

Have a good trip. You'll be missed.

Crockett1947 said...

Tried something different. Did the puzzle on-line at 11:25 PDT Thursday. It gives me a jump but I know I’ll not be the first to post – the time zones will do me in for that. (Yep, 31 cvomments already) Looks to be a “Clothing Closures” themed puzzle. GINGERSNAP, FAMILYTIES, CAPTAIN HOOK, and BELLY BUTTON.

Did not know 35A, but that was the only new NAME/WORD for me today.

There are so many juicy words that can be used to weave a saucy story today that I feel confident our resident wordsmiths will have us all ROFLOAF.

Today’s a platelet donation day, so I’ll see all of you DFs later this afternoon. Be good to each other!

melissa bee said...

@drdad: you're a brave one ... don't say i didn't warn you.

Dr. Dad said...

Dennis - Exactly what are you saying about Dick?

melissa bee said...

@drdad: i think dennis just got religion, and he has an offering. at least that's what i'm going with.

MH said...

easy breezy. No internet this morning. Using iphone. Too hard to type long message.

melissa bee said...

@mh and chrisinla: my comment about quarters/areas was meant for chris in la, not mh ... not sure why i transposed that.

Ken said...

This one was a yawner. I took less than 10 minutes which is much shorter than my average. Usually these are earlier in the week. From reading the posts, all my thoughts have been aired, so I'll just wish all a fine weekend. I've 150 people coming to Portland for a cribbage tournament. Any peggers out there? Best, Ken

Ken said...

CC, btw, snafu (and fubar) came out of WW II, I believe. They are abbreviations for Situation Normal, All Fouled Up and Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition.

xchefwalt said...

Good morning c.c., d.f’s and all:

Groucho Marx once said something to the effect that he wouldn’t want to belong to a club that would accept him. This puzzle was that way for me, as I finished it rather quickly with no help, mostly by getting the downs and filling in accordingly. DBA was a gimmie (thanks to a commercial paralegal background), and the names were not to obscure. ISLE of Capri is here in SW Florida, right next to Sanibel Island. It was pretty wrecked by hurricane Charlie, but has been built back up and has some of the best beaches and shelling in the world. I would recommend the Bubble Room for a unique dining experience.

@c.c.- Love the U2 clip. I saw them in NYC on that tour (Zoo TV for Actung Baby). I love the way Bono uses common language to document his struggles with religion. It is a constant theme through a lot of his work (see “One” on that same album, where God appears to have a one sided conversation with him). I hope you saw my mushroom post last night (it was late).

BTW- I went to melissab’s link and OMG!! That’s not a mushroom, it’s a murder weapon! One could walk through Central Park or ride the subway’s at night with that thing and feel completely safe.

@cukato- quote Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy- “…baby please don’t go”. I need another foodie here, and your posts are fabulous. “The needs on the many (us) outweigh the needs of the few, or the one (anon 2:26).” Mr. Spock doesn’t lie. We’ll “break out the hats and hooters (ha!) when cukato comes home”

Dennis said...

Uh.....could we possibly break out the hooters early?

melissa bee said...

@xchefwalt: i cannot take credit for that link, that was c.c.'s. it made an impression.

Anonymous said...

Happy Friday, everyone. Easy one today. I agree with kittyb: a moratorium on sports clues. Irene Dunne movies are worth seeking out. She had a distinctive voice and great comic timing. My favorite is "My Favorite Wife" with Cary Grant.

Anonymous said...

DBA=Dog Breeders Association? M in Lebanon, Ohio

Dr. Dad said...

I can't help it. Were the ladies talking about steaming mussels or steaming muscles yesterday?

KittyB said...

ohhhhhhhhhh drdaaaaaaadddddd.....

I just can't resist your hot, steamy muscles! (moue)

KittyB said...

bea...we must be kindred spirits. I love that movie, and I'm glad to find that I'm not the only one who would "take a pass" on sports clues.

KittyB said...

OMG! I just caught the Phoebe Buffay link from last night. What a hoot! Thanks...er Carl, I think.

Barb B said...

Whoa! That’s the easiest puzzle I’ve ever done, so I can imagine that it was boring to most of you.

Since it was so easy, I had a lot of fun looking over the words.

Ginger Snap made me alert to other food in the puzzle; Oleo, Egg, Chip(s), Café au Lait and Produce.

Liked seeing rest and area together, - good place for a picnic - and laughed to see inane, followed by doofus and snafu.

Also some tiny things, wisp, iota, scant and scrap.

carol said...

Hi C.C. and all the other great D.F.'s:
Very easy today,no Mr. Google or anything else..but am also getting tired of so many repeats:isle, tlc,esso,cia.
DBA was also a gimme for me as I spent years in Int'l Export.

Melissa bee, I liked your "sign".I saw a T-shirt with "I'm so tired,I can hardly keep my thighs open." Loved it!

If the "guys" are up to it, we can sure thread their needles, huh girls?

Dennis, you're great! We'll salute your flagpole any day. Have a great weekend but watch what you dangle in the water or you might "reel in" a surprise.

Lois, Good one!! (Styx) lol

Ken, I love cribbage, have played since I was 9 yrs old..where are they holding the tournament here?

drdad, even my muscles were steaming after reading last nights comments!!

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

Argyle,
"Let the crosswords be drawn"!

Katherine,
Jessica: No. But I finally got "Raising Sand".

Dr.Dad,
Congratulations on the new record.

Chris,
Good to see you again. Why "Women's rights" for ERA and "So" for ESSO? I don't get it.

Dennis,
Have a good time with OREAD & DRYAD while hiking and have fun with NAIAD when you are in the water. And don't forget me.

Crockett1947,
I've changed the theme title. I like yours better.

Melissa, Lois & Xchelfwalt,
I am surprised that you guys have not jumped on my HIGH (1D) comment. "...Better than how to kneel... on your knees boy..." Did you all think he was talking about praying???

Jeannie said...

Well, I BLEW right through this one. This weekend I think I will REEL IN the MEEK into my TRAP and make them SAY YES.

Dennis enjoy your weekend I hope you get great weather.

Drdad, in honor of Friday how about a cocktail party?

I will start with a Sex on the Beach.

Anonymous said...

.Easy X/W today. When I read the comments of the three "sirens" I find I no longer need Viagra. MY YOUTH IS BACK!!! Keep up the info and the fun. As the great philosopher Theophiloerectus once said "If you think today is tough, you'll find tomorrow is a bitch!"

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

Jojo,
Thank you for the explanation. But please don't type your comments all in capital letters. So hard to read.

KittyB,
You've got to love "A Rod".

Barb B,
Hey, you found another sub-theme.

Anonymous said...

I don't know how I became anonymous. This past statement came from Buckeye.

melissa bee said...

@c.c.: the irony was not lost on me. and .. i suppose you could call it praying, it is a form of worship.

Anonymous said...

Obviously, you cannot use the name for a female dog on this blog. I shall restrain myself in the future. Sorry, df's, and you, too, c.c.

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

Melissa,
Some additional information on Mysterious Ways. What other songs have similar double entendre?

Mr. Ed said...

Good morning C.C. and fellow deviates.

I'd have finished this one faster if I hadn't been multi-tasking with eating breakfast. Made a couple of "duh" entries I tell ya' it's MAD COW!
57A A.K.A. "also known as" -used in reference to an alias name. Egad! 12D "EXXON once" = ESSO. Can we get past this mundane clue? Maybe use "1962 Paul Anka hit var______ Beso as in ESSO Beso. List it as a variant since Anka's album did have it incorrectly spelled as Esso Beso, it should have been "Eso Beso".
ESSO Beso

@kittyb I loved Phoebe from afar. She is my kindred spirit.

@cokato Hi sweetums! Glad to see you're still with us and as good as new. I'd settle for a fuzzy 10D

Saw a quote I'll pass on but only 'cuz it's cute. Ziggy: "Wisdom comes with age - but sometimes it's an optional feature"

ciao

Mr. Ed said...

All those in favor of a Hooters breakout; raise something!

Dr. Dad said...

As far as the drink goes, that should be Vodka, a little peach schnapps, orange juice and a splash of cranberry. Other sex on the beach - - - well - - - . Goes well with a Sea Breeze - no peach and grapefruit instead of orange. Do you drink those while lying on your back looking at the sky?

xchefwalt said...

@c.c.- I get it now that the obvious has been pointed out to me. I think “Eight Miles High” by the Byrd’s would have been the sledgehammer that would have tweaked my brain.

ERA= Equal Rights Amendment, a political initiative from the 1970’s to amend the constitution to (in plain language) give equal rights to all regardless of race, creed, color or sexual orientation. As you can see, it’s a battle that’s still being fought today.

(singing) “When cukato comes home/So good/She’s the pride of the neighborhood/She’s a raw flame/A live wire/She prays like a Roman with her eyes on fire.” Welcome home! I’ve got the beach (having lunch there right now, soba noodles with vegetables). You Minnesotans need to come down here when its -20 degrees up there; you’ll love it.

@melissabee- it’s only a form of worship if you overindulge and pray to the “porcelain god”!

Dr. Dad said...

Carl - it's raised but I won't say what's raised.

Dennis said...

drdad, yes, while saluting the flag

IM3D said...

Here's a hand raised up from the slow guy in the back of the class. I joined you guys back in January when I got laid up. Reading c.c. and your blogs I've been learning. Today, for the first time! Tra La! I completed a puzzle with no help. I felt the earth move. TKS

Argyle said...

We can't stay young but we can stay immature.

Mr. Ed said...

@im3d You haven't been laid since January??????? OMG!!!!!

Jeannie said...

Drdad, kind of hard to drink those laying on your back...I usually have them reclined on a chaise lounge - or course with my feet up. Also I am going to be steaming both mussels and muscles tonight! Look out!

Clear Ayes said...

Nice to see other Irene Dunne fans. Although she is long gone, in her heyday she was quite the big star. Being of Scandinavian descent, my favorite Dunne movie was I Remember Mama.

"Heyday" is a word I just had to stop and look up the origins. (Sorry ladies, it isn't "Hay Day" as in the "Rrrolll, rrrolll, rrrolll een za hay" scene from Young Frankenstein.) Heyday is from Germanic "heida", meaning "Hurrah".

Everyone is right; it's a very easy puzzle. Even 35A was not a problem. I'm a big J. Steinbeck fan. Husband and I visited the Steinbeck Museum not too long ago and then went on to spend a few days in Monterey and Carmel. A great mini-vacation if you live in California, or a much better vacation stop than Disneyland if you don't.

Anonymous said...

My older brother was in WWII, and the translation of SNAFU was not as stated. The "F" was the F word. Just so you know.

Clear Ayes said...

c.c.: "So" for ESSO? I don't get it."

I'm surprised nobody has answered this. It's the spelling. "So" is spelled "ESS...O" Sometimes we over-analyze things. ;o)

Mentioning Carmel CA earlier reminded me of an antecdote about the former mayor, Clint Eastwood. After marrying his 35 years younger wife, he was asked if he was concerned about the age difference. With typical Eastwood nonchalance, he answered, "If she dies, she dies." Maybe it's just me, but I thought that was very funny.

Mr. Ed said...

@cokato

Havin' problems getting the image of you on a chaise lounge with your feet up.... And, If I was in your trap I'd say "Yes! Yes! Yesssss! OMG YESSSSS! Whew! I need a shower...

@sallie & ken - I was in much later than WWII but the expression was definitely not "fouled" unless you were talkin' to the Chaplain or his flock.

embien said...

7:26 today. Not in the dennis or drdad territory, but not bad for an old guy like me. Maybe not the most exciting puzzle, but they can't all be winners, and at least this one wasn't full of overly-arcane fill.

Only unknown was 35a: "East of Eden" twin (aron) (never read that book--how could I have missed doing so?) My favorite Steinbeck is "Grapes of Wrath."

You can hear Jessica Simpson (that well-known patriot, at least according to the photo c.c. linked to) on CMT. She is now working the country music side of the aisle, and I have to say I kinda like her first single in that genre. http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/simpson_jessica/artist.jhtml (links on that page so you can hear the tune, and a buncha other Simpsonalia).

embien said...

@clear ayes:
'c.c.: "So" for ESSO? I don't get it."'

Wouldn't that actually be ESS OH, using the usual phonetic expansions for the letters?

melissa bee said...

@xchefwalt: it's always a form of worship (if you're doing it right). mercifully, i'm way beyond the porcelain prayer.

@c.c.: so many songs, too little time. off the top of my head, peter gabriel's sledgehammer, and less subtley, kiss that frog. i don't think it's a coincidence that he's playing the mouth organ. then there's madonna's 'where life begins,' and nickleback's 'figured you out.'

@im3d: congratulations!

@clear ayes: i have been to the steinbeck house and museum also, enjoyed lunch there a few years ago with eight of my best girlfriends.

xchefwalt said...

@carl 12:25- Hhahahahaha! That was too flippin’ funny! I almost wet myself laughing.

@cokato 12:40- Enjoy the mussels and let me know how they came out (I have no doubt that the muscles will be juicy, tasty and plentiful- no other info needed there).

@sallie1:22- In my kitchens “FUBAR” had the same frist word. I also used to have to make schedules, and when you first worked for me you got put on the schedule in an “FNG” spot. If you lasted two weeks, I would put your name on the schedule (last two words “new” “guy/gal”).

Crockett1947 said...

C.C., Thank you for the honor of changing the puzzle theme. Did you notice it is a C.C. theme? (My wife pointed that out to me)

Carl, im3d said he'd been laid up -- that still leaves laid down and sideways. Give the guy a break!

Clear Ayes said...

embien: Yup, you're right ESS..OH
There are we "under-analyzers" too!

Mr. Ed said...

@C.C., clear ayes, embien & chris who started it.

ESSO is the international trade name for Eastern States Standard Oil. As stated, the clue is actually incorrect because Exxon is still the parent organization(not former or once) of ESSO and Mobil. Mobil is also paired with B.P. in a European venture... The whole thing is hydra-like. Where's Hercules when you need him?

Another pontification sent to amuse and amaze in the most urbane way!

@embien... hmmm 'never thought of it in that direction. But, I think our "sirens" could probably work it out without "breaking" it. We're better off than early Greeks though.... we've got four.

Mr. Ed said...

@crockett

Oops! My bad! I hit embien by mistake.

xchefwalt said...

Yabba-Dabba-Do! It's happy hour! Bartender- Jack Daniels with a Stella chaser, please.

Let the weekend begin!

Chris in LA said...

CC,
xchefwalt explained ERA - that was my thought, abbr. for the Equal Rights Ammendment.

CC, cleareyes & embien - my thought behind "So?" clue was the spelling of the word - "ess-o" (no need for the "h" at the end).

Overall my thought was if we provide solutions for some of the more mundane clues that we see over and over instead of simply b**ching about them the constructors who might visit could be encouraged to get more creative.

Enjoy the day - it's "Africa hot" down here in "The Deep"!

Jeannie said...

I just got caught in a downpour...no umbrella. Is there a contest somewhere I can get in on?

Anonymous said...

After grad. from Ohio State, went to work for SO. (Standard Oil). A real long story about Standard Oil (Ohio) and what came afterwards and the situation with J. D. Rockefeller. Anti-trust stuff. Too long to get into here. Just let it be known that after they threw J.D. out of Ohio for a monopoly, he started ESSO, ENCO, and eventually Humble which is now EXXON. They merged with Mobil, which was first known as SOCONY (Standard Oil Of New York)which made SOHIO (Std.Oil of Ohio) look like chump change. SOHIO is now B.P. ENCO, ESSO, ARCO, CITCO (Ven.owned),Phillips, are history. See; trickle down economy really works--just ask the airlines!

Chris in LA said...

Anon @ 3:21,
Geaux Bucks! - I lived in Columbus for 15 years and am a lunatic fan of the Buckeyes (which is sometimes a little tough down here in LSU territory, especially last year).
My people ask how I can deal with the heat down here & I tell them "it's easy, I don't have to shovel 24 inches of humidity out of my driveway early in the morning in the middle of January."

Anonymous said...

Sorry about getting too serious about things, but let me finally get this off my chest. There was a clue "Peter and Paul was one, but Mary was not." The answer was "apostle." Don't the Gnostics" that.

Anonymous said...

Please add the word "tell" to previous message.

xchefwalt said...

cukato- the judges require photos....

lois said...

Cokato: Ask at Hooters. Better yet take a picture and send it to Dennis. He'd love to be the judge! I think he's a 'Big Hooters' fan! He's such a wise and morel fellow. He's not here so we can delegate him to be in charge of anything.

Clear Ayes said...

I had to delete and re-post. I wrote "entymologies" at first, instead of "etymologies". Quite a difference, unless I subconsciously meant "clues and their buginess". That could be true. Sometimes the clues drive me buggy.

Carl & Anon 3:26 Wow! A short history of the U.S. oil industry. I'm really glad I started checking into this site. Besides the crossword clues and their etymologies, we learn so many interesting facts from all the participants. I'm impressed by all the "at your fingertips" knowledge out there.

chris in la: Funny. I almost forgot about all the laughs that are here.

carol said...

I'm back and ready to party down!
Cokato, as to your cocktail (whew)party, my choice of beverage would be a "Sloe Screw". (Orange juice and Sloe Gin over shaved ice)

Dennis,are we still choosing organs?
I've heard of mouth organs, does that qualify?

Mr. Ed said...

@clear ayes

I can blame 58D for my oil response. But, on one of the trips I bought some stocks which have only gotten bigger. It's not bad owning part of EXXON... unless another drunk hits the rocks. Anon 3:21, your history is amazing. Now we'll have to see if Exxon, Mobil, B.P. etal can survive. Of course, I always have the choice of selling when I want.

@cokato & lois Why does dennis get to be a Hooters judge???? I will! I will! heh heh heh! Can you see my moue????

@carol Sloe GIN???? Kind of tastes a little bit like Robitussin??? Spent a solid week sick on that one night.

melissa bee said...

@carl: well you're not supposed to drink the whole bottle. i thought debauchee was watching you?

carol said...

Carl...I know moderation is not really your thing, but if you were sick for a week after slugging down sloe gin....poor baby. I had 4 martini's one night and was sick for a few hours, overindulged on wine years ago and puked for 2 days, but a whole week? Wow!!
ok, now that everyone feels queasy, what's next?

Cokato, we can drink anything laying in a chaise...just as long as the straw is long enough! Right?

Dennis, is that hooter contest still open??

xchefwalt, what is in a mud slide (the drink)?

carol said...

melissa bee, I think Debauchee was probably the one helping Carl!

Mr. Ed said...

btw C.C.

Been around the block roughly means a person with experience(good or bad). In current lingo it equals "been there; done that; bought the t-shirt."

@sirens etal

the phrase was "I spent a week sick on that ONE NIGHT". It was a long time ago in a galaxy....

I was "young" and "dumb" and didn't even know the difference between the two. I didn't have a clue where the "on"/"off" switch was.

carol said...

Carl, I understand and I'm sure my "sisters" do too, we were all young and dumb, at one time..about a lot of things! At least we know where the "off" switch it now..we may not always choose to use it, but at least we know where it is!

melissa bee said...

@carl: ah .. got it. i'm not sure i've ever had sloe gin, i don't much like the sweet stuff, would probably make me sick too. but my mom taught me to love salty dogs and i've loved gin ever since.

off switch? there's an off switch? i'm still more interested in my on button.

Mr. Ed said...

@carol & sirens

In case you are waiting for the mud slide recipe... its Vodka, Kahlua, Baileys, and cream in equal amounts. Much better though if it's made with home-recipe baileys(egg beaters, Borden's and Irish Whiskey) and a scoop of ice cream instead of the liquid cream. You can also blend it to be a very delicious milkshake.

@melissa Sooooo! You like the Salty Dog.....

Concur on the "on" button. But, I prefer "trigger".

melissa bee said...

@carl: (against my better judgement) what's the difference?

lois said...

Melissa: I know! I know! The on button just turns you on and the trigger makes you come... on!

carol said...

melissa bee, My "on" button has never been "off" :)..just suggesting that those who want to find theirs, it is there (somewhere).
re:trigger-
I think you may have caused Carl to slide a little further down the dark side (if that's possible).

Carl, thanks for the mud slide recipe. We have made our own "Baileys Irish Cream" too...really GOOD stuff!!

xchefwalt said...

@carl- thanks for the mud slide save.
About 10 years ago, I was the chef of a french bistro (Remy's, for those lurking in Naples) and I developed a taste for Moscow Mules and top shelf LI ice teas.

It's no surprise I had the best fed bar staff in the county...

carol said...

Lois, hi, you "nailed" that one!!!
Nothing like a "quick draw", huh? (Hair trigger?)ohhhh baby!!

Mr. Ed said...

@on duty sirens


Yeah! That's good for familial reading. We would have required a "plain brown wrapper" for mine. But, once you pull the trigger, there's no turning back... you're just a passenger... along for the ride! &, I'm so far below the darkside....

@walt Back in my history, I was a bartender while I went to school. I love the "home" version recipes for drinks and cannot stand "well" swill. LI Ice Tea... nummy because it's so variable. Never liked the Bitters added to the Mule. Can't stand Gin so the Vodka was a natural for me.

xchefwalt said...

@carl: No bitters in mine- just vodka, lime juice and Jamaican ginger beer; tall metal cup, lots of ice. The perfect concoction to melt away ones troubles during a bad service.

Mr. Ed said...

@walt

A lot of milquetoasts wanted their mule with Ginger Ale... but I'm with you! But then, I love everything Caribbean including Jamaican Beer. It's as close to champagne as you can get in the islands. Kelly's is ok but I prefer the home recipe Jamaican with yeast, ginger, honey & just a hint of bitters.

carol said...

Carl, just checked your "blog" icon (again) and see you are a George Carlin fan...I LMAO at everything he ever did! Unfortunately he had a short stretch where he seemed unduly dark and caustic and I did take offense to some (only some) of his comments...but that period was fairly short lived and he returned to his usual sarcastic, acidic style.

xchefwalt said...

@carl: Amen, brother, Amen.
I was once cooking for a charity festival where the mules were running freely, and we ran out of ginger beer. I ran to the local market to get some, only to be foiled by a clerk half my age who insisted that I produce ID! My arguments that there was no alcohol in it fell on deaf ears, until a fellow chef with ID rescued me. I of corse paid him back by getting him plowed.

Clear Ayes said...

Carl: "home-recipe baileys(egg beaters, Borden's and Irish Whiskey) and a scoop of ice cream instead of the liquid cream."

This sounds interesting. The Irish Cream recipe I have doesn't have egg/eggbeaters. What are the measurements. Is that condensed or evaporated Borden's?

btw: I agree; George Carlin was right about everything. He might have been tough to take while he was being right but good medicine often doesn't taste very good. Sorry he is gone.

another btw: Here's something that does taste good; a wine recommendation for the darkside folk :o). Ménage a Trois table wine from Folie a Deux Winery in Napa. Both red and white, about $10 a bottle. Very nice. I don't know about other parts of the country, but West Coast Costco has had it in stock. Time to have a glass or two myself.

melissa bee said...

@clear ayes: good call, i also like ménage a trois. can often find it at safeway.

carol said...

Melissa bee, you do that at Safeway??
You are better than I thought! I'll bet that "clears isle 5"!!!!

Jeannie said...

xchefwalt: I (we) just finished your recipe of mussells. Delicious!
I heavily recommend the recipe. I had goooood compliments on my ccoking ability....the other muscle is sleeping now (which also got rave revues).
You shouldn't be surprised. Sailing tomorrow...wheee

Mr. Ed said...

@ clear ayes, sirens and anyone who likes secret alcoholic recipes.

Grandma's secret recipe Irish Cream - (definitely not low cal)

1 3/4 cup Irish Whiskey (or to taste)
1 - 14 oz can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
1 cup (1/2 pt) whipping cream
4 eggs (or = eggbeaters)
2 T chocolate syrup (Hersheys)
2 tsp instant coffee
1 tsp almond extract

Blend until smooth.
Keep refrigerated.

If you have any alergy problems, it will probably induce nasal stuffiness but by then who cares.
Using real eggs it will store up to a couple of weeks. Using eggbeaters it's good for up to 1 month. Personally, I've never seen it last that long although I rarely ever see anyone drink more than two and still walk.

Mr. Ed said...

@all

Just to be clear... Make the Bailey's separate then add the ice cream to get it to the Mud Slide. I wouldn't want you to hurt yourselves. And, for pete's sake... don't even think of driving.

happy innebriation

Mr. Ed said...

@all

When I was younger, I was a tadpole in a big pond and didn't fully understand Carlin. But, now, by the grace of evolution, I'm a curmudgeon too... and I'm proud of it. If you click on the link below, scroll down past the lovely picture at the top to get to the meat of the reason why it's here.

Curmudgeon

Carlin was a flippin' genius and had everything pegged. Abrasive... yep! That's what made him such a genius. He used it to draw your attention to the absurdities we live with.

Ask me about Michael Chrichton sometime & I'll get back up on the soapbox again.

If I offended anyone with this... I was asked so T. S.!

'nuff pontification! Amen

Mr. Ed said...

@all

I erred in my ravings so I offer this addendum to curmudgeon...

a true curmudgeon never refers to himself as being one. It's not a title... it's just a state of being.

ciao

Mr. Ed said...

@all

I just noticed in my "ravings" that I put an "h" in Crichton that didn't belong. My editing is apparently slipping into the darkside as well.

Now REALLY! This my last post for the day.... honest!

g'nite all

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

Crockett1947,
Yes, I did. I though you tailor-made it for me :-)