Theme: MONEY (69A: This puzzle's theme)
21A: Flour, water and shortening: PASTRY DOUGH
27A: Steamers: LONG NECK CLAMS
46A: Bibb alternative: BOSTON LETTUCE
54A: Italian restaurant staple: GARLIC BREAD
Wow, edible "Steamers", new to me. I knew DOUGH, LETTUCE, BREAD are slang words for money, had no idea that "CLAMS" can mean money too. But why CLAMS instead of CLAM?
I thought CABBAGE SOUP & BACON AND EGGS are great theme entries too. But I guess they don't fit the "Cash back" theme pattern.
Great puzzle. I like how MONEY is revealed in the very end. I often wonder why constructors/editors like to define the theme title for this kind of synonym type of grid. Why can't they just clue MONEY as "It talks" and then let the solvers figure out what those theme entries in common and enjoy the "Aha" moment when they find the MONEY.
Across:
1A: Kuwaiti 69A: DINAR. The first word that popped to my mind is EMEER. I was thinking 69D might be RULER. But quickly discarded my idea after seeing 1D.
10A: Comic Foxx: REDD. Very interesting stage name. Obviously he liked Jimmie Foxx. I would have liked C. C. Sabathia had he not played for the Indians and worn his cap off-kilter all the time.
24A: She's possessive: HER. I dislike this clue. Given ARGO (11D: Jason's vessel) other "Sailor" & "Pirate" clues, I would prefer HER to be clued as ship related.
39A: Writer Talese: GAY. I've never read any of his books. Knew him because of his wife Nan Talese ("A Million Little Pieces" scandal).
41A: __ B. Davis: ANN. Pure guess. I've never heard of her or watched The Brady Bunch.
51A: Sailor's drink: RUM. Why??
62A: Flinch or start, e.g.: REACT. "Flinch, e.g." is enough. And another "Flinch" reaction is RECOIL (10D: Draw back in horror).
64A: Promised land: ZION. I would not have got this one without the down fills. So, this is how we got the word "Zionist" I suppose.
68A: "Peter Pan" pirate: SMEE. And 53D: Pirate's pal: MATEY.
Down:
1D: Vader or Maul: DARTH. Know the name, but I have never seen "Star Wars".
3D: Vieux Carre location: NEW ORLEANS. An educated guess. Knew "The French Quarters", but was not aware of its French name.
5D: Minnesota's state tree: RED PINE. Too close to each other.
9D: Mount of the Several Sisters: HOLYOKE. No idea.
13D: Real looker: DISH. Foodies would probably like the clue to be "Chef's serving".
23D: Down source: DUCK. Brought a smile to my face.
30D: All-Star third baseman Ron: CEY. Dodgers's.
31D: Not limited to roads: ALL TERRAIN
35D: Ex-Yankee Martinez: TINO. Vaguely heard of him before.
42D: City near Sacramento: LODI
44D: Greek portico: STOA
48D: Go from 2 to 6, say: TREBLE. Not familiar with the triple meaning of "TREBLE".
55D: Calcutta's continent: ASIA
57D: Porkpie feature: BRIM. Had no idea that "Porkpie" is a kind of hat.
C.C.
21A: Flour, water and shortening: PASTRY DOUGH
27A: Steamers: LONG NECK CLAMS
46A: Bibb alternative: BOSTON LETTUCE
54A: Italian restaurant staple: GARLIC BREAD
Wow, edible "Steamers", new to me. I knew DOUGH, LETTUCE, BREAD are slang words for money, had no idea that "CLAMS" can mean money too. But why CLAMS instead of CLAM?
I thought CABBAGE SOUP & BACON AND EGGS are great theme entries too. But I guess they don't fit the "Cash back" theme pattern.
Great puzzle. I like how MONEY is revealed in the very end. I often wonder why constructors/editors like to define the theme title for this kind of synonym type of grid. Why can't they just clue MONEY as "It talks" and then let the solvers figure out what those theme entries in common and enjoy the "Aha" moment when they find the MONEY.
Across:
1A: Kuwaiti 69A: DINAR. The first word that popped to my mind is EMEER. I was thinking 69D might be RULER. But quickly discarded my idea after seeing 1D.
10A: Comic Foxx: REDD. Very interesting stage name. Obviously he liked Jimmie Foxx. I would have liked C. C. Sabathia had he not played for the Indians and worn his cap off-kilter all the time.
24A: She's possessive: HER. I dislike this clue. Given ARGO (11D: Jason's vessel) other "Sailor" & "Pirate" clues, I would prefer HER to be clued as ship related.
39A: Writer Talese: GAY. I've never read any of his books. Knew him because of his wife Nan Talese ("A Million Little Pieces" scandal).
41A: __ B. Davis: ANN. Pure guess. I've never heard of her or watched The Brady Bunch.
51A: Sailor's drink: RUM. Why??
62A: Flinch or start, e.g.: REACT. "Flinch, e.g." is enough. And another "Flinch" reaction is RECOIL (10D: Draw back in horror).
64A: Promised land: ZION. I would not have got this one without the down fills. So, this is how we got the word "Zionist" I suppose.
68A: "Peter Pan" pirate: SMEE. And 53D: Pirate's pal: MATEY.
Down:
1D: Vader or Maul: DARTH. Know the name, but I have never seen "Star Wars".
3D: Vieux Carre location: NEW ORLEANS. An educated guess. Knew "The French Quarters", but was not aware of its French name.
5D: Minnesota's state tree: RED PINE. Too close to each other.
9D: Mount of the Several Sisters: HOLYOKE. No idea.
13D: Real looker: DISH. Foodies would probably like the clue to be "Chef's serving".
23D: Down source: DUCK. Brought a smile to my face.
30D: All-Star third baseman Ron: CEY. Dodgers's.
31D: Not limited to roads: ALL TERRAIN
35D: Ex-Yankee Martinez: TINO. Vaguely heard of him before.
42D: City near Sacramento: LODI
44D: Greek portico: STOA
48D: Go from 2 to 6, say: TREBLE. Not familiar with the triple meaning of "TREBLE".
55D: Calcutta's continent: ASIA
57D: Porkpie feature: BRIM. Had no idea that "Porkpie" is a kind of hat.
C.C.
67 comments:
Good morning, c.c. and fellow DFs - thought this was a fun puzzle this morning, with a good theme. Following the 1A clue, I started in the SE, and once I got 'money', the theme answers came quickly.
Got a kick out of seeing 'duck' on the heels of our recent discussion, but I'm really sick of seeing 'rale' so often.
c.c., when 'clams' are used as slang for money, it's always plural.
I noticed today is "National Be An Angel Day" -- sirens, doing anything special?
Have an outstanding weekend - it's supposed to be almost perfect weather here in the NE.
Dennis,
Besides moolah, are there any other slang terms for money?
Re Red Foxx - I think it is interesting that he was born John Sanford and he is most famous for his tv show "Sanford and Son"
c.c., smackers, samoleans are the only other ones I can think of; I'm sure there's a bunch more.
Good morning CC & DF's: This puzzle was fun. Loved the reference to duck, too, and 'dish'. I don't get 'treble' either, CC. Nat'l Be an Angel Day? Oh yeah!!! 51A will help me polish my tarnished halo today, then I'll spread my wings and do 1000 things....play the devil out of Friday night. You cana bet I will not be straightening my shiny halo.
good morning c.c. and all,
interesting that all these slang terms for money are food related. c.c. also mentioned bacon and cabbage. are there other languages that have similar food/money words?
also interesting to see FLOUR, leek, garlic, promised land, and duck, in light of recent comments. we've seen a little too much lsat, rale, rna, ashe, and esau lately.
i don't know why rum is a sailer's drink .. but it's common lore. 'yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.'
be an angel day .. i think that leaves me out.
Good morning CC and all....
Pretty easy puzzle today. I have to admit I didn't get 1A, Dinar. I also didn't get 54A.
Have a good day everyone! Gotta runnnnnnnnn
Good Morning All,
No G's today and when I finally figured out the theme I was good to go. I didn't like 24a! SHE'S is SHE IS if I'm not mistaken. I think SHE would have been more appropriate.
CC, Are these constructors all in league with each other? It seems we see some of the same clues (or answers) very frequently and they come from different people. Or, is the editor responsible?
I find it hard to believe that some of these 3 and 4 letter answers appear so often. It's almost as if they copy each others work.
Good morning, C.C. and all.
I flew through this without Mr. Google's help. THe sports names and UTILE came from the fills.
C.C. In the last century there were seven eastern colleges that were for women only, and one of them was Mount Holyoke. I can't remember them all, but Vassar, Radcliff, Smith, and Barnard were four others. Vassar is co-ed now, and I think Radcliff merged with Harvard, so it would be co-ed also. (Here's hoping my memory held up on this subject.)
Clear ayes, that link to edible flowers yesterday is great! I didn't realize how many edible flowers I've grown! Borage, which is seen in our gardens less often now, has a lovely blue flower that would be very attractive gracing a meal.
Busy day today...gotta run. Have a great day everyone.
OH...Chef, I changed my picture to show you a basil I'm growing. I don't know if you will be able to get a good look at it, but go to my profile and click on the link to view the larger picture.
Have you ever used a basil like this in a recipe, or as an ornament to a dish? This version is mostly green with a little dark purple at the center of the cluster of leaves, and everything about it is in miniature. I'll have to check the tag to see what it's called.
Hey ho!
First off, let me say I found this puzzle to be extremely easy, which rather surprised me when I saw who the constructor was. Mr. Silk normally throws me for a loop at least 2 or 3 times per puzzle, but this time it was smooth sailing all the way. The only minor hangup I encountered was when I initially put PASTRYCRUST instead of PASTRYDOUGH for 21A, but that resolved itself pretty quickly.
Having said that, I did actually have one major D'OH! moment regarding the puzzle as a whole. See, I got 1D right away (having watched all the various Star Wars films numerous times) and the initial D from DARTH let me figure out the theme and get 1A right away. The thing is, though, that even I though I got that the theme was MONEY, I mistakenly thought the puzzle was going to keep asking for various foreign currencies like 1A.
As a result, not only did I keep looking for more theme clues that never appeared, I completely missed the fact that the other long fills were actually theme answers (hence the reason why I initially had PASTRYCRUST for 21A). In fact, while I kept waiting for the theme clues to appear, I simultaneously thought how odd it was to have so many long non-theme answers in the grid.
It wasn't until almost the very end, when there were only a few squares left unfilled, that I realized something had to be wrong. A themed puzzle with only one theme answer? I then looked back at the long answers and had my D'OH moment. I actually said it out loud, in fact.
So, in sum, an incredibly easy puzzle that I had no problem doing, and yet I'm still an idiot. ^_^
Good morning! No time for the puzzle. Getting ready to go to Moorestown and Atlantic City, NJ - Dennis' neck of the woods.
Today is Be An Angel Day, National Tooth Fairy Day, and Southern Hemisphere Hoodie Doo Day.
One other thing that occurred on this day in history 27 years ago - I got -------MARRIED!!! A match made in Heaven. But then again, so are thunder and lightning.
Have a great Friday!!!
Happy anniversary Drdad!
Rum was always standard issue to British sailors in the old days. Not sure why or when it stopped, but the idea has stuck.
Also, I've hear "dosh" used for money--also a British term I think.
What about "smackers"?
Duh....we need a new editor. Esau two days in a row and in the same NE corner.
Short note today, gotta get ready for Fay's visit!
CC & DFs...Snore...too easy for Friday (drdad today is p.o.e.t.s.day)
Money - greenbacks, wampum, scratch
I needed help today. I had BUTTER LETTUCE instead of BOSTON LETTUCE which fouled me up considerably. I'm not sure I've even heard of boston lettuce. That combined with TSU instead of TSO made it tough to get that left side of the puzzle. A little help here and there straightened me out. Have a nice weekend everyone.
This was a YAWN puzzle...no challenges at all. So instead of commenting on it, I will tell a joke, a follow-up to yesterday’s jokes:
A man visits his psychiatrist. He says, “Doc, I am confused. Sometimes I feel I am a teepee and sometimes I think I am a wigwam.” The psychiatrist is confused and asks the man to explain himself. The man says, “I don’t understand it either. I just know sometimes I think I am a teepee, and sometimes I think I am a wigwam.” Suddenly it dawns on the psychiatrist. “I know what your problem is! You are just too tense!”
Have a great weekend!
Lois,
I still have not received your reply on these questions: What is "Carla's dish/Cheers Sun?" Why did you opt for "Clam Chowdah?" And what's the connection between "Halloween" & LORICA?
Dennis,
Your 2:26pm comment yesterday: "I'd also say that this group is every bit as intelligent as any I've ever been affiliated with, which may or may not be a compliment...". Why "may not be a compliment"? What did you mean by "I'm not sure you can say "hooey""?
Razzberry,
What is "Pis* On Everything Tomorrows Saturday"?
Bill,
Don't blame the constructors. Many creative and original clues are woefully thrown away by our editor, who takes pleasure in making dramatic changes to the grid.
Good Morning, c.c. and fellow DF's, Everything went silky smooth today. I hope Mr. Silk will stop by and let us know if any editorial changes occurred.
Mark,
Did you make up the "The plebs are revolting" & "Yes they have no soap!" story? Did they already have soap that long time ago?
Lola,
What is "mind candy"?
Southern belle,
I am curious, what is your favorite comic strip?
Barry & Argyle,
It's a indeed a silky puzzle, but I am not sure it's Barry Silk's. Where are those Q's & Z's?
Dr. Dad,
Happy anniversary!
doesitinink, your doctor joke reminded me of my own visit yesterday morning
The doctor said to me, "Dennis, you've got to stop masturbating".
I,of course, asked why.
The doctor said, "because I'm trying to examine you".
CC - It was in reference to DdDad's note that yesterday was national poets day...
I just used poets as an acronym. ;~D
Melissa,
Hmmm, FLOUR, all in capital letters, I wonder what it meant.
Xchefwalt,
Flora Exotica: Did your FLOWER bloom for you this morning? How was it?
Hi All,
Great puzzle and did not have to use Mr. G! Most likely why I liked it.
c.c.: smackers, greenbacks, buck
($100), sawbuck ($10)fin ($5), K (Thousand) as in 5K ($5,000)
Drdad: Happy Anniversary!
Southernbelle: I guess I was wrong about Fay. Who would have thought it would turn again toward the west. I hope you don't get the flooding that other cities have gotten. Good luck and stay safe!
Dennis,
Your 2:26pm comment yesterday: "I'd also say that this group is every bit as intelligent as any I've ever been affiliated with, which may or may not be a compliment...". Why "may not be a compliment"?
If I may be so bold as to answer for Dennis, I understood what he meant right away. We are of the same intelligence as other groups Dennis has been associated with, which means we are either just as smart or just as dumb....
As I live in Florida, I shall report in. We got out on Monday and went to Gainesville. Stayed two days and came back. The Fay hammered Gainesville. Naples had some power outages and street flooding. No damage in our home, power out intermittently so we had no freezer loss. But my Mac wouldn't let me use the keyboard, only the mouse. Spouse fixed that, even though he is a pc user.
I look forward to Margarita from scratch.
And happy 27th anniversary Dr.Dad.
drdad, Happy 27th Anniversary, and here's to the next 27.
c.c., I was just alluding to the fact that I prefer to hang with fellow idiots.
And in the interest of avoiding what some of my compatriots have gone through, the above joke was lifted directly from the current Esquire mag.
Hi ya'll,
Figured out the theme, but still had trouble with the answers. Wanted "Holyoke" for 9d ,but could'nt imagine a "longneck" clam. Was not familiar with "Boston" lettuce and since I'm not much of a movie goer anymore, don't know about "Snocap" candy.
Had a snocone stand once by that name long ago.
The clue for 27a does call for a plural answer does it not?
Gotter done though, with C.C.'s help.
Vaya con Dios
I liked this puzzle. Even though there were some words like IRE, ADO, SMEE, that we've seen too often, the food/money clues were clever.
We live not too far from LODI. Creedence Clearwater Revival had a hit song that wasn't too flattering Lodi. C.C.R. is a favorite of mine, so they couldn't do any wrong, but Lodi is actually a pretty nice small city. It has become quite well known for its Old Vine Zinfandels.
Xchefwalt must have smiled when he saw the "flour, etc." clue. On the other hand, he may be worn out from the FLOUR/FLOWER homonym discussion of the past couple of days.
I had to fill in SNOCAPS from the horizontals. G.A.H. and I go to the movies quite often, but the snack bar is beyond our financial resources. We usually go on "free popcorn" Tuesday (Regal Theater chain here in California) and share a soft drink. It's ridiculous that a small bag of popcorn costs $4.00 and those boxes of candy are about the same.
Dennis, liked your joke. LOL
C.C. "Dead Presidents" is a recent slang term for money, even though not all bills have Presidental portraits. There is also "2 Bits", which is slang for quarters...so a 1/2 dollar coin is "4 Bits".
We are known by the company we keep. This is such a great group, so how could I mind being one of Buckeye's "knuckleheads", or Dennis' "fellow idiots"? :o)
Happy Anniversary, Drdad.
Girls (Well, Guys,too) Y'all might get a laugh out of this video!
Not for the faint of heart!!
Long Neck Clams
This puzzle came together rather quickly. I agree with the group opinion that Mr. Silk is usually more of a brain twister than today's offering. Maybe we're just getting a lot better at solving. Hmmm!
c.c. Mind candy was just my way of describing a frivolous or playful thought. The cosmic mind idea is appealing, but I'm not sure I believe in it. This morning the answers came so easily that it adds a little more weight to the notion of group knowledge. The sun's finally out here in the NW. Time to get outside and pull some weeds. Bye!
Bill: Never had a long neck clam. Doesn't look too "satisfying".
Hi C.C. and D.F's: Had fun with this one..even with the clue for 24A, which I still fail to get.
I put butter lettuce in and that fouled me up for awhile. Felt stupid when I finally got Lodi! I am also a CCR fan, so should have known that one.
Hopefully someone will listen to our gripes about the endlessly repeated clues/answers: Rale, RNA, Smee,Arab,Esau.
Since I have no halo, I cannot participate in Nat'l be an Angel Day. I wouldn't know how to act. I'd probably "worsen" the situation by meeting some "longneck clams",drinking mass quantities of rum.
Happy 27th Anniversary Drdad!! Have many more!
Bill, great "video" - were they "mature"clams? seemed small.
Good day c.c., DF’s and all!! It’s a beautiful Friday, warm and not so humid here in SW Florida, occasional rain, but nice nonetheless.
A great puzzle today. I managed to get through unaided, but with lots of perp help and some luck. At first run, I was unable to get 1a and 69a, but got the theme clues. I wasted time trying to tie in the first words before 1a showed itself, and the rest fell into place. I disliked 46a “Bibb alternative”. To me ‘Boston’ and ‘Bibb’ are the same and are used interchangeably, if not together (i.e. ‘Boston Bibb’ lettuce). I know that technically they are different types of the same (Butterhead) kind of lettuce, but the clue is a stretch and a bit misleading.
RUM (51 a) was a part of the ‘triangle trade’ of the late 1600’s through the mid 1800’s. Think of the song from “1776” “Molasses to Rum to Slaves”. Slaves were brought from Africa to the Caribbean in exchange for molasses and sugar cane (the main ingredients of rum). These in turn were shipped to the Americas in return for tobacco and other raw products to be returned to Europe.
@cokato from yesterday- I apologize for the lateness of the reply. You were very close on your spelling- you had ‘Bagna Cauda’, a condiment made with butter, olive oil, garlic and anchovies. It comes from the Italian bagno caldo, or hot bath. I have always had it warm with vegetables to dip with, I imagine its’ great cold with bread.
@kittyb- your basil looks great. I cannot get it to enlarge well enough to see it clearly, though.
@drdad- happy anniversary! Have a great time in A.C. Stop in Seaside and get a cheesesteak and have some littlenecks on the half shell, wash down with a cold beverage. Heaven!
@dennis- that joke still has me laughing!!
@c.c.- I can think of two money monikers: ‘fin’ (a $5 bill) and ‘bits’ (coinage, usually 2 bits = .25). FLOWER bloomed at about 5:30 am, but it’s too far away now to see clearly.
@clear ayes- it takes a lot more than that to wear me out. I’ve enjoyed the conversation immensely.
mark - Buenos Airs
P off early tomorrow´s saturday (poets day)
I dont know your reference to Carla but she was the barmaid in Cheers
Plebs... comes from an analogy of "The natives are revolting" - a play on words used in many British comedies. (Did the "Carry on" films get to the US eg "Carry on up the Khyber"
Rum was doled out as a right to British seamen. The problem was they saved up their ration and drunk it all at once making them useless for duty. Later they mixed it with water, a concoction called grog. The ration was stopped in the ´70´s I think.
Didnt the actor in the French Connection wear a pork pie hat?
beautiful day here - best health to all.
Mark B.A. I think that was Gene Hackman you were referring to.
dr.dad, Happy Anniversary and may you have many more. Dear Husband and I are opposites with like interests. How dull it would be to be married to your duplicate. Disagreement is sometimes the spice of life! So....here's a tot of rum in celebration of your anniversary. Have a great day!
Has anybody mentioned "simoleons" as a slang term for money yet? I always loved that one.
mark, any info on british seamen, ask Lois - I think she's an expert in the field. Not so sure about your spelling, though...
And Carol/Melissa Bee, is that one of you in the long neck clam video?
barry, yes, I mentioned it earlier, albeit with one of the many variations in spelling.
Good morning Cc & all
This puzzle was an easy one for me for some unexplained reason. My only hangup came from misspelling Holyoke as holyoak which caused a brain (bleep) over the longneckclams cross. The light came on with leek though.
Re: Rum & Pirates
Pirates drank a lot of booze because fresh water spoiled rather quickly at sea. So, they drank what they had. Bumboo, sangria and grog were big (as was beer-ale)but rum was more available. As I've mentioned before, I spend a large amount of time in the Caribbean, a notorious location historically for pirates. I think I've toured every distillery in the islands and heard the history too many times to list. Rum is a product of sugar cane, a very common item in that area.
Sangria was a common drink because of the availability of fruit. Grog is an oatmeal mixture cooked in beer with rum & spices added. And, of course, ale or beer was always a pirate favorite. It was common for pirates to down a flaggon of beer in a single drink to prove their toughness.
Re: the ultimate margarita
I'll be happy to post the recipe on this blog or send via email if there's interest. I didn't want to waste the space if it wasn't wanted. Your wish is my command.
38A :)
RE: Simoleans was a term that was used in one of one of my favorite movies, "Popeye" with Robin Williams and Shelley Duvall as a perfect Olive Oyl. Popeye's "Pappy" was played by Ray Walston. Walston was a fishing buddy friend of an aunt of mine. He was a charming gentleman and an amazing actor. The music was written by Harry Nilsson. What a tragedy that he died so young. The movie didn't get good revues when it was released, but has since become quite a cult favorite.
KittyB, how right you are. When my husband and I met he had never been to a live theater performance (Les Miz made a believer out of him.) I had never ridden a dirt bike or been to a professional baseball game. His idea of a great vacation was 3 months in a van trekking through Mexico. I was into European museums. We've pretty much met in the middle after 22 years and have done all of the above, and more, together.
Before I sign off, I just have to include a video taken from the Discovery Channel TV show "Dirty Jobs" Those Long Neck Clams aren't anything compared to this. Geoduck
clear ayes, i'm gonna have nightmares about those things. I think the sirens might have a different kind of dream, however.
I agree about Les Miz making one a believer; it was the first Broadway play I was talked into seeing as well.
A sad note, at least for me: I just found out that one of my Vietnam buddies (there were six of us who still got together regularly) died in Florida, from the effects of Agent Orange. Vietnam seems a lifetime ago, and most kids are unfamiliar with it now, but there's still guys dying from that war.
I'll miss you, Burnsie.
Sorry - just felt the need.
While there is an "S" added to make CLAM plural, the others (DOUGH, LETTUCE and BREAD) are are both singular and plural.
As for other money terms, there are cash and bucks (obviously), benjamins, flow, scratch, loot, bacon...
As for the puzzle itself, only 30A got me today. I like it when I dont have to Google anything!!
@dennnis: here's to burnsie. [clink]
Good afternoon c.c. and solvers -
It appears that my grid was left intact by the editor today. Editors usually change at least half of the clues to adjust the difficulty level of the puzzle, so that is not surprising. Sometimes, editors change clues to shorten them to meet size/space constraints that newspapers may impose on the puzzle.
I take responsibility for the 24-Across clue. To me, "She's possessive" means "the possessive form of she" which equals HER.
@xchefwalt - I agree with you about Bibb lettuce being equivalent to Boston lettuce. My original clue for BOSTON LETTUCE was "Butterhead" and I believe that Boston Lettuce is a type of Butterhead lettuce. Can't explain why the editor decided to change the clue, though.
@bill - about constructors using the same clues for commonly occurring words: As a solver, you are probably well aware of words that show up frequently in crosswords (i.e., "crosswordese"). Depending on the word of course, there are only so many ways to clue those words. From my perspective, for the amount of time I spend preparing clues (knowing half of them will be changed anyway), I prefer to spend the bulk of this time devoted to the longer themed answers and infrequent words. If I'm working on a themeless crossword, and hence more difficulty and tricky, then I will devote some more time to cluing the "crosswordese." Please don't get upset with the constructors and editors for seeing these common words clued the same way.
@southern belle - as for the case of ESAU being used in the same corner two days in row - I really don't hold the editor accountable for this type of coincidence. I don't think an editor has time to think about where a common word (like ESAU) is positioned from one puzzle to another. To me, it's just a coincidence. I have seen this type of thing happen with a very uncommon word being used in back-to-back puzzles in the NY Times, for example.
For those of you in the Washington DC area: I am planning to give a presentation on crosswords at a Fairfax County public regional library sometime on a weekend afternoon in January'09. Details are still being worked out (such as the exact date). Hopefully, this will be a fun event for people interested in crosswords and I'm looking forward to it. More details will follow in the next couple of months.
Barry Silk
Clear Ayes, thanks for the link to the "geoduck"...I KNEW those other clams were too little! Being from the NW, we are most familiar with the geoduck..there is another one too but not being a clam eater, (!)I am not sure of the correct name. They are quite small and are steamed and usually sold or served in buckets.
Dennis, I will also raise a glass to Bernsie and to you!
Carl, welcome back! Hope you enjoyed your trip. Did you bring back any good rum?
Hey guys, we're famous! Thanks to Barry Silk for his comments. Congratulations to C.C. for doing such a terrific job of running this blog and keeping us in line (sorta).
Dennis, I'm truly sorry to hear about your friend. Several years ago my husband, who fortunately spent his early 1960's Army years here in the States, and I visited the Vietnam Memorial. It was very emotional and brought back so many memories of so many young men I had known during that decade. All those (you) boys were amazing and deserved so much more than they got. Along with Melissabee, here's a toast to all of you.
Dennis, my sympathy rests with you.
ClealAyes, You really know how to make a clam feel inferior, don't you. His psyche is damaged beyond all repair!!
Barry Silk, Thank you for the reply. I'm sure the editors probably don't help your cause when they mess with your clues.
It just seems to me that
there are a lot of repeated clues and answers (sometimes from day to day) that, though coincidental, get old!
CYA later
Good morning everyone!
Want to put out an invite to carol, lola and any others in the Portland OR area to come by Laurelhurst Park tomorrow between 2 and 4 pm for a free ice cream social and some barbershop singing. I'm the guy with the pitch pipe!
c.c.: Congrats on Barry Silk's comments, how cool is that?
Dennis: I am so sorry for you loss. My husband was in the USAF and was stationed in Vietnam at Camrahn Bay (sp?) during the war. A toast to your friend and all of you for your service to our country.
Hello c.c and fellow knuckleheads.
I guess age has effected my brain. I cannot write the answers to these puzzles in less than 10 minutes if I had the answers in front of me. I usually get them, without help, but it takes about half an hour to do them.
Barry's explanation of "she's possessive" really helped. I pondered the answer "her" and it never really fell into place until he clued me in. Thanks, Barry.
Dennis, I, too, lost a dear friend we called "Burnsie." (Bob Burns.) To our Burnsies! "Clink!"
To you N.W.s. I'm surprised you didn't mention that the nickname of Evergreen College (Olympia, Wa.) is the Geoducks. I'm fairly sure it's pronounced "Gooey" ducks. That's Goo - long E - ducks.
Leave it to Dennis to come up with a masturbation joke. It reminds me of the first time I had sex. It was so lonely and dark in that closet.
dr.dad. Congrats on 27 years with the same, boring, nagging partner. It reminds me of my c/w song. "If I'da Shot Her When I Wed Her I'd Be Out Of Prison By Now." Seriously, WELL DONE!!! Another "Clink".
Money? Jack, burg (reference to iceburg lettuce), stash (also a M.J. reference.)seed (as seed money for gambling - also an M.J. ref.).
Can someone tell me how to get a picture up by my name and how to transpose pictures into the text? If you don't want to take up the space on the blog, I'll leave and e-mail address.
I must be off.
@ Carol
Arrghhh! No rum this trip... only tequila... it was Mexico(actually mostly offshore)this trip. The Caribbean is too stormy, hot and humid in the summer. Temperature and humidity need an inverse relationship and should never reach equality in my opinion. And, lastly, I try to avoid sailing in tropical storms or hurricanes.
btw, did we pick up another Oregonian??? Did I see an entry at 8:21pm yesterday and another this morning from Lola being from stumptown also???? (for non-Oregonians; stumptown is a synonym for Portland as is puddle city and/or town).
A special thank you to Barry Silk for actually caring what we collectively think. Cc, you should be proud of what you've built.
ciao
I forgot to mention this earlier. Carl's post about pirates reminded me of "Talk Like A Pirate Day", which will be coming up on September 19th. Pirate Talk So better start practicing your best "Avast" and "Yo Ho Matey". G.A.H. and I will be going to a local "Yarrrggghh" party. Rum drinks will be consumed. Maybe I'll be lucky enough to get chased around the poopdeck.
CC: What is "Carla's dish/Cheers Sun?" We ate at Cheers restaurant last Sun and the menu items were named for the TV Cheers characters. Carla had a sandwich or something that sounded good, but my hangover felt bettah w/clam chowdah.
what's the connection between "Halloween" & LORICA?
I met a man in full medieval armor and it was difficult to negotiate anything more than a kiss b/c of the weight of the armor and the securing devices...practically a chastity belt. Anyway, it was Halloween instead of an S & M orgy. That event coincidentally happened at our local Cheers. I was 'Little Red from the Hood' and it was such a good time. He was an historical (more like hysterical)re-enactor for some org. around Wmsbg and wore the legit stuff.
Barry Silk: Thank you for all your comments and explanations. I hope you let us know when you will be in Fairfax County. Not to put you on guard or anything but I for one would love to hear you. I promise to behave like a perfect angel... ok, ok, a fallen one, but an angel nonetheless. I can fake it for a little while.
Dennis: you are hilarious! Yeah, I'm an expert on seamen from the world over all right, regardless of the spelling. Big international port area and home of the Atlantic Fleet. A lot of coming and going.
I'm awfully sorry for your loss. I understand the pain all too well. My heart goes out to you, your friends and to his family. Agent Orange has taken a lot of good men, mine included.
Carl, it seems The N/W contingent is becoming a real presence. I actually claim Beaverton as home, but as you know it's right on Portland's doorstep.
Crokett1947 Thanks for the invite to Laurelhurst Park, I'll try to make it.
c.c. Very interesting,B. Silk reads your blog. Congratulations on developing such an interesting and entertaining platform.
Clear Ayes: Holy Hotwick! I have a new appreciation for clams! What a piece of meat and what a raincoat! What dreams are made of.
Dennis: I thought your joke was very funny! LMAO
@Barry Silk- thank you for responding to us. You are correct that Boston and Bibb lettuces are types of Butterheads, and your original clueing is a far more accurate portrayal of the lexicon than what the replacement clue was. Now if you can just get “Hockey move = DEKE” past Mr. Williams……
@dennis- I am truly sorry for your loss. Although not old enough to have been a part of that, I am all to familiar with the history and it’s consequences It’s sad, but Vietnam is as far away to today’s generation as WWII was to us, although I think we appreciated their sacrifice, whereas today it’s just a backdrop for video games.
Crockett: thanks for the invite..sadly I am going to a girlfriend's house during those hours or I'd be there for sure! I live fairly close to Laurelhurst. Lola, Her house is in Hillsboro, so I suppose while you're on you're way to the park, I'll be passing you:)
We should all try to get together soon though, would be fun!
To Lois (at 4:44) are you saying you are classified by the Navy as a "friendly Port?" :)
Melissa,
Food/Money: Not in China. And cabbage (chou) is "honey" in French.
Doesitinink 8:43am.
I don't understand your teepee/wigwam joke. Why did the psychiatrist say: “I know what your problem is! You are just too tense!”?
Barry G,
What's the connection between Klingons & Furries?
Clear Ayes,
Geoduck: Goodness gracious, what a clam!
Dennis,
I am so sorry for your loss. Would I make you happy if I tell you I vodka you?
Xchefwalt,
DEKE: I was so pleasantly surprised that you remembered Barry Silk's last grid.
Barry Silk,
Thank you so much for visiting us today.
Dennis - here's to Burnsie and the rest. Hell of a job you guys did that did not get the recognition it deserved. I think that is changing somewhat but am not sure. I hope it is. My condolences.
C.C. - a teepee and a wigwam can be thought of as a tent of sorts (like you use to go camping). So the doctor is telling him he is two (2) tents (too tense).
Barry G,
What's the connection between Klingons & Furries?
I refer you to the official Geek Hierarchy chart.
People who dress up as Klingons and go to conventions, speak the language, get married in full Klingon regalia, etc., are pretty low down on the chart in terms of the number of people who think they are geeks. But even they look down upon those who dress up in animal costumes (especially those who get an erotic thrill out if it).
My point was that it's always interesting when multiple groups get lumped together for ridicule and one group protests the label while acknowledging that the other groups are deserving of it.
Buckeye, I think I understand what you are asking about a photo. You need to go your own "Buckeye Blogger" (just click on your own name on this blog) and click on "Edit Your Profile". You can then add any information you want to share with all your curious blogging neighbors. About halfway down the page is a place to upload a photo from your own computer. I don't know where you keep your photos, you may have to "browse". (I keep photos in My Pictures Folder in My Documents and you may too) I hope that helps.
If your second question is how to add a blue underlined link for a photo or another site, there are instructions on C.C. main page on the right side "How To Add A Link To The Comments Section". A link can be a web photo or another website URL. You may have to play with it, I know I did. Just like so many things in life, once you practice a little bit, you'll get the hang of it. :o)
csw in ky
Another slang term for a dollar is
BUCK.
2 bits is 25 cents
Think nickel means something other than 5 cents as I've heard the term in movies - a nickel bag of coke. ?? and maybe even dime bag ?? Anyone know the amount referred to?
Anon: csw in ky: a dime bag used to be an ounce, as I remember, but that was before the wheel was discovered.
Carol: I may be considered to be a 'friendly port' only b/c I'll let Dennis be the one to 'make the WAVES'. They're not my type.
Barry G,
Xie Xie!
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