Theme: CHECK (28D: Word after 21A, 39A 54A, 3D and 30D)
21A: Carolyn Gold Heilbrun's pen name: AMANDA CROSS
39A: Resting place of the Edmund Fitzgerald: LAKE BED
54A: Some time: QUITE A SPELL
3D: Painter's application: FINISH COAT
30D: On-screen stand-in: BODY DOUBLE
What is COAT CHECK? I've never heard of it before. Nor have I heard of BED CHECK. BAD CHECK yes.
I thought of RAINCHECK, PAYCHECK and BACKGROUND CHECK, what other *CHECK phrases can you think of?
Very interesting theme. I like how CHECK is placed in the grid. Like Dennis, I prefer the defining entry to be structured in the middle rather than at the lower right corner, unless it's word END.
The clue for QUAG (54D: Bog) needs an abbreviation hint. And the clue for IOU (26A: Debt chit) is simply unacceptable, as CHIT is the answer for (19A: Voucher: CHIT). I am certain this is not the constructor's error. Just another botched effort from our editor. He seems to be very absent-minded in his editing.
I had a hard time this morning. Somehow I could not focus on solving this puzzle. I don't know why, too many proper names perhaps.
Across:
1A: Put off: DEFER. Shakespeare said: "DEFER no time, delays have dangerous ends."
14A: "Crazy" singer: CLINE (Patsy). Here is the song. I've never heard of it before. Did you know that Willie Nelson originally titled the song "Stupid"? Maybe it is "Stupid" to be so crazy in love. Oh, by the way, what does Forrest Gump mean by saying "Stupid is as stupid does"?
16A: Natural tone: ECRU. I thought of NUDE first.
17A: Virtual certainty: CINCH. I tend to confuse CINCH with CLINCH.
20A: Pilot's gauge: ASI (Airspeed Indicator). No idea. Barry Silk mentioned last time that our editor does not allow partial fills, just AS I thought. What a pity!
24A: Favorite to win: BEST BET
27A: Boondocks possessive: HIS'N. This Li'l Abner talks stump me all the time.
28A: Own-kind feeder: CANNIBAL. I did not understand the clue until I obainted CANNIBAL.
45A: Author of "The Swiss Family Robinson": WYSS (Johann David). Foreign to me. Wikipedia says his novel is based on Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe". Also, WYSS' son, Johann Rudolf WYSS, wrote the Swiss national anthem.
46A: Like some missiles: ANTI-TANK. Is this video real?
62A: Circuit: AMBIT. This is a new word to me.
64A: Violinist Leopold: AUER. I can never remember his name. He wrote "Violin Playing as I Teach It".
66A: French city on the Deule: LILLE. The textile city. Charles de Gaulle was born here. He did possess some TACT (65A: Savoir-faire), didn't he?
67A: Crimebuster: G-MAN. I still wanted some sort of "abbr." hint in the clue.
Down:
1D: 1983 Mr. T flick: D. C. CAB. Unknown to me. See the poster. Have you seen the movie?
2D: Beethoven's "Fur ___": ELISE. Here is "Fur ELISE" from a 8-year old.
5D: 12-step plans: REHABS
10D: New enlistee: RECRUIT. I like Colin Farrel/Al Pacino movie "The RECRUIT".
12D: Writer Murdoch: IRIS. I think I love van Gogh's IRIS. A puzzle without a flower is not appealing to me now.
22D: High-IQ crew: MENSA. "Stupid"! Dennis.
29D: Actress Jessica: ALBA. Wow, that's one daring shirt!
34D: Tennis situation: AD IN
36D: Blood-related: AKIN
39D: Shop machine: LATHE. What kind of shop?
40D: Actress Georgia: ENGEL. No idea. Wikipedia says she is in "The Mary Tyler Moore Show"
43D: Actor who is Sissy Spacek's cousin: RIP TORN. I did not know this trivia. What a strange name he has.
49D: "Deck the Halls" syllables: LALALA. Why? What is "Deck the Halls"?
51D: Piquant: ZESTY. There seems to be always a ZEST or ZESTY in Parrish's puzzle.
52D: Tremulous sound: TRILL. I did not know the meaning of "Tremulous".
57D: "Major Barbara" playwright: SHAW. The only SHAW play I know is "Pygmalion". This collection must be worth lots of money now. Do you collect first edition books?
63D: Shuffle: MIX. Or the surname of this oater cowboy.
C.C.
21A: Carolyn Gold Heilbrun's pen name: AMANDA CROSS
39A: Resting place of the Edmund Fitzgerald: LAKE BED
54A: Some time: QUITE A SPELL
3D: Painter's application: FINISH COAT
30D: On-screen stand-in: BODY DOUBLE
What is COAT CHECK? I've never heard of it before. Nor have I heard of BED CHECK. BAD CHECK yes.
I thought of RAINCHECK, PAYCHECK and BACKGROUND CHECK, what other *CHECK phrases can you think of?
Very interesting theme. I like how CHECK is placed in the grid. Like Dennis, I prefer the defining entry to be structured in the middle rather than at the lower right corner, unless it's word END.
The clue for QUAG (54D: Bog) needs an abbreviation hint. And the clue for IOU (26A: Debt chit) is simply unacceptable, as CHIT is the answer for (19A: Voucher: CHIT). I am certain this is not the constructor's error. Just another botched effort from our editor. He seems to be very absent-minded in his editing.
I had a hard time this morning. Somehow I could not focus on solving this puzzle. I don't know why, too many proper names perhaps.
Across:
1A: Put off: DEFER. Shakespeare said: "DEFER no time, delays have dangerous ends."
14A: "Crazy" singer: CLINE (Patsy). Here is the song. I've never heard of it before. Did you know that Willie Nelson originally titled the song "Stupid"? Maybe it is "Stupid" to be so crazy in love. Oh, by the way, what does Forrest Gump mean by saying "Stupid is as stupid does"?
16A: Natural tone: ECRU. I thought of NUDE first.
17A: Virtual certainty: CINCH. I tend to confuse CINCH with CLINCH.
20A: Pilot's gauge: ASI (Airspeed Indicator). No idea. Barry Silk mentioned last time that our editor does not allow partial fills, just AS I thought. What a pity!
24A: Favorite to win: BEST BET
27A: Boondocks possessive: HIS'N. This Li'l Abner talks stump me all the time.
28A: Own-kind feeder: CANNIBAL. I did not understand the clue until I obainted CANNIBAL.
45A: Author of "The Swiss Family Robinson": WYSS (Johann David). Foreign to me. Wikipedia says his novel is based on Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe". Also, WYSS' son, Johann Rudolf WYSS, wrote the Swiss national anthem.
46A: Like some missiles: ANTI-TANK. Is this video real?
62A: Circuit: AMBIT. This is a new word to me.
64A: Violinist Leopold: AUER. I can never remember his name. He wrote "Violin Playing as I Teach It".
66A: French city on the Deule: LILLE. The textile city. Charles de Gaulle was born here. He did possess some TACT (65A: Savoir-faire), didn't he?
67A: Crimebuster: G-MAN. I still wanted some sort of "abbr." hint in the clue.
Down:
1D: 1983 Mr. T flick: D. C. CAB. Unknown to me. See the poster. Have you seen the movie?
2D: Beethoven's "Fur ___": ELISE. Here is "Fur ELISE" from a 8-year old.
5D: 12-step plans: REHABS
10D: New enlistee: RECRUIT. I like Colin Farrel/Al Pacino movie "The RECRUIT".
12D: Writer Murdoch: IRIS. I think I love van Gogh's IRIS. A puzzle without a flower is not appealing to me now.
22D: High-IQ crew: MENSA. "Stupid"! Dennis.
29D: Actress Jessica: ALBA. Wow, that's one daring shirt!
34D: Tennis situation: AD IN
36D: Blood-related: AKIN
39D: Shop machine: LATHE. What kind of shop?
40D: Actress Georgia: ENGEL. No idea. Wikipedia says she is in "The Mary Tyler Moore Show"
43D: Actor who is Sissy Spacek's cousin: RIP TORN. I did not know this trivia. What a strange name he has.
49D: "Deck the Halls" syllables: LALALA. Why? What is "Deck the Halls"?
51D: Piquant: ZESTY. There seems to be always a ZEST or ZESTY in Parrish's puzzle.
52D: Tremulous sound: TRILL. I did not know the meaning of "Tremulous".
57D: "Major Barbara" playwright: SHAW. The only SHAW play I know is "Pygmalion". This collection must be worth lots of money now. Do you collect first edition books?
63D: Shuffle: MIX. Or the surname of this oater cowboy.
C.C.
Your comments really show how little you know.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous @ 6:03am,
ReplyDeleteThe same to you!
Argyle,
Thank you for the theme clues/answers. Sounds fun. I hope you enjoyed it. As for the "52 of a Kind", Stan wrote back to me and said "I suppose all the answers in the puzzle are theme entries, but of course this is a special case."
Good morning, C.C. & DF's.
ReplyDeleteLet me start off with this. Anonymous at 6:03 a.m. - stay the hell off of this site you cowardly, no show yourself S.O.B.!!! Your comment more appropriately shows how little you know!!! If you have any 'nads click on my name and you can e-mail me with what you want to say and I will respond.
Chit as both a clue and an answer? Didn't like that.
Coat check is where you "check" your coat or garment, often at a restaurant and receive a receipt so you can retrieve your coat after the meal (or function). Bed check - checking on, e.g., your kids to make sure they are asleep.
Put in A-Team at first then remembered DC Cab. Also starred Adam Baldwin.
I'm going to get this posted and then take a break. That MF at 6:03 really pissed me off.
I will tell you what today is later.
Dr. Dad,
ReplyDeleteI had a total blackout on COAT CHECK this morning. But really I've never heard of "BED CHECK" before.
KittyB,
What's the meaning of "glad tiding"?
JD,
What is "oh-lay,oh-lay oh-lay"?
Carol,
What is "'Course Phycho" at your 3:19pm comment yesterday?
Good morning CC etal,
ReplyDeleteNot too bad today, although "defer" eluded me, "ambit" was new, and the theme took a while to present.
Was reviewing yesterday:
@ KitttyB - pun was great and brought back memories of college when our motto was "buy as much as you can with as little as possible" and so Schlitz was a regular (as was Pearl, Rolling Rock, and Bud Lite).
@ CC - "I am the Walrus" (Beatles tune)
also @ CC from today - "bed Check" is something that coaches of athletic teams do - check players rooms to make sure their "in bed" by whatever curfew has been established prior to a road game.
Hope all have a great Monday!
PS - @ DrDad - there's a lot of kooks out there in the world - don't let them ruin your day. Small minds should be ignored.
Morning, all!
ReplyDeleteI managed to finish this one unassisted, but it was quite a slog and, on the whole, not that enjoyable. I agree 100% about chit showing up twice. QUAG, however, is a word all by itself and is not an abbreviation of quagmire, if that's what you were thinking.
The words I didn't know this time around were ASI, WYSS and AMANDA CROSS. I knew LILLE and AMBIT, but they weren't readily available to my recall this morning. I really wanted CONIC for 23D, since CONED doesn't mean anything to me.
And now, to answer some questions...
"Deck the Halls" is a traditional Christmas carol, with a refrain that goes "FA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA."
"Stupid is as stupid does" means that you should be judged by your actions and not your IQ.
RIP TORN is a fairly well-known character actor whose real name is Elmore Rual Torn, Jr. If you ever saw "Men In Black", he played the boss of the secret organization ("Agent Zed").
Oh -- and thank you VERY much for the picture of Jessica ALBA! There's nothing daring about her shirt -- she just "forgot" to wear anything underneath it... ^_^
ReplyDelete"Age does not protect you from love. But love, to some extent, protects you from age."
ReplyDelete=Anais Nin
3D- I kept thinking of first coat, but not enough letters.
ASI is a term used for speed indicator in a plane.
In general, fair. I'm not into pseudonyms or names of actors, etc.
drdad,
Here's another photo of a cluster, but ??? name.
Oh, and C. C. --
ReplyDeleteI also heard back from Stan, who just said, "That puzzle has 52 L's, hence the title." I was tempted to write back and say what a boneheaded theme that was, but I decided to be nice and just thank him for his response...
Today is Elephant Appreciation Day and Dear Diary Day. The Band-Aid was invented on this day in 1920. The U.S. Post Office opened on this day in 1789.
ReplyDeleteI was trying to think of something to rate the anonymous early post, but I think drdad said it all. But mr anonymous, if you ever do figure out how to choose an identity and select a name, I think "Jerk" would be appropriate.
ReplyDeleteflyingears - that is a photo of Supernova Remnant Cassiopeia A. It is the youngest known remnant from a supernova explosion in the Milky Way.
ReplyDeleteMorning all,
ReplyDeleteI really bombed on this one. Just could not get it going. Started it at 5:30 a.m. and got very little; put it aside and still didn't do much better when I picked it up.
@flyingears your quote "Age does not protect you from love. But love, to some extent, protects you from age."
=Anais Nin, reminds me of a couple we met on our trip. They met at a nursing home where their respective spouses were suffering from Alzheimers. After the death of their spouses, they found love at the age of 80. They had the energy and happiness of any newlyweds I have ever met. Love their story.
September 22, 2008 7:20 AM
BTW - cokato sent me something last Friday and, being a chemist, I thought I/we would share it with you. Hope you find it humorous.
ReplyDeleteHell
We had bed check in the army. Life was extremely difficult (that is mild) if you were not in bed!
ReplyDeleteI wanted 3D to be primer coat so the NE corner was the last part to get completed.
Just 100 days left in 2008! Who says time doesn't fly?
Anonymous should stay anonymous! Don't want to know this person.
After a lot of changing, crossing out, writing over and generally making a mess of the paper, not only did I fill in the blanks, but they were right!!! (I think. I can't read a lot of it!)28a threw me for a while, Then I figured out 30d to be BODYDOUBLE instead of UNDERSTUDY.
ReplyDeleteThat change helped the SE corner a lot.
Thought 39a should have indicated an abbreviation for LAKESUP. Finally woke up to LAKEBED. That helped the middle. Face it, I needed help all the through. BUT, there were no “G” spots. If I had used “G” I might have a little more hair left and been done a little quicker.
Gotta go spackle the ceiling we put up yesterday.
CY’all later
CC:
ReplyDeletePlease delete "anon @ 6:03" if you can - I try to check in regularly and that first comment is offensive. Thanks.
DrDad & Cokato: Hilarious! That's exactly how I would have answered!!!!?????
ReplyDeleteMost I've laughed in QUITEASPELL!
Good morning Cc and DFs. Not too bad today but I did get off to a poor start with the NW corner. I had to go back later to complete that area. I had to see Mr. G a couple of times as I did not know Wyss, Amanda Cross or Lille otherwise the perps solved any problems.
ReplyDeleteGuess I will not comment on anons 6:03 entry.
This looks like it will be a great weather week in the Berg so there should be lots of golf. Hope everyone has a great day.
Bed check is a military thing, to make sure every one is in bed at 10 pm. Coat checks are an old thing back probably pre 60's. if you went in fancy restaurant you had your coat "checked" at the door by a person who ran the coat check room. Your coat was hung up for you and watched by a person and you received a number to indicate which was yours like a parking valet.
ReplyDeleteGood morning, c.c. and gang - early morning workout this morning, so I'm just getting to it.
ReplyDeleteA real thinker for me this morning; didn't have to resort to the g-spot, but it was by no means a snap. Enjoyed this one.
Looks like everything's been answered, so I'll go back to Alba's blouse for a while.
And c.c., anon@6:03 is clearly suffering from a severe case of jealousy -- the mere fact that you have over 600,000 hits on this blog says all that needs be said. You're always going to have dolts sniping over your success. Just another coward.
Hope it's a bearable Monday for everyone; and make sure you appreciate your elephants today. I suspect Lois will be shaking lots of trunks...
ANON @6:03. Before you spout your opinions all over everyone, please
ReplyDeleteread C.C.'s profile. You'll be moderately surprised that as a relative newcomer to our country,
and our language, she has applied herself to not only learning the language, but is not afraid to inquire of the blog posters when there is something she doesn't quite grasp.
AND, although we joke around a lot, EVERYONE here tries to help her, and anyone else, understand the ways of the english language.
That being said, I firmly believe the reverse of your statement is true. YOU are the one who needs to avail yourself of the tools to enhance your knowledge of the people here.
To anon. Ditto all the above comments--c.c. has only been here since 2001, and we have the utmost respect for her tenacity in learning our language and about our culture in so short a time. If you had any sensitivity or culture yourself, and if you had any idea what this entails, you'd shut up.
ReplyDeletec.c., As a teacher who took 12 different groups of kids to Europe over the years, I can tell you I did a lot of bed checks. We even threatened to seal the doors with duct tape after curfew, to be sure they didn't leave their rooms, although we never did so.
Just finished class an hour ago, had dinner and read all the comments.
ReplyDelete"Put off" threw me. I considered AVOID but then changed it to DELAY after I wrote in ARRival for "Bus. ltr. abbr." I thought it said "bus itr. abbr." and that "bus itr." meant "bus itinerary". I didn't read it as "business letter" until just now. Why couldn't it be clued as "business letter abbreviation"? I pretty much drew a blank on the entire NW corner: at least I knew that 3D was ******COAT.
I got REIN from the perps and then realized that "Bridle strap" had nothing to do with brides! I was trying to think of a four letter word for garter!
As soon as I saw the clue for 26A I thought "If CHIT is both the answer for 19A and the clue for 26A then C.C. is going to be pissed!"
I was able to get BODY DOUBLE right away so I went back and filled in CROSS for 28D. Then I got AMANDA CROSS from the perps and thought "@#$%! @#$%! @#$%!" because I knew CROSS CROSS made no sense at all.
I was unsure of the meaning of countenance so I had FACT instead of FACE and HIT instead of TIE. I also had A TIE for "Tennis situation". I don't understand AD IN. Maybe anonymous@6:03 can come back and tell me how stupid I am. :/
A lathe is a machine in a metal works shop, IIRC. I do believe it is used to wear down metal so that two pieces of metal can fit snugly together. I could be wrong about this: it was a long time ago that I took shop class in junior high school.
I wrote ETO instead of EDO. I guess I was thinking of Judge Ito, the judge in the O. J. Simpson trial. It made sense because I had A TIE instead of AD IN, as I said earlier.
I had NTH for a while but I remembered we had the clue "high degree" before and NTH wasn't the answer. I got PHD from the perp LATHE. (You could say I wore him down and got him to talk. Ouch! Bad pun!)
It took me a while to get ZEALOTS because I had SPICY instead of ZESTY. At least I knew what "piquant" meant.
For quite some time I had *****ASPELL. When QUITE came to me I was able to solve the entire SW corner because I knew 54D had to be QU**.
The clue "Blood-related" threw me too: I wrote in HEMO and thought that was a gimme. Sometimes a science background helps and sometimes it just makes you think in strange ways.
I didn't like the clue "Hi IQ crew" because "crew" implies "team" and mensa is a club.
The "Boondocks possessive" clue and answer HISN appeared a month ago.
I had ORBIT instead of AMBIT but I got AMBIT from the perps. Students might have wondered why I was singing "Fa la la la la la la la la" in September.
I finally got a playwright name clue. I got PICA from the perps. According to wikipedia, "A pica (IPA: /ˈpaɪkə/) is a typographic unit of measure corresponding to 1/72nd of its respective foot, and therefore to 1/6th of an inch." This is not to be confused with "a picometre (American spelling: picometer, symbol pm)... a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one trillionth (1/1000000000000) of a metre".
I wanted ELAN instead of TACT for "savoir-faire". "Savoir-faire" literally means "to know how to do".
I got AUER and LILLE from the perps.
A student told me there was a website with Chinese crossword puzzles. I asked her to e-mail me the address. It should be interesting.
I picked up a Taiwan News today at the school where I take Chinese. The Taipei Times has the Chicago Tribune puzzle and it is obviously up to date. The Taiwan News _also_ has the Chicago Tribune puzzles but they are from 2003. So, no, I don't get the New York Times puzzle here.
Martin
C.C.,
ReplyDeleteWas it Patsy Cline and not Patsy Kline? Because You said 1D was DC CAB.
The clue for LAKEBED was "resting place..." and not "testing place..." I get it. Edmund Fitzgerald was the name of a boat that sake in a lake (I assume).
Martin
It must be Patsy Cline, not Kline. I was lost for most of the NW corner.
ReplyDeleteTo those kind souls Carl and Melissa B
my problem is that the site does not recognize my password (I have tried two) and I can't figure out how to find out what it wants. It does not offer "you are posted as Sallie" as it used to. I have no known account to
go to. Thank you for your offers of help.
Good morning, C.C. and clan. Like many of you, I had to work for this one. I wanted orbit for circuit, but 49D took care of that. I wanted understudy too, but saw axels had to be in 69D.
ReplyDelete@C.C A lathe is a machine that holds a piece of wood or metal horizontally. A motor or foot pedal spins it at slow speeds on its axis.
With cutting knives, the worker can create various patterns in the material. Look at any round table leg and you'll get the idea, I think. I have a lathe, but so far have only practiced getting a good round shape. They are used in woodshops and metal or machine shops.
Before electric motors, the worker would use his foot to operate a treadle or foot-pedal to drive the lathe. By rocking the treadle with his foot, he could drive a pulley mechanism to rotate the material.
The products are "turned" on a lathe, so a lathe product would be a "turning." Class, pay attention, it'll be in a crossword some day.
@Carol: Here is my Manicotti recipe.
Veggie manicotti.
Turn oven on to 350 and get moving.
Starting with boiling water, cook manicotti 7 according to the package. Rinse with cold water and set aside.
While the manicotti is cooking, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic; sauté five minutes, stirring a bit. Stir in spinach, stir for five minutes. Set aside to cool.
Beat two eggs in medium bowl (I use a Kitchen Aid mixer which is a bit big, but works)
Stir in ricotta, basil and salt.
Add mushroom mixture.
Spread ¾ cup of marinara sauce over bottom of 13” x 9” baking dish. Note, you can get aluminum baking dishes that are 13 x 9 from grocery stores. These are really handy if you are taking the dish to a potluck or similar places. If you have to leave early, you can abandon the pan.
Fill manicotti with mixture and place in dish. You can squeeze in about 12, but you’ll run out of mixture. 10 seems to feed four well with a bit left over for lunch the next day.
Pour remaining sauce over pasta and add the grated parmesan cheese on top.
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another five minutes or until cheese is melted.
I’ve made this recipe with home made marinara sauce and it works well too. The above is easier and faster, maybe 20 – 25 minutes or so, but I’ve done it in 15.
You can also make this with a ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan mix on top, Parsley works instead of basil as a substitute.
If you want your guests to smell the sauce cooking when they arrive, try Schilling’s spaghetti sauce package. It has fooled Italian husbands for decades.
@Carol
I too found the upper left corner to be a bit of a challenge. DC CAB was strictly a guess, but a correct one at that! And I managed to finish the puzzle before I got to the expressway, having started it at breakfast and finished it at stoplights.
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing Mr. T some years ago on a Chicago expressway driving his bright red, convertible Rolls Royce with the top down. He was driving conservatively in the right lane and was bedecked with copious amounts of gold jewelry. Quite a sight! As I recall, at that time he lived in a posh, north shore suburb where other residents were irate with him for having cut down a huge number of old-growth trees on his property.
Mama said "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all" - take heed anonymous 6:03.
ReplyDeleteJessica Alba! Did mama do a dress check before you left the house?
Didn't know D.C. Cab and struggled with the SW corner. It took me quite a spell to finish.
I had many of the same problems described by the rest of you today, but was so put out by anon, I forgot to enumerate them earlier. I googled quite a few. For resting place (39a) I was trying to find a lake name that would fit--it's actually Superior, but that wouldn't fit either. The the three blanks after lake gave it to me as a guess.
ReplyDelete@Drdad & Cokato: I had seen that explanation before, but it is still a great story; thanks for passing it along.
ReplyDeleteChris,
ReplyDeleteI did feel hurt this morning by anon's comment. But I think I have the courage to face it. I am so happy to hear from you regularly now. Have the workmen fixed your roof yet?
Barry,
Isn't Stan amazing? So responsive! Your ALBA comment surprised me. Are you aware of the dangerous road you are now taking?
Flyinggears,
You quoted the same line from Anais Nin several weeks ago. I will allow a mulligan. Why don't you take out your driver and aim straight at the ... flag?
Anon @ 6:03
ReplyDeleteI would like to see you match wits with C.C. on her ground. I don't think you would make first base.
Martin,
ReplyDeleteVery interesting take on HEMO. Sometimes knowing too much can indeed backfire. Now I've always enjoyed reading your comments, but your post @ 8:45am today is way too long. Have another look at Dr. Dad' 6:20am comment. That's the length I prefer. Does Taipei Times have a larger circulation than Taiwan News? I am surprised that none of them carries NYT puzzle.
Jimbo,
You are so sweet! You came, you saw and you conquered.
Calef & Lynn,
Both of you misplaced your posts on Sunday's blog.
kids
ReplyDeleteTrying to link for the first time.
c.c.
ReplyDeleteI'm gone for the day so you will have to ask someone else about what "Ballin the Jack" might mean. But I shall return to read the answers. (hee, hee, hee)
cocato: Very nice link! I smiled at more than a few of the pictures.
ReplyDeleteC.C.- The Ryder Cup has been on TV the last 3 days, and every time the U.S. would win the hole, the crowd would chant "O lay O lay". I assumed some others on the blog were watching too.My mailcarrier is very excited that it will be played in Wales in 2 yrs. He is Welsh ( as is my new son-in-law), and he is planning his trip already.TMI?
ReplyDeleteGood Morning All, Words I didn't know were WYSS, AUER and AMBIT. I'm not familiar with AMANDA CROSS either, The perps saved me in all cases and I was able to move along without too much of a bump in the road. Sorry Mr. T., but DC CAB was a pure guess.
ReplyDeleteA few years ago, the movie IRIS, starring Judy Dench and Kate Winslet, related the story of Ms. Murdoch's promising yourth and her later struggle with Alzheimer's Disease. I've never read any of her books....can't read everything.
C.C. Thank you again for the beautiful IRISes
One of G.A.H.'s favorite movies is "Cross Creek" with Mary Steenburgen and RIP TORN. He is a wonderful actor who can play serious drama or silly comedy equally well. His nickname is one that was passed down in his family. His father was a RIP too. RIP TORN was married for many years to actress Geraldine Page. They named their home "Torn Page".
BODY DOUBLE was a 1984 Brian DePalma movie. It was a murder-mystery that resembled a Hitchcock movie in some respects. It got mostly lousy reviews at the time, but over time has become a "cult" favorite.
Like Martin, I wasn't comfortable with "Savoir-faire" as a clue for TACT. I did fill it in it and googled, post puzzle. I was wrong. TACT is a primary definition.
Kazie, 12 trips to Europe with teenagers? And you lived to tell the tale? You are an admirable woman!
JD, Ryder Cup...Golf Addicted Husband was mostly glued to the tube this weekend.
Cokato, How could we not love those babies? (Well, maybe the 6:03 visitor.)
well said, Bill, at7:59!
ReplyDeleteo-lay o-lay o-lay
Good morning C.C. and all,
ReplyDeleteI had a devil of a time with this at first...coffee helped some, but it still took me forever and I never did figure out 54A. I have heard of quagmire but not "quag". I should have been able to get it and others with the fills, but nothing was coming to me. Oh well, some mornings are like that.
62A "ambit" was a new one to me.
Question, why are there 2 spellings of 6D "carat""karat"?
Drdad and Cokato, thanks for sending me to "hell". LOL
Bill @ 7:48 cute response!
Ken, your manicotti recipe sounds delicious too..I will try it! (try using a regular dinner fork to beat the eggs, it's lots easier than a big ol' mixer) :)
More later - my bicycle is calling me.
J.D,
ReplyDeleteNo, never TMI. Always enjoy your posts. But are you sure it's not "ole ole ole"?
Clear Ayes,
No poem?
Carol,
I am confused about CARAT & KARAT as well.
Bea,
Thank you for NoDak spuds information yesterday. I will have another look at our grocery store later.
cokato: You might enjoy this link of a song by Yves Duteil. Here are the lyrics and English translation in case you do not understand French:
ReplyDeletePrendre un enfant
...Take a child
Prendre un enfant par la main
...Take a child by the hand
Pour l'emmener vers demain
...to lead it toward tomorrow,
Pour lui donner la confiance en son pas
...to give it confidence in its stride,
Prendre un enfant pour un roi
...take a child for a king.
Prendre un enfant dans ses bras
...Take a child in your arms
Et pour la première fois
...and for the very first time -
Sécher ses larmes en étouffant de joie
...to dry your tears, overwhelmed (lit.: choked) with joy
Prendre un enfant dans ses bras
...take a child in your arms
Prendre un enfant par le coeur
...Take a child in your heart
Pour soulager ses malheurs
...to comfort its sorrows
Tout doucement sans parler, sans pudeur,
...very gently, without talking, without reluctance
Prendre un enfant sur son coeur
...take a child in your heart
Prendre un enfant dans ses bras
...Take a child in your arms
Mais pour la première fois
...and for the very first time
Verser des larmes en étouffant sa joie
...shedding tears, overwhelmed by joy
Prendre un enfant contre soi
...take a child in your arms
Prendre un enfant par la main
...Take a child by the hand
Et lui chanter des refrains
...and sing it a lullaby
Pour qu'il s'endorme à la tombée du jour
...to let it sleep at the end of the day
Prendre un enfant par l'amour
...Take a child with love
Prendre un enfant comme il vient
...take a child as it comes
Et consoler ses chagrins
...and comfort its griefs
Vivre sa vie des années, puis soudain
...Living your life for years, then suddenly
Prendre un enfant par la main
...take a child by the hand
En regardant tout au bout du chemin
...and, looking all the way to the end [of the road]
Prendre un enfant pour le sien.
...take a child as your own.
Sallie, keep trying those passwords. I always have to put my password in twice, sometimes 3 times, before it takes it.
ReplyDeleteMartin, your NW corner thought process sounds identical to mine.
4D completely stumped me. Ab. Abr. Abbr. Abbrev. are not my thing.
"Ad in" in tennis means that the player who is serving has the advantage. When the score is deuce (even score)and the server gets the next point he has the advantage. If the server loses that serve( point) it's an advantage for the other player.Why don't they just add on points instead of "ad ins" and "ad out"? I have no clue.
Hello everyone,
ReplyDeleteI am new to the comments page but have used C.C.'s site to check my answers for a long time.
What is a "perp"
Good morning, everyone! This one took some doing. The NW corner was the last to fall. I was about to head for the G-spot when I got BESTBET and then completed the corner.
ReplyDeleteDid not know AMANDA CROSS, LAKE BAY, WYSS, and struggled with ZEALOTS and WAL.
Looks like I messed up on the ENGEL/LAKE BED/CONED cross. Rats! Well, CONEY looked plausible to me!!
I would imagine that COAT CHECK and BED CHECK have been explained by now. I like your take on 16A! Thank you for the Jessica Alba link. WOW! Again, I think 39D and 49D will be answered by now. If not, I'll tackle them for you. I see the rat stuck his nose out of his hole again. Best to ignore.
@mama p A "perp" is a word that crossed the unknown word in the opposite perpendicular direction, usually allowing the unknown word to be discovered or revealed. It can be an across or a down.
Welcome, mama p, good of you to join us.
ReplyDelete'Perp' is short for 'perpendicular'; an across vs. a down, or vice versa.
Hi Mama P, Welcome to the blog. A "perp" is a perpendicular (up-down) word.
ReplyDeleteC.C. I didn't have a poem picked out for this morning. I usually look for those that are evocative of special times or feelings. This one isn't a happy poem, but one that may ring true with this morning's first poster.
Aaron Stark
Withal a meagre man was Aaron Stark, --
Cursed and unkempt, shrewd, shrivelled, and morose.
A miser was he, with a miser's nose,
And eyes like little dollars in the dark.
His thin, pinched mouth was nothing but a mark;
And when he spoke there came like sullen blows
Through scattered fangs a few snarled words and close,
As if a cur were chary of its bark.
Glad for the murmur of his hard renown,
Year after year he shambled through the town, --
A loveless exile moving with a staff;
And oftentimes there crept into his ears
A sound of alien pity, touched with tears, --
And then (and only then) did Aaron laugh.
-- Edwin Arlington Robinson
C.C.: I think 6:03 anon was talking to me. Yes, it is ole,ole.LOL! I just heard it, never saw it. LOL again.
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm afraid the anti-tank video is real. There are quite a few of those guns around. In fact, I have one, and that's why my boyfriend loves me.
ReplyDeleteHi All,
ReplyDeleteWell I had sure bet originally for 24A, NTH for 50A, TMan for 62A, Tasty for 51D. Ugh!! I knew I had problems and finally I changed my answers and things fell into place. I got "Check" early so that helped with many of them. I did google Auer, but that's all.
c.c.: How is the finger cut? Better. Ignore Anon at 6:03am. I don't understand people who comment only to say something rude!
KittyB: Didn't get to answer your question to me on Sat. My daughter will be interviewing in Nov-Jan timeframe. In March she will find out her "match" and will know where she will be going. She has received an interview at a hospital in Dallas and they will even pay for her hotel room, yea! She just sent 22 applications out to various places.
She still likes the idea of going up north so will let you know. Thanks for asking.
miss fubar (great name) is correct -- there's several different types of anti-tank weapons similar to that one. Some are wire-guided or laser-designated, both of which require keeping crosshairs on the target until impact, and some are 'fire-and-forget'. All create a bad day for the occupants.
ReplyDeleteWelcome mama p.
ReplyDeleteBill - on anon. Well said.
"balling the jack" has several meanings. None of them are used much these days, but maybe the expression may become more popular because of the recent novel, Balling the Jack, by Frank Baldwin. It's being made into a movie, starring Ben Affleck as a gambler, and the expression means "risking everything on one attempt" - in this case, he bets $40,000 on a dart game.
However, that's not the original meaning of the word. It was the name of a popular dance in 1913, which goes like this:
"First you put your two knees close up tight
Then you sway them to the left, then you sway them to the right
Step around the floor kind of nice and light
Then you twist around and twist around with all your might,
Stretch your loving arms straight out into space,
Then you do the Eagle Rock with style and grace.
Swing your foot way 'round then bring it back.
Now that's what I call Ballin' the Jack."
Later, the meaning was expanded from just "dancing" to "having a great time". Around the same time the song came out, the expression was used by railroad workers to mean "going at full speed." It's not clear whether the dance or railroad reference came first. And (if that's not enough) it's also been used to describe operating a jackhammer.
drdad,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info on the Supernova Remnant Cassiopeia A. I'm not into the stars, but when I checked this site, I thought you would enjoy it...
Agree with your dumping on ass-nonymous at 6:03. His input is immature and offensive. His approach is off and I wish he would just let go and leave C.C. and us alone... I wish ass-nonymous were a golf ball teed up to tee it off with my driver and let C.C. hit it with a 3 iron... into the hell "hole"... I think he's enjoying his miss-use of this site to no one's benefit. C.C. should just let go and not worry. She takes it too personally and the ass-nonymous isn't worth her time.
C.C.,
Newsday.com puzzle was easy today and helped my ego after today's Parrish's.
mamap,
A perp is for "perplexed" Not really. It's just a helping clue from the other words matching the word one is looking for (the PERPendicular???). I think Barry explained a couple of weeks ago and I can't remember exactly the defining use.
"Living never wore one out so much as the effort not to live."
ReplyDelete=Anais Nin
C.C.,
Sorry... Here's another one from Anais Nin. I took your suggestion, Why don't you take out your driver and aim straight at the ... flag? And it worked!!! I made a hole-in-one!!!
doesitinink, I loved the song and the link. I was unfamiliar with Yves Duteil. One of my favorites is Georges Moustaki, but most of his are love songs--not about children.
ReplyDeleteClear ayes, The last trip was why I decided I was getting too old for the job any more--I stepped off a curb in Paris and broke my ankle. Fortunately three other chaperones were able to take over the last two days there, and get them to our sister school in Germany where the Germans took the reins. I spent a week in hospital, enjoying the best institutional food I've ever had, and better care than you can get here. So after one more year teaching, I threw in the towel!
J.D,
ReplyDeleteYou would not believe it, but Dennis has reprogrammed me to think "o-lay, o-lay, o-lay" in a very DF way. That's why I asked you the question.
Missfubar,
Thank you for the response on ANTI TANK. Your name sounds very DF, and to quote Dick, "that's a good thing". Welcome aboard!
Gatormom,
My finger is almost healed. I can handle flower/flour with no problem now. Thank you for asking.
Flyingears,
You are a hard man, and I am convinced that you are not easily worn out. A hole-in-one quote indeed. See, you have to aim at the flag!!
mark - Buenos Aires
ReplyDeletec.c. do you get the right answers from the source before you post? I was sure you were wrong (but I have never found you out to be) re ambit - to me ambit is like, in my capacity, eg its in my ambit to hire this fellow. So I had orbit, as another poster did, not knowing much of cards, rix looked ok for shuffle, and I thought of the kinks La Lola song and decided that was what it was all about. All wrong! doh!
Is mannicotti animal, vegetable or mineral? It looks a good recipe but ignorance of the principle ingredient floors me.
Like others I was glued to the tele watching the Ryder Cup - there were so much emotion, one minute in heaven, and the next in the depths of despair. The problem was I needed a drink to celebrate the ups and another to drown out the downs.
We celebrated the first day of Spring here yesterday, every man and his dog was out somewhere picnicing, celebrating with friends etc
re the first comment, I think all here know that we know little in the great order of things, but everyday we all try to learn a little more, it means we encompass life, while others merely degenerate it.
have a good day to all.
8:14 today Nothing especially difficult, but I didn't know AMANDA CROSS, AUER or SHAW (I'm not so great on names, it seems). I had ORBIT instead of AMBIT for 62a: Circuit for a while.
ReplyDeleteGot errands so have to run.
Kazie: I too love George Moustaki. I heard his music for the first time in the early 1970s in Athens and still enjoy listening to it. My favorites of his songs are Le Metique and En Mediterranee.
ReplyDeleteGudday c.c., df'd, and fellow kh's. I feel good that most of you shared the same problems with this puzzle as I. Not good that you had problems but that they were the same ones I had. N.W. corner was the last to fall. 1(d) Mr.T flick, and Finishcoat gave me fits, but finally got it without "G".
ReplyDeleteIke treated us in the S.W. Ohio area like we had a hole in our shoe. No rain (thank God) but winds up to 75 MPH. A real mess with 600,000 peeps w/o electricity. When my county had all but 1500 back on line, they finally got to our area. Eight days and one hour w/o elec. Came back on about 18 hrs. ago. They combined four local papers into one and didn't put in any of the puzzles. Bummer!!!
Off to do five loads of laundry, and shopping at $ stores, Lowes, and Kroger's for all my necessary "STUFF". Hope to get back into my routine in two or three days.
Adios amoebas!!
I must be off!!!
Kazie...and BTB George Moustaki had an affair with Edith Piaf in the late 1950s. Small world.
ReplyDeleteBuckeye, so glad to see you back with us...and not too much more the worse for wear.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to post a more upbeat poem today. I hope C.C. and any other non-native English speakers will enjoy this sentiment. It even applies to the feeling all crossword fans get when the "light bulb moment" occurs and the previously unknown word falls into place.
About Getting The Exact Word In English
Only when you've felt what it's like:
The wind whistling on your face
And stepping unshod on wet green grass
And wearing warm gloves on a cold day
And have eaten the very first bite
Of a huge purple grape,
Only then will you know what it is like
To grasp the exact word and make
What you want to say better
All this happens of a sudden
And then it is again
That anxious moment of search
Which flows into that moment
When you can clench
The exact word again
And so goes language
As a vicious circle that holds you.
-- Miguel Ángel Muñoz Lobo
Mark,
ReplyDeleteYes! I always confirm my fills with the online answers. I've never heard of mannicotti before. Happy Spring!
Dr. Dad,
Thanks for "balling the jack". How about "PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ for the clue "Astaire dance number in "Blue Skies""? What does PUTTIN' mean?
Buckeye,
I am thrilled to see you back. So sorry for the troubles you've been through.
doesitinink, I also got to know him in 1970, grace à l'assistante espagnole, who had an LP of his when I was an English assistant in Montpellier. I spent countless hours transcribing the lyrics of the whole thing after copying it onto a cassette. These days you can just google and get them all, of course--how times have changed! I love them all, notably La Carte du Tendre, Ma Solitude, Le Temps de Vivre, and for fun, Les Amis de Georges (Brassens). I can't pick just one or two!
ReplyDeleteI sailed through the top half of the puzzle today, then hit the brakes. I didn’t know the violinist Leopold Auer or Lille, and didn’t know Rip Torn is Sissy Spacek’s cousin. Quag was a reach, and undo didn’t translate as ‘bring to ruin.” It was still a pleasant experience. Also didn’t know Johan Wyss or ambit.
ReplyDeletePatsy Cline was a fabulously talented singer, with a tragic life. K.D. Lang can sing Patsy Cline songs so well that you can’t tell the difference between the two. She sang with the Honky-tonk Angels (older country stars Brenda Lee, Kitty Wells, and Loretta Lynn,) and it’s a riot to watch on youtube. My late husband thought he hated country music till he saw the movie ‘Crazy”, then he bought every Patsy Cline album he could find.
C.C.
Illegitimi non carborundum (mock latin for Don't let the bastards wear you down) was a sign that hung on the wall in my late hubby’s office, and it’s good advice for when someone is trying to ruin your day. (My husband became Saint Thomas to me after he died; even the bad times seem good now.)
Sally, doesn’t blogger give you the option to ‘find’ your id/password and have it emailed to you? I have days when my memory freezes, and I have to just ask. I’ve also miss-typed one or the other, and the auto-fill keeps supplying the error, adding to the confusion.
Dr. Dad, things for Ballin’ the Jack; it brought back fond memories.
doesitinink, Did you ever see the original film about Piaf, Je ne regrette rien? He appears briefly as they are going through the lyrics of Milord, which he wrote for her. it doesn't surprise me that they had an affair--I think she did with all her writers, except Michel Emer--according to him in the film at least.
ReplyDeleteBarb b, I'm not a big C & W fan but The Honky-Tonk Angels is wonderful. I am a big k.d. lang fan. Her version of Roy Orbison's Cryin' is terrific.
ReplyDeleteC.C. - puttin' is putting as in putting on clothes. In fact, "Puttin' on the Ritz" is slang for meaning to dress fashionably.
ReplyDeleteClear Ayes
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting the link. I'. a fan of K.D. Lang too. Just shows that talent will shine, in any genre.
Good morning C.C. & all
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous 6:03 - If I may put this delicately; Everybody's got
an opinion! Today, yours is worth just about as much as the thought you put into it. To quote Bill White: "The next time you have a thought, FORGET IT!" Maybe, for you I should explain who Bill White is? There! 'Nuff said on that(for me anyway).
@C.C. Don't let one coward bring you down! I've got the same plaque as barb b's late husband in my home office. Sometimes though, it's difficult to see.
This puzzle was difficult for me to get into. I think it was the same problem everyone else seemed to have from your comments. The west tortured me with false starts. I knew Patsy Cline(I love her music - too bad it was cut short) but couldn't figure out whether it was the first or last name wanted(both five letters). Didn't have a clue on DCCab... had to resort to G. That really took the fun out! And then I had to make several more trips to solve total blocks. I had no problem with cannibal because the perps filled it in for me. The southeast zealots/zesty junction stopped me for a while also - I wanted tasty. I knew Georgia Engel - she played the 'ditsy blonde' wife of Ted Baxter on the MTM show. Cute & much smarter that the role she had to play... but Baxter wasn't a rocket scientist on the show. Their roles were a great pairing.
@c.c. A lathe can be either for metalworking or for woodworking but one cannot be used for the other. They are used in fabrication of parts.
39A prompted this link - I can't think of the Edmund Fitzgerald without linking it to Gordon Lightfoot. So...
Edmund Fitzgerald
@sallie - you will probably need to go into your account and reset your password by supplying the answer to your security question. If your present password(as you know it)isn't getting you in, that will be the only way to solve the problem. To get in, you will need to log in with the email address you used to set up the account. Once again, I offer my email contact if you wish to use it to have behind the scenes help.
I hope y'all have a good day. I'm still running around like a chicken with its... oh you know the rest!
ttfn
@Clear Ayes: The first is certainly a maudlin mood-setter, but the second one is a charmer. I admire the richness of your background in poetry.
ReplyDelete@Sallie: I don't know if others have password problems, but I do from time to time. I found out that if I log into google first, then call up the C.C.'s blog, I get the "currently posting as Ken" message. Hope this helps.
Sallie, try this. Below the "Leave Your comment" square, it reads "No Google Account?" Click the blue underlined "Sign up here". At the top of the next page is a blue underlined "sign in first". Click on that. On the right side of the screen, type in your User name/email address. There is a "Forgot your password?" line, click there and follow directions to get your password sent to you. Let us know if that helps.
ReplyDeleteThis puzzle went remarkably well for me. The ones I didn't know were filled in with the crosses. I didn't like that the theme answer was so high up in the grid though. Drdad, thank you for finally helping me learn how to link.for you drdad
ReplyDeletecokato - glad to be of help. I have the "Eye of God" in my photo gallery and have used it as background on my computer. I was going to the Hubble Telescope site for awhile to view all the neat images there. It looks like flyingears has found that site also. Thanks for sending me the link to that. It is an intriguing photo.
ReplyDeleteWatch out now fellow DF's. I've helped to create another "mad linker." LOL
@carl: As for 14a: "Crazy" singer being either CLINE or PATSY (same number of letters), in crosswordland, unless clued otherwise, the answer will always be the last name of the person--at least if the crossword is playing fair.
ReplyDeleteC.C. and Mark, Manicotti is pasta in the shape of a large tube..You can stuff it when uncooked or cook it in boiling water until flexible, drain, and stuff.
ReplyDeleteBuckeye, welcome back, I am so sorry for all the mess you have been through. I cannot imagine being without power for a week! Hope all is ok with your house.
Barb b and Clear ayes, I love kd lang too. She appears in the last tribute to Roy Orbison, entitled:"A Black and White Night". It's wonderful!
MamaP-welcome to our crazy and fun group.
Cokato, thanks for the sweet clip of the kids. :)
@embien
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip but (for me) recent cluing has deposited large chunks of doubt everywhere. Embien, I quote your words... "at least if the crossword is playing fair." Lately, there have been some pretty big stretches on clues and contradictory editorial revisions... hence the doubt.
It wasn't that big of a blockage... just temporary.
@buckeye - welcome back.
ttfn
Kazie: Can you give me more information about the film Je ne regrette rien? I am unable to find anything except some vague references to a 1961 documentary? Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThat is probably the one. It showed original footage of her life and interviews with people who mingled with her. It was all b/w and the footage was often fuzzy, but the music throughout was captivating and it really gave me a greater appreciation for her. I used it in class with upper level students as a culture enrichment activity. Then when we went to Père LaChaise cemetery in Paris, they didn't only want to see Jim Morrison's grave--they looked for hers as well!
ReplyDeletedoesitinink, I looked for it on Netflix, and they don't list it. It probably never made it onto DVD. The one I had at school was a VHS tape.
ReplyDeletedoesitinink, Here's a clip from the film, but it's been colored over: Piaf
ReplyDeletehello c.c. and all,
ReplyDeletea break between clients ...
didn't know ambit, chit or lille, took a swag for auer.
@buckeye: welcome back, glad you're ok.
@barry: df'ing again today i see. tee hee.
@carl: love lightfoot .. especially his early stuff. have lots of fond memories of his records being played by my parents.
my oldest and dearest friend starred in the long-running play 'always patsy cline' in chicago.
@barb b, clear ayes & carol: i'm also a big fan of kd lang .. her song 'barefoot' is one of my favorites.
@lois: i miss you!
back to work ....
"in crosswordland, unless clued otherwise, the answer will always be the last name of the person--at least if the crossword is playing fair"
ReplyDeleteIt depends. The clue was looking for a singer and there are a lot of singers with well known first names (Beyonce, Brandy, Britney, Celine, Whitney, Janet, Mariah, etc.)
Martin
doesitinink, the remake, "la vie en rose" might be a good substitute if you can't get your hands on the original. It was critically acclaimed with the star getting high praise. And Netflix does have it.
ReplyDeleteKazie & Doesitinink, Although I knew who Edith Piaf was, I really didn't appreciate her singing, or her life until I saw the movie, "La Vie En Rose". I made a point of buying one of her CD's. Jil Aigrot sang all of Piaf's songs for the movie. G.A.H. and I are going to see her in March. Here is her version of Padam.
ReplyDeleteI envy (not really) Kazie's experience with hôpital cuisine. Too bad you couldn't have enjoyed it outside.
Gonna check in then I gotta go again.
ReplyDeleteBusy Body Check Busy body / A meddling person; one who officiously concerns himself with the affairs of others. body check / n. A check, as in ice hockey, in which a player impedes another with his body.
Bright Spot Check Bright spot / a pleasant or successful event or period of time when most other things are unpleasant or not successful. spot check / noun: a check on work performance or product quality made at random times without warning
Virtual Reality Check Virtual reality / noun a hypothetical three-dimensional visual world created by a computer
reality check / n. An assessment to determine if one's circumstances or expectations conform to reality.
Doesitinink,
ReplyDeleteDid you live in Europe before? If so, how long?
Buckeye,
What is "Adios amoebas"?
Clear Ayes,
Very nice "About Getting The Exact Word In English" poem. So apt!
Barb B,
Thank you for "Illegitimi non carborundum".
Carl,
I liked the Edmund Fitzgerald link. Who is Bill White? "I'm still running around like a chicken with its... oh you know the rest! " What is the rest?
Melissa,
Thank you for the "Barefoot" link.
Embien,
I ditto your point on 2:26pm.
Argyle,
Unbelievable "Before & After"! Talent shines in you.
Good evening CC & DF's: Tried to do the puzzle but wouldn't ya just know, I was out catchin' elephants and checkin' out their trunks. Dennis you do make me laugh! You know those things can run? Yep, and I chased 'em all the way to Keagan's bar and grille. Then they called in their pink relatives and they all followed me home. I wonder if I can keep them. Is there a city ordinance against that? We are having a grand time! I snuck up here for a moment to check in, so I'm on borrowed time.
ReplyDeletek.d.lang is one of my most favorite singers. And so is Patsy Cline, who grew up in the Shenandoah Valley here in VA. They both are all over my iPod...along w/Mozart and Chopin. I'm sure the boys don't mind.
Clear Ayes: thanks for the poems. I really like the 2nd one. Thanks for the links too.
Buckeye, good to see you back. Hope everything goes well for you. That had to be rough!
Argyle: thanks for the Salem explanation. That whole thing sounds very interesting and fun. Very creative.
Ken: thanks for the recipe. I'll try that one too as soon as the elephants get out of the kitchen. They found it for me!
Flyingears: glad to see you're still driving hard! A hole in one! Don't let your putter rust!
Melissa: ESP I've been missing you too.
Thanks for all your work and the great links, CC. You are phenomenal!
Have to go appreciate some trunks. Have a good night.
C.C.-alas, Dennis has led many astray, and I wish I had a quick enough wit to banter along.The DFing bantering is always enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteKDLang's version of "Crying" is so heartfelt. It gave me chills.
Thanks Carl, for that 6 1/2 min of Gordon Lightfood. I have that album,"Summertime Dream", and I mean album, so it sits and gathers dust.
Buckeye, you've been missed. We're glad you're safe and hope things get back to normal for you.
Clear Ayes: I think everyone can relate to that poem, getting the exact word.Thanks for posting it.
Ole!
Now wait a minute. "alas, Dennis has led many astray"???? How 'bout, "Dennis has been present as many closet DFs came out of said closet"??
ReplyDelete....day is done.....gone the sun...
ReplyDeleteIt was wonderful to be able to visit and read everyone's comments. There is nothing for me to add concerning the puzzle. I got the answers without assistance, but needed the perps...or the fills, or just plain old good luck to get it done. I didn't remember D.C.Cab.
C.C. 'glad tidings' is a term for 'good news.' I think it must be a variation that I've heard at church, based on Isaiah 40:9 which starts out: Oh thou that tellest good tidings of Zion..." This phrase is the basis for one of the pieces of Part I of the "Messiah."
I loved the poems, and the links, especially 'kids.' The music was great, and it was nice to have new members posting and buckeye back with us after his ordeal. Thanks, g8ormomx2. We'll hope she settles for close to home. *S*
Sleep well, all, and I'll see you on the morrow. (Dear Husband would mutter, on his way to bed, "Parting is such sweet sorrow.) *G* ni'night....
Poor Dennis, are you feeling that you've been unfairly held responsible for the DF-ness of others? Not fair, but you have broad shoulders and can carry the weight.
ReplyDeleteI hope the first poem of the day wasn't too much of a downer. It wasn't on my mind at the beginning of this lovely day. I just wanted to let First Poster know how he or she appeared to the rest of us. I think from now on I'll just refer to those dismal,sour puss folks as "Aaron Stark" and let it go at that.
Tomorrow's poem will be upbeat and maybe even a little silly.
Looking forward to another glorious autumn day and a "just difficult enough" crossword.
C.C., how do you check your Sunday answers?
ReplyDeleteclear ayes, good to know you understand a little of our francophone addiction. I too had no appreciation for the Piaf style until I was familiar with her story. So sad really. Just watching the one clip of the remade movie amazed me about how close Marion Coutillard was to the real Piaf. So amazing, I want to see it all too.
ReplyDeleteAlso, thanks for your empathy about my week in the French hospital. Really, it was the most relaxed of any of my European trips! And what luxury on the way home in business class so my leg could remain elevated. Best student trip ever!
What is COAT CHECK? I've never heard of it before. Nor have I heard of BED CHECK.
ReplyDeleteCOAT CHECK:
In the 30's, 40's and 50's, in fancy night clubs and restaurants you would leave your coat in the closet and an attendant would hang it up and after you were done you picked up your coat and gave a tip to the coat check girl.
BED CHECK
In the military the platoon Sgt. would check to make sure the recruits were in the bed.
@anonymous at 10:41 COAT CHECK is still valid today. If you go to the opera or symphony, you usually have the opportunity to check your outer garment. BED CHECK has been covered extensively above.
ReplyDelete@C.C. Oops!!! It's Ron White! He is one of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour comedians... he's teamed up with Jeff Foxworthy, Larry The Cable Guy, and Bill Engvall. He's also known as 'Tater Salad'... does his act with a drink in his hand. His favorite saying is "Ya can't fix stupid". Sorry 'bout calling him 'Bill'. No wonder it didn't make sense!!! Please know that my sentiment was good even if the name was screwed up. I think the sad reality is that there will always be 'anons' but if they don't have the courage to come in out of the shadows, they're not worthy of any worry.
ReplyDelete'Running around like a chicken with it's head cut off' is the saying. It's another of those pesky idioms. It means you're frenzied and running in a lot of directions but getting nothing much accomplished. Having grown up on a farm, I know it's kind of graphic and gross in its entirety which is why I left the last part off. chicken, etc
I'm trying to get some equipment repaired for my boat... hence the frenzy. It's cutting into my recreation time and I seem to be seeing way to much of the clock on both ends of the day. But... enough... and I'm outta here.
I enjoy your answers but I think you are young or you must be living under a rock not to know some of the people such as Patsy Cline, Dom DeLuise, etc. or just some plain sayings.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your answers but you are either too young or living under a rock not to know so many people i.e. Patsy Cline/Crazy or Dom DeLuise. How old are you?
ReplyDeleteScrub, if you find your way back to this blog, I have an old saying for you: "It is better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and leave no doubt."
ReplyDeleteYou could have looked at C.C.'s profile or just read the blog for a couple of weeks before posting. You would never had made your comment.
"Even a fish wouldn't get in trouble if he kept his mouth shut."
That said, welcome to this blog site.