Theme: The Fab Four
17A: Hard hat's potty: PORT-A-JOHN
35A: "A Way in the World" writer: V. S. NAIPAUL
41A: Singer O'Dowd, to fans: BOY GEORGE
57A: 1989 Jane Fonder movie: OLD GRINGO
Last time when we had "The Fab Four" puzzle, the theme answers are: JOHNNYCAKE (clued as "Cornpone"), RINGO LEVIO ("NYC street game"), PAULOWNIAS ("Asian figwort trees", ouch!) and GEORGETOWN ("D. C. neighborhood").
I had never heard of the book "A Way in the World", nor was I familiar with the author V. S. NAIPAUL. I also had zero familiarity with the movie OLD GRINGO. But I figured out the theme quickly. Otherwise, it would be a very hard puzzle for me.
This puzzle is quite scrabby, 3 Vs, 2 Xs, 1 Z, 1 J and 1K, probably my favorite Tom Pruce puzzle. I was expecting an Obama inauguration themed grid though.
I was planning to blog Barry Silk's "2008 Championship Tribute puzzle" today. But due to Barry's business trip this week, I will postpone it to next Tuesday or Wednesday. I've also uploaded the puzzle to Scribd. You can just click on iPaper, then print it out.
Across:
1A: Sleeping child: ANGEL. Stumped me. Is it somehow related to the Guardian ANGEL?
5A: Epitome of messiness: STY. Nice clue.
19A: Thick: MIDST
21A: Winter apple: RUSSET. Kind of Idaho potato. It bakes well. I like Yukon Gold for potato salad. (Addendum: RUSSET is a kind of apple. Unknown to me. I confused "Winter apple" with French pomme de terre earlier.)
28A: Maria __ of Austria: THERESA. No idea. All I could think of is Maria Antoinette, THERESA's daughter. Maria THERESA looks intimidating.
30A: Old-time high note: ELA. The sixth and highest note in Guido's musical scale. This word only exists in Xword world.
34A: Ponselle and Parks: ROSAS
38A: Town on the Firth of Lorn: OBAN. See this map. It's in west Scotland. Unknown to me.
39A: Women's sweethearts: BEAUX. Plural of beau.
44A: Curve type: ESS
48A: Blackthorns: SLOES. I can't believe these SLOES are tart, they look sweet. Have never seen them in person.
50A: Bean and Welles: ORSONS
51A: One-time French royal house: VALOIS. The House of VALOIS ruled France from 1328 to 1589. Completely unknown to me. Our fellow solver LOIS is from VA.
56A: Be jubilant: EXULT
64A: Milo of "The Verdict": O'SHEA. I always confuse Milo O'SHEA with Sal Mineo.
67A: Never existed: WASN'T
Down:
10D: Burglary: HEIST. Also the title of a Gene Hackman movie.
13D: Shot on the green: PUTT. Great PUTT.
18D: Iotas: JOTS
22D: Disco light: STROBE
23D: Satellite of Mars: PHOBOS. New to me. PHOBOS is also the God of fear" in Greek mythology. Son of Aphrodite and Ares (Mars in Roman). Phobia is rooted in PHOBOS. Also, "panic" derives from Pan, "God of shepherds and flocks". Pan inspired sudden fears in lonely places, according to Wikipedia.
25D: Large ape, briefly: ORANG
31D: Spanish quarter: BARRIO. Got it from across fills. I could only think of bodega.
39D: Clowns: BOZOS
42D: Stone tools: EOLITHS. Eo is a prefix for "early", Lith means "stone". It appeared in our puzzle before.
48D: Gannet goose: SOLAN. New goose to me. I did not know the meaning of "Gannet" either.
51D: Hindu sacred books: VEDA. Literally, "knowledge" in Sanskrit. Another new word to me, but shouldn't the clue be singular?
52D: Leafstalk angle: AXIL. See this picture. It's the angle between a leaf and its branch. Just learned this word a few days ago.
58D: O.T. book: ISA. And GEN (60D: O.T. book).
C.C.
17A: Hard hat's potty: PORT-A-JOHN
35A: "A Way in the World" writer: V. S. NAIPAUL
41A: Singer O'Dowd, to fans: BOY GEORGE
57A: 1989 Jane Fonder movie: OLD GRINGO
Last time when we had "The Fab Four" puzzle, the theme answers are: JOHNNYCAKE (clued as "Cornpone"), RINGO LEVIO ("NYC street game"), PAULOWNIAS ("Asian figwort trees", ouch!) and GEORGETOWN ("D. C. neighborhood").
I had never heard of the book "A Way in the World", nor was I familiar with the author V. S. NAIPAUL. I also had zero familiarity with the movie OLD GRINGO. But I figured out the theme quickly. Otherwise, it would be a very hard puzzle for me.
This puzzle is quite scrabby, 3 Vs, 2 Xs, 1 Z, 1 J and 1K, probably my favorite Tom Pruce puzzle. I was expecting an Obama inauguration themed grid though.
I was planning to blog Barry Silk's "2008 Championship Tribute puzzle" today. But due to Barry's business trip this week, I will postpone it to next Tuesday or Wednesday. I've also uploaded the puzzle to Scribd. You can just click on iPaper, then print it out.
Across:
1A: Sleeping child: ANGEL. Stumped me. Is it somehow related to the Guardian ANGEL?
5A: Epitome of messiness: STY. Nice clue.
19A: Thick: MIDST
21A: Winter apple: RUSSET. Kind of Idaho potato. It bakes well. I like Yukon Gold for potato salad. (Addendum: RUSSET is a kind of apple. Unknown to me. I confused "Winter apple" with French pomme de terre earlier.)
28A: Maria __ of Austria: THERESA. No idea. All I could think of is Maria Antoinette, THERESA's daughter. Maria THERESA looks intimidating.
30A: Old-time high note: ELA. The sixth and highest note in Guido's musical scale. This word only exists in Xword world.
34A: Ponselle and Parks: ROSAS
38A: Town on the Firth of Lorn: OBAN. See this map. It's in west Scotland. Unknown to me.
39A: Women's sweethearts: BEAUX. Plural of beau.
44A: Curve type: ESS
48A: Blackthorns: SLOES. I can't believe these SLOES are tart, they look sweet. Have never seen them in person.
50A: Bean and Welles: ORSONS
51A: One-time French royal house: VALOIS. The House of VALOIS ruled France from 1328 to 1589. Completely unknown to me. Our fellow solver LOIS is from VA.
56A: Be jubilant: EXULT
64A: Milo of "The Verdict": O'SHEA. I always confuse Milo O'SHEA with Sal Mineo.
67A: Never existed: WASN'T
Down:
10D: Burglary: HEIST. Also the title of a Gene Hackman movie.
13D: Shot on the green: PUTT. Great PUTT.
18D: Iotas: JOTS
22D: Disco light: STROBE
23D: Satellite of Mars: PHOBOS. New to me. PHOBOS is also the God of fear" in Greek mythology. Son of Aphrodite and Ares (Mars in Roman). Phobia is rooted in PHOBOS. Also, "panic" derives from Pan, "God of shepherds and flocks". Pan inspired sudden fears in lonely places, according to Wikipedia.
25D: Large ape, briefly: ORANG
31D: Spanish quarter: BARRIO. Got it from across fills. I could only think of bodega.
39D: Clowns: BOZOS
42D: Stone tools: EOLITHS. Eo is a prefix for "early", Lith means "stone". It appeared in our puzzle before.
48D: Gannet goose: SOLAN. New goose to me. I did not know the meaning of "Gannet" either.
51D: Hindu sacred books: VEDA. Literally, "knowledge" in Sanskrit. Another new word to me, but shouldn't the clue be singular?
52D: Leafstalk angle: AXIL. See this picture. It's the angle between a leaf and its branch. Just learned this word a few days ago.
58D: O.T. book: ISA. And GEN (60D: O.T. book).
C.C.
26:27 for me today Neat theme I just didn't catch it sooner.
ReplyDeleteIn honor of a day that we will witness history at lunch time.
John F. Kennedy's 1961 Inaugural Address
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLmiOEk59n8
January 20, 2009 5:04 AM
Good morning, C.C. and gang - I thought this was gonna be a real speed run today, as I blew across the top of the puzzle. Then the bottom fell out. The bottom sucked too, by the way. 'O.T. book' twice??
ReplyDeleteI also don't think 'murkier' and 'smokier' are synonymous. Got hung up at the intersections of 'Phobos'/'Oban', and 'Valois'/'Veda'. I'd never go to a Jane Fonda movie, so I didn't know "Old Gringo". And 'moog' again so soon? And I couldn't believe someone was named Vsnai Paul.
Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how'd you like the play?
Today is Penguin Awareness Day - maybe hug a nun.
Today's Words of Wisdom: "The real challenge is not simply to survive. Hell, anyone can do that. It's to survive as yourself, undiminished." -- Elia Kazan
This was a hammer for a Tuesday just way too many unknowns for mention. It's hard to do when you spend most of you time stuck on trying to guess what the clue means.
ReplyDeleteMaybe tomorrow will be easier to make up for today's toughie!
Democrat,
ReplyDeleteHad you caught the theme earlier, this puzzle would be easier. I am curious, is Scott Country Democrats your own blog also?
Dennis,
RE: ISA. Williams is averse to partial, otherwise, he would have clued ISA as "A rose IS A rose..." or something more lively. How is penguin related to nun?
The Hayraker,
Nice to see you again. Hope it's warmer where you are.
Kazie,
ReplyDelete"...play with my chocolate frog...". What does "chocolate frog" mean to you? Google shows that it's a cockney rhyming slang for "wog". Thanks for rectus/rectum.
Lois,
Thank you for Barry's picture. He looks so friendly. Liked your connection of CETERA with "et cetera".
Barry G et al,
MIND MELDS is clued as "Shares one's thoughts". Why?
A.R.E., Superfrey et al,
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the answers yesterday. You guys are terrific.
Dr. Dad,
Hope someday the crumbled cookie will be un-crumbled.
C.C., nuns' habits are sometimes called 'penguin suits', although probably not in the presence of a nun.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure one of our Trekkies can give you more detail, but I believe a 'mind meld' is something Spock could do that allowed him to read others' minds.
Good morning CC and all, I really liked this puzzle until I got to the SW and SE corner. For me there were just too many obscure words that were unobtainable. By using Mr G I was able to complete those two sections But,the fills were not obtainable without outside help.
ReplyDeleteI never heard of Old Gringo but then I don't give a crap about Jane Fonda. French royal house is very obscure to me.
I guess if I would have figured out the theme it would have been a great help. I completely missed the theme.
Oh well, I thought I had a winner today. Better luck tomorrow.
ARRRGH!!
ReplyDeleteI had typed out a big long rant about what I didn't like about this puzzle, then failed to notice my connection to the net was broken and lost it all.
Argyle, does "it sucked!" sum it up?
ReplyDeleteYES
ReplyDeleteAmen
ReplyDeleteHere's two things, no, three things; eoliths aren't stone tools anymore, eoliths / a chipped stone of the late Tertiary Period in Europe once thought to have been flaked by humans but now known to be the product of natural, nonhuman agencies.
ReplyDeleteA goose that isn't really a goose.
Gannet goose - solan / very large white gannet with black wing tips, closely related to the boobies.
A clue that was right but the answer was wrong.
Hindu sacred books - Veda / The Vedas (véda, "knowledge") are a large body of texts originating in Ancient India.
And Old Gringo sounds like it should be cheap tequila.
ReplyDeleteC.C., why do you thing sloe berries are tart? My understanding is that they get very sweet as they ripen.
ReplyDeleteI know that sloe gin fizzes are very sweet; back in the day, we used them as declothing tools on unsuspecting young ladies.
Morning, all!
ReplyDeleteI managed to grok the theme early on, but it didn't help me in the spots I needed help.
I have very mixed emotions about this puzzle. Like Dennis, it started out incredibly easy and then suddenly got very weird. I actually found much of the cluing in the top half of the puzzle to be a bit on the boring side. SMOG clued as "Smoky-fog"? AEIOU clued as "Vowels"? Ho-hum.
I didn't know OBAN or OLD GRINGO, but got them easily enough from the perps (fortunately, I knew the names of both of the moons of Mars). But the intersection of VSNAIPAUL and SAG was hard (I couldn't decide if it should be SAG or LAG), and the intersection of VALOIS and SOLAN turned out to be impossible (especially with AXIL thrown in there for good measure). I guessed AXIL correctly, but couldn't pick a vowel for the VALOIS/SOLAN crossing. VALAIS/SALAN and VALEIS/SELAN seemed equally possible. Once again, I beg of you -- stop crossing obscure terms!!!
Oh -- and I always thought RUSSET was a type of potato. I didn't realize it was also an apple. Live and learn.
Let's see...
1A: Sleeping child: ANGEL. Stumped me. Is it somehow related to the Guardian ANGEL?
As the father of an extremely active toddler, this was a total gimme for me. It may not be etymologically precise, but I've often commented to my wife how he looks just like a perfect little angle while asleep (in contrast to when he's awake and running us ragged).
Barry G et al,
MIND MELDS is clued as "Shares one's thoughts". Why?
It's a "Star Trek" reference. The half-Vulcan character Mr. Spock has telepathic abilities that allows him to experience other people's (or creature's) thoughts via a process known as the "Vulcan Mind Meld". It involves placing his fingertips on various pressure points on the other person's face and then emoting for all he's worth. In one episode, he even mind melded with an intelligent rock creature. I'm not sure he knew how to find the right pressure points. Or even where the creature's face was, for that matter...
Good morning CC et al., BAM!!! Yeah,Tex's (aka Dennis') 'It sucked' pretty much says it all. However, as CC pointed out, I did enjoy the 'Va-Lois' being French royal house in the same puzzle with 'beaux', Go..Go, TNT and Argyle's connection of 'goose' and 'boobies'. Sounds like a 'peak' experience to me!
ReplyDeleteWolfmom: you're welcome. I wish all of you could have heard Barry Silk. 2 hrs just flew by. He was excellent. And CC, he is very friendly. Just a real nice guy.
Kazie: thank you for looking up 'rect'. It all makes more sense now. But Rectus Musculus is so ...um, dysfunctionalus.
No school and NO SNOW! The air above is too dry to let it fall.. so far, but there's still hope. It's been 4 years since we've had a snow day. I'm on it though. Doin' the snow dance and wearing my snowflake pin. 50"? We're paralyzed w/1"...hell, we're shutting down just on the prediction! Gotta go stand watch.
What a day! Hope you enjoy yours.
I miss you, drdad. Work sure puts a cramp in fun.
Hi c.c. and all:
ReplyDeleteDidn't get the theme until "Ringo" which helped in that answer since I did not see that movie. Did not know VS Naipaul, but got it from the perps. Had to google Veda, Solan, and Phobos. I had every letter but the "b" in Phobos. Some reason I can never remember that satellite.
Lois: That must have been a great time listening to Barry Silk. I definitely would go see him if he came to my area. He does seem like he would be a really nice guy as you said.
BTW: 35A full name is: Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul, Kt., TC (No wonder he goes by his initials) After his name the Kt stands for Knight Bachelor and the TC for Trinity Cross
Have a great day everyone!
Well, I have to agree about the suckiness of this puzzle. Far too many obscure proper nouns and googling for it to be fun.
ReplyDeleteLike Barry G., I didn't think of russet at apple related.
Argyle's explanation of the gannet makes sense--it didn't look like a goose to me in the link--too short a body and too thick a neck, but it does resemble the boobies we saw in Alaska.
Ditto the comments on smokier and all the obscure words that intersected to make this impossible to solve unassisted. Ugh!
Lois,
Good DF catch on the rectus musculus --my thoughts exactly!
c.c.,
The chocolate frog is a dog. I took it from an old Rolf Harris song he did trying to include a lot of silly Oz expressions, some of which were based on the Cockney rhyme schemes. I can't remember the song title though, but some of his "work" is on this site.
This was a hammer for me.... but a very well done puzzle. I had the JOHN, PAUL, GEORGE part but did not pick up on it to get GRINGO.... I also never heard of the movie.
ReplyDeleteC.C. I once took a boat from the Isle of Mull to OBAN. What a quaint little fishing village. The distill and incredibly good single malt aptly named: Oban there. It is also home of McCaig's Folly... a look-alike Coloseum built at the turn of the century. McCaig contrary to being a tight Scottsman utilized his wealth to build the Folly in order to keep the people in the town employed. Sounds like something we will be doing soon. :):):)
ARGYLE have you tasted the Oban single malt. I just finished my last bottle of it.... FANTASTIC STUFF !!!
I didn't have a lot of time to do the puzzle and got hung up quickly so threw in the towel.
ReplyDeleteDennis, ever had a sloe screw?
Oops, it wasn't Rolf Harris, but Frankie Davidson. Hear it here.
ReplyDeleteJeannie, yes, delicious on all counts.
ReplyDelete@ clearayes, here is a little poem I came across and thought you might enjoy. I suppose you could put any town name in for New Florence.
ReplyDeleteA New Florence Winter Poem
It's winter in dear New Florence
And the gentle breezes blow
Seventy miles an hour
At thirty-five below.
Oh, how I love dear old New Florence
When the snow's up to your butt
You take a breath of winter
And your nose gets frozen shut.
Yes, the weather here is wonderful
So I guess I'll hang around
I could never leave dear New Florence
I'm frozen to the friggin' ground!
Dick: After seeing your "Fonda" comment...I would guess that you`re a vet. If so...God bless you and thank you for your service and sacrifice!
ReplyDelete@ Linda, no I am not an active duty vet. For some reason I was never called but would have been happy to serve. While waiting for the service to call I got my bachelors degree and then never heard from the selective service again. However, that doesn't diminish my dislike for traitors and those that want to harm our country or our military personnel and Jane just pi**ed me off and will never be forgiven.
ReplyDeletemark - Buenos Aires
ReplyDeleteWe used to get russet apples in our stockings at Christmas.
Boy George has just gone to prison for 14 months. He tied up and held hostage a male prostitute.
Have a happy day everyone.
Dick: Agreed...there is a move afoot to "white-wash" her past. NEVER!
ReplyDeleteWell, we still have NO SNOW on this Snow Day. They're up there, just can't come down, and I know why now. I have figured out that the snow 'flakes' are aptly named. They are true flakes with issues -
ReplyDeleteacrophobia, seperation anxiety, and possibly identity confusion. Only here would that happen! I'm about to go look for a super extension ladder and gently coax them down, get my boom box with 'affirmation tapes' playing to boost their egos, and all my friends standing in a circle singing Kum-ba-ya. All this in an attempt to send up positive vibrations ....well, hell! The sun just came out. So much for positive vibrations! Ok, then. Guess I'll have to find a different kind of positive vibrator! Now THAT could be interesting! I'll check in later.
Lois,
ReplyDeleteThe snow day was probably an excuse so you could all watch the inauguration!
Superfrey, no, I haven't tried Oban yet.
ReplyDelete"A 14 year old combining the sophistication of the Highlands with a touch of the peaty style of the Islands. It is rich and full-bodied with a mellow fruity finish."
That is from my bottle of Talisker I haven't finished yet.
"Talisker is the only malt produced on Skye. Its seaweedy, smoky nose and sweet maltiness is perfectly complimented by its spicy, long finish."
Have you tried Dalwhinnie yet? I think that is the next single malt I'll try.
"Dalwhinnie - A 15 year old gentle, delicate malt from the wild and windswept Highlands. It is a subtle, smooth delicately smoky malt with a heathery honey finish."
I raise my quaich(Scottish drinking bowl) and drink to to your health.
[All others: note the crossword worthy words in this post.]
Hi everyone! I can't say anything new about this hammer so I'll just hope for something fun to solve tomorrow..this was more like a Thursday or Friday's New York Times puzzle. I never did get the theme until I read C.C.'s comments then I searched the cupboards for a can of V-8.
ReplyDeleteArgyle, your description of the gannet goose made me laugh.
Lois, I wonder if one tightened their 'rectus musculus' they could avoid wedgies?
Good morning, everyone!
ReplyDeleteHammer time to the nth degree. Had to go to Mr. G for LOTS of help.
I did see the theme early on, but V S NAIPAUL? Come on....
On this eve of the 1st anniversary of the blog, hearty THANKS to C.C. for the work and time you put into this endeavor day in and day out. You are truly an amazing person. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!! I don't think you could have seen what this has become when you started this. What a community you have built.
Good Morning All, I had to postpone this morning's post to watch the inauguration ceremonies. As Mike Myers used to say on SNL, "I'm a little verklempt". What an historic day this is.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, on to today's puzzle. That darn west side kept holding me up. OBAN, EOLITHS, AXIL and SOLAN were all toughies. People and movies are usually pretty easy for me. Even though I haven't seen OLD GRINGO (it sounds like nobody did), I had heard of it.
I knew the name VS NAIPAUL sounded familiar. I have read his book Among the Believers: An Islamic Journey, but didn't know any of his other books.
Dick, Good poem. Just about any location name can be inserted and made "your own".
Dennis, Ha ha...I suspect those young ladies were much less unsuspecting than you suspected.
Argyle and Superfrey, When I was a young lady, I was once plied with scotch malt whiskey. At the time, I apparently didn't understand the notion of sipping and wound up being very sick. I threw up and have never tried it again. Fortunately, I didn't have an experience like that with sloe gin.
YEA! After a short hiatus, the New York Times Daily Crossword is back in the Seattle Times along with the Star Tribune puzzle.
ReplyDeleteSeattle John
About Russet apple; "russeting on apples is a particular type of skin, slightly rough, usually with a greenish-brown to yellowish-brown color". A Russet potato has the same kind of rough skin.
ReplyDeleteOn quark, so far, so good and very easy to make. I'm still straining off the whey. It looks like cottage cheese. The flavor is tangy rather than sour. I used 1/2 gallon of low-fat buttermilk ($2.55 at Costco) and it looks like about a pound of quark, so the price is right. It will keep in the refrigerator for a week, so I have some time to decide which recipe I will use.
No CC but it's a friend of mine and I help keep it updated and fresh.
ReplyDeleteThe non theme items from the middle down was the problem sometimes a runner stumbles and a crossword solver gets stuck.
I have been watching the inaugural coverage all day and enjoying it!
Hi CC and all
ReplyDeleteI just finished the puzzle as I was enthralled by this historic inauguration. I just hope the country isn't putting too much on this man. He is only a man. I have great hopes for him, but he is after all in D.C. ! And out of Chicago.
Back to the puzzle, did OK until the southeast corner. Had to google most of that.
CC
you asked last week about my horse. I lived for 20 years in Arizona and that is where i found my horse.
He is an Arabian, so that is why a desert horse. The midwest is pretty cold and snowy. Right now about 4 feet of snow on the ground.
Argyle and Superfrey
Love Oban, but favorite for me is Balveenie. I have had Dalwinnie and like it. I don't care for the peaty single malts
CYA
Hi C.C.
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of an apple called Russet either so I found a picture of
one for you: http://www.orangepippin.com/apples/egremont-russet.aspx
It turns out that there are several kinds of winter apples with russet in
the name; I initially thought it was a potato!
Warren
Guday all. First of all regarding the puzzle. See Dennis 5:34 AM. and Argyle 6:03 AM, and add "ditto".
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who was in Nam. He feels the same way about Jane Fonda as some of you do. While I respect everybody who has served in the military, I like to believe that people can "repent" and be forgiven. Jane Fonda has "Mea Culpa-ed" her ASS off for over two and a half decades, calling her act "foolish" and herself "stupid". The latest was on Oprah about a year and a half ago. Some people don't really have that "Christian" philosophy of forgiveness very well entrenched in their theology. Oh well; as my Pappy used to say, "Little minds have large memories".
I don't remember her name, but the inaugural poem left a lot to be desired. When I become President, I want Clear Ayes to write a poem for my inauguration. I know it will be a thousand times better than what I heard this afternoon.
On a sadder note - I just found out that my Aunt Effie is going to die tomorrow. I'm sad, I love her and I'll miss her - but I'm sorry. I REFUSE TO PAY THE RANSOM!!!
I must be off
Comercially produced Sloe Gin is sweet as a result of added sugar and other flavorings. Privately made, it can have less sweetness depending on the added ingredients. I like mine less sweet. Some sugar is required to extract the flavoring from thr berries. The wild Blackthorns I have seen can be tart with a plum-like flavor.
ReplyDeleteSeattle John
@cc: RUSSET also refers to apples. However, I was surprised to read that RUSSET is not a specific variety. To add to what Clear Ayes has said, “Russet Apples are not a single kind of apple, but rather a group of apples in which there are many, very different cultivars. The term is used to describe apples that have "russeting" on them. Russeting is a patch of the apple's skin that is a different colour from the rest of the apple, and that has a sandpapery, furry texture. The colour of the russeting can be golden brown, burnt umber, silvery or grey. Some russeting will be a small area at the top or the bottom of the apple, or just a patch or two elsewhere on the apple. It may even cover almost all the entire apple. Some russeting will feel like a very fine web; other russeting will feel very coarse. Apple enthusiasts feel that Russets are the best tasting apples. However, Russet Apples never make it to the grocery stores anymore. Faced with pictures of perfect, blemish-free apples in food magazines, consumers may have come to believe that russeting on the skin indicates something is wrong with the apple. Others are so used to more insipid apples with a uniform skin texture such as the McIntosh that they don't like the thought of biting into a patch of skin that feels different.” Click here for even more information.
ReplyDeleteBuckeye, I at first was saddened about your aunt Effie. I should have known better. Not paying the ransom. HAHAHAHAHA.
ReplyDeleteBuckeye, you can call it 'little-minded' if you like, but I, for one, will neverforgive that traitorous bitch for what she did. As a Marine who fought in Vietnam, and left blood there, I might have stronger feelings than most. I do know, however, the additional suffering that our POWs went through because of her. And for her to sit and smile on a anti-aircraft platform, a platform used to kill American pilots, and wave the flag of our enemy, is beyond reprehensible.
ReplyDeleteAs to forgive and forget -- if I ever met the man that shot me, I'd shake his hand; if I ever met Jane Fonda, I'd be in jail...
Today’s was a relatively simple puzzle. I had no errors and no googles. My only unknown was OLD GRINGO, though I knew from the theme that it ended in Ringo and was able to get it from the crosses. PORTAJOHN is commonly referred to as “port-a-potty” in this area.
ReplyDeleteI am familiar with V.S. NAIPAUL’s works and have read A Way in the World, however I did not know he was awarded the Booker for another book In a Free State.
Has anyone tasted POI? I tried it when I was in Hawaii some years ago and though it tasted much like wallpaper paste, though to be honest I have never eaten that! I assume it is an acquired taste.
Unfortunately as usual today I wore eye makeup to work. I have been watching/listening to inauguration events on CNN via the internet and have teared up/cried so much that it is all gone!
Buckeye, I admire a man who has the courage of his convictions, particularly unpopular ones. Whatta country! Wait a minute, did you think I was talking about something other than Aunt Effie??
ReplyDeleteI'd better get started on that inauguration poem. I probably only have two or three decades to get it right.
Today seems like a good one for this hopeful, forward looking poem.
Where the Sidewalk Ends
There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.
Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.
Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.
- Shel Silverstein
Dennis. Experience always colors attitude. I understand yours. Just don't let vitriol eat away your humanity - and from communicating with you lo these many months, I know I have nothing to fear on that front. Stay my friend, my friend and thank you for your service.
ReplyDeleteRE: Enigma encryption machine - It is also explained in a very good volume by R. V. Jones, "The Wizard War:British Scientific Intelligence, 1939-1945" Coward, McCann & Geoghegan 1978. It must be dependable, because it's quite thick. It has pictures (photos) but they don't count them as pages. And the print is real little.
Clear Ayes: Mention in the poem what a nice guy I am and that I'm "broad" minded.
IMBO
Hi C.C. and All,
ReplyDeleteC.C., Your picture of an Ulu yesterday reminds me of my Mezzaluna. I use it often.
I opted for the ERUPT rather than EXULT and, consequentially, wound up with ARIL and SOPAN.
Those two were my only mistakes. It did take me 25:19 seconds unaided, though. The long time was largely due to VSNAIPAUL ... argh.
I agree that SMOKIER is not synonymous with murkier.
I do not much care for the Winter Apple clue, either. I am aware of the French name 'Pomme de Terre', however, I do not ever recalling hearing anyone here in America referring to potatoes as apples.
Dick, I don't know if you are interested but you might like to watch the movie, 'The Affair of the Necklace' with Hilary Swank starring as Jeanne St. Remy de Valois. It is based on the true story of Jeanne's revenge for the murder of her father and the engineered downfall of her noble house. She conspired with the notorious Cagliostro (played by Christopher Walkin) and others to involve Marie Antoinette in a scandal that ultimately wound up being the proverbial 'straw-that-broke-the-camel's-back' leading to the French Revolution.
Argyle, Do like I do and type your whole message using notepad first, then copy and paste. Also, I thought that was pretty strange looking for a goose and yes, Quaich would make a very good XW word.
Mark, Wow, I did not know that about Boy George. I met him once in Miami Beach and was surprised by how large he is.
ClearEyes, First time I ever had Sloe Gin was when I snuck a bottle into the theater to see 'Platoon'. All I saw of that film was the opening few minutes and the final scene. I am curious to try Oban single malt now. Good luck with the Quark. My dishwasher has been broken since Christmas Day, so I am trying not to cook too much, which is a bummer.
DoesItInInk, I tried POI in the the fourth grade. I do not think any of the kids in our class liked it. I do like Taro Chips, though.
Ciao
Bravo, Dennis! My kind-hearted, broadminded husband would agree with you 150% if he could.
ReplyDeleteTwo words to describe this puzzle-crosswordese overload.
ReplyDeleteI recall eating russet apples in Canada when I was a young teen. Doesitinink is right. They don't look very good, but I remember how tasty they were. I don't know if they are available anywhere in California.
ReplyDeletePromiseMe, Nobody's better than Christopher Walken at playing notorious, evil, devious or just plain weird. AND he can do all these things while dancing. How about Let's Misbehave from the movie Pennies From Heaven. Or if you like something more current, here's Mr. Walken dancing up a storm in Fatboy Slim's Weapon of Choice.
Haha, did I sense double entendre with your Boy George comment?
@ Dennis at 2:38 DITTO, DITTO, DITTO!!!
ReplyDeleteI imagine this is too late for most of you to read.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I just skimmed the comments and noticed some agreed with Dennis so I read what he had to say. I thought this was a "no politics" blog. Oh, well.
Second, I only stopped to repord an error. Sorry if it's already been reported. Isn't it "an eon" rather "a eon"?
Third, you get up very early to do the puzzle. I imagine our paper was delivered at 6, but at 6:15 I got to help with grandson and then clean the kitchen before the cleaning lady came. Then the Obama show. I guess I can say "Yea!" due to Dennis' opinion. I must say I was with "murkier" for a long time...until I realized it wouldn't work.
I will have to start earlier on these puzzles.
Kay, my apologies if my remarks offended you - I really think they're apolitical, however. It's strictly my feelings about an individual, and it comes from someone who has voted both Democratic and Republican.
ReplyDeleteAs to the blog being 'politics-free', I think the we've seen enough opinions expressed here to know that that's not entirely true. Heck, we've even got a poster whose name is his political party. Nobody tries to force their opinions down anybody's throat, however, and I think that's the way it should be. Certainly, if you have an issue with me, feel free to email me.
Buckeye, my friend, I appreciate the comments - you're one of the best posters on here, and I highly respect your opinion. Yes, I know what that means, and when they come, I'll go willingly...
By the way, if I offended anyone else with my comments, I apologize - we all have our hot buttons, and mine got pushed.
My two cents? The Pentagon and the White House did more harm to our servicemen and the morals of our country than Hanoi Jane.
ReplyDeleteArgyle, we're in the same book, if not on the same page -- there's a special place in hell reserved for McNamara, etc. Ill-conceived and mismanaged at almost every step of the way.
ReplyDeleteWe'd best let this subject go, so as not to offend anyone else with views that may be contrary to another's.
On a happier note, I just saw Crockett's post about our upcoming one-year anniversary. C.C., it's truly remarkable what you've created. Well over a million hits, near the top of most search engines, just a magnificent job on your part. I'm also continually amazed by your grasp of the subtleties of the English language, given only 7 or 8 years in this country. You're truly an incredible person, and you have my undying admiration.
ReplyDeleteHope that wasn't too political...
Dennis, well said on all counts!!
ReplyDeleteC.C. My thanks again for creating this blog. I have had so much fun here and met so many wonderful people. I truly enjoy coming here and reading all that is written but especially your Original posts each morning. I also am in awe of your abilities!
Lois, who is in that new picture???
Good afternoon to all,
ReplyDeleteStarted the c/w at 8:30, and finished at 2:30.Holy Moley!I worked inbetween watching the inauguration, balancing the ck bk, and visiting the good doctor; got pneumonia and tetanus shots,and an x ray.Since I kept coming back to it, I actually finished without help. Didn't get theme until I read it here.Like Kay, I also wonder why it is a eon, and not an eon. Since this is the 3rd time we've had that in the past few wks I didn't question it.I guessed port a john, although we call them port-a-potties here.Maria of Austria stumped me for a bit.. maybe all day!!
Carpe diem!!
'Aeon' is just a variant spelling of 'eon'. Not used often, but correct.
ReplyDeleteDennis, Your 5:33 post expresses how all of us feel about C.C.
ReplyDeleteC.C., we are enamored and proud of your achievements. It has made my retirement a very easy transition. I love this group. Even though I don't get into many conversations, I listen and am amazed at how much each of you know and share.
Hi C.C. Nice to be back with old friends. Not warm where I am but not nearly so cold as you Eskimos have to deal with. I was at Lake Tahoe 15 years - had snow up to my . . eaves every year. Had enough of that.
ReplyDeleteInteresting question you had yesterday about love affairs and romance not the same. Webster says: Love affair; 1. An amorous or romantic relationship or episode between two people not married to each other. This definition draws a very thin line between the two. I think a love affair would be the result of a successful romance. Both could well include the happy activity called sex. I suppose it would be up to the morals of the individuals to determine illicitness.
I expect families in Asia raise their children to much stricter moral codes than we do here in America. Yes?
Hayrake
I think aeon may be a British spelling.
ReplyDeleteMay I add my praises to what has already been said about c.c.'s English ability and her dedication to this blog. Its success is due totally to her skill and patience with us. Congratulations on the first year!
"'Aeon' is just a variant spelling of 'eon'. Not used often, but correct."
ReplyDeleteA recent example of the alternative spelling would be the name of the title character from this Charlize Theron movie.
ClearEyes, I had no deliberate intent to wax double-entendric (did I just coin a new word?) regarding Boy George. I was merely commenting on his ample girth. It's safe to say that I don't think he will require 'soap-on-a-rope' during his time in the joint. I can see what you mean, though. Bill Maher, on his show Real Time, has a segment called 'New Rules'. Not too long ago, one of his new rules was that, "Boy George' must, hereafter, be referred to as 'Man George'."
I got a kick out your response to Buckeye, btw ;)
CC: I also would like to offer my Congratulations for the upcoming anniversary and all of your success...and thank you for allowing us to be part of it. You are so awesome!
ReplyDeleteCarol: that is my eldest daughter with me....it was either her or another drink beside me. I prefer her any time...well, most of the time...ok, some of the time...ok, ok, on rare occasions. Honestly, I drink first and then I can stand her. NOT! I am so totally kidding. She's utterly amazing, if you only knew.
PromiseMeThis, Bill Maher's show is a "don't miss" for me. I don't always agree with everything he says, but he sure is funny when he says it. Have you seen his movie "Religulous"? I would warn others to check out the content before they head out to see this movie. Bill Maher's opinions are nothing if not controversial.
ReplyDeleteLois, Great photo, beautiful daughter...mom too. Can tell you kinda like her!
C.C. I wasn't here at the beginning, but I've enjoyed every post day since I found your blog.
Like so many other, I stumbled onto the Star Tribune Crossword Corner while searching for an obscure x-word answer. I also lurked for a while, enjoying the information and easy repartee.
It is educational on a daily basis, frequently funny, sometimes DF, an occasional head-butt tossed in for good measure, and always interesting.
Thanks, as always, for your time and attention.
C.C,
ReplyDeleteThank you for this blog. It is always fun here.
Best of luck always!
Geri
Clearayes:
ReplyDeleteLove Shell Silverstein! "Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout", "Help! I`m being Eaten by a boa constr GULP", and
"Some One Ate The Baby", all classics and all apolitical!
Love Ogden Nash, too! "Candy is dandy but liquor is quicker." (That one just might be political.)
CC:Have you entered or re-entered the out-of-the-house world of work?
It`s none of my business...and feel free to say so. Just curious.
Clear Ayes: Thanks for the compliment. BTW I Love Shel Silverstein. Made sure that each of my children had A light in the Attic, ...Sidewalk ends, and The Giving Tree. Good stuff. Thanks for sharing that poem today.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't going to post today because I chucked the puzzle. Not worth the aggravation and I really wanted to spend the time I had at home watching the innaguration.
ReplyDeleteBeing a relative newbie here I didn't realize that C.C. had reached a year on the blogspot(Thank you Dennis). A hearty congratulations for this amazing space and incredible group of people who are amusing, interesting at all times so very informative. Kind of like being ing at a really fun school...Kudos to you all.
C.C. you are an amazing person. I have tried over the years to pick up a bit a French, and so, find it amazing that you know so much about our rather interesting and often bizarre language. Be so proud of what you have created.
To all: I agree with Dennis that what we were discussing was not politics (although, it may be called "geo-politics"), but rather a free expression of opinion. Dennis and I have agreed on so many things, it would be a shame to think we are not "comrades" because of one disagreement, as hurtful as it is, especially for him. Respect overcomes disagreement when you have "never walked in the other man's shoes".
ReplyDeleteIt is past midnight in God's Country(EST. God forgive you Western pegans; who, by the way, make up over 75% of our "blogeters" (See Fred)) Allow me to say this: c.c. what you have created, on this blog, is one of the most incredible things ever. You have brought together high school dropouts, who may or may not have gotten got GEDs, H.S, grads, college grads of all degrees and some of the most creative people I've encountered. We have run the gamut from Drdad's chemical discriptions of things we may never have been introduced to, great food cooking, to idiots, like myself. You have allowed us to help you create a haven for thought and expression. You are a miracle of creation, and I'm sure I express the opinion of all of us when I say - Congratulations but more importantly -THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US!!!
I must be off
By saying, "It's after midnight" I meant, it's the 1 year anniversary of c.c.'s blog.
ReplyDeleteThru this place, I done leart more gud languish than I ever did in skool".
And, I is even learnin to spell gooder.
Thankx, c,c,
IMBO