google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Wednesday January 7, 2009 Norma Steinberg

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Jan 7, 2009

Wednesday January 7, 2009 Norma Steinberg

Theme: On the Ground

21A: Negative campaigning: MUDSLINGING

56A: Fertility goddess: EARTH MOTHER

3D: Very inexpensive: DIRT CHEAP

36D: Diminutive whirlwind: DUST DEVIL

DUST DEVIL is new to me. What causes it?

SOIL*, MUCK* and CLAY* are three other potential theme candidates I could think of. What else?

This is my first cheat-free, Wite-out free puzzle. Ms. Norma Steinberg, if you are reading this blog, please can you send me an email? I want to have my finished puzzle autographed.

Although TMS puzzles are random and do not follow NY Time's more-difficult-as-the-week-goes pattern. I do feel that Wednesday is always the easiest, with the exception of Verna Suit's Three Lines puzzle on Dec 3, 2008.

Across:

14A: Carroll heroine: ALICE. Did you all read this book when you were a child? You know, I really don't hate Chairman Mao, but I often look back on my childhood with a sense of what might have been. Cultural Revolution ruined so many people's lives.

18A: Jodie Foster film: NELL. Not a Jodie Foster fan. Don't think I want to watch NELL.

45A: Cinco y tres: OCHO. In Chinese, it's 八, the lucky number, as its pronunciation is similar to "prosper". Thus, the Olympic started at exactly 8 seconds and 8 minutes past 8 pm on 8/8/08. "I love you" is 520.

47A: Actress Heche: ANNE. So many ways to clue ANNE, ANNE Heche, ANNE Frank, ANNE Bancroft, ANNE Boleyn, who else can you think of?

56A: Belushi biography: WIRED. Not familiar with this Bob Woodward book. Easily obtainable though.

68A: Happy expression: SMILE. Wonderful intersection with AMO (65D: Caesar's loving expression). I don't believe in "Amor vincit omnia" any more. It's simply not true.

Down:

1D: Wilson's predecessor: TAFT. The only U.S. President to become Chief Justice. I have an autographed photo of Bob TAFT. I was unaware of his criminal activity when I got it.

5D: Flunky: YES-MAN. Can you call those eunuchs YES-MEN?

6D: Slugger Barry: BONDS. Have never liked him before. I do have all his rookie cards though.

9D: Nabokov title: LOLITA

10D: Pennants: FLAGS. Great pennant. I only have 1987 and 1991 Twins Championship pennants. Mine are in perfect condition.

12D: Peace in Greece: IRENE. I thought she was the goddess of peace in Greek mythology.

25D: "Siddhartha" author: HESSE. I got the answer from across fills. Have never heard of "Siddhartha". HESSE won Nobel Literature in 1946.

41D: Quiz show host Mandel: HOWIE. Another guess. He is the host of "Deal or No Deal".

48D: Maidenly minor deities: NYMPHS. Mountain nymph is OREAD. River nymph is NAIAD, Wood nymph is DRYAD. Do you know why all of them have *AD ending?

55D: Job's question?: WHY ME. From the Bible I presume?

C.C.

81 comments:

Dennis said...

Good morning, C.C. and gang -- this one went even faster than yesterday's - just under 4 1/2 minutes. I can't remember the last time we had two this simple back-to-back; I've got nothing on which to even comment.

Today is Old Rock Day....and who doesn't love old rock?

Today's words of wisdom: "It's a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it." -- W. Somerset Maugham

Hope it's an outstanding hump day for everyone; rainy and cold here in the NE.

Martin said...

10 minutes 24 seconds. Another record time for me. No unknowns although I wanted either YELL or WAIL intead of BAWL. Funny how OLEO and OREO were both in the puzzle: I think constructors like rhymes. C.C., do some constructors like rhymes the same way Barry Silk like pangrams?

Martin

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

Dennis,
Would you be able to get WIRED without the perps? What's so unique about old rock?

Mark in BA,
What is the answer to "Pagan first words of prayer bishop left out"?

Martin,
I only speak Chinese & English fluently. How about you? I am afraid your pronunciation guide did not help much. I need a real person sitting in front of me and teach me, right now. I have not found any constructor fond of rhymes.

Jeanne in MN,
I went to Cubs and found no UGLI there.

Martin said...

C.C., I remember the CARRY, HARRY, BARRY, etc. puzzle a while back. I suspect some constructors are frustrated poets.

C.C., "WIRED" is not just the title of a book, it is another way of saying "strung out on drugs". John Belushi dies from a drug overdose. I used WIRED to get WHY ME.

Martin

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

Democrat,
Thanks for the explanation of peat. I also enjoyed the Johnny Bench/Ozzie Smith clip.

Warren,
You are the best!

Barry & Dougl,
I got an email from Warren and found out that I mixed up the two clues yesterday. The "Big revolver?" is for EARTH. And "Holder of a number of degrees"is for ARC. Sorry for trouble. Will definitely double-check next time. Now I have another question. All the below theme answers are clued as "Back a horse, twice". I don't get it.

WHISPERER RACING
CHESTNUT TRAINER
COUNTRY FEATHERS

Martin said...

Martin, I only speak Chinese & English fluently. How about you?

I don't think I speak Chinese fluently: it's only about as good as my French. Meanwhile, I know you can understand French and I see your Korean and Japanese are better than mine. I think you're being modest.

Martin

Dennis said...

C.C., yes, "Wired" was a gimme - I was a Belushi fan.

Old rock, I took to mean old Rock & Roll, which I love.

Argyle said...

You know...maybe there's a connection between today's theme and Old Rock Day?

Dick said...

Good morning CC and all. Like Dennis and Martin this was another quick fill. I quit timing the solutions but it must have been in the five minute range. Nothing that I did not know or was able to get by the perps. I really have nothing to complain about today.

Rain, fog and cold here today. Hope your day is full of sunshine.

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

Martin,
I understand and speak some very basic French. But I don't speak any Japanese or Korean. Their languages are so close to Chinese that I can infer occasionally. Just like how Kazie connects Latin, German, French and English.

Dennis,
Forgot to tell you Verna Suit loved your "Verna Suit broke my balls today and I loved it!" comment.

Argyle,
Why? What's the connection? You have not answered my yesterday's question. Is that you on the picture? Enjoyed the two singing clips yesterday. But I can't sing.

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

Kazie & Doreen
Thanks for PURL. Do both of you knit?

Carol,
Thanks for the BIRD slang. Isn't strange that it is not even listed on Urban Dictionary? Congratulations on your 7 minutes record yesterday!

Calef,
Are all Taurus stubborn?

Superfrey,
I am so jealous of you. Do they give out bobbleheads during Twins' spring training?

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

Dr. G,
"C.C., sometimes it is better not to ask." Why?

Brian,
Hi. Good to hear from you. Do you get TMS Sunday puzzle also?

Clear Ayes,
Thanks for shuck yoke & "Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!" explanation. I loved "Only the things the heart believes are true" in yesterday's poem.

Anonymous said...

10:23 it was so easy!.........

In favor of old rock day

That was then............
Metallica from 1991

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRYDetbwegs

This is now.............


Meanwhile enjoy a cut from Metallica New CD Death Magnetic called "The Day That Never Comes".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yErdJpg1ECg

Dennis said...

Dennis,
Forgot to tell you Verna Suit loved your "Verna Suit broke my balls today and I loved it!" comment.


Well tell her to do it again; been forever since we had a hammer.

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

Barb B,
IMAGO Dei: I don't believe it's clued this way in any puzzle before. Sounds like a great clue. Thanks. Can't imagine what kind of troubles IMA HOGG went through in her life with that name.

Linda,
Thanks for those double names yesterday. I am glad I asked the question. I always thought those two names are an combination of given name & middle name. What is "1-4 birthday"?

Crockett,
"Did you get X/X on the test?" I don't understand this question. I rather like your TRAY interpretation. "Your dictionary.com says that it is an interjection that is used to suggest the sound of a titter or snicker. OK, all you DFs and DFettes, there's the pitch." Why? What's so funny about "titter or snicker"?

Anonymous said...

CC you are welcome have a nice day.

Anonymous said...

(January 07) Today we're celebrating I’m Not Going To Take It Anymore Day

I’m Not Going To Take It Anymore Day
Stand firm, stand strong and refuse to be a victim any longer. Today is the day to assert to the world that you are not going to take it any longer!

http://blog.holidays.net/index.php/2009/01/07/

Kevin Towery

Argyle said...

CC said...This is my first cheat-free, Wite-out free puzzle.

XOXOXO Congratulations! Woo-Woo! Love your idea of getting the puzzle signed. Good Luck!

Avatar is real; why would you think it wasn't?

Old Rock Day is about old rocks. Old rock breaks down into stones, then dirt, then dust.

Anonymous said...

Old Rock Day

When : Always January 7th

Old Rock Day is an opportunity to enjoy and appreciate old rocks and fossils. Perhaps you can start a rock collection. You can go out on a field trip in search of old fossils (the rock kind). Or, if you choose, you can just play with old rocks.

There are a lot of fun-filled, yet ill-defined, wild and wacky holidays. This is one of them. There is little information available on what this day was truly meant to mean. So, the interpretation and the means of celebration is left up to you.

By definition, fossils are old rocks. Jewelry stones are old rocks. And, coal is an old rock, too. You can celebrate any or all of these old rocks today.

http://www.holidayinsights.com/other/oldrockday.htm

lois said...

Good morning CC et al, Another fast and fun one. "Eat 'dirt cheap' at Fuller's" was the slogan for a great hot dog place here for many years. It's closed now, but the 'dirt' was good. Gave a new dimension to old 'rock' & 'roll'.

Laughed w/'dust devil'...my OKla nickname with my horse named Diablosa. Good times and got a whole new perspective on 'tumble weeds'.

Enjoy your day.

Argyle said...

My new picture is supposed to represent Santa the morning after visiting Lois, et al..

Dennis said...

Argyle, I think you'd be on life-support after visiting those DFettes; I didn't see any IV lines...

Argyle said...

CC said...All the below theme answers are clued as "Back a horse, twice". I don't get it.

WHISPERER RACING
CHESTNUT TRAINER
COUNTRY FEATHERS

Put each word behind a horse.
Horse WHISPERER - book & movie
horse RACING
horse CHESTNUT - tree
horse TRAINER
horse COUNTRY - land best traveled on horseback
horse FEATHERS - Marx Brothers

Jeanne said...

Good Morning all,
Thank goodness for an easy puzzle today; had a terrible night's sleep so I'm operating on fewer cylinders. Had a flu shot, but think I'm getting something not covered by the shot.

Read yesterday's blog about double names. Not so common in our area of PA. But had a fellow student in college named Rhoda Book. Always wondered what her married name became.

I never read LOLITA but should have. Several years ago I read READING LOLITA IN TEHRAN, by Azar Nafisi. It's a memoir about secretly teaching Western literature in revolutionary Iran. Fascinating book how their lives intertwined with the ones they were reading.

Razz said...

CC - How 'bout "Why Mother Earth has to clean house - dirt, dust & mud." for a theme suggestion?

Not a hiccup today for me either.

Know a hammer has to be coming!

Superfrey said...

CC. I don't know about the Twins Bobble Heads... I bet they do... I used to work for the Phillies A club in Lakewood, NJ... and they would give out Bobble Heads occasionally to the first 1000 attendees.... I will check it out though.

As to this puzzle... a snap... maybe I have some clues incorrectly since I thought 51A "Glossy" for sleek was a bit of a stretch.... "Shiny or Slick" might have been a better clue. Also.. Q - was 50D "Arrest" for Staunch. That I got from perps... Comments please.... :-)

Dr. Dad said...

A five minute puzzle today. Still can't catch Dennis (!!**^&!!***)

Dust devils are the little brothers/sisters of the more dangerous tornado. Dust devils form when hot air near the surface rises quickly through a small pocket of cooler low pressure air above it. If conditions are just right, the air may begin to rotate. As the air rises suddenly, the column of hot air is stretched vertically causing intensification of the spinning effect by the scientific principle of conservation of angular momentum.

Old Rock Day (Bob Seger's "Like a Rock" and "Old Time Rock & Roll", even though the holiday is referring to Rock and Stone collections), I'm Not Going To Take It Anymore Day, and Harlem Globetrotters Day (they played their first game on this day in 1927 as the Harlem Globetrotters. They had been together before that but they were called the Savoy Big Five).

Have a great Wednesday.

Dennis said...

Superfrey, yes, 'arrest' is correct for 'staunch'. I've seen staunch used mainly as meaning 'to arrest the flow of' something, as in, "his use of a tourniquet staunched the flow of blood from his wound".

Anonymous said...

Fun puzzle today. But I thought a "narc" was a DEA agent. An NEA agent is a teacher.

Superfrey said...

Dennis thanks for the reply on the use of "Staunch".... learn something everyday... ;-)

Barry G. said...

Morning, all!

Running a bit late today. Had a combination snow/sleet/ice storm overnight and it's still sleeting this morning, so I had to shovel, get my son to day care and then drive my wife to the train station. But here I am, safe and sound and only slightly sore... ^_^

Easy, easy puzzle today. The only unknown was HESSE, and I didn't even notice it until after I had solved it via the perps. More than that, though, all the clues were incredibly straightforward and easy. I'm not fond of puzzles that cross one obscure word with another, over and over again, but I do enjoy having to think a bit to figure out what the clue is looking for (within reason, obviously). So this one let me down a bit.

I was glad to see LOLITA in the puzzle, however. Every time I see the clue "Nabakov title" I think it's going to be LOLITA, but it invariably ends up being some other, totally obscure, novel he wrote ("Ada"? "Ida"? Whatever). But not today! Nope, today we actually got the only novel written by Nabakov that anybody has ever heard of.

Thanks for the clarification on the clue mishap yesterday, C. C. It makes me feel less stupid. I see that Argyle has already answered today's question for you.

Dr. Dad said...

Jin in Norfolk @ 8:04 has a nice catch on NEA agent. Must be a typo for the clue (should be DEA = Drug Enforcement Administration?). The only other possibility is that it is referring to an "agent" of the NEA (National Education Association) Task Force on Drug Education. But I wouldn't think agents of that Task Force would be called narcs.

kazie said...

Well, if I could ever get into the habit of doing the puzzle with nobody else around, I might get some idea of how long I take to do it. But I think I'll just continue mulling it over casually over breakfast. It's more fun. HESSE was a gimme, hubby is a big fan of his work. No problems at all.

In Oz, dust devils are willie-willies. It's said an aborigine can hide in one as he approaches his hunted prey.

I still have some old rocks--we were at an amethyst mine in Thunder Bay 20 years ago with the kids. It was raining, so they all looked shiny and inviting and the kids wanted to take every one we found. As they only cost $1 a pound, we brought back quite a few and never did anything with them. They're supposed to bring good luck.

c.c.,
Yes, growing up in Oz with all that soft merino wool readily available, everyone knitted back then. My record for a long sleeved crew-neck sweater was 2 weeks when I was in college.

For those who want to celebrate I’m Not Going To Take It Anymore Day, listen to this:
Dylan: Maggie's Farm

Crockett1947 said...

Good morning, everyone. No sweat on this one. The few unknown names fell easily via the perps.

Congratulations on the completion, CC!

Looks like all of the questions have been answered.

Have a fantastic Wednesday!!

Razz said...

In today's world TLA's dominate our speech. I didn't bother to look up any for DEA but here is a short list for NEA - of which narc would be an agent for one of these.

NEA

National Education Association
National Endowment for the Arts
Nuclear Education and Training
Network Endpoint Assessment
Narcotics Enforcement Agency
Near Eastern Archaeology
Naknek Electric Association
Nuclear Energy Agency
New England Archivists
New England Airlines
Near Earth Asteroids
National Editorial Association

Thea said...

Just under 10 minutes, didn't see some clues until I read the comments. Maybe the constructors are taking it easy one those who a still a bit hung over from the holidays.

C.C. Do you have problems pronouncing TEXAS (the state) and TAXES (those pesky things we pay in April)? They sound the same as sax and sex.

A couple more good southern names: Goober and Gomer (Pyle), love Jim Nabors singing.

I think Washington is going to get washed away, hasn't stopped raining since the snow melted.

Anonymous said...

Hi ya'll,
Had fun with this one.
About 15 minutes for me. What I did'nt know I got from the crosses. Saw the explanation for 50d, but it still sounds like a stretch to me.

To answer your bowling question C.C.----
We bowl in a mixed team league. My team consists of three males and one female. (Me, my son, his stepson and a lady not related).
I only bowl once a week and am very much an amateur, so "Italian Bocci" is unknown to me.
Are you familiar with it?

Anonymous said...

mark - Buenos Aires

c.c. "Pagan first words of prayer bishop left out"

First words of prayer = God Bless eg God Bless this house, God Bless America
Bishop (B) left out

so, Godless

I´m not sure if pagans are Godless but they are (I suppose) in terms of Christianity.

Try "The last eccentric burglar needs it" (7 letters)

Clue = eccentric indicates an anagram of "the last", so smmething a burglar needs from the letters of "the last"

Have a lovely day

Dennis said...

Stealth.

Dick said...

@ Linda from yesterday. Yes I am the 1/4 birthday guy. The 1/4 birthday was also my mother's.

Auntie Naomi said...

Congratulations C.C.
I hope you get the autograph.

How about Anne Rice. I love her writing. I got her autograph years ago.

9:55 for me today. NEA must be a typo.


Here's another one to help celebrate I’m Not Going To Take It Anymore Day: Mad As Hell

Anonymous said...

I had two errors this morning, which is a glorious 74∘ and sunny. I too had wail for 6A which left me clueless for 8D and 6D (I don't pay attention to sports). And I misspelled NARK, which left me with kedes for yields. Finally figured out bawl and that cleared up the north middle section. But I had to go to the new dictionary that is in my beautiful new iMac, which asked if I meant cedes. Isn't that a nifty way to get info?
Cheers.

dougl said...

Jimbo, bocci is also called lawn bowling. You throw out a small yellow ball, then take turns trying to roll/toss bigger balls as close to it as you can. The big balls are 2 colors, so 2 teams try to get closest. You can also knock your opponent's balls further away and can knock the yellow ball (the "pita") to a new position. It's great fun at picnics and such.

Anonymous said...

mark - Buenos Aires

Re names:

I had an acquaintance called "Richard Head", I would love to know how his school life was and how he coped with the titters, but I never had the gumption to ask - suffice to say, some parents are just sadists

kazie said...

Here's U-Tube's basics of lawn bowls. It's always played in Oz by old age pensioners (senior citizens) dressed in white uniforms. I like this Californian way better--they wear whatever they like.

bethann said...

I, like C.C. finally got a puzzle done without aid. It also didn't take me very long, I'm not sure on the time but I did SUDOKU and the xword in less than an hour so it was pretty good time for me!
I will be admireing my old rock today! My husband gave me a ring for Christmas in 1999, and the diamond came from his mothers engagement ring, so it's a pretty old stone, and it's a beautiful stone as well.
We get quite a few dust devils here in Idaho and we have even had a few small tornados but nothing compared to what some of you have experienced.
I thought the theme could be like yesterdays and be the "stages" of "earth" "mud" "dust" and "dirt" Have a good day all. :)

Anonymous said...

C.C.
I doubt that all Taurus people are stubborn, but it is reputed to be a common personality attribute of those born under that sign. At any rate it gives me an excuse.
Calef.

Anonymous said...

CC:

I too, for the first time, almost solved this puzzle cheat free. Only missed one letter (box 33).

I used my wifes computer today, and did a google search to find your site. I somehow came across your Feb 20, 2008 blog with your repeat offenders list. Are you still keeping that list and is it possible to link to it?

Have a great day and congrat's on your success. I will keep trying.

A.R.E.

kazie said...

Calef,
I'm a Taurus too, and use the excuse all the time! My husband says it's the aussie in me though.

DoesItinInk said...

cc: While Irene is the Greek goddess of peace, the Greek word for peace is ειρήνη (pronounced Irini). It is a feminine noun.

Herman Hesse was a favorite author of mine in college and post-college days. I read a lot of philosophical fiction (Hesse, Sartre, Camus, etc.). My favorite book by Hesse was Steppenwolf with its central character Harry Haller who decided at a certain age he would dispassionately evaluate the quality of his life and decide if it were worth continuing to live. If the answer was no, he would commit suicide. I recall my mother being very upset when I told I thought this was a very good idea.

64A EAVES should be clued as “roof overhangS” as EAVES is a plural noun.

Linda said...

CC; So glad you still visit the blog!
1-4 means January 4th...(as in Birthday).You multi-lingual people make me very envious! I speak English (too) fluently (but don`t spell it well...used to worry about it until I read that it was a sign of intelligence...now I wear it as a badge of honor!), Spanish haltingly, and "pig latin" and "turkey talk" and "donald-duck" quite well! As to the dust devils, some of them can be quite strong...so NEVER jump into one...no matter how much fun it looks like!

Thea: Gomer Pile and Mike Huckabee remind me of each other...

g8termomx2: Will you get to watch T-bow tomorrow night in person? (if so, lucky you!!!)

Jimbo; Belated thanks for your kind words several posts ago.

Dick;
Belated birthday wishes. Hope yours was as much fun as ours.

Clear Ayes said...

Good Morning All, The only "Huh??" moment I had was with 23D. My first thought was, "Does the National Endowment for the Arts have agents??" I got it with the perps, but I was glad to see Jim@8:04's comment. Razzberry's list made me laugh. Can you imagine a furtive New England Archivist sneaking around, trying to "get the goods" on an illegal library?

I'm with Bethann on Old Rock Day. Nobody said it better than the amazing Marilyn Monroe with Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend.

On the other hand, there is a great deal to be said for old rock and roll. I had to laugh again at Dem In Red's reference to 1991 Metallica being old rock. For a lot of us, 1991 rock music isn't even middle-aged. How about LaVerne Baker's Jim Dandy.?

Dick said...

Back in the late 60's there was a man running for the West Virginia legislature and his name was Peter Beater. As if this was not bad enough his middle initial was "D". People in WVA referred to him as the master debater.

Clear Ayes said...

I used to work with a guy named Michael Hunt. Some of our co-workers used to love to call out to him whenever possible, "Hey, Mike...Mike Hunt..". I guess some parents are totally clueless!

weather321 said...

BORING!

JD said...

Good morning C.C. and all,

Woo-Whee! an easy one. Got Irene, Hesse, and Lolita with the perps. When I saw Nabokov, I thought it was our super Shark goalie. The clue "hold sway" still does not click with me, but I guess it is rule.Thanks Dennis for the explanation on staunch/arrest. I guessed "Why me?" and everything fit. I too don't add up my minutes as I seem to be multitasking constantly.

Old Rock Day brings back memories of Rock Hudson; I was such a fan.
And for some unknown reason I have always loved rocks and geological formations.My photographs never capture their beauty.
As for "Im not going to take it anymore Day", the Dixie Chicks' "Not Ready to Make Nice" says it very well.

adding to list:
horse apple
horse around
horse laugh
horse play
horse shit! :-)

Kazie, great video on lawn bowling. The indoor Bocci Ball is a bit different.

Brian said...

Good afternoon C.C. and gang.
Congratulations on getting your first cheat-free puzzle !!. I hope the signing comes through for you.

Not much to comment on today - just under 8 minutes for me.

C.C., I get the TMS puzzle from the Detroit Free Press and sadly they don't publish the Sunday one. I can't even find it on line.

Freezing rain all night and more snow on the way. Hope it is a great day in your neck of the woods.

Barb B said...

Refreshingly easy, as others have noted; I like to do things in a leisurely way to extend the pleasure, like Kazie, and I still finished in 12 minutes. Maybe because there’s no one to talk to here. Kinda makes me want to find another puzzle to work.

CC “Can't imagine what kind of troubles IMA HOGG went through in her life with that name.”

She was embarrassed by her name, of course, and signed it Miss Hogg, or I Hogg (not much better, huh?) but she had the consolation of being very wealthy. And she was a philanthropist, so it seems she used her troubles to build her character.

Yes, Job is from the bible book named for him. I was looking for Steve Jobs at first.

Jeanne, I enjoyed your family stories. My great grandmother was named Missouri Ann, and my grandmother’s sister was named Texas Viola. Names told a story in those days. Maybe they do now, too; just a different kind of story.

Clear Ayes – Mike Hunt reminded me of the commercial (think if was for Life Cereal) ‘He likes it! Hey Mikey!’

Jeanne, ‘I loved Reading Lolita.’ Books are a poor woman’s way to travel.

Anonymous said...

Dougl and Kazie,

Thanks for clueing me in on "Lawn Bowling". Looks like fun and not quite so much wear and tear on the "Bod".

Thea said...

I have another name for you, my 6th grade teacher's name was Mrs. Martini. She kept a picture of her husband, Harry, on her desk.

Well it's my bedtime, see you all tonight or in the AM.

Crockett1947 said...

One of my brother's best friends in college was named Peter Small. He had a tough time answering role call in ROTC, since they say the last name first, then the first. Then there was the young lady back in my old home school district who was named Female (fe Mal le). When the mother was asked why she chose that name, she replied, "I had no choice. It was already on her birth certificate."

Crockett1947 said...

C.C., you asked "Crockett,
"Did you get X/X on the test?" I don't understand this question.


There was a Roman numeral conversion test on the Roman numeral site you had linked. I wanted to know if you got all of the question correct. (10 out of 10 in Roman numerals)

I rather like your TRAY interpretation.

Thank you.

"Your dictionary.com says that it is an interjection that is used to suggest the sound of a titter or snicker. OK, all you DFs and DFettes, there's the pitch." Why? What's so funny about "titter or snicker"?

Nothing funny about "snicker." It was the "TITter" that I thought would be a DF opening.

Argyle said...

CC, for your perusal;

The best land - top SOIL
Clean the stables - MUCK out
Oil absorber - fullers CLAY
Metamorphic rock - MARLstone
Infantry soldier - GROUND pounder
Reluctant flier's love - TERRA firma


We're Not Gonna' Take It!
Twisted Sister

Hey, Crockett, tell 'em about the guy who named his sister's twins for her.

DoesItinInk said...

At one time I had an accountant whose first name was Melanie. She had a sister named Melody.

Some distant relatives on my father's mother's side had three girls. The older two were named Mabel and Maebelle. The third, mercifully, was named Anabelle.

lois said...

My good friend's name is Annou (Greek). Her married name is Kitchen...Annou (A new)Kitchen. We call her Annie. There were twins here orANGello and leMONjello, and a little girl asSHOle (pronounced A-shole-ly)...a pure reflection of her parents.

Argyle: LOL Wondered about your picture. Didn't mean to be so rough on you. Hope it was worth it. You have almost a year to recover.

Anonymous said...

C.C.> Yes I knit. I also crochet, embroider, do needle point and just about anything that can be done with a needle and thread. I learned when I was in the 3rd and 4th grades. It's what both of my grandmothers did, and I spent a lot of time with them.

Doreen

Buckeye said...

Guday, all. Three straight "high hard ones." Thor is lurking.

I had a friend in college whose name was Richard Dick. Dick Dick. Sounded like an African Antelope.

Hesse's Siddhartha was a turning point in my philosophical thinking. I still read it form time to time.

There was a "high-profile" wedding, and when the minister said that the groom could kiss the bride, a dwarf, who was very jittery, jumped up and ran around the church grabbing all the women by the breasts. In the newspaper the next day, the wedding ceremony article said. "At the end of the wedding, a nervous titter ran through the crowd".

I'll cover for Crockett. A Louisiana man was told that his sister had given birth to twins, a boy and a girl, and the sister had given permission for him to name the twins. When he visited his sister she asked him if he had named the babies.
"Yeah, I did". He replied. " Baby girl I named Daniece."
"Beautiful, Jim Bob LeRoy. And baby boy?"
"I named him Danephew". Ta dum!!

I must be off

DoesItinInk said...

To the dog lovers: Lest you think me callous for not liking Marley and Me, I include this article about how Michael Vick's dogs are faring in their foster homes and rehab. The story of what Johnny Justice and Jasmine are doing now brought tears to my eyes!

Linda said...

Having taught school in the middle-western south for years...I`ve seen some dillies of names,too, For instance: "PAD juh muh" spelled "pajama".

Auntie Naomi said...

I would never have dreamed of posting the following comment, but it has become apparent that you are all a rather salty bunch.

--------------
I heard there was a Native-American girl in my Montana hometown who had the dubious distinction of being named of 'Suzy Comes Running'. I have no idea if it's true or not. American English interpretations of Native-American names being what they are, it is entirely possible.

Anonymous said...

Hi C.C. This was too easy today. I like them better when I have to peek at your paper for some answers once in a while. Barry Bonds is a travesty and a mockery to the great game of baseball. Bud Selig should have been summarily thrown out of baseball years ago for allowing Bonds and other pretenders like him to play the game.

Keep up your good work C.C. I think you are wonderful.

The Bedeviler

JD said...

Doesitinink, thanks so much for the link to the Michael Vic story.It tugged at my heart. Some of those dogs will never be able to trust people, but thank God there are so many loving people adopting them.

Anonymous said...

There is a mistake in 23D. A Narc is slang (narcotics agent) for a DEA ( Drug Enforcement Agency) agent not an NEA agent, National Endowments for the Arts

Anonymous said...

I just saw Razzy listed Narcotics Enforcement Agency as a possible NEA but I can find no mention of that anywhere on the internet, just NEA as National endowment for the Arts, at first I thought it might be NERD but that was making TASTES, -TESTES and who would want to sample that ! :)

Martin said...

Argyle wrote:
The best land - top SOIL[7]
Clean the stables - MUCK out[7]
Oil absorber - fullers CLAY[11]
Metamorphic rock - MARLstone[9]
Infantry soldier - GROUND pounder[14]
Reluctant flier's love - TERRA firma[10]


To which I could add:
used ladies underwear - SOILed panties[13]
Wastes time - MUCKs about[10]
Achilles heal? - Feet of CLAY[10]
Hamburger - GROUND beef[10]
Impure thought process - DIRTy mind[9]

I don't understand MARLstone. Perhaps Argyle meant marlSTONE. If so then gem STONE also works.

Anyway, yesterday's puzzle had only four theme fills. I imagine two puzzles could be made with the above fills. Say,

Top SOIL[7]
MUCK out[7]
marlSTONE[9]
DIRTy mind[9]

and

TERRA firma[10]
MUCKs about[10]
Feet of CLAY[10]
GROUND BEEF[10]

Martin

Argyle said...

MARL is what I wanted. STONE, I felt, didn't fit; it would go with rock, stone, boulder, etc.. I found three MARLS; the first one I knew.

MARL: noun A crumbly mixture of clays, calcium and magnesium carbonates, and remnants of shells that is used as fertilizer for lime-deficient soils. verb To overspread or manure with marl; as, to marl a field.

MARL: verb (used with object) Nautical. to wind (a rope) with marline, every turn being secured by a hitch.

MARL: A city of west-central Germany in the Ruhr Valley north of Essen. First mentioned in the ninth century, it is now highly industrialized. Population: 91,700

Anonymous said...

PromiseMeThis said..

NEA must be a typo.

Razzberry said...

Narcotics Enforcement Agency

Anonymous said...

Clear Ayes said...

I used to work with a guy named Michael Hunt.

My grandfather used to tell that joke when he was alive but he said the mans name was C. Mike Hunt

Auntie Naomi said...

I previously referred to you guys as a 'salty' bunch. I might have just as well used the word 'randy'. According to Jay Leno, Randy Johnson is a name that always cracks him up.

Anonymous said...

I think the clue for 50D should be "stanch" not "staunch".

Argyle said...

Stanch and staunch seem to be interchangeable BUT...
Usage Note: Staunch is more common than stanch as the spelling of the adjective. Stanch is more common than staunch as the spelling of the verb. and since arrest is either a verb or a noun but not an adective then you are correct. Good catch.