google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Wednesday May 6, 2009 Mike Peluso

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May 6, 2009

Wednesday May 6, 2009 Mike Peluso

Theme: GALLERY (43D: Anagram of 54-Across's ending that can follow the first word of 20-, 30-, 40-, and 54-Across)

20A: "Kids Say the Darndest Things!" author: ART LINKLETTER

33A: Congressional bone of contention: NATIONAL DEBT

40A: Decide to prosecute: PRESS CHARGES

54A: Food reaction shared by about 3 million Americans: PEANUT ALLERGY

Does NATIONAL GALLERY refer to National Gallery of Art? I did not know that the place occupied by those press corps is called PRESS GALLERY. Always thought it's just press room or press briefing room. Wikipedia says US Senate established its first PRESS GALLERY in 1841. And the White House did not designate a press room until 1902.

PEANUT ALLERGY is a very creative theme entry, with the anagram ending and a word that can precede GALLERY. Peanut is actually not a nut. It belongs to the legume family. I vaguely remember a teenager died after kissing her boyfriend who had been eating peanut butter. Milk, egg and wheat can be life-threatening to some. Many don't tolerate soy/fish/shellfish and other tree nuts. Those eight food account for about 90% of all food allergies.

Once I had a tuna sandwich and I reacted severely. The doctor could not tell whether it's the tuna or wheat that caused my problem.

Smooth sailing this morning. I think I like puzzles with a simple 4 theme entries. Dan Naddor's heavy themage puzzles are awe-inspiring. But they overwhelm me. I guess they are for advanced solvers. This constructor Mike Peluso seems to be fond of word preceding/following theme pattern. Remember his last CAPE grid?

Across:

1A: Underworld VIPS: DONS. I was thinking of Hades' underworld, not the criminal mafia's underworld. I like how it crosses OMERTA (2D: Last book in Puzo's "Godfather" trilogy). The trilogy consists of "The Godfather", "The Last Don" and "OMERTA" (published after he died.) OMERTA, of course, is also the Mafia code of silence. I also like Puzo's "The Sicilian". So good. It's regarded by some as the literary sequel of "The Godfather".

5A: Bench warms: B TEAM

14A: Radiate: EMIT. Thought of BEAM first.

15A: Emmy winner on her 19th try: LUCCI (Susan). She looks very pretty. Beautiful skin. She said she snacks on sardine, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. I don't buy her secret though. I tried, it did not work on me.

16A: Guadalajara bread: PESO. Bread is slang for money. I don't think it can fool anyone any more.

17A: City on the Truckee: RENO. I kind of like the "Splitville" clue in our puzzle last time.

23A: "In my opinion...": I THINK. Descartes actually wrote "Je pense donc je suis" before he stated the Latin "cogito ergo sum".

24A: Raise canines?: TEETHE. I was trapped by "canines" again.

28A: Well-bred: GENTEEL. Like Jackie. She did not think "there are any men who are faithful to their wives". I bet every man has been unfaithful to their wife at some time. No? Have you always been faithful to your wife?

32A: Pirate's quaff: RUM. Oh, is it pirate's preferred drink? Not ALE?

38A: Clock-setting std.: GMT (Greenwich Mean Time).

39A: Tracy's Trueheart: TESS. Learned from doing Xword. I like her surname Trueheart, I also like Ada Lovelace.

46A: Uncomfortable spot: HOT SEAT. Aren't you glad you are not A-Rod right now?

49A: Busy pro in April: CPA. I think Doug Peterson is a CPA.

50A: "Boston Legal" actor: SPADER (James). I like him in "The Pentagon Papers".

52A: Atoll encloser: LAGOON. Wikipedia says the word atoll was popularized by Charles Darwin.

58A: Phoenix suburb: MESA. Did you know MESA was founded by Mormon pioneers?

60A: Suffix with hippo-: DROME. Hippodrome is a new word to me. Hippo is from Greek, meaning "horse", like Latin prefix "equi" I suppose. DROME is a combining form meaning “running,” “course,” “racecourse”, says Dictionary.com.

61A: Mower-making giant: TORO. It's based here in MN.

63A: Western: OATER. Occident popped into my mind immediately.

64A: Shortly: ANON. Archaic word, right?

Down:

1D: Foil, as a plan: DERAIL

3D: Jazzy intervals: NINTHS. New definition to me. I only knew the baseball NINTH inning.

4D: Popular vodka, familiarly: STOLI. I've never had STOLI, have you? How about some CORONA (47D: Beer served with a lime)?

5D: Pancake, when holding a sausage: BLANKET. Pig in a BLANKET. Learned this food from Dr. Dad a year ago. This is Cantonese style. The sausage is sweet, so is the bun.

6D: Plastic surgery procedure: TUCK. The answer revealed itself. I've never heard of tummy TUCK or any other TUCK surgery.

7D: Green sci.: ECOL (Ecology)

9D: Herbal beverage: MINT TEA

10D: Binge: SPREE

11D: Partridge's home: PEAR TREE. My husband writes "The Twelve Day of Christmas" for his bowling column every year. I've never been amused. I don't know. Many times I don't understand the fun.

13D: Barber's challenge: MOP. No idea. Why challenge? Hard to cut?

25D: O'Hare and JFK: HUBS

26D: Initial response team, initially : EMTS. Needs "briefly" as hint. (Note: My bad. I did not notice "initially" earlier).

29D: When bats fly: NIGHT. I always want to add a prepositon (at) to this kind of fill.

30D: Inquisitor __ de Torquemada: TOMAS. No idea. Wikipedia says this guy spearheaded the Spanish Inquisition. TOMAS is Spanish for Thomas, right?

31D: __nous: ENTRE. "Between us". Debra Ollivier titled her book as ENTRE nous. Quite interesting read.

33D: Bahamas airport code: NAS. No idea. Maybe the rapper NAS knows. It's the code name for Nassau Interntional Airport.

34D: Sot's shake: DTS. DT is Delirium Tremens.

35D: Bldg. units: APTS

36D: Golf lesson subject: GRIP. Just had STANCE the other day. What next? Posture? Here are some simple tips on GRIP. It's actually not that easy to have a light grip pressure.

37D: Gets worse after getting better: RELAPSES

41D: Old Mets home: SHEA. Mets are now playing at Citi Field now. What's the name of that bridge on their logo? Here is my favorite METS player (Johan Santana).

42D: Deep-fried frank: CORN DOG. Have never had a CORN DOG before.

44D: List ender: ET AL

48D: "Fiddler on the Roof" fear: POGROM. I like "Fiddler on the Roof" a lot.

49D: Memorable repeated question by the economics teacher (played by Ben Stein" in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"): ANYONE. All right, forward to 0:48. Probably the longest clue I've ever seen in a LAT puzzle so far. I like it.

51D: Meted (out): DEALT

53D: Insinuate: GET AT. New phrase to me.

55D: River to the Caspian: URAL. See this map. The one on the right is the shrinking Aral Sea.

56D: Dorothy's dog: TOTO. Surprising. "The Wizard of Oz" is listed as #3 Top Musicals in Ameria.

57D: NAFTA part: Abbr.: AMER

59D: Outer: Pref.: EXO. "Inner: prefix" is ENTO.

Answer grid.

C.C.

86 comments:

Dennis said...

Good morning, C.C. and gang - seemed like an unusually easy Wednesday puzzle today; sub-4 minutes again. Only perp help was with 'pogrom' and 'ninths'.

Enjoyable theme that of course didn't reveal itself until the end.
I remembered 'peanut gallery' from the Howdy Doody Show back in the '50s. I had a crush on Princess SummerFallWinterSpring. Clarabell did too - he always used to honk his horn whenever he saw her. Matter of fact, I used to honk my horn whenever I saw her...

Art Linkletter had a long-running TV show, People Are Funny; ironically, he lost one daughter to suicide and a son in a car accident.

Clever clues included 'raise canines' and 'pancake, when holding a sausage (pig in a blanket)'.
Today is National Beverage Day, National Tourist Appreciation Day, National Nurses Day, and National No Diet Day.

Today's Words of Wisdom: "Courage is very important. Like a muscle, it is strengthened by use." -- Actress/Writer Ruth Gordon

And a couple Fun Facts:

- It takes food seven seconds to get from the mouth to the stomach

- Breast reduction is the most common plastic surgery performed on American men.

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

Dennis,
Maybe Rich Norris continues to ease on puzzles because of some some persistent whining from some papers? Ruth Gordon was a very curious lady. Her husband was 16 years younger than she was. #2 FF sounds like a lie. I've never met or heard of any man who has had breast reduction.

Southern Belle,
I am glad that yesterday's puzzle was a 1/2 for you. You've been adapting the switch remarkably well.

Kazie,
Very interesting & convincing red beet take.

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

Dot,
Wax beans are like green beans, but they are yellow. These are fresh baby lima beans. These are butter beans. To me, they are all different.

Jazzbumpa,
Re: BRA/PECS. You made me laugh! Thanks for BOP.

KQ,
Do you use fresh coconut? How do you prepare them normally?

Al,
I can't stand low-fat or no-fat food. I have to eat full fat, real food.

Dennis said...

C.C., F.F.#2 is true - Gynaecomastia is the most common plastic surgery for men.

KittyB said...

Good morning. This was a pretty straight-forward puzzle. The only answers I didn't know were NAS and TOMAS and they both came from the fills.

NAS also stands for Naval Air Station, but that would be much harder to clue.

O'Hare Airport's abbreviation is ORD, for orchard.

50% chance of rain in the Chicago area today. We're high, and dry, so I'd welcome it.

Have a great Wednesday!

Mainiac said...

Good Morning All,

A good puzzle for me this morning. I never got the theme because my brain was trying to link up Letter, Debt and Allergy. Duh! Worked my way into the SW corner where I had Send instead of Post which gave me Gas instead of Map. Too many beans and nowhere to go!

Pogrom and ninths required perps. I also don't know James Spader.

Stolichnaya is very good vodka. Throw it in the freezer for awhile then pour over ice and sip. Personally, I slam the first couple shots then sip. Its very smooth.

Replacing a couple of in-line gate valves today so we've got water shut off in part of the Downtown. Whiny business folks! Great fun!

Have a good Wednesday.

Jeanne said...

Morning all,
CC, thanks for posting the difficulty ratings of the puzzles on the front page of your blog. I had forgotten that Thursday and Friday were ranked 3. I have always found that Friday’s puzzles were much more difficult than Thursday’s puzzles. That confuses me but then I’m easily confused.

Dennis, remember when you left for vacation, we had warmth and sun? We missed you but are you going on vacation anytime soon? This rain, dampness, and cool temperatures are killing me. Can’t work outside, so we decided to redo one of the bedrooms. Don’t mind painting walls, but ceilings are a bit more difficult. Never did have upper body strength.

My grandson is now 6 months old and a pure joy. We don’t get to see him as often as I would like but really special when we do. I envy grandparents that live close to their grandchildren. Have a great day.

Bill said...

Hi all,
Not too bad today. About 40 mins. Couldn't get a GRIP on the midwest. Was pretty sure of SPADER but didn't put it in 'cause something told me it wasn't right. (I know. First guess is the best one!)
I actually got the theme answers quickly. And I seldom understand the theme 'TIL I get here. I, too, liked "Raise Canines" and actually filled it automatically.
I guess I'll have to, at least, look at tomorrows grid. If it's like most of the Thur challenges, I'll probably pass. But, I will LOOK>
as Dennis said: 5 and a wake up!
CY'All Later

Argyle said...

Good Morning, C.C., etal.

The NW corner would't drop for me. I was thinking Hades, also. Didn't recognize the Truckee river and had eigths instead of ninths and didn't notice my misspelling. So I started in the SE and got the theme early on.

Re: unfaithful...to some wives, even looking at another woman is being unfaithful.

EMTS. Needs "briefly" as hint. I would posit that "Initial response team" is a hint.

Corn Dog

Bill said...

I would say that "Initial response team; Initially" should be hint enough that the answer is "initials"

maria said...

Good morning, C.C. and all
- i did not make here yesterday, Dennis nice to see you again.

Carol, a day late but non the less, inre "cats" imagine pitch black theatre and actors in cats costumes brushing by ... i got the ibbi-jibbi, if you know what i mean, my friend and i looked at each other and said " lets get the puck out of here". There was one or two other that got out as well, but thats all.
I know Cats was on Broadway for the longest time, and i just wonder if that production or any other started out the same way , Clear Ayes ?

Linda, i got the correction (choc) thanks.

Now, back to today, 95 pct. in 35 min. i gave up and came here because Dons didn't don on me (feel free to correct my english) even having the D there, and 5A, b-team .
had no idea, but i' m learning. and 6D, tuck came in last.
Very clever puzzle.

Lemonade, thanks for the link on Aron , he sounds like a very nice young man, what a future ahead !

Warren , Mount Shasta was an aye opener, a wonderful geography lesson for me.

Buckeye, loveya !
imbo

p.s. will ck-in later, i usually do

Anonymous said...

I can't believe I got Wednesday's puzzle with no outside help.

Mel

maria said...

c.c. I forgot, i love Spader , i' ll see if i can rent the film you mentioned. imho he is a very good actor.

kazie said...

Hi all!
This was fairly easy for me too--no proper nouns! I started slow at the top, gained momentum in the middle and bottom, getting the theme as soon as I had three of the theme answers, then went back the to top and got everything without any help. All in all a very enjoyable puzzle with just enough stimulus to keep my brain going without stress. The only erasure was SOON for ANON, but that was only for a second until I got CORONA.

I loved James Spader in Boston Legal. Was sorry to see it go, but I suppose it was getting too political? I also thought Ferris Bueller's Day Off was hilarious, if somewhat sophomoric. Ben Stein's character was obnoxious.

We used to always use the expression "no comments from the peanut gallery" when making a questionable remark that we wanted no argument about, but I never saw the Howdy Doody Show--not sure if it made it to Oz, and I didn't have TV at home until the mid 60's so maybe it was gone by then.

I've never eaten pigs in a blanket or corndogs. The latter look too unnatural to be good for you. Yes, I know hotdogs are made from the leftover scraps and will kill you anyway!

kazie said...

I forgot, I was sad to see the passing of Dom DeLuise yesterday.

Jeanne,
Your grandson looks adorable. I can't wait for grandkids, but so far my kids show no signs of wanting to start a family. Aah me!

KQ said...

This puzzle spoke to me today. Only had trouble in the end with a few answers. The middle sections with TOMAS and ENTRE. I just don't remember all those foreign phrases. I put in SEND instead of POST but figured that out quickly.

I am a former CPA so that clicked right away. Has anyone seen the photos of Susan Lucci in her bikini? I think they were in a People or Us magazine I looked through at the dentist office. She has a great figure for her age but I really don't think we need to see 60 year olds in bikinis. Just my opinion. One of my daughter's friends is heading to RENO next year as she has just been accepted to medical school there.

As for STOLI - it is one of my favorites. For years it was the only really good vodka you could get in America. I tried it first when my best friend came home in the 70's from Russia. We now have a good friend who is Russian, and each time he goes home he brings back a bottle of vodka for me. Some great vodka's there, and some wonderful bottles too. Grey goose and Shakers are good brands now also.

CC - I don't use coconut much as I am the only one in my family that likes it, but I like to bake with it. No I do not use fresh. I do love coconut shrimp also. Usually I will bake something to bring somewhere as I would be the only one to eat it at my home.

Sorry for the long post. Have a great day. It is simply marvelous weather here. In short sleeves at 7am today and not cold.

KQ said...

Here is the picture of Susan Lucci in a bikini. She does look great for her age. Maybe I am too conservative. It is just not my cup of tea though.

Susan Lucci bikini picture

Al said...

C.C. Fat is extremely important in the diet. It is wrong to try to eliminate it. The trouble is eating the wrong kind of fat in most foods. You should shoot for supplements of omega-3 (fish/krill oil, chia seeds, freshly ground flax) and eating mostly omega-9 oils (virgin olive, almond, avocado oils). You also need saturated fats, but only the right kinds. Natural butter and virgin coconut oils for cooking. Throw away all other commercially processed oils and margarines, including and especially CON-ola. they are all omega-6, processed under high pressure and temperature, and have really bad by-products as a result, and especially in the Midwest, where we get way too much of those without adding more of them.

I lost 50 lbs with no exercising in about 6 months (25 in the first 6 weeks) after eliminating processed foods, sugar and artificial sweeteners in any form (read your labels!), and no grain products aside from sprouted ones. (And corn is a grain.)

For any of you truly interested, here is where to go for more real information. They are not motivated by big business or big pharma. We are so inundated with advertising that we are brainwashed into thinking it is actually true.

I could go on and on about this, what to eat and what not to eat, but I can hear you all snoring, so I'll stop now. Sorry for the long post.

Linda said...

CC: I put "hotspot" for "uncomfortable spot"...saw my error (clue cannot contain answer) and then the two foreign language words fell. All in all, a piece of (chocolate) cake. I`m trying not to be cocky because I know Thursday`s a`comin`!

Still digging in closets, cabinets and dresser drawers...piling it in LR (which we hardly use and can close off) and will start "pricing" it for yard sale next week. (It is spring.) Will have lots of good bargains. Ya`ll come.

Al: It`s always good to consult the manufacturer`s manual for the best way to fuel the machine. Whole grains, only non-scavenger meat, (and then, only on celebration days) legumes, non-mold cheeses (it`s very interesting that the Book strongly indicated that mold was a killer long, long before Man picked up on it), and either mother`s(for the infant) or goat`s milk(for the adults), honey and even vinegar-bordering-on-wine. Doing it by the Book is always best. So...can we actually blame the "manufacturer" when we refuse to follow The instructions and the "machine", subsequently, breaks down? I think not!

Linda said...

Al: BTW...margarine is just one, chemical ingredient away from styro-foam! Natural butter is best for us if it is used in moderation (as with all things, food included.)

Anonymous said...

I made it through this puzzle today with just a limited amount of help from the g-spot. I had to look up what an atoll enlcoser was. I have never heard that term for lagoon. I also had to look up inquisitor Tomas. Luckily I got hippodrome by the perps, as that is a new term for me today. My two favorite clues were raises canines-teethes. (I was thinking dogs) and gets worse after getting better-relapses.

I guess I always associated pirate’s quaff of choice as rum. “Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum.”

I got tuck right away as I used to watch a little of the TV show “Nip and Tuck.”

Last week we had spank the monkey, now Dennis honking his horn. LOL.

It’s a picture perfect day here in springtime MN. 74 degrees and sunny. It’s just a shame I am cooped up here at work. I guess I shouldn’t complain too much at being stuck at work as there are so many people without jobs right now. STILL….it’s so darn nice out.

Elissa said...

I was having a rough start and feeling frustrated and like I wasn't getting any traction on this puzzle, when suddenly my computer gave me the "done" sound and I was surprised to see that everything was filled in - in just over 14 minutes. I got the theme answers fairly quickly, which certainly helped. This improved what was already a bad morning - woke up at 4 am with a migraine and couldn't fall back to sleep, although the Zomig cleared the headache.

Elissa said...

I was in the Peanut Gallery on the Howdy Doody Show on my fourth birthday in 1956. This was also Princess Summer Fall Winter Spring's '4th' birthday. She was 16 years old, but was a leap year baby. The things that stick in your mind . . . (crowding out info needed to solve xword puzzles?)

KittyB said...

At one point, my mother had seven people to feed, so she had a variation on pigs in the blanket that I still prefer. She made Bisquick dough, and cut the ball of dough in half. She rolled one half out to fit the bottom of 13x9 pan, and then pressed cooked breakfast sausages on the dough in two rows. Then, she rolled out the remaining dough in a rectangle to cover the sausage. While it was baking, she made sausage gravy which was passed at the table. This was a quick version to feed the hordes, rather than wrapping each sausage individually.

It's been about ten years since I last had this, but I continue to think of it as a comfort food from my youth.

Jeanne, that's an adorable picture of your grandson.

Argyle, there are also wives who point out interesting women to their husbands. My mother used to do that, and I do it for my husband, too. Mother was of the opinion that when you don't care to look any longer, you might as well be dead.

We're in the non-rainy 50% of the day, so I'm going to do a little planting.

kazie said...

Linda,
What do you include in non-scavenger meats?

Tarrajo,
Did you know hippo means horse? A hippopotamus is literally a "drinking horse". I think the origin is mixed--Latin potare to drink, but the hippo part might be Greek. In German they are "river horses": Flusspferde.

kazie said...

Al,
Any solutions from the last cryptics? I got schoolmaster, but am still stuck on the other one. I thought it should be an anagram of "a pardon", but am lost on what it is.

c.c.,
I just noticed you explained that hippo is horse in Greek in your blog. Sorry.

Susan Lucci fan said...

WARNING - WARNING - WARNING

IF YOU LIKE SUSAN LUCCI, DO NOT CLICK ON THE ABOVE LINK SHOWING HER IN A BIKINI (AT AN ADVANCED AGE).

I WILL NEVER THINK OF HER THE SAME AGAIN.

Anonymous said...

Good day everyone. It's 78 in Naples and sunny.
Maria: I saw "Cats" on Broadway, and no live cats were part of the performance. I would surely have known because I am extremely allergic to them.

Crockett: Thanks for the update on the timing of the coffee mug chocolate cake. I shall try it.

I could hardly believe how easy this puzzle was. I just was going to fill in the few I knew, and very quickly it was almost all filled it. What a surprise. I missed b team, even though I had all but the t and the m. And I missed tuck, even though my stepson is a plastic surgeon. I hope this ease is a good omen for the rest.

Anonymous said...

Kazie,

Very good, schoolmaster is correct for the first one. Kind of an anagram classic.

You were on the right track on the 2nd one. The answer is Pandora (anagram of a pardon)

Best,

Anon-hp (note, Al just posted the tutorial yesterday without additional cryptics for us to solve, so I posted a couple of my own cryptic clue creations instead)

Dr.G said...

Fellow DFer's,

You make me feel inadequate when you all say this was easy today. Without Google I would never have finished.

Never heard of Lucci,Omerta, Torquemada and Spader.

Jazzbumpa said...

Clever theme today. Liked this puzzle a lot, especially the gallery anagram. Didn't know Torquemada's first name. It should have been something more exotic, like Baltazar, don't ya think? I'll go have a talk with his mother.

Ninth takes us back to bebop. Basic harmonic vocabulary is three notes, frex: C-E-G. Jazz harminic vocabulary is based on extentions: 7ths (often flatted), 9ths, 11ths, and 13ths. Extensions can be altered - flat or sharp. Ninth of C would be the D an octave above.

Argyle - 8th would be the octave. Not very jazzy.

Linda - avoiding margarine is a good idea, but the comparison to styrofoam is really not valid.

Only one nit to pick today, 31D. No hablo franzozisch.

Like Susan Lucci, I am 62. IMHO she looks fabulous in a bikini. I'm eager to see if Adriana Lima looks as good when she's our age. FWIW, I am a faithful husband.

Cheers!

Linda said...

Kaz: I`m not smart enough to include anything anywhere about health...if I were, I would not have some of the health problems I have. I referred to the manual...
Deuteronomy the 14th chapter. I`m just cognizant of the fact that every, real health breakthrough agrees with the Owner`s Manual. It will always tell us the correct practices and then it`s up to us...we always have free will, whether or not we follow them. If you`re wondering about the chicken being a scavenger (and it is)...I do not know if it`s considered "clean" or why. Perhaps other bloggers could tell us.

I broke a lot of my husband`s wrenches using them for a hammer, once upon a time. Following the manual and using things for the correct purpose certainly helped.

puzzled_in_pdx said...

@C.C.: Yes, Tomas is the Spanish name for Thomas. GET AT was something that I grew up saying, as in "What are you trying to get at?"

I thought it was intresting how we had TOTO and TORO in the SE. Made me smile a bit.

Had some troubles, but google is my friend. Not horribly difficult, but still not easy for me.

Al said...

Anon-HP and Kazie:

Darn. I was just going to guess SERPENT/REPENTS for the second one yesterday. Again, close but not quite right.

SandbridgeKaren said...

Finally got around to working on today's puzzle - usually do them first thing in the a.m. but had a pedicure and then a funeral to attend - it's been a strange day.

KQ - I agree that sometimes these puzzles 'speak to you' - this one was pretty easy for me too. Sometimes I just see the answers there (although not quite as fast as Dennis was today) and then sometimes I don't see a thing.

CC - I like your question about men being or not being faithful but doubt many (or any) will own up. Being faithful seems to be an extremely difficult accomplishment for some men, although seems to grow easier with age.

Dennis - If breast reduction is the #1 plastic surgery for men, is the reverse true? Is breast enhancement the #1 plastic surgery for women? Just a thought.

If food takes seven seconds to get from the mouth to the stomach, stoli sure gets there a lot faster.

My favorite clue was '___Vegas" - off to visit there tomorrow. Catch you all when I return.

melissa bee said...

good morning c.c. and all,

interesting theme today, sneaky with the anagram. i like having to work for it. no problems so far this week, i'm bracing myself for tomorrow and friday.

loved the ANYONE clue/answer. now that would be a great theme for a puzzle, lots of memorable lines and scenes from that movie.

about your faithful question c.c., i first saw james spader in 'sex, lies and videotape,' a dark film with an interesting take on the subject.

i inadvertently observed 'no diet day' when i got someone else's order at the starbucks drive-thru this morning. would rather be back on vacation for 'tourist appreciation day,' but i guess you can't have everything.

@lemonade: from the other day, barb's 'b' and my 'bee' are for different reasons. hers for initials, mine because melissa means honeyBEE (although it is also my initial).

@tarrajo: i knew i liked you.

@jeanne: adorable!

@xchefwalt: great to see you back! do post more often.

Buckeye said...

Howdy (Doody) c.c., and fellow "peanut galleryites".

DrG. Don't feel inadequate. You'll get better as you continue solving.

KQ, I mentioned some "yard" games late last night. Did you find them?

"Fiddler On The Roof" is about the people in a Jewish village in Russia. Oh Oh!! I better not go there. (Tee Hee! Just joshin').

Started out slowly today. The NW corner got me at first because I, too, was thinking "hell" for underworld. I sloughed on, though, and finally got it. Put in Taos for Mesa (58a) but knew in my heart of hearts that Taos was not a suburb of Phoenix. All in all, a fun puzzle.

You Mensa-ites were right. You just need to stick with it. (BTW, did you know there are a bunch of Mensa-ites here in Northern Ohio? I didn't realize you "Old Order" Mensa-ites still road around in horse-drawn buggies, wear funny clothes and don't use electricity. Y'all must be "New Order" since you use computers; but do you still wear the funny clothesI must be off!!

tobylee said...

Good Morning West, Afternoon East,I was pleased with today's puzzle. At least, two unknowns didn't cross each other. Favorite clue is 'raise cannines?'
Breast reduction is men? I can see why they would not tell people, thus we would not have heard of any. Which comes to the unfaithful part of today's discussion. I think that most men I know are faithful, but again they may hide it well. I like to think the best of people. I told my husband when we were first married that if he ever went astray I didn't want him to tell me. I promised to be 100% faithful and I kept my promise. I knew I would have a terrible time forgiving.
Gotta run, Have a lovely day.
Toby

kitmac said...

I get the puzzle in the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern (WI). I really enjoy and appreciate your blog CC. Mostly I am a lurker.

lois said...

Good morning CC et al., Yet another fun puzzle...on Weds no less and enjoyed the theme. Loved the ref. to Ben Stein in Beuler's day off...I so relate to him.

KittyB: thanks for the airport info. Always wondered about that.

Mainiac: I'm w/you on how to attack Stoli...Cheers and Bottoms up...now that's what I'm talkin' about! I'll see if I can get some 'EMTs' to give me those kinds of shots, or better yet IV me. Don't want the 'DTs' tho'.

Am impressed w/the opposing forces in this puzzle, the struggle of good and evil and the basis for a good 'oater'with GMT across right smack dab in the middle,Tomas (who during the inquisition did evil things in the name of all that was good and holy)and Lucci who is a good woman but plays the evil Erica Cane on TV..or did when I watched it a lifetime ago. Just look at this: On the angelic side we have 'genteel', EMTs, mesa, tame, acorn (strength &innocence), ecol, Amer, glory and mint tea -all with a 'grip' on morality. On the devilish side we have 'dons', Las Vegas & Reno both, lagoon (deep down & dark), hot seat (yeah, baby), Rum, Stoli and corona, spam, ass,B Team. Even tho' some of the reps might be debatable, the number of opposites can't be an accident. 'I think' this is some kind of a Gallery all right. Do you? 'anyone'...
'anyone'?

IMHO, Lucci is beautiful. I should be so lucky...at any age!

enjoy your day. It's the end of the 9th inning for me! I'm outta here.

weather321 said...

C.C. and gang - After 37 years, NO, I have never been unfaithful to my wife and I am not going to start after this long investment.

Dennis - With my acid reflux it sometimes takes, what seems like a minute, for my food to reach my stomach. Wife says I eat too fast, but it also happens when I drink a liquid.

The first time I ever heard of breast cancer was when I was about 8, almost 60 years ago, when a male neighbor had a breast removed.

Jeanne - Out three grandaughters live across the street from us and even though we don't see them daily, they are growing so fast. Always something new with the year-old twins (my avatar). We also have two teenage grandsons living about 10 miles away, who we see weekly.

Argyle - With your comment, I have been unfaithful lol.

SandbridgeKaren - Maybe my luck was because I didn't marry until I was 30, got it out of my blood.

After getting almost two inches of rain since Saturday, the weather is warming up, supposed to be in the 70s this weekend.

Anonymous said...

Wow! I'm 70 and I look just like Susan Lucci around the knees and inner thighs. I'll have to brag to my children, two of whom are grandmothers. They're already considering surgical help, but I don't have to because I look like Susan Lucci.

As for men being faithful, I believe many are--grown men, that is. Adolescent males in men's bodies are another story.

Thanks for all the posts guys. I love reading you every day.

Doreen

Lemonade714 said...

Melissa Bee., thank you for the added information on Melissa, did not know it had to do with bees; not knowing stings.

JAMES SPADER also starred in The Secreatary which is a truly strange movie. I do love his character's interplay with William Shatner's on BOSTON LEGAL.

Buckeye, do be careful, Russian villages were home to many a POGROM back in the day, and POLAND is famous for more than bad jokes and games people play.

Al said...

Cryptics today:

Ate sundae that's contaminated, becoming this? (9)

Name of female climber. (3)

Since the second one was pretty easy, this one's kind of tricky:

One captured by bird lover. (5)

embien said...

8:12 today. No particular problems.

I could tell the story about how I tore my rotator cuff at a Brooks & Dunn concert, but then I'd have to talk about whether or not I've been unfaithful, and I'm not going there.

I can, however, definitely recommend the steamy scenes with Diane Lane in the movie Unfaithful

Linda said...

Jazzbumpa: Normally, I don`t take info. like margarine vs styrofoam at face value...going on Fact Check proved you are correct...but aspects of the post were true, as in margarine`s benefits are badly out-weighed by it`s detriments. When they are compared, butter, in moderation, is much better. The quote about "real food" is always the best, is true. Your correction was valid.

Barb B said...

Good puzzle today. I like using my imagination.

It’s a bit of a bummer that there are people who are so critical of Susan Lucci’s body. I would love to look that good. As a 65 year old woman, it hurts to think people are repulsed by me, just when I’ve gained some wisdom and have more to offer than ever.

When I was in Hawaii 20 years ago, I could still wear a bikini without turning people’s stomachs, but the thing I loved best was that there were women of all shapes and sizes and ages wearing bikinis without shame or censure.

So, if Susan Lucci can’t cut it, I guess I can forget any chance of romance in my future.

Lemonade714 said...

Ate sundae that's contaminated, becoming this? (9)

Nauseated.

Name of female climber. (3)

Ivy.

Dennis said...

Barb B. if you're going to pay attention to what one rabid, idiotic Lucci fan said, then you also have to consider what Jazzbumpa said @11:41: I am 62. IMHO she looks fabulous in a bikini. I certainly think that represents the majority opinion. Besides, we all reach an age where the 'person' becomes much more important than what that 'person' is packaged in.

I have, however, hung up my thong...

LUXOR said...

I think the "Wizard of Oz" is listed as #3 musical is because the song from the movie, "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" was immensely popular after the movie's release.

LUXOR said...

Maria,

You look like a very pretty girl. Why in the world would you hide behind, of all things, a dog?

KQ said...

For the record, I think Susan Lucci looks great. I am just not a fan of anyone wearing bikinis in public after a certain age - the exact age I am not sure of but my take is that bikinis are for the young. Just my opinion. One does have to wonder how much of that body is accomplished as a results of a TUCK or two though. I believe she has 4 kids.

Buckeye and Al, thanks for the game ideas. I have the bean bag toss (or my daughter does) and we are thinking of pin the tassle on the graduate. The twisting croquet and badminton cock sound great. I am leary of JARTS as we have kids a little too young and they could be a danger. I appreciate the help. The Calvin and Hobbes sounds like fun, but a little too complicated. We need to keep it simple I think.

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

Arygle & Bill,
My mistake. I omitted "initially" when I typed in the clue for EMTS ("Initial response team, initially") this morning.

Al & Linda,
Being sensitive to gluten, I seldom eat processed food. I do cook with canola oil, fully aware of the rape seeds' mild toxic effect. Olive oil is just so strong for my taste.

Melissa,
You have a wonderfully wandering honey bee spirit.

Cathy,
I think I remember you. You de-lurked once.

Embien,
No need to explain. You were unfaithful.

LUXOR said...

After reading the comments I would like to share some things with you all.

1.Men are not monogamous by nature, therefore all husbands either cheat or want to.

2.The #1 operation for men is the Vasectomy.

3.Where I come from in PA a pig in a blanket is another name for halupkies(cabbage leaves wrapped with meat and rice).

LUXOR said...

C.C.

If you are using extra virgin or virgin olive oil, maybe that's why it's strong. Try olive oil without the "virgin".
You see, extra virgin is from the 1st pressing of the olives & virgin is from the 2nd pressing. Subsequent pressings produce a milder oil.

LUXOR said...

Dennis,

Was "Chief Halftown" a character on the Howdy Doody show? I don't remember. I do remember Buffalo Bob tho. Early T-V shows are really memorable. I wonder how many of today's shows will be remebered 50 or 60 years from now.

Warren said...

Hi C.C. & ...

A quick and fun puzzle today, only unknown was 48D: POGROM. It would have been harder without teaming up with my wife though.

C.C. you commented about NAS? See: NAS
Nassau, New Providence [International Airport], Bahamas

Dennis said...

Luxor, no, Chief Halftown had his own local show. Watched him for years. He died in 2003.

maria said...

Luxor, my dear, you are making me blush, on the other hand you show nothing of yourself . . .

Cassie, the Jack Russell in the pic, was my pride and joy and a labor of love. i only had her for 7 yrs. she died suddenly, a short time before my mom.
While i was prepared for mom's passing, i always thought Cassie would still keep me company, but it was not to be.
Though she was just a pet, it hit me like a ton of bricks. That year ( 2006 ), was a double whammy for me, i can talk about it now, only just .

Until tomorrow, God speed

lois said...

Dennis: I'm so sorry to hear you hung up your thong. Maybe you'll consider a gold lame speedo w/a gold chain necklace as an accessory. Being the morel fellow that you are, I'm sure you would do that more justice than the link from the other day. And I'd almost guarantee you wouldn't have to honk your own horn.

Dennis said...

Maybe you'll consider a gold lame speedo w/a gold chain necklace as an accessory.

I'd need one of those big horoscope coins for the chain. I'd also have to glue on lots of chest hair for the right effect, since I'm lacking in that area.

Pair of dark socks and sandals and I'm good to go.

carol said...

Hey Dennis, are you wearing anything to replace said thong???

carol said...

Barb B, great new picture of you and Melissa bee!

Jeannie, your grandson is sooooo cute, no wonder you want him around more.

Maria, geez, I'll have to agree, that would have creeped me out too - having strangely dressed people trying to feel me up in a dark theater...oh wait, that seemed to happen a lot when I was a lot younger. LOL

maria said...

For crying out loud, Carol , i forgot about those days !
I thought that only happened in my country
lol

kazie said...

Maria,
That brings back memories of being goosed in front while crossing at a pedestrian crosswalk in Rome. And on the crowded public bus that same week, feeling the guy behind me not needing to honk his horn either because he was rubbing it up against me. That is, until I accidentally on purpose stepped back on his foot when the bus lurched. I was wearing stilettos. Ouch!

Linda said...

About Susan Lucci:
Remember when Edith was all starry-eyed about seeing a class mate at a reunion and Archie was really worried until he saw the paunchy, bald classmate? She still thought he was gorgeous. Why? She saw the real man behind the ravages of time...and we all will get there or face the alternative of "Live fast, die young and leave a beautiful corpse."
About being faithful/unfaithful...we all have "opportunities" or urges to do wrong things. We do not have to act on them...and usually, we have put ourselves in places that encourage those "opportunities."
I have also learned this..(just not from experience, thank God): When a spouse is unfaithful...that does not automatically mean that (s)he doesn`t love his/her spouse anymore. With real forgiveness and council, the union can be saved.

I`ll go before i wax philosophical...

Anonymous said...

Al: I think Lemonade nailed the 1st twe cryptics.

The 3rd one didn't come easily to me, but I believe I have it. I'm going to go with swain.

Decoded:
SWAIN is a man who is lover of girls or a young woman. "Bird" is also British slang for a young woman (akin to "chick" in American slang). The English origins of these cryptic crosswords are really showing here.

SWAIN breaks down further into the word "SWAN", a kind of bird, and an "I". The "I" here refers to the Roman numeral one that is "captured" within the letters of SWAIN.

Re: Serpent repents! You definitely you get points for creativity there.

Best,
anon-hp

Barb B said...

Thanks, Dennis for kind words. I know people LIKE me - at least enough people do.

I gave up bathing suits years ago too, and that's my point. I'm talking romance!

Realistically speaking,that's pretty much a closed door for women of a certain age, because these days, most of us are focused on appearance.

Take a look at the matchmaking sites and see what a 60 year old man is looking for. It isn't someone his own age.

On the other hand, I have found myself marveling at the older,formless, bald men in the library looking at pictures of young curvy women and thinking 'dream on,' so I am also guilty.

It's just the way things are, and nothing to cry about.

Lois, you are a riot!

Linda said...

Barb B: 60ish men may be looking for "la chicka", but when they get to their 70`s and on...you must decide if you really want to be a "Nurse" or a "Purse" or both... to most of them.

Crockett1947 said...

Well, I'll try this again. I thought I posted this an hour or so ago, but I don't see it in the comments.

@sandbridgekaren Your 12:41 post made me smile. It's amazing how the less beneficial liquids form today's puzzle (stoli, rum, corona) can make it to the stomach in under the seven seconds quoted.

On the faithful question. I made a promise over 26+ years ago and haven't broken it yet -- also have no plans to do so in the future. I'm set, Thank You Very Much.

@doreen You hit it right on the head, kiddo!

@sallie You're welcome.

@lois Another set of priceless posts.

Now, let's see if this one gets posted.

Have a great evening, everyone!

Dr. Dad said...

Well, boys and girls, Dr. Dad stopped in.

Here's my two cents on the pea"nut". I have said this before about a cashew and agree with C.C. about the pea"nut" not being a nut. The cashew is not a nut, either.

In actuality, a cashew is not a nut. Technically it's a seed stemming from the bottom of the cashew apple which grows on trees.

So cashews can join their other peculiar cousins of the 'nut' family, the peanut, which also is not a nut, but a legume that grows underground. Of course, in the culinary sense, a cashew is considred a nut, but not in the biological sense. To those out there that think you are eating nuts when eating cashews and peanuts - nuts to you!

The Art Linkletter Show - memories, memories.

Dennis probably had a crush on Clarabelle as well - but we won't go there. Sorry, Dennis. You still do a great job on "Today is." BTW, my right arm is quite big. Am I flexing a muscle too much?

Anybody notice that "gallery" spells "allergy" which was one of the answers?

They might all be beans C.C. but - Beans beans beans, the magical fruit, the more you eat, the more you toot. The more you toot the better you feel, so eat your beans with every meal.

Gynecomastia is a condition in which the male's breast tissue enlarges. Gynecomastia literally means "woman breast." This increase in tissue usually occurs at times when the male is having hormonal changes, such as during infancy, adolescence, and old age.

And yes, Dennis is correct, once we get old we would like to get rid of our "breasts". Many adolescents also remove them. Years ago this wasn't done but today it is common. We, as males, don't want to walk around with them hanging to our knees.

James Spader played the original Daniel Jackson on "Stargate - the movie". Don't know who played him on the series. He also played the "other werewolf" in the movie "Wolf" starring Jack Nicholson and Michelle Pfeiffer (amongst others).

Alton Brown had a great recipe for corn dogs on the food network. If you like them, try his recipe. Awesome.

To Linda at 9:54 - butter being a chemical ingredient away from styrofoam is a stretch - actually it is pretty much a physical impossibility. You have to do a lot of chemical reactions to turn butter into styrofoam and there are virtually none out there that can do it. I know - I am an organic chemist. The chemical structures for the starting units are similar but you need plasticizers, crosslinkers and polymerases to make styrofoam from fatty acids. Like building a ladder from "rungs and side pieces to hold the whole thing together." Butter is not one of the fatty acids that you use to make styrofoam. In fact, most of the margarines that are made are chemically identical to actual butter, they just contain some of the things for which you might be alluding to. But to say that butter is chemically equivalent or just one away from styrofoam is not physically possible. It's kind of like saying that lead is gold or "lead can be turned into gold." Neither are possible. Please do your research before making such comments that could scare people without reason. I say that with respect.

C.C. - I haven't been here in a long time. I hope you respect my comments as well as they weren't crossword oriented in all cases. This was not a bad crossword. I got through it withour googling and even managed to do the jumble and the Sudoku. My daughter showed me how to solve these a bit better. You should try them if you haven't already.

Miss you guys and gals.

A long time ago -

Dr. Dad

carol said...

Maria (6:49) 'lech's' are everywhere! I am sure all the women on this blog have a story about unwanted advances!

Kazie (6:58) Good for you! A well placed stiletto is always fun. Too bad it wasn't his 'horn'!

Barb B (7:14) you nailed it! Dennis is right about what is 'more the person than the package'. There are a lot of 'beautiful' people out there that are too stuck on themselves and cannot see beyond their mirrors.

Lemonade714 said...

When I moved to Ft. Lauderdale, I was working in an office where Buffalo Bob Smith was a client, so I was able to meet an icon from my childhood. He was a co-creator of the show, and when I met him, he was fighting with the network over the ownership rights to the original Howdy Doody puppet. He seemed to be a truly friendly, nice human being.

Clear Ayes said...

Good Evening All, I had several appointments today, so didn't get back to the puzzle until this afternoon. It went very well. I seem to do better with longer fill than with the three and four letter one. I loved seeing James SPADER. He has been a favorite since Sex, Lie and Videotape. Videotape?? That must be an old 20 year old movie.

I also remember the Buffalo Bob, Clarabell, Princess from Howdy Doody and the exhuberant Peanut Gallery.

Jeanne, Adorable!

I didn't ask if GAH was faithful to his first wife. I am absolutely sure that he has been faithful to me. Often the second time around is much easier than the first.

Kazie, LOL, The most I had to put up with in Rome was an anonymous pinch on the bottom. They DO love to live up to their reputation!

Dr. Dad...science guy! Good stuff. If anybody can make me understand it, it is you.

I loved today's WOW. Ruth Gordon was a terrific actress. Her Harold and Maude with Bud Cort, is one of the sweetest relationship movies out there.

lois said...

Carol: I am sure all the women on this blog have a story about unwanted advances!ALL? uh....no. Most maybe, not all. LOL

Dennis: LMAO What a stunning image you painted of your morel self! As if the black socks and sandals aren't the epitome of sex appeal, the glued on black tufts of chest & body hair are the sure turn on. Hold me back! Somebody stop me before I go find a local horn to honk in your honor. What a vision!

WM said...

C.C. Switch to Grapeseed oil...has a higher flash point and is healthier...more anti-oxidents. Peanut has more taste and a high flash point, is more traditional, but not as healthy.

carol said...

Lois, my friend, I was referring to a much younger and innocent self when I made that statement about unwanted advances (age 13)..it really was unpleasant. I do understand that as adults we view these things differently.:)
I had to laugh with you on the vision of Dennis with little bits of hair glued to his chest, and dark socks with his sandals...please tell me he is not wearing Bermuda or shorter shorts! I don't want to picture him as a geezer!

Argyle said...

Dr. Dad, you've got to go back to the lab.

Linda said @ 9:54 "margarine is just one, chemical ingredient away from styro-foam! " I don't know if she intended the comma after 'one' but I'm sure she meant margarine and not butter was one chemical ingredient away from styro-foam.

So what's your take on that.

Linda said...

Dr. Dad;

Read "Linda @ 3:01".

lois said...

Carol: yeah, age 13 is awful. I didn't mean to be insensitive. Young age never crossed my mind.

For some reason, I can never imagine Dennis as a 'geezer' at any age. Maybe it's his
'fine, upstanding' morel character.

Drdad: so good to see you again. Love it when you're here.

KQ said...

Talk about unwanted advances. I got fired in college because I said no to my bosses advances. Later, he was looking for a CPA for his company, and some moron headhunter gave him my name without asking me first. He kept calling and begging me to interview, not knowing who I was because I had since been married. As he was in a very public lawsuit with his brother at the time, I think he was having a tough time getting someone to work for him. I guess that gesture came back to bite him.

JD said...

Hi CC and all,

Had to drop in to say hi. Jeanne, your grandson is a doll!! How much fun you must be having when you're together.

Am on the go every minute. Pearl Harbor is always a special visit. No big waves on No. Shore this week, but the lunch trucks are there and the garlic shrimp is yummy!Weather is perfect for snorkeling; no rain showers yet. Bought a gorgeous handmade quilt for new grandbaby on the way, at a HUGE Flea market at Aloha Stadium (bargain city!!!)

The local paper has 2 puzzles, the NY Times and one from Tribune Media Service. That one makes me feel smart.LOL

Jazzbumpa said...

At the risk of further mauling an already dead horse, here is the skinny on butter, margarine and styrofoam.

Butter is 80% milk fat, which is a mixture of triglycerides. Trigycerides are compounds formed from glycerine, a trialcohol (3 -OH groups), and long chain organic acids (aka, fatty acids). Like other animal fats, butter contains saturated fatty acids. This means that all of the bonding sites on the carbon backbone of the acid molecule are occupied with hydrogen atoms.

Margarine is also a mixture containing tryglicerides. The acids are different, though. Margarine is made from vegetable oils. The fatty acids in oils are unsaturated, meaning not all the bonding sites are occupied. These locations are less chemically stable, and oxidation at these sites is what makes oil go rancid. Partial hydrogenation stabilizes the molecules, and raises the melting points, which is why you get solid margarine from liquid oil.

The partial hydrogenation yields compounds that that have different molecular geometry, but the same chemical formula. The geometries are called cis and trans. The trans fats are foreign to the human digestive system, and cause or contribute to all sorts of metabolic problems.

Styrofoam is made from polystyrene, a fairly simple polymer. The monomer unit is styrene (vinyl benzene.) It is almost, but not quite, exactly unlike margarine.

I won't claim to be a chemist now, due to lack of practice, but I do have a 32 year old M.S in chemistry.

WM said...

C.C. ....correction... I meant smoke point on the oils...not flash point.

The JVN said...

HI, C.C. and all,

A slow solve for me, more difficult than Monday and Tuesday, but still doable. I checked my movie book for a name or two.

16A - Guadalajara bread -- I did not make the connection between "bread" and money.

38A - Clock-setting std: I wanted WWV, the radio station that automagically sets all those "atomic" clocks all over the country. The answer GMT is not technically correct. As a time reference, it was replaced by UTC some years ago. UTC = Co-ordinated Universal Time; the letter sequence U-T-C is that way because the actual definition is in French, not English. The difference from GMT is a highly technical one that I don't understand well enough to explain. Just let WWV set your clocks.

Now, about faithful husbands -- yes, for 45 years.

In 1959 at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, one of the priest teachers was open to nearly any serious question (other than help with calculus homework, he said). One of the students asked for guidance, pointing out that being married did not stop his eyes from noticing many beautiful women. Father immediately replied "Look but don't touch". Then he added "Don't even think about touching!"

I took it to heart.

So, Arygle: looking may constitute being unfaithful, but only he is thinking about touching. Father H. had a PhD in this kind of stuff, so I accept his definition.

Dr. Dad said...

So much for visiting. Might be back. Might not. Thanks for your comment Argyle. If I don't return it will be because I went back to the #@$$%^&*%%@#$$%#$^%^ LAB! I have to go and check how polystyrene is "almost, but not quite, exactly unlike margarine". Must be great stuff to cook with.

Perhaps someone can tell me how this molecule looks like this one.