Theme: Half Off
20A: Borax haulers, in classic ads: TWENTY MULE TEAM
31A: Cowboy's topper: TEN GALLON HAT
41A: Poker game where one might stand pat: FIVE-CARD DRAW
57A: CBS sitcom since 2003: TWO AND A HALF MEN
Argyle blogging.
I think TWO AND A HALF MEN was the first theme entry and went up from there. SHEEN (54D: Charlie of 57-Across) is the main character, Jon Cryer (who was in a LAT puzzle recently) is his uptight brother, Alan, and Angus T. Jones portrays Alan's young son, Jake. From season four.
Famous picture of a FIVE CARD DRAW poker game.
Tom Mix and his TEN GALLON HAT.
TWENTY MULE TEAM borax.
Across:
1A: Thingamajig: GISMO. Also spelled as GIZMO.
14A: __ of the tongue: A SLIP.
15A: Celebrity chef Bobby: FLAY. Bobby Flay, (born in New York City) is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur, Iron Chef, and television personality. His cooking style is Spanish, Mexican, and Southwest. Go figure.
16A: Provo's state: UTAH. SSE of Salt Lake City.
17A: Trailblazer Daniel: BOONE.
18A: Bad thing to yell in a crowded theater: FIRE. The First Amendment doesn't extend to this!
23A: Best kind of situation: NO LOSE. I had win-win, at first.
25A: Getting the job done, briefly: TCB. Taking Care of Business.
26A: Pig __ poke: IN A.
35A: "... __ saw Elba": ERE I. "Able was I ere I saw Elba".
36A: Sport __: versatile vehicle: UTE. The utes are coming for us.
37A: LAPD alerts: APBS. The Los Angeles Police Department issues All-Points Bulletins.
46A: Sam's Club competitor: COSTCO.
49A: Confucian "path": TAO.
50A: That, in Tijuana: ESA.
55A: Words of understanding: I GET IT.
60A: Darkroom images, for short: NEGS. Negatives.
61A: Radioer's "Back to you': OVER.
62A: New Wave band __ Boingo: OINGO.
66A: Actress Mary-Kate or Ashley: OLSEN. The OLSEN TWINS.
Down:
2D: Big name in gloves: ISOTONER. by Totes
3D: It's to the far right on freeways: SLOW LANE.
4D: Sal of "Exodus": MINEO. Press release.
5D: Where pirates prey: OPEN SEA. Arr, matey.
8D: Lash of old oaters: LARUE. His hat looks to be only about two gallon.
9D: Place for mascara: EYE LASH.
11D: "Yada, yada, yada": ETC., ETC.
12D: President Obama: BARACK. Literally "blessed" in Arabic or "peach" in Hungarian.
13D: Hitchhikers' digits: THUMBS. Today's constructor is a professor at the University of Washington, and a lawyer. Besides constructing crosswords (puzzles published in The New York times, Chronicle of Higher Education, USA Today, and The Sun Crossword, and now LAT), one of his published articles is A Hitchhiker's Guide to International Estate Planning.
23D: TV's Nick at __: NITE.
28D: Chimney duct: FLUE.
30D: Not much: A TAD.
33D: Non-Rx: OTC. No perscription needed for Over The Counter items.
34D: Without ice: NEAT.
38D: False appearance: PRETENSE.
39D: Kim of "L.A. Confidential": BASINGER. Photo. She won Oscar for the role.
43D: Some West Indian religious cultists: VOODOOS. Also, voduns, people who practice the voodoo or vodun religion.
44D: Racetrack border: RAIL. Saratoga Race Course Opening Day is Wednesday!
46D: Forty winks: CATNAP.
47D: "Animal Farm" author George: ORWELL.
48D: Inferior cigar: STOGIES. Named after Conestoga, a town in in Pennsylvania.
53D: Quarterback Brett with a record 464 TD passes: FAVRE. "Brett Favre will be returning to the NFL this week with the Minnesota Vikings, according to my sources. There is also a chance Favre will not be returning to the NFL this week with the Vikings, according to my sources...." - By Norman Chad, Monday, July 27, 2009 washingtonpost.com columns. Brett FAVRE looks good in Viking's uniform.
56D: Etiquette author Post: EMILIY.
58D: "The Thin Man" dog: ASTA.
59D: Yanks' third baseman, familiarly: A-ROD. Alex Rodriguez.
Answer grid.
Argyle
20A: Borax haulers, in classic ads: TWENTY MULE TEAM
31A: Cowboy's topper: TEN GALLON HAT
41A: Poker game where one might stand pat: FIVE-CARD DRAW
57A: CBS sitcom since 2003: TWO AND A HALF MEN
Argyle blogging.
I think TWO AND A HALF MEN was the first theme entry and went up from there. SHEEN (54D: Charlie of 57-Across) is the main character, Jon Cryer (who was in a LAT puzzle recently) is his uptight brother, Alan, and Angus T. Jones portrays Alan's young son, Jake. From season four.
Famous picture of a FIVE CARD DRAW poker game.
Tom Mix and his TEN GALLON HAT.
TWENTY MULE TEAM borax.
Across:
1A: Thingamajig: GISMO. Also spelled as GIZMO.
14A: __ of the tongue: A SLIP.
15A: Celebrity chef Bobby: FLAY. Bobby Flay, (born in New York City) is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur, Iron Chef, and television personality. His cooking style is Spanish, Mexican, and Southwest. Go figure.
16A: Provo's state: UTAH. SSE of Salt Lake City.
17A: Trailblazer Daniel: BOONE.
18A: Bad thing to yell in a crowded theater: FIRE. The First Amendment doesn't extend to this!
23A: Best kind of situation: NO LOSE. I had win-win, at first.
25A: Getting the job done, briefly: TCB. Taking Care of Business.
26A: Pig __ poke: IN A.
35A: "... __ saw Elba": ERE I. "Able was I ere I saw Elba".
36A: Sport __: versatile vehicle: UTE. The utes are coming for us.
37A: LAPD alerts: APBS. The Los Angeles Police Department issues All-Points Bulletins.
46A: Sam's Club competitor: COSTCO.
49A: Confucian "path": TAO.
50A: That, in Tijuana: ESA.
55A: Words of understanding: I GET IT.
60A: Darkroom images, for short: NEGS. Negatives.
61A: Radioer's "Back to you': OVER.
62A: New Wave band __ Boingo: OINGO.
66A: Actress Mary-Kate or Ashley: OLSEN. The OLSEN TWINS.
Down:
2D: Big name in gloves: ISOTONER. by Totes
3D: It's to the far right on freeways: SLOW LANE.
4D: Sal of "Exodus": MINEO. Press release.
5D: Where pirates prey: OPEN SEA. Arr, matey.
8D: Lash of old oaters: LARUE. His hat looks to be only about two gallon.
9D: Place for mascara: EYE LASH.
11D: "Yada, yada, yada": ETC., ETC.
12D: President Obama: BARACK. Literally "blessed" in Arabic or "peach" in Hungarian.
13D: Hitchhikers' digits: THUMBS. Today's constructor is a professor at the University of Washington, and a lawyer. Besides constructing crosswords (puzzles published in The New York times, Chronicle of Higher Education, USA Today, and The Sun Crossword, and now LAT), one of his published articles is A Hitchhiker's Guide to International Estate Planning.
23D: TV's Nick at __: NITE.
28D: Chimney duct: FLUE.
30D: Not much: A TAD.
33D: Non-Rx: OTC. No perscription needed for Over The Counter items.
34D: Without ice: NEAT.
38D: False appearance: PRETENSE.
39D: Kim of "L.A. Confidential": BASINGER. Photo. She won Oscar for the role.
43D: Some West Indian religious cultists: VOODOOS. Also, voduns, people who practice the voodoo or vodun religion.
44D: Racetrack border: RAIL. Saratoga Race Course Opening Day is Wednesday!
46D: Forty winks: CATNAP.
47D: "Animal Farm" author George: ORWELL.
48D: Inferior cigar: STOGIES. Named after Conestoga, a town in in Pennsylvania.
53D: Quarterback Brett with a record 464 TD passes: FAVRE. "Brett Favre will be returning to the NFL this week with the Minnesota Vikings, according to my sources. There is also a chance Favre will not be returning to the NFL this week with the Vikings, according to my sources...." - By Norman Chad, Monday, July 27, 2009 washingtonpost.com columns. Brett FAVRE looks good in Viking's uniform.
56D: Etiquette author Post: EMILIY.
58D: "The Thin Man" dog: ASTA.
59D: Yanks' third baseman, familiarly: A-ROD. Alex Rodriguez.
Answer grid.
Argyle
94 comments:
Good morning, Argyle, C.C. and gang - a very smooth, easy, typical Monday puzzle with a very good theme. No pauses, but I never knew that 'voodoo' was not only the name of a religion, but also the name given to a follower. Other than that, nothing really to comment on.
Argyle, your usual superb job.
Had an outstanding time in the mountains the past 3 days, and I'm still whipped. Only caught a couple walleyes, but got in a ton of swimming, tubing and jet-skiing. Sure hope I never feel my age, or I'm in big trouble. I am, however, bagging the morning workout at the insistence of every muscle group; my buddy and I have found that one of life's great pleasures is seeing how far we can fling the other off a tube at the highest possible speed.
Today is Take Your Pants For a Walk Day. Hey, you can't make this stuff up.
Today's Words of Wisdom: "I want to share something with you: three little sentences that'll get you through life. 1. Cover for me. 2. Oh, good idea, boss. 3. It was like this when I got here." -- Homer Simpson
Fun Facts for today:
- At one time, pumpkins were recommended for the removal of freckles and curing snakebites.
- Ostriches can run faster than horses and the males can roar like lions.
Good morning Argyle, C.C. and all. Wow!! This was a walk in the park today. The fills came as fast as I could write. The only slowdown was the crossing of “Basinger” and “oingo” for as usual I did not know the New Wave band, but I sure knew Basinger.
There is really nothing much to comment about for this puzzle. Hope tomorrow is more difficult, but not quite like last Saturday’s.
BTW Argyle another superb job.
Hope you all have a great Monday.
Only unknowns were FLAY and LARUE. Still, I should have guessed LARUE because
Eva LARUE is one of the actresses on CSI Miami.
And, yeah, I know FLAY was in at least one puzzle before but I didn't remember his name.
Martin
Dennis,
Did the mountain nymph keep you from checking the blog? You said you would. I am still waiting for your report on Bobby FLAY's Toasted Marshmallow Shake.
Argyle,
I also thought TWO AND A HALF MAN is the seed entry. I like the theme, simple & original. Thought of you when I wrote down FLUE. Thanks for the great write-up, Santa. Will you go to the Saratoga Race Course?
Joe,
Welcome!
Hahtool, Al et al,
Thanks for ATM, A SHARP MAJOR and other answers/comments.
Martin,
Wow, your LARUE is one sexy lady. You missed our heated burger discussions, which prompted Dennis to buy a Bobby FLAY burger/shake book.
Dick,
I did not know OINGO either. ISOTONER glove & TCB were also new to me.
C.C., I sat on the deck and did the puzzle each morning, but by the time I got done, everyone else was getting up, and the rest of the days were pretty much non-stop.
As to the marshmallow shakes, I made them Saturday afternoon, and without doubt they were the best milk shakes I've ever had. Unbelievably filling, but also unbelievably good.
I know the recipe doesn't involve zucchini, but if anyone wants the recipe, I'll be glad to post it.
Happy Monday, All.
I was a little stumped by the northwest corner. I knew Doohicky wouldn't fit in GISMO's spot, but that was the only thing I could think of. It took a while to get the perps, because I was thinking that Borax used oxen instead of mules. "Team of a dozen ox" fit into that space. Once I moved down, however, and began seeing the them, I realized the error of my ways.
I was not familiar with the abbreviation TCB. I was, however, quite familiar with BTO's version of the song, as it was big back in my college days.
"It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in an argument." ~ William Gibbs McAdoo
Hi,
I have been to the track but it is very crowded. It will be interestng to see it attendance drops off. It did last year but not by much.
I haven't gambled at the track ever since one day at the former dog track in Pownal, VT. I said I couldn't lose EVERY race; I was wrong.
@ C.C., Isotoner was a gimme as they were advertised by Dan Marion, quarterback for Univ of Pitt and then the Miami Dolphins plus he is a local boy.
Hey All, This was definitely a quick puzzle. Still it was enjoyable. I never noticed that the puzzles got steadily harder from Mon. on, before finding this site. I've learned quite a few about these CW.s, thanks to you fellow puzzlers. I am never sure if I am happier when it is easier or harder to complete them. I was trying to figure out what perps meant. Is it perpendiculars? I had noticed the term used, and wasn't sure. Anyway have a great day everyone.
JoJo, yes, 'perps' are the perpendicular answers that help you solve a particular clue.
In a way, perps is more accurate than crosses or crossings. A lot of words don't actually cross; they meet, but they are always perpendicular.
Good morning Argyle, CC, et al., Not as easy for me as it was for Dick, but a good run just the same. I love 2 1/2 men..great stuff. Makes me LOL.I also wanted 'win win' for 23A but the perps showed me the error of my ways..need more of those in real life..on second thought, 'perps' is what I have an abundance of. Nevermind. Got 6D 'iffy' and bounced to 18A which asked for a 4 letter word beginning w/F that is a 'bad thing to yell in a crowded theater'. Well, I lost it then. 'Fire' is a good answer. My fav. clue.
The Bachelorette party/shower was nonstop high hilarity. Our nametags were bead-studded condum pkgs w/our first initial on them. So cute and well disguised. We had shirts w/the event printed on them and the guys wore shirts that had Bachelorette Security on the back. The restaurant was outstanding (they wisely isolated us upstairs), the limmo was a well stocked Lincoln Navigator, the club bought us a few rounds of shots and shooters and gave the party a lot of attention, the hotel even had 'dial a bed', but by 4 AM I didn't care. Sunday brunch was the last fun thing and that was more hysterics reliving the antics of the night before. The bride to be's last 'fling before the ring' is one she'll never forget. Such a good time.
But my muscles aren't screaming at me and no hangover, surprisingly.
Dennis, your time sounds like such a blast. I'm glad you're still in one piece...:)
Wonder how Tarrajo is feeling.
Final wedding preps this wk and then Wow! Baby girl is getting married. Never thought she would.
Argyle: great job as usual. LMAO at your race track luck.
Am off to take my pants for a walk or vice versa.
Enjoy your day.
Thanks Dennis and Argyle. I figured that was what it meant, but felt a little silly asking. I am not very computer literate, and still trying to figure out how to set up my blog site. I also am using a somewhat old comp. and the old dial up connection. Ayway, thanks again.
Good Morning to all,
What a breeze! All the theme entries first, with NO hesitation. The only place's I stumbled were GISMO. Have only ever seen it spelled GIZMO.
And TCB? Never seen it "initialized".
And,I've never heard it used before. Oh, well, something had to fill the blanks.
Started and gave up on Thursdays xword, left for a BG festival and ignored any and all external influences all weekend. And I survived!!
CY'All Later
Good Monday morning all-
Sure needed this puzzle to pick me up after the last few. No g help today as I'm sure will be the case with many of you.
Lois - LMAO at the Bad thing to yell response!
Dennis-Please post the shake recipe. I've started a collection of all the great recipes posted here.
I never understood why Basinger won her Oscar. I was rooting for Gloria Stuart in Titanic.
TCB (Taking Care of Business) is what Elvis called his band and he had an emblem with TCB and lightning bolts printed on many items.
BTW, re the ban of Cycles Gladiator wine in Alabama due to the naked mountain nymph, an online poll revealed that 90.9% believe the wine SHOULD be sold here. We may live in the Bible Belt, but that doesn't mean we're all prudes!!
Moon, best of luck this week and to anyone else out there facing difficult times. 'And this too shall pass.'
Morning all,
Never completed Sunday’s puzzle-just could not get a handle on it. Today’s puzzle was a breeze. Utes must be a regional thing, because we don’t use that term along eastern PA. SUV’s are the common reference. Isotoner gloves are great for driving, wish we had a Costco closer, nearest one is a 45 min. drive. Do have a Sam’s club and BJ’s. Argyle, great job
Lois, what a great weekend--sounds like tons of funs. You sure know how to party. Dennis, I think fun in the sun is even more tiring than normal activities. It can really wipe you out but worth it. Several years ago, we went rafting down the Cheat River in WV. Water level was low, so we had individual boats (like kayaks but with flat bottoms) to handle the rapids. I made it even more exciting by doing the rapids backwards; not by choice.
Our excitement for the weekend was seeing the Phillies game where Rollins hit a grand slam. Very exciting and lots of fun. First time we were at their new stadium. Finally getting some summer weather this week and intend to enjoy it by the pool with some friends and drinks. Have a great day.
Good morning "teacher's pet", and c.c. Great easy puzzle today. A typical Monday. I got it done in just under 3 hours.
Lash Larue was always a favorite of mine but now I'm leaning toward Eva as my favorite Larue.
Dennis: Come to Lake Erie for some good walleye fishing. Give me a call.
Argyle: Years ago my father and I went to River Downs race track in Cincinnati. In a 6 1/2 furlong race, my horse threw it's jockey at the post and headed off in the opposite direction. My Dad's horse was leading the race when my jockey-less horse ran into him head on. Both horses were "put down" and the Jockey on my Dad's horse broke his collar bone. My Dad said, "Your horse killed my horse and I'll never go to a track with you again! You're bad luck!" (Fortunately, he got over it, and we won and lost a lot of money together at various tracks across the mid-west).
A small piece of history for the sports fans. Saturday, we had a reunion at "Sunset Park" in Middletown. All of the old basketball players were here, including Jerry Lucas. He wants to make a movie about this "park" and call it "The Greatest Summer" We had teams from Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and even the players from the old Cincinnati Royals come here to take on the Middletown High School players. WE NEVER LOST A GAME! When Lucas was here we won 76 straight games. ARMCO and "High School" basketball ruled.
When I got back from the reunion, Nurse Ratchet decided I needed a "colonic". I hid in a closet until she caught Chester Drawers, and took it out on him.
8", as everything, is a state of mind.
I must be off
Buckeye, you are off, but in a good way!!! LOL!!
Buckeye, you were up mighty early doing that puzzle today. Bravo! Thanks for the early morning chuckle.
Great theme puzzle today. I didn't get the "half" off until I came here. There were a few unknowns today, LARUE (although I have heard of him before, I certainly didn't remember,FLAY, TCB and UTE, but they were easily filled in with the perps.
JoJo, never be embarrassed to ask a question. Posters tend to make up their own lingo, and until you have been online for a while, there is no way of knowing what it is. You seem to be doing quite well getting in blue already for a newbie.
Argyle, great post.
Brett Favre looks good in any jersey. However, despite being a Minnesotan, I like him best in Green Bay colors, my team of choice.
Dennis and Lois, sounds like you had some wild and crazy weekends. We are low key here.
Anyone who can send thoughts and prayers out this week, please do. My hubby is in California now, ready to sit for the bar exam Tuesday and Thursday. Looking forward to getting past this week.
Hey Buckeye,
the Lucas reference puts a date on you, man. If I recall, that was just before UC and OSU traded the NCAA trophy back and forth between the Queen City and Columbus. We watched all the games with the Big O and the rest of the Bearcats on our little black ANC white Crosley TV. My dad worked at Crosley for a short while after the Navy and helped the guy who built the Loveland Castle haul rocks out to it. I still have a BIL on
Millville Ave. In Hamilton. If you ever had an interest in live country music, you've probably heard him play. His name is Don Bussel. He doesn't play much any more. But if you were ever at the Venice Pavilion in Ross or the Lorelei Club out on Mkntgomery Road, you know the guy.
Give Ratched a pinch on the butt for me. Then duck.
See you on the radio.
A good start to the week? I need good things to happen so I'll take the quick and successful completion of this Xword as an omen :)
Ofcourse the theme fell into place with 'Two and a half men' and I worked upwards. Until today, always spelt 'Gismo' as 'Gizmo'.
Thank you danabw for your wishes.. will let you know tomorrow how my interview went.
KQ: My thoughts are with you and your husband.
Argyle besides mentioning Brett Favre looking good in a Vikings uniform, an outstanding blog this morning. KQ, being a Minnesotan I will forgive you as well. Anytime the puzzle's first clue is thingamajig, you know it's going to be fun. My favorite is still doohickey though. No g-spotting today (Jo-Jo that means having to Google). Did get some perp help today with erei, Otc, Larue. I own several pair of Isotoner gloves and you are right Jeanne, they are great driving gloves. I don't like my drinks "neat" I like lots of ice iin them.
Lois, your weekend sounded fantastic. I don't get much just Tashajo time to myself so the farthest we went was for a canoe ride which ended up with both of us in the drink. Somehow I can't get it in her head that you shouldn't stand in the darn thing. All was good as some nice looking MN fishermen came to our aid. We ended up on the patio concocting blender drinks.
Dennis, sounded like you played hard too. I also got your point regarding zucchini. No more mention of it from me.
Thank you for Barack's "blessed" origin.
Hi c.c., Argyle and all:
Flew thru this one with no problems at all.
Dennis: Sounds like you had a great time in the mountains. Welcome back!
Moon: Good luck on your interviews this week, will be thinking of you.
KQ: Good luck to your husband. I will be thinking of you both.
Buckeye: As usual thanks for the laughs!
Lois: Sounds like you had a blast!
JoJo: Don't know if you read my comments sometime back, but my daughter lives in Sunrise and going to school at Nova for her PHd in Psychology. I used to live in Coral Springs for 10 years and actually worked in Sunrise off of University Drive.
Easy, enjoyable puzzle. Got the theme right away and had no stumbles.
I needed it after the weekend. I am the president of my synagogue board and we had a retreat meeting at my house yesterday that included 30 people and lasted 6 hours, not including prep, set up and clean up. But it was a productive meeting.
I have been doing the puzzle on-line on the L.A. Times site. Somehow I made the site smaller and the Ctrl-+ trick doesn't work to make it larger. Does anyone know how to enlarge (zoom/magnify) it? I'm going blind trying to read the clues.
Have a great day.
After I asked the question I tried one more thing and figured out that on my laptop I needed to use the Ctrl-Fn-+ (that is the blue Fn '+') to make things bigger and it worked like a charm. DUH!
KQ: Good luck to your husband on the CA bar exam. It will be three long days.
My version of Internet Explorer has, in the lower right corner, an instant magifier. It has 7 pre-set levels or you can enter the percent you want. I haven't seen this on other computers/Internet Explorers.
I'm running Windows XP and Internet Explorer Version:7.0.5730.11(no updates).
Good morning everyone. Thanks for a good job on spelling out this puzzle, Argyle.
My favorite clue was ...– saw Elba. I knew it was Able was I, but I blanked on the ere but the perp from isotoner led me to it. Didn't know the names of most, but the perps helped me get all but the es and gee in Basinger.
Good luck to Moon and KQ's husband.
Good Morning All, Great blogging, Argyle!
I thought this puzzle was terrific. Nice and straightforward for Monday, but it was still interesting and fun to solve. The theme was great. I had no problem with TWENTY MULE TEAM. Does anyone remember the TV show Death Valley Days with host Ronald Reagan? The show was sponsored by Pacific Coast Borax Company.
I liked the way LARUE neighbored eyeLASH and LASH crossed with TWENTY MULE TEAM.....Gotta keep them thar mules a-movin across Death Valley.
I can't say I've never heard of UTES anymore. It looks like the clue is on track to be a puzzle standard.
We have three COSTCO stores in our area and they are all an hour drive away, but then, so is just about everything else. I am so glad I have my newly acquired Honda Insight hybrid. There is room in the back for GAH's golf bag and the four laundry baskets we use to hold groceries when we shop.
KQ and Moon, Best of good fortune.
Lois, Great party. What a fun send-off for "Baby Girl".
Glad to see both Dennis, Buckeye and Windhover in fine form.
Jo-Jo, other newbies and lurkers. We all took the plunge at some time on this blog. C.C. and the other posters are always very welcoming. But watch out...it can become pleasantly addictive.
Did I say, "Glad to see both Dennis, Buckeye and Windhover in fine form."? Either you can take your pick of which two I was referring to, or just know that I meant...Glad to see Dennis, Buckeye and Windhover, all in fine form.
For Clear Ayes: excuse the quality.
Death Valley Days: Opening, an ad, Closing
Another mule memory: Mule Train by Frankie Laine.
Thanks to Argyle for today's blog, and to Buckeye for the usual LOL.
It was a very enjoyable XW today. Got my first traction in the NE, had to ask hubby for the TWENTY part, but that got me started and I never paused afterwards. Even got the theme quickly.
It's strange how the XW's seem to channel our discussions. We mentioned 2 1/2 men not long ago and c.c. is always explaining TAO for us. I did see a few clue/answers on reading the blog that I hadn't even noticed while doing it. One of those was the abbr. TCB, which I wouldn't have known.
I got here late today and not until midnight last night, due to having a house guest who likes to talk, and a lot of weekend activity. But I did get through Sunday's in an hour online with many pauses and much red help.
I wanted to agree with Jazzbumpa that LIED is used generically for any type of song in German, and BIJOU literally translates from French as jewel/gem in English.
Jeannie,
I hope all goes well for you today.
KQ and Moon,
Best of luck this week to both of you and KQ's husband as well.
Good morning Argyle, CC and all,
Ahhhhh, Mondays. Loved this easy puzzle.This was a win-win situation for me ( I like that better than no lose). Even though it went quickly, I needed perps for Flay(sorry WM), ute?, oingo,apbs,esa, and Larue. The snazzier Larue used to be on "All My Children"; the good ones come and go.Susan Lucci is still waiting...but still lookin' good.
"neat" is such an interesting term. Does anyone know the origin? Tarrajo, I love the ice too, esp. in Margaritas..all slushy.
Argyle, loved all of your "extras" for us to enjoy.Thanks!
CA, I remember "Death Valley Days";my sister was on a few episodes, probably only a few lines in each. What I remember about her movie days, were the clothes she had to buy for each one. Getting new clothes in my house was a big deal.
KQ and Moon, I'm thinking good thoughts for you both. KQ, will you be moving to CA at some point?San Diego is a beautiful area, but the traffic in So. CA is horrendous
Lois and Dennis, sounds like y'all had exciting weekends.Love the stories, and Buckeye, you just continue to brighten any day you tune in.
Hahtool, I love reading your blogs. I hope you continue to add in the history. I'm kind of hit or miss, depending on when Truman is here.
MJ, absolutely loved the picture of your mom!
Jeannie, sounds like another good recipe.
Elissa and all, thanks for the warm wishes. He only takes two days of the exam as the middle day is the multi-state, which he passed the first go around in Minnesota and is the same for all states. The other two days are the California bar, specific to that state. One of the only states where you need to take it after you have passed somewhere else and practiced more than 5 years. Wednesday will be a nice reprieve for him I hope.
Tarrajo, glad you had a good weekend. I am from Milwaukee originally, and almost impossible to ever become a Viking fan when that is the city of origin. Favre in a jersey may help slightly though.
Moon, we are starting out the week on good vibes also. Hope it translates to you. My 17 year old, who has applied for at least 3-4 jobs a day all summer, finally got hired today. I will try to rub this off on you and my husband now too.
Jazzbumpa, from yesterday's post. Olives are fruits, as are avocados and tomatoes, even though they seem like vegetables. Sorry, you will have to come up with another example.
JD, nope, not moving there permanently yet. Don't want to move teenage boys out of school. It is currently half-time, every other week for him. However, we do plan on visiting often, and will entertain it more permanently once the boys have graduated. We shall see how it all goes. It is lovely, which was part of the draw when living in the frozen tundra. You are correct that there is lots of traffic, but there is ocean too.
Reliving History:
1586- Sir Walter Raleigh brought 1st tobacco to England from Virginia
1866- The Atlantic Telegraph was successfully laid (1686 mi. long)
1944- Bobbie Gentry's birthday What do you think she threw off that bridge?
1976- An 8.2 earthquake in China killed 240,000
1990- Zsa Zsa Gabor began a 3 day jail sentence for slapping a cop. It was funny then, and even funnier now.
Thought for the day :
" Politics is either passing the buck or passing the dough. "
Hello All--I love Mondays! Good, fun puzzle today. I didn't remember how to spell Favre--but finally got it with the perps. Thanks to Argyle the theme was revealed in his great take on all the answers.
The links, especially the Five Card Draw Doggy poker players is always a favorite.
KQ: Good luck to your hubby, and you, this week.
I actually received a copy of Emily Post's Etiquette book as a wedding gift. It was the "Bible" for running a household and being socially correct. Sooo glad that I lost my copy a number of years ago!
Dennis: FF's for today. I don't think I would like to meet up with a male ostrich after dark. Things that roar are to be avoided.
It does sound like everyone had a great weekend. It was quiet around here, but the weather was great and we enjoyed being outdoors even if it was to do gardening.
... looking for history of the word,
neat
Morning all,
Finished this one as fast as I could read and write. Didn't remember TCB but wrote it in anyway. I spell gizmo with a Z but 3D started with a B. After Sunday's grid, TGIMs.
Now for old business:
CC, 99% of us wouldn't mind if you slept later. We left coasters are two hours behind you anyway. I think we all know who the 1% would be.
Clear Ayes & Warren, Thank you. So I'm either Black OR Blue and not Black AND Blue. Got it.
KQ, St Vincent was on my Sr. list of Camppi To Visit List. And of course I was a member of Arnies' Army. I used to fly in and out of Minneapolis on business alot. One time our 3 yr old son didn't want me on the plane because there was a female pilot.
No real excitement it Sunday's race except when Kanan's car caught on fire in the pits.
Wanted to talk about Life imitating Art. Some other time maybe.
eddyB.
neat (adj.)
1542, "clean, free from dirt," from Anglo-Fr. neit, from O.Fr. net "clear, pure," from L. nitidus "well-favored, elegant, trim," lit. "gleaming," from nitere "to shine," from PIE base *nei-/*ni- "to shine" (cf. M.Ir. niam "gleam, splendor," niamda "shining;" O.Ir. noib
J. D. I think the definition you are interested in is the second one.
"holy," niab "strength;" Welsh nwyfiant "gleam, splendor"). Meaning "inclined to be tidy" is from 1577.
Sense of "straight liquor" is c.1800, from meaning "unadulterated" (of wine), first attested 1579.
Informal sense of "very good" first recorded 1934 in Amer.Eng.; variant neato is teenager slang, first recorded 1968. Neatnik "excessively tidy person" is from 1959 (see -nik).
Hi Argyle, C.C. and group. Easy except for 39D (Basinger). I have never watched that and I didn't know 50A (Esa) so I was stuck. Could have G'd it but didn't want to bother. Also did not know 62A (Oingo).
Dennis, LOL on the WOW today. #1 must come right after "Hold my beer and watch this."
Glad you had fun and did not break or bruise anything real important.
It will be too hot today to walk my pants, so I took them for a bike ride EARLY this morning and that will have to be it for today. They are saying 100 for the high today, and the humidity is up there too. Not pleasant in the NW today!! (these heat waves are thankfully rare here).
Lois, glad to hear you had a blast and managed to find your underwear in the big pile!
Buckeye, once again, I am glad I didn't have a mouthful of liquid when reading your posts.
Morning all...Super job Argyle! After the Sat/Sun puzzles this was just so much fun and so easy and really straightforward. There wasn't a single thing I had to guess at!! LOL For some reason I even knew OINGO Boingo...go figure.
Argyle loved the 10 gallaon hat photo...so silly and good guy white to boot. Fun old western clues. Remember watching Death Valley Days and by the second theme fill I had it. Liked 52A OOFS.
KQ...best of luck to your husband. And, Moon...you are a go-getter and someone soon will recognize that and hire you. A "friend" of mine who is a Bay Area radio person lost a job about 2 mos. ago and I would imagine that is a very specialized market...that person is now back on air...so persistence and networking goes a long way...and always ask friends if they've heard about jobs...its amazing what leads to something new.
Gud to see ya Buckeye... you always brighten the blog! And a shout out to WH...your absences are often too long.
JD...I forgive you for FLAY...used to see him at the big Fancy Food shows...a very busy man and sometimes a bit gruff, but a talented Chef. Still prefer Micael Chiarello and Rick Bayliss and... Love the new Grady photo...you are both so cute.
C.C. did you catch the petit point photo? I only left it up for one post yesterday.
With the exception of a vet appointment for Jack and Jill tomorrow, I think I have managed to get a clear week...WOW!
Happy Monday-- fun puzzle!
Thanks for the clarification on TCB. Never heard/seen it in abbr. form.
Being a newbie here, I'm enjoying all the banter from around the country/world. Esp. amused by the MN chatter. My mother was born and raised in Madison, MN (pop. 1768 in the 2000 census), which is the "Lutefisk Capital" of the world! I even went to kindergarten in Madison for a few months. Quite an experience for a little girl from Pasadena, CA! When mom was here recently I showed her an aerial map of the town, and we were able to zoom in and she could see the city block where she grew up. She was so excited!
Good vibes/prayers out to KQ and hubby, and to Moon.
Jeannie--Hope your procedure today goes/went well without much discomfort.
Thomas, hope your dad's doing okay, as well.
JD--Thanks for sharing the sweet photo of you with little Grady!
JD, I love the picture of you and Grady. Such a proud Grammy.
I re-read my post finding the ones after me, and it sounds as if I have lost all etiquette and manners by losing my Emily Post. Don't take me wrong, but I'm glad we've lost those gloves, hat and suits to go on an airplane amoung other rather stiff "back when" socially acceptable requirements.
San Jose State Science Dept. had an interim Spring Break trip to Death Valley. We stayed a week, lived in old barracks from C.C.C. days, and cooked in camping style groups. But the daily trips to all of the various areas of Death Valley and the classes on geology, science, and history of the area were facinating. One trip was to the old Borax Mines and a lecture on the "Twenty Mule Team" use to pull all that borax out of the area.
Susie, thanks for definition. I enjoy the etymology of phrases that we have picked up over the years. Here's a little bit of theory on cocktail:
Barrel taps are known as cocks and the term tails usually referred to the dregs of distillate left at the end of a run in a distillery or at the bottom of a cask. Colonial taverns kept their spirits (rum, brandy, whiskey, gin, applejack) in casks, and as the liquid in the casks lowered the tavern keeper would combine the tails into an additional cask kept for that purpose, to be sold at a reduced price. The patrons would request the "cock tailings" or the tailings from the stop cock of the cask.
Fighting cocks were given a mixture of spirits by their trainers before a fight. This mixture was known as a cocks-ale.
Carol, I'm with ya on not taking our pants for a walk, another hot one,mmmmmm, hot pants, should we delve into that..or not..
Chickie, in high school, we had to copy pages out of an etiquette book each week to practice our manuscript with "real" pens, most likely an Esterbrook. My printing is still perfect.LOL! I'm not kidding. I think I threw that book away too.
JD, I've never seen a happier "Grandma" grin on anyone!
Hope Jeannie is resting comfortably by now.
Chickie, The only major gripe I have with clothing etiquette going by the boards is at weddings and funerals. GAH doesn't necessarily wear a suit, or me, a dress and gloves and heels, but jeans and T-shirts are just not appropriate attire. I've seen it more than once and it really annoys me.
I've been to Death Valley too, fortunately in the early spring like Chickie. In the summer and autumn it is an extremely hot, desolate area. Yet there are people who love the stark beauty of the desert and live in surrounding towns all year. Summer temperatures in the 120's are not for me!
Hi gang -
KQ -
I knew somebody would catch me on olive. Can't get away wit nuttin' here.
Martinis are mixed using ice, then strained off. Though I do understand some philistines will have them on the rocks.
Whisky is consumed neat, or not at all.
Argyle -
Great job, as always. The Magyar in me was surprised to see a Hungarian word. How'd you know that? Ran peach through the Google translator and got the very Hungarian looking őszibarack. But going the other way, simply barack came back into English as peach. All the Hungarian I know is either something from the kitchen, or something not repeatable. And I can't spell any of it.
Easy puzzle today, but really nicely done. Fun theme and lots of fresh fills. Thought of "too clever, by half." But, no - that is a pejorative. This one gets two THUMBS up!
I'm wondering when retirement will ever reduce to life in the SLOW LANE. Not so far, by a long shot. Fortunately, I don't have much DEBT.
Didn't get 25A 'till I came here. Was wondering. TCB - Why?
I like COSTCO. They treat their employees much better than Sam's does, have great prices, and an interesting selection of stuff.
The LW made a batch of peanut butter cookies to send to Tom in Afhganistan, and let me sample one. Much better than an OREO.
Cheers!
Hi, everyone:
Thanks for your very nice comments on today's puzzle. I'm glad many of you enjoyed it. As several have guessed, TWO AND A HALF MEN was the inspiration for the theme. I enjoy the show and wanted to find a way to work it into a crossword. The mathematical progression struck me as a workable way to do that. Argyle, I like your title for the puzzle better than the one I used when I submitted it to Rich Norris: "Half-Lives."
Speaking of Rich Norris, I must mention that his editing work here was really top-notch. Rich asked me to revise my initial submission because he thought the fill was a little too hard for an early-week puzzle. So when I submitted the revised grid, I changed the clues so that they would be suitable for a Monday or Tuesday puzzle. But Rich tweaked or changed many of the clues (I dunno, maybe 70% or more) to hit the perfect Monday sweet spot. For example, I originally clued OOFS as "Punch responses." The final puzzle clues it as "Sock-in-the-gut responses, in comics." That's much livelier than the original clue, and, in my view, more suitable for a Monday puzzle.
Most newbie constructors like me will tell you that almost all crossword editors are supportive, helpful, and generous with their time. They care about the craft and they insist on the highest standards for their puzzles, but at the same time they are supportive of new people trying to learn the ropes. Others have said this on this blog but it merits repeating: Rich Norris exemplifies these traits. He takes the time to provide helpful feedback on every submission (both on accepted and rejected puzzles) and his work on accepted puzzles really helps to make them shine. I am most appreciative of his work, as both a constructor and solver.
I wonder if today's constructor, SAMUEL A., is ever stubborn AS A MULE.
Wonderful puzzle... all a Monday should be. Easy but clever. The grid has only 34 black squares. That's a low count for a Monday. There's also 52 theme squares. That's a high count for an early week puzzle. Throw in ten 6 letter words, four 8s and four 7s and you've got a nice, fairly open grid. And to top it off we get VOODOOS, THUMBS, OINGO, GISMO, IFFY, STOGIE, and OOFS. Cool.
Mr. Donaldson...how lovely of you to stop in and share background on the puzzle construction with us...as you can see, I think we really enjoyed it. It is always great fun to learn more about the process and I, for one, find it hard to believe you are new at this. Making a Monday or Tuesday fun and enjoyable takes some talent, both from you and the editor...a job very well done..Kudos! :o)
CA...I definitely have to agree with dress code thing...I think it only a mark of respect to wear even casual dressy to more formal events...I live in Jeans, but have a few nicer outfits for such events. I can definitely remember that we never went into San Francisco with out white gloves and stockings and dressy clothes...it just wasn't done. I think there are still times when dressing up just a bit pays off.
@JD, love, love your photo of you and Grady. The feeling of holding a newborn grandchild is indescribable joy.
@jazzbumpa, our neighbor just left for Afghanistan. Would love to send him some goodies including cookies. Ask LW how she packages cookies so they don't break into crumbs. Thanks.
Didn't Lash Larue use a bullwhip in his movies?
Are stogies really inferior cigars?
Saratoga is called the graveyard of champions.
Picture doesn't look like Sal Mineo to me.
Conestoga is the name of the covered wagon used by the pioneers. Where in PA is it?
Keep getting wrong p-word message,
have to post just so.
Hi Joe -
1. Yes, Lash Larue used a whip.
2. Stogies are defined as 'cheap cigars'.
3. It really is Sal Mineo in the picture.
4. Conestoga's right by Lancaster.
Hope this helps.
Hi Dennis,
And thank you.
OOps, I have lost my ability to spell--should have been among, and I proofread, too!
Hi all, back from the "procedure" somewhat sore and somewhat groggy. Thanks for all your well wishes. I probably shouldn't have driven that far by myself; but all in all I made it home safe so all is good. It went okay and I am resting comfortably. As I have said in the past, I am one of the lucky ones.
Lois, sounds like you had a fantastic weekend. I wouldn't have guessed it any other way.
Tarrajo, never mind Dennis as he doesn't eat any green vegetables...sorry Dennis, I am a little bit more outspoken than Tarrajo, but it sounded to me like her feelings were a little bit hurt. I am thinking her feelings have been hurt a little too much on this site. Tarrajo, put your email on your blogsite and we can send the recipes to you that way if it offends or bores anyone else here. We can pass them along via that route.
I swear, the things I get accused of...
Sorry, I've only had time to skim the posts today, and I missed tarrajo's comment to me. Tarrajo, that certainly wasn't directed at you; I was making a joke about the plethora of zucchini recipes that have been flying back and forth. I was neither 'offended' nor 'bored'. The exchange of information like that is one of the things that makes this blog so good.
Thanks for all the welcome backs; yes, it was a lot of fun, and I have a feeling I'm gonna feel even worse tomorrow.
danabw, I'll post that toasted marshmallow milkshake recipe tomorrow morning - it's at home and I'm at the business.
Jeannie, I'm glad it's over and you're ok. That couldn't have been a good time.
Samuel A. Donaldson, good of you to stop and say hi, and for providing excellent insight into the dynamics between constructor/editor.
@Elissa. Congrats (I think) on being the synagogue's board president. I just ended a term as the local Hadassah chapter president, so I know how involved such things can be. It feels good to be the IPP. I am currently on the Federation Board. I guess I think I don't have enough to do!
I saw your scarves, the are beautiful! Do you ever attend Hadassah conventions to sell your scarves, etc.? I love scarves and always seem to come home with more whenever I travel.
Jeanne -
The post Office has Priority Mail Boxes of various sizes, for free. Pick the size that you can fill to a tight fit. What we send out on Monday generally arrives on Saturday. They just changed the custom form, and it's a little confusing to fill out the first time. Flat rate is $11.95, no matter the weight.
When I asked the LW how she packs the cookies, she said, "Ha! You got a problem with crumbs?" Seriously, though, she packs them tight in ziplock bags, and packs the bags tight in the box. It's not all cookies. She's sent other stuff as well. A good, tight pack with prevent things from crashing around and getting damaged. Or, at least, that is our sincere hope. Have recieved NO complaints.
I think anything from back home will brighten somebody's day, over there. Most especially COOKIES!
Dennis -
Now I have to accuse you of swearing!
Folks - there aint nothing boring here. I skim the comments sometimes, but that's because I have a short att . . . What was I saying?
Cheers!
Afternoon Argyle CC and all.
Agree with all, nice puzzle after Thu/Fri/Sat Bumbling experience.
Usual good job by Argyle
Good thoughts to Moon and KQ,s husband.
Agree with Ca and Wm on dress codes. Living in a resort area people are inclined to dress down here. Golf hats,particularly when worn in restaurants drive me crazy. I guess its part of growing older but it does not mean I have to accept it.
Nice of Mr Donaldson to drop in.
Jimmy S. Carolina
None the less, Jeannie has a point...some people get good and tired hearing about me missing my son, his soccer and all else that consumes my boring life. I will try to stick to strictly crossword puzzle related items for now on. However, I am not comfortable with just posting my e-mail on the blog for everyone to see. Those of you that want it. Ask.
Jazzbumpa(@1:50PM) and anon (@10:18AM),
I wondered what you were talking about untill I went back to the original post. It seems my editor(C.C.) added that part.
12D: President Obama: BARACK. Literally "blessed" in Arabic or "peach" in Hungarian.
Like Mr. Donaldson said, we have great editors.
Tarajo,
I was thinking about that concerning your email too, but if any anon wanted to start spamming you it would at least reveal something about him/her too.
Very glad Jeannie was well enough to drive herself home and then comment on here.
I also think it was nice of Samuel Donaldson to share his many insights with us. It made us appreciate his puzzle that much more.
Samuel, thank you for posting. We feel honored that you graced us with your presence.
Jerome, I am curious, did you see Samuel's post prior to adding yours? I thought it ironic that you posted that right after his. Clever too.
Jeannie, glad you came out okay. Relax the rest of the day and get better.
Tarrajo, share your life with us anytime. Don't be concerned about not staying with the crossword theme. Everyone does this, and that is what makes the site so rich.
KQ - I am sending good 'brain power' thoughts to your hubby.
Moon - you have such a good attitude that I am sure something will turn up sooner than you might think.
JoJo- welcome, we enjoy your comments!
Jeannie - glad all went well, I am sure you are relieved too!
JD - I see you figured out how to post your avatar! Good job! Sweet baby.
Also, Hot pants; had 'em, wore 'em and wore him out! (back in the day-LOL)
Tarrajo - please don't limit your comments, I love all you write about.
I think it was a hoot how you and your twin wriggled a drink from those nice fishermen...gotta love a new approach!
Tarrajo:
What is up with you? First you contaminate good liquor with vegetables (sorry, JazzB), and now you're planning to "stick to crossword puzzle issues from now on". You don't think we're going to stand for that, do you? Dennis, can you talk some sense into this woman? We could send Jeannie over to have a word with her, but I think she's been into the large green vegetables lately herself, and she just said she was groggy. This could develop into a "situation" if we don't deal with it right away.
First...I neglected to welcome Dennis safely back home...and yes...tomorrow will hurt more...Hehe! ;o)
Jeannie I am so glad that you are home safe and sound...probably should have had someone drive you, but a moot point now. Take care and pamper yourself for awhile.
Tarrajo...BLEH! Listen to everyone here and keep posting about your crazy zuccini and your son and your life and sharing recipes, etc...that's what makes this such an interesting blog and community...if someone isn't interested, its like the off button on the remote...just scroll down...the sharing of experience on this is blog is part of what makes it fun...if it were just about the puzzle we would average about 20-30 posts a day and that would it...how boring is that? DUH :oP
#3
Ok, let's put this to bed quickly.
tarrajo, we ALL talk about our personal lives, what we do, who we do (ok, not so many), and any other random musings that pop out. If you stick to 'crossword only' posts, you'll no longer be the tarrajo that we know and appreciate, and that's not a good thing.
Hell, you see how often I get criticized, yet I'm still doing exactly what I've always done on here. Just continue to post as you have been, and toughen up that skin. Figuratively.
Tarrajo, I don't have my e-mail address posted either so here's my answer...I e-mail a couple of people here on the blog and the guy I would put your hands on is Windhover. His is posted. E-mail him and he will forward your e-mail to me. I think that is how the train will work and not come off the tracks. He's harmless enough, even though he can "wax" poetic sometimes....
Good afternoon, Argyle, c.c. and all - excellent puzzle today, i really enjoyed it, esp. after the sat/sun. ones.
Argyle, loved the doggy poker pic. thanks
Mr. Donaldson, pleasant surprise, enjoyed your post as well.
Danabw, ckd back in last nite, but late, it was fun reading all the history on Je' t'eme, i had forgotten all about that !
Joe, when you do the puzzle online, you need to open up another window, so that you may go back and forth, from puzzle to Google and back, that way you won't lose all the work.
To open a new window, go to the tool bar where you see LATimes Crossword corner, next to it, it's all empty space, click on that twice , and an X will appear, that is your new window to work in. I hope this helps.
Jeannie, who doesn't love zucchini ! Your recipe sounded great.
I'm glad your procedure is over with, I hate hospitals, i had enough of that during my mom's last year of her life, not too long ago.
Tarrajo, if i lived near by, i would be your best customer, did you know, you can make a wonderful " frittata " with the yellow flower of the zucchini ?
Yum, yum.
JD, " Politics is either passing the buck or passing the dough. " So true.
Dennis, wow, gave me a chuckle ! Thanks and good to see you back too.
CIiao , for now . . .
Argyle @ 11:23
Here is another Mule Train clip.
Jerry Van Dyke is hysterical!
Tarrajo: PLEASE do not stop posting about you and LGJ!!! I do not have kids (can't) and I enjoy ALL of your stories, good and bad.
Learning about each of you is what makes this site so special. The mutual respect that is typically shown towards each other is refreshing and endearing.
Although I don't post often, I consider each of you part of my cyber family!
Danabw, that Mule Train, hysterical !
I'm such a ham.
Tarrajo, Pay attention to all the other advice that has been posted. We all came here because we have an interest in crossword puzzles, but we stay because we enjoy the company.
Thanks to Samuel A. Donaldson for his nice comments. It is always nice to hear from a constructor and to know that he appreciates our comments.
Windhover...harmless? Ouch!
Thank you to Samuel A. Donaldson for gracing us with your presence on the Blog page today. The explanations of your construction of puzzles, and the thought processes that go into it were very enlightning. I hope we'll hear from you again in the future.
Jeanne, So glad that you are back home and feeling ok. Tale care.
WH...You gonna take that lying down...double ouch.
Jeannie...I don't think you've seen WH in his Super Hero costume...
danabw: I had forgotten that version! Funny?
How did it get to be this late already...I think I may have to go pour a glass of wine! ;o)
#4
Hahtool: I'm glad you like the scarves. I haven't tried to sell them at Hadassah conventions, but I have at ORT luncheons, Brandeis events and at street fairs and wineries (the more folks 'taste', the more they buy). Oh, yes, and I sell them over the web if you see one you just can't live without. Just send me an e-mail. As for being president, I told my husband, it might drive me crazy. His response - "Too late."
Samuel: It is really interesting to get the perspective of the constructors and certainly makes me look differently at the puzzles. Thanks.
G8rmomx2, I did read your post, sorry I did not respond. I got side tracked reading all the comments, also I do not spend too much time online. I have lived here in the swamps for about 17 years. I can actually see the Sawgrass exp way from my front yard. The everglades is just onthe other side of that. Having spent a good amount of my life living on
A1A inPomano Bch, could never imagine living so far from the beach. To all who have posted a comment to me thank you. I usually go online early in the morning, and then late at night. So a lot of times I read posts that are from much earlier, and don;t know if it is too late have my response read. I am not trying to ignore anyone. I really dig this site, and all the coversations between everyone. I'll stop now as this is getting to be pretty long. Night all.
Once last thing, To Tarrajo and all other Minnesotans, my wife is from Minn., Battle Creek area. I had mentioned before, I had the chance to see Minn. back in 1999 absolutely loved your state. We went there for her family reunion. We stayed at a place called Crogan's or Krogan's can't remember the spelling, had a blast.
Anyone here watch Mad Men? It's about the Madison Avenue advertising men in the early 1960s. It has been on for 2 seasons, and the third starts in about a month. The first 2 seasons were recently on TV. My husband got me hooked on the show. I was just a child during the time when this show takes place, but I do remember some things from this period of time. We just watched the last episode of season 2.
re: 18A: A bad thing to yell in a crowded theater. This is a paraphrase/reference to a 1919 US Supreme Court decision entitled Schenck v. US, written by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. The case involved protected speech under the 1st Amendment. As an example of speech that was not permissible, Holmes noted that falsely shouting "Fire" in a crowded theater was not protected speech. The decision held that there are some restrictions on free speech under the 1st Amendment.
If I can't read about little soccer players, big vegetables, twins, fish, paintings, poems, scarfs, canoes, vacations, drinks, peaches, parties with name tags, weddings, musical instrument injuries, mule trains, marines, rodeos, new babies, and at least a dozen other things I'm too tired to remember at the moment, I will just go to my room and pout.
"It was like this when I got here."
So, there!
Jazzbumpa--Love your sense of humor. Thanks!
Thank you, Samuel A. Donaldson for providing so much information about how crosswords are created and edited. I'm always amazed by those who have the skill to do this.
WM,
You resemble Ingrid Bergman. Remember Casablanca?
Jazz (9:59p) LOL - great insight, great comment! I enjoy all our discussions so much..I do think we all are a 'cyber-family', and as such we all have our stories and explanations of things we know or think we know :)
Gotta love it!
Dennis, cute how you want to "go to bed quickly", sounds like the 'morel' man we all know! Hope all your muscle groups are better after that!
Jeannie:
although I pretty much despise Bryan Adams' (how about that apostrophe placement, Kazie?) music, all I can think of is " Cuts like a knife, but it feels so right".
Although it is true that I do not mow quite as wide a swath as I did when I was a younger winged predator (to mix a metaphor), I am still, as Toby Keith says, "I am as good once as I ever was", even though I may not be "as good as I once was". I may have to challenge you to a little "mano a (wo)mano" to prove it. I would say "your place or mine" but then you'd say I was arguing.
And thanks to my left coast defenders, WM and CA, who know a good thing even when they haven't seen it.
But still, Harmless?
JoJo, Cragun's is the name. It is a wonderful area. It is where all the Minnesotan's go all summer long. Seems like almost every Minnesotan has a cabin, and that would be the area that is most populated with them.
Windhover, being the "winged one" tonight I will just say, bring it on...my friend. If it gets too heavy, I have a friend with a Crane to help you out. He helps me out occasionally with the heavy stuff. Here in MN you occasionally find some big boulders you need to maneuver. I am now going to pamper myself with some raspberry/vanilla swirlies as I call them. Very tasty, especially when in season.
Puzzle was A-okay in my book; solid theme, not too easy, not too tough. Having the constructor stop by was a treat; he is a gentleman & i bet he doesnt wear a golf or baseball cap to weddings or funerals!
52A "OOFS" brought to mind the old Batman TV show with their brilliant use of cutaway graphics during fight scenes. POW! BAM, etc. Total camp humor but still funny for an adult! Kids' shows now seem to lack the humor, or Julie Newmar or Eartha Kitt!
Visiting this blog reminds me of a small hanging sign a client needlepointed for me years ago; it said:
Come as you are; you'll leave here better off.
English wasn't her first or best language, but the sentiment sure applies to hanging here with y'all when I can!
WH,
You nailed it!
Jeannie,
I hope they have nothing to do with the swirlies kids give each other in the school bathrooms.
Kazie:
Thank you, and although I'm too out of touch to know for certain about "swirlies", I'm guessing that you guessed exactly right. I am off to dream.
JD:
Your smile says it all!
Enjoyed the c/w and comments from Mr. Donaldson.
Take care all, have a good nite.
Geri
Argyle and anybody else who might know what's what, I just went to cruciverb.com to get a head start on Tuesday's puzzle. LA Times isn't in the "Across Lite Puzzle" list. It is just listed under "Other puzzles". Is it not available as an Across Lite anymore?
kq- No, I didn't see Samuel's post prior to my writing. I was surprised that he wrote such a thoughtful and interesting piece about his puzzle. Not many constructors chime in on blogs. Most never do. I have no reason why but I can guess that many want to stay above the fray and simply let the puzzle stand on its own.
CA...smack yourself in the head...go to Archive...LATimes...I printed it out a 8pm PDT and just checked...it be there.(at cruciverb)I always just click on the link from the C.C.'s puzzle blog...
Joe@9:51...That's isn't me...cool if it was. It is an Andy Warhol image that I happen to like...just something different.
That's #5 G'nite
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