google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Monday December 7, 2009 Robert Fisher

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Dec 7, 2009

Monday December 7, 2009 Robert Fisher

Theme: Shady Deals - Three ways that you can be conned.

20A: Prospecting swindle: SALTING THE MINE Planting bits of gold in the ground to make the mark think that a mine is valuable.

37A: Multilevel investment swindle: PYRAMID SCHEME This is not the same as a Ponzi scheme which investors are paid out from the funds from new investors. In a pyramid scheme, those who recruit additional participants benefit directly. (In fact, failure to recruit typically means no investment return.) It is bound to collapse because it requires exponential increases in participants to sustain it.

53A: Sleight-of-hand sidewalk swindle: THREE-CARD MONTE The mark has to pick the target card from the three face-down cards presented to him. The three shells and the pea is a similar swindle. TUTORIAL

Argyle here. Trust me.

Across:

1A: Ringing phone on stage, e.g.: PROP A classic blooper from the days of live TV was the phone that wouldn't stop ringing even after it was picked up.

5A: Place to unwind: SAUNA

10A: Complacent: SMUG

14A: Medal recipient: HERO Finally, a HERO that isn't a sandwich.

15A: Panama divider: CANAL Bisects the country

16A: Ice cream parlor order: CONE I like this clue for CONE better then a construction site marker, especially if it's chocolate.

23A: USN rank: ENS Navy Ensign.

25A: Shadow: UMBRA Nothing shady about this shadow.

27A: Suffix with farm or home: STEAD I guess you could have a homestead on the farmstead. Currier and Ives

29A: Fly in the ointment: SNAG

32A: North Pole toy maker: ELF They better be busy!

33A: Thinner, as smoke: WISPIER

36A: Temptation on a hook: BAIT

40A: Stratagem: PLOY

41A: Accomplished with a single try: ONE SHOT

43A: Quiche base: EGGS

44A: Inuit craft: KAYAK Inuit are members of the Eskimo-Aleut family.

48A: Essence of roses: ATTAR

50A: Sigma follower: TAU Greek alphabet.

52A: King beater: ACE

58A: Brit's elevator: LIFT

59A: Cube or sphere: SOLID

60A: Similar (to): AKIN

61A: Load to bear: ONUS

62A: Reclassified planet: PLUTO

63A: Golfer Ballesteros: SEVE Spanish professional golfer has announced that he is planning to play in the 2010 Open Championship at St Andrews. He has been treated for a brain tumor. Now he's 66A: Ready to drive, as a golf ball: TEED

64A: Like the stepsisters in "Cinderella": UGLY

65A: Red Sea republic: YEMEN

Down:

1D: Parts of a cycle: PHASES

2D: Stinging crawler: RED ANT

4D: Big name in breakfast cereal: POST They began in 1895 with the first Postum, a "cereal beverage". The first cereal, Grape-Nuts, was developed in 1897

5D: Barely adequate: SCANT

6D: Stereotypical pirate's cry: AARGH!

8D: Poet Ogden: NASH A short NASH poem: "Fleas" Adam had 'em.

10D: Curtain material: SCRIM Not familiar with this word. The Dictionary has two main entries; the second is: "A transparent fabric used as a drop in the theater to create special effects of lights or atmosphere."

11D: Ray from a natural satellite: MOON BEAM Ray Walston

12D: Be situated beneath: UNDERLIE

13D: "My goodness": "GEE"

21D: Gandhi's land: INDIA

22D: Java holder: MUG

26D: Shipboard direction: AFT

28D: Bad way for plans to go: AWRY

29D: Go-with dishes: SIDES

30D: Loch of lore: NESS North-West of St Andrews.

31D: St. Louis's Gateway __: ARCH

35D: Bullet-on-metal noise: PING Also, makers of golf clubs. I think our constructor today might be a golfer.

36D: Second in a series: BETA

37D: Cooking up a coup: PLOTTING Jeannie, do you have a recipe for cooking up a coup?

38D: Like kids' enthusiasm: YOUTHFUL

39D: Folderol: HOKUM Not a good match.

40D: Actress Zadora: PIA In her younger days

43D: Before, of yore: ERE

45D: Derek Jeter, e.g.: YANKEE

46D: Busy: ACTIVE

47D: Wailed: KEENED

49D: Culturally pretentious: ARTSY Old coots would say someone was artsy-fartsy.

50D: Hackneyed: TRITE

51D: Home builder's afterthought: ADD-ON

54D: Notice: ESPY

55D: Nat or Natalie: COLE

56D: School reunion attendee: ALUM

57D: Hops oven: OAST

58D: Singer Rawls: LOU R&B and Soul.

Answer grid.

Argyle

53 comments:

Dennis said...

Good morning, Argyle, C.C. and gang - pretty simple, straightforward Monday puzzle; I ended up right at the 4-minute mark.

Not a lot to comment on, and I think Argyle's blog reflects that as well (nice job, as always). After yesterday's beauty, today was bound to be much more simplistic. I did like the theme, and needed perps to get 'scrim'. Also, I admire the ability to create an Monday-type puzzle as much as the more difficult ones; it can't be easy to do.

Today is, of course, Pearl Harbor Day, but also Letter Writing Day and National Cotton Candy Day.

But letter writing and cotton candy pale compared to the real celebration today -- today is Windhover's birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, my friend, and many, many more.

Today's Words of Wisdom: "Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else." -- Margaret Mead

And a couple questions to ponder:

- "Why do they bother saying 'raw sewage'? Do some people cook the stuff?" George Carlin

- "If bankers can count, how come they always have ten windows and two tellers?" -- Milton Berle

Lemonade714 said...

Happy Birthday WH, and many more.
Today is also the anniversary of the death of CICERO 2052 years ago.

Have a great week all.

Anonymous said...

1A: Ringing phone on stage, e.g.: PROP A classic blooper from the days of live TV was the phone that wouldn't stop ringing even after it was picked up.

Craig Ferguson had that same problem one night it was Morgan Freeman calling. The even funnier thing was the phone was not plugged into a phone jack.

Anonymous said...

22 D Java holder I tried cup and urn before mug hit me. Mug is also slang for face. In those detective stories from the 1940's the detective would say to the bad guy I ought to sock you in your ugly mug.

45 D was a gimme for me. Yankee as in 2009 World Series Champions The New York Yankees. Derek Jeter is the Captain of the team. My all time favourite Yankee is Yogi Berra. I like his quotes.

QOD: "Always go to other people's funerals, otherwise they won't go to yours. -Yogi Berra

23 A USN rank I tried CPO Chief Petty Officer. I was thinking of Don Rickles as CPO Sharkey.

windhover said...

Well Hell, Dennis and Lemonade,
Thanks a lot. I'm celebrating this morning by pouring the concrete for the foundation walls for Irish' new greenhouse. The gratitude that should garner, along with my traditional birthday present from her, will leave me a little depleted for tomorrow's birthday, when one of my best friends, my youngest son, turns 37. If I can get the walls poured successfully and early enough, I'll come back and relate the story of how I came to arrive on this date.
Thanks again.

Mainiac said...

Good Morning CC, Argyle and All,

Typical Monday with things falling into place with the fills. Had some erasing, Shape instead of Solid and Mean instead of Ugly. Wailed meaning Keened is new to me. Keen is cool or neat, not crying.

Happy Birthday Windhover and many more!

Nice questions Dennis, especially the Carlin quote. I've been debating the quality of sewage with MDEP for years. They don't care how much rain water is mixed with it, its still raw.

Have a great day!

Hahtoolah said...

Good Morning, CC, Argyle and Friends. Boy, the Monday puzzles over the past two weeks have been more of a challenge to me. They seem morel like Wednesday levels to me. Ah well, I had trouble getting traction in the top portion. It didn't help that I never heard the phrase SALTING THE MINE.

Furthermore, I was thinking of a BiCYCLE, so confidently wrote down pedals.

Thank you all for your kind words the past few days. My Bat Mitzvah went well and my family has returned home so now my life can go back to what ever is classified as "normal."

Happy Birthday, Windhover. We miss you here. I hope you do have a happy celebration and look forward to hearing your voice again soon.

36A made me think of this QOD ... Lead me not into temptation; I can find the way myself. Rita Mae Brown

Hahtoolah said...

Mainiac: Keening is defined, according to the Oxford Companion to Irish History, as: "KEENING, from Irish caoineadh, also referred to as the ‘Irish cry’, the custom of delivering a lament, accompanied by wailing and cries of grief, over the body of a dead person. The keen could be performed by friends and relatives of the deceased, or by specialist performers hired for the occasion."

tfrank said...

Good morning, C.C., Argyle and all,

Happy BD, Windhover! Good job, Argyle.

This was a walk in the park for me this morning. My time was 17 mins, a long way from Dennis's speed run.

RSD @ 6:23. In the USN, rank refers to commissioned officers; enlisted men have a rate, such as CPO, etc. I think the same is true for the other services as well.

I remember Pearl harbor very well. We were visiting our grandfather, who always got his news on the radio. I was sitting in the room with him when the news flash came. Of course, I had never heard of Pearl Harbor, and had to have it explained to me. I was only ten years old.

Have a good day and week.

Annette said...

Happy Birthday, Windhover! I hope you find a solution for accessing the puzzle soon. You've been missed on this blog.

Spitzboov said...

An easy quick cw today. No crossouts.

Don't understand KEENED, but got it from the perps.

Like Ogden NASH'es

The hunter crouches in his blind
'Neath camouflage of every kind
And conjures up a quacking noise
To lend allure to his decoys
This grown-up man, with pluck and luck
is hoping to outwit a duck

I was only 3 when Pearl Harbor was attacked so I don't remember it directly. But I do remember my mother, a German immigrant, singing "Remember Pearl Harbor" when I was still quite young.

'Let's remember Pearl Harbor
As we go to meet the foe
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Let's remember Pearl Harbor
And go on to victory.'

kazie said...

Nice clean blog today Argyle.

I have to leave, so this will be quick. My only stumbles were HOKUS for HOKUM, thus causing a blink for Sont-/ke-ned. Still feel KEENED is weird--I've never heard of it.

Happy birthday WH!

Pearl Harbor Day was bad for the US, good for the rest of the combatants who had been fighting already for 2 years and after that could depend on American help. Thank you! WWII: 1939-45.

kazie said...

Oops!
Meant to say a blink of confusion for SONT- and a blank for KE-NED.

Argyle said...

I knew both meanings for KEEN. The meaning of wail, either the sound or the vocalization, was in Harry Potter several times, I believe.

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

Arygle,
I fully trust you! Thanks for the THREE-CARD MONTE tutorial. Always wonder how that the trick is done.

Windhover,
Happy Birthday! I look forward to hearing how you came to this world and how you become who you are.

Kazie,
It's a good feeling - being conquered, sometimes.

Warren said...

Hi Argyle, C.C. & gang. An easy puzzle for Monday like usual.

Here's a classic from Lou Rawls

DCannon said...

I was on the verge of posting a while ago and we lost the internet. Second time this month.

"Keened" was a given for me. My mother used to admonish me when I was whining "Stop that keening!" My problem was "Kayak" because I always want to spell it "kyack." One of those words for me.

Easy and fast Monday puzzle.

Happy birthday, WH. And many more.

Cold again today - 27º at 10am. No precipitation. Glad I didn't have to go out today.

carol said...

Happy Monday! Hi Argyle, C.C. and all -
I could never top 'Dennis time' but this went well for me.

44A KAYAK was a small struggle as I knew the word but the spelling always gives me trouble. It probably would have helped if I had known who Derek Jeter was. I also spelled MONTE as MONTY which further delayed that corner.

Grape-Nuts cereal has neither grapes or nuts...odd name. I am looking it up to see if I can find out why they called it that.

I always think of cotton candy as a summertime thing....county fairs, amusement parks, etc. Seems funny to have it in December. Should be candy cane day.

WH - a very, very happy birthday to you. I hope your 'present' will not render you completely boneless and you will rally to entertain us with your usual wit.

Al said...

Another 5-letter Inuit boat that appears in crosswords is UMIAK. Both are wood frame construction covered with skins, so that's no help in differentiation. The difference is that a kayak is a one-person (sometimes two or even three) closed over craft, and an umiak is a 20 person open craft.

Think you're safe putting in the AK at the end? Not always so. Alternate spellings of umiak are umialak, umiaq, umiac, oomiac or oomiak.

Anonymous said...

Inuit language

kayak - man's boat.
umbiak - woman's boat.

Chickie said...

Hello All--A quick, easy puzzle today. My only hangup was Seve Ballesteros. I couldn't remember his first name. Mr. Google filled me in and so I filled in the rest of the SE corner from there.

My new word for the day is scrim. I wanted laces, voils, anything that had to do with curtains that I was familiar with. The across fills took care of the problem pretty quickly.

Jeannie, I took your Tomatoe pie, using the vodka crust, to a pot luck brunch yesterday. Now I have to send the recipe to about a dozen people. Best dish ever.

Many happy returns, WH and many more.

Chickie said...

Forgot to mention that we have snow on the hills just opposite our house. We get snow here about once every two years. It is pretty, and we're just low enough not to have it on our street. But it is cold for here. Down to 38 at 9:45 A.M. I know, I know, those of you who are shoveling it off your walks just snicker and talk about the wimpy Californians.

Clear Ayes said...

Good Morning All, My "D'oh!" moment this morning was that there wasn't an "Aha!" moment. I kept looking for some kind of hidden theme message that wasn't there. THEM?, MINE?, HE?, ME?, MON (Mine in french)? I finally dawned on me that sometimes "a cigar is just a cigar" and a swindle is just a swindle.

When GAH and I were in Ireland, we visited an old pub that had had a special room for wakes. The tradition of hiring women to KEEN was explained. Everyone else was too superstitious to even sit on the "wake bed", but not GAH.

Happy Birthday, WH! As always, looking forward to your story.

eddyB said...

Hello all.

Was only two.
Rain at this elevation but snow on Hamilton is beautiful!
Noticed the lemon and orange flavored pizzelles. Will have to try them.

eddyB

Jeannie said...

After reading the above posts I feel like my mind wasn’t working properly today. Although I got the theme answers I have never heard of “salting the mines” or “three card Monte”. I still don’t understand the folderol-hokum clue/answer and espy for notice? I have never heard of Pia Zadora so thought I must have had something wrong when Pia revealed itself.

Argyle, I have a recipe for cooking up a coupe but if I shared it, it wouldn’t be my coupe.

Chickie, I am glad the tomato pie was a hit. It is one of my favorites too.

Although I am not much of a baker I enjoyed reading all your holiday cookie recipes.

Last but not the very least, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you Windhover! May the upcoming year for you be fruitfull.

Hahtoolah said...

Jeannie: don't feel bad - I didn't find this an easy Monday morning puzzle, either. I never heard of Salting The Mine, nor did I think of Phases, thus, had a challenge getting started.

I did know about Keening and never had to hit the G-spot, though.

Clear Ayes said...

Oh yes, Chickie. The rest of the country may not understand, but snow is a very big deal around here in the under 1000 ft elevation country. We already have 1 INCH! ;o) and it is still coming down. It has been several years since our last snowfall, so looking out the kitchen window is like watching a fascinating TV show. I know it's kinda pathetic, but don't laugh at us, Minnesotans.

Am I dreaming here, but didn't Buckeye used to live at the Pia Zadora Home (or something like that)?

Going to address Christmas cards today. Weird, I know, but I still send cards through the mail. I hope that counts as letter writing.

Argyle said...

Re: folderol/hokum

The dictionaries I looked at were in agreement.

Folderol: n. 1)Foolishness; nonsense. 2) A trifle; a gewgaw.

Hokum: n. 1) Something apparently impressive or legitimate but actually untrue or insincere; nonsense. 2) A stock technique for eliciting a desired response from an audience.

So even though they both mention "nonsense", the intent is quite different. IMHO

Al said...

@Argyle, I agree. One is just silly, and the other is meant to deceive.

Jeannie said...

Here is a crowd pleaser that is easy to prepare.

Baked Brie with Apple Compote

Compote:
2 golden delicious apples peeled and diced about ½ cubes
¼ cup of honey
1/8 tsp cardamom
1 tbsp butter

Saute the apples in the butter in a med sauce pan about 7 min. Add the honey and the cardamom cooking it down until almost all the liquid has been rendered. Cool.

1- 6-8oz round of brie chilled
1- 10 inch round of pastry dough rolled out to ¼ inch thick.
1- egg beaten with 1 tbsp water

Slice the brie horizontally and place the bottom in the center of the pastry dough; Spread ½ cup of the compote over the bottom brie layer. Add the brie top and spread ½ cup of the compote over that. Fold the dough up over the brie wheel and pinch edges together. Brush the pasty with the egg wash and bake for about 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool about 5 minutes and serve with a crusty baguette slices or plain water crackers.

I am having a small get together with some friends this weekend and they would never come again if this one wasn’t on the table.

lois said...

Good afternoon Argyle, CC, et al., Great job, Argyle, as usual. This was easy w/the same huh's? as everybody else. Hokum didn't work for me at all and I wasn't too keen on 'keened', but that's all.

Seeing 'elf' here today reminded me of being approached by the EBI (Elf Bureau of Investigation)the other day. Had Agent Jingles and his intelligent cohort who are Assignment Section Specialists give me the 'nth' degree (a lot worse than the third)for'plotting' to delay Santa by 'bait'ing him with CA's cookies and a 'lift' up and down my chimney. The smart ASS said that the underlie-ing problem was that Santa has 'one shot' at this thing and can't afford a 'snag' in his schedule. Agent Jingles, who only works part-time, (guess that makes him a half ASS)suggested that I 'post'pone the 'add on''active'ity until
'aft'er Santa 'ping'ed around the world and 'rode' on 'moonbeams'
...'or else' I would get 'cole' in'stead' of 'a rise' out of Santa. 'Gee'! I was just glad I wasn't being re-assigned off his list completely.'Bet a' cookie or two the delay won't matter. 'Ye-men'! We'll still give a new dimension to 'hokum' and 'onus'. It's 'solid'!

I hope those who are injured and sick mend and recover quickly.

WH: Happy, Happy Birthday to you, you hunk of hot burnin' love! I hope your day and your night are totally awsome - just like you. And I wish you many, many more. And H.B to your son too. Tomorrow is my son's birthday as well. I hope you're not too exhausted from a great night tonight to enjoy that celebration. I'll toast to you today/tonight and to both our boys tomorrow - over and over. Cheers to both of you!

Enjoy your day!

Chickie said...

CA, at least one other Californian understands our TV program which doesn't broadcast very often, but when it does, makes for a very intersting time! LOL.

My sister lives just above you near Pinecrest and has a lot of snow already.

windhover said...

Hope I didn't hype this story too much, but it a pretty good one. Here goes.
My Dad, who couldn't swim until the day he died, was pulled out of a line of draftees in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1943 even though he protested that he couldn't swim, and "drafted" into the Navy. "We'll teach you", the guy said, but they never did, even though he spent nearly three years in the Navy, most of it in the South Pacific. His LSD was damaged badly enough that it was towed back to Hawaii for repairs and then, I believe, steamed under its own power to Oakland for dry dock repairs in late winter 1945. In March, my Mother and a friend took a train across the country to California, thinking she could see him. But he was not allowed off the ship. Evidently he and I share not only some DNA but some personality traits as well, because after a couple of days he sneaked off the ship overnight for a little baby-making activity. He got caught getting back aboard the next morning, but the job was done, and though I was born in Kentucky I was conceived in the Promised Land. The war ended before they got back to combat, and he was home before I was born.
So, as we all know, timing really is important.

Anonymous said...

I,too, thought something was wrong when "keened" source.
I also had "cup" then finally, "mug."
Someone mentioned "urn" which reminded me of a fire chief in an area suburb. He was tired of his men leaving for lengthy coffee breaks and announced that this will finally stop as he was having a coffee urinal installed in the station. (That should ruin their taste for coffee!)
I watched "three card monte" several years ago in Manhattan. A couple of obvious shills were winning easily as they always spotted the "pea." en a foreign tourist stepped forward and I watched him lose over $100 in a few minutes.

Anonymous said...

From Vern:

Once again, google has turned me into "anonymous." This must be a record for them.

Anonymous said...

From Vern again:

Now it's cutting off many of my words.

Mainiac said...

Hahtool,

Thanks for the explanation keening. I learn something almost everyday on this blog.

Great story of your creation WH! Sounds similar to my older brother's. I was more of a whoops because Dad was around.

We've got about 4 inches of snow in the back yard. It's melting quickly and the pups love it. It was a good warm-up for the crew. First storm last year was a 12 incher.

Off to Parks and Rec! I've never watched the show but my wife says we could write a few episodes with my group!

Buckeye said...

Guday all. First, Happy B-Day Windhover.
Hahtool. Happy Bat Mitzvah.
Great job, Argyle.
Jeannie! You HAVE heard of Pia Zadora!!The original name of the place where I reside was the Pia Zadora Golden Buckeye Retirement Village - until she found out we were using her name and sued us. Remember my telling y'all we had to go out and repaint the sign out front? Clearayes remembered!!

Easy ride on the puzzle express today, so no comments.

Here's a Christmas story.
Many years ago, (1930's) there was a very poor Native American tribe living in Oklahoma. Then one day they discovered oil on their property and the tribe became very rich. The chief collected all the money and decided to do something for all of the members of his village. He had electrical wiring brought in and placed a light over the communal latrine. By so doing, he became the first person in history to "wire a head for a reservation".
"So", you say. "What does that have to do with Christmas, Buckeye?"
Well, that same chief, as a Christmas present to his son, sent the lad to Miami, Florida to join the Miami Yacht Club. He was rejected, the members telling the chief that there would be no "Red sons in the sail set".

I must be off!

Clear Ayes said...

The avatar photo is proof that we did have a bleak and blustery winter this morning, but it is over now. Spring can't be too far away.

Brother Buckeye, I'm glad you showed up and validated my sometimes shaky memory. I can remember the original name of your residence, but just don't ask me where I parked the car.

Buckeye said...

CA, my sister. Your last missive was telling. I'm more important to you than your silly car.

IMBO

Anonymous said...

Another easy one!!! Bring on Fridays!!!


gmony

IRISH JIM said...

Good evening CC Argyle and all.

Nice start to the week. Great job as always Argyle.

WH may you have many more to celebrate.

I am sure there was lots of "Keening" at the wake for Liam Clancy who passed away over the weekend.
He was the last living member of the Clancy Brothers.

Ca the wake picture of GAH is priceless.

Robin said...

Good evening C.C., Argyle and all.

Great puzzle, easy and fun or at least the Vicodin was.

Thanks for all of the best wishes for my toe. Sorry to hear it is such a common ailment. Yikes it hurts, especially when you flip your legs out of the bed!!! OMG!!!

Windhover, I have always felt that Birthday sex, was right up there with "make up" sex. Oh and Happy Birthday BTW! Wish it was mine :(

Love the picture of GAH, Clear Ayes! So funny!!!

Thank you EddyB for the Pizzelle recipe :)

Thank you Jeannie for the brie recipe.

Buckeye you are so hamn funny!

Raining in Phoenix all day, with 8 inches of snow in Flagstaff! They are wusses when it comes to snow.

Lois are you Robin Williams sister? Love it all!
Have a great evening! TTYL !

Anonymous said...

First, Happy birthday, WH.

I did not do Sunday's puzzle but I did read the comments. I saw one answer was Attu. I just finished reading, "Last Letters From Attu: The true story of etta Jones, Alaska Pioneer and Japanese P.O.W." The first half of the book is about her life in Alaska where she went in 1922. It is hard to imagine a young woman back then going off to such a lonely frontier. She traveled by kayak, dog sled, snow shoes, etc. Then she was teaching school on Attu & her husband was the weather station operator when, in June, 1942, 2000 Japanese invaded the island, killing Foster Jones and
taking Etta prisoner.All forty natives were taken prisoner, also but were sent to a different place in Japan than Etta. On this Pearl Harbor Day, it would be wise for some of our younger citizens to read about the events, not only of that day but of the War. I don't think they understand what was involved. There were many battles that we lost and there were a lot of losses in the battles we won.

Apparently, winter is arriving in all parts of the country at the same time. We have a prediction for 10 to 13 inches of snow by Wed. noon. I hope the forcasters are WRONG!

Dot

PJB-Chicago said...

Good evenin', Ladies & Gents!
I was quite KEEN on this puzzle, with little wailing and gnashing of teeth. A little more like a Wednesday in difficulty, packed chock full of snazzy, fresh fill and clues and lite on same-old same old. BAIT, SNAG, UMBRA, PLOT and AWRY are all welcome words, but all remind me too much of dating in my 30s!

Theme might have tripped up anyone brand new to puzzledom because they're not terribly common, but they came together nicely. Robert Fisher gets a smiley face from me.

Happy Birthdate Anniversary to WH (and, really, you could have taught your Pa to swim!) and to HoverSon, tomorrow. Cake and candles to the both of you as well as to the son of Lois. Lots of good DNA there.Celebrate!

Argyle, thumbs up on the blogging and thanks for the 3 card Monte tutorial. My Dad must be smiling in the heavens 'cuz I finally know the secret to the game/hustle!

Jeannie said...

Robin, I must have missed the "toe" incident. I had bunion surgery on my right foot a couple of years ago. You just don't realize how much you rely on those "ugly" toes (at least mine are) until you can't use them. My whole foot throbbed for weeks...not to mention the really cute shoe I got to wear. Oh, and is there really any bad sex?

PJB, I am assuming you aren't a big brie fan. If you are you must make the baked recipe posted.

Argyle, still awaiting your favorite food to see if I can come up with something for you other than a coupe.

The weather is going into the shitter here in MN starting tomorrow and into the latter part of the week. Snow and wind...just what I don't like here in the plowed down open prairie I reside and commute in. I think I heard that Thurs night we will hit our first below zero temp. I knew November was too good to be true.

Lois, leave Santa alone at least until the 27th. I think he's gonna need a day to recoup before he visits you again :)

Windhover, I liked your conception story. Hopefully you are sowing something tonight other than hay.

windhover said...

Looks like the comments are winding down for this evening, so I'll take this opportunity to say thanks for all the birthday wishes today. Good thing I cashed in the birthday gift coupon last night, 'cause pouring 120' of concrete wall in 39 degree weather left this (literally) old Windhover's wings dragging. But I'm off to bed now, and hopeful that I can get in a little vicarious celebration on the son's b'day tomorrow. Thanks again, especially for the "and many more" comments.

Argyle said...

Jeannie, I'm going to throw caution to the wind and say I like beef tongue. Mom had a recipe for tongue that used cranberries.

Annette said...

Argyle: Many ladies on this blog are going to have difficulty sleeping tonight, between having the scintillating fantasies brought on by that beef tongue, and trying to come up with an appropriate DF comment to do it justice!

Annette said...

EddyB: The lemon and orange flavoring were instead of the anise flavoring. Not everyone in our family cared for anise.

California ladies: As a Floridian now, I'd LOVE to see some snow flurries or an inch of snow outside my window too. I'd hate to see how the locals would drive in snow, considering many seem to nearly come to a complete stop in order to turn their windshield wipers on in a drizzle!

Buckeye: I love your sense of humor!

PJB-Chicago said...

Jeannie: Assume not. I love brie. My "happytizer" Mom handed down a similar recipe featuring brie, apples, dough, golden raisins and two splashes of brandy: one for the cook, one for the recipe. That gal knows how to stay sane in the kitchen, lemme tell ya!

@ClearAyes: We made Pepparkakor this weekend with your recipe. Per the suggestion of Swedish M-I-L(e), we added a little cardomom and a couple grains of orange zest, (I never defy my Mamacita or a MIL!) and ended up with about 100 cookies, now happily in tins or plastic bags. I wasn't built to be a good baker but the end results are tasty with milk, coffee or digestifs (for those who imbibe, of course).

rich scholl said...

al says "Alternate spellings of umiak are umialak, umiaq, umiac, oomiac or oomiak." from my days in alaska, i think it can also be "umiat". lots of things happen when non-natives put a written code to a non-written language that has many dialects.

ejaz14357 said...

I, admire the ability to create an Monday-type puzzle as much as the more difficult ones; it can't be easy to do.