Theme: Zany Zealots - Two-word common phrases ending with a synonym of "enthusiast" are humorously reinterpreted and clued as "Devotee of ...".
17A: Devotee of a Sistine Chapel feature?: CEILING FAN
24A: Devotee of green ice cream?: PISTACHIO NUT
44A: Devotee of thunderstorms?: LIGHTNING BUG
54A: Devotee of a classical language?: LATIN LOVER
This puzzle is very similar in concept to Robert Harris' "Imaginary Places", in which familiar phrases ending with "locations" are reinterpreted in correspondence with the "Where ..." clues.
Argyle here.
What is there to say? I've never seen a puzzle less in need of explanations. Take 42A: Capital where "Aida" premiered: CAIRO., for example. Even if you didn't know the story behind the opera "Aida" and why it premiered in Cairo, when the perps revealed the answer, it was like, "OK", not "D'oh". (If you want the story, you can go to Wikipedia.)
I post all the answers and C.C. edits out the ones she feels are unnecessary; I hope there are some left. LOL
Across:
1A: Have status: RATE.
5A: Less adorned, as walls: BARER.
10A: Wordless singing style: SCAT. 50A: In the style of: A LA. Ella Fitzgerald.
14A: Land parcel unit: ACRE.
15A: Big gig venue: ARENA.
16A: Heading for a chore list: TO DO.
19A: Charles Lamb's nom de plume: ELIA.
20A: Sixth sense, briefly: ESP.
21A: Carnival city: RIO. (Rio de Janeiro ("River of January"))
22A: Portage vessels: CANOES. Portage - The carrying of boats and supplies overland between two waterways or around an obstacle to navigation.
27A: Final furniture coat: FINISH.
30A: Round at the tavern: BEERS.
31A: Pennsylvania Dutch group: AMISH.
32A: Buddy of Tom and Dick?: HARRY. The phrase "Tom, Dick and Harry" is used to indicate everyone.
36A: Pop choice: COLA.
37A: Numbers after the decimal point: CENTS.
38A: Top of the glass: BRIM.
39A: __ out: barely make: EKE.
40A: Tadpoles' milieus: PONDS.
41A: Like fresh celery: CRISP.
43A: Trained animal's repertoire: TRICKS.
48A: Idolizes: ADORES.
53A: Hand, in Juárez: MANO.
58A: "Beg pardon": "AHEM".
59A: Express a view: OPINE.
60A: Uncooperative contraction: WON'T.
61A: Annoyed: SORE.
63A: Stopping points: ENDS.
Down:
1D: Meet event: RACE.
2D: Suit toppers: ACES.
3D: Vacation option: TRIP.
4D: Sushi choice: EEL.
5D: Send into exile: BANISH.
6D: Special lingo: ARGOT.
7D: Arbiter with a whistle: REF.
8D: "Bambi" doe: ENA.
9D: Oater landowners: RANCHERS. Oater - Western movie
10D: Workers with pads: STENOS.
11D: Punctuation in play dialogue: COLON.
12D: French farewell: ADIEU.
13D: Best man's offer: TOAST.
18D: Joyce's countrymen: IRISH. James Joyce.
23D: Like a screened porch: AIRY.
24D: Tower city: PISA.
25D: Leave high and dry: ABANDON.
26D: "Two mints in one" sloganeer: CERTS. "A candy mint AND a breath mint."
27D: Confront: FACE.
28D: "No harm done": "I'M OK".
29D: River where baby Moses was found: NILE.
32D: Artist Matisse: HENRI.
35D: Metal band's equipment: AMPS.
37D: Vending machine feature: COIN SLOT.
38D: Place to hold mutineers: BRIG. (On ship)
40D: Cracker spread: PATE.
41D: Inhumane: CRUEL.
42D: Auto trim: CHROME.
43D: Rare orders, perhaps: T-BONES.
44D: Eastern priests: LAMAS.
45D: Potato source: IDAHO.
46D: Casualty: GONER.
47D: Nine-to-five routine, to many: GRIND.
50D: Ringer of many bells: AVON. Ringer of doorbells. Probably the cleverest clue.
52D: Creative fields: ARTS.
55D: Class clown, often: APE. Harsh!
56D: Anchovy holder: TIN.
57D: Be in the hole for: OWE.
Answer grid.
Argyle
17A: Devotee of a Sistine Chapel feature?: CEILING FAN
24A: Devotee of green ice cream?: PISTACHIO NUT
44A: Devotee of thunderstorms?: LIGHTNING BUG
54A: Devotee of a classical language?: LATIN LOVER
This puzzle is very similar in concept to Robert Harris' "Imaginary Places", in which familiar phrases ending with "locations" are reinterpreted in correspondence with the "Where ..." clues.
Argyle here.
What is there to say? I've never seen a puzzle less in need of explanations. Take 42A: Capital where "Aida" premiered: CAIRO., for example. Even if you didn't know the story behind the opera "Aida" and why it premiered in Cairo, when the perps revealed the answer, it was like, "OK", not "D'oh". (If you want the story, you can go to Wikipedia.)
I post all the answers and C.C. edits out the ones she feels are unnecessary; I hope there are some left. LOL
Across:
1A: Have status: RATE.
5A: Less adorned, as walls: BARER.
10A: Wordless singing style: SCAT. 50A: In the style of: A LA. Ella Fitzgerald.
14A: Land parcel unit: ACRE.
15A: Big gig venue: ARENA.
16A: Heading for a chore list: TO DO.
19A: Charles Lamb's nom de plume: ELIA.
20A: Sixth sense, briefly: ESP.
21A: Carnival city: RIO. (Rio de Janeiro ("River of January"))
22A: Portage vessels: CANOES. Portage - The carrying of boats and supplies overland between two waterways or around an obstacle to navigation.
27A: Final furniture coat: FINISH.
30A: Round at the tavern: BEERS.
31A: Pennsylvania Dutch group: AMISH.
32A: Buddy of Tom and Dick?: HARRY. The phrase "Tom, Dick and Harry" is used to indicate everyone.
36A: Pop choice: COLA.
37A: Numbers after the decimal point: CENTS.
38A: Top of the glass: BRIM.
39A: __ out: barely make: EKE.
40A: Tadpoles' milieus: PONDS.
41A: Like fresh celery: CRISP.
43A: Trained animal's repertoire: TRICKS.
48A: Idolizes: ADORES.
53A: Hand, in Juárez: MANO.
58A: "Beg pardon": "AHEM".
59A: Express a view: OPINE.
60A: Uncooperative contraction: WON'T.
61A: Annoyed: SORE.
63A: Stopping points: ENDS.
Down:
1D: Meet event: RACE.
2D: Suit toppers: ACES.
3D: Vacation option: TRIP.
4D: Sushi choice: EEL.
5D: Send into exile: BANISH.
6D: Special lingo: ARGOT.
7D: Arbiter with a whistle: REF.
8D: "Bambi" doe: ENA.
9D: Oater landowners: RANCHERS. Oater - Western movie
10D: Workers with pads: STENOS.
11D: Punctuation in play dialogue: COLON.
12D: French farewell: ADIEU.
13D: Best man's offer: TOAST.
18D: Joyce's countrymen: IRISH. James Joyce.
23D: Like a screened porch: AIRY.
24D: Tower city: PISA.
25D: Leave high and dry: ABANDON.
26D: "Two mints in one" sloganeer: CERTS. "A candy mint AND a breath mint."
27D: Confront: FACE.
28D: "No harm done": "I'M OK".
29D: River where baby Moses was found: NILE.
32D: Artist Matisse: HENRI.
35D: Metal band's equipment: AMPS.
37D: Vending machine feature: COIN SLOT.
38D: Place to hold mutineers: BRIG. (On ship)
40D: Cracker spread: PATE.
41D: Inhumane: CRUEL.
42D: Auto trim: CHROME.
43D: Rare orders, perhaps: T-BONES.
44D: Eastern priests: LAMAS.
45D: Potato source: IDAHO.
46D: Casualty: GONER.
47D: Nine-to-five routine, to many: GRIND.
50D: Ringer of many bells: AVON. Ringer of doorbells. Probably the cleverest clue.
52D: Creative fields: ARTS.
55D: Class clown, often: APE. Harsh!
56D: Anchovy holder: TIN.
57D: Be in the hole for: OWE.
Answer grid.
Argyle
91 comments:
Good morning, C.C. and gang - as Argyle correctly pointed out, there's hardly anything on which to comment here, outside of a very clever theme. Today's puzzle might even be a simpler one than yesterday, although I didn't break the 4-minute mark on it.
Argyle, on the money with your take on 'Cairo'. I thought, 'oh, that's interesting'. 'Portage' was a gimme since we do it all the time here in the summer, going between lakes. Could've done without seeing 'colon', after my recent stomach malady.
Today is International Dog Biscuit Day and National Tennis Day.
Today's Words of Wisdom: "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." -- Aristotle
A few more definitions:
- Middle Age: when your age starts showing around the middle.
- Luck: being ready.
Dennis,
I agree. Simple but fun theme. Portage is a new word to me. Loved your "luck" definition. Do you wear any charm for luck? Cantonese like to wear green jade.
Argyle,
I never knew Rio de Janeiro is "River of January". Thank you. Was only aware of our crossword stalwart ENERO.
Jazzbumpa,
Congratulations on a fine performance! Why is it named BLUES FOR NATE?
Argyle,
Re: AIDA. Caught a bit of Food Network's "Ask Aida" the other day, and learned the pronunciation is ah-EE-duh. Arabic for "visitor". She probably is not famous enough for a new clue.
Dennis,
Forgot to ask you earlier. Are you allowed to carry a gun at your hobby shop?
Good Morning, CC. I loved this puzzle and had fun with the theme.
I have to say I loved seeing the Cairo/AIDA connection, especially since we had a discussion here on the Suez Canal recently. Elton John and Tim Rice created a Broadway version Aida which, if you haven't seen, I would highly recommend.
My favorite clue was Final Furniture Coat: FINISH.
QOD: Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever. ~ Napoleon
Isn't jade all green?
Janeiro is Portuguese.
from Wikipedia,
Jade is a saturated, slightly bluish green. The name comes from the gemstone called jade, although the stone varies widely in hue.
C.C., no, I don't wear any lucky charms; I did wear some Saint's medal that a girl gave me when I went to Vietnam. Must've worked.
And no, I don't have a pistol permit for the store. Jersey is one of the tougher states with regard to weapons. Probably just as well; if one more customer comes in the store first thing in the morning with a $50- or $100-dollar bill for a less-than-$10 purchase, I might be inclined to take out a kneecap or two...
Here are some colored jade earrings for C.C. and a bat for Dennis to take out kneecaps.
Aha! I have finally thought of a good title for the theme: Zany Zealots
Good Morning Argyle, CC and All,
I was writing in theme answers without much perp help at all today. I did like the theme and had to erase once, Rank instead of Rate. My brain also wanted some sort of injury word for Casualty. My Duh moment. I felt it was a Monday difficulty level.
Sounds like we're in for 4-5 days of snow mixed with rain. I'd rather have three feet of snow, its easier on the equipment. I'm sure those who have had snow won't agree.
Have a great day!
Another easy one. No surprises. 10 minutes.
good morning c.c. and all,
fun and easy today, for me a quicker solve than yesterday. great theme. no unknowns but did not know the story behind AIDA and CAIRO, thx argyle.
well i don't have a dog, or play tennis ... so i'll have to celebrate today some other way.
Wouldn't the capitAl where "Aida" was first performed be Pounds? Cairo is the capitOl where it was first performed.
Left Norfolk before the first snow; greetings from sunny St. Pete Beach.
I agree, really straightforward. GONER and CHROME eluded me for a bit as I didn't know MANO. Pretty slick fill in the end though. The theme is a cute one.
Apparently today is National pancake day. IHOP is offering a free short stack from7-10am today. Wow. I made pancakes for the family to celebrate this am.
Jim in Norfolk, how is St. Pete's? We are headed there next month for spring break. Looking forward to it.
Have a great day.
Jim in Norfolk: Capitol has a very specific meaning. It is the building in which a legislative body meets. The word "capital" has many meanings. When used as a noun, it can mean the city in which a government presides. It can also mean currency. When used as an adjective, it can mean something of importance.
cap·i·tal1 /ˈkæpɪtl/ Show Spelled[kap-i-tl] Show IPA
–noun
1.the city or town that is the official seat of government in a country, state, etc.: Tokyo is the capital of Japan.
2.a city regarded as being of special eminence in some field of activity: New York is the dance capital of the world.
3.capital letter.
4.the wealth, whether in money or property, owned or employed in business by an individual, firm, corporation, etc.
5.an accumulated stock of such wealth.
6.any form of wealth employed or capable of being employed in the production of more wealth.
7.Accounting.
a.assets remaining after deduction of liabilities; the net worth of a business.
b.the ownership interest in a business.
8.any source of profit, advantage, power, etc.; asset: His indefatigable drive is his greatest capital.
9.capitalists as a group or class (distinguished from labor): High taxation has reduced the spending power of capital.
Cap·i·tol /ˈkæpɪtl/ Show Spelled[kap-i-tl] Show IPA
–noun
1.the building in Washington, D.C., used by the Congress of the U.S. for its sessions.
2.(often lowercase) a building occupied by a state legislature.
3.the ancient temple of Jupiter at Rome, on the Capitoline.
4.the Capitoline.
so did I know beans?
sorry, still challenged in the alexander graham bell world
at least I had something to say now; the theme was cute
IHOP actually it is until 10:00 PM
Happy Birthday
CapitOL vs. CapitAL. In short, "ol" means buildings and "al" means all other uses and meanings of the word. In this puzzle, either Cairo or Pounds could have been an appropriate response to the clue.
Hi gang -
Nice puzzle, clever theme.
I do have a quibble. "BARE" is an absolute condition, like "pregnant." You are or you aren't. Neither you nor the wall can be BARER. Sorry to be the BEARER of this news.
In 1970, when my son ERIC was born, ERIC had suddenly become a very popular name. My first wife's father quipped, "Now every Tom, Dick, and Harry is named ERIC!"
C.C. -
I thought I had told the "Blues for Nate" story here. Maybe not. When my daughter was pregnant (see above), Nate's condition, transposition of the great arteries, was discovered in an ultrasound. His aorta and pulmonary arteries were hooked up in reverse. This causes a circulatory system with two closed loops, and oxygenated blood can't get circulated. Very bad situation.
He was born at Mott's Children's Hospital at U of M, Ann Arbor, with the neo-natal cardiac staff on high alert. He turned blue immediately, and they rushed him off to perform a radical procedure that stabilized him for a few days. A week later, he had open heart surgery to reverse the plumbing. Everything came out fine. He's now a terrific 7-Yr old kid.
So I wrote him this programmatic song - a blues, of course. And a minor blues, 'cause he was so small at the time. The melody has two motifs, which are played and then repeated upside down, to indicate the reversal. In the shout chorus, the melody is taken apart and passed around. There is a bass riff at the beginning and end that symbolizes a heart beat.
We've performed this song three times. The thing that is gratifying for me is that everybody likes the song, and is moved by the story behind it.
The doctor that did Nate's surgery does two a day, five days a week. Mott's (named after the applesauce guy) is an absolutely amazing place, with a million heart rending stories.
Long post. Gotta go rest
Cheers!
JzB the multiply-blessed trombonist
Good morning, Argyle, C.C., and all,
A fun, cohesive theme today. Simple cluing makes it perfect for an early week puzzle. My favorite theme fill was LIGHTNINGBUG, favorite clues were "Rare orders, perhaps"and "Ringer of many bells." I did not like "Class clown" as the clue for APE, although I believe it is a fair clue. To me a class clown is more of a "galoot" or "goof", whereas ape (to me) infers a more negative connotation.
Jazzbumpa-Great to hear that the concert went well. Any chance of putting some footage on Utube?
Enjoy the day!
@Argyle - Do you keep a database? I am impressed that you remember the Clams Casino puzzle for comparison.
Dennis,
I really like the middle age definition--I can relate!
Nothing puzzle-related to speak of. Except that the theme was the easiest for a while. Fun puzzle!
I'm glad Jazz's concert went so well.
Also glad the rest of you saved me from having to explain capitol and capital over again--one of my pet peeves, which I think is only a problem to Americans because you have so many capitols here. The origin, as someone mentioned, is in Rome. It originally referred to the domed roof--capitoleum, and Capitoline Hill is where it stood. Incidentally, the one in Madison, WI, is said to be the most similar to the DC one. The only state capitol building I've seen without a dome is the one in Louisianna. Are there others that anyone knows of?
Thanks for the clarification. We don't have a dictionary in the house we're renting, and my Googleship is not what it should be.
Jazzbumpa - Thanks for sharing Nate's story. I had never heard of such a condition.
KQ - St. Pete Beach has averaged about 10 degrees below average for February. We've had a lot of highs in the 50s and 60s, while the average high is just over 70. St. Petersburg and St. Pete Beach are separate cities. We are in the southernmost part of St. Pete Beach in a community called Pass-A-Grille. Very old, very quaint. There is a strong Italian immigrant influence in this area, and more great Italian restaurants than you can possibly sample in a single vacation.
Hi Argyle, C.C. & gang, a quick puzzle today, easy theme to grasp -- when I got the 'ceiling fan' answer my wife got the others very quickly.
The Lama answer today made me think of
this Ogden Nash poem
" The one-L lama,
He's a priest.
The two-L llama,
He's a beast.
And I would bet
A silk pajama
There isn't any
Three-L lllama. "
Jimmie @9:28 AM
@Argyle - Do you keep a database?
Not me! That would be C.C.'s.
Capitol, Albany, NY
The New York capitol building takes its inspiration from the Hôtel de Ville in Paris.
Good Morning All, I went all the way through with the Downs and had to go back only once Across to finish up the rest.
Nice theme, but everything else was easy-peasy.
GAH and I watched a documentary about Ella Fitzgerald last night. I am not a big fan of SCAT singing, but I have to admire her talent for it. Her talent for ballad standards Night and Day was unsurpassed. We have a couple of her CD's, but I think we will have to get all of her "Songbook" series.....so smooooth!
It is just as well that today's puzzle was so straightforward. I've got errands today. I'm taking lunch to my formerly sick friend. She is recuperating at home after three days in the hospital and is doing well, but is rather weak.
For Jeannie, I forgot to mention that we made your Mac & Cheese recipe last weekend and it was very good. But nothing can compare to the smell of your meatloaf cooking, the smell lingers for a surprising long time after it's done and put away.
Argyle:
Thank you for your wit and wisdom. I really liked this puzzle's theme, very clever. My time was 14 minutes. I really like it when I can just skate through a puzzle.
My favorite was "Latin Lover" on many levels. But I liked them all.
Lemonade:
Thank you for the fine explanation of capital and capitol. So often they are a source of confusion as are principal and principle.
Anonymous @6 A.M.:
When I was in Hong Kong I learned that jade is available in many colors. I have a miniature pink jade teapot from there.
Robin:
What was the exact number?
Adios amigos. Tonight is my class night so I must prepare.
At first I thought it was National (D)ennis Day, and thought WTH, shouldn't everybody have one?
As the Captain used to say, "Make it so".
Hi friends.
This FREE page might help you solve crosswords or make them:
http://www.mylanguagenotebook.com/mlnwordtoolsenglish.aspx
Hi, I know yesterday's puzzle was pretty easy, even for me, but, c'mon. Four minutes? It takes longer than that for me to write my name. Doug Zlkoutrdcnnjngaauovq
Anon @ 10:04,
Thanks for that NY Capitol. It really does look like its inpiration, doesn't it? I guessed there might be a few more out there, but haven't seen others.
The Paris Hôtel de Ville is an interesting locale--always some sort of celebration or protest going on there.
Here is the WI State Capitol
Sorry--I can't get the link to work. Go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wis-capitol.jpg
Must be copyrighted or something.
Good morning Argyle, CC and all,
Another quickie, and I actually saw the theme. Is it my imagination or are the "downs" on most puzzles easier to fill? I usually do the acrosses 1st, but after not filling 1,5, & 10 on my first swipe, I filled in the downs easily.
I did not like the clue/answer (finish)as final was part of the clue. So obvious, so I thought varnish..too many letters, so settled for finish.
Liked T-bones...very tricky for me. I kept seeing TB ---.
Love geography, so liked Nile. It is unique as it flows north.The god Hapi, along with the pharaoh, was said to have controlled the yearly flooding.All the tombs are located on the west side of the river as that side symbolized death.This is because the sun god, Ra, went through birth, death and resurrection each day as he crossed the sky.So the east side symbolizes birth and growth.TMI?
JzB- thanks for sharing the story of Nate.I am always amazed at the continued advancements in science and medicine.
Warren, Ogden Nash poems always bring a smile.
Very clever, Joy, to finish your puzzle with ENDS (63A)
JB, as well as being a wonderful Trombonist, I know you to be a dedicated punster, but even I who have made grown men cry, was amazed by:
"million heart rending stories"
which is quite literally what they did. I am touched, awed and pleased by your story, and would love it if you linked you song.
KAZIE CAPITOL
Mornin' C.C., Argyle and Y'all,
I agree with most comments, an easy but very fun puzzle. Unlike some solvers, my brain doesn't have to bleed for me to enjoy a puzzle. Thanks, Miz. Frank.
I do think I have a problem with 55D. I was voted the "wittiest" of my high school senior class, and I don't think I was an ape, a galoot, nor a goof . . . . well, maybe a bit goofy, at times.
Kazie- re: non-domed capitol, Santa Fe, the capital (? I'm confused wit this spelling thing) of New Mexico's capitol building is non-domed. The building is built in the shape of the Zia Indian's sun symbol, in that it is round with four entrances (N,S,E & W) representing the sun's rays. It is, also, the only round capitol building in the USA. It was dedicated in 1966, I believe.
New Mexico also holds claim to having both the oldest and the newest capitol buildings in the USA. The first one was the Palace of the Governors completed in 1610, and still standing. There were a few between that one and today's building, one of which had a dome that was later removed to conform to the territorial style of architecture that is one of the two prevalent styles here in Santa Fe, the other being the pueblo style (flat roofed mud construction).
Awoke to a new 6 in. blanket of snow and 6° this AM.
C del O
A pretty straight forward puzzle today. The ones I didn’t get were Elia, argot and Henri but the perps took care of that. My favorite clue was “suit toppers” – aces. My walls are more adorned thanks to WM.
Warren I am glad you liked the mac n cheese, but you are right. The meatloaf is my favorite too. MJ, don’t forget to drape the bacon over the top.
For you dog lovers, Homemade Dog Biscuits
5 cups Whole wheat flour
1 cup Milk
2 Eggs
10 tablespoon Vegetable oil or bacon fat
1 pinch Onion or garlic powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Cold water
1 tablespoon Vegetable oil to grease pan
Mix all ingredients well. Pinch off pieces of the dough and roll them into two-inch balls. Bake biscuits at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Let them cool, then store in an airtight container.
Today in history:
1896-the Tootsie Roll was introduced by Leo Hirshfield.
1903- the Cuban state of Guantanamo was leased to the USA to use as a fueling station after the Cuban-American Treaty, making it the oldest navy base. In 1934, the lease was made permanent unless both governments agreed to break it, or the US abandons the property. Casto has only cashed 1 check($4085 a yr.) as he says it would validate the treaty. Thousands of Cubans used to work on the base, but the govt prohibits this any longer.Water was a problem until they moved a desalination plant there from San Diego.
1921- 1st US transcontinental airmail flight arr. in NYC from SF.
1945-US Marines raised the flag on Iwo Jima.
1974- Patty Hearst was kidnapped by the SLA
1997- scientists in Scotland announced that they had succeeded in cloning an adult mammal, "Dolly" the lamb.
Jeanne:
I've heard so much about your meatloaf recipe that I would like to try it. Would you mind rewriting it or you could send me an e-mail if you wish.
Jazzbumpa:
The story of your grandson was so moving; I have been thinking about it since I first read it and I am constantly amazed and impressed by the medical procedures on such small children. It's truly a gift. Thank you for sharing.
C de O:
The name is actually de la O.
Hi Jim,
Welcome to the best crossword blog on the Net. How are things over at Pere LeChaise? Last time I was there you didn't look so good. Guess you've got plenty of time to work the puzzle though, and unlike some anons, you won't be bitching about the difficulty.
C'est la Vie
Hi Argyle, C.C. and all -
This one was easier than yesterday and that was a snap..makes me feel sooo smart, until Thursday or Friday :)
Loved 45D..had me at a blank for a few minutes, kept thinking 'eye'.
42D AUTO TRIM was odd as there is not much CHROME trim on cars these days.
Jazzb, so glad Nate got the treatment he needed in time. They do work wonders with babies!!
We timed our bike ride just perfectly, it has started to rain!!!
I agree that this puzzle was easy to solve, but to me this does not diminish the beauty of this puzzle. It's clean as a whistle and has an elegance about it. Part of the elegance comes from something we rarely see in a crossword. No abbreviations! ESP, AMPS, REF. Don't go there. They are nouns that stand on their own as words. Also, the puzzle has only four names. That's a very low count. Wonderful job, Joy.
Not so wonderful-
"HI, SAM, are you AMISH?"
"HI, SIR, are you IRISH?"
Lupino and Chi Minh live in IDAHO.
Curious- LEND, END, TEND, RACE, ACES, ACRE.
JD- It's just your imagination.
Thanks Jerome...just wondering
@Hahtool, how does Pounds make sense for Aida?
Jeannie's Meatloaf:
(I save the hard copies of her recipes in a file folder)
There are tons of variations on a good old fashioned meatloaf. Here is my take on it.
1 1/2 lb ground chuck
1/2 lb ground pork
4 strips of bacon
1 medium onion diced fine
1 cup shitake mushrooms diced fine (secret ingredient)
1 clove of garlic minced
1/2 cup of bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 medium eggs
1/4 cup of ketchup (I am guessing here as I just squirt some in)
A couple shakes of the bottle of Worcester sauce
A few drops of soy sauce
Black Pepper to your liking
3 sprigs of thyme (strip the leaves) or 'i4 tsp dried thyme
Saute the onions, mushrooms, and garlic in some butter until they are soft and the onions are translucent. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl combine all the other ingredients except for the bacon strips. Work in the onion/mushroom mixture and form into a loaf. Place in a 9x13 glass baking dish and drape the bacon slices over the top. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours at 350. Enjoy!!
JD: Not too much information at all. Perfect "Reader's Digest" version of the tale.
Last week, we were talking about Rosalind Russell and the quote "Life's a banquet...". It turns out there's a show on PBS later this week (Friday at 10 here) called "Life is a Banquet: The Rosalind Russell Story"!
Hello all.
A few bits and ends:
Plushenko now claiming he won the platinum medal at the winter games.
River flooding a worry as the snow and ice melts back East. Home town
now in the 40s.
Tinbeni. Had to calculate ROI in business plans. Return on Investment.
Rome drew a line through the Amazon
and Brazil given to Portugal.
More rain today and heading East.
eddyB
@Windhover,
I actually live in Paris like my namesake ;-)
I am rubbish at crosswords though. Making a program to help solve them was much easier for me ;-)
By the way, I used to know a bloke who called his house 'Windhover'. That's right, in England some people name their houses!
Jazz, genuinely heart-warming story.
Ann
Eddy B.
Sometimes Return on Equity (ROE) is called Stockholders Return on Investment (ROI).
Remember in Financial Anaysis there are only about a Zillion different ways to look at Financial Statements.
My faves are:
P/E Price to Earnings
EBITAD Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Amortization & Depreciation.
As to this puzzle, typical easy Tuesday (almost Monday) level.
That said, it was a fun one Mug of Coffee offering.
Carlos I agree re: Class clown/Ape as a so-so clue/answer.
Wit or jokester is what I think of.
Only Tinbeni
ROR .
Stockholder's Return on Investment is ROE, ROI is not the same thing even if the words are the same
Jim,
They did that in the older suburbs of Sydney too. Patrick White references it in one of his books. as well.
I wanted to mention too that the Nile isn't the only river to run northwards--many major ones in Europe do too--the Rhine, Oder, Elbe--anything emptying into the Baltic or the North Sea from the Continent.
Anon 2:11
Like you said sometimes the terms are different things even if they look the same.
True story:
I was the CFO of the Adriatic Region for Deloitte.
So I'm talking to a CPA with PriceWaterHouse-Coopers about a joint client project.
He keeps saying TB, TB, TB ...
Well we called the "Trial Balance" WTB or Working Trial Balance as we worked on it.
Rate of Return (ROR) can apply to many things depending how "down-low" you want to Micro-Manage the analysis.
Only Tinbeni
Jim:
Glad you can take a joke, thanks for the shout-back. How's the weather in Paris this evening?
BTW: Your friend probably got the name from the same place I stole it: a poem of the same name by G.M. Hopkins
CA?
As for strange naming customs, but still with a British influence, my wife and I call a small but very close friend of ours "The Duke".
R: APE. Maybe Ms. Frank was using "ape" as "one who apes or mimics".
The Red River of the North which separates N. Dak. and Minn. also flows north, which in the spring thaws,can cause floods, one of which was a disaster back in, I think, the '80s. Fargo is on the banks of the Red River, as is my home town, Grand Forks.
I, too, pretty much slid through today's cw.
JD, where do you find the "today in history" material? It's fun.
Very moving story about the birth of your grandson, Jazz. I'm so glad it has such a happy ending!
Speaking of reverses, my husband was a "complete situs inversus" which, being complete was not dangerous, just peculiar. Doctors would call in colleagues to listen to his chest. He only discovered it when he enlisted in WWII.
Dennis, your photo is contest worthy! It appears to be a black and white, so the flag is stunning. Really a work of art.
Good afternoon, everyone!
Hand up for RANK.
@jzb What a heart-warming story. So glad that Nate was able to get himself turned around!
@ca You're a good friend.
@jd I wouldn't call the Nile unique, but unusual. Our Willamette that runs through western OR flows to the north as well.
@carol That rain came in sooner than predicted.
Hello All--Another ego builder for me today. I enjoyed the theme fills of common phrases. After the first one the others were just out there waiting to be solved.
Lightning bugs do not occur in our area, so we are enthralled when we visit places that have those twinkling night creatures.
Dennis, a great definition of middle age. I'm glad I can blame my middle on age rather than something else!
JZB, Nate's story is very inspirational.
I have had an ape or two in my classroom who were class clowns. I would tend to call them class disruptors, however.
The Nebraska capitol building has a tall tower capped with a figure.
Crockett, yes, we had our typical Feb offering of 3+ days of spring-like weather and now will have our typical rain until July 5th or 6th - LOL
Oh well, they don't call us Oregonians (at least the western side of the state) web-feet for nothing. Better that the bizillion inches of snow on the other coast and mid-west.
Kazie: Louisiana has had two state capitol buildings, neither of which were domed. The New State Capitol is a 34 story skyscraper that was built in the 1930s. It is sort of a monument to Huey Long. The Old State Capitol is new a museum. Mark Twain once called it the ugliest building on the Mississippi.
JD: Thanks for the information about the Nile. I didn't not immediately catch on to your use of TMI, however. I thought is was Three Mile Island. Figured it out now, though.
Hello.
The Monongahela River flows North
to Pittsburgh where it joines the Allegheny to form the Ohio.
Just finished Chinatown and Rebel Without a Cause. Need the refill the Netflix queue. Any suggestions?
There was a story on the web about a store clerk following an irate
customer out the door and shooting him in the back. Clerk now charged with murder.
eddyB
Dennis, in regards to your weapon's laws in New Jersey:
I don't know if any of you have heard about the gun group here in California that have pushed their right to carry a gun in public (albeit unloaded).
They have been pushing their point by going en-masse to Starbucks, and other public places with their guns strapped to their waists.
They must not carry in or near a school, but they are pushing for the right to carry guns in Yosemite and other National Parks.
The next step could be to carry a loaded weapon. Then what?
Some businesses have not allowed the group to come into their establishments and it is causing quite a stir.
I'm afraid that I'm totally against this type of display, even if it is legal here in CA, just because it sends a message that I feel is a wrong one. I'm all for rights, but this is one that I'm against.
Welcome Jim M. How did you pick up on this blog all the way from Paris? You will do better at crossword puzzles. Look to C.C.'s skills in just a couple of years as inspiration.
Annette, thanks for the information about the Roz Russell PBS show. I'll keep my eye (the clear one) open for it.
OK, WH, I may have posted this before, but it's a good 'un, so bears repeating.
The Windhover: To Christ Our Lord
I CAUGHT this morning morning's minion, king-
dom of daylight's dauphin, dapple-dawn-drawn Falcon, in his riding
Of the rolling level underneath him steady air, and striding
High there, how he rung upon the rein of a wimpling wing
In his ecstasy! then off, off forth on swing,
As a skate's heel sweeps smooth on a bow-bend: the hurl and gliding
Rebuffed the big wind. My heart in hiding
Stirred for a bird,--the achieve of, the mastery of the thing!
Brute beauty and valour and act, oh, air, pride, plume, here
Buckle! AND the fire that breaks from thee then, a billion
Times told lovelier, more dangerous, O my chevalier!
No wonder of it: shéer plód makes plough down sillion
Shine, and blue-bleak embers, ah my dear,
Fall, gall themselves, and gash gold-vermilion.
- Gerard Manley Hopkins
Hola mi amigas y amigos,
Thanks for all the support. There is a recording of Blues For Nate from one of our concerts, which will be on a DVD for personal use some day, but it is a long time coming.
I have a home movie, but it looks and sounds like one. I don't think It will go to You Tube, for a variety of reasons. I'll have to see if I can get it posted some way. But give me some time, I'm quite busy for now.
Nate had the simplest version of the condition. There can be all sorts of other complications and malformations. He was born on Aug 14th, and was able to go home on Labor day weekend, having lived until then in a clear plastic box, hooked up to all kinds of tubes. the little girl next to him had successful surgery the same day for a much more complicated situation. He parents hoped she could go home by the end of September. She would then need three more surgeries at about 18 month intervals.
The "heart-rending" pun was unintentional - at least at a conscious level. We are very lucky. Not every story has a happy ending.
I still have no energy. Took a two hour nap this afternoon.
Cheers!
JzB the lazy trombonist
JazzB: I forgot to tell you what a beautiful story about your grandson. So glad to hear that it had a happy ending and that Nate is fine. We'd all love to hear the piece.
I agree, Jazz,
It is a heartrending story. Quite an experience to go through with a newborn--as if birth itself isn't enough of an adjustment for new parents (and of course grandparents).
Hahtool,
Thanks for the LA capitols. The former one is an amazing building I wasn't aware of. I only found the new one when I was there, and that's amazing enough too!
mmm, sorry about the Nile being not so unique. It was information given to students from 6th grade textbook. I assumed because its source was south of the equator, it would run south.All the other rivers in Africa run south.All of the rivers you mentioned are in the No. Hemisphere, but looking at the map I see that the Rhone flows south. Would you like to hear about the 6 cataracts instead? Just kidding....
Dodo,I use a few sources. Google "any day in history" or "historical events on this day in history".Today I also researched Guantanamo because I thought it was interesting.
Jazz, Nate is a lucky boy, for both his medical outcome and his loving Bumpa.
Eddy B, Your profile says you like movies from the 30's and 40's. I don't have any 1930's recommendations, but have you seen "Black Narcissus" (1947) with Deborah Kerr? Assuming you've seen "Citizen Kane" and "The Grapes of Wrath" and "Casablanca", how about "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre", "I Married A Witch", and "Red River"? From the '50's: "Sunset Blvd", "All About Eve", "Harvey", "The African Queen", "High Noon", "From Here To Eternity", "On The Waterfront", East of Eden", "Moby Dick", "The Bridge on the River Kwai", "Some Like It Hot" and "The Diary of Anne Frank".
Too bad last year's "Precious" won't be out on DVD for a while. It is one of the saddest and most hopeful movies I have ever seen. It is hard to believe that former comedienne Mo'Nique will win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. But she will, she is that good.
@ Clear Ayes
Thanks for the welcome.
@ Windhover. Its a beautiful breezy evening in Paris. I have just been for a walk on the Isle de la Cite. That rings a bell about the Windhover poem.
I didn't like the class clown - ape clue. Other than that, it was a relly easy puzzle; easier than yesterday's.
What an interesting and impressive story, Jazzbumpa. I had never heard of that condition. so glad everything turned out well for your grandson.
Dot
CC,
I speak a little Arabic that I learned from my maternal grandmother. We lived next door to her and I was at her house all the time. She didn't speak English so I learned from being around her...I guess by osmosis. Her family was from Beirut but my dad's parents came from Damascus so I'm 100% Arab, and I think of myself as a thoroughbred...not a horse though. LOL
Argyle,
Fine job again. You know, the comments for each clue & answer is an enjoyable part of the whole experience, so keep 'em coming.
Dennis, what item in your store is most popular(sells the most)? Are you close to Atlantic City?
Thank goodness it is above freezing here or we'd have ice a few inches thick since there was a fine mist coming down all day.
Since there isn't much to comment about on the puzzle, maybe today would be an okay day to report on my son's trip to Haiti. They got home on the 18th. They had some travel problems as one would expect considering the situation but they accomplished quite a bit in a short time. They treated 1400medical patients; gave away 5000 pounds of rice, 500 pounds of beans and 21 cases of pasta. The people were so grateful for any thing they did.
Ken had originally scheduled a trip (pre-earthquake) because he wanted to see where his donations over the past years had been going and if everything was legitimate and being handled prudently. He was well impressed with what they had done with so little funding. He says the media has not been able to really portray how horrible the devastation is. He called his trip a life-altering experience.
C.C., I hope its all right that I took up the space for this report.
Dot
EddyB:
For a great fifties flick, try Thunder Road with Robert Mitchum and Keeley Smith. One of my favorites; I've seen it dozens of times. One warning: early in our relationship the Irish damn near left me because I forced her to sit through it a second time. Other than that, she has excellent tastes.
ClearAyes:
Thank you very much. I can always count on you. The Duke thanks you, too.
Jim:
Thanks for the weather report. I'm glad you aren't the JM in Pere Lachaise (spelled it right this time).
If you're going to stay with us, and I hope you will, an occasional report such as this evenings would be greatly appreciated. How have you come to live in Paris, and in what part of the city do you live?
Dot, Thank you for the update on yor son's trip to Haiti. We have been wondering how it went and if they were able to accomplish what they had set out to do. It sounds as if they were extremely busy the entire time they were gone.
Welcome Jim. It is always great to have another voice added to ours. Enjoy the journey.
Robin, did I miss the number? It's bugging me.
Anon, thanks for posting the meatloaf recipe. As Dennis pointed out once before I am now "googleable".
For you folks in OR bragging about your flowers coming up, you better cover them. MN is heading into another deep freeze tonight thru Thursday. We just got about an inch of snow today, but with the 40mph winds on my drive home I still had to slow down on open stretches.
Lemonade, No AGB yet? It's gotta be driving you nuts.
Jazz, I cried while reading your explanation of "Blues for Nate". I too have a niece that is/has been battling a sad situation. I am glad he is a fine and healthy lad.
Jim Morrison, good to hear from someone in France. Visiting ther is on my "bucket list" Maybe you can teach me a thing or two as those are the clues I can never get never having taken a lick of French.
I don't even make any French recipes...unless we can call "Jeannie's Meatloaf" ....oh, I can't even come up with a French name for that!
I saw Mo'Nique on The View about a year ago. She seemed very low class in my opinion. I had such a bad impression of her that I passed up Precious though I heard great things about it and her performance.
Speaking of movies, I caught The Sting again on cable. What a clever, enjoyable movie. Certain movies seem to leave a lasting impression on me and I am happy to see them again and again. The Third Man is one of those. The Apartment. More I'll think of about the time I publish this...
Jeannie, why would we have to cover our flowers? Your temps are in MN, not here....did I miss something?? :)
Dot, I really am glad you related your son's endeavors in Haiti. Also, good for him to check to see how and where the money that is sent, is being spent or just put into local politician pockets. That happens tooooo often and is one of the reasons to be very careful where you send your charity dollar.
For eddyB and windhover: This is new to me, the Ballad of Thunder Road as was sung during the opening credits. Oficially it is called "Whipperwill" and sung by Keely Smith. It is quite different from the Robert Mitchum version.
Well, I messed that up big time.
Officially, "The Whippoorwill" was sung during the movie but not over the opening credits. The opening is a part of "The Ballad of Thunder Road" where Keely calls him Whippoorwill and not "the mountain boy".
One more time....
The singer on the opening credits is Randy Sparks. I didn't think that sounded like Keely Smith. If you would like to read how Randy Sparks came to be doing the singing, you can read about it directly from him at this Site. You have to scroll down aways to get to it but it has a lot stuff in it.
Carol, I must have read your incoming rain as temps...hey, it happens up here. Let your flowers grow
Well, I said this morning everyone should have their own day; today was mine.
ClearAyes posted my avatar poem (again), and Argyle links to my all-time favorite movie and movie theme song. When I was just a young Windhover, about eighth grade, all the local high school badasses with the cigarette pack rolled up in their tee shirt sleeve drove '49 or '50 Fords, as RM started out with in the movie, and the pinnacle of success, with apparent lifetime bragging rights, was outrunning the local Barney Phyffe in his fuel-injected 283-powered '57 Chevy.
Thanks again CA, and a big thanks to Argyle. I will dream well tonight. Of course, I do have a quart of that triple-distilled white lightning from just north of Ashville (where the movie was filmed). Irish' first cousin is a high school science teacher there. "Better living through chemistry".
Five and done.
36
A thank you for all of the movie
titles. I made a hard copy. Many
brought back a lot of memories.
Saw "The Bridge on the River Kwai"
the day I was inducted into the Navy. We were given tickets while we waited for the plane to Chicago.
The young man with a guitar in Thunder Road was in our boot camp company.
Will be happy to watch them again.
eddyB
So what do you think of the ladies? Any quads for them?
We're having a prime rib-eye steak from Costco for dinner tonight. If you like steak and have a Costco in your area, you are missing something special if you don't try this. Even without a Costco, you can have this but at about three times the cost. I am salivating...
BillG, my boss, who is the Purchasing manager at our distribution center has a long history as a "center of the plate" buyer. He knows his beef. He swears by Costco as a place to procure his beef. Unfortunately there is none remotely close to me.
Hint: bring your meat up to room temp before grilling and rub a cut piece of garlic over it before seasoning it with salt and pepper. Never use a processed steak rub. Make sure to let your steak "rest" about 5-7 min before serving. If you already knew this forgive me, but my grill is kinda buried right now and am hankering for a juicy one smothered in mushrooms and onions.
Lemonade, I could handle a double.
Lo-li-ta.
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