Theme: Insurance - The first word of the theme entries is related to insurance.
17A: Government declaration of its intentions: POLICY STATEMENT.
25A: Vietnam War defoliant: AGENT ORANGE.
43A: Gold Rush villain: CLAIM JUMPER.
55A: High-octane fuel: PREMIUM GASOLINE.
Argyle here. Ugh! This reminds me my auto coverage is due this month.
I am curious as to how the theme was chosen. I mean Donna did a good job and the insurance meaning of the target words is different from their use in the phrases and it did take me awhile to grok the theme, but still.... You might consider STATEMENT as a bonus word but it doesn't jump out as a related word.
Another low count of three letter fill and stale crosswordese.
Across:
1A: Palindromic title: MADAM.
6A: Ashen: PALE.
10A: Interrupter of a bad act, on an old game show: GONG. From the Seventies. Plenty of clips on YouTube. Remember Gene, Gene, the Dancing Machine and The Unknown Comic? (He performed with a paper bag over his head.)
14A: Word after horse or soap: OPERA.
15A: Elvis __ Presley: ARON.
16A: Mayberry kid: OPIE.
20A: Prefix with gram: EPI. EPIGRAM - A witty saying tersely expressed. Great for Twitter.
21A: Modest shelters: HUTS. Almost time to get these HUTS off the lake.
22A: Madison Square Garden et al.: ARENAS.
23A: Variety of lily: SEGO.
24A: 1998 animated bug movie: ANTZ. With the voices of Woody Allen, Dan Aykroyd, Anne Bancroft.
29A: Speed Wagon maker: REO. Ransom E. Olds.
32A: Velma's rival in "Chicago": ROXIE. Together.
33A: Chat room chuckle: LOL.
34A: Detained at the precinct: HELD.
35A: Electrical network: GRID. Is this your original clue, Donna? Not crossword related?
36A: Pigs and hogs: SWINE.
38A: Etcher's need: ACID.
39A: Leer at: OGLE.
40A: Scepter's partner: ORB. Scepter and ORB with crown.
41A: Emulate Cicero: ORATE.
42A: Betty Ford, __ Bloomer: NEE. Born in Chicago(1918) to William and Hortense Bloomer.
46A: Jockey's tool: WHIP.
47A: Hearing requirements: EARS.
48A: Displaying buoyancy: AFLOAT.
51A: Periodic table no.: AT. WT.. Atomic Weight
52A: Protrude, with "out": JUT.
58A: Having all one's marbles: SANE.
59A: Rotary phone feature: DIAL.
60A: 1988 film farce fish: WANDA. Triple alliteration.
61A: School on the Thames: ETON.
62A: Bobbles the ball: ERRS.
63A: Taboos: NO-NOS.
Down:
1D: Sulk: MOPE.
2D: Each: A POP.
3D: Supermarket section: DELI.
4D: "Entourage" agent Gold: ARI. Entourage is an American comedy-drama on HBO. The series was created by Doug Ellin and chronicles the rise of Vincent Chase, a young A-list film star. ARI Gold (Jeremy Piven) is Vince's abrasive but lovable agent. The role has led to several nominations and Emmy Awards for Piven.
5D: Bushwhacker's tool: MACHETE.
6D: Congregation leader: PASTOR.
7D: Humanities: ARTS.
8D: Mauna __: LOA.
9D: Involve, as in a sticky situation: ENTANGLE.
10D: Morticia's mate: GOMEZ. The Addams Family. The family that the cartoons, movies, games, and television shows have been based on.
11D: Bid one club, say: OPEN.
12D: "Project Runway" judge Garcia: NINA. An American reality television series on Lifetime Television, focused on fashion design and is hosted by model Heidi Klum. NINA.
13D: Understands: GETS.
18D: '80s-'90s Serbian auto import: YUGO.
19D: One-named Deco designer: ERTÉ. Romain de Tirtoff was a Russian-born French artist and designer known by the pseudonym Erté, the French pronunciation of his initials, R.T..
23D: Insinuating: SNIDE.
24D: Soon, to the bard: ANON.
25D: Fluorescent bulb gas: ARGON.
26D: Stuff (oneself) with food: GORGE.
27D: "The Man Without a Country" hero, for one: EXILE. "The Man Without a Country" is a short story by American writer Edward Everett Hale, first published anonymously in the Atlantic Monthly in December 1863. The novel is the story of American army lieutenant Philip Nolan, who renounces his country during a trial for treason and is consequently sentenced to spend the rest of his days at sea without so much as a word of news about the United States. I can remember hearing an adaptation of it on the radio in my youth.
28D: Suspect's excuse: ALIBI.
29D: Sports show summary: RECAP.
30D: Upper echelon: ELITE.
31D: More strange: ODDER.
34D: Injures: HARMS.
36D: Isolation: SOLITUDE.
37D: Sandwich in a tortilla: WRAP. I'm not sure the clue is worded correctly; maybe Sandwich made from a tortilla would be better?
41D: Thornton Wilder classic: "OUR TOWN".
43D: Spiced Indian beverage: CHAI. And 54D: 43-Down et al.: TEAS.
44D: Gold and silver: METALS.
45D: Shark flick: "JAWS".
46D: Part of NOW: WOMEN.
48D: Church recess: APSE.
49D: Toga party setting: FRAT. Animal House.
50D: Jay seen at night: LENO.
51D: Culture medium: AGAR.
52D: Arabian folklore spirit: JINN. (Genie)
53D: Reverse: UNDO.
56D: Space station for about 15 years: MIR.
57D: Vientiane native: LAO. Vientiane is the capital city of Laos.
Answer grid.
Happy one-year Crossword Corner commenting anniversary to Frank, KQ & Andrea!
Argyle
17A: Government declaration of its intentions: POLICY STATEMENT.
25A: Vietnam War defoliant: AGENT ORANGE.
43A: Gold Rush villain: CLAIM JUMPER.
55A: High-octane fuel: PREMIUM GASOLINE.
Argyle here. Ugh! This reminds me my auto coverage is due this month.
I am curious as to how the theme was chosen. I mean Donna did a good job and the insurance meaning of the target words is different from their use in the phrases and it did take me awhile to grok the theme, but still.... You might consider STATEMENT as a bonus word but it doesn't jump out as a related word.
Another low count of three letter fill and stale crosswordese.
Across:
1A: Palindromic title: MADAM.
6A: Ashen: PALE.
10A: Interrupter of a bad act, on an old game show: GONG. From the Seventies. Plenty of clips on YouTube. Remember Gene, Gene, the Dancing Machine and The Unknown Comic? (He performed with a paper bag over his head.)
14A: Word after horse or soap: OPERA.
15A: Elvis __ Presley: ARON.
16A: Mayberry kid: OPIE.
20A: Prefix with gram: EPI. EPIGRAM - A witty saying tersely expressed. Great for Twitter.
21A: Modest shelters: HUTS. Almost time to get these HUTS off the lake.
22A: Madison Square Garden et al.: ARENAS.
23A: Variety of lily: SEGO.
24A: 1998 animated bug movie: ANTZ. With the voices of Woody Allen, Dan Aykroyd, Anne Bancroft.
29A: Speed Wagon maker: REO. Ransom E. Olds.
32A: Velma's rival in "Chicago": ROXIE. Together.
33A: Chat room chuckle: LOL.
34A: Detained at the precinct: HELD.
35A: Electrical network: GRID. Is this your original clue, Donna? Not crossword related?
36A: Pigs and hogs: SWINE.
38A: Etcher's need: ACID.
39A: Leer at: OGLE.
40A: Scepter's partner: ORB. Scepter and ORB with crown.
41A: Emulate Cicero: ORATE.
42A: Betty Ford, __ Bloomer: NEE. Born in Chicago(1918) to William and Hortense Bloomer.
46A: Jockey's tool: WHIP.
47A: Hearing requirements: EARS.
48A: Displaying buoyancy: AFLOAT.
51A: Periodic table no.: AT. WT.. Atomic Weight
52A: Protrude, with "out": JUT.
58A: Having all one's marbles: SANE.
59A: Rotary phone feature: DIAL.
60A: 1988 film farce fish: WANDA. Triple alliteration.
61A: School on the Thames: ETON.
62A: Bobbles the ball: ERRS.
63A: Taboos: NO-NOS.
Down:
1D: Sulk: MOPE.
2D: Each: A POP.
3D: Supermarket section: DELI.
4D: "Entourage" agent Gold: ARI. Entourage is an American comedy-drama on HBO. The series was created by Doug Ellin and chronicles the rise of Vincent Chase, a young A-list film star. ARI Gold (Jeremy Piven) is Vince's abrasive but lovable agent. The role has led to several nominations and Emmy Awards for Piven.
5D: Bushwhacker's tool: MACHETE.
6D: Congregation leader: PASTOR.
7D: Humanities: ARTS.
8D: Mauna __: LOA.
9D: Involve, as in a sticky situation: ENTANGLE.
10D: Morticia's mate: GOMEZ. The Addams Family. The family that the cartoons, movies, games, and television shows have been based on.
11D: Bid one club, say: OPEN.
12D: "Project Runway" judge Garcia: NINA. An American reality television series on Lifetime Television, focused on fashion design and is hosted by model Heidi Klum. NINA.
13D: Understands: GETS.
18D: '80s-'90s Serbian auto import: YUGO.
19D: One-named Deco designer: ERTÉ. Romain de Tirtoff was a Russian-born French artist and designer known by the pseudonym Erté, the French pronunciation of his initials, R.T..
23D: Insinuating: SNIDE.
24D: Soon, to the bard: ANON.
25D: Fluorescent bulb gas: ARGON.
26D: Stuff (oneself) with food: GORGE.
27D: "The Man Without a Country" hero, for one: EXILE. "The Man Without a Country" is a short story by American writer Edward Everett Hale, first published anonymously in the Atlantic Monthly in December 1863. The novel is the story of American army lieutenant Philip Nolan, who renounces his country during a trial for treason and is consequently sentenced to spend the rest of his days at sea without so much as a word of news about the United States. I can remember hearing an adaptation of it on the radio in my youth.
28D: Suspect's excuse: ALIBI.
29D: Sports show summary: RECAP.
30D: Upper echelon: ELITE.
31D: More strange: ODDER.
34D: Injures: HARMS.
36D: Isolation: SOLITUDE.
37D: Sandwich in a tortilla: WRAP. I'm not sure the clue is worded correctly; maybe Sandwich made from a tortilla would be better?
41D: Thornton Wilder classic: "OUR TOWN".
43D: Spiced Indian beverage: CHAI. And 54D: 43-Down et al.: TEAS.
44D: Gold and silver: METALS.
45D: Shark flick: "JAWS".
46D: Part of NOW: WOMEN.
48D: Church recess: APSE.
49D: Toga party setting: FRAT. Animal House.
50D: Jay seen at night: LENO.
51D: Culture medium: AGAR.
52D: Arabian folklore spirit: JINN. (Genie)
53D: Reverse: UNDO.
56D: Space station for about 15 years: MIR.
57D: Vientiane native: LAO. Vientiane is the capital city of Laos.
Answer grid.
Happy one-year Crossword Corner commenting anniversary to Frank, KQ & Andrea!
Argyle
Good morning, Argyle, C.C. and gang - following the recent pattern, today's puzzle seemed easier than the Monday puzzle. Just one unknown in 'Jinn'. The dearth of three-letter answers is refreshing.
ReplyDeleteAs with Argyle, I vaguely remembered the story of 'The Man Without a Country' from my youth. But I certainly had no trouble recalling 'Animal House'; still love the "...when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor" line.
Today is Old Stuff Day. Beats me, but I'll figure out a way to celebrate it.
Today's Words of Wisdom: "There are two rules for success: 1) Never tell everything you know." -- Roger H. Lincoln
And a few words on middle age:
- "Childhood is the time of life when you make faces in a mirror. Middle age is when the mirror gets even." -- Mickey Mansfield
- "Middle age is when anything new in the way you feel is most likely a symptom." -- Laurence J. Peter
2 & a w/u.
Another easy one. 11 minutes.
ReplyDeleteGood Morning CC and All. I agree with Dennis ~ today's puzzle seemed easier than yesterday (and yesterday was pretty easy). I loved so many fresh words in today's puzzle ~ Machete, Solitude, Jinn, Swine ...
ReplyDeleteAfter I finished the puzzle, I reviewed all the long responses and put together the Insurance theme.
In honor of Thornton Wilder, here are today's QODs:
An incinerator is a writer's best friend. ~ Thornton Wilder
Marriage is a bribe to make the housekeeper think she's a householder. ~ Thornton Wilder
Ninety-nine per cent of the people in the world are fools and the rest of us are in great danger of contagion. ` Thornton Wilder
Hi, gang. In answer to Argyle's question, the theme was an homage to my husband. He's an actuary. I am pelted with insurance-speak on a routine basis, so the theme was a natural for me.
ReplyDeleteHappy puzzling to all.
Donna, nice job again. And thanks for stopping by; it's always greatly appreciated.
ReplyDeleteGood morning - I don't know which I enjoyed more, the puzzle or the WODs today.
ReplyDeleteI finished the puzzle in under 10 minutes, definitely one of my best times ever. My impression is that it was easier than Monday's.
The Man Without A Country stays in your memory if you heard it or read it as a kid. It's hard not to get an intense visual image of the result of his repudiation of his country.
Happy Tuesday -
Gracie
Good day all!
ReplyDeleteNice puzzle, Donna. Thanks Argyle.
Had a whole 3 hours of sleep. Finally fell asleep working a three-star sudoku online. Hoping to accomplish this feat again right away.
I was somewhat confused by 22A clue with "et al." at end. Should that not indicate abbreviation?
Good morning C. C. and all.
ReplyDeleteReporting my return on board. Want to thank Argyle and Bill for minding the snow while I was away.
Pretty easy for a Levin puzzle as well as a Tuesday; but a good "warm-up" for the week. Nice of Donna to check in. Had 'hurts' for HARMS, but that was straightened out by ACID.
Chuckled at the ODDER answer because in Canadian usage, 'odd' is almost a filler word in the sense of 'random' or 'occasional'. "I saw an odd deer in the woods" or "Only the odd goose has flown south"
Enjoy the day.
Good Morning Argyle, CC and All,
ReplyDeleteI had a couple of snags that caused a bit of head scratching and erasing. I wrote Hurts instead of Harms which was corrected when I got Claim Jumper. I also had Floats rather than Afloat which Frat and Leno fixed. Those were the only Errs today which led to a smooth sail. Fun puzzle.
Hahtool, Loved that joke yesterday!
Jeff and Donna, Glad to have you guys drop in. Nice work on the grids.
The rain and snow created a mad dash of fisherman getting their ice tents off the lake last weekend. Unfortunately an early end to the season. I'm kicking myself now for throwing back a couple of keepers. I've only got two in the freezer for smoking.
We now have a real sick kid at home. Youngest came down with a sore throat and fever last night. The wife will work from home today, my turn tomorrow if needed.
Have a great Tuesday!
Well a fine. fun puzzle, with an interesting word JUT reminds me of the absurd lengths Television pundits do doing election years to sound intelligent Political JUT . This is not political, I promise.
ReplyDeleteBe careful out there in the strange weather, and where are you our Hawaiian friend, all ok? Welcome back Spitz...
Argyle, how do you mark anniversaries?
Good morning Argyle, C.C., and all,
ReplyDeleteNice to have a more open grid than usual for a Tuesday, with fresher, less trite fill as pointed out by Hahtool. It took me three of the four theme answers to grok the theme. New to me today were JINN and NINA Garcia. I always enjoy Donna Levin's creations. Thanks for stopping by, Donna. We appreciate hearing from the constructors.
Fermatprime-I believe the "et. al." at 22A indicates a plural answer.
Enjoy the day!
MJ--no doubt about plural, am worried about the period!
ReplyDeleteGood morning all -
ReplyDeleteChecking in from vacation, and find out it's my blog anniversary! How about that - time flies... Thanks for the call out Argyle - will have to do something fun today to celebrate.
Today's puzzle was straightforward, but I didn't figure out the theme until coming here. I started out college thinking I might want to be an actuary, but ended up in marketing instead. Loved the references to Entourage and Project Runway, two favorite shows.
Got the z and x up on top and thought we might be in for a panagram today.
Off to figure out what to do today. So far we've been to Sea World and the Riverwalk. A bit cool for the pool today, so maybe drive to Austin. Probably golf tomorrow.
Enjoy the day.
Good Morning All, Thank you Argyle! I am often so bad at themes that I could stare for an hour and still not get it. This was one of them. Now that you've pointed it out, it seems so simple...."Duh!"
ReplyDeleteOther than theme brain freeze, the puzzle flowed pretty smoothly.
Both Animal House and A Fish Called Wanda are funny old favorites.
Thanks to Donna Levin for stopping by. Now I have to look up what an actuary does. There are so many things left to learn.
Hi all! Didn't love this one, don't know why. Distracted maybe? Had a rough time with the NW corner... what is a horse OPERA? Couldn't get MOPE or A POP, or even DELI for matter. Didn't figure out the theme either, til it was pointed out to me. Otherwise did okay, and some nice new clues for me. Clear Ayes, I watched A Fish Called Wanda a month or two ago for the first time and loved it. Love the young Jamie Lee Curtis, she just seems cool to me. Mainiac, love the pic! Ice fishing is something else, and not something I want to share with my husband any time soon...! Happy Tuesday all.
ReplyDeleteHi gang -
ReplyDeleteEnjoyable puzzle. Nice job, Donna.
Didn't grok the theme until PREMIUM, then the AHA moment came.
Possible headlines:
SWINE OGLE WOMEN.
OPIE, ARON, ROXIE, WANDA ENTANGLE.
PALE MADAM HELD AFLOAT.
GONG ERRS, NONOS.
MACHETE HARMS OUR TOWN ELITE.
REO-PREMIUM GASOLINE! YUGO . . .?
I googled "Jut", just for kicks and found this. A bonus for the guys, but scroll down to the pic labeled "Rock on." There is no amount of money that would get me to do that.
Re prepositions:
Dad was going to read his son a bed-time story, and took his own book along to read after the boy fell asleep. The son said, "Are you going to read your book to me?" "No," the dad replied. So the sun asked, "What did you bring that book that I'm not going to be read to out of up for."
Cheers!
JzB the ODDER trombonist
Good morning all,
ReplyDeleteFor someone who knows next to nothing about literature, science, musicals, card games and old TV shows, I did pretty well today: only one snafu--ROMIE for ROXIE, with no help. I don't get to see musicals because DH can't stand them, and I thought The Man Without a Country could have been EMILE.
However, I didn't grok the theme. I often simply forget to go back and think about it after I get them all.
Fermatprime,
I think et al is used so often it doesn't really count as an abbreviation for our purposes. It does always indicate a plural version of the answer though.
Argyle got the É/é today! A matter of choice with capitals, but it sure helps with pronunciation.
Loved the quotes and WOW today too, and it's always fun to see the constructor check in. Thanks Donna!
All little tidbits about this blog originate from C.C., I don't remember even my first comment here.
ReplyDeleteDonna, thank you for your answer; it all makes sense now.
Jazz,
ReplyDeleteI just spent about 45 minutes on that site you linked--some of the other photo groups are amazing!
Here's one for the mathematicians that was sent to me in an email from my son. It took me a while to find it online with all 9 images that he sent.
Hi Argyle, C.C. and all -
ReplyDeleteThis one was harder than yesterday for some reason. I guess my brain is not on full power this morning. I screwed up by putting POUT in 1D and 2D (A POP) never entered my mind. I knew it would be a slog having started out like that!!
I don't like musicals so always have difficulties with those titles and if I didn't have a list of movie 'stars' names, I would never get any of them either.
I question 37D (sandwich in a tortilla)... wording threw me off.
I usually do not get the theme on many puzzles and this was no exception, but I really did enjoy working it.
Nice of Donna Levin to take time to comment - interesting to know how she arrived at the theme...clever usage.
I enjoyed this puzzle mainly because it is a Donna Levin puzzle. Funny how a couple of years ago I never bothered to notice the constructor. Nice of you to stop in today, Donna. Not much to comment on besides I automatically typed in REO thinking of the band, REO Speedwagon. I had no idea REO stood for the manufacturer of a car. Other head scratcher is WTH is a “horse opera”? Ice houses had to come off of MN lakes last Sunday. 40 degrees and sunny here today. I didn’t even wear a coat!
ReplyDeleteJeannie - horse opera and oater are terms for cheezy westerns, only seem to be used nowadays in crosswords.
ReplyDeleteThis puzzle was a keeper. Thanks Donna for chiming in. I didn't get the theme until I had completed the entire puzzle, but I certainly can relate. Have been dealing with the insurance companies a little too much lately, with my son's accident and our health insurance company really screwing things up frequently. Such is life.
ReplyDeleteKazie, loved the notes on how to fail a test. I think my boys have been doing some of that lately, Ouch!!
Maniac, hope the kids are on the mend. Last time my boy was home it turns out he was feigning illness. While I was out he ordered Papa John's. Sneaky kids!!
dougl, I think we no longer use Oater and Horse Opera because they really don't make cheesy westerns any longer, unless they are satires of cheesy westerns.
AmieeAya how was the scrapping weekend? Did you get lots done? I am sooooo jealous.
Argyle, C.C. and fellow bloggers:
ReplyDeleteGood morning! This was a nice ten minute mental workout. Great information on REO and Erte. Thanks.
Good job, Donna, and thank you for explaining your theme. I really didn't see it and now it seems so clear.
I can relate to the "oldie" references, "Man without a Country", "Gomez", "Horse Opera", "Gong" and "Wanda", well it's not that old, but knew it.
However, the newer TV answers worked themselve out, unknowns to me since I don't watch much cable.
I've seen "Jinn" in some books, can't recall exactly which ones, though as I read one a week.
Great links, today, especially Jzb's.
Adios, have a great Tuesday!
Dennis:
I love that middle age/mirror quote!
Hi all,
ReplyDeleteI'm new here, so I'll introduce myself. I'm a 68 year old married man living in California, and have recently started working the crossword puzzles regularly. They are published daily except Sunday in the San Jose Mercury News. I stumbled upon this blog site by accident and have enjoyed reading all your comments for 2 or 3 months now. Perhaps I will contribute comments from time to time as well when I have more to say than that I agree with what so-and-so said. Best regards to you all.
Jayce, it's great that you enjoy the website - C.C.'s put a tremendous amount of effort into it. Do contribute when the spirit moves you.
ReplyDeleteWhat part of California?
Thank you Dennis. My wife and I live in San Jose, which is about an hour's drive south of San Francisco. She does the Sudoku puzzles, by the way, which I am very bad at. But we're even, because she's bad at crossword puzzles.
ReplyDeleteKazie:
ReplyDeleteThanks for the funnies! Everyone should be able to enjoy them.
The biggest problem I had today was parsing the letters available to me for 25A Vietnam War defoliant: A----O RANGE? I’d forgotten ROXIE and had to google that. Then put in BUT (out) for 52A, and didn’t realize the mistake until I came here. Forgot to look for the theme aagain. I’m usually too excited to have finished and finally able to come to the blog.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone found some "old stuff" lying around yet, waiting to be celebrated? Enjoyed the mirror quote too.
Yes, “A Man Without A Country” definitely provides an image that stays with you for life!
Jeannie: Sorry, I was really excited when I saw a pork loin recipe, but I’ve never tried Thai, so when I saw the PB and coconut milk, I passed on this one… I do like how well you explain the entire process in your recipes though. You include all the prep steps that most recipes assume you already know.
ARI Gold from Entourage is modeled after Ari Emanuel, Rahm Emanuel's brother.
ReplyDeleteLemonade: I hope I didn't offend you Sunday when I asked about your attire. From the small segment showing on your avatar, your sweater looks like the breastplate of a roman gladiator.
Jack Daniel's Old No. 7
ReplyDeleteOld Grand-Dad
Old Milwaukee
but NOT
Old Milk
Spitzboov,
ReplyDeleteWelcome back, sailor!
Fermatprime,
Yes, indeed, the ARENAS clue indicates an abbreviated answer.
Hahtool,
But you meant thespian, not thesbian as Lemonade later linked from Urban Dictionary, right?
Old shoes.
ReplyDeleteOld friends (literally and chronologically).
Kazie:
Great laughs. Usually I click on the links after my workout at the gym; that was enjoyable.
H:
ReplyDeleteI have never been offended by anything anyone here has said; the sweater certainly conjures up Thespians, and Lesbians as in retrospect, it has a definite gay look about it, but I thought it was cute, and I do wear lots of black and white.
Jayce, welcome; what is your name? As the holder of the name Jason for more than 60 years, I could not help but ask
Donna,
ReplyDeleteThank you for dropping by.
Jayce,
Hey! We have quite a few posters here who get their puzzle from the San Jose Mercury News.
Bill G, Annette et al,
Do feel free to point out any grammar mistake or wrong choice of word in my blog write-up. I am eager to improve my English.
Lemonade,
ReplyDeleteLast Year Today (171 comments). Frank, KQ & Andrea are the only ones who have stayed. I can't recall when was your or Argyle's first comment.
Argyle: Well, that's an intoxicating "old" theme! I wonder if those would enhance or reduce puzzle solving abilities. Probably depending on how deeply one imbibed...
ReplyDeleteLucina: Old friends are something great to celebrate!
Hello All--I managed to get through this puzzle without any help. But, the rest of week will tell the real story on my solving ability.
ReplyDeleteI did get the theme today--wonder of wonders. I paid my House insurance premium yesterday. The cars premiums are due shortly. Woe is me. But now I'm whining.
I put in pout for mope so the NW corner was the very last to fall. The Ari agent from "Entourage" was unknown until the perps filled it in, as was Gomes, for Morticia's mate and Roxie for Velma's rival. I've never seen Chicago.
I did enjoy seeing "Wanda" as that was one of my favorite movies. You probably can tell that my movie literacy is very poor.
Donna, Thank you for your comments today.
I will be working at the Thrift Shop on Friday, so today a friend brought over a whole LOT of old stuff that we have gone through for me to take in to be priced. We have some great old stuff at the shop. I go through the books everytime I work and find many of the latest best sellers on the shelves for only 1 to 3 dollars. I hardly ever buy a book new.
ReplyDeleteWelcome Jayce. You live in my city, San Jose. We have quite a few Bloggers on this site from our area. Come and join us here. You'll enjoy the journey.
Old Friends
ReplyDeleteCC, that is amazing that only three of us stayed. I remember you asking for lurkers to sign in to increase the posts and conversation. That is what prompted me to join in. Thanks for inviting. It is always a fun ride, and I have learned so much more about crosswords as well as had more fun analyzing them vs. just filling in the blanks.
ReplyDeleteManiac, you asked yesterday about my kids swimming events. They are generally sprinters - 50 and 100 for the older one, 100 and 100 back for the younger. They both are backstrokers, but of course go where they are needed and potentially most successful. My daughter started at 10 and the other two at 5 yrs of age. It is fun. Our high school senior plans on continuing in college at a D3 school - St John's University in Collegeville, MN. We look forward to continuing to be able to watch him. We had such fun following our daughter golfing.
Work was boring. So i did the puzzle with no problem or distractions. Pretty easy. Can't wait for Friday. I thought all clues were fair (no stump the chumps)!
ReplyDeletegmony
CC:
ReplyDeleteI followed your link to last year and noticed that you answered my question about your name. I think I found this blog in January, about a month after I got the iPhone and moved into the 20th Century (the 21st will have to wait) technologically. I remember that one of my first comments (if not the first) was in response to someone asking, "Where's Buckeye?". I had not yet seen ( grammarians, what tense is that? Future perfect, or past?) a post by that esteemed worthless nut (what we call a buckeye in Ky), and so I answered that Buckeye is a small community near Lexington, Ky. And where I live. Shortly after, the real Buckeye posted, and I felt like the nut.
Maybe you issue a lurker call again soon.
Maybe you SHOULD............
ReplyDeleteHi Argyle, C.C. & gang -- my wife and I easily finished Tuesday's puzzle before she left for work. I thought it was slightly harder than Monday's?
ReplyDeleteA clue that made me laugh was 'hearing requirement' = 'ears'.
I noticed that someone asked yesterday about the Chile earthquake
"Earth's days may have gotten a little bit shorter since the massive earthquake in Chile, but don't feel bad if you haven't noticed.
The difference would be only about one-millionth of a second."
Also in today's news they're predicting a similar event for the Pacific Northwest - Portland & Seattle area.
C.C.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link to the past; it appears I first commented on January 26, but did not do my Lemonade Persona until the first week of February. We really have gone through lots of names over the year, and now where are all of you quiet ones hiding?
Last year's blog made for very interesting reading! Funny how one year ago there was also a clue relating to The Addams Family.
ReplyDeleteToday's words on middle age...I had a symptom and I am well past middle age. A little bit of an upset stomach this morning, but I'm feeling better now. I'm hoping it was just sumpin' I et.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to Jayce, another northern Californian.
Jeannie, I have the ingredients to make the sweet and sour pork recipe you posted a couple of weeks ago. I'm looking forward to it. BTW, I didn't understand your comment to me last night...??
Warren@7:19, I certainly hope the predictors are wrong about a major earthquake in the NW.
Time sure flies. There's been a lot going on in the last year. I was glad to see Frank, KQ and Andrea have hung in there/here.
KQ, My high school coach made each of us swim every event, at least once, throughout the season. Specialized for the big meets. Breaststroke and the 500 darn near killed me along with the IM. Congrats on the older boy continuing his career, and the younger, seeing how they started so young. Tough sport and they are proving great dedication. Are they doing morning practices?
ReplyDeleteA meeting tonight which is why I'm up so late. Catch ya in the AM.
Jeannie or anyone else, I used to enjoy pork or pork chops but not in the last several years. Either we have lost the knack of cooking it or we never had it. It's been coming out dry and flavorless. There is a restaurant near here that has a reputation for an excellent pork chop. Any suggestions for a really good pork chop (or loin)? If so, maybe wait until tomorrow to post it. Or post it twice. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteBill,
ReplyDeleteI read somewhere recently that it's better not to sear the exterior and to cook it very slowly. But I know what you mean, it can get dry. I like to season mine with ginger and garlic powder as well as salt and pepper.
WH,
It was past perfect (past tense of auxiliary plus the perfect participle) or pluperfect, depending on which terminology you prefer.
Hi Everybody,
ReplyDeleteMostly minutia here today. Please
feel free to ignore.
I wrote a comment this morning and there was a message that it was being posted, though I don't see it now. WTH? (did I do that right?) I've seen it but I am still a novice (no vice? LOL,) As Madonna would say, "like a...for the very first time."
@ Bill G, I have a great recipe for Thai veggie chops...you'd swear you were eating pork! I'd be happy to share it with you! Let me know if you'd like the recipe. It is tender each and every time..oh, and gluten free, to boot!
My time here in FL has been quite chilly. I look forward to getting back to AZ where I will promptly thaw out in the desert sunshine.
I am in Jacksonville by way of FT. Lauderdale, Viera (Melbourne,) Datona Beach. Tomorrow, I head back down the coast to FT. Lauderdale. I get on the plane Monday.
My intelligent, beautiful, clever daughter turns 24 on March 8! Where does the time go?