google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Wednesday May 12, 2010 David W. Cromer

Advertisements

May 12, 2010

Wednesday May 12, 2010 David W. Cromer

Theme: Four Aces - All the theme answers are clued as definitions of "ACE".

17A. ACE: FLAWLESS SERVICE. Filled in FL* immediately, then I wanted FLYING something.

28A. ACE: VENTURA IN FILMS. Movie "Ace Ventura".

45A. ACE: BANDAGE ACRONYM. I only use Johnson & Johnson's Band-Aid. Have never heard of Ace Bandage.

59A. ACE: HALF OF BLACKJACK. Got the answer via crosses. Don't play Blackjack.

No hole-in-one (golf), or pitching star (baseball) or perfect serve (tennis), the aces I am familiar with.

David also gives us three math terms:

63. Geometry calculation: AREA

46D. Geometry calculations: ANGLES. Nice intersection.

48D. Advanced math subj.: CALC. Quite a few abbrs. in this grid.

ANG (51A. "Spider-Man" director Lee) was an easy fill. But I don't remember Ange Lee directed any "Spider-Man" movie. "Hulk", yes.

Across:

1. Pest control target: ROACH

6. Get down the road?: PAVE. Great clue.

10. Hired soldier, briefly: MERC. Mercenary I presume.

14. Big name in foil: ALCOA

15. Ongoing auction site: EBAY. Baseball card mecca.

16. Asian domestic: AMAH

20. Abe Lincoln's boy: TAD. Learned from doing Xword.

22. "Gerontion" poet's monogram: TSE. Easy guess.

23. Just out: NEW. Then we have EFTS (53D. New newts). New duplication. Meh!

24. Acts as lookout, say: ABETS

33. Knotted scarf: ASCOT

34. Reunion attendee: NIECE

35. Ripped: TORN

38. Help for a busy mgr.: ASST

42. Small amounts: IOTAS

44. 100 clams: C-NOTE. Clam is slang for a dollar. Got me.

49. Door squeaker: HINGE. I liked this clue.

50. Flight component: STAIR. Flight between floors.

52. Drink with a string in it, perhaps: TEA

55. Letters in a business name: LLC. Did you want LTD also?

56. One of the three states of matter: GAS. And Solid & Liquid.

65. Message obeyed by Alice: EAT ME. Wonderland cake message.

67. Narrow aperture: SLIT

68. Cornered: TREED

Down:

1. Huck's ride: RAFT

2. Earthenware pot: OLLA. I really love this olla. Some artist signed piece can cost a ton.

3. Phillips, e.g.: Abbr.: ACAD. Phillips Academy.

4. Leather source: COW

5. Largest flatfish: HALIBUT. Oh, I did not even know halibut is flatfish.

6. Dinero replaced by the euro: PESETA (puh-SEY-tuh). The former Spanish currency. I forgot.

7. Six-pack muscles: ABS. Beautiful abs.

8. Seemingly endless: VAST

9. Places for pupils: EYES. We also have SYST (66A. Part of CBS. Abbr.).

10. Dallas cager, familiarly: MAV. Dallas Mavericks.

11. "8 Mile" rapper: EMINEM

12. The Andrettis, e.g.: RACERS. OK, EddyB, your turn to comment.

13. Masticates: CHEWS. Masticate is a new word to me.

19. Dig find: RELIC. Thought of Lemonade's son.

24. Making reparations: ATONING

25. They're often sensitive to allergens: SINUSES

27. Rigby of song: ELEANOR. "Eleanor Rigby", the Beatles' song.

28. Napa Valley vessel: VAT

29. Juan's "that": ESO

30. Maker of bar code scanners: NCR

31. "Collages" novelist: NIN (Anaïs)

37. Joplin work: RAG

39. Young fellow: SON

40. Porcine abode: STY. Pigs will be happy with this clue: "abode", so dignified.

41. President pro __: TEM. Robert Byrd is the current President pro tempore of the Senate.

44. Nocturnal noisemaker: CRICKET

45. Like computer code: BINARY. Two digits.

47. Words of relief: AT LAST

49. Mirthful sounds: HAHAS

54. Genesis victim: ABEL. First ever victim. The second son of Adam and Eve, slain by his brother, Cain.

56. Concert receipts: GATE. Not a S ending answer. Tricky clue.

57. Wile E. Coyote's mail-order house: ACME

58. List of appts.: SKED. Cavil away!

61. Flowery welcome: LEI

62. It holds the mayo: JAR

Answer grid.

Notes from the constructor:

I've done a few definition themes before and the word ACE struck me as a good candidate while watching a rerun of "Ace Ventura". I did have to reconstruct the whole puzzle however after learning that ACE was an acronym for a bandage produced by 3M. I originally had "Ventura in Movies" and "Bandage Producer". The other two entries are the same.

C.C.

85 comments:

Mainiac said...

Good Morning CC and All,

A nice Wednesday difficulty. Ace bandages is a new one and Peseta Abets cross was the only red letter help needed. Favorite clue was Get Down the Road since I've got three road jobs going and the Highway crew is patching streets.

I enjoyed yesterdays puzzle also but never had a chance to get here and post. So far a very good week of puzzles.

Happy Hump Day!

Hahtoolah said...

Good Morning, CC and all. I struggled with today's puzzle, then, suddenly I realized that I had filled in all the blanks! Not being a Jim Carrey fan, I didn't understand the VENTURA IN FILMS until after reading the explanation.

HALIBUT was the punch line of one of Arbaon's jokes earlier this week.

I scratched my head over ACAD, but as soon as I saw CC's explanation, I went, AHA!

My favorite clues were: Flight Component = STAIR;
Drink with a string = TEA.

(67A, a narrow aperture should be SLIT)

QOD: You've got to go out on a limb sometimes because that's where the fruit is. ~ Will Rogers

Bob said...

Pretty easy puzzle. Took 13 minutes to finish. Had HADDOCK for 5D at first, but that didn't last long, as I needed a final T for ASCOT at 33A. Also started out with TAKE at 56D but had to change it to GATE to accommodate GAS at 56A and TREED at 68A. Everything else was pretty straightforward.

Argyle said...

Hey, hey, a rainy day.

The ACE™ Brand bandage, invented in 1914, is an acronym for "All Cotton Elastic". Image

17A. ACE: FLAWLESS SERVICE does refer to tennis, I assume.

Dennis said...

Morning, gang - no time for the puzzle this morning; off to the hospital. Will hopefully check in later. Have a great day.

Lemonade714 said...

Good morning:

The puzzle was an ACE .

I did the puzzle last evening and the clue was ICE STORM director, was it Spidey in the paper? I believe Stan Lee is negotiating for Ang Lee (no relation, LMAO) to direct the new series now that they are casting a new actor as Spiderman, like the BATMAN movies, reinventing the experience.

Good luck Dennis

Spitzboov said...

Good morning C.C. and all, Just the right challenge for a Wednesday. two passes each across and down allowed the theme words to gradually fill. ACAD, NIN and TSE were WAGs. Thought STAIR and PAVE were clever. Liked CRICKET.

ODE TO a Nightingale. Here is a nightingale serinade .

Enjoy the day.

Barry G. said...

Morning, folks!

Another easy, breezy solving experience for me today. I guess you could say I really ACEd the puzzle.

I've heard of ACE bandages. In fact, I've used them frequently due to numerous sprained ankles over the years. However, I never knew the name was an acronym. What, exactly, does ACE stand for? Anybody? Beuller?

Barry G. said...

Never mind -- I just read Argyle's informative post up above...

Crockett1947 said...

Good morning, everyone!

To avoid the duplication of NEW, how about "Junior newts" as the clue for 53D?

Did not know that ACE is an acronym. All Cotton Elastic? Who knew?

HADDOCK and HALIBUT are the same length. Guess which one I put in first!

Argyle, I agree with your post at 6:42.

Dennis, hope your friend's surgery is very successful.

kazie said...

Similar snarls to others mentioned. However I had no clue what to put for the G in 56 A/D, so left it until I came here. Many other WAGS too but otherwise finished unassisted.

I did get HALIBUT right off though. We saw such huge ones in AK, and I knew haddock wouldn't be so large. Again that ugly abbr. for schedule, SKED. I've never seen that.

Apparently I've used ACE bandages without ever knowing what they were called, but I never travel without one in my bag. It was always a sure thing traveling with students that someone would need it before the three weeks were up, and now I just take one as a precaution for myself. Any serious tourist walks enough to risk it.

Tinbeni said...

I always thought of that ACE, IN BLACKJACK, as 52.38% of 21.

Oy Veh, schedule abbr.(sch'd.) is SKED, again.
Only in crosswords.

More groans than HAHAS while solving.

Anonymous said...

Ang has not directed,nor has he been linked to, any Spiderman movie. The builder simply got his facts wrong. That shouldn't happen, especially with since Mr. Lee's name is used quite often.

Chickie said...

Hello All--Since I did today's puzzle yesterday (and yesterday's today), I was finished early. I had zipped through the puzzle yesterday without too much trouble.

Our company is an LLC so that came very easily. Also our First Grade Science book had the three states of matter as part of the curriculum I taught. I had an aha moment when that clue came up.

I especially liked Places for pupils/eyes, and Flight component/stairs.

I'm glad I was able to do the CC puzzle today and enjoyed it tremendously. I tried not to read too much of the blog yesterday so I didn't have the answers ahead of time.

Dennis,I will be thinking about you and your friend today, hoping that his surgery is successful and he is on the road to recovery.

Our paper published two puzzles today. The one from yesterday and today's again. I'm hoping we're back on track now.

JD said...

Good morning CC and all,

I did not ace this puzzle.Ittook 8 min. longer than yesterday's. Not sure why except the 4 aces did not fall in very smoothly.Thought "1/2 of black jack" was very clever.

The perps helped with sked, ncr, amah,merc. and olla. Loved that link, CC. Beautiful pots.Maybe we need to remember Ben Toya's name and his polychrome jars.One of his wife's jar resembles a Greek pot with its red on black.

JD said...

test: halibut

There has to be an easier way to do this. I applaud you who give us so many fun links.

koufaxmaravich said...

Hello CC and fellow solvers,

Fun Wednesday puzzle with card game and math themes floating about.

My only problem area in the SE (or is it the Middle East?) began when I confused the spelling of two favorite songs: Here are the Turtles singing Elenore. Obviously EleANOR Rigby would be the British spelling ;-)

I then foundered with bandage SYNonym, ANTonym (couldn't be), HOMonym, until arriving at ACRonym. I've used ACE bandages forever on twists and sprains, but only learned today from Argyle what the letters stood for. David, your late change in constructing the Ace bandage fill gave me enjoyable fits.

David, best wishes for good results today at the hospital.

Have a wonderful day everyone.

kazie said...

Dennis,
I too hope for the best possible outcome for your friend today.

I had to update a couple of programs on my computer this morning, and had to relearn my motto of never trying to make it do too many things at once. I think I'm completely back again now though.

I spent the intervening time making a new double batch of Jeannie's onion soup mix. But I found I'd bought beef bouillon base--not powder--when the last lot ran out, so it's a gooey mess that I had to mix in the food processor and will have to dole out by spoonfuls. My first batch was shakable and easier to add a bit here and there. But it sure tastes good!

Clear Ayes said...

Good Morning All, GAH has kept the ACE bandage division of 3M solvent for many years. Lot of problems before his knee replacement surgery, and he still overdoes more often than not. We have a drawerful of those babies.

I loved seeing Downs ATONING, SINUSES and ELEANOR in the middle of the puzzle. No doubt they are Wednesday level, but they are unusual for any day of the week.

My only grouse was 3D "Phillips, e.g.: Abbr" for ACAD. Yes, the perps got it for me, but I never would have made a connection to an expensive New England private high school. Without the blog explanation AND a Google, I wouldn't have understood it. Maybe it is an "Oohhh" name in the eastern states.

Dennis, I know you won't read this until later, but it seems that our other blog patients are diagnosed, operated on, getting therapy and mostly on the road to recovery, so your friend will be welcomed to the "getting better fast" list. Best wishes and hopes for a positive post the next time we hear from you.

lois said...

Good morning CC, et al., A super puzzle and I got the theme early on. It's a miracle! Great puzzle wk so far-fast & fun. Yesterday we had 'sin', today we have'atoning'. Wonder if that is an omen. The shoe will drop tomorrow, I'm sure.

Loved seeing 37D Joplin's 'rag' ref'd and 57D Wile E. Coyote 'Acme'. Happy music and funny stuff. 'Tea'/string(bag) again cracked me up esp close to 'eat me' and 'roach'- Ya gotta wash it down w/something. Holy 'Cow' do you remember the TV show where the guests brought food w/odd ingredients and the MC ate whatever on camera? One lady made what looked like raisin bread. The Mc ate it and asked about the raisins. She told him they were roaches. He almost puked on camera & I never got over it. I stay away from those kinds of roaches, and the Travel Channel guy, Andrew?.
No 'fee' could make me do what he does, even if it included getting 'leid'..and I do love flowers.

Dennis: thoughts and prayers going your way today.

Enjoy your day.

R. Rasner said...

Your reference to EddieB.... (racers)
Are you a cyclist?

eddyB said...

Good morning CC & all.

Are you sure you want me to talk about The Andrettis? I would go on for hours. Remember Mario starting
out on the dirt tracks around Pittsburgh. Michael is now the sole owner/operator of Andretti Autosports. Marco is now #13 in driver points. John is getting another chance to qualify for Indy.

As stated, I did the puzzle yesterday morning and found it to be fairly easy.

The only thing holding me back from going to Redwood City and looking for a boat is a $4K bill to build a retaining wall in the back yard.

Have a nice day. 18 untill Indy.

eddyB

kazie said...

CA,
I also drew a blank on Phillips--thought of the Dutch electrical appliance brand, or the child star Mackenzie Phillips, who had all the drug problems and incestuous relationship with her father. But I know few of the colleges other than the really famous ones. Without perps it never would have fallen.

Jeannie said...

I usually don’t like the puzzles that just have the one word clue for the theme questions. This one was okay though. I only needed perp help with ollo and acad. I think we also saw “efts” earlier this week. My favorite clue was “flight component” – stair. Not too much to say about the puzzle as I found it easier than Monday’s.

C.C. you got me with the “abs” link. I was hoping for a little bit more testosterone.

Dennis, good thoughts going your way for you and your friend.

eddyB said...

Hello again.

BTW. Plasma is the fourth state of matter.

Have a 21 speed mountain bike that I seldom ride because of my knees.
The Amgen Cal Tour will pass in front of the house next week.

eddyB

Dudley said...

Hello Puzzlers - Nice puzzle for a Wednesday (and it's a cold gray moist one in Mass., just right for puzzling)! Managed to get myself scrambled a bit by reading "mirthful" but thinking "mournful". Not quite synonymous. Forgot EFT again even though it's recent, and groaned at SKED which doesn't seem to exist in the wild.

Jeannie - Since I'm new to town, I'm unclear whether Lo-li-ta refers to both you and your boat. No idea why it's hyphenated either, for that matter. Is there a fun story here?

Shout out to Minnesotans generally: you live in a nice state. I had a friend who lived in Hayfield, and always wanted to move there just to say I lived in Hayfield!

mariposa said...

Jeannie you are my hero
Few people would have given the young lady a second look.
Fewer people whould have taken the time to walk and talk to the young lady.
A few might have bought her that pair of shoes and thought that was enough.
She has a gaurdian angel who cares enough to take the extra time, and go the extra mile for her. My hat is off to you.

Lucina said...

Good day, C.C. and fellow puzzlers.

Great puzzle today; everything flowed easily and quickly. Isn't the full name "Phillips Exeter Academy"? That springs from somewhere in my memory.

A vast array of well known crosswordese as was discussed some days ago: amah, eft, olla, ascot and yes, sked, only in cwds.

Nice change for "tees" as casual tops, not golf related.

C.C. I agree with your comments including filling 55A LTD first.

Sinuses are definitely known to me. The past three days, since it's been windy, they have been exceptionally active. Kleenex city! I can't leave home without them.

Dennis, I hope your friend's procedure is completely successful. Positive thoughts going your way.

Argyle, thanks for that explanation. I never realized ACE was an acronym.

I hope you are all having a fantastic Wednesday!

Jeannie said...

Dudley, one day last year it was “name yourself” day and Lolita is the name I chose for the day and it kind of stuck. Especially with Lemonade and I think he is the one who started the hyphenation. Lolita is also the name of my boat. BTW, today is Limerick Day – Carol?

Mariposa, you are sweet.

Unknown said...

"No hole-in-one (golf), or pitching star (baseball) or perfect serve (tennis), the aces I am familiar with."

FLAWLESS SERVICE is the reference to tennis, I believe.

Argyle said...

Tell me why nobody put up a link to The Four Aces?

Frenchie said...

Good Morning C.C., Argyle and folk,

Tangentially...

I, too wanted 'flying...'FLYING ACE. I like that whole 'Red Baron' mystique. My husband, Peter, Peter told me his father had given him a Boxer for Christmas one year and Peter named him 'Red Baron.' I imagine that must have been around the time the song "Snoopy vs The Red Baron was released. 1966, give or take making him 12 at the time.
There is one more 'Red Baron' I will mention...PIZZA. It affords no explanation.

Other than that, the theme was a little mid-western and it tumbled quite easily.

The comment I will make is that I had the same glitches and chuckles that have already been said.

I'm out.

Hahtoolah said...

Lucina: Phillips Exeter Academy and Phillips Academy are two different schools in two different locations, both in New England. The former is in Exeter, New Hampshire, not far from where I did my graduate work. The later is in Andover, MA

Dudley said...

Lucina - There were two Phillips Academies at one point - one in Exeter, NH and the other in Andover, MA. I have not checked whether that's still true. My siblings went to Williston in Easthampton, MA, but as the baby I got sent to the local high school, and never got the Preppy experience.

Jeannie - Name Yourself Day, how fun! Thanks for explainin'.

Dudley said...

OOPS, crossed in the mail.

Anonymous said...

51A Wrong, Wrong, Wrong.

Spitzboov said...

SKED - I guess since Variety uses it we're all suppposed to fall in line. OTOH I have seen Op-Sked in military parlance.

Dennis - Hope your buddy does well today.

Bob said...

In the amateur radio community we commonly use the term "Sked" to refer to any prearranged plan to meet on the air at a particular time and frequency, usually set up well in advance in person, by phone, or via email.

Lucina said...

Hahtool and Dudley:
Thank you. I'm sure that I had read the name or seen it somewhere, but was not aware of the existence of two Phillips Academies. Thanks for the links. Good to know.

ACAD fell in only because Tad was a known as Abe Lincoln's boy who I believe died at age 18 of TB, a disease my father also contracted. He survived the TB but died of pneumonia later at age 34.

He had been quarantined in a local facility for three years and was released only a few months before his death.

The wind has stopped here so sinuses should clear.

Dennis said...

Hey gang - thanks for all the good wishes, which I passed along. The news is all good - it was robotic prostate surgery, and they got all of the bad stuff, and the surrounding area is free of it. Amazingly (to me), they'll actually have him walking later this afternoon, and discharged tomorrow barring any setbacks. Cool doctor - he actually said to us, "I want to get him out of here before he gets something he didn't come in with."

Thanks again from everybody for the positive thoughts - I truly believe they make a difference.

Lucina said...

Great news, Dennis! I'm so happy for all concerned.

ARBAON said...

There once was a girl from Nantucket
Who had a short list for her bucket.
To ace Thursday through Sunday
She hoped she`d do one day.
Then on to hereafter she`d truck it!

(Blame Lolita)

Jerome said...

Hey, crucipurists, what the heck is wrong with "sked"? It's a perfectly acceptable shortening of, or slang for schedule. And no, it's not only used in crosswords. Shoot, I use the word dozens of times each day! Really! Cross my heart! Besides that, I just finished a grid that has SKED crossing SKUNK , and I sure as heck ain't gonna change it now.

Jerome said...

Ya see... ya see, Bob knows what the heck he's talkin' about!

kazie said...

Maybe those who say SKED think of it spelled that way, but in my mind it would be SCHED.

Dennis,
Great news, and the admission of the infection likelihood is indeed a rare honesty in a doctor. He would be a keeper in my book!

Dudley said...

What Kazie said! SCHED

windhover said...

OK Jerome, looks like you're gonna have to change it.

Lucina, from yesterday,
A word of warning. You mentioned that you were going to watch "Blazing Saddles" soon. Do not watch this movie while eating or drinking! Spewing and spitting will ensue!
The Irish and and I have a couple of friends (both Marines, he retired, she active duty deployed to Afghanistan since January) who own a farm in the county South of here. They maintain the Chicken Bristle Film Society, so named because that's the name of the community where their farm is located. One Friday night a month in warm weather the CBFS meets and watches a classic movie projected on the side of their white barn. The Saturday morning after we watched Blazing Saddles I was still sore from laughing the night before.
KoufaxMaravich:
Pistol Pete was poetry in motion. Even as a Kentucky fan, it was hard to root against the guy. You wanted your team to win, but you wanted to see him get his points. He never did have a lot of help, but he was probably the best pure shooter the game has seen.
BTW, besides baling hay, I've spent the last several days replacing the points on my rejoinders. Peace?

Anonymous said...

There was a young girl from Lahore
Who looked the same from behind as before.
As noone knew where
To offer a chair,
She had to sit down on the floor.

Doreen

Lucina said...

Windhover:
Thank you. I have been warned. It's in my netflix queue.

Are you in any danger from torndadoes? When I see the weather map, I worry about you. Stay safe!

Tinbeni said...

OK, if you abbreviate a word shouldn't the letters in the abbreviation be in the word.

Ergo, schedule becomes "SKED" ???
Where oh where did they get the "K" ???

But if you google "what is the abbr. for schedule":
Sch. Sched. and Sked
all come up as acceptable.

So when we see Jerome's puzzle and there is a "skunk" in it ... We will all just enter "sked" and come here and bitch at him.

Clear Ayes said...

No wonder I'd never heard of Phillips (either Andover or Exeter). I looked at the links Hahtool furnished and found out that a year's tuition is about $40,000. $160,000 for a high school education is a little on the steep side.

Anon@9:56 and 1:32, why is (51A) ANG wrong for clue "The Ice Storm" director Lee"?

Jerome, Aha! When the puzzle with SKED shows up, we'll have a gimme with that crossing SKUNK.

I don't know if it was Lemonade's rationale or not...Lolita is a cute name....but pronounced as Low-Lee-Taa (Lo-li-ta), it is downright steamy!

Great news, Dennis. Get a good night's sleep tonight.

seen, not heard said...

i have really enjoyed these last three puzzles.

this may seem weird but i always liked the smell of a new ACE bandage. sort of like the smell of a new car. old ACE bandages however probably smell more like this previously unmentioned ACE


re:ncr As many of you know, ncr stands for National Cash Register, which basically put Dayton, OH on the map. well...ncr was founded by john patterson. so what? i just wanted to amend my WPAFB facts from the other day. john patterson put the pat in Wright-Pat AFB.(among every other patterson in dayton) he was a very influential man in these here parts!

seen, not heard said...

billg: read you comment from last night and you are very perceptive! as much as i enjoyed pete rose on the field, i disliked him even more off the field. VERY arrogant and abrasive. not to mentioned how he disappointed every kid who cheered him on. still causes a stir on local(700wlw) radio.

eddyb: doesnt andretti also have a color of paint named for him? Andretti Red from PPG or Dupont. i think i saw it one of the discovery motrocycle shows.

Gunghy said...

Hand up for Elenore. I like the Turtles better, anyway. That messed up c-note, which I really wanted. NSST set me right. I knew Amah (from x-words, it used to be very common) and halibut

Tried really hard to change away from SKED: UGH!!

Last fill was VENTURA IN FILMS, because of NCR and NIN.

Bandage came quick, the second half took longer. I just checked, I have 10 Ace or imitators in my cabinet. A hammer on the toe is minor for me. It seems that about every 4 years I do something life threatening that requires facetime with a doctor.

Alice is not who I think of when I read EAT ME.

Dennis, great news. wish him well.

Out.

Jerome said...

Clear Ayes & Tinbeni- No way I'm giving anyone at The Corner the chance to say, "Jerome, you suck!"
I'm changing SKUNK to OKAPI!

windhover said...

s,nh:
Another bit of Dayton history, which I may have a detail or two wrong:
Charles Kettering, who also lent his name to a few things around SW Ohio, founded the Simplex company, the maker of the bane of the working man, the time clock, and may have been involved in NCR. Kettering was a partner to Thomas J, Watson, my former employer at IBM. They parted company at some point, but when I
left IBM in 1976, every clock in the building (and the time clocks) was a Simplex. You can correct whatever errors of fact I've made. It's been 36 years, and I'm
almost over the nightmares. (Just kidding). Best job I ever had, even if I did hate it.

Gunghy said...

CA, Ice Storm didn't show in all puzzles. Many had 'Spiderman Director Lee' and he didn't do that movie. (Not that I would know without checking, but some people have much more affinity to names than I)

Clear Ayes said...

I really have been saving this poem for a future Joyce Kilmer fill. We are all tired of seeing "Trees", aren't we? But it fits in so well with Windhover's last post, I just can't resist. You can substitute "Time Clocks" for "Alarm Clocks" if you want to.

Alarm Clocks

When Dawn strides out to wake a dewy farm
Across green fields and yellow hills of hay
The little twittering birds laugh in his way
And poise triumphant on his shining arm.
He bears a sword of flame but not to harm
The wakened life that feels his quickening sway
And barnyard voices shrilling "It is day!"
Take by his grace a new and alien charm.

But in the city, like a wounded thing
That limps to cover from the angry chase,
He steals down streets where sickly arc-lights sing,
And wanly mock his young and shameful face;
And tiny gongs with cruel fervor ring
In many a high and dreary sleeping place.

Joyce Kilmer

dodo said...

Dennis, great news about your friend. I have an 89-year-old friend living with prostate cancer; he has no worries about it. Apparently his doctor keeps a check on it regularly and he's okay. It's a sad comment on our hospitals, isn't it, when even the doctors recognize the dangers of contracting infections there?

Perhaps sched. is proper as an abbreviation for schedule but sked without a period after it, seems to be a well-known word in itself, to airline crews and others, as mentioned.

I assumed 'flawless service' referred to tennis, but that's the only sport I ever watch.

Hahtool, I was in a quandary about Venturainfilms, too. Wondered if it pertained to someone who lives in Ventura, but why not Venturians or Venturans? And then there's Jesse Ventura, the wrestler cum governor of Mn., who still seems to be trying to stay in the public eye.

Seldom Seen said...

WH: you got me quationing dayton history!

i know chuck is very important around here as i live in kettering, OH! i know he invented the car's self starter(thank god i never i had to use the old-fashion hand crank) and that invention led to dayton electronics, which became delco, which just met its demise recently. i Don't know anything about simplex.

i am pretty sure watson was patterson's partner as i have heard of their break-up. patterson was a very savvy man, but not well-liked. sort of like henry ford. patterson did a lot for the community, but he did it his way!!(he singlr-handedly save the city from the great flood of 1913)

interestingly all of these guys knew each other(i think)including the wright bros. it was a inventive town back in the day!

p.s. look at all the pretty colors

Warren said...

Hi C.C. & gang, yesterday we got home from a overnight stay in Monterey and did the puzzle from the Mercury News without noticing that it was Wednesday's puzzle. When I looked at yesterday's blog it was for a different puzzle and then I noticed that the date was wrong on the puzzle. In today's Mercury News they put in a note about the mistake and they then printed out Tuesday's and Wednesday puzzles back to back. I didn't notice that either until later after I had gone on-line to print out Tuesday's puzzle since we had already done Wednesday's...

Just a day in the life.

Seldom Seen said...

i got so excited about figuring how to go blue i forgot how to spell questioning! i'll add to my profile as i get comfortable using it. i tried this before and lost everything to cyberspace. i am taking baby steps!!

carol said...

Hi all -
Late getting to the puzzle today...was playing 'fun at the dentist'. Remember me saying a few days ago that you never want to mention going on a vacation/road/plane trip/cruise, whatever in front of your car or major appliances? That goes for teeth too...I just found out I need a root canal. Also took the car in for a brake and tire check, and we need rear brakes. Ka-ching $$$

Most of the puzzle comments have been made but in honor of 26A (lascivious looks/LEER), I offer this limerick:

There was an old gent from Belize
who was polite enough to say please
when he gave a leer
to a girl standing near
hoping she'd go down on her knees.

Tinbeni said...

Jerome
You know we never would say "You suck!"
But if you use SKED we will probably have a few "lame" comments.

As to changing the puzzle, very clever.
You say you're changing it to OKAPI ... then leave in the SKUNK.
But we know you would leave in the SKUNK to cross us up. Soooo, you'll change it to OKAPI.
But we know you changed it to OKAPI. Soooo, you'll leave in the SKUNK.
But we know, what you know, that WE know, that YOU know ...
Well, you don't know, what you don't know ... ya know.

Seldom Seen said...

wh: my 5:52 post was not meant to be snarky. i was trying to say "i know" when i was sure of the facts and "i don't know" when i wasn't!

i re-read my comments(as i always do)and i thought...man, what an a##hole. so...anyway i thought it was funny how you mentioned kettering!

Jeannie said...

Carol, you didn't disappoint. I LMAO. SBNH, good to see you blue and linking a post. I received a limerick today from a certain so and so that I wish I could post but alas...

Here is my contribution:

There is a farmer from Kentucky
That claims throwing hay is yucky
But the Irish he's got
and he loves her alot
and considers himself very lucky.

Dennis, good to know that your friend came through with flying colors and will be up and at 'em very soon. You are a good friend.

eddyB said...

@ seen, not heard. Another fan?
Yep. John will drive the #43 car for Richard Petty painted Petty
"Blue" and Andretti "Red". The Andrettis also have a winery and thrill park. TMI?
Only thing I remember about WPAFB
was that I needed my top secret clearance to visit some areas.

Hockey game at 5PM. Must win games
for Pitt and Phil.

eddyB

Argyle said...

'Though we may fall from C.C.'s graces

and put her through her paces,

In the long run

When all's said and done,

She always comes up Aces.

carol said...

Dennis, so pleased to hear that your friend came through his surgery with good results...and what a wonderful Dr to be honest enough to know there are 'cooties' and worse lurking in a hospital.

Jeannie, great limerick!! Hope WH approves :)

eddyB said...

oops, game started at 4 and Pitt is losing at the end of one.

eddyB

Bill G. said...

There once was a man from Peru,
Who wrote limericks that stopped at line 2.

Tinbeni said...

There once was a man who loved Scotch.


Cheers !!!

windhover said...

Jeannie:
Liked your limerick, except I do actually like throwing hay. It's my favorite job on the farm. Well, maybe second favorite.

dodo said...

Tenbeni, Have another avatar!

Jeannie, you are showing us so many hidden talents!!!

Jerome, keep 'm guessing! Okapi, schloppy!

Chickie said...

Great limericks, today. Such talented people.

Dennis, Wonderful news about your friend's surgery. I can't believe that he may go home tomorrow. True that sometimes you come home with a worse ailment than what you went in with.

My daughter, who is an ICU nurse, has worked very hard to make sure that even the bed frames are wiped down with disinfectant. That isn't always done, and she finally got her unit to agree to do this. It is extra work, don't you know, but it is paying off.

Annette said...

What great limericks!

I think that one newspaper got it right, and all the others mixed up the Tuesday and Wednesday puzzles. I thought today's was much easier. And it brought back some good memories:

I never heard of Phillips Academy, but the perps took care of it for me. And I wanted INC for 55A before LLC.

I lived in Dayton for a little under a year, drove past WP AFB on my way to work, and went out once with a guy that worked at NCR.

ALCOA brought back memories of Junior Achievement. They were our sponsor, and we made the nicest clothes hangers... I still have several.

My one big mistake was putting CAV (Caveliers) instead of MAV for 10D. No wonder CERC made no sense for "Hired Soldier".

Dennis, that's great news about your friend! I wish him a speedy recovery.

Bill G. said...

Speaking of hospital problems, have any of you read (or watched on HBO) The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency? There was one episode where the detectives were asked to figure you why patients on a particular bed on Fridays were dying at a surprising rate. It turns out that a cleaning lady was unplugging the life support machines to plug in her cleaning equipment (in the only available outlet). That's an excellent series of books BTW and a very good adaptation by HBO. I haven't seen it yet this season but I hope it continues.

I enjoyed the restart of Friday Night Lights.

lois said...

Dennis: so glad to hear your friend's good news. It's just utterly amazing how treatment has changed and esp post-op. Even tonsilectomies are outpatient. I wish you friend a speedy recovery. I'm glad it's over for him.

Carol: out-freakin'-standing limerick. You are the queen! LMAO. Esp in light of some of today's c/w answers. So funny!

Jeannie: your limerick is a fine tribute to our Ky Hunk. I'd think that throwin that hay is just one reason for his powerful physique and strong arms. Fine specimen.

Argyle: you never cease to amaze me. What a great limerick and so true. Well done!

Chickie: I'm going to check w/my RN daughter to see if they disinfect the bed frames at her hospital. That makes so much sense to me.

Frenchie said...

Hmmm...

After reading all the comments concerning the abbreviation of schedule, I thought it almost looks like text message shorthand. In an abbreviations/acronyms dictionary, I found this: SCHEDULE-SKED
If you find this website legitimate, then, schedule abbreviated to sked is acceptable as it follows the logic of the internet short hand. DYT?

Jeannie said...

Okay, one more for my favorite counselor:

I once met a good looking Lawyer
Who turned out to be a good voyeur,
From a distance he'd look
hiding behind a good book
at the witty blonde Burger King buyer.

Can't help myself sometimes, as I crack my own self up.


Now talk among yourselves.

Mainiac said...

Hey all!

Late post for me. I finally took some time to look back and catch up a bit.

CA, You are truly a inspiration!

Lolita, I admire your wonderfully large heart!

Dennis, Great news! Positive thoughts flow continuously.

Having some personal issues creating severe brain drain recently so please pardon inconsistent posting. Nothing physical but it seems to be attacking on all fronts.

One part of my day is consistently doing the LAT, which this blog has made me a better puzzler.

Thanks to CC and all of the guest bloggers! Also to all who regularly post. Its a really Wicked cool place that I really feel fortunate to be part of, albeit sporadically. I truelyy enjoy all of the comments even though I don't reply much.

Thanks to all!!

Lemonade714 said...

Thank you miss Lo-li-ta; I am afraid my Limerick does not pass the XXX test.

After all this time, it is gratifying to see someone understood the concept of the hyphenated Lolita.

Meanwhile, I am a product in part, of hte St.Grottlesex prep school system, (St. George's, Phillips Andover, Phillips Exexter, Groton, Choate, Kent and Cheshire) which in the early 60's decided it would be fun to have a naive Jewish boy enter those hallowed halls. I was there on scholarship, always having been good at school, and the experience was complicated. I actually began school in a private grammar school, founded by the Bigelow Tea family, and on the plus side, by the time I graduated high school I had 7 years of French, 6 years of Latin a year of Greek, a little Russian and two years of Calculus. I also had ny school books defaced with anti-semitic sayings, nasty things done to my room, and lots of other fun stuff. Ah, the memories; my 45th reunion is soon. Will not make it.

Great news Dennis, great day of commentary B&G, and as always; Jerome you are my idol.

Annette said...

One last limerick to end the night:

There once was a lady named C.C.,
who likes baseball much more than me.
She makes us all blush,
with clues we finally suss.
All our love and respect go to thee!


Cheers!

Lucina said...

What great limericks, people. There is such good talent hidden among us. I'm so proud to be part of this group!

RE: sked. I believe we have to accept the fact that phonetically it is "sked" and therefore can be spelled that way.

Jerome, you rock.

Good night all!

kazie said...

Lemonade,
It's such a pity that a wonderful opportunity like your schooling had to be marred by such mean nastiness. What a great classical education though! I find that increasingly, modern children are deprived of anything not considered utilitarian job training. No value is given to the training of their brains like what you experienced. It prepares you for so much more than a career.

I envy all you great limerickers. I can't come up with anything that rhymes. Great job, all of you!